IAN POULTER won a play-off with Sergio Garcia to ensure a memorable year for the Englishman last night. Poulter, the colourful character who loves to wear bright trousers, was part of the triumphant European Ryder Cup team.

IT #39;S A BIG STRIDE FOR POULTER AS SERGIO IS PIPPED


PROKHLADNY, Russia (Reuters) - Chechens elect a new  president Sunday, but few expect peace to follow from a  Kremlin-sponsored contest overshadowed by fighting and twin  plane crashes some have linked to rebels in the region.

Chechens to Elect New Leader in Shadow of Violence


Apple thinks do-it-yourself PC repair is the wave of the future. But another PC maker has other ideas.

You broke it. Who fixes it?


About a third of all Americans live in counties that do not meet standards for particles of pollution that cause thousands of premature deaths a year, the E.P.A. said.

Many Counties Failing Fine-Particle Air Rules


During the early morning of January 25, 2003, the Sapphire/Slammer worm ripped through 75,000 computers in less than half an hour.

Taking the charge out of lightning-fast worms


Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy insists that he is happy to knuckle down and fight for his place after helping to fire his side closer to the UEFA Cup knock-out stages.

Bellamy: I #39;ll fight for my place


AP - The Anaheim Angels capped a stirring comeback with one final rally, and now they're champions of the AL West for the first time in 18 years.

Angels Top A's 5-4, Clinch AL West Title (AP)


Given the low expectations for success, the International Olympic Committee might well feel vindicated for returning the Olympic Games this year to their birth country.

Fall from Olympus: Athens to Beijing


Big Blue also introduces radio tag services for midsized suppliers working under mandates from retail giants such as Wal-Mart.

IBM targets manufacturers with RFID


After reportedly having dinner with right-hander Pedro Martinez last Thursday, Mets general manager Omar Minaya has made an offer that tops the one the Red Sox submitted, The New York Times reported.

Mets offer reportedly 3 years, \$38M


AFP - The US economy expanded at a slower-than-expected 3.7 percent annual pace in the third quarter of 2004, the government said in the last major economic report before the November 2 election.

US economy grows 3.7 percent in third quarter (AFP)


AP - Coach Inc. Tuesday said its net income leaped 60 percent in the latest quarter, as sales and operating margin both improved at the luxury handbag and accessories retailer.

Coach's Profit Jumps As Sales Increase (AP)


A car bomb has exploded near a US military patrol in the town of Baiji, north of Baghdad, killing four Iraqi civilians and wounding 19 people, including two US soldiers.

US troops targeted in Iraq attacks


Militants holding three foreign UN workers Sunday gave Afghan officials a list of 26 prisoners whom they want released, with Tuesday the new deadline.

Afghan militants demand 26 pisoners


COLUMBIA, Mo. -- When proud alumnus Ken Lay donated \$1.2 million in company stock to the University of Missouri five years ago, campus leaders hailed the donation from the then-chairman of Enron Corp.

University wrestles with controversial donation


FALLUJAH, Iraq -- A US air strike on the rebel-held city of Fallujah in western Iraq last night killed 11 people and wounded 17 at a wedding party, with women and children among the casualties, a hospital doctor said today.

US troops strike site in Fallujah; 11 said dead


Some changes will depend on whether key players in Bush's first-term team are replaced, but the direction would still be set by Bush and Vice President Cheney, a highly influential figure on foreign policy.

Bush Signals No Major Shift In Foreign Policy


Shipments of personal computers this year will be higher than previously anticipated, boosted by demand from businesses, research firm IDC said Monday.

IDC raises 2004 PC growth view, but trims 2005


AP - Ivo Karlovic pounded 11 aces Tuesday and knocked off second-seeded Dominik Hrbaty 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-4 in the first round of the St. Petersburg Open.

Hrbaty Suffers Upset at St. Petersburg (AP)


Allied Waste Industries Inc. cut its 2004 earnings forecast for the second time in three months Tuesday saying sales growth was coming from lower-margin businesses instead of the more profitable landfill operation.

Allied Waste cuts forecast, again


November 02, 2004 - Independent developer Climax announced today the development of Avalon, a multi-vehicle shooter designed for next-generation consoles.

Climax Peeks at Next-Gen Consoles


INTEL, the worlds largest company making computer microchips, said it expected a much better performance in the first half of next year.

Intel looks to log result boost in 2005


TUNIS : Tunisians head to the polls to cast their ballots in legislative and presidential elections in which the ruling party of long-time President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is widely tipped to come out victorious.

Tunisians head to polls in national elections


Britain hopes to use a summit in Ethiopia this week to force an international community obsessed with Iraq and terrorism to also focus on the  quot;scar quot; of Africa.

Blair Seeks to Prick World Conscience on Africa


Johnson  amp; Johnson (nyse: JNJ - news - people ) is said to be in advanced talks to buy medical device maker Guidant (nyse: GDT - news - people ) for more than \$24 billion.

Weldon: Reports Say JNJ, Guidant Merger Seen Within Week


NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Andre Agassi has withdrawn  from the TD Waterhouse Cup, starting on Monday on Long Island,  citing fatigue.

Exhausted Agassi Withdraws from Long Island Tournament


The Queen urged Germany and Britain to  quot;learn from history, not be obsessed by it quot; in a speech in Berlin yesterday stressing that both countries should  quot;look beyond simplistic stereotypes quot;.

Let history guide our future, Queen tells Germany


Description: Fannie Mae, the nation #39;s largest source of financing for home mortgages, faces accusations of pervasive accounting problems.

Regulators Question Fannie Mae Accounting


Martha Stewart, the lifestyle guru convicted of lying about the sale of shares she owned, wants to begin her five month jail sentence as soon as possible.

Stewart  wishes to serve term now


The Patriots worked out former Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson Monday, according to the NFL's daily personnel notice, but by last night the safety had agreed to terms with his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Holes yet to be covered


Mexico closes three rehab centres and deports nearly 600 US teenagers having treatment for being there illegally.

Mexico deports US teens in rehab


Chip maker SMIC experienced healthy growth  quot;primarily due to our increase in capacity and increased demands of our customers for wafers, quot; said company chairman Richard Chang.

Chip Maker SMIC Boosts Capacity and Profits


KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14 -- A Turkish engineer and two Afghans were apparently kidnapped Tuesday in an area of eastern Afghanistan where bandits and insurgents from the Taliban and other Islamic extremist groups operate, officials said.

Turkish Engineer, 2 Aides Missing in Afghanistan


The therapeutic power of flowers takes on new meaning with a Japanese gadget that turns plants into audio speakers.

A rose is a rose -- except when it's a stereo speaker


The PC maker is gearing up for the fall with new printers, TVs and a spiced-up desktop.

Dell unveils hat trick of products


quot;I just try to play as well as I can this year. If I do that, the results will come, quot; Hantuchova said.  quot;I appreciate being out there.

Healthy Hantuchova looks for another title


ROME, Oct. 5. - Italy has defended its new policy of airlifting illegal immigrants straight back to Libya the maoment they set foot on Italian soil as an emergency measure.

Rome Defends Sending Migrants Straight Back


Oil prices touched 2-month lows near \$45 a barrel on Monday before taking back most of their losses, but the downward trend knocked energy company stocks lower and US stock indexes ended little changed.

Oil Edges Down, Microsoft Boosts Techs


Shares in Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings (CME.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , parent of the largest US futures exchange, reached the latest in a string of record highs on Thursday as earnings estimates continue to rise.

CME shares at new peak as earnings estimates rise


Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has arrived in Cuba to resume his rehabilitation for cocaine addiction. Tuesday #39;s move follows a relapse that left him confined to a psychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires.

Football Legend Maradona Returns to Cuba for Drug Rehab


Lenny Harris has come up with clutch hits throughout his record-breaking career as a pinch hitter. His three-run double off Eric Gagne was a bit more special than most...

Harris' Double Leads Marlins Past Dodgers


The Mozilla Foundation, which develops both the Mozilla and Firefox browsers and their underlying Gecko browsing engine, has noted that downloads of the Firefox browser have doubled from 3 million for version 0.8 to 6 million for version 0.9.

MICROSOFT IE LOSING THE EDGE


WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A Waterford Township house fire claimed the lives of a veteran police officer and his family over the weekend.

Waterford House Fire Kills Officer, Family


A VIBRATING sex toy was mistaken for a bomb, causing the emergency evacuation of a crowded Mackay Airport yesterday morning. The drama left the toy #39;s owner, a 26-year-old NSW man, acutely embarrassed.

Buzzing bin empties airport


The US Department of Homeland Security unveiled new computer workstations Thursday that allow Border Patrol agents on the Canadian and Mexican borders to tap into the FBI #39;s fingerprint database, overcoming a technological hurdle that

US border crossings now linked to FBI database


BRITAINS leading academic institution is backing an international campaign to stop the United States securing an international ban on all forms of human cloning.

Royal Society fights all-out cloning ban


Halo 2 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, two hit video game sequels, have had tremendous advance sales. What's all the fuss about?

Pick a Number, It's Sequel Season


Ask Jeeves has launched a beta desktop search application, capping off a very busy year in the desktop search space.

Ask Jeeves Launches Desktop Search


Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis did not appear at his arraignment Friday, but his lawyers entered a not guilty plea on charges in an expanded drug conspiracy indictment.

Lewis a no-show, but enters not guilty plea


Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW.O: Quote, Profile, Research) is staging its first press and customer event in New York on Tuesday in three years to roll out new products

Sun Micro Aims to Woo Banking Customers


Crude oil prices neared US\$49 per barrel Friday as Gulf of Mexico crude production rebounded at a slower pace than analysts had expected.

Crude oil prices near US\$49 per barrel in New York


AUSTRALIAN mining engineer Phil Turner will remain in prison, despite an Indonesian government report indicating the evidence against him is flawed.

Village mine poison case flaw


The company will unveil a range of products today including its version of the iPod digital music player that raises the stakes in a war between PC and electronics makers.

Hewlett-Packard to Launch Latest Push Into Consumer Markets


CALCUTTA: The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced it would go ahead with live telecasts of the upcoming home Test series against Australia and South Africa despite a raging court battle.

BCCI vows to produce live telecast of Australia series


US jobless claims unexpectedly rose again last week in more worrying news for the labor market, government data showed on Thursday, while other data offered more positive signals for America #39;s economy.

Jobless Claims Up, Import Prices Gain


KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Ichiro Suzuki and the Seattle Mariners made their first appearance at Kauffman Stadium this season, much to the dismay of the Kansas City Royals .

SI.com


Tropical honeybees survived the devastating nuclear winter thought to have helped kill off the dinosaurs.

Bees survived dino extinction


SPACE.com - A report from National Academy of \Sciences released today recommends that NASA scrap plans to service the Hubble \Space Telescope (HST) robotically and instead use a space shuttle to get the job \done as originally planned.

