Johnson  amp; Johnson missing out on stent sales Johnson  amp; Johnson can't supply cardiac stents fast enough to capitalize on three recent recalls by archrival Boston Scientific Corp. , say cardiologists who use both companies' medical devices.


Janus settles; tab is \$226m DENVER -- Janus Capital Group Inc. said yesterday it has finalized a \$226.2 million settlement with state and federal regulators over allegations of improper market-timing trades.


SEC tells funds to end perks The Securities and Exchange Commission ordered mutual funds to stop paying higher commissions to brokers who promote the companies' funds and required portfolio managers to reveal investments in funds they supervise.


Delta says it will cut more jobs ATLANTA -- Struggling Delta Air Lines Inc. plans additional job cuts as part of its effort to avoid bankruptcy, chief executive Gerald Grinstein said yesterday in a memo to employees.


Logan may benefit from fewer O'Hare flights WASHINGTON -- Flight reductions by 16 major airlines serving O'Hare International Airport -- the result of two weeks of talks with the Transportation Department to alleviate traffic at the overburdened Chicago airport -- are expected to improve on-time performance nationwide, including at Logan International Airport in Boston, where schedules have suffered because of O'Hare delays, according to aviation officials and ...


Pact to organize workers expires at Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless, the largest US mobile-phone operator, said a four-year agreement that would have made it easier for workers to join unions has expired.


Prepare for stormy weather with a 'disaster file' As we watched television coverage of Hurricane Charley last weekend, my wife and I reminisced about a time nearly two decades ago when we lived in Florida and got the word to evacuate.


Lindows delays planned offering SAN DIEGO -- Software vendor Lindows Inc. formally postponed its initial public offering yesterday, citing adverse market conditions.


Making most of momentum To Lynn Sand, the decision by 3Com Corp. to move its worldwide headquarters to Marlborough a year ago was a sure sign that Massachusetts can lure businesses with the best of them.


IPod Music Player Winning Over Japan Fans (AP) AP - When Sony Corp. President Kunitake Ando showed off the new Walkman meant to counter the assault by Apple's iPod portable music player, he held the prized gadget at the gala event upside down.


High and mighty He was dead and buried 6 feet under the landing mat, and he knew it.  quot;That's it, I'm done, quot; Paul Hamm told himself last night, after he'd tumbled from first to 12th with a slip of a foot on the vault.


Gagne blows his 2d save Pinch-hitter Lenny Harris delivered a three-run double off Eric Gagne with two outs in the ninth, rallying the Florida Marlins past the Dodgers, 6-4, last night in Los Angeles.


Millar gladly takes the fifth With each passing day, with each frozen rope he's been lacing, Kevin Millar has been sending a clear message to American League managers: Go ahead and walk David Ortiz. You'll be sorry.


Sweeping sensation The jarring image of a brooding David Ortiz angrily snapping his maple bat over his knee?


Purpose pitch  It's a pitch she's been waiting 32 years to make. So when Maria Pepe, a skinny, stony-hearted, 44-year-old New Jersey hospital administrator winds up on the mound tomorrow to throw out the first pitch at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., the healing will be complete for an 11-year-old girl done wrong by Little League ...


Bowa's status with Phillies is shaky Larry Bowa's time as Philadelphia Phillies' manager could be running out. General manager Ed Wade declined to give Bowa an endorsement before last night's game against the Houston Astros, saying only,  quot;He's the manager. quot; Told that comment can be interpreted many ways, Wade replied:  quot;Interpret it any way you want. quot; The fiery Bowa has come under scrutiny because the injury-plagued ...


Bellhorn poised to make his return The Red Sox may get some urgent relief from their injury crisis as early as tomorrow with the return of Mark Bellhorn . The second baseman, whose left thumb was fractured Aug. 1 by a 94-mile-an-hour fastball from Minnesota closer Joe Nathan , recovered faster than expected and reported to Triple A Pawtucket last night for a rehabilitation assignment.


Belichick won't issue any passing grades Tom Brady delivered the signature play of the Patriots' first exhibition game. He dropped back, scrambled to his left, and with Eagles defender N.D. Kalu tugging at his jersey, whipped a spinning first down pass to David Patten .


Sanders excites Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are excited about the prospect of having Deion Sanders come out of retirement and be a part of their defensive backfield. The question now is: Will he take them up on their offer?


Court rules for BC in flap over exit fee Boston College cleared a major legal hurdle in its bid to join the Atlantic Coast Conference yesterday when a Massachusetts Superior Court judge issued summary judgment in favor of the school's attempt to depart the Big East next July under the old provisions of the conference's constitution.


Perk a flight of fancy In a world where enticements and incentives are abundant, it was stunning to hear players at the PGA Championship talk about the latest perk that took them by surprise. How about six free first-class, round-trip tickets to Ireland?


Philo puts finishing touch on elusive crown Swirling winds and 252 yards of a confounding downhill shot created quite a backup at Brae Burn Country Club's par-3 17th hole yesterday, player after player having to pursue shots that were blown off line. But when he got to the tee, Ron Philo Jr. wasn't about to complain about the delay.


Hard recovery from losses The Massachusetts golf community took a hit last week, losing two distinguished personalities. Ted Carangelo and Ted Kenerson were men of great spirit, devoted to their families, to their businesses, to their golf clubs, and most definitely to the integrity of the game.


Vana remains in hunt Frank Vana Jr. is the lone remaining Massachusetts entry in the US Amateur Championship after three days of play at a demanding Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.


Pro tours: The stops and the talk WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS Event: NEC Invitational Site: Firestone Country Club, South Course (7,230 yards, par 70), Akron, Ohio. Schedule: Today-Sunday. Purse: \$7 million. Winner's share: \$1.2 million. Television: ESPN (today-tomorrow, 3-7 p.m.) and Channel 4 (Saturday, 2-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-6:30 p.m.). Last year: Darren Clarke won his second WGC title, beating Jonathan Kaye by four strokes. Last week: Vijay Singh ...


At least six Georgian soldiers killed in separatist region clashes (AFP) AFP - At least six Georgian soldiers were killed and seven wounded in overnight clashes in Georgia's separatist, pro-Russian region of South Ossetia, an official with the Georgian interior ministry told AFP.


Concerns detailed on climate change COPENHAGEN -- Rising sea levels, disappearing glaciers in the Alps, and more deadly heat waves are coming for Europeans because of global warming, Europe's environmental agency warned yesterday. The European Environment Agency said much more needs to be done -- and fast. Climate change  quot;will considerably affect our societies and environments for decades and centuries to come, quot; its 107-page report ...


8 British terror suspects brought to court LONDON -- Eight men charged with conspiracy to murder in a trans-Atlantic terror plot made their first court appearance yesterday in a case that has added to the fierce debate over Britain's terrorism laws and heightened fears in the country's Islamic community of an anti-Muslim backlash.


Militants in video threaten to kill journalist BAGHDAD -- A militant group said it has kidnapped a missing Western journalist with Boston-area ties and would kill him if US forces did not leave the holy Shi'ite city of Najaf within 48 hours, Al-Jazeera reported yesterday.


Report won't put blame on top brass WASHINGTON -- A long-awaited report on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal will implicate about two dozen military intelligence soldiers and civilian contractors in the intimidation and sexual humiliation of Iraq war prisoners, but will not suggest wrongdoing by military brass outside the prison, senior defense officials said yesterday.


Interim assembly selected in Iraq BAGHDAD -- Taking a halting step toward a democratic government, Iraqi political and religious leaders selected an interim national assembly yesterday that includes representatives from many of the parties that control the current government.


Terror suspects' photos shown  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Photos were published yesterday in newspapers across Pakistan of six terror suspects, including a senior Al Qaeda operative, the government says were behind attempts to assassinate the nation's president.


New Jersey Nets Team Report - December 7 (Sports Network) - The New Jersey Nets try for their third consecutive win this evening when they head to Cleveland to face LeBron James and the Cavaliers at Gund Arena.


Harris' Double Leads Marlins Past Dodgers (AP) AP - Lenny Harris has come up with clutch hits throughout his record-breaking career as a pinch hitter. His three-run double off Eric Gagne was a bit more special than most. Harris pushed his major league record for pinch hits to 190 Wednesday night, lining a bases-clearing double into right-center with two outs in the ninth to rally the Florida Marlins past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4.


Van Den Hoogenband and Popov Out of 50m Freestyle  ATHENS (Reuters) - Olympic 100 meters freestyle champion  Pieter van den Hoogenband and world champion Alexander Popov  were both eliminated in the heats of the men's 50 meters  freestyle in a major shock in the Olympic swimming pool on  Thursday.


Food prices rise on second day of blockade of Nepal's capital (AFP) AFP - A blockade of the Nepalese capital called by Maoist rebels entered a second day, causing a rise in food prices and prompting the government to declare the city had enough supplies for a month.


Magnificent Seven composer dies Movie composer Elmer Bernstein, creator of The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape, dies aged 82.


Rite-Aid slapped after warning CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Rite Aid were hurting pretty good early Tuesday, falling about 5 percent after the drugstore chain warned that weak sales trends could bring its fiscal 2005 numbers in well below previous hopes.


Google prices its shares at \$85 WASHINGTON  Google closed the unusual auction for its shares yesterday and prepared for its stock to begin trading at \$85 per share, after weaker-than-expected demand from investors forced it to drastically slash the price and size of ...


CIBC sale of Juniper completes US retail retreat Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce sold its last retail banking operation in the United States yesterday, ending a brief, but tumultuous, foray south of the border.


Ford dumps Oracle CAR FIRM Ford has given up trying to integrate Oracle #39;s Everest system into its networks as a bad job.


Henry the turtle heads for the sea - and fame Malaysia - A turtle named Henry headed for the South China Sea one recent moonless night. He was one hour old and not much bigger than a bug, but his flat-flippered dash down the beach showed a determination to live bred into him by ...


Hamm #39;s comeback America #39;s Olympic moment Because rarely is a rally so improbable, even the man who pulled it off didn #39;t believe he could. On the same day he crash-landed on the vault and dropped to 12th place, Hamm nailed his final two routines Wednesday evening to claim ...


Olympics Notebook: Kenteris, Thanou withdraw after ducking drug tests ATHENS, Greece -- A dark cloud over the Games lifted yesterday as Greece #39;s top two sprinters pulled out rather than face expulsion over a missed drug test.


Harris #39; pinch double off Gagne leads Marlins past Dodgers Lenny Harris has come up with clutch hits throughout his record-breaking career as a pinch hitter. His three-run double off Eric Gagne was a bit more special than most.


