Buying a game for a hard-core gamer with an extensive collection is a daunting task. You might be better off opting for one of the myriad accessories, soundtracks or tacky souvenirs designed for gaming fanatics. By Lore Sjberg.

A Gift Guide for Game Geeks


AP - Coach Mike Mularkey refuses to do the playoff math because it's way too complicated to consider where his Buffalo Bills might fit into the equation.

Bills Edge Into Playoff Contention (AP)


Antivirus software company Symantec Corp. said on Wednesday that it joined a group devoted to fighting online identity theft attacks known as

Symantec joins antiphishing group


BANGKOK (Reuters) - Myanmar's prime minister has been  ousted and put under house arrest after a lengthy power  struggle that has tightened the grip of hard-liners in the  military government, Thai officials and diplomats said on  Tuesday.

Myanmar PM Ousted, Under House Arrest-Thai Govt


Intel has delayed its planned entry into the widescreen high-definition television (HDTV) market until next year.

Intel delays HDTV market debut


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - CenturyTel Inc. <A HREF=

CenturyTel to Offer EchoStar Service


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held firm on Wednesday as  Hurricane Ivan closed off crude output and shut refineries in  the Gulf of Mexico, while OPEC's Gulf producers tried to  reassure traders by recommending an output hike.

Oil Rises as Hurricane Nears U.S. Gulf


BP Plc, Europe #39;s largest oil company, and its partners in an Indonesian liquefied natural gas venture agreed to sell about \$2 billion of the fuel over 20 years to a unit of South Korea #39;s largest oil refiner.

BP Agrees to Sell \$2 Billion of LNG to SK Corp. Unit (Update1)


NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- BlueLinx Holdings, an Atlanta-based distributor of building products, on Thursday filed to raise up to \$150 nillion in an initial public offering with underwriters Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, CS First Boston and Lehman Brothers.

BlueLinx files \$150 million initial public offering


(Sports Network) - The Golden State Warriors lost to the New Orleans Hornets, 98-89, on Wednesday. The Warriors are 1-1 on their current four-game road trip.

Golden State Warriors Team Report - December 16


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Aug. 22, 2004 - Security forces hunted for more terror suspects, officials said Sunday, as Pakistan revealed it has arrested a dozen al-Qaida-linked militants planning to launch simultaneous

Pakistan Details Suicide Attacks Plot


The PC maker plans to launch a 17-inch version of Inspiron, just in time for the holiday and belatedly matching rivals.

Dell gets notebook set for big-screen debut


A 2p increase in the average cost of petrol, as a result of surging crude oil prices, helped push UK inflation higher in October.

Petrol prices drive up inflation


Boston beat the Yankees 4-2 as the AL play-off goes all the way to game seven.

Baseball: Red Sox tie series


Google will make the first major business move since its August flotation today when it launches a new search tool that will help publishers to sell books.

Google Print to challenge Amazon


After months waiting for Microsoft to give me a reason to remain loyal, I finally dumped Internet Explorer for the Firefox Web browser last week.

Why I dumped Internet Explorer


ATHENS (Reuters) - Iran defied the Olympic spirit on Sunday  by refusing to contest a judo bout with an Israeli at the  Athens Games, making no effort to hide the fact it was putting  solidarity with the Palestinians before gold medals.

Iran Snub to Israel Challenges IOC


The world #39;s top mobile phone maker Nokia said on Tuesday its phones would be used in a project to test wireless public transport fares in Hanau, near Frankfurt in Germany, beginning early next year.

Germans Use Nokia Phones In Wireless Ticket Trial


AP - Drew Bennett of the Tennessee Titans is not surprised by his recent play, which includes the most receiving yardage in a game this season in the NFL.

Bennett Thinks He's Finally Hit Stride (AP)


Sprint and Apple announced that the Xserve G5 and QuickTime have been certified as mobile multimedia delivery platforms for Sprint #146;s new PCS Vision Multimedia Services. Aug 26

Sprint Certifies Xserve and QuickTime


In what #39;s being called a shrewd licensing move, Microsoft last week put its competitors on the defensive and avoided price increases for customers by announcing it would not charge extra fees for server software running on dual-core, processor-based

Microsoft users catch price break


Reuters - VF Corp , the world's largest\jeans maker, on Thursday said third-quarter profit jumped 24\percent, boosted by recent acquisitions, and set a new\long-term sales growth target of 8 percent.

Jeans Maker VF Sees Earns Up 24 Percent (Reuters)


The report confirms that the Arctic, as a whole, and particularly the Canadian Arctic, is warming, at a rate almost twice that of lower latitudes and that the warming will accelerate in the decades to come.

Global Warming Continues


PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - U.N. peacekeepers beefed  up security on Thursday in the Haitian city of Gonaives where  more than 1,000 people died in floods, after desperate  survivors fought each other to get at emergency food supplies.

Troops Guard Relief Operations in Flood-Hit Haiti


United and Delta airlines on Friday matched an airfare increase that American Airlines launched, but it wasn #39;t clear whether other competitors would follow.

BY ABOUT \$10 Airlines up their fares


CRAWFORD, Texas -- The Bush administration confirmed yesterday that it may accept limited growth within existing Israeli settlements in the West Bank in a shift that could help embattled Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

US shows flexibility on Israeli settlements


Although government officials asked MedImmune to help with the flu vaccine shortage, the maker of a nasal anti-flu spray will lose money on every dose it sells.

Prospects Brighten for Maker of Nasal Flu Vaccine


FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. planes bombed targets in  Iraq's rebel-held city of Falluja, killing two people, and the  U.S. military said it had captured a lieutenant of its  deadliest Islamist enemy in Iraq in a raid early on Saturday.

US Forces Bomb Iraq's Falluja, Seize Zarqawi Aide


The Miami Dolphins have asked Ricky Williams to return \$8.6 million they say the running back owes the team because he has decided to retire.

Dolphins Want Pay Back


Come Saturday, time to step it up. Coppin State, Ball State, Georgia State, all just bricks in the Kentucky wall. North Carolina is a Heel of a different color.

TEST COMES SATURDAY


AP - The former Baylor basketball player accused of gunning down a teammate will be sent to a state mental hospital for treatment before he can be tried for murder, a judge said Wednesday.

Ex-Baylor Athlete Sent to Mental Hospital (AP)


AP - Cedric Benson rushed for 188 yards and scored two touchdowns and No. 7 Texas took advantage of a late Arkansas fumble deep in Longhorns' territory to hold off the Razorbacks 22-20 on Saturday night.

No. 7 Texas Holds Off Arkansas 22-20 (AP)


Compuware announced plans yesterday to release two new products: one to purge new applications of security vulnerabilities, and a second to test applications against common errors.

Compuware boosts application development wares


MADRID (Reuters) - U.S. interest rates are still  stimulative but should return to

Santomero Says Rates 'Still Stimulative'


It was not supposed to be this way. Kansas City was supposed to be 4-1 maybe even 5-0 at this juncture of the season. Today the Atlanta Falcons will come into Arrowhead where the Chiefs have yet to win a single game.

Chiefs Have Already Played This Card


The Bush administration upheld the imposition of penalty tariffs on shrimp imports from China and Vietnam yesterday, handing a victory to beleaguered US shrimp producers.

Bush Upholds US Penalty Tariffs on Asian Shrimp Imports


Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - The Orlando Magic acquired forward Brandon Hunter from the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday in exchange for guard Keith Bogans.

Magic acquire Brandon Hunter from Bobcats


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were a little lower on  Tuesday, under pressure from worry that higher oil prices will  cut into corporate profits and consumer demand, and retail  sales data that declined more than expected in August.

Stocks Off, Higher Oil Stirs Profit Worry


Sybase this week is releasing the first two products in its Unwired Enterprise initiative, which aims to help solution providers make enterprise applications mobile by integrating Sybase middleware and mobile server products from its iAnywhere subsidiary.

Sybase Uncorks Unwired Enterprise


Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu failed a doping test and could force a ban of up two years from domestic and international soccer. Professional Footballers #39; Association chief executive Gordon Taylor confirmed the positive test Monday.

Mutu faces two-year suspension


Vladimir Guerrero says he #39;s not trying to win a MVP award, that he #39;s merely trying to drive the Angels to the postseason. But it #39;s uncanny how in striving for one goal, sometimes another appears on the horizon.

Angels climb into tie for first


An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Thursday night killed a leading weapons maker of Hamas who was responsible for some of the group #39;s most powerful bombs and its homemade rockets, Israel #39;s military said.

Israeli Missile Kills Hamas Weapons Maker


Among other changes, the software giant has established a Web site designed to make it easier to understand what the program's rules are.

Microsoft tweaks volume-licensing program


Thirty-five years after computer scientists at UCLA linked two bulky computers using a 15-foot gray cable, testing a new way for exchanging data over networks, what would ultimately become the Internet remains a work in progress.

Internet Turns 35, Still Work in Progress


AP - The recording industry has filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 761 computer users, the latest round of litigation in the record companies' effort to stamp out unauthorized trading of music online.

Recording Cos. Sue 761 for Music Swapping (AP)


Curt Schilling doesn't need a matching set of healthy ankles to be right about one thing: In this town, with this team, it always does come back to the manager. He's either a candidate for bronzing or for the hanging tree.

He had all right moves


Goldman Sachs reiterated an  quot;outperform quot; rating and raised estimates for third-quarter revenue and earnings before interest depreciation and amortization for Yahoo!

Yahoo! Seen Outperforming Peers


His emotions alternating between his trademark humor and broken-voiced sadness, veteran broadcaster Sean McDonough confirmed yesterday that NESN informed him last Friday that he will not be part of the Red Sox broadcast team in 2005.

McDonough shocked he's not coming back


Bangkok - Roger Federer edged closer to a dream tenth title of the season as he applied the pressure at just the right moments, defeating Robin Soderling 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 for a spot in the semi-finals of the \$550 000 Thailand Open on Friday.

Federer on a roll in Bangkok


Vivendi Universal (EAUG.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a 19 percent increase in underlying third-quarter profit

UPDATE 4-Vivendi Universal raises 2004 profit forecast


CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Reuters) - Equatorial Guinea has  asked South Africa for permission to interview Mark Thatcher,  arrested this week on suspicion of involvement in a coup plot  against the leader of the oil-rich country, officials said  Friday.

S.Africa Says Eq. Guinea Wants to Quiz Thatcher


European plane maker Airbus SAS has successfully completed the first in-flight trial of mobile phones and infrastructure equipment based on GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology, the company said Wednesday.

Airbus tests in-flight mobile phones


They are a billion strong. Diseased, malnourished, uneducated, they are a people on the run from wars that take the lives of their brothers and sisters.

At risk: 1,000,000,000 of the world #39;s children


IN ANOTHER change of plan, semiconductor giant Intel has cancelled a project to develop a chip for projection TVs, saying it plans to focus its resources in other areas.

