Afghan elections seen as setback for Taliban KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban movement suffered a serious psychological and military setback after failing to disrupt Afghanistan's presidential election last month, but the radical Islamic militia still poses a formidable military threat and one faction has begun carrying out daring, Al Qaeda-style urban terrorist attacks, say Afghan and foreign analysts.


Baghdad Governor Assassinated; Bomber Kills 11  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen killed Baghdad's governor in  Iraq's highest-profile assassination for eight months and a  suicide bomber killed 11 people on Tuesday in an escalating  campaign to wreck the Jan. 30 election.


Air Force  Pitch for  Boeing  Detailed E-mail records show Air Force Secretary James G. Roche put pressure on opponents of a plan to lease Boeing 767 tanker aircraft.


State adds 4,000 jobs in October Massachusetts gained nearly 4,000 payroll jobs last month while the jobless rate held steady after hitting a three-year low in September, the state reported yesterday.


FDA under fire First, Vioxx was pulled from the market. Now attention turns to five other drugs, which deserve scrutiny, a Food and Drug Administration scientist warned Congress this week.


Fed chief warns on budget, trade gaps Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan yesterday urged the federal government to reduce its budget deficit and encourage greater personal saving, warning that foreign investors will not finance endless growth in America's huge trade gap.


Over 100 will lose jobs amid MedSource sale More than 100 workers in Newton are scheduled to lose their jobs by February amid the purchase of MedSource Technologies Inc. by another medical device contract manufacturer, the new owner acknowledged yesterday.


Utility, AG in agreement Massachusetts Electric Co. , the state's biggest utility, reached a \$71 million agreement with Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly to freeze most rates through March 1 and offer all customers a monthly credit averaging 43 cents for the year after that. With the seven-year-old system of state-controlled  quot;standard offer quot; power rates set to expire in March, the settlement pact is ...


Russia sets date for auction of oil giant Yukos The protracted legal battle over Russian oil giant Yukos appeared to enter its final phase yesterday when the government set a date to auction off a majority stake in the company's richest energy fields and demanded another \$6 billion in back taxes from a business already facing a crippling \$14 billion bill for outstanding taxes and fines.


Computer grid to help the world Through the World Community Grid, your computer could help address the world's health and social problems.


U.S. to Help Rebuild Tsunami-Stricken Lives -- Powell  PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) - The United States will help  the millions devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami rebuild  their lives, but an effort on the scale of the Marshall Plan is  probably not needed, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on  Tuesday.


Oracle-- 61 Pct PeopleSoft Stock Tendered (Reuters) Reuters - Oracle Corp. Friday said 61\percent of PeopleSoft Inc. shares were tendered for its\ #36;24-a-share offer, strengthening Oracle's hostile bid position\as it waits to see if PeopleSoft's board will remove the final\barrier to a deal.


Aid Flights Resume in Indonesia's Aceh  BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (Reuters) - Salvage crews dragged a  damaged Boeing 737 cargo jet off the runway at Banda Aceh  airport on Tuesday, clearing the way for flights to resume  bringing in relief aid for Indonesian quake and tsunami  victims.


Majority of PeopleSoft shareholders accept Oracle bid A majority of PeopleSoft'sshareholders gave Oraclethe green light to continue its hostile bid for control of the company, tendering more than 60 percent of PeopleSoft's outstanding shares into Oracle's \$24 per share cash offer by the Friday deadline.


Bye Provides Patriots Time to Study (AP) AP - The New England Patriots have an extra week to study their next opponent  #151; whoever that might be.


Misery loves company when it comes to spam I #39;M FEELING a little bit better about the hundreds of junk e-mails I get every day now that I #39;ve read that someone else has much bigger e-mail troubles.


Pacers brawl with Detroit spectators in NBA nightmare melee Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. AUBURN HILLS, Michigan, United States of America -- An epic brawl involving Indiana Pacers players and angry


Earnhardt well aware that he has no shot at title HOMESTEAD, Fla.  Eleven minutes after the start of a press conference featuring the drivers still alive in the chase for the Nextel Cup, Dale Earnhardt Jr.


Myanmar junta frees  #39;number two #39; political prisoner Yangon, Nov. 20: Myanmar #39;s Military Government has freed the country #39;s second most prominent political prisoner, student democracy leader Min Ko Naing, an Opposition party spokesman said today.


Pacers Battle Trash-Throwing Pistons Fans (AP) AP - Players and fans exchanged punches in the stands as an NBA game turned so ugly a police investigation was necessary. Indiana's Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson charged into the stands and fought with fans in the final minute of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, and the brawl forced an early end to the Pacers' 97-82 win.


Sorenstam Leads ADT Championship by Three (AP) AP - Annika Sorenstam felt as if she had hit a wall in the ADT championship.


Busch on Pole in Race for NASCAR Title (AP) AP - Kurt Busch came to Homestead-Miami Speedway with more in mind than just winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.


Germany: Bayern Mnchen held in goals galore weekend in the <b>...</b> Frankfurt Dec 4 (SW) - Week sixteen of the German Bundesliga and with one game before the winter break, Bayern Mnchen drew 2-2 on Saturday to stretch their lead to three points over FC Schalke who travel to Dortmund on Sunday.


Pacers brawl with Detroit spectators in NBA nightmare melee (AFP) AFP - An epic brawl involving Indiana Pacers players and angry Detroit Pistons fans turned into a near-riot, the most disgraceful day in National Basketball Association history yet.


Earthquake Hits Costa Rica During Summit (AP) AP - An earthquake shook people awake in the Costa Rican capital early Saturday, where leaders of 21 nations had gathered for a summit meeting.


Final Touches Set on Africa Great Lakes Peace Plan (Reuters) Reuters - African leaders put final touches\on a new, U.N.-backed peace plan for the troubled Great Lakes\countries on Saturday amid fresh allegations of gun-running,\abuse and violence in the vast, volatile region.


Taiwan opposition demands evidence on Chen's "soft coup" allegations (AFP) AFP - Taiwan opposition leaders have demanded President Chen Shui-bian provide evidence for his repeated allegations that military generals had plotted a "soft coup" in collaboration with rival China to cripple his government.


Burma junta frees top dissident A dissident who led the 1988 student protests in Burma is freed, as part of a release of 4,000 prisoners.


McCain threatens legislation to curb drugs in baseball com Staff  December 4, 2004. US Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) said yesterday that he will introduce legislation for mandatory drug testing of athletes if major league baseball players and owners do


Air raids hit Philippines rebels Up to 10 people are killed in air strikes on rebels in the southern island of Mindanao.


Malaysia lays down bus ultimatum Malaysia's express bus fleet could be taken off the roads for speeding and ignoring fines, the government says.


Cricket: Pressure mounts on NZ Glenn McGrath's maiden Test fifty takes Australia to 564-9 against New Zealand, ahead by 211 runs.


Burma junta frees top dissident Burma #39;s military junta has freed a top dissident - second only to Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi - as part of a release of 4,000 prisoners.


Great Lakes peace pact signed Eleven African countries have signed a UN-backed peace deal for the Great Lakes region, pledging an end to the genocide, war, hunger and disease that has killed 3 million over more than a decade.


EMI #39;s upbeat tone lifts shares EMI shares surged 15 per cent yesterday after the record company unveiled weaker interim profits and revenues but gave a robust outlook on the back of impending releases from artists including the Rolling Stones and Coldplay.


Cells repair Parkinson's damage Monkey stem cells can repair the brain damage caused by Parkinson's disease, researchers have shown.


Martian explorer marks first year Nasa celebrates the first year on Mars of its Spirit rover and says the vehicle can go on working for some time.


Huge eagles 'dominated NZ skies' A massive eagle which became extinct five centuries ago was once New Zealand's chief predator, scientists believe.


U.S. Drops Effort for Treaty Banning Cloning Faced with polarizing division in the General Assembly, the U.S. abandoned its attempt to obtain a treaty banning all human cloning.


Sonics power streak to nine TORONTO - The next phase of winning, after you #39;ve won at home and on the road, after you #39;ve blown out teams, captured nail-biters and overcome large fourth-quarter deficits, is to beat an opponent more than once.


Syracuse Pulls Out Victory Over Memphis  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Hakim Warrick scored 25 points  and Gerry McNamara added 21, as fifth-ranked Syracuse pulled  away late for a 77-62 victory over No. 24 Memphis in the  championship game of the Coaches versus Cancer Classic at  Madison Square Garden.


PeopleSoft Soap Opera Still Alive Merger talks are still alive in the hostile takeover soap opera between Oracle (Quote, Chart) and PeopleSoft (Quote, Chart). Early Saturday morning, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison said his  quot;best and final all cash


Date Set for Auction Of Russian Oil Giant The protracted legal battle over Russian oil giant Yukos appeared to enter its final phase Friday when the government set a date to auction off a majority stake in the company #39;s


Now Loading... Firefox Netscape is partially responsible for the beginning of another browser (the programme you log on to the internet with) battlethe fledgling Firefox vs the mighty Microsoft.


New portable dual-screen system from Nintendo has plenty of bells <b>...</b> On Sunday, the video-game giant will introduce its latest innovation, the Nintendo DS, or dual screen, which gaming fanatics around the globe have been dying to get their hands on.


BT plots comeback BT HAS re-entered the mobile phone market, launching its own branded cellphone service on Vodafone #39;s network as it looks to boost revenues with its fixed-line business in decline.


Cal Must Beat Stanford to Win Big Bowl Bid (AP) AP - When safety Ryan Gutierrez first arrived at California, Stanford ruled the Big Game. It wasn't that long ago, but it certainly seems like ancient history now.


Pole victory adds to Busch #39;s edge If Kurt Busch wasn #39;t already the man to beat for the Nextel Cup championship, he is now. Anyone expecting Busch or his Roush Racing team to crack under the pressure of the


Notebook: Emotions run high in Toronto TORONTO - The trade that might have transformed Toronto and Portland didn #39;t materialize before last night #39;s game, which left the Sonics wondering if they #39;d face a fractured Raptors team or one hardened by adversity.


Leiter undecided Although Al Leiter has pledged his allegiance to the Mets on numerous occasions, baseball sources have told the Daily News he is  quot;still very much undecided quot; about his future and is not close to signing with the Mets or another team.


World ; Bomb Kills Venezuela Prosecutor, Gov #39;t Swipes at US The minister said the attack was aimed at halting prosecutions led by Anderson against several hundred opposition politicians, lawyers and former military officers accused of supporting Chavez #39;s short-lived ouster in the 2002 coup.


Insurgents Attack Baghdad Police, National Guard (Reuters) Reuters - Insurgents armed with automatic rifles\and rocket-propelled grenades skirmished with U.S. and Iraqi\forces in Sunni Muslim areas of Baghdad Saturday and at least\three police and seven insurgents were killed.


