CHARLOTTE, NC - Everything went right for the Carolina Panthers last season, from lucky bounces to staying injury free. One game into the new season, all that has changed.

NFL: Everything goes wrong for Panthers


Eurotunnel is to cut the regularity of its shuttle services through the Channel tunnel, in a move which could involve mothballing several of its unique trains, as it struggles to compete with cut-price ferry operators.

Eurotunnel to cut services


Carlos Sainz gave his fans and his Citroen team a minor scare ahead of Rally Australia after an accident forced the Spaniard to go to hospital.

WORLD RALLY NEWS Minor scare for Sainz ahead of final event.


SAN JOSE, Calif. A long-awaited microprocessor developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba will go into production next year and start appearing in video game consoles and high-definition T-Vs in 2006.

Sony, IBM, Toshiba say powerful chip to start production in 2005


MOSCOW, Dec. 17 -- Russia pledged Friday to  ignore a U.S. court ban on the looming auction of oil giant Yukos' key production unit, while a consortium of Western banks reportedly put on hold billions of dollars in credit for the state-run Russian gas company that was expected to buy the unit.

Russia Plans to Proceed With Yukos Oil Auction


CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Shares of Nordstrom Inc. (JWN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) dropped 9 percent early on Friday after the luxury retailer missed Wall Street #39;s earnings target and forecast disappointing profits for the current quarter.

Nordstrom shares are hammered after earnings miss


Reuters - Texas Instruments Inc. ,\the largest maker of chips for cellular phones, on Monday said\quarterly profit rose about 26 percent on demand from handset\makers even as it struggles with a nagging inventory problem.

TI Profit Up on Cellular, TV Chip Sales (Reuters)


AFP - President George W. Bush derided his rival John Kerry as clueless in the fight against terror and drove the point home in a powerful commercial featuring a pack of wolves ready to pounce.

Bush calls out the wolves on Kerry (AFP)


Business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. strengthened its ties with technology giant IBM Corp. on Tuesday, hoping to boost its recently sagging sales as it continues to fight Oracle Corp.

PeopleSoft tightens IBM ties as it fights off Oracle


Jeff Hwang is back from a car show with three investment ideas, presented in a two-part series.

Investing in Car Culture


Aylwin Lewis, (pictured, left) formerly of Yum Brands Inc., will take over for Julian Day. Day was appointed in January 2003, when the company was in bankruptcy.

Kmart Appoints New CEO


Kobe Bryant #39;s accuser was adamant in an interview with detectives that the Los Angeles Lakers #39; guard used force during their sexual encounter

Notebook: Accuser says she kept telling Bryant  quot;no quot;


Reuters - Josh Paul, Vladimir Guerrero and Darin\Erstad hit multi-run homers to lead the Anaheim Angels to a\10-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Petersburg\Thursday.

AL: Paul, Guerrero, Erstad Guide Angels to Win (Reuters)


Whatever party wins the next general election will have to either cut spending or raise taxes, says the CBI, which wants the former.

Government 'must reduce spending'


The Mariners traded catcher Pat Borders to the Minnesota Twins today, in exchange for BJ Garbe, a minor league outfielder from Moses Lake.

Borders dealt to Twins for outfielder Garbe


A federal judge yesterday ruled that Boston Scientific Corp. violated its agreements with an Israeli company when it set up a secret stent-making operation in Ireland in 1997, and he told the two companies to quickly reach a settlement or face a prompt trial he will hold to determine what damages, if any, Boston Scientific owes.

Judge deals blow to stent maker


Sonic Automotive Inc. has lowered its earnings estimate for 2004 because of weather-related losses and a difficult market for new and used vehicle sales.

Sonic lowers 2004 earnings forecast


Eliot Spitzer received an anonymous letter last March that made for intriguing reading. The message suggested that the New York attorney general poke around Marsh  amp; McLennan, the US #39;s largest insurance broker

Spitzer Strikes


washingtonpost.com - Now you can check traffic conditions across the Washington region from your cell phone -- not by calling a friend already stuck in traffic, but by subscribing to a new video service that sends updates to any Internet-enabled phone.

Service Sends Traffic Images To Cell Phone (washingtonpost.com)


For the first time outside London, Welsh businesses join workshops to speak to police about internet crime.

Police tackle internet crime


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. businesses added 96,000 jobs to  payrolls in September, the government reported on Friday, a  weaker-than-expected total that was expected to sharpen a  presidential debate later in the day over the economy's  direction.

Job Growth Weaker Than Expected


Paul Pierce scores 28 points, and the Celtics win for the first time this season in the Knicks' home opener.

Celetics Pound Knicks


Reuters - The U.S. House of Representatives on\Wednesday defied the White House and voted to ease limits on\U.S. student travel and trade with Cuba, but defeated a measure\that would have lifted all economic sanctions.

House Backs Looser Cuba Sanctions (Reuters)


Applebee #39;s International Inc. shares fell more than 4 percent Wednesday after the restaurant company reported weak August sales and said it expects the Olympics will hurt sales for the first week of September.

Applebee #39;s: Olympics ate our sales


Armed to the teeth, the kidnappers beat up a hapless guard, dragged a screaming Iraqi hostage by her hair and took off in broad daylight.

Abduction planned to the second


US Open champion Roger Federer has begun his quest for a 10th 2004 title with a win in the first round of the Thailand Open. Stepping out for the first time since adding the Flushing Meadows Grand Slam title

Federer struggles through


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices jumped on Friday  after a soft U.S. jobs report revived speculation the Federal  Reserve may not raise interest rates as far and fast as the  market had feared.

Treasuries Surge, Hope for Fed Rate Pause


More than 50 percent of California residents said in a survey being released today that they are very concerned that fast-rising home prices will lock out younger generations from the housing market.

Home sweet home -- impossible?


The majority of employers in Hamilton and Fairfield dont plan to hire over the next three months, according the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Survey: Local hiring to remain flat/12-14


The Green Bay Packers are confident quarterback Brett Favre #39;s first concussion in nine seasons was mild and won #39;t prevent him from starting next Monday night against the Tennessee Titans.

Favre improves, Pederson hurting


SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) -  Separatist militants set off a  powerful land mine in Indian Kashmir killing eleven people,  including nine soldiers in one of the biggest guerrilla attacks  in weeks, police said on Sunday.

Rebels Set Off Land mine in Indian Kashmir; 11 Dead


AKRON, OHIO - Stewart Cink led all the way in winning the NEC Invitational by four shots. He #39;s the first player on the PGA Tour to win wire to wire this year.

Cink wins NEC Invitational


When Hingham meets Wilmington tomorrow in the Division 2A playoffs, the Harbormen will be face with a player the likes of which they have never seen, said Wildcats coach Bob Almeida. Wilmington quarterback Joe Herra, a four-year starter who ranks fourth in Eastern Mass. with 18 touchdown passes, will attempt to lift the Wildcats into the Super Bowl when Wilmington ...

Heralded Herra has had helpers


I never thought I #39;d say this, but I #39;m ashamed to be a Sammy Sosa fan. Sosa #39;s 2004 season was one of struggle. The 35-year-old missed 36 games with various injuries, including back spasms caused by a violent sneeze.

Sosa #39;s home runs may have gone to his head


Twenty children have been born after doctors performed a kind of transplant surgery on the eggs of their mothers, for whom normal IVF had failed.

Babies born after transplant surgery on eggs


Australia's Darren Lehmann and Shane Warne return to take on New Zealand.

Cricket: Warne back to face NZ


The ousting of fund president Sean Harrigan from Americas largest pension fund has been viewed by many as the first Republican victory in a battle to undermine the influence of pension funds like Calpers on corporate governance issues.

Calpers battle on corporate governance may only just be <b>...</b>


Mary Joe Fernandez was always known as a thoughtful, deliberate tennis player. And one of her most intelligent moves, she'll agree, came in 1999, toward the end of her decade-long career, when she was training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida and was asked to play a practice set against a 12-year-old upstart Russian named Maria Sharapova.  quot;I ...

Focal point


BELGIUM BRUSSELS -- Officials said the European Union will provide up to \$125 million to back African peacekeepers in Darfur, as the United Nations warned yesterday that crucial relief convoys are in danger. Gunmen in Darfur are attacking relief convoys, civilians, and African villagers, the UN's World Food Program said in a statement yesterday. ''The security situation in all three ...

Darfur peacekeeping to get \$125m from EU


The Scottish Football Association will focus their attention on the World Cup qualifier against Slovenia on Wednesday before deciding on any action for the game in Moldova next month.

SFA DELAY MOLDOVA DECISION


Ten or more years of mobile phone use can dramatically increase the risk of developing a benign tumor on the auditory nerve, according to a study conducted by the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.

Study: Mobile phone use increases brain tumor risk


AP - Software giant Microsoft Corp. signed software partnerships Monday with India's leading outsourcing firms, Infosys Technologies Ltd. and Wipro Ltd., and stepped up plans to hire more programmers in India.

Microsoft Inks Deals With Infosys, Wipro (AP)


AP - Gustavo Chacin became the first lefty starter to win his major league debut against the Yankees in the Joe Torre era, pitching the Toronto Blue Jays past New York 6-3 Monday night.

Blue Jays Rookie Pitcher Handcuffs Yankees (AP)


Dallas, TX -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 10 of his career-high 53 points in overtime to lead the Dallas Mavericks past the Houston Rockets, 113-106, at AmericanAirlines Center.

National Basketball Association Game Capsules


Reuters - The United Nations no longer\objects to American soldiers to guard its staff in Iraq after\the search for separate contingents from around the world\failed, diplomats and U.N. sources said on Wednesday.

UN Turns to U.S. Troops to Guard Its Staff in Iraq (Reuters)


The Chinese firm, Minmetals, owned by the Chinese government, has taken over the biggest mining company in Canada, Noranda Mining.

China announces huge investments in Canada


Top-seed Andre Agassi easily advanced to the quarter-finals of the Washington ATP tournament overnight, with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kristian Pless.

Agassi waltzes into Washington quarter-finals


NEW YORK - As Wall Street sifts through more than 300 third-quarter earnings reports this week, technology and pharmaceutical stocks will be getting some of the closest scrutiny.    The focus on drug companies results from a recent spate of bad news about Merck   Co...

Investors Weigh Pharmaceuticals, Techs


Sun plans to provide legal protection from patent-infringement suits to outsiders using or developing the OS--a move to counter Linux.

This week in Linux news


LONDON - British Prime Minister was to undergo a

Blair to Undergo 'Routine' Heart Procedure


AFP - Chechnya's capital Grozny emptied as residents fearing rebel raids fled a day before an election to replace their slain pro-Moscow leader.

Chechen capital empties ahead of election to replace slain leader (AFP)


The quest for a wireless, robust video game controller is a hit and miss task, says columnist Daniel Etherington.

