Rebels Urged to Give Up Shrine Gunfire rang throughout the city today and black smoke rose over the Old City neighbourhood, where much of the fighting has been centred.


Transmeta bets on LongRun2 While Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. continue bringing low-power mobile chips to market, Transmeta Corp. is faced with the possibility of shifting its focus from operations and toward licensing its technologies.


TSMC files another patent suit against SMIC Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC), of Hsinchu, Taiwan, has expanded its patent-infringement fight against rival contract chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) by filing a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).


Unhappy Holiday for Cal THE CAL BEARS may have been a victim of their good sportsmanship. That #39;s the way it goes in big-time college football. No one knows for certain why Cal sank from fourth to fifth in the mysterious mix of computer


E-Vote Machine Certification Process Criticized The three companies that certify the nation's voting technologies operate in secrecy, and refuse to discuss flaws in the ATM-like machines to be used by nearly one in three voters in November.


AUSTRALIA: Woolworths posts higher H2 profit Australian supermarket group Woolworths has reported a 12 increase in second-half profit despite tough competition from rival Coles Myer.


Asian Stocks Rise as Oil Drops From Record; Honda Leads Advance Asian stocks rose after oil prices fell from a record on Friday, easing concern higher energy costs will damp consumer spending and corporate profits.


Pope condemns human cloning CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy -- Pope John Paul II warned in a statement released Sunday that humanity #39;s speedy progress in science and technology risks overlooking moral values, citing with particular concern experiments in human cloning.


Consumers Say Apple Should Share 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


Sudan denies need for AU peacekeepers in Darfur Agriculture Minister insists Sudan can handle security situation in Darfur without need for AU peacekeepers. ABUJA - The head of Sudan #39;s delegation to African Union-sponsored talks on the conflict in the western


Volkswagen Says 'No Room' for Wage Hikes (AP) AP - Automaker Volkswagen said Monday there is "no room" for wage increases this year as it prepares for pay talks with Germany's largest industrial union.


Before-the-Bell: FedEx Up After Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - Shares FedEx Corp. (FDX.N) rose before\the bell on Monday, after the express shipping company raised\its earnings forecast for the first quarter and the full year,\citing strong demand for its services.


al-Qaida Tip Boosts Security in Honduras (AP) AP - Honduras tightened security at foreign embassies and declared a national terror alert after receiving information that al-Qaida was trying to recruit Hondurans to attack embassies of the United States, Britain, Spain and El Salvador, a government official said Sunday.


Gatlin Turns Sprinting Into Art  ATHENS (Reuters) - Justin Gatlin always wanted to make his  mark on the world. But as a teenager the new Olympic 100 meters  champion believed fame would come through art not sprinting.


Drama Queen Khorkina Sulks Into Retirement  ATHENS (Reuters) - Svetlana Khorkina was expected to soar  into the record books at the Athens Olympics, making a glorious  exit from the international stage as the reigning queen of the  asymmetric bars.


iPod is the only clear winner? While Apple is cruising along, other computer outfits are frantically trying to crack the consumer-electronics nut. Dell (DELL ), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ ) and, yes, even Gateway (GTW ) are all pushing new products


Soccer: We're No Symbol of Freedom, Iraq Coach Says  THESSALONIKI, Greece (Reuters) - Iraq's Olympic soccer  coach said Monday his side should not be seen as a symbol of  freedom, taking issue with a campaign commercial for President  Bush.


Before-the-Bell: FedEx Up After Outlook  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares FedEx Corp. FDX.N rose before  the bell on Monday, after the express shipping company raised  its earnings forecast for the first quarter and the full year,  citing strong demand for its services.


Tsoumeleka Wins Greece's First Athletics Gold  ATHENS (Reuters) - Athanasia Tsoumeleka won Greece's first  athletics gold of the Olympic Games Monday with an upset  victory in the women's 20km walk.


Tennis: Chilean Alchemists Turn Dreams Into Gold  ATHENS (Reuters) - In a feat that would have made ancient  alchemists green with envy, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez and  Nicolas Massu turned sweat, tears and raw desire into solid  gold at the Olympic Games.


Nvidia to power next Sony console Sony Computer Entertainment Inc and Nvidia have announced they are working together on the GPU for SCEI #39;s next generation entertainment device.


Pay-Per-View Revenue Boosts WWE Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.  WWE.N, a producer of wrestling entertainment programs  including "SmackDown" and "WrestleMania," reported higher  quarterly profit on Monday, helped by increased pay-per-view  revenue.


Gatlin Beats Fastest-Ever 100M Field (AP) AP - Justin Gatlin kept braving the North Carolina cold to keep practicing, keep working, keep chasing Olympic gold. He finally caught it Sunday night, outrunning the fastest field in Olympic history to become the youngest 100-meter champion in 36 years.


IBM Targets Web Hosting as Key Growth Area (Reuters) Reuters - International Business Machines Corp.\(IBM.N) widened its lead last year in the U.S. market for\Internet hosting services as it won a greater share of the\medium-sized business market, according to data recently\published by market research firm IDC.


Glaciers Shrink, But Some Resist Global Warming (Reuters) Reuters - Glaciers are melting faster than before in\some regions from the Arctic to the Alps but others are getting\bigger, scientists said on Friday.


Plan would split CIA, cut Pentagon control (Chicago Tribune) Chicago Tribune - The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee proposed sweeping changes Sunday that would dismantle the CIA and remove several of the United States' largest intelligence agencies from the control of the Pentagon.


Musician #39;s Group Questions Pew Survey The Recording Artists Coalition, which represents musicians signed by major studio labels, sharply condemned a report released Sunday by the Pew Internet  amp; American Life Project, which claimed that about half of all musicians think that burning a copy of


Britain's Straw to Keep World Pressure on Sudan  LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw  flew to Sudan on Monday to keep up international pressure on  Khartoum to comply with U.N. demands to end the conflict in  Darfur that has already killed up to 50,000 people.


American Hits Wrong Target, Loses Gold Medal  ATHENS (Reuters) - Matthew Emmons is a trained accountant  but he got his numbers terribly wrong on Sunday.


Afghanistan's Karzai in Pakistan for Terror Talks  ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai began a  visit to neighboring Pakistan on Monday to discuss cooperation  in the battle against Islamic militants ahead of his October  re-election bid.


N.L. Wrap: Ramirez Lifts Cubs Over the Astros  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer  as the Chicago Cubs survived the ejection of starting pitcher  Kerry Wood to defeat the Astros 11-6 in National League play in  Houston on Sunday.


Iran Says Iraqi Government Risks Losing Support  TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said  on Monday Iraq's interim government risked losing popular  support because of its backing for military operations against  Shi'ite Muslim rebels in the holy city of Najaf.


Anxious Bangladesh Braces for More Protests  DHAKA (Reuters) - Opposition activists in Bangladesh held  more protests on Monday against a deadly grenade attack as  authorities posted extra police on the streets to guard against  violence.


Bodies of WWI Austrian Soldiers Found in Glacier  ROME (Reuters) - The bodies of three Austrian soldiers  killed in World War One have been found frozen and almost  perfectly preserved in an Italian Alpine glacier.


Columbia disaster still haunts Nasa officials Cape Canaveral - Nearly two years after Columbia shattered in the sky, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration still has no way of repairing the kind of holes that could doom other shuttles.


Fatal blast rocks Turkish resort An explosion in Turkey's popular Mediterranean resort of Antalya kills one person, reports say.


ARM to Buy Artisan Components for About \$913 Million (Update6) ARM Holdings Plc, whose chip designs are used in iPod digital music players, agreed to buy Artisan Components Inc. for about \$913 million.


Oil Holds at \$47 as Iraq Resumes Exports Oil prices held just below the \$47 mark on Monday as Iraq resumed exports from both its northern and southern outlets after lengthy disruption, despite fierce fighting in the holy city of Najaf.


KMart to Sell 18 Stores to Home Depot Retailer Kmart Holdings Corp. (KMRT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said it finalized a deal to sell 18 of its stores to Home Depot Inc.


Choose  #39;The Apprentice #39;  #39;You #39;re Fired! quot; Everyone knows Donald Trump #39;s weekly mantra from his NBC reality show. Most fans also know who won the fight for supremacy as 16 wannabes -- eight women and eight men -- competed in the corporate jungle of New York.


Southwest to cut 88 flights in October Newspaper says largest US discount carrier could boost annual revenue by \$60 million as a result. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Inc.


TSMC files another patent suit against SMIC Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC), of Hsinchu, Taiwan, has expanded its patent-infringement fight against rival contract chip maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.


Radcliffe  #39;was not injured #39; Paula Radcliffe #39;s failure to add the Olympic marathon crown to her collection of achievements was not due to injury, the British team confirmed today.


Lithuania wraps up with 100-85 win over Australia Title contender Lithuania wrapped up its preliminary round matches with a 5-0 record by defeating Australia 100-85 on August 23 in the men #39;s basketball competition.


Chechens Mark Birthday Of Slain Leader Ahead Of Election MOSCOW, Aug 23 (AFP) - Chechens marked the birthday of their murdered leader Monday, days ahead of an election to replace him at the helm of the Caucasus republic where a five-year guerrilla war shows no signs of dying down.


Woman Moves in With 6,000 Scorpions KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A Malaysian woman is trying to reclaim the world record for the longest stay in a room full of scorpions, news reports said Sunday.    Nur Malena Hassan, 27, moved Saturday into a locked glass box where she plans to live for 36 consecutive days with more than 6,000 of the poisonous arachnids in a shopping mall, the Malay-language Mingguan Malaysia newspaper reported...


Saving Room for Dessert May Help Dieters A federal dietary advisory panel is considering whether its revision of nutrition guidelines should let some people treat themselves to guilt-free desserts. Such treats would be bonuses for healthful living, under proposals being considered by the advisory panel that's drafting an update of the nutritional guidance.


FedEx Hikes Profit Forecast, Cites Demand FedEx Corp. (FDX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its earnings forecast for the fiscal first quarter and full year, citing strong demand for its international express, ground and less-than-truckload services.


WHO Urges ASEAN to Curb Tobacco Trade The World Health Organization is urging Southeast Asian nations to strengthen curbs on tobacco trade. Shigeru Omi, the WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, told a conference of the Association of


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


Graham finally admits he #39;s coach who turned in THG syringe A mystery at the center of track and field #39;s biggest doping scandal has finally been solved. Top track coach Trevor Graham has admitted he was the coach who anonymously sent a syringe of THG to the US Anti


Britain #39;s Straw to Keep World Pressure on Sudan British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to Sudan on Monday to keep up international pressure on Khartoum to comply with UN demands to end the conflict in Darfur that has already killed up to 50,000 people.


