US jets attack suspected militant site BAGHDAD -- US warplanes unleashed devastating airstrikes on a suspected hideout where operatives from an Al Qaeda-linked group were meeting yesterday, and hospital officials said 20 people died.


Sharon rival backs referendum on Gaza pullout JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's attempt to speed up a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip was undercut yesterday by his main political rival, who called for a national referendum that could delay or even scuttle the pullout.


Up to 10,000 in Sudandie monthly, WHO says GENEVA -- As many as 10,000 refugees from Sudan's Darfur region are dying from disease and violence every month in the teeming camps where they have taken refuge, UN health agency officials said yesterday. European Union foreign ministers called yesterday for the United Nations to ''immediately investigate quot; whether atrocities by the government-backed ethnic Arab militias against the region's black African ...


Despite guilty plea in Belfast slaying, public inquiry sought LONDON -- The Protestant paramilitary fighter accused in the slaying of Patrick Finucane, a crusading Catholic civil rights lawyer gunned down in his Belfast home 15 years ago, pleaded guilty to murder and other charges in the case yesterday.


Old pro Torigian settles in to second act He has the look of Mr. Everyman in retirement. He wears slacks and a sweater, nothing formal, and welcomes a midday guest to his two-story Peabody house, nothing pretentious, though a comfortable step up from the three-decker of his youth. He relaxes on a couch and, pointing to the window, describes how he can walk easily to the homes of ...


Italy envoy aims to free 2 hostages in Iraq KUWAIT CITY -- Foreign Minister Franco Frattini of Italy appealed for a  quot;civilized dialogue quot; between religions as he stood inside Kuwait's Grand Mosque at the start of a Middle East visit he hopes will help win the release of two Italian women kidnapped in Iraq.


Website video said to show beheading of kidnapped Turk CAIRO -- A videotape purporting to show the beheading of a Turkish truck driver kidnapped last month in Iraq surfaced yesterday on the website of an Al Qaeda-linked militant group.


Turkey is warned of more attacks ISTANBUL -- A suspected leader of a cell accused in deadly suicide attacks in Turkey boasted yesterday that he was an ''Al Qaeda warrior quot; and warned in court of future attacks if Turkey continues to support the United States.


N. Korea snubs N-test speculation SEOUL -- An explosion that shot a 2-mile-wide mushroom cloud into the sky was the planned demolition of a mountain for a hydroelectric project, North Korea said yesterday, and it invited a British diplomat to visit the site.


OPEC May Weigh Cutting Some Production Oil prices have been at record highs this year, with money gushing into the coffers of oil producers thanks to the world #39;s growing thirst for oil.


Fight For your Right to Induce! \\Tomorrow I'll be making 3 phone calls to Congressperson Nancy Pelosi, John\Conyers and Senator Thomas Daschle to convince them that the INDUCE act should\not pass.\\This is of course in support of the Save the Betamax campaign  designed to\stop Hollywood in their tracks.\\"The short version: We're organizing a call-in day to Congress on September 14\to oppose new legislation that would undermine the Betamax decision (INDUCE\Act)."\\"Here's why: The Betamax VCR died more than 15 years ago, but the Supreme Court\decision that made the Betamax and all other VCRs legal lived on. In Sony\vs. Universal (known as the Betamax decision) the Court ruled that because VCRs\have legitimate uses, the tech ...\\


Finnish line: They don #39;t feel pressure The focus here the last couple of days has been on the health of Canada goalie Martin Brodeur and whether his jammed left wrist would


Packers dominate both sides of the line Entering the inaugural Monday night outing of 2004, conventional wisdom was that the Green Bay Packers would need a supreme effort to come here and defeat the defending


Americans impassive entering Ryder Cup America should be an overwhelming favorite in the Ryder Cup golf matches that begin Friday on Detroit #39;s Oakland Hills course that Ben Hogan once called a monster.


Vote shakes Hong Kong democrats For Hong Kong #39;s democracy activists, the results of legislative elections announced yesterday suggest that the deck will remain stacked against them for years to come.


Dar Al Hayat The United States and Russia have met over one common thing: their war on terrorism, despite the fact that Washington and Moscow will definitely argue that the terrorism each one is fighting is different from the other.


LAVER: FEDERER SLAM THREAT Rod Laver never has thought it until now. The Australian lefty #39;s legacy as the last man to win a Grand Slam is in jeopardy. Roger Federer, whose US Open title Sunday gave him three out of the


Time to Test China and Russia One key difference between John Kerry and George Bush often cited in the presidential campaign is how each would enlist other nations in battling terrorists.


Suicide bomber wounds two soldiers in West Bank A Palestinian suicide bomber has blown himself up at a checkpoint in the West Bank, wounding at least two Israeli soldiers. The blast is being described as a revenge attack for an earlier Israeli airstrike


Critics Call for Early Ouster of Disney Chief Roy E. Disney, a nephew of Walt Disney, and his financial adviser, Stanley P. Gold, called on directors of the Walt Disney Company to search for a successor for Michael


Techs build on Friday #39;s gains NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Tech stocks rallied anew Monday, with the Nasdaq closing just shy of its session high, as investors sought bargains in the beaten-up sector for the second straight session.


Macy #39;s name to supplant Burdines Synonymous with Florida retailing for 106 years, the Burdines name will be retired by the end of January. By MARK ALBRIGHT, Times Staff Writer.


French Connection sticks by FCUK Fashion chain French Connection says it is sticking with its controversial FCUK brand, after announcing a 12 percent increase in first-half profits.


Tech investors see sunnier days ahead Optimism that the embattled technology sector was ripe for a recovery sent stocks modestly higher yesterday, despite a new revenue warning from semiconductor company Broadcom Inc.


Firefox becomes one today THE MAKERS of the free open source browser Firefox are expected to release version 1.0 today. Although it will technically be a preview release, with the full 1.0 version hitting the web in about a month #39;s


Stardust memories Who would have thought that stardust, the stuff of fairy tales and popular songs, could actually be collected on metal plates. It sounds funny, but this is no laughing matter.


Canon, Toshiba to Form Flat Panel Display Venture  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese technology companies Canon Inc.  and Toshiba Corp. said on Tuesday they would invest \$1.82  billion in a joint venture to manufacture advanced flat panel  displays.


National pride buoys underdog Finns for final TORONTO - Signs of national pride were laid out carefully across Finland #39;s dressing room yesterday. A pair of Finnish flags hung from the ceiling and two more were fastened to the walls.


Lockout threat looms over World Cup final As hard as the numerous NHL players gathered here tried to maintain focus on tonight #39;s World Cup of Hockey final, it was impossible to ignore the larger issue rumbling through their midst.


James Toney Breakdowns Hopkins/De La Hoya 13.09.04 - Three-division world champion and current #1 WBC heavyweight contender James Toney, deep into preparations for his September 23 bout with Rydell Booker at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, is a man who doesnt mince


Not enough focus on nuclear threats As the International Atomic Energy Agency #39;s board met yesterday in Vienna to receive an update on the nuclear programs of North Korea


Threat to Australia continues Australian officials have been investigating unconfirmed reports that an Iraqi group has captured two Australian security workers in Iraq.


Marlins rally past Expos as home team _ in Chicago  quot;If you got to play in Comiskey or if we got to play in Alaska, it doesn #39;t matter, quot; starting pitcher Josh Beckett said.


Hopkins rich in his own way Bernard Hopkins has been called the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He is boxing #39;s first undisputed middleweight champion since  quot;Marvelous quot; Marvin Hagler in 1987 and has won an unprecedented 18 consecutive title defenses.


Gambill #39;s slump worsens Delray Beach  A return to one of his favorite and most successful ATP Tour stops wasn #39;t enough to stop Jan-Michael Gambill #39;s slide.


Darfur peace talks due to resume Talks to try to resolve the Darfur crisis are due to resume on Tuesday, amid warnings the world is not giving enough financial aid to the refugees.


Australia Firm on Troops After Iraq Hostage Report (Reuters) Reuters - Australian Prime Minister John Howard\remained committed on Tuesday to the U.S.-led war on Iraq as\investigations continued into an unconfirmed report that two\Australians had been taken hostage and threatened with\execution.


Pension Agency May Go Broke by 2020 (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. government agency that\insures corporate pensions will run out of money in 2020 if\current financial conditions persist, imperiling the checks of\millions of retirees, a new independent study shows.


Britain's Rusedski ousts Malisse at ATP event (AFP) AFP - Britain's Greg Rusedski eliminated Belgium's fourth-seeded Xavier Malisse 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 here on the opening day of the 380,000-dollar ATP International Championships.


Car Bomb Blast Kills 27 in Iraq (AP) AP - A car bomb exploded near a police station in the Iraqi capital early Tuesday, killing at least 27 people and wounding dozens, officials said.


U.S. Fighter Jet Crashes Near Australia (AP) AP - A U.S. fighter jet crashed near the Tindal Royal Australian Air Force base in northern Australia on Tuesday, the Australian Defense Force said.


Pension Agency May Go Broke by 2020  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government agency that  insures corporate pensions will run out of money in 2020 if  current financial conditions persist, imperiling the checks of  millions of retirees, a new independent study shows.


Australia Firm on Troops After Iraq Hostage Report  CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard  remained committed on Tuesday to the U.S.-led war on Iraq as  investigations continued into an unconfirmed report that two  Australians had been taken hostage and threatened with  execution.


Court: U.S. Can Try to Execute Moussaoui WASHINGTON - An appeals court ruled Monday for a second time that the government can seek to execute Zacarias Moussaoui, the only U.S. defendant charged with a role in the al-Qaida conspiracy that led to the Sept...


Tempting art students into gaming A Scottish university project is trying to persuade art students to consider a career in the games industry.


Sony bags MGM film biz for 4.8B The Japanese electronics giant struck an agreement to buy the fabled movie studio yesterday after rival Time Warner dropped out of the race.


NEC Four-Way Server Supports High-Availability Apps NEC Solutions America #39;s new four-processor Express5800/340Hb is designed for data-center applications, server consolidation, and server virtualization.


Wild game in Oakland spoiled by altercation with fans Texas reliever Frank Francisco needed just one dangerous throw to overshadow an exciting back-and-forth game with a playoff atmosphere.


Over 35 killed in car bombing at Baghdad police station More than 35 people were killed when a car bomb exploded at a police station and recruitment center in Haifa Street in central Baghdad, witnesses said.


Mounting pressure on Khartoum by our Internet desk, 14 September 2004. The European Union has renewed its threat of sanctions against the Sudanese government unless it takes action to disarm Arab militias threatening refugees in the western Darfur region.