NL notebook: Pettitte out for season; Clemens hurt The same day the Houston Astros announced that pitcher Andy Pettitte would have surgery on his troublesome left elbow next week, Roger Clemens left last night #39;s game against the Philadelphia Phillies with a strained right calf.


Google will float at \$85 a share Google's IPO share price is set at \$85, the bottom of its projected range, as the internet search engine goes public.


Doom 3 unleashes hell  Doom 3 combines hectic gameplay with genuine shocks to deliver a deliciously uncomfortable gaming experience.


Lindows Postpones IPO Its legal battles over, the software vendor will focus on sales until the market ripens.


Pakistan minister poised to become PM after by-election wins (AFP) AFP - The way was clear for Pakistan's Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz to become prime minister after unofficial results showed he had secured a seat in parliament's lower house by winning two by-elections.


Israeli PM defies party rebellion Israel's Ariel Sharon says he will push ahead with plans for Gaza disengagement, despite a rebuke from his Likud party.


Google Overcomes Regulatory, Marketing Gaffes to Do IPO Its Way Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The founders of Google Inc. did it their way, and then they paid the price. Sergey Brin, 30, and Larry Page, 31, completed an initial public offering of the largest Internet search firm yesterday using an unorthodox Dutch auction ...


Logan may benefit from fewer O #39;Hare flights WASHINGTON -- Flight reductions by 16 major airlines serving O #39;Hare International Airport -- the result of two weeks of talks with the Transportation Department to alleviate traffic at the ...


More Mars secrets uncovered The hills of Mars have yielded fresh clues about how water shaped the Red Planet. Scientists at NASA #39;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, revealed that the robotic explorers Spirit and Opportunity each made discoveries which indicate that water has ...


Sprint stars create new Greek tragedy ATHENS, Greece -- It was just after 8 am Wednesday, and across the street from the downtown Hilton, hundreds of media waited for the ultimate Greek tragedy to reach its sad conclusion.


American fouls out OLYMPIA, Greece - When this whole Olympic thing started, the winner of its single event, a 210-yard sprint, would have his name used to identify the Games rather than the year. For instance, 776 BC was the Coroibos Games because ...


England 3, Ukraine 0 David Beckham and Michael Owen went about making their peace with England #39;s deflated supporters last night with a goal apiece to help launch England to victory against Ukraine.


Singh has put PGA to rest AKRON -- As the \$7 million NEC Invitational begins today on Firestone County Club #39;s South Course, there is bad news for the 75 players in the field who aren #39;t Vijay Singh.


Buses defy rebel blockade of Nepal #39;s capital KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - A heavily guarded convoy of six buses snaked its way out of Nepal #39;s capital Thursday, the first vehicles to defy Maoist rebels who blockaded Katmandu this week with threats alone and without setting up a single roadblock.


Australian Foreign Minister Upbeat on North Korea Nuclear Talks Australia #39;s foreign minister says North Korea shows few signs of compromise but insists a negotiated settlement can still resolve the dispute over Pyongyang #39;s nuclear weapons.


Typhoon Megi kills 12 TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - Heavy rain from typhoon Megi has lashed South Korea and Japan, prompting the evacuation of some 3,000 people and leaving at least 12 dead. Some 165 Japanese children were trapped at a nature centre.


Baghdad bombs still haunt UN GENEVAUN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday met survivors and families of the 22 workers killed in a suicide bombing that shattered United Nations offices in Baghdad last year  an attack many employees refer to as  quot;our Sept. 11. quot; ...


Virtual gaming worlds overtake Namibia Inhabitants of virtual worlds are giving the games they play real economic power, a study has found.


Kerry Blames Rising Health Costs for Job Losses (Reuters) Reuters - Democrat John Kerry, citing a newly\commissioned study, said on Thursday that rising health care\expenses have cost American jobs and President Bush has done\nothing to solve the problem.


Bankrupt Commerce One Patents Fetch \$15.5M Bankrupt Internet software maker Commerce One Inc. auctioned off dozens of prized online patents for \$15.5 million in a sale that could provoke a legal scuffle over whether the new owner is entitled to collect royalties from a long list of technology heavyweights.


Amazon.com Experiences Sporadic Outage Some customers had trouble reaching Amazon.com's Web site on Monday in what analysts described as probable technical difficulties for the world's largest online retailer during the crucial holiday selling season.


EU backs Lamy for trade position The European Commission is backing its former trade commissioner Pascal Lamy to become the next head of the World Trade Organisation.


Tokyo Stocks Close Up for Third Day (Reuters) Reuters - Japanese shares rose for a third straight\day on Thursday, advancing over one percent as a rally on Wall\Street encouraged buying of technology issues such as Toshiba\Corp. and Shin-Etsu Chemical


Tokyo Stocks Close Up for Third Day  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese shares rose for a third straight  day on Thursday, advancing over one percent as a rally on Wall  Street encouraged buying of technology issues such as Toshiba  Corp. and Shin-Etsu Chemical


Lindows Postpones IPO (PC World) PC World - Its legal battles over, the software vendor will focus on sales until the market ripens.


Israel's Top Court Upholds Dropping of Sharon Case (Reuters) Reuters - Israel's High Court said on Thursday\it was upholding a decision by the country's attorney-general\to drop a bribery case against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.


Israel's Top Court Upholds Dropping of Sharon Case  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's High Court said on Thursday  it was upholding a decision by the country's attorney-general  to drop a bribery case against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.


New Fingerprint Scans Expand to Borders Foreigners entering the United States zipped through the lines at the main port here and several other locations in Arizona and California as a new digital screening program went into effect.


Clashes Erupt in Najaf Despite Peace Plan NAJAF, Iraq - Sporadic gunfire and explosions boomed through Najaf on Thursday despite a peace deal in which radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr agreed to disarm his militiamen and pull them out of a revered Shiite shrine they've been taking refuge in.    As clashes in Najaf continued, Arab television station Al-Jazeera aired a video Thursday showing a militant group that called itself the Martyrs Brigade vowing to kill a missing Western journalist if U.S...


Debit Cards  Give Plastic Edge Over Paper 2003 was the first time plastic and other electronic payment methods beat out checks, according to a survey released yesterday by the Federal Reserve.


More Web Shopping Is What's in Store The retail sector overall may be reporting a sluggish start to the season, but holiday shoppers are scooping up tech goods at a brisk pace -- and they're scouring the Web for bargains more than ever. -washingtonpost.com


NY Atty General Spitzer to Run for Gov.  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Eliot  Spitzer will announce on Tuesday he will run for governor of  the state in 2006, a spokeswoman said.


Treasury Prices Falter Before Auctions  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasuries faltered on Tuesday  after a blistering two-session rally ran out of steam, though  analysts still saw room to the upside given the large  short-base in the market.


Dollar Awaits Data, Yen Down from Peak  LONDON (Reuters) - The yen held close to the previous  session's four-week high against the dollar on Thursday while  the dollar held steady on the euro as investors awaited U.S.  labor and manufacturing data due later.  The Japanese currency  rose to a high of 109.28 per dollar late on Wednesday, as cross  currents in the market, mainly from a steep sterling fall,  forced yen sellers to buy the Japanese currency back, pushing  it higher against the dollar.


Maoist rebel blockade begins to pinch Nepal capital (Reuters) Reuters - Maoist rebels kept vehicles off roads leading to Nepal's capital for a second day on Thursday and residents said fuel was being rationed and food prices had begun to rise.


China Bans Video Game for Breach of Sovereignty  BEIJING (Reuters) - China, sensitive about issues of  national sovereignty, has banned a computer sports game that  classifies Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Tibet as countries and  has threatened to fine Web sites that supply the game and net  cafes that let patrons download it.


After Wait, Google Set for Market Debut NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. will make their Nasdaq stock market debut on Thursday after the year #39;s most anticipated initial public offering priced far below initial estimates, raising \$1.67 billion.


Qantas posts record annual profit SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Qantas profits soared to a record 648.8 million Australian dollars (US\$463.8 million, euro 376 million) in the past fiscal year, thanks to rising passenger numbers despite fears of Iraq war-related terrorism and the aftermath of ...


Pentagon backs off threat to withhold Halliburton fees WASHINGTON - The Army has abruptly reversed itself and decided to pay all of Halliburton Co. #39;s fees to house and feed US troops in Iraq and Kuwait after the company threatened to legally challenge the effort to penalize it.


A Long Goodbye at Equifax Give them credit, they #39;re starting the CEO search with plenty of lead time. Early in the day on Aug. 18, Thomas F. Chapman, chairman and CEO of Equifax, stated his intention to retire sometime in late 2005, according to a company statement. While such an ...


Real slashes Music Prices RealNetworks has slashed the price for downloading music taking the online music market competition a step further.


Texas Firm Targets Teens With Package Of Digital Features Teenagers tend to like instant messaging, TV watching, net surfing, music listening, and shopping, so an Austin, Texas, company has decided to package digital features coveted by teenagers in a PC targeted specifically at teenaged ...


Hamm gold by a sliver ATHENS - Paul Hamm feared he had blown a shot for a medal when he stumbled at the end of his performance in the vault, his fourth event in the six-event men #39;s individual all-around final. But the freckle-faced gymnast from Wisconsin ...


Hamilton Wins Olympic Time Trial Tyler Hamilton (United States) is the Olympic time trial champion. The man from Marblehead, who crashed out of the 2004 Tour de France, rode away his disappointment by drawing away from defending champion Vyatcheslav Ekimov (Russia) in ...


Singh closes in on Tiger AKRON, Ohio - Having closed the gap to a mere one-tenth of a point, Vijay Singh needs only to finish ahead of Tiger Woods at the NEC Invitational, starting today, to end Woods #39; record run as the No. 1-ranked player in the world.


Hewitt drives home his return point WASHINGTON - It #39;s night, under the lights at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, and No. 2 seed Lleyton Hewitt is still wearing his white cap backward, the bill of it running down the back of his sweating neck.


Wright-Phillips left wanting more Shaun Wright-Phillips has set his sights on being picked for England #39;s World Cup qualifiers after scoring on a scintillating debut for his country.


US wings it in Caribbean For the bulk of the 89 minutes that the US National Team went without a goal against an inspired Jamaican side, chances were created -- some of the golden opportunity nature -- but none were converted. And it nearly put the Americans behind the proverbial ...


Poles killed after Iraq ambush WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Two Polish troops have been killed and five injured when their vehicles crashed as they were trying to escape an ambush in the central Iraqi city of Hillah, a military spokesman said.


Terror suspect killed during interrogation in Pakistan ISLAMABAD, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- A Pakistani religious leader, allegedly linked with the al-Qaeda terrorist network, has died here in police custody, local media reported Thursday.