Israel plans 530 settler homes Israel is planning to build more than 530 new settler homes in the West Bank after Washington signalled it would accept growth in Jewish enclaves in the occupied territory, political sources say.


North Korea: Tyrant is Bush, not Kim North Korea says it sees no reason to join a working-level meeting with the United States to prepare for further six-party talks on the communist state #39;s nuclear weapons development.


Afghan president arrives in Pakistan Afghan President Hamid Karzai traveled to neighboring Pakistan for talks Monday on fighting terrorism and economic cooperation. Karzai was welcomed at Islamabad airport


Leader: Has Lycos empowered the spammers? Even in the fleeting and transitory world of technology, Lycos #39; spam-busting screensaver was the most short-lived of initiatives.


Wal-Mart Lowers August Sales Forecast (AP) AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's biggest retailer, lowered its sales forecast for August, citing Hurricane Charley's swipe across Florida and slower than expected back-to-school sales.


Before-the-Bell: Wal-Mart Edges Lower  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N  ticked lower on Monday after the world's largest retailer cut  its August sales forecast.


Yukos cuts 2004 oil production forecast (AFP) AFP - Embattled Russian oil giant Yukos cut its 2004 oil production target from 90 million tonnes to 86 million tonnes, saying its inability to access its frozen accounts had forced the firm to reduce operating costs.


Talks begin in Abuja on conflict in Sudan's Darfur region (AFP) AFP - African Union-sponsored talks on the conflict in the western Sudanese region of Darfur began in the Nigerian capital Abuja.


GM Recalling Aveo Cars for Safety Belt Fix  DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. is recalling more  than 32,000 of its Chevrolet Aveo subcompact cars because of a  potential problem with their rear seat safety belts.


HBOS calls for bank tie-up probe HBOS asks the European Commission to look at Spanish bank BSCH's relationship with the Royal Bank of Scotland.


Fujitsu and Cisco Form Strategic Alliance for advanced Internet <b>...</b> A router is a computer networking device that forwards data packets toward their destinations through a process known as routing. Routing occurs at layer 3 of the OSI seven-layer model.


ECM wares seize control of records creation, management Under the shadow of government regulations IT must comply with, a host of ECM (enterprise content management) vendors are blending previously stand-alone RM (records management) capabilities into their CM and compliance recipes.


Transmeta bets on LongRun2 While Intel and AMD continue bringing low-power mobile chips to market, Transmeta is faced with the possibility of shifting its focus from operations and toward licensing its technologies.


EDS, Siebel partner for tailored business packages EDS this week will kick off a partnership with Siebel Systems, taking the first step in a new vendor-relationship strategy emphasizing deeper links with fewer vendors.


BEA readies app server package for ISVs BEA Systems on Monday is releasing a version of its application infrastructure suite designed to enable ISVs to deliver products for SOAs (service-oriented architectures).


Artisan Rallies on Buyout Artisan Components (ARTI:Nasdaq - news - research) shot up in Monday #39;s premarket session after the UK #39;s ARM Holdings (ARMHY:Nasdaq - news - research) announced it would buy the company for cash and stock that was worth nearly \$34 a share at Friday #39;s close


Dollar gains, bonds sink Traders buy dollars sold off in recent sessions; await Greenspan speech, data due later in the week. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The dollar rose higher from recent lows against the euro and the yen Monday, while


Yukos plunges on fears of asset sales Talk intensifies that oil company will sell its key Siberian unit for low price to pay back taxes. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Shares of Russian oil company Yukos fell Monday as fears intensified that the firm #39;s key


Drug Approvals Spark Mylan Labs The Pittsburg-based generic drugmaker said the Food and Drug Administration has approved its metoprolol tartrate and hydrochlorothiazide tablets, which will compete with the Loppressor HCT tablets made by the Switzerland-based Novartis.


You can make calls on your PC On a trip to Shanghai, Buffalo musician Edgar Henderson took along an electronic box about the size of a paperback. Plugged into a phone, the box allowed him to call friends in Buffalo toll-free.


AMD uses strained silicon on 90-nanometer chips AMD will implement the strained silicon manufacturing technique on its upcoming 90-nanometer processors as well as 130-nanometer processors.


Gatlin #39;s gun fastest in historic shootout Serious fun lit up the Olympics last night. A showdown among the swaggering gunslingers who populate the sprint community, celebrated by 72,000 spectators for a full 10 minutes prior


Everton board meeting postponed The Everton board meeting to unveil details of a new investor has been postponed at the request of director Paul Gregg, chairman Bill Kenwrights rival for control of the club.


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


Sudan's rebels, government gather for talks on Darfur crisis (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Pushed to end what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, Sudanese government envoys gathered in Nigeria on Monday for talks with rebel leaders from the western Darfur region.


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


Federal Express Hikes Profit Forecast, Cites Demand Federal Express raised its earnings forecast, citing strong demand for its international express, ground and less-than-truckload services.


'Ordinary names' to go into space Ordinary people are being given the chance to have their name go into space with the first X-Prize contender craft.


Wal-Mart Lowers August Sales Forecast BENTONVILLE, Ark. Aug. 23, 2004 - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s biggest retailer, lowered its sales forecast for August, citing Hurricane Charley #39;s swipe across Florida and slower than expected back-to-school sales.


FedEx raises first quarter, full-year outlook NEW YORK - FedEx Corp. Monday raised its earnings forecast for the first quarter ending this month and for the full fiscal year, citing strong demand for its international express, ground and less-than-truckload services.


Stocks to Watch on August 23 US stocks to watch: ARTISAN COMPONENTS INC (ARTI) British semiconductor designer ARM Holdings Plc agreed to buy US technology firm Artisan for \$913 million, to boost its product range, but ARM shares slumped on Monday on concerns it


HBOS to complain over SCH Abbey bid HBOS HBOS.L says it will write to the European Commission to complain about Santander Central Hispano #39;s continuing ties to Royal Bank of Scotland despite the Spanish bank #39;s bid for Abbey National.


Transporters stir: ESMA invoked in Delhi, Gujarat The nationwide indefinite strike of truck operators entered the second day today due to the deadlock in talks between the Finance Ministry and truck operators associations.


Alcoa-Billiton venture, Integris Metals, to go public A joint venture between Alcoa Inc. and BHP Billiton has filed to go public through an offering worth as much as \$100 million, according to regulatory filings and the companies.


Retail sales climb 0.2 Retail sales edged ahead 0.2 per cent in June as gains at auto dealers and pharmacies offset weather-related weakness in most of the nation #39;s other major sectors, Statistics Canada said Monday.


Ready for Service Pack 2? Not so fast, XP Pro users You #39;ve been patient. You #39;ve done what Microsoft asked you to do. You #39;re ready to download Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.


DNA technique protects against  #39;evil #39; emails A technique originally designed to analyse DNA sequences is the latest weapon in the war against spam. An algorithm named Chung-Kwei (after a feng-shui talisman that protects the home against evil spirits) can catch nearly 97 per cent of spam.


Online sales pass the \$15bn mark in the US Online retail sales overseas continue to show significant growth, according to the latest figures released by the US Department of Commerce.


Russian gold medal winner tests positive Russia #39;s Irina Korzhanenko, who won the Olympic shot put last Wednesday, was stripped of her gold medal Monday because of drug use.


Wood, Baker tossed in win over Houston HOUSTON - After being plunked between the shoulders, Michael Barrett offered a few words of advice for Roy Oswalt when the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros meet again next week.


Straw to demand more from Sudan The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, will deliver a  quot;clear message quot; to the Sudanese government that it must do more to stop the violence in Darfur when he arrives in Khartoum this evening.


Volkswagen Says  #39;No Room #39; for Wage Hikes FRANKFURT, Germany Aug. 23, 2004 - Automaker Volkswagen said Monday there is  quot;no room quot; for wage increases this year as it prepares for pay talks with Germany #39;s largest industrial union.


Germany Acquits Carlos the Jackal Aide BERLIN Aug. 23, 2004 - A German court on Monday, citing insufficient evidence, acquitted an imprisoned aide of the terrorist Carlos the Jackal of involvement in a deadly series of bombings in France in the early 1980s.


Dream Team Breezes Past Angola 89-53 (AP) AP - The Americans got a taste of what it was like in the good ol' days, finally playing an opponent they were able to beat easily, routing Angola 89-53 on Monday in their final game of the Olympic men's basketball preliminary round. Tim Duncan finished with a team-high 15 points in limited minutes, and the Americans dominated the boards Barcelona-style with a 52-17 edge in rebounding.


Toys 'R' Us Swings to 2Q Profit (AP) AP - Troubled retailer Toys "R" Us Inc. reported Monday that the company swung to a profit in the latest second quarter, compared with a loss in the year-ago period.


Equatorial Guinea prosecutor wants death for S. African 'mercenary' (AFP) AFP - The prosecutor in the trial of a group of suspected foreign mercenaries accused of plotting a putsch in Equatorial Guinea said he will call for the death penalty for the coup-plotters' alleged leader, South African Nick du Toit.


Wall Street Set to Open Slightly Higher  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures signaled a slightly  higher open for stocks on Monday as investors welcomed an  easing of oil prices from a record high near \$50 a barrel last  week.


Israel Plans 530 Settler Homes, with U.S. Nod  HAR GILO, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel plans to build more  than 530 new settler homes in the West Bank after Washington  signaled it would accept growth in Jewish enclaves in the  occupied territory, political sources said Monday.


Blast in Turkish Resort City Kills One  ISTANBUL (Reuters) - An explosion rocked Turkey's  Mediterranean resort city of Antalya on Monday, killing one  person and injuring at least one other, police said.


Sex Scandal Rocks Hong Kong Politics  HONG KONG (Reuters) - The arrest in south China of a Hong  Kong pro-democracy politician for hiring a prostitute has  eroded support for his party and hurt its chance of victory in  the city's legislative elections next month.


Mother of Dead UK Soldier to Sue Government  LONDON (Reuters) - The mother of a young British soldier  killed in Iraq said on Monday she intended to sue the Ministry  of Defense for negligence because it failed to supply him with  hi-tech defensive equipment.


Radcliffe baffled by failure Paula Radcliffe has no idea what went wrong in the Olympic marathon and is undecided about running the 10,000m.


Kreme-Filled Earnings Krispy Kreme shareholders hope for a break from the badness in this week's earnings report.


Investigators Find Steroids A search of a warehouse used by the coach at the center of a doping scandal involving the country's star sprinters uncovered small amounts of anabolic steroids.


