Dollar Falls to 6-Month Low Vs Yen  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit a six-month low against  the yen and drifted near recent eight-month lows versus the  euro on Friday as investors considered the effect of China's  interest rate hike on currencies and the U.S economic outlook.


Oil Stems Slide, Uneasy Over China Rates  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices stepped back from this  week's eight percent rout on Friday, holding well above \$50 a  barrel as analysts said it would take more than China's mild  interest rate rise to stem demand growth from the world's  second largest user.


Unlike rivals, Chrysler turns profit in sales The Auburn Hills-based Chrysler Group did something crosstown rivals General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. could not do during the third quarter of the year: It made money selling cars and trucks.


UPDATE: Australia #39;s Fairfax Eyes Role In Media Shake-Up SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--As investors speculate about the future landscape of the Australian media industry, newspaper publisher John Fairfax Holdings Ltd.


GTA latest to sell 25m Tinsel town has leant its magic to a new video game with a Hollywood cast and an 18 certificate. The eagerly awaited PlayStation 2 Grand Theft Auto game San Andreas is expected to sell 25million copies worldwide for about 40 each.


Mourning sees 1st post-transplant time Alonzo Mourning played for the New Jersey Nets on Thursday for first time since a kidney transplant in December. Mourning, 34, finished with 12 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes in the Nets #39; 96-94 victory over Philadelphia.


Household Survey Sees 100,000 Iraqi Deaths Researchers have estimated that as many as 100,000 more Iraqis - many of them women and children - died since the start of the US-led invasion of Iraq than would have been expected otherwise, based on the death rate before the war.


To Which Viktor the Spoils? This weekend Ukraine votes for its first new president in 10 years. The accusations, scare tactics and media bias surrounding the contest between current Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and former PM and


China Seeks to Soothe Markets on Rates  BEIJING (Reuters) - China sought Friday to soothe concerns  over a surprise interest rate rise, its first in nearly a  decade and one which is expected to kick off a series of  increases to cool growth in the world's seventh-biggest  economy.


Key New England games UCONN (5-2) vs. SYRACUSE (3-4) When, where: Tomorrow, 1:30 p.m., at Syracuse, N.Y. Last season: First meeting. Comments: UConn is coming off a 45-31 victory against Temple. Dan Orlovsky became UConn's career leader in TD passes. He was 18 of 26 for 260 yards, with two TDs and one interception. LBs Maurice Lloyd and Alfred Fincher combined for 29 tackles ...


This week's schedule TODAY'S GAMES Division 1 CATHOLIC -- Malden Catholic at BC High, 7. GREATER BOSTON -- Revere at Malden, 6:30; Waltham at Peabody, 7.


Transactions BASEBALL Chicago (NL): Declined to exercise 2005 options on OF Moises Alou and 2B Mark Grudzielanek. Chicago (AL): DH Frank Thomas and OF Carl Everett exercised their 2005 contract options; exercised 2005 contract option on P Shingo Takatsu; declined to exercise 2005 contract option C Sandy Alomar Jr. Cleveland (AL): Agreed to terms with RHP Scott Elarton on a one-year ...


Dali aide convicted of 'touch-up' A former of British assistant of Salvador Dali is convicted of doctoring one of the surrealist's paintings.


This weekend on TV, radio TODAY AUTO RACING 1:30 p.m. -- NASCAR Busch Series Aaron's 312 qualifying at Hampton, Ga., Speed Channel 7 p.m. -- NASCAR Nextel Cup Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 qualifying at Hampton, Ga., Speed Channel PRO BASKETBALL 8 p.m. -- Exhibition: Detroit at Minnesota, ESPN 10:30 p.m. -- Exhibition: Phoenix at Sacramento, ESPN COLLEGE FOOTBALL 8 p.m. -- Hawaii at Boise ...


Today's schedule College football: Bryant at Bentley, 7 p.m. College hockey: Men -- Maine at Merrimack, 7 p.m.; UMass at Providence, 7 p.m.; Harvard at Brown, 7 p.m.; Air Force at Holy Cross, 7 p.m.; North Dakota at BC, 8 p.m. Women -- BC at Dartmouth, 5 p.m.; Brown at Maine, 7 p.m.;


It's a family affair Jimmy Jerkens didn't learn how to be a trainer from a racing giant. He was taught by  quot;The Giant Killer, quot; the nickname given to his father, Allen.


Barnstable meets challenge The Barnstable girls' volleyball team was looking for challenging nonleague opponents before the state tournament.


College football games on TV GEORGIA (6-1) vs. FLORIDA (4-3) When, where: Tomorrow, 3:30 p.m., at Jacksonville, Fla. TV : Ch. 4. AP rankings: Georgia is No. 10. Last season: Florida won, 16-13. Comments: It's the beginning of the end for Florida coach Ron Zook, who was fired Monday after a 38-31 upset loss to Mississippi State last week. Florida has won 13 of the ...


Townies in control Last year, Charlestown's Jason White was named Division 7 Player of the Year after rushing for 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns. With that kind of production, who needs a passing game? Apparently the Townies think they do.


As Drama Plays Out, Arafat's Neighbors Express Sorrow, Fear RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct. 28 -- No crowds of well-wishers massed Thursday outside the Mukata, the mostly ruined compound where Yasser Arafat has been confined for the past two years. Only a throng of reporters assembled, peering through the smoked windows of sedans carrying officials to a frail old man who still embodies the national aspirations of many Palestinians.


Showdown Over Nuclear Plans Awaits Election Winner  For all the focus on foreign policy in this campaign, neither presidential candidate has spent much time explaining what may loom as the largest new challenge after Tuesday:  what to do about Iran.


Concerns over Windows cashpoints Security expert express concerns that cash machines could soon fall victim to Windows viruses.


Indian refinery blast injures 16 Sixteen workers are critically hurt in a huge explosion at an oil refinery near the western Indian city of Baroda.


Filipinos return to devastated homes Thousands of Filipinos have returned to washed-out homes after four deadly storms in two weeks left more than 1,000 people dead or missing, as emergency supplies ran low and fears of disease grew.


UPDATE 2-French firms Sagem, Snecma plan to merge French aircraft engine maker Snecma (SNEC.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and defence equipment group Sagem (SAGM.PA: Quote, Profile, Research


Show is over for CNNfn Time Warner finally pulled the plug on CNNfn. After nine years of struggling to gain an audience, the financial network will go off the air in mid-December, CNN president Jim Walton announced yesterday.


Black in offer to buy Hollinger Inc FALLEN Press baron Lord Black is offering to buy back his holding company Hollinger Inc from minority shareholders and take the company private.


Mandrakesoft screams as Linux OS uprooted Mandrakelinux 10.1 Officiel comes with extended support for mobile devices, better hardware compatibility and application upgrades.


Well wishes, fresh plans from George George Steinbrenner, fresh off three days of meetings with his executives as the Yankees plot how to retool for 2005, threw a bouquet at the Red Sox yesterday, congratulating Boston and its ownership group for winning the World Series.


Kiwis crush Bangladesh to wrap up series New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori has starred in his side #39;s biggest Test win, as the Black Caps defeated Bangladesh by an innings and 101 runs in Chittagong.


Davidoff Swiss Indoors, Basel British number one Tim Henman is ready to seek revenge over Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors event in Basel, having lost their last encounter in the first round of the Olympics in Athens.


Mourning looks good in return Four seconds after he checked into his first basketball game in nearly a year, Alonzo Mourning drilled a jumper from the foul line, then pointed to the ceiling.


Afghans make arrests over kidnappings Afghan authorities have arrested three people and seized a car believed to have been used in the kidnapping of three foreigners, government and security sources say, but there was no word on the fate of the hostages.


Coach Crash Survivors Moved to Capital Hospital By Laura Elston, Deputy Court Correspondent, PA News in Jordan. Five of the British tourists injured in a coach crash in Jordan have been moved to a hospital in the capital city Amman, a doctor said today.


From James Hider in Baghdad THE shaky camera focuses on a bound and blindfolded man, stripped bare except for his camouflage army trousers. A man with a knife appears behind him, grabs his hair and slices his throat, hacking his head off and placing it on his back.


Australian police concerned over missing British tourist (AFP) AFP - Australian police investigating the disappearance of a British tourist missing for almost a week launched a public appeal for information after her bag was found near Sydney's Bondi Beach.


Financial network to end after nine years CNN will shut down its struggling CNNfn financial news network in mid-December, giving up its attempt after nine years to compete in a market dominated by CNBC.


Australia #39;s Fairfax poised for growth if media laws relaxed SYDNEY: Australia #39;s Fairfax newspaper group said it is well placed for expansion if the government goes ahead with a plan to use its newly won control of both houses of parliament to relax media ownership laws.


Gateway tiptoes into the black Irvine, California - Gateway reported a narrowed net loss in the first quarter on continued restructuring of its operations and the integration of newly acquired firm eMachines.


Iraq deaths claim  #39;to be studied #39; The government will  quot;examine with very great care quot; claims around 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the US-led invasion, Jack Straw has said.


Sox must now avoid a new kind of  #39;curse #39; In the Yale Daily News last Friday, Steven Smith, the master of Branford College, published a paean to the New York Yankees. He stated,  quot;The Yankees represent to me all that is optimistic and confident in


Porous Border Helps Iranian Smugglers (AP) AP - Kurdish Iranians in poor border towns are taking advantage of the porous boundary with Iraq to sneak into the country for coveted items  #151; like alcohol  #151; to sell back home.


Boxing: Rumble in jungle recalled Former BBC boxing commentator Harry Carpenter relives the Rumble in the Jungle 30 years ago.


Six men sentenced on Pitcairn  SYDNEY -- The mayor and five other men on the small Pacific island of Pitcairn were sentenced to up to six years in prison for a string of rapes and sex attacks dating back 40 years on the remote and isolated home of the HMS Bounty mutineers, British authorities in New Zealand said today.


Bank to add up to 900 jobs in RI Bank of America Corp. said yesterday it will add up to 900 jobs in Rhode Island with the opening of a call center in East Providence.


Science: The Earth Explores Cassini Data The Cassini spacecraft has sent back images of Saturn #39;s moon Titan giving scientists the closest views yet of the mysterious satellite.


Microsoft sued over allegedly faulty X-boxes A VIDEO GAME fan upset over an apparently  quot;tiggered quot; disk drive in his Xbox video game console has sued the vendor of the game gear, Microsoft, on behalf of users everywhere.


Massive Online ID Fraud Ring Busted Iphtashu Fitz writes  quot;CNet News is reporting that the US Secret Service in conjunction with authorities in six foreign countries have arrested 28 people in the last 48 hours on charges of identity theft, computer fraud, credit card fraud and conspiracy.


