Bruce Wasserstein, the chief executive of Lazard, has cancelled a board meeting scheduled for tomorrow that would have given him a further opportunity to push through

Wasserstein cancels board meeting to woo Lazard rebels


Outages continue to plague Microsoft's online service since the weekend, possibly due to a virus using the service to spread.

MSN fighting Messenger difficulties, virus


KARACHI : Pakistan levelled the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a fighting last-day victory, thanks to a 10-wicket haul to leg spinner Danish Kaneria and a timely half century from Shoaib Malik.

Cricket: Pakistan level series against Sri Lanka with nervous win


BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Always rivals, barely friends, finally partners...

Woods, Mickelson to Start in Ryder Cup


BRUSSELS The North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed on Thursday to enlarge from 60 to 300 the number of personnel stationed in Baghdad to train Iraqi soldiers, but not before there was a contentious discussion with the foreign ministers of six

Despite 6 refusals, NATO will increase Iraq training staff


Reuters - Hungary's new prime minister looked to\have scored a major victory on Sunday when the opposition\failed to garner enough votes to pass a referendum giving\citizenship to millions of Hungarians abroad.

Hungary PM Set for Victory Over Citizenship Vote (Reuters)


AP - The preliminaries in the 100 meters were perhaps just a sample of what's to come Sunday, when a talented group of qualifiers  #151; including Americans Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin and defending champion Maurice Greene  #151; will try to turn their competition into the fastest show at the Athens Games.

Athens Track Set for Sizzling Men's 100 (AP)


KABUL (Reuters) - A panel was investigating complaints of  Afghan election irregularities on Thursday, further delaying  the start of counting in a historic poll overshadowed by  concerns over multiple voting.

Panel Probes Afghan Poll Fraud, Counting Delayed


SIR Alex Ferguson has predicted Paul Scholes will end the season in double figures after finally breaking a 20-game goal drought at Old Trafford this afternoon.

Ferguson: delighted


Bangalore, Oct. 1 (NNN): Despite the ongoing concerns about an elbow injury, countrys master-blaster Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was included on Friday in the 15-member Indian squad for the first two cricket

Sachin In Squad For First Two Tests


London - Britain promised an urgent security review at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday after a campaigner dressed as Batman evaded armed police and staged a five-hour protest at Queen Elizabeth #39;s London residence.

Royal security measures under the spotlight


com. The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired veteran catcher Benito Santiago on Thursday from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league right-hander Leo Nunez.

19-year veteran slated to get bulk of action in 2005


Israel intends to step up a quick reaction system to combat Palestinian rocket attacks at Israeli targets, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the cabinet Sunday.

Israel to step up quick response system to combat rocket attacks <b>...</b>


Masters champion Phil Mickelson and British Open winner Todd Hamilton took two very different roads to get to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

First-time major winners Mickelson, Hamilton square off in Grand <b>...</b>


NEW YORK - Abortion-rights protesters and the first Republican delegates descended on President Bush's heavily fortified convention city Saturday as campaign officials said their boss would use the nomination spotlight to defend his hawkish foreign polices and offer a second-term agenda for health care, education and job training.

Delegates, Protesters Descend on New York


AP - A joint French, American and British anti-narcotics operation intercepted four smugglers with 880 pounds of cocaine off the coast of Colombia this week, France's Defense Ministry said Friday.

880 Pounds of Cocaine Seized Off Colombia (AP)


The National Hockey League and its players ended three days of labor talks in an apparent deadlock on Thursday, with little progress seen in avoiding a lockout by team owners later this month.

Lockout Looms as NHL, Players #39; Union Deadlocked


Wales head coach Mike Ruddock is urging his players to rewrite the history books with a famous victory over New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium.

RUDDOCK HOPING FOR PIECE OF HISTORY


The board of The Gribbles Group is expected to decide within days whether to recommend that shareholders accept a takeover offer that values the diagnostics company at up to \$270 million

Healthscope sets sights on ailing Gribbles


The former World Class product-of-the-year PDA gets a much-needed upgrade.

First Look: Danger Sidekick II


Pat Noonan is among the few part-time strikers to be leading a professional league in scoring. Noonan started the MLS season on the left wing for the Revolution and has lined up in midfield five times, most recently in an Aug. 28 game against D.C. United.

Thrill of the chases for Revolution


If you use Vioxx to help ease the pain of arthritis, you better start shopping around for new drug. Merck, the maker of Vioxx is voluntarily pulling the popular drug off the shelves because new research finds an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Merck Pulls Vioxx


Former Congolese rebels blocked Kinshasa #39;s troops reinforcement to the border with Rwanda, according to reports on Monday. According to senior military commanders in eastern

Former Congolese rebels block troops deployment in eastern DRC


The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled a total of nine different models because the printers can short circuit posing a shock hazard to users.

Don #39;t Touch That Printer Until You Read This Recall Notice


Temple-Inland Inc. (TIN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of packaging and building materials, on Monday said it will lay off about 1,500 employees as it repositions its mortgage

UPDATE 2-Temple-Inland Inc. says to cut 1,500 jobs


SPACE.com - As Moon exploration \looms larger among nbsp;the growing community of scientists and engineers from Europe, India, China, \Japan, and nbsp;the United States, a robotic lunar village is gaining support, leading to \a permanent human presence on the Moon by 2024.

Lunar Robotic Village, Moon Base Gains International Support (SPACE.com)


DeWhitt Betterson lost his shoe, then the football and in a matter of seconds the 19th-ranked Missouri Tigers had lost control of tonights nationally televised game to Troy.

Troy trounces tigers


Boyd Gaming has acquired 13 acres adjacent to the southwest side of its Stardust Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, the casino operator said in a regulatory filing.

Boyd Gaming Buys Land Next to Stardust Las Vegas


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose slightly against the  major currencies early on Monday in New York as dealers  adjusted positions ahead of two key U.S. economic indicators  due on Tuesday.

Dollar Rebounds But Still Under Pressure


The country #39;s economy has accelerated, carried by strong household and government spending, to reach its fastest annual pace in nearly four years, official figures show.

Consumers fuel growth


The move followed a four-game suspension of Bryant for violating the NFL #39;s substance abuse policy. He was arrested on a drunken-driving charge in Madison, Wis.

Cardinals activate defensive tackle from suspended list


A car bomb exploded outside the offices of the Al-Arabiya television station in central Baghdad on Saturday, injuring 16 people, police said.

Explosion rocks central Baghdad, hits al-Arabiya network offices


RBC, 27.09.2004, Moscow 15:49:32.YUKOS #39;s assets should be sold for about \$15bn, Ivan Materov, Deputy Minister for Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation, said at an economic conference  quot;Russia: investments in the economy of growth quot;.

YUKOS should be sold for \$15bn, official says


Reuters - Global arms sales fell for a third\consecutive year in 2003, dropping to  #36;25.6 billion from a peak\of  #36;41 billion in 2000, and Asia has overtaken the Middle East\as the biggest customer, according to a study released on\Monday.

Global Arms Sales Drop Again, Asia Biggest Market (Reuters)


ST. LOUIS -- The battle between the Houston Astros #39; unheralded Pete Munro and the St. Louis Cardinals #39; Matt Morris was a surprising push.

Cards #39; power leaves Astros all wet


After months of heated debate, a major revision, protests and an unsuccessful legislative assault, the most sweeping changes to the nation #39;s overtime rules in more than 50 years take effect tomorrow.

Rules for Overtime Pay to Take Effect


AFP - Australian opposition leader Mark Latham was released from hospital Saturday after suffering from an inflamed pancreas in the lead up to national elections.

Australian opposition leader released from hospital (AFP)


Brad Kinkelaar, whose mutual fund ranks among the top 15 percent in the United States this year, is depending on dividends from shipping port operators in China to help propel his investment returns.

Riding China #39;s Rising Boat


The United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, said yesterday that he had not known that his son had continued receiving payments until February of this year from a Swiss inspection company

Annan Says His Son #39;s Payments Created a  #39;Perception Problem #39;


Pervez Musharraf's war on al-Qaeda and on Pakistan's domestic extremists has earned him many enemies

Dangerous Commission


Reuters - Lovers of California's classic\cars, celebrated in the Beach Boys song for

Calif. Classic Car Lovers Dismayed by New Law (Reuters)


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The band that brought the  infectious grooves of

Black Eyed Peas to Produce Music for 'Urbz' Game


AP - A Brazilian government party official on Wednesday urged the opening of sealed records that could contain details of citizens tortured and killed by the former 21-year military dictatorship.

Brazil Official Eyes Secret Military Files (AP)


Donald Trump #39;s Trump Hotels  amp; Casino Resorts Inc. said it will seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of an agreement with bondholders to reduce debt by \$400 million.

Trump Hotels to Seek Bankruptcy in Deal With Holders (Update2)


Adidas-Salomon AG aims to lift sales in the US and soccer #39;s ruling body FIFA plans to raise its profile there by endorsing three Hollywood films part-produced by Mel Gibson and featuring David Beckham.

Adidas and Soccer Look to Hollywood to Boost Presence in US


Reliant Energy, a producer of power in 12 US states, plans to sell about \$4 billion in new debt in a refinancing that may cut the company #39;s interest costs.

Reliant plans debt sale of \$4 billion


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on  Wednesday, a day after a sharp sell-off, as oil tumbled  further, easing concerns about the impact high crude prices  have on corporate profits and consumer spending.

Stocks Open Higher, Lower Oil Prices Help


LOS ANGELES (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Clippers  signed first-round draft pick Shaun Livingston to a contract  Thursday. As per team policy, terms of the deal were not  released.

Clippers Sign Top Pick Livingston


Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Angel Berroa went 5-for-5 with five runs scored and Kansas City exploded for 10 runs in the fifth inning en route to a 17-8 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Royals Blast Yankees


For vivid reporting from the enormous zone of tsunami disaster, it was hard to beat the blogs.

Blogs Provide Raw Details From Scene of the Disaster


BRITISH soldier of fortune and former Scots Guard officer Simon Mann, the alleged leader of a failed African coup dtat, has been specially targeted for systematic torture by guards in Zimbabwes notorious Chikurubi Prison, according to two

Alleged coup leader Mann  #39;tortured #39;


LONDON: A British minister launched a scathing attack on heir to the throne Prince Charles on Thursday, accusing him of being  quot;very old fashioned quot; and out of touch in his views on teaching in schools.

Prince Charles chastised for  #39;old fashioned #39; views


Auburn junior offensive tackle Marcus McNeill sounded a little Zen-like, especially after an afternoon that was anything but non-violent.

Suddenly, Auburn may be the team to beat


KABUL, Afghanistan -- The United States could cut its forces in Afghanistan next summer if Taliban militants accept an amnesty to be drawn up by President Hamid Karzai and neighboring Pakistan, the senior US commander in Kabul said yesterday.

