British Airways Averts Strike, Agrees Pay With Unions (Update2) British Airways Plc, Europe #39;s second- biggest airline, reached a pay accord with unions, averting a strike planned for the Aug. 27-30 holiday weekend by 11,000 baggage handlers and check-in staff.


Reshaping a Reshaper of Landscapes he Rouse Company, the mall developer and manager that has helped reshape the nation #39;s landscape, agreed yesterday to be acquired by General Growth Properties, the big owner of shopping centers, for \$7.


UPDATE 3-US airlines agree to cut flights at Chicago #39;s O #39;Hare US airlines have agreed to limit flights into Chicago #39;s O #39;Hare International Airport at peak periods to stem record delays that have slowed aviation nationwide, federal officials said on Wednesday.


SEC Rules Expand Disclosure Companies must disclose more information about their business deals and financial obligations starting Monday, when new Securities and Exchange Commission rules take effect.


FCC Puts Hold on Wholesale Phone Rates WASHINGTON Aug. 20, 2004 - Federal regulators Friday imposed a six-month freeze on the rates regional phone companies may charge their competitors to use networks to provide local service.


IE Flaw Affects Windows XP SP2 Systems The  quot;highly criticial quot; vulnerability affects Internet Explorer 5.01, 5.5, and 6 on fully patched PCs running either Windows XP SP1 or the newer SP2.


Latest color pictures from Cassini look like artwork NASA has released three new stunning color pictures taken by the Cassini spacecraft exploring the planet Saturn. The images show the giant planet, its golden rings and several moons.


Apple Recalls PowerBook Batteries Apple Computer this week launched a voluntary worldwide 15-inch PowerBook G4 battery exchange program to deal with 28,000 potentially faulty units.


Phelps: Packing up seven medals ATHENS: Michael Phelps won gold in the 100m butterfly on Friday to take his Olympic medal tally to five gold and two bronze. A medal of any colour now will him equal the record for most medals at a single


More Home stories: Great Britain #39;s gold medal tally now stands at five after Leslie Law was handed the individual three day eventing title - in a courtroom.


Woodgate out to prove his worth at Real Madrid Jonathan Woodgate says he has learned from his past mistakes off the pitch and is now determined to make the headlines solely for his footballing prowess after completing a dream move to Real Madrid.


Forlan aiming for fresh start at Villarreal Uruguay striker Diego Forlan said he was looking for a fresh start after leaving Manchester United to join Primera Liga side Villarreal.


US basketball not only struggling team Take heart, Larry Brown. Yours is not the sole face of frustration at an Olympic basketball tournament that #39;s shaping up as the most compelling since 1988.


Spaniards can lift Liverpool: Benitez Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists his new Spanish signings will help the Reds to become contenders for the English Premiership crown.


Cricket: Anderson offers England victory as Windies lose Lara <b>...</b> LONDON : James Anderson took the crucial wickets of Chris Gayle and Brian Lara as England pressed for victory in the fourth Test against the West Indies at the Oval here.


Blast hits Bangladesh party rally A bomb has exploded at an opposition party rally in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, killing at least one person, witnesses and police say.


Six dead as Nepal rebels vow to step up blockade KATHMANDU : Maoist rebels who have cut off Nepal #39;s capital for four days pledged to expand their blockade to the Tibetan border as fresh violence left six people dead.


Two bombs explode in Spain TWO bombs exploded today in two coastal towns in northwestern Spain, after a tip-off by a caller claiming to represent the Basque separatist organisation ETA, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.


Howard says help at hand PRIME Minister Mr John Howard was yesterday forced to defend Mr Alexander Downer in relation to the Foreign Ministers comments that Australia was not bound to help the US defend Taiwan.


Burundi Agrees to Move Tutsi Refugees to Safety Following last week #39;s massacre of at least 160 Congolese Tutsis at a refugee camp near Burundi #39;s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Burundian government is speeding up efforts to help the United Nations set up more secure camps in the


US demands quick result on Airbus subsidy dispute PARIS, Dec 7 (AFP) - The United States wants rapid progress in resolving a dispute with the European Union on public aid to rival aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus, and will call for World Trade Organisation mediation if US-EU talks do not produce results


Chicago Firm Acquires Rouse for \$7.2 Billion Rouse Co., the real estate developer that transformed America #39;s suburban landscape by creating the indoor shopping mall and self-contained communities far from city centers


British equestrian team get silver Germany have lost their two gold medals in the equestrian three-day eventing competition after France, Britain and the United States won their appeal to sport #39;s highest appeal body.


UPDATE 1-England edge towards series whitewash England made slow progress towards a seventh successive test win with West Indies 274 for six on day three of the fourth test at the Oval on Saturday.


Hobbled Sharon #39;s options limited despite vow to implement Gaza <b>...</b> JERUSALEM Aug 20 - Humiliated by his own party and under pressure from the opposition to call new elections, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appears in no position to ensure the implementation of his Gaza pullout plan.


Bush Touts His Education Agenda on Radio (AP) AP - In a back-to-school message, President Bush says that while many public schools aren't making the grade, he should get high marks from voters for the No Child Left Behind Act.


U.S. Chain Store Sales Rise (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. chain store sales rose in the\week ended December 4, as average sales were generally ahead of\last year, but customer counts were down, a report said on\Tuesday.


Edwards Faults Bush for Overtime Pay Cuts (Reuters) Reuters - Vice presidential candidate John\Edwards on Saturday assailed a new Bush administration policy\that excludes millions of Americans from overtime pay and\promised that the Democratic ticket would ensure that workers\are rewarded for their efforts.


'Mercenaries' avoid deportation Seventy men held in Zimbabwe accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea will not be extradited.


Edwards Denounces New Overtime Rules WASHINGTON - In blasting new overtime rules that take effect Monday, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards says he can't understand why the Bush administration wants to undermine a system that rewards workers who toil long hours.   "If you work hard, then you should be rewarded for that effort," Edwards said Saturday in the Democrats' weekly radio address...


Chavez #39;s victory The reaction by Venezuela #39;s opposition to the failed effort to recall President Hugo Chavez was disorganized and misguided. The two dozen groups behind the recall never worked together on a political message


Swimming: Phelps Wins a Classic Then Steps Aside Michael Phelps, who thrilled packed crowds for a week with his record-breaking feats in the pool, bowed out in true style on the penultimate evening of the Athens Olympic swimming competition.


Cink leads from Woods after second round of NEC Ryder Cup captain #39;s pick Stewart Cink continued his assault on the \$7 million NEC Invitational after completing his rain-delayed second round in two-under-par 68 on Saturday.


Judges suspended for scoring error, but Hamm keeps gold Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - American Paul Hamm will get to keep his gold medal for the all-around competition, even though the International Gymnastics Federation announced the suspension of three judges for a scoring error that would have given


Iraqi Sadr Militia Maintain Control of Najaf Shrine, BBC Says Supporters of Iraqi Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr remain in control of the Imam Ali mosque in the southern city of Najaf after 16 days of fighting with US-led forces, the British Broadcasting Corp.


Nepalese rebels set off bombs in capital Kathmandu - Nepalese rebels shot a policeman and set off two bombs in Kathmandu on Friday while keeping up a blockade that has isolated the capital since midweek to press demands for the release of rebels held by the government.


Russian Peacekeepers Move Into S. Ossetia Hoping to end persistent skirmishing, peacekeepers moved into areas near South Ossetia #39;s capital to separate Georgian troops and fighters from the breakaway region, officials said Friday.


Pakistan army says Al-Qaeda-linked militants killed near Afghan <b>...</b> ISLAMABAD : Pakistani forces have killed  quot;a few quot; militants in operations to flush out Al-Qaeda linked rebels in the northwestern tribal region near the border with Afghanistan, the military said Saturday.


Hutu killers  #39;ready for international court #39; The Hutu rebel movement which claims responsibility for last week #39;s massacre of Congolese Tutsis at a refugee camp in Burundi says, unrepentantly, it is ready to appear before an international tribunal.


Astronauts May Soon Wear Germ-Fighting Clothes KINSTON, N.C. (AP) -- Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, undersea explorers are living a safer life thanks to germ-fighting clothing made in Kinston...


Edwards denounces new overtime rules In blasting new overtime rules that take effect Monday, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards says he can #39;t understand why the Bush administration wants to undermine a system that rewards workers who toil long hours.


Hollinger Inc. Director Rohmer May Leave Board, Post Reports Richard Rohmer, a friend of Conrad Black and director of Black #39;s holding company, Hollinger Inc., may resign from the board as early as next week because he #39;s tired of dealing with complex


Leading Indicators, Jobless Claims Fall NEW YORK Aug. 19, 2004 - Offering more evidence that the nation #39;s economic recovery is losing steam, a closely watched gauge of future business activity fell in July for the second consecutive month.


Girl-next-door Gemma is all the vogue in America NEDLANDS teenager Gemma Ward has scored one of the biggest coups of her short modelling career - the cover of style bible American Vogue.


Cricket: England whitewash England beat the West Indies by 10 wickets to seal a 4-0 series whitewash.


New Painkiller Produces Fewer Side Effects By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter    HealthDayNews -- A new painkiller, one of the family of COX-2 inhibitors, appears to be as safe as certain other drugs when it comes to cardiac effects.    And it's safer than other drugs that can cause gastrointestinal complications, new research contends...


Exercise Pays Off in Long Run The effects of behavior modification programs designed to encourage physical activity last for at least three months after completion of such programs, says a new report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).


Google Sets Possible Precedent for Future IPOs While Google Inc. (GOOG) made some well publicized mistakes leading up to its initial public offering, the IPO still brought in \$1.1 billion for the company and more than \$450 million for its founders and initial investors. But was the company's unique Dutch auction system successful enough for other companies to follow Google's lead?


United Given New Deadline to Devise Plan A federal bankruptcy court judge on Friday gave United Airlines another 30 days to come up with a restructuring plan, but he warned the airline and its warring unions


Red Cross volunteer joins Florida efforts John Souza, a volunteer with the Boone County chapter of the American Red Cross, is the second Columbia resident to join efforts to assist people who were affected by Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley.


Treasury 10-Year Notes Hold Close to April High for Second Week US 10-year Treasury notes finished for a second week at the highest since April, on speculation record oil prices will hinder economic growth, prompting the Federal Reserve to slow the pace of interest-rate increases.


More Than 300,000 Vie for 3,000 LA Port Jobs More than 300,000 people participated in a lottery on Thursday for 3,000 well-paying longshore jobs at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where shipping volumes are booming, a Pacific Maritime Association spokesman said.


South Africa win Tri-nations title DURBAN, South Africa -- South Africa beat Australia 23-19 to regain the Tri-nations title after a five-year break. Percy Montgomery and wing Breyton Paulse received yellow cards which put the Springboks under


Wambach #39;s boot boosts US into semifinals Abby Wambach will never score an easier goal. From 1 foot away, she tapped the ball into the net and put the United States into the Olympic semifinals.


