SANTA CLARA, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Nov. 10, 2004 -- Intel Corporation today announced that its board of directors has approved a doubling of the quarterly cash dividend to 8 cents per share beginning

Intel Doubles Cash Dividend and Authorizes Repurchase of 500 <b>...</b>


A second consortium puts in a bid for the faster 802.11n spec. But don't expect a battle over formats.

Second hat in ring for faster Wi-Fi standard


MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (CP) - More than 100 Ontario towns and cities will share in \$156 million in revenue from the provincial gasoline tax this year, Premier Dalton McGuinty confirmed Friday.

Ontario gives cities \$156 million from gas tax this year for <b>...</b>


Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Morgan Ensberg went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead Houston over Atlanta 8-5 in Game 3 of their National League Division Series at Minute Maid Park.

National League Playoff Game Capsules


As Bill Parcells would say,  quot;Don #39;t put him in Canton just yet, fellas. quot;. As in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jets: Too soon to anoint Pennington


Rejuvenated attacker Alessandro Del Piero inspired Juventus to a 2-0 win over AS Roma that restored their five point title advantage on holders AC Milan.

Juventus Dump Roma In The Rain


Star Gas Partners LP (SGH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (SGU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said it has suspended distributions on its common partnership units and warned it may have to seek bankruptcy protection unless

UPDATE 2-Star Gas suspends payout, may seek bankruptcy


Jeff Kent ends a pitcher's duel with a three-run homer in the ninth Monday that lifts the Astros over St. Louis, 3-0, for a 3-2 edge in the NLCS.

Astros Take Lead


Three days after a jury found Sun Microsystems (Quote, Chart) had infringed on Eastman Kodak patents, the two parties settled their lawsuit out of court.

Kodak, Sun Settle Patent Case


FALLUJA, NOVEMBER 6: US forces poised to assault Falluja bombarded the rebel stronghold on Saturday, while, insurgents detonated four car bombs and attacked police stations in the Iraqi city of Samarra, killing at least 37 people and wounding 62, police

US bombs Falluja, rebels hit Samarra


Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (SMFG) on Tuesday put in a 3.2 trillion yen (\$29.13 billion) bid for smaller rival bank UFJ Holdings Inc.

SMFG puts forward \$29bn takeover bid for UFJ


A species of monkey unknown to science has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh, according to the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society.

New species of monkey found in India


Brylin, entering his 11th NHL season, agreed to a multiyear deal. He appeared in all 82 regular-season games last year, and had 14 goals and 19 assists.

Devils re-sign Brylin


Tottenham #39;s legendary former manager Bill Nicholson, who inspired the London side to a famous league and cup double in 1961 has died at the age of 84, the club announced on its official website.

Spurs legend Nicholson dies at 84


TORONTO - Oil prices broke through another new record, passing the \$54-per-barrel mark on Tuesday. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price for the November contract for light sweet crude stood at \$54.

Oil punches through \$54 US a barrel


LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- Surging demand from emerging economies and rising commodity prices worldwide is casting daylight on coal-mining stocks.

GLOBAL INVESTOR


WASHINGTON - Voters are so deadlocked on their choice for president that the campaigns will need to focus on keeping the intensity of support high and turning them out on Election Day, according to pollsters who conducted a bipartisan survey.    The overall race between Democrat John Kerry and President Bush, a Republican, remains deadlocked...

Poll: Presidential Race Movement Limited


Sprint Corp. is close to an agreement to buy Nextel Communications Inc. for about \$35 billion in a mostly stock deal that would combine the No.

Sprint Near Deal to Buy Nextel -Sources


AstraZeneca faced its third major setback in as many months yesterday after clinical trials dashed expectations that its lung cancer drug Iressa would develop into a blockbuster product that would dominate treatment around the world.

Third AstraZeneca drug found wanting


The deficit at the federal agency that rescues failed US corporate pensions more than doubled to \$23.3 billion in fiscal year 2004, officials said on Monday, with analysts largely blaming bankrupt airlines.

UPDATE 2-US pension agency #39;s deficit swells to \$23.3 bln


AP - Bruce Gradkowski threw three of his four touchdown passes to Lance Moore, leading Toledo to a 35-27 win over Miami (Ohio) in the Mid-American Conference championship game Thursday night.

Toledo Beats Miami (Ohio) to Win MAC Title (AP)


Asset management company Federated Investors Inc. on Thursday said it will buy Alliance Capital Management Holding LP #39;s cash management business.

Federated Investors Buys Cash Business


AP - The United States and its negotiating partners are ready to resume talks with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program but North Korea has not agreed, a State Department spokesman said Thursday.

No Date Set for N. Korea Talks Resumption (AP)


The Bank of Canada announced today it is keeping its trend-setting overnight rate at 2.5 per cent, amid fears that the falling US dollar could hurt Canada #39;s economic growth.

Bank of Canada leaves interest rates unchanged


Reuters - Truckers drove into Manipur on Wednesday under troop protection, despite fears of attacks by protesters trying to impose a 16-day blockade, police said.

Under security cover, trucks move into Manipur (Reuters)


TOKYO, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Four people were killed and two others missing as Typhoon Megi hit west Japan #39;s Kagawa and Ehime prefectures on Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

4 killed, 2 missing as Typhoon Megi hits western Japan


The economy -- helped out by more brisk consumer and business spending -- grew at an annual rate of 3.9 percent in the third quarter, a performance that was stronger than previously thought.

Economy grows at a 3.9 percent pace in third quarter, faster than <b>...</b>


The largest asteroid ever known to pass near Earth is making a close celestial brush with the planet this week in an event that professional and backyard astronomers are watching closely.

Huge Asteroid to Fly Past Earth Wednesday


By adding POP support to its Gmail service, Google is enabling customers to download messages to Microsoft Outlook and other applications.

Google #39;s Gmail Gets POP Support


PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba -- Hurricane Ivan, which has left at least 60 people dead in its devastating sweep across the Caribbean, battered the Cayman Islands yesterday and set its course toward Cuba, where authorities were girding for possibly the worst storm in living memory.

Ivan rips Caymans, aims toward Cuba


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Tommy Hilfiger USA said Friday that it received a federal grand jury subpoena seeking documents related to commissions the company paid to a non-US subsidiary since 1990.

Tommy Hilfiger gets Grand Jury subpoena


THE HAGUE : Two suspected Islamic extremists arrested this week are suspected of plotting to assassinate two Dutch lawmakers known for their critical stance towards Islam, the Dutch press reported.

Dutch extremist suspects planned to murder deputies: report


The modern PC is a marvel, a machine that lets an ordinary person with little training create a document, check its spelling, dress it up with graphics, send it electronically to someone across the globe - and then save it accidentally into some dark

Google delves through dark corners of the hard drive


GlaxoSmithKline is expected to start the process of publicly posting the results of clinical trials for its marketed drugs.

Glaxo to Begin Posting Drug Trial Results


Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon has a broken vertebrae in his neck that will sideline him at least six weeks.

Gannon Out 6 Weeks


the Air New Zealand of September 2004 is a vastly different company from the one that feared annihilation by Qantas just two years ago.

From ruin to rebirth - what a difference two years makes


MOBILE, Ala. - Hurricane Ivan and its 135-mph winds churned toward the Gulf Coast with frightening intensity Wednesday, spawning monster waves that toppled beach houses and spinning off tornadoes that killed at least two people...

Hurricane Ivan Takes Aim at Mobile, Ala.


Much of place kicker Nick Novak's success throughout his career can be attributed to mental preparation.

It's All in His Head


The yen rose on Friday after a closely watched Bank of Japan (BOJ) survey showed further improvement in Japanese business sentiment.

Yen Rises on Corporate Sentiment Poll


European Space Agency's Smart 1 probe is set to enter into orbit around the Moon on Monday.

Europe probe arrives at the Moon


AP - Lanxess Corp., a chemicals and polymers unit of Bayer Corp., plans to move one of its factories from Texas to eastern China's Shandong province, state media reported Wednesday.

Lanxess Moving Texas Factory to China (AP)


MILAN (Reuters) - Blockbuster video games and cheap  Internet phone calls are boosting demand for Plantronics'  <A HREF=

Headset Maker Plantronics Surfs on Games Wave


Chicago Tribune - The ranking members of the House Intelligence Committee have asked the CIA to turn over an internal report on whether agency employees should be held accountable for intelligence failures leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks, congressional officials said Tuesday.

Lawmakers request CIA's 9/11 report (Chicago Tribune)


Reuters - The Kyoto agreement to\reduce greenhouse gas emissions doesn't take effect for two\months, but climate change negotiators are already fixated on\what happens when it expires in 2012.

'After Kyoto' Takes Center Stage at Climate Talks (Reuters)


Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered the Israeli Defense Forces to stop the barrage of missiles from the Gaza Strip. Thus, the Israeli Army and Air Force are engaged in a major confrontation with the terrorists in Gaza.

Target practice


This morning, MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGG) announced its latest plan for the Las Vegas Strip: a multibillion-dollar  quot;urban metropolis quot; spanning 66 acres between Bellagio and the Monte Carlo on the Strip.

MGM Mirage #39;s Next Big Thing


UNITED NATIONS, New York The new Indian prime minister met with his Pakistani counterpart Friday for the first time and the two men promised to work together to gradually ease tensions between their nations and explore a peaceful settlement for the

In NY, Pakistan and India leaders vow to seek peace


A microbe from the Dead Sea may hold the key to protecting astronauts from one of the greatest threats they would face during a mission to Mars: space radiation.

Secrets of a Salty Survivor


Finally on the field, Lee Suggs got the Browns running in the right direction. Suggs, who missed the first three games with a neck injury, rushed for 82 yards and scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

ROWNS 17, REDSKINS 13; Redskins 1-for-11 on third downs


He will tell you the story because it embodies so much of who he is and where he came from. There is no denying he became hooked on golf at an early age -- 7 to be precise -- and that he was a genuine phenom and that he could never get enough of it.  quot;I was very ...

Right on course


Soaring oil prices and terrorism have instilled fresh caution into global markets over the past six months, executives and investors said at a technology conference in Cannes.

Caution dampens spirit at Cannes tech conference


Amazon.com made its anticipated entry into renting DVDs on the Internet on Thursday, launching a service in the United Kingdom that it says will charge as much as 30 percent less than its competitors.

Amazon.com enters UK DVD market


The major parties #39; different approaches to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions became starker today after Russia made steps to ratify the agreement.

Focus on Aust as Russia adopts Kyoto protocol


Ray Kopp enjoyed tooling around in a hydrogen- powered Honda prototype vehicle so much that, for a moment, he pictured driving one home.

Breaking free from energy dependence


The Argentine government said late Wednesday it has postponed a global plan to restructure the bulk of US\$103 billion (euro78.35 billion) in default debt until mid-January, moving back a debt swap that was expected next week.

