Gas Price Up Near  #36;1.88 a Gallon -Survey (Reuters) Reuters - The average U.S. retail price of\gasoline rose slightly over the last two weeks to almost  #36;1.88\a gallon -- the first increase reported since late May,\according to the nationwide Lundberg survey of about 8,000 gas\stations.


Expect a real US NBA Dream Team in Beijing (AFP) AFP - Perhaps if National Basketball Association players ask nicely, the guys from Argentina wearing gold medals will come to the United States and give them a few pointers on how to play the game.


Gas Price Up Near \$1.88 a Gallon -Survey  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The average U.S. retail price of  gasoline rose slightly over the last two weeks to almost \$1.88  a gallon -- the first increase reported since late May,  according to the nationwide Lundberg survey of about 8,000 gas  stations.


Still No Fix for U.S. Space Shuttle (Reuters) Reuters - One year after a highly\critical report urged NASA to develop the means to fix a broken\space shuttle in orbit, the U.S. space agency still could not\repair a hole the size of the one that doomed the seven\Columbia astronauts, NASA said on Thursday.


Britons attack US cloning ban bid Britain's Royal Society is backing a campaign to stop the US securing a world ban on all forms of human cloning.


Olympics finish on high note ATHENS - The Olympic oracles had long prophesized doom for the Summer Games #39; Greek homecoming. Unfinished venues. Lax security.


China supreme heading for Beijing ATHENS: China, the dominant force in world diving for the best part of 20 years, won six out of eight Olympic titles in Athens and prompted speculation about a clean sweep when they stage the Games in Beijing in 2008.


Chechnya election has few voters GROZNY, Russia Under heavy security and with few voters visible in this hushed and abandoned capital, the republic of Chechnya on Sunday held a special presidential election, a step toward replacing a predecessor who was killed by a bomb.


Gas Price Up Near \$1.88 a Gallon -Survey The average US retail price of gasoline rose slightly over the last two weeks to almost \$1.88 a gallon -- the first increase reported since late May, according to the nationwide Lundberg survey of about 8,000 gas stations.


Indonesia needs to formulate country policy for WTO: Khor The World Trade Organization (WTO) general council agreed, early this month in Geneva, on the  quot;July Package quot; that set a framework for the Doha Round, which had been in trouble since the collapse of the ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico about a year ago


Montgomerie and Donald selected for Ryder Cup Faced with as difficult a set of decisions as any European captain has had to deal with, Bernhard Langer added Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald as wild-card selections for the team


DIVING - Helm backs himself to take a dive for last-second <b>...</b> Mathew Helm has practised the dive that won him silver at the Athens Olympics thousands of times. He finished Australia #39;s greatest Olympics in diving in almost the best possible way - with four perfect 10s and a spot on the medal podium.


UPDATE 1-Austin wins Buick Championship in sudden death Woody Austin birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against Tim Herron to win the Buick Championship on Sunday. Both Austin and Herron completed 72 holes


Muslims Appeal to Iraqi Captors BAGHDAD, 30 August 2004 - Muslim leaders in Iraq and France yesterday appealed for the release of two kidnapped French journalists facing death.


Terrorists blamed for Russian plane crashes Evidence of the explosive hexogen was found on a Tu-134 jetliner that crashed in the Tula region south of Moscow, said Sergei Ignatchenko, spokesman for the Federal Security Service.


Olympics: Games Close with Drama Down to Last Medal  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece staged an exuberant closing  ceremony on Sunday to bring the curtain down on the Athens  Games, which took the Olympics back to their roots and provided  drama right down to the last gold medal.


NL Wrap: Pujols Hits 40th Homer, Reaches 100 RBI for Cards  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Albert Pujols cracked his 40th home  run of the season and reached 100 RBI for the fourth straight  year to help the St Louis Cardinals blank the host Pittsburgh  Pirates 4-0 in the National League Sunday.


Kremlin Choice Seen Leading Chechnya Vote GROZNY, Russia - The Russian government's choice for president of war-ravaged Chechnya appeared to be the victor Sunday in an election tainted by charges of fraud and shadowed by last week's terrorist destruction of two airliners.    Little more than two hours after polls closed, acting Chechen president Sergei Abramov said preliminary results showed Maj...


Gas Price Drop Ends; No Spike Expected LOS ANGELES - Gas prices nudged upward about half a penny in the last two weeks after dropping more than 20 cents since May 21, but another price spike is not expected due to a decline in crude oil prices, an industry analyst said Sunday.    The combined national average for all grades of gasoline was \$1.91, said Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the semimonthly Lundberg Survey...


McCain, Giuliani to Hail Bush on Security NEW YORK - Sen. John McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, two of the Republican Party's most popular politicians, open President Bush's nominating convention by calling him a leader unafraid of making unpopular choices to protect a nation scarred by the Sept...


US anglers big impact on fish stocks Recreational anglers may be responsible for landing nearly 25 percent of over-fished salt water species caught off US coasts, a study released Thursday suggests.


Sunday #39;s Golf Capsules Woody Austin made a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Tim Herron and win the inaugural Buick Championship on Sunday.


Polish Holocaust Victims Remembered (AP) AP - Holocaust survivors and their families gathered at one of Europe's largest Jewish cemeteries Sunday to remember more than 200,000 Jews from this city killed by the Nazis, a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the last transports from the Lodz ghetto to Hitler's death camps.


Chiefs' Boerigter May Be Gone for Year (AP) AP - Marc Boerigter will undergo knee surgery on Monday and might be lost for the year, throwing Kansas City's tattered wide receiver corps into even greater disarray.


Peoria nurse coordinator gets honor Cindy Staggs, the Peoria Unified School District #39;s nurse coordinator and a nurse at Raymond S. Kellis High School, has been named School Nurse Administrator of the Year by the School Nurse Organization of Arizona.


European Ryder Cup team finalized Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald Sunday were named to the European Ryder Cup team by captain Bernhard Langer. That completes the team that will face the United States at


Federer seeks third crown Top seed Roger Federer will have to break new ground if he wants to claim a third Grand Slam title at the US Open in Flushing Meadow this week.


Soccer: Ronaldo poaches the points as Owen tastes first Real <b>...</b> MADRID: Michael Owen made a telling contribution as he came off the bench on Sunday for his first taste of life in the Spanish league to provide the spadework for a Ronaldo finish as Real Madrid opened their season by poaching a 1-0 win at Mallorca.


Lawyers spent weekend scouring questionnaires EAGLE, Colo. -- Jury selection in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case begins in earnest Monday, with attorneys and the judge questioning potential jurors individually behind closed doors.


Austin Wins Buick Championship in Playoff (AP) AP - Woody Austin made a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Tim Herron and win the Buick Championship on Sunday.


NHS GPs 'to offer online booking' Many NHS patients could soon be able to make an appointment to see their GP over the internet.


YUKOS seen getting respite despite tax deadline MOSCOW: Russian oil major YUKOS is poised to lose its core Siberian units, but the state will postpone its final move to dismantle the giant firm beyond next weeks tax deadline, analysts predicted on Friday.


Australia #39;s Challenger Reports Loss Of A\$235.4M -2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Challenger Financial Services Group Ltd. (CGF.AU) on Monday reported a net loss of A\$235.4 million for the period Nov. 6 to June 30.


Australia #39;s Alinta: ACCC Won #39;t Oppose Dampier Pipe Bid-2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian energy company Alinta Ltd. (ALN.AU) said Monday that Australia #39;s competition regulator won #39;t oppose its joint bid for the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline in Western Australia state.


China Southern Airlines joins SkyTeam China Southern Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding to become the first Chinese mainland #39;s air company to join a global airline alliance, according to Saturday #39;s China Radio International.


Feds search for 127 firearms missing from Millbrae locker MILLBRAE, Calif. Federal authorities are investigating one of the region #39;s largest gun heists in years after a gun dealer reported dozens of firearms missing from a Millbrae storage locker.


Australian Prime Minister Admits Funding Pre-Election  #39;Spam #39; <b>...</b> Prime Minister John Howard came under fire Friday for bankrolling a pre-election e-mail campaign carried out by a company run by his son.


Baldini triumph eclipsed by De Lima attack Britain #39;s Jon Brown nearly found himself benefiting from the attack on Brazil #39;s Vanderlei de Lima but had to instead settle for finishing fourth for the second consecutive Olympic games last night.


Khan meets his master in bold finale In the end the old man simply knew too much for the boy, which was hardly a surprise. Amir Khan, a 17-year-old student of sports development and fitness, sat an examination in the sweet science yesterday and


Athens Asides HAMMER champion Adrian Annus of Hungary will be stripped of his gold after refusing to go for an out-of-competition doping test. The International Olympic Council wanted a further test after it believed he


Sprinters turn base metal into pure gold Gold medals are rare enough commodities but they become even more precious when won as unexpectedly as those by Britain #39;s 4x100 metres relay team on Saturday.


Winless PSG draws Saint-Etienne 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain, still without a league victory this season, managed just a 2-2 draw Sunday with lowly Saint-Etienne in the French First Division.


Sudanese govt must approve additional AU force in Darfur: al <b>...</b> ABUJA, Aug 29 (AFP) -- The Sudanese government said here Sunday that it must approve any increase in the number of African Union troops to crisis-ridden Darfur above the 300 soldiers agreed last month with the AU.


China sees better ties with Aziz BEIJING: China hopes that its decades old partnership with Pakistan will grow, particularly in the economic field, now that Shaukat Aziz is Prime Minister, said a Chinese Foreign Office spokesman.


Allawi Talks to Iraqi Insurgents on Amnesty -Report (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq's interim prime minister Iyad\Allawi has held private meetings with Iraqi insurgents in an\effort to persuade them to accept a government amnesty offer,\The Washington Post reported on Sunday.


AP: Ex-Guatemala Leader Living in Mexico (AP) AP - Former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo  #151; suspected of corruption at home  #151; is living and working part-time in the same Mexican city he fled two decades ago to avoid arrest on murder charges, his close associates told The Associated Press on Sunday.


Austin Wins Buick Championship in Sudden Death  CROMWELL, Connecticut (Reuters) - Woody Austin birdied the  first hole of a sudden-death playoff against fellow American  Tim Herron to win the \$4.2 million Buick Championship on  Sunday.


Libyan takes Mid-East pop crown Libyan singer Ayman al-Aathar wins the Middle East's pop contest, beating Palestinian Ammar Hassan.


Microsoft plays down SP2 security glitches Glitches between Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and critical applications continue to emerge, with McAfee admitting its flagship VirusScan product prior to version 7.1 requires a customised patch to be operational with Windows Security Center, part of SP2


Mars Odyssey Begins Overtime After Successful Mission Image: This map shows the estimated lower limit of the water content of the upper meter of Martian soil.  quot;Odyssey has accomplished all of its mission-success criteria, quot; said Dr.


