Respect Lebanon #39;s sovereignty by respecting the Constitution The sovereignty of Lebanon has suddenly become an issue of regional and global interest, including resolutions in the US Congress and the United Nations Security Council.


Inflation Mild,Mid-Atlantic Factories Off  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose a slight  0.1 percent in August while activity at mid-Atlantic factories  slumped this month, according to reports on Thursday seen  boosting chances of a pause later this year in the Federal  Reserve's drive to raise interest rates.


Oakland Hills Now Seen As Golf Mecca (AP) AP - BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich.  #151; Oakland Hills' place in golf history was secure before the Ryder Cup arrived.


Nortel Warns of Weaker Sales  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Retreating from an upbeat forecast it  made just last month, Nortel Networks Corp. NT.TO warned on  Thursday that third-quarter sales will fall below  second-quarter levels and that its 2004 revenue growth rate  will lag that of the telecoms-equipment sector as a whole.


Gaza Gunmen Kidnap, Then Free Palestinian Official  GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian gunmen kidnapped a top  security official they accused of corruption and held him for  several hours in the Gaza Strip on Thursday in a fresh  challenge to President Yasser Arafat amid a wave of unrest.


Dow dips as brokers downgrade three top blue-chips BROKER downgrades of three blue-chip stocks and a rise in crude oil futures pushed US stocks lower yesterday as investors looked for a clear sign that Wall Street would continue its year-end rally.


Spike in oil prices will impact on US economy: Fed official A senior US Federal Reserve official said Thursday the recent spike in oil prices would almost certainly impact on the US economy, although it may not be as significant as the shocks of the 1970s and 1980s.


Nortel sees slower-than-market growth in Q3 Nortel Networks Corp. expects its revenue in the third quarter to fall below the previous quarter #39;s estimated number and for its full-year 2004 revenue to grow slower than the overall communications equipment


UPDATE 2-Protein Design rallies on Roche deal, then fizzles Shares of Protein Design Labs Inc. (PDLI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) rallied but then fizzled on Thursday after initial enthusiasm waned for the US biotechnology


AOL backs away from Microsoft antispam plan America Online Inc. (AOL) has decided not to fully support Microsoft Corp. #39;s Sender ID spam-fighting plan after the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the open- source


AOL won #39;t use Microsoft anti-spam standard America Online has shunned a Microsoft proposal to help weed out unwanted  quot;spam quot; e-mail because Internet engineers are reluctant to adopt technology owned by the dominant software company.


Settlers or Sharon Sharon is not Charles de Gaulle. He is as far away as ever from the conviction that Israel must recognize the national rights of the Palestinian people and withdraw from territories occupied in 1967, let alone


Annan Calls for Urgent Action in Sudan (AP) AP - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for urgent action Thursday to stop attacks on civilians in western Sudan, saying the government has failed to rein in militias.


Stocks Up But Late Oil Spike Trims Gains  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended barely higher on  Thursday, giving back some gains after a late spike in oil  prices dampened the effect of tame inflation data which had  boosted expectations of only measured interest rate hikes from  the Federal Reserve.


Texas Instruments Plans Buyback  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Texas Instruments Inc., the  largest maker of chips for cellular phones, on Thursday said it  plans to buy back \$1 billion in stock and boost its quarterly  dividend by more than 17 percent, becoming the latest  technology company to return extra cash to investors.


Mac OS X Tip of the Week: Custom Labels Don #146;t like the names Apple created for the colors used in the Color Labels feature? Then just create your own. Find out how on the Apple Pro/ site  #151; it #146;s the first of a weekly series of Mac OS X killer tips.\\ Sep 09


Airbus, Boeing Dispute Likely To Intensify The simmering debate between Airbus and Boeing over subsidies is likely to intensify as negotiators from the United States and European Union, under pressure from the US president, prepare


IBM, Kodak team up to make image sensors for cameras NEW YORK, September 16 (New Ratings) - International Business Machines Corporation (IBM.NYS) and Eastman Kodak Company (EK) have agreed to jointly develop and manufacture image sensors for mass-market consumer products, such as digital still cameras and


Update 1: PM: France Will Conform to Deficit Rules Tight spending controls will allow France to cut its budget deficit by about euro10 billion (US\$12 billion) in 2005 and conform with EU rules, the French prime minister said in an interview.


Intel Passes Over Brazil Chip giant Intel has more or less ruled out building a new manufacturing facility in Brazil, due to high labor costs. While such costs in Brazil are lower than in rich countries, they are still higher than


Apple accused of ripping-off Britain The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in the UK has not taken up the request of the Consumer Association yesterday that Apple is ripping-off UK Music lovers.


Drop the mouse, use your nose Canadian inventor Dmitry Gorodnichy has developed a new method of computer input: the Nouse (from  quot;nose as mouse quot;). Similar to a standard mouse, the Nouse directs the computer cursor and gives left button and right button commands.


New breed of portable media players means squinting at palm-sized <b>...</b> It was a Holy Grail looming on the personal electronics horizon: a pocket-sized device with a workhorse battery and the capacity to hold hours of audio and video.


Sprinter Earle Connor suspended from Paralympic team pending CCES <b>...</b> ATHENS (CP) - Canadian sprinter Earle Connor has been suspended from the Canadian Paralympic team pending the final review of his positive drug test by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.


Hughes to take Bowen with him to Blackburn New Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes is expected to take his Wales assistant, Mark Bowen, with him to Ewood Park. Bowen was pushed out of Birmingham City over the summer, but now is set to gain a return to Premiership action at Rovers.


Who #39;s the Champ? Who Cares? NASCAR Wants TV Ratings It is a new format, but it still encompasses all the old problems. NASCAR begins its 10-race shootout for the Nextel Cup Championship Sunday at New Hampshire, a system that essentially wipes


Kremlin Spins Putin #39;s Proposed Plans Following broad criticism that President Vladimir Putin is exploiting the Beslan school massacre to enhance his powers, the Kremlin mobilized a number of surrogate spokespeople


UPDATE 1-Fed #39;s Gramlich: Impact from costlier oil inevitable Costlier imported oil is bound to have some negative economic impact on the US economy, but it does not mean policymakers can lose sight of their long-term goal of keeping inflation under control, Federal Reserve Governor


Internet Explorer Loses More Market Share eWeek says that new data shows Web site visitors paying more attention to alternative browsers, as Microsoft #39;s share drops to 93.


First Look: A BlackBerry for Phone Lovers RIM #39;s new BlackBerry 7100t phone represents a radical departure from the company #39;s text-centric roots. Research in Motion #39;s BlackBerry e-mail devices have gathered a loyal (if relatively small) following, and


Bayer give a Real shock LONDON, Sept. 16. - Bayer Leverkusen, losing finalists to Real Madrid in 2002, hammered the Spaniards 3-0, the most stunning upset in the opening rotation of the Champions League.


Afghan Leader Survives Assassination Try Assailants fired a rocket at an American helicopter taking President Hamid Karzai on a rare foray into Afghanistan #39;s troubled provinces Thursday, but it missed and he escaped injury.


Annan UN Council Should Vote 'Yes' on Sudan Draft (Reuters) Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi\Annan on Thursday threw his weight behind a U.S.-drafted\resolution on Sudan's Darfur region, saying the Security\Council should adopt it immediately to stop atrocities.


Judge Says Microsoft to Pay  #36;112 Million (AP) AP - A judge is ordering Microsoft Corp. to pay  #36;112.5 million to attorneys who successfully sued the software maker for monopolizing a segment of California's market.


Thailand Off U.S. List of Drug Countries (AP) AP - President Bush has removed Thailand from the U.S. government list of countries where significant illicit drug trafficking takes place.


Bush Still Optimistic About Iraq (AP) AP - While a new intelligence estimate offers a gloomy assessment of Iraq's future, President Bush talks instead about brighter days ahead under a new prime minister and the promise of free elections. "Freedom is on the march," he told a campaign rally Thursday.


Dollar Slumps on Regional Factory Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar sagged on Thursday,  pressured by a sharply weaker-than-expected U.S. regional  manufacturing survey, but the currency remained rangebound as  dealers awaited comments on U.S. inflation due next week from  the Federal Reserve.


US Officials Differ on Strength of Iran Nuke Claim  VIENNA (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official said on Thursday  that satellite images of a suspected nuclear site in Iran  demonstrated its intention to develop atomic weapons, but other  U.S. officials questioned the strength of the claim.


Reporter 'undercover in Commons' The Sun newspaper says it has had a reporter working undercover in the Commons for months.


Stocks End Higher on Upbeat Economic News NEW YORK - Stocks regained some momentum Thursday as fresh economic data suggested inflation remains well under control, but volatile oil prices gave investors some pause late in the session.    Analysts are closely watching stocks for signs that the market will stabilize in the second half of the year, but choppy trading has made it difficult to build confidence among investors, particularly given recent fluctuations in oil prices...


Gunmen Kidnap 2 Americans, Briton in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen kidnapped two Americans and a Briton from a house in an upscale Baghdad neighborhood at dawn Thursday, a brazen attack that brought to eight the number of Western civilians held hostage in Iraq.    Ten assailants in a minivan pulled up a tree-lined street in the al-Mansour district - home to many embassies and foreign companies - and snatched the three from their walled, two-story house, said Col...


Hurricane Ivan Slams Gulf Coast; 20 Dead PENSACOLA, Fla. - Hurricane Ivan drilled the Gulf Coast on Thursday with 130-mph winds that inflicted far less damage than feared everywhere except Florida's Panhandle, where residents were left with surge-ravaged beachfronts, flooded streets and homes ripped apart by deadly tornadoes...


US consumer prices rise modestly; no immediate inflation risks NEW YORK, September 16 (New Ratings) - The US consumer prices increased only modestly last month, indicating no immediate inflation risks to the macroeconomic trends.


EDS stung by US Airways again Electronic Data Systems Corp., which lost business when customer US Airways Group Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection the first time, says the carrier #39;s latest filing also will hurt.


Dollar Slumps on Regional Factory Data The dollar sagged on Thursday, pressured by a sharply weaker-than-expected US regional manufacturing survey, but the currency remained rangebound as dealers awaited comments


Williams says judge rules against co. in Alaska case Natural gas company Williams Cos. Inc. (WMB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said a judge recently ruled against it in a case brought by US and Alaskan state regulators.


U.S. Treasury Debt Prices Rally (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury debt prices rallied on\Thursday, knocking yields to five-months lows, as low inflation\and soft manufacturing figures triggered a buying spree that\took on a technical momentum of its own.


Kids Give Language Its Shape Children #39;s brains are hard-wired to learn languages and, in some cases, to improve upon them. That #39;s the conclusion of a new study that followed several generations of


FULL STORY A large piece of debris from the shattered space shuttle Columbia has turned up near Lufkin, Texas -- more than a year and a half after it broke up.


