Indian and Russia signed Friday a Joint Declaration emphasizing strategic partnership between the two countries and taking note of the transformation in the global environment in recent years.

India, Russia sign joint declaration


AFP - The United States is opposed to negotiations with hostage-takers who abducted three United Nations staffers in Afghanistan last month, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said.

US opposes negotiations with Afghan kidnappers: Armitage (AFP)


Celtic yesterday fixed the seventh seal on their domination of Rangers when a volcanic strike by Alan Thompson produced the only goal of the first Old Firm derby of the season at Celtic Park.

Thompson #39;s perfect delivery extends Celtic #39;s domination


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Philip Morris USA cut wholesale  discounts on its best-selling Marlboro cigarettes and three  other brands, a spokeswoman said on Friday, effectively raising  prices for the first time in more than two-and-a-half years.

Philip Morris Hikes Cigarette Prices


Have you ever considered giving your  quot;true love quot; everything offered in the traditional timeless song, Twelve Days of Christmas?

quot;Twelve Days of Christmas quot; True Love Gifts


By Stephen Foley in London and Katherine Griffiths in New York. More than 6bn was wiped off the value of the UK #39;s two giant pharmaceuticals companies yesterday as they and the US regulator attempted to quell a furore over drug safety.

AstraZeneca and GSK shares rocked by safety concerns


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares vaulted ahead on  Thursday as lower oil prices and strong trade data in Japan  boosted investor confidence that global economic growth could  be sustained.

Asian Stocks Up on Outlook, Lower Oil


The European Union and the four-nation South American Mercosur customs bloc failed to reach a deal to create the world #39;s biggest free-trade area, negotiators said late on Wednesday.

EU, Mercosur Fail to Reach Trade Deal


washingtonpost.com - RealNetworks really knows how to pick a fight. First, the Seattle-based company landed a sucker punch on Apple Computer last month with its new Harmony technology that allows songs sold from Real's online music store to play on Apple's iPod digital music player.

RealNetworks Tries to Core Apple (washingtonpost.com)


Paul Allen and Burt Rutan's aircraft will try to repeat its 100km altitude feat to seal its victory for the \$10 million prize.

SpaceShipOne to launch again Monday


Tokyo stocks advanced Monday morning as the US dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen and the Europe #39;s single currency. The Nikkei Stock Average of 225 issues gained 153.96 points, or 1.42 percent, to end morning trading at 10,987.71.

Update 1: Tokyo Stocks Rise; Dollar Up Vs. Yen, Euro


EAST QUOGUE, N.Y. - Laura Branigan, a Grammy-nominated pop singer best known for her 1982 platinum hit

'Gloria' Singer Laura Branigan Dies at 47


AP - Marshall linebacker Dionte Wilson has been suspended for the Fort Worth Bowl for an unspecified violation of team rules.

Marshall Linebacker Wilson Suspended (AP)


Advertising giant WPP's purchase of Grey Global is temporarily put on hold after files submitted to EU regulators were found to be incomplete.

WPP-Grey Global merger 'on hold'


An angry and frustrated crowd in Southwest Washington last night denounced Mayor Anthony A. Williams #39;s proposal to build a baseball stadium in their community, saying they feared being displaced

Crowd Demands Services, Not Stadium


Plate umpire Jerry Crawford was hit in the side of the head by a deflected pitch, forcing him to leave after the second inning of the first game between the Yankees and Devil Rays. He was taken to the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, where a CT scan was negative. He was diagnosed with a concussion.

Notables


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

Intel Clouded by Back-To-School Fears


At 33, just as he seemed ready to claim center stage, Tyler Hamilton is facing a two-year suspension from competition.

In Trying to Save Medal and Tour de France Hopes, Hamilton Faces Uphill Course


Joanna Hayes of the United States stamped her authority on a chaotic Olympic 100 meters hurdles competition when she blazed to the gold medal in a Games record 12.

Record Run Gives American Joanna Hayes Hurdles Gold


Donald J. Trump #39;s struggling casino operation has filed for bankruptcy reorganization, according to court documents, effectively commencing a recapitalization plan that was announced last month.

Trump #39;s Casino Operation Files for Bankruptcy


More than 40 aid workers were dramatically rescued by helicopter yesterday as violence, including aerial bombardments of a town, flared across Sudan #39;s crisis-plagued Darfur region.

Refugees suffer as aid workers are airlifted to safety


This Saturday, the undefeated meet. No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas take aim for a win at the 99th Red River Shootout. The rivalry is one of the biggest games in college football.

Red River Shootout is Fair Game


Chris Simms, the Buccaneers second-year pro competing for Tampa Bay's No. 2 job, completed 12 of 15 passes for 110 yards to help the Bucs to a 20-6 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday.

QBs Grab Spotlight


Hammered by iPod, Sony will retool, adding native MP3 support to some digital music players by next summer. Cnet -- SAN FRANCISCO--Sony Electronics missed an opportunity when it nodded off with the emergence

Sony retuning to pick up MP3s.


Argeris N. Karabelas, a Human Genome Sciences board member, will become chairman Oct. 17, the company said Monday.
<FONT face=

HGS Board Member Named Chairman


Nokia Oyj, the world #39;s largest mobile- phone maker, said profit may drop for a second straight quarter after reporting a 20 percent decline in third-quarter earnings as it cut prices in a bid to regain market share.

Nokia Says Profit Will Keep Falling as Prices Drop (Update2)


SAO PAULO - Kidnappers freed the mother of Santos forward Robinho, one of Brazils most talented young players, on Friday, 40 days after seizing her at gunpoint while she was attending a barbecue.

Kidnappers free Brazilian soccer star #39;s mom


AP - Nintendo has created what could be the ultimate house party video game with

Review: 'Konga' Great for House Parties (AP)


AP - The 10 most endangered national wildlife refuges as chosen by the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife, and reasons cited by the group:

List of 10 Endangered Wildlife Refuges (AP)


In his opening remarks to the meeting of the board of governors of the UN #39;s International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on September 13, IAEA director-general Mohammed ElBaradei said that Iran had made some progress in accounting for small traces

IRAN: Sth Korean nuke scandal stalls US sanctions push


WASHINGTON - Drafts of a report from the top U.S. inspector in Iraq conclude there were no weapons stockpiles, but say there are signs the fallen Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had dormant programs he hoped to revive at a later time, according to people familiar with the findings...

U.S. Weapons Inspector: Iraq Had No WMD


NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - The shares of stun gun maker  Taser International Inc. <A HREF=

UK OKs Taser Stun Guns for Some Police


AP - Tiger Woods always said he had to win a major for it to be considered a great year, but he might have found an exception last week when he got married in Barbados.

Woods in No Hurry After His Marriage (AP)


AP - It's bound to be an unusual awards show when Snoop Dogg shows up to argue with a computerized version of himself, sexy women in lingerie seductively coo secret video game codes to viewers and bubbly model Brooke Burke beats out stately Dame Judi Dench for best actress.

'San Andreas' Hijacks Gaming Awards (AP)


Putting aside talk this might be his final game, Clemens focused on something more important - pitching to save the Astros #39; season.

Rocket saves the day


By E.J. Mundell, HealthDay Reporter    HealthDayNews -- The new federal dietary formula may offer sweet rewards for following its guidelines, an idea that's not settling well with nutritionists...

U.S. Dietary Panel May Green-Light Desserts, Treats


By Erik Spanberg  Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor. On Sunday in Foxboro, Mass., the New England Patriots will battle for their 19th straight win, a streak spanning much of last season and the first three games of 2004.

Patriots streak toward new record


ATHENS, Greece - Archeologists have discovered ancient graves near Ancient Olympia, the hallowed site where the Olympic games were born in 776 BC, the Culture Ministry said Thursday.

Burial Site Found Near Ancient Olympia


Computer giant Microsoft has fully rolled out its crucial security update to computers running its Windows XP. Last week, it  quot;soft launched quot; Service Pack 2 (SP2) security update, making it available for some

Key Windows update fully rolls out


They didnt make this announcement with quite as much fanfare as when they cut their price per download at their online music store to just 49 cents, but RealNetworks is ending that half-price Freedom of Choice promotion theyve been running for

RealNetworks ends its half-off online music sale


Its new software lets PC administrators create policy controls specifying how long a user will have access to the operating system and applications, what peripherals can connect to the environment, and more.

VMWare Aims At Becoming PC Management Standard


Is there a  quot;Sunni problem quot; in Iraq, as the United States would like us to believe? If there is, it is entirely of Washington #39;s making.

Cleaning up Washington #39;s  #39;Iraqi problem #39;: invest authority in <b>...</b>


Reuters - Angry Darfuris who fled Arab\militias told the U.N.'s top envoy in Sudan Thursday they are\still not safe because the Janjaweed who tormented them at home\are among security forces guarding refugee camps.

Darfur Displaced Angry as U.N., Govt Visit (Reuters)


Open-source software, namely Linux, is nipping more sharply at the heels of Microsoft, leading the software giant to defend itself more fiercely than ever against the insurgent rise of freely distributed, collaboratively coded programs.

The Open Source Threat


US Airways was locked in tough bargaining on wage and benefit cuts with its pilots union, whose backing is critical for the struggling airline to avoid another bankruptcy filing.

US Air Locked in Down-to-Wire Talks on Cuts With Its Pilots


When Alan Greenspan speaks, the markets listen. The 78-year-old chairman of the Federal Reserve Board has had dealers hanging on his every utterance for 17 years, ever since he took the job during the closing months of Ronald Reagans presidency.

Business Focus: Infecting the world


The nation's labor markets sputtered again last month as job growth, which surged in October, reverted to the lackluster pace that has marked the recovery for much of the year.

Pace of US job growth slows


Oil prices climbed again yesterday, closing above \$55 a barrel for the first time, on concerns that supplies will be stretched thin this winter while demand from China remains solid.

Crude Oil Closes Above \$55; Tight Winter Supply Is Seen


NEW YORK (CNN/Money ) - In recent weeks, analysts and pundits have filled the air with speculation that Sony would be forced to delay its entry in the handheld gaming market.

Sony #39;s October surprise


Motorola Inc. is laying off 1,000 employees in conjunction with its upcoming chip unit spinoff and ongoing efforts to reduce operating costs, the company said Tuesday in a regulatory filing.

Motorola to cut 1,000 jobs worldwide


MADRID (Reuters) - England captain David Beckham has denied  reports that he plans to retire from international soccer after  the 2006 World Cup and says he wants to play for his country as  long as possible.

Beckham Aiming to Play Beyond 2006 World Cup


BAGHDAD - Two powerful car bombs exploded simultaneously Saturday near Baghdad #39;s most heavily guarded area, killing at least seven police officers and wounding 59 others.

Bombers target Iraqi security forces


AFP - Saudi Arabia will seek to create a  quot;pro-business environment quot; and foster investment opportunities in energy and other sectors, the oil-rich kingdom's investment chief said.

