Astros Take Game 3 Roger Clemens resuscitates the Astros' NLCS hopes with seven strong innings to lead Houston to a 5-2 win over St. Louis, cutting the Cardinals' series lead to 2-1.


A Blitz of Questions Fans around FedEx Field are beginning to wonder if Coach Joe Gibbs might yank veteran Mark Brunell, but Gibbs reiterated he has no plans to change quarterbacks.


Trojans Protect Ranking Top-ranked Southern California makes a statement with a dominating 45-7 victory over fifteenth-ranked Arizona State on Saturday.


Bison Take It in OT Howard quarterback Marcus Moreno runs for a six-yard touchdown to give the Bison a 42-35 overtime win over Morgan State.


White in Heisman Form Jason White throws four touchdowns and No. 2 Oklahoma overcomes its own mistakes to beat Kansas State, 31-21, on Saturday.


For Itati, Baltimore Is First-Time's-the-Charm City BALTIMORE, Oct. 16 -- John Itati had this crazy idea about three months ago. Why not try to run a marathon?


London's 'erotic gherkin' wins top architecture prize (AFP) AFP - A new skyscraper in London popularly dubbed the  quot;erotic gherkin quot; for its curvaceous shape has won one of Britain's top architecture prizes, organisers announced.


Paper: Expletive Hidden in Campaign E-Mail (AP) AP - A fund-raising e-mail from a Democratic congressional candidate contained a hidden expletive directed at his opponent, a newspaper reported Saturday.


Former OAS Chief Under House Arrest in Bribe Probe  SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - A Costa Rican judge on  Saturday put the former head of the Organization of American  States under house arrest for six months, while he is  investigated for bribery claims, judicial officials said.


Car makers - and unions - must face up to cutting jobs DIAGNOSING the problems faced by Europes car industry isnt rocket science - but listening to Europes auto bosses youd think the causes of the malaise were unfathomable.


Serie A Wrap: Juve Halt Messina As Roma Get Back On Track Saturdays two games in Serie A saw Juventus survive a late scare to call a halt to newly-promoted Messina #39;s unbeaten run, winning 2-1, while Vincenzo Montella underlined his excellent current form with a superb goal for Roma in a storm-interrupted 2-0


Why trial result was a Mugabe masterstroke THE judge who presided at opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirais 20-month treason trial in Zimbabwe is a corrupt placeman who last year grabbed a prize white-owned farm for himself.


Danielle accused in court Mark Ontonio Kelly, 20, is accused of killing the 14-year-old in the early hours of last Saturday as she returned home with friends from Nottinghams annual Goose Fair.


Record US trade deficit last August. Oil prices and Chinas monetary competitiveness are blamed for the last August 54 billion US dollars trade deficit, the second highest in recent United States history.


Soyuz crew docks craft manually with international space station A US-Russian crew had to turn off autopilot yesterday and manually moor its Soyuz spacecraft to the international space station after an unidentified glitch resulted


Jimenez ends Langers run WENTWORTH: European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer #39;s exploits in the World Match Play Championship finally came to an end here yesterday when he lost 2 and 1 to Miguel Angel Jimenez in their quarter-final clash.


Astros ride Clemens, homers to win The Houston Astros, down two games to none heading into Game 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series, knew they could absolutely not


Buckeyes Blasted In Iowa City, 33-7 The Buckeye attempt to bounce back from two straight losses ended with a resounding thud today, falling to Iowa 33-7. Both Justin Zwick and Troy Smith played, but the Buckeye offense stalled and the Buckeye defense could not stop a fine effort by Iowa


El Nino Juninho blows hot for Celtic THE Hearts manager, Craig Levein, decided it would be more useful to catch a flight to Holland than watch the second half of yesterdays match.


Iraq insurgents hit churches, kill four American troops Explosions damaged churches in Baghdad yesterday and the US military reported the deaths of four more American troops in bomb attacks elsewhere in Iraq.


Now EU justice hopeful slams single parents Italy #39;s would-be European Commissioner, Rocco Buttiglione - already notorious for his view that homosexuality is a sin - has caused fresh outrage this weekend by telling a conference in northern Italy that single mothers are  #39;not very good #39;.


Former OAS Chief Under House Arrest in Bribe Probe A Costa Rican judge on Saturday put the former head of the Organization of American States under house arrest for six months, while he is investigated for bribery claims, judicial officials said.


Red Sox Still Hopeful of Schilling Pitching (AP) AP - Red Sox ace Curt Schilling's right ankle was nothing worse than sore on Saturday, a day after he tested it with hopes of returning to the Boston rotation before the end of the playoffs.


Greenspan upbeat on oil spike The world will be living with volatile oil prices for years to come, but this year #39;s price spike should not be serious enough to push the country into a recession, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Friday.


UK bankers face Enron fraud trial Three former bankers with the UK #39;s NatWest bank were told on Friday that they should be extradited to the US to face fraud charges connected to the collapsed energy company Enron.


Sempra to buy Indonesia gas from BP for North America Sempra Energy LNG said Oct. 12 that it signed a 20-year agreement to purchase 3.7 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year from Indonesia for its proposed terminal just south of the US border from BP PLC and its partner Tangguh LNG.


Revolving Door Cindy K. Andreotti, as MCI #39;s president of enterprise sales, and Seth D. Blumenfeld, as head of international sales. Robert D. McTeer Jr.


COAST TO COAST The FBI and New York police detectives have unearthed the mob equivalent of an elephant graveyard. Descending on Ruby Street, in a far-flung corner of Queens, the agents dug for a week in watery soil.


Services Help Social Networks Get Connected Two new Web services launched last week that aim to help people tap their friends for tips about where to eat, shop and play. On Thursday, the event-planning service Evite (www.


Incorrectly Installed Switches Caused Space Crash Earlier This <b>...</b> The US space agency NASA says incorrectly installed switches are the likely cause of the crash earlier this year of the Genesis space capsule.


Endangered species conference ends The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, in Bangkok has concluded, with conservationists and many of the 166 member nations supportive of steps taken to regulate the trade in rare species.


Disney uses feng shui in Hong Kong HONG KONG - The Walt Disney Co. is taking a series of steps to address cultural sensitivities as it prepares to open Hong Kong Disneyland a little more than a year from now, the company #39;s president said.


Ben Bova: Exciting new era dawns in space flight Oct. 4, 2004, on the 47th anniversary of Russia #39;s launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, history was again made in space.


Yankees rout Red Sox; take 3-0 series lead CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Ouch. There really is no other way to describe the New York Yankees trouncing of the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday night.


Els Eases Into the Final in England Defending champion Ernie Els beat Padraig Harrington 5 and 4 yesterday to move into the final of the World Match Play Championship in Virginia Water, England, and stay on course for a record sixth title.


Park continues to lead at Samsung World Championship Grace Park, her caddie - and fans - were poking around in the desert brush alongside the 18th fairway desperately looking for her ball.


Glazer bid foundered on control condition Cubic Expression #39;s main objection to the Glazer family #39;s 300p-per-share bid for its 29 per cent stake in Manchester United was that the bid was not unconditional.


Fergie Still Fuming over Arsenal Antics Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has reopened the wounds of last seasons controversial clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford by branding the Gunners as a mob who got away with murder.


Soccer: Bayern fall to Schalke defeat, Stuttgart pull away BERLIN : Bayern Munich tasted their first home defeat of the season with Schalke 04 grabbing a late 1-0 victory at the Olympic Stadium.


Johnson completes sweep at Lowe #39;s CONCORD - When the fastest car in the race went out, it opened the door for everybody else. And that was six of the 10 drivers in the Chase for the Championship and it opened the door for a clean sweep.


Ronaldo saves Real #39;s Betis blushes MADRID, Oct 16 (AFP) - A trademark poacher #39;s strike from Ronaldo saved Real Madrid #39;s blushes at Real Betis on Saturday as his second-half effort rescued a point in a 1-1 draw.


UPDATE 1-Leaders Juve end Messina #39;s unbeaten start Serie A leaders Juventus ended Messina #39;s unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 win over the Sicilian club on Saturday. Goals from Uruguayan Marcelo Zalayeta and European


China Games Notebook Friendship is one thing, competition quite another. That was apparent when reporters asked Juwan Howard and Liu Wei about playing against friends, Chris Webber and Yao Ming, in the China Games.


Purdue suffers first loss of season to Wisconsin, 20-17  quot;Everybody on the sideline was saying,Dont get complacent, the game is not over, quot; sophomore linebacker George Hall said.


NBA Game Summary - Detroit At Miami Little Rock, AR -- Dwyane Wade scored 20 points, including eight in the decisive third quarter, to lead the Miami Heat to an 83-74 win over the Detroit Pistons, 83-74, in preseason action.


Yankees 19 Red Sox 8 (Boston-AP, Oct. 17, 2004) _ The New York Yankees put on a record-setting offensive display in routing Boston 19-to-8 to win Game Three of the American League Championship Series.


Australia eyes treaty with Jakarta Australia may try to negotiate a new defense and security treaty with Indonesia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Sunday. A bilateral security agreeement the two neighbors


Ousted OAS president returning home The former president of the Organization of American States was returning to Costa Rica on Friday to answer questions about whether he accepted kickbacks, government officials said.


UPDATE 2-Ronaldo strikes to give Real 1-1 draw at Betis Ronaldo scored only his second league goal of the season to give Real Madrid a 1-1 draw at Real Betis on Saturday and salvage a point from another mediocre display.


Karzai widens early lead in Afghan poll KABUL, Afghanistan: Interim leader Hamid Karzai has moved far ahead of his rivals in early results from Afghanistan #39;s first-ever presidential elections as ballot counting -- delayed over alleged irregularities -- has gathered speed.


Kabila Visits Ex-Rebel Territory KINSHASA, Congo, Oct. 16 -- President Joseph Kabila of Congo visited territory in the country #39;s northeast formerly held by rebels for the first time since taking power in 2001, his spokesman said Saturday.


AT T, MCI May Be Cheap, But No One Buying (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of long-distance phone\companies AT T Corp.  and MCI Inc.  have plunged\about 20 percent this year, but potential buyers seem to be\holding out for clearance sales.


Egypt Won't Invite Iraq Opposition Groups (AP) AP - Egypt's foreign minister said Saturday that his country would not invite Iraqi opposition groups to a high-level conference on Iraqi elections planned next month at an Egyptian resort.


Seven dead in Afghan attacks as vote count resumes (AFP) AFP - Seven people including two US soldiers died in explosions in Afghanistan, officials said, as early results from historic elections gave President Hamid Karzai a strong lead over his rivals.


2004 Presidential Endorsements (AP) AP - Newspaper endorsements in the 2004 presidential campaign between President Bush, a Republican, and Sen. John Kerry, a Democrat.


Tokyo Stocks Seek Direction from Overseas  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks are expected to stick to a  narrow range this week as investors focus on a flood of U.S.  earnings, soaring oil prices and the race for the White House.


