Reuters - The Milwaukee Brewers\have acquired slugging outfielder Carlos Lee from the Chicago\White Sox in exchange for speedy outfielder Scott Podsednik,\pitcher Luis Vizcaino and a player to be named later.

White Sox Deal Lee to Brewers for Podsednik (Reuters)


Juan Pablo Montoya is desperate to win Sunday #39;s Italian GP and would have liked to have started from pole position but the Williams driver admits Rubens Barrichello #39;s flying lap was just too good.

Montoya concedes Ferrari were just too good


The sequel to the best-selling Xbox game, Halo, is finished, say its makers.

Work on Halo 2 game 'finished'


ALDERSON, W.Va. - Martha Stewart reported to prison before sunrise Friday to begin serving a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale, slipping all but unnoticed past waiting supporters and reporters...

Martha Stewart Reports to Prison in W.Va.


Apple has sold over 150 million songs through its iTunes Music Store, the company announced last night. iTunes users are now downloading more than 4 million songs per week, a rate of over 200 million songs per year.

iTunes sales reach 150 million


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks recovered from earlier  losses and rose early Thursday afternoon, with National  Semiconductor Corp. <A HREF=

Stocks Rebound, National Semi Stock Up


China's economic growth slows for a third straight quarter as efforts to rein in booming expansion continue to take hold.

China's economic boom slows down


(OfficialWire) -- 10/31/04 -- Authorities in China have ordered more than 1,600 Internet cafes closed since February 2004, imposing more than 100 million yuan, or

China closes 1,600 Internet cafes


Mark Hughes #39; decision to take the Blackburn job is bad news for Wales, there #39;s no doubt about that. Mark has brought a lot of dignity back to Welsh football, taking us up from around 100 in the world rankings

Hughes leaves a void Ian Walsh


Reuters - The dollar inched up on Monday but\traders struggled to find direction in a market devoid of\economic data.

Dollar Edges Up, Direction Sought (Reuters)


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- In its bid to displace Microsoft in controlling the desktop, Google on Thursday unveiled its long-awaited desktop search toolbar.

Plus: CNet, Netflix report; Apple #39;s downloads hit 150 mln


Adobe and Yahoo are launching a new Internet toolbar that will provide users with access to Yahoo products -- including Anti-Spy, Pop-Up Blocker and Yahoo Search -- as well as Adobe products, such as Create Adobe PDF Online.

Yahoo, Adobe Team on Internet Services


Defending champion Ernie Els beat Padraig Harrington 5 and 4 yesterday to move into the final of the World Match Play Championship in Virginia Water, England, and stay on course for a record sixth title.

Els Eases Into the Final in England


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

Fossil indicates ancient brown bears migrated south before Ice Age


Among the devices used was a futuristic plasma monitor designed by three technology companies specifically for CBS.

Screen shots: Election night gadgets


The Bush administration made clear on Thursday it would not take a position on whether UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should resign as it awaited the results of an investigation into the UN oil-for-food scandal.

Bush Calls for Full UN Oil-For-Food Probe


High-flying Brit entrepreneur Richard Branson today announced the imminent take-off of the  quot;VSS Virgin quot; - a scaled-up version of Burt Rutan #39;s SpacShipOne - which will offer well-to-do wannabe astronauts the chance of zero-grav flights for a mere 100,000

Virgin to offer space flights


FARMINGTON, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - World number one Vijay  Singh kept up his red-hot form when an eight-under-par 64 gave  him a three-shot lead after an incomplete first round at the  \$4.2 million Pennsylvania Classic Thursday.

Singh on Top of Pile Again in Pennsylvania


Online auction giant eBay is entering the music download business with a service that will market content from major record labels.

PassAlong jump-starts eBay music effort


LONDON - World oil prices eased slightly yesterday but remained close to record high points near 55 dollars a barrel as traders fretted about low inventories of US heating fuel heading into the northern winter.

Price of oil eases off record highs


THE political struggle for Yasser Arafat #39;s inheritance escalated last night into a fierce contest for the dying man #39;s body, as a war of words erupted between the Palestinian leader #39;s wife and his top officials.

Arafat #39;s wife claims his men want him dead


When pharmaceutical giant Merck  amp; Co. abruptly pulled its arthritis pain medication Vioxx from the marketplace on Sept. 30, more than 2 million patients were taking the drug.

VIOXX HEARINGS: GET A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE


AP - Outfielder Jose Guillen and the Anaheim Angels have reached a financial settlement to resolve the grievance filed after the team recently suspended him without pay for the rest of the season.

Angels, Guillen Reach Financial Settlement (AP)


The Associated Press

News: Former University of Texas student indicted for allegedly hacking into computers, stealing info


MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Johan Santana turned in arguably the most dominating performance of his career, helping the Minnesota Twins creep closer to another American League Central Division title.

SI.com


This is the game that has been hailed as the killer of all first person shooters since it was first announced over a year ago, and most who have said that hadn #39;t even played it yet - that #39;s how confident people are that this game is just that good.

Half-Life 2 (Valve / Sierra)


The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Monday that South Korea's failure to report nuclear experiments was a

IAEA Details S. Korean Nuclear Program


AP - Who are the real Seattle Seahawks? The team that flattened opponents in the opening weeks of the season? Or the team that fell flat in last weekend's 38-9 loss to Buffalo? Coach Mike Holmgren can't say, but he knows it's time to get serious.

Cowboys, Seahawks Look for Winning Edge (AP)


\$2.5 million in prize money is on the line as gamers from Uzbekistan to Ecuador compete in the World Cyber Games.

Photo 5 of 8: Global gamers clash for cash


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co. <A HREF=

Heinz Profit Meets Forecasts; Shares Rise


RCN Corp. , the upstart telecommunications provider that has sought to battle giants like Comcast Corp. and Verizon Communications Inc. in Greater Boston and other markets, unveiled plans yesterday to exit bankruptcy protection by December and shed more than two-thirds of its \$1.8 billion debt load.

RCN looks to exit Chapter 11


LORD BLACK of Crossharbour plans to privatise Hollinger Inc, his Canadian holding company, following a very public investigation into the way he ran his former media empire.

Black to privatise Hollinger Inc


Washington, DC - The No. 11 MSU basketball team lost 96-83 to George Washington Saturday afternoon in the first-round of the BB amp;T Classic.

Spartans outplayed by George Washington in first round of BB amp;T <b>...</b>


Olympics track athlete Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit Wednesday against Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative founder Victor Conte, who told a national television audience he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.

Finish line, December 16


Stephen Gallacher beat Graeme McDowell with a birdie on the first playoff hole at the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday to score his first European Tour victory.

Gallacher beats McDowell in playoff for first European Tour win


Windows XP Service Pack 2 was designed by Microsoft to provide proactive protection for Windows XP. Service Pack 2 has three main focus areas: Stronger security settings.

Microsoft teams up with industry partners for online SP2 <b>...</b>


An email worm which poses as a Christmas greeting began spreading widely yesterday. Zafi-D comes as an infectious attachment to emails written in a variety of different languages, including English, Spanish, Russian, Swedish and Hungarian.

Polyglot virus is Xmas party pooper


LONDON: European stock markets rallied yesterday as investors appreciated gains in New York and Asia and digested a flurry of company news.

European shares gain strength


Q: Any idea why when I open folders in Excel or Word some of the file names are in blue and others are in black? Is it a function of when they were created or in what version of Office they were saved?

Question about file-name color has a black-and-white answer


WMC currently is fending off a AU\$7.4 billion takeover bid by Switzerland-based Xstrata PLC. The mining company upgraded its earnings forecast to around \$1.3 billion for the calendar year, above analysts #39; expectations.

WMC Announces AU\$1 Billion Payout


DISGRUNTLED shareholders of Prudential will this week demand urgent talks with Rob Rowley, the companys senior independent director, to express their frustration at the insurers decision to raise 1 billion in a rights issue.

Pru investors seek to vent frustration


AP - Eye of newt and toe of frog may one day be gone from witches grog. Indeed, not just frogs and newts but amphibians in general are rapidly becoming threatened worldwide, a new study shows.

Many Amphibians Threatened Worldwide (AP)


AP - The Toronto Blue Jays acquired infielder John McDonald from the Cleveland Indians on Thursday for a player to be named.

Blue Jays Acquire McDonald From Indians (AP)


Tim Henman is awaiting the results of a blood test after losing his energy, his temper and his third-round match 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Ivan Ljubicic in the Masters Series yesterday.

Henman fizzles out and waits on blood test


InfoWorld - EMC has made its biggest push to date into the fast growing small and midsize business market with the acquisition of Dantz Development, a suppler of backup and recovery software.

EMC takes Dantz for SMB connections (InfoWorld)


BT has blocked premium rate numbers associated with a net scam that is costing its customers dear.

BT stamps on rogue net diallers


AFP - Filmmaking is still largely a man's domain, if the offerings of the San Sebastian film festival in Spanish and similar events are anything to go by.

Spain's San Sebastian festival shows filmmaking still a man's world (AFP)


LONDON (Reuters) - Wall Street was set for a soft start on  Friday as rosy results from Internet search engine Google  <A HREF=

NY Stocks Seen Soft; Google Shines


Iran is unlikely to accept European incentives aimed at getting it to suspend uranium enrichment, diplomats said Thursday, raising the likelihood of a showdown with the UN nuclear watchdog agency next month.

Iran-UN Nuke Showdown Likely


Shortstop Omar Vizquel, a nine-time Gold Glove winner, has agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants. Vizquel has a \$12.25 million, three

Notebook: Vizquel, Giants agree to terms


Pfizer Inc. #39;s shares fell as much as 6.2 percent on Thursday on a Canadian newspaper report linking its arthritis drug Celebrex to 14 deaths.

Pfizer Shares Fall on Report of Celebrex Deaths


ATHENS Greece has confessed to having been in breach of European Union budget deficit rules since 2000, leading to suggestions that it may not have been entitled to join the common currency after all.

Greece admits it broke rules to join euro


Plus, IBM enters 21st century, Apple PayPals around, and Will Sprint and Nextel get together?

OracleSoft at Last


Computer Associates International Inc. on Thursday introduced usage-based pricing for its mainframe-management products in response to customer interest in the more flexible licensing model.

CA Introduces Usage-Based Pricing For Mainframe Software


Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein will be online to discuss the merger of Sprint and Nextel Communications. In a column this morning, he wrote that consumers should should cheer the combination.

Business: Sprint-Nextel Merger


Knight Trading Group Inc. (NITE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , one of the biggest traders of Nasdaq stocks, on Wednesday forecast a third-quarter loss, missing Wall Street expectations of a profit, because of low trading volumes.

Knight Trading Group Warns of Loss


As a new crew prepares to lift off tomorrow for the international space station, NASA officials say they are less worried than they were two weeks ago about problems with its oxygen generator and growing shortages of food and spare parts.