Morocco Arrests 64 Migrants Trying to Reach Spain  RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's navy arrested 64 Moroccans  trying to reach Spain illegally on a rubber speed boat,  official news agency MAP said on Saturday.


Google Go Lucky One of Googles earliest features was a simple button beneath its search box that reads Im feeling lucky. The intention is for info-hungry masses to enter search terms, click on the lucky button and, voila, land on precisely the web page


Chavez Urges Foes to Accept Defeat, Scoffs at Fraud Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday urged his opponents to recognize his recall referendum victory and pledged dialogue even with his  quot;most bitter enemies


Google Faces Challenge of Public Company Status Your name is synonymous with searching the Internet, and you #39;ve just raised roughly \$1.7 billion from investors by going public.


Greene set to back up big talk and he has said it in London, said it in Zurich and already said it here in Athens - he only had to turn up to retain his Olympic 100 metres title.


Sudan Dismisses UN Warning Of New Refugee Exodus To Chad KHARTOUM, Aug 21 (AFP) - Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail Saturday dimissed a UN warning that some 30,000 people displaced by the civil war in Darfur were poised to join a mounting exodus to neighbouring Chad.


Opposition rejects audit of Chvez recall vote CARACAS The Venezuelan electoral authorities on Thursday conducted a random audit of the referendum that confirmed President Hugo Chvez #39;s mandate, but the opposition rejected it and said the vote was a fraud.


POLITICAL POINTS  3:33 PM Taking Care of Business resident Bush will chalk up a victory on a contentious labor issue on Monday, but Democrats intend to work overtime to make him pay a political price.


U.S. Troops Clash with Shi'ite Militia in Najaf (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. troops clashed with Shi'ite\militiamen in Najaf on Saturday, interrupting a day of relative\calm in the holy city with the sound of mortar,\rocket-propelled grenade and machinegun fire, witnesses said.


Britain's Lewis out of heptathlon (AFP) AFP - Britain's defending Olympic Games heptathlon champion Denise Lewis withdrew from the event after the fifth discipline.


Sudan vows open mind in Darfur talks -- but no magic wand in sight (AFP) AFP - Sudan has pledged an open mind going into peace talks with rebels from the war-ravaged western Darfur region and is apparently seeking to use accords it signed with southern fighters as a model to settle the conflict.


U.S. Troops Clash with Shi'ite Militia in Najaf  NAJAF (Reuters) - U.S. troops clashed with Shi'ite  militiamen in Najaf on Saturday, interrupting a day of relative  calm in the holy city with the sound of mortar,  rocket-propelled grenade and machinegun fire, witnesses said.


Google scores first-day bump of 18 Even a big first-day jump in shares of Google (GOOG) couldn #39;t quiet debate over whether the Internet search engine #39;s contentious auction was a hit or a flop.


Mastering Madden NFL isn #39;ta snap It #39;s that time of year again, when normally affable, outgoing people abandon their families for hours at a time to stare enraptured at their TV screens.


Half of US Web Users Now on Broadband -- Report More than half of all US residential Internet users reached the Web via fast broadband connections in July, outpacing use of slower, dial-up connections for the first time


Global LCD Oversupply to Peak in Q3 A global oversupply of large-sized liquid crystal displays (LCDs) is forecast to peak in the third quarter of this year, but it will balance out by the fourth quarter, a US-based research firm said on Friday.


Athletics: Olympic Record For Bekele, Webb Eliminated From 1500 <b>...</b> The biggest applause at Olympic Stadium yesterday, the first day of athletics competition, didnt come for Greek heptathlete Aryiro Strataki or triple jumper Hristos Meletoglou


Drugs found in raid on Greek coach #39;s store Greek police found nutritional supplements containing banned stimulants and steroids in a raid on premises used by the sprint coach at the centre of the Athens Olympics


Soccer: Real wanted England international Woodgate despite injury LONDON : England international defender Jonathan Woodgate, Real Madrid #39;s new recruit from Newcastle, will be out of action for a month but that did not deter the Spanish giants from signing him.


Olympics: American sprint stars throw down 100m gauntlet ATHENS : America #39;s 100 metres sprint stars threw down the gauntlet at the Olympics but their Carribean rivals replied with a double salvo of their own to give the blue riband event an added edge.


FORLAN SEALS SPANISH SWITCH Villarreal have completed the signing of Manchester United misfit Diego Forlan on a five-year deal. The Uruguayan hit-man never convinced during his time at Old Trafford following a 7.


South Africa win Tri-Nations A SECOND-HALF Springbok blitz gave South Africa their first Tri-Nations rugby title in six years with a win over Australia at Kings Park.


Sudan, UN Sign Deal on  #39;Refugees Return #39; KHARTOUM, August 21 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - Eight days before the expiry of the UN Security Council deadline on Darfur, Sudan said it would disarm militias in the troubled area gradually, and signed a deal with the United Nations saying it


Rahul the  #39;darling #39; at AICC conclave New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today virtually took a back seat at the AICC session which saw many delegates hailing Rahul Gandhi as the future leader with not so subtle hints.


Surefire Google Adwords Formula Surefire Google Adwords Formula\\Success with Google Adwords isn't quite as easy as some would have you believe. Still just about anyone who is persistent can succeed if they'll but implement a consistent testing program. Since testing can produce a nearly constant improvement in your click through rate (CTR).\\Heres the surefire ...


A Key Year for Willingham, Notre Dame (AP) AP - Will Tyrone Willingham be the next Ara Parseghian or the next Bob Davie?


Judging Error Gave Hamm Gold ATHENS, Greece - Paul Hamm's gold medal just lost its luster. A scoring mistake at the all-around gymnastics final cost South Korea's Yang Tae-young the gold that ended up going to Hamm, the International Gymnastics Federation ruled Saturday...


Phelps Will End Olympics Cheering for Team ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps doesn't mind making history while sitting in the stands. The man who dominated the attention at the Olympic pool gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker...


Militia, Shiite Leaders Bicker Over Shrine NAJAF, Iraq - Militants loyal to firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr remained in control of a revered Shiite shrine at the center of the crisis in Najaf on Saturday, as they bickered with top Shiite religious leaders over how to hand the holy site over.    As the standoff dragged on, heavy clashes broke out for about 45 minutes near the cemetery and the Old City on Saturday afternoon between al-Sadr's militiamen and U.S...


Oil prices slip back after coming close to \$50 level Oil prices surged closer to \$50 a barrel after hitting yet another record high in the US yesterday, as confusion reigned over the fate of Najaf, sparking fresh fears about Iraq #39;s oil supplies.


Rouse Sale Ends Independence of Unique Visionary The \$7.2 billion sale of The Rouse Co. marks the end of a fiercely independent real estate and shopping mall company that oversaw America #39;s 20th Century migration from


New OT rules to take effect In an unprecedented overhaul of the nations overtime pay rules, the Bush administration is delivering to its business allies an election-year plum theyve sought for decades.


Activities Slowly Resume in Florida Schools Hit Hard by Storm The Lemon Bay Manta Rays were not going to let a hurricane get in the way of football. On Friday, they headed to the practice field for the first time in eight


Nation-wide Truckers Strike Evokes Mixed Response New Delhi, August 21 (NNN): An indefinite nationwide strike of truckers protesting against the imposition of service tax on Saturday evoked mixed response with a section of transporters in Karnataka and Tamilnadu staying away from the protest.


Criticism heaped on Caltrans as bridge costs spiral upward \$19 <b>...</b> Demolition of the 1927 span of the Carquinez Bridge, projected by Caltrans engineers to cost \$16 million, will likely climb to about \$35 million, according to a Bechtel Corp.


Judge Revokes Mine Permit in Florida FORT MYERS, Fla. - A federal judge Friday revoked a permit to develop a limestone mine amid 6,000 acres of habitat that could be used by the endangered Florida panther.


Russia helps Malaysia develop space industry Moscow, Aug 21 (VNA) - Russian Roskosmos space agency will help Malaysia build a space and satellite controlling centre and will help develop Malaysia #39;s space programme, said Russian Federal Space Agency head Anatoly Perminov while meeting his Malaysian


Four golds in a row for Pinsent British rower Matthew Pinsent won a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal when Team GB #39;s coxless fours crew triumphed in Greece.


Afghan woman basks in Olympic moment The fireworks shot out from the top of the Olympic Stadium, the grand finale of the Opening Ceremonies lighting up the Athens sky.


Forlan confirms move Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan signed with Villareal in order to obtain regular playing time. The Uruguay international was unveiled with the Spanish outfit on Saturday after passing a medical.


US women back on right track The US Women #39;s National Team did not string together a complete 90 minutes of soccer in beating Japan 2-1 in its Olympic quarterfinal on Friday, however, it was the side #39;s finest performance of the tournament so far.


Militants bicker over surrender of shrine Najaf, Iraq - Militants loyal to firebrand Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr remained in control of a revered shrine at the centre of the crisis in Najaf on Saturday as they bickered with top Shia leaders over how to hand the holy site over.


Rwanda vows to defend against rebels based in Congo Rwanda will defend its people if armed extremists based in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) cross the border into the country to carry out similar attacks


China Invokes Deng to Send Tough Taiwan Message China invoked late leader Deng Xiaoping on Saturday in its campaign to recover Taiwan, lauding his proposal to recover the island by a  quot;one country, two systems quot; formula but saying he never gave up the threat of force.


Vote Audit Confirms Chavez Recall Win Fair-Official (Reuters) Reuters - An audit done by\international observers has confirmed that President Hugo\Chavez beat a recall referendum and that the vote was fair, an\electoral council official said on Saturday.


Vote Audit Confirms Chavez Recall Win Fair-Official  CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - An audit done by  international observers has confirmed that President Hugo  Chavez beat a recall referendum and that the vote was fair, an  electoral council official said on Saturday.


Insurers Object to a Major Part of Medicare Law Private insurers have told the Bush administration that they will not expand their role in Medicare if they have to serve large multistate regions.


Tubes, Pump and Fragile Hope Keep a Baby's Heart Beating In a desperate move to save an infant, doctors sought a device they had never tried before: a miniaturized pump called the Berlin Heart.


Truckers strike to protest service tax NEW DELHI: Over three million trucks went off the Indian roads on Saturday as truckers launched their indefinite nationwide strike to protest against the imposition of a service tax on transport booking agents.


Plano Family Waits For Bobcats PLANOTexas - The traps are out as a Plano family waits to see if a bobcat #39;s kittens take the bait. The mother bobcat was captured Wednesday, and one of three kittens was captured Friday morning.


Lindows halts stock release Linux supplier Lindows has announced it has called a halt to the initial public offering of its common stock after filing for registration in April.


Great Britain wins gold again in track cycling Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - For the second straight day a Briton captured gold at the Olympic Velodrome. Bradley Wiggins won the men #39;s individual 4,000-meter pursuit Saturday, one day after teammate


Sit-In Halts Neo-Nazi March Residents of the northern Bavarian town of Wunsiedel temporarily stopped a neo-Nazi march to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the death of Rudolf Hess, Hitler #39;s deputy, who had been jailed for life in 1946.