NFL Wrap: Manning Throws 3 TDs to Lead Colts Past Titans Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes to move closer to the all-time season record as the Indianapolis Colts routed the visiting Tennessee Titans 51-24 in the NFL on Sunday.


Russia to Join NATO Anti-Terror Patrols (AP) AP - Russia agreed Thursday to send warships to help NATO naval patrols that monitor suspicious vessels in the Mediterranean, part of a push for closer counterterrorism cooperation between Moscow and the western alliance.


Diplomatic Shuffle Begins to Kickstart NKorea Talks  BEIJING (Reuters) - China will try to nudge North Korea to  resume stalled talks on ending its nuclear programs when  Pyongyang's No. 2 leader visits on Monday, but economic issues  will also be high on the agenda.


Dawn of the New Can Americans are fixated on nutrition, freshness and convenience -- and in the minds of consumers, industry analysts say, old-fashioned cans do not stack up.


Methods to the Madness Even with the use of home accounting software, investors should still establish a filing system for paper receipts, warranties, tax records, bank statements and other essential documents.


China's Ex-Party Chief Turns 85 Under House Arrest  BEIJING (Reuters) - Zhao Ziyang, toppled as China's  Communist Party chief for opposing the army crackdown on the  1989 Tiananmen Square protests, turned 85 on Sunday in poor  health and living his 15th year under house arrest.


What if a Sales Tax Were the Only Tax? Does replacing personal income and payroll taxes with a national sales tax, an idea President Bush has shown interest in, help the U.S. tax system?


'We are proud to be Africans' More than 90 of Africans are proud of their continent, a new survey conducted for the BBC shows.


Weight ops linked to nerve damage A significant number of patients who have their stomachs stapled develop nerve damage in their extremities, research has found.


Broad Use of Harsh Tactics Is Described at Cuba Base Many detainees at Guantnamo Bay were regularly subjected to harsh and coercive treatment, several people who worked in the prison said in recent interviews.


Yankees Stun BoSox 19-8 for 3-0 ALCS Lead BOSTON - The Yankees kept circling the bases, battering Boston's beleaguered pitching staff. By the time the long, long night ended with a devastating 19-8 rout over the Red Sox, the dreaded New Yorkers were just one game away from a shocking sweep...


Six GIs Killed in Iraq Bombings, Crashes BAGHDAD, Iraq - Explosions hit five churches in Baghdad, and two U.S. Army helicopters crashed elsewhere in the capital, killing two American soldiers and wounding two others, as violence flared while Iraqi Muslims began marking the holy month of Ramadan...


A Stricken Town Seeks Scapegoats BESLAN, Russia -- Astan Belikoyev knows what people are saying. They don't say it to his face. If anyone did, he noted bitterly, he would probably punch them in the face.


Violence, Crash in Iraq Kill 6 Troops BAGHDAD, Oct. 16 -- Two U.S. military transport helicopters crashed Saturday night in southwestern Baghdad, killing two soldiers and bringing to six the number of American servicemen reported killed in violence across Iraq over the past two days.


Lycos Europe appears to have canned its spam war Lycos Europe has apparently pulled the plug on its effort to orchestrate denial of service attacks against selected spammers. Earlier last week, the online community/portal company


Park continues torrid play at Samsung Grace Park built a four-shot lead at the Samsung World Championship Friday with a tournament record, 36-hole total of 15-under 129.


Oracle, PeopleSoft wrap up trial LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- PeopleSoft #39;s revision this week to its customer rebate program has brought it much closer to meeting Oracle #39;s concerns that the measure represents an unacceptable obstacle to its bid for its rival, a judge reportedly said Friday.


Second best isn #39;t good enough Orlando Cabrera may be new to the Red Sox and to this business of Red Sox-Yankees playoffs. He may be as far away as he could get from his previous baseball outpost, Montreal, where the Expos drew closet crowds.


Why They Play The Game What #39;s the fun in almost a half-century of losing? That #39;s the question Navy asks each and every year that it plays Notre Dame and contained within it is the more abstract question: What #39;s


India #39;s ruling Congress party retains power in richest state BOMBAY : India #39;s Congress-led alliance held onto power in the nation #39;s richest state, Maharashtra, after winning the most seats in assembly elections and dealing a humiliating defeat to the opposition Hindu nationalists.


Task Force Olympia soldier dies of wounds suffered in car bombing BAGHDAD, Iraq A US soldier assigned to Task Force Olympia has died of wounds suffered in a car bomb attack in the northern city of Mosul.


All-Girl Gaming Team Takes Aim at Boys (AP) AP - At first glance, Les Seules might look like an all-girl rock band  #151; complete with sassy attitudes and fawning male groupies  #151; but the Swedish septuplet doesn't play instruments. They play competitive video games.


Soyuz Capsule Docks in Tricky Maneuver (AP) AP - The Soyuz spacecraft closed in on the international space station at dangerously high speed Saturday, forcing the U.S.-Russian crew to put on the brakes, abandon autopilot and manually dock the Soviet-era capsule in an unplanned and tricky maneuver.


Unlikely Visionary Behind Race to Space (AP) AP - SpaceShipOne visionary Peter Diamandis wasn't thinking about history as he stood in the Mojave desert and watched a small, shuttlecock-shaped craft glide back to Earth having nudged the edge of space.


Japan 2005 Expo to Display Frozen Mammoth (AP) AP - Shuttle buses without drivers, trains floating on magnetic fields and other visions of the future will be on display at Japan's world fair next year. But Expo 2005's centerpiece will be rooted deep in the past  #151; the frozen remains of a woolly mammoth.


Automakers Display Eco-Friendly Cars (AP) AP - The Habo No. 1 looks like any one of the legions of Volkswagen sedans in China. But a peek under the hood reveals an array of chrome canisters in place of the usual engine.


MySQL and ALTER TABLE Guilty as Charged \\For the last few days I've been using MySQLs ALTER and REPAIR table\functionality and its caused tons of countless problems and a great deal of lost\sleep.\\The first problem I noticed was that for large tables ALTER TABLE was taking\hours!  Lets say you have a 30G table.  Good luck altering it as the default\MySQL configuration will probably take 100 or more hours.\\In MySQLs defense there are a number of variables you can use to increase the\performance of an ALTER but the problem is that the two major ones\(myisam_max_extra_sort_file_size, and myisam_max_sort_file_size) can't be set at\runtime (during an ALTER). If these are set too low MySQL will revert to a\"Repair with keycache" strate ...\\


Ghost in the Shell - SAC \\For the last few days I've been addicted to Ghost in the Shell - Stand Alone\Complex .  I'm not a huge Anime fan as everything I've ran across in the past\seems to target 15 year old girls.  SAC is clearly different and can stand\alongside the Matrix and any other major Science Fiction released in the last 10\years.\\SAC is set in the year 2030 - obviously there's been a great deal of\technological achievement since 2004 including ubiquitous Internet, AI, and\cybernetic enhancements.\\The main characters in the story all have cybernetic modifications ranging from\a few implants all the way up to entire body replacement.  The protagonist,\Major Motoko Kusanagi, is almost entirely cybernetic,  ...\\


Israel Says Gaza Incursion Was a Success (AP) AP - Israel's military said Saturday that its 17-day incursion into the northern Gaza Strip struck a heavy blow against Palestinian militants routinely firing makeshift rockets into the country's southern region.


Brazil ready to down drug planes A law allowing Brazil's air force to shoot down suspected drug planes comes into force on Sunday.


Wal-Mart reports drop in shoppers Customer traffic fell in the past week from a year earlier, Wal-Mart said Saturday in a report on its comparable-store sales. Free!


Closer Brad Lidge Delivers for Astros (AP) AP - No bullpen collapse by the Houston Astros this time. Brad Lidge was on the mound. The Astros closer allowed just one hit and struck out five in two innings Saturday, protecting a lead and helping Houston beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 in Game 3 of the NL championship series.


Microsoft #39;s  #39;Halo 2 #39; game leaked LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- Microsoft said Friday that a version of its hotly anticipated  quot;Halo 2 quot; video game had been leaked onto various venues on the Internet nearly a month before its planned official release.


Clemens Plays Role Of Hometown Hero HOUSTON - Roger Clemens has pitched as many important games as any pitcher of his generation, including nine All-Star games and seven World Series outings.


Trainer Links Bonds to Drugs SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16 -- Barry Bonds #39;s weight trainer said on a secretly recorded tape that the San Francisco Giants star took an undetectable performance-enhancing drug during the 2003 season, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.


No. 8 California Runs Over UCLA 45-28 (AP) AP - Geoff McArthur caught two of Aaron Rodgers' career-high four touchdown passes, and eighth-ranked California racked up 550 total yards in a 45-28 victory over UCLA on Saturday.


Ramadan Begins with Attacks in Iraq A suicide bomber in Qaim drove a vehicle packed with explosives into four American soldiers, killing all of them. The US military also confirms that one of their soldiers was killed in Mosul.


Indonesia #39;s Megawati will not attend swearing in of successor <b>...</b> JAKARTA, Oct 17 (AFP) - Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri will not attend the swearing in of her successor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the country #39;s first directly-elected leader, a close aide said Sunday.


Earthquakes Tie Burn to Clinch Playoffs (AP) AP - The San Jose Earthquakes clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference by tying the Dallas Burn 2-2 on Saturday night in the season finale for both teams.


Iraq #39;s Allawi due in Russia for oil, debt talks MOSCOW, Dec 3 (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi arrives Monday in Moscow for the first time since taking office six months ago with hopes of soothing tensions over Russia #39;s opposition to the US-led war in his ravaged nation.


Defense Delivers Badgers an Upset Scott Starks returned a Purdue fumble 40 yards for a touchdown with 2 minutes 36 seconds remaining to put Wisconsin ahead to stay.


Yankees Rout Red Sox Yankees' bats pound the Boston Red Sox to the brink of elimination with 22 hits in a 19-8 slaughter on Saturday night, giving New York a commanding 3-0 series advantage.


Familiar Foes United and the MetroStars provided MLS with its first genuine rivalry during the league's inaugural season, and it resumes when the teams meet in the regular season finale Sunday.


Hayes Impresses Early Jarvis Hayes is keeping Jared Jeffries out of the conversation when it comes to discussing who will start at samll forward for the Wizards.


Badgers Take Control Scott Starks returns a fumble by Purdue QB Kyle Orton 40 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes to lift No. 10 Wisconsin to a 20-17 win over No. 5 Purdue.


Cox Shines at  Pimlico Trainer Kenny Cox triumphantly returns to the Pimlico track with a new stud and a well-monied owner to win the \$50,000 Sonny Hine Stakes on Saturday.


Wizards Down Galaxy Kansas City secures the top seed in the Western Conference on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles.


Russia #39;s energy sector hinges on Yukos fight MOSCOW The stakes are high in the much-publicized feud between the Kremlin and the Russian oil giant Yukos - so high that the outcome of that battle will shape how the country #39;s energy industry grows in 2005 and beyond.