Kmart Delivers, Bad News for Bears When will the bears admit that Kmart (KMRT:Nasdaq - commentary - research) is for real? When will they say,  quot;You know, the people who used to run Kmart were idiots and things are now better quot;?


Wal-Mart lowers August sales forecast Wal-Mart is reducing its forecast for same store sales for the month of August. It is blaming store closures caused by Hurricane Charley last week.


Toys  #39;R #39; Us Swings to 2Q Profit Troubled retailer Toys  quot;R quot; Us Inc. reported Monday that the company swung to a profit in the latest second quarter, compared with a loss in the year-ago period.


ARM shares tumble on deal for chip firm LONDON ARM Holdings, a British semiconductor designer, said on Monday that it would buy Artisan Components for \$913 million to broaden its product range.


Kerry attacks Bush overtime changes The Bush administration #39;s new overtime rules went into effect on Monday, but the Kerry campaign has already begun attacking the regulations, saying they will hurt millions of American workers.


S amp;P revises outlook for India #39;s currency rating Mumbai, Aug. 23. (PTI): Revising the outlook on India #39;s long-term foreign currency and local currency ratings, Standard  amp; Poor #39;s Ratings Services today warned that the local currency rating could be lowered


Tekelec to acquire Steleus Tekelec of Calabasas, Calif., said Friday it will acquire telecommunications solution provider, Steleus Group of Westford, Mass. Tekelec, a leading global supplier of telecommunications


South Korean gymnast appealing judging error, Hamm hopes to hang <b>...</b> (Athens, Greece-AP) Aug. 23, 2004 - It appears the Court of Arbitration for Sport might not hear South Korea #39;s appeal of the gymnastics gold medal.


UK has Plan B for power forward At 6:30 tonight, Poplar Bluff High (Mo.) forward Tyler Hansbrough will announce where he will go to college next fall. If Hansbrough picks the University of Kentucky, the Wildcats #39; coaching


#39;Why the Bombings? #39; Ask Bangladesh Protesters Thousands of Bangladesh opposition activists holding banners reading  quot;Why the bombings, why the bloodshed? quot; protested on Monday against a deadly grenade attack


Sex Scandal Rocks Hong Kong Politics The arrest in south China of a Hong Kong pro-democracy politician for hiring a prostitute has eroded support for his party and hurt its chance of victory in the city #39;s legislative elections next month.


Wal-Mart Says August Sales May Be Little Changed (Update4) Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s largest retailer, said August sales will be little changed or rise as much as 2 percent, hurt by Hurricane Charley and sluggish demand for back-to-school products.


KMart to Sell 18 Stores to Home Depot Retailer Kmart Holdings Corp. (KMRT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday finalized a deal to sell 18 of its stores to Home Depot Inc.


Stocks Post Early Gains As Oil Is Steady Stocks are posting some early gains this morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 10 points in today #39;s early going. Advancing issues on the New York Stock Exchange hold a 4-3 lead over decliners.


Siebel, EDS Ink BPO Deal Siebel Systems Inc. and Electronic Data Systems Corp. this week will announced a partnership to help companies avoid many of the costs and complexities of managing customer relationship management systems in enterprises.


Sudan Rejects Africa Troop Offer at Darfur Talks (Reuters) Reuters - Sudan rejected an offer of African troops\to disarm rebels in Darfur as peace talks began in Nigeria,\insisting it was capable of neutralizing both pro-government\and rebel militia fighting in the western region.


Ryu ends Chinese domination Ryu Seung Min of South Korea beats Wang Hao to take gold in the table tennis men's singles.


FedEx Raises Forecast, Stock Climbs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. FDX.N on Monday raised  its earnings forecast for the fiscal first quarter and full  year, citing strong demand for its international express,  ground and less-than-truckload services.


Northern Cyprus trade ban lifted Turkish Cypriots begin trading with Greek Cypriots in the south  for the first time in three decades.


Stocks Open Slightly Higher as Oil Eases  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks showed small gains at the  open on Monday as easing oil prices alleviated investors' worry  about the effect of higher fuel costs on corporations and  consumers.


Toys R us Posts Net Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Toys R Us Inc. TOY.N, which is  considering getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a  second-quarter net profit, reversing a year-earlier loss, as it  works to restructure its toy stores.


Southwest Airlines to Cut 88 Flights  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Inc. LUV.N, the  largest U.S. discount carrier, on Monday said it will eliminate  88 scheduled flights in order to boost revenue by freeing up  planes for more lucrative markets.


Basketball: U.S. Men Cruise Past Angola, 89-53  ATHENS (Reuters) - The U.S. men's basketball team got their  first comfortable win at the Olympic basketball tournament  Monday, routing winless Angola 89-53 in their final preliminary  round game.


Olympics: Greece Gets Instant New 'Immortal'  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece, shamed and angered by Olympic  doping scandals, hailed an instant new heroine Monday when  Athanasia Tsoumeleka won the women's 20 km walk to give the  Olympic hosts their first athletics gold medal.


Owen Seeks New Challenge at Real Madrid  LONDON (Reuters) - England striker Michael Owen says he is  looking forward to a "nerve-racking" new challenge after  leaving his comfortable life at Liverpool to join Real Madrid.


2006 Olympic Torch Relay Unveiled (AP) AP - The torch relay for the 2006 Turin Olympics will pass by the Leaning Tower of Pisa and go up Venice's Grand Canal in a route that will cover every province in Italy.


Scientists Say Risk of Water Wars Rising (Reuters) Reuters - The risk of wars being fought over\water is rising because of explosive global population growth\and widespread complacency, scientists said on Friday.


Audit of Venezuelan vote backs Chavez An audit of Venezuela #39;s referendum results has confirmed that President Hugo Chavez won the poll fairly and found no evidence to support the opposition #39;s claims of widespread vote-rigging, international observers said


Columnist quits over plagiarism A BUSINESS columnist has resigned from The Seattle Times after admitting he plagiarised the work of other journalists. Stephen H Dunphy #39;s resignation followed an internal investigation, the paper #39;s executive editor said in a column published on Sunday.


File-sharing software off legal hook In a judicial blow to the entertainment industry, a federal appeals court ruled that makers of two leading file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the songs, movies


Western Drought Is Grounding Boaters Sarah Huston and her husband, Tom, spend their afternoons catching catfish and bass on Roosevelt Lake. When it gets too hot, they cast their lines off a shaded dock or relax inside their air-conditioned boat.


Elber blow for Lyon Lyon have suffered a major blow with the news that Giovane Elber will out of action for several months. The Brazilian striker was thought to have injured his ankle in the game against Metz, but further scans revealed the problem to be far more serious.


Sudanese peace talks open African Union-sponsored peace talks between Sudan #39;s government and rebel leaders from its war-torn Darfur region began on Monday amid disagreement over the deployment of peacekeepers.


Afghanistan #39;s Karzai in Pakistan for terror talks Afghan President Hamid Karzai began a visit to neighbouring Pakistan on Monday to discuss cooperation in the battle against Islamic militants ahead of his October re-election bid.


Google Yields More Than Fistful of Dollars There's a new social class in town -- the "Google Riche" -- and while their newfound wealth is impressive, they might want to spend some time thinking about their new tax brackets and how to keep the sharks from taking a few bites off the top. -washingtonpost.com


Treasuries Lower in Data Vacuum (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasuries prices were sucked\lower on Monday as speculators took advantage of a vacuum of\economic news to test the bearish side of recent tight trading\ranges.


Cartel inquiry claims Amcor chief The boss of packaging company Amcor has quit his post amid a growing scandal over allegations of price-fixing. Amcor said chief executive Russell Jones - along with top divisional head Peter Sutton - had both resigned.


Mission Fantastic to Mars -- Part 1 They made history in more ways than one. Not just because they landed two robot geologists on Mars. Not just because they provided conclusive evidence that water once flowed on the Red Planet. The JPL team that sent two rovers to Mars this year made history because they completed in 3 1/2 years what mission planners usually complete in seven.


Treasuries Lower in Data Vacuum  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasuries prices were sucked  lower on Monday as speculators took advantage of a vacuum of  economic news to test the bearish side of recent tight trading  ranges.


Sudan Rejects Africa Troop Offer at Darfur Talks  ABUJA (Reuters) - Sudan rejected an offer of African troops  to disarm rebels in Darfur as peace talks began in Nigeria,  insisting it was capable of neutralizing both pro-government  and rebel militia fighting in the western region.


YUKOS Cuts 2004 Forecast by 4.5 Percent  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian oil major YUKOS on Monday cut  its oil output forecast for this year by 4.5 percent and said  it would slash capital expenditure by more than a third due to  its tax dispute with the state.


Nepal Opposition Calls for Truce to End Blockade  KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal's main opposition party urged  the government on Monday to call a unilateral cease-fire with  Maoist rebels and seek peace talks to end a road blockade that  has cut the capital off from the rest of the country.


Postal Service seals big SAP deal Enterprise software maker gets stamp of approval to replace letter carrier's 700,000-employee human resources system.


Wal-Mart Lowers August Sales Forecast Wal-Mart had previously expected same-store sales to grow between 2 percent and 4 percent during the month. Today it gave a range from flat to up 2 percent.


ARM to buy designer of systems-on-a-chip With the acquisition of Artisan Components, ARM will get 340 employees, plus facilities in California and India.


Norway Searches for Treasured Masterpieces OSLO, Norway - Police launched a nationwide investigation Monday for armed robbers who barged into a lightly guarded Oslo museum and ripped the Edvard Munch masterpiece "The Scream" and another painting from the walls, as stunned visitors watched in disbelief.    The paintings were stolen from Oslo's Munch Museum on Sunday by masked, armed thieves who pulled them from the walls as visitors and staff watched in shock...


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


Dream Team Breezes Past Angola 89-53 ATHENS, Greece - The Americans got a taste of what it was like in the good ol' days. They finally played an opponent they were able to beat easily, routing Angola 89-53 Monday in their final preliminary game of Olympic men's basketball...


Wal-Mart Sales Slump Sends Stocks Sliding NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s warning of disappointing sales sent stocks lower Monday, as investors' concerns about a slowing economy offset their relief over a drop in oil prices.    October contracts for a barrel of light crude were quoted at \$46.58, down 14 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange...


Gateway's PCs, Notebooks Available at MicroCenter  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - PC maker Gateway Inc. said on  Sunday its new line of notebooks, desktop personal computers  and monitors aimed at retail markets will be available at Micro  Center's 20 stores in the United States.


