PACKING a revolutionary engine that one day may send a robot scout into deep space, Europe #39;s first mission to the Moon enters a key phase on Monday when the cube-shaped spacecraft is injected into lunar orbit.

Ion-drive probe ready for lunar injection


Stock market investors celebrated another drop in oil prices on Thursday, driving the broad Standard   Poor's 500-stock index to its highest point since Sept. 11, 2001, and pushing the blue chip Dow Jones industrial average back into positive territory for the year.

S P-500 Reaches Post-9/11 High Point


ATHENS, Greece - The U.S. women's basketball team got just what it wanted against Spain - a victory and a test...

U.S. Women's Basketball Team Beats Spain


New Zealand #39;s central bank has again moved to ease inflation pressures, raising its key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 6.25 percent -- a level last seen in March 2001.

New Zealand lifts rates again


ILL HEALTH -- Under a portrait of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia talks to journalists after an emergency Fatah Central Committee meeting at Arafat #39;s headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Thursday.

Arafat reportedly in a coma


AP - With voters jamming phone lines saying they haven't received absentee ballots in the mail, elections officials planned to mail out thousands of replacement ballots.

Fla. County to Replace Absentee Ballots (AP)


MINSK, Belarus (Reuters) - The president of Belarus,  confident of victory in a referendum Sunday to extend his rule,  promised to serve his people better if they voted

Belarus Votes to Extend Lukashenko's Rule


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corporate America is gun-shy about  making significant spending increases in 2005, as high fuel  costs, geopolitical concerns and memories of recent  overspending loom over budget plans for next year.

Company Spending Seen Conservative


Many working families still feel no benefit from the US economic recovery, the Economic Policy Institute says. While business is improving, average wages have fallen, job satisfaction has declined and the

US recovery  #39;not helping workers #39;


General Motors Corp. workers in Bochum, Germany, halted production for a fifth day to protest the company #39;s plans to slash a fifth of the workforce in Europe.

General Motors Opel Factory Car Production Halted (Update3)


A Covington orthodontist was charged yesterday with communicating with a minor for immoral purposes and possession of child pornography.

Covington orthodontist facing pornography charge


MAGHAR, Israel -- Palestinian militants yesterday released an Israeli Arab who works as a producer for CNN a day after abducting him at gunpoint in the Gaza Strip in an unusual ordeal that underscored the spiraling lawlessness in the Palestinian territories and the precarious position of the Druze sect in Israel.

Kidnapped CNN producer freed


Unix vendor SCO Group Inc became the victim of a hacker over the Thanksgiving weekend, in an apparent response to the company #39;s claims against the Linux operating system.

SCO website defaced by hacker


E-mail records show Air Force Secretary James G. Roche put pressure on opponents of a plan to lease Boeing 767 tanker aircraft.

Air Force  Pitch for  Boeing  Detailed


Although the hours leading up to each game were significantly different, the end result was identical for New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

Emotions High for Rivera ; Amid Family Tragedy, NY Closer Still <b>...</b>


AP - Don't expect major league baseball to discipline Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield over reported admissions of steroid use.

MLB Not Likely to Punish Steroid Users (AP)


AP - Sandora Irvin had a career-high 32 points and 18 rebounds to lead No. 23 TCU to an 81-65 victory Thursday night over Oklahoma.

No. 23 TCU Defeats Oklahoma 81-65 (AP)


Two armed men who hijacked a busload of hostages at gunpoint in the outskirts of Athens and demanded 1m (690,000) ransom surrendered last night.

Surrender of hijackers ends eighteen-hour ordeal of bus passengers <b>...</b>


CHICAGO _ Discount brokerage Charles Schwab Corp. on Tuesday settled regulators #39; allegations that it allowed scores of improper mutual fund trades, agreeing to pay a \$350,000 fine.

Schwab pays fine to settle allegations of improper trades


The number of individuals going bankrupt has hit a record high, government figures revealed yesterday in fresh evidence that over-indebted households are struggling to cope with recent interest rate rises.

Household debt leads to record bankruptcies


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

Wal-Mart Keeps Same-Store Sales Outlook


US giant General Electric sells a majority stake in its Indian outsourcing arm for \$500m to two private equity firms.

GE sells India outsourcing unit


ROME (AFP) - The president of Turin #39;s organising commmittee (TOROC) for the 2006 winter Olympic Games resigned in protest at what he sees as the Italian government #39;s meddling in the organisation of the Games.

President of Turin 2006 organising committee resigns: report


Novell (Quote, Chart) announced today that it was moving up the timetable by 10 months on its new Open Enterprise Server (OES). The new server, due out in February, will include Novell #39;s NetWare operating

Novell to Open Enterprise to Netware and Linux


The group

Human Right group condemns US


\

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - AT T Wireless Services Inc. <AWE.N>\said on Tuesday its third-quarter profit declined as customers\spent less per month, offsetting a rise in net new customers.

AT T Wireless Posts Lower Profit


It appears the rumours of Palm creating a Wi-Fi card are true, however before you rush to your local electronics store take note that it won #39;t work on any PDA you can find.

PalmOne unveils Wi-Fi SD Card


RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President  Yasser Arafat's health worsened sharply on Wednesday and he was  slipping in and out of consciousness at his besieged West Bank  headquarters, officials and medics said.

Arafat 'Very Sick,' Palestinian Leaders Summoned


Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The founders of Google Inc. did it their way, and then they paid the price. Sergey Brin, 30, and Larry Page, 31, completed an initial public offering of the largest Internet search firm yesterday using an unorthodox Dutch auction ...

Google Overcomes Regulatory, Marketing Gaffes to Do IPO Its Way


AFP - Britain may send up to 1,300 extra troops to Iraq to help stabilize the country before scheduled elections there in January, The Times newspaper reported.

Britain may send up to 1,300 extra troops to Iraq: report (AFP)


PC World - The business racked up nearly  #36;1 billion in losses since 2001.

IBM Details PC Unit's Financial Woes (PC World)


BERLIN Extremist parties that tapped into East German resentment over high unemployment and unpopular economic reforms made big gains Sunday in regional elections in two German states, according to two exit polls.

Extremists gain in Eastern Germany


Exit polls from Romania #39;s presidential run-off on Sunday showed the race between Social Democrat Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and opposition leader Traian Basescu was too close to call.

Romania Presidential Runoff Seen Too Close to Call


Four common ones tied to healthier weights over 10-year period    HealthDayNews -- Four common supplements -- chromium, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and multivitamins -- may help slow weight gain in middle-age adults, claims a study by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.    Researchers reviewed questionnaire responses from about 15,000 people, average age 55, in Washington state...

Vitamin Supplements May Slow Middle-Age Weight Gain


WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--NGC Holdings Ltd. (NGC.NZ), a New Zealand gas distribution and metering concern, Thursday said it will end ongoing merger discussions with fellow energy companies following a decision

NZ NGC Says Will End Merger Talks With Other Companies


SunTrust Banks said yesterday that it had fired its chief credit officer and two other executives after finding numerous errors in calculating how much to set aside for bad loans.

SunTrust Fires 3 Executives Over Miscalculations


PERTH (Reuters) - James Blake put a nightmare year behind  him Tuesday, helping the U.S. make a winning start to their  defense of the Hopman Cup.

Blake Puts Nightmare Year Behind Him


Reuters - U.S. industrial output inched up a\less-than-expected 0.1 percent in September, suppressed in part\by hurricanes that hit the United States that month, the\Federal Reserve said on Friday.

Industrial Production Inches Up in Sept. (Reuters)


Mozilla the company behind the overnight success Firefox 1.0 has launched an email client to go up against Microsofts Outlook Express email client.

Mozilla tries to emulate Firefox success with email client.


A new push is on for a smarter, less finicky Java mobile architecture -- with the goal of making it easier for Java/J2ME architects and devs to design, deploy, develop and manage mobile apps.

Smarter Mobile Java Framework on Tap for 2005


Accounting firm KPMG will pay \$10 million to settle charges of improper professional conduct while acting as auditor for Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc.

KPMG to Pay \$10 Mln to Settle with SEC


Hundreds of tiny worlds circling beyond Neptune have been thought of as frozen in time, almost unchanged since they formed at the birth of the solar system five billion years ago.

Astronomers Contemplate Icy Volcanoes in Far Places


Tennessee offensive lineman Cody Douglas says Phillip Fulmer had a message for his players prior to the Alabama game last season. Last year he told us you #39;re not a man till you #39;ve beaten Alabama, #39; #39; Douglas said.

Coach: Game a rite of passage


CAIRO - Two female relatives of Iraqs interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi have been released by their kidnappers after being held hostage for just under a week, Arabic news channels reported late on Sunday.

Two Allawi relatives released by kidnappers in Iraq


The productivity package is added to the program that allows governments to see Microsoft source code.

Microsoft lets governments into Office


One professional hockey player says the NHL players #39; association offer to end a lockout is a lot of money out of a guy #39;s pocket to be giving up.

Major salary rollback offered by players union


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Witnesses in the Gaza Strip say the Israeli army bulldozed 35 homes in a Palestinian refugee camp today even as the two sides exchanged heavy fire.

Army bulldozers flatten refugee homes close to Jewish settlement


quot;Nvidia #39;s nForce chipset will extend its reach beyond the currently supported platforms of AMD #39;s Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64, and Sempron processors.

nForce chipsets for Intel-based platforms


Bronx, NY -- Bernie Williams hit a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning as the New York Yankees clinched their seventh consecutive American League East title with a 6-4 victory over Minnesota at Yankee Stadium.

American League Game Summary - Minnesota At New York


AP - Positive comments made in private Wall Street meetings by Siebel Systems Inc. executives weren't just harmless

SEC Holds Ground on Disclosure Challenge (AP)


SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. is expanding a program to give government organizations access to some of its tightly guarded software blueprints, amid growing competition from rivals who make such source code freely available.

Seeking an edge, Microsoft shares Office code


Reuters - Lower electrical power consumption,\not just greater data processing oomph, will help a new class\of desktop supercomputers unveiled on Monday turn conventional\industry logic on its head, its designers say.

Start-Up Offers Low-Power 'Personal Supercomputers' (Reuters)


Not even the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers #39; favorite rented mule, red-headed stepchild, and whipping boy rolled into one.

Packers confident they will recover


Team USA concluded its domination at the Olympics by defeating Australia 5-1 at Helliniko Stadium on Monday, giving coach Mike Candrea a gold medal five weeks after his wife, Sue, died of a brain aneurysm.

Red, white and . . . gold


The FTC weighs the advantages of rewarding people for identifying spammers. It #39;s a more complex calculation than you might think.

Feds Consider Putting A Bounty On Spammers #39; Heads


Gateway plans to overhaul its consumer PC lineup Thursday with new configurable models that will be sold exclusively through the company's Web site and call centers.

Gateway expands PC configuration options


MSN #39;s beta search tool has been out for a week and has already created a controversy with a search for  quot;more evil than Satan quot; throwing up Google #39;s home page as its first match.

