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

Wal-Mart Sees Nov. U.S. Sales Up 2-4 Pct


LONDON (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp launched its MSN music  download service in eight new European countries on Thursday in  an attempt to fend off a recent expansion push by archrival  Apple Computer's iTunes.

Microsoft Expands European Music Download Business


Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. said Friday it has been informed by the Securities and Exchange Commission that the agency #39;s investigation of the company has become a formal probe.

Krispy Kreme SEC probe widens


Britain #39;s Mark Lewis-Francis held off the USA #39;s Maurice Greene on the last leg to win a stunning gold medal in the men #39;s 4x100m relay.

Gold for GB sprint four


AP - Lamar Odom had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers held on to give coach Rudy Tomjanovich a victory over the Houston Rockets 84-79 Saturday night.

Lakers Douse Rockets in 84-79 Victory (AP)


A Brazilian government party official on Wednesday urged the opening of sealed records that could contain details of citizens tortured and killed by the former 21-year military dictatorship.

Brazil Official Eyes Secret Military Files


The rains forecast for Polk County today should be gone by the time you sit down for your Thanksgiving Day feast. According to the National Weather Service in Ruskin, a line of thunderstorms

Thanksgiving Afternoon Is Expected To Be Dry


London #39;s SABMiller has agreed to buy the Chinese brewing business of Australia #39;s Lion Nathan for US\$154 million, it said Wednesday.

AB faces more competition from SABMiller in China


Insurgent commanders in the Iraqi city of Falluja say they are not holding hostage Margaret Hassan, an aide worker who holds British and Iraqi citizenship, and condemned her kidnapping.

Falluja insurgents say not holding Hassan


The baseball commissioner #39;s office will wait until after a government investigation to examine whether there has been a relationship between New York Mets reliever John Franco and alleged mobsters.

Feds reportedly look at mob ties to Franco


Antonio Bryant was traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday for Quincy Morgan. The deal will give the two receivers, both former second-round picks who have shown flashes of being NFL stars, fresh starts.

Browns, Cowboys swap receivers


German business sentiment improved unexpectedly in December after slumping sharply in November over concerns about high oil prices and worries that the strengthening euro could damage exports, a closely watched survey showed Friday.

Update 1: German Business Sentiment Rises in Dec.


TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's  Likud party voted on Wednesday to bar him from forming a  coalition with the Labour opposition, an embarrassing blow that  complicates his plan to withdraw from occupied Gaza.

Sharon's Party Bars Bid for Coalition on Gaza Plan


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Holiday sales data and a jobs report  this week will provide the first glimpse of the economy's  health going into 2005, and could give another boost to the  end-of-year stock rally, analysts said.

Wall Street Week Ahead: Data May Surprise


India claim the last two Bangladesh wickets to seal an innings win in the first Test.

Cricket: India win in Dhaka


Continuing a crackdown on digital piracy, federal agents on Wednesday raided five locations housing equipment used by elite hackers to exchange unauthorized copies of blockbuster films and popular music.

Fed raid pounces on equipment for digital piracy


LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Cable  amp; Wireless, the UK and Caribbean business telecoms group, unveiled a restructuring and management reshuffle on Wednesday that will see around 600 jobs cut.

Telecom rockets amid buyback, 600 job cuts


AP - Local officials agree that hurricane damage to Miami-Dade County this year was light, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than  #36;20 million in residents' requests for aid.

Lighter-Hit Fla. Area Gets  #36;21.5 From FEMA (AP)


AFP - Palestinians may well be glad to see the back of George W. Bush at next month's presidential elections but are sceptical that John Kerry will execute a major rethink in US policy on the Middle East conflict.

Palestinians fear more of the same after US elections (AFP)


Samsung's new SPH-V5400 mobile phone sports a built-in 1-inch, 1.5-gigabyte hard disk that can store about 15 times more data than conventional handsets, Samsung said.

Samsung Cell Phones to Get Tiny Hard Drive


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two bomb blasts shook separate areas of  central Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 10 people and  wounding 70, while U.S. and Iraqi forces pursued their  offensive against rebel strongholds elsewhere in the country.

Powerful Bomb Blasts Shake Central Baghdad


Merck  amp; Co. Inc.(MRK), reeling from the recent withdrawal of its Vioxx arthritis drug, said Wednesday it expects 2005 earnings of \$2.42 to \$2.52 a share -- a decline from expected 2004 results.

Merck Sees 2005 Profit Hurt by Vioxx


Lord Black is to resign as chairman and chief executive of Hollinger Inc, clearing the way for the board to consider his offer to buy the firm.

Black  #39;to resign from Hollinger #39;


The Seattle Mariner traded left-handed pitcher Randy Williams to the San Diego Padres on Friday for infielder Billy Hogan.

Mariners Trade Williams to Padres


Anti-virus companies are warning of a new variant of the Sdbot mass-mailing worm that installs a network sniffer in order to grab unencrypted passwords, apparently the first worm to do so.

Novel Worms: One Sniffs, Another Talks


A Concord company is recalling 10,000 automated external defibrillators because they didn't work properly and, at times, turned themselves on. Access CardioSystems Inc. is recalling defibrillators that are used by fire departments and hospitals around the nation. Some of the devices are currently in use, while others remained at distributors awaiting shipment.  quot;They're no longer in business. They can't correct ...

Concord company recalls defibrillators


It was overcast and chilly at the Westside Tennis Club here yesterday morning when Tim Henman went out to practice for the Masters Cup.

Henman has to stay cool in warm-up for Roddick


Business India: New Delhi, Nov 8 : General Electric Co., the world #39;s top conglomerate, today announced that it has sold a majority of its pioneering Indian back-office unit to two private equity firms for 500 million dollars to help the subsidiary gain

GE sells India back office unit for 500 mln dlr:


The wireless carrier will open showrooms in hundreds of branches of the retail chain across the United States.

Verizon sets up home in Circuit City


Bernard Hopkins, the blue collar champion from the streets of Philadelphia, demolished Oscar De La Hoya, the long-time American golden boy, with a clinical left hook to the liver in

Hopkins floors De La Hoya


RIO DE JANEIRO With Brazil hoping to begin operating a uranium enrichment plant by as early as year #39;s end, the International Atomic Energy Agency is intensifying efforts to reach an agreement that would guarantee its inspectors unimpeded access to the

With focus on Iran, Brazil gets no favors


PITTSBURGH (Sports Network) - Pittsburgh Steelers starting  quarterback Tommy Maddox will be sidelined at least six weeks  after suffering a right elbow injury during Sunday's 30-13 loss  to Baltimore.

Maddox Sidelined at Least Six Weeks with Elbow Injury


EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., (Sports Network) - The Minnesota  Vikings suffered a major blow on Wednesday when the club placed  right tackle Mike Rosenthal and tight end Jim Kleinsasser on  injured reserve, ending both players season.

Vikings Place Kleinsasser and Rosenthal on IR


In many vehicles nowadays, you can check your e-mail, view Web sites, even watch television, from the comfort of your driver's seat.

Three Amazing Things Your Automobile Can't Do


A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 hit eastern Hokkaido early Monday, injuring several people. Ten people were reported to be injured in the quake, according to local authorities.

Magnitude 7.1 quake hits Hokkaido, some injuries reported


Reuters - Posh toy seller FAO Schwarz, forced\into bankruptcy after a price war with discount giants like\Wal-Mart, hopes offerings like a  #36;12,000 treehouse will lure\the penthouse-dwelling customers it is counting on for its\revival.

FAO Schwarz Takes High Road for Survival (Reuters)


The opposition Labour Party in Israel has begun coalition talks with the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Likud Party. Labour leader Shimon Peres says negotiations to establish a coalition government could be completed within a few days.

Opposition parties begin talks for coalition Israeli Government


Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Brett Favre threw for 257 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Green Bay stopped a four-game losing streak with a 38-10 pounding of Detroit in an NFC North showdown at Ford Field.

Packers break out of slump, pound Lions


asino Resorts Incorporated quot;/ gt;Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts Inc., the flagship of Donald J. Trump #39;s faltering casino holdings, said late last night that a recently announced deal with

Trump Hotels and Equity Firm Break Off Investment Talks


NVIDIA today announced the GeForce Go 6800 graphics processing unit (GPU). The next generation architecture and support for Microsoft DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0, allows the GeForce Go 6800 to deliver the

NVIDIA launches GeForce Go 6800 GPU


SPACE.com - NASA's \newest nbsp;astronaut candidates nbsp;experienced their first taste of zero gravity and are\now preparing nbsp;to make their first jet flights without the company of instructors.

Astronaut Candidates Taste Zero G (SPACE.com)


Brawled-out yet? I guess we all are. We've all seen Ron Artest bolt off that table even more than we've seen Flutie roll to his right. But the fallout from L'Affaire Auburn Hills is enormous, and I don't just mean the South Carolina-Clemson dust-up that has resulted in each institution punishing itself by eschewing bowl bids.

It's not easy to swallow


Hurricane Ivan lost some strength as it hit the Cayman Islands and Cuba but was still capable of causing tremendous damage.

Hurricane Ivan Closes In on Grand Cayman; Cuba Braces


Theater-quality systems and other entertainment are coming to the car. But will wireless file swapping wreak havoc during rush hour?

Photo gallery: Consumer gear takes a test drive


California health maintenance organizations continue to show improvements in quality but fall short in areas such as vaccinating adults with flu shots and persuading smokers to kick their cigarette habit.

HMOs get an annual checkup


The Cisco-Fujitsu alliance will benefit from Cisco #39;s leadership in IP technology and Fujitsu #39;s edge in networking products.

Cisco, Fujitsu Team on High-End Routers


Germany #39;s Bayer has agreed to sell its blood products business to US investment firms Cerberus and Ampersand Ventures for about \$590 million as it continues to narrow the focus of its health-care business.

Bayer Sells Blood Products Unit \$590 Mln


Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - A medium-security prison in Alberta has banned a Manitoba pedophile from social functions with the children of other inmates following the man's admission that the events fuel his sexual fantasies.

Alta prison bans pedophile from socials with kids that fuel his fantasies (Canadian Press)


After a course record on Thursday, the six-time tour winner manages just two birdies. Jonathan Byrd #39;s second-straight round of 66 is good for a share of the lead.

Sluman slides to a 70, tied for Chrysler lead


It is a management truism that low morale among workers inevitably results in low productivity, low quality, erosion of customer loyalty and, ultimately, lower profits.

Worker morale may take toll on airlines


BERLIN (AP) -- A German teenager who authorities say confessed to creating the Sasser computer worm in May has been charged with computer sabotage.    Sven Jaschan, 18, was arrested after telling officials he originally wanted to create a virus, Netsky, to automatically removed two other viruses, Mydoom and Bagle, from infected computers...

Sasser Worm Creator Charged With Sabotage


When it became clear earlier this season that the Tennessee Titans wouldn #39;t be returning to the playoffs, the list of shortcomings included the complaint that Drew Bennett couldn #39;t catch the long ball.

