Arsene Wenger  the Arsenal years 1998: Wins Premiership with club-record 10 consecutive League wins. Arsenal equal Manchester United #39;s record of two Doubles when they beat Newcastle in the FA Cup final.


IOC warns against venue delays Beijing should not wait too long to complete venues for the 2008 Olympics, a top official from the International Olympic Committee said in the capital yesterday.


Palmeiro, Orioles reach terms CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Baltimore Orioles reached terms Wednesday with first baseman Rafael Palmeiro on a one-year, \$3-million US contract.


Arafat Collapses As His Health Worsens (AP) AP - Yasser Arafat collapsed Wednesday night, was unconscious for about 10 minutes and remained in a "very difficult situation," Palestinian officials said. A team of Jordanian doctors was urgently summoned to treat the ailing Palestinian leader.


Martin shuts down nomination battles to avoid repeat of bitter Liberal fights (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - An experiment in Liberal party democracy that degenerated into vicious internal battles has now been cancelled, Prime Minister Paul Martin told his troops Wednesday.


Scientists Find Prehistoric Dwarf Skeleton (AP) AP - In an astonishing discovery that could rewrite the history of human evolution, scientists say they have found the skeleton of a new human species, a dwarf, marooned for eons in a tropical Lost World while modern man rapidly colonized the rest of the planet.


In Last-Minute Deal With Union, Delta May Avoid Bankruptcy Delta Air Lines' pilots union said late Wednesday it had reached a tentative agreement on concessions that could save the struggling carrier from bankruptcy.


Pitcairn By now, most people will have heard of the rather sordid tale of the Pitcairn Islands. For those who haven't, it is a tale of sex, scandals, infamy, mutineers, fights for survival and all sorts of other stuff that tabloid newspapers love.


Sony PSP to cost surprising 20,790 yen, hit shelves Dec. 12 Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. said Wednesday it will release its PlayStation Portable game console in Japan on Dec. 12 at a price of 20,790 yen, surprising many who had expected it to cost far more.


Doctors and wife rush to side of  #39;unconscious #39; Arafat YASSIR ARAFAT last night collapsed after his health deteriorated dramatically and he remained in a very difficult situation, Palestinian officials said.


Vietnam official on rape charge An ex-deputy minister in Vietnam is tried with allegedly raping a young girl to change his bad luck.


US voters 'going online for news' More than 40 of wired Americans have used the net for information about the US election, a study finds.


Growth continues despite oil price hike The survey of business activity around the country, compiled from reports submitted by the Fed #39;s 12 regional banks, depicted an economy that was moving ahead with even the hard-hit manufacturing sector beginning to regain its footing after a prolonged


Fed Reports Continuing Economic Growth (AP) AP - The U.S. economy continued to grow in the early fall despite being buffeted by rising energy costs and hurricanes, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday, providing its last snapshot of business conditions before Election Day.


10-Men Bremen Stun Stuttgart Champions Werder Bremen hauled their title defence back on the rails with a superb 2-1 win at second-placed VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday night.


Pull charity out of Iraq, pleads Hassan in new video The kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan appeared in a new videotaped message last night, calling on Britain to withdraw its troops from Iraq.


Cashman Admits Pulling for Sox The Boston Red Sox have an unlikely fan in this World Series: Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman.


Cdn Islamic Congress rejects president's offer to resign; police launch probe (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Canadian Islamic Congress has refused to accept the resignation of its embattled president even as a police hate crimes unit investigates controversial comments he made on television.


Asthma risk set during pregnancy The chances of a child developing asthma or other allergies may largely be fixed by the time they are born, research suggests.


GAME DAY RECAP Wednesday, October 27 BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Celtics used balanced scoring to end their preseason on a high note. Jiri Welsch scored 16 points and Tom Gugliotta and Ricky Davis added 12 apiece as the Celtics snapped a six


Group vows revenge in Thailand A militant group in Thailand has threatened to attack the capital of Bangkok to avenge the deaths of some 80 Muslims in the country #39;s southern region.


Tomlinson Expects to Play Against Raiders (AP) AP - LaDainian Tomlinson missed practice Wednesday and will probably sit out Thursday because of a strained groin, but the San Diego Chargers running back expects to play against the Oakland Raiders.


Boston's Epstein on Verge of First Title (AP) AP - In the tumult of the visitors' clubhouse at Yankee Stadium, champagne pouring all around him, Theo Epstein held a beer.


Burns Making Progress in Cancer Fight (AP) AP - New Jersey Devils coach Pat Burns says he's making good progress in his fight against colon cancer after finishing chemotherapy treatments this week.


Cassini Unveils Pictures of Saturn's Moon (AP) AP - The international Cassini spacecraft began unveiling Saturn's mysterious sidekick Titan with a stream of increasingly sharp pictures of the surface taken during a flyby within 745 miles of the hazy moon.


News.com Extra: Experts warn of Net flu vaccine scam Also: Nintendo threatens Suicidegirls over IP use.


Nikkei Up Despite Weak Output Data  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei share average rose 1.36  percent by mid-morning trade on Thursday, as the market took  weak output data in its stride and buyers flocked to recently  battered stocks after a steep fall in oil prices boosted U.S.  shares.


Mideast upheaval may be welcome Ariel Sharon #39;s right-wing nationalist coalition in Israel is imploding and Fatah, the core Palestinian nationalist group, is in turmoil now that Marwan Barghouti, the young West Bank leader, is to campaign to succeed the late Yassir Arafat from an Israeli


Google Buys Digital Mapping Company (AP) AP - Google Inc. has bought digital map maker Keyhole Corp., extending the search engine leader's bid to fend off rivals with a toolbox that can catalog almost anything in the world.


Soldiers rush supplies to storm-hit Filipinos Philippine soldiers have rushed food, drinking water and other supplies by foot and helicopters to provinces cut off by four storms in two weeks that have left more than 1,300 people dead or missing.


Defence firms cash in on war on terror The increased spending on the military helped drive a sharp increase in profits at plane-maker Boeing and defence contractor Northrop Grumman during the third quarter.


DreamWorks Expected To Get Big Reception on Wall Street It #39;s shaping up to be an ogre-sized Wall Street debut for the shares of the company that made the animated hits  quot;Shrek quot; and  quot;Shark Tale.


US approval for kidney dialysis drug offers timely relief for <b>...</b> The regulatory approval was also a boost for the embattled drugs sector. It was feared that, following a series of safety crises, the US Food and Drug Administration would get tougher on new drugs.


Hollinger offers Black \$100m deal Hollinger International has extended an olive branch to former chief executive Lord Black by offering him a share in the proceeds of the 665m sale of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph.


Delta, Pilots Reach Tentative Agreement on Wage Cuts (Update1) Delta Air Lines Inc., the third-largest US carrier, reached a tentative agreement with its pilots union on pay reductions, according to a statement by the union.


Digital Assistants Continue to Lose Ground (AP) AP - Shipments of personal digital assistants declined for the third consecutive quarter as large vendors continued ceding the depressed market to smaller electronics makers, the research firm IDC said Wednesday.


UA researchers work on Cassini project The University of Arizona in Tucson has a dozen faculty members and scores of graduate students who have spent hundreds of thousands of hours working on Cassini-related projects.


Sony aims low with new console After months of speculation, Sony had good news for gamers yesterday when it revealed that its new handheld game console will go on sale for 19,800 yen (100), cheaper than many analysts predicted.


Ontario Warns Against Grand Theft Auto Game Ontario has not rated the game, but it is warning parents about the video game  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. #39; #39;. In it, players rub elbows with drug dealers and gang members as they steal cars, beat up thugs, and solicit prostitutes.


Review: a Flat Panel That's Also Deep (AP) AP - Three-dimensional movies at home, without the silly glasses, have been a science-fiction dream for at least as long as Dick Tracy's wristwatch cell phone and the household robot.


PM backs curfews, booze bans PRIME Minister John Howard has backed curfews and alcohol bans for Aboriginal communities where leaders want to put them in place.


Palestinian officials rush to bedside of ailing Arafat The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, was in a serious condition last night after a sharp deterioration in his health, Palestinian officials said.


Unilever admits to weak results as sales fall Unilever, the consumer goods group, revealed yesterday that its sales dropped 4 in the past three months, a performance it called  quot;unacceptably weak quot;.


Investor tries to block Abbey deal Abbey National faces a high court challenge to its 9bn takeover by Banco Santander Central Hispano because of concerns about criminal charges faced by executives of the Spanish bank.


Google Grabs 3-D Mapping Startup Google Inc. on Wednesday branched out into 3-D digital mapping with the acquisition of Keyhole Corp. In its second acquisition this year, Google has bought a startup company that connects consumers, businesses


Stellar Survivor From 1572 AD Explosion Supports Supernova Theory An international team of astronomers is announcing today that they have identified the probable surviving companion star to a titanic supernova explosion witnessed in the year 1572 by the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe and other astronomers of that


Celtic hit by Dons in full spate Resurgent Aberdeen, all of brave, magnificent and lucky, bludgeoned Celtic in their own back yard last night. This was a mesmerising match, distinguished by two impossibly early Aberdeen goals followed by


Union Challenges NFL Revenue Plan Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the National Football League Players Association, told the league #39;s ownership and management council Wednesday that the eight


Palestinian Icon Yasser Arafat 'Very Sick'  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser  Arafat is "very, very sick" and the ex-guerrilla who for  decades symbolized a struggle for statehood is slipping in and  out of consciousness, officials and medics said on Thursday.


palmOne Enhances Treo Smartphone but Challenges Remain On 25 October 2004, palmOne introduced its next-generation smartphone, the Treo 650, which combines a compact mobile phone with e-mail, an organizer, messaging and Web access.


Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse (AP) AP - Astronomy buffs and amateur stargazers turned out to watch a total lunar eclipse Wednesday night  #151; the last one Earth will get for nearly two and a half years.


Magic Beats Heat in Preseason Finale (AP) AP - Steve Francis scored 22 points, and the Orlando Magic rode an early double-figures lead to a 109-103 victory Wednesday night over the Miami Heat in the preseason finale for both.


Watson Declines Post Former major league general manager Bob Watson on Wednesday turns down the chance to be general manager of the Expos.


New Running World Marine Corps Marathon organizers have launched an unprecedented security effort in preparation for Sunday's 26.2-mile race.


Owens, Lewis Explain Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis insists he is done talking about Terrell Owens and the deal that almost brought the wideout to Baltimore.


Cost Estimate Jumps The cost of building a stadium and renovating RFK Stadium could be \$91 million more than city officials initially estimated, according to an analysis released Wednesday.


Graham Lauds Mr. O'Brien For soft-spoken trainer Robin Graham, calling the 5-year-old gelding Mr. O'Brien "great" in workouts for Saturday's Breeders' Cup Mile is downright effusive.