BA chief to probe delays British Airways Plc Chief Executive Rod Eddington has launched an investigation into last week #39;s flight delays and cancellations that stranded thousands of passengers, the Observer


Mexico #39;s Lorena Ochoa wins LPGA Wachovia Classic with sparkling 65 The problem was, the tournament was being shown on tape delay in Guadalajara, Mexico, and her mother couldn #39;t understand why she was so giddy.


Putin ally  #39;is winner #39; of Chechen election A pro-Kremlin former policeman has become president of Chechnya, according to partial results last night of an election held after a week of rebel attacks made a mockery of Moscow #39;s claim to have pacified the republic.


Date set for Australian election Australia will hold a general election on Oct 9 with John Howard, the prime minister, seeking an unprecedented fourth term in office.


Typhoon set to hit southern Japan A powerful typhoon was poised to strike the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu on Monday, threatening large areas of the country with strong winds and heavy rain.


U.S., Shiites Meet After Deadly Clashes (AP) AP - U.S. military officials and representatives of rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held talks Sunday aimed at reducing violence in the restive Baghdad slum of Sadr City, a day after clashes there killed 10 people, officials said. British forces in the southern city of Basra, also the site of recent fighting, held similar talks with al-Sadr officials there.


AL Wrap: Wakefield Three-Hitter Helps Red Sox Tame Tigers  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tim Wakefield tossed a three-hitter  over eight innings to inspire the Boston Red Sox to their sixth  straight victory, a 6-1 defeat of the Detroit Tigers in the  American League Sunday.


Powerful Typhoon Chaba Hits Southern Japan  TOKYO (Reuters) - High winds and torrential rain battered  the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu on Monday as  powerful typhoon Chaba hit the coast on its way north.


Olympics: Gold Medal for Athens' Security-With-A-Smile  ATHENS (Reuters) - They worried about security for seven  years and it turned out to be the least of their problems.


China Sinopec 1H Net Rises 51 To CNY16.15 Billion HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--China Petroleum  amp; Chemical Corp. (SNP), China #39;s second-largest oil producer, said its first-half net profit rose 51, on increased domestic demand and higher oil prices.


Eddington to open inquest into BA debacle Rod Eddington, the chief executive of British Airways, will tomorrow begin a review of last week #39;s staff shortages at the national flag carrier that left thousands stranded and more than 100 flights cancelled.


The Party Of Blind Hatred, Hypocrisy And Hysteria A generation ago or more, the Democratic Party was considered the Party of the little guy, promoting issues that directly impacted, and were supported by the average American, the majority.


Oracle Extends Offer for PeopleSoft SAN FRANCISCO -- Business software maker Oracle Corp. said on Thursday it extended again its \$7.7 billion hostile tender offer for PeopleSoft Inc.


Baldini joins legends of Marathon They followed in the footsteps of Pheidippides and Spiridon Louis on the road from Marathon to Athens last night and by the time they reached the magnificent marble-stepped Panathinaiko Stadium


China begins to exert strength Basketball superstar Yao Ming marched singularly as he carried China #39;s flag into the Athens Olympics opening ceremony, several steps ahead of the Chinese delegation, his 7-foot-5 frame towering above the scene.


Stunning triumph vindicates relay team Four British athletes sat together on the poolside terrace of the Politia Tennis Club yesterday, the realisation of what they had done the previous evening soaking into them like


SI.com CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- For the second time in a week, the Chicago White Sox have fallen victim to a pitcher #39;s first major league shutout.


Gandhi #39;s grandson ends visit to W. Bank Arun Gandhi, grandson of late Indian Prime Minister Mahatma Gandhi, ended a solidarity trip to the West Bank on Sunday, saying the only option for the Palestinians is non-violent resistance.


Dollar Keeps Gains, Market Wary  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar kept its gains versus other  major currencies early on Monday after U.S. economic data eased  concerns that surging oil prices may have hurt growth, keeping  expectations alive for more rises in interest rates.


Sinopec Profit Jumps on China Oil Demand  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asia's top oil refiner, state-run  Sinopec Corp., said on Monday its second-quarter net profit  almost doubled as China's fast-growing economy consumed more  fuel and crude oil prices climbed.


At Last, Microsoft Starts the Music Never shy about entering a market late, Microsoft Corp. is planning to open the virtual doors of its long-planned Internet music store next week.


Australia #39;s Sons Of Gwalia Appoints Administrator -2- MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian gold and tantalum producer Sons of Gwalia Ltd. (SGW.AU) on Monday said it had moved into voluntary administration after being unable to reach agreement with its creditors.


Five dead, three injured in weekend house fires in Detroit area WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. Two fatal home fires today in the Detroit area have left five people dead, including three children. In Waterford Township, 35 miles northwest of Detroit, fire killed a police officer, his wife and their ten-year-old son.


Iran says it has achieved effective deterrent power Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said Saturday that Iran has achieved an  amp;quoteffective deterrent power quot; to confront its enemies in the region, the official IRNA news agency reported.


Govt denies spam campaign breaks law The Federal Government has rejected Opposition calls for an inquiry into the Prime Minister #39;s use of his son #39;s computer software company to spam voters with Liberal Party election material.


China opens up for an Olympian effort FOR most spectators in the Olympic stadium, the lavish closing ceremony in Athens last night was a chance to revel in the self-congratulation and relief that traditionally comprise end-of-games euphoria.


Bolton win shown live A 38TH-MINUTE Kevin Davies strike was enough for Bolton to upset Liverpool 1-0 in an English Premiership match last night at Reebok Stadium.


AL Wrap: Wakefield Three-Hitter Helps Red Sox Tame Tigers Tim Wakefield tossed a three-hitter over eight innings to inspire the Boston Red Sox to their sixth straight victory, a 6-1 defeat of the Detroit Tigers in the American League Sunday.


Australia election date set Australians will vote on October 9 in an election pitting the conservative government against centre-left Labor, with national security and the economy as major issues.


Alleged coup leader Mann  #39;tortured #39; BRITISH soldier of fortune and former Scots Guard officer Simon Mann, the alleged leader of a failed African coup dtat, has been specially targeted for systematic torture by guards in Zimbabwes notorious Chikurubi Prison, according to two


Marathoner Finishes Third After Attack (AP) AP - A defrocked Irish priest bolted from the crowd and grabbed the marathon leader about three miles from the finish Sunday. The Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima wound up with the bronze  #151; and a special award for sportsmanship  #151; and the former priest was arrested.


Stars Arrive by Yacht at MTV Video Awards MIAMI - An already broiling Miami had even more sizzle on Sunday as MTV brought the annual party known as the Video Music Awards to the city for the first time in the awards' 21-year history.    The change of scenery for the awards, typically held in New York or Los Angeles, helped raise the decadence level at the already raucous, celebrity-soaked affair...


U.S., Shiites Meet After Deadly Clashes BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. military officials and representatives of rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held talks Sunday aimed at reducing violence in the restive Baghdad slum of Sadr City, a day after clashes there killed 10 people, officials said...


Pension plans raise concerns NEW YORK -- The corporate pension crisis seems to be going from bad to worse. First, companies struggled to come up with the money to cover their benefit obligations, and now they want to ditch their plans altogether.


Intel to make 70-megabit chip Intel Corp. will announce today that it has reached a significant milestone in manufacturing computer chips at ever-smaller levels.


Political spam from Aussie PM #39;s son Australia Prime Minister John Howard is spamming the Australian electorate ahead of the coming October 9 election -- and he #39;s using his son #39;s firm to do it.


Australian campaign gets underway Australia #39;s political leaders have hit the hustings with a blitz of the airwaves to set the tone for the country #39;s longest election campaign in 20 years -- who do voters trust?


Sudan cease-fire violation investigated African Union ceasefire monitors are investigating claims that the Sudanese military bombarded a village from helicopter gunships, driving terrified farmers from their homes, only days before the expiry of a UN deadline to end the violence in Darfur.


Powerful Typhoon Chaba Hits Southern Japan High winds and torrential rain battered the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu on Monday as powerful typhoon Chaba hit the coast on its way north.


Hewitt runs hot LLEYTON Hewitt is in hot form and a determined Mark Philippoussis declared yesterday he was ready to reverse his form slump and  quot;do some damage quot; at the US Open beginning tonight.


Schumacher clinches 7th title SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AFP) - World champion Michael Schumacher added another stripe to his well-decorated cap after clocking up his seventh world title here yesterday.


USC loses 1 first-place vote in coaches poll MCLEAN, Va. - Top-ranked Southern California won its season opener Saturday night, but lost a first-place vote in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll released Sunday.


Afghanistan Bomb Attacks Kill 16 At least 16 people, many of them children, were killed in explosions at the office of a US security contractor in Afghanistans capital and a school in the south east as the country moves towards its first post-Taliban election.


Tibetan culture falters under Chinese influx ZHANG JUN says his two-storey frosted glass and chrome beauty salon near the Tibetan capitals imposing Potala Palace is the biggest in town.


Warner Beats Out Manning As Giants Starter (AP) AP - Eli Manning remains the New York Giants' quarterback of the future. For now, the job belongs to Kurt Warner.


Red Sox Sweep Tigers for 6th Straight Win (AP) AP - Tim Wakefield allowed three hits in eight innings and the Boston Red Sox won their sixth straight game with a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Wakefield (11-7) gave up only Nook Logan's double in the third, Craig Monroe's 10th homer in the fifth and Logan's single in the eighth.


Bush Says Kerry Uses 'Upside-Down' Logic (AP) AP - President Bush said Sunday that Democrat John Kerry is using "upside-down" logic when he says terrorists' recruiting efforts are getting a boost from the war on terrorism.


Congress Works to Pass Intelligence Bills (AP) AP - Congressional leaders on Sunday would not guarantee passage of an overhaul of the nation's intelligence agencies by the November election but pledged to try to make it happen.


East Timor marks historic vote East Timor celebrates the fifth anniversary of a historic vote to break away from Indonesia's rule.


7 Killed in Kabul as Bombing Rips U.S. Security Firm Two Americans were among the dead when a bomb exploded outside the compound of an American contractor helping to train the Afghan police.


G.I.'s in Talks With Rebels of Sadr Stronghold in Baghdad The thorniest issue left unresolved by a settlement in Najaf is the disarmament of the Mahdi Army militia.


Fires at homes in Waterford Township, Detroit leave 5 dead A police officer in this Detroit suburb died with his wife and son in a Sunday morning house fire about the same time that two young children died in a blaze in Detroit, police and fire officials said.


