Stock market investors celebrated another drop in oil prices on Thursday, driving the broad Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500-stock index to its highest point since the Sept.

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


Residents of the northern Bavarian town of Wunsiedel temporarily stopped a neo-Nazi march to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the death of Rudolf Hess, Hitler #39;s deputy, who had been jailed for life in 1946.

Sit-In Halts Neo-Nazi March


Revamp of tools picked up from PestPatrol results in three products--two for businesses and its first for home users.\

CA gives anti-spyware a consumer face


Ceremonies are planned near Agra, where the white marble monument to love was built in the 17th century as a tomb for emperor Shah Jahan #39;s most beloved wife.

Taj Mahal Celebrates 350th Anniversary


After five days at sea in the dark and aboard a dead submarine, the crew of the HMCS Chicoutimi is telling tales of heroism and fear.

Crew Reounts  #39;Nightmare #39; on the Atlantic


Reuters - Ukraine's influential parliament speaker\called on Monday for a scandal over the poisoning of opposition\leader Viktor Yushchenko to be kept out of the country's\presidential election campaign.

Ukraine Speaker: Keep Poisoning Out of Campaign (Reuters)


JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel lashed out yesterday against what he called growing incitement toward violence by opponents of his Gaza Strip withdrawal plan, while thousands of Jewish settlers and their supporters gathered in the city to protest the proposed pullout.

Sharon says opponents of pullout calling for a civil war


AFP - US Treasury Secretary John Snow acknowledged that big US deficits are playing a role in global economic imbalances, but cited a  quot;shared responsibility quot; to fix the problems.

US to fight economic imbalances, but responsibility is shared: Snow (AFP)


Fidelity Investments #39; flagship equity fund, Magellan, saw assets slip about \$496 million in August, to \$61.9 billion, primarily a result of investor withdrawals.

Magellan assets fall \$496m in August


Bill Gates kept his ranking as the richest person in the United States, boosting his worth to \$48-billion. But investor Warren Buffett has edged closer to the top of the rich list, Forbes magazine said on Friday.

Guess who #39;s still the richest man in America?


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel and the Palestinian Authority  are trying to work out a deal to end the army's Gaza offensive  in return for stopping militants firing rockets into the Jewish  state, Israeli security sources said Tuesday.

Israel, Palestinians Seek Deal to End Gaza Fighting


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices eased on  Wednesday as the market prepared to absorb \$24 billion in new  supply just a few days before a jobs report which could set the  trend for yields for weeks to come.

Treasuries Lower Before Five-Year Auction


WASHINGTON - A corporate tax bill that would dole out nearly \$140 billion in business breaks over the next decade is scheduled for a Senate vote today after an unexpected delay Sunday over its failure to include a tax credit for employers who keep active

Corporate tax perks await final Senate OK


It #39;s as you were at the top and bottom of the Premiership afrter a December Saturday on which the  #39;Big Three #39; all recorded emphatic victories, scoring ten goals between them and conceding precisely none.

Prem Wrap: Goalfest As Big Guns Flex Their Muscles


David Coulthard is to test for the Red Bull Racing F1 team in Jerez, Spain, this week. He will join the team to drive the team #39;s 2004 car, the R5.

Red Bull tonic for David...


Reuters - Toys R Us Inc. (TOY.N), which is\considering getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a\second-quarter profit as it works to restructure its toy\stores.

Toys R Us Posts Second-Quarter Profit (Reuters)


Charlotte , NC -- The strange sensation of accomplishment, coupled with an odd bit of euphoria and a good measure of relief, was all so new to Tyler Brayton, the Raiders #39; second-year defensive end wasn #39;t sure how to act.

Road finally gets easier for Raiders Streak ends at Carolina, but <b>...</b>


Coach Herman Edwards is concerned about what his players' dismal showing against one of the N.F.L.'s elite portends for the Jets' hopes of making the playoffs.

Jets Try to Keep Faith and Control Their Fate


Iran has rejected demands by Europe #39;s three major powers to abandon its uranium enrichment programme. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Riza Asifi said on Sunday Iran had already the technology required for

Iran rejects limits on nuclear technology


The ability to predict the future is getting tougher, even for a market leader like Qualcomm.

Qualcomm's Crystal Ball Gets Hazy


In court documents made public this week, Burst.com accused Microsoft managers of telling employees in 2000 to destroy evidence contained in old e-mails.

Burst.com says Microsoft destroyed evidence


USATODAY.com - Steve Jobs is a master when it comes to figuring out ways to help the masses savor songs digitally. Now Apple's boss is counting on a new lightweight mobile base station called AirPort Express to continue to bang the drum for digital music.

Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - Express takes digital music a step further, but it's no iPod (USATODAY.com)


In a murder case echoing that of student Marsha McDonnell, police found the body of a young woman bludgeoned to death in Twickenham.

Murder shows parallels with Marsha killing


Scottish Premier League leaders Rangers have nine players out of action for Sunday #39;s clash against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Pittodrie.

Rangers missing nine for Inverness match


A protester dressed in a Batman costume scaled the front wall of Buckingham Palace Monday, reaching a ledge near the balcony where the royal family appears on ceremonial occasions.

Palace Intruder Dresses as Batman


At the risk of breaking down its rough-and-rugged reputation,  quot;Halo 2 quot; for Xbox is the Mary Poppins of video games,  quot;practically perfect in every way.

GAME REVIEW: Exciting  #39;Halo 2 #39; game shoots for perfection


BRUSSELS: Record high oil price pose the biggest threat to the global economic recovery, the European Central Bank said yesterday as it left its key interest rate unchanged at 2 per cent.

ECB and Britain leave key interest rates alone


Three photographers who took pictures of Britain #39;s Princess Diana and her friend Dodi al Fayed on the night of their fatal 1997 car crash did not break French privacy laws, an appeals court ruled Tuesday.

French Court Confirms Diana Paparazzi Acquittal


Exports to Japan to resume under an agreement to ease a 10-month ban prompted by a case of mad cow disease in Washington state.

Japan to Accept U.S. Beef Again


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

Loved Ones Mourn American Slain in Iraq


European stocks moved cautiously higher Tuesday, with the retail sector getting a leg up from some stellar first-half numbers from UK grocer Tesco.

European Stocks Advance As Tesco Boosts


Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and 11 top leaders of his regime have gone on hunger strike in their US detention centre, one of their lawyers said yesterday.

Saddam on hunger strike : US military denies


The search for a new Notre Dame football coach has apparently taken an abrupt and unexpected turn Friday when several media outlets reported that Utah coach Urban Meyer accepted the coaching job at Florida.

Meyer snubs Irish for Florida


Reigning world time trial champion Michael Rogers of Australia successfully defended his crown here at the world road race championships Wednesday.

Rogers wins world TT title


GEIGER: I guess I #39;m part two. Greetings, everybody. Obviously many of you have seen and probably have in your possession the story that broke this morning on espn.

Transcript of Andy Geiger #39;s Statement at the November 9th Ohio <b>...</b>


The International Monetary Fund says the world economy is growing at the fastest past in three decades, but in its semi-annual report the international lender says growth is likely to slow in 2005.

IMF Optimistic on World Economic Growth


Joy during the holiday season usually comes from family and friends, but this year Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp. want it to also come from the PC.

Microsoft, Intel Want To Bring  #39;Digital Joy #39; To The Home


ATHENS, Greece - Hicham El Guerrouj became the first man in 80 years to win the 1,500 and the 5,000 races at one Olympics, joining Finnish great Paavo Nurmi in the history books on Saturday.

El Guerrouj, Holmes complete doubles; Americans yield


Recent comments by President Chen Shui-bian on the sensitive issue of Taiwan #39;s name revealed his intention to steer the island toward independence, a Chinese government spokesman said.

China Criticizes Chen for Remark on Taiwan #39;s Name


The Israeli finance minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Tuesday retracted a threat to resign unless Prime Minister Ariel Sharon set a date for a referendum on plans to withdraw settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu Drops Resignation Threat


Two diamonds worth over \$14 million were robbed mid-afternoon from an antique dealers #39; show at the Paris Louvre museum yesterday.

Diamonds robbed from Louvre


TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 27, 2004--Nortel Networks Corporation (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT) et sa principale filiale oprationnelle Nortel Networks Limited (NNL #39;) ont fait le point ce jour  la suite de l #39;mission de directives de communication

Nortel Networks fait le point sur sa situation


Iraqi kidnappers released two Italian aid workers and five other hostages Tuesday, raising hopes for at least 18 foreigners still in captivity.

7 hostages released by Iraqi captors but violence continues


JENIN, West Bank : A force of more than 70 Israeli military vehicles rumbled into the northern West Bank town of Jenin at dawn, sparking firefights with Palestinian militants in what Israeli army sources described as a  quot;routine operation.

Major Israeli force moves into Palestinian town


AP - Federal regulators are investigating General Motors Corp. minivans after getting reports that people have been injured by automatic sliding doors.

NHTSA Probes GM Minivan Door Injuries (AP)


SAN'A, Yemen - A U.S.-held Saudi suspected of being an associate of Osama bin Laden and a Yemeni militant were sentenced to death by firing squad Wednesday for the bombing of the USS Cole four years ago, the first convictions in the al-Qaida terror attack that killed 17 American sailors.    The judge ordered four other Yemenis jailed for five to 10 years...

Two Sentenced to Death for USS Cole Attack


PRE-SEASON was supposed to have ended a month ago. Yet, such is the obsession with the Champions League down Celtic Park way, it was impossible to escape the feeling that yesterdays oh-so-bloody-easy Premierleague

Camara trickery


Time Warner Inc. has agreed to pay more than \$500 million to settle allegations that its America Online division improperly pumped up revenue and engaged in other unlawful practices before and after the two companies merged.
<FONT face=

Time Warner Settles AOL Charges


Richard Branson #39;s Virgin group said today that it would be entering the market of online music, a move which will put Virgin against other music services such as Apple iTunes, MSN Music and many other pay-per-song music services.

Virgin Group to enter online music market.


Britain #39;s ill-fated Beagle 2 mission to Mars failed partly because a lack of government funds left the project as an  quot;amateurish gentlemen #39;s agreement quot;, a committee of MPs says in a report today.

MPs blame lack of cash for failure of Beagle 2


Capital Radio and GWR saw 45m wiped off their combined stock market values yesterday as investors digested details of their proposed merger alongside trading updates published simultaneously by both companies.

Profit warnings take shine off GWR/Capital merger


Ronaldinho was so in the groove before kick-off that he actually danced in the tunnel. Barcelona #39;s catalyst did not just flick out a leg, so loosening limbs for imminent exertion against Real Madrid.

Ronaldinho #39;s genius signals a power shift


Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has reached out to his opposition rival with an invitation to enter discussion on forming a new coalition government.