Golf: Sluman tops Chrysler with course-record 62 (October 29, 2004) - PALM HARBOR, Fla. -olf finally felt easy to Greece native Jeff Sluman, and it wasn #39;t hard to see why. From a fairway bunker on the 18th hole, he had to play a 20-yard hook to avoid the trees and reach the elevated green.


Armed group claims to have obtained missing explosives US soldier places a rocket he removed from nearby the wreckage of a car bomb along a road north of the city of Baquba, 60 kms northeast of Baghdad, October 27, into the back of an armoured military vehicle.


Optimists, pessimists, realists, fantasists rafat was flying onboard a French flying hospital from Amman to Paris this morning, and Israelis, enjoying the first rain in eight months, were speculating what would happen next, operating on the assumption that an era has passed, divided between


Delta still not out of financial woods ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc. #39;s tentative deal with pilots for \$1 billion in concessions gives the nation #39;s third-largest carrier much-needed breathing room.


Prize to be awarded Nov. 6 Creators of SpaceShipOne, the rocket plane that completed two manned space flights from a Southern California airport in a competition meant to promote private space travel, will get the \$10


Earth Reveals Its Sensitive Side A new look at climate conditions 55 million years ago shows that the Earth is more sensitive to small changes than previously believed.


Looking for Lance  quot;As of right now, the chances of his participating are 50-50, quot; Johan Bruyneel, Armstrong #39;s longtime directeur sportif at US Postal and now at new title sponsor Discovery Channel, said at a presentation ceremony for the 2005 Tour in Paris Thursday.


Australia Needs Five More Wickets to Claim Series Win in India Australia #39;s cricketers closed in on their first Test series triumph in India for 35 years after reducing the home side to 84-5 at tea on the fourth day of the third Test at Nagpur.


Sports Buzz Fultondale High School football coach Keith Register is probably right when he says he doesn #39;t expect everyone to understand why the Wildcats are forfeiting their last two games.


TENTATIVE TOOMER Amani Toomer sat on the sidelines a second straight day with a strained hamstring, in jeopardy of missing a game for the first time since his rookie season of 1996.


Twin bombs rock southern Thailand Two bombs have rocked southern Thailand on Friday, wounding at least 20 people, as Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra vowed there would be no cover up over the deaths of at least 85 Muslim detainees in the volatile region.


Businesses Bet on Ukraine #39;s Future If Russian businesses are helping fund the election campaign of President Vladimir Putin #39;s favored candidate in Ukraine #39;s presidential election at the Kremlin #39;s behest, as some political analysts suspect, those businesses may be better off betting on the


Indonesia says cleric incited two bombings The Indonesian government yesterday opened the retrial of an Indonesian cleric who is charged with leading an al-Qaida-linked group and inciting its members to carry out terrorist attacks against US interests.


Germany #39;s Volkswagen workers stage warning strikes Workers at Germany #39;s automobile giant Volkswagen (VW) have staged warning strikes in the on-going wage dispute with the management.


US giants move to can spammers The US #39;s biggest internet companies have launched yet another crackdown against spammers as part of their latest efforts to protect net users from junk email.


Space Race Focuses on Money Burt Rutan and Paul Allen #39;s spunky-looking little spaceplane had just returned to the runway after winning the \$10 million Ansari X Prize, and prize founder Peter Diamandis had a message for investors around the world who might be watching.


Dein reveals Wenger approaches Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has revealed that two national teams tried to lure manager Arsene Wenger from Highbury last summer.


Warner can #39;t be like Vikes When the Giants enter the Metrodome Sunday, they will do so under circumstances eerily similar to their last visit, almost one year ago.


Sudden change is inevitable The death or long-term incapacitation of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be a turning point in Middle East history. It could suddenly remove an obstacle to peace or unleash a bloody power struggle among Palestinians factions.


Mini-series plan for 9/11 report The ABC and NBC television networks each plan to turn the 9/11 Commission Report into a mini-series.


Gravely ill Arafat bound for Paris for urgent medical care (AFP) AFP - Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was en route by plane to a French military hospital outside Paris for urgent medical treatment of what is said to be a potentially fatal blood disorder.


DreamWorks Spinoff Sees Shares Rise 38 1st Day LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 -- Shares of DreamWorks Animation Inc. soared nearly 38 percent on the first day of trading Thursday as investors anticipated Shrek-sized profits from the computer animation film studio.


Markets Cool to China's Rate Increase (AP) AP - Asian financial markets showed little reaction Friday to China's first interest rate rise in nine years, which analysts welcomed as a shift toward capitalist-style economic tools and away from central planning.


NY Heads for Flat Start; Oil Supportive  LONDON (Reuters) - Wall Street was headed for a flat start  on Friday as the slowing earnings season and tamer crude oil  prices allow investors to turn their attention to economic  growth figures for the third quarter.


Napster founder introduces new file-sharing service Shawn Fanning, founder of Napster, worlds first file trading peer-to-peer network, is back in full force to legalize music swapping with his new venture.


W.Va. to Sponsor Public Computing Grid Researchers and businesses in West Virginia will be able to access the first state-sponsored public Internet computing grid when the Global Grid Exchange is launched next month.


Security Tightened in Paris for Arafat (AP) AP - France stepped up security Friday morning at a military hospital outside Paris where Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be taken for treatment.


Space Race Focuses on Money Now that SpaceShipOne has proved private companies can reach space, the next hurdle is finding investors -- an even more difficult task. By Dan Brekke.


Porn Is Going Mobile Pornography may be the thing that turns cell phones into cheap, fast content-delivery systems. But porn fans want more from their mobile adult content -- and size ain't the only thing that matters. Commentary by Gina Lynn.


Sun Shines Light on Music History The roots of rock 'n' roll -- and even the bloodline of geekdom and the home electronics explosion -- can be traced to a little room in Memphis, Tennessee. Michelle Delio reveals the secrets of Sun Studio's signature sounds.


Don't Knock the Birdbrains Scientists flock to songbird research, hoping finches and canaries will provide insight into the mysteries of human speech, memory and neuron production. Randy Dotinga reports from the Society for Neuroscience convention in San Diego.


Pledge Allegiance to the Penguin We pledge allegiance to the penguin, and the intellectual property regime for which he stands. One nation, under Linux, with free music and open-source software for all. Welcome to Brazil! By Julian Dibbell from Wired magazine.


Earth Reveals Its Sensitive Side Researchers look back millions of years to predict how the Earth may react to current elevated levels of carbon dioxide. They say our planet appears more vulnerable to the greenhouse gas than previously believed. By Stephen Leahy.


File Sharers Win More Protection A Pennsylvania court orders internet service providers to give detailed notice of how alleged file sharers can respond to subpoenas from the music industry. Meanwhile, the RIAA sues another 750 people. By Katie Dean.


Scots count cost of plastic bags Scots DIY enthusiasts will now pay for plastic bags as a big chain tries to cut pollution.


NTT DoCoMo profits fall on stiff cellphone competition (AFP) AFP - Japan's top mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo said its interim sales and profits fell due to stiff competition but forecast higher profitability in the full year.


Crucial Senate races costly, caustic (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Money and mud are flying in the final days of nine close contests that will determine which party controls the Senate next year.


Seven Still at Large in Plot to Bomb Spanish Court  MADRID (Reuters) - Seven men implicated in a suspected  Islamic radical plot to blow up Spain's High Court remain at  large despite the arrests of 13 more people, police sources  said on Friday.  Among those still sought by police is Abdellah Hawari, believed  to be the second highest ranking member of the "Martyrs for  Morocco," a group that authorities said formed in prison and  took steps to load a truck with half a ton of dynamite.


Sony 2Q net profit rises, revenues dip MUMBAI: Electronics and entertainment major Sony has reported a 61 per cent increase in net profit for the second quarter ended 30 September.. Sony #39;s net income rose to 53.2 billion yen (\$500 million) from


UAL Corp. takes \$274 mil. hit in 3rd quarter United Airlines parent UAL Corp. suffered a loss of \$274 million for the third quarter of this year, a smaller hit than it took in the same period of last year, when it lost \$367 million.


Black to privatise Hollinger Inc LORD BLACK of Crossharbour plans to privatise Hollinger Inc, his Canadian holding company, following a very public investigation into the way he ran his former media empire.


French firms Snecma, Sagem poised to announce merger French aircraft motor maker Snecma and French telecommunications equipment group Sagem  quot;will announce their merger on Friday, quot; a Sagem spokeswoman said.


More  #39;Spammers #39; in court A volley of lawsuits was launched against alleged spammers on Thursday by the four major US Internet service providers. This includes a case brought by AOL against twenty individuals accused of spimming, or


Drug-delivering contact lenses revealed Contact lenses that release controlled doses of drugs to treat eye diseases such as glaucoma have been created by nano-engineers in Singapore.


Monty Makes Disappointing Start Having hit the news pages over his personal life, Colin Montgomerie set about trying to re-ignite his golf career today. But he did not make the best of starts.


Chelsea Cancels Mutu #39;s Contract After Drug Admission (Update1) Chelsea terminated Romania striker Adrian Mutu #39;s contract, citing gross misconduct after the player failed a doping test for cocaine and admitted taking the drug, the English soccer club said in a statement.


In the lap of the Hodds GLENN HODDLES Spanish break has forced West Brom to put on hold their search for a manager. The Baggies want to discover whether first-choice Hoddle is interested in replacing sacked Gary Megson.


French Jewish families demand Arafat interrogation PARIS, Oct 29 (AFP) - The relatives of six French citizens killed in Palestinian attacks in Israel several years ago have called for French authorities to question Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat while he receives treatment in Paris for a serious medical


Japan Scrambles After Report Asian Body Found in Iraq Japan scrambled on Friday to check a report that an Asian body had been found in Iraq after a deadline expired for the beheading of a Japanese man whose


Bush should try to cement a possible Mideast breakthrough Israel #39;s parliament made a historic decision in backing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s plan to withdraw settlers from the Gaza Strip and four small West Bank settlements.


Interest rate rise by China has West confused CHINA has raised its interest rates for the first time in nine years to curb inflation and stop its fast-growing economy overheating.


Martha #39;s company upbeat Despite a wider quarterly loss, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia was  quot;optimistic quot; about a springtime advertising rebound and an overall strengthening of the company coinciding with Stewart #39;s release


Yahoo chases Google in mobile search race Yahoo has unveiled its own version of a search facility for mobile phones hot on the heels of similar software from US rival Google.


Suddenly in the mix With Toomer a question mark for Sunday, Taylor, a 6th-round draft choice, might start after making his pro debut last week vs. Lions.


Leaders fire six under par CARIN KOCH of Sweden and South Korea #39;s Grace Park both shot a first round 6-under-par 66 today to share the lead of the CJ Nine Bridges Classic in Jeju.