Spanish grab initiative in bidding war for Abbey Banco Santander is making an attempt to seize back the initiative in its 8.3bn takeover of Abbey National, speeding up its bid timetable while rival bidders continue to circle the UK bank.


British scientists oppose clone ban British scientists were backing Sunday a campaign to stop the United States from creating a worldwide ban on all types of human cloning.


Fishing Just for Fun Damages Stocks, Study Finds WASHINGTON - People fishing for sport are doing far more damage to US marine fish stocks than anyone thought, accounting for nearly a quarter of the catch from overfished species, researchers said.


Human rights shadow over Beijing games At the closing ceremony of the Athens Olympic games last night Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, issued the traditional invitation to  quot;the youth of the world quot; to reassemble in four years #39; time.


Tim Wendel  quot;Better in Beijing? quot; NBC #39;s Bob Costas asked American swimmer Michael Phelps after the last of his astounding 17 races at Athens.


Austin ends drought, earns first win since  #39;95 Cromwell, CT (Sports Network) - Woody Austin birdied the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat Tim Herron and win the Buick Championship.


7 Killed in Kabul as Bombing Rips US Security Firm At least seven people, including at least two Americans, were killed Sunday when a powerful bomb exploded outside the compound of an American contractor helping to train the Afghan police.


Thatcher inquiry to question freed men Two South Africans acquitted by a Zimbabwean court of charges related to the alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea are to be questioned today by the South African authorities.


India tests missile before talks India test-launched an Agni II surface-to-surface missile capable of carrying nuclear weapons yesterday. The trial, on the testing range on Wheeler Island off eastern Orissa state, was the third trial of the


Santander ready to give up RBS board role SPANISH bank Santander has offered to cut back its ties with Royal Bank of Scotland in an attempt to avoid a competition inquiry into its bid for Abbey.


Santander moves to speed Abbey acquisition SPAIN #39;S Banco Santander Central Hispano yesterday revealed plans to speed up its 8.4bn bid for Abbey in an apparent effort to thwart interest from other possible bidders.


Man's HIV Diagnosis Reversed 8 Years Later SAN FRANCISCO - A California man who once tested positive for HIV has learned the diagnosis made eight years ago was mistaken and he never had the virus that causes AIDS.    Jim Malone spent years battling depression and losing weight, expecting to die at any time...


Kremlin Choice Appears to Win in Chechnya GROZNY, Russia - The Russian government's choice for president of war-ravaged Chechnya appeared to be the victor Sunday in an election tainted by charges of fraud and shadowed by last week's terrorist destruction of two airliners.    Little more than two hours after polls closed, acting Chechen president Sergei Abramov said preliminary results showed Maj...


Santander Aims to Complete Abbey Purchase by November, FT Says Santander Central Hispano SA aims to complete its 8.3 billion pounds (\$15 billion) purchase of Abbey National Plc by November, the Financial Times said, citing Juan Inciarte, Santander #39;s director for Europe and consumer finance.


Alkhanov Wins Presidential Election in Chechnya (Update1) Russia #39;s republic of Chechnya elected Alu Alkhanov president in a poll held to replace Akhamad Kadyrov, who was assassinated in May.


Darfur rebels put forward peace plan at talks in Nigeria : Rebel groups proposed a new peace agreement at talks aimed at restoring calm to Sudan #39;s Darfur region, calling for international peacekeepers and full access for aid groups to all of Darfur.


Iraq oil exports below normal as pipeline hit BAGHDAD: Iraq #39;s southern oil exports were still below normal yesterday as firefighters battled to put out a new blaze at a sabotaged pipeline, industry officials said.


Tales of the City, Revisited This year, for the first time since the towers crumbled, New York City #39;s economy outperformed the nation #39;s. The average price for a Manhattan condo or co-op broke the \$1 million mark, a new record.


China Southern joins SkyTeam SkyTeam was founded in June 2000 by Aeromxico, Air France, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air. Since then the group has grown to include Czech Airlines and Alitalia.


VeriSign dealt another legal blow in ICANN suit VeriSignlost another round in its battle against the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) last week when a US federal judge dismissed the company #39;s antitrust claims, filed in an amended complaint.


It #39;s official: Giants name Warner starter for opening day NEW YORK - Eli Manning is undeniably the Giants #39; quarterback of the future. But the future is going to have wait. After a summer of speculation, Giants coach Tom Coughlin finally made it official on Sunday


Tokyo Stocks Dip, Focus on Data  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese stocks edged lower by midday on  Monday with confidence in the domestic economic outlook failing  to offset profit-taking that hit recent gainers such as  insurers and telecom stocks including KDDI Corp.


Europe's Ryder Team Is Set Colin Montgomerie, who has had a tough year, took a turn for the better Sunday, when he was chosen to play in his seventh Ryder Cup by the European team's captain, Bernhard Langer.


Schumacher Clinches Season Title Michael Schumacher finished second at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, scoring enough points to clinch an unprecedented seventh Formula One drivers' title.


World Wide Web Turns 35, But is Still a Work in Progress Thirty-five years after computer scientists at UCLA linked two bulky computers using a 15-foot gray cable, testing a new way for exchanging data over networks, what would ultimately become the Internet remains a work in progress.


Bumper profits, but debt blows out By staff writers and wires. AUSTRALIAN company profits jumped 10.3 per cent in the June quarter thanks to robust consumer and business spending that will boost economic growth outcomes and the electoral prospects of the Howard Government.


Labor #39;s task: to get welfare back on track One of Labor #39;s challenges is to come up with an electorally acceptable proposal for reform in an inefficient, badly targeted family welfare system.


Closing Ceremony music to his ears It ain #39;t over until the crazy drunk former priest attacks the frightened Brazilian marathon runner. Although the 35-year-old Athens marathon record was broken tonight by Italy #39;s


Davies fires winner as Trotters sink Reds Bolton has leapt to third on the English Premier League table with an impressive 1-0 win over Liverpool at the Reebok Stadium. A goal to Kevin Davies in the 38th minute, when he got on the end of a cross from


Iraqi delegation arrives in Iran The Iraqi deputy prime minister arrived Sunday in the Tehran, Iran, a day later than planned, the BBC reported. Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh was part of a high-level political


Asian Stocks Mostly Flat to Lower  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares were mostly flat to  lower on Monday as investors kept a wary eye on stabilizing oil  prices and looked past signs Japanese consumers were beginning  to spend more freely.


Bush Twins Host Pre-Convention Party (AP) AP - Barbara and Jenna Bush, the president's 22-year-old twin daughters, arrived like rock 'n' roll stars at a Republican convention party Sunday, complete with red carpet, cameras and paparazzi shouting for a smile.


Wall Street Plays Party Host The Republican National Convention, which opens Monday at Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan, is being bankrolled and feted to an extraordinary degree by the financial services behemoths that are concentrated at the island #39;s southern tip.


US firm target of deadly bomb blast in Kabul Afghanistan was rocked by two separate attacks, including a violent explosion in the capital, Kabul, and at a school in the southeastern part of the country.


Wife of N.Korean Leader Kim Jong-Il Dead -Report (Reuters) Reuters - North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's wife\died of a heart attack earlier this month, South Korea's Yonhap\news agency said on Monday, quoting sources in Beijing.


Elliss, Anderson Injuries Raise Concern (AP) AP - Denver Broncos defensive end Luther Elliss is expected to miss up to two weeks because of a torn pectoral muscle. Elliss missed the first nine weeks of last season with a similar injury.


Australian PM seen kicking off election on shaky ground (AFP) AFP - Prime Minister John Howard has kicked off his bid for a fourth term in office on shaky ground, forced to call elections sooner than he would have liked by a robust attack on his credibility from the opposition, editorialists said.


Colombia wins drug lord's house The Colombian state finally wins control of the estate of the late Medellin drugs baron, Pablo Escobar.


Install Moveable Type? \\The PeerFear blog is built on top of a custom CMS that I wrote about two years\ago.  It doesn't support Atom, trackbacks, and some people report problems when\posting from IE.\\I installed Moveable Type but to be honest I am less than thrilled.  It doesn't\support category RSS feeds and I can't associate images for categories like I'm\currently doing.\\So it appears I'm stuck... \\Anyone have any feedback?  Maybe I should install one of the OSS blogging tools.\\


Torrent Joshua Kinberg being Arrested \\Great .torrent link of Joshua Kinberg being arrested.  \\This is of course being documented over on this MSNBC HardBlogger blog \(which btw is news in of itself).\\


Israel, Iran Trade Threats As FBI Investigates Spying Israel and Iran traded significantly escalated threats of military attacks in recent months as the FBI investigated allegations that a Pentagon official passed secret U.S. policy information about Iran to Israeli authorities.


Divers Keep Smelly Sewers Flowing Carlos Barrios Orta squeezed himself into his rubber diving suit, pulled on an 18-pound helmet that made him look like an astronaut, then lowered himself into the sewer. He disappeared into the filthy water, which looked like some cauldron of rancid beef stew, until the only sign of him was air bubbles breaking the surface.


Latham lying on payroll tax: PM OPPOSITION Leader Mark Latham had told his first big lie of the election campaign by saying Labor had no plans to introduce a national payroll tax, Prime Minister John Howard said today.


Indonesia Names 10 Prospective Bidders For Bk Permata JAKARTA (Dow Jones)--The Indonesian government said Monday it has identified 10 prospective bidders for the sale of a 51 stake in PT Bank Permata (BNLI.


Royal body opposes anti-cloning bid Britain #39;s leading academic institution is backing an international campaign to stop the US securing an international ban on all forms of human cloning.


Boston Leaves Yanks With White Knuckles Tim Wakefield allowed three hits in eight innings and the Boston Red Sox won their sixth straight game with a 6-1 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers yesterday.


Nextel's Next Connection By using methodical strategies, Nextel Communications Inc. is the scrawny kid from Reston, Va., who grew up to become a scrappy fighter by.
-The Washington Post


VeriSign Loses Icann Antitrust Case A federal judge has dismissed an antitrust complaint against an Internet oversight group brought by a company that controls directories for Internet users worldwide.


Can Microsoft Stomp iTunes With a Store of Its Own? Microsoft is now aiming at a market that Apple Computer pioneered more than a year ago with its iTunes online music store.


Higher Technology for Drier Courts to Prevent a Rain-Soaked Repeat After heavy rainfall forced numerous delays last year, the United States Tennis Association will rely on new machines to dry the courts faster.


A PC That Packs Real Power, and All Just for Me A new computer should deliver about 10 times the performance of a desktop personal computer.


Crying Out When a Child Cannot A man has invented a car alarm system that he thinks could save some of the children who die after being shut inside cars on warm days.