Sony captures legendary Hollywood studio The deal marks the last chapter in the history of two of Hollywoods most famous names - Metro Goldwyn Mayer, once best known for its musical hits like Singing in the Rain and its subsidiary, United Artists, the studio founded in 1919 by Charlie


Quattrone battling trial judge Frank Quattrone, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison last week, accused the judge in his case of  quot;callousness quot; for revealing his 15-year-old daughter #39;s emotional disorder and asked an appeals court to seal letters from family and friends seeking


Packers Beat Panthers 24-14 in Monday Night Opener (Update1) Ahman Green scored three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers beat the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers 24-14 on the road in the first Monday Night Football #39; #39; game of the season.


Leave it to Mets to also ax the candidates Art Howe, a good man, solid baseball man, but, at the same time, a dead man walking, was a sound bite of  quot;no comment quot; last night at Shea as he faced the media hordes, grilling him on the report in yesterday #39;s editions of the Daily News that had him fired


Baghdad blast kills at least 35 At least 35 people have been killed in a huge blast in a crowded Baghdad market place close to an Iraqi police station, Reuters witnesses say.


Fallujah may not vote in Iraqi elections, Allawi says Portions of Iraqs Sunni minority who live in the more rebellious population centers may be disenfranchised, US-installed interim Prime Minister told The Australian in an exclusive interview.


But Where Is the Hurricane Going? Hurricane science in the new century is a mix of growing skill and persistent uncertainty, of intuition and algorithms, satellites and erasers.


Dj Vu: If It All Seems Familiar, There May Be a Reason New research has opened a promising window on the phenomenon of dj vu, providing both possible explanations for the sensation and novel ways to create and measure it.


The Right Ear Is From Mars In a new study, scientists have found that the left and right ears process sound differently.


Preserving an Old-Forest Wilderness at the Ends of the Earth From the ruins of a failed logging venture in Chile's Tierra del Fuego, an effort to manage and preserve the world's southernmost old-forest wilderness is about to begin.


Japanese corporate bankruptcies in August fall for 20th month in row (AFP) AFP - The number of Japanese corporate bankruptcies in August fell 18.2 percent from a year earlier to 1,080 cases, marking the 20th consecutive monthly decline,  according to a research firm.


UK Palace 'Batman' Prompts Urgent Security Review  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain promised an urgent security  review at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday after a campaigner  dressed as Batman evaded armed police in a dramatic five-hour  protest at Queen Elizabeth's London residence.


Transactions BASEBALL Baltimore (AL): Placed 1B David Segui on 15-day disabled list. Colorado (NL): Recalled P Chin-hui Tsao from Colorado Springs (PCL). Oakland (AL): Purchased C Mike Rose from Sacramento (PCL); designated INF Ramon Castro for assignment. San Diego (NL): Recalled OF Freddy Guzman, C Humberto Quintero and P Brian Sweeney from Portland (PCL). Texas (AL): Activated P Juan Dominguez; placed ...


NESN hopes new show is a highlight NESN takes a natural programming step Monday when it launches a nightly version of  quot;Sports Desk, quot; the 15-minute news and highlight show that's been airing from 5-9 a.m. since March 1991.


Oil Platforms in Gulf Make Ready for Ivan Description: With Hurricane Ivan approaching, oil companies evacuate hundreds of oil workers from drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.


US Judge Casts Doubt on EU Evidence on Oracle A US judge has cast doubt on European Commission evidence in the contested Oracle-PeopleSoft merger, undermining an argument Brussels may want to use if it decides to block it.


Vivendi Universal reports big loss in second quarter French media giant Vivendi Universal reported a second quarter net loss of 1.852 billion euros (2.3 billion dollars), six times larger than the 313-million-euro shortfall in the same period last year.


The Choice on the Deficit BOTH PRESIDENTIAL candidates want you to think they have a serious plan to deal with the budget deficit. President Bush and Democratic nominee John F. Kerry each promise to cut it in half in the next several years.


MUNICH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept 13, 2004-- Le nouveau <b>...</b> The product, which has the smallest active area foot print in the industry (4 mm(2)), has ultra low power consumption of only 350mW, and exceeds XFP Rev.


Dixon finishes 7th Joliet, Illinois: New Zealander Scott Dixon finished seventh at the Delphi Indy 300 motor race yesterday. Dixon, the defending IRL champion, started the race 14th on the grid in his Target-Ganassi Toyota and


FA chiefs consider reprieve for Cahill TIM CAHILL could escape suspension for his controversial dismissal at Manchester City after pressure mounted on the FA and Premier League referee chiefs to rescind his second bookable  quot;offence quot;.


Rout leaves Yanks #39; lead at 3 Royals gain control with 10-run 5th Against a nothing-to-lose team such as the Kansas City Royals, the Yankees #39; manager wanted his team to put down the hammer early and not let baseball #39;s second worst team believe it had a chance.


North Korea explains powerful blast with mountain demolition After several days of speculation, North Korea said on Monday the 4-kilometer (2 miles) wide cloud spotted on satellite images by South Korea #39;s Yonhap agency was the result of a deliberate demolition of a mountain for a power plant.


Bomb Threats Mar Start of Indonesia Election Campaign Bomb scares marked the start of campaigning for Indonesia #39;s presidential run-off on Tuesday, five days after a suicide attack on the Australian embassy, but bread and butter issues appeared uppermost in voter #39;s minds.


IBM Covets Half of China Business Computer Market (Reuters) Reuters - International Business Machines Corp.\is reaping the rewards of a decade-long push into China's\business computer industry and is eyeing upward of a 50-percent\market share, its country head said.


ElBaradei Says Unclear if Iran Nuke Plans Peaceful (Reuters) Reuters - It is unclear if Iran's nuclear\ambitions are entirely peaceful, but there is still no firm\evidence that Tehran is secretly developing atomic weapons as\Washington asserts, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.


Vivendi Net Loss Up (Reuters) Reuters - Vivendi Universal on Tuesday reported a\sharply wider half-year net loss of 1.86 billion euros ( #36;2.28\billion), hit by currency translation losses linked to its\entertainment deal with NBC, but its SFR cell phones unit\boosted profits at the operating level.


Nikkei Back at Level Before Weak Data  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei rose 0.38 percent on Tuesday  as another jump in U.S. tech shares lured foreign investors to  their Japanese peers and other exporters such as Honda, while  earnings optimism again buoyed some miners.


ElBaradei Says Unclear if Iran Nuke Plans Peaceful  VIENNA (Reuters) - It is unclear if Iran's nuclear  ambitions are entirely peaceful, but there is still no firm  evidence that Tehran is secretly developing atomic weapons as  Washington asserts, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.


online.ie Sinn Fin president Gerry Adams tonight gave his backing for a plan to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland. The party confirmed that at a meeting of senior Sinn Fin leaders in Belfast, Mr Adams said


Australia defies Iraq kidnap claim Australia's PM says he will not negotiate with terrorists who claim to have taken two Australians hostage.


3 blasts in Spain after ETA threat At least three bombs have exploded in central areas of Spanish cities, according to the Spanish interior ministry following a warning by the Basque separatist group ETA.


IBM Covets Half of China Business Computer Market  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp.  is reaping the rewards of a decade-long push into China's  business computer industry and is eyeing upward of a 50-percent  market share, its country head said.


Vivendi Net Loss Up Vivendi Universal on Tuesday reported a sharply wider half-year net loss of 1.86 billion euros (\$2.28 billion), hit by currency translation losses linked to its entertainment


Ivan Hits 11th Country on Caribbean Cruise Towards US One of the fiercest Hurricanes ever has passed the western edge of Cuba on its way towards the United States. Hurricane Ivan and its 260 kilometre an hour winds toppled power lines, uprooted trees and caused extensive flooding across Cuba.


From: Tom Maheras, Head of Global Capital Markets, GCIB In August, our European government bond trading desk executed an innovative transaction that sought to access the liquidity in the European government bond markets.


Clothing Helps Lower Inflation Consumer Prices Index inflation, the Governments target measure, fell to 1.3 per cent in August, down from 1.4 per cent in July.


IETF Decides On SPF / Sender-ID issue Zocalo writes  quot;The MARID working group at the IETF responsible for deciding on which extensions to SMTP will be used to try and prevent spoofing of the sender has made their decision.


Intel urges others to join PlanetLab Consortium Intel Corporation has touted what it says are significant changes that need to be made to the Internet #39;s architecture to make it safer, more useful, reliable and accessible.


Microsoft makes music mobile moves Microsoft continues its battle to dominate digital music distribution, with news it plans to make its music services available to mobiles before Apple does.


Xignal releases XFI interface design for 10G XFP modules September 13, 2004 Nashua, NH--Xignal Technologies (Munich) is releasing its intellectual property for a 10-Gbit/sec CMOS XFI interface for signal conditioner ICs in XFP transceiver modules.


Everton Football Club midfielder set for reprieve? Everton Football Club midfielder Tim Cahill could get the red card he received at the weekend rescinded. The Australian was shown two yellow cards by referee Steve Bennett, the second one dished out following


4 of a kind for 1st-place Twins, 5-3 On Monday afternoon, Tigers owner Mike Ilitch praised Ivan Rodriguez #39;s leadership. In the fourth inning Monday night, Rodriguez showed plenty of it.


North Korea Talks May Be Victim of U.S. Election (Reuters) Reuters - Hopes for a September round of\six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis were\evaporating on Tuesday as Pyongyang hinted it was awaiting the\outcome of the U.S. presidential race.


On Fed Payroll, Hackers Seek to Save America (Reuters) Reuters - Jason Larsen types in a few\lines of computer code to hack into the controls of a nearby\chemical plant. Then he finds an online video camera inside and\confirms that he has pumped up a pressure value.


Europe Arrives With Ryder Cup in Tow (AP) AP - Bernhard Langer walked off the plane and cleared customs with his right fist wrapped tightly around the Ryder Cup trophy.


Sony Closer to Content/Gadget Vision with MGM Deal (Reuters) Reuters - With its acquisition of Hollywood film\studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Corp is one step closer to its\vision of linking hardware and content, and to winning the key\battle for the next generation DVD.


Blast in Baghdad Rebel District Kills at Least 47 (Reuters) Reuters - A huge explosion tore through a crowded\market close to the west Baghdad police headquarters on\Tuesday, killing at least 47 people in the deadliest single\attack in the capital in six months.


Lewis confident Williams can take title from Klitschko LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) - Former heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis is confident that British compatriot Danny Williams can defeat Ukrainian big man Vitali Klitschko here Saturday and win the World Boxing Council crown.


Saudi Resist OPEC Quota Increase (Reuters) Reuters - OPEC is keeping its foot to the pedal on\production in a bid to drag down oil prices but may be\reluctant to rubber-stamp extra supplies by lifting official\output limits, Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday.


Florida Week Always Brings Excitement (AP) AP - As a freshman from Mississippi, defensive end Parys Haralson didn't know much about Tennessee's rivalry with Florida.