Santander to Cut 3,000 Jobs at Abbey After Takeover (Update1) Santander Central Hispano SA, which last month offered 8.2 billion pounds (\$14.9 billion) to buy the UK mortgage lender Abbey National Plc, said it will eliminate 3,000 jobs at the British company.


UK #39;s ARM to buy Artisan of US British semiconductor designer ARM Holdings said Monday it has agreed to buy US technology firm Artisan Components for \$913 million in cash and stock to boost its product range and reach more customers.


Toys R Us Swings to Profit Toys R Us (TOY:NYSE - news - research) swung to a second-quarter profit after revealing recently that it was considering exiting its namesake business.


Drought In West Grounds Boaters Sarah and Tom Huston worry their days of leisurely casting fishing lines off a shaded dock in Roosevelt Lake are numbered. The Arizona lake, about 110 miles northeast of Phoenix, is now just 30 percent full, local rangers say.


Lan switch sales looking good for 2004 Despite a decline of two per cent in the second quarter of 2004, the global market for local area network (Lan) switches remains up 23 per cent year over year, the latest market research from IDC has found.


Radcliffe baffled by failure A tearful Paula Radcliffe has revealed she has no idea what went wrong in her failed bid for Olympic marathon gold. The Briton said fans deserved an explanation but was waiting for test results from a Monday


Golf: Cink in command in winning NEC Invitational AKRON, Ohio - Six days after US captain Hal Sutton added him to the Ryder Cup team, Steward Cink completed the best performance of his career by turning the final round of the NEC Invitational into a showcase of poise and putting.


Transmeta suffers hype and hardware reality Perhaps the decision to name its flagship product after a fictional shipwrecked traveler who spent almost 30 years trapped on a small island was not the best of omens for Transmeta Corp.


HP to manage IT for Finnish energy giant Finnish energy giant Fortum Corp. has signed a five-year agreement with Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) to manage its IT infrastructure and support about 10,000 users across Europe.


Cisco, Microsoft merge IP telephony with CRM Cisco Systems Inc. is set to offer starting Monday a tool to help small and medium-sized businesses use Microsoft Corp. CRM (customer relationship management) software in combination with a Cisco IP (Internet Protocol) communication system.


Playboy plan for a private lifestyle club in Shanghai ICONIC brand Playboy plans to open a private club in Chinas commercial capital of Shanghai in a first for the communist nation, which still bans the companys flagship mens magazine.


Toys  quot;R quot; Us Posts 2Q Profit, Sales Fall Toys  quot;R quot; Us Inc. swung to a profit in the second quarter from a loss a year ago, buoyed by a reversal of \$200 million in income tax reserves.


The Economy Is Killing Overtime NEW YORK - The effect of new US overtime rules that go into effect today are the subject of intense dispute between labor groups and the Bush administration.


Southwest Airlines to Cut 88 Flights Southwest Airlines Inc. (LUV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US discount carrier, on Monday said it will eliminate 88 scheduled flights in order to boost revenue by freeing up planes for more lucrative markets.


FedEx Ups Profit Estimates FedEx (FDX ) raised raised its 2005 profit forecast for a second time. The package-delivery giant sees \$4.40 to \$4.60 earnings per share, vs.


Macromedia wires up Flex Builder Macromedia is heading in a new direction with the launch of a development tool for Flex, its development platform for rich internet applications (RIAs).


Germans shun violent video games Germans #39; reluctance to play violent video games and to spend much in a subdued consumer climate are proving stubborn obstacles to the growth of Europe #39;s least-developed games market.


Math concepts may be limited by language A rose by any other name may smell as sweet. But when it comes to accurately counting the flowers in that bouquet, the numbers #39; names matter.


Will Pruett come down on Herd now? How many other teams can make news by finishing two-a-day practices with a bar fight -- not to mention one in which some Thundering Herd knucklehead maybe gives a ticket to the festivities to a player on a team they #39;ll be playing next month?


Fighting continues in Najaf amid shrine standoff US forces and Shiite militants fought fierce battles in Najaf today, with airstrikes near a revered shrine and exchanges of mortar fire and artillery, as the US military


Volkswagen to Seek Wage Freeze in Contract Talks (Update4) Volkswagen AG, Europe #39;s largest carmaker, wants German workers to agree to a two-year wage freeze to cut costs amid a stagnating market, dismissing a union demand for a 4 percent yearly raise.


#39;Jackal #39; Accomplice Acquitted of Bombings A German court acquitted the suspected right-hand man of international guerrilla  quot;Carlos the Jackal quot; Monday of charges that he took part in deadly bomb attacks in France more than 20 years ago.


Gateway's PCs, Notebooks Available at MicroCenter (Reuters) Reuters - PC maker Gateway Inc. said on\Sunday its new line of notebooks, desktop personal computers\and monitors aimed at retail markets will be available at Micro\Center's 20 stores in the United States.


Basketball: U.S. Cruises Past Angola 89-53  ATHENS (Reuters) - The U.S. men's basketball team got their  first comfortable win at the Olympic basketball tournament  Monday, routing winless Angola 89-53 in their final preliminary  round game.


Blue Chips Flat After Wal-Mart News  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were little changed on  Monday as a disappointing sales forecast from Wal-Mart Stores  Inc. WMT.N, the world's biggest retailer, offset the effect  of easing oil prices.


US Won #39;t Wait Long In Airbus-Boeing Row The United States will not wait long before resorting to legal action in the trade dispute over government support for Airbus and Boeing, US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday.


U.S. Weighs Creation of Geologic Trail (AP) AP - Dry Falls lives up to its name. Not a drop of water cascades down the 500-foot cliffs at this arid, rocky place near Grand Coulee Dam.


Israel Plans 530 Settler Homes with U.S. Acquiescence  HAR GILO, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel plans to build 530  new settler homes in the occupied West Bank after Washington  softened its opposition to growth in Jewish enclaves, a policy  shift Palestinians say will make peace impossible.


Wal-Mart Cuts Sales View; Stock Dips
\

 By Emily Kaiser

 CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <WMT.N> lowered\its August sales forecast on Monday because of disappointing\back-to-school demand, casting doubt on the strength of U.S.\consumer spending in a key shopping season.


Intel lops Pentium 4 prices Newest P4 chips, the 500 series, drop in price by 18 percent to 35 percent; a host of other chips are cheaper now as well.


Transmeta Plans for the LongRun Four years later, chip maker still struggles to compete with AMD and Intel.


Gateway #39;s PCs, Notebooks Available at MicroCenter PC maker Gateway Inc. said on Sunday its new line of notebooks, desktop personal computers and monitors aimed at retail markets will be available at Micro Center #39;s 20 stores in the United States.


AT amp;T CallVantage Service To Be Available in More Than 600 Best Buy <b>...</b> BEDMINSTER, NJ, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- AT amp;T today announced that Best Buy will be among the first national retailers to offer AT amp;T #39;s residential Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service, AT amp;T CallVantage


EDS picks Siebel as its preferred CRM vendor Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS) is beginning to implement a new vendor-relationship strategy emphasizing deeper alliances with fewer vendors.


TCEQ recommends changes to enforcement policies AUSTIN -- The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality released a draft report today that makes several recommendations aimed at improving the agency #39;s ability to enforce environmental laws.


Cink finally gets the monkey off his back Stewart Cink erased a dreadful record of final-round meltdowns to win the WGC Invitational here on Sunday. The 31-year-old had previously led into the final round six times on the US PGA Tour, and had been beaten every time.


Defensive gem for Jays There is nothing that brings out more derisive comments and sneers along press row than the mention of the Blue Jays ranking second in the American League in team defence.


US planes bomb Najaf, hopes of peace fade Iraq: US planes pounded Najaf #39;s cemetery and historic centre near the Imam Ali shrine on Monday, dimming hopes of a peaceful end to a near three-week stand-off between US-led Iraqi troops and Shiite militia.


Iraqis release kidnapped US journalist Kidnapped US journalist Micah Garen was recovering from his ordeal in Iraq Monday after being released on the orders of rebel cleric Moqtada Sadr.


George Bush is an  quot;imbecile quot; says North Korea George Bush seems to be gaining a reputation lately for saying the wrong things in his speeches and diplomacy has been replaced with insults.


Kremlin candidate for Chechen presidency set to win DAVID HARDAKER: In Soviet times, it was a long-held tradition to immortalise leaders by renaming streets and major cities after them.


Foreign leaders commemorate centenary of Deng Xiaoping #39;s birth Top leaders of Armenia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Moldova have paid homage to late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping on the occasion of his 100th birthday.


An Open Music Platform John Gruber observes on Daring Fireball,  #147;The iPod, iTunes, and iTMS work with any modern personal computer, Windows or Mac. Yes, the original iPod debuted as a Mac-only peripheral, and iTunes for Windows appeared even later  #151; but Apple offered complete support for Windows relatively quickly. The iPod and iTunes are fully compatible with your existing CD and MP3 music collections. #148; Aug 20


Birdie Helps Woods Retain Top Ranking (AP) AP - What seemed like a meaningless birdie on the final hole of the NEC Invitational will ensure that Tiger Woods keeps his No. 1 world ranking at least one week longer.


'All Aboard' France's Artouste Express, France's highest-altitude train (AFP) AFP - Eighty years ago the Artouste train in the French Pyrenees transported workers and materiel to build a dam at 2000 meters (6500 feet) altitude, but today it ferries tourists for a sometimes hair-raising ride along one of Europe's highest rail lines.


Windows Upgrade Causing Campus Headaches (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Microsoft Corp.'s decision to release a major upgrade for its flagship operating system in the same month that hundreds of thousands of students are reporting to college campuses across the nation is causing a major headache for the higher education community.


Finding Friends   Foes (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - Tens of millions of people play videogames online; the tricky part is finding your friends--and favorite foes--among them. Michael Cassidy can help. His company, Xfire, runs a Web site that is the TV Guide, ma icirc;tre d' and instant messenger of the gaming world. Cassidy's service can point you to a buddy who is ready to play the game you want at any moment of the day or night. He already has a lot of friends to prove it. In eight months a million people in 100 countries have downloaded Xfire's software.


British energy expert alerts Ont. to failures in hydro restructuring (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - WINDSOR, Ont. (CP) - Ontario risks sharp price increases if it gives the private sector a greater role in the electricity market, says a British expert on energy markets.


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


Toys R us Posts Operating Loss  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Toys R Us Inc. TOY.N, which is  considering getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a  second-quarter operating loss on poor sales of video games and  markdowns on older merchandise.


Dollar Rebounds as Oil Prices Ease  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar was stronger across the  board on Monday as oil prices eased from record highs and a  more optimistic view on global economic growth prospects spread  through trading floors, analysts said.


