LiteSSLHub/NanoNet · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 1 5.67k	label int64 0 13
Will Putin #39;s Power Play Make Russia Safer?Outwardly, Russia has not changed since the barrage of terrorist attacks that culminated in the school massacre in Beslan on Sept.	0
Court Rules Against Europe's Antitrust Chief in MCI CaseThe European Commission was wrong to block the proposed \$120 billion merger four years ago between MCI WorldCom and Sprint, a European court ruled today.	2
Car bomb kills 2 south of BaghdadBAGHDAD A car bomb exploded in a town south of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding 10, the latest in a spate of attacks that have killed some 150 people in the last four days.	0
Storm-tossed counties to head back to schoolThat #39;s what happened to Charlotte High School because of Hurricane Charley. A complex with 2,200 students, slightly bigger than Tallahassee #39;s largest high school, was demolished Aug. 13 by ferocious	3
November Same Store Sales Down NEW YORK (Reuters) - ShopKo Stores Inc., a specialty and discount retailer, on Wednesday said sales at stores open at least a year fell 4.8 percent in November but maintained its fourth-quarter earnings forecast.	2
Hurricane Ivan Pummels Jamaica; 39 DeadKINGSTON, Jamaica - Hurricane Ivan lashed Jamaica with monstrous waves, driving rain and winds nearing 155 mph Saturday, killing at least two people as it washed away homes and ripped up roofs and utility poles but unexpectedly spared the island from a direct hit. A 10-year-old girl drowned in Old Harbor, just east of Kingston, and a woman was killed in the capital by a tree that struck here home, said Ronald Jackson of Jamaica's disaster relief agency...	0
Import Prices Rise Less Than Expected (Reuters)Reuters - The cost of goods imported into the\United States rose by a smaller-than-expected 0.2 percent in\September, a government report showed on Thursday, as petroleum\import costs rose a modest 0.6 percent.	2
Verizon, Qwest to Fight FCC Rate FreezeVerizon Communications Inc. and other parties have asked a federal court to throw out a set of temporary regulations banning giant regional phone companies from raising the wholesale rates they charge competitors for at least six months. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</B></FONT>	3
Honour guard greets body of Lieut. SaundersHALIFAX - Family members, politicians and military brass held a ceremony for Lieut. Chris Saunders in Halifax Sunday afternoon, after the submariner #39;s body arrived from Ireland.	0
Never away from the officeSome people love their Research in Motion BlackBerrys. Some hate them. Still, countless federal employees think they must have one.	3
Funds: Choose 529 plans wisely(Clint Willis is a freelance writer who covers mutual funds for Reuters. Any opinions in the column are solely those of Mr. Willis.	2
Open-Federer #39;s #39;beautiful tennis #39; sets the standardUS Open champion Roger Federer breezed into New York #39;s Hard Rock cafe on Monday clutching his latest piece of silverware. Maybe the venue was chosen in anticipation	1
Business confidence dips in JapanBusiness confidence among Japanese manufacturers has weakened for the first time since March 2003, the quarterly Tankan survey has found.	2
Sluman Hits Course-Record 62 at Chrysler (AP)AP - Golf finally felt easy to Jeff Sluman, and it wasn't hard to see why. From a fairway bunker on the 18th hole, he had to play a 20-yard hook to avoid the trees and reach the elevated green. His 7-iron stopped 16 inches from the cup for his ninth birdie, a course-record 62 and a two-shot lead in the Chrysler Championship on Thursday.	1
Army cadets massacred by guerrillasGUERRILLAS in Iraq killed almost 50 army cadets heading home on leave, ambushing the men on a desert road and making them lie face down on the ground before methodically shooting each one in the back of the head, Iraqi officials said yesterday.	0
Bank confirms merger talks Maine firm seen seeking partner to aid <b>...</b>Banknorth Group of Maine confirmed yesterday that it was in merger talks with TD Bank Financial Group of Canada, a move that would end Banknorth #39;s short reign as New England #39;s largest independent bank.	2
Retief Goosen Five Shots Back in Japan (AP)AP - Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a par-70 Thursday in the opening round of the Suntory Open, leaving him five strokes behind leaders Scott Laycock of Australia and Y.E. Yang of South Korea.	1
Security Council Condemns Acts of Violence Against CiviliansThe Security Council unanimously passed a Russian-initiated antiterror resolution today that declares all intentional acts of violence against civilians unjustifiable	0
Dial 4-1-1 for Cell Phone Numbers? (PC World)PC World - A proposal for a wireless phone directory raises concerns in Congress.	3
Why Hybrids Are HotHave you seen gas prices? Purists can wait for hydrogen. The market can't. By James Surowiecki from Wired magazine.	3
Myanmar frees number two political prisoneras they sought to measure the significance of a purge of Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and his intelligence apparatus last month. The release could be a signal that the generals may be willing to move seriously on political reform, they said.	0
Pakistan defeats Chairman #39;s XI at Lilac HillAn impressive century by opening batsman Salman Butt helped Pakistan notch up their first tour win with a 43-run victory over a Cricket Australia Chairman #39;s XI at Lilac Hill in Perth.	1
EU agrees to eight proposals by IranTEHRAN (MNA) - After 22 hours of intense negotiations in Paris, Iranian and European representatives announced an initial agreement on the complete framework for further nuclear talks.	0
US Troops, Iraqi Police Killed In Attacks12 December 2004 -- Insurgents in Iraq conducted attacks across the country today, killing two US soldiers and an Iraqi policeman.	0
6 Egyptians, 4 Iraqis Kidnapped in IraqBAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen abducted six Egyptians and four Iraqis working for Iraq's mobile phone company, seizing two in a bold raid on the firm's Baghdad office and the others outside the capital, officials said Friday, the latest in a string of kidnappings that have underscored the country's fragile security. Also Friday, a rocket hit the busy Baghdad thoroughfare Palestine Street...	0