Canon to Start Making Rear Projection TVs in 2005  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese camera and office equipment  maker Canon Inc. 7751.T said on Tuesday it would start  producing rear projection televisions later this year, aiming  to secure a chunk of the rapidly growing market for big screen  TVs.


PeopleSoft shareholders support Oracle takeover Ongoing battle between rival software makers enters new stage. Board has vowed to continue resistance. By Michael Liedtke. SAN FRANCISCO -- More than 60 percent of PeopleSoft Inc.


Congress blocks Internet taxation legislation The bill to ban state and federal levies on all types of connections for three years now goes to Bush. By Mary Dalrymple. WASHINGTON -- Congress acted Friday to block state and local governments from taxing


ICAHN IN BID TO SWALLOW MYLAN Carl Icahn has launched another of his multibillion-dollar shock-and-awe raids for a company - this time on the nation #39;s biggest generic drug maker, Mylan.


Martian explorer marks first year US space agency Nasa celebrates the first year on Mars of its Spirit robot rover vehicle.


Microsoft Warns Asian Governments of Linux Suits Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) warned Asian governments on Thursday they could face patent lawsuits for using the Linux operating system instead of its Windows software.


Nasa jet smashes world speed record The X-43A aircraft flew at a speed of around Mach 9.6 - nearly ten times the speed of sound - after a booster rocket took it to around 110,000 feet and then separated.


No. 5 Syracuse 77, No. 24 Memphis 62 Jim Boeheim rarely leaves the Syracuse area early in the season. This trip to New York was well worth it. The fifth-ranked Orange beat No.


Can #39;t pull off double DALLAS -- Jamal Crawford went for the instant replay, but he wasn #39;t able to pull it off. It came down to another shot at the buzzer last night, but he wasn #39;t able to deliver and the Knicks closed out a difficult


Crowd rains boos on Raptors Carter Fed-up fans at the Air Canada Centre yesterday treated Vince Carter as if the trade was already a done deal. SUPERSONICS 101 RAPTORS 94.


Expos likely to be renamed Nationals The Expos are about to get their new name: the Washington Nationals. A city official and a baseball official, both speaking on condition of anonymity, said Friday that the team will reveal its new name, cap


Arafat #39;s medical records handed over The medical records of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat who died of multiple organ failure have been handed over to his widow Suha Arafat, who has got the file from the Percy military hospital in Paris, where her husband died.


Greenspan tells G20 US outlook favourable-source The outlook for the US economy in the coming quarters is favourable despite a continued fall in personal savings, US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan was quoted as saying on Saturday.


Lewis leads Sonics to ninth consecutive win By wire services. Rashard Lewis scored 27 points and Ray Allen had 24 to lead the Sonics to their ninth straight victory, 101-94 over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.


No. 3 Georgia Tech 74, Alabama St. 37 Beginning a season of high expectations, No. 3 Georgia Tech clamped down on Alabama State and pulled away in the second half for a 74-37 victory Friday night.


AFA-CWA Wins Review of Bankruptcy Judge Decision The federal judge overseeing US Airways #39; bankruptcy petition is reconsidering his decision to allow the airline to cut wages for flight attendants by 21 percent for four months.


Slumping Dollar to Dominate G-20 Meeting (AP) AP - European officials are increasingly alarmed by the U.S. dollar's slump against the euro  #151; but they aren't likely to get help from the United States or Asian countries at the G-20 meeting of industrial and developing countries that opened Saturday.


Iraqis, GIs Share Uneasy Relationship (AP) AP - When a hail of bullets hit the car in which Jinan Adnan and her family were riding, she followed her maternal instincts  #151; and paid with her life.


UPDATE 1-Kumble rocks SAfrica as Hall reaches 57 not out Leg spinner Anil Kumble struck twice in successive balls to leave South Africa faltering on 154 for four at tea on the opening day of the first test against India on Saturday.


Palestinians Will Reveal Cause of Arafat #39;s Death The Palestinian prime minister promised today to make public the cause of Yasser Arafats death as an emissary was sent to Paris to pick up his medical records.


Myanmar #39;s military govt frees number two political prisoner: party <b>...</b> YANGON : Myanmar #39;s military government has freed the country #39;s second most prominent political prisoner, student democracy leader Min Ko Naing, an opposition party spokesman told AFP.


Resurgent Woods Still Three Clear in Japan  MIYAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) - A resurgent Tiger Woods shot a  three-under-par 67 to preserve his three-stroke advantage at  the halfway point of the Dunlop Phoenix tournament Friday.


Banishing bell-ringers takes a toll The jingling bells, smiling face and clanking red kettle have become as much a signature to the approach of Christmas as shopping-mall Santas.


RODDICK EXCITED BY HEWITT CONTEST Second-seeded Andy Roddick has predicted a thrilling contest when he takes on Lleyton Hewitt in the semi-final of the Masters Cup in Houston.


City finalizes bid for Olympics, but West Side site warrants input New York City and four other contenders for the 2012 Olympics submitted their final bids to the International Olympic Committee this week, moving the winner-take-all scrum into its last phase.


Busch wins pole for season-ending race Kurt Busch came to Homestead-Miami Speedway with more in mind than just winning the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.  quot;I was just joking in the prequalifying interview that we needed a pole to get into the Bud


Afghan Given Death in Reporters' Murders (AP) AP - An Afghan court sentenced a man to death Saturday for the 2001 killing of three foreign journalists and an Afghan colleague who were pulled from their cars, robbed and shot as they rushed to cover the collapse of the Taliban.


Oracle Says 61 Percent of PeopleSoft Stock Tendered (Reuters) Reuters - Oracle Corp. Friday said 61\percent of PeopleSoft Inc. shares were tendered for its\ #36;24-a-share offer, strengthening Oracle's hostile bid position\as it waits to see if PeopleSoft's board will remove the final\barrier to a deal.


Mbeki meets I Coast leaders Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki will hold separate meetings with Prime Minister Seydou Diarra of the Ivory Coast and the head of the rebel forces in Pretoria on Saturday, a presidential spokesperson said.


Dollar, markets dive on Greenspan warning Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan delivered a blunt warning Friday that foreign investors might get sick of subsidizing the nation #39;s widening trade and budget deficits, remarks that caused US financial markets to tremble.


Ban OK #39;d on taxes on Net connections Congress acted yesterday to block state and local governments from taxing connections that link consumers to the Internet for the next three years.


It #39;s Scrooge-like To Ban Salvation Army Kettle Recently, TV news reported that the Target chain of retail stores has decided to ban the Salvation Army from the annual kettle collection at its stores, beginning this Christmas season.


Fossil ape may be father of all apes A 13 million years old ape living in what is now Spain may have been the last common father of all apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans.


Nvidia to create chipset for Intel Intel Corp. has signed a cross-licensing agreement with Nvidia Corp. that would allow the 3-D graphics chipmaker to start selling chipsets for PCs that use Intel #39;s microprocessors, the companies said Friday.


London Calling - Apple Stores to Make European Debut Apple is bringing the worlds most exciting retail experience to Europe for the first time, with a brand new store in the heart of one of the worlds most vibrant shopping districts - Londons West End.


Legal action possible in elephant fight The struggle over the fate of two aging elephants at the Detroit Zoo might move to a new battleground, the zoo director said Friday.


Microsoft targets older people for Web via TV SEATTLE -- For people trying to get their aging parents on the Web so they can read e-mail and get digital photos of the family, Microsoft Corp.


DoCoMo Chooses Linux  amp; Symbian After some years on the drawing board, Japanese mobile giant NTT DoCoMo has announced its work on a common platform for 3G phones has come to fruition.


NBA Officials Halt Pistons-Pacers Game Following Brawl NBA officials stopped a game between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons with about 45 seconds left to play late Friday after a brawl broke out between players and fans in Detroit.


London bid for  quot;best quot; ever Olympics in 2012: World News: London, Nov 20 :London has launched its bid to host the 2012 Olympics with a pledge that it would be  quot;the best Games the world has ever seen quot;.


#39;Winky #39; again sets sights on Mosley It would be easy to dismiss a fighter known as  quot;Winky. quot; It also would be a mistake. The first fighter in 29 years to unify the junior middleweight division, Ronald Lamont Wright is slightly


US, Germany Strike Deal on Iraq Debt Write-Off The United States, Germany and other G7 nations agreed on Saturday to write off up to 80 percent of Iraq #39;s \$120 billion foreign debt in a move that could


Palestinians ask Israel to withdraw before election Palestinian officials are urging Israel to curb military operations as they begin to register candidates to run in an election to replace Yasser Arafat as Palestinian Authority president.


Summary Box: Venezuela #39;s president vows to track down killers of <b>...</b> THE CRIME: A car bomb killed a prosecutor preparing a case against nearly 400 people who backed a 2002 coup attempt to oust President Hugo Chavez.


African leaders sign Great Lakes peace pact African leaders have signed a UN-backed peace framework for the Great Lakes region, but quickly admitted it might be difficult to implement amid ethnic violence, poverty and political mistrust.


Deal nears on Iraq debt write-off Some members of the Paris Club of creditor nations agree to forgive 80 of Iraq's debt at the G20 summit in Berlin.


U.S., G7 Allies Agree Iraq Debt Relief (Reuters) Reuters - The United States and its G7 allies have\reached agreement on a deal to forgive 80 of Iraq's huge debts\without imposing any conditions, a G7 official said on\Saturday.


Oracle: 61 Pct PeopleSoft Stock Tendered  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. ORCL.O on Friday  said 61 percent of PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O shares were  tendered for its \$24-a-share offer, strengthening Oracle's  hostile bid position as it waits to see if PeopleSoft's board  will remove the final barrier to a deal.


Some Doubt Stocks' Value as Prices Rise  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock prices are near the highest  level ever, but instead of triggering giddy euphoria, the rise  is inspiring doubt and concern that stock values might be too  high.


U.S., G7 Allies Agree on Iraq Debt Relief  BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States, Germany and other G7  nations agreed on Saturday to write off up to 80 percent of  Iraq's \$120 billion foreign debt in a move that could pave the  way for a wider international accord, officials said.


Peru Arrests Siege Leader, Rebels Hold Out  LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian authorities arrested a  former army major who led a three-day uprising in a southern  Andean town and vowed on Tuesday to storm the police station  where his followers remained holed up unless they surrendered  soon.


U.S., G7 Allies Agree on Iraq Debt Relief (Reuters) Reuters - The United States, Germany and other G7\nations agreed on Saturday to write off up to 80 percent of\Iraq's  #36;120 billion foreign debt in a move that could pave the\way for a wider international accord, officials said.


Wal-Mart Sees Nov. U.S. Sales Up 2-4 Pct (Reuters) Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the\world's largest retailer, said on Saturday that it still\expects a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in November sales at\its U.S. stores open at least one year.


Verizon adds shopping tools to SuperPages.com Verizon SuperPages.com said Friday it has teamed up with eBay and Shopping.com for the rollout of new shopping tools on its online Yellow Pages site.