Netflix stock drops 41 percent Investors hit the rewind button on Netflix Inc. shares Friday, sending the DVD rental company #39;s stock down 41 percent amid an intensifying price war.


Playing the Percentages When I saw a young guy on the escalator, a large television on his shoulder and a gleam of triumph in his eye, I knew I was where I belonged.


Main banks look to US mergers for profits NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Recent missteps by a Canadian bank #39;s incursion into US territory aren #39;t dampening the momentum of an invasion from the North.


Driving through fall foliage almost as fun as destination ALDERSON, W.Va. -- Sitting in a wooded campsite at Raft West Virginia in Fayetteville this past Monday with fog piled up thick in the New River Gorge got me to thinking: WWMD?


It #39;s yet another typical autumn: Leaves fall, and Yankees rise Beautifully colored leaves, warm days, chilly nights, high school football and ah, yes, October baseball. Like most things in nature, fall is predictable.


Behind Sexton, FSU shows dominance of old in rout TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A revival of sorts took place here at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday. The Florida State Seminoles, infected the past few years by a bad case of fall from grace, rose up against the


Deluxe Handhelds Try Hard to Justify the Price (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - When  #36;100 buys a pocket-sized gadget that can store decades' worth of appointments and addresses -- and  #36;200 gets you one that also serves as a digital photo album and MP3 player -- why would anybody want to spend  #36;400 or  #36;500 on a new Palm or Pocket PC handheld?


Karzai well ahead in Afghan tally KABUL, Afghanistan -- Weekend counting shows interim President Hamid Karzai is well ahead of his rivals and on course to become Afghanistan #39;s first popularly elected leader.


UK troop plan for Baghdad stirs fears A US request for British troops to move up to Baghdad to allow American forces to be pulled out for a possible attack on Fallujah is prompting fears from both troops and politicians


5 Iraqi churches damaged during Ramadan An Iraqi man prays with his beads as others gather outside a destroyed church following an explosion in Baghdad, 16 October 2004. Bombs exploded near five churches around Baghdad this morning followed by a


MOFA denies dollar diplomacy claim Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (  ) yesterday denied allegations that the ministry was conducting dollar diplomacy under the guise of foreign aid to Costa Rica.


Rojo Tracks 800k Blogs \\Chris Alden blogged  the other day about Rojo going past 800k feeds in our\index:\\"We indexed our 800,000th feed yesterday, making Rojo one of the largest feed\search services already. If your RSS or Atom feed is NOT indexed by Rojo\already, all you need to do is to enter that feed into the "Add Channel"\window on the right side of the Content tab, and we will add it. All of the\feeds we've indexed are searchable in the "Search Rojo" window, also on the\right side of the Content tab. Please let us know what you think of our\search!"\\We're quickly finding new feeds.  The feed discovery seems to be pretty\steady. The on difference between Rojo and Technorati  is that they track\weblogs *and* ...\\


Deluxe Handhelds Try Hard to Justify Price When \$100 buys a pocket-sized gadget that can store decades' worth of appointments -- and \$200 gets you one that also serves as a digital photo album and MP3 player -- why would anybody spend up to \$500 on a new Palm or Pocket PC handheld?
-Rob Pegoraro


Sites Help to Connect Social Networks Two new Web services launched last week aim to help people tap their friends for tips about where to eat, shop and play. -Leslie Walker


Chasing Apple's iPod Competitors' attempts to beat back Apple's dominant hardware with devices offering more storage, a lower price -- or both virtues -- have gone nowhere.
-The Washington Post


Giant loss for Fed, big A amp;M gain Robert McTeer, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, is leaving after 13 years to become chancellor of the Texas A amp;M System.


Illinois unable to come away with big upset The University of Illinois football team was looking for a turnaround Saturday at windswept Memorial Stadium. Instead, a potential upset of No.


Israeli army pulls back A 17-day Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, the biggest in four years, came to an end after the army withdrew from the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza.


Violence will lead Haiti #39;s pro-Aristide party nowhere: premier PORT-AU-PRINCE (AFP) - Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue warned members of exiled president Jean Bertrand Aristide #39;s Lavalas party that  quot;violence would lead them nowhere, quot; and invited them to  quot;join the electoral process which would be scrupulously


Glitch forces manual docking to space station A new crew arrived safely at the International Space Station on Saturday morning, despite a glitch that required the cosmonaut pilot to manually fly their Soyuz spaceship the last few hundred feet to its parking spot.


NE researchers say spruce damage echoes effects of acid rain Red spruce trees in New England and upstate New York suffered severe damage last winter, University of Vermont researchers have found.


Game 3 outburst just one way club has built 3-0 lead The New York Yankees, having won the taut pitchers #39; duel in Game 2, took Game 3 of the American League Championship Series to the other end of the spectrum.


Rocket saves the day Putting aside talk this might be his final game, Clemens focused on something more important - pitching to save the Astros #39; season.


Rossi clinches MotoGP title with Australian win Valentino Rossi clinched his fourth straight MotoGP world championship, winning the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. The 25-year-old Yamaha racer, an eight-time winner this season, passed Spain #39;s Sete Giberneau


Park on pace for sixth win Palm Desert, CA (Sports Network) - Grace Park posted a one-under 71 Saturday and holds a three-stroke lead after three rounds of the Samsung World Championship.


#39;Greatest slow on earth #39; The Australian press (headlines above) is eulogising Shane Warnes eminently well deserved record-breaking achievement. Among those applauding the feat is former Australian captain Steve Waugh, who has written


Miller makes most of chances LOS ANGELES - There will be 100-yard games that Zach Miller will treasure more than Saturday #39;s. Such is the problem with a first coming in a 45-7 loss that everyone from Arizona State would like to soon forget.


Mids unlucky against Irish, again Navy had one opening, one sliver of a chance to make it a game against Notre Dame yesterday. After the Midshipmen drove 81 yards for a field goal midway through the


Johnson Takes the Race, While Others Pursue the Cup Kurt Busch set a relatively modest goal for Saturday night #39;s Nascar race at Lowe #39;s Motor Speedway. Forget about winning. On arguably his worst track on the Nextel Cup


India #39;s Congress win in state helps national clout India #39;s ruling Congress party, flush with an election win in the state that is the heart of finance and film, will now be better armed to deal with demanding communist allies, newspapers and analysts said on Sunday.


Paper: Jeb Bush Ignored Felon List Advice (AP) AP - Florida Gov. Jeb Bush ignored advice to throw out a flawed felon voter list before it went out to county election offices despite warnings from state officials, according to a published report Saturday.


Moto GP: Rossi retains world title Valentino Rossi is crowned world champion with victory at the Australian MotoGP.


6 Killed in Arizona As SUV Flees Deputies PHOENIX - A stolen truck filled with suspected illegal immigrants sped away from deputies and rolled over at a busy intersection near an Army post Saturday, causing an 11-car crash that killed six people and seriously injured 15, sheriff's officials said.    Passengers were thrown from the truck as it struck a center median and began to spiral, hitting vehicles waiting at a turn lane, Deputy Chief Randy Redmond of the Sierra Vista Fire Department said...


Red Sox-Yankees Game 3 was more embarrassment than classic BOSTON -- On the baseball beauty scale, Saturday #39;s American League Championship Series game between the Yankees and Red Sox ranks right there alongside Roseanne #39;s screechy rendition of the national anthem in San Diego in 1990, Pete Rose #39;s 1970s hairdo


RBC Centura CEO steps down RALEIGH, NC - The head of RBC Centura Bank has stepped down, and his successor will run the bank out of Raleigh rather than Rocky Mount, where the bank is based.


FCC rule may lead to broadband expansion WASHINGTON -- New rules approved this week by the Federal Communications Commission are aimed at making high-speed Internet available to more Americans.


About 1,600 staff apply for Aer Lingus redundancy packages DUBLIN : Aer Lingus said that about 1,600 employees applied before a deadline for redundancy packages offered by the Irish state airline, which aims to reduce its workforce by 1,325 to 2,668 over three years.


Disney revs for India, China may take time: Iger MUMBAI: Even as Walt Disney is working overtime to have everything in place for what now looks increasingly like a year-end coming out party for its three channels in India, the going is not quite so smooth in neighbouring China.


Clemens clocks Cards Astros 5, Cardinals 2, St. Louis leads series 2-1 Roger Clemens isn #39;t done yet, and neither are the Astros. Putting aside talk this might be his final game, Clemens focused on


Blair warned against troops help to US in Iraq LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been warned not to put British troops in Iraq in danger merely as a political gesture to the American administration.


Political correctness gone mad The decision by the European Parliament #39;s Civil Liberties Committee to reject the nomination of Rocco Buttiglione as European Commissioner for Justice and Security over his comments on homosexuality and marriage is very unfortunate.


A New Crew Arrives at the Space Station A Soyuz spacecraft with a replacement crew for the International Space Station docked safely with the orbiting complex.


Do Good! Win a Prize! While Nobel prizes are given for past performance, other types of inducement prizes are intended to spur innovation. Do they do the job?


AN ECONOMY HANGING TOUGH October 17, 2004 --  quot;The impact of the current surge in oil prices, though noticeable, is likely to prove less consequential to economic growth and inflation than in the 1970s.


Delta struggles with weak revenues, deep discounts, high fuel <b>...</b> Delta Air Lines Inc. is on the brink of filing for bankruptcy, with the coming weeks critical. This weekend, the airline continues negotiations with its pilots union in Hollywood in order


Options-expense rule put off until June The US Financial Accounting Standards Board agreed to delay by six months implementation of a rule that will force companies to treat employee stock options as an expense.


NEXT GEN HEALTHCARE BY JOANN MILLS LAING. HEALTH Savings Accounts (HSAs) are the first step in a profound and dra matic transformation of the Ameri can health-care system.


Chasing Apple #39;s Dominant iPod Now that the iPod and its little brother, the iPod mini, have gobbled up the overwhelming majority of the MP3-player market, what #39;s a competitor to do?


Big fish and prized trees gain protection Decisions made at a key conservation meeting are good news for big and quirky fish and commercially prized trees. Several species will enjoy extra protection against trade following rulings made at the Convention


Record sixth title in Els #39; reach Defending champion Ernie Els beat Padraig Harrington, 5 and 4, Saturday to move into the final of the World Match Play Championship in Wentworth, England, and stay on course for a record sixth title.


Davenport loses to Myskina in Kremlin Cup semifinals Ailing Davenport loses: A weakened Lindsay Davenport lost to defending champion Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) yesterday in the Kremlin Cup semifinals in Moscow but still will regain the No.


ALCS NOTEBOOK Lowe gets to start for Sox in must-win situation Boston -- What #39;s in store today for Boston #39;s beleaguered pitching staff? Scheduled starter Tim Wakefield volunteered to work in relief on Saturday and threw 3 1/3 innings.


Kings beat Rockets 91-89 in NBA Beijing game Bobby Jackson hit a pair of late three-pointers Sunday to lift the Sacramento Kings to a 91-89 preseason victory over the Houston Rockets, as the NBA wrapped up its first games in China.