Roddick to play in Davis Cup semifinalsCaptain Patrick McEnroe announced Wednesday that Andy Roddick would be on the US Davis Cup team when it competes in the semifinals this month.	1
Dexia Ends Talks With Sanpaolo IMI on Partnership (Update2)Dexia SA, Belgium #39;s second-largest financial-services company, terminated talks with Italy #39;s Sanpaolo IMI SpA on a possible partnership, saying the conditions are no longer right.	2
GM: See Red, Save Green; #36;7,500 Cash Back (Reuters)Reuters - General Motors Corp. will offer\cash rebates as high as #36;7,500 on some 2004 models in its new\""Red Tag"" incentive program to be launched on Dec. 10 in an\effort to boost sales after two disappointing months, dealers\said on Wednesday.	2
Nearly 200 miners trapped in coalmine gas explosion in north China (AFP)AFP - A gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in north China's Shaanxi province, trapping 170 miners in what threatens to be the worst disaster to hit the world's biggest coal producer in recent years.	0
Even Digital Memories Can FadeThe problem of preserving digital photos and other electronic records for future decades confounds even the experts.	0
WRAPUP 2-US factory, construction data show solid growthUS factory growth stayed strong in September according to reports on Friday, while construction spending in the prior month hit a record high for a seventh month	2
Nestle Reports First Half Net ProfitNestle, the world #39;s biggest food and drink company, on Wednesday posted a first-half net profit of \$2.28 billion, up 0.02 percent on the year-earlier figure of \$2.03 billion.	2
Kumaratunga calls LTTE for talks amid boycott by opposition :World News gt; Colombo, Oct 4 : Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga today invited Tamil Tigers to return to the negotiating table to discuss the setting up of a federal state even as the main opposition parties boycotted her latest peace initiative	0
European Stocks Are at Five Month Highs PARIS (Reuters) - European equities flirted with 5-month peaks as hopes that economic growth was sustainable and a small dip in oil prices helped lure investors back to recent underperformers such as technology and insurance stocks.	2
NASA securing space center for possible strike by IvanCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA is still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Frances, and now the space port is bracing for the even more menacing Ivan.	3
Holiday sales outlook dims with retailers November resultsThe outlook for the holiday season dimmed yesterday as several of the nation #39;s large retailers reported disappointing sales for November, which included an uninspiring Thanksgiving weekend, The Associated Press reports.	2
Pentagon Bid to Reform Absentee Voting Draws Fire (Reuters)Reuters - Pentagon efforts to fix absentee\voting problems among U.S. troops that marred the 2000 election\have run into trouble as plans to use the Internet crumbled and\a fax or e-mail balloting system draws fire.	3
No scenario seen for draft of health care workersWASHINGTON -- No war or other national emergency would overwhelm the military's medical care system and require a draft of civilian health care workers, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday.	0
Software vendor may cash in on contact-center patentsSAN FRANCISCO - CosmoCom Inc., a software vendor that holds a pair of U.S. patents on IP (Internet Protocol) contact center technology, is now considering moves to defend those patents, company officials said Monday.	3
Martin to push for better African peacekeeping force in first speech to UN (Canadian Press)Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin will push for an effective African peacekeeping force to deal with problems like the crisis in Sudan when he speaks to the United Nations next week.	0
New Web Domain Names Get Preliminary NodTwo new Internet domain names - "".post"" and "".travel"" - could appear online as early as next year as the Internet's key oversight board announced preliminary approval on Wednesday.	3
Chalone to sell, pending other bidsChalone Wine Group has completed an unusual agreement to sell to France #39;s Domaines Barons de Rothschild in a deal valued at \$160 million, while retaining the right to shop itself to other bidders.	2
CNN cuts Hair as head of US unitIn a big management shakeup aimed at halting a brutal assault from rival Fox News, CNN has pushed aside the head of its US network.	2
Shell, Sinopec in China Retail VentureRoyal Dutch/Shell Group (RD.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) (SHEL.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said it would jointly operate 180 gas stations in China by the end of 2004, the	2
IBM Putting PC Business Up for SaleInternational Business Machines Corp.'s possible exit from the personal computer business would be the latest move in what amounts to a long goodbye from a field it pioneered and revolutionized.	3
Van Nistelrooy charged by FA (AFP)AFP - Manchester United's Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was charged with serious foul play by the Football Association (FA).	0
Global Warming Is Expected to Raise Hurricane IntensityGlobal warming is likely to produce a significant increase in the intensity and rainfall of hurricanes in coming decades, according to an analysis.	3
Changing DirectionsOver at USA Today -- Slogan: ""All the News That's Fit to Print in Four Paragraphs or Less"" -- they got together the last couple of weeks and asked the staff to vote for the ""10 things to change in sports.""	1
Nova Scotia Court Allows Gay Marriages (AP)AP - Nova Scotia became the sixth Canadian province or territory to allow gay marriages when the provincial Supreme Court ruled Friday that banning such unions was unconstitutional.	0
NL notablesAfter Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks struck out Vinny Castilla in the seventh for career whiff No. 4,137, play was interrupted momentarily while the scoreboard flashed the statistics.	1