Basketball: Indiana players could face charges after brawl with <b>...</b> DETROIT, Michigan : The Indiana Pacers lost their cool on and off the court and brawled with unruly Detroit fans during a 97-82 victory over the Pistons in a chaotic game that was halted with less than a minute to go.


SA 230 for 4 at stumps The South Africans have consolidated in the post-tea session on the first day of the Kanpur Test against India. The Proteas are 230 for four at stumps on Day 1. Andrew Hall, opening the innings for the first


US sniffs at Myanmar prisoner release WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (AFP) - The United States on Friday pronounced itself unimpressed by this week #39;s mass release of nearly 4,000 prisoners from jails in military-run Myanmar and demanded immediate freedom for all political detainees, including opposition


Polish Woman Held Hostage in Iraq Freed (AP) AP - A Polish woman who was abducted last month from her apartment in Baghdad has been freed, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.


Ivory Coast Rebel Chief Brands Gbagbo War Criminal (Reuters) Reuters - Ivory Coast's rebel chief said on\Thursday he wanted President Laurent Gbagbo charged with war\crimes as the West African country's leader called on thousands\of foreigners who fled mob violence to return.


Early Elvis tapes go to auction Some of Elvis Presley's earliest recordings - including takes of All Shook Up - go under the hammer on Sunday.


Great Lakes leaders pledge peace Presidents of the Great Lakes region in Africa have signed a declaration designed bring peace to the region.


MG Rover on brink of China deal MG Rover is about to seal a 1bn agreement to help build 200,000 cars a year in China.


Cricket: Hall battles India attack Andrew Hall steers South Africa to 230-4 on day one of the first Test against India.


Former Viacom Chief Will Helm Sirius Description: Mel Karmazin is tapped to head Sirius Satellite Radio, not long after the network acquired Howard Stern #39;s show. The former Viacom president helped build Infinity Broadcasting into the country #39;s second largest conventional radio network.


G20 opposes  quot;abrupt changes quot; in forex, oil; sees slowdown in 2005 The finance chiefs of the Group of 20 countries oppose  quot;abrupt changes quot; in foreign exchange rates and in oil prices and see a slight slowdown in economic growth next year, German Finance Minister Hans Eichel said.


Science ; Fossil ape may be father of all apes The fossil gives us a missing link, not directly between humans and an apelike ancestor, but between great apes and lesser apes such as gibbons.


Is Unix Coughing Up Ground? The operating system that powers the lion #39;s share of servers is losing ground to Windows and Linux. Unix is losing so much ground that IT research firm IDC is predicting Windows will take over as the dominant server operating system by the year 2008.


In Texas, a mouse can kill a deer A Texas-based Web site is promising hunters worldwide the chance to shoot deer and antelope with the click of a mouse. At live-shot.


McGrath has a ball; notches maiden Test fifty Brisbane: Glenn McGrath was getting ribbed by his Australian team-mates that his number of Test wickets was catching up to his Test runs: so he did something about it, posting his highest Test score.


Boxing Preview: Ronald  #39;Winky #39; Wright vs.  #39;Sugar #39; Shane Mosley for <b>...</b> On Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort  amp; Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada Winky Wright defends his WBC and WBA Junior Middleweight titles against former IBF Lightweight, WBC


Anti-Bush Protesters Battle Police at Chile Summit Hooded anti-American marchers protesting an Asia-Pacific summit in Chile Friday hurled Molotov cocktails and stones at police who retaliated with water cannons and tear gas.


Polish Woman Freed by Iraqi Hostages WARSAW, Poland - A Polish woman who was abducted last month from her apartment in Baghdad has been freed, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.


G20 Expresses Concern at Currency Swings Finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the world #39;s 20 biggest economies voiced concern on Saturday over sudden currency swings, venturing for the


BAR to seek administration in Honda deal. British American Tobacco has indicated that it would seek to put the company which runs the BAR Formula One team into administration if it proves unable to buy the minority shareholding in the operation required to press ahead with its new deal with Honda


Hall the hero for South Africa Andrew Hall #39;s unbeaten knock of 78 helped South Africa make a fine start in their two-Test series against India at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Saturday.


Iraqi troops raid key Baghdad mosque Sunni Muslims expressed outrage Saturday over an assault by Iraqi National Guard troops, backed by US soldiers, on their most revered mosque in Baghdad.


Creditors to forgive up to 80 per cent of Iraq #39;s debt, German <b>...</b> Germany #39;s finance minister said Saturday that he and his US counterpart have reached an agreement under which Iraq #39;s creditors would write off up to 80 per cent of the country #39;s debt.


India #39;s decision on troop reduction cosmetic: Musharraf Islamabad, Nov. 20. (PTI): Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today dismissed Indian government #39;s decision on the reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir as a  quot;cosmetic change quot; and not a strategic move that could help solve the Kashmir issue.


Red Cross deeply concerned by humanitarian law violations in Iraq The International Red Cross is  quot;deeply concerned quot; at the impact of the fighting in Iraq and the apparent failures by all sides to respect humanitarian laws.


Wal-Mart Sees Nov. U.S. Sales Up 2-4 Pct  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT.N, the  world's largest retailer, said on Saturday that it still  expects a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in November sales at  its U.S. stores open at least one year.


Nike: Can Perez Fill Knight #39;s Shoes? Phil Knight is finally letting go. He officially announced his resignation as CEO and president of the world #39;s largest sneaker company on Nov. 18.


Government Puts Off Internet Taxation The US Senate approved modifications to the Internet Tax Non-Discrimination Act Friday, clearing the way for House passage of the bill that would prevent taxing online purchases.


Google Co-Founders to Sell Company Shares Google Inc. co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin each plan to sell up to 7.2 million shares of their stock in the online search engine leader during the next 18 months


G20 to debate on world economic growth Finance ministers and central bankers of the Group of 20 countries (G20) kicked off a two-day meeting here Saturday to assess the current economic situation and global growth prospects.


High incomes, high scrutiny Attention all those making more than \$100,000: The Internal Revenue Service is watching you more closely. The agency has been ramping up its examinations of high-income filers, which it defines


Airports turn to private screeners The US government is making it easier for airports that want to replace federal baggage and passenger screeners with privately employed workers.


Polish Hostage Freed in Iraq Already in Warsaw (Reuters) Reuters - A Polish woman held hostage in Iraq by a\militant group since October has been freed and said on\Saturday her captors had treated her well.


UK #39;s BT changes mobile partner, plots comeback Britain #39;s BT Group Plc re-entered the mobile phone market yesterday, launching its own branded cellphone service on Vodafone #39;s network as it looks to boost revenues with its fixed-line business in decline.


World #39;s Oldest Man Dies After Red Sox Dream Comes True DEWITT, NY -- Fred Hale Sr., a Maine native recognized as the world #39;s oldest man, died Friday. He was 113 years old. Hale died in his sleep at The Nottingham in suburban Syracuse, while trying to recover from


Ukraine poised for crucial vote under watchful eye of West, Russia (AFP) AFP - Ukraine prepared for a crucial runoff presidential vote that pits a pro-Russia prime minister against a Western-leaning opposition leader as Washington warned Kiev of consequences if the poll is rigged.


Annan: Darfur settlement possible by year end A peace agreement for Sudan #39;s western Darfur region may be possible by year end after Khartoum signed a separate deal with southern rebels, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said.


Eichel: Paris Club to Forgive Most Iraqi Debt German Finance Minister Hans Eichel said on Saturday that the Paris Club had reached a framework agreement to forgive 80 percent of Iraqi debt.


Ethics Become Priority For Israeli Military Israel #39;s top general announced Friday that the military would investigate allegations that soldiers abused the bodies of Palestinians killed during army operations, including


US Fed: \$ Devaluation might Cause Trouble While in Frankfurt, Germany yesterday, US Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Alan Greenspan warned that the US foreign trade deficit could negatively effect the country #39;s economy.


Generosity warms chilly morning Daily Telegram Staff Writer. ADRIAN -- In the midst of planning holiday get-togethers, shopping trips and Christmas lists, remember to take time for those not as fortunate.


Suspensions Expected in Wake of Detroit-Indiana-Fans Altercations (Auburn Hills, Mich., AP) -- The NBA isn #39;t commenting on the Pistons-Pacers brawl until it reviews what happened in the final minute of Friday night #39;s game.


Leaving the nest might inspire Mosley success By Sean Waisglass: I haven #39;t seen the weigh-in reports for the Winky Wright/Shane Mosley junior welterweight championship rematch tonight, but I #39;m pretty sure Sugar Shane is going to be tipping the scales much lighter than the last time.


Claims Arafat died of AIDS A FORMER speech writer for George W. Bush has claimed Yasser Arafat died of AIDS. Former presidential aide David Frum, famous for coining the phrase  quot;axis of evil quot;, says the world has shown


Handcuffing protester speaks out Militant fathers #39; rights protester Jonathan Stanesby has described how he managed to handcuff himself to Children #39;s Minister Margaret Hodge for 40 minutes at a conference.


India Pulls Out About 3,000 Troops from Kashmir (Reuters) Reuters - India pulled out around 3,000\troops from Kashmir Saturday in a planned withdrawal of army\units from the region, officials said, as the peace process\between New Delhi and Islamabad came under strain this week.


Report: China Releases Tiananmen Protester (AP) AP - A factory worker who helped to organize a strike during China's 1989 pro-democracy protests has been released after nearly 15 years in prison, a U.S.-based prison rights group said Saturday.


Polish Hostage Freed in Iraq Already in Warsaw  WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish woman held hostage in Iraq by a  militant group since October has been freed and said on  Saturday her captors had treated her well.


Bomb Kills Venezuela Prosecutor, Gov't Swipes at US  CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A Venezuelan prosecutor  probing a 2002 coup against President Hugo Chavez was killed by  a car bomb that the government blamed on Friday on radical  opponents it said were training in the United States.


Violence Breaks Out All Over Baghdad Iraqis chant anti-US and anti-government slogans in front of a US tank after a car bomb exploded killing at least one person in central Baghdad Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004.


First Diplomatic Note of UN History to Annan United Nations (UN) personnel will prepare  quot;the first motion of non-confidence in the organization #39;s history quot; against UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has faced a series of scandals.


Limitations Frustrate Tsunami Scientists (AP) AP - For scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the world's most powerful earthquake happened below the wrong ocean.


Ukraine Readies Knife-Edge Poll Amid Demo Threats (Reuters) Reuters - Ukraine prepared Saturday for a knife-edge\presidential election amid threats by the opposition contender\to launch street protests if he is denied the leadership by\cheating.


Nuclear Spies Go on Trial in Iran TEHRAN, 19 November 2004 - Four Iranians accused of spying on the Islamic republics nuclear program for foreign governments have gone on trial in Tehran, a judicial official was quoted as saying yesterday.