Intel switches off TV chip


Wireless vendors are committed to building 3G systems despite the fear that users will turn up their nose at all the extra bandwidth.

Report: Transition to 3G Wireless Networks Could Be Bumpy


Nintendo is hoping that the Nintendo DS will win over older, more sophisticated gamers.

Playing Games in Your 20's? Nintendo Is Onto You


OCTOBER 12, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - The high-tech industry is finally heading towards a recovery after the postbubble decline, but we are not quite there yet, according to executives and industry watchers at the fifteenth annual Etre technology

IT execs optimistic about ways to connect


But fresh antitrust suit is in the envelope, says Novell

Why MS paid Novell half a billion bucks today


NEW YORK - Investors sent stocks lower Thursday after Merck   Co. said it would be forced to remove its best-selling Vioxx arthritis drug from the market due to serious health risks...

Stocks Decline on Merck's Vioxx Woes


NEW YORK -- Two blocks south of Madison Square Garden, in a microcosm of what New Yorkers have been experiencing all week in this busy midtown neighborhood, a few feet of pavement told a tale of two cities.

For local businesses, not much of a boost


Health experts had warned that the nation's system for vaccine supply and distribution was growing increasingly fragile.

With Few Suppliers of Flu Shots, Shortage Was Long in Making


AP - President Bush on Thursday signed into law a bill authorizing  #36;82 million in grants aimed at preventing suicide among young people.

Bush Signs Youth Suicide Prevention Law (AP)


Reuters - The dollar fell under 103 yen on\Friday after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said large\interventions in the currency market do not create protracted\changes in exchange rates but have some effect.

Greenspan Sends Dollar to 4-Yr Low Vs Yen (Reuters)


CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. <A HREF=

McDonald's Same-Store Sales Rose 3.9 Pct


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Curt Schilling won his major league  leading 18th game and David Ortiz hit his 35th home run as the  Boston Red Sox edged the Texas Rangers 6-5 in American League  at Fenway Park Sunday.

AL Wrap: Schilling Helps Red Sox Keep Heat on Yankees


Reuters - The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan said on Monday they had made modest progress in talks to revive a flagging peace process, but the two nations showed no sign of resolving any differences over Kashmir.

India, Pakistan end talks, disagree on Kashmir (Reuters)


What might be the first directly visible planet orbiting a starlike body other than our sun was reported by scientists from Europe and Los Angeles on Friday.

Groundbreaking discovery in the cosmos? Object 230 light years <b>...</b>


Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley is charged with disorderly conduct after interfering with a traffic stop near Akron, Ohio.

Bradley in Trouble Again


RAMALLAH, West Bank - Yasser Arafat acknowledged Wednesday that the Palestinian Authority has made

Arafat Admits Palestinians Made Mistakes


PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies  introduced Charlie Manuel as their 51st manager on Thursday  afternoon. The 60-year-old Manuel was one of eight candidates  interviewed for the job.

Phillies Name Manuel as Their New Manager


Oil prices rose modestly today, halting a three-day losing streak on profit-taking from record highs near \$50 a barrel.

Oil Prices Halt Three-Day Losing Streak


ATLANTA: Coca-Cola #39;s new chairman and chief executive, Neville Isdell, says bolstering the soft drink group #39;s depleted management ranks will be a key priority as he embarks on a make-over of the slumping company.

Coke CEO vows to rebuild management ranks


Siemens Communications has agreed to integrate Flarion Technologies #39; FLASH-OFDM technology into its portfolio of mobile broadband solutions.

Siemens to Integrate Flarion #39;s FLASH-OFDM


Reuters - Turkey leftovers will take on a whole\new use after a Minnesota company finishes construction of a\power plant fired by the birds' droppings.

Plant to Make Clean Power from Turkey Droppings (Reuters)


Carl Pavano decided he wanted to be a Yankee, and his agent and team officials worked to complete a four-year deal for about \$39-million.

Pavano picks Yankees; Red Sox grab Wells


DHAKA, BANGLADESH -- An angry mob set fire to a passenger train and protesters clashed with police across Bangladesh yesterday, leaving dozens of people injured, as violence spread a day after a grenade attack on an opposition rally killed 19 people and

Mob sets train ablaze in Bangladesh protests


General Motors Corp. (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , in the midst of reassessing its unprofitable European operations, is not ruling out closing a plant there and is likely to cut some jobs, a GM spokesman said on Wednesday.

GM Likely to Cut Jobs in Europe


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Hurricane Jeanne got stronger, bigger and faster as it battered the Bahamas and bore down on Florida Saturday, sending huge waves crashing onto beaches and forcing thousands into shelters just weeks after Frances ravaged this area...

Jeanne Batters Bahamas, Heads Toward Fla.


Jack Welch greets you at the door and wants to talk about the Red Sox. The former chairman and chief executive of General Electric Co. is a Bostonian now. He lives in Beacon Hill with his new wife, Suzy Wetlaufer , the former editor of the Harvard Business Review. The two share an office in a sunlit room with a ...

A new chapter for ex-GE chief Jack Welch


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - World champion Michael Schumacher was involved in a high-speed crash in practice at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, who finished practice in second behind teammate

Schumacher crashes in practice


UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown sought to counter calls from Germany and the Netherlands to cut Britain #39;s annual rebate from the European Union budget, saying current proposals

Brown Clashes With EU Ministers Over UK #39;s Budget Rebate


NEW DELHI:  quot;Who could say some 20 years ago that the Berlin Wall would be a thing of the past, quot; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had told his Pakistan counterpart Shaukat Aziz on his arrival on Tuesday.

Kashmir is key to peace, says Pakistani PM


Playboy Publishes More of the Google Interview on Playboy.com\\Playboy magazine on Tuesday published previously unsyndicated interview excerpts to its Web site from its interview with Google's founders. The original interview was published just before the Internet search engine's much-anticipated initial public offering.\\In the never before seen excerpt on Playboy.com, Google ...


Strong aftershocks have continued to hit Japan two days after 24 people died in the country #39;s deadliest earthquake in almost a decade.

Quake aftershocks hit north Japan


Forward Antawn Jamison is expected to be the team's No. 1 offensive threat while working within the framework of the offense.

Going With the Flow


Despite having won 10 out of 11 tests so far this year, England are still a long way from being the best team in the world. Arch-rivals Australia hold sway at the

Rampant England eye top spot after seven wins in a row


Reuters - The Athens Olympics will cost a total of\almost 10 billion euros ( #36;12.09 billion), more than double the\original target, pushing Greece's budget gap well above EU\limits, finance ministry sources said on Wednesday.

Olympic Gold's Price:  #36;12 Bln for Athens (Reuters)


Oil prices resume their upward path, lifted by reports of pipeline sabotage in Iraq and fears that Russian firm Yukos may cease production.

Oil price rally takes off again


AP - Kevin Brown might have punched himself out of the pennant race, and the New York Yankees are angry about it. Brown broke his non-pitching hand when he punched a wall in the clubhouse Friday night during New York's 3-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

Yankees' Brown Breaks Hand Punching Wall (AP)


Charles Jenkins, a US military serviceman, received a minor sentence Wednesday to 30 days in confinement and dishonorable discharge by a US court-martial for his desertion in 1960s, the US Army said.

US soldier sentenced to 30-day confinement, dishonorable discharge


It was a rough September for many retailers battered by hurricanes on one side and rising fuel prices on the other, but American Eagle Outfitters Inc.

Eagle soars above others


The Times has abandoned the broadsheet edition of the newspaper, almost a year to the day since it launched a tabloid version for commuters.

Times drops broadsheet edition


SHEBERGHAN, Afghanistan -- For the first time in its history, this desert town is showing off the trappings of democracy. Campaign posters decorate storefronts, and the local leader, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, has traded his military uniform for a dark suit and has hit the campaign trail.

Afghan warlords hunt for votes


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. <A HREF=

Krispy Kreme Posts Loss, Stock Off 16 Pct


The NZ Herald has the story.  More coverage can be found by performing a Google News search for

Evidence of sex abuse by U.N. Congo staff outrages Annan


Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted failure to progress in the Champions League this season would be a financial disaster for the club.

Wenger: Euro failure spells disaster for Arsenal


Reuters - The U.S. State Department said on Friday it believed a blast at an Islamabad hotel was probably caused by a bomb, differing from the Pakistani view that it appeared to be the result of an electrical fault.

U.S. thinks Pakistan blast likely caused by a bomb (Reuters)


A couple hundred people rallied outside the US Department of Labor here yesterday to protest the Bush administration #39;s sweeping changes to overtime rules that opponents say could

Washington, DC Workers protest the changes to overtime


STRASBOURG, Oct 4 (SW) - After a winless start to the Ligue 1 season, Racing Club de Strasbourg have become the second French club to sack their coach this year, letting of manager Antoine Kombouare.

Strasbourg sack coach Kombouare


Call them the  quot;almost ready for prime-time quot; Bears. Or maybe you can call them more than that after tomorrow. For the University of California, the time is now. Or, more specifically, tomorrow afternoon, when they take on top-ranked Southern Cal.

All of a sudden, Cal is loaded for bear


An ambulance of the International Security Assistance Force carrying the body of Turkish Engineer Eyup Orel leaves Kabul airport in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Dec. 15, 2004.

Kidnapped Turkish engineer found dead in Afghanistan


VANCOUVER -- Canada will step up political pressure on the US government to drop punitive duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports in the wake of a pivotal trade ruling.

Canada set to press US on softwood


Asia focused bank Standard Chartered is eyeing Absa, after Barclays said it was in talks with South Africa #39;s biggest bank, the Times has reported.

Standard Chartered targets Absa - report


Kenneth Bigley, a Briton taken hostage in Iraq, asked UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save his life in a videotape posted on the internet and aired by broadcasters worldwide, after

UK Hostage in Iraq Pleads for Life After 2 Americans Killed


Modern imaging techniques have revealed some new information about the earliest biblical passage ever found in ancient artifacts.

Solving a Riddle Written in Silver


The head of the nation #39;s space program will interview for the job as chancellor of LSU this week. NASA Administrator Sean O #39;Keefe, who has ties to Louisiana, has been recruited by LSU officials

O #39;Keefe to meet on Thursday with LSU chancellor search committee


A truckers #39; union on Sunday said its strike against a proposed service tax on the industry had not been called off, but temporarily deferred until contentious issues were sorted out.

Strike not called off, only deferred: Truckers


Infineon Technologies will build a fab in Kulim High Tech Park, Malaysia, to produce power supply and logic chips used in cars and industrial power applications, the firm announced on December 8. Infineon

Infineon to build a fab in Malaysia to build chips for cars and <b>...</b>


Gareth Southgate fears another Boro backs-to-the-wall display on Sunday -whether Wayne Rooney lines up against them or not. After a battling performance against Czech champions Banik Ostrava on Thursday to

Manchester United v Middlesbrough


DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen said Tuesday he #39;s retiring after 17 years in the NBA. Pippen 39, teamed with Michael Jordan to lead the Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s.