US eyes cut in troops in Afghanistan


Yahoo has launched a mobile version of its Web, image and local search offerings in a move that creates a new, wireless battlefield in the search engine wars.

E-Commerce Times


: Chinas freshly retired military leader Jiang Zemin threw his weight behind his successor Hu Jintao today and advised the armed forces never to renounce the use of force to reclaim Taiwan.

Jiang backs Hu, chants military unity mantra


US Secretary of State Colin Powell said there had been some  quot;progress quot; in European efforts to end Iran #39;s alleged nuclear weapons program.

Powell sees  #39;progress #39; on Iran nuke talks


Red tags marked  quot;75 OFF quot; have an effect on shoppers the way toys and games have on children: They serve as magnets, especially at the traditional start of the holiday shopping season this Thanksgiving weekend.

Shopping season starts


Buschwhacked: Martinez holds listless Cardinals to three hits over seven innings in front of booing St. Louis fans; Red Sox move to within one win of World Series.

Center of the Universe


DOHA (Reuters) - Qatari Energy Minister Abdullah al-Attiyah  said on Tuesday that \$30 a barrel was a fair price for oil -- a  level nearly \$20 below U.S. crude futures.

Qatar Sees \$30 as Fair Price for Oil


A former Walt Disney Co. director testified Monday that Disney chief executive Michael Eisner told her in a December 1996 telephone conversation that then-Disney President Michael Ovitz was being fired and was eligible for a large severance package.

Update 1: Ex-Disney Director Testifies About Eisner


\

 By Spencer Swartz

 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Inc. <PSFT.O> on\Thursday returned to profit in the third quarter from a year\earlier with a 12 percent rise in sales that upended market\fears that Oracle Corp.'s takeover bid had damaged PeopleSoft's\business in the quarter.

PeopleSoft Posts Profit


Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat appears to have faced down the biggest challenge to his leadership in years without giving ground on demands

Standing firm, Arafat seen to counter his critics


A spokesperson for the French Defence Ministry has said the medical records of the late Yasser Arafat can be released to certain parties, such as his family.

Arafat #39;s medical records may be released


After letting several teams come back to win, Florida holds off FSU in the final minutes. By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer. TALLAHASSEE - It had gained a reputation as a defense that would fold and collapse

Gators defense finally closes one out


Shareholders in StarHub, Singapore #39;s second-largest phone company, on Wednesday raised 457.7 million Singapore dollars, or \$271 million, in an initial public offering after selling shares at the lowest targeted price, bankers involved said.

Investors in StarHub sell shares


China #39;s recent decision to cancel a military exercise, followed a few days later by a similar announcement from Taiwan, offered the first ray of hope in months that relations were on the mend.

Sabre rattling stopped for now


ROME - Italy reacted with horror Friday at the killing of an Italian hostage in Iraq, while the Italian government insisted it would stay the course in the Middle Eastern country.

Italy reacts with horror at hostage killing in Iraq


CINCINNATI (Ohio): American Lindsay Davenport advanced to the final of the WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday after Frances Marion Bartoli pulled out with a blister on her right hand.

Davenport reaches Cincinnati Open final


SCO Group's faltering attack on Linux faces another threat as Big Blue files motion seeking dismissal of contract claims.

IBM strikes at SCO claims


PARIS - France is ready to play a greater role in rebuilding Iraq and has invited Iraqi President Ghazi Yawar for talks in Paris next month, President Jacques Chirac said in a speech on Friday.

France ready to help more in Iraq - Chirac


RAMALLAH: The wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi said last night she was registering him to run for president to succeed Yasser Arafat.

Barghouthi to contest poll


Tech companies can #39;t just have products. They have to have a vision. At IBM, it #39;s  quot;on-demand quot; computing. At companies in just about any business more complicated than hubcaps, it #39;s  quot;selling solutions.

The Vision Thing


The simplest agenda at the Heritage tournament at Woburn has been the winning one, which was achieved yesterday by Henrik Stenson, the deadpan Swede, who played magnificently to finish on 19 under par.

Stenson grit wins the day


The Football Association announced today they will introduce a test for the banned drug erythropoietin (EPO)  #39;in the near future #39;.

FA to test for EPO


Multimedia Card Association kicks off ad campaign to promote the small cards based on its specifications.

Ad campaign touts multimedia cards


The UK #39;s economic growth slowed in the third quarter as manufacturing output declined, preliminary data has shown. Gross domestic output (GDP) increased 0.4 in the three months to 18 October, according to

UK economy slows in third quarter


For 34 years, Foster Cass patrolled the sidelines for the Duxbury boys' soccer team. After a brief retirement last year, Cass returned to Duxbury yesterday, this time as coach of Pembroke (5-10), in its first year as a high school.

Experience on Dragons' side


For the first time, broadband connections are reaching more than half (51 percent) of the American online population at home, according to measurement taken in July by Nielsen/NetRatings, a Milpitas-based Internet audience measurement and research ...

Broadband used by 51 percent of online population


It #39;s instructing executive-branch heads to give priority to supercomputing and cyberinfrastructure research and development in their fiscal 2006 budgets.

White House Touts High-End Computing In R amp;D Budgets


Every night, millions of cashed checks fly around the country, headed for their home bank. Starting Thursday, technology will begin grounding many of those flights.

Check 21 law to process checks faster


Average customers know the same thing that ministers of high finance understand: It #39;s all about the price. Shoppers Thursday at the Billings Sears store were eager to find out what a proposed

Kmart-Sears merger about price, quality


When you hear the words  quot;comic books, quot; two companies spring to mind: DC and Marvel. Despite having a checked history--even declaring bankruptcy in the late 1990s--Marvel has become a financial powerhouse in the 21st Century.

Marvel sues NCSoft over City of Heroes


Israel has carried out an air raid on the northern part of the Gaza Strip, killing a Palestinian near the Jabaliya refugee camp. The Israeli army said the dead man was one of a group of militants who tried to approach its positions.

#39;Militant #39; killed in Gaza strike


Nearly 16 years after Ron Stoops's death, his four football-coaching sons have seen to it that his legacy reverberates throughout Youngstown and college football.

A Family of Coaches Has Followed Its Leader


November 01, 2004 - It looks like the folks at Capcom Entertainment were only kidding when they sternly insisted over and over again that the GameCube action-thriller Resident Evil 4 would forever remain exclusive to Nintendo #39;s console.

Resident Evil 4 Exclusive No More


When choosing a mate, we often look for financial, moral, physical and emotional compatibility. Add one more characteristic to the list: connectivity. Commentary by Regina Lynn.

Keeping Love Connections Open


Free application creates topic folders on your PC and fills them with the files it finds.

Blinkx Unveils Smarter Desktop Search


Elaine Youngs and three-time Olympian Holly McPeak entered the semifinal of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament with a 0-13 record against compatriots Misty May and Kerri Walsh dating back to Sept.

May/Walsh advance to gold-medal match


IBM Corp. and LG Electronics Inc. will end their eight-year joint venture company, LG IBM PC Co., by the year #39;s end, according to an Associated Press report.

IBM, LG Electronics Put Brakes On Joint Venture


Technology which could help produce a nuclear bomb has gone missing in Iraq since the invasion, the UN warns.

Nuclear assets 'vanish' in Iraq


ROME - A watchtower built for the International Space Station (news - web sites) was turned over to the European Space Agency on Monday, the Italian aerospace company Alenia said.

Italian Tower Ready for Space Station


Popular Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu, seems to have gathered the juiciest bits of gossip regarding Nintendo in its latest issue.

Famitsu Reveals All


Reuters - Angry forest service workers blocked\highways, halted trains and forced an airport to shut down on\Thursday, effectively cutting off the southern toe of Italy in\a protest against spending cuts that could cost hundreds of\jobs. The demonstrations across Calabria, the region that makes\up the tip of the Italian boot, are the latest by state sector\workers upset by the belt-tightening 2005 budget and follows a\general strike last week.

Angry Forest Workers Cut Off Toe of Italy (Reuters)


AP - NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe said Wednesday the cost of fixing all that ails the space shuttle fleet could top  #36;2.2 billion  #151; double the estimated price tag given to Congress a year ago.

Space Shuttle Repairs Could Top  #36;2.2B (AP)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. <A HREF=

AT T Posts \$7.1 Bln Loss on Writedown


Bangkok (VNA) - A young Thai man in eastern Prachinburi province died of bird flu on Wednesday, Thai Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan said.

Thai man dies of bird flu


Insurance broker Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. said yesterday it is renegotiating terms of \$2.8 billion of backup bank financing after New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued the company last week.

Beleaguered firm renegotiating bank lines


The Internet media company's quarterly profit was boosted by stronger online advertising and its acquisition of Overture Services.

Yahoo's Profit More Than Triples


Israeli PM Ariel Sharon's Likud party is to  vote on whether to invite the opposition Labour Party into the coalition.

Sharon seeks coalition go-ahead


Reuters - Water spilled into the North Sea from\offshore oil and gas drilling is less of a threat to fish than\previously thought, a Norwegian study showed on Thursday.

Oil Chemical Cleared of Damaging N.Sea Fish-Study (Reuters)


NEW YORK - Andy Roddick scuffed his hand, scuffled with the chair umpire and barely shook hands with Rafael Nadal when the match was over. A tough night for the defending U.S...

Roddick, Serena Advance at U.S. Open


Truck operators today called off their week-long strike after an agreement with the Government to form a committee to study the vexed service tax issue.

Truck operators call of week-long strike


TOKYO (CBS.MW) - Japan #39;s third-largest automaker Honda Motor Co. said Wednesday its first-half net profit rose 0.9 percent to 241.

Japan automaker hikes FY forecast


In the beginning, there was Napster. And the lords of the music industry looked upon it and declared war. And the hordes of music fans fought back, using technology to the utmost in order to continually stay

P2P sites shut down, MPAA unleashes lawsuits worldwide


Forbes.com - Rural hospitals, car insurers and furniture stores aren't exactly the first businesses that come to mind when talking about growth stocks, but fund manager Richard Aster Jr. picks through such sleepy industries to find growing companies that others have ignored.

Cherry-Picking Growth (Forbes.com)


RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinians began registering candidates yesterday for a presidential election to succeed Yasser Arafat, while officials warned that the vote may be delayed if Israel does not halt military activities.

Palestinian candidates shaping ballot


The attorney for Shining Path rebel leader Abimael Guzman said Tuesday he has been barred from visiting his client, who is being retried in a civilian court on terrorism charges.

Peru Rebel Leader's Lawyer Decries Access


TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average is expected to  extend gains on Thursday as investors keep a healthy appetite  for blue-chip exporters after a fall in oil prices boosted  confidence over the U.S. economy and lifted Wall Street stocks.