Red Cross deeply concerned by humanitarian law violations in Iraq The International Red Cross is  #39; #39;deeply concerned #39; #39; with the killing of civilians and non-combatants in Iraq and the apparent failures by all sides to respect humanitarian law.


Palestinian candidates register Ramallah - The race to succeed the late Yasser Arafat as Palestinian leader formally kicked off on Saturday, with the opening of the registration period for potential presidential candidates.


Pakistan opposition prepares anti-Musharraf protest (Reuters) Reuters - Pakistani opposition parties announced plans on Saturday for a countrywide campaign against President Pervez Musharraf after indications he would renege on a promise to quit as army chief by the end of the year.


Giggs, Scholes Back on Goal Trail to Give United Win  LONDON (Reuters) - Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes scored their  first Premier League goals of the season to give Manchester  United a 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic in Alex Ferguson's  999th match in charge of the club Saturday.


McCain: Air Force fixed bids WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain called Friday for  quot;full accountability quot; for Air Force officials involved in a controversial contract to acquire tanker aircraft from Boeing, accusing them of incompetence or corruption.


Big Dig leaks: Public works scandal or no big deal? Just when you thought it was safe to drive through downtown Boston again comes word that the Interstate 93 tunnel leading under the city is full of leaks.


Goolge search turns scholarly!: World News: Washington, Nov 19 : Google has now launched a new search engine, Google Scholar which can exclusively search for academic texts and scientific articles, instead of web pages.


Spanish racism row rumbles on Madrid - Spanish football coach Luis Aragones faces a disciplinary hearing as the row into racism within Spanish football rumbles on, AS sports daily reported on Saturday.


McGrath steals thunder DESTINY #39;s child Michael Clarke hammered New Zealand but batting bunny Glenn McGrath received a guard of honour for breaking Kiwi hearts in Brisbane yesterday.


Bush to Highlight Tort Reform in Ill. (AP) AP - A little county with a reputation for big lawsuits  #151; some call it a "judicial hellhole"  #151; is getting a visit from a man who wants to make it much tougher to sue somebody.


Three Britons killed in Baghdad blast (AFP) AFP - Three British nationals were killed in one of two car bomb explosions in Baghdad, the Foreign Office in London and a US security firm said.


Fresh violence hits Iraq capital Iraqi and US troops have been involved in renewed clashes with insurgents in several areas of the capital, Baghdad. At least three policemen died when the rebels fired rocket-propelled grenades at their station in the Adhamiya area.


Palestinian Abbas Calls Israel 'The Zionist Enemy' (Reuters) Reuters - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called\Israel "the Zionist enemy" Tuesday, unprecedented language for\the relative moderate who is expected to succeed Yasser Arafat.


Bush meets with allies on N Korea at APEC US President George W Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao have agreed to push for a diplomatic end to the crisis over North Korea #39;s nuclear programs.


Iraq to Be Relieved of 80 Percent of Debt Germany #39;s Finance Minister Hans Eichel said Saturday he and US Treasury Secretary John Snow had agreed on a proposal to write off as much as 80 percent of


Koizumi to Bush: Strong Dollar Important (Reuters) Reuters - Japanese Prime Minister\Junichiro Koizumi told President Bush at a bilateral meeting in\Chile on Saturday that a strong U.S. dollar is important for\the global economy.


Nasa launches cosmic blast hunter Nasa launches the Swift observatory to study gamma-ray bursts - the biggest explosions since the Big Bang.


Chernobyl 'caused Sweden cancers' A study suggests more than 800 cancer cases in northern Sweden may be caused by the Chernobyl disaster.


A la carte pricing for pay TV costly So-called a la carte pricing in the US pay television service industry would not lower most consumers #39; bills, the Federal Communications Commission reports.


TSA Asks Air Travelers to  quot;Partner quot; on Security Screening During <b>...</b> Washington, DC - The head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today encouraged air travelers to become partners over the holiday season in ensuring security and minimizing passenger wait-times at screening checkpoints.


NASA Launches Black Hole Hunter The fastest-aiming space science observatory ever built rocketed into orbit Saturday to scan the universe for violent celestial explosions that astronomers


Nvidia to make Chipsets for Intel Intel Corporation signed a cross-licensing agreement with Nvidia Corporation, which allows Nvidia to make and sell chipsets for Intel Processor powered computers.


Disagreement rages over Detroit elephant There is a disagreement concerning the future of two elephants at the Detroit Zoo: a sanctuary or the Columbus Zoo. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association in Washington has


Shoot wildlife in Texas ranch from home HUNTERS may soon be able to sit at their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via the Internet. It #39;s a prospect that has state wildlife officials up in arms.


Microsoft Previews Avalon for Developers Microsoft on Friday released a new preview of the presentation subsystem of its upcoming Longhorn version of Windows. The Redmond, Wash.


Google releases Scholar Search In the latest release of its customized search engines, the groups of people to be benefited are Scholars and Scientists. The engine is called Google Scholar and as usual with Google, it is in beta.


Police investigating Pacers-Pistons brawl CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Police in Auburn Hills, Michigan, are looking at videotapes of an ugly brawl involving fans and players at a Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game Friday night.


Arsenal held to 1-1 tie by West Brom Arsenal was held to a 1-1 tie by struggling West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, failing to pick up a Premier League victory when Rob Earnshaw scored with 11 minutes left.


Rosales stays close to Sorenstam WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AFP) - Jennifer Rosales matched the best solo leader Annika Sorenstam could do yesterday to stay within sight of the title halfway through the \$1 million ADT Championship.


Rangers win heated Old Firm match to blow title race wide open GLASGOW (AFP) - Rangers won 2-0 in a heated Old Firm game at Ibrox to narrow Celtic #39;s lead in the Scottish Premier League to a single point.


Garcia shines as Spain edge ahead in World Cup Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain came from six strokes behind to take the lead in the WGC World Cup third round on Saturday.


Bush warns Iran on nuclear activities Santiago: US President George W Bush sharply warned Iran about reports that the Islamic republic has accelerated production of uranium material that could be used to make nuclear weapons.


Annan says Darfur peace deal possible by year-end A quick peace deal for Sudan #39;s western Darfur region may be possible after a separate agreement was reached between Khartoum and southern Sudanese rebels, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said.


Polish hostage freed in Iraq already in Warsaw A Polish woman kidnapped in Iraq last month has been freed and flown to Poland and said she was treated well, raising hopes for other foreign hostages.


William wants to fight PRINCE William has declared his wish to fight on the frontline beside his fellow soldiers should the need arise. The second in line to the throne, who confirmed he is considering an army career


Identity Theft Woes Grow for Consumers  NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Michelle Brown, a corporate  banker outside of Los Angeles, filled out paperwork for an  apartment rental, little did she realize that financial details  offered to a landlord would lead to identity theft that plagued  five years of her life.


G7, Paris Club Agree on Iraq Debt Relief  BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States, Germany and other G7  nations agreed Saturday to write off up to 80 percent or \$33  billion of Iraq's Paris Club debt, which could pave the way for  a wider international accord, officials said.


Polish woman hostage back home after being freed in Iraq (AFP) AFP - A Polish woman hostage abducted in Iraq more than three weeks ago was back home after being released by her captors who she said had treated her well.


Stubblefield Breaks NCAA Receptions Mark (AP) AP - Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield broke the NCAA record for career receptions during the first quarter Saturday against Indiana. Stubblefield entered the game needing six receptions to pass Louisville's Arnold Jackson for the career record. Jackson caught 300 passes from 1997-00.


Fifteen African presidents pledge peace in Great Lakes (AFP) AFP - Fifteen African presidents and UN chief Kofi Annan signed a common declaration pledging to promote peace and security in the continent's volatile Great Lakes region.


Klein flying high on issue-light campaign, opponents want recognition (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - EDMONTON (CP) - Alberta voters are set to mark the final X Monday on an election campaign that has seen opposition leaders score points but still struggle to catch a cranky premier flying high by the seat of his pants.


Congress Ends Deadlock on Intel Overhaul (AP) AP - Breaking a monthslong deadlock, key congressional negotiators reported agreement Saturday on legislation to overhaul the nation's intelligence agencies along lines recommended by the Sept. 11 commission.


Sweden hit by 'Chernobyl cancer' A study suggests more than 800 cancer cases in northern Sweden may be caused by the Chernobyl disaster.


States' Tactics Aim to Reduce Drug Spending Drug companies are fighting most of the state initiatives, which they say will deny patients access to valuable treatments.


Congress Back to Face Unfinished Business Lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Saturday in a mad dash to finish up their legislative business for the year.


Giggs goal kick-starts United The failure of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes to muster a Premiership goal between them has been one of the major factors why the Red Devils have fallen so far adrift of Chelsea and Arsenal during an inconsistent first third of the season.


Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle Patrick Kluivert and Craig Bellamy scored late on to earn Newcastle a much-deserved win over Crystal Palace. Bellamy and Laurent Robert had wasted early chances but Palace nearly went ahead, Andy Johnson forcing a fine point-blank save from Shay Given.


NBA ROUNDUP Sonics Top Toronto To Win 9th Straight Rashard Lewis scored 27 points and Ray Allen had 24 last night to lead the Seattle SuperSonics to their ninth straight victory, 101-94 over the host Toronto Raptors.


Ohio St. Buckeyes COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Seventh-ranked Michigan hopes to clinch a second straight outright Big Ten Conference title and Rose Bowl berth Saturday when it visits archrival Ohio State.


Iraq #39;s Main Paris Club Creditors Agree Debt Waiver Iraq #39;s main creditors at the Paris Club have reached an agreement to cancel 80 percent of the debt owed to them by Baghdad, a Paris Club source said Saturday.


Polish woman hostage in Iraq released November 20 2004 1645CET- Teresa Borcz Khalifa , the 54-year-old Polish woman kidnapped in Iraq was freed and flown back to Warsaw.


Palestinians believe they can build Arab world #39;s first democracy Freed from Yasser Arafat #39;s one-man rule, Palestinians say they are eager and able to build the first real democracy in the Arab world, despite the dangers lurking on the road to Jan. 9 elections.


Israel Investigates Reports of Soldiers Abusing Corpses The Israeli Army has ordered an investigation into allegations that soldiers in the West Bank photographed each other two years ago posing with the head of a suicide


In Kmart #39;s Deal for Sears, a Bet That Real Estate Can Trump <b>...</b> The Kmart purchase of Sears, Roebuck may be the ultimate expression of that old saying in real estate: location, location, location.


MG Rover to pass into Chinese hands The Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) will pump an estimated 1 billion-plus into the company in exchange for a majority share, if the Chinese Government gives the go-ahead in the New Year.


Polish hostage freed BAGHDAD - A 54-year-old Polish-born woman who was taken hostage in Iraq last month has been freed, according to Poland #39;s prime minister.