Eyeing Downturn, Chip Makers Trim Equipment Buying (Reuters) Reuters - The semiconductor industry is showing\the first signs of slowing growth, trimming purchases of raw\materials and production equipment as demand slows, industry\executives and analysts said on Tuesday.


EU Commission approves Repsol's acquisition of Shell Portugal assets (AFP) AFP - The European Commission said it had approved the acquisition by Spain's Repsol YSF of most of the Portuguese products and businesses belonging to Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell.


In cyberspace, new rules for your r #233;sum #233; (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Once upon a time, r #233;sum #233;s were traditionally delivered by a postman. But in the age of e-mail, where information flows as quickly as electricity, they mostly travel across the Internet.


Chain Store Sales Increase Slightly (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. chain store sales increased\slightly in the latest week, due in part to Labor Day sales and\back-to-school shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


'THX': Young film geniuses at work (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - The newly restored THX 1138 arrives on DVD today with Star Wars creator George Lucas' vision of a Brave New World-like future.


Baseball Today (AP) AP - Houston at St. Louis (8:10 p.m. EDT). Roger Clemens (16-4) starts for Houston against Jeff Suppan (15-6) and the major league-leading Cardinals.


Vodafone Weighs on European Shares (Reuters) Reuters - European shares sagged on Tuesday as\broker downgrades hit mobile phone operator Vodafone  and two\of its peers, but UK clothing retailer Next shone on news of\strong summer sales.


Peace talks for Sudan's Darfur halted again as deadlock continues (AFP) AFP - Peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel leaders broke up in deadlock once again, barely 10 minutes after delegates returned to the table following a three-day pause.


Kiprusoff Leads Finland in World Cup Final (AP) AP - Miikka Kiprusoff is carrying the weight of a small European country aching for athletic success.


Pier 1 Second-Quarter Profit Falls (Reuters) Reuters - Home-furnishings retailer Pier 1\Imports Inc.  on Tuesday said quarterly profit fell more\than 40 percent as sluggish sales and heavy discounts to lure\shoppers took their toll.


Philippoussis Withdraws From Davis Cup (AP) AP - Injured Mark Philippoussis has withdrawn from Australia's Davis Cup team for the World Group playoff against Morocco later this month.


FDA Approves Lens Implant to Sharpen Sight (AP) AP - There's a new option for people who suffer from extreme nearsightedness, whose world loses its crisp edge just a few inches from their noses. The first implantable lens for nearsightedness was approved Monday by the Food and Drug Administration.


Nuclear Test in North Korea? On September 11, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported a huge blast and a 2.5 mile diameter mushroom cloud in North Korea 6 miles southwest of Yongjori Missile Base...on Thursday.


Stocks to Watch  ORACLE CORP. ORCL.O:


U.N. Agency to Study Environment in Iraq (AP) AP - Scientists will begin investigating environmental "hot spots" in Iraq as part of a long-term strategy to clean up the country after ten years of war and instability, the U.N. Environment Program said Tuesday.


A Phone Number For Life Competition in the market for voice services is prompting telecom providers to find new ways to attract and keep customers. RNKVoIP, a division of RNK Telecom, unveiled on Monday a plan to offer


Oil Climbs as Ivan Approaches U.S.  LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices rose on Tuesday as  Hurricane Ivan charged toward the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico,  where energy companies had evacuated thousands of offshore  workers and shut some production.


Saudi Resist OPEC Quota Increase  VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC is keeping its foot to the pedal on  production in a bid to drag down oil prices but may be  reluctant to rubber-stamp extra supplies by lifting official  output limits, Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday.


Japan Battered as Asian Typhoons Take Unusual Turn (Reuters) Reuters - Trees bent over sharply in angry winds,\rain lashing empty streets, and mammoth waves battering\breakwaters -- all scenes that have been commonplace in Japan\this summer, the worst typhoon season on record.


Brazil Scrambles to Save Its Disappearing Savanna (Reuters) Reuters - Brazil launched an emergency\plan on Friday to save what remains of its vast tropical\savanna, much of which has been cleared for farming in recent\decades.


Chain Store Sales Increase Slightly  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store sales increased  slightly in the latest week, due in part to Labor Day sales and  back-to-school shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


Vivendi Net Loss Widens  PARIS (Reuters) - Vivendi Universal posted a near doubling  in its first-half net loss to 1.86 billion euros (\$2.28  billion) on Tuesday, hit by currency translation losses linked  to its entertainment deal with NBC, but cellphone unit SFR  boosted profits at the operating level.


Euro Slips After ZEW, Dollar Awaits Data  LONDON (Reuters) - The euro slipped against the dollar and  yen on Tuesday after weaker-than-expected German investor  confidence data, while the dollar was soft ahead of U.S. data,  seen key for interest rate expectations.


IBM Tools Give Developers an Assist IBM announced Monday a set of offerings from its Virtual Innovation Center for Hardware, including  quot;how-to quot; guides and a solution sizing toolkit, all aimed at helping the company #39;s business partners build and deploy applications on IBM technology.


Blast in Baghdad Rebel District Kills at Least 47  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A huge explosion tore through a crowded  market close to the west Baghdad police headquarters on  Tuesday, killing at least 47 people in the deadliest single  attack in the capital in six months.


Blair to Press on Climate Change, Challenge Bush  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Tony Blair will pledge Tuesday  to force international action on global warming, despite the  reluctance of big powers like the United States.


Sharon Says Rejected U.S. Bid for Talks with Syria  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  poured cold water on Tuesday on recent international efforts to  restart stalled peace talks with Syria, saying there was "no  possibility" of returning to previous discussions.


Hopes rise for Alitalia rescue Talks between Alitalia and the unions were continuing on Tuesday as hopes rose of staving off bankruptcy at Italy's troubled national airline.


Arsenal keeper Lehmann: I #39;ve done nothing wrong Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has revealed he didn #39;t expect to be dropped on Saturday by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.  quot;Arsene said I did not look the freshest to him.


Oil price up on hurricane fears World crude prices rise amid fears that oil supplies from the Gulf of Mexico could be disrupted by Hurricane Ivan, and as saboteurs strike a pipeline in Iraq.


Volvo in worldwide vehicle recall Volvo recalls 460,000 vehicles worldwide because a wiring problem could cause  fans to overheat and burn.


Sony Corp. acquires MGM Studios for \$5 billion MUMBAI: It has been a long-running drama and it is Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp that has come out the winner at the end of it.


Report: Weinsteins Looking to Stay with Disney Harvey and Bob Weinstein, who founded and run Walt Disney Co. #39;s Miramax Films unit, are now looking for a way to stay within the Disney fold, the New York Post said on Tuesday, citing no sources.


Bayer seeks to find remedy with US alliance BAYER has formed an alliance for its struggling pharmaceuticals business with American drug-maker Schering-Plough. Drugs and chemicals group Bayer, which is in the midst of restructuring its business, said


UK inflation rate falls Britain #39;s inflation rate dropped to 1.3 in August as lower clothing prices helped to keep it well below the Bank of England #39;s target, official figures showed today.


Macy #39;s supplants venerable names The Lazarus nameplate, a fixture on the retail landscape for 153 years, is coming off department store signs, joining Shillito #39;s as a defunct brand.


Survey: Region job outlook among tops in US Job opportunities in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky are expected to be among the best in the country during the last three months of 2004, according to a national survey of businesses and other employers by Manpower Inc.


Citigroup Regrets Bond Trades That Led to UK Probe (Update2) Citigroup Inc., the world #39;s largest bank, apologized for a series of European government bond trades last month that caused prices to fall and prompted an investigation by UK regulators.


Feds reopen probe of Honda CR-V fires NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The federal government is again looking at why the Honda CR-V compact sport/utility vehicle sometimes catches fire after an initial oil change, according to a published report.


17,000 Enron pension holders to get paid in full Nearly 17,000 Enron pension plan holders will see their benefits paid, thanks to pressure from the federal government #39;s Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.


Yukos saga gives pause to foreign investors in Russia: IMF <b>...</b> MOSCOW : The Russian government #39;s assault on oil giant Yukos is a source of concern that could impact foreign investment in the country, a senior International Monetary Fund official warned.


Linux standard adds C support The Free Standards Group (FSG) has revealed details of its Linux Standard Base (LSB) 2.0, a specification aimed at preventing Linux fragmentation.


Eyeing Downturn, Chip Makers Trim Equipment Buying The semiconductor industry is showing the first signs of slowing growth, trimming purchases of raw materials and production equipment as demand slows, industry executives and analysts said on Tuesday.


Microsoft #39;s spam plan rejected Attempts to fight spam by identifying e-mails have hit problems over Microsoft #39;s involvement in the process. The Internet Engineering Task Force, an international standards body, has rejected Microsoft #39;s contribution to the so-called Sender ID proposal.


An Ergonomic, Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Set The Wireless Optical Desktop Comfort Edition, with its mildly arced keypad, allows for easy typing while providing some relief for your wrists.


SD in the cards for Nokia Nokia gives SD cards its blessing <nobr>ZDNet.co.uk</nobr>


Microsoft blows into Florida with Visual Studio 2005 Microsoft ignored the apocalyptic weather threatening Florida yesterday to unveil the beta version of its Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition at the VSLive!


Virus writers add network sniffer to worm Virus writers have grafted a network sniffer into the latest variant of the SDBot worm series. So far there are no reports of SDBot-UH in the wild but the inclusion of selective network sniffing along with


The world in your palm com September 14, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. With the economy slowly turning up, upgrading hardware has been on businesses radar in the past 12 months as their number two priority.


Speech recognition  #39;on-a-chip #39; inside three years The US National Science Foundation has awarded a \$1m grant to researchers in the US who want to put speech recognition on a chip, a move the project #39;s proponents claim will revolutionise the way we communicate.


Apple vs Apple:  #39;mind boggling #39; pay-out imminent - report Apple Corp. and Apple Comp. - aka the Beatles and the maker of the Mac - are reported to be on the verge of ending their legal dispute over the latter #39;s right to operate in the music market.


New Worm Installs Network Traffic Sniffer A new worm whose payload includes the SDBot trojan tries to install a  quot;sniffer, quot; seeking to use infected computers to capture login and banking information for other computers on the same network.


Packers spank Panthers Ahman Green, the Green Bay running back who long has stood in the shadow of his more famous quarterback, made a compelling case before a crowd of 72,000 and a national TV audience.


Rangers Player Breaks Female Fan #39;s Nose OAKLAND, Calif. -- What fan would expect to go a baseball game and get hit by a chair thrown into the stands by a player? That #39;s what happened in Monday night #39;s 7-6 win by Oakland over Texas in 10 innings.


