ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Roger Clemens and the Houston Astros hope to buck a couple of trends when they face the Atlanta Braves in the opener of their National League Division Series.

Houston at Atlanta 4:00 pm EDT National League Division Series <b>...</b>


CELTIC have thrown themselves a European lifeline at a time when they were in real danger of sinking without trace. Of course, they still have a major task on their hands to make the Uefa Cup spot their own.

Brave old Bhoys not down and out yet


In late 1991, then-prime minister Yitzhak Shamir appeared to be drifting a bit to the left. After many years in which the Labor Party had called for an international conference to be held, Shamir gave his consent.

The suicidal left


WARSAW, Poland - A Polish woman who was abducted last month from her apartment in Baghdad has been freed, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.

Polish Woman Freed by Iraqi Hostages


Sports India, Cricket: Dhaka, Dec 12 : Pacer Irfan Pathan claimed his first 10-wicket haul and Sachin Tendulkar cracked a career-best unbeaten 248 to bring India within two wickets of victory on the third day of the first Test against Bangladesh here

Tendulkar, Pathan give India scent of Test win (LEAD):


AFP - The New York Times endorsed John Kerry for president, becoming the first major US daily to announce its presidential preference, and was joined by small papers in the swing states of Ohio and Minnesota in backing the Democratic senator.

New York Times, three other US dailies endorse Kerry for president (AFP)


Henrik Stenson led The Heritage third round by a stroke from countryman Patrik Sjoland as Swedes dominated the leaderboard on Saturday.

Stenson leads Swedish charge at The Heritage


Bart Bryant shot a three-under 69 Sunday for a 19-under 261 total to capture his first career PGA Tour title at the Texas Open. Patrick Sheehan closed with a 66 to take second place at 19-under-par 261.

Bryant gets first win at Texas Open


AP - Sen. John Edwards, answering President Bush's blistering criticism of Democrat John Kerry, contended Wednesday that the Republican was

Edwards Blasts Bush on Iraq, the Economy (AP)


Mianne Bagger, a 37-year-old Dane, became the first transsexual golfer to qualify for the Ladies European Tour. Bagger shot a 5-over-par 77 Wednesday to tie for ninth place after four rounds in qualifying school at the Riva dei Tessali golf club.

Transsexual golfer qualifies for Ladies European Tour


Reuters - Mergers and acquisitions have\played an enormous role in the U.S. economy during the past\several decades, but sometimes the results have been bad for\consumers.  Similarly, consolidation in the mutual fund\business has sometimes hurt fund investors.

Funds: Fund Mergers Can Hurt Investors (Reuters)


Sales of the Nintendo DS handheld gaming device are going better than expected, prompting Nintendo to raise its full-year shipment forecast, the company #39;s president says.

Nintendo DS Proves Popular


LIBREVILLE, 26 November (IRIN) - A South African mercenary was found guilty Friday of leading a failed coup against the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and sentenced to 34 years in jail, police and court sources said.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Foreign coup plotters given long jail terms


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search leader Google Inc.  said on Wednesday it will soon make it possible for users of  its Gmail service to check their e-mail via Microsoft Outlook  or on certain handheld devices such as mobile phones.

Gmail Users Soon Able to Check E-Mail Via Outlook


Last month, Target stores decided to no longer allow Salvation Army bell ringers to solicit in front of its stores. Now, with just a week until the bell ringing kick-off, the Salvation Army is scrambling to

Salvation Army seeks volunteer bell-ringers


NOVEMBER 29, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - The open-source Firefox Web browser may be making inroads on Internet Explorer with some users, but Microsoft Corp.

Firefox Registers Usage Gains, Though IE Remains Dominant


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)  has approved a \$1.47 million increase in its expenditure budget  for next year.

WADA Sanctions \$1.47 Million Rise in Expenditure


NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc. appeared set  to start trading on Nasdaq on Wednesday, after the Web's No. 1  search engine asked regulators on Monday for final approval to  price its closely watched initial public offering.

Google Could Make Its Market Debut Wed.


BOSTON - Just like the game that seemed it would never end, Boston's season just won't end. David Ortiz's RBI single on the 471st pitch of the game with two outs in the 14th inning capped a second straight amazing comeback in less than 24 hours Monday night and gave the Red Sox a 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees in the AL championship series...

Boston Beats Yanks 5-4 in 14 Innings


Canada will hold a naval inquiry into the cause of a fire that broke out on a submarine last week, killing one sailor and leaving the vessel drifting in the Atlantic, Canadian Defense

Canada to Hold Inquiry on Submarine Fire, Meet With UK #39;s Hoon


For the first time in 17 years, Mark James is planning to relax for this weekend #39;s Ryder Cup. James has been involved with the European team in some form at every Ryder Cup since 1989.

James reveals Ryder rigours


AP - Curt Schilling became the first 20-game winner in the major leagues this season, reaching the mark for the third time in four years and leading the Boston Red Sox to an 11-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Thursday night.

Schilling Gets 20th As Red Sox Beat D-Rays (AP)


David Beckham has joined forces with Sven-Goran Eriksson to warn Wayne Rooney that he must learn to channel his fiery aggression in the right manner.

Rooney Urged to Control Aggression


BEACH REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - Palestinian painter Fayez al-Hasni is in a situation most artists would envy. At 52, he has launched a genre that has brought him fame and fortune.

Palestinian martyrs as art


AP - The Internal Revenue Service is making it easier for the smallest of businesses to file their income tax returns, allowing more of them to use the very simple form known as Schedule C-EZ.

IRS Relaxes Rules on Business Tax Filing (AP)


Christmas time in southern California is strange. Charlie Brown #39;s tree here is a palm. And as the Baseball Winter Meetings opened

Some of baseball #39;s biggest names available


In an expected move following his arrest and confession earlier this year, an 18-year-old German student has been indicted on computer crimes for his work writing and releasing the Sasser and Netsky worms.

Author of Sasser, Netsky Worms Indicted


Description: NPR #39;s Scott Simon offers his thoughts on Paul Hamm, the US Olympic gymnast plagued by scoring scandals. Hamm has been asked -- indirectly -- to give up his gold medal in the men #39;s all-around competition.

Scott Simon Essay: Paul Hamm #39;s Medal


The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has decided to delay a report on Iran #39;s nuclear program, which is scheduled to be made public on Friday, diplomatic sources said.

IAEA delays report on Iran nuclear program


The outlook for the holiday shopping season grew more uncertain yesterday as the nation #39;s largest retailers reported that they had a fourth straight month of tepid sales in September.

Retail sales slowed in September, reports say


The second Iraq war, between coalition forces and insurgents, is now under way in what has become the  quot;crucible quot; of the global war on terrorism, Tony Blair declared yesterday

Optimism in London, carnage in Iraq


US Airways (UAIR) executives Tuesday held out hope of reaching a key money-saving deal with pilots, despite a major setback late Monday.

Pilots reject US Air #39;s new offer


Tim Henman was defeated in the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors in Basle last night by the Czech, Jiri Novak. The British No 1 must now pick up ranking points at the Paris Masters to ensure qualification

Henman crashes out to Novak


Good news for officials who are trying to cool an overheated economy; austerity measures to remain. BEIJING (Reuters) - China reported a marked slowdown in investment and money supply growth Monday, but stubbornly

China investment slows


A series of demonstrations rippled across Manhattan when protesters tried to converge on the Republican convention.

At Least 900 Arrested in City as Protesters Clash With Police


Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. SAN FRANCISCO -- Oracle Corp. is biding its time and preparing for the integration of PeopleSoft

Oracle biding time while court tackles PeopleSoft takeover


The veteran running back was among 15 players released by coach Andy Reid on Sunday, as the team got down to the required 53-man roster.

Eagles release Levens, 14 others


It has the technology to land men on the moon and send probes into the darkest reaches of space. But Nasa #39;s newest project has more in common with school science lessons than Star Wars.

Pinhole camera to seek out new worlds


Joyce Mujuru, attends the ruling ZANU-PF party annual convention in Harare, Dec. 2. Mujuru, a longtime member of President Robert Mugabe #39;s cabinet and a veteran of the 1970s guerrilla war against white minority

Zimbabwe ruling party elects first woman VP


Although polls say otherwise, George W. Bush remains the underdog in this election. Both demographics and history suggest the president #39;s lead is perilous.

Why Bush is teetering


Ex-Manchester United striker Denis Law believes Wayne Rooney will shatter his goalscoring records at Old Trafford. Law holds the United scoring record for a season with 46 goals and also has a club-best 18 hat-tricks.

Rooney wins Law praise


TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar stayed in tight ranges on  Tuesday as the market, widely expecting a U.S. interest rate  increase later in the day, waited for the Federal Reserve to  shed light on the future course of monetary tightening.

Dollar Stuck as Fed Statement Awaited


London-based BT Group PLC said Monday it will strengthen its presence in North America and Asia by buying Infonet Services Corp., an international managed voice and data network services provider, for \$965 million.

UK company to buy Infonet for \$965M


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks shot higher on Wednesday  as oil prices had their biggest one-day drop in three years and  economic data showed strength in the U.S. manufacturing sector  and personal spending.

Stocks Surge as Oil Slumps


Sir Alex Ferguson is asking his players to use the next five weeks to lay the foundations for a New Year title push. United play six league matches between now and the turn of the year, and Ferguson wants

Aston Villa (A) Tue 28 Dec


A 24-year-old Romanian cheats a California computer equipment distributor out of \$10 million. An Australian teenager causes a release of raw sewage by hacking into a treatment plants system.

Make Internet less of a cyberjungle


Corey Dillon didn't practice for the second straight day because of a sore right foot. His status is questionable for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. How questionable?

Dillon still hobbled by sore foot


Intelligent sensor networks moved a little closer to commercial deployment on Tuesday with the ratification of ZigBee. ZigBee is a short-range, very low-power wireless technology.

ZigBee clears ratification hurdle


THE owner of the Soul Pattinson chemists chain yesterday said its purchase of the Priceline stores would be a win against the might of the big supermarkets.

Pharmacies unite


Serie A leaders Juventus suffered their first loss of the season with a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Reggina on Saturday. The result gives second-placed AC Milan, who host AS Roma on

UPDATE 1-Lowly Reggina hand Juventus first defeat


By SHARON THEIMER     WASHINGTON (AP) -- With political fund raising, campaign advertising and organizing taking place in full swing over the Internet, it may just be a matter of time before the Federal Election Commission joins the action.    Well, that time may be now...

FEC May Regulate Internet Political Activity


eventually -ot established between India and Pakistan via a one-on-one meeting on the soils of the United States between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

India #39;s Newest Tenor


SAN FRANCISCO - Sun Microsystems Inc. will formally launch the next major release of its flagship Solaris operating system at a press event Nov. 15 at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California, company officials confirmed Friday. The launch will be part of Sun's quarterly Network Computing product announcement, which is expected to include new product offerings from a variety of Sun's product groups.