Quest for holy grail of game controllers


AP - Tight ends Byron Chamberlain and Jed Weaver were among the 20 players cut by the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Chamberlain Among 20 Cut by Broncos (AP)


Garabito writes  quot;Cnet reports that Microsoft plans to distribute in Russia the low-cost, stripped-down version of Windows XP, called  #39;Starter Edition.

Microsoft To Sell Win XP Starter Edition In Russia


Chelsea dropped its first points of the season when it was held to a goalless draw by a combative Aston Villa side at Villa Park yesterday.

Chelsea #39;s perfect start ended


The state of California has dropped a criminal investigation into the company that sold it electronic voting machines but instead will join an existing lawsuit charging that the company made

California Joins Suit Against E-Voting Vendor Diebold


Sun Microsystems and Microsoft next month plan to reveal the work they have been doing to make their products interoperable, a Sun executive said yesterday.

Sun, Microsoft to detail interoperability next month


North Korea has accused South Korea of  quot;grave provocation quot; after the South fired warning shots at its vessels. In a statement published by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea said an armed clash was only avoided thanks to its navy #39;s restraint.

N Korea accuses South over shots


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The Nasdaq 100 index trust, the popular fund known as QQQ, is moving to the Nasdaq sooner than expected from its longtime home on the American Stock Exchange, according to a published report.

Amex, Nasdaq in talks to move QQQ


Microsoft's popular Internet Explorer has a serious rival in the Firefox browser.

New browser takes on Microsoft


Worldwide server revenue surpassed 11.5 billion US dollars in the second quarter of 2004, up 7.7 percent from the same quarter a year ago, according to a study released Wednesday by Gartner.

Global server revenue up 8 percent in second quarter


Ten days ago, the European Commission made an extremely significant decision on the Stability and Growth Pact, which lays down the principles of economic policy for states belonging to the euro bloc.

Three percent is no longer sacred


While digital music revenues will grow to be eight per cent of the total European music market by 2009, the CD will remain the bedrock of music sales, according to a new report by market analysts Jupiter Research.

Digital music  #39;niche #39; market for foreseeable future, won #39;t replace <b>...</b>


Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western countries observe double standards when they call Chechen separatists rebels instead of terrorists, the Independent reported.

Putin Attacks West #39;s Chechnya Double Standard, Independent Says


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rallied on Tuesday, giving  the Dow its best day in four months as battered insurers rose  on confidence a government probe of the industry would end  quickly.

U.S. Stocks End Higher as Insurers Climb


Nov. 4--Nokia is moving rapidly in the multimedia smart phone segment in the Asia-Pacific market as part of its strategy to focus on what it sees as a key growth driver next year, with the introduction of three new interactive application handsets.

Nokia Sees Multimedia Phones As Major Growth Driver in Asia <b>...</b>


often via spam-style blastings that plague mailboxes worldwide -- is fake, a British researcher said Tuesday. Dr. Nic Wilson of the School of Pharmacy

Half Of Online Viagra Bogus


AP - New York Mets infielder Joe McEwing is likely done for the season after breaking a bone in his left leg.

Mets' McEwing Probably Lost for Season (AP)


Game maker Valve shut down the online accounts of the players because it had evidence that their copy of the game had been obtained illegally.

Ban hits Half-Life 2 pirates hard


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Think of it as Wi-Fi on steroids.  On its way to U.S. living rooms and maybe even automobiles is a  new type of high-speed wireless connection that promises  downloaded data rates of up to 1 gigabit per second -- roughly  18.5 times the speed of Wi-Fi -- to personal computers and  other devices.

Ultrawideband Heralds Zippier Wireless Connections


THE CHINESE government, while ignoring web calls to clean up corruption of officials, is offering rewards to people who shop web porn makers.

China declares bounty on web p0rn


Boise Cascade Corp., a global distributor of office supplies and paper, technology products and office furniture, on Tuesday reported third-quarter earnings more than doubled, driven by sales at the company #39;s office products distribution business.

Boise Cascade 3Q Earnings More Than Double


LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar clawed back some ground  against the yen on Tuesday after data suggested that Japanese  economic growth had slowed, but remained within sight of record  lows against the euro.

Dollar Claws Back Some Ground Against Yen


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insisted victory over Middlesbrough was never in doubt after Didier Drogba grabbed a winner 10 minutes from time at the Riverside Stadium.

No doubts for Mourinho


The fossilized neck bones of a 230-million-year-old sea creature have features suggesting that the animal #39;s snakelike throat could flare open and create suction that would pull in prey.

Big Gulp? Neck ribs may have given aquatic beast unique feeding <b>...</b>


AFP - UN chief Kofi Annan called for talks on ending Sudan's civil war to be concluded swiftly, telling a special session of the Security Council that it would help reverse the worsening crisis in the western region of Darfur.

Annan urges swift end to Sudan war, Darfur crisis (AFP)


NEW YORK - The litigious Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is involved in another legal dispute with a P-to-P (peer-to-peer) technology maker, but this time, the RIAA is on defense. Altnet Inc. filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing the RIAA and several of its partners of infringing an Altnet patent covering technology for identifying requested files on a P-to-P network.

P-to-P partner charges RIAA with patent infringement


Australia #39;s main airline carrier, Qantas, says it won #39;t appeal the New Zealand High Court #39;s rejection of a proposed alliance with Air New Zealand.

Australia #39;s Qantas calls halt to merger appeal process


Rocco Buttiglione, the Italian nominee to the European Commission whose views on homosexuality resulted in an impasse with MEPs, yesterday decided to step aside.

Buttiglione bows out to resolve EU crisis


The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) launched a space observatory named Swift last week to scan the universe for violent celestial explosions that astronomers believe represent the birth screams of black holes.

Swift hunt for black holes now on


IBM is the latest storage giant to step up efforts to woo IT buyers, promising partitioning capabilities cribbed from its mainframe heritage, as well as space-saving formats and better server connectivity.

Data laws set storage agenda


In the event of a computer failure such as the one that caused massive power outages in the Northeast and upper Midwest last year, can the federal government intervene?

Yoran: Feds, companies should continue infrastructure discussions


Inhabitants of virtual worlds are giving the games they play real economic power, a study has found.

Virtual gaming worlds overtake Namibia


Long before he began defying death as a Hollywood stunt pilot, Salt Lake City native Dan Rudert set his sights on becoming a mortician.

Utah pilot set for a new stunt: Grabbing a piece of the sun


A closer look at the data from Sundays race shows Fernando full deserved his third place at the Hungaroring after a flawless drive.

Hungary Race Debrief: Fernando solidly best of the rest


Insurance broker Aon Corp. (AOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday it sold nearly all of its equity investment in property and casualty insurer Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd.

UPDATE 1-Aon sells much of Endurance holding for \$320.5 mln


Google News Biased? Can Algorithms Take Sides?\\Danny Sullivan posted a thread at SEW forums named News Search  #038; Biases, where he points to an article written at OJR.org named Balancing Act: How News Portals Serve Up Political Stories. This blew my mind.\\The article discusses how Google News seems to be ...


3Com Corp. (COMS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a wider-than-expected second-quarter loss, amid stiff competition from Cisco Systems Inc.

3Com Posts Wider-Than-Expected Loss


HDTV Wonder snags free high-definition transmissions for budget viewing.

ATI Brings Digital TV to Your PC


For Bill Parcells, life is a constant test of wills with opponents, the media, his players and his bosses. This is a coach who threatened to leave his team after each of his three Super Bowls and twice made good on the threat.

Parcells still big as life in Texas


TORONTO (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people in Eastern  Canada could be without electricity until the end of the week,  officials said on Monday, after an early winter blizzard downed  power lines and crumpled transmission towers.

Thousands Powerless in Eastern Canada


Ziff Davis - Efforts under way to revise the popular GNU General Public License could put additional pressure on Microsoft by the time it tries to push its long-awaited Windows upgrades out the door.

GPL Could Put Heat on Microsoft (Ziff Davis)


Theron Smith scored 16 points Tuesday to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to their second win of the preseason, an 82-74 victory over the Miami Heat.

Bobcats Beat Heat for Second Preseason Win


AP - AU Optronics Corp., which makes liquid crystal display panels used for computer and TV screens, on Wednesday reported lower third-quarter earnings and cut its forecast for the full year as prices fall for the display panels.

AU Optronics Reports Lower Profit in 3Q (AP)


Irish china and glassmaker Waterford Wedgwood announces a half-year profit thanks to the sale of a former US cookware division.

US sale boosts Waterford's profit


Reuters - A San Francisco judge ordered Microsoft\Corp.  to pay lawyers involved in its  #36;1.1 billion\class action settlement  #36;100 million in legal fees, less than\half of the original fees they requested, company officials\said on Thursday.

Calif. Judge Cuts Microsoft Legal Fees (Reuters)


Telecommunications company Swisscom AG reported Wednesday that third-quarter net income fell 10 percent and said it would cut about 390 jobs, or 2.5 percent of its fulltime work force, next year.

Swisscom Plans Job Cuts, Reports Earnings


Burundi #39;s President Domitien Ndayizeye has fired his vice president, Alphonse Kadege, for allegedly undermining a peace process aimed at ending the nation #39;s civil war.

Burundi President Fires VP for Blocking Peace Process


Reuters - The harvesting of stem cells from\human embryos will continue to be funded by the EU, the\incoming European Union research chief said on Friday, vowing\to keep an open mind while taking ethical views into account.

New EU Research Chief Open to Stem Cell Research (Reuters)


Hyatt Corp. disclosed plans Thursday to buy the 143-hotel AmeriSuites chain in an estimated \$600 million-plus deal that analysts said makes the luxury hotel company more of a well-rounded rival to much bigger Marriott International Inc.

Update 4: Hyatt Purchasing AmeriSuites in \$600M Deal


Canadian Press - GENEVA (AP) - The mounting death toll in Sudan's conflict-ravaged Darfur region could rise six-fold by the end of the year, hitting 300,000, a senior U.S. aid official said Monday.

Death toll in Darfur region of Sudan could reach 300,000, U.S. official says (Canadian Press)


JERUSALEM, Oct. 21 -- A senior military leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas,  was killed late Thursday in an Israeli missile strike in Gaza City, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.

Hamas Leader Killed in Airstrike


Reuters - The body of British engineer Kenneth\Bigley, killed by his kidnappers last week after three weeks in\captivity, was dumped just south of Baghdad Friday, sources\close to the insurgency said Tuesday.

Sources: Body of Briton Bigley Dumped Near Baghdad (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks trimmed gains on Friday  after a senior OPEC delegate said the producer group cannot  rule out cutting oil production if oil prices slide further.

Stocks Rise; Gains Trimmed on Oil Worry


Reuters - The United Nations called on Monday\for an immediate cease-fire in eastern Congo as fighting\between rival army factions flared for a third day.