Trophy #39;s minnows sink without trace Goliath and his like have had a bad press over the years. But the Champions Trophy is doing all it can to leave us feeling sorry for the big fella and looking forward to the day when David slings his hook.


McIlroy stars for Europe Holywood #39;s Rory McIlroy has helped get Ryder Cup week off to a great start by playing in Europe #39;s win over their US counterparts in the junior event.


Weather prompts change for Cal By STAFF WRITER.  quot;We #39;ve had concerned parents calling all day long, quot; said Tedford.  quot;Not to mention the aftermath and destruction of something going through (Mississippi).


MLB: San Diego 9, Los Angeles 7 Phil Nevin belted two homers and drove in four runs Tuesday to lead San Diego past the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-7. Shawn Green hit two home runs for the Dodgers, who lead the National


#39;Batman dad is no threat #39; A FATHER who scaled the walls of a Cardiff court dressed as superhero Robin said the Buckingham Palace protester posed no threat. Fathers 4 Justice activist Jim Gibson, who earlier this year staged an eye-catching


Powell says WMD may not be found in Iraq US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Monday that weapons of mass destruction (WMD) may not be found in Iraq, while both Iraq and the United States expect the


Hundreds Rally in Turkey Against Criminalizing Adultery Hundreds of demonstrators marched in Turkey #39;s capital Tuesday to protest proposed legislation to make adultery a crime. A crowd of about 500, mostly women, marched from Ankara #39;s central square to parliament


Arab League FMs consider pressure on Syria to quit Lebanon Arab foreign ministers faced the divisive issue of Syria #39;s role in Lebanon when they met here Tuesday, a day after Gulf states and Jordan endorsed a UN call for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon.


Japan Says Latest Infected Cow Won #39;t Affect BSE-Testing Review A new case of mad cow disease in Japan won #39;t affect a review of domestic cattle-testing procedures, said Chikara Sakaguchi, the nation #39;s health minister.


Saboteurs blow up pipeline junction in northern Iraq Saboteurs blew up a junction where multiple oil pipelines cross the Tigris River in northern Iraq on Tuesday, sending plumes of smoke leaping into the sky, officials said.


Ivan clips Cuba, roars toward US Packing sustained winds of 160 mph and whipping up monstrous waves, Hurricane Ivan #39;s eye brushed Cuba #39;s sparsely populated western tip yesterday and barreled north toward the US Gulf Coast.


Compensation package approved for Gaza settlers Israel #39;s Security Cabinet has approved a compensation package for Jewish settlers who will be removed from the Gaza Strip under the government #39;s pull-out plan.


US strike kills 15 Iraqis Meanwhile, Italy #39;s foreign minister, Franco Frattini, arrived in Kuwait on an 11th-hour mission to win the release of two Italian women hostages kidnapped by Islamist militants last week.


Troops sent to protect China dam China is reported to have sent heavily armed troops to protect its huge Three Gorges Dam against terrorist attack.


Many Beslan victims gravely ill Fifty victims of the Beslan school siege remain in a serious condition in Moscow hospitals.


New fertility treatment 'closer' Women may be able to have unfertilised eggs routinely frozen during fertility treatment rather than just embryos after research.


Microsoft's spam plan rejected Internet engineers are unhappy with Microsoft's plans for tracing where e-mails come from.


Sick sent home in Nigeria strike Some 60 psychiatric patients are released by a hospital in north-western Nigeria after nurses went on strike.


Pakistan shells Waziristan school Pakistani troops attack a religious school in South Waziristan thought to house foreign al-Qaeda suspects.


Jab linked to multiple sclerosis People immunised against hepatitis B are at increased risk of multiple sclerosis, a study shows.


ElBaradei says unclear if Iran nuclear plans peaceful  quot;Have we seen any proof of a weapons programme (in Iran)? Have we seen undeclared (uranium) enrichment? ... Obviously until today.


North Korea Talks May Be Victim of US Polls Hopes for a September round of six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis were evaporating on Tuesday as Pyongyang hinted it was awaiting the outcome of the US presidential race.


2 Soldiers Wounded in Palestinian Suicide Bombing in West Bank The Israeli army says two soldiers were injured when a Palestinians suicide bomber blew himself up at a West Bank checkpoint early Tuesday.


HK democrats vow to fight for universal suffrage By Channel NewsAsia #39;s Hong Kong Correspondent Roland Lim. HONG KONG : Hong Kong #39;s democrats have vowed to continue to push for Beijing to grant universal suffrage to the territory, despite their disappointing showing in Sunday #39;s local elections.


Sony unveils Wi-Fi multimedia Cli #233; Big OLED screen, 802.11b, slick design, long-running battery...


Learn Solaris Systems Programming Site Offer Save 30 on this thorough reference


Myopic Congress lacks spyware focus Analysis I (don't) SPY with my little eye


Sosa Homers As Cubs Club Pirates 7-2 CHICAGO - Sammy Sosa homered for the first time in more than two weeks and Derrek Lee drove in three runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.    Moises Alou and Neifi Perez also homered for the Cubs, who pulled within a half-game of idle San Francisco in the NL wild-card race...


Expert: GPS in Peterson Case Had Glitches REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Satellite navigation devices used to track Scott Peterson's car after his wife's disappearance sometimes developed glitches, once indicating he was driving 30,000 mph, an expert in the technology acknowledged Monday at Peterson's murder trial...


Ivan Lashes Cuba With 160 Mph Winds PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba - Whipping winds and walloping waves lashed western Cuba and the communist country's tobacco-growing region Monday, as Hurricane Ivan strengthened to a Category 5 storm - the most powerful - and barreled along on a new course toward the U.S. Gulf Coast...


Evacuations for Ivan Urged on Gulf Coast PENSACOLA, Fla. - Rather than roll the dice on where 160-mph Hurricane Ivan might strike, Gulf Coast residents from Florida's Panhandle all the way to the bayous of Louisiana spent Monday boarding up their houses, tying up their boats and making plans to evacuate...


On Fed Payroll, Hackers Seek to Save America  IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (Reuters) - Jason Larsen types in a few  lines of computer code to hack into the controls of a nearby  chemical plant. Then he finds an online video camera inside and  confirms that he has pumped up a pressure value.


Sony Closer to Content/Gadget Vision with MGM Deal  TOKYO (Reuters) - With its acquisition of Hollywood film  studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Corp is one step closer to its  vision of linking hardware and content, and to winning the key  battle for the next generation DVD.


Eyeing Downturn, Chip Makers Trim Equipment Buying  TAIPEI (Reuters) - The semiconductor industry is showing  the first signs of slowing growth, trimming purchases of raw  materials and production equipment as demand slows, industry  executives and analysts said on Tuesday.


Sony-Led Group to Buy MGM in \$2.9B Deal The agreement to aquire the venerable Hollywood studio and its valuable film library was reached after Time Warner Inc. dropped out of the bidding.


Test of Missile Defense System Delayed Again The Pentagon's last hope of flight-testing critical new elements of an antimissile system, before activating the system this autumn, appeared to vanish with the disclosure that the next flight test has been postponed.


Gateway Shifts Back to Personal Computers
\

 By Franklin Paul

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Gateway Inc. <GTW.N> on Monday said it\would return to its roots as a personal computer company,\backing off on an aggressive strategy of expanding into TVs,\digital cameras and other gadgets in a move to return to\profitability.


Microsoft Corp. and Polycom Inc. Team Up Microsoft Corp. and conferencing technology maker Polycom Inc. are teaming up to develop ways for people using PCs and other devices to hold virtual meetings with those using more traditional conferencing equipment.


Micropower 'could fuel UK homes' Household-scale renewable energy schemes could provide power for many British familes, conservationists say.


Howard's way is a delicate green The UK Conservative Party has some challenging environmental policies, though there are several glaring gaps.


47 dead in Baghdad market blast At least 47 people were killed at a Baghdad market today in an explosion that was believed to have been targeted at a nearby police station.


Wired for security McAfee CEO George Samenuk looks beyond PCs to stave off marauding viruses in new areas, including 3G phones.


The world in your palm New CDMA-GSM phones are hitting the market. Are they a niche device for business travelers or a bombshell set to rattle the wireless industry?


Broadband needs a nonpartisan FCC Rep. John Conyers says unnecessary political divisions have brought the Federal Communications Commission to a policy standstill.


Venezuela Minister Opposes Increase in OPEC Production Quotas Venezuela, OPEC #39;s third-largest oil producer, said the group shouldn #39;t raise its output targets at this week #39;s meeting in Vienna.


Ivan, Iraq concerns lift oil Oil prices jumped again Tuesday as Hurricane Ivan charged towards the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico and an explosion rocked Iraq #39;s recovering oil industry.


Linux and Identity Services Key for Novell Linux and identity management will be Novell #39;s biggest strengths, according to its chief executive Jack Messman. Messman told delegates at this year #39;s Novell Brainshare Europe event in Barcelona


NEC delivers four-way fault tolerant Windows server NEC Solutions America, the US unit of Japanese server maker NEC Corp., has announced a new fault tolerant Windows server, a machine with the unwieldy name of the Express5800/340 Hb-R.


Live: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe Sri Lanka made a breakthrough with two quick wickets to leave struggling Zimbabwe on 47-3 at The Oval. After Upul Chandana #39;s superb catch of Brendan Taylor in the 13th over, Mahela Jayawardene then caught


Vivendi Universal sees better days ahead in 2004 PARIS : French media giant Vivendi Universal reported a surge in its net loss so far this year but forecast a sharp turnaround in its finances for all of 2004.


Nokia embraces SD memory cards Users accustomed to removing the memory card from one of their consumer electronic devices and plugging it into another will soon be able to do the same with mobile phones from Nokia Corp.


IBM broadens suite of RFID services IBM Corp. on Tuesday will announce an expansion of its services for companies seeking help with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.


Update: Sun, Microsoft to detail interoperability in October Sun Microsystems Inc. and Microsoft Corp. next month plan to provide more details on work they are doing to make their products interoperable, a Sun executive said Monday.


Borland looks to take on Visual Studio with Diamondback San Jose, Calif. - Borland Software with the planned Diamondback release of its Delphi tool for Windows applications is looking to take on Microsoft while accommodating .Net, Win32 and Delphi development, a Borland official said on Monday at the BorCon conference here.


Novell #39;s Linux, Identity Services Initiative Linux and identity management will be Novell #39;s biggest strengths, according to its chief executive Jack Messman. Messman told delegates at this year #39;s Novell Brainshare Europe event in Barcelona


Johnsen eyes Magpies move New Newcastle boss Graeme Souness has targeted the former Manchester United defender to cover for the loss of Jonathan Woodgate to Real Madrid.


