Berlusconi in Libya to discuss illegal immigration with Kadhafi (AFP) AFP - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi for talks on how to stop illegal immigrants using the north African state as a springboard for entry into Italy.


Bush Campaign Lawyer Quits Over Ties to Ads Group (Reuters) Reuters - A top lawyer for President\Bush's re-election campaign resigned on Wednesday after\disclosing he has been providing legal advice to a group that\accuses Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry of lying\about his Vietnam War record.


Mishap Ends Briton's Transpacific Rowing Attempt  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A British man's attempt to  become the first person to row across the North Pacific Ocean  ended after his boat capsized, the U.S. Coast Guard said on  Wednesday.


Boeing Wins Order From Singapore, Fails to Sell 7E7 (Update1) Boeing Co, the world #39;s second-biggest maker of commercial aircraft, won a \$3.6 billion order for 18 planes from Singapore Airlines Ltd.


Washington Post Managing Editor Stepping Down Steve Coll, The Washington Post #39;s managing editor for six years, said today he is stepping down at the end of the year to pursue book projects.


Greenspan Says Effects of Japan Currency Sales Hard to Gauge The effect of Japan #39;s currency sales this year and last on the value of the yen are difficult to judge, #39; #39; Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said.


DOJ Raids Private P2P Operation Authorities raided five residences and and an Internet service provider Wednesday morning in the first federal criminal enforcement action against private peer-to-peer (P2P) (define) networks.


Server Sales Favor Linux Linux servers are on the rise again thanks in part to low-end and x86-64 based servers, according to a new survey by market research firm Gartner.


Computer Associates shareholders defeat proposal to recall bonuses Shareholders of Computer Associates International, the software maker tarred by an accounting scandal, Wednesday defeated a proposal calling for current and former executives to return bonuses based on restated results.


RIAA Steps Up P2P Legal Campaign The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) launched its back-to-school, anti peer-to-peer (P2P) (define) campaign Tuesday with a national media briefing praising the efforts of a handful of colleges and universities to stop piracy.


Microsoft Releases MOM 2005 To Manufacturing Channel partners say the release of enterprise and SMB versions of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 this week will boost Windows management but they #39;re not sure whether it will boost sales.


Microsoft Windows-Linux Comparison Found to be Unfair A Microsoft ad saying that Linux was 10 times more expensive than Windows has been found to be an unfair advert in the UK. The UK #39;s Advertising Standards Authority


Open-Source Community Skeptical About Microsoft #39;s Sender ID <b>...</b> Microsoft this month is moving forward with the developer implementation of its anti-spam Sender ID framework, but open-source advocates and mail vendors doubt whether the software giant #39;s new proposed license meets open-source requirements.


Ask Kim Komando Q: I hear weird sounds coming from my computer - for instance, a door opening and closing. Is this normal? I use America Online. A: These sounds are coming from your AOL Buddy List, letting you know when a buddy has logged in or logged off.


Greek comes from nowhere to win women #39;s hurdles To the roar of an adoring home crowd, Fani Halkia completed her unexpected romp through the Olympics on Wednesday with a victory in the women #39;s 400-meter hurdles.


WRAPUP 1-Record-breaking Arsenal sweep past Rovers Champions Arsenal made history on Wednesday by trouncing Blackburn Rovers 3-0 at Highbury to set a 43-match unbeaten league record in English football.


High drama as stars dissolve in tracks of tears ATHENS: Seldom have sporting moments of inconceivable pain and delirious joy covered more emotional ground yet been so difficult to distinguish.


Athens Asides AUSTRIAN triathlon athlete Kate Allen passed Australia #39;s Loretta Harrop just seconds before crossing the finish line yesterday, completing a stunning race in which she passed over half the field during the final leg.


Fridman gets Israel #39;s 1st ever gold ATHENS - Windsurfer Gal Fridman won his country #39;s first gold medal since Israel began competing in the Olympics at Helsinki in 1952 when he captured the men #39;s Mistral sailboard title at Agios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Centre on Wednesday.


UPDATE 1-Rangers crash out after home draw with CSKA Rangers failed to reach the Champions League group stage for a second successive season as CSKA Moscow progressed 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 away draw on Wednesday.


Cost of Gold in Olympics: \$12.1 Bln The Athens Olympics will cost a total of almost 10 billion euros (\$12.1 billion), more than double the original target, pushing Greece #39;s budget gap well above EU limits, finance ministry sources said on Wednesday.


Danish players suspend strike against FIFA transfer rules COPENHAGEN: Danish footballers on Wednesday temporarily suspended their week-long strike action in protest at a rule by the games ruling body FIFA concerning the transfer of players under 23 years old.


SI.com HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Jeff Kent was the latest to put a knockout punch on the Philadelphia Phillies . Now the question is, for how much longer will Larry Bowa hang on to the ropes?


Thatcher son held in S Africa probe for role in Guinea coup CAPE TOWN, AUGUST 25: The son of former British PM Margaret Thatcher was arrested in South Africa on Wednesday on suspicion of involvement in a mercenary plot against the government of Equatorial Guinea.


Kathmandu back in business after Maoist rebels lift blockade KATHMANDU - Food and supplies are rolling into Kathmandu again after Maoist rebels lift a week-long blockade that demonstrated their growing power in the impoverished Himalayan kingdom.


Praying for Christian Unity, Pope Sends Treasured Icon Back to <b>...</b> Vatican City, Aug. 25--Pope John Paul II on Wednesday kissed a treasured Russian icon and sent it back to Moscow as a sign of his affection for the Russian Orthodox Church and his desire to end


Cingular, AT T and AT T Wireless Resolve Brand Issues (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - AT T Wireless and \Cingular Wireless say they have resolved the issues relating to Cingular's use of the AT T brand name once Cingular's acquisition of its former rival is complete. The agreement also includes a provision for the purchase of AT T network services.


Report: Enterprises Go Outside for Security Help (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - It is no secret that enterprise networks are increasingly under attack from a variety of sources that are difficult to thwart. To address the problem, many are turning to outside security providers, which is driving \the rapid evolution of new safeguarding technologies, according to \research conducted by the Yankee Group.


New Jersey's Xanadu Faces Stiff Environmental Tests (Reuters) Reuters - Xanadu, a  #36;1.3 billion entertainment\complex planned for New Jersey, now faces a stiffer\environmental test because two state agencies likely will\demand a more in-depth look at how air quality and traffic\would be affected.


Former Enron Executive Pleads Guilty to Aiding Securities Fraud Former Enron Corp. executive Mark Koenig pleaded guilty in federal court in Houston to aiding and abetting securities fraud and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.


Dow Closes Up 83 on Lower Oil Prices Stocks rallied in quiet trading Wednesday as oil prices fell for a fourth straight session, countering a pair of government reports that gave a mixed picture of the economy.


Citigroup Buys Texas Bank Continuing to snap up branch networks in states with large Hispanic populations, Citigroup Inc. Tuesday, Aug. 24, agreed to buy First American Bank of Texas for an undisclosed price.


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


Tiny telescope detects a giant planet A tiny telescope has spotted a giant planet circling a faraway star, using a technique that could open a new phase of planetary discovery, scientists said.


#39;Marathon #39; mice ready to run and run The marathon mouse has been unveiled by scientists: a rodent which, with a little genetic tinkering, can run twice as far as a normal mouse.


Report: Asia faces water shortage Scientists are warning that Asian farmers are drying up the continents underground reserves by drilling millions of pump-operated wells to draw out water.


Cable Operator Mediacom Partners With Sprint In the latest alliance between a cable and telephone company, cable operator Mediacom Communications Corp. on Wednesday said it would use Sprint Corp.


You can blame NASA for the peculiar weather I have resisted commenting on this summer #39;s weather in hopes that it would straighten itself out. Since that no longer seems possible, however, I feel compelled to offer some advice on the subject.


Gardner Puts Down Boots to Begin New Life A giant man placing his blue boots in the center of a yellow mat would be a strange sight to the uninitiated. But to American Rulon Gardner, the symbolism was huge.


Sri Lanka clinch series DAMBULLA: Marvan Atapattu slammed a solid 97 not out on a difficult pitch as Sri Lanka wrapped up the one-day cricket series with a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the third match on Wednesday.


250,000 Chinese flee typhoon TAIPEI, Taiwan -- China has begun evacuating almost 250,000 people from coastal areas as it braces for the onslaught of Typhoon Aere.


JCC Arson Roils French Jews Jewish leaders expressed growing frustration this week with continuing anti-Semitic violence in Europe following the torching of a Jewish community center in Paris early Sunday.


Europe Opens Another Inquiry Involving Microsoft The European Commission has opened an investigation into the planned acquisition of ContentGuard Holdings by Microsoft and Time Warner, a commission spokeswoman said Wednesday.


Cirrus Logic to Lay Off Workers Cirrus Logic Inc., a maker of microchips for consumer electronics, on Wednesday said it will lay off 7 percent of its employees to save \$2 million to \$3 million per quarter, with expense reductions starting in its third quarter.


US banks want a piece of Texas US banks are feasting on the fast-growing Texas market, where a rapidly growing population and its ability to lure new businesses have experts predicting competition for deals there will become more intense.


Wall Street rallys as falling oil prices lure buyers By George Chamberlin , Daily Transcript Financial Correspondent. A big drop in oil prices helped stock prices move higher Wednesday.


Calif. to host greatest garage sale ever The state is holding a rummage sale to get rid of a whole bunch of unwanted stuff. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is holding a rummage sale to dispose of unwanted state property from aircraft engines to jewelry.


Mediacom Taps Sprint to Provide VoIP Mediacom Communications says it will launch VoIP telephone service in selected markets in the first half of 2005 in partnership with Sprint.


Simply the best? Arsenal #39;s victory over Blackburn has set a new record of 43 league matches unbeaten, surpassing the old mark set by Nottingham Forest in 1978.


Hicks confirms abuse allegations ACCUSED Australian terrorist David Hicks confirmed allegations he was abused while in US military ustody in Afghanistan, his father said today.


Briefly: Toshiba tinkers with Wi-Fi for TV roundup Plus: Music promoter offers concert downloads...WS-I tackles Web services attachments...Newspaper sites take up paid search ads.


Accounting deadline could kill software spending Wall Street analysts debate whether year-end Sarbanes-Oxley deadline will sap demand for corporate software systems.


Redback on the comeback trail Eight months after it emerged from bankruptcy, Redback Networks is racking up new contracts.


Toshiba tinkers with Wi-Fi for TV The 802.11a offshoot will allow TVs and other non-PC devices to receive video files more easily.