Local guys sink Navy Marcus Wilson has been the invisible man on Notre Dame #39;s football roster. The 5-11, 202-pound senior tailback from Staten Island had his moments at Poly Prep, once rushing for 358 yards against Valley Forge Prep in 2000.


SPORTS AND DRUGS Baseball #39;s big concern: integrity The baseball community expressed concern for the sport after The Chronicle reported that Barry Bonds #39; weight trainer claimed in a secretly recorded conversation that the superstar used an  quot;undetectable quot; performance- enhancing drug during the 2003 season.


Kumble Wickets Give India Advantage Against Australia in Test Spin bowler Anil Kumble took three wickets as India reduced Australia to 150-4 in its second innings at stumps on the third day of the second cricket Test, a lead of only nine runs.


Rossi reigns supreme Valentino Rossi secured his fourth consecutive MotoGP world championship in style with a thrilling win in the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.


Trojans live up to their top ranking Those waiting for USC to deliver a dominant performance were rewarded Saturday with Trojans #39; most complete effort thus far. Was it actually suggested that USC might be overrated?


Australia considering new security pact with Indonesia SYDNEY : Australia said it was considering signing a new security agreement with Indonesia to replace a treaty between the countries that was scrapped when Canberra sent troops into East Timor in 1999.


Germany Set to Hand Hamburg Qaeda Suspect to Spain Germany has cleared the way for the extradition to Spain of an Arab businessman long accused by the United States of financing al Qaeda and investigated


Two engines recently replaced on cargo jet HALIFAX -- The cargo jet that crashed in flames off the end of a Halifax International Airport runway last week had two engines replaced in the weeks leading up to the accident, investigators revealed yesterday.


French NGOs push to save African chicken farmers from Europe (AFP) AFP - African chicken farmers risk ruin from massive imports of European frozen poultry at less than a third of their prices, say organisers of a campaign by French non-government organisations to protect the home-grown African market.


Saudi Forces Arrest 4 Suspected Militants (AP) AP - Security forces have captured four suspected militants, an Interior Ministry spokesman said Sunday, the latest detentions in a Saudi crackdown on Islamic extremists in the kingdom.


New York Times, three other US dailies endorse Kerry for president (AFP) AFP - The New York Times endorsed John Kerry for president, becoming the first major US daily to announce its presidential preference, and was joined by small papers in the swing states of Ohio and Minnesota in backing the Democratic senator.


NATO, Russia vow to boost anti-terror cooperation (AFP) AFP - NATO and Russia vowed to boost cooperation in fighting terrorism, notably firming up plans for Russian ships to join an Alliance counter-terror operation in the Mediterranean.


Germany Set to Hand Hamburg Qaeda Suspect to Spain  BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has cleared the way for the  extradition to Spain of an Arab businessman long accused by the  United States of financing al Qaeda and investigated by German  authorities for links to the Sept. 11 "Hamburg cell."


France 'unaffected' by oil surge Crude oil's record-breaking run is not hitting consumer demand in France, the fastest growing euro zone economy, says budget minister Dominique Bussereau.


Fierce fighting around Iraqi city US forces and Iraqi militants exchange tank and mortar fire on the eastern edge of the western city of Falluja.


Harvard's\$12 billion man  Harvard University's \$12 billion man doesn't wear a tie, takes the subway to work, and eats his lunch in the cafeteria on the fourth floor of the Federal Reserve Building. Jack Meyer is a person of few pretensions, but strong beliefs.


Reilly won't pursue Kohl's over pricing practices Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly concluded that Kohl's Department Stores violated a state law that prohibits false advertising of sale prices, but he decided not to prosecute the company because the retailer convinced him the case was not worth pursuing.


For labor markets, definition of 'normal' is changing It has become a monthly ritual. The government issues its jobs report, the numbers are disappointing, and the excuses begin. Employers are not hiring because of the high price of oil, fear of terrorism, uncertainty about the election, and because the dog ate their homework. (I made that last one up.)


Is it appropriate for my boss to ask me if I'm looking for another job? Q: Is it appropriate for my boss to ask me point-blank if I'm looking for another job? I find it rather rude. I don't think this is anyone's business, especially my manager's. What's a suitable response?


Jackpot! Now what? We should all have such luck: Bobby Britton won \$4 million playing the Massachusetts State Lottery and wants to get a second opinion on what to do.


Mired in a mess? Get organized WASHINGTON -- I'm so disorganized that I missed the chance to celebrate Get Organized Week.


Long-term care insurance poses its own set of risks What do you get when you buy long-term care insurance? An unproven product sold by an industry in turmoil that will cost you a small fortune in premiums -- with no guarantee those premiums won't go even higher.


Savvy grocers with a recipe for expansion Albertsons Inc., one of the nation's largest grocery chains, bought the Shaw's and Star Market chains for more than \$2.1 billion in April to gain a foothold in New England and compete more aggressively against the region's top supermarket company, Stop  amp; Shop. Albertsons chief executive Larry Johnston and Shaw's president Nicola DiFelice spoke with Globe reporter Naomi Aoki.


Circus an escape for Brazilian youth SALVADOR, Brazil -- Eduard Fioza pedals a unicycle up and down a ramp beneath a blue, red, and yellow big top. Jumping off his seat, he darts past a juggler and does a short, impromptu dance.


On a tourist trail in Bolivia's hills, Che's fame lives on LA HIGUERA, Bolivia -- The people here pray to a man who once limped through their village in tattered clothes, a legendary guerrilla who fought his last battle on their dusty, unpaved streets, and who was executed in their schoolhouse.


Newspaper cites abuse at Guantanamo Uncooperative Guantanamo Bay detainees were regularly subjected to highly abusive treatment over a long period of time, unidentified guards at the US military base, intelligence agents, and others who worked in the prison told The New York Times.


Chechen rebel is targeted in attack LONDON -- Exiled Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev has suffered an arson attack at his home in London, British authorities said yesterday. There was minor fire damage but no injuries after Zakayev's home was targeted in the early hours of Friday, they said. Zakayev's lawyer said the attack appeared to be an assassination attempt on the exiled deputy of Chechen ...


Radicalism takes root with Moroccans CASABLANCA, Morocco -- In the aftermath of Morocco's worst-ever terrorist attacks in May 2003, King Mohammed VI lifted the hopes of his most impoverished subjects last year when he toured Casablanca's sprawling slums, home to a dozen suicide bombers who had blasted targets across the city. The monarch said he was appalled at the conditions and vowed to raze the ...


Bush and Kerry Address Voters' Anxieties on Stump John F. Kerry accused President Bush of putting American lives at risk by failing to prevent the flu vaccine shortage and as Bush again said that his Democratic opponent cannot be trusted to protect the country from terrorists.


Starters were finished early In a game of whose starting pitcher was worse, the Red Sox finally won something -arely. Because both Boston #39;s Bronson Arroyo and the Yankees #39; Kevin Brown were awful last night


Gates Says Broadcast TV Model Faces Irrelevancy Bill Gates predicts a future for the entertainment industry in which traditional broadcast television is rendered irrelevant. It #39;s a positive vision, however, because new and


Laser-sharp gamblers keep winnings LONDON Three gamblers who used a laser device to win more than a million pounds at a London hotel casino will not face prosecution because they did nothing illegal, police said Sunday.


Israelis in fresh Gaza incursion Israeli troops have entered the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza in a new incursion to locate Palestinian weapons smuggling tunnels, the army says.


Storm shows Haiti #39;s straits Muddy waters still occupied the heart of Gonaives last weekend, three weeks after Tropical Storm Jeanne provoked flash floods that killed some 1,900 and left 900 presumed dead.


Celebrating The  quot;Right Stuff quot; -- Mercury Astronaut Gordon  quot;Gordo quot; <b>...</b> As fellow astronauts, other friends and loved ones gathered in Houston yesterday to honor US  quot;frontiersman quot; Captain Leroy Gordon Cooper Jr.


Digital Entertainment Everywhere New options for managing your digital media means more than just mp3s in your pocket. October 14, 2004 - Microsoft held its Digital Entertainment Everywhere launch this past Tuesday and unveiled new products


Jackson #39;s buzzer shot beats Yao in China BEIJING (Ticker) -- Bobby Jackson made sure the Sacramento Kings did not leave China empty-handed. Jackson scored six of his 13 points in the final two minutes as the Kings rallied to their first preseason


Italy: Juventus increases lead Juventus increased its lead in the Serie A on Saturday by beating newcomer Messina 2-1, ending the hopes of the unheralded Sicilian team to earn a historic first place in Italy #39;s top league.


Chance for upset just a Midshipmen night #39;s dream EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- If you read columns across the country, listened to sports talk radio or even watched ESPN #39;s  #39; #39;SportsCenter, #39; #39; you probably got the impression in the days leading up to Saturday that Notre Dame was in grave danger of losing to Navy


European stock markets face rough water over new accounting <b>...</b> PARIS, Oct 17 (AFP) - European stock markets could be heading for a patch of rough water with the introduction of new accounting standards, analysts are warning, saying that stock prices could be bounced around and initial public offerings held back.


Tales from the pit: A woman trader #39;s story If you #39;re a woman, Cari Lynn #39;s salty memoir will hearten you, though it might not sway you to enter the futures trading field.


Cardinals #39; Kline hopes to return Houston- Although the index finger on his throwing hand was so stiff Saturday he couldn #39;t bend it, St. Louis Cardinals reliever Steve Kline is still hoping to pitch again this postseason.


Switch problem on Genesis craft Faulty switches are identified as the most likely cause of the Genesis sample-return capsule's crash landing last month.


Pipeline (TechWeb) TechWeb - Process Perfecter 7,Perfect Product SuiteT 5.0,Ultimus Suite V 7,e-DMS Workflow,HP OpenView Smart Plug-In for Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g


Reuters Poll: Kerry Trims Bush Lead to 2 Points (Reuters) Reuters - Democratic challenger John Kerry cut\President Bush's lead to 2 points with just over two weeks to\go before the Nov. 2 election, according to a Reuters/Zogby\poll released Sunday.


Group of Abu Ghraib Detainees Freed More than 200 detainees were released Sunday from Abu Ghraib prison after a security review deemed them no longer a threat, the U.S. military said.


Columbus Crew, Colorado Rapids Tie 1-1 (AP) AP - Duncan Oughton scored in the 41st minute, and the Columbus Crew extended their unbeaten streak to 18 with a 1-1 tie against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.


No. 7 Florida St. Tops No. 6 Virginia 36-3 (AP) AP - Virginia was ranked higher than Florida State and looking for its first road win against a top-10 team. The No. 6 Cavaliers couldn't even get a touchdown Saturday.


Yankees Crush Red Sox, One Win from Sweep  BOSTON (Reuters) - The New York Yankees scored the most  runs in an American League Championship Series game as they  pounded the Boston Red Sox 19-8 on Saturday to move within one  victory of a return trip to the World Series.