UN Calls for Immediate End to Congo Fighting (Reuters)


Andre Agassi brushed past Jonas Bjorkman 6-3 6-4 at the Stockholm Open on Thursday to set up a quarter-final meeting with Spanish sixth seed Fernando Verdasco.

Agassi brushes Bjorkman aside in Stockholm


New component contains the blue and red lasers required for support of the two disc formats as well as the associated lenses and optical receivers. Commercial production possible by end of next year.

Sony makes progress towards smaller Blu-ray/DVD players


TIM HENMAN last night admitted all of his energy has been drained away as he bowed out of the Madrid Masters. The top seed, who had a blood test on Wednesday to get to the bottom of his fatigue, went down

UPDATE: HENMAN IS SENT TO SLEEP IN MADRID


European finance chiefs take the US to task for allowing the dollar to slide, saying it puts Europe's economy at risk.

Europe blames US over weak dollar


eBay sellers have a new content management tool to help them post storefronts faster, thanks to a newly customized Macromedia toolset.

Macromedia Bids For More eBay Users


LOS ANGELES Oct 29, 2004 - Sony BMG Music Entertainment and online peer-to-peer software distributor Grokster are working on a new venture that is expected to offer paid and free song downloads over the Internet, sources say.

Sources: Sony Eyes File-Sharing Venture


NAJAF, Iraq  What we were about to do was more than risky. It was foolish. Thursday, several journalists began organizing a delegation to enter the Imam Ali shrine in ...

Journalists journey into the center of the storm


Ziff Davis - Vodafone signs a global purchasing agreement with Sun that gives Vodafone consistent terms for Sun's hardware, software and services product line.

Vodafone Makes Sun Its Preferred IT Vendor (Ziff Davis)


Rotterdam, the Netherlands (Sports Network) - A top of the table clash between Schalke of the German Bundesliga and Dutch power Feyenoord highlights Matchday 4 of the UEFA Cup group stage.

Schalke trying to hold off Feyenoord in UEFA Cup


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A felon will host, a Playboy model  will work the red carpet, and

Video Games Go Live for Annual Awards Show


AP - Scoring 129 points means a win almost every time, but Kelvin Cato wants the Orlando Magic to realize that giving up 108 will get them beat more often than not.

Magic Thrash the Raptors 129-108 (AP)


When the violent video game  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas quot; hits stores on Tuesday, its sales could eclipse Hollywood #39;s most successful films, even as it draws the ire of critics.

#39;Grand Theft Auto #39; Seen Breaking Games Sales Record


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conveyed its calendar of meetings on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to India as part of composite dialogue process that will begin from Nov 29 to December 16.

Second round of Pakistan-India talks in Nov-Dec


The U.S. ratcheted up preparations for what appeared to be an imminent assault on Falluja, while rebels set up a perimeter.

All Sides Prepare for American Attack on Falluja


MATCHWINNER Darren Lockyer admitted the Kangaroos got themselves out of trouble after he inspired their 32-12 win against New Zealand in London.

We got out of jail, admits Lockyer


Computer Associates International said today that it plans to cut 800 positions worldwide, or 5 of its workforce, in the hope of shaving \$70 million annually off its operating costs.

Update: CA cutting 5 of workforce


Sete Gibernau was fuming after a mechanical problem robbed him of the chance to take the world championship fight to the final round of the season.

GIBERNAU EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers  Holdings Inc. <A HREF=

Lehman Brothers 4th-Qtr Profit Up 22 Pct


With the National League #39;s best record sewn up, the Cardinals would just as soon start the playoffs immediately. Yesterday, if possible.

St. Louis Cardinals News


More international co-operation is needed if spam is to be stopped, a conference is told.

Call for global action on spam


Oil prices edged higher in Asian trading Friday but remained below the \$44 level following a ceasefire in the battle-torn Iraqi city of Najaf, dealers said.

Oil prices up but remain below \$44


AP - No teasing with antacids, no take-it-to-the-bank boasts. Leading up to the Bengals' first Monday night game in a dozen years, Chad Johnson  #151; the gifted receiver with an affinity for the spotlight  #151; decided to keep it strictly low-watt.

Bengals' Johnson Mum Before Broncos Game (AP)


Afghanistan #39;s Taliban guerrillas reiterated on Wednesday that they had nothing to do with the kidnapping of three UN workers and said they opposed the use of women as hostages for the release of prisoners.

Taliban Says Women as Hostages Is Against Islam


Longtime instant messaging player ICQ is going the portal route with the launch of two new e-mail services for its 20 million users.

ICQ Launches Improved E-Mail Service


RELATIONS within the Australian womens eight rowing crew have hit a new low with Olympian Catriona Oliver slapping much-publicised team-mate Sally Robbins in front of onlookers at anofficial function on Wednesday night.

Australian rowers row reaches a new low


Welcome to The Show! On Tuesday night, the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox will face off in Game 3 of the World Series. While you are watching the game, stay logged onto The Show to chat with other

Chat during World Series Game 3


Zee TV today filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking quashing of BCCI #39;s decision to set aside the cricket telecast rights given to it.

Telecast rights: Zee files writ petition in SC


GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed two Palestinian  gunmen who tried to attack a Jewish settlement bloc in the Gaza  Strip Saturday, the army and militant sources said.

Israeli Troops Kill 2 Militants at Gaza Settlement


PARIS: France shed almost half of its 44 per cent stake in Air France-KLM yesterday, kicking off a wider deal that could see its remaining stake cut to below 20pc and give staff shares in return for pay cuts.

Paris cuts stake in Air France-KLM


Vox populi: Oracle (nasdaq: ORCL - news - people ) attorney Michael Carroll says the firm will abandon its legal assault on PeopleSoft #39;s (nasdaq: PSFT - news - people )  quot;poison pill quot; defenses--if investors fail to tender at least 50 of their shares by Nov

Henley: Oracle May Drop Bid If PeopleSoft Investors Nix  #39;Best #39; <b>...</b>


Sports India, Cricket: Chittagong, Dec 17 : Centuries by Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir guided India to a total of 334 for two wickets at the end of the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here Friday.

Gambhir, Dravid hit tons as India score 334 for two (Night Lead):


The planned buy is only the latest shakeup in the market for content management products.

Open Text to acquire Artesia


Description: This week, the search engine Google announced plans to digitize millions of library books and make them searchable online.

Google #39;s Plan Prompts a Question: What #39;s on the Web?


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France, the Netherlands, Finland and  Sweden are violating European Union law by favoring chips made  by Intel over rival AMD when they buy computers, the European  Commission said in formal charges filed on Wednesday.

EU Charges Four Countries Favor Intel


A car bomb ripped through a busy Baghdad market where Iraqis were gathering to join the police force Tuesday, and gunmen attacked a police van to the north, killing at least

Insurgents Target Iraqi Police; 59 Dead


The Connecticut Sun had an off game last Saturday, when they dropped the opener of their WNBA Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Washington Mystics. But the Sun came back to even the series Monday, and it was the Mystics who had the off game.

Sales, Sun surge ahead


LONDON -- Responding to a US request, Britain agreed yesterday to transfer 850 troops from relatively calm southern Iraq into a stronghold of the Iraqi insurgency near Baghdad.

Britain moving troops nearer to insurgents


Another victory escaped the clutches of the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. This one eluding them in overtime. The Philadelphia 76ers (4-1) topped

Sixers grab preseason win over Spurs


Motorola plans to bring a compromise offer to a Berlin meeting to break a standards stalemate.

Ultra wideband may get wider


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A militant group in Iraq led by al  Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi beheaded American Eugene  Armstrong and posted a video of the killing on the Internet on  Monday.

Zarqawi Group Beheads U.S. Hostage Armstrong


A case of avian influenza that killed an 11-month-old girl in Vietnam this month has alarmed health officials around the world.

Bird Flu Is Back, Raising Fear of Spread Among Humans


Michael Schumacher has never cared much about statistics and numbers, but he wouldn #39;t mind if all the right numbers came together during this weekend #39;s Belgian Grand Prix.

Schumi still looking ahead, not back


Apple Computer Inc., maker of the 50 percent market shareholder iPod music player, has announced a special edition U2 iPod for music fans.

Apple launches new U2 iPod


World number 2 Lindsay Davenport has set herself the target of taking over top spot from France #39;s Amelie Mauresmo, less than 200 points ahead in the WTA rankings, by the turn of the year and showed no mercy against Molik to reach the last eight.

Davenport eases into Filderstadt quarters


Florida A amp;M had played two other ranked teams this season and was blown out both times. Mohamed Abukar scored a career-high 22 points, and No.

No. 19 Florida 88, Florida A amp;M 51


SPACE.com - The complexity of life took \  billions of years to push and stretch and reshape the biological niche that \  is Earth. It would seem prudent  if one had the means  to save some portion \  of the blueprints of this majesty, so that the process would not have to start \  over from scratch in the event of a global cataclysm.

Noah's Cosmic Ark: Preserving DNA on the Moon (SPACE.com)


A disappointed but determined prime minister said last night he had not given up hope of reaching a lasting settlement in Northern Ireland.

Blair weary but not downhearted


November 26, 2004 - Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon Channel may already be making many a GameCube-owning Poke-fan happy, but Pokemon isn #39;t done with GameCube yet.

New Pokemon For Cube


MUMBAI State Bank of India, the nation #39;s largest lender, and its 26 state-owned rivals face a nationwide walkout on Tuesday by about one million employees who are demanding that banks double a proposed wage increase.

Indian state-owned banks brace for a strike over pay


The craft wins the \$10 million Ansari X Prize for private space travel when it reaches 100km for the second time.

SpaceShipOne repeats its feat


WINNIPEG - After more than 200 games, former Winnipegger Todd MacCulloch has decided to retire from the National Basketball Association.

Weekdays at 4:45 PM on Radio 990 in Manitoba


All top managers of embattled oil major YUKOS have fled Russia fearing that state prosecutors may order their arrest, a YUKOS source says.

YUKOS managers flee Russia


: Rookie bowler Riaz Afridi, grabbed two wickets as Pakistan made Sri Lanka struggle for runs on the first day of the second cricket Test today.

Pak #39;s second string seamers restrict Sri Lanka


Russian authorities struggled last night to explain how two passenger aircraft had apparently blown up simultaneously in midair on Tuesday night, killing all 89 people on board.

Terror mystery haunts jet disasters


The UnumProvident Corporation agreed to pay \$15 million in fines and reassess 200,000 denied claims to end investigations by attorneys general of several states

UnumProvident Accepts Penalty


IT sales account manager in England seeks compensation after winning her sex discrimination case.

Ex-manager at Oracle seeks \$679,000


BAGHDAD (CBS) Two explosions rocked Baghdad #39;s heavily fortified Green Zone in quick succession Thursday, killing five people, at least three of them Americans, according to reports.

