Microsoft, Others File More Anti-Spam Lawsuits Microsoft Corp. and other Internet access providers filed three new lawsuits on Thursday to stop the spread of unsolicited e-mail messages touting everything from home refinancing to miracle health cures.


Suicide bomber kills 3 in Tel Aviv A Palestinian suicide bomber has hit a bustling open-air market in Tel Aviv, killing three people in a show of force by militants three days after Yasser Arafat was airlifted to France for urgent medical treatment.


Pakistan PM arrives in Nepal Kathmandu, Nov 1 (UNI) Pakistan Prime Minister and SAARC chairperson Shaukat Aziz arrived here today on a two-day visit to the Himalayan Kingdom.


Milosevic wins new defence rights Appeal judges in The Hague have ruled that former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has the right to defend himself but must have stand-by lawyers.


Oracle sweetens Peoplesoft offer to \$24/shr Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , in the midst of a hostile takeover attempt of rival PeopleSoft Inc. (PSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , on Monday raised its offer


Gazprom sets up new daughter company Gazpromneft MOSCOW, November 1 (Itar-Tass) - Gazproms chief Alexei Miller has signed a document that founds the open joint stock company Gazpromneft and appoints as its director general Sergei Bogdanchikov, president of Rosneft, PRIME-TASS reported on Monday.


Oil Slows Manufacturing Growth Growth in manufacturing slowed from the euro zone to Japan in October as strong oil prices and a stuttering global economy took their toll, although British companies performed better, survey data showed.


Kerry campaign cheers Packers #39; victory The Green Bay Packers #39; 28-14 win over Washington on Sunday was, of course, good news for Packers fans, but it was especially good news for Packers fans who support Sen. John Kerry.


US posts warning for Nordic, Baltic states The US government has warned its citizens in Nordic and Baltic states of the threat of imminent terrorist attacks, the BBC said Monday.


Afghan hostages  #39;split up #39; Their abductors also extended the deadline on their demand for the United Nations to withdraw from the country until Friday. They had earlier suggested that they might start killing the hostages on Wednesday.


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


Shell restructures Dutch gas business The Dutch government is taking control of its country #39;s gas transport network in a deal that analysts say will boost competition in the Netherlands and ease the way for the creation of a single European gas market.


Report: Merck Tried to Bury Vioxx Concerns for Years Internal e-mails and other documents from Merck  amp; Co. show the company fought for years to keep safety concerns from undermining the drug #39;s commercial prospects, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.


Taiwan Stocks Close Lower Taiwan shares ended lower Monday on concerns a new videotape of Osama bin Laden threatening the United States could spark panic selling on Wall Street on the last trading session before America #39;s presidential election day.


Gazprom Head Orders Creation of Gazpromneft Company Board chairman of the Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom , Alexei Miller, has signed an order to found the Gazpromneft company, the RIA-Novosti news agency reports.


Honeywell to Bolster Research in India Aerospace and high-tech manufacturer Honeywell International Inc. will hire 1,000 software programmers and invest \$10 million in India over the next 12 months to bolster its research and development activities, an company official said Monday.


Delta #39;s position still precarious Georgia #39;s homegrown Delta Air Lines has scratched and clawed for three years now, trying to gain every concession it deemed necessary to avoid filing bankruptcy.


Yes, Linux Is Competition For Us, Admits Microsoft And this comes straight from the horses mouth! Software giant Microsoft has finally acknowledged Linux as its strongest competitor, much to the delight of Australias open source industry association (OSIA).


Herb Weisbaum: Privacy Concerns With Google Search Software SEATTLE - The latest search engine from Google could turn out to be a privacy nightmare! Once installed in a computer running Windows XP or Windows 2000 (with Service Pack 3 or higher), the Google Desktop


China to launch Shenzhou VI China #39;s first manned spaceship, the Shenzhou V, was launched in October last year with one Chinese astronaut aboard for a one-day flight.


Suicide bomber kills 3 in Tel Aviv  quot;A male suicide bomber blew himself up in a vegetable stall, quot; Tel Aviv police chief David Tzur told reporters. There were four dead including the bomber, a police spokesman said.


Martial Law in Chinese Town After Riots Kill Seven China declared martial law in part of a central province after at least seven people were killed, 42 injured and numerous houses set ablaze in clashes between minority Muslims and Han Chinese, officials said on Monday.


Boeing bringing the fight to Airbus CHICAGO _ No one who has watched Harry Stonecipher over the years should be surprised that he has just thrown the biggest punch yet in Boeing Co.


ABN Amro #39;s Q3 profits up 26 Dutch bank ABN Amro today reported a 26 rise in net profit for the third quarter to 1.05 billion, mainly due to the exceptional gain from the sale of Bank of Asia but the operational results dropped slightly.


Hard calls whoever wins the White House NO ONE has any idea what will happen to stock markets this week because no one knows who will win the US election and, even if they did, they don #39;t know what a victory for either candidate would mean.


China shuts 1,600 cybercafes A furious China has shut down over 1,600 Internet cafes and arrested people in a bid to curb the menace of content which is harmful to public morality.


Smart Web Changes World AMSTERDAM -- A smarter internet and a host of cheap, web-enabled mobile devices will allow access to a whole range of services on the move, research group Gartner Dataquest said on Sunday, ahead of its ITXpo symposium.


Internet service providers file more spam lawsuits In a second round of lawsuits announced on Thursday, four major US Internet service providers (ISPs) are taking on senders of e-mail spam and unwanted commercial messages sent via instant messaging.


Ball in Henman #39;s court for Houston As if defending the Paris indoor title was not enough to worry about, Tim Henman knows that every competitive ball he hits in the next few days could have a bearing on whether he makes the line-up for the prestigious Masters Cup in Houston.


Highest US troop level ahead of Fallujah assault America has increased its troop numbers in Iraq to their highest levels since the war ended, it emerged today. Home leave has been delayed for several months for tens of thousands


UN court rules Milosevic must keep lawyers, but can lead his own <b>...</b> THE HAGUE (AFP) - Judges at the UN war crimes court ruled that former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic can lead his own defense but must retain lawyers who were appointed by the tribunal in The Hague against his will.


Oracle ups PeopleSoft offer to \$24 per share Oracle, which is in the midst of a hostile takeover attempt of rival PeopleSoft, on Monday raised its offer for the smaller software company by \$3 per share to \$24 per share.


Singapore Extends War Insurance For Air Sector The Singapore government said on Monday it would extend third-party war-risk cover for the operator of Changi Airport and an aviation service provider due to a lack of commercial insurance alternatives.


Boeing Looks To China For 80 7E7 Orders Boeing hopes that Chinese airlines will soon place orders for up to 80 of its new 7E7  quot;Dreamliner quot; jets, according to the official publication of Airshow China 2004.


New Chinese missile featured at air show A new short-range missile built by China and capable of striking Taiwan was featured at this year #39;s Zhuhai airshow yesterday. The B611 surface-to-surface missile has a range of between 80 km and 150 km, promotional


Market bomber kills five in Tel Aviv An apparent suicide bombing in a crowded Tel Aviv open-air market Monday killed at least five people and seriously injured more than 30 others.


Internet ad firm Doubleclick mulls sale NEW YORK - Internet marketer DoubleClick Inc., which is suffering from pricing pressures from online advertisers, said it had hired Lazard Freres  amp; Co.


Google plugs hole exposing Gmail mail-boxes Google has fixed a security flaw in its Gmail web-based e-mail service that allowed attackers to hijack users #39; e-mail accounts.


UPDATE 1-Oracle raises PeopleSoft offer, sets deadline Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its hostile takeover offer for rival software company PeopleSoft Inc.


UPDATE 2-Tyco posts profit, outlook misses expectations Tyco International Ltd. (TYC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday reported a quarterly profit, helped by strong demand for electronic parts and the absence of costly write-downs


1,600 internet cafes closed in China The Chinese local governments have closed 1600 Internet cafes and fined operators a total of 100m yuan (\$12m) between February and August this year.


Golf: Vijay Singh wins Chrysler Classic Vijay Singh became the first golfer to earn \$10 million in a single season, after completing victory at the PGA Chrysler Classic at Palm Harbor in Florida on Sunday.


Michelin secure asphalt clean sweep. Markko Martin and his Michelin shod Ford Focus proved victory two weeks ago in Corsica owed nothing to the fact that his main opponent, Sebastien Loeb, had his sights set more on claiming the necessary points to clinch the 2004 Drivers #39; and Manufacturers


Many Muslims Killed in Chinese Ethnic Clashes ZHENGZHOU, China, November 1 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - Ethnic clashes between the Muslim Hui minority and the Han majority in central China #39;s Henan province left several Muslims killed and many others wounded, prompting local authorities to


Shell Try to Block Nigeria Oil Strike Oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell Group opened a court action Monday to try to block a strike targeting oil exports in the world #39;s No.


Shell sells Dutch pipeline stake The Dutch government is taking control of its country #39;s gas transport network in a deal that analysts said will boost competition in the Netherlands and ease the way for the creation of a single European gas market.


Intel to unveil 1066MHz FSB Pentium 4EE CPU this week Intel plans to unveil its first Pentium 4 Extreme Edition (EE) processor compatible with a 1066MHz front side bus (FSB) this week, according to sources at Taiwan motherboard makers.


End of broadsheet Times 216 years of publishing history ends on Monday, as The Times switches to a tabloid format. The decision to go fully compact - after trials in London and around the country - was made after sales of the newspaper jumped 4.5 per cent.


Time  #39;nearly up #39; for Iraq peace deal IRAQS interim prime minister warned that time is running out for a peace settlement in Fallujah as Scottish troops today began relieving American forces who are set to attack the rebel stronghold.


Tyco Sells Unit to India Phone Provider Manufacturing conglomerate Tyco International Ltd. said Monday that it agreed to sell its Tyco Global Network unit to Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd.


Sainsburys Back King, Bid Talk Silly, #39; Family Says (Update1) The Sainsbury family backs Chief Executive Justin King #39;s strategy to turn around Britain #39;s third- biggest supermarket chain, Jessica Sainsbury said, and speculation of a takeover is silly.


St George lifted by lending ST GEORGE Bank has continued to post big gains from its lending with the Sydney based company producing an 18 per cent lift in after tax profit to \$717 million.


Jobless rate in Singapore declines to a 3-year low SINGAPORE Singapore #39;s unemployment rate fell to its lowest in more than three years in the third quarter, the government said Monday, as manufacturers and service companies increased investment in the city-state, creating new jobs.


Next Chinese manned space trip in 2005 China #39;s second manned space flight will orbit the earth for five days with two astronauts onboard in a mission scheduled next year.


Dell Spyware Decision Spurs New Trend Dell reported that earlier this year, an average of 12 percent of all customer support calls to its help desk were for spyware-related trouble.


