Australian state to increase secret police powers (AFP) AFP - Australia's most populous state has announced it will give counter-terrorism police increased powers to carry out covert surveillance to help them break up extremist cells.


Baseball-Red Sox Eye End to World Series Torment  NEW YORK (Reuters) - After their epic comeback against the  New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox can now lift a curse  hanging over them for more than 80 years.


Windows XP Service Pack 2: Is It Time Yet? InformationWeek: A Desktop Pipeline reviewer invites readers to step into the SP2 waters, and offers some suggestions on how to do it as safely as possible.


Williams willing to wait for Button Williams have refused to give up on signing Jenson Button to drive for them, but admitted that they will have to wait until 2006 before he joins the team.


Despite his 5 INTs in last game against Patriots, Pennington says <b>...</b> The body of work is not substantial enough to consider Chad Pennington a victim of the Belichick factor. Fair or not, Pennington #39;s five-interception game against the Patriots last December at least makes him a candidate.


Beleaguered firm renegotiating bank lines Insurance broker Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. said yesterday it is renegotiating terms of \$2.8 billion of backup bank financing after New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued the company last week.


Rents rising in many Western markets Apartment rents through most of the Western US are rising, a sign that landlords are regaining some of the leverage lost in a sluggish economy and a hot home-buying market


French finance minister calls for European energy policy French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday called for a European energy policy and said France #39;s eurozone partners should join it in a plan to pass on surplus tax receipts to consumers.


Rampant Inter march on INTER MILAN continued their stunning start to the season and top Champions League Group G with a perfect record. A scintilating second-half, with goals from Dejan Stankovic, Christian Vieri Andy Van der Meyde


Cooke out of Sun Tour Former Tour de France green jersey Baden Cooke pulled out of the Herald-Sun Tour of Victoria on Tuesday, citing problems with his back.


204 feared killed in China #39;s coal mine disaster At least 56 people were killed in a major coal mine disaster in China today and the toll may rise to 204 with officials nearly giving up hope of finding the missing 148 miners alive in central Henan province.


UK police confirm report of Prince Harry scuffle British police have confirmed a scuffle involving British royal Prince Harry was reported to them early this morning. The third-in-line for the UK throne was involved in a scuffle outside a London nightclub today which left a photographer with a cut lip.


Barroso to meet leaders over Buttiglione The incoming president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, is to meet party leaders in the European Parliament. This morning #39;s meeting is a bid to avert a crisis over the nomination of Italian Rocco Buttiglione as Justice Commissioner.


South Korean Court Blocks Roh Plan to Move Capital (Update2) South Korea #39;s Constitutional Court blocked President Roh Moo Hyun #39;s \$40 billion plan to relocate the capital about 140 kilometers (87 miles) south of Seoul.


Milosevic lawyers plead to quit Appeals court judges hear from Slobodan Milosevic's lawyers, who want  the ex-Yugoslav president to defend himself.


Actress Close 'joins TV cop show' Fatal Attraction star Glenn Close is to join US police drama The Shield, according to reports in Hollywood.


Hunt for Grand Theft Auto pirates The makers of the best-selling Grand Theft Auto games are "aggressively pursuing" the pirates who leaked the latest version of the series.


No need to cut French GDP growth forecast over oil price: Sarkozy French Economy Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said late Wednesday that there was no need to lower the 2005 economic growth forecast for France because of surging oil prices, saying such a move would dent confidence.


Kezman hopes Mutu will return The Romanian international, who failed a random drug test and has admitted taking cocaine, flies back into England from Rome today for more talks with his employers.


Ranieri honeymoon over after Valencia mauling Claudio Ranieri #39;s honeymoon at Valencia is over after they were thrashed 5-1 at home by Inter Milan in the Champions League last night.


Malaysia Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria - 2.3 and exciting - days on this year #39;s Malaysia Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria, the lead has swapped hands again, with Bicycle Superstore teammates


SUU gets  #39;F #39; for hiring Southern Utah University received an  quot;F quot; grade Wednesday from the Black Coaches Association for the way it hired its most recent head football coach, Wes Meier.


Tokage #39;s Death Toll Rises as Storm Leaves Japan (Update2) Typhoon Tokage, the biggest tropical storm to hit Japan in more than a decade, killed as many as 57 people as it destroyed homes and caused mudslides.


Prince Harry hit in face by camera LONDON, England -- Prince Harry was hit in the face by a camera during an overnight scuffle outside a nightclub that left a photographer with a cut lip.


Election Heralds Start of Endgame in UN-Run Kosovo (Reuters) Reuters - Kosovo's\general election on Saturday will be the first step in a tricky\endgame to settle the fate of the Serbian province, now a U.N.\protectorate in the heart of the Balkans.


Allied Domecq profits edge up as sales lose fizz (AFP) AFP - British drinks giant Allied Domecq, maker of Beefeater gin, Courvoiser cognac and Malibu rum, posted a six-percent rise in annual pretax profits as sales of spirits and wines stagnated.


More UN help needed, Iraqi government says BAGHDAD -- Iraq's interim government complained yesterday that the United Nations isn't doing enough to help prepare for January elections, saying the organization has sent fewer electoral workers than it did when tiny East Timor voted to secede from Indonesia.


Premium rate fraud 'an epidemic' Scams using premium phone rate lines are getting out of control, the Trading Standards Institute says.


Malibu maker sees profits climb Rising sales of core spirit brands have helped drinks giant Allied Domecq report a rise in annual profits. The owner of Courvoisier cognac and Beefeater gin said full-year pre-tax profits before exceptional items rose 6 to 521m (\$942.


Novartis tops Q3 forecast, Schering ups EPS view LONDON (CBS.MW) -- European drugmakers Novartis, Schering and Sanofi-Aventis on Thursday all posted rising third-quarter sales, helped by sales lifts in the companies #39; key products.


Update 3: DHL Pulls International Hub From Brussels The DHL parcel delivery service said Thursday it was pulling its intercontinental hub - and thousands of jobs - out of Belgium because authorities refused to accept an increase in noisy night flights.


Academics find that the finger of destiny points their way Male scientist are good at research because they have the hormone levels of women and long index fingers, a new study says. A survey of academics at the University of Bath has found that male scientists typically


NEC, Toshiba add HD-DVD to PCs in 2005 NEC plans to start selling desktop PCs equipped with HD-DVD drives at the end of 2005, the company announced. Slimmed-down versions of the drives will be added to laptops in 2006.


Who #39;s your daddy now? NEW YORK - With last night #39;s 10-3 victory, the Red Sox made history. They became the first team ever to get down 0-3 in a playoff series to come back and win.


Lehmann left red-faced MANCHESTER United fans will be hoping for a repeat performance from Arsenal  #39;keeper Jens Lehmann on Sunday after the German blundered twice against Panithinaikos last night.


First Profit Since 2000 For Lucent (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Lucent Technologies Inc, the nation's leading telecommunications-equipment maker, recorded its first annual profit since 2000, fueled by rapid growth in its wireless telephone division, the company announced yesterday.


U.S. Unit Commander in Iraq Moved from Post  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The commander of a U.S. army company  that refused orders to deliver fuel along a dangerous route in  Iraq was relieved of her duties at her own request on Thursday,  the U.S. military said.


Pill 'may cut heart disease risk' The oral contraceptive pill may protect women from heart disease and some cancers, scientists suggest.


Burma cancels talks with rebels Burma's military has cancelled talks with the Karen rebel group just days after dismissing the prime minister.


Morrison speeds up Safeway rebranding Grocer William Morrison has reported strong sales at the Safeway stores it has converted to the Morrison brand and says it will speed up the rebranding of the chain it bought in March.


SAP Reports 3rd Quarter Profit Rise SAP AG, the German business management software maker, reported a 15-percent jump in third-quarter net profit Thursday to euro291 million (US\$366 million), citing increased sales across the globe.


DHL will not expand in Brussels. Many jobs lost by 2008 As predicted by Luchtzak Latest News one week ago, DHL will not expand its Brussels base. The refusal by the Belgian government to accept an increase in the number of night flights operated by MD-11 for intercontinental


Hong Kong Shares Rise Shares in Hong Kong were mostly higher Thursday as gains by mainland stocks outweighed losses in property issues. The Hang Seng Index added 16.


Hunt for Grand Theft Auto pirates The makers of the best-selling Grand Theft Auto games are  quot;aggressively pursuing quot; the pirates who leaked a copy of the latest version of the game.


Sharp drops handhelds from US retail market com October 20, 2004, 12:39 PM PT. Sharp Electronics is ceasing development of its Linux-based handheld devices for US consumers--the latest maker to wash its hands of the once-popular retail market.


Symantec EMEA reports 52 per cent growth Symantec Corp, the global leader in info security, today announced record revenue growth for the fiscal second quarter. The September quarter marked another period of record performance for Symantec.


Clemens in Game 7 -- perfect ST. LOUIS -- This was the kind of deflating loss that would send some teams -- the Cubs come to mind -- into the fetal position. Twelve grueling innings, a booming walkoff two-run homer and 52,144 people screaming loud enough to make your ears ring.


Maltais takes air out of Aeros Steve Maltais can #39;t do it all for the Wolves, but the 35-year-old certainly is trying. Maltais scored the Wolves #39; first two goals Wednesday night against Houston after scoring the team #39;s only three goals in


Parlow hat trick keeps US tour perfect Nomar Garciaparra, the Cubs shortstop, had his choice in sports viewing Wednesday night. He could watch the baseball playoffs on television in a Soldier Field skybox or focus on his wife playing soccer on the beat-up turf below.


Group Warns on Consumption of Resources (AP) AP - People are plundering the world's resources at a pace that outstrips the planet's capacity to sustain life, the environmental group WWF said Thursday.


American Passports to Get Chipped The United States plans to issue passports with personal data stored on radio frequency identification chips. The documents would be harder to forge, but might leave holders vulnerable to identity theft. By Ryan Singel.


Toe-to-Toe Over Peer-to-Peer Although recording industry folks predict success for 'sanctioned' P2P services, no one is sure consumers will be willing to pay, or even if such a setup can be agreed upon. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.


Magazine Makes Gadget-Making Fun Do-it-yourself projects won't disappear, even with Martha in jail. Make, a new magazine that centers around unique technology projects -- like how to build a mesh network in your house -- launches early next year. By Katie Dean.


All Bio Systems Are Go Systems biologists are pushing the envelope of preventive medicine through research centered on the interactions of the thousands of pieces of DNA, RNA and proteins that network together in each cell of our body. By Rowan Hooper.


It Takes a Con to Know a Con With all sorts of important and interesting stories to pursue, CNN latched on to Martha Stewart's incarceration, but it didn't get the real story. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg.


