Delta pilots to vote on proposed pay cut agreement ATLANTA - Delta Airlines Inc. is hoping its pilots #39; union will approve a steep pay cut to help the company avoid bankruptcy. Delta pilots, currently among the highest paid in the nation with salaries that


Drug May Block Alzheimer #39;s, Scientists Say It might be possible to make a pill that prevents the brain damage that marks Alzheimer #39;s disease, US researchers said Thursday.


New Video Shows Kidnapped UN Workers in Afghanistan In a scene eerily similar to the ongoing hostage-takings in Baghdad, three kidnapped United Nations election workers appeared in a new videotape aired Sunday on the al-Jazeera Arabic television station.


Nigerian oil strike looms Lagos - Nigerian workers will disrupt their country #39;s key oil exports of 2.5 million barrels per day when they launch an indefinite general strike on November 16, the country #39;s top labour leader warned on Sunday.


Rossi says no to F1, for now Newly-crowned MotoGP champion, Valentino Rossi, has revealed that, contrary to speculation, he has no intention of switching to F1, for at least a couple of years.


Martin wins in Catalunya The Estonian driver Markko Martin has won his second consecutive World Rally Championship taking the Rally of Catalunya. The Ford driver, followed up his recent victory in the Rally of Corsica by beating Finland #39;s


Cisse suffers double leg break; likely out for season Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse will likely miss the rest of the season due to a broken leg. The French striker, who moved from Auxerre to Liverpool in the off-season, was injured


Video shows UN hostages in Afghanistan Arabic TV network Al-Jazeera Sunday aired video showing three UN election workers taken hostage in Afghanistan. In the video, the kidnappers demand for the release of prisoners in Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


China closes 1600 internet cafes BEIJING: China shut 1600 internet cafes between February and August and imposed 100 million yuan (\$NZ18 million) worth of fines for allowing children to play violent or adult-only games and other violations, state media say.


Hayden crashes out, Barros mounts another spirited charge lex Barros finished the last race of the season in sixth place while team mate Nicky Hayden crashed out unhurt while contesting a podium finish in front of capacity crowd at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia today.


MAURESMO WINS LINZ EVENT Amelie Mauresmo of France won the Linz Open on Sunday, defeating Russia #39;s Elena Bovina in the final. Top seed Mauresmo never looked in trouble against her ninth-ranked opponent and took the first set 6-2.


Cisse Out for Season after Leg Break Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse will not play again this season after breaking his leg against Blackburn yesterday. The 23-year-old France striker was carried off on a stretcher in


Ukraine Election To Go To Second Round 31 October 2004 -- Exit polls show that Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich and challenger Viktor Yushchenko finished on top in Ukraine #39;s presidential election today and will face each other in a run-off next month.


UN Hostages Plead for Their Release A French soldier from International Security Assistance Force keeps the guard at a checkpoint in a residential area of Kabul, Afghanistan #39;s capital, on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004.


Rebels target Black Watch troops Insurgents in Iraq have targeted Black Watch troops in a series of rocket attacks at their base just 25 miles south of Baghdad. No one was injured in the four separate assaults and there was minimal damage.


Vaile hopeful of trade deal with China A free trade deal with China would mean billions of dollars of economic benefits for Australia, Trade Minister Mark Vaile said. In an interview with The Australian newspaper, Mr Vaile has predicted for the


Indiana 1 of 3 holdouts in nation Indiana is a standout nationally -- known all over for its refusal to adopt daylight-saving time.  quot;And then there is Indiana, quot; the publisher of the Information Please almanac notes on its Web site (www.


Election Will Dominate Wall Street #39;s Moves Does Wall Street like Bush or Kerry? At this point, investors would be happy with having a clear winner by the opening bell on Wednesday, no matter who it might be.


Airbus to Buy More Parts, Build Base in China, Official Says Airbus SAS, the world #39;s biggest aircraft maker, plans to source more parts for its planes from China and to set up an engineering base there, the head of the company #39;s operations in the country said.


Nextel leader Busch goes out early with blown engine HAMPTON, Ga. -- The Nextel Cup championship playoff got a major shakeup Sunday when points leader Kurt Busch went out with a blown engine early in the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.


Arab TV airs video of 3 UN hostages in Afghanistan DUBAI: Al Jazeera television aired a video yesterday of three UN employees held hostage in Afghanistan by kidnappers who are threatening to kill them unless Taliban and al Qaeda prisoners are freed.


Second group claims bombing A PREVIOUSLY unheard of militant group claimed responsibility today for a car bombing outside the Baghdad offices of al-Arabiya TV that killed seven people, including five of the station #39;s Iraqi employees.


Chechen Warlord Issues Warning to Russia Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, who claimed responsibility for last month #39;s Beslan school hostage-taking, warned Sunday that he was ready to fight Russia for a decade and insisted civilians remained a fair target.


Price freeze may cost oil firms Rs 10,000 cr Oil companies are estimating an under-recovery of over Rs 10,000 crore during the current financial year, with the government deciding against allowing oil companies to increase petrol and diesel prices for the fortnight beginning November 1.


Financier #39;s bet on steel pays off big and the steel industry will never be the same because of it. Ross, the financier who in less than three years cobbled together his International


Busch looks to increase points lead Kurt Busch is the only driver among the 10 in NASCAR #39;s Chase for the Championship who #39;s done everything right. But he admits that may not be enough to help him win his first championship.


UN Repeats Appeal For Hostages #39; Release 31 October 2004 -- The United Nations has again appealed for the kidnappers of three UN workers in Afghanistan to release them unharmed.


Wall St. Wants a Quick, Clean Election It won #39;t be just a sigh of relief on Wall Street but an ovation if the US presidential election on Tuesday produces a clear winner and avoids a repeat of the chaotic 2000 results.


Watney moves to the front Former Fresno State standout Nick Watney recovered from a double-bogey on the seventh hole to shoot 1 under and tie for the third-round lead Saturday in the Nationwide Tour Championship at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville, Ala.


Bolton end Souness honeymoon BOLTON returned to fourth place in the Premier League with a win that ended the vistors #39; unbeaten run under manager Graeme Souness.


Nigerian unions threaten to resume strike over fuel price hike on <b>...</b> Nigerian workers will go on strike protesting recent 25 percent increase of petroleum products from Nov. 16, a leading trade unionist said here Sunday.


Chavez allies and opposition vie for key posts as Venezuelans vote <b>...</b> Allies of President Hugo Chavez and opposition candidates competed for key gubernatorial and mayoral posts in elections Sunday, with tens of thousands of police and soldiers on hand to prevent politically fueled clashes.


No petrol, diesel price hike for now NEW DELHI, OCT 31: No increases in petrol and diesel prices are expected this fortnight. According to official sources, the government has decided to wait till after the US presidential polls before initiating any hikes.


China May Avoid Sudden Slowdown as Rates Rise, Survey Shows China may avoid a sudden economic slowdown after the central bank raised benchmark interest rates for the first time in nine years last week, a survey showed.


Steel #39;s New Spring A once-ailing heavy industry is now in heavy demand. The next step? Global consolidation. For the last decade, much of the West #39;s steel industry has been in the doldrums.


Youzhny Wins St. Petersburg Open ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - Mikhail Youzhny of Russia won the St. Petersburg Open on Sunday, defeating Karol Beck of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2 for the second title of his career.


Bolton on the move after Newcastle win London, England (Sports Network) - In Sunday #39;s only Premiership match, Bolton Wanderers moved back into the league #39;s fourth position after beating Newcastle United 2-1.


Killing of Japanese hostage by militants in Iraq pressures Japan #39;s <b>...</b> The beheading of a Japanese hostage in Iraq renewed pressure on Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to withdraw his country #39;s troops, as the opposition blamed his pro-US policy for the slaying.


No oil price hike before US polls NEW DELHI: The government on Sunday decided to hold back any hike in fuel prices. Under the price-band mechanism, there #39;s room to raise prices of petrol by 66-67 paise/litre and diesel by Rs 1.88/litre.


Schilling delivers for Bush; team execs shill for Kerry Curt Schilling wasnt supposed to pitch again this year, but hes endorsing President Bush in automated phone calls being made in three battleground states through Election Day.


Moss #39; hamstring forces another early exit Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss was in the starting lineup Sunday when the team hosted the New York Giants, but the star wideout was again removed from the game due to his sore hamstring.


Car bomb targeting Chechen security force injures 17 after earlier <b>...</b> A car bomb exploded outside the main hospital in Chechny #39;s capital, Grozny, on Sunday, injuring 17 people in an attack apparently targeting members of a Chechen security force bringing in wounded from an earlier explosion


England: Bolton too strong for Newcastle BOLTON, Oct 31 (SW) - Bolton Wanderers keep on impressing in the English Premier League, giving Newcastle United their third defeat of the season on Sunday.


A Whole New Line Pakistani editors invited to break the Ramadan fast last week with President Pervez Musharraf were treated to palm dates, curried pastries - and a radical new approach to Pakistan #39;s bitter, 57-year-old dispute with India over Kashmir.


The Nation #39;s Weather Heavy rain dampened parts of Minnesota and a warm front brought showers and thunderstorms to parts of the Northeast on Saturday as a lingering front generated heavy rain, lightning and strong wind in parts of Texas.


World Series items head to Cooperstown It won #39;t be long before the Red Sox #39;s historic World Series win is immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.


Youzhny ends title drought ST PETERSBURG, Oct. 31. - Russias Mikhail Youzhny overwhelmed Karol Beck of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2 here today in the final of the one-milliondollar ATP tournament to record his first title win of the season.


Schilling delivers for Bush; team execs shill for Kerry Curt Schilling wasn #39;t supposed to pitch again this year, but he #39;s endorsing President Bush in automated phone calls being made in three battleground states through Election Day.


Kaiserslautern save coach with late win over Bielefeld Kaiserslautern saved coach Kurt Jara #39;s job with two late goals fom Selim Teber to upset Arminia Bielefeld 2-1 in the Bundesliga on Sunday.


Allawi Warns of Low Patience on Fallujah Iraq #39;s interim prime minister on Sunday warned that efforts to resolve the standoff in Fallujah peacefully have entered their  quot;final phase quot; and said he will not hesitate to


Mortars hit British army camp in restive Iraq province, no <b>...</b> Two mortars hit a military base in a restive region south of Baghdad on Sunday where a battle group of British soldiers have recently arrived, causing no casualties, a spokesman said.


Voters stick with ruling party BOTSWANA #39;S ruling party had won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections, handing President Festus Mogae a second and final term in office, election officials said today.


Office Depot Plans to Cut 900 Jobs Office Depot Inc. plans to cut 900 jobs as it consolidates operations at eight call centers and offices in six states. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office Depot - the nation #39;s second


Legal concerns delay Canadian version of US-style terror list for <b>...</b> A Canadian version of the US no-fly list that infamously had folksinger Cat Stevens deported and Ted Kennedy hassled at airports is running into legal turbulence.


