Showjumping gold medal winner Cian O #39;Connor has decided not to accept the Irish Person of the Year award because his horse has failed a drugs test.

O #39;Connor turns down award


Hollinger International #39;s \$US1.25billion (\$1.7 billion) legal action alleging racketeering against former chief executive Conrad Black and businesses he controlled was dismissed by a US federal judge last Friday.

Victory for Black in US court


Reuters - The bulls and the bears are in this\together, scratching their heads and wondering what's going to\happen next.

Strategies for a Sideways Market (Reuters)


Because of speed restrictions, mobile devices often have trouble downloading Web pages that are designed to provide the optimum experience for high-speed Internet users.

ICANN Clears Way for Mobile, Job Domain Extensions


COM. If Maryland is the sixth-best team in the ACC, then the league has teams capable of competing in the NBA, baby! The Terps put on a clinic in beating a talented Memphis team at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic.

Maryland runs circles around Memphis


For everyone watching, from the fans and players to the national press, this is the drive they came to see. Rookie Eli Manning, the NFL #39;s number one pick making his first start for the Giants, barked out signals

Manning shows poise, penchant for rookie mistakes


AFP - Lambasted as antiquated and anti-democratic, the Electoral College that decides the US presidency has survived for centuries as an unmovable albeit creaky pillar of the American political system.

US Electoral College withstands critics ... so far (AFP)


AP - President Bush's re-election makes it more likely Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will retire soon. And Republican gains in the Senate mean the president has more flexibility to nominate another strong conservative to fill that vacancy and other federal judgeships.

Rehnquist More Likely to Step Aside Now (AP)


The libraries of some of the world's most important academic institutions are to be digitised by Google.

Google to scan famous libraries


Acer's Ferrari red model 3400 features an AMD Athlon 64 processor and starts at \$2,299.

Photos: Acer's Ferrari notebook


SAN FRANCISCO Carolina scored 17 points in the final eight minutes to jump past San Francisco 37-to-27. The Panthers had trailed early 17-to-3 before coming back for the win.

Panthers 37 49ers 27


South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Swiss-based STMicroelectronics NV signed a joint-venture agreement on Tuesday to construct a memory chip manufacturing plant in Wuxi, about 100 kilometers west of Shanghai, in China.

Hynix, STMicro plan Chinese memory chip plant


AP - Reconsidering its hard line on Iran, the United States is weighing the idea of rewarding the Islamic republic if it gives up technology that can be used for nuclear arms, diplomats and U.S. officials said Tuesday.

U.S. Considering Incentives for Iran (AP)


If it can keep integrating buys and grow profits, this looks like a company worth holding.

Russell's a Good Sport


Conservative leader Michael Howard has accused the Government for going to war with Iraq devoid of a comprehensive plan to restore stability to the country.

Howard accuses Government of lacking  #39;real #39; post-war Iraq plan


Hollywood has made legal moves against two chip makers in its bid to combat DVD piracy.

Hollywood battles DVD chip makers


At least Thursday he was. Joey Harrington is frustrated. Joey Harrington is searching for answers, the same as everyone else here.

Success eluding Harrington, Lions


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended higher on  Friday after  Ford Motor Co. <A HREF=

US Stocks End Up as Ford Raises Forecasts


AP - There's the GMAC Bowl, the Emerald Bowl and the Champs Sports Bowl. And there's the Continental Tire Bowl and the Insight Bowl and the MPC Computers Bowl.

Akron Odd Team Out As Bowl Season Begins (AP)


The MSN network of Internet services has introduced updates to its free communication services to make e-mail, instant messaging and online sharing easier and more personal for consumers.

MSN upgrades Messenger, Hotmail


Reuters - Militants bombed mourners arriving at a Kashmir graveyard on Sunday for the funeral of a murdered opposition party leader, killing one and wounding six, police and witnesses said.

Militants bomb Kashmir mourners, killing one (Reuters)


World News, VIENNA - The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency is unlikely to drop plans for a new term despite US anger after pre-election revelations of missing Iraq explosives, a diplomat close to the agency said Saturday.

World ; IAEA Head Seen Unswayed by US Hostility to New Term


Hong Kong legislator-elect  quot;Long Hair quot; Leung Kwok-hung (  ) said yesterday he would ask Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (  ) to resign during an unprecedented meeting scheduled for today.

Long hair #39; Leung sizes up HK head


Atlanta Braves starter Paul Byrd works in the fourth inning against the New York Mets in Atlanta, in this Aug. 1, 2004 file photo.

Angels Agree to Byrd Deal, Trade Ortiz


BAGHDAD (CBS) Five US servicemen lost their lives to car bombs in Iraq, the US military said Saturday, the latest in a string of such attacks at the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Car Bombs Kill 5 US Troops In Iraq


AFP - The United States and three major European nations have reached agreement in Vienna on a draft resolution on Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program in a breakthrough that could lead to the text being adopted Friday by the UN nuclear watchdog, a US official told AFP.

Europe, US agree on draft resolution on Iran nuclear program (AFP)


Houston - Forty-two years of postseason futility for his hometown team rested in the strong right hand of Roger Clemens. A 5-2 lead, Atlanta #39;s 15- game winner in the showers, a future Hall of Famer on the mound and a 19-game home win streak.

Astros #39; leads slip away


UNITED NATIONS -- Despite an appearance at the United Nations that was friendlier and more optimistic than any of his previous speeches to the world body, President Bush still faces a skeptical crowd at the UN.

At UN, Bush still finds his Iraq plan hard to sell


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he expects to sign a new contract  quot;within the next few days quot;. Wenger #39;s current Highbury contract expires at the end of this season but his new deal is set to keep him at the club until at least 2008.

Wenger close to new deal


AP - American troops will train with new U.S. military equipment in Australia under a pact being negotiated by Washington and Canberra, a prominent defense analyst said Friday.

Analyst: U.S. Weapons Tests in Australia (AP)


The IMF says unrest in Haiti forces it to postpone talks on an emergency loan for the stricken country.

Haiti violence scuppers IMF visit


Intel, the world #39;s largest chip maker, said on Tuesday that it had started providing customers with test versions of chips for equipment that will allow long-range wireless high-speed Internet surfing.

Intel is testing long-range wireless chip


AP - LenDale White got together with some old friends Saturday night. He had a much better time than they did, gaining 123 yards on 14 carries and scoring a career-high three touchdowns to lead No. 1 Southern California to an overpowering 49-0 victory over Colorado State.

No. 1 USC Demolishes Colorado St. 49-0 (AP)


General Motors Corp. reported third-quarter earnings Thursday that were at the low end of the company #39;s July guidance. Quarterly earnings rose to \$440 million, or 78 cents per share, from \$425 million, or 79 cents per share, a year ago.

General Motors Posts Weak Earnings


As a walk-on player with the 2001-02 University of West Virginia basketball team, Aubrey Guastalli wore uniform No. 13.

Taking long way around for hoop dream


American Red Cross and Ask Jeeves Help Hurricane Victims\\Ask Jeeves today announced that the Company has teamed with the American Red Cross to aid victims of the recent hurricanes and other disasters. Ask Jeeves has launched redcross.ask.com to offer people an easy way to help the Red Cross. Ask Jeeves ...


Fuel cell maker Ballard Power Systems Inc. on Friday said it exercised its right to call a 55 million Canadian dollar (\$44.6 million) investment from DaimlerChrysler AG and Ford Motor Co.

Update 2: DaimlerChrysler, Ford to Invest in Ballard


Sunday #39;s final of the Madrid Masters pitted players ranked ninth, Marat Safin, and 10th, David Nalbandian, in the world; both near the top of their games.

Madrid Masters: Safin beats Nalbandian


Just after escaping an attempt to kill him on Wednesday, he said an Iraqi court had dropped charges that could have put him in jail.

Iraq #39;s Chalabi escapes assassination


By JOHN ANTCZAK     LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The creators of a private rocket plane will go ahead with plans for another launch next week in a quest to claim a multimillion-dollar prize, despite a harrowing flight in which the spacecraft rolled dramatically while hurtling toward the edge of the atmosphere.    Organizers of the \$10 million Ansari X Prize announced without elaboration Thursday night that SpaceShipOne designer Burt Rutan had told them he would go ahead with Monday morning's scheduled flight...

Pilot and Designer of Private Rocket Plane Confident


Martha Stewart is making big plans to return to the small screen next year following her five-month gig in a West Virginia prison.

Martha Stewart Eyeing Reality TV Comeback


the third soldier of this apocalypse, the third leg on this perfect and perfectly unholy triangle of sports scandals. If sports truly offers

Scandals Have Thrown Sports for a Loss


Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Spain #39;s Iker Martinez and Xavier Fernandez won gold in the 49er sailing class Thursday. Martinez and Fernandez, reigning world champions, finished seventh in the 16th race and posted 67 net points in the event.

Spain #39;s Martinez and Fernandez win 49er gold


Although Travis Smith spent most of this season in the International League, the Phillies didn #39;t need a scouting report on him.

Major League Baseball News


Corporate customers will be pitched PCs that can be centrally managed and partitioned, in addition to security features.

Intel planning Centrino-like brand for desktops


Tiger Woods will lose money but gain a greater prize in his latest trip to a golf course. Richard Alleyne reports from Barbados. If you are the world #39;s richest and most obsessive golfer, where better to get

Privacy #39;s the game for Woods #39; big day


Chad Hutchinson #39;s linemen were like hotel doormen.  quot;Right this way, sirs, quot; they repeatedly said, welcoming Jacksonville defenders into the Bears #39; backfield.

Bears toe the playoff line


The Australian Rugby Union chose Perth over Melbourne to host the country #39;s fourth rugby union franchise when the annual Super 12 competition expands to 14 teams from 2006.

Perth Selected to Host Australia #39;s New Super 14 Rugby Team


Marsh  amp; McLennan, the insurance broker grappling with allegations of fraud, yesterday announced plans to cut 3,000 jobs and reported a fall in third quarter profits of more than 90.

Marsh cuts 3,000 jobs as lawsuit slashes profits by 90


As the offensive against Fallujah ends, U.S. military commanders have begun turning their attention to other restive regions of Iraq, where an insurgency in Sunni Muslim-dominated areas has proved resilient, possibly endangering nationwide elections scheduled for Jan. 30.

Iraq's Forbidding 'Triangle of Death'


LG.Philips LCD said Monday its third-quarter net income dropped on year and fell short of forecasts, as high supplies led to lower prices of its liquid crystal display panels.

High LCD supplies pressured prices and cut into margins


Other running backs were ranked higher than Julius Jones in last April's draft and the Cowboys took heat for trading down and taking him. Now, minds are changing.

Cowboys Ride J. Jones


Motorsport.com. The layout of Silverstone #39;s 5.14 kilometre track may be changed as part of modernising the circuit, according British Racing Drivers #39; Club (BRDC) chief executive Alex Hooton.