Pippen won six NBA rings with Jordan


In a humiliating move that may only equal being tossed out of a supermarket express checkout line for trying to sneak through 11 items instead of 10 or less, Winn-Dixie (NYSE: WIN) is being heaved out of the popular Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 index.

Winn-Dixie: Paper or Drastic?


The California Public Employees #39; Retirement System wants to rein in what it calls abusive compensation practices in corporate America and hold directors and compensation committees more accountable for their actions.

CalPERS goes after  #39;egregious #39; exec pay


AP - A fossilized jaw found in an Alberta gravel pit may have cleared up a mystery for researchers wondering how brown bears originally made it across North America.

Fossil Indicates Brown Bears Went South (AP)


If you've ever had a portable computer shut down because the battery went dead, you should know the Air Force shares your problem. And it's trying to solve it, too.

Air Force Awards Tablet PC Project


LONDON (CP) - BT Group PLC has awarded a contract worth \$5 million US to Nortel Networks for voice-over-Internet technology designed to link almost 10,000 agents into a so-called virtual contact centre.

Nortel wins US\$5M contract for BT 10,000-worker virtual call <b>...</b>


Spirit, one of the two rovers exploring Mars, has discovered the first rock on the planet that scientists say could have formed only in water - - but whether the water was flowing, or lay like a shallow sea that came and went, remains unknown, the mission

Rock-solid signs of early water on Mars


Singletary #39;s owners didn #39;t wear their Chicago Bears jerseys to Lone Star Park to watch the colt run in the \$1.5 million Breeders #39; Cup Mile on Saturday, trainer Don Chatlos

Owners turn Singletary into party animal


ATLANTA --(Business Wire)-- Nov. 22, 2004 -- AirGate PCS, Inc. (Nasdaq:PCSA), a PCS Affiliate of Sprint, today released the following statement:  quot;We have received a letter dated October 22, 2004, from David

AirGate PCS, Inc. Responds to Announcement by Alamosa Holdings


Reuters - California vaccine maker VaxGen Inc.\will make a new and improved version of the anthrax vaccine for\use in case of a biological attack, the U.S. government said on\Thursday.

California Company to Make New Anthrax Vaccine (Reuters)


Hicham El Guerrouj shocks world record holder Kenenisa Bekele to win the 5,000m.

El Guerrouj hits gold again


Having missed out at all four of the majors this season, Ernie Els rewarded himself with the next best thing by winning a World Championship.

Els fends off rejuvenated Bjorn to shoot down Tiger


Description: NPR #39;s Noah Adams talks to Tess Vigeland of Marketplace about the week ahead in business and economics, including Wednesday #39;s meeting of the Federal Reserve Board to discuss interest rates.

The Marketplace Report: Fed Interest Rate Talks


Yukos #39; core shareholder, Group Menatep, has taken the first step toward suing the Russian government, the Moscow Times reported this weekend.

Menatep plans to sue Kremlin


Luke Donald made an early charge in a late bid to make his first Ryder Cup team, but now must wait one week to see if European captain Bernhard Langer finds him worthy of a captain #39;s pick.

European team starts to take shape


Expeditors International posts strong results, but the jaw droppers are in its 8-K.

Keeping It Simple


US stocks are expected to open modestly higher Wednesday, as oil prices remain center stage but thin summer volumes are likely to continue.

Stocks to Open Higher, Oil Still Focus


AP - Many states are facing legal challenges over possible voting problems Nov. 2. A look at some of the developments Monday:

A Look at Lawsuits, Voting Problems (AP)


When it comes to inexperienced, talented running backs, Boston College is suffering from an embarrassment of riches.

BC stays in running


Housing construction in August surged to its highest level in five months, a dose of encouraging news for the economy's expansion.

Housing Starts Increased 0.6 Percent


Hewlett-Packard is the latest IT vendor to try blogging. But analysts wonder if the weblog trend is the 21st century equivalent of CB radios, which made a big splash in the 1970s before fading.

HP quietly begins weblog experiment


ATHENS, Greece -- US sprinter Torri Edwards #39; suspension was upheld by a panel of three international arbitrators Tuesday, leaving the reigning 100-meter world champion unable to compete at the Olympics.

Ruling bars Edwards from Athens competition


Furl Search Client Acquired By LookSmart\\LookSmart, an Internet search company, today announced the acquisition of  Furl.net, an innovative service that enables users to save a full-text copy of any page on the Web, then search and share that data. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Furl allows members ...


Motorola Inc. announced Tuesday plans to cut 1,000 jobs worldwide and take a charge of \$50 million for severance benefits. The job cuts are part of a restructuring resulting from the spin off of its semiconductor division into Freescale Semiconductor.

Motorola cutting 1,000 jobs


Minnesota will soon begin issuing new driver #39;s licenses that contain high-tech features to curb counterfeiting, as well as a  quot;status check quot; that will show a driver #39;s immigration status.

MN to issue high-tech-driver #39;s licenses


SPACE.com - Armadillo Aerospace of Mesquite, Texas has reported a \crash last weekend of their prototype X Prize rocket.

Armadillo Aerospaces X Prize Prototype Crashes (SPACE.com)


AP - Rebels released six Sudanese aid workers early Wednesday in Darfur, four days after they went missing during a trip to register refugees fleeing a brutal campaign of killings in the war-ravaged region, a U.N. official said.

Sudanese Aid Workers Released by Rebels (AP)


CLEVELAND Jeff Garcia #39;s four touchdown passes carried Cleveland past Cincinnati 34-to-17. One of those tosses was the tenth 99-yard pass play in NFL history.

Sports: Browns 34 Bengals 17


ONE of Australia #39;s biggest gold miners, Sons of Gwalia, has called in administrators after negotiations with its creditors collapsed.

Gwalia on brink of collapse


Russian teenager Mikhail Ignatyev gave his nation their first medal of the Olympic track cycling competition on Tuesday, winning gold in the men #39;s points race.

Russian teenager wins cycling gold


The Japanese car maker and three former executives plead not guilty to charges of covering up a truck defect in an official report.

Mitsubishi chiefs deny cover up


CHIBA, JAPAN -- Sony will begin selling in Japan in November a combination personal computer and video server that can record up to seven channels of television simultaneously, it said at the Ceatec 2004 exhibition here.

Sony #39;s Vaio X: Like TiVo on Steroids


Mozilla Foundation releases new versions of two browsers and an e-mail reader, addressing vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to run malicious code on a user's PC.

Mozilla fixes browser bugs


Dale Rogers completed 85.7 percent of his passes, committed no turnovers and was the team #39;s leading rusher. Yet the Spartans still lost by 40 to Stanford.

QB dilemma still haunts Spartans


The BBC's Peter Gibbs explains why hurricanes happen, and what can be done to limit their impact.

The science of hurricanes


Romanians have elected Traian Basescu as the country #39;s next president in a surprise victory over Prime Minister Adrian Nastase that will also almost certainly prevent his

Romanians Elect Mayor of Bucharest as New President


This year's Ars Electronica festival turned the city of Linz, Austria, into one big digital art installation, featuring everything from car alarms programmed with laugh tracks to messages broadcast by antelope horn. By Michelle Delio.

City Survives Art Geek Invasion


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

Chelsea top after Palace hold Arsenal


Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have long been synonymous with home ownership. Now those names are also disconcertingly associated with corporate wrongdoing.

Don #39;t Dawdle Over Report


Pope John Paul returned relics of two early Christian saints to the Patriarch of Constantinople Saturday in another bid to warm ties with eastern Orthodoxy.

Pope returns relics to eastern Orthodox


AP - It started out listening for enemy submarines, once plied the oceans searching for drug traffickers and recently ran aircraft surveillance for ships gearing up for duty in the Iraq war.

Navy Ship to Become Scientific Explorer (AP)


The \$500 billion drug industry is stumbling badly in its core business of finding new medicines, while aggressively marketing existing drugs.

Pricey Trials Turn Up Few New Blockbusters


LookSmart Adds Porn Free Search to Net Nanny\\LookSmart today announced the release of Net Nanny 5.1, an updated version of its Internet filtering software, and the first version to include family-safe Web search. Net Nanny 5.1 has a suggested retail price of \$39.95 for new buyers of Net Nanny and ...


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew faster in the  second quarter than previously thought as business inventories  rose at the strongest rate in four years, the government said  on Wednesday, a sign the soft patch was not as soft as feared.

Economic Growth Better Than Thought


SunGard Data Systems Inc. said Monday it will spin off its information availability services business, which helps organizations maintain access to their electronic data during everything from minor mishaps to major disasters.

SunGard Data to spin off business


Toronto police shot and killed a man who was holding a woman hostage in the city #39;s business core on Wednesday, ending a standoff that brought morning rush-hour traffic to a gridlocked standstill.

Police Shoot and Kill Hostage Taker in Toronto


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yields on U.S. Treasuries held near  recent lows on Friday as oil topped \$49 a barrel, threatening  the outlook for both the economy and stocks.

Treasuries Yields Near Recent Lows


To see the e-mail I get every day from readers about security issues is to develop a deep discomfort with the state of computing today. Keeping a Windows PC safe can demand a high degree of vigilance. <FONT face=

New Computer? Six Steps to Safer Surfing


SURGING demand in heavy construction should outweigh any downturn in new home building, according to OneSteel and Boral.

Construction driving solid product demand


It #39;s an unlikely marriage of the sacred and the profane: a decade-old grilled cheese sandwich bearing the purported image of the Virgin Mary, sold to a gambling house that wants to tour the petrified snack around the country for charity.

Why some see a hero in simple sandwich


Shares of stun gun maker Taser International Inc. (TASR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) soared on Wednesday after the United Kingdom, which does

UPDATE 1-Taser says some UK police approved for stun guns


A battle group of British troops began to roll out of southern Iraq Wednesday on a US-requested mission to deadlier areas near Baghdad in a major political gamble for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

UK troops in Iraq start moving north


BALTIMORE - The wife of an Army reservist sentenced to prison for abusing prisoners in Iraq said she knows her husband was wrong, but she also blames higher-ranking officials who  quot;sit behind the curtains quot; for the abuse.

Wife of soldier sentenced in prison abuse scandal speaks out


Ziff Davis - The company says it will offer the same per-processir software licensing model for hardware containing dual-core and multicore technology.

Microsoft Reveals Licensing Plans for Dual-Core Chips (Ziff Davis)


Reuters - Soaring crude prices plus worries\about the economy and the outlook for earnings are expected to\hang over the stock market next week during the depth of the\summer doldrums.