Pitcairn sex offenders receive sentences Four Pitcairn Island men convicted of multiple sex offenses received jail sentences of between two and six years Friday. Two other men have been ordered to perform community service.


Bennett #39;s family vows to fight against jail sentence The family of Roy Bennett, the Zimbabwean opposition member of parliament who was jailed yesterday on charges of parliamentary misconduct, says it will appeal against the decision.


On Internet's 35th birthday, pioneer still excited about its potential (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - The Internet's first baby steps began in Leonard Kleinrock's UCLA lab 35 years ago today.


FCC sends wrong signal on digital TV (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Yes, our government is now in the business of pushing expensive TV sets on consumers who are wisely keeping their wallets closed.


Hitachi net profit up sevenfold in first half, sees slower H2 (AFP) AFP - Japanese electronics maker Hitachi said its net profit rose more than sevenfold to 41.2 billion yen (390 million dollars) in the first half on strong sales of IT and digital electronics products.


Shares Hit by Earnings, Dollar Falls  LONDON (Reuters) - European shares fell on poor earnings  news on Friday as investors looked past China's surprise rate  hike to key U.S. Q3 gross domestic product data for the next  read on the health of the world's largest economy.


Indonesia's Hobbit-Sized Humans Find Humble Home (Reuters) Reuters - Newly unearthed remains of hobbit-sized\humans, perhaps one of the most significant finds involving\human evolution in recent years, are being stored in an office\drawer in the Indonesian capital.


Dollar Eyes U.S. Outlook, Hits 6-Mth Low (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar hit a six-month low against\the yen and drifted near recent eight-month lows versus a\rising euro on Friday as investors considered the effect of\China's interest rate hike on currencies and the U.S economic\outlook.


Digital Agenda: 10 facts you should know about homeland security Campaign promises have changed little in the run-up to the presidential election, but the rhetoric has intensified.


BoJ keeps easy monetary policy, sees slight inflation next year (AFP) AFP - Japan's central bank maintained its ultra-loose monetary policy to support the economy while forecasting there could be a slight rise in inflation next year, although that would not necessarily mean a change in its stance on interest rates.


New mortgages hit four-year low September saw the lowest number of new mortgage approvals in the UK since August 2000, official figures show.


Crude prices ease further amid China #39;s latest moves to cool its <b>...</b> The price of crude oil breached the \$51 US mark again after falling for most of the day Friday on a surprising midweek US petroleum stocks report and China #39;s latest moves to cool its economy.


Mortgage lending growth slows Mortgage borrowing rose at its slowest monthly pace in more than two years in September and approvals for home loans dropped to a four-year low, in another sign that the housing market has turned.


ISPs File Next Barrage of Anti-Spam Lawsuits Earthlink filed a federal lawsuit in Atlanta, Georgia, accusing 50  quot;John Does quot; of violating the federal CAN-SPAM Act and various other state and federal statutes, including the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Georgia Computer Systems Protection


Linux not ready for mass market Linux is gaining ground with companies but Windows will continue to dominate consumer PCs in the near future. That is the non-contentious conclusion of the latest IDC research.


RIAA files 750 new file-trading lawsuits The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has filed 750 new lawsuits against alleged file-traders using P2P software. The 750 new lawsuits were against  quot;John Doe quot; defendants not yet identified by the RIAA.


AMD launches PC  #39;for the rest of us world #39; AMD yesterday formally launched  #39;Emma #39; - its low-cost Internet access appliance - or the  #39;Personal Internet Communicator #39;, as its now officially dubbed.


AOL to give away McAfee to members America Online Inc is bundling antivirus software from McAfee Inc into version 9.0 Security Edition of its online service, providing blanket virus blocking coverage for its approximately 23 million paying subscribers.


Nokia makes play for mobile content Java has suffered as a mobile content platform, compared to Qualcomm Brew, by having a fragmented channel and a confused economic proposition for developers.


Discounts bite into NTT DoCoMo #39;s results Revenue and profit at NTT DoCoMo, Japan #39;s number one cellular operator, dropped during the first half of its financial year because of discount schemes offered to win and keep subscribers to its 3G mobile cellular network.


Now what, Boston? LONG-SUFFERING Boston Red Sox fans partied far into the night after their team won the 2004 World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals in four straight games.


#39;Would Frank Lampard Have Been Sacked? #39; Chelsea were dead right - it #39;s bad enough that most of these lads are overpaid anyhow but when they abuse their position to, if you #39;ll pardon the pun,  #39;rub our noses in it #39;, i #39;s out of order.


Stone Gone CHICAGO - After a season full of frustration and several well-documented hissy fits from Cub players, veteran broadcaster Steve Stone announced his resignation Thursday night on WGN AM Radio.


Cambodia crowns former dancer new king Former ballet dancer Norodom Sihamoni was formally crowned as Cambodia #39;s new king Friday in a lavish ceremony at the Royal Palace.


Settlers #39; views: Gaza withdrawal The Israeli parliament has voted in favour of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s plan to pull Jewish settlers out from Gaza. BBC News Online spoke to four settlers about their thoughts on their uncertain future.


Japan Refuses to Give Up Hope on Iraq Hostage  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan refused to give up hope that a  Japanese man taken hostage in Iraq was still alive on Friday  after the passing of a deadline set by his captors to behead  him unless Tokyo withdrew its troops.


Greek Riot Squad Bus Blast Raises Security Fears (Reuters) Reuters - A roadside bomb blast targeting a police\convoy in Athens early on Friday caused no injuries but alarmed\authorities who had been insisting that Greece's leftist\guerrillas were defeated.


Seven Still at Large in Plot to Bomb Spanish Court  MADRID (Reuters) - Seven men implicated in a suspected  Islamic radical plot to blow up Spain's High Court remain at  large despite the arrests of 13 more people, police sources  said on Friday.


Iraq deaths claim 'to be studied' The government will examine claims 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the US-led invasion, Jack Straw says.


Metro hit by slowdown Metro, Germany's biggest retailer, turns in weaker-than-expected profits as sales at its core supermarkets division dip lower.


Oil Steadies, China Rate Hike Unsettles  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices steadied on Friday after an  eight percent rout driven by a surprise interest rate hike in  China that raised doubts about demand from the world's second  largest energy user.


Gravely Ill Arafat Arrives in France for Treatment  VILLACOUBLAY MILITARY AIRFIELD, France (Reuters) -  Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, weakened by what doctors  think may be leukemia, left the West Bank for the first time in  2-1/2 years on Friday and flew to France for medical treatment.


Taiwan's Acer reports lower-than-expected net profit (AFP) AFP - Acer Inc., Taiwan's top personal computer maker, said its net profit for the first three quarters to September fell 34.8 percent to 3.83 billion Taiwan dollars (114 million US).


Toshiba Returns to Profitability (AP) AP - Toshiba Corp., the Japanese electronics and computer maker, said Friday it posted a profit in the first half of its fiscal year, rebounding from losses last year on restructuring and rising sales of digital video recorders, semiconductor memory chips and personal computers. It boosted its forecast for the year.


Stock Futures Flat Before GDP Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures were little changed  on Friday before data on third-quarter gross domestic product,  the broadest measure of U.S. economic growth, which was  expected to set the tone for early stock trading.


Pilots at Delta take 33pc cut in pay The airline #39;s chief executive Gerald Grinstein describes the pact as a  quot;crucial step quot; in securing its future. However, he warned that bankruptcy was still a possibility.


Deutsche Bank Boosts Profit Through Cuts Deutsche Bank AG, Germnany #39;s largest bank, said Friday it increased its net profit by 18 percent in the third quarter by clamping down on costs and bad loans while increasing profit from trading securities.


VW workers launch warning strikes HANOVER - About 4,000 Volkswagen workers stayed off the job for about an hour Friday to press demands for higher wages that remained unresolved after a fifth round of talks between their union and management at Europe #39;s largest car maker.


Oil price stems slide Oil prices have stepped back from this week #39;s eight percent rout, holding well above \$50 a barrel as analysts say it will take more than China #39;s mild interest rate rise


AOL Cans  quot;Spim quot; BetaNews: After tackling Spam, AOL is now waging a two front offensive against spammers. America Online has taken the fight to  quot;Spim, quot; which is crossing over the threshold of disruption.


Intel and Clearwire forge WiMAX alliance Two of the most powerful forces behind WiMAX, Intel and Craig McCaw #39;s Clearwire start-up, have formed a partnership aiming to accelerate development of 802.


Latest Mandrake Linux distro screams into action Mandrakesoft has introduced Mandrakelinux 10.1 Official with the promise that its latest distribution provides extended support for mobile devices, better hardware compatibility, and major application upgrades.


A lot of ground to be covered before space tourism can fly When a privately built rocket plane soared into space earlier this month, astronaut wannabes were giddy with the hope that they #39;d finally make it off the planet.


Dell updates consumer IT services Dell will expand its lineup of consumer IT services with security tips and installation assistance on products other than PCs. The company has created a new Dell Solutions Center web page (www.


AGASSI ADVANCES Andre Agassi advanced to the quarter-finals of the Stockholm Open with a comfortable 6-3 6-4 victory over 1997 champion Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden.


Tennis: Henman in Swiss Indoors quarters Briton Tim Henman struggled to overcome Wayne Moodie of South Africa winning 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 but reached the quarterfinals for the eighth consecutive time at the Swiss Indoors in Basel.


Funny Cide a Classic tale of redemption? Funny things happen when a horse knocks on the door to racing history and can #39;t get through. Smarty Jones, this year #39;s near-Triple Crown winner, is retired to a career as a stallion.


Losing Stone isn #39;ta winning move The smell of champagne, 1918 vintage, was still in my hair Thursday night when I was whisked back into a familiar losing environment.


Hawaii QB credits team for record career Ask Hawaii #39;s Timmy Chang about the 94 touchdowns he has thrown, and he talks about his great receivers and blockers. Ask about his 14,791 yards passing, and he credits his coaches for believing in him.


This stop anything but the pits Just when you #39;re thinking,  quot;Boy, this town has to get up to speed on this quot; ... around the first turn, there it was. Less than 24 hours after it was made official here, it was made official to the rest of the


Polish hostage, 11 Iraqi police men executed in Iraq One Polish woman has joined the group of other foreigners kidnapped in Iraq after a video tape broadcast by al-Jazeera TV showed an armed group while detaining what it called one Polish woman working for the American forces, calling for releasing her and


Summary Box: EU Leaders Sign Constitution THE EU CONSTITUTION: The landmark document, achieved after 28 months of negotiation, aims to provide simpler voting rules to end gridlock in the European Union.