Henman Qualifies for Masters Cup as Rivals Withdraw From Paris Tim Henman of the UK qualified for the season-ending Masters Cup tennis tournament in Houston this month after Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian, his closest rivals in the rankings, withdrew from this week #39;s Paris Masters.


Qureia condemns Tel Aviv attack Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia denounced Monday #39;s suicide attack in Tel Aviv, dismissing fears it might endanger Yasser Arafat #39;s return to Ramallah.


Iran sees 50 pct chance of nuclear compromise Iran is ready to walk out of nuclear talks with the European Union and face the UN Security Council if the EU insists on demanding Tehran scrap uranium enrichment, a senior Iran security official says.


States and rivals attack Wal-Mart health policy In the debate over what to do about the growing number of working people in the United States with little or no health insurance, no company may be taking more heat than the country #39;s largest employer, Wal-Mart Stores.


Airbus to Set Up Center in China Next Year Airbus SAS plans to set up an engineering center in China next year to focus on new generation jets for the mainland #39;s fast-growing aviation market, the French aircraft maker said Monday.


Oil Extends Rebound Ahead of Election Oil prices extended a bounce from three-week lows on Monday, climbing back above \$52 for US crude amid jitters over tight global winter fuel stocks and this week #39;s US presidential election.


CA #39;s Open-Source Ingres Now Available The company is shipping the open-source database for Linux and Windows to revive its usage. By Darrell Dunn. Computer Associates on Monday will take the next step in its open-source strategy with the announcement


China aims at five-day space shot China #39;s second manned space flight will carry two astronauts into space and will orbit the Earth for five days. The country #39;s space authorities made the announcement about the mission, which is scheduled for


Smart Web to Usher in Host of New Services-Gartner A smarter Internet and a host of cheap, Web-enabled mobile devices will allow users to access a whole range of services on the move, research group Gartner Dataquest said on Sunday, ahead of its ITXpo symposium.


Futility still a theme for the  #39;cursed #39; few Bee Staff Writer. If misery loves company, the baseball fans of Chicago are in big trouble. They don #39;t have the Boston Red Sox to kick around anymore.


Suicide Bomber Kills Three in Tel Aviv A 16-year-old Palestinian blew himself up in a crowded outdoor market in central Tel Aviv on Monday, killing three Israelis and wounding 32 in the first such attack


Ruling Party Wins Botswana Elections As expected, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) headed by President Festus Mogae won the elections, winning 29 of the 57 seats up for election, giving Mogae a second five-year term in office.


US Spending Up in Sept., Inflation Tame US consumer spending climbed 0.6 percent as expected in September and inflation remained benign, government data showed on Monday, as shoppers splashed out after showing restraint the previous month.


Oracle boosts offer for PeopleSoft REDWOOD SHORES, CALIF. - Oracle Corp. has again raised the stakes in its long-running attempt to take over rival PeopleSoft Inc. On Monday, Oracle boosted its bid by another 14.


St George roars with \$717m net ST GEORGE Bank chief executive Gail Kelly yesterday delivered a bullish two-year forecast of double-digit earnings growth, as an expansion of business lending and new branches in Victoria helped the nation #39;s fifth-biggest bank withstand a margin crunch to


Report: Merck Played Down Vioxx Risks For several years before and after Vioxx was approved for commercial use, executives of Merck (MRK:NYSE - news - research) were reportedly aware of ?


Nymex launches Dublin oil trading US energy exchange Nymex has set up a new oil trading floor in Dublin, Ireland, in a move it hopes will lure disenchanted dealers from London.


NASA eyes May launch for Shuttle NASA has announced that the Space Shuttle will take to the skies once more next year, in a launch window that lasts from mid May to early June.


iTunes going places, but no music for our ears APPLE Computer has extended its online iTunes Music Store downloading service to nine more countries, but not Australia. The countries now able to download songs legally via the Apple system are Austria, Belgium


Bayliss in timely return to podium AUSTRALIAN Troy Bayliss boosted his chances of securing a MotoGP seat for next year with a podium finish at the last race of the season in Spain yesterday.


Wet-weather plunge on Vinnie WITH the heavens set to open over Melbourne this morning, one of Australia #39;s biggest bookmakers predicts a rush of money so large for Irish galloper Vinnie Roe that he will become the new favourite for today #39;s Melbourne Cup.


Johansson beats Agassi in final STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Ticker) - With the support of the home crowd, Sweden #39;s Thomas Johansson finally beat Andre Agassi. Johansson rallied from a set down and defeated the top-seeded Agassi, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4


Two in a row for hot Molik ALICIA Molik has become the first Australian in 17 years to win consecutive WTA Tour titles, defeating Russia #39;s Dinara Safina in the final of the Luxembourg Open.


Injured pitching ace makes surprise appearance for Bush Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling made a surprise appearance Monday morning with President Bush, limping to the stage to give Bush a strong endorsement.


Four dead in Tel Aviv bombing AT least four people were killed and 30 more were wounded last night by a suicide bomber in an open-air market in the heart of Tel Aviv, the first such attack by Palestinian militants in Israel in more than two months.


UPDATE 2-Oracle raises PeopleSoft offer, sets deadline Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its hostile takeover offer for rival software company PeopleSoft Inc.


Takeover rumours spur Sainsbury stock Shares in J Sainsbury have risen by 3 per cent on mounting rumours of a potential 8 billion bid involving Allan Leighton, the serial director.


General Director of Gazpromneft appointed RBC, 01.11.2004, Moscow 16:53:43.Sergey Bogdanchikov has been appointed Gazpromneft General Director. A corresponding decision was signed by Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller, the gas giant said in a released statement.


Human races When Indonesian archaeologists uncovered the remains of several ancient skeletons in a remote island cave, the discovery was hailed as introducing modern humans to an unfamiliar two-legged cousin: Homo floresiensis.


Will Packers Help Kerry For President? FORT WORTH, Texas -- If history and supersititons are replayed, John Kerry can thank the Green Bay Packers. During the past 17 presidential elections, the outcome of the most recent Washington Redskins home


Forsyth mulls over that late Volvo stutter ALASTAIR FORSYTH is today pondering over the loose shots that saw the Volvo Masters slip from his grasp at Valderrama. The Paisley golfer had gone into the final round with a three- stroke lead but a poor


Wachovia Completes SouthTrust Acquisition Wachovia Corp. has completed a \$14.3 billion acquisition of SouthTrust Corp. to create the largest bank in the Southeast, both banks said Monday.


Netherlands Buys Gas Pipes From Exxon, Shell Venture (Update2) The Netherlands, Europe #39;s No. 3 natural- gas producer, will pay Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal/Dutch Shell Group 2.78 billion euros (\$3.


The Times goes tabloid UNDER the ownership and editorial direction of a pair of Australians, Britain #39;s venerable newspaper The Times today turned tabloid.


US stem cells tainted by mouse material The stem cell lines available for federally-funded research in the US have characteristics which mean they may never be used for medical treatments in humans, a new study suggests.


Valentino Rossi and Formula 1 MotoGP star Valentino Rossi has often been linked to a switch to four-wheeled racing but it is not going to happen in the immediate future, if at all.


Wolverhampton fires manager Jones Wolves manager Dave Jones was dismissed Monday with the relegated club struggling near the bottom of the former First Division. Jones, who had been in charge at Molineux since


Suicide Bomber Kills 3 in Israel with Arafat Abroad A Palestinian teenager blew himself up an open-air market in Tel Aviv on Monday, killing three people in a show of strength by militants three days after Yasser Arafat was airlifted to France for urgent medical care.


Kabul kidnappers demand foreign troop pullout ISN SECURITY WATCH (01/11/04) - The breakaway Taliban group Jaish-e-Muslimeen (Army of Muslims) has threatened to execute three foreign hostages unless all international troops leave Afghanistan and all Muslim prisoners are freed from US jails.


Iraqi vice president looms of imposing the emergency law, Falluja <b>...</b> While the American forces are preparing to launch a large- scale attack against Falluja and al-Ramadi, one of the chieftains of Falluja said that contacts are still continuous yesterday between members representing the city #39;s delegation and the interim


Oracle Ups PeopleSoft Offer Oracle (Quote, Chart) issued a final \$24 per share offer for PeopleSoft (Quote, Chart), gearing up for a final run at the elusive enterprise applications company it has been trying to acquire since June 2003.


CASTING ITS  #39;NET DoubleClick, the one-time darling of dot-com advertising, is on the block, The Post has learned. DoubleClick, which has seen its fortunes steadily decline since the Internet


Intel #39;s Stealth Release In his recent review of the Athlon 64 FX-55 processor, Jason Cross noted  quot;other things being equal, these chips have demonstrated nearly 100 clock scaling efficiency in many cases.


The Matrix Online finds its voice  quot;80 of Americans could correctly name the first President Bush #39;s pet dog Millie, but only 15 knew that both President Bush and the challenger, Bill Clinton, favoured the death penalty quot; Link.


Place your bets for the party of the year and as many as 15,000 tipped to head to Adelaide #39;s biggest Melbourne Cup party at Morphettville Racecourse -ere praying for the rain to stay away.


UN appeals for release of Kabul kidnap trio The UN has issued an appeal for the immediate return of its three staff members, which included a woman from Northern Ireland, kidnapped in Kabul last week.


Consumers return in Sept.; spending up 0.6 Consumer spending climbed 0.6 in September, in line with expectations, as shoppers splashed out after showing restraint the month before, government data showed Monday.


DoubleClick Rises on Buyout Hopes DoubleClick (DCLK:Nasdaq - news - research) vaulted higher Monday after announcing it had hired a financial adviser to explore options that include a possible sale of the company.


UPDATE 1-Valero to acquire Kaneb Services, Pipe Line Valero LP (VLI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) agreed to buy Kaneb Services LLC (KSL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Kaneb Pipe Line Partners LP (KPP.


L-3 Communications to Buy CAE #39;s Marine Unit for C\$328 Million L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., the world #39;s second-biggest maker of bomb detectors, agreed to buy the marine controls unit of CAE Inc.


Intel boards a faster bus, picks up Dell Intel Corp. is expected to release a faster version of its powerful but expensive Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor on Monday alongside the introduction of a chipset that uses a faster front-side bus to connect the processor and the memory.


Usefulness of available stem cells questioned All of the human embryonic stem cells available to federally funded scientists under President Bush #39;s three-year-old research policy share a previously unrecognized trait that


Gmail Accounts Vulnerable to XSS Exploit mallumax writes  quot;A security hole in GMail has been found (an XSS vulnerability) which allows access to user accounts without authentication.