Partial solar eclipse occurs next weekA partial solar eclipse will occur on Thursday, and will be visible in northeast China, north of the Pacific Ocean, northwest of North America and part of the Arctic Ocean.	3
Stern Rules Out Drastic Remedies for NBA (AP)AP - David Stern would not want to be in charge of a league that needs barriers to separate fans from players. The NBA commissioner is searching for more practical remedies to keep things civil in a sport where the intimate setting #151; the highest-paying customers sit so close to the action they can smell the players' sweat #151; is part of its appeal.	1
Olympians in pursuit of marketing goldNEW YORK -- For millions of Americans, gymnast Paul Hamm #39;s fame began only when the broad-shouldered Olympian shrugged off a fall in the vaulting competition last week and made an inspired comeback to win gold.	2
US Consumers Anxious About Lack of Hiring (Reuters)Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence retreated in\August while Chicago-area business activity slowed, according\to reports on Tuesday that added to worries the economy's patch\of slow growth may last beyond the summer.	2
S.E.C. Warns Amex Leaders It May File Civil ChargesThe S.E.C. notified the top three executives of the American Stock Exchange that they may face civil charges of failing to properly enforce the exchange's rules.	2
Queen honours England rugby starsRugby star Jonny Wilkinson returned to Buckingham Palace - along with the entire squad of the victorious England World Cup team. The 30 players were dressed in tails and waistcoats for their meeting with the Queen.	1
US Men #39;s Soccer Team Plays Panama to 1-1 DrawThe US men #39;s soccer team has played Panama to a 1-1 draw in Panama City in a 2006 World Cup qualifying match. Roberto Brown found the net first for Panama in the 71st minute Wednesday as the hosts outshot	1
Time #39;s running out for Marlins in chase for NL wild cardAlthough stormy weather has been a tough opponent for the Florida Marlins in their push to make the playoffs, it hasn #39;t deterred their hopes of catching lightning in a bottle.	1
Season a bed of Rossi #39; for ValentinoValentino Rossi (L), in a Yamaha, sneaks past Sete Gibernau to take the lead for good at the Australian Grand Prix on Phillip Island, Oct 17.	1
Fashion photographer Avedon diesUS photographer Richard Avedon, renowned for his portraits of the rich and famous, dies aged 81.	0
Minn. Newspaper Suspends Two Reporters (AP)AP - Two newspaper reporters who went to see the Boss perform at a political fund-raising concert got in trouble with their own boss.	0
Carragher: Euro success will fund new Liverpool strikerLiverpool defender Jamie Carragher says Euro success will help boss Rafa Benitez land a new striker in January. Carragher said: quot;It is important we qualify because we obviously need to do something to bring in cover for Djibril Cisse.	1
Oracle sees PeopleSoft profit decliningPeopleSoft's profit may drop ""significantly"" this year, according to testimony by an Oracle executive.	3
16 killed in suicide bombings in IsraelBEERSHEBA, Israel -- Palestinian suicide bombers blew up two passenger buses in near-simultaneous explosions yesterday afternoon along the main thoroughfare of this southern Israeli city, killing 16 people and shattering a five-month lull in suicide attacks inside the Jewish state.	0
US mortgage applications rise as rates easeNEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - New applications for US home loans rose last week while refinancings surged, as 30-year mortgage interest rates fell to their lowest level in over four months, an industry group said on Wednesday.	2
#39;Digital #39; hospital showcases GE Healthcare technologiesBy building one of the world #39;s first all-digital cardiac care facilities, Saint Francis Heart Hospital hopes to provide patients with better care while helping doctors and other medical staff offer more effective treatments.	3
Sharapova Advances to Korea Open Semis (AP)AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova reached the semifinals of the Korea Open on Friday with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Australian Samantha Stosur.	1
Top Court Upholds Visa, MasterCard Ruling (Reuters)Reuters - The Supreme Court on Monday let\stand a ruling that the Visa and MasterCard credit card\associations violated federal antitrust law by barring their\member banks from issuing credit and charge cards on the rival\networks of American Express Co. and Morgan Stanley.\.	2
Bulldogs lie in wait for 10 months, then chew up Tigers from <b>...</b>The Georgia Bulldogs insisted all week that they didn #39;t circle this game on their calendars after losing twice to LSU last season.	1
Is Google the Next Netscape? (washingtonpost.com)washingtonpost.com - Microsoft might be king of the software world, but it's having to play catch up in the increasingly important world of Internet and desktop search, chasing the substantial leads of Google, Yahoo and others.	3
Dueling views in EU caseThe Los Angeles Times published an especially vivid account (free reg. required) of yesterday #39;s proceedings at the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, on the first day of the hearing in which Microsoft	2
TV stations admonished for broadcasting porn star #39;s allegations <b>...</b>Romania #39;s broadcasting watchdog admonished three television stations Thursday for broadcasting a porn star #39;s claim that she had sex with Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu and that the player had used cocaine in the past.	1
Landscaped Roofs Have Chicago Mayor Seeing GreenWhen cities run out of valuable real estate, planners look up. The search for green space is no exception.	3
Strontium Drug Reduces Fractures in Elderly WomenSpinal and non-spinal fractures are reduced by almost a third in women age 80 or older who take a drug called strontium ranelate, European investigators announced	3
Electrical giant hits eject on videosONCE seen as the cutting edge of technology which would change the way we watch television, the video recorder has been usurped by another revolution in home entertainment, the DVD machine.	3