NASA Says Repairs Have Lessened Worries About Shortages


EDITOR #39;S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series on the spyware epidemic. NEW YORK - David Eckstein turned on his computer one day and launched his Web browser, just as he had every day.

Computers snared by spyware


San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, who became the third player in Major League Baseball history to hit 700 career home runs, won the National League Most Valuable Player Award

Giants #39; Bonds Wins Record Seventh NL Most Valuable Player Award


AP - Rising sea levels, disappearing glaciers in the Alps and more deadly heat waves are coming for Europeans because of global warming, Europe's environmental agency warned Wednesday.

Europe Is Warned of Changing Climate (AP)


South African Ernie Els fired a bogey free - five under par 67 to leave him one shot off the lead in the Dunhill Championships. The World number three teed off at 0645 local time starting from the ninth, but

Els in Dunhill contention


The Dallas Cowboys scored a major victory in Arlington Tuesday as a referendum to build them a stadium passed convincingly. With at least two-thirds of Arlington #39;s ballots counted Tuesday night, 54 percent

Cowboys win their stadium game vote


AP - Prime Minister Tony Blair said Monday the Sudanese government must end the violence in its western region of Darfur or face possible action by the United Nations.

Blair: Sudan Must End Violence in Darfur (AP)


Micron Technology Inc. of the United States probably overtook Koreas Hynix Semiconductor Inc. as the worlds second-largest computer memory chipmaker during the third quarter, market researcher IDC said.

Micron overtakes Hynix in chip sales


AP - Japan revised its economic growth numbers for the April-June quarter downward Friday, but analysts shrugged off the report and said recovery was on solid footing for the world's second largest economy.

Japan Lowers April-June Economic Data (AP)


Suspended Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick pleaded no contest Monday to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after a night of drinking with underage girls.

Marcus Vick Pleads No Contest


Officials say they will need a further increase in combat forces to put down remaining areas of resistance.

Iraq Force Likely to Grow


European aircraft manufacturer Airbus SAS has taken issue with part of the European Union's (E.U.'s) antitrust decision against Microsoft Corp. and has filed a petition with the court handling the software maker's appeal.

Airbus questions EU's decision on Microsoft


Steve McNair stretched and ran Friday, but he didn #39;t throw any passes. He #39;s looking healthy enough that Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher won #39;t rule him out against San Diego.

McNair #39;s condition improved  #39;significantly #39;


BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Hungry and filthy,  Indonesians queued for water in their thousands on Tuesday as  aid deliveries to tsunami-ravaged Aceh province hit new snags.

Thousands Queue for Water in Aceh, Aid Blocked


Afghan militants agreed to negotiate the release of three UN workers taken hostage last week, but warned they were ready to kill them if any rescue attempt was made.

Afghan kidnappers agree to talk


Intel and graphics processing vendor nVidia said today that they have signed a wide-ranging technology sharing pact that will let nVidia use Intels front-side bus (FSB) technology.

Intel  amp; nVidia Sign Sweeping Licensing Agreement


AFP - Hamid Karzai's campaign team said it was  quot;100 percent sure quot; of victory in Afghanistan's first presidential election, even though the final result cannot be declared until complaints from all candidates are investigated and the last vote is counted.

Karzai team '100 percent sure' of victory despite irregularities probe (AFP)


Intermec, the Everett company that makes radio-frequency sensor devices, said yesterday it agreed to temporarily suspend its claims for intellectual-property licenses as part of a new standard.

Intermec suspends radio-tag patent claims


SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - President Bush on Monday labeled rival Sen. John Kerry a political opportunist whose ever-changing positions undercut the Democrat's aspirations to be the nation's leader...

Bush Ridicules Kerry, Calls Him Indecisive


Tim Henman faces a must-win clash against Russian Marat Safin on Saturday as he bids to reach the semi-finals of the Masters Cup in Houston.

Safin stands in path of Henman


Senior officials from France, Britain and Germany will meet Iranian counterparts Thursday to issue Tehran with an incentive-backed last chance to end uranium enrichment plans or face possible UN sanctions.

EU to Issue Last Chance to Iran on Nuclear Plans


PARIS (Reuters) - Four private equity firms plan to buy  Bermuda-based Intelsat for about \$3 billion, the world's  second-largest satellite operator said on Monday.

Private Firms to Buy Intelsat for \$3 Bln


For a number of years, Microsoft has allowed government entities in most of the world access to the source code for Windows; as of today, Microsoft is expanding this so-called Shared Source Initiative to include Office.

Microsoft Expands Code Sharing


Shane Warne took a wicket with his second ball as India #39;s cricketers, trailing 1-0 in the four-match series, slumped to 95-4 at tea after bowling out Australia for 398 on day two of the third Test at Nagpur.

Australia #39;s Warne Strikes Early as India Slumps to 95-4 in Test


The problem was, the tournament was being shown on tape delay in Guadalajara, Mexico, and her mother couldn #39;t understand why she was so giddy.

Mexico #39;s Lorena Ochoa wins LPGA Wachovia Classic with sparkling 65


Mamaroneck, NY - Ryan Moore, 21, of Puyallup, Wash., the NCAA Division I champion who has won all four golf events he has entered since late May, and Luke List, 19, of Ringgold, Ga.

Moore And List Advance To US Amateur Final


Intel Corp is on track to introduce the worlds most advanced chip production technology in its products next year, the largest semiconductor maker said on Sunday.

After delays, Intel points to chip-making advance


WASHINGTON -- Paychecks could surge or shrink for a few or for millions of workers across the country starting today, when sweeping changes to overtime pay rules take effect.

Numbers in dispute as OT rules kick in


Peruvian anti-drug agents seized almost 1,540 pounds of cocaine destined for the Mexico that was hidden inside of a shipment of squid, police said Monday.

1,540 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in Squid


NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 3: After 42 days of captivity in Iraq, including a few traumatic TV moments with guns at their foreheads, the return of Tilak Raj, Antaryami Bains and Sukhdev Singh on Friday morning was quite simply the reunion of three weary men

First threat , then the wait


Tribune Co. (TRB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said quarterly profit slumped 32 percent, hurt by costs to reimburse advertisers after a circulation scandal

Tribune Profit Stumbles on Scandal Costs


SEATTLE (Reuters) - The next version of the Windows  operating system, Microsoft Corp.'s <A HREF=

Microsoft Targets 2006 for Next Windows


Diplomats who visited what North Korea claimed was the site of a huge explosion found no sign it was nuclear, a Swedish ambassador said, while South Korea said a mushroom-shaped cloud in the

N Korean blast wasn #39;t nuclear: diplomats


An aviation analyst believes Air New Zealand and Qantas will amend their bid to form an alliance and work instead on sharing resources.

Airlines Likely To Change Tack


The glaciers in West Antarctica have substantially increased their rate of shrinkage compared with the 1990s. US-Chilean teams report to the journal Science that the glaciers are losing 60 more ice into the

West Antarctic glaciers speed up


Its one of the oldest techniques in the book. When an issue arises, and youd rather not talk about it, give the media something else to discuss.

Alan Key


Ex-Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic denies Serbs committed war crimes he is accused of orchestrating.

Milosevic says Serbs not guilty


Security has been tightened and alert sounded in entire Chambal belt of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday following massacre of 13 villagers by the dreaded Gadaria dacoit gang, while authorities were discussing new strategies to check the gang #39;s activities.

Security tightened in Madhya Pradesh #39;s Chambal belt


KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide fighter killed himself  and wounded at least seven others, including three members of a  NATO-led peacekeeping force, in a grenade attack on a busy  shopping street in central Kabul on Saturday.

Suicide Attack in Kabul; Vote Counting Nears End


Federal safety regulators have told DaimlerChrysler to recall 600,000 of the most popular vehicles on the road -- the Dodge Durango SUV and the Dodge Dakota pickup truck -- due to problems with front-end ball joints.

US wants Dodge SUV, pickup recall


Credit Suisse Group, Switzerland #39;s second-biggest bank, plans to combine its Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) securities unit with its banking business in the next two years to boost earnings.

Credit Suisse to merge CSFB


The US-Russian crew of the international space station successfully re-docked a spaceship at a new port on the station Monday in preparation for two spacewalks early next year.

Russian-US Crew Re-Docks Soyuz Spacecraft at ISS After Half-Hour <b>...</b>


As Kathy Sullivan nears her 20th anniversary as the first American woman to walk in space, her adventurous spirit is still alive. The former astronaut says she supports a manned

20 years later, female astronaut recalls a spacewalk  #39;first #39;


Rentokil warned investors to expect lower profits for 2005 after reported a fall in profits for most of the 2004 and revealed it was finally washing its hands of parts of its UK hygiene business.

Rentokil shares drop on profit warning


MOSCOW (Reuters) - At least one Russian ministry has signed  letters agreeing to Moscow's approval of the Kyoto Protocol, a  spokesman said Thursday, in what could be a final step in the  lengthy tussle to bring the global pact into force.

Russian Ministries Start Agreeing to Kyoto Approval


MICHAEL Owen believes he has  quot;a very good chance quot; of playing for England in Saturday #39;s World Cup qualifying match against Wales.

Owen raises England hopes


One of the last frontiers of semiconductor technology - environments where electronic devices have to run at high power, in fierce heat or at lethal doses of radiation - may be about to fall.

Breakthrough could provide chips with everything


A pensioner who lost out on a near 1m betting jackpot has died hours before he was to be given a share of another winner #39;s windfall.

Britain #39;s unluckiest punter dies


Google, WebSideStory, Claria Show Negative IPO Trend\\The online advertising, search engine marketing, and web analytics markets may be booming, but for companies looking to go public, there has been a definite negative trend over the past month, with buyers not showing interest, or just waiting, during an otherwise down time ...


Three aftershocks ultimately led to officials in India issuing what amounted to a false alarm.

Frayed Nerves and Aftershocks Create Panic in Southern Asia


MUMBAI: Electronics and entertainment major Sony has reported a 61 per cent increase in net profit for the second quarter ended 30 September.. Sony #39;s net income rose to 53.2 billion yen (\$500 million) from

Sony 2Q net profit rises, revenues dip


SUDANESE security forces bulldozed a refugee camp after forcibly relocating thousands of conflict-weary Darfur villagers, an African Union official said yesterday.

Sudan bulldozes Darfur refugee camp


According to the Third Annual Worldwide Index of Press Freedom released in Paris yesterday by the Reporters Sans Frontiers, Nepal is 160th out of 167 countries, with Denmark at top and North Korea at the bottom.

Nepal ranks low in media freedom index


ATHENS -- Her coach calls it  quot;Blythish. quot; Blythe Hartley says it #39;s just the way she operates. Whatever it is, it was working for the Edmonton-born diver yesterday in the preliminaries of the women #39;s three-metre springboard event.

