ZURICH, Switzerland -- Unseeded Australian Alicia Molik scuppered Maria Sharapova #39;s hopes of a third straight WTA title on Sunday when she triumphed 4-6 6-2 6-3 in the Zurich final.

Unseeded Molik surprises Sharapova


Southern Cal fired Henry Bibby as coach Monday just four games into his ninth season. Athletic director Mike Garrett said he realized the timing was unusual but cited the Trojans #39; losing record in recent seasons.

Trojans give a quick hook to longtime coach


AFP - India's booming cellphone market is adding 1.7 million customers every month and will grow between 15 percent and 20 percent annually, a senior industry official said.

India's cellphone market set to grow 20 percent each year: official (AFP)


IRANIAN MPs have submitted a bill which would force the government to resume uranium enrichment, a key process in the nuclear fuel cycle, in defiance of the international community, a deputy said today.

Bill to resume nuclear activities


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Walt Disney Co. <A HREF=

Disney Aims to Find Eisner Successor


Talks between US Airways (UAIR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and its pilots union over a new round of concessions collapsed on Monday, the union said.

US Airways Talks with Pilots Collapse


AFP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for talks on eradicating Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters from their common border, a key issue in his bid for re-election.

Pakistan, Afghanistan vow to curb terrorism as Karzai meets Musharraf (AFP)


Problems implementing a site redesign temporarily crippled some operations of Paypal the popular payment processing service. The performance problems, which began after a site update Thursday night, escalated

Redesign Cripples Paypal Service


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial output growth nearly  stalled last month as production cuts at mines and utilities  nearly swamped a solid performance in factories, a report from  the Federal Reserve showed on Wednesday.

Industrial Production Nearly Stalls


UK regulator the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has not initiated an investigation into Apple #39;s iTunes UK pricing. The Consumer #39;s Association (CA) yesterday filed a complaint with the OFT, alleging that Apple is  quot;ripping-off quot; UK music buyers.

OFT  #39;considering #39; iTunes  #39;rip-off #39; claims


Mike Mussina pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and struck out a season-high 11, leading the New York Yankees over the Royals, 4-0, last night in Kansas City.

Mussina muzzles Royals


The three companies that certify the nation's voting technologies operate in secrecy, and refuse to discuss flaws in the ATM-like machines to be used by nearly one in three voters in November.

E-Vote Machine Certification Process Criticized


New England cornerback Ty Law will be out from four to six weeks with a broken bone in his left foot, his agent told The Boston Globe.

Notebook: Law might miss 4-6 weeks


The Chinese government has closed 1,600 internet cafes and fined operators a total of \$12 million for letting children access porn websites and play violent games, the government said, according to wired.

China tightens grip on Internet freedom


Consumers borrowed more freely in September, especially when it came to racking up charges on their credit cards, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

Fed says consumers put credit cards back to work


Consistent gains in commercial personal computer demand will boost shipments of PCs to176.5 million units in 2004 on growth of 14.

IDC says commercial demand boosts PC outlook


Reuters - U.S. chain store retail sales saw a\slight decline of 0.3 percent on a week-over-week basis. \However, on a year-over-year basis, the sales momentum remained\strong at 3.5 percent, a report said on Tuesday.

Chain Store Sales Mixed in Latest Week (Reuters)


Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said it will eliminate up to 575 US positions, representing 2 percent of its US work force, in order to streamline operations and reduce costs.

Lilly to Eliminate Up to 575 US Jobs


Rocket plane SpaceShipOne is attempting a second space flight in a bid to clinch the \$10 million Ansari X-Prize. Judges officially confirmed that pilot Mike Melvill took the craft to 64 miles on Wednesday #39;s first flight.

SpaceShipOne Goes For Next Flight


INVESTORS in Australian Leisure  amp; Hospitality will trade in a knowledge vacuum today as they await the big decision from Woolworths.

ALH hangs on decision by Woolworths


President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry were both campaigning in New Mexico Monday in tandem swings through the Southwest on their way to Wednesday night's final debate in Arizona. Bush shifted his harsh rhetoric to focus on Kerry's record on domestic issues, while Kerry promised to work for the middle class and energy independence...

Bush, Kerry Court Voters in New Mexico


President Bush arrives off of Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House after a day of campaigning, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, in Washington.

NASA: Bush Stifles Global Warming Evidence


Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac today promised to work together on restoring stability in the Middle East while drawing a line under their past differences over the war in Iraq.

Blair and Chirac pledge unity


Rodney Peete found Walter Young for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 to play, rallying the Panthers past the Patriots, 20-17, Saturday.

Peete Completes Rally


washingtonpost.com - BlackBerrys and Bluetooth share an embarrassing trait -- these two uses of wireless technology have remained stubbornly irrelevant to many mainstream users, despite the benefits they might offer and the hype they often get in the press.

BlackBerry, Bluetooth Miss a Shot to Move Into More Hands (washingtonpost.com)


Dallas Mavericks guard Michael Finley was placed on the injured list Thursday with a sprained right ankle. The two-time All-Star was injured in the third quarter of the 94-84 loss at Orlando on Tuesday.

Mavs place Finley on injured list


The head of the Political Department in the Palestine Liberation Organization said Friday no committee was formed to succeed ailing Yasser Arafat.

Committee to succeed Arafat denied


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co.'s <A HREF=

ESPN to Launch Mobile Phone Service in Sprint Deal


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy continued its  expansion over the past month, with labor market conditions  improving and business lending on the rise, the Federal Reserve  said on Wednesday.

Fed Beige Book: Economic Growth Continued


The long-term economic health of the United States is threatened by \$53 trillion in government debts and liabilities that start to come due in four years when baby boomers begin to retire.

The looming national benefit crisis


Steve Jobs, Bono and the Edge Tuesday ushered in what Apple #39;s CEO and the two members of U2 called a new era of digital music.

U2 Moves in Digital Ways


Forty-eight percent of the nation is still sad and upset about the defeat of John Kerry, and you know so because they won't stop forwarding the same few links, cartoons and manifestoes to you, over and over again, as if it were 1998 and the Web were still new and you cheerfully opened every e-mail you received.

Post-Election Blues, Driven Ever FWD Into the Past


Atlanta -- Hammerin #39; Hank Aaron was at the game. Boomin #39; Barry Bonds was on his game. In the homers hub of the universe, the residence of the all-time champ, the past and future came together Sunday night

Hammer time Bonds belts 2 HRs as Aaron watches Giants win


German man sentenced to three years for selling counterfeit Microsoft products.

Software Pirate Gets Jail Time


When Carolyn Wood, a computer programmer, retired two years ago at 63, her husband, Paul, an English professor in Philadelphia, followed suit, even though it meant forfeiting some benefits because he was just shy of his 60th birthday.

Finally, freedom to spend


Singapore/Taipei, September 6: The world #39;s top contract chip makers are not yet feeling the slowdown in demand that led Intel Corp to cut its third-quarter forecasts, but analysts say the relief may be just temporary.

Contract chip makers spared Intel #39;s woes, for now


Geno Auriemma told his team in the locker room that it was a no-win situation. Sylvia Hatchell had been saying just the opposite to her players for weeks.

Whole Latta heart


European shares fell to six-week lows on Monday, taking their cue from the Dow Jones industrial average #39;s lowest close for the year, with record high crude oil prices and a sliding dollar also weighing on sentiment.

Europe falls to six-week lows


Now, the single biggest postseason flop in baseball history does not belong to the Red Sox, who pass the uncontested title to the Yankees.

Gag Title Moves South


LONDON - Michael Eisner, who led the Walt Disney Co. to huge success in the 1980s but more recently clashed with dissident stockholders including the founder's family, will leave the company in 2006 when his contract expires, the company said Friday...

Disney Confirms Eisner to Leave in 2006


European spacecraft Smart is set to enter into orbit around the Moon on Monday.

Probe arrives at Moon's gateway


If the Knicks have not yet found the ability to crush teams at will, they have at least discovered how to win even when their minds wander and their discipline disappears.

Can #39;t Bury Raptors, but Knicks Hold Them Off


A blockbuster merger to make Airbus parent EADS an even bigger threat to US archrival Boeing Co. would face opposition both internally

EADS Seen Facing Hurdles Inside and Out Over Thales


BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Colombian police confiscated  \$600,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency from a Medellin printing  shop, the first time authorities have caught anyone using a  printing press to duplicate the new, hard to copy, \$20 bill.

Colombians Busted for Faking Hard-To-Copy \$20 Bill


AP - A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb outside the Iraqi National Guard headquarters in the northern city of Kirkuk on Saturday, killing at least 10 people and wounding 20, officials said.

Car Bomb Explodes in Kirkuk, Iraq; 10 Dead (AP)


In what #39;s shaping up to be an all-out war with Nintendo, Sony went on the offensive for the holiday-shopping season Tuesday, announcing that it will release a smaller version of its PlayStation 2 console in the United States on Nov. 1.

Sony #39;s smaller PS2 takes aim at Nintendo


The online community/portal company #39;s offensive against spammers began this week, when it started distributing a screensaver that conducts a denial-of-service attack against sites that market products via spam.

Lycos Europe confronts strong resistance in spam war


Jacques Villeneuve will almost certainly race the final three grands prix of the season in a blue and yellow Renault. The out-of-work  #39;97 world champion, dumped by BAR late last year, is at Silverstone on Wednesday to test Jarno Trulli #39;s R24 car.

Villeneuve to race Renault


AP - Maria Sharapova's drive to win another Grand Slam title got dashed Saturday when tennis' newest

Pierce Beats Wimbledon Champ Sharapova (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks to watch on Monday include  Family Dollar Stores Inc., Staples Inc., Microsoft Corp., and  General Electric Co.

HEADLINE STOCKS: Stocks to Watch, Nov. 15


BARCELONA/ALBACETE, Nov 6 (SW) - Barcelona defeated Deportivo la Corua to maintain their lead in La Liga, while Albacete and Real Betis held each other to a draw.

Spain: Barcelona beat Deportivo to maintain lead


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines <A HREF=

Delta Auditor Concerned About Airline


CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Auto Workers (UAW) said its  members at Caterpillar Inc on Sunday voted to reject the  construction equipment maker's contract proposal, the second  time this year workers have voted against a Caterpillar  contract offer.

Caterpillar Union Rejects Contract Offer


CHARLOTTE, NC - The Charlotte Bobcats traded forward Brandon Hunter to the Orlando Magic on Monday in exchange for guard Keith Bogans.

Bobcats Trade Hunter to Magic for Bogans


Reuters - Asian shares dipped on Thursday, as\tech shares followed U.S. counterparts lower after an\influential investment bank downgraded the sector.