Nikkei Seen Firming After 11,000 Cleared


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc. said on Wednesday that the  auction has closed for its initial public offering.

Google Says IPO Auction Has Closed


International Business Machines Corp (IBM) said it created the world #39;s fastest supercomputer and is using it as the model for smaller, less costly systems due next year that can handle trillions of calculations a second.

IBM creates fastest super model in the world


ATHENS (Reuters) - Her tumble-turn mightn't be as fast as  it once was but when it comes to turning heads, Inge de Bruijn  is still queen of the pool.

Pool Queen Celebrates with a Beach Party


Barrel racer Kelly Maben of Spur, Texas, won her second straight round in the National Finals Rodeo on Sunday night, topping the competition with a 13.92-second run - the first sub 14-second mark in three rounds.

Rodeo: Kelly Maben Win in Barrel Racing


Sony is having trouble meeting soaring demand for flat televisions as its assembly lines did not gear up quickly enough.

Sony Lags Behind Demand for Flat TV's


The US dollar fell against the euro Wednesday amid persistent concerns over the US trade and budget deficits, despite a pledge from President Bush to work with Congress to reduce the huge twin deficits.

US Dollar Falls Against the Euro


SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Retailers expected Apple Computer Inc. #39;s iPod music player to be a hot item this holiday season but are still struggling to keep up with demand.

Technology


An Army  reservist who checked himself into a civilian psychiatric hospital after being turned away from a military clinic should be court-martialed for being absent without leave, according to an Army report.

Hospitalized Reservist's AWOL Case to Proceed


WASHINGTON - Even as Congress revamps the nation's intelligence network, lawmakers appear intent on getting a new CIA chief in office before they adjourn next month for the November election.    President Bush's choice for the post, retiring Rep...

Senate Mulls Whether Goss Should Head CIA


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Car bombs killed five U.S. troops in Iraq, the U.S...

Car Bombs Kill Five Troops in Iraq


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The RCMP has warned its investigators to be on the lookout for cleverly disguised messages embedded by al-Qaida in digital files police seize from terror suspects.

Al-Qaida may be hiding messages in computer files, Mounties warn (Canadian Press)


Since the widening controversy over the UN #39;s oil-for-food program bubbled onto the international stage last January, it #39;s been a weapon for conservatives in Congress who want to see Kofi Annan walk the plank.

Don #39;t rush to judge Annan


US goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who lost his starting job at Tottenham, joined Southampton on Friday in a four-week loan deal. Keller has played in only two games for Spurs this season after being

US  #39;keeper Kasey Keller joins Southampton on loan


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

Sony Considers MP3 Support to Silence iPod Fans


USATODAY.com - A subdued Craig Conway admitted Wednesday that he responded to a hostile takeover bid for the company he led, PeopleSoft (PSFT), with a campaign of

Conway acknowledges slamming Oracle (USATODAY.com)


The Boston law firm Testa, Hurwitz  amp; Thibeault yesterday named F. George Davitt its managing partner.

Testa Hurwitz names managing partner


AFP - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has recognised China as a full market economy, Chinese state press reported following a meeting of ASEAN finance ministers in Indonesia.

ASEAN recognizes China as market economy (AFP)


AFP - A massive manhunt was underway for three UN foreign election workers whose daylight abduction in Kabul has sparked fears of the start of Iraq-style kidnappings in Afghanistan.

Manhunt underway for UN hostages, as fears rise of Iraq-style kindappings (AFP)


On the cusp of its voyage into public trading, Google #39;s initial stock price was set at \$85 and its market value calculated at \$23 billion - less than originally expected, but still impressive for a 6-year-old dot-com dreamed up in a garage.

Update 25: Google #39;s IPO Price Set at \$85 Before Debut


Hewlett-Packard(HP) is planning to build virus throttling technology into ProLiant servers and ProCurve switches starting in early 2005, an HP executive said Tuesday.

HP to release Virus Throttler for Windows in 2005


If you believe Dale Earnhardt Jr. is hurting now, wait until late next month, should he fail to recoup the 25 points he lost for uttering a naughty word on national television following last week #39;s emotional victory at Talladega (Ala.

Potty mouth could cost Earnhardt Jr. more than \$3 million


Georgia #39;s homegrown Delta Air Lines has scratched and clawed for three years now, trying to gain every concession it deemed necessary to avoid filing bankruptcy.

Delta #39;s position still precarious


Afghanistan #39;s Interior Ministry says the militant group claiming to have kidnapped three UN workers is not, in fact, the group holding the captives.

Afghanistan Says Criminals, Not Militants, Are Holding UN Hostages


INDEPENDENT grocery wholesaler Metcash Trading has made a bold bid to become the third force in our supermarket scene behind Woolworths and Coles with a \$846 million offer for Foodland yesterday.

Metcash in \$846m raid on Foodland


The Woody, a modest gaff-rigged Hudson River ferry sloop, sets sail every weeknight from early spring to late fall, taking visitors for free on a two-hour sail along the Hudson.

This Boat Is Your Boat, This Boat Is My Boat, and the Hudson Is Beckoning


Mobile SMS users in the United States received a new mobile search tool today courtesy of none other than Google (Quote, Chart). The new SMS service, now in beta at Google Labs, promises to help mobile users execute search queries via SMS (define).

Texting Your Google Search


If Lehman Brothers had come through for Eric Johnson, the Seahawks would be breathing easier this afternoon.

Ivy product climbs in NFL


Pilots for US Airways are continuing to negotiate this weekend over the Arlington airline #39;s demand for a 16.5 percent pay cut, despite a warning from management that negotiations should have concluded yesterday.

Airways pilots extend talks


GREECE fiddled its way into the European single currency and should not have been allowed to join, according to the European Commission and other members of the euro.

Greece fiddled euro entry


Growing up in blue-collar Fort Wayne, Ind., Linda Dillman once contemplated a career as a beautician. But she chose a different path.

Wal-Mart #39;s Way


Symantec Corp., the top global security software maker, on Thursday said it will buy data management software company Veritas Software Corp.

Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion


Dell Inc. is pushing ahead with plans to open IT support hubs worldwide to improve its service delivery to buyers of its servers, storage devices and workstations. Although the hubs are aimed primarily at enterprise customers, they will also cover consumers and small and midsize businesses.

Dell hopes support hubs will improve service delivery


New program called Tycoon lets groups jockeying for needed computing power bid for the resources.

HP opens bidding on computing power


Japanese electronics firm looks to expand agreements with Wal-Mart, Costco to boost total sales. TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan #39;s Sony Corp.

Sony leans on discount retailers


On hearing the verdict there was a broad smile from Morgan Tsvangirai, applause from his supporters and tears of relief from his veteran attorney.

Does Tsvangirai outcome suit Mugabe?


TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's Magna International <A HREF=

Magna Int'l Names Mark Hogan as President


The U.S. economy added another 6,900 jobs in computer systems design and related services in October, but tech manufacturing posts fell again.

Tech services jobs keep rising


WASHINGTON - Ending weeks of stalemate, Congress is preparing to ship nearly \$15 billion to states battered by hurricane and drought as lawmakers plow through a final pile of pre-election bills that would cut taxes and revamp the intelligence community.    The House was expected to approve the hurricane and drought aid Saturday...

Congress Nears Approval of Multiple Bills


Russia #39;s President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that he has grave doubts regarding Iraqs plans for January elections. He told Iraq #39;s interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi at the Kremlin he could not see

Putin casts doubt on Iraq elections


The Panama Canal linked more than the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: it also connected rivers that had been separated by the Continental Divide.

Linking Rivers, With Happy Results


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Anadarko Petroleum Corp. <A HREF=

Anadarko Third-Quarter Earnings Rise


Crude oil was little changed in London after falling 12 percent from a record two weeks ago as rising US inventories, steady imports and mild temperatures generated optimism refiners will make enough heating oil for the winter.

Crude Oil Little Changed as US Inventory Gain Expected


Scooby-Doo is awarded a Guinness World Record for the most episodes of a cartoon comedy series.

Scooby-Doo breaks cartoon record


Japan #39;s Nikkei share average opened 0.63 percent higher on Monday after a fall in the yen helped some exporters such as Toyota Motor Corp.

Tokyo Stocks Open Higher, Exporters Gain


Pitching, as usual, will play a critical role in these playoffs, positively and negatively.

Expect Pitched Battles To Shape the Playoffs


Britain, leading an uphill international battle to help curb Afghanistan #39;s massive narcotics #39; production, says it is fairly confident its strategy will show a reduction in output within a year.

Britain confident of cut in Afghan drug output


New Delhi, Oct. 25. (PTI): A day after the militant attack on National Conference leaders in Kashmir, a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil reviewed the over-all situation in the state.

Patil reviews J amp;K situation with Army Chief


BUENOS AIRES : China #39;s President Hu Jintao and Argentine President Nestor Kirchner signed cooperation agreements as Chinese companies pledged investments of 20 billion US dollars.

China to invest 20 billion dollars in Argentina


AP - For the first time, 35 nations in the U.N. atomic watchdog agency demanded Saturday that Iran freeze all work on uranium enrichment  #151; a technology that can be used for nuclear arms  #151; and said they would judge Tehran's compliance in two months.

U.N. Demands Iran Halt Uranium Enrichment (AP)


Reuters - The United States said on Tuesday it may\soon take legal action in a trade row over government help for\Airbus and Boeing, particularly as the European aircraft maker\was seeking support for a new project. Washington and Brussels\have so far resisted launching legal action at the World Trade\Organization (WTO) in their battle over allegations of illegal\subsidies to the aviation rivals, but that option may now be\just weeks away.

US: Time Running Out in Airbus-Boeing Row (Reuters)


A US warplane struck three suspected insurgents as they planted an artillery shell on a street in Baghdad #39;s northeastern Shiite district of Sadr City on Friday, a military spokesman said.

US warplane fires at insurgents planting a roadside bomb in Sadr <b>...</b>


Lionhead supremo Peter Molyneux has taken the unprecedented step of apologising to fans on an official message board for any features that were described during Fable #39;s development that didn #39;t make it into the final game.

Molyneux apologises for missing features in Fable


A technique originally designed to analyse DNA sequences is the latest weapon in the war against spam. An algorithm named Chung-Kwei (after a feng-shui talisman that protects the home against evil spirits) can catch nearly 97 per cent of spam.

DNA technique protects against  #39;evil #39; emails


Preparation for the marriage of Japanese Princess Sayako, the 35-year-old daughter of Emperor Akihito, and Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo metropolitan government employee, started in

Preparation underway for marriage of Japanese Princess


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

Kraft Hikes Dividend Almost 14 Percent


Computer Associates International Inc has announced that the open source version of its Ingres database management system is now available with enterprise-level support options for Linux and Microsoft #39;s Windows.