Crawford, Four Others Post Fast 100 Times (AP) AP - It was only the second round of the 100 meters, yet the world's top sprinters already were playing a lightning-quick game of "Can You Top This?" Five men broke 10 seconds Saturday, with Shawn Crawford's time of 9.89 the best of the round. And several top competitors slowed before the end, which means there could be some incredibly fast times in the semifinals and final Sunday night.


Andre Rison Signs With CFL Club (AP) AP - Former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison signed with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, less than two weeks after a U.S. judge ordered his arrest for failing to pay child support.


Latin America on Alert for Terror MONTERREY, Mexico - Governments throughout Mexico and Central America are on alert as evidence grows that al-Qaida members are traveling in the region and looking for recruits to carry out attacks in Latin America - the potential last frontier for international terrorism.    The territory could be a perfect staging ground for Osama bin Laden's militants, with homegrown rebel groups, drug and people smugglers, and corrupt governments...


Iraq Pulls Off Another Soccer Stunner IRAKLION, Greece - The Iraqi soccer team is one victory away from an improbable trip to the podium. Emad Mohammed's 12-yard bicycle kick in the 64th minute gave Iraq a 1-0 victory over Australia in the quarterfinals Saturday, putting the invaded, war-torn country in position to compete for only its second Olympic medal in the nation's history...


NASA prepares to catch a falling star sample NASA #39;s three-year effort to bring some genuine star dust back to Earth is set for a dramatic finale Sept. 8 when Hollywood helicopter pilots will attempt a midair retrieval of a descending space capsule.


NetApp strengthens partnership with Oracle and VERITAS By edu h. lopez. Network Appliance (NetApp) has unveiled its strategy for the Philippine market as it strengthens its strategic partnership with Oracle and VERITAS.


Broadband Use Passes Dial-Up Just over half of US Internet users now connect through broadband, according to a new survey. Nielsen/Netratings reports that in July, 51 percent of Internet users had DSL, cable, or other fast


French equestrinan protest finally upheld Four days after the competition was held, France was finally awarded a gold medal Saturday in the Olympic equestrian three-day team event.


Alonso seals Liverpool move  quot;I #39;m going to a club with a lot of history and a great present, quot; Alonso told a press conference here in the presence of Real Sociedad president Jose Luis Astiarzan.


Wiggins adds Britain #39;s 2nd velodrome gold Britain #39;s Bradley Wiggins won the gold medal in men #39;s individual pursuit Saturday, finishing the 4,000-meter final in 4:16.


Cleric Maintains His Hold on Najaf Shrine, Even While Saying He #39;ll <b>...</b> The Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr remained in control of a holy shrine here on Saturday in defiance of the Iraqi government, even as his aides said they were making


At least 14 people killed, 200 injured in Bangladesh #39;s bomb blasts At least 14 people were killed and over 200 injured, as a series of bombs and grenades exploded through a rally here organized by the main opposition the Awami League Saturday


Sharon, Arafat Defy Demands From Backers JERUSALEM Aug. 19, 2004 - Embattled leaders Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat rebuffed demands from their backers Thursday, holding steadfast to positions posing great political risk: Sharon insisted he will


Swimming: Phelps Wins Eighth Medal at Athens Games  ATHENS (Reuters) - American swimmer Michael Phelps won an  Olympic record-equaling eighth medal at the Athens Games when  the U.S. team took gold in the men's 4x100 meters medley relay  Saturday.


G.O.P. Vows to Offer Detailed Agenda at Its Convention Republicans also said they would seek to turn any disruptions at the convention to their advantage, by portraying protests as Democratic-sanctioned displays of disrespect for a sitting president.


Sunday Without Favorite Comic? Not So Funny Newspapers across the country have been engaging in discussions about whether their current rosters of comics are a luxury, given the current dreary economics of the newspaper business.


Passenger #39;s horror tale illustrates the madness at O #39;Hare When you are flying out of Lambert Field, 66-year-old Norma J. Oermann has some simple advice. Avoid Chicago #39;s O #39;Hare airport at all cost.


Google #39;s Disappointment Chills Lindows #39; IPO Ardor Execs postponed their IPO after Google backed off previous estimates of how much it would charge for its own IPO. By Larry Greenemeier.


East Africans dominate day Americans lag in men #39;s 10,000 Athens -- It #39;s always a pleasure watching masters of their craft at work, and such a moment occurred Friday night on the first full day of Olympic track and field competition when men with long-distance motors lined up for the final of the 10,000 meters.


Running (Not Hiding) From the Doping Police THEY do not approach their subjects wearing lab coats to indicate a) they work behind the Clinique counter at Saks, or b) they test for drug cheats at the Olympics.


David Davies gets swimming bronze Australia #39;s Grant Hackett has won the 1500 metres freestyle at the Athens Olympics to become just the fourth man to win the race twice at the Olympics.


Crawford leads way to 100 semifinals ATHENS, Greece - United States sprinters Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin and Maurice Greene advanced to the semifinals of the men #39;s 100-meter race on Saturday.


Aussies Upset U.S. Women in Medley Relay (AP) AP - Petria Thomas overtook Jenny Thompson on the third leg of the Olympic women's 400-meter medley relay Saturday night, helping Australia upset the United States in world-record time.


Soccer: Euphoric Iraq Reach Semi-Finals  ATHENS (Reuters) - Iraq's footballers extended their  fairytale run at the Athens Olympics Saturday, beating  Australia 1-0 to reach the semi-finals of the men's tournament.


Golf: Stewart Cink Leads NEC Invitational American golfer Stewart Cink has the lead after completing the rain-delayed second round of the World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational tournament in Akron, Ohio.


Scoring questioned in men #39;s all-around gymnastics event The International Gymnastics Federation opened an investigation Friday morning into the scoring of the men #39;s all-around competition.


Law rules after court overturns German gold Leslie Law tonight became Great Britain #39;s first eventing gold medallist since 1972 - without leaving his Hereford home. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld the combined British, French and American


Woodgate move has Robson #39;s blessing Woodgate, 24, has passed a stringent medical in the Spanish capital and will today sign a four-year deal - with the option of an extra year - at the Bernabeu following his 15.


Henin-Hardenne in third round ATHENS, Aug. 17. - World No 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne, sidelined for 11 weeks by a debilitating virus, swept into the third round of the Olympic tennis tournament today with a straight sets win over Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela.


South Africa wins Tri-Nations rugby South Africa held off Australia 23-19 in a dramatic finale and won the Tri-Nations rugby title for the first time since 1998 on Saturday at King #39;s Park.


Explosions Target Bangladesh Opposition Rally In Bangladesh, a series of explosions at an opposition party rally, where a former prime minister was speaking, killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens of others.


Georgia Announces Troop Pullback in Rebel Region Georgia said on Friday its troops had withdrawn after seizing strategic ground in a rebel territory, in a move sure to be welcomed by Washington alarmed at a drift toward war in an economically vital region.


Waiting For Google NEW YORK - Benjamin Franklin, that annoying know-it-all, famously said,  quot;Never put off until tomorrow that which you can do today.


How Michigan athletes fared at the Olympics Olympic events involving athletes and coaches with connections to Michigan. All listed are on Team USA unless otherwise indicated: Andre Dirrell of Flint advanced into the boxing quarterfinals, needing


Bombs Kill 12 at Bangladesh Opposition Rally At least 12 people were killed and 100 wounded in a bomb attack on Saturday on an opposition rally in Bangladesh #39;s capital, police and witnesses said.


Friends and curious turn out for goodbye to alleged Montreal Mob boss (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - At least 200 people paid their final respects Saturday to Frank Cotroni, the reputed head of the Montreal Mafia who died of cancer at the age of 72.


Judging Error Led to Paul Hamm's Gold ATHENS, Greece - Paul Hamm's gold medal just lost its luster. A scoring mistake at the all-around gymnastics final cost South Korea's Yang Tae-young the gold that ended up going to Hamm, the International Gymnastics Federation ruled Saturday...


Sampanis denies doping GREECE #39;S first Athens medallist Leonidas Sampanis today denied taking banned substances despite testing positive for the male hormone testosterone.


Puerto Ricans break Boomers #39; hearts Australia #39;s hopes of an Olympic Games men #39;s basketball quarter-final berth slumped with a heart-breaking 87-82 loss to Puerto Rico.


Harmison tops Test ratings Steve Harmison has become the first England bowler for more than two decades to lead the Test rankings. Harmison, who took 17 wickets in the series win over West Indies, has topped the PWC Ratings.


Scores killed in Bangladesh blast A series of bombs have exploded at an opposition rally in Bangladesh #39;s capital, killing at least 14 people and injuring hundreds, witnesses and news reports have said.


Rebels Explode Two Bombs in Katmandu Suspected Maoist rebels shot and wounded a policeman and detonated two powerful bombs in Katmandu on Friday to reinforce a blockade of the Nepali capital to press for the release of jailed guerrillas.


Venezuelan audit confirms victory Venezuela's electoral officials say an audit of the vote on President Hugo Chavez's rule shows it was fair.


Stocks End Week on High Note Despite rising oil prices, US stocks this week had their biggest rally since October, as investors reacted to some positive economic indicators, the easing of tensions in Iraq and


10 Killed by Bombs at Bangladesh Rally DHAKA, Bangladesh Aug. 21, 2004 - A series of bombs exploded as a top Bangladeshi opposition leader was speaking at a rally from atop a truck Saturday, killing at least 14 people and injuring hundreds, witnesses and news reports said.


Pakistan Says Holds Suspects Planning Major Attacks (Reuters) Reuters - Pakistan has arrested up to six\people, including an Egyptian national, suspected of planning\major attacks in the capital Islamabad, Information Minister\Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Saturday.


Dollar Hits New Low Against Euro The U.S. dollar sank to a new all-time low against the euro Tuesday as a mini-rally in the U.S. currency sputtered out.


U.S. Wins Medley Relay The United States wins the men's 400-meter medley relay in world-record time Saturday night, giving Michael Phelps his record eighth medal of the Athens Olympics.


Plane Delays From O #39;Hare Even if you never fly through Chicago, your plane may end up delayed because of congestion at the O #39;Hare Airport. Delays there cause a ripple effect through the country #39;s entire air-traffic system.


Drugstore Offers New Wave of Disposable Cameras Pharmacy chain CVS Corp. (CVS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said it would offer the world #39;s first disposable digital camera with a bright color viewing screen that allows consumers to instantly preview pictures.


Smit lauds Boks resolve South Africa skipper John Smit paid tribute to his team #39;s resilience after the 23-19 victory over Australia, which won them the 2004 Tri-Nations.


Australia Sets World Record in Women #39;s 400-Meter Medley Relay Australia set a world record in the women #39;s 400-meter medley relay at the Olympics, as Giaan Rooney, Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas and Jodie Henry covered the distance in 3 minutes, 57.