Asian Stocks Head South on Wall Street (Reuters)


Sybase, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise infrastructure and wireless software, deepened its commitment to the Linux community with the availability of a free deployment version of an enterprise-class Linux database-Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise

Sybase Provides Free Linux Enterprise-Class Database for <b>...</b>


Interview Anoop Gupta

From soup to nuts with Microsoft #8217;s collaboration chief


Medical device maker Cyberonics Inc. said Thursday that it filed additional data with the Food and Drug Administration for its VNS therapy system designed to treat depression.

Cyberonics Sends More Data to FDA


KABUL, Afghanistan: Interim leader Hamid Karzai has moved far ahead of his rivals in early results from Afghanistan #39;s first-ever presidential elections as ballot counting -- delayed over alleged irregularities -- has gathered speed.

Karzai widens early lead in Afghan poll


Peja Stojakovic's long-range shooting and Mike Bibby's big second half catapults the Kings over the Spurs, 86-81, on Sunday night.

Kings Stop Spurs


TORONTO (Ticker) -- A day after clinching their seventh straight division crown, the New York Yankees had cause for concern. Toronto Blue Jays rookie David Bush outdueled ailing veteran Orlando Hernandez in

SI.com


Just in time for holiday shopping, Apple released on Tuesday a new line of its entry-level iBook notebook computers. The latest version of the iBook line packs more processing power than its predecessors and

Apple Intros New iBook Notebook, G5 Desktop


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

Limited Brands Lifts Operating Profit


He becomes 1st to reach plateau in season earnings after win at Chrysler, his 9th of year. Vijay Singh will need time for this to sink in.

Singh hits \$10 million


Serena Williams marched into the third round of the US Open today, beating fellow American Lindsay Lee-Waters 6-4 6-3. The third seed, who again walked on to court wearing long black boots and a jewel-encrusted

Serena marches on, Molik out


Protests continue in France in a bid to stop delivery of  weapons-grade plutonium from the US for recycling.

Protests target nuclear shipment


AP - When safety Ryan Gutierrez first arrived at California, Stanford ruled the Big Game. It wasn't that long ago, but it certainly seems like ancient history now.

Cal Must Beat Stanford to Win Big Bowl Bid (AP)


Aside from being  quot;shocked, quot; members of the ruling party were at a loss for words following the Constitutional Court ruling that the party #39;s capital relocation plan was  quot;unconstitutional.

Verdict plunges ruling camp into turmoil


DARIO FRANCHITTI scored a scorching second Indy Racing League race of 2004 on a triumphant return to Pikes Peak. The Scot finished fourth at the Colorado track last year but this time he led the race four

MOTOR RACING: IT #39;S TWO IN A ROW FOR DARIO


IBM Corp. and plaintiffs challenging the legality of its pension plan agreed to a deal Wednesday that settles most claims and caps the company #39;s potential liability at \$1.

IBM settles pension suits


Xavi believes that Jose Mourinho has copied Valencia in his tactics at Chelsea as he reflected on Barcelona #39;s meeting with the Blues in the Champions League.

Xavi: Chelsea Play Like Valencia


When Gary D. Forsee took over as chief executive of Sprint Corp. 20 months ago, the phone company was reeling from the telecom bust, burdened by debt and grappling with bigger

Sprint #39;s Planned Nextel Deal Builds on Wireless Strength


Bombardier Inc., the world #39;s third- biggest maker of commercial aircraft, said Air Canada ordered 45 planes and may buy 45 more in an agreement with a potential value of \$2.

Bombardier Says Air Canada May Buy up to 90 Aircraft (Update1)


Shares in drug giant AstraZeneca fall after a US medical panel recommends that regulators reject its new drug Exanta.

AstraZeneca hit by drug rejection


eBay Buys 25 of craiglist\\eBay Inc. today purchased a 25 percent pre-existing minority stake in San Francisco-based craigslist, a popular online network of classified ads and forums. The 25 stake was purchased from a former craigslist employee who first contacted eBay with the proposed sale, according to craigslist officials.\\With dedicated ...

eBay Buys 25 of CraigList


NEW YORK - It looks like the U.S. billionaire's club isn't quite as exclusive as it once was...

Forbes List Has Most Billionaires Ever


The revised bill raises by \$700 million the Russian government's previous \$3.4 billion estimate of back taxes for 2001.

Back Tax Bill Against Yukos Is Increased


With its native tongue losing to English as the global lingua franca, France is fighting back

French Plays Defense


The Houston Astros won their 19th straight game at home and are one game from winning their first playoff series in 42 years.

Astros Make the Most of Their Home Field, and Atlanta Is the Victim


The High-level Peace Committee (HPC) headed by Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, in its first meeting held in Kathmandu, has officially invited the anti-government insurgents for peace talks.

Nepali gov #39;t officially invites insurgents for talks


The company's stock seems fairly valued with all the uncertainty in the air.

Boeing in a Holding Pattern


A sudden frenzy erupted among fans of South Korean soap opera star Bae Yong-joon as he left his Tokyo hotel in a car Friday, leaving nine Japanese women hurt and prompting an apology from Bae.

Fan mayhem over South Korean heartthrob at Tokyo hotel leaves 9 <b>...</b>


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Record oil prices are unlikely to  inflict the economic pain they did in the 1970s, Federal  Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Friday, adding that he  thought the world could adjust to higher-priced oil.

Greenspan: U.S. Can Weather Oil Cost Rise


In a move that caught the publishing world by surprise, an underdog bidder defeated the likes of media bigwigs Bruce Wasserstein, Robert Krakoff and Jimmy

INVESTCORP BID WINS THOMSON


KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (Sports Network) - Mike Goolsby #39;s interception return for a touchdown gave Notre Dame the lead and the Fighting Irish held on for a 17-13 win over ninth-ranked Tennessee at Neyland Stadium.

Notre Dame Upsets Ninth-Ranked Tennessee


Yes, Yaz threw out Saturday night's first ball. That's not enough. Nope, not enough '67.

It's impossible to overlook 1967 dreamers


BERKELEY, Calif. California refused to run up the score or beg for poll votes. Maybe the Bears should have. Cal was left out of the Bowl Championship Series.

Cal angry, frustrated after Texas takes Rose Bowl spot


AP - Daryle Ward, Albert Pujols and Chipper Jones had big nights at the plate at the expense of National League pitchers.

Ward, Pujols, Jones Put Up Big Numbers (AP)


MIANNE Bagger, the transsexual golfer who prompted a change in the rules to allow her to compete on the professional circuit, made history yesterday by qualifying to play full-time on the Ladies European Tour.

Transsexual tees off on ladies #39; golf tour


Once drifting in and out of the Giants #39; bullpen like San Francisco #39;s morning fog, reliever Jim Brower has settled into one of the bullpen #39;s key roles -- setup -- displaying

Notes: Brower comes up big


WASHINGTON - US retail sales over the Internet rose 0.9 percent in the second quarter of 2004 and gained 23.1 percent compared with the same period last year as consumers continued to turn to e-commerce to make purchases, a government report showed on

US e-commerce sales rise in second quarter


VILLANOVA (Pennsylvania): Third-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia moved into the quarter-finals of the Advanta Tennis Championships on Wednesday when Jelena Kostenic of Croatia was forced to retire in the third set because of a strained groin.

Capriati and Molik advance at Advanta Championships


Shares in Unilever fall after the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant issues a surprise profits warning.

Poor weather hits Unilever sales


Number of users with high-speed connections has tripled in the last three years.

Broadband Proves Popular


NEGOTIATIONS for the release of Iraq hostage Kenneth Bigley are to begin between his captors and militants acting as intermediaries, it was claimed last night.

Captors  #39;negotiate #39; Bigley release


BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Wednesday rejected Secretary  of State Colin Powell's call to resume dialogue with Taiwan,  saying Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's overtures were  meaningless and no grounds existed for talks.

China Rejects Powell Call for Dialogue with Taiwan


SYDNEY: Australia #39;s biggest supermarket group, Woolworths Ltd, won a fierce \$A1.33 billion battle for pubs chain ALH yesterday, beating out rival Coles Myer Ltd which conceded defeat.

Australia #39;s Woolworths wins battle for ALH pubs


WASHINGTON - The State Department will ask the Chinese government about comments by a former senior Chinese official who accused President Bush of trying to  quot;rule over the whole world.

US to Question China About Bush Comment


NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp., the world's top  air-express shipper, on Wednesday said quarterly earnings more  than doubled on strong revenue growth in its international,  ground and freight services.

FedEx Quarterly Earnings More Than Double


The Cabinet meets on Thursday after a reshuffle of Tony Blair's top team which sees Alan Milburn returning.

New Cabinet meets after reshuffle


JAKARTA, INDONESIA - At least 31 people died in a plane crash in Indonesia on Tuesday, after a passenger jet #39;s landing went wrong amid heavy rain.

31 reported dead in Indonesia plane crash


Juwan Howard scored 20 points for the Rockets, who dropped the Grizzlies to 0-and-4. Yao Ming added 14 points and eleven rebounds to the win.

Rockets 90 Grizzlies 87


AP - Russia may have to delay October's planned launch of the next International Space Station crew by up to 10 days to fix a problem on the spacecraft that is to carry them into orbit, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia May Have to Delay Space Launch (AP)


Dominance of Australia #39;s retail wine market, and the high margins on offer, is just one issue at the core of the battle for ALH.

ALH at the vanguard of retail space race


NewsFactor - Building on its strategy to push its service into hotels, T-Mobile will be making its HotSpot wireless-broadband service available throughout the Red Roof Inn chain, owned by Accor. Under the agreement, guests at the Red Roof Inns can access the network in the common area and in individual rooms.

Red Roof Inns Selects T-Mobile for Broadband Service (NewsFactor)


The electronics giant belatedly decides to support the popular digital music format on its hard-drive players. Watch out, Apple. Ah, remember the  #39;80s.

Sony Finally Gets In Tune with MP3s


Bill Gates is giving his big speech right now at Microsofts big Digital Entertainment Anywhere event in Los Angeles. Well have a proper report for you soon, but in the meantime we figured wed

All the new Media Center PCs


The Australian state of Tasmania #39;s long- term local and foreign currency credit ratings have been raised one level to AA because the state government is reducing debt, Standard  amp; Poor #39;s Corp.

Australia #39;s Tasmania State Rating Raised to AA, S amp;P Says


The Thai police sergeant wanted in connection with the murder of two British travellers was yesterday reported to have contacted his superiors and offered to give himself up.

Suspect in Thai murders contacts police


Media General Inc. said Tuesday it expects fourth-quarter and full-year earnings to exceed Wall Street estimates, primarily due to the robust performance of its broadcast division.

Media General expects fourth, full-year earns to top expectations


A new joint-venture wireless telephony company will provide regional mobile infrastructure and a common service platform to some 56 million customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

Asia-Pacific Mobile Telcos in Regional Joint Venture


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Banco Santander Central Hispanico #39;s (STD) proposed 8.75 billion pound bid for UK bank Abbey National (UK:ANL) has been given the tentative approval of Mario Monti, the outgoing European Union competition commissioner, the Financial

Monti gives tentative backing to SCH #39;s Abbey bid: FT


Today, more than 70 companies from the consumer electronics, information technology, media and software industries held the first official meeting of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

Blu-ray Disc Association Launches


THE England and Wales Cricket Board have confirmed Steve Harmison will face no action for pulling out of November #39;s tour to Zimbabwe.