Oil and Economy Cloud Stocks' Outlook (Reuters)


Here #39;s what Buffalo Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally sees when he looks at the Patriots stats, news #39; defense: They #39;re sound and have terrific coaching.

Bills offense in line for trouble


AP - Tim Lewis has taken the New York Giants' traditional 4-3 defense and added a twist of the old Pittsburgh Steelers' 3-4 to it.

Giants Defensive Coordinator Baffling NFL (AP)


Retirement is once again pulling at Roger Clemens. Only this time, he thinks he actually might follow through on it for more than a few months.

Rog still best


AMD has fleshed out its mobile chip catalogue this week by shipping the Mobile AMD Athlon 64 3000 processor. It joins a range of mobile models, from 2800 to 3400, but is the first to be built using 90nm technology.

AMD mobile Athlon 64 targets Intel Pentium-M


Wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson posted a third-quarter profit that was in line with analysts #39; expectations and said its mobile networks were expected to show signs of slight growth in the coming months.

Update 1: Tech Giant Ericsson Reports Solid Quarter


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell to a fresh five-month  low on Monday as a bout of fund-led selling countered a cut to  supplies by top OPEC exporter Saudi Arabia.

Oil Drops on Fund Selling


An international summit to assess how countries are complying with a convention banning land-mine use, production, stockpiling, and transfer is underway in Nairobi.

Nairobi Summit Urges More Progress to Ban Land Mines


German stocks advanced, led by Bayer AG, after the company said it formed a marketing partnership with a US competitor. The benchmark DAX Index rose 30.

Germany #39;s DAX Index Gains, Led by Bayer; Infineon and SAP Rise


TEMPE - Before yesterday, Brooks Bollinger was last seen in the final preseason game, leading the Jets to 21 unanswered points in the final five minutes to defeat the Eagles.

Brooks gets into the flow


CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Sports Network) - Rashad McCants scored  a game-high 28 points to lead No. 9 North Carolina over  eighth-ranked Kentucky, 91-78, as the nation's two winningest  programs battled at Dean Smith Center.

College Basketball: North Carolina Tops Kentucky


AFP - Ninety years after imperial Germany was chased out of the South Pacific few signs remain in Samoa that this was once Berlin's colonial pearl.

Ninety years on, only faint echoes remain of Samoa's German past (AFP)


Terrorism News, New Delhi, As he prepares to celebrate his 50th birthday, Velupillai Prabhakaran remains firmly committed to his dream of breaking up Sri Lanka to carve out a Tamil Eelam state.

Terrorism ; Prabhakaran turns 50, but will he change? (COMMENTARY)


IN football terms, it #39;s simply known as an offensive line, but Jets right tackle Kareem McKenzie compares it to an orchestra. Call it the Meadowlands Pops.

Jets Hardly Miss a Beat With the Line So in Tune


Reuters - Nokia (NOK1V.HE) is set to unveil\another attempt at a mobile phone designed for television and\video, which is thinner and lighter than its predecessor which\never made it to the market, a source said on Monday.

Nokia Set to Unveil Redesigned TV Phone -- Source (Reuters)


An Indonesian woman swept to sea by the tsunami is rescued by a passing ship after five days adrift.

Tsunami survivor rescued at sea


Wrigley today announced plans to buy those brands from Kraft Foods for one-point-four-eight (B) billion dollars. The sale includes the Life Savers, Creme Savers and Altoids brands, as well as several local

Wrigley to buy Life Savers, Altoids from Kraft


A spate of car bombings rocked Baghdad on Thursday, killing more than 20 people, including a US soldier and two Iraqi police officers, according to Iraqi and US officials.

Car bombings shake Baghdad


Vijay Singh leads from start to finish to win the 84 Lumber Classic  and eclipse Tiger Woods' season earnings record.

Golf: Record earnings for Singh


The year's big drug-industry merger may turn out to be about using marketing muscle to fight fat.

Diet Pill Was a Driving Force in French Drug Merger


In front of Bally #39;s Atlantic City, a discarded  quot;On Strike quot; sign was stuffed in a trash can. Absent from the famed Boardwalk were the conga lines of chanting and singing strikers.

Update 7: Tentative Deal Reached in Casino Strike


Tourists and residents throughout the Florida Keys were sent packing Thursday to avoid the wrath of Hurricane Ivan, even as millions of people in disaster-stricken Florida struggled to pick up the pieces from Hurricanes Frances and Charley.

Ivan batters tropics; 23 are reported dead


AP - America Online Inc. is packaging new features to combat viruses, spam and spyware in response to growing online security threats.

AOL Packaging New Security Features (AP)


PARIS, Oct 31 (AFP) - Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s condition is curable and stable, officials said Sunday as French doctors tried to determine whether he is fit to stay on as Palestinian Authority president.

Palestinian officials say Arafat #39;s condition is curable, stable


Independent Media Center (Indymedia), the U.K.-based group responsible for running about 20 independent news Web sites, said that U.S. authorities returned its servers on Wednesday, but the group is still looking for answers as to why the two servers were seized last week.

UK servers returned to media group by US feds


Melbourne - A hotel bouncer charged over the death of former Australian Test cricketer David Hookes will stand trial early next year on charges of manslaughter and assault, a court heard on Monday.

Hookes: Bouncer to stand trial


Microsoft is promoting its Windows Media Center Extender devices as the easiest way to get music, photos and video from a Media Center PC to a stereo or TV.

Media Center will succeed, just not yet


IBM, the company that invented the PC, has put its PC business up for sale, according to the New York Times, and is in discussions with China #39;s largest maker of personal computers, Lenovo Group (formerly Legend Group), and at least one other potential

IBM puts PC business up for sale


SAN SALVADOR -- Homemade grenades started exploding midmorning Aug. 18 at La Esperanza, El Salvador's largest prison, and the 3,200 inmates locked inside the overcrowded cage stampeded to escape the blasts and the fireballs.

Gang violence rises in Central America


Yasser Arafat, long-time leader of the Palestinian people, died in Paris on November 11 at the age of 75. He had been taken to France for medical treatment after falling gravely ill at the Palestine Authority

The Legacy of Yasser Arafat


InfoWorld - Compuware this week is upgrading its Vantage application service management software to highlight predictive analysis and performance assessment.

Compuware looks to cut risks in apps deployment (InfoWorld)


Chinese textile exporters have lashed out at the latest attempts by the US to restrict imports of textile and garment products. The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, an interagency group

CHINA: Textile Industry Slates US  quot;Trade Protectionism quot;


Voter databases are old hat to political campaigns. But by taking that same data and overlaying it on a map -- a technology called geographic information systems -- operatives are becoming more effective at getting out the vote. By Jacob Ogles.

Pinpointing Voters on a Map


AP - Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket goods dropped in August, largely weighed down by a sharp decline in demand for commercial airplanes.

Demand for Durable Goods Drops in August (AP)


quot;I #39;m going to a club with a lot of history and a great present, quot; Alonso told a press conference here in the presence of Real Sociedad president Jose Luis Astiarzan.

Alonso seals Liverpool move


David Moyes spoke of his desire to lead Everton into Europe after signing a new contract which will keep him at Goodison Park until 2009.

Moyes Dreams of European Adventure


CHARLOTTE -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme only remembers one thing about the 1997 draft -- that he wasn #39;t going to be in it.

Delhomme at head of QB Class of  #39;97


LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A new city law designed to prevent violence at cybercafes quietly took effect Saturday, but authorities had no inspections planned to check for compliance with the tighter rules.    The ordinance requires 30 parlors in Los Angeles to enforce a curfew for minors and install surveillance cameras...

Los Angeles Imposes Regulations on Cybercafes


Vivisimo #39;s co-founder and chief executive, Raul Valdes-Perez, was a protege of Herbert Simon, a Nobel laureate who was a pioneer in artificial intelligence research.

Vivisimo Offers Consumers a New Search Engine Format


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

Mylan Says It's Committed to King Deal


Police are investigating a British National Party leaflet posted to homes in south Wales opposing plans for a new mosque. Anti-racism campaigners in Swansea have handed copies to South Wales Police.

Police probe BNP mosque leaflet


TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei rose 0.38 percent on Tuesday  as another jump in U.S. tech shares lured foreign investors to  their Japanese peers and other exporters such as Honda, while  earnings optimism again buoyed some miners.

Nikkei Back at Level Before Weak Data


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Drivers still learning how to talk  on cell phones and maneuver at the same time are headed for an  even more complex world.

PluggedIn: New Gadgets May Divert Drivers' Eyes from the Road


Standard  amp; Poor #39;s Ratings Services announced that it will hold a telephone conference call on Monday, November 1st, 2004, at 1:00 PM US Eastern Time.

S amp;P to Hold Telephone Conference Today on AIG, ACE


Greensboro, NC (Sports Network) - Brent Geiberger posted a five-under 67 on Friday to move into the lead after the second round of the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.

Geiberger grabs top spot at Chrysler Classic


The FTSE 100 has dipped on its return from a three-day break after a slide on Wall Street, but power companies have risen after a multi-billion-pound asset sale by National Grid Transco.

FTSE 100 dips after bank holiday break


LONDON (Reuters) - Two continents. Three luxury mansions  courtesy of friends. Endless sun and sea. And a front-row seat  for the Olympics to boot.

Blair's 'Freebie' Summer Holidays Irk Britons


The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index ended up 16.90 points, or 1.1 percent, at 1,573.27, after giving up 2.4 percent in the past two sessions, including Wednesday #39;s 0.7 percent loss.

Update 1: Philippine Shares End Higher


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The US Food and Drug Administration expects to inspect Boston Scientific Corp. #39;s Galway, Ireland factory in the  quot;near future quot; as part of its probe into the company #39;s coronary stent recall, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday.

FDA to Inspect Boston Scientific Stent Plant -WSJ


Insurgents escalated the violence in Iraq Thursday morning as separate bombing incidents killed dozens of people, including three American soldiers.

Dozens Killed as Violence Escalates in Iraq


Kim Clijsters is still hopeful of making next month #39;s Australian Open despite reports she would not be fit. Tournament chief Paul McNamee said on Wednesday that last

Clijsters rejects reports she will not make Australia


Qualcomm announced it will demonstrate a host of innovative 3G CDMA wireless products and solutions for consumers and the enterprise at CTIA Wireless IT  amp; Entertainment 2004, Oct. 25-27 in booth 638 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Qualcomm showcases 3G CDMA mobile multimedia solutions


Hungarys Laszlo Kovacs, Italys Franco Frattini and Latvias Andris Piebalgs were interviewed on Monday and yesterday. Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso had to change his proposed team after it became

New commissioners grilled by MEPs


US tycoon Malcolm Glazer's plans for a controlling interest in Man Utd are reportedly close to collapse.