Americans Fail to Qualify in Cycling Their times were fast. So were their exits. American cyclists were simply overmatched on the speedy Olympic velodrome Saturday, all getting bounced in the preliminaries.


Soldiers kill Palestinian near Gaza-Israel fence Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian as he approached a security fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israeli military sources said today.


Brazil tribe prove words count When it comes to counting, a remote Amazonian tribespeople have been found to be lost for words. Researchers discovered the Piraha tribe of Brazil, with a population of 200, have no words beyond one, two and many.


Sobrero Markgraf And Boxx One Win Away From Olympic Medals Former Irish soccer stars to play with Team USA in Monday #39;s semifinals vs. Germany (Aug. 23, 10:00 am South Bend time on MSNBC); Gonzalez and Mexico fall to Brazil in quarterfinals.


Kidnappers lift death threat on US journalist An aide to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr says Iraqi kidnappers have lifted their death threat on a US journalist. The aide says he has spoken to mediators who say they #39;re working out a way to have Micah Garen of New York released.


German police detain 74 neo-Nazis Anti-Nazi groups held counter-demonstrations, some holding banners proclaiming  quot;Neo-Nazis are a joke quot;. Hess was found hanged in his prison cell in the Spandau district of Berlin in 1987.


Absent Phelps Gets Eighth Medal  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States broke the world record  to win the men's 4x100 meters medley relay at the Athens  Olympics Saturday and allow Michael Phelps to match Soviet  gymnast Alexander Dityatin's 1980 record for the most medals at  one Games.


Basketball: Lithuania Shoots Down United States  ATHENS (Reuters) - Sarunas Jasikevicius went on a shooting  spree in the last three minutes of play to lift Lithuania to a  94-90 victory over the United States in the men's Olympic  basketball tournament Saturday.


Graphic Designer Fired After Heckling Bush (AP) AP - A man who heckled President Bush at a political rally was fired from his job at an advertising and design company for offending a client who provided tickets to the event.


Olympics: Swimming Ends with U.S. and Australian Records  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States and Australia set  world records in the men's and women's 4x100 medley relay races  on Saturday, the final day of swimming competition at the  Athens 2004 Olympics.


Henin Blasts Her Way to Gold  By Ossian Shine  ATHENS (Reuters) - Justine Henin-Hardenne blasted her way to  Olympic gold Saturday, beating Amelie Mauresmo 6-3, 6-3 in a  clash of the world's top two players.


U.S. Men Set World Record, Without Phelps ATHENS, Greece - The United States won the men's 400-meter medley relay in world-record time Saturday night, giving Michael Phelps his record eighth medal of the Athens Olympics without him getting into the pool. Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Ian Crocker and Jason Lezak won in 3 minutes, 30.68 seconds, lowering the old mark of 3:31.54 set by the Americans at last year's world championships in Barcelona, Spain...


Lithuania Deals Dream Team Second Loss ATHENS, Greece - Redemption came from the perfect spot - the 3-point line - for Sarunas Jasikevicius. The Lithuanian guard, whose off-target 3-pointer kept his team from pulling off the biggest upset of the Sydney Olympics, didn't miss when it counted Saturday night against the Americans in a thrilling 94-90 victory...


Another Bad Dream Sarunas Jasikevicius shoots Lithuania's men's basketball team to a 94-90 victory over the United States on Saturday, America's second loss of the Athens Games.


Mixed response to strike  AIMTC rebuts Govt claims Trucks parked at Yashwanthpur in Bangalore on Saturday following the indefinite strike called by the All-India Motor Transport Congress.


Olympics-Henin sets gold standard in thrilling comeback Justine Henin-Hardenne staged one of the greatest comebacks of her career to fight back from 5-1 down in the final set and beat French Open champion Anastasia Myskina


Pakistan foils al-Qaeda attacks PAKISTANI security agencies have arrested nearly a dozen al-Qaeda-linked terror suspects who allegedly plotted to attack key sites including military headquarters, the US embassy and parliament.


TCU, Louisville Try to Leave C-USA Champs (AP) AP - TCU helped change the Bowl Championship Series, even though its season ended at home. The Horned Frogs won their first 10 games last season, and reached sixth in the BCS standings, the highest ranking for a team not in one of the BCS conferences. A loss at Southern Miss ended TCU's bid of becoming the first BCS outsider to break into a big-money bowl game. That also cost the Frogs the Conference USA title and sent them to the inaugural Fort Worth Bowl.


Lithuania Shoots Down U.S. in Men's Olympic Basketball  ATHENS (Reuters) - Sarunas Jasikevicius went on a shooting  spree in the last three minutes of play to lift Lithuania to a  94-90 victory over the United States in the men's Olympic  basketball tournament Saturday.


Boehner Favored in Taped Phone Call Case (AP) AP - A federal judge has sided with Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, in his six-year-old lawsuit against Rep. James McDermott, D-Wash., over an illegally recorded phone call.


Lithuania Upsets the United States The U.S. men's basketball team lost to Lithuania, 94-90, today at the Olympic Games.


Life without numbers in a unique Amazon tribe 11=2. Mathematics doesn #39;t get any more basic than this, but even 11 would stump the brightest minds among the Piraha tribe of the Amazon.


Ulmer breaks world record in qualifying New Zealand #39;s Sarah Ulmer dealt her rivals a heavy psychogical blow today, reclaiming her individual pursuit world record in magnificent fashion at a sweltering Olympic Velodrome here today.


Pakistan Says Holds Suspects Planning Major Attacks Pakistan has arrested up to six people, including an Egyptian national, suspected of planning major attacks in the capital Islamabad, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Saturday.


Iraqis Celebrate Olympic Victory with Bullets  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqis, weary of violence and  deprivation, erupted in wild celebration Saturday after their  national soccer team beat Australia 1-0 in the Athens Games.


Neo-Nazis arrested at Hess march German police detain 110 people at a march to mark the death of Adolf Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess.


Moveon.org subscriber-data leaked through search Subscribers to Moveon.org #39;s mailing lists may have found their interest in the anti-Bush political site a matter of public record.


Henin-Hardenne wins Olympic gold The world number one broke a jittery Mauresmo twice to take the opening set and the Frenchwoman failed to get a foot-hold in the second set.


Judging Error Led to Hamm #39;s Gold Paul Hamm thought his fantastic finish was too good to be true. Maybe he was right. The International Gymnastics Federation ruled Saturday that Yang Tae-young was unfairly docked


WPP Profit Up 11, Aided by Global Advertising Upturn The WPP Group, the world #39;s second-largest advertising and marketing company, reported on Friday that profit for the first half of the year rose 11 percent, providing further


Olympic Swimming Ends with U.S., Australian Records  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States and Australia set  world records in the men's and women's 4x100 medley relay races  Saturday, the final day of swimming competition at the Athens  2004 Olympics.


Pakistan Says It Holds Suspects Planning Big Attacks  ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has arrested up to 10 al  Qaeda suspects, including two Egyptians, suspected of planning  major suicide attacks against the government and the U.S.  embassy earlier this month, ministers said Saturday.


Phelps Has Front-Row Seat for Record Swim ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps had a front-row seat at the pool, and made Olympic history without ever getting wet. Decked out in a white shirt, khaki shorts and flip-flops, Phelps led cheers and waved an American flag while his teammates did all the work in the 400-meter individual medley Saturday night...


Fight Over Kerry's War Record Escalates WASHINGTON - John Kerry's Vietnam War service records run to multiple medal commendations and a notation of "conspicuous gallantry" in combat. President Bush's file tracks the stateside career of a National Guard test pilot...


Judging Error Led to Hamm's Gold ATHENS, Greece - Paul Hamm thought his fantastic finish was too good to be true. Maybe he was right...


Carter Center, OAS Confirm Chavez Victory After Audit (Update1) The Carter Center and the Organization of American States said an audit of returns from Sunday #39;s recall vote won by President Hugo Chavez found no evidence of irregularities.


Edwards blasts new OT rules In Saturday radio address, VP candidate says measure curtails pay at a time workers need it. ATLANTA (CNN) - Calling to mind his days unloading tractor trailers during the summer, Sen. John Edwards blasted


Chilean Beats Dent for Tennis Bronze It #39;s safe to say Justine Henin-Hardenne is back on top of her game. She #39;s healthy for the first time in months - and has a gold medal to prove it.


MONTY ON TRACK FOR WILD CARD Barring a miracle tomorrow Colin Montgomerie will now need a wild card to be part of Europe #39;s bid to retain the Ryder Cup next month.


Vijay Singh win more than 10 million US dollars in one season Singh ended the five-year reign of Tiger Woods as world number one in September, defeating Woods in a man-to-man duel for the Deutche Bank Championship title to confirm his supremacy.


U.S. Signals Flexibility on Israeli Settlement Growth  CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - The Bush administration  signaled on Saturday that it may accept limited growth within  existing Israeli settlements in the West Bank in a shift that  could help embattled Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.


Can OHare trims help Gary gain? Flight reductions announced Wednesday by 16 major airlines serving ChicagosOHare International Airport are expected to improve nationwide on-time performance but


Truckers begin All-India strike With the All India Motor Transport Congress rejecting the government #39;s last-minute bid for a negotiated settlement, truck owners have gone on an indefinite strike demanding the scrapping of service tax.


Reading Sharon #39;s Mind In a much-noted speech last week, Israels Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ostensibly made a dramatic reversal in course. But I am wondering whether to take his shift at face value.


Iraq Celebrates Surprise Win in Olympics (AP) AP - A stream of red tracer bullets cut through the night sky amid a hail of celebratory gunfire as Iraqis, exhausted from war and unending violence, celebrated their national soccer team's startling 1-0 victory over Australia in the Olympic quarterfinal.


Sudan, U.N. Sign Deal for Displaced People (AP) AP - The Sudanese government signed an agreement with the U.N. migration agency Saturday to ensure that more than 1 million people displaced by violence in the western region of Darfur can voluntarily return home  #151; but cannot be forced to do so.


Bush Pressing Case for 'Ownership Society' (AP) AP - Amid signs that the economy is cooling, President Bush is showcasing initiatives for a second term under the banner of an "ownership society" in hopes of bolstering his economic stewardship credentials.


Olympic Soccer: Euphoric Iraq Reaches Semifinals  ATHENS (Reuters) - Iraq's footballers beat Australia 1-0  Saturday to reach the semifinals of the Olympic men's  tournament, triggering celebratory gunfire in their  violence-racked country.


Vietnam vet springs to Kerry's defense (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's efforts to refute charges that he embellished his Vietnam War record got a boost, as a fellow veteran said some of the accusations were untrue.


Lithuania's Perimeter Shooting Leaves U.S. Outside Looking In Larry Brown's squad could not hold back a deep and talented Lithuanian team, losing, 94-90, to fall to 2-2 in the preliminary round at the Olympics.