Sun to launch next version of Solaris on Nov. 15


A new generation of smaller, sleeker and cheaper MP3 players from the likes of Sony, Rio, Creative and Rave MP are hitting the market this fall, and they all have Apple

IPod Rivals Square Off Against Apple


President Bush may have received up to 260,000 more votes than he should have in Florida counties that used touch-screen voting machines, according to an academic analysis. Researchers call on Florida to examine the results. By Kim Zetter.

Researchers: Florida Vote Fishy


Mozilla Foundation #39;s Firefox browser will be available for free download today after 19 months of development, news.com reports.

Firefox browser available today


The cause of the investigation does not look serious, but its too soon to say for sure. By Kristen French. September 24, 2004- Regulatory investigations are hardly a surprise in the securities industry anymore.

Morningstar Is Under SEC Microscope


BOE Technology Group of China said it has signed a letter of intent to sell its 45.21 percent stake in its joint-venture subsidiary, Beijing Orient Top Victory Electronics, to TPV Technology in trade for an as-yet undetermined stake in the Hong Kong

China #39;s BOE To Buy More of TPV Technology


THE Federal Government #39;s control of both houses of parliament created a rare opportunity to overhaul the four pillars banking policy, Westpac chief executive David Morgan said yesterday.

#39;Morgan wants four pillars #39; on reform agenda


EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - The first week of training camp is not over and the New Jersey Nets best player, Jason Kidd, has sounded off twice.

Kidd causing more friction in Nets camp


PeopleSoft board members on Wednesday rejected Oracle #39;s  quot;best and final quot; offer in the often contentious 17-month hostile takeover battle--but the database software giant remains on the hunt.

PeopleSoft board rejects Oracle bid


Apple Computer has released AirPort 4.1, an update to the drivers for its wireless networking hardware running under Mac OS X v10.3.

Apple releases AirPort 4.1 software


BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - U.S. helicopters shuttled  injured refugees, many of them children, out of some of the  worst-hit parts of tsunami-devastated Aceh province, as reports  surfaced of trafficking in orphans from the disaster.

Cheers Greet Rescuers in Aceh, Children Suffer


NewsFactor - Computer security firm Secunia has reported what it terms a

Microsoft Word Hole Could Allow DoS Attacks (NewsFactor)


US soybean farmers bringing in a record harvest face a new risk: an aggressive form of fungus that could severely damage their crops next year and beyond.

Soybean farmers face a winter of decision


AFP - US consumer prices surged 0.6 percent in October, with higher energy costs fuelling fears of renewed inflation.

US consumer prices surge 0.6 percent (AFP)


The ACC is close to finalizing a deal that would send Virginia to the Dec. 28 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., where they would likely play Oklahoma State.

U-Va. Nears Bowl Bid


(Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins continue their pursuit of the National League wild card spot, as they continue a five-game series against the Montreal Expos.

Florida Marlins Team Report - September 14


WHEN it comes to national security as an election issue, John Howard still leads Mark Latham by a wide margin as preferred prime minister.

Latham behind on security but making up ground


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mortgage finance company Freddie  Mac <A HREF=

Freddie Mac Says May Face SEC Action


Moises Alou went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and two doubles for Chicago, which has won five of six. Every starter for the Cubs had at least one hit.

Zambrano helps Cubs get ahead


The office said Hariri would not form the next government. The outgoing prime minister has led Lebanon for most of the time since the end of the civil war in 1990.

Cabinet of Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri resigns


Long before Richard Branson became the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cellphone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from the Virgin Record Shop on Oxford Street in London.

Virgin selling music via Net


Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro returned after a three-game injury absence with two goals Tuesday to lead Bayern Munich to a 2-0 win over Bundesliga leader VfL Wolfsburg.

Two goals by Pizarro as Bayern beats fearful Wolfsburg


A bitter feud between former teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O #39;Neal continues to escalate, and it #39;s not too soon to bet on the winner of their first duel.

Mirage takes early action on Shaq-Kobe


Southampton (England), Sept. 15 (AP): Bangladesh won the toss and sent the West Indies in to bat in their Champions Trophy cricket match at The Rose Bowl today.

Bangladesh wins toss, choose to field


Homebuilder stocks were the biggest losers among the 86 sectors of the Dow Jones indexes Monday after jittery investors began selling off the stocks over concerns about price cuts in the booming Las Vegas housing market.

Homebuilder Stocks Among Biggest Losers


Reuters - Large nostrils count more than a big\nose when it come to smelling power, said German scientists on\Wednesday after completing a three-year-long study aimed at\treating smelling disorders.

Size Matters When It Comes to Nostrils (Reuters)


Andrew Flintoff scored 104 as England advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy yesterday with a 49-run win over Sri Lanka, the match a victim of persistent rain at the Rose Bowl.

England advance to semi in rain-shortened match


Liverpool, England (Sports Network) - Liverpool will take the field Saturday against Norwich without the familiar face of captain Steven Gerrard there to guide them.

Liverpool prepares for life without Gerrard


The slugger #39;s testimony on steroid use raises sharp questions about integrity of baseball and all pro sports. By Mark Sappenfield  Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.

Yield on Bonds and baseball: dropping?


Merck  amp; Co. Inc. (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , whose earnings are being hurt by the withdrawal of its arthritis drug Vioxx, said on Tuesday it has increased the number of jobs to be cut by year-end to 5,100 from 4,400.

Merck Cuts More Jobs as Earnings Decline


FCC Ruling Brings Broadband to the Power Lines\\The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)  has given the OK for US based utilities to provide broadband over power lines in a move which the FCC hopes will increase the availability of high-speed broadband access and increase competition. This will add electric companies ...


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were near the unchanged  mark on Wednesday as crude prices climbed to another record and  profit warnings hit such sectors as auto parts and  semiconductors.

Stocks Flat as Oil Hits Another Record


Fifteen years after an earthquake damaged San Francisco's Bay Bridge, engineers are attempting to replace it with a stronger span. The project is said to be the most ambitious in state history. Part 1 of 2. By Amit Asaravala.

When a Bridge Becomes a Lifeline


The Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (ZESN) has welcomed the adoption of guidelines for holding democratic elections at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Mauritius this week.

Southern Africa: Zim Election Group Welcomes SADC Guidelines


Sammy Sosa was fined \$87,400 - one day's salary - for arriving late and leaving early at the Cubs' regular-season finale at Wrigley Field.

Sosa Fined \$87,400 for Last-Game Bolt


Detectives have been granted more time to question cleric Abu Hamza on suspicion of being involved in terrorist offences. The Muslim cleric was arrested at Belmarsh prison under the Terrorism Act 2000 on suspicion

Hamza police granted more time


NTT DoCoMo, Japan #39;s dominant mobile operator, is to start selling mobile phones from Nokia and Motorola next year in a bid to reduce its reliance on local manufacturers.

DoCoMo looks overseas for handsets


Health insurer Humana Inc. posted a rise in quarterly profit on Monday as the company #39;s Medicare business gained and it kept health premiums ahead of soaring underlying medical costs.

Humana #39;s Quarterly Earnings Rise


\\So FireFox 1.0 is released and the world rejoices (congrats guys !).  I sure\hope that Mammonsoft  has started working on IE 7.0 or they'll start to fall\behind.  Granted we have a long way to go before we catch up with Microsoft but\when you're on top you really have only one way to go (and thats down).\\Over at EWeek they're running an inteview with Mitchel Baker which is worth\checking out:\\

FireFox 1.0 Roundup


TAP Pharmaceutical Products has agreed to pay \$150 million to consumers and private insurers to settle claims they overpaid for its drug Lupron because the company artificially inflated the price.

TAP agrees to \$150m settlement


Reuters - Jeffrey Moeser and his company are\aiming to change the future of home entertainment.

Land of Potatoes Aims to Be High-Tech Hotbed (Reuters)


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Houston Astros aren #39;t pitching future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens or 20-game-winner Roy Oswalt in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.

Astros #39; Backe living out a dream


Alonzo Mourning had 12 points and five rebounds in his first game since undergoing a kidney transplant in December.

Mourning Returns


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Shares in UK football club Manchester United (UK:MNU) rose 2.9 percent to 280 pence after a report by The Sunday Times that said Manchester United #39;s largest shareholders, Irish racehorse owners John Magnier and JP McManus, are willing

Irish duo  #39;to sell #39; Man Utd stake at 310p to Glazer


In Major League Baseball action Wednesday, the Anaheim Angels took a one-game lead in the American League West Division by beating the Texas Rangers, 8-7.

MLB: Angels Take One Game Lead in American West Division


Rising oil prices are expected to hit China's growth rate this year.

High oil prices hit China growth


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Persistent concern about the U.S.  trade deficit pushed the dollar to a 7-month low against the  yen and a 7-year low against the South Korean won on Monday,  while strength on Wall Street drove Asian shares higher.

Dollar Slips to 7-Month Low Vs Yen


A corporate holiday shopping spree on steroids this week yielded three merger deals worth about \$60 billion--including one that ranks as the largest software merger in history.

Week in review: The urge to merge


Reuters - Ancel Keys, a pioneer in public health\best known for identifying the connection between a\cholesterol-rich diet and heart disease, has died.

Ancel Keys, Who Found Source of Heart Disease, Dies (Reuters)


The oil ministers of Opec heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have pledged to maintain output after prices hit new peaks at the end of last week.

Opec  #39;ready with spare capacity #39;


A bomb-alert Olympic Airways plane was back in the air and completing its journey to New York after being diverted to Ireland amid a bomb scare.

Bomb-alert plane resumes US flight


A Sydney newspaper has published a photograph of Australian soldiers posing as members of the Ku Klux Klan. The Daily Telegraph said the soldiers were dressed like that to intimidate young Aboriginal recruits.

Row over Australian army photo


Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Reigning world No. 1 Roger Federer and former top-ranked star Lleyton Hewitt will meet in a blockbuster  quot;Red Group quot; round- robin match Wednesday at the ATP #39;s season-ending Tennis Masters Cup.

Federer, Hewitt ready for US Open rematch in Houston


The market acts like Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex are the same drugs. They're not.

Sympathy for Pfizer


AFP - Japanese computer giant NEC said its interim net profit rose 62.6 percent to 25.2 billion yen (240 million dollars) but it cut its forecasts, citing slower mobile handset and semiconductor markets.

NEC posts higher net profit in first half but lowers forecast (AFP)


HIGH-STREET retailer Boots reported a cooling in sales growth yesterday after disappointing summer weather stalled demand for suncare products.

Boots sales get a drenching


Manassas took a major step this week toward expanding and boosting its downtown.

Manassas Counting on New District


AP - NBA referees have entered into a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the league, removing the possibility of having replacement officials work the upcoming season.