Nepal Confirms Its Nationals Kidnapped in Iraq  KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal confirmed on Monday that 13 of  its citizens had been kidnapped by an Islamic group in Iraq and  appealed for their release.


Yukos cuts output to save money Russian oil producer Yukos is cutting back its production and slashing its expenditure, as the company battles for survival.


Rethinking Big Pharma Risk is knocking Big Pharma stocks down. They won't be getting up anytime soon.


Toys R us Posts Operating Loss Toys R Us Inc. (TOY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , which is considering getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a second-quarter operating loss on poor sales of video games and markdowns on older merchandise.


Woolies in top-shelf profit WOOLWORTHS yesterday hit back at rejuvenated competitor Coles Myer with a 13 per cent jump in full-year net profit and a belief it can replicate the performance in the coming year.


Plot Advanced in Kmart Real Estate Story Kmart (KMRT:Nasdaq - news - research) continued to make progress realizing value for its real-estate portfolio Monday, completing an agreement to sell 18 stores to Home Depot (HD:NYSE - news - research) for \$271 million.


Schering Exercises License Option Drug giant Schering-Plough Corp. said Monday that it will pay \$10 million to exercise its option to license ViroPharma Inc. #39;s cold treatment in the United States and Canada.


China demand boosts metal recycler SIMS Group, the world #39;s biggest metal recycler, yesterday posted a 50 per cent jump in full-year net profit to \$112.5 million, buoyed by the Chinese economy #39;s effect on global metal markets.


Macromedia Rolls New Flex Builder Tool Macromedia (Quote, Chart) took the wraps off its first developer tool for its Flex platform that it says will encourage more people to build rich media and Web-facing applications.


Stereo sun birds study space weather AUSTRALIAN scientists are working with NASA and the French government to create an advanced space weather instrument that will go on board the STEREO (Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory) space mission next year.


OmniWeb browser takes aim at minority Mac market SUCH an embarrassment of riches. Apple Macintosh users have two new web browsers to choose from. It #39;s a curious market. All Macs come with two free browsers: Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer 5.2, and Apple #39;s own slick and elegant Safari.


Korzhanenko Stripped of Medal The women #39;s gold medallist in shot put, Irina Korzhanenko, has been disqualified from the Olympics and stripped of her medal after testing positive for doping.


#39;Dream team #39; beat improved Angola The US men #39;s basketball team finally got a convincing victory at the Olympic tournament on Monday, trouncing winless Angola 89-53 in their final preliminary round Group B match.


An arena fit for a king Michael Schumacher is poised to clinch his seventh world championship title in the grandest possible surroundings at this weekend #39;s Belgian Grand Prix.


Sudan #39;s rebels, government gather for talks After 18 months of a deadly civil war in Sudan, rebel leaders and government officials are sitting down together to talk about peace.


Bush a tyrant, declares Pyongyang ALEXANDER Downer #39;s entreaties in North Korea last week bore bitter fruit yesterday when Pyongyang branded US President George W. Bush a political  quot;imbecile quot; more tyrannical


Power failure hits Bahrain A total power blackout has hit Bahrain, leaving the entire country without electricity and air conditioning at a time when temperatures have risen above 50C.


Nepal confirms abductions in Iraq Nepal's government says it is trying to secure the release of 13 Nepalese workers taken hostage in Iraq.


Almost Perfect: U.S. Wins Softball Gold ATHENS, Greece - The U.S. softball team won its third straight gold medal with an unprecedented and nearly unblemished romp through the Olympics, capped by a 5-1 victory Monday over an Australian team that, like the rest of softball's elite, never had a chance...


Abu Ghraib Judge Implores U.S. Over Case MANNHEIM, Germany - A military judge hearing evidence in the alleged abuse of prisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison demanded Monday that prosecutors speed up the investigation, warning that further delay could derail the case against at least one of the accused soldiers.    Col...


Stocks Fluctuate on Wal-Mart Sales News NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s warning of disappointing sales sent stocks fluctuating Monday as investors' concerns about a slowing economy offset their relief over a drop in oil prices.    October contracts for a barrel of light crude were quoted at \$46.48, down 24 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange...


The Lessons of Najaf In the face-off at the shrine, U.S.\ and Iraqi leaders vowed to crush\ al-Sadr's rebellion. But they may have stoked the insurgency even\ more


A New Manhunt in Pakistan Despite increased pressure by the U.S. against al-Qaeda, the groups ranks are growing, and new leaders are taking charge


Spanish takeover will mean 3,000 Abbey job cuts Around 3,000 jobs will be lost at Abbey National if the UK banks takeover by Spains Santander Central Hispano (SCH) goes ahead, it emerged today.


WWE Nearly Triples 1Q Profit World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. nearly tripled its first-quarter profit on higher revenue from airing two more pay-per-view television events than last year, but was slammed by declining live-event attendance


FedEx raises outlook to \$1 to \$1.10 per share for quarter, full <b>...</b> MEMPHIS, Tenn. - FedEx Corp. raised its earnings outlook Monday, citing more business for its international, ground delivery and less-than truckload services.


Russia #39;s Yukos cuts 2004 oil output forecast Russian oil giant Yukos on Monday said its tax dispute with the state will mean a 4.5 percent cut inits 2004 oil output forecast. The company said in a statement that production


Oil price pain kicks in Like a patient staring wide-eyed as a doctor readies a syringe, Australian business owners and consumers are nervously watching global oil prices scale new heights -- and waiting helplessly for the pain to kick in.


Windows Upgrade Leads to Campus Headaches Universities scramble to deal with Microsoft's Service Pack 2 release in the same month that thousands of students are returning to campuses nationwide. -washingtonpost.com


Wireless Solution Illustrates Success of Unorthodox Strategies Wall Street helped Aether Systems Inc. become a wunderkind of the wireless data industry in 1999. But when its strategy to build a wireless empire collapsed, it turned to the small Arlington investment bank of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group Inc. for a solution.


Canon cashes in on digicam boom BUOYED by record revenue of \$401 million for the first half of 2004 (up 8.8 per cent on the same period last year), Canon Australia has trotted out 28 new consumer imaging products and a new inkjet printer line called Pixma.


BEA targeting ISVs with latest WebLogic package A version of BEA Systems Inc #39;s WebLogic Platform for ISVs is expected today which the company believes will help boost overall sales of its platform.


Vonage VoIP service The Bad: Not cheap, when you add the cost of Internet access; no service during power outages; no 911 emergency service. The Verdict: You may not want to give up your regular phone line, but Vonage #39;s VOIP service is very handy.


Microsoft to join battle of the beats with music store Expect Microsoft to announce its long-anticipated foray into the online music business this week, raising the competitive stakes for the current market leader, Apple.


Gatlin wins sprint classic... by 0.01 seconds It was only a hundredth of a second but Justin Gatlin said it felt like a hundred miles as he won the closest and possibly greatest 100 metres final in Olympic history on Sunday.


Sturrock and Southampton part ways Southampton, England (Sports Network) - Southampton and manager Paul Sturrock have agreed to an amicable separation, effective immediately.


Giant-Killers Claim Bundesliga Scalps The German League Cup traditionally pits minnows against giants from the very first round. This season #39;s opening games showed once again that league status can mean nothing in knock-out competition.


American leads early in decathlon American Bryan Clay took the lead through the first three events of the Olympic decathlon Monday. Allyson Felix of the United States also posted the fastest time in the opening round of the 200-meter dash, a 22.


Virgin axes route as fuel soars VIRGIN Blue will dump its Sydney to Canberra service from the beginning of next month, blaming a Qantas stranglehold on government travel and poor bookings.


COULTHARD CRITICISES SPA CHANGES David Coulthard has criticised the Belgian GP organisers for making modifications to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit without consulting F1 drivers.


Google slammed for corporate sleaze Google #39;s eleventh hour price adjustment might have saved it some red-faces when it finally floated last week, but it #39;s back to earth with a bump this week.


Nepal: More Violence on Day Six of Rebel Blockade of Capital There is more violence in Nepal #39;s capital, Kathmandu, on the sixth day of an economic blockade imposed by Maoist rebels on the city.


RealNetworks Doesn #39;t Rock It #39;s never a smart move to pick a public fight with Apple Computer, and it #39;s doubly unwise if that fight involves the iPod in some way.


Grenade deaths fuel violence SECURITY forces were on high alert yesterday after a weekend grenade attack on an opposition rally killed 19 people and wounded hundreds, triggering more violence across Bangladesh.


Kidnapped US Journalist Released Kidnapped US journalist Micah Garen has been released Sunday to government officials in the southern city of Nasiriyah. Reports say the release came four days after radical Shiite leader Moqtada Al-Sadr started negotiations with the kidnappers.


Fears, prices soar as blockade tightens Nepalese soldiers check the bags of people heading for the capital at Naubise, 30 kilometres to the west. Maoists have set up blockades on routes to Kathmandu.


Karzai to arrive Pakistan The President during his stay in the country will hold talks with Pakistani leadership on matters including accelerating bilateral cooperation in the war against terrorism besides discussing ways and means to consolidate economic ties between the two


Linux may power South Korean schools An all-Unix plan is also being considered, but the open-source OS will likely dominate the system, sources say.


Microsoft Sends Digital Business Cards New InterConnect 2004 software automatically updates contact info.


Don #39;t ditch that home phone for VOIP service just yet, experts <b>...</b> NEW YORK -- AT amp;T Corp. expects to have one million voice-over-Internet customers by the end of next year, while cable TV giant Comcast Corp.


Tears Flow as British Hail Plucky Loser Paula Crushed by her failure to finish in the women #39;s marathon on Sunday, a shell-shocked Paula Radcliffe broke down twice again Monday as she struggled to explain how her dreams were shattered.


US deserter starts life in Japan A former US army sergeant who deserted to North Korea in the 1960s has arrived on a remote Japanese island to start what he said was the  quot;last chapter quot; of his life with his wife and two daughters.


Mexico Arrests Major Drug Trafficker (AP) AP - Mexican officials said Monday they have captured a man allegedly involved in shipping nearly half of the illegal drugs moved across the U.S.-Mexico border, the latest in a series of high-profile arrests.


Toys R Us Posts Operating Loss  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Toys R Us Inc. TOY.N, which is  considering getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a  second-quarter operating loss on poor sales of video games and  markdowns on older merchandise.


Greece Hails New 'Immortal' Heroine  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece, shamed and angered by doping  scandals involving their two top sprinters and a medal-winning  weightlifter, hailed an unexpected new Olympic heroine Monday  in the form of a walker.


