I know I did. Three years ago, I wandered into a GameStop and saw Halo: Combat Evolved on a television. Two hours later, I was still in the store, still digging the frenetic first-person shooter.

Game review: Halo 2


Madonna records an introduction to the new Band Aid music video, which gets its premiere on Thursday.

Madonna backs new Band Aid single


Midfielder Lee Hendrie will return from a one-match suspension to the Aston Villa starting line-up against Manchester City in the Barclays Premiership tomorrow.

Hendrie back for Villa


Unable to keep up with security holes, attacks and government regulations, enterprises will turn to outside firms for 90 of their security by 2010, according to Yankee Group.

Firms to seek more security help from outsiders


HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) - A German court ordered on  Tuesday a week's delay in the trial of Mounir El Motassadeq, a  Moroccan accused of aiding the Sept. 11 attacks, allowing time  to brief a replacement for a defense lawyer hurt in an  accident.

Hamburg Court Delays 9/11 Trial by One Week


WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 1: Researchers who found a link between country music and suicide, and a man who patented his combover hairstyle won IgNobel Awards for true but funny experiments.

Whats common to country music


(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies will try to play the role of spoiler this weekend when they take on the playoff-hopeful Houston Astros in a season- ending three-game series, starting tonight from Minute Maid Park.

Colorado Rockies Team Report - October 1


Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) turned in a decent quarter today (with earnings that exactly matched the consensus estimate). Investors shrugged off the numbers.

Is Wal-Mart Warming Up?


TORONTO -- David Denison, current president of Fidelity Investments Canada, is taking over in January as the president and chief executive of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

CPP board tabs Denison


Las Vegas - Vitali Klitschko #39;s fight with Danny Williams on Saturday will be the biggest heavyweight clash ever - at least in the ring.

New heavyweight record set


Baseball #39;s executive vice president Sandy Alderson insisted last month that the Cubs, disciplined for an assortment of run-ins with umpires, would not be targeted the rest of the season by umpires who might hold a grudge.

Hendry dismisses talk of grudge-carrying umps


Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson today reported that it had more than trebled third quarter pre-tax profits, but the market leader, Nokia, reported a 20 fall.

Sony Ericsson sees profits treble


AP - Home entertainment trendsetters Netflix Inc. and TiVo Inc. hope to link up on a service that will use high-speed Internet connections to pipe DVD-quality movies into the homes of their mutual subscribers.

Netflix, TiVo Aim to Offer Online Service (AP)


Color display and photo support can't save oddly designed player.

First Look: Skip Gateway's MP3 Photo Jukebox


AOL courts novices, Spanish-speakers with budget PC that includes a year of AOL service.

AOL Launches PC Line


The music industry is to sue 28 people in London and the South-east alleged to have illegally swapped music over the internet, mimicking tough legal action in the United

Music chiefs turn to law to stop internet downloading


Reuters - Japan's Nikkei share average fell nearly\one percent on Tuesday after the dollar's retreat below 103 yen\put pressure on exporters such as Sony Corp.

Nikkei Share Average Falls Nearly 1 Pct (Reuters)


AP - John Kerry will begin his post-Labor Day advertising blitz in seven states from New Hampshire to New Mexico, his political Ground Zero for a  #36;50 million campaign scheduled to expand into another 13 states by Nov. 2.

Kerry Will Begin Ad Blitz in Seven States (AP)


SI International Inc. announced plans Wednesday to purchase for \$30 million in cash a Columbia company that specializes in technology work for defense intelligence agencies.<FONT face=

Tech Firm to Acquire Intelligence Contractor


North Carolina finally beat Kentucky again, thanks to Rashad McCants and Sean May. Jawad Williams helped a bunch, too. McCants scored 28 points, May had 14 points and 19 rebounds and Williams tipped in a miss

No. 9 North Carolina 91, No. 8 Kentucky 78


PeopleSoft fired its chief executive, Craig Conway, yesterday in an unexpected twist to the firm #39;s attempt to fend off its larger rival Oracle.

PeopleSoft sacks chief executive


A World Series that has already produced some odd sights could produce more on Tuesday when Game Three of the Fall Classic between the Boston Red Sox and St.

Odd Things Expected as Red Sox Meet Cards in Game Three


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Hurricane Jeanne trekked westward Friday on a path that could lead to Florida's east coast by Sunday, setting off another round of storm preparations in a state still reeling from three earlier strikes...

Hurricane Jeanne Takes Aim at Florida


The designer of the Mercury space capsules that took the first Americans into orbit has died at age 83, NASA announced Sunday. Maxime Faget led the space agency #39;s engineering and development branch

Space trailblazer Max Faget dies


Priceline.com and Ramada.com have agreed to make their Web pages easier to navigate for the blind and visually impaired as part of a settlement with New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.

Travel sites agree to changes for the blind


Worldwide shipments of personal digital assistants (PDAs) using Microsoft Corp. #39;s Windows CE operating system have surpassed those using PalmSource Inc.

Gartner: Microsoft beats PalmSource in PDAs


AP - The killing in Afghanistan spirals onward, undermining U.S. claims of success in pacifying the country with less than a week to go before an historic experiment with democracy  #151; direct presidential elections.

Afghan Death Toll Mounts As Voting Nears (AP)


Some wildlife experts want to make the greater sage grouse an endangered species icon. Its Western habitat, unfortunately, is atop some of the nation #39;s largest untapped natural gas fields.

Sage grouse listing may curb natural gas


The US government has warned its citizens in Nordic and Baltic states of the threat of imminent terrorist attacks, the BBC said Monday.

US posts warning for Nordic, Baltic states


WASHINGTON - Legislation that would expand the definition of criminal file-trading over the Internet was approved Wednesday by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.

File-trading penalties legislation moves forward


Analysis Uk.gov locks itself in for a generation

One standard, one Microsoft - how the NHS sold its choice


AP - Students at a Scottish university on Wednesday elected Israeli nuclear whistle-blower Mordechai Vanunu their official spokesman.

Nuke Whistle-Blower Named Scottish Rector (AP)


HONG KONG Hutchison Whampoa has filed with US regulators to raise as much as \$2 billion in an initial public offering of its phone business in Hong Kong, India and six other markets.

Hutchison mobile IPO aims to raise 2 billion


AFP - A Chinese university student in eastern Zhejiang province was sentenced to a year in jail for selling pornography on the Internet.

Chinese computer science major sentenced for Internet porn (AFP)


New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer on Friday filed suit against Universal Life Resources (ULR), charging the life and disability insurance broker with taking fraudulent kick-backs for steering business to certain insurers.

Spitzer Charges Universal Life with Fraud


MUMBAI, AUG 23: Shares of steel firms fell in the range of 4 to 7 per cent early on Monday after top producers slashed prices amid government concerns about spiralling inflation, traders said.

Steel Shares Dive On Price Cuts


The age of commercial space flight officially begins Monday as SpaceShipOne completes its second successful flight into space to capture the Ansari X Prize. It's \$10 million to the developers, who look forward to a bright future ahead. Dan Brekke reports from Mojave, California.

SpaceShipOne Wins the X Prize


Easy Group is near to closing a Deal with Deutsche Telekom to launch a UK mobile service, the Financial Times reports.

Easy brand 'close to mobile deal'


One doesn't have to get past the first page of this book before corporate consultants and coaches Rick Brandon and Marty Seldman spell out one of the major problems many corporations face today: ''For most people, the words integrity and politics don't mix.

A primer on office politics, good and bad


quot;IG has verified that Colombian judge Oscar Buitrago Reyes, one of three officials suspended by the FIG (world gymnastics body) on August 21, has lived and worked in Ohio for several years, quot; the magazine #39;s website said on Sunday.

Judge #39;s ruling too close to home


Action Performance Cos. Inc. Friday announced the resignation of Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer R. David Martin effective immediately.

Action Performance CFO resigns


WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana (Ticker) -- Reserve Natasha Bogdanova had 23 points in 19 minutes and Erin Lawless made 10-of-13 shots en route to 23 points as No.

GAME DAY RECAP Sunday, November 21


Tokyo, Sept. 30 (NNN): At least 24 people have been killed or are missing after a powerful tropical storm struck south-western Japan.

24 Feared Killed As Typhoon Meari Batters Japan


India News: New Delhi, Dec 6 : Voicing serious concern over the death threat to members of the Indian Cricket team, Lok Sabha members belonging to the opposition NDA today asked the government to provide fool proof security to the members of the Indian

Opposition asks govt to provide security to Indian team in B #39;desh:


The 21-year-old Chinese claimed the gold medal of the showcase men #39;s 110m hurdles before a capacity crowd of 70,000 at the Olympic Stadium in the 28th Olympic Games here on Friday.

Liu Xiang makes history


Alienware hopes to broaden its appeal with the sub-\$600 Bot desktop for home users.

Photo: The Bot, by Alienware


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Dec 13, 2004 - The new Palestinian leadership is not doing enough to restrain militants, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday, after attackers blew up an Israeli army outpost in Gaza and killed five soldiers.

Sharon: Peace Depends on Palestinians


Violence in Mosul is damaging efforts to hold elections in the city, the US commander in north Iraq tells the BBC.

US general warns over Iraq poll


AP - Tiger Woods hardly looked like himself until a painful first round at the American Express Championship was over and he signed for a 4-under 68, two shots out of the lead at a tournament he has won the last two years.

Ailing Tiger Two Back at American Express (AP)


Microsoft led the market in the third quarter for operating systems used in personal digital assistants, surpassing for the first time the Palm OS that dominated the handheld-computer segment for years.

Microsoft Seizes PDA Market Lead From PalmSource


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures rose  on Wednesday,  pointing to a higher market open, before a slew of U.S.  economic data, as oil prices dipped lower ahead of weekly  inventory figures.

Stock Futures Steady Before Flow of Data


A leading environmental group called Friday for protection for the great white shark and humphead wrasse coral fish, whose numbers have plunged because of overfishing and China #39;s growing appetite for exotic foods.

WWF Calls for Ban in Trade of Great White Sharks


AFP - US Vice President Dick Cheney in an interview dismissed John Kerry's approach to safeguarding US national security as  quot;nuts, quot; adding that the Democratic presidential candidate would leave the United States less secure were he to win the White House.

US vice president deems Kerry's approach to fight against terror 'nuts' (AFP)


Attorneys in a lawsuit challenging evolution disclaimers on biology textbooks in a suburban school district made closing arguments today in Atlanta before a federal judge.

Arguments conclude in evolution sticker trial


BEIJING (Ticker) -- Bobby Jackson made sure the Sacramento Kings did not leave China empty-handed. Jackson scored six of his 13 points in the final two minutes as the Kings rallied to their first preseason

Jackson #39;s buzzer shot beats Yao in China


AP - The Cleveland Indians called up right-hander Fernando Cabrera from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday.