Italy in Hot Seat on Possible Misreporting (AP) AP - The European Union head office said Tuesday it had concerns over Italian budget deficit figures, only a week after Greece was challenged over alleged sloppy bookkeeping and possible underreporting of deficit figures.


Virgin plans China mobile service Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson says the firm is in talks with a Chinese company over starting a mobile phone service in mainland China.


Is IBM PC sell off preparation for a Power chip attack? Opinion A chip on the shoulder?


Leadtek WinFast PX6600TD GeForce 6600 card Review Mid-range features, performance for under 100?


Massive game advertising startup to aid desperate brands Analysis Product placement in computer and console games


Dollar Awaits Data, Yen Down from Peak  LONDON (Reuters) - The yen held close to the previous  session's four-week high against the dollar on Thursday while  the dollar held steady on the euro as investors awaited U.S.  labor and manufacturing data due later.


Giddens earns US silver in kayaking Rebecca Giddens made a final charge that nearly landed her a gold medal, but in the end the American settled for silver in yesterday's kayaking single slalom.


Estrada gets in some light work Jason Estrada had the perfect opponent last night. An inexperienced one. The Pan Am Games gold medalist had not fought in two months because of a thumb injury and a case of plantar fasciitis that curtailed both his training and his aerobic workouts, and that layoff had his coaches concerned. Unable to run until recently, the Providence, R.I., ...


Withdrawal for Greek sprinters Two of Greece's most famous athletes and their coach made their first public appearance here yesterday only to withdraw from the Olympic Games rather than face a panel charged with looking into a possible doping violation.


Rhode targets a final gold for US Kim Rhode earned the United States a gold medal in double trap shooting yesterday, staking a unique claim as the first and last winner of the Olympic event.


Transactions BASEBALL Arizona (NL): Placed C Koyie Hill on the 15-day DL; purchased contract of C Chris Snyder from El Paso (Texas League). Baltimore (AL): Placed OF Larry Bigbie and 2B-OF Jerry Hairston on the 15-day DL; recalled OF Darnell McDonald from Ottawa (IL); purchased contract of OF Val Majewski from Bowie (EL). Houston (NL): Placed P Andy Pettitte on the ...


Silver lining melts foul mood US shot-putter Adam Nelson stood outside the throwing circle, his hands on the back of his head, his hopes just dashed by a foul on a throw that would have won the gold medal.


Pair of US squads advance to finals By just two ticks of the clock yesterday morning, the US rowing team squeezed two entries into this weekend's Olympic finals on an otherwise empty day.


Dominicans shock US women In an early morning match before a handful of fans, the US women's volleyball team, ranked first in the world, lost to the Dominican Republic, 26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 19-17. The US had not lost to the Dominicans, ranked 13th, since 1999 and did not try to dress up one of the biggest upsets of the Games, a loss arguably ...


Israeli Court Upholds Decision on Sharon (AP) AP - Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the attorney general's decision to clear Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a corruption case, Israel Radio reported.


US denies Ukraine interference US Secretary of State Colin Powell rejects Russian claims that the West wants more influence in Ukraine.


Octopus Doesn't Give Up on Motherhood (AP) AP - It was a May-December romance that really had legs: Young Aurora, a female giant octopus and her aging cephalopod suitor J-1 were thrown together for a blind date seven months ago by aquarists who hoped the two would mate.


Karzai Sworn in as Afghanistan President  KABUL (Reuters) - Hamid Karzai was sworn in as  Afghanistan's first popularly elected president Tuesday,  promising to bring peace to the war-torn nation and end the  economy's dependence on narcotics.


Megawati's party seals deal with Golkar to dominate Indonesia's parliament (AFP) AFP - President Megawati Sukarnoputri forged a pact with Indonesia's largest political group Golkar to form a bloc that will dominate parliament but is seen as unlikely to ensure her reelection.


Lenovo May Be in Acquisition Talks With IBM (AP) AP - China's biggest computer maker said Tuesday it is in acquisition talks with a major international technology company, a disclosure which comes amid reports it might buy IBM Corp.'s personal computer business.


Merger may axe Fleet jobs BOSTON -- Although published reports yesterday claimed that Bank of America Corp. plans to layoff hundreds of employees at Fleet Banks throughout Massachusetts, Fall River area branches had not received official word by closing time Wednesday, according ...


JJB Shares Drop: Profit May Be 20 Less Than Forecast (Update2) Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of JJB Sports Plc, Britain #39;s largest sporting-goods retailer, had their biggest decline in at least two years after the company said profit this fiscal year may be about 20 percent less than forecast amid declining sales.


Workplace beware THE LABOR Department #39;s trumpeting of its new regulations governing overtime, which go into effect next week, sounds a little tinny.


Saturn in Red This Cassini spacecraft wide angle camera view shows a half-lit Saturn, with two dark storms rolling through its southern hemisphere. The image was taken in visible red light on July 19, 2004, at a distance of 6.2 million kilometers (3.9 million miles) ...


Microsoft rolls out fresh Windows XP 64 beta WHILE MICROSOFT and AMD are suggesting it will be well into next year before the final version of WinXP 64 is released, yesterday it started offering a fresh preview edition of its up-and-coming software which now supports both Intel and AMD 64-bit ...


Athletes positive coach is to blame ATHENS - They weren #39;t our own tarnished heroes this time, they were bad actors in an overwritten Greek tragedy. But outside the Athens Hilton yesterday morning off the downtown boulevard called Vasillias Sofia, the scene was all too familiar. So were the ...


Nelson #39;s day left in ruins He was leading a procession of Olympic shot-putters, thick-bodied, thick-necked men who were about to enter a dirt-floored den of antiquity, and be immersed in history that was as palpable as the crumbling columns and fading marble slabs.


Pedal to the medals Vouliagmeni, Greece - The second-fastest move Tyler Hamilton made Wednesday was hopping off the gold-medal platform and running - hobbling, really - to his wife, Haven.


Tennis: Australia #39;s Hewitt reaches quarter-finals at Washington tennis WASHINGTON : Lleyton Hewitt further polished his form on hardcourt with the US Open drawing near, earning a 6-3, 6-2 second-round win against Colombian Alejandro Falla at the 500,000-dollar Washington Open.


Sharon presses on with Gaza plan JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to press ahead with his Gaza pullout plan despite a humiliating rebuff from his own party of his bid to forge a coalition with the pro-withdrawal Labour Party.


Maoist Rebel Blockade Begins to Pinch Nepal Capital KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Maoist rebels kept vehicles off roads leading to Nepal #39;s capital for a second day on Thursday and residents said fuel was being rationed and food prices had begun to rise.


One dead, four missing as Typhoon Megi hits S.Korea SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- One died and four others went missing as Typhoon Megi hit South Korea #39;s southern provinces with strong winds and heavy rains, reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency on Thursday.


First Look: MusicMatch Jukebox's Impressive Version 10 (PC World) PC World - Free software helps organize large music collections.


In Brief: Sleepycat releases Berkeley DB XML 2.0 (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Sleepycat Software this week announced the general availability of Berkeley DB XML 2.0, a major upgrade to its open source database for telecommunication infrastructure and enterprise data centers. This release adds support for XQuery 1.0, an emerging standard for XML data access, as well as improvements in performance and usability. Other enhancements include support for XPath 2.0, which allows the selection of a portion of an XML document, and support for the PHP API, which enables developers using the PHP scripting languages to work with XML documents.


Garrison Gets New Contract; King Retires (AP) AP - Zina Garrison was given a one-year contract to stay on as U.S. Fed Cup captain, while Billie Jean King retired Tuesday as a coach for the team.


Netanyahu backs Sharon #39;s plan for coalition with Labor Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his support Tuesday to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on his plan to invite the Labor Party into a unity government, Ha #39;aretz reported, citing an aide of Sharon.


Weightlifters Test Positive for Drugs Before Games  ATHENS (Reuters) - Five weightlifters tested positive for  drugs before the Athens Olympics and were banned from the  Games.


Internet patents sold at S.F. auction (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - A group called JGR Acquisition made the winning,  #36;15.5 million bid Monday for a batch of obscure but potentially important patents covering technologies for Internet business transactions.


Tributes paid to Belgium #39;s  #39;magic #39; football coach The Belgian press paid tribute to Raymond Goethals on Tuesday, describing him as the magician and looking back on his teams many victories.


Williams  #39;Hungary #39; for success British heavyweight hope Danny Williams believes the key to beating WBC champion Vitali Klitschko and becoming the heavyweight champion of the world in Las Vegas on December 11 is his hunger and desire to succeed.


'E-Junk' Recycling Still in Its Infancy (AP) AP - When Office Depot, Inc. stores ran an electronics recycling drive last summer that accepted everything from cell phones to televisions, some stores were overwhelmed by the amount of e-trash they received.


IBM triples transistor performance with germanium IBM has successfully demonstrated a new technique for improving transistor performance that will help the company build smaller, more powerful chips in the next decade, company researchers said yesterday.


Outsourcing growth predicted at 5.9 a year IT job exports are forecast to increase by a compound annual growth rate of 5.9 between 2002 and the end of 2004, said Frost  amp; Sullivan.


AMD to switch on better Opteron power management Computers with AMD #39;s Opteron processor will soon be able to take advantage of the same power management technology the company has already built into its laptop and desktop microchips.


Update 1: Toshiba, Memory-Tech Develop New DVD Two Japanese companies said Tuesday they have developed a DVD that can play on both existing machines and the upcoming high-definition players, raising hopes for a smooth transition as more people dump old TV sets for better screens.


Putin Opines on Iraq Election Date (AP) AP - President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday he could not imagine how Iraqi elections scheduled for Jan. 30 could be held under current conditions.


U.S. Crude Sets New Record: \$47.52/Barrel  LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. crude prices rose to another new  record on Thursday, rising 25 cents to \$47.52 a barrel on  evidence that high prices are not hurting world oil demand  growth.


UK mortgage lending breaks record Home loan borrowing continued to surge in July, the Council of Mortgage Lenders says.


Google IPO priced at \$85 a share NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -- Internet search engine Google has announced it will go public at \$85 a share, paving the way for the widely awaited but troubled stock offering to finally stumble to market on Thursday.


After the IPO, Google may need to invest in itself SAN FRANCISCO  Google #39;s star-crossed stock offering is making high-tech history. But will its cash windfall help make it a permanent part of Silicon Valley lore despite mounting competition and a tepid market? ...


Microsoft tries to clear confusion over SP2 A week after releasing Windows XP Service Pack 2 to enterprises, Microsoft is trying to quell confusion over an apparent security flaw and applications that won #39;t work without adjustments.


Microsoft Unveils 64-Bit Windows Beta Microsoft has made available the latest builds of its 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise, which each features a handful of new improvements including the Luna user interface, Windows Messenger, Windows Media ...