Fish Tales Solve Genetic Puzzles A puffer fish genome sequence sheds light on human biology, and tells a twisted evolutionary story. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Typhoon Kills 62 in Japan, Deadliest in 20 Years  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's deadliest typhoon in more than  two decades killed at least 62 people, media said on Thursday  as rescuers searched frantically for 27 still missing in floods  and landslides.


'Eight dead' in Iraq car bombs Samarra is hit by its first major attack since US-led forces recaptured the town from insurgents three weeks ago.


Pakistan forces hunt for militant Pakistani troops hunting for militant leader Abdullah Mehsud clash again with insurgents.


GM Workers in Germany Protest Job Cuts a 3rd Day Just days after it announced deep job cuts in Europe, the General Motors Corporation is battling a wildcat strike at one of its biggest German auto plants, and a threat of wider disruptions.


SAP benefits from Europe bounce Business software maker SAP, which employs 450 people in Dublin and Galway, has said that a strong performance in its European activities helped boost earnings in the third quarter, which came out higher than analysts #39; expectations.


Cingular: subscriber, revenue rise, but operating profit dip ATLANTA Cingular Wireless reports a rise in subscribers and revenue, but a drop in operating profit ahead of the expected closing of its 41 (b) billion dollar purchase of AT-and-T Wireless Services.


Microsoft Plans Russian Hotmail, Network Microsoft Corporation plans to create Russian versions of its Hotmail e-mail program and Microsoft Network online service, Associated Press reports.


Samsung #39;s 5MP SCH-S250 Samsung today officially launched their new Korean market 5 megapixel cameraphone, the SCH-S250. Of course we told you about the 5MP camera part already, but there is another surprise in there, too.


Index Fingers Point the Way for Male Scientists Male scientists are good at research because they have higher-than-average levels of the female hormone oestrogen which aids analytical skills, a study on Bath University academics today revealed.


Symantec Nearly Doubles Quarterly Revenue Symantec Wednesday said fiscal second-quarter earnings more than doubled over the previous year as the company saw growth across all of its business segments.


Mariners went for an experienced manager this time After gambling on an inexperienced manager following Lou Piniella #39;s move to Tampa Bay two years ago, the Seattle Mariners decided that experience was paramount this time.


Washington case done; will NCAA act on MSU next? A Mississippi State official said Wednesday that with the University of Washington #39;s NCAA infractions case now over, a resolution might be coming soon for MSU.


Mia and friends taking final bows Instead of standing for ante meridian and post meridian, though, fans will remember the time periods of pre-Mia and after-Mia. After playing for 18 years and shattering nearly every record


Tiger skips Disney for first time as pro The boat hadn #39;t docked as of Wednesday morning, in case you were wondering. Tiger Woods was still out to sea, in no hurry to be seen -- and who could blame him?


Transparency International Presented the Corruption Perception <b>...</b> CPI is a composite index, with data on corruption compiled from 18 different expert surveys. CPI ranks the countries by the level of perception about the spread of corruption among the public officials and


Harry #39;s security men (pictured) intervened in the altercation Prince Harry has found himself at the centre of a controversy after a late-night scuffle with a photographer. According to royal officials, the 20-year-old was leaving the London nightclub Pangaea in the early


Indonesia #39;s Yudhoyono Takes Office; May Name Cabinet (Update1) Former General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was sworn in as Indonesia #39;s first directly elected president, after winning a landslide victory on pledges to tackle corruption, attract investors and create jobs.


Astronaut to Meet Baby Daughter on Return to Earth (Reuters) Reuters - Days away from ending a\six-month mission in space, U.S. astronaut Michael Fincke said\on Wednesday he is looking forward to meeting his 4-month-old\daughter.


Darfur Rebels Say Peace Talks Delayed (Reuters) Reuters - Rebels from Sudan's troubled Darfur\region said a new round of peace talks on Thursday would be\delayed by two days because of logistical problems with sending\their delegation to the Nigerian capital Abuja.


Morrisons increasing Safeway conversion rate Morrisons is accelerating the conversion programme of the Safeway stores acquired earlier this year as the 3bn takeover continues to cause the company short-term pain.


Sun-Times Strike Deadline At Noon About 180 union reporters, copy editors and other newsroom staffers at the Chicago Sun-Times are scheduled to strike at noon Wednesday if they cannot agree on a contract with publisher Hollinger International Inc.


Now piracy curse strikes GTA: San Andreas Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has become the latest big name title to fall victim to the determined efforts of the piracy scene as the PS2 Rockstar opus leaked onto illegal download channels today.


Jens out of sorts in the Euro zone Something happens to Jens Lehmann on Champions League nights. In the Premiership, the German has few peers, as his record verifies.


INTER THRASH VALENCIA 5-1 VALENCIA - Inter bring home all three points from Wednesday evening #39;s hard-fought Uefa Champions League Matchday 3 encounter at the Mestalla to keep their one hundred record in Group G. Stankovic, Vieri, van der Meyde, Adriano and Cruz scored the goals in


Mariners will start anew with Hargrove as manager Mike Hargrove knows just what he #39;s getting into as the new manager of the last-place Seattle Mariners. After all, he lost 98, 95 and 91 games in his final three years with Baltimore.


Explosion in Chinese mine kills 56 AP - A gas explosion in a coal mine in China has killed at least 56 miners, and 92 others listed as missing had only a slim chance of survival, officials say.


Prince Harry hit in face in scuffle with photograher Britain #39;s Prince Harry was hit in the face with a camera in a scuffle with photographers outside a London nightclub in the early hours of Thursday, royal officials said.


ISRAELIS ARREST 2 BOMB GALS JERUSALEM - Two Palestinian women planning to carry out homicide bombings were arrested in the last two days, and Israeli forces are conducting a massive search for a third, officials said yesterday.


Iraq complains lack of UN workers to help prepare elections The Iraqi interim government has complained that the United Nations did not send enough electoral workers to help the country prepare for national elections scheduled for January.


Cabinet considers troop move plans The Cabinet is today discussing plans to redeploy British troops to an American-controlled area in central Iraq. Ministers are poised to decide whether to allow 650 troops from the Black Watch regiment to shift to the region.


Doubts over passport face scans Serious doubts are raised on the accuracy of a new ID system being introduced on new UK passports next year.


Doubts over passport face scans Serious doubts are raised on the accuracy of a new identity system being introduced on all new UK passports next year.


Spotlight falls on consultants CRUSADING New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is turning his attention to pension consultants as part of his attack on the insurance industry.


Gov't to announce decision on troop redeployment in Iraq (AFP) AFP - The government will announce later whether it has agreed to a US request to send hundreds of its troops to relieve American forces in Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said, a move widely expected to go ahead.


Dollar Fall Gathers Momentum  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar fell to an eight-month low  against the euro on Thursday, also setting multi-month lows  versus the yen, sterling and the Swiss franc amid worries the  U.S. economy was not growing enough to support its currency.


NY to Ease; Spotlight on Insurers  LONDON (Reuters) - Wall Street was set to start softer on  Thursday with the insurance sector in the spotlight again after  American International Group AIG.N said it was being probed  by a federal grand jury.


As Gaza Vote Looms, Israel Warns of Civil War Risk (Reuters) Reuters - Israel's justice minister warned on\Thursday that far-right rabbis who urge soldiers to disobey\orders to evacuate Jewish settlements in Gaza were flirting\with civil war and could face prosecution.


Plane turns back after hitting bird (AFP) AFP - A British tourist flight travelling to Paris turned back shortly after take-off when the plane struck a bird.


OQO pocket-size Windows XP PC clever but could be better (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - I'm guessing the founders of a San Francisco start-up called OQO are bummed that Microsoft long ago snagged the name Pocket PC for its personal digital assistants. Because Pocket PC might be the ideal moniker for OQO's new model 01 "ultrapersonal computer"- uPC for short.


Baseball Today (AP) AP - Houston at St. Louis (8:19 p.m. EDT). Game 7 of the NL championship series.


Mobile phones boost retail sales Retail sales picked up strongly in September, official figures show, helped by strong demand for mobile phones.


Early sea spider flashes pincers Scientists reconstruct a sea spider from the faint imprint it left when it fossilised 425 million years ago.


US broker faces credit downgrade MARSH  amp; McLENNAN, the worlds biggest insurance broker, was last night facing a potentially crippling downgrade of its credit rating by Standard  amp; Poors, after its borrowing power was all but frozen by its bankers.


US Airlines Hit Financial Turbulence Three of America #39;s largest airlines have reported a combined 906 million dollars US in third-quarter losses. The largest by far was at Delta Air Lines, where bankruptcy looms unless it can quickly win concessions from its pilots and debt holders.


DIFFICULT BUT NECESSARY ROBERT POLET may not be elaborating on the reasons for Gucci CEO Giacomo Santucci departure from the company yesterday, but he #39;s made his point.


McCullum ton swings Test match in NZ #39;s favour Dhaka - New Zealand tightened the screws on Bangladesh with a superb maiden century from Brendon McCullum in the opening Test at the Bangabandu National Stadium here on Thursday.


HORSE RACING A Breeders #39; Cup draw in Texas Horse racing may have gotten off to a rocky start in Texas, but the state that made cowboys famous will prove its worth by hosting the Breeders #39; Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park on Oct. 30.


Owens #39; mouth places Eagles in tough spot On his way out, whenever that day comes, Terrell Owens will rip Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and the Eagles, too. That notion hung in the air Tuesday as Jeff Garcia, the three-time Pro Bowl


European, Iranian Officials to Discuss Nuclear Issue Diplomats from France, Britain and Germany are expected to meet with Iranian officials Thursday in Vienna to offer Tehran incentives to end its uranium enrichment efforts.


Another strong quarter for eBay (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Aided by strong international growth and better-than-expected back-to-school sales, eBay reported robust third-quarter earnings Wednesday as profit surged 77 percent over last year.


Buttiglione regrets slur on gays The controversial incoming EU Justice Commissioner apologises for comments he made about gays and women.


Insurance commissioner targets hidden fees Decrying  #39; #39;ethical breaches of an unprecedented nature, #39; #39; California #39;s insurance commissioner announced regulations Wednesday to bar brokers from steering customers to certain policies in exchange for hidden commissions.


Allied profits from rappers #39; thirst Britons #39; growing thirst for Courvoisier, the cognac brand championed by hip-hop culture, has helped Allied Domecq report a 6 per cent rise in annual profits.


Small companies star as market rises A recovery in resource stocks and some star performances from smaller companies have helped the Australian share market back into the black today.


Qantas to fly on despite strike threats Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon has declared the national carrier will continue to fly despite facing union threats on two fronts.