Indians Call Up Righty Fernando Cabrera (AP)


Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. It #39;s the second time this season Culpepper has won that honor, and the fifth time in his career.

Culpepper Named NFC Offensive Player Of The Week


Research In Motion (RIMM), maker of the popular BlackBerry wireless e-mail device, got mixed news in court Tuesday - and a worst-case scenario that would stop BlackBerry sales in the USA.

Wireless patent suit still murky


Cash'n'Carrion NO2ID restock coincides with e-Petition

Blunkett-bashing t-shirt remans the barricades


Islamabad, Oct 11. (PTI):The suspected pro-Taliban abductors of two Chinese engineers in Pakistan #39;s tribal south Waziristan agency bordering Afghanistan today extended the deadline by four hours to kill one of the hostages.

Militants extend deadline to kill one hostage by four hours


There will be furrowed brows over at Research in Motion Ltd (RIM), the Canadian company behind the ever-popular wireless email device, BlackBerry.

BlackBerry Patent Case Swings Away from RIM to NTP


Musicland is trying to embrace the Internet and emulate the atmosphere of retail chains like Starbucks.

Musicland Looks to the Internet


Trendsetter Martha Stewart reported to a minimum-security prison known as  quot;Camp Cupcake quot; on Friday to serve a five-month sentence for a suspicious sale of stock, US prison officials said.

Martha Stewart Reports to Prison to Begin Sentence


BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese author who was briefly  detained by police overnight along with two other intellectuals  said Tuesday the authorities appeared to be trying to build a  case against him as part of a crackdown on government critics.

China Rounds Up Three Intellectuals in Crackdown


I #39;m excited about this. Really excited about this. In fact, I #39;m like a kid in a candy store. Before last week #39;s test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I hadn #39;t raced on a road course in nearly three years.

Castroneves: Mixing up schedule a great move


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sun Microsystems Inc. <A HREF=

Sun Rolls Out Much-Awaited Solaris 10


Canadian Press - SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his Labour party challenger were in a virtual dead heat as voting began Saturday in a general election, with voters focusing on the economy and social programs more than Howard's decision to send troops to Iraq.

Polls open in Australian general election with contenders in dead heat (Canadian Press)


Travis Niesen scored 26 points and Kyle Bailey made three second-half 3-pointers to help Santa Clara spoil No. 4 North Carolina #39;s season opener, 77-66, last night in the Pete Newell Challenge in Oakland, Calif.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP Santa Clara Knocks Off No. 4 North <b>...</b>


The term throwing in the towel takes on new meaning this week, thanks again to televisions continuing creative contribution to sport.

The naked truth about pro sports, television


American astronomers say they have discovered the two smallest planets yet orbiting nearby stars, trumping a small planet discovery by European scientists five days ago and capping the latest round in a frenzied hunt for other worlds like Earth.    All three of these smaller planets belong to a new class of

Astronomers Spot Smallest Planets Yet


According to the Palestinian observer at the United Nations Nasser al-Kidwa, toxicology tests revealed no traces of poison in Arafat #39;s blood.

Mystery behind Arafat #39;s death


Newspaper publisher Pulitzer Inc. said Sunday that company officials are considering a possible sale of the firm to boost shareholder value.

Pulitzer Inc. says it #39;s considering sale


Visiting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf agreed with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) here on Monday that the war on terror had made the world less safeand was not addressing the underlying causes of conflict.

Musharraf agrees war on terror makes world less safe


(CBS/AP) Perhaps it has happened to you or someone you know: a job lost to a faceless competitor continents away, as part of the trend that has seen millions of jobs shift from the US to overseas in the past few years.

Where In The World Is That Job?


PARIS - French troops killed more than 30 Ivory Coast nationals and wounded at least 100 others in the ongoing crisis in the west African country, Ivorian parliament speaker Mamadou Coulibaly said on French public radio France Inter on Sunday.

More than 30 Ivorians killed: official


At least 50 terrorists were killed in air raids on a suspected al-Qa #39;eda training camp near the Afghan border, Pakistan officials said yesterday.

50 killed in Pakistani air raids on al-Qa #39;eda training camp


Several lenders to bankrupt air carrier US Airways (UAIRQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to extend the terms of their financing arrangement to mid-January, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed

US Airways #39; lenders extend financing terms - WSJ


BEIJING (Reuters) - China spurned Taiwan President Chen  Shui-bian's peace overtures Wednesday, accusing him of merely  paying lip service to easing tensions between the two arch  foes.

China Spurns Taiwan President's Peace Overture


Women #39;s clothing retailer Talbots Inc. on Wednesday said its third-quarter profit fell 21 percent despite a slight rise in retail sales and a gain from a tax break.

Talbots 3Q Profit Slides 21 Percent


Company's distribution includes 1.5 million shares for Chief Executive John Chambers.

Cisco doles out 162 million stock options


The dollar was marginally down against the euro and slightly higher against the yen Tuesday as the market awaited new US trade data and a US Federal Reserve meeting at which the central bank was expected to raise interest rates a quarter point.

Update 1: US Dollar Down Slightly Against Euro


AFP - EU data arm Eurostat is sending a mission to Athens to investigate Greece's pre-euro economic data, but Greek membership of the zone is not in doubt, officials said.

Greek accession to eurozone not in doubt: EU officials (AFP)


NEW YORK Oct 28, 2004 - CNN will shut down its struggling CNNfn financial news network in mid-December, giving up its attempt to compete with CNBC after nine years.

AP: CNNfn Will Shut Down After 9 Years


So what does it feel like to hear a stadium crammed with Yankees fans at full roar all chanting  quot;Who #39;s Your Daddy? quot; over and over and over and over and over?

Pedro takes it in stride


Prime Minister Tony Blair was warned by top government officials, including his foreign secretary, a year before invading Iraq that chaos could follow the war, the Daily Telegraph says.

Blair was warned of post-war chaos


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

Comcast Says in Talks to Buy Adelphia


Today's players wouldn't recognize the game. In the 52 years since the Concord High football team reeled off a state-record 40 consecutive victories, only the winning may be comparable.

Conquering heroes


A spokesman from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said here Friday that multi-fators have pushed up the housing price. Statistics show that the prices of housing and

Multi-factors push up housing price: official


DECEMBER 02, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Microsoft Corp. is again using the courts to pursue individuals allegedly responsible for spam e-mail campaigns, this time going after those who send out unsolicited and sexually explicit e-mail.

Microsoft files lawsuits against smut spammers


AP - Oracle Corp. chief executive Lawrence Ellison said discussions within the company at this point are leaning toward lowering the  #36;21-a-share bid Oracle is offering for rival PeopleSoft Inc.

Oracle May Lower Its PeopleSoft Bid (AP)


A survey conducted by Internet service provider America Online Inc. (AOL) found that 20 percent of home computers were infected by a virus or worm, and that various forms of snooping programs such as spyware and adware are on a whopping 80 percent of systems. Despite that, more than two thirds of home users think they are safe from online threats.

AOL survey uncovers rampant online threats


Security researchers warned Monday of a new worm, dubbed

'Funner' worm slithers through MSN Messenger


Cisco Systems is shaking up its network management with the release of two new switches. Aimed at mid-sized enterprises, the switches acknowledge that there are large numbers of people who are not confident

Cisco shakes up switch management


OPEC president Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the prediction of declining oil prices in the world markets from September to December this year was also based on the balancing of supply and demand

OPEC President Says International Oil Prices will Drop Soon


Experts have dismissed a suggestion that mobile phone radio waves could help children think more clearly.

Mobile brain help claim dismissed


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Manchester United, the most well-known soccer club in the world, is expected Friday to make a statement on the status of its takeover approach, the BBC reported, as speculation grows that Malcolm Glazer #39;s talks with its largest

Reports say talks with Irish duo have collapsed


A bomb near a Shi #39;ite shrine has killed eight people and a fierce attack on Iran by a minister fuelled fears of sectarian strife as campaigning began for Iraq #39;s first election since Saddam Hussein #39;s fall.

Shi #39;ites bombed as Iraq poll campaign begins


AP - Wendell Mathis rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns, and Bryson Sumlin added 127 yards in 19th-ranked Fresno State's 27-17 victory over Portland State on Saturday night.

No. 19 Fresno St. Beats Portland St. 27-17 (AP)


TELEFNICA, the Spanish telecoms group, is understood to have rejected a bid of at least 2 billion (1.4 billion) for its Endemol television production company, which is behind Big Brother.

Telefnica rejects bid for maker of Big Brother


Google's final share price was \$85, far off the target range of \$108 to \$135 a share that the company projected last month.

Google Lowers Its Sights as Demand Proves Weak


LONDON (Reuters) - Most of the big names advanced safely to  the inaugural group stage of the UEFA Cup after a frantic  night's action Thursday, though Parma, Real Zaragoza and  particularly Rangers, cut it fine.

Soccer: Big Names Through to UEFA Cup Group Stage


India News: New Delhi, Nov 12 : Indian troops deployed in parts of Jammu and Kashmir are expected to begin pulling out within a week, in line with a major decision taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ahead of his visit to the troubled state.

Troop withdrawal in Kashmir may begin within a week:


The Donald heads off a bankruptcy with yet another re-capitalization, but the stock remains among the walking dead.

Trick or Trump?


CINCINNATI - Chad Johnson wriggled open for a 20-yard catch that put the Cincinnati Bengals in range for Shayne Graham's 39-yard field goal and a 16-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night.    Graham's kick with 2 seconds left completed Carson Palmer's first game-winning drive, a modest achievement on a night in which neither inexperienced quarterback did much...

Field Goal Puts Bengals Over Miami 16-13


New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who has sued many big-name drug makers for bilking the government with their drug prices, on Tuesday unveiled a Web site that allows consumers to compare prices at pharmacies in the state.

Web Site Shows New York Drug Prices


The Australian Football League Grand Final between Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide on Saturday marks an epoch for Australia #39;s favorite spectator sport.

Australian Football: Melbourne sidelined as Brisbane and Port <b>...</b>


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

Compuware looks to cut risks in apps deployment


Every time I write a column about Apple, I get e-mail from people telling me they don #39;t have antivirus software and don #39;t run a firewall because Macs are inherently safer than PCs.

BYTE OF THE APPLE


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a  slightly lower market open on Monday as investors pause after  last weeks rally and mull an expected interest rate hike and a  weakening dollar.

Stocks Look to Open Lower After Rally


Thailand #39;s Thongchai Jaidee aced the 165-yard 11th hole in the WGC-American Express Championship second round on Friday. The 34-year-old former paratrooper used an eight

Ace performance by Thailand #39;s Thongchai at Mount Juliet


Victims and unions have emerged as key stakeholders in the fight to ensure James Hardie Industries meets its asbestos compensation responsibilities after the NSW government tied them to the company #39;s economic future.