IBM fits PCs with new hardware-based security chip IBM has begun using new security hardware from National Semiconductor in its desktop PCs in an effort to fend off viruses and hackers.


Building a Linux PVR, Part 2 In this second part of our personal, home-made PC-based PVR solution, Anandtech focuses on Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Media Center.


Jan Baan launches Web services firm com September 16, 2004, 2:25 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.


Bobcats Sign Veteran Guard Smith (Reuters) Reuters - The Charlotte\Bobcats signed free agent shooting guard Steve Smith on\Thursday.


Frisk is the latest victim at Romes modern Coliseum ROME, SEPTEMBER 16: Referee Anders Frisk was relieved to say arrivederci after Wednesdays abandoned Champions League match between AS Roma and Dynamo Kiev in which he was injured by an object thrown from the Stadium stands.


Pekerman hired as Argentina soccer coach Jose Pekerman was hired Thursday as Argentina #39;s national soccer coach following the abrupt resignation of Marcelo Bielsa. Pekerman coached Argentina #39;s youth programs during the late 1990s and won several championships.


Baseball: Bonds #39;s pursuit of 700th homer to continue at home MILWAUKEE, United States : Barry Bonds banged out three hits, but failed to join Major League Baseball #39;s exclusive 700 home run club as the San Francisco Giants wrapped up a series against the Brewers.


UN chief urges action over Darfur The United Nations secretary-general has urged the Security Council to take immediate action over a US draft resolution on Sudan #39;s Darfur region.


Settlers or Sharon Sharon is not Charles de Gaulle. He is as far away as ever from the conviction that Israel must recognise the national rights of the Palestinian people and withdraw from territories occupied in 1967, let alone


AOL Shuns Microsoft Anti-Spam Technology (AP) AP - Add America Online Inc. to the growing list of companies and organizations shunning a spam-fighting proposal from Microsoft Corp. AOL cited "tepid support" for Microsoft's so-called Sender ID technology, which seeks to cut down on junk e-mail by making it difficult for spammers to forge e-mail headers and addresses, a common technique for hiding their origins.


Money Funds Fell in Latest Week (AP) AP - Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds fell by  #36;3.14 billion in the latest week to  #36;842.55 billion, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.


Woods and Mickelson in Early Assault on Europe  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Tiger Woods and Phil  Mickelson, the United States' two trump cards, have been paired  together for the opening fourballs of the Ryder Cup which  starts Friday at Oakland Hills.


Bobcats Sign Veteran Guard Smith  CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Sports Network) - The Charlotte  Bobcats signed free agent shooting guard Steve Smith on  Thursday.


EU, U.S. Talks on Aircraft Aid Grounded  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. and EU negotiators disagreed on  Thursday about state aid for aircraft rivals Airbus and Boeing,  winding up no closer on a sensitive issue that has gathered  steam before the U.S. presidential election.


After the Bell -- Texas Instruments Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Texas Instruments Inc.  TXN.N rose after the market close on Thursday, after the chip  maker said it plans to buy back \$1 billion in stock and boost  its quarterly dividend by more than 17 percent.


Fake Bomb-Making Gear Smuggled Into UK Parliament  LONDON (Reuters) - An undercover reporter smuggled fake  bombing-making equipment into Britain's parliament on Thursday,  a day after fox hunting supporters burst into the chamber of  the House of Commons, The Sun newspaper said.


What's behind US strategy shift in Iraq war Plan to channel funds from reconstruction to security signals focus on shorter-term goal of holding elections.


US engages Africa in terror fight The US is rolling out a nine-country, \$125 million military training program.


UN chief urges action over Darfur UN chief  Kofi Annan asks the Security Council to adopt a US draft resolution on Sudan's Darfur region.


Biotech Stocks Rise Marginally Shares of NeoPharm Inc. jumped 7 percent Thursday morning after the troubled biotechnology company said it regained licenses for two key cancer medications from Pfizer Inc.


Keeping control of inflation is key Federal Reserve Governor Edward Gramlich said Thursday that keeping inflation under control remained paramount for the central bank.


Airbus Denies Backing Microsoft in EU Case Aircraft maker Airbus (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) insisted on Thursday it had no intention of taking sides in a Microsoft (MSFT.


Image Flaw Exposes Users to Hacker Risk Because Internet Explorer is one of the programs vulnerable to a newly discovered Windows image flaw, it is possible that someone could fall victim to a virus written to exploit it just by visiting a Web site that uses JPEG images.


Airespace wins IBM deal for Wi-Fi service ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in August kept Wired  amp; Wireless on top for the 18th month in a row. Airespace, a Silicon Valley start-up that sells telecommunications gear, has won a partnership with IBM


Airbus Sees Mobile Phone Use on Planes in 2006 European planemaker Airbus reported progress on Wednesday in plans to allow passengers to use mobile phones in flight, beginning in 2006.


F1: Trulli to Drive for Toyota Team Next Year Italian Formula One driver Jarno Trulli will drive for Toyota #39;s Formula One team next year. Toyota said Trulli, who was released by Renault this week, signed a two-year deal and will be paired with Germany #39;s Ralf Schumacher next year.


SAINTS SMASH HODDLE TALK Southampton have again dismissed rumours that former manager Glenn Hoddle was being lined up for a return to the club. Morning press reports suggested that head coach Steve Wigley could be forced to make way


Lawmakers Seek to Prevent Another Riggs (AP) AP - House and Senate members are proposing legislation to slow the revolving door carrying federal regulators into private banks, following revelations of the role played by a former U.S. examiner in the Riggs Bank affair.


Ryder Captains Call for Sportsmanship on Eve of Cup  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Captains Bernhard  Langer and Hal Sutton made impassioned pleas for sportsmanship  Thursday, transforming golf's greatest grudge match into a  Ryder Cup love-in during a rollicking opening ceremony.


Hurricane Ivan pounds US mainland Hurricane Ivan pummels the US Gulf Coast, causing at least 12 deaths and widespread damage.


Intel CEO All but Rules Out Chip Plant In a blow to Brazil, Intel Corp. chief executive Craig Barrett on Thursday all but ruled out building a chip manufacturing plant in Latin America #39;s largest country because of high labor costs.


Canadian teams voice support for Bettman CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Canada #39;s NHL teams came out Thursday and voiced their support for the league #39;s decision to lockout its players.


Oracle plans content management splash The database software giant is expected to launch Tsunami, a competitor to products from IBM and Microsoft, later this year.


Jan Baan launches Web services firm The enterprise software legend shifts his attention to Web services. Say hello to start-up Cordys and its integration software.


New Acrobat seen this year Analysts and authors expect Adobe to release a new version of its publishing software soon.


Symantec to acquire security firm stake Says buy will improve consulting contacts and provide products to help recover lost passwords and improve site security.


Airespace partners with IBM on Wi-Fi service The Silicon Valley start-up has won a partnership with IBM that will help it grab a piece of the growing market for Wi-Fi services at big companies.


Brief: Netopia to restate results Netopia Inc. today said it will restate two years of results and revise the results in its most recent fiscal quarter and announced that its auditor, KPMG LLP, has resigned.


Boeing readies RFID standards for release to suppliers in 2005 Boeing plans to release a set of technical specifications for RFID devices to its suppliers during the first half of 2005, but the aircraft maker won't mandate that companies start using the technology right away.


Q A: Microsoft's Linux strategist Martin Taylor With a year under his belt as Microsoft Corp.'s chief Linux strategist, Martin Taylor has a lot to say about where he sees Linux going and how Microsoft plans to compete with the open-source operating system.


US Airways bankruptcy to hit EDS earnings US Airways' intention to reorganize under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection is expected to affect the third-quarter financial performance of Electronic Data Systems Corp.


Sun-Microsoft deal raises Open Office questions Although Microsoft has said it wants to work more closely with developers of the Open Office open-source project, it is apparently reserving the right to sue them, according to a legal agreement with Sun Microsystems made public this week.


Study: IT job market continues to be stagnant The IT job market remains tight in the U.S., with more workers than available jobs in many parts of the country, according to the Center for Urban Economic Development at the University of Illinois in Chicago.


Airbus tests in-flight mobile phones The successful Airbus tests involved communications to and from several different types of GSM mobile phones onboard to mobile and fixed telephones on the ground, and to another mobile phone on the plane.


Nortel sees lower Q3 revenue Nortel Networks has been working for months to correct several years of faulty financial results that have sparked lawsuits, criminal investigations and regulatory probes.


German IT agency sets record straight on Explorer A spokesman for Germany's Federal Office for Information Security has said users should consider alternatives to Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser, but it didn't recommend that they steer clear of Microsoft products.


IBM fits PCs with new hardware-based security chip NEW YORK - IBM Corp. has begun using new security hardware from National Semiconductor Corp. in its desktop PCs in an effort to fend off viruses and hackers.


Lawyers predict FTC's Rambus case will move forward WASHINGTON - Two lawyers on federal regulatory issues predicted Thursday the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would ignore a recommendation by an administrative law judge to end its antitrust case against Rambus Inc.


AOL backs away from Microsoft antispam plan SAN FRANCISCO - America Online Inc. (AOL) has decided not to fully support Microsoft Corp.'s Sender ID spam-fighting plan after the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and the open- source community expressed intellectual property concerns.


3Com posts narrower loss MARLBOROUGH, Mass. -- 3Com Corp. posted a narrower net loss in its latest quarter amid a sharp drop in operating expenses. For the fiscal first quarter ended Aug. 27, the maker of computer-networking equipment


UPDATE 1-Ottawa to sell off Petro-Canada stake The Canadian government will sell its 19 percent stake in oil producer and refiner Petro-Canada (PCA.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) in a public offering, the company said on Thursday.


Record breakers? Fat hope, Real MADRID - Real Madrid were just too proud. That was how coach Jose Antonio Camacho explained the Spanish giants #39; 0-3 thrashing by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday.


After the  #39;Road Map #39; What Ariel Sharon has been indicating for months is now stated Israeli policy: The US-drawn  quot;road map quot; to a Palestinian state is locked in the glove compartment - along with other failed peace plans.


China #39;s top leaders meet to improve party #39;s grip BEIJING - China #39;s top communist leaders met behind closed doors yesterday for a key meeting aimed at shoring up its  #39;ruling capacity #39; amid swirling rumours of the possible retirement of ageing strongman Jiang Zemin.


Parliament slip-up LONDON - The British government was reported to be considering tough new measures yesterday, including banning demonstrations near Parliament, following the most flagrant breach of parliamentary security in living memory.