Sharon invites opposition to join coalition


Security have warned about a new Web browser security hole which could allow scammers to launch phishing attacks from pop-up windows on trusted websites.

Universal browser hole a gift for scammers


Cisco executives told analysts this week that the company plans to take data center virtualization into areas such as application-aware switching and will partner to provide systems management software.

Data center virtualization, systems management coming from Cisco


Reuters - In a ceremony full of pageantry and\hope, King Norodom Sihamoni ascended the Cambodian throne on\Friday, ushering in a new royal era for a country still trying\to draw a line under its bloody, genocidal past.

New Era for Cambodia as King Sihamoni Ascends Throne (Reuters)


EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- By their very nature, little brothers have a lifetime #39;s worth of experience coming up a little short, but you got the feeling watching Eli Manning on Sunday at Giants Stadium that he grew even in defeat.

Manning shows promise despite losing first NFL start


Reuters - Asian shares retreated on Wednesday,\tracking losses in U.S. stocks, and pressured by a weak dollar\which sat close to a record low struck against the euro late on\Tuesday.

Dollar Weak, Asia Stocks Down (Reuters)


This week #39;s 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania is in golf #39;s dead zone, a time when tournaments on the PGA Tour scramble to find relevance.

Special to ESPN.com


The 5 th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 5) officially opened in Hanoi on Friday morning with the participation of top leaders and high-ranking officials from 39 ASEM member countries and more than 1,200 domestic and foreign reporters.

Fifth Asia-Europe Meeting opens in Hanoi


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Stockwell Day is pointing to a published report that includes the suggestion that Yasser Arafat had AIDS in explaining why he didn't send condolences on the death of the PLO leader.

Stockwell Day points to AIDS story to explain Arafat snub (Canadian Press)


Reuters - McDonald's Corp. said on Monday\that Charlie Bell, its 44-year-old president and chief\executive, had stepped down to focus on battling cancer just\seven months after assuming the top post at the world's largest\fast-food company.

McDonald's Bell Steps Down Due to Cancer (Reuters)


This week's earnings report is expected to shed light on the impact of iTunes for Windows, which launched one year ago.

Apple whistles a happy iTunes


BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - A Brazilian congressional  probe accused 91 people, including a former central bank chief  and an ex-mayor of Sao Paulo, on Tuesday of involvement in  suspected laundering of money from drug trafficking, smuggling  and other crimes.

Brazil Laundering Probe Stings Bankers, Politicians


San Antonio shot a sizzling 59 percent from the field, while the Jazz made 44 percent of their shots...The Spurs had a 37-24 edge on the boards...Mehmet Okur scored 10 points off the bench for Utah...The Spurs are off to their best start since the 1999-00

NBA Game Summary - Utah at San Antonio


JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) -- Initial feedback from Gold Fieldss North American and European investors is rejection of the hostile all-share bid by Harmony Gold for its larger rival, which has labeled the offer as opportunistic, Gold Fields chief

Hell no, we wont go, says Gold Fields


SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Leading U.S. brewer AnheuserBusch <BUD.N> sold its 20 percent stake in Chile's biggestbrewer CCU <CCU.SN> for \$299 million in an auction on theSantiago Stock Exchange on Friday.

Anheuser Sells CCU Stake for \$299 Million


The Brazilian, who took pole position yesterday with Formula Ones fastest-ever qualifying lap, beat Ferrari team-mate Schumacher by 1.3 seconds to the delight of thousands of their passionate home fans.

Victory for Barrichello


Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, capped a cabinet apology for faulty intelligence on Iraq #39;s weapons arsenal yesterday by insisting that Saddam Hussein had been  quot;corrupting and undermining quot; UN sanctions to the point that they were in

Hewitt adds a qualifier to her qualified Iraq apology


BOSTON : Baseball fans should forgive the St. Louis Cardinals for acting as the party poopers for the Boston Red Sox, who will try to snap an 86-year title drought by winning the 101st World Series.

Baseball: Cardinals try to foil Red Sox dream run in World Series


Ending turf battles and

Former Microsoft COO: Intelligence overhaul means crushing 'fiefdoms'


TORONTO Dec 14, 2004 - The NHL moved a step closer to losing the season Tuesday, when the league and players #39; association rejected proposals for a new collective bargaining agreement.

NHL, Players #39; Union Reject New Proposals


Australia may swap their usual aggression for a more patient approach in a bid to register their first test series victory in India for 35 years, stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist said on Tuesday.

Patience could prove a virtue for Australia


Oct. 6. - There are still 11 days left for Anil Kumbles 35th birthday, but the celebrations have already begun. A personal milestone is always important in cricket, but when you can do it at home, in

Kumble rules


STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish kidney-care company Gambro AB  has signed an agreement to sell its U.S. clinics business to  dialysis firm DaVita Inc. for \$3.05 billion in cash, Gambro  said on Tuesday.

Gambro Sells U.S. Kidney Clinics Unit


GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Europe #39;s largest drugmaker, said it settled a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who accused the drugmaker last June of withholding safety data on the antidepressant Paxil.

Glaxo Settles Paxil Suit With NY Attorney General (Update1)


BASRA, Iraq : Crude oil exports from southern Iraq were stable at around 1.5 million barrels a day despite several recent attacks on pipelines, a South Oil Company official said.

Iraq says southern oil exports stable


US oil prices neared \$51 per barrel Tuesday, steered by speculative buyers wary of US production after Hurricane Ivan and conflicts in other oil-producing nations.

US Oil Prices Soar Above Record \$50


ANDRE AGASSI #39;s chances of qualifying for the season-ending Masters Cup suffered a setback in Stockholm today. The No.1 seed lost 3-6 6-3 7-6 to Thomas Johansson in the (\$1.

Masters blow to Agassi


Islamabad, Aug. 21: Pakistani security forces today attacked suspected terrorist hideouts in the border regions of South Waziristan after rocket attacks on military positions from different areas of Shakai valley.

Pak in fresh assault on terror hideouts


H. Wayne Huizenga sold Boca Resorts Inc., whose properties include Boca Raton Hotel  amp; Club, Hyatt Pier 66 and the Radisson Bahia Mar, to a New York-based private investment group Wednesday for \$1.

Huizenga sells Boca Resorts for \$1.25 billion


PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (Reuters) - Rita Weston survived Hurricane Charley huddled under a mattress with her husband and mother in a mobile home she bought 35 years ago. But before the storm passed, the home was reduced to scrap wood and metal.

Mobile Homes a Danger in Hurricane Zones, Owners Say


Andre Ingram scores 20 points to lead American past Delaware, 64-58, on Sunday as the Eagles snap a two-game losing streak.

Eagles Fly Past Hens


Motorola has teamed up with Mastercard to conduct US trials of technology that allows mobile phones to act as  quot;digital wallets quot;.

Motorola pilots  #39;digital wallet #39; phone trials


The hard-hitting Atlanta Falcons defense doesn #39;t scare Joey Harrington. Eastern Michigan, on the other hand, made him a nervous wreck.

Lions prepare for Vick, Falcons


Plus: Is Microsoft search engine crawling Google? News.com Extra

Privacy experts shun black boxes in cars


Vector #39;s \$1.3 billion bid for NGC promises a public offering of shares in a new local energy giant within 12 months. Vector put up \$3 a share to win the bidding war for the 66 per cent stake in NGC owned by Australian Gas Light (AGL).

Vector share float looms


I started a simple project a while back; all I needed to do was store some information about stuff around the office, and since it's a small office, I thought that a RDBMS system was overkill.  So I decided to go with XML.  After creating a document, I then decided to fight with XML DTDs, and tried to fight with both XML DOM and XML SAX for Python, I finally decided on an approach that built dictionaries using SAX, as described here.    After messing with it for a while, I decided there had to be a better way.  Almost by accident, I stumbled upon YAML.

Why YAML?  Why not?


Macromedia is offering a new version of its Contribute 3 software that will make it easier for eBay sellers to create custom eBay stores.

Macromedia Software Helps eBay Sellers Build Stores


An arbitrator heard six hours of testimony Thursday in a grievance hearing that the NBA refused to attend about the Pacers-Pistons brawl-related suspensions issued by commissioner David Stern.

Artest, other suspended players meet with arbitrator; NBA stays <b>...</b>


The tenth-largest US airline, ATA Airlines has filed for bankruptcy protection and sold off airport slots and other assets to AirTran Airways for \$ 87.

US airline ATA files for bankruptcy


Yahoo adds a search feature for cell phones, following a similar move by Google. Also:  Start-up Seven gets addicted to Java.

At wireless show, it's Yahoo vs. Google


NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The Montreal Expos have a home and Washington DC once again has a team. According to numerous reports, Major League Baseball formally will announce Wednesday that the Expos will be relocated

Reports: Expos move imminent


AP - PeopleSoft Inc.'s board of directors said it rejected Oracle Corp.'s  #36;9.2 billion takeover bid Saturday, continuing its staunch resistance a day after the company's own shareholders tendered more than 60 percent of stock to Oracle.

PeopleSoft's Board Rejects Oracle Bid (AP)


As the New England Patriots aim for their 19th straight win over two seasons today, the 1972 Miami Dolphins are starting to notice.

Patriots march into today #39;s contest armed with 18 straight wins


ZURICH, Switzerland -- Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia defeated Russian wild card Vera Douchevina 6-1, 6-4 Monday in the opening round of the \$1.

Hantuchova beats Douchevina in Swisscom Challenge opener


Durham, NC (Sports Network) - Shelden Williams finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks to lead seventh-ranked Duke to an 88-55 win over Illinois-Chicago at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Top-25 College Basketball


Fannie Mae, the nation's largest mortgage buyer, agreed to major changes in its accounting and management practices.

Major Changes Set for Backer of Mortgages


Turkey agonized over pressure to recognize Cyprus in the last hurdle to an historic agreement as EU leaders held a crucial summit on Thursday on opening membership talks with Ankara.

Turkey Agonizes on Cyprus as Last EU Hurdle


There were cheers, applause and even a bottle or two of champagne at Penn State #39;s Mission Operations Center on Saturday. A group of university engineers and scientists

PSU telescopes rocket into orbit


Nortel Networks Corp. warned Thursday that its full-year growth is expected to trail the industry, rather than lead it as the company had predicted as recently as a month ago.

Nortel Warns on 2004 Revenue Growth


In an unprecedented overhaul of the nations overtime pay rules, the Bush administration is delivering to its business allies an election-year plum theyve sought for decades.

New OT rules to take effect


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Arabs rate improving quality of life  issues as more important than political reform in their  countries and are mostly cool to U.S. involvement in their  internal affairs, according to a new poll released on Monday.