Silverstone layout may change


Online shoppers intent on skipping long lines and clogged parking lots at the mall are discovering a different kind of traffic problem this holiday season: overcrowded Web sites that are cracking under the pressure.  <FONT face=

The Glitch  That Stole Holiday Buys


Javier Vazquez reversed his free fall with seven three-hit innings and Derek Jeter went 3 for 4 in the Yankees' second straight shutout victory.

Jeter Is Having Fun When the Games Mean the Most


Georgia Tech will play in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, two people familiar with the situation told the Journal-Constitution Monday.

Jackets bowling in Orlando


Reuters - Signs that North Korea\is preparing to test a ballistic missile are of great concern,\a U.S. commander said on Sunday, adding that the North could be\on the verge of big missile technology breakthroughs.

Signs N.Korea Preparing a Missile Test a Worry-U.S. (Reuters)


AP - Wily Mo Pena homered twice and drove in four runs, helping the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres 11-5 on Saturday night. San Diego was knocked out of a share of the NL wild-card lead with the loss and Chicago's victory over Los Angeles earlier in the day.

Reds Knock Padres Out of Wild-Card Lead (AP)


Intelsat lost a satellite during the weekend, and that could put its \$5 billion sale to private investors in jeopardy. Intelsat says a sudden and unexpected electrical-distribution anomaly caused the permanent loss of the spacecraft.

Intelsat sale could fall through


The Federal Trade Commission and other law enforcers face three hurdles in having a reward system for anti-spam investigations, according to a new FTC report.

Reward system may not help catch spammers


Jesus Lizards

How


When structural engineers from Miami pushed the rest of Florida to adopt much stricter building codes after Hurricane Andrew, the response was generally blas.

After Storm, a New Look at Stiffer Building Codes


WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--NGC Holdings (NGC.NZ), a New Zealand-based gas distribution and metering concern, is seeking liquified petroleum gas and electricity network businesses in its quest for growth, the Dominion Post reported on its Web site Wednesday.

NZ PRESS: NGC Seeks LPG, Network Businesses To Grow


LOURDES, France -- A sick man among the sick, Pope John Paul II struggled yesterday through Sunday Mass at a French shrine that draws desperate people seeking miracle cures. The 84-year-old pontiff gasped, trembled, and asked aides for help during the 2-hour service in the sizzling heat.

Pope struggles at shrine Mass


DHAKA: An angry mob set fire to a passenger train in central Bangladesh Sunday, injuring at least 20 people after a grenade attack on an opposition rally that killed 18 people and wounded hundreds, police said.

Mob sets train on fire in Bangladesh


The newest edition of Host Integration Server, which replaces the 2000 version, is designed to make it easier for users to link Windows systems with IBM mainframes and midrange iSeries servers.

Microsoft readies Host Integration Server 2004


The impending attack could decentralize the Iraqi insurgency and increase the risk of violence during elections.

High stakes of taking Fallujah


The company which invented the walkman and created a new niche with it has now got its ear to the ground. The latest Walkman music player to emerge from their workshop seems to be a hybrid of sorts.

Sonys Walkman bows to MP3 format


Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), Japans second largest bank, today put forward a 3,200 billion (\$29 billion) takeover bid for United Financial Group (UFJ), the countrys fourth biggest lender, in an effort to regain initiative in its bidding

Sumitomo puts \$29 bn takeover bid for UFJ


Vormetric #39;s CoreGuard helps Ocwen protect confidential information in its online exchange for the mortgage industry. By Steven Marlin.

Software Keeps Insiders Out


Mozilla-based Netscape 7.2 improves printing and integrates instant messaging.

Netscape Updates Browser


Saturn #39;s mysterious moon Titan held onto its secrets despite a close reconnaissance by the Cassini spacecraft #39;s cameras and instruments.

Cassini Takes A Close Look At Saturns Moon Titan


The US Federal Trade Commission last week filed a legal complaint against two companies that allegedly infected computers with spyware and pop-up advertising, then tried to sell their owners spyware-blocking software.

FTC Sues Alleged Spyware Distributors


With its eyes on the future of home entertainment and a relatively uncluttered band of radio spectrum, Cisco Systems Inc. #39;s Linksys division on Wednesday unveiled a line of IEEE 802.

Linksys goes dual-band on Wi-Fi


It was early September when Northeastern women's hockey coach Laura Schuler climbed the steep staircase in Matthews Arena to her new office for the first time.

The old-school approach


AP - Shareholders of Harmony Gold Mining Co. on Friday overwhelmingly approved issuing new shares to fund the company's hostile takeover bid for Gold Fields Ltd.

Harmony Shareholders Approve New Shares (AP)


Oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell today said it would to scrap its twin board structure as it battles to restore confidence in the wake of its reserves crisis.

Shell to scrap twin board structure


Nick Heidfeld #39;s pace on his first two days of running with the Williams-BMW team appear to have increased his chances of being included in next year #39;s race line-up, after the team confirmed that it would inviting him back for a second run next week.

Williams to take second look at Heidfeld.


Broadly defined, an intelligent tutoring system is educational software containing an artificial intelligence component.

Software Tutors Offer Help and Customized Hints


(Sports Network) - Ryan Drese attempts win No. 15 this afternoon when the Texas Rangers conclude their three-game set with the Seattle Mariners at Ameriquest Field.

=== Texas Rangers Team Report - September 26 ===


The new version of the operating system was built by Trusted Computer Solutions, which sells software to U.S. intelligence agencies.

FBI supplier readies secure Linux


KABUL (Reuters) - The United States has brokered a  cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the  embattled governor of the western province of Herat,  Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday.

U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan


Images posted in news groups may install remote control software on vulnerable PCs.

Hackers Target Microsoft JPEG Hole


Sports India: Cricket  gt; Kolkata, Sep 30 : The ongoing battle for telecast rights took a new twist today with the Cricket Board announcing that it would arrange for live coverage of the upcoming tournaments with the help of Ten Sports and Sony

Ten Sports and Sony to assist BCCI in live coverage :


Melbourne, Fla.-based Harris Corp. says it will expand its Washington area work force after winning an IT support contract from the National Reconnaissance Office.

Harris Corp. to add 200 DC-area jobs


Mumbai: Former Test cricketers, including Polly Umrigar, Dilip Vengsarkar and Bapu Nadkarni, praised batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar equalling former skipper Sunil Gavaskar #39;s 34 Test hundreds against Bangladesh today as  quot;a fantastic feat quot; and said he

#39;Many more tons to come from Sachin #39;s bat #39;


Oil prices fell yesterday after government data showed US inventories of crude grew last week, surprising many traders and analysts who had expected supplies to shrink due to lingering output problems caused by Hurricane Ivan.

Oil prices fall as US supplies build


Margaret Hassan, the kidnapped director of CARE International in Iraq, appears in this image made from television in a videotape aired by the Arabic television station Al-Jazeera, Friday, Oct. 22, 2004.

Video: Abducted Aid Worker Pleads for Life


SiliconValley.com - IBM is expected to announce today that it has built a supercomputer that could qualify as the world's fastest machine.

IBM supercomputer may be the world's fastest (SiliconValley.com)


WASHINGTON -- The ''shock and awe quot; attack that toppled Saddam Hussein in three weeks is often touted as a brilliant strategy that defeated Iraq with relatively few US casualties. But new information suggests that the United States may have played into Hussein's plans for a quick war followed by a long guerrilla insurgency.

Study ties Hussein, guerrilla strategy


After 12 years of failure it is time for Taiwan to adopt a new strategy in its quest to gain a seat at the United Nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen () said yesterday.

UN under fire for rejecting the voice of Taiwan


Security flaws in Adobe Acrobat Reader that could allow an attacker to take over a user #39;s system have been dealt with, as Adobe has patched the software.

Adobe patches Acrobat Reader


The company reported strong fiscal second-quarter results and positive trends seem likely to continue to drive healthy growth.

FedEx Is Flying High


AP - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry would appoint Supreme Court justices who would safeguard a half-century of civil rights gains, his wife said Friday.

Wife Invokes Supreme Court to Tout Kerry (AP)


Russia #39;s space agency says it will send a three-man replacement crew to the International Space Station on October 11, two days later than originally planned.

Russia Sets Space Station Crew Launch for October 11


THE REGION The Boston Herald named business columnist Cosmo Macero Jr. editor of its business section, replacing Ted Bunker, a nine-year Herald veteran, who has left the newspaper to  quot;pursue other opportunities, quot; according to a Herald statement. Macero, 37, will continue to write a regular business column. Herald editorial director Ken Chandler said Macero was promoted  quot;to make the section ...

Changes at the Herald


ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola Co. warned investors to expect slower earnings and sales growth from the world's biggest soft drink company. But it said it is beefing up spending on marketing its core brands and on innovation as it tries to catch up with consumer's growing thirst for alternatives to soda.

Coke says earnings, sales growth to slow


AP - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf will keep his dual role as army chief and head of state under legislation enacted Tuesday, despite opposition criticism that he is reneging on an agreement to give up his powerful military role.

Musharraf Remains President, Army Chief (AP)


Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who most Western governments want to see win an election on Oct. 9, said today that foreign troops would remain until the country #39;s own fledgling forces can take the charge of stability.

Karzai says foreign troops vital for Afghanistan


LONDON (Reuters) - European shares fell on poor earnings  news on Friday as investors looked past China's surprise rate  hike to key U.S. Q3 gross domestic product data for the next  read on the health of the world's largest economy.

Shares Hit by Earnings, Dollar Falls


Sarah and Tom Huston worry their days of leisurely casting fishing lines off a shaded dock in Roosevelt Lake are numbered. The Arizona lake, about 110 miles northeast of Phoenix, is now just 30 percent full, local rangers say.

Drought In West Grounds Boaters


AP - Soldiers and armed police patrolled the Bangladeshi capital on Sunday, a day after more than a dozen grenades were thrown at an opposition rally, killing at least 18 people and injuring hundreds.

18 Killed by Bombs at Bangladesh Rally (AP)


The therapeutic power of flowers takes on new meaning with a Japanese gadget that turns plants into audio speakers, making the petals and leaves tremble with good vibrations.

Gadget Turns Plants Into Speakers


NEW YORK - Stocks sagged Wednesday after beverage giant Coca-Cola Co. issued a gloomy forecast, and a lower-than-expected reading on industrial production for August threw the nation's broader economic outlook into question...

Stocks Sag on Coke's Gloomy Forecast


The 17-day Olympic Games passed the halfway point this weekend, and the best news on the security front was that there was no news at all.

No news is good news on Athens #39; security front


Stocks rose as an \$11 billion offer by Kmart for Sears, Roebuck lifted retailers and better-than-expected earnings from Hewlett-Packard ignited a rally in technology shares.