Inquiry criticises James Hardie CEO


NEW YORK SBC Communications is lowering the projected cost of its program to bring fiber-optic cables to the edge of most neighborhoods.

SBC lowers projected cost of fiber buildout


In the U.S., Microsoft will offer training vouchers, migration products and online tech support to NetWare users considering a switch.

Microsoft aims at NetWare users with migration campaign


OCTOBER 18, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Just two weeks after PeopleSoft Inc. ousted former CEO Craig Conway, the business applications vendor said that another top executive -- Ram Gupta, who had been executive

PeopleSoft Product Exec Follows CEO Out the Door


The new crew of the International Space Station is in the final hours of preparation to launch at 11:06 EDT tonight, which is Oct. 14 at Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Russia #39;s launch facility there.

Soyuz-Expedition 10 Launch Journal


New York, Sept. 20 (PTI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, arrives here tonight for the first major diplomatic engagement that includes his talks with US President George W Bush, and Pakistan President Pervez

Manmohan to hold talks with Bush, Musharraf


Andrew Brackman provided the spark that No. 12 NC State so desperately needed Wednesday night. As a result, the Wolfpack stayed unbeaten -- barely.

Brackman provides heroics for Wolfpack


Bankrupt US Airways (UAIRQ.OQ: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday reached a tentative agreement on concessions with the union representing dispatchers, the company said.

US Airways reaches giveback deal with dispatchers


Yahoo has enhanced its My Yahoo service with personalization features including search history, the ability to save pages to a 'personal web' and block URLs from appearing in search results.

Yahoo Introduces Personal Search


The second round of talks between the Sudanese government and two rebel groups on the Darfur crisis concluded on Wednesday in the Nigerian capital Abuja, China Radio International reported Thursday.

2nd round of talks on Darfur concludes


BAGHDAD: UN nuclear inspectors are welcome to return, an Iraqi minister said on Tuesday in response to concerns of an apparent systematic dismantlement of Saddam Husseins once-vigorous nuclear programme.

We are open to UN inspectors, says Iraq


The Department of Transport says it will investigate claims of a security breach at Heathrow airport after an undercover journalist reportedly entered restricted areas and walked unchecked and unnoticed around passenger aircraft due to take off.

Heathrow Security Breach to be Investigated


HONG KONG - The Walt Disney Co. is taking a series of steps to address cultural sensitivities as it prepares to open Hong Kong Disneyland a little more than a year from now, the company #39;s president said.

Disney uses feng shui in Hong Kong


AP - House Republican leaders on Friday easily pushed through sweeping new law enforcement powers as part of a Sept. 11 anti-terrorism package, but the House now must negotiate a truce with the Senate on those measures to get President Bush's signature before the elections.

House OKs Bill on 9/11 Recommendations (AP)


HP is throwing in the towel and abandoning its Utility Data Center, just a month shy of its third birthday. The UDC offered self-adapting, self-healing, policy-driven automated cross-platform services: install

HP learns the uselessness of utility


US businesses added 96,000 jobs to payrolls in September, the government has reported, a weaker-than-expected total that is expected to sharpen a presidential debate later in the day over the economy #39;s direction.

US jobs growth weaker than expected


AC Milan scored twice in the last two minutes to beat Celtic in a dramatic Champions League clash which edged the Italians closer to the knockout stages.

AC Milan #39;s denies brave Celtic


Is Apple fine-tuning an enhanced iPod with roughly 50 more storage and a color screen to display photos? The Internet sites that follow Apple #39;s coming product

Apple fan sites buzz with talk of photo-ready iPod


Wireless computer networks could soon be running 10 times faster than they do now.

Wireless net to get speed boost


A British soldier killed after clashes with militia forces in the southern Iraqi city of Basra was today named as Lance Corporal Paul David Trevor Thomas.

Soldier Killed in Action Named


28 September 2004 -- Jordanian King Abdullah II said in an interview today that elections in Iraq are  quot;impossible quot; amid the continuing insecurity.

Jordanian King Says Iraqi Elections Impossible Now


Sunday was one of those days, where you get to see one batting collapse in the morning and then, are treated to a special double in the afternoon.

India sign off with a heartening victory


AP - Braylon Edwards caught eight passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in the third quarter, to lead No. 17 Michigan past San Diego State 24-21 on Saturday.

No. 17 Michigan Escapes San Diego State (AP)


More than 3,000 people have been displaced since the end of August by violence in an area of North Darfur state in Sudan, a United Nations report said on Sunday.

More Homeless in Sudan Horror, UN Says


How much does it cost to become a lion on the social scenes in New York, London and Toronto? Not as much as one might think.

Charity Begins at Home? Perhaps Not at Hollinger


IOC president Jacques Rogge says the five cities bidding to host the 2012 OIympics must stop 'bickering'.

Rogge hits out at 2012 bid rivals


By PAM EASTON     HOUSTON (AP) -- Thousands of samples from the Genesis space capsule have arrived at the Johnson Space Center, where the project's curator must assemble a giant jigsaw puzzle that could hold clues to the origins of the solar system.    Wafers on five collector panels that broke into thousands of pieces when the capsule slammed into Earth last month secured samples of atoms and ions from solar wind...

Genesis Mission Samples Arrive at Space Center


Shortstop Mark DeRosa suffered what appeared to be a significant injury to his right leg during the sixth inning of Saturday night #39;s game against the Marlins at Turner Field.

DeRosa injures his right leg


arrived on a remote island in northern Japan to start a new life with his Japanese wife and their two daughters. court-martial last month after saying he deserted from South Korea because he was frightened.

US deserter reunited with family


Canadian Press - BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union regulators on Friday cleared the acquisition by Singapore's Flextronics International Ltd. of manufacturing actives from Nortel Networks Corp., Canada's largest technology company.

EU clears Flextronics buy of Nortel units (Canadian Press)


Delta Air Lines Inc., the thirdlargest airline in the United States, reported on Wednesday a wider loss in the third quarter ending on September 30 despite a rise in revenue.

Delta Air Lines reports wider loss in third quarter


AP - The new crew of the international space station will head into space on Oct. 14, Russia said Friday, after two delays pushed back the launch.

Launch of New Space Station Crew Set (AP)


After months of legal wrangling, potential jurors for the Kobe Bryant trial began arriving at the Eagle, Colo. courthouse Friday.

Bryant Trial Begins


Norway, which brokered a cease-fire that halted Sri Lanka #39;s two-decade civil war, isn #39;t confident peace talks will resume between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Sri Lanka Peace Talks May Not Resume, Norwegian Minister Says


Puerto Rican wrestler Mabel Fonseca tested positive for a steroid in an initial doping test, a wrestling official said Saturday. Michel Dusson, secretary general of the International

Official: Puerto Rican failed drug test


Reuters - Senate Democratic Leader Tom\Daschle, fighting for political survival, walked into Shorty's\Cafe in this farm town and asked for help in Tuesday's\election.

Top Senate Democrat Fights for Political Survival (Reuters)


TAIPEI (Reuters) - The semiconductor industry is showing  the first signs of slowing growth, trimming purchases of raw  materials and production equipment as demand slows, industry  executives and analysts said on Tuesday.

Eyeing Downturn, Chip Makers Trim Equipment Buying


Candy and gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. announced Monday it has agreed to buy a number of candy brands, including Life Savers and Altoids, from Kraft Foods for \$1.

Gum maker Wrigley agrees to buy major candy brands from Kraft for <b>...</b>


KUANTAN: Having already set a world record on Tuesday, Scorpion Queen Nur Malena Hassan put more sting into her feat by staying on for four more days.

Scorpion queen takes the sting out of world record


United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday its quarterly profit rose but missed analysts #39; expectations as rising oil prices offset strength in its international and non-package businesses.

UPS Profit Grows But Results Hurt by Fuel


The Athens 2004 Organizing Committee (ATHOC) has decided to cancel the planned entertainment part of the closing ceremony due a traffic accident which killed at least seven people early Monday morning.

Entertainment part of Paralympics closing ceremony canceled <b>...</b>


City officials and business leaders reacted differently yesterday to news of a possible sale of Legoland California, this community #39;s largest tourist draw.

Leaders #39; reactions mixed on possible Legoland sale


Reuters - Hundreds of thousands of Muslims from\around the world on Friday began a three-day annual Islamic\prayer meeting outside the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, with\politics banned and sermons set to call for world peace.

World Muslims Begin Peace Prayers in Bangladesh (Reuters)


INDIANAPOLIS  Jamaal Tinsley scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Pacers to an 89-86 victory over the Raptors, who traded All-Star Vince Carter to New Jersey earlier Friday.

Tinsley #39;s big 2nd half lifts Pacers to win


Roy Makaay struck in stoppage time for the second time in four days to give Bayern Munich a dramatic 3-2 second round German Cup win Tuesday at third division VfL Osnabruck.

Makaay repeats his late goal show


Networking giant buys start-up P-Cube, a maker of software for controlling, monitoring and billing for IP services.

Cisco beefs up broadband offering


NewsFactor - Google is experimenting with a new search service for mobile devices based on text messaging, also known as

Google Goes Mobile with SMS (NewsFactor)


Business activity in the US Midwest expanded in September at a faster rate than expected, with employment growing in step with a jump in new orders, a report showed Thursday.

Midwest business activity grows


In the studio, M83 relies largely on keyboards. But when M83 came to the Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday it looked more like a rock band.

Abandoning Computer Programs for Hands-On Rock


HERAKLION, Greece - Heather O #39;Reilly had posters of Mia Hamm on her New Jersey bedroom wall for years and years and years and years.

One more to gold


Mark Loretta hits a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the 10th inning and the Padres beat the Giants 4-3 Wednesday night to knock the San Francisco out of first place in the wild-card race.

Padres Edge Giants


The Bush administration has asked the Supreme Court to overturn a decision that requires cable companies to open their high-speed Internet networks to rival online providers.\<FONT face=

High Court Petitioned on Cable Net Access Rule


AS the Pacific Northwest debates the Bush administration #39;s recent proposal to count hatchery fish alongside wild fish in applying the Endangered Species Act - and its new plan to cut

Guest columnist Administration #39;s salmon approach has been tried <b>...</b>


Rio Ferdinand has rejected Sir Alex Fergusons theory that Manchester United are finding the Barclays Premiership too mundane - and told his team-mates they must all shoulder responsibility

Ferdinand:  quot;We #39;re in It Together quot;


Once again, they are knocking on the door, nattily attired, a smile on their face, eager to join the party.