Beamer Sees Gains A five-game stretch of ACC games, which begins Thursday against Georgia Tech, should show how much the young Hokies have grown since August.


Upshaw Wants Changes NFLPA head Gene Upshaw informs team owners on Wednesday during league meetings that the players want a larger percentage of local revenue streams.


Marine Wives Rally A group of Marine wives are running for the family of a Marine Corps officer who was killed in Iraq.


It's All in His Head Much of place kicker Nick Novak's success throughout his career can be attributed to mental preparation.


A Lot on the Line In the final full-field event of the season, several players are under pressure to finish well at the Chrysler Championship for a variety of reasons.


Suns Extend Stoudemire Amare Stoudemire had his contract extended Wednesday by the Phoenix Suns who exercised their fourth-year option on the contract.


Ace in the Hole General Manager Theo Epstein said the Red Sox want Pedro Martinez to return next season. Martinez is a free agent after the season.


Wall Street stocks rise on hopeful crude and economic reports NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (XinhuaNET) -- Wall Street stocks extended theirrally Wednesday as investors expressed relief over falling oil prices and a strong economic report.


NHL negotiators discuss non-labour issues CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Chief negotiators Bill Daly and Ted Saskin met Tuesday for two hours in New York. Unfortunately, the NHL work stoppage wasn #39;ta topic of conversation.


India fall flat as tourists seek a winning note There was a fierce and fascinating contest played out here yesterday but only between two rival sets of Australia supporters, the internet-roused travelling fans from the Fanatics and Waving the Flag collectives, to see who could deafen the greater number


Arafat #39;s Health Reported to Have Turned Sharply Worse Yasir Arafat #39;s uncertain health took a sharp turn for the worse on Wednesday night with an ambulance and medical teams summoned to his West Bank compound amid unconfirmed


Thailand urged to probe protesters #39; deaths Despite an expression of regret to parliament, Thaksin rebuffed criticism of his attitude to human rights. volatile south bringing the total death toll after a protest outside a police station on Monday to 85.


Iran Pursues Uranium Enrichment And Nuclear Weapons Hardline lawmakers, who control a majority in Iran #39;s parliament, introduced a bill which would force the government to resume uranium enrichment and halt snap UN inspections of nuclear facilities.


Statements by Powell About Taiwan Provoke a Diplomatic Dispute Chinese officials praised Secretary of State Colin L. Powell on Wednesday for warning Taiwan that it is not an independent nation and should not seek to become one.


Russia Charges 3 Policemen with Negligence in Beslan Hostage <b>...</b> Russian officials say three policemen have been charged with criminal negligence in connection with the deaths of more than 330 hostages seized by militants at a school in Beslan at the beginning of September.


Nikkei Rises as Oil Sags  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei share average rose 1.4 percent  by midsession on Thursday as investors took weak domestic  output data in their stride and flocked to recently battered  stocks, inspired by a steep fall in oil prices.


Mets Will Consider Leyland if He's Interested Jim Leyland has indicated that he is interested in managing again. He just might not be interested in managing the Mets.


Sao Caetano Defender in Critical Condition (AP) AP - Sao Caetano defender Serginho was taken to a hospital unconscious and in critical condition after collapsing during a Brazilian championship match Wednesday.


Delta Reaches Deal With Pilots, Averting Chapter 11 Filing Delta reached a tentative agreement with its pilots' union Wednesday night on wage and benefit cuts, averting a threatened bankruptcy filing, at least for now.


Oil Prospecting Under Kremlin Watch BP, the only Western concern that owns a controlling share in a major Russian oil company, is hoping to avoid any direct conflict with the Kremlin.


Finding the Future in an Old Industry The \$17.8 billion, three-way deal that Lakshmi N. Mittal, a financier based in London, announced this week would put him at the head of the largest steel company in the world.


Paper peace doves fall over southern Thailand as violence <b>...</b> PATTANI : Fifty aircraft scattered 120 million paper birds across southern Thailand on Sunday in a peace gesture marred by new killings in the troubled Muslim-majority region.


Report: Delta Reaches Deal with Pilots  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Airlines has reached a tentative  agreement with its pilots union on wage and benefit cuts aimed  at avoiding a bankruptcy filing, The Wall Street Journal said  in a report late Wednesday on its Web site.


Lowe Shutting Out Cardinals Through Six Innings  ST. LOUIS (Sports Network) - Derek Lowe has allowed just  two hits as Boston jumped on St. Louis early and still leads  3-0 after six innings in Game 4 of the 2004 World Series.


Australia #39;s WMC Resources Receives Bid From Xstrata -2- MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australia #39;s WMC Resources Ltd. (WMC) on Thursday said it recently received a conditional takeover proposal from London-listed resource major Xstrata PLC (XTA.


Mysterious Moonscape Seen on Saturn #39;s Titan High-quality images of Titan, Saturn #39;s mysterious moon, tantalized and bewildered scientists yesterday, and they warned that NASA #39;s Cassini spacecraft may have to make several passes over the frozen world before it gives up its secrets.


Hosts kick off 2006 finals They will will play the opening match on June 9, 2006, in Munich, although Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann had wanted to leave that honour to another team, preferably defending champions Brazil, provided they qualify.


McGrath celebrates 100th Test by punishing India #39;s top order Fast bowler Glenn McGrath celebrated his 100th Test appearance by sparking India #39;s top-order collapse Wednesday as Australia took charge of the third Test.


Black Watch Begins Its Long Trek North By Jamie Lyons, Political Correspondent, and Kim Pilling, PA News. British troops from the Black Watch stopped overnight in Nasiriyah after they moved through desert towards Iraqs triangle of death.


Muslim cleric Bashir on trial again in Indonesia JAKARTA : An Indonesian Muslim cleric cleared last year of leading the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah extremist group goes on trial again on Thursday accused of involvement in the Bali and Marriott hotel bombings.


China to punish embassy intruders China would punish intruders at embassies and schools according to the law, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Tuesday.


SBC Offers  #36;19.95/month Broadband to New Customers (Reuters) Reuters - SBC Communications  will\offer a high-speed Internet connection for  #36;19.95 per month to\new customers who buy a top-line calling plan and sign a\one-year contract, the company said on Wednesday.


Trial of Radical Cleric Bashir Starts in Indonesia  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir went on  trial in Indonesia on Thursday on charges of leading Jemaah  Islamiah, a militant network seen as the Southeast Asian arm of  al Qaeda.


Fallujah Talks, and Battle Planning, Continue A U.S. military convoy of at least 40 armored vehicles was seen moving toward Fallujah, while British troops in southern Iraq headed north to plug any gaps that an offensive on the city might create.


India's Ex-Foreign Minister Assails Powell India's former foreign minister has denounced Secretary of State Colin L. Powell in unusually strong terms, saying that Powell's account of how he helped facilitate a dialogue between the Indian and Pakistani prime ministers was "fabricated and baseless."


Sao Caetano Defender in Critical Condition Sao Caetano defender Serginho was taken to a hospital unconscious and in critical condition after collapsing during a Brazilian championship match Wednesday.


Brazil Raids Kroll Offices in Spy Probe Police raided the Brazilian offices of international security consultant Kroll Inc. and arrested five employees Wednesday in an investigation into allegations of illegal spying by Kroll during the company's probe of a nasty corporate dispute.


Delta reaches pilot deal: report Pact with union may allow the No. 3 airline to avoid a bankruptcy filing, newspaper says. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Delta Air Lines and its pilots union reached an agreement on concessions that could allow the


Quarterly Profits Rise for Cox and Comcast MCSK quot; gt; Comcast Corporation and Cox Communications, two of the nation #39;s largest cable companies, reported strong third-quarter profit and revenue growth yesterday because of growing demand for


Black gets share of Telegraph windfall Hollinger International confirmed in court papers that it is planning to distribute some of the proceeds from the sale of the Telegraph Group to shareholders, a move that


Ex-Macy #39;s Executive to Lead JC Penney JC Penney said yesterday that Allen I. Questrom, the chief executive who has restyled the once-beleaguered chain into a sleeker and more profitable entity, would be succeeded by Myron E. Ullman III, another longtime retail executive.


Ballmer confronts Linux head-on Windows computing environments are cheaper, more secure, and lower risk than those based on Linux and open-source software, CEO Steve Ballmer asserts in an E-mail sent Wednesday to Microsoft #39;s customers and partners.


Violent game #39;s poster falls to gentle request When Charles Grosz read that a boy charged in the brutal beating death of a homeless man had compared it to the violent video game  quot;Grand Theft Auto, quot; he felt saddened.


Upshaw: Players Want a New Deal Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, told team owners Wednesday that the league #39;s 1,700 players should receive a larger share of the


NBA Game Summary - Phoenix vs. LA Lakers Las Vegas, NV (Sports Network) - Brian Grant had 22 points and Chris Mihm added 15, as the Los Angeles Lakers downed the Phoenix Suns, 111-103.


Japan Earthquake Rescuers Work to Free Girl (Reuters) Reuters - Rescuers who saved a two-year-old\boy trapped by a landslide after Japan's deadliest earthquake\in a decade struggled to free his sister on Thursday but hopes\were fading for her survival.


Palestinian official denies committee to act for ailing Arafat A senior Palestinian official denied Thursday that a three-man committee has been appointed to act for the ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who was in critical condition after a stomach flu Wednesday.


Iran nuclear talks report progress Progress was reported in Vienna Wednesday on the talks over Iran #39;s nuclear program but details were not available. Negotiators for Britain, Germany and France met with Iranians to discuss the issue, CNN reported.


Prithvi #39;s naval variant is successfully test-fired NEW DELHI: A new modified version of the indigenously-developed medium-range Prithvi missile, called P-III, was test-fired from the integrated test range at Chandipur, near Balasore, on Wednesday.


NBA Suspends Four After Bulls-Wizards Fight  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - NBA vice president Stu Jackson  Wednesday handed out suspensions for four players involved in a  fight during Monday's preseason game between the Washington  Wizards and Chicago Bulls.


Indonesian Muslim cleric Bashir claims innocence ahead of terror trial (AFP) AFP - A hardline Indonesian Muslim cleric protested his innocence as he was taken to court amid blanket security to stand trial for involvement in the deadly Bali and Marriott hotel bombings.


Philippine flood victims lose hope as storm nears PHILIPPINES: The tides of mud carved a random trail of destruction through Philippine towns, robbing already impoverished residents of children, houses and hope.


Bucks Beat Timberwolves 76-75 at Buzzer (AP) AP - Maurice Williams hit a jumper with one second left to cap an 11-point performance and lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Minnesota Timberwolves 76-75 Wednesday night in a preseason game.


MARKET PLACE DreamWorks Animation Raises \$812 Million RIDING the success of back-to-back animated hits, the entertainment company DreamWorks priced shares for its animation unit above the anticipated level, raising \$812 million in an initial public offering yesterday.


Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse The moon is partially covered by the shadow of the earth at approximately 9:14 pm EDT, as seen from Archer, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004.