US SEC files fraud charges against tycoon Conrad BlackThe Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit accusing the newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his former top deputy of defrauding shareholders of Hollinger International Inc.	2
Ahern and Blair hope to revitalise NI processBertie Ahern and Tony Blair meet today to try to find a way of breathing new life into the faltering efforts to restore devolution to Northern Ireland.	0
Serena Williams picks China Open titleSerena Williams of US holds the championship trophy after defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the inaugural China Open women #39;s final September 26, 2004, in Beijing.	1
Police underestimated Palm Island crisisQueensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson has admitted he underestimated the situation on Palm Island in north Queensland in the lead-up to yesterday #39;s riots.	0
Mobile hard drive carries LinuxThe drive, loaded with the open-source OS, can be plugged into the USB port of any computer to turn it into a Linux machine.	3
Component prices play key role in Dell earningsFalling cost of PC parts gives computer maker's third quarter a boost.	3
Sony seals purchase of MGMLos Angeles (dpa) - An investment consortium led by Japanese electronics giant Sony has sealed a deal to buy the legendary Hollywood studio MGM, which will keep functioning as an independent unit producing several films a year, Variety reported Friday.	2
Wrigley buys Kraft unit for \$1.48 bnWrigley, the world #39;s largest maker of chewing gum, on Monday took a step towards diversifying into other confectionery products with the acquisition for \$1.48bn in cash of Kraft Foods #39; sugar confectionery business.	2
Report: Telecordia to be Bought for \$1.3BWarburg Pincus Equity Partners and Providence Equity Partners are reportedly in negotiations to buy Telecordia Technologies for \$1.	2
NASA Confirms Relativity TheoryIn 1918, Albert Einstein proposed that large objects bend the space around themselves while turning on their axis. In 2004, NASA scientists confirmed that the Earth bends the time and space around it while	3
KC runs over Vick, FalconsIt was the kind of complete game Chiefs fans had been dreaming of throughout the course of a nightmare season. quot;This is how (people thought) we could score points and dominate	1
Solaris 10 Could Brighten Sunand two days later his company hit another milestone. It released what #39;s easily its most important product in more than nine years.	3
Few tears shed for canceled ComdexComdex veterans ponder freedom from the annual computing trade show, which normally would be happening in Sin City right about now.	3
Rangers held by InvernessInverness, Scotland (Sports Network) - Rangers squandered a chance to return to the top of the table Sunday as it was held at Inverness, 1-1.	1
New Orion workstation puts cluster in a boxA new company thinks it has the answer to the complaints of scientists and engineers looking for high-performance computing (HPC) on the desktop. The Orion Cluster Workstation packs the power of a PC cluster into a desktop-size package using low-power chips and an innovative motherboard design.	3
Vivendi Ups Forecast After Strong Quarter PARIS (Reuters) - France's largest media company, Vivendi Universal, raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a 19 percent increase in third-quarter underlying operating profit, buoyed by a rebound in music and strong mobile phone sales.	2
Today's schedulePro baseball: New York Yankees vs. Red Sox at Fenway Park, 7 p.m. College field hockey: Framingham St. at Fitchburg St., 10 a.m.; Bridgewater St. at Worcester St., 10 a.m.; Bryant at Franklin Pierce, 10:30 a.m.; UNew England at Endicott, 11 a.m.; WNEC at Elms, 11 a.m.; Wheaton at Springfield, 11 a.m.; Tufts at Amherst, 11 a.m.; Colby at Trinity, ...	1
Researchers seek to untangle the e-mail threadE-mail is a victim of its own success. That's the conclusion of IBM Corp. researchers in Cambridge, who have spent nearly a decade conducting field tests at IBM and other companies about how employees work and use electronic mail. It's clear to them that e-mail has become the Internet's killer application.	2
Turkish Engineer, 2 Aides Missing in Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14 -- A Turkish engineer and two Afghans were apparently kidnapped Tuesday in an area of eastern Afghanistan where bandits and insurgents from the Taliban and other Islamic extremist groups operate, officials said.	0
Anthony Leads Nuggets Past Clippers (AP)AP - Carmelo Anthony, who missed Denver's previous game after being cited for marijuana possession, scored 23 points for the Nuggets in a 100-88 preseason victory Thursday night over the Los Angeles Clippers.	1
Bergkamp Backing Van Persie to ShineVan Persie scored a last-gasp equaliser to rescue Arsenal from the jaws of defeat against Southampton on Saturday. The visitors had looked certain to condemn Arsene Wengers side	1
Federer presents perfect visionLLEYTON HEWITT on the other side of a net serves as a mirror into the soul, a reflection of what it is that lies deep within an opponent.	1
Qaeda believed to be calling for action in AfghanistanBAGRAM AIR BASE: Al Qaeda is believed to have called its followers to action in response to the massively attended vote last month that elected President Hamid Karzai, said a top US commander.	0
Bats were more than a bit wooden in seriesNEW YORK -- Don't expect the Red Sox to buy the theory that the Yankees' pitching has declined. Not after the Sox managed only eight runs on 20 hits over three of the most important games of the season. While the Yankees hit .308 and scored 27 runs, the Sox mustered only a .200 average as two of their core ...	1
Stocks Dive on Morgan Stanley, Oil ReportsNEW YORK - Stocks tumbled Wednesday as investors saw a surge in oil prices and disappointing earnings from Morgan Stanley as a reason to collect profits from gains of the last month. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 135 points, and all three major indexes saw their biggest losses since early August...	0