Feeling relaxed not Hartley #39;s style


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

Giants to Offer Wi-Fi Instant Replays (AP)


Oracle Corp. may have won a major antitrust fight with the Justice Department last week over its proposed acquisition of PeopleSoft Inc., but that doesn't mean the company is on the verge of closing the deal. <FONT face=

Oracle Won't Predict PeopleSoft Acquisition


A grenade may have caused a blast under a police car that injured more than a dozen people in southern Turkey, officials said Monday.

Turkish police probe concert blast that injures at least 13


October 17, 2004 -- While companies take aim at iPod with a host of new players, they #39;re also targeting iTunes, Apple #39;s online music store.

ONLINE MUSIC: BUY VS. RENT


AP - Although Wal-Mart prefers to handle labor negotiations directly with individual employees, the world's largest retailer does not have a global anti-union policy, a company spokeswoman said Friday.

Wal-Mart Clarifies Policy Regarding Unions (AP)


ARLINGTON, Va. Aug. 30, 2004 - Talks between US Airways Group Inc. and the union representing pilots have resumed, the Air Line Pilots Association said Monday.

Talks Resume Between US Airways, Pilots


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More U.S. jobs were available in  July though fewer people were hired, the Labor Department said  on Wednesday.

Job Openings Rise, Hires Fall in July


Australia #39;s central bank says there is no pressing need for higher interest rates just now, although it still expects to tighten policy again at some stage in the current expansion amid  quot;favorable quot; economic circumstances.

#39;No need #39; for Australian rate rise


Ford Motor Co. (FN: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it would offer Sirius satellite radio in more vehicles, as Sirius fights to catch up with industry leader XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

Ford to Expand Offering of Sirius Radio


Mike Hampton has never won a Division Series game, but he needs to pitch at a top level today to help the Atlanta Braves pull even in their first-round set against the Houston Astros.

Braves look to tie up series


The Brain wrote last week about get ting a free credit re port. I know my credit is good, so why should I care? -- Good credit Consumer advocates are urging Americans to take advantage of the new service.

Ask the Biz Brain


Computer maker Gateway Inc. on Tuesday said it agreed to buy back about \$316 million of its stock from Internet provider America Online Inc.

Gateway to Buy Back Shares From AOL


Reuters - An American researcher on the trail of\the lost city of Atlantis has discovered evidence of man-made\structures submerged in the sea between Cyprus and Syria, a\member of his team said Saturday.

Atlantis Hunt Reveals Structures in Sea Off Cyprus (Reuters)


ATHENS, Greece -- The winner of Wednesday #39;s women #39;s shot put has been stripped of her gold medal after failing a drugs test after the competition.

Shot put winner stripped of gold


The family of Roy Bennett, the Zimbabwean opposition member of parliament who was jailed yesterday on charges of parliamentary misconduct, says it will appeal against the decision.

Bennett #39;s family vows to fight against jail sentence


Stock prices are slightly higher after the latest reading on economic growth. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 1 point in today #39;s early going.

Stocks Open Higher on Economic News


PAKISTAN President Pervez Musharraf admitted today to being slightly  quot;confused quot; as to whether he should fulfill an earlier pledge to step down as army chief by the end of the year.

Musharraf confused by army post


MUMBAI, OCTOBER 23: The suspense is over. Sachin Tendulkar is fit and will play in the Nagpur Test. The much-talked about tennis elbow has healed and after seeing Tendulkars 30-minute batting stint

Elbow ok, tendulkar rolls up his sleeves


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday as shares  of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF=

Stocks Fall, Wal-Mart, Oil, Dollar Weigh


NEW YORK - A drug overdose killed former baseball star Ken Caminiti, who tested positive for cocaine in the weeks before he died at age 41 and had admitted using steroids during his playing days, the city medical examiner ruled Monday.

Ex-baseball star #39;s death ruled drug overdose


A critical weakness found in many Microsoft programs looks like it is about to be exploited by virus writers. The bug only came to light last week, but code is now circulating that could be used to attack vulnerable machines.

Virus writers focus on image bug


Pakistan #39;s army, backed by artillery and helicopter gunships, has demolished several  quot;terrorist hideouts quot; and killed up to 40 militants in a major operation - but failed to capture a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner accused of targeting security forces in a

Pakistan army kills 40 militants near Afghanistan


Chris Byrd wont stop being boxings David - who slays giants in their hometown - when he meets the Gotham City Goliath, Jameel McCline, at Madison Square Garden tonight for the IBF heavyweight championship.

Angel Rodriguez


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - It's shaping up to be a very  merry holiday season for online retailers.

Holidays Looking Merry for Web Retailers


The Associated Press By Soo-jeong Lee

News: North Korea has 600 computer hackers, South Korea claims


Microsoft on Wednesday released public previews of the 64-bit editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 as it changed the official names of the high-end operating systems.

Microsoft previews 64-bit XP, promises no price hikes


SALT LAKE CITY (Sports Network) - Utah standout quarterback  Alex Smith has apparently decided to take his skills to the  next level, opting to skip his senior season and enter April's  NFL Draft.

Utah QB Smith to Turn Pro


USATODAY.com - This week, your DVD choices range from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ to Federico Fellini's I Vitelloni.

New on DVD (USATODAY.com)


UNITED NATIONS (BBC) -- The leader of the UN team organizing Iraq #39;s elections has criticized the US defense secretary for suggesting only a limited vote might take place.

UN criticizes Iraq poll warning


ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai promised yesterday to repatriate 400 Pakistani prisoners who fought with the former ruling Taliban regime and have been held in Afghan jails since 2001, a Pakistani official said.

Afghan leader vows to release 400 Pakistani prisoners


Air Canada (AC.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (ACErv.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) has agreed to buy 45 regional jets from Embraer SA (EMBR4.

Air Canada to Buy 45 Embraer Jets


Reuters - Russian President Vladimir\Putin, siding with President Bush two weeks before the U.S.\election, said Monday that armed attacks in Iraq were staged by\

Putin Offers Hand to Bush in U.S. Election (Reuters)


Time Warner Inc., the world #39;s largest media company, edged past Street estimates by a penny in its third-quarter results released Wednesday despite the creation of a big cash reserve related to its troubled AOL Internet unit.

Time Warner profits hit by big legal reserve


Software giant takes big step toward October release of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005.

Microsoft's MOM goes out the door


Reuters - A Royal Dutch/Shell -led group\developing oil and gas fields in the Russian far east moved to\assure worried ecologists on Friday it is doing all it can to\protect rare gray whales living in the coastal waters.

Shell-Led Russia Venture Vows to Protect Rare Whales (Reuters)


AP - A university study has found Taiwan and Singapore now lead the United States and Canada in providing government services online.

Study: Taiwan, Singapore Lead Gov't Online (AP)


A group of entrepreneurs backed by the likes of Bill Gates and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are building tiny jets that cost a small fraction of what corporate executives and celebrities pay for luxury Learjets and Gulfstreams.

Microjets Catch the Eye of Wealthy Travelers


Skype Technologies SA has launched the beta version of Skype for Mac OS X. The software can be downloaded for free and is available immediately.

Skype available for Mac OS X


SAN FRANCISCO - An assistant manager at a Costco store filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday accusing the retailer of not promoting her because she #39;s a woman.

Costco employee claims retailer discriminates against women


Everyone seems to have a different definition of nanotechnology, each one deficient in its own way. Missing Links

Nanotech's new definition


AP - Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie had a birdie and eagle on the last two holes Thursday, shooting a 1-under-par 71 that left him four strokes behind the leaders after the first round of The Heritage.

Montgomerie Has Strong Finish at Heritage (AP)


BRIGHTON : Prime Minister Tony Blair was set to face the anger of rank and file members of his Labour Party over the Iraq war, as party officials tried to head off a motion calling for British troops to quit the country.

Blair faces wrath of Labour Party faithful over Iraq


Widely available broadband, electronic health records and increased government spending on research and development (R D) are among the technology-related goals in the U.S. Republican Party's 2004 platform, released this week.

GOP platform: Broadband and R D tax credits


Global Building Services Inc., a Newhall, Calif.-based company that provided janitorial services to Target stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas, has agreed to pay \$1.

Target janitorial provider settles overtime claim


Johnson  amp; Johnson can't supply cardiac stents fast enough to capitalize on three recent recalls by archrival Boston Scientific Corp. , say cardiologists who use both companies' medical devices.

Johnson  amp; Johnson missing out on stent sales


A troubled welfare-case -anagement and telephony system developed largely by Electronic Data Systems has run into so many problems that U.K. government officials might pull the plug on it.

Pressure grows on EDS over U.K. government IT system


A breakaway faction of the Taliban movement on Saturday provided the first direct proof that it was holding three UN workers who were abducted last Thursday at gunpoint.

Taliban Faction Threatens to Kill 3 UN Workers


You can #39;t blame eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY). It has to deal with folks trying to sell everything from body parts to fake props of historical notoriety to Milli Vanilli CDs.

eBay #39;s Grilled Cheese Diet


Millions of medicine bottles will be fitted with tiny radio antennas in the United States in a bid to combat counterfeiting, it emerged today.

US  #39;To Radio Tag Drug Bottles #39;


Gunmen abducted six Egyptians working for Iraq's mobile phone company, seizing two in a bold raid on the firm's Baghdad office and the others outside the capital, officials said Friday, the latest in a string of kidnappings that have underscored the country's fragile security.

Six Egyptians Kidnapped in Baghdad


Four years ago, the IOC warned Athens was in danger of losing the Olympics because of severe delays. On Sunday night, the verdict was vastly different.

Rogge calls Athens unforgettable, dream games #39;


And wouldnt you know? European wireless carrier Vodafone gets its own version of Research In Motions new more cellphone-like BlackBerry that uses the same type of predictive-text keyboard as the one

Vodafone gets charmed by RIMs BlackBerry 7100v


US stocks changed course suddenly on Tuesday as chatter on the Internet speculated that early exit polls show Sen. John Kerry leading the presidential election in key states.

Dow, Nasdaq, S amp;P 500 Retreat on Exit Poll


AP - FC Barcelona asked the European soccer body, UEFA, whether it will be safe for the team to play in a Champions League game in Ukraine next week.

Ukraine Unrest Worries Barcelona Soccer (AP)


Millions of pounds set aside by the UK government for e-learning is not being spent, say experts.

Schools 'failing to tap e-cash'


WPP beat smaller French rival Havas and US private equity firm Hellman and Friedman, acquiring the last large independent advertising group after a 1990s consolidation in the industry.

WPP buys Grey Global


That #39;s what happened to Charlotte High School because of Hurricane Charley. A complex with 2,200 students, slightly bigger than Tallahassee #39;s largest high school, was demolished Aug. 13 by ferocious

Storm-tossed counties to head back to school


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil Giant BP Plc reported bumper  third-quarter profits thanks to high oil prices, but its higher  capital expenditure plans raised some concerns about the size  of future share buybacks.