CA supports open source Ingres for Linux and Windows


PARIS - Some 100 to 120 girls have defied a new law banning Islamic head scarves in classrooms and are in talks with school officials trying to convince them to remove the head coverings, Education Minister Francois Fillon said Wednesday.    It was the first complete figure made public since the start of the school year last Thursday...

Up to 120 Girls Defy French Head Scarf Ban


NEW YORK (Reuters) - World oil prices rose on Tuesday as  Hurricane Ivan charged toward the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico,  where energy companies shut down refineries and offshore oil  rigs and evacuated thousands of workers.

Oil Climbs as Hurricane Ivan Nears U.S.


NAJAF, Iraq (AP) - An aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said the militant leader instructed his followers late Thursday to turn over the keys of the revered Shiite shrine they were hiding in to top religious ...

Cleric Tells Militia to Turn Over Shrine


AFP - The death toll from a blast in a north China coal mine rose to about 50  after more than 20 bodies were found, the Xinhua news agency said.

Death toll from China coal mine blast rises to about 50 (AFP)


A judge has ordered a shipbuilder to stop using Tiger Woods #39; name and a photograph of his luxury yacht  quot;Privacy quot; for financial gain.

Shipbuilder ordered to stop using Woods #39; name


The Phillies exercised an option Friday for Wagner that will pay him \$9 million next season. Had Philadelphia not exercised the option, Wagner would have been owed a \$3 million buyout and would have been eligible to file for free agency.

Team exercises Wagner #39;s \$9 million option


LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday, Bill Gates launched a new version of the Media Centre PC, a personal computer that Microsoft wants to be the hub of everyone #39;s home entertainment system.

Gates launches new media centre


Comcast trials will provide a big clue about the software giant's prospects for cable success.

Crucial TV test for Microsoft


Around a fifth of the North Sea would be closed to fishing next year under European Commission plans for an unprecedented ban to help rescue cod stocks from collapse.

EU wants fishing ban in fifth of North Sea


They don #39;t call him the bulldozer for nothing. Our prime minister is a man who, once he has decided on a course of action, puts his head down and pursues it relentlessly - determinedly impervious to the demands of those who would steer him elsewhere.

Editor #39;s Notes: The challenge for the Palestinians


AP - John Edwards says voters should know that religion is important to him and to presidential candidate John Kerry but the issue shouldn't be used to divide people in the election.

Edwards: Religion Shouldn't Divide Voters (AP)


ATLANTA -- Tiger Woods appears ready to deliver a message.  quot;Hey Vijay! Hey Ernie! quot; it will say, approximately.  quot;Don #39;t get too comfortable up there in the penthouse.

Rebuilt Woods back on prowl


The global mobile phone market is expected to see a slow down in market growth due to the lack of additional catalysts, US high tech market research firm IDC warned on Tuesday.

IDC: mobile phone market growth to slow down in 2005


Australian Prime Minister John Howard said yesterday #39;s invitation for proposals from investment banks on how to sell the government #39;s A\$32 billion (\$24 billion) stake in Telstra Corp.

Howard Says Full Sale of Telstra This Term Isn #39;t Guaranteed


LONDON: Europes top equity market, the London Stock Exchange, has rejected a 1.3bil cash bid from Deutsche Boerse to create a dominant European exchange, but held the door open to talks.

LSE rejects bid from Deutsche Boerse


Parents who lost a son to cancer have built a website using their own funds to help other patients make sense of complicated treatment information. By Kristen Philipkoski.

Posting Straight Facts on Cancer


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi sued four leading group benefits insurers and broker Universal Life Resources, for allegedly taking part in secret kickback schemes that raised the cost of coverage for millions of

Deal with ULR targets MetLife, Prudential, Unum, Cigna


RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Dead Palestinian leader  Yasser Arafat's body will be flown to Cairo for a ceremony  Friday and then to the West Bank city of Ramallah for burial  the same day, a former aide said Thursday.

Arafat to Be Flown to Cairo on Friday - Aide


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to declare the initial public offering registration of Google Inc. (GOOG.OQ: Quote, Profile, Research) effective after 4 pm (2000 GMT), sources familiar with the matter said on ...

SEC Seen Making Google IPO Effective


Kevin Brown will return to the New York Yankees' rotation Sunday to start the series finale against the Boston Red Sox.

Brown to Start for Yanks on Sunday


AP - Fresh off his abrupt firing as PeopleSoft Inc.'s chief executive, an uncharacteristically subdued Craig Conway came to court Wednesday to defend his caustic counterattacks against Oracle Corp.'s  #36;7.7 billion takeover bid.

Conway Admits 'Vilifying' Oracle Bid, CEO (AP)


European Union finance ministers failed early Thursday to agree on tax breaks to ease the impact of high oil prices despite sharp prodding from France and dire warnings that they are threatening economic growth.

Europeans Fail to Agree on Tax Breaks


HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer  pronounced himself fit, rested and ready to end his season in  style with a successful defense of this Masters Cup title.

Federer Fit, Rested and Ready to Defend Crown


BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Oakland Hills, once  regarded as a monster of a course, has been praised by rival  Ryder Cup captains Bernhard Langer and Hal Sutton.

Oakland Hills Praised for Its Fair Ryder Cup Set-Up


In its fall outlook, the global lender cuts estimates for US GDP growth for both 2004 and 2005. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US economic growth should pick up in the second half of 2004 but costlier oil and weak

IMF: Oil, job outlook cloud US growth


BRITISH Health Secretary John Reid has emerged as Britain #39;s nanny-in-chief, with an extraordinary plan for state intervention in people #39;s personal lives.

No sex, drink or smokes, we #39;re British


In 2000, Greece brought home 13 medals. The Greek Olympic Committee hopes to double that number.

Even Greek grandmas root for the home team


Oct. 11 issue - IBM retirees will get their cash, but what #39;s it to you? It #39;s too soon to tell. Last week IBM agreed to pay \$300 million to settle old pension claims, and agreed to pay \$1.

Money: Pension Tension


Macedonian Prime Minister Hari Kostov announced his resignation on Monday after less than six months in office, saying reforms were being neglected.

Macedonia PM Quits, Says Reform Drive Not Supported


AP - Devin Brown sparked a fourth-quarter spurt with two three-point plays and two dunks, helping the San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 Monday night to spoil the pseudo-coaching debut of Avery Johnson.

Spurs Run Over Mavericks 107-89 (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a higher  market open on Wednesday, bouncing back from the previous  session's fall, after computer and printer maker  Hewlett-Packard Co. <A HREF=

HP, Sears Deal May Push Stocks Higher


Credit Suisse shares rose on Tuesday amid hopes Switzerland #39;s second-largest financial group will step up the pace of restructuring, prompted by a report that it

UPDATE 3-Credit Suisse gains on restructuring hopes


washingtonpost.com - NEW YORK -- Hundreds of thousands of antiwar protesters, abortion rights supporters, labor rights activists and anarchists are preparing to unfurl banners, march through the streets and rally in the parks, loosening a cacophonous roar of protest during the Republican National Convention.

New York Vs. the Protesters (washingtonpost.com)


SIR ALEX FERGUSON was delighted to see Manchester United book a Carling Cup semi-final crack at Chelsea with a rapid-fire strike and no off-field dramas.

FOOTBALL: REDS ARE SAVED BY THE BELL


Comedy Meet The Fockers remains top of the North American box office chart after taking another 23.7m.

Fockers retain film chart crown


Tens of thousands of supporters of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko demonstrated in Ukraine's capital for a third day Wednesday, and one of his allies said the only thing to negotiate with government authorities is the transfer of power.

Election Protests Continue in Ukraine


SEATTLE -- Achieving the Major League record for the most hits in a single year was  quot;the best moment of my career, quot; Seattle Mariners Ichiro Suzuki said after Friday #39;s game.

Ichiro talks about his  #39;greatest moment #39;


By now, bits and pieces of the Pacers-Pistons brawl have joined O. J.'s Bronco ride and the Zapruder film in the pantheon of numbingly overviewed news events.

Awash in Coverage, and in the Spin Cycle


Sao Caetano defender Serginho was taken to a hospital unconscious and in critical condition after collapsing during a Brazilian championship match Wednesday.

Sao Caetano Defender in Critical Condition


After months of heated wrangling and public speculation, a consortium led by Sony Corp. signed a definitive deal Thursday to buy the famous Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

Sony-led consortium signs definitive deal to buy MGM


Reuters - Hamid Karzai was due to be sworn in as\Afghanistan's first popularly elected President on Tuesday at a\ceremony attended by two of the figures most responsible for\easing him into power.

Karzai Set to Be Afghan President in Ring of Steel (Reuters)


Winemakers worried by a slump in sales stage street protests calling on the French government for help.

French winemakers take to streets


Considering a career change? Take this simple test to find your true talent and matching colleges. Start your future today.

ADV: Free Career Test


Roger Federer, the top seed and world number one, has rounded off his outstanding year with victory in the Masters Cup over Australian Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer finishes in style


FRANKFURT - Surging oil prices and the strength of the euro, currently at an all-time high around 1.32 dollars, are currently weighing on business morale in Germany, the eurozone #39;s biggest economy, a new poll showed.

Strong euro hurting German morale


The nation's top telephone regulators further deregulated Internet phone services.

This week in VoIP news


AP - Both sides in the human cloning debate claimed victory Friday after the United Nations shelved competing proposals for a treaty to ban the procedure and agreed to meet again in February to try to find consensus.

U.N. Abandons Human Cloning Treaty Ban (AP)


Fred Funk birdied the final hole to finish off a final-round 6-under 66 and win the Southern Farm Bureau Classic by a stroke Sunday, his first PGA Tour victory in six years.

Funk finds winner #39;s circle again


Portugal has a long tradition of protecting the human life. It was the first European country to abolish the death penalty, and more than 50 of voters rejected a 1998 referendum that would have liberalized abortion laws en (abortion is legal in Portugal if the pregnancy resulted from a rape, if it endangers the mother's life, or if the fetus is severely malformed; the morning-after pill is also legal).    Now a Dutch boat from an organization called Women on Waves intends to pick women in Portugal, bring them to international waters (where the law of the boat's country applies: the Netherlands allows abortions for six weeks after conception, if not performed within 25 km from an Amsterdam hospital), perform abortions, and return them to land. The Portuguese government has refused entry to Women on Waves' ship, the Borndiep (previously Sea Change).