Saudi vows to create 'pro-business environment', foster investment (AFP)


The European Union #39;s head office Wednesday expanded its probe into whether EU governments are illegally requiring that the computers they buy must contain microprocessors made by Intel Corp.

EU Expands Probe Into Intel Favortism


Shares in Australian insurer AXA Asia Pacific Holdings plummeted more than 10 percent Monday after a proposed buyout by its French-based major shareholder was scrapped.

Shares in AXA Plummet 10 Percent


Former Computer Associates International Inc. on chief executive Sanjay Kumar was charged on Wednesday with securities fraud and obstruction of justice stemming from a

Former CA CEO Charged with Fraud


OAKLAND, Calif. -- Once they got their chance to go head to head, the Anaheim Angels showed Oakland which team was best in the AL West.

Angels end up as the best in West


IBM #39;s Global Services division Thursday announced the formation of a management practice to help customers implement service-oriented architectures.

IBM Forms SOA Practice


Yet another security flaw reported for popular Web browser.

Microsoft Investigates Reports of New Internet Explorer Hole


WASHINGTON An investment firm has told Mylan Laboratories that a proposed acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals is not in the best interests of investors.

UBS Global criticizes proposed Mylan-King deal


Test debutant Nathan Hauritz took the key wicket of Sachin Tendulkar to give Australia a slight advantage on day three of the fourth and final Test against India in Mumbai.

India, Australia evenly poised at lunch


(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees can clinch a playoff berth tonight, and they can do it with a pitcher who is still unbeaten this year.

SportsNetwork Game Preview


Avnish Bhatnagar has always lusted after fast cars like racy BMWs. But when the California computer programmer and his wife had their first baby this year, they needed something more practical.

Green  amp; Mean


SEVILLE, Spain It was not quite what Carlos Moy missed the first time. The setting was not his former home city of Barcelona but the capital of the Spanish region of Andalusia.

Tennis: Spain grinds US into the clay


Expressing impatience with the Securities and Exchange Commission, lawmakers said in a hearing yesterday that they will act to force stronger oversight of the influential credit rating business if the agency doesn't soon move on its own.

Regulation of Credit Rating Examined


BUCHAREST (Reuters) - President Ion Iliescu on Tuesday  admitted Romania's complicity in the Holocaust, ending decades  of denial that hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in the  country when it was an ally of Nazi Germany.

Iliescu Admits Romania's Role in the Holocaust


Typhoon Chaba pounded the southern Japanese island of Amami-Oshima on Sunday with heavy rain and strong winds, cutting off electricity to some 5,800 households, officials said.

Typhoon pounds southern Japan


Reuters - An agreement reached on Saturday by\congressional negotiators on post-Sept. 11 intelligence reforms\was thrown into doubt by resistance by some Republicans in the\House of Representatives.

Spy Agency Reform Thrown Into Doubt (Reuters)


Disruptions caused by three powerful hurricanes have cost NASA at least a week in its effort to rebound from the Columbia accident with a March shuttle launching, members of an oversight task force said Thursday.

NASA loses week of relaunch effort to hurricane


AP - They played most of Sunday's game with a special teams player at linebacker, a tight end at fullback, an undrafted former backup at nose tackle and, yes, that rookie quarterback who wasn't supposed to play this season.

Backups and Fill-Ins Help Steelers Win (AP)


At least 10 miners were killed and six trapped below ground when leaking gas exploded in a northern China coal mine, the government said on Friday.

Coal mine blast in northern China kills 10 miners


An optical illusion has caused astronomers to overestimate the size of a class of giant stars by a factor of two, according to new observations.

Pulsating red giants hide inside deceptive shells


A video showing British hostage in Iraq, Kenneth Bigley, being beheaded has appeared on the Internet. The news comes amid reports that the engineer made a brief escape, possibly with the help of British intelligence services.

Video of execution of British hostage appears on Internet


AP - Andy Roddick waited out a rain delay and then held off Tim Henman of Great Britain for a 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championship Tuesday night.

Roddick Defeats Henman in Masters Cup (AP)


Regardless of what he may have told Carlos Beltran when their paths crossed last May, Bernie Williams made it clear yesterday that he won #39;t be conceding centerfield until the Yankees tell him to do so.

Enter a Category


When Charles Grosz read that a boy charged in the brutal beating death of a homeless man had compared it to the violent video game  quot;Grand Theft Auto, quot; he felt saddened.

Violent game #39;s poster falls to gentle request


Sean Harrigan was ousted as president of the \$177 billion California Public Employees #39; Retirement System (Calpers). In a 3-2 vote in San Francisco, the California state personnel board pulled Harrigan from Calpers where he had served for five years.

Calpers president voted out


Tim Henman is relishing his Masters Cup eliminator against Russian Marat Safin in Houston tonight. The British No1, who lost to Andy Roddick in his opening match at the \$4.45million end-of-season tournament

Henman can #39;t wait for Safin


Listening intently as the national media heaped praise on the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Texans wondered when their time would come.

Texans remain red hot


Much maligned quarterback Kyle Boller should have a pleasent week after playing one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 20-17 overtime win over the Jets.

Boller Silences Critics


Symantec Corp, the global leader in info security, today announced record revenue growth for the fiscal second quarter. The September quarter marked another period of record performance for Symantec.

Symantec EMEA reports 52 per cent growth


AP - A University of Alabama scientist and other researchers have found coral growing at extreme depths in the Gulf of Mexico  #151; on several ships sunk during World War II by Nazi submarines.

Coral Thrives on Sunken WWII Ships in Gulf (AP)


Tim Henman yesterday qualified for the season-ending Masters Cup in Houston without hitting a ball. Henman needed to reach the quarter-finals in the defence of his Paris Masters title to be

Tennis: Henman on easy street


Safer Internet Plus, the four-year program proposed by the European Commission in March, will have a budget of \$60 million to combat illegal and harmful Web content.

EU Telecoms Council Promotes Safer Internet Use


Jim Ryan , the executive cook at Thorny Lea Golf Club in Brockton, had the good fortune to attend the recently concluded Ryder Cup competition at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan.

Golf course chef has a fine Ryder


Wildlife experts believe the pine marten, once declared extinct in England, is on the comeback trail.

'Extinct' pine marten in comeback


The Giants lost a crucial ballgame to the Padres on Wednesday night but also may have lost Dustan Mohr for the final four games of the season.

Mohr injures knee on final play


One in an occasional series about the Boston Red Sox and their 86-year quest to win it all. BOSTON - It comes up just shy of bloodcurdling, but this one man, this one sports-radio czar, has

Boston #39;s amusing muse of sports talk


CHIBA, JAPAN -- Two companies supporting the Blu-ray Disc optical disc format unveiled prototype players at the Ceatec 2004 exhibition, taking place here this week.

Pioneer, Sharp Let Blu-ray Play


In the face of sharp disagreements between Argentina and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on August 8 the Argentine government decided to temporarily suspend negotiations with ...

Argentina rejects IMF intervention


PalmSource Inc. shares slipped more than 9 percent in Monday trading after an analyst downgraded the company on concerns that its future sales could be decimated if sister firm palmOne Inc.

PalmSource Drops on Analyst Downgrade


Google has launched a search service for mobile devices, based on the SMS (short messaging service) protocol. Users can perform searches for phone numbers, dictionary definitions and product

Google Goes Mobile with SMS


UK farming must embrace new ideas and scientific developments to survive the next few decades.

Farming 'must embrace the new'


AP - The European Parliament on Thursday threatened to veto the entire incoming European Union executive commission unless Italy's nominee for Justice Commissioner  #151; who earlier described homosexuality as a sin  #151; was dropped from the list.

EU May Veto Panel Over Gay 'Sin' Remark (AP)


Pakistan #39;s Gen Pervez Musharraf is rarely out of the news. However, his recent speech to the UN, in which he demanded action to prevent an iron curtain separating the Muslim world from the West, gained him an unusual amount of attention.

Musharraf #39;s battle for approval


Reuters - Beijing will install about 1,000 condom\vending machines in hotels, bars, universities and on\construction sites in the Chinese capital this month to fight\the spread of AIDS, the official Xinhua news agency said on\Sunday.

Beijing to Install Condom Machines to Fight AIDS (Reuters)


AP - Retired Gen. Tommy Franks has signed on to be the spokesman for a company that uses global positioning system technology in teens' cell phones to let parents know how fast they're driving.

GPS Used to Track Teens' Driving (AP)


November 11, 2004. WASHINGTON -aced with the impact of labor #39;s political loss on Nov. 2, the AFL-CIO Executive Council decided on Nov. 10 on a timeline for changes in the union movement

National union leaders set a timeline for change


AP - The former chief executive of Invesco Funds Group has agreed to pay  #36;500,000 to settle civil fraud charges relating to improper trading at the mutual funds company, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Former Invesco Chief Agrees to  #36;500G Fine (AP)


The Supreme Court said it would rule on an appeal by movie and record companies, headed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, that say they should be able to sue the file-sharing services, Grokster Ltd. and StreamCast Networks Inc. <FONT face=

High Court  to Weigh File-Sharing Case


Toyota Motor Corp., Asia #39;s largest carmaker, will invest 3.8 billion yuan (\$461 million) with its partner Guangzhou Automobile Group to boost capacity in China and catch up with rivals with established car plants in the country.

Toyota, Partner to Invest \$461 Mln in China Venture (Update4)


JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Indonesian voters, frustrated by pervasive corruption and economic malaise, ousted President Megawati Sukarnoputri in a runoff election yesterday, awarding her former chief security minister a landslide victory, according to a projection by a local research institute.

Indonesia leader seen ousted in landslide


Former Yankees hitting coach Rick Down was hired for the same job by the Mets Saturday, reuniting him with new manager Willie Randolph.

Mets Hire Down


By MATTHEW FORDAHL    SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Contradicting fears that the semiconductor industry's pace of development is slowing, Intel Corp...

Intel Announces Milestone for Shrinking Chips


Researchers at In-Stat/MDR reported this week that the Wi-Fi market has experienced five years of healthy growth since 802.11b emerged as the dominant wireless standard.

Wi-Fi Surpasses \$1B in Quarterly Revenues


A US nuclear monitor shows satellite images of an Iranian weapons facility which may be working on nuclear weapons.

Suspicion over Iran arms facility


NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - DreamWorks Animation SKG  Inc.'s initial public offering raised a more-than-expected \$812  million on Wednesday in a deal that marked the first IPO by a  major movie studio in seven years.

DreamWorks Animation IPO Raises \$812 Mln


AFP - Russia rejected US criticism of moves to strengthen Kremlin power, saying they were reforms of a domestic nature that were perfectly constitutional.

Russia rejects US criticism of strengthened Kremlin power (AFP)


Five Indiana Pacers players were charged in Detroit on Wednesday for fighting with fans in the stands and on the court during the brawl that broke out at a Pistons #39; game last month.