Cambodia #39;s new king sworn in Cambodia #39;s new king has been officially sworn in following the surprise abdication of his father. Norodom Sihamoni, 51, was crowned at a ceremony in the capital Phnom Penh after his father King Norodom Sihanouk #39;s decision to stand down earlier this month.


Editor #39;s Notes: The challenge for the Palestinians They don #39;t call him the bulldozer for nothing. Our prime minister is a man who, once he has decided on a course of action, puts his head down and pursues it relentlessly - determinedly impervious to the demands of those who would steer him elsewhere.


Dollar Hits 6-Month Low Vs. Yen  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit a six-month low against  the yen and drifted above recent eight-month lows versus the  euro on Friday as investors awaited U.S. economic growth data  and next week's presidential elections.


Anadarko Third-Quarter Earnings Rise  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Anadarko Petroleum Corp. APC.N, the  No. 1 U.S. independent oil and gas producer, on Friday reported  higher third-quarter earnings on the back of high oil and gas  prices.


Internet service providers file more spam lawsuits In a second round of lawsuits announced on Thursday, four major U.S. Internet service providers (ISPs) are taking on senders of e-mail spam and unwanted commercial messages sent via instant messaging.


Summit on eco-friendly buildings A city which has embraced the concept of eco-friendly housing hosts the International Earthship Conference.


Oracle plots course for growth Oracle #39;s hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft has sparked plenty of fireworks over the past 18 months. It also has highlighted a more subtle dilemma: Oracle #39;s struggles to expand in a maturing software industry.


Iraq body does not resemble Japanese hostage: hospital (AFP) AFP - The body of an Asian man found in Iraq does not resemble a Japanese hostage and was shot dead two days ago, well before a deadline to execute the young traveller expired, forensic experts said.


Start planning today to reduce your tax bill in April Some people don #39;t think about federal income taxes until the first week of April. Others jump on them in late January, as soon as their W-2s show up in the mail.


French groups Sagem and Snecma to merge PARIS, Oct 29 (AFP) - Two major French industrial groups, telecommunications equipment maker Sagem and aerospace engine manufacturer Snecma, announced merger plans Friday that would lead to privatisation of the latter.


Avon Third-Quarter Profit Rises Avon Products Inc. (AVP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday posted higher quarterly earnings as business in Latin America and Europe helped offset weakness in the United States for the direct seller of cosmetics.


Gateway surprises, posts operating profit Shares of Gateway rose more than 11 percent in after-market trading yesterday after the computer company said it posted its first operating profit in three years.


Japan deflation struggle nears end Bank of Japan says prices will rise 0.1 in  #39;05, but it will likely keep ultra-low interest rates. TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan #39;s five-year bout with deflation is likely to end next year, the Bank of Japan said


Sears to Pay for Not Reporting Defects Sears, Roebuck and Co. has agreed to pay \$500,000 to resolve federal allegations that it failed to report known defects on riding lawnmowers, federal safety officials said Friday.


Internet service providers file more spam lawsuits In a second round of lawsuits four major US internet service providers (ISPs) are taking on senders of e-mail spam and unwanted commercial messages sent via instant messaging.


Mandrake goes Official with Linux MORENO VALLEY, Calif., and PARIS, Oct. 28 - Mandrakesoft has released Mandrakelinux 10.1 Official, the latest version of its Linux operating system.


Dell #39;s tech docs now making house calls Round Rock-based computer giant Dell Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL) is revamping customer service -- going so far as to make house calls. The reforms offer customers new avenues for help and a new stream of revenue for Dell.


Boston outclassed Cardinals They were outpitched, outhit, outsmarted and outclassed, and soon they were out of the 100th World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals turned out to be just another National League


Australia clinch series in India Nagpur - Australia #39;s 35-year wait for a Test series triumph on Indian soil ended Friday when its pace bowlers ripped through the Indian batting line-up to clinch a massive 342-run victory in the third Test.


UPDATE 1-Champion Loeb leads in Catalunya rally Newly-crowned world champion Sebastien Loeb led Belgium #39;s Francois Duval by just one second after three stages of the Rally of Catalunya on Friday.


Levein Says Goodbyes to Hearts Players Hearts head coach Craig Levein is poised to join Leicester City after saying his goodbyes to Jambos players at training this morning.


EU clears Flextronics buy of Nortel units (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union regulators on Friday cleared the acquisition by Singapore's Flextronics International Ltd. of manufacturing actives from Nortel Networks Corp., Canada's largest technology company.


Seven Uniformed Men Held But No Word of Kidnapped Britain International aid workers kept a low profile today after the brazen daylight kidnapping of a British woman and two other foreign UN election staff in the Afghan capital, Kabul.


Avon Profit Up on International Sales  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Avon Products Inc. on Friday posted a  better-than-expected 33 percent increase in third-quarter  profit as business in Latin America and Europe helped offset  weakness in the United States for the direct seller of  cosmetics.


Iran Sees Small Chance of UN Economic Sanctions  TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran believes there is only a 10 percent  chance the U.N. Security Council will impose economic sanctions  on it if Washington succeeds in sending its nuclear case there,  a senior security official said on Friday.


Death penalty for Afghan killers An Afghan court sentences to death three men for killing 11 Chinese road workers in Kunduz in June.


FDA Holds Off Approval of New Merck Drug (Reuters) Reuters - Merck   Co.  on Friday said\U.S. regulators have decided not to approve the company's\experimental arthritis drug, the successor to its recalled\Vioxx pill, until more safety and effectiveness data are\obtained.


Bristol-Myers Posts Lower Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY.N on  Friday reported a lower third-quarter profit as revenue fell  amid intense competition for its products from rivals and  generic drugs.


Not So Fast, Linux Anticipation built for weeks beforehand. The city government of Paris, with 17,000 desktop PCs and hundreds of servers, was mulling a technology shift that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago: retiring Microsoft Corp.


EU constitution signed in Rome The leaders of the European Union #39;s 25 member states gathered in Rome Friday to sign the new EU constitution. Later in the day the heads of state planned to return home to try


Employment Costs Edge Up in Third Quarter  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employment costs rose by  slightly less than expected in the third quarter this year, up  0.9 percent, as benefit costs posted their smallest rise since  early 2002, a government report showed on Friday.


EU leaders trumpet historic new constitution (AFP) AFP - EU leaders signed a historic constitution for the expanding bloc in a fanfare ceremony on the spot where the European Union's forerunner was born, although doubts remain over whether it will ever come into force.


Harvard Plans Major Engineering Expansion (AP) AP - Harvard University is planning a major expansion of its engineering program, including a 67 percent increase in the size of the faculty and the possible establishment of a separate school.


Intel Overhaul Draws Yawns From Voters (AP) AP - Republicans and Democrats were for it  #151; and against it. The families of Sept. 11 victims opposed one plan and approved another. The House wanted its bill, the Senate preferred its own. And most Americans didn't seem to care about attempts by Congress to overhaul the U.S. intelligence system.


Consumer spending lifts US growth US economic growth picked up in the third quarter, fuelled by strong consumer spending, official figures show.


China #39;s interest rate hike necessary, but not sufficient An economist with Asian Development Bank said Friday that China #39;s decision to raise interest rates is necessary, but not enough to curb inflation.


Red Sox hot, but owner #39;s funds cold Boston Red Sox owner John Henry #39;s bet on baseball has paid off big with the team #39;s first World Series championship since 1918, but his calls in the financial markets haven #39;t played out as well.


Oil, Gas Prices Help Chevron Earnings  NEW YORK (Reuters) - ChevronTexaco Corp.CVX.N, the No. 2  U.S. oil company, on Friday reported a rise in quarterly  profit, pumped up by record oil and gas prices and gains on  asset sales.


FDA Holds Off Approval of New Merck Arthritis Drug  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck   Co. on Friday said U.S.  regulators won't approve its experimental arthritis drug  Arcoxia until the company provides more data showing it is safe  and effective.


Nexen to Buy EnCana Unit for \$2.1 Billion  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nexen Inc. has agreed to buy a  U.K.-based subsidiary of EnCana Corp. in an all-cash deal worth  \$2.1 billion, enabling Canada's fourth largest oil explorer to  expand into the U.K. sector of the North Sea.


Earnings alert: Cell phone unit shores up Verizon Plus: Gateway trims loss in third quarter...EDS delays earnings...Amazon outlook disappoints...PeopleSoft exceeds targets.


Photo: Secret Service takes over Shadowcrew site The Web site of identity-fraud suspects operating as the Shadowcrew has been replaced by information about alleged members' arrests.


Profit Drops at NTT DoCoMo on Service Fees (AP) AP - NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's top mobile carrier, reported a 6 percent drop in first fiscal half earnings Friday as it introduced discounts to fight intensifying competition. But it raised its full-year forecast, citing anticipated gains on asset sales.


Stock Futures Signal a Flat Open Today  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures were little changed  on Friday, pointing to a flat market open, after third-quarter  gross domestic product data showed the U.S. economy grew at a  slower-than-expected pace.


Education Unit, TV Hike Wash Post Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Washington Post Co. WPO.N said on  Friday that quarterly profit jumped, boosted by results at its  Kaplan education unit and television broadcasting operations.


Growth Under Forecast in 3rd Quarter (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. economy grew at a healthy\3.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter this year,\bolstered by strong consumer spending and accompanied by the\lowest inflation in decades, the Commerce Department said on\Friday.


Bristol-Myers Posts Lower Profit (Reuters) Reuters - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.  on\Friday reported a lower third-quarter profit as revenue fell\amid intense competition for its products from rivals and\generic drugs.


Employment Costs Edge Up in Third Quarter (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. employment costs rose by\slightly less than expected in the third quarter this year, up\0.9 percent, as benefit costs posted their smallest rise since\early 2002, a government report showed on Friday.


Shroomin' at the Ballot Box Approximately three hours ago, I decided to do mushrooms for the first time in nearly four years. Seemed as good a time as any. It's a sunny October day in Denver. Brown leaves constantly cascade on me as I walk down the sidewalk, blissfully trying to ignore the crackheads who think I'm a walking ATM and a group of ese's who are giving me the evil eye. Church bells are ringing (ringing...ringing really loud...does that always happen around noon?...shit) crazy black dudes are singing along with their 1991-era Walkmans. Everything was peaceful, and I felt at one with the universe.  Why oh why did I decide to fuck it all up by going to vote today?


Arafat Arrives in France for Hospital Treatment A mysterious ailment has weakened Yasir Arafat and raised concerns that Palestinian politics could be plunged into turmoil.


Economic growth less than forecast in Q3, prices muted The US economy grew at a healthy 3.7 annual rate in the third quarter this year, bolstered by strong consumer spending and accompanied by the lowest inflation in decades, the Commerce Department said Friday.