Beetles used to make Smarties THERE are green ones, yellow ones and even blue ones. But how many beetle-coloured Smarties have you tried? Red Smarties get their bright colour from a dye made from dried and crushed insects.


Fragile Arctic region endangered by greenhouse gases: report Greenhouse gases have contributed to a gradual warming of the ecologically-fragile Arctic region, causing massive climate changes, including melting glaciers and sea ice, according to a soon-to-be-released environmental study.


Voters Checking Out Other Sides #39; Sites Are right-leaning voters spending all their online time on Rushlimbaugh.com? Are left-leaning voters locked into the like-minded Talkingpointsmemo.


Ghostzapper to return in 2005; Azeri might retire after two more <b>...</b> There is no question in trainer Bobby Frankels mind who will claim Horse of the Year honors when the Eclipse Awards are handed out in January.


Johansson, Novak, Youzhny take tennis titles Sweden #39;s Thomas Johansson claimed his first title since the 2002 Australian Open with a come from behind 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 victory over American top seed Andre Agassi in the final of the Stockholm Open overnight.


Eagles WR scores winning TD in grudge match against Ravens Terrell Owens found a new way to celebrate touchdowns: He mocked Ray Lewis. Owens had an 11-yard TD catch and David Akers kicked three field goals, helping the Philadelphia Eagles beat


Northwestern Notebook There may have been more to Kyle Orton #39;s departure from Saturday #39;s game at Northwestern than just a left hip flexor. Listen to Purdue head coach Joe Tiller, and it sounds as if Orton #39;s physical


Powerful blast kills 15 Iraqis in Tikrit A huge explosion rocked the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit, killing 15 Iraqis, police and doctors have said. Eight others were seriously wounded in the blast, which occurred around 17:00 GMT on Sunday, local doctors have said.


Arctic endangered by greenhouse gases: report WASHINGTON: Greenhouse gases have contributed to a gradual warming of the ecologically-fragile Arctic region, causing massive climate changes, including melting glaciers and sea ice, according to a soon-to-be-released environmental study.


Packers 28, Redskins 14 Playing with a sprained hand and a major personal distraction, Brett Favre started on a roll and survived a rocky finish. Favre and the Green Bay Packers won their third straight game Sunday, beating the Washington


Challenger takes lead in Ukraine vote plunging a heated debate between the two rivals over the country #39;s future into a run-off. Minister Viktor Yanukovich, who is backed by Ukraine #39;s establishment oriented towards neighbouring Russia.


Check 21 law to process checks faster Every night, millions of cashed checks fly around the country, headed for their home bank. Starting Thursday, technology will begin grounding many of those flights.


Novel Approach Targets Alzheimer #39;s Development A new technique may someday be able to stop Alzheimer #39;s disease (news - web sites) before it starts. Tapping into the  quot;Trojan horse quot; strategy, scientists


No mas: Giants stomp Moss-less Vikings Thanks to a swarming defense, some tough runs by Tiki Barber, a few big catches by Jeremy Shockey and a turnover-free afternoon by Kurt Warner, the Giants beat the Vikings 34-13 on Sunday.


Green Bay Packers LANDOVER, Maryland (Ticker) -- The Green Bay Packers did not wait long to take advantage of some good fortune. Cornerback Al Harris intercepted Mark Brunell one play after the Washington Redskins  #39; potential


First Russian IPO on NYSE since 2002 NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Mechel Steel priced its American depositary shares at \$21 each Friday, in the first initial public offering from Russia in 2 1/2 years.


US indict 19 on ID theft charges FEDERAL authorities have indicted 19 people in the United States and abroad on charges related to a website investigators claimed was one of the largest online centers for trafficking in stolen identity information and credit cards.


Testaverde #39;s scramble sparks Cowboys IRVING, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys finally got some big plays from the old legs in their running game, only they didnt come from 33-year-old Richie Anderson or 31-year-old Eddie George.


Tests on Arafat reveal no signs of leukemia Initial results from a battery of tests on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat have uncovered no signs of leukemia, Palestinian officials said, but blood doctors were still probing the cause of his dramatic deterioration in health.


Japanese official arrives in Kuwait to repatriate Koda #39;s body KUWAIT CITY : Japan #39;s Senior Vice Foreign Minister Shuzen Tanigawa arrived in Kuwait to supervise arrangements for the repatriation of the body of Japanese tourist Shosei Koda who was beheaded by militants in Iraq.


ATP Stockholm Sunday results Thomas Johansson denied top-seeded American Andre Agassi his second title of the year in a riveting three-set match while he collected his second If.


Golf: Grace Park cheers home fans with LPGA victory JEJU, South Korea : Grace Park of South Korea won an LPGA Tour tournament, firing a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the 1.35-million dollar CJ Nine Bridges Classic.


Compromise Said Possible on Iran Nukes Defiant lawmakers - shouting Death to America #39; #39; - unanimously voted Sunday to approve the outline of a bill requiring the government to resume uranium enrichment, a


Valencia: Rossi wins 2004 2004 MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi wrapped up the BMW 2004 MotoGP Best Qualifier Award this afternoon at the circuit of Valencia after speeding to another front row start.


Chelsea have destroyed me, complains Mutu Disgraced Romanian striker Adrian Mutu has blasted English Premier League side Chelsea for their haste in sacking him after he tested positive for a banned substance.


Novak outlasts Nalbandian in Basel David Nalbandian has lost his first match in three successive visits to the Swiss Indoors in Basel, beaten in an three-hour, five-set final by Czech Jiri Novak.


Martin holds on for third win in Rally Catalunya Motorsport.com. Markko Martin, never known as a tarmac specialist, took his second win in a row, and again on an asphalt rally, claiming the win Rally Catalunya by 23.


Texans 20, Jaguars 6 Byron Leftwich sealed yet another victory with a touchdown throw in the game #39;s final minute. This time, he did so for the other team.


Koda #39;s Iraq trip was driven by sheer curiosity TOKYO - Shosei Koda was a student learning English in New Zealand before entering Iraq, but his self-searching trip to one of the most dangerous places in the world without proper preparation ended in tragedy as the Japanese government confirmed Sunday


Topsy-TURVY Baseball World Entices Fans The World Series has been over less than 48 hours and already I can #39;t wait for the free-agent signing period to commence, for the Winter Meetings to unfold, for tensions between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees to escalate to unprecedented levels.


Poulter turns around frustrating year at Volvo Ian Poulter won for the first time since last year #39;s Nordic Open, when he parred the first extra hole at the Volvo Masters Andalucia to edge out local hero, Sergio Garcia.


Bolton 2-1 Newcastle Bolton climbed to fourth in the table as Newcastle slipped to their first loss under manager Graeme Souness. After a insipid first-half, El-Hadji Diouf gave Bolton a 52nd minute lead, bravely heading home


Novak takes Swiss Indoors crown Jiri Novak won his second title in three weeks with a battling performance against David Nalbandian in the final of the Swiss Indoors on Sunday.


Lions #39; Williams sidelined in Dallas Irving, TX (Sports Network) - Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Roy Williams was inactive for Sunday #39;s game against the Dallas Cowboys.


Cisse suffers suspected leg break Liverpool #39;s Djibril Cisse was taken to hospital with a suspected broken left leg after being stretchered off against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.


NFL Game Summary - Indianapolis at Kansas City Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Trent Green threw for 389 yards with three touchdowns and Priest Holmes ran for 143 yards with three scores, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to a 45-35 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in another shootout at Arrowhead


Leftist Coalition Predicted to Win Uruguay #39;s Presidency A coalition of leftist elements is predicted to win Uruguay #39;s presidential election on Sunday - ending the conservative parties #39; dominance of more than 170 years.


Video games muscle in on movies Traces of the word  quot;video quot; linger beneath a new sign that just went up on a suburban Blockbuster store here. In its place hangs


WIDELOAD GAMES ANNOUNCES FIRST TITLE Aspyr Media, Inc., an entertainment publisher delivering fun in the form of games, music and DVDs, and game developer Wideload Games, Inc.


Singh tops \$10 million with win Singh claimed his ninth win Sunday - the most on the PGA Tour in 54 years - as he cruised to a five-stroke victory at the \$5 million Chrysler Championship.


Chiefs spoil Manning #39;s big day CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Peyton Manning threw for a career-high 472 yards and five touchdowns on 25-of-44 passing, but his last-ditch comeback attempt ended with an interception in the end zone in the closing minutes as Kansas City outlasted Indianapolis 45-35


15 killed in rocket attack on Tikrit hotel Fifteen civilians were killed after a rocket slammed into a hotel Sunday night in the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit. Eyewitnesses said the blast at the Sunubar Hotel sent frightened bloodstained guests running into the streets for help.


Withdrawl of nominee eases crisis for Europe BRUSSELS The decision by Rocco Buttiglione to relinquish his claim on the European Commission #39;s justice and security portfolio means Jos Manuel Barroso, the incoming president, will be able to get Parliament #39;s approval for a new college of commissioners


Afghan group makes demands for hostages KABUL Militants holding three foreign United Nations staff members in Afghanistan released a video Sunday of their hostages and said they would be killed if demands for release of prisoners and withdrawal of foreign troops were not met by noon Wednesday.


Credit where it #39;s due? LONDON The corporate restructuring of the RoyalDutch/Shell Group is one of the year #39;s largest financial transactions. Controversy is building in London over the answer to that question, illustrating yet again


In Britain, no more hiding behind The Times LONDON For a newspaper nicknamed  quot;The Thunderer, quot; the move was disclosed sotto voce: The Times of London, for more than two centuries the confident voice of the English establishment, is going fully tabloid as of Monday, dropping a broadsheet version that


Aussie scientists see palaeontology gold rush Australian scientists predicted a  quot;palaeontological gold rush quot; after the discovery of a new species of tiny human in neighbouring Indonesia in a find that will re-draw the human family tree.


Apple rolls out iPod Photo Apple Computer Inc has rolled out a new iPod that allows users to view and share photos as it opened nine new iTunes music stores in Europe, spurring its rivalry with Microsoft Corp and others.


Heels savor 1st win over top 5 opponent North Carolina coach John Bunting never lost faith in his players, unabashedly supporting them even while their mistakes and poor play led to more losses.


Tony Blairs office plays down reports of Feb elections LONDON: Tony Blairs office played down reports on Sunday that the British prime minister plans to call a snap general election in February.


Australia #39;s Incitec Pivot FY04 Net A\$75.1 Million -2- MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian fertilizer interest Incitec Pivot Ltd. (IPL.AU) on Monday reported a net profit, including one-time items, of A\$75.


Companies Scramble to Deal With Spyware The people who call Dell Inc. #39;s customer service line often have no idea why their computers are running so slow. The ones who call America Online Inc.