Roundup: 5 Pacers charged for fighting fans


Reuters - Just how similar are the Japanese and\Indonesians, apart from being Asians?

New Study to Compare Genetic Make-Up of Asians (Reuters)


Really Simple Syndication technology, which lets news junkies get instant info feeds from multiple sites, is grabbing investors' attention. The latest evidence: a multimillion-dollar funding round for RSS developer Technorati. By Daniel Terdiman.

RSS Attracts Really Serious Money


After spending several years in a protracted death spiral, Commerce One Inc. is finally on the verge of ending its misery by running out of cash. The San Francisco software maker laid off most of its staff this week and said in a Friday regulatory filing that it is down to its last \$300,000 in operating cash.

Commerce One runs out of cash


Keith Tkachuk might consider getting a few extra zzzzzz #39;s come Friday, before Team USA hits the ice for the morning skate. Energy Center in time to skate with his teammates.

Tkachuk awakens, puts Russians on ice


NYON, Dec 8 (SW) - The European governing body UEFA will be investigating both Valencia CF and Werder Bremen, following the clash between these two teams at Mestalla stadium on Tuesday.

UEFA to investigate behaviour at Valencia versus Werder


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

Apple Under Scrutiny as Music Competition Rises


AFP - Bouygues, the French construction group which has diversified into television and mobile telephones, reported a 92-percent leap of first-half net profits, owing mainly to strong mobile telephone performance.

Mobile phones push Bouygues profits up 92 percent (AFP)


Bill Belichick won't have to worry about Charlie Weis raiding his coaching staff for Notre Dame. But we'll have to see whether new Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban has an eye on any of his former assistants.

Weis chooses not to make pickoff


THE odds on London winning the right to stage the 2012 Olympic Games shortened to 3-1 from 7-2 yesterday as the five rival cities delivered their bid documents to the IOC.

Odds on London shorten as 2012 bids submitted


The announcement was made in a letter read to the National Assembly on Thursday by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the king #39;s son and chairman of the assembly.

Cambodian king abdicates


The Indian cabinet agrees to repeal a controversial anti-terrorism law which it says has been misused.

India withdraws anti-terror law


AP - Prized free agent Adrian Beltre and the Seattle Mariners agreed to a  #36;64 million, five-year deal Thursday, The Associated Press learned.

Beltre Agrees to  #36;64M Deal With Mariners (AP)


Forbes.com - In an August memo typed from his hospital bed, Steve Jobs--Apple's chief executive, patriarch and media impresario--let his employees know he would be out for a month to recover from surgery to remove a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Patients with this type of cancer, called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor, have a 90 survival rate, especially if treated early. Apple says Jobs is due back in September.

The Song Remains the Same (Forbes.com)


PRINCE William took part in his first official Remembrance Sunday engagement yesterday as the nation paid its respects to Britains war dead.

William at Cenotaph for first time


The big story is Roman Sebrle, Mr. Consistency. He has four decathlons over 8,800 points his last four times out. He looks good. Tom Pappas of the US, on the other hand, looked shakier than he did at the Olympic Trials.

Athlete Analysis


November 22, 2004 - By now, you should already know that Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is going to reveal a more serious, a more aggressive main character that kicks 50 more ass than he did in the previous game.

Unleash the Warrior


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top seed Roger Federer was at his  dismissive best on Saturday as he breezed to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4  victory over fifth seed Tim Henman to reach the final of the  U.S. Open for the first time.

Federer Advances to U.S. Open Final with Win Over Henman


A new technique may someday be able to stop Alzheimer #39;s disease (news - web sites) before it starts. Tapping into the  quot;Trojan horse quot; strategy, scientists

Novel Approach Targets Alzheimer #39;s Development


The agreement will allow passage of a bill to enact the major recommendations of the independent Sept. 11 commission.

Accord Reached on Overhauling U.S. Intelligence


The argument against strengthening building requirements is simple: It would cost too much. And poor people couldn #39;t afford it.

... we #39;d better get ready


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

Wal-Mart Give Retailers Upbeat '05 Start


The Houston Astros are to retain Phil Garner as manager, a reward for his mid-season rescue act which led the team to the playoffs.

Garner to Stay on as Astros Manager


ATHENS, Greece -- Paul Hamm overcame a fall on the vault to become the first American to win an Olympics men #39;s all-round gymnastics gold medal.

Hamm stumbles, then soars to gold


COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka reactivated its dormant death  penalty Saturday for murder, rape and drug trafficking after a  near 30-year lull, the government said, a day after a high  court judge was murdered in the capital.

Sri Lanka Reactivates Dormant Death Penalty


The vast majority of consumers are unaware that an Apple iPod digital music player only plays proprietary iTunes files, while a smaller majority agree that it is within RealNetworks #39; rights to develop a program that will make its music files compatible

Consumers Say Apple Should Share


Internet portal Lycos Europe has denied that its  quot;Make love not spam quot; Web site was hacked into and defaced last night. The company said that an e-mail that contained an apparent mirror image of the Web site being hacked was a hoax generated by spammers.

Lycos Europe denies attack on zombie army


Prices of 1Gbit NAND flash chips may drop about 50 to US\$3-4 per chip by the end of the second quarter of 2005, as supply increases and players continue to push higher-density products into the market, according to sources with IC distributors in Taiwan.

1Gbit NAND flash prices to drop 50 by 2Q 2005


Hitachi Data Systems has announced a new enterprise storage lineup to include features such as a virtualisation which allows customers to manage up to 32Petabytes of internal and external storage.

Hitachi upgrades storage line


He battled back from a debilitating injury to reach the pinnacle of his profession. But even on the most rewarding day of Johan Santana #39;s

AL Cy goes to Santana


Boeing Co. (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday posted a 78 percent jump in quarterly earnings that beat Wall Street forecasts as stronger demand for its military

Boeing Quarterly Profit Up 78 Percent


NEW YORK: Microsoft and watch maker Swatch are offering wireless data watches with faster information updates. And, all this at lower prices, the companies said on Wednesday.

Watch Out! It #39;s all about better connectivity now


AP - Two centuries ago, before Lewis and Clark went in search of a passage to the Pacific Ocean, David Thompson paddled the Columbia River, worked to establish a trading alliance with Mandan Indians and made maps of North America that ultimately became the guide for explorers who followed him.

Explorer Overshadowed by Lewis and Clark (AP)


France has no intention of making Yasser Arafat #39;s medical records public and will leave the decision about what to do with them up to his family, the foreign minister said yesterday.

France won #39;t release Arafat #39;s medical records


MOSCOW - Russian officials accused terrorists Friday after the wreckage of one of two crashed jetliners revealed traces of an explosive used in earlier attacks blamed on Chechen rebels, while an Islamic group claimed its suicide attackers brought down both planes.    At least one crash was

Russia Blames Terrorism for Downed Jet


It was an inauspicious start to the 10-race playoff for NASCAR #39;s Nextel Cup championship, with rain washing out qualifying yesterday at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Notebook: Rain ends NASCAR qualifying


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The federal deputy Immigration minister filed a complaint against the ethics commissioner Monday with the Official Languages Commission over testimony being conducted only in English.

Deputy minister complains about ethics investigation to languages commission (Canadian Press)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Drugstore chain Rite Aid Corp. <A HREF=

Rite Aid Posts Profit, Reaffirms Outlook


Damien Martyn steadied the ship for Australia with an undefeated half-century after they lost three quick wickets in the post-tea session on the second day of the First Test in Brisbane.

Martyn back on an even keel


Reuters - Netflix Inc chief\executive Reed Hastings said on Friday that Blockbuster Inc has\more to lose in the war for online DVD renters than emerging\foe Amazon.com Inc.

Netflix CEO Rates Blockbuster, Amazon Threats (Reuters)


Saturn's moon, Enceladus, was discovered two hundred and fifteen years ago today, but the Cassini probe has targeted this icy world for its lunar tour through the Saturnian system.    Astrobiology Magazine -- Two hundred and fifteen years ago today, Sir William Herschel discovered Saturn's moon Enceladus (499 kilometers, 310 miles across)...

Touring Saturn's Moon, Enceladus


PC World - Sony embraces MP3, while new Blu-ray and speaker technology reaches the living room.

Tokyo Edge: More Mobile Music (PC World)


The rand remained below the psychological 6.00 per dollar level in late afternoon trade on Wednesday, having broken this at around noon on the back of a stronger euro.

More strength seen for rampant rand


Aston Villa manager David O #39;Leary is close to agreeing and finally putting pen to paper on a new deal with the Birmingham club.

O #39;Leary re-signing nears


SYDNEY Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the UN nuclear watchdog agency, said Monday that he hoped that Iran would suspend its nuclear enrichment and reprocessing programs after a tentative deal over the weekend with France, Germany and Britain.

Europe deal brings hopes on Iranian nuclear curbs


Copernic, a well-known developer of web search tools, is entering the desktop search marketplace with the release of a new product today.

A New Player in Desktop Search


FARMINGTON, Pa. -- Just when Vijay Singh thinks he can #39;t play better, he does. Just when it seems he can #39;t do much more during his Tiger Woods-like season, he does that, too.

Singh Dominating At Lumber Classic


Russian prosecutors seize financial documents for the last two years  from oil producer Yukos, raising fears of fresh tax demands.

Prosecutors seize Yukos records


AFP - Dikembe Mutombo, the 38-year-old African center who has played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association, says he has agreed to a trade deal that will put him alongside Yao Ming in Houston.

Mutombo says he will join Yao on NBA Rockets (AFP)


OS ANGELES, Aug. 20 (Reuters) - Major League Baseball has approved the creation of a national cable television channel devoted to the sport, but regular-season games may be confined to the bench for the network #39;s first year, a top league ...

Major League Baseball to Create Channel


Japanese game maker Nintendo Co. Ltd. raised its full-year net profit forecast by 20 percent on Monday, citing a stronger dollar and solid demand for software titles for its handheld GameBoy Advance machine.

Nintendo Raises Net Profit Estimate


BearingPoint Inc. chairman and chief executive Randolph C. Blazer resigned abruptly yesterday after leading the McLean consulting firm for more than four years.

BearingPoint Chief Blazer Quits; No Reason Given


Heavily armed insurgents, some with explosives strapped to their bodies, seized a school in southern Russia today and herded scores of schoolchildren and others into its gymnasium.

Armed Attackers Seize School in Russia


When Sony Corp. President Kunitake Ando showed off the new Walkman meant to counter the assault by Apple's iPod portable music player, he held the prized gadget at the gala event upside down.

IPod Music Player Winning Over Japan Fans


Sharman Networks - the company behind peer-to-peer file sharing outfit Kazaa - has denied it is able to block users who use the service to share child pornography.