UPDATE: Australia #39;s National Foods Steps Up Bid Defence MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian dairy company National Foods Ltd. (NFD.AU) Friday signaled there is a remote chance a rival bidder may challenge the hostile A\$1.


EnCana sells British operations to Nexen for \$2.1 billion US CALGARY (CP) - Oil giant EnCana Corp. is selling its British North Sea operations to Nexen Inc. for \$2.1 billion US and wants to dispose of its businesses in Ecuador and the Gulf of Mexico as well to focus on North America.


quot;Hobbit quot; Joins Human Family A new and tiny species of human that lived in Indonesia at the same time our own ancestors were colonising the world were discovered by scientists.


Harvard Plans Major Engineering Expansion CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard University is planning a major expansion of its engineering program, including a 67 percent increase in the size of the faculty and the possible establishment of a separate school.


Russia to Build Space Launch Pad in South Korea Moscow and Seoul have signed a deal to build a rocket-launch facility in South Korea. It will be built by the end of 2007 in Goheung, South Jeolla province, the Joongang Ilbo newspaper writes.


We all could take a lesson from Red Sox ST. LOUIS T hree hours after the Boston Red Sox turned the lights out on this World Series, a guest staying on the 17th floor of the St.


Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat arrives in Paris VILLACOUBLAY, France Ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was brought to France on Friday and rushed to a military hospital for treatment of a mysterious illness, which has forced him to leave his West Bank headquarters for the first time in nearly


Eyewitness: Thailand #39;s deadly protest Thailand is in shock after 78 arrested Muslims died in overloaded army trucks after a protest turned violent. The BBC #39;s Tony Cheng has visited the camp where more than 1,000 survivors of the journey are still being held.


Reformist Mazen likely to succeed Arafat Reformist former Palestinian Authority prime minister Abu Mazen will temporarily take over chairman Yasser Arafat #39;s authority, Palestinian sources said.


Tumbleweeds in the Bloodstream Tiny sensors, shaped like tumbleweed and small enough to fit inside a blood vessel, might one day ride to space inside astronauts' bodies, warning the space travelers when radiation is damaging their cells.


Treasuries Turn Flat on GDP Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries recouped early losses on  Friday after data showed the U.S. economy grew less strongly  than expected last quarter while inflation slowed markedly.


Photo: Shadowcrew site in federal custody The Web site of identity-fraud suspects operating as the Shadowcrew has been replaced by information about alleged members' arrests.


Oil, Gas Prices Help Chevron Earnings (Reuters) Reuters - ChevronTexaco Corp., the No. 2\U.S. oil company, on Friday reported a rise in quarterly\profit, pumped up by record oil and gas prices and gains on\asset sales.


New Era for Cambodia as King Sihamoni Ascends Throne  PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - In a ceremony full of pageantry and  hope, King Norodom Sihamoni ascended the Cambodian throne on  Friday, ushering in a new royal era for a country still trying  to draw a line under its bloody, genocidal past.


CORRECTED: Bristol-Myers Profit Sinks  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY.N on  Friday reported a lower third-quarter profit as U.S. revenue  fell amid intense competition for its products from rivals and  generic drugs.


Delta pilots accept pay cut Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein said Thursday that even if the carrier #39;s pilots approve a \$1 billion cost-cutting agreement, the airline may still have to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.


Nexen to Buy EnCana Unit for \$2.1 Billion Nexen Inc. has agreed to buy a UK-based subsidiary of EnCana Corp. in an all-cash deal worth \$2.1 billion, enabling Canada #39;s fourth largest oil explorer to expand into the UK sector of the North Sea.


Bristol-Myers Squibb Net Slumps Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY:NYSE - news - research) reported a sharply lower profit in the third-quarter as generic competition continued to eat away at drug sales and the company ratcheted up spending on research and development of new drugs.


Liberia Slaps Curfew on Capital After Riots (Reuters) Reuters - Liberia slapped an immediate curfew on\the capital Monrovia on Friday after stick-wielding youths\rampaged through the coastal city, burning buildings, petrol\stations and vehicles.


New Era for Cambodia as King Sihamoni Ascends Throne (Reuters) Reuters - In a ceremony full of pageantry and\hope, King Norodom Sihamoni ascended the Cambodian throne on\Friday, ushering in a new royal era for a country still trying\to draw a line under its bloody, genocidal past.


Microsoft, AOL battle spam  amp; spim Microsoft files new lawsuits against spam while AOL battles  #39;spim #39;- unsolicited messages sent to users of its instant messaging service.


Scientists find new species of hobbits Australian and Indonesian scientists have discovered a species of tiny human beings who lived on the remote Indonesian island of Flores 18,000 years ago.


By 2015 AMD Will IT-Enable Half Of World Populace Global chipmaker AMD has taken up the cudgel of IT-enabling half of the worlds population, by 2015, in what could be one the most ambitious initiatives undertaken by any technology manufacturer so far.


Sony to launch PlayStation Portable in December TOKYO - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) will roll out in Japan a handheld video game system on Dec. 12 called PlayStation Portable (PSP), priced at 19,800, or about \$185.


Cycling: Armstrong question hangs over 2005 Tour PARIS Lance Armstrong was absent when the route and difficulties of the 2005 Tour de France were made public in Paris, but his aura filled the hall.


Big Al chases dos amigos ALASTAIR FORSYTH tees off in the second round of the Volvo Masters at Valderrama today determined to maintain the form he showed yesterday.


Sox ace making pitch for Bush Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling - who helped the team capture its first World Series title in 86 years - will campaign with President Bush today at a rally at Pease International Tradeport.


Shaq and Kobe eager to show who is the better team leader (AFP) AFP - Unable to set aside their differences in Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal will now be facing new challenges with teams on either side of the continent.


Group claims to kill kidnapped Iraq troops BAGHDAD: An Iraqi militant group said on its web site Thursday that it had killed 11 Iraqi troops taken hostage south of Baghdad and posted video of the bound men being shot or beheaded.


U.S. Growth Under Forecast in 3rd Quarter  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.7  percent annual rate in the third quarter, below expectations  but still bolstered by healthy consumer spending that was  accompanied by the lowest inflation in decades, the Commerce  Department said on Friday.


Midgley carries Cal with career-high 28 It #39;s official: Cal junior Richard Midgley is now a point guard and a shooting guard. Moved to the point four games ago when Ayinde Ubaka broke his foot, Midgley never has shot the ball better.


Avon Profit Rises on International Sales  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Avon Products Inc. AVP.N on Friday  posted a better-than-expected 33 percent increase in  third-quarter profit as business in Latin America and Europe  helped offset weakness in the United States for the direct  seller of cosmetics.


US sues student 'song swappers' The US music industry sues 750 computer users believed to be distributing music illegally over the internet.


Bristol-Myers Posts Lower Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY.N on  Friday reported a lower third-quarter profit as U.S. sales fell  amid competition from rival brands and cheaper generics and the  company took a number of special charges.


Stocks Open Near Unchanged After GDP Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened little changed on  Friday, after third-quarter gross domestic product data showed  the U.S. economy grew at a slower-than-expected pace.


Dinner in Geneva Led to Rumble in the Jungle  KINSHASA (Reuters) - When a guest at a plush dinner in  Geneva asked where Kinshasa was, she set off a chain of events  that led to one of the world's great sporting showdowns.


U.S. Growth Under Forecast in 3rd Quarter (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.7\percent annual rate in the third quarter, below expectations\but still bolstered by healthy consumer spending that was\accompanied by the lowest inflation in decades, the Commerce\Department said on Friday.


Economy Grows at 3.7 Percent Annual Rate The US economy grew at a 3.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter - a pace that was slightly better than in the spring but not as strong as many analysts expected.


Markets calm after China rate rise HONG KONG Mainland Chinese stock markets dropped less than 2 percent on Friday as most Asian financial markets reacted with surprising calm to the Chinese central bank #39;s announcement late on Thursday of its first increase in interest rates in nine years.


DaimlerChrysler operating profit increases to \$1.7 billion in Q3 Total revenues increased by 2 to \$43.3 billion, despite the appreciation of the Euro against the US dollar, mainly due to higher unit sales.


2 French firms agree on aeronautics merger PARIS Snecma, a state-run maker of airplane engines, and Sagem, a maker of mobile phones and defense electronics, said Friday that they had agreed to merge in a transaction that would create a company worth about 7.


Float Time on Checks Shortens, as of Thursday Consumers who have become used to writing checks in the expectation of having at least a couple of days to cover them with a deposit may soon be in for a rude awakening.


Bristol-Myers Third-Quarter Profit Fell on Costs (Update1) Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., which has lost US patent protection on eight of its drugs since 2000, said third-quarter earnings fell 16 percent as costs rose and sales of the Pravachol cholesterol treatment fell.


French Firms Sagem, Snecma Plan Merger (Reuters) Reuters - French companies Snecma and Sagem \announced a planned 7 billion euro ( #36;8.9 billion) merger on\Friday, in a deal that analysts said was driven by political\rather than shareholder interests.


Prem Wrap: Goalfest As Big Guns Flex Their Muscles It #39;s as you were at the top and bottom of the Premiership afrter a December Saturday on which the  #39;Big Three #39; all recorded emphatic victories, scoring ten goals between them and conceding precisely none.


Cassini radar shows diversity on Saturn #39;s moon Titan This radar image of the surface of Saturn #39;s moon Titan was acquired on October 26, 2004, when the Cassini spacecraft flew approximately 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) above the surface and acquired radar data for the first time.


Island dwarf is a big find for scientists NEW YORK Once upon a time, but not so long ago, in a tropical island midway between Asia and Australia, there lived a race of little people, whose adults stood just more than one meter tall.


ISU Student Named In Downloading Lawsuit LOS ANGELES -- At least one Indiana State University student has been named as a defendant in a new round of lawsuits against music downloaders.


Dell angles for the best seat in the living room ROUND ROCK, Texas--Dell plans to continue expanding its stable of consumer electronics products and services throughout the rest of the year, looking to the gear to help it generate new customers and ultimately to sell more PCs.


PDA Market Continues its Downslide: IDC With the advent of smartphones and declining popularity of personal digital assistant (PDAs), IDC has reported a drastic fall in sales of PDAs worldwide with the industry recording a year-on-year fall for the third successive quarter.


Chelsea to sack Mutu - with Abramovich approval The Sun says Mutu, 25, has confessed to soccer chiefs he is a regular user and has been addicted to the drug since early this year.


NO MODEL ROUND FROM MONTGOMERIE Colin Montgomerie fell out of contention for the Volvo Masters at Valderrama today as word of the Scot being pictured with a famous Spanish model went around the course.