Women on Waves


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc.  <A HREF=

Harley-Davidson Roars to Record Earnings


The Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday in the Big Apple and while politics is the main focus, technology will play an important role in securing the event. <FONT face=

Technology Key to RNC's Protective Net


PEOPLE WHO who lose their web connection suffer from withdrawal and feelings of loss, frustration, and disconnectedness, according to a report released by Yahoo.

Web loss causes psychological problems


The Intel Pentium 4 processor Extreme Edition supporting Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology and a higher-speed system bus enabled by the new Intel 925XE Express chipset form the foundation of this new enthusiast platform.

Intel goes  #39;Extreme


The upstart Detroit Lions, heady with the success of their 2-0 start, were hoping to make a statement about where they stand on their personal road to improvement from being a team that #39;s

Eagles teach, Lions learn


In what could be a historic move in the history of the internet, Google has announced arrangements with Harvard University, and a handful of public libraries, to digitize parts of their valuable collections and make them available over the public web.

It came from the vaults! Google seeks to open the library


NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Fierce fighting broke out in the  holy Iraqi city of Najaf Monday, with numerous explosions and  gunfire echoing around a sacred shrine held by followers of a  radical Shi'ite cleric, Reuters witnesses said.

Fierce Fighting Erupts in Iraq's Najaf-Witnesses


British Prime Minister Tony Blair is recovering at Downing Street, after undergoing hospital treatment for a recurring heart complaint.

British prime minister undergoes successful operation


Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Hurricane Charley will probably cost insurers \$7.4 billion, according to the first loss estimate based on insurance claims.

Charley May Cost Insurers \$7.4 Billion, Industry Says (Update1)


Geico urged a federal judge Monday in Alexandria to issue an injunction prohibiting Internet giant Google Inc. from selling ads based on searches using the Washington insurance giant's name, arguing the practice infringes on its trademark. <FONT face=

Geico Corp. Wants to Restrict Google Ads


quot;Come on, baby! quot; Jaslyn Hewitt #39;s support for Joachim Johansson, her Swedish boyfriend, was clear on Thursday night as he ended Andy Roddick #39;s reign as US Open champion in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Johansson #39;s progress sparks conflict of loyalty


KIEV, Ukraine (Reuters) - A top Ukrainian opposition  leader, quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency, said supporters  of presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko had withdrawn from  talks on last week's disputed election.

Ukrainian Opposition Reportedly Pulls Out of Talks


FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen management has offered to  freeze its own pay for two years in a bid to gain workers'  support for an austerity drive, but union mediators dismissed  the move as a

VW Management's Pay Freeze Offer Spurned


Alitalia, Unions Ink Deal to Split CompanyDS Ext. Head.: Alitalia, Unions Sign Deal to Split the Italian Airline in Two to Stave Off Bankruptcy.

AP-Italy-Alitalia


VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - A Canadian court  set a Jan. 17 trial date on Wednesday for National Hockey  League star Todd Bertuzzi, who is charged with assault for an  on-ice attack last season that left a player with a fractured  neck.

January Trial Date Set for NHL's Bertuzzi


NEW DELHI: Petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid M Kasuri began a new chapter on co-operation in the energy sector.

Mani, Kasuri revive pipeline dream


Three-time Irish Olympian Mark Carroll, a former Providence College star, has been added to the field for tomorrow's Boston Athletic Association Half Marathon.

Carroll added to BAA field


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

Red Sox, Yankees Ready for ALCS Battle


The NHL Players Association is gathering its players representatives in Toronto for discussions Tuesday, an information session that, when finished, could resemble the biggest pep rally this side of Friday nights in South Bend.

As NHL lockout drags on, few cracks starting to develop in players <b>...</b>


Meyers, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, broadcasts WNBA and women #39;s NCAA games for ABC and ESPN. She has also been a regular Blog Squad contributor to WNBA.

2004 WNBA Finals Matchups Analysis


KIEV : Hundreds of thousands of pro-Western and pro-Russian activists mobilized across Ukraine as the former Soviet republic headed into a stormy weekend vote that Washington warned would spark unspecified  quot;measures quot; if rigged by the state.

Ukraine votes for new leader as Russia and the West watch <b>...</b>


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans will travel in record  numbers this holiday season, thanks partly to Christmas and New  Year's landing on the weekend, the AAA said Wednesday in  releasing a travel survey.

Christmas-New Year's Travel to Set Record


About a third of businesses plan to migrate at least some Windows machines to Linux, according to a recent survey, but adoption will continue to slow and cautious, as companies evaluate a maze of economic factors.

Switching to Linux picks up steam


Colombia's armed forces blew up 6,800 stockpiled land mines Sunday as President Alvaro Uribe, Queen Noor of Jordan and dozens of mine blast victims watched on large screens, launching an effort to eventually rid the country of the weapons.

Colombia Blows Up Stockpiled Land Mines


SAN DIEGO -- Ken Caminiti was fearless on a baseball field, where he made incredible stops at third base, swatted home runs from both sides of the plate and played through pain that would wither most anyone else.

Caminiti struggled off the field


Google, whose initial stock offering was delayed by the S.E.C., must prove that its success is not an accident.

So Google Is Almost Public. Now Comes the Hard Part.


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Victor Conte, the head of BALCO  lab at the center of a global doping scandal, has detailed his  role in doping some of the top names in sport.

BALCO Head Conte Admits Role as Steroid Mastermind


A Buddhist man was killed and seven people were injured today in a bomb blast in the southern Thai province of Yala, where a Muslim insurgency has flared up in recent weeks, a police official said.

Bomb in Southern Thailand Kills One Man, Injures 7 (Update1)


Before you get a loaner to buy stocks, consider the consequences if your position should fall flat.

Should You Use Margin?


LONDON (Reuters) - Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most  influential Shi'ite cleric, was discharged from a London  hospital on Thursday after heart surgery, but will stay in  Britain for the time-being, his spokesman said.

Iraq's Sistani Leaves London Hospital After Operation


The NCAA places Mississippi State on probation for four years because of recruiting violations and bans them from postseason play this year.

Bulldogs Get Punished


Drew Bledsoe's play may have fallen off since his New England days, but he will always get a mulligan with friends like Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson .

Old teammate is a backer


NEW YORK (Reuters) - JPMorgan Fleming Asset   Wealth  Management on Monday said it plans to buy a majority interest  in and enter into a partnership with Highbridge Capital  Management, a hedge funds manager, to bolster its presence  among hedge funds and attract a broader audience of investors  to hedge funds.

JPMorgan Fleming Eyes Stake in Highbridge


(Sports Network) - The struggling Cleveland Indians try to halt a season-high eight-game losing streak tonight, as they host the New York Yankees in the second of a three-game series at Jacobs Field.

Cleveland Indians Team Report - August 24


After an early season schedule filled with pitfalls, there #39;s an opportunity for the Oregon State football team to reach .500. The Beavers are coming off an inspired Pacific

Beavers hope revival continues vs. Cougars


CANBERRA - Australia #39;s Government cemented the most powerful mandate in nearly 25 years by winning control of the Upper House, freeing it to push ahead with reforms such as the full sale of telecommunications group Telstra.

PM #39;s Senate win opens Telstra sale


Online futures traders raised their bets on Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry on Friday after the first debate with President Bush, although the overall odds still favored the incumbent.

Kerry Gets Post-Debate Bounce in Election Futures


SAN FRANCISCO - For the second morning in a row, there is a major development in the on-going scandal involving steroids and star athletes.

Bonds Denies Steroid Use, Admits Using  #39;Substances #39;


It was an autumn ritual in the Palmer household at dusk on Monday nights in Southern California. I remember my dad would get home from work.

Bengals step into limelight


TEHRAN, Iran - Iran added a

Iran Says It Tested 'Strategic Missile'


AP - Previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize who were from Africa.

Previous Peace Prize Winners From Africa (AP)


The Ministry of External affairs has cleared Chittagong as venue for the second Test between India and Bangladesh after the assesment by the Indian security delegation.

Chittagong cleared for second Test


A fired NASA safety inspector accused of falsifying space shuttle inspection reports pleaded not guilty to 166 criminal charges on Friday and a trial was tentatively set for Dec. 1.

Ex-NASA Worker Pleads Innocent of Fake Inspections


PC World's initial test results for this gaming chip are impressive.

Superfast Notebook Graphics: NVidia's GeForce Go 6800


The Bush administration is not seeking to push UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan out of office over an investigation into the world body #39;s handling of the Iraq oil-for-food program, the US ambassador to the United Nations has said.

US denies push to oust Annan


SAMARRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Insurgents detonated four car  bombs and attacked police stations in the Iraqi city of Samarra  on Saturday, killing at least 37 people and wounding 62, police  and health officials said.

Four Car Bombs, Attacks Kill 37 in Iraq


A judge in Yemen sentenced two men to death and four others to prison terms of as long as 10 years for the deadly attack in 2000 against the warship USS Cole.

USS Cole bombing planners to die


ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's military Monday played  down a report in the latest edition of Time magazine describing  what it called a

Pakistan Military Plays Down 'Terror Summit' Report


SAMARRA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces tightened their  grip on a rebel-held city on Sunday in the first step of a  campaign to take back all of Iraq but drew complaints about the  cost in lives and suffering.

U.S.-Led Forces Tighten Grip, Draw Complaints


Company said settlement for bid rigging claim likely this month, but says investigation is ongoing. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos.

No Marsh, Spitzer deal in  #39;04: WSJ


An announcement that AT amp;T would drop its prices for its VoIP CallVantage Service, its popular residential broadband phone service, from \$34.

VoIP Market Leaders Declare a Price War


World number three golfer Tiger Woods of the United States and his new Swedish bride Elin Nordegren have come ashore in Barbados after spending their wedding night aboard a yacht following an elaborate wedding at a private club.

Tiger Woods Gets Married


Queen Elizabeth II stopped short of apologizing for the Allies #39; bombing of Dresden during her first state visit to Germany in 12 years and instead acknowledged  quot;the appalling suffering of war on both sides.

No Sorry from the Queen


JERUSALEMAs soft targets go, the bus stop servicing the bland and boxy apartment blocks of French Hill is the down pillow of Israeli vulnerabilities.

Female bomber kills 2 Israeli border guards


Israeli helicopters have launched fresh missile strikes on the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians and wounding four others. Witnesses said an Israeli helicopter fired a missile into the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza killing the two.

Violence racks Palestinian territories


Afghan kidnappers holding three foreign United Nations workers hostage say they are now considering whether to kill, hold or release their captives.

Afghan Kidnappers Mull Fate of UN Hostages


AP - Running back Anthony Davis, who missed No. 20 Wisconsin's last three games with an eye injury, has been cleared to play this weekend against Illinois.

Wisconsin Back Davis Cleared to Play (AP)


After years of taking a back seat to easier-to-crawl HTML pages, multimedia files are beginning to gain respect among search engines.