Bennett is catcher on the deep, deep fly


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices edged higher on Thursday  from a heavy drop the day before as renewed violence and  sabotage attacks in Iraq revived fears over supply disruptions.

Oil Higher on Iraq After Heavy Fall


No street signs. No crosswalks. No accidents. Surprise: Making driving seem more dangerous could make it safer. By Tom McNichol from Wired magazine.

Roads Go Wild, Get Safer


While 11,000 tickets went begging in Game 1 of this playoff series, the Houston hitters did not. The Astros #39; heat wave that produced a 36-10 record in the last six weeks of the season descended on Atlanta.

Astros appear ready to shake postseason blues


The British Army is to start pulling troops out of Iraq next month despite the deteriorating security situation in much of the country, The Observer has learnt.

Britain to cut troop levels in Iraq


Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton were sent off for Celtic, while Hoops striker Henri Camara and his Rangers counterpart Nacho Novocould yet be punished for apparent violent conduct offences that were either missed or ignored by referee Kenny Clark but

Rangers win explosive Glasgow derby


Organisers of the European ATP Masters Series events are holding a meeting in Paris on Tuesday to discuss the current wave of withdrawals by leading players.

Crisis talks over tennis no-shows


A line nearly 250 people long was standing all the night and thats just in order to buy a new video game from Microsoft  quot;Halo 2 quot;.

Halo 2: It is more than just a game


Dutch national anti-terrorism police today arrested more than 20 suspected Kurdish rebels at a paramilitary training camp in the southern Netherlands, according to reports.

Dutch arrest 20 in training camp raid


Blingo Search Engine Offers Prizes To Users\\Blingo is a new search engine offering users something extra along with their search results. Every time users search on Blingo, they also have a chance to win a prize instantly. Don't confuse Blingo with Plinko, the Price is Right game where we all ...


Injury fears over Celtic skipper Jackie McNamara have subsided after a scan revealed he has not broken his ankle. It was initially feared that McNamara had broken his ankle after a clash against Barcelona #39;s Ludovic Giuly on Tuesday night.

Injury fears allayed over Celtic #39;s McNamara


GUERRILLAS in Iraq killed almost 50 army cadets heading home on leave, ambushing the men on a desert road and making them lie face down on the ground before methodically shooting each one in the back of the head, Iraqi officials said yesterday.

Army cadets massacred by guerrillas


The European Commission president urged Turkey on Thursday to  quot;go the extra mile quot; to show Europeans it is ready for EU membership talks as the bloc prepared

Barroso Urges Turkey to Go Extra Mile on EU Talks


ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- Rebel fighters clashed with government troops, and warplanes struck rebel positions in the north yesterday, escalating hostilities a day after army hard-liners broke a cease-fire and relaunched Ivory Coast's civil war after more than a year of relative peace.

Ivory Coast troops clash with rebels


New York, November 29: International Business Machines Corp is set to introduce a new chip to be used in consumer products that it has developed with Sony Corp and Toshiba Corp, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

IBM to introduce chip for consumer products


Kazaa, which has long been targeted by the music industry as the most popular software for peer-to-peer music sharing, was edged out by rival eDonkey in September.

eDonkey Kicks Kazaa Out of No. 1 Spot


An audit by international observers supported official elections results that gave President Hugo Chavez a victory over a recall vote against him, the secretary-general of the Organisation of American States announced.

Audit of referendum supports Chavez


quot;The purpose of the BCS is to match the nation #39;s top two college football teams in an end-of-season bowl game for the National Championship.

Another good BCS debacle?


After failing to make any progress toward a new collective bargaining agreement, the NHL owners and players agreed on one point: A lockout seems inevitable.

Wednesday NHL lockout seems inevitable


NEW YORK Sept. 30, 2004 - Bernie Williams hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees clinched their seventh straight AL East title, beating the Minnesota Twins 6-4 Thursday night for their 100th victory of the season.

Yankees Clinch 7th Straight AL East Title


MSI-Digiland president Jimmy Go Tuesday assured customers that the Apple iMac G5 will be a big hit in the Philippines because the computer combines power and beauty, features which the Filipino consumer is looking for.

New Apple iMac G5 launched


SiliconValley.com - Computer-security software maker Symantec today plans to unveil a new strategy for offering large businesses more services along with software for managing their computer networks.

Symantec to wrap products in services (SiliconValley.com)


DARLINGTON, SC  Seldom has rain been so welcomed by race drivers as the drizzle that washed out qualifying Friday for Sunday #39;s Southern 500.

Chase leaders catch a break


AP - Serbia on Sunday held its first democratically organized local elections since Slobodan Milosevic's ouster in what was expected to be a close race between nationalists loyal to the former president and pro-Western reformists.

Serbia Elections Draw Millions of Voters (AP)


IPE.com 5/Oct/04: UK - Drinks firm Diageo has transferred four million shares in US cereal maker General Mills to its UK pension plan to help cut the schemes 750 million-pound (1.

Diageo transfers shares to cut E1.1bn deficit


NEW YORK, September 14 (New Ratings) - Yahoo! Inc (YHOO.NAS) has agreed to acquire Musicmatch Inc, a privately held digital music software company, for about \$160 million in cash.

Yahoo agrees to buy Musicmatch for \$160 mn


CHICAGO (Sports Network) - Seven-time All-Star and six-time  World Champion Scottie Pippen announced his retirement from the  Chicago Bulls Tuesday.

Seven-Time All-Star Scottie Pippen Calls It Quits


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Chargers lost a wide receiver Tuesday, the same day they acquired Keenan McCardell from the Buccaneers. While they were finalizing the deal for McCardell just before the NFL trading

Chargers lose their leading wide receiver


According to BAR, the team had originally consented to the test as part of an agreement whereby Davidson could drive for Williams in 2005, with BAR keeping a conditional option on his services for the following season.

BAR block Davidsons Williams test


States are rethinking their policy of publishing all court documents -- divorces, medical histories, arrests -- on the web. On one hand is the citizens' right to know how their government operates. On the other is their right to privacy. By Jacob Ogles.

Court Documents Not Fit for Web?


Palestinians are utterly consumed by the fate of the 26-year-old man who will compete in Lebanon in the final of the televised contest to be named the Arab worlds finest singer.

Palestinian Carries Tune and His People's Dreams


U.S. forces moved into position for a decisive battle with the insurgents, pounding some of their last strongholds with airstrikes.

U.S. Troops Set for Final Attack on Falluja Force


Juventus coach Fabio Capello says his team will no longer kick the ball out of play when an opponent is lying on the floor. Capello said opposition teams are now taking advantage of the widespread practice.

Juventus to ignore floored opponents


On Friday, Microsoft issued its second Community Technology Preview (CTP) release of SQL Server 2005, while providing public testers with a new beta release as well, SQL Server 2005 Express Manager, a new, free database management tool.

Microsoft Issues 2nd SQL Server 2005 Public Beta


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

Nike Profit Up 25 Pct. on Converse Boost


AP - Hers was the game that launched a thousand kicks, then tens of thousands, then millions, a rare blend of brains, beauty and hard-nosed grace that redefined what it meant to play like a girl.

Sportsview: Soccer Stars Will Be Missed (AP)


Russ Ortiz stood at a lectern in a ballroom at baseball #39;s winter meetings on Friday, \$33 million richer. Troy Glaus, his new Arizona Diamondbacks teammate, stood to the side and beamed as he took in the scene.

Baseball #39;s Winter Hearth Is Burning on Cash


Baseball fans across Japan Saturday honored Ichiro Suzuki, the Seattle Mariners #39; Japanese player who broke major league baseball #39;s record for a season #39;s hits.

Japan celebrates Suzuki breaking record


Previous forecasts projected that shipments of Nintendo #39;s new DS handheld would reach 1 million by year end. However, during Thanksgiving week, the company sold half a million of the devices

Worldwide Technology Nintendo Triples Shipment Forecast


AP - A top networking gear producer plans to offer a speedy new cellular technology that's an alternative to DSL and cable Internet access with the added advantage of being available on the road.

New Modem May Offer On-Road Connectivity (AP)


MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch urged Mexican  lawmakers on Wednesday to overhaul a justice system that breeds  torture and feeds notorious rights scandals like the murders of  hundreds of women near the U.S. border.

Rights Group Chides Mexico's Congress on Torture


SA's blood service faces questions after President Mbeki's blood is destroyed because he is black.

Race row as Mbeki blood rejected


Seldom has a man so deftly handled 24 players, as Terry Francona has managed the Boston Red Sox within striking distance of a World Series championship, while grossly mismanaging a 25th, as he has Pedro Martnez.

Francona Fails to Manage Martnez


Wine and spirits maker Brown-Forman Corp. said Friday that heavy trading volume of its Class B common shares was due to sales from a  quot;non-affiliate Brown family trust.

Brown-Forman: Family Trust Boosts Volume


Loren Woods had 17 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, and Vince Carter scored seven of 12 points in the final three minutes to help the Toronto Raptors improve to 2-0 with a 101-89 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

Raptors 101, Pistons 89


The toll from Sunday #39;s car bomb blast in Kabul rose Monday with different accounts from Western security forces and Afghan officials suggesting as many as a dozen people may have been killed.

Kabul Bomb Death Toll Rises, Up to 12 Believed Dead


Telstra has launched Wi-fi roaming with five international wireless broadband operators giving Telstra customers travelling abroad access to WiFi hotspots in the UK (BT Group), USA (T-Mobile USA), Japan (NTT DoCoMo), Singapore (StarHub) and Malaysia (Maxis

Telstra launches international Wi-fi roaming


THROUGH THE different stages of his life as chief of Fatah, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and president of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat #39;s one consistent principle has been to keep the reins of power wrapped tightly around

In Arafat #39;s absence


Jason Thomas matches a career-high with 26 points and American wins its fifth straight by beating visiting Ohio, 64-55, Saturday at Bender Arena.

Eagles Win Again


For the caregivers of patients, life is an act of stoic devotion that most families embrace as the antithesis of a nursing home.

Alzheimer's in the Living Room: How One Family Rallies to Cope


Although the threat of Oracles hostile takeover continues to cast a shadow over it, PeopleSoft is pressing on with plans to integrate into its product mix the enterprise applications it picked up last year in its acquisition of J.D. Edwards.

Undaunted PeopleSoft rolls out business apps


Motorola Inc. has agreed to buy MeshNetworks Inc., a developer of technology and products for rapidly deployed, self-creating wireless mobile networks.

Motorola to acquire MeshNetworks


A blast outside a Catholic church in south-western Baghdad on Monday night killed at least three people and wounded 40, hospital sources said.

Blast at Baghdad church wounds 35


It was a high drama at the Indian cricket board #39;s annual general meeting (AGM) here this morning as the elections to the crucial post of the president was delayed following a stay order passed by the Madras High Court.