Astros, Cards to meet in Game 7 ST. LOUIS - Like so many other riveting contests in this most magical of baseball post-seasons, last night #39;s Game 6 of the NL Championship Series was decided by a walkoff home run, sending the St.


UPDATE 1-Henman makes it third time lucky in Madrid Top seed Tim Henman finally won a match at the Madrid Masters on Wednesday, producing a classy display to beat Spain #39;s Albert Costa 6-4 6-2 and reach the third round.


Garcia has heard enough of Owens Cleveland Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia said Wednesday that he does not consider Terrell Owens an  quot;enemy of mine quot; even though the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver repeatedly has criticized his former teammate.


Fidel Castro Tumbles Off Stage HAVANA, Cuba -- Cuban leader Fidel Castro says he is fine after falling off of the stage in Santa Clara, Cuba. The fall is bringing back memories of when he collapsed two years ago.


Yesterday in parliament The prime minister insisted no decision had yet been taken on sending British troops to relieve US allies in Iraq. Repeatedly challenged at prime minister #39;s question time, Mr Blair said it was a military decision


Karzais victory shows Afghan ethnic divide Hamid Karzai is about to win in Afghanistan #39;s first direct presidential election, but the returns show that dangerous ethnic divides could become a major problem if he wins.


Tearing up the UN Charter Bernstein: UN peacekeepers are now collaborating with the Haitian police and death squads, in a bloody purge of thousands of pro-democracy supporters of President Jean Bertrand Aristide.


South Korean court blocks relocation of capital SEOUL : South Korea #39;s Constitutional Court has derailed President Roh Moo-Hyun #39;s plan to relocate the country #39;s capital from Seoul, saying the move was unconstitutional.


Profit at EBay Up Sharply, Stock Rises
\

 By Lisa Baertlein

 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - EBay Inc., the world's largest\online marketplace, on Wednesday posted a 77 percent increase\in quarterly profit, fueled by strong back-to-school shopping\and growth in its international and PayPal businesses.


General Dynamics Posts Profit Defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. reported a 23 percent jump in profit in its third quarter yesterday despite escalating costs on a contract to build commercial oil tankers.


Online Tracking Firm Says Kazaa Losing Users Kazaa's long-standing position as the most popular online file-sharing software appears to be over. Last month, the daily average of file-swappers on the FastTrack peer-to-peer network, which includes Kazaa and related programs, was surpassed for the first time by users on the eDonkey/Overnet network, according to online tracking firm BayTSP Inc.


Microsoft Distributes XP Security Update Microsoft Corp. says it has distributed about 106 million copies of its major security update for the Windows XP operating system.


Thumb twiddling on cybersecurity Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren says bureaucratic miscues continue to hamstring serious government action to combat cyberattacks.


Taking Microsoft for a spin? The software juggernaut that conquered the desktop is racing to get Windows into your next car.


Marsh averts cash crunch Embattled insurance broker #39;s banks agree to waive clause that may have prevented access to credit. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos.


NY to Ease; Spotlight on Insurers Wall Street was set to start softer on Thursday with the insurance sector in the spotlight again after American International Group (AIG.


Typhoon Tokage Kills 54 in Japan A fishing boat sits on dike in Susami town, western Japan Oct. 21, 2004 after high waves hit the fishing port. Typhoon Tokage unleashed flash floods that washed away entire hillsides, killing up to 51 people


British retail sales see fastest growth in Sept. Retail sales in Britain saw the fastest growth in September since January, casting doubts on the view that the economy is slowing down, according to official figures released Thursday.


Online Search Universe Is Expanding (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - To get an idea of how hot Web search is, go talk to Raul Valdes-Perez, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who is leading a search technology start-up called Vivisimo Inc. He'll tell you that more than 50 venture capitalists have come knocking on his door since January, all seeking a chance to invest in Vivisimo, which recently launched a Web search service under the dopey name of Clusty.


Red Hat and MySQL back European anti-patent campaign Open source software vendors Red Hat Inc and MySQL AB have lent their support to a new campaign against software patents in the European Union under the name NoSoftwarePatents.


Pilot dies after US chopper crashes in Afghanistan (AFP) AFP - The pilot of a US military Black Hawk helicopter died when the aircraft crashed near Afghanistan's western city of Herat, a United Nations spokesman said.


AC Milan edge Barcelona Andriy Shevchenko #39;s first half header gave AC Milan a 1-0 win over Barcelona in front of a 68,000 crowd here on Wednesday and moved them a big step closer to the knockout stages of the Champions League.


Reuters Poll: Bush Grabs One-Point Lead on Kerry (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush opened a slight\one-point lead on Democratic rival John Kerry in a tight race\for the White House, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released\on Thursday.


Red Sox Eye End to World Series Torment  NEW YORK (Reuters) - After their epic comeback against the  New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox can now lift a curse  hanging over them for more than 80 years.


Xerox Quarterly Profit Rises (Reuters) Reuters - Xerox Corp. on Thursday said\third-quarter profit rose as it cut costs and sales of its\copiers and printers improved.


2003 Loss Just a Setback for Red Sox (AP) AP - Even in the pain of last year's collapse, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein was confident Boston will someday win the World Series.


Gold Medal Dispute Set to End Thursday (AP) AP - Paul Hamm is finally going to have an answer for everyone who asks if he's going to be able to keep his Olympic gold medal.


AT T Posts \$7.1 Billion Loss on Writedown  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. on Thursday reported a  \$7.1 billion third-quarter loss due to an \$11.4 billion  writedown of its assets after its retreat from consumer  services and other restructuring charges.


DHL scraps Brussels growth plan Courier firm DHL decides to ditch its plan to make Brussels its international hub as authorities delay a decision over night flights.


Husband of Aid Worker Seized in Iraq Pleads for Release (Reuters) Reuters - The husband of Margaret Hassan, a\British-Iraqi aid worker snatched by kidnappers on her way to\work in Baghdad this week, appealed for her release on\Thursday.


Milosevic Calls for Control Over Own Trial Defense (Reuters) Reuters - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan\Milosevic urged judges on Thursday to allow him to defend\himself at his war crimes trial as his court-assigned lawyer\said efforts to represent him had reached a dead end.


SAP Reports 15 Percent Rise in 3Q Profit (AP) AP - SAP AG, the German business management software maker, reported a 15 percent jump in third-quarter net profit Thursday, citing increased sales across the globe.


28 Lebanese Lawmakers Boycott Talks (AP) AP - At least 28 lawmakers said they will not take part in talks on forming new government started by Lebanon's president on Thursday, a day after the Cabinet of veteran Prime Minister Rafik Hariri resigned.


Russia to lease India nuclear submarine - agencies (Reuters) Reuters - Russia will lease to India a nuclear-powered submarine capable of firing nuclear and conventional missiles, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday.


AIG's Profits Rises American International Group said third-quarter earnings rose 7.5 percent, but also revealed is a target of a federal investigation.


Iraqi Official Derides U.N. Election Aid (AP) AP - The United Nations has not sent enough election workers to help out with vital balloting in Iraq set for January, the Iraqi foreign minister said Wednesday.


Violence Flares in Boston After Red Sox Win  BOSTON (Reuters) - Scattered violence broke out on Thursday  after thousands of Boston Red Sox fans converged on Fenway Park  to celebrate their baseball club's historic win over the New  York Yankees that puts them in the World Series.


Husband of Aid Worker Seized in Iraq Pleads for Release  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The husband of Margaret Hassan, a  British-Iraqi aid worker snatched by kidnappers on her way to  work in Baghdad this week, appealed for her release on  Thursday.


AT T Posts \$7.1 Billion Loss on Writedown
\

 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. on Thursday reported a\\$7.1 billion third-quarter loss due to an \$11.4 billion\writedown of its assets after its retreat from consumer\services and other restructuring charges.


Top Seed Henman Falls to Ljubicic in Madrid  MADRID (Reuters) - Top seed Tim Henman lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-2  to big-serving Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in the Madrid Masters  third round Thursday.


Turkey must strengthen reforms to sustain growth: OECD (AFP) AFP - Turkey must strengthen market-economy reforms to sustain growth and promote confidence and to attract crucial international investments, the OECD said in a report.


German banks to repay state aid Seven German banks - including WestLB - are to hand back state aid worth more than 3bn euros that the EU says broke competition laws.


Rock stars back new Band Aid song Coldplay, Travis, The Darkness and Keane get behind a new version of charity single Do They Know It's Christmas?


Merck Profit Falls, Hurt by Vioxx Recall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck   Co. MRK.N on Thursday said  its third-quarter profit fell, hurt by big charges for the  recall of the company's Vioxx arthritis drug in late September  after it was linked to heart attacks and strokes.


MedImmune Loss Widens on Charges, R D  NEW YORK (Reuters) - MedImmune Inc. MEDI.O, maker of the  nasal spray flu vaccine FluMist, on Thursday said its  third-quarter loss widened on higher costs and one-time  charges.


Disney in the dock over \$140 mn payout to executive Georgetown, Delaware, October 21: A lawsuit against the Walt Disney Co over a 140 million-dollar payout to former President Michael Ovitz started here, seven years after shareholders brought the action.


Worlds First 5-Megapixel Camera Phone A true digital convergence product that combines a gamut of innovative technologies including a true color LCD (16 million colors), Text-To-Speech conversion capability, as well as, a 5-megapixel CCD camera.


Symbol rolls out enterprise digital assistant Symbol Technologies has unveiled a multi-function enterprise digital assistant handheld device targeting mobile professionals requiring real-time access to corporate systems while on the move.


Female hormones decide research skills of male scientists! A survey by academics at the University of Bath, UK, has revealed that male scientists are good at research because they have the hormone levels of women and long index fingers.


Sox Victorious At Last!! BOSTON -- After suffering decades of defeat and disappointment, the 2004 Boston Red Sox made history Wednesday night, beating the Yankees in the house that Ruth built and claiming the American League championship trophy.


Carrol: Arsenal game is huge Goalkeeper Roy Carroll has admitted that Manchester United cannot afford to drop points in their clash against the Premiership champions Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.


Area fans: Huskies #39; reputation damaged South Sound fans reacted with everything from relief to regret over Wednesday #39;s NCAA rulings on the University of Washington athletics program.


FTSE hits 3-week low Top shares have fallen to a three-week low after an early jump on the back of positive corporate news failed to gather momentum and stronger-than-expected retail sales data


DHL scraps Brussels growth plan Courier firm DHL is ditching plans to site its international hub in Brussels at a likely cost of 1,700 jobs by 2008. Negotiations with local and federal authorities over increasing the number of night flights have failed, the firm told BBC News Online.