Evil Searches


A Juventus team doctor was convicted Friday for administering banned substances to players on the famed Italian soccer team during the 1990s.

Judge convicts Juventus doctor, acquits team chairman in doping <b>...</b>


For Virginia Tech's corps of freshman wide receivers -- Josh Hyman, Eddie Royal, Josh Morgan and Justin Harper -- the future seems very much in the present.

'Future' Now for Hokies


Les Seules, an all-girl Swedish video-game team, takes on the boys in a male-dominated competition at a New York technology and entertainment convention. The group placed fourth in the female division at the Electronic Sports World Cup in Paris.

Girl Gamers Tackle Male Field


Hurricane Ivan may cost insurers less than first estimated after the third storm to hit the US in six weeks skirted New Orleans. US claims will probably total \$2 billion to \$7 billion, down from a previous

quot;Ivan the Terrible quot;: deaths and billions of dollars in damage


CHICAGO Italian dairy company Parmalat today filed a ten (B) billion dollar lawsuit against two auditors it accuses of overlooking fraud that nearly led to the company #39;s downfall.

Parmalat sues Grant Thornton, Deloitte for \$10 billion


A

Bankruptcy Survivable, US Airways CEO Says


The board of Reliance Energy, a unit of Reliance Industries, said the six directors, all long-time employees of the group, would resume their normal duties and that it continued

Reliance asks directors who quit to reconsider


NEW YORK (Kyodo) Karaoke inventor Daisuke Inoue was awarded the humorous Ig Nobel peace prize in a Thursday ceremony at Harvard University for  quot;providing an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other.

Creator wins Ig Nobel for karaoke #39;s  #39;new way to tolerate #39;


( Friday, November 26, 2004 - WANE - Fort Wayne) -- The day after Thanksgiving is often referred to as  quot;Black Friday quot; because it #39;s suppose to be the day retailers go from being in the  quot;red quot; to being in the  quot;black quot; because of holiday sales.

After-Thanksgiving Day Sales Attract Bargain Hunters


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Scott Rolen belted a two-run,  tie-breaking homer off Roger Clemens in the sixth inning to  give St Louis a 5-2 victory over the Houston Astros at Busch  Stadium Thursday, earning the Cardinals a World Series berth.

Cards Secure World Series Clash with Red Sox


AP - Engineers at Hewlett-Packard Co. are working on

HP Touts Software to Slow Computer Worms (AP)


Tech giant posts details of its music player to its Web site, upstaging Friday's

HP cues up its iPod early


p2pnet.net News:- British police have arrested a man in connection with source code stolen from Cisco Systems. The Metro police computer crime unit,  quot;searched residences in Manchester and Derbyshire, England, on Sept.

Cisco source code theft


The result was that Sebastien Bourdais of France edged closer to clinching his first Champ Car title by guaranteeing himself a front-row spot tomorrow #39;s Lexmark Indy 300 after leading Friday #39;s opening qualifying session.

Bourdais eyes Champ title


The chief of Sri Lanka #39;s Tamil Tiger rebels sent an unexpected message to the country #39;s president via Norwegian peace brokers on Thursday, offering ways to revive stalled peace talks aimed at ending a two-decade civil war.

Tamil Tigers contact Sri Lankan president


RUSSIA #39;S President Vladimir Putin fired another blast at the West today, warning efforts to push its own interests in parts of the former Soviet Union, ostensibly in the name of promoting democracy, were discriminatory and destabilising.

Putin lashes West over Ukraine


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Finance Minister Ralph Goodale sat down Friday with his counterparts from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to try to work out a deal on the sharing of offshore oil and gas revenue.

Finance ministers meet to settle dispute over offshore oil revenue (Canadian Press)


Start-up Dust Networks takes the covers off a low-power wireless system for linking sensors in walls, remote cameras and other places.\

Dust makes mesh of wireless sensors


Israel #39;s ruling Likud bloc and the opposition Labor Party are set to meet Saturday on final details of a national unity government.

Israeli Coalition Deal Expected as Troops Kill at Least 11 <b>...</b>


Oracle extended its \$7.7 billion tender offer for all outstanding shares of PeopleSoft yet again on Thursday, as it waits for US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker to issue a decision in an antitrust lawsuit that aims to permanently block the buyout.

Oracle Sets New PeopleSoft Buyout Deadline


Even when he gets only one hit and his only impact on the game is an out, Ichiro winds up the focus of a well-pitched game by Bobby Madritsch.

Ichiro a step closer


A new version of the Zafi e-mail worm is spreading seasonal greetings along with its malicious code, according to antivirus software companies.

Zafi worm will deliver an unhappy Christmas


If the home-furnishings retailer can't get things right by the holidays, look out below.

Betting Against Bombay


It #39;s time the celebrate the geriatric set once again, a couple of baseball #39;s 40-plus guys who are raising the bar for players over the age of 35 in a way that hasn #39;t been done before.

Bonds, Clemens aging gracefully


Chinese authorities offered no details Monday on weekend clashes between ethnic Chinese and Muslims that may have killed 148 in central China #39;s Henan province.

Ethnic groups battle in central China


Throughout the last month, the Virginia Cavaliers told anyone who would listen that their goals this basketball season far exceed the low expectations outsiders hold for them.

Cavaliers Shock No. 10 Wildcats


Reuters - Philippine soldiers\rushed food, drinking water and other supplies by foot and\helicopters on Sunday to provinces cut off by four storms in\two weeks that left more than 1,300 people dead or missing.

Philippines Rushes Relief to Flooded Areas (Reuters)


To say forward Tom Gugliotta walked gingerly around the court during shootaround yesterday morning would be an overstatement. Dealing with lower back pain, he could barely shuffle across the paint. So, it was a no-brainer when coach Doc Rivers decided to place Gugliotta on the injured list. The tougher decision was who would take Gugliotta's place.

Gugliotta forced to take an injury timeout


Johannesburg - Britain #39;s Barclays yesterday signalled a return to retail banking in South Africa after an absence of 18 years, saying it was in talks to buy a controlling stake in Absa, the country #39;s biggest retail lender.

Absa soars on talks with Barclays


Intel gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost this week with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processor, a PC chip set, and a WLAN (wireless LAN) chip set.

Intel Boosts Centrino #39;s Speed


Carl Icahn has launched another of his multibillion-dollar shock-and-awe raids for a company - this time on the nation #39;s biggest generic drug maker, Mylan.

ICAHN IN BID TO SWALLOW MYLAN


An investigation into allegations of racism in Zimbabwe cricket that broke up the country #39;s test team opened in the capital yesterday amid a hostile atmosphere and, by the end of the day, little progress had been made.

Racism inquiry opens in Zimbabwe with little progress


While human activity probably isn #39;t directly responsible for the 2003 heat wave that caused thousands of deaths in Europe, British researchers say human influence on the

Human Activity Tied to Deadly Heat Waves


A federal judge on Wednesday handed online search engine Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) a victory in a trademark infringement case on Wednesday, ruling

Google Wins Trademark Victory Over GEICO


Kenyan-born Saif Saaeed Shaheen - now representing Qatar - smashed the world 3,000 metres steeplechase record in Friday night #39;s IAAF Golden League meeting in Brussels.

SHAHEEN LOWERS WORLD RECORD


Reuters - The U.S. economy grew at a healthy\3.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter this year,\bolstered by strong consumer spending and accompanied by the\lowest inflation in decades, the Commerce Department said on\Friday.

Growth Under Forecast in 3rd Quarter (Reuters)


India #39;s Foreign Minister Natwar Singh says both India and Pakistan should not expect major breakthroughs in talks this Sunday aimed at building peace between the rivals.

Indian FM:  #39;Do Not Expect Major Breakthroughs at Pakistan Talks #39;


AP - Tropical Storm Jeanne killed at least 50 people in Haiti after battering the neighboring Dominican Republic with its lashing winds and deadly storm surge before it pushed off into the open sea on Sunday, officials said.

Tropical Storm Leaves 50 Dead in Haiti (AP)


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares jumped to multi-month  highs on Monday on a rally in semiconductor-related issues,  including Japan's Advantest Corp., and European stocks were set  to rise after a rally in U.S. markets.

Asian Stocks Surge, Dollar Edges


Peoplesoft, the software company under siege from a hostile \$7.7bn (4.3bn) bid by its larger rival Oracle, yesterday sacked its chief executive, Craig Conway, increasing

PeopleSoft opens way for Oracle bid by firing chief


Reuters - Former Chilean dictator\Augusto Pinochet became a multi-millionaire because he saved,\made good investments and his friends gave him money, one of\his sons said on Tuesday.

Pinochet's Millions Came from Savvy Investing-Son (Reuters)


Reuters - It is unclear if Iran's nuclear\ambitions are entirely peaceful, but there is still no firm\evidence that Tehran is secretly developing atomic weapons as\Washington asserts, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.

ElBaradei Says Unclear if Iran Nuke Plans Peaceful (Reuters)


Federal Reserve officials, citing recent signs of economic improvement, raised a key short-term interest rate Tuesday for a third time this year and signaled that they are

Another hike will follow Tuesday #39;s


Lithuanians casting ballots in parliamentary elections Sunday rejected the current ruling coalition for the opposition Labor Party, a sign that many voters liked its promises of lower taxes and higher pay.

Populist Labor Party leads Lithuania vote


The investment firm which said it may buy more than half of MCI Inc. #39;s shares has now sold all of its holdings in the telephone company for a quick profit, raising doubts about whether the courtship was sincere or designed to stoke interest in the stock.

Investment Firm Sells All MCI Shares


Colin Montgomerie shot a 5-over-par 77 and missed the cut at The Heritage yesterday, five days after making the winning putt for Europe at the Ryder Cup.

Montgomerie misses cut at The Heritage


Industry giants AMD, Intel, Dell, Microsoft and Sun have thrown their weight behind a web services specification that could provide a common way for systems to access and exchange management information.

Dell, Intel, Microsoft launch web services standard


Nike will release a special edition of Gran Turismo 4 on December 3rd in Japan that will come with the game, a special pair of GT4 shoes, an aliminium case, and a special GT4 T-Shirt that when scanned by the Sony EyeToy will unlock a Nike car in-game that

More Gran Turismo 4 Info


Council tax for second homeowners in England should be doubled to alleviate rural homelessness, says housing charity Shelter.

Call for more tax on second homes


On Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 15, state District Judge John Dietz concluded a five-and-half-week trial by ruling unconstitutional the Texas system of public school finance.

Judge Dietz Finds School Finance System Unconstitutional


Reuters - Two Palestinian gunmen fired on an Israeli\army outpost in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing a\soldier before being shot dead, a military spokeswoman said.

Israeli Soldier Shot Dead in Gaza Clash -Army (Reuters)


LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - As expected, the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday exercised the 2005-06 contract option on forward Chris Wilcox.