Spanish press fury over Eta bombs Spanish papers express their anger and contempt for the Basque separatist group Eta, which detonated several bombs across Spain on Monday.


Blue Chips Flat After Wal-Mart Forecast  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were little changed on  Monday as a disappointing sales forecast from Wal-Mart Stores  Inc. WMT.N, the world's biggest retailer, offset the effect  of easing oil prices.


Rocky way ahead of Karzai to implement ambitious agenda Though the Afghanistan #39;s new head of the state Hamid Karzai easily swept the Oct. 9 presidential elections and took oath as first-elected national leader Tuesday


Is Monster for Sale? The online employment site remains at the top, but the rest of the field is gaining ground.


\$1bn to build unmanned fighter A US company has received more than \$1bn in funding to build prototype unmanned fighter aircraft for the American military.


President admits country in fiscal crisis PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo admitted on Monday that the country was in a fiscal crisis and called on the nation to help face the problem through sacrifice.


Update 1: Yukos Cuts Output Forecast, Shares Fall Beleaguered Russian oil company Yukos announced Monday that it had reduced its crude output forecast for the year as bailiffs continued to collect cash against the company #39;s crushing back taxes bill from its frozen bank accounts.


Toys  quot;R quot; Us Swings to 2Q Profit Toys  quot;R quot; Us Inc. swung to a profit in the second quarter from a loss a year ago, buoyed by a reversal of \$200 million in income tax reserves.


UPDATE 4-UK #39;s ARM buys Artisan for \$913 mln, shares fall British semiconductor designer ARM Holdings Plc (ARM.L: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to buy US chip components firm Artisan (ARTI.


BEA packages Web application tools BEA Systems is set to release a new all-in-one package on Monday to help software partners create and install Web applications more quickly.


EDS Joins Siebel Systems #39; New Global BPO Alliance Program SAN MATEO, Calif.  amp; PLANO, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Aug. 23, 2004 -- Partnership to Create New Opportunities for Business Process Outsourcing Marketplace, with EDS as Charter Member.


Everton board meeting postponed EVERTON #39;S path to financial stability hit a snag today with the postponement of a board meeting which was due to unveil their new Russian investor.


Pin mania has swept the Games ATHENS, Greece - Ill trade you a Micronesia and Cayman Islands for that bobble head pin, said Linda Wade from her trading post at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex.


BRUCE: SAVAGE HAS NO CASE TO ANSWER Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is confident Robbie Savage will not be hauled before any Football Association disciplinary panel following an elbow incident with Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman.


Dumais advances in 3m springboard; Despatie top qualifier Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Alexandre Despatie of Canada was the top qualifier as he moved into the semifinals of the men #39;s 3-meter springboard diving competition on Monday.


#39;Russian roulette #39; Olympics death A Greek policeman is being questioned after a soldier providing Olympic security was shot dead, apparently after playing Russian roulette.


US steps up pressure on Shiite militants in Najaf US forces and Shiite militants fought fierce battles Monday marked by explosions and gunfire near a revered shrine in Najaf, as the US military stepped up pressure on the insurgents to quickly hand over the holy site to Shiite religious authorities.


Sudan Peace Talks Open in Nigeria Sudanese officials and leaders of two rebel groups opened talks Monday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, in an effort to end the fighting in the Darfur region of western Sudan.


News: Meet the Peeping Tom worm A worm that has the capability to using webcams to spy on users is circulating across the Net.\


Otto Group Sells Stake in Travelocity Europe (Reuters) Reuters - Munich-based catalog retailer Otto Group\sold a stake in its European online travel operations to U.S.\business partner Travelocity for 26.6 million euros ( #36;32.8\million), the companies said on Monday.


Santander Plans 3,000 Job Cuts at Abbey (AP) AP - Santander Central Hispano said Monday it expects to cut about 3,000 jobs at Abbey National as part of a cost-saving plan if its friendly takeover bid succeeds.


The U.S. Grabs the Gold in Softball  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States softball team came  into Athens on a simple mission -- take home their third  straight gold medal or call the trip to the Olympics a failure.


Toys R Us Posts Operating Loss  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Toys R Us Inc., which is considering  getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a  second-quarter operating loss on poor sales of video games and  markdowns on older merchandise.


Water Rises in Great Lakes After Near Record Low (Reuters) Reuters - Great Lakes water levels have rebounded\from near record lows thanks to months of heavy rain, providing\a boon to boat owners, swimmers and fish, scientists said on\Friday.


YUKOS Cuts 2004 Forecast Due to Tax Row  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's top oil exporter YUKOS cut its  crude output forecast for 2004 on Monday due to a tax dispute  with the state, in a move analysts said was a sign that  Russia's prolific oil growth was set to slow down.


Taiwan Issues Typhoon Warning, Markets to Close  TAIPEI, Taiwan (Reuters) - Taiwan issued a typhoon warning,  predicting possible flash floods and landslides, and said  financial markets, schools and businesses in the capital would  be closed Tuesday as a result.


Supreme Court should end legacy of Prohibition With the holiday season underway, many will be stocking up on their favorite libations. But if it #39;s fine wine you fancy, choices may be more limited than you realize.


In the throes of a crisis President Arroyo has asked her economic managers to lay the groundwork for the declaration of an unsustainable public deficit which will allow the national government


Macromedia Delivers Flex Builder Macromedia promises to speed development of Internet applications with a new tool for its Flex platform. With Flex, enterprises can add interfaces to strategic applications, including visual


BEA #39;s WebLogic Bolsters Partners #39; Offerings BEA Systems Inc. is planning to release this week a new version of its application suite targeted at its ISV partners. WebLogic Platform ISV Edition is an integrated suite that features core BEA technology


Judge demands faster action on Iraqi prison abuse investigations A military judge in Germany says the government has to speed up investigations of Iraqi prisoner abuse. Col. James Pohl told prosecutors to make sure three investigative reports on


Kenya #39;s  #39;first #39; graft conviction A well known Kenyan businessman has been imprisoned in the first conviction under President Mwai Kibaki #39;s promised anti-corruption drive.


Chavez Cannot Unite Divided Venezuela, Foes Say President Hugo Chavez is incapable of uniting Venezuela, his opponents said Monday after the left-wing leader announced he would no longer recognize their


Stronach mum on Tobin Auto parts magnate Frank Stronach offered few details Monday on the circumstances leading up to Brian Tobin #39;s sudden departure from two of his companies, refusing to comment on reports of friction between the two .


Forrester report: US online retail sales to top \$300B by  #39;10 Forrester Research Inc. of Cambridge has put a value on the fast-growing online retail market in the United States, saying American firms will sell \$316 billion in goods and services via the Web by 2010.


Microsoft #39;s multicultural missteps Microsoft #39;s lack of multicultural savvy cost the Redmond, Wash., behemoth millions of dollars, according to a company executive.


US May Support Duplicate Gold for Korea in Olympic Gymnastics The US Olympic Committee said it may support a duplicate gold medal in the men #39;s all-around gymnastics event, as South Korea said it would seek to overturn the scores that gave the title to American Paul Hamm.


Olympics: Soldier Shot Dead, Policeman Held A Greek soldier guarding an Olympic facility in Athens was shot dead Monday after apparently playing game of Russian roulette with a policeman, security sources said.


Impoverished families of Nepal hostages in Iraq desperate for <b>...</b> KATHMANDU : Relatives of 12 Nepalese workers missing in Iraq were desperately seeking information after an Islamist website showed alleged pictures of them in captivity.


Equatorial Guinea Trial Begins for Alleged Coup Plotters The trial of 14 South African and Armenian men held since March for allegedly planning to overthrow the president of Equatorial Guinea is under way after several delays.


News: Windows Upgrade Causing Campus Headaches Microsoft Corp.'s decision to release a major upgrade for its flagship operating system in the same month that hundreds of thousands of students are\reporting to college campuses across the nation is causing a major headache for the higher education community.\


Willingham Won't Return to Kansas State (AP) AP - Point guard Dez Willingham won't be back for his sophomore season at Kansas State, coach Jim Wooldridge said Monday.


Motorists Look for Cheap Gas on Internet (AP) AP - Gas prices have eased up a bit over the past couple of months, but they are still more than 30 cents higher than a year ago. Which is why price-sensitive motorists are flocking to the Internet to find cheap  #151; or at least cheaper  #151; gasoline.


Iran Says It's Not Backing Radical Iraqi (AP) AP - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said Monday that his government is not supporting the uprising by Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and blamed U.S. troops for the fighting in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.


Pakistan Raids Terror Hideout; 4 Killed (AP) AP - Pakistani troops acting on a tip raided a terrorist hideout Monday in a remote tribal region, sparking a shootout that left four foreigners dead and several wounded, an army spokesman said.


Cisco to Buy P-Cube for About  #36;200 Million (Reuters) Reuters - Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO.O), the\world's largest maker of equipment to direct traffic on the\Internet, on Monday said it will buy privately held software\developer P-Cube for about  #36;200 million in cash and options.


FedEx Raises Forecast, Stock Climbs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. FDX.N on Monday raised  its earnings forecast for the fiscal first quarter and full  year due to strong demand in several of its businesses despite  concerns about the slowing growth in the U.S. economy.


Oil Eases as Iraq Resumes Exports  LONDON (Reuters) - High-flying oil prices eased for a  second session on Monday as Iraq resumed exports from both its  northern and southern outlets after lengthy disruption, despite  fierce fighting in the holy city of Najaf.


Norway Searches for Treasured Masterpieces OSLO, Norway - Police fielded a flood of tips but still had no motive Monday for the daring theft of "The Scream" and another Edvard Munch masterpiece by armed robbers who barged into a lightly guarded Oslo museum and ripped the paintings from the walls before the eyes of stunned visitors.    Police, who launched a nationwide hunt for the works, said there had been no word from the thieves, who were widely expected to demand a ransom...


Almost Perfect: U.S. Wins Softball Gold ATHENS, Greece - They are America's newest golden girls - powerful and just a shade from perfection. The U.S...


GOP Protesters Refused Use of Central Park (AP) AP - A federal judge ruled Monday that two protest groups cannot use New York City's Central Park as a site for a demonstration days before the Republican National Convention.


Barbour makes decisive move Donors come up with much of the money As soon as Sandy Barbour arrived as Cal #39;s athletic director in September, she knew she would be judged by one criterion: Could she keep Jeff Tedford?


Wal-Mart Sales Slump Keeps Stocks Muddled Wal-Mart Stores Inc. #39;s disappointing sales forecast sent stocks fluctuating Monday as investors #39; concerns about a slowing economy eclipsed their relief over a drop in oil prices.