SAP reports 15 percent rise in 3Q profit BERLIN -- SAP AG, the German business management software maker, reported a 15 percent jump in third-quarter net profit Thursday, citing increased sales across the globe.


Samsung 5 Megapixel Camera Phone Samsung is marketing the world #39;s first camera phone that is capable of delivering 5 megapixel resolution digital images. The SCH-S250 camera phone, which will be introduced


NEC strikes blow in supercomputer battle The battle for supercomputing supremacy took a new twist on Tuesday when Japanese manufacturer NEC launched a new generation of computational building blocks that could be laced together to form the most powerful supercomputer in the world.


Female hormones decide research skills of male scientists!: Health India: London, Oct 21 : A survey by academics at the University of Bath, UK, has revealed that male scientists are good at research because they have the hormone levels of women and long index fingers.


Top Cyber News 10/22 It used to be the most popular online file-sharing software, but Kazaa #39;s long-term run at the top of the heap is now over. An online tracking firm says the new #1 site is the e-Donkey Overnet network.


Do the BRDC really have a plan B? The BRDC are looking to finalise a deal with Formula One Management (FOM) that will ensure that the British Grand Prix takes place next year on July 3rd and in 2005.


56 killed in China coal mine blast: World News: Hong Kong, Oct.21 : A gas explosion at a coal mine in central China has killed at least 56 people and left 100 others missing.


European heavyweights give Iran last chance to come clean on <b>...</b> VIENNA : Europe #39;s three heavyweight states are to give Iran a last chance prove it is not secretly developing atomic weapons, offering valuable nuclear technology as a carrot and possible UN sanctions as the stick.


Schering Plough Posts Profit, Sales Dip Schering-Plough Corp. swung to a profit in the third quarter from a loss a year ago, even as sales decline slightly in the period.


Baseball's Move to XM Set Up by ESPN Deal (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.'s deal, potentially worth  #36;650 million, to acquire the broadcast rights to Major League Baseball over at least the next eight years, announced yesterday, was made possible by ESPN radio relinquishing its satellite broadcast rights.


Merck Profit Falls, Hurt by Vioxx Recall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck   Co. MRK.N on Thursday said  its third-quarter profit fell, hurt by negative effects of the  recall last month of its Vioxx arthritis drug.


SBC Earns Up on Long Distance, Broadband  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - SBC Communications SBC.N on  Thursday reported a higher third-quarter operating profit as  growth in sales of long distance and high-speed Internet  service outweighed declines in local phone customers.


Southern Co. Quarterly Profit Rises  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Southern Co. SO.N, which supplies  power to the U.S. Southeast, said Thursday its third-quarter  earnings rose slightly, as increased energy use in the  industrial sector and more customers outweighed mild weather  and hurricane damage.


Merck Profit Falls, Hurt by Vioxx Recall (Reuters) Reuters - Merck   Co.  on Thursday said\its third-quarter profit fell, hurt by negative effects of the\recall last month of its Vioxx arthritis drug.


AIG Earnings Up, Shrugs Off Probe Impact (Reuters) Reuters - American International Group ,\the world's largest insurer by market value, said on Thursday\its third-quarter earnings rose despite losses related to four\U.S. hurricanes but fell short of market estimates.


British retail sales surge in September, clouding rate outlook (AFP) AFP - Retail sales in Britain rose at the fastest pace for eight months in September, though underlying growth continues to slow, raising fresh doubts on the interest rate outlook.


UPS Third-Quarter Profit Grows  NEW YORK (Reuters) - United Parcel Service Inc., the  world's largest package carrier, said on Thursday its quarterly  profit rose, driven in part by strength in its international  and non-package businesses.


NEC updates vector supercomputer The SX-8 is the latest incarnation of the high-end but relatively rare "vector" computer breed.


Photo Gallery: NEC's new SX-8 The SX-8 is the latest incarnation of the high-end but relatively rare "vector" computer breed.


Soccer Prodigy Adu Wins Cybersquatter Case
\

 GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. soccer's most expensive player,\teenage prodigy Freddy Adu, has won his cybersquatting case\against a man who claimed to be preparing a fan-based Web Site,\an international arbitrator ruled on Thursday.


Update 1: AIG #39;s Net Income Up, Is Target of Probe Third-quarter net income at American International Group Inc., one of the insurance giants named an investigation into questionable sales practices, rose 7.5 percent in spite of higher catastrophe losses, but missed Wall Street #39;s forecast by a penny.


Xerox reports 39 percent increase in third-quarter profits STAMFORD, Conn. -- Xerox Corp. reported Thursday that third-quarter profits increased 39 percent, citing strong sales of new products and demand for document services.


High street rings up shock sales rise A shock rise in retail sales last month contradicted signs that the economy is slowing down, official figures showed today. The Office for National Statistics said sales volumes were up 1 in September - the fastest increase since January.


Stewart lawyers file appeal NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Attorneys for Martha Stewart have filed an appeal in the US Court of Appeals for the Second District claiming that the process leading to her conviction was tainted.


Delta Air Lines reports huge loss for third quarter Delta Air Lines continued its downward spiral toward bankruptcy Wednesday as the company reported a net loss of \$646 million for the third quarter.


Oil may slow Australian economic growth SYDNEY Rising oil prices may slow Australia #39;s economic growth rate in the short term by damping global demand for exports, and by cooling consumer spending, the central bank said Thursday.


NEC retakes supercomputer title In the international rivalry to create the fastest, most powerful supercomputer, Japan struck back at the United States. NEC Computers Inc.


Switzerland : Swatch launches New Smart Watch  Swatch <b>...</b> Swatch, the innovative, trend-setting watch brand from Switzerland-based Swatch Group, the leading global watch corporation, has joined with MSN Direct, a division of Microsoft Corp.


Jobless Claims Drop More Than Expected (Reuters) Reuters - The number of people filing an\initial claim for U.S. jobless aid fell by a\larger-than-expected 25,000 in the holiday-shortened week ended\Oct. 16, the government said on Thursday.


Sox stun Yankees It is not a World Series championship, but for Boston Red Sox fans who watched their team bring history to its knees, it must feel even better.


Man Utd fans unite against Glazer Two Manchester United fans #39; groups are meeting former Football League chairman Keith Harris to discuss how to ward off any takeover bid by Malcolm Glazer.


Longtime Ally Decries Sharon #39;s Gaza Plan Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has betrayed his Likud Party, a longtime senior ally wrote to thousands of party faithful Thursday, but the rebuke over the Gaza withdrawal was unlikely


Death toll in China #39;s coal mine blast expected to rise BEIJING : A gas explosion in a coal mine in China has killed at least 56 miners and left nearly 100 others missing. The death toll is expected to rise further


UN urges support for the AU in Darfur UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is supporting African Union efforts to bolster its monitoring and protection presence in Sudan #39;s trouble Darfur region.


Compromise Deal Rejected - New EC Faces Veto A compromise deal to save the next European Commission was today rejected by European parliament leaders who want an anti-gay member of the new team axed.


Britain Agrees to U.S. Troops Request (AP) AP - Britain agreed Thursday to meet a U.S. request for British troops to be moved into volatile central Iraq, a proposal that has met strong opposition within the governing Labour Party.


FUTURES MOVERS LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Crude-oil futures showed continued strength Thursday as tight supplies and strong demand in advance of the winter heating season kept prices near record levels.


Xerox Quarterly Profit Rises Xerox Corp. on Thursday said third-quarter profit rose as it cut costs and sales of its copiers and printers improved. The Stamford, Connecticut-based company said net income available


German air freight company DHL to close Brussels hub BRUSSELS/BERLIN - International air freight company DHL - owned by Deutsche Post AG - plans to quit Brussels as its night- flight hub and is eyeing airports in France and Germany, the company confirmed Thursday in a statement.


Can new deal save Trump #39;s casinos? Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts Inc., struggling to stave off a bankruptcy filing, has reached a preliminary agreement with investors to restructure \$1.


Impact of oil price on inflation subdued The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said the impact of soaring global oil prices on domestic inflation was more muted than it had been in the 1970s.


NEC updates vector supercomputer com October 21, 2004, 5:09 AM PT. ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year.


Grand Theft Auto San Andreas Grand Theft Auto San Andreas is the latest video game to fall into the hands internet prirates. Rockstar, the publishers of the title are aggressively pursuing the pirates who leaked a copy of the latest version on the to the internet.


P2P tracking firm: Kazaa losing users to eDonkey Kazaa #39;s long-standing position as the most popular online file-sharing software appears to be over. Last month, the daily average of file-swappers on the FastTrack peer-to-peer network, which


IBM #39;s Liberty membership closing identity gap After months of flirting, IBM Corp has finally joined the industry-backed Liberty Alliance Project, potentially speeding interoperability between two rival sets of Web services specifications for federated identity.


BECKHAM ESCAPES FA CHARGE OVER BOOKING David Beckham has escaped a Football Association (FA) charge for deliberately getting himself booked against Wales. The England captain faced being suspended from international duty for his foul on Ben Thatcher.


McCULLUM LEADS NEW ZEALAND CHARGE Brendon McCullum produced an outstanding 143 as New Zealand moved into a commanding position on day three of the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.


Another good day for Sharapova in Zurich ZURICH, Switzerland (Ticker) - Reigning Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova had a better day than fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva at the Swisscom Challenge on Wednesday.


FLETCHER PREPARED TO BIDE TIME Forgotten man Darren Fletcher insists he still has a big part to play at Manchester United. With all the chopping and changing Sir Alex Ferguson has been forced into this season, most United fans are scratching


RAMPANT PAKISTAN ON SHOULDER OF SRI LANKA Pakistan are closing in fast on Sri Lanka #39;s first innings total after impressing with both ball and bat on the second day of the opening Test in Faisalabad.


Castro injured in graduation ceremony stumble Cuban President Fidel Castro put on a brave face after he was injured in a tumble Wednesday night. Although it was not broadcast live on Cuban television, cameras caught Castro #39;s misstep Wednesday night, as


Schoolgirls expelled over headscarf Three more Muslim schoolgirls were expelled in France on Wednesday for flouting a controversial law on the wearing of religious insignia in schools.


UK carbon output 'under-reported' The UK government is misleading people by failing to report all the carbon emissions it causes, campaigners say.


Sharp to Stop Selling PDA in U.S. (AP) AP - Sharp Electronics Corp. plans to stop selling its Linux-based handheld computer in the United States, another sign of the slowing market for personal digital assistants.


Microsoft CEO: Hackers Getting Smarter (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp.'s chief executive believes it's naive to suggest the software giant can eliminate all security vulnerabilities in its various products even though engineers are trying hard to do so.