Will Putin #39;s Power Play Make Russia Safer?Outwardly, Russia has not changed since the barrage of terrorist attacks that culminated in the school massacre in Beslan on Sept.

0

Court Rules Against Europe's Antitrust Chief in MCI CaseThe European Commission was wrong to block the proposed \$120 billion merger four years ago between MCI WorldCom and Sprint, a European court ruled today.

2

Car bomb kills 2 south of BaghdadBAGHDAD A car bomb exploded in a town south of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding 10, the latest in a spate of attacks that have killed some 150 people in the last four days.

0

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

3

November Same Store Sales Down NEW YORK (Reuters) - ShopKo Stores Inc., a specialty and discount retailer, on Wednesday said sales at stores open at least a year fell 4.8 percent in November but maintained its fourth-quarter earnings forecast.

2

Hurricane Ivan Pummels Jamaica; 39 DeadKINGSTON, Jamaica - Hurricane Ivan lashed Jamaica with monstrous waves, driving rain and winds nearing 155 mph Saturday, killing at least two people as it washed away homes and ripped up roofs and utility poles but unexpectedly spared the island from a direct hit. A 10-year-old girl drowned in Old Harbor, just east of Kingston, and a woman was killed in the capital by a tree that struck here home, said Ronald Jackson of Jamaica's disaster relief agency...

0

Import Prices Rise Less Than Expected (Reuters)Reuters - The cost of goods imported into the\United States rose by a smaller-than-expected 0.2 percent in\September, a government report showed on Thursday, as petroleum\import costs rose a modest 0.6 percent.

2

Verizon, Qwest to Fight FCC Rate FreezeVerizon Communications Inc. and other parties have asked a federal court to throw out a set of temporary regulations banning giant regional phone companies from raising the wholesale rates they charge competitors for at least six months. -The Washington Post

3

Honour guard greets body of Lieut. SaundersHALIFAX - Family members, politicians and military brass held a ceremony for Lieut. Chris Saunders in Halifax Sunday afternoon, after the submariner #39;s body arrived from Ireland.

0

Never away from the officeSome people love their Research in Motion BlackBerrys. Some hate them. Still, countless federal employees think they must have one.

3

Funds: Choose 529 plans wisely(Clint Willis is a freelance writer who covers mutual funds for Reuters. Any opinions in the column are solely those of Mr. Willis.

2

Open-Federer #39;s #39;beautiful tennis #39; sets the standardUS Open champion Roger Federer breezed into New York #39;s Hard Rock cafe on Monday clutching his latest piece of silverware. Maybe the venue was chosen in anticipation

1

Business confidence dips in JapanBusiness confidence among Japanese manufacturers has weakened for the first time since March 2003, the quarterly Tankan survey has found.

2

Sluman Hits Course-Record 62 at Chrysler (AP)AP - Golf finally felt easy to Jeff Sluman, and it wasn't hard to see why. From a fairway bunker on the 18th hole, he had to play a 20-yard hook to avoid the trees and reach the elevated green. His 7-iron stopped 16 inches from the cup for his ninth birdie, a course-record 62 and a two-shot lead in the Chrysler Championship on Thursday.

1

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

0

Bank confirms merger talks Maine firm seen seeking partner to aid ...Banknorth Group of Maine confirmed yesterday that it was in merger talks with TD Bank Financial Group of Canada, a move that would end Banknorth #39;s short reign as New England #39;s largest independent bank.

2

Retief Goosen Five Shots Back in Japan (AP)AP - Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a par-70 Thursday in the opening round of the Suntory Open, leaving him five strokes behind leaders Scott Laycock of Australia and Y.E. Yang of South Korea.

1

Security Council Condemns Acts of Violence Against CiviliansThe Security Council unanimously passed a Russian-initiated antiterror resolution today that declares all intentional acts of violence against civilians unjustifiable

0

Dial 4-1-1 for Cell Phone Numbers? (PC World)PC World - A proposal for a wireless phone directory raises concerns in Congress.

3

Why Hybrids Are HotHave you seen gas prices? Purists can wait for hydrogen. The market can't. By James Surowiecki from Wired magazine.

3

Myanmar frees number two political prisoneras they sought to measure the significance of a purge of Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and his intelligence apparatus last month. The release could be a signal that the generals may be willing to move seriously on political reform, they said.

0

Pakistan defeats Chairman #39;s XI at Lilac HillAn impressive century by opening batsman Salman Butt helped Pakistan notch up their first tour win with a 43-run victory over a Cricket Australia Chairman #39;s XI at Lilac Hill in Perth.

1

EU agrees to eight proposals by IranTEHRAN (MNA) - After 22 hours of intense negotiations in Paris, Iranian and European representatives announced an initial agreement on the complete framework for further nuclear talks.

0

US Troops, Iraqi Police Killed In Attacks12 December 2004 -- Insurgents in Iraq conducted attacks across the country today, killing two US soldiers and an Iraqi policeman.

0

6 Egyptians, 4 Iraqis Kidnapped in IraqBAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen abducted six Egyptians and four Iraqis working for Iraq's mobile phone company, seizing two in a bold raid on the firm's Baghdad office and the others outside the capital, officials said Friday, the latest in a string of kidnappings that have underscored the country's fragile security. Also Friday, a rocket hit the busy Baghdad thoroughfare Palestine Street...