OpForce takes on apps Veritas has announced a new version of its OpForce provisioning software that can help administrators install and manage applications as well as operating systems on servers.


iTunes 4.7 disables iPod Download application We interrupt the worldwide iPod love-fest to complain a bit. Hey Apple, WTF, the very useful app iPod Download made our iPod 10 times better, we were finally able to easily get music off our iPod, but


Matrix cast to lend voice talent to Matrix Online The Matrix Online will benefit from the voice talents and likenesses of many of the movie trilogy #39;s original cast, Warner Bros.


Molik on cusp of world top 10 ALICIA Molik has become the first Australian woman in 17 years to win consecutive WTA Tour titles, beating Dinara Safina in the final of the Luxembourg Open.


IOC Chief Positive on China #39;s Olympic Bid International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, second right, unveils an Olympic flag with Tu Mingde, Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, left, Yu Zaiqing, Chinese Vice Minister of Sports, second left, and Liu Jingmin, President of


Jones sacked after dismal start The club have made a dismal start to the season and are lying 19th in the Championship. A 1-0 defeat by relegation battlers Gillingham proved the final straw and chairman Rick Hayward met with Jones this morning.


US consumer spending soars by 0.6 in September, led by auto <b>...</b> US consumers, who substantially slowed their spending in late summer, roared back to life in September, boosting their purchases by 0.6 per cent.


Delta lands \$500M in financing No. 3 US airline gets commitment from GE Commercial Finance as it looks to avoid bankruptcy. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc.


L-3 to Buy CAE Marine Controls Division L-3 Communications Corp., which supplies products used in aerospace and defense platforms, agreed to buy CAE Inc. #39;s Marine Controls division for about \$225 million cash and the assumption of about \$42.


BorgWarner Takes Over Supplier Beru US automotive company BorgWarner Inc. said Monday it is buying a controlling stake in German supplier Beru AG and would make an offer for the remaining shares in a nearly \$800 million deal that it hopes will strengthen its position with global automakers.


Balfour Beatty wins work on largest mall Balfour Beatty staff are this month to begin work on the world #39;s biggest shopping centre in Dubai after forming part of a team which has won the 400 million contract to construct the building.


iTunes 4.7 Disables iPod Download The Mac Observer has confirmed through testing that the recently recently announced iTunes 4.7 release disables iPod Download, a plug-in to iTunes that allowed


Sharon says Tel Aviv blast proves no change in Palestinian <b>...</b> JERUSALEM, Nov 1 (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday #39;s suicide bombing in Tel Aviv which killed three Israelis proved there had been no change in the Palestinian leadership despite the absence of its ailing leader Yasser Arafat, army


Fresh US troops arrive in Iraq, ex Gunmen assassinated Baghdad #39;s deputy governor on Monday, and voter registration for vital January elections began as fresh American soldiers arrived in the capital - reinforcements


Nordic leaders say US terror alert serious but security already <b>...</b> STOCKHOLM, Nov 1 (AFP) - Prime ministers of the five Nordic countries meeting here on Monday said they were worried by a US warning of potential terror attacks in the region, but claimed that security was high enough to ward off the threat.


Oracle Raises PeopleSoft Bid by 14 to \$8.8 Billion (Update5) Oracle Corp. raised its takeover offer for PeopleSoft Inc. by 14 percent to \$8.8 billion, increasing the pressure on the smaller software company to give up its 17-month fight against the bid.


Manufacturing Sector Grows in October NEW YORK - Activity in the nation #39;s manufacturing sector grew in October for the 17th straight month, but at a slower pace than the previous month, the Institute for Supply Management reported Monday.


Delta Gets Letter for \$500 Million Credi Delta Air Lines Inc., the third-largest carrier in the world, said Monday that it signed a commitment letter from GE Commercial Finance to provide \$500 million of financing to the beleaguered airline.


Update 1: Humana Reports Sharply Higher 3Q Profit Humana Inc. reported sharply higher third-quarter earnings Monday on the strength of broad gains in the health benefit company #39;s commercial and government business.


CHINA: Textile Industry Slates US  quot;Trade Protectionism quot; Chinese textile exporters have lashed out at the latest attempts by the US to restrict imports of textile and garment products. The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, an interagency group


Intel Boards a Faster Bus New Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor will be available in a high-end PC from Dell. Intel is expected to release a faster version of its powerful but expensive Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor this week


IT Confidential: Spim, Spam, Spyware, And The Flu Vaccine It #39;s called  quot;spim, quot; and it #39;s the instant-messaging equivalent of spam--a shotgun blast of unwanted advertisements via instant-messaging tools or chat rooms.


Resident Evil 4 coming to PS2  #39;end of 2005 #39; A PlayStation 2 version of the hugely-anticipated Resident Evil 4 will be released in Japan at the end of 2005, Capcom has confirmed, ending the long-term exclusivity arrangement it had previously signed with Nintendo.


BT spins prop on SME VoIP promo BT has cut the ribbon on a new internet telephone service aimed at small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). The  quot;BT Business Broadband Voice quot; service lets workers save money on voice calls by routing them over the net.


Srichaphan sets up clash with Henman in Paris Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand beat Argentine Mariano Zabaleta 7-6 (3), 6-4 in a first round match Monday at the Paris Masters, setting up a clash with defending champion Tim Henman.


Rogge confident in Beijing Games International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge expressed confidence Monday in Beijing #39;s decision to scale back Olympic construction, saying plans for a frugal Games #39; #39; wouldn #39;t interfere with holding the 2008 Summer Games.


Rare Chinese Jewellery Stolen from British Museum Thieves have stolen 15 rare items of medieval Chinese jewelry from the British Museum, including historically important gold earrings, amulets and hair pins, a museum spokeswoman said on Monday.


Oracle sees future in \$8.8bn PeopleSoft Shares in PeopleSoft surged in New York after Larry Ellison #39;s Oracle tabled a take-it-or-leave-it \$8.8 offer for the business software company.


Shell, Exxon Mobil Sell Gas Pipelines Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Cos., Exxon Mobil Corp. and the Dutch government struck a deal Monday giving the Netherlands - the third-largest gas producer in Europe - more control of the Dutch gas company Gasunie.


Trouser traders scent foul play China #39;s trouser exporters are bracing themselves against the threat of a US trade war aimed at their products. US officials opened an investigation on Friday into whether Chinese trouser makers were pocketing an unfair share of the world market.


Toshiba announces exchange program for PC notebook memory MANHASSET, NY - Toshiba Corp. has announced a voluntary exchange program for memory modules in some of its notebook PCs after identifying a module problem that could cause the PCs to exhibit blue screens


Resident Evil 4 It is 2004, six years after the events of Resident Evil 2. The Umbrella Corperation is gone. You are Leon S. Kennedy, a ex-police officer for the doomed town of Raccoon City.


Rogge: Good Games ahead International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge tried to erase Beijing #39;s money worries Monday, saying that hosting the Games will benefit the country.


Fouts, Coryell gang never did it better Now we know how it used to be for those French Foreign Legionnaires, dying of thirst, out of sweat, lost and hopeless, blinded by sandstorms, crawling through the desert - and then seeing Victoria Falls.


Valero to Buy Kaneb Services, Pipe Line Pipeline operator Valero LP said Monday that it agreed to purchase Kaneb Services LLC and Kaneb Pipe Line Partners LP, in a \$2.8 billion move to create the largest terminal operator and second-largest petroleum liquids pipeline operator in the United


Electronics, Health Care Profit at Tyco #39;s electronics unit rose more than fourfold in the quarter as revenue climbed 15 percent on higher sales volume in automotive, communications, computer and consumer electronics.


DoubleClick appoints advisers to look at potential sale NEW YORK - DoubleClick, the online advertising and marketing company, has said it has appointed advisers to look at the possibility of selling off all or part of its business.


Humana shows improvement in third quarter Humana Inc. reported third-quarter net income of \$84.3 million, or 52 cents per share, up from \$62.1 million, or 38 cents per share, a year earlier.


Unleash the dragon St George Bank Limited (SGB) today advised it was targeting 10 earnings per share growth in FY05 after a solid increase in full year earnings.


Crackdown closed 18,000 Internet cafes in China A high-profile government crackdown on Internet cafes in China resulted in the temporary closure of 18,000 Internet cafes between February and August, but few cafes were closed permanently, according to the official Xinhua news agency.


Veritas Retools Server Provisioning Adding a big piece to its utility computing jigsaw puzzle, Veritas Software (Quote, Chart) rewrote its OpForce server provisioning software to include application discovery and configuration.


Macromedia introduces publishing tool for eBay Macromedia Inc. plans to announce Monday a special version of its Contribute Web publishing desktop application designed to automate and simplify the creation and modification of eBay Inc.


Cricket: Pakistan level series against Sri Lanka with nervous win KARACHI : Pakistan levelled the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka with a fighting last-day victory, thanks to a 10-wicket haul to leg spinner Danish Kaneria and a timely half century from Shoaib Malik.


Arafat condemns Tel Aviv attack Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, hospitalized in Paris, condemned Monday a suicide bombing which killed three civilians and the bomber in Tel Aviv, his senior advisor Nabil Abu Rudeina said.


Nuclear Chief Pressures Iran, N. Korea UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei urged Iran on Monday to suspend uranium enrichment and called on North Korea to dismantle its weapons program or at least allow inspectors to ensure it is  quot;exclusively peaceful.


Adams Urges Stronger UN Response to Darfur Crisis The United Nations and European Union were urged today to muster a more effective international response to the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan.


St George profit \$782m St George Bank, Australia #39;s fifth-largest, says annual net profit rose 18 per cent to A\$717 million (\$782 million) on stronger housing and business lending and it forecasts double-digit


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


Denver storm covers roads in ice, knocks out power. DENVER - A Halloween storm gave the Denver metro area its first taste of snow for the fall, and dumped even more white gold on top of snow that had already fallen at Colorado #39;s mountain ski resorts.


CA sets Ingres database free Computer Associates International on Monday kicked off its entry into open-source software with the release of its Ingres r3 database.


China plans five-day space mission China has announced that is to send a second manned mission to space in 2005, signaling a firm commitment to its emerging space programme.


Vinnie roe to rule - if he starts MELBOURNE: Two dancers and a diva can cut an artistic flourish to the finish of today #39;s Melbourne Cup, but if Irish champion Vinnie Roe starts in the race, the calls of  quot;bravo quot; are more likely to be for him.


Oracle Makes  #39;Final #39; PeopleSoft Offer After much speculation that it would raise its bid yet again, Oracle Corp. Monday morning announced its latest offer for PeopleSoft Inc.


Stronger yen clips Toyota #39;s profit No. 1 Japanese automaker posts drop in 3Q earnings, but boosts forecast for global sales in 2004. TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp.