Little Boise St. is thinking big


CLEVELAND - Parker Hannifin Corp. has completed its acquisition of Sporlan Valve Co., a provider of refrigeration and air conditioning systems, the companies said Monday.

Parker Hannifin completes purchase of Sporlan Valve Co.


Shares of drugstore chain Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) needed some bandages and maybe a smear of soothing ointment this morning as they were scraped by investors for a 13 drop.

Rejecting Rite Aid


com staff writers. Markko Martin still has a full day and six special stages to go, but he is now the clear favorite to win Catalunya Rally and follow up his win in the last round of the World Rally Championship, in Corsica a fortnight ago.

Martin in strong position to win Catalunya Rally


Already under scrutiny from regulators in Washington and New York, the American International Group disclosed yesterday that it was the target of a federal grand jury investigation over

AIG Says It Is Target of Midwest Inquiry


We're down to what seems like weekly visits from Major League Baseball's Relocation Committee, dueling polls in Washington and sniping news conferences between competing D.C. and Virginia agencies. All for the privilege of obtaining the Montreal Expos, 55-73 through Friday, and to give them a place to play next year, a new stadium in the near future and a community to love them.

No Lie, the Moment of Truth Grows Near


EMI shares surged 15 per cent yesterday after the record company unveiled weaker interim profits and revenues but gave a robust outlook on the back of impending releases from artists including the Rolling Stones and Coldplay.

EMI #39;s upbeat tone lifts shares


About 300,000 residents in coastal areas of Palm Beach County were told to evacuate starting 2 p.m. Thursday.

With Hurricane Approaching, Florida Calls for Evacuations


MIAMI -- Brock Berlin threw for a career-best 361 yards and four touchdowns in just over a half, and No. 12 Miami stayed in contention for an Atlantic Coast Conference title yesterday by routing Wake Forest, 52-7.

Miami maintains BCS hope


Conferencing and collaboration equipment provider Polycom on Monday announced a series of offerings designed to bring business-quality conferencing features to personal desktops. The products follow up on a collaborative agreement struck with Microsoft earlier this year to develop rich media services.

Polycom targets high-quality desktop conferencing


The Estonian Markko Martin, a candidate for the most disappointing driver of the season a month ago, could finish runner-up in the world championship after defeating the new champion Sebastien Loeb to take the Catalonia Rally and his second consecutive

Wary Martin gets the drop on Loeb


A variant of a bug that uses an Internet Explorer 6 vulnerability exposes Microsoft Windows systems patched with Service Pack 2. A security researcher claims to have crafted a simpler version of a bug first identified in late October.

SP2 does not fully protect IE6


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Falling prices in September for plasma  televisions and digital cameras sparked the biggest monthly  decline in U.S. consumer electronics prices in five months,  according to an industry study prepared for Reuters.

Plasma TVs Lead Gadget Price Declines


A CONMAN who made 13.8million with spam emails offering non-existent money-making schemes has been jailed for nine years. Dubbed a  quot;modern day snake oil salesman quot;, Jeremy Jaynes ripped off thousands of internet customers.

SPAMMER IN THE SLAMMER


Subaru team leader Petter Solberg has won the Rally Italia Sardinia today Sunday, dominating the event from the outset, and eventually taking the honours by 2 minutes 7.9 seconds.

Solberg wins first WRC event in Sardinia.


Valencia, Spain (Sports Network) - Valencia winger Vicente Rodriguez will be out for at least two weeks after spraining his ankle Wednesday.

Valencia scorer Vicente out with ankle sprain


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened lower on Wednesday,  with weaker-than-expected earnings from J.P. Morgan Chase   Co.  <A HREF=

Stocks Lower as JP Morgan Weighs on Dow


AFP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he would enter the hospital for an operation to correct an irregular heartbeat that was first diagnosed a year ago and has recurred in the last two months.

Blair to undergo operation to fix irregular heartbeat (AFP)


The NASA spacecraft that smashed into the Utah desert last month while bringing home fragile samples of the sun may have been doomed by engineering drawings that had been done backwards, an investigating board said Friday.

Backward drawings may have doomed Genesis


Mistakes will drive a coach nuts. Mistakes are something Dallas coach Bill Parcells loathes. Mistakes are what put an end to the Cowboys #39; chances of winning the season opener at Minnesota on Sunday.

Mistakes cost Dallas dearly


(September 20, 2004) - OAKLAND, Calif. -ike Mularkey had his back against a cement block wall deep inside Network Associates Coliseum late Sunday.

Ransacked Bills 0 for 2 in sloppy loss


com. NASA #39;s newest astronaut candidates experienced their first taste of zero gravity and are now preparing to make their first jet flights without the company of instructors.

Astronaut candidates taste of zero gravity


AP - The adoptive mother of seven children found malnourished at a Nigerian orphanage said Thursday the youngsters could be lying about claims of physical and emotional abuse because they were upset about their ordeal.

Women Says Kids Left in Nigeria Are Angry (AP)


Windows XP users have until early next year to update business systems and applications before the operating system #39;s Service Pack (SP) 2 is fully unleashed.

Windows service pack deadline extended


Reuters - After an absence of a decade, Philips\Electronics is making personal computers again, the company\said on Thursday.  The Netherlands-based electronics\conglomerate, which abandoned the PC business in the early\1990s after suffering big losses, quietly introduced six models\together with British retailer Dixons earlier this week.

After a Decade, Philips Makes PCs Again (Reuters)


AP - Most mail to Canada must bear the complete name and address of both sender and recipient or it won't be allowed into the country, the U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday. The tighter addressing requirements are in response to increased security.

U.S. to Enforce Rules for Mail to Canada (AP)


ATHENS (Reuters) - Almost 100 runners set out on Sunday to  recreate history's legendary Marathon while a modern day doping  scandal threatened the gold medal won by Russia at the first  Olympic event held at Ancient Olympia in 1,600 years.

New Doping Scandal at Games


Rivalry between the Dutch and British has a long history. Between 1652 and 1672, three wars broke out between two seafaring nations separated by trading interests as well as a few miles of North Sea.

When two become one


Stocks were set to open higher Tuesday, with the blue-chip Dow industrials aiming to push back above 10,000 mark. Oil prices remain in focus, with crude reaching above \$50 a barrle in premarket trading.

Stocks Set to Open Higher


Twenty-three Palestinians and three Israelis were killed as Israel's army struck back after a rocket attack.

A Long Deadly Day in Gaza as Israeli Forces Push Into Camp


MINNEAPOLIS -- The Trix Rabbit and the Lucky Charms leprechaun are going on a whole-grain diet.

General Mills to undergo a whole-grain makeover


The Miami Dolphins will put their courtship of LSU coach Nick Saban on hold to comply with the NFL's hiring policy by interviewing at least one minority candidate, a team source told The Associated Press last night.

Saban not going to Dolphins yet


BOSTON (Reuters) - David Ortiz smacked a two-run homer in  the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Red Sox a 6-4 victory  over the New York Yankees on Monday, enabling Boston to avoid a  sweep in the American League Championship Series.

Ortiz Homer Keeps Red Sox Hopes Alive


PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Top 10-performances in Ryder Cup years, major championships and tournament victories will earn more points toward one of the 10 automatic qualifying spots for the 2006 US Ryder

Major Announcement


TNK-BP, which represents the biggest foreign investment in Russia, is fast emerging as the country #39;s largest oil producer. Its rise to prominence comes amid increasing state involvement

TNK-BP nears Russian top spot


MUMBAI: Rahul Dravid led India with his head not with the heart. Every decision he took had a chance of back-firing. But in the end he stood vindicated as India, defending Australias victory target of 107

Dravid leads with head over heart


AP - Many electronic governance projects are failing globally due to poor planning, political interference and bureaucratic bungling, a top World Bank official said Friday.

Official: E-Governance Failures Abound (AP)


US and Iraqi forces sealed off roads to an insurgent stronghold south of Baghdad on Wednesday and militants bombed two bridges in an

US and Iraqi forces seal off insurgent stronghold south of Baghdad <b>...</b>


China #39;s largest cell phone service provider, China Mobile (Hong Kong) Ltd., reported a 7.8 percent jump in first-half profits Wednesday as its number of subscribers rose by 23 percent.

China Mobile Reports Jump in Profits


An Australian researcher who helped develop a revolutionary blood-doping test said Friday more sophisticated versions are on the way that could nab all drug cheats within two years.

Researcher says authorities will stay ahead of drug cheats


Reuters - The judge considering Microsoft\Corp.'s appeal against European Union sanctions has convened a\closed meeting for Thursday after two more major opponents of\the U.S. software giant withdrew from the case, a court\spokesman said on Wednesday.

Hearing Set After Microsoft Rivals Quit (Reuters)


CAIRO, Egypt - Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said in an interview published Monday that a

Allawi: Saddam Hussein Appealed for Mercy


At home, Eran Kurtzer is a suburbanite with a wife, baby daughter and small insurance agency. But for six weeks a year, 33-year-old Kurtzer is an army major leading a company of paratroopers on patrols through olive groves on the hills of the West Bank.

Israeli reservists deal with double lives of being civilians and <b>...</b>


A sky-high iPod ad towers over a hip Toronto shopping district. Toronto will soon be home to its own Apple retail store. \

Photo: iPod's Toronto presence


AP - Driving 6 mph over the speed limit got Roy Caballes pulled over. But what happened next landed him at the Supreme Court, which considered Wednesday when police can use drug-sniffing dogs.

Court Considers When Cops Can Use Canines (AP)


TORONTO (CP) - Canadian music lovers who #39;ve been itching to get into the ITunes online music store will have the chance next month.

Apple announces online music store ITunes coming to Canada in <b>...</b>


Buoyed by the strong performance of ESPN and its other cable channels, the Walt Disney Company said that its profit rose 24 percent in the fourth quarter.

Profits Are Up 24 at Disney and So, It Says, Is Teamwork


The dollar's strength is surprising, given the record current account deficit, but some forecasters say that strength will continue into next year.

The Dollar Is Defying Both Expectations and Gravity


MUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 21: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today informed the Bombay High Court that it was cancelling the entire tender process regarding cricket telecast rights as also the conditional deal with Zee TV.

BCCI cancels own telecast rights tender


Iraq #39;s interim prime minister has threatened to attack Falluja unless it turns in foreign militants, but a negotiator for the rebel-held city says its people are being asked to chase shadows.

Falluja negotiator dismisses threat


A quick peace deal for Sudan #39;s western Darfur region may be possible after a separate agreement was reached between Khartoum and southern Sudanese rebels, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said.

Annan says Darfur peace deal possible by year-end


Toulouse, France (Sports Network) - There is a reason that Lyon has captured the Ligue 1 title three years in a row, and they put all those positive attributes on display at the Municipal Stadium on Tuesday night during a 2-0 win over Toulouse.