Return to Ancient Greece enthralls athletes OLYMPIA, GREECE -- Brad Snyder #39;s shot put travelled just more than 19 metres, but the arc of its flight spanned more than 1,600 years.


Roddick, Venus make exits ATHENS -- Andy Roddick hit one final errant shot into the net and hung his head, his medal hopes over. A short while later, Venus Williams was gone, too.


Els takes aim at his putting LONDON -- Ernie Els has set his sights on an improved putting display this week at the World Golf Championships #39; NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio, after the disappointment of tying for fourth place at the PGA Championship last Sunday.


Doped Olympics weightlifters named ATHENS (Reuters) - The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has named the five who failed drugs tests before the Athens Olympics.


Salvadoran prison clashes leave at least 31 dead San Salvador -- At least 31 prisoners died and 23 were wounded yesterday during clashes between gang members and other inmates in El Salvador #39;s largest prison, officials said.


Customer boost for 3 despite loss Third-generation mobile phone network 3 reports a rise in its UK customer base to 1.2 million - but its Hong Kong parent firm is hit by heavy 3G losses.


Spending Cuts May Close Italy's Uffizi -Minister (Reuters) Reuters - Italy's culture minister has threatened to\shut down Florence's Uffizi museum, home of masterpieces by\Michelangelo and Botticelli, if the government doesn't scale\back planned spending cuts.


Searching for peace in Nigeria Rival community leaders meet in central Nigeria, the scene of bitter clashes earlier this year.


Sony Unveils New Flat TVs, Aims to Boost Share  TOKYO (Reuters) - Electronics conglomerate Sony Corp.  unveiled eight new flat-screen televisions on Thursday in a  product push it hopes will help it secure a leading 35 percent  of the domestic market in the key month of December.


India Says Rebel Chief Killed in Kashmir Gunbattle  SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Indian soldiers killed the head  of a guerrilla group fighting for Kashmir's merger with  Pakistan in a gunbattle on Thursday, hours before President  Abdul Kalam began a rare visit to the region, an official said.


Hong Kong chokes under thick smog \Hong Kong's government warns people with heart and respiratory problems to stay in as smog chokes the territory.


U.S. Crude Sets New Record:  #36;47.52/Barrel (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. crude prices rose to another new\record on Thursday, rising 25 cents to  #36;47.52 a barrel on\evidence that high prices are not hurting world oil demand\growth.


British retail sales decline for first time in over a year (AFP) AFP - British retail sales fell in July for the first time in over a year, official figures showed, providing further evidence that higher borrowing costs are dampening consumer activity.


Wall St. Seen Lower on Oil; Google Eyed  PARIS (Reuters) - Sky-high oil prices are likely to  pressure Wall Street once again on Thursday, while earnings  news from tech giants Ciena CIEN.N and Nortel NT.TO and  Google's GOOG.O awaited Nasdaq debut will also steer  sentiment.


It #39;s A Go For Google After months of missteps and fumbling with initial public offering via an unusual Web-based auction that bucked Wall Street conventions, the troubled pregnancy of Google, the search engine company, will finally be complete.


O #39;Hare to reduce flight arrivals Instead of cramming as many as 132 arrivals into an hour, airlines at O #39;Hare Airport agreed Wednesday to limit themselves to just 88 an hour this fall, potentially slashing record delays but raising the prospect of higher prices.


At least someone #39;s winning in this war News Item:  quot;The US Army has threatened to partially withhold payments to Halliburton due to allegations of overcharges for food, shelter and services. quot; ...


Wall St. Seen Lower on Oil; Google Eyed (Reuters) Reuters - Sky-high oil prices are likely to\pressure Wall Street once again on Thursday, while earnings\news from tech giants Ciena (CIEN.N) and Nortel (NT.TO) and\Google's (GOOG.O) awaited Nasdaq debut will also steer\sentiment.


US Airways Chairman: Liquidation Possible (Reuters) Reuters - US Airways Group Inc.'s (UAIR.O)\chairman said employees must agree to  #36;800 million in new wage\and benefit cuts within 30 days or the airline might be\liquidated, the New York Times said on Thursday, citing an\interview with Chairman David Bronner.


Outpost Firewall Pro Supports Microsoft Windows XP SP2 The upcoming Outpost Firewall Pro 2.5 operates seamlessly with XP SP2 to improve security and privacy.


More clues hint Mars watery past BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- NASA #39;s Mars rovers have uncovered more clues about how water shaped the Red Planet, scientists said Wednesday.


Broadband reach to get broader Broadband will be as widely available as analogue TV by the middle of next year, according to BT. BT has struggled to extend the reach of broadband to certain areas of the country because until now 512Kbps ADSL connections would not work ...


PS2 price cut announcement, Xbox also cut Leipzig Game Convention in Germany, the stage for price-slash revelations. Sony has announced that it #39;s slashing the cost of PS2 in the UK and Europe to 104.99 GBP.


Caterpillar to Buy Williams Technologies Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. said Wednesday that its Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services unit will acquire Williams Technologies Inc., a remanufacturer of transmissions and engines, from Remy International Inc. for an undisclosed ...


Incomparable finish wins gold for gymnast Hamm ATHENS - With a disastrous landing on the vault that sent him stumbling off the mat and nearly into the judges #39; laps, Paul Hamm thought it was over.


Greek sprinters face wait to learn fate Greek sprint duo Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou will have to wait until after the Olympic Games to find out their fate following their missed drugs tests, according to athletics chief Arne Ljungqvist.


Doping Casts Shadow Over Olympics -- Again ATHENS (Reuters) - Doping cast its sleazy shadow over the Olympics again when it was announced on Thursday that five weightlifters had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.


Germany Looking at Citigroup Bond Trading  BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's financial watchdog said on  Thursday it was looking into recent trading by U.S. financial  services group Citigroup C.N in European government bond and  derivative markets, but had not started a formal probe.


Sony Unveils New Flat TVs, Aims to Boost Share (Reuters) Reuters - Electronics conglomerate Sony Corp.\unveiled eight new flat-screen televisions on Thursday in a\product push it hopes will help it secure a leading 35 percent\of the domestic market in the key month of December.


Nintendo patents key console online gaming features Newly granted IP extends 1999 Net-connected video game patent


TV project aims to kick-start 3G High-quality, affordable TV on mobiles could be just what 3G operators are looking for, say researchers.


Malaysia Confirms Deadly Bird Flu Found (AP) AP - Malaysia went on a nationwide alert against bird flu Thursday after officials confirmed that a deadly strain of the disease, blamed for the deaths of 27 people in Asia, had been found in a tiny northern village.


Iraq's Sadr Facing 'Final Hours' -Government  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's government warned Shi'ite  cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Thursday he would face a military  strike within hours unless he ended his uprising, disarmed his  militia and quit a shrine in the city of Najaf.


Harris' Double Leads Marlins Past Dodgers Lenny Harris has come up with clutch hits throughout his record-breaking career as a pinch hitter. His three-run double off Eric Gagne was a bit more special than most...


US Supreme Court hears dispute over interstate wine sales; Maine <b>...</b> The Supreme Court is considering whether states may bar people from buying wine directly from out-of-state suppliers, a big-money question that could lead to sweeping changes


Sprint Speeds Up Wireless Network Sprint (Quote, Chart) has awarded wireless equipment contracts totaling \$3 billion to Lucent (Quote, Chart), Motorola (Quote, Chart) and Nortel (Quote, Chart) to better compete in a sector reshaped by acquisitions and spectrum swaps.


After Wait, Google Set for Market Debut NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. will make their Nasdaq stock market debut on Thursday, with some market participants expecting a steady start or slight rise after the company #39;s initial public offering priced far below original estimates.


Oil Hits Record on China, India Demand LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record high above \$47 a barrel on Thursday as fresh evidence of demand growth in China and India underlined how rising appetite for oil is straining the world #39;s supply system.


Insurance Rates May Not Rise From Charley WEST PALM BEACH -- Hurricane Charley packed more punch than any storm not named Andrew, the Insurance Information Institute said Wednesday.


US Airways Chairman: Liquidation Possible NEW YORK (Reuters) - US Airways Group Inc. #39;s (UAIR.O: Quote, Profile, Research) chairman said employees must agree to \$800 million in new wage and benefit cuts within 30 days or the airline might be liquidated, the New York Times said on Thursday, citing ...


Hutchison Says Net More Than Doubles on Asset Sales (Update4) Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing #39;s biggest company, said first-half profit more than doubled on gains from asset sales. The company added users at unprofitable high-speed wireless networks in Europe at a ...


Google and founders will profit from IPO despite controversies As reports FinanceGates.com, the largest Web search engine Google Inc. is going to reach \$1.67 billion in its initial public offering on Thursday selling 19.6 million shares at \$85 each. Still, analysts consider shares to be overpriced.


Mortgage applications rise US mortgage applications climbed 12 percent last week as the lowest mortgage rates in four months prompted consumers to buy homes and refinance loans.


New McD offerings come in waves McDonald #39;s took further steps to jazz things up for its customers Wednesday, unveiling a new cashless payment service and expanding the test of deli-style sandwiches at US restaurants.


Update 1: Philippine Shares End Higher The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index ended up 16.90 points, or 1.1 percent, at 1,573.27, after giving up 2.4 percent in the past two sessions, including Wednesday #39;s 0.7 percent loss.


Germany looking at Citigroup bond trading,no probe BERLIN, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Germany #39;s financial watchdog said on Thursday it was looking into recent trading by US financial services group Citigroup (CN: Quote, Profile, Research) in European government bond and derivative markets, but had not started a ...


Retail sales fall more than expected LONDON (Reuters) - Retail sales fell more than expected in July and for the first time in over a year as poor weather pushed down clothing sales sharply.


Bluetooth flying bot creates buzz The micro flyer is the next version of the robot by the Japanese technology firm that wowed crowds with last year.


Broadband increases its reach, says BT With broadband access an increasingly critical requirement in running a business, BT said as many as 78,000 more West Midland homes and businesses will be brought within reach of its broadband service next month.


Malaysia sets up sanctuary for sea turtles Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Malaysia has set aside 60 hectares of land off the east coast state of Terengganu to help conserve its dwindling number of endangered sea turtles.


Cornice countersues Seagate Cornice has countersued hard drive rival Seagate, the maker of micro hard drives said yesterday. In a complaint filed with the US District Court for Delaware, the Cornice asked the court not only to determine that certain Seagate patents are invalid but ...


Linking remote SME workers to their office networks KUALA LUMPUR: Juniper Networks Inc has introduced solutions that it claimed would provide small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a secure, cost-effective and easy-to-deploy method for remote employees to access corporate networks.