Report: NASA Should Use Space Shuttle to Service Hubble (SPACE.com)


TEHRAN, Iran - Iran on Sunday denounced as

Iran Denounces Nuclear Demands As Illegal


(Lausanne, Switzerland-AP) Oct. 21, 2004 - The Court of Arbitration for Sport says you can #39;t change the result of a gymnastics sports competition based on hindsight.

Paul Hamm keeps Olympic gold


With management responsibilities of the .net domain soon to be up for grabs, several groups are positioning themselves to snatch the domain from its current steward, VeriSign Inc.

Internet #39;s .Net Goes Out For Bid


PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Houston starting pitcher  Roger Clemens left Wednesday's 9-8 win over Philadelphia with a  strained right calf.

Astros' Clemens Strains Calf, Leaves Game Against Phillies


Palo Alto-based CNF Inc. says it #39;s selling its Menlo Worldwide Forwarding business to United Parcel Service, Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.

UPS to acquire Menlo Worldwide Forwarding


RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian officials on  Saturday began registering candidates for an election to  replace Yasser Arafat as officials warned the vote may be  delayed unless Israel halted military activities.

Palestinians Choose Presidential Candidates


KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban threatened Monday to launch  attacks during the swearing in of Afghan President Hamid Karzai  while the U.S. military said every precaution was being taken  to protect a ceremony to be attended by top U.S. officials.

Taliban Threaten to Attack Karzai Inauguration


DAVID Radler, former chief operating officer of Hollinger International and right-hand man to Lord Black, has savaged the special report that claimed they had  #39;looted #39; the publishing company of more than \$400m (223m.

Black aide attacks Hollinger report


Henrik Stenson, a largely forgotten Swede who last won in 2001, was, in a contrary kind of way, a fitting winner of The Heritage event over the Duke #39;s course yesterday.

Fitting return for Stenson the forgotten


Cromwell, CT (Sports Network) - Corey Pavin holed out for an eagle on the second hole, then chipped in for birdie at 18 en route to an eight-under-par 62 on Thursday and the first-round lead at the Buick Championship.

Pavin eagles his way into Buick lead


Reuters - Merck   Co.  on Friday said\U.S. regulators have decided not to approve the company's\experimental arthritis drug, the successor to its recalled\Vioxx pill, until more safety and effectiveness data are\obtained.

FDA Holds Off Approval of New Merck Drug (Reuters)


Foes of the death penalty say fewer Africans than ever before are being hanged, beaten, shot, shocked, stoned or poisoned by their governments.

Foes of Death Penalty Making Gradual Gains in Africa


Was it the technology? Or her spaced-out band? If you haven't already seen the video clip of Ashlee Simpson's lip-syncing flub on Saturday Night Live, get thee to eBaum's World.

Missing Link: Simpson has Milli Vanilli moment


AN EQUALISER in injury time by Portsmouth #39;s Lomana LuaLua against Liverpool at Anfield yesterday will hamper the home side #39;s attempts to make ground on the leading English Premier League soccer rivals during the Christmas program.

Late strike spoils Christmas party for Liverpool


A slowdown in demand for semiconductors that began earlier this year was caused in part by Chinese cellular handset makers' inexperience with managing their supply chains and forecasting end-user demand, according to the top executive at semiconductor distributor Avnet Inc.

Chinese handset makers led chip slowdown


HELSINKI (AFX) - Nokia Corp said it and Motorola Corp, NEC Corp, Siemens AG, and Sony Ericsson have started an Open Mobile Alliance to enable broadcast services to mobile devices.

Nokia, Motorola, NEC, Siemens, Sony Ericsson work on mobile <b>...</b>


Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal, who is serving a 21-day jail sentence for being arrested while on probation, pleaded guilty Thursday to his second drunk driving charge.

Furcal gets concurrent sentence on second impaired driving charge


FOXBORO, Mass., (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals  quarterback Carson Palmer left Sunday's 35-28 loss against New  England in the third quarter due to a left knee sprain.

Bengals' Palmer Hurt in Loss to New England


Microsoft will accelerate the rollout of Windows XP Service Pack 2 over the next month and has released the first official update for SP2 to fix a problem some users had with virtual private networks.

Microsoft Speeds Up SP2


An Israeli aircraft fires a missile at a vehicle in the Gaza Strip, killing two people, Palestinian officials say.

'Israeli raid kills two in Gaza'


SAN JOSE, Calif. - Symantec Corp. #39;s reported interest in acquiring Veritas Software Corp. for more than \$13 billion would represent the computer security giant #39;s biggest step yet beyond its core businesses

Report: Symantec in Talks With Veritas


Moscow, Nov 15 (UNI) Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold summit level talks with his US counterpart George W Bush, on the sidelines of the summit of the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, in Santiago, Chile, from

Putin to hold summit with Bush at APEC forum


On Tuesday, millions of Americans will decide whether George W. Bush or John F. Kerry will be president of the United States for the next four years.

Sports and Politics


Disappointment for the Dodgers again. Los Angeles made major strides this season by winning the National League West to end a long playoff drought, then earning the club's first postseason victory in 16 years.

Dodgers blue after disappointing series


And the nation will be watching Sunday night as Peyton Manning tries to shatter a 20-year-old record for the most touchdowns tossed in a single season.

Manning #39;s pursuit of record draws media blitz


Reuters - Oracle Corp. on Monday again\asked PeopleSoft Inc.'s board of directors to rescind an\anti-takeover provision, as the two business software makers\prepared to return to court this week to address one of the\final barriers to the  #36;9.2-billion takeover bid.

Oracle to PeopleSoft: Drop Poison Pill (Reuters)


Shares in Africa's biggest steel producer surge to a record high on the back of strong interim profits

Steel boom boosts Iscor's profits


Kim Clijsters returns from injury in front of her home fans this week at the Gaz de France Stars event in Belgium. The former world number one has been out of action for five months with a wrist injury.

Clijsters set to return


McAfee is offering subscribers of Japan #39;s mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo a mobile content scanning technology designed to provide protection against future mobile threats.

McAfee Provides Industry-First Mobile Virus Protection For NTT <b>...</b>


Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulls away from Jeff Gordon Sunday in a pair of overtime laps to win the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Earnhardt Gets Win


Al-Manar TV reported that a Kurdish police commander, Taha Ahmed Omar, was assassinated in Arbil on Saturday. A number of Iraqi national guards accompanying British troops were injured when Iraqi guerrillas attacked them.

Al-Manar TV, Abu Dhabi TV, Reuters,


This article will highlight the security issues involved with providing Outlook Web Access or full Outlook client connections over the Internet, and then discuss how Microsoft's new ISA Server 2004 can be configured to mitigate these threats.

Infocus: Securing Exchange With ISA Server 2004


Your support enables us to bring you insightful, global news coverage. Please donate today to support independent journalism.

Help the Monitor


He is finding solace in the sunshine, the temperature in southern California this weekend climbing to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and making a glorious summer of what had been an autumn of discontent.

Monty on Target to getting out of the Woods in singular style


WASHINGTON -- Oil prices inched closer to \$50 a barrel yesterday even as the Bush administration offered to tap the nation's emergency stockpile of crude on behalf of refiners whose supply was disrupted by Hurricane Ivan.

Bush says US will tap emergency oil supplies


Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd. plans to sell 69.3 million American Depositary Shares at \$12.67 to \$14.67 apiece in its initial public offering, the company said Monday in an amended regulatory filing.

Hutchison Telecom Sets IPO Terms


LOS ANGELES - Steve Finley's grand slam capped a seven-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West, beating the San Francisco Giants 7-3 Saturday.    The Dodgers reached the postseason for the first time since making it as wild card in 1996...

Dodgers Beat Giants 7-3, Win NL West


Final plans for the five bidding cites for the 2012 Olympics have been handed in to the International Olympic Committee #39;s headquarters in Lausanne in Switzerland.

2012 Olympic plans submitted


Teenager Rafael Nadal led Spain into the Davis Cup final on Sunday, but then admitted he may face a bit-part role in December #39;s title clash with the United States.

Spain through to Davis Cup final


Paul Konerko singled, doubled, scored twice and drove in three runs -- all during an eight-run second inning -- and the Chicago White Sox went on to a 13-6 victory over the Anaheim Angels on Saturday night.

White Sox 13, Angels 6


Subaru driver Petter Solberg revealed he was already looking ahead to next seasons championship during the Rally Australia. The 2003 world champion retired on day one of the

Solberg Set Sights on Next Season


MIAMI - America Online Inc. has launched an online shopping service called inStore that lets users search for products, compare prices and features and set up price-drop alerts.

AOL launches shopping service


Back in the fall of 1994, National Hockey League training camps opened on time, only to close down when the owners and the Players Association failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement. Ultimately, the season was shortened to 48 games. Back then, there was a different kind of unease, as well as a lack of experience with -- and preparedness ...

Galley doesn't expect a sympathetic reaction


AP - Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony sprained his right ankle after a hard fall in the third quarter Saturday night against the Houston Rockets.

Nuggets' Anthony Sprains Right Ankle (AP)


The Chicago Bulls are committed to trading Eddy Curry and Isiah Thomas believes he can find a place on his roster for the 21-year-old center.

Isiah seeks to cook up Curry deal


Team records for futility fall as Utah allows only 20 field goals. Bryant scores 38, but only Odom joins him in double figures. By Doug Alden.

Lakers #39; offense offensive


With the weight of a nation on his shoulders, Canadian lefty finds water on third playoff hole while No. 1 Vijay Singh keeps his cool.

Weir sinks in playoff


Penn State #39;s fourth losing season in five years has fueled much speculation about Joe Paterno #39;s future - specifically, how much longer he will remain as the team #39;s head coach.

Paterno rumors dispelled by coach


Itagaki shares his thoughts on DOA Ultimate and reveals new info on Dead or Alive 4. December 01, 2004 - Dead or Alive Ultimate shipped in late October, proving itself to truly be among the ultimate fighting games on Xbox.

The Future of Team Ninja


The new boss of scandal-hit US insurance broker Marsh   McLennan says he expects to settle charges brought by New York's attorney-general.

Marsh CEO sees Spitzer settlement


Hackers could exploit the vulnerabilities to launch DOS attacks and bypass user authentication on the servers.

Cisco reports access control server flaws


NEW YORK: PeopleSoft yesterday sacked Chief Executive and president Craig Conway, citing a loss of confidence, and the software company #39;s shares jumped on expectations that the move could pave the way for a deal with hostile bidder Oracle.

PeopleSoft boss fired


Shares in Nintendo rose on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at the start of this week, as continued uncertainty about certain key aspects of Sony #39;s PSP plans tipped analysts in favour of the forthcoming DS handheld.

Nintendo share price rises as DS impresses markets


Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - Justin Trudeau, formerly a very eligible bachelor, says he's still working on his wedding plans but won't be married before next spring.