Bright star: Fresh insight into historic find A supernova spotted by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe more than four centuries ago that changed the course of human knowledge has just yielded a further discovery - the apparent discovery of the companion star that triggered the great event.


Singh is first \$10 million man Palm Harbor, FL (Sports Network) - Vijay Singh, the top-ranked player in the world, fired a six-under 65 on Sunday to cruise to victory at the Chrysler Championship.


Football loss signals Kerry win JOHN Kerry supporters have a welcome omen for their US presidential candidate: The Green Bay Packers defeated the Washington Redskins yesterday.


Crude oil futures may fall: survey Crude oil futures may fall on speculation China #39;s first interest rate rise in nine years will slow demand growth amid rising US inventories, a Bloomberg survey shows.


Singh becomes first \$10 million man in golf The guy who once gave \$10 lessons as a club pro in Borneo is now the first \$10 million man in golf. Singh once found work as a bouncer in a Scottish night club when he failed to get through European qualify school.


First defeat tastes so sour for Souness QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ABOUT Sam Allardyces ambition when, having spent years bemoaning the lack of opportunities for British managers, he politely told Newcastle United to look elsewhere in their search for a successor to Sir Bobby Robson.


History says Redskins defeat the end for Bush Washington - The Washington Redskins has lost to the Green Pay Packers on Sunday and thus, according to a sporting legend that has proved eerily accurate, President George Bush is bound to lose the White House.


GOLDBERG ON FOOTBALL: The Eagles gain by winning small If the Philadelphia Eagles finally reach the Super Bowl this season, their tight victories the last two weeks will probably have more to do with it than their first five easy victories.


Reinsurance firm confident on future prospects in China Unreasonably low premium rates in China #39;s non-life insurance sector, coupled with inadequate awareness of insurance protection, is hampering the hugely promising industry #39;s long-term growth, reported China Daily on Monday.


Russian oil exports to go north Russia, the world #39;s second-biggest oil exporter, next month will increase northern Baltic port loadings on expectations winter storms in the Black Sea and traffic in the Bosporus


Australia #39;s Natl Foods Confirms Rejection Of Fonterra Bid MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Takeover target National Foods Ltd. (NFD.AU) on Monday reiterated its opposition to a hostile bid from its biggest shareholder, New Zealand #39;s Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd.


Beware abuses of 529 plans In an effort to protect investors, the leading private-sector provider of financial regulatory services, the NASD, routinely scans the investment horizon and issues Investor Alerts when potential abuses pop up.


Mauresmo Gunning for No. 1 Again at ATP Linz Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo, who briefly rose to No. 1 following the US Open and says she is playing Linz this week in a late-year effort to regain the top spot, barely edged upset-minded Serb Jelena Jankovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 Saturday to advance to the final.


No Safin, But Alt-Russian Youzhny in ATP St. Petersburg Final Although top-seeded Russian Marat Safin couldn #39;t deliver, the hometown fans at the ATP stop in St. Petersburg got a homie in the final Saturday when No.


Owens Has Last Laugh on Ravens as Eagles Improve to 7-0 Terrell Owens scored a touchdown and David Akers kicked three field goals to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to their fifth straight win, 15-10 over the Baltimore Ravens in National Football League play Sunday.


Iran votes to resume nuclear programme The Iranian parliament, which is dominated by hardliners, passed a bill yesterday obliging the government to press ahead with efforts to develop a nuclear energy programme.


Milburn uses election to galvanise Labour Labour MPs were put on a war footing yesterday for the next general election by Alan Milburn, the Prime Minister #39;s election strategist, to quell unrest in the party #39;s ranks.


Nigerian Strike to Target Oil Exports Nigeria Unions Declare Royal Dutch/Shell an  #39;Enemy, #39; Say Nov. 16 Strike Will Target Oil Exports. President of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) Adams Oshiomhole speaks to journalist in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004.


China Reissues Information Of Internet Cafe Closures China #39;s state media have again issued a release stating that local governments have closed 1600 Internet cafes between February and August this year.


Xbox owner sues over defective disk drives LOS ANGELES - A video game fan upset over a failed disc drive in his Xbox video game console has sued Microsoft Corp. on behalf of all Xbox owners across the United States.


Golf: Vijay clinches ninth win of season with Chrysler <b>...</b> PALM HARBOR, United States : Vijay Singh shot a six-under par 65 to post a five-stroke victory at the Chrysler Championship and claim his ninth tournament win of the season.


Owens shows Ravens what they #39;re missing Eagles coach Andy Reid said he missed what Terrell Owens did in the end zone when he scored the touchdown that would win the game for the Eagles on Sunday.


Allawi: Major military action in Falluja imminent Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said Sunday that he was getting closer to authorizing major military action against insurgents in the restive city of Falluja, in Anbar province west of Baghdad.


Uruguay #39;s left headed for poll win Uruguay #39;s leftist candidate Tabare Vazquez is headed for victory in presidential elections with an estimated 50.9 to 53 percent of the vote, exit polls and pollster projections showed.


Int #39;l aviation  amp; aerospace exhibition to open in Zhuhai A mechanician examines a plane of Chinese Bayi aerobatics team at an airport in Zhuhai, Guangdong, Oct. 31, 2004. The 5th China International Aviation  amp; Aerospace Exhibition during which five aerobatics teams


Johnson Electric Acquires Majority Stake In Nanomotion China-based Johnson Electric announced that it has acquired 51 of Israeli start-up Nanomotion for \$20 million in cash. Nanomotion develops and manufactures motors with the ability to achieve precise positioning


Vijay breaks \$10m mark Already having set a single-season record for prizemoney, he became the game #39;s first \$10m man as the \$900,000 first prize pushed his 2004 earnings to \$10.


Revolution Make Eastern Conference Finals Columbus Crew #39;s Frankie Hejduk (2) beats New England Revolution #39;s Shalrie Joseph (21) to the ball during the first half of their Eastern Conference playoff semifinal game in Columbus, Ohio Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004.


Lions #39; miscues let Cowboys slip by, 31-21 A defense so porous the 40-year old quarterback completed all except five of his 24 pass attempts against the bad Lions. And so it went as the game and the opportunities slipped away.


Uruguay #39;s Vazquez Wins Presidency in 1st Round, Exit Polls Show Uruguayan opposition candidate Tabare Vazquez captured enough votes to win the presidency in today #39;s first-round vote, exit polls from the country #39;s four-biggest pollsters showed.


Incitec rakes in \$75.1m profit Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) said today that the outlook for the company was positive due to a major supply agreement for its Brisbane plant and a possible overseas joint venture.


Japan #39;s Nikkei Average, Topix Fall; DoCoMo, Canon Lead Decline Japan #39;s Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 39.75, or 0.4 percent, to 10,731.67 at 9:02 am in Tokyo. The broader Topix index dropped 3.93, or 0.4 percent, to 1081.


Goldman mulls fresh offer for Warner Chilcott A consortium headed by Goldman Sachs, which lost out in the 1.6bn bidding war for Warner Chilcott last week, is considering coming back with a higher offer for the women #39;s healthcare company.


M amp;G #39;s McLintock touted as potential Bloomer successor Leading Prudential shareholders will this week attempt to garner support for a campaign to replace the insurer #39;s chief executive, Jonathan Bloomer, and Michael McLintock, who runs the group #39;s


AMD expands global reach To foster the rapid adoption of technology in high-growth markets throughout the world, AMD (www.amd.com) has unveiled a business strategy with initial participants in India, Mexico and the Caribbean to enable 50 percent of the world #39;s population with


Focused Poulter keeps his cool WHEN Sergio Garcia made a muddle of the first play-off hole at Valderrama and ran up 5 after Scotlands Alastair Forsyth had slipped out of contention during the closing round, Ian Poulter was able to demonstrate a cool head and steady nerves to win the


Johansson beats Agassi to win Stockholm Open Local favorite Thomas Johansson upset top seed Andre Agassi 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 to win the Stockholm Open title on Sunday. Johansson, the Australian Open titlist in 2002, had lost


Chelsea chief: We #39;re right to sack Mutu Chelsea chief Peter Kenyon says the club had no option but to sack Adrian Mutu last week. Kenyon claimed today that Mutu rejected offers of assistance from the club and lied to his employers, leaving Chelsea


Redskins Loss: Bad News for Bush, Touchdown Kerry The Washington Redskins lost their final home football game before the US presidential election on Sunday -- and that #39;s great news for Democratic Sen. John Kerry and bad news for President Bush.


NFL Game Summary - Oakland at San Diego San Diego head coach Marty Schottenheimer improved to 22-7 in his career against Oakland...Tomlinson surpassed Chuck Muncie, who ran for 43 touchdowns from 1980-84...Brees finished one TD pass shy of Dan Fouts #39; club record of six, set against the Raiders


Will Colts defense ever catch up? KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It has come to this: Peyton Manning #39;s offense is now playing against two defenses every week. The other team #39;s defense, and its own -- the latter group being the tougher challenge.


Japan to stay in Iraq despite beheading TONY EASTLEY: The Japanese Government says it will continue its mission in Iraq, despite the beheading of one of its citizens. The troop deployment is unpopular in Japan, but surprisingly, the political fallout


More quakes rock Japan TWO more earthquakes hit the central region of Japan today, where thousands of residents are still living in emergency shelters after a major quake more than a week ago.


Liverpool confirm Cisse out for season Liverpool and France striker Djibril Cisse has been ruled out for the rest of the season after breaking his leg in Saturday #39;s 2-2 draw at Blackburn Rovers.


UK PRESS: Goldman-Carlyle Mull Warner Chilcott Counterbid LONDON (Dow Jones)--Goldman Sachs (GS) and private equity company Carlyle Group are considering a GBP1.6 billion-plus counter offer to halt the sale of Northern Ireland pharmaceutical company Warner Chilcott (WCRX, WCRX.


China #39;s oil company sues Yukos over failure to resume shipments China #39;s state-owned oil conglomerate has filed a lawsuit seeking compensation from troubled Russian oil company Yukos for failing to fulfill its export contracts, state media said.


Pru investors seek to vent frustration DISGRUNTLED shareholders of Prudential will this week demand urgent talks with Rob Rowley, the companys senior independent director, to express their frustration at the insurers decision to raise 1 billion in a rights issue.


Poulter wins Volvo Masters in playoff Ian Poulter of England won the Volvo Masters on Sunday, beating Sergio Garcia with a par on the first playoff hole. Garcia missed a 3-foot putt on the final hole of regulation that would have given the Spaniard the victory.


Champion Loeb forced to drop out VIC, Spain -- New world champion Sebastien Loeb pulled out of the Catalunya Rally with a mechanical breakdown after winning the first leg on the second day.


Molik secures back-to-back titles Australian tennis player Alicia Molik stormed to her second title in two weeks with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian Dinara Safina in the final of the WTA event in Luxembourg overnight.