FOOTBALL: DECO: WE MUST KEEP OUR HEADS DECO last night warned his Barcelona team-mates not to repeat last season #39;s costly indiscipline in Glasgow. And he insisted cool heads would do more to unnerve Celtic than the hot tempers which ultimately


Baseball Today Houston at St. Louis (8:10 pm EDT). Roger Clemens (16-4) starts for Houston against Jeff Suppan (15-6) and the major league-leading Cardinals.


Russia Announces More Funding for Security Russia #39;s finance minister announced a \$5.4 billion increase in funding for four key security agencies on Tuesday, a day after President Vladimir Putin announced his plan for combatting terrorism.


Web Site Killings Raise Dilemmas for Media (Reuters) Reuters - A terrified-looking man, rocking back and\forth in his chair with his hands tied behind his back, appeals\to the United States to leave Iraq and spare him death. Then a\hand with a knife appears to slice off his head.


Inflation falls further below target (AFP) AFP - Inflation slowed to an annual rate of 1.3 percent in August from 1.4 percent in July, well below the 2.0-percent target used by the Bank of England.


Sudan Official Says Darfur Health Normal (AP) AP - A Sudanese official said Tuesday that disturbingly high U.N. estimates of death among Darfur's displaced were mistaken and claimed the health situation was "normal" in the region gripped by what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian disaster.


Before-the-Bell: Taser, Oracle Rise  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Taser International Inc. TASR.O  shares were up more than 6 percent in premarket trading on  Tuesday after the stun gun maker said it had received orders  totaling more than \$1 million.


Oracle sees PeopleSoft offer gaining ground The two companies are waiting for a hearing in Delaware next week when a judge will hear evidence from PeopleSoft regarding why its board rejected Oracle #39;s latest bid of \$24 a share.


Swedish Stock Exchange Halts Trading Trading in shares of Swedish health care company Gambro AB were halted Monday by the Stockholm Stock Exchange amid a report that a US company was poised to buy one of its units.


Kerry Bashes Bush on Assault Weapons Ban WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kerry sought to make President Bush pay a political price Monday for the expiration of a partial assault weapons ban, but other Democrats reacted warily on an issue that has hurt the party in recent elections...


Ivan Lashes Cuba With 160 Mph Winds PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba - Packing ferocious winds and whipping up monstrous waves, Hurricane Ivan's eye brushed Cuba's sparsely populated western tip as a treacherous Category 5 storm - the most powerful - and barreled north toward the U.S. Gulf Coast...


Sony-Led Group to Acquire MGM for \$3B LOS ANGELES - A consortium led by Sony has agreed in principle to acquire famed Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for nearly \$3 billion, MGM said late Monday.    The deal marks the last chapter in the history of two of Hollywood's most storied names - MGM, once best known for its musical hits like "Singing in the Rain" and "Meet Me in St...


Sony agrees MGM deal The Sony Corporation today agreed to buy the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and its valuable film library after rival Time Warner withdrew from the bidding.


Boots Ends Services Expansion to Focus on Pharmacies (Update1) Boots Group Plc, the UK #39;s largest pharmacy chain, abandoned a failed expansion into unprofitable services such as dentistry and eye laser treatment to focus on fighting off competition from supermarkets.


Sun sets up open-source Solaris project Sun Microsystems will create an open-source project around its Solaris 10 operating system by the end of the year, company executives said on Monday.


Novell chooses streamlined Linux desktop When Novell #39;s Linux desktop arrives at the end of this year it will be stripped down to avoid integration problems and to keep it simple for users.


Microsoft, Polycom team on collaboration products Microsoft Corp. and Polycom Inc. have struck a multi-year agreement to link Microsoft #39;s Office Live Communications Server with Polycom #39;s conferencing products, the companies plan to announce Tuesday.


Ericsson awarded Chinese GSM network expansion deal worth US\$150M Wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson said Monday it has received a contract worth about \$150 million US (122.4 million euros ) from Shandong Mobile Communication Co.


IBM Donates Voice Code to Apache IBM (Quote, Chart) is donating software for speech-enabled applications to the open source community, a move supported by more than 20 speech vendors and platform companies, including communications systems player Avaya (Quote, Chart).


Skirmish delays A #39;s win Eric Chavez singled in the winning run, the fourth lead change in the final four innings of a crazy game.  quot;It #39;s was almost like a kickoff of a football game, quot; Chavez said.


Newcastle all set to sign Johnsen NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND -- Newcastle United are on the verge of signing former Manchester United and Aston Villa defender Ronny Johnsen on a short-term contract.


Car Bomb Detonates Outside of Iraqi Police Recruiting Station in <b>...</b> A car bomb exploded near a police station in the Iraqi capital early today, as dozens of people were applying to join the force, killing at least 32 people and wounding 88, officials said.


Japan Confirms Another Case of BSE in Dairy Cow Japan has confirmed a new case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy -- the third discovery of the brain-wasting illness in the country this year.


Blair 'shocked' by climate change Prime Minister Tony Blair tells the BBC he believes time is running out on tackling climate change.


Surfing the Tsunami A tsunami, a series of large waves caused by the disruption of seawater, is one of the many hazards of living on Earth. A mega-tsunami could cause death and destruction to both the eastern and western Atlantic coasts.


UBS buys arm of Julius Baer UBS continued to sweep up private banking assets yesterday with the purchase of the North America wealth management business of Julius Baer, the Swiss private bank.


Oil ministers gather in Vienna, oppose high price of oil VIENNA : OPEC ministers gathered in Vienna to talk business, with powerbroker Saudi Arabia saying the 11-member cartel was against a 40-dollar price tag on oil, while admitting it is difficult to reduce.


Controversial Disney boss retiring in 2006 In a move that may have been designed to reassure shareholders, Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner has announced that he will retire from the company when his contract ends in 2006.


Boots axes dentistry and chiropody THE flagship Boots store on Princes Street is to lose its dentistry and chiropody clinics as part of a nationwide cutback of services by the company.


Storm tracking US hurricane forecasters say the worst may not yet be over for the 2004 season in the Atlantic, based on a trend of above-normal activity during seven of the last nine seasons.


Citigroup regrets August bond sale-memo US financial services giant Citigroup (CN: Quote, Profile, Research) regrets its controversial sale of around 11 billion euros (\$13.


Symantec under attack from MyDoom Antivirus firm Symantec is facing a denial-of-service attack on its Web site from the latest version of the MyDoom worm. Authors of MyDoom.


Sutton, Langer spell it out Bernhard Langer and Hal Sutton stressed the importance of playing this year #39;s 135th Ryder Cup in the  #39;right spirit #39; when the US captain met Langer and his 12-man European team at Detroit #39;s Metro Airport on their arrival from London on Monday evening.


Baseball Roundup: Brawl Hurts Fans Texas Rangers pitcher Frank Francisco allegedly hurled a chair at some fans heckling the Ranger bullpen after the Rangers hit a ninth inning game tying homer in Oakland.


Ayoon wa Azan (His Masters Voice) The anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks went by, mixed with the news of the dreadful incident in the Russian school in Beslan; there were nearly 350 victims, mostly children.


WORLD BRIEFS IN AFGHANISTAN. US troops and helicopter gunships killed 22 militants, including three Arab fighters, in the southern province of Zabul, Afghanistan, the military said yesterday.


Big Anti-Induce Campaign Planned A music-activism group is staging a massive call-in to congressional members Tuesday to protest the Induce Act and urge protection of consumers' rights to music and movies they own. By Katie Dean.


Aural Heaven: IPod and Analog In high-tech Japan, an antiques dealer pioneers a new way to listen to digital music -- by piping the tunes through tube radios. Nobuyuki Hayashi reports from Tokyo.


Geeks Code for the Gold Competitors are still going at it in Athens, but this time the teams are trying to write the most elegant code. By Michelle Delio.


Satellite Service Battles Lag Satellite internet service providers are often the only alternative to dialup in far-flung areas. The battle with latency still rages, although companies are making gains in upload speeds. By Elliot Borin.


Of Mice and Biometrics Microsoft's new keyboard features a fingerprint reader that should have been a handy gizmo. But its price and its unfriendly attitude toward non-Microsoft browsers disappoint. Melissa Kruse reviews the Microsoft Optical Desktop with Fingerprint Reader.


Nevada's Seamless E-Vote The success of last week's primary election using touch-screen voting machines heartens officials in other states, where e-voting has been problematic. Still, the Silver State may be in a unique situation.


Blue-chip downgrades, higher oil prices pressure stocks By George Chamberlin , Daily Transcript Financial Correspondent. Stocks were mixed Monday as investors reacted to modestly higher oil prices.


U.S. Retail Sales Slip on Auto Weakness  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales posted a  larger-than-expected decline in August, a Commerce Department  report on Tuesday showed, but the drop was mostly confined to  the automotive sector.


Mauresmo Ranking Highlights Faults in System  LONDON (Reuters) - More a mathematical anomaly than a badge  of honor, the world's No. 1 ranking in women's tennis rests  this week uneasily on the shoulders of Amelie Mauresmo.


Retail Sales Drop in August Shoppers turned tightfisted in August, dropping sales at the nation's retailers by 0.3 percent, providing fresh evidence of an erratic pace of consumer spending in recent months.


Dockers seek conciliation help Union officials and leaders at AB Ports are meeting conciliation experts to try to reach an agreement in the docks crisis.


Another Canadian qualifies for PGA Tour CBC SPORTS ONLINE - David Hearn became the latest Canadian to qualify for the PGA Tour, earning his card by a single stroke. Hearn, from Brampton, Ont.


'Sustainable relief' is way ahead The World Urban Forum hears a call for governments to think beyond merely recovering from natural disasters.


Martian Mesas in Stunning Detail These images, taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA's Mars Express spacecraft, show part of a heavily eroded impact crater at Solis Planum, in the Thaumasia region of the southern hemisphere.


Cassini Snaps Saturn's Family Portrait The Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn takes a wide-angle view of the ringed planet's extended moon system.     Astrobiology Magazine -- A stately Saturn poses for a portrait with five of its moons in this Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera view...


Upbeat Outlook Offsets Effects of Aging Positive emotions improve physical, functional health of older adults    HealthDayNews -- Positive thoughts can help older people maintain their physical and functional health, while negative emotions can cause a rapid decline, say two studies in the September issue of Psychology and Aging.    In the first study, University of Texas researchers tracked 1,558 older Mexican-Americans in five southwestern states for seven years...


Troubled airline still flies, but how long? An old joke says US Airways, formed by the merger of Mohawk and Allegheny airlines, should have been named Mo #39; Agony. That is exactly what the airline #39;s investors and employees must be feeling since it filed


Pier 1 Imports #39; profit falls 43.3 percent FORT WORTH, Texas -- Pier 1 Imports Inc., a home furnishings retailer, said Tuesday its second-quarter income fell 43.3 percent due to a 3 percent drop in stores open at least a year.