Justin Trudeau says his wedding will be in Montreal this spring or summer (Canadian Press)


Forbes.com - Over the past three decades the Federal Government has poured three-quarters of a trillion dollars into financial aid for college students. Back in 1971, the annual total for grants, loans, tax breaks and other aid was the equivalent, in today's dollars, of  #36;18 billion. It's now running at a  #36;65-billion-a-year clip.

Back to School (Forbes.com)


LONDON (Reuters) - The euro surged to a near 8-month high  against the dollar on growth worries on Wednesday while stock  markets sank as investors dumped metal, technology and  insurance stocks.

Global Markets: Euro Surges vs the Dollar


TORONTO (CP) - CanWest Global Communications is acquiring half of the Jerusalem Post, another jewel in Conrad Black #39;s diminished media empire, as part of plans to expand the reach of CanWest #39;s newspaper and Internet business.

CanWest buys half of Jerusalem Post to expand its North American <b>...</b>


ANAHEIM, Calif. (Ticker) -- The Seattle Mariners, desperate to add pop to their anemic lineup, reportedly have come to terms on a four-year contract with slugger Richie Sexson.

Report: Sexson, M #39;s agree on four-year deal


Luxury carmaker Jaguar said Friday it was stopping production at a factory in central England, resulting in a loss of 1,100 jobs, following poor sales in the key US market.

Jaguar to cut 1,100 jobs at plant in central England


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Blu-ray on Wednesday said Microsoft  Corp. <A HREF=

Microsoft Wins a High-Definition DVD Battle


LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Wilson Alvarez continues to pitch his best when the Los Angeles Dodgers need it most.

SI.com


BOGOTA -- Queen Noor of Jordan is urging Muslim moderates to speak out against the ''ranting quot; of extremists who use Islam to justify beheadings and suicide bombings against the United States and Westerners.

Noor denounces actions of Islamic extremists


LONDON (Reuters) - European shares opened modestly firmer  on Tuesday, helped by a reprieve for the battered dollar but  mixed company updates kept a lid on gains.

European Shares Open Modestly Firmer


Reuters - Smashing stereotypes forged over\centuries and bearing the burden of being an inspiration to a\billion compatriots is a mighty tall order.

Yao Measures Up in U.S. and China (Reuters)


Israel reviews its claim that Palestinian militants used a UN ambulance to carry rockets in Gaza.

Israel softens UN ambulance claim


Soldiers who staged a mutiny last week in Guinea-Bissau have agreed to return to their barracks after striking a deal with the government to end a five-day standoff in the West African country.

Guinea-Bissau standoff ends as soldiers sign deal


After the runaway success of Nokia in the late 1990's, Finland seems to be pondering whether it has lost its competitive inventive edge.

Nokia Falters, and the Finns Take Stock


The effectiveness of soy in relieving the symptoms of menopause, or in improving health in any way, is unproven.

As a Hormone Substitute, Soy Is Ever More Popular, but Is It Safe?


Georgetown led for most of the first half Thursday night, before succumbing to top-ranked Illinois, 74-59, at MCI Center.

Hoyas Sparkle, Fade


Freddie Mac will shut down the market-making operations of its securities sales and trading unit as it restructures some mortgage-securities operations, the government-sponsored home-mortgage company said Monday.

Freddie Mac Restructuring Mortgage-Securities Operations


Cell phone giant Vodafone Group PLC, which has spent years struggling to recoup billions spent on 3G licences, finally launched the cutting-edge service Wednesday in much of Europe and introduced or beefed up its operation in a dozen other countries.

Vodafone Launches 3G Services in Europe


PC World - New music sharing network allows users to amass points by referring buyers.

Pass Along Your Digital Music (PC World)


On one end of the phone line is Jason Campbell. Hes getting ready to play in one of the biggest Auburn games ever against Georgia.

Telephone ties bond Tigers


For some people, it #39;s going to the dentist or even the doctor. For others, it #39;s a bumpy plane ride or even something more down to earth, like that household chore which comes around a little too often.

Patriots loss is Notre Dame #39;s gain


Europe and the US have agreed to moves to curb Iran #39;s nuclear ambitions, but divisions emerged with so-called non-aligned nations objecting to parts of the text.

Europe and US to curb Iran


Job advertising in Australia #39;s major newspapers has recorded a significant jump, pointing to a rebound in employment growth in the lead-up to Christmas.

Job ads on the rise


A Russian member of well-known 29A virus writers group has been fined 3,000 roubles (approximately 57) after he admitted writing malicious code.

News: Russian fined for virus-writing exploits


Digital technology is radically changing the 165-year-old photography industry, creating turmoil and excitement as people buy digital cameras at rates far exceeding industry projections. <FONT face=

Digitized And Brought To Life


AP - It should have been an occasion for the Tampa Bay Lightning to bask one more time in the glow of winning the Stanley Cup.

Lightning Get Rings in Private Ceremony (AP)


The panel that made the recommendation that the greater sage grouse was in no immediate danger of extinction was provided with two competing reviews of the available science.

Opposing Views of Sage Grouse Danger


LONDON (Reuters) - Consumer electronics giant Sony Corp.  said on Thursday it is mulling a major strategic shift to make  digital music devices that play MP3 song files.

Sony Considers MP3 Support to Silence iPod Fans


The St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins, who celebrated clinching the NL and AL Central Division titles on Monday, have the same agenda the last two weeks of the season

Champ Twins, Cards chase one more goal: the home-field edge


China #39;s consumer electronics market will grow by almost 90 percent to \$94 billion by 2007 as manufacturers shift to high-end digital products and away from more basic items like toys and watches, an industry publication forecasts.

China #39;s Consumer Electronics Market Grows


SAN FRANCISCO - Though a Friday patent lawsuit verdict against Sun Microsystems Inc. could potentially have a wide-ranging impact on the computer industry, the ruling appears unlikely to affect three of the world's largest IT companies, who have licensed the technology in question. Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp. and Microsoft Corp. are licensees of the software patents in question, the patents' owner, Eastman Kodak Co., confirmed Monday.

Microsoft, HP, IBM safe from Kodak software patent


The body count is high in two new video games,  quot;Halo 2 quot; and  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. quot;. Those two hit games also are making casualties of their competition on the sales racks.

Grand Theft Auto will outperform the rest of the industry


Australian leader John Howard calls a general election for 9 October, seeking a fourth term.

Australians to vote on 9 October


MacCentral - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday issued a recall for PowerBook batteries sold from January 2004 through August 2004 for use with 15-inch PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) notebook computers. The batteries, made by LG Chem, Ltd. of South Korea, could overheat, posing a fire hazard -- Apple said they have received four such reports, although no injuries have been reported.

Apple recalls PowerBook batteries (MacCentral)


AMERICAN Maurice Greene was the sentimental favourite, his chance to repeat his Sydney 2000 feat and grab the gold in the 100m sprint.

Tightest finish in Olympic history


AP - It can be considered undiplomatic, and none of them actually gets to vote. But some foreign leaders and political figures haven't been able to resist the question: Bush or Kerry for U.S. president?

U.S. Elections Has Seized Global Attention (AP)


Direct dial telephone calls from Ireland to 13 other countries are to be blocked because of an internet fraud.

Modem fraud forces Irish call ban


DENVER -- Kobe Bryant #39;s defense team spent months trying to keep his comments to investigators sealed. Now that the details are out -- admitted adultery, graphic sexual details and Bryant #39;s hope of paying

Opinion: Transcript not incriminating


US stocks opened little changed on Tuesday as concerns over higher oil prices damaging corporate profits weighed on investor sentiment, while a dip in retail sales also dampened the mood.

Stocks Flat as Oil, Retail Sales Weigh


HOUSTON -- Craig Biggio doffed his cap and waved to the crowd from first base. He was nearly in tears, realizing the standing ovation may have been one of his last as an Astro.

Biggio may be thrown out at home


Security officials have identified six of the militants who seized a school in southern Russia as being from Chechnya, drawing a strong connection to the Chechen insurgents who have been fighting Russian forces for years.

School raiders #39; nationality identified


A partially covered van, in which seven young men and women were found dead, is seen at a police station in Chichibu, north of Tokyo, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004.

9 Bodies Found in Group Suicides in Japan


National Foods Ltd., Australia #39;s biggest fresh milk producer, said its shares are worth as much as 22 percent more than Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd.

National Foods Says Shares Worth as Much as A\$6.65 (Update2)


The European Commission proposes a partial relaxation of the eurozone's strict public spending rules.

Move to relax euro budget rules


The key security update for Windows XP looks set to cause trouble for thousands of firms reveals a survey.

Windows update prompts problems


(CBS 5 NEWS) - The controversy surrounding steroid use in Major League Baseball could heat up today as the Players Union begins a week long meeting here in the valley.

Baseball Players Union Meets in Valley


PORT Adelaide claimed its first AFL flag and stopped the Brisbane premiership juggernaut with a stunning upset Grand Final win at the MCG yesterday.

Port storm home for first flag


Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire launched a voluntary safety campaign Thursday to replace 27,000 tires, the same model as those involved in accidents that injured more than a dozen people and killed one.

Industry report


The US Olympic Committee said it may support a duplicate gold medal in the men #39;s all-around gymnastics event, as South Korea said it would seek to overturn the scores that gave the title to American Paul Hamm.

US May Support Duplicate Gold for Korea in Olympic Gymnastics


AP - White House and congressional bargainers sorted through a final pile of disputes Friday on an overdue  #36;388 billion spending bill that would slice President Bush's priorities and curb a wide swath of programs.

Congress Finishing Up  #36;338B Spending Bill (AP)


How Web Design Can Affect Search Engine Rankings\\Uniquely built web sites can create unique issues when being promoted on the search engines. From a basic 3 page brochure site to a corporate site with hundreds of dynamically generated pages, every web site needs to have certain design aspects in order ...


GEORGETOWN, Delaware It was at his mother #39;s funeral in the summer of 1996 that Michael Eisner, the chief executive of Walt Disney, knew he had to dismiss the president he had hired just 10 months earlier.

Eisner, on Ovitz, describes a culture clash at Disney


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Sports Network) -- The ADT Championship, which tees off Thursday, is the grand finale to the 2004 LPGA season.

LPGA Tour set for season-ending ADT Championship at Trump <b>...</b>


Mathematicians could be on the verge of solving two separate million dollar problems. If they are right - still a big if - and somebody really has cracked the so-called Riemann hypothesis, financial disaster might follow.

Maths holy grail could bring disaster for internet


Reuters - Online retailer Wine.com has\secured another  #36;20 million in venture capital funding and\could go public as soon as next year, Chief Executive Officer\George Garrick said on Friday.

Wine.com Raises Another  #36;20 Million in Funding (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dow Chemical Co.'s <A HREF=

Dow Chemical Third-Quarter Profit Surges


AP - For more than 100 years, French families have made their homes in this tropical country, rich in coffee and cocoa. Its main city, with its towering skyscrapers, crisp croissants and fine wines, became known as the Paris of West Africa.