Arabs Want Reform, But Cool to U.S. Help - Poll


Version 11i.10 will focus on industry-specific capabilities and will add new software for procurement management. By Laurie Sullivan.

Oracle Provides Details On E-Business Suite Release


AP - NASA scientists said Friday they have recovered some critical pieces of the Genesis space capsule intact and are optimistic the wreckage will yield valuable information about the origins of the solar system.

Scientists Recover Critical Genesis Parts (AP)


BAYERN Munich eased into the last 16 with a resounding 5-1 win over Maccabi Tel-Aviv this morning, as Ajax #39;s 1-0 loss to Juventus means Bayern finish runners-up in the group.

Ruthless Bayern


A 78-year-old man is accused of twice raping a woman more than 30 years ago in the third of seven sex trials on Pitcairn.

Eldest Pitcairn rape suspect tried


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's new public health agency should have been headquartered in Ottawa to avoid the problems the United States experienced when it located its own agency away from Washington, D.C., says a Health Canada briefing note.

Federal briefing note says Ottawa, not Winnipeg, best place for health agency (Canadian Press)


GENEVA The United Nations said Friday that workmen had uncovered a sophisticated listening device at its headquarters in Geneva but could not say who planted it or why.

Listening device found in UN #39;s Geneva offices


Tishman Speyer Properties signed a contract Sunday night to buy the current home of The New York Times Company in Times Square for \$175 million and convert it to an office building.

The Times Sells Its Headquarters to a Developer of Office Space


NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz  and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh on Wednesday began  talks that are expected to set aside a recent spat over  disputed Kashmir and give a push to a plodding peace process.

Singh, Aziz Hold Talks After India-Pakistan Spat


LONDON, England -- The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has invited media giants Time Warner, Bertelsmann and Walt Disney to discuss possible bids for its commercial sales and publishing arm, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Report: BBC eyes commercial sale


Figuring out which way the winds are blowing in the chip sector just got harder. Recent news suggests the all-encompassing rally off the September lows has ended and the sector #39;s investors will have to be much more selective going forward.

Chip Shots Over for Chip Investors


Ichiro Suzuki set the record for hits in a season with 258, breaking George Sisler's 84-year-old mark with a pair of singles Friday.

Ichiro Sets Hits Record


China #39;s elimination from the 2006 World Cup qualifiers has prompted calls for reform of the country #39;s scandal-tainted football bureaucracy.

China football faces reform calls


Warner Chilcott Plc, Northern Ireland #39;s largest drugmaker, said it #39;s talking with an unidentified bidder that has offered about 1.56 billion pounds (\$2.

Warner Chilcott Says It Got Offer of About \$2.9 Bln (Update1)


KABUL, Afghanistan - All 15 candidates running against interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai signed an agreement Saturday boycotting the vote because of what they say is widespread fraud, and say they will not recognize the election results.    The announcement was read out after a meeting of candidates and their representatives at the home of Abdul Satar Sirat, an Uzbek who is an ex-aide to Afghanistan's last king...

Afghan Opposition Boycotting Election


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Insurgents killed at least 44 people,  most of them children, and wounded 200 with a series of car  bombs across Iraq Thursday.

Car Bombs in Iraq Kill at Least 44 and Wound 200


AUSTRALIAN troops have suffered their first direct attack since the Iraq war began, with three Australian soldiers injured in a suspected suicide bomb assault on an armoured vehicle convoy in Baghdad.

Diggers bombed in Baghdad


Mortgage rates around the country went up last week, although 30-year mortgages still were below 6 percent for a sixth straight week.

Mortgage rates increase


Tehran is now demanding the right to run some key equipment for research purposes, European and Iranian officials said.

Iran Seeks to Loosen Some Restrictions


AP - President Bush will be committed during his second term to the

Top Official: U.S. Wants Cuba 'Liberation' (AP)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush asked Treasury  Secretary John Snow to stay in his job on Wednesday and Snow  agreed to do so, ending a frenzy of speculation that the  65-year former railroad executive was about to be replaced.

Snow to Remain as Treasury Secretary


AP - The conclusive discovery by a pair of wheeled robots that Mars once had vast pools of water and possibly could have harbored life was chosen by the editors of the journal Science as the most important scientific achievement of 2004.

Water, Robots on Mars Get Top 2004 Honors (AP)


BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Survivors huddle in  clearings without food or shelter above the water-damage line  all along the tsunami-ravaged coast of Indonesia's Aceh  province, and corpses float miles out to sea.

Full Extent of Indonesia Disaster Slowly Revealed


London - Prime Minister Tony Blair is doing  quot;everything he possibly can quot; to save the British engineer kidnapped in Iraq, Blair #39;s deputy said on Tuesday as the hostage #39;s family took encouragement from an offer of help by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Blair:  #39;Doing everything #39;


Specifically, the companies confirmed that Cell is a multicore chip comprising a 64-bit Power processor core and multiple synergistic processor cores capable of massive floating point processing.

Cell Processor Unveiled


LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said  on Wednesday that cutting a record budget deficit was a top  priority for the second-term Bush administration and challenged  Europe to play its part in helping trim the U.S. trade gap by  boosting its own economic growth.

Snow: Cutting Budget Deficit Top Priority


The BBC's Rachel Harvey meets a fisherman in the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh who survived the tsunami.

'The boat started shaking'


The celebration could come tonight. And then the church bells can ring, the car horns can blare, the corked bottles of champagne gathering dust since 1986 can be popped, and the hallelujahs

Pedro dazzles; Sox up 3-0


AP - The Spanish colonialists who fortified this Colombian seaport 400 years ago to guard against pirates and rival imperial powers could only have dreamed of the security being implemented for President Bush's visit here Monday.

Colombia Deploys 15,000 Troops for Bush (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Chicago Cubs registered an  important victory in their battle for the National League  wild-card berth, edging out the Expos 2-1 over 11 innings in  Montreal Wednesday.

NL Wrap: Cubs Edge Expos to Maintain Wild-Card Pace


The brawl that erupted last week at a basketball game has exposed the weakness of a common assumption: that anger can be treated almost as if it were an infection.

Anger Management May Not Help at All


JAKARTA The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is united on the need to raise its oil price target to an average of \$30 a barrel, a top Iranian oil official said on Thursday, but the cartel has yet to agree on when to move its price range higher

OPEC official reports unity on higher price target


DSL is leading a global boom in broadband Internet access. Over the 12 months that ended June 30, DSL subscribers grew to 78 million, while the number of subscribers using all types of broadband services surpassed 123 million, the DSL Forum says.

DSL Leads the Broadband Boom


When Bode Miller sped down the Lake Louise course 14/100ths of a second faster than Hermann Maier last Sunday, it was a race for the record books. Not only had the Franconia, N.H., resident beaten Austria's famous ace and won on a course where he always has had trouble, but he also became the first male ...

Triple crown


AP - President Bush signed a bill Monday giving the Department of Homeland Security about  #36;33 billion for the budget year that began Oct. 1.

Bush Signs  #36;33 Billion Security Budget (AP)


(CBS/AP) The attorney general for the only holdout state in the US antitrust case against Microsoft Corp. is praising dramatic sanctions imposed this week by European regulators against the world #39;s largest software company.

Mass. AG Praises EU On Microsoft


AP - Five more locked-out NHL players agreed Saturday to play in Europe, bringing the total to 185.

List of NHL Players in Europe Up to 185 (AP)


WASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday adopted new rules about what parts of incumbent telephone carrier networks must be shared with competitors, backtracking on an earlier decision forcing incumbents to share local switching facilities in the residential market.

FCC adopts new network-sharing rules


AP - Call it the kitty's third life. Roxio Inc. bought the Napster brand name and feline logo at a bankruptcy auction two years ago and with the acquisition of another music service, pressplay, relaunched the once-renegade file-swapping pioneer as a legal music service last October.

Napster Receives New Life As Public Firm (AP)


He was showered again with boos as he approached the ring for his semifinal light-heavyweight bout. Once inside the ropes, he was tossed around by Utkirbek Haydarov of Uzbekistan.

US Needs Pro Boxers for Fighting Chance


washingtonpost.com - It happens all the time to unlucky or unwise Windows users: A new computer crashes and burns after a crippling virus or worm attack. But things can fall apart inside a new PC without such outside help; everyday use can cause a slower form of rot that eventually hobbles the system as thoroughly as a virus might.

Security Beyond Antivirus Programs (washingtonpost.com)


Investigators are seeking to determine the route taken by 16-year-old suicide bomber Amar al-Far, and find out who assisted him after he left his home in the Askar refugee camp near Nablus at 7:30 Monday morning, blowing himself up just over three hours

Probe focuses on bomber #39;s route


This particular index is produced by the University of Michigan Business School, in partnership with the American Society for Quality and CFI Group, and is supported in part by ForeSee Results

Satisfying Sites


The auto parts retailer remains strong despite slower than expected growth.

AutoZone Needs an Oil Change


TimeGate Studios #39; WWII strategy title lets players control any one of the major powers in a bid for world domination. Atari today announced that Axis  amp; Allies, developed by Kohan creators TimeGate Studios, has shipped to retail stores nationwide.

Axis  amp; Allies marches off to retail


GLASGOW, Oct 21 (SW) - Celtic manager martin ONeill remained positive and hopeful after last nights 3-0 defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk, admitting everything was still possible.

ONeill stays positive after severe Champions League defeat


WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Investment company Leucadia National Corp. (LUK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday it had bought a 4.96 percent stake in MCI Inc. (MCIP.O: Quote, Profile, Research) for about \$245.9 million.

Investment firm Leucadia holds about 5 pct of MCI


One winter of big spending brought the Detroit Tigers back from one of the worst seasons in baseball history. Now owner Mike Ilitch suggests that he #39;s planning a repeat performance.

Ilitch says he #39;ll be aggressive in seeking top players


Torstar Corp., which publishes Canada #39;s biggest daily newspaper, said third-quarter profit fell 62 percent because of declining sales at its book-publishing unit and costs for employee buyouts at the Toronto Star.

Torstar 3rd-Qtr Net Falls on Buyout Costs, Harlequin (Update2)


IBM aims to gain more gain insight and information in this arena, as many companies have implemented numerous content management systems.

IBM to acquire content mgmt firm Venetica


It will hurt more next year if it happens because it will be a league game. But there was no disguising the frustration and anger in the Boston College locker room following yesterday's 17-14 loss to Wake Forest.

Old demons rise up again


By now, every Aggie knows the significance of coach Dennis Franchione #39;s second year. Year two is usually his signature season, the one people look back at as the return to prominence.

A breakthrough could be in the works


AP - James Wolfensohn said Sunday he anticipates bowing out in 2005 as World Bank president and not serving a third five-year term, but would do whatever shareholders ask of him.