Mylan #39;s migraine The generic drug maker #39;s deal to buy King Pharmaceuticals was supposed to mark its arrival in the brand-name drug business. Instead, it put the spotlight on a new CEO #39;s strategy that billionaire investor Carl Icahn doesn #39;t like.


Google Plugs GMail Security Hole Google has fixed a security hole in Google GMail, its free invitation only 1GB web mail service. The Google Gmail security flaw allowed hackers to be able to log into a users GMail account with only having to know ones username.


Grokster, Sony BMG to develop legit P2P service? Sony BMG - aka  #39;Bony #39; - the merged music label is in talks with Grokster, the P2P software company has confirmed. Negotiations are believed to be focused on the development of a new, label-friendly P2P network.


STAR WARS II When will Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson ever bury the hatchet? Looks like never as the bitter tit-for-tat goes unabated. By Jeffrey Low.


Park shoots 65 to win South Korea tourney Grace Park won the CJ Nine Bridges Classic yesterday at Jeju, South Korea, shooting a 7-under-par 65 for a five-stroke victory and giving her game a big boost after a collapse in the final round two weeks ago.


Did Steelers send message? n If the New England Patriots are considered the NFL #39;s best team, what does that make Pittsburgh? The Steelers opened a lot of eyes Sunday at Heinz Field with a convincing 34-20 win over the defending Super


Draw for Confederations Cup Frankfurt - World Cup winners Brazil were on Monday drawn to meet European champions Greece, Gold Cup winners Mexico and Asian champions Japan at the 2005 Confederations Cup.


Six Iraqis killed in Ramadi as Fallujah braces for all-out assault RAMADI, Iraq - Six Iraqis were killed as violence flared in the flashpoint city of Ramadi on Monday as nearby Fallujah braced for an all-out assault with US and Iraqi troops massing in the rebel heartlands.


Update 1: Manufacturing Growth Slows in October Activity in the nation #39;s manufacturing sector grew in October for the 17th straight month, but at a slower pace than the previous month, the Institute for Supply Management reported Monday.


Kennametal Signs Amended Credit Agreement Kennametal Inc., a maker of metal-cutting tools, and mining and highway construction equipment, said Monday that it signed a \$500 million amended and restated revolving credit agreement.


Update 1: Lockheed to Cut 4Q Earnings on Suit Loss Lockheed Martin Corp. Monday said a court ruling in its dispute with the Department of Energy and the state of Idaho will reduce fourth-quarter earnings by \$110 million.


Dells new blade  home grown or not? Competitors criticise Dell for a lack of engineering expertise, but the company says one significant computer due to launch in November is its own design: its second-generation blade server, the PowerEdge 1855.


Owen: Real saviour with 4 goals in 4 matches MICHAEL Owen rescued Real Madrid once again as they struggled to overcome a defiant Getafe in the lesser-known Madrid derby at the Bernabeu.


Offensive struggles continue for Ravens Everyone knew Sunday #39;s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens was going to be a defensive struggle, but very quietly each team had designs on a big offensive day.


Rookie among Mavs #39; starting five Point guard Devin Harris #39; play in the preseason has impressed Mavericks coach Don Nelson enough to start the rookie from Wisconsin.


Milosevic can defend himself, court rules THE HAGUE - Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic can defend himself at a war crimes tribunal but he must accept a standby lawyer in case he becomes ill again, judges ruled on Monday.


Valero to Buy Kaneb Services, Pipe Line Valero LP (VLI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will buy Kaneb Services LLC (KSL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Kaneb Pipe Line Partners LP (KPP.


Crude futures close 5 higher for the month SAN FRANCISCO (AFX) -- Crude-oil futures closed higher to tally a gain of 5 percent for the month, lifted by growing doubt that Chinas interest-rate hike will dampen energy demand, and the ever-existing possibility that supply disruptions could


IT must act as driver for change, says Gartner Analyst Gartner is predicting radical change will occur as organisations realise that IT must act as a key driver for business change.


Google Plans Desktop Search Tool for Apple PCs Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) plans to release a version of its desktop search tool for computers running on the Mac operating system from Apple Computer Inc.


Tennis: Paradorn sets up Henman clash in Paris PARIS : Thailand #39;s Paradorn Srichaphan set up a Paris Masters second round showdown with defending champion Tim Henman after beating Argentina #39;s Mariano Zabaleta 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 in his opening match.


Steelers stop streak by stunning New England The Steelers got a bucket full of treats yesterday, including turnovers, early points, a poised quarterback and a dominating defensive performance.


Argentina vs. Tunisia in Confederations Cup opener Argentina will play African champion Tunisia at Cologne on June 15 in the opener of the Confederations Cup, which Germany will use to prepare for hosting the 2006 World Cup.


Dolphins vs. Jets (Position-by-position) Sammy Morris has given the Dolphins #39; rushing attack a much-needed shot in the arm, running for 174 yards and one touchdown in the past two games.


Eagles 15, Ravens 10 Owens mocked Lewis with some nifty footwork after catching an 11-yard touchdown pass in the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles #39; 15-10 victory over Baltimore on Sunday.


Suicide bomb rips through market A PALESTINIAN suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded outdoor market in central Tel Aviv last night, killing four Israelis and wounding 32.


Leftist candidate declares victory in Uruguay election MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY - Leftist candidate Tabare Vazquez declared victory in Uruguay #39;s presidential election Sunday after exit polls showed him surging past two rivals with a majority of the votes, apparently aligning this small South American country with


US embassies issue terror warnings in Nordic, Baltic region HELSINKI, Finland - US embassies in Finland and Latvia issued a rare warning to Americans in the Nordic and Baltic region to be wary of shopping centers and public transport amid a threat of a possible terror attack Monday.


US Stocks Climb as Crude Oil Falls \$2 Stocks rose after US crude oil fell below \$50 a barrel on Monday, offsetting jitters ahead of an uncertain outcome for the US presidential election.


India #39;s Tata Group Acquires Tyco Network At Bargain Price com. In a new indication that the sale of US-built telecommunications infrastructure to foreign interests at fire-sale prices is continuing, Tyco International announced Monday that it is selling its Tyco Global Network to India #39;s Tata Group.


Space shuttle delayed again The space shuttle will not fly before May 2005, according to NASA officials. This pushes the shuttle #39;s return-to-flight schedule back by two months, and postpones a vital servicing mission to the International Space Station.


Gartner Sees Shift to Bite-Sized Business Software Companies such as SAP and IBM must break their software packages into smaller units as their corporate clients want to cherry pick them to update systems more frequently, consultancy Gartner said on Monday.


Google plans desktop search tool for Apple PCs This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


Report: Backman tabbed as new Diamondbacks manager Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks have called a news conference for today at 1 pm (et), when they are expected to introduce Wally Backman as their new manager.


Afghan Kidnappers Ready to Negotiate Militants threatening to kill three foreign hostages said Monday they were ready to negotiate with a UN envoy, but they warned that any rescue attempt would end in bloodshed and stuck to their demands that the world body withdraw from Afghanistan and that


Marines Welcome Arrival of British  #39;Black Watch #39; Regiment FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, Nov. 1, 2004 -- A British armored battle group of about 850 soldiers, led by the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch Regiment, has deployed from Basra, Iraq, to an area south


Oracle ups bid for PeopleSoft in  #39;final #39; offer NOVEMBER 01, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Oracle Corp. extended what it called its  quot;best and final offer quot; for rival PeopleSoft Inc.


US factories expand at slower pace in October WASHINGTON : US manufacturing activity expanded for the 17th straight month in October, albeit at a slower pace, but energy prices squeezed profits, a survey showed.


Humana earnings rise 36 Health insurer Humana Inc. reported a 36 percent increase Monday in third-quarter earnings, driven by solid performance in a number of the company #39;s business lines.


Vogts faced uphill task -- as will his successor The pall of hopelessness that has shrouded Berti Vogts #39; tenure as Scotland manager is unlikely to clear now that the German has departed.


Sprewell wants trade if no deal is reached Latrell Sprewell says he #39;ll ask to be traded if the Minnesota Timberwolves don #39;t sign him to a contract extension by Wednesday night #39;s opener.


Part of Olympic champion horse #39;s drug test stolen Part of a doping sample taken from the horse that won Ireland #39;s only gold medal at the Athens Olympics was stolen, the International Equestrian Federation said Monday.


Oracle unveils  #39;final #39; PeopleSoft offer Oracle is to raise its hostile bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft to \$8.8 billion, calling this its  #39;best and final #39; offer.


Yukos may face \$10B more in tax Russian officials demanded up to \$10 billion in additional taxes from Yukos and its soon-to-be-sold main unit on Monday, pushing the debts of Russia #39;s embattled No.


BorgWarner Makes \$759 Million Takeover Offer for Beru (Update5) BorgWarner Inc., the biggest US maker of automatic-transmission parts for cars, said it plans to take over Beru AG, valuing the German maker of diesel-engine starting systems at \$795 million.


Intel releases Pentium 4 EE 3.46, 925XE chipset for 1066 MHz FSB Intel today announced a faster Pentium 4 of its high-end Extreme Edition (EE) series as well as an updated PCI Express chipset now supporting FSB1066.


Flyby hints of Titan #39;s terrain When the Cassini spacecraft #39;s Huygens probe parachutes to the surface of the Saturn moon Titan on Jan. 14, it could splash into a lake, burrow into a powdery drift or slam onto rock-hard ice.


Bennett Kings Picks Aussie Assistant When Bennett King takes up the post as West Indies head coach in mid-November, he will have a familiar face as his full-time assistant: Australian academy senior coach David Moore.


USC, Oklahoma remain 1-2 in BCS;  #39;Canes and  #39;Noles plummet Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Southern California and Oklahoma remained the top two teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings, while Miami- Florida and Florida State plummeted in the rankings after suffering surprising road losses on Saturday.


China Plans Five-Day Manned Space Mission for 2005 Chinese scientists have optimized the spacecraft #39;s configuration to reduce its weight and improve the performance of onboard equipment.


Why a browser makes sense for Google? We speculated about it in May, the online world went crazy about a possibility as soon as they came to know about Google registering GBrowser.


Dell takes new stab at blade design com November 1, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year.


Johansson shocks top seed Agassi STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Swede Thomas Johansson shocked top seed Andre Agassi 3-6 6-3 7-6 in a thrilling final at the Stockholm Open, to pick up his first title since the 2002 Australian Open.


Waterford Crystal #39;s B sample missing The international equestrian body, the FEI, has been informed that the  quot;B quot; sample of Waterford Crystal was stolen in Cambridgeshire last month.


Redskins defeat spurs Kerry hopes for victory While the official result of the US election won #39;t be known until Tuesday night, at the earliest, John Kerry #39;s campaign may already feel they know the result, thanks to a weekend football game.