Nesterenko Takes Gold Yuliya Nesterenko ends two decades of American dominance in the 100 meters with a closing surge to catch Lauryn Williams.


Stocks Look to Nudge Higher; Oil Dips  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked to open a touch  higher  on Tuesday, with Wall Street welcoming a slip in oil  prices and a report of a possible \$24 billion takeover of  cardiovascular device maker Guidant Corp. GDT.N by Johnson    Johnson JNJ.N.


Hungarian Socialists choose alternatives as new prime minister (AFP) AFP - Hungary's ruling Socialist Party approved two alternative candidates to replace outgoing prime minister Peter Medgyessy who resigned after a row with his liberal coalition partners.


Officials Forecast Hope for Victims of Hurricane State officials say the statewide slowdown caused by Hurricane Charley, with estimated losses of \$20 billion, will probably last no more than a month or two.


Mixed response to truckers strike NEW DELHI, Aug. 21. - The indefinite nationwide strike by truck operators against imposition of service tax evoked a mixed response on the first day of the stir today even as government appeared unwilling


Saturday Night #39;s Alright for Blighty Matthew Pinsents coxless four team, sailor Ben Ainslie and cyclist Bradley Wiggins all struck gold on a day to remember for Team GB at the Olympics in Athens.


Sudan: confident in convincing the UN Security Council of progress <b>...</b> Sudan #39;s foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael stressed yesterday that his country #39;s government is confident it will convince the UN Security Council of the progress it had attained in Darfur.


Bomb attack on Hasina Over a dozen people were killed and nearly 300 injured in a bomb and grenade attack on a public rally in the heart of the city that was being addressed by Awami League leader and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.


Airways pilots extend talks Pilots for US Airways are continuing to negotiate this weekend over the Arlington airline #39;s demand for a 16.5 percent pay cut, despite a warning from management that negotiations should have concluded yesterday.


Viacom panel to look at video-game arena NEW YORK -- Given that its chairman owns a large stake of a video-game company, media giant Viacom Inc. has appointed a three-person committee to evaluate dealings in the video-game arena and protect against potential conflicts of interest.


Microsoft Sends XP SP2 Home Microsoft this week began distributing its latest update to the Windows XP operating system to home users through its Automatic Updates feature.


Mars Rover Sniffs Out Signs of Water After a tedious crawl across the desert floor and a slow, energy-strapped hike up hills, the Mars rover Spirit has finally rewarded scientists with tantalizing


Online retail sales continue to surge Online retail sales continue to show significant growth, according to the latest figures released by the US Department of Commerce.


Bekele keeps 10,000m gold in Ethiopia Kenenisa Bekele used a breathtaking final 400 meters late Friday to claim the Olympic 10,000-meter throne previously occupied by his Ethiopian countryman, Haile Gebrselassie.


Hewitt Survives Saulnier; Agassi Rolls Past Mathieu After sweeping through his first two opponents, Lleyton Hewitt finally found a challenge at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. And it almost took the No.


Greece 88, Angola 56 Greece avoided any suspense about whether it would advance by taking an 18-point halftime lead on the way to an 88-56 victory over Angola on Saturday night.


Nesterenko Wins Sprint Gold for Belarus Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus sped to an unexpected victory in the women #39;s 100 meter final at the Athens Olympics Saturday. The high-striding Belarussian clocked 10.


Clean sweep by England LONDON, Aug. 21. - England beat the West Indies by 10 wickets on the third day of the fourth and final Test at the Oval, here today giving them a 4-0 sweep.


Blast outside Bangladesh opposition HQ kills 6 DHAKA - At least six people were killed and more than 200 injured in a series of bomb blasts at a meeting of the main opposition Awami League in the capital on Saturday, witnesses and news reports said.


Veteran Backs Kerry on Silver Star Account (AP) AP - A Chicago Tribune editor who was on the Vietnam mission for which John Kerry received the Silver Star is backing up Kerry's account of the incident.


Olympic Basketball: Lithuania Guard Shoots Down U.S.  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States crashed to its second  defeat in the Olympic men's basketball tournament Saturday when  a late shooting spree by Sarunas Jasikevicius propelled  Lithuania to a 94-90 victory.


Absent Phelps Gets Eighth Medal  ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps got his eighth medal at  the Athens Olympics Saturday without even getting wet when the  United States broke the world record in the men's 4x100 meters  medley relay.


Murder victim 'missed her stop' A 22-year-old French woman was killed while walking home after missing her bus stop, police believe.


Battle on Secret Evidence in Jackson Case SANTA MARIA, Calif. - In a high-stakes drama of legal gamesmanship, prosecutors and defense lawyers in the Michael Jackson child molestation case are battling over still-secret evidence that might make or break the case against the pop star...


Bush Pressing Case for 'Ownership Society' WASHINGTON - Amid signs that the economy is cooling, President Bush is showcasing initiatives for a second term under the banner of an "ownership society" in hopes of bolstering his economic stewardship credentials.    His platform includes initiatives to help people buy homes, start businesses, hone job skills and set up tax-free retirement and health care accounts - plus a still unspecified tax-code overhaul...


Dream Team Loses Again, but Still Advances ATHENS, Greece - The U.S. men's basketball team endured another brutal loss...


Open Source, Performance, and Innovation \\At work we're mostly an OSS shop.  Partly because I have a strong bias towards\OSS but cost, reliability, security, etc are all leading factors.\\For the last several months now I've been in an interesting position to prove\the benefits of OSS in a real-world environment.\\We've had to extend a number of OSS tools to fit into our production\environment.  These are significant additions and non-trivial.\\Open Source allows you to STAND on the shoulders of gods.  For example we've\been having a problem with the Jakarta DBCP  connection pool.  It was running\out of connections in highly threaded environments and is slow.  Certainly\slower than would be necessary.\\Long story short.  Last night  ...\\


Audit Confirms Chvez Victory in Recall An audit of Venezuela #39;s recall referendum has confirmed that President Hugo Chvez won fairly and found no evidence to support fraud charges, observers and electoral council officials said Saturday.


Governor Promises Help Reopening Schools Affected By Charley One week after Hurricane Charley chewed a path from Punta Gorda to Daytona Beach, Gov. Jeb Bush promises to to use state resources to help schools damaged or destroyed by the storm to reopen quickly.


India #39;s 3 Million Truckers Strike Over Planned Tax Increase India #39;s three million truck drivers started a strike today to protest a planned tax on cargo transportation by road, prompting local units of Honda Motor Co.


Boom! Big kickoff for  #39;Madden 2005 #39; EA #39;s newest version of top title sells 1.3 million copies in first week, holding off competition. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -  quot;Madden NFL 2005, quot; the latest version of Electronic Arts Inc.


Disposable Digital Camera Debuts At 1,000 CVS Pharmacies Digital disposable cameras are debuting in about 1,000 CVS stores across the nation, the retail chain said Thursday. The one-time-use cameras, which feature a color preview screen, have 25 pictures and are priced at \$19.


Cink holds lead at NEC Invitational Stewart Cink leads the NEC Invitational World Golf Championships as he nears the end of the third round. Cink is 10 under after 16 holes, just two shots clear of David Toms, eight under after 17 holes.


Explosions at Protest Rally in Bangladesh Kill 9 Several explosions ripped through a Bangladeshi opposition party rally here on Saturday, killing at least 9 people and wounding as


Sudan #39;s quest for peace Conflict seems to have become a way of life for Sudan that has struggled to find peace and stability since its independence in 1956.


Peres facing attack from Labor MKs over continued talks with Likud Labor Party Chair Shimon Peres is facing growing opposition from his party over his decision to continue coalition talks with Likud despite the Likud convention #39;s resolution last week against bringing Labor into the government.


Up to seven killed in Chechnya shootout: report (AFP) AFP - Up to seven people were killed in an attack on a police station in Grozny, the capital of the Russian breakaway republic of Chechnya, a report quoting officials said.


Jasikevicius makes most of second chance to stun US NBA stars (AFP) AFP - Lithuanian sharpshooter Sarunas Jasikevicius, snubbed by the National Basketball Association, made the most of his second chance to deliver a dagger into the hearts of a United States Olympic team of NBA talent.


Fleisher Takes Lead at Hickory Classic (AP) AP - Bruce Fleisher parlayed eight birdies into a tournament-low 65 Saturday and cruised to a 3-shot lead after the second round of the Greater Hickory Classic.


Olympic Basketball: United States Stunned Again  ATHENS (Reuters) - The United States crashed to its second  defeat in the Olympic men's basketball tournament Saturday when  a late shooting spree by Sarunas Jasikevicius propelled  Lithuania to a 94-90 victory.


U.S. Forces Keep Sh'ite Militants Guessing  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces appeared to keep Sh'ite  militants guessing in the city of Najaf overnight, firing off  sporadic rounds as a military aircraft flew overhead.


Chile Asks Pinochet to Explain \$8 Million US Bank Accounts Chile #39;s former dictator Augusto Pinochet reportedly is the target of an investigation in his homeland probing up US bank accounts controlled by the ex-president.


Solar power bill supported Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday threw his support behind a bill to dramatically increase the number of California homes using solar power, reviving a legislative effort that seemed all but dead last week.


World marks go in the pool ATHENS - The Australian women and American men ended the swimming competition at the Athens 2004 Olympics Games in style Saturday, both breaking world records in the 4x100 meter medley relays.


Dolphins on verge of trading Ogunleye to Bears The Miami Dolphins have agreed to trade defensive end Adewale Ogunleye to the Chicago Bears for wide receiver Marty Booker and a 2005 third-round pick, if agent Drew Rosenhaus can work out a new contract for Ogunleye by 7 pm Saturday, according to a


Najaf Fighting Flares; Sadr Forces Hold Shrine Description: US forces clash again in Najaf with fighters loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Efforts by the Iraqi government to reach a disarmament deal with Sadr are at an impasse, and his forces continue to hold the Imam Ali shrine.


Police killed in pre-poll Chechnya attacks -agency Gunmen attacked a police station and voting centres in Russia #39;s war-torn Chechnya, killing at least 11 people, Interfax news agency said on Saturday.


Nesterenko Speeds to Win in Women's 100-Meter Final  ATHENS (Reuters) - Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus sped to an  unexpected victory in the women's 100 meter final at the Athens  Olympics Saturday.


Graphic Designer Fired After Heckling Bush CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A man who heckled President Bush at a political rally was fired from his job at an advertising and design company for offending a client who provided tickets to the event...


Also from this section Innovative Solutions quot;, promises the Riggs Bank slogan emblazoned across the home page of its website.  quot;For over 165 years we #39;ve been developing innovative, custom-tailored solutions to improve the lives of our customers.


Two golds again in new judging debacle? Not this time A grand judging goof at the Athens Olympics cheapened American gymnast Paul Hamm #39;s historic gold and gave South Korea another good reason to cry robbery at the games.


British sport #39;s new superhero revives the Olympic spirit Matthew Pinsent was hailed as the new superman of British sport yesterday, after winning gold at his fourth consecutive Olympic Games.