#39;The gaffer has mellowed but his desire to win is still there #39; I was dying to ask. How on earth do you survive 13 full years playing for, arguably, the most demanding manager this country has ever seen?


Identity Theft Woes Grow for Consumers (Reuters) Reuters - When Michelle Brown, a corporate\banker outside of Los Angeles, filled out paperwork for an\apartment rental, little did she realize that financial details\offered to a landlord would lead to identity theft that plagued\five years of her life.


Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment With the threat of a tightening economic squeeze and military probes by Washington hanging over its head, the Iranian government agreed November 14 to suspend all uranium enrichment activity


Livewire: Internet Offers Relief of Holiday Blues (Reuters) Reuters - When the going gets tough at the\stores this holiday season, the tough go shopping online. When\life gets really tough, there's online therapy.


Clarke and Gilchrist flay sorry New Zealand After two days where neither side took control of this match, Australia finally grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and by the close on the third day at Brisbane were in a commanding position.


Oracle takes 60 percent of PeopleSoft shares but game not over (AFP) AFP - After a bitter 18-month battle Oracle Corp has taken control of more than 60 percent of outstanding shares of rival business software group PeopleSoft.


Oracle takes 60 percent of PeopleSoft shares but game is not over (AFP) AFP - After a bitter 18-month battle Oracle Corp has succeeded in taking control of more than 60 percent of outstanding shares of rival business software group PeopleSoft, but obstacles to the hostile takeover remain.


Brawl Involves Players, Fans at Pistons-Pacers Game  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A brawl involving players and fans at  Friday's game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons in  Auburn Hills, Michigan may result in serious punishment from  the NBA.


Rice Returns Home Following Surgery (AP) AP - National security adviser Condoleezza Rice returned home Saturday after a one-night hospital stay where she was treated for noncancerous growths in her uterus.


Chelsea and Arsenal Held to Home Draws  LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea and Arsenal were denied  victories by Bolton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion, the  away sides scoring late equalizers against them in the English  Premier League Saturday.


NASA Launches Black Hole Hunter (AP) AP - The fastest-swiveling space science observatory ever built rocketed into orbit Saturday to scan the universe for violent celestial explosions that astronomers believe represent the birth screams of black holes.


Death penalty for Afghan killer An Afghan man is sentenced to death for killing four journalists - three of them foreign - in 2001.


Chelsea strike for the jugular (AFP) AFP - Chelsea's drive to claim the club's first English title in half a century gathered pace as Newcastle were blown away by four memorable late goals at Stamford Bridge.


In Falluja, Young Marines Saw the Savagery of an Urban War A close-up chronicle of the most sustained period of street-to-street fighting that Americans have encountered since the Vietnam War.


Polish Hostage Freed in Iraq Already in Warsaw  WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish woman kidnapped in Iraq last  month has been freed and flown to Poland and said she was  treated well, raising hopes for other foreign hostages.


Sri Lanka Reactivates Dormant Death Penalty  COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka reactivated its dormant death  penalty Saturday for murder, rape and drug trafficking after a  near 30-year lull, the government said, a day after a high  court judge was murdered in the capital.


Palestinians Choose Presidential Candidates  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian officials on  Saturday began registering candidates for an election to  replace Yasser Arafat as officials warned the vote may be  delayed unless Israel halted military activities.


CAPELLO FED UP WITH FEIGNING Juventus coach Fabio Capello has ordered his players not to kick the ball out of play when an opponent falls to the ground apparently hurt because he believes some players fake injury to stop the match.


Mountains of Interest Add to Pain of Credit Cards Credit card companies are changing the terms of their accounts at a historically high rate, costing Americans millions of dollars in fees that they did not expect.


Celtic back on top Glasgow, Scotland (Sports Network) - Celtic jumped back to the top of the Scottish Premier League table with a 2-1 win over Hibernian at Celtic Park.


Crowd to blame says Carlos CARLOS Queiroz believes that the Spanish crowd #39;s racist chants sparked off the ugly scenes on the field between Spain and England.


Cubs re-sign veteran pitcher Rusch The Chicago Cubs on Saturday re-signed veteran pitcher Glendon Rusch to a two-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.


Chinese set to bale out Britain #39;s ailing MG Rover car maker LONDON (AFP) - Chinese company Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. may be ready to step in to save ailing British car manufacturer MG Rover, a media report said.


Microsoft trademark troubles Two small browsers are very definitely chomping at Microsoft #39;s leg, rather than merely nipping at its heels. And now Savvysoft says Microsoft is demanding that it drop the name Excel from its TurboExcel product


Clear Pictures of How We Think Functional MRI is helping researchers reveal how the human brain operates and the ways in which it affects emotion and reason. By Rowan Hooper.


U.N. Deadlocks on Cloning Ban The United Nations abandons efforts to ban all cloning and opts for a non-binding resolution. It's a blow to President Bush's efforts to push a ban and a victory for embryonic stem cell researchers. By Kristen Philipkoski


Internet Porn: Worse than Crack? Researchers tell a Senate hearing that internet porn is more addictive and harmful than street drugs. One calls for government-funded research into the 'erototoxins.' By Ryan Singel.


So Far, Recount Shows No Problem Preliminary results of a recount in New Hampshire verify that optical-scan voting machines recorded votes accurately. A Nader spokesman calls on Democrats to do some soul-searching. By Kim Zetter.


No Taxation on Net Connections Internet users will not have to pay a tax for their connection service after Congress passes legislation blocking local governments from charging such a levy.


Icahn Offers \$5.4 Billion for Mylan, Drug Maker The billionaire financier Carl C. Icahn offered yesterday to buy the generic drug maker Mylan Laboratories for about \$5.4 billion in an effort to force Mylan to drop its proposed acquisition of King Pharmaceuticals.


Report Takes Wind Out of Dollar's Sails  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hovered two cents above  recent record lows against the euro on Tuesday after U.S.  manufacturing data in the previous session cast doubt on jobs  growth and brought about a pause in its new year rebound.


NASA launches Swift, to track gamma rays WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (AFP) - NASA launched Saturday its Swift satellite, which will track huge explosions of gamma rays, the US space agency said.


Police Join Probe Into Pistons-Pacers Mass Brawl  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Police launched an investigation on  Saturday into an extraordinary mass brawl involving players and  fans at a game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers.


Spurrier Keeps Quiet About S. Carolina Job (AP) AP - Steve Spurrier declined to talk about replacing the retiring Lou Holtz at South Carolina on Saturday, saying only he feels as if he has some coaching left in him and that nothing was official.


Musharraf wants India to meet Pak halfway PTI Lahore Nov 20: Visibly unhappy at Indias assertion that it would not accept redrawing of the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf today accused New Delhi of adopting a patronising attitude, dismissing


Oracle finally takes 60 of PeopleSoft shares WASHINGTON, NOV 20 : After a bitter 18-month battle Oracle Corporation has succeeded in taking control of more than 60 of outstanding shares of rival business software group PeopleSoft, but obstacles to the hostile takeover remain.


No changes from merger in view yet Two days after a pair of the country #39;s oldest, largest retail companies announced they would join forces, managers at the Bay Area #39;s Sears and Kmart outlets were guarded in their


Microsoft gives developers a glimpse of Avalon Although the next version of Windows is still about two years from release, Microsoft on Friday offered developers an early look at the new graphics engine that will accompany it.


England 32 - 16 South Africa It is too early to say the wounds have completely healed, but a year on from being on top of the world, followed by a dispiriting tumble, England #39;s rugby machine is starting to go through the gears again.


South Africa 230/4, Andrew Hall unbeaten on 78 South Africa finished day 1 of the first test match against India in Kanpur at 230 for the loss of 4 wickets. The proteas were in comfortable position at one stage with the loss of 2 wickets and Jacques Kallis playing alongside Andrew Hall.


US, China discuss Taiwan at APEC summit; China pleased with result (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - U.S. President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao talked about Taiwan in their face to face meeting Saturday, and Hu said he was pleased with the result.


PeopleSoft: Board Rejects Oracle Offer (Reuters) Reuters - Business-software maker\PeopleSoft Inc.  on Saturday said its board has again\unanimously rejected Oracle Corp.'s   #36;9.2 billion\tender offer, even after 61 percent of PeopleSoft shares had\been tendered to Oracle.


Civil war possible after Iraq elections: US' top soldier (AFP) AFP - US army chief General Richard Myers said in an interview that civil war could erupt in Iraq after forthcoming elections.


Ohio State Surprises No. 7 Michigan  COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Troy Smith threw for 241  yards and two touchdowns and ran for 145 yards and a score to  lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 37-21 victory over No. 7  Michigan in the final game of the regular season for both  teams.


NBA Suspends Four Players After Brawl  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The National Basketball Association  suspended four players on Saturday, one day after one of the  worst brawls in North American pro sports history.


Sports ; Westwood Closes in on First Title of 2004 Australian Stuart Appleby, who was the joint second-round leader, returned a two-over 74 to drop to third at three-under while American Chris DiMarco moved into fourth with a round of 69.


Hewitt Beats Roddick to Reach Masters Final  HOUSTON (Reuters) - A fired-up Lleyton Hewitt defused  hard-hitting Andy Roddick 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday, scurrying into  the final of the Masters Cup for the third time in four years.


Federer Wins Epic Tie-Break to Reach Masters Final  HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one and defending champion  Roger Federer won an epic 20-18 tie-break to seal a 6-3, 7-6  win over Marat Safin on Saturday and place in the Masters Cup  final.


12th-Ranked Miami Pounds Wake Forest  MIAMI (Sports Network) - Brock Berlin completed 13-of-19  passes for a career-high 361 yards along with four touchdowns,  while Roscoe Parrish hauled in five passes for 141 yards as  12th-ranked Miami-Florida routed Wake Forest. 52-7, at the  Orange Bowl.


Oracle a step closer to PeopleSoft Washington, Nov. 20 (AFP): After a bitter 18-month battle, Oracle has succeeded in taking control of more than 60 per cent of outstanding shares of rival business software group PeopleSoft, but obstacles to the hostile takeover remain.


Icahn makes offer on Mylan The Pittsburgh-based drug maker Mylan shares shot up 10 percent after Carl Ichan offered \$5.38 billion for the company #39;s shares he doesn #39;t already own.


China #39;s SAIC set to control MG Rover venture Chinese carmaker SAIC is set to control a crucial joint venture with MG Rover under terms of a cooperation deal expected to win approval from Beijing early next year, MG Rover says.


NASA launches Swift observatory A swirling space observatory has been launched to scan the universe for explosions that some believe are the birth of black holes.


House Passes Space Tourism Bill Paying passengers would be able to blast into space aboard privately operated rocket ships under legislation the House passed Saturday.


Mac fans go mad as store opens Over a thousand Mac fans have camped overnight outside computer giant Apple #39;s first dedicated store in Europe. They braved the cold to be the first inside the shop in London to try and take advantage of the opening day offers.