Summer of spam surges For spammers, it #39;s been a summer of love. Two newly issued reports tracking the circulation of unsolicited e-mails say pornographic spam dominated this summer, nearly all of it originating from Internet addresses in North America.


Greeks named in Balco e-mail The Greek sprinters who withdrew from the Olympic Games yesterday were named in an e-mail exchange between Balco Laboratories owner Victor Conte Jr. and a Greek track and field coach, two sources familiar with the case said.


Brits to Challenge Hoy Gold Great Britain #39;s three-day eventing team have joined forces with France and the USA to challenge the gold medal claims of Germany and Bettina Hoy.


Athletes To Watch  Brendan Hansen, United States, swimming  The former UT swimmer goes for the gold in the 200-meter breaststroke. The world-record holder at 100 and 200 meters, Hansen won the silver in the 100 breast on the second day of competition. He says a ...


Levin advances in US Amateur Damphousse signs with Avs Levin, the low amateur at the US Open who tied for 13th, registered a 3- and-1 win over Mike Lane of Citrus Heights (Sacramento County).


Bush and Kerry must engage in Gaza withdrawal The next few weeks may reveal whether or not Prime Minister Sharon will succeed in cobbling together a government that will implement his Gaza withdrawal plan. It is disconcerting to see how difficult he is finding it to ...


Shaukat Aziz to be sworn next week ISLAMABAD: Pakistan #39;s Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, a former banker credited with its economic reforms, will take over as prime minister next week following his thumping National Assembly by-election victories on Wednesday.


Indonesia #39;s Megawati unveils grand coalition JAKARTA, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, fighting to win a fresh term, formally unveiled on Thursday a coalition of parties seeking to ensure she stays in power for the next five years.


Expert warns of further landslips An expert has warned that landslides such as those seen this week in Perthshire and north Cornwall are set to become more common.


Stocks Seen Little Changed, Oil Weighs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Crude prices near record highs will  again mute any advance in U.S. stocks at the market's open on  Thursday, but investors will get a diversion as Google Inc.  GOOG.O begins trading after its initial public offering.


Oil Hits Record on China, India Demand  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record high  above \$47.50 a barrel on Thursday as fresh evidence of demand  growth in China and India underlined how rising appetite for  oil is straining the world's supply system.


Winn-Dixie Posts Loss But Sees Progress  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Grocer Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. WIN.N  on Thursday reported a quarterly loss as restructuring costs  weighed on results, but said its efforts to reverse a market  share slide are gaining momentum.


Limited 2nd-Quarter Earnings Climb  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clothing retailer Limited Brands Inc.  LTD.N on Thursday posted a sharply higher quarterly profit,  lifted by a rise in sales at stores open at least a year.


Drug 'could boost malaria fight' Scientists develop a synthetic version of a herb-based drug to treat malaria.


Climate legacy of 'hockey stick' A chart of temperature variation over 1,000 years dubbed the "hockey stick" has entered into the folklore of climate scientists, but how accurate is it?


Better times for techies? Unemployment drops, optimism rises for computer professionals. Is it because the unhappy ones leave the field?


Hall, Lezak Qualify in Olympic 50 Free (AP) AP - American Gary Hall Jr., the defending Olympic champion, and teammate Jason Lezak qualified for the 50-meter freestyle semifinals Thursday, but two of their biggest rivals failed to advance.


Possible Eighth Medal Chance for Phelps  ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps's chances of winning a  record eight medals at the Athens Olympics were given a big  boost on Thursday when U.S. team officials said he might swim  the heats of the 4x100 medley relay.


Dutch Snatch Hockey Win, Pakistan Stun Korea  ATHENS (Reuters) - Olympic champions the Netherlands  snatched another last-minute victory on Thursday in the men's  hockey tournament in Athens and Pakistan stunned Sydney silver  medallists South Korea 3-0 with fast-paced, attacking hockey.


Rebuffed by Party, Sharon Presses on with Gaza Plan  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  vowed on Thursday to press ahead with his Gaza pullout plan  despite his own party's humiliating rebuff of his bid to forge  a coalition with the pro-withdrawal Labour Party.


Israel's Top Court Upholds Dropping of Sharon Case  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  on Thursday won a final reprieve from criminal prosecution in a  bribery scandal that had threatened to topple him and derail  his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.


Torrential British Rain Set to Cause More Chaos  LONDON (Reuters) - After torrential rain caused flash  flooding in southern England and a landslide in Scotland this  week, meteorologists on Thursday forecast more heavy downpours  and urged people to heed bad weather warnings.


China protesters threaten suicide \Six Chinese protesters have threatened to jump from the top of a six-storey building in central Beijing.


Stocks Set to Open Slightly Lower at Open NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are seen slightly lower at the open Thursday as investors take some cash off the table after Wednesday's sharp rally...


Jury in Peterson Trial Gets Long Weekend REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Jurors in the Scott Peterson murder trial got an early start on their weekend when the judge delayed cross-examination of the prosecution's star witness, then sent them home because of what he described as a "potential development."   Judge Alfred A...


Iraq Says Offensive Vs. Cleric to Start NAJAF, Iraq - An Iraqi Cabinet minister said Thursday that Iraqi forces could begin an offensive against Muqtada al-Sadr within hours, despite the firebrand cleric's acceptance of a peace proposal.    To prevent an imminent attack on his forces, who are holed up in the revered Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, al-Sadr must immediately disarm his Mahdi Army militia and hand over its weapons to the authorities, Minister of State Qassim Dawoud said...


Google's IPO Price Set at \$85 Before Debut SAN JOSE, California - On the cusp of its voyage into public trading, Google's initial stock price was set at \$85 and its market value calculated at \$23 billion - less than originally expected, but still impressive for a 6-year-old dot-com dreamed up in a garage.    The final initial public offering price, set through an unorthodox auction that alienated many on Wall Street, means the stock will likely debut Thursday under the symbol "GOOG" on the Nasdaq Stock Market...


A broken record: Oil up again New market set as demand in China, India intensifies supply worries, Iraq lends price support. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Oil prices blazed past \$47.50 a barrel and set fresh highs early Thursday as demand growth in China and India exacerbated supply shortage ...


HK conglomerate Hutchison #39;s first half net profit up 106 percent HONG KONG : Hutchison Whampoa, the ports-to-telecoms conglomerate owned by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, reported its first half net profit rose 106 percent to HK\$12.5b (US\$1.6b).


NetApp posts profits, continues hiring spree Network Appliance posted positive results for its first quarter of 2005 on Wednesday, reporting a 38 percent increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year, and said it intends to continue hiring 200 new people a quarter.


Possible Eighth Medal Chance for Phelps ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps #39;s chances of winning a record eight medals at the Athens Olympics were given a big boost on Thursday when US team officials said he might swim the heats of the 4x100 medley relay.


India weightlifter tests positive An Indian weightlifter has tested positive for drugs before the start of the Athens Games, the International Olympic Committee has announced.


French to appeal after losing gold ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- The French Olympic team is to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to try to win back its three-day event Olympic gold medal in Athens.


Supporters now have to wait to see Nunez HE #39;S the man seem-ingly no-one in Liverpool knows anything about - and who #39;ll now have to wait a little longer before attempting to endear himself to a curious Anfield crowd.


Ching gains repemption, his goal in 89th minute earning 1-1 qualifying draw in Jamaica. KINGSTON, Jamaica (Wednesday, August 18, 2004) -- Brian Ching was not one to waste a second chance. The reserve striker, who earlier missed an opportunity to tie the game with a point-blank header, made no mistake when he drove home a close-in shot in the ...


Iraqi Minister Sets New Deadline For Al-Sadr 19 August 2004 -- An Iraqi government official has said a military offensive against Shi #39;ite militiamen loyal to Shi #39;a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the holy city of Al-Najaf will begin in  quot;hours quot; unless they disarm.


Georgia Says 6 Soldiers Killed in Latest Clashes in South Ossetia Georgian military officials say at least six Georgian soldiers have been killed and at least seven others wounded in overnight clashes in Georgia #39;s breakaway region of South Ossetia.


UK #39;s Blair Alters Holiday After Sardinian Bombs, Corriere Says Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has changed his holiday plans following Wednesday #39;s discovery of two explosive devices near Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi #39;s Sardinian villa, where he had been staying, Il Corriere della Sera ...


UN Marks Anniversary of Bombing of Baghdad Mission The United Nations is marking the first anniversary of the bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad that killed 22 people, including the world body #39;s top envoy to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello.


Oil Hits New Record as Demand Soars  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record high  above \$47.50 a barrel on Thursday as fresh evidence of demand  growth in China and India underlined how rising appetite for  oil is straining the world's supply system.


Blast Hits Heavily Fortified Baghdad Area (AP) AP - An explosion Thursday hit the heavily fortified Green Zone, home to Iraqi government offices and the U.S. Embassy in central Baghdad, sending up a plume of gray smoke.


Toshiba, Memory-Tech Develop New DVD (AP) AP - Two Japanese companies said Tuesday they have developed a DVD that can play on both existing machines and the upcoming high-definition players, raising hopes for a smooth transition as more people dump old TV sets for better screens.


Before-the-Bell: Synopsys Shares Drop (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of Synopsys Inc. (SNPS.O), a\semiconductor design software maker, tumbled before the bell on\Thursday, a day after the company reported lower quarterly net\income and said results in the current quarter would be below\Wall Street estimates.


Asia feels the pain of oil prices Governments around the region are warning that rising oil prices have started to hurt their economies.


Net firms set sights on spammers British net firms are starting to get tough with firms that drum up trade using junk e-mails.


Princess Anne in Cyprus to encourage Olympic competitors (AFP) AFP - Princess Anne was in Cyprus to pay a royal morale-boosting visit to Britain's Olympic athletes training on the Mediterranean island before heading off to the Athens Games.


Virgin plans China mobile expansion Virgin Group today announced plans to expand its mobile phone services to China in a \$300m (154m) joint venture with a Chinese company.


DaVita to buy dialysis clinics for \$3.05 billion The Swedish company Gambro AB will sell a division to an El Segundo company for \$3.05 billion in cash. Gambro Healthcare US, the division being sold, operates clinics for patients undergoing kidney dialysis and has 565 clinics and 43,200 patients.


Job Cuts Rise Further in Nov. - Report Planned job cuts at US firms climbed during November, a report said on Tuesday, in a further sign of sluggishness in the labor market.