Wolfensohn May Step Down From World Bank (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar retreated against major  currencies on Tuesday as investors took profits on sharp U.S.  jobs-related gains last week, turning cautious ahead of a  speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan on Wednesday.

Dollar Falls Before Greenspan Testimony


Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s health has suffered a setback and doctors are carrying out more tests to discover why, Palestinian envoy Leila Shahid told Reuters on Wednesday.

Arafat #39;s Health Suffers Setback - Envoy


Olympic bronze medalist Alicia Molik upset sixth-seeded Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 to reach the Swisscom Challenge quarterfinals Wednesday.

Molik upsets Zvonareva, Sharapova advances in Zurich


Jiang Zemin, China's military chief and senior leader, has told Communist Party officials that he plans to resign, two people with leadership connections say.

China Ex-President May Be Set to Yield Last Powerful Post


PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers made certain there's nobody unbeaten now in the NFL, except for Ben Roethlisberger.

Messing with perfection


ATHENS, Greece - After falling onto the edge of the judges' table on the landing of his vault, Paul Hamm performed two of the most spectacular routines of his career to win the men's all-around gymnastics title by the closest Olympic margin ever.    Needing a 9.825 on high bar, his best event, to tie Kim Dae-eun of South Korea for gold, Hamm was dazzling...

Hamm Wins All-Around Gymnastics Title


AP - Marlon Anderson got his first start of the postseason for the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night, serving as the designated hitter in the second game of the World Series.

Cards DH Anderson Gets Postseason Start (AP)


AP - Two moderate earthquakes hit eastern Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Bureau said, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported.

Two Moderate Earthquakes Hit Taiwan (AP)


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

MPAA files first suits against movie file-swappers


Moscows approval of the Kyoto Protocol is a major step in bringing the treaty into effect. Fifty-five countries (that emit 55 per cent of the worlds total CO2 emissions) must endorse the Kyoto pact before it can become binding.

Russia reports fair weather


A team working with the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile report that our galaxy is 13,600 million years old, give or take 800 million years.

Astronomers give Milky Way an age


Crude oil topped \$50 per barrel during Asian trading today, pushing past the psychological milestone for the first time then surging further to new record levels likely to unsettle oil-consuming nations.

Crude oil sets new mark by topping


IBM #39;s business workhorse notebook gets a fingerprint reader and an upgraded suite of security tools. We take a first look. IBM #39;s  #39;thin-and-light #39; ThinkPad T42 already offers one of the most complete security solutions available on a notebook.

IBM beefs up security on ThinkPad T42


The sale of National Australia Bank #39;s Irish businesses reached a surprise conclusion yesterday when Denmark #39;s Danske Bank clinched a 967m takeover.

Danes win auction for Irish banks


Late goals from Christian Vieri and Adriano brought Inter from two down to grab a point with a 2-2 draw against leaders Juventus on Sunday.

Late Inter strikes deny Juve


As the first day of the second Test between India and Australia in Chennai progressed, umpire David Shepherd #39;s face progressively turned deeper shades of mauve -- and the heat in Chennai had nothing to do with it.

Good sportsmanship, or dissent?


US Treasury Secretary John W. Snow on Sunday said record-high oil prices baffle the development of US economy.  quot;It #39;s creating headwinds for the otherwise very strong economy

High oil prices baffle US economy


Researchers at the Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, UK, along with PVAXX Research  amp; Development, have devised a way to recycle discarded mobile telephones.

Sow Your Phone, Reap a Flower


Time is running out for a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue and the United States must negotiate directly with Pyongyang if it truly wants a solution, Asian experts warned on Monday.

US urged to negotiate with N. Korea, improve image in Asia <b>...</b>


AP - Microsoft Corp., hoping to take a bite out of Apple Computer Inc.'s highly popular online music service, is gearing up to launch its own Web site for selling songs over the Internet.

Microsoft Taking on Apple's Music Store (AP)


NEW YORK - Nextel Communications Inc. and Verizon Wireless are settling their legal disputes, removing a key challenge to a federal decision to clear up interference between cell phones and emergency-response radios.

Nextel, Verizon settling disputes


NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 25: Stopping short of a commitment on joint operations to weed out North-East insurgent camps from its territory, Myanmar today indicated it was more in favour of a co-ordinated approach through which specific information

Yangon assures turning off NE terror tap


Microsoft Corp. is denying that its CEO Steve Ballmer told Asian government leaders on Thursday that Microsoft believes that Linux violates more than 200 software patents.

Is Microsoft Rattling the Linux-Patent Sabers?


LOS ANGELES - California has adopted the world's first rules to reduce greenhouse emissions for autos, taking what supporters see as a dramatic step toward cleaning up the environment but also ensuring higher costs for drivers.    The rules may lead to sweeping changes in vehicles nationwide, especially if other states opt to follow California's example...

Calif. OKs Toughest Auto Emissions Rules


By LINDSEY TANNER    CHICAGO (AP) -- Walking regularly at age 70 and beyond can help keep the mind sharp and ward off Alzheimer's disease, according to research suggesting that what is good for the heart is also good for the brain.    Some previous studies found that physical activity might stave off mental decline...

Walking May Ward Off Alzheimer's Disease


THIS weekend I am wrestling with the perfect gift for the next IMF summit of central bankers. It is an exuberant, gothic, mahogany-encased, 19th century American gingerbread mantelpiece clock.

Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow


Spyware, those annoying programs that snoop on a user's actions, remain a Windows-only phenomenon.\

News: Webroot: Spyware is Windows-only


Four coalition and Iraqi military convoys and a pro-vincial government office were bombed yesterday, kil-ling at least eight people, including an American soldier and an Estonian trooper in the Baghdad area.

Iraq bombings kill 8, including US soldier


Delta Air Lines' chief executive yesterday said he is declining his six-figure salary for the rest of the year as the airline cuts by 10 percent the pay of executives, ticket and gate agents, and other nonunion workers.

Delta chief orders 10 pay cuts


miles apart

VW and unions are


Software giant releases just which programs are having issues with its Service Pack 2 update for Windows XP.

Microsoft lists SP2 conflicts


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

Office Depot Chairman, CEO Nelson Resigns


Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD), the largest US pork producer, on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings jumped 61 percent on high hog prices, strong pork exports and the acquisition of a pork processor.

High Hog Prices Boost Smithfield Foods


At Storage Networking World yesterday, Dell President and CEO Kevin Rollins talked about his company's relationship with EMC and the development of standards to help users manage complex storage-area networks.

Q A: Dell's Kevin Rollins on EMC ties, storage standards


Typhoon Songda approached Nagasaki city on Japan #39;s southern island of Kyushu, injuring 28 people and cutting power as it headed north toward the Sea of Japan.

Typhoon Songda Approaches Nagasaki, Western Japan, Injuring 28


The African Union (AU) pledged Thursday to increase its ceasefire observers from the current 1,000 to 3,320 in the troubled western Darfur region of Sudan.

AU pledges to increase ceasefire observers in Darfur


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cox Communications Inc., the No. 4  U.S. cable television provider, said late on Tuesday  it formed  a committee of independent directors to consider a \$7.9 billion  offer from its controlling family to take the company private.

Cox Forms Committee to Consider Buyout


Police in Nepal have shot dead two men after crowds attacked a mosque in the capital, Kathmandu and charged through the streets to protest against the killing of 12 Nepalis in Iraq.

Two die in Nepal protest against Iraq killings


Hard-drive based multimedia player will be available later this year.

LG Preps Handheld Audio, Video Device


Lawyers for the tobacco industry and the government debated yesterday whether a law drafted to prosecute mobsters can be used to obtain \$280 billion from cigarette makers.

Justice, tobacco lawyers debate racketeering law


Israel and Iran traded significantly escalated threats of military attacks in recent months as the FBI investigated allegations that a Pentagon official passed secret U.S. policy information about Iran to Israeli authorities.

Israel, Iran Trade Threats As FBI Investigates Spying


Reuters - Adobe Systems Inc.  and\Yahoo Inc.  on Monday said they have signed a deal to\combine Adobe services, like its widely used document-sharing\program, with Yahoo's Web search functions.

Adobe, Yahoo to Integrate Products (Reuters)


AP - Two U.S. men advanced to the final of the shot put Wednesday, hoping to make even more history at the ancient site that gave birth to the Olympics 2,780 years ago.

U.S. Men Qualify for Final in Shot Put (AP)


LONDON - William Morrison, Britain #39;s fourth largest grocery chain, said Monday it had agreed to sell 114 stores to rival Somerfield for 260 million pounds (375 million euros, 479 million dollars).

Morrison sells 114 stores


AP - CLONING DECLARATION: U.N. diplomats are poised to approve a draft declaration to outlaw human cloning, a non-binding agreement that would not outlaw research cloning.

Summary: U.N Draft Ban on Human Cloning (AP)


The national do-not-call list overcame its last legal hurdle Monday when the Supreme Court let stand a lower-court ruling affirming its constitutionality.

Supreme Court Affirms Do-Not-Call Ruling


TOKYO, Dec. 16 -- Iceland has agreed to offer asylum to Bobby Fischer, the former chess champion who is being held in a Japanese jail while fighting extradition to the United States, Iceland #39;s Ambassador to

Iceland Offers Asylum to Jailed Fischer


Reuters - Global warming is heating the Arctic\almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet in a thaw that\threatens the livelihoods of millions of people and could wipe\out polar bears by 2100, an eight-nation report said on Monday.

Fast Arctic Thaw Threatens People, Polar Bears (Reuters)


(Sports Network) - The suddenly struggling Los Angeles Clippers attempt to put an end to a three-game skid tonight, when they battle the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.

Ancira I-10 Chrysler Jeep Kia


A campaigner dressed as Batman, from a fathers #39; rights group staged a dramatic protest on a Buckingham Palace balcony on Monday.

#39;Batman #39; scales royal palace in protest


Despite walloping Colorado State, 63-31, to extend their record to a school-best 9-0, the Utes watch their ranking in the Bowl Championships Series standings drop a spot to seventh.

Utah Slips in BCS Poll


Reuters - Booming global trade in rare forms of\wildlife ranging from tropical fish and trees to African\lizards is threatening many of them with extinction,\conservation group WWF said on Thursday.

Lucrative, Rare Species Need Trade Protections -WWF (Reuters)


A man was convicted in a Virginia court on Wednesday of sending AOL users millions of unsolicited emails using fraudulent email address is facing nine years in prison after becoming the first person to be convicted under new anti-spam laws.

First US Spam Conviction


Bernie Williams sent a drive soaring to left-centre field, raised his right arm in triumph and circled the bases. Pretty soon, he was home -- and so were the New York Yankees.

Sports Briefs column


Adelaide, November 27: Justin Langer made 215 of Australias 575 for eight declared before New Zealand stumbled to 56 for two at the close of the second days play in the second Test on Saturday.