Juventus beats Roma, stretches unbeaten streak Captain Alessandro Del Piero scored his third goal in two games and Uruguayan Marcelo Zalayeta added another Thursday to give Italian league leader Juventus a 2-0 victory over traditional rival AS Roma 2-0, extending its unbeaten


Red Sox will appear on Wheaties box The Boston Red Sox will be the first World Series winner featured on a Wheaties box since the 1999 New York Yankees. The special edition package will picture David Ortiz on the front of the box, along with


US economy grows 3.7 percent in third quarter (AFP) AFP - The US economy expanded at a slower-than-expected 3.7 percent annual pace in the third quarter of 2004, the government said in the last major economic report before the November 2 election.


Toward a united European voice BRUSSELS On Friday, Europe #39;s leaders gathered in Rome to sign the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. This was a historic moment.


Six Pitcairn Island men sentenced up to six years for sex attacks SYDNEY, Australia British authorities say six men on Pitcairn Island have been sentenced up to six years in prison for sex attacks dating back 40 years.


Indonesian cleric back in the dock Smack in the middle of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, hordes of international and local reporters have descended on a makeshift courtroom here to witness the long-awaited and


Disgraced and bankrupt British MP back in the money via showbiz (AFP) AFP - A British former MP left bankrupt and publicly disgraced just three years ago has recouped much of his riches by exploiting his notoriety in the world of show business, a report said.


Japanese Emperor's Comments Cause Stir (AP) AP - Japanese officials rushed on Friday to dismiss suggestions that the emperor overstepped his authority and meddled in government affairs by voicing his opposition to Tokyo schools' policy of compulsory patriotism.


Oil Steadies, China Rate Hike Unsettles  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices steadied on Friday after an 8  percent rout spurred by a surprise interest rate hike in China  that raised doubts about demand from the world's second largest  energy user.


Avon Lowers U.S. Sales Forecast  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Avon Products Inc. AVP.N on Friday  posted a 33 percent increase in third-quarter profit, but  continued concerns over weakness in the United states pushed  the stock 7 percent lower.


Young gun Kovalainen puts Schumacher in shade PARIS (AFP) - Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher found himself overshadowed as young Finn Heikki Kovalainen beat him on his way to winning the Race of Champions at the Stade de France.


Paying a price to be No. 1 Intel's plain-spoken CEO  has a message for the nation: If you want to stay on top, it's time to rev up your competitive metabolism.


US sues student  #39;song swappers #39; The US recording industry is taking legal action against 750 computer users believed to be distributing music illegally over the internet.


Avon Lowers U.S. Sales Forecast (Reuters) Reuters - Avon Products Inc.  on Friday\posted a 33 percent increase in third-quarter profit, but\continued concerns over weakness in the United states pushed\the stock 7 percent lower.


Australia breach final frontier Australia have won their first Test series in India since 1969-70 after a crushing 342-run win in the third Test in Nagpur. The win gives them an unassailable 2-0 series lead and means that the one blot on their copybook has been erased.


Schilling to appear with Bush in NH One of the heros of the World Series will be in the political spotlight Friday in New Hampshire. Boston Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling is appearing with President Bush Friday.


Higher Energy Prices Help Chevron Earnings The No. 2 U.S. oil company reported a rise in quarterly profit pumped up by record oil and gas prices and gains on asset sales.


Merck Pain Reliever Gets Preliminary OK The Food and Drug Administration told Merck  #38; Co. that it would approve the company's successor drug to the now defunct pain reliever Vioxx if it provides further safety and efficacy data, the big pharmaceutical company announced Friday.


Web-Based Tool Helps Voters Find Polls With most states reporting massive new voter registrations and many political observers worrying about potential voter confusion and allegations of fraud on Nov.2, one organization has created a web-based tool to answer questions and provide information.


Andrew Kantor: CyberSpeak - Sinclair is the latest to feel the power of blogs (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Last Friday, television stations that were members of the Sinclair Media Group were scheduled to air an anti-John Kerry special called Stolen Honor. They were ordered to by executives of the company - the same execs who forbid the 62 TV stations the company controls from airing Ted Koppel's reading of the names of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq this spring.


Asian Americans fight language barrier in US elections (AFP) AFP - When Chungin Chung, an Asian American community leader, was invited to meet US vice-presidential candidate Senator John Edwards ahead of the November 2 election, she was excited but politely declined.


Consumer Sentiment Fades in October  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment deteriorated  in October as rising energy costs and persistent job worries  made Americans less optimistic about the future, according to a  survey released on Friday.


Consumer Sentiment Fades in October (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. consumer sentiment deteriorated\in October as rising energy costs and persistent job worries\made Americans less optimistic about the future, according to a\survey released on Friday.


China's Yao set to carry Rockets with McGrady by his side (AFP) AFP - Yao Ming has cemented his stature as one of the dominant big men in the National Basketball Association, and now he has a chance to become an integral part of the league's most explosive one-two tandem.


BALCO fallout continues Former track superstar Marion Jones was  quot;without a doubt quot; a drugs cheat, according to the man who says he devised Jones #39; program for use of banned performance-enhancing drugs before she won five gold medals at the 2000 Olympics.


Delta Woes Flown In From Saudi Arabia NEW YORK - Recent reports on the Delta Air Lines pilots #39; agreement focus on the carrier #39;s pilots being the highest paid in the industry and on the possibility that the company may still declare bankruptcy, despite the \$1 billion cost-cutting deal


US Growth Under Forecast in 3rd Quarter The US economy expanded at a 3.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter, below expectations but still bolstered by healthy consumer spending that was accompanied


Southwest Makes Midway Top Priority Southwest Airlines says boosting its presence at Chicago #39;s Midway airport has just become its top priority, USA Today said Friday.


Ryanair makes EUR 4m offer over Charleroi BRUSSELS - Low-cost airline Ryanair has finally struck a deal with the Walloon government over the EUR 4 million it owes following the European Commission ruling over Charleroi airport.


ChevronTexaco Profit Rises 62 on Higher Oil Prices (Update2) ChevronTexaco Corp., the second- biggest US oil company, said third-quarter profit rose 62 percent on higher oil and natural-gas prices.


New  #39;Check 21 #39; law sinks check-floating practice The practice of  quot;floating quot; a check until payday will become a thing of the past Oct. 28, when the new federal Check Clearing for the 21st Century


Microsoft Joins ISPs In Filing Anti-Spam Lawsuits Joining America Online, EarthLink and Yahoo against spamming, Microsoft Corp. today announced the filing of three new anti-Spam lawsuits under the CAN-SPAM federal law as part of its initiative in solving the Spam problem for Internet users worldwide.


AMD has the PC for developing nations Advanced Micro Devices has unveiled a stripped-down, low-cost computing device as part of a plan to move into developing markets. The chip maker aims to provide 50 per cent of the world with internet and computing


Drug-loaded contact lenses to treat eye diseases When a person suffers from eye ailments today, nine times out of ten, he will be prescribed eye drops to treat his illness or relieve his discomfort.


PDA market in downward spiral reports IDC palmOne is at the head of a downward spiral of the PDA market according to research group IDC. IDC #39;s figures showed a 8.7 per cent slump year on year for the third quarter of 2004 - the third successive quarter of year on year decline.


Chelsea sends Mutu packing London, England (Sports Network) - Chelsea has told Adrian Mutu his services are no longer needed at the club after testing positive for cocaine use.


Manchester United manager wants to get to the bottom of  #39;Soupgate #39; Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to get the bottom of the  quot;Soupgate quot; affair. Ferguson was forced to change clothes after United #39;s 2-0 victory Sunday over Arsenal.


Cricket: Fired-up Australia end 35-year drought as India hit new <b>...</b> NAGPUR, India : World champions Australia conquered the final frontier here when they won their first series on Indian soil in 35 years with a 342-run rout in the third Test.


Chester gives Rush permission to talk with Wales Chester has given Wales permission to talk with Ian Rush about the job as national team coach. A former Liverpool star, Rush took over the League Two team in August and has been mentioned as a successor to Mark Hughes.


Review: New 'Hawk' Game Most Thorough Ever (AP) AP - There's only one thing better than riding a halfpipe ramp in "Tony Hawk's Underground 2"  #151; doing it in real life. Since I'm pretty sure that's never going to happen, I'll keep on defying gravity in this new game from Activision.


Fix EU executive  #39;crisis #39; urges Chirac ROME, Oct 29 (AFP) - French President Jacques Chirac urged the head of the incoming European Commission Friday to take  quot;the appropriate decisions quot; to resolve a row over his EU executive team which has left the EU in limbo.


US Embassy warns diplomats to stay away from Marriott hotel : Pakistani officials insisted that an explosion at the Marriott hotel in the capital city was caused by an electrical short-circuit, not a bomb, but the US Embassy today issued a warning


Ukraine challenger predicts mass cheating in vote Liberal challenger Viktor Yushchenko predicted on Friday that Ukrainian authorities would resort to mass fraud to ensure victory for the establishment candidate in an increasingly tense weekend presidential poll.


Clear Channel Radio Ad Revenue Slips  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clear Channel Communications Inc.  CCU.N, the largest U.S. radio station chain, on Friday posted  higher operating earnings although radio advertising revenue  slipped on weak sales to its automotive and telecommunications  customers.


Thai PM to Address Nation as More Bombs Rock South  PATTANI, Thailand (Reuters) - Bomb blasts rocked southern  Thailand Friday as Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra told  southern Muslim leaders the deaths of 85 protesters in military  custody should have never happened.


HP, SuSE target German public sector FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- The German subsidiaries of Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) and Novell Inc. are teaming to offer Linux-based products to the country's huge public sector.


Chinese vendor offers Linux mobile platform FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- After launching two of the world's first Linux smart phones, China's E28 Ltd. is now offering handset manufacturers the opportunity to license its software and hardware designs based on the increasingly popular open-source operating system.


Move Over, Edison (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - MaryLou O'Malley wants to get something off her chest--or collarbone, more precisely. The 72-year-old is tired of having to adjust her necklace when it slips around her neck. Wouldn't it be wonderful, she says, if there were an adhesive to keep her jewelry stuck to her skin?


Accused Air India bomber is a victim of lies: defense lawyers (AFP) AFP - A key prosecution witness is lying when he implicated one of the Sikh men charged with the mid-air bombing of an Air India plane that killed 329 people in 1985, the defense team argued in the closing arguments of the case.


GOP Seeks More Time for Military Ballots (AP) AP - Under pressure from military voters and Republicans, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell said Friday that he will ask a federal judge to extend the deadline for counting overseas ballots by one week.


Gravely Ill Arafat Arrives in France for Treatment  CLAMART, France (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Yasser  Arafat, weakened by what doctors say may be leukemia, left the  West Bank for the first time in 2-1/2 years on Friday and flew  to France for treatment in a military hospital.