Vivendi Net Loss Widens Vivendi Universal posted a near doubling in its first-half net loss to 1.86 billion euros (\$2.28 billion) on Tuesday, hit by currency translation losses linked to its


Sky Team Has Three New Member Airlines Sky Team, one of the worlds three airline alliances, announced that Continental Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Northwest Airlines officially joined the alliance at its governing board in New York, Monday.


Surprise slowdown in UK inflation Cheaper clothes prices helped to lower the UK inflation rate in August, with the consumer prices index (CPI) down to 1.3 from 1.4 in July.


Novell: Linux turns up the heat on Microsoft Novell chief executive Jack Messman sat down with ZDNet UK on Monday at BrainShare in Barcelona, and gave a typically combative take on the current state of the software industry.


Kiely triumphs in personal battle with Delap Former Republic of Ireland international teammates Dean Kiely and Rory Delap enjoyed a personal battle as Charlton and Southampton played out a 0-0 draw at the Valley on Monday night.


A class operation from start to finish As Mario Lemieux spoke, Martin Brodeur fiddled with the cap to a bottle of water in his left hand, finally fumbling it entirely. As the small piece of white plastic bounced off the dais and to the concrete


Cricket: Kenya v Pakistan match abandoned for the day BIRMINGHAM, England : Play in the ICC Champions Trophy Pool C match between Kenya and Pakistan at Edgbaston here was abandoned for the day because of rain without a ball being bowled.


Public should be allowed around Buckingham: Minister British Home Secretary David Blunkett said Tuesday that security measures at Buckingham Palace need improvement but the public shouldn #39;t be stopped from coming close to main palaces and monuments across the country.


ElBaradei says unclear if Iran nuclear plans peaceful It is unclear if Iran #39;s nuclear ambitions are entirely peaceful, but there is still no firm evidence that Tehran is secretly developing atomic weapons as Washington asserts, the UN nuclear watchdog says.


Police search for clues to embassy bombing, using DNA tests The Indonesian police have conducted DNA tests on 117 small pieces of bodies found in the scene of a deadly bombing at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, and also on family


U.S. Current Account Gap Grows to Record (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. current account gap widened\again in the second quarter, growing to a record  #36;166.18\billion, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday.


U.S. Retail Sales Slip on Auto Weakness (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. retail sales posted a\larger-than-expected decline in August, a Commerce Department\report on Tuesday showed, but the drop was mostly confined to\the automotive sector.


U.S. Treasuries Falter as Core Sales Rise (Reuters) Reuters - Treasuries prices turned slightly\lower on Tuesday in a classic buy the rumor sell the fact\reaction as a reading on U.S. consumption proved not as weak as\some had been betting.


Retail Sales Drop 0.3 Percent in August (AP) AP - Shoppers turned tightfisted in August, dropping sales at the nation's retailers by 0.3 percent, providing fresh evidence of an erratic pace of consumer spending in recent months.


Talk Is Cheap Using Internet Long-Distance (AP) AP - Jorge Chavez, sitting in his office on a used car lot in Hollywood, picks up the phone and dials his sister in Peru. Nothing unusual about that  #151; except that the call went out over the Internet, sounded as clear as if he had been calling Fort Lauderdale, and cost just a few pennies.


Kroger Quarterly Profit Slips (Reuters) Reuters - Kroger Co. , the largest U.S.\grocer, on Tuesday reported a lower quarterly profit, hurt by\debt costs even as sales rebounded in Southern California where\it was hit by a strike.


China Faces New Textile Import Limits (AP) AP - A top U.S. commerce official said he told China to expect American textile makers to seek new limits on Chinese imports as soon as next week, as he also urged Beijing to do more to stop piracy and lower trade barriers.


U.S. Treasuries Falter as Core Sales Rise  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices turned slightly  lower on Tuesday in a classic buy the rumor sell the fact  reaction as a reading on U.S. consumption proved not as weak as  some had been betting.


Dollar Down on Record Current Account Gap  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against the euro  and the yen early in New York on Tuesday immediately after the  release of data showing the U.S. current account deficit  ballooned to a new record of \$166.18 billion in the second  quarter.


Report: Heat to Cause More Calif. Deaths (AP) AP - Longer and more intense heat waves throughout California in the decades ahead will lead to more heat-related deaths in several major cities, according to a new report.


Navy Ship to Become Scientific Explorer (AP) AP - It started out listening for enemy submarines, once plied the oceans searching for drug traffickers and recently ran aircraft surveillance for ships gearing up for duty in the Iraq war.


Kroger Quarterly Profit Slips  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co. KR.N, the largest U.S.  grocer, on Tuesday reported a lower quarterly profit, hurt by  debt costs even as sales rebounded in Southern California where  it was hit by a strike.


West Africa currency switch looms The eight west African states that use the CFA franc prepare to replace their banknotes in an effort to halt counterfeiting.


Retail Sales Drop 0.3 Percent in August Shoppers turned tightfisted in August, dropping sales at the nation's retailers by 0.3 percent, providing fresh evidence of an erratic pace of consumer spending in recent months.


Jobs outlook brightens Almost one-third of Mesa Countys employers plan to hire additional workers during the final three months of this year, according to a survey by a nationwide temporary-services firm.


Packers Win Season Opener It was a battle between the some of the league #39;s best offensive and defensive lines. Packers have pieced together one of the better offensive lines in the NFC.


First the game, then ... One final horn-honking, flag-waving frenzy for the fans. One last, glorious opportunity for 40 of the world #39;s best players to pull on their nation #39;s colours and leave them wanting more in what should be a tremendous World Cup final.


Royals Blast Yankees Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Angel Berroa went 5-for-5 with five runs scored and Kansas City exploded for 10 runs in the fifth inning en route to a 17-8 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.


Sharon Rejects Call for Referendum on Gaza Withdrawal Plan Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has rejected a call from a key political rival from his own Likud Party for a national referendum on his plan to withdraw all Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip.


Ground Zero Workers File Billion-Dollar Health Lawsuit Nearly three years to the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, lawyers for more than 800 "Ground Zero" rescue and clean-up workers announced Monday a billion-dollar class-action lawsuit against owners of the World Trade Center for exposing the workers to allegedly toxic conditions.


Carl Zeiss in \$1.1bn deal to purchase Sola Germany #39;s Carl Zeiss, which makes binoculars, microscopes and lenses for Hasselblad cameras, said yesterday it had joined with private equity firm EQT to acquire California


Global Markets: Ivan Blows Oil Higher (Reuters) Reuters - Hurricane Ivan blew oil prices back\above  #36;44 a barrel on Tuesday, fueling fears of disruption to\supplies and giving European investors an excuse to take\profits from stock markets at 10-week highs.


Treasuries Slip After Retail Report (Reuters) Reuters - Treasuries prices turned lower on\Tuesday in a classic buy-the-rumor, sell-the-fact reaction as a\reading on U.S. consumption proved not as weak as some had been\betting.


Among the well-heeled at the world polo championships in Chantilly (AFP) AFP - Maybe it's something to do with the fact that the playing area is so vast that you need a good pair of binoculars to see the action if it's not taking place right in front of the stands.


US retail sales down 0.3 percent in August (AFP) AFP - US retail sales fell 0.3 percent in August, marking the third decline in the past five months, according to an estimate from the Commerce Department.


Yahoo to Buy Musicmatch for  #36;160M in Cash (AP) AP - Internet portal Yahoo Inc. said Tuesday that it agreed to buy Web-based digital music and software provider Musicmatch Inc. for  #36;160 million in cash, in a deal which will supplement the offerings of Launch, Yahoo's digital music site.


Hurricanes Hit Office Depot Profit (Reuters) Reuters - Office Depot Inc.  on Tuesday\warned of weaker-than-expected full-year profit because of the\string of hurricanes in Florida and poor sales across North\America and Europe, sending its stock down nearly 8 percent.


China offers US firms opportunities but must protect copyright: US official (AFP) AFP - China's booming market offers opportunities for US manufacturers but Beijing must crack down on copyright violations, US Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Grant Aldonas said.


Update 2: Swedish Exchange Halts Gambro Trading Trading in shares of Swedish health care company Gambro AB were halted Monday by the Stockholm Stock Exchange following a report that the US dialysis company DaVita Inc.


Stocks Flat as Oil, Retail Sales Weigh  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened little changed on  Tuesday as concerns over higher oil prices damaging corporate  profits weighed on investor sentiment, while a dip in retail  sales also dampened the mood.


Retail Sales Down; Trade Gap Larger  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales dipped in August  and the U.S. gap with its international trade partners widened  to a record level in the second quarter of the year, government  reports released on Tuesday showed.


Global Markets: Ivan Blows Oil Higher  LONDON (Reuters) - Hurricane Ivan blew oil prices back  above \$44 a barrel on Tuesday, fueling fears of disruption to  supplies and giving European investors an excuse to take  profits from stock markets at 10-week highs.


Offshore tax guru sentenced to six months A self-professed guru of offshore tax havens was sentenced to six months in prison Monday for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service after prosecutors urged a


Treasuries Slip After Retail Report  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices turned lower on  Tuesday in a classic buy-the-rumor, sell-the-fact reaction as a  reading on U.S. consumption proved not as weak as some had been  betting.


Alcoa Plans to Declare Force Majeure  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alcoa Inc. AA.N on Tuesday said it  plans to declare force majeure to its customers due to a  temporary shutdown at its Jamalco refinery in Jamaica and  damage to the port from which the plant ships its alumina  caused by Hurricane Ivan.


Saudi Arabia Leads OPEC Oil Rush  VIENNA (Reuters) - OPEC is keeping its foot to the pedal on  production in a bid to drag down oil prices but may be  reluctant to rubber-stamp extra supplies by lifting official  output limits, Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday.


Hurricanes Hit Office Depot Profit  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Office Depot Inc. ODP.N on Tuesday  warned of weaker-than-expected full-year profit because of the  string of hurricanes in Florida and poor sales across North  America and Europe, sending its stock down nearly 8 percent.


Fired-up US union leader lambasts Bush at British workers' conference (AFP) AFP - The leader of the main US firefighters' union rallied behind Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry ahead of November elections, saying it was the right time for George W. Bush to be voted out.


UBS in private banking deal Baer #39;s North American wealth management business employs 55 people and manages more than \$4 billion in client assets. It is based in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles, Palm Beach and Montreal.


Samsung To Pour \$24B into Semi Production On the occasion of its 30th anniversary in the semiconductor business, Samsung announced plans to invest \$24 billion into semiconductor production over the next six years, an expansion that will create 10,000 new jobs.


Chechen envoy warns of bloodshed UK-based envoy Akhmed Zakayev warns of more bloodshed in Chechnya unless peace talks are held.


Packers Run Past Panthers 24-14 CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Ahman Green ran up, down and all over the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers...