Bombs Rock The  #39;Green Zone #39;


VAL GARDENA, Italy (Reuters) - American Bode Miller faces a  challenge to his domination of the men's World Cup when the  speed events return with three days of racing in the Dolomites.

Bode Miller Faces a Tough Challenge


Possibly launching a rival to Apple's iPod Mini, Dell is expected to unleash a number of consumer gadgets.

Dell hears consumer electronics call


Apple, which opened the virtual doors on the Canadian store late on Wednesday, is selling songs for 99 Canadian cents, which translates to about 83 US cents, 16 per cent less than those in the United States pay for their iTunes.

Want cheap iTunes? Become a Mountie


CRICKET Australia has threatened to cancel next month #39;s tour of India as tension over the television rights wrangle on the subcontinent escalates.

Tour cancel threat


Half of the Viagra tablets bought on the internet could be fakes, research suggested today. Researchers analysed samples of the impotence drug bought online using

Warning over Internet Sales of Fake Viagra


Metro Atlantas best home mortgage rates continue to hold at historic 30-year lows this week. After being grounded last week, the airlines are raising fares again to cover escalating fuel costs.

Mortgage Rates, Dell Recall


The news got worse for the Solomon Islands when it was confirmed Australia #39;s leading player Harry Kewell was passed fit to play in the second leg of the Oceania Nations Cup final.

Australian star Kewell back to face Solomons in Oceania final


Marat Safin of Russia returns a shot during second round tennis match against Alexander Peya of Austria at the St. Petersburg Open tennis tournament in St.

Mardy Fish Upset at St. Petersburg Open


Youri Djorkaeff is in talks with Blackburn, according to the Frenchman #39;s agent. The 36-year-old has been at Ewood Park discussing a move, but nothing has yet been agreed and it is understood that no medical has taken place yet.

Djorkaeff in Blackburn Talks


Jenks was the Angels #39; fifth-round pick in 2000, but he has been limited by injuries the past two seasons. Jenks was 0-2 with a 10.71 ERA in four games for Triple-A Salt Lake and Class A Rancho Cucamonga before being shut down with elbow problems.

White Sox claim Jenks off waivers, designate Villacis


Schools in the Russian town of Beslan reopened on Wednesday, two weeks after more than 1,000 people were taken hostage on the first day of term.

Beslan children return to school


AP - Ivan, Frances and Charley delivered three staggering blows to the Gulf Coast and Florida, as well as Caribbean island nations, all in just five weeks. Now here comes Jeanne, which could be lashing north Florida and Georgia by Monday. Homeowners ritualistically re-hammering the same plywood over their windows figure it can't get much worse, right?

Forecasters: More Hurricanes May Be on Way (AP)


India has offered to consider Pakistani proposals on resolving the decades-old Kashmir issue if they are made formally. Pakistan #39;s President, Pervez Musharraf, has informally floated some ideas on the future

India opens way for Kashmir negotiations


President Vladimir Putin says Russia is  quot;seriously preparing to act preventively against terrorists, quot; the Interfax news agency reported.

Russia considers terror strikes


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - TiVo Inc., maker of digital  television recorders, on Monday posted a wider quarterly net  loss, as it boosted spending to achieve a sharp increase in new  subscribers to its fee-based TV service.

TiVo Net Loss Widens; Subscribers Grow


AFP - Browsing medical sites on the Internet can bring on a condition dubbed  quot;cyberchondria quot;, in which patients diagnose themselves incorrectly and seek treatment they do not need, a British study said.

Internet health advice can bring on 'cyberchondria', study shows (AFP)


Oil prices surged nearly 6 percent on Wednesday as the US government reported a fall in heating oil stocks in the midst of the season #39;s first arctic cold blast in the Northeast.

Oil Tops \$44, Heating Supply a Concern


VIENNA -- A year ago, nonproliferation officials were jubilantly hailing the triumph of diplomacy in reining in Iran's alleged nuclear weapons ambitions. But many now fear that efforts to negotiate with Tehran have descended into a perilous diplomatic quagmire.

Anxiety increases over Iranian nuclear program


Couch, 27, has sat idle since being released Sept. 5 by the Green Bay Packers, who signed him June 14 to a one-year contract. Couch was cut June 9 by the Cleveland Browns after refusing to accept a 60 per cent pay cut.

Bears anxious to try out Couch


Former baseball National League MVP Ken Caminiti died of an accidental drug overdose, a spokeswoman for the New York City medical examiner said Monday.

Official says Caminiti died of drug overdose


BRUSSELS The European Commission opened legal cases against France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland on Wednesday, saying that it believed the four governments had been favoring Intel, the US computer chip maker, when awarding public contracts.

EU opens Intel inquiry over government deals


AP - French prosecutors summoned Continental Airlines' top two executives for questioning in the investigation of the July 2000 crash of a supersonic Air France Concorde, two lawyers said Tuesday.

Continental Top Execs Face Concorde Probe (AP)


Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Thomas Weisel Partners agreed to pay a combined \$100 million to settle charges involving conflicts of interest between research and

SEC Settles with Two More Firms


A pennant on the line, an adopted city #39;s heart in his hands, a hostile stadium and swarming opponent. Roger Clemens, and a blistering National League Championship Series, have arrived at Game 7. Barely visible

GAME 7 TONIGHT: The hidden fall classic


Some California officials are proposing that the state get out of the pension business and give state and municipal workers a 401(k) plan instead.

One State Talks About Shifting Out of Pensions


Sybase said today that it has struck a deal with IBM in which Big Blue will market and distribute Sybase #39;s Linux database management software.

IBM To Put Open-Source Sybase Datebase Software on Servers


BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Former No. 1 player Justine Henin-Hardenne ended her season Monday because of continued problems with an energy-sapping virus.

Fatigue from virus still dogging former No. 1


The votes won't be counted for another four days, but that's not stopping mathematicians, online bettors and traditional pollsters from trying to predict a Bush or Kerry victory. <FONT face=

Too Close to Call?


KPMG will pay \$10 million -- the largest payment ever by an accounting firm in a Securities and Exchange Commission action -- to settle charges of improper conduct while auditing Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. , the SEC said yesterday.

KPMG settles with regulators over Gemstar-TV Guide audits


Established star Landon Donovan and rising sensation Eddie Johnson carried the United States into the regional qualifying finals for the 2006 World Cup in emphatic fashion Wednesday night.

US drubs Panama 6-0 in Cup qualifying


THE arrival of Velimir Zajec as Portsmouth #39;s director of football was the final straw for manager Harry Redknapp, his assistant coach Jim Smith told the BBC today.

Redknapp  #39;forced out #39;


AP - Strong safety Ifeanyi Ohalete was cut by the Washington Redskins on Tuesday after starting 15 games for the team last season.

Redskins Cut Strong Safety Ohalete (AP)


update A price war is brewing in the world of Internet telephone services, as providers try to win over consumers who now have a host of options when it comes to making calls.

AT amp;T, Vonage slash Net telephony rates


The server giant failed to deliver what customers asked for, execs tell a confab crowd. But that's all changed, they promise.

Sun: We've turned over a new leaf


ABUJA : A final group of rebel field commanders arrived from the wartorn western Sudanese province of Darfur, clearing the way for the start of formal peace negotiations with the Khartoum government.

Late arrival of rebel commanders clears way for Sudanese peace <b>...</b>


London 2012 Olympic bid chairman Sebastian Coe will visit Scotland next month to discuss the benefits of helping to stage the Games with the Scottish Executive.

COE PLANS SCOTS VISIT


US troops have captured 34 Iraqis, including 10 wanted for making explosive devices to attack coalition forces, the military said Tuesday.

Troops capture 34 Iraqis; three Iraqi Guardsmen killed by roadside <b>...</b>


Reuters - Home Depot Inc. (HD.N), the world's\largest home improvement retailer, on Tuesday said quarterly\profit rose, topping estimates, as technology upgrades and\other store improvements helped boost sales.

Home Depot Quarterly Profit Rises (Reuters)


Following his dynamic season for Liverpool, breathtaking contribution at Euro 2004, and goals-laden start to his career in Spain, Michael Owen has rightly been named on the shortlist for the FIFA World Player of the Year award.

Owen  amp; Becks named on World Player short-list


AP - Defensive end N.D. Kalu will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during in Tuesday's practice.

Eagles Defensive End Kalu Out for Year (AP)


British American Tobacco Plc, the world #39;s second-largest cigarette maker, said third-quarter profit gained 60 percent as the acquisition of Italy #39;s largest tobacco company added to revenue.

British American Tobacco Quarterly Profit Rises on Acquisition


DIGITIMES SAID that S3 design wins mean that cards using its  quot;GammaChrome quot; 3D graphics accelerator will start to be sold during the fourth quarter.

S3 readying GammaChrome graphics chips


Reuters - High oil prices pose a risk to the\global economy, but the economic outlook for 2005 is still\favorable, the Group of Seven nations said in a statement\following their meeting on Friday.

G7: Oil Prices a Risk to Economic Growth (Reuters)


Because of the open nature of the Internet, there seems to be no immediate prospects that technology or law enforcement can stem the flood of online fraud.

Online fraud: We got law, but no enforcement


Merck  amp; Co. Inc. stock plummeted Thursday with the firm #39;s announcement that it is withdrawing Vioxx - its arthritis and acute pain medication - from the international market, affecting about 2 million patients worldwide.

Merck pulls Vioxx


BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana State can thank an Oregon State kicker who could not make extra points for its season-opening victory.

Shanks a lot


The future of Varig, Brazil's flagship airline, was thrown into confusion Wednesday after the country's vice president downplayed a top official's announcement that the carrier would be taken over by the government to save it from collapsing under a mountain of debt.

Varig Future in Doubt Amid Takeover Talks


Reuters - Shares of Google Inc. (GOOG.O) rose 15\percent to  #36;98 in the first minutes of their Nasdaq stock\market debut on Thursday after the year's most anticipated\initial public offering priced far below initial estimates.

Google Rises in Market Debut (Reuters)


BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- China Unicom announced Wednesday that it has severed ties with 45 Internet service providers (ISP) involved in the use of cell phones in pornographic business in the past month.

China Unicom cuts ties with 45 ISPs to curb web porn


Three beheaded bodies are found on a road north of Baghdad, US and Iraqi sources say.

Decapitated bodies found in Iraq


The United States has stepped up its diplomatic response to Indonesia #39;s arrest of five executives of the American mining company Newmont for alleged pollution in the province of Sulawesi.

US pressures Indonesian over mine pollution arrests


The lawyers who are defending Slobodan Milosevic have asked to be relieved of their duties, creating new hurdles for the troubled and drawn-out war crimes trial in The Hague.