Kings Beat Rockets in Tense Beijing Finish  BEIJING (Reuters) - The Sacramento Kings beat the Houston  Rockets in a nail-biter pre-season game in Beijing on Sunday,  91-89, on a baseline jumpshot by reserve guard Bobby Jackson in  the final seconds.


Home wreckers Religious leaders prayed for the Red Sox to reach baseball's promised land. The mayor appealed for divine intervention. Even comic Jim Dunn led the congregants at the Comedy Connection last night in a prayer service.


Odds are fandom fell into trap You did it again, didn't you? You fell into the trap that these fun-loving, baseball-bashing Red Sox set for you. You became so enamored with their irreverence and their pizazz and their long hair and their long-ball capabilities, you actually convinced yourself they were better than the New York Yankees.


Eagles foiled by Pitt stop PITTSBURGH -- Forget the Curse of the Bambino. How about the Curse of Heinz Field?


Gary Payton, unguarded Despite an on-time arrival for Celtics training camp, Gary Payton never really left Los Angeles. He keeps his clothes back home, necessitating the establishment of a bicoastal laundry service. When Payton tires of wearing a set of outfits, he sends them to his wife, who mails back a fresh set. His collection of cars also remains on the West Coast, ...


Revolution in with the in crowd FOXBOROUGH -- The Revolution have turned late-season rallies into a combination of an art form and a habit. Clint Dempsey and Steve Ralston scored in a three-minute period early in the second half as the Revolution edged the Chicago Fire, 2-1, to qualify for the MLS playoffs for the third successive season.


Patriots test their mettle against iron FOXBOROUGH -- The Patriots' schedule gets tougher beginning today, as they start a stretch of four games against the contending Seattle Seahawks, the undefeated New York Jets, the revamped Pittsburgh Steelers, and the offensively mighty St. Louis Rams.


On film, Seymour sees more Thursday night is film night for Richard Seymour, and every week he takes someone new to the movies with him.


San Jose ties up final berth The San Jose Earthquakes clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference by tying the Burn, 2-2, last night in Dallas in the season finale for both teams.


Image takes new hit as Beckham bends rules LONDON -- David Beckham lurches from one crisis to another, and is being ridiculed by British newspapers as an attention-seeking drama queen.


Team's talent clear to see, says confident Pierce FOXBOROUGH -- Defender Rusty Pierce has performed as a starter in most of the Revolution's crucial matches since joining the team four years ago. So, Pierce reacted calmly to the team's dramatic rally to qualify for the MLS playoffs with a 2-1 win over Chicago last night.


Spartans bury Gophers early EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Drew Stanton passed for 308 yards and ran for 102 more, setting a school record for total offense, to lead Michigan State to a 51-17 victory over No. 19 Minnesota yesterday.


White saves Sooners MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Jason White threw for four touchdowns, two each to Travis Wilson and Mark Clayton, and No. 2 Oklahoma overcame its own mistakes to beat Kansas State, 31-21, yesterday.


Leak, Gators bounce back GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Chris Leak threw three touchdown passes, DeShawn Wynn scored three times, and No. 22 Florida (4-2) rebounded from a home loss to LSU with a 52-16 victory over Middle Tennessee yesterday.


Wolverines wake up late CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Michael Hart rushed for 234 yards and No. 14 Michigan rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Illinois, 30-19, yesterday, sending the Illini to their 12th consecutive Big Ten loss. Hart ran for 127 yards and Max Martin added 60 yards rushing in the second half as the Wolverines (6-1, 4-0) kept the ball on the ground ...


Darby helps turn the Tide TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Kenneth Darby rushed for 197 yards and scored two touchdowns, on a run and on a pass, as Alabama beat No. 24 Southern Mississippi, 27-3, yesterday for its first win against a ranked opponent in nearly two years. Southern Miss (4-1) had been averaging nearly 29 points per game, but the Crimson Tide (5-2) limited it to ...


Lester left with an empty feeling PITTSBURGH -- Larry Lester seemed inconsolable as he sat on a chair outside the visitors' locker room at Heinz Field. His head bowed, Lester agonized over the fumble he lost in overtime in Boston College's 20-17 setback yesterday to the Pittsburgh Panthers.


Irish extend streak, hand Navy its first loss of year EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Notre Dame's size and speed took all the drama out of its 41st straight victory over Navy.


Rutgers stumbles past Owls PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Jeremy Ito kicked three field goals and Ryan Hart threw a late touchdown pass to help Rutgers hold off Temple, 16-6, in an error-filled game yesterday.


Late TD, FG lift Broncos TULSA, Okla. -- Antwaun Carter scored on a 2-yard run with less than two minutes remaining, and Tyler Jones kicked a 46-yard field goal with three seconds left, rallying No. 21 Boise State to a 45-42 win over Tulsa last night.


Tomahawk chopped TALLAHASSEE -- Virginia was ranked higher than Florida State and looking for its first road win against a top-10 team.


Brown taps Burke as assistant captain  Gerry Burke of Milton, a senior at Brown University, has been elected as an assistant captain on the varsity hockey team.


Hennessy rouses Andover from a slow start ANDOVER -- In one play, Andover's Matt Hennessy surpassed his team's first-half output, rushing for 23 yards to spark a sluggish Golden Warrior offense to a 17-7 victory over Lowell. Andover (6-0), known for its potent offense, was held to one first down and 20 yards of total offense in a scoreless first half.


Trinity streaks to 18th straight win Junior Josh Pitcher and freshman Chandler Barnard combined to pass for 212 yards and three touchdowns yesterday as Trinity rolled to a 36-14 victory over Tufts in a New England Small College Athletic Conference game in Hartford.


Chelmsford runners go 1-2 EAST GREENWICH, R.I. -- A pair of J's carried Chelmsford to a commanding win in the Varsity 2 race yesterday at the 22d Brown Invitational.


Last-minute TD stops Maine Justin Rascati completed 19 of 28 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning 23-yarder to D.D. Boxley with 47 seconds remaining, as James Madison stayed undefeated in the Atlantic 10 with a 24-20 victory over Maine at Orono yesterday.


Xaverian clips Falcons WESTWOOD -- The Xaverian defense spent much of its Saturday afternoon chasing Cambridge quarterback Matt O'Brien. The Hawks caught him just in time.


Win gains Johnson little Jimmie Johnson thought he needed a victory to jump back into contention for the Nextel Cup championship.


Minutemen slam the brakes on their skid DURHAM, N.H. -- After suffering losses each of the last four weeks in a  quot;murderer's row quot; schedule -- in the words of coach Don Brown -- it appeared Massachusetts was about to lose No. 5 early in yesterday's game.


Green with envy HANOVER, N.H. -- The Holy Cross football team left its heart on the field more than a few times in an 0-5 start this fall.


Falmouth blanks Dartmouth The 10th-ranked Dartmouth boys' soccer team had given up only one goal this season, but yesterday, host Falmouth scored two to hand the Indians their first loss, 2-0.


Walpole retains top spot NORWOOD -- The knot atop the Bay State League Herget Division has one less loop. Walpole tamed the Norwood Mustangs, 19-0, yesterday, leaving only the Rebels (5-1) and Wellesley (5-1) at the top of the Herget hill.


Quakers sow oats in league Pat McDermott passed for 209 yards and two touchdowns as Penn defeated Columbia, 14-3, in Philadelphia yesterday. The victory was the 17th straight in Ivy League play for the Quakers (4-1, 2-0), tying their own league record set during the 1993-95 seasons.


Sainsbury's 'creating 3,000 jobs' Sainsbury's is set to create 3,000 jobs as it looks to improve services at its supermarkets, newspapers report.


ONLINE MUSIC: BUY VS. RENT October 17, 2004 -- While companies take aim at iPod with a host of new players, they #39;re also targeting iTunes, Apple #39;s online music store.


Kings Beat Rockets in Tense Beijing Finish The Sacramento Kings beat the Houston Rockets in a nail-biter pre-season game in Beijing on Sunday, 91-89, on a baseline jumpshot by reserve guard Bobby Jackson in the final seconds.


Rossi admits surprise at title Newly-crowned world MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi has admitted his surprise at winning the title in his first year with new team Yamaha.


Sainsbury #39;s  #39;creating 3,000 jobs #39; Sainsbury #39;s is set to create 3,000 jobs as it looks to improve services at its supermarkets, newspapers have reported. The new staff will be used to keep shelves better stocked and give shoppers a better service


Samsung, Sony Ericsson Post Gains Samsung Electronics posted a 46 percent gain in earnings, despite a dip in its cell phone and telecom-equipment business. Separately, Sony Ericsson posted a 29 percent year-over-year increase in sales during the third quarter.


Bill Gates: A model for the future LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Bill Gates predicts a future for the entertainment industry in which traditional broadcast television is rendered irrelevant.


Revs Sneak Into Playoffs On Final Day Needing three points to vault into fourth place ahead of the Fire, the Revs found a way to scrape into the postseason at the last gasp, as goals from Clint Dempsey in the 55th minute and Steve Ralston in the 58th minute downed Chiacgo 2-1 and sent the


Opel managers and workers reps to meet, stoppages set to continue (AFP) AFP - Managers and workers representatives at German car maker Opel are set to meet Monday after a weekend vigil by employees protesting against the plans of parent company General Motors to cut thousands of jobs.


India need 210 to win Chennai Test India need another 210 runs to win the Chennai Test after ending the fourth day at 19-0. Virender Sehwag was batting on 12 and Yuvraj Singh on 7. Earlier, Anil Kumble claimed 6-133, his 26th fifth-wicket haul, to help India bowl Australia out for 369.


Fed Debates Policy for Post-Greenspan Era Battle lines are drawn at the Federal Reserve between those who favor formal inflation goals and those who don #39;t, and the debate is heating up ahead of the coming retirement of Chairman Alan Greenspan.


Update 3: Workers at German Plant Keep Up Protest Hundreds of workers at an Opel car plant in Germany kept up a protest outside the factory gates Sunday against plans by parent company General Motors for thousands of job cuts, demanding assurances that there will be no compulsory layoffs.


Trial turns into bid dance It is common for a merger battle to involve a healthy dose of public posturing on issues such as price and logistics. But while such maneuvering typically plays out in the media, or during analyst forums, it #39;s rare to see it happen in a courtroom.


Skyway windfall seen as  #39;blessing and a curse #39; From desperate times to an embarrassment of riches. From crying poor-mouth to fending off the wolves. Mayor Daley certainly is a man of extremes these days.


Economy on Track as Retail Sales Jump A surprisingly big climb in US retail sales in September and a larger-than-expected gain in underlying producer prices bolstered hopes for an economic revival and views


Northwest Pilots The elected union representatives of Northwest Airlines pilots have voted unanimously to endorse concessions sought by the airline.


Oil prices lead fund to Mexico, away from China Brad Aham, manager of the \$745 million SSgA Emerging Markets Fund, said he #39;s increasing his investments in Mexico on optimism about record oil prices, and avoiding China, where central bankers are poised to raise interest rates.