Vieira:  #39;We won #39;t be intimidated #39; Patrick Vieira believes Arsenal are better placed than ever before to achieve Champions League success - and insisted they would not be muscled out of their stride at home or abroad.


Ukrainians to vote in second round The Central Election Commission of Ukraine has announced that the second round of the countrys presidential election would be held.


Ellison: Oracle Makes  #39;Final #39; PeopleSoft Bid, But CEO Can #39;t Buy <b>...</b> Oracle (nasdaq: ORCL - news - people ) presented its  quot;best and final offer quot; for takeover prey PeopleSoft (nasdaq: PSFT - news - people ) Monday.


Amazon #39;s A9 toolbar now available for Firefox Amazon.com subsidiary A9.com on Monday released a version of its Internet toolbar for the Firefox Web browser. A9 said that the toolbar, which is available for free download, will offer the same features to


Google Corrects Gmail Exploit Search engine Google has fixed a security flaw that was occurring in their email service, Gmail. The company did not reveal the nature of flaw, only that they had corrected it.


Smart Web - Looking Into the Future Alexander Linden, a prominent Gartner Research analyst will be talking about the future later this week in Cannes, France. Smart Web was held ahead of this week #39;s ITXpo symposium, an annual event held to identify the future of technology.


Berti Vogts Quits as Scotland Soccer Coach, Cites Abuse by Fans Berti Vogts quit as Scotland #39;s national soccer coach after a run of results left the team unlikely to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in his home country of Germany.


Changes at the top: Astros to replace GM Hunsicker Sporting News #39; Ken Rosenthal has learned that the Houston Astros will reassign general manager Gerry Hunsicker within the organization and elevate Tim Purpura to the GM position.


Clashes in Ramadi as US Troop Reinforcements Arrive in Iraq RAMADI, Iraq, Nov 1 (MASNET  amp; News Agencies) - Violence flared in the flashpoint city of Ramadi as nearby Fallujah braced for an all-out assault with fresh US and Iraqi troops massing in the rebel heartlands.


Oracle increases its offer price for PeopleSoft REDWOOD SHORES, Calif., Oracle is increasing the stakes in its hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft. Oracle has increased its cash offer for PeopleSoft shares from 21 dollars a share to 24 dollars a share.


Oil prices tumble ahead of election Nymex crude oil futures fell below \$50 a barrel Monday morning in a flurry of technical selling ahead of the presidential elections on Tuesday.


Lockheed to Take Charge on Court Decision Lockheed Martin Corp. will take a fourth-quarter after-tax charge of about \$110 million, or about 25 cents per share, for damages and costs from a court decision rejecting its request to overturn a contract #39;s termination, the No.


Top ten viruses and hoaxes reported to Sophos in October 2004 Sophos, a world leader in protecting businesses against spam and viruses, has published a report revealing the top ten viruses and hoaxes causing problems for businesses around the world.


Smith - McQueen #39;s choice to take over (Getty Images) Gordon McQueen has urged the Scottish Football Association to install Walter Smith as the next Scotland manager. The search now begins for Berti Vogts #39; successor, following the German #39;s surprise decision to resign.


Agassi, Nalbandian withdraw from Paris Masters Paris, France (Sports Network) - Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian announced Monday that they have withdrawn from the Paris Masters because of injuries.


Jets welcome the Dolphins to the Meadowlands as usual, but was able to burn St. Louis for deep TD passes to wideout Chris. receptions, 78 yards, 1 TD). Chambers and McMichael have combined for 60 of.


Redskins lose, so Kerry should win John Kerry supporters got a welcome omen for their candidate on Sunday: The Green Bay Packers defeated the Washington Redskins. If history holds, the 28-14 score portends a victory


Allawi Threatens New Offensive To Take Over Al-Fallujah Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says time is running out for Al-Fallujah residents to evict foreign fighters from the city of face a US-Iraqi military operation to do so.


Palestinian Officials Offer Differing Accounts of Arafat #39;s <b>...</b> French doctors are expected to issue a preliminary report on the medical condition of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat by midweek, according to Palestinian officials, who


Former Chinese Minister attacks  #39;Bush doctrine #39; Beijing, Nov 01 - On the eve of the US Presidential poll, one of the key architects of China #39;s foreign policy lashed out at the controversial  quot;Bush doctrine quot; of pre-emptive strikes, the  quot;catastrophic quot; war on Iraq and predicted that the 21st century will


Hostages seized by gunmen in Iraq A US citizen is among four people reported to have been kidnapped at gunpoint from their office in Baghdad.  quot;They stormed the villa with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, quot; a police source told the Reuters agency.


Botswana Ruling Party Wins Election by Landslide Botswana #39;s ruling party has won by a landslide in Saturday #39;s general elections, assuring President Festus Mogae of a second and final term in office.


US consumer spending soars by 0.6 in September, led by auto <b>...</b> American consumers, who substantially slowed down their spending in late summer, roared back to life in September, boosting their purchases by 0.6 per cent.


Yukos faces additional tax claims: Interfax MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia #39;s embattled Yukos oil giant faced additional tax claims after authorities said the firm was suspected of underpaying 6.7 billion dollars for 2002, Interfax reported.


Humana #39;s Quarterly Earnings Rise Health insurer Humana Inc. posted a rise in quarterly profit on Monday as the company #39;s Medicare business gained and it kept health premiums ahead of soaring underlying medical costs.


Oil prices rise on Nigerian strike concerns NEW YORK, November 1 (newratings.com) - World crude oil prices rose in Asia trading this morning, with the Nigerian oil unions beginning their protests in a build-up to a nationwide general strike planned for later this month.


China Cracks Down on I-Cafes China has closed 1,600 internet cafes and fined operators a total of \$12 million for letting children play violent games and for other violations, the government said.


Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.46GHz and i925XE Express <b>...</b> Today we would like to introduce to you two new guests: Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.46GHz processor and i925XE Express chipset supporting 266MHz FSB frequency (1066MHz QDR).


Google Planning Desktop Search for Mac Computers Google announced plans to offer its Google Desktop Search to Mac computers on Friday, introducing Google technology to a loyal group of computer users who are not using the Windows operating system.


NetSky variant tops virus list again LYNNFIELD, Mass., Nov. 1 - NetSky-P and Zafi-B were the top two viruses in circulation in October, security company Sophos says in its monthly top-10 viruses and hoaxes lists.


Spat-on Vogts resigns Glasgow - Scotland manager Berti Vogts has resigned because of  quot;disgraceful abuse quot; including being spat upon, he said in a Scottish Football Association statement on Monday.


Wenger handling European pressure Arsene Wenger is aware of the pressure facing Arsenal ahead of the Champions League game with Panathinaikos. The Gunners, who have never gone past the quarter-finals, are yet to spark in Group E this season


Miami #39;s loss is Utah #39;s gain It has become the time of year when everything in college football is relative. Your team has to win its games in order to move up in the BCS poll, or win its conference, or even just to qualify for a bowl bid.


Bryant, O #39;Neal Rivalry Focus of New NBA Season The headline-grabbing rivalry between Shaquille O #39;Neal and Kobe Bryant is likely to dominate the opening weeks of the NBA season that begins on Tuesday.


American, three other foreigners kidnapped in Baghdad; Baghdad <b>...</b> Militants kidnapped an American and three other foreigners in a bloody assault on their office in the capital Monday, and gunmen assassinated


Palestinian teenager blows himself up in Tel Aviv market; 3 killed A Palestinian teenager laden with explosives walked into a crowded outdoor market and blew himself up Monday, killing three Israelis, wounding 32 and scattering bloody vegetables and spices along the ground.


Report: Yukos Is Hit With New Tax Claims Russian tax authorities slapped oil giant Yukos and its main production unit with two new tax claims for nearly \$10 billion, raising the company #39;s total bill to more than \$17.


Indian Telecom Adds Tyco Network Further strengthening India #39;s position in the global communications arena, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (Quote, Chart) will pay \$130 million for Tyco #39;s (Quote, Chart) undersea fiber-optic network, the companies announced today.


Scotland Coach Vogts Quits, Citing Fans GLASGOW, Scotland Nov 1, 2004 - Berti Vogts resigned as coach of Scotland #39;s national soccer team Monday, citing rude fans. Vogts, a German, held the job for 2 1/2 years, going 9-16-7 and failing to qualify for this year #39;s European Championship.


Purpura replaces Hunsicker as GM of Astros Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Gerry Hunsicker has announced his resignation as general manager of the Houston Astros. Tim Purpura, who had been serving as the assistant general manager, has been named the new GM of the team.


Top 2 Candidates in Ukraine Presidential Vote Face Runoff Ukraine #39;s presidential election ended virtually in a dead heat, according to official results, after a campaign that international election observers criticized


Shell Files Suit to Block Oil Workers in Nigeria Strike Dutch oil giant Shell has asked a Nigerian court to block oil workers from joining a nationwide labor strike set to begin November 16.


Heavy clashes in Ramadi as troops buildup offensive to retake the insurgent-held cities has begun on the eve of the US presidential election. company #39;s office in Baghdad, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.


Manufacturing Growth Slowing This has been another month of growth for manufacturing and the economy in general, although the latest monthly report on business from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) indicates that the rate of manufacturing growth is slowing down.


Anadarko to Sell Colorado Properties Oil and gas company Anadarko Petroleum Corp. said Monday that it is selling its Southeast Colorado producing properties to an affiliate of Citation Oil  amp; Gas Corp.


Tyco Returns to Profit, Shares Gain Tyco International Ltd. (TYC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) reported a quarterly profit on Monday, reversing a year-earlier loss, helped by strong demand for electronic parts.


Shell gains 968m from sale of gas stake The Dutch Government has for 1.93 billion bought total control of a pipeline being built to tackle the gas shortages which have sent UK energy prices soaring, after Shell and Esso.


O #39;Connor: DoubleClick Hires Investment Bankers To Explore Sale The end of the line for an Internet icon? DoubleClick (nasdaq: DCLK - news - people ) on Monday said it has retained Lazard Freres to  quot;explore strategic options, quot; including the sale of all or part of its business.


Veritas beefs up utility software com November 1, 2004, 9:56 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Vogts resigns as Scotland boss Glasgow, Scotland (Sports Network) - Scotland national team coach Berti Vogts stepped down Monday following a nightmare start to the World Cup qualifying campaign.


Golf: VJ shatters season earnings record PALM HARBOUR - Vijay Singh became the first golfer to earn more than US\$10 million (\$14.79 million) in prizemoney in a season with a five-stroke victory in the Chrysler Championship yesterday.


Defeat of Panathinaikos would put Arsenal in comfort zone Arsenal plan to shore up their defence for the visit of Panathinaikos knowing victory on Tuesday would go a long way to ensuring their qualification for the next stage of the Champions League.