Football: Man U takeover doubt


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Andre Dyson was it. Of the Tennessee Titans #39; starting secondary to open the season -- including the nickel and dime players -- Dyson was the last one standing in the fourth quarter of Sunday #39;s game with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Gutsy victory is sum of Titans #39; spare parts


quot;We knew it would be a fight and so it was, quot; said team chief Jean Todt.  quot;Both our drivers faced difficult tasks. All our chances of victory rested on Rubens, given the start positions, while Michael faced

Ferrari toast Barrichello victory


Citing higher prices of coffee and sugar, Starbucks says it will raise the average price of its drinks by eleven cents at all 45-hundred stores in North America.

Price hike set


Prime Minister Tony Blair told his Cabinet today that the re-election of President George Bush gave a fresh chance to move the Middle East peace process forward.

Bush Election Will Help Middle East Peace - Blair


Driven by demand for flash memory chips used in cell phones, Intel's profits rose as it struggled to overcome weak PC sales, growing inventory, product missteps and stiff competition.

Intel's Third-Quarter Profit Rises 15


Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Cavaliers placed forward/center Scott Williams on the injured list with patella tendinitis in his left knee.

Cavs place Scott Williams on injured list


Researchers find that men who place portable computers on their laps are inadvertently raising the temperature of their scrotums -- and possibly damaging their sperm. By Amit Asaravala.

Laptops a Hot Fertility Issue


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF=

Wal-Mart Starts Rare Newspaper Ad Blitz


: A police cadet faced charges in connection with the death of a Greek soldier on patrol near the Olympic mountain bike course here today.

Police cadet faces charges in shooting death of soldier


Dwight Phillips of the United States completed a hat-trick of global long jump titles when he crushed the field with his opening leap in Thursday #39;s final to win Olympic gold.

American Dwight Phillips Captures Long Jump Gold


boarder8925 writes  quot;The Register posted an article today that detailed the PlayStation Portable #39;s chip specs. The CPU will run at up to 333MHz, and its frontside bus at up to 166MHz.

PlayStation Portable Chip Details


Back in September we reported on the legal battle between Valve and Vivendi surrounding the  quot;cyber cafs quot; issue where Valve served Sierra On-Line, the then-Half-Life publisher, in August 2002, suing for copyright infringement in violation of the

Valve Wins Round One


At its user conference on Wednesday, Oracle continued sending mixed messages to PeopleSoft customers concerned about how Oracle will support their products if it succeeds in its \$9.2 billion takeover bid.

Oracle mixes messages on PeopleSoft support


THE US CONSUMER Product Safety Commission said that printers from Lexmark, Dell and IBM can short circuit, posing possible electric shock hazards to consumers.

Lexmark, Dell, IBM laser printers recalled


AP - The Arab television station Al-Jazeera said Friday it would broadcast a tape from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden on an evening newscast.

Al-Jazeera Says Will Play Bin Laden Tape (AP)


For much of the bronze-medal game against Lithuania, several of the younger players on Team USA were having themselves a good time.

Maligned Team USA settles for Bronze


Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost his appeal of a 25-point penalty and \$10,000 fine for using a vulgarity during a postrace TV interview.

Earnhardt Loses Appeal of 25-Point Penalty


The name Pulitzer Inc., synomous with the nation #39;s rich newspaper history, is considering selling its successful newspaper chain.

Pulitzer Inc. considering look to sell


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

Viacom Posts a Loss on Charges


Two leading midmarket CRM vendors released expansions of their platforms this week, branching further into the service side of CRM.

SalesLogix and Salesforce.com Expand Their Customer Service <b>...</b>


As fighting winds down in a Fallujah returned by overwhelming force to the sovereignty of the new Iraq, U.S. forces are turning to the many other cities besieged by a fresh wave of insurgent attacks.

U.S. Forces Turn to Iraqi Cities Beyond Fallujah


Darren Lehmann gave evidence Monday at the committal hearing of a man charged in the death of former international cricketer David Hookes.

Lehmann gives evidence at hearing into Hookes #39; death


In a sign that Google #39;s initial public offering is imminent, the company has asked federal regulators to give final approval to the paperwork required for its stock sale.

Google IPO Imminent


Mexico expects to double automobile capacity in 10 years, attracting investment of as much as \$10 billion from foreign automakers, Economy Minister Fernando Canales said in an interview.

Mexico Expects to Double Auto Output in 10 Years (Update1)


As Northern Irelands talks to revive power sharing remained delicately balanced, the DUP leader told colleagues at a dinner last night in North Antrim if the deal was to work it must include the transparent destruction of IRA weapons.

DUP won #39;t be  #39;bounced #39; into deal


Craig Levein hopes to give Leicester fans an early Christmas present when his side face local rivals Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

LEVEIN RELISHING DERBY CLASH


Scot Wingo, author of eBay Strategies: 10 Proven Methods to Maximize Your eBay Business, will answer reader questions about the online marketplace. Wingo is president and chief executive of ChannelAdvisor, an eBay consignment franchise.

Building EBay Businesses


ACE Ltd., a Bermuda-based insurance company, announced on Thursday that it had terminated two executives and suspended three more unnamed employees in the wake of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzers probe into the bid-rigging practices in the

Ace terminates two employees following insurance scandal


TechWeb - Multipurpose cell phones, data-storing pocket knives: Can you fear me now?

Can You Fear Me Now? (TechWeb)


LONDON (Reuters) - Most European stock markets followed  Wall Street lower Wednesday as crude oil's slide to three-month  lows hit heavily weighted oil shares, although a recovering  dollar was a plus for the region's exporters.

Falling Oil Hits Europe; Dollar Bounces


Canadian Press - DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - British hostage Kenneth Bigley has been killed by his captors in Iraq, Abu Dhabi television reported Friday. The British Foreign Office said it could not confirm the report.

Abu Dhabi TV reports British hostage Kenneth Bigley killed by captors in Iraq (Canadian Press)


Britain's swimming coach Bill Sweetenham defends his team's record in Athens.

GB boss defends swimmers


The country #39;s peace envoy says that negotiations will resume next month to end the north-south civil war. By Mike Pflanz  Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor.

Sudan #39;s other humanitarian crisis


Behind the dominant play of their defense and another stellar rushing effort from Mike Hart, the Michigan Wolverines escaped West Lafayette with a 16-14 victory over the Purdue BoilerMakers.

Smothering Defense Freezes Boilers


The European Commission has announced that it is to investigate the recent purchase by Microsoft and Time Warner of ContentGuard, a specialist in digital rights management.

EU launches another probe into Microsoft monopoly


Piper Jaffray said Advanced Micro Devices (nyse: AMD - news - people ) should have an edge over Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people )  quot;throughout 2005 quot; but resumed coverage of both companies at  quot;market perform quot; and both at price targets of \$25.

AMD Will Have An Edge Over Intel Through 2005


For the past 12 years, the Literary Review has held an annual Bad Sex competition aimed at exposing

Bad Sex


LAHORE - Federal Minister for Information, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Friday reiterated that President Pervez Musharraf should retain both the offices in view of the changed internal situation and geo-political conditions of the region.

Decision on dams soon, says Rashid


IRVING - They never trailed and had no turnovers. They had five sacks and strong play from a rookie cornerback forced into action when a starter was hurt.

Cowboys persevere, but questions linger


An explosion blew the door off a Muslim school in a southern Dutch town and shattered windows across the street Monday, Dutch television reported.

Explosion damages Muslim school in southern Netherlands town


Wireless communications service provider Nextel Communications Inc. on Friday posted 69 percent growth in third-quarter earnings based on demand across its business sectors, and raised its outlook for 2004.

Nextel 3Q Profit Rises, Boosts 2004 View


DALLAS -- American Airlines #39; chief executive is warning of more job cuts to reduce costs as the carrier struggles to compete with lower-overhead airlines.

More Job Cuts Likely At American Airlines


Reuters - Sun Microsystems Inc.  is\staging its first press and customer event in New York on\Tuesday in three years to roll out new products and woo\customers in the banking industry, one of the network computer\maker's most important markets.

Sun Micro Aims to Woo Banking Customers (Reuters)


Taiwan companies will have to deal with greater competition from next year because of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement signed by mainland China with Hong Kong and Macau, an analyst said yesterday.

Hong Kong-PRC pact seen affecting Taiwan companies


Describing the new iMac G5, Chris Taylor writes in TIME,  #147;What you get for that money is quite possibly the coolest personal computer yet created. The cool is more than merely aesthetic. Unlike a lot of previous Mac machines, on which you could almost fry an egg, the iMac G5 #146;s beautiful white surface does not get noticeably hot. Nor, at a whisper-quiet 25 decibels, does it make enough noise for most people to hear #133; #148;  Sep 07

iMac G5: Coolest Computer Ever


The NBA filed a federal suit Friday in an effort to block an arbitrator from hearing an appeal of the suspensions handed out to four members of the Indiana Pacers for fighting with fans

NBA sues to keep Pacers bans out of arbitration


Dutch police arrested two people after a violent 15-hour standoff at a house in the Hague, in which four officers were wounded by a hand grenade.

Dutch violence ends with the arrest of two


If the FA had anything about them at all, which is a separate debate, they would slap a hefty ban on Boltons El-Hadji Diouf, for spitting in the face of Portsmouths Arjan de Zeeuw.

Premiership: Ban Diouf, for a long time


LOS ANGELES -- A report on Thursday revealed new information about what Kobe Bryant allegedly told Colorado police before he was arrested on sexual assault charges.

Report: Before Arrest Bryant Said He Would Pay Accuser


Corey Pavin finished with a flourish for one of the best rounds of his career and a three-stroke lead at the inaugural Buick Championship on Thursday at Cromwell, Conn.

Pavin in Buick driver #39;s seat


ZHENGZHOU, China, November 1 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - Ethnic clashes between the Muslim Hui minority and the Han majority in central China #39;s Henan province left several Muslims killed and many others wounded, prompting local authorities to

Many Muslims Killed in Chinese Ethnic Clashes


AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc. AWE.N launches a mobile e-mail and messaging device without voice service on Monday, aiming to use a low price to tempt young consumers.

AT amp;T Wireless Sells Dedicated Messaging Device


Accusations of vicious fouls, cheating, refereeing mistakes and a disputed penalty kick followed the latest confrontation between two of the giants of English soccer -- a 2-0 victory by Manchester United that ended Arsenal #39;s record unbeaten streak of 49

Pot (of soup) boils over in Arsenal-Manchester feud


Two Lebanese held hostage in Iraq for more than two months have been freed and returned home, officials said in Beirut Friday. Marwan Kassar and Mohammed Hussein, who had been working in Iraq for the Lebanese

Lebanese hostage freed in Iraq


The world #39;s financial system is in better shape than at any time since the pricking of the dotcom bubble and the September 11 terrorist attacks threw global markets into turmoil, the International Monetary Fund said yesterday.

Global financial system is shock-proof


Government today hiked Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap for domestic airlines from 40 to 49 per cent through the automatic route but barred foreign airlines from picking up direct or indirect equity.