NBA Ratifies Referees Five-Year Contract (AP)


BEIJING (Reuters) - Jelena Dokic ran true to the miserable  form she has shown this season, falling 6-3, 6-0 to Thailand's  Tamarine Tanasugarn in the first round of the China Open  Tuesday.

Dokic Dumped Out of China Open in First Round


China pledged to push ahead firmly and steadily #39; #39; toward a more flexible exchange rate without providing a timetable for the shift from a currency peg that is criticized by the Group of Seven industrial nations.

China Pledges to Push Ahead #39; to Flexible Yuan Rate (Update6)


The bombing outside the Australian Embassy in Jakarta appears not to have harmed Australia #39;s renewed love affair with Bali. Travel wholesalers have reported that since the first anniversary of the Bali bombing

Bali tourism still going strong


A former top Air Force official was sentenced to nine months in prison for favoring Boeing on military contracts worth billions of dollars.

Former Air Force Official Sentenced in Boeing Case


I was traveling on Southwest Airlines a couple of days ago.  It  was kind of weird.  Seemingly, they have implemented a new corporate  policy.

Be Funny Or You're Fired


Earliest adopters of updated program should download again to ensure full security.

Newest Ad-Aware Exposes Some Users


In the literary corners of the Web, poets denounce T. S. Eliot and fans write new stories for Jane Austen's characters.

The Widening Web of Digital Lit


EU defense ministers will sign off today on plans to establish battle groups of troops poised for instant action in a significant move toward a European army.

EU to field quick-reaction battle groups


Washington, DC - The head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today encouraged air travelers to become partners over the holiday season in ensuring security and minimizing passenger wait-times at screening checkpoints.

TSA Asks Air Travelers to  quot;Partner quot; on Security Screening During <b>...</b>


Millions of enthusiastic Afghans stood in line and voted -ithout any large-scale attacks that many had feared  -the nation chose its first-ever directly elected leader.

Afghans vote peacefully


RFID vendor Infineon uses SAP #39;s NetWeaver platform to help companies better connect and manage RFID systems from diverse suppliers.

SAP, Infineon Team Up To Accelerate RFID Deployment Cycles


NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. home loans  eased last week even though average 30-year mortgage rates  decreased, an industry group said on Wednesday.

Mortgage Applications Fall


Gunfire erupts near a potential Palestinian leader, though most doubt it was an assassination attempt. JERUSALEM - Gunmen in the Gaza Strip unleashed bursts of automatic-weapons fire Sunday near Yasser Arafat #39;s

Chaos continues in Gaza City


BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Dodgers are closing in on their first playoff berth in eight years. Beating the San Francisco Giants for the National League West title would make it that much sweeter.

Dodgers can clinch division title Friday


A major statement was made to the heavyweight division on Saturday night: The Klitschko  quot;world domination quot; has officially begun.

Scoop: King Vitali Spectacular. Again


I.B.M. said that it was in talks to settle a lawsuit contending that a pension plan adopted by the company discriminated against 140,000 older workers.

I.B.M. Settles Part of Pension Lawsuit


They did what no high school football team in the last 12 years had been able to do. It was the little-known Bellevue (Wash.) Wolverines that ended the greatest streak in high school sports

School #39;s 151-win streak ends


The Red Sox exercise their option Friday on third baseman Bill Mueller, a former batting champion who had the season-saving single against the Yankees in the ALCS.

Red Sox Give Mueller Another Year


Chipmaker to focus on technology and features instead of megahertz.

Intel Sets Cruise Control on Pentium 4


Individual penalties for the four Infineon executives who pled guilty in a price-fixing scheme follow a record \$160 million fine that Infineon agreed to pay in mid-September stemming from the same investigation.

Infineon Execs Plead Guilty in DRAM Probe


Lawyers on both sides of Atlanta's Dany Heatley's vehicular homicide case said Monday they are not close to agreeing on a plea deal that would keep his case from going before a jury.

Lawyers Not Close


LAKE FOREST, Ill. (Sports Network) - Chicago Bears wide  receiver David Terrell has been arrested for traffic  violations.

Bears Wide Receiver Terrell Arrested


ROME, Italy -- The battle for control of Champions League Group F match begins in earnest on Wednesday when AC Milan face Barcelona at Rome #39;s San Siro stadium.

Inzaghi is ready to face Barcelona


St. Etienne striker Frederic Piquionne fired his second goal of the evening near the death to earn the esteemed risers a 2-2 draw at Paris St.

Piquionne Brace Keeps PSG Winless


Georgetown, Delaware, October 21: A lawsuit against the Walt Disney Co over a 140 million-dollar payout to former President Michael Ovitz started here, seven years after shareholders brought the action.

Disney in the dock over \$140 mn payout to executive


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While the U.S. economy continued to  grow in late July and August, growth slowed in several regions  as household spending softened, the Federal Reserve said on  Wednesday.

Economic Growth Slowed in Many Regions


The findings dealt a blow to supporters of the charter school movement, including the Bush administration.

Nation's Charter Schools Lagging Behind, U.S. Test Scores Reveal


BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- They were hoping for a sporting miracle yesterday, only it didn't materialize. Now, American Ryder Cup players must hope for a diplomatic miracle.

Americans dominated by Europe's brilliance


Jailed uprising leader Marwan Barghouti has decided to run in the Palestinian presidential election as an independent candidate to replace late Yasser Arafat,the local Ha #39;aretz daily reported Thursday.

Jailed Barghouti to run in Palestinian presidential election


AFP - Australian Prime Minister John Howard is widely expected to announce an election date this weekend, setting off a tight race between his conservative coalition and a resurgent Labor Party.

Howard tipped to finally call Australian elections this weekend (AFP)


On top of the leaderboard at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, he began having visions of his first PGA Tour victory. But Ogilvie struggled with his putting the rest of the

Ogilvie fades down stretch


AP - Kelly Holcomb threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns  #151; and lost. Cincinnati and Cleveland played the most remarkable game in their intrastate rivalry Sunday, a wacky 58-48 Bengals victory that turned into the second-highest scoring game in NFL history.

Bengals Top Browns in Near-Record Shootout (AP)


The founder of Easyjet confirms he is to enter the online music market in a partnership with UK-based download service Wippit.

Stelios enters online music fray


Republicans in the State Senate forced through a measure to gradually raise the minimum wage by \$2 to \$7.15 an hour by January 2007.

Minimum Wage to Increase in New York


Britain's highest court ruled today that the British government cannot indefinitely detain foreigners suspected of terrorism.

Britain's Highest Court Overturns Anti-Terrorism Law


Russian President Vladimir Putin pledges to back a parliamentary commission into the Beslan school siege.

Russia to launch Beslan inquiry


REDDING, Calif. - A wind-fueled wildfire roared through an old mining town near Redding on Sunday, destroying 20 homes and forcing nearly 125 residents to flee, officials said...

Wildfire Sweeps by Old Calif. Mining Town


PC World - Upcoming chip set will support 802.11a, b, and g networks.

Intel Eyes Tri-Mode Wi-Fi (PC World)


If you've ever been pulled over for speeding, you may already know something about LIDAR. A laser-based radar system, LIDAR can tell if you're speeding by bouncing a light beam off your car and seeing how quickly it returns. From an airplane or a satellite, LIDAR can calculate the distance to the ground, and by repeating the process millions of times as it flies over, map the lay of the land.

LIDAR Laser Radar Finding More Uses


The enterprise software legend shifts his attention to Web services. Say hello to start-up Cordys and its integration software.

Jan Baan launches Web services firm


Paul Martin dismisses an MP from the ruling Liberal Party because of her outspoken criticism of US President George W Bush.

Canadian PM expels anti-Bush MP


Hot on the heels of a national report that the number of Canadians who smoke pot has doubled in a decade, marijuana advocates say their own polls shows strong support for taxing the drug.

Most Canadians support taxing pot, poll finds


In India, at least 17 people have been killed and up to 55 wounded in four explosions in the country #39;s troubled northeast. Police say three blasts occurred in Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland state, killing 16 people.

17 people killed in explosions in India


Stocks moved higher in a late-session buying surge yesterday, as oil prices stepped back from their highs and investors shrugged off mixed economic data, focusing with renewed optimism on the government #39;s upcoming jobs report.

Investors Ignore Mixed Data to Focus on Next Job Report


Google is trying to create an online reading room for five major libraries by scanning stacks of hard-to-find books into its Internet search engine.

Googling Libraries


Israeli troops shoot a Palestinian schoolgirl in Gaza as controversy rages over another girl's death last week.

Israelis wound schoolgirl in Gaza


Reuters - U.S. average retail gasoline prices\are again approaching  #36;2 a gallon, reaching a four-month high\amid record high crude oil prices and the effects of Hurricane\Ivan, a leading industry analyst said on Sunday.

Gas Hits 4-Month High of  #36;1.99/gallon (Reuters)


New service will feature SkypePlus voicemail and expanded conference calling, as well as let users get calls from the traditional phone network.

Skype readies business telephone offering


NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - As expected, Intel Corp. introduced a 3.8-GHz Pentium 4 processor today in what could represent the end of an era for the chip maker.

Intel reaches Pentium 4 speed limit at 3.8 GHz


MOSCOW - Officials said Saturday they had found traces of an explosive on the wreckage of the second of two Russian airliners that crashed just minutes apart earlier this week. That would indicate terrorists caused both aviation tragedies...

Russia Finds Explosive Traces on 2nd Plane


The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a radio frequency identification (RFID) microchip (VeriChip) that will be implanted in humans and used for medical purposes.

FDA Approves Human RFID Tags


Reuters - A group of California cities and\counties on Friday filed a class action lawsuit against\Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O), saying the world's largest software\maker overcharged them for software.

Group of Cities, Counties Sues Microsoft (Reuters)


The National Hockey League rejected an offer from the players in the latest round of labor negotiations Thursday, leaving little hope of avoiding a lockout start to the season next month.

Lockout Looms as NHL Players #39; Contract Offer Rejected


Scientists flock to songbird research, hoping finches and canaries will provide insight into the mysteries of human speech, memory and neuron production. Randy Dotinga reports from the Society for Neuroscience convention in San Diego.

Don't Knock the Birdbrains


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Canada may provide some of its surplus flu vaccine to United  States.

Canada may provide some of its surplus flu vaccine to U.S. (Canadian Press)


In 2000, Erin Brockovich-Ellis became the focus of a film about her efforts to expose an energy company's contamination of a community's water supply. Actress Julia Roberts played the role of the flamboyant, in-your-face environmental researcher. This week, Brockovich-Ellis, now 44, will be a keynote speaker at the W omen in Leadership Summit sponsored by Linkage Inc., a Massachusetts leadership ...

A woman whose life is the stuff of a hit movie


In his first public comments since enduring his team #39;s fire sale over the summer, the Nets #39; marquee player, Jason Kidd, offered his assessment of the situation Monday.