Harmison is out of Africa


RAFAEL BENITEZ cannot afford to feel too down-hearted this morning. Not with spirits to raise before Sunday #39;s daunting encounter with champions Arsenal.

Injuries do not fully excuse the present decline


Beazer Homes USA Inc., the US homebuilder, has announced that fourth-quarter earnings increase as a result of home orders growth in Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and West regions.

Beazer notifies \$80.1 million 4Q profit


Iraqi security forces today arrested a suspected terrorist operating on Baghdad #39;s blood-soaked Haifa Street, an Iraqi commander said.

Iraqi forces  #39;seize Haifa Street terrorist #39;


Some sleuthing by software giant Microsoft Corp. helped track down two brothers who authorities say sold bogus college degrees over the Internet, including an MBA that was issued to a housecat.

Microsoft Helps in Bogus Degrees Case


PARIS, Sept 8 (AFP) - The French hotel chain Accor said Wednesday that pre-tax first-half profit had jumped 25 percent to EUR 225 million (USD 270 million) as business picked up in high-end hotels abroad.

Accor hotel chain sees first-half profit jump


The Chicago Bears have made a living out of winning ugly as of late, taking victories any way they can get them. On Sunday, Chicago invented another way to

Bears sack their way to win


The public school system in Toledo, Ohio, is eyeing the resurrection of a \$4.3 million PeopleSoft accounting and HR software installation abandoned five years ago.

Toledo schools may resurrect stalled PeopleSoft apps


AU Optronics Corp (  ), the world #39;s third-largest maker of flat-panel displays used in computers and televisions, expects the decline in screen prices that began earlier this year to come to an end as demand rebounds.

Drop in flat-panel prices to end, AU Optronics says


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

Delta and pilots trying to curb impact of early retirements


AP - Shipments of personal digital assistants declined for the third consecutive quarter as large vendors continued ceding the depressed market to smaller electronics makers, the research firm IDC said Wednesday.

Digital Assistants Continue to Lose Ground (AP)


Peter Angelos will meet with officials again with a goal toward concluding a compensation package.

Deal Still in Works


Cutting-edge game units, TVs, satellite receivers, camcorders and more are introduced.

November's coolest gadgets from Japan


DoCoMo has tapped up handset vendors to create the platform, which works with both Linux and Symbian phones, working with NEC and Panasonic on the former and Fujitsu on the latter.

DoCoMo taps up Linux and Symbian for common aim


Time Warner Inc. and Comcast Corp. agreed to a deal Monday giving Comcast an option to cut its stake in Time Warner #39;s cable unit, opening the door for Comcast to unwind the entire partnership.

Time Warner, Comcast enter cable pact


AS Roma and Inter Milan played to a dramatic 3-3 draw in Sunday #39;s  quot;big match, quot; both losing ground to Juventus, which stretched its Serie A lead by beating Udinese 1-0.

Juventus stretches lead; Roma, Inter draw


InterContinental Hotels Group Plc (IHG.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it was selling 13 hotels to Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT.

InterContinental to Sell 13 Hotels


The chief executive of US insurance giant Marsh and McLellan Jeffrey Greenberg last night resigned as the firm promised reforms after being accused of rigging bids.

CEO of under-fire Marsh resigns


The US Secret Service Thursday announced arrests in eight states and six foreign countries of 28 suspected cybercrime gangsters on charges of identity theft, computer fraud, credit card fraud, and conspiracy.

Secret Service Busts Cyber Gangs


If anything, unprecedented good fortune appears to be smiling on the Boston Red Sox who have fumbled and stumbled their way to a 2-0 World Series lead over the St.

Red Sox Stumble and Fumble Their Way to Series Lead


The Democratic Unionist party leader, Ian Paisley, emerged from Downing Street talks today and said that republicans had a  quot;now or never quot; chance to disarm and do a deal with him on power sharing.

Paisley: It #39;s now or never


NASA and the nations involved in the International Space Station project will run out of emergency rescue craft within 18 months and have not decided what to do after April 2006, when the final

Space station future adrift


Major League Baseball player Rick Helling, right, talks with an unidentified Player #39;s Association representative as he arrives to attend meetings Monday, Dec. 6, 2004, at the Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix.

No rthern Trust Bank of Florida has full


Dana Antal scored a tiebreaking goal early in the third period and Canada held on for a 2-1 victory over the United State in the championship game of the Four Nations Cup international women #39;s hockey tournament.

Canada beats US for gold, Sweden captures bronze in Four Nations <b>...</b>


Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley thought Ron Zook was the right fit for Floridas football program three years ago when he hired the energetic, player-friendly defensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints.

UF head football coach fired after loss to Mississippi State


British Airways PLC reached a pay accord early Saturday with two unions, averting a planned strike during the Aug. 27-30 holiday weekend by 11,000 baggage handlers and check-in workers.

British Airways in Pact With Unions


WASHINGTON (3-7) vs. PITTSBURGH (9-1) When, where: Sunday, 1 p.m., at Pittsburgh. TV: Ch. 25. Last meeting: Steelers won, 24-3, in 2000. Comments: The Redskins offense is dreadful -- with or without Mark Brunell at quarterback. Patrick Ramsey started his first game of the season in a 28-6 loss at Philadelphia last Sunday. Ramsey got little help from star running ...

NFL games on TV


More nudity, more raunch, more sex scenes fill new  quot;Uncut quot; version of VU #39;s risqu college adventure. Is it even possible to make Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude--a video game characterized by nothing

Adults-Only rated Leisure Suit Larry now available


If Kurt Busch wasn #39;t already the man to beat for the Nextel Cup championship, he is now. Anyone expecting Busch or his Roush Racing team to crack under the pressure of the

Pole victory adds to Busch #39;s edge


Later this year, a few hundred US residents will be testing two such product lines made by Motorola that use MasterCard #39;s PayPass wireless payment system, according to Motorola.

Motorola and Mastercard begin  quot;credit card quot; phone trials


Chip bellwether Intel Corp. saw revenues and net income go higher sequentially and year over year for Q3 amid questions about the industry #39;s health as it heads towards what many believe is the down part of the cycle.

Inventories Down for Intel in Q3


Three of Japan #39;s largest IT companies have developed an open-source implementation of a standard from OASIS to ensure reliable messaging between Web services applications.

Group releases open-source Web services messaging app


BERKELEY, Calif.--Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates kicked off a whirlwind day in the Bay Area on Friday, talking to college students about a range of topics, from open-source software to malaria to the next Xbox.

Gates stumps in Silicon Valley


Three seeded players have been knocked out of the first round of the Wismilak International tennis tournament in Nusa Dua, Indonesia, with third seed Ai Sugiyama leading the way.

Tennis: 3 Seeded Players Knocked Out of Wismilak Tournament


The growth of supercomputing as an enterprise IT option is one of the highlights of this week's SC2004 Supercomputing Conference, which kicks off tomorrow in Pittsburgh.

SC2004 supercomputing show kicks off with focus on business IT


p2pnet.net News:- Four ex-Microsoft employees from the Seattle-area have been charged with stealing software worth \$32.4 million from the company.

MS staff stole \$32.4M in software


AP - Iraqi militants said they shot and killed an Italian citizen after he tried to break through a guerrilla roadblock on a highway outside the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi.

Iraqi Militants Say They Shot Italian (AP)


UN Secretary-General condemned on Sunday the attacks in a western Afghanistan province which may jeopardize the already worrisome security in the war-torn country before its scheduled general elections next month.

UN chief condemns attacks in Afghanistan


Crude futures sold off sharply for a second day in row Thursday, falling below \$44 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather.

Update 10: Crude Oil Prices Slump Below \$44 a Barrel


Bank of America Corp. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Lewis is running afoul of Massachusetts politicians as he slashes jobs to increase earnings following his \$48 billion purchase of FleetBoston Financial Corp.

Bank of America #39;s Focus on Profit, Job Cuts Irks Politicians


MADRID (Reuters) - Explosions rocked containers in two  separate coastal cities in northwestern Spain on Saturday after  a Basque newspaper received a telephoned warning in the name of  the armed Basque separatist group ETA, state radio said.

Two Blasts Hit Northwest Spain After ETA Warnings


US envoy William Burns travels to Syria to warn Damascus over its troops in Lebanon and alleged links with militants.

US takes stern message to Syria


Health insurer Humana Inc. reported a 36 percent increase Monday in third-quarter earnings, driven by solid performance in a number of the company #39;s business lines.

Humana earnings rise 36


Al-Jazeera television says a video it #39;s received shows a woman being shot in the head. The woman is believed to be Margaret Hassan, an aid worker kidnapped last month in Iraq.

Al-Jazeera says it has video of woman #39;s slaying


General Motors aims to restructure its loss-making European operations without resorting to involuntary redundancies or shuttering any

GM Europe Aims to Avoid Forced Layoffs


SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Qantas profits soared to a record 648.8 million Australian dollars (US\$463.8 million, euro 376 million) in the past fiscal year, thanks to rising passenger numbers despite fears of Iraq war-related terrorism and the aftermath of ...

Qantas posts record annual profit


KARACHI, Pakistan Pakistani authorities are putting the city of Karachi on  quot;red alert, quot; for an al-Qaida strike after its forces killed a top terror suspect.

Security alert issued after top Pakistani al-Qaida suspect killed


LONDON (Reuters) - The next few weeks will be critical for  efforts to clinch a new Northern Ireland peace deal, British  Prime Minister Tony Blair said Monday.

Blair: Next Few Weeks 'Crucial' for N.Ireland


Although Linux may be shipping on a growing number of PCs sold in the emerging markets of Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, about 80 percent of PCs shipped with the open source operating system this year will eventually run pirated versions of Windows, industry research firm Gartner estimated in a report issued September 21.

Gartner: Piracy driving Linux PC shipments


AFP - British-based banking giant HSBC Holdings is to team up with Shanxi Trust and Investment Corp to form a joint venture fund management company in China, HSBC announced.

HSBC, Shanxi Trust to form joint venture in China (AFP)


ABUJA, Nigeria - Nigerian unions threatened to extend their nationwide general strike, which entered its third day on Wednesday, increasing concerns about production in Africa #39;s biggest oil-exporting nation.

Unions Threaten to Extend Nigeria Strike


SAN DIEGO -- LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees aren't the only ones who can win games for the resurgent San Diego Chargers. Their defense is pretty good, too.

Defense delivers late for San Diego


NEW YORK: Oil prices extended a streak of losses last night as dealers anticipated that strong Opec output and recovering production in the US would boost lean stockpiles in time for peak winter heating demand.