Microsoft releases Avalon Preview Software Giant Microsoft released a community technology preview of the next generation presentation subsystem of their upcoming operating system Longhorn.


Fans as much to blame as players for brawl You heard it on the broadcast over and over again: Wheres the security? Wheres the security?. It was a great question.


Scotland: Rangers down rival Celtic Nacho Novo and Dado Psro each scored as Rangers defeated rival Celtic 2-0 in the Scottish premier league Saturday. Novo scored on a 15th-minute penalty and Prso added the second in the 36th


US edge second day of UBS Cup A mix-up between Gary Player and Mark McNulty, where they played the wrong ball, allowed the US to edge into a 6-1/2 to 5-1/2 lead over the Rest of the World in the UBS Cup on Saturday.


Row over Arafat #39;s medical file Paris - A family tug-of-war over whether to reveal Yasser Arafat #39;s cause of death bubbled over in public on Saturday, with a brother of the late leader insisting the Palestinian people are entitled to know.


Plan unveiled to ease Iraq debt Germany has unveiled an international plan to wipe out tens of billions of dollars of Iraqi debt so that the war-torn country can rebuild in earnest.


Suspensions Doled Out The NBA indefinitely suspends Ron Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Stephen Jackson of Indiana and Ben Wallace of Detroit on Saturday for their roles in a brawl Friday night.


Fight Mars Clemson Win Players from both teams brawl late in Clemson's 29-7 victory over South Carolina. Coach Lou Holtz, 67, dives into the pile as peacemaker in his regular-season finale with the Gamecocks.


Spy Agency Reform Thrown Into Doubt (Reuters) Reuters - An agreement reached on Saturday by\congressional negotiators on post-Sept. 11 intelligence reforms\was thrown into doubt by resistance by some Republicans in the\House of Representatives.


Ukraine's Kuchma Calls for Calm on Eve of Poll  KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's outgoing president on Saturday  implicitly called on people to vote for his prime minister in a  close presidential race and told them to shun any protests  urged by the opposition candidate.


Bryans keep Team USA in Davis Cup hunt SEVILLE, Spain (AFP) - US tennis twins Bob and Mike Bryan kept alive their country #39;s Davis Cup hopes with a rip-roaring straight sets win over Spanish tandem Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Robredo at Seville #39;s Olympic Stadium.


Space tourism legislation makes comeback After weathering the ups and downs of the lame-duck legislative process, legislation that would open the way for suborbital space tourism was cleared by the House and sent on to the Senate for final congressional approval.


Hewitt defeats Roddick in Masters Cup semifinals HOUSTON Lleyton Hewitt sent a deflated Andy Roddick home today with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the semifinals of the ATP Masters Cup in Houston.


Glorious Garcia inspires charge A BRACE of eagles from an inspired Sergio Garcia lit up the World Cup overnight as home-country favourites Spain overhauled a big England halfway lead in the second session of fourballs.


World #39;s oldest man, noted Red Sox fan, dies Fred Hale Sr., documented as the world #39;s oldest man and noted Boston Red Sox fan, has died. He was 113 years old. Hale died in his sleep Friday at The Nottingham in suburban Syracuse, while trying to recover


Busch the man to beat for NASCAR title Kurt Busch has been doing everything right in his bid for his first Nextel Cup championship. He now has one big hurdle to clear entering Sunday #39;s Ford 400.


AZ Alkmaar keep heat on Dutch leaders PSV Second-placed AZ Alkmaar closed in on Dutch first division leaders PSV Eindhoven after a 3-0 home win over RKC Waalwijk on Saturday.


India slip into a deep Hall KANPUR: A masterstroke. Thats what everybody would term the South African think-tanks decision to open the innings with a makeshift opener.


Majority of PeopleSoft shareholders accept Oracle bid The tender result is a blow to PeopleSoft, which hoped to see Oracle's 17-month takeover campaign end at midnight last night. Oracle had pledged to withdraw its offer if it did not receive backing from a majority of PeopleSoft's shareholders.


In Time of Turmoil, Graham Offers Soothing Words The Rev. Billy Graham spoke at the 92,000-seat Rose Bowl, the beginning of a four-day crusade that organizers say is his 416th worldwide and his next-to-last.


No. 2 Oklahoma Blows Out Baylor 35-0 (AP) AP - Adrian Peterson ran for 240 yards, including three second-half touchdowns, and No. 2 Oklahoma got the lopsided win it needed for the BCS standings by beating Baylor 35-0 on Saturday.


Paterno Ends 39th Penn St. Season With Win (AP) AP - Joe Paterno ended his 39th season at Penn State as a winner.


NBA suspends four players after brawl with Detroit fans (AFP) AFP - The National Basketball Association suspended Indiana's Ron Artest and three others following an ugly skirmish where Pacer players fought with Detroit fans.


Buckeyes Dash Wolverines' Outright Title Hopes Quarterback Troy Smith ran for 145 yards as the Buckeyes upset the Wolverines, who might have also lost a return visit to the Rose Bowl.


PeopleSoft Board Rejects Oracle Bid (Reuters) Reuters - Business software maker\PeopleSoft Inc. on Saturday said its board again rejected\Oracle Corp.'s  #36;9.2 billion tender offer, remaining defiant a\day after most of its shares were tendered to Oracle.


G20 countries concerned about exchange rates volatility Some countries attending the two-day meeting of the Group 20 voiced concern on Saturday over abrupt movements in exchange rates, focusing on the sharp fall of the US dollar against euro and Japanese yen.


Ohio State Surprises No. 7 Michigan COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sports Network) - Troy Smith threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 145 yards and a score to lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 37-21 victory over No.


Google Founders Plan Sales of Their Shares The two co-founders of Google each plan to sell as many as 7.2 million shares of their stock during the next 18 months, giving them more than \$1 billion apiece at current prices.


PeopleSoft Board Rejects Oracle Bid  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker  PeopleSoft Inc. on Saturday said its board again rejected  Oracle Corp.'s \$9.2 billion tender offer, remaining defiant a  day after most of its shares were tendered to Oracle.


G20 Divided Over Dollar Slide, U.S. Mum  BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe and Japan voiced strong concern  on Saturday over the slumping dollar but the world's 20 biggest  economies, nearing the end of a two-day summit, looked divided  over what if anything to do about it.


APEC Countries to Standardize Trade Pacts  SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Pacific Rim nations have agreed  to set minimum standards for two-country free trade pacts  proliferating across the region, a consolation prize for  business leaders pushing for a 21-nation free trade area to  rival the European Union.


House Backs \$388 Billion Spending Bill  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on  Saturday easily backed a \$388 billion package financing  government programs in this fiscal year from bus stops to  foreign aid after days of battling over measures in the bill.


Wall Street Bonuses Likely to Rise  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street's annual bonuses may rise  10 percent to 15 percent this year, half as much as a year ago,  as revenue growth falls short of earlier expectations, a  leading industry consultant said.


Canada's Biotech Sector Ready to Grow Up?  TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's biotech sector may finally be  on the road to a sustained recovery after a series of  short-lived remissions.


Ukraine's Kuchma Calls for Calm on Eve of Poll (Reuters) Reuters - Ukraine's outgoing president on Saturday\implicitly called on people to vote for his prime minister in a\close presidential race and told them to shun any protests\urged by the opposition candidate.


3-Point Shopping For a Computer (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - The last time I browsed the selection of desktops in a computer store, I came down with a case of instant deja vu. Each time I'd spot a thoughtful feature on one company's PC -- say, both USB and FireWire ports on the front or a full set of memory-card slots -- I would look at the machine to its right or left and spot the exact same item.


Fans Start Web Site To  #39;Arrest Artest #39; In pubs, over telephone lines and on the Web, basketball fans and non-fans are voicing their opinions on the chaos that broke out at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday night.


Gameday News  amp; Notes: 11/20/04 No. 7 Michigan (9-1) at Ohio State (6-4): 1 pm today. TV: WTAE. ... Ohio State is down, but this is still one of the rivalry games on rivalry weekend and it still has Big Ten implications.


Ads aim at getting state #39;s wines in more glasses There #39;s a new campaign in the works to get the word out on Washington wines. The Washington Wine Commission has revamped its logo and adopted a slogan to accentuate the positive:  quot;Washington State -- the Perfect Climate for Wine.


Our kids deserve better than a Google future Letter Can collective database licensing cure this tragedy of the commons?


3-Point Shopping For a Computer Buying a computer should be easy -- almost anything sold today should competently handle most home-computing chores. But it's not, since so many companies market essentially the same machine.


Oracle Moves One Step Closer in Its Bid to Take Over a Rival Oracle proclaimed a symbolic victory Saturday after 61 percent of PeopleSoft stockholders accepted its \$9.2 billion takeover offer.


Salvation Army #39;s Bell Ringing Limited One of the holiday #39;s season most well-known sounds is back, but some stores are limiting where Salvation Army volunteers can ring their bells.


Investigation into Pacers-Pistons brawl could take time AUBURN HILLS, Mich. Police have identified most of the people in video footage from last night #39;s brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons at The Palace at Auburn Hills.


Johnson #39;s team in familiar position: fighting back HOMESTEAD, Fla. - One might not think a disastrous qualifying effort alone could erase the momentum created by four victories in five weeks.


Kasper joins Brenly in booth CHICAGO -- Len Kasper is the new voice of the Chicago Cubs, replacing Chip Caray in the team #39;s all-new TV booth. Kasper leaves the Florida Marlins to become WGN TV #39;s play-by-play announcer for the Cubs, joining


Code cruncher transforms Excel Whereas most of todays software tools follow the bigger is better philosophy, Savvysofts (Profile, Products, Articles) TurboExcel proves the adage that great things really do come in small packages.


Microsoft puts household entertainment at touch of a mouse Technology is changing daily. It #39;s a wonder we aren #39;t all punch-drunk from the velocity with which new things emerge and not-so-old things become obsolete.


Benson and Mets Reach Preliminary Deal (AP) AP - Kris Benson and the New York Mets completed more than three months of negotiations, agreeing Saturday to a  #36;22.5 million, three-year contract.


Blues, Gunners held Chelsea and Arsenal were both held to draws at home by Bolton and West Brom, while Everton closed the gap with a win over Fulham. A last-gasp equaliser from Radhi Jaidi earned Bolton a point in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.


NCAA Game Summary - South Carolina At Clemson Clemson, SC -- Reggie Merriweather rushed for 125 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries as the Clemson Tigers defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks, 29-7, in a non-conference affair at Clemson Memorial Stadium.


Americans take the lead in the UBS Cup Fred Couples and Tom Watson led the comeback, and the American team moved out to a 61/2-51/2 lead over an international team after Saturday #39;s best-ball competition at the \$3 million UBS Cup.