BP Has Bumper Profits on High Oil Price


onsumers #39; renewed worries about job prospects led to a bigger-than-expected drop in confidence in August and provided more evidence of the fragility of the economic expansion.

Drop in Consumer Confidence Unexpectedly Steep in August


NEW YORK (Reuters) -  Stock futures slipped on Wednesday,  pointing to a weak market open, as firming oil prices and a  wide-reaching investigation into the insurance and health  industry cast a shadow over Wall Street.

Stocks Look to Open Weak as Oil Firms


PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A group headed by Sony Corp of  America agreed in principle to acquire Hollywood film studio  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer <A HREF=

Sony Group Agrees in Principle to Buy MGM


PACIFIC NEWS SERVICE EDITOR #39;S NOTE: The economies of the US and China are simply too intertwined for the United States to support Taiwanese calls for independence, writes PNS contributor George Koo, an international business consultant and frequent

Bush #39;s Re-election Is Likely to Foster US-China Ties


Cingular Wireless said it has completed its previously announced merger with AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc., creating the US #39;s biggest wireless carrier with the largest digital voice and data network in the country.

Cingular is US #39;s Largest Carrier Now


US stocks were higher on Wednesday even as crude oil prices touched a record at over \$52 per barrel, which helped boost energy shares.

US Stocks Edge Higher as Oil Tops \$52


TORONTO (Reuters) - QLT Inc. <A HREF=

QLT Prostate Cancer Treatment Wins FDA OK


Tokyo -- Former US Army Sgt. Charles Jenkins believes his conviction and sentence of 30 days in jail for desertion after nearly 40 years in North Korea is  quot;very fair, quot; his defense attorney told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Lawyer says deserter believes sentence was fair


Serginho, a 30-year-old defender with So Caetano, collapsed and died of what appeared to be a heart attack during a Brazilian league match on Wednesday night.

Soccer: Player dies in Brazilian league game


The Mystics' Chamique Holdsclaw said Thursday she is suffering from depression.  The affliction caused her to leave the team in midseason.

Holdsclaw Speaks Out


US News, A university in New York has been funded to keep tabs on IRC conversations with money channelled through the National Science Foundation by the CIA, documents have revealed The CIA is quietly funding federal research into surveillance of Internet

US ; CIA funds chatroom surveillance


The UK's inflation rate fell in September, thanks in part to a fall in the price of airfares, increasing the chance that interest rates will be kept on hold.

UK inflation rate fall continues


Paul Broadhurst #39;s wife gave him the go-ahead to play this week #39;s Madrid Open after the birth of their son a month ago -- provided he did well -- and he has responded by taking over the second round lead.

Broadhurst keeps promise to wife in Madrid


By MICHAEL LIEDTKE     SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Things are going so well for Internet powerhouse Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) these days that even some of its toughest competition is helping to boost its profits...

Yahoo's 3rd Quarter Profit Nearly Quadruples


The San Jose, Calif., networking giant said Monday that it will pay \$55 million in cash for closely held dynamicsoft, a communications software developer based in Parsippany, NJ The company specializes in push-to-talk technology.

Cisco Cements Walkie-Talkie Deal


One Way Link Building Secures Search Engine Ranking Results\\One-way link building is a great way to improve your link popularity and ranking in the search engines. One-way links are more difficult to obtain than traditional reciprocal links, but pay off in securing solid long-term search engine ranking results.\\Why Are One-Way ...


AFP - Indian troops shot dead four suspected Islamic militants in revolt-racked Indian Kashmir while rebels killed a soldier and a civilian in separate shootings, police said.

Six killed in Kashmir violence, police break up protests (AFP)


SECOND-seeded Jiri Novak cruised into the ATP Shanghai Open quarterfinals with a 6-4 6-7 (5) 6-1, victory today over Melle Van Gemerden of the Netherlands.

Novak cruises into next round


Beautifully colored leaves, warm days, chilly nights, high school football and ah, yes, October baseball. Like most things in nature, fall is predictable.

It #39;s yet another typical autumn: Leaves fall, and Yankees rise


SPACE.com - The rocket\engine behind the privately built, piloted spacecraft SpaceShipOne will carry\more propellant and burn longer during a Wednesday space shot, but has not\undergone any serious modifications since its historic June flight, according\to its developer.

No Major Engine Changes for SpaceShipOne, Builder Says (SPACE.com)


BOSTON Boston has scored twice in the seventh inning to take an 9-to-7 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series opener at Fenway Park.

Sports: Red Sox 9 Cardinals 7 after 7 innings


From a distance, this OPEC meeting will look just like all the others of the past few decades. By the evening of Sept. 14, the oil ministers of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and their entourages

The Incredible Lightness of Being OPEC


A group of Marine wives are running for the family of a Marine Corps officer who was killed in Iraq.

Marine Wives Rally


Although the recent flurry of record oil prices might be temporary, government analysts said Thursday that \$30-a-barrel oil should be expected for decades to come.

High oil prices predicted for next 20 years


Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Tony Parker scored 17 points and had five assists to lead a balanced San Antonio attack that handed the Spurs a 91-75 victory over the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

NBA Game Summary - San Antonio at Chicago


There are those who finish their holiday shopping by Thanksgiving. Then there are the rest of us. Here's a holiday gift guide for both planners and procrastinators.

For planners, procrastinators alike


Like any prize, the value is counted as income; winners must pay up to \$7,000 or forfeit the car. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Leave it to Uncle Sam to spoil the party.

Oprah car winners hit with hefty tax


Denmark holds a national day of mourning for victims of the Asian tsunami disaster a week ago.

Denmark mourns its tsunami dead


LONDON (Reuters) - World number one Vijay Singh faces a  first-round encounter with victorious European Ryder Cup  captain Bernhard Langer in the World Match Play Championship at  Wentworth Thursday.

Singh Drawn Against Langer in World Match Play Opener


Elena Baranova scored 17 points to lead the New York Liberty over the Shock in Detroit last night in Game 1 of their first-round best-of-three series.

Liberty strike first to take series lead


AP - Catcher Damian Miller's  #36;8.75 million, three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers was finalized Monday after team doctors allayed concerns over his health.

Miller's Deal With Brewers Is Finalized (AP)


While most mobile phones are lucky to have 4 MB of RAM to store user data, Samsung #39;s new SPH-V5400 phone offers a whopping 1.5 GB of storage courtesy of its integrated mini-hard drive.

Samsung SPH-V5400 with 1.5 GB hard drive


Artificially boosting demand for initial public stock offerings and ramping up related commissions would be restricted under rules proposed yesterday by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

SEC proposes tighter IPO regulations


A new digital authentication technique supplies forensic art experts with a new tool to distinguish paintings by masters from those by imitators, scientists say.

Artful Software Spots Faked Masterpieces


BEIRUT: UN Mideast envoy Terje Roed Larsen is putting the final touches on a UN report on the compliance of both Lebanon and Syria with Resolution 1559.

Lebanese delegation to UN states its case ahead of Annan report on <b>...</b>


Pakistani security forces are undertaking the hunting for Abdullah Mehsud, the brain behind the scene of the abduction of two Chinese engineers, Interior Minister Ahmad Sherpao told Xinhua Saturday.

Pakistan hunting for Chinese-abduction mastermind


Let me be clear here, since some self-righteous columnists who wouldn #39;t know a handstand from a night stand have entered the fray: Paul Hamm should not give up his gold medal.

Despite judging error, Hamm #39;s gold medal shows no tarnish


The 23-year-old midfielder has been all over the back pages this week, following a reported bust-up with Sir Bobby Robson - and one supporter had has enough.

Dyer up for sale on ebay


For a conference rooted in offensive muscle, the Big Ten seems a little frail in the running department this season. Ohio State and Michigan, which built their reputations on power football, rank

Big Ten gears defenses to stop run


Texas authorities are investigating claims that a US mother left her seven adopted children in Nigeria and went to work in Iraq.

US children 'abandoned in Africa'


Russia will slash at least \$9.5 billion of Iraq #39;s debt to Moscow, Interfax news agency reported Monday. Iraq #39;s debt to Russia will be reduced to \$700 million to \$1 billion

Russia slashes \$9 billion from Iraq debt


AP - A large explosion occurred in the northern part of North Korea, sending a huge mushroom cloud into the air on an important anniversary of the communist regime, a South Korean news agency reported Sunday.

Blast, Mushroom Cloud Reported in N. Korea (AP)


Sears, Roebuck and Co. #39;s stock shot up Friday on news that a New York-based real estate investment trust had purchased a 4.3 per cent interest in the huge department store chain.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. #39;s stock soars after real-estate firm buys <b>...</b>


Federal court finds that PlayStation hardware infringed on San Jose firm #39;s patents, awards \$84 million in damages. This week, a federal jury awarded San Jose-based Immersion \$82 million in a patent infringement suit that the firm had brought against Sony.

Immersion wins patent-infringement suit v. Sony


The unfair business practices lawsuit was set to start in November but is pushed back to Jan. 10.

PeopleSoft-Oracle trial delayed


AP - Whatever the reasons John Kerry and the Democrats lost the race for the White House, lack of money wasn't one.

Democrat Groups Raise More 'Soft Money' (AP)


Reuters - President Bush, who is getting\higher marks for his handling of the war on terrorism, holds a\slight lead over Democratic challenger John Kerry, according to\an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released on Thursday.

Bush Has Slight Edge Over Kerry in New Poll (Reuters)


Reuters - Environmentalists built a giant\Christmas tree out of garbage in Beirut on Thursday to pressure\the government into cleaning up Lebanon's waste problem.

Junk 'Tree' Testifies to Beirut's Waste Problem (Reuters)


Nearly three years to the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, lawyers for more than 800

Ground Zero Workers File Billion-Dollar Health Lawsuit


The combination of PeopleSoft applications with Oracle #39;s database and middleware products could lead to a closer relationship between IBM and SAP.

Oracle-PeopleSoft Buyout May Push Middleware Vendors Into A Corner


Reuters - Treasuries rallied on Wednesday as\U.S. retail inflation rose less than many had feared,\suggesting the Federal Reserve could stay measured when raising\interest rates.

Treasuries Prices Rising (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Blue chips fell on Monday as investors  fretted over higher oil prices and companies warning of lower  earnings, but buying of semiconductor shares helped to reverse  Nasdaq's losses.

Blue Chips Off, Semiconductors Lift Techs


AFP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai is on course for a clear victory in the country's historic election, with more than half the votes counted.

Afghan president on course for historic election victory (AFP)


AP - Forty-nine pitches. Joe Nathan hadn't thrown that many in more than four years.

Twins Exhaust Nathan With 49 Pitches (AP)


Hungarian Olympic discus champion Robert Fazekas will lose his gold medal and be expelled from the Games after breaking doping rules, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Tuesday.

Discus Champion Thrown Out of Games


Washington, Sept. 19 (NNN): The United States strongly believes that Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf will step down as countrys Army Chief by the end of 2004.