NFL Today, Week 8 Miami (1-6) at NY Jets (5-1) (9 pm EST). Dolphins got their first victory last week, already have lost to Jets at home 17-9 this season.


Red Devils prepare Arsenal dossier Manchester United #39;s on-going feud with Arsenal will spill over into Soho Square next week when Red Devils officials dump an explosive dossier on the Football Association chronicling Sunday #39;s match at Old Trafford.


Time Running Out in Fallujah, Warns Allawi BAGHDAD, 1 November 2004 - Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi warned time was running out for peace in Fallujah as the US military continued to target suspected insurgents yesterday.


Labour denies plan for February poll LABOUR officials yesterday dismissed reports that Tony Blair is contemplating a snap general election in February and insisted that May remained the most likely time for the poll.


China vows to push for rapid reform of aviation industry ZHUHAI, China : China will push for a rapid reform of its aviation industry to meet the demands of its fast-growing economy and to boost competitiveness, a senior official said at an aerospace forum in this southern Chinese city.


Ruths curse may be dead, but other fun ones live on You have to admit the Curse was fun. Talking about it, laughing about it, lying about it, those thrills are gone now, at least as they pertain to the Boston Red Sox.


Cisse injury leaves Benitez facing striker crisis Djibril Cisses leg-break horror has left Rafael Benitez facing a severe striker crisis ahead of Wednesday nights crucial Champions League showdown with Deportivo La Coruna.


Gridiron prediction: Kerry WASHINGTON _ Forget the polls, the football verdict is in and it goes to John Kerry. In every presidential election since 1936, the Washington Redskins #39; last home game before the election has accurately predicted the winner.


Five things to watch 1. A SIGHT FOR SORE GROINS: If anything can cure LaDainian Tomlinson, it should be the sight of the Raiders across the line of scrimmage.


Cybercrime Marketplace Shut Down, 28 Arrested The Secret Service targeted a Web site, shadowcrew.com, hosted outside the United States, that acted as a kind of one-stop shop for stolen information and false documents.


Voters see both sides online Are right-leaning voters spending all their online time on Rushlimbaugh.com? Are left-leaning voters locked into the like-minded Talkingpointsmemo.


Wary Martin gets the drop on Loeb The Estonian Markko Martin, a candidate for the most disappointing driver of the season a month ago, could finish runner-up in the world championship after defeating the new champion Sebastien Loeb to take the Catalonia Rally and his second consecutive


GIC wants to sell stake to private insurers MUMBAI, OCTOBER 31: In a novel disinvestment plan, the Rs 12,000 crore General Insurance Corporation (GIC), the countrys official reinsurer, has asked the government to allow domestic private sector insurers to pick up stakes in the state-owned body.


Owen on target for Real MADRID: England striker Michael Owen scored in his fourth consecutive game for Real Madrid as the Spanish giants comfortably beat their newly-promoted local rivals Getafe 2-0 yesterday.


Ukrainians vote for president amid fears of rigging and unrest Ukrainians cast ballots in a presidential election Sunday that has raised fears of post-election unrest in this ex-Soviet republic, and the opposition complained of election violations just hours into the voting.


Singh breaks \$10 million mark World number one Vijay Singh became the first golf player to earn season winnings of over 10 million US dollars after he won his ninth victory this year at the Chrysler Championships


EAGLES 15, RAVENS 10 Owens Breaks Some Tackles and Burns More <b>...</b> He had read the comments on the Internet and watched television, and real or imagined, the harsh words had their effect. Eagles receiver Terrell Owens is not one to


Lions hit a bump in the road The Lions wore the wrong costumes to Texas Stadium to play the Dallas Cowboys on Halloween. The Lions showed up as contenders, but played like pretenders -- and didn #39;t fool anybody.


Allawi threatens Fallujah with military assault TONY EASTLEY: Residents of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, are bracing themselves for a big military assault, after Iraq #39;s interim prime minister warned that time for negotiations was running out.


Video threat to kill UN hostages Three United Nations workers, held hostage and pictured in a video released yesterday, will be executed on Wednesday unless British forces leave Afghanistan and Muslim prisoners are released from Guantnamo Bay, their Taliban kidnappers demanded yesterday


Kuwait hit by blackout KUWAIT CITY: A nationwide blackout hit Kuwait yesterday, forcing it to shut its three oil refineries and halt exports of refined products like gasoline, but crude production and exports were proceeding normally, top energy officials said.


Tokyo Stocks Fall as Exporters Sag The Nikkei average fell 0.69 percent by mid-morning on Monday as caution about the dollar #39;s weakness and the US presidential election prompted selling of exporters such as Toyota Motor Corp.


Tests Continue on Arafat Yasser Arafat spent Sunday talking to colleagues in the West Bank, reading telegrams from well-wishing world leaders and sipping tea.


Nearly 50 hurt in Spanish subway crash Two subway trains collided yesterday in Barcelona, leaving one of the drivers in serious condition and 48 other people with minor injuries, officials said.


Wenger finds soft centre hard to accept The way Arsenal defended against a Southampton side who were the joint-lowest scorers in the Premiership made it difficult to believe that they had remained unbeaten for 49 games.


Iran Votes to Resume Nuclear Work Iran #39;s hard-line Parliament unanimously approved a bill on Sunday supporting the resumption of uranium enrichment. The vote comes as talks with European countries over Iran #39;s


Crude Oil Rises After Nigerian Unions Call Strike to Cut Supply Crude oil futures rose in New York after unions in Nigeria, the fifth-biggest supplier to the US, called a strike this month to disrupt the country #39;s oil exports.


Kerry claims victory after Redskins #39; loss WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (AFP) - Senator John Kerry declared victory on Sunday in the US presidential election, staking his claim on a historical quirk linking past White House races and the Washington Redskins football team.


Broncos v. Falcons Photo Gallery Part 1 View the first in a series of photo galleries from the Denver Broncos game against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons won 41-28. Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer (16) sets to throw a 80-yard touchdown


TOKYO REACTION Koizumi Vows No Japanese Withdrawal After Tourist #39;s <b>...</b> Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Sunday repeated his vow to keep about 550 troops in Iraq after the government confirmed that the decapitated body found on a street


Uruguay poised to elect leftwinger Tabare Vazquez was poised to become Uruguay #39;s first leftwing president yesterday after campaigning for the more equitable distribution of wealth and social justice in a country crippled by a recent economic crisis.


ISPs Band Together Against Spam UPDATED: In a coordinated attack against spammers, some of the country #39;s largest ISPs have filed new lawsuits against businesses and individuals that allegedly deluged users with unwanted and offensive e-mails.


NASA Prepares for Future Space Exploration Risk CLEVELAND, OH -- As NASA readies the space shuttle fleet to fly again, the agencys risk management teams are also paying attention to risk issues that affect the International Space Station.


Not quite the devil in a Blues dress When his positive dope test was confirmed, Adrian Mutu forgot to blame someone for spiking his drinks. Odd this, because athletics, swimming and cycling have taught us that


Patriots Back Among the Mortal They were flawless for a month of Sundays, beating back opponents and, really, conventional wisdom itself. The New England Patriots had become football #39;s sterling exception


Political prisoners release a legal matter, says Aziz ISLAMABAD: The issue of releasing political prisoners is a legal matter and it is up to the courts to decide cases against them, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Sunday.


Update 1: Tokyo Stocks Lower; Dollar Up Against Yen Tokyo stocks fell Monday morning after a weak performance on Wall Street Friday. The US dollar was up against the Japanese yen. The Nikkei Stock Average of 225 issues dropped 43.


Google #39;s Desktop Search Could Change SEM Forever Google was first to market a desktop search utility. Well, actually, others were first, but Google #39;s the one everyone noticed.


Thank heaven it #39;s Saturday SATURDAY 3PM: Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all to win, surely? If it were always so, we wouldnt bother enjoying sport and would garden or go to DIY stores every Saturday afternoon instead.


Vote Expected to Bolster Chavez Voters cast ballots for governors and mayors Sunday in elections expected to strengthen President Hugo Chavez #39;s political power two months after he overwhelmingly won a referendum on his rule.


Stock market crash course: what goes down doesn #39;t necessarily come <b>...</b> _ The past week #39;s 75th anniversary of the 1929 stock market crash contains a lesson for today #39;s investors: just because they #39;ve lost money in recent years doesn #39;t mean stocks are destined to return soon to ever-higher levels.


Oil Extends Jump Above \$52, Eyes Vote Oil prices extended their bounce from three-week lows on Monday, climbing back above \$52 amid jitters over thin global winter fuel stocks and this week #39;s presidential election.


Australian govt predicts positive conclusion to FTA with China Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile has predicated a successful outcome to free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with China.  quot;We can #39;t afford not to enhan ce our relationship


Redskins swing, miss on orchestrating complete game LANDOVER, Md. - The problems that plagued the Washington Redskins at the beginning of the season are the same ones that dog the Washington Redskins at the end of October.


Close election weighs heavily on stock markets The close race for the presidency is depressing the stock market, which is flat to down for the year despite a recovering economy, solid profits and major new tax breaks for investors.


EMOTIONAL FAREWELL FOR SAINZ Citroen #39;s Carlos Sainz admitted he was overwhelmed by the support he received on the Rally Catalunya. The Spanish driver, who last month announced his intention to retire from the sport, finished third on


Violence continues in Fallujah A witness said one of the wounded was a taxi driver who was allegedly shot by American soldiers as he was driving a family back from Baghdad.


US Agent Sparks Afghan False Alarm A US agent hidden under a head-to-toe veil on Sunday sparked fear of a suicide attack in the Afghan capital by fleeing from police who tried to search her, officials said.


A tale of two tycoons It has been an extraordinarily eventful month for tycoon Wilbur L Ross. A few weeks ago the 67-year-old money manager turned steel baron married for the third time and friends predicted he would soon be slowing down to enjoy the  #39;finer #39; things of life.


Dogged Crying, Lower IQ Linked Babies older than 3 months who cry uncontrollably without reason are at greater risk of suffering from lower IQ, hyperactivity and discipline problems in childhood, new research has found.


Owens Gets a Little Too Funky Wide receiver Terrell Owens said he had a few end-zone celebrations prepared for Sunday #39;s game against the team he shunned in the offseason, the Baltimore Ravens.


Man Utd boss wants FA rap for Arsenal #39;s Bergkamp Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson wants the FA to punish Arsenal good guy Dennis Bergkamp for taking a swing at Alan Smith last Sunday.


Steelers end Patriots #39; winning run The Pittsburgh Steelers ended the New England Patriots #39; remarkable 21-game winning streak with a 34-20 victory. Rookie Ben Roethlisberger was the Steelers #39; hero, throwing for 196 yards and two touchdown passes.


Moss #39; Hamstring Forces Another Early Exit Minneapolis, MN -- Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss was in the starting lineup Sunday when the team hosted the New York Giants, but the star wideout was again removed from the 34-13 loss due to his sore hamstring.