Economy hurdle looms large for Latham PRIME Minister John Howard has called an election he cannot confidently predict he will win. But he is a political veteran and has calculated that the six-week campaign is more likely to serve


Govt to propose new plan to fight global warming Japan will propose the development and introduction of technology to save energy and help control global warming at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in December in Argentina.


Still no fix for US space shuttle One year after a highly critical report urged NASA to develop the means to fix a broken space shuttle in orbit, the US space agency still could not repair


It wasn #39;t exactly terrorism, but ... I was just going to say how happy I was that I was wrong with my dire warnings that there was going to be some sort of incident at the Athens Games ... when something happened toward the end of the men #39;s marathon on Sunday.


Hong Kong-PRC pact seen affecting Taiwan companies Taiwan companies will have to deal with greater competition from next year because of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement signed by mainland China with Hong Kong and Macau, an analyst said yesterday.


Bethesda Magazine  Aims to Market  'The Good Life' The success of a start-up magazine rests on many factors, not the least of which is a catchy name.


Wal-Mart's Withdrawal Triggers Mixed Reactions Zack Diarra, the owner of Timbuktu Fashions, had been "scared to death" of Wal-Mart, worried the nation's biggest retailer would undercut his clothing prices and wipe out his eight-month-old business.


Krispy Kreme's Failings Tough To Glaze Over Investors are finally figuring out that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts' shares are just like its doughnuts: Get 'em while they're hot because they can go stale in a hurry.


U.S. and Russia Still Dominate Arms Market, but World Total Falls The value of all weapons deals worldwide was more than \$25.6 billion in 2003, the third consecutive year of decline.


Ads, Not Just Athletes, Were in Olympics Spotlight During the 1,210 hours of Olympics coverage across the NBC Universal networks, audiences were exposed to 13,000 to 14,000 commercials.


Clear Channel Plays Rough in Motorcycling Battle Supercross is shaping up to be the latest battleground in the fight over media consolidation.


Intel keeps Moore #39;s law on track Contradicting fears that the semiconductor industry #39;s pace of development is slowing, Intel Corporation has announced it has achieved a milestone in shrinking the size of transistors that will power its next-generation chips.


ISPA warn of 32 price hike and threat to ISPs Written by Net 4 Nowt The Internet Services Providers Association (ISPA UK) is highlighting significant fears for its smaller members and broadband Britain following price rises introduced by BT to their IPStream products in order to comply with an


Ward KOs 8-year drought It #39;s been eight years since a US boxer stood on an Olympic .podium to receive a gold medal. It #39;s been six years since Andre Ward lost a fight.


Al-Qaeda follows Taliban to claim Kabul blast: Website A statement purported to be from Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility on Monday for a truck bomb which killed seven people, including two US citizens, in Kabul, and which was earlier claimed by the Taliban militia.


Lessons of Najaf Iraq #39;s interim government did well to avoid a bloody fight to the finish with Moktada al-Sadr over the Imam Ali Mosque, the country #39;s most sacred Shiite site.


Officials deny barring pro-democracy lawmaker A top Chinese official yesterday defended his government #39;s decision to bar a Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker from entering the mainland, saying customs authorities acted legally.


Lee rules out assassination in shooting investigation US-based forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee who was investigating the March 19 shooting of President Chen Shui-bian () has concluded that the incident was not an assassination attempt.


Bonds and Giants Cow Braves, 9-5 (AP) AP - Barry Bonds hit a pair of mammoth two-run homers  #151; giving him 696 in his career  #151; and went 4-for-5 with six RBIs Sunday night, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 9-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.


Billions rolling in as Macau is transformed into Asia's Vegas (AFP) AFP - A huge cheer breaks through the cacophony at Sands Macau Casino as the four million pataca (518,000 US dollar) blackjack jackpot is won.


Europe's Ryder Team Is Set Colin Montgomerie, who has had a tough year, took a turn for the better Sunday, when he was chosen to play in his seventh Ryder Cup.


Credit Suisse to Move to One Brand Name  ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse will eventually use one  brand name only and drop the First Boston moniker from its  Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking arm, the bank's  head said on Tuesday.


Upstaging Before the Show The Republican convention's calculated claims to patriotism met elaborately planned and heavily Democratic street protests.


Scorecard on the president: A mixed bag President Bush #39;s performance evaluation is underway now, and his scores will be determined by the voters who are weighing whether he has met the goals he set for himself four years ago.


Park blazes away to course record in LPGA Classic event Grace Park was as hot as the weather when she fired 5-under par over her final five holes to set a course record and grab the third round lead from Jill McGill in the US\$1 million LPGA Classic on Saturday.


Chirac postpones his visit to Russia over hostage crisis A threat by a militant Islamic group in Iraq to kill two French men unless a law banning Muslim headscarves in schools is abandoned was being treated as a national crisis by the French government last night.


Intel to throttle power by enhancing silicon Intel will try to further cut power consumption in its next generation of chips by using improved strained silicon, along with transistors that block power to other circuits, and other added features.


Surcharge Raises Ire When Northwest Airlines Corp. said last week it will charge extra fees for tickets not bought on its Web site, it caused a chain reaction in an industry still grappling with the impact of the Internet.


NL Wrap: Pujols Boosts Cards, Giants Delight for Bonds (Reuters) Reuters - Albert Pujols cracked his 40th home\run of the season and reached 100 RBI for the fourth straight\year to help the St Louis Cardinals blank the host Pittsburgh\Pirates 4-0 in the National League Sunday.


NL Wrap: Pujols Boosts Cards, Giants Delight for Bonds  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Albert Pujols cracked his 40th home  run of the season and reached 100 RBI for the fourth straight  year to help the St Louis Cardinals blank the host Pittsburgh  Pirates 4-0 in the National League Sunday.


Feds Target Scofflaws And Spammers As part of its recent crackdown on cybercrime, the Justice Department last week detailed major enforcement actions against copyright scofflaws and spammers.


Marathon has weird intrusion Italy #39;s Stefano Baldini surged ahead with two miles to go and won the Olympic marathon Sunday while American Meb Keflezighi finished a surprising second in a


Peaceful Olympics closes with 102 US medals ATHENS, Greece - Under a well-timed full moon to conclude a near-cloudless three weeks, the 2004 Summer Olympics came to an end Sunday night with music, dancing and the last of nearly 1,000 medals.


Numbers Game for Schumacher Ferrari and Michael Schumacher were savouring yet another world championship today after a milestone weekend for both team and driver.


MLB: San Francisco 9, Atlanta 5 Barry Bonds went 4-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI Sunday night to power the San Francisco Giants to a 9-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves.


India tests Agni II missile NEW DELHI, Aug 29: India tested its Agni II surface to surface missile on Sunday in overcast conditions, PTI said quoting defence sources.


Iran, Iraq want to bury the past TEHRAN, Aug 29: Iran and Iraq want to bury the past and start a new era of neighbourly relations, visiting Iraqi interim Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said here on Sunday.


Schumacher Wins Title Michael Schumacher clinches an unprecedented seventh Formula One title at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps Sunday despite losing his second race of the season.


Blue Jays Snap Streak Toronto ends its five-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Yankees after a power outage delays the start for an hour Sunday.


Stadler Rallies to Win Craig Stadler makes up a four-shot deficit and birdies the final four holes Sunday to win the Tradition by one shot at 13-under-par in Aloha, Ore.


Giambi Back Batting Yankees slugger Jason Giambi takes batting practice for the first time Sunday since having a benign tumor diagnosed last month.


Video Music Awards Sizzling but Shock Free MIAMI - Holding its festivities for the first time in the city of skin, Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards was sizzling, energetic and colorful - yet tame, by MTV standards.    There were no wardrobe malfunctions (sorry TiVo)...


Intel to throttle power by enhancing silicon Power consumption continues to climb, so Intel will reach into the bag of tricks to keep Moore's Law going.


A renaissance for the workstation? A California start-up thinks so. Its 96-processor unit is aimed at the film industry and life sciences researchers, among others.


Federal-Mogul may sell T amp;N assets after pension offer snub Federal-Mogul, the engineering company whose bankruptcy in the US is threatening the pensions of thousands of workers at its subsidiary Turner  amp; Newall, is sizing up a sale of its UK businesses.


INTERVIEW: Gwalia Has Been Approached By Gold Ops Buyers PERTH (Dow Jones)--Financially distressed Australian mining company Sons of Gwalia Ltd. (SGW.AU) said Monday that it has been approached by several parties interested in buying its gold business.


Bonds, Giants snap Braves #39; win streak ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves may still have the last word this afternoon, but Barry Bonds did all the talking with his bat Sunday night.


France in crisis as Iraqis threaten to kill hostages over <b>...</b> A threat by a militant Islamic group in Iraq to murder two French hostages unless Paris abandons a law banning muslim headscarves in schools was being treated as a national crisis by the French government last night.


Iran: Isolation or Engagement? Iran claims that it can produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear weapon within a year. According to Undersecretary of State John Bolton,  quot;We cannot let Iran, a leading sponsor


Australia's Labor renews pledge to bring troops home from Iraq (AFP) AFP - The opposition Labor Party renewed its pledge to withdraw Australian troops from Iraq if it wins October 9 elections, setting relations with ally Washington at the center of the election campaign.


Nikkei Share Average Falls Nearly 1 Pct (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's Nikkei share average fell nearly\one percent on Tuesday after the dollar's retreat below 103 yen\put pressure on exporters such as Sony Corp.


Ticket fee feud The fury about Northwest Airlines #39; new ticket fees is the latest battle in a bigger war between the financially struggling airline industry and dominant players in the business of travel reservations.


Windows XP SP2 -- test your applications Learn about the plethora of security enhancements included in Windows XP Service Pack 2, as well as how these security features could impair the functionality of some applications.


Back-to-school fears cloud Intel report SAN FRANCISCO: Intel upcoming mid-quarter report will be closely watched for signs of weak back-to-school computer sales, though recent market share gains in memory chips could help offset any softness in computer microprocessor demand.


Apple fans abuzz over new iMac With Apple Computer #39;s next iMac expected to be unveiled as soon as next week, Mac fan sites are buzzing with speculation over the design.


Doping and debts aside, it was all worth it What doping scandals? What debts? Drunk with pride for successfully pulling off a great homecoming Olympics, most Greeks said they would happily do it all over again.


Olympic torch heads off to Beijing While celebrating unprecedented success at the Athens Olympics, China has its sights firmly set on the Beijing Games in four years when they hope to present the country #39;s new face to the world.


Right time for new A #39;s hero McMillon #39;s homer in ninth breaks tie <b>...</b> He was thinking about that, the little-used outfielder admitted, when he came up with two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, the game tied 6-6.