Musharraf To Shed Off Military Uniform By Year End: US


Pirtek Racing #39;s Marcos Ambrose won a fiery first race of the Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge at this year #39;s Lexmark Indy 300, clashing heavily with Kmart Racing #39;s young gun Rick Kelly both during and after the race on the Gold Coast today.

Surfers Paradise: Shootout


BAE Systems acquires a US firm which provides computer and IT systems to the US defence department.

BAE buys Pentagon IT supplier


WHEN Gordon Brown gets to his feet in the Commons this Thursday to deliver his Pre-Budget Report, the nation can look forward to a stream of boasting over Britains economic performance.

Economical Agenda Boastful Brown may yet come unstuck


Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Tim Duncan had 20 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks and Devin Brown scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 107-89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

NBA Game Summary - San Antonio at Dallas


The online world has once again become a breeding ground for conspiracy theories, this time with allegations that last week's presidential election was rigged in favor of George W. Bush. Missing Links

The (mis)information age


New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued insurance giants Marsh  amp; McLennan, American International Group and several others Thursday, alleging policy brokers have been taking payoffs from insurance companies to steer corporate clients their way rather

Update 2: Spitzer Sues Marsh  amp; McLennan, AIG


Life changed for Steve Lunt and his wife when they called Dr. Gordon Moore, who is among a growing number of doctors nationwide who have adopted same-day service. The idea, which experts say is gaining steam, is that scheduling patients immediately for even routine physicals will keep them healthier and happier.

Same-Day Doctor Visits Gain Steam in U.S.


Reuters - Carolina Panthers\running back DeShaun Foster will miss the rest of the season\due to a broken collarbone.

Panthers' Foster Out for Remainder of Season (Reuters)


ICQ and Mail2World are teaming up on a new e-mail service that includes spam filtering, virus scan and e-mail translation. ICQ is one of America Online #39;s very popular consumer instant mail

ICQ, Mail2World Team On E-Mail Service


US President George W Bush #39;s administration supported a  quot;strong (US) dollar quot; while trusting the market to set its value, Treasury Department spokesman Tony Fratto said today.

Bush supports strong US dollar


An FDA review of AstraZeneca Plc #39;s (AZN.L: Quote, Profile, Research) (AZN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Exanta questioned the experimental drug #39;s

FDA Questions AstraZeneca #39;s Stroke Pill


Former US Masters champion Fred Couples made the first significant move in the WGC-American Express Championship second round on Friday, surging up the leaderboard with a five-under-par 67.

Couples makes early move with 67, fast start for Els


The image of Eli Manning standing on the Giants #39; sideline Sunday, wearing a look of utter dejection, may end up as the defining portrait of a season going down the tubes, a rookie quarterback helpless to stem the downward swoosh.

Coughlin to Simplify Manning #39;s Tasks


AFP - Microsoft said that it had launched a new desktop search tool that allows personal computer users to find documents or messages on their PCs.

Microsoft introduces new desktop search tool (AFP)


New York, Sept.23. (Guardian News Service): President George Bush on Tuesday delivered an unrepentant speech to the United Nations defending the war in Iraq and calling on the world to help rebuild the country.

Defiant Bush defends war in UN


WASHINGTON When Alan Greenspan finally retires from the Federal Reserve, will he leave behind any of his DNA? After more than 18 remarkable years as Fed chairman, the owlish and idiosyncratic Greenspan will be required by law to step down in January 2006.

Greenspan #39;s act will be difficult to follow


Henry Charles Albert David (that #39;s Sir to you, and Harry to the press) is a very angry young man. He has been hunted down by a new breed of press photographer and riled by accusations of cheating in his A-levels.

Prince Harry: The Prince and the Paparazzi


A bird flu virus killed 26 people in Asia and prompted widespread slaughter of poultry several months ago. Now a new study says it can also infect cats.

Cats Can Catch and Spread Bird Flu, Study Says


Reuters - Coyotes, the rangy animals\associated with the American West, have been spotted in the\U.S. capital for the first time, sparking gossip in precincts\where talk usually turns on politics.

Coyotes Roam, Not Far from White House (Reuters)


AP - The Roman Catholic Church and the wealthy evangelical Christian Howard Ahmanson Jr. have emerged as the biggest financial backers of the campaign against a California ballot measure that would fund stem cell research and cloning projects.

Stem Cell Research Measure Contested (AP)


Alonzo Mourning played for the New Jersey Nets on Thursday for first time since a kidney transplant in December. Mourning, 34, finished with 12 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes in the Nets #39; 96-94 victory over Philadelphia.

Mourning sees 1st post-transplant time


No matter who #39;s hurt, no matter who #39;s suspended, no matter who plays, it doesn #39;t seem to matter. The shorthanded Indiana Pacers won their fourth game without a loss Tuesday, in their most difficult game.

No Artest, no problem


Major attacks have continued in recent days, including several apparent efforts to sow divisions between groups.

Two Churches Bombed as Violence Persists in Iraq


AP - Although the resurgent San Diego Chargers can't clinch a playoff berth Sunday, they can continue to rehabilitate their image. Sad sacks just a year ago, the Chargers (9-3) have at least clinched a winning season. If they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at home, they'll have won 10 games for the first time since 1994, when they were 11-5 and made their only Super Bowl appearance.

Chargers Go for Rare 10-Win Season (AP)


Millions of feral cats #151;domestic animals that have become wild #151;are said to be running free throughout the U.S., threatening birds and public health.

U.S. Faces Growing Feral Cat Problem


Catching up to Google, Yahoo unleashes a desktop search tool  Also: IBM makes move in data storage market   hellip;.  HP makes cheap computer with rural Chinese appeal   hellip;. and more.

Yahoo Searches Desktops, Too


AP - For environmentalists hoping to turn anger at President Bush into electoral votes for John Kerry, the biggest and perhaps only field of dreams is a nuclear waste dump site in Nevada.

Bush Environment Record an Issue in Nev. (AP)


Formula One #39;s governing body will summon Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya to a meeting in December to explain his conduct, motor sport sources said on Thursday.

Montoya to be summoned by FIA over conduct


AP - Clinton Portis had his best day since changing teams and Washington throttled Chicago's inept offense as the Redskins beat the Bears 13-10.

Redskins Beat Bears 13-10 to End Skid (AP)


Gordon Brown will set the economic battleground for the next general election in his pre-Budget report.

Brown looks to election battles


Skype, originators of free Internet phone calls, has extended its reach even further by offering free cell phone calling - in partnership with Siemens -n Europe.

Skype Makes Cell Calls Free


Citing sharp increases in commodity costs, Community Coffee will increase prices on its trademaker Red Bag coffee for the first time in seven years, the company said.

Community Coffee to hike price


KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia #39;s deputy premier has urged his ruling party to stop speculating on the possible political comeback of Anwar Ibrahim and remain focused on its annual congress next week.

Malaysia #39;s ruling party told to put Anwar issue aside


SEATTLE - Next time you write a check, be prepared for the money to come out of your account in record time. A new law gives banks access to your money within hours.

The  #39;Float #39; Is Gone As  #39;Check 21 #39; Goes Into Effect


Two people were reported killed in a protest over Afghan President Karzai #39;s decision to replace a powerful provincial governor.

Two killed in Afghan protest


From discounters to department stores, the nation #39;s retailers reported bleak November sales yesterday, raising doubts about holiday sales prospects.

Retailers Post Weak Sales In November


ABUJA, Nigeria Sept. 29, 2004 - The leader of militia fighters threatening to widen a battle for control of Nigeria #39;s oil-rich south said Wednesday he agreed to a tentative deal with President Olusegun Obasanjo

Nigeria Militia Leader Says Deal Reached


The chief executive of McDonald #39;s Corp. (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is recuperating after another surgery, the world #39;s largest fast-food company said on Saturday.

McDonald #39;s: CEO Resting After New Surgery


CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- RadioShack Corp. said Monday that it is selling mobile phones at more than 500 Sam #39;s Club locations to drum up sales and stretch its lead in wireless retailing.

RadioShack to run Sam #39;s Club kiosks


Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on Monday for talks on economic cooperation and fighting terrorism, a foreign ministry official said.

Karzai Meets With Musharraf Over Economy, Terrorism


When Republican Michael G. Fitzpatrick is sworn in as the new congressman from Pennsylvania's 8th District, the longtime Philadelphia sports fan will face some important decisions. Chief among them, of course . . .

THECHAT


Arsene Wenger has described a fracas on the Arsenal team bus between Patrick Vieira and Cameroon international Lauren as  quot;a minor disagreement quot;.

Wenger plays down players #39; bus fight


Reuters - Contract electronics manufacturer\Jabil Circuit Inc.  on Tuesday posted a quarterly profit\that more than doubled on stronger demand for computers,\cellphones and other electronic products.

Jabil Posts Profit on Stronger Demand (Reuters)


DALLAS, Sept. 9 -- Electronic Data Systems Corp. could cut 15,000 to 20,000 jobs -- more than 10 percent of its workforce -- over about two years to help reduce costs by about \$3 billion, chief executive Michael H. Jordan said Thursday.

EDS Ready to Trim Payroll Over 2 Years


After a relatively quiet fall, mass-mailing worm begins to spread on Windows PCs. Meanwhile, the Air Force turns to Microsoft for security help.

Worm salutes Microsoft


The decision by Merck   Co. came after a study confirmed simmering concerns that it significantly raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. More than 2 million people take Vioxx worldwide, making this the largest voluntary drug recall in history.

Arthritis Drug Vioxx Is Taken Off Market


About 180 union reporters, copy editors and other newsroom staffers at the Chicago Sun-Times are scheduled to strike at noon Wednesday if they cannot agree on a contract with publisher Hollinger International Inc.

Sun-Times Strike Deadline At Noon


ARGENTINA soccer coach Marcelo Bielsa quit today, just two weeks since he guided them to their first Olympic title. Bielsa, 49, nicknamed the  quot;mad man quot; for his eccentric press conferences and his volatile

Argentina #39;s  #39;mad man #39; quits


THE AUSTRALIAM Prime Minister, a man called John Howard, is at the centre of a spam row. When Howards party steered through an anti-spam law late last year it came with a couple of loopholes that were opposed by the opposition.

Aussie PM caught in spam row


NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering charging American International Group for violating federal securities laws, the insurer said Tuesday.

Insurer receives  #39;Wells notice #39; over PNC transactions


POTTERS BAR, England At the end of a winding country road lined with hedgerows and tidy brick homes sits a new prefabricated building chock-full of monitors and filters.

UK takes lead role in stem cell research


The attorney general of Oregon, Hardy Myers, has proposed a \$36 million nationwide settlement among the pharmaceutical manufacturer Organon USA, consumers and states over the antidepressant drug Remeron.

Settlement Offered in Drug Patent Case


MADRID, Aug 19 (Reuters) - England striker Michael Owen was given a warm welcome by his new Real Madrid team mates and waiting fans on Thursday when he took part in his first training session since joining the club last week.