LookSmart Performs Despite MSN Split and Acquisitions LookSmart Performs Despite MSN Split and Acquisitions\\LookSmart more or less broke even last quarter to the surprise of many analysts after LookSmart announced their financial results for the third quarter which ended on September 30, 2004. LookSmart currently provides paid search results through a distribution network that includes Lycos, CNET, ...


Vehicle for Change? (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - As Dieter Zetsche see it, DaimlerChrysler's diesel Jeep Liberty sport utility, due next month, should be an easy sell. Drivers in the U.S. need a powerful set of wheels that can travel 500 miles between fuel-ups. "This country should be the El Dorado for diesels," says the man who runs DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group.


Some Officials Seeking Shift From Pensions Just days after the president of a huge California pension fund was ousted, some California officials are proposing that the state get out of the pension business and give state and municipal workers a 401(k) plan instead.


Nations voice concern for Arafat Leaders around the world express concern for the health of ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.


Economy Grows at 3.7 Percent Annual Rate (AP) AP - The economy grew at a 3.7 percent annual rate in the third quarter  #151; a pace slightly better than in the spring but not as strong as many analysts expected. Friday's government report was the last broad snapshot of economic activity before Election Day and provided political ammunition for both sides.


On the Run (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - The Bullrun is held every fall in Europe, every spring in the U.S. Routes change year to year. Entry fees ( #36;5,500 for Europe,  #36;14,000 for the U.S.) include hotels and food. Transportation to and from the race, gas, tolls, speeding tickets, the cost of your car and any repairs are extra. Participation is by invitation, so buttering up race organizers helps. ...


Washington Post Profit Up on Education,TV  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Washington Post Co. WPO.N said on  Friday that quarterly profit jumped, beating analysts'  forecasts, boosted by results at its Kaplan education unit and  television broadcasting operations.


Packers' Favre, Green Miss Practice (Reuters) Reuters - Green Bay Packers star\quarterback Brett Favre and top running back Ahman Green both\missed Thursday's practice with injuries.


Readers Say (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - We were surprised at the suggestion that Melaleuca is a "pyramid-selling organization" along the lines of Herbalife and Amway in "If You Believe" (Oct. 11, p. 89). That's as misleading as suggesting that a cow is similar to a cat just be-cause both are four-legged mammals.Whatever the similarities be-tween cats and cows, they do not make cats bovine nor cows feline. It's the many differences in our business model and culture that set Melaleuca apart from any multilevel marketing company. ...


Packers' Favre, Green Miss Practice  GREEN BAY, Wis. (Sports Network) - Green Bay Packers star  quarterback Brett Favre and top running back Ahman Green both  missed Thursday's practice with injuries.


Workplace Now Terrain of Politics (Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles Times - PELLA, Iowa  #8212; In this week's frenzied competition to boost voter turnout, the quiet effort of companies like Vermeer Manufacturing could prove crucial for the Bush campaign.


Horse Racing: Cream of US, Europe to Clash in Texas  GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Reuters) - Betting on horses was  banned in Texas until as recently as 1987. Times have changed  rapidly since. Saturday, Lone Star Park race track hosts the  \$14 million Breeders Cup, global racing's end-of-season  extravaganza.


Intelligence Gathering: The Study of How the Brain Evolves Offers Insight into the Mind (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Is there really life out there?  Was a kinder, wetter Mars once dotted by bacterial blooms whose progeny now await our discovery?  Do unseen, alien microbes swim in the buried oceans of Europa, Callisto, or Ganymede?  What about Titan's sub-zero methane lakes?


NASA Prepares for Future Space Exploration Risk (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - CLEVELAND, OH \-- As NASA readies the space shuttle fleet to fly again, \the agency's risk management teams are also paying attention to risk issues that \affect the International Space Station.


Curfew in Liberia After Riots, Four Dead  MONROVIA (Reuters) - At least four people died in riots on  Friday in Liberia's capital, where U.N. peacekeepers fired in  the air to bring rampaging, stick-wielding youths under control  and a daylight curfew was in force.


Need a Yawner Investment? If you're in the market for a safe little something for your portfolio, buy bonds.


US economy increases 3.7 percent in third quarter The US economy increased at an annual rate of 3.7 percent in the third quarter of this year, the Commerce Department said in a report released on Friday.


#39;); //-- gt; Eye On Stocks Bristol-Myers Squibb (nyse: BMY - news - people ) will report third-quarter earnings. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call expect the pharmaceutical maker to earn 39 cents per share compared with 47 cents a year ago.


ChevronTexaco #39;s 3Q profit soars 62 ChevronTexaco #39;s (CVX) third-quarter profit improved 62 as the oil giant continued to cash in on record-high oil prices. The company said Friday that


Archer Daniels Midland Net Rises on Soy Processing (Update4) Archer Daniels Midland Co., the world #39;s largest grain processor, said fiscal first-quarter profit rose 77 percent on improved results from sales of soy products, corn-based fuel and agricultural services.


Nexen to Buy EnCana #39;s UK Oil Business for \$2.1 Bln (Update4) Nexen Inc. agreed to buy fellow Canadian energy company EnCana Corp. #39;s UK business for \$2.1 billion, gaining control of Britain #39;s biggest oil discovery in more than a decade amid record crude prices.


Update 1: Ad Sales Spur Growth at Washington Post The Washington Post Co. earned \$82.5 million in its third quarter, the company reported Friday, well above the \$19.9 million it earned in the year-ago period, when results were weighed down by expenses for


Cassini spacecraft explores hazy Titan The Cassini spacecraft, which provided scientists with amazing images of Saturn #39;s rings in July ( quot;Cassini-Huygens completes seven year journey to Saturn, quot; The Triangle, July 9, 2004) is now trying to repeat the feat with Saturn #39;s largest moon, Titan.


We May Not Be the Only Humans on Earth A 3ft tall  #39;hobbit #39; discovered on a remote Indonesian island has raised the extraordinary possibility that our human species might not be alone on Earth.


AMD and VSNL to sell net communicator device in India Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has teamed with Videsh Sanchar Nigam (VSNL), a leading Indian telecommunications and internet services company, to market its Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) to consumers in India.


Forth Road Bridge corrosion found A few broken steel wires and varying levels of corrosion have been found in the Forth Road Bridge #39;s support cables. The discovery was made during the first full-scale cable inspection in the bridge #39;s 40-year history.


A monkey off their back THE wait is over. Australia yesterday stormed the barricades to its final frontier and plundered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with one of its biggest victories in Test history.


Queen honours former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola Former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola has been chosen by the Queen to become an honorary citizen of the British empire. British ambassador to Italy Sir Ivor Roberts will present Zola with the honour Monday  quot;for his service to British football.


49ers QB Rattay questionable for Sunday San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Tim Rattay is listed as questionable for Sunday #39;s game against the Chicago Bears with a forearm injury.


Review: New  #39;Hawk #39; game most thorough ever There #39;s only one thing better than riding a halfpipe ramp in  quot;Tony Hawk #39;s Underground 2 quot; - doing it in real life.


SEC PREVIEW Tennessee at South Carolina (11:30 am): The 11th-ranked Volunteers (6-1, 4-1 SEC) continue on the road to Atlanta despite a misfiring offense.


Erdogan and Gul Sign EU Constitution The signature ceremony for the European Constitution agreement and a final bill have been completed. Host country Italy #39;s Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, made a speech at the ceremony saying that October


Liberia violence sparks daylight curfew MONROVIA, LIBERIA - The capital of Liberia is under curfew Friday following an outbreak of violence that reportedly left churches and a mosque in flames.


The eternal circle of the Iraqi insurgency In all likelihood, US troops and the nascent Iraqi military will storm the rebel city of Fallujah in the very near future. The so-called  quot;City of Mosques quot; has been under sustained air assault


Bristol-Myers Profit Down, So Are Shares  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. BMY.N on  Friday said quarterly profit fell 16 percent on special charges  and lower U.S. sales amid competition from rival brands and  cheaper generics.


Too Close to Call? The votes won't be counted for another four days, but that's not stopping mathematicians, online bettors and traditional pollsters from trying to predict a Bush or Kerry victory. -washingtonpost.com


Mexico rats survive cat onslaught Health officials in the Mexican state of Chihuahua fail in their effort to deal with a rat plague by sending in hundreds of cats.


DreamWorks Draws a Crowd DreamWorks Animation has an IPO with more green than its signature ogre, Shrek.


Google Adds AdWords To Froogle Shopping Feed Google Adds AdWords To Froogle Shopping Feed\\Google has announced in their Froogle Friends Newsletter that Froogle will be adding an Ad Automator to Froogle where merchants with over 1000 products who are also AdWords advertisers are invited to try out the beta release of their new ad-producing technology. This seems ...


Cavaliers Decline Option on Wagner (AP) AP - Guard Dajuan Wagner will become a free agent after this season because the Cleveland Cavaliers declined their  #36;3.4 million contract option for 2005-06 on Friday.


Report: China's Imports of Steel Fall (AP) AP - China's steel imports declined over the first nine months of the year in reaction to higher international prices, while exports soared, state media reported Friday.


Fierce clashes in Somali regions Fighting erupts between forces of the self-declared Somaliland republic and those of Puntland, an autonomous region of Somalia.


Argonaut founder rebuilds empire The founder of Argonaut games went into administration a week ago has bought back most of the group.


Andrew Rawnsley They have been disappointed, those hoping that they might get to see David Blunkett pursuing his paternity case against Kimberly Quinn by donning a Batman suit and clambering on to the ledge of Buckingham Palace.


High-Tech Japan Aims to Stop Counterfeit Banknotes  TOKYO (Reuters) - Holograms and kaleidoscopes of shimmering  colors will be part of Japan's latest hi-tech response to the  growing number of banknote counterfeiting cases troubling  authorities.


Things that go bump on the Net Sun President Jonathan Schwartz has a pre-Halloween case of the creeps--and for good reason.


Australia #39;s National Foods flags 14 per cent profit growth Australian milk producer National Foods Ltd. said on Friday it expects its fiscal 2005 net profit to grow by about 14 per cent, spurred mainly by a raft of new products which lifted its market share.


Ryanair Won #39;t Use Aid, Pending Appeal Ryanair Holdings PLC will repay 4 million euros (\$5.1 million) in aid from a regional government in Belgium while it appeals a European Union finding that the funding was illegal.


Merck Pain Reliever Gets Preliminary OK The Food and Drug Administration told Merck  amp; Co. that it would approve the company #39;s successor drug to the now defunct pain reliever Vioxx if it provides further safety and


Washington Post Profit Up on Education,TV Washington Post Co. (WPO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Friday that quarterly profit jumped, beating analysts #39; forecasts, boosted by results at its Kaplan education unit and television broadcasting operations.