Nets #39; Kidd Is Resigned to a Long, Long Season


CHAPEL HILL, NC - North Carolina will likely have the services of four-year starting quarterback Darian Durant when it meets fourth-ranked Miami on Saturday.

#39;Miami is scary #39;


Mylan Laboratories Inc., the largest US maker of generic drugs, cautioned investors Friday that Thursday #39;s jump in share price was likely driven by investor Carl Icahn #39;s clearance to buy a large amount of company stock and fails to reflect  quot;negative ...

Update 1: Mylan Comments on Icahn Clearance


Tony Stewart knows his way around Dover and will attack the 1-mile speedway in today #39;s MBNA America 400 like a man with nothing to lose -- because, well, he has nothing to lose.

Stewart geared up for Dover


Yesterday, shares of Chalone Wine Group (Nasdaq: CHLN) rose some 13 following the announcement that 46 owner Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), after months

Chalone to Go Private


In the wee hours of last Sunday morning, when the nation #39;s collective clicker had long since abandoned the Yankees-Red Sox debacle

Shaggy band of ballplayers winks at the impossible


THE perception now is that rugby leagues best qualities have been absorbed by rugby union, considering the influence of its former adherents in the England team that

Paul cracks code to go on mission for England


Singapore Airlines will sell its 6.5 percent stake in Air New Zealand, the government-controlled New Zealand airline said Tuesday.

Singapore Airlines to Sell Stake in Firm


What were the Lakers thinking this summer when they let Kobe Bryant dictate whom the Lakers acquired in the offseason? Everyone knows that they were desperate to re-sign Bryant, but once you give

Teammates unhappy with Bryant regime


AP - Dick Vermeil would prefer not to hear the

Chiefs Not Using Revenge Vs. Indy (AP)


Indonesia #39;s President Megawati looks set for a crushing defeat at next Monday #39;s presidential election run-off, according to an opinion poll published in Jakarta today.

Poll predicts landslide defeat for Megawati


Glen Johnson knocked out Roy Jones Jr. in the ninth round Saturday to hold on to the IBF light heavyweight title and cast more doubt on the future of one of boxing #39;s most outstanding performers.

Johnson knocks out Roy Jones in ninth


PRIME Minister John Howard has been labelled a political Rambo after he defended yesterday the Government #39;s right to launch a pre-emptive attack on terrorist groups in the Asia-Pacific region.

First-blood doctrine rejected


Prices were pushed higher by news on Sunday that Yukos had suspended delivery of 400,000 metric tons a month, or nearly 98,000 barrels a day, of rail-borne crude oil exports to China National Petroleum Co.

Nymex Narrowly Mixed on Yukos, Gulf Restarts


The world #39;s largest music company is discussing ways to distribute its songs through Grokster and other Internet file-swapping services, a deal that would embrace a technology long under legal assault by the recording industry.

Sony ready to join music file-sharing


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of National Instruments Corp.  <A HREF=

After the Bell-National Instruments Falls


AFP - US President George W. Bush will defeat his Democratic rival, John Kerry, in the November 2 election because he is leading in the polls in the key US swing states, the president's top political adviser said in an interview.

Bush ahead in swing states, will defeat Kerry: Karl Rove (AFP)


SANTIAGO (AFP) - A Chilean judge ordered former dictator Augusto Pinochet to stand trial on murder and kidnap charges linked to his role in Operation Condor, a conspiracy of 1970s South American dictatorships to eliminate opponents.

Former dictator Pinochet ordered to stand trial for murder <b>...</b>


Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, seen by many as crucial to ending the Najaf crisis, is back in Iraq from the UK.

Top Shia leader returns to Iraq


Paula Radcliffe believes she is ready in every respect to challenge for the ING New York City Marathon title on Sunday. Radcliffe insisted she is in top shape after arriving in the Big Apple and although her

Radcliffe ready to tackle Big Apple


An Australian teenager was killed by a pair of great white sharks yesterday in the country #39;s second shark fatality in less than a week.

Teenage surfer ripped in half by pair of sharks


A car bomb detonated Saturday outside a police academy in the Kirkuk as hundreds of trainees and civilians were leaving for the day, killing at least 20 people and wounding 36, authorities said.

Suicide Bombing At Iraqi Police Station Kills 20, Injures 36


Champaign, IL (Sports Network) - The University of Illinois has fired head football coach Ron Turner. Turner just completed his eighth year at Illinois, compiling a 35-57 record with just two winning seasons.

Illinois parts ways with Ron Turner


As NASA #39;s Spirit and Opportunity rovers resumed reliable contact with Earth, after a period when Mars passed nearly behind the Sun, the space agency extended funding for an additional six months of rover operations, as long as they keep working.

Rover Missions Renewed as Mars Emerges from Behind Sun


p2pnet.net News:- Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich wants the state to make it illegal for anyone younger than 18 to buy violent or sexually explicit games.

Illinois  #39;violent videos #39; ban


An above expected chilly winter almost a week away from its official arrival date, with temperature already hovering below freezing; top it with a US government data showing a slight decline in crude and heating oil supplies is a wonderful recipe for

Low US inventories of crude fuel price hike


WALNUT CREEK, CA--The first genetic instruction manual of a diatom, from a family of microscopic ocean algae that are among the Earth #39;s most prolific carbon dioxide assimilators, has yielded important insights on how the creature uses nitrogen, fats, and

Diatom genome reveals key role in biosphere #39;s carbon cycle


Google generated most of its revenue -- \$411.7 million -- through text-based ads displayed on company-owned sites. That #39;s an important factor, because Google doesn #39;t have to share the money with other advertising partners.

Google #39;s Profits Go Ga-Ga


Reuters - Web search leader Google Inc.\ on Thursday said the head of its Web log service,\Blogger, will leave at the end of the week to pursue other\interests.

Co-Founder of Google's Blogger Leaving Company (Reuters)


Indonesia is likely to ask the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) during its scheduled meeting later this week to revise upward its crude oil price band so

Indonesia urges OPEC to raise benchmark price


S Airways, facing a cash shortage as it tries to avoid another bankruptcy filing, said yesterday that it would seek government permission to stretch out \$67.5 million in contributions it owes to the pensions of its mechanics and ...

US Air to Seek 5-Year Extension for Pension Fund Payments


South Korea said on Tuesday it asked the United States to accept another year #39;s delay in the drafting of a divisive treaty banning human cloning to allow time for

S. Korea Backs UN Meeting on Stem Cell Research


NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) will contribute \speech recognition software to the \open source community in the hope of promoting standardized and compatible speech-enabled applications.

IBM Contributes Speech Recognition Software to Open Source (NewsFactor)


The company licenses graphics compression technology from S3 Graphics for its upcoming PlayStation Portable.

Sony picks up graphics tech for PSP


AP - Cyberterrorism could be the most devastating weapon of mass destruction yet and could cripple the U.S. economy, former CIA Director Robert Gates said at a terrorism conference Saturday.

Ex-CIA Chief Gates Warns on Cyberterror (AP)


Reuters - Japan's Nikkei stock average edged up by\mid-session on Wednesday as exporters like Canon Inc. bounced\back from losses, but gains were limited by data confirming\weak economic growth in the three months to September.

Japan Stocks Rise But Weak Data Weigh (Reuters)


economic troubles still plaguing reunited Germany on the 15th anniversary of the Berlin Wall #39;s collapse. the Wall fell, also admitted in a public debate he had made errors that were contributing

Kohl blames greed for disunity with east


SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Kidnappers have freed the  mother of one of Brazil's most exciting young soccer talents,  Santos forward Robinho, 40 days after they seized her at  gunpoint from a party, the player's agent said on Friday.

Abductors Free Brazil Soccer Star Robinho's Mother


Howard's 0-2 start and the threat of rain from Hurricane Ivan have slowed ticket sales for Saturday's Prince George's Classic at FedEx Field, organizers said Tuesday.

Plenty of Tickets Remain


AP - The Oakland Athletics are used to pressure-packed pennant races. It's their sub-par September that's the shocker.

Athletics Struggle Down the Stretch (AP)


Jason Kidd is refusing to attend night sessions during the New Jersey Nets #39; two-a-day practices at training camp, and he doesn #39;t care if the team fines him for it.

Kidd skipping night practices, irking Nets


The team behind the Beagle 2 mission has unveiled its design for a successor to the British Mars lander.

Scientists lift veil on Beagle 3


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Video game hit

New Grand Theft Auto Video Game Heads to Xbox


Business India Los Angeles, Oct 5 : IBM has introduced a biometric notebook computer with an integrated fingerprint reader that can recognise the user of the computer, reports Xinhua.

IBM unveils notebook with fingerprint reader:


Thierry Henry, Lauren, Patrick Vieira, Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires rallied Arsenal to a 5-4 victory Saturday at archrival Tottenham, giving the Gunners their first league victory in four games.

Arsenal edges Tottenham 5-4 and ends three-game winless streak


Q: I hear weird sounds coming from my computer - for instance, a door opening and closing. Is this normal? I use America Online. A: These sounds are coming from your AOL Buddy List, letting you know when a buddy has logged in or logged off.

Ask Kim Komando


However, he twisted it badly when trying to prevent Barca from scoring their second goal at Celtic Park. Celtic said on Wednesday the defender would be out for between four and six weeks.

Ankle injury rules McNamara out for month


Sun Microsystems has quietly delivered on its promise of a Solaris flavor of JDS (Java Desktop System), its alternative to Microsoft Windows.

Sun Delivers Solaris Flavor of JDS 2


Interest rates on US 30-year and 15-year mortgages have moved lower following last week #39;s disappointing jobs report that suggested economic growth had slowed, mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said on Thursday.

US 30-, 15-year mortgage rates fell in latest week


\\Jikes is a great compiler but they could really benefit from better project\management.\\This bug  has been open for greater than 3 years now with no resolution.  One\of the developers sent me a *private* email (without commenting or closing the\bug) this this could be fixed by avoiding the use of symlinks but wasn't sure.\Of course this email was sent more than 2 years ago so I have no decent way of\finding it.\\Adding insult to injury is the fact that IBM won't let me comment on the bug\without an account.  The only problem is that my account won't activate.\\In a nutshell if you want to use incremental compile with jikes you need to\specify relative paths not full paths.\\For example if y ...\\

Jikes and the Open Source Process


JJ Redick and Daniel Ewing each scored 20 points, and No. 11 Duke turned up the defensive pressure in the second half to beat Tennessee-Martin 88-46 Saturday night in the teams #39; season opener in Durham, NC.

Familiar result for Krzyzewski


ONE of natures greatest spectacles will be visible in the small hours of tomorrow morning - weather permitting - as the Moon passes into the Earths shadow, causing a total lunar eclipse.