More Web Shopping Is What #39;s in Store The retail sector overall may be reporting a sluggish start to the season, but holiday shoppers are scooping up iPods, DVDs, digital cameras and other tech goods at a brisk pace -- and they


Nortel Reports Preliminary Results (Reuters) Reuters - Nortel Networks Corp. (NT.TO) delivered\long-awaited preliminary results for the first half of 2004 on\Thursday that showed estimated first and second quarter\earnings between nil and 1 cent per share, and North America's\biggest telecom equipment supplier said it would cut about\3,500 jobs.


Limited Quarterly Earnings Climb  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clothing retailer Limited Brands Inc.  LTD.N on Thursday posted sharply higher quarterly earnings on  gains from the sale of its stake in Galyans Trading Co. and  strong customer response to sales events early in the quarter.


Ciena Posts Loss, Forecasts Flat Sales  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Telecommunications equipment maker  Ciena Corp. CIEN.O on Thursday reported a wider loss for the  fiscal third quarter due to slack demand and forecast sales in  the current quarter would be little changed from the third  quarter.


Dollar Struggles to Stay Off Lows  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar traded near this week's  four-week lows against the euro and yen on Thursday ahead of  U.S. jobless claims and a key business survey that dealers  expect to provide further clues about the interest rate  outlook.


Groups Chide U.S. on Mercury Regulations (AP) AP - Environmentalists and two Maryland Democratic congressmen chastised the Bush administration Wednesday for proposed regulations they said will not do enough to reduce mercury contamination of Maryland rivers, lakes and the Chesapeake Bay.


Group: New England Not Reducing Mercury (AP) AP - If environmental policy were scored like grade-school spelling tests, New England's mercury reduction efforts wouldn't get any gold stars.


WTC destruction was two occurrences: jury World Trade Center leaseholder Silverstein Properties Inc. could collect \$4.68 billion in insurance payments after the jury in the second phase of the WTC property insurance litigation decided that the Sept.


Update 25: Google #39;s IPO Price Set at \$85 Before Debut On the cusp of its voyage into public trading, Google #39;s initial stock price was set at \$85 and its market value calculated at \$23 billion - less than originally expected, but still impressive for a 6-year-old dot-com dreamed up in a garage.


Claire #39;s 2Q Earnings Are Up 48 Percent Jewelry and accessories retailer Claire #39;s Stores Inc. reported Thursday that second-quarter earnings rose 48 percent to beat Wall Street expectations, and guided above estimates for the fourth-quarter and fiscal year periods.


Google cuts price range, ends auction SAN JOSE, California - Initial shares of Google Inc. were priced late last night at \$85 US each -- the low end of estimates that the company had revised downward hours earlier.


Swisscom confirms Telekom Austria talks have ended ZURICH, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Top Swiss telecoms group Swisscom (SCMN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) confirmed takeover talks with neighbouring Telekom Austria (TELA.VI: Quote, Profile, Research) had ended without result, the group said on Thursday, crushing ...


US broadband reaches critical mass Over half of online US households are using broadband to access the internet, according to new research.


Six of Top Eight Music Players In Japan Are iPods The AP is reporting that the iPod has become so popular in Japan, despite the introduction of the Sony Walkman NW-HD1, that six of the top 8 selling music players in the country are iPod models. The AP ...


Microsoft unveils Works 8 The dictionary module has been integrated into the word processor and is also a stand-alone application in the Works Task Launcher. A thesaurus has been included, as well as the option to set parental controls.


Forget the medal count, Phelps has far exceeded expectations Two-time US Olympian Tom Dolan, who took back-to-back gold medals in the 400 IM at Atlanta and Sydney, will analyze races for SI.com throughout the Games.


Greek stars fan scandal #39;s flames by withdrawing ATHENS - On a day on which both Greece and the Olympics celebrated themselves by returning the Games to their ancient home in Olympia, two popular Greek athletes withdrew from the track and field competition amid a scandal befitting that ...


Americans fall on tennis court A US tennis team expected to collect a gold rush or at least challenge for one, instead got derailed just after coming out of the gate.


Figo has a break from international soccer match LISBON, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Portugal captain Luis Figo said here on Wednesday he was taking a break from international soccer, although he would not confirm if the decision was final.


Retailer's Share Up on Wal-Mart Interest (AP) AP - Shares of Japan's troubled supermarket chain Daiei Inc. soared 27 percent Thursday following reports that U.S. giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. planned to submit a proposal for turning the company around.


Amazon to Buy China's Biggest Internet Retailer (Reuters) Reuters - Internet giant Amazon.com Inc. is to\buy China's biggest online retailer, Joyo.com, sources familiar\with the deal said on Thursday.


Soap Chemical Said Found in Md. Streams (AP) AP - An anti-bacterial agent commonly found in soaps and detergents has been found in water from streams and wastewater treatment plants in the Baltimore area, a Johns Hopkins researcher said Wednesday.


N.M. Museum to Launch Names Into Space (AP) AP - The New Mexico Museum of Space History will be shipping names to the stars with the first X-Prize launch into space.


Update: Google gets IPO green light from SEC The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday gave its approval for Google Inc. to proceed with its initial public offering (IPO).


Gateway unveils Grantsdale PCI Express PCs in retail Gateway Inc. will introduce its first desktops based on Intel Corp.'s new 915G chip set through several retail outlets, the company plans to announce Thursday.


Intel Chips In for New Gateway PCs Desktops will be available at several retailers, including CompUSA.


Lawsuit Filed Over Search   Gambling Ads Yahoo, Google and other major web sites have been hit with a lawsuit saying they carry online gambling ads in violation of California law. This comes after two of the major search companies earlier this year made moves that were supposed to remove online gambling ads entirely.


Nortel to Cut 3,500 Jobs to Boost Profit  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. NT.TO NT.TO  posted long-awaited preliminary results for the first half of  2004 on Thursday, estimating first and second quarter earnings  between nil and 1 cent per share.


Oil Sets Record as New Violence Flares in Iraq  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record on  Thursday, spurred higher by renewed violence in Iraq and fresh  evidence that strong demand growth in China and India has not  been slowed yet by higher energy costs.


Global Markets: Stocks Up Despite Oil  LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks shrugged off new peaks  in crude oil prices and moved slightly higher on Thursday with  technology firms leading the advance, while bonds and the  dollar were steady.


Ky. Park, Univ. Open Cave Learning Center (AP) AP - Mammoth Cave National Park and Western Kentucky University have opened a facility that is designed to give students a hands-on learning environment in the longest known cave system in the world.


Retail sales fall in July Retail sales fell 0.4 in July - the first monthly decline in over a year - but the underlying trend remains strong, official figures showed today.


Google #39;s IPO Price Set at \$85 Before Debut SAN JOSE, California (AP)--On the cusp of its voyage into public trading, Google #39;s initial stock price was set at \$85 and its market value calculated at \$23 billion--less than originally expected, but still impressive for a 6-year-old dot-com ...


Microsoft downplays XP SP2 flaw claims Microsoft has won the first round against security researchers digging for flaws in its Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), dismissing claims by German consultants to have identified vulnerabilities.


Technical breakthrough boosts Broadband Britain Broadband should be available through 99.4 per cent of phone lines by next summer thanks to a technical breakthrough by BT.


Israeli High Court upholds decision over Sharon graft case JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli High Court of Justice upheld Thursday Attorney General Menachem Mazuz #39;s decision not to indict Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the Greek island corruption case, Haaretz website reported.


Two Polish Soldiers Killed In Iraq Avoiding Ambush WARSAW, Aug 19 (AFP) - Two Polish soldiers serving in Iraq were killed and five injured on Thursday in a car crash as they sought to escape an ambush, a military spokesman in Warsaw said.


Navistar Results Rise on Truck Demand  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Commercial truck maker Navistar  International Corp. NAV.N said on Thursday quarterly earnings  rose as it boosted sales and controlled costs.


Basketball: Americans Behind Again at Halftime  ATHENS (Reuters) - The U.S. men's basketball team were once  again in danger of defeat at the Olympic tournament on  Thursday, trailing Australia 51-47 at the end of the first  half.


Doping Casts Shadow Over Olympics -- Again  ATHENS (Reuters) - Five weightlifters were banned from the  Olympics after failing drugs tests, officials said on Thursday,  as doping scandals continued to dominate the first week of the  Games.


UK Police Arrest One Man Under Anti-Terror Laws (Reuters) Reuters - Police arrested a man in central England\on Thursday under anti-terrorism laws.


Ex-Chess Champ Fischer's Marriage Plans Hit Snag  TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese chess great who plans to marry  former world champion Bobby Fischer and help him avoid  deportation home to the United States declared herself on  Thursday to be a pawn seeking to become a queen.


Gay Couples Plan to Appeal Mass. Ruling BOSTON - A state judge upheld a 1913 law that prohibits out-of-state gay couples from marrying in Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage between residents has been legal since May.    The eight couples who filed the lawsuit - from Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and New York - sought a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the statute, claiming it is inherently discriminatory...


Jobless Claims Dip, No Storm Effect (Reuters) Reuters - The number of Americans filing first\claims for jobless pay fell 3,000 last week, the Labor\Department said on Thursday in a report showing no impact from\Hurricane Charley which struck Florida last Friday.


Jobless Claims Dip, No Storm Effect  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing first  claims for jobless pay fell 3,000 last week, the Labor  Department said on Thursday in a report showing no impact from  Hurricane Charley which struck Florida last Friday.


Oil Sets Record Amid New Violence in Iraq  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record on  Thursday, spurred higher by renewed violence in Iraq and fresh  evidence that strong demand growth in China and India has not  been slowed yet by higher energy costs.


Before-the-Bell: Synopsys, DeVry Fall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of DeVry Inc. DV.N, a  provider of business and technical education, fell before the  bell on Thursday, a day after it reported fourth-quarter  earnings that came in just shy of analysts' expectations.


Swisscom, Austrian telecom talks cut off: OeIAG (AFP) AFP - Negotiations between the Austrian privatisation agency OeIAG and the Swiss telecommunications group Swisscom for a stake in Telekom Austria ended without a deal, OeIAG said in a statement.


Oil Sets Record as New Violence Flares in Iraq LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record on Thursday, spurred higher by renewed violence in Iraq and fresh evidence that strong demand growth in China and India has not been slowed yet by higher energy costs.


Nortel to Cut 3,500 Jobs to Boost Profit OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. (NT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) posted long-awaited preliminary results for the first half of 2004 on Thursday, estimating first and second quarter earnings between nil and 1 cent per share.


Stocks to Watch on Thursday, August 19 Clothing retailer Limited Brands, whose chains include the Limited, Express, Victoria #39;s Secret and Bath  amp; Body Works, posted a sharply higher quarterly profit on Thursday. The company saw a rise in sales at stores open at least a year. Its shares closed ...