BEA Pares WebLogic for ISVs To make it more palatable for independent software vendors (define) to adopt BEA Systems #39; (Quote, Chart) middleware software suite, the company released WebLogic Platform ISV Edition, an  quot;SOA in a box quot; solution tailored to meet specific application


Obesity Solution: Nuke It Sharp unveils a new fat-busting microwave. Also: ARM Holdings zeroes in on Artisan Components   hellip;. Gateway will sell PCs at Micro Center stores in its latest push to return to profitability   hellip;. and more.


UPDATE 1-Birmingham #39;s Savage banned for three games by FA Birmingham City midfielder Robbie Savage has accepted a three-match ban after being charged by the Football Association (FA) on Monday with violent conduct for an alleged elbowing incident in a match at the weekend.


K-State guard Willingham won #39;t be back Point guard Dez Willingham won #39;t be back for his sophomore season at Kansas State, coach Jim Wooldridge said Monday. Willingham, who started 11 games last season, was not around for the start of classes last Wednesday.


SCOTS #39; DOUBLE DATE WITH AUSSIES Matt Williams #39; new-look side will now face World-Cup runners-up Australia twice in a schedule that features attractive internationals against Tri-Nations champions South Africa and increasingly competitive Japan.


Straw flies to pressure Khartoum Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has flown to Khartoum on a mission to pile the pressure on the Sudanese government to tackle the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur.


Researchers Work on Predicting Rainfall (AP) AP - University of Arizona researchers are trying to determine how much rain to expect based on how often lightning strikes.


Online sales continue to rise, up 23.1 from a year ago AUGUST 20, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - While they #39;re still only a tiny portion of overall US retail sales, retail online sales continued to rise in the second quarter to \$15.


SiliconValley.com: Microsoft to launch online music store this <b>...</b> Microsoft will launch its online store in the US this week, according to SiliconValley.com. The report says that the MSN store will be  #39;quietly #39; launched along with the new version of Windows Media Player 10.


Paula weeps over marathon failure Tears flowed for brave Paula Radcliffe as she explained why she crashed out of the Olympic marathon. Radcliffe wept as she said:  quot;I am hurting inside for myself so much.


Singapore will not change  quot;one-China quot; policy: PM Singapore #39;s new Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has stressed that Singapore will not change its long-held quot;one-China quot; policy, and if Taiwan provokes a conflict, Singapore will not support Taiwan.


Teenager Killed in Resort Blast One person died and another was seriously injured in an explosion at a Mediterranean resort city popular with British holidaymakers.


Santander To Cut 3,000 Jobs Spain #39;s Banco Santander Central Hispano is expected to announce today that it will cut up to 3,000 jobs at Abbey National if it succeeds with its agreed bid for the UK bank, the Financial Times reported.


Rossi In At Atalanta Atalanta have appointed Delio Rossi as their new coach after yesterdays sacking of Andrea Mandorlini. The former Lecce boss has put pen to paper on a contract that will take him through to the end of the season.


Software maker exposes hidden data New Workshare Web site highlights the dangers of metadata buried in Microsoft Office documents.


Best Buy to sell AT T's Internet phone service Telephone giant partners with electronics retailer to market voice over Internet Protocol offering.


Cisco, Microsoft step up small-business push The two tech giants bring corporate-level customer management software to mom-and-pop shops.


EMC rolls out new content integration software EMC Corp. aims to make it easier for businesses to search unstructured information from multiple sources in multiple languages with a new software tool it released Monday.


2 Davids Lead Georgia to Preseason Top 5 (AP) AP - David Greene was a star from the moment he first took the field for No. 3 Georgia. David Pollack needed a little more time.


Baseball Players Union Meets in Valley (CBS 5 NEWS) - The controversy surrounding steroid use in Major League Baseball could heat up today as the Players Union begins a week long meeting here in the valley.


Microsoft Sends Digital Business Cards (PC World) PC World - New InterConnect 2004 software automatically updates contact info.


Salesforce.com Surges (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - With the Google (Nasdaq: GOOG - News) IPO extravaganza, it seems that it is the only high-profile offering for 2004. Well, there was another one: Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM - News).


Wal-Mart Lowers August Sales Forecast Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's biggest retailer, lowered its sales forecast for August, citing Hurricane Charley's swipe across Florida and slower than expected back-to-school sales.


HBOS voices Abbey concerns HBOS today assumed a spoiler #39;s role in Santander Central Hispano #39;s 8.3bn takeover of Abbey National by highlighting the Spanish bank #39;s ties to the Royal Bank of Scotland.


Arroyo mulls declaring  #39;state of fiscal crisis #39; MANILA -- President Arroyo ordered Monday a study into the proposal of Albay Rep. Jose Maria Salceda to declare the Philippines in a  quot;state of fiscal crisis quot;.


The P word TO denigrate him, the enemies of Venezuelas president, Hugo Chavez, call him a populist, as if that were the greatest insult in the glossary of political science.


Wal-Mart #39;s Roller-Coaster Summer Investors digested word today that Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has lowered its sales forecast for August, with the possibility that same-store sales may come in flat to up 2.


US blue chips flat as Wal-Mart forecast weighs US blue chips hovered near the unchanged mark on Monday as a disappointing sales forecast from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the world #39;s biggest retailer, offset the effect of easing oil prices.


ARM Acquires Artisan for \$913M In a deal worth about \$913 million, ARM Holdings plc today announced it would acquire Artisan Components Inc. to create one of the broadest suppliers of semiconductor intellectual property in the industry.


Wigley relishes challenge Southampton head coach Steve Wigley is relishing the challenge of managing the club at the second time of asking. Wigley was a reluctant caretaker between Gordon Strachan #39;s departure and Paul Sturrock #39;s appointment.


Another strong showing from Fernandez duo. Only a week after taking his maiden IRL victory, Adrian Fernandez was back on the podium after finishing a strong second in the Honda Indy 225.


US basketball stars rout Angola The United States have routed Angola 89-53 in their final Olympic preliminary round men #39;s basketball game, but the reigning champions must wait to learn their opponent in Thursday #39;s quarter-finals.


Canadians Felicien and Whyte advance to 100-metre hurdles final on <b>...</b> ATHENS (CP) - Perdita Felicien of Pickering, Ont., and Angela Whyte of Edmonton each advanced to the 100-metre hurdles final. Felicien, one of Canada #39;s best hopes for a medal in Athens, won her heat in a time of 12.


Battle engaged over new OT rules Controversial new rules regarding overtime pay went into effect Monday, with the Bush administration and labor advocates squabbling over how many US workers are affected.


Stronach offers no answers on Tobin departure from Magna TORONTO - Magna International chairman Frank Stronach on Monday shed little light on the departure of Brian Tobin, former Newfoundland and Labrador premier and former federal cabinet minister, from the Magna group.


Cisco to Buy P-Cube for About \$200 Million Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s largest maker of equipment to direct traffic on the Internet, on Monday said it will buy privately held software developer


Gateway Computers To Be Sold through Micro Center Struggling computer maker Gateway has added Micro Center to the list of retailers selling its new line of retail desktop and laptop computers and monitors.


Best Buy to sell AT amp;T #39;s Internet phone service Best Buy will sell AT amp;T #39;s residential voice over Internet protocol service through 628 stores nationwide as well as online, beginning this fall, the companies said.


Virgin Mobile UK Ramps Up Data Strategy Virgin Mobile UK, the UK mobile virtual network operator, is boosting its mobile data capabilities through a key deal with InfoSpace Mobile.


Paula devastated over marathon agony An emotional Paula Radcliffe said today that she is mystified as to why, despite her thorough preparations, she was unable to complete yesterday #39;s marathon race.


Rowers to be punished for criticism of teammate ROWER Sally Robbins #39;s teammates are expected to face disciplinary action for publicly criticising her failure to complete the women #39;s eight final.


Judge wants speed on Abu Ghraib evidence A military judge today warned the US government that the slowness of its investigations into alleged abuse at an Iraqi prison could derail the cases against the accused soldiers.


Man Finds 3 WWI Troops' Bodies in Glacier (AP) AP - An amateur Italian historian has found the preserved bodies of three Austro-Hungarian soldiers in an Alpine glacier, 86 years after they were killed in World War One.


Standard   Poor's Raises India's Outlook (AP) AP - A leading credit ratings agency raised its outlook Monday for India's economy despite rising inflation and insufficient monsoon rains that could slow growth.


FedEx Boosts Profit Forecast, Stock Jumps  NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. FDX.N on Monday raised  its earnings forecast for the fiscal first quarter and full  year due to strong demand in several of its businesses despite  concerns about the slowing growth in the U.S. economy.


Ecclestone counters courts with cash offer. Bernie Ecclestone has attempted to shrug off Monday #39;s court ruling, which found in favour of the three banks holding a 75 per cent stake in Formula One, by making a substantial cash offer to the sport #39;s ten teams in an attempt to prevent a breakaway series


Court OKs Air Canada Restructuring Plan  MONTREAL (Reuters) - A Canadian court approved Air Canada's  AC.TO plan of arrangement with creditors on Monday, clearing  the way for the world's 11th largest airline to emerge from  bankruptcy protection at the end of next month.


Wal-Mart Sales Slump Keeps Stocks Muddled NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s disappointing sales forecast sent stocks fluctuating Monday as investors' concerns about a slowing economy eclipsed their relief over a drop in oil prices.    October contracts for a barrel of light crude were quoted at \$46.60, down 12 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange...


Report: Southwest to cut 88 flights; local impact unclear Southwest Airlines plans to cut 88 flights from its schedule starting Oct. 31 in an effort to free up planes for more profitable markets, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.


Australia Virgin Blue ups fuel charge, axes route SYDNEY: Discount Australian airline Virgin Blue said yesterday it would increase fares again to help offset higher fuel costs, and would axe one of its routes because of low passenger numbers.


Corporate directors seek tax break, say fees not  #39;employment <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Members of corporate boards act as independent professionals, not employees, and this should be reflected in the taxation of their fees, a group representing directors says.


A Google Cheat Sheet By the time this column is published, Google may or may not have launched its initial public offering, which may or may not have gone out at more than \$100 per share and which may or may not have either fallen drastically or spiked upward during its first


P2P Networks Score Legal Victory Against Studios Some advocates involved in the case were arguing that even though their legal argument may fail, the entertainment industry will actually win in the long run, as P2P networks will evolve, as


Boeing Adds iPass to Wi-Fi Service iPass wireless-broadband users will be able to make Internet connections on the fly, thanks to a new agreement between iPass and Boeing #39;s Connexion in-flight Internet service.