Sears Posts a Loss, Cuts Full-Year View (Reuters) Reuters - Sears, Roebuck   Co , the largest\U.S. department store chain, on Thursday posted a third-quarter\loss as its clothing sales continued to slide and cuts its\forecast for the full year.


Hamm Holds on to Olympic All-Round Gold  LAUSANNE (Reuters) - American gymnast Paul Hamm will keep  his Olympic all-round gold medal after the Court of Arbitration  for Sport (CAS) rejected Thursday an appeal from South Korea's  Yang Tae-young.


Insurance probe widens California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi on Wednesday proposed broad regulations that would require brokers and some agents to disclose all compensation they receive from insurance companies and to recommend to their clients the best available


UPS misses Wall Street forecast NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - United Parcel Service posted improved third-quarter earnings but the results still missed forecasts on Wall Street.


Jobless Claims Drop More Than Expected The number of people filing an initial claim for US jobless aid fell by a larger-than-expected 25,000 in the holiday-shortened week ended Oct. 16, the government said on Thursday.


Allied raises glass to 6 profit rise ALLIED Domeq, the worlds second-biggest spirits maker, today toasted an  quot;excellent year quot; with news of a six per cent rise in annual profit.


Valleys rental prices on the rise For \$690 a month, her family rents a three-bedroom, two-bath house, located close to the middle school her 12-year-old daughter attends.


UK carbon output  #39;under-reported #39; The UK is responsible for almost 30 more carbon dioxide than it reports, the conservation organisation WWF says. WWF #39;s Living Planet Report 2004 says Britain counts only CO2 emitted by UK industry, power plants and vehicles.


Red Sox Win AL Pennant; NL Game 7 Tonight Boston Red Sox #39;s Pokey Reese, right, and Orlando Cabrera, leap into each other #39;s arms as they celebrate after Boston defeated the New York Yankees 10-3 in the final game of the AL championship series Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004, in New York.


Chelsea pair reveal Mutu backing Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman and club keeper Petr Cech have come out in support of team-mate Adrian Mutu.  quot;It was a shock for all of us, quot; said Kezman about Mutu failing a drug test.


Contract ruling opens up seats scramble In true Formula One soap-opera style, the Jenson Button saga has finally come to an end - but not without opening up a huge can of worms.


FA closes Beckham affair LONDON, Oct 21 (SW) - The English Football Association has decided not to discipline England skipper David Beckham over his alleged voluntary booking against Wales on October 9th.


Rousing reception eases pain of defeat for Rijkaard Former AC Milan favourite Frank Rijkaard took some consolation from the warm welcome he received on his return to the San Siro where his Barcelona team lost 1-0 in the Champions League.


Iraqi air employees attacked BAGHDAD - Gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying female employees of Iraqi Airways to the Baghdad airport Thursday, killing one and wounding 14, an airline official said.


China mine blast kills 56 At least 56 miners were killed in a coal mine gas explosion in China last night that left another 92 missing. There is only a slim chance that those missing after the blast, at the Daping mine in Henan province


EU Nations To Give Iran Final Chance On Nuke Issue Tehran, Oct. 21 (NNN): European states are to offer Iran a final chance to provide assurances that its nuclear energy programme is not aimed at acquiring weapons.


Indonesia #39;s President Swears in New Cabinet Indonesia #39;s new president has sworn in his cabinet, a day after his inauguration. But some of the names in the new administration have raised concerns among observers that politics might have won out over practicalities.


Lilly Profit Rises on Sales of Key Drugs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eli Lilly and Co. LLY.N on Thursday  said its third-quarter earnings rose as growing demand for its  medicines offset higher spending to market recently approved  treatments.


Jobless Claims Drop More Than Expected (Reuters) Reuters - The number of people filing an\initial claim for U.S. jobless aid fell by a\larger-than-expected 25,000 last week, the government said on\Thursday in a report seen as a good sign for job growth.


Lilly Profit Rises on Sales of Key Drugs (Reuters) Reuters - Eli Lilly and Co.  on Thursday\said its third-quarter earnings rose as growing demand for its\medicines offset higher spending to market recently approved\treatments.


Merck Profit Falls, Hurt by Vioxx Recall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck   Co. MRK.N on Thursday said  its quarterly profit fell 28 percent due to last month's recall  of its Vioxx arthritis drug, and the company predicted 2004  earnings will fall as much as 11 percent because of the recall.


Jobless Claims Drop More Than Expected  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of people filing an  initial claim for U.S. jobless aid fell by a  larger-than-expected 25,000 last week, the government said on  Thursday in a report seen as a good sign for job growth.


Weekly Jobless Claims Fall Sharply The number of new people signing up for jobless benefits fell sharply last week, offering a dose of encouraging news that the recovery in the labor market may be strengthening a bit.


Lebanon poised to appoint new PM President Lahoud is set to name a new prime minister following Rafiq Hariri's shock departure on Wednesday.


Man Undergoes Web-Arranged Transplant A Colorado man underwent surgery for a new kidney Wednesday in what was believed to be the first transplant brokered through a commercial Web site - a transaction that has raised a host of ethical and legal questions.


Bush and GOP Web Sites Suffer Outages Web sites for President Bush's campaign and the Republican National Committee suffered outages for several hours on Wednesday.


UPS #39; 3Q Profit Climbs 20 Percent on Sales Transportation services giant United Parcel Service Inc. said Thursday that third-quarter earnings rose 20 percent year-over-year, on a nearly 8 percent rise in worldwide sales.


Rental market tighter After nearly four years of slashed security deposits, allowances for pets and other perks, Bay Area renters are starting to see prices rise and their bargaining power decline.


Nestle Reports Nine-Month Sales Unchanged Nestle, the world #39;s biggest food and drink company, on Thursday reported sales of 64.6 billion Swiss francs (US\$52.87 billion, euro42.


6 arrested in Boston protesting SF lockout Boston -- About 85 members of Hotel Workers Local 26 demonstrated Wednesday in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston to show support for locked-out workers in San Francisco.


No Go-Ahead Stamp for Microsoft #39;s Passport Microsoft is recasting ambitions for its .Net Passport identification system, saying the service now will be limited to its own online offerings and those of close partners.


Beckham escapes FA sanctions over yellow card ploy The Football Association will not take disciplinary action against England captain David Beckham for intentionally getting a yellow card in a World Cup qualifying game.


Latvia remains hive of corruption The latest report on world corruption by Transparency International shows that Latvia is the second most corrupt country in the EU, while Estonia was the least corrupt among the 10 new members in the 25-member union.


New minister should keep Indonesian deficit plan, analysts say JAKARTA Jusuf Anwar, Indonesia #39;s new finance minister, must extend the deficit-reduction policies of his predecessor to spur job growth and increase investment in the economy, according to analysts.


S.Korean president faces test over capital relocation plan In a hastily organized news conference, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun #39;s Spokesman Kim Jong-min on Thursday told reporters that the Presidential Office will


Car crazy: Microsoft in the driver's seat The software juggernaut that conquered the desktop is racing to get Windows into your next car.


Sky launches Freesat digital TV BSkyB launches a free digital satellite TV service which offers 140 channels for a one-off fee of 150.


Did Google Bomb New Directories Online? Looks That Way! Did Google Bomb New Directories Online? Looks That Way!\\A few weeks have gone by now and the results from Googles new update are in. As we take a closer look we see a pattern emerging. It seems as though, older more established directories are being rewarded once again. Many newer ...


Police Won #39;t Plant Explosives for Training French police on Sunday ended their practice of hiding plastic explosives in air passengers #39; luggage to train bomb-sniffing dogs after one such bag got lost, possibly ending up on a flight out of Paris #39; Charles de Gaulle airport.


Einstein's warp effect measured Two scientists beat a \$600 million Nasa mission to be first to measure a prediction of Einstein's relativity theory.


Yahoo Local Gets Way Enhanced Yahoo Local Gets Way Enhanced\\You ever feel like you're way behind and you're just going to get more behind? My review queue is jammed. I may just take a weekend and do nothing but review resources and drink Red Bull.\\Anyway, Yahoo! Local has launched a new local search prduct, Yahoo! ...


Lilly Profit Up on Sales of Key Drugs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eli Lilly and Co. LLY.N on Thursday  said its third-quarter earnings rose as a drop in sales of its  best selling schizophrenia medication was offset by demand for  drugs to treat depression and impotence.


Caterpillar's Earnings More Than Double  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc. CAT.N said on  Thursday quarterly earnings more than doubled on continued  strong demand for its heavy equipment.


US airman killed in Afghan crash A US airman dies and two are hurt as a helicopter crashes due to technical problems in western Afghanistan.


Earnings alert: AT T posts \$7.1 billion loss Plus: Lucent's 1st profitable year since 2000...EMC issues sunny report...IBM net income inches higher, despite legal bill.


AIG #39;s Net Income Up, Is Target of Probe NEW YORK - Third-quarter net income at American International Group Inc., one of the insurance giants named an investigation into questionable sales practices, rose 7.5 percent in spite of higher catastrophe losses, but missed Wall Street #39;s forecast by a


UPS Profit Grows But Results Hurt by Fuel United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday its quarterly profit rose but missed analysts #39; expectations as rising oil prices offset strength in its international and non-package businesses.


Southern Co. reports small jump in third-quarter profit despite <b>...</b> Energy provider Southern Company reports a four percent jump in third-quarter earnings. A report out today indicates slightly higher revenues despite mild weather in the company #39;s region and


AT amp;T posts \$7.1 billion loss for the third quarter reflecting <b>...</b> NEW YORK - AT amp;T Corp. swung to a third-quarter loss of \$7.1 billion after recording huge charges related to the company #39;s retreat from traditional telephone services, which has included at least 7,500 more


Surge in retail sales revives rates fears Strong performances my mobile phone and carpet stores have prompted a surprise rise in retail sales figures, and revived fears that interest rates may yet be raised again this year.


Delta Air Lines reports a fourfold increase in losses NEW YORK, October 20 (newratings.com) - Delta Air Lines (DAL.NYS) has inched further towards a potential bankruptcy, with the company #39;s 3Q04 losses nearly quadrupling from the year-ago levels.


Red Sox heading to the World Series The Boston Red Sox have won the American League Championship Series and are heading to the World Series for the first time since 1986.


UPDATE 1-No FA action against Beckham after Wales booking England captain David Beckham will not face disciplinary action after telling a newspaper he deliberately got himself booked in a World Cup qualifier against Wales, the Football Association (FA) said on Thursday.


India ; Tendulkar backs beleaguered Parthiv India News, New Delhi,Sachin Tendulkar has come out in support of wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel after criticism of his work behind the stumps in the first two Tests against Australia, saying the teenager has done a  quot;good job quot;.