Owen given warm welcome at first Real Madrid session


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of General Electric Co. <A HREF=

Before the Bell: GE, Sirius Slip


World News: Wellington, Dec 16 : An Australian plan to boost coastal security with a vast surveillance net across the Tasman Sea has taken New Zealand by surprise.

Australian security plan worries New Zealand:


PHOENIX -- Rookie Diana Taurasi had 21 points and eight assists to lead Phoenix to a 72-58 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday night, snapping the Sparks #39; 18-game winning streak over the Mercury.

Taurasi has 21, Mercury beat Sparks 72-58


Microsoft has offered yet another way for businesses to block the Automatic Update of Windows XP to the big-deal SP2 upgrade. The developer posted a copy-and-paste script to

Use script to block Windows XP SP2 updates: Microsoft


AP - Venezuela's economy should grow by 12 percent in 2004 compared to a 9.2 percent decline last year, a central bank director said Saturday.

Venezuela Official: Economy to Rise in '04 (AP)


Now shows can be recorded without anything physical to record them on. The same goes for music. The days of tape-cassette #39;s are long-gone, but CDs could be on their way out, too.

Technology drives toward the future, throws retail items to the <b>...</b>


TULSA, Okla. -- Antwaun Carter scored on a 2-yard run with less than two minutes remaining, and Tyler Jones kicked a 46-yard field goal with three seconds left, rallying No. 21 Boise State to a 45-42 win over Tulsa last night.

Late TD, FG lift Broncos


South Africa's wage dispute ends after unions representing public sector workers accept a revised government offer.

Pay dispute ends in South Africa


Leaving their orbiting outpost unmanned, the international space station #39;s two astronauts floated outside on a spacewalk Friday, plugging in new antennas and replacing a worn-out piece of cooling equipment.

Space station updated


Patrick Ramsey's struggles have made Joe Gibbs's starting quarterback decision an easy one.

Brunell Fits Gibbs Best


And a report about why the next place for travelers could be out of this world. How would you like to take a rocket ship into space?

AMERICAN MOSAIC


KABUL (Reuters) - Three U.N. workers remained hostages of a  Taliban faction despite hopes they would be freed by the Muslim  festival of Eid which began on Saturday, the third anniversary  of the Taliban's flight from the Afghan capital.

Kidnappings Dog Kabul 3 Years After Taliban Defeat


Birdman of Bel Air Michael Tekulsky shares stories about the feeding habits of scrub jays, birds that will voraciously dine on acorns, peanuts, bread, cheese #151;even tortilla chips.

Birding Column: Scrub Jays' Peanut Feeding Frenzy


NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Eliot  Spitzer is launching a suit against several prominent  participants in the insurance industry, including AIG and  broker Marsh   McLennan Cos. <A HREF=

NY to Sue Some Insurers for Manipulation


Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has developed a new LCD (liquid crystal display) technology that builds a touch screen into the display, a development that could lead to thinner

Samsung unveils new display technologies


Washington has opened what is believed to be the nation's first digital archives for state government, holding everything from birth records to the first election results in Washington Territory in 1854.

Washington State Opens Digital Archives


As computers and hand-held electronic gadgets eats into sales, this holiday season promises to be an especially competitive one for toymakers.

A Look at the Toys of Christmas (Near) Future


Tiger Woods pursed his lips and cursed under his breath as he stood over his first tee shot, feeling spasms in his back and knowing the sharp pain that was coming with each shot.

A wounded Tiger stays in the game


ATHENS : Ireland #39;s Cian O #39;Connor, riding Waterford Crystal, won the Olympic individual show jumping title at the Markopoulo equestrian centre.

Olympics: Ireland #39;s O #39;Connor claims Olympic show jumping gold


BAGHDAD: A suicide car bomber ploughed into policemen waiting to collect their salaries at a police station west of Ramadi overnight (NZT), killing 12 people in the latest insurgent attack on Iraq #39;s beleaguered security forces.

Suicide bomber kills 12 in attack on Iraqi police


In the tribal area of Waziristan, Pakistani helicopter gunships and commandos hunt one of the country #39;s most wanted militants - Abdullah Mehsud - feared Taliban

Ex-Guantanamo detainee turns


(Sports Network) - The Mariners will try to get back on the winning track tonight, when they battle the Anaheim Angels in the middle test of a three- game series.

Seattle Mariners Team Report - September 21


VIENNA: Iran and European negotiators reached a tentative compromise committing Tehran to freezing a programme that can make nuclear-weapons grade uranium, but Tehran still had to approve the agreement, diplomats said last night.

Iran nuclear row  #39;resolved #39;


Reuters - On the eve of a landmark summit at\which EU leaders will decide on opening membership talks with\Turkey, the final elements of a compromise package on the terms\for the negotiations was emerging.

EU Moving Close to Deal on Turkey Talks (Reuters)


AFP - Australia's opposition Labor Party tried to revitalise its election campaign, promising tax breaks for families and the lower paid as new opinion polls showed its lead had disappeared.

Australian opposition rushes out tax policy to halt poll slide (AFP)


Russian prosecutors are less than three weeks from striking a death blow against the country #39;s biggest oil producer, Yukos - move widely seen as a politically motivated legal assault.

Is end near for Russia #39;s Yukos?


New York: It seems the US billionaires #39; club is not as exclusive as it once was. There are now 313 billionaires in the United States, a huge jump over the 262 counted last year, according to Forbes magazine

51 more billionaires on Forbes #39; rich list


The Indian army says planes have delivered supplies to tsunami survivors on \all the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

India 'delivers aid to islands'


CAMARILLO, Calif. An increase in the worldwide supply of crude oil contributed to dip in US prices at the gas pump over the last two weeks.

Gas prices drop as crude oil supply increases


Reuters - Microsoft Corp.  is expanding\its indemnification program for Windows and other software\products in order to shield users from legal claims and patent\disputes, the world's largest software maker said on Tuesday.

Microsoft Expands Software Indemnification Program (Reuters)


EXTINCT BIRD: The last unconfirmed siting of a Carolina parakeet was in 1933. Pretty much all that remains of the bird are in books and its egg shells in museums.

Parakeets long gone, but DNA makes some wonder


The school doesn #39;t get the top recruits, doesn #39;t get the major bowl games it believes is its birthright, and doesn #39;t get the fact that the football program is just not a major power anymore.

Notre Dame just doesn #39;t get it


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed slightly higher on  Wednesday, as better-than-expected quarterly results from  investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. <A HREF=

Stocks End Up; Earnings, Merger Trump Oil


September 4, 2004 -- The firm that lost the most employees in the Sept. 11 attacks yesterday slapped the Saudi government and royal family - as well as al Qaeda -ith a \$600 million federal lawsuit.

CANTOR SUES SAUDIS IN 9/11 PLOT


Dans le cadre de ses initiatives stratgiques en matire de technologie MirrorBit(TM) annonces ce jour, Spansion LLC a galement annonc ses plans pour une nouvelle gamme de priphriques mmoire Flash.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 8, 2004--


AP - There is no arrogant swagger among the Carolina Panthers, no bold predictions that they will walk straight back into the Super Bowl this season.

Panthers Out to Prove Super Bowl No Fluke (AP)


LUXEMBOURG -- Microsoft Corp. told a European Union court yesterday that it would suffer irreparable harm if forced to reveal more of its software code to rivals, while the EU said such information was crucial to keep competitors alive.

Microsoft seeks to suspend EU order


Hitachi has released its first all Serial ATA array and has bundled it with switches and network interface cards to create a preconfigured low-to-midrange SAN that competes with products from EMC and IBM.

HDS slides into midrange storage market


US oil prices hovered just below \$50 a barrel on Tuesday, holding recent gains on a rash of crude supply outages and fears over thin heating oil tanks.

Oil Prices Hover Just Below \$50 a Barrel


When floating through space, and orbiting the Earth, an astronaut witnesses a sunset and sunrise every 45 minutes. Exploring beyond the atmosphere furthers

Space travel a blast, students learn: Astronaut visits local <b>...</b>


By Hugh Williamson in Berlin and Richard Milne in Rsselsheim. The mood at Opel #39;s Rssel-heim factory near Frankfurt was as chilly yesterday as the weather.

German workers feel chill of General Motors job cuts


SOLDEN, Austria : Favourite Anja Paerson of Sweden won the season-opening women #39;s World Cup giant slalom. The overall World Cup holder clocked 2min 25.

Skiing: Paerson wins World Cup giant slalom


Two-time champion Bradley Hughes of Australia shot an 8-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead at the Australian Masters on Friday, one day after the opening round was suspended by rain.

Hughes moves into lead after completing first round


The Bush campaign has pressed rally audiences to work as foot soldiers, before, during and immediately after Bush events.

Going to Bush Rally, Finding Strings Attached


Business guru tells Microsoft to invest in Linux for handhelds or risk missing out on the next big thing in software sales.\

Advice to Microsoft: Learn to love Linux


Two of Spain #39;s most wanted alleged terrorists and at least 16 other suspected members of the armed Basque separatist group ETA were captured Sunday in a vast French-Spanish police operation, authorities said.

18 Terror Suspects Nabbed in France Sting


A team of researchers is evaluating how Linux and Mac OS X stack up against Windows for internal use.

AT T looks into closing Windows


The health of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat deteriorated yesterday, and Palestinian doctors were rushed to his Ramallah compound in the

Health of Arafat said to deteriorate


AL-FASHER, Sudan Sept. 1, 2004 - Rebels released six Sudanese aid workers early Wednesday in Darfur, four days after they went missing during a trip to register refugees fled a brutal campaign of killings in the war-ravaged region, a UN official said.

Sudanese Aid Workers Released by Rebels


China #39;s state assets watchdog said here Friday that the derivatives trading of China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp. was in violation of the rules, and the company exceeded its authority in deciding to endorse the trading.

China Aviation Oil Company illegal behavior: SASAC


Universal Pictures is among the first Hollywood studios to announce its support for HD DVD, the high-definition optical disc format backed by a coalition of technology companies led by Toshiba.

Universal Green-lights HD DVD


With federal courts in disagreement over how many snowmobiles should be permitted in Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service proposed a temporary option.

U.S. Would Allow 720 Snowmobiles Daily at Yellowstone


Businesses don #39;t have to dump Windows to test drive free or low-price applications whose use may improve the bottom line. Sometimes the big software vendors act like their customers are locked into the proprietary products they sell.

Open Source Software Goes to Work


Functional MRI is helping researchers reveal how the human brain operates and the ways in which it affects emotion and reason. By Rowan Hooper.

Clear Pictures of How We Think


Retiring Rep. Billy Tauzin will become head of the pharmaceutical industry's top lobbying group next month after leaving his post as head of the House committee that regulates the pharmaceutical industry.

Tauzin to Head Pharmaceutical Lobbying Group


British American Tobacco posted a 20 rise in profits today and said a business-transforming deal in the United States had shown early promise.