Lyon escapes Toulouse with win


Nomar Garciaparra stayed with the Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Red Sox made arbitration offers to Pedro Martinez and several other World Series stars Tuesday, the first big deadline of the offseason for teams and free agents.

Garciaparra stays with Cubs on big deadline night


It is being billed as the next VHS versus Betamax, the seminal TV technology culture clash that left millions of pieces of domestic equipment obsolete almost as soon as they had been built.

Titanic battle over new DVD format


Two local corporations, Zoll Medical Corp. of Chelmsford and Viisage Technology Inc. of Billerica, recently acquired companies in an effort to gain further market share in their respective industries.

Two tech firms grow by acquisitions


ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- He was demoted to third string a couple weeks ago, didn #39;t do exactly what the coaches wanted and was coming off a bad game. Ifeanyi Ohalete knew what was coming next.

Redskins cut former starter Ohalete


AFP - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour urged South Korea to repeal its draconian security law, saying the legislation did not meet international standards for human rights protection.

UN human rights chief urges South Korea to repeal security law (AFP)


AP - A farmer tending a cotton field in central Greece has uncovered a stone monument marking the spot where the Roman army stopped a major westward offensive more than 2,000 years ago, a Greek archaeological official said Wednesday.

Greek Farmer Finds 2,000-Year-Old Monument (AP)


WPP, one of the worlds biggest advertising agencies, today cast doubt on prospects for the industrys fortunes next year, saying the  quot;jury remains out quot;.

Ad giant says  #39;jury is out #39; on prospects


Chelsea said today they will not fear Barcelona after drawing the Spanish league leaders in the last 16 of the Champions League. Jose Mourinho got his wish of landing

Mourinho gets his wish


With power forward Etan Thomas having missed the entire season, reserve forward Michael Ruffin has done well in taking his place.

Ruffin Fills Key Role


SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Tyler Palko became the first quarterback to throw five touchdown passes against Notre Dame, four in the first half alone, and Josh Cummings kicked a 32-yard field goal with one second left to give the Panthers a 41-38 victory over the 24th-ranked Irish yesterday.

Palko picks apart Irish


In order to take the top job at Disney, Robert A. Iger, the companys president, must state his accomplishments without appearing to engage in an unseemly campaign for the job.

The Wonderful World of Succession


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

Web Turns 35, but Still Work in Progress (AP)


The public record has been eclipsed by a faster result yet to be announced, CNET News.com has learned.

SGI supercomputer: Two records in one day


AP - A Shanghai shipyard has agreed to build up to five giant container ships the China's biggest shipping line, the shipyard company said Wednesday.

China Shipyard Announces Order for Ships (AP)


LONDON, Aug 22 (AFP) - Marks and Spencer has been overtaken as Britain #39;s biggest clothing retailer by supermarket giant Asda, which is owned by the world #39;s largest retail store Wal-Mart, industry figures showed Sunday.

Marks And Spencer Loses Crown As Britain #39;s Top Clothing Retailer


AFP - China will phase out measures aimed at reining in the overheating economy amid fears that the tough controls may lead to a hard landing, a press report said.

China to 'phase out' measures aimed at cooling economy (AFP)


A strong explosion damaged the Hilton hotel in Egypt's Taba resort, only yards from the Israeli border, on Thursday night, witnesses said. Israeli medics said they had been informed of

Explosion Rips Through Egyptian Hotel


TAIPEI, Taiwan -- A strong typhoon lashed northern Taiwan on Tuesday, dumping heavy rain, grounding some flights and closing financial markets, schools and businesses across parts of the island.

Typhoon Aere menaces Taiwan


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief U.S. negotiator on North  Korea will hold discussions in Japan and China in the next few  days aimed at organizing a fresh round of six-party talks on  dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear programs, a State Department  official said on Tuesday.

U.S. to Meet Asian Allies, Chinese on N. Korea


BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The dateline fools you as much as the event may fool you. These are the suburbs of Detroit, where the grit turns into greenery, where the big shots who manage the car factories

Cup doesn #39;t runneth over for the US


Reuters - China's surprise interest rate rise\weighed down Asian stocks on Friday as investors sold shares of\miners, shippers and other firms whose fortunes have been\closely linked to the country's rapid growth.

Asian Stocks Ease After China Rate Rise (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were likely to open flat  on Wednesday, with high oil prices and profit warnings weighing  on the market before earnings reports start and key jobs data  is released this week.

Stocks Seen Flat, Oil Hovers Near \$51


Women are being infected with HIV at increasing rates in all regions of the world, and their numbers are now nearly equal to men, according to the United Nations and World Health Organization #39;s annual report on AIDS released Tuesday.

HIV cases rise among women, report says


A referendum bid to block a law that gives Macedonia #39;s Albanian minority more rights failed on Sunday, upholding a Western-brokered peace plan which ended ethnic fighting in 2001.

Low Turnout Sinks Macedonian Bid to Kill Rights Bill


Insurgents pressed their attack on US troops and Iraq #39;s security forces Saturday, killing five Iraqi police officers and wounding 14 American soldiers in a relentless effort to derail next month #39;s elections.

Iraqi insurgents inflict relentless attack


The memory card version of singer Robbie Williams' greatest hits album will cost about \$54, roughly three times as much as the CD.

Music album to be sold on memory card


HENRIK LARSSON last night admitted Barcelona ran out luck after being robbed in the San Siro. The Swede and Iniesta both hit the bar as Frank Riijkard #39;s men were frustrated by AC Milan on Wednesday.

FOOTBALL: BARCA HAD SIRO LUCK SAYS HENRIK


SEATTLE - Chasing a nearly forgotten ghost of the game, Ichiro Suzuki broke one of baseball #39;s oldest records Friday night, smoking a single up the middle for his 258th hit of the year and breaking George Sisler #39;s record for the most hits in a season

Suzuki singles into history


James Atkins knows his players, in some cases a little too well. Atkins is a detective in the Chelsea police department and in charge of the gang unit. He's also the head football coach at Chelsea High and if you're looking for the most pleasant surprise of the 2004 season, look no farther than 299 Everett Avenue.

A rebirth in Chelsea


A dossier purportedly showing the sale of illegal firearms on eBay is to be handed to the home secretary.

MP calls for eBay 'gun crackdown'


WASHINGTON - President Bush renewed his criticism of rival John Kerry's domestic proposals Friday as his campaign prepared a new television ad warning that liberals in Congress would join Kerry in harming job growth and the economy by raising taxes on small businesses.

Bush: Kerry Proposals Will Hurt Economy


AP - Online sales of illegal ivory are booming in the United States despite a longtime global trade ban, conservationists charge.

Group: Illegal Ivory Easy to Get Online (AP)


Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. Thursday said it agreed to pay \$92 million to settle a long-running patent infringement lawsuit with Eastman Kodak Co.

Sun: \$92M to settle Kodak suit


VIENNA: The spike in oil prices is stoking heated arguments between market players, who blame each other for lack of output capacities that has been exposed by strong global demand.

How to keep oil flowing? Invest


Scientists have succeeded in growing outside the body the special stem cells that direct the remarkably prolific process of sperm production.

Sperm Stem Cells Are Grown Outside Body


Dell on Friday voluntarily recalled 4.4 million AC adapters for its notebooks after receiving seven reports of the adapters overheating, posing a risk of fire or electrical shock for users.

Dell Recalls 4.4 Million Notebook AC Adapters


Police used batons to beat back hundreds of protesters as an opposition-led general strike brought Bangladesh to a standstill yesterday for the second day.

Police, protesters clash in Bangladesh strike


FORT PIERCE, Fla. (Reuters) - Hurricane Jeanne tore roofs  from houses and a hospital, caused widespread power outages and  was expected to inflict heavy damage as it pounded Florida's  east coast on Sunday, the same coastal region scarred by  Hurricane Frances three weeks ago.

Hurricane Jeanne Pounds Florida Where Frances Hit


Polar bears could be decades from extinction, a survey into global warming has found. Steve Connor reports on the crisis that threatens the polar ice-cap.

Meltdown: Arctic wildlife is on the brink of catastrophe


European Space Agency -- One year after its launch on 27 September 2003, the SMART-1 spacecraft is in excellent health and preparing for the manoeuvres that will bring it into orbit around the Moon mid-November.     The first mission phase, the aim of which was to test several innovative technologies, has been successfully completed...

SMART-1 Celebrates its First Year in Space


Crude oil futures nose-dived for a second day in a row yesterday, briefly dipping below \$43 a barrel, as traders focused on rising fuel supplies and the lack of cold weather. The two-day drop of more than \$5 a barrel picked up momentum from technical and speculative trading.

Crude futures tumble for second day in row


Inspired by a breathtaking performance by Sergio Garcia, Spain took over the lead from England going into today #39;s final round of the World Cup.

Garcia puts Spain in sight of World Cup


By Reuters. Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. said yesterday that it passed the 800,000 subscriber mark and is on track to have one million by the end of the year, further fueling the company #39;s stock.

Sirius Says Its Subscribers Top 800,000


Latest line of keyboards and mice include some with fingerprint readers for added security.

Microsoft's New Mice Get Touchy


US stocks rose, capping the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 Index #39;s best three-week rally in two years, as better-than-expected reports on retail sales and consumer confidence suggested the economy may accelerate.

US Stocks Rise; S amp;P 500 Has Best Three-Week Rally Since 2002


AP - Dorsey Levens was ready to call it a career. He barely played last year with the Giants and there was little demand for a 34-year-old backup.

Eagles Rusher Levens Gets Starting Nod (AP)


Turin #39;s Olympic Committee needs to raise another 65 million euros from sponsors to meet targets for the 2006 Winter Games, its chief said on Monday after reports of a huge

Turin Winter Games Chief Defends Budget Gap


The Robert Mondavi Corp. swung to a loss in its latest quarter as the wine maker recorded restructuring and sales charges. The Napa-based company on Wednesday reported a net loss of \$57.

Mondavi Posts Loss After Restructuring


com October 11, 2004, 11:16 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.

SGI brings visualization to Linux line


Shi #39;ite militiamen continue to occupy the Imam Ali shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf, despite religious authorities #39; efforts to end the 17-day standoff.

Najaf Standoff Continues


Twenty-five years ago this Tuesday, a brash startup cable channel with a strange name began broadcasting. Its goal: Provide sports programming 24 hours a day. The concept behind ESPN was solid, but the execution was shaky in those early days of bouncing a signal off a satellite from a half-built building in a muddy field in then-rural Bristol, Conn. Today, ...

ESPN ahead of the game


Nortel has won a \$5m contract from BT to help the telco use Internet Protocol (IP) technology to upgrade its call centres around the UK.