Kroger profit falls, warns on sales Kroger (KR), the largest US grocer, Tuesday reported a 25 drop in quarterly profit. Even though sales rebounded in Southern California, where Kroger was hit by a strike, Chief Executive


Office Depot Won #39;t Meet Analysts #39; Earnings Estimates for 3 Qtr Office Depot Inc., the world #39;s No. 2 office-supplies retailer, said it expects earnings per share for the third quarter to fall below current First Call estimates partly because of the recent Hurricanes in Florida.


Retail Sales Down; Trade Gap Larger US retail sales dipped in August and the US gap with its international trade partners widened to a record level in the second quarter of the year, government reports released on Tuesday showed.


Stocks Flat as Oil, Retail Sales Weigh US stocks opened little changed on Tuesday as concerns over higher oil prices damaging corporate profits weighed on investor sentiment, while a dip in retail sales also dampened the mood.


Update 1: Kremlin Backs Gazprom Deal President Vladimir Putin backed a government proposal Tuesday to swap state-owned oil company Rosneft for shares in Gazprom - a major step toward removing restrictions on foreign investors #39; access to shares in the natural gas giant.


LSI Logic Warns LSI Logic (LSI ) says based on customer reassessment of end demand for the second half of the year, it lowered the \$435 million to \$465 million third-quarter revenue guidance to \$370 million to \$400 million, and cut the breakeven to 3-cent third-quarter


Canon, Toshiba to team on flat panel displays Japanese technology companies Canon and Toshiba said Tuesday that they would invest \$1.82 billion in a joint venture to manufacture advanced flat panel displays.


Goldsmith #39;s department store changing names The Goldsmith name will disappear from Memphis and Jackson department stores that have borne it for 134 years. Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores announced it will change its regional department store brands to Macy #39;s, beginning in January.


IETF Shoots Down Microsoft Email Proposal A technical working group at the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) last weekend voted to veto a proposal by Microsoft that was designed to identify the real source of email messages.


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


B-52 #39;s redo Beatles song for TV commercial The B-52 #39;s have recorded a cover of the Beatles #39; Paperback Writer for a Buick TV commercial that begins airing September 19 in the United States.


Speech code from IBM to become open source IBM plans to announce Monday that it will contribute some of its speech-recognition software to two open-source software groups. The move is a tactical step by IBM to accelerate the development


Mozilla Foundation Ships Firefox 1.0 Preview Release, Thunderbird <b>...</b> On Tuesday, the Mozilla Foundation released its first preview release of Firefox 1.0, the organization #39;s standalone Web browser based on the Mozilla source code.


A #39;s claim 10-inning win over Rangers OAKLAND, Calif. - The way hes been batting lately, Eric Chavez figured Laynce Nix would surely get a glove on his line drive to center field.


FIFA claims victory over US firm concerning Internet rights World soccer #39;s governing body said Tuesday it had won a US legal dispute over World Cup rights with a Florida-based Internet company that focuses on Latin America.


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


Nilmar set to grace European stage against Manchester United Manchester United may have captured the hottest property in world soccer by signing Wayne Rooney, but Lyon believes it has unearthed the new Ronaldo.


Big East out of WAC #39;s league The WAC is better than the Big East. I became convinced of that this past weekend after watching Boise State dismantle Oregon State and Fresno State pummel then-No.


Russia boosts funds for security Russia is to invest more than \$5bn extra in its security services to help combat terrorism. Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin, who announced the move, said the fight against terror would be a top budget priority in 2005.


Israeli ministers back compensation plan for Gaza settlers JERUSALEM : Israeli ministers approved a compensation package for settlers due to be uprooted from their homes as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rejected calls to submit his Gaza pullout plan to a referendum.


Bird flu outbreak hits Malaysia Malaysia has detected a new outbreak of bird flu in a village in north-east Kelantan state, the sixth to be hit by the deadly virus in a month, officials announced today.


Saudi Arabian violence changed oil prices Oil prices were forced higher today by an outbreak of violence in Saudi Arabia and concerns that Opec may cut output. The cost of a barrel of light, sweet crude oil climbed to 43.31 US dollars after gunmen


Hollywood's Lion Kings All the morning headlines make clear that Sony is buying one of Hollywood's most famous studios, but it's Comcast and the future of content delivery that may make this merger more meaningful to consumers. -washingtonpost.com


Md. Senator Sees Error by Voting Machine Sen. Barbara Mikulski tried out a new touch-screen voting machine that was displayed at a local festival and got an erroneous result, an aide said.


The science of hurricanes The BBC's Peter Gibbs explains why hurricanes happen, and what can be done to limit their impact.


UPDATE 1-Office Depot warns on profit; hurricanes hurt Office Depot Inc. (ODP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday warned of weaker-than-expected profits for the rest of the year because of disruptions from the string of hurricanes


IBM Releases Speech Technology To Open Source IBM has handed over speech technology to two open-source groups to boost development of speech-recognition applications, which proponents say will eventually become common in customer-service call centers, automobiles and elsewhere.


Soccer: Is a sport too big for its principles? From London to Tel Aviv, soccer is going down roads that sorely challenge its ages #39; old traditions. In London last weekend, a referee admitted to being bullied by the protests of Arsenal defenders to change


Study: 400,000 IT jobs lost since 2001 Nearly half of those jobs disappeared after the recession's official end, with San Francisco and Boston being hit the hardest.


Siemens inks deal with ID software firm The European electronics giant will integrate Oblix's access management software and Web services security products.


T.O. Effect Gives Boost to Eagles' Offense (AP) AP - Terrell Owens' impact is easy to see in the statistics, where the big-gain catches and flashy touchdowns have often led to regular-season wins.


Yahoo to Buy Digital Music Company Musicmatch (Reuters) Reuters - Internet company Yahoo Inc. \said on Tuesday it will buy privately held music software\company Musicmatch Inc. for about  #36;160 million in a bid to\bolster its online music services.


Yahoo to buy Musicmatch, seeks to be 'major player' in online music (AFP) AFP - Yahoo said it was buying digital music group Musicmatch for about 160 million dollars in cash in a move aimed at boosting the Internet portal's online music offerings.


Greying Japan's centenarians total record 23,000 (AFP) AFP - The number of Japanese aged 100 or older is set to top 23,000 by the end of September, up 12 percent from a year earlier, in another sign of the nation's rapid transition to a greying society, officials said.


Basque group sets off 7 explosions in Spain MADRID The Basque separatist group ETA struck Monday for the second time in days, exploding seven small bombs in seven cities throughout Spain, the Interior Ministry said.


Dent Tops Luczak to Win at China Open (AP) AP - Taylor Dent defeated Australian qualifier Peter Luczak 6-3, 6-2 in a rain-delayed first-round match at the China Open on Tuesday.


Stocks Feel Impact of Oil Concerns  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were slightly lower on Tuesday,  as concerns about higher oil prices cutting into corporate  profits and consumer demand weighed on sentiment, while retail  sales posted a larger-than-expected decline in August.


Office Depot Warns, Blames Hurricanes  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Office Depot Inc. ODP.N on Tuesday  warned of weaker-than-expected full-year profit because of the  string of hurricanes in Florida and poor sales across North  America and Europe, sending its stock down nearly 8 percent.


Office Depot Cuts Outlook Office Depot Inc. lowered its earnings expectations for the third quarter and for the year, citing lower sales because of hurricane disruptions and soft European business. The price of its stock fell more than 7 percent on the news.


Sinn Fein Says Bug Found at N.Irish Party Office  BELFAST, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Sinn Fein, political  ally of the Irish Republican Army, has found a bugging device  at offices in Northern Ireland used by leader Gerry Adams,  party sources said Tuesday.


Milosevic team seek halt to trial Two lawyers appointed to defend Slobodan Milosevic on war crimes charges ask for his trial to be suspended.


Retail Sales Fall 0.3 in August While Trade Gap Expands Retail sales dipped in August and the U.S. gap with its international trade partners widened to a record level in the second quarter of the year, two reports showed today.


Stocks to Open Subdued Ahead of Sales Data NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are seen opening in a subdued mood with the release of August's retail sales report likely to influence overall sentiment...


AP: Israel Sends Experts to Help Russia JERUSALEM - Israel has sent intelligence officers to Russia and is hosting at least two senior Russian officers in Tel Aviv - quietly moving to upgrade anti-terror cooperation with Moscow in the wake of a series of devastating attacks in Russia, officials told The Associated Press.    The Israeli moves come as President Vladimir Putin revamps Russia's anti-terrorism capabilities after a school seizure by separatists in southern Russia ended with the deaths of at least 330 hostages, including many children...


Car Bomb Kills at Least 47 in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb exploded near a police station in Baghdad early Tuesday as dozens of Iraqis were applying to join the force, killing at least 47 people and wounding 114, officials said. In Baqouba, gunmen opened fire on a van carrying policemen home from work, killing 11 officers and a civilian...


Sony Banking on MGM Deal to Boost Profits TOKYO - Sony Corp. is banking on the \$3 billion deal to acquire Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc...


Hurricane Ivan Drenches Western Cuba PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba - Hurricane Ivan slammed into Cuba's sparsely populated western tip with the worst of its 160-mph eyewall, growing to a storm of catastrophic strength after it smashed giant waves onto Grand Cayman island and readied to strike the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. oil interests...


IAEA Won't Guarantee Iran Probe Deadline VIENNA, Austria - The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Tuesday that he cannot guarantee his probe of Iran's suspect nuclear activities will be complete by November, the deadline sought by the United States and its European allies...


Senate Mulls Whether Goss Should Head CIA WASHINGTON - Even as Congress revamps the nation's intelligence network, lawmakers appear intent on getting a new CIA chief in office before they adjourn next month for the November election.    President Bush's choice for the post, retiring Rep...


Britain #39;s inflation rate falls in August Britain #39;s inflation rate fell in August further below its 2.0 percent government-set upper limit target with clothing and footwear prices actually falling, official data showed on Tuesday.


Hopes rise for Alitalia rescue Talks between Alitalia and the airline #39;s unions continued on Tuesday as hopes rose of side-stepping bankruptcy before Wednesday #39;s deadline.


Putin Approves Merger Between Gazprom and Rosneft Russian President Putin approved the suggestion made by Prime Minister Fradkov to promptly liberalize the share market of natural gas monopoly Gazprom .


Yahoo! makes a Musicmatch Internet company Yahoo! Inc. said Tuesday it will buy privately held music software company Musicmatch Inc. for about \$160 million in a bid to bolster its online music services.


All For One, says FSG San Francisco based, Free Standards Group, a nonprofit organization that develops and promotes open source software standards, announced the availability of the Linux Standard Base (LSB) 2.0.