Kazaa can #39;t bar child pornographers, court told


South Korea #39;s Hee-Won Han edged out Canadian Lorie Kane in a sudden-death play-off to win the Safeway Classic. Han shot a 67 to finish on nine under, a score matched by Kane with her 70, but Han then birdied

Han wins Portland play-off


The brawl has been over for four days, but there #39;s still plenty to fight about. There was action on several fronts yesterday as the players, the teams, the fans, and law

No end to news of brawl


Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga, resolving a diplomatic headache for Japan and its close ally, the United States. Japan has asked for leniency out of sympathy for Jenkins wife.

US soldier Jenkins found guilty of desertion


Thousands of civilians were on Thursday fleeing clashes near the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo town of Goma between Rwandan Hutu rebels and unidentified opponents, a senior UN official told AFP.

Violence flare in east DRC, locals flee


On one island visited by Sinbad during his travels, he found a giant bird with the wingspan of a whale, while Odysseus, according to Homer, discovered an island race of one-eyed giants who ate humans.

Strange world of island species


The row has been brewing almost as long as Steve Job #39;s computer outfit existed. In 1978 Apple Records sued Jobs and got an agreement that Apple Computer would never enter the music business.

Apple could pay more to Apple


Argentina #39;s leftist president called IMF head Rodrigo Rato an old-style  quot;plantation owner quot; for trying to force the South American country to swallow free-market reforms as a condition for aid.

Argentina Leader Calls IMF Head  #39;Plantation Owner #39;


Two Muslims charged over the 2002 train attack on Hindu pilgrims that sparked religious riots in Gujarat are freed.

Muslim suspects in Gujarat freed


Starbucks Coffee today announced the national launch of the Hear Music media bar. This new service, powered by HP technology, allows Starbucks customers to create personalized CD compilations and burn full

Starbucks : Rip Music While Drinking Coffee


International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said here on Saturday that they accept thehuman error in judging or refereeing but never tolerate any manipulation.

Rogge: IOC accepts human error not manipulation in judging


LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices fell nearly \$3 a barrel  on Wednesday, shedding 6 percent, as a larger-than-expected  build in U.S. heating stocks soothed worries about a winter  fuel deficit.

Oil Sheds \$3 Heating Oil Supplies Rise


Gateway on Friday unveiled a PC designed to stay cool even when handling applications that use a lot of power. The 700GR computer features Intel #39;s balanced technology extended, or BTX, architecture, in which

Gateway PC keeps it cool


TheDeal.com - The wireless content delivery company gets a third institutional round of funding, bringing total venture investment to  #36;46 million.

Motricity pulls in  #36;27M after merger (TheDeal.com)


GAZA CITY (AFP) -- Eight Palestinian schoolboys and one of their teachers were wounded on Sunday after Israeli troops opened fire at their primary school in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources said.

Six pupils injured by Israeli tank shell in Gaza school <b>...</b>


NEW YORK As oil prices surge again, moving above the 55 dollars-per-barrel mark, stocks prices are struggling. The Dow Jones industrial average is down 31 points at 98-hundred-34.

High oil prices results in lower stock prices


It might have been the last Fenway Park game of the magical 2004 season. And if it was, there'll be a parade in Boston sometime before Election Day . . . perhaps the grandest celebration in 374 years of Hub history.

Heading west 2 games up


There were an estimated 63 million broadband users, or 51 of all home Internet users, last month compared with 61.3 million dial-up users, 49 of the total, according to a survey by NetRatings Inc.

NetRatings survey shows broadband users now a majority in U.S.


Chinese palaeontologists have uncovered the most complete fossil yet of an ancestral tyrannosaur, and found that filamentary protofeathers covered its body.

T. rex descended from feathered ancestor


PALESTINIAN leader Yasser Arafat, under treatment in a French hospital, is in a coma, but not brain dead. Ms Leila Shahid, the Palestinian envoy to France, strongly denied reports in French and Israeli media

Arafat in coma, critical


Chad will appoint auditors to investigate oil production by a US-Malaysia consortium after President Idriss Deby #39;s office accused the companies of cheating Africa #39;s newest oil producer out of much-needed foreign currency, an official said Friday.

Chad, US-Malaysian Oil Group Disagree


When it comes to rebounding and the Celtics, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the first two games of the season, the Celtics struggled on the glass after briefly improving their performance in that area during the preseason.

Puzzled by the board game


AP - Insisting it was time for peace between Pakistan and India, Pakistan's prime minister said Wednesday that the two nuclear-armed rivals had the chance to

Aziz Says Pakistan Wants Peace With India (AP)


JAKARTA, 29 October 2004 - Indonesian Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir went on trial yesterday accused of leading an Al-Qaeda-linked network and of planning or inciting others to carry out attacks in the worlds most populous Muslim nation.

Indonesian Court Opens Bashirs Trial


The main rivals of Afghan President Hamid Karzai swallowed their bitterness on Thursday over cases of vote fraud and accepted defeat a day after a UN-Afghan election panel declared Karzai the winner of a historic Oct. 9 election.

Afghan opposition accepts Karzai #39;s victory


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore has questioned a U.S.  government assessment that it has become a sex slave center and  asked Washington to back its charges with evidence.

Singapore Rejects U.S. Sex Slavery Charges


The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were to play only one game of their scheduled doubleheader Monday. The first game was postponed because Tampa Bay was delayed leaving Florida because of Hurricane Frances.

Doubleheader trimmed to one game


CHICAGO (Reuters) - WellPoint Health Networks Inc. <A HREF=

WellPoint Health Profit Up on Premiums


AP - Rats can become drug addicts. That's important to know, scientists say, and has taken a long time to prove. Now two studies by French and British researchers show the animals exhibit the same compulsive drive for cocaine as people do once they're truly hooked.

Studies Find Rats Can Get Hooked on Drugs (AP)


HONG KONG Air China, the nation #39;s biggest international carrier, has raised 8.36 billion Hong Kong dollars, or \$1.08 billion, in an initial public offering after pricing its shares at the high end of a target range, bankers involved in the sale said

Air China raises \$1 billion in share offering


Never in the University of Wisconsin football programs 115-year history have the Badgers been 10-0. That could happen today in East Lansing, Mich.

Badgers fans hyped about teams undefeated season


AFP - Britain's highest court of appeal was due to rule on whether foreign nationals can be detained indefinitely without trial in the country, a case with sweeping constitutional and security implications.

Court of appeal to make key ruling on terror suspects' detention (AFP)


America's second largest airline announces widespread pay cuts as it strives to emerge from bankruptcy.

United Airlines imposes wage cuts


Coming into this middleweight title bout, which turned out to be more mega-event than mega-fight, Oscar De La Hoya called Bernard Hopkins a bully.

Charitable champ takes it easy on De La Hoya


KELLER, Texas--Rick Montey and his two-worker crew want to present a new image of the local phone company: prompt, friendly and hands-on helpful.

Phone line alchemy: Copper into fiber


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Finley had 26 points and Dirk  Nowitzki added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Dallas  Mavericks crushed their state rivals, the Houston Rockets,  102-78 in National Basketball Association play Saturday.

NBA Wrap: Finley, Nowitzki Lead Mavs Over Rockets


India News: New Delhi, Nov 15 : India will give its  quot;best shot quot; in the upcoming talks with Pakistan, but the country should not expect miracles, External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh said Monday.

Don #39;t expect miracles: Natwar Singh:


BALTIMORE--Radio frequency identification may be a hot topic among tech types these days, but proponents of the technology gathered here this week are keeping their exuberance in check.

RFID gets a reality check


German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder #39;s Social Democrats slumped to their worst result in 44 years in the western state of Saarland on Sunday as voters punished the party for its painful economic reforms.

Schroeder #39;s SPD Routed in Saarland, Far Right Gains


AP - Nearly all the senior officials who came to office with President Bush still are on the job. But a big exodus and a Cabinet reshuffling seem likely if he wins a second term.

Bush May See Cabinet Exodus if Re-Elected (AP)


Casual Male caters to a big clientele but has to overcome a hefty debt load.

Casual Male's Uphill Climb


A federal jury in New York has dealt a legal blow to Sun Microsystems Inc., ruling that Sun violated several patents held by Eastman Kodak Co. when it developed its Java technology, a Kodak spokeswoman confirmed on Monday.

Kodak wins patent lawsuit against Sun


_ A pitcher for the Cleveland Indians is hospitalized in Kansas City after being shot in the leg on the team bus after last night #39;s game.

Indians Pitcher Shot


NEW YORK (Reuters) -  When the violent video game

'Grand Theft Auto' Seen Breaking Games Sales Record


A militant group claiming to have kidnapped three foreign election workers in Afghanistan told news agencies Saturday that the hostages would be killed unless all Taliban

Rebels threaten to kill kidnapped election workers


AP - One of Congo's four vice presidents announced Monday he was boycotting the country's national unity government, saying genocide was being committed against his ethnic Tutsi kinsmen and questioning the success of peace accords ending the country's civil war.

Congo VP Boycots National Unity Government (AP)


Reuters - Two major offshore wind farms in Denmark\are giving the lie to fears that birds are being killed by\flying into the huge vanes of such installations, a conference\heard on Thursday.

Birds Not Being Killed by Wind Farms -Ecologist (Reuters)


Summary - (Oct 25, 2004) NASA #39;s Cassini spacecraft will make its first close approach tomorrow to Titan, Saturn #39;s largest moon.

Cassini #39;s First Titan Flyby Tomorrow


TORONTO (CP) - Sears Canada Inc. has dismissed Mark Cohen as chairman and chief executive officer, citing  quot;strategic differences quot; between him and the board of directors.

Sears Canada sacks chairman-CEO Mark Cohen over  #39;strategic <b>...</b>


US FORCES poised to storm Falluja carried out the heaviest bombing of the rebel-held city in months yesterday while insurgents killed more than 30 people in diversionary attacks on other Iraqi towns.

US troops poised for assault on Falluja


ATHENS, Greece -- The International Gymnastics Federation said it won #39;t request a duplicate gold medal or change the results in American Paul Hamm #39;s disputed victory in the all- around event at the Olympics.

Second gold medal won #39;t be awarded


PalmOne will offer a free memory card to address the problem.

New File System Constrains Treo 650 Storage Capacity


Reuters - President Bush and Democratic Sen.\John Kerry battled over health care, jobs and taxes in their\final debate on Wednesday, with Bush criticizing Kerry's\

Bush and Kerry Clash on Taxes, Health Care (Reuters)


Yahoos CEO Terry Semel told an investment conference yesterday that Yahoo too would be putting out a desktop search tool for searching computer desktops and harddrives using the backbone of Yahoo Search Technology.

Yahoo Desktop Search Will Be a Reality


Fabio Capello was disappointed at the end of the 2-2 draw at San Siro against Inter as the Bianconeri threw away a two goal lead. The Juve coach was mostly upset with the way the Nerazzurri equalized in the

Capello Applauds Vieri


ISN SECURITY WATCH (20/10/04) - Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri tendered his cabinets resignation on Wednesday and said he would not head a new government.