Govt hikes FDI cap in civil aviation to 49 pc


United Airlines, trying to restructure after nearly two years in bankruptcy protection, told its unions last night that it wanted to terminate its four pension plans and seek additional

United Seeks \$2 Billion More in Cost Cuts


St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Chris Carpenter is expected to miss the first round of the playoffs next week with an injury to his right arm.

Carpenter to miss Division Series


Novartis AG, Switzerland #39;s largest drugmaker, said the US Food and Drug Administration has delayed approval of its Certican transplant treatment and is seeking more information on safe and effective dosing.

Novartis Transplant Drug Certican Delayed by FDA (Update1)


Tired of combing the Net for the right tech job? A start-up says its program can do it--and better than online job boards.

Software promises to read want-ads for you


The T5 is a slim and shiny business device that looks like a stretched-out T3 (3.1 quot; x 4.8 quot; x 0.6 quot; HWD, 5.1 oz), minus the slider design.

New Palm Handheld Features More Memory, No Wi-Fi


Prudential Financial Inc., the second largest US life insurer, said Tuesday its quarterly earnings more than doubled, helped by its acquisitions of Cigna #39;s retirement business and American Skandia.

Prudential trounces estimates


THE federal election was as  quot;close as it gets quot;, Prime Minister John Howard said today. Commenting on the latest Newspoll, Mr Howard said he believed the October 9 poll would go down to the wire.

Election down to the wire: PM


Early-morning risers this week will be treated to a wonderful display of planetary motion, as Venus and Jupiter cross each other #39;s path in the eastern sky before dawn.

Moon, Jupiter, Venus slated for get-together


Reuters - India's ruling center-left Congress\party was heading for victory in elections in the key western\state of Maharashtra that the heart of business and Bollywood,\television exit polls showed on Wednesday.

Congress Leads Exit Polls in Key Indian State (Reuters)


Political leaders have condemned the apparent murder of aid worker Margaret Hassan by her Iraqi kidnappers. Tony Blair said it was  quot;abhorrent quot;, while Irish premier Bertie Ahern said her kidnappers  quot;stand condemned by.

Leaders condemn  #39;Hassan murder #39;


The Nasdaq is jumping into the gold rush to sell shares of itself to the public, getting a head start over its rival, the New York Stock Exchange.

NASDAQ TO OFFER \$100M IN SHARES


A Las Vegas-based startup air carrier plans to be the US launch customer for Boeing Co. #39;s new 7E7  quot;Dreamliner quot; twin-engine jet.

Vegas-based Primaris in deal with Boeing


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

International troops needed: Karzai


Like a zombie punching its fist through the soil on a stormy night, former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett reemerged from isolation in an interview in a story appearing in ESPN The Magazine released on ESPN #39;s Web site yesterday.

Clarett: I  #39;took the fall #39; for Buckeyes


Travel experts share timesaving advice for enduring airports on some of the year's busiest travel days.

Holiday Travel Tips for Stress-Free Flying


South Korea and Japan on Friday agreed to conclude negotiations to sign a free trade deal by the end of 2005. President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi came up with

Seoul, Tokyo Agree to Sign FTA by 2005


AP - Hanging with Chad was a winning experience for the Chicago Bears.

Bears Defeat Vikings, 24-14 (AP)


USATODAY.com - The big green ogre may be about to reclaim his DVD sales crown from that little orange clown fish. Already the top-grossing movie of 2004, Shrek 2  is now the biggest DVD of the year after just the first three days of sales.

Sales of 'Shrek 2' DVD seeing green, possibly sinking 'Nemo' (USATODAY.com)


AP - Simplice Njoya, a University of Memphis basketball forward, sat hunched over a laptop, testing an idea first studied on Israeli fighter pilots. The premise: Skills he picks up playing a complex computer game can make him a better ball player.

Seeking Edge, Hoop Teams Try Video Game (AP)


If former Pirates manager Jim Leyland returns to the dugout next season, it appears that it won #39;t be with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Phillies not likely to hire Leyland


AP - Steve Nash had 20 points and 14 assists to lead the Phoenix Suns to their eighth straight win, 115-102 over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

Suns Defeat Jazz 115-102 (AP)


AP - Bills right tackle Mike Williams appeared to be knocked cold and was driven off the field in an ambulance during the third quarter of Buffalo's game against the New York Jets on Sunday.

Bills RT Williams Taken Off in Ambulance (AP)


DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri  said in a videotape broadcast Monday al Qaeda would continue to  attack the United States until Washington changed its policies  toward the Muslim world.

Al Qaeda's Zawahri Says Will Keep Fighting U.S.


College students returning to school this fall will find that many of their information systems departments - like business operations - are taking a go-slow approach to Microsoft #39;s big anti-hacker upgrade, Windows Service Pack 2.

Colleges approach Windows service pack warily


BAGHDAD, Iraq Sept. 15, 2004 - Security forces discovered three beheaded bodies Wednesday on a road north of Baghdad, and a car bomb exploded in a town south of the capital, killing two people amid a surge

Three Beheaded Bodies Found in Iraq


ZDNet UK: Encryption circles are buzzing with news that mathematical functions embedded in common security applications have previously unknown weaknesses.

Crypto researchers abuzz over flaws


India players agree central contracts for the first time, with top stars netting a basic salary of 59,000.

India agree contracts


AFP - A British former MP left bankrupt and publicly disgraced just three years ago has recouped much of his riches by exploiting his notoriety in the world of show business, a report said.

Disgraced and bankrupt British MP back in the money via showbiz (AFP)


Qualcomm, the San Diego cell phone technology developer, said yesterday it has acquired a British software company for \$36 million in cash.

Qualcomm acquires small UK software company in cash deal


The dispute over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing are expected to be on the agenda as the new commissioner of the European Trade Union, Peter Mandelson, and his counterpart from the United States, Robert Zoeller, started discussions Monday.

US, Europe trade officials to discuss Airbus-Boeing dispute US <b>...</b>


It #39;s hard to have sympathy for RealNetworks (Quote, Chart), and believe me, as a paying customer, I #39;m really trying. The company is spending -- and losing -- a lot of money to spruce up its image with consumers.

Sounds Like (Real) Desperation


AP - Zina Garrison was given a one-year contract to stay on as U.S. Fed Cup captain, while Billie Jean King retired Tuesday as a coach for the team.

Garrison Gets New Contract; King Retires (AP)


ADRIAN MUTU admits he took drugs but claims it was not cocaine but a drug to improve his sex life.  quot;The only reason I took what I took was because I wanted to improve my sexual performance, quot; said the 25-year

Mutu says cocaine was a sex pill


They don #39;t call it the Grand National Drunk for nothing. Temptations abound during Grey Cup Week and it #39;s easy for players on both sides to get caught up in all the hoopla.

Taking care of business


DUBLIN (Reuters) - A Greek plane heading for New York from  Athens made an emergency landing in Ireland on Tuesday after a  bomb alert -- the second such incident in three days.

Greek Plane Diverted to Ireland After Bomb Threat


AP - Sen. John Kerry's campaign released a video Saturday comparing the controversy over Kerry's Vietnam service to attacks on John McCain during the 2000 Republican primaries.

Kerry Camp Makes Video to Defuse Attacks (AP)


For Florida, the hurricane season from hell gets more hellish. Charley, Frances and Ivan - and now Jeanne, a major storm that is due to barrel into the south-eastern part of the state tomorrow.

Florida braces itself for Hurricane Jeanne


Reuters - Nicaragua's unpopular\president faces possible removal from office after a special\Congressional committee was created on Thursday to explore\corruption charges against him.

Nicaraguan President Faces Removal by Congress (Reuters)


Those were a handful of observations made Wednesday by New England Coach Bill Belichick, not about his Patriots, winners of 20 straight games, but about the Jets, the surprising owners

Belichick Seems to Praise Jets With a Wink and a Nod


The cheers went up the instant Willis McGahee took the field. How's that for pressure?

49ers #146; Beasley out till opener


WASHINGTON - A newly discovered fossil may be the remains of one of the first stealth hunters, a swimming dinosaur that could use its long neck to sneak up on prey and strike without warning.

Fossil found in China may go back 230 million years


photo galleries Music player is a must-have, much-loved accessory. Will fanciful Media Center PCs fare as well?

Picture this: iPod fervor, PCs as furniture


Six years after launching a legal battle over unauthorised use of its World Cup trademark FIFA, soccer #39;s world governing body, has won its case against a Spanish and Portuguese language US internet network.

FIFA wins six-year legal battle


Following the Arsenal-Chelsea draw, Manchester United could really blow the title race open with a win at Fulham. Sir Alex Ferguson never gave up on the title.

Prem Preview : Fulham-Man United


ATHENS (Reuters) - Calls of

Olympics: Cut It Out, Give It Back, Cool the Hype


Hasselt, Belgium (Sports Network) - Third-seeded Russian Elena Bovina was an easy opening-round winner Monday at the inaugural Gaz de France Stars tennis event, where Belgian star Kim Clijsters will see her first action since early May this week.

Bovina rolls; Clijsters ready to return in native Belgium


AP - Drew Brees continued his strong exhibition season, passing the San Diego Chargers to a big halftime lead and a 38-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.

Brees Passes Chargers Past Cardinals 38-13 (AP)


Computer Associates International reported a six percent increase in revenue during its second fiscal quarter, but posted a \$94 million loss after paying to settle government investigations into the company, it said Wednesday.

CA posts Q2 loss on restitution charges


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The Canadian Security Intelligence Service should make transcripts of the interviews it conducts with refugee claimants to prevent future conflicts, says the watchdog over the spy agency.

Keep better records of refugee interviews, watchdog advises CSIS (Canadian Press)


Surrey, England (Sports Network) - Ernie Els battled to a 1-up win Friday in the quarterfinals of the HSBC World Match Play Championship to move closer to his sixth title at this event.

Els halfway to sixth title at World Match Play


A Macquarie Communications Infrastructure Group-led consortium bought NTL Inc. #39;s antenna towers business in the UK for 1.27 billion pounds (\$2.47 billion).

Macquarie Buys NTL #39;s Tower Assets for 1.27 Bln Pounds (Update1)


More than 100 whales and dolphins die in two separate beachings in islands off Tasmania in Australia.

Beached whales die off Tasmania


The President during his stay in the country will hold talks with Pakistani leadership on matters including accelerating bilateral cooperation in the war against terrorism besides discussing ways and means to consolidate economic ties between the two

Karzai to arrive Pakistan


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

Fed: Consumers Borrowed Freely in Sept. (AP)


AP - Antarctic birds returning to a nesting colony after feeding at sea sniff out their mates, literally. Researchers studying the behavior of birds called Antarctic prions found the musky-smelling birds were able to discern the scent of their mates.