Kiwis in trouble after Langers double


Forget about temperature taking and blood pressure checking. In the bright, near future, the first step for people seeking medical care may be to have their bicep read by an electronic scanner seeking data stored on an implanted chip.

Future is now: US approves implantable chip that links to health <b>...</b>


Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified a pact with the EU, extending a standing trade agreement with the bloc to its 10 new members, a presidency statement said on Saturday.

Putin ratifies accord with EU


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lamont Thompson returned an  interception 37 yards for a touchdown while the Tennessee  Titans used a smothering defense to beat the Miami Dolphins  17-7 in their National Football League game on Saturday.

Titans Defense Smothers Miami in Re-Scheduled Game


AP - The oil wing of Russia's state-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom does not intend to pull out of this weekend's auction of the main production unit of the embattled Yukos oil company, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported Friday.

Gazpromneft Will Not Pull Out of Auction (AP)


AP - Two soldiers from Task Force Baghdad were killed and five wounded Monday in a rocket attack in southern Baghdad, the military said.

Rocket Attack Kills 2 U.S. Troops in Iraq (AP)


The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. More like New Clustering Search Engine goes Beta.

New Clustering Search Engine to battle Google


Shares in BiogenIdec (BIIB:Nasdaq - news - research) and Elan (ELN:NYSE - news - research)rose early Monday after the companies released what they described as  quot;compelling quot; phase III test results for their multiple sclerosis drug Antegren.

BiogenIdec, Elan Up on Drug Data


A Kabul-based British hotelier and former BBC cameraman says that he acted as a go-between when a 830,000 ransom was offered to secure the release of three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan.

I helped free hostages, says ex-BBC cameraman


New world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo led the top four seeds into the semifinals Friday at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Mauresmo replaced Justine Henin-Hardenne as the world #39;s top

Mauresmo reaches semifinals


NBA player Michael Olowokandi was arrested early Thursday at an Indianapolis nightclub after a dispute with police, during which the Minnesota Timberwolves center was hit twice with an electronic stun gun, police said.

Olowokandi arrested, tasered outside Indy club


That #39;s the number of music players that Apple Computer (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) said it sold in its most recent quarter.

The IPod In Perspective


Google today launched a beta test version of Google SMS, this new service will allow US wireless users to query Google for almost any type of information.

Google introduces wireless service


A 10-YEAR-OLD grilled cheese sandwich that a Florida woman says bears the image of the Virgin Mary was back on eBay on Tuesday after the Internet auction house initially cancelled bids that went up to US\$22,000 (\$36,500).

#39;Virgin Mary #39; sandwich back on eBay


CRICKET Australia cannot rule out withdrawing the invitation for the West Indies to play in this summer #39;s one-day tournament if the players #39; contract dispute is not settled.

Windies tour may be called off


This morning, Microsoft pleasantly surprised me by purchasing GIANT Company Software, which makes what I believe to be the best anti-spyware solution on the market.

Microsoft Purchases GIANT Company Software for Anti-Spyware <b>...</b>


Epson has long been engaged in the research and development of microrobots and in the development of applications for their enabling technologies.

Advanced Model of World #39;s Smallest Flying Microrobot from Epson


Celtic regained the top spot in the Scottish Premier League after a 2-0 victory away to Dunfermline. The result leaves Celtic top-of-the-table with 44 points from 18 games, a single point clear of arch-rivals Glasgow Rangers.

Celtic beat Dunfermline 2-0


TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 1.62 percent  by midsession on Thursday as investors, cheered by a jump in  U.S. stocks, bought a broad range of shares including those  they had avoided recently due partly to doubts about U.S.  demand.

Nikkei Up 1.6 Percent by on Wall St Jump


About 4.4 million AC adapters sold worldwide with Dell notebooks between September 1998 and February 2002 were recalled Friday. Dell sold the adapters with its Latitude, Inspiron and Precision series of computers, as well as separately.

Millions of Dell power adapters recalled


AP - Jackie Adamshick scored a game-high 25 points to lead No. 24 Villanova past Texas-Arlington 59-53 Sunday in the consolation game of the Lady Rebel Shootout.

Villanova Defeats Texas Arlington, 59-53 (AP)


One rescued hostage details what happened during the 53-hour ordeal.

Russian school siege: A survivor's tale


Google Works with Libraries to Search Book Collections\\Google is taking its searchers away from the bookstore, and back to the library. Google today announced that it is working with the libraries of Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University of Oxford as well as The New York Public ...


Virginia Tech #39;s recently rebuilt Mac supercomputer has squeezed out a few more teraflops, but it probably won #39;t be able to keep its top-five world ranking.

System X Faster, but Falls Behind


UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A U.N. General Assembly  committee dealt a heavy blow on Monday to Western Sahara's  hopes for a referendum on independence and energized Morocco's  push for new talks on the territory's future status.

UN Assembly Panel Backs Morocco on Western Sahara


The \$17.8 billion, three-way deal that Lakshmi N. Mittal, a financier based in London, announced this week would put him at the head of the largest steel company in the world.

Finding the Future in an Old Industry


Samsung has developed a cut-down version of the multimedia memory card (MMC) that it hopes to see deployed in future mobile phones.

Tiny memory card for mobiles launched


Intel has dropped plans to include integrated Wi-Fi in its 915G/P and 925X chipsets. The chipsets - formerly codenamed Grantsdale - were due to have Wi-Fi access points built in at launch.

No Wi-Fi for Grantsdale


A college to provide training for the Internet games industry has been opened in Beijing. Xinhua, China #39;s main government-run news agency, reported Saturday that China #39;s Ministry of Information Technology, the

China college for Internet game industry


The six men are co-workers and friends, and they are passionate about football. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, they rendezvous and ride together to spend the day at football games.

Top-ranked football team wins with flags, whistles


ROBERT ZUBRIN: First for the science, second for the challenge, and third for the future. First, for science. Mars is the key to letting us know if life is a general phenomenon in the universe.

Let human diversity color the cosmos


ALL too often at a championship that produces a relatively surprising leader after the opening round, does that player get rather overtaken at the enormity of the situation and slide, sometimes none too gracefully, away down the leaderboard and out of the

Barnes still in the hunt


In the latest alliance between a cable and telephone company, cable operator Mediacom Communications Corp. on Wednesday said it would use Sprint Corp.

Cable Operator Mediacom Partners With Sprint


December 01, 2004 - In a sly, swift update Tuesday evening, Valve released Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, the multiplayer component of Half-Life 2 which everyone had so gleefully hoped would appear.

Half-Life 2 Deathmatch Released


On the eve of the AL Championship Series, Major League Baseball recalled a T-shirt it had previously sanctioned because it rubbed Red Sox fans the wrong way, according to the Associated Press.

Who #39;s your daddy? Yanks own Red Sox


Inside the unfathomable superhuman future after the 'singularity.' By Bruce Sterling from Wired magazine.

The Evolution Will Be Mechanized


Hurricane Charley, the worst storm to hit the US in over a decade, will cost insurers \$7.4bn (4bn;5.9bn euros).

Insurer lowers hurricane estimate


IBM last week announced new high-end and midrange systems that executives said could double the company #39;s market share in external disk by 2008 (see IBM #39;s New Shark Tale).

IBM Shark Sales Sink


JERUSALEM -- An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a car in the West Bank town of Jenin on Monday, killing three people, including a militant leader, Palestinian security officials said.

Three dead in Israeli air strike in West Bank


ANKARA, Turkey Sept. 18, 2004 - Turkey #39;s parliament adjourned Saturday without passing a key reform package because of divisions over the government #39;s proposal to make adultery a crime, bringing warnings

Turkish Parliament Fails to Pass Reforms


Afghan leader Hamid Karzai has effectively tried to sideline a powerful regional rival by promoting him to cabinet minister less than a month before presidential elections on Oct. 9. Ismail

Afghan leader seeks to replace powerful governor


The Nissan Motor Company said Thursday that a shortage of steel would force it to temporarily halt production at three of four of its auto factories in Japan, an unusual step

Nissan to Halt Auto Output at 3 Plants in Japan for 5 Days


ThyssenKrupp, the German engineering group buoyed by soaring steel prices, sold off a core element of its philanthropic past yesterday by disposing of its entire stock of company homes for employees for 2.1bn (1.45bn).

ThyssenKrupp sells off 48,000 workers #39; houses


Cisco has discovered a security flaw in its Cisco Security Agent software (CSA. This could be exploited by attackers to circumvent the security provided by the host-based intrusion prevention product.

News: Cisco fixes 'decoy attack' in security software


Here's a look at new and interesting developments at the major shopping search and comparision sites during 2004. Today: BizRate/Shopzilla, Froogle, and MSN Shopping.

Shopping Search Update 2004, Part 1


ARGUN, Russia -- Just before sunrise one morning this month, a dozen armed men in camouflage uniforms and black masks burst into the house of Zalpa Mintayeva, shouting, ''Do you have a man at home? quot;

Russians eyed in abductions


AFP - At least three Pakistani soldiers have been killed and seven injured in two separate attacks in the rugged tribal region near Afghan border, officials said.

Three Pakistani soldiers killed near Afghan border (AFP)


MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF. - Google?s initial public offering could hit the Nasdaq Stock Market as early as Wednesday if US securities regulators let the Internet search engine close its auction on Tuesday.

Google shares could start trading Wednesday


World oil prices have firmed after a five-session drop after a tentative cease-fire took hold in the Iraqi city of Najaf. New York #39;s main contract, light sweet crude for October delivery, rose eight cents to \$US43.

Oil prices firm after week of decline


I spend anywhere from three to eight hours every week sweating along with a motley crew of local misfits, shelving, sorting, and hauling ton after ton of written matter in a rowhouse basement in Baltimore. We have no heat nor air conditioning, but still, every week, we come and work. Volunteer night is Wednesday, but many of us also work on the weekends, when we're open to the public. There are times when we're freezing and we have to wear coats and gloves inside, making handling books somewhat tricky; other times, we're all soaked with sweat, since it's 90 degrees out and the basement is thick with bodies. One learns to forget about personal space when working at The Book Thing, since you can scarcely breathe without bumping into someone, and we are all so accustomed to having to scrape by each other that most of us no longer bother to say

Baltimore's  quot;Free Books! quot; Charity in Dire Straits


Learn about the plethora of security enhancements included in Windows XP Service Pack 2, as well as how these security features could impair the functionality of some applications.

Windows XP SP2 -- test your applications


BEIJING (Reuters) - Twenty-nine people, believed to be  North Koreans seeking asylum, broke into a Japanese school in  Beijing on Wednesday by climbing on stools and cutting through  the wire perimeter fence.