Borland acquires software project planning tool Focused on improving its requirements management arsenal for software development, Borland Software on Wednesday is announcing its acquisition of Estimate Professional, a software project planning and estimation tool.


Cubs Nudge Brewers 4-2 on Last-Gasp Homer (AP) AP - Corey Patterson hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday to give the Cubs a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago's eighth victory in 11 games.


German investor confidence stabilises in December on oil price declines (AFP) AFP - Investor confidence in Germany, the eurozone's biggest economy, stabilised, albeit at low levels, in December, as falling oil prices helped offset concerns about the negative economic effects of the strong euro, a new poll showed.


US new home sales dive 6.4 percent in July (AFP) AFP - Sales of new US homes plunged in July for the second straight month, data showed, a sign of chillier demand cooling the once red-hot market.


Open-Source Community Skeptical About Microsoft's Sender ID License (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Sender ID's license is making it impossible for open-source programmers to use it in their e-mail applications.


BA boss admits 'we got it wrong' British Airways chief executive Rod Eddington admits the airline "got it wrong" after staff shortages led to travel chaos.


Dirrell Boosts American Title Hopes in Boxing Middleweight Andre Dirrell boosted the United States #39; slim hopes of winning an Olympic boxing title by booking a place in the semi-finals with a narrow victory over Cuba #39;s Yordani Despaigne Wednesday.


Japan #39;s UFJ Says It Is Examining SMFG Offer, But No Change to MTFG <b>...</b> Earlier, SMFG said it offered the one-for-one share exchange ratio to UFJ Holdings as part of its bid to win the support of UFJ for its merger proposal over a rival offer from MTFG.


Airline to charge \$10 for buying tickets NEW YORK To the long list of things that used to be free but that airlines now want you to pay for, add walking up to the counter to buy a ticket.


UPDATE 1-Soft landing for China economy not yet assured-IMF A soft landing for China #39;s booming economy was not yet a sure thing, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday, despite a raft of measures by Beijing to slow investment in overheated sectors.


Liquidation threat grows at Alitalia MILAN Alitalia moved closer to liquidation Wednesday with a government official demanding that the management of the Italian state-owned airline and its unions reach a quick agreement on a restructuring plan.


Virus worms way into webcams It sounds like a sci-fi nightmare, but it could be every teenage geek #39;s dream: a computer worm that can wriggle into bedrooms and secretly hijack webcams to spy on people.


US court delivers blow to Yahoo A US appeals court has ruled that a lower tribunal had no right to decide a case brought against US internet giant Yahoo by two French groups trying to halt online sales of Nazi memorabilia.


PDF Proof:  #39;This Song is Your Song #39; A court case alleging copyright infringement against a Web site using a popular song in a political parody ended abruptly when an Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) investigation revealed that Woody Guthrie #39;s  quot;This Land is Your Land quot; is in the public


Telekom Austria posts better than expected results Telekom Austria AG has posted better than expected financial results for the first half of the year, scarcely one week after merger talks with Swisscom AG broke down.


Alternatives To The INDUCE Act The Importance of writes  quot;The INDUCE Act, which has been discussed many times previously, will likely be getting a lot more attention thanks to the recent Grokster decision.


PlayStation Portable Chip Details boarder8925 writes  quot;The Register posted an article today that detailed the PlayStation Portable #39;s chip specs. The CPU will run at up to 333MHz, and its frontside bus at up to 166MHz.


Athletics: For Greeks, hurdles offer redemption after heroes #39; fall ATHENS In her semifinal, Fani Halkia had run the fastest women #39;s 400-meter hurdles in Olympic history. After the final on Wednesday night she ran what might have been the slowest victory lap.


Wrestling: Cinderella in Sydney suffers turnabout at hands of <b>...</b> One of the big stars of the 2000 Summer Games, Gardner was thrown to the mat in overtime by Georgi Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan and lost 4-1 in his Greco-Roman semifinal match.


Jana vows to return JANA Pittman, the girl who had no right to even be in an Olympic final, today ran her heart out but ultimately finished just out of the medals in the 400m hurdles final.


Cuba takes gold medal in baseball ATHENS Cuba captured its third gold medal in Olympic baseball on Wednesday, beating Australia by 6-2 as Frederich Cepeda hit a two-run homer for the Cubans.


US appeals court delivers blow to Yahoo over Nazi memorabilia row (AFP) AFP - A US appeals court has ruled that a lower tribunal had no right to decide a case brought against US Internet giant Yahoo by two French groups trying to halt online sales of Nazi memorabilia.


N.B. truck driver accused in heist of 50,000 cans of Moosehead beer (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - FREDERICTON (CP) - A New Brunswick truck driver arrested in Ontario this week has been accused by police of stealing 50,000 cans of Moosehead beer.


SkyCity plays its cards right NEW Zealand casino operator SkyCity Entertainment Group expects to double its Australian earnings in 2004-05 following its takeover of the Darwin casino.


Bouygues and Vivendi in mobile deal PARIS Bouygues Telecom and Vivendi Universal, both of France, began a new mobile phone service Wednesday in an attempt to bolster their market share and increase revenue from young customers.


Beckoned by the Balkans LONDON For a company that had just reported a 26 percent increase in its quarterly earnings, sharply beating market expectations, Telekom Austria found itself with an awful lot of explaining to do as its top executives met with analysts and investors in


Militant cleric charged in 2003 hotel bombing JAKARTA A militant Muslim cleric was charged Wednesday under a tough antiterrorism law in the bombing of a Jakarta hotel and could face the death penalty if convicted.


Dual-core chips bring dual caches Dual-core chips that AMD and Intel plan to bring to market next year won't be sharing their memories.


Winamp flaw: Digital attacks use skins for camouflage Users of the music player should watch out for hacked themes; a flaw allows would-be intruders to take control of PCs.


BMC adds PeopleSoft management BMC Software has released a new version of Patrol for PeopleSoft 2.0 that allows companies to centrally manage PeopleSoft users, transactions, jobs, SQL requests, and business processes.


CAO chief faces Singapore probe The chief of Beijing-backed China Aviation Oil #39;s (CAO) Singapore unit has agreed to return to Singapore this week to face investigators in the city-state #39;s biggest financial scandal since the 1995 fall of Barings Bank, company


A Microsoft deal gets full EU inquiry BRUSSELS The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into Microsoft #39;s and Time Warner #39;s plans to jointly acquire ContentGuard Holdings, a specialist in software that protects digital material from counterfeiting, a commission spokeswoman


Feds Bust File-Sharing Sites Operation Digital Gridlock targets peer-to-peer sites, ISPs in piracy investigation.


A Daily Look at U.S. Iraq Military Deaths (AP) AP - As of Wednesday, Aug. 25, 964 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq in March 2003, according to the Defense Department. Of those, 722 died as a result of hostile action and 242 died of non-hostile causes.


Jacobsen Skips Hartford to Play Tradition (AP) AP - Last year, Peter Jacobsen was too young to play in the Tradition. This year, he has already won a major on the Champions Tour as he readies for his debut in the tournament he helped bring to his home state.


Alta prison bans pedophile from socials with kids that fuel his fantasies (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - A medium-security prison in Alberta has banned a Manitoba pedophile from social functions with the children of other inmates following the man's admission that the events fuel his sexual fantasies.


Olympics: Fame But Questions for Greece's New Heroine  ATHENS (Reuters) - Fani Halkia hurtled from virtual  obscurity to become Olympic women's 400 meters hurdles champion  on Wednesday, giving Greece a new sports diva to hail but  sparking a barrage of questions over her rise to prominence.


U.S. Expresses Concern About UAL Pensions  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration expressed  fresh concern on Wednesday about the possibility bankrupt  United Airlines UALAQ.OB might scrap its employee pension  plans, which would shift the burden of paying benefits to the  government.


Nikkei Seen Firming After 11,000 Cleared  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average is expected to  extend gains on Thursday as investors keep a healthy appetite  for blue-chip exporters after a fall in oil prices boosted  confidence over the U.S. economy and lifted Wall Street stocks.


Sudan Closes Its Embassy in Washington (AP) AP - Sudan said Wednesday it had closed its embassy in Washington after being unable to find a bank that would handle its financial matters.


Sumitomo Mitsui bid for UFJ to test cost-cutting skills TOKYO: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc #39;s US\$29bil hostile bid for UFJ Holdings Inc may hinge on its ability to convince shareholders that it can cut costs and bad loans at Japan #39;s most unprofitable bank, investors said.


EU probes Microsoft-Time Warner deal The European Commission on Wednesday opened an in-depth investigation into plans for joint takeover of ContentGuard, a US anti-piracy tech firm, by Microsoftand Time Warner.


US stocks end higher as crude oil prices continue decline Wall Street stocks traded higher Wednesday as crude oil prices, reaching above 49 dollars per barrel last week, plunged for a fourth straight session.


CORRECTED - IMF says loosening of yuan in China #39;s interest In WASHINGTON story headlined  quot;IMF says loosening of yuan in China #39;s interest quot; please read in first paragraph ... undervalued ... instead of ... overvalued ... (corrects direction). WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters


US Fed official says economic softness  quot;fleeting quot; President of the US Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Jack Guynn said on Wednesday that the soft patch that the US economy hit recently was likely to be short-lived.


Alitalia Unions Threaten Strikes on Contract Demands (Update1) Alitalia SpA, Italy #39;s largest airline, faces strikes and airport blockades should Chief Executive Giancarlo Cimoli seek bankruptcy protection for the carrier, cut thousands of jobs or break up the company, union officials said.


Auckland airport profit up 13 Auckland International Airport has reported a 13 increase in annual net profit, buoyed by strong growth in passenger numbers and a 30 increase in international seat capacity.


Washington Post Managing Editor Resigns Steve Coll, The Washington Post #39;s managing editor since 1998, is stepping down to focus on writing books, the paper reported Wednesday.


Stocks: New drop in oil prices encourages Wall St. NEW YORK Stocks inched higher in quiet trading on Wednesday as a pair of government reports offered conflicting signals about the economy, and oil prices declined.


Former Enron Official Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (AFP) - A former top Enron official responsible for investor relations pleaded guilty Wednesday to securities fraud as part of a plea agreement, under which he has agreed to cooperate fully with the government #39;s ongoing criminal


NTT DoCoMo and Motorola teams up on 3G Phones NTT DoCoMo, top mobile phone carrier in Japan, and Motorola Inc., worlds number two cell-phone maker, plans to develop third-generation cell phones that allow subscribers in Japan to use services in other parts of Asia and Europe.