Bush, Hu Discuss Chinese Currency Plans (AP) AP - Chinese President Hu Jintao told President Bush that China remains committed to a plan to allow its currency to float freely against the dollar, a senior U.S. administration official said.


Kuchma warns over Ukraine chaos Ukraine's outgoing president warns against disorder ahead of a close election to choose his successor.


Local shoppers hope for wider selection and better quality Kalamazoo-area Kmart customers say that store #39;s merger with Sears could mean stiff competition for retail powerhouses such as Wal-Mart.


SF Hotel Lockout Ends; Workers Back On Job Tuesday SAN FRANCISCO -- Thousands of San Francisco hotel workers embroiled in a labor dispute will return to work Tuesday under an agreement announced Saturday by Mayor Gavin Newsom before a crowd of beaming employees and relieved hotel representatives.


Timeline of the Pacers-Pistons brawl Here is a look at the series of events in the brawl Friday night involving the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich.


Lille fails to take advantage of Lyon draw Paris, France (Sports Network) - Lille had a chance to close in on the Ligue 1 lead on Saturday with a win over Lens. But instead of capitalizing early they had to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw.


France Is Cast as the Villain in Ivory Coast When the chanting mob descended on the strip mall that Jean Bobue Nguessam is paid to guard, he stood his ground, though not out of courage.


PeopleSoft Board Rejects Oracle Bid Again  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker  PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O said on Saturday that its board again  rejected Oracle Corp.'s ORCL.O \$9.2 billion tender offer,  remaining defiant a day after most of its shares were tendered  to Oracle.


Crematory Operator Pleads Guilty To Corpse Abuse, Fraud A former crematory operator in Georgia has pleaded guilty to dumping 334 bodies and giving the families cement dust instead of ashes.


San Francisco Hotel Workers to Go Back to Work San Francisco hotel owners and union officials on Saturday announced a 60-day cooling period that will put nearly 4,000 striking hotel workers back on the job for the first time in nearly eight weeks.


Novell makes profit in Q4 Novell has reversed its year-ago loss on a five per cent rise in revenue, but it failed to meet some forecasts on the Street. The maker of NetWare - and now a major force in the Linux business - posted net


Palestinians Register Candidates for New President (Reuters) Reuters - Palestinians began\registering candidates on Saturday for a presidential election\to replace Yasser Arafat, while officials warned the vote may\be delayed if Israel does not halt military activities.


PeopleSoft Shareholders Back Takeover Bid (AP) AP - More than 60 percent of PeopleSoft Inc.'s shareholders have tendered their stock in support of Oracle Corp.'s  #36;9.2 billion takeover bid for its bitter rival, further extending a bruising battle that already has dragged on for more than 17 months.


Out of this world CLINTON TOWNSHIP -- Each piece is just an eighth-of-an-inch square, but 33,000 of them bunched together make for one of the most advanced features on NASA #39;s next satellite.


Man Utd boss: Now watch Scholes go! Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Paul Scholes has turned the corner after he scored in yesterday #39;s 2-0 win over Charlton.


Benson and Mets reach preliminary agreement on \$22.5 million <b>...</b> Kris Benson and the New York Mets completed more than three months of negotiations, agreeing Saturday to a \$22.5 million, three-year contract.


McGrath, Gillespie watching Gabba skies Australian tailenders Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie will be hoping wet weather does not stop play from starting on time on day four of the first cricket Test against New Zealand at the Gabba in Brisbane.


Timeline of the Pacers-Pistons Brawl (AP) AP - Here is a look at the series of events in the brawl Friday night involving the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and fans in Auburn Hills, Mich. The game was stopped when order could not be restored.


Michigan St. Beats Central Conn. St. (AP) AP - Kelli Roehrig had 15 points, including 11 during a 24-2 run to start the game, and No. 15 Michigan State routed Central Connecticut State 77-42 on Saturday in the first game of the Spartan Classic.


Palestinians say Israeli raids hampering renewal of peace talks RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia condemned Israel Saturday, saying their continued military raids were hampering efforts to restart the peace process.


Tiger Woods extends lead at Dunlop Phoenix CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Tiger Woods is on the verge of winning his first stroke-play golf tournament in over a year. Woods fired a 5-under-par 65 Saturday to stretch his commanding lead to 10 strokes after three


Bush seeks allied help in dealing with Iran, North Korea SANTIAGO, Chile - President Bush used his first trip abroad since re-election to press allies Saturday for help in hemming in the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran, nations he considers part of an  quot;axis of evil quot; threatening global security.


Killer of Journalists Sentenced to Death An Afghan man was sentenced to death in a Kabul court on Saturday for his part in the killing of three foreign journalists and an Afghan photographer in


Buckeyes #39; offense clicking against Michigan COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio State offense that did little right all season could do no wrong against Michigan. The Buckeyes didn #39;t commit a turnover, prevented the Wolverines from getting a sack and converted


McGrady Leads Rockets Past Clippers in OT (Reuters) Reuters - Tracy McGrady tallied 32\points, seven rebounds and five assists to lead Houston over\the Los Angeles Clippers, 91-86, in an overtime contest at the\Staples Center.


For Nascar, Playoff Gamble Wins Big The new 10-race playoff instituted this season has done all that Nascar officials had hoped, turning the droning fall stretch into a manic scramble.


Haradinaj appointment upsets Serbia BELGRADE -- Saturday - Serbian government officials called an extraordinary meeting today to discuss the appointment of Ramus Haradinaj as Prime Minister of Kosovo.


Shots Are Falling, and Sonics Are Rising The perimeter-conscious (and unconscious) Seattle SuperSonics are off to their best start since the 1993-94 season.


Disney #39;s Two Mickeys Walt Disney #39;s perennially slumping ABC Television Network is suddenly a champ again thanks to a couple of unexpected hit shows including a prime time soap called Desperate Housewives (coming to the UK in January).


Greenspan bearish on dollar Alan Greenspan came to the home of the euro on Friday and suggested that the relentless decline of the dollar might well continue, offering little relief to those here


Wal-Mart Says November US Sales Rise Within 2 to 4 Forecast Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s largest retailer, said sales at US stores open at least a year are rising within its forecast, with strongest sales coming from bedding and women #39;s clothing.


Gold Fields to bid for \$2bn Norilsk stake Gold Fields has made a secret offer to buy out its largest shareholder as a last-ditch defence against a hostile \$8.1bn (4.35bn) bid from Harmony, its rival South African gold producer.


Resurgent Rangers shatter O #39;Neill #39;s unbeaten record The top blew off Celtic #39;s discipline in a volcanic Old Firm derby as they lost their proud record of scoring in every meeting with Rangers since Martin O #39;Neill took over as manager in the summer of 2000.


Ireland 55 - 6 USA When the public address announcement at Lansdowne Road yesterday put the attendance at 38,376 there was an addendum: thanking those hardy souls for turning out on such a foul day.


Hall sees off Kumble spin Andrew Hall and Boeta Dippenaar built a solid fifth-wicket partnership to leave the first Test in Kanpur evenly balanced at the close on day one.


NBA Game Summary - Houston at LA Clippers Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Tracy McGrady tallied 32 points, seven rebounds and five assists to lead Houston over the Los Angeles Clippers, 91-86, in an overtime contest at the Staples Center.


Three Iraqi Policemen Killed in Baghdad Bombings In simultaneous blasts, insurgents detonated two car bombs Saturday at a police station near the fortified headquarters of the US Embassy and interim Iraqi


Business Focus: Infecting the world When Alan Greenspan speaks, the markets listen. The 78-year-old chairman of the Federal Reserve Board has had dealers hanging on his every utterance for 17 years, ever since he took the job during the closing months of Ronald Reagans presidency.


Sagging Dollar Hits New Low Against Euro BRUSSELS, Belgium A top European Union official urged the United States on Monday to curb its deficits to help bolster the sagging dollar amid fears a strengthening euro would stifle Europes fledgling economic recovery.


Late surge lifts Sonics This is the 10th game, after all, and their start had nothing to do with their 101-94 victory over the Raptors in Toronto last night at Air Canada Centre.


Giggs and Scholes give United win MANCHESTER, England -- Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes scored their first league goals of the season to give Manchester United a 2-0 win over Charlton in Alex Ferguson #39;s 999th match in charge.


Second-Ranked Auburn Downs Alabama TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Sports Network) - Jason Campbell passed for 224 yards and a touchdown, Courtney Taylor caught four passes for 89 yards and a score, and No.


In  #39;Monday Night #39; Fallout, a Deeper Racial Issue I wasn #39;t terribly upset about the  quot;Monday Night Football quot; spectacle featuring Eagles receiver Terrell Owens and a towel-clad Nicollette Sheridan.


Reactions to Pistons-Pacers Brawl (AP) AP - Reaction from around the NBA to Friday night's brawl between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons:


Bush, backed by Asia-Pacific allies, warns North Korea, Iran over <b>...</b> SANTIAGO : US President George W. Bush, bagging support from Asia-Pacific allies at an annual summit in Chile, bluntly warned North Korea and Iran to scrap any nuclear weapon plans.


Iran wriggles to block nuclear sanctions bid IRAN is expected to thwart American attempts to send its nuclear dossier to the United Nations Security Council this week, despite a fresh flurry of concerns about its apparent ambitions to make a bomb.


Burma #39;s junta frees prominent dissident Burma #39;s military dictators have freed a top dissident - second only to democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi - after 16 years in jail.


William surfs to his fathers rescue ONCE again Prince William has come riding to the rescue of the royals, this time on the crest of a wave. At the end of a week that saw his father accused of not wanting people to rise above their station


No. 4 Calif. Routs Stanford in Big Game (AP) AP - J.J. Arrington ran for 169 yards to set California's single-season rushing record and the fourth-ranked Golden Bears beat Stanford 41-6 on Saturday for their biggest victory in the Big Game since 1930.


US allege Guantanamo Bay Briton is would-be suicide bomber: report (AFP) AFP - One of four British men held at the US prison for terrorism suspects in Guantanamo Bay is accused by US officials of being a trained Al-Qaeda terrorist, damaging British hopes for his release, a report said.


Mets Lock Up Benson Kris Benson and the New York Mets complete more than three months of negotiations, agreeing Saturday to a \$22.5 million, three-year contract.


APEC Countries to Standardize Trade Pacts (Reuters) Reuters - Pacific Rim nations have agreed\to set minimum standards for two-country free trade pacts\proliferating across the region, a consolation prize for\business leaders pushing for a 21-nation free trade area to\rival the European Union.


Canada Sees U.S. Beef Market Opening Soon (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. feedlots and packers could import\Canadian cattle within months now that new U.S. rules aimed at\guarding against mad cow disease are up for approval, Canadian\Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchell said on Saturday.


Spain grabs lead at World Golf Championships Spain has taken the lead at the World Golf Championships in Seville with Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez combining for an 11-under-par 61 in the third round to pull one shot ahead of England.