D-Backs hire Backman PHOENIX -- Wally Backman was hired Monday as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, taking over a team coming off one of the worst seasons in major league history.


Pigskin Prediction: As Go the Redskins... Description: Since 1936, the outcome of the Washington Redskins last home game has predicted the next president. When the Redskins have won their last home game, the incumbent party has retained the White House.


Magic acquire Brandon Hunter from Bobcats Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - The Orlando Magic acquired forward Brandon Hunter from the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday in exchange for guard Keith Bogans.


NYi0 ms jameson Brazil #39;s currency fell on investor concern that ruling Workers #39; Party losses in municipal elections may bolster opposition to the government #39;s legislative agenda, hindering efforts to cut government spending and boost growth.


Church #39;s Chicken has a new owner CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - AFC Enterprises Inc. said Monday it has inked a deal to unload the Church #39;s Chicken chain to a private investment group for \$390 million.


DoubleClick Hires Investment Bank Online marketing firm DoubleClick says it has retained investment bankers Lazard Freres to  quot;explore strategic options to achieve greater shareholder value.


Exxon, Shell sell gas pipelines DALLAS (CBS.MW) -- The Dutch government agreed Monday to buy the pipeline unit of the Dutch gas company Gasunie for \$3.55 billion from Exxon Mobil and the Royal Dutch/Shell Group.


Latest Bagle Virus Remains a Threat Three new variants of the Bagle virus that emerged last week are still in circulation, but the attacks seem to be leveling off. While the latest viruses have some sophisticated features, security


Macromedia Goes After eBay Sellers With Contribute 3 Macromedia made a play for eBay sellers Monday by debuting a custom version of its Contribute 3 Web content publishing application that #39;s designed to speed the creation and upkeep of eBay Stores.


Vogts resigns Berti Vogts has admitted that he had little option but to quit as Scotland coach, blaming what he called  quot;disgraceful abuse quot;.


Latvia on terror alert The Norwegian Embassy in Latvia closed on Nov. 1, days after Latvian law enforcement agencies warned that the Baltic state had received information from the United States, Norway, and Estonia about a possible terrorist attack.


UPDATE 1-Argentina files \$100 bln restructuring with US SEC Argentina submitted on Monday to the US Securities and Exchange Commission its offer to restructure \$100 billion in defaulted debt, clearing the way for a world-record debt swap, Economy Ministry spokesman


Lockheed to take \$110 million Q4 charge for court ruling The nation #39;s largest defense contractor will take a \$110 million charge against its fourth quarter earnings after losing a court bid to salvage at least some of the money it pumped


Nordic countries join forces at EXPO 2005 The joint Nordic pavilion at theWorld Exhibition in Japan 2005 was presented on Monday at the Nordic Council #39; 56th annual Session in Stockholm.


The TV set that cried wolf--by satellite It may be that many people, staring blankly from their sofas into the empty, late-night flicker of their televisions, are in need of rescuing.


Gmail Security Flaw Discovered A security hole in Google #39;s Gmail service, which reportedly made it easy for hackers to access users #39; e-mail, has been corrected, Google says.


Latest BCS a feel-good for Cal, upset stomach for Utah That #39;s the summary of the latest BCS standings released on Monday. Cal made the most significant jump, up four spots to No. 4. If the season ended today, the Bears would be automatically qualified for an at-large BCS bowl berth, most likely the Rose.


Iraq Group Kidnaps Four, Including an American, AFP Reports Two Arabs, a US citizen and an Asian working for the Saudi Arabian Trading and Contracting Company were abducted today in Iraq, Agence France-Presse reported citing a spokesman for the Iraqi interior ministry.


US Warns Visitors to Nordic, Baltic Lands RIGA, Latvia Nov 1, 2004 - Security was tighter around the US embassies in Finland and Latvia on Monday amid a US warning that Americans living and traveling in the Nordic and Baltic nations should be on guard against a possible terrorist strike.


World oil prices plunge below 50 dollars LONDON : World oil prices tumbled more than two dollars in New York, sliding below 50 dollars for the first time in nearly a month amid reports of higher Iraqi oil exports and easing fears over a Nigerian strike, analysts said.


Effect of Google IPO Felt by Newer Deals Initial public offerings just wrapped up one of their best weeks in some time, with 10 companies coming to market, raising \$1.7 billion, and several soaring in their debuts.


Nokia 9500 Communicator receives Wi-Fi certification The Nokia 9500 Communicator has been granted the IEEE 802-11b and WPA (Wireless Protected Access) certifications by the Wi-Fi Alliance.


Cocaine and opiates found in Caminiti #39;s body Caminiti died from acute intoxication due to the combined effects of cocaine and opiates, a spokeswoman for the New York City Medical Examiners Office told ESPN.


Bobcats Trade Hunter to Magic for Bogans CHARLOTTE, NC - The Charlotte Bobcats traded forward Brandon Hunter to the Orlando Magic on Monday in exchange for guard Keith Bogans.


Six people, including one American, Asian kidnapped in Baghdad BAGHDAD : Six staff of a Saudi Arabian company, including one US citizen, an Asian and at least three Iraqis, were kidnapped from their offices in Baghdad, police and a lawyer for the company told AFP.


Pakistan PM due tomorrow Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz arrives tomorrow in his capacity as the Chairman of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) before he hands the Chair over to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia during the 13th Saarc summit in Dhaka between


Oil rose on Nigeria strike-call Oil rose as Nigeria, the world top oil exporter, sees the call for a strike later this month. December crude oil lifted 24 cents to \$52.


US Economy: Manufacturing Index Falls, Incomes Lag (Update2) Manufacturing expanded at the slowest pace in more than a year in October, Americans spent more than they earned in September and home construction declined in the final economic reports before tomorrow #39;s presidential election.


Argentine Gov #39;t Presents Repayment Details The Argentine government on Monday presented US regulators with details of a debt exchange offering intended to restructure some US\$103 billion (euro80.


Intel unveils  #39;Extreme #39; system for power users Intel is targeting extreme gamers and power PC users with its latest high-performance platform based on the Pentium 4 processor Extreme Edition and a faster system bus enabled by the 925XE Express chipset.


Toshiba Announces Global Notebook Recall Toshiba #39;s laptop exchange program will run worldwide from Nov. 1 to April 30. The company said 650,000 PCs could be affected. It stressed that the recall will not affect the projected recovery of its PC business.


Resident Evil 4 breaks out In a move that #39;s bound to both please and displease, Capcom have revealed that Resident Evil 4 will arrive on PlayStation 2 late next year.


eBay, Macromedia, deal p2pnet.net News:- eBay has gone from being an online community founded in 1995 so people could sell things to each other, to a vast, multi-national virtual monopoly where the dollar and the bottom line rule.


Effects of drugs ruled cause of death for Caminiti A drug overdose killed former NL MVP Ken Caminiti, who admitted using steroids during his playing days and tested positive for cocaine in the days before he died.


Greek Sprinter Wants to Clear His Name ATHENS, Greece Nov 1, 2004 - With a prosecutor expected to announce the results Tuesday of an investigation into a doping scandal that disgraced Greece #39;s two top sprinters, former Olympic champion Kostas Kenteris insisted he never tried to evade drug


Baghdad deputy governor shot dead Hatim Kamil was assassinated in a drive-by shooting, said Baghdad Governor Ali al-Haidari. Interior Ministry spokesman Colonel Adnan Abdul-Rahman said Mr Kamil was killed when gunmen opened fire on his car in the southern Doura neighbourhood.


Update 7: Oil Prices Sink Below \$50 a Barrel Oil futures prices sank below \$50 a barrel Monday, continuing the selloff sparked last week by rising US supplies of crude and easing fears about the refining industry #39;s ability to satisfy heating oil demand.


Oracle makes its best, last offer for PeopleSoft Oracle Corp., the world #39;s second-largest software firm, made what it called its last and best offer for rival PeopleSoft Inc. on Monday in a takeover battle that has now raged for almost a year and a half.


Netflix Lowers Rental Price by \$4 Online movie rental service Netflix Inc. reported Monday that it lowered its monthly rental fee by \$4 in what is heating up to be a price war with video rental giant Blockbuster Inc.


India #39;s Tata Group Buying Tyco Network At Bargain Price com. The sale of US-built telecom infrastructure to foreign firms at fire-sale prices continues. Tyco International says it is selling its Tyco Global Network to India #39;s Tata Group.


Canada renews plan to decriminalise pot possession The Canadian government has signalled its intention to re-introduce legislation to decriminalise the possession of small amounts of marijuana.


Iogear launches Bluetooth mini mouse Iogear today announced a rechargeable mini mouse with bluetooth interface. The mouse can be opoerated up to 66 feet away from the computer, making it a practical tool fro presentations, the company said.


Bagle Gets Stale But Remains a Threat  quot;It #39;s the same old stuff we #39;ve seen in all the Bagle variants over the last months. The authors have just modified it to evade detection of most antivirus programs and spammed it widely, quot; said Mikko Hyppnen of F-Secure.


Here are 10 things you should know about the No. 1 golfer in the <b>...</b> The number of the day is 10. As in 10 million dollars, which is what Vijay Singh has won this year on the PGA Tour. As in 10 victories, which Singh is going for this week (and will probably get, since he won


Vogts Resigns! The Scottish Football Association have confirmed that Berti Vogts has resigned as coach of the national team. The German has been under intense pressure after a series of bad results and was expected to be


Official says Caminiti died of drug overdose Former baseball National League MVP Ken Caminiti died of an accidental drug overdose, a spokeswoman for the New York City medical examiner said Monday.


American, Nepali, 2 Arabs Kidnapped in Baghdad Gunmen kidnapped an American, a Nepali and two Arab men from their Baghdad office on Monday, police said.  quot;They stormed the villa with automatic rifles and rocket- propelled grenades.


Why my boy, asks bomber #39;s mum THE mother of a 16-year-old suicide bomber who killed three people in Tel Aviv was in tears today as she asked:  quot;Why did they choose my boy?


Crude oil prices dropping in NY Crude oil prices have dipped in New York, sliding as much as two dollars to around \$50 a barrel. That #39;s extending declines seen last week despite concerns that a planned strike in Nigeria could affect output.


Yukos faces new tax claims; total bill above \$17.6 bn LONDON, November 1 (newratings.com) - The Russian oil giant, Yukos Oil (YUSA.FSE), has been asked for additional back-tax payments of more than \$10 billion, increasing the company #39;s total tax liabilities to above \$17.


Intel P4 Extreme Boosts Performance off the Clock The Extreme Edition bears out Intel #39;s announcement last month that it would look beyond increased clock speed.  quot;The problem is, if they keep the clock speed and increase the bus speed, they #39;ll


The Times of London Goes Tabloid To make sure nobody missed its big change from a broadsheet to a tabloid, The Times of London told readers about it on the front page.