Clippers excercise option on Wilcox


PC World - Tiny 802.11b adapter will work with Zire 72, Tungsten T3 handhelds.

PalmOne Unveils SD Wi-Fi Card (PC World)


THE flagship Boots store on Princes Street is to lose its dentistry and chiropody clinics as part of a nationwide cutback of services by the company.

Boots axes dentistry and chiropody


TRENTON, NJ Camden, New Jersey, has become the nation #39;s most-dangerous city, according to a Kansas company #39;s yearly ranking based on crime statistics.

Annual ranking of  #39;most dangerous #39; cities


Singapore Police have arrested the chief of China Aviation Oil, the jet fuel supplier embroiled in a \$500m (284m) trading scandal.

China Aviation chief is arrested


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices extended heavy recent losses  on Wednesday as U.S. government data showed crude stocks  building for an eighth straight week ahead of winter.

Oil Prices Retreat as U.S. Supplies Build


Two airlines plan to expand service at Logan International Airport. Airport officials say JetBlue Airways tomorrow will add a third daily nonstop flight to Fort Lauderdale and a new daily nonstop flight to Fort Myers, both in Florida. Northwest Airlines is planning nonstop daily service to Indianapolis starting Oct. 31, using 50-seat jets, with three flights a day on weekdays ...

JetBlue, Northwest to expand at Logan


Those of us who lead regular lives, who live in regular houses, not mansions, who drive Tauruses, not Jaguars, can at least take some satisfaction in watching the super-rich spit at each other over their toys.

When giants collide


JABALYA, Gaza Strip (Reuters) - Israel pulled most of its  forces out of the northern Gaza Strip Saturday after a four-day  incursion it said was staged to halt Palestinian rocket attacks  on southern Israeli towns.

Israel Pulls Back Forces in Northern Gaza


PERTH, Australia Lleyton Hewitt broke a 56-year-old Australian Davis Cup record on Friday, helping the home side to a 2-0 lead over an injury-depleted Morocco in their World Group qualifier.

Tennis: Davis Cup proves Hewitt #39;s home court


ATHENS  Weightlifting #39;s governing body isn #39;t about to give up its aggressive pursuit of drug cheaters, even if it jeopardizes the sport #39;s future in the Olympics, the group #39;s top official said yesterday after six more ...

Notebook: Six weightlifters caught using steroids


SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Online payment processor PayPal said it would fine customers as much as \$500 if they violate the company's policies against using the service for gambling, pornography or selling prescription drugs without official certification...

PayPal to Impose Fines for Breaking Rules


Lindsay Davenport, 28, won her tour high seventh title of the year Sunday at the Porsche Grand Prix in Filderstadt, Germany. Davenport won when top ranked Amelie Mauresmo was forced to retire from the final because of an injured left thigh.

Davenport wins in Germany


World News  gt; Dhaka, Oct 10 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today said her country has established  quot;good relations quot; with India after the change of power in New Delhi and hoped all bilateral problems would be resolved.

quot;Good relations quot; established with new Indian Govt: Zia :


Scientists discover how the skin of the fingertips protects itself against a common bug that causes diarrhoea.

Killer fingertips can stop E.coli


AMD launches the \$185 Personal Internet Communicator(PIC) in partnership with Tata Indicom to tap the Indian market. MUMBAI: The Austin, TX-based chip vendor AMD calls it the 50x15 initiative : the move towards

AMD, Tata launch Internet Communicator


\\A little history here.  Microsoft first invented COM  as a cross-language\object model.  This was a precursor in some ways to .NET and still has a great\deal of valuable functionality.\\Its pretty simple.  You just define an IDL (interface definition language) and\then if you have a runtime or compiler that supports COM you can call functions\on an object (component) written in another language.\\Mozilla XPCOM (Cross Platform COM) is similar in goals. You can write a\component in C and then call its functions from Javascript.  It also works the\other way around but isn't used as much.\\This makes Mozilla a very powerful platform.  You can write a XUL extension and\then use the internal com ...\\

Distributed XPCOM - A Mozilla Remote Scripting Framework?


AP - German exports fell slightly in August, the government's statistics agency said Friday, in a sign that the strong support from exports for the country's budding recovery is beginning to ease.

Export Support for German Recovery Slips (AP)


MOSCOW -- Russia and the United States have agreed to a new lease for the US ambassador's lavish Moscow residence after Russia complained he paid less than \$3 a year for it, officials announced yesterday. The annual rent for Spaso House in central Moscow was set in rubles in 1985, but the currency's value plummeted by 99.9 percent after the ...

Real estate bargain ends for US envoy


Venus Williams has set up an intriguing encounter with Maria Sharapova in the Swisscom Challenge in Zurich with a tight in over Ana Ivanovic.

Venus v Maria in quarters


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of auto parts retailer Pep  Boys-Manny, Moe   Jack <A HREF=

Pep Boys Stock Down After Earnings Miss


(CP) - It was painful for San Francisco to watch Los Angeles celebrate its division title win on Saturday. With a win of their own and some help on Sunday, the Giants can take their turn wooping it up.

NAT roundup: San Francisco watches Los Angeles celebrate after <b>...</b>


VIENNA South Korean nuclear experiments that were revealed earlier this year produced minute amounts of plutonium and near-weapons-grade uranium but there was no evidence linking them to an attempt to make nuclear arms, the UN atomic monitoring agency said

Seoul tests not linked to weapons


AP - Larry Bowa was fired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, a day before the end of yet another disappointing year.

Bowa Fired As Phillies Manager (AP)


Resolution Life, the closed life assurance consolidator led by Clive Cowdery, completed its second acquisition yesterday with the 205m purchase of Swiss Life #39;s closed UK business.

Swiss Life sells its closed UK business for 205m


Real Madrid gave a stunning exhibition of finishing power to crush Levante 5-0 at the Bernabeu in the Primera Liga on Sunday. The home side had struggled to impose

UPDATE 2-Real crush Levante with second half goal salvo


A cautious approach helped Frenchman Sebastien Loeb to win his first world rallying title on Sunday. Before the Rally of France, Citroen team boss Guy Frequelin

Loeb takes the slow road to first world title


HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. <A HREF=

Halliburton May Not Rebid for Iraq Work


uidant received approval yesterday from the Food and Drug Administration to sell stents that are inserted into the main neck artery to reduce the risk of strokes, making the company the

US Clears Stent Sales by Guidant


Reuters - Floods and landslides have killed 55\people in southwest China in the past four days, washing away\homes and roads, knocking down power lines and leaving at least\one city cut off, state media said on Monday.

Floods Kill 55 in China, No Let-Up in Sight (Reuters)


PeopleSoft #39;s (PSFT) board Wednesday rejected Oracle #39;s (ORCL)  quot;best and final quot; hostile takeover bid worth about \$8.

Oracle #39;s  #39;best and final #39; offer rejected


HAVANA - Cuba on Friday put up two large billboards in front of the US mission in Havana showing photos of abused Iraqi prisoners, in retaliation for a contentious Christmas display set up by American officials.

US, Cuba trade billboard barbs


Amazon.com subsidiary A9.com on Monday released a version of its Internet toolbar for the Firefox Web browser. A9 said that the toolbar, which is available for free download, will offer the same features to

Amazon #39;s A9 toolbar now available for Firefox


Red Hat has recruited Sun Microsystems executive Karen Tegan-Padir to serve as vice president of desktop infrastructure technologies.

Red Hat Hires Sun Executive


Linux provider Red Hat has opened an office in Beijing, China, joining the ranks of technology companies hoping to participate in the rapidly expanding Chinese market.

Red Hat Opens China Office


Japanese electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corp. showed Tuesday a camcorder that takes video at digital high-definition quality for the home.

Sony Unveils High-Definition Camcorder


Reuters - Ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co. (HNZ.N) on\Tuesday reported a 9 percent drop in quarterly profit after\spinning off some brands, but demand for new items like Ore-Ida\Extra Crispy fries helped to boost sales.

Heinz Quarterly Profit Meets Forecasts (Reuters)


On Sunday, Venezuelans will decide whether to cut short the president's term, which is due to end in 2006.

Who are Ch #225;vez's opponents?


HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer made a  winning return from injury Monday, opening the defense of his  Masters Cup crown with a ruthless 6-1 7-6 win over Gaston  Gaudio.

Federer Makes Winning Return at Masters Cup


LONDON: Arsene Wenger has insisted his Arsenal side can shrug off their under-achievers tag and win the Champions League this season.

Misfiring Gunners can win Champions League, says Wenger


Ziff Davis - iPod mini users might want to consider ditching their earphones if Altec Lansing's iMmini speaker system lives up to its promise. Based on the same technology and engineering as the original inMotion system, the iMmini can be folded into a convenient carrying shape.

Mini Could Get Mighty with Speakers (Ziff Davis)


AP - An anxious search Tuesday of a Chicago harbor turned up no more northern snakeheads, a voracious alien fish that can devastate freshwater ecosystems by gobbling up food and native fish.

Relief in Chicago: No More 'Frankenfish' (AP)


New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has won two of the past three Super Bowls, but he may be the only coach in the NFL who has motivated his team by employing Boston Celtics great Bill Russell and cartoon characters.

Coaches share mutual respect


The funeral of India's most notorious bandit, Veerappan, takes place  at a village in southern Tamil Nadu state.

Legendary bandit buried in India


Lycos #39;  quot;Make Love, Not Spam quot; screensaver targets sites on secure international blacklists.  quot;We cannot use this software to bring the spammers #39; sites down entirely, as that would be illegal, quot; says Malte Pollman of Lycos Europe.

Lycos Offers Revenge for the Spammed


Greece, whose European Championship triumph stunned football only two months ago, suffered a rapid fall from grace when they were beaten by Albania in their opening qualifier for the 2006 World Cup.

Greece brought back to earth


Ceding control of the game after a handful of plays, the Giants went tamely to their fifth successive defeat.

This Year's Giants Looking Like Last Season's


The World Bank said that developing countries are seeing their strongest economic growth in three decades -- and strong growth is likely to continue for the next two years.

World Bank: Global Economy Improving


TITAN, the most mysterious of Saturn #39;s moons, might surrender many of its secrets when the Cassini space probe makes its closest approach yet this week.

Fly-by to reveal mystery of Titan


While reproductive planning and women #39;s equality have improved substantially over the past decade, says a United Nations report, world population will increase from 6.4 billion today to 8.9 billion by 2050, with the 50 poorest countries tripling in

Childbirth deaths a crisis, #39; UN says


PORTLAND, Ore. -- Roxy Cate has just finished a 45-minute cyclocross race: furiously pedaling through mucky turns and along rain-soaked grassy straightaways, running several times up a nearly vertical hill with her bike slung over her shoulder, and leaping with it over wooden barriers.

Cyclocross is making inroads


United States, Panama tie: Cobi Jones scored two minutes into second-half injury time, and the United States escaped with a 1-1 tie against Panama in a World Cup qualifier last night in Panama City.

US soccer ties Panama


Defending champion Andy Roddick eases into the third round of the US Open in straight sets.

Tennis: Roddick sinks Nadal


Despite being disqualified shortly after his final, Aaron Peirsol was eventually reinstated as the winner of the 200-meter backstroke event.

Reversal Gives Peirsol Gold; Phelps Wins 200 IM


Scammers and thieves are out there, but you can protect yourself.

Does Online Banking Put Your Money at Risk?


NAIROBI (AFP) - UN ambassadors agreed here unanimously on the text of a resolution aimed at restoring peace to war-ravaged Sudan, as the country #39;s main foes promised to conclude talks on their 21-year-old conflict by the end of the year.

Security Council agrees on Sudan resolution as foes pledge <b>...</b>


Martin ONeill is refusing to throw in the European towel after his side went down to two late goals in Milan, leaving Celtic pointless after two matches.

Match Reaction From Milan


Peacekeepers in Congo are prepared to help disarm Hutu rebels threatening Rwanda from Congolese soil to ease tensions between the two Central African neighbors, the United Nations said on Thursday.

UN prepared to help ease Congo-Rwanda tensions


FOXBORO - The wide receivers have been the most significant contributors to the Patriots #39; inactive list this season. Every week quarterback Tom Brady counts on one of his receivers to fill the void created

Football: Game 6: the Jets; Gaining Advantage; Wr Givens Steps Up <b>...</b>


It is a series that fills Boston Red Sox fans with dread, New York Yankee supporters with giddy confidence and has left Major League Baseball and television executives smiling from ear-to-ear.

Yankees-Red Sox Set to Renew Rivalry in ALCS


Reuters - Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM.N) on\Wednesday posted a better-than-expected 55 percent increase in\quarterly profit, sending its stock up 6 percent, as sales\jumped at its Pottery Barn chain.

Williams-Sonoma Profit Up; Keeps Forecast (Reuters)


The Athlon 64 has its first game specifically tuned for the chip. Courtesy of games legend Atari, the first person shooter, Shadow Ops: Red Mercury, contains 64-bit enhancements which apparently gives  #39;a richer and more immersive gaming experience #39;.

Atari offers first game to support Athlon 64-bit extensions


Reuters - Israeli soldiers shot dead a 10-year-old\Palestinian girl on Thursday as she was walking to school in a\refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, witnesses said.

Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian Girl -- Witnesses (Reuters)


Harmony Gold Mining's hostile bid today to acquire buy Gold sparked what is certain to be a bitter takeover battle.

Hostile Bid Made to Create World's Largest Gold Company


Prime Minister Ayad Allawi blamed the American-led military forces on Tuesday for the weekend massacre of 49 freshly trained Iraqi soldiers, saying the military had shown  quot;major negligence.

Iraq #39;s Prime Minister Faults US Military in Massacre


It lets businesses protect themselves from a variety of threats without having to deploy firewalls at each of their locations. By Networking Pipeline News.

AT amp;T Adds Worm And Virus Protection To Firewall Service


Readership of online journals known as blogs grew significantly in 2004, driven by increased awareness of them during the presidential campaign and other major news events, according to a study released Sunday.

Blog Creation, Readership Rise in 2004


Fish was leading Karatchenia, 3-0, when play was stopped due to rain...The United States will meet Spain in the Davis Cup final from December 3-5.

Davis Cup semifinals men #39;s tennis update - September 26


Feyenoord beat Schalke 04 2-1 at the De Kuip stadium on Wednesday evening to progress with their German opponents to the knockout stage of the UEFA Cup from Group A. Schalke, already qualified for the business

Feyenoord Join Schalke In UEFA Cup Knockout


The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, today welcomed Israel #39;s announcement that it would allow international observers to monitor forthcoming Palestinian presidential elections.

Straw welcomes Israeli poll pledge


BEIJING, Oct. 18. - Two runners - college student and a senior citizen  -d and eleven others were admitted to hospitals during the Beijing International Marathon, state media reported today.

Two die at Beijing Marathon


AP - Bernhard Langer walked off the plane and cleared customs with his right fist wrapped tightly around the Ryder Cup trophy.

Europe Arrives With Ryder Cup in Tow (AP)


Dell Inc. said yesterday that it plans to let people who buy its personal computers upgrade for \$39 from a traditional Microsoft Corp.

Tech Digest


Americans Misty May and Kerri Walsh continued their unbeaten streak to win their Olympics women #39;s beach volleyball semi-final on Monday and will face an experienced Brazilian team in the gold medal match.

Beach Volleyball: US Unbeaten, Brazil Chase Double


Saturday is the last day that NFL assistant coaches and front office personnel whose teams are in the playoffs can interview for jobs -- until their team's playoff run ends. That means this could be a big week for Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, who has coveted a head coaching position for the past few years.

It's crunch time for Crennel


AP - Dutch Muslims and Christians urged an end to a cycle of retaliatory vandalism of mosques and churches Tuesday as slain filmmaker Theo van Gogh was cremated, a week after his murder by a suspected Islamic radical.

Dutch Hold Memorial for Slain Filmmaker (AP)


Another car bomb struck at a checkpoint leading to Baghdad #39;s Green Zone government compound early Tuesday, 24 hours after a similar attack on the same checkpoint, a US military spokesman and Iraqi police said.

A second explosion rocks Baghdads Green Zone


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks to watch: CISCO SYSTEMS  INC. <A HREF=

Stocks to Watch on August 24


Forbes.com - Mickey Mouse may be 75, but age hasn't put a damper on his earning power. Last year Mickey and Disney pals Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto and Goofy grossed  #36;5.8 billion from toys, movies and the like. That's 23 more than the year before, when Disney's Winnie the Pooh topped the list. Why the mouse's rebound? Credit hoopla and new products--including adult apparel--tied to Mickey's milestone birthday last year. For more details, stories and methodology, go to forbes.com/extra.

Fictional Billionaires (Forbes.com)


HYDERABAD: Microsoft will hire several hundred new staff at its new campus here in the next year, its chief executive said on Monday -- a move aimed at strengthening its presence in the country.

MS to hire hundreds more in India


Multibillion-dollar security initiatives have given rise to a new industry seemingly overnight. A News.com special report.

Digital Agenda: Homeland security--Companies profiting from fear


Steve Bruce today revealed he was  #39;sickened #39; by the racist taunting of striker Dwight Yorke. The Blues manager and the Trinidad  amp; Tobago star, 33, were due to meet today to decide

Bruce #39;s fury at racist taunts


Showing Nicollette Sheridan in a pregame promotion for  quot;Monday Night Football quot; wearing nothing but a towel? Showing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders repeatedly during the game, all 38 of them dressed in costumes

Not all  #39;cheesecake #39; is the same to the NFL


FRANKFURT Will the European Central Bank intervene in the world #39;s currency markets to put a lid on the euro? It has become a tantalizing prospect for many Europeans, who are nervous about the economic impact

Central bank keeps quiet about its euro options


Moody #39;s Investors Service on Friday upgraded JC Penney Co. Inc. #39;s (JCP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) debt ratings to just one step below investment-grade status, citing factors

Moody #39;s upgrades JC Penney #39;s debt ratings


This was no miracle, but you could not tell by the amount of elation surrounding the Dream Team #39;s trip to the woodshed Sunday.

Many similarities, differences between #39;04 US basketball and #39;80 Soviet hockey teams


MANCHESTER, England - Kevin Keegan is tipping Arsenal to break their European hoodoo this season by lifting the Champions League in Istanbul next May.

Keegan backs Arsenal for Champions League glory


There was little doubt what the focus of Tuesday night at Old Trafford would be as soon as the Manchester United team had been named: Wayne Rooney.

#39;Don #39;t Let Rooney Mask ManYoo Problems... #39;


Airbus has been given the go-ahead by its shareholders EADS and BAE Systems to market the A350, a new wide-body aircraft that will be a direct rival to Boeings 7E7 Dreamliner.

Airbus to sell A350 as rival to Boeing Dreamliner


NAJAF, Iraq - Militiamen loyal to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Friday removed weapons from the revered Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf in a step aimed at ending the 2-week-old uprising centered on the holy site.    Iraq's highest Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, agreed to take control of the shrine, which al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia turned into a stronghold and refuge during their fight with U.S...

Militants Remove Arms From Najaf Shrine


AP - An explosion targeted the Baghdad governor's convoy as he was traveling through the capital Tuesday, killing two people but leaving him uninjured, the Interior Ministry said.

Iraq Governor Survives Assassination Bid (AP)


Wyatt Sexton will make his first start at quarterback for FSU, replacing injured Chris Rix for Saturday's game against North Carolina.

Florida State's Sexton to Start at QB Against North Carolina


KABUL, Afghanistan -- An attack on a patrol killed an American soldier, the third US fatality this week in Afghanistan, the military said yesterday, amid a flurry of attacks that wounded more than a dozen Americans in the run-up to the Oct. 9 presidential election.

US soldier killed in Afghan attack


Things are looking up for National Australia Bank, which could be a good foreign investment.

Goings-On Down Under


Nothing much changed for New Zealand on day 2 of the second test match between Australia and New Zealand. Australia are dominating like they did on the first day and with Justin Langer completing his double

Justin Langer smashes New Zealand


Japanese officials, arriving in Washington on Thursday for a historic meeting between the Group of Seven (G7) nations and China, distanced themselves from US demands for a review of China #39;s currency policy.

Japan says yuan policy up to China ahead of G7


Jacques Santini has quit as manager of Tottenham Hotspur after just 13 games in charge. A Spurs statement on Friday said the former France manager is returning to France for  quot;personal reasons quot;.

Santini resigns as Tottenham Hotspur coach


Hurricane Ivan has been pounding Jamaica with high winds and torrents of rain, causing flooding and power outages throughout the Caribbean island nation.

Hurricane Ivan Pounds Jamaica


Even though David Ortiz has started only two games at first base in the last three months, he will play the position when the Red Sox face the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in Games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary) of the World Series. The way the Sox see it, they have no choice but to go with ...

When team hits road, Ortiz will take field


Hoosier Overton fends off four-time Winged Foot champ and St. John #39;s grad Svoboda in Amateur. BY MARK HERRMANN. MAMARONECK, NY - The golf phrase  quot;local knowledge quot; took on new meaning this week at the US Amateur.

Favorite son eliminated


BEA Systems Inc. has hired the Computer Associates International Inc. executive responsible for CA's Unicenter line of enterprise management software to head BEA's product development group.

BEA grabs CA exec to head product group


In a recent interview with IGN Xbox, Team Ninja head Tomonobu Itagaki hinted that the renowned Japanese developer is planning at least one game for either the PS3 or Nintendo Revolution.

Team Ninja Developing for PS3?


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Sept. 7, 2004 - Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a Hamas training field in Gaza City early Tuesday, killing at least 13 militants and wounding 25 other Palestinians, witnesses

Israeli Missiles Kill 13 Militants


H R Block rival Jackson Hewitt waits for the tax season, and profits, to arrive.

No Jeopardy for Jackson Hewitt


Since taking office, Governor Mitt Romney has issued scores of proclamations, setting aside days, and sometimes full months, to honor a person or cause. There was Ronald Reagan Day on Feb. 6, Massachusetts Centennial of Flight Day on Dec. 17, and Massachusetts Maple Month one March.

For an old venture capitalist, it was a good day


Sure, the PeopleSoft board told shareholders to just say no. This battle will go down to the wire, and even afterward Ellison could prevail.

Oracle #39;s Fight to the Finish


Tim Henman celebrates his 30th birthday on Monday, although celebrate is hardly the right word judging by the face he pulled when the landmark was mentioned.

Henman nurses the hope that his back will stay on his mind


The Secret Service targeted a Web site, shadowcrew.com, hosted outside the United States, that acted as a kind of one-stop shop for stolen information and false documents.

Cybercrime Marketplace Shut Down, 28 Arrested


Maria Sharapova beats Serena Williams 4-6 6-2 6-4 in the Tour Championships final.

Tennis: Sharapova wins finale


Reuters - The Palestinian family of\a Jordanian hostage threatened with death in Iraq appealed on\Sunday for his release, saying he was a father of seven who did\not collaborate with Iraq's

West Bank Family Pleads for Release of Iraq Hostage (Reuters)


IN THE brasseries of the Etoile quarter of Paris yesterday lunchtime, the talk was of how many more years the locals would have to endure Lance Armstrongs domination of their cherished Tour de France.

Armstrong short on summits in quest for new peaks


Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who sits on baseball's eight-member relocation committee, has insisted that he would fight any attempt to move the Expos to the District.

The Showdown Begins


USATODAY.com - The European Commission on Tuesday cleared Oracle's hostile  #36;7.7 billion bid for rival business-software maker PeopleSoft, lowering the last antitrust hurdle to the contested deal.

Oracle gets Europe's approval to buy PeopleSoft (USATODAY.com)


An eight-year effort to upgrade the computers for the nation's air traffic control system is

DOT Says Air Traffic Overhaul Is Flawed


Coles Myer, three years into a five-year turnaround journey, bettered its guidance with a record annual net profit of \$576.5 million on Wednesday and said it was well on the way to meeting its target of \$800 million in fiscal 2006.

Coles delivers record profit, positive outlook


Scientists analysing data from the Mars exploration Rover missions believe water was involved in the formation of rocks on the planet.

Water on Mars  #39;but not life #39;


Transport and logistics company CNF Inc. on Tuesday said it agreed to sell its Menlo Worldwide Forwarding business to United Parcel Service Inc.

CNF to Sell Forwarding Business to UPS


David Duffield, PeopleSoft founder and acting-CEO, said the firm might have considered the Oracle takeover bid more seriously if terms had been different.

PeopleSoft defends poison pills


ATHENS, Greece - The Mississippian few thought would make the US Olympic team nearly won gold Monday in the 400 meters. Otis Harris of Edwards had the lead rounding the final turn of the one-lap sprint but

Mississippian captures silver


On Tuesday, Microsoft unveiled the 2004 version of its Host Integration Server (HIS) product, which is designed to integrate IBM mainframes and servers with Windows systems.

Microsoft Updates Its IBM Connectivity Server


Since it is the only moon in the entire solar system with its own atmosphere, Titan, which is perpetually shrouded by cloud layers, is the object of a good deal of curiosity on the part of NASA scientists.

Cassini gets look at Titan


GAZA (Reuters) - At least two Israeli missiles fired from a  pilotless aircraft killed one Palestinian policeman and wounded  six on Sunday in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, medics  said.

Israeli Missiles Kill Gaza Policeman -Medics


For consumers and businesses increasingly shaken by the growing onslaught of unwanted e-mail and computer viruses, any hope for quick relief was dashed Wednesday during a government-hosted gathering of technology experts.
<FONT face=

E-Mail Authentication Will Not Stop Spammers


Pick two scientists, any two scientists with strong climatology credentials, and ask whether global warming has anything to do with the recent onslaught of hurricanes and typhoons.

Hurricanes, global warming and scientists: A volatile stew


Reuters - An industrial park\offering cheap labor, handy transport links and next door to\major Asian markets should be a powerful lure for manufacturers\looking for a competitive edge.

Industrial Park Hostage to U.S.-N.Korea Ties (Reuters)


com September 21, 2004, 4:05 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.

Microsoft to step up SP2 downloads


Crude futures prices fell yesterday, briefly sinking below \$49 US a barrel, as the US supply of oil grows and traders said institutional investors shifted their capital from commodities to equities.

Drop in crude futures a trend, say analysts


Kawika Uechi of Cambridge hacks computers, literally. His favorite tool is an electric rotary handsaw made by Dremel, with a blade that slices neatly through the thin metal of a computer case. But when he was a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Uechi also used the school's water-jet cutter, a supersonic water pistol that can rip through hardened ...

Drive to be the coolest puts PCs on cutting edge


Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. LABOR Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas should explain why there are still Filipino workers in Iraq

Labor chief asked: Why are OFWs still in Iraq?


Intel Corp. has begun shipping samples of its first WiMax chip, called Rosedale, and the first network trials based on the technology will start next year, a senior company executive said Tuesday.

Intel #39;s Rosedale chip brings WiMax closer


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

Citigroup to Buy Texas Bank


John Hodson, the chief executive of Singer  amp; Friedlander, yesterday announced his retirement from the banking and fund management group after 35 years with the company.

The Investment Column: Chief goes but S amp;F remains a buy


PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Until the electricity hums again and the debris is cleared, health officials are worried that there could be more deaths and injuries in Hurricane Charley's aftermath than during the storm itself...

Medical Experts Fear Charley's Aftermath


Shares of Elan Corp., Ireland #39;s biggest drugmaker, rose as much as 7.7 percent after a newspaper reported that the company #39;s US partner Biogen Idec Inc.

Elan Shares Rise on Report Biogen May Bid More Than \$10 Billion


UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Pakistani President Pervez  Musharraf on Thursday ruled out sending troops to help restore  stability in Iraq, rebuffing pleas from the Iraqi interim  government and the United States.

Musharraf Rebuffs Pleas for Pakistan Troops in Iraq


Gartner analyst David Smith told LinuxInsider that many of those who switch from dominant browser Internet Explorer do so because of security concerns.

Mozilla #39;s Firefox, the Next Big Browser?


AP - Palestinian militants fired three mortar shells and a homemade rocket toward Jewish settlements in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, the army spokesman said.

Palestinian Militants Fire Rocket in Gaza (AP)


Scientists say there is no doubt that abundant water once soaked Mars. Now the big question is whether the red planet ever supported life. Some experts say the early signs are promising.

Mars Was Wet, Studies Say, But Was It Inhabited?


All the top executives at Russian oil giant Yukos have fled the country in fear of arrest as the government seeks to sell off its main asset.

Yukos executives 'flee' Russia


HARTFORD -- Hartford is one of the smallest of the nation #39;s big cities, but when it comes to crime the Connecticut capital ranks as the 7th most dangerous city in the country.

Conflicting stories on  #39;danger #39; rankings


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Oracle Corp <A HREF=

EU Likely to Clear Oracle Deal-Source


Symantec Corp., the world #39;s largest maker of antivirus software, agreed to acquire closely held consultant At Stake Inc., which identifies programming faults in software, for an undisclosed sum.

Symantec acquires At Stake


JERUSALEM -- Israel's plan to pull out of Gaza next year passed a crucial test yesterday when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, his government crippled by opposition to the withdrawal, easily won Likud Party approval to invite the dovish Labor Party into his coalition.

Sharon's party votes to save Gaza pullout


Boston College, which is organizing a youth movement on its offensive line, is counting on sophomores Shadu Moore and Jim Marten. They are young, but don't be surprised if the talented underclassmen block everything Penn State throws at them Saturday night at Alumni Stadium in the Eagles' home opener.

BC plugging the gaps


Insurance companies are using satellites to identify homes at high risk of fire damage because of their proximity to brush--a development that alarms some state regulators and privacy advocates.

Insurers Use Satellite Data to Study Risk


 By Saul Hudson

 BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - The United States and Brazilpredicted on Tuesday Latin America's largest country wouldresolve a dispute with the U.N. nuclear watchdog overinspections of a uranium enrichment plant.

US, Brazil Predict End to Brazil's UN Nuke Dispute


AP - Roger Clemens' son signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to play baseball for the University of Texas.

Clemens' Son Signs to Play With Texas (AP)


AP - This fall's presidential debates will pit George W. Bush's folksy manner and big-picture brand of policymaking against John Kerry's more cerebral outlook and nuanced world view. Each is a proven debater who knows, only too well, what personal pitfalls to avoid: Bush must stifle the smirk, for instance, and Kerry must cut short his rhetorical rambling.

Candidates Gear Up for Crucial Debates (AP)


ROME: Juventus may be sitting comfortably on a five-point cushion at the top of Serie A, but coach Fabio Capello is concerned his teams hectic fixture list could eventually unseat them.

Capello fearful of player burnout


First of all, I #39;d like to thank the dozens of newsletter subscribers who took the time to respond to last week #39;s editorial,  quot;The Real World, quot; in which I talked about my son #39;s school #39;s decision to switch from Macs to PCs.

MacCentral Week in Review


Some home printers produce photos that are cheaper and better quality than the High Street, tests show.

PC photo printers challenge pros


MIAMI  Monday night #39;s 92-82 victory over the Atlanta Hawks provided Heat fans at AmericanAirlines Arena their first opportunity to offer thanks for the arrival Shaquille O #39;Neal.

Heat scores style points at home exhibition


It took all of about five minutes of an introductory press conference Wednesday at Heritage Hall for USC basketball to gain something it never really had before.

Call him Jolly Ol #39; St. Rick


Russian oil giant Yukos is very close to insolvency, Yukos #39; CEO Steven Theede was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying on Wednesday.

Yukos close to bankruptcy: company CEO


AFP - The rival campaigns of President George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry have hit the Southwest, where they are to face off in their final televised debate in two days, with polls showing the race still too close to call.

Bush, Kerry gear up for final debate as polls show race too close to call (AFP)


Airbus won an order to sell 40 planes to AirAsia, Southeast Asia #39;s largest discount airline, beating out Boeing. The Kuala Lumpur-based airline said in a statement to the Malaysian stock

AirAsia ordering 40 Airbus planes


Dulles, VA, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- US Airways is seeking permission to delay pension contributions of \$67.5 million, so it can keep operating.

US Airways seeks to delay pension payments


EAST LANSING, Mich. (Sports Network) - Maurice Ager scored 19 points and pulled down six rebounds, as 10th-ranked Michigan State crushed Nicholls State, 102-52, at the Breslin Center.

College Basketball: Michigan Pounds Nicholls State


Nokia, one of the leading brands in mobile technologies, has launched a new wireless content solution that will prove to be beneficial to many consumers worldwide.

Nokia launches wireless content solution


WENTWORTH (England) - Bernhard Langer went from Ryder Cup  #39;Captain Fantastic #39; to giant-killer by knocking world No 1 Vijay Singh out of the World Matchplay Championship yesterday.

No Vijay-Els final as Fijian falls


Frank Quattrone, once one of Wall Street's most celebrated bankers, is jailed for obstruction of justice.

Wall Street star Quattrone jailed


A bomb exploded near the office of a senior Shi #39;ite cleric in the Iraqi holy city of Kerbala on Wednesday, killing eight people and wounding 32 in a failed attempt on the cleric #39;s life, officials said.

Bomb in Iraqi Shi #39;ite City Kills 8, Wounds 32


He #39;s poised to rack up most hits in a season. Other marks look vulnerable, too. By Erik Spanberg  Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor.

Ichiro leads an assault on baseball #39;s records


TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average slid 2 percent by  midsession on Monday as a fall in the dollar jolted exporters,  while a strong earthquake that hit northern Japan at the  weekend lifted builders but dented firms whose operations it  affected.

Nikkei Drops 2 Percent on Exporters


Decades have passed since the pocket calculator relegated the trusty slide rule to near obscurity. Now, an exhibit celebrates the lengthy history of the device, featuring the slide rules of celebrity geeks. By Michelle Delio.

Slide Rule Still Rules


Veteran Hong Kong activist Leung Kwok-hung, better known as  quot;Long Hair quot;, campaigns for pro-democracy votes. Picture:AFP.

Hong Kong set for record vote


AFP - The trial is due to resume of the man accused of masterminding the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and of the only woman to have been detained over the massacre by the United Nations court trying the suspects.

Trial of suspected Rwandan genocide mastermind resumes (AFP)


Novell Inc. will begin shipping on Tuesday a desktop version of its open source Linux operating system aimed squarely at enterprise users.

Novell launches desktop Linux for enterprises


In a bid to compete with Apple and Microsoft in the online music services market, online giant Yahoo announced yesterday that it would purchase MusicMatch for \$160 million.

Yahoo Buys Musicmatch for \$160 Million


One Palestinian is killed and three were injured in Israeli strikes on the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza, witnesses say.

Israel air strikes hit Gaza camp


The Drew Co. and Urban Retail Properties of Chicago yesterday filed plans to build Waterside Place, a million-square-foot shopping center, cinema, and residential project in the heart of the South Boston Waterfront.

Developers file plan for Waterside Place


The Census Bureau has confirmed what any driver on the Parkway East already knows: There are a lot of sport utility vehicles out there.

SUVs gaining popularity


WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- If current government policies stay as they are, emissions of carbon dioxide from energy production activities will grow by about 60 percent between now and 2030, a report released by the International Energy Agency on Tuesday said.

Developing nations, coal users to account for growth: IEA


Enterprise developers looking for a guide to test applications against the new Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) are getting some help from Microsoft (Quote, Chart).

MS Releases XP SP2 App Testing Guide


Politicians are pushing an idea to fight high health costs by shielding employers from the most expensive medical cases.

Momentum Builds for U.S. Role in Paying Highest Health Costs


ALEX McLeish admitted last night Rangers had no-one to blame but themselves after they followed Celtic out of Europe and left Hearts clinging to the remaining hope that Scottish football will have UEFA Cup representation in the second half of the season.

Rangers #39; worst fears realised


RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Ten candidates will run in  the Palestinian Authority's presidential election to replace  Yasser Arafat, officials said on Thursday after finalizing the  list of contenders for the Jan. 9 race.

Ten Candidates to Run in Palestinian Election


Italian luxury goods group Gucci Group has ruled out acquisitions and disposals for the next three years and predicted annual sales growth of at least 10 percent.

Italy : Gucci brand expects to double sales by 2011


The recent hurricanes that hit Florida, along with other examples of extreme weather around the world, may be caused by global climate change, a panel of climate experts said today.

Global climate change may be causing more hurricanes


Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has been chosen to lead a \$6.4 billion Navy satellite project aimed at boosting US forces #39; communications capabilities tenfold, the Pentagon said Friday.

Update 1-Lockheed wins \$6.4 bln US satellite project


Medical supply company PolyMedica Corp. has reached a tentative \$35 million settlement with the federal government over alleged Medicare fraud.

PolyMedica reaches tentative \$35 million settlement with <b>...</b>


You can still get your baby, your dog, even your prized  #39;65 Mustang on a sheet of postage stamps and immortalize them in letters to your friends.

Stamp Co. Bars Images of Adults, Teens


AP - U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin fended off four Republican challengers in Tuesday's primary election, securing a shot at a sixth term in this fall's general election.

GOP Rep. Cubin Wins Wyoming Primary (AP)


Tokyo stocks plunged Tuesday morning on concerns about higher oil prices. The dollar was down against the Japanese yen. The Nikkei Stock Average was down 121.

Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Lower at Late Morning


BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A year ago Monday, Saddam Hussein was pulled out of a spider hole in Iraq and hustled off to a secret location. Since then, the former Iraqi leader has undergone a hernia operation, taken

A Year After Capture, Saddam #39;s Trial Date Uncertain


ISTANBUL, Turkey Turkish authorities say a grenade might have caused last night #39;s explosion that injured at least 13 people attending a pop concert.

Concert blast investigated


Reuters - South Korean police used water cannon in\central Seoul Sunday to disperse at least 7,000 protesters\urging the government to reverse a controversial decision to\send more troops to Iraq.

S.Koreans Clash with Police on Iraq Troop Dispatch (Reuters)


AP - United Nations employees called the attack on U.N. headquarters in Baghdad a year ago

U.N. Remembers Colleagues Lost in Attack (AP)


Sun Microsystems has quietly begun seeking official open-source status for a new software license that likely will be used to govern its Solaris operating system.

Sun proposes new open-source license


quot;I think the start was very mixed, quot; said Howard Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz  amp; Associates, a national retail consulting and investment banking firm in New York.

Some retailers had luxurious weekend


AP - Prime Minister John Howard on Sunday called a national election for Oct. 9 which is likely to serve as a referendum on Australia's troop deployment in Iraq.

Australian PM Announces Oct. 9 Election (AP)


ATHENS Imagine, just for the length of a breezy, sun-kissed summer evening in Athens, that you had not heard a word about Michael Phelps before these Olympics began. That you knew nothing about his childhood in Baltimore; the failed Olympic dreams of his ...

Phelps #39;s dreams meet not-so-bad realities


There #39;s another postponement in the second scheduled Enron criminal trial and now the case against members of the company #39;s Internet division is set to begin April Fools #39; Day.

Enron Broadband trial delayed to April Fool #39;s Day


Chicago Tribune - Human-rights organizations criticized the Bush administration Wednesday, saying in the three years since the Taliban was ousted from most of Afghanistan, the U.S. has not fulfilled promises of safety, freedom, education and health care for Afghan women.

Activists: Afghan women no better off (Chicago Tribune)


a Congolese minister has said, shortly after the Rwandan president said his forces may have launched an attack. region, where four million people have died in the past decade

Rwandan troops enter Congo


Passed up a chance to chat baseball with a couple of Yankees fans over a brew in a Pacific Beach pub in order to watch a softball game.

Slide of the Yankees


CHARLOTTE, NC -- Keenan McCardell took his time getting dressed, carefully buttoning his bright fuchsia shirt and securing his striped tie.

Chargers rally for fourth win


Tommy Hilfiger Corp. announced Monday that it has reached an agreement to purchase German designer Karl Lagerfelds brands for an undisclosed cash amount.

Hilfiger to acquire Lagerfeld brands


Australian Andre Stolz became the ninth first-time winner on the PGA Tour this year Sunday, recording a one-shot triumph at the Michelin Championship.

Stolz became first-time winner on PGA Tour


A former BBC cameraman has been questioned by secret police in Kabul about his role in negotiating the release of three kidnapped UN workers.

BBC cameraman is questioned in Kabul over hostage release


Switzerland has slipped down another place in the global league of most competitive nations, but still ranks in the top ten.

Swiss remain competitive despite ratings slip


JAKARTA (Reuters) - Demand for oil will decline by 1  million barrels per day (bpd) in the second quarter of 2005,  the head of the OPEC producers' cartel said on Monday.

OPEC Head Sees Oil Demand Dropping


Setting the stage for what could be the final act in the Yukos drama, shareholders in the company will gather next month to vote on whether it should declare bankruptcy, the company #39;s top official said on Wednesday.

Yukos Shareholders Will Vote on Filing for Bankruptcy


Open source company JBoss has added a workflow engine to its roster as it continues building out its middleware platform around the JBoss application server.

JBoss adds workflow engine to middleware stack


LONDON -- Iraq's interim President Ghazi al-Yawer warned in an interview published yesterday that long-term instability and violence in his country could create the conditions for an ''Iraqi Hitler quot; to emerge.

Iraqi president warns a 'Hitler' could emerge


AFP - England's marketing men must have been tempted to approach the manufacturers of Alka Seltzer, the country's favourite hangover remedy, about sponsoring the international friendly with the Ukraine.

England reach for the painkillers as World Cup qualifiers loom (AFP)


The three major central banks will all be in focus this week, starting with the Federal Reserve tomorrow. The Federal open market committee meets to set the US interest

Economic week


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Newmont Mining Corp. <A HREF=

Newmont Strikes Gold, Profit Up 12.5 Pct


A highly critical security hole has been reported in the X Pixmap (libXpm) technology shipped with Solaris and JDS for Linux, which could allow someone to run code on your system if a modified X Pixmmap (.xpm) image is loaded.

Solaris security suffers image problem


By BEN FELLER    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Expanding waistlines are squeezing the bottom line of the nation's schools, as poor eating and exercise subtly strip money from education, a new study suggests.

Fat Students Sap School Finances


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

Halliburton to Restructure KBR Unit


Novell earned \$23 million, or six cents a share, on revenues of \$305 million in its fiscal third quarter ended July 31. It derived \$12 million in revenues from its presumably unprofitable SUSE Linux business

quot;Microsoft #39;s Actions Validate Our Linux Strategy Every Day, quot; Says <b>...</b>


Tiny endangered tiger cubs from Siberia have been kitted out with radio collars so that scientists can track them. They are the youngest tigers to wear the special elastic collars, says the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Siberian cubs get radio collars


WASHINGTON - A federal judge held five reporters in contempt Wednesday for refusing to identify their sources for stories about Wen Ho Lee, a former nuclear weapons scientist once suspected of spying.    U.S...

Wen Ho Lee Reporters Held in Contempt


The  quot;northern lights quot; will be visible this week in the Long Island area, with best chance of seeing them over the next few nights, astronomers said.

#39;Northern lights #39; possible on LI


China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp. faces a liquidation application as early as tomorrow unless it pays debt owed to Standard Bank London Ltd.

China Aviation May Face Liquidation Suit in Singapore Court


Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Julius Hodge scored 22 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead 16th-ranked North Carolina State to a 60-53 victory over Purdue in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge at the RBC Center.

NCAA Game Summary - Purdue at North Carolina State


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as  wireless carrier Sprint Corp.'s <A HREF=

Stocks Rise; Sprint, Nextel Deal Helps


AFP - Britain might currently be struggling for Olympic medals in Athens, but if drinking to excess were a competitive sport, there seems little doubt its nationals could beat all-comers.

Binge drinking, the weekend activity of choice for many young Britons (AFP)


Reuters - A ragged band of children\emerges ghost-like from mists in Ethiopia's highlands,\thrusting bunches of carrots at a car full of foreigners.

Ethiopia Struggles to Feed Itself 20 Yrs After Famine (Reuters)


The number of DSL subscribers worldwide exceeded 78 million as of 30-June-2004, up by 30 million in 12 months, according to the latest data produced for the DSL Forum by industry analyst Point Topic.

DSL Tops 78 Million Lines Worldwide


A group calling itself the Midland Group has joined forces with chassis maker Dallara to become the first new team to enter the sport since Toyota began competing in 2002.

New F1 team targets 2006 entry


New Zealand Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard doesn #39;t favor a single regulator to supervise banks in Australia and New Zealand, saying that may lead to conflict between the interests of both nations.

New Zealand #39;s Bollard Opposes Using Australian Bank Regulator


MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australa #39;s Seven Network Ltd. (SEV.AU) said Friday that earnings before interest and tax for the six months ending Dec. 31 will be down around 20 from A\$112.

Australia #39;s Seven 1H05 EBIT To Be Down 20 On 1H04 -2-


AP - Cuban scholars charged Wednesday that the U.S. government denied visas to more than 60 Cubans seeking to attend conference on Latin America in the United States.

U.S. Denies Cubans Visas for Conference (AP)


Copernic Desktop Search Targeting Multi-Lingual European Markets \\Copernic and its international business development partner Contraco initiated a European market penetration strategy by announcing German, French, and Dutch versions of the award-winning Copernic Desktop Search (CDS) product, with an Italian version soon to follow. Copernic continues to outmaneuver both Microsoft and ...


In Fallujah, US officers say the remaining Iraqi rebels are smart, and adapting to changing battle conditions.

Marine, insurgent tactics evolve


The NHL accepts an invitation from the players' association to return to the negotiating table in an effort to end the lockout that began nearly three months ago.

NHL Talks to Resume


AP - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made a quickly arranged visit to Syria on Wednesday, holding talks with Syria's President Bashar Assad a day after a divisive debate in the Arab League over Syrian troops in Lebanon.

Egypt's Mubarak Visits Syria's Assad (AP)


Hearts suffered a 3-0 defeat in their UEFA Cup group stage opener against Feyenoord in a game marred by controversial refereeing decisions.

Feyenoord Rotterdam 3-0 Hearts: FT Report


HELSINKI, Finland - United States embassies in northern Europe said they have received threat information and urged Americans living in the Nordic and Baltic regions to be cautious.

US issues terror warning in northern Europe


Tony Dorsett was impressed with Curtis Martin the first time he saw the running back suit up for the University of Pittsburgh. Not much has changed since.

Dorsett watches two players pass him on NFL list


MOJAVE, Calif. -- Burt and the billionaire kept their eye on the prize yesterday, collecting \$10 million and symbolically launching a new era in private space exploration.

Winning spaceflight: Priceless


Oil prices closed above \$50 a barrel for the first time yesterday as concerns linger about damage to oil production in the Gulf of Mexico from Hurricane Ivan.

Oil Closes Above \$50


AP - A car exploded near a Palestinian industrial zone in the town of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, witnesses said.

Car Explodes in Northern Gaza Town (AP)


Olympic hero Kelly Holmes is contemplating tackling another historic double in the two-day IAAF World Athletics final which begins in Monaco today.

HOLMES CONSIDERS TAKING ON DOUBLE


When Notre Dame fired football coach Tyrone Willingham yesterday, it set into motion a series of events that many involved think will result in Utah coach Urban Meyer coming to South Bend.

All signs pointing to Meyer


Striker Bonaventure Kalou netted twice to send AJ Auxerre through to the first knockout round of the UEFA Cup at the expense of Glasgow Rangers last night.

Soccer / UEFA Cup - Auxerre #39;s Bonaventure dumps Rangers


The US Open is really all that #39;s left for defending champion Andy Roddick this year. He #39;s coming in ranked No. 2 without a big title run since he won Miami in March and although he #39;s been in the mix at nearly

Roddick aiming for back-to-back Opens


A Venezuelan air force plane crashed in the mountainous region in northern Venezuela, killing all 25 people on board, an aviation officials said Sunday.

25 dead in Venezuelan military plane crash


Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, 50, is seen during a news conference in Minsk, Monday, Oct. 18, 2004. According to the Central Elections Commission a preliminary tally of ballots from Sunday #39;s election

Belarusian Chief Sees Vote As Mandate


SearchGuy Partners for Paid Search, Updates Toolbar\\SearchGuy.com Inc., a creative provider of multi category search and advertising services announced it has partnered with Search123, a pay-per-click search engine that allows advertisers to list their sites, bid on keywords and receive targeted search traffic from hundreds of high quality content sites, ...


The Walt Disney Company and its home video division, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, said yesterday that they would release films in the next-generation high-definition DVD format being developed

Disney Picks Sony Format for DVD #39;s of Its Films


A protein deep in the ear is essential for normal hearing and could help develop treatments for deafness, researchers believe.

Scientists 'find key to hearing'


AP - Two days after a grueling papal pilgrimage which left some wondering if Pope John Paul II could still travel, the Vatican on Tuesday announced details of the ailing pontiff's next trip.

Vatican Gives Schedule of Pope's Next Trip (AP)


Amid fanfare fit for actual world-class athletes, five Americans with really quick fingers took home the gold medal in the popular

Americans Win Gold at World Cyber Games


Avis Europe has scrapped development of a new ERP system because of cost overruns and delays, and will also scale back its overall IT restructuring project.

Avis Europe is latest to get stung by IT


AP - Asian financial markets showed a mixed reaction Friday to China's first interest rate rise in nine years, which analysts welcomed as a shift toward capitalist-style economic tools and away from central planning.

Asian Markets Mixed on China Rate Hike (AP)


Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. (SIRI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said its subscriber base has exceeded 700,000 and repeated that it is on track to meet its full-year target of 1 million subscribers.

Sirius subscriber base exceeds 700,000


Oracle, the world #39;s second largest software producer, has seen first quarter profits surge 16 on the back of strong sales of database products.

Oracle sees profits surge 16


The Yankees needed someone to save Mariano Rivera. Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter sparked a championship-caliber rally just in time.

AL playoffs: Rodriguez-led NY finds a way


An early version of Netscape #39;s much-anticipated browser kills two birds with one stone: it runs the recent and wildly successful Mozilla Firefox engine, but renders pages in Internet Explorer, too.

Netscape prototype


AOL Europe Drops Overture for Google AdWords\\AOL Europe and Google today jointly announced a new multi-year agreement that will provide users of the AOL European services with targeted advertising from Google's AdWords advertisers. What does this mean? IT means when AOL Europe users do searches on AOL Europe, Google Adwords ...


AP - Qualcomm Inc. Friday raised its earnings and revenue forecasts for the current quarter, based on higher shipments of its cell-phone chips.

Qualcomm Raises 4Q, Year Outlook (AP)


Three weeks after the Yankees faded in four straight losses, Alex Rodriguez settled on the villain in this tale - himself.

Rodriguez Is Haunted by Yanks' Collapse


Michael Ovitz hopes getting his day in court fixes his battered career and tarnished image. Ovitz testified for the fifth day in the trial that has Disney shareholders shooting

OVITZ: I WANT MY PROPS


Reuters - Sony Corp. said on Friday it\would launch the latest version of its blockbuster racing game\software

Sony to Launch Latest Gran Turismo Software in Dec (Reuters)


As tougher immigration laws make it increasingly harder for foreign students to learn English in the United States, immersion villages, according to experts, have promise beyond South Korea.

English Camps Reflect S. Korean Ambitions


World News: Dhaka, Oct 8 (ANI)- A passenger plane of Biman Bangladesh Airlines skidded off the runway at northeastern Sylhet Osmani International Airport on Friday, leaving most of its 79 passengers on board wounded, according to officials.

65 passengers wounded as a plane skids off Bangladesh airport:


Bettors give Bush a higher likelihood of victory than Kerry on websites that allow wagering on next week's election. But odds indicate that the race is still very close and whoever wins the crucial swing state of Ohio will likely prevail. By Joanna Glasner.

Election Wagers Hinge on Ohio


Agricultural chemicals maker Monsanto Co. (MON.N: Quote, Profile, Research) posted a quarterly net loss on Wednesday as a drop in Roundup herbicide sales in the

Monsanto Posts Loss, Herbicide Sales Drop


Apple Computer Inc. stock jumped to a four-year high Monday after a major Wall Street firm nearly doubled its price target on the stock, saying that customer satisfaction with its iPod music player is creating

Apple Stock Jumps to 4-Year High on IPod


Australian mobile telephone users may be able to buy and woo virtual dates this year after the release of a Virtual Girlfriend game for 3G mobile telephones.

Hi honey, I #39;m virtually home alone


France has defeated Cyprus 2-0 in its World Cup qualifier in Nicosia thanks to goals from Sylvain Wiltord and Thierry Henry. Wiltord, a former teammate of Henry #39;s at Arsenal, netted the opening goal in the

Wiltord, Henry on target


LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s XBox video game system will team up with software maker Electronic Arts Inc...

XBox and EA Sports to Stage Interactive World Cup


AP - A Belgian teenager fired off a mobile phone text message to her father that his live-in girlfriend was trying to kill her in a plea for help just before she died, authorities said.

Text Message Leads Police to Killers (AP)


Google has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to make its registration statement effective at 4 pm Eastern time on Tuesday. If the company follows the usual IPO pattern, the share price would be set and the offering ...

Google IPO Under Threat Due to Shortage of Bids


IBM and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are jointly developing a new method for implementing strained silicon technology. to improve performance on processors from both companies as early as next year.

IBM  amp; AMD Team Up on Strained Silicon


WHILE WASHINGTON was celebrating a home run Wednesday, Northern Virginia stood helplessly at the plate watching a third strike go by.

Virginia strikes out while District gets another at-bat


Springfield College begins this season with lofty expectations and a No. 4 preseason ranking from d3football.com. That doesn't impress coach Mike DeLong, whose team opens at home tomorrow night with a tough test against Union College.