BCCI elections delayed


Italy #39;s troubled Alitalia airline has reached a deal with eight of nine unions to split the state-controlled firm in two in a plan to stave off bankruptcy.

Alitalia, Unions Sign Deal to Split Company


For a guy who spent most of his first four professional seasons on the disabled list, Houston Astros reliever Brad Lidge has developed into quite the ironman these past two days.

Lidge puts Astros games in fridge


Dow Jones Industrial Average futures declined amid concern an upcoming report on manufacturing may point to slowing economic growth.

Dow Average Futures Fall; Forest Labs Declines, Guidant Rises


US Airways employees are earning less. A federal bankruptcy judge has given the troubled airline permission to cut the pay off its union employees by 21 percent immediately.

Judge Clears Way for Pay Cuts at US Airways


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose modestly  in November as a surge in energy costs a month earlier  moderated, the Labor Department said on Friday.

November Consumer Prices Rise 0.2 Percent


AP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that a U.S. arms inspector's report on Iraq shows that Saddam Hussein was

Blair: Iraq Report Shows Sanction Problems (AP)


In a game that mirrored the 115-year history of the bitter rivalry, the Dodgers outlasted the Giants 7-4 to win a rare September series in San Francisco.

Dodgers Leave the Bay with NLW Lead


Pakistan offers rewards totalling more than \$1m for the capture of six top al-Qaeda suspects.

Pakistan issues \$1m al-Qaeda list


When the notion of creating high-definition, commercial broadcast television in the US first arose in the 1980s, few were ready for it.

GIFT GUIDE 1: TECH  amp; TOYS


Stunned residents in General Nakar, Quezon, picked their way through a wasteland of mud and rubble to leave storm-ravaged areas Tuesday as the government said it has run out of money to pay for relief services.

Relief funds almost spent, says Soliman


In the new Congress, only 4 of the 22 senators from the 11 states of the old Confederacy will be Democrats.

Election Losses Further Erode Once Mighty Democratic Base


BEIJING: Big-hitting Taylor Dent rained down 16 aces Tuesday on the way to a first-round victory at the \$500,000 China Open before the skies dropped water to wash away play.

Dent rains down the aces on a day of wet weather


Energy drink company Red Bull is set to take over the Jaguar Formula One team, a report says.

Red Bull 'poised to buy Jaguar'


RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is considering extending his term of office, due to expire in 2008, in a sign of his determination to tighten his grip on power and crack down on terrorism after the Beslan school massacre.

Putin in push to extend his term


NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. helicopter gunships pounded  Shi'ite militias in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf on Sunday as  tanks rumbled to within 800 meters (yards) of a holy shrine at  the center of a near three-week insurgency.

U.S. Planes Hit Militias as Tanks Near Najaf Shrine


The Russian Olympic Committee is to appeal against several results in the  gymnastics compeititons.

Russia plan IOC  protest


Australian David McKenzie upstaged some illustrious rivals with an eight-under-par 64 to lead going into the final round of the Australian Masters in Melbourne.

McKenzie over-takes Hughes in Melbourne


TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. said Monday that it is cutting about 200 jobs as part of a plan to save \$18 million per year by restructuring its optoelectronics business.

TriQuint to Eliminate 200 Jobs


quot;Madden NFL 2005, quot; the latest version of Electronic Arts #39; pro football video game franchise, sold more than 1.3 million copies in its first week of release, the company said Thursday, citing internal figures.

EA game  #39;Madden #39; tops 1.3 million first week


Philosopher Jacques Derrida, founder of deconstructionism, has died aged 74 of pancreatic cancer. Deconstructionism is a kind of critical thinking or mode of analysis.

Philosopher of language dies


AP - The prospect that a tropical storm and a hurricane  #151; or possibly two hurricanes  #151; could strike Florida on the same day is something meteorologists say they have never seen.

Simultaneous Tropical Storms a Rarity (AP)


ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys scored a victory at the polls Tuesday in Arlington -- to the tune of \$325 million. Arlington voters approved tax increases to help pay for about half of a proposed \$650

Voters approve tax increases to pay for stadium


AP - Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed a militant leader and a father and his son, officials said Wednesday, bringing to 75 the number of Palestinians killed in a weeklong offensive aimed at ending Palestinian rocket fire on Israeli towns.

Israeli Missile Kills Islamic Jihad Chief (AP)


Games company Valve yesterday announced that it had won a court order prohibiting publisher Vivendi Universal Games from distributing Valves games, which include the Half-Life series, through cyber cafs.

Games developer wins cyber caf copyright fight


Depending on which direction you are coming from, European leaders are meeting in Brussels today either to crash the EU dream or cut the ribbon on a vital bridge between Islam and the west.

Europe expected to say yes to Turkey


The Arizona Diamondbacks signed left-hander Jeff Fassero on Wednesday with four games left this season. The Colorado Rockies released Fassero on Friday.

Diamondbacks add left-hander


BERLIN - Iran is working on a secret nuclear programme for military purposes despite promising the European Union it would halt all activities related to uranium enrichment, the news magazine Der Spiegel said on Saturday.

Iran dug tunnel for military nuclear work-magazine


With Pixar Animation Studios #39; joint venture with the Walt Disney Company set to expire next year, executives in Hollywood have been speculating for months about when

After  #39;The Incredibles, #39; Pixar Can Afford to Play Hard-to-Get


They are sold with colorful names like  quot;Pals on the Go!, quot;  quot;Click Clack Train, quot;  quot;Kinderland Kimy Bathtime quot; and  quot;Flashing Star Wand.

Advocacy group cites troubles in toyland


AFP - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's campaign blasted the Bush administration for  quot;another national security failure quot; on Iran's nuclear program and urged that Tehran be threatened with tougher sanctions.

Kerry campaign blasts Bush on Iran (AFP)


Under a powdery gray Moscow sky, YUKOS employees trudged through the snow to work on Friday, fearful for the future but afraid to speak out against a government about to dismember the once-mighty oil firm.

Fear Stalks YUKOS HQ Amid Raids and Arrest Warrants


TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp. said on Wednesday  it would introduce notebook computers with HD DVD technology in  the last quarter of 2005 in a move to pressure rivals in the  battle over formats for next-generation DVDs.

Toshiba to Launch HD DVD Notebook PCs in Q4 2005


GAZA (Reuters) - A senior leader of Hamas's military wing  was killed in an Israeli missile strike on his car in the Gaza  Strip, Palestinian witnesses said.

Top Hamas Militant Killed in Israeli Missile Strike


Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie refused to blame striker Andy Johnson after his penalty miss in the defeat to Charlton.  quot;I wouldn #39;t blame Andy Johnson as he has been fantastic like he has been all season, quot; said

Dowie backing for striker Johnson


The recipes used by ancient Egyptians for mummifying animals were just as complicated as the ones they employed for dead people, new research suggests.

Pet mummies given VIP treatment


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Media conglomerate Viacom Inc.  <A HREF=

Midway Could Be Viacom Acquisition Target


US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and his new European counterpart Peter Mandelson failed to make headway on a trans-Atlantic standoff over subsidies for Airbus and Boeing at a meeting Monday, saying the dispute remains headed for WTO arbitration.

Update 3: US, Europe Meet on Airplane Subsidies


With the National Hockey League about to place itself into suspended animation tomorrow, Joe Thornton is destined to become a captain without a team.

A scorer changes on the fly


ZURICH (Reuters) - Olympic champion Tyler Hamilton said on  Tuesday that he is

'I'm 100 Percent Innocent', Says Hamilton


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Front-line U.S. troops often lacked  access to surveillance and intelligence data during the  invasion of Iraq because of computer glitches, Technology  Review magazine reported on Tuesday, citing a report by Rand  Corp.

Report Faults Military Technology in Iraq War


Anelka expressed his wish to play for a  quot;big club quot; in a recent interview with French magazine But, and the club now says it is only too willing to oblige.

Sorry Anelka still on the trading block


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. <A HREF=

Grocer Winn-Dixie to Name New CEO -- WSJ


Jason Campbell hit Courtney Taylor for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1 minute 14 seconds to play and No. 14 Auburn got two chances to kick the winning extra point.

Auburn Converts Second Chance to Stun L.S.U.


Namibian President Sam Nujoma #39;s chosen successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba, has won a landslide victory with 75 of the vote in the country #39;s third elections since independence, according to official results.

Swapo party wins Namibia elections


Male scientist are good at research because they have the hormone levels of women and long index fingers, a new study says. A survey of academics at the University of Bath has found that male scientists typically

Academics find that the finger of destiny points their way


The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed yesterday to cut the supply of oil to world markets and defend higher prices in spite of concern about

Opec to cut oil output in defence of price


Canadian Press - GRAND PRE, N.S. (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin was met with a silent protest Sunday as he attended the closing of the World Acadian Congress in Nova Scotia.

Parks Canada protest greets prime minister at closing of Acadian Congress (Canadian Press)


Yahoo and Adobe have entered an alliance aimed at boosting Yahoo #39;s Internet search tool while possibly turning more Net content into PDF (Portable Document Format) documents, to the advantage of Adobe #39;s PDF Reader product.

Yahoo, Adobe team on search, boost PDF


Poland will cut its troops in Iraq early next year and won #39;t stay in the country  quot;an hour longer quot; than needed, the country #39;s prime minister said Friday.

Poland to cut Iraq troops in early  #39;05


The Palestinians have decided not to bring a draft resolution condemning Israel #39;s military operation in the northern Gaza

Palestinians won #39;t bring anti-Israel draft to General Assembly


As the enterprise increasingly looks for vertical solutions from its CRM vendors, Kana Software with an on-premise solution and Entellium with a hosted solution, will both announce this week industry-specific best practice applications for customer service and sales force automation.

Vertical solutions take hold in CRM


AP - Alfred Malone isn't just interested in letting people outside the state know Troy football exists or proving the Trojans can hang in there against a major conference team.

Missouri's Visit a Major Coup for Troy (AP)


roundup Plus: Unisys boosts COO to CEO...Turn your fingerprints into passwords...IBM gives grants to universities.

Briefly: McAfee CFO joins Cray board


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran can launch a missile as far as  2,000 km (1,250 miles), a senior official was quoted as saying  Tuesday, substantially increasing the announced range of the  Islamic state's military capabilities.

Iran Says It Has Missile with 1,250-Mile Range


The 27-year-old took out bronze in the men #39;s 20km walk -- winning Australia #39;s first Olympic medal for walking in almost 45 years.

Deakes takes a walk into history


Canadian Press - CALGARY (CP) - Premier Ralph Klein was blasted Thursday as mean-spirited and disrespectful for saying two women who heckled him over payments to the disabled didn't look handicapped.

Klein derided as mean-spirited for comments about handicapped (Canadian Press)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate and House of  Representatives negotiators agreed on Wednesday on a huge  corporate tax bill that will repeal export subsidies that  violate global trade rules and give manufacturers a new tax  break.