0

Roddick to play in Davis Cup semifinalsCaptain Patrick McEnroe announced Wednesday that Andy Roddick would be on the US Davis Cup team when it competes in the semifinals this month.

1

Dexia Ends Talks With Sanpaolo IMI on Partnership (Update2)Dexia SA, Belgium #39;s second-largest financial-services company, terminated talks with Italy #39;s Sanpaolo IMI SpA on a possible partnership, saying the conditions are no longer right.

2

GM: See Red, Save Green; #36;7,500 Cash Back (Reuters)Reuters - General Motors Corp. will offer\cash rebates as high as #36;7,500 on some 2004 models in its new\""Red Tag"" incentive program to be launched on Dec. 10 in an\effort to boost sales after two disappointing months, dealers\said on Wednesday.

2

Nearly 200 miners trapped in coalmine gas explosion in north China (AFP)AFP - A gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in north China's Shaanxi province, trapping 170 miners in what threatens to be the worst disaster to hit the world's biggest coal producer in recent years.

0

Even Digital Memories Can FadeThe problem of preserving digital photos and other electronic records for future decades confounds even the experts.

0

WRAPUP 2-US factory, construction data show solid growthUS factory growth stayed strong in September according to reports on Friday, while construction spending in the prior month hit a record high for a seventh month

2

Nestle Reports First Half Net ProfitNestle, the world #39;s biggest food and drink company, on Wednesday posted a first-half net profit of \$2.28 billion, up 0.02 percent on the year-earlier figure of \$2.03 billion.

2

Kumaratunga calls LTTE for talks amid boycott by opposition :World News gt; Colombo, Oct 4 : Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga today invited Tamil Tigers to return to the negotiating table to discuss the setting up of a federal state even as the main opposition parties boycotted her latest peace initiative

0

European Stocks Are at Five Month Highs PARIS (Reuters) - European equities flirted with 5-month peaks as hopes that economic growth was sustainable and a small dip in oil prices helped lure investors back to recent underperformers such as technology and insurance stocks.

2

NASA securing space center for possible strike by IvanCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA is still picking up the pieces after Hurricane Frances, and now the space port is bracing for the even more menacing Ivan.

3

Holiday sales outlook dims with retailers November resultsThe outlook for the holiday season dimmed yesterday as several of the nation #39;s large retailers reported disappointing sales for November, which included an uninspiring Thanksgiving weekend, The Associated Press reports.

2

Pentagon Bid to Reform Absentee Voting Draws Fire (Reuters)Reuters - Pentagon efforts to fix absentee\voting problems among U.S. troops that marred the 2000 election\have run into trouble as plans to use the Internet crumbled and\a fax or e-mail balloting system draws fire.

3

No scenario seen for draft of health care workersWASHINGTON -- No war or other national emergency would overwhelm the military's medical care system and require a draft of civilian health care workers, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday.

0

Software vendor may cash in on contact-center patentsSAN FRANCISCO - CosmoCom Inc., a software vendor that holds a pair of U.S. patents on IP (Internet Protocol) contact center technology, is now considering moves to defend those patents, company officials said Monday.

3

Martin to push for better African peacekeeping force in first speech to UN (Canadian Press)Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Prime Minister Paul Martin will push for an effective African peacekeeping force to deal with problems like the crisis in Sudan when he speaks to the United Nations next week.

0

New Web Domain Names Get Preliminary NodTwo new Internet domain names - "".post"" and "".travel"" - could appear online as early as next year as the Internet's key oversight board announced preliminary approval on Wednesday.

3

Chalone to sell, pending other bidsChalone Wine Group has completed an unusual agreement to sell to France #39;s Domaines Barons de Rothschild in a deal valued at \$160 million, while retaining the right to shop itself to other bidders.

2

CNN cuts Hair as head of US unitIn a big management shakeup aimed at halting a brutal assault from rival Fox News, CNN has pushed aside the head of its US network.

2

Shell, Sinopec in China Retail VentureRoyal Dutch/Shell Group (RD.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) (SHEL.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said it would jointly operate 180 gas stations in China by the end of 2004, the

2

IBM Putting PC Business Up for SaleInternational Business Machines Corp.'s possible exit from the personal computer business would be the latest move in what amounts to a long goodbye from a field it pioneered and revolutionized.

3

Van Nistelrooy charged by FA (AFP)AFP - Manchester United's Dutch international striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was charged with serious foul play by the Football Association (FA).

0

Global Warming Is Expected to Raise Hurricane IntensityGlobal warming is likely to produce a significant increase in the intensity and rainfall of hurricanes in coming decades, according to an analysis.

3

Changing DirectionsOver at USA Today -- Slogan: ""All the News That's Fit to Print in Four Paragraphs or Less"" -- they got together the last couple of weeks and asked the staff to vote for the ""10 things to change in sports.""

1

Nova Scotia Court Allows Gay Marriages (AP)AP - Nova Scotia became the sixth Canadian province or territory to allow gay marriages when the provincial Supreme Court ruled Friday that banning such unions was unconstitutional.

0

NL notablesAfter Randy Johnson of the Diamondbacks struck out Vinny Castilla in the seventh for career whiff No. 4,137, play was interrupted momentarily while the scoreboard flashed the statistics.