Milosevic #39;s Lawyers Ask to Be Taken Off War Crimes Case


com. What more could the young left-hander do? He had just found out that his 2004 season might be over because of a left hamstring strain.

CC #39;s season likely over


St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen underwent successful left hip surgery on Monday. Isringhausen is expected to be at full strength in six-to-eight weeks and ready for the start of spring training.

Cardinals #39; Isringhausen has surgery


Reuters - Options traders have been\building bullish positions in PeopleSoft Inc.  (PSFT.O) as\investors bet a federal judge will approve Oracle Corp.'s\hostile takeover bid of the business software maker, traders\said on Monday.

Traders Bet on Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid (Reuters)


Airbus parent EADS posted higher-than-expected nine-month earnings on Thursday driven by a strong performance in commercial aircraft and raised its 2004 targets.

Airbus parent EADS beats forecasts


The company managing Rio Tinto iron ore #39;s rail lines in the Pilbara, in north-west Western Australia, says equipment failure rather than human error is to blame for a major derailment last week.

Rail defect likely case of Pilbara derailment


AP - Google Inc. is improving on the discussions its popular Web site hosts, hoping the upgrades will spur more online banter and make its market-leading search engine a richer destination.

Google Enhances Discussion Groups (AP)


Yukos' main shareholder files a legal complaint to prevent Russia selling off the embattled oil giant's key unit,  reports say.

Menatep acts to bloc Yukos sale


AP - In what could become a model for other states, Nevada voters on Tuesday became the first in the nation to cast ballots in a statewide election on computers that printed paper records of electronic ballots.

Nev. 1st Touch-Screen, Paper-Trail Voters (AP)


LONDON - With little fanfare Google has launched a new book search service at the Frankfurt Book Fair, which will allow surfers to find book extracts displayed alongside their normal searches.

Google goes up against Amazon with book search facility


Federal prosecutors and the S.E.C. are investigating Merck in connection with its recalled pain reliever, Vioxx.

Justice Dept. and S.E.C. Investigating Merck Drug


Clinton Portis was fined \$5,000 by the NFL for wearing a pair of red socks last week, violating the league's uniform rules.

Portis Fined for Socks


Crude oil for delivery next month settled at \$46.05 a barrel, down 53 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange after briefly trading at a new high of \$46.91 early in the day.

Oil Prices Retreat From a Record High After Chvez Victory


Colombia arrests a series of right-wing paramilitaries as the peace process enters a delicate phase.

Colombia arrests paramilitaries


Reuters - Glenn McGrath finished with four wickets as Australia quashed Indian hopes of a fightback by establishing a big first-innings lead in the first test on Friday.

Australia turn the screw against India (Reuters)


JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - Israeli troops and aircraft hit hard at Palestinian militants Saturday, killing at least 10 on the third bloody day of a massive Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip's largest refugee camp, as masked Hamas gunmen vowed more rocket attacks on Israeli towns.    About 2,000 soldiers have taken control of a 5-mile-deep chunk of northern Gaza to counter militants firing homemade rockets into Israel...

Hamas Gunmen Vow More Attacks on Israel


One police officer was shot dead as UN peacekeepers and Haitian riot police took over a holdout of militants loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Peacekeepers, Haitian police take over militant holdout


Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. LOS ANGELES, California, United States of America -- Hollywood #39;s new studio czar Dan Glickman vowed on Monday

Attacking piracy top priority of new Hollywood lobbyist


WASHINGTON US economic growth will slow to 3.5 percent in 2005, but still generate average monthly job gains of about 175,000, the Bush administration predicted Friday in a rosy annual forecast that promised solid growth, low inflation and falling

Bush team sees growth easing in  #39;05


Delta Air Lines (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it was revising its last annual report to reflect its worsening financial condition and to include the possibility of filing for bankruptcy protection.

Delta says revising annual report


BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission plans to  announce a formal proposal settling the long-running Coca-Cola  antitrust case later on Tuesday, a source close to the  situation said.

Source: EU-Coke Antitrust Deal in Works


NEW YORK Since two days before the US Open began, when Serena Williams wore a jean miniskirt for an exhibition match, she has been the talk of the tournament.

US Open Tennis: Williams gets apology for bad calls


A Palestinian suicide bomber blows herself up in Jerusalem, killing at least one other person.

Suicide bomber strikes Jerusalem


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Expectations that U.S. Treasury  Secretary John Snow would survive President Bush's Cabinet  make-over for at least six months are rapidly yielding to a  belief he may make a hastier exit, people close to the Bush  administration said on Thursday.

Speculation Grows on Early Exit by Snow


Keeping up with newly issued patents for search-related technology can help you spot emerging trends and potentially new competitors to the existing major web search players.

New Search Related Patents


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli and Palestinian officials are  trying to work out a deal to end Israel's biggest Gaza  offensive in four years of conflict in return for stopping  rocket fire into the Jewish state, security sources said.

Israel, Palestinians Seek Deal to End Gaza Fighting


On Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots will be going for their 19th consecutive victory.

In New England, It's Play, Win, Repeat


The greatest center in Miami history isn #39;t sure that adding Shaquille O #39;Neal to the Heat lineup this season makes them a sure thing for the NBA Finals.

Heat rout short-handed Nets in Shaq #39;s debut


The unique-looking Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1 (\$600 street) is a 5.1-megapixel digital camera with some interesting video capabilities.

A New Sony Cyber-shot


China-based Johnson Electric announced that it has acquired 51 of Israeli start-up Nanomotion for \$20 million in cash. Nanomotion develops and manufactures motors with the ability to achieve precise positioning

Johnson Electric Acquires Majority Stake In Nanomotion


Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo met yesterday morning with football coach Tom O'Brien, who returned to campus after an out-of-town meeting Wednesday with officials from the University of Washington about their head coaching vacancy. While neither party elaborated on what was discussed, all indications were that O'Brien informed DeFilippo that if the Washington job were offered to him, he ...

O'Brien awaits offer


AFP - Celtic crashed to their first ever Champions League defeat at Parkhead when they went down 3-1 to Spanish giants Barcelona in their Group F tie.

Celtic crash to first ever home Champions League defeat (AFP)


teve Coll, the managing editor of The Washington Post for the last six years and the apparent front-runner to succeed the newspaper #39;s top editor, announced abruptly yesterday that he would

Washington Post #39;s Managing Editor to Quit So He Can Write


An unmanned NASA jet that set a speed record of almost 7,000 miles per hour was built by a Tennessee company. The 12-foot-long X-43-A supersonic combustion ramjet, or Scramjet, flew on its

Historic Hypersonic Flight for NASA  #39;Scramjet #39; Made in Tennessee


Reuters - Oil prices rebounded to  #36;54 a barrel\on Thursday ahead of U.S. inventory data expected to show tight\heating fuel stocks ahead of winter.

Oil Firm Near  #36;54 on Heating Fuel Worries (Reuters)


Company says software giant excluded app from market, but Microsoft says Novell's mismanagement caused WordPerfect to lose favor with consumers. \

Novell sues Microsoft for sinking WordPerfect


ATHENS, Greece - Gail Devers failed once again in the Olympic 100-meter hurdles, falling to injury just steps into her first heat. Devers, 37, who has three world championships in the event, pulled up short and screamed as she slid under the first hurdle Sunday...

Leg Injury Knocks Devers Out of Hurdles


A Scottish university project is trying to persuade art students to consider a career in the games industry.

Tempting art students into gaming


A man accused of involvement in a bombing in Pakistan has been arrested by police. Naveedul Hasan, suspected of taking part in a bomb blast in front of the US Consulate in Karachi

Pakistan cracks down terrorism


Michael Weisman, producer of some of the biggest games in sports, has become the executive producer of

Trip to Olympics or Feel-Good Talk? The Answer Was a Surprise to Many


Free agent Armando Benitez and the San Francisco Giants agreed to a three-year contract yesterday, a move that stabilizes the club #39;s closer role that #39;s been in flux since Robb Nen got injured two years ago.

Giants ink Benitez to three-year deal


AP - Trent Green connected with Eddie Kennison on Kansas City's longest pass play of the season and the Chiefs took a 10-7 first-quarter lead over New England on Monday night.

Chiefs Lead Pats 10-7 After One Quarter (AP)


Anthem and Wellpoint Health Networks finally won approval from John Garamen, Californias insurance commissioner, to create the nation's largest health insurer.

California Backs Merger of 2 Giant Blue Cross Plans


Crude oil rose for a fourth day in New York after OAO Yukos Oil Co. said it will halt shipments to China #39;s biggest oil company because its bank accounts have been frozen in a tax dispute with the Russian government.

Oil Rises for Fourth Day as Yukos May Reduce Exports to China


Suppose you threw a party and no-one came? Intel has put the streamers out, the sandwiches have had the crusts cut off and the punch bowl is full.

Intel #39;s running out of Itanium options


For days, Omar Minaya was hedging and bluffing, trying to carefully hide his intentions. Finally, he just threw his cards on the table and came up with an ace.

Pedro set to sign with Mets


The Cuban authorities on Tuesday freed the dissident writer Ral Rivero, the best known of a dozen political prisoners released during the past few days in a

Cuba Releases Dissident Writer Imprisoned in 2003 Crackdown


Teams led by BAE Systems and Northrup Grumman were chosen Wednesday to build and test prototypes for anti-missile systems to defend US commercial planes against shoulder-fired rockets.

Firms chosen to build anti-missile defense


PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia -- Former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will not be making a swift return to politics after the country #39;s Federal Court Wednesday upheld a 1998 corruption conviction against him.

Court upholds Anwar political ban


The monarch of oil-rich Brunei reopened the tiny country #39;s parliament for the first time in 20 years on Saturday, but made no mention of elections and warned his subjects not to get carried away.

Brunei Parliament Reopens, But No Talk of Election


BOSTON - The semiconductor industry remains on track to record a significant increase in revenue during 2004, according to Gartner Inc.'s latest forecast for the year released Tuesday. After that, however, the outlook takes a turn for the worse.

Gartner: '04 chip revenue growth strong, '05 weaker


Joe Paterno points to the four freshman he has played this season as proof of his willingness to do so. Jim Tressel, meanwhile, has had less choice.

Nittany Lions face Buckeyes team with its own share of troubles


AP - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays stopped the second-longest losing streak in team history at 12 games, rallying past the Kansas City Royals 8-6 Saturday night behind Julio Lugo.

Rays Beat Royals 12-6 After 12 Losses (AP)


BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Germany #39;s defense minister expressed regret Tuesday about US plans to restructure its forces abroad -- changes expected to hit Germany the hardest with the pullout of two heavy divisions. Japan and Australia embraced the changes.

US troops move gets muted response


MOSCOW, Dec 3 (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi arrives Monday in Moscow for the first time since taking office six months ago with hopes of soothing tensions over Russia #39;s opposition to the US-led war in his ravaged nation.