Net nearly doubles, helped by stronger results at Hutchison HONG KONG Cheung Kong (Holdings), the holding company of the billionaire Li Ka-shing, said Thursday that first-half profit almost doubled, spurred by higher earnings from its Hutchison Whampoa unit and a surge in property sales.


Parmalat to sue auditors PARMALAT, the bankrupt Italian food company, is suing outside auditors Grant Thornton and Deloitte  amp; Touche, seeking 5.5 billion in damages.


Broadband Breaks 50 Of Mass, Marks A Critical Pass More than half (51) of the American online population accessed the Internet via broadband connections in July--up from only 38 percent in July 2003, according to estimates released Tuesday by Nielsen//NetRatings.


Micro Focus lifts and shifts Cobol to Linux Micro Focus has extended its  #39;Lift and Shift #39; legacy Cobol migration service, adding the option of migrating CICS-based mainframe Cobol applications to HP and IBM Unix and Linux servers.


Doping Casts Shadow Over Olympics -- Again ATHENS (Reuters) - Five weightlifters were banned from the Olympics after failing drugs tests, officials said on Thursday, as doping scandals continued to dominate the first week of the Games.


England soon lose opener Strauss LONDON, England (Reuters) -- England lost opener Andrew Strauss as they reached 53 for one at lunch on the first day of the fourth and final test against West Indies at The Oval.


Another slow start, another fast finish for US women South Korea took an early lead, so did the Czech Republic. Hey, even New Zealand had the US women #39;s basketball team down for a while.


Pakistan serves the US heads, not tales KARACHI - Tiring of the carrot and stick approach, and with US presidential elections only a few months away, the US has taken an aggressive role in Pakistan in the hunt for  quot;big-name quot; al-Qaeda figures.


Jobless Claims Drop for 3rd Straight Week The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits edged down last week for a third consecutive time, signaling that the labor market may be improving after hitting a speed bump in June and July.


Survey Notes Rise in U.S. Broadband Users (AP) AP - The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.


Lindows postpones public offering CEO Michael Robertson says the Linux company "won't be forced into a cut-rate IPO."


Violent Standoff in Najaf Continues Negotiations over the embattled city of Najaf took a new and complicated turn Thursday when an official of Iraq's interim government issued fresh demands to be met by rebellious Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr, accompanied by warnings of an imminent military offensive at the shrine where Sadr's militia is holed up.


Retailer's Shares Up on Wal-Mart Interest (AP) AP - Shares of Japan's troubled supermarket chain Daiei Inc. soared 27 percent Thursday following reports that U.S. giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. planned to submit a proposal for turning the company around.


No Frills, but Everything Else Is on Craigslist (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Ernie Miller, a 38-year-old software developer in Silver Spring, offers a telling clue as to how www.craigslist.org became the Internet's go-to place to solve life's vexing problems.


N.Y. to Sell Wireless Cos. Lamppost Space (AP) AP - Further proof New York's real estate market is inflated: The city plans to sell space on top of lampposts to wireless phone companies for  #36;21.6 million a year.


Google Rises in Market Debut (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of Google Inc. (GOOG.O) rose 15\percent to  #36;98 in the first minutes of their Nasdaq stock\market debut on Thursday after the year's most anticipated\initial public offering priced far below initial estimates.


August Mid-Atlantic Factory Output Slows (Reuters) Reuters - Output at U.S. Mid-Atlantic factories\slowed in August as new orders dropped sharply, suggesting\recent weakness in the economy is likely to persist into coming\months.


30-Year Mortgage Rates Lowest Since April (Reuters) Reuters - Interest rates on U.S. 30-year\mortgages stayed under 6 percent for a third straight week,\mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said on Thursday,\remaining at their lowest averages since early April.


Leading Indicators, Jobless Claims Dip (AP) AP - A closely watched measure of future economic activity fell in July for the second consecutive month, reinforcing evidence that the nation's financial recovery is slackening.


SEC: Staffer Heading to Private-Sector Job (AP) AP - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Thursday that a top staffer overseeing the  #36;7.6 trillion mutual-fund industry will step down for a private-sector position.


Google Rises in Market Debut  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. GOOG.O rose 15  percent to \$98 in the first minutes of their Nasdaq stock  market debut on Thursday after the year's most anticipated  initial public offering priced far below initial estimates.


August Mid-Atlantic Factory Output Slows  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Output at U.S. Mid-Atlantic factories  slowed in August as new orders dropped sharply, suggesting  recent weakness in the economy is likely to persist into coming  months.


Stocks Sink, Dragged by High Oil Prices  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Thursday as  investor worries about high energy costs hurting corporate  profits kept indexes lower after oil prices broke through \$48 a  barrel.


Court Deals Blow to Movie Studios  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Thursday  delivered a stinging blow to the anti-piracy efforts of major  movie studios and music companies by ruling several Internet  file-sharing software companies are not liable for copyright  infringement.


Nortel to Cut 3,500 Jobs to Boost Profits  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. NT.TO NT.TO  earned stock market applause on Thursday as it slashed more  jobs, released on-target profit estimates, and took steps to  clean up its accounting mess.


Navistar Profit Rises, But Shares Fall  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Commercial truck maker Navistar  International Corp. NAV.N reported higher quarterly earnings  on Thursday, but its shares fell more than 5 percent as the  market focused on lower-than-expected profit from its core  manufacturing operations.


UAL: Pension Plan Terminations Likely  CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines, which has said it  plans to miss nearly \$500 million in pension contributions this  fall, said in bankruptcy court papers it likely will be  necessary to cancel and replace all of its pension plans.


Medtronic Drops, Results Fail to Inspire  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shares of Medtronic Inc. MDT.N fell  on Thursday as the company's fiscal first-quarter results,  released after the market closed on Wednesday, failed to  inspire investors.


Petsmart Earnings Rise, But Shares Slump  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Petsmart Inc. PETM.O, the top U.S.  pet supplies chain, on Thursday said quarterly earnings rose on  improved pet services sales, but its stock sank as much as 12  percent as results lagged analysts' expectations.


Google Shares Begin Trading on Nasdaq Shortly before noon today, Google Inc. stock began trading under the ticker symbol GOOG on the Nasdaq stock market. -The Washington Post


Oil Prices Set New High, Again Crude futures climbed above \$48 a barrel Thursday as market fears of sabotage against the Iraqi oil infrastructure outweighed assurances from Baghdad that exports would increase in coming days.


Europe joins Citigroup bond probe France and Germany's market watchdogs say they are looking into Citigroup bond trades already under scrutiny in the UK.


Ireland raises growth forecasts Ireland is poised to grow faster with a smaller deficit thanks to the global economic recovery, the government says.


Amazon moves into China US internet giant Amazon.com is buying China's largest web retailer Joyo.com, in a deal worth \$75m (41m).


French output steps up the pace Europe's bigger economies register yet more productivity growth, while the UK starts to fall behind.


Apple warns about bad batteries Apple is recalling 28,000 faulty batteries for its 15-inch Powerbook G4 laptops.


Aer Lingus unveils cost cut plans Irish airline Aer Lingus offers workers at least 40,000 euros each to take voluntary redundancy under cost cutting plans.


Bangladesh wins \$2bn India deal Indian conglomerate Tata is to invest \$2bn in a power plant in Bangladesh, the country's single largest foreign investment ever.


Oil Prices Hit \$48 a Barrel as Iraq Violence Flares Oil prices struck a fresh record today on violence in Iraq and evidence that strong demand growth in China and India has not slowed due to higher energy costs.


Leading Indicators and Jobless Claims Dip A closely watched measure of future economic activity fell in July for the second consecutive month, reinforcing evidence that the nation's financial recovery is slackening.


Being Frugal With Google Google begins trading. Finally. Bill Mann's pretty tired of the navel-gazing.


A Plastic, Fantastic Gem Claire's Stores continue to crank up sales and get more profitable along the way.


The Value of Star Power Coca-Cola lets basketball star LeBron James create a new version of Powerade.


Kroger's Profit Up, But Price Cuts Weigh  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co., the top U.S. grocer, on  Tuesday posted a 29 percent rise in quarterly profit due to  cost controls, but price cuts to lure shoppers caused earnings  to miss Wall Street estimates and shares fell.


New Device: Flying Robot Seiko Epson hopes the tiny robot will help in security, disaster and rescue and space exploration. Also: Apple recalls batteries from its 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptops   hellip;. Sony unveils eight new flat-screen TVs   hellip;. and more.


Apple to Recall 28,000 Laptop Batteries (Reuters) Reuters - Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O) has\agreed to recall about 28,000 batteries used in its 15-inch\PowerBook G4 laptop computers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety\Commission said on Thursday.


Drugstore Offers New Wave of Disposable Cameras (Reuters) Reuters - Pharmacy chain CVS Corp. on Thursday\said it would offer the world's first disposable digital camera\with a bright color viewing screen that allows consumers to\instantly preview pictures.


AT amp;T dials up VoIP service with cable deals (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - AT amp;T (T) is teaming with America's big cable TV operators to offer phone service over their broadband Internet lines, marking the telecom giant's first big move since it announced plans to abandon its traditional consumer long-distance business.


Court Deals Blow to Movie Studios (Reuters) Reuters - A federal appeals court on Thursday\delivered a stinging blow to the anti-piracy efforts of major\movie studios and music companies by ruling several Internet\file-sharing software companies are not liable for copyright\infringement.


Online Games Could Be Next Big Thing, But Not Yet (Reuters) Reuters - Video games makers searching\for the next big thing to pull in players at Europe's biggest\computer games fair hope to tempt more gamers to pit their wits\against one other online as Web technology improves.


India's leading IT company TCS to list stock next week after share offer (AFP) AFP - Top Indian software exporter Tata Consultancy Services will list its share on the Bombay Stock Exchange next week following its successful maiden share offer, an official said.


Apple recalls PowerBook batteries (MacCentral) MacCentral - Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday issued a recall for PowerBook batteries sold from January 2004 through August 2004 for use with 15-inch PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) notebook computers. The batteries, made by LG Chem, Ltd. of South Korea, could overheat, posing a fire hazard -- Apple said they have received four such reports, although no injuries have been reported.


Chimps From Dutch Lab Face Housing Crisis (AP) AP - Dozens of chimpanzees from a Dutch laboratory face a housing crisis after plans for their early retirement on the Spanish coast collapsed because of residents' fears they would carry infectious diseases.


Scientists to Study Effects of Ship Waste (AP) AP - A team of scientists is traveling a 600-mile stretch of the Inside Passage this month to study the effects of cruise ship waste and other contaminants in Southeast Alaska waters.


