Update 2: GE to Sell Stake in Global Outsourcing Unit General Electric Co. will sell a majority stake in its global outsourcing business to two US-based equity firms in an all-cash deal totaling \$500 million, the industrial, financial services and media conglomerate said Monday.


Poison pill for News NEWS Corporation yesterday invoked a poison pill defence mechanism in an effort to stymie any hostile ambitions that John Malone might have for the company.


Oil Prices Down to \$49 Crude oil prices were back at the \$49-a-barrel level Monday, after a one-day bounce Friday. The benchmark US crude was off 54 cents at \$49.


Siemens Launches New Bid for VA Technologie German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG said Monday it was launching a second bid for Austrian competitor VA Technologie AG in an offer that valued the Linz-based maker of power generation and transmission equipment at more than euro800 million (US\$1


EU Files Complaint Against US, Canada The European Union #39;s head office said it filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization on Monday against the United States and Canada for not lifting sanctions against the EU over its ban on imports of hormone-treated beef.


Gold Fields Appeal to Exchange on Harmony Bid Fails (Update1) Gold Fields Ltd. #39;s appeal to South Africa #39;s stock market regulator to block Harmony Gold Mining Co. #39;s 43.9 billion rand (\$7.


Business lending bolsters profit at Westpac SYDNEY Westpac Banking, Australia #39;s fourth-largest lender, said Monday that second-half profit rose 16 percent from a year earlier to a record after it loaned more to businesses.


U. of Waterloo tops Maclean #39;s university ranking The University of Waterloo has bumped the University of Guelph out of first place and into second in Maclean #39;s magazine #39;s annual assessment of comprehensive Canadian universities.


Brit-company four join top women FOUR women running British companies made it into today #39;s  #39;Top 50 Women to Watch #39; survey by the Wall Street Journal. American Rose Marie Bravo has achieved celebrity status worldwide with a turnaround of the


Rebels order Uribe assassination Farc rebels in Colombia  order all units to focus on killing President Uribe, who wants to seek re-election.


Novell Desktop Linux ready to break Windows Novell today unveiled Linux Desktop 9, claiming that the platform is robust and complete enough to offer a viable alternative to Microsoft Windows on corporate desktops.


Brits roll out jam-busting airtaxi Despite the hype, we #39;ve been waiting fifty years for visionaries to come good on their promise of the freedom of the skies for the average Joe.


#39;Halo 2 #39; hits stores Tuesday  quot;Halo 2, quot; the follow-up to the 2001 best-selling video game,  quot;Halo: Combat Evolved, quot; will be released Tuesday nationwide for the Microsoft Xbox video game console.


Windows War of Words Corporate IT users are getting caught in the middle of another spin war between Microsoft Corp. and the Linux and Unix communities, most recently Novell Inc.


Dutch court bars Kurd extradition A Dutch court blocks the extradition to Turkey of a Kurdish woman said to be a top militant leader.


Titan hangs on to its secrets Cassini #39;s close fly-by of Titan, Saturn #39;s largest moon, has left scientists with no clear idea of what to expect when the Huygens probe lands on the alien world, despite the amazingly detailed images they now have of the surface.


First in spam? Please, not that It is with mixed emotions that North Carolinians learn that two Raleigh residents are the first Americans to be convicted of felonious spamming.


Athletics: Radcliffe is redeemed by triumph in epic struggle Whether the 30-year-old marathon world record holder will achieve the global title she yearns for in the wake of her traumatic failure at the Athens Olympics remains to be seen.


HATTON #39;S COUNTING THE KOST RICKY Hatton is willing to give up home advantage to ensure he gets a crack at Kostya Tszyu. Australia-based Russian Tszyu sent a chilling warning to unbeaten Hatton in a short but sensational


Spurs announcement expected Tottenham Hotspur will hold a press conference at White Hart Lane this afternoon when they are expected to confirm the appointment of Martin Jol as the permanent successor to Jacques Santini.


Ferguson furious as strikers dent United #39;s title aspirations FRUSTRATED Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has left his misfiring strikeforce in no doubt there are no excuses for their current pitiful form.


Splat go the Eagles To the delight of the fans in a city that made him famous, Franco Harris was wearing black and gold and back on the football field yesterday.


Vince:  #39;I live for these times #39; Thanks to Vince Carter, the Raptors were able to blaze a new trail against the Portland Trail Blazers yesterday. Carter hit a three-point fadeaway jump shot with 4.8 seconds remaining to lift Toronto to a


Pot Black ace loved pocket life HE RULED Australian snooker for two decades and played a part in transporting the game from smoky suburban parlours to prime-time popularity.


Wily Vinatieri can do more than just kick ST. LOUIS - Adam Vinatieri beat the Rams with his leg in the Super Bowl after the 2001 season. This time, he used his arm, too. Vinatieri hit a season-best four field goals yesterday, then threw his first


Allawi Approves US-Led Offensive on Falluja US planes and artillery pounded Falluja on Monday and Iraq #39;s interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said he had authorized a US-led offensive to rid the Sunni Muslim city of insurgents.


Academics call for apology from Thai PM over Muslim deaths Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. BANGKOK, Thailand -- A group of 144 academics upped the pressure on Thailand #39;s premier Monday by releasing an


ElBaradei: Nuclear Security Is a  #39;Race Against Time #39; The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, has warned that the world faces a real threat from nuclear terrorism.


Dutch court blocks Kurd rebel extradition A district court in the Netherlands has blocked the extradition of an alleged Kurdish rebel leader wanted in Turkey for her suspected role in a series of bombings in the 1990s.


Fanning: Napster Guru Unveils Legal File-Sharing Technology Talk about changing your tune: Shawn Fanning, whose Napster software made it possible for music lovers to get songs over the Internet without paying for them, is going legit.


G.I.'s Open Attack to Take Falluja From Iraq Rebels American jets bombed targets in Falluja in the first stage of a long-expected invasion aimed at the center of the Iraqi insurgency.


Earnhardt victory cuts into Busch #39;s Cup lead AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. #39;s victory Sunday in the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, his second straight at the track, softened the emotional blow he suffered a week ago when he crashed late in a race near Atlanta.


Novell launches desktop Linux for enterprises Novell Inc. will begin shipping on Tuesday a desktop version of its open source Linux operating system aimed squarely at enterprise users.


State of emergency declared in Iraq as police officers massacred BAGHDAD, Nov 7 (AFP) - Prime Minister Iyad Allawi on Sunday declared a state of emergency in Iraq to combat spiralling violence as 21 police officers were shot dead execution-style in a dawn ambush on their stations.


No pressure from Pak, say Kashmiri separatists New Delhi: Kashmiri separatist leaders have said that they are not under any pressure from Pakistan to be included as a third party in talks with the Centre.


BT buys Infonet in key global expansion move In a move to strengthen its position as a global provider of IT and networking services, BT Group PLC has agreed to buy U.S.-based Infonet Services Corp., the companies announced Monday.


Gateway brings BTX design to business desktops Gateway Inc. is expected to announce on Monday a new lineup of business desktops based on a new PC chassis design that removes heat from the system and can help extend the life of a PC, according to the company.


McDonald's Same-Store Sales Rise 6.1 Pct.  NEW YORK (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N said Monday  that sales at its namesake hamburger restaurants open at least  13 months rose 6.1 percent in October, helped by a popular  Monopoly game promotion in the United States.


Before the Bell: Medarex, Biogen Rise  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Biogen Idec BIIB.O climbed  6 percent before the bell on Monday, after better test results  for a multiple sclerosis drug it developed with Elan Corp.


Airline seeking big concessions Many United Airlines employees face a dimmer career outlook after learning the airline proposes wage cuts, job cuts and pension terminations to help pare \$2 billion from annual costs.


SEC Reportedly Probes Stock Matching at Wall Street Firms Wall Street is reportedly under investigation again for allegedly anti-competitive practices that regulators believe might put small investors at a disadvantage.


Shares start their week lower in Tokyo Share prices closed broadly lower in Tokyo overnight, led by declines in commodity price-sensitive stocks. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell for the first time in four trading days, closing down 77.


Opinion: Microsoft  amp; Novell vs. Linux Yeah, you can say that Microsoft has their flaws, and commission companies produce white papers trying to prove that point, but at what point will consumers (in this issue, mainly IT professionals) begin understanding that the cost of employing a Unix


Tiger ratings boost on PGA return A second-place finish in his first tournament since getting married was good enough to take Tiger Woods from third to second in the world rankings.