Nortel picks up \$5m BT call centre contract


Reuters - International Business Machines Corp.\ has settled for an undisclosed sum part of a\potentially multi-billion-dollar lawsuit over its pension plan,\a Wednesday court filing shows.

IBM Settles Part of Giant Pension Lawsuit (Reuters)


SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- In a major strategic reversal, Sony Corp...

Sony Shifts Strategy to Support MP3 Files


Driven by demand for flash memory chips used in cell phones, Intel Corp.'s third-quarter profits rose 15 percent, but also warned that its gross margins are sagging, and it continues to suffer from a buildup of inventory.

Intel Beats Expectations but Warns on Inventory


Lleyton Hewitt knows how it feels to be No. 1 in the world. Anything less is no big deal to him. Hewitt rallied to beat Carlos Moya 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in a first-round match at the ATP Masters Cup Championships

Hewitt rallies to beat Moya; Roddick wins without best serve


Sony #39;s forthcoming PlayStation Portable handheld will fail to attract newcomers to gaming, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, whose comments come as shipment targets for the DS are raised once again.

Nintendo boss slams PSP as DS shipment target is raised


Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted today that there must be a complete and unequivocal end to violence by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland if the power-sharing executive is to be restored.

Blair Demands Complete End to Ulster Violence


FONTANA, Calif. -- Helio Castroneves led a TOYOTA brigade to capture his second pole position at California Speedway on Saturday, October 2. We were able to make adjustments and have no difficulty during the run, Castroneves said.

Castroneves secures top spot for Toyota Indy 400


SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) will sell its 6.3 percent stake in Air New Zealand, officially ending its venture in the now government-controlled carrier.

Singapore Airlines sells stake in Air New Zealand


consecutive life terms, plus another 40 years, by an Israeli civil court that found him guilty of five cases of murder of innocent citizens, attempted murder and membership in a terror organization.

Barghouti Release Would Reward Terror


RealNetworks says it sold a million songs in the first week of its 49-cent-per-track promotion. The digital-media firm also signed agreements with the University of California at Berkeley and

Real Sells 1 Million Songs in First Week of Promotion


Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning, giving St. Louis a 6-4 victory over Houston in Game 2 of the N.L.C.S.

Cardinals Rain Power on Astros Once Again


MUNICH -- The heart health benefits from fish like salmon and mackerel seem to be weakened when farm-raised fish are fed vegetable oil instead of fish oil, new research indicates.

Health benefits, concern surface in study of farm-raised fish


Mitsubishi Electric plans to stop producing LCD panels for television sets and personal computers and shift to smaller panels for cellular phones and industrial equipment

Mitsubishi Elec to stop producing TV LCDs, focus on smaller panels <b>...</b>


Forbes.com - Houseboats(the Dutch word is woonboot) are a tradition in Amsterdam. The canals that ring the city in tight concentric circles are lined with 3,000 of them, moored to centuries-old stone quays. The vast majority never leave their moorings. Locals live on them. But 35 of them are rented out, overnight or by the week, through small rental agencies or via the Internet.

Playing the Float (Forbes.com)


Falluja sees more intense fighting as US forces step up their assault to defeat insurgents in the city.

US moves to corner Falluja rebels


A customer-satisfaction study of E-business Web sites says Google has a huge lead among search-engine sites but will face still challenges from portals.

Google #39;s Real Rivals: Yahoo, MSN, And Amazon


Annika Sorenstam was hitting the ball so well she knew exactly where it was going. Combine that with an unusually calm day in south Florida, and her name atop the leaderboard was no surprise.

Sorenstam on target with first-round 66


The Motley Fool - CNET Networks (Nasdaq: CNET - News) has built a brand in the geeky world of tech products. Of course, with the drop in tech spending, CNET needed to make a transition. So the company is focusing more on the

Investors Cutting the Edge of CNET (The Motley Fool)


The most significant product advancement is Salesforce.com's newly released Telephony API tool kit, which allows its sales automation software to integrate with products from partners.

Salesforce.com expands call center support


NewsFactor - The Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 6820 is an ergonomically pleasing handheld device that integrates short text, multimedia and \instant messaging capabilities with all of the features and functions that one normally would expect to find in a dedicated GSM/GPRS cellular phone.

Product Review: Nokia 6820 Wireless Messaging Handset (NewsFactor)


New Delhi, Aug. 31 (PTI): The revamped Board of Trade could be headed by renowned industrialist Ratan Tata, or former CII Secretary General Tarun Das.

Ratan Tata, Kumarmangalam may head revamped Board of Trade


The Government was dragging its heels yesterday when the Ministry of Sport failed to come out with a clear message of support for South Africa #39;s bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Government Mum On World Cup Bid


The Marlins used a pair of three-run innings to ease past the Padres for an 8-2 victory Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 44,149 at PETCO Park.

Padres doomed by big innings


NEW YORK - Technology stocks led Wall Street lower Friday after an uninspiring employment report failed to mitigate investors' concerns over Intel Corp.'s profit outlook. The major indexes finished the week mixed...

Stocks Fall on Jobs Report, Intel Warning


WAYNE BENNETT thought it would take the Kangaroos 70 minutes to put Britain away in their Tri-Nations rugby league Test early yesterday morning (AEDT).

Cruel Britannia as Rooney delivers


TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against the yen on  Wednesday on a round of selling by Japanese exporters, but it  found support from intervention worries and caution ahead of  U.S. non-farm payrolls data due later in the week.

The Dollar Slips Against the Yen


TOKYO The operators of a Japanese nuclear plant say there was no evidence of danger at the plant before a deadly explosion this month.

Plant operators grilled by safety panel probing Japanese nuclear plant explosion


Your name is synonymous with searching the Internet, and you #39;ve just raised roughly \$1.7 billion from investors by going public.

Google Faces Challenge of Public Company Status


Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo replaced his army chief with a more hardline officer and vowed to rebuild his air force on Sunday as regional

Ivory Coast Leader Defiant as Summit Convenes


AP - Silicon Valley tycoons, Nobel laureates and Hollywood celebrities are backing a measure on California's Nov. 2 ballot to devote  #36;3 billion to human embryonic stem cell experiments in what would be the biggest-ever state-supported scientific research program in the country.

Calif. to Vote on  #36;3B Stem Cell Project (AP)


Quentin Richardson poured in 37 points, including eight three-pointers, and Shawn Marion added 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 121-99 thrashing of the host Portland Trail Blazers Sunday.

NBA-Suns Scorch Trail Blazers, Kings Beat Celtics


AP - It's probably too late to save a small pod of killer whales whose numbers plummeted after the Exxon Valdez tanker spilled nearly 11 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound.

NOAA Observes Killer Whales After Valdez (AP)


Sri Lanka #39;s Tamil Tiger insurgency is threatening to resume armed struggles unless the government accepts the rebels #39; blueprint for self-rule.

Tamil Tigers warn of resumed violence


Barclaycard, the UK #39;s largest credit card provider, moved closer to making its first steps in the US market yesterday as its parent group, Barclays, snapped up Juniper Financial Corporation, the North American consumer credit firm, for ...

Barclays buys US credit card firm


Atlanta - The world #39;s top three golfers were all within striking distance of the leaders after the first round of the Tour Championship in Atlanta on Friday.

Vijay stalking the leaders in Atlanta


Kirk Rueter allowed just three hits over seven innings and JT Snow homered as the San Francisco Giants scored a crucial 4-2 win over Los Angeles in National League play at Dodger Stadium Friday.

NL Wrap: Rueter Sharp as Giants Stay in Division


Somalia's president-elect, tasked with setting up the first national government in 13 years, is due to take the oath of office in Kenya.

New Somali leader to be sworn in


US Secretary of State Colin Powell has continued his latest Middle East peace mission, urging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to make the most of new chances.

POWELL HAILS MID-EAST OPPORTUNITY


Saturn has an unusual magnetic environment, which acts as a planetary electrical transformer. The instrument measuring the charged Saturn on Cassini has already found a plasma between what previously was just thought to be a ring gap...

Cassini Finds a Charged Up Saturn


com October 21, 2004, 6:42 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.

Yahoo buys e-mail search company


Microsoft Corp. is investigating a reported vulnerability in its ASP.Net that could allow an attacker to bypass security features on a Web server and view sensitive content, the company said Thursday.

ASP.Net glitch discovered


The Federal Government has rejected Opposition calls for an inquiry into the Prime Minister #39;s use of his son #39;s computer software company to spam voters with Liberal Party election material.

Govt denies spam campaign breaks law


3Com announced IP telephony products, including modules that help connect features such as e-mail alerts and caller ID to IP systems based on Session Initiation Protocol.

3Com launches set of products for IP telephony


Chelsea #39;s wingless wonders are finally taking flight. Jose Mourinho #39;s sides often display the width of a particularly narrow pencil but a new, sharper shape is emerging.

Robben can lead the Blue revolution


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

Fierce Fighting Erupts in Iraq's Najaf-Witnesses (Reuters)


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A corporate spending survey that  boosted optimism about Japan's economy drove Tokyo shares  sharply higher on Monday, while other Asian stock markets  traded around multi-month highs.

Asian Stocks Rise, Report Lifts Nikkei


AFP - High economic growth helped Asia reduce poverty greatly in the past decade but the increasingly unfair distribution of income could hamper future improvement, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned.

ADB warns of increasing inequality in Asia (AFP)


Someone at Sony has wisened up and decided to add MP3 support to their new NW-HD3 player slated for release in December.  quot;Sony is broadening support for the MP3 file format in its portable music player range.

Sony Adds MP3 Support To NW-HD3


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

Kodak: Digital Imaging Growing Faster


France defender Mikael Silvestre has hit out at the lack of communication from national coach Raymond Domenech. The 27-year-old Manchester United defender was left out of France #39;s squad for Wednesday #39;s friendly with Poland.

Silvestre lambasts Domenech


Rewriteable version of the next-gen DVD format moves closer to mass production.

HD-DVD Standard Earns Approval


I just read an article on the Village Voice website that summed up one of the complaints I have had for some time about the Democratic Party: They won't fight.  At the same time, they are trying to convince conservative voters to vote for them instead of the Republicans and are losing votes on the liberal side as a result.   For both of these problems, I blame the Democratic Leadership Council.

Why the Democrats are sucking


Real Mallorca president Mateo Alemany and his board spent yesterday in talks over the future of coach Benito Floro. Sunday #39;s defeat at Real Sociedad has heaped more pressure on Mallorca directors to act, despite

Mallorca coach Floro on the brink


Justin Strzelczyk , a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Maine, died yesterday in a fiery head-on collision with a tanker truck in Herkimer, N.Y., after he led state troopers on a 40-mile highway chase during morning rush hour. Strzelczyk, 36, was an offensive lineman with the Steelers for nearly a decade until the team released ...