Hariri resigns, wont head new Lebanese cabinet


SEATTLE (Reuters) - Novell Inc. sued Microsoft Corp.  <A HREF=

Novell Sues Microsoft Over WordPerfect Software


A day later, Simone Edwards could not get over the sellout KeyArena crowd of 17,072 that saw the Seattle Storm beat Connecticut, 67-65, in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals on Sunday.

Winning equals sales


AFP - Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, daughter of the late Democratic president John Kennedy, urged Republican President George W. Bush not to invoke her father's name in his campaigning against Democratic rival John Kerry.

Caroline Kennedy tells Bush to stop invoking JFK (AFP)


Marco Antonio Barrera has claimed the WBC super-featherweight title with a majority points win over old adversary Erik Morales at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

BARRERA EDGES AHEAD IN MORALES TRILOGY


After a year in development Mozilla Firefox has finally reached version 1.0, and this Preview Release has recently been made available.

Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Preview Release


Two tiny moons orbiting Saturn -- each measuring around two miles in diameter -- are the latest discovery of the Cassini spacecraft. They are located between the orbits of moons Mimas and Enceladus, a surprise to scientists who thought such ...

Cassini Probe Discovers Tiny Saturnian Moons


The European commission threatened yesterday to suspend development funds to Greece in response to Athens #39;s admission that it had disguised the extent of the country #39;s debts in order to join the euro.

Greece #39;s funding under threat


For the city, the team #39;s WNBA championship was the first major professional title for a local franchise in a generation. It #39;s time tomorrow for a downtown civic celebration -- much like the one with the Sonics in 1979.

Championship season


Temple-Inland Inc. (TIN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of packaging and building materials, on Monday said it will lay off about 1,500 employees as it repositions its mortgage

UPDATE 3-Temple-Inland Inc. says to cut 1,500 jobs


quot;I don #39;t know anything about the leadership struggles, it #39;s not in the newspapers, quot; said newsstand vendor Shao Guofu.

Chinese in the dark as leaders gather


SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Matching job growth and economic growth are key to the Fed #39;s pace of raising short-term interest rates, Janet Yellen, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, said in an interview published Sunday.

Yellen focuses on employment


Guidant Corp. (GDT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it has resolved manufacturing and design problems that caused tiny fractures in its experimental

UPDATE 3-Guidant resolves Champion stent issues


Automaking giant DaimlerChrysler AG said Thursday it earned 951 million euros (\$1.18 billion) in the third quarter on good performances from its financial services division and its US Chrysler arm, rebounding from a 1.7 billion euro loss a year ago when

Update 4: DaimlerChrysler Posts \$1.27B Net Profit


The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded \$4 million in grants to study the health and environmental risks posed by manufactured nanomaterials -- the new and invisibly tiny materials that

EPA Backs Nanomaterial Safety Research


BEIJING: A group of North Korean refugees attempted to enter a South Korean consulate building in Beijing but only three managed to take shelter inside, South Korean officials and media said.

North Korean refugees enter South Korean consulate in Beijing


Indian truckers have called off their weeklong strike to protest a service tax after reaching an agreement with the government, the finance ministry said Saturday.

Indian Truckers Call Off Strike


PalmSource is to create a new version of the Palm OS with Linux at its core, the company said today after announcing a plan to buy Chinese phone software company China MobileSoft (CMS #39;).

PalmSource to build Palm OS on Linux


ROME Italy expressed disgust and outrage on Friday after an Italian journalist held hostage by a radical Islamic group in Iraq was executed.

Italy voices outrage at execution of hostage


DURHAM, NC -- Two students from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics will split \$100,000 in scholarship money. The award is a prize for their cancer research.

Two NCSSM Students Win National Team Science Competition


WASHINGTON, Oct 10 (AFP) - Record-high oil prices are a drag on the US economy, Treasury Secretary John Snow said Sunday, but predicted that prices would ease because current levels were out of line with market fundamentals.

High oil prices create  #39;headwinds #39; for US economy: treasury <b>...</b>


KAKA and Ronaldo hit two goals each as Brazil held their lead in the South America World Cup qualifiers after a comfortable win at Venezuela during a match twice interrupted by fans running onto the pitch.

Brazil fans invade pitch


Tiger Telematics Inc acquired the UK headquartered company Integra SP and its real-time front end product AltioLive. This technology will be used to establish its new product line, codenamed Bizmondo.

Tiger Telematics acquires Integra SP to invest on smartphone


Poor ticket sales are threatening the future of the annual Elvis Presley Festival in the late star's home town.

US Presley festival under threat


AP - Longer and more intense heat waves throughout California in the decades ahead will lead to more heat-related deaths in several major cities, according to a new report.

Report: Heat to Cause More Calif. Deaths (AP)


Hundreds of thousands of priceless antique books were feared destroyed or badly damaged yesterday by a fire that swept through a 16th century German palace.

#39;Soul of Germany #39; is devastated by blaze


MOSCOW : The Russian state will maintain some restrictions on foreign ownership in gas giant Gazprom after the liberalisation of its shareholding structure, a top minister said.

Russia to keep some state limits on foreign ownership of Gazprom


AP - Russian President Vladimir Putin sharply criticized the United States on Friday, accusing it of a double-standard in fighting terrorism and questioning whether any election in Iraq can be democratic when fighting is raging in the country.

Putin Accuses U.S. of Double Standard (AP)


AFP - A US Army deserter said the one thing he did right during his 40 years in North Korea was to leave the country, which was training his daughters as spies, in an interview published.

Deserter regrets 40 years in NKorea (AFP)


NEW YORK - The blue-chip Dow average ended slightly lower, while the tech-driven Nasdaq inched higher on Tuesday as investors waited for hints from the Federal Reserve about the pace of interest-rate increases on Wednesday.

US stocks: Dow dips, Nasdaq up in wait for word on rates


Following the release Tuesday of a new interoperable version of Linux, analysts said the standard should go along way towards preventing a serious roadblock to widespread acceptance of Linux

Linux Standard Base Takes on Industry Fragmentation


In Thursday #39;s two NLDS Game 2 matchups, Dodgers starter Jeff Weaver has a tough assignment vs. St. Louis, while the Astros aim to take a commanding series lead over Atlanta with their second Cy Young candidate on the mound in as many days.

ESPN.com #39;s Pitching Preview  2004 MLB Playoffs


African Union-sponsored talks on the conflict in Sudan #39;s western Darfur region have stalled over the crucial issue of disarmament.

Darfur Talks Stall Over Disarmament


Not too long ago, Google Inc seemed little more than a nuisance to Microsoft Corp #39;s software domination. No more. As Google rapidly rolls out new products, the company best known for its wildly popular search

Google muscles in on Microsoft turf


A better-than-expected profit outlook from Ford juiced up trading on Wall Street, with gains capped by a lackluster reading on consumer sentiment and a fresh rise in oil prices.

Wall Street gets lift from Ford outlook, shrugs off oil spike


NEW YORK - Toyota Motor Corp said Thursday it will double the supply of its Prius hybrid cars to the US market to 100,000 vehicles a year in 2005.

Toyota to double US supply of Priuses to 100,000


AP - A Florida-style nightmare has unfolded in North Carolina in the 10 days since Election Day, with thousands of votes missing and the outcome of two statewide races still up in the air.

N.C. Voting System Has Many Failures (AP)


BAR dashed Briton Anthony Davidson #39;s hopes of racing for Formula One rivals Williams on Wednesday. A month after they fended off the BMW-powered team #39;s bid for highly-rated

BAR Dashes Davidson #39;s Williams Hopes


This week, IBM said it is selling off most of its PC division to Lenovo, China #39;s No. 1 PC maker. The news is likely to rattle IBM customers - but it may end up benefiting them long term.

Sale of IBM unit doesn #39;t mean ThinkPads will cease to exist


AP - Because President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry were deemed too divisive for the annual Alfred E. Smith political dinner, the crowd heard from former President Bush and former New York Gov. Hugh Carey instead.

Smith Political Dinner Gets Bush, Carey (AP)


Mahmoud Abbas, the new chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization, stood at the door of the Egyptian military helicopter and implored the frenzied crowd to move back.

Chaos marks Arafat burial


AGAIN, Nigeria walks the path of conflict that is not only unnecessary and avoidable, it is potentially harmful and disruptive to the nations social, economic and political stability.

Every reform has its limits


OTTAWA -- Finance Minister Ralph Goodale says he #39;s looking at another round of tax cuts after revealing the federal government posted a \$9.

\$9-billion surplus puts tax cuts on gov #39;t agenda


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Citizens' groups, residents and some  Washington, D.C., councilmen on Tuesday protested Mayor Anthony  Williams' proposed \$440 million baseball stadium plan, calling  it a

D.C. Councilmen, Residents Protest Baseball Plan


Loss-making MG Rover has already received millions of pounds from Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, the Chinese carmaker with which it is negotiating a strategic alliance.

MG Rover tanks up with Shanghai cash


With a combined 38.5 million customers, the new company formed by a Sprint and Nextel merger would move closer to frontrunner Cingular, which now has some 47 million customers following its

Sprint, Nextel May Merge


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran is prepared to keep uranium  enrichment activities frozen as long as nuclear negotiations  continue with the EU, but those talks should not last too long,  Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani said Tuesday.

Nuclear Freeze Talks Must Not Last Too Long - Iran


washingtonpost.com - The idea of penning a blog to cover the Republican National Convention isn't so unique after all.

Bloggers Blanket Republican Convention (washingtonpost.com)


The FCC ruled that Vonage #39;s broadband telephony service is not subject to traditional state public utility regulation and asserted its federal authority over VoIP.

FCC Rules Vonage is Not Subject to State Jurisdiction


Rebels in southern Sudan say they want to complete a peace agreement with the government in talks starting in Kenya on October 7 and accuse Khartoum of trying to delay the process to gain time.

Rebels suspect Sudan dragging feet


LSU Coach Nick Saban said Wednesday he had met with officials of the Miami Dolphins to discuss that team #39;s head coaching job. There was no indication whether an offer had been made or accepted.

Saban admits meeting with Dolphins


Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: SEMPO Next Steps   Mike Grehan's Second SEMPO Article - Overture Bidding Cap - PPC Question for Merchants - SEO Firm Ordered to Refund Fees, Pay Fine - Tracking Past Links   Traffic? - Google Settles Overture Patent Dispute - Advice on Site Structure

Search Engine Forums Spotlight


AP - Federal biologists evaluating the effects of shifting millions of gallons of water to Southern California from rivers in the north were ordered by their superiors to revise a conclusion that the plan would hurt endangered salmon, a newspaper reported Saturday.