Investors Reward Kmart, Sears and Their Suppliers


Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Eagles signed starting corner Sheldon Brown to a six-year contract extension Thursday.

Eagles ink CB Brown to six-year extension


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

No. 3 Auburn Tops Tennessee for SEC Title


MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's government plans sweeping  reforms to end rampant human rights violations, but experts  complain the plan lacks the teeth to stop police torture and  other abuses.

Mexico Seeks to Clean Up Shoddy Rights Record


India News: Srinagar, Dec 5 : Three separatist guerrillas were killed after a night-long gun battle with Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday.

Three guerrillas killed in Kashmir gun battle:


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The main oxygen generator for the international space station has failed, and the two astronauts on board may have to tap into an attached cargo ship #39;s air supply next week, NASA said Thursday.

NASA: Station #39;s Oxygen Generator Fails


The International Olympic Committee has stripped a Greek weightlifter of his bronze medal and expelled him from the Athens Games for a doping offense.

Greek Weightlifter Stripped of Olympic Medal, Ejected From Athens <b>...</b>


Reuters - His fluency in several Afghan languages, his first-name friendships with world leaders and his familiarity to voters across the country should guarantee success for Afghan President Hamid Karzai in October elections.

Karzai lives dangerously in Afghan hotseat (Reuters)


Symbol Technologies, Inc. has introduced the first in a new family of what they call durable enterprise digital assistant (EDA) products specifically designed for business essential applications within the enterprise environment.

Symbol launches new Pocket PC with wireless LAN


AP - Former President Clinton dismissed concerns that his decision to campaign for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry seven weeks after undergoing heart surgery is risky, saying,

Clinton Says Stumping for Kerry Not a Risk (AP)


LONDON  Honeywell International Inc., the New Jersey aerospace and high-tech manufacturer, has agreed to buy the British industrial holding company Novar PLC for about \$1.7 billion, the companies said Monday.

Honeywell agrees to pay \$1.7 billion for Novar PLC


AFP - Terrorism poses the biggest short-term threat to the US economy, a panel of top business economists said in a survey.

Business economists say terror the biggest risk in US (AFP)


AP - The nation's largest voting machine companies are submitting millions of lines of code to the National Software Reference Library to address sharp criticism from computer scientists about the secret software used in elections.

E-Voting Cos. Reveal Software to Feds (AP)


LONDON: Soon the formal white skirts and tops which are a trademark for tennis, will give way to hep leather jackets, pleated gladiator-style minis and sexy knee-high boots, thanks to a new fashion range launched by tennis star Serena Williams.

Serena Williams unleashes leather-clad gladiators on court!


Bangalore, India - Australia launched its test series campaign in India with a thumping 217-run victory in the opening match on Sunday.

Australia beat India


Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi dropped his objection to Anthem Inc. #39;s purchase of WellPoint Health Networks Inc. after the companies agreed to spend \$265 million, more than double their previous commitment

Anthem-WellPoint deal OKd


Technology News, A trade group representing seven major movie studios filed a first wave of lawsuits against individuals they say are offering pirated copies of films using peer-to-peer file-sharing programs.

Technology ; MPAA launches first lawsuits against movie sharers


Bank of New York Co. said Tuesday that its BNY Brokerage Inc. unit has agreed to acquire the execution and commission management business of investment management firm Wilshire Associates for an undisclosed amount.

Bank of New York Buys Wilshire Business


Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer will be out for several weeks following a hamstring injury sustained in Thursday #39;s UEFA Cup match.

Dyer out for several weeks


Energy executives whose organizations are pioneering the delivery of broadband-over-power-line services see potential in new consumer revenue streams and utility applications such as real-time grid monitoring.

Energy execs debate future of broadband over power lines


As his position with Renault for the final three races of 2004 was announced today, Jacques Villeneuve spoke positively about the future.

Jacques Villeneuve: The team and I share a common goal


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

JetBlue Profit Tumbles, Misses Estimates


Reuters - Millions of people may have survived the deadliest tsunami in living memory, but many are so deeply traumatised it will take years for them to heal, if ever, medical experts said on Monday.

Traumatised tsunami survivors to take years to heal (Reuters)


LONDON: Chelsea were held to a 0-0 home draw by Tottenham Hotspur yesterday and remain two points behind champions Arsenal in second place after the weekends Premier League action.

Chelsea held to a draw


ARLINGTON, Va. -- US Airways chief executive Bruce Lakefield said yesterday the airline would, as expected, ask a bankruptcy judge to impose temporary pay cuts on its union workers to conserve cash during the slow fall travel season.

US Airways to seek temporary pay cuts


October 15, 2004 -- Ex-Enron Corp. chief financial officer Andrew Fastow never promised Merrill Lynch a risk-free purchase of three energy-generating barges in a 1999 call about a sale prosecutors claim was a sham, a witness said.

NO BUYBACK PLEDGED, CLAIMS ENRON EXEC


Reuters - Yahoo Inc. reported on Tuesday a\quarterly net profit that more than tripled from the year\earlier, boosted by the sale of shares it held in rival Google\Inc. and stronger online ad revenue that analysts said may\signal good results from other Web search providers.

Yahoo Profit Triples on Google Stake Sale (Reuters)


VfB Stuttgart moved into top spot in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, while Bayern Munich suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat to Schalke.

Stuttgart tops table as Bayern, Bremen lose


BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The US military said 20 American soldiers have been wounded Saturday in Iraq in the insurgent stronghold city of Ramadi.

Iraq: US Soldiers Wounded in Ramadi, Attacks Hit Samarra


Former soccer great Diego Maradona spent Tuesday undergoing a general medical checkup in Havana after returning to Cuba to resume treatment for cocaine addiction.

Soccer legend Diego Maradona arrives in Cuba to resume drug <b>...</b>


ST. PETERSBURG, Russia Oct 25, 2004 - Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish beat Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4 Monday to reach the second round of the St.

Fish Beats Hernych at St. Petersburg


FRANKFURT Google has introduced a search technology to help publishers sell books online, a fast-growing market dominated by Amazon.

Google starts a service to aid online book sales


CAIRO (Reuters) - Syria, which Washington has accused of  failing to stop militants entering Iraq, has reached a border  cooperation deal with its neighbor, Foreign Minister Farouq  al-Shara said on Sunday.

Syria Says to Sign Border Protocol with Iraq


Big-time college athletic departments who assert that their teams' success leads to increased alumni donations and a better applicant pool have created an  quot;arms race quot; for athletic supremacy when funds could be better spent elsewhere on campus, according to a study by the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

Athletics not worth the price


In an expanding worldwide market of e-learning, an online university in the United States is being sued for allegedly selling bogus degrees, including an MBA degree awarded to a cat.

Cat gets MBA degree in US online scam


In a nasty trade battle that could rattle the multibillion-dollar aerospace industry, the US and Europe formally sued one another in the World Trade Organisation over the huge government subsidies paid to their respective aircraft giants, Boeing and Airbus

US, EU take to skies in battle of the giants


Zimbabwe's main opposition party say they will not take part in elections unless major reforms are made.

Zimbabwe opposition poll boycott


WHILE Valentino Rossi coasted into his familiar position at the head of the pack for the Australian Motorcycle grand prix today, rival Sete Gibernau warned:  quot;Don #39;t write me off.

Gibernau on Rossi #39;s tail


Unbeaten Barcelona continued their imperious progress in the Primera Liga when they came from a goal down to beat Deportivo Coruna 2-1 at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

UPDATE 1-Barcelona fight back to beat Deportivo 2-1


The Minnesota Twins have wrapped up their third straight AL Central crown by routing the Chicago White Sox 8-2. The Twins banged out four homers in the clincher and helped Carlos Silva pick up his 13th win.

Twins Win Third Straight AL Central Title!


Andy Roddick and Mardy  quot;Silver quot; Fish put the US up 2-0 Friday in their Davis Cup semifinal match-up against Belarus. Roddick overwhelmed Vladimir  quot;The Vladiator quot; Voltchkov 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, followed by Fish defeating

Roddick Rocks Voltchkov as US Leads Belarus 2-0


The New Zealand economy has slipped four places in world competitiveness rankings, but remains in the top 20, a new report shows. The World Economic Forum #39;s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 ranks

NZ in top 20 competitive economies


PARIS, France -- Europe #39;s first mission to the moon has successfully entered lunar orbit, a key milestone in its 13-month trip into space.

Europe lunar probe enters orbit


POTSDAM, Germany Queen Elizabeth II opened a conference on climate change Wednesday and praised the progress made by Germany #39;s formerly communist East.

Queen Elizabeth praises Germany #39;s achievements


Share prices in Sydney are boosted by hopes of a fresh round of economic liberalisation, following the re-election of Australian prime minister John Howard.

Markets upbeat on Australia vote


TEHRAN (IRNA) -- Iran #39;s top nuclear official went to parliament Monday to brief its National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on the process of work on the country #39;s peaceful nuclear program.

Top nuclear official briefs Majlis committee


THE revenge of an ex-lover has forced the resignation of British Home Secretary David Blunkett, dealing a blow to Tony Blair less than six months before an expected general election.

Scandal claims a tearful Blunkett


New report shows commitment by 85 countries to end the practice - but enforcement still lags.

New push to stop child soldiers


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops stepped up pressure on the  rebel-held Iraqi city of Falluja on Tuesday, cutting roads and  reinforcing positions around the town as jets criss-crossed the  sky ahead of an expected assault.

U.S. Troops Reinforce After Falluja Air Strike


French schools have expelled three more students for flouting the controversial ban on Islamic headscarves. The latest expulsions brought to five the total number of girls so far expelled under the new secularity

France expels more students over hijab


Kindergarten must have been good to LeBron James. With sharing at the top of that year's lesson plan, James might have collected a lot of gold stars for his behavior.

Sharing wealth was golden idea


International Game Technology #39;s fourth-quarter profits declined 50 percent, hit by early redemption of senior notes, but the world #39;s largest maker of slot machines and other gambling devices said Tuesday that its annual income set a new record.

Int #39;l Game Tech Posts Lower Profit


AFP - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said that his security services still could not confirm who carried out last week's suicide bombings at two resorts in the Sinai peninsula.

Mubarak says no fresh leads on Sinai bombers (AFP)


Researchers have sequenced the genome of the chicken, and they hope it will increase understanding of embryonic development and help farmers breed disease-resistant birds. By Kristen Philipkoski.

This Genome Is Fowl


AP - The remnants of Hurricane Jeanne rained out Monday night's game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves.

Heavy Rain Washes Out Mets-Braves Game (AP)


With Ron Artest asking for days off, the Pacers play like they took the day off themselves as the visiting Clippers hammer Indiana, 102-68.

Clippers Crush Pacers


Another day, another mismatch: the contest that was meant to bring the Champions Trophy to life proved to be as one-sided as its predecessors.