French Relations in Africa Faces Threat (AP)


CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- After his team's dramatic victory over No. 7 Connecticut last week, Minuteman Anthony Anderson said,  quot;We've been saying this is our year. quot;

Hurricanes blow by UMass


Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, on a surprise visit to Iraq, says violence must not upset plans to hold nationwide elections.  quot;I believe they can and should take place by

Straw meets Kurdish leaders in Iraq


Adrian Gonzalez drove in three runs with a pair of hits as the Texas Rangers beat Anaheim 6-3 in Arlington on Thursday, dropping the Angels into a first place tie with Oakland in the AL West.

AL Wrap: Rangers Overcome Angels, A #39;s Draw Level


Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says his nation is working toward a  quot;mutually acceptable solution quot; to all outstanding issues with Pakistan, including disputed Kashmir.

Indian PM Singh: Peace Talks With Pakistan Making Progress


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Tuesday it was now able to  manufacture large quantities of its medium-range Shahab-3  ballistic missile, which defense experts say is capable of  hitting Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf.

Iran Says Can Mass Produce Medium-Range Missiles


Under the \$1.35 billion deal, CSC will provide help-desk, network, security, and telecommunications services at more than 80 Ascension facilities across the country.

Ascension Health Awards Computer Sciences 10-Year IT Support <b>...</b>


AP - For the first time since the Madrid train bombings, blurred images taken by closed-circuit television were published Tuesday, showing three explosions and people fleeing in panic during the first seconds of the deadly March 11 attack.

Blurred Images Show Spain Explosion (AP)


England captain David Beckham hopes to reach 100 caps for his country and play on beyond the World Cup in Germany in 2006. The Real Madrid star was reported to be considering retirement after that tournament

Beckham not retiring after all


AP - Four suspended Oregon State players won't be reinstated to play in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 28 against Notre Dame.

Four Oregon State Players to Miss Bowl (AP)


Recipients of this year's Ig Nobel Prizes, which honor the best in oddball research, run the gamut from a nudist library to a psychology experiment featuring a man in a gorilla suit to a recent finding that herrings communicate by farting. By Mark Baard.

Honors for Nude Lit, Fish Farts


Oil prices today hit a new high amid fears over low fuel stocks as winter approaches and renewed concern about the security of supplies.

Oil prices jump to record high


Whenever I organize my e-mails for an occasional column on reader feedback, I am amazed at the deluge on any subject involving customer service.

Shoppers Raise Their Red Flags


Fascination with the Holy Grail has lasted for centuries, and now the Bletchley Park code-breakers have joined the hunt. But what is it that #39;s made the grail the definition of something

The never-ending search


Eleven people from across the US were indicted on Wednesday over alleged software piracy offences following the largest seizure of counterfeit Microsoft software to date.

11 charged over  #39;biggest-ever #39; MS piracy bust


With broadband access an increasingly critical requirement in running a business, BT said as many as 78,000 more West Midland homes and businesses will be brought within reach of its broadband service next month.

Broadband increases its reach, says BT


The Red Sox never said their first offer to Pedro Martinez was their last. And while one prominent member of the Yankees after another wooed the three-time Cy Young Award winner in recent days, the Sox sweetened their offer to Martinez, though not enough to reach an agreement with the prized free agent.

Sox adjust their offer to Martinez


PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech winger Jaromir Jagr has signed a  contract with Russian ice hockey champions Avangard Omsk,  leaving the Czech league where he has been playing during a  labor dispute that has shut down North America's National  Hockey League (NHL).

NHL's Jagr Signs for Russian Champions Omsk


com Staff. Following Friday #39;s trade involving the MetroStars and San Jose Earthquakes for defender Jeff Agoos, Metros general maanger Nick Sakiewicz took time to answer questions regarding his newest acquisition.

Q amp;A with Metros GM Nick Sakiewicz


AP - One of Africa's most famous writers has rejected a Nigerian national honors award, protesting conditions in the West African nation and saying renegades were trying to turn his home state into

Nigerian Novelist Waives Award in Protest (AP)


AP - Miami Dolphins receiver David Boston, who has missed the entire season with a knee injury, is appealing a four-game suspension after testing positive for steroids, Fox Sports reported Sunday.

Report: Dolphins' Boston Faces Suspension (AP)


AP - Larry Walker and the St. Louis Cardinals turned Game 1 into a slugfest, and that was big trouble for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Walker homered twice and the Cardinals tied a postseason record by hitting five home runs, overwhelming Odalis Perez and the Dodgers in an 8-3 blowout Tuesday in the opener of their NL playoff series.

Cardinals Drum Dodgers in Playoff Opener (AP)


IBM has added biometric security to its ThinkPad notebook line, claiming the technology is now ready for prime time. IBM has added a fingerprint scanner to its T42 ThinkPad

IBM adds fingerprint sensor to ThinkPads


Intel has dropped plans for 4GHz version of its flagship Pentium 4 chip, making a shift in approach.

Intel shift over need for speed


NORTON -- Most people will look back on the final round of the 2004 Deutsche Bank Championship and think,  quot;wasnt that poetic quot; -- Vijay Singh overtakes Tiger Woods in the world rankings by beating him head-to-head on the golf course.

Vijay takes win in stride


Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Calgary Stampeders running back Joffrey Reynolds and defensive back Joey Boese were among the CFL Players of the Week announced Tuesday.

Calgary teammates among CFL Players of the Week


AP - A month after a hotel worker accused NBA star Kobe Bryant of rape, she allegedly told a friend that she was considering suing him in civil court and planned to use any money she won for breast implants, a koala bear and opening a recording studio.

Documents: Bryant Accuser Wanted to Sue (AP)


LONDON : Marks and Spencer, the struggling British retailer, began buying back more than one quarter of its shares in the biggest tender offer ever seen in Britain.

Marks and Spencer begins mammoth share buy-back


Monday #39;s triumphant second flight of SpaceShipOne is a perfect example of private business taking up where government left off and improving an idea.

SpaceShipOne propels space travel future


Allen Iverson scores a season-high 40 points and Marc Jackson chips in with 28 to lead the Sixers past the Bucks, 107-101, on Sunday.

Iverson Carries Sixers


By DAVID B. CARUSO    PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- For about \$10 million, city officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world's largest wireless Internet hot spot...

Philadelphia Considers Wireless Internet for All


Technology companies in Silicon Valley have beaten back what they saw as an overreaching attempt in the California legislature to control computer spyware and hope that a new more palatable

Valley wins point on spyware


The leader of a militia group from the southern oil-rich region of Nigeria says talks between government officials and rebels continued in Abuja late into the evening on Thursday.

Rebel Leader Meets with Nigerian Government to Stop Violence in <b>...</b>


MarketWatch Inc., one of San Francisco #39;s surviving Internet companies, hit a notable online payday Monday, as venerable Dow Jones  amp; Co.

Big payday for MarketWatch Dow Jones agrees to buy SF financial <b>...</b>


Reuters - Barry Bonds went 3-for-3 with a walk\but failed to hit his 700th career home run Thursday as the San\Francisco Giants beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 in National\League play at Miller Park.

Bonds 3-For-3 But No Homer, Remains at 699 (Reuters)


VIENNA : OPEC ministers gathered in Vienna to talk business, with powerbroker Saudi Arabia saying the 11-member cartel was against a 40-dollar price tag on oil, while admitting it is difficult to reduce.

Oil ministers gather in Vienna, oppose high price of oil


MAKUHARI, Japan (Reuters) - Japan's Sharp Corp. said on  Tuesday it had developed a 65-inch liquid crystal display (LCD)  television, the world's biggest, in a bid to break into the  large flat-panel TV market dominated by plasma display (PDP)  makers.

Sharp Takes Aim at PDP Market with Biggest LCD TV


AP - Michael Boley was supposed to blitz, but pulled up in a timely moment of recognition, poised to jump for the screen pass he suspected was coming his way.

S. Mississippi Tops North Texas 31-10 (AP)


Four days after Novell Inc. of Waltham received half a billion dollars from Microsoft Corp. to settle an antitrust complaint, Novell has filed another antitrust suit against its giant rival.

It #39;s round two for Novell v. Microsoft


Khartoum - A group of 120 Nigerian pilgrims were attacked in Sudan #39;s Darfur region, an official Sudanese newspaper said on Tuesday, after another report that 300 Nigerians were robbed on their way to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, last week.

Nigerian pilgrims robbed in Darfur - report


WAKO, Japan (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co.'s humanoid robot  has been around: he's rung the famed bell at the New York Stock  Exchange, met Spain's king, and even traveled with Japan's  prime minister to Prague as a goodwill ambassador.

Office Workers, Move Over: Here Comes Honda's Asimo


The former England midfielder spent two months as a player-coach with the League Two side but left to embark on a Football Association coaching course.

Gazza reveals frustration


THE lonely walk to a seat in the Ibrox stand on big Euro nights served as a chilling reminder to Dragan Mladenovic of what was absent from his world.

Being Dragan slayer would be an Auxsome return for me


Photographic equipment manufacturer Kodak said it was axing 600 jobs in the UK and closing a factory in Nottingham. The group plans to shut its photo film finishing plant at Annesley with the loss of 350 jobs.

Kodak axing 600 UK jobs


SALT LAKE CITY -- Urban Meyer said Saturday that it #39;s official: he #39;s leaving Utah for Florida to coach the Gators #39; football team.

Utah #39;s Meyer Confirms He #39;s Headed To Florida


PRINCE Charles has asked Scotland Yard for an in-depth report on his son Harry #39;s trip to Argentina after reports of excessive drinking and a kidnap plot.

Harry #39;s argy-bargy


PalmOne Inc. on Monday introduced the Tungsten T5, the company #39;s latest high-end PDA. The new T5 sports flash memory that will retain data even if the device #39;s battery discharges, a 320 x 480 pixel color screen, Bluetooth standard and more.

PalmOne intros Tungsten T5 PDA


Silicon Graphics Inc and Nasa can claim to have created the world #39;s most powerful supercomputer with the installation of the new Linux and Intel Corp Itanium 2-based  #39;Columbia #39; supercomputer.

SGI and Nasa Claim Supercomputer World Record


Another round of playoffs is giving Scott Rolen a chance to get his timing back.

Cardinals expect he'll get rollin'


Music entrepreneur Steve Stoute has emerged as one of Madison Avenue's surest guides to the world of young consumer spending, hip-hop style.

Bridging Hip-Hop Consumers and Suits


PHILADELPHIA - Ray Allen scored a season-most 37 points, Rashard Lewis had 21 and Vladimir Radmanovic added 20, leading Seattle to its seventh consecutive victory.

SuperSonics 103, 76ers 95


The future suddenly looks shaky for online DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. - a plucky home entertainment upstart that managed to hold its ground after retailing giants Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Netflix Girds for DVD Rental Price War


Reuters - The European Union is likely to\announce a contribution of more than 100 million euros to an\African Union force in Darfur, amid calls for extra AU soldiers\to be deployed in Sudan's troubled region.