Inter draw with lecce while AC Milan crash Atlanta challenges Duccio Innocenti of Atalanta during their Serie A match at the San Siro stadium in Milan, October 27, 2004. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo).


Crude Oil Falls for 2nd Day on Larger-Than-Expected Supply Gain Crude oil futures fell in New York, extending the biggest decline in five months yesterday, after a jump in US inventories eased concern about a winter shortage.


IEA Urges Governments Worldwide to Rethink Energy Policy International Oil Daily, 27 October 2004 - With oil prices at record highs, governments must accelerate technological innovations  quot;that radically alter how we produce and use energy quot; to create a sustainable energy system, the International Energy Agency


Dollar stronger at noon THE Australian dollar was trading stronger today as news of a takeover bid for Australian mining company WMC Resources supported the currency during morning trading.


Kidney drug approval gives Shire some breathing space THE 64,000 dollar - correction, make that 500 million dollar -uestion hanging over Shire Pharmaceuticals is whether the 5 per cent jump in the companys shares yesterday reflects relief that US regulators have finally approved its drug for


Indonesian cleric on trial for terrorism Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has gone on trial in Indonesia on charges of leading Jemaah Islamiah, a militant network seen as the Southeast Asian arm of al Qaeda.


Iran Threatens to End Nuclear Talks Iran #39;s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Pirooz Hosseini leaves in a car after a second round of talks with EU negotiators failed to produce an agreement for a total suspension of uranium enrichment in Iran, on Wednesday, Oct.


Blair admits British troops may stay in US area for months Tony Blair admitted yesterday that British troops could be in the American-controlled area of Iraq for months, contradicting assurances from his Defence Secretary that


US secretary of state clarifies position on Taiwan, China <b>...</b> The American Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has moved to assure Taiwan that US policy on the China/Taiwan relationship has not changed.


News: New Caller I.D. spoofing site opens Web-based caller I.D. spoofing is back, and this time it's available to everyone.\


Putin to youth: Take relations to greater heights BANGALORE: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called on the youth to take bilateral relationship between India and Russia to greater heights while asserting that India #39;s economic progress would make the world a better place to live in.


Two Moderate Earthquakes Hit Taiwan (AP) AP - Two moderate earthquakes hit eastern Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Bureau said, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported.


Clinton Feels 'Distant' From Election (AP) AP - Former President Clinton may be out on the campaign trail, but he says he feels a bit detached "from the to and fro of the elections."


Insurgents #39; Attacks Kill at Least 26 Iraqis BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 4 - Militants carried out deadly strikes in Baghdad and in the northern city of Mosul for the second day on Saturday, with suicide car bomb attacks on police stations and Kurdish militiamen


WMC turns down Xstrata takeover bid MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Oct 28 <b>...</b> Australian copper and nickel miner WMC Resources Ltd. said on Thursday it has turned down aA\$7.4 billion (\$5.5 billion) cash takeover offer from Swiss-based Xstrata, but would consider higher bids from the company.


Shire wins US approval for kidney disease drug SHIRE Pharmaceuticals was yesterday celebrating approval from US regulators for the launch of its Fosrenol treatment for patients with kidney disease.


Stocks extend rally for a second session NEW YORK - Stocks rose sharply Wednesday, extending their rally for a second session as investors expressed relief over plummeting oil prices following a government report that showed a buildup in crude inventories.


Football: Aberdeen beat Celtic 3-2 via last gasp goal Celtic suffered their first defeat of the Scottish Premier League season on Wednesday when John Stewart grabbed a goal in injury time to complete a 3-2 win for Aberdeen.


This Date in Baseball for Oct. 28 (AP) AP - 1958  #151; Construction began on the new ballpark for the Giants in San Francisco. The rocks in the area resembled candlesticks.


A New-Age General Manager Helps End an Age-Old Curse Until Theo Epstein became the general manager of the Boston Red Sox two years ago, at 28, life had offered him little cause to believe in superstition.


Union Challenges N.F.L. Revenue Plan Gene Upshaw, executive director of the players association, said the union was focused on dividing revenue more equitably.


Cardinals Fall Flat in Stunning Sweep (AP) AP - The sign at Busch Stadium pleaded: "Will the real Cardinals report and play?" The answer in Game 4, just as in the first three games, was emphatic: No!


Spurrier Back at Fla.? Steve Spurrier informs Florida officials that he has an interest in returning to coach the University of Florida, ESPN.com reported Wednesday night.


Web Feeds, Blogs   Search Engines Blogs are increasingly popular, and can have a dramatic effect on search engine positioning. How can you best take advantage of this new search marketing channel?


Yahoo! follows Google on Mobile Services Google SMS started serving search results to mobile users in the US just a few days back. Now Yahoo! follows it with even more comprehensive feature set.


Payton out with broken thumb, expected back for opener Celtics point guard Gary Payton missed Wednesday #39;s preseason game against Detroit because of a broken right thumb. Payton, acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in an offseason trade, was injured


At Least Five Dead in Russia Mine Blast  MOSCOW (Reuters) - At least five miners were killed and 14  injured in a blast in a coal mine in Russia's Siberia, the  Emergencies Ministry said on Thursday.


Howard seizes Australia's Senate Australia's John Howard captures control of his country's Senate, giving him extensive legislative power.


Baseball: Boston win World Series Boston clinch the World Series title after beating St Louis 3-0 in the fourth game to win 4-0.


Oil Extends Slide After Stockbuild Drop (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices continued falling on\Thursday after an unexpectedly large rise in U.S. crude\inventories spurred profit-taking from record highs.


Report: Delta Reaches Deal with Pilots (Reuters) Reuters - Delta Airlines has reached a tentative\agreement with its pilots union on wage and benefit cuts aimed\at avoiding a bankruptcy filing, The Wall Street Journal said\in a report late Wednesday on its Web site.


Red Sox Lift Championship, Bury Curse  ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox won their first  World Series title since 1918, and buried a curse, with a 3-0  victory over the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday.


MarketWatch, Web News Site, Is Up for Sale MarketWatch, the owner of a leading financial news site, CBS MarketWatch, is soliciting bids expected to be as much as \$400 million for the company.


Red Sox Erase 86 Years of Futility in 4 Games The Red Sox, the team that perfected heartbreak, silenced the Cardinals, 3-0, in Game 4 to win their first World Series since 1918.


Cassini probe #39;s first flyby of Titan reveals some surprises NASA scientists, looking at the first close-up images of Titan, were able to peer through the atmosphere of the Saturn moon enough to see a checkered landscape under surprisingly clear skies.


Dell Elevates SuSE Linux Dell will expand its Linux offerings by preinstalling SuSE Linux on its servers starting later this year. By Larry Greenemeier. The same day Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer issued an E-mail to customers promoting


Soyuz Capsule Lands on Kazakhstan Steppe A Russian-US crew returned to Earth from the international space station Sunday in a pinpoint landing on the Kazakhstan steppe, and NASA #39;s chief said the United States


Cole Continues to Shine It is a pity that violence during and after Chelseas 1-0 Carling Cup third-round victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge overshadowed yet another outstanding performance from Joe Cole.


UPDATE 1-Wenger extends Arsenal contract until 2008 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has extended his contract at the English champions until May 2008. Wenger, 55, arrived at Highbury in 1996 and has led the London


UPDATE 2-Fleming completes second test double century Captain Stephen Fleming completed his second test double century on Wednesday as New Zealand piled on the runs against Bangladesh.


Keeping Our Priorities Straight in Afghanistan, by Ted Galen <b>...</b> The war on drugs is interfering with the US effort to destroy Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. US officials increasingly want to eradicate drugs as well as nurture Afghanistan #39;s


Indonesian Court Opens Bashir Terror Trial  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian Islamic cleric Abu Bakar  Bashir went on trial on Thursday accused of leading an al  Qaeda-linked militant network and of planning or inciting  others to carry out attacks in the world's most populous Muslim  nation.


New 'yob' targets to be unveiled Fifty new areas which will get special help in fighting anti-social behaviour are being named on Wednesday.


Business as usual for ATA despite bankruptcy filing Although the future of ATA Airlines Inc. remains up in the air, planes still were landing Wednesday at the Quad-City International Airport and tickets still were selling, the airports aviation director said.


Energy Costs Crimp Economy US manufacturers cranked out more goods in recent weeks, while auto dealers moved more vehicles off their lots and trucking companies tried to find enough drivers to keep up with growing demand.


Study Backs Systems to Aid Auto Stability A new study by the insurance industry says that the stability systems available in some cars and trucks can greatly reduce the likelihood of an accident.


Delta, Pilots Come to Tentative Agreement Delta Air Line #39;s pilots negotiation committee last night reached a tentative cost-cutting agreement with the Atlanta-based airline.


Xstrata Offers A\$7.4 Billion for WMC Resources to Add Nickel Xstrata Plc, the world #39;s biggest exporter of power-station coal, offered A\$7.4 billion (\$5.5 billion) for WMC Resources Ltd. to gain nickel and copper mines.


Unilever stalls, P amp;G surges Procter  amp; Gamble beat Unilever in the battle of the big name grocery brands for the three months to September, results released yesterday showed.


First Enron Fraud Trial Nears End Four former Merrill Lynch and Co. executives and two former mid-level Enron Corp. executives conspired to push through a sham sale of barges in 1999 because they didn #39;t


Ballmer argues against Linux Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer reiterated the company #39;s case against the open-source Linux operating system yesterday in an e-mail message to customers that was notable in part for its timing.


SBC lowers broadband prices for new customers SBC Communications will offer a high-speed Internet connection for \$19.95 per month to new customers who buy a premium calling plan and sign a one-year contract, the company said on Wednesday.


Ready to lead a Gator nation First-year University of Florida President Bernie Machen has his hands on a lot of things. Becoming intimately involved in the details of hiring a football coach is no more unusual to him than gripping the


Bonds #39;s 700th? Not Priceless: It Fetches \$804,129 In Internet <b>...</b> Barry Bonds #39;s 700th home run ball brought a top bid of \$804,129 yesterday after a 10-day online auction. The ball had received 240 offers by the time Overstock.


Aussies take solid lead in third test as Tendulkar struggles Sachin Tendulkar perished cheaply on his return from injury yesterday as India #39;s top batting order crumbled to leave Australia in command of the third cricket test match.


Kidnapped British Woman Begs for Life The kidnapped British director of CARE International has made another plea urging Britain to withdraw troops from Iraq. In a video aired on Arab TV, Margaret Hassan asked for the aid organization to close its offices in Iraq.


Manny Ramirez Wins World Series MVP (AP) AP - Manny Ramirez owns a treasured spot in Red Sox lore  #151; the floppy-haired slugger is their first World Series MVP.