No shadow of doubt: lunar eclipse is well worth a look


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

Honeywell to buy Novar in \$1.7b deal


quot;It #39;s sad, quot; the British visitor to Athens said, shaking her head.  quot;It #39;s sad that nobody is here, buying tickets to the Olympics. People should be out there telling people that Athens is great. It #39;s a great experience. quot; ...

They built it, but no one comes


Mets General Manager Omar Minahas has met with most of the teams that may be willing to trade big-money marquee players in blockbuster deals.

Mets Ready to Deal; All They Need Is a Trade Partner


The British government has fired 19 civil servants and disciplined more than 200 in an unprecedented crackdown on viewing Internet pornography at work, officials said Thursday.

UK fires civil servants for viewing porn


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Sports Network) - Steve Savoy scored  three times and Alex Smith accounted for two more touchdowns as  No. 5 Utah did its best toward becoming the first non-BCS  program to claim a spot in a BCS bowl game by pounding Mountain  West rival Brigham Young, 52-21, at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

BCS Bound; Utah Remains Undefeated


Seek and ye shall find: Yahoo! (nasdaq: YHOO - news - people ) and Adobe Systems (nasdaq: ADBE - news - people ) have struck a deal to put Web search capabilities into Adobe #39;s Acrobat Reader software.

Semel: Search For New Yahoo! Features Yields Adobe Deal


Eastman Kodak Co., boosted by the sale of a remote sensing business and gains in digital photography, recorded a sharply higher profit in the third quarter and beat Wall Street forecasts by a wide margin.

Kodak benefits from surge in digital sales and a gain for unit #39;s <b>...</b>


Gunmen in Iraq kidnapped a Lebanese-American businessman today - the second US citizen seized this week in Baghdad -s the countrys almost daily routine of kidnapping and murder continued.

Grim Reminder for Bush as Iraq Savagery Continues


Innovation has become an all-purpose tonic, the default prescription for every pain associated with the retrenching American economy. Whatever the problem -- slower growth, global competition, fewer well-paying jobs -- innovating, we are told, is the solution.

Innovation isn't the panacea it seems


Greek activists have hoisted a massive banner on the Acropolis against the scheduled visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell, due in Athens for the Olympics this weekend.

Activists enter Acropolis to protest Powell visit


McAfee this week plans to announce an add-on for its enterprise antivirus products to offer increased protection against spyware. Users of McAfee VirusScan Enterprise Edition versions 7.1 or 8.0i next month

McAfee Enhances Spyware Protection


The World Trade Organization imposed penalties yesterday on exports ranging from apples to textiles, escalating a trade dispute the Bush administration has tried to defuse by unsuccessfully urging Congress to repeal legislation aimed at protecting US steel makers.

WTO hits US with sanctions


Initial versions of PlayStation 3 chip will not be produced with a cutting-edge chip-making technology.

Sony, IBM, and Toshiba Reveal Additional Details on Cell Chip


As much as ever, George Carlin builds his humor around the taboo  his current routine includes long riffs on cancer, natural disasters and teenage suicide and yet somehow manages to get laughs.

Cancer? Suicide? Politics? That's Hilarious!


Does Microsoft's official trademark application for Excel signal an infringement crackdown?

Microsoft registers trademark--19 years late


The Russian oil giant Yukos said on Friday that management was putting together an emergency plan to continue running the company for a few months, even after the auction of its prize asset next month.

Yukos drawing up contingency plan


Activision has announced today that id and Nerve Software are working an expansion pack to the mighty Doom 3. Carrying the title Resurrection of Evil it does indeed promise to resurrect some evil.

Activision expands Doom 3 - Resurrection of Evil announced


Actional and Westbridge have merged, bringing Westbridge #39;s security infrastructure expertise to Actional #39;s existing Web services management platform.

Actional, Westbridge Merge


LONDON, England -- Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric and former manager Harry Redknapp have called a clear-the-air news conference at the Premiership club on Tuesday.

Pompey plan to set record straight


PARIS (Reuters) - Carmakers presented new-age automobiles  at the Paris car show on Thursday that could give much-hyped  fuel cells a run for their money in the coming market for  vehicles that do less damage to the environment.

Rival Technologies Vie for 'Green' Car of Tomorrow


The poorly armed insurgents loyal to Moktada al-Sadr were overwhelmed by American tanks, attack helicopters and AC-130 gunships overnight.

American Forces Press Into the Inner Ring of Najaf's Old City


At 5 feet 8, 160 pounds, second baseman Mike Fontenot looks more like the Class AAA Ottawa Lynx's batboy than one of the Baltimore Orioles' top prospects.

Lynx Infielder Fontenot Has 'Pretty Good Pop for His Size'


United Nations (UN) personnel will prepare  quot;the first motion of non-confidence in the organization #39;s history quot; against UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has faced a series of scandals.

First Diplomatic Note of UN History to Annan


. US-led forces met heavy resistance in Falluja as they battled toward the heart of Iraq #39;s most resistant city on Tuesday, officers said.

US-Led Forces Thrust Towards Central Falluja, Air Strikes <b>...</b>


The state of Virginia and Fairfax County each pledged \$600,000 to entice International Business Machines Corp. to bring 1,250 high-paying new government contracting jobs to Fairfax.

Virginia, Fairfax Commit Funds To Help Lure New IBM Jobs


The BBC has today completed the sell-off of its technology arm to German IT firm Siemens as part of a 1.9bn 10-year outsourcing deal - as exclusively revealed on silicon.

BBC completes 1.9bn IT sell-off to Siemens


What a disgrace Ron Artest has become. And the worst part is, the Indiana Pacers guard just doesn #39;t get it. Four days after fueling one of the biggest brawls in the history of pro sports, Artest was on national

NBA Insider


The kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan appeared in a new videotaped message last night, calling on Britain to withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Pull charity out of Iraq, pleads Hassan in new video


There is a major UN climate change meeting underway in Buenos Aires: the tenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-10).

The US Approach to Climate Change


HIGHER oil prices and profit warnings from Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever sent US shares lower. Buying of semiconductor shares helped limit losses on the Nasdaq as investors bought Intel and other semiconductors

Trial for Wall Street as blue-chips slump on warnings


On Wednesday night Olympiakos travel to take on Liverpool knowing that any positive result will pave the way for their passage into the qualifying stages of the Champions League.

CL Preview: Liverpool-Olympiakos


Ebay says its Paypal system is slowly getting back to normal after breaking down six days ago.

Paypal battles to restore service


Egyptian authorities have arrested five men they say carried out the bombings that killed at least 34 people earlier this month at seaside resorts on the Sinai Peninsula.

Egypt Arrests Suspects in Taba Bombings


Auction company is apparently drawn to the classifieds model pioneered by community resource site.

EBay Buys into Craigslist


AP - The United States on Friday completely forgave  #36;4.1 billion in debt Iraq owed it and urged other nations not part of an international debt relief agreement to follow suit.

U.S. Forgives  #36;4.1 Billion in Iraq Debt (AP)


Russia is tentatively rescheduling the launch of the next crew of the International Space Station by three days, from Oct. 11 to Oct. 14, foreign news media reported Thursday from Moscow.

Russia schedules Soyuz to launch in two weeks


Ernie Els held off some early charges under blustery conditions yesterday and shot a 4-under-par 68 to finish where he started -- with a two-stroke lead at the American Express Championship at Thomastown, Ireland, and in great shape to win the World Golf Championship for the first time. Els bounced back from a bogey at No. 9 -- his only ...

Easy does it as Els retains WGC lead


Martin Brodeur made 27 saves, and Brad Richards, Kris Draper and Joe Sakic scored goals to help Canada beat Russia 3-1 last night in the World Cup of Hockey, giving the Canadians a 3-0 record in round-robin play.

World Cup of Hockey: Canada boosts record to 3-0


Weil, Gotshal   Manges is embroiled in two lawsuits by former clients who contend that the firm breached its duty to provide them with its undivided loyalty.

When Big Law Firms Trip Over Their Own Clients


New rule creates potential security flaw for domain name transfers.

Is Your Domain Name Being Hijacked?


AFP - European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana flew into the Sudanese capital where he was expected to discuss the conflict in Darfur, amid international pressure on Khartoum over the rebellion there.

Solana arrives in Sudan for talks on Darfur crisis (AFP)


Owner Jerry Jones seems to not enjoy the decision to pull rookie Drew Henson during the Cowboys' 21-7 victory against Chicago on Thanksgiving.

Jones Ponders Choices


Reuters - Interest rates on U.S. 30-year and\15-year mortgages edged higher this week amid signs the economy\is improving, stoking inflation concerns, mortgage finance\company Freddie Mac said on Thursday.

U.S. 30-, 15-Year Mortgage Rates Rise (Reuters)


Six British armed forces personnel are feared dead after a helicopter crashed while on exercises in the Czech Republic. Reports suggest that a British Army Air Corps Lynx helicopter crashed near Brno in the

Six British soldiers feared dead in chopper crash


TOKYO Softbank said on Monday that it would offer a cut-rate phone service in Japan, a move that could undermine Nippon Telegraph Telephone #39;s position as the dominant player in the country #39;s fixed-line market.

NTT faces Softbank challenge


Day one of a two-day hearing focuses on whether the software juggernaut should have to share information with rivals.

European judge probes Microsoft antitrust case


The FCC acknowledges that the government-mandated network that lets officials interrupt radio and television broadcasts in an emergency  is vulnerable to electronic tampering.\

News: U.S. tackles Emergency Alert System insecurity


Manchester United supporters have reacted angrily to news that the club could be bought out by Malcolm Glazer. The club confirmed on Monday it had received a takeover approach, thought to be from the American businessman.

Fans oppose Glazer bid


PARIS The French government forged ahead on Wednesday with a plan to sell a one-third stake in the nuclear power group Areva on the Paris stock exchange early next year, a transaction that could raise more than 3.

Paris plans partial sale of Areva in early 2005


An unsatisfactory conference call and disappointing forecasts send the search engine's shares tumbling.

Asking Is Too Much for Jeeves


AFP - Authorities in Florida were looking for 58,000 absentee ballots whose disappearance stirred renewed controversy in the state that held up the 2000 presidential election for five weeks.

Florida authorities searching 58,000 missing ballots (AFP)


South Africa A complete a seven-wicket victory against England in their final warm-up before the first Test.

Cricket: S Africa A beat England


ST. LOUIS - Brandon Webb didn #39;t intentionally hit Cardinals starting pitcher Woody Williams with a pitch on Friday. Williams got nailed, and even he disagreed with home plate umpire Jerry Layne for ejecting

Cards edge D-Backs; Webb gets quick heave


TechWeb - IBM's Linux Scholar Challenge is one of a few programs to drum up enthusiasm among students worldwide in Linux and open-source software.

Competitions Foster Next Generation Of Linux Talent (TechWeb)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chauncey Billups scored 21 points in  his return to the line-up as the host Detroit Pistons also  welcomed back coach Larry Brown and Ben Wallace with a 93-85  triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday.