N.Koreans Break Into Japanese School in China


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. <A HREF=

Intel Cancels Plan to Enter Digital TV Chip Market


With news of politics, war and baseball dominating the headlines, it is easy to overlook events in faraway lands. But people interested in long-term peace in the Middle East should be encouraged by the historic

Moving toward peace in the Middle East


AP - Juventus remained perfect in Italy's Serie A on Sunday, while Real Madrid suffered its first setback in Spain and lost its coach. Arsenal lost its 100 percent record in England but still stretched its unbeaten streak to 46 matches.

Juventus Stays Perfect, Real Madrid Loses (AP)


WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Finance ministers from the world #39;s seven richest nations aren #39;t likely to pressure China on foreign-exchange policy when they meet with Chinese finance officials for the first time as a group in Washington at the end of the week, a

G-7 likely won #39;t press China on yuan


Retail sales slid in August as people steered away from buying cars and shoppers kept a close eye on their spending after splurging in July.

US retail sales fell 0.3 percent in August


A third of respondents said that spyware has been on the rise in the past six months.

Study: Few corporations use anti-spyware tools


If Y2K is remembered for getting companies to buy new hardware and upgrade old software, the latest driver of change, Sarbanes-Oxley, will be remembered for democratizing information and making accountability a companywide responsibility. Its reporting requirements make it mandatory that businesses hold everyone's feet to the fire.

Intelligence everywhere


Benchmark light, sweet crude futures for November rose 33 cents to settle at a new record high of \$53.64 a barrel, after reaching an intraday high of \$53.

Oil Futures End at Record High for Fifth Session


The maiden flight of Boeing #39;s new Delta 4 heavy-lift rocket is expected to be delayed until the week of Dec. 19. Sunday, for the second day in a row, the booster #39;s planned

Maiden flight scrubbed again for Delta 4 rocket


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- The US real-estate boom, coupled with low interest rates, has given mortgage companies a surge of new business.

Mortgage fraud near  #39;epidemic #39;


Svetlana Kuznetsova, fresh off her championship at the US Open, defeated Australian qualifier Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-4 Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Wismilak International.

Top-seed Myskina eliminated, but Kuznetsova and Petrova advance


It was just a week ago that Miami Dolphins tight end Randy McMichael seemed beside himself after another loss in which his team turned the ball over, made costly penalties and couldn

Pats streak past Miami for record win


Curt Schilling pitched 6 2-3 effective innings, Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar homered during a seven-run burst, and the Red Sox beat the Angels.

Schilling and Big Bats Give Red Sox Game 1


Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau of New Westminster, BC, was taken to a hospital for X-rays on his left hand after being hit by a pitch from Cleveland starter CC Sabathia in the sixth inning yesterday.

Canuck player injured


Twenty-year veteran Damon Allen ran in two touchdowns and passed for another as the Toronto Argonauts defeated the BC Lions 27-19 in the Grey Cup game on Sunday night.

Ageless Allen scores two TDs as Argonauts upset Lions 27-19 in <b>...</b>


TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan Defense Minister Lee Jye said on  Thursday that China could have as many as 800 ballistic  missiles poised to strike the island in an intensive  bombardment by 2006, but said Taipei had no intention of  starting a war.

Taiwan Military Warns of China Missile Threat


THERE is eerie nervousness in oil and financial markets amid fears over oil supply as prices are edging towards \$50 (around Rs 2,298) a barrel mark.

Unease in Gulf, Nigeria makes oil, financial markets jittery


Energy markets shuddered Monday with the approach of Hurricane Ivan, bidding up crude oil and natural gas prices as crews scrambled to evacuate production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ivan #39;s approach ignites energy prices


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Oil futures reached a record high Tuesday as the market fretted over simmering potential pitfalls other than last weekend #39;s vote in Venezuela that kept controversial strongman Hugo Chavez in the presidency.

Analysis: Venezuela off oil market #39;s front burner


Bank One said Thursday that its chief economist is leaving the company, less than two months after it was purchased by JP Morgan Chase  amp; Co.

Bank One Chief Economist to Step Down


ROME (AFP) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi yesterday welcomed the possibility of President George W Bush #39;s re-election as the ballot count in the race for the White House went down to the wire.

A Bush victory will make life easier, say Italian and Russian <b>...</b>


OTTAWA (CP) - Business software firm Cognos Inc. is offering \$52.2 million US for Frango, a Stockholm-based company specializing in financial reporting.

Cognos offers \$52M for Swedish firm


US diplomats tell Serbia-Montenegrin leaders it is in their best interests to hand over top war crimes suspects.

US presses Belgrade on war crimes


A combination of robust economic performance and the expectation of higher interest rates sent the Canadian dollar surging this morning.

Loonie soars on expected rates hike


The Pentagon is using two 256-processor Linux Networx Evolocity cluster supercomputers to conduct various disaster simulations.

Linux supercomputers used for DOD war simulations


AP - Two companies that manage and market Franklin Templeton mutual funds have agreed to pay a total of  #36;20 million to settle federal regulators' charges that they failed to disclose their use of fund assets to pay brokerages for steering customers to the funds.

Franklin Templeton Cos. to Settle Charges (AP)


They were flawless for a month of Sundays, beating back opponents and, really, conventional wisdom itself. The New England Patriots had become football #39;s sterling exception

Patriots Back Among the Mortal


DENVER - A Halloween storm gave the Denver metro area its first taste of snow for the fall, and dumped even more white gold on top of snow that had already fallen at Colorado #39;s mountain ski resorts.

Denver storm covers roads in ice, knocks out power.


Apple Computer shares surged to a four-year high yesterday after a Piper Jaffray analyst said the stock may almost double to \$100 within a year, citing a survey that shows the iPod digital

\$100 for bite of Apple? Stock ripe to double, analyst says


AP - The U.S. Supreme Court sided Friday with a New Mexico church that wants to use hallucinogenic tea as part of its Christmas services, despite government objections that the tea is illegal and potentially dangerous.

N.M. Church May Use Special Tea for Now (AP)


AFP - An Australian mechanic will stand trial  next April over the outback murder three years ago of British tourist Peter Falconio, court officials said.

April trial date set for Australian accused of murdering British tourist (AFP)


Sylvain Wiltord and Juninho each scored Saturday to lead unbeaten French first division leader Lyon over fourth-place Auxerre 2-1.

France: Lyon edges Auxerre


Microsoft has advised customers using its SharePoint collaborative working products to apply newly released software patches designed to provide performance and security improvements.

Microsoft unveils SharePoint Service Pack 1


AP - As a kid alone on the Houston playgrounds, Clyde Drexler would imagine he was Dr. J with a championship on the line. But Drexler never dreamed he would be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Or that the Hall of Famer who would present him at the ceremonies Friday would be good friend Julius Erving.

Clyde Drexler Tops Hall of Fame Inductees (AP)


Reuters - Cuban authorities transferred a jailed\dissident suffering from a herniated disc to a military\hospital on Thursday after his wife staged an unprecedented\protest in Havana's Revolution Square.

Cuba Hospitalizes Dissident After Wife's Protest (Reuters)


England v Azerbaijan - another game for the national side totally overshadowed by David Beckham. This is, of course, a not uncommon phenomena.

Time for a new leader


IBM today launched a pair of high-performance, low-priced Unix servers and related security services that are aimed at small to medium-size businesses.

IBM touts new Power5 servers


com October 20, 2004, 1:37 PM PT. Cyber threats, chiefly viruses like NetSky and Sasser, make security an ongoing concern as it holds steady over software infrastructure as the third top priority.

Major browsers bitten by security bugs


BearingPoint Inc. of McLean won a \$12 million contract from the Transportation Security Administration to begin the third phase in the agency's program to create a standard identification card for U.S. transportation employees.

BearingPoint Wins ID Project at TSA


Nepal #39;s main opposition party urged the government on Monday to call a unilateral ceasefire with Maoist rebels and seek peace talks to end a road blockade that has cut the capital off from the rest of the country.

Nepal opposition calls for truce to end blockade


Shaquille O #39;Neal missed the Miami Heat #39;s preseason game against the Orlando Magic on Friday because of a tight left hamstring.

O #39;Neal out with tight hamstring


Oracle Corp. has tapped Juergen Rottler, formerly with Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP), to head its growing On Demand unit, a division that sells software-hosting services.

Oracle hires HP VP to sell software hosting service


AFP - Skipper Marvan Atapattu hit a sparkling hundred to lead Sri Lanka to 293-6 in the last day-night league match against Pakistan at Gaddafi stadium here.

Atapattu cracks hundred to lead Sri Lanka to 293-6 (AFP)


The world #39;s dwindling panda population is getting a helping hand from a wireless internet network. The Wolong Nature Reserve in the Sichuan Province of southwest China is home to 20 of the remaining 1,500 giant pandas in the world.

Pandas benefit from wireless net


AP - The Israeli army on Tuesday arrested an officer accused of repeatedly shooting a 13-year-old Palestinian girl at point-blank range to make sure she was dead as his soldiers pleaded with him to stop.

Israeli Army Makes Arrest in Child's Death (AP)


AMERICAN researchers have unveiled genetically engineered mice that they say can run further and longer than their naturally-bred brethren, bringing the  quot;genetic doping quot; of elite athletes a small step closer to reality.

#39;Marathon #39; mice bred in genetic first in US


Delta Air Lines (DAL:NYSE - news - research) said Wednesday its debt exchange has ended, with the intermediate and long-term portions receiving insufficient interest from bondholders.

Weak Demand for Delta Debt Swap


he co-owner of the New York Islanders hockey team is proposing a 60-story tower in the center of Nassau County - more than triple the height of the tallest existing building on Long Island.

60-Story Building Is Proposed Near Nassau Coliseum


Grey Ninja writes  quot;GC Advanced has reported from the Tokyo Game Show that the PSP will retail for \$349.99. Coupled with the previously announced price of the Nintendo DS at \$149.

PSP Pricing Announced


NASA is planning to add a strong dose of artificial intelligence (AI) to planetary rovers to make them much more self-reliant, capable of making basic decisions during a mission. Scientists are developing very complex AI software that enables a higher level of robotic intelligence.

NASA Develops Robust Artificial Intelligence for Planetary Rovers


Clorox Co. and Henkel KGaA have agreed to a \$2.8 billion stock swap and cash deal, in which Henkel will sell back its 29 percent ownership stake in Clorox in return for \$2.

Update 1: Clorox, Henkel in \$2.8 Billion Deal


YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's junta freed at least two dozen  members of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's political party on  Friday during a mass release of 4,000 people detained

Myanmar Frees Prominent Political Prisoners


AFP - A team of tech-savvy but patient experts in their 50s and 60s has been set up to offer consultancy for Japan's growing number of elderly small business owners on their computer needs, the Japanese arm of IBM said.