NASA Aims For May Shuttle Launch NASA has again adjusted its schedule for bringing the space shuttle back into use. CBS reports that the space agency announced it is aiming for a mid-May launch.


Toshiba Fixes Notebook Flaws Toshiba is launching a global program to replace faulty memory modules in certain models of its notebook computers that have been on sale since as early as April 2002.


IOGEAR #39;s mini mouse goes Bluetooth IOGEAR has launched its rechargeable Bluetooth Mini Mouse, enabling road warriors to work wirelessly and save space. The PC/Mac compatible Bluetooth Mini Mouse #39;s small, slim design saves space in laptop bags and in the workspace.


Google fixes Gmail hijacking flaw Gmail Security Flaw Discovered <nobr>NewsFactor Network</nobr>


Agassi, Nalbandian pull out American Andre Agassi and Argentine David Nalbandian have pulled out of the Paris Masters, organizers said Monday, meaning neither will play in the season ending Masters Cup.


Huskies reportedly fire Gilbertson Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - The University of Washington reportedly fired head football coach Keith Gilbertson on Monday. According to KING 5 News in Seattle, Gilbertson has been dismissed and it is unclear


Greek sprinter says he didn #39;t fake accident ATHENS - Greeces disgraced Olympic sprint champion Costas Kenteris on Sunday broke a lengthy silence since the end of the Athens Games to deny faking a motorcycle crash to avoid a doping test.


Magic trade Bogans to Charlotte Bobcats The Orlando Magic eased their logjam at the shooting guard position somewhat today, dealing Keith Bogans to the expansion Charlotte Bobcats for power forward Brandon Hunter.


Assistant Purpura takes over immediately HOUSTON -- Houston Astros General Manager Gerry Hunsicker announced Monday he #39;s stepping down after nine years on the job and less than two weeks after the club came within one game of reaching the World Series for the first time.


Schilling, he #39;s Bush league! BOSTON -- Looking to share some of the magic that propelled the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years, US President George W. Bush enlisted a fan favourite to deliver his pitch while Democratic Sen.


American, 3 others kidnapped Mon. in Baghdad (Baghdad, Iraq-AP) Nov. 1, 2004 - US Embassy officials are confirming that an American is among four foreigners abducted during a bloody assault at their office in Baghdad.


Elecciones presidenciales en Ucrania Exit polls in Ukraine #39;s presidential election appear to show that none of the 24 candidates has won the election outright. The vote has been largely split between the prime minister Viktor Yanukovich and the main opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.


Arafat health speculation runs wild Yasser Arafat #39;s French physicians are refusing to discuss his health crisis, leading to rampant speculation about the Palestinian leader #39;s dramatic deterioration.


Uruguay elects first leftist leader Uruguay has made a historic political shift in electing its first leftist president, Tabare Vazquez, and giving his coalition a majority in Congress to face rebuilding the country after its recent economic crisis.


Update 1: Indian Telecom Buys Tyco Network Assets Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd., India #39;s top phone and broadband provider, on Monday said it plans to buy Tyco International Ltd. #39;s undersea fiber-optic network for \$130 million, a move an analyst said could spawn a number of similar deals involving foreign


Nation #39;s manufacturing segment shows continued growth Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in October for the 17th consecutive month, albeit at a slower rate than in September, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported Monday.


Oracle makes  #39;best and final #39; PeopleSoft offer Oracle today unveiled its  quot;best and final offer quot; for PeopleSoft, promising to withdraw entirely from the long-running takeover battle if its \$24 per share proposal is not accepted by 19 November 2004.


Manufacturing Sector Grows The Institute for Supply Management said Monday US economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in October. ISM #39;s purchasing managers index registered 56.


Merck Shares Plunge on Vioxx Denial News WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ - Shares of Merck  amp; Co. plunged almost 9 percent Monday after a media report said that documents show the pharmaceutical giant hid or denied evidence for years that its blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx cause heart problems.


Valero buys Keneb for \$2.8 billion Energy transport company buys Kaneb Services and Kaneb Pipe Line as it also lifts dividend. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Valero LP, an owner and operator of energy pipeline and storage facilities, agreed to buy Kaneb


S amp;P to Hold Telephone Conference Today on AIG, ACE Standard  amp; Poor #39;s Ratings Services announced that it will hold a telephone conference call on Monday, November 1st, 2004, at 1:00 PM US Eastern Time.


Personal Income Inches Higher The US Commerce Department said Monday personal income grew modestly in September, while consumer spending rebounded from the previous month.


Icahn pushes harder to stop Mylan #39;s King acquisition PITTSBURGH Carl Icahn, the largest shareholder of Mylan Laboratories, is now threatening to push for new company directors to stop the generic drug maker #39;s four (B) billion-dollar takeover bid of King Pharmaceuticals.


Intel Launches 3.46GHZ P4 EE November 01, 2004 - Intel have launched a 3.46GHz version of their gamer targeted Pentium 4 Extreme Edition. Nice name guys! :P However, reviews aren #39;t too peachy overall, check this out from CNet: One snag


Merck knew of Vioxx health risks: report WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ - Merck and Co. shares fell more than 10 per cent in trading on the NYSE on Monday amid reports that company documents showed the pharmaceutical firm knew for years about health issues related to its arthritis drug Vioxx.


The Matrix Online Gets Talent November 01, 2004 - Warner Bros. Interactive and SEGA announced today that The Matrix Online will feature some big-name voice talent, including a good portion of the films #39; original cast members.


Gilbertson will step down at end of season Washington coach Keith Gilbertson will resign at the end of the season, The Associated Press learned Monday. A source close to the football program, speaking on condition of anonymity, said


Diamondbacks Hire Backman As New Manager After being introduced as the new manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Wally Backman, left, is handed his game jersey by Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr.


Arafat #39;s Condition Is Improving From his hospital bed, Yasser Arafat swiftly condemned a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on Monday -- a sign the ailing Palestinian leader wants to convey the impression he is still in charge despite deteriorating health.


Oracle Raises Its Hostile Offer for PeopleSoft Oracle raised its hostile tender offer for PeopleSoft today to \$24 a share from \$21 a share. The higher bid, which values Peoplesoft at \$9.


Merck stock plunges on news report Shares of Merck  amp; Co. plunged Monday after a news report suggested that the company knew about risks associated with its recently recalled Vioxx arthritis medication and tried to cover them up.


S amp;P lowers America West outlook to negative Standard  amp; Poor #39;s on Monday revised the outlook on America West Holdings Corp. (AWA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) to negative from stable, citing the difficult operating environment


Union Seeks to Represent Wal-Mart Workers Union efforts to organize Wal-Mart workers in Canada continued Monday in the auto-service departments of seven British Columbia outlets of the world #39;s largest retailer.


Lockheed to take \$110M Q4 hit from court ruling Lockheed Martin Corp. said Monday it lost its court bid Friday to keep some of the money it lost in a failed Idaho cleanup project, causing it to book a \$110 million, or 25 cents a share, charge in its fourth quarter.


Doubt Grows PNC Will Close Riggs Deal Wall Street is growing increasingly skeptical about PNC Financial #39;s (PNC:NYSE - news - research) proposed purchase of scandal-tainted Riggs National (RIGS:Nasdaq - news - research), which is the subject of a federal money-laundering probe.


AT amp;T upgrades Net security tools The enhancements, which will be incorporated early next year, are designed to provide enterprises with protection from worms and viruses, without forcing customers to install firewalls at each location in a network, the company said.


Google Plugs Hole in Gmail Such security flaws are not uncommon, but Gmail deviates from the norm by not causing cookies to expire when users change passwords.


Ferguson hopes of Arsenal action fading Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson #39;s bid to have Arsenal duo Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry punished for what he believes was foul play during last month #39;s  #39;Battle of Old Trafford #39; are set to come to nothing because of Football Association (FA


Gilbertson fired? Gallows humor apparently has become reality, with unconfirmed reports circulating that Washington football coach Keith Gilbertson and his staff were fired late Sunday night.


Raines joins White Sox as coach Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago White Sox hired former major leaguer Tim Raines as the club #39;s first base/baserunning coach on Monday.


Tonight #39;s matchup: Miami at New York Jets Keys to the game: QB Chad Pennington is eventually going to have to complete some deep passes if the Jets #39; offense is going to reach its potential.


Astros GM Hunsicker Resigns After Successful Season Houston Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker resigned on Monday in a surprise announcement after the team #39;s most successful season.


A Race Too Close to Call After the first round of voting, the two leading candidates in Ukraines presidential elections are running neck and neck. KIEV, UkraineUkraines presidential elections look certain to go to a second


EU-Iranian talks on resolving nuclear issue still on track <b>...</b> The Iranian parliament #39;s vote backing the resumption of uranium enrichment was mainly tactical, designed to strengthen Tehran #39;s hand in nuclear talks with the EU, rather than a rejection of European demands for a halt to enrichment, diplomats said Monday.


Uruguay Elects its First Leftist President Uruguay has elected its first leftist president, Tabare Vazquez, who joins a growing list of left-leaning leaders in South America.


Is Google Bobbing for Apple? Just in case Apple #39;s (Nasdaq: AAPL) computer users were feeling left out, news reports say that Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) intends to develop its Desktop Search application for the Mac platform.


Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger says feud with Man U of  #39;no interest <b>...</b> Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is tired of talking about his team #39;s 2-0 loss to Manchester United more than a week ago. United ended Arsenal #39;s unbeaten league record of 49 games in a contentious game at Old Trafford on Oct. 24.


Jets, Dolphins reflect on memorable Monday night meeting Fans streamed out of the Meadowlands quite early the last time the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins played on Monday night. They had little reason to stay.


Iraq: A limitless insurgency People walking by mock coffins in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington during a tribute to the more than 1,100 US service personnel killed so far in the Iraq war.


IRAQ VOTER REGISTRATION BEGINS In a step towards landmark elections in Iraq, registering of voters and potential candidates has begun despite the latest violence, which claimed the life of Baghdad #39;s deputy governor.


Pakistan vows to back Nepal in fight against terrorism KATHMANDU : Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has expressed his support for Nepal #39;s fight against terrorism, Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat said.


Is IVAX Ailing? Despite showing strong growth, IVAX (AMEX: IVX) shares are getting pounded after the drug maker posted third-quarter results that still came in below analyst expectations and


California City Extends Outsourcing Deal ACS will continue to provide Orange with help-desk and application support, data-center and network management, and consulting services.


VSNL Buys Tyco #39;s Subsea Network The purchase makes it one of the top three leading players in the international undersea capacity business, alongside Global Crossing Holdings Ltd.


PNC Deal to Buy Riggs Seen in Jeopardy Riggs National Corp. shares fell Monday as more concerns surfaced that an ongoing money-laundering probe of the Washington, DC bank will scrap plans by PNC Financial Group Inc.