Malaysia testing 3 people for bird flu; says outbreak isolated Malaysian officials on Saturday were testing three people who fell ill in a village hit by the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain, after international health officials warned that the virus appeared to be entrenched in parts of


Kroger's Profit Climbs, Misses Forecast (Reuters) Reuters - Kroger Co. , the top U.S.\grocer, on Tuesday said quarterly profit rose 29 percent as it\kept a tight rein on expenses and sales rebounded.


Blasts Shake Najaf as U.S. Planes Attack Rebels  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Strong blasts were heard in the  besieged city of Najaf early Sunday as U.S. military planes  unleashed cannon and howitzer fire and a heavy firefight  erupted.


Ramirez, Red Sox Batter White Sox Manny Ramirez homered and drove in five runs as the Red Sox earned their fifth straight victory.


Somalia to get new parliament Somalia's first parliament for 13 years is expected to be sworn in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Sunday.


Audit of Venezuelan vote confirms Chavez victory CARACAS, VENEZUELA - An audit of ballots from 150 voting stations has confirmed that President Hugo Chavez won last week #39;s recall referendum, reported the Organization of American States Saturday.


Beware! Bugs can attack Net phones THEY are becoming increasingly popular because they are cheap. However, before you rush off to buy an Internet phone or Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, you should know that they are


Stunt pilots to hook falling stardust sample A piece of the Sun is set to fall to Earth and be captured by Hollywood stunt pilots in a tricky mid-air manoeuvre, NASA announced on Thursday.


World record in sights of 100-meter field  quot;We #39;re going to have a party, quot; Maurice Greene said Saturday, looking forward to Sunday #39;s final in the Olympic men #39;s 100-meter dash.


Hewitt calls on fighting spirit SECOND-seed Lleyton Hewitt needed all of his famed tenacity to overcome feisty Frenchman Cyril Saulnier 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5) and reach the semi-finals of the Washington Open.


Deng #39;s name used to pressure Jiang THE 100th birth anniversary of China #39;s late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, which falls today, has been used by influential party elders to put pressure on former president Jiang Zemin to fully relinquish authority to his successor Hu Jintao.


US Boxer Dirrell Powers Into Quarters Ron Siler had just taken a beating, and now it seemed like the whole US boxing team was down for the count. Fighters weren #39;t following directions, medal hopes were slipping


False report of Swedish king's assassination on faked BBC website (AFP) AFP - Hoaxers imitated the BBC news website on the Internet, including a fake announcement that King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden had been assassinated in Athens while attending the Olympic Games, according to reports.


Treasury Prices Take a Breather Today (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices paused for breath\on Tuesday after a blistering two-session rally ran out of\steam, though analysts still saw room to the upside given the\large short-base in the market.


Cink Takes Commanding Lead Over Woods at NEC  AKRON, Ohio (Reuters) - Stewart Cink was on the verge of  his fourth career win after shooting a two-under-par 68 for a  five-shot lead in the third round of the \$7 million NEC  Invitational Saturday.


Four Immigrants Die Trying to Reach Spanish Shore  MADRID (Reuters) - Four sub-Saharan Africans trying to  immigrate illegally drowned 20 feet from shore Saturday at the  same Spanish beach where 33 would-be immigrants died last week,  state radio said.


Unfriendly airline grounds its pension plans Fly the friendly skies may be United Airlines slogan. But employees of Americas largest carrier wont be so convinced this weekend, on the heels of it filing court documents saying it is likely to scrap its pension plans.


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


HBOS in talks to fund 8bn Abbey bid HBOS is said to be in talks with potential financial backers over how to fund an 8bn takeover bid for Abbey National in a move to break up a takeover plan from Spain #39;s Banco Santander Central Hispano.


Update 4: Two Firms Cleared of Swapping Violations In a judicial blow to the entertainment industry, a federal appeals court ruled that makers of two leading file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works their users swap online.


Google Goes Public at \$85/share adpowers writes  quot;It is official. Google will have its IPO debut at \$85 per share. To quote the article,  #39;At that price, the low end of its recently revised range, Google raised \$1.


High-Speed Internet Shouldn #39;t Be Delayed Back in the go-go days of the tech boom, there was a lot of talk about fast Internet connections enabling consumers to do all manner of useful and fun things, from online banking to viewing movies online.


Hidayat fulfills potential with badminton gold ATHENS: Taufik Hidayat couldnt stop the tears after winning Indonesias first gold medal of the Athens Olympics. The unheralded Hidayat won the mens badminton title Saturday, beating seventh-seeded


Bush's Nephew Rips Armed Border Guards (AP) AP - President Bush's nephew, campaigning for overseas votes in Mexico on Saturday, called the federal policy of arming U.S. Border Patrol agents with plastic pellet guns "reprehensible."


U.S. Launches Fresh Assault on Sadr Forces in Najaf  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces launched a fresh  assault on Shi'ite rebels in the embattled Iraqi city of Najaf  on Sunday after talks on transferring control of the mosque at  the center of a two-week siege ran into difficulties.


'Tax super-rich at 50' proposal Hit the super-rich with a 50 inheritance tax and allow cuts for the middle class, says a leading think tank.


Shiites Hold Najaf Shrine; Clashes Flare NAJAF, Iraq - Militants loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr kept their hold on a revered shrine, and clashes flared in Najaf on Saturday, raising fears that a resolution to the crisis in the holy city could collapse amid bickering between Shiite leaders.    An unofficial mediator pleaded with al-Sadr to disarm his militants, pull them out of the shrine and disband his militia immediately...


Spectator Phelps' 8th Medal Ties Record ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps won another gold medal, this time wearing khaki shorts and flip-flops. From a front-row seat at the Olympic pool, Phelps watched his teammates do all the work in the 400-meter medley relay Saturday night...


Dream Team Loses Again, but Still Advances ATHENS, Greece - The United States men's basketball team endured another brutal loss Saturday night. But because Angola is playing even worse than the Americans, the Dream Team is in the quarterfinals of the Athens Games...


Woman Chows 38 Lobsters in Eating Contest KENNEBUNK, Maine - America's top speed-eater wolfed down 38 lobsters in 12 minutes Saturday to win the World Lobster Eating Contest.    Sonya Thomas, of Alexandria, Va., won \$500 and a trophy belt for her efforts, consuming 9.76 pounds of lobster meat...


US Airways asks pilots for 16.5 cut in pay Struggling US Airways (UAIR) has asked its pilots to accept a 16.5 pay cut while giving them the chance to recoup some of the money by flying more.


Competition probe would see Santander turn its back on Abbey Banco Santander would walk away from its 8.2bn offer for Abbey National, the mortgage bank, if a rival bid from one or more UK banks led to a lengthy investigation by the competition authorities.


Google Shares Gain in Market Debut Shares of Google Inc. made their market debut on Thursday and quickly traded up 19 percent at \$101.28. The Web search company #39;s initial public offering priced at \$85


Springboks beat Australia in tr-nations rugby South Africa has defeated Australia in the final match of the rugby Tri Nations series. Africa correspondent Sally Sara reports, the Springboks won 23 to 19 in front of a home crowd in Durban.


Johnson probably out for season with broken cheekbone Montreal Expos first baseman Nick Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a broken right cheekbone and is probably out for the rest of the season.


Moore versus List in US Amateur final Mamaroneck, NY (Sports Network) - Ryan Moore, the medalist in stroke play, dispatched Jeff Overton, 3  amp; 2 in one of Saturday #39;s semifinal matches to reach Sunday #39;s 36-hole final at the US Amateur Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club.


Praying for Sistani #39;s Good Health ast week, the Iraqi city of Najaf teetered between hopes for a truce and threats of an all-out government assault to rout the rebel Islamic cleric Moktada al-Sadr.


Hasina escapes unhurt as Dhaka blast kills 14 DHAKA: Bangladesh opposition leader and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina had a narrow escape as a powerful blast at a rally of her Awami League party killed 14 people and injured 200 here on Saturday.


Pakistan Says It Has Foiled Terror Plots Pakistan has arrested at least five al-Qaida-linked terrorists who were plotting suicide attacks on government leaders and the US Embassy, officials announced Saturday.


Rebels attack Chechen police station, several people killed Several people were killed and a few others wounded when rebels attacked a police station in the capital of Russia #39;s breakaway Chechen republic on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, citing officials.


British military to get first Muslim chaplain: report (AFP) AFP - Britain's army forces are to get their first Muslim chaplain, a defense ministry source was quoted as saying.


Indian mother swims home from Sri Lanka (AFP) AFP - A 34-year-old Indian mother of one has fulfilled her dream to swim seven seas after crossing the Palk Strait dividing India and Sri Lanka in a marathon 14-hour feat, officials said.


Airport workers strike BA pay deal More than 10,000 British Airways staff will be balloted by their unions this week over a last-ditch pay deal that has lifted the threat of bank holiday travel chaos at Heathrow.


Nobody is neutral about the great Google gamble The initial public offering of Google brings to mind one of the great one-liners offered by Clint Eastwood in one of his Dirty Harry films:  quot;Opinions are like a**holes, quot; Harry says.


Gloves are off as Abbey war turns dirty ANYONE who thought the battle for Marks  amp; Spencer had plumbed the depths of City depravity with its stories of fisticuffs in Baker Street and allegations of interference with mobile phone records may have to draw breath as the banking battle gets serious.


Online hits climb the charts as radio embraces the internet age THE online music generation will become the legitimate test of the top 20 chart toppers next week when Virgin and BBC Radio One launch shows featuring tracks downloaded from the internet.


Epson develops worlds lightest flying robot The micro-robot weighs a mere 8.6 grams without battery, or 12.3 grams with the battery attached. It measures 13.6 centimeters in diameter and 8.5 centimeters in height.


Pieces of eight for Phelps How far do you have to go to win an Olympic title? How about eight titles? If you #39;re Michael Phelps, you would have to go a long way, 70 kilometres in fact, because that is how far the American golden boy of the pool has swum at these Games.


#39;Testosterone oozed from the screen #39; Forget those chariots, this was Rowing Boats Of Fire. The heart-stopping, edge-of-the-seat, photo finish victory for the men #39;s coxless four was without a doubt one of the Great British Sporting Moments.


American Sprinters Show a Mix of Bluster and Speed Shawn Crawford of the United States left the baseball cap at home and no longer needed the showy sunglasses he wore in Saturday morning #39;s first heat.


South Africa 23 - 19 Australia When Percy Montgomery sent his third and last penalty of the afternoon sailing between the uprights to take South Africa out to 23-7 after 63 minutes, it seemed safe to contemplate the remarkable idea that South Africa were to be Tri Nations champions.


Belarus Breaks US Hold in 100m Dash For the first time in 20 years, an American woman did not win gold in the 100m dash. On Saturday that honor went to Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus.