Kiwi hopes brought down by Symonds the six-shooter


Reuters - After years of paying the price of petty\corruption, unreliable infrastructure and laws that allow for\high staff turnover, outsourcing firm Netlink is planning to\buck a trend by moving from India to the United Arab Emirates.

UAE Hopes to Cash in on Outsourcing Rush (Reuters)


Marc Gene put in a good performance on his first day of testing with his new Ferrari team, setting the pace at Barcelona, Spain. Gene, who has spent the past four years testing for rival BMW-Williams, posted a top lap of 1:15.662 in the F2004.

Gene tops first day of Barcelona test


Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY), the top US electronics retail chain, on Wednesday posted a 21 percent rise in quarterly profit and said it gained market share in the period.

Best Buy Quarterly Profit Jumps 21 Pct.


SINGAPOREChina #39;s plan to buy Canadian mining giant Noranda Inc. is just the beginning of an overseas acquisition march fuelled by swollen foreign exchange reserves and a need to secure natural resources.

China targets more overseas acquisitions


Sven-Goran Eriksson will delay any decision about Steven Gerrard #39;s involvement in tomorrow night #39;s World Cup qualifier against Austria until a few hours before the match.

High noon decision for Gerrard


The Giants #39; fourth offensive snap yesterday provided the afternoon #39;s first obvious mistake. Its plot sounded frighteningly familiar.

FOR ELI, LINE PUTS ON GOOD FRONT


Ziff Davis - Opinion: The ongoing intellectual property fight between Furthermore and Miro shows the need to address possible IP conflicts before they become public or courtroom battles.

Open Source Needs an Arbitration Board (Ziff Davis)


Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rejected reported peace overtures by Syria on Wednesday, saying it had to crack down on Islamic militant groups under its control before negotiations that stalled in 2000 could resume.

Sharon Demands Syria Curb Militants Before Talks


AP - THE ISSUE: While the race for the presidency is now a virtual dead-heat between President Bush and Democrat John Kerry, on Election Day it could turn into a landslide.

Summary: Momentum Key in 2004 Election (AP)


Retail giant will give TiVo wider retail distribution ahead of the holiday season.

Target to sell TiVo DVRs


WASHINGTON -- The government has approved a drug that tries a new method of attacking multiple sclerosis, an incurable disease of the central nervous system that affects 350,000 Americans.

FDA approves drug for multiple sclerosis


A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China killed 33 workers in the 10th deadly mine blast reported in three months. The explosion occurred yesterday at 4:20 pm at Nanlou township

China Mine Blast Kills 33 in 10th Mishap in 3 Months (Update1)


Jeff Gordon has a chance to tie the late Dale Earnhardt #39;s record of three victories at restrictor-plate racetracks in one season.

Gordon #39;s goal: Get lead, avoid  #39;big one #39;


Genes from a biotech turf grass have spread as much as 13 miles from a test plot - a discovery that confirms the ability of altered traits to spread great distances into the wild on wind-borne pollen.

Wind disperses genes of bioengineered grass


Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 13 September 2004: - - Hurricane Ivan, one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the Caribbean, killed at least 16 people in Jamaica, where it wrecked houses and washed away roads on Saturday, but appears to have spared

Hurricane Ivan set to bring giant seas to Gulf of Mexico


TORONTO -- Housing starts in Canada were up in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 241,500 according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

Housing starts increase in August


Bears QB Jonathan Quinn is not a kid. He #39;s 29 and has been in the league since 1998. Until this season, though, he had started just three games and had thrown just 125 passes, the last in 2001 when he was with Jacksonville.

Keys To The Game


ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada - Hurricane Ivan pummeled Grenada, Barbados and other islands with its devastating winds and rains, causing at least 15 deaths, before setting a direct course for Jamaica, Cuba and the hurricane-weary southern United States...

Ivan Pummels Caribbean, Kills at Least 15


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. <A HREF=

Oracle Takeover Approval Seen


Since taking over as football coach at the University of Massachusetts in the spring, Don Brown has placed his mark on the team he helped lead to the 1998 Division 1-AA national championship as defensive coordinator. Imagine how difficult it will be for the Minutemen to play today's season opener at Delaware State as if their charismatic mentor doesn't exist.

Brown forced to play spectator


(November 26, 2004) - That familiar jingling at store entrances this time of year might not sound as welcoming as a Christmas carol, but the bell ringing next to those red kettles is music to the Salvation Army and the clients it serves.

Salvation Army workers ring in the holiday season


THE threat to leading politicians from terrorist attack was underlined yesterday when extremists were able to plant a bomb close to the Sardinian villa where Tony and Cherie Blair were staying as guests of Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister.

Radical group plants bomb near Blair holiday villa


Is the strutting sage grouse, iconic bird of the Western steppe, an endangered species? No doubt about it, say environmentalists, who petitioned for federal protection for the  quot;cock of the prairie, quot; as Lewis and Clark fondly dubbed it.

Payback Time For The Cock Of The Prairie


Novell this week spruced up a version of its Linux desktop aimed squarely at enterprise users.

Novell extols desktop Linux


<em>  After W.A.S.P. rocker and Yankees fan Blackie Lawless sneered at Red Sox fans in this space, we figured it was time to find a hard core Red Sox rooter.  And who better than Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys, the punk/rock/Irish folk band whose

THECHAT


Volkswagen AG workers demonstrated outside three factories during the latest round of talks between Europe #39;s biggest carmaker and the union representing the company #39;s German employees.

Volkswagen Union Stages Warning Strikes at 3 German Factories


24 November 2004 - Three United Nations election workers freed yesterday nearly a month after being abducted in Afghanistan today thanked the Afghan people for the support shown during their ordeal and said they were looking forward to getting back to

Freed UN electoral workers in Afghanistan look forward to resuming <b>...</b>


Scientists believe they have pinpointed the origin of a low frequency  quot;hum quot; that emanates from the Earth. The noise - which can be picked up in the two and seven mHz (millihertz) range - occurs far below the

Science pinpoints Earth #39;s  #39;hum #39;


(Daytona Beach, Florida-AP) Oct. 5, 2004 - A slip of the tongue has cost Dale Earnhardt, Junior, first place in the Nextel Cup standings.

NASCAR point dock for swear drops Little E into 2nd in Nextel Cup <b>...</b>


Lucent Technologies Inc., one of the world #39;s biggest telecommunications equipment makers, is planning additional cuts in retiree health-care benefits, according to a published report Wednesday.

Lucent eyes retiree benefit cuts


The people of Nyang'oma, Kenya, are dreaming of good fortune for their remote village should Barack Obama be elevated to high office.

Illinois Democrat Wins Kenyan Hearts, in a Landslide


Alu Alkhanov has been officially named the new president of Chechnya, and is due to take office in a month.

New Chechen president confirmed


Four people were wounded on Saturday when two bombs exploded at the tourist localities of Sanjenjo and Baiona, in Galicia, north Spain.

Four people injured in bomb explosions in Spain


Sun Microsystems today posted a narrower quarterly loss as revenue rose year over year for the second consecutive quarter after three years of declines.

Sun posts narrower quarterly loss


Nearly four years have passed since the peak of the fiber-optic boom, but overcapacity continues to plague carriers, and prices for bandwidth continue to fall. By Joanna Glasner.

Bandwidth Glut Lives On


CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A Venezuelan lawyer  suspected in last week's bombing murder of a top state  prosecutor was killed in a gunfight with police on Tuesday  after he tried to ram detectives with his car and opened fire  on them, officials said.

Venezuelan Car-Bomb Suspect Killed, Weapons Found


We have reached a most glorious part of the season. The final week of open dates.

But seriously, folks


UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations said on  Tuesday it had intervened to stop Ivory Coast radio and  television stations from broadcasting hate messages aimed at  French nationals and other foreigners.

Ivory Coast Hate Broadcasts Have Ended, U.N. Says


Atlanta, GA -- Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal pleaded guilty on Thursday to his second drunken driving charge. The 2000 National League Rookie of the Year is currently serving a 21-day jail sentence

Atlanta #39;s Furcal Pleads Guilty To Second DUI


A two-man crew launches to the International Space Station tonight, tasked with keeping the outpost running and ready for space shuttles that will arrive after the men leave.

Crew prepares for launch to International Space Station


Domain Popularity By Alan Webb\\This article was contributed by Alan Webb from ABAKUS Internet Marketing, a long time friend of mine in this industry with a unique grasp of the International Search Marketing Industry. A buzz phrase for some time now in SEO circles has been 'Link Popularity'. Rightly so ...

Domain Popularity By Alan Webb


Reuters - Amazon.com's UK chief hopes sales of\digital music players and DVDs will propel the online retailer\to its best quarter ever as footsore shoppers abandon the high\street for their Internet terminals.

UK Amazon Boss Dreams of a Digital Christmas (Reuters)


Instead of pursuing a glamour conference, Joe Scott moved to the Ivy League, where players often are more talented in the classroom than they are on the basketball court.

A Fast-Track Coach Hops Off at Princeton


Reuters - Euro Disney shares leapt on Wednesday\after the French theme park operator clinched a long-awaited\deal to restructure its debt, but analysts say big challenges\loom for Chairman Andre Lacroix.

Relief for Euro Disney; Challenges Loom (Reuters)


Intel, Hitachi, Toshiba and others propose CE-ATA, a new interface for miniature hard drives used in consumer electronics.

A new handshake for mini hard drives?


Reuters - Australia's wheat farmers, fresh from\battling the country's worst drought in a century, are now\threatened by a plague of locusts which have already begun to\hatch from a sprawling

Australian Wheat Farmers Brace for Huge Locust Plague (Reuters)


Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc. has followed the lead of competitor Northwest Airlines by adding a new charge to travelers who book tickets over the telephone or at ticket counters, in an effort to

American adds fee for non-Web ticket buys


Reuters - According to the California\Highway Patrol, NBA star Gary Payton was arrested for\investigation of driving under the influence last month.

Gary Payton Arrested for DUI (Reuters)


PHILADELPHIA (Pennsylvania): World number two Amelie Mauresmo of France defended a title for the first time in her career, beating Russias Vera Zvonareva 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the WTA Advanta Championship final here Sunday.

Mauresmo defends WTA title


A man has stabbed eight teenagers to death and injured four others after breaking into a school in central China, teachers and local authorities say.

Eight killed in Chinese high school knife attack


Spain #39;s Jose Manuel Lara was the latest to be stung into action on the European Tour after another wasp struck -- this time at the Volvo Masters.

Spaniard Lara stung into action at Volvo Masters


TONY EASTLEY: Ian Thorpe now has the full set of Olympic medals, winning bronze after coming surprisingly close in trying to win the Games treble  that is the 100, 200 and 400 metres freestyle events. In winning bronze in the 100 metres final, Thorpe ...