Feds Bust File-Sharing Sites Law enforcement agents have raided five homes and one ISP in what the Department of Justice calls the first federal enforcement action against piracy on peer-to-peer networks.


New technique to enhance semiconductors Conventional silicon based microchips have been known to be problematic at high temperatures, often due to heat generated by the circuit within while operating at high frequencies.


Microsoft expands mainframe pitch Microsoft is expanding a plan to draw mainframe customers to Windows for high-end applications. Under a program with the internal code name Mission Critical Microsoft, the company is trying to extend its current


Body Asymmetry Tied to Aggression If one of your ears is bigger than the other, it may be a sign you #39;re more likely to be aggressive when you get angry. So say Ohio State University researchers, who found


Science Magazine: Asia Farmers Sucking Continent Dry Asian farmers drilling millions of pump-operated wells in an ever-deeper search for water are threatening to suck the continent #39;s underground reserves dry, a science magazine warned on Wednesday.


Jamaica to provide free Net access JAMAICA #39;S government has announced a \$US5 million program to provide free internet access in poor communities across the island.


Arsenal beat Forest #39;s record ARSENAL became the first side in English football to go 43 league matches unbeaten when they beat Blackburn 3-0 at Highbury last night to return to the top of the Premiership.


Patterson sends Brewers packing Corey Patterson smacked a two-out, two-run home run in the ninth inning Wednesday to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 4-2 victory and complete a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.


Russia Observes Day of Mourning for Plane Crash Victims Russians are observing a day of mourning Thursday for the 89 victims of two nearly simultaneous plane crashes Tuesday. Investigators say they have no evidence to prove whether the crashes late on Tuesday were caused by terrorism.


US reiterates support for Iraqi interim government The United States on Wednesday reiterated American support for the Iraqi interim government headed by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. The US supports Allawi and his government #39;s


Darfur witnesses arrested in Sudan The Sudanese government was accused yesterday of arresting people who have spoken to foreign visitors, ceasefire monitors and journalists about continuing atrocities in Darfur.


Palestinians vote for reforms; fear Arafat inaction Palestinian legislators voted yesterday to back an anti-corruption reform package, but feared nothing would come of it as President Yasser Arafat was withholding his stamp of approval.


Lawyer Advising Vets Quits Bush Campaign WASHINGTON - One of President Bush's top lawyers resigned from his campaign Wednesday, a day after disclosing that he had given legal advice to a veterans group airing TV ads challenging Democrat John Kerry's Vietnam War service. The guidance included checking ad scripts, the group said...


U.S. Expresses Concern About UAL Pensions (Reuters) Reuters - The Bush administration expressed\fresh concern on Wednesday about the possibility bankrupt\United Airlines (UALAQ.OB) might scrap its employee pension\plans, which would shift the burden of paying benefits to the\government.


Curacao Rallies to Beat Taiwan 9-8 in LLWS (AP) AP - Down four runs with only three outs left, Curacao manager Vernon Isabella thought his team's run for a championship was over. That was until Jonathan Schoop led an unlikely rally.


IBM, Vanco Land VPN Deal LONDON -- IBM has signed a 7-year 500 million deal with Lloyds TSB to enhance the Bank #39;s voice and data services in support of next-generation business solutions.


Russia Looks for Cause of 2 Plane Crashes (AP) AP - Russian investigators labored Wednesday to determine whether terrorism caused the near-simultaneous crashes of two jetliners, killing all 89 people aboard and spreading anxieties about a possible bloody escalation of the Chechen conflict.


Rice Hall Buys Growth On The Cheap (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - Maybe it's the sunshine, but San Diego has been a hotbed of growth-oriented mutual funds for more than two decades. Most of these growth shops buy the hottest names with the fastest growth rates. But one, Rice Hall James, takes a more cautious approach.


Chinese Game Maker Shows Winning Touch (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - Chinese Internet companies that lit up Wall Street last year have become fading stars. Most blame the slowdown in the wireless end of their business for their shrinking market value.


Nikkei Opens Higher on Economic Optimism  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.73 percent  at the opening on Thursday as investors bought exporters such  as Canon Inc. after a fall in oil prices boosted confidence  over the U.S. economy and lifted Wall Street stocks.


The Olympic  Drug Problem Just eleven days into the 2004 Olympics in Athens, we have already been confronted with the seemingly common problem of drug use within sport. So much so, in fact, that it has been dubbed "The Gene Games" by chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency's ethical issues review panel, Thomas Murray.    In a recent interview conducted by the New York Times, Murray talks about the impact of drugs in sport, and what effect they have on the athletes involved.


Microsoft releases Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Microsoft Corp. has announced the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system, the successor to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition introduced in November 2002.


Microsoft releases key management software Microsoft Wednesday released the latest versions of its performance and monitoring tool, which forms a cornerstone in its plan to create a management platform for Windows.


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


Manchester United join hunt for Rooney MANCHESTER, Aug 25 (SW) - Within the past hour, Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United, has confirmed that the club had made a 20m bid to sign 18 year old England International Wayne Rooney from Everton.


Newisys paves way for 16-, 32-chip Opteron servers Company looks to leap past current limit of eight Opteron processors in a single server.


Winamp vulnerable to camouflaged-skin attacks Users of the music player should watch out for hacked themes; a flaw allows would-be intruders to take control of PCs.


U.S. government cracks down on P-to-P piracy U.S. law enforcement agents raided five homes and one Internet service provider on Wednesday in what the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) calls the first federal enforcement action against piracy on peer-to-peer (P-to-P) networks.


Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Second-Half Doubles to A\$394 Million Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Ltd. #39;s second-half profit more than doubled as advertising sales and gaming returns increased at the owner of Australia #39;s top-rating television network and the nation #39;s biggest casino.


Ferguson in bid for  #39;fabulous #39; Rooney The pursuit of Wayne Rooney became serious last night as Everton confirmed Manchester United had tabled a 20m bid for the England striker.


SI.com CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs appeared to receive a gift from first base umpire Mark Wegner leading off the bottom of the ninth.


Iraqi cleric urges march to Najaf Iraq #39;s most respected Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, made a dramatic return to the country Wednesday and urged all Iraqi Muslims to join him on a march to the


Nikkei Opens Higher on Economic Optimism (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.73 percent\at the opening on Thursday as investors bought exporters such\as Canon Inc. after a fall in oil prices boosted confidence\over the U.S. economy and lifted Wall Street stocks.


Arafat Fends Off Challenge Over Reforms (AP) AP - RAMALLAH, West Bank  #151; Yasser Arafat fended off another challenge to his authority Wednesday when Palestinian lawmakers backed away from sweeping reform demands, instead approving a watered down set of recommendations.


Thatcher's Son Charged in Coup Plot (AP) AP - The son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, an ex-race car driver whose business career has been dogged by accusations of questionable arms deals and shady ventures, was charged Wednesday with helping finance a foiled coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.


Glance at GOP Platform (AP) AP - In developing a party platform, Republicans devoted much effort to the question of how to extend a welcome to party members who oppose the GOP's stand against abortion and gay rights.


Playing Catch-Up With Sheffield Even nearly 25 years later, Gary Sheffield still wonders how his team from Tampa, Fla., lost to Taiwan in the 1980 Little League World Series.


Digital attacks on Winamp use 'skins' for camouflage Users of the music player should watch out for hacked themes; a flaw allows would-be intruders to take control of PCs.


Microsoft faces new EC inquiry European Union regulators yesterday flexed their muscles by ordering an in-depth inquiry into plans by Microsoft and Time Warner to buy one of the world #39;s leading providers of anti-piracy software.


BAE wins anti-missile contract BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman were last night awarded contracts by the United States government to develop technology for protecting commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles.


Force is with Pinewood after Star Wars deal Pinewood Shepperton yesterday reported a 32 rise in first-half profits as the film studio business reported its maiden results following a 92m flotation this year.


Under fire, CA pledges to right its ship Facing shareholder anger, top executives of Computer Associates International (CA) this week pledged to add 150 new employees to aid its channel efforts and to overcome distractions created


Salad oil may fuel hydrogen car of future Researchers yesterday unveiled a new fuel: clean, green and also good in a salad dressing. Sunflower oil is light in taste and rich in vitamin E, and Valerie Dupont of the University of Leeds believes it could


NASA funds extension of Mars Odyssey orbiter mission NASA has extended the mission of the Mars Odyssey orbiter which has been studying and mapping the Red Planet since early 2002 as well as serving as a relay for data from the surface rovers Spirit and Opportunity.


Arsenal sets unbeaten streak record Arsenal set the new English soccer standard Wednesday with a 3-0 win over the Blackburn Rovers at Highbury, eclipsing the old mark of 42 (21 wins, 21 ties) held by Nottingham Forest since 1978.


Bryant Prosecutors Say Some Data Tainted (AP) AP - Two days before the start of jury selection in Kobe Bryant's rape case, prosecutors charged that crucial DNA evidence the defense had hoped to use to prove the NBA star's innocence might have been contaminated.


NFL Expresses Interest in Anaheim Franchise (AP) AP - The NFL has approached Anaheim city officials about possibly building a stadium complex for an NFL franchise that could begin play as soon as 2008.


Australia planning to buy long-range stealth cruise missiles: report (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Australia will become the first country in the Southeast Asia Pacific region to be armed with long-range stealth cruise missiles in a move that could irritate its neighbours, a newspaper said Thursday.


NL Wrap: Patterson's Homer Keeps Cubs in NL Wildcard Lead  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corey Patterson clubbed a two-run  homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago  Cubs a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National  League (NL) Wednesday.


Gates Contributes to Stem Cell Campaign (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp. chairman Bill Gates contributed  #36;400,000 to the campaign backing a California ballot measure that would make billions of dollars available for human embryonic stem cell research and cloning projects in the state, according to campaign records.


Alien Catfish Species Found in N.J. Canal (AP) AP - An alien species of catfish has been caught in the Delaware Raritan Canal, prompting fears among environmental officials that the voracious predator could devastate native catfish, sunfish and some sturgeon populations the way it has in southeastern states.


PC users happier--especially with Apple, Dell Customer satisfaction with home computers reaches three-year peak, with highest marks for Apple and Dell, survey says.


UPDATE 3-Gambro sells US kidney clinics unit to DaVita Swedish kidney-care company Gambro AB (GAMBa.ST: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday it signed a \$3.05 billion deal to sell its US clinics


Japan Trade Surplus Expands Again in July (AP) AP - Japan's trade surplus expanded for the 13th straight month in July due to rising exports of automobiles and high-technology products to Asia, the United States and Europe.


Japan Stocks Firm on Optimism on Oil Fall  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.37 percent  in early trade on Thursday as investors bought exporters such  as Canon Inc. after a fall in oil prices boosted confidence  over the U.S. economy and lifted Wall Street stocks.


NASA Extends Mars Odyssey Orbiter Mission (AP) AP - NASA has extended the mission of the Mars Odyssey orbiter which has been studying and mapping the Red Planet since early 2002 as well as serving as a relay for data from the surface rovers Spirit and Opportunity.


Crude Oil Little Changed After 3.9 Plunge on Gasoline Supply Crude oil futures were little changed, after plunging 3.9 percent yesterday, the biggest decline in almost three months, as a government report showed that US gasoline supplies were higher than expected.


Profits rise as AGL flags NZ sale Australian Gas Light Company has flagged the sale of its stake in New Zealand #39;s NGC Holdings, after the Australian energy retailer today reported an 18.


Former Enron official pleads guilty to securities fraud A former top Enron official pleaded guilty Wednesday to securities fraud and agreed to cooperate fully with the ongoing criminal investigation of Enron #39;scollapse.


Pinewood studios maiden profit jumps British film studio Pinewood Shepperton, home to James Bond and Harry Potter films, has posted a 31.6 percent gain in its maiden half-year profit report and says it is confident on prospects for the full year.


Shell  #39;faces \$1.5bn Nigeria bill #39; Nigeria #39;s Senate is reportedly to ask a Shell unit to pay \$1.5bn (0.84bn) compensation to oilfield communities for environmental damage.


US Awards Airliner Antimissile Contracts Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and BAE Systems PLC (BA.L: Quote, Profile, Research) were tapped by the Bush administration on Wednesday to develop


Overtime rules may affect 7.3M New federal rules governing overtime pay went into effect Monday. USA TODAY workplace reporter Stephanie Armour explains how the rules will affect some workers.


Reports Show a Mixed View of Economy Factory orders for costly manufactured goods in July recorded the biggest gain in four months. New-homes sales, meanwhile, slid, according to a pair of reports that offered a mixed picture of economic activity.


Boldly going where no chips have gone before Paris - One of the last frontiers of semiconductor technology - environments where electronic devices have to run at high power, in fierce heat or at lethal doses of radiation - may be about to fall.


Sinister new worm turns PCs into peeping toms An internet security company has discovered a sinister computer worm that turns people #39;s machines into peeping toms, secretly recording everything they see and hear.


Scientists Say Sunoil Could Power Cars, Homes British scientists say they have found a new, greener way to power cars and homes using sunflower oil, a commodity more commonly used for cooking fries.


Study: Americans happier with their PCs US consumers are happier with their PC purchases than they have been in the past three years, with Apple Computer and Dell pleasing them most, according to a report.


In Crocodile Evolution, the Bite Came Before the Body The creature, named Junggarsuchus sloani, was a three-foot-long one-meter-long sphenosuchianone of a class of small, slender, land-dwelling crocodilians that lived from about 230 million to 150 million years ago.


New turn in Yahoo tussle with France over Nazi items Yahoo #39;s face-off with France over Nazi paraphernalia took its latest twist Monday, with a federal appeals court reversing an earlier decision that found the First Amendment protected the Web portal from legal action over the issue in the United States.


IOC Ignores Snub, but Israel Stands Tall HE was the brown-eyed windsurfer with a gentle waviness to his thick hair, perched last night atop a medal stand, struggling to keep his tin voice on key as he sang a national anthem called  quot;The Hope.


From shock winner to dignified loser, Gardner leaves stage a true <b>...</b> The man who beat the man they said was the greatest wrestler the world has ever known felt his own tug of mortality here yesterday, in a grey building on a scorching, rubbish-strewn hillside of broken-down houses and a stray goat.


Campbell throws rivals a curve ball Going into territory that Merlene Ottey, Grace Jackson and Juliet Cuthbert could never quite reach, Veronica Campbell gave Jamaica their first women #39;s sprint gold medal in last night #39;s 200 metres final.


BA directors to help staff cope with holiday rush at Heathrow Rod Eddington, the chief executive of British Airways, and 11 of his fellow directors will be working at Heathrow airport over the Bank Holiday weekend as part of a desperate


Kuwait minister assures release of Indian hostages NEW DELHI: Kuwait is working closely with Iraqi authorities to ensure the safe and expeditious release of three Indians abducted in Iraq, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah al-Salem al Sabah said on Wednesday.


News in Brief Pope John Paul II presided at a special prayer service Wednesday for an icon he is returning to Russia, expressing his hopes that the gesture will improve relations between Roman Catholics and Russian Orthodox Christians.


Rangers lose Love match Another of Roman Abramovich #39;s football investments paid handsomely last night, unfortunately for Rangers whose plunge from fat cats of Scottish football to poor relations of the European game


Hamm says he wouldn #39;t want to share all-around gold Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm said Wednesday he would prefer not to share his gold medal with South Korea #39;s Yang Tae-young despite a judging mistake that ultimately cost Yang the gold.


Juninho tries on Larsson #39;s No 7 shirt For a small man, he looks as though he will wear it lightly. No sooner had Juninho completed his protracted move from Middlsbrough to Celtic - he has signed a two-year contract, subject to


Iraq #39;s top Shiite cleric returns home as fighting rages in Najaf Hoping to end weeks of fighting in Najaf, Iraq #39;s top Shiite cleric unexpectedly returned home from Britain on Wednesday armed with a new peace initiative and a call for Iraqis across the country to march on the holy city to demand an


Gyurcsany named as next Hungarian PM Millionaire businessman Ferenc Gyurcsany has been nominated by Hungary #39;s ruling Socialist Party as the next premier, Kossuth Radio said Wednesday.


Applying the Geneva Convention The veteran guardians of the wall, who are called at all times to rally round the hasbara flag when the enemy once again brings up the anti-Israel canard regarding the application of the


Pope returns icon to Russia Pope John Paul, aiming to improve ties with Russia #39;s Orthodox Church and possibly pave the way for a papal trip, has sent an icon dear to Russians on its way back to Moscow after nearly a century in the West.


Jones in Long-Jump Final; Johnson Falters (AP) AP - Marion Jones made a quiet debut, drawing a smattering of applause while advancing to the long jump final. Allen Johnson attracted the eyes of the entire Olympic Stadium, for all the wrong reasons.


Oracle says its software gaining on rival SAP San Francisco, December 7: Oracle Corp on Monday said it believes its business software applications, an area that has lagged the rest of the company, are gaining ground against market leader SAP AG of Germany.


Justice Dept. Cracks Down Internet Crime (AP) AP - The FBI seized computers, software and equipment as part of an investigation into illegal sharing of copyrighted movies, music and games over an Internet "peer-to-peer" network, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced Wednesday.


Squirrel Runs Circles Around Yanks, Tribe (AP) AP - This squirrelly newcomer caused quite a stir at Jacobs Field. A brown squirrel ran onto the field in the bottom of the third inning Wednesday night and ran circles around the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians.


Raymond Advances to Pilot Pen Quarters (AP) AP - Lisa Raymond overcame a loss in the first set and beat Nadia Petrova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Pilot Pen tournament.


NZ NGC Says Will End Merger Talks With Other Companies WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--NGC Holdings Ltd. (NGC.NZ), a New Zealand gas distribution and metering concern, Thursday said it will end ongoing merger discussions with fellow energy companies following a decision


Harry Potter boosts Pinewood #39;s profits The films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the latest Harry Potter helped take Pinewood Shepperton #39;s half-year profits to a record 6.


Shell hit by \$1.5bn oil pollution claim from Nigerian Senate Shell, the beleaguered oil giant, has been asked by Nigeria #39;s Senate to pay \$1.5bn (830m) compensation to communities affected by oil pollution in the country.


Jurassic croc had a deathly bite A rare fossil from the age of the dinosaurs is shedding light on when the modern crocodile first evolved a skull strong enough to keep hold of its prey during the dismembering  #39;death roll #39;.


Sistani to Lead Peace Mission to Embattled Iraq City Iraq #39;s top Shi #39;ite cleric was due to travel to Najaf on Thursday after making a surprise return to the country to try to end bitter fighting creeping ever closer to the city #39;s holiest shrine.


Playboy to open club in Shanghai Playboy Enterprises, the adult entertainment company, has announced plans to open a private members club in Shanghai even though the company #39;s flagship men #39;s magazine is still banned in China.


Firms chosen to build anti-missile defense Teams led by BAE Systems and Northrup Grumman were chosen Wednesday to build and test prototypes for anti-missile systems to defend US commercial planes against shoulder-fired rockets.


NASA Mars Odyssey Begins Overtime After Successfull Mission NASA #39;s Mars Odyssey orbiter begins working overtime today after completing a prime mission that discovered vast supplies of frozen water, ran a safety check for future astronauts, and mapped surface textures and minerals all over Mars, among other feats.


Greek Fani Halkia wins women #39;s 400m hurdles gold Greece #39;s Fani Halkia captured the women #39;s 400m hurdles gold medal before a boisterous home crowd at the Olympic Games in Athens on August 25.


Roundup: Gardner upset in wrestling ATHENS - After suffering a stunning 4-1 overtime loss to Kazakhstan #39;s Georgiy Tsurtsumia in the men #39;s Greco-Roman super heavyweight semifinals, defending champion Rulon Gardner came back to win the bronze medal today by defeating Sajad Barzi of Iran, 3


SA elect to bat in third one-dayer Dambulla, Sri Lanka - South Africa captain Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to bat in the third one-dayer against Sri Lanka here on Wednesday.


Terrorist shadow over twin disasters Details of the almost simultaneous crashes of two Russian airliners began to emerge yesterday - shocking a public that has become largely inured to terrorism and prompting fears of further attacks.


U.S. Searches Computers, Trying to Disrupt Piracy Federal authorities conducted six searches Wednesday in an attempt to disrupt a network used to trade copies of movies, software, games, and music.


Europe Opens Another Inquiry Involving Microsoft The European Commission has opened an investigation into the planned acquisition of ContentGuard Holdings by Microsoft and Time Warner.


For Graphic Artists, Back to the Barricades This is a big year for protest graphics, one of the oldest art forms in the United States and one that is booming thanks in part to the Internet.


Padres Paste Slumping Mets 4-0 (AP) AP - Brian Lawrence escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and allowed just four hits the rest of the way Wednesday night, pitching the San Diego Padres to a 4-0 victory over the slumping New York Mets.


Lenovo confirms talks with  #39;major #39; IT company China #39;s Lenovo Group is in talks with a major international IT company regarding an acquisition, it said in an announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday.


Packers Sign Former Giants Defensive End (AP) AP - Unable to develop a pass-rusher opposite Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, the Green Bay Packers signed former New York Giants defensive end Kenny Holmes on Wednesday.


Tigers Squeak by Slumping White Sox 5-4 (AP) AP - Marcus Thames drove in three runs, and Nate Robertson pitched eight strong innings in the Detroit Tigers' 5-4 victory over the slumping Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.


SCO, BayStar Fight Appears Over (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - A SCO spokesman says the company has completed its arranged settlement with its former financial backer without fanfare.


N.H.L. Talks Up World Cup, Not Much Else The league and the players' association met for talks Wednesday, but tried to keep the focus on the World Cup of Hockey.


6 Employees From CACI International, Titan Referred for Prosecution Report alleges interrogators from two firms used methods that were not concurrent with military practice.


China's Revolutionary Tactic: Bailout Despite a country's commitment to marketplace logic, some firms are simply too big and too entangled to be allowed to fold.


For Mutual Funds, First the Slap. Now Comes the Pinch. A year after the mutual fund industry began to clamp down on some abuses, critics say that other questionable practices that cost investors much more remain untouched.


Dude, Where's My Resale Value? Detroits big rebates and interest-free financing deals have strengthened car sales for the last three years. But they have also eroded the resale value of many American automotive brands.


U.S. Wins \$1.9 Million in Back Pay for Janitors The Department of Labor reached a settlement with a contractor for the Target Corporation had not paid overtime to hundreds of immigrant janitors who often worked seven nights a week.


Built for America, Sold (Cheaply) to the World Billions of dollars worth of global telecommunications networks bought or built by United States investors now belong to Chinese, Indian and other non-American companies that have snapped them up for a fraction of their cost.


Update 1: Medical Device Approvals Keep Stocks Up Medical device and drug company stocks closed up Wednesday after being in the spotlight after two device companies reported Food and Drug Administration approvals for products, but shares of Cyberonics Inc.


UPDATE 2-Fed will be flexible, oil hits growth, Guynn says A recent soft spot in US growth will likely prove temporary and should not alter a Federal Reserve plan to gradually raise interest rates, Atlanta Fed Bank President Jack Guynn said on Wednesday.


Reports Show a Mixed View of Economy (AP) AP - Factory orders for costly manufactured goods in July recorded the biggest gain in four months. New-homes sales, meanwhile, slid, according to a pair of reports that offered a mixed picture of economic activity.


Mullin Confident About Warriors' Future (AP) AP - Despite losing his most dependable big man, Chris Mullin believes his offseason moves will help the Golden State Warriors end their long playoff drought.


Ortiz Powers Red Sox Past Blue Jays 11-5 (AP) AP - David Ortiz homered twice and drove in four runs, and Curt Schilling earned his 16th win in the Boston Red Sox's 11-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.


Clean houses 'may trigger asthma' Parents who keep a clean house may unwittingly be developing asthma in their children, research suggests.


Optus, Vodafone Australia to Share Wireless Network (Correct) SingTel Optus Ltd. and Vodafone Australia will share a high-speed wireless phone network, matching a similar alliance between their main rivals.


Australian Media Giant Posts Earnings Jump Australian media empire Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Ltd. reported Thursday a 75 percent jump in earnings for the fiscal year ending June 30, thanks to a strong economy and a rebound in advertising revenue.


US Searches Computers, Trying to Disrupt Piracy ederal authorities searched computers in six locations yesterday in an attempt to disrupt a network used to trade copies of movies, software, games and music.


Lanka claims \$5m for  #39;cable damages #39; COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities tried to seize an Indian ship yesterday and sought \$5 million in damages, accusing it of breaking the undersea fibre optic cable that connects the tropical island #39;s main Internet links to the rest of the world.


Google to Bloggers: Get Your Ad Share Google Inc. is making it easier for Webloggers to earn extra cash, while expanding the reach of its search-based advertising. Its Blogger service this week put out a call to bloggers to share in advertising


Friendly Audience for Hamm aul Hamm was no longer in Athens last night but instead was on the set of  quot;Late Show With David Letterman quot; carrying his three Olympic medals.


Terror mystery haunts jet disasters Russian authorities struggled last night to explain how two passenger aircraft had apparently blown up simultaneously in midair on Tuesday night, killing all 89 people on board.


Mark Thatcher under house arrest Mark Thatcher remains under house arrest in South Africa after being accused of involvement in an alleged coup in Equatorial Guinea.


Khartoum agrees to bigger peace force The Sudanese government bowed to international pressure yesterday and agreed to allow more foreign troops in the stricken Darfur region.


Racist attacks cast shadow over French liberation celebrations Paris partied to celebrate the 60th anniversary of liberation from Nazi occupation yesterday, but its mayor warned that, faced with a recent surge in racist and anti-semitic attacks, the city needed to recover the courage it had shown in the summer of 1944


Suspected File-Sharing 'Hubs' Raided After a months-long sting operation, FBI agents raided residences in Texas, Wisconsin and New York, bringing the Justice Department into campaign against illegal downloads. -The Washington Post


E.U. Firm Probes Area Firm's  Ownership A Bethesda company owned by Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc. is the subject of an investigation  into whether the firm's software will give the two media giants a monopoly in copyright protection. -The Washington Post


Magazines Use Online Ads  As Selling Point Vogue appears to be at the vanguard of a revived effort by publishers to extend the usefulness of their products online.


Venture Capital's Transparency Trouble   Among the tables, charts and bottom-line numbers in venture capital firm    Grotech Capital Group's  quarterly report to its investors is what Managing General Partner    Frank A. Adams  calls his "heart of hearts," a narrative of his gut feelings about companies that Grotech of Timonium has invested in. The essay includes Adams's candid opinions about the companies' top executives and their chance of succeeding.


Nepal talks hopes KATHMANDU: Nepal #39;s ruling coalition expressed hope yesterday for peace talks to end eight years of war as the capital returned to normal after Maoist rebels who control much of the countryside lifted a blockade.


Speculators driving up oil prices says Kuwait NEW DELHI: Kuwait #39;s foreign minister said yesterday that Middle East oil exporters are producing at maximum capacity to stabilise prices that are being driven up by speculators from outside the region.


#39;Problems with Musharraf but US needs him #39; WASHINGTON: Highlighting the dilemma facing US policymakers, Vice Chairman of the 9/11 Commission Lee Hamilton has said while US had  quot;problems quot; with Pakistan President Musharraf on issues of terrorism, nuclear proliferation and lack of democracy, it


Suspected File-Sharing 'Hubs' Raided (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Federal agents yesterday took their first steps to go after individuals who illegally trade copyrighted music and videos over the Internet, seizing computers, software and related equipment at five homes around the country.


Venture by  Time Warner And Microsoft Unsettles E.U. (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - A Bethesda company owned by Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc. is the subject of a European Union investigation  into whether the company's software will give the two media giants a monopoly in copyright protection.


Giants Overcome Marlins 6-5 in 10 Innings (AP) AP - Rudy Seanez intentionally walked Barry Bonds to load the bases in the 10th inning, then couldn't throw a strike when he tried. Pinch-hitter A.J. Pierzynski walked on four pitches to force in the tiebreaking run, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Florida Marlins 6-5 on Wednesday night.


Indians Squirrel Away 4-3 Win Over Yanks (AP) AP - Coco Crisp caused more commotion than a runaway squirrel, diving headfirst for a go-ahead bunt single in the eighth inning that sent Cleveland over the New York Yankees 4-3 Wednesday night, ending the Indians' nine-game losing streak.


Cards Score in Ninth to Top Reds 6-5 (AP) AP - Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds hit two-runs homers, and pinch-runner Reggie Sanders scored the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on Joe Valentine's wild pitch to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 Wednesday night.


Oldest Panda Raised in Captivity Dies (AP) AP - The oldest panda raised in captivity has died at an eastern China zoo at the age of 33, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.


Canada Beats U.S. 3-1 in Cup Hockey (AP) AP - Vincent Lecavalier, Joe Sakic and Brad Richards scored in the second period to lead Canada to a 3-1 over the United States in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition game Wednesday night.


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


2 Companies Get Contracts to Protect Jets Teams led by BAE Systems and the Northrop Grumman Corporation were chosen Wednesday to build and test prototypes for antimissile systems to defend commercial planes against shoulder-fired rockets.


Boeing lands Singapore order Boeing regained some ground in its battle with Airbus yesterday when it won a \$7.35billion order from Singapore Airlines for 31 aircraft.


For Mutual Funds, First the Slap. Now Comes the Pinch. oxes of documents, many bearing the names of well-known mutual fund companies, line the halls of Eliot Spitzer #39;s offices in downtown Manhattan.


Australia  amp; New Zealand Don Huse, chief executive of Auckland International Airport Ltd., speaks on a teleconference from Auckland about the company #39;s fiscal full-year profit reported today.


UPDATE 1-Cirrus Logic cuts 7 percent of staff Cirrus Logic Inc. (CRUS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of microchips for consumer electronics and other applications, on Wednesday said it had cut its work force by


Sprint Signs Cable VoIP Partnership with Mediacom Sprint will provide an outsourced VoIP telephone service to Mediacom Communications, the eighth largest cable operator in the US serving 2.7 million homes in 23 states.


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Athens, Greece -- Debbie Ferguson carried the blue and yellow Bahamian flag during the parade of nations in the Olympic opening ceremony, then stood proudly Wednesday night as it flew in Olympic Stadium to honor her bronze medal in the 200 meters.


Sudanese Official Asserts African Peacekeepers Aren #39;t Needed A top Sudanese official said Wednesday that his country did not need African Union peacekeepers to protect civilians in its troubled western Darfur region but


Premier Yu makes rare stopover in Japan Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday made a rare stopover on Japanese soil, thanks to Typhoon Aere, prompting  quot;grave concern quot; from China over the unexpected trip #39;s diplomatic overtones.


New York bans rally against Bush New York bans a huge rally against President Bush before the Republican Convention on environmental grounds.


Abuses at Prison Tied to Officers in Intelligence A high-level Army investigation has found that military intelligence interrogators played a major role in the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.


Scandal Forces Interrogators to Explain Military and civilian interrogators in Iraq who have long relied on the element of surprise and fear of the unknown find themselves having to explain their methods.


Thatcher's Son Charged in Coup Plot The son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, an ex-race car driver whose business career has been dogged by accusations of questionable arms deals and shady ventures, was charged Wednesday with helping finance a foiled coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.


Venture by Time Warner And Microsoft Unsettles EU A Bethesda company owned by Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc. is the subject of a European Union investigation into whether the company #39;s software will give the two media giants a monopoly in copyright protection.


Motorola, DoCoMo to make 3G phones for business use TOKYO: Motorola and NTT DoCoMo, Japan #39;s top mobile phone operator, said yesterday they would jointly develop third-generation (3G) handsets, giving Motorola a way into a market largely out of reach for foreign manufacturers.


Suspected File-Sharing  #39;Hubs #39; Raided Federal agents yesterday took their first steps to go after individuals who illegally trade copyrighted music and videos over the Internet, seizing computers, software and related equipment at five homes around the country.


Use of hot wafers #39; are one step closer to becoming reality One of the last frontiers of semiconductor technology -- environments where electronic devices have to run at high power, in fierce heat or at lethal doses of radiation -- may be about to fall.


Aussies to take on Dutch in hockey finals Defending champions Netherlands will meet Australia in the finals of the men #39;s hockey event at the Athens Olympic Games. While Australia beat Spain, Netherlands got the better of Germany to qualify for the finals.


McDonald #39;s salads break Olympic record US fastfood giant McDonald #39;s says that sales at its three restaurants around Olympic venues in Greece have so far exceeded its expectations, according to CRIENGLISH.


* Hopes rise for end to bloody conflict Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the most senior Shia cleric in Iraq, unexpectedly returned to his homeland yesterday after nearly three weeks overseas during which anarchy has rapidly taken hold.


Village missing after landslide A landslide triggered by Typhoon Aere buried a mountain village in northern Taiwan yesterday, with the fate of at least 20 residents unknown, the government #39;s disaster relief center said.


New polio outbreak adds to woes of Sudanese refugees Polio, which can paralyze small children, has become the latest threat to refugees already struggling with famine and disease in the camps of Darfur.


Human gland evolved from gills The human parathyroid gland, which regulates calcium levels, probably evolved from fish gills, say researchers.


Hubble spots 'youngest galaxy' The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted what may be the youngest galaxy ever seen in the Universe.


Sky count to track orang numbers Helicopters flights are used to count endangered orang-utans in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo.


89 dead in twin Russian plane crashes, terror probed (AFP) AFP - Russia observed a day of mourning for the 89 people killed when two Russian passenger jets crashed almost simultaneously hundreds of miles apart after taking off from the same Moscow airport, raising new fears of terrorist attacks.


NL Wrap: Patterson Homer Keeps Cubs in NL Wildcard Lead  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corey Patterson clubbed a two-run  homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago  Cubs a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National  League (NL) Wednesday.


Indians Squirrel Away 4-3 Win Over Yanks CLEVELAND - Coco Crisp caused more commotion than a runaway squirrel, diving headfirst for a go-ahead bunt single in the eighth inning that sent Cleveland over the New York Yankees 4-3 Wednesday night, ending the Indians' nine-game losing streak.    The Indians rallied for two runs in the eighth, providing an entertaining end to the 30,605 fans who spent much of the evening cheering for a squirrel...


Charges Possible for Dave Matthews Band CHICAGO - Authorities were considering criminal charges Wednesday against the Dave Matthews Band and one of its tour bus drivers for allegedly dumping human waste from a bus into the Chicago River, dousing a tour boat filled with passengers.    The announcement came a day after the state sued the band and driver Stefan Wohl, accusing them of violating state water pollution and public nuisance laws...


UPDATE 1-Potlatch to sell \$457.5 mln in assets to Ainsworth Forest products company Potlatch Corp. (PCH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it agreed to sell certain plants and assets to Canada-based Ainsworth Lumber Co.


Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Rise, Dollar Up Against Yen Tokyo stocks rose Thursday morning, following earlier gains by US shares on Wall Street. The dollar was up against the Japanese yen.


Microsoft Dismisses British Objections to Anti-Linux Ad Microsoft sources said Wednesday that a British regulatory agency #39;s objections to an anti-Linux advertisement published as part of its controversial  quot;Get the Facts quot; campaign are moot because the ad is no longer running.


COURT HEARING Abuse Judge May Give Immunity for Testimony by <b>...</b> The judge in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse case said Tuesday that he might award immunity from prosecution in exchange for the testimony of several senior military


Twins Make Short Work of Rangers (AP) AP - Minnesota didn't hit Texas starter Ryan Drese very hard, the Twins just hit him a lot in an 8-5 victory Wednesday night.


Indian state govt under cloud as deadly riots probed (AFP) AFP - Police and officials in Gujarat are slowly starting to reveal how Hindu nationalists ruling the western Indian state either turned a blind eye or deliberately inflamed deadly Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002.


Campaigning Bush plays up US diplomacy (AFP) AFP - Amid wilting election-year support for the military campaign in Iraq, US President George W. Bush is distancing himself from the go-it-alone "war president" image he once embraced with relish.


Motorcycle Bomb Wounds 23 in Southern Thailand  BANGKOK (Reuters) - A bomb hidden in a motorcycle wounded  at least 23 people in Thailand's mainly Muslim south on  Thursday, a day ahead of a visit to the restive region by Prime  Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.


Practice Makes Credit According to a Washington Post survey, nearly three dozen of the 117 Division I-A universities award academic credit to varsity athletes for participating in intercollegiate sports.


Fans Irked Over Seats The addition of 4,000 seats to the lower bowl at FedEx Field sparked a slew of complaints from ticket holders who feel they were misled.


Global  Crossing  Case May Be Ending Three former Global Crossing Ltd. officials, including former chairman Gary Winnick, have reached a tentative settlement with securities regulators over an alleged failure to disclose information about the telecommunications company's swap transactions, according to two sources briefed on the deal.


49ers Sign Peterson All-pro linebacker Julian Peterson ended his holdout Wednesday and signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers.


Eskandarian Hurts Ankle United goals-scored co-leader Alecko Eskandarian injured his left ankle in practice Wednesday and is questionable for Saturday's match at New England.


NASA Says Shuttle Is on Track for  May Flight Despite the plans, designers acknowledged "setbacks" in devising onboard techniques to repair the thermal insulation on the underside of the spacecraft.


Ex-Enron Investor Liaison Pleads Guilty Enron Corp. #39;s former investor relations chief pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of aiding and abetting securities fraud and agreed to help prosecutors with their ongoing probe of the energy company #39;s leaders.


Ainsworth Lumber to pay \$457.5 million US for three US wood panel <b>...</b> VANCOUVER (CP) - Ainsworth Lumber Co. has agreed to pay \$457.5 million US to buy three wood-panel manufacturing plants and a related power plant in Minnesota from Potlatch Corp.


Nikkei rises; exporters and banks gain TOKYO (CBS.MW) - Japanese stock indexes rose by midmorning Thursday as exporters and banks led gains following the strong performance of their US counterparts, as well as the fourth session of falling oil prices in New York.


Extreme microchips take the heat Japanese scientists say they have tackled one of the last frontiers of semiconductor technology, environments where electronic devices have to run at high power, in fierce heat or at lethal doses of radiation.


Two Russian planes crash, terrorism investigated While the near-simultaneous crash of two Russian aircraft is undoubtedly a terrible coincidence, authorities there are saying no proof has emerged yet to show this was terrorism.


Police, protesters clash in Bangladesh strike Police used batons to beat back hundreds of protesters as an opposition-led general strike brought Bangladesh to a standstill yesterday for the second day.


Karzai in touch with Taliban Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he has been in touch with a senior Taliban official ahead of crucial polls in Afghanistan and will meet him  quot;soon, quot; Pakistani newspapers reported yesterday.


Internet Gives Teenage Bullies Weapons to Wound From Afar For teenagers, online harassment has become a part of life, but many schools and parents have only just become aware of it.


Iraq's Sistani Begins Journey to Najaf-Witnesses (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric headed\for Najaf on Thursday to try to get rebels inside a holy shrine\to leave and bring an end to three weeks of bloody fighting\that has killed hundreds.


Dollar Recoups Losses But Stuck in Range (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar recouped earlier losses\against the yen on Thursday, but currencies shuttled in narrow\ranges as investors awaited direction from U.S. growth data and\comments from Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan.


Warner to Start Against the Jets Kurt Warner will start Friday night, but both Giants quarterbacks will play on the starting offense, which is expected to play until the middle of the third quarter.


Labor Department Wins \$1.9 Million in Back Pay for Janitors A contractor for the Target Corporation had not paid overtime to hundreds of immigrants who often worked seven nights a week.


Oil Below \$45 as Gasoline Prices Slide Oil prices were dragged down today by heavy losses on U.S. gasoline as summer driving demand failed to meet expectations.


Ayatollah Calls for Rally to End Fighting in Najaf Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani plans to lead a march to the shrine in Najaf that has been commandeered by rebel Mahdi fighters.


Home Depot to Pay \$5.5 Mln in Case  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Home Depot Inc., the world's largest  home improvement retailer, agreed to pay \$5.5 million to settle  discrimination claims brought by some workers at its Colorado  stores, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)  said on Wednesday.


Singapore Air plans to buy 18 Boeing 777s Singapore Airlines Ltd, Asia #39;s most profitable carrier, may use new Boeing Co planes to try to win long-haul passengers from Emirates and Cathay Pacific Airways


Burswood packs \$44.9m punch CASINO operator Burswood has posted a better than expected net profit of \$44.9 million for its final year before it is swallowed by Kerry Packer #39;s media and gaming giant Publishing  amp; Broadcasting Ltd.


Orders for durable goods sizzle in July US factories posted their biggest gain in four months on orders for costly manufactured goods, but new-homes sales slid, according to a pair of reports offering a mixed picture of economic activity in July.


Australian Gas Light to sell NZ business The Australian Gas Light Co. , the countrys biggest power retailer, reported a jump of 18.5 percent in annual profit on Thursday and announced plans to sell its US\$569 million stake in a New Zealand gas distributor to fund future growth.


Fed raid pounces on equipment for digital piracy Continuing a crackdown on digital piracy, federal agents on Wednesday raided five locations housing equipment used by elite hackers to exchange unauthorized copies of blockbuster films and popular music.


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Athens, Greece -- Rulon Gardner unlaced his size 13 shoes, yanked them off and placed them on the mat. The big galoot, as friendly and unassuming as any Olympian could be, recalled how he would sit on the floor as a kid and pull on his sneakers.


Austrian Allen wins women #39;s triathlon gold : Olympics 2004 Athens  gt; Athens, Aug 25 : Kate Allen of Austria Wednesday pulled off an upset win in the women #39;s triathlon at the Olympic Games, reports Xinhua.