NFL Wrap: Buffalo Bills Defeat New York Jets ORCHARD PARK, NY (Sports Network) - Willis McGahee ran for 132 yards and a touchdown to lead the Buffalo Bills to a 22-17 victory over the New York Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium.


'See through clothes' scanner gets outing at Heathrow Oh, that <cite>is</cite> a gun in your pocket...


Fuel Costs Blight BA Profits Soaring fuel costs continued to cast a shadow over British Airways today, despite better-than-expected half-year results from the airline.


United requests OK to cut wages Struggling United Airlines is rushing to again slash wages and to terminate pension plans in a bid to stem cash drain and satisfy lenders.


Tesco bid to net music fans TESCO, the UKs biggest supermarket chain, is launching an online music service that it hopes will rival Apples market-leading iTunes.


Bucs outrun Chiefs If every Sunday was Christmas and every defense had as many holes as the Kansas City Chiefs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would regularly be racking up five touchdowns, 418 total yards, 130 yards


Macedonia backs multi-ethnic future Macedonians showed the West they would not slide back towards ethnic division, largely ignoring a nationalist referendum that would have reversed a law giving the Albanian minority more rights.


Stocks Seen Lower After Three-Day Rally  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a  slightly lower market open on Monday as investors pause after a  three-day rally last week, with interest rates and a weakening  dollar gaining focus now that the presidential election is  over.


NFL Wrap: Roethlisberger Keeps the Steelers Rolling  PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Ben Roethlisberger passed for 183  yards and two touchdowns, Hines Ward scored twice and the  Pittsburgh Steelers rolled to a convincing 27-3 victory over  Philadelphia on Sunday for their second straight win against an  undefeated opponent.


Novell OKs \$536 Mln Microsoft Settlement Novell Inc. (NOVL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said it had reached a settlement with software maker Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.


CBI warns on exodus of unskilled jobs British companies will move all the unskilled labour they can overseas within a decade, the head of the UK #39;s largest employers #39; organisation warned yesterday.


Limited Brands Boosts 3Q Guidance Limited Brands Inc. on Monday raised third-quarter earnings guidance and increased the purchase price in its \$2 billion stock buyback.


BT bids for US telecoms provider BT has made a \$965mn bid for California-based telecommunications services provider Infonet. The deal is subject to approval by Infonet #39;s shareholders and regulatory authorities and if given the go-ahead is


EU Challenges US, Canada Retaliation for Beef Ban (Update1) The European Union threatened a World Trade Organization case against the US and Canada if they don #39;t drop \$126 million of tariffs, imposed on EU exports in retaliation for a ban on hormone-treated beef.


NitroMed to Offer \$65.2 Million Shares NitroMed Inc., the maker of the BiDil drug to treat heart failure in African Americans, said Monday it plans to offer \$65.2 million of its common stock to the public.


Taser Stun Guns OKed for Use on Flights Taser International Inc. on Monday said its stun guns were approved by the Department of Homeland Security #39;s Transportation Security Administration for use onboard a major international commercial airline.


McDonald #39;s Same-Store Sales Rise 6.1 Pct. McDonald #39;s Corp. (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said Monday that sales at its namesake hamburger restaurants open at least 13 months rose 6.1 percent in October, helped by a popular Monopoly game promotion in the United States.


Oil Prices Down as Supply Fears Ease  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell further from record  highs on Monday as easing concern about winter supplies  prompted big-money hedge funds to switch money away from oil  and into other financial markets.


McDonald's Same-Store Sales Rise 6.1 Pct  NEW YORK (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N said Monday  that sales at its namesake hamburger restaurants open at least  13 months rose 6.1 percent in October, helped by a popular  Monopoly game promotion in the United States.


To: National Desk and Environment Reporter WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 /US Newswire/ -- The scientific findings announced today by the Arctic Climate Impacts Assessment depict an Arctic already in crisis due to human-induced global warming with worldwide ramifications, according to World Wildlife Fund.


Tesco aims for iTunes with song-shop launch Supermarket giant Tesco is hoping to take a slice of Apple #39;s pie with the launch of a new music download service. The service will launch as part of Tesco.


Novell Releases Linux Desktop After months of denials, Novell has quite suddenly released its own hybrid Linux Desktop for its SuSE Linux distribution. Novell Linux Desktop 9 is aimed squarely at the corporate market, where Novell has


Big testicles betray swinging ancestors SCIENTISTS claim to have found the reason men #39;s testicles are the size they are, and it is all to do with the infidelity of our female ancestors.


Spammer gets nine years in slammer A MAN convicted of violating anti-spam laws by sending out tens of thousands of unsolicited emails using fake addresses faces nine years in prison in Virginia, US authorities say.


IBM #39;s Blue Gene to hit the shelves The machine began life as a research project in 2000, is currently the world #39;s fastest supercomputer, and has only four publicly announced customers.


XPRESS 200, nForce 4, PCI-Express shaping up to replace AGP Granted, from a performance point of view PCI-Express is barely a match for AGP8X, but both ATI and NVIDIA have been aggressively moving forward with introducing graphic cards using the interface.


Italian senators fight to save Fiat 500 They #39;re squat and snub-nosed, slow but steadfast. The Fiat 500 - the tiny Italian car with the big personality - last rolled off assembly lines nearly 30 years ago, and today it is still fighting retirement.


Taiwan market: LGE launches three mobile phones, including one <b>...</b> LG Electronics (LGE) announced the availability of three mobile-phone models, the T5100, L3100 and L1100, in Taiwan on November 6. The T5100 features the companys first model equipped with a 1.3-megapixel camera.


This time, Radcliffe finishes strong Greek mythology, that #39;s where Paula Radcliffe wanted to stick that nasty 3-month-old memory from Athens. Remember how she fell apart in the Olympics, sobbing in the gutter like a schoolgirl dumped at the prom?


Tiger pushes Ernie into third Although he was well-beaten by Retief Goosen in Sunday #39;s final round of The Tour Championship in Atlanta, there has been some compensation for the former world number one, Tiger Woods.


Robinson Will Captain England Against Canada; Cueto Called Up Jason Robinson, who was playing rugby league four years ago, will captain England #39;s rugby union team against Canada on Saturday in a side featuring less than half the players who won the World Cup in Australia a year ago.


McGahee, Bills still dreaming of playoffs ORCHARD PARK, NYIn a town that made its culinary reputation on leftover chicken meat, pretty doesn #39;t count for much. Buffalo is a working class town and nobody at a sold out Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday


Valencia chief exonerates Ranieri Valencia president Juan Bautista Soler has laid the blame for the clubs #39; continuing slump squarely on the doorstep of the players.


Biaggi breaks leg in training accident Italian MotoGP rider Max Biaggi has broken his leg in training and will be out of action for at least two months, ANSA news agency reported on Monday.


Limited Ups Earnings View, Buyback Offer  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Limited Brands Inc. LTD.N on Monday  increased its earnings forecast for the third quarter due to a  bigger-than-forecast tax benefit and increased the offer price  in a \$2 billion share buyback.


PLO Aides Change Course and Travel to See Arafat Top Palestinian officials are heading to France today to ascertain the real condition of the ailing leader, Yasir Arafat. The officials, including Mr.


Europe deal brings hopes on Iranian nuclear curbs SYDNEY Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the UN nuclear watchdog agency, said Monday that he hoped that Iran would suspend its nuclear enrichment and reprocessing programs after a tentative deal over the weekend with France, Germany and Britain.


UN Says Concerned About Tensions in South Lebanon The United Nations said on Monday it was worried about the possibility of rising tensions along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier, and urged Beirut to exercise control over its side.


US forces  #39;hopeful #39; on release of UN hostages in Afghanistan The US-led military in Afghanistan has expressed hope that three foreign UN workers being held hostage by suspected Taliban remnants would be freed soon.


Global Markets: European Shares Dip  LONDON (Reuters) - European shares failed to extend their  six-month highs, despite a pullback in the record-breaking  euro, as investors prepared for a soft Wall Street open and  paused for breath after a sizzling post-election U.S. rally.


Charitable Giving Washington Post staff writer Jacqueline Salmon will be online to answer your questions on charities and charitable giving.


Poison pill defence for News Corp Media giant News Corp is planning a defence to block anyone from challenging the Murdoch family's control of the firm.


Microsoft to Pay Novell \$536 Million Microsoft will pay Novell \$536 million to settle an antitrust dispute. Novell plans to file a new suit againt Microsoft regarding word-processing software.


Mandelson calls on EU to reform The European Union must embrace economic reform, trade commissioner-designate Peter Mandelson warns at the CBI's annual conference.