Bob Ike #39;s Oak Tree Handicap Entries for Thursday, October 21 (18th day of a 26-day meet). Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita. Oak Tree Racing Association, Arcadia, Calif.


UK to Send Troops Into US-Controlled Area of Iraq (Update1) UK Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s government, risking criticism from lawmakers in the ruling Labour Party, said it will redeploy 850 troops now in southern Iraq to a region controlled by US forces.


EU may be without executive over Buttiglione row The incoming head of the European Commission has been trying to end a dispute which threatens to leave the EU without an executive.


Martha Stewart Appeals Conviction Lawyers for Martha Stewart told a federal appeals court that she suffered a "fundamentally unfair" trial at the hands of prosecutors who incorrectly suggested she was accused of insider trading.


Link Exchange Scams Link Exchange Scams\\Do you ever exchange links with other Web sites? I am sure most of you that do this, look to see if your links are actually on the pages that you exchanged with. In addition, I assume that you check to make sure that the links do not ...


Top Seed Henman Falls to Ljubicic in Madrid  MADRID (Reuters) - Top seed Tim Henman slumped to a 6-4,  4-6, 6-2 defeat by big-serving Croatian Ivan Ljubicic in the  Madrid Masters third round Thursday.


AstraZeneca Posts 51 Percent Profit Jump (AP) AP - Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca PLC announced a 51 percent leap in third-quarter profits Thursday, despite an  #36;80 million loss on the U.S. rejection of its anti-clotting drug Exanta.


Garcia Wishes Owens Would Move On (AP) AP - Someday, Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens may connect again. Someday, the former teammates may be able to talk, shake hands and repair their ruptured relationship. And maybe, just maybe, they can become friends again. Someday. Not this week.


Sri Lanka restrict Pakistan after Samaraweera's hundred (AFP) AFP - Sri Lanka fought back with seven wickets in the last two sessions to restrict Pakistan's first innings lead on the second day of the first Test.


Guidant Profit Up on Defibrillator Sales  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cardiovascular device maker Guidant  Corp. GDT.N said on Thursday its quarterly net profit rose,  helped by sales of implantable devices to treat irregular heart  rhythms.


Iraq Attacks Kill 41, UN Envoy Skeptical on Elections BAGHDAD, December 5 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - With unabated attacks and bombings leaving at 41 Iraqis and six occupation forces dead in the past 24 hours, a senior UN official cast doubt on the possibility of organizing the scheduled elections


UK carbon output 'under-reported' The UK government is misleading people by failing to report all the carbon emissions it is causing, campaigners say.


Castro Injured in Fall President Fidel Castro tripped and fell after leaving the stage at a graduation ceremony, possibly breaking bones, but later returned to say that he was "all in one piece."


Bucs' Jurevicius Returns to Practice (AP) AP - Joe Jurevicius felt like a rookie again. The Tampa Bay receiver practiced for the first time this season Wednesday and expects to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears after being sidelined most of the past year by knee and back injuries.


AIG Is Target of Grand Jury Investigation  NEW YORK (Reuters) - American International Group Inc., the  world's largest insurer by market value, said on Thursday it  was the target of a federal grand jury investigation into  products that prosecutors say were concocted to help companies  manage their earnings.


Reebok Third-Quarter Earnings, Sales Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Athletic shoe and apparel maker Reebok  International Ltd. RBK.N on Thursday posted  better-than-expected quarterly earnings, helped by improved  sales due to acquisitions and the weak dollar.


Typhoon Kills 66 in Japan, Deadliest in 22 Years  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's deadliest typhoon in more than  two decades killed 66 people, news reports said on Thursday as  rescuers searched frantically for 22 still missing in floods  and landslides.


Find.com Business Search Engine Adds MarketResearch Content Find.com, a business search engine (www.find.com), today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with MarketResearch.com Inc., the leading online source for global market intelligence reports. Under the terms of the strategic partnership, MarketResearch.com, which offers more than 80,000 reports from over 350 research firms and consultancies worldwide, ...


AIG Is Target of Grand Jury Investigation (Reuters) Reuters - American International Group Inc., the\world's largest insurer by market value, said on Thursday it\was the target of a federal grand jury investigation into\products that prosecutors say were concocted to help companies\manage their earnings.


Citigroup sacks top executives over Japan debacle NEW YORK, October 21 (newratings.com) - Global banking giant Citigroup #39;s (C.NYS) recent move to terminate three top executives, in the wake of the recent debacle in the companys Japanese operations, has been widely welcomed by Wall Street analysts.


Sears Posts a Loss, Cuts Full-Year View Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co (SN: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US department store chain, on Thursday posted a third-quarter loss as its clothing sales continued to slide and cuts its forecast for the full year.


Baxter Profit Declines in 3Q Baxter International Inc. on Thursday reported earnings from continuing operations of 42 cents a share, in line with analysts #39; expectations.


Update 1: Stewart Asks Court to Overturn Conviction Lawyers for Martha Stewart told a federal appeals court that she suffered a  quot;fundamentally unfair quot; trial at the hands of prosecutors who incorrectly suggested she was accused of insider trading.


Delta bankruptcy appears certain Several analysts gave Delta Air Lines slim chances of averting bankruptcy after Cincinnati #39;s dominant airline reported a whopping \$646 million loss and an alarmingly low \$1.


Now it #39;s all about pride for the Celts DIDIER AGATHE today insisted Celtic will be playing for more than European survival when they face Shakhtar Donetsk again a week on Tuesday.


Biggest game of year: Man United vs. Arsenal It #39;s the biggest game of the English season - Manchester United vs. Arsenal on Sunday at Old Trafford.  quot;The whole world is waiting as well, quot; said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.


Harry #39;s fury on night out PRINCE Harry cut a photographers lip after being hit in the face with a camera outside a London nightclub. The 20-year-old prince had to be held back by a bodyguard as he apparently tried to lunge at the paparazzi in the early hours of this morning.


Golf: Swiss Youngster Clement Sets the Early Pace  MADRID (Reuters) - Switzerland's Julien Clement, lying  174th on the European money-list, was the surprise early Madrid  Open leader after shooting a sparkling first-round 64 on  Thursday.


Intel expands Centrino line with new Pentium M chip Intel Corp. gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost Wednesday with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor.


SAP posts hike in Q3 revenue and profit Germany's SAP, the world's largest maker of business-management software, reported Thursday a third-quarter rise in revenue and net income, boosted by strong sales in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and continued growth in the U.S.


World Living Beyond Its Environmental Means-WWF The world is consuming some 20 percent more natural resources a year than the planet can produce, conservationist group WWF warned on Thursday.


Quantum acquires tape drive maker Certance Storage vendor Quantum Wednesday said in a statement that it has agreed to purchase Certance LLC, a manufacturer of tape-based storage devices in Costa Mesa, Calif.


Prince Harry in nightclub scuffle Prince Harry was hit in the face with a camera in a scuffle outside a London nightclub on Wednesday night, royal officials said. The prince, third in line to the British throne, also cut a photographer #39;s lip


Parliament speaker charges PM with disloyalty to Israel Israeli Knesset (parliament) Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud Party) on Thursday charged Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and supporters of the disengagement plan withdisloyalty to Israel, Israeli Army Radio reported.


3 Inmates Questioned on Alleged Spain Plot (AP) AP - Three Algerians who are considered close to a suspected ringleader of the Madrid train bombings are being questioned about an alleged plot to kill judges investigating Islamic terrorists, officials said Thursday.


Sears Posts  #36;61 Million Loss in 3Q (AP) AP - Sears, Roebuck and Co. posted a  #36;61 million loss in the third quarter and lowered its estimate for full-year earnings as its tailspin continues. The giant retailer's stock fell sharply Thursday.


US pilot dies, three soldiers injured in separate incidents in Afghanistan (AFP) AFP - The pilot of a US military helicopter died after it crashed in western Afghanistan while two US soldiers on other side of the volatile nation were seriously wounded by a bomb, officials said.


Blue Chips Open Lower; Techs Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Blue chips opened lower on Thursday,  weighed down by news that insurer American International Group  AIG.N was being investigated by a federal grand jury, while  techs rose on eBay EBAY.O earnings.


Mice Thrive Without Chapters of the Book of Life (Reuters) Reuters - It's called the book of life but mice,\and perhaps humans, can still thrive even when chapters are\missing, scientists said Wednesday.


Illinois GOP Skips Keyes in Promotion (AP) AP - The Illinois Republican Party left U.S. Senate candidate Alan Keyes off a campaign mailer that touted "Your 2004 Republican Team," but both sides insist the omission was not a snub.


Gunmen Attack Key Baghdad Link; UK Forces Redeploy  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen fired on a bus carrying workers  to Baghdad airport on Thursday, killing four people and  wounding 11 in a brazen assault on Iraqis helping to revive a  vital link in the country's reconstruction.


Sears Posts a Loss, Cuts Year Outlook Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co (SN: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US department store chain, on Thursday posted a third-quarter loss as its sales continued to slide, prompting the company to cut its full-year profit forecast.


Update 1: Hershey 3Q Profit Climbs 16 Percent Candy maker Hershey Foods Corp. on Wednesday said new products and favorable pricing sweetened its third-quarter profit, which surged 16 percent and topped Wall Street expectations.


Safeways Stores Reaping Rewards from Morrison Brand Supermarket group Morrisons today cheered the City with news that converted Safeway stores were reaping the benefits of their change to the Morrisons format.


American to cut 400 jobs at KC base KANSAS CITY, Mo. About 400 workers will lose their jobs at the American Airlines maintenance base in Kansas City, a union official said.


Hamm Retains Olympic All-Round Gold American gymnast Paul Hamm will keep his Olympic all-round gold medal after the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Thursday an appeal from South Korea #39;s Yang Tae-young.


UK agrees to US troops request LONDON, England -- Britain has agreed to a US request to redeploy about 850 troops to central Iraq, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told lawmakers.


Britains Prince Harry scuffles with photographer outside <b>...</b> LONDON - Prince Harry, fast gaining a reputation as Britains most unruly royal, was involved in a scuffle with a photographer outside a London nightclub early Thursday, palace officials and witnesses said.


Aid worker #39;s husband hopeful of release The Iraqi husband of kidnapped aid chief Margaret Hassan said he was cautiously optimistic she would be released quickly given her long years of service to the people of Iraq .


One Down, Two to Go (Online Commentary) The sacking of Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt this week came as no great surprise. What did come as a surprise, however, was that the state-run press simply said that he was permitted to retire


Karzai victory almost sealed, opposition awaits inquiry KABUL : With more than half the ballots in Afghanistan #39;s presidential election counted and outright victory virtually assured for incumbent Hamid Karzai, attention has turned to when the winner can be declared and how opposition candidates will react.