Video shows three foreign election workers kidnapped in <b>...</b> (Kabul, Afghanistan-AP) Oct. 31, 2004 - Arab television has played a video that apparently shows three foreign election workers kidnapped in Afghanistan.


Oil prices higher in Asian trading on strike threat in Nigeria SINGAPORE : Crude oil prices were higher in Asian trading hours on Monday after oil workers in Nigeria announced over the weekend they would launch an indefinite general strike later this month, dealers said.


GTA - training game for murderers? On Friday, Grand Theft Auto, perhaps the most notorious of the shoot-em-up computer game genre, upped the ante again. After months of slavering speculation, its newest incarnation, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was officially released.


Google Desktop Search Tool For Mac- Now for sure After telling The Mac Observer 11 days ago it would seriously consider developing its desktop search tool for the Mac in the future, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Friday his company would definitely release a version of Google Desktop for Macs, but gave no


Rain expected across most of the US Rain was forecast for much of the country Friday, with parts of the Southeast and the central states likely to escape the wet weather.


Cheeseheads for Kerry A George W. Bush win in Tuesday #39;s election seemed to be well in hand when Washington Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell hooked up with tailback Clinton Portis on a 43-yard scoring play with 2:35 to go in the team #39;s game with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday


Anwar critical of Malaysian poll Malaysia #39;s former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has called the March 2004 elections  quot;the most seriously flawed in the history of the country quot; and said he expected more reform from Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi.


Australian Trade Deficit Widens as Imports Increase (Update4) Australia #39;s trade deficit widened in September as imports of cars, food and appliances increased and record oil prices pushed up the nation #39;s energy bill.


Marxist rebels free 4 hostages Marxist rebels in Colombia have freed four hostages, three of whom were held captive for well over three years in the jungle. The four released hostages - two men and two women were flown to Neiva, 150 miles


Update 1: China Needs to Do More to Control Spending China needs to do more to control spending on construction, factories and other  quot;fixed assets quot; to curb growth and cool inflation, state media reported Monday, citing top government officials.


Worldwide pants: trade flap between US and China Beijing this weekend urged Washington, DC, not to limit imports of Chinese cotton slacks. The Ministry of Commerce said such a restriction would violate World Trade Organization principles and hurt trade relations.


Ukraine Election in the Balance Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych led the high-tension presidential race in this post-Soviet republic with about 45 of the vote, too little to clinch a first-round victory, the Central Elections Commission said early today.


Deadly clashes rock Iraqi rebel hotspots RAMADI, Iraq (AFP) - Deadly fighting erupted on Sunday in a restive Iraqi province where eight marines were killed a day earlier, as Japan vowed to stand firm with its troops in Iraq despite the beheading of a Japanese tourist.


Kidnappers send video Three kidnapped UN election workers appeared frightened but otherwise well in a videotape aired Sunday on the al-Jazeera satellite television network.


Musharraf #39;s Kashmir solution hypothetical: Aziz Islamabad, Nov. 1. (PTI): With Pervez Musharraf #39;s new formulation on solving the Kashmir issue with India under flak from domestic opposition groups, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday termed as


#39;Hundreds #39; killed in ethnic clashes in China Beijing - Several people have been killed in violent ethnic clashes between the Muslim Hui minority and the Han majority in central China #39;s Henan province, officials said Monday.


Yudhoyono faces power struggle in parliament Street Musicians perform on a makeshift stage with a portrait of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004.


Delta goes all out for China route As Delta Air Lines Inc. struggles for its financial future, the carrier is entrenched in an intense political fight over desirable routes to China that could have an economic impact of \$400 million.


Brightest Lights Rise Together Like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers gliding across the silver screen, the planets Venus and Jupiter dance cheek-to-cheek through our morning skies Thursday and Friday.


Real Madrid beat Getafe Michael Owen scored his fourth goal in four games to help Real Madrid to a 2-0 win over newly promoted Getafe at the Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday night.


Park fires closing 65 for easy victory Grace Park won the CJ Nine Bridges Classic yesterday, shooting a 7-under-par 65 for a five-stroke victory yesterday. Park finished at 16-under-par 200.


Several dead in ethnic clashes in China -resident Several people were killed and houses were set on fire in clashes in central China between minority Muslims and members of the Han community sparked by the death of a girl in a traffic accident, a resident said.


Resident Evil 4 Exclusive No More October 31, 2004 - It looks like the folks at Capcom Entertainment were only kidding when they sternly insisted over and over again that the GameCube action-thriller Resident Evil 4 would forever remain exclusive to Nintendo #39;s console.


SINGH ON SONG YET AGAIN Vijay Singh #39;s magical season marches on after the Fijian claimed claimed his ninth win of the season last night - the most on the PGA Tour in 54 years - as he cruised to a five-stroke victory at the Chrysler Championship.


Tennis: Novak beats Nalbandian in five-set thriller Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic won the Swiss Indoors title at Basel on Sunday, defeating David Nalbandian of Argentina in a thrilling five-set final.


Bergkamp Backing Van Persie to Shine Van Persie scored a last-gasp equaliser to rescue Arsenal from the jaws of defeat against Southampton on Saturday. The visitors had looked certain to condemn Arsene Wengers side


Unions in Nigeria Call for an Oil Strike Unions declared the top multinational oil company here, the Royal Dutch/Shell Group,  quot;an enemy of the Nigerian people quot; on Sunday and called for a Nov.


Undercover American agent sparks false alarm about Afghan suicide <b>...</b> KABUL, Afghanistan In Kabul, a US agent wearing an Afghan burqa fled police who tried to search her on Sunday, sparking fears of a suicide attack in the capital city.


China warns rising energy prices to lead to more inflation in 2005 BEIJING : Rising energy and raw material prices are pressuring inflation and will push up the consumer price index next year, state press cited the country #39;s top statistician as saying.


China warns US against restricting imports of cotton trousers BEIJING (AFP) - China has urged the US government not to limit imports of Chinese cotton trousers, warning such moves would violate WTO principles of free textile trade and hurt trade relations.


Giants: Without Moss, Vikings get trampled MINNEAPOLIS With big-play wide receiver Randy Moss on the sideline in street clothes with a strained hamstring, the rest of the Minnesota Vikings were suffering from amnesia.


Residents say martial law imposed on Chinese town after deadly <b>...</b> Martial law has been imposed on a town in central China after rioting between hundreds of members of the Han ethnic majority and Hui Muslims killed at least seven people, local residents said Monday.


N.Korea says US overture a  quot;crafty trick quot; nuclear programmes, saying the US approach was a  quot;crafty trick quot; to win presidential election votes. ruled out fresh talks despite appeals from the other participants to come to the table.


Office Depot Says It Will Cut 900 Jobs Office Depot plans to cut 900 jobs as it consolidates operations at eight call centers and offices in six states. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office


World #39;s Greatest Golfer, Vijay Singh is The PGA #39;s \$10 Million Man <b>...</b> Fijian-born Vijay Singh became golf #39;s \$10 million man on Sunday when he won his ninth 2004 PGA Tour victory of the year at the Chrysler Championship.


Now That Curse Has Ended, Marketers Love Red Sox THE delirious fans of the Boston Red Sox are confident that last week #39;s World Series victory has  quot;reversed the curse quot; supposedly afflicting them since 1918.


Masters blow to Agassi ANDRE AGASSI #39;s chances of qualifying for the season-ending Masters Cup suffered a setback in Stockholm today. The No.1 seed lost 3-6 6-3 7-6 to Thomas Johansson in the (\$1.


King new Windies coach BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) - Reports last week that Australian Bennett King would become the West Indies #39; first ever foreign coach were confirmed at the weekend when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced new appointments.


Miami #39;s defense becoming costly In the first four games of the season, the University of Miami had one of the best defenses in the country. Offseason talk was proving to be true that this group of defenders


Iran bill backs nuclear energy drive a clear rejection of the UN atomic watchdog #39;s demand that Iran halt such activities. Uranium enrichment can be used both to produce nuclear power and to make atomic bombs.


Martial law in Chinese city after riot BEIJING - Martial law was declared in a town in central China after at least four people died in rioting, residents said on Monday.


Singapore #39;s Unemployment Rate Falls in Q3 Singapore #39;s unemployment rate fell in the third quarter of 2004 as job creation increased in tandem with the city-state #39;s strong economic growth, the government said Monday.


Izenberg: Hats off to Derby-less Frankel He is a mass of contradictions. In the jeweled circle of  quot;celebrity quot; trainers of thoroughbred horses, he is the face at the edge of the crowd because that #39;s as close as he wants to get to it.


Giants un-Daunted Daunte Culpepper is this, and Randy Moss is that. The Vikings #39; offense is unstoppable. How the heck do you think you can even slow them down?


Allawi warns of new assault on Fallujah BAGHDAD - Iraq #39;s interim prime minister said yesterday that efforts to resolve the conflict in Fallujah peacefully had entered their final phase and warned that  quot;our patience is running thin, quot; vowing to clear the city of militants who have carried out


Arafat #39;s condition improving : Yasser Arafat telephoned his Palestinian colleagues, read telegrams from well-wishing world leaders, ate cereal and sipped tea - signs that his health may be on the upswing following three


Kerry adviser raps Australian PM over pro-Bush comments SYDNEY : An adviser to US presidential challenger John Kerry has criticised Australian Prime Minister John Howard over  quot;inappropriate quot; public comments wishing for President George W. Bush to be reelected.


Crude Oil Rises After Nigerian Unions Call Strike to Cut Supply Crude oil rose in New York after reports said unions in Nigeria, the fifth-biggest supplier to the US, called a strike this month to disrupt the country #39;s oil exports.


UPDATE: Singapore 3Q Unemployment Rate Falls To 3-Yr Low SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore #39;s third-quarter unemployment rate fell to its lowest in more than three years, bettering market expectations, as more jobs were created in tandem with the city-state #39;s booming economic growth so far this year.


Office Depot cuts 900 jobs Office Depot Inc. will outsource most of its call-center operations, a move that will affect about 900 jobs, the second-largest US office supply retailer said Thursday.


Elections to Move Stocks in Short Term The outcome -- or lack of it -- of Tuesday #39;s US presidential contest will move stocks in the short term, but the election effect likely will wear off quickly


Not as Much Ventured, but More to Gain? WHEN members of the Early Stage Venture Capital Alliance gathered here last month for its annual golf outing, the conversation turned - as it invariably does when venture capitalists congregate


News: Resident Evil 4 For PS2 Nov 1st 2004 06:30. In a press release, Capcom announced that the latest entry in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 4, will be ported to the Playstation 2. Thought to be an exclusive game


They think it #39;s OK to make money hijacking my PC A few months ago I wrote about Web browser hijacking. It #39;s a problem a lot of computer users are facing these days. You open your Internet Explorer, but instead of being directed to your homepage, you #39;re sent to some search engine you #39;ve never heard of.