Green flexes muscles vs. Braves Shawn Green hit a grand slam in the first inning and a solo homer in the third to lead the Dodgers to a 7-4 victory Saturday against the Atlanta Braves


US Launches Fresh Assault on Sadr Forces in Najaf US forces launched a fresh assault on Shi #39;ite rebels in the embattled Iraqi city of Najaf on Sunday after talks on transferring control of the mosque at the center of a two-week siege ran into difficulties.


Sudan, UN agree on right of return of Darfur displaced The Sudanese government and the UN migration agency here Saturday signed an agreement ensuring right of return of Darfur displaced.


Four people injured in bomb explosions in Spain Four people were wounded on Saturday when two bombs exploded at the tourist localities of Sanjenjo and Baiona, in Galicia, north Spain.


IDF troops kill man close to Gaza fence Israeli troops spotted a Palestinian in the security zone about 50 meters from the fence separating Gaza from Israel and shot him dead early yesterday.


The rivers of blood still run deep in Africa #39;s Great Lakes region The Great Lakes region, which has paid Africa #39;s highest price in human lives and destruction from ethnic conflict, could soon be plunged again into wholesale war as a result of the recent massacre of 160 Congolese Tutsis in Burundi by Hutu militias.


China takes a great leap backwards for Deng IN LIFE he was feared and revered, but in death the father of Chinas 20-year economic miracle and crusher of Tiananmen Square had assumed iconic status.


The Fischer defence Last week as Bobby Fischer languished in a detention centre in Japan, his new fiancee announced their impending nuptials. Andrew Alderson reports on the latest twist in the bizarre life


British Airways in Pact With Unions British Airways PLC reached a pay accord early Saturday with two unions, averting a planned strike during the Aug. 27-30 holiday weekend by 11,000 baggage handlers and check-in workers.


Johnson Leaves Game With Strained Hip (AP) AP - Detroit Tigers right-hander Jason Johnson left his start Saturday against the Seattle Mariners with a strained left hip.


Pakistan says holds suspects planning big attacks (Reuters) Reuters - UPDATE 3-Pakistan arrests up to 10 al Qaeda suspects


Kerry Camp Makes Video to Defuse Attacks (AP) AP - Sen. John Kerry's campaign released a video Saturday comparing the controversy over Kerry's Vietnam service to attacks on John McCain during the 2000 Republican primaries.


McDonald's: CEO Resting After New Surgery  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executive of McDonald's  Corp. MCD.N is recuperating after another surgery, the  world's largest fast-food company said on Saturday.


Good Samaritans Aiding Hurricane Victims PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Hundreds of local residents and some from across the nation have turned out to provide a vast array of free aid since Hurricane Charley ravaged the area on Aug...


Militants Hold Najaf Shrine; Bombing Heard NAJAF, Iraq - Militants loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr kept their hold on a revered shrine, and clashes flared in Najaf on Saturday, raising fears that a resolution to the crisis in the holy city could collapse amid bickering between Shiite leaders.    An unofficial mediator pleaded with al-Sadr to disarm his militants, pull them out of the shrine and disband his militia immediately...


Red Sox Top White Sox Manny Ramirez homered and drove in five runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 10-7 Saturday for their fifth straight win.


Hewitt Thunders to Final Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the finals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Robby Ginepri on Saturday.


Offense Is Steamrolled Quarterback Aaron Polanco took a brutal hit in the back during Navy's scrimmage, symbolizing the Mids' mediocre offensive effort Saturday.


ON THE CONTRARY Energy Answers, Left Unspoken F you #39;re worried about the nation #39;s energy future, you can take heart in the positions of both major parties #39; presidential candidates.


Paul Hamm gold an error n American Paul Hamm, who become the first American to win the Olympics mens all-around gymnastics title, should not have been awarded the gold, the sports governing body ruled on Saturday.


Valencia downs Zaragoza in Spanish Supercup Spanish international Vicente Rodriguez struck from a 62nd-minute free kick Saturday to earn Valencia a 1-0 victory over Zaragoza in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup.


Colts WR Walters Breaks Left Arm Vs. Jets (AP) AP - Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Troy Walters broke his left arm on the first series of Saturday night's preseason game against the New York Jets.


Bucks Acquire Guard Maurice Williams (AP) AP - The Milwaukee Bucks acquired Maurice "Mo" Williams after the Utah Jazz did not match the offer sheet the guard signed on Aug. 6.


Angels Rattle Loaiza, Blast Yankees 6-1 (AP) AP - Esteban Loaiza is pitching his way out of the New York Yankees' rotation.


McDonald's: CEO Resting After New Surgery  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executive of McDonald's  Corp. is recuperating after another surgery, the world's  largest fast-food company said on Saturday.


Kerry Makes 'Non-Political' Florida Visit (AP) AP - Presidential candidate John Kerry may have won a few votes during his tour of neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Charley, but he said  #151; as any politician must  #151; that strengthening support in a battleground state was not the reason for his visit.


Meth Cooks May Be Caught Pink-Handed (AP) AP - It may fall a shade shy of catching thieves red-handed, but for farmers fed up with methamphetamine cooks filching their fertilizer, staining them pink will do just fine.


Chilean Pair Win Country's First Gold  ATHENS (Reuters) - Nicolas Massu and Fernando Gonzalez won  Chile's first gold medal at an Olympics in a five-set tennis  marathon that ended at 2:37 a.m. on Sunday.


French reporters vanish in Iraq Paris confirms two French journalists are missing in Iraq as concern grows for the safety of an Italian.


MLB: Los Angeles 7, Atlanta 4 Shawn Green hit two home runs Saturday, including a grand slam, to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves.


Dropped Fly Lets Mets Nip Giants in 12th (AP) AP - Dustan Mohr allowed two runs to score when he dropped a fly ball in the 12th inning, and the New York Mets overcame a shaky return by Tom Glavine and a team-record six double plays to beat the San Francisco Giants 11-9 Saturday.


Police Killed in Pre-Poll Chechnya Attacks -- Agency  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Gunmen attacked a police station and  voting centers in Russia's war-torn Chechnya, killing at least  11 people, Interfax news agency said Saturday.


In Mr. Bush's Neighborhood, a Peculiar Intersection The relationship between President Bush and Wall Street has always been a tangled one, layered with paradox and outright contradiction.


Video Game Makers Go Hollywood. Uh-Oh. Seeking to establish the medium as a mass market form of entertainment instead of a niche technology, the game industry has taken the playbook of the movie business.


That Not-So-Distant Thunder in the Bond Market HEN investors consider the bond market these days, the low level of interest rates should be more cause for worry than for gratitude.


Hewitt overcomes Ginepri to reach Washington final Australian Lleyton Hewitt eased into the final of the Washington Classic on Saturday with a 6-3 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded American Robby Ginepri.


Usual suspects could be challenged The pressure on IRL IndyCar Series championship leaders Tony Kanaan and Buddy Rice is beginning to increase with the end of the 2004 season just eight weeks -- or five races -- away.


Bomb attack kills 12 at Bangladesh rally At least 12 people were killed and 100 wounded in a bomb attack yesterday on an opposition rally in Bangladesh #39;s capital Dhaka.


Fatal accidents damage Japan #39;s nuclear dream On the coast of the Japan Sea, two and a half hours by train from Kyoto, is the quiet fishing village of Mihama. Noted for its harbour and beautiful beaches, it draws tourists from all over the country.


Wall St.'s Nest Egg - the Housing Sector (Reuters) Reuters - If there were any doubts that we're\still living in the era of the stay-at-home economy, the rows\of empty seats at the Athens Olympics should help erase them.


Pakistan Says It Has Foiled Terror Plots (AP) AP - Pakistan has arrested at least five al-Qaida-linked terrorists who were plotting suicide attacks on government leaders and the U.S. Embassy, officials announced Saturday.


AUDIT CONFIRMS CHAVEZ VICTORY An audit of last week #39;s recall vote in Venezuela has found no evidence of fraud in the process that endorsed President Hugo Chavez as leader.


Charlie Bell recovering from second colorectal surgery CHICAGO McDonald #39;s President and CEO Charlie Bell is resting comfortably today after undergoing a second colorectal procedure.


ANALYSIS-Indo-Pak peace bid runs into rough water Pakistan #39;s President Pervez Musharraf is  quot;confused quot; and not a little impatient. India is concerned, and Kashmiris are increasingly pessimistic.


Al-Qaida Said to Recruit in Latin America MONTERREY, Mexico - Governments throughout Mexico and Central America are on alert as evidence grows that al-Qaida members are traveling in the region and looking for recruits to carry out attacks in Latin America - the potential last frontier for international terrorism.    The territory could be a perfect staging ground for Osama bin Laden's militants, with homegrown rebel groups, drug and people smugglers, and corrupt governments...


Mistakes Are Abundant Missed tackles, penalties and other assorted errors marked Maryland's intrasquad scrimmage Saturday, a dire portent of another slow start.


Cink Excels at NEC Stewart Cink used a 2-under 68 on Saturday to extend his lead at the NEC Invitational to five shots while Tiger Woods and David Toms faded.


Blue Jays Drub O's Carlos Delgado homered and drove in three runs as the Toronto Blue Jays handed the Baltimore Orioles their fifth straight loss, 10-4, on Saturday.


New Orleans Quarterback Aaron Brooks Tweaks Strained Right Thigh in Game Against Green Bay (AP) AP - New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks tweaked his strained right thigh and hobbled off the field in the second quarter of the Saints' game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.


NL: Green Homers Lift Los Angeles Past Atlanta (Reuters) Reuters - Shawn Green hit two home runs,\including a grand slam, as Los Angeles defeated the Atlanta\Braves 7-4 in a battle of National League division leaders at\Dodger Stadium Saturday.


Han Shoots Par, Leads Wendy's Championship (AP) AP - Hee-Won Han was back atop the leaderboard at the Wendy's Championship for Children. Han, the defending champion and 2002 runner-up, shot an even-par 72 in the third round Saturday to take a two-shot lead. The South Korean had earlier rounds of 66 and 70 at the rain-soaked and muddy Tartan Fields Golf Club and was at 8-under-par 208.


Chemical may cause muscle disease Scientists say a defect in a key protein may cause the muscle-wasting disease muscular dystrophy.


McDonald #39;s: CEO Resting After New Surgery The chief executive of McDonald #39;s Corp. (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is recuperating after another surgery, the world #39;s largest fast-food company said on Saturday.


Enter your e-mail: I just spent an enjoyable afternoon at the Classic Gaming Expo in San Jose--a place where Pac-Man and Donkey Kong are revered, the Atari 2600 and Intellivision are respected gaming platforms, and the men and women who created titles such as Centipede and


Controversy Again Taints Olympic Games ATHENS, Greece - Bad judging has become a tradition at the Olympics, almost its own event really. From the robbery of Munich, where officials stole a basketball gold from the United States and gave it to Russia


Unknown Nesterenko Makes World Headlines Belarus #39; Yuliya Nesterenko won the top women #39;s athletics gold medal at the Olympics on Saturday, triumphing over a field stripped of many big names because of doping woes to win the 100 meters.