Chinese satellite part hits house A section of a Chinese scientific satellite that was returning from orbit crashed into an apartment building, wrecking the top floor but causing no injuries, a newspaper said Sunday.


FDA Approves Human RFID Tags The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a radio frequency identification (RFID) microchip (VeriChip) that will be implanted in humans and used for medical purposes.


Microsoft battens down Windows XP #39;s hatches With the latest update to Microsoft Corp. #39;s Windows XP operating system, personal computers will soon join parents, bosses, teachers and spouses as a source of nagging in your life.


Flip and shoot Nextel Communications Inc. is offering its first camera phone, the Motorola i860, which boasts a large color screen, measuring 2.2 inches and 262,000 colors.


Microsoft announces Xbox holiday bundle Starting October 31, the Xbox will include NCAA Football 2005, Top Spin, two-month Xbox Live trial for \$149.99. Microsoft today announced the details of its Xbox holiday bundle.


Myskina wins Kremlin Cup again Anastasia Myskina won the Kremlin Cup for the second straight year, running off 10 straight games to defeat Elena Dementieva 7-5, 6-0 Sunday in the tournament #39;s first all-Russian final.


Arsenal kicks five points clear as Chelsea beaten ARSENAL tightened its grip on the English Premier League title yesterday as closest rival Chelsea slumped to its first defeat of the season at Manchester City.


Derby Win Sends Bara Clear Barcelona held on from an early Deco goal to edge game local rivals Espanyol 1-0 and carve out a five point tabletop cushion. Earlier, Ronaldo rescued a point for Real Madrid, who continued their middling form with a 1-1 draw at Real Betis.


Shorthanded Juve Top Messina Despite a striker crisis, Juventus inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on impressive risers Messina by a 2-1 tally. Marcelo Zalayeta and Pavel Nedved grabbed goals on either side of the break to lead Il Bianconeri.


Astros #39; Oswalt will pitch through pain Before Astros righthander Roy Oswalt starts today #39;s Game 4 of the NLCS, he #39;ll need a painkiller injection for an aggravated left rib cage muscle.


Irish Take Big Step With a 27-9 win over Navy, the Irish move to 5-2 on the season. Irish fans had plenty to celebrate with this victory, and the Irish have plenty to play for in the future.


Johnson hangs on for win CONCORD, NC  Jimmie Johnson won the UAW-GM 500 Saturday night, but the overwhelming drama of the race was the uncanny comeback of his mentor and teammate, Jeff Gordon, from two separate wrecks to finish second.


Illinois Notebook Illinois lost to Michigan by 11 points and committed just two penalties to the 10 charged against the Wolverines on Saturday. So why was Illinois head coach Ron Turner complaining about the officiating?


Patriots not getting ahead of themselves Its become a familiar mantra: One game at a time. One week at a time. One game at a time . . . Todays 1 pm game against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette


US Continues Major Attack on Fallujah A US Army soldier watches from atop his armoured vehicle as smoke rises in background after his unit destroyed a seized Katyusha rocket in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday Oct. 17, 2004.


Newest Darfur peacekeepers delayed a week-Rwanda A battalion of Rwandan peacekeeping troops scheduled to arrive in Sudan #39;s Darfur region this weekend will be delayed by a week because of logistical problems, Rwanda said on Sunday.


Colin Powell to hold talks in Japan US Secretary of State Colin Powell will travel to the Far East next week and hold talks in Japan, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said Sunday.


UK appeals for Bigley #39;s remains Britain #39;s ambassador to Iraq has appealed for information that would lead to the recovery of the remains of former hostage Ken Bigley.


Liverpool slur puts Tory on back foot BORIS Johnson, editor of British magazine The Spectator, might well pad his trousers with copies of the conservative journal when he travels to Liverpool this week to apologise for insulting the city and its people.


Bashir case  #39;a trap #39; THE prosecution on terrorism charges of extremist Islamic cleric and accused Jemaah Islamiah leader Abu Bakar Bashir will rely heavily on the potentially tainted testimony of at least two convicted Bali bombers, his lawyers have said.


BoSox, Astros Play for Crucial Game 4 Wins (AP) AP - The Boston Red Sox entered this AL championship series hoping to finally overcome their bitter rivals from New York following a heartbreaking seven-game defeat last October. Instead, they've been reduced to trying to prevent the Yankees from completing a humiliating sweep in their own ballpark.


No. 10 Wisconsin Tops No. 5 Purdue 20-17 (AP) AP - Scott Starks returned a fumble by Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton 40 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes to lift 10th-ranked Wisconsin to a 20-17 win over No. 5 Purdue on Saturday.


Texas to face Michigan in 91st Rose Bowl The Texas Longhorns will make their first BCS bowl appearance at the 91st Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1, 2005, in Pasadena, Calif., at 3:30 pm.


Privacy breach feared from human-implant chip: Health India: New York, Oct 17 : The US government could literally be getting under the skin of its citizens with the first futuristic microchip implant for humans getting a go ahead this week.


Myskina Beats Dementieva Again to Win in Moscow  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Anastasia Myskina trounced Elena  Dementieva, 7-5, 6-0, in the Kremlin Cup final Sunday to retain  her Moscow title in a rematch of their all-Russian French Open  final earlier this year.


Rangers stung by Thistle Rangers hopes of returning to the top of the Scottish Premier League were dashed on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at struggling Inverness Caledonian Thistle.


Clemens gives the Astros a liftoff HOUSTON -- The St. Louis Cardinals captured the first two games of the National League Championship Series in dramatic fashion, yet at no time did the Houston Astros appear concerned. They insisted once they returned home their fortunes would change. So far, so good.


If the new shoe fits, Schilling may wear it The suspense surrounding Curt Schilling's possible return to the mound in the American League Championship Series intensified yesterday as the Red Sox indicated Schilling has found the footwear that would enable him to pitch if his injured right ankle permits it.


Decision to start El Duque final Win or lose last night, the Yankees were committed to starting Orlando Hernandez in Game 4 tonight.


Wakefield's return engagement came early He had anticipated being at the starting line of tonight's fourth game of the American League Championship Series. Instead, Tim Wakefield found himself in the middle of a pitching meltdown last night, called upon to try and lend soothing relief in a sorry excuse for playoff baseball.


Hernandez rested, ready The question on everybody's mind -- Red Sox and Yankee fans -- is which Orlando Hernandez will show up at Fenway Park tonight for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.


Broadband ups European Web users to 100 m 54.5 million Europeans surfed the Web over a broadband connection, a 60 percent increase from 34.1 million 12 months earlier. AMSTERDAM: More than half of Europe #39;s Internet surfers now have a high-speed broadband


Seven Iraqis Die in Falluja Battles, Baghdad Attack  FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. jets bombed Falluja Sunday  and troops fought rebels accused of shielding foreign fighters  led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, America's top foe in Iraq.


African Leaders in Libya to Discuss Darfur  TRIPOLI, Libya (Reuters) - The Sudanese government and  rebel leaders need to be pushed to find a solution to the  bloody conflict in Darfur, African foreign ministers said  Sunday ahead of a summit on the crisis.


Little worked for Francona It started early. Again. And all the Red Sox and their fans could do was wonder how bad it would be this time and if the outburst would subside enough to enable the Red Sox to make some noise in the American League Championship Series.


Belarus Votes to Extend Lukashenko's Rule  MINSK, Belarus (Reuters) - The president of Belarus,  confident of victory in a referendum Sunday to extend his rule,  promised to serve his people better if they voted "yes" and  told the West to keep criticism of his rule to itself.


Better than the best PARIS The verdict is in: The world #39;s greatest race car driver, the champion of champions - all disciplines combined - is Heikki Kovalainen.


Invasion Of The (i)Pod People And every month, another one million people join their ranks. They #39;re the Pod People. Or make that, the iPod People. Now, if you don #39;t know what an iPod is, then you must be over 25, reports Sunday Morning contributor David Pogue.


Russia urges Iran nuclear action Russia says Iran must do more to dispel international concerns about its nuclear programme.


Karzai Rival Refuses to Concede Election KABUL, Afghanistan - Hamid Karzai's closest rival in Afghanistan's landmark election insisted Sunday he has a chance for victory, saying Karzai's commanding lead was based on early results and the election could turn on an investigation of fraud allegations.    Former Education Minister Yunus Qanooni told the Associated Press that he was preparing to be in the political opposition as the country moves toward Western-style democracy - though he added that whether he recognizes the results depends on the honesty of the probe into fraud complaints...


BoSox, Astros Play for Crucial Game 4 Wins The Boston Red Sox entered this AL championship series hoping to finally overcome their bitter rivals from New York following a heartbreaking seven-game defeat last October. Instead, they've been reduced to trying to prevent the Yankees from completing a humiliating sweep in their own ballpark...


JFK Aide Pierre Salinger Dies at 79 PARIS - Pierre Salinger, a journalist and former press secretary to President John F. Kennedy, was also a prominent backer of the theory that the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 was caused by a Navy missile...


Two Soldiers Die After Crash in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces battled insurgents around the rebel stronghold of Fallujah on Sunday after two American soldiers died when their helicopters crashed south of Baghdad...


Northwest Pilot Leaders Endorse Pay Cut MINNEAPOLIS - Leaders of the union for Northwest Airlines pilots voted unanimously Saturday to endorse a tentative agreement that will cut pilot compensation by \$265 million annually.    The Master Executive Council of the Northwest branch of the Air Line Pilots Association voted 10-0 to submit the two-year deal to union members for their ratification...


Annan: Iraq War Hasn't Made World Safer LONDON - The U.S.-led war in Iraq hasn't made the world any safer, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said in a British TV interview aired Sunday...


Jordan Indicts Al-Zarqawi in Conspiracy AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan's military prosecutor indicted 13 alleged Muslim militants Sunday, including Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi - one of the most wanted insurgents in Iraq - for an al-Qaida linked plot to attack targets in Jordan with chemical and conventional weapons, officials said Sunday.    Al-Zarqawi and three others from the group remain at large and will be tried in absentia, officials said...


UPDATE 1-Myskina beats Dementieva again to win in Moscow Anastasia Myskina trounced Elena Dementieva 7-5 6-0 in the Kremlin Cup final on Sunday to retain her Moscow title in a rematch of their all-Russian French Open final earlier this year.


Wenger calls for cool on Man U ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger warned an ugly fracas must be avoided when his all-conquering side travels to Old Trafford on Sunday for a mouth-watering match against bitter rivals Manchester United.


NBA China or Chinese NBA? Yao Ming and his Houston Rockets entertained Chinese basketball fans with two real NBA games this weekend, though they were just two pre-season games against the Sacramento Kings.


Israelis quit Gaza after killing 138 THE Israeli army ended its 17-day-long incursion into the Gaza Strip over the weekend after carrying out its assignment to exact a price for the firing of rockets by Hamas at towns inside Israel.