Ian Thorpe wins bronze in 100 metres freestyle


\\What do you think of the new design?  For those of you reading via RSS just\click on the permalink. \\Fixed layout.  Blue background.  Nice clean sidebar.  No more obsolete\links. Updated content.\\All to give the appearance that I'm a professional!\\This is part of my new effort to blog more now that I have Rojo  launched.\\Anyway.  If anything looks strange please let me know!  I'll also be making some\additional layout tweaks in the next couple of days.  In the meantime this will\do...\\

Like My New Blog Design?


Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Google Launches Search for Scholars - Adwords to Ban Affiliates? - MSN's 'Near Me' Search Button - The Difference In Traffic for #1 and #10? - Robots.txt   Security Issues - One year anniversary of the 'Florida' Update - What is the Future of the 'Niche Directory'

Search Engine Forums Spotlight


NewsFactor - Mobile phone sales were up 26 percent in the third quarter, with Nokia (NYSE: NOK) solidifying its position as the leading manufacturer, while Samsung leapfrogged past Motorola (NYSE: MOT) for second in the global rankings.

Report: Mobile Phone Sales Up; Nokia Gains Market Share (NewsFactor)


Struggling under a cascade of bankruptcy filings in the airline and steel industries, the government #39;s pension insurance agency said yesterday that its deficit has more than doubled in the past year -- to \$23.

Pension Agency #39;s Deficit Hits Record


The US government is to let oil refineries borrow crude from its emergency stockpile to make up for supplies disrupted by Hurricane Ivan.

US frees up emergency oil supply


SAN DIEGO -- Software vendor Lindows Inc. formally postponed its initial public offering yesterday, citing adverse market conditions.

Lindows delays planned offering


Reuters - Japanese stocks will probably move higher\on Monday as a recovery in U.S. stocks encourages investors to\seek bargains among lagging issues, including high-tech shares.

Nikkei Seen Rising After Wall St Recovers (Reuters)


AP - Kevin Brown had a chance to claim a place in Yankees postseason history with his start in Game 7 of the AL championship series.

Brown, Vazquez Flop for Yanks in Game 7 (AP)


Key to bankruptcy filing is ATAs plan to sell most of its Chicago Midway operations to AirTran. By Linda Lipp. After months of speculation, ATA Holdings, parent of ATA Airlines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday.

Local effect of ATA woes unknown


AFP - UN ambassadors agreed here unanimously on the text of a resolution aimed at restoring peace to war-ravaged Sudan, as the country's main foes promised to conclude talks on their 21-year-old conflict by the end of the year.

Security Council agrees on Sudan resolution as foes pledge imminent deal (AFP)


BAGHDAD, Nov 2 (AFP) - An American, Filipino and Nepalese and at least one Iraqi working for a Saudi company were among a group of people kidnapped at gunpoint from their Baghdad offices on Monday, a US embassy spokesman said Tuesday.

American, Nepalese and Filipino confirmed kidnapped, two Iraqis <b>...</b>


ANNUAL growth in global semiconductor sales will probably fall by half in 2005 and memory chip sales growth could collapse as a supply glut saps prices, Samsung Electronics has warned.

Firm fears growth has had its chips


NEW YORK - The campaigns of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry tentatively have agreed to a series of three debates that both sides hope will give them momentum in the closing weeks of the presidential election campaign, a person familiar with the debate negotiations said Sunday night...

Bush, Kerry Tentatively OK Three Debates


Looking to compete with the likes of Symbian and Microsoft, PalmSource is unveiling its new operating system geared specifically for the creation of smartphones.

PalmSource Targets Smartphones


MELBOURNE, Australia - Koalas are considered in danger of extinction in parts of Australia, but in one southern state authorities plan to implant 2,000 of the furry marsupials with contraceptives to control their numbers.

Birth control for koalas


GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed two Palestinian  teenagers and a gunman in the Gaza Strip on Thursday as the  Israeli army pressed ahead with its biggest and bloodiest  offensive in Gaza for four years.

Israeli Military Kills Three Palestinians in Gaza


Brown-Forman Corp. , which sells products ranging from Jack Daniels whiskey to Lenox china, on Thursday posted a better-than-expected 67 percent jump in earnings as aggressive marketing boosted sales of premium spirits and new wines.

Brown-Forman Earnings Jump 67 Percent


told Reuters on Thursday it was simply taking time to bring people to Yangon from around the country. where she is without a telephone and requires military permission to meet visitors.

Myanmar frees 500 more prisoners


The creation of a US insurance regulator is gaining support in Congress and among consumer groups after New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer disclosed his probe of improper sales practices.

Spitzer Probe May Give Push to National Insurance Regulation


Venture capital investing, a key barometer of the entreprenerial economy, unexpectedly tumbled 26 percent to 4.3 billion nationally in the third quarter, from

Venture investing dives 57 in NE


KOLKATA: With only two days to go for the crucial elections to the coveted post of the president of the cash-rich BCCI here, hectic parleys are on by the lead players including Union Food and Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to drum up the requisite

Hectic parleys on for crucial BCCI elections


Oil major BP #39;s BP.L oil and gas production has risen 11 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, with sharply rising Russian output counteracting falls elsewhere, as oil prices soared to new highs.

BP production up 11 percent


AP - Microsoft Corp. will drop a much-touted new technology for organizing and storing data when it releases the next version of its Windows operating system as expected in 2006.

Microsoft to Release Next Windows in '06 (AP)


Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning is one beneficiary of the N.F.L.'s decision this season to enforce its rule limiting defensive contact with receivers.

N.F.L. Makes Emphatic Point in Playing by the Book


Illegal Trade in Skins Of Big Cats Grows <br>The illicit trade in tiger and leopard skins is growing sharply in India, Nepal and China and posing a serious threat to the survival of the big cats, a conservation group said yesterday.

FINDINGS


(CP) - Somehow, in the span of half an hour, the Detroit Tigers #39; pitching went from brutal to brilliant. Shortly after being on the wrong end of several records in a 26-5 thrashing from to the Kansas City

Thursday #39;s Baseball Roundup


Reuters - European countries agreed on Tuesday\to expand protected bird territories to help save species\threatened by intensive agriculture and climate change.

EU to Boost Protection of Endangered Bird Species (Reuters)


AFP - The Sudanese government pledged that it would return none of the more than one million people displaced by the civil war in Darfur to their homes without the prior approval of the International Organisation for Migration.

Sudan vows not to return displaced to their homes without watchdog's okay (AFP)


NEW YORK - The barrage of internal controls and enhanced reporting requirements demanded by the US Securities and Exchange Commission has created a climate of  quot;disclosure on steroids quot; that has many counsel uncertain and badly stressed about making a

#39;Disclosure on steroids #39;


MILAN (Reuters) - Fiat and General Motors Corp plan to  start one-on-one mediation to settle a dispute over whether the  Italian industrial group can sell its loss-mired car unit to GM  from Jan. 24.

Fiat, GM to Start Mediation Over Option


If coffee chains used better chocolate, Lawrence Meyers argues, they'd sell more coffee.

The Chocolate-Coffee Conundrum


LONDON Vodafone, the world #39;s biggest mobile phone operator, introduced long-delayed services like video calling across much of Europe on Wednesday, showing its cards four years after it got caught up in a \$100 billion-plus bidding frenzy that gripped the

Vodafone unveils advanced service


Under Irish head coach Tyrone Willingham, Notre Dame has struggled to shake off the effects of a loss in the previous game. The good news is that the Irish head into this week off of a win.

The Hangover Effect


French President Jacques Chirac, on a state visit to China, launch the  quot;Year of France in China quot; yesterday in Beijing. He arrived in China from Singapore where he stopped over on his trip, dubbed his continuing  quot;30-year liaison with Asia.

Asia welcomes bon ami Chirac


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

PalmOne Updates Treo Phone with Display, Battery


AP - Black activists and religious groups are pressing public pension funds to divest a purported  #36;91 billion in holdings of companies operating in oil-rich Sudan.

Groups Want Pensions to Divest From Sudan (AP)


AP - Steelers linebacker Kendrell Bell will miss a fourth consecutive game Sunday because of a sore groin.

Steelers LB Bell Remains Out With Injury (AP)


He appeared to catch Mateja Kezman in the face, but referee Barry Knight saw nothing wrong with the challenge. The FA gave Birmingham the option to accept the charge and face an immediate three-match suspension

Blues won #39;t appeal Sav ban


Andriy Shevchenko has won almost every major honour in soccer. Yet there #39;s still one major gap in his resume - playing in the World Cup.

World Cup remains Ukrainian star striker Shevchenko #39;s ambition


Ruud van Nistelrooy returned with a vengeance, scoring twice in the Netherlands #39; 3-1 victory over Finland in World Cup qualifying Wednesday.

Netherlands beats Finland in World Cup qualifier after nightmare <b>...</b>


Oracle Corp. on Monday said it has asked Peoplesoft Inc. #39;s board of directors to immediately redeem the company #39;s poison pill, two days after 61 percent of PeopleSoft shareholders tendered

Oracle to PeopleSoft: Redeem Poison Pill


Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie could miss the Olympic 10,000m because of an Achilles injury.

Gebrselassie 'may pull out'


Oracle extended its offer to acquire PeopleSoft for \$7.7 billion from today to Sept. 10 -- the 10th time is has made an extension since launching the takeover campaign in June 2003.

Oracle again extends offer for PeopleSoft


The Expos were rechristened the Washington Nationals yesterday with a few glitches and a tussle - but just in time for the Christmas shopping season.

Baseball adopts Nationals name


U.S. captain Hal Sutton made sure this Ryder Cup gets off to a dynamic start by pairing Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson for the first time in the opening match.

Woods and Mickelson Get Nod for Opener


Pearson said on Tuesday it had agreed to sell its controlling stake in Spanish media group Recoletos for 743m to a consortium of Spanish investors.

Pearson sells out of Spanish business for 743m


UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States is expected to  distribute on Tuesday a revised version of its U.N. resolution  on Sudan, but retain a threat of sanctions if Khartoum does not  stop atrocities in its Darfur region, diplomats said.

U.S. Readies Revised UN Resolution on Sudan's Darfur


Last Wednesday BBC2 aired part one of a three part series called The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear.


THE banker at the centre of Britain #39;s biggest sex discrimination case was losing her firm almost \$1ma week, a tribunal has been told.

Merrill #39;s \$1ma week liability


Portuguese newspapers praised Porto #39;s Benni McCarthy on Wednesday after a late goal by the South African striker sent Chelsea crashing to a 2-1 defeat and won the club a spot in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Benni the toast of Portugal


The Northern Ireland secretary, Paul Murphy, today explained to MPs that he had agreed to recognise a ceasefire by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) but warned that the group must live up to its commitment.

Government recognises UDA ceasefire


Oil futures prices sank below \$50 a barrel Monday, continuing the selloff sparked last week by rising US supplies of crude and easing fears about the refining industry #39;s ability to satisfy heating oil demand.