Spilled Oil, Gas Ignite in Iraq #39;s South Rumaila Field Oil and gas spilled during recent sabotage attacks on Iraq #39;s southern oil pipelines ignited Sunday and firefighters battled to douse the flames.


UBS to Buy Schwab Units - WSJ  NEW YORK (Reuters) - UBS AG is expected to buy Charles  Schwab Corp.'s institutional research and trading unit for \$265  million, the Wall Street Journal said Monday, citing unnamed  people familiar with the matter.


Red Sox within 4 1/2 games of Yankees after sweeping Tigers Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Tim Wakefield pitched eight strong innings to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers and a sweep of the four-game series at Fenway Park.


Ireland, Britain resume negotiations for peace talks Britain and Ireland resume their joint efforts this week to revive deadlocked peace talks in Northern Ireland, aiming to forge common ground between deeply opposed sectarian groups.


Scientists call for UN compromise on cloning Britain #39;s leading scientists today urge the United Nations to ban cloning of babies but leave open the door for cloning of embryo stem cells as treatments for so-far incurable illnesses.


A Greek revival Athens defied skepticism by staging  #39;dream Games #39; Athens -- The venues didn #39;t fall down. The terrorists were kept at bay. The US Olympians waved the flag anyway, and nobody got hurt.


Russians win all WTA events, Horna in ATP final Elena Bovina added her name to the list of Russians to watch at next week #39;s US Open when she beat Nathalie Dechy to win the New Haven Open on Saturday.


Arms dealer says Thatcher wanted to buy two military helicopters An arms dealer, who is the key state witness in the attempted coup in an oil-rich African state, said that he had talks with Sir Mark Thatcher who wanted to buy two military helicopters, it was revealed yesterday.


Bangladesh government offers reward to catch grenade attackers (AFP) AFP - The Bangladeshi government has announced a 160,000-dollar reward in a bid to catch the assailants who killed 20 people and injured hundreds in a grenade attack on an opposition rally last weekend.


And the Unexpected Olympics Winner Is...Athens  ATHENS (Reuters) - The greatest race of the Olympics  produced the most unlikely winner.


Credit Suisse to Move to One Brand Name (Reuters) Reuters - Credit Suisse will eventually use one\brand name only and drop the First Boston moniker from its\Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking arm, the bank's\head said on Tuesday.


Russia's Putin set for landmark visit to Turkey (AFP) AFP - Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives here this week for a landmark visit which Ankara hopes will help improve political ties in line with spectacular progress in economic relations between the two countries.


Intel shows off next-generation chips SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Trying to get past its recent execution setbacks, Intel demonstrated a working chip using its next-generation manufacturing technology Monday, and also stated that it is on track to continue with Moore #39;s Law, doubling the number


INTERVIEW: Gwalia Approached By Gold Ops Buyers -2- PERTH (Dow Jones)--Financially distressed Australian mining company Sons of Gwalia Ltd. (SGW.AU) said Monday that it has been approached by several parties interested in buying its gold business.


Langer goes with experience, then youthful Donald for the <b>...</b> Bernhard Langer knew all along he had a loaded deck and an ace up his sleeve if he needed it. When the year-long process of selecting the European Ryder Cup team finally


Chechnya president rules out talks with separatist leader MOSCOW , Russia -- Alu Alkhanov, set to become Chechnya #39;s president after Sunday #39;s election, on Monday ruled out any possibility of talks with Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov.


As it turns out, the Greek way proved to be the right way A few US women #39;s soccer players scooped up small pieces of sod at Karaiskaki Stadium after their emotional gold-medal victory last week.


Hey, Yankees  here come the Red Sox BOSTON - Tim Wakefield finished off the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Now comes the real challenge for the streaking Boston Red Sox. Boston beat Detroit 6-1, ending a stretch of 26 games - 23 against teams below


Hammer time Bonds belts 2 HRs as Aaron watches Giants win Atlanta -- Hammerin #39; Hank Aaron was at the game. Boomin #39; Barry Bonds was on his game. In the homers hub of the universe, the residence of the all-time champ, the past and future came together Sunday night


Microsoft hit by monopoly suits Several California cities and counties have sued Microsoft, accusing the software giant of illegally charging inflated prices for its products because of monopoly control of the personal computer operating systems market.


Keflezighi wins silver in marathon for last US medal ATHENS, Greece - Into the heart of the 2004 Olympics and the 1,000-year-old stadium symbolic of it ran a little touch of Jacksonville Sunday.


Owen stars in Real Madrid debut Michael Owen made his debut for Real Madrid on Sunday, setting up a second-half goal by Ronaldo in a 1-0 victory at Mallorca in a Spanish league opener.


Civil war scars Sudan villages Ahmed Arajah can #39;t help coming down from the hills to his crumbled house to rummage through its charred remains, the cracked plates, the girls #39; shoes and broken oil


With Few Exceptions, the String Remains the Same Professional and recreational players are unlikely to see major developments in racket string technology any time soon.


EBay Lends Hand to Dropoff Stores EBay dropoff stores, which list, package and ship eBay items for people who prefer not to do it themselves, have gotten a little help in their quest to find a market - from eBay itself.


Nikkei slides MUMBAI: Japanese stocks fell due to telecommunications stocks which accounted for more than third of the index #39;s drop. Japan #39;s Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 0.7 per cent to 11,131.


Iranian military officer reiterates  quot;deterrent policy quot; An Iranian officer Sunday reiterated Iran #39;s  quot;deterrent policy quot;, saying it has enabled the country to impose its position on the enemies under any condition, the official IRNA news agency reported.


Incident mars marathon as far as ugly incidents -t a 2004 Olympics that had opened with such anxiety. Until Sunday night. A defrocked Irish


Streaking Astros climb back into playoff race Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman sparked a testy 10-3 victory Sunday over the Chicago Cubs, and Houston took three of four at Wrigley Field to move within four games of Chicago and San Diego for the NL wild-card lead.


Andretti has one last memory Although there will be no more great memories of the little track in his hometown -- where they raced for the last time Sunday -- car owner Andretti has one that might not be topped anywhere for a while.


Microsoft guts Longhorn However, because it is coming out earlier, Longhorn will be trimmed of some of the more innovative stuff that has been seen in earlier builds.


Bizarre finish to men #39;s marathon overshadows American #39;s silver If legend is to be believed, the end of a victorious war was behind Pheidippides #39; trek from Marathon to Athens 2,500 years ago.


Grappling grabs WWE flare Wrestling ATHENS -- The Ano Liossia Wrestling Hall looked more like Madison Square Garden yesterday when Olympic freestyle wrestling took on more of a WWE flavour.


Stadler clinches second senior major ALOHA, ORE. -- Craig Stadler closed with four straight birdies in a five-under-par 67 for a one-shot victory yesterday at the Tradition and his second major on the Champions Tour.


Israel proposes leaving Gaza settlement as hospital Israel is suggesting leaving a Gaza settlement intact after its planned pullout next year for Palestinian residents of Gaza to use as a hospital, as well as selling an industrial zone at a crossing point to international bodies, Israeli officials said.


Baseball Today (AP) AP - Chicago at Montreal (7:05 p.m. EDT). Greg Maddux (12-8) starts for the Cubs.


Kabul Bomb Death Toll Rises, Up to 12 Believed Dead  KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The toll from Sunday's car  bomb blast in Kabul rose Monday with different accounts from  Western security forces and Afghan officials suggesting as many  as a dozen people may have been killed.


Orange 3G phones launched in UK Orange has unveiled its third-generation (3G) mobile phones in the UK after a long-delayed commercial launch.


Athens Throws a Party to Celebrate Games ATHENS, Greece - If anyone deserved a party, it was the people of Athens.    The flame went out on the Olympics during a closing ceremony Sunday night that honored the birthplace of the games with an ebullient display of Greek pride and symbolism, a relief-filled celebration of the ancient and the new...


Philippine economy sees 6.2 pct growth in Q2 The Philippine economy registered a6.2 percent growth in the second quarter, higher than the 4.2 percent during the same period last year, National Statistical Coordinating Board


Aluminium Ship Builder Austal Teams with Raytheon for Amphibious <b>...</b> Austal Limited today announced that it had teamed with Raytheon Australia to bid for the upcoming Australian Government tender to build two amphibious ships, which is due to be issued in early 2005.


Public servants sacked for viewing internet porn at work LONDON - The British government has fired 19 civil servants and disciplined more than 200 in an unprecedented crackdown on viewing internet porn at work, officials say.


Sinopec 1H net profit rises 51 China #39;s second-largest oil producer Sinopec says its first-half net profit rose 51 percent to 16 billion yuan or nearly 2 billion US dollars, on increased domestic demand and higher oil prices.


Tokyo Stocks Dip, Focus on Data Japanese stocks edged lower by midday on Monday with confidence in the domestic economic outlook failing to offset profit-taking that hit recent gainers such as insurers and telecom stocks including KDDI Corp.


Interbrew and AmBev combine to form InBev 30/08/2004 Interbrew and Companhia de Bebidas das Amricas (AmBev) have closed the transaction announced on March 3, 2004 to combine Interbrew and AmBev, creating InBev, the worlds premier brewer.


Marathon marred by mugging In a bizarre and stunning conclusion to the Olympic Games, the leader of the men #39;s marathon was grabbed by a former Irish priest and pushed into the crowd about three miles from the finish.


Miguel drives to victory in Open Munich, Germany - Spain #39;s Miguel Angel Jimenez won his fourth title on the European tour this season, recording three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine to claim the BMW International Open by two strokes.


#39;Maria Mania #39; grips Big Apple New York - Manhattan is braced for an outbreak of  quot;Maria Mania quot; this week as 17-year-old Maria Sharapova leads a Russian assault on the US Open.


Kabul Bomb Death Toll Rises, Up to 12 Believed Dead The toll from Sunday #39;s car bomb blast in Kabul rose Monday with different accounts from Western security forces and Afghan officials suggesting as many as a dozen people may have been killed.


Treason trial resumes in Equatorial Guinea MALABO : The trial of 19 people accused of seeking to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea was scheduled to resume after five days of hearings last week left the world little the wiser about the reality of their alleged putsch


French foreign minister arrives in Egypt on hostage release mission (AFP) AFP - French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier arrived in Cairo on the first leg of an urgent Middle East mission for contacts with Egyptian officials over two French journalists taken hostage in Iraq, a diplomatic source told AFP.


2 dead, 18 injured as powerful typhoon lashes southern Japan (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TOKYO (AP) - A powerful typhoon lashed southern Japan on Monday, toppling trees and telephone poles with strong winds and torrential rains. Two elderly men died after being knocked down by strong winds, while 18 people were injured and one was missing.


More German reform protests due A fresh round of mass demonstrations over proposed cuts in welfare spending is set to take place.