2004 Election Candidate Comparison Search by PriceGrabber 2004 Election Candidate Comparison Search by PriceGrabber\\PriceGrabber, a shopping search engine, in conjunction with the University of Southern California's (USC) Center for E-Government, has employed its shopping comparison technology to create a useful and unique candidate comparison tool to help voters choose between more than 100 candidates in the 2004 ...


Rockets Exercise Contract on Yao (Reuters) Reuters - The Houston Rockets exercised\the fourth-year option on center Yao Ming's contract on\Thursday.


Kidnapped Foreigners Known for Sharing (AP) AP - Almost every morning, the whirr of the power generator sitting outside house No. 36 broke the quiet of the neat tree-lined street, bringing air conditioners and refrigerators on the block back to life. On Thursday, the generator stood silent.


Rockets Exercise Contract on Yao  HOUSTON (Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets exercised  the fourth-year option on center Yao Ming's contract on  Thursday.


IBM Builds In PC Security SafeKeeper module stores passwords, encryption keys in ThinkCentre desktops.


Stocks to watch Friday Texas Instruments rises on a \$1B stock buyback; investors will keep an eye on consumer sentiment. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Major Wall Street indexes are likely to finish the week flat, but Friday could provide


UPDATE 2-Ottawa launches sale of Petro-Canada stake Canada #39;s government launched the sale of its remaining C\$3 billion (\$2.3 billion) stake in Petro-Canada (PCA.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (PCZ.


Stelios enters online music fray The founder of Easyjet has confirmed he is entering the online music market in a partnership with UK-based Wippit. Stelios Haji-Ioannou #39;s move comes as Microsoft and Yahoo revealed challenges to the likes


Teammate slaps rower THE intense emotion surrounding Olympian Sally Robbins increased yesterday when she left a team function in tears on Monday night after being slapped by Athens Games teammate Catriona Oliver.


Excerpts of Bryant #39;s interview with investigators Excerpts from a published transcript of NBA star Kobe Bryant #39;s interview with Eagle County sheriff #39;s investigators Doug Winters and Dan Loya the night after a 19-year-old employee of a Vail-area resort told police he had sexually assaulted her.


McGrath and mates turn arch rivals into minnows After the ritual humiliation of the new boys, the ICC Champions Trophy began in earnest yesterday with a quarter-final showdown between two of cricket #39;s most decorated starsbut it too turned into a no-contest.


US, allies strike deal with EU trio on Iran-diplomat The United States has reached an agreement with France, Britain and Germany on a draft UN resolution on Iran that calls for an immediate halt to Tehran #39;s uranium enrichment programme, a Western diplomat said late on Thursday.


Afghan president Karzai escapes assassination attempt KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai escaped an assassination bid on Thursday when a rocket was fired at his US military helicopter as it was landing in the southeastern town of Gardez, Reuters news service reported.


Symantec to acquire digital security co. CUPERTINO, Calif. -- Symantec Corp. said Thursday it is acquiring digital security consulting firm stake Inc. Financial details were not disclosed.


Manufacturing accelerates Manufacturing in the nation accelerated in August and September, supporting Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan #39;s view that the economy  quot;regained some traction.


State Lawmakers Seek  #39;Robin Hood #39; Alternative PLANO, Texas -- Earlier this week, a state district judge ruled the  quot;Robin Hood quot; plan of funding Texas public schools to be unconstitutional.


PM: France Will Conform to Deficit Rules France #39;s public deficit will drop by about euro10 billion (US\$12 billion) in 2005 to conform with European Union rules, the French prime minister said in an interview.


United Tech Unit Gets NASA Pact Building systems and aerospace products maker United Technologies Corp. said Thursday that NASA selected its flight systems manufacturing unit as the prime contractor for extravehicular systems work that could


Airespace Wins IBM Partnership for WiFi Service Airespace, a Silicon Valley telecom services start-up, won a partnership with International Business Machines Corp. (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) that will help Airespace


Chip Equipment Bookings Slip The lead semiconductor equipment trade group said August bookings declined 5 from the revised July level to \$1.52 billion -- another sign that chip equipment demand is flagging.


Lockout stalls NHL season The National Hockey League pulled the plug on the start of training camp Wednesday, threatening the entire 2004-05 professional hockey season.


Hughes called Ferguson for word of advice It would be difficult to pick a character trait common to Mark Hughes and Sir Alex Ferguson. But it was to his old boss that Blackburn Rovers #39; new manager turned when the


Report: Before Arrest Bryant Said He Would Pay Accuser LOS ANGELES -- A report on Thursday revealed new information about what Kobe Bryant allegedly told Colorado police before he was arrested on sexual assault charges.


Annan Says Security Council Must Act Now On Darfur UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Secretary General Kofi Annan called on the UN Security Council to take urgent action over a US draft resolution on Sudan #39;s troubled Darfur region.


quot;Road-map quot; peace plan for Gaza Strip The Israeli government does not intend to honour the US-backed road map to peace in the Middle East once it has completed a planned pullout from Gaza, an Israeli newspaper reported today.


Hamilton Sundstrand wins NASA contract WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. -- NASA has selected Hamilton Sundstrand to be the prime contractor for a space program that could be worth more than \$800 million over 10 years.


Jose Pekerman takes over as coach of Argentina One-time taxi driver Jose Pekerman took over as coach of Argentina on Thursday, replacing sudden quitter Marcelo Bielsa. Pekerman, who presided over Argentina #39;s youth programs


Persecution, not prosecution The spring of hope, and the winter of despair. These are the mixed emotions that enunciate the prevailing paradox of our present society.


Canada #39;s C\$3 Bln Petro-Canada Stake Is Filed for Sale (Update1) The Canadian government moved forward with plans to sell its C\$3.04 billion (\$2.36 billion) stake in Petro-Canada, as the oil company filed offering documents with US and Canadian regulators.


Microcell shares hit new high as Rogers seeks federal OK for <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Microcell Telecommunications #39; buoyant shares hit a new high Thursday amid heightened expectations of a bidding war between Telus Corp.


IBM Builds In PC Security IBM has begun using new security hardware from National Semiconductor in its desktop PCs in an effort to fend off viruses and hackers.


Ferrero joins Moya in early China Open goodbyes Beijing: Unfancied American Kevin Kim pounced on the ineffectual game of second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero Thursday to deal a second Spanish seed out of the \$500,000 China Open.


Iraq Allies, Countering Annan, Insist War Was Legal (Reuters) Reuters - Britain, Australia and a former U.S.\official, stung by criticism from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi\Annan, insisted on Thursday that their countries' military\action in Iraq was legal.


Annan backs US, EU push for action on Darfur afrol News, 16 September - UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan today urged the UN Security Council to  quot;act without delay quot; regarding a resolution on Sudan #39;s Darfur region.


Palestinian official freed after Gaza kidnap A group of gunmen have released a senior Palestinian security official after earlier kidnapping him in the Gaza Strip. General Mohammad al-Batrawi was driving through Gaza City when he was ambushed.


IBM Builds In PC Security (PC World) PC World - SafeKeeper module stores passwords, encryption keys in ThinkCentre desktops.


No Christmas rush as sales fall Reports that shoppers are leaving it late in the hope of finding festive bargains may be borne out by new High Street data.


U.S., EU Trio Agree Iran Nuke Resolution --Diplomats  VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States compromised with  France, Britain and Germany on a toughly-worded U.N. nuclear  resolution on Iran that calls for an immediate halt to Tehran's  uranium enrichment program, a Western diplomat said.


Annan Backs U.S. on Darfur; Vote Due Saturday  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi  Annan on Thursday threw his weight behind a U.S.-drafted  resolution on Sudan's Darfur region, saying the Security  Council should adopt it immediately to stop atrocities.


Fan Pursues Bonds Home Run Ball, But Strikes Out  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A baseball fan who bought up 6,458  seats at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium in the hope of catching  and selling Barry Bonds' 700th home run ball admitted on  Thursday he had probably struck out.


Iraq Allies, Countering Annan, Insist War Was Legal  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain, Australia and a former U.S.  official, stung by criticism from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi  Annan, insisted on Thursday that their countries' military  action in Iraq was legal.


S.Africa Public Sector Unions Strike Over Wages  PRETORIA (Reuters) - Thousands of civil servants marched in  cities across South Africa Thursday in a one-day strike over  wages seen as a test of will between the ruling African  National Congress (ANC) and its labor allies.


Stelios enters online music fray The founder of Easyjet confirms he is to enter the online music market in a partnership with UK-based download service Wippit.


Point and Snoot: Introducing the Nose Mouse Using the Nouse in three-dimensional environments, such as design and game software, requires the use of two broadly spaced Web cams.


Outsourcing megadeals lose momentum IBM's loss of its huge JPMorgan contract comes as outsourcing deals are getting smaller.  \


Mandrakesoft in \$7.3 million stock sell-off Move should open the way for the Linux seller to buy other companies.


Sun-Microsoft deal raises Open Office questions Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said that it is looking for ways to work more closely with developers of the Open Office open source project, while at the same time, apparently reserving the right to sue them, according to a legal agreement between Microsoft and Open Office's major sponsor, Sun Microsystems Inc., made public this week.


Symantec to acquire security consultants Stake SAN FRANCISCO - Symantec Corp. has agreed to acquire Stake Inc., a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based provider of IT security consulting services.


Study: IT job market is still stagnant Times remain tough for IT workers looking for jobs across the U.S., according to a new employment study of the IT marketplace.


AOL Signs Off From Sender ID ISP rejects Microsoft antispam plan after open-source community speaks out.


EU and US can #39;t solve jet dispute BRUSSELS Amid thinly veiled threats of legal actions, trade negotiators from the European Union and the United States failed here on Thursday to resolve their dispute over the aid that each side gives to their airplane makers.


Symantec Buys Security Consulting Pioneer stake Symantec Corp. on Thursday announced that is acquiring stake Inc., perhaps the most well-known security consulting firm in the industry, for an undisclosed sum.


Offshore drilling rig missing after Ivan An offshore semi-submersible deepwater drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico is missing in the wake of Hurricane Ivan, but its crew was evacuated well before the storm hit, a spokesman for the company that owns it said Thursday.


Dollar falls after Philly Fed disappoints NEW YORK : The dollar swung lower after a disappointing report from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve that prompted fears of weaker US industrial activity than economists had been expecting.


Insurance losses from Ivan to come in between \$4 billion and \$10 <b>...</b> Insured losses in the United States from Hurricane Ivan are expected to hit \$4 billion to \$10 billion US, analysts estimated on Thursday.


Southampton Football Club deny Hoddle link Glenn Hoddle will not be returning to Southampton Football Club, according to chairman Rupert Lowe. It had been suggested that the former England coach was set to make a controversial return to the Saints


US presses atomic energy agency for strong stand on Iran VIENNA: A US official expressed alarm Thursday that Iran might have a test site for nuclear weapons technology and pressed the UN nuclear watchdog agency to take a tougher position on the issue.