Update 7: Oil Prices Sink Below \$50 a Barrel


The News Corp. publishing division appears to have a winning title on its hands.

HarperCollins' State of Bliss


News abounds for Firefox and other Open Source Internet browsers. According to WebSideStory results, both Mozilla and Firefox saw their marketshare grow in the last month.

IE alternatives continue to gain


Bus hijackers tonight set a Thursday morning deadline for Greek authorities to deliver a ransom of 740,000, threatening to blow up the vehicle and six remaining hostages if they did not receive the money.

Bus Hijackers Demand 740,000  #39;Or We #39;ll Blow Up Hostages #39;


It #39;s a frustrated commuter #39;s fantasy: Literally lifting your car out of a clogged highway and soaring through the skies. Researchers say an affordable, easy-to-use vehicle that could allow

Flying car pet project


AP - A woman sued Green Bay Packers fullback Najeh Davenport, saying he invaded her privacy by breaking into her dorm room and defecating in her closet.

Woman Sues Packers' Davenport (AP)


Researchers at Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. hope to produce better drugs with medical-imaging equipment usually used to examine patients.

Drug makers adding X-rays, MRIs to arsenal


A gunbattle sparked by militants confronting moderate interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on a visit to Gaza underscores the urgent need for elections to

Abbas #39;s Brush with Gunmen Makes Vote Urgent -Aide


(Columbia) Nov. 18, 2004 - Former South Carolina Gamecock, New York Giant and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Corey Miller says the name Lou Holtz has helped South Carolina recruit football players.

Possible Spurrier development could impact USC recruiting


Plus, few defectors in the wireless war, and Overstock's locked and loaded.

Is Santa Skipping Wal-Mart?


Australia accepted that Indonesian police delayed for almost three weeks revealing they had captured four suspects in the Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta in September because they hoped to catch more, Foreign Minister

Aussies says Indon #39;s delay in revealing embassy bombing arrests <b>...</b>


NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Mechel Steel priced its American depositary shares at \$21 each Friday, in the first initial public offering from Russia in 2 1/2 years.

First Russian IPO on NYSE since 2002


Several Half-Life 2 users who finally got the long-delayed game into their hands yesterday got exactly what they didn #39;t want--more delays.

Half-Life 2 users bitten by bugs


When it comes to US Olympic basketball, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. And Venus is a much happier planet right now. On a day when the US men #39;s team settled

It #39;s a US women #39;s world


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Chicago Bears decided Monday not to sign free-agent quarterback Tim Couch. Couch, 26, underwent a physical and worked out twice for the Bears, but they failed to bite.

Bears pass on quarterback Couch


Sarah Huston and her husband, Tom, spend their afternoons catching catfish and bass on Roosevelt Lake. When it gets too hot, they cast their lines off a shaded dock or relax inside their air-conditioned boat.

Western Drought Is Grounding Boaters


On 11th November 1572 the renowned Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe witnessed a titanic supernova explosion, although at the time he was unaware of the phenomena he was seeing.

432 years lapse before Supernova perpetrator is identified


Frank Quattrone, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison last week, accused the judge in his case of  quot;callousness quot; for revealing his 15-year-old daughter #39;s emotional disorder and asked an appeals court to seal letters from family and friends seeking

Quattrone battling trial judge


A look ahead at issues and events likely to make headlines in the coming year.

Can Africa solve African problems?


Taiwan #39;s stock market, the fifth- biggest in Asia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. the largest contract chipmaker in the world, will close a second day tomorrow as Typhoon

Taiwan to Close Its Markets a Second Day for Typhoon (Update1)


Jerry Zovko #39;s contract with Blackwater USA looked straightforward: He would earn \$600 a day guarding convoys that carried food for US troops in Iraq.

Contractors in Iraq make costs balloon


The economy grew at a faster pace this spring than previously thought, but was at its weakest level in more than a year, providing ammunition to both candidates in the final weeks of the presidential race.

Economy stronger in second quarter than previous estimate


Top-ranking soldier facing charges in prison scandal pleads guilty to five counts of abuse. By Daryl Strickland. The top-ranking soldier facing charges in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison scandal pleaded guilty

Soldier Pleads Guilty in Iraq Prison Abuse


Firefox RSS Feature to Remain as Live Bookmarks\\As per Ben Goodgers Blog, the RSS functionality introduced in the preview release version of Firefox is going to remain limited to what it is currently. It is not planned to replace any RSS extension or external feed readers for anyone. The only ...


ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Liberty Media Corporation announced that the jury in Klesch  amp; Company Ltd.

Jury in Klesch Litigation Returns Verdict in Favor of Liberty <b>...</b>


Colombia has extradited to the United States the most notorious drug cartel kingpin in its custody, El Tiempo newspaper reported Saturday.

Colombia sends drug kingpin to US


InfoWorld - Hal Stern holds the titles at Sun Microsystems of vice president, Distinguished Engineer, and CTO for Sun Services. He also has co-authored technical books on networking and high-availability techniques and, prior to joining Sun, developed molecular modeling software. InfoWorld Editor at Large Paul Krill met with Stern to discuss Sun #8217;s  #8220;Next Generation Data Center #8221; concept and to talk about subjects such as security, utility computing, and how the company stacks up its services efforts against IBM Global Services.

Sun Services CTO talks up Next Generation Data Center (InfoWorld)


A prominent lineup of advertising talent is working to produce an online campaign aimed at cultivating a cooler image for the Mercury car brand.

Mercury Tries Online Campaign to Create a Cooler Image


THE wait is over. Australia yesterday stormed the barricades to its final frontier and plundered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with one of its biggest victories in Test history.

A monkey off their back


(Sports Network) - A pair of pitchers that rank in the top 10 in the Major Leagues in ERA face-off this evening, when Ben Sheets anchors the Milwaukee Brewers against Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs in the first of a three- game set at Wrigley Field.

Chicago Cubs Team Report - August 23


Reuters - African monitors should deploy in\camps for the almost 1.5 million displaced by the conflict in\Darfur and should also monitor police to help build trust with\the local community, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

U.N. Wants African Monitors in Darfur Camps (Reuters)


Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne were put on probation through the end of NASCAR's season and fined \$10,000 each Wednesday for deliberately crashing into each other after a race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Harvick, Kahne Fined


KARACHI, Sept 10: Pakistan will go extra mile for the success of composite dialogue with India, on all issues including Kashmir, and will do nothing to vitiate the environment for normalization of relations.

India urged to grasp opportunity for peace: Rashid believes Osama <b>...</b>


Less than 18 months after emerging from bankruptcy protection, Kmart announced yesterday that it was replacing its president and chief executive with an outsider whose background is in the fast-food restaurant business.

Fast-Food Chains #39; Executive Is Appointed Chief of Kmart


Andre Agassi returned to competitive tennis action on Tuesday with an appearance at the Madrid Masters Series event in Spain. Agassi had had a bye in the first round, and his match against Max Mirnyi of Belarus

Agassi in third round of Madrid Masters


#39;Emlyn started with Liverpool in midfield. As his career went on, he finished up playing centre-half and that was probably when we started to play football from the back and the way Liverpool Football Club moved up a gear.

#39;Crazy Horse #39; Hughes dies


Japanese 10-year bonds fell after a US report showed retail sales rose more than economists expected last month, damping concern demand for Japan #39;s goods will slow.

Japanese Bonds Drop as US Sales Figures Cool Export Concern


AP - PeopleSoft Inc.'s board fired Craig Conway as chief executive after hearing him explain why he deceived industry analysts about the business software maker's sale prospects while fighting rival Oracle Corp.'s  #36;7.7 billion takeover bid.

Oracle Opens Legal Attack on PeopleSoft (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday,  pressured by record oil prices, disappointing September sales  from retailers and a drop in drug stocks.

Stocks Slip on Oil, Soggy Sept. Sales


German private equity firm Nanno and two US groups have reportedly joined forces to back the management buy-out of the troubled consumer photo business from Belgian-based Agfa-Gevaert for a reported E175m.

German group Nanno and two US groups buy Agfa-Gevaert photo <b>...</b>


Communications giant Motorola Inc. said Thursday it received a three-year contract extension from Nextel Communications Inc. to continue supplying telecommunications infrastructure for Nextel #39;s iDEN walkie-talkie phones through 2007.

Motorola Gets Nextel Contract Extension


More and more Americans are waking up Christmas morning to find Santa #39;s presents nestled under the plastic branches of an artificial tree.

Artificial trees grow on Americans


Seattle, November 17: 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 has a message: Don #39;t give up.

Microsoft targets older people for web via TV


An ingenious new trojan is hijacking PCs to send SMS-based spam to mobile phones. After a PC has been infected, the Delf-HA trojan contacts a website for details on which spam campaign to run and then randomly

Trojan spams Russian mobile phones


Reuters - Arizona Diamondback pitcher Randy\Johnson appeared bound for the Big Apple Monday, after Major\League commissioner Bud Selig approved a deal that would send\the five-time Cy Young award winner to the Yankees.

Johnson Set for New York Yankees Trade (Reuters)


NEW YORK A Walt Disney executive says it #39;s  quot;unlikely quot; the company will strike a new distribution deal with Pixar Animation Studios.

Disney president says deal with Pixar unlikely


years in jail, overturning his conviction for sodomy in a shock ruling expected to win support for the new prime minister. freedom to urge the country #39;s recently installed prime minister to drive harder on reform.

Malaysia court overturns Anwar sodomy ruling


WASHINGTON -- President Bush joined the interim president of Iraq yesterday in insisting that Iraqi elections be held Jan. 30, saying that keeping to the election schedule will deter insurgents and quicken the pace toward peace and democracy in Iraq.

Bush says delaying vote would send 'wrong signal'


One of the country #39;s biggest insurance firms today announced plans to transfer more than 1,100 jobs to India over the next few years, sparking fears of a  quot;crisis quot; in the UK.

Insurance giant to  #39;export #39; 1,100 jobs to India


It looks like only relatively minor administrative tasks stand between the two companies becoming one. By TechWeb News. The European Union has approved Oracle #39;s takeover of PeopleSoft, bringing the deal closer to completion.

EU Gives Oracle Green Light To Buy PeopleSoft


By Izham Ahmad Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES (Updates with details throughout). SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore #39;s economic growth lost steam in the third quarter, while the central bank retained a tight monetary

2nd UPDATE:Singapore Econ Growth Slows; MAS Holds Policy


Ferrari #39;s Rubens Barrichello fired up his passionate home crowd on Friday with the fastest lap in practice for Sunday #39;s season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.

UPDATE 2-Barrichello fires up the fans in Brazil


Superintendent cites parental pressure to compete with Fairfax in proposed 17 percent budget increase.

Loudoun Schools Gird For Growth


Ford was buoyed again by strong results at its financial services arm, even though its worldwide automotive operations lost \$609 million.