British Telecom to Buy Infonet British Telecom is buying U.S.-based Infonet Services in a deal that values the company at almost \$1 Billion.


News Corporation Limited Tries to Fend Off Liberty Media Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. moved to ward off any hostile bid from Liberty Media with a plan to issue stock options to dilute the stake of any predator.


Iraq's Allawi Gives Go-Ahead for Falluja Offensive  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi  publicly authorized U.S. and Iraqi forces to attack rebels in  the cities of Falluja and Ramadi, and imposed a curfew that  would begin after dusk on Monday.


Fools Save Half a Billion Congrats, Community! We've scraped together a Buffett-worthy chunk of change.


U.S. Forces Advance Ahead of Falluja Assault  NEAR FALLUJA (Reuters) - U.S. planes and artillery battered  Falluja on Monday and Marines moved toward forward positions on  the outskirts of the rebel-held city ready for the start of a  full-scale offensive.


Apple iPod Photo Preview There's only one in Europe - and we had a look


Former N.Korea Inmates Tell of Suffering in Camps  SEOUL (Reuters) - Three former North Korean inmates gave  harrowing accounts on Monday of alleged suffering at political  camps, part of an event organized by activists aimed at  prodding Seoul to tackle Pyongyang on human rights.


'Staggering' death rates in Uganda camps The relief organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres finds 'staggering' death rates in Uganda's camps.


Photo: Uncorking a legal challenge Furor over the legalization of out-of-state online alcohol purchases will soon reach the Supreme Court.


Microsoft Announces Legal Settlements Microsoft announced settlements Monday with rival Novell Inc. for \$536 million and with a Washington-based trade organization that had aggressively backed the European Union's landmark antitrust case against Microsoft. -Associated Press


U.S. Unprepared Despite Progress, Experts Say The United States remains woefully unprepared to protect the public against terrorists wielding biological agents, according to government officials and specialists in bioterrorism and public health.


Shored Up for Disaster, Area Officials Still Fearful New ventilation units blast curtains of purified air between patients and nurses in Washington Hospital Center's emergency room. Outside, yellow tarpaulins and water taps can decontaminate people on the sidewalk.


Dollar Falls to New Low Against Euro  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit a fresh record low  against the euro and a nine-year low on a trade-weighted index  on Monday as investors continued to shun the greenback on  worries over the United States' bloated deficits.


BT to Buy Infonet for \$965 Million  LONDON (Reuters) - BT Group Plc will buy Infonet Services  Corp for \$965 million in cash, giving Britain's top fixed-line  telecoms company 1,800 multinational corporate clients and an  expanded presence in the United States and Asia.


Malaysia's AirAsia Favors Airbus Planes  KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's AirAsia is leaning  toward European aircraft maker Airbus for an order of up to 80  short-haul planes, a source close to the airline said on  Monday, in what would be another blow to rival Boeing.


FAA OKs Tasers on Commercial Flights  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stun gun maker Taser International  Inc. TASR.O on Monday said it won U.S. government approval to  use its products on some commercial airline flights to protect  passengers from potential harm.


Messaging security cuts wider swath Enterprise security products that once focused solely on spam are broadening scope to tackle messaging issues, compliance violations, phishing scams, and viruses.


CA integrates PestPatrol anti-spyware Computer Associates International (CA) will announce Monday that it has integrated an anti-spyware product from its purchase of PestPatrol with its own eTrust Security Management portfolio.


BiogenIdec, Elan Up on Drug Data Shares in BiogenIdec (BIIB:Nasdaq - news - research) and Elan (ELN:NYSE - news - research)rose early Monday after the companies released what they described as  quot;compelling quot; phase III test results for their multiple sclerosis drug Antegren.


Poison pill defence for News Corp Media giant News Corp is mustering its forces to make sure the Murdoch family stays in control and to ward off a possible takeover bid.


Taser wins approval for in-flight use Company says US officials OK request by airline to use the stun gun on flights; shares jump. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stun gun maker Taser International Inc.


Pilgrim #39;s Pride Profit Up on Acquisition WASHINGTON - Pilgrim #39;s Pride Corp., the nation #39;s second-largest poultry producer, Monday said profit for its latest quarter nearly tripled as the acquisition of ConAgra Foods #39; chicken unit and an insurance gain helped its bottom line.


Scientists Find Arctic Warming Quickly Scientists say changes in the earth #39;s climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced by widespread


Jol new Tottenham manager London - Tottenham appointed assistant Martin Jol as their new head coach on Monday, three days after the sudden resignation of manager Jacques Santini.


Feedster Hosts Develoment Contest and Launches Blog Search Feedster Hosts Develoment Contest and Launches Blog Search\\Feedster, the RSS and blog search engine today announced the launch of its developer network and contest for best new applications and uses for its technology. iPods will be awarded to the winners for the best use of Feedster in the following categories: ...


Novell accepts \$536 million to settle antitrust case with <b>...</b> Novell has settled its long-standing NetWare anti-trust claim with Microsoft - to the tune of \$536 - but in the same announcement reveals plans to launch a second claim relating to WordPerfect.


Euro Rises Up Further Against US Dollar BERLIN Nov 8, 2004 - European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet expressed concern Monday about the growing strength of the euro, saying a rally that sent the shared currency to an all-time high of US\$1.


Symbol announces possible restatement; shares slip Symbol Technologies Inc. shares fell more than 5 percent Monday morning after the company said it may restate its 2004 financial reports because of errors.


Global warming severest in Arctic: study A comprehensive scientific study of the Arctic climate has confirmed what Canadian Dene and Inuit have been saying for years: the North is melting, and faster all the time.


Mabbutt Backs  quot;Adventurous quot; Jol Former Tottenham skipper Gary Mabbutt believes the appointment of Martin Jol will mean a return to attacking football at White Hart Lane this season.


Biaggi fractures leg in practise Honda MotoGP rider Max Biaggi suffered multiple fractures to his left leg after crashing in practise on Monday at the Latina circuit south of Rome.


UK considering Iran nuclear agreement The British government is considering a provisional agreement over Iran #39;s nuclear activities, a Foreign Office spokesman said Monday.


Novell Puts Desktop Linux to Work Updated OS includes software applications designed for business users.


British Telecom to buy Infonet Telecommunications service provider signs deal to take over Infonet for \$965 million.


KKR Strikes (Gold) Again The firm gets 90 of the take from Knowledge Learning's buyout of KinderCare.


Would You Pay for Airline Food? Alaska Airlines plans to test a pay-to-eat plan on some flights in a move to cut costs.


Aides on Way to See Arafat Despite Wife's Fury  PARIS (Reuters) - Palestinian leaders headed to Paris on  Monday to see critically ill President Yasser Arafat at a  French military hospital, despite a scathing attack by his wife  who accused them of plotting to "bury him alive."


Ivory Coast's Army Calls for Calm After Riots  ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Top generals in Ivory Coast pledged on  Monday to work with France to establish stability in the  world's top cocoa grower after three days of violent  anti-French riots in the main city Abidjan.


U.N. Team in Sudan to Investigate Genocide Reports  EL FASHER, Sudan (Reuters) - A U.N. team has arrived in  Sudan to investigate whether genocide has occurred in the  country's Darfur region where more than 1.5 million people have  been made homeless by conflict, a U.N. spokesman said on  Monday.


GE to sell 60 percent of Indian BPO operation BANGALORE, INDIA -- General Electric Co. (GE) is selling a 60 percent stake in GE Capital International Services (GECIS), its business process outsourcing (BPO) subsidiary in India, for about \$500 million, the company said Monday.


Tasers Approved for Commercial Flights Stun gun maker Taser International\Inc. on Monday said it won U.S. government approval to\use its products on some commercial airline flights to protect\passengers from potential harm.


Medtronic Wins FDA Approval on Insync Sentury ICD  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc. MDT.N on Monday said  U.S. regulators approved its Insync Sentry implantable  defibrillator (ICD) months earlier than it expected.


Microsoft Settles With Novell and a Trade Group Microsoft settled with Novell for \$536 million. Novell also intends to file a new suit againt Microsoft regrading word-processing software.


EU confident over fusion project Negotiations in Vienna this week may give Europe the world's biggest nuclear fusion reactor.


H R Block Faces Fraud Charge Over Enron  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Financial services regulator NASD said  on Monday it has charged H R Block Financial Advisors Inc.  HRB.N with fraud related to the sale of Enron Corp.  ENRNQ.PK bonds immediately preceding Enron's bankruptcy in  2001.