Rocket fire thwarts rally for Karzai GARDEZ, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai had to abort a rare campaign rally Thursday in this town southeast of the capital when a rocket was fired over his helicopter as it began to land.


Report: Bryant Told Police He Was Innocent (AP) AP - In his interview with police the night after he was accused of rape, NBA star Kobe Bryant insisted the sex was consensual, that he stopped when she said "no," and that he wondered if she would accept money to recant a claim that could damage his reputation.


US sending extra troops to Afghanistan to been up security for elections (AFP) AFP - About 1,100 troops from the elite 82nd Airborne Division are being deployed to Afghanistan to beef up security for the October 13 presidential elections, a US defense official said.


Kerry: Bush Not Being Straight About Iraq (AP) AP - Democratic Sen. John Kerry on Thursday accused President Bush of failing to tell the truth about the situation in Iraq as the country falls into more violence and chaos with each passing day.


Bryant Asked Police About Possible Payoff Kobe Bryant told police he stopped when his alleged victim said "no" and wondered if she would accept money to recant a claim that could damage his reputation.


Woods and Mickelson Get Nod for Opener U.S. captain Hal Sutton made sure this Ryder Cup gets off to a dynamic start by pairing Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson for the first time in the opening match.


Reporter Smuggles Fake Bomb Gear Into UK Parliament  LONDON (Reuters) - An undercover reporter smuggled fake  bomb-making equipment into the British parliament a day after  fox hunting protesters made a mockery of security by bursting  into the debating chamber.


Symantec Set To Acquire Security Consultant Stake Security powerhouse Symantec Thursday unveiled plans to acquire solution provider Stake in a move to expand its already swelling services business.


At least five rigs adrift in the Gulf NEW ORLEANS Five offshore oil rigs were set adrift in the Gulf of Mexico and three others were damaged by Hurricane Ivan. The Coast Guard says it received a report from Diamond Offshore that a 335-foot semi


Shell #39;s ex-chairman makes counterattack Philip Watts, silent since being removed in March as chairman of Royal Dutch/Shell Group after a huge overstatement of the company #39;s proven reserves of natural gas and oil, has begun to fight back.


National Semiconductor Offers  #39;Trusted #39; Chip National Semiconductor has released its Safekeeper Trusted Input/Output chip, which stores passwords, digital certificates and encryption keys on PCs.


Briton seized in latest Baghdad kidnap A BRITISH man and two Americans were kidnapped at dawn yesterday in an affluent Baghdad suburb after their guard failed to turn up for work.


Yeltsin sounds alarm on  #39;rollback of rights #39; MOSCOW Boris Yeltsin, Russia #39;s first post-Soviet leader, issued a veiled warning Thursday that President Vladimir Putin #39;s decision to seize sweeping new powers after the Beslan hostage crisis could erode democratic freedoms.


TI OKs \$1 Billion Stock Buyback Texas Instruments Inc. authorized a \$1 billion stock repurchase and increased its quarterly dividend to 2.5 cents from 2.125 cents.


Internet Explorer susceptible to new market share vulnerability Jim Barksdale is probably laughing his fool head off. Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer, the Web browser with which Microsoft crushed Barksdale #39;s Netscape Navigator, is slipping in popularity and it #39;s Microsoft #39;s own damn fault.


Star Wars or A Peaceful Life on Mars: NASA Gets The World Dreaming <b>...</b> If peace on earth is no longer feasible by the end of the century, you may have another option: Move to Mars! Yesterday, the head of NASA #39;s surface exploration mission said if we can find water on the red


Rejuvenated Red Sox back in the Bronx, taking aim at Yanks The last time the Boston Red Sox visited Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter was hurtling headfirst into the stands, Nomar Garciaparra was sulking in the dugout and New York was pulling away in the AL East.


Moment of decision hascome for N. Ireland peace: Blair LEEDS CASTLE (England) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said yesterday Northern Ireland had reached the moment of decision in which its leaders must show the will to end years of deadlock and secure a lasting peace.


China #39;s Hu, Jiang in Struggle for Power Description: As leaders of China #39;s Communist Party meet in Beijing, much of the focus is on the rivalry between President Hu Jintao and former President Jiang Zemin.


Cable break interrupts Internet in Guyana (AFP) AFP - Thousands of Guyanese were without Internet service for most of Thursday because the Americas II submarine fiber-optic cable broke in French Guiana, authorities said.


Mobile Phones Cleared for Takeoff (PC World) PC World - Cell phones and wireless devices pass Airbus's onboard tests with flying colors.


Nikkei Opens Flat Before Long Weekend (Reuters) Reuters - Tokyo's Nikkei average opened down 0.07\percent on Friday following lackluster trade on Wall Street and\as investors wound down trading ahead of a long weekend in\Japan and bookclosings for the first half of the business year.


Reserve Chief Says Force Not Properly Prepared to Fight War on Terror Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly warned that the Army faced a serious risk of running out of crucial specialists in the reserves who can be involuntarily called up for active duty.


Oil Prices Rise Though Storm Fears Vanish WASHINGTON - Oil prices rose Thursday despite reports that refineries along the Gulf Coast, as well as production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, that had been shut down were slowly being restaffed, as Hurricane Ivan proved to be less disruptive than feared.   "We've really not heard of any refineries in that area reporting any problems," and several are already being restarted, said Tom Bentz, a trader at BNP Paribas Futures in New York...


Tests Show James Died of Heart Attack LOS ANGELES - Toxicology and other tests determined that funk singer Rick James died last month from a heart attack due to an enlarged heart, with numerous drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine contributing factors, the county coroner's office announced Thursday.    The death was declared an accident, said coroner's spokesman David Campbell, who emphasized that none of the drugs were found to be at life-threatening levels...


Airbus not on Microsoft #39;s side WHILE THE Financial Times reported that Airbus was putting its oar in to influence the outcome of a Microsoft appeal to a European court, Reuters reports today that the aerospace firm doesn #39;t have an axe to grind.


FOOTBALL LIVE REPORTS Patrick Kluivert eased Newcastle towards the group stage of the UEFA Cup in Graeme Souness #39; first game in charge - but at some cost.


Betting scam jockey cleared of deliberately jumping off horse Jockey Sean Fox, who mysteriously jumped from his horse mid-race and sparked fears of a betting scam, won his appeal Thursday against a 21-day suspension.


Fishmeal catch 'hits UK seabirds' British seabirds have had their worst breeding season ever with industrial fishing a key problem, scientists say.


nStor sells off telecoms management unit The data storage company is selling its Stonehouse Technologies unit for \$6.5 million.


FBI seizes \$87 million worth of illegal software SAN FRANCISCO - A two-year investigation by U.S. law enforcement authorities has resulted in one of the largest seizures of fake software ever in the U.S. and charges against 11 individuals, government officials said Thursday.


Mobile Phones Cleared for Takeoff Cell phones and wireless devices pass Airbus's onboard tests with flying colors.


Sutton makes gutsy call in first pairing When the cute pink sheets were finally handed out and the opening round pairings for the 35th Ryder Cup Matches were released Thursday afternoon, the first two


Australian rowers row reaches a new low RELATIONS within the Australian womens eight rowing crew have hit a new low with Olympian Catriona Oliver slapping much-publicised team-mate Sally Robbins in front of onlookers at anofficial function on Wednesday night.


Magpies go double Dutch PATRICK KLUIVERT struck twice as Newcastle United got Graeme Souness #39;s reign as Newcastle manager off to a stuttering start today.


Athletics Defeat Rangers 5-4 (AP) AP - Kenny Rogers lost at the Coliseum for the first time in more than 10 years, with Bobby Crosby's three-run double in the fifth inning leading the Athletics to a 5-4 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.


Europe, US agree draft resolution on Iran nuclear program: US official (AFP) AFP - The United States and Europe's three main states reached agreement after days of talks on a UN draft resolution on Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program, a US official said.


Soriano Hurts Leg in Headfirst Slide (AP) AP - Texas Rangers star Alfonso Soriano left Thursday's game against Oakland in the eighth inning after injuring his left leg on a headfirst slide, putting the rest of his season in doubt.


Jeanne Nears Hurricane Strength, 2 Dead (AP) AP - Tropical Storm Jeanne hovered near hurricane strength as it plowed through the northeastern Dominican Republic on Thursday, prompting thousands to flee their homes a day after pounding Puerto Rico and killing at least two people.


U.S. Tones Down Resolution on Sudan (AP) AP - The United States on Thursday toned down a resolution on Sudan to win support from China, Russia and other Security Council members who fear the threat of sanctions against Khartoum could complicate efforts to end the looting and killing in the Darfur region.


Republicans Push Controversial Votes (AP) AP - Flag-burning and the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance are about to join gay marriage among the volatile issues that congressional Republicans have pushed to votes ahead of the election to remind the public how the GOP and Democrats differ.


Hurricane Ivan Uproots Oil Rigs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricane Ivan, which left a swath of  death and destruction across the Caribbean, wrought havoc on  oil drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico before rampaging  across the Florida and Alabama coast on Thursday.


Feds to Sell 49 Million Shares in Petro-Canada The Calgary-based energy company said Thursday in filings with Canadian and US regulators that Ottawa intends to sell all of its shares to investors in Canada, the United States and internationally.


US Airways may ask for OK to cut wages Labor leaders at US Airways expect management to soon seek bankruptcy court permission to cut wages for members of some of its five unions.


Surprise as August rain fails to dampen high street spending Reports of the death of the consumer economy appeared unfounded yesterday after official figures revealed a sharp rise in high street spending last month.


AOL Drops Microsoft #39;s Sender ID Less than a week after a standards-setting group rejected Microsoft #39;s scheme to stymie spam, America Online added to the company #39;s woes by dumping the software giant #39;s proposed Sender ID.


Deaf children invent a new sign language A study published today shows that a sign language that emerged over two decades ago now counts as a true language. It began in a school for the deaf in Managua, Nicaragua, founded in 1977.


Airbus tests in-flight mobile phones SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - European plane maker Airbus SAS said yesterday that it has successfully completed the first in-flight trial of mobile phones and infrastructure equipment based on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM


For Businesses, It #39;s Slow Going With Windows XP #39;s SP2 It could take months for many businesses to test and deploy Microsoft #39;s most-secure operating system. By John Foley. Despite the promise that Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Service Pack 2 release will make PCs more


Kiwi hopes brought down by Symonds the six-shooter Another day, another mismatch: the contest that was meant to bring the Champions Trophy to life proved to be as one-sided as its predecessors.