Report: Feds Ordered Salmon Study Rewrite (AP)


Tiny triple-mode adapter could mean smart phones with wireless Ethernet as a standard feature.

Wi-Fi a/b/g superchip threatens Bluetooth


SANTIAGO, Chile -- Court-appointed doctors who examined retired General Augusto Pinochet are split on whether the former dictator's health allows him to stand trial on human rights charges, according to reports made public yesterday.

Doctors split on Pinochet's mental state


Lebanon, once a byword for terrorism, has turned into the destination of choice for wealthy families from the Mideast.

Since 9/11, Rich Arabs Again Frolic in Lebanon


Mel 1 is based on a cell that can grow exact copies of itself, and which can be used to make any kind of cell in the human body. Once established, a cell line can be grown in the laboratory indefinitely.

Stem Cell Research Offered Free of Charge


ATI Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ATYT)(TSX:ATY), the global leader in PC graphics, has broadened its offerings for PC gamers and extended its performance lead with the introduction of a family of powerful new graphics processors.

ATI Raises Performance Bar Once Again with New Additions to RADEON <b>...</b>


Apple Computer Inc., whose iTunes Web sites make up world #39;s largest online music store, said it opened a version of the service for Canadian customers.

Apple Brings iTunes Music Downloading to Canada at Lower Price


With a faint air of desperation, David Coulthard has told Williams that he is the best man to be Mark Webbers team-mate in 2005.

Coulthard tries to sell himself to Williams


AFP - The Washington Post endorsed John Kerry for president in an editorial, saying the choice was not an easy one but that President George W. Bush had not earned a second term in office.

Washington Post backs John Kerry for president (AFP)


Qwest Communications International Inc. (QN: Quote, Profile, Research) has agreed to pay \$250 million to settle financial and disclosure fraud charges, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.

Qwest to Settle with SEC for \$250 Million


SOLO, Indonesia (Reuters) - Rescue teams searched areas  around a central Indonesia airport Wednesday for survivors and  victims of a plane crash that police said killed at least 31  people and left 47 unaccounted for.

Teams Scour Indonesia Plane Crash Site for Survivors


November 12, 2004 - Marvel is suing City of Heroes publisher NCsoft and developer Cryptic Studios reports a recent article in USA Today.

Marvel Sues City of Heroes Dev, Publisher


DETROIT - US auto sales rose 2.2 percent in October as Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. led Asian automakers to a record 35.

US auto sales rise in October


Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green said last week that his team #39;s offensive system was the best in the league. Apparently the rest of the league never received the memo.

McCown benched; Cardinals offense continues to struggle


NEW YORK (Reuters) - J.P. Morgan Chase   Co. <A HREF=

JPMorgan to Buy Stake in Highbridge Fund


PRETORIA (Reuters) - Thousands of civil servants marched in  cities across South Africa Thursday in a one-day strike over  wages seen as a test of will between the ruling African  National Congress (ANC) and its labor allies.

S.Africa Public Sector Unions Strike Over Wages


Scientists are about to get their first really close and revealing look at Titan, the invitingly mysterious giant moon of Saturn. The Cassini spacecraft is

NASA Prepares to Spy on a Satellite


AP - The Institutional Revolutionary Party won nearly every Mexican election for seven decades. Thrown into disarray after President Vicente Fox knocked it from power four years ago, the party has recovered  #151; and is again becoming tough to beat at the ballot box.

Mexico's Former Ruling Party on the Rise (AP)


AP - Raw canola oil can combine with a fungus to get rid of grasshoppers, a researcher says. Stefan Jaronski, who works at the Agricultural Research Service in Sidney, Mont., has found that the raw canola oil has fatty acids that will attract grasshoppers to deadly fungi known as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae.

Researcher: Canola Oil Kills Grasshoppers (AP)


AP - Labor Department staff, analyzing statistics from private economists, report in an internal memo that President Bush is likely to do

Labor Memo Suggests Bush to Win Election (AP)


The nation #39;s system for ensuring that drugs are safe faces perhaps its biggest crisis in years, with the disclosures that federal regulators and drug giant Merck allowed Vioxx

Senate panel to scrutinize FDA over Vioxx review


AP - Johhny Warren, who captained Australia in 1974 in its only World Cup soccer appearance, died from cancer Saturday at 61.

Former Aussie Soccer Captain Warren Dies (AP)


The US has earmarked \$24 million annually to support human rights groups in North Korea.

N. Korea refugees get US nod


(Sports Network) - Ben Wallace will return to fold for Detroit tonight, when the Pistons begin a tough three-game homestand against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Ancira GMC Pontiac Buick


(Sports Network) - Tracy McGrady scored a game-high 25 points and added six rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets over the Atlanta Hawks, 92-69, on Wednesday at the Toyota Center.

Houston Rockets Team Report - December 16


McDonald #39;s Corp., the world #39;s largest restaurant chain, said CEO and President Charlie Bell has resigned to focus on his fight against cancer.

INDUSTRY REPORT: Food  McDonald #39;s CEO resigns


Presient Bush swept through battleground state Florida yesterday as his campaign launched an attack ad linking John Kerry to Fidel Castro.

W: Kerry an in-fidel


AP - Police arrested a radical Muslim cleric Thursday on suspicion of preparing or instigating

Britain Arrests Radical Cleric Al-Masri (AP)


Britains big football leagues and daily newspapers are circling each other in a showdown over game photos on Internet sites.

Clash Over Internet Sports Photos


AP - Sharp Electronics Corp. plans to stop selling its Linux-based handheld computer in the United States, another sign of the slowing market for personal digital assistants.

Sharp to Stop Selling PDA in U.S. (AP)


Wherever people are given the opportunity to select their leaders for the first time, they will embrace it. They defy all odds - violence, threats, the elements, logistical problems - to have their say.

Afghans need time, world #39;s continued help


Drugmaker Pfizer Inc (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday said it may consider launching its own generic version of epilepsy drug Neurontin after a patent hearing ended on Thursday with no ruling.

Pfizer: May Make Own Generic of Neurontin


AFP - Bosnian Serb police detained eight suspects wanted by the UN war crimes court, the first such arrests since the end of the 1992-95 conflict, police and court sources said.

Bosnian Serb police detain eight war crimes suspects (AFP)


Security service was discontinued because of compatibility problems with Windows.

HP Shelves Virus Throttler


On a normal school day, Amber Charles carries her books, a bag, perhaps a spot of lunch. Today she carries the hopes of the nation.

Girl who carries Britain #39;s hopes for Games


The European Union wants to sign a trade and aid pact to ease Syria #39;s diplomatic isolation, but only on condition it agrees to renounce weapons of mass destruction, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said yesterday.

EU insists on WMD clause in accord with Syria


NOVEMBER 10, 2004 (TECHWORLD.COM) - LONDON - A new Trojan horse is circulating that hijacks PCs and uses them to send SMS-based spam to mobile phones.

Trojan spams Russian mobile phones


Short-term interest rate futures rallied on Thursday after a weaker-than-expected Philadelphia Fed factory survey made a pause in official rate increases look more possible.

US rate futures rally after Philly Fed flop


Hynix Semiconductor Inc., the world #39;s second-largest maker of computer-memory chips, said profit quadrupled in the third-quarter and will rise in the current period on increased demand for its products.

Hynix Profit Soars, Forecasts Better Fourth Quarter (Update4)


More than 60 suspected mercenaries are to appeal against their convictions in Zimbabwe over a coup plot.

'Mercenaries' appeal in Zimbabwe


I.B.M. is planning to close its employee pension plan to new employees at the end of the year and give all new workers a 401(k) plan instead.

I.B.M. Prepares Substitution for Pensions of New Hires


Cellular communications hardware maker Sony Ericsson on Monday announced a new quad-band PC card compatible with both Windows and Mac-based laptop computers that enables them to communicate with EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) cellular data

Sony Ericsson to offer EDGE/Wi-Fi combo PC card


Casey sank the winning putt to beat Spain #39;s Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez by one stroke as England finished with a 31-under-par total of 257.

Casey and Donald seal World Cup win


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Wednesday as  Hurricane Ivan's effect on crude output and refineries in the  Gulf of Mexico balanced OPEC's attempts to reassure traders  with a four percent output ceiling hike.

Oil Steady as Ivan Balances OPEC Hike


Pocket DJ 5 undercuts price of iPod Mini music player. Consumer push also includes plasma-screen TVs.

Dell grapples with Apple in Mini arena


Some consumer advocates are worried new check regulations that go into effect today will catch consumers by surprise. Checks will now be cleared electronically, reducing the amount of time

New Check Regulations Go Into Effect Today


Deutsche Bank AG and Thomas Weisel Partners LLC will pay a total of \$100 million to settle allegations they published misleading stock research to win investment-banking business, becoming

Deutsche Bank, Weisel to Pay \$100 Mln to End Probe (Update1)


The 51-year-old Scot has been given the St James #39; Park job after his predecessor was shown the door following a poor run of results.

Souness appointed Newcastle manager


The company is also offering a free tool to convert photos stored in other formats to the new Digital Negative specification.

Adobe offers standard for raw photo formats


Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - Winnipeg police have arrested 35 alleged members and associates of a gang with close ties to the Hells Angels in a raid they believe will put a significant dent in the group's drug operation.

Winnipeg police arrest 35 people in raid on Hells Angels puppet club (Canadian Press)


The manner in which the Cavaliers pull their offensive linemen has been a key to their ground attack's success this season.

Cavs Big Men Move


NEW YORK -- An income tax benefit narrowed Computer Associates International Inc #39;s loss dramatically in the second quarter. The company reported Wednesday a net loss of \$96 million, or 16 cents per share, but

Tax cut shrinks Computer Associates loss


MONTREAL A series of errors and misunderstandings led to the botched drug test that resulted in Tyler Hamilton, the American cyclist, retaining his gold medal from the Athens Olympics, the World Anti-Doping Agency has said in a report.

Doping case was flawed, report finds


AP - Anthony Davis rushed for two touchdowns and No. 6 Wisconsin beat Northwestern 24-12 Saturday with star defensive end Erasmus James and his pass-rushing partner Jonathan Welsh on the sideline.

No. 6 Wisconsin Downs Northwestern 24-12 (AP)


Crude oil prices fell Tuesday as traders expected that an upcoming government report would show rising inventories of heating oil.

Crude oil prices fall on optimism about heating oil supplies


AP - Beginning to put his team in place for his second term, President Bush decided to keep Andy Card as White House chief of staff, retaining an unflappable veteran of the Reagan and first Bush presidencies.

Bush Keeps Card As Chief of Staff (AP)


A decline in oil prices is giving some stocks a modest boost. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 9 points in today #39;s early going.

Stocks Climb on Decline in Oil Prices


GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Sports Network) - Steve Spurrier will  not coach the Florida Gators again after he withdrew his name  from consideration in the process to select a new head football  coach at the university.