Photo: NEC's new SX-8 supercomputer The SX-8 is the latest incarnation of the high-end but relatively rare "vector" computer breed.


Hamm Can Keep Gold Paul Hamm can keep his Olympic gold medal. Sports' highest court rejected a South Korean appeal Thursday, ruling that Hamm is the rightful champion in the men's all-around gymnastics competition at the Athens Games.


Online attack puts 1.4 million records at risk Time to call the credit bureaus? Almost 1.4 million records containing the personal information of Californians likely stolen.


No Charge For Beckham The Football Association have decided against charging David Beckham in relation to his controversial booking against Wales earlier this month.


Hamm Can Keep Olympic All-Round Gold  LONDON (Reuters) - American gymnast Paul Hamm will keep his  Olympic all-round gold medal after the Lausanne-based Court of  Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected an appeal from South  Korea's Yang Tae-young.


FA Won't Punish Beckham Over Yellow Card (AP) AP - David Beckham won't be punished by England's soccer federation for intentionally getting a yellow card in a World Cup qualifying game.


Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - OQO pocket-size Windows XP PC clever but could be better (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - I'm guessing the founders of a San Francisco start-up called OQO are bummed that Microsoft long ago snagged the name Pocket PC for its personal digital assistants. Because Pocket PC might be the ideal moniker for OQO's new model 01 "ultrapersonal computer"- uPC for short.


US jobless claims tumble 25,000 in a week (AFP) AFP - The queue of newly jobless Americans shrank last week, providing a dose of good news to the labor market.


UPS profit grows 20 percent in third quarter United Parcel Service Inc. #39;s net income increased 20.4 percent in the third quarter, and the company #39;s board of directors has increased UPS #39; share repurchase authorization to \$2 billion.. The Atlanta-based


UPDATE 1-Trump bondholders agree on recapitalization plan Trump Hotels  amp; Casino Resorts Inc. (DJTC.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) , which has been on the brink of bankruptcy, said on Thursday that bondholders have approved the company #39;s


US Jobless Claims Fell to Lowest Level in Six Weeks (Update2) The number of Americans filing first- time jobless claims declined to the lowest level in six weeks, suggesting an improving labor market, a government report showed.


Consumers pushed retail sales to a record \$29.1 billion in August <b>...</b> OTTAWA (CP) - Consumers pushed retail sales to a record \$29.1 billion in August, says Statistics Canada. That was up 0.8 per cent from July when sales rose 0.4 per cent and also set a record at \$28.


Allied Domecq toasts profits increase The world #39;s second-biggest spirits group, Allied Domecq, today reported a 6 rise in annual profits, boosted by a change in US tastes from beers to spirits.


AstraZeneca posts strong rise in profits, optimistic about sales (AFP) AFP - Anglo-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca reported a 14 percent rise in third quarter pre-tax profit and said it was on track to hit earnings estimates for the full year.


Insurgents kill five in Tripura (Reuters) Reuters - Tribal separatist insurgents gunned down five people, including two children, in the remote and restive Tripura state in different attacks in the past 24 hours, police said on Thursday.


Hackers attack Cal database State and federal authorities are investigating a hacker attack at University of California, Berkeley, after someone broke into a computer containing the Social Security numbers


Microsoft Clears One License For Many Cores Microsoft software that is currently licensed on a per-processor model will continue to be licensed per processor, not per core, for hardware that contains dual-core and multi-core processors.


Intel expands Centrino line with new Pentium M chip Intel Corp. gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost Wednesday with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processor, a PC chipset and a WLAN (wireless LAN) chipset.


Quantum to buy tape rival Certance com October 20, 2004, 5:29 PM PT. Data storage tape company Quantum on Wednesday said it will pay \$60 million in cash to acquire rival tape technology developer Certance.


Almost a third of US birds  quot;declining significantly quot; Around 30 of North America #39;s bird species are declining significantly according to a new report from The National Audubon Society (BirdLife in the US).


EarthLink Profit Up, But Revises Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - EarthLink Inc. on Thursday\posted a higher third-quarter profit, helped by subscriber\growth, but it forecast revenue below analysts' consensus\target for the current quarter, which dragged down shares 9\percent.


Loverly rivalry (October 21, 2004) - HENRIETTA -he rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees literally hits home with the Haggertys.


Cards force seventh game with 12th inning homer The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros are going the distance to decide the National League Championship Series. Jim Edmonds came through with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Cardinals a 6-to-4 win over Houston.


Beckham escapes punishment The Football Association today decided not to charge David Beckham with bringing the game into disrepute. The FA made the surprise announcement after their compliance unit ruled


Brits Head To Iraq Danger Zone LONDON (CBS) Britain agreed Thursday to meet a US request for British troops to be moved into volatile central Iraq, a proposal that has met strong opposition within the governing Labor Party.


Typhoon paralyzes wide area of Japan TOKYO Japan #39;s deadliest typhoon in more than two decades killed at least 62 people and left 27 missing before veering out to sea north of Tokyo on Thursday, according to media reports.


Explosion in Chinese coal mine kills at least 60 people BEIJING: Rescue workers in central China searched Thursday for 88 coal miners who were missing after a gas explosion ripped through a shaft, killing at least 60 others in the country #39;s deadliest mine disaster this year.


US Lifts Arms Embargo on Haiti as Tensions Mount WASHINGTON, DC, Oct 20 (OneWorld) The administration of US President George W. Bush has lifted a 13-year arms embargo on Haiti, amid sporadic violence that threatens to plunge the western hemispheres poorest nation back into chaos.


Korea court rejects plan for capital relocation SEOUL Dealing a major blow to the South Korean president, Roh Moo Hyun, Korea #39;s Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that his government #39;s controversial plan to relocate the nation #39;s administrative capital out of Seoul was unconstitutional.


Sears Posts Loss, Cuts Outlook Stock Down  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck   Co S.N, the largest  U.S. department store chain, on Thursday posted an unexpected  third-quarter loss and cut its full-year profit forecast,  sending its shares tumbling more than 8 percent.


Losses for major carriers mount, Delta #39;s biggest of all amid <b>...</b> Three of the nation #39;s largest airlines have reported a combined 906-(m) million-dollars in third-quarter losses. The largest by far was at Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines -- where bankruptcy looms unless it


Swedish chefs retain title at Culinary Olympics (AFP) AFP - Sweden has retained its title as world champion after three days of competition at the 21st Culinary Olympics held in Erfurt, eastern Germany, organisers said.


TOMPKINS: Best, worst in TV baseball manifest as Sox, Yanks duel The 14-inning playoff game between and Yankees and the Red Sox Monday was baseball #39;s version of The Longest Day, and it illustrated some of the best and worst in televised baseball.


Egypt firm to invest 250 mln dlrs in Bangladesh mobile phone market (AFP) AFP - Egyptian telecom company Orascom has taken over Bangladesh's Sheba Telecom and plans to invest 250 million dollars to boost coverage and create nearly four million new subscribers.


Tech Stocks Rise; Blue Chips Struggle  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. technology stocks rose on  Thursday as profits from eBay Inc. EBAY.O, the world's  largest online market place, helped lift the Nasdaq.


Bush, Kerry Don't Worry About Tech Election Day is less than two weeks away, but so far technology has yet to make more than the occasional cameo appearance on either presidential candidate's priority list. That's not proving to be good news for tech executives. -washingtonpost.com


Earnings alert: EarthLink trims outlook Plus: AT #38;T posts \$7.1 billion loss...Lucent sees first profitable year since 2000...EMC issues sunny report...IBM net income inches higher, despite legal bill.


Dementieva Beats Bovina to Reach Zurich Quarterfinal  ZURICH (Reuters) - Third seed Elena Dementieva came through  a scrappy battle with Russian Fed Cup team mate Elena Bovina  7-5, 3-6, 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the Zurich  Challenge on Thursday.


UPS Profit Grows But Misses Estimates (Reuters) Reuters - United Parcel Service Inc. \said on Thursday its quarterly profit rose but missed\expectations as shortfalls in its U.S. package business and\rising fuel prices offset strength internationally.


Caesars Profit Rises, But Outlook Lags  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Caesars Entertainment Inc.CZR.N  on Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter profit as Las Vegas  hotels filled up and Atlantic City properties squeaked out a  profit that was unexpected by the company.


Reebok Posts Higher Earnings, Stock Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Athletic shoe and apparel maker Reebok  International Ltd. RBK.N on Thursday posted  better-than-expected quarterly earnings on an acquisition and  the weak dollar, sending its shares up more than 3 percent.


Caesars Profit Rises, But Outlook Lags (Reuters) Reuters - Caesars Entertainment Inc.\on Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter profit as Las Vegas\hotels filled up and Atlantic City properties squeaked out a\profit that was unexpected by the company.


AT T Posts \$7.1 Bln Loss on Writedown  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. T.N, the No. 3 U.S.  telephone company, on Thursday reported a \$7.1 billion  third-quarter loss due to \$12.5 billion in charges for cutting  asset values and jobs after its retreat from consumer services.


Royal Doulton in takeover talks Struggling china maker Royal Doulton says it is in talks with about a possible takeover by Irish rival Waterford Wedgwood.


Car makers ready to return to work PRODUCTION is set to resume at Ellesmere Port #39;s Vauxhall plant after striking German workers returned to work. Production of the new Astra came to a standstill yesterday due


Martha Stewart asks court to overturn  quot;fundamentally unfair quot; <b>...</b> Lawyers for Martha Stewart asked a federal appeals court to overturn her conviction for lying about a stock sale, arguing that her trial was  quot;fundamentally unfair quot; because prosecutors suggested she was accused of insider trading.


Lilly cost-cutting to include 425 more positions Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical firm says it will also close a research facility in North Carolina in effort to reduce drug prices.


Update 2: Hershey Reports Higher Earnings on Sales Hershey Foods Corp., the nation #39;s largest candymaker, reported an almost 16 percent jump in third-quarter earnings on Thursday, citing strong sales of new products and higher prices.


CIT Group Posts Higher 3Q Profit Finance firm CIT Group Inc. on Thursday said more new business and improving credit quality drove a 24 percent climb in third-quarter profit that beat Wall Street targets by a penny.


Southern Co. Quarterly Profit Rises Southern Co. (SO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , which supplies power to the US Southeast, said Thursday its third-quarter earnings rose slightly, as increased energy use in the industrial


Intel expands Centrino line with new Pentium M chip Intel has given its Centrino laptop package a speed boost with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processors, a PC chipset and a wireless Lan chipset.