Argentina to Delay \$103B Debt Swap Offer


Hitachi Data Systems, Sun Microsystems, and Hewlett-Packard this week are trying to leapfrog EMC for enterprise-class storage leadership using pretty much the same product -- HDS #39;s new TagmaStore Universal Storage Platform.

Hitachi #39;s Newest Array Pools 32 Petabytes Of Virtual Storage


A drop in the pace of home sales was not enough to keep housing from getting even more expensive across Massachusetts last month.

Bay State home prices keep rising at strong pace even as sales ease


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Peanuts, hot dogs and wireless instant replays. It's the future of baseball...

San Francisco Giants to Offer Wi-Fi Instant Replays


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Malcolm Glazer, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner, has upped his stake in UK soccer organization Manchester United (UK:MNU) to 28.

Glazer stake in Manchester United upped to 28.11


Reuters - Jacksonville Jaguars\quarterback Byron Leftwich participated in practice Wednesday\and is expected to start this week against the Minnesota\Vikings.

Leftwich Expected to Return for Jaguars (Reuters)


NewsFactor - Sony (NYSE: SNE) has introduced its first MP3-based flash-memory digital music players under the Walkman brand in an effort to capture a share of the portable digital music player market currently dominated by Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPod device.

Sony Launches MP3 Music Players (NewsFactor)


SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Dell Inc. is pushing ahead with plans to open a series of IT support hubs worldwide in an effort to improve its ability to serve customers, especially corporate users.

Dell Seeks to Improve Services Through Support Hubs


STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances lost some steam and hesitated off the Florida coast Friday, prolonging the anxiety among the millions evacuated and raising fears of a slow, ruinous drenching over the Labor Day weekend...

Frances Poised to Slog Ashore in Florida


Reuters - Eli Lilly and Co  said Friday\it added a warning to the label of its attention\deficit/hyperactivity disorder medicine, advising patients with\jaundice or a liver injury to stop taking the treatment.

Lilly Adds Warning to Strattera Label (Reuters)


China is actively taking part in international co-operation in Earth observation satellites, to study meteorology, natural resources, environment surveillance and other civil

UK co joins bid to launch satellite mission


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales posted a  larger-than-expected decline in August, a Commerce Department  report on Tuesday showed, but the drop was mostly confined to  the automotive sector.

U.S. Retail Sales Slip on Auto Weakness


Osama bin Laden said for the first time that he ordered the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, according to a tape made public today.

Al Jazeera Airs Videotape Said to Be of Osama bin Laden


TEHRAN, Nov 11 (RIA Novosti) - Iran is considering the issue on extension of a voluntary moratorium on work to enrich uranium, Iranian Foreign Ministry official spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi said Thursday.

IRAN * EU * ATOM * MORATORIUM


SEOUL: Hynix Semiconductor may be fined for shoddy accounting between 1999-2003, South Korea #39;s financial regulator said. News of Hynix #39;s accounting violations comes after the CEO of Kookmin Bank, South Korea #39;s

Hynix may be fined for accounting breach


Former Bruin Mikko Eloranta tipped a shot past Olaf Kolzig with 3:22 left, lifting Finland to a 2-1 win over Germany yesterday and into the semifinals of the World Cup of Hockey.

Finns gladly take tip from Eloranta


WASHINGTON : The US economy braked harder than first thought in the second quarter, posting a tepid 2.8 percent annual growth rate as consumers gripped their purses, a government report showed.

US economic growth cools to 2.8 percent pace in second quarter


Seriously ill and perhaps fighting for his life, Yasser Arafat was rushed Friday to a military hospital near Paris that specializes in blood disorders.

Ailing Arafat Examined in French Hospital


Reuters - The family of a Japanese man being held\hostage in Iraq begged for his life on Friday after the expiry\of a deadline set by his captors, who have threatened to behead\him unless Japan withdrew its troops.

Family Begs for Life of Japanese Hostage in Iraq (Reuters)


Reuters - The dollar sank to a record low against\the euro on Thursday and stood near a 12-year low versus the\pound after a round of robust U.S. economic data failed to\dispel souring sentiment on the U.S. currency.

Dollar Crumbles to Record Low Vs Euro (Reuters)


If you haven't heard it yet, you soon will.  Osamma has finally claimed responsiblity for 9/11.  I think, however, that it's a really bad sign. I think it means that all of the goodwill that flowed to the US In sympathy for the attack has now been fully squandered -- and probably much more.

Al Qaeda claim to 9-11 Bodes Ill


Ziff Davis - At TechXNY Expo, the duo showcased an RV outfitted with servers, software, VOIP and more. They plan to roll out more trucks and visit 250 cities as part of a new initiative to bring technology to SMBs in remote parts of the country.

HP, Microsoft Take Tech on the Road (Ziff Davis)


A summit of African leaders on the crisis in the Sudanese region of Darfur opened Sunday in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, the BBC reported.

African leaders discuss Darfur in Libya


USATODAY.com - VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, may be geek speak for calls routed through cyberspace. But for many consumers, VoIP translates into ever-cheaper and sometimes feature-rich telephone alternatives. Consider the Skype service I've been testing. It lets members talk free from one computer to another.

Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - Net calling service Skype: Simple, free, not perfect (USATODAY.com)


Ireland stopped South Africa #39;s grand slam bid in its tracks as world champions England and southern hemisphere heavyweights New Zealand swept to easy victories in yesterday #39;s internationals.

Ireland bursts Boks #39; bubble


PYONGYANG, November 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Kim Jong Ils portraits were removed from some state offices frequented by foreigners at the initiative of the leadership of the country, an informed source in the Russian embassy in Pyongyang told Tass.

Kim #39;s portraits removed upon instruction from North Korean <b>...</b>


Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer is reviving profit and sales growth by preventing customer defections to Linux, a computer operating system available for free on the Internet.

Microsoft Courts Non-Friendly #39; Linux Users to Increase Sales


A Falls Church man who worked as a federal informant set himself on fire hours after announcing his suicide attempt and citing his growing despondency over how the FBI managed his case.

Terror Informant Ignites Self Near White House


California football Coach Jeff Tedford received a new five-year contract Monday to lead the Golden Bears through the 2009 season. The new deal replaces his existing agreement, which had three years remaining.

California coach gets new contract


Jacob Goldfield, who joined Soros Fund Management as chief investment officer last year, has resigned from the \$8.3 billion hedge fund to start his own business, according to a memo to staff members.

Soros executive leaves hedge fund to start firm


LONDON: British government and Prince Charles are locked in an unprecedented, public war of words over the rights and virtues of meritocracy vs aristocracy in the aspirational 21st century, sparking a right royal class war of republican proportions.

UK in  #39;war of words #39; with Charles


Exiting bankruptcy court could cost United Airlines as much as \$1 billion more than expected if a judge approves a request filed Tuesday on behalf of 95,000 workers at the airline.

Pension adviser takes on United


ark Redman pitched seven strong innings for his 10th victory and Billy McMillon homered to lead the Oakland Athletics past the White Sox, 4-2, in Chicago yesterday.

BASEBALL ROUNDUP Redman Helps Put A #39;s Back on Track


BEIJING (Reuters) - All the coal miners trapped after a gas  explosion in a shaft in northern China are dead, bringing the  toll to 166 in one of the worst disasters to hit the world's  most dangerous mining industry, state media said on Wednesday.

China Toll 166 in Grim Saga of Mine Deaths


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Knight Ridder late Thursday warned its third-quarter profit from operations will fall short of most analysts #39; estimates due to advertising losses related to the impact of three hurricanes on its newspapers in Florida and Georgia.

Knight Ridder issues Q3 warning


Internet photo sites are scrambling to exploit the digital camera boom with new products and -- in some cases -- lower prices.
<FONT face=

Photo Sites Sharpen Focus


Reuters - China will maintain a stable monetary\and yuan policy as it tries to keep inflation in check, state\media cited a central banker as saying, amid resurgent\speculation Beijing may tinker with the rigidly held currency.

China to Keep to Stable Yuan Policy-Paper (Reuters)


ATHENS -- The only People magazine-style celebrity that Greco-Roman wrestling has ever had walked to the center circle of the mat, sat down, removed his size 13 shoes, placed them in the circle, and then stood up, bowing and waving to the crowd while clutching an American flag. Rulon Gardner, age 33, was ready to find out what the world ...

Kingpin bows out


General Electric Co.s third-quarter earnings rose 11 percent,and revenue jumped 15 percent as a rebounding economy and acquisitions drove a sharp increase in orders, the company said Friday.

GE earnings increase 11


Wood paneling and chrome dominate one of two sample designs for a new style of Media Center PC, commissioned by Microsoft's eHome division from One   Co.

Photo 1 of 2: End (table) game for Microsoft


The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on October 8 calling on states to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including extraditing and prosecuting anyone who supports, finances and participates in terrorist

UN adopts resolution to intensify global anti-terror campaign


Solectron Corp., which manufactures electronics sold under other brands, reported a narrowed loss for its latest quarter as margins and revenue both improved from last year.

Update 1: Solectron Narrows Loss, Sales Up 23 Pct.


That record-setting defeat appears to have stirred up the Yankees. Gary Sheffield had three RBIs to reach 100 for the seventh time, Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run homer, and Jon Lieber pitched seven shutout innings to lead the Yankees to their second straight win, 9-1 over the Cleveland Indians last night in New York.

Yankees pummel Indians


Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Saturday expressed sadness over hostage-taking tragedy in Russia that killed hundreds of innocent people.

Malaysian PM expresses sadness over hostage tragedy in Russia


The union representing workers at four Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. (CTB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) plants said on Tuesday that it has sued to block the company #39;s proposed sale of its auto parts business to two buyout firms.

UPDATE 1-Steelworkers challenge Cooper Tire parts unit sale


His government had just suffered one of Russia #39;s worst terrorist attacks, apparently stemming from a war he has neither won nor ended.

Plane Crashes Won #39;t Hurt Putin In Chechen Vote


Stock in the BlackBerry maker fluctuates as investors await a key ruling in a hotly contested patent infringement case.

RIM shares atwitter amid case concerns


Federal Reserve officials raised a key short-term interest rate Tuesday for the fifth time this year, and indicated they will gradually move rates higher next year to keep inflation under control as the economy expands.

Federal Reserve Raises Benchmark A 5th Time


Reuters - Thousands of underfed\children could face starvation if rains do not bring relief to\drought-ravaged regions of Guatemala soon, government officials\and aid agencies said on Friday.

Guatemala Drought Threatens Hunger in Rural Areas (Reuters)


Reuters - Security was tight in\this tourist center on the island of Bali as ceremonies began\on Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of bomb blasts that\killed 202 people, mostly foreigners.

Security Tight for Anniversary of Bali Bombings (Reuters)


In a deal aimed at helping corporate IT decision-makers feel more comfortable about moving to open-source software offerings, Hewlett-Packard Co. will now provide first-call support for JBoss Inc.'s open-source application server.