Veritas Reveals OpForce Upgrades Amidst claims that IT shops can now provision BEA WebLogic Servers in mere minutes instead of hours, Veritas today debuted version 4.0 of Opforce Enterprise Edition for Windows, Linux (Red Hat  amp; SUSE), Solaris and AIX.


China aims at five-day space shot China is set to launch its second manned space flight, which will carry two astronauts into a five-day orbit around the Earth in 2005.


Macromedia Bids For More eBay Users eBay sellers have a new content management tool to help them post storefronts faster, thanks to a newly customized Macromedia toolset.


Singh show not yet over for 2004 LONDON: The Vijay Singh show, a long-running golf blockbuster in 2004, could earn one more rave review by the end of this week. Fijian Singh, firmly established as the game #39;s most dominant player, has a golden


Agassi cruises Andre Agassi posted his second consecutive straight-set win, advancing to the quarterfinals of the US\$822,000 Stockholm Open on Thursday.


Seven Dead in Riot Thousands of police patrolled a tense town today after street fights between members of the countrys main ethnic group and a Muslim minority left seven people dead and 42 injured.


Botswana president wins landslide victory in general elections Botswana #39;s President Festus Mogae #39;s ruling party won a landslide victory in the country #39;s general elections during the weekends, and took well over two thirds of the 57


Copper Prices Fall Amid Concern of Slowing Consumption in China Copper prices in New York fell for the second session in three on signs of slowing demand from manufacturers in China, the world #39;s biggest buyer of the metal.


Delta Pilots Vote On One-Third Pay Cut ATLANTA -- Pilots for Delta Air Lines have begun to cast ballots on a union contract proposal that would slash their salaries by nearly a third.


Apple Introduces iPod Photo Your Entire Music  amp; Photo Library in <b>...</b> Apple introduced iPod Photo, the newest member of the iPod family that lets you take your entire music and photo library with you wherever you go.


Google Plans Desktop Search Tool for Mac Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox said that he is somewhat surprised Google is pursuing a search utility for the Mac.  quot;The search utility within a Mac OS X is already quite good, quot; Wilcox said.


Nigerian Oil Unions Take on Shell LAGOS, Nigeria - Oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell Group opened court action Monday to block a threatened strike targeting oil in the world #39;s No.


Merck shares plunge almost nine per cent after report it had Vioxx <b>...</b> Shares of Merck and Co. plunged almost nine per cent Monday after a media report said that documents show the pharmaceutical giant hid or denied evidence for years that its blockbuster


Memory Problem Prompts Toshiba Notebook Recall Toshiba said it will launch a recall to exchange a memory module that may cause data corruption in 26 notebook PC models. The components, procured from unidentified third parties, may potentially


Resident Evil 4 Exclusive No More November 01, 2004 - It looks like the folks at Capcom Entertainment were only kidding when they sternly insisted over and over again that the GameCube action-thriller Resident Evil 4 would forever remain exclusive to Nintendo #39;s console.


432-Year Search: Lost Star Found Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe spotted a new star in the sky on Nov. 11, 1572, and astronomers have been trying ever since to figure out exactly what happened.


Aussies go for Makybe Diva MELBOURNE: If Australian confidence counts for anything, Makybe Diva will be in the record books after today #39;s Melbourne Cup. The six-year-old mare was heavily backed yesterday to win the


Wenger fed up with fall-out Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he is tired of talking about his team #39;s fiery loss to Manchester United as his Red Devils counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson won #39;t let the subject go.


Lions sack king Porcher retires DETROIT -- Robert Porcher retired Monday, ending a 13-year career with the Detroit Lions, for whom he is the career leader in sacks.


Baseball Shock At Caminiti Death Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP who later admitted using steroids during his major league career, died Sunday. He was 41.


Merck Falls as E-Mails Suggest Vioxx Smoking Gun Merck  amp; Co. Inc. #39;s Vioxx recall is mushrooming into a product-liability nightmare that erased another \$23 billion of the company #39;s valuation on Monday, but analysts said it will likely withstand the crisis.


Update 1: Argentina Files Repayment Plan With SEC Argentina announced it had filed a proposal Monday before the US Securities and Exchange Commission to restructure US\$81.8 billion (euro64 billion) in defaulted public debt.


NY Coroner Cites Drugs, Disease in Caminiti Death An overdose of cocaine contributed to the heart attack that killed former Houston Astros third baseman and National League Most Valuable Player Ken Caminiti on Oct. 10, according to autopsy results made public on Monday.


UPDATE 1-Argentina to issue up to \$41.8 bln in bond swap Argentina will issue up to \$41.8 billion in new bonds as part of its world-record swap of \$100 billion in defaulted debt, Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna told reporters on Monday.


Humana Leads Insurance Sector Higher Shares of major Medicare providers moved higher Monday after Humana Inc. handed Wall Street strong third-quarter earnings results, echoing rather upbeat investor sentiment seen throughout the sector.


Ivax down after earnings, revenue miss Wall Street views NEW YORK -- The stock of Ivax Corp., a maker of generic drugs, fell to a 52-week low Monday after the company said competitive pricing hurt its third-quarter results, causing them to fall short of Wall Street #39;s expectations.


Update 2: DoubleClick Studies Sale, Other Options The online advertising market is hot, but pioneer DoubleClick Inc. isn #39;t. The provider of Internet advertising services has decided to explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale.


UPDATE 5-BorgWarner bids 621 mln euros for diesel maker Beru US car parts maker BorgWarner Inc. (BWA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) launched a 621-million-euro (\$790 million) takeover bid for German rival Beru


Valero to buy Kaneb Valero LP of San Antonio said Monday it will acquire Kaneb Services and Kaneb Pipe Line Partners of Dallas for \$2.8 billion. The assets of the combined partnership, which will retain the name Valero LP, will


NASA Announces May 2005 For Shuttle Flight Summary - (Nov 1, 2004) Grounded since the Columbia disaster, the space shuttles are tentatively expected to return to flight as early as May 2005, according to NASA officials.


Ingres goes open-source Computer Associates International on Monday kicked off its entry into open-source software with the release of its Ingres r3 database.


VERITAS Advances Server Provisioning, Automates Discovery <b>...</b> MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - November 1, 2004 -ERITAS Software Corporation (Nasdaq: VRTS), today extended the capabilities of VERITAS OpForce distributed server provisioning software to include software application discovery and configuration.


Fergie winning mind games with Arsenal Manchester United #39;s win at Old Trafford to end Arsenal #39;s record unbeaten run is history now - but the controversy rumbles on.


Big Sam Slams Souey Slur Bolton manager Sam Allardyce rounded on his Newcastle counterpart Graeme Souness tonight for criticising their style of play. Allardyce saw his unsung side reclaim fourth spot in the table after a 2-1 victory at the Reebok Stadium.


American, 3 Others Kidnapped in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - An American and three other foreigners were kidnapped Monday from their office in western Baghdad  quot;in an exchange of fire, quot; the Interior Ministry spokesman said.


US embassies issue terror threat warning in northern Europe HELSINKI, Finland US embassies in northern Europe say they have received  quot;threat information quot; and are urging Americans living in the Nordic and Baltic regions to be cautious.


US to Question China About Bush Comment WASHINGTON - The State Department will ask the Chinese government about comments by a former senior Chinese official who accused President Bush of trying to  quot;rule over the whole world.


Seven killed, 42 hurt in central China communal violence Beijing, Nov. 1 (PTI): Atleast seven people were killed and 42 others injured in the worst communal violence in Zhengzhou, capital of central China #39;s Henan province since October 27, the local Government confirmed today.


Japan earthquake drama overshadows hostage death severed head of a man found in Baghdad were of Koda. Newspapers reported his killing. Japan on October 23, killing at least 36 people and forcing 100,000 from their homes.


All Eyes On Nigeria As Oil Price Bounces Oil prices bounced higher on Friday after two days of sharp declines that came on the heels of rising inventories of crude in the US and a move by China to cool its economy.


New \$8.8B tender offer requires removal of poison pill LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) - Oracle Corp. on Monday raised its hostile bid for rival PeopleSoft to \$8.8 billion, calling the bid its  quot;best and final offer, quot; as CEO Larry Ellison raised the stakes in a 17-month takeover


Delta gets \$500M in financing As its pilots began voting on wage and other concessions, Delta Air Lines today announced \$500 million in new financing from General Electric Commercial Finance.


Maxim Joins Inventory Buildup Chorus Maxim (MXIM:Nasdaq - news - research) grew its first-quarter profit but said an inventory buildup hurt new bookings, a development bound to weigh on revenue in the quarter now underway.


China shuts internet cafes CHINA has closed 1,600 internet cafes and fined operators a total of \$US12 million (\$16 million) for letting children play violent games and for other violations, the government said.


Intel Offers Ultra-High-End P4 Extreme Edition Intel unveiled its latest ultra-high-end processor platform, the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition, with a higher-speed frontside bus and more cache and memory.


Ingres r3 open source database ships for Linux, Windows Computer Associates International plans to widen the field for open source alternatives to commercial databases with the general release of the Ingres r3 database on the Linux and Windows platforms.


Nokia 9500 Communicator Receives Wi-Fi Certification NEW YORK, November 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nokia today announced the Nokia 9500 Communicator has been granted the IEEE 802-11b and WPA (Wireless Protected Access) certifications by the Wi-Fi Alliance.


Houston Astros general manager resigns CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Gerry Hunsicker has decided to step down as general manager of the Houston Astros after nine years on the job.


Lynch lost with broken tailbone John Lynch will be out for two-to-four weeks after being diagnosed with a fractured tailbone. Denver #39;s veteran safety went down after being hit in the side by Falcons receiver Brian Finneran in Sunday #39;s 41-28 loss.


Elvstroem all set for race that stops a nation For 24 sets of horses, trainers, jockeys, strappers and connections, the ultimate Australian sporting prize is within reach today at famous Flemington - the \$4.


Norway closes Latvian embassy Norway evacuated and closed its Latvian embassy Monday out of fear of a possible terrorist attack, Aftenposten reported. US officials also warned their own citizens about possible


Oracle Boosts PeopleSoft Bid to \$8.8 Billion Oracle lifted its purchase offer for PeopleSoft to \$24 per share from a previous bid of \$21.  quot;This price represents a significant premium to recent trading prices, and is in excess of the 52


Weaker Dollar Causes Toyota #39;s Profit to Slip Profit at the Toyota Motor Corporation slipped 1.5 percent in the most recent quarter as damage from a falling dollar offset strong increases in sales around the world.


Manufacturing growth slows Closely watched ISM index for October comes in below September level but still shows expansion. Follow the news that matters to you.