Statement About UK Troop Deployment in Iraq Defense Minister Geoff Hoon will make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday about British troop deployments in Iraq, amid reports that Britain is considering sending some 600 soldiers to bolster US operations near Baghdad.


UN: 10,000 People Dying Monthly in Darfur In the Darfur region of western Sudan, nearly 10,000 people per month have lost their lives from malnutrition and disease adding up to 70,000 deaths since the crisis started in February of 2003.


NO WAY OUT FOR ENGLAND England #39;s controversial tour to Zimbabwe next month looks certain to go ahead after the official inquiry into racism within their cricket found no evidence when it was presented to the International Cricket Council today.


All Ords get help from gold, Dr Money THE sharemarket should take heart from US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan #39;s comment that sky-high oil prices won #39;t harm the US economy - as long as they don #39;t go any higher.


Alitalia Sees 2004 Loss of EU515 Million, in Line With 2003 Alitalia SpA, Italy #39;s largest airline, said it expects a loss this year of about 515 million euros (\$642 million), in line with 2003.


Palestinian Zakah to Combat Poverty A cohort of Palestinian intellectuals proposed setting up a central Zakah fund to channel the alms into productive projects


Your Daily Tech News Service... Short-Media have thrown up a new article which asks does Windows Service Pack 2 slow you down? Microsoft released Service Pack 2 and millions installed it.


BARCLAYCARD PREMIERSHIP BETTING ODDS: ARSENAL With Chelsea losing their unbeaten record and Manchester United failing yet again to win, William Hill now make Arsenal red-hot 2/5 favourites to retain the title.


Ronaldo saves Real #39;s Betis blushes Real Madrid coach Mariano Garcia Remon lamented poor finishing after his side were forced to rely on a trademark poacher #39;s strike from Ronaldo in a fortuitous 1-1 draw at Real Betis.


British troops may be sent to Baghdad British troops are likely to be deployed outside southern Iraq for the first time in support of US troops in some of the worst trouble spots in the country, including Baghdad, it emerged last night.


Slain Captive Engineer: Pakistan repatriates Body to China BEIJING (China): Body of the slain Chinese engineer, Wang Peng who lost his life during operation against the al-Qaeda linked captors in the tribal belt of Pakistan reached here on Saturday by a special plane, which was arranged by Islamabad as an


Jon Stewart Attacks the Media through Crossfire Instead of plugging his new book, Jon Stewart tonight on CNN's crossfire used his time to slam the media's coverage of the election.  Although Stewart leans left, he attacked political shows and begged them: "Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America."  Is it time to really stop all the political games that both sides play?  Torrent of the event is available.


Fed Debates Policy for Post-Greenspan Era (Reuters) Reuters - Battle lines are drawn at the\Federal Reserve between those who favor formal inflation goals\and those who don't, and the debate is heating up ahead of the\coming retirement of Chairman Alan Greenspan.


Deluge of Big Earnings to Dominate (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. stock investors face a\mind-numbing pile of information this week as corporate\earnings and economic data pour in, Alan Greenspan speaks and\the presidential election heads toward the homestretch.


U.N.'s Annan: Iraq War Done Little to Halt Terrorism (Reuters) Reuters - The Iraq war has done little to increase\security across the world or halt the activities of\international terrorists, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi\Annan said Sunday.


African Leaders in Libya to Discuss Darfur (Reuters) Reuters - The Sudanese government and\rebel leaders need to be pushed to find a solution to the\bloody conflict in Darfur, African foreign ministers said\Sunday ahead of a summit on the crisis.


European Ministers Meet for Terror Talks (AP) AP - Interior ministers from Italy, France, Germany, Britain and Spain searched for Europe-wide solutions in the fights against terror and illegal immigration during informal talks Sunday at a Florentine villa.


Halloween Means Sales as Adults Join In (Reuters) Reuters - Halloween is expected to scare up\record sales this year as more adults -- and pets -- join in\what was once mainly a children's dress-up event, filling a\void before the key Christmas shopping season.


Vancouver votes in record numbers, rejects ward-based electoral system (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - Vancouver residents took to the polls in record numbers Saturday and voted not to adopt a ward system used by every other major Canadian city to elect its municipal politicians.


Deluge of Big Earnings to Dominate  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock investors face a  mind-numbing pile of information this week as corporate  earnings and economic data pour in, Alan Greenspan speaks and  the presidential election heads toward the homestretch.


Settlers Say Gaza Meeting with Sharon a 'Disgrace'  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Jewish settler leaders failed in a  rare meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday  to persuade him to back their proposal to put his planned Gaza  withdrawal to a national referendum.


Comet Smashed Into Southern Germany In 200 BC PARIS (AFP) -- A comet or asteroid smashed into modern-day Germany some 2,200 years ago, unleashing energy equivalent to thousands of atomic bombs, scientists revealed.     The 1.1-kilometre (0.7-mile) diameter rock wacked into southeastern Bavaria, leaving an "exceptional field" of meteorites and impact craters that stretch from the town of Altoetting to an area around Lake Chiemsee, the scientists said Friday in an article in the latest issue of US magazine Astronomy...


Unlikely Visionary Behind Private Race to Space SpaceShipOne visionary Peter Diamandis wasn't thinking about history as he stood in the Mojave desert and watched a small, shuttlecock-shaped craft glide back to Earth having nudged the edge of space. He just thought it looked beautiful.


New Hope in the Fight Against Breast Cancer Mammograms have become a rite of passage for 40-year-old American women, and a compulsory exercise for those over 40. But as rote as those annual screenings might seem, there's nothing routine about a diagnosis of breast cancer.


Bush Says He's Best Protection From Draft DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - President Bush turned is turning the tables on Sen...


U.S. Continues Major Attack on Fallujah BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces battled insurgents around the rebel stronghold of Fallujah on Sunday, and militants ambushed and killed nine Iraqi policemen returning from training in Jordan...


A new crew arrives at the space station A Soyuz spacecraft with a replacement crew for the international space station docked safely with the orbiting complex early Saturday.


Myskina defends title in Moscow Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - Anastasia Myskina of Russia successfully defended her title in Moscow with a straight-set win over countrywoman Elena Dementieva at the final of the \$1.


Loeb takes the slow road to first world title A cautious approach helped Frenchman Sebastien Loeb to win his first world rallying title on Sunday. Before the Rally of France, Citroen team boss Guy Frequelin


Karzai leads in Afghanistan vote count KABUL - Interim leader Hamid Karzai holds about 70 per cent of the votes counted so far after Afghanistan #39;s landmark presidential election.


Chemical Blast Wounds 2 at Kenya Airport An explosion went off Sunday at an airport in Kenya #39;s capital, wounding at least two people Sunday and prompting authorities to seal off the facility to air traffic, witnesses said.


Saudi Arabia bans tinted car windows Saudi Arabia banned tinted car windows on Sunday in a move aimed at preventing militants escaping detection on the kingdom #39;s roads.


Many Churches Installing Cell Phone Jammers The jarring polychromatic din of ringing cell phones is increasingly being thwarted - from religious sanctuaries to India's parliament to Tokyo theaters and commuter trains - by devices originally developed to help security forces avert eavesdropping and thwart phone-triggered bombings.


New England Patriots FOXBORO, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- A possible preview of Super Bowl XXXIX will be staged Sunday when the New England Patriots host the Seattle Seahawks in the first meeting between the teams in nearly 11 years.


San Diego Chargers ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Michael Vick gets to play the team that passed on the chance to draft him Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons host the San Diego Chargers in an interconference matchup.


Kabila makes symbolic visit to eastern DRC The Democratic Republic of Congo #39;s President Joseph Kabila visited the former rebel-held east on Saturday for the first time since taking power, a trip intended to show the country was reuniting after years of war.


Jordan Indicts Zarqawi in Foiled Chemical Plot  AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) - A group of militants was summoned  Sunday and formally charged for their alleged role in a  thwarted chemical attack using suicide bombers, judicial  sources said ahead of a trial which should begin in November.


IPO plans from China #39;s sole unlisted telecom WASHINGTON - China Netcom, the only unlisted company among China #39;s four big telecoms operators, filed on Friday with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to raise as much as US\$1.


Microsoft #39;s Halo 2 video game leaked on internet Halo 2, the sequel to Microsoft #39;s best-selling game for its Xbox video console, has leaked onto the internet nearly four weeks before its planned sale.


Paris report: Open-source move could be costly It won #39;t be  quot;all or nothing quot; and it won #39;t be  quot;everything, right away. quot; That #39;s the gist of the message coming out of Paris following the presentation of a report on a possible switch from Windows to open source.


Golf: Els wins record sixth World Match Play title WENTWORTH, England : Ernie Els proved himself the master of the World Match Play championship on Sunday when he won a record breaking sixth title - beating England #39;s Lee Westwood 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final.


Iran ready to discuss nuclear issue  quot;without conditions quot;: official Iran on Sunday said it was ready tohold negotiations on its nuclear program  quot;without any conditions quot;,but Tehran could not be forced to do anything, the official IRNAnews agency reported.


Seven Iraqis Die in Falluja Battles, Baghdad Attack US jets bombed Falluja Sunday and troops fought rebels accused of shielding foreign fighters led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, America #39;s top foe in Iraq.


Relentless Els Seals Record Sixth Match Play Title  VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Ernie Els beat Lee  Westwood 2 1 in a gripping final at Wentworth Sunday to win a  record sixth World Match Play Championship and claim the  biggest first prize in golf.


Chinese finance minister says nine per cent economic growth acceptable (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - BEIJING (AP) - China's finance minister says economic growth of nine per cent this year would be acceptable, state television reported this week in the first acknowledgment by a senior official that growth might exceed the government's target of seven per cent.


Voters Dislike Nasty Campaigns (AP) AP - Near the end of a long presidential campaign, the question in this hard-fought state is becoming more familiar: Which candidate do you like? And the reply of 62-year-old independent voter Joy Handyside is perhaps all-too-common.


Paris govt. offices slowly switching to open-source software Local government offices in the French capital will be moving to open source software, but they #39;ll be doing it slowly. An independent study showed that a switch to open source would cause  quot;significant


Boston Facing Monster Challenge Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona walked into his clubhouse Thursday morning and it was the same place he #39;s enjoyed all season.


SportsNetwork Game Preview (Sports Network) - Carlos Beltran may be the newest Killer B in Houston #39;s lineup, but right now he is also the most feared hitter on the Astros.


Rusedski Only Un-seed Into ATP Moscow Semifinals Brit Greg Rusedski continued to pick up momentum in his comeback from being falsely accused of drug doping earlier this year by the ATP, Friday upsetting No.


Stuttgart Top In Day Of Shocks Matthias Sammer #39;s VfB Stuttgart moved to the top of the Bundesliga table on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Sammer #39;s former employers Borussia Dortmund, on a day that saw shock defeats for both Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich.


Britain may move troops north LONDONBritish troops could be moved to Baghdad to provide cover for American troops as they carry out offensive operations against insurgents in Falluja and elsewhere in the country, media reports said yesterday.