Former Steelers, Maine player Strzelczyk dies after highway chase, crash


p2pnet.net News:- Virgin Electronics has joined the mp3 race with a \$250, five gig player which also handles Microsoft #39;s WMA format.

Virgin launches mp3 player


Indian software group Infosys sees its profits jump 50 as more companies hire it to run their technical support services.

Infosys cashes in on outsourcing


Crude oil futures eased a shade Tuesday in range-bound trade as analysts predicted a weekly US oil inventories report could show a rise in stocks.

Update 8: Crude Futures Dip As Traders Predict Rise


A startup company is rolling out a family of workstations aimed at the technical computing space that offer clusterlike capabilities inside a single box.

Orion Workstations Act as Single-Box Clusters


Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has given his backing for a plan to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland. The party confirmed that at a meeting of senior Sinn Fein leaders in Belfast, Mr Adams said he

Adams backs power-sharing plan


Reuters - A radical Iraqi cleric leading a\Shi'ite uprising agreed on Wednesday to disarm his militia and\leave one of the country's holiest Islamic shrines after\warnings of an onslaught by government forces.

Iraq Cleric Agrees to End Uprising, Fighting Rages On (Reuters)


For those who need to make telephone calls in flight and don't want to sell the second car to finance them, help is on the way.

Almost Here: Cellphones at 37,000 Feet


(Nov. 15) -- Would your car protect your head and neck in case of a crash? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested restraint systems in dozens of cars.

Consumer Alert: Car Restraint Systems Rated


Microsoft Corp. #39;s MSN Internet division late Wednesday debuted a preliminary version of MSN Spaces, designed to bring blogs to the masses.

Microsoft gets into blog role contest


AFP - Gloomy news about Iraq and the Middle East peace process overshadowed the second day of the UN's annual gathering of world leaders.

Iraq, Middle East troubles overshadow UN meeting (AFP)


GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Sept. 6, 2004 - Israeli helicopters attacked a Hamas training field early Tuesday, killing at least 13 Palestinians and wounding 25 in the bloodiest strike in Gaza in months, officials from both sides said.

Explosions Kill at Least 13 in Gaza City


An updated version of Russia #39;s venerable Soyuz rocket took its first flight Monday, placing a dummy satellite into orbit during a successful qualification launch.

Modernized version of Soyuz rocket launched


Computer Associates International Inc. CEO Sanjay Kumar and CA's former head of worldwide sales, Stephen Richards, have been indicted on charges of securities fraud conspiracy and obstruction of justice, federal prosecutors announced this afternoon.

Former CA chief Sanjay Kumar indicted on fraud charges


STRIDING along a beach, surfboard tucked nonchalantly under his arm, the tall wetsuit-clad figure cuts quite a dash as he heads for the waves.

Life is more Baywatch than Balmoral for Prince of Waves


Bee Staff Writer. ALAMEDA - Raiders starting running back Tyrone Wheatley says he #39;ll be out up to a month - not that the team wants you to know.

Raiders notes: Wheatley says he #39;ll miss 2 to 4 weeks


AFP - India's most wanted criminal Koose Muniswamy Veerappan, accused of more than 100 murders and on the run for decades, has been shot dead after driving into an elaborate police trap, officials said.

India's most wanted fugitive shot dead in police trap (AFP)


AP - The nation's forefathers envisioned a president born in the good ol' U.S. of A.; a red, white and true-blue chief executive for when the band strikes up

Efforts Made to OK Foreign Born Presidents (AP)


NewsFactor - Internet-based calling is moving beyond the PC and into the mobile realm, as \Boingo Wireless and \Vonage join forces to provide voice over Wi-Fi service as a complement to traditional VoIP.

Boingo, Vonage Join on Wireless VoIP (NewsFactor)


World News Kathmandu, Sep 23 : Nepal remained torn between hope and doubt, awaiting a response from the Maoist insurgents as the government said it would send a formal proposal to them to hold peace talks.

Nepal awaits Maoist response to call for talks:


Funding round of \$105 million brings broadband Internet telephony company's total haul to \$208 million.

Vonage doubles its money


A judge ruled today that three British bankers can be extradited to the United States to face wire fraud charges related to off-balance sheet dealings with the Enron energy group.

British Bankers Can Be Extradited to US, Judge Rules


Even if Evander Holyfield is not ready to leave boxing, most of his skills have already departed. Losing for the fifth time in his last eight bouts, Holyfield (38-8-2) was beaten by Larry

With Loss, Holyfield Continues His Decline


Two Taiwanese men were arrested Saturday on suspicion of spying on the Air Force #39;s Mirage 2000-E fighter and Tien Kung cruise missile for China.

Two locals detained for spying on military


Kelsey Reynoso, a two-year-old girl, looks at toys in a catalog, as her family lines outside the KB Toys store inside the Glendale Galeria mall Friday, Nov. 26, 2004, in Glendale, Calif.

Shoppers Swarm Malls in Holiday Kickoff


Communicating can be tricky when a company or a government agency has workers in different locations and even different time zones.

ThoughtLink's Exercise in Collaboration


The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has revived its long-running crackdown on file-swapping through legal action, suing 750 alleged filing copyright infrigement suits again

Recording Industry Files 750 More File-Sharing Lawsuits


A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying a US-Russian crew back to Earth following six months at the international space station hurtled through the Earth #39;s atmosphere and landed in Kazakhstan Saturday evening.

Soyuz capsule carrying US-Russian crew from space station lands in <b>...</b>


Q: We are in the market for a new computer, which we would use mostly for e-mail, the Internet, letters and reports. I #39;ve read about a PC sold online by Wal-Mart that runs Linux instead of Windows.

Wal-Mart #39;s Linux-based computer not so great


In the NFL, where it doesn #39;t take long for one man #39;s soup du jour to become everyone #39;s flavor of the month, the latest recipe for success has arrived: Start a rookie quarterback.

Rookie QBs all the rage


quot;This is the right acquisition at the right time for Cemex, quot; says Lorenzo Zambrano, chairman and chief executive of Cemex.

Mexico-Based Cemex To Buy RMC


Raven Software hard at work on follow-up to Activision #39;s recently released Marvel superhero RPG. Hot-off-the-press copies of X-Men Legends haven #39;t even cooled down yet, but Activision isn #39;t resting on its laurels.

X-Men Legends sequel in development


Sharp falls on the currency markets have not jolted Washington's commitment to a strong dollar, the Treasury says.

US vows to stick to dollar policy


SINGAPORE Even after he jettisoned a disastrous expansion strategy and offered them 4.5 billion Australian dollars with a promise to stick to his knitting, it turns out that shareholders never really forgave Zygmunt Switkowski.

Telstra chief to leave before contract ends


People face poverty in retirement unless they save more, a major report into pensions will reveal. The Pensions Commission report says that there is a 57 billion shortfall in the amount people are saving for retirement.

Pension crisis answer  #39;unpalatable #39;


The story of Baiji power station, which can produce more electricity than any plant in Iraq, helps explain why power generation remains one of the most vexing reconstruction challenges in the country.

A Push for More Power At Iraq Plant


A lieutenant of Iraq #39;s most feared insurgent leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was captured this week, the country #39;s national security minister said Thursday, and

Guerrilla #39;s assistant captured, says Iraq


Swiss-based banking giant UBS AG has agreed to buy Charles Schwab Corp. #39;s capital markets unit for \$265 million in cash, making UBS a leading

UBS Buys Schwab Unit for \$265 Mln


#39;should #39;. This year they seem to have foundered on a photograph. In 2003, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said the Provisional

Taking the peace


New research suggests that developing the ability to run - long thought to be a byproduct of walking for early man - was actually an instrumental step in the evolution of people

Study: Learning to Run Propelled Evolution


GENEVA (Reuters) - Some 30,000 Sudanese, victims of fresh  attacks by Arab militia inside Darfur, have threatened to cross  into Chad, the U.N. refugee agency warned on Friday.

30,000 More Sudanese Threaten to Cross to Chad -UN


AFP - US Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic rival John Edwards clashed on Iraq, terrorism, and the economy in their only debate, trading frequently personal attacks 28 days before the November 2 election.

Cheney, Edwards clash on Iraq in debate (AFP)


Reuters - A militant leader survived an Israeli\missile strike on his car in Gaza on Thursday in Israel's first\assassination attempt in the Palestinian territories since\Yasser Arafat died in a Paris hospital.

Militant Chief Wounded in Israeli Strike in Gaza (Reuters)


SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Citing a lack of growth opportunities in its home market, Australian pathology and radiology company Sonic Healthcare Ltd.

UPDATE: Australia #39;s Sonic Targets More Europe Expansion


Investigators raided a Framingham house in search of evidence in the bombing of a Watertown biotech lab yesterday, rifling through the house but making no arrests as federal agents continued an intensive probe, authorities said.

Home raided for clues in biotech b


GREG MURPHY yesterday emphatically laid his claim for a fourth Bathurst crown, while four-time winner Mark Skaife experienced one of his worst days at the circuit.

Murphy sizzles again as Skaife fizzles


PalmOne has announced a new version of its Tungsten-class personal digital assistant designed to protect data even when its battery dies.

PalmOne unveils Tungsten T5


Nokia Corp. increased its global market share of mobile phone handsets for a second successive quarter, reaching 30.9 percent with sales of 51.7 million units, market researcher Gartner Inc.

Nokia to Invest in New Plant in India


Based on Che Guevara's early days, <I>The Motorcycle Diaries</i> is a tender tribute to the young man, not the myth

On the Road to Greatness


AT amp;T, the largest US long-distance telephone company, agreed Tuesday to pay \$100 million to settle a lawsuit by shareholders who said the company lied about its financial health.

AT amp;T settles investor suit


General Electric (GE ) posted 38 cents vs. 36 cents third-quarter earnings per share (adjusted) on a 15 rise in total revenue. GE narrowed its 2004 earnings per share guidance to \$1.

GE Net Rises


Backup catcher John Flaherty decided to stay with the New York Yankees, agreeing Friday to an \$800,000, one-year contract. Flaherty, 37, hit .252 in 127 at-bats but was the key to several New York wins, hitting six homers and driving in 16 runs.

Flaherty agrees to stay with Yankees


HSBC Bank planted its flag in Washington last week, opening its first branch in the District with hopes of becoming Riggs Bank #39;s replacement to the embassy community.

MONDAY MORNING


Shares in Embratel Particapoes SA, Brazil's largest long-distance carrier, plunged more than 10 percent in Sao Paulo and almost 14 percent on Wall Street Tuesday after the company announced it would issue \$704 million in new shares but divulged few details about the plan.

Embratel Shares Plunge in Brazil, N.Y.


It may soon be possible to take medication in a gel form rather than having to swallow a tablet.