Judges get nervy about music cases THERE ARE signs that US Judges are becoming a little uneasy about the way the music industry is hauling the little people before the courts with acusations of music piracy.


Games Rock Athens, Thousands Party Nightly While the world #39;s best athletes fight the noble Olympic battle in stadiums and pools, their fans storm the streets of Athens, turning the Greek capital into a huge international party every night.


Judge Raps US over Abuse Probe Delays A military judge hearing pre-trial evidence in the alleged abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison pressed the US government today to speed up its investigations, warning that delays could derail the case against at least one of the accused soldiers.


Somalis celebrate new parliament Hundreds of Somalis have taken to the streets of the capital, Mogadishu, to celebrate the inauguration of the country #39;s parliament.


Pakistan Says Kills Militants as Karzai Visits Pakistan said its forces killed four foreign militants in a border area Monday as Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited to discuss the battle against Islamic guerrillas before his October re-election bid.


Volkswagen Lays Gauntlet at German Union #39;s Feet Volkswagen challenged its workers with a tough wage plan on Monday ahead of talks seen as a gauge of their readiness to favor job security over pay


Congo Ex-Rebel Group Pulls Out of Government  GOMA, Congo (Reuters) - The former main rebel group during  Congo's civil war pulled out of a power-sharing transitional  government on Monday, dealing a major blow to the country's  already fragile peace process.


Inflation Inches Its Way Back Into Hong Kong's Economy China's consumer price index crept up by 0.9 percent in July compared with a year earlier, ending 68 consecutive months of decline.


Oil Troublesome Says a Fed President  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Record oil prices are creating  headwinds for the U.S. economy but do not place its recovery at  risk, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert McTeer said  on Monday.


Teen's Goal Gives U.S. Shot at Soccer Gold (AP) AP - The only teenager on the U.S. women's soccer team gave the old vets a chance to leave with one last gold. Minutes after missing a wide-open net, Heather O'Reilly scored in the ninth minute of overtime Monday to give the United States a 2-1 victory over World Cup champion Germany and a place in Thursday's gold-medal game.


U.S. Women Battle Into Olympic Final  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States beat world champions  Germany 2-1 in a fierce struggle Monday to reach the final of  the Olympic women's soccer tournament.


U.S. Women Will Play for Gold After Upsetting Germany in Overtime The U.S. team will face either Brazil or Sweden, for the Olympic title Thursday in Athens after beating Germany 2-1.


Minister Urges Imams to Speak French (AP) AP - One in three of France's imams don't speak French, the country's interior minister said in an interview published Tuesday, proposing initiatives to help Islamic religious leaders better adapt.


Motive aims to head off system glitches Three new software management tools are designed to help businesses keep applications configured properly to avoid snarl-ups.


Briefly: Holiday Inn welcomes Priceline roundup Plus: More colleges get cheap online music...Glitches hit some EarthLink-hosted sites...More money for fuel cells...Linux release features Windows support.


Nokia lands \$30 million deal from Hong Kong cell firm Nokia will supply equipment supporting GSM and push-to-talk services.


Court OKs Air Canada Restructuring Plan A Canadian court approved Air Canada #39;s (AC.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) plan of arrangement with creditors on Monday, clearing the way for the world #39;s 11th largest airline to emerge from bankruptcy protection at the end of next month


Kmart Sells 18 Stores To Home Depot TROY, Mich. -- Kmart says the final agreement with The Home Depot means it #39;s selling 18 stores to the home-improvement chain for \$271 million.


Cisco Systems Buys P-Cube Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will pay approximately \$200 million in cash and options. The acquisition of P-Cube is subject to various standard closing conditions and is


Northrop lands \$408M Army deal Northrop Grumman Corp. officials announced today that the company received a \$408 million Army contract to provide training and simulation services to service commanders and their staffs.


New worm takes your picture A new worm has been discovered in the wild that #39;s not just settling for invading users #39; PCs--it wants to invade their homes too.


New EU Competition Chief Gave Honorary Degree To Gates Facing hearings on her nomination as European Union Competition Commissioner, Neelie Kroes is virtually certain to be asked whether the honorary degree she awarded to Microsoft #39;s Bill Gates in 1996 could influence her handling of the ongoing EU antitrust


Olympics: Marathon saps the toughest The gruelling trudge from Marathon to Athens killed a man, or so the legend goes. Yesterday, it trampled the spirit of women who dared to attempt it in the heat of Athens.


Chicago Cubs Team Report - August 23 (Sports Network) - A pair of pitchers that rank in the top 10 in the Major Leagues in ERA face-off this evening, when Ben Sheets anchors the Milwaukee Brewers against Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs in the first of a three- game set at Wrigley Field.


Kansas State guard leaves team Manhattan, KS (Sports Network) - Kansas State guard Dez Willingham will not return to the men #39;s basketball team for the upcoming season.


Blues won #39;t appeal Sav ban He appeared to catch Mateja Kezman in the face, but referee Barry Knight saw nothing wrong with the challenge. The FA gave Birmingham the option to accept the charge and face an immediate three-match suspension


Family has few comments on freed US journalist (New Haven-AP, Aug. 23, 2004 1:20 PM) _ The family of an American journalists freed by his Iraqi kidnappers is keeping a low profile in New Haven.


Swat teams at ready at Australia #39;s small rural airports Rapid-response Swat police teams will be on standby for terror threats at Australia #39;s small rural airports under the Government #39;s new security plans.


Man Finds 3 WWI Troops #39; Bodies in Glacier PEIO, Italy - An amateur Italian historian has found the preserved bodies of three Austro-Hungarian soldiers in an Alpine glacier, 86 years after they were killed in World War One.


Filipino president warns of fiscal crisis The Philippines is facing a fiscal crisis, President Gloria Arroyo said Monday. Arroyo is seeking political support for a \$1.4 billion tax package that faces opposition in Congress.


Southwest to Shift Flights to Philadelphia Southwest Airlines plans to cut 88 flights in October and shift planes to more profitable routes, mostly in and out of Philadelphia, officials said Monday.


ARM Buys US Semiconductor Group Artisan for \$913 Million ARM said the deal would better position the combined company to take advantage of growth opportunities across multiple industries as the process of designing semiconductors grows increasingly complex.


Yukos Cuts Oil Output Target, Spending on Tax Bill (Update1) OAO Yukos Oil Co., Russia #39;s biggest oil exporter, cut its oil production target and capital spending for this year, the first sign its struggles to meet a \$3.


Startup teams with Sun on enhanced 10G Ethernet San Jose, Calif. - S2io Inc. said last week it is working with Sun Microsystems Inc. to design the startup #39;s next-generation 10-Gigabit Ethernet adapter.


Cisco buys P-Cube for \$200m. International Internet networking giant Cisco Systems, Inc. agreed Monday to acquire Herzliya-based P-Cube, Inc. for approximately \$200 million in cash and options.


Microsoft readies CD launch of SP2 For the nearly 71 percent of the UK who still use dial-up Internet connections, XP SP2 will soon be at hand without a long download.


The Fog of Spam War After nearly a year of lawsuits against bulk e-mailers, improvements in antispam technology, and passage of the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing law (CAN-SPAM), spam fighters face an unenviable choice: They can concede


RIAA Grinds Down Individuals in the Courtroom from the this-isn #39;ta-court-of-justice,-son,-this-is-a-court-of-law dept. Iphtashu Fitz writes  quot;The Associated Press recently reviewed many of the copyright infringement lawsuits that the RIAA filed against


Gatlin gun fires in a rage A FIERY backroom altercation with an athletics official just before the Olympic 100m final spurred Justin Gatlin to win gold out of anger in one of the fastest races in history.


US women into final The United States edged past world champions Germany in a dramatic 2-1 victory to seal their place in the women #39;s football final.


Two US runners reach 100 hurdles final ATHENS, Greece - World champion Perdita Felicien and two United States runners reached the final of the 100-meter hurdles Monday, an event that lost Gail Devers to injury a day earlier.


New twist appears in Somali peace talks after assembly inaugurated Over 40 delegates from the breakaway Somali territory of Puntland on Monday threatened to quit peace talks in Kenya, posing a new trouble to Somalia which has just inaugurated a new assembly to unite the country.


Oil Troublesome Says a Fed President (Reuters) Reuters - Record oil prices are creating\headwinds for the U.S. economy but do not place its recovery at\risk, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert McTeer said\on Monday.


Pakistan, Afghanistan vow to curb terrorism as Karzai meets Musharraf (AFP) AFP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for talks on eradicating Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters from their common border, a key issue in his bid for re-election.


Sutton: Cink Proves Ryder Cup Mettle with Win  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton said  Monday that Stewart Cink's victory at the \$7 million WGC-NEC  Invitational "proved to the world" he was an ideal wildcard  choice in the U.S. team.


Calif. Plan Aims to Add Solar Energy to Homes (Reuters) Reuters - California should try to add\solar energy systems to 1 million homes by 2017 to save\electricity and cut pollution from power plants, Gov. Arnold\Schwarzenegger said on Friday.


Ancient Mask, 'Olympic' Ring Found in Thracian Tomb (Reuters) Reuters - A Bulgarian archaeologist has\unearthed an ancient gold mask and a ring featuring an\"Olympic" rower in what he called an unrivalled find in the\study of classical antiquity.


US pledges more aid to Nigeria to fight HIV-AIDS (AFP) AFP - The United States is committed to offering more assistance to Nigeria in the global fight against HIV-AIDS, US Senator Chuck Hagel said.


Macromedia Launches Flex Builder Tool Macromedia has launched Flex Builder, a development tool for its Flex application-development platform. The new tool will help speed creation of rich Internet applications, including visual data


Savage Blow for Blues Birmingham midfielder Robbie Savage has protested his innocence and insisted he did not deliberately elbow Chelseas Mateja Kezman during Saturdays Barclays Premiership clash at St Andrews.


Trucking Firm Takes a Tumble Trucking stocks offer extremely attractive long-term valuations. What about SCS Transportation?


Teen's Goal Gives U.S. Shot at Soccer Gold IRAKLION, Greece - The only teenager on the U.S. women's soccer team gave the old vets a chance to leave with one last gold...


Bush Denounces Ads by Outside Groups CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush denounced TV ads by outside groups attacking both John Kerry and himself on Monday and called for a halt to all such political efforts. "I think they're bad for the system," he said...


Wal-Mart Sales Slump Keeps Stocks Muddled NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s disappointing sales forecast sent stocks fluctuating Monday as investors' concerns about a slowing economy eclipsed their relief over a drop in oil prices.    October contracts for a barrel of light crude were quoted at \$46.25, down 47 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange...