T-bill rates rise in auction WASHINGTON -- Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities rose in yesterday's auction. The Treasury Department sold \$21 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 1.86 percent, up from 1.77 percent last week.


What the change will mean What is Check 21? Check 21 is the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, which takes effect Thursday. It allows banks to replace paper checks with an electronic copy called a ''substitute check. quot;


Explosives were looted after Iraq invasion WASHINGTON -- Iraqi officials reported that thieves looted 377 tons of powerful explosives from an unguarded site after the US-led invasion last year, the top UN nuclear official said yesterday. And a former weapons inspector said he had counted about 100 other unguarded weapons sites that may have been stripped of munitions for use in the wave of attacks against ...


New measure will ban US dollar transactions HAVANA -- Cuba announced yesterday that US dollars will no longer be accepted at stores or other businesses on the communist island starting next month in a move that will radically change the way business has been done there over the past decade. The measure called for all such transactions to be done in a local currency known as convertible ...


Sharon's withdrawal plan Overall Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank in 2005, without coordination with the Palestinians. Israel contends the current Palestinian leadership is not a partner for peace talks. Twenty-one settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank will be removed by September 2005, followed by a pullout of Israeli troops.


N. Korea, US trade blame for delays SEOUL -- North Korea said yesterday that prospects for talks on its nuclear weapons program are getting dimmer every day and it condemned US-led naval exercises in Japanese waters as an ''ultimate war action. quot;


Noor denounces actions of Islamic extremists BOGOTA -- Queen Noor of Jordan is urging Muslim moderates to speak out against the ''ranting quot; of extremists who use Islam to justify beheadings and suicide bombings against the United States and Westerners.


Israel and Egypt Swap Prisoners Six Egyptian students captured sneaking into Israel have been exchanged for an Israeli businessman convicted in Egypt as an Israeli spy.


Marsh  amp; McClennan CEO quits The head of Marsh  amp; McLennan Companies Inc., the nation #39;s largest insurance broker, resigned Monday, clearing the way for the settlement of bid-rigging charges brought by New York #39;s attorney general.


Venture investing dives 57 in NE Venture capital investing, a key barometer of the entreprenerial economy, unexpectedly tumbled 26 percent to 4.3 billion nationally in the third quarter, from


Delta gets American Express aid Delta Air Lines Inc. said Monday it has obtained up to \$600 million in new financing as the struggling carrier seeks to avoid bankruptcy.


Microsoft revamps Sender ID Microsoft has revised its anti-spam specification Sender ID following the spec #39;s near-death in the technical community. The software giant said Monday that it has rewritten Sender ID -- a specification for


Firefox 1.0 limbers up for launch Mozilla will today launch the nearly-final version of Firefox, its open source web browser, ahead of the 1.0 product launch on 9 November.


Intel expands Intel Centrino mobile technology with new Intel <b>...</b> Intel Corporation yesterday introduced the Intel Pentium M processor 765, expanding its mobile processor offerings and enabling a broader range of Intel Centrino mobile technology-based notebooks for corporate and home users.


India takes early honours on day one India overcame the loss of captain Sourav Ganguly and offspinner Harbhajan Singh to take the early honours on day one of the third Test at the VCA Ground as Australia wasted another solid partnership from Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden.


Shooting guard starter remains a big question The Sixers coach knows Allen Iverson will log 40-plus minutes at point guard this season, but in his mind, he #39;s got plenty of players who can ably play the shooting guard or small forward positions.


NCAA graduation-rate study Michigan, Michigan State and Western Michigan have the highest graduation rates for athletes among the state #39;s seven NCAA Division I schools, an NCAA report showed Monday.


Allen #39;s absence suspends drama in Sonics loss to Lakers SAN DIEGO - With a face that showed no signs of subterfuge, Sonics coach Nate McMillan announced that his star, Ray Allen, the other half of what was to be a scintillating showdown against Kobe Bryant, would not play in last night #39;s game.


KILLING ZONE Iraq has a population of about 20 million. According to Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, most are living in relative peace and safety.


Yudhoyono not convinced JI exists Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said the Government will ban Jemaah Islamiah (JI), which is believed to have links with international terrorist network Al Qaeda, if it is proven to exist.


Show-me state for Martinez Pedro wasn't talking. The inference is that he would have his arm do all the talking necessary tonight.


Baseball is in his blood Revolution striker Taylor Twellman was among the closet Cardinal fans at Fenway Park Sunday night. Twellman and his wife were in the standing room section, but if Twellman had chosen differently as a teenager, he might have been on the playing field instead of in the stands.


Ortiz hoping to be a hit in the field Here comes the tricky part. By stunning the Cardinals in the first two games of the World Series, the Red Sox showed the rest of the baseball world what American Leaguers already knew: They are one mighty tough team at Fenway Park.


Millar is ready in a pinch They don't believe in the designated hitter over here in the National League, which is why Kevin Millar will be the designated sitter for tonight's Game 3 of the World Series.


Werner is no silent partner in this Red Sox chairman Tom Werner did not need an introduction to Theo Epstein.  quot;I knew Theo when he was in San Diego, quot; Werner said while sitting in a conference room in Fenway Park as fans filed in for the second game of the World Series.


Ex-mates vote Garciaparra in In some ways, he is the 26th man. Nomar Garciaparra played such an integral role in helping the Red Sox become a championship-caliber franchise that his former teammates have not forgotten him even as they approach the threshold of a dream.


Busch's ambience set it apart from others ST. LOUIS -- Even a cookie-cutter stadium -- which is the pejorative term that came to describe the multipurpose bowls that seemed to spring up simultaneously in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Queens, Philadelphia, and St. Louis in the late 1960s and early '70s -- can have their quirks.


Support system helps the Cardinals The signs of encouragement were everywhere yesterday, on a summer-like afternoon softened by blue skies and sunshine.  quot;Go Cards quot; messages were hung from buildings large and small, including banks and other businesses. The disappointments of the weekend in Boston were fading fast for St. Louis and the Cardinals.


Team is mum on ace ST. LOUIS -- In the best of all worlds for the Red Sox, they would be World Series champions by Saturday, the next time Curt Schilling is scheduled to pitch. Schilling could kick back, savor the victory parade and the avalanche of accolades, and prepare to undergo surgery to repair the dislocated tendon in his right ankle.


Lately, it's been fast times World Series analyst Tim McCarver noted last week that his boss, Fox sports chairman David Hill, had made the point that baseball isn't a slow game, it's a fast game in terms of constant strategy and decision-making.


Bengals change stripes Chad got the best of Champ last night, turning the Cincinnati Bengals into an unexpected prime-time success.


Celtics loudest after the game COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The most intense action last night occurred in the corridor between the locker rooms when a fight erupted between the teams after the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Celtics, 95-88, in an exhibition game at Value City Arena.


Gators' Zook given hook Florida coach Ron Zook was fired yesterday after two-plus years and a stack of embarrassments on and off the field, satisfying a growing groundswell for his ouster that began the day he replaced Steve Spurrier . Zook will finish out the season while athletic director Jeremy Foley and school president Bernie Machen search for another coach.


Hockey East women's capsules Hockey East is in its last season as a six-team league, with Boston University scheduled to field its first varsity team next season and Vermont moving over from the ECAC. The league also gets its first automatic bid to the newly expanded eight-team NCAA Tournament.


The old-school approach It was early September when Northeastern women's hockey coach Laura Schuler climbed the steep staircase in Matthews Arena to her new office for the first time.


Scoring leaders THE GIRLS Following are the leading scorers in EMass. Information is supplied by league representatives. PLAYER G A Pts 1. J. Vickers, Norwell 32 14 46 2. J. Leaverton, Feehan 26 13 39 3. B. Hogan, Bp. Feehan 26 12 38 3. J. Powers, Andover 24 14 38 5. M. Sheehan, Belmont 21 16 37 5. S. Leonard, Rockland 20 ...


Hopkinton does it again Hopkinton senior Jon Curran shot an even-par 71 to win the MIAA Division 2 state golf individual title yesterday and propel the Hillers to their second straight state championship.


It's Wallace, of course If there's something positive that can be taken from a golfer's disappointment, it's that it might inspire motivation for future success -- especially if one knows the course well enough.


Girls' Top 20 Following is the Globe Top 20 in EMass for girls' soccer. No. Team Record Last 1. Belmont 14-0-1 1 2. Oliver Ames 13-1-0 2 3. Lynnfield 15-0-0 3 4. Norwell 15-0-0 5 5. Andover 14-1-0 4 6. Bishop Feehan 11-1-1 6 7. Old Rochester 14-1-1 7 8. Marshfield 10-1-4 9 9. Wellesley 9-0-5 8 10. Weymouth 12-1-2 10 11. Rockland ...


Elmer Santos It's all about sticking to the basics with Elmer Santos. The offensive sparkplug (19 points) has led East Boston to an 6-0-0 record in the Boston City League. A senior center midfielder, Santos leaves us some food for thought in this week's Q  amp; A.


Boys' Top 20 Following is the Globe Top 20 in EMass for boys' soccer. No. Team Record Last 1. Stoneham 14-0-1 1 2. Framingham 10-0-5 2 3. Hingham 15-0-2 6 4. Weymouth 10-1-4 4 5. Medford 10-3-2 13 6. Woburn 10-2-2 10 7. Newton North 10-4-2 5 8. Everett 10-3-2 2 9. Lincoln-Sudbury 12-1-2 7 10. Dartmouth 14-1-0 9 11. BC High 7-1-6 ...


Dutch steelmaker will buy ISG Remnants of Bethlehem Steel will live on under foreign ownership in a \$4.5 billion deal announced Monday. A privately owned Dutch steelmaker led by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is acquiring International Steel


BAT profits rise despite strong pound British American Tobacco, the world #39;s second-biggest cigarette maker, has posted a 20 percent rise in nine-month profits, saying its wide brand portfolio and geographic spread have helped offset the strength of the pound.


C amp;W to sell Japanese arm to Softbank Cable  amp; Wireless has agreed to sell its Japanese unit to Softbank for 72.4 million pounds. The deal, under which the Japanese Internet communications company will assume debt worth 9.5 million


Soaring oil prices redistributing world #39;s wealth WASHINGTON -- While North Americans wince as they fill up their vehicles with fuel, market forces are smiling on the Saudi Arabias and Exxon Mobils of the world.


Suppan now sees different shade of red St. Louis right-hander Jeff Suppan came up through the ranks with Boston and returned there as an established veteran last year in a midseason trade.


Sports ; Arsenal vs. Manchester United: A feud grows in England Sunday #39;s game added further heat to this simmering rivalry: Arsenal, the defending champion and rising power vs. United, the team of the  #39;90s trying to reclaim its dominance; Wenger, the urbane Frenchman vs.


Bungle against Bengals won #39;t do You don #39;t lose to the Bengals. It simply isn #39;t done. Not on Monday night, not on Sunday afternoon, not on Oct. 25, not on the 12th of Never.


Europe faces tough task in Texas, warns Biancone The European contingent for the Breeders #39; Cup flew into Texas last night to be greeted by increasingly stormy weather and a warning that things could be extremely tough


US stocks mark time ahead of poll US shares closed just a tad lower last night as the amrket held its breath ahead of the US election. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 7.82 points adrift (0.


Merger, purchase activity climbing Two studies released this week confirm that venture capital funding is lagging in Colorado in comparison with other parts of the nation.


Tokyo Stocks Finish Mixed, Dollar Higher Tokyo stocks ended mixed Tuesday as investors grew cautious ahead of the US presidential election. The US dollar edged higher against the Japanese yen.


Cassini-Huygens makes first close approach to Titan Today the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens spacecraft makes a fly-by of Saturn #39;s largest moon Titan - the closest ever performed. At the time of the closest approach, which is scheduled for 18:44 CEST, the spacecraft


Sony Ericsson to offer EDGE/Wi-Fi combo PC card Cellular communications hardware maker Sony Ericsson on Monday announced a new quad-band PC card compatible with both Windows and Mac-based laptop computers that enables them to communicate with EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) cellular data


Giants Struggling Inside Opponent's 20 (AP) AP - The New York Giants were the worst team in the NFL last season inside their opponent's 20, and things have gotten worse  #151; at least statistically  #151; under new coach Tom Coughlin.


Wenger asked to explain Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been given a  #39;please explain #39; by the Football Association following his scathing post-match attack on referee Mike Riley after his side #39;s loss to Manchester United.


Move not a surprise to local UF fans As he left Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Miss., on Saturday, Florida Gators fan Pete D #39;Alessandro and his friends knew Ron Zook #39;s days were numbered.


NBA Game Summary - Seattle vs. LA Lakers San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Caron Butler scored 18 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers to a 117-91 preseason victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.


Lost Iraqi explosives gone before US arrived? US officials suggested yesterday that nearly 380 tons of conventional high explosives that disappeared from an Iraqi weapons facility near Baghdad were


Iraq: US claims to kill al-Zarqawi aide in Fallujah The US military said Tuesday that an aide to Jordanian activists Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike in Fallujah.  quot;The 3 am strike hit a known safehouse being used by al-Zarqawi #39;s terrorist network


As sales fall, cigarette makers spending more on marketing Tobacco companies are spending more than ever to market cigarettes, but sales still are falling, according to a study released Friday.


On Advertising: Sony wages battle of the brands LONDON Sony essentially created the market for portable music devices with its Walkman, but it missed a beat in the digital music revolution as Apple #39;s iPod grabbed the spotlight.


HP has chips with everything For the time being, Hewlett-Packard will keep the crown as the world #39;s biggest spender on semiconductors, according to a report released on Monday.


Soccer board doesn #39;t back bid British soccer club Manchester United won #39;t endorse Malcolm Glazer #39;s proposed buyout offer and temporarily suspended talks with the 76-year-old tycoon, the team said Monday.


They can #39;t get a break The Carolina Panthers lost any hope of DeShaun Foster playing again this season when it was determined yesterday the running back needs surgery on his broken collarbone.


Iraq bombings kill 8, including US soldier Four coalition and Iraqi military convoys and a pro-vincial government office were bombed yesterday, kil-ling at least eight people, including an American soldier and an Estonian trooper in the Baghdad area.


BP Posts Bumper Q3 Profits on Oil Price  LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil  company, reported bumper third-quarter profits on Tuesday on  the back of high oil prices and stronger than expected refining  and chemicals margins.


Indian Central Bank Raises Key Rate to Curb Prices (Update2) India #39;s central bank unexpectedly raised a key interest rate for the first time in four years, saying record oil prices and rising corporate demand for credit threaten to fuel inflation.


Bat Lifted by Higher Volumes and Profits British American Tobacco posted a 20 rise in profits today and said a business-transforming deal in the United States had shown early promise.


Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Finish Mixed, Dollar Higher Tokyo stocks ended mixed Tuesday as investors grew cautious ahead of the US presidential election. The US dollar edged higher against the Japanese yen.


Merloni: With home advantage gone, Sox #39; job not easy Heading into the World Series, I didn #39;t think St. Louis #39; pitching would be able to stop the Red Sox #39; offense. Through the first two games, the advantage goes to the Red Sox.


Aussies crumble as Khan strikes India claimed three quick wickets to seize the initiative on day one of the Third Test against Australia in Nagpur. The home side toiled early on as Australia openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer put on


Israeli MPs Vote Historic Exit from Gaza The Israeli parliament is set for a historic vote on whether to withdraw from Gaza Strip after 37 years of occupation. The proposal of the withdrawal was made Monday in the Israeli Parliament by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, causing heated debates.


Turkey on Chirac-Schroeder agenda President Jacques Chirac and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will discuss Turkey #39;s EU membership bid on Tuesday as strong advocates of entry talks, but analysts say questions remain on their stance due to domestic opposition.


Football: Man U star denies stamp Man Utd's Ruud van Nistelrooy says he is not guilty after being hit with an FA charge over a tackle on Ashley Cole.


Musharraf arrives in UK for talks Pakistan #39;s President Pervez Musharraf has arrived in Britain for talks with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. General Musharraf was given a red carpet welcome after landing on a flight from Washington where he held talks with US President George Bush.


'Extinct' pine marten in comeback Wildlife experts believe the pine marten, once declared extinct in England, is on the comeback trail.


Iraq carnage kills 21 AT LEAST 21 people were killed in the latest in a renewed spree of attacks to hit Iraq, as a top UN official issued a stark warning that elections could not be held in the current climate of violence.


Today's schedule College field hockey: MIT at Wellesley, 3 p.m.; Salem St. at Lasell, 3 p.m.; University of New England at Bridgewater St., 3 p.m.; Wesleyan at Tufts, 3:30 p.m.; Western New England at Babson, 7 p.m.; Clark at Wheaton, 7 p.m.


Williams to meet Klitschko for title British heavyweight Danny Williams , who knocked out Mike Tyson in the fourth round July 30, will meet Vitali Klitschko Dec. 11 at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Council version of the heavyweight title . . . Willie Randolph interviewed for the Mets' managerial job, and stressed that his many years with the Yankees ...


At Tense Syria-Iraq Border, American Forces Are Battling Insurgents Every Day Syrians say they have begun a serious effort to tighten security and prevent rebels from crossing their 400-mile border with Iraq.


News Corp. move to New York approved by shareholders ADELAIDE, Australia : News Corp. shareholders have backed Rupert Murdoch #39;s plan to move his media empire to the United States from the sleepy Australian city of Adelaide where the company #39;s foundations were laid more than 50 years ago.


1m an hour profit for BP Oil giant BP today posted record profits of \$3.94bn (2.14bn) after fuel prices hit new highs. The third quarter performance of Britain #39;s biggest listed company came as oil prices rose to an average of almost \$50 a barrel.


Risk capital drop raises few alarms Venture capital investing declined during the quarter ended Sept. 30, nationally and in Florida. But industry experts say the drop doesn #39;t necessarily reflect an alarming trend.


Tokyo mixed ahead of US poll Tokyo stocks were mixed Tuesday morning as investors grew cautious ahead of US presidential election. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.


Update 1: New Crop of Portable Players Nips at iPod Lauren, 11, saunters nonchalantly past a Discovery Channel store and a Gymboree clothing store at the mall. Then suddenly, the girl #39;s eyes light up and she pulls her mother into an Apple Computer Inc.


Martinez lets arm do his talking Dave Wallace met Pedro Martinez in a sugar-cane field in the Dominican Republic. Wallace was looking for live arms for the Los Angeles Dodgers, his search bringing


Captains abound, but who can save UF #39;s ship? tunningly, unexpectedly, one of college football #39;s prized head coaching jobs came open Monday morning with the firing of Florida #39;s Ron Zook.


Sooners, Utes move up in BCS By wire services. Miami is No. 1 to the BCS computers, but it still fell to No.3 in the standings released Monday. USC stayed atop the standings at .


SERIES NOTEBOOK: St. Louis hopes Busch friendlier ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals returned to Busch Stadium on a warm, sunny autumn Monday after two straight World Series losses in cold, rainy Boston.


Israeli parliament set for historic vote on Gaza pullout JERUSALEM : The Israeli parliament is set for an historic vote on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s hotly contested plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip after 37 years of occupation.


Howard takes oath of office JOHN Howard has been officially sworn in as prime minister by Governor-General Michael Jeffery. In front of his new ministry, Mr Howard took the oath of office for the fourth time as prime minister.


Hurriyat reacts cautiously to Musharraf #39;s proposal The two factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday reacted cautiously to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf #39;s proposal to demilitarise some regions of Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control and grant them automomy.


Mishap capsizes corporate promo AN embarrassing crash into Sydney #39;s Opera House today took the wind out of the sails of a British newspaper #39;s marketing campaign.


Oil Prices Hold Above \$54  LONDON (Reuters) - High-flying oil prices held above \$54 a  barrel on Tuesday as concern lingered over the thin state of  heating oil supplies ahead of the northern winter.


Top Marsh exec resigns Jeffrey W. Greenberg yesterday resigned as chairman and chief executive of embattled Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. and said that the firm will announce  quot;significant reforms quot; today, a move that avoids criminal prosecution of the insurance broker.


SD venture funding resilient Companies developing new drugs and biomedical devices got the biggest percentage of funds invested by venture capital firms in the third quarter, according to two new surveys.


Taiwan Semiconductor Reports Record Profit Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world #39;s biggest producer of made-to-order chips, on Tuesday reported record net profits in the third quarter amid increased demand for chips for cameras, mobile phones, notebook computers and other devices.


Cassini gives Iapetus a wide berth The Cassini probe will not pass as close to the moon Iapetus as originally planned because of fears that the flyby will disturb the path of the \$3.


Illinois seeks OK to buy flu shots from foreign lab Chicago -- Citing  quot;an urgent need quot; at a time of flu vaccine shortages, Illinois asked for federal permission Monday to buy at least 62,000 vaccine doses from Europe for the state #39;s nursing home residents.


Sox say Schilling to pitch in Game 6, if there is one Curt Schilling #39;s gimpy right ankle, which still could alter the course of this World Series, caused Schilling to limp across the clubhouse yesterday, one day after the Red Sox ace led Boston to the 6-2 win in Game 2.


Tons of explosives missing at Iraq site The United Nations nuclear agency warned yesterday that nearly 400 tons of missing explosives could be in the hands of insurgents who have been targeting US-led forces in Iraq for months.


Australia probes Iraq bomb blast that produced its first <b>...</b> SYDNEY : An investigation has been ordered into whether the media was tipped off before a car bombing that caused Australia #39;s first casualties in the Iraq conflict, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.


Antitrust clears wireless merger (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - The Department of Justice has approved Cingular Wireless'  #36;41 billion acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless Services.


Icelanders after French salmon (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - SIF hf. plans to buy Labeyrie Group for an enterprise value of  #36;425 million.


Powell Maintains Tough Stance on N. Korean Weapons Program One day after China urged the Bush administration to adopt greater flexibility in talks over North Korea's nuclear programs, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell on Tuesday sought to maintain a united front with South Korea over the administration's tough line on dismantling Pyongyang's weapons.


Lastminute.com chairman Allan Leighton to step down (AFP) AFP - Online travel agent and retailer Lastminute.com said its chairman, Allan Leighton, will step down in January 2005 and be replaced by Brian Collie, currently a non-executive director.


Adobe and Yahoo! partner to create PDF documents online Adobe, the company behind the ubiquitous Acrobat PDF reader and Yahoo! have teamed up to promote each other #39;s products. Adobe has agreed to add Yahoo!


Martyn, Lehmann flay injury-hit India in third Test (AFP) AFP - Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann scored a quickfire century partnership to lead Australia's recovery in the third cricket Test against a severely depleted India here.


US: Zarqawi  #39;associate #39; killed An early morning US air strike has killed a  quot;known associate quot; of Islamic militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq #39;s restive Sunni Triangle region, the military said.


Hanging on the musical telephone BT is looking to breathe new life into its network of phoneboxes by giving customers the chance to download music.


Leighton steps down at Lastminute Online travel and leisure business Lastminute says chairman Allan Leighton will leave the firm in January.


SA unionists defy Zimbabwe ban A South African trade union delegation is allowed into Zimbabwe despite being told their visit is not acceptable.


Election Wagers Hinge on Ohio Bettors give Bush a higher likelihood of victory than Kerry on websites that allow wagering on next week's election. But odds indicate that the race is still very close and whoever wins the crucial swing state of Ohio will likely prevail. By Joanna Glasner.


System X Faster, but Falls Behind Virginia Tech's recently rebuilt Macintosh supercomputer flies past the 12-teraflop mark, but will the performance boost be enough to keep it in the supercomputer top 10? By Leander Kahney.


An Empire Built of Glass Designer James Carpenter understands the poetics of light and material, working with architects to enhance public places. Fourth in a series profiling this year's MacArthur 'genius award' winners. By Kari Lynn Dean.


Election Drives Online Traffic The run-up to November's presidential election has benefited websites, bringing increased numbers of visitors. Now, the trick is to maintain that traffic surge. By Daniel Terdiman.


No Paper Trail, No Problem A federal judge rules that Florida doesn't have to provide a paper trail for electronic votes, tossing out a congressman's lawsuit. Jacob Ogles reports from Orlando, Florida.


Home PCs Plagued With Problems Researchers find that net users are not as secure as they think. Among surveyed adults who believed they were safe from online threats, most had spyware running on their home computers and few had firewall protection.


Getting bedrock value A conversation about Walter McCarty never stays focused on the Celtics' versatile forward for long. Just ask coach Doc Rivers.


Cingular set to complete takeover With one federal approval received yesterday and another coming as soon as today, Cingular Wireless is finally poised to complete its \$41 billion takeover of AT T Wireless Services Inc.


Biopure seeks OK to boost stock sales Biopure Corp. is running out of money -- again. Recent regulatory filings, including one yesterday, show the Cambridge blood-substitute developer seeking the financial flexibility it says it will need to keep operating after January. That's when it expects to use up the \$7 million it raised through a stock sale in September.


Pandas benefit from wireless net A broadband wireless network is helping researchers at an important panda park in China.


Spitzer mentor takes over at Marsh A FORMER mentor to Eliot Spitzer replaced Jeffrey Greenberg as chief executive of Marsh  amp; McLennan last night, as the embattled insurance group made its first move towards settling a lawsuit with the New York Attorney-General.


New steel giant iSG, Ispat Inland joining mittal Tycoon Lakshmi N. Mittals \$4.5 billion purchase of International Steel Group will create a colossal powerhouse in the world steel industry with the capabilities of producing 70 million tons of steel annually.


Coles Myer backs down in battle for ALH Sydney - Australian retailer Coles Myer on Tuesday said it would not raise its bid for pubs operator, Australian Leisure and Hospitality, as rival Woolworths said it had gained more than 20 percent of the company and declared its offer unconditional.


Cingular set to complete takeover With one federal approval received yesterday and another coming as soon as today, Cingular Wireless is finally poised to complete its \$41 billion takeover of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


BP Sees Third-Quarter Profits Rise 53 Pct. High oil and gas prices and bigger profit margins in refining helped BP PLC drive up third-quarter earnings by 53 percent, the company said Tuesday.


New Credit Policy: RBI Keeps Interest Rate Untouched At 6 Mumbai, Oct. 26 (NNN): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced the busy season credit policy keeping the bank rate untouched at six per cent.


Cable and Wireless to sell Japanese unit to Softbank LONDON : Cable and Wireless, the British telecoms group, said it had agreed to sell its Japanese unit to Internet service provider Softbank Corp for about 133 million dollars (104 million euros) including debt.


TSMC expects first 4Q sales drop ever After again posting record earnings for the third quarter, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) expects to see its first sequential drop in fourth-quarter revenues, coupled with a sharp drop in capacity utilization rates.


Treo 650 Launched by PalmOne A finer, mellow blend of phone and PDA, PalmOne launched the Treo 650 in the US yesterday. There are changes on the outside and changes on the inside - some cosmetic, some ergonomic, and some fundamentally technical.


System X Faster, but Falls Behind Virginia Tech #39;s recently rebuilt Mac supercomputer has squeezed out a few more teraflops, but it probably won #39;t be able to keep its top-five world ranking.


Study: HP is world #39;s top chip buyer ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year.


Martyn on fire as Aussies pile on the runs Damien Martyn blasted an unbeaten 80 as Australia powered to 245-4 at tea in the first day of the third Test in Nagpur. He was ably supported by Darren Lehman, who made a quickfire 70 before being dismissed


Skater:  #39;I have a headache, but I #39;m OK #39; A photographer was taking snaps of skater Tatiana Totmianina Monday when her coach remarked,  quot;Smile for the camera. #39; #39;.


Al-Zarqawi aide killed in airstrike: US military BAGHDAD - An American airstrike on Fallujah killed an aide close to rebel leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the US military said on Tuesday.


5 convicted of rapes on island founded by Bounty mutineers The mayor of the Pacific Ocean island of Pitcairn and his son were among five men found guilty Monday of a series of rapes and sexual assaults against girls on the island stretching back over four decades.


Rain prompts Japan quake fears Persistent rain in northern Japan has triggered fears of fresh landslides in the wake of powerful earthquakes which have shaken the region.


John Howard sworn in for fourth time as Australian PM CANBERRA : John Howard has been formally sworn in as Prime Minister with his new fourth term ministry by Queen Elizabeth II #39;s Australian representative Governor-General Michael Jeffery.


Inquiry ordered in massacre case BAGHDAD - Iraq ordered an investigation yesterday into whether a security breach triggered the massacre of 49 army recruits; meanwhile two foreign soldiers, an Estonian and an American, were killed in surging guerrilla raids during Ramadan.


Pakistan debates bold new Musharraf plan on Kashmir ISLAMABAD : A national debate is raging in Pakistan after President Pervez Musharraf #39;s outlining of a range of bold new options for divided Kashmir that include independence, joint control with India and demilitarisation.


Arafat  #39;all clear #39; after surgery Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has had a medical test under anaesthetic at his compound in Ramallah after bouts of vomiting and stomach pain.


Hambali's Brother Convicted in Indonesia (AP) AP - An Indonesian court on Tuesday sentenced the younger brother of alleged Southeast Asian terror leader Hambali to four years in jail on charges of helping finance last year's bombing of the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta.


Mexico has 'giant wealth divide' Mexico has some of the highest and the lowest standards of living in the world, such is the extent of the gap between rich and poor, a UN report says.


Hambali's brother found guilty The brother of an alleged militant leader is sentenced to four years jail for helping to fund a Jakarta bomb attack.


Bombings kill at least 8 in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Bombings struck four coalition and Iraqi military convoys and a provincial government office yesterday, killing at least eight people, including an American soldier and an Estonian trooper in the Baghdad area.


Karzai Win a Formality as Last Afghan Votes Counted (Reuters) Reuters - With victory all but a formality in\Afghanistan's historic presidential election, Hamid Karzai\waited on Tuesday for the final votes to be counted to confirm\his win.


Radical cleric Abu Hamza makes brief court appearance (AFP) AFP - Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who is charged with 16 alleged offences including incitement to murder Jews, appeared briefly by video link in court.


Summary: Cuba Does Away With Dollars (AP) AP - BUCK STOPS HERE: Cuba announces that dollars will no longer be accepted in stores and businesses, saying it is trying to regain control of its economy as Washington cracks down on the flow of the U.S. currency to Cuba. A convertible peso will be put in circulation.


Too Good to Be True? Red Sox Halfway Home (AP) AP - Pedro Martinez on the mound. A confident, yappy bunch. A 2-0 lead, halfway to the World Series championship. Could it really be this easy for the Boston Red Sox?


Mittal creates new steel giant Billionaire from the UK Lakshmi Mittal on Monday purchased International Steel Group from Wilbur Ross, thus creating the worlds biggest steel company.


Elan Corp. Shares Jump Ireland #39;s major pharmaceutical firm, Elan Corp. PLC, said Tuesday it plans to pay US\$55 million (euro43 million) to resolve a US class-action lawsuit and a related investigation by American federal regulators into alleged accounting malpractice.


Softbank Acquiring Cable  amp; Wirless British telecommunications company Cable  amp; Wireless PLC is selling its Japanese business to Tokyo-based broadband services provider Softbank Corp.


RBI keeps bank rate intact, raises repo rate MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India surprised the market on Tuesday by raising the overnight benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent, citing concerns about a rise in inflation in Asia #39;s fourth-largest economy.


OPEC: Oil Prices May Lower Economic Growth Another year of record-high oil prices may dent world economic growth in 2005, with China being particularly vulnerable, an OPEC official said Tuesday.


Taiwan Semiconductor Reports Record Profit Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world #39;s biggest producer of made-to-order chips, on Tuesday reported record net profits in the third quarter, but the company #39;s chairman predicted leaner times in the fourth quarter and next year.


Nokia plans one-stop content shop for mobile networks Preminet is Nokia #39;s name for a new delivery system for mobile content, such as games and other applications. Gathering together in to one master catalogue a whole range of Java and Symbian OS software, it


PalmOne announces new breed Treo PalmOne #39;s updated Treo, the Treo 650, will employ a new processor, have a sharper display and flash memory, as the company continues to improve its flagship product.


Burt Rutan takes a V2-powered wander down memory lane Aviation pioneer Burt Rutan has been fondly remembering his childhood hero - German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. The X-Prize victor recently hooked up with two surviving members of von Braun #39;s V2 team


City boss Keegan charged over referee criticism Kevin Keegan has been charged with criticising the referee after Manchester City #39;s weekend Premier League defeat against Newcastle United, the Football Association (FA) said on Tuesday.


Feds Examine Hendrick Plane Crash Wreckage National Transportation Safety Board investigators look over the crash site of the Hendrick Motorsport plane crash in Patrick Springs, Va.


Indians check Aussies #39; run flow Nagpur: Paceman Zaheer Khan #39;s double strike helped India to check the Australian run flow on the opening day of the third cricket Test at the VCA ground in Nagpur on Tuesday.


Investors back News Corp switch RUPERT Murdoch has won the battle to shift the headquarters of his giant media group News Corp from the southern Australian city of Adelaide to the US state of Delaware.


British American Tobacco Main Brands #39; Sales Revived (Update2) British American Tobacco Plc, the world #39;s second-largest cigarette maker, said third-quarter sales of its main brands rebounded, reversing a first-half drop, and it gained market share in Canada after raising some prices.


Elan settles suit and SEC probe Pharmaceutical company Elan has announced a settlement of the class action suit filed by shareholders against the company in early 2002 in relation to its accounting practices.


Elan to pay \$15m fines in settlement of SEC inquiry ELAN, the troubled Irish drugs group, last night said that it had settled a US regulatory inquiry into its accounting methods by agreeing to pay \$15 million (8million) in civil fines.


Cards' Suppan Faces Old Team in Game 3 (AP) AP - The St. Louis Cardinals were looking to fill out their rotation last December when they signed Jeff Suppan to a modest two-year,  #36;6 million contract.


Dollar Pauses Near Record Low Vs Euro (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar hit an eight-month low\against the euro on Tuesday, coming within a cent of a record\low, and set its lowest level in eight years versus Swiss franc\on concerns about the U.S. economy and current account gap.


One of Britain's last remaining coal mines closes down (AFP) AFP - A once-thriving coal mine in Yorkshire was closing down, leaving just nine deep coal mines in Britain, the pale remains of an industry that once employed a million people.


Virginia Tech beefs up Mac supercomputer com October 25, 2004, 9:00 PM PT. ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year.


Walks on the wild Cards #39; side St. Louis- The World Series is no place to talk about walks and errors. It is a time for walk-off home runs, diving catches and pitchers getting big outs when nothing else is acceptable.


Critical Keegan charged by the FA LONDON, England -- Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan has been charged by the Football Association with verbally abusing referee Steve Dunn after his side #39;s 4-3 defeat at Newcastle.


Rick Hendrick grieves, and a racing community joins him Richard Childress can empathize with at least some of the despair that fellow NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick is going through. Nearly four years ago, Dale Earnhardt was killed while driving for Childress in the Daytona 500.


UF Boosters Support Decision AD Foley had no choice, they agree, but it #39;s a sad day for Gator Nation. By Del Milligan. While two influential Gator football boosters in Polk County expressed sadness at the Monday morning firing of head


Schumacher and Ferrari have F1 in their grip PARIS (AFP) - The 2004 Formula One season was a case of one red car beating another red car as Michael Schumacher and Ferrari ran their rivals ragged.


Spinners strike early for Bangladesh New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming won the toss and elected to bat first in the second Test against Bangladesh. Fleming was batting with 37 runs along with Styriswho scored 9. New Zealand replaced Ian Butler


Dollar Pauses Near Record Low Vs Euro  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit an eight-month low  against the euro on Tuesday, coming within a cent of a record  low, and set its lowest level in eight years versus Swiss franc  on concerns about the U.S. economy and current account gap.


'Act now on biological weapons' The threat of biological weapons is real and needs to be tackled now, medical experts warn.


American Express rings up record profits NEW YORK - Charge and credit card giant American Express Company said it rung up record third quarter profits as consumers went on a shopping splurge and extended their borrowings.


Red Hat warns against fake security email Linux distributor Red Hat Inc is warning customers about an email scam that claims to be a Red Hat security update but in fact encourages users to download and run potentially malicious code.


Five arrested in Sinai blasts The Egyptian government announced the first arrests in Sinai Peninsula hotel bombings case. This was the most tragic terror act in the entire country for the last seven years.


DEAF KIDS JOIN RALLY IN BID TO FREE KIDNAPPED AID WORKER MARGARET DEAF children helped by kidnapped Margaret Hassan yesterday joined 200 mercy workers at a rally in Baghdad to call for her release.


Ex-NFL Receiver Mark Ingram Jailed (AP) AP - Former Michigan State star and NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, a key to the New York Giants' 1991 Super Bowl victory, has been sentenced to one year in jail for stealing a credit card at a Michigan golf course.


Wall St Seen Edging Up on Crude Price  LONDON (Reuters) - Wall Street was expected edge higher at  Tuesday's opening as the price of U.S. crude oil eased, with  insurers firming after the head of Marsh   McLennan Cos.  Inc.MMC.N resigned.


Radical Cleric Denied Bail by London Court (AP) AP - Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who is awaiting trial for urging followers to kill non-Muslims, was denied bail by a British judge on Tuesday.


Nuclear body seeks new technology Outdated computer systems are hampering the work of inspectors, says the UN nuclear agency.


Insurance Exec Resigns over Spitzer Suit Description: Marsh  amp; McLennan CEO Jeffrey Greenberg steps down, according to a Wall Street Journal online report. Greenberg #39;s exit comes a little more than a week after his firm was named in a bid-rigging inquiry.


Business ; Bank Rate remains untouched in RBI #39;s annual credit <b>...</b> Business News, Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India announced its busy season credit policy today. While it kept Bank Rate untouched at six percent, inflation forecast was raised from 5 to 6.5 percent.


Google feels lucky, surpasses Web rival Yahoo Google rose \$14.97 to close at \$187.40 per share, giving it a market value of \$51.4 billion compared to \$47.9 billion for Internet rival Yahoo.


Marconi joins the Wimax Forum Marconi is the latest big name to join the Wimax Forum, which is expected to certify its first long-range wireless broadband products next year.


Saturn #39;s Titan about to surrender shrouded secrets For the first time in the history of astronomy, scientists are about to glimpse the mysterious surface of Titan, Saturn #39;s haze-shrouded moon.


PalmOne unveils Treo 600 #39;s successor PalmOne this week is announcing the Treo 650, a hybrid PDA/mobile phone device that addresses many of the shortcomings of its hugely popular predecessor, the Treo 600.


Pandas benefit from wireless net The world #39;s dwindling panda population is getting a helping hand from a wireless internet network. The Wolong Nature Reserve in the Sichuan Province of southwest China is home to 20 of the remaining 1,500 giant pandas in the world.


Marshalls role in space revolution A NASA experiment that could help shape the future of space exploration as part of a new generation of potentially life-saving space crafts has launched


Martyn continues his run feast Damien Martyn has made it back to back centuries against India as Australia looked to build a big first innings total in the third Test in Nagpur.


With friends like these ... Choose well, and you are assured a lifetime of good cheer and support, with only the occasional passenger-side regurgitation cleanup.


Vogts #39; future still in the balance The Scottish Football Association postponed a board meeting Tuesday that had been called to discuss the German #39;s future. Scotland has picked up just two points from its first three qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup.


No more Middleton for Raiders SPORTS NETWORK - Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Frank Middleton is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of a torn left quadriceps muscle that will require surgery.


The man alone few hours before the vote in the Knesset, now expected to be 65 in favor of disengagement and 55 against - a large enough majority for Sharon to continue rejecting the referendum being demanded by disengagement opponents -he conventional wisdom is


Musharraf Kashmir plan: Your reaction President Pervez Musharraf #39;s proposals to solve the Kashmir dispute has been called a  quot;betrayal quot; by opposition groups in Pakistan.


Death toll from powerful earthquakes in Japan rises by 4 to 31 The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that rocked Japan over the weekend jumped to 31 on Tuesday as four people, mostly elderly, died from strokes or cerebral hemorrhages due to stress of their ordeal.


Abu Hamza in court Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has appeared via video-link at the Old Bailey on charges of stirring up racial hatred and urging murder of non-believers.


Nigerian pilgrims robbed in Darfur - report Khartoum - A group of 120 Nigerian pilgrims were attacked in Sudan #39;s Darfur region, an official Sudanese newspaper said on Tuesday, after another report that 300 Nigerians were robbed on their way to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, last week.


Omnicom Posts Higher Quarterly Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Omnicom Group OMC.N on Tuesday  reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's largest  advertising group added several high-profile accounts to its  roster and benefited from higher global ad spending.


Referee attack lands Keegan in the dock (AFP) AFP - Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan has been charged by the Football Association for his confrontation with referee Steve Dunn in the tunnel after Sunday's 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.


Mark Thatcher in South African Court (AP) AP - Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, appeared in a South African court on Tuesday on charges he helped bankroll a coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.


Officials Say 78 Died After Thailand Riot (AP) AP - At least 78 people have died following a riot in southern Thailand, many of them by crushed and suffocated after they were arrested and packed tightly into trucks, officials said Tuesday.


At Least 84 Killed in S. Thailand Monday  PATTANI, Thailand (Reuters) - At least 78 people died in a  crush in southern Thailand Monday after police and troops fired  shots to disperse a crowd of Muslim demonstrators outside a  police station, a justice ministry official said on Tuesday.


Big Fish, Little Fish Battle Over the Amazon's Bounty A symbol of abundance to the rest of the world, the Amazon is experiencing a crisis of overfishing.


Food Plant In the spirit of my   previous exploration of places my work has taken me, a meditation on a  totally different part of our economy.  If you're about to eat, you might want  to wait until afterward to read this.


Wall St Seen Edging Up on Crude Price Wall Street was expected edge higher at Tuesday #39;s opening as the price of US crude oil eased, with insurers firming after the head of Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos.


Update 1: Euro Hits 8-Month High Against the Dollar The euro hit an eight-month high against the US dollar on Tuesday, increasing the exchange-rate burden on Europe #39;s exporters as fears over high oil prices weighed on the greenback.


Oracle #39;s Bid for PeopleSoft to Get EU Clearance, People Say Oracle Corp. will win unconditional European Union approval for its \$7.7 billion bid for PeopleSoft Inc., ending the longest-ever merger review by EU antitrust regulators, according to people familiar with the situation.


New Accounts Boost Omnicom Profit (Reuters) Reuters - Omnicom Group  on Tuesday\reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's largest\advertising group added several high-profile accounts to its\roster and benefited from higher global ad spending.


Microsoft Regains AOL's Support For Anti-Spam Technology (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - America Online Inc. said yesterday it is once again supporting a Microsoft Corp. plan to combat unwanted bulk e-mail by verifying senders of messages, a move that could rekindle industry adoption of a new system for attacking spam.


Sony MP3 Players Finally Debut Sony has launched two portable digital audio players that for the first time support the MP3 file format, other than its Atrac file format.


Microsoft desktop search by end of year It looks to be all out war. Microsoft has announced the launch date for a test version of desktop search software to rival Google #39;s beta search application released earlier this month.


Your PC may be less secure than you think A survey conducted by internet service provider AOL found that 20 percent of home computers were infected by a virus or worm, and that various forms of snooping programs such


Federal investigators continue looking for cause of Hendrick plane <b>...</b> PATRICK SPRINGS, Va. Airport officials in Virginia say pilots of at least 20 other planes decided it was too dangerous to land at the airport near where a Hendrick Motorsports plane went down.


Vodafone Makes Sun Its Preferred IT Vendor (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Vodafone signs a global purchasing agreement with Sun that gives Vodafone consistent terms for Sun's hardware, software and services product line.


Venture Capital Investments Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association, will discuss the latest quarterly MoneyTree venture capital results and trends in venture capital. Filter columnist Cynthia L. Webb will moderate the discussion.


BP Profits  #39;1m A Day #39; Oil giant BP today said record fuel prices and better refining margins had helped it to bank nearly 1 million a day in profits. BP posted profits of 3.94 billion US


Intel gives wireless boost to Chinese panda research Intel has teamed up with Globio, a nonprofit educational group, to set up a wireless network for researchers at China #39;s Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan province, the home of the endangered giant panda.


Microsoft users catch price break In what #39;s being called a shrewd licensing move, Microsoft last week put its competitors on the defensive and avoided price increases for customers by announcing it would not charge extra fees for server software running on dual-core, processor-based


Back at it The 49ers returned to the practice field Monday morning, and linebacker Derek Smith was there with them. That alone is very good news for a defense that also could have right end Andre Carter back in action


US tightens net around Fallujah United States troops have reinforced positions around Fallujah after an overnight air strike and sealed main roads out of the rebel-held city.


Stocks Seen Slightly Higher; Oil Slipping  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a  slightly higher market open on Tuesday, as oil prices retreat  and insurance stocks look to extend gains from Monday that were  sparked by the resignation of a key figure in the investigation  into the industry's business practices.


CME Profit Up on Trading Volume Growth  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings  Inc. CME.N on Tuesday said quarterly profit rose 89 percent  on strong derivatives volumes, especially for electronic  trading, and increased third-party processing revenues.


Police called in to Old Trafford buffet battle (AFP) AFP - Manchester police have been asked give evidence into the Old Trafford buffet battle when an Arsenal player was alleged to have thrown soup and pizza at Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.


RBI raises interest rates to tackle inflation (Reuters) Reuters - The central bank raised its overnight repo rate on Tuesday for the first time in more than four years, citing concerns about a rise in inflation in Asia's fourth-largest economy.


Halliburton Posts \$44 Million Loss  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N , the world's  No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a  third-quarter net loss as charges from its asbestos liability  weighed.


For Dell and AMD, a tantalizing question Will they or won't they? Dell execs remain elusive on AMD plans, but analysts say circumstances could push the two together.


Big stakes in holiday game scramble Game publishers and hardware makers will battle for consumers' holiday dollars with a slew of high-profile releases.


Ad giant says  #39;jury is out #39; on prospects WPP, one of the worlds biggest advertising agencies, today cast doubt on prospects for the industrys fortunes next year, saying the  quot;jury remains out quot;.


C amp;W sells Japanese arm to Softbank Japanese communications firm Softbank is to buy the Japanese unit of Cable  amp; Wireless for \$132 million (72 million pounds), making it the No


TSMC sees plummeting utilization, capex down in 2005 LONDON - According to a correspondent in Taiwan Morris Chang, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. had some interesting things to say about the outlook following on from the company #39;s third quarter results.


Keppel Profit Climbs on Property Gains Singapore #39;s state-linked Keppel Corp. said Tuesday its third-quarter net profit rose 14.8 percent on year thanks to strong contributions from its property unit and oil refining affiliate.


FA charges Keegan over referee insults Kevin Keegan has been charged with verbally abusing a match official following Manchester City #39;s 4-3 defeat by Newcastle United.


DENVER BRONCOS ODDS REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR SUPERBOWL Denver Broncos suffered a small setback on Monday Night Football when they were utterly outplayed by Cincinnati Bengals. The AFC West division leaders dropped to 5-2, although remain unchanged in the Superbowl


College Football Report How good is Utah?  quot;They are a potential national-championship caliber team. Some people may question that, but they are playing good football and are as good as any team in the nation.


Skiles: Hughes also should be hit by NBA Antonio Davis and Washington #39;s Brendan Haywood figure to draw suspensions for Monday #39;s dust-up during the Bulls #39; 100-95 preseason victory.


Campaigns battle over missing explosives The disappearance of 380 tons of powerful explosives from an Iraq storage depot has become a political football in the US presidential elections as both campaigns look for a last-minute advantage.


S.Korea Probe Suggests No Infiltration from North  DONGDUCHON, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korea said  Tuesday an investigation into a hole found cut in a border  fence along the Demilitarised Zone frontier with North Korea  did not suggest infiltration from the communist country.


TB poses major threat to millions \Tuberculosis will kill millions in developing countries unless radical action is taken, an aid organisation has warned.


Johnson Controls Earnings Rise 24 Percent  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Johnson Controls Inc. JCI.N, said on  Tuesday that quarterly earnings rose 24 percent on growth in  both its automotive interiors and building controls business.


Site on tobacco giant launched A website detailing the inner workings of leading tobacco firm British American Tobacco has been set up.


RBI policy will not hamper growth: FM New Delhi: Hailing RBIs monetary and credit policy, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said it will not hamper growth and the investment momentum will continue despite pressure on price level.


Earnings at BAT are full of puff BRITISH American Tobacco is continuing to make good profits on the strength of its four main cigarette brands: Lucky Strike, Kent, Dunhill and Pall Mall cigarettes.


WPP revenues climb but jury still out on 2005 WPP Group, the world #39;s second largest advertising company, says its third-quarter revenues grew ahead of analyst expectations but has warned of an uncertain 2005.


TSMC #39;s Chang sees plummeting Q4 utilization, capex down in 05 In what may turn out to be an ominous sign of a short-lived recovery, foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. caught market watchers by surprise Tuesday with a grim


Cheese For The Mouse House #39;s Investors? It was probably a slip of the tongue. Speaking to an investor conference on Sept. 30, Walt Disney (DIS) President Robert Iger noted that it was the end of Disney #39;s fiscal year -- adding:  quot;And what a year it has been.


China, ASEAN agree to end tariffs SHANGHAI, China -- China has reached agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, on completely removing tariffs on merchandise goods by 2010 as part of a proposed free trade agreement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says.


Cursed either way R everse the Curse ice cream has been the best-selling new flavor in the history of Brighams, a Boston-area ice-cream chain. Now, the ice cream, introduced last spring, is in danger of becoming obsolete.


TON-UP FLEMING OUT ON HIS OWN Stephen Fleming batted himself into the record books and New Zealand into an ominous position on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.


Depleted India strike early blows Injury-hit India made a good start in the third cricket Test against Australia on Tuesday, leaving the tourists on 103-3 by lunch on the opening day.


Chicago bullies Wizards 100-95 despite brawl Kirk Hinrich scored 32 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 100-95 victory over the Washington Wizards in an exhibition game delayed by a fight Monday night.


Sports in brief: Skater not afraid to go back on ice World champion pairs skater Tatiana Totmianina said Monday she still doesn #39;t know what caused her to fall and sustain a concussion during a weekend skating program, though she says she doesn #39;t fear going back on the ice.


BP quarterly profits soar, but spending plans a worry (AFP) AFP - British oil giant BP reported a 43-percent rise in third-quarter pro forma net profit to 3.94 billion dollars (3.08 billion euros) thanks to soaring crude prices and booming demand.


Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N , the world's  No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a  third-quarter net loss as it took \$230 million in charges to  fund its asbestos liability.


IT Services, Jets Lift Lockheed Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed  Martin Corp. LMT.N reported a 41 percent rise in quarterly  profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, as demand  soared for its combat aircraft and information technology  services.


International Paper Has Loss After Charge  NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Paper Co. IP.N, the  world's largest forest products company, on Tuesday reported a  third-quarter loss after charges for the write-down of Canadian  assets.


Agere Posts Loss on Revenue Drop, Charges  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Agere Systems Inc. AGRa.N on Tuesday  posted a fiscal fourth-quarter loss as the communications chip  maker's revenue declined and it took hefty charges for  restructuring.


Chain Store Sales Fall in Latest Week  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store retail sales fell for  the second week in a row, with customers mostly just window  shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


BP profits surge to record 2.14 billion BP today announced record third-quarter profits of 2.14 billion on the back of soaring oil prices. The worlds second biggest oil firm said pro forma net earnings included a charge for exceptional items of 218 million.


Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge Halliburton Co. (HAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a third-quarter net loss as it took \$230 million in charges to fund its asbestos liability.


Svenska Cellulosa to Slash 1,200 Jobs (AP) AP - Papermaker and forest products company Svenska Cellulosa AB said Tuesday it would cut 1,200 jobs, or 2.4 percent of its overall work force, as it seeks to cut costs amid competition from rivals and declining demand. Most of the job losses will be at plants in France and the Netherlands.


Keegan in the dock London - Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan has been charged by the Football Association for his confrontation with referee Steve Dunn in the tunnel after Sunday #39;s 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.


UF head football coach fired after loss to Mississippi State Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley thought Ron Zook was the right fit for Floridas football program three years ago when he hired the energetic, player-friendly defensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints.


S.Korea Probe Suggests No Infiltration from North South Korea said Tuesday an investigation into a hole found cut in a border fence along the Demilitarised Zone frontier with North Korea did not suggest infiltration from the communist country.


International Paper Posts Quarterly Loss  NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Paper Co. IP.N, the  world's largest forest products company, on Tuesday reported a  third-quarter loss after taking a charge to write down Canadian  assets.


Europe and Iran to meet again on nuclear issue (AFP) AFP - Europe's three key states are to meet again with Iran in Vienna to hear Tehran's response to their offer for it to avoid possible UN sanctions and receive nuclear technology by indefinitely suspending uranium enrichment.


Google Working to Recruit Brainy Elite Google Inc. locates almost anything on the Web within seconds, but finding the brainy engineers who program the company's lightning-quick search engine takes more time - and a quirky bit of ingenuity.


Intel Invests in New Wireless Venture Hoping to accelerate the deployment of a new wireless technology, Intel Corp. announced Monday it's invested in a venture started by billionaire Craig McCaw to deliver high-speed Internet service over the airwaves.


Online Music Site Settles Copyright Suit The operators of a Spanish-based Web site that sold music downloads have agreed to pay \$10.5 million to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by several recording companies.


New Crop of Portable Players Nips at IPod At least a dozen portable music players are angling to steal sales away from Apple Computer Inc.'s wildly popular line of iPods this holiday season. In the past month alone, five companies have unveiled their iPod challengers - pocket-sized players with hard disks that can store anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 songs.


'Grand Theft Auto' Seen Breaking Games Sales Record
\

 By Franklin Paul

 NEW YORK (Reuters) -  When the violent video game "Grand\Theft Auto: San Andreas" hits stores on Tuesday, its sales\could eclipse Hollywood's most successful films, even as it\draws the ire of critics.


Thatcher fights questions by Equatorial Guinea on coup plot (AFP) AFP - Mark Thatcher and his lawyers fought a call to answer questions on his alleged role in a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea, saying any trial in the oil-rich west African state would amount to a  quot;military tribunal. quot;


UN AIDS envoy urges Blair to make G8 do more for Africa (AFP) AFP - The United Nations envoy on AIDS urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to persuade the world's richest countries to provide more funds to step up treatment of the disease in Africa.


NBC's New Reality After years as champ, the peacock network is flagging. Can its boss glue the feathers back on?


New steel giant includes Lackawanna site A major change is coming to the global steel industry and a galvanized mill in Lackawanna that formerly belonged to Bethlehem Steel Corp.


EU lifts sanctions on US  for now The European Union decided yesterday to lift heavy punitive tariffs on US goods but said it might renew them if the World Trade Organization confirms suspected loopholes


Halliburton Posts \$44 Million Loss Halliburton Co. , the world #39;s No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a third-quarter net loss as charges from its asbestos liability weighed.


AOL survey finds homes user ignorant to online threats A survey conducted by internet service provider America Online (AOL) found that 20 of home computers were infected by a virus or worm, and that various forms of snooping programs such as spyware and adware are on 80 of systems.


Microsoft and AOL agree to agree on anti-spoofing Sender-ID <b>...</b> AOL is chums again with buddy Microsoft and is now supporting a new version of Redmond #39;s controversial Sender ID anti-spoofing technology.


Activision expands Doom 3 - Resurrection of Evil announced Activision has announced today that id and Nerve Software are working an expansion pack to the mighty Doom 3. Carrying the title Resurrection of Evil it does indeed promise to resurrect some evil.


Chad bumps; Rudi runs If the Bengals are sharing this improbable underdog sports week with the Red Sox and Peter Warricks broken leg is their version of Curt Schillings bloodied ankle, then Chad Johnson must


Cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri Denied Bail at London #39;s Old Bailey Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who faces 16 charges including the incitement of racial hatred, was denied bail by a judge at the Old Bailey, London #39;s central criminal court.


Omnicom Profit Beats Wall Street View  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Omnicom Group OMC.N on Tuesday  reported a quarterly profit that outpaced Wall Street  expectations as the No. 1 advertising group added high-profile  accounts and benefited from increased global ad spending.


U.S. Troops Reinforce After Falluja Air Strike  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops cut roads and reinforced  positions around Falluja Tuesday after an air strike aimed at  Arab militants said to roam the rebel-held city.


Inflation eases to 1.8 per cent OTTAWA - Canada #39;s annual inflation rate edged down to 1.8 per cent in September as the overall cost of a typical basket of goods and services barely rose from August, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday.


Tech Briefs Shares of Google rose 8.7 percent in the second trading session after the company said third-quarter profit more than doubled. The shares rose \$14.


Australia v India third test scoreboard - close  UPDATE 2-Martyn century give Australia upper hand v India October 26, 2004 11:46:28 NAGPUR, India, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Damien Martyn struck a dazzling 114 but injury-hit India clung on in the final session as Australia finished the opening day of the


FA charges Keegan with abusive behavior Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan was charged by the Football Association on Tuesday with verbally abusing the referee following his side #39;s 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.


DALE McFEATTERS: The massacre in Iraq (sh) - The Bush administration strategy for an exit from Iraq depends heavily, perhaps even solely, on training enough Iraqi soldiers and police to secure the country for a handover to an elected Iraqi government.


Goodrich Posts Higher 3rd-Quarter Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Aircraft brake and landing gear maker  Goodrich Corp. GR.N on Tuesday posted higher quarterly sales  and earnings and raised its full-year forecasts as an improving  market for aircraft equipment boosted demand for its products.


Australian bank group reports record profit SYDNEY Australia  amp; New Zealand Banking Group said Tuesday that second-half profit rose 17 percent to a record after it bought New Zealand #39;s biggest bank and raised lending to businesses as they increased investment.


India #39;s central bank pushes up key rate NEW DELHI India #39;s central bank on Tuesday unexpectedly raised a key interest rate for the first time in four years, saying that soaring commodity prices and corporate demand for credit threatened to fuel inflation.


UK Quarterly Manufacturing Optimism Lowest in Year (Update1) An index of optimism among UK manufacturers fell in the three months through October to the lowest since July of last year, the Confederation of British Industry said, adding to evidence of a slowdown in industry.


Lockheed Profit Jumps on IT, Jet Demand (Reuters) Reuters - No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed\Martin Corp.  reported a 41 percent rise in quarterly\profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, as demand\soared for its combat aircraft and information technology\services.


PalmOne updates the Treo smartphone PalmOne #39;s long-awaited update to the Treo 600 will come with a new processor, sharper display and flash memory, as the company continues to improve its flagship product.


Apple #39;s Superfast Supercomputer NEW YORK - Apple Computer #39;s machines are known for being great for composing music, editing video and, of course, downloading music.


Google stock shoots, scores, up 120 from IPO (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - For anyone who misses the late '90s, there's an easy way to get a flashback fix. Check out Google's stock. Shares of the Internet search engine Monday soared another  #36;14.97 to  #36;187.40, capping a 120 surge from its initial public offering price in August.


DVD box sets find a place on gift lists (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Brian Stark knows exactly what he wants for Christmas. DVDs, lots of them. There's the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. There's the new Martin Scorsese gift set, with one of his all-time favorite films, Goodfellas.


One vacancy could reshape court (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Monday's announcement that Chief Justice William Rehnquist is being treated for thyroid cancer was a reminder of one man's mortality - and of how a single vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court could change the dynamics of the divided panel.


Altiris Falls 7 Percent Before Bell  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Altiris Inc. ATRS.O fell 7  percent before the opening bell on Tuesday a day after it  posted disappointing earnings.


Iraq sulphur fire breaks records A fire at an Iraqi sulphur plant has caused the largest man-made release of sulphur ever recorded, scientists say.


Business ; India #39;s growth target lowered, anti-inflation measures <b>...</b> Business News, Mumbai: India #39;s growth forecast for the current fiscal was Tuesday lowered to 6-6.5 percent by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which also unveiled measures to arrest the inflation rate.


Stability fears as oil reliance grows The world #39;s reliance on oil and gas is set to increase sharply as global energy demand soars by 60 over the next 25 to 30 years, an influential report predicts.


Sara Lee Earnings Jump 53 Percent in 1Q CHICAGO - Sara Lee Corp. #39;s earnings climbed 53 percent in the first fiscal quarter, boosted by a delayed payout from the sale of its European tobacco business, the packaged-foods and apparel company announced Tuesday.


Wpp Cautious on Outlook Advertising giant WPP today said quarterly revenues grew at the fastest rate since 2001 but warned that the jury remains out on its prospects for next year.


TSMC expects first 4Q sales drop since 1998 After again posting record earnings for the third quarter, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) expects to see its first sequential drop in fourth-quarter revenues, coupled with a sharp drop in capacity utilization rates.


Chemical Prices Help DuPont Reverse Loss (Reuters) Reuters - DuPont Co.  posted a\third-quarter profit, reversing a year-ago loss, as higher\chemical prices offset surging energy costs, the second-largest\U.S. chemicals maker said on Tuesday.


Intel, Clearwire Collaborate on WiMax Intel and Clearwire, Craig McCaw #39;s wireless broadband services company, plan to jointly develop and deploy wireless broadband WiMax networks, the companies announced today.


Customers To Get LCS 2005 In December Microsoft is now burning disks of Live Communication Server 2005. The real-time communications product should be broadly available December 1, the company said Monday.


Red Sox take this idiot thing to the bank BOSTON Go figure this World Series. An old maxim in baseball is you always give away more runs with shoddy defense than you gain with torrid bats.


Record-breaking Fleming puts Kiwis in command CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh - Captain Stephen Fleming struck a sparkling century as New Zealand took control of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here on Tuesday.


Radcliffe to run New York marathon World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe will run in the New York marathon on November 7, race organisers say. The 30-year-old Briton failed to finish either the marathon or the 10,000 metres at last August #39;s Athens Olympics.


Commentary: ...But A Harsh Diagnosis For Europe (BusinessWeek Online) BusinessWeek Online - During his 13-year stint as the head of the International Monetary Fund, Michel Camdessus perfected the art of dressing down the world's budget-busters and fiscal profligates. Now it is the turn of Camdessus' native land, France, to come in for an earful of criticism. Charged by the French government five months ago to look into why France can't boost its economic growth rate, Camdessus delivered a withering critique of Gallic business as usual when he unveiled his report on Oct. 19. ...