Intel Shifts To Next-Gen Strained Silicon Intel Corp. will shift to a second-generation strained-silicon technique within its forthcoming 65-nanometer process technology, the company will announce on Monday.


Windows upgrade fixes security flaws, but it #39;s not perfect Microsoft is making a major push to get home and business customers to embrace the security-focused overhaul to its Windows XP computer operating system.


Oracle re-extends PeopleSoft bid Oracle is offering US\$21 per share or about US\$7.7 billion for PeopleSoft, a leader in human resources management software and an applications rival of Oracle.


Greece is winner at these Olympics ATHENS, Greece -- Capping its sports-hosting triumph, Greece ended the XXVIII Olympiad with a festive splash of ethnic folklore, music and dancing.


Austin Wins Buick Invitational The Derby native rebounded from a bogey on the final hole of regulation Sunday to birdie the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with Tim Herron and win the \$4.


Bangladesh at standstill in fourth opposition strike in a week DHAKA : Bangladesh was brought to a standstill by the fourth general strike in a week called by the opposition, which has stepped up its campaign to oust the government since an assassination attempt on its leader.


Last call for US pre-Xmas orders Cash'n'Carrion Get 'em in by Thursday 9 December


The return of the atomic keyring Cash'n'Carrion Glowring back from the dead


Philippine Flood Toll Hits 29, Survivors Hunt Rats (Reuters) Reuters - Philippine rescue teams\evacuated thousands of people from the worst flooding in the\central Luzon region since the 1970s as hungry victims hunted\rats and birds for food.


U.S. Warns Its Citizens in Afghanistan (AP) AP - The U.S. government warned its citizens to keep a low profile Monday after a car bomb hit a private American security firm in the Afghan capital, killing at least seven people, including two Americans.


Dollar Hits 3-Month High Against Pound  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar rose to a three-month high  against the sterling Monday after U.S. economic data eased  concerns that surging oil prices threatened growth,  underpinning expectations of more rises in U.S. interest rates.


More German reform protests due A fresh round of mass demonstrations over proposed cuts in welfare spending is set to take place in Germany.


Karzai 'disturbed' at Kabul bomb The Afghan president expresses deep concern after a bomb attack which left at least seven people dead.


Samsung anticipates aggressive chip kit spending Pre-emptive investment is critical to success, says chief


Video games find their political voice The net and video games are becoming essential tools for political activists.


UOB among 10 prospective Bank Permata bidders named by Indonesian <b>...</b> JAKARTA: The Indonesian government has identified Singapore #39;s United Overseas Bank as one of 10 prospective bidders for the sale of a 51 stake in PT Bank Permata.


Brazilian racer to be honored Pierre de Coubertin Medal The International Olympic Committee has announced that Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil, will be presented with a sportsmanship medal. The International Olympic Committee has announced


Woodhall backing for Khan Former Olympic bronze medallist Richie Woodhall believes Amir Khan will be  quot;the Mario Kindelan of the next Games quot; if he is still an amateur in four years #39; time.


Belarus wrestler brawls after defeat ATHENS -- The Ano Liossia Olympic Hall looked more like Madison Square Garden yesterday when Olympic freestyle wrestling took on more of a WWE flavour.


To finish first, first be Finnish Miracles don #39;t happen in motor racing, but there is an exception to every rule. At the start of the 2004 season the McLaren-Mercedes was the joke of the paddock.


Karzai  #39;disturbed #39; at Kabul bomb Afghanistan #39;s President Hamid Karzai says he is deeply disturbed by a bomb attack in the capital Kabul in which at least seven people died.


Alkhanov calls restoration of Chechen economy top priority GROZNY. Aug 30 (Interfax) - Alu Alkhanov, who according to initial vote counts is believed to have won Sunday #39;s Chechen presidential election, said he is going to concentrate on accelerating the restoration


India Test-fires Guided Missile Agni-II BHUBANESHWAR (India): India test fired a long-range nuclear-capable Agni II missile off its eastern coast of Orissa on Sunday, a defence ministry spokesman said.


5 dead in house fires in Waterford and Detroit A police officer who had just finished working a long night shift. A wife who finally got to snuggle in bed next to her husband. A son who would have started fifth grade today.


Santander accelerates Abbey bid Santander Central Hispano has said it aims to complete its takeover of High Street bank Abbey one month sooner than originally planned.


Six-party Nuclear Talks Likely to be Held in September The South Korean ambassador to the United States says the next round of multilateral talks aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear impasse will likely happen in September.


Dutchman held for 'Iraq genocide' Netherlands prosecutors plan to charge a Dutchman suspected of assisting genocide in Iraq in the 1980s.


GOP to Bolster Bush Image As Strong Leader NEW YORK - Republicans marshaled their forces to bolster President Bush's image as a strong leader in treacherous times as they open their national convention in the city that felt the brunt of the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history...


Intel Updates on 65nm , 8/30/2004. With 90 nanometer chips now on the market, the race for the next node - 65nm -- is now underway. Intel is on track for initial production of chips based on 65-nanometer process


SUSAN TOMPOR: Change the law, feel the bounce you know, writing a check a day or two before there #39;s enough cash to cover it -- will soon need to find new tricks for juggling the bills.


Wall Street - 30 August 2004 New York - Investors may pack up and leave this week as the Republican national convention comes to New York and many on Wall Street take vacation, leaving stocks with little direction.


China eager for its turn to host ATHENS - Xiao Tian delivered an impassioned lecture for 35 minutes, without taking a question or pausing for translation. Four days before the end of the Olympics, the assistant mission chief of the Chinese


Montgomerie picked for Ryder Cup team Colin Montgomerie #39;s toughest year on and off the golf course took a turn for the better Sunday when he was chosen by European captain Bernhard Langer to play in his seventh Ryder Cup.


Revitalized Henin-Hardenne eyes New York run Before she contracted a debilitating virus that took her off the tour for most of the past 4 1/2 months, defending US Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne was about a tightly wound person as you could find.


Roundup: Austin wins Buick title in playoff Woody Austin is finally getting a grip on his nerves, and it is starting to pay off. Austin calmly made a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole yesterday


Detroit Rock City: Wakefield baffles What they continue to demonstrate, more than anything else, is an impeccable sense of timing. When to run. When to hit. When to start playing like a tried-and-true


Warner Gets the Nod Ahead of Manning One dreadful preseason performance cost top overall draft choice Eli Manning the New York Giants #39; starting quarterback job, as Coach Tom Coughlin yesterday named veteran Kurt Warner his starter


After delays, Intel points to chip-making advance Intel is on track to introduce the world #39;s most advanced chip production technology in its products next year, the largest semiconductor maker said Sunday.


Battle brewing on the digital music front Apple Computer Inc. #39;s reign as king of the digital music business is about to meet its most serious challenge as software heavyweight Microsoft Corp.


GAMES HERO AMIR TELLS OF HIS JOY HE may be one of boxing #39;s youngest ever silver medallists with a glorious future ahead of him but yesterday teenage sensation Amir Khan told how he had more pressing things on his mind - homework.


FOOTBALL: D-DAY ON DEAL FOR ROONEY WAYNE ROONEY #39;S future will be decided today, with Everton chairman Bill Kenwright due to travel to Old Trafford for talks. He will meet Manchester United chief executive David Gill before


AL notebook: Angels #39; Glaus returns early from surgery Troy Glaus was activated from the 60-day disabled list yesterday by the Anaheim Angels and was back in the lineup against the Minnesota Twins.


France says it will not repeal head scarf law France will not revoke a law banning Muslim head scarves in public schools despite demands by a militant Islamic group holding two French journalists hostage in Iraq, the government spokesman said Monday.


France sends FM to free hostages in Iraq The French government sent its foreign minister Sunday to the Middle East region to try to free two French journalists held hostage in Iraq as a truce was reached in Baghdad #39;s slum of Sadr City.


DYKE TO BLAIR: YOU #39;RE INCOMPETENT OR A LIAR FORMER BBC chief Greg Dyke has accused Tony Blair of being  quot;incompetent quot; or  quot;a liar quot; over the Iraq War. Ex-Director General Mr Dyke revealed that the Prime Minister


UBS to Buy Schwab Units - WSJ (Reuters) Reuters - UBS AG is expected to buy Charles\Schwab Corp.'s institutional research and trading unit for  #36;265\million, the Wall Street Journal said Monday, citing unnamed\people familiar with the matter.


France Will Not Repeal Head Scarf Law (AP) AP - France will not revoke a law banning Muslim head scarves in public schools despite demands by a militant Islamic group holding two French journalists hostage in Iraq, the government spokesman said Monday.


Australia's Oct. 9 Election Marathon Begins (Reuters) Reuters - Australian politicians set\off on a marathon campaign Monday for an election that will\focus on the way forward for one of the world's strongest\economies, the credibility of candidates and support for the\Iraq war.


Greece was game ATHENS -- Nobody wanted to leave. If they could have, everybody would have stayed inside the stadium all night dancing to bouzouki music under the full moon.


Confident owner never hedged OK, class, a pop quiz before the start of school. Two months ago today, in the aftermath of an eight-run loss to the Yankees that had the Nation down in the mouth, one astute observer rendered the following opinion:


Sprained ankle hampers Sheffield New York Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield is listed as day to day after spraining his left ankle in the ninth inning Saturday night in Toronto. Sheffield, hitting .297 with 33 homers and 98 RBIs, hobbled off the field after jamming the ankle on third base. X-rays were negative. Although Sheffield said he could have played, Yankees manager Joe Torre ...


Sea change: Curacao on top of the world SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Carlos Pineda looked shaky when he started with three consecutive balls and then hit California's leadoff batter. But he got a lot better in a hurry.


NL Notables Albert Pujols of the Cardinals became the fourth player to start his major league career with four straight seasons with at least 100 RBIs, joining Hall of Famers Al Simmons , Joe DiMaggio , and Ted Williams .


Ramirez a big hit in return to lineup The way things have turned their way in recent weeks, the Red Sox seemed strong enough to overcome even the loss of Manny Ramirez to an injury. But they were grateful just the same when the slugger returned yesterday after missing only one game with a left knee contusion.


Coughlin goes with Warner Eli Manning remains the New York Giants' quarterback of the future. For now, the job belongs to Kurt Warner . Briefly citing Warner's experience and recent play, coach Tom Coughlin announced yesterday that the two-time MVP had beaten out the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft for the starting job in the season opener at Philadelphia Sept. 12.


Close but no hurrah Taylor Twellman is experiencing his least-productive season with the Revolution, but the striker is displaying flashes of his former self. His scoring instincts and timing appear to have returned.