Spurrier Withdraws Name from Florida Vacancy


IBM has unveiled its first ThinkPad notebook computer that comes equipped with a built-in fingerprint reader. Select models of the ThinkPad T42 are equipped with the integrated fingerprint reader.

IBM announces ThinkPad with fingerprint reader


Reuters - Aircraft maker Airbus \insisted on Thursday it had no intention of taking sides in a\Microsoft  anti-trust case, even though it filed a\brief in an EU court on the software giant's side.

Airbus Denies Backing Microsoft in EU Case (Reuters)


AP - Lou Holtz will retire as coach at South Carolina after the season, The Associated Press learned Thursday night, apparently paving the way for Steve Spurrier to replace him.

AP: Holtz to Retire, Spurrier May Get Job (AP)


AP - China can manage to slow its roaring economy to a sustainable level, but only if it avoids loosening curbs on lending and investment too quickly, the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday.

IMF Says China Able to Slow Economy (AP)


BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. military officials and representatives of rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held talks Sunday aimed at reducing violence in the restive Baghdad slum of Sadr City, a day after clashes there killed 10 people, officials said...

Iraqis, U.S. Officials Meet in Peace Bid


Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its hostile takeover offer for rival software company PeopleSoft Inc.

UPDATE 2-Oracle raises PeopleSoft offer, sets deadline


The ZigBee Alliance, an industry standards group dedicated to promoting low-power wireless networks, ratified the first ZigBee specification this week.

ZigBee low-power wireless standard ratified


KABUL, Afghanistan -- Weekend counting shows interim President Hamid Karzai is well ahead of his rivals and on course to become Afghanistan #39;s first popularly elected leader.

Karzai well ahead in Afghan tally


Tottenham has held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw, while Everton beat Middlesbrough 1-0 and Newcastle downed Southampton 2-1. Chelsea dominated the contest at Stamford Bridge, but with England goalkeeper Paul Robinson

Blues held by Spurs, Toffees win again


AP - A 4-year-old girl at the center of a trans-Atlantic custody battle that drew attention at the highest levels of French government was turned over to her American father on Friday.

U.S. Dad Wins Custody Battle in France (AP)


A double from top scorer John Hartson - his 14th and 15th goals of the Scottish Premier League season - fired Celtic back to the top of the SPL table for 24 hours at least on Saturday afternoon.

Hartson double boosts Celts


Say what you like about the West Indies cricketers, but they know how to celebrate a triumph. One of world cricket #39;s most famous and colourful sides, the West Indies awakened from their lengthy

48 Hours: Calypso back in the rhythm


The following story contains the latest information known as of 23:30 CET on Monday, and will be updated as new information comes in.

Macedonians Killed in Iraq; For What


CBC SPORTS ONLINE - After adding slugging third baseman Troy Glaus at baseball #39;s winter meetings, the Arizona Diamondbacks have turned their attention to pitching.

Diamondbacks add free-agent Ortiz


HOUSTON (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors on Monday charged  five former natural gas traders with reporting fake prices to  industry publications in a bid to manipulate commodity prices.

Five Former Natural Gas Traders Charged


Campaigning was never going to be easy for opposition Labor Party leader Mark Latham: an Australian economy into its 13th year of expansion, interest rates at their lowest in 30 years, inflation in check an close race likely to be decided in just a

Australia #39;s Labor Party faces uphill battle in election campaign


The ever-widening Balco scandal has sent new shockwaves through baseball, as it emerged that Barry Bonds, arguably the best player in the game, had used suspicious substances

Drugs in Sport: Baseball rocked by Bonds and Giambi admissions


Standard  amp; Poor #39;s on Friday raised Brazil #39;s much awaited sovereign credit rating to  quot;BB-minus quot; from  quot;B-plus quot; due to improved fiscal policies.

UPDATE 1-S amp;P raises Brazil sovereign rating to  quot;BB- quot;


Krispy Kreme #39;s quarterly results fell sharply for the third consecutive quarter as sluggish sales and an intensifying government investigation raised concerns yesterday about whether the glaze was permanently off the once-hot pastry maker.

Krispy Kreme results have holes


The threat of \$50 a barrel for the New York price seemed very real last month, but in the end it turned out to be a near miss. Still, there is plenty for Opec to think about as the group #39;s energy ministers gather in Vienna.

Opec #39;s delicate balancing act


EAGLE, Colo. -- The rape case against Kobe Bryant finally fell to pieces shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday, when his accuser called District Attorney Mark Hurlbert to say she had had enough and would no longer cooperate. The call set in motion a series of events that ended with the charges being thrown out little more than eight hours later.

Bryant case seen as plagued from start


Forty years is a long time. It #39;s a long time if you #39;re in the desert with Moses -- by Biblical reckoning, the first man to fail to ask for directions -- and it #39;s a long time

Football takes on added meaning at Navy


The Unites States space agency NASA has unveiled the world #39;s fastest supercomputer at its Ames Research Centre in California, where India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla worked for years, in honour of the seven crew members of spacecraft Columbia which

Now, NASA supercomputer is  #39;fastest #39;


Statements issued yesterday by the Irish rider, Cian O #39;Connor, and his solicitor, Andrew Coonan, have confirmed the presence of forbidden substances in a blood sample taken from the horse

Equestrianism: O #39;Connor to lose gold as drug test confirmed <b>...</b>


MacCentral - Virginia Tech's all-Mac System X supercomputer, installed at the university's Terascale Computing Facility, made headlines last year when it was determined to be the third-fastest supercomputer in the world. System X has been upgraded to Apple Computer Inc.'s Xserve G5 server and now runs even faster, with a sustained speed of 12.25 trillion operations per second -- 19 percent faster than before.

System X supercomputer speeds up almost 20 percent (MacCentral)


Crude oil futures gained Friday as traders worried that labor unrest in Nigeria might cause fresh supply disruptions. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil for December

Crude oil prices rise on concerns over labor unrest in Nigeria


The Commerce Department says personal spending was flat, while incomes surged four-tenths of one percent, marking the biggest increase in three months.

Initial jobless claims rose in the latest week


South African gold miner Harmony yesterday sought to rubbish a secret plot by rival and bid target Gold Fields to scupper its \$8.1billion (4.35billion) hostile offer.

Harmony dismisses Gold Fields #39; defence


AP - It worked for the St. Louis Rams last week, so Wednesday was another good day for full-contact scrimmaging.

Rams Hold Another Physical Workout (AP)


About 3000 Palestinians, some holding images of Ammar Hassan, gather in the West Bank to watch the final of the Arab Superstar contest.

Palestinians lament Arab Idol outcome


TEMPE, Ariz. -- Andrew Walter passed for 332 yards and five touchdowns in his final home game last night and No. 20 Arizona State rolled past Washington State, 45-28.

Walter shines in home finale


MUMBAI: Japan #39;s Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell for the first day in four after brokerages cut their ratings on the companies, citing concern that earnings growth may slow.

Stock benchmarks in Asia fall


AP - Former Computer Associates International Inc. chief executive Sanjay Kumar has been charged with securities fraud conspiracy and obstruction of justice in connection with a multibillion dollar accounting scandal at the software company.

Ex-Computer Associates CEO Kumar Indicted (AP)


Frightened Westerners - many of them longtime residents of this former African economic success story - piled into buses, boats and planes Saturday as a French-run evacuation built, despite government promises to protect the expatriates from a surge of

Foreigners Continue to Flee Ivory Coast


GONAIVES, Haiti - Workers dug new mass graves for corpses that still littered this flood-ravaged city Thursday as the death toll from Tropical Storm Jeanne rose to more than 1,070 and residents grew increasingly agitated from a lack of food and drinkable water.    Health workers feared an epidemic from the unburied bodies, raw sewage in drinking water and infections from injuries...

Haiti Storm Death Toll Could Reach 2,000


NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 24: At their first meeting here this morning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh popped the question to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

PM asks whats the way out? General says I will get back


A federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit by newspaper publisher Hollinger International Inc. seeking \$1.25 billion from ex-CEO Conrad Black and other former company executives, but left the door open for key charges to be refiled.

Racketeering Suit Dismissed Against Conrad Black


AP - President Bush and first lady Laura Bush are involved in a little he-said, she-said business here at the presidential ranch.

Bush Begins Weeklong Stay at Texas Ranch (AP)


Today the US Department of Justice launched an assault on P2P filesharing. Using search warrants, they searched five homes and the offices of one ISP.

Department Of Justice raids P2P users homes


Australian troops in Baghdad came under attack today for the first time since the end of the Iraq war when a car bomb exploded injuring three soldiers and damaging an Australian armoured convoy.

Australia targeted for first time in Iraq car bomb


The New York Yankees withdrew Tuesday their request that a postponed game with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays be forfeited, and Major League Baseball announced the game would be made up as part of a doubleheader Wednesday.

Yankees withdraw forfeit request, game rescheduled as part of <b>...</b>


Business India: Mumbai, Oct 26 : India #39;s growth forecast for the current fiscal was Tuesday lowered to 6-6.5 percent by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which also unveiled measures to arrest the inflation rate.

India #39;s growth target lowered, anti-inflation measures unveiled:


SAN JOSE, California Yahoo will likely have a tough time getting American courts to intervene in a dispute over the sale of Nazi memorabilia in France after a US appeals court ruling.

France case over Yahoo drags on


1000 #39;s of Liverpool fans have joined the best unofficial Liverpool FC website on the planet - why dont you? Neil Mellor scored with a blistering finish deep in injury time as Liverpool stunned Arsenal at Anfield.

Liverpool 2 - 1 Arsenal .:


If Pedro Martinez can help the Red Sox to a victory in Game 5, then this series will suddenly be exactly where everyone always thought it would be at this juncture.

Sox Still Breathing


The Sudanese government has accused the UN of partial responsibility for the deterioration of the conflict in the western region of Darfur.

UN accused of  #39;encouraging #39; Darfur rebels


FRANKFURT : General Motors #39; European restructuring plans are heading for a further rough ride as wildcat strikes to protest the US automaker #39;s plans to slash 12,000 jobs get set to spread on Tuesday.

GM and European workers prepare for clash over restructuring plans


Britain #39;s Prince Charles always prides himself on being a man of the people. But with one gruff memo about not all men being equal, the heir to the throne has tarnished his populist credentials.

Prince Charles: Man of the People or Royal Snob?


AP - Mel Thomas led No. 11 Connecticut with 12 points, snapping St. John's 11 game-winning streak with a 60-32 victory on Sunday.

No. 11 UConn Women Beat St. John's 60-32 (AP)


Former press baron Conrad Black will quit as chairman and chief executive of his Canadian holding company, Hollinger Inc. (HLGc.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) , to

UPDATE 1-Black to quit Hollinger Inc  quot;within days quot;


LONDON (Reuters) - Olympic time trial champion Tyler  Hamilton has been cleared of any doping offence at the Athens  Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on  Thursday.