Arafat 'Very Sick,' Foreign Medics Summoned  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser  Arafat is "very, very sick" and the ex-guerrilla who for  decades symbolized a struggle for statehood is slipping in and  out of consciousness, officials and medics said on Thursday.


Korean Nuclear Talks May Convene in November  BEIJING (Reuters) - The six parties trying to end a crisis  over North Korea's nuclear ambitions could hold working group  talks in November, diplomats said on Thursday, the first sign  of progress since Pyongyang stalled after the last round.


Oil prices fall after US report Oil prices continue to fall back from recent record highs, after a US report showed an unexpectedly large rise in crude stocks in America.


Cracking the Insurance Biz Wide Open Eliot Spitzer #39;s run at insurance broker Marsh  amp; McLennan (MMC ) looks increasingly as if it could be just the opening battle in a wide-ranging war against abuses in the insurance industry.


Despite Scandals, Boeing Still Wins Wall Street #39;s Favor When Boeing Co. chief executive Harry C. Stonecipher took the helm in December, he proclaimed that his top priority was restoring the aerospace giant #39;s reputation after revelations that employees


A Hollywood Play For Dreamers Only In Shark Tale, DreamWorks Animation #39;s latest hit, a little hustler of a fish named Oscar (voiced by Will Smith) just can #39;t stand the truth.


Apple Has a Virus? Congratulations! Hackers wouldn #39;t bother writing malicious code to infect the Macintosh unless those computers actually mattered. By Eric Hellweg.


Stargazers View Lunar Eclipse CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Stargazers across the US were craning their necks Wednesday night as the Earth #39;s shadow moved across the moon, totally eclipsing our planet #39;s only natural satellite.


Tennis: Nalbandian, Massu and Henman advance Second seed Tim Henman put a magnesium deficiency behind him to move comfortably into the second round of the Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel on Wednesday.


Iranian Leader Rules Out Halt in Uranium Enrichment Iran #39;s supreme leader threatened Wednesday to pull out of negotiations if European countries press their demand for total suspension of uranium enrichment, as a new round


Margaret Hassan Again Pleads for her Life Kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan has made another videotape plea for Britain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. The tape, broadcast on Arab TV network Al-Jazeera, also showed Mrs Hassan


Frustrated Cardinals Can't Hit in Series Loss to Sox  ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - While the Boston Red Sox celebrated  the end of 86 years of frustration by winning the World Series  on Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals had to deal with some new  frustrations of their own.


Frustrated Cardinals Can't Hit in Series Loss to Sox (Reuters) Reuters - While the Boston Red Sox celebrated\the end of 86 years of frustration by winning the World Series\on Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals had to deal with some new\frustrations of their own.


Japan races against clock to secure release of hostage in Iraq (AFP) AFP - Japan is racing against the clock to secure the release of a young Japanese man kidnapped by Islamic militants in Iraq, with less than 24 hours to go before a deadline for his execution.


Russian Mine Blast Kills 10, Injures 30  MOSCOW (Reuters) - A methane blast in a mineshaft in  Russia's Siberia killed at least 10 people and injured 30 on  Thursday, a government spokesman said.


Delta, pilots reach tentative deal SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Delta Air Lines and its pilots reached a tentative contract agreement late Wednesday, according to the pilots union, potentially allowing the struggling carrier to avoid declaring bankruptcy.


Revenue growth of 8 stronger than expected NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Boeing Co. #39;s third-quarter earnings rose 78 percent on higher sales of communications equipment to the US military and better commercial aircraft profits.


Fonterra proposal is  quot;bird in the hand quot; Fonterra is aiming for a significant share of the Australian dairy foods market, with a bid for one of Australia #39;s largest operators.


Saturn mission beams back first images of Titan Cassini-Huygens, a joint US-European mission to Saturn, has had its closest encounter yet with Titan, one of Saturn #39;s moons. It flew to within 745 miles and beamed back the first images of the only moon in the solar system with an atmosphere.


Apple iPod Photo and U2 Partnership At a press conference this week, Apple Computer Inc. introduced the new iPod Photo digital music player. Besides playing digital music, the iPod Photo lets users view and share photos.


Sony announces dates and prices for new gaming devices Sony Computer Entertainment #39;s (SCE) next generation handheld gaming device will go on sale in Japan on 12 December for RRP 19,800 (\$250).


Earth #39;s Shadow Completely Covers The Moon JONESBORO--  quot;Well tonight the moon will be on the other side, and this would be a full moon normally because the moon is up here, above the plane between the earth and the sun, or below it.


Eleven Fans Arrested after Chelsea-West Ham Game Eleven fans were arrested after clashing with police at the Carling Cup soccer match between Chelsea and West Ham. Police in riot gear were confronted by the visiting West Ham supporters


Relatives Seek Bodies of Thai Muslim Demonstrators Weeping family members crowded outside a Thai military camp Wednesday, demanding information about 78 Muslim men who were crushed to death Monday after being arrested and forced onto army trucks.


Iranian Leader Rules Out Halt in Uranium Enrichment Iran's supreme leader threatened Wednesday to pull out of negotiations if European countries press their demand for total suspension of uranium enrichment, as a new round of talks ended without an agreement to avert the possible threat of U.N. sanctions.


Brazil Makes Arrests After Kroll Raids Police raided the Brazilian offices of international security consultant Kroll Inc. and arrested five employees Wednesday in an investigation into allegations of illegal spying by Kroll during the company's probe of a nasty corporate dispute.


European Shipbuilders Mull Mergers (AP) AP - European defense companies know they must unite to keep up, as the gap in military spending between the United States and its NATO allies continues to widen. But a push to consolidate Europe's fragmented shipbuilding sector  #151; a minefield of national, corporate and labor sensitivities  #151; is proving slow and difficult.


Baseball-Red Sox Lift Championship, Bury Curse  ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox lifted the World  Series title and buried a curse Wednesday beating the St. Louis  Cardinals 3-0 to claim their first championship since 1918.


NBA Game Summary - Miami At Denver Denver, CO -- Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points and Earl Boykins added 16 off the bench to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Miami Heat, 104-95, at the Pepsi Center.


U.S. Air Strike on Iraq's Falluja Kills Two (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. warplanes attacked the\rebel-held city of Falluja overnight, killing two people, a\witness said.


Ga. Tech #39;s defense buzzing again after wins To hear Georgia Tech defense end Eric Henderson, it was just a matter of time before the Yellow Jackets defense became as stingy as it has been the last two games.


Study Shows Stability Systems Cut Crash Risk Vehicles with sensors that can, for example, automatically apply brakes are 41 percent less likely to get into single-vehicle crashes, which account for 60 percent of all fatal crashes, according to government statistics.


Talks Between D.C. Hotels, Union Still in Deadlock Starting Nov. 1, if there is no new contract, unionized workers will have to bear the cost of the increase in their health insurance premiums.


Washington Contractors' Sales Increase The companies provide federal agencies with network integration and payroll accounting technologies, and are the beneficiaries of a government that is trying to bolster its defenses against terrorism, experts say.


Red Sox Erase Curse With First World Series Title Since 1918 The Boston Red Sox won their first World Series title in 86 years, completing a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals with a 3-0 victory at Busch Stadium.


Kezman is mobbed after scoring. (Getty Images) Chelsea assistant boss Steve Clarke confirmed that Mateja Kezman was hit by a missile from the crowd as football was shamed for the second time in 24 hours.


Gary Megson is disappointed being dismissed so fast English Premiership strugglers West Brom are understood to have approached former Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson as they seek a replacement for Gary Megson.


Penalty call lifts United to key win over Arsenal In fact, when referee Mike Riley gave a penalty kick to United in the 73rd minute, he was clearly sold on a Wayne Rooney dive after a confrontation with Arsenal defender Sol Campbell.


Slow and steady ruins the race Or did the Australians really bowl that well on a strip that was supposed to be best for batting on days two and three? Or maybe it was the Indian batsmen who dug a huge hole and buried themselves in it.


Indonesia #39;s Bashir retrial gets underway Indonesia #39;s prominent Muslim preacher Abu Bakr Bashir has been put on trial again, charged once more over the Marriot hotel attack in 2003 and the Bali bombing in 2002.


Japan Unable to Contact Kidnappers to Negotiate, Koizumi Says Japan has made little progress contacting the kidnappers of one of its citizens or determining where the man is being held, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.


Web TV Tries to Seize New Territory Contenders are trying novel twists on sending video over the global computer network in an effort to exploit the increasing number of in-home high-speed Internet links.
-The Washington Post


Professor Deconstructs  Dot-Com Bombs David A. Kirsch and a rotating staff of loyal students have created a digital database that lists more than 2,300 companies, archives that may someday prove useful in capturing the craziness of the Internet boom.
-The Washington Post


Nanotech Group Beset by Defections The field, expected to become a trillion-dollar industry by 2012, promises a host of technological and medical advances while also stirring fears because some of the products appear to be toxic and many are not regulated.


Mysterious Moonscape Seen on Saturn's Titan Cassini is flying to within 745 miles of Titan's surface and beaming back hundreds of images in a scouting trip that will lead to the Christmas Eve release of a probe for a parachute drop into Titan's atmosphere.


Oil prices fall after US report Oil prices continued to fall on Thursday after an unexpectedly large increase in crude stocks in the US. A barrel of US light crude was down 96 cents to \$51.


Update 8: Delta Reaches Tentative Pact on Pilot Deal Delta Air Lines Inc. took a giant step away from bankruptcy with a tentative agreement on contract concessions from its pilots. But details on the proposal reached Wednesday were withheld while it was reviewed


Check 21 brings quick clearance to written drafts known simply as Check 21 -oes into effect today and is expected to cut down the amount of time it takes for checks to clear the bank.


Update 3: DreamWorks Animation Seeks Splashy Debut DreamWorks Animation Inc., riding on a wave of recent hit films including  quot;Shrek 2 quot; and  quot;Shark Tales quot; was looking for friendly waters on Wall Street Thursday with its highly anticipated initial public offering.


BAY AREA Skywatchers awed by total lunar eclipse Just four days shy of Halloween, the moon got festive Wednesday night and turned from corpse white to pumpkin orange and then blood red during a total lunar eclipse visible from every continent on the planet, except Australia.


Sender-ID Back from the Dead With the closure of IETF #39;s MARID group a month ago, many of us have left Microsoft #39;s Sender-ID standard for the dead. After being rejected by the Apache Foundation and the Debian Project over licensing issues


New MySQL Good To Go The latest point release of MySQL database is now good to go, the company said Wednesday. MySQL 4.1, available in both open-source and commercial versions, promises more enterprise-worthy features and faster


Chelsea #39;s Kezman struck by missile Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman was cut by a missile thrown from the crowd after scoring in last night #39;s 3-0 Carling Cup victory over West Ham.


Bonds #39; 700th home run ball: It #39;s going, going, gone for \$804,129 It was no ordinary baseball, but the baseball that Barry Bonds hit over the left-field fence last month at SBC Park in San Francisco for his 700th career homer and promptly was put on the online auction block.