Search Spotlight Pans to Video


Cuba #39;s  #39;legendary #39; leader, Fidel Castro, broke his knee and fractured his right arm when he fell down behind the podium during a speech at a graduation ceremony in Santa Clara.

Fidel Castro Falls Down


Tim Rattay returned to the starting lineup for the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, but it did not matter, as they found themselves on the wrong end of a 24-14 loss to the St.

Injuries starting to mount for hapless 49ers


Donald J. Trump may have a new project for his apprentices - helping him try to figure out how to take his troubled casino company private after a proposed bailout fell through.

Update 1: Proposed Bailout of Trump Casinos Shelved


Brazil #39;s unemployment rate fell in July for the third straight month to a seven-month low of 11.2 percent and wages rose, underscoring the strengthening economy, official data showed on Thursday.

Brazil Jobless Falls to 7-Month Low


The Russian cabinet on Thursday approved the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, a step that may bring the global warming treaty into force after parliament endorsement.

Russian cabinet approves Kyoto Protocol


VANCOUVER - Mining company Placer Dome said its gold production is expected to hit 3.7 million ounces next year, up from its 2004 forecast of 3.6 million ounces.

Placer Dome forecasts higher 2005 gold production


ZURICH (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova  stretched her winning streak to 10 matches with a 6-4 7-5  victory over Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the second round  of the Zurich Challenge Wednesday.

Sharapova Beats Hantuchova to Extend Winning Streak


CARSON, Calif. -- Peter Nowak has played in two MLS Cups. He liked the first a lot better.

His fire still burning


Briton Neil Cheetham came agonisingly close to claiming the Dunhill Championship in South Africa, before losing in a sudden-death play-off.

GOLF: NEIL STILL STANDING DESPITE PLAY-OFF DESPAIR


In fact, more than half of people in a recent survey (51 percent) said they #39;d done holiday gift shopping while on vacation, spending an average of \$2,000.

TIP SHEET: Travel -- Vacationers shop as part of their fun


USATODAY.com - Sesame Street's Grover may not be aware he appears on TV, but the media-savvy Muppet does know who Fahrenheit 9/11 filmmaker Michael Moore is. We caught up with Grover as his new DVD, A Celebration of Me, Grover (Sony Wonder,  #36;13), arrives in stores, marking the 35th season of the children's TV show.

Grover parlays 'Street' cred into DVD gig (USATODAY.com)


This recent milestone shows the current state of an ongoing, multi-year project that has been (and continues to be) a series of opportunities and challenges.

IBM Is Back on Top with Blue Gene Supercomputer


LSU fell out of the top 10 Sunday while Auburn moved in, the result of a one-point game decided by a second-chance extra point. Defending BCS champion LSU dropped eight spots to No.

LSU tumbles while Auburn rises after close win


One of the challenges Microsoft and computer makers face in marketing Media Center PCs is persuading consumers that it #39;s worth putting them in their living room, supplanting the normal setup of TV, VCR, DVD player and/or personal video recorder.

Media Center introduction


After hosting the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984, the City of Angels may submit a bid for the Games. The City Council unanimously endorsed a proposal Wednesday to vie for the Summer Games as early as 2016.

Los Angeles to bid for Summer Olympics


British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc, Rupert Murdoch #39;s UK pay-television arm, won an exclusive four- year contract to show live English cricket, cementing its grip on sports programming in Britain.

BSkyB Gets Exclusive Live Rights to England Cricket (Update1)


TOP sprinter Alessandro Petacchi, of the Fassa Bortolo team, won the fourth stage of the Tour of Spain, a 167.5km ride from Soria to Zaragoza in the north of the country today.

Petacchi wins fourth stage


Palestinians set Jan. 9 as the date for presidential elections to replace Yasser Arafat on Sunday as the United States hinted it may be ready to resume Middle East peacemaking shelved since 2000.

Palestinians to Elect Arafat #39;s Successor on Jan. 9


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has set final  anti-dumping duties of up to 112.81 percent on shrimp from  China and up to 25.76 percent on those from Vietnam to offset  unfair pricing, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.

U.S. Puts Hefty Duties on Imported Shrimp


The release of Malaysia #39;s best known political opposition figure, Anwar Ibrahim, after six years in jail, has brought widespread praise for Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who one year ago succeeded Malaysia #39;s long-time leader, Mahathir Mohamad.

Analysts: Malaysian PM, Society Benefit From Anwar Release


Senate proposal would scale back a provision of the USA Patriot Act that lets the FBI monitor alleged computer trespassers without a warrant.

News: Bill would narrow intruder surveillance


NEW YORK (Reuters) - J.P. Morgan Chase   Co. <A HREF=

J.P. Morgan Chase Profit Falls 13 Percent


US mortgage applications fell 6.3 percent last week, the biggest decline in more than a month, as fewer people filed to buy a home or refinance.

Business briefs, August 26


Microsoft and Cisco are integrating their security technologies in an effort to isolate computers that are infected with viruses or have other security risks -- thus preventing them from spreading the danger to corporate networks.

Cisco, Microsoft Band Together on Network Security


PERTH (Dow Jones)--Buoyed by one-off gains from the sale of property assets and a New Zealand department store business, Australasian retailer Foodland Associated Ltd.

UPDATE: Australia #39;s Foodland Net Up 19 On Asset Sales


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Google Inc. slashed the size of its  closely watched initial public offering nearly in half to less  than \$2 billion on Wednesday, splashing cold water on what has  been touted as the hottest Internet IPO in years.

Google Slashes IPO, SEC OK Expected Today


Squabbling Italian politicians pledged Wednesday to put aside their differences over the Iraq war and work together to free two female aid workers

Italian politicians set aside squabbles to work for release of two <b>...</b>


Microsoft on Monday withdrew from a United Nations software standards group for commerce, citing  quot;business reasons. quot;. Earlier this year, Microsoft #39;s participation had

Microsoft Quits a UN Standards Group


NASCAR lifted its ban on liquor ads Wednesday, opening the door for teams to be sponsored by distilled spirits.  quot;We felt the time was right, quot; NASCAR president Mike Helton said.

NASCAR lifts its ban on liquor ads


Scientists are hoping that

Smallest 'guitar string' to weigh atoms


Three Dutch police officers have been wounded in a grenade explosion during an anti-terrorist raid in The Hague. Police said two of the officers were seriously injured.

Dutch police wounded in anti-terrorist raid


Brown bears migrated south through North America much earlier than first thought, new research suggests.

Ancient bear made early migration


Brooklyn-native Yvette Jarvis is an 'every woman' in Greece: professional basketball player, model, TV and talk show star and Athens councilwoman.

American Aphrodite


Europe #39;s biggest dairy company, Arla Foods amba, will merge with Netherlands-based Campina, the companies said Wednesday, a move that will help them prepare for anticipated price drops in milk.

Arla Foods to Merge With Campina


Anticipating worse violence in Thailand #39;s largely Muslim south, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra urged security authorities on Saturday to work more decisively in their operations to restore peace to the region.

Forces Must Work Decisively in South Unrest-Thai PM


Maybe Urban Meyer is notheaded to Notre Dame after all.According to a report in the Palm Beach Post, Meyer has beenmade an offer to replace Ron Zook as Florida #39;s coach and isexpected to accept it as early as Friday afternoon.

Utah #39;s Meyer to pick Florida over Notre Dame today?


HALO 2 has shipped and it is now very clear which game is will dominate the Xbox this silly season. Bungie #39;s latest is a real winner.

Halo 2 for Xbox


MORE than 800million has been pledged to Sir Richard Branson #39;s space travel adventure - - years before the ship has even been built.

800M PLEDGED FOR VIRGIN BOSS #39;S SPACE TRIPS


General Motors Corp. (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it may not dump Stelco Inc. (STEa.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) as a supplier even though Canada #39;s

GM hasn #39;t yet ruled out using Stelco steel in  #39;05


NEWS Corp led the sharemarket into record territory yesterday as investors here grew accustomed to the US way of corporate control, taking Monday #39;s poison pill move by chairman Rupert Murdoch in their stride.

News rebound lifts All Ords index past 3850


Privately held Copernic Technologies on Tuesday released free desktop search software ahead of expected offerings from Microsoft Corp.

Copernic Desktop Search Takes Aim at Microsoft


Justin Langer hit a double-century as Australia continued to pile on the runs on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand in Adelaide.

AUSSIES CONTINUE TO DOMINATE


JERUSALEM - A Palestinian teenager blew herself up at a busy Jerusalem bus station Wednesday, killing two Israeli policemen who stopped her for a security check and wounding 16 bystanders in an attack that evaded Israel's clampdown on the West Bank for the Jewish holidays.    Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, meanwhile, dropped a plan to evacuate 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip simultaneously at the beginning of next year, reverting to an earlier formula - a staged pullout in the summer of 2005...

Suicide Attack Kills 2 in Israel; 16 Hurt


Julian Peterson, the 49ers #39; All-Pro linebacker, will miss the rest of the season after tearing his left Achilles #39; tendon late in the first quarter of San Francisco #39;s win over Arizona on Sunday.

Peterson lost for season with torn Achilles #39; tendon


The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is expected to approve USD150m in trade sanctions against the US by the EU, Japan, Canada and four other countries in response to a US anti-dumping law that was declared illegal in 2003.

WTO to impose USD150m fine on US


UN secretary-general Kofi Annan said he was  quot;disappointed quot; at news his son was receiving payment from a firm involved in Iraq #39;s oil-for-food programme.

UN chief reacts to son #39;s payments


Reuters - Microsoft Corp. \and cable television provider Comcast Corp.  said on\Monday they would begin deploying set-top boxes powered by\Microsoft software starting next week.

Comcast, Microsoft to Deploy Video Recorder Set-Tops (Reuters)


Russian authorities pile the pressure on oil firm Yukos, arresting an official at its Moscow office and issuing an arrest warrant for the firm's leading lawyer.

Yukos lawyer faces arrest warrant


Martial law has been imposed on a town in central China after rioting between hundreds of members of the Han ethnic majority and Hui Muslims killed at least seven people, local residents said Monday.

Residents say martial law imposed on Chinese town after deadly <b>...</b>


Sep. 08, 2004. Microsoft on Tuesday doubled the time that businesses can block Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) from downloading automatically, giving them until mid-April, 2005, to test the update.

Microsoft Doubles Blocking Time For SP2


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three members of Iraqi Prime Minister  Iyad Allawi's family have been kidnapped by gunmen, a spokesman  for the Iraqi interim government said on Wednesday.

Iraqi PM Allawi's Family Targeted by Kidnappers


Habseligkeiten - which means  #39;property #39; - has been voted the most beautiful word in the German language. And rhabarbermarmelade -  #39;rhubarb jam #39; - has been singled out as Germany #39;s coolest word.