Oil slides on supply fears


Dana Conneally walked into Starbucks at Faneuil Hall one recent morning in desperate need of a coffee fix. The employee at a local law firm handed his debit card to the Starbucks worker, who swiped it, then handed it back -- no signature or personal identification number required.

Swipe hype: Debit the small stuff


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Thursday  as investors hoping for a year-end rally bought shares.

Stocks Rise on Sprint/Nextel Merger Talk


Russian tax authorities yesterday scheduled the equivalent of a fire sale at what was once the nation #39;s largest oil company, offering the main production facility at Yukos Oil

Yukos on the auction block


NEW YORK: US stocks ended slightly higher on Friday, helped by strength in technology after bellwether Intel Corp lifted its sales forecast, although a weak jobs report put a damper on Wall Street.

US stocks end on higher note


Reuters - Four big banks face a U.S. Securities\and Exchange Commission probe of their auction-rate bond\operations, a securities filing shows.

Citigroup, 3 Others Face SEC Bonds Probe (Reuters)


AP - In another harrowing trip to the Bay Area, Matt Leinart passed for 308 yards and LenDale White scored on a 2-yard run with 6:15 left, capping the Trojans' comeback from an 11-point deficit for a 31-28 victory over Stanford on Saturday night.

Top-Ranked USC Holds Back Stanford 31-28 (AP)


For a lieutenant who gave his last name as Mustafa, one of 2,000 Iraqi soldiers fighting alongside U.S. troops for control of this  insurgent-occupied city, the battle for Fallujah was personal.

For an Iraqi Soldier, the Battle in Fallujah Is Personal


NEW YORK Oct. 6, 2004 - Torri Hunter hit a long home run off Tanyon Sturtze in the 12th inning as the Minnesota Twins took a 6-5 lead over the New York Yankees on Wednesday in their best-of-five series in the AL playoffs.

Twins Lead the Yankees 6-5 in 12th


BOSTON Nov 6, 2004 - An examination of Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling #39;s right ankle was postponed again Saturday. Schilling was expected to be seen by doctors on Sunday.

Schilling Ankle Exam Postponed Again


AFP - China's industrial output growth in October slowed to 15.7 percent year-on-year after a 16.1 percent gain in September, suggesting government lending curbs are cooling the economy.

China's October industrial output up 15.7 percent (AFP)


Theirs is a golfing world without bunkers and hazards, sloping greens and Sunday pins. Only one thing matters to the professional long driver, and it's measured in yards, not strokes.

They really do drive for show


Apple #39;s iTunes Music Store has signed an exclusive deal to distribute digital versions of Oasis #39; tracks. Apple #39;s success in signing Oasis to its service means that a new selection form the band #39;s

Apple iTunes signs Oasis exclusive


In the SINGAPORE story headlined  quot;Oil hits new high on Iraq violence quot; please read in the 13th paragraph .... as its imports in the first seven ...

Oil price hits new high on Iraq violence


NEW YORK - Stocks rebounded Tuesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average rising solidly above 10,000 as investors, less anxious about volatile energy prices, focused instead on good corporate news.

Stocks rebound as investors shed fears


Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays announced Monday that they have retained manager John Gibbons for next season.

It #39;s official: Gibbons stays on in Toronto


AP - In a hit claimed by Israeli security officials, a senior Hamas operative was killed in a car bombing Sunday outside his house in Damascus, the first such killing of a leader of the Islamic militant group in Syria.

Israel Claims Killing of Hamas Operative (AP)


WASHINGTON -- A long-awaited report on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal will implicate about two dozen military intelligence soldiers and civilian contractors in the intimidation and sexual humiliation of Iraq war prisoners, but will not suggest wrongdoing by military brass outside the prison, senior defense officials said yesterday.

Report won't put blame on top brass


With Rice and San Jose State having made a mockery of the concept of defense, the Spartans picked a most opportune time for a defensive stand.

Rice lets big lead get away, loses 70-63


Hamid Karzai has been cruising to victory in Afghanistan #39;s first direct presidential elections, but the returns so far have underscored the ethnic fault lines that often divide the country.

Karzai #39;s lead shows Afghan ethnic divide


Former financier Martin Armstrong pleaded not guilty to expanded charges of fraud on Friday, just days after he challenged a contempt order that has kept him imprisoned for more than four years.

Former Financier Pleads Not Guilty to New Charges


Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - City health officials knew about the deadly C. difficile outbreak at least five months before the provincial Health Department was informed, according to a broadcast report.

Mtl experts knew about C. difficile outbreak but didn't tell province:report (Canadian Press)


BOSTON (AFX) -- The first exchange-traded fund investing in gold bullion will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, said sources familiar with the situation.

Gold ETF expected to launch Thursday


BASEBALL Atlanta (NL): Optioned P Roman Colon to Greenville (Southern); recalled OF Dewayne Wise from Richmond (IL). Boston (AL): Purchased C Sandy Martinez from Cleveland (AL) and assigned him to Pawtucket (IL). Cleveland (AL): Recalled OF Ryan Ludwick from Buffalo (IL). Chicago (NL): Acquired OF Ben Grieve from Milwaukee (NL) for player to be named and cash; acquired C Mike ...

Transactions


Bargain-hunting consumers shrugged off the impact of higher interest rates and a weakening housing market to give a boost to spending in Britain #39;s shops last month, the CBI said yesterday.

MPC unlikely to raise rates as underlying sales cool


Electronic Data Systems Corp. cut its cash flow projections for 2004 on Monday because it spent \$522 million to pay off money borrowed by a trust to finance a huge technology contract with the Navy.

EDS Reduces 2004 Cash Flow Projections


GM and Ford sales fell in October as the two largest automakers cut incentives. Sales rose at Chrysler and Toyota, helped by new models.

GM, Ford sales slip in Oct.


KABUL: A suicide bomber struck a famous Kabul shopping strip yesterday, killing a young Afghan bookseller and wounding nine people, including three members of a NATO-led peacekeeping force.

Bomber strikes in Kabul


New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori has starred in his side #39;s biggest Test win, as the Black Caps defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 101 runs in Chittagong.

Kiwis crush Bangladesh to wrap up series


\Hijackers force a plane carrying at least 70 Eritreans to land in the Sudanese capital, the UN says.

Eritreans in plane hijack drama


AP - Waiting has become a part-time job for Lee Suggs, one he'd like to quit for good.

Browns' Suggs Impatient to Start (AP)


Ryan Ohliger could be forgiven if he erred on the side of caution during Boston College kickoffs. The freshman took over the placekicking duties after Mike Fassel injured a hamstring during the offseason. But instead of shying away from collisions, Ohliger has made two tackles in three games.

Stepping right into it


Mumbai: The appearance of a match wicket doesn #39;t make the Indian team comfortable or uncomfortable, stand-in captain Rahul Dravid emphasised today.

Appearances of wickets are deceptive: Dravid


DECEMBER 08, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Perhaps it isn #39;t quite as surprising as if Ford suddenly decided to sell its Mustang sports car brand to Hyundai.

Analysis: IBM adjusts to harsh PC market


Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira could miss the Gunners #39; highly anticipated game against Manchester United this weekend. The French midfielder twisted his ankle during Saturday #39;s 3-1 win over Aston Villa.

Vieira doubtful for Manchester United


RAMALLAH, West Bank - Yasser Arafat acknowledged Wednesday that the Palestinian Authority had made mistakes, but the rare admission appeared to be aimed more at deflecting criticism about his corrupt government than making real changes.    In a decade at the helm of the Palestinian Authority, Arafat has resisted attempts to get him to fight official corruption, reform the security services and relinquish some of his near-absolute powers...

Arafat Admits Palestinians Made Mistakes


To shed light on the secretive sex lives of rosy-finches, birds that nest high in the Rocky Mountains, researchers clip on crampons and get climbing.

Secret Sex Lives Of High-flying Finch Uncovered In The Rockies


SAN FRANCISCO (AFX) -- American Express said Monday that in light of the Supreme Court #39;s decision against Visa and MasterCard, it will seek partnerships with US banks.

American Express weighs lawsuit vs Visa, MasterCard


Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Olympia, home of the Olympics for more than 12 centuries, will host competition for the first time in 1,611 years when the shot put competition of the Athens Games is contested at Greece #39;s most sacred sporting site.

Athletes Return to Olympia, Home of Games, After 1,611 Years


EMC Corp. claims it has hit over 1,000 users and shipped more than 30 petabytes (30,000 TB) of storage capacity since the introduction of its Centera product in April 2002.

EMC, Sun tout compliance wares


When he was taken with the 24th pick on draft night in 1991, and introduced to a room of puzzled Boston media and season ticket-holders, an impatient Red Auerbach snapped back from the head

Ailing Fox closes curtain on career


TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp., the world leader in video  equipment, finds itself in the unusual position of playing  catch-up in the next battleground for technology used in  cameras, video recorders and phones.

Sony Chases Rivals in Image Chip Race


NEW YORK, Nov. 11 -- The 40 percent share price slide in Merck  #38; Co. in the five weeks after it pulled the painkiller Vioxx off the market highlighted larger problems in the pharmaceutical industry that may depress performance for years, according to academics and stock analysts who follow the sector.

Drug Firm Shares in Slump


Shares in Unilever fall after the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant issued a surprise profits warning.

Unilever shares fall on warning


SiliconValley.com - Yes, our government is now in the business of pushing expensive TV sets on consumers who are wisely keeping their wallets closed.

FCC sends wrong signal on digital TV (SiliconValley.com)


AP - The United States hasn't issued any microchip-equipped passports yet, but as the Department of State tests different prototypes, the international standards for the passports are under fire from privacy advocates who worry the technology won't protect travelers from identity thieves.

Electronic Passports Might Not Measure Up (AP)


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Barry Bonds will chase the  all-time home run record as a San Francisco Giants player after  the team dropped its option to void the final year of the  slugger's contract in 2006.

Giants to Keep Bonds for at Least Two More Seasons


The U.S. dollar hit a new all-time low against the euro Friday for the fourth straight day, pushing the European currency above \$1.33 amid concerns about the twin U.S. deficits and the lack of any central bank action to stop the dollar's decline.

Dollar at New All-Time Low vs. Euro


After Oracle's court victory, customers will look for reassurance at what could be PeopleSoft's last annual user conference.

PeopleSoft's last hurrah?


Pathmark Stores, which owns 142 supermarkets in the city and throughout the northeast, hired Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein to advise it on options, including a possible sale of the company.

Pathmark may look for buyer


The traditional third-quarter bump is light for the chipmaker, as lower-than-expected PC sales offset flash memory gains.

Intel revenue up 5 percent


The movie industry announced today it will launch its first wave of lawsuits later this month against those it alleges are illegally sharing copyrighted films on the Internet, following its

Hollywood Wants File Sharers to Fade Out


A judge in Chile has said that the country #39;s former military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, is fit enough to be tried for alleged human rights abuses in the 1970s.