Roma to face UEFA wrath Italian side Roma will discover next week the punishment it faces for the disgraceful scenes in yesterday #39;s Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev which saw the match abandoned at half-time following an attack on the referee.


Iran nuclear resolution agreed The United States has reached an agreement with key European allies, as well as Canada and Australia, on a draft resolution on Iran #39;s nuclear program, the State Department has said.


US troop boost for Afghan vote Some 700 US soldiers will be getting orders to ship out to Afghanistan on Friday, amid security concerns in the runup to October elections.


A Sign From Beijing? Hong Kong Chief Shelves the Security Law Hong Kong #39;s chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, ruled out on Thursday trying to pass internal security legislation any time soon, a strong sign that his backers in Beijing


Taiwan loses out again After more than 90 speeches on Wednesday - the vast majority against putting Taiwan on the assembly #39;s agenda - President Jean Ping of Gabon asked the assembly #39;s General Committee if there were any objections to not including the issue.


Chargers home opener vs. Jets blacked out The San Diego Chargers #39; home opener Sunday against the New York Jets will be blacked out on local television because nearly 13,000 general admission tickets remained unsold by Thursday #39;s deadline.


Forecasters: More Hurricanes May Be on Way (AP) AP - Ivan, Frances and Charley delivered three staggering blows to the Gulf Coast and Florida, as well as Caribbean island nations, all in just five weeks.


Bush Sends Intelligence Bill to Congress (AP) AP - President Bush presented Congress on Thursday with legislation to create a strong national intelligence director with authority to control the nonmilitary portions of the nation's intelligence budget.


AstraZeneca Sues U.S. Generic Drug Maker  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Drug maker AstraZeneca Plc  AZN.L<AZN.N> on Thursday said it has sued generic drug maker  KV Pharmaceutical Co KVa.N over one of its branded high blood  pressure medications.


In China, Farmers' Labor Bears Too Much Fruit The plight of the litchi industry shows both the promise and the pitfalls of China's economic growth, from the flood of investment to overproduction and crashing profits.


Luxury Market Blooms Near Red Square Moscow has become one of the fastest growing luxury markets in the world, as designer boutiques rush in to meet the demands of the wealthy.


Bollore has asked for Havas board seats-Havas CEO French corporate raider Vincent Bollore has asked for seats on the board of French advertising company Havas (EURC.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) , Havas #39;s chief executive said on Thursday, saying the company was considering the


EarthLink Intros SIP-Based P2P Prototype Officials at EarthLink #39;s (Quote, Chart) R amp;D facility have quietly released a proof-of-concept file-sharing application based on the Session Initiated Protocol (define).


Symonds leads Aussies into last four LONDON, England (AFP) - Andrew Symonds blasted a quickfire 71 not out as Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy here at the Oval yesterday.


Under the Weight of 700, Bonds Returns Home to Lift His Growing <b>...</b> As Barry Bonds stood in the on-deck circle at Miller Park on Thursday afternoon, he gazed upon the thousands who had come to see him hit a ball into the seats, and he recognized a face from home.


Annan in firing line over his illegal war claim COALITION allies yesterday flatly rejected the assertion by Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, that the war in Iraq was illegal.


Afghan president under fire Afghanistan #39;s president, Hamid Karzai, yesterday evaded an apparent assassination attempt, when a rocket attack missed his helicopter.


First arrests made over Australian embassy bombing in Jakarta Indonesian police investigating the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta last week have made their first arrests. They have taken into custody a couple suspected of having links to the attack #39;s alleged


Copper recoups losses London Metal Exchange (LME) copper recouped earlier losses to finish Wednesday #39;s open outcry trade unchanged, getting little direction from a mixed set of US economic data.


Bollore asks for Havas seat Pressure on French advertising group Havas mounted yesterday as it emerged that corporate raider and dissident shareholder Vincent Bollore has asked for seats on the company #39;s board.


first profit since merger Corus, Britain #39;s biggest steelmaker, yesterday reported its first profits since the merger of British Steel and Dutch rival Hoogovens five years ago.


Sacked Shell chairman hits back at FSA Sir Philip Watts, the former chairman of Shell, yesterday broke his silence with a blistering attack on the City regulator, which he accused of riding roughshod over his rights and writing a  quot;flawed quot; report.


Children #39;s sign language reflects linguistic rules WASHINGTON - A new form of sign language created by deaf children in Nicaragua may offer clues about how language evolves, researchers say.


Microsoft warns of jpeg vulnerability Users of Microsoft Windows who have not downloaded the SP2 update are at risk of exposure to hackers when they open jpeg picture files, the BBC said Thursday.


Sun-Microsoft Pact Excludes OpenOffice Users Microsoft Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. have agreed not to sue each other or their customers for patent infringements, but the pact announced in April specifically states that the protection does not apply


Geeks Code for the Gold If your idea of a good workout is a vigorous code-debugging session, you probably made plenty of snarky comments during the Summer Olympics last month.


Legality of invasion  quot;unclear quot; Prime Minister Helen Clark believes the legality of the US-led invasion of Iraq is unclear, a spokesman for her office said on Friday.


Diamondbacks Rip Rockies 8-5 (AP) AP - Danny Bautista hit a run-scoring double in the seventh and scored on Alex Cintron's sacrifice fly, lifting the Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies.


Indonesian Man Arrested, Lied About Fire (AP) AP - An Indonesian man has been arrested for failing to disclose on his U.S. visa application that he poured gasoline during a riot over gas prices, helping start a fire that killed more than 200 people in Jakarta, authorities said Thursday.


Hurricanes May Have Upset NASA's Schedule (AP) AP - Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan have cost NASA a least a week's worth of work and upset its tight schedule for resuming shuttle flights, throwing into doubt the space agency's plans to launch Discovery in early spring.


Briefly: Data center firms settle cookie suit roundup Plus: nStor sells off telecoms management unit...Nortel lowers expectations...Microsoft connects with SAP...Autodesk updates hobbyist tool.


Under the Weight of 700, Bonds Returns Home to Lift His Growing Legend After two games trying in vain to yank his 700th home run, Barry Bonds was content to collect three line-drive hits in a 4-0 victory over the Brewers on Thursday.


In Cup Gambit, U.S. Is Pairing Its Aces Creating a stir on the day before the 35th Ryder Cup, Hal Sutton paired Tiger Woods with Phil Mickelson for Friday's opening four-ball match.


Data center firms settle cookie suit F5 Networks and Radware have come to terms in a patent dispute over "cookie persistence" technology.


Crude Oil May Fall as Output Rebounds, Survey Says (Update1) Crude oil may fall next week as Gulf of Mexico production rebounds and tanker shipments resume after Hurricane Ivan, according to a Bloomberg News survey of traders and analysts.


An August Vacation for Inflation Prices came in surprisingly weak, despite surging oil costs. And since crude is likely to recede, the CPI should now stay flat. You wouldn #39;t know that crude-oil prices spiked to their highest levels in two


Ex-Shell chief Watts demands public tribunal to clear his name The former chairman of Shell, Sir Philip Watts, is to take the main City regulator, the Financial Services Authority, to a public tribunal to try to clear his name over the oil giant #39;s reserves scandal.


Kingfisher to plough 75m into price cuts Kingfisher will reinvest 75m gleaned from shaking up its supply chain in lower prices this year, the do-it-yourself retailer said yesterday as it reported a sharp rise in interim profits.


Update 3: Tokyo Stocks Mixed Early Tokyo stocks were mixed early Friday as investors avoided significant moves ahead of a long weekend. The dollar was up against the Japanese yen.


Kodak, IBM to make sensors for digital cameras ROCHESTER, NY Kodak and IBM have agreed to develop and make image sensors for digital cameras and camera phones. Jeff Couture of IBM says the information-technology giant is pursuing the partnership due to


A Firefox in IE #39;s Henhouse When was the last time you heard about the browser wars? Well, they #39;re back. The reason: For the first time in more than seven years, Microsoft (MSFT ) is losing Web browser market share.


International Olympiad in Informatics Step aside Michael Phelps; geeks with glasses can now sport a gold medal thanks to the annual International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).


Spadea cruises into quarters TOP-seeded American Vincent Spadea cruised past compatriot James Blake 6-3 6-1 here to reach the quarter-finals of the Millennium International tournament today.


Colombia Seizes Cali Cartel-Linked Stores (Reuters) Reuters - Colombia on Thursday seized\hundreds of drug stores across the country suspected of money\laundering for the Cali cocaine cartel, in the biggest property\seizure in Colombia's history.


Spadea Advances to MIT Quarterfinals (AP) AP - Top-seeded Vincent Spadea beat James Blake 6-3, 6-1 Thursday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Millennium International Tennis Championships.


It's Styles That Make Fights, Even Among Trainers Unbidden, Floyd Mayweather Sr. will tell you how good he is as a trainer. It doesn't hurt that he trains Oscar De La Hoya.


U.S. Weapons Inspector: Iraq Had No WMD WASHINGTON - Drafts of a report from the top U.S. inspector in Iraq conclude there were no weapons stockpiles, but say there are signs the fallen Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had dormant programs he hoped to revive at a later time, according to people familiar with the findings...


Ivans Path Scientists once calculated that a hurricane gives off about 200 times much energy as all the world #39;s electric plants combined.


Schilling Gets 20th As Red Sox Beat D-Rays (AP) AP - Curt Schilling became the first 20-game winner in the major leagues this season, reaching the mark for the third time in four years and leading the Boston Red Sox to an 11-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Thursday night.


AP: Ex-Florida Coach Fred Zook to Illinois (AP) AP - Former Florida coach Ron Zook will be named Tuesday as Illinois' 22nd head football coach, sources told The Associated Press Monday.


Terror Hearings Panelists Dismissal Urged (AP) AP - The presiding officer in charge of U.S. military commissions in Guantanamo Bay has recommended that two panel members be dismissed from hearing cases of suspected terrorists because they could be considered biased.


N.Korea Blast Scene a Construction Site -- Diplomats (Reuters) Reuters - Diplomats who visited the scene of a\mysterious explosion in North Korea said the site was a\hydroelectric construction project, and one envoy said more\blasts were planned, Kyodo news agency reported.


N.Korea Blast Scene a Construction Site -- Diplomats  TOKYO (Reuters) - Diplomats who visited the scene of a  mysterious explosion in North Korea said the site was a  hydroelectric construction project, and one envoy said more  blasts were planned, Kyodo news agency reported.


Budget Use of Pensions Sows Trouble in San Diego San Diego faces the possibility of a bankruptcy filing because of a shortfall in its pension fund, but the practice is commonplace among other cities.


Clear Channel Is Expanding in Spanish Radio Clear Channel Communications said it would convert up to 25 of its stations to Spanish-language formats as it pursues advertising dollars aimed at Hispanic listeners.