USC looked out for No. 1 The trouble with preseason rankings in college football is that they are just that, preseason. It's not like the National Football League, where if last year's champion returns most of its players, one can make an assumption the team will be very good. But it's different in college. The cast of characters is always changing, as players graduate, leave, get ...


A major triumph for Stadler in Tradition Craig Stadler closed with four straight birdies in a round of 5-under-par 67 to earn a one-shot victory at the Tradition in Aloha, Ore., and claim his second triumph in a major tournament on the Champions Tour.


Growing pains at U.S. Genomics When Eugene Chan dropped out of Harvard Medical School in 1997 to start U.S. Genomics, his vision was to create a turbocharged DNA reader. Give the machine a drop of blood, and it would sequence your very own genome. That information would help doctors diagnose not only which disease you were suffering from, but which particular variety of the disease ...


Battle brewing on the digital music front  Apple Computer Inc.'s reign as king of the digital music business is about to meet its most serious challenge as software heavyweight Microsoft Corp. prepares to enter the fray.


Mobile imaging gets an upgrade It was about a year ago that camera phones began marching into America, winning the hearts and eyes of shutterbugs everywhere.


Colleges fear XP update will jam networks Microsoft Corp.'s decision to release a major upgrade for its flagship operating system in the same month that hundreds of thousands of students are reporting to college campuses across the nation is causing a major headache for some universities.


R.I. man is barred from sending junk text-messages PROVIDENCE -- A judge granted Verizon Wireless a permanent injunction against a Rhode Island man accused of sending millions of unsolicited text-message advertisements to cellphone customers in four states.


The inspiration for change is rooted in retail They greet customers with Starbucks coffee, obsess over the exact placement of their teller counters, and monitor customers' reactions to their every move. As banks become more customer focused, they are increasingly looking to retailers for ideas of how to build a better bank branch. After years of ignoring branches during the dot-com boom, banks now are giving them more ...


Officials test-launch nuclear-capable missile NEW DELHI -- India test-launched a nuclear-capable missile able to carry a 1-ton warhead yesterday, the Defense Ministry said. The weapon has a range of up to 1,560 miles -- easily within striking distance of any of India's near neighbors -- and is designed to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. The Agni II was launched at India's test range ...


French minister is dispatched to seek release of reporters PARIS -- President Jacques Chirac dispatched his foreign minister to the Middle East yesterday to work for the release of two French reporters abducted in Iraq, vowing to spare no effort to free them from kidnappers demanding that France scrap its ban on Islamic headscarves in state schools.


Allawi describes talks with militants BAGHDAD -- Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, said yesterday he held private meetings with representatives of insurgent groups from the restive cities of Fallujah, Ramadi, and Samarra to persuade them to accept an amnesty offer.


Former leader's secret life disclosed MEXICO CITY -- Nine months after he disappeared under a cloud of corruption allegations at home, former Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo is living and working in the same Mexican city he fled two decades ago to avoid arrest on murder charges, the Associated Press has learned.


Pakistani militants, Al Qaeda seen forging new deadly alliance ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Disguised in military-style uniforms, Pakistani extremists waited in a stolen van in the port city of Karachi near a bridge frequented by military officials, and then opened up with machine guns on the motorcade of a high-ranking general.


Free gin for UK juniper spotters The first volunteers to sign up for a survey of the endangered juniper shrub in Britain will win a free bottle of gin.


Ghana Votes for New President, Parliament  ACCRA (Reuters) - Voters in Ghana queued on Tuesday to  choose a new leader for their West African country in what was  expected to be a race between incumbent John Kufuor and  long-standing rival John Atta Mills.


Concern over Nepal disappearances \The UN and human rights groups express concern over the number of people who disappear in Nepal.


Cerberus to buy LNR Real estate investment and management company LNR Property said late Sunday it has agreed to be acquired by private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management in a cash-and-debt deal valued at \$3.


Update 1: Tokyo Broader TOPIX Index Rises for 10th Tokyo stocks closed mixed on Monday, but the strength of bank and auto maker issues helped the broader market index eke out gains for a 10th straight day - the longest upswing in 14 years.


Mitsubishi Heavy to supply wings for Boeing #39;s next-generation jet TOKYO : Japan #39;s biggest heavy machinery maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said it would build a plant to manufacture wings for Boeing #39;s next-generation 7E7 Dreamliner jet, scheduled for launch in 2008.


ACCC won #39;t stop pipeline bid Australia #39;s competition watchdog has no plan to stop a bid by a consortium including gas retailer Alinta Ltd for Western Australia #39;s biggest natural gas transmission pipeline.


Human cloning debate re-ignited Britain #39;s leading academic institution is backing a campaign to stop the US banning on all forms of human cloning. The Royal Society has joined 67 other national academies urging the UN to ban the cloning


News bytes JibJab.com, the site with the cartoon animation of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry trading barbs to the tune of  quot;This Land Is Your Land, quot; seems to be in the clear.


E-voters warned over technology SECURITY EXPERTS have rushed to warn the voting authorities in Missouri that a plan to allow the military stationed overseas to vote is shot full of holes.


Sprint Picks Apple for Content Sprint and Apple have announced a partnership designed to get content providers to connect to PCS Vision subscribers via QuickTime.


HEWITT WARMS UP IN STYLE Lleyton Hewitt warmed up for the US Open in style as he claimed his second consecutive ATP title at the TD Waterhouse Cup. Hewitt, who won the Washington title last week, beat Peru #39;s Luis Horna 6-3, 6-1 on


Hungary retain men #39;s title with a Kiss Gergely Kiss scored the winning goal as Hungary came from behind to beat Serbia and Montenegro 8-7 to chalk up the gold medal in the men #39;s Olympic waterpolo yesterday.


Bolton beat Liverpool to stand third at the table Striker Kevin Davies scored late inthe first half to give Bolton Wanderers a 1-0 home win over Liverpool that lifted them into third place in the Premier League on Sunday.


Kabul tense after truck bombing of US security firm kills seven KABUL : A heavy security clampdown was enforced in the Afghan capital after the bombing of a US firm left at least seven dead and 28 wounded, and raised new fears about security just weeks before elections.


In fetid camps of Darfur, refugees need to know world is watching A year ago, Mornay was a pleasant little town at the foot of a hill in the heart of West Darfur. It was home to 5,000 people who ambled in its central market and worked green fields at its edge.


Suspected mercenaries may spill beans on Mann And according to their lawyer, Alwyn Griebenow, they might spill the beans on their British recruiter, who allegedly plotted a coup in Equatorial Guinea.


Australia #39;s Oct. 9 Election Marathon Begins Australian politicians set off on a marathon campaign Monday for an election that will focus on the way forward for one of the world #39;s strongest economies


Attack Halts Oil Exports From South Iraq Oil exports from southern Iraq have come to a complete halt because of attacks on pipelines and are not likely to resume for at least a week, a senior Iraqi oil official said Monday.


Bangladesh Opposition Stages Fourth Strike in a Week, AFP Says Bangladesh #39;s opposition supporters staged their fourth strike within a week in the capital, Dhaka, in protest at an attack on a political rally that killed 20 people, Agence France-Presse reported from the city.


Ex-head of BBC blasts Blair on Iraq The BBC continued to make news rather than merely report it as its former director launched a bitter attack on Prime Minister Tony Blair and its new chief tried to lay out a


NGOs working to topple regime, says Mugabe Harare - President Robert Mugabe has described non-government organisations in Zimbabwe as imperialists working to destabilise the nation.


Gas prices barely budge in last two weeks Oil industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was \$1.88, an increase of a half-cent in the past two weeks.


India tests nuclear-capable missile BHUBANESHWAR, India: India on Sunday successfully tested its indigenous Agni-II ballistic missile, the military said as it announced it was armed with a shorter-range version of the nuclear-capable missile.


Locals were not killed in North Waziristan PESHAWAR: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah on Friday rejected claims that the four men killed in a raid in North Waziristan on last Monday were local tribesmen.


U.S. Envoy Slams Serb PM on War Crimes Handovers  THE HAGUE (Reuters) - A top U.S. envoy accused Serbian  Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica of not doing enough to arrest  leading war crimes suspects on Monday, saying Belgrade had  shown "zero cooperation" with The Hague war crimes tribunal.


It #39;s a mad, mad, mad marathon ATHENSBrazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima was 46 seconds ahead of the pack - only five kilometres from Panathinaiko Stadium and in line for a gold medal in the historic Olympic marathon race.


Sudan peace talks resume as UN deadline approaches ABUJA, nigeriaAs the UN ultimatum for Sudan to disarm murderous militias ticked down to today #39;s deadline, peace talks resumed between the Sudanese government and the rebel groups who accuse it of backing the militia attacks.


Remembering pain of Lodz after decades of forgetting LODZ, PolandSam Weinreich remembers the last time he came to Radegast train station in Poland #39;s second-largest city - the day in 1944 he was forced into a cattle car and sent to Nazi Germany #39;s Auschwitz death camp.


A sweet sixteen SERENA WILLIAMS: Serena is all-purpose with her withdrawals. She withdrew from the Acura Classic at La Costa. She withdrew from the Olympics.


Family #39;s tribute to murdered man The family of the murdered Nottingham man Marvyn Bradshaw are to gather at the spot where he was shot to mark the first anniversary of his death.


Shell, Sinopec launch 187 million dollar service station venture (AFP) AFP - Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec Group) have launched a 187 million dollar service station joint venture, the companies said.


UN deadline on Darfur approaches A deadline for Sudan's government to improve security in troubled Darfur is set to expire later on Monday.


Federer out to open another slammed door FLUSHING MEADOW, N.Y. -- Roger Federer was using his fingers as a comb, beginning at his forehead and gliding backward through his still-wet, mountain-man mane while trying to figure out how he could have won two consecutive Wimbledons and not have advanced beyond the fourth round in four appearances at the US Open.


A sample of things to come ATHENS -- The Games ended here last night with the last runner of the marathon making his way into Panathinaikos Stadium and the Olympic flame being doused a few hours later.


Schumacher beaten, but clinches crown Michael Schumacher even sets records by finishing second. He was runner-up to Kimi Raikkonen in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps yesterday, only the second time in 14 races this season Schumacher did not win. But he did score enough points to clinch an unprecedented seventh Formula One drivers' title.


Ward converts skeptics ATHENS -- Andre Ward never understood why he should settle for less than what he wanted, so he didn't.


US bid for medal blocked ATHENS -- They had their moments. There was the inspiring comeback against Greece, which got them not only to the semifinals, but, even better, to the  quot;Today quot; show set and a live audience with Katie Couric. There was the marked improvement in the standings from the previous meltdowns in Sydney and Atlanta.


France firm over headscarf ban A law banning headscarves in schools will stand, despite demands by a group holding two journalists in Iraq.