Iraq #39;s Allawi due in Russia for oil, debt talks


Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann has been surprised at the amount of criticism his recent decisions have provoked. Klinsmann was called a  quot;cold-blooded killer quot; by

Germany coach Klinsmann surprised at criticism


ATHENS - An earthquake rattled Athens on Tuesday, including the Olympic venues in the Greek capital. The Athens Geodynamic Institute said that there was a tremor, but few other details were known, such as the magnitude or epicentre of the quake.

Tremor shakes Athens, no damage


TUSCALOOSA - Alabama head coach Mike Shula received a heavy dose of criticism earlier this season for choosing to punt on fourth-and-short in a loss to Arkansas.

Alabama Notebook


The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has rejected a request by FIG, the international gymnastics federation, to deliver a letter to all-around champion Paul

USOC upset over FIG #39;s attempt to pressure Hamm


PC World - The one-time World Class Product of the Year PDA gets a much-needed upgrade.

First Look: Danger Sidekick II (PC World)


While Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat lingers in a coma, the world contemplates what his death will mean to the Middle East #39;s future.

ECU professors: Arafat #39;s death unlikely to bring major change


Suffolk Downs must apply to the state commission for 2005 racing dates by Oct. 1, and management intends to seek a schedule similar to this year's, with some modifications.

Suffolk plans to lighten load


afrol News, 20 September - Roman Catholic priest Athanase Seromba is accused of the worst imaginable crimes during the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

Genocide priest on trial at Rwanda court


Inter Milan beat Anderlecht 3-1 away to open a three-point lead in Champions League Group G on Wednesday. Obafemi Martins put Inter ahead in the ninth minute when he turned in a low left cross from fellow striker Adriano.

Inter crushes Anderlecht, leads group by three points


MONTE CARLO, November 23 (Champions League) - A controversial Javier Saviola goal left Liverpool #39;s hopes of a place in the Champions League second round hanging by a thread as Monaco claimed all three points in the Principality.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE


A leading Venezuelan prosecutor investigating the 2002 coup attempt against President Hugo Chavez has been killed in a car bomb attack in Caracas, raising fears of renewed unrest in the country.

Prosecutor in Chavez coup inquiry is murdered


Defensive end Shaun Ellis and the New York Jets are  quot;real, real close quot; to an agreement on a contract extension. Ellis said Sunday that as far as he knew, there was no final agreement.

Ellis says contract extension very, very close #39; #39;


On 28 October 2004, the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check 21) takes effect in the United States. This legislation creates a new legal instrument called the substitute check - defined as  quot;a paper

Check 21 Places Demands on Banks #39; Customer Relations, Too


An explosion rocked the Hilton Hotel in Egypt #39;s Red Sea resort of Taba Thursday night, killing at least 35 people and injuring more than 160 others, Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite TV channel reported.

Explosions rock Red Sea resorts in Egypt


A single gene could be responsible for determining how easily people become addicted to smoking, according to a report published today.

Hope for the hooked after scientists find nicotine gene


When President Bush walked into Halifax #39;s Pier 21 on Wednesday, the stage was literally set for him to usher in a new era of partnership

Reaching out, Bush hews to stance


Summary - (Dec 15, 2004) Just days after completing its second flyby of Titan, Saturn #39;s largest moon, Cassini proceeded on to its next target: Dione, Saturn #39;s 4th largest moon.

Cassini #39;s First Flyby of Dione


World War II tanks rumbled through Paris on Wednesday and thousands of Parisians danced in the streets to re-enact the arrival of French and US forces 60 years ago to liberate

Paris Fetes 1944 Liberation from Nazi Occupation


In an unusual deal with the nation's most powerful public pension fund, Putnam Investments yesterday pledged new disclosures and other protections intended to win back the trust -- and business -- of investors who fled the beleaguered firm after its market-timing fraud case last year.

Putnam cuts deal with big investor


MANCHESTER, UK - As reported by This is London:  quot;Manchester United has revived plans to build a casino next to its Old Trafford ground.

United Plans the Next Big Gamble


Sun, an early leader in support of RFID, announced today the creation of a retail compliance test center that will simulate a Wal-Mart distribution center in order to evaluate RFID tag compliance for vendors.

Sun unveils mock Wal-Mart distribution center


Google has launched a beta test version of a text service that allows people to use mobile phones to search the Web via text messages.

SMS Google to Search


NASA mission controllers decided to delay the flight of their supersonic X-43A aircraft until Tuesday after instrument trouble caused them to miss their planned Monday launch.

NASA Delays Mach 10 Flight


Philippine shares ended marginally higher Wednesday on a technical recovery, successfully shrugging off a sluggish performance at the start of the session caused by a sell-off in Metro Pacific shares, traders said.

Philippine Shares End Higher


LONDON: If you thought that your little chit chats on your mobile phones are safe from eavesdropping, think again, as security experts have revealed that the new generation of mobile phones are highly vulnerable to hackers.

Who #39;s eavesdropping on your cell?


TORONTO (CP) - The Royal Bank of Canada is streamlining its operations and appointing a new chief operating officer - TSX CEO Barbara Stymiest - and a new chief financial officer, two weeks after Canada #39;s biggest bank reported lower quarterly profits

RBC to reorganizes with appointment of Stymiest, streamlining of <b>...</b>


Howard Schmidt, chief security officer at eBay and a former White House cybersecurity adviser, has been named chairman of the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Howard Schmidt to lead U.S. CERT


The government calls it  quot;Operation Web Snare quot;, catching criminals who do business online. They #39;ve been working since June and today announced dozens of arrests for crimes that cost victims millions of dollars.

Bush Administration Cracks Down on Internet-Related Crimes


AFP - Thousands of grieving people and top politicians attended a grim funeral service held to bury some 160 Congolese Tutsis slaughtered in a refugee camp in Burundi.

Grim funeral service held for Burundi massacre victims (AFP)


Juniper Networks lands two top Cisco Systems executives to lead a newly developed channel program.

Juniper poaches Cisco execs


Elephants on parade, bulls on the beach, bears on the bench. It #39;s going to be quite a week on Wall Street. Although how many Wall Streeters will be around is up in the air.

Elephants, bulls and bears, oh my!


AP - Both quarterbacks have strong arms, quick feet and plenty of wins on their resumes. One other thing Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper have in common: They're the only two of the five heralded quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 1999 draft still in the NFL.

McNabb, Culpepper to Square Off Monday (AP)


Imprisoned homemaking mogul Martha Stewart has asked the company she founded, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., to reimburse her for \$3.

Stewart Seeks Reimbursement From Own Co.


CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- The dollar declined Tuesday following a Commerce Department report that showed a broad US measure of trade and investment flows swelled to a record deficit in the second quarter.

Q2 #39;s current-account deficit widens to record \$166.2 bln


Yelena Isinbayeva beat her own world record to clinch the Olympic women #39;s pole vault gold on Tuesday coming one step closer to matching the performances of her idol, Sergei Bubka.

Isinbayeva aims to be female Bubka


China says 58 percent of computer networks in the country #39;s offices have fallen victim to Internet security problems this year.

China: Most Office Computers Hit By Internet Security Problems


Microsoft jumped into the disk-based backup and recovery market Monday with the announcement of the Microsoft Data Protection Server (DPS), a low-cost, continuous, disk-based backup and recovery system. More than 20 storage industry partners announced support for the new software-based product, which is scheduled for release in the second quarter of next year.

Microsoft adds disk backup support


Who needs postcards? Use high-tech ways to stay in touch while you're traveling.

Blogging Across America


Reuters - Russia plans its first laws to crack\down on industrial polluters next year, and will force\offending companies to invest in clean technology rather than\pay fines, the natural resources minister said Friday.

Russia Plans Laws Against Polluting Industry in 05 (Reuters)


Reuters - Tokyo's Nikkei share average was up 0.56\percent in early morning trade on Tuesday as another jump in\U.S. technology shares encouraged investors to step up buying\in local counterparts such as Advantest Corp.

Nikkei Opens Higher Led by Tech Stocks (Reuters)


The nation #39;s largest public pension fund fired its president Wednesday following a tumultuous year in which he became an outspoken advocate for reform in the board rooms of corporate America.

Update 2: CalPERS Ousts Harrigan As Its President


Not many questions were answered last night at Razor Blade Field but one question, at least, was obvious. Who were those guys?

File this one as a missing persons report


SEOUL (AFX) - LG Electronics Inc said it has developed what it claims to be the world #39;s first mobile handset capable of receiving terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasts (DMB), setting the ground to lead a new multimedia mobile handset market combining

SKorea #39;s LG Elec develops mobile phones capable of receiving media <b>...</b>


SunGard, which provides software and services to top financial companies, will spin off its disaster data recovery business into a separate publicly traded company through a tax-free distribution of shares, according to executives.

SunGard to spin off disaster unit


update Computers Associates International is facing arraignment in federal court Wednesday on criminal charges stemming from a two-year investigation into the software company #39;s accounting practices.

CA to face arraignment in probe


GAZA (Reuters) - A smuggling tunnel being dug by  Palestinians on the Gaza-Egypt border collapsed on Friday and  at least five people were trapped inside, witnesses in the Gaza  frontier town of Rafah said.

Gaza Smuggling Tunnel Collapses, Trapping 5


REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- iPass Inc. today announced new monthly and annual flat-rate subscription plans for use of the Company #39;s US Wi-Fi connectivity.

iPass Introduces New Flat-Rate Pricing Plans for US Wi-Fi Hotspot <b>...</b>


AP - United States team captain Claudio Reyna will probably miss the next two World Cup qualifiers because of an injured left quadriceps.

Soccer: U.S. Captain Reyna Injured (AP)


IT departments at a several universities issued warnings about problems caused by the Marketscore software which promises to speed up Web browsing.

Universities grapple with SSL-busting spyware


As the Federal Reserve moves to raise short-term interest rates once again, flags are being raised about the impact on housing prices.

House prices and the Fed


New Zealand beat Bangladesh by thre wickets in Dhaka despite figures of 5-31 by Aftab Ahmed.

Cricket: NZ clinch one-day series


Museum Towers, a six-year-old luxury high-rise apartment complex overlooking the Charles River in East Cambridge, sold this week for what is believed to be a record per-unit price in Greater Boston, and will be converted to condominiums ranging from \$350,000 to \$750,000.

Museum Towers sells for \$145.7m


Former US Open champion Corey Pavin finished third Sunday in the inaugural Vietnam Masters, which was won by Angelo Que of the Philippines.

Pavin third in Vietnam Masters


SOUTHAMPTON, England (CMC) - Only 32 overs were possible in the ICC Champions Trophy limited-overs cricket match between England and Sri Lanka yesterday because of rain.