Ford Posts \$266 Million Profit in Third Quarter


A woman denies charges of stalking and making threats against film star Catherine Zeta Jones.

Zeta Jones 'stalker' denies guilt


Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Ontario Progressive Conservative members must unite behind whoever is chosen as their new leader, outgoing Leader Ernie Eves and Federal Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said as the party awaited the result of its leadership contest Saturday.

Eves, Harper call for Ontario Conservative party to unite behind new leader (Canadian Press)


AFP - Chart-topping pop singer Natasha Bedingfield's laptop computer -- with a hard disk full of new songs and lyrics -- has been stolen at Heathrow airport.

Laptop full of new tunes stolen from Natasha Bedingfield (AFP)


The proportion of surfers using Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer (IE) has dropped to below 90, say web analysts. Net traffic monitor, OneStat.

New browser wins over net surfers


Shawn Crawford speeds to victory in 20.55 seconds in his first-round heat of the 200, and is joined in the second round by U.S. teammates Bernard Williams and Justin Gatlin.

Three Americans in 200


Boston Scientific Corp. said yesterday it sold \$8.3 million worth of its Taxus drug-coated cardiac stents per day this month, a record level the Natick medical

Boston Scientific stent sales set record


PLEASANTON, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Nov. 20, 2004 -- PeopleSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq:PSFT) today sent a letter to Lawrence Ellison, Chief Executive Officer and Jeffrey Henley, Chairman of Oracle Corporation (Nasdaq: ORCL).

PeopleSoft Sends Letter to Oracle


But instead of replacing Marion Jones as Olympic 100 metres gold medallist, Thanou did not even take part in the Athens Games after missing two pre-Games drugs tests.

Thanou missed rendezvous with destiny


an October 9 election, according to a poll trend, as terror fears overshadow a closely fought campaign. repeatedly over the US-led war on Iraq.

Australia Labour #39;s lead erodes


IBM Corp. bolstered the new eServer i5 server lineup with the i5 550, a new system based on the Power 5 chip that can run multiple operating systems.

IBM adds four-way 550 server to new i5 product line


ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf  promised visiting Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday that  Pakistan would not allow Islamic militants to use Pakistani  soil to disrupt Afghanistan's October elections.

Pakistan Won't Let Militants Disrupt Afghan Poll


TechWeb - Brady Corp. turns to product-information-management software from FullTilt Solutions so it can more easily handle information on thousands of products. The software also helps Brady manage its online catalog.

Manufacturer Gets Help Managing Product Information (TechWeb)


Farc rebels in Colombia  order all units to focus on killing President Uribe, who wants to seek re-election.

Rebels order Uribe assassination


LBArrettAnderson writes  quot;Toshiba will release laptops with HD-DVD under its high-end Qosmio brand and plans to ship one million units in the first year to Europe, the US and China, as well as Japan.

Toshiba To Offer Laptops With HD-DVD in 2005


NEW YORK, Nov. 8 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether more than a dozen big brokerage firms failed to execute certain trades at the best possible prices for individual investors, sources familiar with the probe said.

Major Brokerages' Trades Investigated


The next chapter in the global legal battle between the recording industry and file-sharing services is due to unfold here Monday when the owners of the

Recording industry and Kazaa face off in Australia


Tackles Plymouth-Banjul rally in 20 Citroen

<cite>Reg</cite> hack in daring Gambia charity dash


Crude prices drop further on anticipation that supplies will continue to build as winter approaches. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Oil prices slumped again Monday, falling below \$46 a barrel, on anticipation that

Oil goes below \$46


Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Friday that the country will face  quot;abrupt and painful quot; choices if Congress does not move quickly to trim the Social Security and Medicare benefits that have been promised to the baby boom generation.

Greenspan Warns on Baby Boomer Benefits


A PC game produced by Scottish firm Traffic Games has come under fire from the family of former US president John F Kennedy for allowing gamers to play through his assassination as sniper Lee Harvey Oswald.

JFK assassination  #39;game #39; stirs up controversy


World News, New York,Sri Lanka #39;s Tamil Tiger guerrillas have recruited thousands of child soldiers despite signing a peace pact in February 2002, Human Rights watch said in a report released Thursday.

World ; Tamil Tigers forcibly recruit child soldiers: report


Investors on Wednesday roared their approval for President Bush, and the absence of post-election rancor, with the Dow Jones industrial average closing up 101.

Markets surge on Bush win


Brazil and Peru have announced a 363m plan for a highway to link Brazil #39;s Amazon basin to the Pacific, raising concerns about further devastation in the rainforest.

Road sparks alarm for Brazil rainforest


AFP - Indonesians cast their ballots Monday in the country's first democratic presidential election in a vote which will cap months of polls and finally consign decades of dictatorship to history.

Indonesia prepares for landmark presidential election (AFP)


Tokyo stocks edged lower Monday morning because of concerns about rising oil prices. The US dollar was down against the Japanese yen.

Update 1: Tokyo Stocks Lower; Dollar Falls Vs. Yen


AP - After a week of flip-flops by the Army, Halliburton is waiting for a final decision on whether the military will withhold 15 percent of payments for some of its work in Iraq.

Halliburton Awaits Decision on Payments (AP)


Google Inc. said third-quarter profit and sales more than doubled as it sold more advertising and attracted more Internet surfers to its Web sites.

Google sales, profit double on ad revenue


For the first time since 2002, Japan's Earth Simulator is not the most powerful supercomputer on the planet.

IBM reclaims top supercomputer crown for U.S.


Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Live Reports from Search Engine Strategies San Jose 2004 - PPC Bounce Rate - Google AdWords Myths - After SEMPO: Should We Start a Trade Association? - Search Inventory vs. Conversion - Terra Sells Lycos at Yard Sale Price

Search Engine Forums Spotlight


AFP - American industry lifted output moderately in July, the Federal Reserve said, a sign the economy may be finding its feet after a mid-summer slip.

US industrial production rises 0.4 percent in July (AFP)


An Independent News writer tells of his switch from Windows to a 15-inch PowerBook,:  #147;Two months in, I have a prevailing sense of security and safety. There #146;s been not a sniff of system meltdown. The software and security updates are easy, convenient and (via broadband) fast. The sense of considerable computing power and massive processing going on is very evident, but it feels secure behind the OS X firewall and a router; and all with no need for antivirus software. #148; Aug 20

A Sense of Security


Ariel Sharon #39;s chief aide caused a political storm yesterday by claiming that the real purpose of the Israeli prime minister #39;s  quot;disengagement plan quot; was to freeze the peace process and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, all with the blessing

Row erupts as top Sharon aide says there will be no Palestinian <b>...</b>


AP - Spaniards used to say they lived in one of Europe's most racially tolerant countries. Soccer has shattered that myth. In Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium  #151; the Yankee Stadium of soccer  #151; Spanish fans bellowed out monkey noises last week each time a black English player touched the ball in a match between England and Spain.

Soccer Racism Taints Spain's Reputation (AP)


Video chain Blockbuster Inc (BBI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it would lower the price of its online DVD rentals to undercut a similar move by Netflix Inc.

UPDATE 2-Blockbuster cuts online price, challenges Netflix


AP - Former No. 1 player Justine Henin-Hardenne ended her Monday season because of continued problems with an energy-sapping virus. The blood disorder weakened her since April although she won the singles gold medal at the Olympics.

Ailing Henin-Hardenne Ends Season (AP)


KPMG has received the largest audit fine in the history of the US Securities and Exchange Commission for its role in a company that cost Rupert Murdoch #39;s News Corporation \$6billion (3.

KPMG fined record \$10m over Gemstar


Iraq #39;s top Shi #39;ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has arrived in Najaf in a bid to end to weeks of fighting between Shi #39;ite militiamen and US and Iraqi forces.

Iraq #39;s Top Cleric Arrives in Najaf to Press for Peace


A PeopleSoft executive who oversaw the company #39;s products and its integration with JD Edwards departed from the company this week, a company representative confirmed Friday.

PeopleSoft executive Gupta departs


TOKYO - The northern Japanese Hokkaido Island has been stroke by a strong magnitude 7 earthquake. The authorities are warning the local population of the possible powerful tsunami that can take place in the coastal areas.

Strong quake hit Hokkaido Island, Japan


Canadian Press - REGINA (CP) - Saskatchewan's highest court has rejected an appeal by two men convicted in a bloody home invasion that killed an senior Regina couple.

Saskatchewan high court rejects appeal of 2 men in murder of  Regina seniors (Canadian Press)


TALLAHASSEE - The final act was the showstopper. A jaw-dropper. It was so Ron Zook. You figured he #39;d zig. Well, he zagged. You figured he would coach the Florida Gators to a loss in a big game.

Gators  #39;86 Noles


AP - Authorities once had no choice but to drop rape cases if they weren't able to catch a suspect before the statute of limitations expired. But prosecutors across the country increasingly are buying themselves time, keeping cold cases alive by indicting unidentified rapists using their DNA profiles.

Indictments Using DNA on Rise Nationally (AP)


Israeli-Palestinian cooperation since Palestinian President Yasser Arafat #39;s death has helped buoy hopes for a revived West Asia peace process, the top UN envoy for the Middle East said.

New Israeli-Palestinian ties buoy peace hopes -UN


ATLANTA (Reuters) - Home Depot Inc. <A HREF=

Home Depot Raises Outlook, Tops Estimates


Brazil has successfully launched a test rocket, 14 months after a more powerful one exploded before lift-off killing 21 people, Brazilian space officials said Sunday.

Brazil launches first rocket since accident


SYDNEY : Opinion polls give Australia #39;s opposition Labor Party a big lead over Prime Minister John Howard #39;s conservative government as campaigning begins for October 9 elections, but analysts say the real race is still too close to call.

Pollsters refuse to write off Australian PM despite lag in polls


Market research firm IDC on Tuesday reported that broad consumer acceptance of MP3 players is expected to grow the market from 12.

IDC: MP3 market  #39;booming #39;


Summary - (Sep 24, 2004) An international team of scientists have discovered one of the most powerful events since the Big Bang: a collision between two galaxy clusters, which is smashing millions of stars into each other.

Biggest Collision in the Universe


CHICAGO The Illinois Commerce Commission today unanimously approved Ameren Corporation #39;s two-point-three-(b)billion-dollar acquisition of Decatur-based Illinois Power.

ICC approved Ameren #39;s acquisition of Illinois Power


Iran said yesterday it is ready to provide  quot;guarantees quot; it won #39;t seek nuclear weapons, and warned the United States that success in stabilizing Iraq and Afghanistan was impossible without Iranian support.

Iran will provide nuke guarantees, declares Khatami


With big-ticket free agents like Carlos Beltran, Richie Sexson and Carlos Delgado still on the market, baseball executives are playing wait-and-see.