Kazakhstan mining blast kills 18 At least 18 miners have died and three are missing in a methane gas blast in Kazakhstan, officials say.


Dollar Off Its Knees Before Euro  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar regained some ground  against the euro on Monday as traders took profits after the   head of the European Central Bank said the euro zone unit's  recent climb against the dollar was "brutal" and unwelcome.


Public value key to BBC websites The BBC is to close some websites and invest in those that add "sufficient public value".


Microsoft Ends Decade of US Antitrust Litigation Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it had agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits with Novell Inc. (NOVL.


BT tries to enter US market with Infonet purchase BT Group PLC is trying for a third time to crack the US market with the purchase of Infonet Services Corp. for a massive US\$965 million.


M #39;bishi Motors widens H1 net loss TOKYO (CBS.MW) - Japan #39;s Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Monday its first-half net loss widened from a year earlier, and it downgraded its sales and net loss forecast for the year.


News Corp. Announces Plan To Protect Shareholders Under News Corp. #39;s plan, one right will be distributed for each voting share and non-voting stock, but will only become exercisable if a person or group obtains ownership of 15 percent or


Retailer revises Q3 profit outlook higher, again NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Limited Brands Inc. on Monday raised earnings estimates as well as the price on its share repurchase program.


Drugmaker Pfizer Under Pressure on Bextra Drugmaker Pfizer Inc. is in talks with regulators over a likely change to arthritis drug Bextra #39;s label to carry a strict warning alerting doctors of the risk of a potentially deadly skin


Jobs report surprise a bonanza for CME volume Turnover on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange #39;s (CME.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Globex electronic trading platform hit a record on Friday after the surprising US jobs report, the largest US futures exchange said on Monday.


Report: Compensation for 9/11 victims totals \$38.1 billion (WASHINGTON) - 9/11 victims have collected more than \$38 billion in compensation from insurance companies, the government and charities.


Stocks Almost Flat on Profit-Taking  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were flat on Monday as  investors took some profits after a three-day rally last week,  with interest rates and a weakening dollar taking center stage  now that the presidential election is over.


Novell Puts Desktop Linux to Work Novell will begin shipping this week a desktop version of its open source Linux operating system aimed squarely at enterprise users.


Arctic meltdown gathers speed global average projected by UN reports. Siberia and Alaska have already warmed by 2-3 C since the 1950s. outweighed by threats to indigenous peoples and the habitats of animals and plants.


Halo 2 Poised for Record Sales Though Microsoft has sold several million copies of its Xbox, the company has seen few successes with its first generation video game system.


IBM to commercialize Blue Gene supercomputer Fresh from setting a record for performance among supercomputers just a few days ago, IBM Monday announced it is making a commercial version of its Blue Gene system available to be aimed at businesses and scientific researchers.


Gateway Shows Cool, New Desktops Gateway is expected to announce a new lineup of business desktops based on a new PC chassis design that removes heat from the system and can help extend the life of a PC, according to the company.


Nvidia takes lead in mobile graphics Nvidia today launched its first mobile PCI Express GPU. The GeForce Go 6800 will soon appear in desktop replacement notebooks and push mobile graphics to a new performance level.


Mac  #39;Widget #39; App Set to Make Windows Debut As one developer prepares to move his application from Mac to Windows, others reaffirm their commitment to the platformdespite competing directly with Apple Computer Inc.


Naive? Not our Kev! SOMEBODY obviously hasn #39;t mentioned to Kevin Keegan that he #39;s supposed to be tactically naive. Because there was nothing remotely naive about Keegan #39;s tactics at Old Trafford yesterday as the Manchester City


Mauresmo shows strength, maturity Earlier in her career, she might have melted down. She might have bounced her racket, flailed her arms and wildly scolded herself after double-faulting to lose the first set of a championship match.


Kovalev joins AK Bars Kazan in Russia CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Alexei Kovalev doesn #39;t think the NHL lockout will end soon so he #39;s decided to do something about it. The gifted winger signed with Russia #39;s AK Bars Kazan, a team already loaded with NHL stars.


Blazers #39; Randolph misses team flight A mini Blazers soap opera broke, was resolved and basically forgotten all in the same day on Sunday. It started when the news came out that Zach Randolph missed the team flight to Toronto on Saturday morning


Chris Graythen/Getty Images Minnesota #39;s 34-13 loss to the Giants last week ended a four-game win streak and shrunk its division lead to one game over the Lions and Packers.


Struggling Dons Ditch Murdoch MK DONS today axed manager Stuart Murdoch with the club in the League One relegation zone. The 4-1 against Bristol City on Saturday left the club, who were relegated from the old Division One last season, 23rd in League One.


Browns #39; Garmon injures knee Browns offensive guard Kelvin Garmon is probably done for the season after tearing knee ligaments during Cleveland #39;s loss in Baltimore.


Symbol Tech to Delay Results  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Symbol Technologies SBL.N, a bar  code scanner and handheld computer maker, said on Monday it  will delay filing its third-quarter results, and it revised  downward results for the first nine months of the year because  of errors in how inventory levels were reported.


Outburst hints at battle over Arafat  #39;inheritance #39; Mocked as the First Lady of Paris, not Palestine, Suha Arafat is the spoiled socialite who swapped the West Bank of the Jordan for the Right Bank of the Seine.


Bomb at Muslim school linked to murder of filmmaker THE HAGUE - Police in the Netherlands say they suspect that an explosion at a Muslim school is related to the murder of a Dutch filmmaker.


Australian imprisoned for online scam SYDNEY, Australia -- A Sydney man was imprisoned for more than five years Monday for duping people into sending him millions of dollars in a global Internet ruse known as the Nigerian scam.


Millions gather for mass prayer outside Bangladeshi capital Millions of Muslims prayed together for peace and harmony on a riverbank near the Bangladeshi capital on Sunday, concluding an annual assembly that is considered one of the world #39;s largest Islamic gatherings.


Online spammer free on bond LEESBURG, Va. A North Carolina man convicted of illegally sending (m) millions of pieces of junk e-mail to America Online subscribers was granted bond today while he awaits sentencing.


IBM  #39;Blue Gene #39; Supercomputer Goes on Sale IBM #39;s record-trouncing Blue Gene supercomputer will now be available with commercial configurations ranging from one-to-64 racks.


In Brief: Centive unveils on-demand SPM solution  Centive on Monday launched Centive Compel, an on-demand, hosted sales performance management (SPM) solution. The application, which is designed to be affordable and easy to implement, aims to help executives increase performance and profitability by better organizing sales teams and motivating individual sales representatives. Centive Compel provides "at-a-glance" reporting and analysis via dashboards that can be customized to help executives quickly identify trends and spot strengths and weaknesses within the sales organization. In addition, Compel offers secure and auditable data management capabilities demanded by Sarbanes-Oxley regulations.


Fraudster jailed for \$5.5m net scam An Australian man whose international email scam stripped A\$5 million (\$5.48 million) from his victims has been jailed in a continuing global war against Nigerian internet frauds.


NHL's Kovalev Bolsters Already Potent Kazan Lineup  KAZAN, Russia (Sports Network) - Russian forward Alexei  Kovalev is the latest locked out National Hockey League player  to head abroad, as he signed on to play for AK Bars Kazan.


Broken tanker halts Suez traffic The Suez Canal is closed for the first time in 30 years after becoming blocked by a broken down oil tanker.


Mozilla Firefox Popularity Threatening Microsoft Mozilla Firefox Popularity Threatening Microsoft\\It is not everyday that Microsoft feels threatened by something so trivial. But I am pretty sure that they would be terrified of November 9. Well, not exactly they are going to rock the gaming world with the launch of Halo 2. But that day Mozilla ...


UK company to buy Infonet for \$965M London-based BT Group PLC said Monday it will strengthen its presence in North America and Asia by buying Infonet Services Corp., an international managed voice and data network services provider, for \$965 million.


H amp;R Block Touted Unstable Enron Bonds, NASD Says In the weeks before Enron #39;s December 2001 bankruptcy, H amp;R Block Financial Advisors fraudulently peddled the energy company #39;s soon-to-be-worthless bonds to unsuspecting customers, securities regulators alleged Monday.


Court case an attempt to distract shareholders, says Harmony Johannesburg - Harmony on Monday accused Gold Fields Limited of diverting attention from its own shortcomings by trying to stop a hostile take-over bid in the United States courts.


Pfizer may add to painkiller warning Pfizer Inc. may strengthen the warning label for its painkiller Bextra to account for more information about a rare but serious skin reaction.