EU Set to Announce Funding for AU Darfur Force (Reuters)


The federal government says they have a plan to do business more efficiently but that could mean job losses for those working in Ottawa.

Feds Expenditure Review Program Could Force Job Transfers of <b>...</b>


An audit of Venezuela #39;s recall referendum has confirmed that President Hugo Chvez won fairly and found no evidence to support fraud charges, observers and electoral council officials said Saturday.

Audit Confirms Chvez Victory in Recall


Reuters - U.S. producer prices shot up 1.7\percent last month, the biggest gain in nearly 15 years and\well above expectations, as energy costs skyrocketed and food\prices surged, a government report showed on Tuesday.

Producer Prices Shoot Up 1.7 Percent (Reuters)


The holiday season may not reach 2003 levels but will be up, National Retail Federation says. By Joan Verdon. Hackensack, NJ - The holidays will be slightly less jolly for retailers this year, but they still

More cheer in retail ahead


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Charles Schwab Corp. is paying David Pottruck, ousted as chief executive officer in July, a lump-sum payment of \$6.

Schwab ex-CEO to get almost \$10M


(This is the first in a feature series about the regional impact of the Dec. 31 expiry of the Multifiber Agreement.) By Phelim Kyne OF DOW JONES NEWSWIRES.

OUTLOOK 05: Fiber Pact #39;s End May Mean China-US Trade War


The chill wafting over Whirlpool (nyse: WHR - news - people ) isn #39;t coming from its freezers. The home appliance maker posted lower-than-expected third-quarter earnings, cut its full-year forecast and said

Fettig: High Costs Put Whirpool Earnings Through Wringer


Massachusetts bucked the national hiring slowdown in July as the state posted its biggest monthly job gains in nearly four years and manufacturing employment surged.

Mass. job growth highest since  #146;00


\A team of astronomers steps up a project which one day could preserve the Earth from annihilation.

Astronomers chart asteroid threat


AP - The Bush administration said Friday it will allow developers to complete construction and other projects even after belated discoveries that the work could endanger protected species.

Development May Endanger Protected Species (AP)


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

California Strike Hits Albertsons' Profit


AP - Rex Bowen, the great baseball scout who signed Bill Mazeroski, Maury Wills and Dick Groat, died at 93.

Baseball Ace Scout Rex Bowen Dies at 93 (AP)


Corporate donors who couldn't afford to pony up millions a year to affix their brand names to Gillette Stadium or the FleetCenter might consider this: For a mere \$200,000, they can now buy the naming rights to a performance studio at a Worcester radio station.

A naming-rights offer writ small


WASHINGTON -- Less than 7 percent of the \$18.4 billion that Congress approved last year to rebuild Iraq has been spent, the Bush administration said yesterday in its latest report on progress there.

Spending slow on Iraq rebuilding, report says


The company said it has benefited from growing demand for handsets that work on the new higher-speed networks being introduced by carriers in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

Profit Jumps at Motorola, but Shares Trade Lower


AP - LSU coach Nick Saban has talked to the Miami Dolphins about their vacant head coaching position.

LSU Coach Saban Talking With Dolphins (AP)


AMD has expanded its family of low-voltage mobile processors designed to offer high performance, security and mobility for thin and light notebooks.

AMD Tries To Compete With Intel By Releasing Athlon 64 3000


Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia and steeplechaser Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar set world records at the Van Damme Memorial meet yesterday in Brussels, Belgium.

Sports in Brief  Two track world records set


A series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks rattled northern Japan on Saturday, killing at least seven people and injuring more than 700 as buildings crumbled, two trains were derailed and roadways were torn apart.

Several strong earthquakes hit northwestern Japan; 7 dead, 500 <b>...</b>


HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe #39;s ruling party elected longtime cabinet minister Joyce Mujuru as the country #39;s first woman vice-president at the end of a party congress.

Zimbabwe ruling party elects country #39;s first woman vice-president


Reuters - New Jersey has spurned an offer by\Venezuela's national oil company to donate an island in the\Delaware River as a bald eagle preserve, but the eagles which\nest there will still be protected from planned development.

NJ Spurns Venezuela's Plan for a Bald Eagle Refuge (Reuters)


IBM has claimed unofficial bragging rights as owner of the worlds fastest supercomputer. For three years running, the fastest supercomputer has been NECs Earth Simulator in Japan.

IBM says its Blue Gene computer is fastest


Florida State rallies past North Carolina State, 17-10, on Thursday night in a game that featured 22 punts, four turnovers and less than 250 yards of combined offense.

Seminoles Rally


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc. (MDT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said its quarterly earnings rose on brisk demand for devices that manage irregular heart beats and products used to treat the spine.

Medtronic Quarterly Net Up


Effort is part of industrywide movement to bring the brighter, energy-efficient screens to the mass market.

Pioneer to produce OLED phone screens next year


KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan's historic presidential election turned sour Saturday when all 15 candidates opposing U.S.-backed interim President Hamid Karzai withdrew in the middle of voting, charging the government and the United Nations with fraud and incompetence.    In the end, faulty ink - not Taliban bombs and bullets - threatened three years of painstaking progress toward democracy...

Opposition Alleges Afghan Election Fraud


The Israeli Army has suspended an officer accused of riddling the body of a Palestinian school girl with bullets after fellow soldiers killed her.

Israeli officer suspended over Gaza girl #39;s killing


By ADAM GELLER    NEW YORK (AP) -- Employers are facing continued double-digit increases in health care costs in 2005 and likely will require their workers to pay an even greater share of the bill, according to a new survey of more than 900 firms.    The survey, released Thursday by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, found that employers expect health care costs to rise 12.9 percent on average next year if they leave benefits unchanged...

Health Care Costs Continue to Rise


Jarvis Plc, the UK engineering company whose debt is more than 15 times its market value, said it may be wound up in the New Year unless it secures new financing arrangements.

Jarvis Says It Needs Fresh Financing to Keep Trading (Update4)


Josh Ciocco scored two goals to lead the No. 8-ranked University of New Hampshire men's hockey team to a 4-4 tie with the No. 3 University of Michigan last night in Ann Arbor , Mich.

Ciocco's two goals give UNH tie


\

 By Richard Mably

 LONDON (Reuters) - London crude prices hit record highs on\Monday as Nigeria emerged as the new focus of worries about\supply security on world oil markets.

Crude Sets Record, Nigeria Concerns Mount


Viacom said today that it expects to make a bid for MarketWatch Inc., according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Viacom Will Bid for Marketwatch


COLUMBUS - Ohio State #39;s fall from being a preseason top-10 team to one just struggling to become bowl-eligible has underscored the importance of the least-appreciated commodity in team sports: leadership.

Ohio State at Iowa  Analysis; Buckeyes Could Use Some Leaders


The Green Bay Packers finally got a glimpse of life without Brett Favre on Sunday. And with their franchise quarterback watching the last 1 1/2 quarters from the sidelines, there wasn #39;t much life in the Green Bay Packers.

Pack goes  #39;poof #39; with Favre on sidelines


AP - President Bush pledged

Bush Pledges Safer World, Resumes Stumping (AP)


MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said  Thursday he had no plans to grab more power or change the  constitution when reforming Russia's government structure,  dismissing fears in the West he is watering down democracy.

Russia's Putin Defends Political Reforms


A company plans to offer airplane flights that simulate weightlessness in space. Zero Gravity Corp. starting Oct. 9 will offer twice-a-month, \$2,950 flights on planes that carry 27 passengers

Florida company offers trips simulating space travel


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

Japan Game Makers Count on Mobile Gear for Growth


NASCAR officials e-mailed a bulletin to team executives Tuesday afternoon advising them that a longstanding ban on hard-liquor advertising will be lifted for next season.

NASCAR to give hard-liquor ads green flag


Unfortunately for users, computer equipment manufacturers and resellers don't adequately inform Windows users of the risks involved in accessing the Internet without proper security measures.
<FONT face=

A Digital Doctor Treats Computer Contamination


Customers at online music store will be able to use eBay #39;s payment service to pay for songs. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc.

Apple #39;s iTunes connects to PayPal


Tucked into that \$136 billion in corporate tax breaks President Bush just signed was the point of the bill: Lifting a \$5 billion annual export subsidy the World Trade Organization had ruled illegal.

Sanctions suspended, not lifted


A car rammed into the entrance gate of Japan #39;s lower house of Parliament on Thursday and burst into flames. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Car Rams Entrance of Japanese Parliament


AFP - Three United Nations hostages have been freed after almost four weeks in captivity in Afghanistan, with kidnappers claiming that Taliban prisoners were due to be released in exchange.

Three foreign UN hostages released in Afghanistan (AFP)


WASHINGTON, Aug 23 (AFP) - US officials on Monday accepted results of a referendum that failed to recall Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and called on the government and opposition to reconcile their differences.

US Accepts Venezuela Vote Audit, Calls For Reconciliation


With its doorstep getting crowded with hopeful suitors, restructuring steel giant Stelco Inc. is keeping its options open despite the appeal of a \$900-million financing package from Germany #39;s Deutsche Bank.

Stelco #39;s dance card getting crowded


By the time Andrew Golota and John Ruiz fought, it was Sunday morning and some in the crowd at Madison Square Garden had so much to drink that they were fighting among themselves.

After 50 rounds, still no clear champ


Ericsson said Friday that it received contracts to build wireless communications networks in China and South Africa. China Telecom Corp.

Ericsson Gets China, South Africa Deals


November 05, 2004 - Following the confirmation of Minna no Golf Mobile two weeks ago, the PSP now has its second Japanese launch title.

PSP Launches With Ridge Racer


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johnson   Johnson is warning doctors  that patients taking its rheumatoid arthritis drug Remicade may  have a higher risk of lymphoma, a blood cancer, the company  said on Friday.

J J Warns of Blood Cancer Risk in Arthritis Drug


The wails echoed off the tile surfaces of the emergency room at Yarmouk Hospital. Amid the blood and stretchers, Majeed Aboud turned his tear

Iraq Attack Kills Dozens of Children


AP - Carson Palmer was still on crutches Wednesday and resigned to missing the Cincinnati Bengals' next game because of a sprained left knee.

Bengals QB Expects to Miss Bills Game (AP)


alphakappa writes  quot;India #39;s moon mission and other space programs have been covered before on Slashdot. India is now debating sending a manned space mission and has acknowledged it #39;s technological preparedness

India Debating Manned Space Flight


No matter how good or bad of a year Alex Rodriguez had this season in New York, his first year in pinstripes would ultimately be judged on how he performed in October.

A-Rod becomes a Yankee


Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds exercised the 2006 contract option for first baseman Sean Casey. Casey, who is a three-time All-Star, signed a three-year contract extension in February 2002 with a club option for the coming season.

Reds pick up Casey #39;s option


TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States has decided to aim for  a gradual transformation in North Korea rather than seek to  topple North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's regime, a Japanese  newspaper said Saturday.