Pinochet fit to stand trial, judge rules


THE LEADING communications provider in the Caribbean, Cable  amp; Wireless, has announced the establishment of a US\$1 million relief fund to assist victims of Hurricane Ivan.

Cable  amp; Wireless sets up US\$1m relief fund


Tata group chairman Ratan Tata today said he would visit Bangladesh next month to discuss with government representatives the groups plan to invest \$2 billion to set up steel, power and fertiliser plants in the country.

Tata to meet Bangla officials for projects


The Iraqi political campaign officially kicked off yesterday, colored by hope but tempered by violence that highlighted security concerns

Bombing mars launch of political campaign in Iraq


AP - David Beckham broke his rib moments after scoring England's second goal in Saturday's 2-0 win over Wales in a World Cup qualifying game.

England Captain Beckham Breaks a Rib (AP)


NAMES Donald Trump wasn't there giving his trademark hand gesture and uttering those famous words yesterday, but the outcome was the same. Larry Bowa , you're fired. Bowa, the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, was canned a day before the end of yet another disappointing year. The Phillies failed to reach the playoffs for the 11th straight season after coming ...

Phillies' Bowa is sent packing


Woody Austin made a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Tim Herron and win the inaugural Buick Championship on Sunday.

Sunday #39;s Golf Capsules


Bonzi Wells had 26 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with less than a minute left, to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 93-90 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.

Grizzlies 93, Spurs 90


BEIRUT Four ministers quit the Lebanese government on Monday to protest the passage of a Syrian-inspired constitutional amendment intended to keep President Emile Lahoud in power for another three years.

4 Lebanon ministers quit over president #39;s term


An almost unthinkable lapse of concentration Sunday cost American Matt Emmons an Olympic shooting gold medal. Emmons, far ahead going into his final shot in the three-position

Mental lapse costs American shooting gold


com November 4, 2004, 10:00 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning

Open-source details hold up Solaris release


AP - The University of Maryland business school plans to give Blackberry wireless devices to all full-time MBA students this fall, an effort to make students technologically savvy and aware that a key to business is being able to access people and information at all times.

Md. School to Hand Out Blackberry Devices (AP)


TEHRAN: France, Britain and Germany proposing a November deadline for Iran to dispel concern that it has a covert atom bomb program.

European countries agree on Iran nuke deadline


FONTANA, CA.California native Casey Mears was glad to be home. So glad in fact, he put his No. 41 Dodge on the Busch Series pole position for Saturday #39;s Target House 300 run on the two-mile California Speedway.

Mears On California Pole


BEIJING - Japan pressed North Korea to provide fuller accounts of 10 Japanese who Tokyo says were abducted by the North in their second day of working-level talks Sunday, but the North did not provide new information in the morning session, Japan #39;s

Japan asks North Korea for fuller accounts of missing Japanese


WASHINGTON - Glaciers in Antarctica are thinning faster than they did in the 1990s and researchers have discovered an unexpected folded section deep beneath the ice cap, findings that may indicate the ice is less stable than had been thought.

Folded ice discovered beneath Antarctica


Israel #39;s current offensive in the Gaza Strip will not bring it security but is part of an Israeli plan to destroy Gaza, former Palestinian security affairs minister Mohamed Dahlan said Wednesday.

Dahlan: Gaza offensive won #39;t bring security to Israel


Reports say Egypt is to free an Arab-Israeli man jailed on spying charges in return for six students held by Israel.

Egypt 'will release Israeli spy'


PRIME Minister John Howard had every reason to give thanks as he attended church today, while Opposition Leader Mark Latham was keeping a low profile in the aftermath of the Coalition #39;s stunning election win.

Nation puts its trust in Howard


The Arizona Diamondbacks are starting to shorten their list of managerial candidates, and Mark Grace is out of the running for the job.

Mark Grace eliminated from team #39;s managerial search


The first rays of sunlight bring with it the hope of a new day, a new beginning and a new start to a life gone awry for a while. The Indian team, having had a nightmarish start to a new cricket season, hopes

Yuvraj likely to open for confused India


Seventeen suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA were arrested throughout Spain in pre-dawn raids Tuesday, the EFE agency reported.

Spain arrests 17 separatist suspects


Mortgage rates increased this week for the first time in a month, while holding close to the lowest since early April, according to Freddie Mac.

Freddie Mac says 30-year mortgage rate rose to 5.7


PERTH: A dashing century by opening batsman Salman Butt thrust him into pole position for a Test opening berth as Pakistan notched up their first tour win with a 43-run victory over a Cricket Australia Chairmans XI at the Lilac Hill ground here Tuesday

Salmans century guides Pakistan to tour victory


WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday approved a compromise version of a moratorium on Internet-only taxes, the last step needed before the bill is sent to President George Bush.

Internet tax moratorium clears Congress


The first battle lines were drawn today with six directors of Reliance Energy Limited (REL) resigning. REL is run by Vice Chairman of Reliance Industries Limited, Anil Ambani.

Rift deepens, six REL Directors quit


Simona Torretta and Simona Pari share the same first name, the same age, the same job and the same dedication to the Iraqi people.

Italy #39;s Two Hostages Dedicated to Helping Iraqis


KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese authorities have arrested 14  members of an opposition Islamist party for plotting sabotage  after soliciting help from abroad, party officials and security  sources said on Wednesday.

Sudan Arrests 14 Islamists for Sabotage Plot


TIM Henman made a bright start to the defence of his French Masters Series title in Paris with a 6-3 6-4 win over Thailand #39;s Paradorn Srichaphan.

Tennis: Victory for Henman


Reuters - The winner of the presidential\election could reshape the Supreme Court and could have a\long-lasting impact on important issues such as abortion, gay\marriages and church-state separation.

Next President Could Get to Reshape High Court (Reuters)


NOVEMBER 26, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - IT system failures continued to plague the UK government this week, when as many as 80,000 civil servants working for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) had to deal with what is being described in the local

UK government hit with another large computer failure


Russian energy giant Gazprom said Tuesday it would acquire state-owned oil company Rosneft in a stock swap expected to ultimately ease restrictions on foreign investment in the world's biggest natural gas producer.

Kremlin Move Could Open Up Gas Industry


Surfers and sunbathers aren't the only ones to crowd the beach, as birding columnist Mathew Tekulsky discovers during a visit to California's Malibu Lagoon State Beach.

Birding Column: Shorebirds in Malibu


Reuters - The U.S. team that took the first\privately funded, manned ship into space makes a bid to capture\a  #36;10 million prize this week -- signaling that commercial\space travel has nearly arrived.

SpaceShipOne to Try for  #36;10 Million Ansari X-Prize (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rallied on Monday after  software maker PeopleSoft Inc. <A HREF=

U.S. Stocks End Higher After Oracle Deal


TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average climbed for a  third straight day on Thursday, rising over one percent as a  rally in New York boosted tech issues such as Toshiba Corp and  Shin-Etsu Chemical

Tokyo Stocks Rise as Techs Rally


Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has accused German referee Herbert Fandel, who sent off two Arsenal players in Eindhoven, of being  quot;very arrogant quot;.

Lehmann slams  #39;arrogant #39; ref


Hail the lovable idiots. Bless the baseball gods. Raise a cup to the good souls in Red Sox lore -- from Ted Williams and Joe Cronin to Gary Waslewski and Pumpsie Green -- who chased but never captured the game's greatest prize.

The possible dream


The Department of Defense has identified the following US service members who were killed recently in Iraq and Afghanistan:

US casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan


The eye of typhoon Aere will move northwestward after sweeping past a sea area off Taipei and will hit East China coastal areas between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Eastern provinces prepare for typhoon


British police said they have arrested a man who launched a sledgehammer attack on the security gates at the entrance of Downing Street early Friday morning.

Man hammering gates of Downing Street arrested


BAGHDAD: Twenty-four people were killed and more than 100 wounded in a car bomb attack and other violence in Iraq on Wednesday. Naim al-Qaabi, an official from Moqtada Sadrs movement, said 15 people were

24 killed in Iraq violence


Reuters - U.S. television viewers have begun to\prize the on-demand services that let them choose the programs\they want, when they want them, but will they do the same for\advertising?

Procter   Gamble Makes On-Demand Ad (Reuters)


TEL AVIV: The players of Israels Bnei Sakhnin set off on the greatest soccer journey of their lives on Monday when they travelled from their poor town in the north of the country to Newcastle Uniteds St James Park.

Excited Bnei Sakhnin team leave for St James Park


The U.S. military has found nearly 20 houses where intelligence officers believe hostages were tortured or killed in this city, including the house with the cage that held a British contractor who was beheaded last month.

U.S. Forces Find Houses Where Hostages Kept


The management of Gold Fields, the South African gold producer, was dealt a blow on Tuesday after shareholders voted against a proposed reverse takeover of Canadian gold group Iamgold.

Gold Fields shareholders reject Canadian merger


Global mobile phone sales grew 35 to over 150 million in the second quarter, say industry analysts Gartner.

Mobile phone sales grow strongly


Chile's government says it will build a  prison for officers convicted of human rights abuses in the Pinochet era.

Chile plans jail for Pinochet men


WALTER SMITH will be unveiled as the new Scotland manager on Thursday after being offered the job last night. The former Rangers and Everton boss will sign a deal that will see him take charge until the 2008 European Championship.

SMITH #39;S SCOT IT IN THE BAG NOW


NEW YORK (Dow Jones/AP) -- Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. on Wednesday said it posted a wider loss for the third quarter from a year earlier, as higher expenses -- particularly for National Football League programming -- more than offset a surge in revenue.

Sirius posts wider loss amid rising costs


VIVENDI, whose Universal Music arm is the worlds biggest music group, has been given the go-ahead by the French government to file returns under a new tax regime that will save it roughly 2.

Vivendi in line for 2.5bn tax savings


Police say up to 30 armed militants have been killed as a result of clashes in Nigeria #39;s mountainous border region with Cameroon.

Up to 30 Militants Killed by Police in Nigeria


Roger Clemens resuscitates the Astros' NLCS hopes with seven strong innings to lead Houston to a 5-2 win over St. Louis, cutting the Cardinals' series lead to 2-1.

Astros Take Game 3


The pattern of selective destruction was evident Friday after two days of relative calm, with targets apparently singled out because they were identified with France, Ivory Coast's former colonial ruler.

New Ivory Coast Violence Shatters French Connection


AP - The Baltimore Ravens ran over the hated Pittsburgh Steelers in a performance that belatedly justified their stature as the team to beat in the AFC North. Jamal Lewis rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns and Chester Taylor added a career-high 76 yards on the ground to lead Baltimore to a 30-13 victory Sunday.

Ravens Roll Over Rival Steelers 30-13 (AP)


European Union foreign policy chiefJavier Solana has confirmed that he had secret meetings with the Palestinian group Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) in an interview with the BBC that was broadcast on Thursday.