IAEA: 380 tons of high explosives missing in Iraq WASHINGTON -- The head of the United Nations nuclear inspection arm told the UN Security Council on Monday that nearly 380 tons of high-grade explosives that could be used in nuclear bombs or terrorist weapons are missing from a storage facility in Iraq


Koizumi views quake-damaged Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi headed to northern Japan to survey the damage wrought by the deadliest earthquakes to hit the country in nearly a decade as the death toll jumped to 31.


Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N , the world's  No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday fell to a  quarterly loss as \$230 million in charges to fund its asbestos  settlement outweighed gains in its energy business.


Lockheed Profit Jumps 41 Percent  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT.N, the No.  1 U.S. defense contractor, posted a 41 percent rise in  quarterly profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, on  strong demand for its combat aircraft and information  technology services.


Man jailed over China DVD porn A Chinese court has sentenced a man to 19 years in prison for trafficking pornographic DVDS, state media reports.


FCC Approves Cingular's AT T Wireless Bid  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications  Commission said on Tuesday it has conditionally approved  Cingular Wireless' \$41 billion acquisition of AT T Wireless  Services Inc. AWE.N, clearing the last big hurdle for the  deal.


Red Hat Sees Half of Sales Outside U.S. in a Year  FRANKFURT, Germany (Reuters) - U.S.-based Red Hat Inc., the  world's top distributor of open-source Linux software, expects  its international business to increase to half its sales within  12 months, an executive said on Tuesday.


Halliburton posts loss Halliburton (HAL), the world #39;s No. 2 oil field services company, posted a third-quarter net loss Tuesday as it took \$230 million in charges to pay for its asbestos liability.


BAT profits up British American Tobacco, the world #39;s second biggest cigarette maker, today posted a 20 rise in third quarter profits, although it said it continued to be affected by the weakness of the dollar.


Gold Fields May Bring Forward Vote on Iamgold Bid (Update3) Gold Fields Ltd. may bring forward the date for shareholders to vote on its proposed \$2.1 billion purchase of Canada #39;s Iamgold Corp.


NotifyLink Supports palmOne #39;s New Treo 650 Smartphone for Novell <b>...</b> SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Notify Technology Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: NTFY) , today announced that its NotifyLink Enterprise Mobility Solution for Novell GroupWise has been enhanced


DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil ID Software et Activision ont annonc hier le dveloppement d #39;une extension pour leur hit Doom 3. Baptise  quot;DOOM 3: Resurrection of Evil  quot;, cette extension proposera de nouveaux environnement de jeu, de nouveaux personnages et de nouvelles armes, avec


Microsoft Sets December Release for Next-Gen Enterprise IM Server The next version of Microsoft Corp. #39;s enterprise instant messaging and presence server will be available on Dec. 1, the company said late on Monday.


Intel drops plans for LCOS chip The world #39;s largest chipmaker, which has had product delays, manufacturing snafus and canceled the 4-GHz version of Pentium 4, has now axed its plans to build chips for big-screen, high-definition TV sets.


Woe are the Red Sox? maybe next week And, so, pending World Series gaffes, please, what we know about the Boston Red Sox is that they are not, after all, immune to the Heimlich maneuver.


Johansson cheers Stockholm crowd Thomas Johansson gave the home crowd something to cheer with victory over Xavier Malisse on day one of the Stockholm Open. The Swede came through 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-1) and goes on to face a compatriot in Thomas Enqvist or Robin Soderling.


Don #39;t Blame Berti - Brown Former Scotland manager Craig Brown insists Berti Vogts is not to blame for a lack of motivation in the international team. The future of the German is the subject of intense speculation with the Scottish


Sooners jump up a spot in BCS rankings The Sooners, third in last week #39;s initial Bowl Championship Series rankings, moved up one important spot this week to No. 2. Oklahoma traded places with Miami, putting Coach Bob Stoops #39; club in the national


Karzai Wins Afghan Election, Official Says A UN worker sorts Hamid Karzai #39;s ballot papers at a counting center in Kabul on Tuesday, Oct. 26. 2004. With 97.7 percent of ballots counted, Karzai has 55.


Prince Charles: Terrorism Has Unified Us The British Embassy in Istanbul, which was damaged in the terrorist attacks killing 16 people on November 20, 2003 was re-opened for service by Crown Prince Charles yesterday.


Fossil fuels to remain dominant: IEA The International Energy Agency has said fossil fuels will retain their overwhelming domination of the world #39;s energy market until 2030 unless governments urgently switch to clean sources.


Altiris Falls 7 Percent Before Bell Shares of Altiris Inc. (ATRS) fell 7 percent before the opening bell on Tuesday a day after it posted disappointing earnings. On the INET electronic brokerage system, its shares were down


Delta finds financing to keep airline afloat A subsidiary of American Express will lend \$600 million to the struggling airline, which is meeting with its pilots union. By Todd Pack.


Sharp exits US PDA market Sharp Electronics plans to stop selling its Linux-based personal digital assistant (PDA) in the US, reports Associated Press. The company will continue to


Does the palmOne Treo 650 Replace Treo 600? Not Exactly. palmOne gets a little upset when people call the Treo 650 just an  quot;evolution quot; of the Treo 600. They insist that it is indeed a step up the ladder and not just a leg lift towards that next step.


Red Hat Sees Half of Sales Outside US in a Year US-based Red Hat Inc., the world #39;s top distributor of open-source Linux software, expects its international business to increase to half its sales within 12 months, an executive said on Tuesday.


Kiwis in command SKIPPER Stephen Fleming marked his record-breaking Test appearance today with a solid unbeaten 87 that put New Zealand in command on the first day of the second cricket Test against Bangladesh.


US troops reinforce after Falluja strike warplanes criss-crossed the skies. Troops took up positions in empty buildings on the Sunni Muslim city #39;s southern perimeter. A civilian driver was shot dead near a US checkpoint on the highway, witnesses said.


CEO Quits At Marsh  amp; McLennan NEW YORK -- The chairman and chief executive of the insurance brokerage giant Marsh  amp; McLennan is stepping down. The company said Monday that Jeffrey Greenberg submitted his resignation and the board accepted it.


Imperial Tobacco #39;s parent company has strong quarter Cigarette making giant British American Tobacco PLC, owner of Canada #39;s largest tobacco producer, reported a 60 per cent jump in third quarter net profit Tuesday, thanks partly to lower taxation charges.


Manufacturers #39; confidence dips Manufacturers #39; business confidence in the three months to October deteriorated to its weakest level since the middle of last year as input prices, particularly oil, remained high, a survey shows.


Altiris Falls 7 Percent Before Bell Shares of Altiris Inc. (ATRS.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 7 percent before the opening bell on Tuesday a day after it posted disappointing earnings.


C amp;W continues fire sale, off-loads Japan division Network operator Cable and Wireless Tuesday announced it has agreed to sell its Japanese business, Cable  amp; Wireless IDC, to Softbank for 72.


Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N, the world's  No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a quarterly  loss as gains in its energy business were outweighed by \$230  million in charges to fund its asbestos settlement.


Chain Store Sales Fell in Oct 23 Week  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store sales fell in the  third week of October, with sales being delayed by the summer  like weather, a report said on Tuesday.


Canadian veterans lay wreaths to honour comrades who died 60 years ago in Italy (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - CASSINO, Italy (CP) - In the shadows of the Benedictine abbey where German forces held out for long months in the spring of 1944, Canadian war veterans paid tribute Tuesday to the comrades who died in some of the most bitter fighting of the Second World War.


FCC Clears Cingular Acquisition of AT T (AP) AP - The Federal Communications Commission gave its approval Tuesday to Cingular Wireless LLC's  #36;41 billion acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc., completing the federal regulatory blessing necessary for creation of the country's largest cellphone company.


FCC Approves Cingular's AT T Wireless Bid (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Federal Communications\Commission said on Tuesday it has conditionally approved\Cingular Wireless'  #36;41 billion acquisition of AT T Wireless\Services Inc. , clearing the last big hurdle for the\deal.


Darfur peace talks hobble along amid bitter disputes over security (AFP) AFP - Delegates at peace talks to end a conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region traded bitter accusations of ceasefire violations as African Union mediators battled to keep the conference on track.


Red Hat Sees Half of Sales Outside U.S. in a Year (Reuters) Reuters - U.S.-based Red Hat Inc., the\world's top distributor of open-source Linux software, expects\its international business to increase to half its sales within\12 months, an executive said on Tuesday.


System X supercomputer speeds up almost 20 percent (MacCentral) MacCentral - Virginia Tech's all-Mac System X supercomputer, installed at the university's Terascale Computing Facility, made headlines last year when it was determined to be the third-fastest supercomputer in the world. System X has been upgraded to Apple Computer Inc.'s Xserve G5 server and now runs even faster, with a sustained speed of 12.25 trillion operations per second -- 19 percent faster than before.


Google Spyware? Bad Guys   Spies Using Google Desktop Search Google Spyware? Bad Guys  #038; Spies Using Google Desktop Search\\I suppose I was naive when I cheered the new Google Desktop Search tool thinking it was ONLY a great way to help ease my computer info-glut and help organize my hundreds of hard-drive stored documents, emails and files. It seems ...


BP Reports Bumper Profits on Oil Price  LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil  company, reported bumper third-quarter profits on Tuesday  thanks to high oil prices, but analysts said higher capital  expenditure plans raised some concerns about the extent of  future share buybacks.


John Deere, IRobot Team Up for Battlefield Robot In a trailblazing pairing of robotics and tractor companies, iRobot and John Deere announced plans Monday to build a 9-foot-long semi-autonomous battlefield vehicle.


AUSTRALIA: Woolworths wins battle for ALH Australian supermarket group Coles Myer has admitted defeat in the takeover battle for Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group (ALH) after rival bidder Woolworths said it had secured more than 20 of its target.


Outsiders not barred from Pritzker courtroom A Cook County judge refused Monday to bar outsiders from the courtroom where the Pritzker family #39;s \$15 billion fortune is being divided, dealing a setback to the powerful clan.


Halliburton Suffers Loss on Asbestos Claims Halliburton reported a loss in the third quarter, hurt by charges from discontinued operations related to the settlement of asbestos and silica claims.


Sox travel to St. Louis The Red Sox are halfway to capturing something that #39;s slipped just out of reach since 1918 -- the World Series trophy. Boston is gearing up for Game Three Tuesday night when they send Pedro Martinez to the mound against St.