England 32 South Africa 16: Shocking South Africa left trailing by <b>...</b> A wonderful result for what had become, because of injury and retirement, a beleaguered rugby nation. England began in control, they never lost that control and both the squad and their new coaching set-up will take fantastic heart from it all.


Investors Divided on Desirability of Gold (AP) AP - A sickly dollar lifted gold to a fresh 16-year high this week, just as a newly launched exchange-traded fund offered individual investors a new way to own the gleaming asset. But Wall Street experts, less than unanimous about its prospects, are divided about what sort of role gold should play in your portfolio.


Oft-Delayed Swift Launched, Soars Skyward CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA #39;s Swift satellite successfully was launched Saturday aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket. About 80 minutes after the 12:16 pm launch, the spacecraft successfully separated from the Delta second stage rocket and entered orbit.


O.J. to Cheer for Trojans at Orange Bowl (AP) AP - To O.J. Simpson, the lure of seeing his alma mater play so close to home in this Orange Bowl was impossible to turn down.


Masters Cup semis to feature the four best players in the world HOUSTON: Russia #39;s Marat Safin and Australia #39;s Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the Masters Cup semi-finals with impressive straight-set victories here on Friday, completing a historic line-up.


Oldest man dies at 113 SYRACUSE, NY - The world #39;s oldest man, according to Guinness World Records, has died less than two weeks before he would have turned 114.


Dont count out champions after setback THIS was the Old Firm result the Premierleague wanted, and needed. A few weeks back, we were holding our heads in our hands thinking it was all over when Dundee United scored that late equaliser at Ibrox, but Rangers have fought their way back.


US allies seek Palestinian solution, wider coalition in terror war (AFP) AFP - The US-led "war on terror" must include a resolution to the Palestinian question and involve a broader coalition, Washington's Asia-Pacific partners warned Saturday on the sidelines of a major summit.


Arafat family bickers over medical records of Palestinian leader PARIS Getting to the bottom of what killed Yassar Arafat could shape up to be an ugly family tug-of-war. Arafat #39;s half-brother and nephew want copies of Arafat #39;s medical records from the suburban Paris hospital


IRAQ RAGE OF RED CROSS THE International Red Cross has condemned all sides in the Iraq conflict for failing to respect humanitarian laws. In Geneva, its operations director Pierre Kraehenbuehl stressed that international humanitarian


A Regal Pursuit Is Run Down Farewell, at last, to tallyho. After seven years of angry debate, frustrated motions and legislative maneuvering, Britain #39;s Parliament finally approved a ban on fox hunting


Bush offers help in reopening U.S. border to Canadian cattle (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - (CP) - President George W. Bush offered Saturday to throw his administration's full weight behind reopening the border to Canadian beef within several months.


ODU professor honored with teaching award Old Dominion University professor Cynthia Jones was honored in Washington on Thursday as the 2004 Virginia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.


US trail by one in UBS Cup KIAWAH ISLAND (South Carolina): Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer won for the eighth time together in matchplay as the Rest of the World led holders the United States by 3 points to 2 on the first day of the UBS Cup, which is limited to golfers in


Fourth-Ranked California Routs Stanford BERKELEY, Calif. (Sports Network) - JJ Arrington rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries to lead No. 4 California to a convincing 41-6 win over Stanford in The Big Game at Memorial Stadium.


South African President Mbeki holds new talks on Ivory Coast President Thabo Mbeki met with Ivory Coast Prime Minister Seydou Diarra for three hours yesterday as part of talks aimed at bringing peace to the conflict-wracked Ivory Coast.


Focus: Life on Planet Charles Toothpaste squeezed by a flunky. Supper steamed with one brand of water. Oh, and an 11m income. This is the man who presses a world view on us all - and whose latest embarrassment, of many, reveals that


Juventus to ignore floored opponents Juventus coach Fabio Capello says his team will no longer kick the ball out of play when an opponent is lying on the floor. Capello said opposition teams are now taking advantage of the widespread practice.


Ohio State Secures Victory, but Michigan Gains Rose Bowl Bid The Buckeyes stunned the No. 7 Wolverines, who still will go to Pasadena because they defeated co-Big Ten Champion Iowa on Sept 25.


Chinese takeover of Rover signals end of Britain #39;s once-thriving <b>...</b> as well as its most-loathed - cars, Rover yesterday confirmed a takeover deal by a Chinese state-owned company that marks


Beautiful day? Not if you #39;re Microsoft A US lawsuit brought by a company backed by rock group U2 is threatening to reopen old legal wounds for Microsoft. Californian technology company Burst.


Report: Peru Would Refuse to Free Berenson (AP) AP - Peru will not abide by an international human rights court ruling supporting the release of Lori Berenson, a New York woman imprisoned for collaborating with Marxist guerrillas, the country's foreign minister said, according to news reports Saturday.


Friday Night Fracas Was Criminal on Every Level The NBA is facing serious, serious issues, problems bigger than fan arrests and player suspensions can repair. A season that began with Latrell Sprewell suggesting he would be hard-pressed


Bush says N. Korea #39;s neighbors uniting against nuclear weapons (Santiago, Chile-AP) Nov. 20, 2004 - President Bush says North Korea #39;s neighbors are united in sending a blunt message to the man who rules it,  quot;Get rid of your nuclear weapons programs.


Sudan and southern rebels promise peace as Christmas gift Ecumenical News International After 21 years in a war that has taken as many as 2 million lives and forced the displacement of about 5 million people, the Sudanese government and the leader


Red Cross condemns Iraq abuses The International Red Cross has made an unprecedented appeal for an end to human rights abuses in Iraq, saying it is  #39;deeply concerned #39; at the impact of the fighting in the country and at apparent failures by all sides in the conflict to respect


Bill Would Help Providers Refuse Abortions (AP) AP - Congress plans to make it a little easier for hospitals, insurers and other to refuse to provide or cover abortions.


Chelsea Beats Newcastle in Premiership; Arsenal Wins (Update1) Chelsea beat visiting Newcastle 4-0 at its Stamford Bridge stadium to maintain a five-point lead atop English soccer #39;s Premiership as second-placed Arsenal defeated Birmingham 3-0.


New Director Announced for Fermilab (AP) AP - A Peruvian-born, award-winning physicist was named the new director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and he takes the helm at a critical time in energy research.


Programs: 'Myst IV' Preserves the Magic  PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Reuters) - The "Myst" series has always  been for people who don't typically play computer games.  Instead of providing pulse-pounding action, it has taken  players to exotic worlds, given them lots of time to explore,  and required them to solve challenging puzzles to move through  the adventure.


Get the Wrong Answer, Ask Another Lawyer THE rolling upheaval in corporate governance is about to head south of the border, and Ricardo B. Salinas Pliego, one of the more prominent businessmen in Mexico, probably won't be shouting,


House Leadership Blocks Vote on Intelligence Bill A core of highly conservative Republicans aligned with the Pentagon moved to block a vote on a bill that would have enacted the recommendations of the 9/11 panel.


US Doping Watchdog to Question BALCO #39;s Conte - IAAF US anti-doping officials plan to question Victor Conte after the BALCO head claimed he saw sprinter Marion Jones taking banned drugs, world athletics body the IAAF said Saturday.


The powder keg wouldn #39;t have exploded if Artest hadn #39;t lit the <b>...</b> Make no mistake about it. Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers was to blame for the ugly fans-players brawl at The Palace. That #39;s not to give the dumb fan who threw a cup of beer


PENN STATE 37, MICHIGAN STATE 13 Rousing Finale for the Seniors <b>...</b> In a dismal season defined by offensive futility, Penn State fans have pleaded for changes to the Nittany Lions #39; offense. They have chanted the name of the true


Sixty Chinese miners trapped after fire Sixty Chinese miners are trapped underground after fire swept through a series of iron mines in northern Hebei Province, Xinhua news agency says.


South Winds Up Prevailing Paul South entered yesterday's John F. Kennedy 50-Miler with just several months of hard training under his belt following two years when he did little serious running.


China urges US to act on Dollar slide A senior Chinese official has urged the United States to take action to stop the slide of the dollar and restore equilibrium to global currency markets, China Radio International reported Saturday.


Sergey, Larry, and Eric Plan to Sell Some Stock Michael Liedtke at the AP reports that Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt plan to sell some shares of GOOG. The co-founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, each plan to sell as many as 7.2 million


Shades of the Vioxx Case for Another Drug At a hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill, senators excoriated top federal drug regulators for failing to realize three years ago that Vioxx, a pain pill that Merck withdrew in September, was dangerous.


Safin cuts short Henman #39;s year Tim Henman acknowledged the dilemma of his life in tennis.  quot;I #39;ve never hidden behind the fact that I #39;ll be judged on whether I win Wimbledon or not, quot; he said.


World #39;s oldest man dies, 113 FRED Hale Sr, documented as the worlds oldest man, has died at the age of 113. Hale died in his sleep on Friday at a hospital in Syracuse, New York, while trying to recover from a bout of pneumonia, his grandson, Fred Hale III said.


It #39;s smartin #39; Martin ONeill in denial over red cards as Rangers close the gap in title race. THERE was a first Old Firm Premierleague win in almost two years for Rangers at Ibrox yesterday; a 2-0 victory that ended a run of


New law of the jungle BRITISH football has come a long way since the early Eighties, when racism was rife among fans, especially in England where chanting mobs got away with flinging bunches of bananas at Liverpool player John Barnes - who was then one of only a handful of


Miller gives new-look Ireland fringe benefits We can forgive Ireland that they didn #39;t surpass the 70 points England scored against Canada, or the century Scotland put past Japan last week.


Barca delight in Real agony A dismal week for Spanish football closed with a proper celebration of some of its better virtues. Or, not so much Spains but a celebration of Catalonias flagship enterprise.


Garcia puts Spain in sight of World Cup Inspired by a breathtaking performance by Sergio Garcia, Spain took over the lead from England going into today #39;s final round of the World Cup.


Season Cuts to The Chase NASCAR #39;s 2004 season comes to a close in Sunday #39;s Ford 400 with five drivers in contention for the \$5.28 million Nextel Cup championship and a storyline for stock-car racing fans of every loyalty.


Hall revels in new role The makeshift opener Andrew Hall batted all day for 78 not out as South Africa reached 230 for 4 on the opening day of the First Test against India here.


Wales let chance in a million slip as lacklustre All Blacks fail <b>...</b> IT IS tempting to say that Wales will be kicking themselves for weeks over this one, but in truth, it will be for years. Wales last beat their greatest rivals as long ago as 1953 when the great Bleddyn Williams


Huskies Shut Out Buffalo To Earn Bowl Eligibility EAST HARTFORD, CT (November 20, 2004) - Senior quarterback Dan Orlovsky (Shelton, Conn.), playing in the home final game of his illustrious career, threw for 283 yards, sophomore tailback Cornell Brockington (Burlington, NJ) ran for 136 yards and two