US Not Aiming to Topple N.Korean Regime-Report


Exelon Corp. is close to a deal to buy New Jersey-based electric utility Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), people familiar with the talks say.

ComEd parent near deal to buy NJ utility


Barry Bonds will have two more seasons to break Hank Aaron #39;s career home-run record with the San Francisco Giants, who decided Tuesday to drop their right to void the final year of his contract.

Giants commit to Bonds for  #39;06


Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - At first, the military said it was just a minor fire.

Sailor dies after airlift from Canadian submarine off coast of Ireland (Canadian Press)


AP - Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points, Mike Bibby added 27 and the Sacramento Kings kept the Chicago Bulls winless with a 113-106 victory on Tuesday night.

Kings Defeat Winless Bulls 113-106 (AP)


Two people are killed and many injured in an explosion at a concert by an Indian star Shahrukh Khan in Sri Lanka.

Two die in Colombo concert blast


While they have been quick to say how much customers will enjoy doing business with Bank of America now that it has taken over Fleet branches, bank officials have had little information to offer about how jobs will be impacted by the ...

Bank of America quiet regarding local layoffs


ALLIED Domeq, the worlds second-biggest spirits maker, today toasted an  quot;excellent year quot; with news of a six per cent rise in annual profit.

Allied raises glass to 6 profit rise


Silverstone #39;s owners have been given 48 hours to agree a contract for next year #39;s British Grand Prix, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said on Monday.

UPDATE 1-Ecclestone sets Silverstone deadline


BAGHDAD -- The US military is reaping more high-quality intelligence tips from Iraqi prisoners than ever, since it jettisoned several coercive interrogation techniques after the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal in May, the American general in charge of Iraqi prisons said yesterday.

Gentler interrogation is working, US says


Hewlett-Packard said on Friday that it has won a \$55m, five-year contract from retailer 7-Eleven to upgrade the technology at the convenience store chain in the US.

HP picks up \$55m 7-Eleven contract


She has won seven times, claimed another major and went over the \$2 million mark for the fourth consecutive season. But that doesn #39;t mean she came to the ADT Championship to relax.

Sorenstam still not satisfied with her swing


Shares in Google, the Internet search engine, continue to rise and broke the \$135 ceiling.

It Took a Few Weeks, but Google Has Topped Its Initial Price


AP - The Walt Disney Co. plans to release its movies and other content in the Blu-Ray format, one of the two major contenders for next-generation DVDs that will deliver high-definition images to TV sets.

Disney Backs Blu-Ray Format for Its Movies (AP)


Houston-based Halliburton Co. will lay off workers at its KBR subsidiary as part of a cost-cutting program and could sell the business if the company #39;s stock performance does not improve.

Halliburton making cuts at struggling KBR


In LONDON story of Nov. 8 (not Nov. 2) headlined  quot;US #39; Al Gore starts sustainable growth fund firm quot; please read in fifth paragraph ... Peter Knight, a former campaign manager ... instead of ... Peter Harris, a former campaign manager ... (corrects surname).

RPT-CORRECTED-US #39; Al Gore starts sustainable growth firm


Toshiba has announced a worldwide Recall/Exchange Program on specific models of Toshiba notebook PCs. Under certain conditions, the subject component, provided to Toshiba by third-parties and installed in

Toshiba Third Party Memory Module Failure


XM Satellite Radio goes after subscribers in their cars, and in their homes, and now it #39;s targeting folks in the gym or just about anywhere.

XM radio goes portable


They are not sad sacks, in point of fact, the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, or are they, inevitably? In a loony, heartbreaking coincidence, they each collapsed just short of the World Series a year

Baseball: Cubs and Red Sox, in lock step, stagger toward their <b>...</b>


Second (AL East) wild card winner; def. Anaheim in ALDS; def. NY Yankees in ALCS; def. St. Louis in World Series. The curse is finally dead, as

Boston Red Sox 2004 Review


AP - Los Angeles investor Mark L. Attanasio appears to be close to an agreement to buy the Milwaukee Brewers from the family of baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

Attanasio Apparently Close to Brewers Buy (AP)


GREENVILLE, SC - After nearly two years and two trials, Attorney General Henry McMaster said the investigation is continuing into the collapse of Carolina Investors Inc.

Investors may see more put on trial


England will be determined to restore their battered reputation when their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign resumes with a mouth-watering clash against Wales at Old Trafford this weekend.

Key battles in England v Wales game


Stanford, Calif.----Stanford took advantage of some size mismatches in the first half and then scored touchdowns on its first three second-half possessions en route to a 43-3 victory over San Jose State in the season-opening football game for both teams.

Stanford rolls to 43-3 football win


AFP - Richard Branson's Virgin Group said it was jumping into the increasingly crowded market for online music, with a  quot;Digital Megastore quot; offering US customers song downloads for 99 cents.

Virgin Group to launch US online music service (AFP)


New York Giants receiver Amani Toomer returned to practice Friday and participated in some individual drills, but his status for Sunday #39;s game against the Minnesota Vikings is still undecided.

Toomer, O #39;Hara still questionable for Giants


The Montreal Expos appear to be heading to a new home in Washington, but the most pressing concern is the negotiation to compensate Orioles' owner Peter Angelos.

Big Lead for Washington as Angelos Blocks Home


EDMONTON - When the Da Vinci Project rocket finally makes an attempt to fly into outer space next year, it will carry aloft a soccer ball once kicked by English footballer David Beckham and an Ellen DeGeneres doll dressed in a flight suit.

Canadian rocket launch delayed until January


Taipei, Dec. 18 (CNA) Mainland China #39;s plan to legislate a so-called anti-secession law will only help the international community to better understand Beijing #39;s ubiquitous suppression of Taiwan, Vice President Annette Lu said Saturday.

ANTI-SECESSION LAW HIGHLIGHTS BEIJING #39;S SUPPRESSION OF TAIWAN: VP


In another time and place, a spot in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic would have been about an opportunity for Alabama A amp;M of the Southwestern Athletic Conference to gain exposure and build upon last season #39;s 13-17 record.

Alabama A amp;M coach is in game of his life


The airline has requested use of the gates in a bid to the federal bankruptcy court of Indianapolis for certain ATA Airlines Inc. assets.

Southwest seeks to add 12 ATA gates at Midway


US consumer confidence unexpectedly fell for a second month in September, tempered by slack job growth and near-record gasoline prices.

US Consumer Confidence Falls in University Survey (Update4)


The Hubble Space Telescope has produced a vivid portrait of the early days of the universe, when baby galaxies were forming and stars were just beginning to shine.

Hubble photographs reach back to universe as toddler


KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Maoist rebels, fighting to topple  Nepal's constitutional monarchy, cut off all land routes to the  Himalayan kingdom's capital on Wednesday, disrupting food and  supplies to the city of 1.5 million people.

Maoist Rebels Block Land Routes to Nepali Capital


WASHINGTON -- You may lock your doors and windows -- and maybe even activate an alarm system to keep your home protected. But a new study indicates that most of us haven #39;t taken the equivalent of those basic

Internet Users Not As Safe Online As They Believe


com. Kevin Brown may return to the mound sooner than expected, as Joe Torre said Friday that the right-hander is in the mix to start on Sunday afternoon against Curt Schilling and the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Brown could pitch Sunday finale


In his first start since breaking his non-pitching hand Sept. 3, Brown got just two outs Sunday. He allowed four runs and six hits and put the Yankees in a deep hole in their final regular-season game against Boston.

Brown hit hard in return


AFP - The kidnappers of Briton Ken Bigley in Iraq have posted a message suggesting they will free him, his brother said in a television interview.

Bigley looks set to be freed in Iraq (AFP)


Heavy fighting is reported in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region after the deaths of two soldiers.

Clashes persist in South Ossetia


AP - Peja Stojakovic had 27 points, including six 3-pointers, to help the Sacramento Kings win their fourth straight game, 119-105 over the Boston Celtics Sunday night.

Kings Beat Celtics for 4th Straight Win (AP)


Editor and Publisher - NEW YORK For years, editorial page editors at newspapers across the country have battled

Editorial Pages Fight 'AstroTurf' With Listserv (Editor and Publisher)


The innocuous Twinkie is one of many high-carb treats that has proved the downfall of US wholesale baking giant Interstate Bakeries Corp.

US baking giant Interstate files to restructure


London: Australian cricketers are hungry for some action and ravenous to get stuck into New Zealands one-day team at The Oval, captain Ricky Ponting said on Wednesday.

Aussies cant wait to face Black Caps


A BRITISH man and two Americans were kidnapped at dawn yesterday in an affluent Baghdad suburb after their guard failed to turn up for work.

Briton seized in latest Baghdad kidnap


Kellogg Co. says it expects low single-digit growth and somewhat lower margins during the fourth quarter, but the cereal and snack maker still has increased its overall earnings

Kellogg raises earnings forecast for year after third-quarter <b>...</b>


RALEIGH, NC (Sports Network) - Julius Hodge poured in a game-high 21 points as 19th-ranked North Carolina State routed Elon, 71-45, in the semifinal round of the BCA Invitational at the RBC Center.

No. 19 North Carolina State Pounds Elon


At a time when some U.S. troops in Iraq are complaining they have to scrounge for equipment, six Ohio-based reservists have been  court-martialed for taking Army vehicles abandoned in Kuwait by other units so they could carry out their own  mission to Iraq.

6 Court-Martialed After Taking Vehicles


The big news in digital audio recently was Sony #39;s NW-HD3, the company #39;s first hard-drive-based digital audio player to support the MP3 format right out of the box.

Sony and MP3, Together at Last


President Bush said he acted to protect the U.S., while John Kerry said Mr. Bush had made a

Bush Sees a Safer America, While Kerry Sees a 'Colossal Error'


Alitalia reaches an agreement with all but one trade union over plans to split the troubled national Italian airline into two.

Alitalia nears final union deal


Stewart Cink seized control of the NEC Invitational at Akron, Ohio, with six straight one-putt greens and a chip-in from 50 feet for birdie on the 18th hole Saturday for a 2-under 68, giving him a five-shot lead over a trio of Ryder Cup teammates.

News Briefs


BANGKOK, Thailand Oct. 4, 2004 - The human toll from bird flu reached 31 on Monday when Thailand confirmed a 9-year-old girl died from the disease, while Indonesia announced that it was among the countries

Asia #39;s Human Bird Flu Toll Reaches 31


Suspected Maoist rebels have abducted more than 100 students and teachers from three schools in western and eastern districts of Nepal over the weekend, media reports said on Sunday.

100 students, teachers abducted in Nepal over weekend


For the Red Sox to get past the Yankees, Pedro Martinez almost certainly will have to find a way to master the team he calls  quot;daddy.