Solana confirms secret contact with Hamas


Nortel Networks Corp. on Thursday said it would cut fewer jobs than announced in August as part of the effort to improve its financial condition.

Nortel Lowers Job-Cut Estimates


Reuters - Enron Corp.  on Wednesday\said a joint venture of Southern Union Co.  and a\General Electric Co.  unit won the auction for its crown\jewel U.S. pipelines with a  #36;2.45 billion cash and assumed debt\bid.

Joint Venture Wins Enron Pipeline Auction (Reuters)


OAO Yukos Oil Co. will draw up a short-term emergency plan #39; #39; to prepare for the sale of OAO Yuganskneftegas, the company #39;s main oil-producing unit, and the expropriation of other assets.

Yukos Board to Develop Short-Term Emergency Plan #39; (Update1)


Users of Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) MSN Messenger lost the ability to swap instant messages for a brief period, the world #39;s largest software maker said on Tuesday.

Microsoft #39;s MSN Messenger Service Down Briefly


AP - Here's how well things are going at Southern California: Coach Pete Carroll is worried about ball security even though his top-ranked Trojans are tied for second nationally in turnover margin.

Trojans Closing in on National Title Game (AP)


One measure of how much consumer technology you can get for the buck, yen or euro is today #39;s lowly printer. The reproduction capability of basic inkjet models that can be had for well under 200, or even

The End User: What price cheaper ink?


SADO, Japan The American who deserted the Army and spent four decades in North Korea says today marks the next and last chapter in his life.

Charles Jenkins arrives in Japan, says last chapter in his life is <b>...</b>


A server crashes, disrupting the pre-election test of electronic voting machines in West Palm Beach. Critics say this underscores the unreliability of e-voting, while election officials say all glitches will be fixed.

E-Vote Snafu in Florida


AP - Justin Gatlin followed his Olympic victory by capturing the 100 meters Thursday at the Yokohama Super Track and Field meet while former world-record holder Maurice Greene finished fifth.

Justin Gatlin Wins 100 at Japan Meet (AP)


AP - No one knows how to bring Oklahoma's stout defense to life like Texas.

Red River Shootout Awakens Oklahoma Defense (AP)


AP - With support from John Kerry's campaign, two third-party candidates for president officially asked on Tuesday for a recount in Ohio, the state that put President Bush over the top in November.

Candidates Officially Request Ohio Recount (AP)


Shares of newly public Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday hit a new high and posted their largest single-day percentage gain after five investment

Google shares hit new high, analysts bullish


NAGPUR, OCTOBER 28: After all the spin and counter-spin, its official: Sourav Ganguly is injured, its not serious but his participation in the Mumbai Test is still uncertain.

Injured Ganguly not yet certain for Mumbai Test


NORTHERN Ireland could return to self-government next spring, the Rev Ian Paisley #39;s Democratic Unionist Party said last night.

PAISLEY #39;S PLAN FOR IRA


Global warming could cause polar bears to go extinct by the end of the century by eroding the sea ice that sustains them, according to the most comprehensive international assessment ever done of Arctic climate change.

Polar Bears May Face Demise


Internet service provider United Online Inc. on Monday posted a 42 percent surge in third-quarter profit  --  helped by expanding margins and lower telecommunications costs  --  and raised its earnings outlook for 2004.

United Online Buying Classmates.com


Attendees at Gartner's annual data center conference said their packaged applications have to be tested on servers equipped with virtualization software before they can adopt the technology. But some vendors may not have the wherewithal to do the testing.

Lack of tests could block virtualization


If my experiences with two new massively multiplayer online role-playing games have taught me one thing, it's that if I really wanted, I'd never have to interact face-to-face with another person again. I have all the friends and enemies I can handle thanks to

'EverQuest,' 'Warcraft' Polished


NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are seen slightly higher at the open but a swathe of economic data is likely to influence overall sentiment and direction...

Stocks Are Set to Open Slightly Higher


A MOB ransacked the office of Qatar Airways in Nepal #39;s capital Kathmandu to vent their anger after 12 Nepalese were killed by Islamic militants in Iraq, an airline employee said.

Office ransacked after killings


As two major investment banks issued optimistic reports on the Mountain View search engine company Tuesday, its stock price jumped \$8.

Google shares reach \$126.86


MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Some 160,000 Mexicans marched on  Sunday to support the presidential hopes of the capital's  leftist mayor who faces government-backed legal challenges that  could knock him out of the 2006 race.

Thousands Rally for Mexico Presidential Favorite


Lindsay Whalen made the most of the biggest game of her professional career. The rookie guard led the Connecticut Sun to a 68-64 victory over the Seattle Storm last night in the opening game of the WNBA Finals.

Whalen, Sun off to bright start


A US federal judge has ordered a man dubbed the Spam King to disable so-called spyware programs. US District Judge Joseph DiClerico issued a temporary restraining order against one of the world #39;s worst spammers

Judge orders Spam King banished


ST. JOHN #39;S, Nfld. -- An oil spill on Newfoundland #39;s Grand Banks is larger than first reported. The Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board now says that up to 1,000 barrels of oil may have spilled into

Nfld. oil spill more serious than originally thought


National Semiconductor Corp. posted a higher quarterly profit Thursday, with sales in line with its reduced forecast on lower-than-expected demand for flat-panel displays and from Chinese wireless handset makers.

National Semi rallies on results


LONDON, September 25 (Online): Host England and surprise package West Indies would meet in the final of ICC Championship Trophy in Oval on Saturday (today).

ICC Champions Trophy: England to take on Windies at Oval


Wholesale costs -- catapulted by more expensive energy and food -- soared last month by the largest amount in more than 14 years. With inflation at the producer level accelerating sharply after months of being

Wholesale prices jump in October by 1.7 percent, biggest increase <b>...</b>


AP - A federal facility that pumps salty water 14,000 feet into the Earth's crust probably is associated with a magnitude 3.9 earthquake that struck the Utah-Colorado border this month, an official said.

U.S. Pump Project May Be Linked to Quake (AP)


Accounting standards setters yesterday agreed to give companies six more months to comply with a plan that would require them to treat stock options as an expense, cheering both overburdened businesses and lobbyists trying to scuttle the plan.

Stock Options Expensing Postponed


Reuters - A car bomb exploded near a U.S.\convoy in the western city of Ramadi on Tuesday, killing two\civilians and wounding at least four, witnesses said.

Car Bomb Near U.S. Convoy in Ramadi Kills 2 Iraqis (Reuters)


but investors haven #39;t been doing the same. Yesterday, shares of Jones fell approximately 3 following the announcement

Jones Apparel: Does Barney #39;s Mean Trouble?


Two games after abruptly benching Josh McCown in favor of Shaun King, Green announced yesterday that John Navarre, a rookie from the University of Michigan, will start Sunday #39;s game at Detroit.

QB Shuffle For Cards And Bears


After a four-year wait, billions of pounds spent on licences and numerous delays, Vodafone finally rolled out mass-market third-generation (3G) mobile telephone services on Wednesday.

Vodafone rolls out 3G mobile phone


There are many reasons Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield and Giants slugger Barry Bonds don #39;t hang out together anymore, but one of the biggest is the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.

Yankee directs anger at Bonds


DETROIT The Detroit City Council has passed a modified version of its controversial plan for a black business district. In doing so, they #39;ve repealed a provision that loans go only to blacks.

Detroit council approves modified plan creating black business <b>...</b>


All of the downfalls and the resurgences of Ariel Sharon pale in comparison to the battle awaiting him on Thursday, when the Likud conference votes on whether to hold coalition talks with Labor.

Another round for the great survivor


AP - Eddie George, Jevon Kearse, Robaire Smith and Justin McCareins are gone. Frank Wycheck has retired.

Titans Feel Reloaded With New Players (AP)


A survey conducted by internet service provider AOL found that 20 percent of home computers were infected by a virus or worm, and that various forms of snooping programs such

Your PC may be less secure than you think


Chris Paul, Eric Williams and Kyle Visser each scored 15 points to lead the Demon Deacons past Yale 99-72 Monday night. Chris Ellis added 14 points for Wake Forest (3-0), which had five players in double figures.

No. 1 Wake Forest 99, Yale 72


NEW YORK - The New York Mets are revamping their front office for the second straight offseason, hiring Omar Minaya from the Montreal Expos to become the head of baseball operations.

Mets to revamp front office again


The regulars at the Thessalia Grill on Skiathou Street had waited all month for Panagiotis Tsimbidas to open his doors, which had been closed because of his annual August vacation and the unexpected heart problems of his elderly father-in-law.

Greeks still carry a torch for the Olympics


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen hit  back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to lead the St.  Louis Cardinals to a 6-4 win over the Houston Astros in Game  Two of the NL Championship Series at Busch Stadium Thursday.

Homers by Pujols, Rolen Power Cardinals


MILAN (Reuters) - An Italian judge opened preliminary  hearings on Tuesday into the 14-billion-euro collapse of  Parmalat and immediately ruled that two former auditors of the  food group should stand trial in one of Europe's biggest fraud  cases.

Judge Orders Parmalat Auditors to Trial


ATHENS: While India continued to wallow in the misery of a lone silver medal, it was euphoria for China as it celebrated its best performance at Olympics after sprinting home in Athens in the final few days of competition with an unexpected surge of gold

China rears sporting head


The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed a deal with pay-TV operator Sky Sports for all home Test matches, one-day internationals, Twenty20 and county action.

ENGLISH CRICKETS NEW TV DEAL


The Netherlands, Europe #39;s third-largest gas producer, agreed to pay 2.78 billion euros (\$3.55 billion) to buy the natural gas pipeline stakes of Royal/Dutch Shell Group and Exxon Mobil Corp.

Netherlands Buys Gas Pipes From Exxon, Shell Venture (Update1)


Maria Sharapova #39;s drive to win another Grand Slam title ended on Saturday when she lost to Mary Pierce 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the third round of the US Open.

Sharapova lost to Pierce


Sony is a step closer to acquiring famed Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a \$3 billion deal that would give it a considerable library of more than 4,100 titles.

Sony Close to Acquiring MGM


Harrah #39;s Entertainment (HET) and Caesars Entertainment (CZR) said Tuesday that they have begun negotiations to sell four casinos, in a move expected to reduce

Harrah #39;s, Caesars looking to sell four casinos


Ski buff Ashleigh Strobel envisioned an early winter wonderland for her wedding next month: royal-blue and white snow globes as centerpieces at each table, snowflake-shaped cookie cutters as favors and, glimmering over everything, eight crystal chandeliers lighting the reception hall behind the Walkersville Fire House.

Stores' Closure Jilts Brides


ATLANTA -- Alvin Pearman scored two touchdowns and Virginia came up with four key turnovers, leading the 18th-ranked Cavaliers to a 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech yesterday.