Hurricane Ivan's Fury Kills 20 Along the Gulf Coast Hurricane Ivan carved a path of destruction through the Southeast with winds reaching 130 miles an hour.


Schilling Gets 20th As Red Sox Beat D-Rays BOSTON - Curt Schilling became the first 20-game winner in the major leagues this season, reaching the mark for the third time in four years and leading the Boston Red Sox to an 11-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Thursday night.    Kevin Millar and Johnny Damon each homered and drove in four runs, and Boston moved within 3 1/2 games of the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East...


Heart Attack, Drugs Caused James' Death LOS ANGELES - Toxicology and other tests determined that funk singer Rick James died last month from a heart attack due to an enlarged heart, with numerous drugs including methamphetamine and cocaine contributing factors, the county coroner announced Thursday.    The death was declared an accident, said coroner's spokesman David Campbell, who emphasized that none of the drugs were found to be at life-threatening levels...


Symantec to acquire security firm stake Symantec has signed an agreement to acquire stake, a security consulting and software company, Symantec said Thursday. stake will improve Symantec #39;s consulting contacts--six of the top 10 financial institutions are customers, Symantec said.


Egyptian animals mummified same way as humans Researchers examined four mummified animalstwo hawks, a cat, and an ibis to find that ancient Egyptians mummified animals in a similar way to humans.


A Puzzling Change for Mickelson MORE than any of the rest of the world #39;s best golfers, Phil Mickelson has often tried to do the spectacular because he thinks he will hit a magical shot.


Symonds Leads Aussies Into Champions Trophy Semis LONDON, UK : Sep 17 (PNS) - Andrew Symonds hit four sixes and seven boundaries in his unbeaten knock of 71 off 47 deliveries and along with Dean Martyn who made 60 not out, led the Australians to a comfortable victory against the Clear Black CAPS by seven


Soriano injured in steal attempt Besides suffering a 5-4 loss to the A #39;s on Thursday, the Rangers saw All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano suffer an injury to his left leg while stealing third base in the eighth inning.


Tennessee #39;s freshman QBs make good first impression When does a college quarterback know he #39;s arrived? Is it when history is made? When Tennessee quarterback Brent Schaeffer started in the Vols #39; 42-17 win against UNLV two weeks


Fox cleared over Ice Saint ride Sean Fox, the jockey who was accused of deliberately jumping off a horse at Fontwell earlier this year, has been exonerated of breaking any rules at a Jockey Club disciplinary hearing.


Key NI talks continue Northern Ireland #39;s politicians are preparing for a second day of intensive talks aimed at restoring devolved government. The talks, continuing on Friday at Leeds Castle in Kent, are seen as the most important


Cherie denies Blair  #39;wobbled #39; and had thoughts of resigning Cherie Blair yesterday dismissed suggestions that her husband had considered resigning as Prime Minister because of the family pressures he was facing.


McGrath proves he #39;s on the way back But Australia has overwhelmed the apparent next best one-day team in the world with a seven-wicket win over New Zealand set up by Glenn McGrath #39;s early burst and finished off by a brutal knock from Andrew Symonds.


Srichaphan edges out Lisnard to advance in China Open Sixth seed Paradorn Srichaphan knocked out French player Jean-Rene Lisnard 6-4, 7-5 to advance to the second round of China Open tennis tournament Wednesday in Beijing.


National League Game Summary - Atlanta at New York The Braves #39; magic number to clinch the NL East remained at 10, thanks to Florida #39;s 4-3 victory over Montreal...Keppinger #39;s error was the 130th this season for the Mets, tops in the majors...Betemit #39;s RBI was the first of his career...Atlanta holds a 10-6


Gonzales given triple-life sentence A Sydney student will spend the rest of his life in jail for the stabbing murders of his parents and sister in 2001. Sef Gonzales showed no emotion when Justice Bruce James told him in the Supreme Court in


Security key in Indonesia vote? After eight months of campaigning centered largely on personality, security issues could become a key factor in Indonesia #39;s presidential election.


US warned over Boeing subsidies BRUSSELS: The European Union yesterday demanded Washington explain more clearly how it subsidises Boeing Co and warned it would counter any US challenge targeting EU rival Airbus Industrie before the World Trade Organisation.


Symantec to acquire security consultants Stake Symantec has agreed to acquire Stake, a Cambridge, Mass.-based provider of IT security consulting services. After closure of the deal, expected in October, Symantec plans to integrate Stake #39;s services and


Right products for demanding markets RiTdisplay Corporation is one of the top three OLED makers in the world. The company provides the right technology for innovative knowledge, the right time for real-time competitiveness and the right products for customer satisfaction.


Thursday at the Ryder Cup Bloomfield Hills, MI (Sports Network) - No matter what you did on Thursday, I #39;ve got you topped. I attended the Opening Ceremonies for the 35th Ryder Cup Matches and what a show this was, but a different one from years past.


Pekerman revealed as Argentina coach BUENOS AIRES, Sep 17 (SW) - The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has revealed their new national team coach to be Jos Pekerman.


Plate umpire O #39;Nora ill, game delayed Plate umpire Brian O #39;Nora became ill during the game between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets on Wednesday night, causing a delay of nine minutes.


Turks plan to outlaw adultery TURKEY #39;S Islamic-rooted ruling party was planning to introduce a proposal to criminalise adultery despite earlier statements that the controversial measure had been shelved, Turkish media reported today.


Calif. Judge Cuts Microsoft Legal Fees (Reuters) Reuters - A San Francisco judge ordered Microsoft\Corp.  to pay lawyers involved in its  #36;1.1 billion\class action settlement  #36;100 million in legal fees, less than\half of the original fees they requested, company officials\said on Thursday.


IAEA Envoys Wrestle With Iran Resolution (AP) AP - U.S. and European diplomats tentatively agreed Thursday to demand a new Iranian freeze on uranium enrichment by fall as they fine-tuned a draft resolution meant to deprive Iran of technology that could be used to make nuclear weapons.


Colorado State Limits Alcohol at Stadium (AP) AP - Following the death of a female student and two off-campus riots, Colorado State University officials on Thursday said alcohol sales for most of its football stadium would be suspended until at least Feb. 1.


Dollar Edges Down on Doubts Over Fed  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged down on Friday after  soft U.S. manufacturing data fueled the view that the Federal  Reserve may slow or even temporarily halt its tightening  campaign.


Palmeiro Keys Victory Rafael Palmeiro homers and Rodrigo Lopez wins his third straight start, lifting the Orioles to a 9-5 victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday.


A Physical Stretch Physical defense and a defiant attitude has fueled the Mystics' four-game winning streak and rise to playoff contention.


Hixon Remains in Coma Redskins receivers coach Stan Hixon said Thursday that he is optimistic his son Drew, a receiver at Tennessee Tech who remains in a coma, will recover.


Jeanne Plows Into the Dominican Republic SAMANA, Dominican Republic - Hurricane Jeanne plowed into the Dominican Republic Thursday, killing a baby and forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. The storm unleashed floods and left two dead a day earlier in Puerto Rico...


Hurricane Ivan Slams Gulf Coast; 22 Dead PENSACOLA, Fla. - Hurricane Ivan drilled the Gulf Coast on Thursday with 130-mph winds that inflicted far less damage than feared everywhere except Florida's Panhandle, where residents were left with surge-ravaged beachfronts, flooded streets and homes ripped apart by deadly tornadoes...


Both leaders taking big risks Not that the hockey negotiations aren #39;t going to proceed in utterly good faith, but the NHL owners piled up a \$300 million war chest and the players union long ago warned its members to be ready to go 18 months without a paycheck.


Padres acquire Gonzalez from Expos The San Diego Padres quickly found a replacement for injured shortstop Khalil Greene, acquiring Alex Gonzalez from the Montreal Expos on Thursday night for a player to be named or cash.


SEC teams hope to beat Ivan to punch Hurricane Ivan is threatening to wash out one of the highlights in the biggest weekend of college football so far. Southeastern Conference officials are mulling whether to postpone No.


Time yet right to reopen controversial law, says Tung Hong Kong #39;s Beijing-backed chief executive yesterday ruled out any early moves to pass a controversial national security law which last year sparked a street protest by half a million people.


UN under fire for rejecting the voice of Taiwan After 12 years of failure it is time for Taiwan to adopt a new strategy in its quest to gain a seat at the United Nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen () said yesterday.


Ousted Shell Chairman Assails Regulators Sir Philip Watts, in his first public statement since he was ousted as chairman of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group in March, said on Thursday that British financial regulators


Irish have renewed hope After a 28-20 upset of Michigan in their home opener, the Irish certainly have cause for optimism. Notre Dame rebounded from 20-17 loss to BYU in a disappointing season debut to play very well against the Wolverines.


Bush claims UN support for ousting Saddam St Cloud, US: Faced with UN chief Kofi Annan #39;s charge that the war in Iraq was  #39;illegal #39; under the world body #39;s charter, President George W. Bush strongly implied that the invasion enjoyed UN support.


No decision by Musharraf on keeping both posts: US Washington: The United States has said Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf has not taken any decision on keeping both posts of Army Chief and the President and it expected continued democratic reforms in the country.


Russia May Have to Delay Space Launch (AP) AP - Russia may have to delay October's planned launch of the next International Space Station crew by up to 10 days to fix a problem on the spacecraft that is to carry them into orbit, Russian news agencies reported.


AL Wrap: Crosby Blast Ends Rogers' Run in Oakland (Reuters) Reuters - Bobby Crosby hit a three-run double in\the fifth inning as the Athletics ended Kenny Rogers dominance\in Oakland, downing the Texas Rangers 5-4 in American League\play on Thursday.


Egyptians Spared No Expense on Animal Mummies (Reuters) Reuters - Ancient Egyptians revered cats and other\animals and took as much care in preparing them for their\passage to the next life as they did with humans, scientists\said on Wednesday.


Taiwan Denies Wrongdoing in Ex-U.S. Diplomat Meetings  TAIPEI (Reuters) - Premier Yu Shyi-kun said on Friday that  Taiwan intelligence officers had held secret dealings with a  former senior U.S. diplomat but denied that the government had  committed any wrongdoing.


Lohse Continues Roll Kyle Lohse pitches seven sharp innings as the Twins beat the White Sox, 10-1, Thursday for their ninth straight victory.


Corus brings halt to losses STEEL group Corus unveiled profits for the first time yesterday after soaring prices and a restructuring boosted the former British Steel business.


Take A Sniff It #39;s The Nose Mouse An inventor from Canada has developed a computer mouse that is controlled by nose and eyelid movements. The invention is dubbed the  quot;Nouse.