Australia Dismisses India for 185, Leads By 213 in Third Test Australia bowled out India for 185 to take a 213-run lead on day three of the third cricket Test at Nagpur, edging the top-ranked team closer to a first series win in India for 35 years.


Iran to respond over nuclear freeze LONDON, Oct 27 (IranMania) - Iran was to respond today to Europe #39;s offer for the Islamic Republic to avoid possible UN sanctions and receive nuclear technology by indefinitely suspending uranium enrichment, but there was little hope of a breakthrough


Discrepancy Found in Explosives Amounts: ABC News (Reuters) Reuters - The amount of conventional\explosives missing from an Iraqi storage facility may be\substantially less than the 377 tons reported by Iraqi\officials, ABC News reported late on Wednesday, citing\documents obtained by the network.


Ten reported dead in Russian mine blast (AFP) AFP - Ten miners died and about 20 were injured after a gas explosion ripped through a pit in central Siberia trapping dozens of miners, the Interfax news agency reported citing a spokesman for the local government.


Opec begs US help to calm oil market Opec, the oil producers #39; cartel, has taken the surprise step of urging the US to release stocks held in emergency reserves to calm the frantic crude market.


Australia #39;s National Foods rejects Fonterra bid SYDNEY: Australian milk producer National Foods Ltd said today its board has unanimously rejected as too low a \$A1.62 billion (\$NZ1.


Baseball ball sells for \$1m THE baseball that Barry Bonds hit for his 700th career home run brought a top bid of \$US804,129 (\$1.08 million) today after a 10-day online auction.


3 killed in Fallujah attack United States forces attacked a house in Fallujah leaving three people dead early on Thursday. The target was a suspected safe house for Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.


Summary: Uncertainty Over Iraqi Explosives (AP) AP - THE DISAPPEARENCE: The 377 tons of high explosives were taken from the Al-Qaqaa military facility after March 9, when the IAEA sealed the bunker.


UK house prices 'fell in October' UK house prices fall by 0.4 in October, the Nationwide building society says, the biggest decline since February 2001.


Powell clarifies no change in US cross-strait policy after protests (AFP) AFP - Secretary of State Colin Powell clarified that US policy on China and Taiwan has not changed, in an apparent bid to assuage Taipei's concerns over remarks he made in a visit to Beijing.


Kerry, Bush scramble for votes (AFP) AFP - With only five days left before the election, Democrat John Kerry tried to fire up voters in the hope a higher turnout will give him the keys to the White House, as President George W. Bush insisted his challenger lacks the mettle of a commander in chief.


Nitties shows the right mettle THE PGA Championship was only James Nitties #39; fourth start as a professional, but the 22-year-old signalled he has a big future with his second place finish at Coolum yesterday.


DreamWorks flotation makes \$812m DreamWorks, which created box office smash Shrek, raises \$812m from its flotation on the New York Stock Exchange.


Bonds not as dumb as he appears In the long, winding tale of Barry Bonds and steroids, we have reached the part where Bonds plays dumb. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, he effectively told a grand jury a year ago that he used steroids


Creative Technology reports sharp drop in quarterly net profit (AFP) AFP - Singapore consumer electronics maker Creative Technology net profit in the September quarter fell 83.5 percent to 4.8 million US dollars, with last year's huge one-time gains magnifying the decline.


Energy Costs Crimp Economy Federal Reserve survey shows uncertainties over energy prices, global terrorism and the presidential election among reasons businesses continue to hold back on hiring, investment.


Japanese peace envoy in Sri Lanka Japan's special envoy to Sri Lanka arrives in Colombo for talks on resuming the stalled peace process.


Singh Gears Up to Finish With 10 Wins (AP) AP - Vijay Singh does not recall the PGA Tour being this strong, with a record five rookies winning this year. One of them, Ryan Palmer, held off the No. 1 player in the world last week at Disney.


Oil prices fall to \$51.97 Singapore: Oil prices continued falling from record peaks in Asian trade Thursday after the United States reported a surge in crude oil inventories, dealers said.


SEC #39;s hedge fund debate intense Nearly two years to the day after the most contentious hearing in memory, a divided Securities and Exchange Commission clashed Tuesday over a new rule requiring hedge funds to register with the SEC.


Australia #39;s WMC rejects Xstrata bid Australian nickel and copper miner WMC Resources has rejected aA\$7.4 billion (3 billion pounds) takeover bid from Swiss-based Xstrata, but has left the door open for a higher offer.


Bush campaign site inaccessible abroad LONDON -- President Bushs campaign Web site was inaccessible to surfers outside the United States and Canada following a series of outages last week that may have been electronic attacks.


Red sky at night a lunar delight GREENBELT, MD. - Star gazers across North America watched the moon turn orange Wednesday night in a total lunar eclipse.  quot;When it passes into the Earth #39;s inner shadow, that sunlight reaching the moon passes


Sandisk releases flasher flash cards A CALIFORNIAN vendor of flash cards SanDisk has released new memory cards that they say will make a big splash in consumer gizmos like digital cameras and cell phones.


UPDATE 1-Five-wicket Gillespie puts Australia in control Jason Gillespie captured five wickets as Australia bowled India out for a paltry 185 to take a commanding 213-run lead on the third day of the third test on Thursday.


Brazilian championship matches stopped for minute of silence after <b>...</b> Brazilian championship matches were stopped for a minute #39;s silence Wednesday in response to news that Sao Caetano defender Serginho died after collapsing on the field at Morumbi Stadium.


Mets: Interviews continue for Minaya General manager Omar Minaya interviewed Jim Riggleman for the Mets #39; vacant managerial spot yesterday, and minor-league manager and former Mets second baseman Wally Backman will be interviewed today.


Sharon #39;s bold move in Gaza Tuesday #39;s vote in the Israeli Knesset in favor of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s plan for unilateral withdrawal of settlers and soldiers from Gaza was a historic moment in the history of Israel.


Arafat in Serious Condition, Foreign Medics Summoned  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser  Arafat is in a very serious condition but was able to take part  in Muslim morning prayers on Thursday, officials said, as a  team of foreign doctors rushed to his headquarters.


49ers' First-Round Picks All Struggling (AP) AP - The San Francisco 49ers insist their salvation will arrive through the draft. They hope years of bad contracts, unlucky injuries and salary-cap woes can be erased through solid choices in April.


Brussels crisis to cloud EU constitution ceremony (AFP) AFP - Europe's leaders gather in Rome on Friday to sign a historic constitution for the European Union (EU), but a crisis over the bloc's new executive Commission will only add to clouds over the ceremony.


North Texas Backup Nation's Leading Rusher (AP) AP - North Texas freshman Jamario Thomas is the nation's leading rusher thanks to speed, strength and vision.


Japan in Dark as Iraq Hostage Deadline Nears  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan sought international and Iraqi help  for a Japanese man held hostage in Iraq on Thursday, less than  24 hours before a deadline set by his captors to behead him  unless Japan withdraws its troops.


Titan Photos Mystifying Scientists Scientists are delighted, fascinated and thoroughly perplexed by the Cassini spacecraft's first close-up pictures of Titan, the smoggy giant moon of Saturn.


A New Rule of Cursor Control: Just Follow Your Nose Researchers are working on the nose-mouse, and other unorthodox ways of moving a cursor.


Military Buoys Profit at Defense Firms Robust demand for military equipment and technology led four US defense companies to post higher quarterly profit on Wednesday, with jet maker Boeing Co.


Telefonica rejects 2 bln euro bid for TV show unit: rpt LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Spanish telecom Telefonica (TEF) has rejected a bid of 2 billion euros for its Endemol television production company that produces the hit Big Brother show, The Times of London said Thursday, citing unnamed sources.


Red Sox sweep Cardinas to win first crown since 1918 The Boston Red Sox ended 86 years of futility and won their first crown of the World Series since 1918 on Wednesday when they defeated the St.


Khan hits back for India Paceman Zaheer Khan has hit back for India, taking the key wicket of Australia #39;s prolific opener Matthew Hayden two overs after lunch on day three of the third Test in Nagpur.


NASCAR glance 1. KURT BUSCH. He has posted 12 straight top-15 finishes, including six straight top-10 finishes. He is coming off a fifth-place finish at Martinsville, Va.


Sao Caetano player collapses and dies during Brazilian <b>...</b> The 30-year-old player likely suffered cardiac arrest, doctor Marco Aurelio Cunha said. The official cause of death was not immediately released.


Brown Packs Pint-Sized Wallop for Georgia (AP) AP - Thomas Brown heard the doubters long before he arrived in Athens. In fact, some of the cynics were in his hometown.


Romania-Centered Quake Rattled Turkey, Moldova, Ukraine The earthquake, which hit Romania and rattled Bulgaria late on Wednesday, has also been felt across portions of Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine, Turkey #39;s private NTV television reported.


U.S. Elections Has Seized Global Attention (AP) AP - It can be considered undiplomatic, and none of them actually gets to vote. But some foreign leaders and political figures haven't been able to resist the question: Bush or Kerry for U.S. president?


Delta  #39;reaches cost-cutting deal #39; Troubled US carrier Delta Air Lines has reached an outline cost cutting agreement with its pilots, a deal that could save it from bankruptcy.


Boeing and Northrop Say Profits Jumped in Quarter Robust demand for military equipment and technology led two arms makers to post higher quarterly profit yesterday, with Boeing reporting a 78 percent jump in earnings despite a decline in commercial airplane revenue.


Google buys satellite image firm Keyhole Search giant Google said Wednesday that it has acquired Keyhole, a company specializing in Web-based software that allows people to view satellite images from around the globe.


2003 champ is Classic favorite GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas  In a field with a Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, two horses that have gone undefeated this year, a former Horse of the Year and a Belmont Stakes and Travers champion


House Redistricting Schemes Not Perfect (AP) AP - State lawmakers who reconfigured congressional maps to benefit one party over another have drawn themselves into a corner in some House districts.


No More '1918' Taunts for Lowe to Hear (AP) AP - Derek Lowe stood in the boisterous Boston clubhouse, a bottle of champagne in one hand, a cigar in the other.


Small Blast Rocks Mayor's Office in France (AP) AP - An explosion rocked the mayor's office in the southwestern French city of Bordeaux early Thursday. No one was injured.


Annan Urged to Report Sudan Deaths Daily (AP) AP - Leaders representing over 100 million Christians, Muslims and Jews urged Secretary-General Kofi Annan to report the number of deaths and rapes in Sudan's Darfur region daily to highlight what they say is genocide.


Mandrakesoft Ships Upgrade of Linux OS (TechWeb) TechWeb - Mandrakesoft releases the latest version of its Linux operating system.


Disaster Toll Tripled in 2003 Amid Quakes, Heatwave (Reuters) Reuters - Natural disasters killed 76,806 people\in 2003, three times the number of victims in 2002, a rise due\in part to extremes in the global climate, the world's largest\humanitarian body said on Thursday.