Tech turnovers fuel runaway for Cavaliers


Spammer Convicted to Nine Years in Prison\\Yesterday the first two spammers ever were convicted of a felony for sending fraudulent unsolicited commercial e-mail - spam. Jeremy Jaynes and Jessica DeGroot, a brother and sister team, were convicted in a Virginia court Wednesday of sending AOL users millions of unsolicited commercial ...


A whistleblower complained about leaks and shoddy construction in a Big Dig tunnel as far back as 2001, but his concerns were ignored by Massachusetts Turnpike Authority officials who downplayed

Blame game begins over Big Dig leaks


TREND-setter Martha Stewart yesterday began a five-month jail term, for lying about a stock sale, at a minimum-security prison known as  quot;Camp Cupcake quot;.

Martha #39;s new home is jail


A new version of an old computer worm has a nasty twist, anti-virus firm Sophos warned on Monday. The Rbot-GR worm can use webcams attached to infected computers to spy on users.

Webcam worm watches from afar


The NBA tips off its new season as the defending champions, the Detriot Pistons, overpowered the Houston Rockets 87-79. Rasheed Wallace led the offensive, scoring 24 points while

Pistons 87-79 over Rockets


FOXBORO, Mass. (Sports Network) - New England Patriots  running back Corey Dillon is still listed as questionable for  Sunday's game against Seattle with a foot injury.

Dillon Remains Questionable for Sunday


PENSACOLA, Fla. - As Hurricane Ivan's remnants soaked the South on Friday and left a trail of destruction from the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas, Floridians once again are coping, cleaning up and coming together after being pummeled by a third devastating storm in five weeks...

Ivan Rattles Gulf Coast, Leaves 35 Dead


HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM - The first US passenger jet to fly to Vietnam since the war ended almost 30 years ago landed in Ho Chi Minh City Friday.

First US commercial flight in 30 years lands in Vietnam


Even before Burt Rutans SpaceShipOne soared on her second flight in six days to win the Ansari X Prize, the flamboyant British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Atlantic Airline, decided that he had seen an opportunity to make even more

Space Travel for the Rich


ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Reuters) - British Prime Minister  Tony Blair is to say Thursday that the time for excuses on  Africa is over as he chairs a meeting in Ethiopia he hopes will  turn the continent's problems into a global priority.

Blair: Time for Excuses on Africa Is Over


Yahoo buys the online jukebox provider MusicMatch to tap into the appetite for song downloads.

Yahoo snaps up net music service


Charlie Weis will be named the next head football coach at Notre Dame tomorrow during a Monday morning press conference. The New England Patriots offensive coordinator is known as one of the rising stars in

The Best in The Business


SAN JOSE, Calif.Sun Microsystems Inc. officials disclosed Tuesday that the UltraSparc IV  quot;Panther quot; chip will offer twice the performance of the UltraSparc IV.

Sun  #39;Panther #39; Chip Doubles Clock Speed


AP - Doug Tewell shook off a bogey on the first hole and shot a 7-under 65 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Des Smyth after two rounds of the Kroger Classic.

Tewell Leads Smyth by 1 at Kroger Classic (AP)


THE fight against money laundering is costing banks and other financial institutions dear as they invest heavily in technology to combat crime, according to a survey by KPMG.

Banks pay price for money laundering


The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) expects to see a fall in global oil prices to as much as US\$30 per barrel, its president Purnomo Yusgiantoro said here on Thursday.

OPEC expects oil prices to fall to \$30 per barrel


French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy took over the ruling conservative party Sunday at a glitzy American-style congress that put him on course to launch a presidential bid and possibly challenge Jacques Chirac.

Chirac Rival Sarkozy Gets French Party Boost


ATHENS (Reuters) - Japan's own baseball

Japan Turns to 'Dream Team' to Restore Baseball Pride


A few days after the news of former President Clinton #39;s bypass surgery, I felt myself getting seriously short of breath and unable to walk more than a few steps without stopping.

Get heart smart


A security firm has warned of a vulnerability in Safari that allows hackers to hijack confidential data entered into Web sites. Secunia says the flaws affect Safari, Mozilla and Firefox, Opera

Tabbed windows make Safari vulnerable - Secunia


He believes Sundays 37-14 dismantling of the New York Giants and rookie quarterback Eli Manning, in particular, might come back to haunt the Baltimore Ravens.

Peyton might seek revenge


The college football world is starting to realize how many difference makers Michigan boasts in its offense because true freshman quarterback Chad Henne has figured out how to lock onto multiple targets.

Michigan #39;s freshman duo gains confidence


The European Central Bank keeps the cost of borrowing unchanged at 2 for the 18th straight month, despite the risk posed by the soaring euro.

Euro rates on hold for 18th month


RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Yaser Esam Hamdi, a Saudi-American citizen who was captured on the Afghanistan battlefield and held without charges for nearly three years, has been freed and returned Monday to Saudi Arabia.    Interior Ministry spokesman Brig...

Hamdi Returned to Saudi Arabia


US Treasury Secretary John Snow said he believes Michigan -hich has lost about 190,000 factory jobs during the past five years  -l continue to be a global manufacturing leader.

Treasury secretary expects Michigan to remain a manufacturing <b>...</b>


Shares of Elpida Memory Inc., Japan #39;s sole large-scale producer of memory chips, rose on their first day of trading in Tokyo on investors #39; expectations a focus on consumer electronics

Elpida Advances as Shares Start Trading in Tokyo (Update1)


Presidential candidate's position paper calls for expanding a federal program to help tech workers hurt by offshore outsourcing.

Kerry report: Economy 'threatened' by offshoring


BAGHDAD: Gunmen yesterday fired on a bus carrying workers to Baghdad airport, killing four people and wounding 11 in a brazen assault on Iraqis helping to revive a vital link in the country #39;s reconstruction.

Bus blitz targets rebuilding efforts


US blue chips edged down on Tuesday as oil jumped to another record and government data on the services sector showed that growth was slower than expected last month.

Blue Chips Slip on Oil Concerns


ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair  left Ethiopia for home late on Thursday, a day ahead of  schedule, airport sources in Addis Ababa said.

Blair Cuts Short Ethiopia Trip, Heads Home


ATLANTA - In what had to be a sobering reality check for Notre Dame fans everywhere, Utah #39;s Urban Meyer has turned down his self-professed  quot;dream job quot; and agreed to become the next football coach at the University of Florida.

Utah #39;s Meyer spurns Irish, picks Gators


Quarterback Quincy Carter signed with the New York Jets on Tuesday, three weeks after his surprising release by Dallas. Carter, who started every game for the Cowboys last season, was released Aug. 4, before the team #39;s first exhibition game.

Jets sign Quincy Carter


While Curt Schilling had a performance befitting a King on Friday night, Mark Buehrle and the White Sox were all shook up. The 38,720 fans who attended  quot;Elvis Night quot; at US Cellular Field

Red Sox 10, White Sox 1


World oil prices fell Monday on easing supply fears, as crude exports from Iraq #39;s southern pipelines resumed close to normal levels, analysts said.

Oil Prices Cool As Iraqi Crude Flows


Colin Montgomerie and three Ryder Cup teammates - David Howell, Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter - hope to shrug off fatigue when The Heritage opens Thursday.

Four Euro Ryder Cup players are back in action


South Africa #39;s largest domestic gold producer is poised to make a surprise takeover bid for Gold Fields. With the backing from Russian metals giant Norilsk Nickel, Harmony will

South Africa #39;s Harmony poised for surprise merger


AFP - The prosecutor in the trial of a group of suspected foreign mercenaries accused of plotting a putsch in Equatorial Guinea said he will call for the death penalty for the coup-plotters' alleged leader, South African Nick du Toit.

Equatorial Guinea prosecutor wants death for S. African 'mercenary' (AFP)


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called today for his followers across Iraq to end fighting against US and Iraqi forces, an al-Sadr aide said.

Iraq #39;s top Shiite cleric tells followers to end fighting


Reuters - India's dwindling aboriginal\population in the remote Andaman and Nicobar islands is safe as\most lived in jungles, far away from the coast hit by a\devastating tsunami, a coast guard official said on Thursday.

India's Tribal People Safe After Tsunami-Official (Reuters)


Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants are apparently talking contract. Apparently this new contract will guarantee Bonds status as the uber Giant and one of baseballs top wage earners through the 2006 season.

Many hurdles ahead for Bonds to pass Aaron


Walt Disney Co. chief executive Michael Eisner, who successfully fought off a shareholder attempt to oust him, unexpectedly offered his resignation from the entertainment company he #39;s led for two decades - but he will go in his own time.

Update 15: Embattled Disney CEO Will Leave in 2006


A 53-year old Palestinian, identified as Saeed Almadhoun, 53, of the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, was shot dead on Monday morning after being hit with a live bullet.

Three Palestinians shot dead in Gaza Strip


Former English Premier League rivals Steve Howey and Joe-Max Moore are expected to be available for the Revolution's regular-season stretch run.

Help is on the way


Shaquille O #39;Neal remains bothered by a strained left hamstring, yet the 11-time All-Star center hopes to play Wednesday when Miami opens its season at New Jersey.

Van Gundy concerned over injured O #39;Neal #39;s limited practice time


Fannie Mae has agreed to forfeit some \$7.5 million in an accord with the Justice Department, which had accused the mortgage giant of accepting money it knew had been lost by a federal agency in a fraud scheme.

Fannie Mae Agrees to forfeit \$7.5 Million to DOJ


An Islamic group has claimed that it hijacked two Russian planes that crashed earlier this week, killing at least 89 people. The statement was posted on a website which usually carries Islamic militant statements.

Islamic group claims Russian plane crashes


CINCINNATI - Aramis Ramirez homered three times for all of Chicago #39;s runs, and the Cubs kept pace in the playoff race by rallying to beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Thursday night.

Ramirez provides offense with 3 HRs


Procter  amp; Gamble Co. (PG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said quarterly profit rose 14 percent, boosted by demand for products like Head  amp; Shoulders shampoo and

P amp;G Posts Higher Profit, Affirms Outlook


BAGHDAD (Iraq): The top Fallujah negotiator in peace talks with the government dashed hopes of resuming talks soon despite his release Monday by US and Iraqi authorities, saying negotiations remain suspended.

Fourteen killed in Iraq blasts, gunfights


SiliconValley.com - Napster founder Shawn Fanning's little dorm-room project at Northeastern University in Boston is the stuff of technological legend.

Software speeds file-sharing service (SiliconValley.com)


Vitali Klitschko said he wants to join the political fight in his native Ukraine after an emphatic defense of his World Boxing Council heavyweight title against Danny Williams on Saturday.

Klitschko targets political fight next


Developing countries were last night celebrating victory over the world #39;s two largest economic blocs after the WTO ruled against the European Union #39;s sugar regime and the support given by the US to its cotton farmers.