Novell Launches Linux on the Desktop Powered by its SUSE Linux subsidiary, Linux Desktop 9 includes the usual suspects of the Linux desktop, including Mozilla #39;s Firefox Web browser, the Gaim instant messaging client, the Novell Ximian Evolution Groupware client and the OpenOffice.


Future features include multicasting and triple the bandwidth NOVEMBER 08, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) today is releasing a three-year road map for Bluetooth short-range wireless technology that includes a tripling of bandwidth and the ability to multicast signals to seven other


Taipei plans city-wide WiFi Taipei  Reuters News Service, 8 November 2004 - Taipei plans to make wireless Internet access available across the Taiwan capital by the end of 2005, joining a small number of cities offering WiFi networks.


IBM BladeCenter and POWER Microprocessor Fuel Europe #39;s Most <b>...</b> The supercomputer was built as a result of an agreement between IBM and the Spanish Government and will be available for a wide range of high-level scientific research and for applications in several industrial sectors.


Jagr says he wants to give Russia a shot PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Jaromir Jagr is reportedly leaving the Czech league to play in Russia during the NHL lockout. The New York Rangers #39; forward signed with Omsk Avangard of the Russian league early Sunday


AC Milan striker Inzaghi out for three months after surgery AC Milan and Italy striker Filippo Inzaghi has undergone surgery on his troublesome left ankle and is not expected to return to action for three months, the Serie A club said.


France sends more troops to Ivory Coast in retaliation for <b>...</b> France yesterday sent a further 300 troops to bolster a retaliation operation against the government of Ivory Coast after nine of its soldiers were killed in an air raid ordered


Fallujah curfew starts from 6pm: Allawi Iraq #39;s interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Monday that a curfew will be imposed on Fallujah from 6p.m. (1500 GMT), indicating an imminent major offensive against the restive city.


Dutch Muslim school attacked A suspected bomb has blown the front door off a Muslim elementary school in a southern Dutch town and shattered windows across the street, days after a suspected Muslim radical killed a Dutch filmmaker, police said.


Police comb UK train smash wreckage Investigators combed the tangled wreckage of an express train in southern England on Sunday, a day after it slammed into a car at a level crossing, killing at least seven people and injuring more than 100.


Ivory Coast loyalists confront French soldiers French armoured vehicles today took up positions near the home of Ivory Coast #39;s president as enraged supporters marched on the site fearing an attempt to oust him.


Iran, EU nuke talks underway, no breakthrough seen Diplomats from France, Britain and Germany met their Iranian counterparts today for a new round of talks to persuade Tehran to give up its uranium enrichment programme, but diplomats said no breakthrough was likely.


Price increase must for oil PSUs to be profitable: PM THE HAGUE, NOV 7: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday made a fervent appeal to Left parties to understand the compulsions that necessitated the hike in oil prices.


First Hizbollah drone enters Israeli airspace The Lebanese militant group Hizbollah announced on Sunday that it had sent its first reconnaissance drone into Israeli airspace earlier in the day, in response to repeated Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace.


Stocks Slip, Focus on Weak Dollar  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks edged lower on Monday as  interest rates and a weakening dollar took center stage now  that the presidential election is over and investors took  profits after last week's rally.


Feds OK Taser Stun Guns for Airlines  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Taser International Inc. TASR.O on  Monday said it won U.S. government approval to use its stun  guns on some commercial airline flights to protect passengers  from potential harm.


Circling the wagons: the net politics of exclusion Election 2004 Why dodgy metaphors don't help


Secret German Cult in Chile Breaks 43-Year Spell  VILLA BAVIERA, Chile (Reuters) - A religious cult of German  immigrants has broken decades of isolation from a world shocked  by sex-abuse scandals in the group, the flight of its secretive  leader and reports it once helped Chile's military government  torture political prisoners.


Blunkett #39;s ex  #39;asks to testify #39; David Blunkett #39;s former lover has asked to put her side of the story to the inquiry into his professional conduct, a newspaper has claimed.


Marvel's Unseen Superheroes Marvel's movies mean nothing to the bottom line without the right talent behind them.


Microsoft settlements won #39;t end EU antitrust probes Microsoft Corp. #39;s settlements with long-time opponents Novell Inc. and the Computer  amp; Communications Industry Association won #39;t end the software maker #39;s antitrust woes in Europe.


Pfizer #39;s Gloom Factor The news seemingly keeps getting worse for Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), but if it can relieve investors #39; anxiety, the pharmaceutical company stands to be stronger than ever.


Drug Combo Cut Heart Disease Death Rate in Blacks A specific combination of drugs produced such encouraging results in blacks with heart disease that the trial was halted early so all the participants could take advantage of the therapy.


Markets await signals from Fed on fifth US rate rise THE US Federal Reserve is set to press ahead this week with a further rise in American interest rates, with markets on alert for a signal of the pace and timing of future increases.


Stun Guns Approved For Use On Airline SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Transportation Security Administration has approved Taser International #39;s stun guns for use aboard a major international commercial airline.


Skilling seeking to move trial out of Texas HOUSTON An attorney for former Enron chief executive Jeffrey Skilling filed a motion today seeking to have his trial moved from Houston.


European Bank Chief Talks Up Dollar The dollar edged higher against the Swiss franc and the euro on Monday as traders took profits after the head of the European Central Bank said the euro zone unit #39;s recent


A Stock From the Industry Side Out Keeping tabs on your company's industry can help energize your portfolio's returns.


World must act now to forestall staggering threat from global <b>...</b> 8 November 2004 - The Arctic climate is warming rapidly, much larger changes are in store due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases from human activity and the global impact such as rising sea levels will be staggering, presenting one


Tesco Launches Online Music Store UK supermarket chain Tesco says it will launch an online music service that it hopes will rival Apple #39;s iTunes service. The retailer is already a major player in the UK e-commerce market, with


Microsoft #39;s Halo 2 Set for Midnight Release Microsoft #39;s eagerly anticipated video game, Halo 2, will go on sale at midnight tonight, with the first copy to be distributed at the Toys  #39;R #39; Us flagship store in Times Square, New York City.


NASA Studying  #39;Rain Man #39;s #39; Brain SALT LAKE CITY Nov 8, 2004 - NASA scientists are studying autistic savant Kim Peek, hoping that technology used to study the effects of space travel on the brain will help explain his mental capabilities.


EU urged to reject US-style software patents Legal costs associated with resolving software patent disputes will double if the European Union ratifies proposals to introduce US-style intellectual property laws, an industry group has warned.


New ATI Chipset Desiged For Low-Cost Athlon 64 PCs ATI Technologies Inc. announced an integrated chipset family for the AMD Athlon 64 and Sempron procesor families on Monday, helping AMD push its 64-bit technology down into the value space.


How promiscuous women made men the shape they are SCIENTISTS claim to have discovered the reason that mens testicles are the size that they are: its all to do with the infidelity of our female ancestors.


Microsoft to provide early warning of security flaws Microsoft has begun giving all computer users early warning of security problems with its products, after drawing criticism for a similar program that only gave such warnings to some of its largest customers.


Goosen Comes From Behind to Win Tour Golf Championship Retief Goosen overcame a four shot deficit to win the season ending Tour Golf Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. The South African player had a surprising come-from-behind victory.


United fire blanks, again How Manchester United wish they could play in the Champions League week in and week out. After plundering fours goals against Sparta Prague in midweek, they came a cropper again in the Barclays Premiership.


Germany: Bayern close in BAYERN Munich put their painful midweek European defeat to Juventus behind them with a 3-0 triumph over Hannover at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.


Utah Slips One Big Spot In BCS Standings _ Southern California and Oklahoma remain one and two in the Bowl Championship Series standings released Monday, as the top five teams remain unchanged.


Serie A Round 10: Best Eleven Of The Week Here goes the Goal.com Serie A team of the week for the 10th round of matches. Toldo- Celebrated his return in the Inter starting line-up with a very impressive match.


Report: Jagr Leaving Czech Team for Russia Jaromir Jagr is reportedly leaving the Czech league to play in Russia during the NHL lockout.


NORTH PORT L ots starting Mohamed ElBaradei, right, director general of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, comments that he hoped Iran would suspend its nuclear enrichment and reprocessing programs as he and Australia #39;s Foreign Minister Alexander Downer brief


Dollar replaced by  #39;monopoly money #39; in Cuba HAVANA : The US dollar disappeared from stores, hotels and restaurants in Cuba in what communist leader Fidel Castro has called a move to counter US attempts to stifle the island #39;s economy.