UPDATE 1-Delta Air #39;s pilots reach tentative agreement Delta Air Lines #39; (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pilots union said late Wednesday it had reached a tentative agreement with the airline on cost savings.


Oil prices fall nearly 5 to below \$53 a barrel Oil futures prices sank nearly 5 percent yesterday, dropping below \$53 a barrel, as concerns about tight winter-fuel supplies eased, at least temporarily, and traders


Strong defense unit buoys Boeing #39;s profit Propelled by another potent performance from its defense unit, Boeing announced third-quarter results yesterday that surpassed investors #39; expectations as profits climbed 78 percent from a year ago.


US  #39;big-ticket #39; orders rise WASHINGTON - Orders for  quot;big-ticket quot; durable goods crept up by a smaller-than-expected margin in September, hit by a sharp descent in demand for planes, government figures showed.


Study: Stability control systems can reduce fatal accidents WASHINGTON A study finds vehicles equipped with stability control systems are less likely to be involved in fatal crashes. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says the systems, which automatically apply


THEY CUT ME OUT Hollywood dealmaker Michael Ovitz spun his own drama of his ouster from Walt Disney - he was knifed in the back, carved  quot;out like a cancer quot; and pushed from a headquarters window.


Stocks surge on news about oil prices Stocks rose sharply yesterday, extending their rally for a second session as investors expressed relief over plummeting oil prices following a government report that showed a buildup in crude inventories.


Audits of CRA call for reforms Capping a series of stinging audits of the Los Angeles city agency charged with revitalizing troubled neighborhoods, City Controller Laura Chick said Wednesday that she has turned


UPDATE 5-STATS swings to Q3 net loss, sees losses in 2005 STATS ChipPAC Ltd., the third-largest chip packaging firm, swung to a quarterly net loss and said it might remain in the red into 2005


Concern grows over ailing Arafat Medics, aides and family rush to the West Bank as fears grow for Yasser Arafat's health.


Cassini spacecraft images of Saturn #39;s moon befuddling After staying up much of the night analyzing the first close-up images of Titan #39;s smog-shrouded surface, groggy scientists acknowledged yesterday that they were befuddled


Microsoft offers insurance Linux can #39;t, Ballmer says An e-mail Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer sent to customers around the world yesterday highlighted a new thrust in Microsoft #39;s campaign against Linux.


MIKE WENDLAND: It #39;s an uphill battle to topple Google which now searches for books, news, images and products as well as Web sites -- its subtle little AdSense text ads are ubiquitous on the Net.


Disaster Toll Tripled in 2003 Amid Quakes, Heatwave Natural disasters killed 76,806 people in 2003, three times the number of victims in 2002, a rise due in part to extremes in the global climate, the world #39;s largest humanitarian body said on Thursday.


UMC: 2005 capex focused on 12-inch capacity ramp United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) yesterday stated that its capital expenditure in 2005 will see a focus on ramping capacity at its 12-inch-wafer fabs in Tainan, Taiwan, and Singapore.


EU boss considers several changes The embattled new EU Commission chief tells the BBC he might make several changes to his team.


FA probes Stamford Bridge trouble The FA is to take action after trouble marred Wednesday #39;s Carling Cup tie between West Ham and Chelsea. Police in riot gear were confronted by a section of the West Ham support after the match which the Blues won 1-0.


FOOTBALL: DONS PUT BHOYS IN A STEW ABERDEEN boosted their reputation and brought the championship race alive with a dramatic win at Celtic Park last night. Substitute John Stewart pounced in injury time after poor defending to give Aberdeen


WENGER GUNNING FOR MORE GLORY Arsene Wenger has pledged to remain Arsenal manager as long as he is able to continue the work he is doing now. Wenger has signed a three-year extension to his current deal that will keep him with the London outfit until 2008.


Baseball: Bonds 700th homer ball nets 804,000 dollars SAN FRANCISCO, United States : Barry Bonds historic 700th home run ball fetched 804,129 US dollars in an online auction which concluded on Wednesday, the auction organizers announced.


Potent arsenal Fred Robbins spent four years as Daunte Culpepper #39;s teammate, and since quarterbacks always are off limits in practice, he never has had a chance to hit him.


PGA numbers game Rod Pampling has never been to the Tour Championship. Justin Leonard has never missed one. Jim Furyk has one last chance to extend his streak to seven years with at least one PGA Tour victory.


Health of Arafat said to deteriorate The health of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat deteriorated yesterday, and Palestinian doctors were rushed to his Ramallah compound in the


Buried toddler survives A two-year-old boy was rescued yesterday after surviving four days buried in a landslide from the powerful quake that ravaged northern Japan over the weekend.


PLEASE DON #39;T BRING THE TROOPS TO BAGHDAD ..PLEASE RELEASE THE <b>...</b> HOSTAGE Margaret Hassan was last night shown on a new video pleading for British troops not to be sent to Baghdad. As the Black Watch headed towards the  quot;triangle of death quot; outside the Iraqi


Russia ratifies Kyoto Protocol MOSCOW - The Kyoto Protocol overcame its final legislative hurdle in Russia when the upper house of parliament ratified the global climate pact Wednesday and sent it on to President Vladimir Putin for his signature -etting the stage for the treaty


Police defies court and deports S.African unionists Zimbabwean police expelled a South African trade union team early yesterday in defiance of a court order allowing them to stay until the afternoon, union officials said.


Despite uncertainty, taxpayers should Politics has made year-end tax planning problematic. Although tax policy is fixed for 2004, it #39;s been difficult to strategize into the future without knowing who the president would be through 2008.


A Leap at Freedom for Afghan Wives Three years after the fall of the Taliban, women remain subject to many legal, religious and cultural restrictions and domestic violence is endemic.


Brazilian Police Raid Kroll, Make Arrests Police raided the Brazilian offices of international security consultant Kroll Inc., seizing evidence and arresting five employees amid allegations Kroll illegally spied in a probe of a bitter corporate dispute.


Band Aid single poised for No 1 The new Band Aid version of  Do They Know It's Christmas? looks set to go straight to the top of the UK singles chart.


Love must stand trial for assault Courtney Love must stand trial for assault for assault after a court hears testimony from her alleged victim.


A wake-up call Dr. David Andorsky, a resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital, woke up from a two-hour nap in the on-call room at 6:30 a.m. last Tuesday. Andorsky had been on duty since 7 a.m. the previous day and still had a few hours to go caring for patients in the intensive care unit.


Marsh Mac's \$845m hole Talk about a tough sales call. Marsh  amp; McLennan Co.'s top managers, led by new chief executive Michael Cherkasky, took their corporate rehabilitation story to Wall Street yesterday in a conference call with stock analysts. The gist of the plans had been publicly revealed the day before.


Novartis to share diabetes research Swiss drug giant Novartis SA said yesterday it is spending \$4 million to fund scientists performing diabetes research at Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Broad Institute, and will make the findings public for other scientists to use.


Stocks rally, end above 10,000 Stocks rose sharply yesterday, extending their rally for a second session as investors expressed relief over plummeting oil prices following a government report that showed an increase in crude inventories. The Dow Jones industrial average had its second straight triple-digit gain, pushing back above the 10,000 mark.


Hurricanes fail to dampen economy The US economy continued to grow in the early fall despite being buffeted by rising energy costs and hurricanes, the Federal Reserve said yesterday, providing its last snapshot of business conditions before Election Day.


Oil prices fall nearly 5 to below \$53 a barrel Oil futures prices sank nearly 5 percent yesterday, dropping below \$53 a barrel, as concerns about tight winter-fuel supplies eased, at least temporarily, and traders turned their attention to rising US inventories of crude.


Delta, pilots union agree to concessions package Delta Air Lines' pilots union said last night it had reached a tentative pact on concessions that could save the struggling carrier from bankruptcy.


Software firm to expand, add jobs The MathWorks, a Natick software firm, plans to expand its Route 9 location and add hundreds of jobs in the coming years following a deal with state and local officials granting the company a tax break.


High-tech CEO is bullish on region's economic future Last month , IntelliCorp, a software company with offices in the United Kingdom and Silicon Valley, celebrated the opening of its new East Coast office in Westborough. The expansion was welcomed by officials in the administration of Governor Romney, who have trumpeted state government's role in attracting high-tech companies. Massachusetts seems like a logical base for IntelliCorp's East Coast operations ...


Voters OK tax break for technology park Town Meeting on Monday decided that Maynard has more to gain than to lose by granting a tax break for a vacant technology park.


Two tech firms grow by acquisitions Two local corporations, Zoll Medical Corp. of Chelmsford and Viisage Technology Inc. of Billerica, recently acquired companies in an effort to gain further market share in their respective industries.


Rise in oil stocks drives prices down Singapore - Crude oil futures slid further on Thursday, as concerns over heating oil supplies ahead of a cold Northern Hemisphere winter eased because of a rise in US crude stocks.


Royal Dutch/Shell merges companies Royal Dutch/Shell will merge its Dutch and British holding companies, the oil giant said on Thursday, as it seeks to address the failings that led to a shock downgrade in proven oil reserves in January.


Elan Corp. Reports Widening 3Q Loss Elan Corp. PLC, Ireland #39;s largest pharmaceutical firm, reported widening third-quarter losses Thursday but predicted a return to profit in 2006.


Quarter of Bulgarians Ignorant of Internet-Report (Reuters) Reuters - Over three quarters of Bulgarians have\never used the Internet, and 23 percent do not know what the\word means, a survey published in daily newspaper Sega said on\Thursday. Citing data from polling agency Alpha Research, Sega\said 77 percent of the EU candidate country's eight million\people had never been on line.


UMC posts 160 surge in earnings TAIPEI United Microelectronics Corp., the world #39;s second-largest supplier of made-to-order semiconductors, said on Wednesday that its third-quarter profit rose 160 percent from a year earlier.


Kezman nearly blinded by thugs Chelsea star Mateja Kezman was almost blinded when a coin was thrown at him as another London football match was plunged into violence.


Haywood suspended 3 games Brendan Haywood of the Wizards was suspended for three games by the league for fighting during a preseason game against the Bulls.


MINNESOTA SPLATS Each week it #39;s about numbers. Numbers, numbers, numbers. Look at the opponent, analyze the numbers. This week is no different, but perhaps it should be.


Yasser Arafat  #39;very sick #39; RAMALLAH: Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is  quot;very, very sick quot; and the ex-guerrilla who for decades symbolised a struggle for statehood is slipping in and out of consciousness, officials and medics said today.


Report: Iraqs Ramadi province near chaos NEW YORK - The US military and the interim government of Iraq are rapidly losing control of Ramadi, a provincial capital in Iraq located near sister city Fallujah, the New York Times reported on Thursday.