Red Sox hope Martinez tops his  #39;daddy #39;


In Los Angeles on Tuesday, Microsoft trumpeted a new era of  quot;digital entertainment anywhere. quot; The company unveiled the latest Windows XP Media Center PCs, aimed at bringing the computer into consumers #39; living rooms; announced the formal launch of its

Compu-tainment


At least two Palestinian militants, members of Hamas armed wing Izel Dein al Qassam, were killed in a car explosion in Gaza City neighborhoods Sunday evening, Palestinian medicos, security sources and witnesses reported.

2 Hamas militants killed in car explosion in Gaza


Iraqi militants have killed the abducted Italian journalist, Enzo Baldoni, after his country refused to withdraw its troops from the war torn country, Arabic television channel Al Jazeera reports.

Iraqi abductors kill Italian journalist


Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - An accused bomber threatened witnesses, telling them to keep their mouths shut about his involvement in an airline attack that killed 331 people, a Crown prosecutor said in closing arguments Tuesday.

Accused Air India bomber told witnesses to 'keep their mouths shut:' Crown (Canadian Press)


The American military relief operation picked up steam Monday, with U.S. helicopters dropping off cartons of food aid in Sumatra and warships with 2,200 Marines arriving in the Malacca Straits to ferry supplies to the tsunami-battered Indonesian island.

American Military Relief Effort Picks Up Steam


Manufacturing is virtually nonexistent in the Arctic, yet recent studies show that Eskimos and other Arctic peoples carry unusually high levels of human-made toxins.

Toxins Accumulate in Arctic Peoples, Animals, Study Says


Airbus reacted forcefully Wednesday to a US complaint filed with the World Trade Organisation about European state aid for the European aircraft manufacturer, saying Washington #39;s move underscored rival Boeing #39;s dependence on  quot;WTO-incompatible subsidies quot;.

Airbus hits back after US files complaint over European subsidies


Instead of standing for ante meridian and post meridian, though, fans will remember the time periods of pre-Mia and after-Mia. After playing for 18 years and shattering nearly every record

Mia and friends taking final bows


NEW ORLEANS - More than 1.2 million people in metropolitan New Orleans were warned to get out as 140-mph Hurricane Ivan churned toward the Gulf Coast, threatening to submerge this below-sea-level city in what could be the most disastrous storm to hit in nearly 40 years.    Residents streamed inland in bumper-to-bumper traffic in an agonizingly slow exodus Tuesday amid dire warnings that Ivan could overwhelm New Orleans with up to 20 feet of filthy, chemical-polluted water...

1.2 Million Warned to Leave New Orleans


Tim Henman reaches the US Open quarter-finals for the first time after Nicolas Kiefer retires injured.

Tennis: Henman win in US Open


Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says he is confident his players have enough self-control to avoid any trouble in Sunday #39;s showdown at Old Trafford against Arsenal.

Ferguson confident Utd can keep their cool


Priest Holmes ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns, and the Chiefs wore down the highly touted Baltimore defense in a victory Monday night.

Chiefs Beat Ravens for First Win of Season


Whether the 30-year-old marathon world record holder will achieve the global title she yearns for in the wake of her traumatic failure at the Athens Olympics remains to be seen.

Athletics: Radcliffe is redeemed by triumph in epic struggle


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Home Depot Inc. <A HREF=

Paper: Home Depot Shares Look Undervalued


Reuters - NYMEX crude  futures traded\slightly higher on Sunday amid fresh violence in the holy Iraqi\city of Najaf.

NYMEX Oil Ticks Higher on Iraq Fighting (Reuters)


In the course of his first year in pinstripes, Kevin Brown has endured a two-month bout with an intestinal parasite and had two cortisone shots for lower back pain.

Brown loses by TKO


A Soyuz spacecraft with a replacement crew for the international space station docked safely with the orbiting complex early Saturday.

A new crew arrives at the space station


The Lakers blew a 22-point lead they held in the third quarter but still managed to give Tomjanovich a win over his former team. In an emotional pregame ceremony, Tomjanovich was honored

Tomjanovich, Lakers have a big night


Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox said that he is somewhat surprised Google is pursuing a search utility for the Mac.  quot;The search utility within a Mac OS X is already quite good, quot; Wilcox said.

Google Plans Desktop Search Tool for Mac


Andy Roddick today announced the end of an 18-month association with coach Brad Gilbert which earned the American his first grand slam title and established him among the heavyweights of men #39;s tennis.

Roddick splits with coach Gilbert


AP - The area of the San Andreas fault where a magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck Tuesday is a seismic hot spot that has produced similar temblors every two or three decades and, as a consequence, is among the most-monitored quake sites in the world.

California Quake Area a Seismic Hot Spot (AP)


TAIPEI (Reuters) - Prices of computer screens are expected  to fall by less than 5 percent in the fourth quarter as the  market stabilizes on hopes of a pick-up in demand during the  Christmas season, a U.S.-based research firm said on Tuesday.

PC Screen Price-Fall to Slow in Fourth Quarter


The downtown Boston Filene's Basement store has quietly altered its 96-year-old ''world famous quot; automatic markdown policy, making consumers wait longer to snare the steepest discounts.

Filene's Basement markdown policy gets a makeover after 96 years


Some 1440 BBC Technology staff have been transferred to Siemens Business Services today following the completion of a major ten-year 2bn Technology Framework Contract (TFC).

BBC Tech staff become Siemens workers


An international team of scientists says the Arctic is warming much more rapidly than previously known because of the burning of fossil fuels around the world.

Scientists Say Fossil Fuel Emissions Warming Arctic Faster Than <b>...</b>


ACADEMY Award-winning screenwriter Roger Avary is suing software giant Microsoft in California for allegedly stealing his idea for a virtual yoga studio.

Microsoft sued over  #39;stolen #39; game


GOLF has changed a lot in the 100 years since the captain of the Drouin Golf Club in Victoria, the Honourable Michael Scott, won the first Australian Open.

Pampling tackles Open grill


Reuters - A pilotless U.S. spy plane\crashed near its military base in southern Pakistan on Sunday\but there were no casualties or damage, police said.

U.S. Spy Plane Crashes Near Base in Pakistan (Reuters)


WHEN Wangari Maathai got word she had won the Nobel Peace Prize, she was busy with the work that earned her the prestigious award - campaigning to protect Kenya #39;s forests and distributing food to hungry constituents suffering from drought.

Nobel to first African woman


Tony Blair is holding talks with French president Jacques Chirac who is visiting London as part of centenary celebrations of the Entente Cordiale.

Blair-Chirac focus on Iraq war


It's not a sin to be a trader in whole or part; it's just much easier to be an investor.

Berkshire Hathaway


and smiled for photographers after discussing their captivity with him at his presidential palace in Kabul. Reporters were not allowed to ask questions, but Nayan said he was well and grateful for the support he received from home.

Freed hostages meet Karzai


new yorkWal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s Number 1 retailer, says September sales at US stores open at least a year are tracking in line with the company #39;s forecast for a 2 to 4 per cent increase, though Wal-Mart expects Hurricane Frances will briefly

Sales in line: Wal-Mart


Everyone was agreed: this was one of the greatest Test finishes there never was. Rain has seldom been as cruel as the downpour that washed away the thrillingly poised second Test here at Chepauk with India

weather wrecks a classic


With 6,000 characters to memorize, Westerners shudder at the idea reading even the most basic street signs and instructions in Chinese. A new set of brain images shows why: Reading English-style alphabets and Chinese characters use very different parts of the brain...

Dyslexia Not the Same in Every Culture


AFP - The Bangladeshi government has announced a 160,000-dollar reward in a bid to catch the assailants who killed 20 people and injured hundreds in a grenade attack on an opposition rally last weekend.

Bangladesh government offers reward to catch grenade attackers (AFP)


hen Donald J. Trump kicks off the second season of his hit reality television show  quot;The Apprentice quot; this Thursday evening, reality may be in short supply.

The Midas Touch, With Spin on It


Lindsay Davenport #39;s world number one ranking is in doubt after she failed to make the finals of the WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles.

Davenport out of WTA Championships


As Formula One inches towards a conclusion in its drive for radical change, Kimi Raikkonen offered further evidence that the effort might be in vain.

Raikkonen is not running scared


NEW ORLEANS -- Another blowout loss left New Orleans owner Tom Benson furious and wondering whether his team belonged in the NFL. Reuben Droughns rushed for 166 yards and a touchdown, Jake Plummer threw for

Broncos #39; rout frustrates Saints owner


LONDON - U.K. semiconductor design company Arm Ltd. is teaming with a division of Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV to develop a self-timed processor that promises low-power consumption and easy integration for use in smart cards and consumer electronics.

Arm collaborates with Philips on low-power processor


-- Consolidated cash-flow from operations(4) of EUR1,369 million. On a comparable(1) basis, consolidated cash flow from operations was up 42.

CORRECTING and REPLACING Vivendi Universal Reports Quarterly <b>...</b>


A China Eastern plane carrying more than 50 passengers and crew has crashed into a frozen lake seconds after takeoff in Inner Mongolia and all are feared dead, state media says.

Over 50 feared in China plane crash


quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas quot; revved into stores last week, promising its millions of fans another round of electronic mayhem.

Steel yourself for  #39;Grand Theft Auto #39;


Microsoft is hoping its Web-based TV service will attract ageing users to surf the Internet, read e-mail and view digital photos - all without a computer.

Microsoft TV Attracts Older People To The Web


Microsoft plas to release Windows Media Player 10 on Thursday alongside the highly anticipated MSN Music Store. WMP10 will be included in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 which finalized some time after SP2.

MSN Music Store Adds to iTunes Competition


AP - Bob Dole and Al Gore, both former presidential candidates themselves, offered their thoughts Tuesday on the upcoming debate.

Dole, Gore Participate in Panel Discussion (AP)


Ten US stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange, would be required to file quarterly reports with regulators and maintain a majority of independent directors under a plan published by the agency today.

SEC Issues Plan to Standardize Governance Rules for Exchanges


Michigan needs to grow its supply of nurses because the state #39;s 143,604 licensed nurses are graying, and there #39;s no untapped pool of nurses who can fill the gap as they retire, a survey released today concludes.

Michigan struggling to fill nursing ranks, study shows


New TagmaStore plays well with rivals' arrays to keep watch over 32 petabytes of data.

Hitachi debuts new high-end storage line


An estimated 100,000 civilians have died in Iraq as a direct or indirect consequence of last year #39;s US-led invasion, according to a new study by a research team at the Bloom-berg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

New study puts civilian deaths in Iraq at 100,000


TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei share average opened down  0.59 percent on Thursday with technology shares leading the way  following a drop in their U.S. peers after Goldman Sachs  downgraded its view on the sector.

Japan Stocks Open Lower, Tech Shares Fall


Microsoft's new keyboard features a fingerprint reader that should have been a handy gizmo. But its price and its unfriendly attitude toward non-Microsoft browsers disappoint. Melissa Kruse reviews the Microsoft Optical Desktop with Fingerprint Reader.