Rain forces England, Sri Lanka into a second day


BAGHDAD : Two Americans and a Briton were kidnapped from their smart Baghdad home, as the two main powers behind last year #39;s invasion became the latest victims of a five-month-old hostage crisis.

Briton, two Americans kidnapped as Iraq hostage crisis escalates


Truck maker Navistar International Corp. on Monday delayed its quarterly earnings report because of an anticipated restatement, although the company said the restatement was not expected to be material and gave an encouraging forecast.

Truck maker delays report


Miller Park fans seemed far more disappointed Wednesday night at missing a chance to witness history than seeing the San Francisco Giants embarrass their Milwaukee Brewers.

Bonds still on hold for 700 Club


Clinton Portis asserts that his problems Sunday were partially attributable to the Browns defense calling out Washington's plays before the team could run them.

Running Game Stalled


Financial markets had a very tough month, characterised both low trading volumes and fears that the global economic recovery has slowed down.

July market commentary


A decision on whether to suspend the European Commission's anticompetition sanctions against Microsoft pending appeal is expected to come in the first half of next week, according to a source close to the company.

Court to rule on stay of EU sanctions against Microsoft


Plus: Time Warner net income slips...Cell phone unit shores up Verizon...Gateway trims loss in third quarter...EDS delays earnings.

Earnings alert: Write-downs widen DirecTV's loss


Votes, Bits Bytes Meetup founder puts Pugs against Repubs

In net politics, it's God vs Dog


BERLIN In a surprise announcement, Poland said Monday that it would withdraw its troops from Iraq by the end of 2005, leaving the US-led multinational forces the task of finding replacements to fill a crucial security role in south-central Iraq.

Poland sets pullout from Iraq in 2005


A massive car bomb demolished a streetside market near a police recruiting station in the Iraqi capital yesterday, killing 47 persons and wounding at least 88 -ost of them aspiring officers.

Suicide bomber kills 47 in Baghdad


Ah, the sweet smell of success: Maria Sharapova #39;s Wimbledon title helped her land an endorsement deal for a perfume that will bear her name.

Sharapova signs deal with fragrance company


The beleaguered drug giant #39;s lowered forecast isn #39;t as bad as Wall Street expected. But investors still await the long-term prognosis.

Merck Gets a Breather -- for Now


The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number, the organization named by the US government in 1998 to oversee policies over Internet addresses, gave a preliminary nod Monday to domain names targeting mobile services and the jobs

Two Internet domain names get preliminary approval


No current figures exist for how much e-junk is recycled, but industry experts believe it's a sliver of the total. People don't know where to take their used electronics, and toxic components are a mounting problem.

Who's Recycling Techno Trash?


New Zealand #39;s High Court on Monday rejected a proposed alliance between the country #39;s flag carrier and Australian rival airline Qantas.

Court rejects planned Air New Zealand-Qantas alliance


If you thought nobody could get more spam than you, think of Bill Gates. The chairman of Microsoft (MSFT) gets 4 million pieces of e-mail a day, most of it junk, says Steve Ballmer, Microsoft #39;s chief executive.

Got mail? You bet: Bill Gates gets millions of spam e-mails


Canadian Press - ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - Newfoundland is on the brink of an offshore revenue deal with Ottawa that could see the country's poorest province end its dependence on equalization payments in as little as three years, says Premier Danny Williams.

Deal on offshore revenue for Nfld. and N.S. could come next week (Canadian Press)


United States Steel Corp. saw profits rise in the third quarter, thanks to both strong demand and cost cuts. Pittsburgh-based US Steel on Tuesday reported third-quarter net income of \$354 million, or \$2.

US Steel reports \$354M profit


The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) yesterday offered an optimistic assessment of prospects for the world #39;s leading industrialised economies.

OECD lifts forecast for First World economies


No one will pitch Game 6 of the National League Championship Series while wearing a special knee-high boot, an industrial-strength ankle brace or a hard-to-scrub Thanksgiving turkey gravy stain.

One game, two sorts of must-win situations


WYSIWYG is dead; long live WYSIWYM - What You See Is What You Mean!    Well, perhaps that's an exaggeration.  WYSIWYG seemed like a great idea last century ;-).  With all the latest display and print technology, one could craft a document on screen and see it how it would be printed.  The WYSIWYG paradigm has become so entrenched in UI design it's almost taken for granted by users and developers.

Lyx - WYSIWYM Document Processing


MORDECHAI VANUNU, the former technician who exposed Israels secret nuclear weapons programme, was detained by Israeli police for several hours yesterday, seven months after completing an 18-year prison sentence for treason.

Israelis seize Vanunu inside cathedral


TEL AVIV, Israel - Police detained two bodyguards of pop star Madonna on Friday after a brawl with photographers waiting for the singer outside her Tel Aviv hotel.    Two of the photographers and a policeman who tried to break up the fight were injured, said police spokeswoman Liat Pearl...

Israeli Cops Arrest 2 Madonna Bodyguards


Leaders at a summit in Burkina Faso of mostly French-speaking nations have condemned authorities in divided Ivory Coast for resuming hostilities in the rebel-held north earlier this month.

Summit of French-Speaking Countries Condemns Ivory Coast


JACKSONVILLE - University of Florida football players went to Alltel Stadium on Saturday to win one for their coach. Florida #39;s 31-24 loss to 10th- ranked Georgia featured everything the Gators #39; frustrated

No Going-Away Party


MARIETTA, Ga. - About 800 friends and family members gathered Saturday to remember Jack Hensley, who was executed by terrorists in Iraq after his Sept...

Friends Remember American Slain in Iraq


WASHINGTON - China Netcom, the only unlisted company among China #39;s four big telecoms operators, filed on Friday with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to raise as much as US\$1.

IPO plans from China #39;s sole unlisted telecom


Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe #39;s opposition and the strongest ever challenger to the 24-year rule of President Robert Mugabe, was found not guilty of treason by the country #39;s High Court.

Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Found Innocent of Treason (Update5)


AFP - Australian business confidence about the near future fell slightly in October after a surge in September but views on current conditions registered a strong jump, a key survey showed.

Australian business confidence falls in October but still good: survey (AFP)


Supermarkets group J Sainsbury faces fresh takeover speculation today after it emerged that dealmaker George Magan might try to raise financing for an offer.

Magan scans Sainsbury #39;s


TORONTO (CP) - With an injured Vince Carter on the bench, the Toronto Raptors dropped their sixth straight game Friday, 101-87 to the Denver Nuggets.

Nuggets add to Raptors woes


Striding purposefully but with his head down, Ryan Cushing, the Huntington teenager accused of throwing a turkey that severely injured a passing driver last month, was

Teenager Answers Charges in Turkey-Throwing Case


Big game hunters may be off the hook in the latest twist of a prehistoric whodunit that tries to explain why bison populations sharply crashed thousands of years ago.

Study: Hunters off hook for bison population crash


Ziff Davis - Sun's plans to offer Solaris code to the open-source community leaves some analysts scratching their heads.

Analysts Question Sun's Open-Source Solaris Plans (Ziff Davis)


U.S. agents next week will start scanning trucks crossing the Mexico border with a device that shoots neutrons to detect what exactly is hidden in the cargo. By Ryan Singel.

New Nukes at U.S. Border


He had come this far, from high school senior to Michigan #39;s starting quarterback in the blink of a few months, sheesh, what was another 87 yards to validation?

Henne displays true leadership under pressure in winning drive


SEPTEMBER 02, 2004 (REUTERS) - Nortel Networks Corp. said today it will again delay filing its financial results, predicting the reports for 2003 and the first half of 2004 won #39;t be out until the end of October.

Nortel again delays filing financial results


UKRAINE VOTES: Near complete results from Sunday #39;s presidential election show Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych with 40 percent support and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with 39 percent.

Summary: Yanukovych leads Ukraine election


Firefox 1.0- Mozilla Foundation #39;s first product aimed at users looking for an alternate browser, has met with an overwhelming response from users worldwide.

Peak Downloads For Firefox Slows Mozilla Site


Dell Inc. is expected to add a splash of color to its laser printer lineup Wednesday with three new models for businesses and home-office users.

Dell to introduce its first color laser printers


An Internet statement purportedly by a group which claimed to have kidnapped two Italian aid workers in Iraq said Wednesday it had killed the women.

Group claims to kill Italian hostages in Iraq, but on Web site not <b>...</b>


quot;I have decided to announce my decision to retire from international rugby with England with immediate effect, quot; he told a news conference at Twickenham on Tuesday.

Rugby-Dallaglio calls time on international career


THE Dutch Government said last night that it was investigating a radical Muslim group with suspected links to the man accused of killing the film-maker Theo van Gogh and to bombings in Casablanca last year.

Dutch investigate Muslim militants


Dell has announced three new Axim Windows Mobile Pocket PC, dubbed the Dell Axim X50 series. The Axim X50v features a 3.7-inch VGA screen, with a 624MHz CPU, 64MB SD RAM, 128MB flash ROM, wireless LAN and Bluetooth.

Dell announces its new line of Pocket PC and upgrade for Axim X30


BAGHDAD - A massive car bomb exploded today on the outskirts of Falluja, killing seven US marines and wounding several others in the deadliest attack on Americans since May.

Bloody day for US in Iraq


Recent warming considered by defense establishment as event of significant strategic importance. PM associate: It sounds too good to be true.

Significant thaw in Israeli-Egyptian relations


Britain's National Health Service bought 5,000 licenses for Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Java Desktop System as an alternative to Windows, in a move that could open the door for greater use of the open-source software by the health agency.

U.K.'s NHS licenses Sun's Java Desktop System


\Australian PM John Howard will focus on beating terrorism and economic reforms, as he begins his fourth term.

Howard states fourth term agenda


ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in August kept Wired  amp; Wireless on top for the 18th month in a row. Airespace, a Silicon Valley start-up that sells telecommunications gear, has won a partnership with IBM

Airespace wins IBM deal for Wi-Fi service


Computer-security experts, including\former government officials, urged the Bush administration on\Tuesday to devote more effort to strengthening defenses against\viruses, hackers and other online threats. <FONT face=

Experts Push for More Computer Security Efforts


By request from the United States, British authorities shut down 20 independent media Web sites without explanation, The Guardian reported Monday.

US shuts down British media Web sites


In a future with millions of users and devices taxing the Net, Intel-based servers will help out.

Intel Keeps Its Eye on the Internet


Shares of InPhonic Inc., a Washington reseller of wireless service and telephones over the Internet, rose 26 percent Tuesday on their first day of trading..
<FONT face=

InPhonic Shares Gain During Debut


SoTuA writes  quot;Few months after SP2 hit windowsupdate.com, Finjan Software reports that security flaws have been found in WinXP SP2, including malicous code execution without user intervention.