Choose Arafat Successor Who Will Work for Peace By the News-Register. Clearly, the Palestinian people need to select a new leader, replacing Yasser Arafat. In doing so they have an opportunity to achieve something that Arafat himself has blocked for many years - peace with Israel.


Thai PM slips velvet glove on iron fist Buddhists cry for help as Thaksin visits the volatile, mostly Muslim region of southern Thailand. As Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visits the troubled southern region of Thailand, more than 100 Thai


Microsoft Settles Novell Antitrust Suit  SEATTLE/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O said  on Monday it agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits with Novell  Inc. NOVL.O and an industry trade group, marking the end of a  decade-long antitrust battle.


In search of the albino elephant Tom Parker heads out for a sighting of the rare white elephant in Sri Lanka.


Stocks Dip as Focus Goes to Rates, Dollar  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks edged slightly lower on Monday  as interest rates and a weakening dollar took center stage now  that the presidential election is over and investors took  profits after last week's rally.


Microsoft Settles With Novell and a Trade Group Microsoft agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits with Novell and an industry trade group, marking the end of a decade-long antitrust battle.


H R Block Faces Fraud Over Enron Bonds H R Block's financial advisors unit was charged with fraud by the NASD for misrepresenting the risks to investors of Enron bonds.


Nigerian Internet Scam Convicted An Australian pleads guilty to fraud after posing as a dispossessed Nigerian to cheat people of their money. Also: eBay penalizes its own con men   hellip;. Microsoft's legal woes not quite over   hellip;. and more.


Crosby, Bay Win Rookie of the Year Awards (AP) AP - Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby was just a vote shy of being a unanimous pick for AL Rookie of the Year, and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay won the NL award Monday.


8 EBay Sellers Admit to Phony Bids (AP) AP - Eight eBay sellers were ordered to pay nearly  #36;90,000 in restitution and fines after admitting they bid up products online to inflate the prices.


Kovalev, Jagr Join Russian Hockey Teams (AP) AP - Alexei Kovalev became the latest NHL player to join a European team during the lockout, agreeing to play in his native Russia.


Nanotechnology-Based Products Have Impact (AP) AP - For a science that's about manipulating substances at the molecular level, nanotechnology is starting to bring big profits to many consumer product makers.


Trio of New Games Victimized by Piracy (AP) AP - A month before the video game's scheduled release this coming Tuesday, illegal copies of the hot sci-fi action title "Halo 2" were already circulating on the Internet. It's had a lot of company lately.


Sharon Gov't Partner Quitting Over Gaza Pullout (Reuters) Reuters - Israel's pro-settler National\Religious Party (NRP) decided on Monday to quit Prime Minister\Ariel Sharon's government in protest at his Gaza pullout plan.


Australian Imprisoned for Online Scam (AP) AP - A Sydney man was imprisoned for more than five years Monday for duping people into sending him millions of dollars in a global Internet ruse known as the Nigerian scam.


Feds OK Taser Stun Guns for Airlines (Reuters) Reuters - Taser International Inc.  on\Monday said it won U.S. government approval to use its stun\guns on some commercial airline flights to protect passengers\from potential harm.


Muslim school in Netherlands bombed; possible revenge for filmmaker's killing (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - A bombing before dawn Monday blew the front door off a Muslim elementary school in a southern town and extensively damaged the building in what police suspect was a revenge attack for the killing of a Dutch filmmaker last week.


Browns' Garmon Injures Knee (AP) AP - Browns offensive guard Kelvin Garmon is probably done for the season after tearing knee ligaments during Cleveland's loss in Baltimore.


Pirated U2 Album Hits Net, Release Date in Limbo (Reuters) Reuters - Pirated versions of U2's new album "How\to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" have emerged on Internet\file-sharing networks two weeks before it goes on sale,\throwing into question its official release date.


U.S. Commander Predicts Iraq Confrontation (AP) AP - The top U.S. commander in Iraq on Monday predicted a "major confrontation" on the streets of Fallujah as a U.S.-led force of as many as 15,000 troops pressed to retake control of the Sunni Muslim city.


Bryant Accuser May Move Lawsuit to Calif. (AP) AP - Attorneys for the woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape said Monday they might move her lawsuit to California because of Colorado's strict limits on financial damages.


Microsoft Dimisses RealNetworks' Complaint in Korea (Reuters) Reuters - Microsoft Corp.  said on Monday a\complaint filed in South Korea by RealNetworks Inc. ,\alleging that its Media Player software breached antitrust\laws, was "without merit."


Fidel Castro Greets Venezuela's Chavez (AP) AP - Fidel Castro appears to be recovering well after shattering his left kneecap and breaking his right arm in a fall last month, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said after visiting the Cuban leader.


Novell Puts Desktop Linux to Work (PC World) PC World - Updated OS includes software applications designed for business users.


Arsenal Manager Cited for Improper Conduct (AP) AP - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was cited with improper conduct by the Football Association on Monday for calling Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy a "cheat."


Microsoft Makes Another Antitrust Deal (PC World) PC World - Software giant settles with Novell and the CCIA, ending years of legal wrangling.


IBM to commercialize Blue Gene supercomputer (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Fresh from setting a record for performance among supercomputers just a few days ago, IBM on Monday announced it is making a commercial version of its Blue Gene system available to be aimed at businesses and scientific researchers.


Vornado shops at Sears (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - The REIT bought a 4.3 stake worth  #36;330 million in the retailer, which has significant real estate holdings.


Rip. Sample. Mash. Share. (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - It wasn't so long ago that Apple Computer encouraged us all to "Rip. Mix. Burn."


Kmart Debuts Credit Card to Boost Loyalty (AP) AP - Kmart Holding Corp. on Monday announced the launch of the Kmart Rewards credit card as part of an effort by the discount retailer to bolster customer loyalty.


Global Warming Exposes Arctic to Oil, Gas Drilling (Reuters) Reuters - Rising global temperatures will melt\areas of the Arctic this century, making them more accessible\for oil and natural gas drilling, a report prepared by the\United States and seven other nations said on Monday.


UN nuclear watchdog chief says nuclear terrorism a real threat (AFP) AFP - The world must take immediate action against the real threat of nuclear terrorism to prevent a September 11-style outrage, the head of the UN's atomic energy watchdog agency warned.


Report: Many Species Scramble to Adjust to Warming (Reuters) Reuters - North American wildlife species\ranging from butterflies to red fox are scrambling to adapt to\Earth's rising temperatures and may not survive, according to a\study released on Monday.


Musician Urges Parents to Tune in to Mozart Effect (Reuters) Reuters - Mozart started listening to music before\he was born -- and by age 4 was already beginning to compose\his own.


France to Host Nuclear Fusion Project - EU Source (Reuters) Reuters - The European Union is confident of a\deal on Tuesday for France to host a  #36;12 billion global nuclear\fusion project after Japan signaled it would give up its bid in\return for compensation, an EU source said on Monday.


Egypt Battles Desert Locust Swarms from Libya (Reuters) Reuters - Egypt has killed swarms of a type of\locust that has infested parts of Africa and Cyprus this year,\the official Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported on Monday.


Exclusive: Rules Set for  #36;50 Million 'America's Space Prize' (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Anyone who \  wants to follow in the shoes of Burt Rutan and win the next big space prize \  will have to build a spacecraft capable of taking a crew of no fewer than five \  people to an altitude of 400 kilometers and complete two orbits of the Earth \  at that altitude. Then they have to repeat that accomplishment within 60 days.


Russia Launches New Rocket for 1st Time (AP) AP - Russia launched a new model of booster rocket on Monday following two posptponements, news agencies reported.


Exploded Star Possibly Affected Human Evolution (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - A star that exploded about nearly three million years ago left traces of debris \  on Earth and might have affected the course of human evolution, a new study \  suggests.


New Pressures Threaten Calif. Ecosystems (AP) AP - A proposal to send more water to Central Valley fields and Southern California neighborhoods could undermine ecological gains in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, environmentalists say.


Watchdogs Criticize New Census Survey (AP) AP - The Census Bureau must make changes to a new annual survey that collects demographic information on Americans or risk having to mail "long forms" again for the next head count in 2010, congressional watchdogs said Monday.


Scientists Find Arctic Warming Quickly (AP) AP - Scientists say changes in the earth's climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced by widespread melting of glaciers, thinning sea ice and rising permafrost temperatures.