Big Blue Breaks Price Barrier With Linux Lineup IBM today released an entry-level Power5-based server tuned for Linux, the eServer OpenPower 720 -- an alternative to the higher priced HP and Sun entry-level Unix and Linux systems.


Wenger on the attack Arsene Wenger today renewed his attack on Real Madrid for the methods they use to sign players. The Arsenal manager sparked a row with the Spanish giants on the day the new


Zurich rules out 2014 bid Zurich has abandoned plans to bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics because of the financial burden in staging the event. The Swiss Olympic Association said the authorities had decided not to proceed due to the  quot;current precarious financial position quot;.


PONTING EYES THE PRESENT Ricky Ponting is refusing to look beyond this week #39;s crunch match against New Zealand to the possibility of an ICC Champions Trophy semi-final for Australia against hosts England.


Rovers job appeals to Hughes Dennis Roach, the agent of Mark Hughes, has revealed that the Wales national team coach is interested in the vacant managerial position at Blackburn.


Dozens killed in Baghdad market explosion Heavy smoke billows from the site of a car bomb explosion outside the headquarters of Baghdad Police in the Haifa Street area of Baghdad, considered a bastion of Saddam Hussein loyalists.


Australia sends hostage experts to Iraq The Federal Government has sent a team of Defence personnel, police and other officials to Iraq as it tries to verify a claim that two Australians have been kidnapped by Islamic militants.


Manny #39;s chance at life with two dads CAUGHT at the centre of a tug-of-love, Manny Musu could have a future with two dads, her Australian father said yesterday. Sydney policeman Dave Norman has been trying


Schroeder Won't Drop Equality Aim for East Germans  BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government will stick to its  disputed goal of raising living standards in the formerly  communist east to western levels despite the spiraling costs,  Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Tuesday.


Ivan churns through Mexican Gulf Hurricane Ivan is moving through the Gulf of Mexico, with parts of Mexico and the US on severe weather alert.


Saudi Arabia takes credit for lower oil prices Leading OPEC producer Saudi Arabia said on Monday in Vienna, Austria, that it had made a renewed effort to deflate record high world oil prices by upping crude output again.


Macy #39;s to drop Burdines name After 106 years serving customers from early settlers to sophisticated ladies, Burdines,  quot;the Florida store, quot; will be no more.


SD in the cards for Nokia Nokia takes up SD cards <nobr>p2pnet.net</nobr>


News and Trends The presidential campaign is not the only race that #39;s being hotly contested these days. Consider the battle of titans underway as the two largest computer hardware firms in the world -- IBM and HP -- duke


Job application hidden in virus code Experts at a UK anti-virus firm have discovered a job application buried in lines of code for two new computer worm viruses. The message, which could only be read by anti-virus professionals, said:  quot;We searching 4 work in AV (anti-virus) industry.


IBM targets manufacturers with RFID com September 14, 2004, 7:32 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.


Dent wins as rain disrupts China Open Torrential rain caused havoc at the China Open as American Taylor Dent and Noam Okun of Israel were the only players to reach the second round on Tuesday.


NFL: Everything goes wrong for Panthers CHARLOTTE, NC - Everything went right for the Carolina Panthers last season, from lucky bounces to staying injury free. One game into the new season, all that has changed.


Zurich says no to 2014 Winter Olympics It follows the announcement last week that Zurich would not be able to host any of the 2008 European football championship games, owing to a legal wrangle over plans for a new stadium.


Zim Date Sri Lanka ZIMBABWE face fancied Sri Lanka at the Oval today needing a huge win to stay in the International Cricket Council #39;s Champions Trophy.


quot;Batman quot; protester freed on bail Campaigner Jason Hatch has been released on police bail after staging a protest on a ledge at Buckingham Palace while dressed as Batman.


Car bomb explodes near Iraqi police recruiting station in Baghdad A car bomb Tuesday ripped through a busy market near a Baghdad police headquarters where Iraqis were waiting to apply for jobs on the


9/13/04 - TERRORIST BOMBING IN INDONESIA Terrorists set off a bomb at the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. At least nine people were killed and one-hundred-eighty wounded.


Malaysia #39;s UMNO will not bring Anwar back into party KUALA LUMPUR : The UMNO Supreme Council on Tuesday reached a decision not to bring back former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was UMNO deputy president, into the party for now.


Video Shows Beheading of Turkish Hostage A video purportedly posted on the web by Iraqi terrorists shows the beheading of a Turkish driver, world news agencies reported. The video has grabbed the man introducing himself as Durmus Kumderelu, a driver


Manny wakes and says  #39;papa #39; . . . in Italian There was relief in the eyes of Manuel Musu yesterday after his five-year-old daughter Manny opened her eyes and said,  quot;Papa quot;.


Alcoa Plans to Declare Force Majeure (Reuters) Reuters - Alcoa Inc.  on Tuesday said it\plans to declare force majeure to its customers due to a\temporary shutdown at its Jamalco refinery in Jamaica and\damage to the port from which the plant ships its alumina\caused by Hurricane Ivan.


Buckingham Palace Eyes Improving Security (AP) AP - Alarms and cameras at Buckingham Palace worked well in detecting the breach of security by a man dressed in a Batman costume, but it was still too easy for him to get onto a balcony, a minister said Tuesday after the latest intrusion embarrassed officials guarding the royal residence.


Alitalia Stock Soars As Hopes Rise on Deal (AP) AP - Alitalia's shares soared Tuesday as hopes increased that the struggling carrier and labor unions might clinch a deal on a relaunch plan aimed at saving the company before a deadline Wednesday.


Boy Hospitalized in Thai Bird Flu Case (AP) AP - A 10-month-old boy has become the seventh person hospitalized with bird flu symptoms in Thailand since a teenager died of the disease last week, officials said Tuesday.


KMart at New High; Price Target Raised (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of Kmart Holding Corp. \hit an all-time high on Tuesday after an analyst raised his\price target on the stock to  #36;101 from  #36;85 a share.


Vivendi Net Loss Widens  PARIS (Reuters) - Vivendi Universal revealed on Tuesday the  full impact of selling most of its entertainment business, as  impairment charges incurred from the deal were largely behind a  nearly trebled first-half net loss of 1.86 billion euros (\$2.28  billion.).


Casey Defends Decision to Fire Caddie  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - European Ryder Cup  debutant Paul Casey has defended his decision to sack his  caddie five days before the start of the biggest team event in  the sport.


Yahoo to Buy Musicmatch for \$160M Internet portal Yahoo Inc. said Tuesday that it agreed to buy Web-based digital music and software provider Musicmatch Inc. for \$160 million in cash, in a deal which will supplement the offerings of Launch, Yahoo's digital music site.  -AP


Russia Delays Reopening of Schools After Siege  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Unfinished security checks have delayed  the reopening of schools in Beslan, the Russian town where at  least 327 hostages were killed when Chechen rebels seized a  school, local media reported Tuesday.


Hackers Join Homeland Security Effort Jason Larsen is a computer hacker with a twist. His goal is not to wreak havoc, but to boost security for America's pipelines, railroads, utilities and other infrastructure.


Space's largest window is built The largest window built for use in space has been completed, promising a spectacular view from the International Space Station.


Iranian nuclear plans 'unclear' The UN nuclear agency says it needs more time to decide whether Iran has a nuclear weapons programme.


Cabinet OKs Payment to Jewish Settlers Senior Israeli Cabinet ministers Tuesday approved the payment of cash advances to Jewish settlers who will be removed from their homes under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to leave the Gaza Strip - the government's first concrete step toward withdrawal.


Kroger misses mark by 8 cents Kroger Co., the largest US grocer, reported a lower quarterly profit Tuesday, hurt by debt costs even as sales rebounded in Southern California where it was hit by a strike.


NBC deal hits Vivendi #39;s results Vivendi Universal posted a first-half net loss Tuesday that almost doubled to 1.86 billion, as it was hit by currency translation losses linked to its entertainment deal with NBC.


German Jewish leader lambasts UEFA over Champions League match HAMBURG - German Jewish leader Paul Spiegel said he was  quot;dismayed and outraged quot; over UEFA #39;s decision to play a Champions League match in Tel Aviv as Jewish New Year festivities begin.


Dent, Okun win as rain disrupts China Open Taylor Dent of the United States cruised past Australian qualifier Peter Luczak 6-3, 6-2 Tuesday at a rain disrupted China Open. Israel #39;s Noam Okun also took an easy 6-3, 6-2 win over Britain #39;s Arvind Parmar before rain set in at Beijing.


Hughes keen on Blackburn position LONDON, England -- Wales coach Mark Hughes has admitted he is interested in taking over as manager of Blackburn, who have lost Graeme Souness to Newcastle.


Yahoo to Buy Musicmatch for \$160M in Cash Internet portal Yahoo Inc. said Tuesday that it agreed to buy Web-based digital music and software provider Musicmatch Inc. for \$160 million in cash, in a deal which will supplement the offerings of Launch, Yahoo #39;s digital music site.


Microsoft #39;s Sender ID sent packing The issue arose in the MARID (MTA Authorization Records in DNS) group, part of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which brings together representatives from various groups in the software industry to agree on common standards for Internet software


Bird Flu Found Outside Malaysia Quarantine Zone Malaysia says it has found a new outbreak of bird flu outside a 10-kilometer quarantine zone imposed around the first village hit in the latest wave of the virus.


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


Japanese getting older as record numbers reach 100 The number of Japanese men and women who have lived 100 years or more surged this year to a record 23,038. The figure released by the Health Ministry reflects longer life spans in a rapidly greying nation, where


IBM targets manufacturers with RFID Big Blue also introduces radio tag services for midsized suppliers working under mandates from retail giants such as Wal-Mart.


MGM Deal Brings Sony Closer to Its Vision  TOKYO (Reuters) - With its acquisition of Hollywood film  studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Corp is one step closer to its  vision of linking hardware and content, and to winning the key  battle for the next generation DVD.


German software pirate, and his father, get jail time The noose appears to be tightening around one of Europe's largest software counterfeiting rings as a German court sentenced a second member of the network to prison on Monday, and handed a sentence to his father for helping run front operations.


Cisco to buy VoIP software vendor Cisco Systems Inc. this week announced plans to acquire Dynamicsoft Inc., a maker of carrier VoIP software based on Session Initiation Protocol.


Sendo, Microsoft Settle Lawsuits Two-year legal dispute over smart phone technology comes to an end.


Vivendi says it has turned corner Vivendi #39;s recovery is almost complete, the French media and telecommunications giant declared Tuesday, despite a massive second-quarter net loss bloated by the effects of the weaker US dollar.


McAfee Releases New E-Mail Managing Service McAfee today announced that it has extended its online managed services portfolio with Managed Mail Protection, a new secure content management offering to provide SMBs with an integrated anti-spam and anti-virus capabilities.