JBoss app server to get HP support


People using Microsoft instant messaging software, MSN Messenger, may have been a mite lonely this weekend, with only a virus to keep them company.

MSN fighting Messenger difficulties, virus


AP - The European Union said Friday its system of protecting names for regionally produced foods such as Champagne and Parma ham was strengthened by an initial ruling from the World Trade Organization.

WTO Rules Against EU Protection of Goods (AP)


Israeli troops killed three Egyptian soldiers along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Israel has apologized for what it says was an  quot;operational mistake quot; and has begun an investigation into the incident.

Israel Army Mistakenly Kills Three Egyptian Soldiers


NEW YORK - A sluggish gross domestic product reading was nonetheless better than expected, prompting investors to send stocks slightly higher Friday on hopes that the economic slowdown would not be as bad as first thought.    The 2.8 percent GDP growth in the second quarter, a revision from the 3 percent preliminary figure reported in July, is a far cry from the 4.5 percent growth in the first quarter...

Stocks Up Despite Sluggish GDP Reading


ATHENS, Greece Formal charges, and an appeal for calm. They #39;re the latest developments in the arrests of two Albanian immigrants charged with staging an 18-hour bus hijacking and hostage siege in Athens.

Two charged in hijacking bus; government tries to avoid backlash <b>...</b>


BusinessWeek Online - It's a cash bundle that would have made Howard Hughes blush: As U.S. multinationals such as IBM  and Pfizer Inc. (PFZ) have extended their reach across the globe, they've built up a mountain of profits earned abroad -- as much as  #36;750 billion, by some estimates. That's more than the annual economic output of Hong Kong, Ireland, and Switzerland -- combined. And up till now, they've kept all that moolah overseas, much of it in tax havens such as the Bahamas, Ireland, and Singapore to avoid the stiff 35 levy they'd face if they repatriated the funds back into the U.S.

The Cash Heads Home (BusinessWeek Online)


Gas prices fell nearly 3 cents per gallon over the past two weeks, reversing a trend that saw the price rise about 18 cents since early September, a national survey said Sunday.

Survey: 1st gas price dip in 2 months


MINNEAPOLIS - Kevin Brown already apologized to the New York Yankees for his foolish injury. This was an even better way to make up for it...

Yanks Beat Twins 8-4 to Take Playoff Lead


Indictments were handed down to Kumar and CA #39;s former head of sales, Stephen Richards, with both men charged with securities fraud and obstruction.

Former CA boss Sanjay Kumar is indicted


Rio Ferdinand will face Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday night to end what he claims has been  quot;the longest eight months of my life quot;.

Ferdinand excited by return


Computer Associates International Inc. will acquire Netegrity Inc. in a \$430 million cash deal that will merge the computer security software makers, the companies said Wednesday.

Computer Associates to acquire Netegrity in \$430 million all-cash <b>...</b>


maggeth writes  quot;In an update to a previous story, NASA damage assessment teams have begun work at the Kennedy Space Center, which was hit by Hurricane Frances.

Space Shuttles Survive Hurricane Frances


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) - U.S. rider Joseph  D'Antoni has been banned for two years after testing positive  for the prohibited substance EPO, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency  (USADA) has announced.

U.S. Rider Banned for Two Years


MANILA (Reuters) - About 20 survivors were found on  Thursday in a building that collapsed 10 days earlier during a  fierce storm and landslides that devastated Real town in the  northern Philippines, a radio station quoted rescuers as  saying.

Twenty Filipinos Found Alive in Rubble After Storm


Hudson #39;s homer was 10th of the season...The Blue Jays are 31-32 as the host this season, while the Yankees are 36-30 as the visitor...Toronto starter David Bush worked the first 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits.

American League Game Summary - New York at Toronto


Top shares have fallen to a three-week low after an early jump on the back of positive corporate news failed to gather momentum and stronger-than-expected retail sales data

FTSE hits 3-week low


Amid reports that the European Commission is poised to approve Oracle #39;s proposed takeover of PeopleSoft, a spokesperson for the European Union said Friday that the EU #39;s competition commissioner, Mario Monti, would like to finish the case before he leaves

Report: EU Close To OK #39;ing Oracle Takeover Of PeopleSoft


Flickr, an online photo service that lets people share pictures, is gaining a strong following among bloggers and digital camera enthusiasts for its speed, simplicity and open standards. By Daniel Terdiman.

Photo Site a Hit With Bloggers


Marvel Sues NCSoft and Cryptic Studios (PC) Marvel claims City Of Heroes violates its copyright. Marvel Enterprises is suing City Of Heroes developer Crytic Studios and publisher NCSoft as Marvel claims its

FilePlanet Daily Download


PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Reuters) -

Programs: Flaws Can't Hide Appeal of 'Spy Fiction'


Michigan Tech will continue one of the most improbable comebacks in college football history on a grand stage Saturday when it plays two-time defending NCAA Division II champion

Michigan Tech makes a quick turnaround


Hong Kong #39;s reputation for financial security was dented yesterday after one of its banks accidentally put out clients #39; deposit boxes with the rubbish.

Bank customers #39; valuables thrown out


NEW YORK - A species of monkey previously unknown to science has been discovered in the forests of northeastern India. The Arunachal macaque has a dark face and is relatively large with a shorter tail than most macaques.

New species of monkey described


Federal Reserve officials raised a key short-term interest rate yesterday for the fifth time this year, and indicated they will gradually move rates higher next year to keep inflation under control as the economy expands.

Fed Raises Benchmark A 5th Time


Police arrested nine people on a remote Australian island on Saturday after about 200 islanders protesting against the death of a man in custody burnt down a police station, police residence and a courthouse.

Police arrest nine after Australian island riot


HOUSTON - Four former El Paso Corp. natural gas traders have been charged with making false reports used to calculate the index price of natural gas, US Attorney Michael Shelby said Wednesday.

Four former El Paso natural gas traders charged


Some of Fiat #39;s auto workers struck for two hours Monday, a day ahead of a top-executive meeting that could determine whether Fiat SpA insists on an option to force General Motors Corp.

Auto Workers Strike Before Fiat Meeting


Singapore police said they have arrested Chen Jiulin, chief executive of embattled China Aviation Oil (CAO) Singapore Corp. Ltd., upon his arrival in Singapore early on Wednesday.

Singapore Police Arrest CAO Chief Exec


The world's largest tire maker delays filing annual financial reports -- again.

There's No Accounting for Goodyear


India and Pakistan will aim to push forward the peace process between them at talks in New York on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

India and Pakistan to meet at UN


SOMEWHERE along the road that each year begins in Melbourne and stretches to Paris and London before ending in New York, tennis has become interesting again.

Serving up a Slam to savour


Andre Agassi will have to get through top-seeded Roger Federer if he wants to make the semifinals. Venus Williams will have to get through No.

US Open tennis: Tough draw for Agassi, Roddick


Reuters - Hewlett-Packard Co. , the\world's number-two PC maker, said on Friday it has launched a\3,999 yuan ( #36;483) computer in China, turning up the heat in the\intensely competitive market.

HP Rolls Out Ultra-Low Priced PC in China (Reuters)


Canberra, Australia - The opposition Labour Party on Monday accused Prime Minister John Howard of spending  quot;like a drunken sailor quot; to woo voters ahead of next month #39;s election in which he will seek a fourth three-year term.

PM #39;s  #39;drunken sailor #39; campaign


AP - Bracing for their final debate, John Kerry accused President Bush of favoring

Bush, Kerry Campaign in West Before Debate (AP)


Experiment confines workers to their homes for two days to try teleworking.

Home working trial proves popular


World Trade Center leaseholder Silverstein Properties Inc. could collect \$4.68 billion in insurance payments after the jury in the second phase of the WTC property insurance litigation decided that the Sept.

WTC destruction was two occurrences: jury


The United States has said it may send more troops to Iraq to protect elections in January against violence if US commanders decide they are needed.

Iraq polls may see more US troops


The Indiana Pacers have told law enforcement officials in Michigan that Pacers players will not submit to interviews as part of the investigation into the brawl that

Pacers Won #39;t Comply With Police Request


AP - Houston Astros pitcher Brandon Backe got his first career homer, a two-run shot, and allowed one run in seven innings to keep the Astros in the thick of the NL wild-card chase with an 11-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday  #151; their season-high 10th straight victory.

Backe Homers and Pitches Astros to Win (AP)


On a day when the Browns last championship team was saluted before kick-off, the current team played like champions themselves. Perhaps it was just coincidence, but it seemed like more than that.

Echoes Across Forty Years


With services like 311, a better, smarter city is just a phone call away. By Steven Johnson from Wired magazine.

A Kinder, Gentler 911


AFP - Three UN workers freed after almost four weeks in captivity in Afghanistan met President Hamid Karzai and said freedom felt

Freed UN hostages meet Karzai, prepare to head home (AFP)


NIIGATA - About 200 mourners attended the funeral Saturday for a mother and daughter killed in a landslide following powerful earthquakes Oct 23 in Niigata Prefecture.

Funeral held for mother, daughter killed in landslide


Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices paused for breath\on Tuesday after a blistering two-session rally ran out of\steam, though analysts still saw room to the upside given the\large short-base in the market.

Treasury Prices Take a Breather Today (Reuters)


If New Yorkers were not already aware their beloved Yankees had completed the worst post-season collapse in Major League history, their media quickly reminded them on Thursday.

Start Spreading the News, New York Loses to Red Sox


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pace of growth at U.S. factories  picked up in December, boosted by an increase in new orders and  despite a decline in employment, a report showed on Monday.

Pace of U.S. Factory Growth Climbs in Dec


CASHIERS, N.C. - The violent remains of Hurricane Ivan pounded a large swath of the eastern United States on Friday, drenching an area from Georgia to Ohio, washing out dozens of homes, sweeping cars down roadways and trapping more than 100 students at an elementary school...

Deadly Ivan Slams Appalachian Region


Reuters - Intel Corp., the world's largest maker of computer microchips, is evaluating India as one of the options for setting up a chip manufacturing unit, its chief executive said on Thursday.

Intel evaluating India for chip making unit (Reuters)


Quick, what athlete defines the Olympics more than any other? Bruce Jenner? Maybe. Carl Lewis? Possibly. Jesse Owens? Could be. Mark Spitz? Nice choice.

Carly Patterson, Paul Hamm help define these Games


DHAKA (Reuters) - Opposition activists in Bangladesh  attacked railway stations and battled police across the country  on Tuesday on the first day of a two-day strike called to  protest against a deadly grenade attack at the weekend.

Over 80 Hurt on First Day of Bangladesh Strike


What if, on election day, you wrote in your presidential vote? I'm not trying to persuade you to vote for one or the other, or even for a third party. It's not a trick, My real name isn't George M. Bush, and I'm not going to go to court and claim you were really voting for me. Just write it in. Make a statement that you vote for whom you choose and that it has nothing to do with whichever they feel like printing on the ballot.

The Great Write-In Vote Protest That Never Was


After a major earthquake and 10 typhoons, there's more concern that the system can't handle such disasters.

Severe test of Japan's readiness


AP - Former Computer Associates International Inc. chairman and chief executive Sanjay Kumar has been charged with securities fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection with a multibillion dollar accounting scandal at the software company.

Ex-Computer Associates CEO Kumar Indicted (AP)


FOXBOROUGH -- Maybe the US Soccer folks have been going about this all wrong. Maybe they should cut a deal with The Shopping Channel people for bulk jewelry and spread it around to their playmates from Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras. What easier, cheaper way to get to the World Cup?

Fashion statement: US takes charge in Cup qualifier


November 19, 2004 - Ubisoft announced today that the Xbox and PlayStation 2 versions of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within have gone gold.

Prince of Persia: Golden Within


A third company joins the ContentGuard project to try to stop pirates. Also: Apple soars on the stock market.... Internal documents reveal North Korea's attitude toward cell phones.... and more.

Anti-Piracy Team Adds French Firm


The government #39;s pension insurance agency yesterday called on Congress to strengthen its hand in seeking to attach assets of bankrupt companies to protect those companies #39; pension plan

Pension Guarantor Calls for Changes


Filippos Sirigos, a key witness in the investigation into Olympic champion Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou. what local media saw as the worst intimidation case against Greek journalists for years.

Greek prosecutors expected to rule on Olympic pair


California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says the bill, which would have required businesses to tell employees that their e-mail and internet usage were being monitored, was overly broad. By Mark Sullivan.

Arnold Vetoes Privacy Bill


In the biggest game of the season so far, Arsenal host Chelsea at Highbury. The country #39;s two best sides go head to head in a game that will have a massive impact on where the title ends up this season.

Prem Preview: Arsenal-Chelsea


Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu put the blame on his batsmen after their eight-wicket defeat by Pakistan. They only totalled 232-9 and Yousuf Youhana (107) and Man of the Match Shoaib Malik (86) comfortably knocked off the runs for the home side.

Atapattu seeks improvement


The company said it will comply with the EU's antitrust decision if it loses an appeal this week. Also: New AT   #038;T Wireless Services device works for e-mail and messaging, minus voice service   hellip;. Comcast will cut its interest in Time Warner Cable   hellip;. and more.

Microsoft Gives In -- Almost


Danny Williams will take on WBC world heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in December.

Boxing: Williams to face Klitschko


AP - Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson joined the campaign of Sen. John Kerry on Wednesday as a poll showed support for the presidential candidate slipping among black Americans, a critical Democratic constituency.

Jackson Joins Kerry Campaign As Adviser (AP)


AP - Johan Santana won his eighth straight decision, Jacque Jones and Augie Ojeda homered and the Minnesota Twins ended the Anaheim Angels' nine-game winning streak, 7-1 Saturday.

Twins Snap Angels' Winning Streak, 7-1 (AP)


The Walt Disney Company reported \$516 million net income in the quarter ended September 30th, compared to \$415 million in the year-ago quarter.

CIO Business Briefing Disney #39;s Q4 Earnings Reach \$516 Million


After 10 years in the making and multiple delays, Intel released its state-of-the-art 64-bit Itanium microprocessor on Tuesday. The microprocessor, which is designed for servers and workstations, is based

Intel Launches Next-Gen Chip


A division winner faced a division leader when the Twins played a doubleheader Wednesday in Yankee Stadium. However, it wasn #39;t exactly a playoff preview.

For Yanks, sweeping beauty


After losing stars Ron Artest, Jermaine O #39;Neal and Stephen Jackson to suspensions for the melee in Motown last week, many across the NBA figured the Pacers would fall flat until at least O #39;Neal returned from his 25-game suspension; Jackson is out for 30

Depleted Pacers surviving, thriving


Pakistani authorities say they have intercepted a plot by the al-Qaida terror network to kill high profile civil and military officials and attack key sites, including military headquarters and the US embassy in Islamabad.

Pakistan: Al-Qaida Plot Intercepted


Baltimore Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Thursday #39;s exhibition game against the New York Giants.

Ogden questionable for season opener after knee sprain


Johnson  amp; Johnson said on Wednesday that it will acquire device manufacturer Guidant Corp. for \$25.4 billion. Under the terms of the deal announced on Wednesday, each Guidant share will be exchanged for \$30.40

Johnson  amp; Johnson to Acquire Guidant


Many people could use some extra money this time of year. It just so happens the Internal Revenue Service has some extra money on hand -- and if you are among the 2,915 taxpayers in Georgia

IRS trying to give lots of money back


No. 10 Virginia Tech (9-2) at No. 9 Miami (8-2): 1 pm today. TV: WTAE. ... Virginia Tech wins the ACC outright and the automatic BCS bid with a win.

A look at top games and assorted other notes in Week 14:


Better IT security and identity management is needed if online commerce and egovernment services are to succeed, according to RSA Security chief executive Arthur Coviello.

Security improvements essential for ebusiness to succeed


NBA star Alonzo Mourning came back to the court Thursday night in a Nets 2-point-win over the 76ers. BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- NBA star Alonzo Mourning came back to the court Thursday night in a Nets 2-point-win over the 76ers.

Mourning #39;s first game after transplant


MOJAVE, California -- Nobody can claim that Burt Rutan, the innovative aerospace designer, doesnt have his head in the cloudsand his eyes focused on the stars.

Burt Rutan: Building  #39;Tomorrowland #39; One Launch at a Time


MOSCOW, November 1 (Itar-Tass) - Gazproms chief Alexei Miller has signed a document that founds the open joint stock company Gazpromneft and appoints as its director general Sergei Bogdanchikov, president of Rosneft, PRIME-TASS reported on Monday.

Gazprom sets up new daughter company Gazpromneft


Retailers opened their doors before the sun rose yesterday, the official start of the holiday shopping season, tempting early risers with specials on a variety of items including flat-screen TVs and toys.

Stores open doors to sales, surge


The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the UK has not taken up the request of the Consumer Association yesterday that Apple is ripping-off UK Music lovers.

Apple accused of ripping-off Britain


England striker Michael Owen did not have long to wait to get his first taste of Spanish league action, coming on midway through the first half for Real Madrid colleague Raul at Real Mallorca on Sunday.

Owen off bench for Real debut


Oracle Corp. raised its takeover offer for PeopleSoft Inc. by 14 percent to \$8.8 billion, increasing the pressure on the smaller software company to give up its 17-month fight against the bid.

Oracle Raises PeopleSoft Bid by 14 to \$8.8 Billion (Update5)


NORD EICHENRIED, GERMANY -- Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain won his fourth title on the European Tour this season, making three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine to pull away for a two-stroke victory at the BMW International Open.

Europe Ryder squad settled


Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: SEO for an eBay store? - Who Benefits Most from 3 AdSense Ads Per Page - What SEO Guarantees Do You Offer? - Keywords In Quotes Vs. Keywords In Italics - Yahoo Local Match   Yellow Pages

Search Engine Forums Spotlight


Marion Jones denied the allegations that emerged yesterday from Victor Conte, the man at the centre of the Balco doping scandal, who claimed that he had witnessed her injecting performance-enhancing drugs he supplied.

Drugs in sport: Jones denies fresh Conte claims over injecting <b>...</b>


AFP - Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson is hoping she can raise a Storm that can block out the Sun one more time.

Jackson-sparked Storm set for title showdown (AFP)


A Greek Olympic Airlines flight is allowed to fly again after a bomb threat diverted it to a British airport.

Bomb threat jet given all-clear


The senior Shiite cleric #39;s spokesman says that Muqtada al-Sadr #39;s army will abandon the Imam Ali shrine today. BY HANNAH ALLAM.

Grand ayatollah brokers deal


2004 MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi wrapped up the BMW 2004 MotoGP Best Qualifier Award this afternoon at the circuit of Valencia after speeding to another front row start.

Valencia: Rossi wins 2004


Microsoft is set to unveil the latest version of its media playback software on Thursday, giving its partners powerful new tools for selling digital entertainment services even as it launches its own music download store.

Behind the music: Microsoft?


The Federal Communications Commission says in a Congressional report that cable bills would increase under a system that lets customers pick and choose. Consumer groups disagree.

FCC Pooh-Poohs a la Carte Cable


Reuters - Fueled by strong demand from China,\three of Asia's top exporters revealed robust trade data for\July, but economists said the outlook was darkening.

Asian Exports Brisk But Outlook Dims (Reuters)


Australia captain George Gregan is set to sign a new three-year contract to take him through to the 2007 World Cup. Sydney #39;s Daily Telegraph newspaper claimed the 31-year-old scrum-half is ready to put pen to paper on the deal.

Gregan agrees Wallabies contract


ATLANTA (Reuters) - Soft drink giant Coca-Cola Co. <A HREF=

Coca-Cola Cuts Long-Term Earnings Targets


Reports from the Nigerian capital Abuja, where Sudan peace talks have entered a third week, say the rebel factions and the Sudanese government are deadlocked on the issue of security.

Sudan Peace Talks Stuck on Issues of Security


BOSTON - They used to write scripts like this for the Boston Red Sox back in the days when they could still look to the bullpen for a pitcher named Babe Ruth.

#39;Big Papi #39; pulls up the Sox


British building materials merchant Travis Perkins Plc said on Thursday it agreed to pay 950 million (\$1.84 billion) for home-improvement chain Wickes, sending its shares down nearly 3 percent.

Travis Perkins to buy Wickes for 950m


SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds praised his teammates for their clutch play while he has been busy walking all season, then watched them go out and do most of the work Tuesday night.

Giants gain on Dodgers


Opposition Leader Mark Latham says he is ready for an election campaign if the Prime Minister calls one. Mr Howard flew into Canberra from Launceston yesterday and reportedly spent the afternoon locked in talks with senior advisers.

Election waiting game continues


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Free-agent first baseman Richie Sexson is the newest member of the Seattle Mariners. The four-year deal, which was contingent on Sexson passing a physical, was announced Wednesday and is reportedly worth \$10 million US per season.

Mariners sign slugger Sexson


The Celtics found themselves in an overtime duel here last night. Unfortunately for the Green, they played the extra inning like the Yankees.

C #39;s have nothing extra: Comeback wasted in OT loss to Wiz


A European Union judge told a closed meeting on Thursday he plans to rule within a month whether to freeze curbs imposed by the EU #39;s executive on Microsoft, lawyers present said.

EU judge on Microsoft - one month until ruling


MUMBAI: Patni Computer Systems said on Tuesday that it has acquired US-based Cymbal Corporation for about \$68m in cash, through its wholly-owned subsidiary in the US.

Patni acquires Cymbal of US in \$68 mn all-cash deal


(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs begin a stretch of five road contests in six games this evening, when they tangle with the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.

San Antonio Spurs Team Report - November 13


Taiwan first lady Wu Shu-hen (  ) has demonstrated outstanding strength in the past few days in standing up to protect the nation #39;s dignity and integrity.

Open letter to the IPC


STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Swedish engineering company Atlas Copco Group is selling its electric tool business which includes Milwaukee Electric Tool in the United States to Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries Co.

Atlas Copco to sell electric tool business


USC: Reggie Bush is all that. It #39;s fitting that The President, as he #39;s nicknamed, chose the nation #39;s capital as the venue for his national coming-out party.

What we learned


Penny Pickett, president of the Washington, D.C. Tech Council, discusses the organization, technology regulatory policies, the region's tech industry and upcoming programs on homeland security technologies.

DC Tech Council


The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday asked an outside group to review the way it monitors safety risks associated with medicines already on the market, such as Merck  amp; Co.

FDA to Review Post-Market Safety Checks


Two people died and more than 20 others were injured when a bomb exploded at a Sungai Kolok bar Thursday night in Southern Thailand, The Nation reports.

Two killed in bar blast in South Thailand


From the creators of the political satire sensation

Satire Sequel Parodies U.S. Newsmakers


SEATTLE, Washington, Oct 14 (AFP) - Coffee shop giant Starbucks said Thursday it was launching the first of its  quot;music bars quot; where customers can listen to digital recordings and burn their own CDs.

Starbucks launches first of  quot;music bars quot; for CD burning


AFP - Japan's Supreme Court cleared the way for UFJ Holdings and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group to merge by rejecting a bid to halt the deal by Sumitomo Trust and Banking, a court spokeswoman said.

Japan's Supreme Court clears way for MTFG and UFJ merger (AFP)


AP - An Islamic militant wanted in the murder of American Journalist Daniel Pearl was killed Wednesday in a shootout with Pakistan police who were trying to arrest him, officials said.

Militant Wanted in Pearl Abduction Killed (AP)


LONDON -- England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson wants his embattled captain David Beckham to keep his mouth shut. That won #39;t satisfy the English Football Association, which asked Beckham yesterday to explain his

Shut yer yap!


WASHINGTON (AP) -- NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe said Wednesday the cost of fixing all the problems with the space shuttle fleet could top \$2.2 billion - double the estimated price tag given to Congress a year ago.    O'Keefe, testifying before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, was pressed on whether that estimate again could rise...

NASA Says Fixing Space Shuttle Fleet Could Top \$2 Billion


Quincy Carter left with a head injury after the third play of the game, but returned to deliver the knockout blow, a 69-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss.

Injured Carter Leads Jets to Victory


The video game maker Electronic Arts announced an exclusive five-year deal with the National Football League to design games using the N.F.L. brand.

Electronic Arts Gets an Exclusive N.F.L. Deal


RICHMOND, Va. Richmond is now on the Top 10 list of the nation #39;s most dangerous cities -- according to one report. The research firm Morgan Quitno says Richmond now ranks ninth when compared with more than

Richmond is in Top 10 list of dangerous cities


In a Chroncle editorial titled

Duke U's Journalistic Antisemitism Uproar


At least 16 people, many of them children, were killed in explosions at the office of a US security contractor in Afghanistans capital and a school in the south east as the country moves towards its first post-Taliban election.

Afghanistan Bomb Attacks Kill 16


FOXBOROUGH -- When a team is 12-1, clinching a playoff berth and the AFC East title (after the Jets lost to the Steelers) in spite of allowing almost 500 yards of offense, what else can one do but project this type of performance down the road to more meaningful games?

A qualified success


An Argentine student opened fire on his classmates Tuesday killing four of them in the southern Argentina city of Carmen de Patagones.

Argentina: Teenage shooter slays three


THE dollar reversed yesterday #39;s modest gains to open more than half a US cent weaker today, weighed down on news Axa Asia Pacific had knocked back a takeover proposal from its French parent.

Dollar takes a tumble


A new report has found that more than 40 per cent of all European bird species are threatened and may disappear soon due to intensive agriculture and climate change.

Report finds European bird species face extinction


AP - A school bus swerved off a narrow road and plunged into a reservoir early Wednesday, killing at least 16 children in southern Brazil, a firefighter said.

Brazil School Bus Accident Kills 16 (AP)


SINGAPORE: Singapore manufacturing output growth slowed to 5.3 percent in August from 19.1 percent in July due to a sharp contraction in pharmaceuticals production, the government says.

Pharmaceuticals weigh on Singapore #39;s August factory output


Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Monday he is confident of winning Germans over to his reform plans and rebuilding his party #39;s support after avoiding major new losses in local elections in a traditional stronghold.

Schroeder lifted by election win


TRINEC, Czech Republic (Reuters) - It's not uncommon for  Ottawa Senators forward Radek Bonk and New York Rangers forward  Jaromir Jagr to meet up on a sheet of ice and play hockey --  unless it's in their native Czech Republic.

Top Czechs Renew Rivalries at Home, Not in NHL


A rugged handheld that can withstand everyday use and abuse is sometimes needed among professionals. Symbol today added the new MC50 Windows Mobile 2003 SE devices to their line-up.

Symbol MC50 Rugged Professional Windows Mobile Pocket PCs


STILLWATER, OKLA. - Joey Graham scored 20 points and John Lucas III scored nine of his 18 in a 14-0 second-half run to lead fifth-ranked Oklahoma State to an 86-73 victory over UAB on Friday night.

Graham sparks Oklahoma St.


OCTOBER 22, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Yahoo Inc. has snapped up privately held software company Stata Labs, which develops technology allowing users to quickly search through e-mail and attachments.

Yahoo buys e-mail software firm Stata


AUSTRALIAN Troy Bayliss boosted his chances of securing a MotoGP seat for next year with a podium finish at the last race of the season in Spain yesterday.

Bayliss in timely return to podium


MIAMI - The University of Miami sustained several injuries on offense during Saturday #39;s 16-10 loss to Virginia Tech. Injuries knocked out tight end Kevin Everett and fullback Talib Humphrey, both starters, as well as backup running back Tyrone Moss.

Hurricanes #39; offense adds injury to insult


Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - News), a leading global Internet company, announced yesterday the availability of the My Yahoo! Search beta (http://next.

YAHOO! Unveils Personal Search Beta


In his infinite wisdom, Bernie Ecclestone has rescheduled the 2005 British Grand Prix in order that it does not clash with the Men #39;s Final at Wimbledon.

British GP: Good news for Silverstone, bad news for Goodwood


Ken Kutaragi, an executive with Sony #39;s game business, denied that competition from Nintendo DS influenced the low PSP price. He said the price was possible because about half of PSP #39;s parts, including the main computer chip, are produced internally.

Sony Pegs PSP Price Under US\$200


NAMPA, Idaho (Reuters) - Jeffrey Moeser and his company are  aiming to change the future of home entertainment.

Land of Potatoes Aims to Be High-Tech Hotbed


Microsoft on Wednesday made available the latest builds of its 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise, that each features a handful of new improvements including the Luna user interface, Windows Messenger, Windows Media Player, infrastructure support for Bluetooth, and the .Net Framework 1.1.

Spruced up 64-bit Windows beta ready


AP - The Transportation Security Administration is slightly altering the way airport screeners conduct patdown searches by allowing passengers to put their arms down after their upper bodies are checked.

Airport Patdown Procedures Modified (AP)


Wild weather seems to bring out the best in Ernie Els, who was both steady and spectacular yesterday in a cool rain, warm sunshine, and blustery conditions for an 8-under

Charging Els moves to the top


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Machinegun fire and grenade blasts  echoed across northern Baghdad on Friday as insurgents clashed  with Iraqi national guards, witnesses said.

Iraqi Security Forces Fight Rebels in Baghdad


Music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 200 million songs from the iTunes Music Store. The 200 millionth song, part of  #147;The Complete U2, #148; was purchased by Ryan Alekman from Belchertown, MA. iTunes has made it easy to give the gift of music this holiday season with \$15 and \$25 iTunes prepaid cards available from retailers including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Kroger, RadioShack, 7-Eleven, Target, as well as the Apple online store and Apple retail stores. Dec 16

iTunes Tops 200 Million Downloads


NEW YORK - President Pervez Musharraf Musharraf said Monday that Pakistan was committed to ridding the country of terrorist groups and their supporters.

Islam is being targetted


Shares of Jarden Corp. gave back early gains Monday as the market digested the company #39;s definitive agreement to acquire American Household Inc.

Jarden buying American Household


It is no secret that the fortunes of Houston were long married to the success of Enron, the once highflying energy company that was the city #39;s premier corporate citizen.

Seeking an Enron Trial Far From Houston


South Korea's markets watchdog says it is to inspect Citigroup's local operation, days after regulators censured the bank's Japanese business.

S Korea to scrutinise Citigroup


BAGHDAD, Iraq - A US military official in Iraq says seven American marines have been killed today in a car-bomb explosion. Several other Marines have been wounded in the attack.

Seven Marines killed in car bomb attack near Fallujah


Morgantown, WV (Sports Network) - Paul Peterson threw two touchdown passes and Boston College scored a pair of touchdowns on punt returns, as the 21st-ranked Eagles upset No.

Special teams gives BC upperhand in Big East


AP - For every American soldier killed in Iraq, nine others have been wounded and survived  #151; the highest rate of any war in U.S. history. It isn't that their injuries were less serious, a new report says. In fact, some young soldiers and Marines have had faces, arms and legs blown off and are now returning home badly maimed.

More U.S. Soldiers Survive War Wounds (AP)


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Sunday appointed new ministers of interior and justice and information, a cabinet reshuffle after his victory in a recall referendum.

Venezuelan president reshuffles cabinet


EBay is taking a stake in the online apartment rentals market by acquiring Rent.com for \$415 million.

Brief: eBay snaps up Rent.com for \$415M


Shawn Crawford of the United States left the baseball cap at home and no longer needed the showy sunglasses he wore in Saturday morning #39;s first heat.

American Sprinters Show a Mix of Bluster and Speed


ISLAMABAD: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told Pakistani officials on Tuesday that Washington wants closer ties with the Muslim nation, a key ally in the US war on terrorism, officials said.

Armitage talks India with Pakistan


NEWCASTLE (AFP) - Everton underlined their re-emergence as an English Premiership force after Lee Carsley struck a stunning equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United.

Carsley equaliser frustrates Newcastle


Eagles running back Bruce Perry will miss his rookie season after dislocating a shoulder in an exhibition game against the New England Patriots.

Perry Out for Season


Southern California and Miami are 1-2 in the initial BCS Standings with Oklahoma -- despite being ranked second in both the ESPN/USA Today and AP polls -- third.

Sooners surprisingly sit third in BCS Standings


(IsraelNN.com) The Labor opposition party has already hammered out a preliminary agreement with the prime minister that would call for Labor remaining in a Likud-led coalition until November 2006, the scheduled date for national elections.

Peres  amp; Sharon Seeking an Anchor


ANN ARBOR, Michigan (Ticker) -- The longest game in Michigan history had many heroes. None was bigger than Braylon Edwards. Edwards caught two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, then added another in triple

Michigan St. Spartans


AP - The federal government will begin poisoning prairie dogs in southwestern South Dakota next week after reaching a deal with conservationists designed to protect the endangered black-footed ferret.

Feds Poison Prairie Dogs to Save Ferrets (AP)


US officials dismiss claims of tax evasion levelled at watchmaker Swatch by two former employees.

Swatch tax complaint dismissed


Intel has released a Quick Start Kit for Linux in Asia, giving a leg-up to system builders offering Linux-based desktop PCs. The kit is similar to those that Intel produces for Windows, said an Intel spokesman.

Intel puts Windows and Linux on even keel


Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO - message board) announced late Thursday that it is buying routing software startup BCN Systems Inc.

Cisco Buys BCN Systems


MADCAP Shakhtar Donetsk boss Mircea Lucescu has offered to sign shamed Chelsea star Adrian Mutu. The Romanian international striker is facing a possible two-year ban from football after

FOOTBALL: LUCESCU: I #39;LL SAVE MUTU


Athletics first: Kotsay singled to right. Byrnes lined out to shortstop J.Lopez. Chavez singled to right, Kotsay to second. Durazo singled to right, Kotsay to third, Chavez to second.

How the runs scored


If we don #39;t know anything about Apple #39;s next version of the iPod, one reasonable certainty is that it will be smaller and more robust, as Hitachi has just made the hard drives used 10 per cent smaller with the use of a new connector.

Hitachi shrinks iPod hard drives


AP - Rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr declared U.S. forces can never defeat his Mahdi militia in a defiant speech read out to 2,000 supporters during the first Friday prayers since the end of a brutal three-week standoff with American troops.

Al-Sadr Says U.S. Can't Defeat Militia (AP)


Oil prices fall 7.4 on US data showing a larger-than expected increase in crude supplies - sparking Wall Street to a nine month high.

Oil prices plunge on supply rise


BASRA, Iraq - Saboteurs have attacked about 20 oil pipelines in southern Iraq, reducing exports from the key oil producing region by at least one third, a top oil official said Thursday.    The cluster of pipelines was attacked late Wednesday in Berjasiya, 20 miles southwest of the southern city of Basra, an official with the state-run South Oil Co...

Saboteurs Attack About 20 Iraq Pipelines


ATHENS, Greece - Right now, the Americans aren't just a Dream Team - they're more like the Perfect Team. Lisa Fernandez pitched a three-hitter Sunday and Crystl Bustos drove in two runs as the Americans rolled to their eighth shutout in eight days, 5-0 over Australia, putting them into the gold medal game...

U.S. Rolls Into Softball Gold-Medal Game


MADRID : Real Madrid club captain Raul said the nine-times European Champions had already got their 3-0 thrashing by bitter rivals Barcelona out of their system.

Soccer: Barca #39;s behind us, bring on Bayer, says Real #39;s Raul


Somewhere between misery and mediocrity reside the Cleveland Browns. Ten years after Art Modell's midnight run to Baltimore and six years since the franchise was readmitted to Club NFL, Browns fans are still looking for a reason to wear their Dawg Pound masks other than to cover their tears of shame.

Grieve land? Not this time


Species in the air and on the ground are in deep trouble, according to two recent studies tallying steep declines in bird and amphibian populations. Scientists are speculating about the causes.

What's Causing Bird and Amphibian Decline?


China's largest PC maker could announce as early as today that it is buying control of IBM's PC-making business for up to \$2 billion.

Lenovo, IBM may soon reveal PC unit deal


She has the chance to banish the ghosts of last weekend #39;s marathon failure and finally claim the Olympic medal she has sought for so long.

Radcliffe #39;s ultimate test


MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin says he will fight anti-Russian attacks by consolidating security agencies and further tightening political control over the country.

Russians wary of Putin #39;s actions


The Philadelphia Eagles have taken yet another step in locking up their youngsters for the long term. FOXSports.com has learned that Philly has signed starting cornerback Sheldon Brown to a six-year, \$25 million

Eagles lock up CB Brown with extension


Computer games can promote problem-solving and team-building in children, say games industry experts.

Video games 'good for children'


LONDON (Reuters) - European shares hit a fresh 10-week high  on Friday as a positive report on Chinese steel demand boosted  ore producers such as Anglo-American, while French utility  Veolia rose after posting solid first-half earnings.

European Stocks Hit 10-Week Peak


A Zimbabwe judge is to hand down sentences on Friday against the alleged mastermind of a coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, Briton Simon Mann, and 67 other suspected mercenaries who were convicted two weeks ago.

#39;Mercenaries #39; await their fate in Zimbabwe


NASA administrator Sean O #39;Keefe on Monday resigned after three years in charge of the US space agency which included the Columbia shuttle disaster, a NASA spokesman said.

NASA chief O #39;Keefe resigns


Intel Corp. is expected to release a faster version of its powerful but expensive Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor on Monday alongside the introduction of a chipset that uses a faster front-side bus to connect the processor and the memory.

Intel boards a faster bus, picks up Dell


LONDON (Reuters) - Olympic champion Justine Henin-Hardenne  is still suffering from a mystery virus which has plagued her  for much of this year.

Olympic Champion Henin Still Suffering from Virus


We  had been talking about it for at least 10 years. I would say,

Dad, Reluctantly Upgrading to a Modern 'Machine'


Betty Lennox and the Seattle Storm gave the city its first major professional sports title in 25 years -- and made Anne Donovan the first female championship coach in WNBA history.

Storm wins WNBA title, beating Connecticut 74-60


AP - There has been a volcano on this site for 40,000 years  #151; the youngest and most active peak in a 1,000-mile Cascade Range chain that extends from Mount Garibaldi in Canada to Mount Lassen in Northern California.

Mount St. Helens Dates Back 40,000 Years (AP)


QLT Inc. (QLT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (QLTI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it won US regulatory approval for the six-month formulation of its prostate cancer treatment, Eligard.

QLT Prostate Cancer Treatment Wins FDA OK


AP - The San Francisco Giants will honor Barry Bonds' home run milestones and other achievements as they always have  #151; with great fanfare.

Giants Plan to Honor Bonds' Milestones (AP)


HOMESTEAD, Florida (Ticker) -- Kurt Busch overcame a variety of setbacks, including a wheel falling off his car early in Sunday #39;s Ford 400, to clinch the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Busch hangs on for Nextel Cup title; Biffle wins Ford 400


US blue chips rose on Thursday, led by tobacco stocks, while technology share were under pressure by a warning from Applied Materials Inc.

Blue Chips Gain, Led by Tobacco Stocks


LOS ANGELES - Has Ken Jennings ended his

Has Ken Jennings' 'Jeopardy!' Run Ended?


Canadian train and plane manufacturer Bombardier Inc fired its chief executive officer on Monday and its share price dropped to record lows.

Bombardier sacks its chief executive


Norway has temporarily closed its embassy in Latvia for security reasons, the country #39;s foreign ministry said on Monday. But Oslo insisted the measure was not motivated by a new US terror warning for the Baltic state.

Norway Shuts Embassy amid Terror Warning


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Palestinian gunmen abducted a CNN producer in Gaza City on Monday, the network said. The network said Riyadh Ali was taken away at gunpoint from a CNN van.

Palestinian gunmen kidnap CNN producer


LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices rose on Thursday as  Hurricane Ivan slammed into the U.S. Gulf Coast, where over a  quarter of the country's oil and gas is produced.

Oil Higher as Hurricane Its U.S. Shores


South Africa: South African vice captain Nicky Boje has withdrawn from the national cricket squad #39;s tour to India after failing to get assurance by Delhi police that he would not be arrested for match-fixing, the team #39;s spokesman said Wednesday.

Boje bounces out of tour to India


Washington, DC #39;s City Council on Tuesday approved a debt and tax-backed financing plan to build a new stadium for Major League Baseball, moving a step closer to bringing baseball back to the US capital.

Washington, DC Council Moves on Baseball Funding


Reuters - Apple Computer Inc's \iTunes remains the leader in paid digital music downloads, but\the number of paying customers for this sector  overall has\decreased since April, research firm NPD said Tuesday.

Fewer People Paying for Music Downloads - NPD (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures got a slight boost  on Friday after a report showed U.S. retail sales rose in  October, but the market still looked to open flat, pulling back  from the previous day's rally as oil prices nudge higher.

Stocks Seen Flat Are Oil Edges Higher


Maria Sharapova posted a convincing 6-3 6-4 victory over seventh seed Venus Williams in their first-ever meeting at the Swisscom Challenge indoor tournament in Zurich.

Sharapova eclipses Venus


The decline of domesticated bees threatens North America's food supply. Some researchers believe original wild bee species could come to the rescue.

Can Wild Bees Take Sting From Honeybee Decline?


World leading microchip developer Intel says the Internet needs a radical overhaul to make itself more powerful. Intel #39;s chief technology officer, Pat Gelsinger, notes that

Overlaying to boost Internet performance


The Bears #39; release of eight-year veteran defensive tackle Bryan Robinson on Sunday was shocking only if the progress made by first-round draft choice Tommie Harris is ignored.

Bears go young on D-line


CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A Marine sergeant kicked an aging, overweight Iraqi in the chest out of anger and frustration when the handcuffed and hooded prisoner failed to follow orders, a guard at the same detention facility testified yesterday.

Witness says Marine hit, kicked prisoner


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow  repeated on Sunday the Bush administration would support  complete debt relief for the poorest countries and said details  of how to implement a plan could be worked out.

Snow: U.S. Backs Sweeping Debt Relief


Reuters - U.S. retail sales posted a\larger-than-expected decline in August, a Commerce Department\report on Tuesday showed, but the drop was mostly confined to\the automotive sector.

U.S. Retail Sales Slip on Auto Weakness (Reuters)


Reuters - High oil prices kept Asian stock\markets in check on Wednesday as investors fretted over the\impact of energy costs on corporate earnings, but an upbeat\outlook from Applied Materials lifted some tech issues.

Asian Shares Mixed as Oil Steady Near  #36;47 (Reuters)


Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone has said that time has run out for the organisers of the British Grand Prix to save the race for the 2005 season.

Ecclestone closing door on British GP


ASTANA, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - Russia curtly told the  United States to stay out of its business Wednesday after U.S.  criticism, echoed by the European Union, of President Vladimir  Putin's plans for radical change that will boost Kremlin power.

Russia Rejects U.S. Criticism; EU Joins Fray


AP - Geologist David Johnston wouldn't have died on Mount St. Helens today.

Alert Level Dropped at Mount St. Helens (AP)


Did you know you can buy just one share of stock -- or even less -- at a time?

The Fewest Shares You Can Buy


Martha Stewart hooks up with reality television guru Mark Burnett to reinvent Martha.

Martha on the Mark


I think we are going to see two chippy teams and the start of the game in particular may be a little different, both teams want their players to come out and be passionate, fired up and ready to play and I think maybe we will see both teams come out just

John Madden


NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 8: The first technical discussions on the proposed Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service concluded today without much progress.

India, Pak to talk again


The 29-year-old Williams was 7-2 for Triple-A Tacoma and made six relief appearances with Seattle after being called up in September.

Mariners send journeyman lefty Williams to Padres


Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Ltd. #39;s second-half profit more than doubled as advertising sales and gaming returns increased at the owner of Australia #39;s top-rating television network and the nation #39;s biggest casino.

Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Second-Half Doubles to A\$394 Million


Crude oil production in the country has again been disrupted after militant youths, numbering about 200, stormed and forcefully shut down three flowstations in the swamp of Rivers State.

Militant Youths Shut Three Oil Flowstations


Microsoft (Quote, Chart) fired another shot in its war on spam with a lawsuit against a Web hosting company that claimed to help spammers avoid being shut down.

Redmond Aims, Fires at Spammers #39; Accomplices


CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Brian Schneider  #39;s RBI single in the 12th snapped a tie as the Montreal Expos held on for a 7-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs .

SI.com


The 23-strong Sri Lankan handball team disappears while on an exchange visit to Germany.

Sri Lanka handball team vanishes


Jeff Grass  stands in front of 100 potential investors, pitching his Alexandria-based company,    BuySafe,  a bonding service for people buying products through online retailers or auctions. He has eight minutes to wow the full house as most of those in the audience balance lunchboxes of  turkey sandwiches, peaches and brownies from Balducci's on their laps.

More Hunger At Investor Lunches


Cell phone chip maker Qualcomm said on Tuesday it has purchased United Kingdom-based wireless developer Trigenix, in part to bolster Qualcomm #39;s stake in the European cell phone market.

Qualcomm buys British firm


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

Wal-Mart Launches Rare Newspaper Ad Blitz


By ELLEN SIMON    NEW YORK (AP) -- IBM Corp. claimed unofficial bragging rights Tuesday as owner of the world's fastest supercomputer...

IBM Says Blue Gene Breaks Speed Record


By MARK METHERELL, MATT WADE, TOM ALLARD and COSIMA MARRINER. Australia #39;s prime minister John Howard has proffered \$A1 billion in new handouts to older Australians two days after Labor #39;s \$A2.

Howard finds his own pot of old gold


IBM launched a broad-based drive Tuesday to use the world #39;s untapped computer and Internet capacity to help cure AIDS and meet other healthcare challenges.

IBM launches global computing grid


Leaders from Asia and Europe pledged yesterday to tackle everything from climate change to terrorism but dodged calling for the release of Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi at the end of their two-day summit.

Leaders avoid Suu Kyi issue at ASEM


World News: London, Nov 2 : Japanese men no longer have to go searching for that perfect line to make women go weak in the knees.

Now, the Japanese come up with the perfect chat-up-line!:


Molson drops a plan to have an option-holders #39; vote, and Coors hires an investment bank to court stock owners. In a bid to build support for its proposed merger with Adolph Coors Co.

Brewers take steps to attract merger support


Reuters - India successfully test fired a long-range nuclear-capable Agni II missile off its eastern coast of Orissa on Sunday, a defence ministry spokesman said.

India test fires nuclear capable missile (Reuters)


A key subplot in Microsoft Corp. #39;s European antitrust hearing will be a showdown between two Seattle-area companies staking out conflicting positions in the evolving digital-media market.

Positions staked out in Microsoft antitrust hearing


Ann Arbor, MI -- Chad Henne threw for one touchdown and ran for another to lead No. 18 Michigan to a 30-17 win over Iowa in the Big Ten opener for both teams at Michigan Stadium.

NCAA Top 25 Game Summary - Iowa At Michigan


SEATTLE (Reuters) - Seagate Technology <A HREF=

Seagate Hikes Profit, Sales Outlook


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Defendants at the center of the  BALCO steroid scandal asked a court to drop charges against  them Friday, claiming misconduct by prosecutors in a case which  has tarnished several top sporting names.

BALCO Defendants Want Steroid Case Dropped


At least four workers die as a site under construction at Dubai airport collapses, trapping workers.

Dubai wall collapse kills four


The Olympic beach volleyball venue is out in the coastal village of Faliro, on the far end of the green line of the metro station, far from central Athens and the Olympic Stadium.

Olympics: Beach party-ball


Infoworld reports that SCO #39;s briefly planned foray into Groklaw territory announced last month has been put on the back burner.

Plans put on hold for pro SCO website


Following last week #39;s massacre of at least 160 Congolese Tutsis at a refugee camp near Burundi #39;s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Burundian government is speeding up efforts to help the United Nations set up more secure camps in the

Burundi Agrees to Move Tutsi Refugees to Safety


NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Dale Earnhardt Jr. was voted  the NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver of the Year for the second  consecutive year. The announcement was made Friday during the  National Motorsports Press Association's breakfast at the  Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Earnhardt Jr. Wins Most Popular Driver Award


A FIRST Enron executive to face criminal charges has been found guilty along with four former Merrill Lynch bankers in a conspiracy and fraud trial that, while a sideline to the Enron scandal, leads the way to further prosecutions.

Enron and Merrill Lynch staff face jail


IBM on September 17 will ship the first major upgrade to its DB2 Universal Database data management platform in nearly two years, focusing on functional automation, advanced clustering and Web services deployment.

IBM hails automation in database upgrade


Although Joe Gibbs is back in Washington, we're unlikely to see any elements of his offensive system on display until Opening Day.

Still Under Wraps


LONDON : World oil prices tumbled more than two dollars in New York, sliding below 50 dollars for the first time in nearly a month amid reports of higher Iraqi oil exports and easing fears over a Nigerian strike, analysts said.

World oil prices plunge below 50 dollars


Ten-man Bremen came from behind to inflict Stuttgart #39;s second successive defeat with a win at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium on Wednesday evening.

BREMEN FOIL STUTTGART RISE


Three more Muslim schoolgirls were expelled in France on Wednesday for flouting a controversial law on the wearing of religious insignia in schools.

Schoolgirls expelled over headscarf


Reuters - The latest scheme to spread\electric light in Africa may sound familiar, but this time\African leaders say they have the will, and financial backing,\to succeed.

Africa Power Firms Join to Light Up Dark Continent (Reuters)


A total of 140,000 members at union Unifi are absorbed into Amicus to create a 'super-union' for UK finance workers.

Finance workers in union merger


Safety John Lynch, now with the Broncos after 11 seasons with the Bucs, got a standing ovation when he was introduced. Rookie Micheal Clayton caught four passes, including a 51-yard TD reception that sparked the Bucs.

End Zone: Bucs Highlights


Reuters - Game fans stood in lines through a chilly\Tokyo night to be among the first in the world to get their\hands on Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable, the consumer\electronics firm's first handheld game machine.

Sony PSP Draws Crowds and Lines on First Day (Reuters)


AP - Scoville Jenkins, a 17-year-old from Atlanta, became the first black to win the 18s singles championship of the U.S. Tennis Association Boys Nationals.

Teen Is First Black National USTA Champion (AP)


Piper Rudnick Gray Cary LLP, a law firm with major operations in Washington, agreed over the weekend to merge with British firm DLA LLP, creating one of the largest combinations ever of law firms from different countries.

Piper Rudnick to Merge With Big British Firm


AP - The Boston Red Sox lineup card from Game 4 of the 2004 World Series brought a site-record bid of  #36;165,000 on MLB.com.

BoSox Game 4 Lineup Card Draws Record Bid (AP)


LONDON (Reuters) - A British court on Tuesday backed  demands by relatives of a dead Iraqi hotel worker for an  independent probe into claims he was unlawfully killed and  abused by UK troops detaining him.

UK Court Backs Probe Into Iraqi's Death


AFP - Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) is expected to confirm at its annual convention this week the rise of Gamal Mubarak as the political heir apparent of his father, President Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt's ruling party set to confirm rise of Mubarak's son (AFP)


MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Although the Bulls have yet to record back-to-back victories, they quietly are putting together a solid stretch of games.

Skiles ejected, Bulls respond


TABA, Egypt - A car bomb and a suicide bomber tore through a resort hotel in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula where Israelis were vacationing at the end of a Jewish holiday Thursday night. Estimates of the death toll ranged from 19 to about 60...

Death Toll Varies in Blast at Sinai Resort


NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy was acquitted Monday of charges he sexually abused five of his 10 daughters more than a decade ago.

Murphy Acquitted of Sexual Abuse Charges


Memory-Tech is to start mass production next year of read-only discs that can contain data stored in both DVD and HD-DVDs (high-definition/high-density DVDs) layers, a company executive said Wednesday.

Dual DVD/HD-DVD disc developed


TechWeb - The software maker will provide a summary of planned security bulletins three days in advance.

Microsoft To Issue Early Warnings For Patch Tuesday (TechWeb)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dell Inc. will recall about 990,000  power adapters for some of its laptop computer models because  of a risk of overheating, which could lead to a fire or  electrical shock, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission  said on Friday.

Dell to Recall 990,000 Laptop Power Adapters


NEW YORK -- Mutual funds suffered along with the rest of the stock market during a troubled third quarter, with growth and technology sector funds posting the worst returns.

Mutual funds saw tough 3d quarter


MOSCOW Oil giant ConocoPhillips of the US is paying nearly two (b) billion dollars for a seven percent stake in Russia #39;s Lukoil.

ConocoPhilips gets stake in Russia #39;s giant


By cutting WinFS from Longhorn and indefinitely delaying the storage system, Microsoft Corp. has also again delayed the Microsoft Business Framework (MBF), a new Windows programming layer that is closely tied to WinFS.

Longhorn cuts delay Microsoft Business Framework


LONDON - BSkyB has beaten analyst forecasts to add 62,000 new subscribers in its first quarter, but the figure is less than half the 170,000 it added during the same period last year.

BSkyB gains 62,000 new subscribers beating estimates


Will launch a fixed wireless service in a 'major city' next year

PCCW cautious in UK broadband wireless rollout


BEAVER CREEK, Colo. -- Norway #39;s Lasse Kjus confirmed his return to fitness Saturday, capturing his first World Cup giant slalom win in eight years as American Bode Miller #39;s run of five podium finishes came to a crashing halt.