Nasscom urges WB to boost infrastructure West Bengal government should give more emphasis to infrastructure development by building more roads, rapid transit and communication systems for providing a conducive environment to the information technology sector, Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said


Police make first arrests in bombing outside Australian embassy JAKARTA - Indonesian police investigating the bombing of the Australian embassy in Jakarta last week have made their first arrests.


Nortel's Shares Fall on Revenue Warning Nortel Networks reversed a longstanding position that its revenue growth would exceed the overall market's this year.


Infineon to Pay a Fine in the Fixing of Chip Prices Federal prosecutors cracked a global cartel that had illegally fixed prices of memory chips in personal computers and servers for three years.


All the Yankees Are Raving About Hernndez's Second Act Where would the Yankees be this season without Orlando Hernndez? Second place, of course.


Riggs Probe Includes Recordings  Federal regulators and prosecutors are scouring tape recordings of more than 150 Riggs Bank board meetings as they investigate what role top executives, including former chairman Joe L. Allbritton, played in more than a decade of violations of anti-money-laundering laws at the company, according to five sources familiar with the tapes.


Quarterback Controversy Imperils a Successful Season for Dolphins The battle that has erupted in Miami between Jay Fiedler and A. J. Feeley is only the latest problem for a franchise that must wonder if the locusts are coming next.


Old Labor Tactics Resurface in Unite Here Union Labor experts say Unite Here, the newly merged union that is representing the D.C. hotel workers in their current contract dispute, is one of the most outspoken and toughest unions under the AFL-CIO umbrella.


Inflation in Check, Bond Prices Rise Briskly Thursday's bond price rally followed a government report that showed that inflation was well restrained in August.


Hurricane Ivan's Fury Kills 20 Along the Middle Gulf Coast Hurricane Ivan carved a path of destruction through the Southeast with winds reaching 130 miles an hour.


Business Digest The Boeing Co. #39;s finance unit yesterday reached an agreement with Hawaiian Airlines Inc. that allows the airline to keep using 14 Boeing planes as it tries to exit bankruptcy.


Ottawa to sell off all Petro-Canada shares Ottawa is selling off its \$3.1-billion stake in Petro-Canada, the Calgary-based oil company says. The stock sale would be the biggest in Canadian history.


TI plans a buyback and boosts dividend No.1 maker of chips used in cell phones announces \$1B stock repurchase and raises payout nearly 18. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Texas Instruments, the world #39;s largest maker of chips used in cell phones, announced


Spammer  #39;bounty hunters #39; will need cash, FTC says WASHINGTON--The US government should be prepared to spend freely if it decides to encourage  quot;bounty hunters quot; to track down e-mail spammers, the US Federal Trade Commission said Thursday.


Symantec Buys Stake Anti-virus specialist Symantec (Quote, Chart) late Thursday announced a deal to acquire privately held security consulting firm Stake.


Expos trade Gonzalez to Padres Padres general manager Kevin Towers called Expos general manager Omar Minaya on Thursday afternoon and told him he needed a shortstop because Khalil Greene had broken his


Johnson rides into  #39;playoffs #39; with hype, skill on his side It might make the racing crowd cringe, but what NASCAR boss Brian France is doing to manufacture excitement at a time of the year when racing usually hits a lull and sports fans


Greens hope more think Iraq action illegal The Greens are hopeful Kofi Annan #39;s statement that the US-led war on Iraq was illegal will help lead more people around the world to think the same.


Hu and Jiang jockey for position Xinhua reports that the 4th plenary session of the Chinese Communist Party #39;s (CCP) 16th Central Committee will be held in Beijing from Sept.


Little Progress in Aircraft Talks The European Union on Thursday demanded that Washington explain more clearly how it subsidizes the Boeing Co. and warned it would counter any US challenge targeting France


quot;Ivan the Terrible quot;: deaths and billions of dollars in damage Hurricane Ivan may cost insurers less than first estimated after the third storm to hit the US in six weeks skirted New Orleans. US claims will probably total \$2 billion to \$7 billion, down from a previous


09,16,04,counterfeit,CaliforniaWire A Gardena man is among 11 people charged in a federal investigation that led to the seizure of \$87 million in counterfeit computer software, prosecutors announced Thursday.


Corning goes ahead with capacity upgrade Corning Inc, the world #39;s largest maker of glass substrates used in liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), said yesterday that it would go ahead with its capacity expansion as planned, adding that decisions


Surprise bounce in retail sales Britain #39;s retail sales unexpectedly bounced back last month as shoppers apparently shrugged off the Bank of England #39;s five interest rate rises since November.


Feds Consider Putting A Bounty On Spammers #39; Heads The FTC weighs the advantages of rewarding people for identifying spammers. It #39;s a more complex calculation than you might think.


Childhood learning may determine linguistic rules The way children learn may determine the building blocks of language, suggests a study of deaf Nicaraguan children. Ann Senghas of New York #39;s Columbia University, US, and colleagues studied three generations


Shuttle schedule clouded by hurricanes Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan have cost NASA a least a weeks worth of work and upset its tight schedule for resuming shuttle flights, throwing into doubt the


Sears Takes On Cyberspace Sears, Roebuck and Co., which has successfully sold its tools and appliances on the web, is counting on having the same magic with bedspreads and sweaters, thanks in part to expertise gained by its purchase of Lands #39; End.


Sports: Orioles 9 Blue Jays 5 Palmeiro #39;s ninth-inning shot left him one behind Mike Schmidt for tenth place on the all-time list. The Orioles won for the eighth time in their last ten road games.


Taiwan #39;s 12th bid for UN membership fails Taiwan #39;s 12th bid to enter the UN failed after the UN General Assembly decided on Wednesday not to include a proposal considering Taiwan #39;s representation in the body in its agenda.


Standardize airport security standards The two Chechen suicide bombers who brought down two Russian passenger jets at the same time Aug. 24 gained access through petty bribes at Moscow #39;s airport, Russia #39;s top prosecutor said Wednesday.


NL Wrap: Ramirez Shines in Cubs Victory Over Reds (Reuters) Reuters - Aramis Ramirez homered three times and\drove in all of Chicago's runs as the Cubs edged the Cincinnati\Reds 5-4 in National League play at the Great American Ballpark\on Thursday.


Soriano Injured, Could Miss Rest of Season  OAKLAND, Calif. (Sports Network) - Texas Rangers second  baseman Alfonso Soriano left Thursday's 5-4 loss to Oakland  after he injured his left leg, and he might miss the rest of  the season.


Goldman Sachs Enters Fray for Takefuji  TOKYO (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. may be in talks  with the founding family of top Japanese consumer finance firm  Takefuji Corp. for a stake of over \$2.74 billion, a source told  Reuters on Friday, heating up competition among foreign  investors to enter a \$97 billion industry.


Update 3: Tokyo Stocks Lower at Late Morning Tokyo stocks fell Friday morning as investors avoided significant moves ahead of a long weekend. The dollar was down against the Japanese yen.


Cash Bounties For Spammers Win Limited FTC Backing The Federal Trade Commission yesterday gave limited endorsement to offering cash rewards to people who help track down e-mail spammers, suggesting that such bounties might work but in fewer


Make Our Ports Safer Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge met with a group of Seattle officials recently and told us he #39;s sleeping better at night because our country is better prepared than before to defend against a terrorist attack.


Remorseless quest all the way London: On the eve of yesterdays clash between Australia and New Zealand, Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming, while referring to the one-sided nature of matches played thus far in the ICC Champions Trophy, had stated, in effect, that the fireworks would


Another showdown for archrivals The race for the American League East title could either be finished or just getting started after this weekend at Yankee Stadium.


BREWERS: Another loss, but Bonds held homerless MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers may have lost the war - losing three games to the San Francisco Giants - but they won the battle against slugger Barry Bonds.


Boston #39;s Schilling first to 20 wins Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Curt Schilling won his seventh straight start and became baseball #39;s first 20-game winner, leading the Boston Red Sox past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 11-4 at Fenway Park.


Annan claims war in Iraq is illegal The United States and its coalition partners on Thursday defended the war in Iraq after UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asserted it was  quot;illegal quot; because it didn #39;t have Security Council support.


Plea Due in MedImmune Fraud Case Former Medimmune executive Eric Tsao is expected to plead guilty Friday to securities fraud, a case legal experts say is the latest in a series against high-profile defendants who allegedly try to subvert investigations.
-The Washington Post


Port Security May Be Aided By Electronic Container Seals The Homeland Security Department could access data stored in the electronic container seal, but failure rates must be below 5. By Larry Greenemeier.


Golf: Ryder Cup pairings named Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomerie will meet in the opening four-balls at Oakland Hills.


Stakes high for England England will have a semi-final place in their sights when they face Sri Lanka in the Champions Trophy.


Hurricane Ivan Slams Gulf Coast; 23 Dead PENSACOLA, Fla. - Hurricane Ivan drilled the Gulf Coast on Thursday with 130-mph winds that inflicted far less damage than feared everywhere except Florida's Panhandle, where residents were left with surge-ravaged beachfronts, flooded streets and homes ripped apart by deadly tornadoes...


New Pickup Makes Hummer Look Rather Puny DALLAS - This one could make the Hummer look like a girlie car. International Truck and Engine Corp...


U.S. Weapons Inspector: Iraq Had No WMD WASHINGTON - Drafts of a report from the top U.S. inspector in Iraq conclude there were no stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, but say there are signs the fallen Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had dormant programs he hoped to revive at a later time, according to people familiar with the findings...


Bush Leads in One Poll, Tied in Another WASHINGTON - President Bush has a double-digit lead in one new national poll, but he's tied with Democrat John Kerry in another.    Both campaigns say their own polling has the race close, with Bush's people seeing a slight lead for the president...


Oil Prices Firm as Storms Threaten Supply (Reuters) Reuters - World oil prices rose on Friday,\boosted by production stoppages due to a severe hurricane in\the Gulf of Mexico and worries that another storm might further\delay imports into the United States.


Chechen warlord claims responsibility for school hostage taking (AFP) AFP - Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev has claimed responsibility for the deadly school hostage taking in southern Russia, according to a letter posted on a rebel website.


Video: Taking It with You (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Easily portable video becomes real; evaluating Microsoft's UI for portable media; what is thought?\\ #149; Video: Taking It with You\ #149; Gadget of the Month: The Portable Media Center\ #149; Thinking About Thinking


Bush, Kerry Not Invited to Annual Dinner (AP) AP - Neither President Bush nor Democratic challenger John Kerry has been invited to this year's Alfred E. Smith Memorial political dinner because campaign issues could detract from the "spirit" of the event, an official said Thursday.


Forecasters: More Hurricanes May Be on Way (AP) AP - Ivan, Frances and Charley delivered three staggering blows to the Gulf Coast and Florida, as well as Caribbean island nations, all in just five weeks. Now here comes Jeanne, which could be lashing north Florida and Georgia by Monday. Homeowners ritualistically re-hammering the same plywood over their windows figure it can't get much worse, right?