Bird Flu Is Back, Raising Fear of Spread Among Humans A case of avian influenza that killed an 11-month-old girl in Vietnam this month has alarmed health officials around the world.


China awards 3 contracts to upgrade rail lines BEIJING Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Alstom of France and Bombardier of Canada have won contracts to help upgrade China #39;s railway network, the official Xinhua news agency said Sunday.


Colleges fear XP update will jam networks By Brian Krebs, Special To The Washington Post  August 30, 2004. Microsoft Corp. #39;s decision to release a major upgrade for its flagship operating system in the same month that hundreds of thousands of students


UN Supports OSS/Free Software In Developing World headisdead writes  quot;This BBC report has details of the IOSN #39;s (International Open Source Network) role in yesterday #39;s Software Freedom Day.


Torch goes out The Olympics closed with praise for the athletes and relief that the event was safe from terrorism. BY RICK MAESE / ORLANDO SENTINEL.


Golf: European Ryder Cup captain Langer explains wild card choices MUNICH, Germany : European Ryder Cup captain Bernard Langer said he plumped for Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald as wild cards, and not Swede Fredrik Jacobson, because he thought they would perform better at the Oakland Hills golf course.


Tough Campaign Ahead for Bush #39;s Australian Ally Ending months of speculation, Australian Prime Minister John Howard has called an election for October 9, when he will become the first of the three


Koh #39;s Death Triggers Speculation on NK Successor In the wake of reports that Koh Young-hee, the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, passed away earlier this month, experts are attempting to weigh the impact her death could have on


Japan land deal aimed at 7E7 wing plant TOKYO - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said today it #39;s in talks to buy a plot of land in central Japan #39;s Nagoya city from Mitsubishi Motors for building aircraft parts.


Labor claims PM #39;s Net Harbour deals breach Spam Act The federal Opposition has asked Australia #39;s spam legislation enforcers to investigate what it claims is a breach of the Spam Act 2004 by the Prime Minister, coalition politicians and a company whose directors include the Prime Minister #39;s son.


Games cross finish with bizarre twis Among the things that have occurred frequently at the 2004 Olympics: Weird happenings, and success by American athletes. In the final event of the Games last night, both were in evidence.


Andretti drivers earn 1-2-3 sweep NAZARETH, Pa. - Dan Wheldon took advantage of a fiery mishap during a pit stop by leader Sam Hornish Jr. and extended Honda #39;s winning streak to 12 races with a record-setting victory Sunday in the last race at Nazareth Speedway.


SA considers Guinea request on Thatcher South Africa #39;s Justice Ministry will on Monday begin studying a request from Equatorial Guinea to question Mark Thatcher, who has been charged in Cape Town with bankrolling an alleged coup plot to topple the government in Malabo.


Shamrock sells wireless stake (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - Israel's Bezeq buys back a 50 share in Pelephone Communications.


Intel claims 65 nanometre breakthrough CHIP GIANT INTEL is expected to announce today that it has succeeded in producing an SRAM using 65 nanometre technology. The chip circuit gates are also a third smaller than using the current 90 nanometre process technology, Intel will claim.


Shell, Sinopec launch US\$187m service venture Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec Group) have launched a US\$187-million service station joint venture, the companies said.


The neglected issue of campaign  #39;04 Iin about 15 years, and probably less, this nation #39;s retirement system will start to run a deficit, according to the Social Security #39;s trustees.


Long-Term Capital #39;s Loss in Tax Case May Help IRS Hinder Abuses Long-Term Capital Management LP, whose failure in 1998 forced a bailout by Wall Street #39;s biggest investment banks, has to pay \$56 million in tax and penalties after a judge said the hedge fund claimed an improper deduction.


China launches science satellite A recoverable science experimental satellite is launched atop a Long March 2C carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu Province, northwest China Aug. 29, 2004.


Asia DRAM Report:Samsung Elec To Up DRAM Output Vs Flash SEOUL (Dow Jones)--A precipitous fall in prices for flash-memory chips and anticipated demand for next-generation DDR2 dynamic random access memory chips has spurred Samsung Electronics Co.


Miracle in Athens a gold-medal drama ATHENS, Greece -- If you recall, my concerns involved car bombings, kidnappings, beheadings and Al Qaeda. So when the scariest moment of the Olympics involves a defrocked, kilt-wearing Irish priest who tackles


Europe Ryder squad settled NORD EICHENRIED, GERMANY -- Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain won his fourth title on the European Tour this season, making three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine to pull away for a two-stroke victory at the BMW International Open.


2nd place enough to give Schumacher 7th F1 title Schumacher was the runner-up to Kimi Raikkonen on Sunday in the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps, only the second time in 14 races this season he didn #39;t win.


Run of birdies wins for Ochoa Kutztown, Pa. -- Lorena Ochoa birdied three of the final four holes yesterday to overcome a five-stroke disadvantage and win the Wachovia LPGA Classic.


No predicting a men #39;s winner Picking the men #39;s winner of the US Open, which will begin today in Flushing Meadows, NY, is no sure thing, based on what happened at the year #39;s two previous Grand Slam events.


The Perfect Ending Dan Wheldon #39;s win leads the Andretti Green Racing Team to a 1-2-3 finish in the final race at Nazareth Speedway. By CHUCK GIVLER.


India tests nuclear-capable Agni missile India Sunday successfully tested the nuclear capable Agni-II missile that can strike at targets as far as China. The missile, which has a range of over 2,000 km, was fired at 12.


China #39;s gross value of import and export reaches US\$ 623.1 bln During the first seven months this years China has further opened to the outside world, says Ma Kai, Director of the State Development Planning Commission.


Intel in new chip breakthrough Intel creates a more powerful memory chip without increasing its size, confounding warnings that the firm had hit its technical limits.


ONGC #39;s 10th acquisition abroad Public sector behemoth Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd on Monday said it has acquired an offshore oil field in Western Australia.


Games join storied history In the posh hotel they occupy, far from the bleak, sun-baked desert that is the main Olympic complex, there must have been a whole bunch of champagne corks popping last night.


Rumors of a Death She was a stunningly beautiful dancer who caught the eye of North Korea #39;s  quot;Dear Leader quot; Kim Jong Il and became his favorite companion.


Carnival Crowds Expected to Top A Million The festival spirit of revellers at the Notting Hill carnival was praised by police today as the colourful summer spectacular entered its second day.


Asset Prices Drift in Thin European Trade  LONDON (Reuters) - Asset prices drifted sideways in Europe  Monday as a public holiday in the UK kept London closed and  sucked liquidity from the region's markets.


Pulling the PBA Out of the Gutter Rob Glaser and his geek pals from Microsoft wanted to revive pro bowling. So they bought the whole damned league. By Tom McNichol from Wired magazine.


Taliban Warns of More Attacks as Kabul Toll Rises  KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The Taliban warned Monday of  more deadly attacks in the run-up to Afghanistan's first  presidential election after a car bomb in the heart of the  capital killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more.


Singapore Rejects U.S. Sex Slavery Charges  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore has questioned a U.S.  government assessment that it has become a sex slave center and  asked Washington to back its charges with evidence.


Intel in new chip breakthrough Intel has created a more powerful memory chip without increasing its size, wrong-footing warnings that the firm had hit its technical limits.


TECH BUZZ: Stamps -- Personalized postage So what if you #39;re not Abe Lincoln or Marilyn Monroe? Now you can get your face on a stamp anyway. Stamps.com has launched a service where you can upload a photo of yourself -- or your dog or your favorite chair -- and get it sent back to you as a stamp.


Sprint, SBC Announce Wi-Fi Roaming Pact Customers of Sprint Corp. and SBC Communications Inc. will be able to use both companies #39; wireless Internet connections with less hassle under a reciprocal deal announced Friday.


Greece signs over to Beijing ATHENS - The 2004 Olympic Games officially came to an end in Athens with a spectacular closing ceremony yesterday. Greek music and dance kicked off an evening of celebration before the flame was extinguished and the flag lowered.


Hewitt serves notice heading to Open When you are as emotional as 24-year-old Luis Horna of Peru, things like courtside noises, forehands that drop off the net cord, and which ball you choose to serve with matter.


Kremlin Choice Appears to Win in Chechnya GROZNY, Russia - The Russian government's choice for president of war-battered Chechnya overwhelmingly won an election that opponents claimed was riddled with fraud, news agencies reported Monday, citing preliminary results.    Although the Kremlin portrayed Sunday's election as a step toward stability, terrorism cast a shadow over balloting with the downing of two Russian airliners five days earlier...


Sony Shows Off New Low-End Digicam \$300 Cyber-shot squeezes high-end performance into its small package.


Streaking Astros Back in Playoff Race (AP) AP - The Houston Astros turned their season around just in time for a playoff push. Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman sparked a testy 10-3 victory Sunday over the Chicago Cubs, and Houston took three of four at Wrigley Field to move within four games of Chicago and San Diego for the NL wild-card lead.


French FM appeals for release of hostages in Iraq (AFP) AFP - French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier made an impassioned plea to try to save the lives of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq as an ultimatum issued by their kidnappers neared expiry.


Israelis Fire Missile at Palestinians (AP) AP - An Israeli helicopter fired a missile Monday toward a car carrying four Palestinian gunmen, but missed and hit a nearby home instead, the militants said.


Tokyo Stocks Slip, Dollar Higher (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks fell Tuesday for the second straight session after new data showed Japan's economy may be headed toward another slowdown. The U.S. dollar edged higher against the Japanese yen.


Supercomputer Seeks Comeback Vector supercomputers, the original giant machines for massive computing tasks, have largely been replaced in recent years by cheaper cluster models. But the vector's maker and many researchers want a comeback.  By Nancy Gohring.


Computer Maker in an Alien World A company that makes odd-looking computers for gamers wants to expand its market. But Alienware execs wonder how many customers will appreciate the glowing alien eyes and other flourishes that have become its signature. By Michelle Delio.


When Viruses Attack A bacteria-eating virus is the star of a new video that could help researchers learn the secrets of viral infection and thereby develop better gene therapies. By Kristen Philipkoski.


A Celebration of Cell-Phone Film Filmmakers who who make tiny movies now have a festival. An independent studio is collecting entries of films made for the small screen -- the cell phone. By Daniel Terdiman.


Mozilla Launching Second Act with E-Mail Client (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Fresh from its Web browser buzz, the open-source group takes on Microsoft with an e-mail application release. Can it repeat its Firefox success?


Homemade Sat Radio Software Bump A Canadian programmer who subscribes to satellite radio writes a little piece of software allowing him to record shows directly onto his PC. Then he sells the program to others. Now the RIAA and XM Radio are busy figuring out how to bust him for it.