Bat Lifted by Higher Volumes and Profits


Terry Francona is drawing comparisons to former Red Sox manager Grady Little for a decision that he made in Friday #39;s series-opening loss to the Yankees.

Notes: Francona defends decision


Crude oil futures moved upward Wednesday, as the northeastern United States - a heavy consumer of heating oil - felt the first signs of what could likely be a colder-than-expected winter.

Oil Futures Rise on Signs of Cold Winter


The battle for who will ultimately control business software maker PeopleSoft (Nasdaq: PSFT) is reaching a fever pitch not seen since the red state-blue state smackdown from earlier this month.

You Say Sell, I Say Potato


For about \$10 million, city officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world #39;s largest wireless Internet hot spot.

Philadelphia joins the list of cities mulling wireless Internet <b>...</b>


UNITED NATIONS -- President Bush stood before an annual gathering of world leaders yesterday and forcefully defended his decision to invade Iraq, urging all nations to join the United States in rooting out terrorism and establishing democracy in place of oppressive regimes.

At UN, Bush defends war


AKRON, Ohio -- Michigan multimillionaire Dan Gilbert wants into the club, and he's prepared to spend mightily to enter.

His credentials rock-solid


Russia has pressed ahead with the last step in the break-up of oil major YUKOS, saying it will auction its main unit for \$8.65 billion.

Russia poised to split YUKOS


The DUP leader will continue talks today with the British Government after Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams gave his backing for an Advent agreement to revive power sharing and remove the gun forever from Northern Ireland politics.

NI deal to be decided


NEW YORK - The bizarre journey of Ricky Williams will end right where it started - back in the NFL. But it #39;s unlikely he will return to the Dolphins.

Williams in Position for Return, But Likely Not to Miami


Staff Sgt. Johnny Horne Jr. and Staff Sgt. Cardenas Alban, both from Company C, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment from Fort Riley, Kan, are being charge with murder.

Two more US soldiers charged with murder


STILLWATER, Oklahoma (Sports Network) - Jason White threw three first-half touchdown passes to Mark Bradley and Adrian Peterson ran for a career-high 249 yards with a score, as second-ranked Oklahoma held on for a 38-35 victory over 20th- ranked Oklahoma

Peterson Gains 249 Yards as No. 2 Oklahoma Tops Oklahoma St.


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Internet brokerage Ameritrade Holding  Corp. <A HREF=

Ameritrade Profit Up But Trading Slips


Agilysys Inc., a supplier of electronic components and computer systems, said Tuesday that it swung to a profit in the fiscal second quarter as acquisitions contributed to strong sales growth.

Agilysys Posts 2Q Profit on Acquisitions


The company's Q2 earnings beat estimates, but Brazilian legal problems continue.

GTECH Thrives, but With a Wild Card


Sounding an alarm over nuclear proliferation, the head of the U.N. atomic watchdog agency said Monday that more than 40 countries have the know-how to produce nuclear weapons and that the agency is only relying on their

Iran Urged to Halt Nuclear Development


OUTSPOKEN Darwin bookmaker Mark Read has challenged local bookmakers to bet him to win \$1 million on Makybe Diva at today #39;s Call Of The Card at Crown casino.

Read #39;s mega Diva dare


Based on interviews with J.D. Edwards users and an informal poll conducted by Computerworld, PeopleSoft has yet to win over the new customer base it inherited after buying its former competitor one year ago.

J.D. Edwards users still aren't sold on PeopleSoft's takeover


Oklahoma quarterback Jason White has taken home the Maxwell Award as college football #39;s best all-around player and won his second straight Davey O #39;Brien quarterback trophy.

Oklahoma #39;s Jason White Wins Maxwell Award


US retailers on Thursday reported weaker-than-expected August sales, generating the smallest monthly gain in a year and a half as high gasoline prices cut into back-to-school spending.

Retail Sales Sluggish, Gas Prices Blamed


Vice President Dick Cheney stayed largely out of sight today, while Senator John Edwards was stumping at an Ohio rally.

On Debate Day, Cheney Keeps a Low Profile and Edwards Campaigns


Fifa boss Sepp Blatter says he would have backed England's players if they had walked off against Spain.

Don't stand for racism - football chief


Kyle Lohse pitches seven sharp innings as the Twins beat the White Sox, 10-1, Thursday for their ninth straight victory.

Lohse Continues Roll


AP - The United States, facing international criticism for its rejection of the Kyoto Protocol, argued Tuesday it spends billions of dollars seeking new technologies to cut emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

U.S. Defends Global Warming Strategy (AP)


Toronto Sun. They #39;re whistling a new tune in the lockout trenches, not quite the Hockey Night In Canada theme, but more pleasant to the ears than three months of bombast.

Players feel they have solution


MICHAEL OWEN scored his third goal in three games for Real Madrid to help them to a 2-1 win over Leganes in the first round of the King #39;s Cup.

THREE-SY FOR OWEN


AP - England's Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and David Howell, and Irishman Paul McGinley secured spots on Europe's Ryder Cup team at the BMW International on Sunday.

Four Secure European Ryder Cup Spots (AP)


Reuters - A new virus outbreak emerged on Thursday\that packs a baffling message: a photograph of accused German\virus author Sven Jaschan that security officials believe to be\a geeky taunt from a rival gang of computer programmers.

Net Virus Turf War Resumes After Rival's Arrest (Reuters)


England young guns Paul Casey and Luke Donald made a storming start to the World Cup on Thursday with four birdies in the first five holes.

Ireland set the early pace at World Cup


In a first, Opera plans to support Microsoft's cell phone operating system, indicating progress for Windows.

For Windows, Opera takes requests


Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is done for the year and will be joined on the inactive list for the remainder of the season by the team #39;s other starting defensive end Keith Washington.

Half of Giants #39; starting defensive line lost for season


ATHENS: Taufik Hidayat couldnt stop the tears after winning Indonesias first gold medal of the Athens Olympics. The unheralded Hidayat won the mens badminton title Saturday, beating seventh-seeded

Hidayat fulfills potential with badminton gold


Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was released Monday on \$16,900 bail on the last of numerous corruption charges that have kept him in prison since 1996.

After 8 Years in Jail, Husband of Bhutto Is Free


 By Pascal Fletcher

 CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela on Sunday slappedhigher taxes on foreign oil companies operating in its hugeOrinoco heavy crude belt in what President Hugo Chavez called adrive to tighten sovereign control over petroleum resources.

Venezuela Raises Taxes on Orinoco Deals


Federal agents yesterday took their first steps to go after individuals who illegally trade copyrighted music and videos over the Internet, seizing computers, software and related equipment at five homes around the country.

Suspected File-Sharing  #39;Hubs #39; Raided


MANNHEIM, Germany - A military judge hearing evidence about the alleged abuse of prisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison pressed the U.S. government Monday to speed up its investigation, warning that delays could derail the case against at least one of the accused soldiers...

Abu Ghraib Judge Implores U.S. Over Case


AP - Three high school students, one allegedly armed with a bat, were charged with attacking a pro-President Bush classmate after he reportedly said only gays would support Sen. John Kerry.

Political Debate at Minn. School Gets Ugly (AP)


WPP Group, the world #39;s second largest advertising company, says its third-quarter revenues grew ahead of analyst expectations but has warned of an uncertain 2005.

WPP revenues climb but jury still out on 2005


Justin Gray scored 21 points for the second straight game and No. 1 Wake Forest beat No. 18 Arizona 63-60 on Friday night in the championship game of the Preseason NIT.

No. 1 Wake Forest 63, No. 18 Arizona 60


LAWRENCE -- The 6,000 letters offering to lock in prices for a season's worth of heating oil were mailed a couple of weeks ago to customers of Haffner's Service Station Inc. But even though the prices being charged are about a third higher than last year, the contracts are a crapshoot for Peggy Willett.

Lock-in rates for heating oil a gamble for local suppliers


North Korea #39;s top legislator Kim Yong-nam has arrived in Beijing for a three-day official visit to China. Talks with Chinese leaders on the stalled six-party negotiations on

Kim Yong-nam arrives in Beijing


A genetic study of the tiger family reveals a previously unknown sub-species of the big cats.

New sub-species of tiger found


The New York Yankees wasted a six-run lead and were about to get swept by the Minnesota Twins until Gary Sheffield saved them - just as he has so often this season. Sheffield homered twice and keyed a four-run rally in the ninth inning Thursday night, sending the Yankees to a seesaw, 13-10 victory in Minnesota...

Sheffield, Yanks Rally for Win Over Twins


The United States has reached an agreement with key European allies, as well as Canada and Australia, on a draft resolution on Iran #39;s nuclear program, the State Department has said.

Iran nuclear resolution agreed


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sepracor Inc., a specialty  pharmaceutical company, said on Wednesday it received a  long-awaited approval to market its Lunesta treatment for  insomnia, giving it a foothold in an estimated \$2 billion  market in the United States.

Sepracor Says FDA Approves Sleep Drug


The 2004 Beaujolais Nouveau is well-balanced,  quot;with aromas of raspberry and gooseberry, quot; vintner Franck Duboeuf said as he uncorked a few bottles at a Manhattan wine shop on Thursday.

Start the party #39; _ Beaujolais Nouveau arrives in the US


France and the United States on Wednesday began evacuating thousands of foreigners trapped for days by violent attacks targeting French civilians and troops in this West African nation.

France, United States and other nations evacuate foreigners <b>...</b>


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker  PeopleSoft Inc. on Saturday said its board again rejected  Oracle Corp.'s \$9.2 billion tender offer, remaining defiant a  day after most of its shares were tendered to Oracle.

PeopleSoft Board Rejects Oracle Bid


What's in a Name - More Google? Lost Goggles!\\Remember MoreGoogle, the Google IE add on which wasn't not related to Google in any way other than it merged into the Google results when searched from Internet Explorer? Well, recently they had to drop their Google oriented name and have come ...

Whats in a Name - More Google? Lost Goggles!


<a href=

Sony shifts strategy to support MP3 files


AFP - Princess Anne was in Cyprus to pay a royal morale-boosting visit to Britain's Olympic athletes training on the Mediterranean island before heading off to the Athens Games.

Princess Anne in Cyprus to encourage Olympic competitors (AFP)


MANILA - Powerful Typhoon Yoyong, which pounded the main Philippine island Luzon from late Thursday, killed at least 35 people in landslides, electrocutions and by falling trees, disaster officials said Friday.

Death toll reaches 35 in Philippine typhoon


Google Adds AdWords To Froogle Shopping Feed\\Google has announced in their Froogle Friends Newsletter that Froogle will be adding an Ad Automator to Froogle where merchants with over 1000 products who are also AdWords advertisers are invited to try out the beta release of their new ad-producing technology. This seems ...