Search Engine Forums Spotlight Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Amazon Launches A9 Search Engine - FindWhat Announces Pay-Per-Call Ad Option - Sitemaps On The Homepage - Optimizing An Annual Reports Page - Jeeves goes to the Himalayas - How to boot someone out of Google


Yankees, Red Sox tangle with division title on the line Derek Jeter, who has been through this line of questioning before, shrugged his shoulders, flipped through the file of stock answers in his mind and hit the play button when he reached the Boston Red Sox folder.


TI increases dividend, buyback SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- With its stock down 26 percent this year, Texas Instruments boosted its quarterly dividend payment to 2.5 cents a share and set a \$1 billion stock repurchase plan, the chipmaker announced late Thursday.


Knight Ridder issues Q3 warning SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Knight Ridder late Thursday warned its third-quarter profit from operations will fall short of most analysts #39; estimates due to advertising losses related to the impact of three hurricanes on its newspapers in Florida and Georgia.


Excited Bnei Sakhnin team leave for St James Park TEL AVIV: The players of Israels Bnei Sakhnin set off on the greatest soccer journey of their lives on Monday when they travelled from their poor town in the north of the country to Newcastle Uniteds St James Park.


Padres Blank Dodgers 3-0 (AP) AP - Adam Eaton allowed five hits over seven innings for his career-high 10th victory, Brian Giles homered for the second straight game, and the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 Thursday night.


Ponting leaves door open for Lee comeback (AFP) AFP - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has left the door open for fast bowler Brett Lee to return to the side for next week's ICC Champions Trophy semi-final.


'No WMD stockpile find' in Iraq A draft report finds no WMD stockpiles in Iraq but evidence of plans for future programmes, say US officials.


In China, Farmers' Labor Bears Too Much Fruit The plight of the litchi industry shows both the promise and the pitfalls of China's remarkable economic growth.


Padres Blank Dodgers 3-0 LOS ANGELES - Adam Eaton allowed five hits over seven innings for his career-high 10th victory, Brian Giles homered for the second straight game, and the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 Thursday night.    The NL West-leading Dodgers' lead was cut to 2 1/2 games over San Francisco - their smallest since July 31...


2 Kidnapped in Iraq; 30 Killed in Fallujah BAGHDAD, Iraq - A team of kidnappers grabbed two Americans and a Briton in a dawn raid on their home on a leafy Baghdad street Thursday - a bold abduction that underlines the increasing danger for foreigners in the embattled capital as violence soars ahead of national elections planned for early next year.    West of the capital, U.S...


IT firm sees Q3 bottom-line hit from bankruptcy filing LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- Electronic Data Systems on Thursday cautioned that US Airways Group #39;s bankruptcy could dampen its third-quarter earnings by up to 3 cents per share.


Unlike Florida, Alabama lacks state reinsurance program SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Reinsurers may be left with more of the losses from Hurricane Ivan than they faced from hurricanes Charley and Frances because Alabama has no state program to help insurers pay claims, analysts said.


Transocean finds missing oil rig SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Transocean, after a frantic search for a giant oil rig blown off location by Hurricane Ivan, said late Thursday it found the structure drifting along 70 miles from the well it had been drilling, upright and apparently undamaged.


Kluivert nets twice against first Arab team in UEFA match Patrick Kluivert struck twice for Newcastle United in a 2-0 victory over Bnei Sakhnin of Israel, thefirst Arab team to play in the UEFA Cup first-round, first-leg match on Thursday.


Top seed Spadea enters Delray Beach ATP quarter-finals Top seed Vincent Spadea beat fellow American James Blake 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the 380,000 US dollars Millennium International tennis tournament in Delray Beach, Florida on Thursday.


Finally, Fall Racing Meaningful If the Chase for the Championship is really supposed to be the elite part of the schedule, why does it include such mundane races as the fall events at New Hampshire, Dover and Martinsville and not the Daytona 500 or Brickyard 400?


Some Weapons at Russia School Were Stolen MOSCOW Sept. 16, 2004 - Some of the weapons used by militants in the deadly Russian school siege were pilfered from police posts in armed raids allegedly led by one of Chechnya #39;s most notorious warlords, Russia #39;s


Prison call for Japan executive TOKYO Prosecutors on Thursday called for a three-year prison term for Yasuo Takei, the founder of Takefuji, a Japanese consumer finance company, for ordering illegal wiretaps and for defamation.


Japan OKs Free Trade Agreement With Mexico Japan #39;s Cabinet formally approved the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico, ahead of a meeting between the two nations #39; leaders.


Mickelson, Woods team up to lead off US at Ryder Cup BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich.  Impeccably attired in a dark suit and gold-and-blue patterned necktie, American captain Hal Sutton struck the look of a Wall Street mogul Thursday when he announced


MLB: Houston 8, St. Louis 3 Jeff Kent went two for four with four RBI Thursday night to give Houston an 8-3 victory over St. Louis. Mike Lamb added a home run as Houston remained two games behind San Francisco in the National League wild card race.


Angels Clobber Mariners 6-1 (AP) AP - The Anaheim Angels took advantage of two errors by Gold Glove second baseman Bret Boone, scoring four times in the eighth inning en route to a 6-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.


Antispam campaign bites the dust While its neighbors, software infrastructure and hardware upgrades, switched places this month, security held its spot at number three.


Chechen rebel claims school siege Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev claims responsibility for the Beslan siege in which more than 320 hostages died.


Storm buffets price of oil new yorkCrude oil rose yesterday for a third day in four on concern about the loss of production and possible damage from Hurricane Ivan, which passed just east of most Gulf of Mexico production platforms.


EU rejects US plea for Airbus aid ban BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union rejected a US demand to ban government loans to aircraftmaker Airbus SAS, intensifying a dispute between the two trading partners.


Rogers, Microcell discuss takeover Rogers Wireless Inc. is in talks with Microcell Telecommunications Inc. about a possible takeover and has asked the competition watchdog to give its advance blessing - just in case.


Kodak, IBM to team up ROCHESTER, NYEastman Kodak Co. and International Business Machines Corp. said yesterday they have agreed to develop and make image sensors for digital still cameras and camera phones.


NASA loses week of relaunch effort to hurricane Disruptions caused by three powerful hurricanes have cost NASA at least a week in its effort to rebound from the Columbia accident with a March shuttle launching, members of an oversight task force said Thursday.


Astros win to keep pace with Giants, Cubs Even if the contest had been played in a matter befitting two postseason contenders, Jeff Kent would have stood above everybody Thursday night at Busch Stadium.


DC in first place for Expos Washington, DC, remains the No. 1 choice to become the new home for the Montreal Expos, but issues remain, according to two people with knowledge of the relocation process.


Purdy sets Texas pace Ted Purdy hit a nine-under-par 61 to lead after the first round of the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. The American, who is looking for his first PGA Tour victory, had birdies at four of his first five holes and finished eagle-birdie.


Powell rebukes Annan on Iraq Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday expressed strong disapproval of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan #39;s description of the US-led war in Iraq as illegal, saying the comment was  quot;not a very useful statement to make at this point.


Oil prices rise despite little storm damage WASHINGTON -- Oil prices rose yesterday despite reports that refineries along the Gulf Coast and production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico which had been shut down were being restaffed as Hurricane Ivan proved less disruptive than feared.


Around The Region Apache Corp., an oil and natural gas producer, increased its shareholder dividend by 33 percent after gains in energy prices and output boosted the company #39;s profits.


Storms dash dreams of Florida home Florida, which has lured more retirees and vacation homeowners than anywhere else, might be losing some appeal for the same reason it #39;s so beautiful: its place in the tropics.


Schilling gets 20th as Red Sox romp BOSTON - Curt Schilling got his 20th win on the eve of Boston #39;s big series with the New York Yankees. Now he wants much more.  quot;In a couple of weeks, hopefully, it will get a lot better, quot; he said after becoming


Annan: Iraq invasion violated UN charter The United States and its military allies on Thursday challenged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan #39;s statement that last year #39;s invasion of Iraq was an illegal act that violated


Indonesian Police Detain Seven People on Terror Links Indonesian police have detained seven people linked to terrorism since last week #39;s bombing outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta that killed nine people and wounded 182, officers said on Friday.


Indonesian Police Detain Seven People on Terror Links  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian police have detained seven  people linked to terrorism since last week's bombing outside  the Australian embassy in Jakarta that killed nine people and  wounded 182, officers said on Friday.


Afghans Arrest Three for Rocket Attack on Karzai  KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Three men have been arrested  for trying to kill Afghan President Hamid Karzai by firing a  rocket at his helicopter during his first election campaign  trip outside the capital, officials said on Friday.


Saints' Haslett Aims to Stay but Might Not (AP) AP - For a man whose job is on the line and whose team is on the skids, New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett was relaxed Monday.


Monty Relishing Early Ryder Cup Showdown with Woods  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Colin Montgomerie,  the dominant Ryder Cup player of the last 10 years, will clash  with the game's foremost talent in a mouth-watering opening to  the 35th match at Oakland Hills on Friday.


Nikkei at 2-Week Closing Low  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average fell for a third  straight session to hit a two-week closing low on Friday as  renewed earnings concerns prompted selling in Sony Corp. and  its rivals.


Dollar on Hold as Doubts Grow Over Fed  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar dawdled at the lower end of  recent ranges on Friday after soft U.S. manufacturing data  fueled a view that the Federal Reserve may slow or even  temporarily halt its tightening campaign.


Alitalia deal still on the brink Alitalia's talks with unions look set to continue into the weekend, as management struggle to reach a deal with cabin crew.


Afghans Arrest Three for Rocket Attack on Karzai Three men have been arrested for trying to kill Afghan President Hamid Karzai by firing a rocket at his helicopter during his first election campaign trip outside the capital, officials said on Friday.


Nortel warns it now expects 2004 revenue growth will trail its <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Nortel Networks shares fell Thursday after the troubled telecom equipment maker warned that its full-year growth in 2004 will likely trail the industry, rather than outperform its peers as the company has been predicting.


Mexico to Sign Trade Deal With Japan, Reduce Dependence on US Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is expected in Mexico City Friday, where he and President Vicente Fox are set to sign a free trade pact.


American League Game Summary - Anaheim at Seattle Moyer lost to the Angels for the third time this season. His 10-game skid combined with Ryan Franklin #39;s 11-game slide that was just ended Wednesday night represents the first time since 1972 that two pitchers


Expos to move Nov. 30 The Montreal Expos have received legal notice from Major League Baseball that the team will move Nov. 30, TQS television reported yesterday.