Russia #39;s Parliament ratifies Kyoto MOSCOW - Russia #39;s upper house of Parliament on Wednesday ratified the Kyoto Protocol, sending it to President Vladimir Putin for the final stamp of approval.


New Bush administration may tilt in Beijing #39;s favor US President George W. Bush, if he wins re-election in the Nov. 2 poll, is likely to tilt greatly in favor of Beijing over the issue of Taiwan.


In Slovakia, the Roma stir change KOSICE, Slovakia -- When Ivan Hriczko strode casually into the Twelve Apostles, a fashionable restaurant in this steel city, diners idled their forks and turned their heads.


With its cellphones, 3d World shrinking IQUITOS, Peru -- A few miles downriver from this city in the western Amazon jungle, Andres Alvarado hops off a boat and walks up a muddy path to a hollowed-out log resting on a wooden stand. He beats the log with a stick, sending a series of low-pitched tones into the rain forest.


Advice, facts a call away in Vietnam HANOI -- What's the best way to sue my neighbor? How big is Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum? Is surgery necessary to remove a bunion? Am I pregnant?


EU's Barroso pulls commission STRASBOURG, France -- The president-elect of the European Commission withdrew his proposed EU executive team yesterday to avoid an unprecedented European Parliament defeat, plunging the 25-nation bloc into political turmoil.


Health of Arafat said to deteriorate JERUSALEM -- The health of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat deteriorated yesterday, and Palestinian doctors were rushed to his Ramallah compound in the West Bank to treat what has so far been diagnosed as a stomach disorder, according to senior Palestinian officials.


On island, scientists unearth modern humans' tiny cousin Scientists have unearthed a new species of hobbit-sized humans that may have lived as recently as 12,000 years ago, sharing the earth alongside modern-day man.


Japan urges Iraq hostage's release TOKYO -- Japan scrambled yesterday to win the release of a 24-year-old Japanese man taken hostage by Islamic militants in Iraq, dispatching high-level diplomats to the Middle East and launching an appeal for his freedom on Arabic television.


British troops in Iraq begin redeployment BAGHDAD -- British troops and armory rolled north from Basra yesterday to take over a deadly area near Baghdad and free up US troops for an expected attack on the rebel-held city of Fallujah.


Gunmen kill Iraqis working for US Insurgents kill 21 Iraqis, mostly civilians working for the US military, in separate attacks across the country.


YES!!!  ST. LOUIS -- They did it for the old folks in Presque Isle, Maine, and White River Junction, Vt. They did it for the baby boomers in North Conway, N.H., and Groton, Mass. They did it for the kids in Central Falls, R.I., and Putnam, Conn.


ON TOP OF THE WORLD They did it for the old folks in Presque Isle, Maine, and White River Junction, Vt. They did it for the baby boomers in North Conway, N.H., and Groton, Mass. They did it for the kids in Central Falls, R.I., and Putnam, Conn.


From foremost to footnote They came into the World Series riding a wave of superlatives -- the best record in baseball during the regular season, anchored by a lineup with three MVP candidates, all capable of turning around a game in a heartbeat, unbeaten at home in the postseason.


Global attraction All over the world, legions of otherwise productive and healthy people found themselves unable to sleep for almost two weeks. Some have been staying up in loud bars until the wee hours of the morning; parents are waking up children before dawn to engage in strange, nocturnal rituals that involve howling and dancing in the living room. Neighbors ...


Schilling checks in with some heaters He wasn't  quot;Curt on the car phone quot; yesterday. He was  quot;Curt in the hotel room, quot; taking part in an online chat with the Boston Dirt Dogs and calling WEEI to chat on  quot;The Big Show quot; before last night's Game 4.


Heart of order had no pulse The Cardinals' trio of MVP candidates -- affectionately called MV3 -- is the heart, if not the soul, of the team's batting order. Officially, first baseman Albert Pujols , third baseman Scott Rolen , and center fielder Jim Edmonds combined to produce 122 home runs and 358 RBIs during the regular season. Unofficially they may go down ...


Big brother was Brett's inspiration They are young and strong and vibrant, their hair blowing in the wind, their smiles incandescent, their eyes awash with confidence in their own specialness. We call them larger than life. We call them immortal.


The possible dream Hail the lovable idiots. Bless the baseball gods. Raise a cup to the good souls in Red Sox lore -- from Ted Williams and Joe Cronin to Gary Waslewski and Pumpsie Green -- who chased but never captured the game's greatest prize.


Nixon's gamers end frustration An uncorked champagne bottle in his right hand, held hip-high as if he were waiting to slip it into a toolbelt, Trot Nixon repeatedly slipped back to his first days in a Red Sox uniform.


For Epstein, actions speak just as loud as words His torment lasted only 30 years, much less than most Red Sox fans', but unlike most, Theo Epstein actually did something about it.


Now the tears are of joy In a matter of 11 days, they turned the baseball world upside down. The Boston Red Sox, a franchise that had cornered the market on hardball heartache, that had shed too many tears and endured too many disappointments, vowed this time to alter history.


End of Series will bring a lot of questions Now what? Was winning the World Series truly the last hurrah for franchise players Pedro Martinez and Jason Varitek and more than a dozen teammates, including Derek Lowe and Orlando Cabrera , who are eligible for free agency?


Again, the winners were happy followers of Damon It would be the grandest finish to any of the 104 seasons of Boston Red Sox baseball, and Johnny Damon had a most electric way to start it off last night -- a rope into the Cardinals' bullpen on the game's fourth pitch from Jason Marquis.


Time to say thanks for job well done The manager is an afterthought, buried under the avalanche of publicity generated by his courageous, gimpy pitcher; his charming, devastating designated hitter; his forthright, charismatic, long-haired center fielder. Every day this march to the World Series has produced a new story or a new hero. There's Manny Ramirez, finally hitting a home run. There's Pedro Martinez, spinning ...


Punter Miller a return man this week For a guy about to play his former team for the first time since being let go during the offseason after eight years of quality service, Josh Miller shows no signs of reticence or resentment.


Rehabbing receivers are catching up Wide receiver Troy Brown , who injured his right shoulder Oct. 3 against Buffalo, practiced yesterday in a red (no contact) jersey, and is still listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh.


Broken thumb sidelines Payton Results of X-rays on Gary Payton's right hand revealed a non-displaced fracture in the point guard's right thumb. Payton did not play last night against the Pistons and had the top of his thumb bandaged, but the Celtics expect him to play in the season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night at the FleetCenter. It could be his first ...


College football game on TV VIRGINIA TECH (5-2) vs. GEORGIA TECH (4-2) When and where: Tonight, 7:30, at Atlanta. TV: ESPN. Last meeting: Georgia Tech won, 6-3, in 1990. AP ranking: Virginia Tech is No. 22. At a glance: The Hokies will try to win their fourth straight game and second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference contest when they take on the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech ...


Gold Helmet winners Anthony Vita, Brown In his first career start, the sophomore quarterback passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns, two in the fourth quarter, in a come-from-behind 21-17 victory over Cornell. Vita completed touchdown passes of 19, 11, and 24 yards.


Smith still feels sting Boston College junior forward Craig Smith , who slimmed down to a svelte 255 pounds during the offseason, yesterday earned preseason All-Big East first-team honors. Smith, who averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds last season, said he was driven in part by the nightmarish memory of his subpar performance in Boston College's 57-54 loss to Georgia Tech ...


They've hit a rough patch Two young talents. Two dreams on hold. Jim Salinetti and Justin Peters were dominant players on the local golf scene not long ago, Massachusetts Golf Association Players of the Year in 1997 (Salinetti), 1998 (Peters), and 1999-2000 (Salinetti). Collegiate standouts at the University of Rhode Island (Salinetti) and the University of Nevada-Reno (Peters), they chose to pursue professional golf, knowing ...


Madison Park snags a deadlock with Jets The Madison Park boys' soccer team had one goal in mind yesterday: spoiling No. 14 East Boston's perfect record of 14-0. It couldn't hand East Boston a loss, but earned a 2-2 tie.


Boeing earnings jump 78 Strong performances across the Boeing Co. quot;s defense systems businesses including the C-17 and X-45 programs based in Long Beach and future combat systems in Huntington Beach helped boost third


Red Sox Fans Exult at End of World Series 'Curse' (Reuters) Reuters - Tens of thousands of stunned, giddy Red\Sox fans stumbled through the streets of New England on\Thursday morning to celebrate something many thought\impossible: a World Series victory for baseball's perennial\also-rans that put an end to an 86-year-old curse.


Russia postpones launch of new space booster MOSCOW - Russias military has postponed the launch of a new-generation space booster rocket scheduled for this week, the defence ministry said on Thursday.


Arsenal Football Club and Manchester United Football Club hold <b>...</b> The top brass at Arsenal Football Club and Manchester United Football Club have met in the wake of Sundays game at Old Trafford.


Ailing Arafat joins Ramadan prayers RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat joined morning prayers for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan on Thursday despite his poor health, Palestinian officials said.


China Plans Renovation of Forbidden City (AP) AP - China plans to tear down a museum to restore the original appearance of its imperial palace in a sweeping renovation of the Forbidden City that will last until 2020, officials said on Thursday.


Cyclocross is making inroads PORTLAND, Ore. -- Roxy Cate has just finished a 45-minute cyclocross race: furiously pedaling through mucky turns and along rain-soaked grassy straightaways, running several times up a nearly vertical hill with her bike slung over her shoulder, and leaping with it over wooden barriers.


Sports Calendar Newton KID AND TEEN FITNESS. Fitness programs are taught by certified professionals at the West Suburban YMCA and are open to kids ages 7-14. Provides a fun environment for kids to increase their overall fitness and learn the basics of exercise. Classes run Monday and Wednesday. For more information, visit the YMCA website at www.YMCAinNewton.org.


NASCAR driver Spencer is fired Morgan McClure Motorsports fired NASCAR driver Jimmy Spencer yesterday. Spencer, who finished 29th in Sunday's Subway 500 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, was arrested and accused of interfering with police officers that night as they attempted to serve a warrant on his son. Police went to Spencer's home in Cornelius, N.C. Sunday night to arrest James Jonathan Spencer Jr. ,18, on ...


Zito taking shot at triple crowning Trainer Nick Zito has come to Lone Star Park with Birdstone, an outstanding 3-year-old who has a shot in Saturday's \$4 million Breeders' Cup Classic. It is less known that Zito also brought two good 2-year-olds, a colt, Sun King, and a filly, In The Gold, but they are legitimate contenders in the juvenile divisions.


At odds with oddsmaker Making the morning line is a difficult job, and Lone Star Park oddsmaker Rick Lee did not escape the wrath of trainer D. Wayne Lukas when Lee established the mare Azeri at 15-1 for the Classic during yesterday's post position draw for Saturday's Breeders' Cup. Pleasantly Perfect, the leading candidate to be Horse of the Year, ...