The blue-chip Hang Seng Index slipped 6.86 points, or 0.04 percent, to 14,060.05. On Monday, the index had gained 171.88 points, or 1.22 percent.

Hong Kong Shares Close Marginally Lower


Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert McTeer, the US central bank #39;s resident poet and self-styled inflation  quot;lonesome dove, quot; said on Wednesday he will leave

UPDATE 2-Fed #39;s McTeer may leave for Texas A amp;M post


Jiang Zemin, China #39;s military chief and longtime senior leader, may formally step down on Sunday, putting President Hu Jintao in full command of the Chinese Army, state and

Resignation of China #39;s Senior Leader Appears Imminent


Anthem and Wellpoint Health Networks finally won approval from Californias insurance commissioner for their \$16.4 billion merger.

California Backs Merger of 2 Giant Blue Cross Plans


AP - President Bush asked Congress Tuesday for an additional  #36;691 million to aid victims of hurricanes and other natural disasters as the election-year price tag for recent emergencies surged toward  #36;13 billion.

Bush Asks Another  #36;691M in Hurricane Aid (AP)


MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- All Georgian troops have withdrawn from the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict zone following a week-long battle between the two sides, Georgian Defense Minister Giorgi Baramidze said on Friday.

Georgian troops pull out from conflict zone after intense fighting


Brig. Rashid Abu Shbak, chief of Palestinian preventive security in Gaza, described on Wednesday the attack on the deputy chief of security intelligence Tareq Abu Rajab as  quot;a condemned crime quot;.

Palestine condemns attack on deputy intelligence chief


England international Michael Owen scored his second goal in two games to earn Real Madrid a morale-boosting 1-0 win at home to champions Valencia in the Primera Liga on Saturday.

Real beat Valencia 1-0


quot;There was a collision between a train coming from Ahmedabad and a local train. Both trains were going at great speed, quot; said Kewal Krishna Sharma, one of the injured.

India ; Train services resume after accident site cleared of <b>...</b>


The fossil of what may be one of the earliest baby birds has been found in northeast China. The fossil, estimated at 121 million years old, is curled up as though still in its shell.

Ancient baby bird fossil found in China


The conservation agency World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, has warned that man-made chemicals pose a serious threat to polar bears. The WWF says three new scientific studies show

Polar bears under threat from man-made chemicals


American International Group said third-quarter earnings rose 7.5 percent, but also revealed is a target of a federal investigation.

AIG's Profits Rises


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

Zafi variant hides behind Christmas cheer


washingtonpost.com - SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 13 -- Software maker PeopleSoft Inc. announced Monday that it had agreed to be acquired by Oracle Corp. in a  #36;10.3 billion deal, ending one of the longest and nastiest takeover battles in recent corporate history.

Oracle Reaches Takeover Deal With PeopleSoft (washingtonpost.com)


Consumers spent frugally for a fourth straight month in September, giving major retailers modest gains during the critical back-to-school season.

Retailers Report Modest Gains in September


PalmSource has been busy lately, and has now announced updates to both of its OS lines as well as a new web browser and OTA installer.

New OSes, applications from PalmSource


belmolis writes  quot;As they promised, Novell has filed suit against Microsoft over WordPerfect. Here #39;s the complaint, and here is Microsoft #39;s press release in response.

Novell vs. Microsoft, Again


WALES captain Gary Speed today insisted Mark Hughes will join Blackburn with the blessing of the players - if his move to the Premiership is rubber-stamped.

Speed backs Hughes #39; next move


Federal Reserve officials are set to jack up interest rates tonight for a fifth time this year, confident the US expansion is self-supporting and no longer in need of rock-bottom borrowing costs for a boost.

Fifth rate hike expected from US Fed


Infineon Technologies AG today said it would build a new front-end production plant in Kulim High Tech Park, Malaysia, at a cost of \$1 billion.

Infineon to Build \$1B Malaysian Fab


IRVING, Texas - Most football teams don #39;t get chances like the Browns had yesterday in a month, let alone in one afternoon. The Browns wasted field position, squandered takeaways, and as happened many times

Picks and kicks


Prudential Equity Group upgraded Red Hat (nasdaq: RHAT - news - people ) to  quot;overweight quot; from  quot;neutral weight quot; and maintained a \$17 target price, saying the software company remains the leader in the Linux market, which is among the fastest-growing

Red Hat Will Keep Linux Market Lead Over Novell


AP - Bartolo Colon turned around his first season with the Anaheim Angels when Jose Molina was behind the plate.

Colon Chooses Jose Molina As Catcher (AP)


US and Iraqi forces are still battling insurgents in Fallujah Sunday, although senior officials say the offensive against the rebel-held city is nearly complete.

Allawi Sees Victory Over Insurgents in Fallujah


How do you photograph the sun's yearly figure-eight path in the sky? With a huge amount of patience, say the small handful of photographers who have managed the tricky feat. By Amit Asaravala.

On the Trail of the Analemma


Reuters - Australia has started\battling its biggest plague of locusts in decades as billions\of the insects hatch along a wide front covering much of the\country's central east region.

Australia Fights Biggest Locust Plague in Decades (Reuters)


quot;A person who has been cheated is left in a bad situationwith bad feelings, quot; said study co-author Ernst Fehr, director of the Institute for Empirical Research in Economics at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.

Brain Study Shows Why Revenge is Sweet


The Spanish bank poised to take over Britain #39;s Abbey National will walk away if the 8.2bn (12.1bn) deal is stalled by competition concerns, it was reported today.

Competition rules could scupper Abbey deal


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents hammered central Baghdad on Sunday with one of their most intense mortar and rocket barrages ever in the heart of the capital, heralding a day of violence that killed nearly 60 people nationwide as security appeared to spiral out of control.    At least 37 people were killed in Baghdad alone...

Surge of Baghdad Violence Leaves 59 Dead


US aircrafts Sunday pounded positions held by militants loyal to Iraq #39;s radical Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the besieged sacred city of Najaf, Xinhua reports.

World News  gt; US launches fresh offensive against Iraqi rebels:


BOULDER, Colo. -- Vernand Morency ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns and Donovan Woods threw for three more scores, lifting No. 22 Oklahoma State to a 42-14 victory over Colorado yesterday.

Oklahoma State unleashes offense


(CP) - The NHL all-star game hasn #39;t been cancelled after all. It #39;s just been moved to Russia. The agent for New York Rangers winger Jaromir Jagr confirmed Monday that the Czech star had joined Omsk Avangard

Money no object as Russian teams go after locked out NHL stars


CLEVELAND, OH -- As NASA (news - web sites) readies the space shuttle fleet to fly again, the agency #39;s risk management teams are also paying attention to risk issues that affect the International Space Station (news - web sites).

NASA Prepares for Future Space Exploration Risk


Analysts #39; assessments came after Intel announced last week that it was scrapping plans to develop a 4-gigahertz version of its Pentium 4 chip.

Analysts: AMD Beating Intel in Chip Design


Hector Ruiz, the chief executive of Advanced Micro Devices, today laid out a plan to break what he called the monopolistic grip on the microprocessor industry by Intel.

Chief of Advanced Micro Targets Market Share Gains


ANTHONY MUNDINE gave one of the most electrifying performances of his career to stop Sean Sullivan at the Whitlam Centre on Wednesday night - but his next opponent hardly seemed overwhelmed.

Mundine didn #39;t scare me


During a speech to the UC board of regents on Wednesday Gov. Bill Richardson urged them to find an industrial partner and together bid on the Los Alamos National Laboratory management contract set to expire Sept.

Richardson urges UC to partner up; submit bid


Thiruvananthapuram: The BCCI on Sunday approved the match fitness report on batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar ahead of the crucial third cricket Test against Australia at Nagpur from October 26.

BCCI okays Sachin #39;s fitness report


AP - The campaign manager for Sen. John Kerry's failed presidential bid said Wednesday she regrets underestimating the impact of an attack advertisement that questioned Kerry's Vietnam War record.

Kerry Campaign Head Admits Miscalculations (AP)


Reuters - A Brazilian garbage dump could be a\trailblazer for thousands of projects in developing nations\under a U.N. plan to battle global warming, a Norwegian company\said Wednesday.

Brazil Garbage Dump Could Be Climate Trailblazer (Reuters)


The office of Russia #39;s chief military prosecutor says a report into alleged abuse of Russian army conscripts does not correspond to reality.

Russian army  #39;is tackling abuse #39;


A tenth of the world #39;s irrigated crops - everything from lettuce and tomatoes to mangoes and coconuts - are watered by sewage. And much of that sewage is raw and untreated, gushing direct from sewer pipes into fields at the fringes of the developing ...

Sewage waters a tenth of world #39;s irrigated crops


The secret, if there is one, cannot be found in the sea air. But if the Atlantic could be credited for the growing tidal wave of Rhode Islanders who have washed over the PGA in recent years, then Bristol's Billy Andrade figures the winning formula must be traced to the clams.  quot;Yeah, I'd say it's the littlenecks, quot; mused ...

Rhodies form band


BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's new prime minister looked to  have scored a major victory on Sunday when the opposition  failed to garner enough votes to pass a referendum giving  citizenship to millions of Hungarians abroad.

Hungary PM Set for Victory Over Citizenship Vote


 By Megan Davies

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips closed at two-monthhighs on Tuesday as a fall in oil prices eased concerns thathigh energy costs would hurt corporate profits, but there wassome caution as investors awaited a speech by Federal ReserveChairman Alan Greenspan on Wednesday.

U.S. Stocks Close Higher as Crude Falls


Intel Corp. expects its first-generation WiMax chips to spawn devices for wireless broadband end-users that cost less than \$200 and won #39;t require a visit

Rosedale chips fuel Intel #39;s WiMax drive


AFP - Sprint and Nextel were reported to be in merger discussions for a blockbuster deal that would reduce the number of major players in the US wireless industry to four.

Potential Sprint, Nextel merger suggests consolidating wireless industry (AFP)


TOKYO (Reuters) - Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.  <A HREF=

Japan's SMFG Bids \$29 Billion for UFJ


The Internal Revenue Service, in the midst of a crackdown on aggressive tax shelters, is auditing significantly more wealthy individuals and large companies, but is increasingly shying away from scrutinizing smaller businesses.

IRS Audits More of the Wealthy and Fewer Small Companies


and admitted it felt like  quot;blasphemy quot;. Just like Tiger Woods at the 2000 Open, the Ulsterman kept out of every

GOLF: MCDOWELL:MY 62 WAS BLASPHEMY


American Airlines, the world #39;s largest airline and a major supplier of passenger transport to Hawaii, has announced plans to furlough 450 pilots and 650 mechanics over the next few months because of soaring jet fuel costs.

American Airlines plans 1,100 layoffs


Fannie Mae yesterday agreed to pay the government \$7.5 million to settle a case in which the Justice Department alleged that the giant housing-finance company knowingly accepted proceeds of a mortgage scam.

Fannie Mae Settles Case in Mortgage Scam