House, Senate Agree on Corporate Tax Bill


AFP - The Australian election campaign enters its final week with neither side holding a decisive lead and both major parties hoping big-spending promises to swinging voters will get them over the line, according to analysts.

Australian election enters final week with prize still up for grabs (AFP)


Consolidated Edison has agreed to pay the family of a woman who was electrocuted on a city street more than \$6.2 million and to set up a \$1 million scholarship fund in her name.

Utility Will Pay \$7.2 Million in Electrocution


at Fenway Park Records: Boston is 86-56 (second in the AL East); Tampa Bay is 61-80 (fourth in AL East). Tonight (7:05, NESN, WEEI): LHP Scott Kazmir (1-1, 5.62) vs. RHP Pedro Martinez (16-5, 3.44). Tomorrow (7:05 p.m., NESN, WEEI): RHP Dewon Brazelton (6-7, 4.33) vs. RHP Tim Wakefield (11-9, 4.64). Thursday (7:05 p.m., NESN, WEEI): LHP Mark Hendrickson (8-14, ...

Devil Rays thumbnails


AP - It may have brought some luster to the riverfront when it was built a half century ago, but today the Chicago Sun-Times building looks like it belongs there about as much as a barge at a yacht club.

Chicago Sun-Times Leaves Waterfront Home (AP)


He #39;s probably going to hit more home runs than anyone else who ever played, more than Henry Aaron, more than the Babe, more than Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and all the others.

Bonds #39; place in history is sadly tainted


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were set to open higher on  Friday after Ford Motor Co. <A HREF=

Stocks Seen Higher, Ford Ups Forecast


Well, if you haven #39;t patched your PC yet, now is the time. A sample program hit the Internet on Wednesday, showing by example how malicious coders could compromise Windows computers by using a flaw in the

Code to exploit Windows graphics flaw now public


A third of the M.T.A.'s police officers were paid more than \$100,000 last year, and some officers doubled and even tripled their base salaries by working overtime.

M.T.A. Spent \$15 Million on Officers' Overtime


A US bankruptcy court judge approved an agreement yesterday that extends US Airways Group Inc. #39;s ability to draw on cash from its lenders to fund operations through mid-January.

Airline Can Use Lenders #39; Cash, Judge Says


(CP) - Barry Bonds became the third member of the 700 club on Friday night. But the Giants slugger still clings to hope of adding a World Series title to his list of accomplishments, which is why Friday #39;s

Friday #39;s NL Roundup


Gary Bettman, the NHL season is now in your hands. And because you have said repeatedly that saving this season isn #39;ta concern of yours, that can #39;t be good news for fans.

YORIO: NHL season is in Bettman #39;s hands


Microsoft argued in a Luxembourg court on Thursday that the European Competition Commission #39;s antitrust decision against it would infringe on its intellectual property and cause serious and irreparable harm to the company.

Microsoft Guards Its Protocols in European Court


Toys  quot;R quot; Us Inc. swung to a profit in the second quarter from a loss a year ago, buoyed by a reversal of \$200 million in income tax reserves.

Toys  quot;R quot; Us Posts 2Q Profit, Sales Fall


The mobile phone maker will support tiny data storage devices and their multimedia cards.

Nokia joins secure digital memory card group


You remember, of course, Armenian Prince Varazdates and the spectacle of his boxing triumph. And who can forget Zopyros of Athens, wrestling-boxing his way to the junior pankration crown.

Just 16 centuries later, we return to Olympia


Bee Washington Bureau. WASHINGTON - Trying to avert a trans-Atlantic trade war over government subsidies to Airbus, US and European negotiators found little to agree on Thursday during a five-hour meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

Talks on Airbus subsidies hit snags


washingtonpost.com - Microsoft Corp.'s decision to release a major upgrade for its flagship operating system in the same month that hundreds of thousands of students are reporting to college campuses across the nation is causing a major headache for some universities.

Colleges Fear XP Downloads Will Cause Jam (washingtonpost.com)


MOSUL - US and Iraqi troops recaptured police stations and secured bridges in the northern city of Mosul on Tuesday in an offensive aimed at pushing out fighters supporting the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.

US, Iraqis regain some ground in Mosul


NEW YORK (Reuters) - World oil prices ended lower on Monday  despite notching a record high earlier in the day as the  Norwegian government moved to end an oil workers' labor dispute  that threatened shipments from the world's third largest  exporter.

Oil Ends Lower, Norway to End Strike


Reuters - The post-election stock market rally\has been rudely interrupted by the implications of a sliding\U.S. dollar, higher interest rates, the U.S. current account\deficit and Friday's rebound in oil prices.

Focus Shifts to Dollar and Rates (Reuters)


The sports world #39;s highest court has received three new appeals involving medals in gymnastics, weightlifting and track and field awarded at last month #39;s Athens Olympics.

Three more appeals lodged against Olympic medal results


MELBOURNE James Hardie Industries, Australia #39;s fourth-biggest maker of building materials, said Monday that full-year profit would miss analysts #39; estimates because of boycotts by unions protesting the handling of asbestos compensation.

James Hardie will miss forecasts


Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - Canada's health minister says doctors and pharmacists who give prescriptions to Americans without meeting them first are being unethical.

Dosanjh slams doctors, pharmacists who give prescriptions to unknown Americans (Canadian Press)


About a fifth of cod fishing grounds in the North Sea would be closed for the whole of next year under draconian proposals by the European commission, published yesterday and designed to replenish seriously depleted stocks.

EU wants big cut in North Sea


CHICAGO (Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs Thursday  declined to pick up the 2005 options on outfielder Moises Alou  and second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, making the two veterans  free agents.

Cubs Cut Loose Alou, Grudzielanek


AP - Chelsea tied Arsenal 2-2 Sunday in a riveting meeting between two Premier League powerhouses.

Chelsea Ties Arsenal, 2-2 (AP)


Former Sunderland and Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson has today been appointed temporary first-team coach of Leicester. Wilkinson, the one-time England caretaker coach and technical director, will work with

Wilkinson is Foxes #39; fast fix


OCTOBER 01, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - After his company announced that it #39;s acquiring security and authentication tools from Netscape Security Solutions to bolster its software arsenal (see story), Red Hat Inc.

Q amp;A: Red Hat #39;s CEO on his company #39;s latest acquisition


AP - A researcher who turned cataract surgery into a brief outpatient procedure and three scientists who illuminated how some hormones and vitamins act on the body's cells have won prestigious medical awards.

Cataract, Hormone Discoveries Win Awards (AP)


US journalist Micah Garen was on Sunday freed by an Iraqi group who had held him hostage in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya.  quot;I am very grateful to everyone who worked to protect me

Group Frees US Journalist Hostage in Iraq-TV


Three days after the tragedy of Beslan ended, we sat for over three and a half hours with Vladimir Putin. Between picking up the pieces of the worst Russian terror attack to date and planning

Putin at War: Unscripted


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Walgreen Co. <A HREF=

Walgreen Boosts Profit, Plans More Stores


Best Player: It was hard to argue with Boston #39;s Manny Ramirez, who was recognized as the MVP. A case could be made for at least four or five other Red Sox, but Ramirez made a significant contribution with his bat in every game.

Short Series was long on highlights


BearingPoint Inc. disclosed more troubles yesterday, saying that it will take a restructuring charge of as much as \$67 million and may not be able to report that it has adequate procedures in place to prevent accounting fraud.

BearingPoint Warns of Continued Turmoil, Acknowledges Subpoena


In the world of sports, when a great feat is accomplished, sometimes it takes a while for everything to set in and for people to gain a full appreciation for what just transpired.

Red Sox #39;s Feat: As far back as I can remember


Cisco Systems has confirmed that it is to buy routing software start-up BCN Systems for an initial \$34 million (17.6 million). In the week it turned 20, the networking giant announced it will pay around

Cisco to acquire BCN


Reuters - Japanese shares will probably move in a\narrow range in a week shortened by public holidays, but could\dip below the 11,000 level as earnings disappointment saps Wall\Street's momentum and as concern lingers over the global\economic outlook.

Japan Shares Seen Moving in Narrow Range (Reuters)


Sherry Neal checked the refrigerated shelves of her 7-Eleven store, touched the screen of a small handheld computer and got an instant four-week sales history on turkey sandwiches.

7-Eleven Adopting Wireless Technology


Serena Williams and Andy Roddick produced some explosive tennis at the US Open on Sunday as their respective title challenges gained strength.

Williams Thumps Schnyder, Roddick Roars On


Samsung has ordered a chunk of Near Field Communication chips from Philips. Like DoCoMo #39;s FeliCa, these chips are primarily expected to be used in mobile banking applications, but can be used for tickets, electronic locks and more.

Samsung Buys Into Digital Wallet Chips


LONDON, England -- Police investigating a train crash in southern England in which seven people died are focusing on a theory that a driver parked a car on the rails in an attempt to commit suicide.

#39;Suicide #39; theory over train crash


Georgetown withstands a second-half rally by Penn State to win, 66-53, in the first of two consecutive games against Big Ten opponents.

Hoyas Survive Rally


Its sad to think that NASCAR has gotten so good at this. Weve watched their response to tragedy too many times not to recognize the seriousness of a situation.

NASCARS Finest Call


Canadian Press - THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - A bombing before dawn Monday blew the front door off a Muslim elementary school in a southern town and extensively damaged the building in what police suspect was a revenge attack for the killing of a Dutch filmmaker last week.

Muslim school in Netherlands bombed; possible revenge for filmmaker's killing (Canadian Press)


Sauber Petronas have invited Vitantonio Liuzzi for a test drive. The 22-year old Red Bull Junior Team pilot, who has won this year #39;s Formula 3000 Championship far ahead of the competition, will be driving the Sauber Petronas C23 at Jerez on 16 September.

Liuzzi to test for Sauber


Comcast head Brian Roberts says he and archrivals should work in concert to fight government intervention. Verizon CEO rolls his eyes.

Comcast CEO offers olive branch to Bells


Archaeologists in Germany say they may have found the lavatory from where 16th century Reformation scholar Martin Luther revolutionised the church.

Luther's lavatory thrills experts


Arsenal #39;s victory over Blackburn has set a new record of 43 league matches unbeaten, surpassing the old mark set by Nottingham Forest in 1978.

Simply the best?


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Insurgents threatened on Saturday to  cut the throats of two Americans and a Briton seized in  Baghdad, and launched a suicide car bomb attack on Iraqi  security forces in Kirkuk that killed at least 23 people.

Militants Threaten to Kill US, UK Hostages in Iraq


Toyota Motor Corp. #39;s Prius hybrid has been voted 2005 European Car of the Year, Japan #39;s top auto maker said Monday, after the fuel-sipping sedan picked up the corresponding title in North America in January.

Toyota Prius Voted European Car of Year


Alvin Pearman runs for 104 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns and No. 10 Virginia shuts Clemson down after the first quarter on its way to a convincing 30-10 victory.