NBA Wrap: Returning Trio Help Pistons End Losing Skid


Sun City, South Africa (Sports Network) - Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, the No. 3 and 4 players in the world, posted rounds of two-under-par 70 on Thursday to grab a share of the lead after one round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Four share lead at Nedbank Challenge


Vladimir Guerrero had such a huge impact during the final week of the season that voting for the American League Most Valuable Player award wasn #39;t even close.

Guerrero is AL MVP


The EU's anti-fraud squad reports an increase in serious abuses of its international aid project.

EU reveals increase in aid fraud


A U.S. military convoy of at least 40 armored vehicles was seen moving toward Fallujah, while British troops in southern Iraq headed north to plug any gaps that an offensive on the city might create.

Fallujah Talks, and Battle Planning, Continue


Thanks to new high-tech gear, opponents in golf and racket sports can be across town - or across the country.

Long-Distance Sports


Jacqueline Batteast scored 17 points, including 10 during a decisive three-minute run in the second half, to lead No. 11 Notre Dame to a 76-65 victory over No. 6 Duke in the Women's NIT semifinal last night in South Bend, Ind.

Irish women roll by Duke


Chelsea went two points clear at the top of the Premier League after they beat Everton 1-0 and struggling champions Arsenal were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by promoted Crystal Palace Saturday.

Palace Holds Arsenal, Chelsea Goes Two Points Clear


Bayern Munich return to domestic duties with a trip to Bundesliga champions Werder Bremen on Saturday (1330 GMT) appearing to have shaken off their sluggish start to the season.

Bundesliga matches, Oct 2-3


AP - Glenn Presnell, who starred for the Detroit Lions in the 1930s and later spent 28 years as a college head coach and athletic director, is dead at 99.

Former Football Great Glenn Presnell Dies (AP)


SPACE.com - TOOELE, UTAH -- Its not \  the kind of

Genesis Capsule a 'Mangled Mess' (SPACE.com)


A review of its Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) contract has forced services provider Electronic Data Systems (EDS) to again postpone its financial report for its third fiscal quarter.

EDS again postpones Q3 earnings report


FRANKFURT/LONDON (Reuters) - Germany sold 6.3 percent in  phone operator Deutsche Telekom on Monday, raising up to 4.4  billion euros (\$5.5 billion) as part of a privatization drive  to help it tackle a burgeoning budget deficit.

Germany Cuts Deutsche Telekom Stake


Mobile phones running Symbian's Series 60 operating system are being targeted by a new strain of the Skulls Trojan horse, which can spread to other phones within reach of Bluetooth broadcasting range, according to F-Secure.

New strain of Skulls Trojan hits smart phones


Its Workplace package is catching on with clients, and more software makers are signing on. Still, it #39;s no Windows smasher. IBM launched a bold foray into desktop computing last spring, when it took on Microsoft #39;s

IBM #39;s Solid Stake on the Desktop


KEDAINIAI, Lithuania: Viktor Uspaskich, a Russian-born millionaire who is a new force in Lithuanian politics, makes no secret of his old ties to Russian energy giant Gazprom, which supplies all of Lithuania #39;s gas, but says he has his adopted country #39;s

Ambitious Russian tycoon upsets Lithuanian politics


In its annual predictions for the upcoming year, IDC predicted that worldwide IT spending would grow 6.1 in 2005, a year that will be marked by

IDC: IT spending to grow 6 in 2005


Canadian Press - FORT QU'APPELLE, Sask. (CP) - Police investigating the disappearance of a young Regina girl called on the RCMP and civilian searchers Tuesday to look for clues on a reserve northeast of the city.

RCMP help city police search Saskatchewan reserve for clues in Tamra case (Canadian Press)


Tailback Troy Hambrick once bristled at the prospect of playing behind Emmitt Smith in Dallas, believing the aging Hall of Fame-bound rusher was taking carries that belonged to him.

RAIDERS NOTEBOOK Hambrick, Zellner traded to Arizona


Level 3 Communications (Quote, Chart) said it will pay \$34 million cash for Sprint #39;s (Quote, Chart) wholesale dial-up Internet access business.

Level 3 Dialing Up for Dollars


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell sharply on Wednesday after  oil prices climbed above \$48 a barrel and investment bank  Morgan Stanley <A HREF=

Stocks Fall Sharply on Oil, Fannie Mae


WASHINGTON--The US government should be prepared to spend freely if it decides to encourage  quot;bounty hunters quot; to track down e-mail spammers, the US Federal Trade Commission said Thursday.

Spammer  #39;bounty hunters #39; will need cash, FTC says


JERUSALEM Seven Palestinians were killed in scattered violence on Monday that included an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip and an incursion by soldiers into a West Bank refugee camp.

Israelis kill 7 Palestinians; CNN crewman abducted


Red Hat on Thursday announced the opening of its first office in China, in the nation #39;s capital, Beijing. The company said it will be working with industry partners such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel and

Red Hat opens office in China


WASHINGTON - U.S. President George Bush on Friday signed into law a three-year moratorium on Internet access taxes.

Bush signs Internet tax moratorium


I admire PeopleSoft #39;s (Nasdaq: PSFT) fight. Tuesday, the business software maker announced a broad partnership with IBM (NYSE: IBM) in which Big Blue #39;s popular WebSphere middleware

PeopleSoft Plays Defense


Before Game 1 of the World Series, Johnny Pesky walked up to the batting cage at Fenway Park and gave a big ol #39; hug to a fellow octogenarian, Red Schoendienst.

World Series has been far from a true classic


Rescuers dug through the rubble of a luxury hotel on Egypt #39;s Sinai Peninsula yesterday as the confirmed death stood at 24, with about 100 people

Israeli officials blame al-Qaida for blasts at Sinai tourist sites


Frederick Forsyth wrote it up as The Dogs of War, and set it in Equatorial Guinea here: A rag-tag band of mercenaries, recruited by a British elite, tries to seize control of a mineral-rich, African backwater.

Fact Imitates Dogs of War Fiction


com October 13, 2004, 7:50 AM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.

Outage over, PayPal says


Will Blackmon anchors the Boston College secondary as the resident shut-down cornerback, but it is by no means his only contribution to the Eagles. Blackmon also returns kickoffs and punts, and is so proficient that he leads the nation in kickoff returns with an average of 35.8 yards. One of his returns was a spectacular 96-yard touchdown against Ball State ...

It's Blackmon's busy season


AP - It was a May-December romance that really had legs: Young Aurora, a female giant octopus and her aging cephalopod suitor J-1 were thrown together for a blind date seven months ago by aquarists who hoped the two would mate.

Octopus Doesn't Give Up on Motherhood (AP)


WASHINGTON -- The United States for the first time named Saudi Arabia yesterday as a country that severely violates religious freedom, potentially subjecting the close US ally to sanctions.

US faults Saudis on religious liberty


One day after his good friend Lou Holtz announced his retirement, Spurrier on Tuesday was named the Gamecocks #39; new football coach.

Spurrier named football coach at South Carolina


Members of the 'Havana Night Club' severed national ties to Cuba for a new beginning.

For love of the dance ... a tale of defection


CARE chief, a Briton with dual citizenship, has worked in Iraq for 30 years. Mortar attack kills five Iraqi national guardsmen and hurts 80.

Humanitarian Aid Director Is Kidnapped


HOUSTON A flu-like virus has again prompted a delay in the fraud and conspiracy trial of four former Merrill Lynch officials and two former Enron executives.

Flu prompts delay in Enron barge trial


Texas Instruments rises on a \$1B stock buyback; investors will keep an eye on consumer sentiment. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Major Wall Street indexes are likely to finish the week flat, but Friday could provide

Stocks to watch Friday


Forbes.com - The main border between the U.S. and Canada, our number one trading partner, stretches for 5,500 miles. The most precious fraction is tucked into the middle of the Great Lakes, where the Detroit River bisects the U.S. and Canadian auto industries. Between Detroit and Windsor, Ont., at the river's narrowest point, lies a ribbon of reinforced concrete roadway, 47 feet wide and less than 2 miles long, laid on suspended steel joists:the Ambassador Bridge. ...

The Troll Under The Bridge (Forbes.com)


Cingular Wireless LLC said Monday that AT amp;T Corp. and AT amp;T Wireless have extended their licensing agreement in preparation for Cingular #39;s acquisition of the telecom giant #39;s former unit.

Cingular, AT amp;T Settle Branding Deal


NEW YORK, November 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nokia today announced the Nokia 9500 Communicator has been granted the IEEE 802-11b and WPA (Wireless Protected Access) certifications by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Nokia 9500 Communicator Receives Wi-Fi Certification


Reuters - A bill to expand the use of DNA\testing to protect the innocent and detect the guilty easily\passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, but the\outlook remained uncertain in the Senate.

DNA Crime Bill Passed in House (Reuters)


While 2-time rushing champ remains 1st running option, Colts use Rhodes to keep star fresh. By Mike Chappell. There will come a time during Sunday #39;s AFC South game between the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee

James shares backfield workload


Online, the final frontier; the venerable Star Trek franchise prepares to make the leap into the MMO universe. Perpetual Entertainment has announced its plans to bring the 24th century series to the digital world.

Star Trek Makes MMO Leap


Relatives of the Black Watch soldier killed during the controversial military deployment from Basra spoke tonight of their devastation at his death.

Family  #39;Devastated #39; by Death of Black Watch Soldier


Microsoft says SP2 may not work on computers powered by chipmaker's 64-bit processors under certain circumstances.

Microsoft tackles AMD conflict in SP2


AP - Most of the presidential election provisional ballots rejected so far in Ohio came from people who were not even registered to vote, election officials said after spending nearly two weeks poring over thousands of disputed votes.

Ohio Has Clearer Picture of Ballots Now (AP)


The DuPont Co. agreed to a settlement potentially worth more than \$340 million Thursday to resolve allegations the chemical giant contaminated drinking water in West Virginia

Potential \$340M Teflon settlement


International Business Machines (IBM) Corp. announced that it has created world #39;s fastest computer that performs better and consumes 28 times less energy than a two time first place holder Japanese supercomputer.

IBM builds the fastest supercomputer


In one of Competition Commissioner Mario Monti #39;s final acts before he retires at the end of the week he has officially approved Oracle #39;s hostile takeover of PeopleSoft.

Oracle can buy PeopleSoft: official


I got lots of mail this week about my Tuesday column about the Windows XP Service Pack 2 update from Microsoft.

Mike #39;s mailbag


RUSSIAN prosecutors charged a Chechen man with terrorism and murder in connection with the deadly hostage-taking at a school in southern Russia, the Interfax news agency reported today.