Of Mice and Biometrics


They were so close to the finish, Athens and Vanderlei de Lima - the city and the athlete, each about to complete a job well done.

A fight to stay on track


Paris partied to celebrate the 60th anniversary of liberation from Nazi occupation yesterday, but its mayor warned that, faced with a recent surge in racist and anti-semitic attacks, the city needed to recover the courage it had shown in the summer of 1944

Racist attacks cast shadow over French liberation celebrations


Google AdWords Content Changes Yield Results\\Search Engine Lowdown's Andy Beal had a chance to speak with Google's Mike Mayzel regarding the changes Google made to their AdWords (or AdSense) contextual ad network over the past year. Here are some findings from the conversation.\\Andy on AdWords:\\In partnership with Atlas, Google looked ...


US pay TV firm Comcast is set to roll out set-top boxes featuring Microsoft software, in a crucial test for Microsoft's cable TV ambitions.

Key cable TV deal for Microsoft


German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder #39;s party has halted an 18-month run of poll disasters by avoiding a fresh slump in local elections on Sunday, but will still need to make giant leaps to win a third term in 2006.

Schroeder #39;s party halts slump


A North Korean official will visit the United States next month for talks with US counterparts on resuming six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea #39;s nuclear program, a Japanese newspaper reported on Friday.

N.Korea, US to Discuss Six-Way Talks in Dec: Nikkei


Although Microsoft Corp. still dominates the Web browser space, its Internet Explorer continues to lose market share to open-source rival Mozilla.

Internet Explorer keeps losing market share


the division that caters to the ultra-rich -fter regulators discovered  quot;serious violations of laws and regulations

JAPAN GIVES CITI LATEST BLACK EYE


Shaquille O #39;Neal swatted away Boris Diaw #39;s layup to preserve a 26-point lead, then waved into a nearby television camera the moment he landed on his feet.

Heat handles Atlanta


Google Toolbar Security Warning\\As many of the readers of Search Engine Journal (including myself) probably have the Google Toolbar installed on your machines, we thought that this warning is quite relevant. The Google Toolbar apparently has a security hole which has been posted on SecurityTracker.com. \\It is reported that the ...

Google Toolbar Security Warning


Newly-crowned MotoGP champion, Valentino Rossi, has revealed that, contrary to speculation, he has no intention of switching to F1, for at least a couple of years.

Rossi says no to F1, for now


A volatile mixture of oil and weapons is preventing the United Nations from taking punitive action against Sudan for continued atrocities in the province of Darfur, according to human rights activists and African experts.

Politics: Oil, Arms Stymie Un Efforts On Sudan


Glasgow, Scotland (Sports Network) - Rangers striker Nacho Novo won his appeal against a red card Friday and will be eligible to play in the Old Firm derby on Saturday.

Novo wins appeal of red card


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks slid on Friday after oil  hit a record \$53.40 a barrel, while surprisingly weak September  jobs data touched off a rally in the bond market.

Stocks Hit by Oil, Bonds Up on Weak Jobs


A blast destroyed a Pakistani military vehicle in the western town of Wana near the Afghan border on Saturday and several soldiers were wounded, witnesses and a military official said.

Blast in Pakistani town, several soldiers wounded


Microsoft #39;s day in court -- this time, Europe #39;s Court of First Instance in Luxembourg -- doesn #39;t come until Sept. 30. But the software giant is already on the offensive, holding court of its own with a Sept.

Microsoft #39;s Softer Tune with the EC


LONDON JP Morgan Chase and Cazenove Group, a 181-year-old brokerage firm with close ties to some of Britain #39;s most powerful executives, announced a long-awaited joint venture Friday that puts Cazenove in charge of all of JP Morgan #39;s British investment

Big bank and broker in merger


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Justice Department has asked a  judge to enter a \$2.53 billion judgment against two Rigas  family members in a bid to seize some cable systems run by  Adelphia Communications Corp., the Wall Street Journal reported  on Tuesday.

Govt. Seeks to Seize Rigas Systems - WSJ


Reuters - Microsoft Corp.  and watch\maker Swatch  are offering a new line of wireless data\watches, the companies said on Wednesday, bringing the era of\Dick Tracy wristwatch radios one step closer.

Microsoft, Swatch Offer New Wireless Watches (Reuters)


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Major League Baseball owners tabled Thursday #39;s vote to relocate the Montreal Expos to Washington. According to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, the owners will likely vote before the winter meetings on Dec. 6.

MLB delays vote to move Expos


A private manned rocket soared into space for a second time yesterday, landing successfully after an unexpectedly bumpy ride that nearly meant an early end to the team #39;s bid to win a \$10 million prize.

Reaching for the Sky


AP - Mount St. Helens vented more steam Monday as new thermal images revealed that parts of the lava dome in its crater are piping hot, a sign that magma continues to rise within the volcano.

Mount St. Helens Releases More Steam (AP)


Elena Bovina added her name to the list of Russians to watch at next week #39;s US Open when she beat Nathalie Dechy to win the New Haven Open on Saturday.

Russians win all WTA events, Horna in ATP final


Cambodia #39;s Throne Council choseThursday Prince Norodom Sihamoni a new king of Cambodia, a week after his father Norodom Sihanouk abdicated.

Prince Sihamoni named new king of Cambodia


Seattle #39;s Bobby Madritsch pitched eight shutout innings as the Mariners clubbed Boston 7-to-1 Thursday night on the West Coast.

Mariners snap Red Sox win streak


Pope John Paul II yesterday honored two figures linked to controversy, beatifying a German mystic whose violent visions of Christ's suffering helped inspire Mel Gibson's movie ''The Passion of the Christ, quot; and an Austrian emperor whose troops used poison gas. Before 30,000 people, including royalty and government representatives from Latin America and Europe, the pontiff also beatified an Italian nun ...

Some question choices for honors by pope


WASHINGTON - A new \$50 bill with touches of red, blue and yellow went into circulation Tuesday and soon will be showing up at banks, cash registers and wallets.

Colorized \$50 bill makes debut as \$10 bill readied


India's largest software services firm will provide engineering services for the development of Ferrari's 2005-season F1 car.

Tata signs IT deal with Ferrari


From Wall Street to Detroit, there were plenty of sighs of relief as it became clear that President Bush had won another term. As one auto executive said,  quot;Bush has been a good president to work with.

An Industry-by-Industry Look at the Implications of the Election


The Tehran Stock Exchange has performed magnificently, but the market's list of risks is outsized.

Rewards Have Risks on the Tehran Stock Exchange


AP - City officials hope there are people willing to pay plenty of money to own a vintage Playboy Bunny costume, toss green dye into the Chicago River or throw a dinner party prepared by Oprah Winfrey's chef.

Chicago to Sell City-Related Items on eBay (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Albert Pujols cracked his 40th home  run of the season and reached 100 RBI for the fourth straight  year to help the St Louis Cardinals blank the host Pittsburgh  Pirates 4-0 in the National League Sunday.

NL Wrap: Pujols Boosts Cards, Giants Delight for Bonds


Bryant closed out the Texas Open with a 3-under 67 on Sunday to claim his first PGA Tour victory by 3 strokes over Patrick Sheehan.

Bryant earns 1st victory on PGA Tour


Nintendo hopes to hold its advantage over Sony in the handheld game console market, by selling its DS model for half the price of the new PlayStation Portable.

Nintendo aims high with low-cost console


German factory orders dropped more than economists expected in August and a gauge of European retail sales fell for a second month in September, adding to evidence that economic growth may be slowing amid record oil costs.

European Economies: Orders and Retail Sales Decline (Update2)


Interest rates are trimmed to 7.5 by the South African central bank,  but the lack of warning hits the rand and surprises markets.

Rand falls on shock SA rate cut


Kent Thexton  took a gamble when he crossed the Atlantic to become co-CEO of Seven. But the notion of the cell phone as gateway to the Internet  isn't the easy sell it was on the other side of the pond.

Wireless data gamble


Reuters - The U.S. Securities and Exchange\Commission did not declare effective Google Inc.'s registration\statement for its multibillion-dollar initial public offering\by the close of the agency's business day on Tuesday, an SEC\official said.

Google IPO Paper Not Declared Effective (Reuters)


Officials at both schools decided Friday morning to go ahead with their home football games. They had considered postponing the games because of the damage left behind by Hurricane Ivan.

Auburn, Alabama games will be played as scheduled


Three women sensationally turned up yesterday at the Nairobi CID headquarters and laid claim on some of Archbishop Deya #39;s  quot;miracle babies. quot; ...

Women Lay Claim to  #39;Miracle Children #39;


By LINDA A. JOHNSON    (AP) -- An obese Massachusetts woman and her 8-month-old fetus died of complications 18 months after stomach-stapling surgery, an apparent first that is leading to warnings about the risks of pregancy soon after the surgery...

Deaths Raise Fears Over Stomach Stapling Surgery


Richard Scrushy once sat down to talk with ''60 Minutes

Mike Wallace subpoenaed


Forbes.com - L. Lowry Mays is a Texan's Texan, rock-ribbed, 6 foot 2 and larger than life. He started out as an investment banker; in 1972, when a client he was advising backed out of a deal to buy an FM radio station in San Antonio, Tex., Mays partnered with a pal and did the deal himself, paying  #36;125,000. In the three decades since, he has built one of the largest and most powerful media companies in the nation, Clear Channel, a much-maligned giant that, in the view of its enemies, is just too damned big for anyone else's good.

Gee, Thanks Dad (Forbes.com)


WASHINGTON - Questions are being raised about the authenticity of newly unearthed memos which asserted that George W. Bush ignored a direct order from a superior officer in the Texas Air National Guard and lost his status as a pilot because he failed to meet military performance standards and undergo a required physical exam...

Questions Surface About Bush Memos


Decaffeinating: Starbucks (nasdaq: SBUX - news - people ) President and Chief Executive Orin Smith on Tuesday said he plans to retire early next year, because he wants to  quot;slow down.

Schultz:  #39;Bittersweet #39; As Starbucks #39; Smith Plans To Retire


Enthusiasm for PortalPlayer's stock is high despite company's warning that it has no long-term contract with Apple.\

iPod chipmaker sings in Wall Street debut


That photo above is no longer accurate. I #39;ve shaven my head to protest the firing of ... Kevin from The Apprentice. Dude has a bachelor #39;s from Penn, an MBA from Emory and is working on a law degree from the

Notre Dame firing Willingham doesn #39;t hold a candle to Kevin #39;s <b>...</b>


AP - 1911  #151; The World Series between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Athletics was resumed after six days of rain, and Chief Bender beat Christy Mathewson 4-2 to give the A's 3-1 lead.

This Date in Baseball for Oct. 24 (AP)


An overdose of cocaine contributed to the heart attack that killed former Houston Astros third baseman and National League Most Valuable Player Ken Caminiti on Oct. 10, according to autopsy results made public on Monday.

NY Coroner Cites Drugs, Disease in Caminiti Death