Grand Theft Auto Stolen Someone needs to buy a firewall. The game industry, Rockstar in particular, has once again been a victim of piracy. After the big-time thefts over the last year or so, such as Half-Life 2, Doom


Quantum Snags LTO Rival Certance After preaching the superiority of its DLT tape format for years, Quantum has up and bought Certance, a key maker of the rival LTO format.


Sox beat Yankees, curse Boston players celebrate beating the New York Yankees in game seven of the American League championship series. Photo: AP. They had been reliable caretakers of a cosmic curse, feasting for decades


GAME 7 TONIGHT: The hidden fall classic A pennant on the line, an adopted city #39;s heart in his hands, a hostile stadium and swarming opponent. Roger Clemens, and a blistering National League Championship Series, have arrived at Game 7. Barely visible


Madrid and Valencia, two teams struggling, meet in La Liga this <b>...</b> Recent games between Real Madrid and Valencia have gone a long way to determining the fate of the Spanish league title. But perhaps not this season.


Parlow Trick Leads US The US Women #39;s National Team rolled over Ireland, 5-1, on a chilly night at Soldier Field to move to 26-1-3 in 2004, tying a record for most wins in a calendar year that was set in 2000.


Blast kills 56 miners, traps 92 Fifty-six miners are dead and another 92 are still stranded underground after a gas blast at the Daping coal mine in Central China #39;s Henan Province, safety officials said Thursday.


Indonesia #39;s Yudhoyono Swears in New Cabinet with Some Surprises Indonesia #39;s new president has sworn in his cabinet, a day after his inauguration. But some of the names in the new administration have raised concerns among observers that politics might have won out over practicalities.


Bush, Kerry paint each other as unfit to lead war effort (Chicago Tribune) Chicago Tribune - As the campaign for president becomes increasingly vitriolic, Sen. John Kerry and President Bush visited north-central Iowa on Wednesday, with each portraying the other as incompetent to lead the war against terrorism.


Texts to alert HK emergencies A new scheme allowing disabled people to summon emergency services by text message is launched in Hong Kong.


IBM jumps into Liberty Alliance Big Blue's deal with mobile provider Orange prompts it to join the Internet security consortium and take a seat on its board.


Australia red-faced BUOYANT New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was relieved to have enlivened a dormant summer after his Black Caps conjured a stunning four-wicket win against Australia in the opening


McCullum lives up to his billing It was never going to be a question of  quot;if quot; where Brendon McCullum was concerned. He has always been too classy to have to wait a long time before bringing up his maiden Test century.


Bush to Talk Health Care in Pennsylvania (AP) AP - President Bush is returning to the swing state of Pennsylvania on Thursday to talk about health care.


A global platform built with local materials creating a global company based on Australian technology and research. Moreover he did it under the noses


Bumpy ride for Qantas QANTAS is suffering an unexpected softening in passenger demand, particularly on international routes, as the impact of the rising global oil price starts to strike consumer spending.


Cellphone addition: high-definition TV Miniature mobile phones, which already double as cameras, Internet devices and music players, are poised to merge with the largest of home appliances: the television.


Sox deliver miracle of lost souls THERE he was, novelist Stephen King, master of the horror story, watching his beloved Boston Red Sox from a front row seat at Yankee Stadium yesterday (AEST), and it was obvious he feared the worst.


Wilkinson Injures Arm, May Miss Three England Matches (Update1) Jonny Wilkinson, the fly-half who kicked England to victory in last year #39;s rugby World Cup final, has been ruled out for several weeks #39; #39; with an arm injury, his club said.


Parlow propels US women Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Cindy Parlow recorded a hat trick for the United States during a 5-1 win over Ireland Wednesday night at Soldier Field.


Nuclear demand for Iran EUROPE #39;S three main powers have given Iran a final chance to reassure the world it is not developing atomic weapons or it will face sanctions.


Corruption is rampant in 60 countries, and the public sector is <b>...</b> London, 20 October 2004 --- Corruption in large-scale public projects is a daunting obstacle to sustainable development, and results in a major loss of public funds needed for education, healthcare and poverty alleviation, both in developed and


Barroso fails to calm Buttiglione row Jos Manuel Barroso, the incoming European commission president, today failed in a bid to appease key European parties demanding that the justice minister designate, Rocco Buttiglione, be removed.


Burma PM accused WASHINGTON: The new Prime Minister of military-ruled Burma was behind an attack on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy last year, Washington claimed yesterday.


Jeans Maker VF Sees Earns Up 24 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - VF Corp , the world's largest\jeans maker, on Thursday said third-quarter profit jumped 24\percent, boosted by recent acquisitions, and set a new\long-term sales growth target of 8 percent.


Arsenal trio in injury race for Old Trafford summit (AFP) AFP - Arsenal striker Thierry Henry insists he will throw off an ankle injury to play in Sunday's Premiership showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.


AIG Faces Federal Grand Jury Probe  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal grand jury is investigating  products American International Group Inc. AIG.N sold that  companies might have used to massage earnings, the world's  largest insurer by market value said on Thursday.


Nigerian Military Officers Charged with Coup Plot  LAGOS (Reuters) - Four Nigerian military officers and a  civilian were accused Thursday of plotting to overthrow  President Olusegun Obasanjo by firing a rocket at his  helicopter, court documents showed.


MPs' expense details are revealed Electors can check up of their MPs' expense claims for the first time, with the listing of claims over three years.


Deadly Typhoon Claims 55 Lives in Japan Japan's deadliest storm in more than a decade unleashed flash floods that washed away entire hillsides, killing 55 people and leaving at least 24 people missing before it veered east into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.


Goosestepping Germans Only in UK Media? (Reuters) Reuters - No one in Germany knows the goosestep\any more, but German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said\Wednesday anyone wanting lessons in the military march used by\the Nazis could get them from Britain.


Cisco to buy security start-up Perfigo's products will fit into Cisco's security architecture that combines virus scanning with network policing.


Injured Viking WR Moss a Game-Time Decision Vs. Titans  MINNEAPOLIS (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings wide  receiver Randy Moss will be a game-time decision for Sunday's  game against Tennessee because of a hamstring injury.


Injured Viking WR Moss a Game-Time Decision Vs. Titans (Reuters) Reuters - Minnesota Vikings wide\receiver Randy Moss will be a game-time decision for Sunday's\game against Tennessee because of a hamstring injury.


Dollar Weakens on Sense of Economic Gloom  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar weakened across the board  on Thursday, forging new lows as a deepening sense of gloom  over the U.S. economic and external deficit picture weighed on  sentiment, analysts said.


Trump Hotels to Seek Bankruptcy in Deal With Holders (Update2) Donald Trump #39;s Trump Hotels  amp; Casino Resorts Inc. said it will seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of an agreement with bondholders to reduce debt by \$400 million.


Reebok #39;s Third-Quarter Earnings Jump Sports and fitness products company Reebok International Ltd. on Thursday said third-quarter sales rose 12 percent, driven by its acquisition of Hockey Co.


Imation to cut 250 Imation Corp. plans to lay off 250 employees in the fourth quarter in order to reduce expenses. These cuts are on top of Imation #39;s lay off of 280 employees announced in July, a spokesman for the company confirmed.


Union Pacific #39;s 3Q Profit Plummets Rail transportation firm Union Pacific Corp. on Thursday said soaring fuel prices and increased operating costs offset higher third-quarter revenue and drove down its profit by 36 percent.


Iran to Consider EU Nuclear Offer, No Deal Yet (Reuters) Reuters - Iran has not agreed to an offer by the\European Union to receive nuclear technology in exchange for\abandoning its uranium enrichment program, but it will consider\the proposal, an Iranian official said on Thursday.


Swatch, Microsoft launch wireless data watches Swiss watchmaker Swatch and US software company Microsoft have launched a new range of wireless data watches, the companies announced Wednesday.


Consumption Of Resources Focus of Report An environmental group says earth #39;s people are using up the planet faster than it can restore itself and the west is the chief culprit.


Intel Boosts Centrino #39;s Speed Intel gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost this week with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processor, a PC chip set, and a WLAN (wireless LAN) chip set.


Departing pair showing new crew around space station Though cargo is piling up in the International Space Station and shuttles won #39;t fly until after the new crew leaves, the astronauts on board are optimistic about their mission.


Microsoft Courts Non-Friendly #39; Linux Users to Increase Sales Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer is reviving profit and sales growth by preventing customer defections to Linux, a computer operating system available for free on the Internet.


U2 Special Edition iPod Apple is set to unveil a special edition black iPod in collaboration with U2, according to a report on Forbes.com.  quot;Sources close to the group say the U2 edition of the popular digital music player will come


Chelsea Cashing in on Czech - Cole Joe Cole believes Chelseas number one Petr Cech is probably the best keeper I have ever seen. The 7million summer signing from Rennes has been installed ahead of Carlo


Enfant terrible There is no higher praise that I can bestow on Craig Bellamy other than to reveal that he has graced my fantasy football team on several occasions - an honour I impart only on those select few that pass my unscientific, spurious but highly-stringent


Morientes not for sale, say Real Madrid Real Madrid sought to dampen speculation over the future of Fernando Morientes by issuing a statement saying the striker was not for sale.


Pennington proving to be the real deal It took a while for everything to fall into place, but it now seems clear: Chad Pennington is the real deal. Listen LIVE to NFL games, plus watch video news and features of your favorite team.


Fidel Castro falls after speech, breaking knee and causing <b>...</b> Cuban President Fidel Castro tripped on a step and tumbled to the ground after leaving the stage at a graduation ceremony, fracturing a knee and arm but quickly returning to say that he was  quot;all in one piece.


Britain agrees to US request for troop redeployment Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s government agreed Thursday to meet a US request and redeploy a battalion of 850 British troops into volatile central Iraq, despite strong opposition from lawmakers.


Rafic Hariri quits, not to form a new government The Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri submitted the resignation of his government to the Lebanese President Emil Lahoud who accepted it.


Constitutional Court Puts an End to Capital Relocation Controversy The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled the government #39;s plan to relocate the administrative capital as unconstitutional. Eight of the court #39;s nine judges ruled the plan as unconstitutional.


Soldier Says Mission Not Refused From Fear (AP) AP - A soldier from an Army Reserve unit whose members refused to deliver fuel along a dangerous route in Iraq says he and others did not act out of fear, as the soldier's father has said.


WNBA President Ackerman Steps Down  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Val Ackerman is stepping down  as WNBA President after serving in that capacity for eight  seasons. The resignation is effective February 1, 2005.


Afghan Prisoners Released From U.S. Base (AP) AP - Seventeen Afghans were released Thursday from a U.S. base at the center of an investigation into the deaths of two prisoners in custody, the international Red Cross said.