Tyler Hamilton Cleared to Keep Olympic Gold - IOC


Steve Spurrier arrived Tuesday at Williams-Brice Stadium to be introduced as the new football coach at the University of South Carolina.

With Less Swagger, Spurrier Returns to SEC


MANILA - Improved revenue flows and increased electricity tariffs are likely to help the Philippines keep well within the 2004 budget and consolidated public sector deficit targets, officials said.

Philippines budget deficit likely below ceiling


The government will today face intense pressure to signal a shift away from means-tested pensions in the face of the independent Turner commission report #39;s startling finding that Britain faces a 57bn annual pensions gap.

Minister hints at pension switch


November 15, 2004 - Acer America today has announced its newest notebook in its Ferrari line of notebooks, the Ferrari 3400. Featuring a Mobile AMD Athlon 64 3000, the notebook combines the market strength of three major brands, Acer, AMD and Ferrari.

Acer Announces Ferrari 3400


A late schedule change certainly did not appear to faze the Titans in Week 1. Due to the threat of Hurricane Ivan in south Florida, Tennessees game against

Tennessee Titans Team Report


Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman may miss the start of next season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing flag football.

Berkman Hurts Knee


Hamid Karzai was declared the winner of Afghanistan #39;s landmark presidential election Wednesday, after investigators concluded that a string of irregularities were too minor to overturn his triumph.

Karzai wins Afghan presidential election


Vanderlei de Lima lost his first place position after former priest Cornelius Horan burst onto the track and wrestled him into the crowd.

Irish invite for marathon athlete


Militant group Hamas urges its supporters to boycott the election of a new Palestinian Authority president.

Hamas urges PA election boycott


An Afghan militant group threatening to kill three kidnapped foreigners said it was involved in negotiations through a mediator but denied extending the Wednesday deadline for their execution.

Afghan kidnappers negotiating with government


Chelsea missed the chance to go level on points with Arsenal at the top of English soccer #39;s Premiership by drawing 0-0 at home with Tottenham.

Chelsea Draws 0-0 at Home With Spurs; Everton, Newcastle Win


Michelle Collins has been suspended for eight years and must also forfeit her 2003, 200-meter World Indoor and USA Indoor Championship titles, for a doping violation related to the BALCO conspiracy.

American Sprinter Michelle Collins Suspended For Doping


An aggressive fungal disease known as soybean rust has been found on plants in Louisiana, the first US case, threatening a crop valued at \$17.

Fungus hits US soybeans


Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been fined 15 000 (about R160 000) for improper conduct over comments he made after the English champions #39; controversial 2-0 defeat by Manchester United in October.

Wenger fined, warned over Ruud outburst


Rock bands have long prospered by living - and selling - images of hard living and brash poses. But sex, drugs and rock  #39;n #39; roll are no longer enough. The definition of cool for some acts now includes mobile phone ringtones.

Ringtones are music to record labels #39; ears


If you #39;re thinking of replacing your old inkjet or personal laser printer with a new model that can also make copies--and perhaps scan in color and send faxes as well--Canon wants to be at the top of your shopping list.

Canon Unveils a Cavalcade of Printers


Hewlett-Packard(HP) has abandoned plans to integrate a number of advanced technologies it acquired in its 2002 purchase of Compaq into its flagship HP-UX operating system. The Palo Alto, California, computer maker has instead decided to partner with Veritas Software to bring new file system and clustering capabilities to its Unix software, the two companies announced Thursday.

HP drops plans to put Compaq technology into HP-UX


Residential and small business customers of SBC Communications Inc. in Flint, Ann Arbor and metro Detroit can now access their home and wireless voice mail as well as e-mail accounts

SBC has one-stop message service


com staff writers. Bruno Junqueira did what he had to, the Brazilian scored the victory in the penultimate round of the 2004 Champ Car World Series, taking the fight for the drivers #39; championship to Mexico City.

Junqueira takes the win in Surfers Paradise


IN THE land of the football derby, only the result counts. The past five years and the attendant misery have reminded Everton fans of that point, and they turned up at Goodison Park yesterday seeking nothing except the right result.

Moyes bargain buys confound city rivals


Adrian Mutu #39;s agent claims the Chelsea striker is  quot;absolutely shocked quot; at reports that he failed a drugs test. Newspaper allegations suggest that Mutu tested positive during a random check at Chelsea in September.

Mutu agent #39;s shock at drug claim


LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Casino operator MGM Mirage  <A HREF=

MGM Mirage Profit Up, Debt to Hit 4th Qtr


AP - German carmaker Volkswagen AG will begin assembling heavy trucks in the United Arab Emirates beginning in 2006, a spokesman said Monday.

Volkswagen to Open Assembly Plant in UAE (AP)


The Recording Industry Association of America has filed new lawsuits against 761 people who allegedly use peer-to-peer software to trade music files without permission, the trade group announced this week.

RIAA Files New Lawsuits


Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has been charged with 16 offences including soliciting to murder and possession of a terrorist document.

Hamza charged under UK terror act


Internet consultant Mary Hodder spends most of her life online. She has gone almost entirely digital. It may not be long before you do, too. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg.

Her So-Called Digital Life


Operating systems just ain #39;t what they used to be. For a while, Microsoft released a new version of Windows every two or three yearseach creating a ripple effect on how we all used and thought about technology. But now, there #39;s a ...

Windows Update


Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\on Wednesday renewed his threat to remove Yasser Arafat, saying\the Palestinian president would

Israel's Sharon: Arafat Will 'Get What He Deserves' (Reuters)


Luxembourg #39;s Gilles Muller is ranked so low he has to qualify next week just to see if he can even get into the US Open in less than two weeks.

Muller upsets Agassi in semis


The coach and the players were pleased. The fans seemed indifferent. The media was split. Reaction to Italy #39;s 1-0 win against Finland with an experimental squad devoid of all the top

Lippi #39;s experiment draws mixed reactions in Italy


SANYA, ChinaMiss Philippines Maria Karla Bautista made it to the top five of the Miss World 2004 competition Saturday in one of the most respectable finishes of the country in the annual pageant.

RP bet in top 5 in Miss World; Peruvian wins


On April 18, 1983, Bradford C. Bleidt knelt down inside a meeting hall in the Masonic lodge in Lynn, placed his hands on a Bible, and took a solemn oath not to ''cheat, wrong, nor defraud quot; fellow Masons, as he was inducted into the fraternal organization.

Bleidt investors tell of promises, shock


CAMP ZAMA, Japan (Reuters) - Legal procedures are under way  to decide the fate of U.S. Army Sergeant Charles Robert  Jenkins, accused of deserting to North Korea four decades ago,  a U.S. Army official said Monday.

Legal Steps Start for Accused U.S. Deserter Jenkins


November 15, 2004 - Cryptic Studios responded on its company website to threats that Marvel Comics would be suing them on likeness rights regarding its on-going massively multiplayer super hero themed role playing game - City of Heroes: As reported by The

Cryptic To Marvel Comic: Gold Digger #39;s Claims Without Merit


Coach Peter Nowak said the team is approaching their match against the New York/New Jersey MetroStars like any other game.

Just Another Game


AP - Rene Portland is taking a leave of absence for medical reasons during her 25th year as Penn State's women's basketball coach.

Penn State Coach Takes Medical Leave (AP)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With no major economic crises  brewing, the head of the International Monetary Fund on  Saturday urged world financial leaders to seize the period of  calm as a time to tackle weak spots in their economies.

'Don't Let Down Guard,' IMF Chief Warns


The European Union is set to approve Oracle #39;s hostile \$7.7bn takeover of enterprise apps vendor PeopleSoft, according to Reuters and the Financial Times , both of which cite unnamed sources.

EU to approve Oracle takeover - reports


With the game on the line, Notre Dame turned to its senior leaders to help the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish avoid an upset by unranked Southern California.

No. 6 Notre Dame 60, USC 56


More than 5,000 US-led forces are sweeping through lawless hotspots in an area south of Baghdad known as Iraq #39;s  quot;triangle of death quot;.

US sweeps Iraqi Sunni  #39;hotspots #39;


The European Commission is set to give US software giant Oracle the go-ahead to take over arch-rival PeopleSoft in a \$7.7 billion (4.

EU to give Oracle deal go-ahead -- FT


For anyone unhappy that Kurt Busch is the new Nextel Cup champion, Jack Roush has some advice: Get used to it. Busch has built a reputation during his four years in NASCAR #39;s top series as a driver who would

Busch hopes to draw new fans


Vendor offers server, switch, and host-channel adapter bundle with increased I/O bandwidth, processing capability, and memory. By Larry Greenemeier.

Dell Aims To Drive Down Cost Of High-Performance Computing


The struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be trying to avoid an 0-5 start in the Superdome this Sunday, when Jon Gruden #39;s team visits the New Orleans Saints in an NFC South duel.

NFL Game Preview


Reuters - Democratic Sen. John Kerry stressed\his faith and values during a visit to the critical state of\Florida on Sunday, while President Bush scoured New Mexico for\votes and said it was

Kerry and Bush Take Aim at Key Swing States (Reuters)


Despite some media assertions to the contrary, the world's scientific community has reached consensus that human-induced climate change is real, a review finds.

2004: The Year Global Warming Got Respect


Sony's first digital audio players to support MP3 files have been released in Europe in a significant change in strategy.\

Sony launches music players with MP3 support


Reuters - U.S. tanks pounded targets in the\rebel-held Sunni Muslim town of Falluja west of Baghdad on\Tuesday and U.S. warplanes could be seen flying overhead,\witnesses said.

U.S. Tanks Pound Rebel-Held Iraqi Town - Witnesses (Reuters)


Google was first to market a desktop search utility. Well, actually, others were first, but Google #39;s the one everyone noticed.

Google #39;s Desktop Search Could Change SEM Forever


Most rivers, lakes, estuaries and coasts in England and Wales are unlikely to meet new EU rules on water quality, conservationists say.

Water quality fails EU standards


Metal processor Ryerson Tull Inc. on Wednesday said it agreed to acquire Integris Metals Inc., a joint venture of aluminum producer Alcoa Inc.

Ryerson Tull to Buy Integris Metals


Kidnappers of three UN workers in Afghanistan said on Wednesday the government had agreed to terms for their release, despite indications from Afghan and US officials that a compromise was not possible.

Afghan Kidnappers Say Government Agrees Deal


India #39;s exclusive satellite for educational services -- Edusat -- was successfully placed into the Geostationary Orbit (GSO) on Monday.

One more feather in ISRO cap


The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Toronto Blue Jays are battling for last place in the AL East - and it showed Sunday. Vernon Wells homered in Toronto #39;s five-run third inning and the Blue Jays beat the Devil Rays 9-7 in an error-filled game.

Blue Jays beat D-Rays in last-place battle


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

Kabul suicide bomber wounds seven