Miller #39;s podium-finish streak snapped


Prosecutors dismissed all charges Wednesday, Nov. 3, against two Montclair High School students who were accused of raping a 15-year-old schoolmate last month, ending a case that brought

Charges dropped against MHS students in rape case


Lexar's JumpDrive TouchGuard uses a sensor that reads the ridges on a finger and unlocks encrypted data if there's a match.\

Memory stick turns fingerprints into passwords


AFP - China remained an attractive destination for foreign investors who poured in 43.6 billion dollars during the first eight months of the year, 18.8 percent more than the same period last year, the government said.

Foreign investment into China up 18.8 percent in first eight months (AFP)


AP - Microsoft Corp.'s chief executive believes it's naive to suggest the software giant can eliminate all security vulnerabilities in its various products even though engineers are trying hard to do so.

Microsoft CEO: Hackers Getting Smarter (AP)


China #39;s promise to impose new taxes on some textile exports will do little to sway the administration as it debates whether to limit the expected flood of Chinese

US Quiet on China Trade Tax


Microscopic embryonic stem cells might hold the answer to afflictions from baldness, wrinkles, and age spots to the most intractable diseases.

Beyond the mirage of cell science


British airline tycoon Richard Branson said Monday he has cut a deal with a US rocket ship company to take paying passengers into space.

Branson teams up with SpaceShipOne


Some 13 million children in northern Nigeria are being vaccinated against polio in a bid to wipe out the disease.

Huge Nigerian drive against polio


Yao Ming #39;s Houston Rockets squeezed past the Sacramento Kings on Thursday in the first NBA game to be played in China, a country the fast-growing basketball league deems a potential marketing mecca.

Yao Thrills Capacity Crowd at First China NBA Game


AP - Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray signed a contract extension with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.

Bills Extend Defensive Coordinator's Deal (AP)


roundup Plus: Open-source Web tools company nets VC funding...SAP spiffs up small business programs...Piracy crackdown yields \$2.2 million...Sun draws Nvidia graphics into Solaris.

Briefly: HP to sell PathScale compilers


AP - It's approaching two years since Robb Nen last pitched in the majors, but he still believes he can do it again  #151; despite his troublesome right shoulder.

Giants' Nen Still Hoping to Pitch in 2005 (AP)


LOS ANGELES  Media conglomerate Viacom is considering entering the video game business and could acquire Midway Games, Viacom chief Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling stake in Midway, said in a regulatory filing Friday.

Viacom could consider acquiring Midway Games


The purpose of this article is to analyze a public exploit in a lab environment, see the alerts generated by an intrusion detection system, and then do some packet analysis of the malicious binary in order to better understand what it does and how you may have been compromised. Part 2 of 2.

Infocus: Examining a Public Exploit, Part 2


Ivory Coast rebels renewed a pledge to speed up a peace initiative on Friday, a day after the UN Security Council threatened sanctions if the civil war #39;s belligerents

Ivory Coast rebels agree to speed peace process


WASHINGTON A report says the Transportation Security Administration paid Boeing too much for a contract to install bomb-detection equipment at airports.

Watchdog: TSA overpaying Boeing for airport security contract


Australia plans to strengthen its coastal security with a controversial surveillance footprint that stretches south of New Zealand to north of Indonesia.

Australia to Boost Security Net Around Coastline


Jim Allchin, Microsoft group vice president for platforms, discussed Microsoft #39;s recent decisions on Windows  quot;Longhorn quot; development in a recorded message for Microsoft #39;s Channel 9 that was

Allchin on Longhorn: We #39;ve Had to Make Some Hard Trade-offs


AP - Kevin Jones ran for 196 yards and a touchdown to lead Detroit over the Arizona Cardinals 26-12 Sunday, ending the Lions' five-game losing streak and keeping their playoff hopes alive in the muddled and mediocre NFC.

Lions Top Cardinals, Break Losing Streak (AP)


Palestinian hospital officials say Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian man near the Karni crossing just inside the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Soldiers Kill Palestinian in Gaza


Wurld Media has concluded agreements with Sony BMG, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group to facilitate the licensing of music exchanged on its peer-to-peer music network.

Music labels embrace P2P network


Hotel operator Marriott International Inc. said its third-quarter earnings rose 45 percent as growing demand for rooms helped drive revenue up 9 percent.

Marriott's 3Q Earnings Up 45 Percent


Google #39;s executives might be sleeping a little easier this weekend after Microsoft unveiled its much-hyped new search engine. It #39;s fast, slick, and comes with a raft of interesting new features: confounding

Microsoft #39;s Google-killer arrives with a  #39;whuh? #39;


Sequels to Shrek, Spider-Man and Harry Potter help propel US box office takings to a new summer record.

Sequels save blockbuster summer


American Express #39; reported revenue was \$7.2 billion, up 12 percent from \$6.4 billion in the third quarter of 2003. Shares were up 16 cents at \$51.

American Express Posts 14 Percent Profit Gain


The company's new Flow software aims to integrate information from various places under a single interface for ease of use and collaboration, and it generally works well, according to columnist Ryan Faas.

Near-Time touts content management tool for Mac OS X


The defense setup the offense all day, but a 41-yard touchdown run by Anthony Thomas in the fourth quarter helped seal the upset victory over the Giants.

Scoring Summary: Bears 28-Giants 21


Sales at US retailers including Wal- Mart Stores Inc. probably slowed in November, the start of the holiday shopping season, as rising energy prices curbed consumer spending.

Wal-Mart, Retailers #39; November Sales Slow as Gas Prices Rise


Dell will provide an enterprise networked server infrastructure consisting of dual Intel Xeon and four-way Intel Itanium processor-based PowerEdge servers.

Dell, EMC, Intel and Oracle Line Up on the Grid


Continuing down the path of Moore #39;s Law, which says that the number of transistors on a chip will double every two years, Intel Corp.

Intel proves 65 nanometers will work


Adobe (Quote, Chart) today unveiled a new offering with partner GeoTrust to help verify the integrity and authenticity of documents.

Adobe, GeoTrust Join to Verify Documents


PHILADELPHIA/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Corp. is close to  an agreement buy Nextel Communications Inc. for more than \$36  billion in a mostly stock deal that would combine the No. 3 and  No. 5 U.S. wireless telephone companies, sources familiar with  the situation said on Friday.

Sprint in Talks to Buy Nextel for \$36 Bln


The e-mails, often forwarded by friends, vary in wording, but the underlying message is always ominous: Soon, all cell phone numbers will be made public to telemarketing firms.<FONT face=

Bogus E-Mail Worries Cell Phone Users


AP - The New York Giants were the worst team in the NFL last season inside their opponent's 20, and things have gotten worse  #151; at least statistically  #151; under new coach Tom Coughlin.

Giants Struggling Inside Opponent's 20 (AP)


UK retail sales are better than expected in November as Christmas shoppers flock  to the High Street.

Retail sales show festive fervour


The US music industry sues 750 computer users believed to be distributing music illegally over the internet.

US sues student 'song swappers'


Nokia researchers have developed a new peer-to-peer (P2P) scheme tailored specifically for mobile phones. Still in a development and testing phase, the network

Nokia bringing P2P to phones


Reuters - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom\set a goal on Thursday of providing free wireless Internet\activity in his city that sees itself as a vanguard of the\Internet revolution.

San Francisco Sets Goal of Free Citywide WiFi (Reuters)


To a veteran defensive lineman, there is a dead giveaway when a rookie quarterback is rattled. You can see it in the kid #39;s eyes.

Giants: Falcons impressed by first look at Eli


The European Commission gave Turkey #39;s hopes of joining the European Union a huge boost last week, saying it saw  quot;no more obstacles quot; toward a  quot;clear recommendation quot; on starting EU entry talks with Ankara.

Ankara gets a boost to its EU aspirations


Zimbabwe #39;s opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) announced yesterday that it will boycott all future elections until President Robert Mugabe #39;s government changes its electoral system, ends state violence and repeals repressive media

Zimbabwe opposition to boycott elections until system changes


quot;As more and more retailers try to cash in on the online music scene, things are becoming increasingly befuddling for consumers -- especially for consumers who stray from the Apple iPod fold.

Boston Globe:  #39;Forget Microsoft and buy an Apple iPod - it works #39;


EvanKai writes  quot;Jason Schultz writes,  quot;This just in --- Static Control Corp. has won its appeal against Lexmark over the right to produce after-market replacement cartridges for Lexmark printers.

Promising Ruling In Lexmark DMCA Case


Roche, OSI Pharmaceuticals and Genentech announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved, after priority review, Tarceva(TM) (erlotinib) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung

COMUNICADO DE ROCHE


Toshack, fellow former Welsh international Dean Saunders and Frenchman Philippe Troussier were interviewed on Thursday but it was the 55-year-old much-travelled Toshack who got the job.

Toshack for Wales


LOS ANGELES: Teenager Maria Sharapova capped her stunning tennis year by overcoming an injured Serena Williams 4-6 6-2 6-4 in the final of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships yesterday.

Sharapova sinks Serena in season ending WTA Championships


Nvidia #39;s new chip is a version of its existing mainstream GeForce 6200 PCI Express chip - but with the added bonus of TurboCache.

Nvidia #39;s new chip with TurboCache


Carrefour, the world #39;s No. 2 retailer said Wednesday that its profit increased 5.3 percent in the first half of the year, as robust international operations and lower finance costs helped it ride out tough conditions at its core French superstores.

Update 1: Carrefour #39;s Profit Up on Robust Operations


The interim prime minister of Iraq, Ayad Allawi, met here today with Sunni Arab leaders to try to persuade them to take part in the Iraqi elections planned for late next month.

Iraqi Premier and Sunni Leaders Meet in Jordan to Discuss Election


Reuters - Roger Clemens pitched well\just hours after winning his seventh Cy Young Award, but\Hisashi Iwakuma allowed just two hits to lead Japan to a 3-1\victory over the Major League All-Stars on Wednesday.

Japanese Finally Beat the MLB All-Stars (Reuters)


AP - Spurred to action by a wave of scandals that rolled through corporate America and the mutual fund industry, the Securities and Exchange Commission could slow its aggressive rulemaking pace in coming months as internal dissension and outside pressures intensify.

SEC Could Slow Aggressive Rulemaking Pace (AP)


Derek Jeter turned a season that started with a terrible slump into one of the best in his accomplished 10-year career.  quot;I don #39;t think there is any question, quot; the New York Yankees manager said.

Jeter, Yankees look to take control of unshaken Twins


South Korea's economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter, but growth is still held back by poor domestic demand.

South Korea in growth spurt


Europe's Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) in Geneva celebrates 50 years of its work.

Cern particle lab marks 50 years


The show's 276-car giveaway is part of an effort to reclaim credibility in the domestic  car market.

Detroit Seeks Its Own Prize on 'Oprah'


The FBI has fielded almost twice as many complaints from mortgage lenders so far this year as it did for all of 2003, the bureau reported Friday.

Home loan fraud grows


The networking giant will pay \$128 million in cash for NetSolve, which manages information technology systems.

Cisco to acquire IT management firm