Texans remain red hot Listening intently as the national media heaped praise on the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Texans wondered when their time would come.


Juventus extends Italian lead Rome, Italy (Sports Network) - Juventus stretched its lead in the Italian Serie A to five points on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Chievo.


Canes Reeling After Loss To UNC Obviously, we #39;re very disappointed, #39; #39; Miami #39;s coach said in the wake of a shocking 31-28 loss at North Carolina.


4BR/3B Home, Convenient- Ukrainian former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko casts his ballot as his daughter Sofia, bottom right, looks on at a polling station in Kiev, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004.


Boy escapes from jaws of croc Darwin, Australia - A teenager in Australia #39;s Northern Territory made a narrow escape from the jaws of a crocodile that dragged him underwater, police said on Monday.


A new cousin found on island Flores Man has a great ring to it, and it is handier than Homo floresiensis, the actual moniker of mankind #39;s newest cousin. The first of these cousins found was about 3 feet tall, but recognizably human.


New England streak ends in Pittsburgh The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have waited since the 2001 AFC championship game to get the Patriots back in Heinz Field, ambushed the defending Super Bowl champions 34-20 on Sunday, snapping New England #39;s NFL-record 21-game winning streak.


Nikkei weakens ahead of poll The Nikkei 225 average is down 0.4 percent by midday Monday as caution about the dollar #39;s weakness and the US presidential election prompts selling of exporters such as Toyota ahead of its earnings announcement.


Ballmer #39;s open source assault gives Linux a leg-up: OSIA Microsoft chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer, has acknowledged Linux as the  quot;only game in town quot; when it comes to competing with the proprietary software heavyweight #39;s offerings, Australia #39;s peak open source body claims.


Middle East ; Bill backs pro-nuke energy drive in Iran Middle East News, TEHRAN - To cries of  quot;Death to America quot; and  quot;God is Greatest quot;, Iran #39;s hardliner-dominated parliament has passed a bill obliging the government to press ahead with efforts to develop a nuclear energy programme.


Gunmen kill deputy governor of Baghdad Gunmen killed the deputy governor of Baghdad on his way to work on Monday, Iraqi officials said. Hatim Kamil was assassinated in a drive-by shooting this morning, said Baghdad Governor Ali al-Haidari.


China confirms more Internet cafe closures CHINA IS continuing its pogrom on the country #39;s Internet cafes and officially confirmed that it has shut more than 1,600 Internet cafes since February.


Bagle back from the dead THE BAGLE worm is back from the dead with three new variants which are different enough to avoid some AV scanners. McAfee, Symantec and Sophos also reported intercepting many samples of the new worms and advised customers to update antivirus signatures.


#39;Perfect #39; Mauresmo cruises in Linz - Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France cruised to her fourth singles title this year, beating Russian Elena Bovina 6-2, 6-0 on Sunday in the final of the Generali Ladies #39; Open.


#39;Ethnic violence #39; in China region Martial law has been imposed in parts of the Chinese province of Henan after ethnic clashes in which witnesses say several people were killed.


Baghdad deputy governor killed He says the deputy governor (Hatim Kamil) was on his way to work Monday when he was assassinated in a drive-by shooting. Another Iraqi official says two of the man #39;s bodyguards were wounded in the attack.


Ovitz Set for More Grilling Monday Cross-examination of former Walt Disney Co. president Michael Ovitz at the trial of a lawsuit brought by shareholders is scheduled to resume Monday, though


Early rates rise tipped for Australia after near record imports CANBERRA : Near record high imports increased Australia #39;s trade deficit by 10.5 percent in September, according to new data, which analysts say raises the prospects for an early rise in interest rates.


ABN Amro warns of lower op. profit on US mortgage mkt LONDON (CBS.MW) -- ABN Amro (ABN) (NL:30110) warned 2004 operating profits will fall, hit by aa greater than expected hit from its US mortgage business.


MGM Gives Blow-By-Blow Report of Sale Process In a filing that could dispel rumors that the recent auction for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. was not competitive, the studio said winning bidder Sony Corp.


Singh hits \$10 million He becomes 1st to reach plateau in season earnings after win at Chrysler, his 9th of year. Vijay Singh will need time for this to sink in.


Redskins #39; loss may be Kerry #39;s gain John Kerry supporters got a welcome omen Sunday in the Green Bay Packers #39; 28-14 win over the Washington Redskins. According to NFL and political lore, if the Redskins win the last home game before Election


Ferguson Adds Bergkamp to FA  #39;Hit-List #39; Newspaper reports this morning suggest Sir Alex Ferguson has added Dennis Bergkamp to his infamous dossier of evidence he hopes will condemn arch-rivals Arsenal, claiming the


Japan stocks close lower The Nikkei share average fell 0.34 per cent by the close on Monday on selling of exporters, including Toyota Motor, which reported earnings after the market close, following a rise in the yen.


SingTel logs 38 user growth in Q3 Singapore Telecommunications , southeast Asia #39;s largest phone company, said on Monday its mobile phone user base rose 7.7 per cent in September to 56 million, reflecting robust growth in regional markets.


Hitachi, Matsushita, Toshiba to set up LCD panel venture TOKYO - Hitachi Ltd, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co and Toshiba Corp said Friday they have officially signed an accord to set up a joint venture to manufacture liquid crystal display panels for flat TVs in January.


China #39;s Shenzhou VI to carry two astronauts on five-day mission <b>...</b> ZHUHAI, China : China #39;s second manned space flight will orbit the Earth for five days with two astronauts onboard in a mission scheduled for next year.


Fright Night in Chicago To be sure, it was a Halloween night horror show Sunday in the Windy City for the 49ers, who were so bad in their 23-13 loss to the Chicago Bears that it was downright scary.


Ailing Arafat Feeling Much Better: Aides Paris, Nov. 1 (NNN): Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is feeling better, his aides say, as he undergoes medical examinations in a French army hospital near Paris.


Baghdad Deputy Governor Assassinated Gunmen killed the deputy governor of Baghdad today on his way to work, Iraqi officials said. Hatim Kamil was assassinated in a drive-by shooting this morning, said Baghdad Governor Ali al-Haidari.


Developments concerning Iraq Iraq #39;s interim prime minister warns that efforts to resolve the standoff in Fallujah peacefully have entered their  #39; #39;final phase #39; #39; and says he won #39;t hesitate to launch  #39; #39;a military solution.


Taiwan takes steps to prevent new SARS outbreak TAIPEI, Taiwan: Taiwanese health officials urged the public Monday to check their temperatures daily and wear surgical masks when visiting hospitals, as the island began a series of measures to guard against a new SARS outbreak.


AMD rolls out low-cost online-access device in India US chip maker Advanced Micro Devices has unveiled a low-cost Internet access device that could cost just a few hundred dollars, aimed at first-time technology users in the developing world.


Two men to circle space for five days China #39;s second manned space flight will be conducted by two astronauts over five days in 2005.  quot;Shenzhou-VI will be blasted into space sometime next year, quot; said Zuo Saichun, a


Crowd size could be in the eye of beholder But as soon as Mayor Thomas M. Menino #39;s staff announced that the crowd at Saturday #39;s Red Sox  #39; #39;rolling rally quot; celebration totaled 3.2 million people


Ukraine to have second round of election anyway  official KIEV, October 31 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukraine will have the second round of the presidential election, no matter what results of exit polls may be.


Top Baghdad official shot dead Gunmen have assassinated the deputy governor of Baghdad and wounded two of his bodyguards, Iraqi officials say. Hatem Kamil Abdul Fatah was killed in a drive-by shooting in the southern Dora district of the capital, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.


TIP SHEET: Travel -- Vacationers shop as part of their fun In fact, more than half of people in a recent survey (51 percent) said they #39;d done holiday gift shopping while on vacation, spending an average of \$2,000.


Shell coy on bosses #39; performance-related pay OIL giant Royal Dutch Shell, to be formed from the merger of Netherlands-based Royal Dutch and London-based Shell Transport  amp; Trading, is understood to be considering sharply-increased performance-related bonus packages for leading directors such as new


MERCK RECEIVES APPROVABLE LETTER FOR ARCOXIA; EMPHASIZES ITS <b>...</b> On the same day that Merck  amp; Co. Inc. announced its receipt of an approvable letter from the Food and Drug Administration for use of Arcoxia (etoricoxib) in several inflammatory conditions, the company said


#39;Lo #39; and behold! The internet turns 35 LOS ANGELES - Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles are celebrating the anniversary of the first message sent over what would eventually become the internet.


Second manned space mission in 2005: China Beijing, Nov. 1. (PTI): China #39;s second manned space flight will orbit the earth for five days with two astronauts on-board in a mission scheduled next year.


World ; Australian board congratulates new Windies coach  quot;Over many years, Bennett King has made an outstanding contribution to the progress and development of Australia #39;s emerging players, quot; said Robertson.


China slams Bush on eve of poll BEIJING, China -- In a hard-hitting commentary on the eve of US elections, China has slammed the war in Iraq, saying it has destroyed the global war on terror.


Visteon pays employees to buy Ford cars, aid race with Chevy VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Visteon Corp. is offering its 8,100 white-collar employees \$1,000 cash bonuses to buy Ford Motor Co. vehicles and boost its largest customer and former parent company in its race with General Motors Corp.


Airbus plans more links with China Airbus SAS, the world #39;s biggest aircraft-maker, plans to source more parts for its planes from China and to set up an engineering base there, the head of the company #39;s operations in the country said.


XBox Owner Sues Microsoft drusoicy writes  quot;Reuters is reporting that Sean Burke has filed suit against Microsoft because his XBox system stopped reading discs (games or otherwise) after less than one year of use.


It #39;s the same old story for Panthers: SEATTLE - The Seattle Seahawks didnt need any tricks to defeat the Carolina Panthers on Halloween Sunday, just some good old-fashioned smashmouth football.


Football Game Could Lead to Kerry Win According to Sunday #39;s NFL results, John Kerry is the odds-on favourite to win the US Election. The Washington Redskins loss on Sunday could mean the Democrat will win the election.


Plummer takes bad with good Jake Plummer #39;s split personality was on full display Sunday during the Broncos #39; 41-28 loss to Atlanta. The good Jake threw for 499 yards, more than any other quarterback in Broncos history.


Allawi warns Fallujah assault is near Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi warned yesterday that efforts to resolve the standoff in Fallujah peacefully have entered their  quot;final phase


Video shows British aid worker and her colleagues huddled beside a <b>...</b> MILITANTS holding the British aid worker Annetta Flanigan and two United Nations colleagues in Afghanistan have threatened to kill them within three days unless British troops and the UN quit the country.