Hi-tech grandpas to offer support for Japan's small businesses run by elders (AFP)


AP - Jamaal Tinsley scored 29 points and James Jones had a career-best 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the suspension-weakened Indiana Pacers to a 106-96 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.

Short-Handed Pacers Beat Celtics 106-96 (AP)


UCB SA announced Friday it made the final move in its transition to a pharmaceuticals-only business, unloading Surface Specialties to Cytec Industries Inc.

UCB Sells Surface Specialties to Cytec


The terms were simple enough. Be the first to fly three people or the equivalent weight 62 miles high. Do it a second time within two weeks.

SpaceShipOne shows what initiative, daring and great personal <b>...</b>


It speaks of grateful grannies and bowing bread-earners as Munificence plc divides between its investors excess booty earned from triumph on commerce #39;s high seas.

Bright Marks  amp; Sparks


The Belgian won the 1993 European Cup with French side Marseille - the only time a side from France has captured European club football #39;s premier trophy - and the 1978 Cup Winners Cup with Belgian giants Anderlecht.

Marseille #39;s European Cup winning  #39;Sorcerer #39; dies


Florida State coach Bobby Bowden isn #39;t quite sure. However, this week he #39;s taking a hard look at his quarterback situation in the wake of his four-year starter #39;s pitiful performance in the Seminoles #39; come-from

Rix shows Seminoles need fixing


TechWeb - Two new vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer 6.0 -- unveiled by a security firm Wednesday -- could be exploited by hackers to bypass security features in Microsoft's Windows XP SP2.

New IE Bugs Open Up XP SP2 To Attack (TechWeb)


The bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta has elevated terrorism, as an election issue, from a shade above nowhere to a point just visible on Indonesia #39;s political horizon.

Indonesians set to go to polls


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A former White House Web security  chief predicted on Wednesday that technology companies and law  enforcers could soon stamp out most Internet

Ex-U.S. Cyber Security Chief Sees Curb on Phishing


EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Reuters) - Philips Electronics said  on Tuesday it expected a flat global chip market next year, in  line with market research forecasts but more cautious than many  of its rivals.

Philips Sees Flat Chip Market in 2005


Crude futures prices surged above \$48 per barrel Wednesday as oil production and shipping disruptions caused by Hurricane Ivan caused domestic supplies to shrink more than expected.

Update 4: Oil Tops \$48 a Barrel on Supply Worries


Any losses of jobs is a matter of great concern for those involved and for Coventry itself. But Jaguar #39;s restructure plan for its future at least retains some jobs in the city and its spiritual headquarters at Browns Lane.

Tough times, but something had to be done


IBM sought to beef up its software tools portfolio on Tuesday, announcing plans to acquire Systemcorp, a privately held maker of project management applications.

IBM buys into project management


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose modestly on Friday  after data showed durable goods orders for August, excluding  transportation orders, beat analysts' estimates, but oil prices  worried investors.

Stocks Inch Up After Durable Goods Report


TORONTO (Ticker) -- Ted Lilly responded to the challenge of facing Pedro Martinez with a powerful performance. Lilly struck out a career-high 13 in a dominant three-hitter to outduel Martinez and lift the

SI.com


Applied Micro Circuits Corp., a communications chip maker, on Thursday said it expects lower second-quarter revenue compared to its first quarter, based on soft sales in Asia and lower orders.

Applied Micro Sees 2Q Revenue Below 1Q


(Detroit-AP) Dec. 2, 2004 - The nation #39;s two largest automakers are reporting weak November sales and announcing plans to reduce production.

Ford, GM report weak November; Toyota, Nissan, Chrysler up


On Monday, the Bluetooth SIG, the organization behind the Bluetooth specification, announced the launch of the Bluetooth v2.0 spec.

Bluetooth v2.0 Introduced


ROME : Italy was in shock at the killing of a kidnapped journalist in Iraq, described by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as a return  quot;to the dark times of barbarism, quot; but he pledged Italian troops would stay.

Italy shocked by hostage killing, but won #39;t bow to Iraq  #39; <b>...</b>


French President Jacques Chirac today spoke of the true friendship between his country and Britain but again stressed his opposition to the kind of military intervention which started the war in Iraq.

Chirac Hails Anglo-French  #39;Harmony #39;


Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a female university lecturer as she was driving to work in Iraq #39;s main northern city of Mosul on Saturday, local police said.

Gunmen shot dead female university lecturer in Iraq #39;s Mosul


PARAMILITARY police killed a suspected top al Qaeda operative in a four-hour gun battle at a house in southern Pakistan yesterday.

Leading al Qaeda suspect killed in gun battle


LONDON (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Michael  Eisner will retire in September 2006, when his contract  expires, the company said on Friday.

Disney Says CEO Eisner to Retire in 2006


Loyalists of both parties might think the No. 2 candidates were more slashing debaters than John Kerry and President Bush.

For Cheney and Edwards, Efforts to Improve on the Other Debate


ISRAELI prime minister Ariel Sharon yesterday warned that far-right elements could push the country into a civil war if they continue with heated rhetoric in opposition to his plan for a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Far-right stoking civil war in Israel over Gaza, says Sharon


AFP - Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden's trail has gone cold, and US and Pakistani officials have no active leads on where he might be hiding, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said in a spate of interviews.

Bin Laden's trail gone cold: Musharraf (AFP)


NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - When companies spin off units, it #39;s often a way to shed underperforming assets and move on. Free! Sign up here to receive our Internet Daily e-Newsletter!

Disaster recovery unit takes aim at IBM


A former Merrill Lynch executive pointed to a verbal buyout agreement with Enron Corp. in saying he might support an  quot;unsecured deal quot; with another company, according to an e-mail presented to jurors in an ongoing conspiracy and fraud trial.

Update 4: Ex-Enron Treasurer to Testify at Trial


At a summit this week, European Union leaders must decide when and how to begin membership talks with Turkey. That the summit will approve opening entry talks with Ankara is a forgone conclusion.

Debate On Turkey #39;s Prospects Dominates Run-Up To Summit


The cap on H-1B visas granted to foreign workers, set at 65,000 for the fiscal year that began Friday, has already been reached, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

H-1B visa cap for FY '05 already reached


Microsoft issues free tools to create business reports its Exchange and customer relationship management applications.

Microsoft boosts reporting tools


A Harvard University researcher found that community hospitals did just as good a job treating most common illnesses as academic medical centers, but provided that care far more cheaply.

Report lauds community hospitals


Bangkok (VNA) - The Thai police said violence has killed at least 10 people, including nine Buddhists and one Muslim, over the past two days.

Violence kills 10 people in Thailand over past two days


Phone maker Nokia has detailed moves that it hopes will make it the supplier of choice for mobile email and messaging devices for corporates.

Nokia plots enterprise move


Dirk Nowitzki sets a Mavericks franchise record with 53 points to lead host Dallas to a 113-106 overtime victory against Houston.

Nowitzki Breaks Out


Three months ago, Gannett (NYSE: GCI) posted second-quarter numbers that helped confirm the belief that a long-awaited rebound in advertising spending was well underway.

Gannett Reads Well


World oil prices rose on Thursday on worries about oil production shut by Hurricane Ivan and a new storm that could delay imports from entering the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil Up on Worries of Output Shut by Ivan


Network infrastructure maker UTStarCom Inc. says it has figured out a way to keep local cell phone calls local -- even over enterprise LANs.

UTStarCom to put cell networks on IP


Vientiane (AsiaNews/Agencies) - This morning the Conference of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened in Vientiane, Laos.

ASEAN eyes European model


An explosion in Jakarta, feared to be a car bomb, sends shares tumbling on Indonesia's main stock exchange.

Indonesia shares slip after blast


Philip F. Anschutz, Denver billionaire and DC United investor, yesterday announced the purchase of the Journal Newspapers Inc., the Alexandria publisher of three Washington area suburban daily

Anschutz Purchases Journal Newspapers


Scott McNealy is looking forward to making an early sales call on Lenovo #39;s new CEO as soon as the company #39;s \$1.25 billion deal to buy IBM #39;s PC business closes, the Sun Microsystems CEO said on Wednesday.

Sun Plans to Call on Lenovo After IBM Deal-CEO


Armed men abduct more than 80 women from a shelter for rescued sex workers in Cambodia's capital.

Cambodian sex workers abducted


Motorsport.com. The hotly contested Champ Car World series concludes the years competition today as nineteen drivers will determine the outcome of what has been the most thrilling season in recent memory.

Morning dawns for championship


A LEADING member of the US-based Seventh Day Adventist Church called today for the immediate adjournment of a series of sex trials on the remote British Pacific colony of Pitcairn Island.

Trial will destroy Pitcairn, says priest


Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu will be barred from playing anywhere in the world after a seven-month English ban for doping offences was ratified Friday by world soccer #39;s governing body.

FIFA bans Mutu from games worldwide


Intel Corp. yesterday offered a few more details about its plans for enterprise server processors but was silent on its plans for an upcoming dual-core Xeon processor.

Intel silent on Jayhawk chip replacement


The Boston Red Sox are the American League champions because of a history-making win against the New York Yankees. But when the World Series starts Saturday night in

Red Sox seek to reverse the curse


Nation's third leading PC maker is turning operations in a positive direction.

Gateway Computes Operating Profit


MUNICH, Sep 10 (SW) - Bayern Munich playmaker Michael Ballack is likely to miss Saturdays home game against Arminia Bielefeld after returning from international duties with an angina.

Ballack set to miss Bielefeld clash


Hugely anticipated PC massively multiplayer title World of Warcraft is set to launch in North America later this month, with developer Blizzard announcing a November 23rd date for the title which will be  quot;shortly followed quot; by Asian and European launches.

World of Warcraft to launch November 23rd in North America


Rookie Kyle Denney was hit in the calf by a shot that came through the side of the Indians' bus Wednesday as the team traveled to the airport after a victory over the Royals.

Pitcher Shot in Leg


The kidnapped mother of Santos starlet Robinho has been returned to her family in good health, allowing the teenage forward to breath a huge sigh of relief.

Robinhos Mom Comes Home Safe


Ziff Davis - Google's phishing vulnerabilities could foretell new security threats for major Internet companies cozying up to the desktop.

Web Desktop Moves Raise Security Alerts (Ziff Davis)


WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--New Zealand #39;s biggest electricity lines network company, Vector Ltd., will launch a NZ\$1.33 billion takeover bid for NGC Holdings Ltd.

UPDATE: NZ Vector To Buy NGC Stake For NZ\$877M, Eyes IPO


Technology giant IBM will announce today that it has built the world #39;s most powerful supercomputer, surpassing the performance of a machine in Yokohama, Japan.