Digital sales honour for OutKast OutKast become the first act to be awarded a multi-platinum award for paid-for music downloads.


Stox #39; surge fueled by dip in oil prices by dip in oil prices. BY TOM VAN RIPER. A plunge in oil prices propelled stocks to big gains yesterday, with the Dow closing above 10,000 for the first time in two weeks.


DreamWorks #39; initial offering pulls in 812M DreamWorks Animation creator of  quot;Shrek quot; and  quot;Shark Tale, quot; raised \$812 million in an initial public offering to fund more moviemaking.


Shell and ICI lead FTSE charge The FTSE 100 has raced higher, led by ICI after it issued an upbeat outlook and Shell as investors welcome its streamlined structure and robust results.


Nortel: Once More, with Filing After having promised to file its revisions by the end of October, Nortel Networks Corp. said it would delay its long-awaited restatement for the second time.


AMD Geode Personal Internet Communicator launched CHIP FIRM AMD said it has introduced its Geode based Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) in a cooperative deal with Indian giant Tata Indicom Broadband.


The Countdown Begins Wednesday was a big day in the countdown to Super Bowl 2006, as the NFL came to Dearborn Wednesday to unveil the official logo for Detroits big event.


Arafat Prays as Israel Prepares for his Death Ailing Yasser Arafat performed Muslim prayers before dawn today, but his condition remains serious and a team of doctors flying in from Arab countries will decide whether he needs to be transferred from his compound to a hospital.


Barroso opts for last minute  #39;face saver #39; An eleventh hour face saving move by the President-Designate of the European Commission Jos Manuel Durao Barroso managed to diffuse an institutional crisis in the European Union yesterday.


French Soldier Threatens to Blow Up Explosives  PARIS (Reuters) - About 400 inhabitants of three villages  in France's eastern region of Marne were evacuated on Sunday  after a soldier threatened to blow up a site storing  explosives.


Car Bomb Hits U.S. Patrol in Iraq; 2 Dead (AP) AP - A car bomb exploded Thursday in southern Baghdad, killing a U.S. soldier and at least one Iraqi civilian, the U.S. military said.


Report: 'Huge Fortune' Spent on Media Influence (Reuters) Reuters - Unions and big\communications companies spent more than  #36;1.1 billion in their\efforts to elect lawmakers and influence the government over\the past half-decade, according to a report released Wednesday.


Kurdish Rebels Ambush Turkish Troops, One Dead  DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - Kurdish guerrillas ambushed  a Turkish military convoy in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday  evening, killing one soldier and injuring another three,  military sources said.


Cursed No More Hordes of Bostonians, who can no longer be described as "long-suffering," celebrate the first World Series title in 86 years.


Simulating Psychosis II: Virtual Unreality Psychologists and neuroscientists have spent several decades producing theoretical models of the mental processes and neural networks that might  be involved in the kaleidoscopic state of psychosis. Largely concerned with simulating the nuts-and-bolts of the mind and brain, these  computer models generate results that tend only to be of interest to researchers and their scientific colleagues. More recently, scientists have decided to harness the power of virtual reality, in an attempt to move beyond the confines of theory, to simulate the experience of psychosis itself.


Hosts Germany to kick off 2006 World Cup Frankfurt - Tournament hosts Germany will kick off the 2006 World Cup finals, Fifa said on Wednesday. Germany will play the opening match on 9 June 2006, in Munich, although Germany coach Jrgen Klinsmann


Al Qaida suspect goes on trial The Indonesian cleric accused of heading the al Qaida-linked terror group behind the 2002 Bali bombings proclaimed his innocence as he went on trial today, while prosecutors alleged he spurred followers in  quot;the waging of war quot; against America and its allies


13 killed in Siberian mine explosion At least 13 people were killed and up to 23 injured in an explosion in a Siberian mine. The blast, which was caused by methane, happened as a repair team was fixing a section of the mine near Russia #39;s border with Mongolia.


THE MYTH OF THE  #39;MISSING EXPLOSIVES #39;: A SHAMELESS LIE SHOULD the United Na tions decide who be comes our president? Sen. John Kerry wouldn #39;t mind. He #39;s shamelessly promoting the lies that the UN #39;s International Atomic Energy Agency is telling about Iraq.


Royal Dutch/Shell Reports Earnings Double The Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Cos. said Thursday third quarter earnings doubled, and it unveiled plans for its two holding companies to merge.


Update 5: Volkswagen, Workers Head Into More Talks Negotiators from Volkswagen and the IG Metall industrial union headed into a fifth round of wage talks Thursday, with the union threatening to launch a flurry of short warning strikes if it doesn #39;t get the job guarantees and wage increases it #39;s demanding.


Cassini flyby gives little news on Titan Saturn #39;s mysterious moon Titan remained much of a mystery despite a close reconnaissance by the Cassini spacecraft. Pictures taken through the thick, hazy atmosphere as Cassini


Google vs Yahoo: Battle moves to the mobile While Google SMS uses text-only messages to deliver its results, Yahoo #39;s new mobile service offers localised search results, maps and website icons that let people point, click and make a call.


That Steve Ballmer Linux memo in full BELOW surely bellow, Ed. is the full text of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer #39;s letter to his customers - we #39;re one by the way.


Report lauds locals #39; help in disasters Local communities are often better at dealing with the effects of natural disasters than international aid agencies, a new report says.


AGASSI BACK ON TRACK Top seed Andre Agassi began the quest for his second title of year with a comfortable victory in the first round of the Stockholm Open.


Germany to play the 2006 WC opener match Hosts Germany will open the 2006 World Cup in Munich on June 9, it was confirmed on Wednesday following a FIFA meeting in Zurich. German national coach Jurgen Klinsmann initially


Royal Dutch/Shell Unifies  LONDON/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Oil major Royal Dutch/Shell  Group said it was merging its Dutch and British holding  companies as it seeks to address failings that led to a shock  downgrade in proven oil reserves.


Indonesia indicts Ba #39;asyir with Bali, Marriott bombings Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir Thursday was accused of having incited others to carry out last year #39;s Jakarta Marriott Hotel bombing that killed 12 people.


Turkey is the 113rd in RSFs Freedom List RSFs third annual worlwide press freedom index says East Asia and Middle East have worst press freedom records EU members among the first 40; Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia lag behind.


Sudanese governor accuses rebels of rape Khartoum - A top official in Sudan #39;s war-torn Darfur region accused rebels of attacking villages and raping women in what he said was a new violation of a fragile ceasefire, a newspaper reported on Sunday.


Honda profits drop as sales start to sag However, the decline is not as bad as analysts had expected, and the company raises its profit outlook. By Todd Zaun. TOKYO -- The Honda Motor Co.


Nigerian Protection Force Leaves for Darfur (Reuters) Reuters - An elite contingent of 50 Nigerian\soldiers left Nigeria on Thursday for Darfur, the first stage\in the deployment of 3,000 extra African Union (AU) troops to\monitor a shaky cease-fire in the western Sudanese region.


U.S. Bombs Suspected Rebel Site in Iraq (AP) AP - U.S. aircraft bombed a suspected rebel safehouse Thursday in the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, killing two people, the U.S. military and witnesses said.


Heat may have killed Briton found dead in Australian outback: police (AFP) AFP - A British tourist found dead in the Australian outback near its famed Ayers Rock may have died of heat exhaustion and exposure, police said.


Macs under attack ... kind of PETALING JAYA: Sophos Plc is urging Mac OS X administrators to arm themselves against an  quot;anti-security quot; worm known as  quot;Renepo.


Kaneira strikes twice against Sri Lanka Karachi - Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria dismissed Sri Lanka #39;s opening batsmen in the first session on Thursday to give Pakistan an early break in the second cricket Test.


Judge adjourns Ba #39;asyir #39;s trial until Nov. 4 : The trial of Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir, the alleged spiritual leader of Southeast Asian terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah, has been adjourned for a week until Nov. 4, the presiding judge Soedarto said on Thursday.


Moving toward peace in the Middle East With news of politics, war and baseball dominating the headlines, it is easy to overlook events in faraway lands. But people interested in long-term peace in the Middle East should be encouraged by the historic


IRAQ U.S. Air Strike Kills Two in Iraq's Falluja  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. planes bombed the Iraqi city of  Falluja overnight, killing two people, in a new strike on  rebels digging in for an expected U.S.-led offensive.


Nigerian Protection Force Leaves for Darfur  ABUJA (Reuters) - An elite contingent of 50 Nigerian  soldiers left Nigeria on Thursday for Darfur, the first stage  in the deployment of 3,000 extra African Union (AU) troops to  monitor a shaky cease-fire in the western Sudanese region.


Ivorian paper vendors 'attacked' A Paris-based pressure group condemns the intimidation of newspaper vendors in Ivory Coast.


IRAQ U.S. Air Strike Kills Two in Iraq's Falluja (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. planes bombed the Iraqi city of\Falluja overnight, killing two people, in a new strike on\rebels digging in for an expected U.S.-led offensive.


Xstrata Offers A\$7.4 Billion for WMC to Add Nickel (Update4) Xstrata Plc, the world #39;s biggest exporter of coal for power plants, offered to buy WMC Resources Ltd. for A\$7.4 billion (\$5.5 billion) in cash to add nickel and copper mines as China #39;s demand for metals grows.


Nortel Networks fait le point sur sa situation TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 27, 2004--Nortel Networks Corporation (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT) et sa principale filiale oprationnelle Nortel Networks Limited (NNL #39;) ont fait le point ce jour  la suite de l #39;mission de directives de communication


Panda playground in Wolong unwired China #39;s Wolong Nature Reserve is unwired to aid researchers in the study of the endangered giant panda. A broadband and wireless communications network within China #39;s Wolong


FA investigate Stanford Bridge crowd chaos The Football Association has started an investigation into crowd trouble at Chelsea #39;s League Cup match with West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.


SCOTS IN THE FIRING LINE: PIN-UP AND A AT  #39;EM BOYS THE brave lads of the Black Watch yesterday began their treacherous journey north through Iraq. Scores of troops left their temporary home in Basra - one of Saddam Hussein #39;s old palaces, now


The Force is strong in Battlefront Star Wars: Battlefront is an absolute blast and one of the most immediately satisfying game offerings yet from George Lucas' stable.


Mideast lull presents new chance for peace It has been almost a month since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s death and, as many had hoped, there are already some hopeful signs that his passing could lead to renewed peace initiatives between Israel and the Palestinians.


Oil Extends Slide After Crude Build Slump  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil extended its retreat on Thursday,  taking two-day losses to 6 percent after an unexpectedly large  rise in U.S. crude inventories spurred speculative funds to  take profits out of record high prices.


Royal Dutch/Shell Unifies (Reuters) Reuters - Oil major Royal Dutch/Shell\Group said it was merging its Dutch and British holding\companies as it seeks to address failings that led to a shock\downgrade in proven oil reserves.