Chechen charged over siege


JAKARTA (Reuters) - Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono  took office as Indonesia's first directly elected leader on  Wednesday after sweeping to power by vowing faster job growth,  a war on corruption and tough punishment for terrorists. A  solemn-looking Yudhoyono was sworn in at parliament in front of  the very legislators many expect will challenge the big popular  mandate he won in Indonesia's historic democratic presidential  ballot last month.

Indonesian Former General Sworn in as President


Intel has dropped plans to turn its latest batch of chip sets into wireless access points, citing a lack of interest from PC vendors and the rising number of stand-alone access points.

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


The real-estate investment trust recently bought an options position that equaled 4.3 percent of Sears, Roebuck shares - and announced that it had done so even though it wasn #39;t required by law.

VORNADO MAKES BUNDLE ON SEARS


Three senior ruling party members are arrested for carrying guns to a meeting with Malawi's president.

Armed Malawian politicians held


Punch Taverns, the acquisitive tenanted pubs owner, has swallowed a further 1,064 pubs, taking its estate to more than 8,000 sites.

Punch pays 335m for InnSpired


MOSCOW (Reuters) - Chechnya's rebel leader said on Friday  that warlord Shamil Basayev would go on trial for the mass  hostage-seizing at a Russian school that ended with more than  320 people being killed, half of them children.

Warlord Will Be Tried for Beslan - Chechen Rebel


Red Hat has expanded its Open Source portfolio through an agreement to acquire specific assets of Netscape Security Solutions, namely the Netscape Directory Server and the Netscape Certificate Management System, both part of the Netscape Enterprise Suite.

Red Hat wants some of Netscape Enterprise Solutions


Dwight Yorke, the Birmingham City striker at the centre of a police investigation into alleged racism at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, is upset by the lack of support he

Yorke eyes transfer over lack of support #39;


Tire maker Cooper Tire  amp; Rubber Co. has sold its Detroit-area auto supplier business -- known as Cooper-Standard Automotive -- to two New York private-equity firms.

Cooper sells


The launch of the Microsoft digital-music store takes direct aim at Apple Computer's dominant iTunes service, setting off a battle of the bands between the online music sellers and their rock-star frontmen -- Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
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Microsoft Steps Into  Ring


AP - Results of recent polls on the presidential race. Listed above each set of results is the name of the 2000 winner in a given state, the organization that conducted the poll, the dates, the number interviewed, whether it was adults, registered voters (RV) or likely voters (LV) and the margin of error (MoE). Results may not total 100 percent because of rounding.

Results of Presidential Campaign Polls (AP)


Pierce returned after taking a hit in the mouth during the final minute. He played with a mouth guard following seven hours of dental surgery after being hit with an elbow during Saturday #39;s win at New York.

Celtics 90 Trail Blazers 88


TOKYO (Reuters) - With its acquisition of Hollywood film  studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Corp is one step closer to its  vision of linking hardware and content, and to winning the key  battle for the next generation DVD.

MGM Deal Brings Sony Closer to Its Vision


A new study finds that technologies already exist to solve the problem of global warming. It says strategies employing these technologies over the next fifty years could put the brakes on rising levels of

New Study Finds Technology Already Exists to Solve Global Warming


WASHINGTON - One of the central themes in U.S. Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign is ending tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. But the IT community is split on whether Kerry's plan would actually keep jobs in the U.S.

Kerry's plan on outsourcing faces mixed reviews


AP - The trail has gone cold in the hunt for suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden three years after the audacious attacks, but the al-Qaida chief and his No. 2 are still orchestrating strikes like the recent suicide car bombing of a U.S. security firm in Kabul, a top American commander said Saturday.

General: Bin Laden Likely Issuing Orders (AP)


The US government is making it easier for airports that want to replace federal baggage and passenger screeners with privately employed workers.

Airports turn to private screeners


Actional Corp. and Westbridge Technology Inc. on Monday announced the merger of the two companies, reflecting consolidation in the Web services market, as vendors try to provide a broader product portfolio to a larger customer base.

Westbridge Merger Is Where The Actional Is


SINCE only the late Sam Snead won more golf tournaments after he turned 40 - the American won 17 times while the Fijian has already claimed 11 victories in 16 months since he reached the same age - its fair to speculate Vijay Singh knows more about how

Singh tells Tiger to get back in swing


MANCHESTER United today revealed that it paid footballers #39; agents a staggering 5.5m in the last financial year. In an unprecedented move, the club published a detailed list of payments as part of a new policy

United paid Agents 5m


Q My computer #39;s hard drive died, and I had to replace it. All my songs are still intact on my iPod, but how do I get them back on the PC?

HELP FILE


Holder Tim Henman, beaten 7-5, 6-1 at the Paris Masters by Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the third round Friday, has turned his sights toward the Masters Cup.

Holder Henman Crashes Out of Paris Masters


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday,  as a drop in oil prices boosted investor confidence about the  economy, but thin volume meant dealers were skeptical about the  strength of the rally.

Stocks End Up as Oil Prices Fall


WEARABLE solar panels that help charge mobile phones or music players are likely to come on sale within three years, the New Scientist says.

An all-new power walk


DURING 21 years in coaching, I #39;ve been lucky enough to reach the grand final five times. These games represent the pinnacle of your career, but at the same time produce a very strange sensation.

Coaches take back seat as the formula kicks in


quot;Firefox #39;s gains are clearly accelerating, quot; WebSideStory Chief Marketing Officer Rand Schulman said.  quot;Much of it has to do with the release of Firefox #39;s version 1.0 on November 9, after several months of offering a preview version.

Firefox Burning Up Internet Explorer Market Share


Watching the Jonathan Woss Show last week, I was more than impressed with U2 #39;s fabulous live performance, thinking that the Irish supergroup were right back at the top of their form.

Do they know it #39;s Christmas?


AP - A judge on Monday appointed a third expert to examine a former Baylor basketball player charged with killing a teammate. Two other experts found Carlton Datson incompetent to stand trial in the shooting death of Patrick Dennehy.

Expert Appointed in Baylor Player Death (AP)


AFP - Thirteen employees of a botanical garden in Stockholm ended up in the hospital showing symptoms of drug poisoning after a departing intern served them cake as a goodbye gesture, police said.

A sky-high Swedish farewell cake poisons 13 (AFP)


Microsoft Corp launched the beta version of its new MSN Toolbar Suite on Monday, with what it calls is  #39;breakthrough desktop search functionality #39; that will help users quickly find virtually any type of document, media file or e-mail message on their

Microsoft desktop search tool launched


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were flat on Friday after  reports showed U.S. economic growth in the second quarter  matched economists' forecasts and consumer sentiment picked up  above expectations in late August.

U.S. Stocks Flat After GDP, Consumer Data


XM Satellite's recruitment of well-known personalities, including Bob Edwards, has been the most aggressive effort to date to win listeners.

The Broad Reach of Satellite Radio


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BellSouth Corp. <A HREF=

BellSouth Posts Lower Quarterly Earnings


AP - CinemaNow Inc., the Internet-based movie service, is a rarity in Hollywood  #151; a company that eagerly embraces Microsoft Corp. technology and relies on it exclusively to transmit, protect and display the movies it rents to customers. Then again, Microsoft is a major investor in the company, which is also owned by independent studio Lions Gate.

Entertainment World Wary of Microsoft (AP)


A suicide bomber killed one person and wounded 60 on Thursday when he blew up his car in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, doctors and officials said.

Car Bomb West of Baghdad Kills One, Wounds 60


AP - When a hail of bullets hit the car in which Jinan Adnan and her family were riding, she followed her maternal instincts  #151; and paid with her life.

Iraqis, GIs Share Uneasy Relationship (AP)


WESTWOOD -- Ninety-nine percent of the time, it would be good for the opposing team to keep Xaverian quarterback Zack Asack and the Hawks' potent offense (38.75 points per game) off the field.

Special teams break loose to launch Xaverian


Mark Thatcher is likely to face questions in a South African court over allegations he funded an aborted military coup in Equatorial Guinea.

Thatcher to face questions over Equatorial Guinea coup


NEW DELHI, September 06 (Online): Pakistan and India Sunday agreed on a series of confidence-building measures (CBMs), including talks on starting a bus service between the divided parts of Kashmir, in a bid to normalise ties.

Pakistani, Indian FMs agree on series of CBMs


NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) - Sudan risks falling into  Somalia-style anarchy if peace talks aimed at ending separate  crises in Darfur and the south fail and embolden more factions  to take up arms, the top U.S. envoy to Sudan said Friday.

U.S. Envoy: Sudan Could See Somali-Style Anarchy


THE Viking invasion of the UK gathered momentum last night when Icelandair confirmed that it had spent about 50 million building an 8.4 per cent stake in easyJet.

Icelandair lands 8.4 of easyJet


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen abducted two Americans and a Briton in a brazen attack Thursday on a house in an upscale Baghdad neighborhood where many embassies and foreign companies are based, the Interior Ministry and witnesses said. It was the latest in a wave of kidnappings of foreigners in Iraq...

2 Americans, 1 Briton Kidnapped in Iraq


Nokia said on Tuesday that it plans to enhance its Series 80-based line so that the mobile devices come preloaded with BlackBerry software from Research In Motion.

Nokia phones to get Blackberry touch


BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Drugstore.com Inc. Monday widened its third-quarter loss projection and lowered its revenue forecast. The company said sales from its Vision Direct Corp.

Drugstore.com: wider loss on lower sales


Industrial production and new home construction rose sharply last month, suggesting that the economy is overcoming high energy prices and rebounding from the summer slump.

Reports Suggest Economy Is Warming Up


AP - Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield will miss his second straight game with a high ankle sprain, sitting out Sunday's contest against Detroit.

Vikings' Winfield to Miss Game vs. Lions (AP)


Avery Johnson is retiring as a player to focus on his new role as Don Nelson #39;s lead assistant, league sources told ESPN.com #39;s Marc Stein.

Donnie Nelson moves to front office


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

PeopleSoft Posts Profit


At Britain's Conservative Party's conference this week, leaders planned how to regain power.

Party tries to put 'Tory' back into victory


U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Friday the United States should cut its\budget gap to foster a more balanced pattern of global trade and avoid painful economic consequences.

Greenspan Urges Budget Gap Reduction


Chinese officials reiterated their country would move toward a flexible foreign exchange rate, but offered no new specifics on the timing in a joint statement issued on Friday after talks with high-level US officials.

China Pledges to Move Steadily on Forex


ST. ANDREWS, Scotland  England #39;s David Howell highlighted his round with an eagle Friday to take a one-stroke lead over compatriot and Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald after two rounds of the Dunhill Links Championship.

Howell grabs Dunhill lead


The Kosovo parliament on Friday elected former rebel leader Ramush Haradinaj, an ethnic Albanian, as prime minister of the UN-controlled southern Serbian province.

Former rebel leader elected Kosovo prime minister


Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated Thursday that he expects to reach a compromise with the EU on the vexed issue of Cyprus before the end of a two-day Brussels summit.