Arctic Birds Use Scent to Find Their Mates (AP)


Her serves may have cracked the crowd up but Elena Dementieva had the last laugh when she pipped Jennifer Capriati 6-0, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) for a place in the US Open final.

US bows to Russians


The perimeter-conscious (and unconscious) Seattle SuperSonics are off to their best start since the 1993-94 season.

Shots Are Falling, and Sonics Are Rising


UK supermarket chain Tesco  launches an online music service it hopes will rival Apple's market-leading iTunes.

Tesco begins music-download site


Germany #39;s Finance Minister Hans Eichel said Saturday he and US Treasury Secretary John Snow had agreed on a proposal to write off as much as 80 percent of

Iraq to Be Relieved of 80 Percent of Debt


An inspection of Canada #39;s big four audit firms has found no material problems with the work the Bay Street firms conduct, but did find three cases out of 46 examined that did not meet generally accepted auditing standards.

Audit finds auditors lacking


EffectiveBrand Showcases Travelocity Travel Search Toolbar\\Busy travelers shopping for the right priced flights, hotel rooms, and car rentals have turned to Travelocity on many occassions for their online travel needs. Making Travelocity one of the premier online travel sites - compared with Yahoo Travel and MSN's Expedia. Such popularity in ...


Canadian Press - LETHBRIDGE, Alta. (CP) - The strange tale of an Alberta politician who faked a stalking complaint ended Friday as a sentencing judge heard how her personal demons had led her into drug addiction and a suicide attempt.

Former Alta city councillor gets conditional sentence for fabricating stalker (Canadian Press)


Coca-Cola Co. (KO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday reported a 24 percent drop in third-quarter net income due to weak sales of its soft drinks, juices and bottled

Coke Profit Drops on US, European Sales


Ferraris Brazilian driver delighted his supporters with a pole position at his home race. At Renault, things seem low-key but the team is optimistic.

Qualifying: Barrichello maintains the momentum


The grocery workers union representing about 19,000 members in the Sacramento Valley have terminated a contract extension with Safeway, Albertson #39;s and Ralphs, increasing the threat of a strike at stores throughout Northern California.

Grocery outlook grimmer


Former Boston Bruin great Ray Bourque entered the Hockey Hall of Fame Monday. Not bad for a kid who just wanted to make a good impression as rookie in 1979.

Bourque inducted into NHL Hall of Fame


p2pnet.net News:- Still smiling because of its victory over Hollywood, the EFF has chalked up another win. This time, Music publisher Ludlow Music has officially backed down on its threats against web animation

EFF wins JibJab case


Chip giant will need to introduce integrated memory controllers or redesign its frontside bus, analysts say.

Multicore Chips May Push Intel Off Its Bus


Police and Home Office officials have begun an urgent review of security measures after a protester dressed as Batman scaled Buckingham Palace.

Urgent review over Palace protest


Reuters - Syria agreed in talks with U.S. and\Iraqi officials to take

U.S. Says Syria Agreed to Seal Border with Iraq (Reuters)


The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, is set to begin debate on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s controversial plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from all of Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Settlers debate to begin


Alitalia SpA, Italy #39;s largest airline, faces strikes and airport blockades should Chief Executive Giancarlo Cimoli seek bankruptcy protection for the carrier, cut thousands of jobs or break up the company, union officials said.

Alitalia Unions Threaten Strikes on Contract Demands (Update1)


A new Naples football club, formed to replace the bankrupt team of the Italian city, has been handed a place in the country #39;s third division.

New Napoli club to play in Serie C1


Spanish police detain several suspected Islamic militants in a series of pre-dawn raids in Barcelona.

Spain arrests militant suspects


By the time the Blue Jays arrive home following the longest road trip of the year, next weekend #39;s season-ending three games against the Yankees will likely amount to nothing more important than exhibitions in late March.

One clear reason to hang with Blue Jays


Secunia issued a warning that the so-called tabbed browsing function in many alternative Web browsers from Mozilla, Opera, Netscape, Avant, Camino and others leave users vulnerable to spoofed

Experts Warn of Security Flaws in Alternative Browsers


Now, anybody has the chance to say he or she had Barry Bonds #39; 700th home run ball, if only for a moment in cyberspace. The ball will go on sale in a nine-day Internet auction starting Monday, said the attorney

Now you, too, can own Bonds #39; 700th homer ball -- if only for a <b>...</b>


Yahoo Offering Cheaper Domain Names and Hosting\\Yahoo has changed their small business targeting approach by offering domain names for \$9.95 as part of an aggressive move to expand its presence in domains and small business web hosting. Yahoo is also beefing up its shared hosting accounts, offering 2 gigabytes of ...


Maybe coach Lenny Wilkens should make copies of the game tape of the Knicks #39; 99-81 loss last night at SBC Center and distribute them to his players as required viewing.

Tim and world are one


AP - Amid signs that the economy is cooling, President Bush is showcasing initiatives for a second term under the banner of an

Bush Pressing Case for 'Ownership Society' (AP)


Circuit City is phasing out the sale of T-Mobile wireless service as it prepares to focus on launch of Verizon Wireless stores within its own walls.

Circuit City Switching From T-Mobile To Verizon


Don Shula isn #39;t enamored with the possibility of another NFL team joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the annals of perfection.

Shula likes Patriots #39; chances


Classmates Online, the Renton company that built a business around uniting high-school alumni, is being acquired by Internet service provider United Online for \$100 million in cash.

No. 2 Internet service provider buying Classmates Online


With Derek Lowe's days in Boston almost certainly numbered -- and Pedro Martinez's future here in question -- the Red Sox are expected to greet All-Star righthander Carl Pavano this week on Yawkey Way. Pavano plans to begin a tour of the top cities on his list in Boston.

Pitcher hopes not to miss target


As Hurricane Ivan #39;s remnants soaked the South on Friday and left a trail of destruction from the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas, Floridians once again are coping, cleaning up and coming together after being pummeled by a third devastating storm in five weeks

Ivan spreads its misery across the South as Florida digs out from <b>...</b>


LONDON -- According to data from IDC #39;s Western European Quarterly Server Tracker, server sales rose for the fourth consecutive quarter in the second quarter of 2004 with 10.

Spurred by Soaring x86 Server Sales, Western European Server <b>...</b>


AP - Russian officials said Friday they detected traces of a high explosive in the wreckage of one of two crashed jetliners, branding it the work of terrorists, while an Islamic group claimed its suicide attackers brought down both planes because of the war in Chechnya.

Russia Blames Terrorism for Downed Plane (AP)


Former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams was ordered Friday to repay the team more than \$8.6 million for breaching his contract when he suddenly quit before training camp.

Williams told to repay Dolphins \$8.6 million


Talks between Sudan #39;s government and two rebel groups to resolve the nearly two-year battle resume Friday. By Abraham McLaughlin  Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.

Moral clarity blurs in Darfur crisis


Travelers didn #39;t plan on starting their long Thanksgiving weekend stuck in airports or driving on slippery roads, but then again they hadn #39;t figured on snow - and a lot of it.

Bad Weather Disrupts Holiday Travel


The United States outtouched Australia to win the men #39;s 800-meter freestyle relay after Michael Phelps withdrew from the World Short Course Championships because of a back injury Friday night.

US men win 800; Phelps injured


French aircraft motor maker Snecma and French telecommunications equipment group Sagem  quot;will announce their merger on Friday, quot; a Sagem spokeswoman said.

French firms Snecma, Sagem poised to announce merger


United States has strongly condemned a car bomb attack in Multan city of Pakistan that killed more than 41 people and wounded 100 at a prayer vigil.

US condemns Pak blast, calls it  #39;despicable #39;


HOUSTON - Ball High grad Damon Jones can list a number of reasons why he signed with the Miami Heat during the offseason, but at the top of that list is one word -haq.

Galveston #39;s Jones now dishing to Shaq


the third in a week. BA flight 983 had just left Berlin for London when the  quot;specific threat quot; is believed to have been made through a German TV station.

PLANE BOMB ALERT NO3


Britain #39;s world record holder Paula Radcliffe won the women #39;s New York marathon in two hours 23 minutes 10 seconds on Sunday in the race #39;s closest finish and redeem herself

Radcliffe, Raamala win New York marathon race


Israeli President Moshe Katsav has urged the government to respond positively to a Syrian offer to resume peace negotiations. Although Katsav #39;s role is largely ceremonial, his comments on Thursday were in

Israeli president urges Syria dialogue


Visual clues for Browns #39; fans are in short supply. Lerner is camera shy, speaking on the day of Butch Davis #39; departure only after public relations people asked the live cameras to go dark.

Performance, not passion, must be Lerner #39;s strength


Thousands of Shiites marched in celebration of an accord reached to end fighting between U.S. forces and a rebel cleric's militia.

Tentative Accord Reached in Najaf to Halt Fighting


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks looked to open higher on Friday  with oil prices below \$50 a barrel, while technology shares try  to extend a three-day winning streak of ending positive as the  fourth quarter begins on Wall Street.

Stocks Seen Up; Oil Holds Below \$50


NEW YORK - In a highly anticipated ruling, a federal judge found the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act unconstitutional Thursday because it does not include a health exception.    U.S...

Judge Stops Partial-Birth Abortion Ban


TORONTO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court upheld  a patent infringement finding against BlackBerry e-mail device  maker Research In Motion Ltd. <A HREF=

RIM Patent Suit Partly Upheld


If youre reading this, congratulations! You have survived Black Friday, the retail worlds nickname for the day after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday sets tone for retail season


roundup Plus: Microsoft ships updated Works...FaceTime pulls in \$16 million...Bladed desktop pioneer gets \$25 million.

Briefly: Sprint to bake in BlackBerry


The Russian president had been speaking of the need to maintain the effectiveness of the UN #39;s top council, the Indian government said.

Security Council


Search marketing is increasingly global, but a local focus is still vital to achieve your goals.  What does it take to have a successful search marketing campaign in Europe?

Search Marketing in Europe


A Delta 2 rocket haunted by two hurricanes, a tornado and technical problems ran into a new snag this morning that stopped the launch countdown at 43 seconds.

Last-second glitch delays Delta 2 launch;


Michael Eisner lashed out at the  quot;clichd quot; portrayal of the  quot;real quot; Hollywood in his fifth and final day testifying in a shareholder suit over former company president Michael Ovitz #39;s lucrative payout.

EISNER POOH-POOHS HOLLYWOOD  #39;CLICHES #39;


Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns Companies posted a drop in quarterly profits on Wednesday, surprising some investors one day after two

Morgan Stanley, Bear Stearns profits stumble


WASHINGTON -- High oil prices, a factor in virtually all US recessions over the past three decades, are surging again this year. And the higher crude oil prices climb, the more risk energy costs pose to what, until recently, many expected to be a banner year for the US economy.

Rosy forecasts slipping as oil prices rise


One in five people using the new chip and pin credit and debit cards is still signing rather than using a pin number, research suggests.