NASA Studying 'Rain Man's' Brain (AP) AP - NASA scientists are studying autistic savant Kim Peek, hoping that technology used to study the effects of space travel on the brain will help explain his mental capabilities.


Microsoft Moves Closer to Wiping Its Antitrust Slate Clean By reaching antitrust settlements with two additional litigantsNovell Inc. and the Computer  amp; Communications Industry AssociationMicrosoft Corp.


BT Planning \$1 Billion Acquisition of Infonet Services BT Group is poised for a surprise return to the US market with a planned US\$1 billion acquisition of Infonet Services, a California-based telecom service provider.


Skilling #39;s lawyers say Houston sees Enron execs as  #39;evil #39; Ex-Enron Chief Executive Officer Jeff Skilling today asked a federal judge to move his trial from Houston because of the prejudice against him here and the personal, emotional and economic stake this community has in Enron #39;s fortunes.


Treasuries drop, Fed worries outweigh strong sale US Treasury prices fell on Monday despite a solid three-year note auction as the bearish tide that followed last week #39;s robust jobs report continued to sweep the market lower.


Chilling data on global warming EDMONTON - A comprehensive scientific study of the Arctic climate has confirmed what Canadian Dene and Inuit have been saying for years: the North is melting, and faster all the time.


Spammers sentenced in Virginia under tough spam law Across the Internet a muffled cheer rises to greet the news of a spammer sentenced to a nine-year prison term for sending junk mail to AOL customers in the Virginia-prosecuted case against


Keegan will  #39;luv #39; this CLOSE calls, bad misses, dubious refereeing and a generous sprinkling of heroic defending all mingled to a potpourri that Manchester United found too odious for their liking.


Heidfeld and Davidson to test for Williams In Jerez de la Frontera, from Wednesday December 1, Anthony Davidson will test with the BMW WilliamsF1 Team. The following week, again in Jerez, Nick Heidfeld will assist with the testing programme, commencing Thursday December 9.


#39;Suicide #39; Crossing Crash Driver Named A car driver who caused the Berkshire rail crash in an apparent suicide was named by police tonight, as the first tributes were paid to the victims of the tragedy.


India-EU resolve to combat terrorism THE HAGUE: The fifth India-European Union summit here has resolved to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism by seeking among other things to jointly address the issues which create an environment conducive to terrorism, including support for and


Mideast peace process to top agenda of Blair #39;s US trip Middle East would top the agenda of British Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s upcoming trip to the United States as Blair is trying to revive the peace process in the region, Downing Street said on Monday.


SC2004 supercomputing show kicks off with focus on business IT The growth of supercomputing as an enterprise IT option is one of the highlights of this week's SC2004 Supercomputing Conference, which kicks off tomorrow in Pittsburgh.


Bluetooth group releases three-year road map Bluetooth products will have triple the bandwidth and be able to multicast to seven devices in future releases, according to Bluetooth backers, who defend the technology against Ultrawideband and other approaches to short-range wireless.


Novell launches desktop Linux for enterprises Novell tomorrow will begin shipping Linux Desktop 9, a desktop version of its open-source Linux operating system that's aimed at enterprise users.


Novell OKs \$536M Microsoft settlement Novell Inc. today said it has reached a \$536 million settlement with Microsoft over antitrust issues related to Novell's NetWare network operating software.


Mbeki to go-ahead with Ivory Coast visit President Thabo Mbeki is to visit the Ivory Coast today, the presidency and department of foreign affairs said in a joint statement.


News.com Extra: Rules set for \$50 million space prize Plus: Putting a face on technology could improve our interaction with hi-tech gadgets.


Security stats sobering as CSI show opens Several companies will be making product announcements at this week's Computer Security Institute (CSI) show in Washington, but the show opens on an eye-opening note with a new study indicating network attacks are on the increase.


Microsoft Announces Antitrust Settlements Novell and the Computer and Communications Industry Association have agreed to end their participation in the legal case against Microsoft in the European Union.


Poisoned defense News Corp. #39;s new poison pill is type of measure its shareholders feared it would adopt. By John Paul Rathbone, Breakingviews. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Rupert Murdoch clearly feels spooked by John Malone, the


Study: Half of post-9/11 payments came from insurance Insurance companies played the largest role in compensating people and businesses hurt by the Sept. 11 attacks, paying slightly more than half of the \$38.


Scientists Find Arctic Warming Quickly WASHINGTON - Scientists say changes in the earth #39;s climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced by widespread melting of glaciers, thinning sea ice and rising permafrost temperatures.


Wenger Charged with Improper Conduct Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was today charged with improper conduct for his outspoken criticism of Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy after his sides defeat at Old Trafford.


Swiss caught in Ivory Coast unrest A spokeswoman for the foreign ministry, Daniela Stoffel, said the 267 Swiss currently in Ivory Coast had not been affected by the violence directed at French citizens and French holdings.


A Sigh of Relief SKOPJE, Macedonia--By staying at home last Sunday, the citizens of Macedonia demonstrated that they dont want to turn back the clock.


HENRY SHOWS HE IS STILL KING Thierry Henry answered his critics in style as he combined with Robert Pires to haul Arsenal out of their slump. Henrys recent form had been called into question by Match of the Day pundit Alan Hansen only


Microsoft to pay Novell \$536 million settlement The software giant settles one legal claim with Novell over NetWare, but can't reach a deal over a second issue involving WordPerfect.


Group aims to create hallmark of security Four founders invite security giants to join push to test network software, to make sure it lives up to its promises.


NASD charges H amp;R Block on Enron bonds NEW YORK -- Securities regulator NASD on Monday charged H amp;R Block Inc. with fraudulently promoting Enron Corp. bonds to customers just weeks before the energy trader declared bankruptcy in 2001.


News sets up takeover defence LIBERTY Media #39;s move last week to grab up to 17.1 per cent of News Corporation voting stock has prompted the launch of a defensive shareholder rights plan.


A Fantastic Cancer-Drug Deal Medarex (Nasdaq: MEDX) is best known for being a leader in antibody technology with its capabilities for generating human antibodies in mice.


#39;Halo 2 #39; Has Game Fans Excited  quot;San Andreas quot; likely will outsell  quot;Halo 2 quot; because there are at least 10 million more PlayStation 2 units sold than Xboxes, which are in about 14 million homes.


NASA Studies  #39;Rain Man #39;s #39; Brain NASA scientists are studying the man who was the basis for Dustin Hoffman #39;s character in the 1988 film  quot;Rain Man, quot; hoping that technology used to study the effects of space travel on the brain will help explain his mental capabilities.


Newer, faster Bluetooth EDR now approved The Bluetooth SIG has finalized the Bluetooth EDR spec for three times the bandwidth, and laid out its road map for the next years of Bluetooth.


Mars Rover Discovers Evidence of Moisture ; New Findings From <b>...</b> NASA #39;s older Martian robotic rover, Spirit, has found evidence that underground water changed a major rock formation called the Columbia Hills, scientists said yesterday.


AC Milan ties AS Roma in Italian league AC Milan played to a 1-1 tie with AS Roma on Sunday, failing to take advantage of a loss by league leader Juventus. Andriy Shevchenko put Milan ahead before a home crowd in the sixth minute, heading in Cafu #39;s cross as Milan dominated the first half.


Bay, Greene battle for NL rookie honors When the National League Rookie of the Year is revealed Monday, fans will get a glimpse into whether or not the writers favored numbers or intangibles.


Spanish FM makes lightning visit to Syria over Arafat successor: official (AFP) AFP - Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos flew briefly to Damascus this weekend to take part in quiet diplomacy over finding a successor to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, official sources confirmed.


Late goals boost Milan title hopes Kaka and Andrea Pirlo both scored in the last eight minutes to rally AC Milan to a 2-1 victory at rainy Parma on Saturday and move it within a point of Serie A leader Juventus.


Another shootout? INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Peyton Manning gears up for another track meet in prime time. But Daunte Culpepper will not have his dance partner available when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.


Defencemen Bourque, Coffey, Murphy to enter Hall with longtime <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Cliff Fletcher says he #39;s entering the Hockey Hall of Fame with elite company.  quot;They are three of the greatest defencemen to ever play the game, quot; the longtime NHL excutive said of Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy.


Jol confirmed as Spurs boss Tottenham have confirmed that Martin Jol will take over as head coach following Jacques Santini #39;s surprise resignation on Friday.


Stocks Flat, Pfizer Weighs on Dow, S P500  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were near the unchanged  mark on Monday, pausing for breath after last week's  post-election rally as another interest rate rise loomed, while  drug maker Pfizer Inc. weighed on the Dow and S P 500 indexes.