Liberia faces disarmament deadline Armed UN troops backed by armoured personnel carriers enforced a nationwide disarmament deadline in Liberia on Sunday, days after a fresh burst of violence showed illicit weapons still at large in the war-battered West African


Venezuelan president votes at regional election Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his opposition candidates voted for state governors and mayorson Sunday, with tens of thousands of police and soldiers deployed around the country to maintain order.


US to ease loan goals for Fannie, Freddie - WSJ The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will propose an easing of rules that will require Fannie Mae (FNM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Freddie Mac (FRE.


Bonus bonanza for Shell bosses SHELL #39;S new chief executive Jeroen van der Veer is to be handed a beefed-up pay package as part of the planned merger of the firm #39;s Dutch and British arms.


Visteon: Buy a Ford, get a \$1,000 bonus A ploy to help Ford Motor Co. #39;s Ford brand win a tight sales race against General Motors Corp. #39;s Chevrolet could cost financially strapped auto parts maker Visteon Corp.


Brent oil to start trading in Dublin The New York Mercantile Exchange is to open a Brent crude oil futures trading floor in Dublin later this morning. The Exchange has leased space from the New York Board of Trade #39;s FINEX Dublin operation, with


Less thinking, more winning The offense had been thinking too much, reacting to every defensive nuance, turning football into chess. Too much brain. Not enough brawn.


Giants defense is on the fast track MINNEAPOLIS - The gap between Gibril Wilson and Minnesota tight end Jermaine Wiggins was shrinking with every stride in the final seconds of the first quarter, with the Giants #39; rookie


Notebook: Florida teams fall in polls The Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles tumbled in the Associated Press poll released yesterday, falling out of the Top 10 after being upset in road games.


IT #39;S A BIG STRIDE FOR POULTER AS SERGIO IS PIPPED IAN POULTER won a play-off with Sergio Garcia to ensure a memorable year for the Englishman last night. Poulter, the colourful character who loves to wear bright trousers, was part of the triumphant European Ryder Cup team.


Now Fergie accuses Bergkamp Sir Alex Ferguson has now accused Dennis Bergkamp of a stamp as the row over last Sundays clash Battle of Old Trafford II continues to simmer on.


Prime minister takes lead in Ukrainian election Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych took the official lead today in Ukraine #39;s presidential election but did not appear to have enough votes to avoid a runoff after balloting


Who #39;s in line to take over the reins The parliament speaker would replace Yasser Arafat as Palestinian Authority president for 60 days, until elections. But he is unlikely to hold onto that position during a turbulent transition; timely elections also seem unlikely.


Election likely to put investors in motion It #39;s not just voters who are ready for the presidential campaign to end. Investors are anxious to put Tuesday #39;s election behind them.


Visteon pays employees to buy Ford cars, aid race with Chevy Visteon Corp. is offering its 8,100 white-collar employees \$1,000 cash bonuses to buy Ford Motor Co. vehicles and boost its largest customer and former parent company in its


Optus adds 200,000 mobile users The data from Optus #39; parent company, Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel), showed Optus had 5.92 million mobile phone customers at the end of September, compared to 5.72 million at the end of June.


Upsets shake up ACC Losses by Florida State and Miami leave Virginia Tech and Virginia in position to control their own destiny as they chase conference football title.


Arafat condition improves, illness still a mystery PARIS Palestinian officials say a medical report on Yasser Arafat #39;s condition will be issued tomorrow or Wednesday. They say he #39;s not suffering  quot;from any serious problem.


Sri Lanka frustrate sloppy Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan - Sri Lankan tailenders on Monday frustrated butter-fingered Pakistani fielders on the fifth and final day of the second cricket Test.


Shell restructures Dutch gas business Oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell said on Monday it had agreed to a restructuring of its Gasunie gas division with the Dutch government and business partner ExxonMobil.


Volkswagen Union Stages Warning Strikes at 3 German Factories Volkswagen AG workers demonstrated outside three factories during the latest round of talks between Europe #39;s biggest carmaker and the union representing the company #39;s German employees.


Eagles tough out a win Eagles coach Andy Reid was just 10 seconds into his postgame press conference, and he had already said the word  quot;tough quot; four times.


Chelsea Football Club eye 15 million Owen swoop Chelsea Football Club are keen to test Real Madrids resolve to keep Michael Owen with a big money January move for the striker.


Poulter beats Garcia in play-off Ian Poulter won a play-off with Sergio Garcia yesterday to guarantee his season is remembered for more than funny trousers and a Ryder Cup cap.


FERGIE vs WENGER - YAWN Everyone is moaning about the fallout from last weekend but they keep on reporting the aftermath.  #39;The fall-out from the so-called  quot;Battle of Old Trafford quot; continues to settle over the nation and the debate


Ukrainian PM Yanukovich Takes Early Lead in Presidential Race Ukrainian prime minister Viktor Yanukovich held a slim lead in Ukraine s presidential race as of 10:00 Monday morning, with 41 percent compared to Viktor Yuschenkos 38 percent, according to partial results.


Toyota #39;s 2nd-Qtr Profit Shrinks on Truck Unit #39;s Slump (Update4) Toyota Motor Corp., the world #39;s second- largest carmaker, had an unexpected drop in quarterly profit as investment earnings at its truck making unit fell and a stronger yen cut the value of overseas sales.


Singapore jobless rate falls Singapore #39;s unemployment rate improved in the third quarter reflecting the improving economic environment. The seasonally adjusted overall unemployment rate fell to 3.4 percent at


A gumshoe #39;s in charge Still sounding like a prosecutor, though, Cherkasky is demanding accountability from execs at Marsh  amp; McLennan, the beleaguered firm he has led for less than a week.


Steelers halt Pats #39; streak Dampening the joy in Mudville, the turnover-prone, injury-bitten Patriots lost for the first time in 22 games, 34-20, at Heinz Field yesterday, leaving the 7-0 Eagles as the NFL #39;s only unbeaten team.


Dein peace vow undermined After United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made allegations of  #39;thuggery #39; against Thierry Henry on Friday, Arsenal vice- chairman David Dein held fresh talks with United chief executive David Gill yesterday.


NFL roundup On a day dominated by offense, it took a defensive back to settle things. Indianapolis star Peyton Manning had thrown five touchdowns when he lofted the ball into Kansas


US issues terror warning in northern Europe HELSINKI, Finland - United States embassies in northern Europe said they have received threat information and urged Americans living in the Nordic and Baltic regions to be cautious.


Tokyo shares down ahead of US elections Share prices closed lower in Tokyo this morning, ahead of the outcome of tomorrow #39;s US presidential election. New terrorist threats also prompted caution, following the airing on Friday of a videotaped message


SOUNESS BLASTS BOLTON #39;S STYLE Graeme Souness was quick to criticise Bolton #39;s tactics after watching his Newcastle United side crash to a 2-1 defeat at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday.


Finish line, November 1 Andre Agassi lost the Stockholm (Sweden) Open final in a third-set tiebreaker to Thomas Johansson, who won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to capture this tournament for the second time.


Tom  amp; Lewis team up, Tom Coughlin and his staff drilled it into the players last week not to give up if the ball was not caught. The way the play develops, it could be a lateral and a live ball.


Mutu facing a damages claim Adrian Mutu, already fighting to save his career after being sacked by Chelsea, is now facing a claim for compensation from the club over his lost transfer value.


UPDATE: Australia #39;s St George FY Net Up 18;Outlook Rosy By Morag MacKinnon Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australia #39;s fifth-largest lender, St. George Bank Ltd. (SGB.AU) reported an 18 rise in full year net profit to A\$717 million on Monday, and separated


Kutaragi comments on PSP prici SCE #39;s outspoken president speaks out on the PSP for the first time since the price announcement this week. Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi (shown here at a press event held earlier this


Manchester United Football Club manager wants Bergkamp charged Manchester United Football Club boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes both Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry should be investigated by the FA for incidents in the game at Old Trafford last Sunday.


Deadline Set for Hostages in Afghanistan Militants threatening to kill three foreign hostages in Afghanistan said they would give officials until Friday to meet their demands that the United Nations withdraw from the country and the US release Guantanamo Bay prisoners.


Ethnic groups battle in central China Chinese authorities offered no details Monday on weekend clashes between ethnic Chinese and Muslims that may have killed 148 in central China #39;s Henan province.


Baghdad Deputy Governor Shot Dead Insurgents in Iraq struck a fresh blow today, shooting dead the deputy governor of Baghdad on his way to work. Hatim Kamil was killed when gunmen


Mobile phone gaming set to boom LONDON - Video game and mobile phone companies are set to rake in the cash this year as customers use phones to zap space invaders or sink game-winning golf putts, pushing the mobile gaming market over US\$1 billion (NZ\$1.


Volkswagen Workers Stage New Stoppages Volkswagen workers staged a new round of brief stoppages early Monday, keeping up pressure on the automaker ahead of wage talks in which the company is sticking to a demand for a two-year pay freeze.


Toyota Profits Jump in First Fiscal Half Toyota Motor Corp. reported an 11.4 percent jump in earnings for the first fiscal half Monday, as sales growth in North America, Europe and Japan offset losses from an unfavorable exchange rate.


Air China inaugural flight lands at Dubai International Airport The Department of Civil Aviation Dubai, last night welcomed the inaugural Air China flight CA 941 from Beijing to Dubai International Airport.


Future of the web is on the move At the annual gathering in Cannes, France next week, Gartner analyst Alexander Linden will identify several of the long-term technology trends and innovations whose seeds were sown in the days of the tech bubble.


Explosion Kills Four in Tel Aviv Market TEL AVIV, Israel - An explosion went off Monday in a crowded open-air market in Tel Aviv, and a TV report said at least four people were killed.


Friday deadline set for hostages in Afghanistan Militants threatening to kill three foreign hostages in Afghanistan said they would give officials until Friday to meet their demands that the United Nations withdraw from the country and the US release Guantanamo Bay prisoners


ABN Amro Profit Rises, Buoyed by Sale of Asia Stake (Update4) ABN Amro Holding NV, the largest Dutch bank, said profit rose 26 percent in the third quarter, buoyed by a gain from selling its stake in Bank of Asia Pcl.


Arafat #39;s condition improving but further tests needed, say <b>...</b> An ailing Yasser Arafat entered a fourth day of emergency treatment Monday at a French military hospital specializing in blood disorders, but the cause of his precipitous decline in health remained unexplained.


Top Baghdad official assassinated The deputy governor of Baghdad has been assassinated in a drive-by shooting in a southern neighborhood. Unknown insurgents gunned down Hatem Kamel Abdul Fatah on Monday morning while


UK urged to join US insurance action BRITAIN #39;S largest financial institutions are being urged to take lead roles in lawsuits seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from the scandal-struck US insurance industry.


Armed police start Singapore patrols Special operations forces, armed with machine guns, began patrolling Singapore #39;s residential neighbourhoods and busy shopping districts to thwart a potential terror attack in the city-state, a staunch US ally.