Australian Wheat Farmers Brace for Huge Locust Plague (Reuters) Reuters - Australia's wheat farmers, fresh from\battling the country's worst drought in a century, are now\threatened by a plague of locusts which have already begun to\hatch from a sprawling "nursery" in the country's outback.


Subway Sandwiches:  quot;Warum sind die Amis so fett? quot; That would be "Why are the Yanks so fat?" to you and I.    This was the slogan used in Germany for a recent  Subway/Super Size Me joint advertising campaign. Accompanying the advert was a rounded looking image (full size) of the Statue of Liberty carrying burgers and     fries.    Did Subway go too far in this campaign, or were they unfairly vilified for their jest?


Alienware evolves from gamers to corporates Revamped website signals desire for broader customer base


Stocks Slightly Ahead, Lower Oil Helps  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were slightly higher on  Tuesday, with lower oil prices helping support markets, but  Johnson   Johnson JNJ.N dragged on the Dow following a report  of a possible \$24 billion takeover of cardiovascular device  maker Guidant Corp. GDT.N.


Grades sent by videophone Alexandra Cook is told her A-level results while on holiday in Australia - by her mum 12,000 miles away.


Napster launches download chart Online music service Napster teams up with Virgin Radio to launch a music download chart.


Apple to Recall 28,000 Laptop Batteries  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. AAPL.O has  agreed to recall about 28,000 batteries used in its 15-inch  PowerBook G4 laptop computers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety  Commission said on Thursday.


EA Video Game 'Madden' Tops 1.3 Million First Week  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Madden NFL 2005," the latest  version of Electronic Arts Inc.'s ERTS.O  pro football video  game franchise, sold more than 1.3 million copies in its first  week of release, the company said on Thursday, citing internal  figures.


Google's IPO: Grate Expectations Google plans to raise as much as \$1.67 billion in its public stock offering today, but even that impressive estimate doesn't hide the fact that the hype surrounding the search engine's IPO is only half as hot as yesterday. -washingtonpost.com


No Frills, but Everything Else Is on Craigslist A freewheeling Internet marketplace, www.craigslist.org fulfills its users' varied needs. -Leslie Walker


Amazon to Buy Chinese Retailer Joyo.com Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc. said on Thursday that it will buy Joyo.com Ltd., which\runs some of China's biggest retail Web sites, for about \$75 million to gain entry into China's fast-growing market.


US Army Deserter, Family Arrive In Wife #39;s Japanese Hometown SADO. Japan -- A North Carolina man who deserted the US Army for North Korea nearly 40 years ago says today is the first day of the last chapter of his life.


Center Nurtures Newborn Security Cos. The Chesapeake Innovation Center is an Annapolis incubator focused solely on developing homeland security technologies.


Demand Helps CACI Profit Increase 56 CACI International Inc. said increased demand for its homeland security and intelligence services helped boost fourth-quarter profit by 56 percent over the same period a year earlier.


IPod Music Player Winning Over Japan Fans When Sony Corp. President Kunitake Ando showed off the new Walkman meant to counter the assault by Apple's iPod portable music player, he held the prized gadget at the gala event upside down.


Vogue Adds Online Shopping Feature While Vogue's September issue is still offering its famously dramatic images of 6-foot beauties clad in high fashion, the publication is adding an extra element that is a bit more utilitarian - online shopping.


Review: Robovacs No Match for Vacuum A new generation of robotic vacuums is ready to do battle with dirt, dust and dog hair with more cleaning power and cunning than their ancestors could muster. Faced with the usual obstacles - furniture, stairs, low-hanging bed skirts and stray socks - they intelligently and acrobatically extricate themselves from most tight spots and largely avoid getting stuck or sucking in what they shouldn't.


Nortel to Cut 3,500 Jobs to Boost Profit

 OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. <NT.TO> <NT.TO>posted long-awaited preliminary results for the first half of2004 on Thursday, estimating first and second quarter earningsbetween nil and 1 cent per share.


Seiko Epson Develops Micro Flying Robot Seiko Epson Corp. is developing a flying robot that looks like a miniature helicopter and is about the size of a giant bug. The company hopes it'll prove handy for security, disaster rescue and space exploration.


Wash. Man Forms E-Mail Rejection Service NEW YORK - Attention, ladies: If that guy hitting on you just won't quit until you surrender your e-mail address, feel free to call upon Paper Napkin.


EA Video Game 'Madden' Tops 1.3 Million First Week

 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Madden NFL 2005," the latestversion of Electronic Arts Inc.'s <ERTS.O>  pro football videogame franchise, sold more than 1.3 million copies in its firstweek of release, the company said on Thursday, citing internalfigures.


Antarctic craters reveal strike Scientists map enormous impact craters hidden under the Antarctic ice sheet using satellite technology.


Mars hill find hints at wet past Nasa's robotic rover Spirit has found evidence that water washed and altered rocks in the hills it has been exploring on Mars.


Animal shortage 'slows science' A shortage of laboratory apes and monkeys could be holding back research into new drug treatments and genetics, it is claimed.


Tech's impact on sport success Sports science has allowed athletes to prepare for this Olympiad using technology beyond their predecessors' wildest dreams.


Locusts ravage northern Nigeria The locusts swarming across West Africa reach  northern Nigeria, devastating fields of crops.


Walking in the Void of Space NASA -- Venturing into the vacuum of space, with its extreme temperatures and the challenges of weightlessness in what amounts to a personal spacecraft, can never become routine. Yet humans have made more than 250 spacewalks, 142 of them by NASA astronauts...


New Mexico Museum to Launch Names Into Space ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) -- The New Mexico Museum of Space History will be shipping names to the stars with the first X-Prize launch into space...


Cooking on a Comet...? European Space Agency -- One of the ingenious instruments on board Rosetta is designed to smell the comet for different substances, analysing samples that have been cooked in a set of miniature ovens.     ESAs Rosetta will be the first space mission ever to land on a comet...


Sex and Drugs Go Together for Teens By LAURA MECKLER    WASHINGTON (AP) -- It's not just a cliche: Sex and drugs often do go together, says a survey of U.S. teenagers...


Scientists to Study Effects of Cruise Ship Waste JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) -- A team of scientists is traveling a 600-mile stretch of the Inside Passage this month to study the effects of cruise ship waste and other contaminants in Southeast Alaska waters.    The \$450,000 project is part of a nationwide look at the environmental health of coastal waters...


Separate Genes Responsible for Drinking, Alcoholism By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter    HealthDayNews -- Some people can drink a lot of alcohol without becoming addicted, and specific genes may help explain why, researchers say.    In a new study of Australian twins, scientists found that separate genes appear to be responsible, to some degree, for dependence on alcohol -- addiction -- and how much people drink...


An Aspirin a Day -- Good Medicine For Many Most people have heard that taking a small dose of aspirin a day is good for the heart. Doctors routinely recommend it for patients who've had a heart attack or stroke, and studies show its blood-thinning affects can help prevent a repeat of such potentially deadly cardiovascular events.


Protein Found to Regulate Sleep, Anxiety Brain peptide may be target for new drugs to treat insomnia, ADHD    HealthDayNews -- A brain protein that regulates sleep and anxiety may offer a target for the development of new drugs to treat conditions such as sleep and anxiety disorders and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.    In research with rodents, University of California, Irvine scientists found that neuropeptide S (NPS) increases alertness, suppresses sleep and controls stress response...


Tomato Juice May Cut Clotting in Diabetics By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter    HealthDayNews -- For people with type 2 diabetes, tomato juice may help stave off the heart troubles that often complicate the disease.    Researchers have found that drinking tomato juice for three weeks had a blood-thinning effect in people with the disease...


IBM asks for Linux ban on SCO No, the SCO Group is the copyright violator, according to Big Blue's latest filing.


Cisco flaw opens networks to attacks A router software bug could lead to denial-of-service attacks--but only techies could launch one, an analyst says.


Businesses: Routers, shmouters After seeing revenue growth for five quarters in a row, waning interest in the enterprise market results in a drop.


VoIP firm tussles with states over phone numbers Dispute between regulators and SBC IP Communications highlights an endangered species: the 10-digit number.


Ring tones, phone games to rake it in Revenue from wireless data services could reach \$189 billion in 2009, according to a new report.


Nortel to lay off 3,500 The scandal-beset company will also lay off about 10 percent of its work force.


Apple recalls overheating batteries The Mac maker says it will replace about 28,000 batteries in one model of PowerBook G4 and tells people to stop using the notebook.


Update: Nortel to lay off 10 percent of staff Nortel Networks Corp. will cut 10 percent of its workforce, or around 3,500 jobs, to reduce costs.


UK government to extend 3-year contract with Microsoft LONDON -- In a deal that appears to buck the growing trend among governments to adopt open-source alternatives, the U.K.'s Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is negotiating a renewal of a three-year agreement with Microsoft Corp.


Next-Gen DVD Camps Prep for Price War HD-DVD backers say their format is cheaper and easier to produce than rival Blu-ray.


Google IPO Shares Surge in Market Debut Shares of Google Inc. (GOOG) surged nearly 22 percent in their market debut Thursday, the culmination of a unique and bumpy initial stock offering for the 6-year-old dot-com dreamed up in a college dorm room.


XBox and EA Sports to Stage Interactive World Cup LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s XBox video game system will team up with software maker Electronic Arts Inc...


Amazon.com to Acquire Joyo.com SEATTLE (AP) -- Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) said Thursday it has agreed to buy Joyo.com Ltd., China's largest online retailer of books, music and videos, for \$72 million...


N.Y. to Sell Wireless Companies Lamppost Space By ELLEN SIMON    NEW YORK (AP) -- Further proof New York's real estate market is inflated: The city plans to sell space on top of lampposts to wireless phone companies for \$21.6 million a year.    The equipment would be attached to 18,000 of the city's 200,000 lampposts...


In Hurricanes Aftermath, Google is a Priority In Hurricanes Aftermath, Google is a Priority\\It wasnt so much the inability to take a hot shower. It wasnt the inconvenience of having to run to 7-11 for coffee in the morning. It wasnt the fact that we couldnt wash clothes, couldnt watch TV or couldnt get cool (other than ...


Yahoo Builds the Yahoo Search Blog Yahoo Builds the Yahoo Search Blog\\When I logged on this morning and checked my daily referral stats I noticed a multiple number of referring links from a domain that was not familiar - YSearchBlog.com. Not only one referral or a handful, but multiple multiple referrals.. my first thought - WOW, ...


Should Google blame Foot in Mouth disease, or Evil Bankers? Analysis Lost in Space


News: South Pole 'cyberterrorist' hack wasn't the first Internal reports show that Romanian cyber extortionists weren't the first to penetrate the South Pole Research Station, but cast doubt on the U.S. claim that life support systems were compromised in the attack.\