Cloud of doubt cast over Halkia #39;s feel-good win Wednesday night in the Olympic Stadium, a 25-year-old Greek woman named Fani Halkia won the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles as more than 60,000 fans, many of them flag-waving countrymen, went wild.


Man U bid for teenage star Rooney Manchester United have made a bid for Everton #39;s star striker Wayne Rooney, the club said yesterday. United didn #39;t say how much the offer was worth, but it was believed to be around 20 million


With Pieces in Place, the Yankees Slip Up The pieces had fallen into place perfectly for the Yankees. Orlando Hernndez, who had not only been a perfect 5-0 for the team, but also good enough that the Yankees were


US Wins \$1.9 Million in Back Pay for Janitors he United States Department of Labor announced yesterday that it had reached a \$1.9 million settlement with a contractor for the Target Corporation after finding that the contractor had


Michael Stores Earnings Rise, Shares Fall Michaels Stores Inc., the world #39;s largest arts and crafts retailer, on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income rose 10 percent but warned future results may not be as strong as previously expected.


Toyota Central Develop Ultra High Quality Silicon Carbide Single <b>...</b> Mr. Daisuke Nakamura and colleagues in Toyota Central R amp;D Labs, Inc. developed ultrahigh-quality silicon carbide single crystals which has fewer dislocation density by two to three orders magnitude than the


Linux 10 times more expensive? Get the facts, watchdog tells <b>...</b> Microsoft recently launched a  #39;Get the Facts #39; ad campaign telling consumers Linux isn #39;t cheaper than Windows. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) thinks they should get the facts too - but it #39;s warned Microsoft to make sure theirs straight first.


Sprint, Mediacom Announce VOIP Deal Sprint Corp. and cable television provider Mediacom Communications Corp. announced an agreement Wednesday that will allow Sprint to offer Internet telephone service to Mediacom #39;s 2.7 million household subscribers.


Australia-Pak Match Abandoned, India Out Of Tri-Series Amstelveen (Netherlands), August 25 (NNN):Indias hopes of making it to the in the Videocon Dutch cricket tri-series final were dashed after the third and last league match between Australia and Pakistan was abandoned in Amstelveen on Wednesday without


Sudan says rebels continuing attacks despite peace talks; Straw <b>...</b> Sudan #39;s interior minister said Tuesday that a cease-fire with rebel factions in the Darfur region was violated twice on the opening day of peace talks that aim to bring an end to the crisis.


Paris Marks Liberation Mindful of Collaboration With solemn commemorations, a ceremonial flag-raising at the Eiffel Tower and columns of 1940s-era tanks and army jeeps, Parisians on Wednesday marked the 60th anniversary


Typhoon Aere Strikes Eastern China Hundreds of thousands of people fled China #39;s eastern coast as Typhoon Aere hit the mainland after battering Taiwan. Aere came ashore in Fujian province, south of Shanghai, late Wednesday afternoon.


Old computers: An IT department liability that's costing more More and more resellers of used computer equipment are charging to erase data that may still be left on hard drives.


GAO: Legacy systems hamper Army reservists' pay The war in Iraq has pushed aging U.S. Army payroll systems past their breaking point, leading to widespread payroll problems for reservists, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report.


Sistani Urges Supporters to Wait at Najaf Gates (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Grand\Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged his supporters converging on


EC Investigates Microsoft, Time Warner Deal Time Warner and Microsoft see the acquisition of ContentGuard as a way of obtaining a stronger foothold in the increasingly important digital-rights management market.


Singapore not ready to buy 7E7 In what could prove to be a setback for The Boeing Co. #39;s expectations that it will win upwards of 200 orders this year for its 7E7, Singapore Airlines said yesterday that it is not ready to order the new super-efficient jet.


Storms, wind damage Eaton County high school A Wednesday evening storm damaged a high school near Vermontville, the National Weather Service said. No injuries were reported in the incident at Maple Valley High School.


IMF: GDP to grow 9 percent this year, 7.5 percent next year China #39;s real gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to average around 9 percent in 2004 andto slow to about 7.5 percent in 2005, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Wednesday.


Potlatch to sell Minnesota strand board operation SPOKANE, Wash. -- Potlatch Corp. said Wednesday it has agreed to sell its Minnesota oriented strand board plants and related assets to a British Columbia company for \$457.


Australian Gas Light: Likely Outright Buyer For NGC -2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian Gas Light Co. (AGL.AU) said Thursday that it will most likely sell its 66 stake in New Zealand #39;s NGC Holdings Ltd.


Mediacom will offer Sprint service Mediacom customers in the Quad-Cities soon will be able to add home telephone service to the television subscription and high-speed Internet services already available from the company.


Gardner: Mat #39;s all, folks: Champ retires with a bronze Shortly after he had been declared the winner in his bout against Iran #39;s Sajad Barzi last night, Rulon Gardner returned to the mat at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall, sat down, and quietly removed his shoes.


Israelis rejoice in golden Olympic moment GLYFADA, Greece - When the first notes of the national anthem of Israel pierced the night air, years of yearning came pouring out of Israelis at the Olympic Sailing Centre.


Kookaburras beat Spain to reach men #39;s final Australia beat Spain 6-3 this morning to win a place in the Olympic men #39;s hockey final. The Kookaburras will play the Netherlands, the defending champions, in the final on Friday.


Ode to ancient Games, nudity and all THE OLYMPICS may have returned to the land of their birth, but even as these games wind down, the stadiums in Athens remain eerily empty.


Danish players call off strike Danish footballers have suspended a week-long strike, called to protest against FIFA transfer rules, allowing next weekend #39;s games to go ahead.


Hernndez Moving Up on Yanks #39; Depth Chart In the spring, when Orlando Hernndez was signed by the Yankees after missing the 2003 season, it was an insurance policy for the already deep pitching staff.


NL Wrap: Patterson #39;s Homer Keeps Cubs in NL Wildcard Lead Corey Patterson clubbed a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League (NL) Wednesday.


Pakistan denies blame for Afghan violence Pakistan #39;s UN ambassador fired back at allegations that his country was aiding Taliban and other elements trying to undermine neighbouring Afghanistan and its presidential election.


Landslide Kills 15 in Taiwan After Typhoon  TAIPEI (Reuters) - At least 15 people were killed when a  landslide triggered by a fierce typhoon buried a mountain  village in Taiwan, and rescue workers were digging through  rubble on Thursday to see if there were any more victims.


Top grades rising again for GCSEs GCSE results have shown the biggest increase in top grades since 1999, with girls still out-performing boys.


Crisp Sparks Indians Coco Crisp's hustling RBI bunt single in the eighth inning pushed the Indians past the Yankees, 4-3, on Wednesday night, ending Cleveland's nine-game losing streak.


FOXSports.com Posted: 3 minutes ago Could Ricky Williams be rethinking his retirement from the NFL? According to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel the ex-running back has  quot;reached out quot; to Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt and is contemplating a return to the NFL.


Srichaphan into last eight Defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan battled past Wayne Ferreira to reach the TD Waterhouse Cup quarter-finals. The duo both broke serve in the first set, which fourth seed Srichaphan won on a tie-break, and


Microsoft Dismisses British Objections to Anti-Linux Ad (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Microsoft sources claim a British regulatory agency's objections to an anti-Linux print advertisement are moot because the ad hasn't run in any UK publications since May.


TCS debuts, becomes No. 3 company in India Born in 1968, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) finally listed on the Indian bourses on Wednesday. After the first day of trading, TCS #39;s share price closed at Rs 987.


Agencies swoop on cybercrime US enforcement agencies have arrested or charged dozens of people with crimes related to junk e-mail, identity theft and other online scams in recent weeks, according to several people involved in the actions.


Tech firms craft alternative to anti-piracy bill Internet service providers and other technology firms are proposing to soften a bill in Congress that they claim will make them targets of frivolous entertainment industry copyright lawsuits.


Israeli surfs in for historic gold Gal Fridman closed his eyes and enjoyed a sweet sound never before heard at an Olympic Games -he strains of Israel #39;s national anthem playing in honor of the winner of a gold medal.


Campbell takes gold ATHENS - Jamaican Veronica Campbell became the first Jamaican and Caribbean woman ever to win an Olympic sprint gold when she captured the 200 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics yesterday.


Rain washes out Aussie-Pakistan match Amstelveen, The Netherlands - Rain forced the triangular series match between Australia and Pakistan to be abandoned without a ball being bowled on Wednesday.


Sistani Urges Supporters to Wait at Najaf Gates Iraq #39;s top Shi #39;ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani urged his supporters converging on Najaf on Thursday not to enter the battered holy city until he arrived, a senior aide said.


Coup Plot: Thatcher #39;s Son Charged Mark Thatcher, the son of the former United Kingdom prime minister, was arraigned in court yesterday following his arrest over an alleged coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.


UN finds lack of progress over Darfur THE UN special envoy to Sudan said yesterday that Khartoum had made  quot;hardly any progress quot; in responding to Security Council demands on Darfur.


Oppn closes ranks in B #39;desh DHAKA: Life in Bangladesh was paralysed for the second day today follow- ing the opposition-sponsored general strike, even as the govern- ment announced an investigation into the death threat against Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed allegedly


Gardner leaves shoes, storied career on mat When it was all over, Rulon Gardner sat on the mat and removed his size-13 Asics wrestling shoes. Wiggling his nine toes and fighting back tears, he walked away from the sport that made him an unlikely celebrity.


Report: Williams Considers Possible Return To Miami Miami, FL -- Ricky Williams, who shocked the football world when he announced his retirement at the age of 27, has made inklings to Miami Dolphins head coach Dave Wannstedt about returning to the club.


Tech Firms Seek to Soften Anti-Piracy Bill (AP) AP - Internet service providers and other technology firms are proposing to soften a bill in Congress that they claim will make them targets of frivolous entertainment industry copyright lawsuits.


1,400 dead or missing in Philippine storms Stranded passengers from the devastated towns of Real and Infanta rush to board an outrigger boat December 6. Food and water shortage forced residents to flee to other province and Manila as roads to Real and other towns destroyed by flash floods and


Bomb explodes in north-east India At least two people are killed and more than 30 injured in a bomb explosion in the north-east Indian state of Assam.


SEC Sues JB Oxford in Fund Trading The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the brokerage firm JB Oxford Holdings and its National Clearing Corporation unit, accusing them of improper mutual fund trading.


Tata to meet Bangla officials for projects Tata group chairman Ratan Tata today said he would visit Bangladesh next month to discuss with government representatives the groups plan to invest \$2 billion to set up steel, power and fertiliser plants in the country.