Shoppers 'wary' of chip and pin


Clashes between landless farmworkers and Paraguayan security forces left a police officer dead and 20 other people injured in a resurgence of violence that has rattled Paraguay's government.

Paraguay Clashes Leave 1 Dead, 20 Hurt


LONDON (Reuters) - Web surfers from Beijing to Berkeley have made Google their search engine of choice, but some of Europe #39;s institutional investors have gone sour on the dot-com on the eve of its ...

Google cold shoulder confounds European investors


JAKARTA (Reuters) - Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has won  Indonesia's presidential election run-off in a landslide,  capping a rapid rise to power for the former general who has  vowed to create jobs, stamp out graft and fight terrorism.

Former General Yudhoyono Wins Indonesia Poll


US OPEN fifth seed Tim Henman hopes to put a back problem behind him as he looks to progress in the final grand slam event of the year, the US Open at Flushing Meadow in New York.

Henman back on track and flushed with success


Netflix and TiVo are to team up to deliver movies over broadband, according to NewsWeek. The magazine expects the partnership to go public later this month, although neither company would comment, and details

TiVo and Netflix  #39;team for movie downloads #39;


The death and destruction inflicted by Hurricane Ivan confirms that Southwest Floridians #39; fears of the powerful hurricane were well justified.

Reason to beware


Reuters - The mystery of what went wrong for the\software industry in late June when sales stalled at more than\20 brand-name companies is not even close to being solved\although the third quarter is nearly halfway over.

Missing June Deals Slow to Return for Software Cos. (Reuters)


Although Democrats hold a solid majority in Palm Beach County, Fla., it is so big that even a small shift among its 700,000 voters could make a difference in November.

In Palm Beach, Results of 2000 Still Stir a Fight


Microsoft UK is offering FREE licensed copies of Windows XP to anyone who is willing to give up their counterfeit copies in exchange.

Microsoft #39;s Piracy Replacement Offer: Trick Or Treat?


Officials said yesterday the number of Muslim worshipers allowed onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during the coming month of Ramadan may have to be limited because of a danger the biblical-era complex might collapse.

Officials fear Temple Mount could collapse


According to wire services, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected a claim by auto insurance giant Geico, which argued that Google should not be allowed to sell ads to rival insurance companies that appear whenever Geico #39;s name is typed into the

Google Wins Geico LawSuit


Hong Kong citizens famously told a survey last year they were too busy with work for relationships; now a new technology will enable them to go dating using their famous passion for mobile phones.

The virtual girlfriend is here


A LOSS of 2.7 million at the half-year stage was today described by management at clothing group Austin Reed as  quot;unacceptable quot;.

2.7m loss doesn #39;t suit Reed chiefs


Storage Decisions Lords of the code

Cisco, NetApp and EMC focus in on storage software


Nortel Networks Corp. said it will miss a self-imposed October deadline for filing restated results, the second time the telephone equipment maker has delayed the release of its financial statements.

Nortel Postpones Restatement Filing to Mid-November (Update2)


TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged up against the yen on  Friday after disappointing growth data for Japan and was  supported against the euro by ongoing verbal intervention from  European central bankers.

Dollar Inches Up Vs Yen


It was the biggest free-for-all in corporate lobbying in nearly 20 years, and its final product was a tax bill with giveaways for almost every business.

How Tax Bill Gave Business More and More


London - Princess Diana was self-conscious about her intelligence, or lack of it, according to videotapes broadcast in the United States.

Diana thought she was  #39;thick #39;


The search for a new coach at the University of Florida should and will be a short one. Former Gators coach Steve Spurrier soon will be back in Gainesville.

Gators are looking to past -- for future


AP - Roger Clemens pitched six innings for his 324th victory and the Houston Astros made the most of three Chicago errors Saturday, hanging on to beat the Cubs 7-6.

Astros Hang on to Beat Cubs 7-6 (AP)


The explosions on Wednesday occurred near ATM machines in branches belonging to Citibank and Banco Galicia, damaging the building #39;s facades, officials said.

Buenos Aires banks bombed


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co.<A HREF=

Kodak to Close Australia Plant, Cut Jobs


\

 By Muklis Ali

 JAKARTA (Reuters) - OPEC took the unprecedented step of\urging the United States to tap its emergency crude reserves to\bring down world oil prices.

OPEC Urges U.S. to Use Emergency Oil Reserves


Hewlett-Packard Co., the No. 2 maker of personal computers, is retreating from its involvement in developing the Itanium computer chip with Intel Corp.

HP, Intel dissolve Itanium partnership


roundup Plus: BMC looks to simplify network operations...Data center firms settle cookie suit...nStor sells off telecoms management unit...Nortel lowers expectations.

Briefly: WebSideStory cuts IPO to 4.4 million shares


Kenseth finished 0.119 seconds ahead of runner-up Kyle Busch for his third victory of the season and 17th of his Busch career. At the 100-lap mark, Atlanta area native Reed Sorenson

Matt Kenseth Busch Aaron #39;s 312


NASA #39;s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) will reopen Monday Sept. 13 to all 14,000 employees. KSC has been closed for normal business since Sept.

NASA Hurricane Ivan Preparation Update 12 Sep 2004


Reuters - San Francisco officials pondered\on Thursday whether to stop keeping elephants in the city's zoo\as activists pushed for a ban amid concerns about their\conditions in captivity.

San Francisco Mulls Ban of Beloved Zoo Elephants (Reuters)


TIRVINE (Calif. US): Hop-on Wireless Inc. said it has shipped an initial order of its tri-band (900/1800/1900 MHz) HOP1806 GSM handsets to a distributor in Karachi, Pakistan.

Wireless Phones shipped to Pakistan


California #39;s median home price will maintain its record pace next year, reaching above \$500,000 for the first time, but appreciation will ease as sales fall to their second-highest level, according to a forecast released Wednesday.

Home sales should dip


Tokyo stocks surged at the open on Monday, fueled by Wall Street #39;s gains last week. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.

Tokyo Stocks Rally at Open; Dollar Rises


RealNetworks badly needs a PR coup to regain credibility with music fans, but its latest  quot;freedom of music choice quot; campaign is missing the mark, critics say.

Is Real a Real Hypocrite?


BALTIMORE, (Sports Network) - Baltimore Ravens running back  Jamal Lewis will miss his second straight game with a sprained  right ankle when his club takes on the Cincinnati Bengals this  Sunday.

Jamal Lewis Out Versus Bengals


AP - More than 60 percent of PeopleSoft Inc.'s shareholders have tendered their stock in support of Oracle Corp.'s  #36;9.2 billion takeover bid for its bitter rival, further extending a bruising battle that already has dragged on for more than 17 months.

PeopleSoft Shareholders Back Takeover Bid (AP)


Syria has dismissed an offer by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to meet with President Bashar al-Assad under  quot;certain conditions quot; as falling short of a proposal from Damascus.

Syria dismisses Israel #39;s conditional talks offer


New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin stressed how important preparation is during a bye week. Well, it would seem that after this Sunday #39;s 28-13 home

Giants wave bye to winning streak


THE 100th birth anniversary of China #39;s late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, which falls today, has been used by influential party elders to put pressure on former president Jiang Zemin to fully relinquish authority to his successor Hu Jintao.

Deng #39;s name used to pressure Jiang


China maker Royal Doulton has revealed it is in talks about a takeover by Irish rival Waterford Wedgwood. Stoke-based Doulton, which is to close its last remaining current UK factory next year, said it was in  quot;advanced discussions quot; with Waterford.

Royal Doulton in takeover talks


RICHIE BENAUD, the man regarded by a generation of television watchers as the doyen of Australian cricket, best summed up what Keith Miller meant to the game in Australia.

#39;Tremendous cricketer and a good bloke #39;


If a handheld device doesn #39;t have voice capabilities, a growing number of users around the world aren #39;t interested, according to IDC.

PDA Sales Continue to Drop


FORMER East Timor governor Abilio Jose Soares has been released from jail after a court overturned his conviction over the bloodshed accompanying the island #39;s UN-backed independence referendum.

Timor ex-governor released from jail


BBC world affairs editor John Simpson knew the former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat well. He considers what the future holds for the Palestinian people now he has gone.

Arafat #39;s legacy  #39;to haunt successors #39;


Frenchman Olivier Panis has announced his retirement from racing in Formula One, although he will continue as a test driver with Toyota.

Panis Takes Step Back


AP - While the world focuses on the crisis in Darfur, three times as many people have been suffering for many more years in two other conflicts involving the Sudanese government.

Victims of Other Sudan Wars Neglected (AP)


Stocks rallied today, with all averages finishing up as the US dollar performed better against overseas currencies for the first time in weeks.

Part of the ECT News Network


At times during Sunday #39;s 13-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills, some of the Raiders were Xs when they should have been Os and still turned the outcome into a plus.

A Raider defense that fit the Bill


Altitude, apathy, overconfidence - Brazil groped for reasons Thursday to explain its stunning 1-0 loss to Ecuador in the World Cup qualifiers.

Brazil left looking for answers


THE HAGUE: The fifth India-European Union summit here has resolved to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism by seeking among other things to jointly address the issues which create an environment conducive to terrorism, including support for and

India-EU resolve to combat terrorism


Israel #39;s security Cabinet approved a budget of US\$550 million to US\$670 million on Tuesday to compensate thousands of Jewish settlers set to be removed from occupied Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Israeli ministers approve pullout fund (updated AM 00:41)


SYDNEY (AFP) - Australians went to the polls in national elections tipped to see the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard, a key US ally in Iraq, beat off a strong challenge from the center-left Labor Party.

Australians vote: Bush ally Howard tipped to win


A day before federal regulators are expected to free VoIP providers from state taxes, two California cities want their cut.

Cities try last-minute grab for Net phone taxes


WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - A final laboratory test has  confirmed an Alberta dairy cow had mad cow disease, the second  case Canada has found in its herd, an industry source briefed  by veterinary officials said on Sunday.

Canada Confirms Second Mad Cow Case


The Issue: Howard Stern deal calls attention to area of unregulated broadcasting. Our View: This may be a significant moment in mass communications.

Satellite Radio


Astana - New York, September 28 KAZINFORM -- A senior North Korean official claimed at the United Nations Monday that his country has already produced atomic weapons with reprocessed nuclear fuel rods.

Pyongyang already  #39;weaponized #39; spent nuclear fuel: N. Korean envoy


LONDON (Reuters) - Jenson Button broke his silence on  Monday to spell out the reasons behind his controversial and  contested decision to leave the BAR Formula One team for  Williams.

F1 Driver Button Breaks Silence Over Williams Move


GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a  missile near a house during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip  Wednesday, killing a Hamas militant, medics said.

Israeli Missile Kills Hamas Militant in Gaza-Medics