Cavs Finish Off Tigers


Astronomers have found the latest planet in another solar system -r  quot;exoplanet quot;  -ng telescopes no bigger than those you might find at a garage sale.

Newest Planet Found With Small Telescopes


RIO DE JANEIRO : Chinese President Hu Jintao toured some of Rio de Janeiro #39;s fabled sights Sunday ahead of a meeting with Brazil #39;s Chinese community on a busy Latin American tour.

Hu tours Rio hot spots, to meet with ethnic Chinese, on Brazil <b>...</b>


Taiwanese firm makes mulitmedia performance a key measure of its upcoming processor.

Via to throw hat in 64-bit x86 chip ring


WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2004 -- A Task Force Baghdad soldier was sentenced Dec. 10 to three years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering an Iraqi civilian, military officials in Baghdad, Iraq, reported today.

Soldier Sentenced to Three Years for Murder of Iraqi Civilian


Tokyo #39;s Nikkei average opened up 0.58 percent on Monday with buyers picking up a broad range of stocks after key economic survey renewed hopes over Japan #39;s economic outlook.

Nikkei Opens Higher, Lifted by Survey


THE prospect of George W. Bush spending four more years in the White House drew mixed reactions and a dose of caution in the troubled Middle East today.

Mixed reactions in Mid-East


OISKHARA, Russia - A man tried to bring a suspicious package to a polling station in Chechnya on Sunday during a presidential election, then died in an explosion as he ran away, the head of the Chechen election commision said on Russian television.    The Chechens voted for a president to replace the Kremlin-backed leader who was killed in a bomb blast in May...

Blast Kills Man Near Chechen Voting Area


The Republican movement is holding up progress in the search for a new peace process deal, Democratic Unionist leader the Reverend Ian Paisley claimed today.

#39;Republicans holding up quest for peace #39;: Paisley


NEW YORK - Hosted CRM (customer relationship management) evangelist Salesforce.com Inc. began a new branding campaign this week to draw attention to its customer-service support functionality, launching a new Web site at Supportforce.com and announcing a batch of partnerships with top call center infrastructure vendors.

Salesforce.com expands call center support


Company introduces its unified network identification system and strengthens its ties to Microsoft with a similar package tailored for Windows.

VeriSign launches authentication tools


NEW YORK To the long list of things that used to be free but that airlines now want you to pay for, add walking up to the counter to buy a ticket.

Airline to charge \$10 for buying tickets


CHICAGO - DePaul men #39;s basketball coach Dave Leitao has agreed to a six-year contract extension, the university announced Friday.

Coach Dave Leitao agrees to six-year contract extension at DePaul


Thousands of workers at Saab #39;s last Swedish automobile manufacturing plant will stop working for two hours Tuesday, protesting a planned wave of job cuts by General Motors that will see 12,000 jobs in Europe eliminated by 2006.

Workers at Sweden Saab Plant to Protest


Saudi Arabia says it is ready to push an extra 1.3 million barrels a day of oil into the market, to help reverse surging prices.

Saudi Arabia to open up oil taps


Written by Net 4 Nowt Telstra achieves broadband milestone Telstra today announced that more than one million broadband customers had been connected to its network across Australia.

Telstra Australia welcomes 1 million broadband customers


Google Sues AdSense Publisher over Click Fraud\\Google Inc. filed a lawsuit against one of its AdSense Online clients this week, claiming the company defrauded the search company by clicking on its own ads multiple times. The case, filed in Santa Clara County Court, also alleges that Houston, Texas-based Auctions Expert ...


SIR Mark Thatcher could face 15 years in jail after being charged yesterday with helping to finance a mercenary plot to topple the head of an oil-rich African state.

Thatcher charged over coup plot


LONDON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc Tuesday defended  trials of AIDS/HIV drugs in children in care homes, saying  clinical studies involving children were legal and not unusual.

Glaxo Defends Testing AIDS Drugs in Children


DUBAI (Reuters) - An Islamist group has freed two women  relatives of Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi but is  still holding his male cousin hostage, Arab satellite  television Al Jazeera said on Sunday.

Kidnappers Free Women Relatives of Iraqi PM -TV


SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. #39;s share of the browser market slipped slightly in recent months but still dominated with 92.9 per cent, an internet analytics firm said.

Microsoft browser market share slips slightly


On Wednesday, Iraqi interim Defense Minister Hazim al-Shaalan accused Iran and Syria afresh of supporting the insurgency against both the interim government in Baghdad and US-led occupation forces.

Iran, Syria and the Iraqi quagmire: rein in manipulation before <b>...</b>


BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman were last night awarded contracts by the United States government to develop technology for protecting commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles.

BAE wins anti-missile contract


ACCOUNTING:The new rules, which can be struck down by Congress, will force companies to subtract the option expense from earnings.

Companies must expense stock options, standards board says


AP - Venus Williams defeated injured sister Serena 6-4, 7-5 in an exhibition match Thursday night.

Venus Williams Beats Serena in Exhibition (AP)


Open Source Risk Management (OSRM), the only vendor-neutral provider of Open Source risk mitigation and warranty solutions, today announced that OSRM founder and chairman Daniel Egger was designated  quot;one of the 50 most influential individuals in tech

quot;Daniel Egger Voted 2004  quot;Agenda Setter quot; for Role in Advancing <b>...</b>


Stock in Pittsburgh-based US Steel Corp. and other publicly traded domestic steel companies posted large gains Monday on news of a three-way merger that will create the world #39;s largest steelmaker.

Industry merger drives steel stocks


Eidur Gudjohnsen scored a hat trick Saturday to help Chelsea beat Blackburn 4-0 in the Premier League and close the gap to league-leading Arsenal to two points.

Gudjohnsen hat trick helps Chelsea to within two points of Arsenal


SYDNEY - A deadline set by supposed hostage-takers in Iraq for Australian Prime Minister John Howard to announce a withdrawal of Australian forces from their country passed Wednesday with no announcement by Howard and no word on the hostages.

Deadline passes with no word on Australian hostages in Iraq


(SH) - French troops are enforcing an uneasy calm in Ivory Coast, where suddenly much of the population turned against them, treating them as hated occupiers instead of welcome peacekeepers.

DALE McFEATTERS: France #39;s mini-Iraq


PARIS (AFP) -- Elections in Iraq will go ahead as scheduled in January, even if some Iraqis could not vote, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in an interview published Monday in the French daily Le Figaro.

Allawi says elections will go ahead in Iraq as scheduled


AP - Doc Rivers got his team back on track while gaining a measure of revenge on his old squad, and the Boston Celtics snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Orlando Magic 117-101 on Monday night.

Celtics Beat Magic 117-101 to End Skid (AP)


Britain's men's and women's relay teams qualify for their  4x100m medley finals.

Brit relay teams go through


LOS ANGELESNew Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson urged UC to compete for continuing its management of the national Los Alamos weapons laboratorybut to partner up with an industrial company

Regents Weigh Future of Labs, Race Data


NewsFactor - Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) finally has won control of PeopleSoft (Nasdaq: PSFT) after an 18-month takeover battle, making the Redwood Shores, California-based company the world's second-largest vendor of business management applications software.

Oracle Takes Over PeopleSoft (NewsFactor)


(Article Central) The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. announced on Thursday that its lawyers would expand the MPAA #39;s campaign to prevent film piracy, working with its members and other film studios

Movie Group Targets Film Piracy


Reuters - Green Bay Packers star\quarterback Brett Favre and top running back Ahman Green both\missed Thursday's practice with injuries.

Packers' Favre, Green Miss Practice (Reuters)


About 500 prospective jurors will be in an Eagle, Colorado, courtroom Friday, answering an 82-item questionnaire in preparation for the Kobe Bryant sexual assault trial.

Kobe Bryant Jury Selection Begins Today


CAMBRIDGE, Mass. A native of Red Oak, Iowa, who was a pioneer in astronomy who proposed the  quot;dirty snowball quot; theory for the substance of comets, has died.

Fred L. Whipple, pioneer in comet research, dead at 97


DALLAS TXU Energy has agreed to pay a 530-thousand dollar fine over misleading advertisements about its electric rates. The proposed settlement is with the Public Utility Commission in Austin.

TXU agrees to fine for ads


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Insurgents threatened to kill two  Americans and a Briton unless the United States freed Iraqi  women prisoners, Al Jazeera said Saturday, and a suicide car  bomb killed 23 people outside Iraqi National Guard offices.

Militants Threaten to Kill U.S., UK Hostages in Iraq


Hook-handed cleric Abu Hamza faces yet more questions today after police were given more time to hold him on suspicion of being involved in terrorist offences.

Police Continue Questioning Abu Hamza


NEW YORK - Investors pushed stocks lower Friday as a surprisingly lackluster job creation report deepened Wall Street's pessimism over the health of the economy. Blue chips had modest losses despite solid earnings report from General Electric Co...

Lackluster Jobs Report Pushes Stocks Down


OTTAWA (CP) - In the end, Wally Buono #39;s decision to start Dave Dickenson at quarterback Sunday ahead of the CFL #39;s most outstanding player Casey Printers probably didn #39;t have much of an effect on the outcome of the 92nd Grey Cup.

Lions #39; Printers sits and watches


The New York Mercantile Exchange is in talks with UK regulators about starting open outcry oil trade in London but will let market demand decide whether it moves from Dublin, President James Newsome said on Monday.

NYMEX in London trade talks, eyes Dubai, Singapore


(Canberra, Australia-AP) Nov. 18, 2004 - Australia #39;s prime minister says it #39;s likely that a body found in the Iraqi city of Fallujah is that of aid worker Margaret Hassan.

Australian PM says body found in Fallujah likely missing aid <b>...</b>


28 major companies announced their formation of the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium, (NCOIC), an industry-wide consortium, with the goal of recommending a unified approach that would enable sensors, communications and information systems to

Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium Created


AFP - Indiana Pacers officials backed their players as the National Basketball Association rang with recriminations in the wake of a violent brawl between Pacers players and fans in Detroit.

Pacers officials back banished players (AFP)


The Blue Devils entertain 14th-ranked Virginia this week to highlight Parents and Family Weekend on the Duke campus ... Kickoff is set for 1 pm ... The Blue Devils stand at 1-5 on the year after dropping a

Football Game Notes: Duke vs. Virginia, 10/21/04, 1 PM


TOKYO : Debt-ridden Japanese retailer Daiei is considering seeking help from a state-backed corporate body, reversing an earlier reluctance after pressure from its creditors, officials said.

Japan #39;s troubled Daiei considering seeking aid from government <b>...</b>


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Inc. on Monday agreed  to a sweetened \$10.3 billion buyout by rival software maker  Oracle Corp., relenting after a 18-month takeover saga that  included the ouster of PeopleSoft's chief executive.

Oracle Buys PeopleSoft for \$10.3 Billion


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A measure that would make it easier  to sue online file-trading networks like Kazaa and Morpheus  failed to advance in the Senate on Thursday because lawmakers  said there was too much opposition.