Probe data reveal Titan #39;s etched face Scientists analysing data captured by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft as it swept past Saturn #39;s moon Titan, have described a cold landscape carved by winds and perhaps puddled with organic lakes.


ISPs again go after spammers For the second time this year, an alliance of major Internet providers - including Atlanta-based EarthLink -iled a coordinated group of lawsuits aimed at stemming the flood of online junk mail.


NASA mulls early retirement for space shuttle Even as NASA gears up for the space shuttle #39;s return to flight next year, officials at the space agency are quietly studying the possibility of cutting back its number of missions


Montgomery, Gaines doping cases postponed A hearing in the doping cases of US sprinters Tim Montgomery and Chryste Gaines that had been set for next week was postponed at the request of all parties, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday.


Rattay prospects for Bears growing dimmer Time, they say, heals all wounds, with the possible exception of Tim Rattay #39;s ailing right forearm. As this week began, San Francisco 49ers coach Dennis Erickson


Ailing Arafat Rushed to Paris Hospital Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, suffering from a serious but mystery illness, was flown to France and rushed to a military hospital for treatment Friday - ending


Pakistani officials downplay Marriot Hotel blast ISN SECURITY WATCH (29/10/2004) - A powerful explosion on Tuesday in the lobby of the Pakistani capitals five-star Marriott Hotel injured 10 people, including a US diplomat and three Italian nationals.


World digest PATTANI, Thailand - Fresh violence erupted Thursday with the bombing of a bar in Thailand #39;s mostly Muslim south, while villagers held a mass burial for some of the 78 protesters who suffocated while in army custody this week.


Artists from new EU-member states put on historic display in Amsterdam (AFP) AFP - Seven artists from the new eastern member states of the European Union display their vision of history in a special exhibition, celebrating EU enlargement, at the Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum for modern art.


Demonizing for Dollars (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - To Texas litigator Scott Summy, methyl tertiary butyl ether, the gasoline additive that reduces air pollution, is the devil--and his savior. He claims to have proof that Big Oil knew that MTBE-laced gasoline would leak out of filling station tanks into the ground and contaminate water supplies across America--and is therefore culpable in a big public hazard. "We are talking about the public's drinking water, and these guys have intentionally contaminated it to the largest scale ever in this country," says Summy.


Arafat Conscious, Days Needed for Diagnosis-Aide  CLAMART, France (Reuters) - Doctors will need "several  days" to diagnose Yasser Arafat's illness but the Palestinian  leader was conscious and in good shape when he arrived in  France on Friday, a Palestinian diplomat said.


Black to Quit Hollinger Inc 'Within Days'  TORONTO (Reuters) - Former press baron Conrad Black will  quit as chairman and chief executive of his Canadian holding  company, Hollinger Inc. HLGc.TO, to facilitate his offer to  take the company private, his lawyer said on Friday.


Dozens held over identity fraud Some 28 people are arrested in a global operation against a website allegedly involved in identity fraud.


Gadgets We Love (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - The new Motorola RAZR V3 is such a smack-me-gorgeous sliver of technolust that you want to keep it up to your ear all the time and show it off, telegraphing how indescribably hip-by-association you are to own it. But you don't get to, see, because it works so well with Motorola's new Bluetooth wireless headset, which frees up your hands for less vainglorious activities, like driving.


Surly Safin Slumps Out of St. Petersburg  ST. PETERSBURG (Reuters) - Top seed and crowd favorite  Marat Safin was knocked out of the St. Petersburg Open  quarterfinals Friday, falling 6-4, 6-1 to Michael Llodra.


Spain OKs Stem Cell Research Conditions (AP) AP - Spain's Socialist government approved new conditions governing research with embryonic stem cells Friday, allowing scientists to investigate using frozen embryos while seeking cures to diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes.


Boy held hostage in Iraq is freed Kidnappers in Iraq have freed a seven-year-old boy a week after seizing him while on his way to school.


SAA asks public for 'great ideas' Following heavy losses, South African Airways asks the public to send in 'great ideas' on how to turn the business around.


Tricks, Treats and Insulin Health professionals and families have worked hard to turn Halloween into a day that children with diabetes can take delight in, not simply endure.


Web Site Helps Undecided Voters Choose Presidential Guidester polls voters, matches their positions with those of candidates.


Reheated Bagle smokes out antivirus defenses New version of mass-mailing worm, discovered Friday, tries to disable defenses on destination PCs.


Terrorism joins weather disruptions as election planning issue (AFP) AFP - Amid fears of a possible terrorist attack, US authorities are tightening security for Tuesday's presidential election while taking pains not to discourage voters from turning out at the polls.


Lawyer introduces harassment scheme in Ovitz case In the trial of former Walt Disney Co. President Michael Ovitz, the plaintiff #39;s lawyer accused the company #39;s former official of leaking rumors to the press accusing NBC West Coast chief Don Ohlmeyer of sexually


Update 4: FDA Wants More Safety Data on Merck Drug The Food and Drug Administration told Merck  amp; Co. that it requires further safety and efficacy data before it will approve its successor drug to now defunct pain reliever Vioxx, the pharmaceutical maker announced Friday.


Stocks mixed as US, Canadian economies improve, oil edges higher TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto stock market was sent higher Friday morning by improvements in energy stocks as a two-day slide in oil prices skidded to a stop and signs of strong economic growth.


UK takes Linux to the heart of government Open source software is a viable alternative to commercial proprietary software, with potential significant value-for-money benefits for government, the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has concluded.


US Secret Service busts 28 ID fraudsters A US-led operation targeting ID fraud crooks has led to the arrest of 28 people across seven countries this week. The arrests follow an undercover operation headed by US Secret Service agents that successful


Microsoft Faces Suit for Selling  #39;Defective #39; Game Systems Plaintiff Sean Burke claims that  quot;the defective Xboxes stop working after minimal usage, after unreasonably, unconscionably, unusually and unexpectedly short amounts of time.


Call issued for tenders to inspect Regional Road bridge An international call for tenders has been issued for the appointment of an engineer to carry out detailed inspections and determine the work which needs to be carried out on Manwel Dimech Bridge, along Regional Road.


Red Sox primed for encore When you #39;re part of a team that has just captured its first World Series title in 86 years, it #39;s easy to get a little too caught up in the moment.


Tennis / Close but no cigar as Ram tests Youzhny Andy Ram came close to pulling off the biggest upset of his singles career when he stretched No. 4 seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, 2-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4) in the first round of the \$1 million St.


Committee to succeed Arafat denied The head of the Political Department in the Palestine Liberation Organization said Friday no committee was formed to succeed ailing Yasser Arafat.


British troops arrive at base in central Iraq LONDON British defense officials say hundreds of British troops who were deployed to provide cover for US troops are now at their base near Baghdad.


CARE International leaves Iraq A humanitarian agency with a long history of work in Iraq has ended its operations in the war-torn nation after its leader was abducted.


Leaders of 25 EU Countries Sign New Constitution Leaders of the 25-nation European Union today signed the bloc #39;s new constitution in Rome, amid tight security around the city #39;s historic center.


Second Bomb Injures 9 in Thai South - Witnesses A second bomb exploded near a food stall in southern Thailand on Friday, wounding at least nine members of a bomb squad investigating an earlier blast that wounded four people.


Jordan crash coach had two burst tyres The burst tyre which led to yesterday #39;s coach crash tragedy in Jordan was the second tyre problem suffered by the vehicle that day, a couple who survived the tragedy said today.


Joke e-mail virus tricks users A new version of the Bagle computer virus is spreading rapidly around the internet.


Hurricanes Were Their Own Worst Enemy At the time, it didn #39;t seem like a big deal. On the Miami Hurricanes #39; first offensive possession Saturday against the Virginia Tech Hokies, running back Frank Gore ripped off a 9-yard run, seemingly giving


Merck #39;s FDA Delay, Pfizer #39;s Problem NEW YORK - In a capstone to the withdrawal of Vioxx, the US Food and Drug Administration has decided to delay the approval of successor drug Arcoxia until more safety data are available.


UPDATE 1-Black to quit Hollinger Inc  quot;within days quot; Former press baron Conrad Black will quit as chairman and chief executive of his Canadian holding company, Hollinger Inc. (HLGc.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) , to


Could Hobbit-Like Creatures Still Live on Earth? Mythical tales abound of a race of little people that dwell on the islands of Indonesia. Dutch explorers who colonized Flores 100 years ago were told stories of a human-like creature local


NASA Prepares for Future Space Exploration Risk CLEVELAND, OH -- As NASA (news - web sites) readies the space shuttle fleet to fly again, the agency #39;s risk management teams are also paying attention to risk issues that affect the International Space Station (news - web sites).


William Rivers Pitt: Believe Four score and six years ago, a relatively new Boston baseball team called the Red Sox won the World Series for the fifth time. Not long after, a man named George Herman Ruth, Jr.


Cricket #39;s final frontier conquered DEEP in the heart of the Indian subcontinent, the Australian Test side last night was celebrating an historic victory, having conquered cricket #39;s final frontier with a Test to spare.


Surly Safin slumps out of St Petersburg Top seed and crowd favourite Marat Safin was knocked out of the St Petersburg Open quarter-finals on Friday, falling 6-4 6-1 to Michael Llodra.


Cipollini signs deal with Liquigas MILAN, Italy -- Italy #39;s former world champion Mario Cipollini has ended speculation that he is to retire by announcing that he will ride next season for the Liquigas Sport team.


Peek at the Week: Ben vs. the Streak Yet another risky game for that Patriots winning streak, now at 21. Pittsburgh hasn #39;t lost at home, and rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hasn #39;t lost, period.


Cellular Companies Agree on Standards (AP) AP - The nation's cellular companies have agreed on a common standard for multimedia messaging that should enable mobile phone users to exchange photos, video and audio clips just as they do e-mail, regardless of their wireless carrier.


Lebanon: Kidnappers Have Freed Boy in Iraq (AP) AP - Kidnappers have released a 7-year-old Lebanese boy after a week they grabbed him as he was walking home from school in Iraq, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Friday. It was not immediately clear if a ransom was paid.


Bands Debut Dual-Sided CD/DVD Hybrid (AP) AP - A new hybrid CD format that offers standard CD audio on one side and the enhanced media capabilities of a DVD on the other made its nationwide debut this week.


Myanmar strongman vows to bring democracy, crush anti-Indian rebels (AFP) AFP - Myanmar's military strongman Than Shwe wrapped up a visit to India with a pledge to bring democracy to his secretive state and said the junta will not let rebels against Indian rule operate from its soil.


Web Site Helps Undecided Voters Choose (PC World) PC World - Presidential Guidester polls voters, matches their positions with those of candidates.