Concerns mount for reporters missing in Iraq A freelance Italian journalist who had been working in the troubled Iraqi city of Najaf is missing and his driver has reportedly been killed, government and aid officials said on Saturday.


U.S. Aircraft Make New Attack on Rebels in Najaf (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. aircraft launched a fresh\assault on Shi'ite rebels in the embattled Iraqi city of Najaf\early Sunday after talks on transferring control of the mosque\at the center of a two-week siege ran into trouble.


Two French Journalists Missing in Iraq - Ministry (Reuters) Reuters - Two French journalists are missing in\Iraq and have not been heard from since Thursday, the Foreign\Ministry in Paris said Saturday.


Carter Out for Season for Seminoles (AP) AP - Florida State tight end Donnie Carter will miss the upcoming season with a torn right knee ligament, coach Bobby Bowden said Saturday.


U.S. Aircraft Make New Attack on Rebels in Najaf  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. aircraft launched a fresh  assault on Shi'ite rebels in the embattled Iraqi city of Najaf  early Sunday after talks on transferring control of the mosque  at the center of a two-week siege ran into trouble.


Two French Journalists Missing in Iraq - Ministry  PARIS (Reuters) - Two French journalists are missing in  Iraq and have not been heard from since Thursday, the Foreign  Ministry in Paris said Saturday.


Venezuela finds no fraud in election Venezuela #39;s electoral authorities said Saturday an audit of the vote on President Hugo Chavez #39;s rule found no proof of fraud.


Matfield turns the Aussie tide A rugby nation lifted its head once more last night. The surprise was that it was South Africa, not Australia or New Zealand, who emerged into the light clutching the coveted Tri-Nations trophy.


NL: Green Homers Lift Los Angeles Past Atlanta Shawn Green hit two home runs, including a grand slam, as Los Angeles defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-4 in a battle of National League division leaders at Dodger Stadium Saturday.


American Says He Was on bin Laden's Trail (AP) AP - An American on trial for allegedly torturing Afghan terror suspects in a private jail claimed Saturday in his first interview from custody that he was hot on the heels of Osama bin Laden and other militant leaders when he was arrested on July 5.


Dutch arrest in Iraq genocide case A 62-year-old Dutchman will be charged for war crimes and as an accomplice to genocide for supplying lethal chemicals to Saddam Hussein #39;s regime, prosecutors said Tuesday.


Former Swift Boat Commander Backs Kerry on Vietnam (Reuters) Reuters - A journalist who commanded a boat\alongside John Kerry in Vietnam broke a 35-year silence on\Saturday and defended the Democratic presidential candidate\against Republican critics of his military service and\integrity.


Bush pressing case for  #39;ownership society #39; Amid signs that the economy is cooling, President Bush is showcasing initiatives for a second term under the banner of an  quot;ownership society quot; in hopes of bolstering his economic stewardship credentials.


Rules for Overtime Pay to Take Effect After months of heated debate, a major revision, protests and an unsuccessful legislative assault, the most sweeping changes to the nation #39;s overtime rules in more than 50 years take effect tomorrow.


Indian truckers launch strike NEW DELHI: India #39;s largest truckers #39; union began a nationwide strike yesterday, disrupting shipment of goods, to protest a government plan for a service tax on transport booking agents.


Bank One Chief Economist to Step Down Bank One said Thursday that its chief economist is leaving the company, less than two months after it was purchased by JP Morgan Chase  amp; Co.


Nortel Will Cut Workforce by 10 Percent TORONTO, Aug. 19 -- Nortel Networks Corp. said Thursday it will slash its workforce by 3,500, or 10 percent, as it struggles to recover from an accounting scandal that toppled three top executives and led to a criminal investigation and lawsuits.


Workers at Mexico #39;s Volkswagen plant end strike, accept 4.5 wage <b>...</b> Workers at Volkswagen #39;s Mexico plant agreed to end their three-day-old strike and accept a pay package close to the company #39;s original offer, officials said after talks that stretched into the early hours of Saturday.


High-Speed Users Move Into Majority Web users with fast broadband connections have finally muscled aside dial-up users to form a majority of the American Internet population, according to Nielsen/Net Ratings.


Yosemite National Park to use from GM hybrid technology Hybrid engines manufactured by General Motors Corp. will be used to power some buses in California #39;s Yosemite National Park -- a move aimed at curbing emissions in the pristine reserve.


Inside Lines: Athens brings out the Games #39; feminine side Have you noticed how women are beginning to dominate these Olympics? A week ago it was Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki who was a star of the show at the opening ceremony.


Bangladesh Blasts Kill 13, Injure Opposition Leader, AFP Says A series of explosions at a political rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh killed more than 13 people and injured up to 80, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Agence France-Presse


Rebels in Nepal Kill Policeman as the Capital Endures a Siege Suspected insurgents shot dead a policeman on Saturday in Katmandu, Nepal #39;s capital, as the military said it could escort food shipments into the city to ease a blockade inspired by antigovernment guerrillas.


Four injured in blasts MADRID: Two bombs exploded in coastal towns in northern Spain yesterday injuring four people after a local paper received a warning in the name of the Basque separatist organisation ETA.


More violence ahead of Chechen election There has been more violence in the strife-torn republic of Chechnya, just days before the Russian region is due to elect a new president.


Kazaa Owner Cheers File-Swapping Decision (AP) AP - The distributor of file-swapping giant Kazaa welcomed a U.S. court's ruling that two of its rivals are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works shared online by their users.


Brunell, Redskins Shellac Dolphins 17-0 (AP) AP - Mark Brunell directed two touchdown drives, and the Washington Redskins controlled the ball for 41 minutes to beat the Miami Dolphins 17-0 Saturday night.


Global LCD Oversupply to Peak -Report Excess supplies of large liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are forecast to peak in the third quarter of this year, but will balance out by the fourth, a US research firm said on Friday.


Hewitt goes through in Washington Second-seed Lleyton Hewitt moved into the quarterfinals of the Washington Open with a routine 6-3 6-2 win over Colombian Alejandro Falla.


Bekele wins 10,000m gold as Gebrselassie #39;s era ends Kenenisa Bekele stormed to the men  #39;s 10,000 meters title as his once all-conquoring fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie ended at the Olympic Games on Friday night.


Bayliss in spat with Ducati boss Bayliss was reportedly involved in a heated argument in the pits at the German Grand Prix last month with team boss Livio Suppo. An uneasy relationship has developed between the former world


Harmison rated best Test bowler ENGLAND fast bowler Steve Harmison is the world #39;s number one bowler, according to the latest PwC Test ratings. The Durham quick #39;s match-winning nine-wicket haul in the fourth and final Test against the West


STOCKS  amp; BONDS Investors Regain Optimism as Crude Oil Prices <b>...</b> tocks climbed yesterday as a drop in crude oil prices from their peak eased investors #39; worries that high fuel costs would crimp consumer spending and hurt company profits.


Mars rovers still phoning home While we go about our days, an amazing 34 million or so miles away our pair of Mars Rovers are still going about their days, although theirs are 45 minutes longer and are called  quot;sols.


Muller, Hewitt for final UNHERALDED Gilles Muller spoiled a star-studded finals scenario at the Washington Open today, muscling aside Andre Agassi 6-4, 7-5 to move into a match-up with Lleyton Hewitt.


Bangladesh Awakes in Shock as Blast Toll Hits 16 (Reuters) Reuters - Extra armed police patrolled the streets\of the Bangladeshi capital and traffic was light on Sunday, a\working day, as shocked Bangladeshis woke up to the aftermath\of grenade blasts that killed at least 16 people.


Explanation Sought for Lobster Decline (AP) AP - Maine's lobstermen have been hauling up phenomenal numbers for almost 15 years. Their 62.3 million pounds in 2002 set a record  #151; triple the typical catch during the 1980s. That's more than  #36;200 million worth of lobster and by far the dominant share of the Northeast's most valuable fishery. But can it last?


Redskins Execute, Roll The Redskins were crisp on offense and defense, holding the ball for 41 minutes and allowing 98 total yards in a complete 17-0 victory in Miami.


Wizards End Skid Davy Arnaud scored his ninth goal of the season in the 66th minute to give the Kansas City Wizards a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night.


Is United Taking Aim at Retirees? The story for bankrupt air carrier United Airlines (OTC BB: UALAQ) is a simple one: It doesn #39;t have enough cash on hand to take care of all of its obligations.


Violence in Iraq drives oil to new high of over \$49 Oil prices raced to fresh highs Friday, carrying US crude to over \$49 a barrel, driven by escalating violence in Iraq and unabated fuel demand growth from China and India.


Agassi, Davenport move into semifinals of separate tournaments Agassi, Hewitt advance: Andre Agassi continued to make quick work of the field at the Legg Mason tournament in Washington, DC, winning 6-4, 6-4 yesterday over Paul-Henri Mathieu to reach the tournament #39;s semifinals for the seventh consecutive year.


Woodgate: A dream come true The England international completed his 13.4million move from Newcastle to the Spanish giants on Friday and was officially unveiled to the media on Saturday afternoon.


American League Game Summary - Cleveland At Minnesota Minneapolis, MN -- Cristian Guzman drove in three runs to lead Minnesota to an 8-1 win over Cleveland in the middle contest of a crucial three-game set at the Metrodome.


NL Wrap: Green Homers Lift Los Angeles Past Atlanta  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shawn Green hit two home runs,  including a grand slam, as Los Angeles defeated the Atlanta  Braves 7-4 in a battle of National League division leaders at  Dodger Stadium on Saturday.


Radcliffe shrugs off pressure Britain's gold medal hope in the women's marathon Paula Radcliffe insists she is focused ahead of the race.


Houllier praises Rafa #39;s new Liverpool Gerard Houllier was angry to read reports about his criticism of Rafael Benitez in the Sunday papers, and insists he believes the Spaniard is doing well at Anfield.


Stocks Edge Higher As Oil Prices Fall A welcome slide in oil prices set off a relief rally on Wall Street Friday, with stocks posting a healthy advance as crude approached but then fell back from the \$50 a barrel mark.


Google shares rise in debut Shares in Google rose \$15.01 or 17.7 percent, to open at \$100.01 its public debut on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The jump was a surprise, given the initial \$85 price of the shares and the unusual style of the sale.


RealNetworks Doesn #39;t Rock NEW YORK - It #39;s never a smart move to pick a public fight with Apple Computer, and it #39;s doubly unwise if that fight involves the iPod in some way.


College established for Internet game industry A college to provide training for the Internet games industry has been opened in Beijing. China #39;s Ministry of Information Technology, the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council, and a Beijing Internet company devised the new college as a joint venture.


Virgin to launch online music chart ahead of Radio One LONDON - Virgin Radio is to broadcast weekly chart rundowns using Napster online sales figures from August 29, beating BBC Radio One to the punch.