Controversy Delays Net Song-Swap Bill in Senate


Nokia Corp. on Tuesday at the 3G World Congress Convention and Exhibition unveiled the industrys first Mobile IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) call using its CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) technology.

Nokia unveils first IPv6 mobile phone


The Federal Reserve is widely expect to raise the federal funds rate at its Sept. 21 policy meeting after a moderate increase in August payrolls.

FACTBOX-US Fed policymakers #39; recent comments


Google Ad Copy that

Google Ad Copy that Clicks


AP - Housing construction in August surged to its highest level in five months, a dose of encouraging news for the economy's expansion.

Housing Construction Highest in 5 Months (AP)


AP - A shelter for women and girls forced into the sex trade temporarily shut its doors Friday after gunmen kidnapped 92 of its occupants and made death threats against the staff, the shelter's director said.

Cambodia Women's Shelter Closes After Raid (AP)


US and South Korean officials are still trying to verify what triggered a massive mushroom cloud in North Korea amid skepticism over Pyongyang #39;s explanation of the event.

Doubt over North Korean blast


Colombia's Indian tribes are confronting a sudden rise in the suicide rate of their young members.

In a Land Torn by Violence, Too Many Troubling Deaths


Adobe has temporarily withdrawn its v6.03 update for Adobe Acrobat 6, which was posted earlier this week. Adobe #39;s download page for the update says,  quot;The 6.0.3 update is temporarily unavailable for Mac OS versions of Acrobat 6.0 Professional and Standard.

Adobe pulls Acrobat 6.03 update


The operative word in the National Football League this season is ouch.

Injuries Are Plentiful, but Nothing to Be Alarmed About


AFP - Retail sales in Britain rose at the fastest pace for eight months in September, though underlying growth continues to slow, raising fresh doubts on the interest rate outlook.

British retail sales surge in September, clouding rate outlook (AFP)


A bomb near a Shi #39;ite shrine killed eight people and a fierce attack on Iran by a minister fueled fears of sectarian strife when campaigning began on Wednesday for

Shi #39;ites Bombed as Iraq Poll Campaign Begins


Atlanta - The Coca-Cola Co. reported a 24 percent drop in third-quarter profit on flat revenue, but beat analysts reduced expectations that were tempered after the beverage giant #39;s previous warnings.

#39;Politics, #39; layoffs cited as Coke profits fizzle


Leading Manchester United supporters #39; groups are warning the club not to drop their guard despite bankers JP Morgan pulling the plug on Malcolm Glazer #39;s bid to buy the Old Trafford outfit.

Fans still wary of Glazer threat


By next Friday we should have a good idea as to whether the NHL will play this year or if we are to see the entire season lost. On Thursday the players association invited the NHL to meet next week for a bargaining session.

NHL season hinges on new talks


AP - Unilever PLC, the Anglo-Dutch consumer products giant, reduced its outlook for the year on Monday, citing poor weather, weak consumer confidence in Europe and tough competition in Asia.

Unilever Issues Profit Warning (AP)


Tony Blair will press ahead with scaling down the army presence in Northern Ireland even if there is no deal between the Ulster parties at this week #39;s talks in Kent aimed at restoring devolution in the Province.

Blair prepared to cut troop numbers in Northern Ireland


So quit fighting. Switch to Firefox, in a newly released 1.0 version. If you already are using Mozilla, a Web browser built using the same architecture as Firefox, then you know most of those benefits of switching.

Time to move beyond Explorer


PC World - Stream movies to your PC or download them to your TiVo by 2005.

Netflix, TiVo Team Up on Broadband Movie Delivery (PC World)


ATHENS (Reuters) - American Misty May gave team mate Kerri  Walsh an ideal 26th birthday present with an easy victory over  Japan in their opening match of the Olympics beach volleyball  tournament on Sunday.

American Duo Wins Opening Beach Volleyball Match


RoboNet-1.0, an automatically controlled series of telescopes, has two prime directives: search the heavens for the next big flash and spot an Earth-like planet that could hold intelligent life. By Lakshmi Sandhana.

Robot Telescopes Comb the Skies


Lindsay Davenport extended her unbeaten streak to 19 matches with a 6-4 6-2 second round win over Spaniard Arantxa Parra Santonja at the US Open on Thursday.

Open-Davenport extends streak to reach third round


Plextor's new ConvertX PVR turns a Mac or PC into a digital video recorder. It's a slick product that's easy to set up and use. But inexplicably, the PVR is crippled in a fundamental way. By Leander Kahney.

Don't Touch That Dial


KB Toys Inc. on Tuesday said that it will close between 141 to 238 underperforming stores by Jan. 31, 2005 -- including possibly three in San Antonio.

KB Toys plans to close underperforming stores


NewsFactor - Linux continues to gain momentum in a Windows world, with global sales of the open-source software expected to surpass US #36;35 billion in the next four years, according to research conducted by IDC.

Report: Linux Market Poised for Takeoff (NewsFactor)


RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian officials are pushing ahead with plans for life without Yasser Arafat. The officials met today to set a date for elections to replace their longtime leader after his death last week.

Palestinians to set date for elections for Arafat successor


Top seed Roger Federer reached the Thailand Open semis with a 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 win over Robin Soderling of Sweden. Second seed Andy Roddick also stormed through, beating Thomas Johansson of Sweden 6-3 6-4 in just 43 minutes.

Federer and Roddick through


Somewhere in the recesses of Jake Plummer #39;s mind, the idea of the Broncos #39; quarterback raising his right hand, middle digit extended, must have seemed brilliant.

Line of Scrimmage: Week 15 - Putting a Finger on Plummer #39;s Woes


The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) launched its initiative to file lawsuits against online movie traders on Tuesday.

MPAA sues file swappers


AP - China plans to tear down a museum to restore the original appearance of its imperial palace in a sweeping renovation of the Forbidden City that will last until 2020, officials said on Thursday.

China Plans Renovation of Forbidden City (AP)


WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration is vowing to appoint a director of drug safety and take other steps to ensure the safety of medications.

FDA vows to increase efforts to ensure drug safety


Nearly three years after Enron Corp. #39;s dramatic collapse into bankruptcy, the first criminal trial against the disgraced energy company #39;s former employees is set to kick off on Monday.

First Enron Criminal Case Set for Trial


An Islamic Web site posting in which Abu Musab al-Zarqawi #39;s militants declare loyalty to Osama bin Laden has been deemed credible by US officials.

US says Zarqawi loyalty to al-Qaida real


Photographic equipment manufacturer Kodak has blamed the rise of digital photography for 600 job losses and a factory closure. Kodak said declining demand for traditional camera film had forced it to close

Digital snaps blamed for jobs axe


The message board in Canada #39;s dressing room spoke volumes: Practice canceled tomorrow. No one else to beat. The next fight for these stars is with NHL owners, who are set to lock them out Wednesday night.

Labor dispute puts hockey on ice


Honda #39;s experience is being played out all over the Web, prompting experts to predict a rebirth in brand advertising online. These ads -- which are generally rich media, meaning they include

On the Web, Branding Is Back


Israeli army arrested six Palestinians in the West Bank, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said Saturday. The sources said Israeli army arrested three residents and

Israeli army arrests 6 Palestinians in W. Bank


Intel Corp. (INTC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said it has upgraded the wireless networking capabilities of its Centrino line of notebook computer chips to allow broader network access with improved security.

Intel Gives Centrino Chip Line a Wireless Upgrade


Formula One has signed a five-year agreement to hold a race in Cancun starting in 2006, joining NASCAR in heading south of the border.

Mexican officials announce Cancun will host Formula One race


AP - Scott Rolen is contributing again  #151; and that's bad news for the Houston Astros. The Cardinals twice rallied from a two-run deficit in their 10-7 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the National League championship series on Wednesday night. Rolen was responsible for tying it the second time, ending a 3-for-32 slump with a line-drive single in the fifth inning.

Rolen Breaks Out of Slump to Help Cards Win (AP)


Charter Communications (CHTR:Nasdaq - news - research) lost its second top executive in a month Friday with the resignation of operating chief Maggie Bellville.

Charter Loses Another Top Exec


Boeing Co.'s former chief financial officer pleaded guilty Monday to illegally hiring a top Air Force official who has admitted she gave the company preferential treatment on a \$23 billion tanker contract.

Ex-Boeing CFO Pleads Guilty in Contract Case


THE International Monetary Fund forecast yesterday a substantial jump in economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa this year and next, saying the outlook for the region was better than in years.

IMF Forecasts Growth in Sub-Saharan Economies


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. warned Asian  governments on Thursday they could face patent lawsuits for  using the Linux operating system instead of its Windows  software.

Microsoft Warns Asian Governments of Linux Lawsuits


AP - A judge charged a jailed Moroccan on Tuesday with being a leading member of Islamic extremist groups in three countries, including an organization suspected in the killing of a Dutch filmmaker.

Moroccan Charged in Europe Terror Probe (AP)


ConocoPhillips paid nearly \$2 billion at auction for the Russian government's stake in Lukoil, a purchase that could allow Conoco to become the first Western company to return to Iraq's oil fields.

Conoco Wins Lukoil Bid, a Window on Iraq


Description: Not since the 1960s has Florida been battered by a rapid succession of hurricanes. Many people have been tempted to ask whether this has anything to do with a predicted increase in severe weather events associated with global warming.

Are More Hurricanes Connected to Global Warming?


A unit of the industrial, financial and media conglomerate General Electric Co. said Wednesday it will buy the water treatment company Ionics Inc.

Update 1: GE Unit to Buy Ionics for \$1.1 Billion


Reuters - The U.S. dollar rallied against the\euro, Japanese yen and most other currencies on Tuesday,\although traders suggested the rise was a brief let-up in a\longer-term decline in the value of the currency.

Dollar Gets a Rest on BOJ Worry, Holidays (Reuters)


Telephone services provider SBC Communications Inc. received \$9 billion worth of tax breaks during a three-year period, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

WSJ: SBC avoided \$9B in income taxes


Moments after the Twins lost 8-4 to the Yankees on Friday, to fall behind 2-1 in the best of five American League Division Series, manager Ron Gardenhire walked through a silent clubhouse.

Try Another Day


AP - _ Tiny worms are taking the place of laboratory rats and mice for a Duke University scientist studying the effect of chemicals on the body.

Duke Study on Chemicals to Use Tiny Worms (AP)


United said on Wednesday that it would cut 68 airplanes from its fleet, increase the use of its regional carrier and expand its international flights.

United Looks to Overseas Service for Profit


WASHINGTON - The US Army wants to know how a threatened plan to withhold \$60 million a month in a billing dispute might affect Halliburton Co. #39;s ability to support US troops in Iraq.

Army wants Halliburton data on possible effect of withholding


If an extraterrestrial civilization wanted to maximize its chances of being discovered by another civilization, the best bet may not ride on radio waves.    Rutgers -- Were E.T...