Germany #39;s most beautiful words


KANSAS CITY, Mo., (Sports Network) - Kansas City Chiefs  quarterback Trent Green is listed as questionable for Sunday's  game against the Oakland Raiders with bruises to his ribs and  hip.

KC's Green Questionable for Sunday


Ichiro Suzuki moved closer to the single-season record with two more hits as he led the Seattle Mariners past the Texas Rangers 8-7 in the American League Friday.

AL Wrap: Hit Machine Ichiro Helps Seattle Edge Texas


After their first loss of the season, the 19th-ranked Cavaliers came away with a sluggish 70-67 victory over Furman at Alumni Hall on Wednesday night.

Cavs Slip Past Furman


NEW YORK - Engineers in charge of setting technical standards for the Internet have rejected a preliminary spam-fighting proposal from Microsoft Corp.

Microsoft #39;s anti-spam proposal rejected


MICROSOFT chief executive officer Steve Ballmer on Thursday stressed the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to the world #39;s top software maker when he was addressing

Asia-Pac a key software market: Ballmer


What the key is for Wisconsin to beating Purdue #39;s short passing attack with quarterback Kyle Orton? Wisconsin has to rush the passer effectively.

Wisconsin, Louisville aiming for upsets


The Salvation Armys annual Red Kettle campaign started Thursday at department stores and shopping centers throughout the Arkansas River Valley.

Salvation Army bells, kettles herald holiday season


Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Purdue Pharma are the first drugmakers willing to take the plunge and use radio frequency identification technology to protect their US drug supply chains from counterfeiters.

Drug companies, retailers adopting RFID for drugs


According to reports, copies of the eagerly awaited Halo 2 Xbox game made an impromptu debut last night on Usenet groups and pirate sites.

Halo 2 Xbox game leaks over the Net


The suggestion by Republican Senator Norman Coleman that United Nations #39; Secretary-General Kofi Annan should resign because of the UN #39;s oil-for-food scandal fits somewhere on the scale in between the absurd and the vicious.

Bush puts squeeze on UN #39;s Annan


The software monolith extends an intellectual property plan to all.   Also: U.S. opposes the WTO's online gambling plan   hellip;.  Microsoft will offer a long awaited preview of its search-engine technology   hellip;. and more.

Microsoft Has Your Back


Microsoft is set to unleash its much-anticipated search technology this week, as it ramps up efforts to take on market leader Google.

Microsoft to Launch New Search Engine


Bangalore, October 8: The third days play contained a clear message: India will have to revive those two Kolkata days of three years ago if they wish to stay afloat in the first Test.

Test in twilight, Indians in the shadows


HONG KONG Mainland Chinese stock markets dropped less than 2 percent on Friday as most Asian financial markets reacted with surprising calm to the Chinese central bank #39;s announcement late on Thursday of its first increase in interest rates in nine years.

Markets calm after China rate rise


SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello fired up  his passionate home crowd on Friday with the fastest lap in  practice for Sunday's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.

Barrichello Fires Up the Fans in Brazil


CAIRO -- The Egyptian and Syrian presidents linked calls by the United Nations and Arab leaders for Syrian troops to leave Lebanon to past UN resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from captured territory in the West Bank and Golan Heights.

Egypt, Syria see pullout links


LONDON (Reuters) - Japanese-Swedish mobile phone maker Sony  Ericsson said on Tuesday it expects slower growth in the global  handset market next year.

INTERVIEW: Sony Ericsson Chief Sees Slower Growth


British Prime Minister Tony Blair will stress the need for Europe and the United States to put differences over Iraq behind them and work together to tackle issues such as Middle East peace in a speech on Monday.

Blair to Urge End to Trans-Atlantic Rift


The New England Patriots played the Indianapolis Colts in the first NFL regular season game of the year. The Patriots were able to hold off a late Colts rally and preserve their victory 27 to 24, sending the Colts record in Foxboro to 0-6.

Key Moments in Patriots 27-24 victory


NORTON -- Had the numbers shaken out a bit differently, spectators at today's third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship would have had some color with their morning coffee.

His status is not in the pink


AP - Rocker Bruce Springsteen is joining Sen. John Kerry in the final days of his bid to become the nation's boss.

Springsteen, Bon Jovi Join Kerry Campaign (AP)


The International Monetary Fund agreed to keep studying the possibility of revaluing its gold reserves as a way to raise money for debt-relief programs, Britain #39;s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, said.

Fund looks at debt relief plan


THESSALONIKI, GreeceSaying their  quot;occupied quot; country should not be held up as a symbol of freedom, the coach and several players of Iraq #39;s celebrated soccer team are furious over a campaign commercial for US President George W. Bush.

Bush commercial angers Iraq #39;s soccer Olympians


AP - Costa Rica's president said Monday he is asking Miguel Angel Rodriguez to resign as secretary-general of the Organization of American States because of alleged payments from a government contractor.

OAS Official Asked to Resign Over Scandal (AP)


We need a name for these guys. The Yankee Clippers? The Sons of Tito? How about the No More Nomars?

Team's play lately has been divine


VNU, the Dutch market research and information group, yesterday sold its directories business for 2.1bn (1.4bn) to venture capital groups Apax Partners and Cinven.

VNU sells Yellow Pages


And it #39;s not often you hear a head coach asked for his response to all the  quot;vultures quot; who have shown up to witness his possible firing.

Report indicates Wannstedt out


LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar surged against the euro, yen  and Swiss franc on Monday as, with a Group of Seven rich  nations meeting out of the way, the greenback was free to join  a wave of optimism about the U.S. economy.

Dollar Jumps as the G7 Fades


A fight between players and fans at a high school basketball game last week probably will result in charges against some of those involved, a sheriff #39;s deputy said Tuesday.

Deputy: Charges likely in scuffle at high school game


KABUL, Afghanistan -- Three Americans accused of torturing prisoners at a private jail played videos at their trial yesterday showing a top Afghan official pledging his full support to the alleged vigilantes, then sending his security force on a raid with them.

Alleged vigilantes show videos of US, UN contacts


AP - Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador launched a spirited defense of his administration and dismissed looming scandals as political vendettas Friday during what was likely to be his last state-of-the city address. The mayor vowed he was

Mexico City Mayor Delivers Fourth Address (AP)


WOLVERHAMPTON, Dec 7 (SW) - Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Glenn Hoddle has been named the new manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers, succeeding Dave Jones, who was sacked in November.

Hoddle lands manager #39;s job with Wolves


The words high-definition TV are enough to give many consumers the sweats. We #39;ll help you relax and buy smarter. Flat or fat? EDTV or HDTV?

HDTV: A Shopper #39;s Survival Guide


A lawyer for ex-Chilean president Augusto Pinochet calls for the judge investigating him to be removed from the case.

Pinochet lawyer blasts case judge


AP - For Microsoft Corp. shareholders, the holidays will likely come early this year in the form of a one-time  #36;3 dividend that's part of the company's plan to return some of its  #36;64.4 billion cash horde back to shareholders. But Microsoft won't hand out the cash unless shareholders allow the company to alter its stock compensation plans, so employees who hold stock options and stock awards aren't hurt by the dividend payout.

Microsoft Seeks Change Before Dividend (AP)


Acer, the Taiwanese personal computer maker, has appointed an Italian to replace its current president, a move that underscores its raging global ambitions.

Taiwanese PC Maker on Verge of Sales Push Into U.S. and China


For much of last month's siege at a Russian school, it was left to a Moscow pediatrician known for his work at crisis scenes to mediate the standoff on the telephone.

In the Eye of the Storms


I #39;m tired of letting the bloggers have all the fun, so I figured I #39;d better come up with my own conspiracy theory to explain the much-discussed but mostly meaningless

Who Leaked  quot;Halo quot;?


CEO Benioff  amp; Co. are more of a  quot;disruptive force quot; in the software industry than ever before. By Tony Kontzer. Salesforce.

Salesforce.com Enhances Its Software-As-Service Approach


Cavaliers coach Pete Gillen believes his team is better than last season, but the improvement may not be enough to help Virginia contend in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Ready to Get Started


A Xavi Hernandez volley six minutes from time fired Barcelona to a 2-1 away win over Albacete and extended their lead at the top of the Primera Liga to 12 points over second-placed rivals Real Madrid.

La Liga Wrap: Barca Go 12 Points Clear


The Food and Drug Administration announced an initiative to prevent theft and counterfeiting of prescription drugs through the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

FDA LAUNCHES INITIATIVE ENCOURAGING USE OF RFID TAGS TO REDUCE <b>...</b>


Sun Microsystems last week released the long-awaited overhaul of the Java 2 Standard Edition. Sun is calling J2SE 5.0, code name  #39;Project Tiger, #39; the most significant upgrade of the Java

Sun unleashes Tiger


Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu says Italy is ready to lift EU sanctions on Libya unilaterally if the whole EU fails to do so next week.

Italy calls time on Libya embargo


DENVER (Reuters) - Invesco Funds Group Inc. and affiliate  AIM Advisors Inc. agreed to a \$450 million settlement with  state and federal regulators to resolve probes of improper  trading, officials and the parent company said on Tuesday.

Invesco, AIM Agree to \$450 Mln Settlement


Carmakers, dealers want to block rule to cut carbon dioxide emissions, saying only the feds can decide fuel economy. By Jeff Plungis / Detroit News Washington Bureau.

Auto industry sues over California air plan


NEW YORK - Continued job worries resulted in an unexpected decline in consumer confidence in September, the second consecutive monthly dip, a New York-based private research group said Tuesday.

Outlook on future flagging


As millions around the country headed into a busy weekend for air travel, overcast skies and snow flurries complicated the traditional Thanksgiving airport rush.

Home, Probably, for the Holidays


Both campaigns have laid out plans for a barrage of visits and television advertisements in these key battlegrounds over the next 10 days.

Bush and Kerry Focus Campaigns on 11 Key States


Apple celebrated yesterday when it announced that they have sold now more than 150 million songs via their iTunes Music Store. Despite some reports that overall traffic to online music stores has dropped, Apple #39;s

Apple: 150M songs sold via iTunes


Wally Backman is out of a job and the Arizona Diamondbacks are the laughingstocks of baseball. Other than that, its been a pretty normal week here in the desert.

D-Backs have become laughingstocks


Michael Eisner announced plans yesterday to step down as chief executive of Walt Disney in 2006, ending a tenure of more than 20 years in which he has left an indelible mark on one of the best-known brands in the world.

Eisner steps off Disney rollercoaster


Kevin Brown had

Torre: Brown a Long Shot to Go for Yanks on Sunday


The biennial Solheim Cup will return to Sweden in 2007 organizers said Friday, where the event will be played in Halmstad. The coastal city is 309 miles southwest of the capital, Stockholm.