IBM says its superfast supercomputer is No. 1


Iran has increased the range of its missiles to 2000km, a senior official was quoted as saying, putting parts of Europe within reach for the first time.

Iran arms threat


The Axim 50 range comprises entry- and mid-level Axim 50 models and the Axim 50v which boasts a larger 3.7in screen supporting full VGA resolution and bundled game, plus greater graphics power in the form of the 16MB Intel 2700 accelerator.

Dell swings new Axims into play


Ajax coach Ronald Koeman has sacked Rafael van der Vaart as club captain and replaced him with Czech international Tomas Galasek, the team said.

Koeman wields Ajax captaincy axe


GRAND PRAIRIE, Tex. - In midsummer, most people thought the Horse of the Year had already been cinched by Smarty Jones and his thrilling Triple Crown try.

In race for top horse, still shot to get Smarty


UK retail giant Tesco has decided to launch its own online music store, complete with downloads from thousands of artists and one of the most open sharing schemes on the Internet.

Tesco Opens Online Music Store


PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, -- Reigning world pairs champion Tatiana Totmianina was hospitalized after a head-first fall to the ice during a Skate America competition in Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Russian ice queen is hurt in fall


Israeli settlers gather outside parliament as it prepares to vote on a plan to move them out of the Gaza Strip.

Settlers mass at Knesset for vote


JERUSALEM (AFP) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Likud party and the opposition Labour agreed to form a national unity government, while at least eight Palestinians were killed during an Israeli army incursion in southern Gaza.

Labour, Likud agree on unity government, eight Palestinians killed <b>...</b>


Newcastle United romped into the group stages of the UEFA Cup with a 5-1 win away to Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin that completed a 7-1 aggregate victory in the first round.

Classy Kluivert


Citigroup Inc. shares fell as much as 2.75 percent Monday after a prominent Wall Street analyst downgraded the world #39;s largest financial services company, citing a string of recent ethics problems.

UPDATE 2-Citigroup rating cut by Merrill, shares fall


AP - A woman strapped with explosives blew herself up outside a busy Moscow subway station Tuesday night, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 50 in the second terrorist attack to hit Russia in a week, officials said.

Suicide Bomber Kills 10 at Moscow Subway (AP)


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The board of Hewlett-Packard Co.  <A HREF=

HP Board Pondered Breaking Up the Company


Adobe Systems Inc. plans to introduce a new format for digital photos on Monday in an attempt to create an industry public standard to make the archiving and editing process compatible across all types of cameras and photo software.

Adobe Plans New Format for Digital Photos


AP - The IOC expressed renewed concern Wednesday about housing at the 2006 Winter Olympics but expects Italian organizers to be ready when the games begin in 14 months.

IOC Still Concerned About Turin Housing (AP)


Although the specter of a criminal prosecution of Time Warner Inc. all but vanished with yesterday #39;s Justice Department settlement, the company #39;s tentative \$300 million agreement to settle

SEC #39;s Recent Penalties Among Its Toughest


Four of the big coffee houses sign a new agreement that aims to improve conditions in growing countries by offering the best producers a higher price for their beans.

Coffee pact aims to help growers


Reuters - Weak tech stocks dragged Asian shares\lower on Thursday, outweighing the positive impact on exporters\of a dollar rebound, and knocking 1.2 percent off Tokyo shares\to threaten the biggest one-day fall since Nov. 22.

Asia Tech Stocks Weak, Dollar Firm (Reuters)


Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., the world #39;s largest chewing-gum maker, will close a plant in Phoenix that makes Eclipse breath strips and move production to Poland.

Wrigley to Shut Phoenix Plant, Move Process to Poland (Update1)


AFP - Following embarrassing revelations over Greece's budget data, the European Union expressed alarm at the reliability of Italy's own deficit figures and called for urgent clarification.

Italy joins Greece in EU dock over dodgy data (AFP)


On the night her world changed forever, Rashida Bee was 28 years old and had already been married for more than half her life. Her parents, traditional Muslims, had selected her husband for her when she was 13.

Silent Night, Deadly Night


CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos says start-ups and their innovative ideas are the lifeblood of Silicon Valley.

The start of something big?


The Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir will be indicted on charges of terrorism after Indonesian prosecutors today passed their file on the extremist leader to a Jakarta court.

Bashir faces new terrorism indictment


Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi holds talks with Libya's Colonel Gaddafi on curbing illegal immigration.

Italy tackles Libya migrant route


Reuters - Bankrupt US Airways Group Inc.\ reached a tentative agreement on Friday with\negotiators for its pilots union on  #36;300 million in annual\concessions.

US Air Reaches Giveback Deal with Pilots (Reuters)


AFP - Professional bodies and trade unions vowed to continue actions to force the government to cut mobile phone rates following a third boycott of cellular lines, reckoned to be among the costliest in the world.

Lebanese boycott mobile phones for three hours in protest at high costs (AFP)


SAN FRANCISCO - IBM Corp. has become the latest company to join the Liberty Alliance, a global consortium aimed at developing standards for managing user identities. IBM joins Oracle Corp. and Intel Corp. as a backer of the effort, which Sun Microsystems Inc. leads.

Liberty Alliance holdout IBM ends resistance, joins


MADISON, Wisconsin (Sports Network) - Anthony Davis ran for  122 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 6 Wisconsin over  Northwestern, 24-12, to celebrate Homecoming weekend at Camp  Randall Stadium.

No. 6 Wisconsin Stays Unbeaten with Win Over Northwestern


Russia turns to India for help setting up IT industrial parks in Moscow.

The makings of Siliconski Valleyski?


NEW DELHI India #39;s central bank on Tuesday unexpectedly raised a key interest rate for the first time in four years, saying that soaring commodity prices and corporate demand for credit threatened to fuel inflation.

India #39;s central bank pushes up key rate


A district court in the Netherlands has blocked the extradition of an alleged Kurdish rebel leader wanted in Turkey for her suspected role in a series of bombings in the 1990s.

Dutch court blocks Kurd rebel extradition


\China says its eastern provinces and Shanghai face more power shortages this winter and spring.

China warns of more power cuts


Reuters - U.S. stocks opened near unchanged on\Friday after mixed corporate results showed Web search company\Google Inc.   had better-than-forecast earnings, but\software maker Microsoft Corp.  gave a revenue forecast\that lagged Wall Street expectations.

Stocks Open Flat, Earnings News Mixed (Reuters)


Rudi Johnson knew he was going to be a marked man before the season began. He found out how much so Sunday in the Bengals 31-24 loss to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands.

Jets able to contain Rudi


The editor of France's most prestigious daily exits, but the paper's troubles aren't going away soon

A Le Mondes


NASHVILLE -- After Chris Brown #39;s 26-yard touchdown run that finally quenched the Tennessee Titans #39; touchdown thirst Sunday afternoon, it became apparent that quarterback Steve McNair was hurt.

YOUR news source for Monday, September 27, 2004


In the real world, campaign 2004 ended last week with John Kerry's concession to President Bush.  But online, the lost cause lives on in the form of conspiracy theories and collective mourning. <FONT face=

The Election That Never Ends ... Online


BANGALORE: Reuters, the global news and information provider, on Thursday announced that it plans to make Bangalore its biggest information-gathering hub, employing up to 1,500 people, or 10 of its total workforce.

Reuters to make B #39;lore biggest employment hub


Two earthquakes, the first with a preliminary magnitude 5.2, struck Niigata region on the Sea of Japan coast, where repeated quakes have killed at least 37 people and forced tens of thousands

Earthquake-Struck Niigata Shaken Again; No Injuries (Update1)


Stock markets powered ahead while government bonds suffered yesterday as financial markets around the world signalled relief at the emerging clarity, and the result, of the US presidential election.

Victory of known entity lifts stocks


The last time Eli Manning made a debut as a starting quarterback, his coach, David Cutcliffe of Ole Miss, had goose bumps.

College Coach Believes in Manning


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi delegates to a conference  choosing a national assembly said Wednesday that radical  Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr had agreed to demands to end an  uprising in the holy city of Najaf.

Iraq Delegates Say Sadr Agrees to End Najaf Crisis


RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A U.S. envoy said before a  visit by Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday that Israel  should take steps to smooth the way for a Palestinian  presidential election set for Jan. 9.

U.S. Urges Israel to Smooth Way for Palestinian Vote


Reuters - Gateway Inc. (GTW.N) said on\Wednesday its personal computers would be widely available at\Office Depot. (ODP.N) in the latest move by the PC maker to\broaden distribution at retail stores since acquiring rival\eMachines this year.

Gateway Says More PCs Available at Office Depot (Reuters)


AP - Ukrainian prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into the alleged poisoning of a leading candidate in a crucial presidential election scheduled for next month, officials said.

Ukraine Candidate Poisoning Investigated (AP)


At least 18 miners have died and three are missing in a methane gas blast in Kazakhstan, officials say.

Kazakhstan mining blast kills 18


AP - STANCE: Condoleezza Rice has been both protege and mentor to President Bush in his first four years in the White House and has never indicated publicly any difference in view with him.

Summary: Rice, Bush Have Good Relationship (AP)


Ziff Davis - The number of enterprises migrating from Windows to Linux is a growing concern for Microsoft. But it's not a one-way street. Some companies #151;unhappy with their open-source experience #151;are making the switch back to Windows.

Reverse Migration: From Linux to Windows (Ziff Davis)


LYON, Dec 17 (SW) - Despite having won the last three Ligue 1 titles, Lyon today won their first-ever winter championship in France after playing to a 1-1 draw with Marseille at the Stade Gerland.

France: Lyon clinch winter championship with draw


Dutch retailer Ahold NV, recovering from a major accounting scandal, reported a lower-than-expected second-quarter net profit of euro32 million (US\$38.

Ahold Reports Weaker-Than-Expected Profit


AP - Florida assistant basketball coach Major Parker has been arrested on charges of selling half a kilogram of cocaine to an undercover officer, a U.S. attorney said Wednesday.

Florida Assistant Arrested on Drug Charges (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. will make their Nasdaq stock market debut on Thursday, with some market participants expecting a steady start or slight rise after the company #39;s initial public offering priced far below original estimates.

After Wait, Google Set for Market Debut


TOKYO, Oct 27, 2004 (Kyodo via COMTEX) -- Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. said Wednesday it will release its new handheld video game system PlayStation Portable on Dec. 12 for the Japanese market.

Sony #39;s new handheld video game system PSP to enter market in Dec.


Phoenix, AZ -- The Phoenix Suns Friday placed Jake Voskuhl on the injured list after the center had an emergency appendectomy surgery.

Suns Place Voskuhl On IL


AP - North Pacific right whales may not be going extinct after all. Scientists have found twice as many right whales in the Bering Sea as previously spotted, giving them hope the rare whales are making a comeback.

Right Whales Could Be Making a Comeback (AP)