ET: Please Send Mail, Don't Phone


PARIS The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development raised its 2004 growth outlook Tuesday for the world economy, forecasting further expansion in Europe and a robust upturn in Japan that would outpace the United States for the first time in

OECD offering a brighter global outlook


The AMD processor chipset market can honestly claim to have a flurry of participants these days. Although the first chipsets were strictly AMD jobs, today you can choose from AMD, VIA, nVidia, and even ATI to get your Athlon 64 or Opteron fix.

nVidia to make Intel chipsets


California #39;s Attorney General Bill Lockyer said today that he is suing Diebold over fraudulent claims he believes that company has made with regards to their electronic voting machines.

California to sue Diebold over voting machine-related fraud


Lamina Ceramics plans to introduce a light- emitting diode array with heat-reduction tech- nology that allows it to be as bright as a theatrical light without a meltdown.

Tiny L.E.D.'s Grow Into Mighty Theatrical Lights


After a solid performance on an injured leg in his Heat debut, Shaquille ONeal will get to play in front of the home crowd when Miami hosts LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Shaq tries to put Miami vise on LeBron


Since winning Wimbledon as a virtually unknown 17-year-old last summer, Maria Sharapova has emerged as one of the world #39;s top ranked tennis players.

Love match turns to hate as Russian stars attack Maria


PROS Home security Rick Karbowski is a longtime golf standout from the Worcester area, so it was fitting that he stormed from behind to win last year's New England Open on a course he knew so well -- Pleasant Valley CC in Sutton. Now that it's time to try and defend the title, you can imagine that he's smiling at ...

Keeping score around New England


Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , hurt by\sluggish sales over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, on Friday\launched a rare advertising blitz in newspapers across the\United States touting price cuts.

Wal-Mart Starts Rare Newspaper Ad Blitz (Reuters)


AP - Tyler Palko, frustrated nearly all night by West Virginia's defense, completed four third-down passes on Pittsburgh's only sustained drive before scoring from the 2 late in the game to lead a 16-13 upset Thursday of the No. 21 Mountaineers.

Pittsburgh Upsets No. 21 W. Virginia 21-13 (AP)


Huge crowds greet football legend George Weah on his return home to Liberia to launch a presidential bid.

Hero's welcome for Liberia star


Dozens of people are arrested in Iran for spying on its nuclear activities, and passing details to its

Iran arrests dozens 'for spying'


 By Hugh Bronstein

 BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Colombia will require banksand money changers to report all international transfers ofmore than \$200 starting next year to help combat drug moneylaundering and

Colombia Eyes Banks in Drug Money Hunt


Given the prevalence of emotional difficulties on campus, it pays to find out, before choosing a college, what mental health services are available.

The Dorms May Be Great, but How's the Counseling?


Four games into Georgia Tech's season, it is hard to find a trace of the cowboy bravado usually associated with a program suddenly on the rise.

No One's Looking Sideways at Georgia Tech Anymore


(Washington-AP) Oct. 12, 2004 - Dell is recalling nearly a million AC adapters used with notebook computers because they can overheat and cause a fire and electrical shock.

Dell recalling AC adapters for use with notebook computers


Utrecht #39;s Michael Mols is to start a five-match ban for knocking out a Graafschap Doetinchem defender in a game on November 28.

No appeal against Mols five-match ban


AP - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist's health is shrouded in mystery, the extent of his thyroid cancer a closely guarded secret. Several coming events could give the public an idea about the seriousness of his condition.

Rehnquist's Status Still a Mystery (AP)


ATHENS (Reuters) - Matthew Emmons is a trained accountant  but he got his numbers terribly wrong on Sunday.

American Hits Wrong Target, Loses Gold Medal


IBM planned to announce yesterday that it will invest US\$250 million over the next five years and employ 1,000 people in a new business unit to support products and services related to sensor networks.

IBM to announce launch of new radio tag business unit


INDIA #39;S most wanted bandit has been killed in a jungle shoot-out with police after more than 30 years on the run. Koose Muniswamy Veerappan, 60, had been accused of murdering police officers, slaughtering elephants and kidnapping a movie star.

Indian bandit goes out in blaze of gunfire


Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - A man with the mind of a toddler who died after wandering off two weeks ago likely wouldn't have survived even if investigators had realized sooner that they'd already found a key clue to his whereabouts, police said Tuesday.

Correct description of missing man's shoes would have helped search: police (Canadian Press)


An explosion at a South African gas plant has killed five workers and injured at least 100 others. A spokesman for the Sasol energy company says the blast occurred Wednesday at its ethylene plant in the northeastern town of Secunda, Mpumalanga.

Blast at South African Gas Plant Kills 5


NEW YORK - Crude-oil futures rallied back above \$53 late on Wednesday on speculation and panic sparked by an oil-line explosion in Mexico.

Crude-oil futures surge to over \$53


Egypt #39;s surprise release of Azzam Azzam Sunday is a clear sign that Cairo is very serious about warming up ties with Israel. Azzam had been incarcerated in Egyptian jails since 1996, and his sudden release

Analysis: Cairo wants better ties


Jeremy Peace researched the subject of Bryan Robson to such an extent that the West Bromwich Albion chairman would have no problems writing a detailed biography of his new manager.

Why Robson is right man for the job


Chauncey Billups scored 21 points in his return to the line-up as the host Detroit Pistons also welcomed back coach Larry Brown and Ben Wallace with a 93-85 triumph over the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday.

NBA Wrap: Returning Trio Help Pistons End Skid


AFP - Typhoon Songda had injured 21 people as it approached the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, bringing heavy rain and strong winds, officials said.

Typhoon Songda injures 21 as it approaches Japan's Kyushu island (AFP)


Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Google Inc. #39;s plan to sell shares today in a \$3.47 billion initial public offering was delayed because the US Securities and Exchange Commission didn #39;t act on the company #39;s request to approve its stock registration.

Google Stock Sale Delayed as SEC Doesn #39;t Act on IPO (Update1)


Australia need just one wicket to claim victory over New Zealand in the second Test in Adelaide. The tourists had lunch on day five on 243 for nine, chasing 464 to win - a Test record for a team batting last

AUSTRALIA CLOSE TO VICTORY


Reuters - In a scene reminiscent of the 1994\

House Democrats Set Goals, Seek Return to Power (Reuters)


In the wake of last month's air traffic communications failure, investigators report that computer security issues haunt the FAA's most critical systems.\

News: U.S. Air Traffic Control Found Vulnerable


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

Qualcomm May Change Royalty Recognition


Knowing he was a long-shot to land a high-paying NFL job in Miami or Cleveland, Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis made the smart move and went after the head coaching position at Notre Dame.

CZAR: Week 14 viewer #39;s guide


TheDeal.com - The European Commission is likely to follow opinion in the U.S. on the merger suit.

EU waits on Oracle-PeopleSoft (TheDeal.com)


Reuters - Suspected drug gangsters murdered\eight people execution-style in and around the Caribbean beach\town of Cancun this week as a wave of brutal killings hit\Mexico.

Eight Executed in Cancun Drug Killings (Reuters)


The board of HBOS is due to decide this week whether to bid against Spanish bank Santander for local rival Abbey National, newspapers say, but HBOS declined to comment.

HBOS to decide this week on Abbey


SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Oakland Raiders have traded  Jerry Rice to the Seattle Seahawks in a move expected to grant  the most prolific receiver in National Football League history  his wish to get more playing time.

Oakland Raiders Trade Jerry Rice to Seattle Seahawks


JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was seeking to nail down support for his Gaza pullout plan on Wednesday ahead of a crunch vote in parliament as one of his top ministers held talks with the spiritual leader of the main ultra-Orthodox party.

Sharon seeking to garner support for Gaza plan


Wireless Internet company Tom Online Inc. on Friday said it signed a definitive agreement to buy a majority stake in Indiagames Ltd.

Tom Online Buys Stake in Indiagames


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked to open little  changed on Wednesday as concerns about Hurricane Ivan weighed  on sentiment, although solid earnings from Oracle Corp.  <A HREF=

Stocks Set to Open Little Changed


DC United will retain its lucrative base of sideline seats at RFK Stadium despite the arrival of baseball at the 43-year-old stadium, according to plans being developed by the DC Sports  amp; Entertainment Commission.

RFK due to retain prime soccer seating


AP - Coach Tyrone Willingham was fired by Notre Dame on Tuesday after three seasons in which he failed to return one of the nation's most storied football programs to prominence.

Notre Dame Fires Coach Tyrone Willingham (AP)


Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was loyal to goalkeeper Jerky Dudek, refusing to blame his goalkeeper for the fumbled cross that enabled Portsmouth to snatch a last-gasp equaliser through Lomana LuaLuas header at Anfield on Tuesday night.

Benitez Wont Blame Dudek


Yesterday #39;s 0-0 draw at Hearts left Rangers fourth behind Aberdeen and Kilmarnock and without an away goal in three league games.

McLeish  #39;hopeful #39;


roundup Plus: SGI warns of lower revenue, deeper loss...SAP taps search technology...Appeals court to rehear e-mail snoop case.

Briefly: Microsoft ships Virtual PC 7


ARLINGTON, Texas The Texas Rangers made five errors in a 7-to-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Carl Everett homered for the Sox, who won their fourth straight.

Sports: White Sox 7 Rangers 4


German software giant SAP is teaming with Hewlett-Packard (HP) to offer midmarket companies in the US a hosted software offering that includes applications, maintenance, services and support for a monthly fee.

SAP and HP to offer hosted ERP


The NHL and NHLPA will be meeting Tuesday in Toronto at 1pm et/10am pt at which time the NHL is expected to respond to Thursday #39;s NHLPA proposal.

NHL labour meeting set for Tuesday


AP - Maybe the Atlanta Falcons aren't a one-man team after all. While Michael Vick commands most of the attention, the defense should get the bulk of the credit for the Falcons' 3-0 start  #151; their best since 1986.

Stingy Falcons Defense Key to 3-0 Start (AP)


NEW YORK -- Nintendo Co. Ltd. sold 500,000 Nintendo DS video game devices during the first week of sales in US stores for the new handheld featuring two screens for game playing, the Japanese game maker said Wednesday.

Nintendo sells 500,000 DS Handhelds in First WEek


Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. has hooked\up with Irish rock band U2 to launch the iPod U2 Special\Edition, a black edition of its popular digital music player\that holds up to 5,000 songs.

Apple Rocks with U2, Rolls Out iPod Photo (Reuters)


NAGPUR - World champions Australia have marched boldly towards their first series win in India in 35 years after taking an imposing 415-run lead with seven wickets in hand in the third Test.

Aussies turn screws on India


Johnson  amp; Johnson has made a deal to buy Guidant Corp. a producer of medical equipment for patients with heart and circulatory illnesses, for \$24 billion in stock and cash.