1

Partial solar eclipse occurs next weekA partial solar eclipse will occur on Thursday, and will be visible in northeast China, north of the Pacific Ocean, northwest of North America and part of the Arctic Ocean.

3

Stern Rules Out Drastic Remedies for NBA (AP)AP - David Stern would not want to be in charge of a league that needs barriers to separate fans from players. The NBA commissioner is searching for more practical remedies to keep things civil in a sport where the intimate setting #151; the highest-paying customers sit so close to the action they can smell the players' sweat #151; is part of its appeal.

1

Olympians in pursuit of marketing goldNEW YORK -- For millions of Americans, gymnast Paul Hamm #39;s fame began only when the broad-shouldered Olympian shrugged off a fall in the vaulting competition last week and made an inspired comeback to win gold.

2

US Consumers Anxious About Lack of Hiring (Reuters)Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence retreated in\August while Chicago-area business activity slowed, according\to reports on Tuesday that added to worries the economy's patch\of slow growth may last beyond the summer.

2

S.E.C. Warns Amex Leaders It May File Civil ChargesThe S.E.C. notified the top three executives of the American Stock Exchange that they may face civil charges of failing to properly enforce the exchange's rules.

2

Queen honours England rugby starsRugby star Jonny Wilkinson returned to Buckingham Palace - along with the entire squad of the victorious England World Cup team. The 30 players were dressed in tails and waistcoats for their meeting with the Queen.

1

US Men #39;s Soccer Team Plays Panama to 1-1 DrawThe US men #39;s soccer team has played Panama to a 1-1 draw in Panama City in a 2006 World Cup qualifying match. Roberto Brown found the net first for Panama in the 71st minute Wednesday as the hosts outshot

1

Time #39;s running out for Marlins in chase for NL wild cardAlthough stormy weather has been a tough opponent for the Florida Marlins in their push to make the playoffs, it hasn #39;t deterred their hopes of catching lightning in a bottle.

1

Season a bed of Rossi #39; for ValentinoValentino Rossi (L), in a Yamaha, sneaks past Sete Gibernau to take the lead for good at the Australian Grand Prix on Phillip Island, Oct 17.

1

Fashion photographer Avedon diesUS photographer Richard Avedon, renowned for his portraits of the rich and famous, dies aged 81.

0

Minn. Newspaper Suspends Two Reporters (AP)AP - Two newspaper reporters who went to see the Boss perform at a political fund-raising concert got in trouble with their own boss.

0

Carragher: Euro success will fund new Liverpool strikerLiverpool defender Jamie Carragher says Euro success will help boss Rafa Benitez land a new striker in January. Carragher said: quot;It is important we qualify because we obviously need to do something to bring in cover for Djibril Cisse.

1

Oracle sees PeopleSoft profit decliningPeopleSoft's profit may drop ""significantly"" this year, according to testimony by an Oracle executive.

3

16 killed in suicide bombings in IsraelBEERSHEBA, Israel -- Palestinian suicide bombers blew up two passenger buses in near-simultaneous explosions yesterday afternoon along the main thoroughfare of this southern Israeli city, killing 16 people and shattering a five-month lull in suicide attacks inside the Jewish state.

0

US mortgage applications rise as rates easeNEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) - New applications for US home loans rose last week while refinancings surged, as 30-year mortgage interest rates fell to their lowest level in over four months, an industry group said on Wednesday.

2

#39;Digital #39; hospital showcases GE Healthcare technologiesBy building one of the world #39;s first all-digital cardiac care facilities, Saint Francis Heart Hospital hopes to provide patients with better care while helping doctors and other medical staff offer more effective treatments.

3

Sharapova Advances to Korea Open Semis (AP)AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova reached the semifinals of the Korea Open on Friday with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Australian Samantha Stosur.

1

Top Court Upholds Visa, MasterCard Ruling (Reuters)Reuters - The Supreme Court on Monday let\stand a ruling that the Visa and MasterCard credit card\associations violated federal antitrust law by barring their\member banks from issuing credit and charge cards on the rival\networks of American Express Co. and Morgan Stanley.\.

2

Bulldogs lie in wait for 10 months, then chew up Tigers from ...The Georgia Bulldogs insisted all week that they didn #39;t circle this game on their calendars after losing twice to LSU last season.

1

Is Google the Next Netscape? (washingtonpost.com)washingtonpost.com - Microsoft might be king of the software world, but it's having to play catch up in the increasingly important world of Internet and desktop search, chasing the substantial leads of Google, Yahoo and others.

3

Dueling views in EU caseThe Los Angeles Times published an especially vivid account (free reg. required) of yesterday #39;s proceedings at the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg, on the first day of the hearing in which Microsoft

2

TV stations admonished for broadcasting porn star #39;s allegations ...Romania #39;s broadcasting watchdog admonished three television stations Thursday for broadcasting a porn star #39;s claim that she had sex with Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu and that the player had used cocaine in the past.

1

Landscaped Roofs Have Chicago Mayor Seeing GreenWhen cities run out of valuable real estate, planners look up. The search for green space is no exception.

3

Strontium Drug Reduces Fractures in Elderly WomenSpinal and non-spinal fractures are reduced by almost a third in women age 80 or older who take a drug called strontium ranelate, European investigators announced

3

Electrical giant hits eject on videosONCE seen as the cutting edge of technology which would change the way we watch television, the video recorder has been usurped by another revolution in home entertainment, the DVD machine.