Two killed in mortar attack in Baghdad Two people were killed and a third injured Sunday when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded at a weapons depot east of Baghdad. Eyewitnesses said the grenade fell into a sports club where al-Mehdi militiamen


Delta Reports That Its Cash Is Dwindling Rapidly Delta Air Lines, which is struggling to avoid a bankruptcy filing, said yesterday that it expected to lose as much as \$675 million for the third quarter and that it was using cash at a steep rate.


Royal Group Technologies shares remain halted as rumours swirl TORONTO (CP) - Trading in shares of Royal Group Technologies Ltd. remained halted by regulatory order Thursday amid rumours about police and securities commission investigations of the building products maker.


Els claims record sixth Match Play Ernie Els claimed a record sixth World Match Play title by beating Lee Westwood two and one in a gripping final at Wentworth. The South African world number two celebrated


Favourite Garcia Takes Mallorca Honours Sergio Garcia justified his position as pre-tournament favourite, and perhaps even his decision to turn down the chance of 1million, with victory in the Mallorca Classic today.


Cloak and dagger Dortmund Those of you who try to follow the Bundesliga by checking the German media will come off a confusing week, as there was very little talk of football.


Sudan Questions WHOs Darfur Death Toll KHARTOUM, 17 October 2004 - Sudan yesterday questioned UN estimates that up to 70,000 people had died from hunger and disease in its remote Darfur region since a rebellion began 20 months ago.


First Permanent Russian Military Base Opened Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov dedicated the first permanent Russian military base in Tajikistan today.


Greenspan on Oil In a speech on Friday, Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve, gave qualified reassurance on the adequacy of future global oil supplies to meet rising demandat least through a mid-century transition to a new primary energy source.


Google Desktop Search 1.0 Beta If there is one IT company that has changed the way we surf the Internet, especially while searching for data online, then it has to be Google.


Bear Stearns bond offering practices investigated The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating Bear Stearns Cos #39; (BSC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) municipal bond offering practices, according to a filing from the US investment bank.


GM, Struggling in Europe, Sets Big Job Cuts Europe has been a cold place for American carmakers these last few years. On Thursday, the General Motors Corporation made clear just how cold, announcing it


New Threat to Yukos Licenses Issued Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutnev said Saturday that Yukos #39; main production unit, Yuganskneftegaz, could lose its licenses over what he termed  quot;rather serious quot; technical violations.


Sun Micro Posts Narrower Quarterly Loss Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. on Thursday posted a narrower quarterly loss as revenue rose for the second consecutive quarter on higher sales of servers after three years of declines.


Barrett: Intel Makes U-Turn, Cancels Four-Gigahertz Chip In a bumpy year of missteps and about-faces, Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) announced another U-turn: On Thursday the chipmaker said it halted plans to release a 4-gigahertz microprocessor.


Microsoft Claims Partnership Creates 1,000 .Net Platforms Executives with Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft have disclosed that a 2-year-old partnership created to promote the use of .Net for Web services has resulted in the installation of 1,000 .


Four sentenced for web porn in Beijing Four men were sentenced to termed imprisonment Thursday in Beijing for creating and profiting from pornographic websites, reported China Daily on Thursday.


IBM and Cisco in enterprise security tie-up IBM and Cisco Systems have unveiled product updates that will tie technology from the two companies more closely together in an effort to secure customer networks from worms and viruses.


(Sports Network) - This year #39;s American League Championship Series <b>...</b> Red Sox. Boston is on the verge of being swept in four games by the New York. on Aaron Boone #39;s home run in bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7. It #39;s been a. pennant in the last seven years.


Garcia pulls away, wins Mallorca Classic MALLORCA, Spain (Ticker) - Sergio Garcia lived up to his billing as pre-tournament favorite perfectly when he cruised to victory in the Mallorca Classic at Pula Golf Club Sunday.


Ferguson begins war of words LONDON, Oct. 17. - Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson today reopened his war of words with Arsenals Mr Arsene Wenger, a week before the two clubs Premier League confrontation at Old Trafford.


Packers break out of slump, pound Lions Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Brett Favre threw for 257 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Green Bay stopped a four-game losing streak with a 38-10 pounding of Detroit in an NFC North showdown at Ford Field.


Sun Micro Posts Narrower Quarterly Loss Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a narrower quarterly loss as revenue rose year over year for the


US troops, insurgents fight around Iraqi rebel city of Fallujah FALLUJAH, Iraq : US troops and insurgents battled on the edge of rebel-held Fallujah and nine policemen were killed in an ambush, as UN chief Kofi Annan said he did not think the invasion of Iraq had made the world a safer place.


UK ponders Iraq troop switch THE US had asked Britain to redeploy troops stationed in the UK-controlled zone in southern Iraq, the Ministry of Defence confirmed today.


Two hurt in Kenya airport blast Two customs workers have been lightly injured in a blast at one of the airports in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. A fire triggered by the explosion in a warehouse is said to have damaged the roof of an adjacent departure lounge.


Fire rips through Venezuela tower, no casualties A huge fire on Sunday destroyed 22 floors of Venezuela #39;s highest tower block in a Caracas complex housing ministries and state agencies, but there were no casualties, authorities said.


Tehran sticks by  #39;right #39; to master nuclear fuel cycle Iran repeated Sunday it had a  quot;right quot; to master the sensitive nuclear fuel cycle, ahead of an expected proposal from Europe calling for Tehran to abandon such work in exchange for diplomatic and trade incentives.


Literary icon rejects Nigerian award government in Nigeria in protest at the  quot;dangerous quot; state of the country, newspapers have reported. Problem With Nigeria quot;, rejected the award in a two-page letter addressed to President Olusegun Obasanjo.


Australia set India 229 to win second Test: Sports India, Cricket: Chennai, Oct 17 : Damien Martyn cracked his eighth Test century on the fourth day of the second Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium here Sunday to help Australia set India a target of 229 to win the match.


Jets 22, 49ers 14 Chad Pennington led the New York Jets on a second-half comeback. Rookie Jonathan Vilma sealed it. The Jets overcame a 14-3 halftime deficit and Vilma intercepted Tim Rattay #39;s poorly thrown pass with 1:44 to


Karzai Rival Refuses to Concede Election Afghan presidential candidate Yunus Qanooni adjusts his glasses during an interview in Kabul on Sunday, Oct.17. 2004. Hamid Karzai #39;s closest rival in Afghanistan #39;s landmark election refused to concede defeat


Spitzer Strikes Eliot Spitzer received an anonymous letter last March that made for intriguing reading. The message suggested that the New York attorney general poke around Marsh  amp; McLennan, the US #39;s largest insurance broker


Oswalt hopes to pull Astros even CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Roger Clemens did his part, now Roy Oswalt - the Houston Astros #39; other ace pitcher -opes to follow his veteran teammate #39;s lead.


Myskina Leads a Homegrown Double The narrative of homegrown athletes triumphing over foreign opponents resonates with Russian sports fans, reaffirming their conviction that their country #39;s athletes are no worse, and in many cases even better, than athletes abroad.


Yao Ming Returns to China to NBA Exhibition Game National Basketball Association star Yao Ming, from China, received a warm welcome and responded with 13 points, but it was not enough as the Sacramento Kings edged the Houston Rockets 91-89 in a preseason game played in Beijing.


Montella inspires Roma to first away win Captain Francesco Totti scored a first-half goal and striker Vincenzo Montella added another in the second period Saturday and AS Roma beat last-place Livorno 2-0 on the road to capture its second win in six Serie A matches.


Busch bounces back from everything to hang on to points lead If Kurt Busch goes on to win his first NASCAR title, he can point to the 500 miles at Lowe #39;s Motor Speedway as the defining race of his season.


Blunderer Boris told to say sorry across the Mersey When you walk through a storm hold your head up high, and you #39;ll never walk alone - unless your name is Boris Johnson and you #39;re heading north to apologise to Liverpool.


Africa leaders seek Darfur peace A summit of African leaders in Libya seeks a solution to the crisis in the Sudanese region of Darfur.


Two hurt in Kenya airport blast Two people are hurt in a blast at one of the airports in Nairobi, thought to be the result of an accident.


Tamil Tigers reject peace plans Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels dismiss new government proposals to restart peace talks.


Thousands of Britons Protest War in Iraq LONDON - Thousands of anti-war and anti-globalization activists marched through central London and filled Trafalgar Square on Sunday to protest the U.S.-led coalition's presence in Iraq.    The march marked the culmination of the third European Social Forum - three days of speeches, workshops and debates largely dominated by Iraq and the U.S...


Zarqawi Movement Vows al-Qaida Allegiance BAGHDAD, Iraq - The most feared militant group in Iraq, the movement of terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, declared its allegiance to Osama bin Laden on Sunday, saying it had resolved a dispute with al-Qaida over strategy and vowing unity against "the enemies of Islam."   The question of al-Zarqawi's relationship to bin Laden and the al-Qaida leadership has been the subject of considerable speculation. Some experts believed al-Zarqawi - who has claimed to be leading a bloody campaign of bombings against U.S...


Kerry Warns of Privatized Social Security WASHINGTON - Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Sunday of planning a surprise second-term effort to privatize Social Security and forecast a "disaster for America's middle class."   Republicans denied the charge as scare tactics with little more than two weeks remaining in a tight election...


Investors Weigh Pharmaceuticals, Techs NEW YORK - As Wall Street sifts through more than 300 third-quarter earnings reports this week, technology and pharmaceutical stocks will be getting some of the closest scrutiny.    The focus on drug companies results from a recent spate of bad news about Merck   Co...


Tommy Lee Plays With College Marching Band LINCOLN, Neb. - Drummer Tommy Lee has played plenty of stadium shows with his band Motley Crue...


U.S. Ground, Air Attacks Pound Fallujah BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. troops pounded the insurgent stronghold Fallujah with airstrikes and tank fire Sunday, and the Iraqi government appealed to residents of the city to expel "foreign terrorists" and "murderers" to prevent an all-out attack...


Pentagon: Ex-Detainees Return to Terror WASHINGTON - Despite gaining their freedom by signing pledges to renounce violence, at least seven former prisoners of the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have returned to terrorism, at times with deadly consequences.    At least two are believed to have died in fighting in Afghanistan, and a third was recaptured during a raid of a suspected training camp in Afghanistan, said Lt...


Karzai Rival Refuses to Concede Election KABUL, Afghanistan - Hamid Karzai's rivals said Sunday it was too early to call Afghanistan's inaugural presidential election, despite the interim leader's dominant showing after three days of vote-counting.    The U.S.-backed incumbent's main challenger, Yunus Qanooni, insisted that a full count and a proper investigation by a panel of foreign experts on fraud allegations could yet put him in the running...


Violence Continues in Fallujah U.S. troops pounded the insurgent stronghold Fallujah with airstrikes and tank fire Sunday, and the Iraqi government appealed to residents of the city to expel "foreign terrorists" and "murderers" to prevent an all-out attack.