J amp;J biggest acquisition in its history will reshape the medical <b>...</b>


The busiest travel weekend of the year is upon us and there will be no tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It #39;s not some good will gesture on the part of the state, it #39;s due to a strike called by toll collectors.

Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Free Due to Strike by Workers


Mike Cameron homered and drove in four runs, and Kris Benson pitched six solid innings to lead the Mets past Colorado.

Mets Open Doubleheader With Victory


UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is the uppermost utopian model of international public servants, a Nobel Prize laureate, a pride to his native Africa.

Outside View: Kofi Annan -- time to go


French Open champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia must face an early exit in the Wismilak International Tennis Tournament in Bali after losing to Maria Elena Camerin of

French Open champ Myskina tumbles in Bali


The Federal Reserve is expected to hike rates following the Labor Department #39;s report on Friday that the US economy added almost twice as many jobs last month than Wall Street economists had predicted.

Interest Rate Hike Likely


Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer compared losing linebacker Kevin Simon to a knee injury this week to the loss of tailback Jamal Lewis in 1998.

Vols lose top linebacker for season with injury


Symantec said when someon clicks on an infected link in a message, the worm tries to download code from remote sites, to redirect users to certain Web sites and to send a version of itself to everyone in an IM user #39;s contact list as well.

Funner Worm Spreads to US


American Andre Agassi defeated hard-serving Max Mirnyi of Belarus 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the third round at the \$3-million US Madrid Masters tennis tournament.

Agassi masters Mirnyi in Madrid


Europe #39;s largest fashion retailer, Hennes  amp; Mauritz AB, on Thursday posted better than expected third-quarter profits and said sales were up despite lowered prices and competition

H amp;M posts improved 3Q profits, sales


AP - A Texas Internet company said Friday it gave U.S. government officials the hard drives from a pair of its Web servers leased to online journalists and others.

Web-Hosting Firm Gives Feds Hard Drives (AP)


US Airways is at risk of filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which has frequent fliers thinking about cashing in miles, Boston.com reports.

Ch. 11 threat for US Airways flier miles


TORONTO (CP) - Stocks finished higher Wednesday but well off highs of the day, as a runup in the price of oil cooled investor response to a merger between US retail giants Kmart and Sears, Roebuck and strong economic data.

Stocks close up on retail merger but off highs on oil price <b>...</b>


New Delhi: American nanotechnology researchers at the University of Illinois have demonstrated a tiny, implantable detector that could one day allow diabetics to monitor their glucose levels continuously without ever having to draw a blood sample.

Good bio sensor news for diabetics


WASHINGTON -- A group of 17 companies and organizations this week offered an alternative to a U.S. Senate bill that would allow artists and entertainment companies to sue firms that market products that

Industry groups propose alternative to copyright bill


Chelsea maintained its drive for the team #39;s first title in 50 years when it thrashed Newcastle United 4-0 at Stamford Bridge yesterday to stay five points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

Soccer / English Premier League - No change as top four win


MacCentral - Apple's senior vice-president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, took\a cue from his boss, CEO Steve Jobs, as he unveiled one more thing at the\end of his keynote to kick off this week's Apple Expo in Paris: an iMac G5 that includes the entire\system inside a 17- or 20-inch LCD screen. Continuing the all-in-one theme\that started with the original CRT iMac, the G5 edition features a new\industrial design that does away with the hemispherical base of the previous\generation all together. Schiller said that the new iMacs will be available\in mid-September.

Apple Expo: Apple intros iMac G5 (MacCentral)


The result left top-ranked U.S.C. one victory from a perfect season and a berth in the B.C.S. title game.

Trojans Can Almost Smell the Oranges


MOSCOW : A blast at a Siberian mine killed 13 men in the latest disaster to strike Russia #39;s accident-prone industry that has been chronically short of funds following the Soviet collapse.

Blast at Russian mine kills 13 in industry #39;s latest disaster


UAL Corp. said it will reduce the overall size of United Airlines #39; fleet and shift more aircraft to serve international routes, which are more profitable.

United to Trim Fleet Size, Add International Routes (Update2)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. producer prices dropped  unexpectedly last month as the cost of gasoline plunged and  prices of food and vehicles fell, according to a government  report on Friday that showed inflation pressures under wraps.

Producer Prices Drop, Trade Gap Narrows


WASHINGTON - President Bush, re-elected on Tuesday, is likely to stick closely to the status quo in his economic team, leaving it up to top officials such as Treasury Secretary John Snow whether to stay or to go.

Bush seen keeping economic team for now


Days away from ending a six-month mission in space, US astronaut Michael Fincke said on Wednesday he is looking forward to meeting his 4-month-old daughter.

Astronaut to Meet Baby Daughter on Return to Earth


Even self-proclaimed penny-pinching folks like me who loathe the way Christmas has become so commercialized can lose their common sense.

Christmastime Consumerism


Top seed Andy Roddick of the United States beat Sargis Sargsian 6-2, 6-2 to reach the third round at the Paris Masters here on Wednesday.

Roddick reaches 3rd round in Paris


Kujila writes  quot;According to a Chinese Reuters article, China has closed close to 1,600  quot;Internet Bars quot; (probably the equivalent of  #39;Internet Cafes #39; stateside) and inflicted up to \$12.

China Closes 1,600  quot;Internet Bars quot;


fenimor writes  quot;Physicists at Imperial College London described a new method for potentially encoding and storing up to one Terabyte of data, or 472 hours of film, on one optical disk the size of a CD or DVD.

1 Terabyte Optical Storage Disks


Reuters - Randy Johnson struck out 14 batters in\8 1/3 innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks end a nine-game\losing streak with a 2-0 win over the New York Mets on Sunday.

NL Wrap: Johnson Fans 14 Mets as Arizona Snaps Slide (Reuters)


NEW ORLEANS - Amar Stoudemire did not want to be a starting center. Shawn Marion was not excited about taking on power forwards.

Success quiets lineup anxiety


BAGHDAD - A US soldier was sentenced to three years in jail for the murder of a wounded Iraqi teenager in Baghdad in August, the US military said on Saturday.

US soldier jailed for murdering Iraqi


Jacques Chirac, the French president, opened the bridge which is in the Tarn Valley in the south west of the country. The four-lane bridge is taller than the Eiffel Tower at 343 metres high and 1.5 miles long.

World #39;s tallest bridge opens in France


BM plans to announce today that it will invest \$250 million over the next five years and employ 1,000 people in a new business unit to support products and services related to sensor networks.

What #39;s in the Box? Radio Tags Know That, and More


Beijing: Unfancied American Kevin Kim pounced on the ineffectual game of second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero Thursday to deal a second Spanish seed out of the \$500,000 China Open.

Ferrero joins Moya in early China Open goodbyes


SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Former International Boxing  Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Robert Quiroga was  killed early Monday, police said.

Former Super Flyweight Champion Quiroga Found Dead


Link Popularity and Search Engine Ranking Pitfalls\\As we all know Google uses their PageRank technology to measure link popularity by counting the number of inbound links to your web pages, and it is one of the many factors influencing your ranking. Most website owners do not utilize properly what PageRank ...


World champion Michael Schumacher took advantage of the drying conditions to grab his eighth pole of the season in qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.

Schumacher grabs Japan pole


What they continue to demonstrate, more than anything else, is an impeccable sense of timing. When to run. When to hit. When to start playing like a tried-and-true

Detroit Rock City: Wakefield baffles


Reuters - President Bush on Monday\mocked his Democratic rival John Kerry for shifting his\positions on Iraq so many times he could

Bush Mocks Kerry for 'Changing Positions' on Iraq (Reuters)


A Saudi woman has been offered a contract as the country's first female aircraft pilot.

Saudi women take to the skies


England #39;s cricketers flew out for their tour of Zimbabwe today, with captain Michael Vaughan making it quite clear he was opposed to the trip.

Vaughan admits Zimbabwe tour doubts


The unsolicited \$8.2 billion bid to take over bigger domestic rival Gold Fields would create the world's biggest gold producer.

South Africa's Harmony Gold Bids for Gold Fields


The Internal Revenue Service is trying to make sure Pamela Bracey of Ocala receives her income tax refund check. She is one of about 80 other Marion County residents whose checks

IRS trying to ensure all get refunds


Queen Sirikit makes a rare public declaration calling for an end to the religious unrest in Thailand's south.

Thai Queen's plea to end violence


A new species of flightless bird has been discovered on Calayan, a remote island in the Philippines, by an Anglo Filipino expedition.

New to science, island bird that never flies nest


Google IPO Registration Ends Today\\Google has set their IPO registration deadline at today for investors to register for the Google initial public offering.\\Investors wishing to participate in Google's initial public offering have until 5 pm today to register for the auction at ipo.google.com, according to a statement issued Tuesday on ...

Google IPO Registration Ends Today


The villagers of Buyat Beach blame Denver-based Newmont Mining Corp., the world's largest gold-mining company, for poisoning their idyllic tropical bay with arsenic and mercury.

Waste Leads to Worry in Indonesia


AP - Second-seeded Florian Mayer of Germany defeated Arnaud Di Pasquale of France 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-3 Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Romania Open.

Mayer Moves to Romania Quarterfinals (AP)


PARIS, Oct 27 (AFP) - French President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday that Turkey #39;s EU membership bid was  quot;not a done deal, quot; although he believed it was in Europe #39;s best interests, a government spokesman reported after a cabinet meeting.

Chirac says Turkey #39;s EU bid  #39;not a done deal #39;


IHURURU, Kenya Oct. 8, 2004 - When Wangari Maathai got word she had won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, she was campaigning to protect Kenya #39;s forests and distributing food to villagers suffering from

Kenyan Environmentalist Wins Peace Prize


EU leaders will gather in Rome today to sign an historic new constitution, but the planned celebration of European unity has been transformed into a crisis meeting over the bloc #39;s stalled executive.

Crisis clouds historic EU constitution


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Ahman Green ran up, down and all over the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers...

Packers Run Past Panthers 24-14


Iraq #39;s most respected Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, made a dramatic return to the country Wednesday and urged all Iraqi Muslims to join him on a march to the

Iraqi cleric urges march to Najaf


Japan and the United States have signed an agreement to encourage cooperation on developing a missile defense system. Japanese Defense Minister Yoshinori Ono signed a memorandum of understanding

Japan, US Sign Missile Defense Pact


ATA Holdings Corp. #39;s stock price surged 22 percent this morning then settled to an eight-percent gain on renewed speculation the troubled Indianapolis airline is discussing a merger with America West Airlines.

ATA stock soars on merger speculation


Crude oil prices may fall this week as companies including Royal Dutch/Shell Group restart platforms and tankers resume shipments in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Ivan

Crude oil prices may fall as output rebounds


Sudan may have to grant autonomy to Darfur to bring peace to the vast region where 1.4 million people have been displaced by fighting and 50,000 have died, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday.

UN Refugee Chief Backs Darfur Autonomy