3

US SEC files fraud charges against tycoon Conrad BlackThe Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit accusing the newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his former top deputy of defrauding shareholders of Hollinger International Inc.

2

Ahern and Blair hope to revitalise NI processBertie Ahern and Tony Blair meet today to try to find a way of breathing new life into the faltering efforts to restore devolution to Northern Ireland.

0

Serena Williams picks China Open titleSerena Williams of US holds the championship trophy after defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the inaugural China Open women #39;s final September 26, 2004, in Beijing.

1

Police underestimated Palm Island crisisQueensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson has admitted he underestimated the situation on Palm Island in north Queensland in the lead-up to yesterday #39;s riots.

0

Mobile hard drive carries LinuxThe drive, loaded with the open-source OS, can be plugged into the USB port of any computer to turn it into a Linux machine.

3

Component prices play key role in Dell earningsFalling cost of PC parts gives computer maker's third quarter a boost.

3

Sony seals purchase of MGMLos Angeles (dpa) - An investment consortium led by Japanese electronics giant Sony has sealed a deal to buy the legendary Hollywood studio MGM, which will keep functioning as an independent unit producing several films a year, Variety reported Friday.

2

Wrigley buys Kraft unit for \$1.48 bnWrigley, the world #39;s largest maker of chewing gum, on Monday took a step towards diversifying into other confectionery products with the acquisition for \$1.48bn in cash of Kraft Foods #39; sugar confectionery business.

2

Report: Telecordia to be Bought for \$1.3BWarburg Pincus Equity Partners and Providence Equity Partners are reportedly in negotiations to buy Telecordia Technologies for \$1.

2

NASA Confirms Relativity TheoryIn 1918, Albert Einstein proposed that large objects bend the space around themselves while turning on their axis. In 2004, NASA scientists confirmed that the Earth bends the time and space around it while

3

KC runs over Vick, FalconsIt was the kind of complete game Chiefs fans had been dreaming of throughout the course of a nightmare season. quot;This is how (people thought) we could score points and dominate

1

Solaris 10 Could Brighten Sunand two days later his company hit another milestone. It released what #39;s easily its most important product in more than nine years.

3

Few tears shed for canceled ComdexComdex veterans ponder freedom from the annual computing trade show, which normally would be happening in Sin City right about now.

3

Rangers held by InvernessInverness, Scotland (Sports Network) - Rangers squandered a chance to return to the top of the table Sunday as it was held at Inverness, 1-1.

1

New Orion workstation puts cluster in a boxA new company thinks it has the answer to the complaints of scientists and engineers looking for high-performance computing (HPC) on the desktop. The Orion Cluster Workstation packs the power of a PC cluster into a desktop-size package using low-power chips and an innovative motherboard design.

3

Vivendi Ups Forecast After Strong Quarter PARIS (Reuters) - France's largest media company, Vivendi Universal, raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a 19 percent increase in third-quarter underlying operating profit, buoyed by a rebound in music and strong mobile phone sales.

2

Today's schedulePro baseball: New York Yankees vs. Red Sox at Fenway Park, 7 p.m. College field hockey: Framingham St. at Fitchburg St., 10 a.m.; Bridgewater St. at Worcester St., 10 a.m.; Bryant at Franklin Pierce, 10:30 a.m.; UNew England at Endicott, 11 a.m.; WNEC at Elms, 11 a.m.; Wheaton at Springfield, 11 a.m.; Tufts at Amherst, 11 a.m.; Colby at Trinity, ...

1

Researchers seek to untangle the e-mail threadE-mail is a victim of its own success. That's the conclusion of IBM Corp. researchers in Cambridge, who have spent nearly a decade conducting field tests at IBM and other companies about how employees work and use electronic mail. It's clear to them that e-mail has become the Internet's killer application.

2

Turkish Engineer, 2 Aides Missing in Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14 -- A Turkish engineer and two Afghans were apparently kidnapped Tuesday in an area of eastern Afghanistan where bandits and insurgents from the Taliban and other Islamic extremist groups operate, officials said.

0

Anthony Leads Nuggets Past Clippers (AP)AP - Carmelo Anthony, who missed Denver's previous game after being cited for marijuana possession, scored 23 points for the Nuggets in a 100-88 preseason victory Thursday night over the Los Angeles Clippers.

1

Bergkamp Backing Van Persie to ShineVan Persie scored a last-gasp equaliser to rescue Arsenal from the jaws of defeat against Southampton on Saturday. The visitors had looked certain to condemn Arsene Wengers side

1

Federer presents perfect visionLLEYTON HEWITT on the other side of a net serves as a mirror into the soul, a reflection of what it is that lies deep within an opponent.

1

Qaeda believed to be calling for action in AfghanistanBAGRAM AIR BASE: Al Qaeda is believed to have called its followers to action in response to the massively attended vote last month that elected President Hamid Karzai, said a top US commander.

0

Bats were more than a bit wooden in seriesNEW YORK -- Don't expect the Red Sox to buy the theory that the Yankees' pitching has declined. Not after the Sox managed only eight runs on 20 hits over three of the most important games of the season. While the Yankees hit .308 and scored 27 runs, the Sox mustered only a .200 average as two of their core ...

1

Stocks Dive on Morgan Stanley, Oil ReportsNEW YORK - Stocks tumbled Wednesday as investors saw a surge in oil prices and disappointing earnings from Morgan Stanley as a reason to collect profits from gains of the last month. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 135 points, and all three major indexes saw their biggest losses since early August...

0