Teams Exercise Patience


NEW YORK, October 27 (newratings.com) - Crude oil prices declined sharply today after the US weekly inventory data revealed a higher-than-expected increase in crude oil inventories last week.

Oil prices decline on rise in US crude inventories


AP - The Russian Olympic delegation joined the growing list of Olympic malcontents Tuesday, arguing that its two biggest stars got cheated in the gymnastics competition.

Russians Complain About Gymnastics Scoring (AP)


BAGHDAD - Two Egyptian employees of a mobile phone company were seized when gunmen stormed into their Baghdad office, the latest in a series of kidnappings in the country.

2 Egyptians seized in Baghdad


Knoxville, TN (Sports Network) - James Wilhoit atoned for a missed extra point by kicking a 50-yard field goal in the closing seconds to lift No.

NCAA Game Summary - Florida at Tennessee


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks extended their gains on  Tuesday as oil prices slipped, easing concerns that energy  costs would hurt corporate profits and helped raise hopes for  improvement in the economy.

U.S. Stocks Climb as Crude Falls


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Refereeing and the recruitment and development of new officials will be top priorities for the CFL over the next few years, the league commissioner said Friday in his annual Grey Cup state-of-the-union address.

CFL commissioner says improving refs  quot;top priority quot;


Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer hosted a Q amp;A session for a handful of UK journalists in London on Sunday and silicon.com was there.

Steve Ballmer Q amp;A: Microsoft CEO on security, piracy, licensing <b>...</b>


Software giant Microsoft unveils its MSN Music music download service to rival Apple's iTunes and others.

Microsoft launches iTunes rival


LOS ANGELES - Singer Melissa Etheridge has been diagnosed with breast cancer and has canceled upcoming tour dates to undergo treatment, her publicist said Thursday.    Etheridge, 43, will undergo surgery and a

Melissa Etheridge Has Cancer, Cancels Tour


AP - Roger Clemens got his 326th win to tie Eddie Plank for 11th on the career list, and the Houston Astros hit four first-inning home runs to beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-2 Wednesday and tie a team record with their 12th straight win.

Astros Beat Reds 5-2 for 12th Straight Win (AP)


TORONTO -- It #39;s hush-hush, but people in the know are penciling in Feb. 24 to say goodbye to Toronto police Chief Julian Fantino.

Fantino #39;s retirement party planned


AP - Jacksonville tight end Kyle Brady feels a little like Frankenstein's monster.

Return of Brady Boosts Jaguars' Offense (AP)


The ECB #39;S decision is not a surprise. It #39;s crass but no surprise. The wind #39;s been blowing that way for ages. So there #39;ll be no live international cricket on terrestrial telly from the summer after next.

Sold down the river


Reuters - Home-furnishings retailer Pier 1\Imports Inc.  on Tuesday said quarterly profit fell more\than 40 percent as sluggish sales and heavy discounts to lure\shoppers took their toll.

Pier 1 Second-Quarter Profit Falls (Reuters)


German police today arrested three Iraqis who the chief federal prosecutor said appeared to have been planning an attack on Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of Iraq, here for talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schrder.

3 Arrested in Suspected Plot to Attack Iraqi Prime Minister


An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7 hit Japan #39;s northern island of Hokkaido early this morning, causing injuries and triggering a tsunami warning.

Magnitude 4.6 Quake Jolts Japan #39;s Northern Island of Hokkaido


Harvard, Oxford and others also will go online in the first deal of its kind. By Nick Bunkley / The Detroit News. By the end of the decade, anyone around the world will have instant access to 7 million volumes

Public to get virtual access to 7 million books


The Supreme Court on Monday gave the go-ahead to merger negotiations between UFJ Holdings Inc. and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group Inc.

Top court OKs UFJ-MTFG merger talks


AP - The Turkish prime minister harshly rejected European Union criticism Friday over a proposal to outlaw adultery and hinted the government might press forward with the ban despite warnings it could jeopardize Turkey's entry into the bloc.

Turkey Rejects Criticism on Adultery Plan (AP)


Investors resumed their December rally Wednesday, looking past higher oil prices and focusing instead on building up their portfolios before year #39;s end.

Buyers back on Wall Street after two-day selloff


Crowds filled downtown Jerusalem to protest at the proposed pullout, most of them Orthodox Jews. A huge banner behind the stage set the theme: Disengagement tears the people apart.

Thousands March over Gaza Pull-Out Plans


UK News, LONDON - The former lover of British interior minister David Blunkett wants to testify before an inquiry into allegations he fast-tracked a visa application for her Filipina nanny, a London newspaper reported Sunday.

UK ; Ex-lover seeks input into Blunkett visa abuse probe: report


Company also will slash value of its assets by \$11.4 billion. Moves are prompted by plan to retreat from traditional consumer telephone business.

AT amp;T expands job cut plan by about 7,500


Microsoft announced today that is filing 7 lawsuits against spammers for failing to label sexually explicit messages. The lawsuits were filed in Washington State Superior Court, alleging that defendants violated

Microsoft Sues Spammers


Shares of Mylan Laboratories Inc., the largest US maker of generic drugs, surged Thursday after the company said investor Carl Icahn was given the green light by regulators to buy up to \$500 million of the company #39;s stock.

Update 1: Mylan Labs: FTC Clears Icahn Stock Buy


Jacques Villeneuve will test for Renault today and tomorrow and the former Formula One champion could be back racing as early as next week.

Villeneuve test could lead to F-1 ride with Renault


The tiny humans may have been hunted by large lizards -- bigger versions of the Komodo dragons that still roam the island and which have been known to eat people.

#39;Hobbit #39; Skeleton Could Rewrite Prehistory


: Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland, returned to action after missing three weeks with a torn thigh muscle and defeated Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 6-1, 7-6 (4) in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championships.

Federer beats Gaudio in Masters Cup opener


The company wants to charge more money for ad time during the Super Bowl.

Will Fox's Bowl Runneth Over?


The International Space Station (ISS) crew will stay in orbit for two days longer than planned, Itar-Tass told today. The launching of the Soyuz TMA-5 spaceship has been postponed from October 9 to October 11 due to problems with the docking system.

ISS Crew to be Replaced on October 11


UK insurer Norwich Union announces plans to move 950 jobs to India and Sri Lanka  over the coming year.

Norwich Union moves jobs to Asia


NEW YORK - Apple Computer #39;s machines are known for being great for composing music, editing video and, of course, downloading music.

Apple #39;s Superfast Supercomputer


New York, NY (Sports Network) - Former NFL running back Ricky Williams wants to know where he stands after retiring and subsequently being ordered to pay back nearly \$9 million to the Miami Dolphins.

Williams retirement saga continues


Virginia Tech defensive end Jim Davis is ready for a big senior season after missing all of last year with a torn pectoral muscle.

Davis Starts Anew


BAGHDAD - Two Indonesian women working for an electricity firm are among 10 new hostages reported seized by militants in Iraq. The Arab news network Al-Jazeera showed footage yesterday in which a group called

2 Indonesians held in Iraq


Canadian Press - LONDON (AP) - Fuelling persistent rumours that Tony Blair considered resigning this year, an acquaintance said Tuesday the prime minister had come under

Labour peer says Blair considered quitting due to family pressures (Canadian Press)


DETROIT - Craig Monroe hit an RBI single with one out in the 11th inning, leading the Detroit Tigers to a wild 11-10 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.    The teams combined for a Comerica Park-record 36 hits, including 21 by Seattle...

Tigers Edge Mariners in 11 Wild Innings


It #39;s the first of the festive season duels and it #39;s one of high stakes and even higher interest. The two major videogame consoles, Sony #39;s Playstation 2 (PS2) and Microsoft #39;s Xbox, are involved in a multi-million

Game for a festive fight


AP - He began the season as a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy. He was fast, elusive and had a strong arm  #151; everything you'd want in a quarterback. So whatever happened to Brad Smith anyway?

Iowa State Still Wary of Brad Smith (AP)


In a 2,600-word email sent to Microsoft customers and partners on Wednesday, Microsoft #39;s Steve Ballmer drove home the key themes of Microsoft #39;s  quot;Get The Facts quot; campaign.

Linux vendors hit back at Ballmer #39;s email


Latham needs to realise he can #39;t implement dramatic social reform without dramatic economic reform, writes Kenneth Davidson. Arguably, Mark Latham has won the substantive election debates on national security, taxation, health and education.

But what about the economy?


By Inigo Gilmore in Herzliya and Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor. Syria accused Israel last night of planting a bomb in Damascus in an attempt to kill a member of the Hamas militant group.

Syria accuses Israel of bomb attack on Hamas official


Viacom Inc. (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (VIA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a quarterly loss on charges from spinning off the Blockbuster Inc.

UPDATE 3-Viacom posts loss on charges; sets \$8 bln buyback


TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States and Japan have detected  signs that North Korea is preparing to launch a ballistic  missile that could hit almost all of Japan, a Japanese  newspaper said on Thursday.

N.Korea May Be Preparing Missile Launch-Paper


Tuesday #39;s vote in the Israeli Knesset in favor of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s plan for unilateral withdrawal of settlers and soldiers from Gaza was a historic moment in the history of Israel.

Sharon #39;s bold move in Gaza


BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States, Germany and other G7  nations agreed Saturday to write off up to 80 percent or \$33  billion of Iraq's Paris Club debt, which could pave the way for  a wider international accord, officials said.

G7, Paris Club Agree on Iraq Debt Relief


By TED BRIDIS    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House on Thursday passed the second bill in three days that would outlaw

Congressional Bill Imposes Prison Time Over 'Spyware'


Those wireless LAN cards that insert into a laptop, Tablet PC or PDA have just gone on the endangered species list, according to a new report published this week.

Wi-Fi Adapters Turn Inward


Stephen Friedman, who left Wall Street to assume one of the top economic posts in the White House, will return to the private sector Dec. 31 after two quiet years in Washington, White House officials announced yesterday.

Top Economic Adviser to Bush Is Leaving Post


Real Madrid have proved there is still life at the Bernabeu after captain Raul scored twice to lead a heroic fightback and earn the home side a 4-2 victory over AS Roma in Champions League Group B.

Real fight back to beat Roma


Tackle Jonathan Ogden made a brief appearance in the Baltimore Ravens #39; locker room Monday afternoon, one day after injuring his left hamstring in Baltimore #39;s 20-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Ravens May Be Without Ogden Against Eagles


SEPTEMBER 06, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM announced a pair of entry-level workgroup disk arrays last week, including a scaled-down reincarnation of an iSCSI-based device that the company dropped two years ago.

IBM Rolls Out Arrays, Tries Again on iSCSI


BEIJING -- China expressed regret through diplomatic channels yesterday that one of its nuclear-powered submarines intruded into Japanese territorial waters last week for  quot;technical reasons, quot; Japanese officials said.

China regrets submarine's intrusion, Japan says