India Fights Back After Martyns Century Nagpur, Oct. 26 (NNN): Australian teams hopes of taking a grip on the third Test were slightly dented as Indian spinners led a late fightback on day one of the third Test here on Tuesday.


Zook, Line and Sinker Inside the decision to fire Ron Zook Gainesville, FL (U-WIRE) -- On a plane traveling from North Carolina to Gainesville, UF President Bernie Machen had made up his mind.


Prosecutor postpones results of probe into disgraced Greek <b>...</b> A senior Greek prosecutor has postponed announcing the results of a two-month investigation into disgraced Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.


Musharraf calls for new approach to Kashmir dispute The Pakistani leader, General Pervez Musharraf, has called for a new approach to resolving the 50-year-old dispute with India over the status of Kashmir.


Chip-Maker Agere Posts Loss on Charges (AP) AP - Agere Systems Inc., which makes computer chips and software for cell phones and other devices, Tuesday said it fell to a loss for its latest quarter, hurt by charges for its restructuring plan and declining revenue.


Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge
\

 By Matt Daily

 HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. <HAL.N>, the world's


International Paper Posts Quarterly Loss (Reuters) Reuters - International Paper Co. , the\world's largest forest products company, on Tuesday reported a\third-quarter loss after taking a charge to write down Canadian\assets.


Global Markets: Easier Oil Soothes Shares  LONDON (Reuters) - European shares firmed on Tuesday as oil  slipped further toward \$54 a barrel, while the dollar's tumble  came to a temporary halt after it touched another 8-month low  against the euro.


Woolworths beats rival to buy liquor company SINGAPORE The takeover battle for Australian Leisure  amp; Hospitality Group and its liquor stores appeared to come to an abrupt end on Tuesday as the retailer Coles Myer handed its rival Woolworths what analysts said might prove a Pyrrhic victory.


Cingular, AT amp;T Wireless Integration Seen Lengthy Deutsche Bank Securities maintained a  quot;hold quot; rating and \$8.60 target price on AT amp;T Wireless Services (nyse: AWE - news - people ), saying the Justice Department #39;s approval of Cingular #39;s takeover represents a  quot;favorable settlement.


Omnicom 3Q Profit Driven by Global Reach Omnicom Group Inc., owner of advertising agencies such as BBDO and DDB Worldwide, on Tuesday reported third-quarter profit beat Wall Street expectations as revenue increased 14 percent from the year-ago period.


Repo rate hike a short-term signal RBI deputy governor on Tuesday said the increase in the overnight repo rate was a short-term signal aimed at tackling price stability.


Update 2: BP Nearly Doubles Its 3Q Earnings High oil and gas prices and bigger profit margins in refining helped the British energy giant BP PLC nearly double its third-quarter earnings, the company said Tuesday.


BAT shrugs off strong pound British American Tobacco, the world #39;s second biggest cigarette maker, has beaten forecasts with a 13.5 percent rise in third-quarter profits after upbeat trading from Italy


Cassini takes a close-up look at Saturn #39;s giant moon Titan PASADENA, Calif. The Cassini spacecraft is expected to reach its closest approach to Saturn #39;s giant moon Titan this morning. The international spacecraft entered orbit around Saturn in June and is expected


NASA throws a DART Huntsville engineers are hoping bad weather won #39;t put off the launch today of a satellite that could lead to completely automatic spaceflight and docking.


Mendieta Ruled Out for Season Middlesbrough midfielder Gaizka Mendieta is out for the rest the season after damaging a cruciate ligament during Sundays 1-1 draw with Portsmouth.


Rusedski through in St Petersburg Greg Rusedski eased into the second round of the St Petersburg Open with a straight-sets win over Swiss veteran Marc Rosset. The Briton won 6-4 6-3 to set up a second-round clash with Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic.


High Prices Boost BP 3rd-Quarter Profits (AP) AP - High oil and gas prices and bigger profit margins in refining helped the British energy giant BP PLC nearly double its third-quarter earnings.


Yudhoyono eyes Jemaah Islamiyah ban JAKARTA - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said the government will ban Jemaah Islamiyah, which is believed to have links with international terrorist network al-Qaida, if it does exist, according to a US-based magazine.


U.S. Expats Jump on Planes to Vote in Home States (Reuters) Reuters - Determined to make sure their voices\count, some American expatriates who missed registration\deadlines or are worried about the reliability of absentee\ballots are flying home next week just to vote.


Selection Time Health Savings Accounts, the latest untested flavor on the health insurance shelf, are giving consumers a stake in cost-cutting, but some advocacy groups say they increase exposure to risk.


Healthcare is Different  The U.S. President has said that the problem with health care is the lawyers. He doesn't seem to think that there are any other problems we should be concerned about, and the free market is the best way to determine how much you would be willing to pay for health care. The President is pushing our current system, and his challenger is doing the same.


FCC Clears Cellular Merger The Federal Communications Commission today removed the final regulatory obstacle to the \$41 billion merger of Cingular Wireless LLC and AT T Wireless Services Inc. -The Washington Post


FCC OKs Cingular Bid for AT T Wireless  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications  Commission said on Tuesday it has conditionally approved  Cingular Wireless' \$41 billion cash acquisition of AT T  Wireless Services Inc. AWE.N, clearing the last big hurdle  for the deal.


Stocks Open Higher as Oil Prices Slide  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Tuesday,  as oil prices eased and insurance stocks extended gains from  their rally late on Monday.


Tobacco Giant BAT Q3 Results Smokin'  LONDON (Reuters) - British American Tobacco the world's  second biggest cigarette maker, beat forecasts with a 13.5  percent rise in third-quarter profits as upbeat trading from  Italy and Russia offset Canadian problems and the strong pound.


Panasonic demos first international 3G handset Panasonic Mobile Communications Co. Ltd. unveiled in Beijing on Tuesday its first WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) cell phone for the international market, the company said in Tokyo.


Ukraine's Face Is Mirrored in a Candidate The illness affecting candidate Viktor Yushchenko underscores his message that in Ukraine, things are so fundamentally ugly that they must change.


C W stokes fire sale Network operator Cable and Wireless PLC (C W) has agreed to sell its Japanese business, Cable   Wireless IDC Inc., to Softbank Corp. for 72.4 million (US\$133.3 million), the London-based company announced Tuesday.


Saudi Steps Up Charity Monitoring During Ramadan  RIYADH (Reuters) - The Saudi government has stepped up  surveillance of charities amid fears that some of the big cash  donations made to them during the holy month of Ramadan are  being channeled to militant groups like al Qaeda.


FCC OKs Cingular Bid for AT T Wireless (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Federal Communications\Commission said on Tuesday it has conditionally approved\Cingular Wireless'  #36;41 billion cash acquisition of AT T\Wireless Services Inc. , clearing the last big hurdle\for the deal.


Muslims attend Bangladesh prayer Up to four million Muslims end three days of prayers in Bangladesh, for Islam's second largest event after the Hajj.


Navy deal may create more financial problems for EDS Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS) could be facing more rough waters with its \$8.8 billion U.S. Navy contract, as the IT services provider delayed release of its third-quarter results on Monday pending a review of the value of its assets used on the deal.


FCC OKs Cingular, AT amp;T Wireless deal The Federal Communications Commission has approved the \$41 billion merger of Atlanta-based Cingular Wireless and AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


China ready to implement WTO promises China is ready to reduce tariffs and drop barriers for foreign products to enter its market next year, China Radio International reported Tuesday.


Sara Lee sees not-so-sweet 2Q Consumer goods company posts flat 1Q, warns that 2Q profit will come in below Wall Street #39;s views. CHICAGO (Reuters) - Sara Lee Corp.


India #39;s growth target lowered, anti-inflation measures unveiled: Business India: Mumbai, Oct 26 : India #39;s growth forecast for the current fiscal was Tuesday lowered to 6-6.5 percent by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which also unveiled measures to arrest the inflation rate.


Source: EU Regulators Clear Oracle Bid (AP) AP - European Union antitrust regulators on Tuesday cleared Oracle Corp.'s hostile  #36;7.7 billion bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc., removing one of the last major hurdles to the contested takeover proposal, a person close to the case said.


British manufacturing hit by higher costs, slowing demand (AFP) AFP - Britain's manufacturing recovery stuttered in the third quarter, weighed down by a slowdown in demand and the surging cost of raw materials, the country's leading business grouping said.


KB Toys to Close Up to 238 Stores (Reuters) Reuters - Bankrupt toy seller KB Toys Inc. said\on Tuesday it plans to close 141 to 238 underperforming stores\by the end of January as part of its reorganization effort.


KB Toys to Close Up to 238 Stores  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bankrupt toy seller KB Toys Inc. said  on Tuesday it plans to close 141 to 238 underperforming stores  by the end of January as part of its reorganization effort.


Mbeki in Ivory Coast Rebel Town on Peace Mission  BOUAKE, Ivory Coast (Reuters) - South African President  Thabo Mbeki took his peace mission to Ivory Coast's rebel town  of Bouake on Sunday, where he was greeted by tens of thousands  of people demanding President Laurent Gbagbo quit.


Cingular-AT amp;T Wireless Deal Gets Justice Dept. OK WASHINGTON -- Antitrust regulators at the Justice Department have given their blessing to the acquisition by Cingular Wireless of AT amp;T Wireless Services.


Agere Posts Loss on Revenue Drop, Charges Agere Systems Inc. (AGRa.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday posted a fiscal fourth-quarter loss as the communications chip maker #39;s revenue declined and it took hefty charges for restructuring.


Settlement reached in \$1 billion metal trading suit Japan #39;s Sumitomo Corp and UK broker Credit Lyonnais Rouse have settled a \$1.1 billion (600 million pounds) suit in the High Court, drawing a line under a rogue trader scandal


British American Tobacco Sees Profit Rise LONDON - British American Tobacco PLC posted a 60 percent jump in third quarter net profit Tuesday, thanks partly to lower taxation charges.


Intel and Clearwire to work on WiMax together Intel will work with Clearwire, a wireless internet service provider, on future networks based on WiMax wireless broadband technology.


Weather May Scrub Launch of NASA #39;s DART Spacecraft NASA researchers are one day away from testing what they hope will be the space agencys first unmanned vehicle capable of meeting up with other orbiting spacecraft.


POWERTRAIN: 3.0-liter, 255-hp, 221-lb-ft I6; rwd, six-speed manual BMW #39;S DARE-TO-BE-DIFFERENT designs are no more, at least on the new 3 Series coming next year. Shown here for the first time  quot;officially quot;-we put quotes around that word considering the entire 3 Series brochure