2007 Solheim Cup to be played in Halmstad, Sweden


Pfizer Inc. is on schedule to complete the filing of 20 new drug applications by the end of 2006 as it confronts patent expirations affecting \$14 billion in sales, CEO Hank McKinnell said Tuesday.

Pfizer has drugs in line to replace expired patents


Boston Scientific announces an investment in  and strategic partnership with  REVA Medical, which is working on a polymer successor to todays metal stents that would be biodegradable in the body.

Boston Scientific Will Invest In Developer of a Plastic Stent


LOS ANGELES A new Environmental Protection Agency report says concentrations of dangerous air pollutants have declined in Southern California in the last five years.

Report: Amount of fine-particle pollution drops significantly


Troublesome Trojan horses, virulent worms, nasty viruses--sometimes it may seem like the Internet exists just to let the bad guys attack your PC.

Antivirus subscription prices climb


TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei fell 1 percent by midsession  on Wednesday as investors sold a broad range of shares,  extending losses from the day before when poor Japanese  industrial output data put a damper on the economy's outlook.

Nikkei Down 1 Pct on Econ Fears


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

Oracle in Merger Talks Beyond PeopleSoft


HONG KONG - The Far Eastern Economic Review, a leading newsweekly in the region, will be published as a monthly after its Nov 4 issue following after six years of losses, its publisher Dow Jones said Thursday.

Far Eastern Economic Review converts to monthly


In extremely blunt terms, the top U.S. trade official said Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay must be more flexible in negotiations aimed at creating a 34-nation free trade agreement spanning the Americas.

U.S. Trade Exec Urges Mercosur Flexibility


What does  quot;blog quot; mean? If you #39;ve wondered, you #39;re not alone. It is the most looked-up word this year. Blog, which is short for Web log and means an online journal, wasn #39;t even in the dictionary at the

OTHER NEWS


Orlando Magic: Guard Cuttino Mobley will be sidelined with a strained groin until the weekend, but the team said that center Kelvin Cato is expected to return Wednesday from a sprained right ankle.

Mobley not likely to play until weekend


Spain #39;s Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a 4-under-par 66 Sunday to win the Hong Kong Open by one stroke over defending champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland and South African James Kingston.

Jimenez continues superb late form


NEW YORK - Bankrupt UAL parent of United Airlines, on Thursday reported a narrower third-quarter net loss even though fuel costs rose more than 56 per cent for the world #39;s second largest airline.

UAL posts narrower loss despite higher fuel costs


Carlos Gutierrez, or, as hes becoming known, The American Dream Personified, starts out a Cuban refugee in Miami. He grows up to drive a Kelloggs truck, becomes Kelloggs CEO in 1999, and yesterday

Commerce-ial appeal


NEW YORK With one Mars rover climbing into the hills and the other descending deep into a crater, scientists reported the discovery of several mysterious rock structures, along with yet more signs that Mars was once awash in water.

In Mars rock, telltale ripples and mysteries


A season that started with such high hopes for the Cubs wound up with them being eliminated from playoff contention by their fifth straight loss, 8-6 to the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Braves 8, Braves 6


For all the hoopla surrounding last night #39;s Patriots-Colts opener, the National Football Conference East has pro football #39;s marquee sidelines: the Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs returning to

Revival That Starts With Stars on Sidelines


THE Manpower Ministry (MOM) has scored a first among government agencies by awarding an outsourcing contract to a private firm that includes the transfer of staff.

Fresh sign of the times


Unseemly squabbling over online sales of the Band Aid Christmas No 1 ended with Apples iTunes seeming to come out on top. iTunes attracted criticism, including in this newspaper, when it refused to sell

Week on the Web


RAMADI, Iraq : Six British and American troops were killed in Iraq over the last 24 hours as the US military battered the flashpoint city of Fallujah with air strikes ahead of an expected all-out assault.

Six soldiers killed, air strikes mount ahead of expected Fallujah <b>...</b>


Swedish telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson today reported a return to net profit in the third quarter, lifted by healthy growth in its international markets.

Ericsson returns to quarterly profit


New top-of-the-line smart phone has a sharper screen, a faster chip and a removable battery.

PalmOne unveils latest Treo


Reuters - Alcatel  has expanded its\foothold in the key North American market with the acquisition\of a mobile software provider and a conference technology\business for  #36;277 million.

Alcatel Bolsters U.S. Presence (Reuters)


The Transportation Security Administration said yesterday that it expanded a program to conduct security checks that could affect more than 100,000 foreign students seeking flight training in the United States and U.S. certified pilots who are noncitizens.

TSA Tightens Rules For Flight Training


Preserving the digital crime scene poses one of the biggest challenges in the global fight against cybercrime, said participants this week at a major international conference on fighting Internet-based crime.

Conference focuses on challenges of fighting cybercrime


Ryan Palmer surges to 3-shot victory over Singh, rest of field for 1st title on PGA Tour. The name was familiar. So was the charge.

Rookie blows past world #39;s top player


Earth's magnetic field is reportedly about 10 percent weaker today than it was when a German mathematician first started keeping tabs on it in 1845. So should we worry?

Earth's Magnetic Field Is Fading


On a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2), programs that connect to IP addresses that are in the loopback address range may not work as you expect.

OS Update for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (KB884020)


Wouldn #39;t it be great if someone could combine Barnes  amp; Noble (NYSE: BKS), GameStop (NYSE: GME), Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI), and Trans World Entertainment #39;s (Nasdaq: TWMC) FYE music?

Eyeing a Discount on Hastings


WHAT a pill Vioxx turned out to be for Merck. Between 50 cents and 60 cents a share were lopped off expected earnings this year after the US pharmaceutical giant gave up defending its painkiller in public

Resignation will ease the pain of Merck investors


com. The National League Championship Series between the Astros and Cardinals may not have the enmity of its American League counterpart.

Astros-Cardinals


OIL prices eased further below \$50 a barrel yesterday, extending a week-long bout of profit-taking that has cut more than \$5 from record-high crude ahead of the US presidential election.

Crude price fall continues


British aid worker Margaret Hassan, kidnapped in Iraq, appeared in a video aired by Arab TV station al-Jazeera asking British Prime Minister Tony Blair to withdraw troops.

Video Airs British Hostage Asking for Troops Withdrawal


COLDWATER RIDGE, Wash. - The rumblings, the steady earthquakes, the throat-clearing steam blasts all seem so eerily familiar...

1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption Remembered


TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average jumped 2.5 percent  by mid-afternoon on Monday as semiconductor-related stocks such  as Advantest Corp. mirrored a rally by their U.S. peers while  banks and brokerages extended last week's gains.

Nikkei Up 2.5 Pct in Afternoon


Brazilian officials expressed optimism Wednesday that they would reach agreement with United Nations inspectors over the country's contested plans to enrich uranium.

Brazil May Reach Deal on Nukes With U.N.


IBM has taken several new steps to keep its mainframe server line a vital part of computing, including adding features and an expanding sales and training in China, while Unisys has upgraded its rival products.

IBM, Unisys work to rejuvenate mainframes


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell heavily from near record  peaks on Wednesday after a sharp build in U.S. crude oil stocks  spurred traders to take profits from a fierce rally.

Oil Tumbles 3 Pct as Crude Stocks Build


LONDON (Reuters) - European shares tracked Wall Street's  gains after the Federal Reserve stuck to its

European Shares Up on Fed Relief


LOS ANGELES: The recording industry has turned to its former arch-nemesis, the founder of online music file-swapping service Napster, to help it beat the piracy that it once accused him of spawning.

Music industry asks Napster founder, former arch foe, for help


WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Factory activity in the New York region accelerated in September, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Wednesday.

Empire State survey climbs to 28.3 from August #39;s 13.2


FOXBOROUGH -- His status as two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player has given Tom Brady the opportunity to endorse not only products but the strategies of his team. And while he may be speaking highly -- while being paid handsomely -- of various commercial items, the same can't be said of his remarks about a particular experiment taking place with ...

Brady grades plan a D


Long hidden behind a thick veil of haze, Titan, the only known moon with an atmosphere, is ready for its close-up on Oct. 26, 2004.

First close encounter of Saturn #39;s hazy moon Titan


Once it became clear some months ago that Saddam Hussein had been telling the truth about not having weapons of mass destruction or connections to al-Qaida, it should have been an embarrassment

Who #39;s behind the oil-for-food scandal?


Banknorth Group Inc. of Portland and TD Bank Financial Group of Toronto announced a merger Thursday that gives Banknorth money to expand while setting the stage

Canadian group gets Banknorth foothold


AFP - Nintendo said its new DS hand-held console is beating sales expectations, showing that the public wants easy-to-play video games instead of elaborate high-tech machines.

DS success shows public wants 'easy-to-play' video games: Nintendo (AFP)


The International Association of Athletics Federations will select the venue of the 2009 world track and field championships from three bidding European cities during its two-day meeting this weekend.

International track body meets to choose 2009 World Championships <b>...</b>


REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - The judge in Scott Peterson's double murder trial dismissed the jurors for the day Wednesday, saying,

'Potential Development' in Peterson Case


AN independently-funded inquiry called yesterday for the Ministry of Defence to compensate up to 6000 British veterans of the 1991 Gulf war for  quot;damaged health quot; as a result of their service.

Gulf war syndrome did damage to 6000


Ron Artest is cleared by his coach to play for the Pacers on Friday night after being benched for two games for asking for time off because of his busy schedule.

Artest Back in the Lineup for Pacers


Reuters - President Bush, going on the attack\after a slip in the polls, said on Wednesday Democratic rival\John Kerry's

Bush Attacks Kerry; Edwards Says Bush 'In Denial' (Reuters)


A faster-than-expected thaw of the Arctic is likely to open legendary short-cut routes between the Pacific and the Atlantic but experts say

Arctic Thaw May Open Ship Lanes, But Risks High


RUPERT Murdoch has won the battle to shift the headquarters of his giant media group News Corp from the southern Australian city of Adelaide to the US state of Delaware.

Investors back News Corp switch


Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao called for parliament to take a stronger watchdog role on the eve of a key leadership meeting but ruled out Western-style democracy

China party chief rules out full democracy


Canadian Press - KNOWLTON, Que. (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin brushed aside criticism on Friday from a former premier who said Quebec's side deal in a federal-provincial health accord could weaken the country.

Martin brushes off Romanow's criticism of Quebec side deal in health accord (Canadian Press)


Expand Beyond Corp., which makes tools for remotely managing databases, has been awarded a broad patent for technology used to monitor and manage computer systems from a wireless device, the company announced Friday.

Expand Beyond gets broad wireless patent