Netherlands Buys Gas Pipes From Exxon, Shell Venture (Update1) The Netherlands, Europe #39;s third-largest gas producer, agreed to pay 2.78 billion euros (\$3.55 billion) to buy the natural gas pipeline stakes of Royal/Dutch Shell Group and Exxon Mobil Corp.


JP Morgan will stay as Gold Fields advisor-source US investment bank JP Morgan Chase  amp; Co (JPM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will continue advising on a defenc strategy for South Africa #39;s Gold Fields (GFIJ.


End of an era as Times ditches broadsheet for compact LONDON - After 216 years of broadsheet life, The Times today followed in the footsteps of The Independent, moving to a compact only format after almost a year of dual publication.


Microsoft Deepens Indemnity In the wake of rising concerns within companies about intellectual-property lawsuits over software, Microsoft is considering ways to broaden the indemnification policy that provides legal protection to its customers.


Toyota Motor interim net profit up 11.4 percent to hit record high Japan #39;s top carmaker Toyota Motor said its interim net profit rose 11.4 percent to a record 584 billion yen (5.5 billion dollars) thanks to brisk sales both at home and overseas.


New Bagle variants storm the internet Latest versions of the Bagle worm have appeared in the internet, prompting anti-virus companies to warn customers about the threat and to push out software updates to spot the new worms.


BREAKING POINT DJIBRIL CISSE faces a year out of football with a horror double leg-break that has plunged Liverpool into a major crisis. French striker Cisse snapped two bones in his left leg above the ankle


Four die in suicide attack A suspected Palestinian suicide bomber killed at least four people in Tel Aviv #39;s main market today. The Tel Aviv fire brigade said at least four people were killed in the explosion in the Carmel market in the centre of the city.


Afghan hostage deadline extended Militants holding three UN workers hostage in Afghanistan have said they will give officials until Friday to meet their demands. The group had previously suggested it would start killing the hostages on Wednesday


Will sagging Dow predict the winner? From the sales of Halloween masks to the outcome of a Washington Redskins game, amateur prognosticators are looking for almost any indicator that might point to who will


Part of the ECT News Network The discovery of a skeleton of a woman barely three feet tall who hunted tiny elephants and huge rats 18,000 years ago could rewrite the story of human evolution, scientists say.


Ballmer #39;s Linux Spin Microsoft #39;s CEO argues that Windows is cheaper and more secure than its open-source rival. Do the facts support him? By John Foley.


Bambino #39;s curse still working magic The curse of the Bambino, which in popular lore prevented the Boston Red Sox from winning the World Series for 86 years, lives on in some commercial precincts.


Cisse operation successful MANCHESTER, Nov 1 (SW) - Following Djibril Cisse #39;s horrendous double break injury at the weekend, Liverpool have revealed the operation the striker underwent yesterday had been a success.


At least 4 killed in suicide attack in Tel Aviv At least four people were killed and 30 wounded in an explosion which ripped through an open market in central Tel Aviv on Monday, Israeli rescue workers and police said.


Several killed in ethnic clashes in Henan Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Thousands of police on Monday were guarding a country road outside a village in central China where eyewitnesses said rioting between hundreds of members of the Han ethnic majority and Hui Muslims killed at least seven


Pakistani PM starts tour in Nepal Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is visiting Nepal Monday on the first leg of a tour to strengthen trade and cooperation between South Asian nations.


Gold Fields to publish bid attack Gold Fields executives will this week publish their most comprehensive attack to date on the hostile bid for their company, which was launched last month by rival Harmony.


GTA: San Andreas - an in-depth look There #39;s no use in arguing about it -- the Grand Theft Auto series for the PlayStation 2 is currently the driving force behind the video game industry.


Police: 3 dead in Tel Aviv suicide bombing At least three people were killed and 32 others wounded in a suicide bombing at an open-air market in Tel Aviv on Monday, Israeli police and ambulance services said.


Summary: Yanukovych leads Ukraine election UKRAINE VOTES: Near complete results from Sunday #39;s presidential election show Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych with 40 percent support and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko with 39 percent.


Shell, Esso sell part of Dutch gas company for 2.78 bln euros LONDON : Royal Dutch/Shell and Esso Nederlands, a division of ExxonMobil, announced the sale of transport activities in gas joint venture Gasunie to the Dutch government for 2.78 billion euros (3.


Update 1: Volkswagen Workers Stage New Stoppages Volkswagen AG workers staged a new round of brief stoppages early Monday, keeping up pressure on the automaker ahead of wage talks in which the company is sticking to a demand for a two-year pay freeze.


October probably had job growth US employers probably added 175,000 workers to payrolls in October, the most in five months, while the unemployment rate held at a three-year low of 5.4 percent, the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists shows.


At churches, an 8th sit-in begins amid hope, closing Anger, hope, and sadness pervaded at Boston-area Catholic churches yesterday, where parishioners staged more sit-ins at closing churches, prayed to


Office Depot plans call centre closures, job cuts NEW YORK, November 1 (newratings.com) - Office Depot Inc (ODP.NYS) has announced its plans to consolidate its call centre and account management operations, leading to about 900 job cuts and a charge of about \$12.


Bagle.BC sparks red alert IT security experts have increased the threat rating of the newly discovered Bagle.BC infection to  #39;Red Alert #39; as the worm continues to spread rapidly worldwide, causing more and more incidents.


BEST Magazine #39;s best stuff of the season From fitness and photography to home entertainment and hi-definition computing BEST Magazine Senior Editor David Gregg has got the goods on some of the BEST STUFF of the season.


Rutan shares space dreams with UT students The man behind Space Ship 1 brought his love of adventure to the University of Texas on Friday. Burt Rutan spoke to students about space tourism.


Record-breaker Singh stretches ahead of Els in rankings Vijay Singh, the first player in PGA Tour history to earn more than \$10 million in a single season following his Chrysler Championship victory on Sunday, has strengthened his grip at the top of the world rankings.


Kenteris denies faking bike crash Kostas Kenteris, the Greek sprinter who quit the Olympics after failing a drugs test, has denied faking a motorcycle accident to avoid giving a doping sample.


Cisse blow for Liverpool Football Club The 14million summer signing broke his leg during the 2-2 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday in a horrific injury, and he is almost certain to have kicked his last ball this season.


Park wins before home fans Park won the CJ Nine Bridges Classic at Jeju, South Korea, on Sunday, shooting a 7-under-par 65 for a 5-stroke victory and giving her game a big boost after a collapse in the final round two weeks ago.


Suicide bomber kills 4 in Tel Aviv #39;s Carmel Market Shortly before 11:30 am a large explosion was heard in Tel Aviv #39;s Carmel Market. A suicide bomber entered the market and blew himself up close to a stall at the corner of Hacarmel St.


Militants holding UN hostages set Friday deadline Militants threatening to kill three foreign hostages in Afghanistan on Monday allowed four days for negotiations on their demand that the United Nations withdraw from the country.


Pakistani PM leaves for Nepal on three-nation South Asian tour Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz left here Monday for Nepal on the first leg of his four-day visit to three South Asian states aimed at boosting political and economic


Iraqi cameraman killed in Ramadi An Iraqi television cameraman working for Reuters was killed on Monday during heavy fighting between US forces and insurgents in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, policeand witnesses said.


Hyderabad youth killed in police shootout A youth was killed in a shootout outside the DGP #39;s office in Hyderabad on Sunday evening. The incident took place after a group of nearly 25 persons who had gathered outside the office tried to block the way


Toyota #39;s 2nd-Qtr Profit Shrinks on Yen, Units #39; Slump (Update5) Toyota Motor Corp., the world #39;s second- largest carmaker, had an unexpected drop in quarterly profit as earnings at its truck making unit fell and a stronger yen cut the value of its overseas sales.


ABN Amro Profits Rise in Third Quarter ABN Amro Holding NV, the Netherlands #39; largest bank, said net profits rose 26 percent in the third quarter, benefiting from a one-time gain on the sale of its stake in the Bank of Asia.


Google blocks Gmail exploit Google has fixed a flaw in its high-profile webmail service, Gmail, which created a possible route for hackers to gain full access hackers full access to a user #39;s email account simply by knowing their user name.


China criticizes Bush ahead of election On the eve of the US presidential election, China accused President Bush of trying to  quot;rule over the whole world, quot; saying the invasion of Iraq destroyed the global anti-terrorism


Update 1: Toyota Profit Jumps As Sales Grow Globally Toyota Motor Corp. reported a slight dip in earnings in the second fiscal quarter but marked a record profit for the first fiscal half Monday, as sales growth in North America, Europe and Japan offset losses from an unfavorable exchange rate.


Shell in Dutch gas grid disposal Energy giant Shell is to sell its stake in the pipeline unit of Dutch gas firm Gasunie to the Dutch government. Both Shell and ExxonMobil are selling their stakes, with the Dutch government paying 2.78bn euros (\$3.


Nymex to Challenge IPE in Ireland The New York Mercantile Exchange opened its first overseas trading floor in oil futures Monday in a direct challenge to its main London-based rival, the International Petroleum Exchange.


Tyco Swings to Profit, Warns on Estimates Manufacturing conglomerate Tyco International Ltd. said Monday that it swung to a profit in the fourth quarter from a year-ago loss, but the company guided below consensus estimates for the first quarter of fiscal 2005.


Shuttles to return to flight in May NASA hopes to resume space shuttle flights in May 2005, officials said on Friday. But the agency has also confirmed it is considering reducing the number of planned shuttle flights - which could affect the


RIAA Files 750 New File-trading Lawsuits The RIAA announced it has filed 750 new lawsuits against alleged file-traders using peer-to-peer (P-to-P) software.  quot;The 750 new lawsuits were against  quot;John Doe quot; defendants not yet identified by the RIAA.


Bomb in Tel Aviv Market Kills 3, Wounds 32 Police and rescue workers said the blast tore through the open-air Carmel market in Tel Aviv. Witnesses described a chaotic scene with the bodies of the dead and wounded shoppers scattered among the debris of wrecked market stalls.


Afghan kidnappers deny deadline extension A group threatening to kill three kidnapped foreigners working for the United Nations in Afghanistan has denied extending the deadline for the United States to release all Taliban and al Qaeda prisoners.


Reuters cameraman killed in Ramadi An Iraqi cameraman working for Reuters has been killed during heavy fighting between US forces and insurgents in Iraq #39;s western city of Ramadi on Monday, colleagues said.


US Stocks Seen Flat as Election Weighs US stocks were headed for a flat open on Monday a day ahead of the US Presidential election, as Wall Street awaits a clear-cut winner.


Ryanair signs engine maintenance deal with General Electric LONDON : Irish no-frills airline Ryanair said it had signed a 10-year engine maintenance deal with GE Engine Services, a division of US-based conglomerate General Electric.