WTO finds unfair practices in sugar, cotton industries


VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia -- In a terrifying videotape, 10-year-old Georgy Farniyev sat near a bomb, his hands behind his head and his face a mask of misery. He looked certain to die, but survived through luck, self-possession beyond his years, and enough grit to pull shrapnel out of his own arm.

Luck, pluck helped 10-year-old survive attack in Russian school


President Alejandro Toledo declared a state of emergency in a remote highland province late Saturday after gunmen demanding his resignation seized control of a police station there and took several officers hostage, authorities said.

Gunmen Demand Peru President's Resignation


Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman and chief software architect, and Steve Ballmer, the software maker's CEO, each received a base salary of \$591,667 and a \$310,000 bonus for the 12-month period that ended June 30.

Gates and Ballmer get pay raises


It was a perfect day all around for Boston College. No. 14 BC went 18 for 18 from the free throw line and beat West Virginia for the 14th time without a loss, rolling past the Mountaineers, 69-56, yesterday in Morgantown, W.Va.

Eagles get a line on West Virginia


Afghanistan #39;s election crisis seemed to be over yesterday when the main opposition challenger, Yunus Qanooni, withdrew his threat to boycott the result.

US exit poll gives Karzai victory


After losing two no-confidence motions, PM vows he will do everything in his power to expand Coalition and avoid elections, but stressed, If we are forced to declare elections, we shall.

Sharon says early elections are a political and economic danger <b>...</b>


Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Bryce Molder and Tim Wilkinson each fired rounds of seven-under-par 64 on Thursday to share the lead during the suspended first round of the Miccosukee Championship.

Molder and Wilkinson share lead Miami


IBM says that it has developed a technique of using  #39;strained germanium #39; which, it claims, will triple the performance of commercial chips.

IBM claims to treble chip speed with  #39;strained #39; breakthrough


Representatives from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom met with Iranian officials twice in October in an effort to head off a possible diplomatic showdown over its nuclear program.

Iran Considers EU Compromise Proposal


MOSCOW : Unseeded Czech Radek Stepanek produced a major upset when he dumped top seeded Russian Marat Safin out of the 2.3 million dollar Kremlin Cup tournament in the second round.

Tennis: Stepanek dumps top seed Safin out of Kremlin Cup


ROME - Another week, another European soccer coach gone. Roma #39;s Rudi Voeller became the latest coaching casualty, handing in his resignation after the club #39;s 1-3 away defeat by nine-man Bologna on Saturday.

Arrivederci Roma for Voeller after 26 days


THESTREET.COM, the financial news and commentary internet site, has emerged as a takeover target. TheStreet.coms shares, after enduring three tepid years on Americas tech-laden Nasdaq

Online firm in the frame for takeover


US Airways (UAIR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and its pilots union agreed to reopen concession talks late on Friday after leaders of the labor group declined to endorse a plan proposed by management for nearly \$300 million in

US Air, Pilots to Reopen Concession Talks


Iran #39;s answer on to a European Union (EU) demand that it freeze sensitive nuclear work such as uranium enrichment has been described as not too disappointing but not completely definitive by an EU diplomat familiar with the talks.

Iran #39;s nuclear deal  #39;not definitive #39;


AP - Southern California vs. Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl appears to be three victories away  #151; two by USC and one by the Sooners.

USC, Oklahoma in Control of BCS Spots (AP)


A Catholic priest accused of participating in Rwanda's genocide will go on trial at the UN war crimes court.

Rwanda 'genocide' priest on trial


If anything should be apparent by now its that George Bush has seriously failed us. We are enmeshed in war for oil in Iraq. As demand across the world increases in the face of shrinking supply, resource exporters

The Curse of Nigerian Oil


BARCELONA, Spain : Spain will play the United States in the Davis Cup final in Seville on December 3-5, Spanish tennis federation president Agusti Pujol said.

Tennis: Spain and the US will square up in Seville for Davis Cup <b>...</b>


Overview: This webinar will provide insight into the results of the first independent industry evaluation of Cisco #39;s 40-Gig core router, the Carrier Routing System (CRS-1).

SUPERWEBINAR: Cisco #39;s 40-Gig CRS-1- Light Reading Test Results


Milan, Italy (Sports Network) - Italy coach Marcello Lippi will field an altered team Wednesday in a friendly match against Finland.

Italy sports new-look squad


SUING MACHINE, the RIAA is on the legal defensive after a P2P software company has accused it of nicking its technology. Altnet is suing the RIAA and several of its partners of pirating its patent covering

P2P outfit sues RIAA for copyright theft


AP - Earthquake activity has increased at Mount St. Helens, but scientists said Saturday there was no reason to raise the volcano's alert level. Scientists said earthquake activity had been low until Friday, indicating molten rock was moving upward with little resistance. By Saturday, however, quakes of magnitude 2.4 were occurring every one to two minutes, they said.

Mount St. Helens Quake Activity Increases (AP)


More data now passes through the UK's key net hub in London than any other on the planet.

Britain becomes top data swapper


Charles River dishes out advice to clients. It looks like the company is also taking its own advice.

Charles River, the Outsourced Expert


Reuters - The world should hold Darfur rebels\accountable for breaking their promises to end violence in the\region of western Sudan, the U.N. envoy to Khartoum said on\Thursday.

World Should Hold Darfur Rebels Accountable -U.N. (Reuters)


The US leads other technologically advanced nations in the reported incidences of cyber bullying, the latest trend to threaten youngsters who use the Internet.

Latest Internet Peril: Cyber Bullies


AFP - US President George W. Bush spoke of

Bush speaks of 'Soviet dinar' in speech about Iraq (AFP)


Baghdad, Iraq -- Pro-government forces in Iraq are trying to retake control of insurgent-dominated regions ahead of January national elections.

US, Iraqi Forces Seal Off Insurgent Stronghold


AP - Devin Theriot-Orr, a member a feisty group of reporter-activists called Indymedia, was surprised when two FBI agents showed up at his Seattle law office, saying the visit was a

Web Server Takedown Called Speech Threat (AP)


Sports India, Cricket: Nagpur, Oct 24 : Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has said that he had prepared himself well for the Nagpur test by undergoing intense practice sessions over the last three-four days.

I #39;m fully prepared for the Nagpur test: Tendulkar:


washingtonpost.com - Cell phone shoppers looking for new deals and features didn't find them yesterday, a day after Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. announced a merger that the phone companies promised would shake up the wireless business.

After Merger, Gradual Changes (washingtonpost.com)


Japanese investment bank Nomura has been working on a financial package to block a takeover of Manchester United, it was reported today.

Bank Joins Team Fighting Man Utd Takeover


Sometimes you have to wonder what the geniuses at the major network sports divisions are imbibing or inhaling when they make critical decisions about what we watch.

Plenty of Blame to Go Around in Monday Night Meltdown


AP - The Tennessee Titans don't plan to worry about Hurricane Ivan right now. They're too busy preparing to play the Miami Dolphins in a season opener still scheduled for Sunday.

Titans Not Worried About Storm in Miami (AP)


Europe #39;s first mission to the Moon, the unmanned exploratory probe SMART-1, has been safely placed in lunar orbit after a voyage of more than 13 months, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced on Tuesday.

Europe Approaches Moon


MANCHESTER: The White House on Friday declined to say whether Israel should guarantee that ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat can return to the Palestinian territories after receiving medical treatment in Paris.

US mum on Arafats return


MOSCOW Houston-based ConocoPhillips is seen as the front-runner in an auction for a stake in the Russian oil company Lukoil. A seven-point-six percent stake in the world #39;s Number Two oil company by reserves

ConocoPhillips hands-down favorite in Lukoil auction


AP - Former NL Most Valuable Player Ken Caminiti admitted in court Tuesday that he violated his probation by testing positive for cocaine last month, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail.

Caminiti Gets Jail for Failed Drug Test (AP)


Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - A New Brunswick man who was allegedly planning a shooting spree before it was thwarted by a friendly dog was sent back to jail Friday after prosecutors refused to let him plead guilty to weapons charges.

Guilty plea from N.B. man who allegedly planned shooting spree rejected (Canadian Press)


AP - Lynne Cheney smiles, nods and applauds. Sitting on a stool beside her husband, she shows none of the fire that made her a leading conservative in her own right. She is the adoring wife, the woman who knew Vice President Dick Cheney when he was a teenager sweeping out the Ben Franklin store.

Lynne Cheney Helps Soften Husband's Image (AP)


Alpharma Inc. (ALO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday began selling a cheaper generic version of Pfizer Inc. #39;s (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) epilepsy drug Neurontin

Alpharma Sells Generic of Pfizer Drug


AP - Saudi security forces killed a suspected militant in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on Saturday and confiscated weapons in his possession, the Saudi Interior Ministry said.

Saudi Forces Kill Suspected Militant (AP)


What a mess. Weeks after Merck  amp; Co. (MRK ) yanked its blockbuster painkiller Vioxx off the market, the furor is still raging.

Lessons From The Vioxx Fiasco


Ezz Eddine al-Qassam groups, the military wing of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas claimed responsibility for the operation held today and resulted in killing one Israeli soldier and injuring other four to the east of al-Shuja #39;eya quarters in Gaza.

Four Palestinians, one Israeli soldier killed in Gaza


AP - French President Jacques Chirac said Tuesday his country is

Chirac Commits France to Iraq Conference (AP)


Saab AB on Friday reported a gain in its third-quarter profit as contracts for its military and aviation equipment remained steady during the quarter.

Saab Posts Gain in Profit, Sales


European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to offer Turkey a date of Oct. 3, 2005 to begin negotiations on its membership of the bloc, said Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

EU Agrees to Start Membership Talks With Turkey


Financial group ING (ING.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) has agreed to sell Baring Asset Management (BAM) to US groups MassMutual and Northern Trust (NTRS.

UPDATE 1-ING to sell Baring Asset Management


SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Sara Lee Corp. is testing radio frequency identification tags on some product cases and shipping pallets to meet a mandate that RFID technology be used on goods sent to

Sara Lee Wrestles With RFID, Looks for Benefits


Jeremy Mayfield won the pole in qualifying Friday at Dover International Speedway, putting behind him a wreck that seriously damaged his championship hopes in the Nextel Cup series.

Mayfield wins pole in Dover


AP - An anthrax outbreak has killed 194 hippos in western Uganda, wildlife officials said Tuesday, and scientists are struggling to develop a way to quickly diagnose and contain the disease.

Anthrax Kills Nearly 200 Hippos in Uganda (AP)


Scotland defender Steven Pressley is the latest player to drop out of a depleted squad for the World Cup qualifiers with Norway and Moldova.

Scotland defender Pressley ruled out of qualifiers


Many enterprise IT managers are delaying for months any rollout of Microsoft Corp. #39;s long-awaited and often-delayed Windows XP Service Pack 2, saying it is breaking too many of their applications.

Users Delay SP2 Rollouts