Gel may 'replace pills and jabs'


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sprint Corp. on Wednesday agreed to  buy mobile telephone company Nextel Communications Inc. in a  deal worth \$36.3 billion to gain more business customers and  more airwaves to transmit calls.

Sprint to Buy Nextel in \$36 Billion Deal


ABUJA (Reuters) - Sudanese Darfur rebels arrived in Nigeria  on Sunday ahead of peace talks under the African Union (AU) to  resolve a conflict that has killed up to 50,000 and displaced  more than a million people.

Sudan Delegations in Nigeria for Peace Talks


AP - Fifth-seeded Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States was upset 7-5, 7-6 (5) by Youlia Fedossova, a French teen ranked 448th, in the first round of the Japan Open on Tuesday.

Fedossova Upsets Shaughnessy at Japan Open (AP)


Brent Scowcroft #39;s Nov. 12 op-ed column,  quot;A Middle East Opening, quot; was a reminder of the Middle East policy that failed the first George Bush and his successor, Bill Clinton.

Middle East Approaches That Won #39;t Work


Yahoo will release a desktop search tool in early 2005, joining other search engines looking to catalog a variety of information beyond Web pages, the company said Friday.

Yahoo Plans Desktop Search


After studying thousands of images from Mars, scientists now are convinced that liquid water once flowed on the surface of the red planet, increasing the odds that life may have existed there in the distant past.

Scientists confident liquid water once flowed on Mars


President Bush and rival John Kerry on Tuesday offered different ways to boost the sluggish job market, the president calling for legal reforms to help workers and businesses while his Democratic opponent proposed ending tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas.    Kerry, moving aggressively in the face of polls showing his candidacy lagging, used the latest forecast of a record budget deficit to bolster his contention that Bush is leading the country in the wrong direction...

Bush Blames 'Junk Lawsuits' for Job Woes


quot;Now Conte has broken his silence, they will be seeking him for further information. The IAAF will follow the situation, quot; he said.

US officials to question BALCO chief


The New York Yankees, the most celebrated franchise in United States sport who boast a payroll of more than \$A255 million, have gone down 22-0 to the Cleveland Indians in New York.

Yankees slump to embarrassing defeat


Robust consumer spending on cars, furniture and food helped the US economy advance faster than first thought in the third quarter, a government report showed, while underlying inflation was the tamest in decades.

Consumers Fuel Faster Economic Growth


Reuters - The dollar rose to a three-week high\against the euro on Wednesday, boosted by a fall in the price\of oil, which should help narrow the U.S. trade deficit and\thus benefit the dollar.

Dollar Lifted by Slipping Oil Prices (Reuters)


SHANNAN Taylor plans to use his World Boxing Foundation (WBF) super middleweight title fight on Friday as  quot;a battery charge quot; for his attempt on a far more prestigious and meaningful world title next year.

Taylor wants  #39;meaningful #39; world title


Michigan State improved to 4-2 all-time against Stanford on the hardwood...Stanford has yet to play at home this season...After scoring 100 or more points in its first three games, Michigan State has not reached the century mark in its last four contests

NCAA Game Summary - Stanford vs. Michigan State


Microsoft #39;s decision to push back a 64-bit Windows will not hurt chip sales, company says. Advanced Micro Devices is disappointed by Microsoft #39;s decision to delay the introduction of 64-bit versions of its

AMD Disappointed by 64-Bit Delay


Reuters - David Dellucci's two-run double in the\bottom of the ninth inning helped the Texas Rangers complete a\three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 5-4 win in the\American League at Arlington Thursday.

AL Wrap: Texas Completes Sweep of Oakland (Reuters)


To the rest of the world, they were the  quot;In Your Dreams quot; Team. But for their coach, Mike Candrea, it was about another dream.

Softball gold takes Candrea, US from tragedy to triumph


Often, the older a pitcher becomes, the less effective he is on the mound. Roger Clemens apparently didn #39;t get that memo. On Tuesday, the 42-year-old Clemens won an unprecedented

Clemens wins seventh Cy Young


Prosecutors dropped a marijuana possession charge against Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony on Wednesday, saying it would be tough to get a conviction after a friend claimed the drug was his, not Anthony #39;s.

Prosecutor drops marijuana charge against Anthony


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on  Thursday as anxiety over Friday's U.S. September payrolls  report largely overwhelmed relief at bond-friendly comments by  a top Federal Reserve official.

Treasuries Slip as Payrolls Jitters Weigh


Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters #39; comeback from left wrist surgery stalled Saturday when she quit in pain while losing to Elena Bovina in the Gaz de France Stars semifinals.

Clijsters reinjures wrist


HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Jets cornerback Ray Mickens was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, while Terrell Buckley was signed to take his place...

Jets Lose Cornerback Mickens to Torn ACL


LONDON: The British Government has detailed a range of new measures to fight global terrorism and organised crime, as the Queen set out its new law-making agenda ahead of expected elections next year.

Queen outlines crackdown on terror


Air France becomes the latest major airline to raise ticket prices in response to higher fuel costs.

High oil costs hit more airlines


Doughnuts, macadamia nuts, and toy nuts were in play in a short yet lively week in the market.

A Fool Looks Back


Britain says it will not bargain with Iraqi militants holding a UK man, after he made a video plea to Tony Blair.

UK rules out hostage negotiations


AP - Atari could have redefined guns and gas pedal mayhem with the much anticipated

VIDEO GAME REVIEW: Driv3r Plot Is Tedious (AP)


Legends are everywhere these days if you believe the media. We journalists are so fond of hyperbole that we elevate everyone who is anyone up to the level of genius.

Farewell Sir Brian


Sony of Japan said Tuesday it will begin selling a more compact version of its PlayStation 2, the Guardian reported. The company, at its London announcement, said the new model #39;s noise level is about 75 percent

Sony launches new PlayStation 2


CIOs and security executives are desperately playing catch-up with unauthorized users of IM and P2P clients, who are sharing music files and videos on company time, and with company resources.

SANS Top 20 unveiled


AP - Two great white sharks attacked and killed a surfer while his friends watched in horror Thursday off a popular beach in the southern Australian city of Adelaide, authorities said.

Australian Teen Surfer Killed by 2 Sharks (AP)


Iran said Sunday that demands from the UN atomic watchdog agency that it freeze all work on uranium enrichment -echnology that can be used for nuclear weapons  -e  quot;illegal.

Iran says ban on its uranium enrichment program  #39;illegal #39;


Pollsters missed the mark in predicting the outcome of the 2000 presidential election. This year, with major polling groups forecasting significantly different results in the race for president, expect more of the same. By Adam L. Penenberg.

Voter Polls Don't Count for Much


The regional department store company is gearing up for the all-important holidays.

Good Ol' Gottschalks


Four hundred years after King James I denounced tobacco as  quot;loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, quot; the British government announced plans Tuesday to ban smoking in most public places

British government plans smoking ban that would bar lighting up in <b>...</b>


Iran Saturday blasted a resolution by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran #39;s nuclear program as a political one.

Iran say IAEA resolution political


Jets quarterback Chad Pennington will start Sunday's game against the Houston Texans after sitting out the last three contests with a strained right rotator cuff.

Pennington to Start


AP - A weeping British hostage was shown pleading for help between the bars of a makeshift cage in a video that surfaced Wednesday, a sobering reminder of the grim reality for at least 18 foreign captives still held by Iraqi militants.

British Hostage in Iraq Pleads for Help (AP)


Ongoing battle between rival software makers enters new stage. Board has vowed to continue resistance. By Michael Liedtke. SAN FRANCISCO -- More than 60 percent of PeopleSoft Inc.

PeopleSoft shareholders support Oracle takeover


PLEAS for the life of the lone British hostage in Iraq, Ken Bigley, redoubled last night as American troops continued their assault on the  quot;Sunni triangle quot; and on the quarters of Baghdad where the hostage-takers have their strongholds.

Britons #39; mission to free Bigley


Eager to shed its mounting debt, chemical giant Huntsman International LLC announced plans Monday to go public in a move analysts say is timed to take advantage of an improving market for basic materials.

Update 2: Huntsman Corp. Attempts to Go Public


Microsoft Corp is suing a company it claims provides so-called  quot;bulletproof quot; web hosting to spammers. A company attorney said it is the first time anybody has been sued for allegedly providing spam  quot;support services quot;.

Microsoft goes after bulletproof  quot;spam host quot;


DHAKA (Reuters) - Opposition activists in Bangladesh held  more protests on Monday against a deadly grenade attack as  authorities posted extra police on the streets to guard against  violence.

Anxious Bangladesh Braces for More Protests


Senior Democrats call on John Kerry to reinvigorate his campaign, or risk losing the US election.

Kerry urged to fight 'Bush bounce'


IBM #39;s Blue Gene/L supercomputer has recaptured the speed record briefly held by Silicon Graphics Columbia system. Blue Gene/L, which is being installed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, hit 70.

Didn #39;t Take Long: IBM Regains Supercomputing Crown


The bill aims to raise the same amount of money by closing tax shelters, raising customs fees and dropping a tax benefit.

Senate Approves Bill Worth \$140 Billion in Corporate Tax Breaks


AP - Houston at St. Louis (8:10 p.m. EDT). Roger Clemens (16-4) starts for Houston against Jeff Suppan (15-6) and the major league-leading Cardinals.

Baseball Today (AP)


More open-source software for businesses: The Apache Software Foundation is launching a project for a Java process automation server.

Open-source process server set for release


By 2030, 4 in 10 homes will be under 30 years old, study says. By Matthew Tully. The Indianapolis metropolitan area will be reshaped dramatically in the coming decades as new residential, industrial and commercial

Building surge forecast to transform Indy area


Sprint, the fourth-largest US cell phone operator, has started a \$3 billion network upgrade, with \$1 billion earmarked for a wireless broadband service to launch soon in selected cities, a Sprint executive said Tuesday.

Sprint begins \$3 billion march to 3G


Verizon Communications Inc., the biggest US telephone company, will sell its 20.5 percent stake in Telus Corp. to raise cash to invest in its wireless and high- speed Internet services.

Verizon Will Sell Its 20.5 Stake in Canada #39;s Telus (Update3)


Factory orders for costly manufactured goods in July recorded the biggest gain in four months. New-homes sales, meanwhile, slid, according to a pair of reports that offered a mixed picture of economic activity.

Reports Show a Mixed View of Economy


A leading Shiite political figure showed signs of unease on Thursday about the risks that the continuing violence here poses for the elections.

Shiites Signal Concern Over Sunni Turnout Amid Violence


PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Reuters) - Just as it's time to deck the  halls, along comes a new crop of fighting games for people who  love to deck the brawlers.

Fighting Games Deliver Knocks for the Holidays