Security Vulnerabilities Discovered in WinXP SP2


Two veteran astronauts are enjoying their last week on Earth before rocketing into space for a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Next Space Station Crew Ready for Flight


Iraq is stepping up efforts to improve relations with neighbouring Iran, which has been highly critical of the military action against Shiite militias in Iraq.

Iraq seeks to mend relations with Iran


AP - Sen. John Kerry's doctors have told him he is cured of the prostate cancer that sidelined him almost two years ago and that there is a slim chance it could recur in the next decade, The New York Times said Sunday in a report based on interviews with the Democratic presidential nominee and several of his physicians.

Report: Kerry Cured of Prostate Cancer (AP)


PLEASANTON, California The board of directors of PeopleSoft has rejected Oracle #39;s \$9.2 billion takeover bid, continuing its resistance a day after the company #39;s own shareholders tendered more than 60 percent of stock to Oracle.

PeopleSoft board rejects bid


Thomson Financial, a unit of financial information provider Thomson Corp., said it received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission for documents related to its capital markets business.

Thomson Financial Receives a Subpoena From SEC (Update1)


HOUSTON, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NBL) and Patina Oil  amp; Gas Corporation (NYSE:POG) today announced that their boards of directors approved Noble Energy #39;s strategic acquisition

Noble Energy Expands Into Rockies and Mid-Continent With \$3.4 <b>...</b>


Barry Bonds broke his major league record for walks in a season and rookie Noah Lowry allowed four hits in seven innings plus last night in the San Francisco Giants

Bonds walks to new mark


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Barry Bonds continued his assault on Major League Baseball #39;s record book Monday, winning his fourth consecutive National League most valuable player award and seventh overall.

Bonds named NL MVP


AFP - A junior British minister said that people living in camps after fleeing their villages because of conflict in Sudan's Darfur region lived in fear of leaving their temporary homes despite a greater presence now of aid workers.

Fear keeps Darfur people in camps or town, says UK minister (AFP)


KILKENNY, Ireland - The much-anticipated duel between the top two players in the world will have to wait another week. Vijay Singh, who took over the No.

Singh withdraws from World Golf Championships-American Express <b>...</b>


Nike Inc. on Thursday said its second-quarter earnings rose a surprisingly large 46 percent on strong sales in the United States and in emerging markets like China

Nike #39;s 2nd-Quarter Earnings Jump


The US economy added 337,000 now jobs in October, a seven-month high and much higher than Wall Street expectations.

US adds more jobs than expected


Bangalore, India - India #39;s cricket selectors on Friday picked star batsman Sachin Tendulkar in the squad for the opening match of the Test series against Australia, hoping he will recover from an elbow injury in the next four days.

Tendulkar to play in first Test


Documentary filmmaker and host Greg Palmer takes your questions about the PBS documentary,

PBS: The Video Game Revolution


IBM has launched its new data storage systems which it says are aimed at  quot;aggressively competing quot; with rival storage management provider EMC #39;s products.

IBM #39;s new storage systems take on EMC


IRAQS national election campaign kicked off yesterday with angry accusations that Iran was masterminding the continuing insurgency in an effort to undermine democracy and bring about clerical rule.

Iraqi minister accuses Iran of orchestrating insurgency to <b>...</b>


The government of Buenos Aires, the richest province of Argentina, says it wants to seize the safety deposit boxes of 35,000 alleged tax debtors.

Argentina to tackle tax 'evaders'


Sun President Jonathan Schwartz has a pre-Halloween case of the creeps--and for good reason.

Things that go bump on the Net


NOVAR, the UK conglomerate, is recommending that its shareholders accept an 800 million cash bid from Honeywell International, the aerospace to transport multinational.

Novar keen to accept 800m bid from Honeywell


Developing versions of the Windows operating system with only a subset of the code base would mark a major technical shift for Microsoft and could help it to better address the threat posed by Linux.

Microsoft eyes smaller code base for Longhorn


AP - Moe Norman, the eccentric Canadian golf star whose amazingly accurate swing dazzled tour stars for many years, died Saturday. He was 75.

Canadian Golf Star Moe Norman, 75, Dies (AP)


Facing new violence and harsh criticism, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has promised to set up an independent commission to investigate the deaths in southern Thailand of 85 accused Muslim rioters, including 78 who died in military detention.

Thailand Commission to Investigate Muslim Deaths


After months of flirting, IBM Corp has finally joined the industry-backed Liberty Alliance Project, potentially speeding interoperability between two rival sets of Web services specifications for federated identity.

IBM #39;s Liberty membership closing identity gap


The UN children #39;s agency has come under fire from critics who say it has prioritized children #39;s  quot;rights quot; over their survival.

UN Agency Accused of Putting Children #39;s  #39;Rights #39; Above Their <b>...</b>


Goal is to assist moms and dads in buying family-friendly entertainment for their kids. Video games are a popular item on the Christmas wish lists of kids, which

Video Game Report Card Helps Parents


A federal judge dismissed an antitrust complaint against a key Internet oversight group brought by a company that controls directories for guiding Internet users worldwide.

Court Tosses VeriSign Suit Vs. Overseers


Wolverine World Wide Inc., maker of Hush Puppies shoes and Merrell boots, reported third-quarter revenue of \$260.89 million, a 13.

INDUSTRY REPORT: Apparel -- Wolverine improves


Jamal Crawford of the New York Knicks hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to hand the Houston Rockets their sixth loss this season at 93-92 on November 18.

Knicks beat Rockets 93-92 Rockets with buzzer 3-pointer


LAKE LOUISE, Alta. -- While two Americans were breaking their World Cup maidens over the last two weekends at Lake Louise and even a German snuck onto the top of the podium, the powerful Austrians were gnashing

Dorfmeister leads Austrian charge


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

Higher Expenses Trim Barnes Noble Profits


Shareholders in Martha Stewart #39;s company have already paid heavily for the businesswoman #39;s personal woes. Now she is coming back for more.

Stewart bills her company for \$3.7m of defence costs


The UN war crimes tribunal is to impose a defence lawyer on Slobodan Milosevic, whose doctors say he is too ill to continue representing himself.

Milosevic to Get Defence Lawyer


President George W Bush yesterday declined to endorse a Republican senator #39;s call for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to resign but did not offer Annan any words of support.

Bush mum on whether Annan should resign


Wall Street, which forced Google, the Internet search engine, to lower the price of its shares sharply in its initial public offering in August, has decided that the company is worth a lot more today than it was then.

Google Shares Just May Be Winners After All


Reuters - A senior Sudanese official\charged on Sunday that a rebel group with which Khartoum is\negotiating to bring peace to the troubled Darfur region was\linked to an alleged coup plot uncovered last week.

Darfur Governor Links Khartoum Plot with Rebels (Reuters)


A judge rules that three UK bankers can be extradited to the US to face fraud charges related to a deal with Enron.

Bankers facing Enron extradition


Reuters - Asian shares ticked higher on Tuesday\as oil paused in its near-daily record climb, providing\investors a chance to buy banks and some semiconductor shares\such as NEC Electronics Corp.

Asian Shares Edge Up as Oil Eases (Reuters)


AUSTRALIAN CHIEF of Defence Forces Gen Peter Cosgrove took home some tips of the Indian Armys skills in guarding the Line of Control that divides the Indian and Pakistani parts of Jammu and Kashmir and fighting terrorism against heavy odds.

Australian defence chief takes home tips from Indian Army


FRANKFURT European leaders sparred over currency policy on Friday as the euro rose to a record against the dollar, a development that could undermine the exports driving the region #39;s fragile economic recovery.

Sharp rise of the euro stirs worry in Europe


Bomb and gun attacks targeting Iraqi police killed at least 59 people Tuesday, marking the deadliest day in Baghdad in six months and continuing an increase of violence across the northern part of the country.

59 Iraqi police officials, applicants are killed


Japanese baseball players decided to go on strike for the first time in the 70 year history of the local game after last minute talks with the representatives

Japan Players to Go on First-Ever Strike


UCLA coach Karl Dorrell, emotionally spent but glowing with pride, rubbed his eyes before he addressed the media. In the cramped dressing room next door, amid the singing from

Bruins bowl over November curse


Reuters - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan\Milosevic urged judges on Thursday to allow him to defend\himself at his war crimes trial as his court-assigned lawyer\said efforts to represent him had reached a dead end.

Milosevic Calls for Control Over Own Trial Defense (Reuters)


A video posted on an Islamist website purportedly shows a Briton being held hostage in Iraq pleading for his life.

UK hostage 'pleads for his life'


In the week before last week #39;s preseason game against the Jets, Tom Coughlin sharply criticized his defensive backs, who did not appreciate his comments but responded with a far better game.

Has Coughlin fired up Giants #39; O-line?


FALLEN Press baron Lord Black has indicated he is willing to loosen control of Toronto-based Hollinger Inc amid allegations in an Ontario court filing by Canadian fund manager Catalyst.

Black loosens grip on Hollinger


I #39;m one of those people who believe there is an aura around this Red Sox team that will enable Boston to prevail over the Yankees in the latest postseason showdown between these two bitter rivals.

Trio in ALCS spotlight


Toyota Motor Corp., Japan #39;s top automaker, made a record operating profit of 866.2 billion yen in the first half of this business year, the company said.

Toyota makes record first half profit of 866 billion yen


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Martha Stewart set a news conference Wednesday to discuss  quot;matters related to her sentencing. quot;. It was not immediately clear what would be discussed specifically at the news conference

Martha to hold news conference


Anthony Mundine #39;s hopes of another shot at the WBA world super middleweight title have been boosted after he won his first bout since losing the title.

Win lifts Mundine title bid


SINGAPORE : Singapore says it is verifying reports of another bird flu outbreak in a Malaysian farm. Singapore was scheduled to review its current ban on Malaysian poultry and eggs on Saturday, but this may now be delayed.

Singapore verifying reports of new Malaysian bird flu outbreak


Theoretically, CSKA Moscow can still qualify for the next round of the Champions League, but last nights home defeat to reigning champions Porto has lengthened the odds greatly.

CSKA Moscow Need Abramovichs Help After Champions League Defeat


AP - Scientists are planning to take the pulse of the planet  #151; and more  #151; in an effort to improve weather forecasts, predict energy needs months in advance, anticipate disease outbreaks and even tell fishermen where the catch will be abundant.

Benefits Seen in Earth Observation Data (AP)


BANGKOK (Reuters) - A top U.N. rights envoy condemned on  Wednesday the arrest and jailing of opposition activists in  military-ruled Myanmar and said he had received credible  reports of rights violations in border areas.

U.N. Envoy Says Rights Violations Continue in Myanmar


A bomb planted by suspected Pakistani nationalists killed 10 people and injured at least 21 when it exploded near a military truck in the city of Quetta on Friday, officials said.

Pakistan blast death toll rises to 10