Turkish PM eyes last-minute compromise on Cyprus


_Top seed Amelie Mauresmo reached the quarterfinals of the US\$585,000 (euro483,255) Generali Ladies Open at the Intersport Arena on Thursday, beating Poland #39;s Marta Domachovska 6-4, 6-0.

Mauresmo, Sugiyama reach quarters in Linz


OCTOBER 27, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Yahoo Inc. for the first time is letting mobile phone users query its search engine, giving them access to conventional Web results, local business listings and related

Yahoo search goes mobile


Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric met former boss Harry Redknapp today to publicly clarify the transfer policy at Fratton Park. Redknapp stood down last week after weeks of uncertainty over his future at the Barclays Premiership club.

Mandaric and Redknapp Clear the Air


Global warming is heating the Arctic almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet in a thaw that threatens millions of livelihoods and could wipe

Fast Arctic Thaw Threatens People, Polar Bears


First Troy Glaus, then Russ Ortiz, and the Arizona Diamondbacks say they aren #39;t finished.  quot;This is the second day of the new Diamondbacks, quot; Arizona managing partner Ken Kendrick

Diamondbacks make a splash


AP - Marion Jones made a quiet debut, drawing a smattering of applause while advancing to the long jump final. Allen Johnson attracted the eyes of the entire Olympic Stadium, for all the wrong reasons.

Jones in Long-Jump Final; Johnson Falters (AP)


TEHRAN: Iran yesterday said it was not obliged to allow UN inspectors to visit military sites alleged to be involved in secret nuclear weapons work, but that it was willing to discuss the issue.

Iran sites  #39;off limits for UN checks #39;


It is often said, mostly by broadcasters who have more time to fill than salient details, that the most important moment in a baseball game can come at any time.

Angels bring A-game, but A #39;s don #39;t


Five Germans thought to be missing in the Sahara are safe but face charges for the alleged theft of artefacts.

Sahara tourists face theft charge


Kobe Bryant has accused Karl Malone of making a pass at his wife, Vanessa, at a game last month. She told him that Malone made inappropriate comments to her Nov. 23 at Staples Center.

Kobe upset by Malone #39;s alleged come-on to wife


The Montreal Expos have received legal notice from Major League Baseball that the team will move Nov. 30, TQS television reported yesterday.

Expos to move Nov. 30


roundup Plus: MLB sells game clips for 99 cents...TiVo hires marketing chief...Jail time for California swappers?...Microsoft updates home PC package.

Briefly: Oracle extends deadline on PeopleSoft bid


The Seattle Times article: MSN search engine has foot in door, takes a close look at how a search box in MSN Messenger 7.0 might reveal clues about MSN #39;s  quot;broader strategy in the search business.

Microsoft #39;s  quot;Broader quot; Search Strategy


Kirk Hinrich and the Bulls are starting to play in a relaxed fashion, and it #39;s resulting in victories. Kirk Hinrich scored nine of his 28 points in a 15-0 run, and the Chicago Bulls beat the

Bulls book first back-to-back victories


A small plane en route to a NASCAR race crashed Sunday in southern Virginia, killing all 10 people aboard, officials said. The Beech 200 took off from Concord, North Carolina

10 killed in crash of US small plane in Virginia


Arsenal have cruised into the knockout stage of the Champions League with an effortless 5-1 win over shambolic Norwegian champions Rosenborg Trondheim to win Group E at Highbury.

Arsenal cruise into knockout stage


Vivisimo this week unveiled Clusty.com, the first full-service search engine site powered completely by Vivismios breakthrough clustering technology.

Vivisimo Search Engine Clusty Offers More Targeted Search


With longtime captain Claudio Reyna sidelined with a thigh injury, Coach Bruce Arena feels comfortable tapping 22-year-old phenom Landon Donovan to captain the U.S. squad.

Donovan Captains Team


Maruti Udyog Ltd. said on Tuesday that the Directors have approved a proposal that the forthcoming Diesel Engine Manufacturing Plant will be controlled and managed by Suzuki Metal India Ltd (proposed to be

Suzuki to manage Maruti #39;s diesel engine mfg plant


Ednan Al-Ghoul, a Hamas leader responsible for developing the Qassam rockets fired by Palestinians at Israeli towns, was killed in a missile strike near Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Hamas Leader Killed in Israeli Air Force Strike Near Gaza City


A new breed of specialty search engines promise to deliver the best bargains to travelers using the web to find the best airfares and accommodations. They're challenging established sites like Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz.

Travel Upstarts Take on Top Sites


Motorola and MasterCard want to prove that reducing the fumble factor can save merchants money. Phones equipped with PayPass, MasterCard #39;s contactless payment service, are expected to go through rigorous testing

Motorola Tests M-Commerce


NEW YORK, October 18 (newratings.com) - Crude oil prices increased to new record high levels for the third consecutive day, reaching \$55.

World oil prices rise to another record high


Not if you believe his critics, who say the new measures are all about politics

Will Putin's Power Play Make Russia Safer?


At a time when the nation's wireless companies are increasingly desperate for more airwaves to serve its customers, little-known NextWave Telecom Inc. has networks up and running in 26 markets but has never served a single paying customer.
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There's Gold in That There Dead Air


BRITISH Airways today announced plans to sell its 425 million stake in Australias Qantas Airways to cut debt and take advantage of consolidation in Europe.

BA to offload Qantas stake


Amid repeated cautions that no breakthrough was expected, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan came together Wednesday for a rare meeting, despite tough positions stated

Pakistani and Indian prime ministers hold rare talks in New Delhi


After sitting out the final two games of the weekend #39;s series with the Red Sox, Jason Giambi was not in the Yankees lineup again last night and, for the first time, manager Joe Torre

Yankees notebook: Giambi may not be fall guy


Much of the technology being showcased at this week's SC2004 supercomputing conference could eventually make its way into corporate IT data centers, say supercomputing backers.

Future Watch: Supercomputing technology to keep tabs on


AFP - South African fixed line monopoly Telkom vowed to go ahead with plans to cut 4,000 jobs despite a court injunction forcing the state-run enterprise to seek agreement with the unions.

South African telephone monopoly to go ahead with lay-offs despite court ban (AFP)


KHARTOUM, Aug 21 (AFP) - Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail Saturday dimissed a UN warning that some 30,000 people displaced by the civil war in Darfur were poised to join a mounting exodus to neighbouring Chad.

Sudan Dismisses UN Warning Of New Refugee Exodus To Chad


Juventus striker Alessandro Del Piero has sustained an Achilles tendon injury that will rule him out for two weeks. The Italian international will miss the World Cup qualifiers against Slovenia and Belarus

Del Piero injury blow


AP - The Navy's chief investigator concluded Friday that procedures were followed properly in the approval of Sen. John Kerry's Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals, according to an internal Navy memo.

Navy Says Kerry's Service Awards OK'd (AP)


Key Palestinian militant groups, including ones headed by Mahmoud Abbas, have rejected the leader #39;s calls to end their armed fight against Israel.

Abbas #39; own militants reject call to end intifida


Cuts in listing fees forced by an Office of Fair Trading inquiry have left London Stock Exchange swallowing a 6 per cent fall in interim operating profits.

Fee cuts take toll on stock exchange profits


Washington, Sept. 24: Bill Gates kept his ranking atop the richest people in the United States, boosting his worth to 48 billion dollars, but investor Warren Buffett, edged closer, Forbes magazine said today.

Bill Gates remains atop list of richest: Forbes


SRINAGAR: The head of held Kashmir #39;s main opposition party, Omar Abdullah, survived an assassination bid Sunday for the second time in a month when rebels exploded a bomb a few steps away from him, police said.

Omar Abdullah survives assassination bid


With the game tied 17-17, the Dolphins stopped the Seahawks on downs and got the ball at their own 47 with 1:51 remaining. On third down, AJ Feeley threw a 7-yard pass to Chris Chambers for a first down at the Seattle 41.

Boulware returns interception 60 yards for TD


AP - Sept. 11 commission members thought it would be too difficult to break up the CIA and rearrange the Pentagon's spy agencies under a single national intelligence director, as is being proposed in the Senate, the commission's vice chairman says.

Lawmakers Introduce Sept. 11 Legislation (AP)


AP - U.S. troops discovered eight more bodies in the restive northern Iraqi city of Mosul, bringing the number of bodies found there since Nov. 10 to more than 150, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Eight More Bodies Found in Mosul (AP)


The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a drug for multiple sclerosis that has shown early evidence of being more effective than existing drugs.

Multiple sclerosis drug approved


AP - Peru will not abide by an international human rights court ruling supporting the release of Lori Berenson, a New York woman imprisoned for collaborating with Marxist guerrillas, the country's foreign minister said, according to news reports Saturday.

Report: Peru Would Refuse to Free Berenson (AP)


Washington (Oct. 27, 2004) - In two separate votes at a meeting today, one split and one unanimous, the Securities and Exchange Commission decided to require the registration of most hedge funds, and to propose

SEC: Tougher on Hedge Funds, Looser on Quiet Periods


Militant supporters of radical Iraqi Shi #39;ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr kept their hold on a sacred religious shrine Sunday as fighting flared around the holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad.

Fightings Continue in Najaf


Most IT Managers won #39;t question the importance of security, but this priority has been sliding between the third and fourth most important focus for companies.

Worm speaks to Windows users


Research In Motion Ltd., which makes the BlackBerry handheld device and other mobile products, on Thursday said its second-quarter profit rose significantly on improved sales.

Research in Motion 2Q Profit Soars


ROME About 400 illegal immigrants landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa overnight, officials said Thursday, the latest in a wave of landings that has angered the government.

400 illegal immigrants land on Italian island


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Theodore Forstmann, a pioneer in the  leveraged buyout frenzy of the 1980s and 1990s, plans to leave  the business in 2006, the New York Times said on Sunday.

Report: Forstmann to Quit in 2006


Reuters - U.S. stocks to watch: CISCO SYSTEMS\INC. (CSCO.O) Cisco, the world's largest maker of gear for\directing Internet traffic, on Monday distributed 162 million\merit-based common stock options to employees, including 1.5\million to Chief Executive John Chambers. Its shares ended at\ #36;19.18 on Nasdaq.

Stocks to Watch on August 24 (Reuters)


Sun Microsystems expects to publicly debut Solaris 10 on Nov. 15, but its plans to release an open-source version of the Unix operating system remain in limbo.

Sun Solaris Open-Source Release Still Undecided


Review Fast, inexpensive and highly pocketable

Sony Cyber-shot DSC P150


Swiss watchmaker Swatch has teamed up with Microsoft #39;s MSN Direct division to launch a high-tech timepiece called Paparazzi. For wannabe celeb hunters, the smart watch offers specialised content from Time

#39;Paparazzi #39; watch calls time on celeb searches