New-Home Sales Fall; Durable Goods Rise New-home sales showed signs of buckling under the weight of higher interest rates, and orders for durable goods rose more than expected in July, two government reports showed Wednesday.


Washington Post #39;s Managing Editor to Quit So He Can Write teve Coll, the managing editor of The Washington Post for the last six years and the apparent front-runner to succeed the newspaper #39;s top editor, announced abruptly yesterday that he would


After upset, Halkia must hurdle skeptics In another era, say as far back as the pre-BALCO days, it would have been a wonderful moment. The host country #39;s new hero, a rising star, sets an Olympic


They #39;re simply  #39;amazing #39; ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger hailed his side #39;s record unbeaten run as  quot;amazing quot; and then demanded they never let their guard drop.


Edwards goes from worst to first at Bristol Bristol, TN (Sports Network) - Carl Edwards elected to go to the back of the field after spinning during qualifying, but it didn #39;t hurt his chances of victory as he drove all the way to the front and captured Wednesday night #39;s O #39;Reilly 200 Craftsman Truck


Ricky Williams Contacts Dolphins (AP) AP - Retired running back Ricky Williams says he contacted the Miami Dolphins this week at the request of his agent but has no plans to rejoin the team anytime soon.


Russia Mourns Dead in Air Crash, Questions Cause (Reuters) Reuters - Russia on Thursday observed a\day of mourning for at least 89 people who died in a mysterious\double air disaster, which some fear could have been a\terrorist attack ahead of a key election in rebel Chechnya.


Australia Risks Asian Ire with Long-Range Missiles (Reuters) Reuters - Australia plans to create what it\believes will be the most lethal force of fighter jets in\Southeast Asia by equipping its aircraft with long-range\missiles in a move critics said could antagonize neighbors.


N. Korea Nukes May Not Be Resolved Soon (AP) AP - Chirping birds no longer compete for attention with speakers blaring North Korean propaganda across its border with South Korea, and the view across the verdant landscape of the Demilitarized Zone is now uninterrupted by billboards that once boasted "Our General is No. 1!"


Angels Crush Royals 21-6 (AP) AP - Jeff DaVanon became the first Angels player in 13 years to hit for the cycle and drove in four runs, leading Anaheim to a 21-6 victory Wednesday night that completed a seven-game season sweep of the Kansas City Royals.


Little-known Islamic group claims Bangladesh rally attack: newspaper (AFP) AFP - A Bangladeshi newspaper said a little known Islamic group had claimed responsibility for trying to kill party leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed in a deadly weekend grenade attack at a party rally.


Canadians Confirm Talks on Bank Deal The Toronto-Dominion Bank confirmed on Wednesday that it was negotiating to buy all or part of the Banknorth Group, which has branches in five New England states and upstate New York.


First Reserve to Buy Ingersoll-Rand Unit for \$1.2 Bln (Update1) First Reserve Corp., the largest private buyout firm specializing in energy-industry investments, agreed to buy a unit from Ingersoll-Rand Co.


UPDATE 2-Australian PaperlinX profit slides, but shares gain PaperlinX Ltd. (PPX.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) , Australia #39;s biggest paper maker, said on Thursday its annual net profit fell 18 percent, battered by weak European


Durable-goods orders up; new-home sales down WASHINGTON - Factory orders for costly manufactured goods in July recorded the biggest gain in four months. Meanwhile, new-home sales slid, according to a pair of reports that offered a mixed picture of economic activity.


Enron tapes: High-powered hi-jinks SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., seeking federal compensation for market manipulation during the West #39;s 2000-2001 energy crisis, released two Enron tapes Wednesday that open old wounds in the region.


IBM, HP take top spots for in Gartner report SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- The latest results on the server market from research firm Gartner show IBM and Hewlett-Packard dueling for the top spots in terms of revenue and shipments.


Shareholders Let Bonuses Stand Computer Associates International #39;s shareholders defeated a proposal yesterday that could have forced senior executives to give back performance-based bonuses.


Tech Briefs The United Kingdom #39;s Advertising Standards Authority, a self-regulating agency for the advertising industry, upheld complaints alleging that a Microsoft Corp.


RealNetworks to offer paid online content NEW YORK -- RealNetworks Inc. survived the dot-com collapse and an assault from Microsoft Corp. Now it #39;s trying to remake itself into a provider of paid Internet content.


Robot rescuer for Hubble? NEW YORK The American space agency is becoming increasingly optimistic that the failing Hubble Space Telescope can be revived and rejuvenated by a robot rescuer.


Determined Jones jumps into finals The spotlight returned to Marion Jones last night, dimmer but harsher than four years ago. The warming glow is gone, the celebrity tarnished by


Accepting the silver would make Hamm golden HE PULLED OFF an amazing feat at the Olympics last week, overcoming a stumble to become the first US man to win the gymnastics all-around gold medal.


Angels #39; Jeff DaVanon hits for the cycle Jeff DaVanon became the fourth player in Anaheim Angels history -nd first in more than 13 years  -hit for the cycle, accomplishing the feat Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals.


Williams contacts Dolphins but says he #39;s headed for India Retired running back Ricky Williams says he contacted the Miami Dolphins this week at the request of his agent but has no plans to rejoin the team anytime soon.


Dominating Dirrell dispatches Despaigne Leon Lawson was watching over Andre Dirrell #39;s shoulder last night, literally and figuratively, as the US middleweight tried to box his way into the medal rounds at the Olympic Games.


Thatcher #39;s son denies role in coup attempt JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - The son of Margaret Thatcher, the former British prime minister, was arrested Wednesday by South African police and charged with illegally helping to finance a failed coup in March against Equatorial Guinea #39;s authoritarian


Aid workers get more access to Darfur Sudan has eased access to its troubled Darfur region for relief workers and supplies but hasn #39;t disbanded the marauding militia that caused 1.5 million people to flee their homes


Zimbabwean Opposition to boycott election The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is calling on the Government to introduce electoral reform. The MDC says it will not take part in Zimbabwe #39;s 2005 general election because the poll will not be free and fair.


Australia to buy long range missiles for air force The Australian government announced on Thursday a project worth 350-450 million dollars (245-315 million US dollars) to equip air force aircraft with long range missiles capable of destroying land and sea targets.


DaVanon hits for cycle On a ridiculous night of achievement for the Angels #39; offense, Jeff DaVanon somehow managed to stand out. The outfielder doubled in the third inning of Wednesday night #39;s


Mugabe Higher Than Tsvangirai In Zimbabwe (CPOD) Aug. 26, 2004 - Adults in Zimbabwe are divided over the performance of Robert Mugabe, according to the Afrobarometer conducted by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Ghanas Centre for


Abbas, Assad Pledge Consultations, Future Coordination PLO <b>...</b> Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad on the first official Palestinian visit to Syria since 1996 and said that inter-Palestinian dialogue has started and will continue internally


China Hints Row with Singapore Over, Warns Japan  BEIJING (Reuters) - China signaled on Thursday its row with  Singapore over a visit by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to  Taiwan last month may have blown over, but warned Japan over an  unscheduled stop by Taiwan's premier blamed on a typhoon.


Eyetech Pins Its Hopes (and Shares) on New Drug An experimental eye disease drug has been a boon to Eyetech Pharmaceuticals. But as the drug nears approval, many doctors are questioning its effectiveness.


Drop in Oil Nudges Shares Higher on a Quiet Trading Day Stocks rallied in quiet trading, as oil prices fell for a fourth consecutive day and a pair of government reports gave a mixed picture of the economy.


Tabcorp Second-Half Profit Rises 28 on Jupiters Acquisition Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. #39;s second-half net profit rose 28 percent on increased betting on horse races and slot machines, and after extracting more savings from last year #39;s A\$1.


Traders who had bet on a rise are bailing out Crude oil and gasoline prices fell Wednesday as speculators seemed to lose hope that futures prices would continue ever upward. Crude oil dropped \$1.


Microsoft #39;s MOM goes out the door Microsoft #39;s main Windows server administration console is slated for release by the beginning of October and will be in a planned management suite next year.


Sound of success: Israel strikes gold For many Israelis, the Olympics evoke memories of a terrorist massacre and political boycotts, but windsurfer


Agony and ecstasy in women #39;s triathlon There was the Aussie leading the race. There was the American with the Aussie-themed daughter named Sydney hanging tough in second.


United wait for Everton response on Rooney bid MANCHESTER United last night confirmed they have made a bid for Everton striker Wayne Rooney. The offer is believed to be 20m, which would match Newcastle #39;s bid for the 18-year-old England striker.


An American Fights, and Wins, to Make His Grandfather Happy From the center of the ring, Andre Dirrell heard voices screaming at his back, warning him to circle away from the boxer closing in.


National League Roundup: Marlins rout Giants, 9-1 The Florida Marlins started a big series against the San Francisco Giants with a big inning. Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run first inning, and Mike Lowell drove


Mariners Notebook: Madritsch reaches out Bobby Madritsch never lived on a reservation, but every time he sets foot on one, it feels a bit like home. When the Mariners right-hander showed up on the Tulalip reservation yesterday to speak to children


Indonesian cleric faces charges Indonesian police have passed on to prosecutors their investigative file on militant cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir - a first step to getting him into court.


Oil price plunges to less than \$44 US NEW YORKOil prices fell nearly \$2 (US) a barrel yesterday, dragged down by heavy losses in gasoline futures after summer driving demand in the United States failed to meet expectations.


Currency Flexibility Is in China #39;s Best Interest, IMF Says Greater flexibility in China #39;s exchange rate is in the nation #39;s best interest to help the central bank better manage the effects of inflation and should be pursued without undue delay


Windows XP SP2 update installation not an easy ride Citadel Security Software Inc., a security management and policy enforcement solutions provider, said its automated vulnerability remediation (AVR) solution, Hercules, is designed to assist with managing the rollout of Microsofts XP Service Pack 2 update


FBI makes file-sharing roundup WASHINGTON - The FBI seized computers, software and equipment, including items at a Houston-area home in Bellaire, as part of an investigation into illegal sharing of copyright movies, music and games over an Internet peer-to-peer network, Attorney


Price cuts boost Real sales One week after the announcement of significant price reductions, the Real Networks is already able to show impressive results. Since they began selling music for US\$0.


Italy prepared to pull troops out of Iraq if Baghdad government asks: FM (AFP) AFP - Italy is prepared to pull its troops out of Iraq if the interim government in Baghdad requests it, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on the Al-Jazeera television news channel.