The Pride are back for more


Three major record companies have signed on to a new service which will allow their music to be sold via file-swapping. The new project is an attempt to lure fans away from filesharing services which are technically

Record Labels Support Filesharing


TORONTO (Ticker) -- The San Antonio Spurs have gotten into a habit of winning games in the fourth quarter. That was where they lost Sunday #39;s game.

San Antonio Spurs


Going after spammers rather than focusing merely on developing antispam technology is an important step, John Movina, spokesperson for the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email, said.

Microsoft Files More Lawsuits over Spam


London: Former BBC chief has accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of attempting to force the corporation to change its tone of coverage of the Iraq war and the issue of weapons of mass destruction.

Blair tried to bully BBC over Iraq coverage


Israel launches psychological war against hundreds of Palestinian inmates on hunger strike for better conditions.

Israel turns up heat on prisoners


PC World - Hard-drive video recorders support HDTV, while Blu-ray and HD-DVD wait in the wings. Plus: pricey headphones and cheap megapixels.

Tokyo Edge: More Video Options (PC World)


(Sports Network) - Pedro Martinez tries to stop a personal three-game losing streak this evening when the Boston Red Sox attempt a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.

SportsNetwork Game Preview


BOSTON Go figure this World Series. An old maxim in baseball is you always give away more runs with shoddy defense than you gain with torrid bats.

Red Sox take this idiot thing to the bank


The United States plans to issue passports with personal data stored on radio frequency identification chips. The documents would be harder to forge, but might leave holders vulnerable to identity theft. By Ryan Singel.

American Passports to Get Chipped


BAGHDAD, Iraq - An American and three other foreigners were kidnapped Monday from their office in western Baghdad  quot;in an exchange of fire, quot; the Interior Ministry spokesman said.

American, 3 Others Kidnapped in Iraq


WASHINGTON - The latest records to surface from President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard show that one commander took an unusual interest in the congressman's son during his basic training.    The officer in charge of the unit where Bush took his basic training wrote to then-Rep...

Guard Supervisor Wrote to Bush's Father


MONTREAL : A consumer group in Quebec has sued the pharmaceutical firm Merck in Canada, charging that it kept its pain and arthritis drug Vioxx on the market despite the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Consumer group sues Merck in Canada


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bankrupt US Airways <A HREF=

USAir Details Plan to Be Low-Cost Carrier


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. job market brightened  modestly in August as employers added 144,000 workers to their  payrolls and hiring totals for the two prior months were  revised up, the Labor Department reported on Friday.

Job Picture Brightens with August Hiring


BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. warplanes blasted insurgent positions in Sadr City, and American ground troops pushed into the sprawling Baghdad slum Thursday in a new operation aimed at disarming the militia of a renegade anti-U.S...

Cleric Insists Iraq Elections Be on Time


The Trotters have challenged Argentina, which defeated the United States en route to winning the gold medal, to a \$1 million winner-take-all game that would be shown on pay-per-view TV, Bloomberg news service reports.

Globetrotters wave \$1 mil at Argentina


Iraq #39;s top Shi #39;ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged his supporters converging on Najaf on Thursday not to enter the battered holy city until he arrived, a senior aide said.

Sistani Urges Supporters to Wait at Najaf Gates


Un groupe de socits leaders dans le domaine de l #39;lectronique grand public et des semi-conducteurs, parmi lesquelles figurent notamment Samsung Electronics Co.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)1er Novembre 2004--


PALO ALTO, Calif. --Microsoft Corp. may make more large acquisitions than it has done historically and become a more distributed company as opposed to moving key employees to its Redmond, Washington, headquarters, Chief Financial Officer John Connors said Monday.

Microsoft CFO: Expect us to make more big acquisitions


Paceman Zaheer Khan has hit back for India, taking the key wicket of Australia #39;s prolific opener Matthew Hayden two overs after lunch on day three of the third Test in Nagpur.

Khan hits back for India


German premium carmaker BMW reported a lower-than-expected 7.6 percent rise in third-quarter pretax profit, but reaffirmed its forecast for record revenues, earnings and car sales in 2004.

BMW Keeps 2004 Forecast


The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) announced on Tuesday that it has begun filing lawsuits against people who use peer-to-peer (P2P) software to trade movie files without permission over the internet.

MPAA files first suits against movie file-swappers


ALAN GREENSPAN, Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, undercut lingering hopes of staging an operation to support the dollar at a meeting of bankers in Frankfurt yesterday

Greenspan rejects talk of throwing dollar a lifeline


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended almost unchanged on  Monday as investors paused for breath after last week's  post-election rally and braced for interest-rate hikes that  threatened to slow growth and raise companies' costs.

Dow, Nasdaq Up a Bit, S P 500 Off


Reuters - Business-software maker\PeopleSoft Inc.  on Saturday said its board has again\unanimously rejected Oracle Corp.'s   #36;9.2 billion\tender offer, even after 61 percent of PeopleSoft shares had\been tendered to Oracle.

PeopleSoft: Board Rejects Oracle Offer (Reuters)


SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's central bank said it was  considering further measures to rein in growth in the world's  seventh-largest economy, but would take a hard look at August  economic data before making any decisions.

China to Decide Curbs After August Data


A jury in Memphis said yesterday that Medtronic #39;s spinal products subsidiary should pay \$400 million in punitive damages for violating agreements covering its use of surgical products invented by Dr.

\$400 Million Judgment Against Medtronic


Italy coach Marcello Lippi is sticking to his guns in a World Cup qualifier against Belarus Wednesday night despite Saturday #39;s shock defeat in Slovenia with 0-1, local media reported Tuesday.

Lippi sticks to his guns against Belarus


BANGKOK - The future looked brighter for leaf-tailed geckos and great white sharks after a UN meeting on trade in wild plants and animals.

Future #39;s bright for geckos and sharks


Talk about a tough sales call. Marsh  amp; McLennan Co.'s top managers, led by new chief executive Michael Cherkasky, took their corporate rehabilitation story to Wall Street yesterday in a conference call with stock analysts. The gist of the plans had been publicly revealed the day before.

Marsh Mac's \$845m hole


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Orders for U.S. durable goods fell  unexpectedly in August but beat forecasts once transportation  equipment was stripped out, government data showed on Friday in  evidence the economy is again pumping strongly.

U.S. Economy Seen on Solid Footing


ATHENS -- American Marion Jones is going home without a medal. Jones, who won five medals and arguably was the biggest star of the Sydney Games four years ago, finished fifth in yesterday #39;s long jump and -- barely

Jones loses last chance for medal at Athens


Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd., Australia #39;s biggest soft drink maker, had its stock halted from trading, after the Australian Financial Review reported it may bid A\$480 million (\$365 million) for fruit canner SPC Ardmona Ltd.

Coca-Cola Amatil Shares Halted Amid Transaction Talks (Update2)


DALLAS (Reuters) - A fare hike that raises tickets by \$5  each way announced by American Airlines earlier this week to  offset record high jet fuel appears to be sticking among other  U.S. airlines, an industry source said on Friday.

Most Airlines Raise Fares Due to Fuel


Takeover battle likely to drag on as Oracle faces other obstacles in merger quest.

Ruling turns up heat on PeopleSoft


JERUSALEM The Israeli Supreme Court ordered the government to produce a statement in the next 30 days that assesses the ramifications of a nonbinding ruling by the International Court of Justice in the Hague that declared the Israeli security barrier ...

Israeli court orders reply for Hague


Six of the seven men charged with sex attacks on Pitcairn Island have been found guilty. Mayor Steve Christian was found guilty of five rapes.

Six guilty of sex attacks on Pitcairn


Tonight #39;s game: In their only outing against Lowry this season, coming after the rookie relieved Schmidt, the Padres amassed nine hits and four runs in three innings.

On deck: Padres (79-68) at Giants (82-65)


ATHENS (Reuters) - In one of the most bizarre episodes to  erupt at the Athens Olympics, the Australian women's eight  rowing crew were reprimanded on Tuesday for laying in to

Olympics: Rowers Reprimanded Over 'Lay Down Sally'


As hot as Ichiro has been - and he sizzled to a 13-game hitting streak with a single in the seventh inning last night -ven he isn #39;t as hot as Edgar Martinez in the past six games, hitting .

Martinez #39;s 2 homers not enough


The games industry could benefit from scientific

Body and brain of gamers probed


This is the time of the year when Americans nationwide are gobbling up gobblers at grocery stores for holiday dinners. But out on Darrell French #39;s

Talking Turkey


he is one of the best tennis players in the world, but the talk surrounding her has nothing to do with aces or ground strokes. When it comes to Serena Williams, the discussion turns to clothing.

For Serena Williams, Less Is Definitely More


CHICAGO -- The National League Wild Card race now reminds you of a Jimmy Buffet song. No, it is not  quot;Cheeseburger in Paradise, quot; although that is a very admirable guess.

Taking hurricane effects in stride


Yesterday, Al-Jazeera TV showed a picture of this man Dean Sadek. The Charlotte Observer reports that Sadek and his wife live in the Charlotte area he was born in Lebanon.

NC Man Held Hostage in Iraq


Joe Worsley, the powerful London Wasps flanker, has recovered from injury and will face South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday. Worsley missed Saturday #39;s easy win over Canada

Worsley gets his chance to shine


The Ferrari 3400 uses Advanced Micro Devices #39; Athlon 64 processor 3000, as well as AMD #39;s technology for extended system battery life, Acer said.

Acer revs new Ferrari notebook


SPACE.com - WASHINGTON -- One week before the U.S. elections, \Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is blasting \President George W. Bush's space exploration vision as a purely political \stunt that threatens to gut other NASA programs.

Kerry Promises 'A More Balanced' NASA (SPACE.com)


Federal and state law enforcement agencies have quietly arrested or charged dozens of people with crimes related to junk e-mail, identity theft and other online scams in recent weeks, according to several people involved in the actions.

Dozens charged in spam, scam crackdown


The Boston Red Sox erupted for seven runs in the fourth Tuesday and posted a 9-3 win over the Anaheim Angels in Game 1 of their AL Division Series.

MLB: Boston 9, Anaheim 3


26 August 2004 -- Iraq #39;s top Shi #39;ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, arrived in the city of Al-Najaf today in a bid to end a weeks-long conflict between US forces and militiamen loyal to Shi #39;ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Top Iraqi Shi #39;ite Cleric Arrives in Al-Najaf


A new virus strain masquerading as electronic Christmas cards is accounting for one in every 10 e-mails hitting in-boxes, security experts warned Wednesday.

E-Card Holiday Virus Packs Ugly Punch


Wherever Barry Bonds turned Tuesday night, he was confronted with another symbol of his conflicting legacy. Hanging over his head in left field was Hank Aaron #39;s retired No.

Bonds Blast Would Make Milwaukee Famous


The Raptors posted a stunning victory against a previously undefeated opponent last night, but they lost one of their key players, possibly for a while.

Raptors hand Utah first loss