News: Aussie 419 ringleader jailed for four years An Australian 419 fraudster who conned AU\$5m from his victims was today jailed for four years on 10 counts of fraud and one of perverting the course of justice by the NSW District Court theage.com.au reports.


UN urges calm on Lebanon border The UN expresses concern over rising tensions on the border between Israel and Lebanon.


Kansas Tops AP Poll Kansas has been voted the top spot in AP's preseason college basketball poll, the time since Wilt Chamberlain played for the Jayhawks in the 1950s. Maryland is ranked No. 15.


Earnhardt Closing in on Busch Suddenly, the 25 points Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost for uttering a vulgarity during a live TV interview are looming very large indeed.


Guantanamo terror hearing halted A US federal court halts proceedings at Guantanamo Bay against a former driver for Osama Bin Laden.


Dutch step up Muslim protection Police patrols are to be increased in a Dutch city where tensions are high after an Islamic school was bombed.


Oracle to Drop Lawsuit If PeopleSoft Tender Fails An attorney for Oracle Corp. says the company will abandon its legal challenge to PeopleSoft Inc.'s antitakeover protections if shareholders fail to tender a majority of their shares by a Nov. 19 deadline.


Delta:  \$135 Million Added Liquidity Needed Delta Air Lines Inc. said Monday that it has achieved \$50 million of an estimated \$135 million in additional liquidity that the company will need to meet financing commitments in early 2006, and said it is currently pursuing other financing transactions to meet that goal.


Dimon to Acquire tobacco Leaf Rival Standard Commercial Dimon to acquire tobacco leaf rival Standard Commercial


Top Rookies Named Oakland shortstop Bobby Crosby is one vote shy of being a unanimous pick for AL Rookie of the Year, and Pirates outfielder Jason Bay wins the NL award Monday.


Microsoft to Pay \$536 Million to Novell to Settle Antitrust Dispute Microsoft settled with Novell for \$536 million. Novell also intends to file a new suit againt Microsoft regrading word-processing software.


Microsoft, Novell Settle Antitrust Suit  SEATTLE/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O said  on Monday it agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits with Novell  Inc. NOVL.O and an industry trade group, marking the end of a  decade-long antitrust battle.


Arctic Thaw Threatens People, Polar Bears  OSLO (Reuters) - Global warming is heating the Arctic  almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet in a thaw that  threatens millions of livelihoods and could wipe out polar  bears by 2100, an eight-nation report said on Monday.


EU to WTO: U.S., Canada Sanctions Illegal  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union executive asked the  World Trade Organization on Monday to rule that it was illegal  for the United States and Canada to retain sanctions on EU  exports to counter the bloc's ban on hormone-treated beef.


Exclusive to pgatour.com.au/Sportal Peter Lonard was almost an afterthought last week at The Australian - until the last nine when his pressure-proof action flushed enough irons close enough to steal the championship from those who had borne the brunt of the leaders #39; tension for three and a


Disney Expanding Video Game Investment  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. DIS.N is  increasing investment in video games for hand-held devices and  plans to look for acquisitions of small game publishers and  developers, Disney consumer products Chairman Andy Mooney said  on Monday.


Disney Says Expanding Video Game Investment  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. DIS.N is  increasing investment in video games for hand-held devices and  plans to look for acquisitions of small game publishers and  developers, Disney consumer products Chairman Andy Mooney said  on Monday.


U.S. SEC Looking Into Broker Trade Prices (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Securities and Exchange\Commission is investigating about a dozen brokerage firms that\may have failed to obtain the best price for stocks traded for\customers, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.


Microsoft Deletes More Antitrust Opponents After years of expensive litigation aimed at weakening its hold on the software market, Microsoft (MSFT:Nasdaq - news - research) is on the verge of settling with nearly all of its opponents.


GE takes back seat at back office New Delhi, Nov. 8: General Electric Capital International Services (Gecis), the global business process operations of General Electric, has offloaded a 60 per cent stake for about \$500 million to two private


Fed to Raise US Rates to Underpin Steady Growth Another hike in US interest rates is seen as a certainty when Federal Reserve policy-makers meet on Wednesday -- a step on the march toward a level of rates necessary to underpin long-term expansion.


Britain #39;s Largest Telephone Company To Acquire Southland Company LOS ANGELES -- Britain #39;s largest fixed-line telephone company, BT Group PLC, agreed to acquire El Segundo, Calif.,-based Infonet Services Corp.


US approves stun guns for international flights US authorities have approved the use of Taser stun guns on commercial flights to and from the United States, the manufacturer has said.


Halliburton Says Bribes May Have Been Paid Various investigations into an alleged \$180 million bribery scandal in Nigeria involving a Halliburton Co. subsidiary and other companies have indicated that payments may have been made to Nigerian officials, the company said in a regulatory filing.


FCC expected to keep states off VoIP #39;s back The nation #39;s top telephone regulators are widely expected to decide on Tuesday to further deregulate Internet phone services from Vonage Holdings and others.


Rogers Communications sees debt refinancng ahead Rogers Communications Inc. (RCInvb.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) expects to refinance C\$2 billion to C\$3 billion (\$1.7 billion to \$2.


EU files WTO complaint against US, Canada in hormone beef dispute The European Union #39;s head office said Monday it had filed a complaint against the United States and Canada for failing to lift sanctions against the EU over its ban on imports of hormone-treated beef.


H R Block Faces Fraud Over Enron Bonds (Reuters) Reuters - H R Block Inc.'s  financial\advisers unit misrepresented the risks of  #36;16.4 million in\bonds from Enron Corp  before the energy trader sank\into bankruptcy, the NASD said in a civil fraud complaint\seeking restitution for more than 800 investors.


Kansas Hoops Takes Preseason No. 1 Spot (AP) AP - Sure, Kansas often grabs a spot in the upper half of the AP preseason college basketball poll, but the school hasn't been No. 1 since a player named Wilt Chamberlain suited up for the Jayhawks in the 1950s.


Internet Explorer market share drops below 90 percent in Europe Mozilla #39;s Firefox browser continues to steal market share form Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer around the globe. According to a report released by a German Internet


Danton Sentenced to 7 1/2 Years (AP) AP - Former St. Louis Blues player Mike Danton was sentenced Monday to 7 1/2 years in prison for a failed murder-for-hire plot to kill his agent.


Novell launches Linux Desktop for enterprise market NEW YORK, November 8 (newratings.com) - Novell Inc (NOVL.NAS) has launched a new Linux desktop operating system, Desktop 9, targeted at enterprise customers.


Global Warming Exposes Arctic to Oil, Gas Drilling Rising global temperatures will melt areas of the Arctic this century, making them more accessible for oil and natural gas drilling, a report prepared by the United States and seven other nations said on Monday.


More than a money maker, Halo 2 helps set stage for Xbox #39;s next <b>...</b> While Halo 2 is already a huge hit for Xbox out of the box, parent company Microsoft hopes the ripple effect of Halo 2 lasts well into its next generation of gaming hardware.


GeForce Go 6800 Announced November 08, 2004 - NVIDIA today has announced its GeForce Go 6800 mobile graphics processor. The GeForce Go 6800 is quite obviously based on NVIDIA #39;s 6800 desktop line of chipsets, containing full DirectX


Dell Puts Open-Source Clustering Tools On New Server Dell has teamed up with cluster-management app-maker Platform Computing Inc. to create a small but powerful rack-mounted server complete with open-source cluster-management tools.


Sprint Treo 650 Now Available for Pre-Order The palmOne Treo 650 smartphone is now available for pre-order from the palmOne store. Prices range from \$449 with a new service plan to \$599 with an existing one, all orders from the palmOne store come with free shipping.


Convicted spammer granted bail while he awaits sentencing Bail was set at \$1 million Monday for a North Carolina man awaiting sentencing in the nation #39;s first felony prosecution of illegal distribution of junk e-mail, or spam.


OSRM Tracing Linux Patents in EU In an effort to stem the spread of software patents in Europe, the Open Source Risk Management (OSRM) group has begun documenting the sources of innovation claimed by such patents.


Women Not as Faithful as Gorillas Male chimpanzees have evolved huge testicles and sperm counts for their body size. Among gorillas, females mate only with a dominant male, and accordingly, gorillas #39; testicles are tiny.


Opinion: Regarding Stallman #39;s Vision I #39;ve always been mixed about the Open Source movement because while my feelings suggest that this is surely a great innovation in software development scene, there are other (many) things that I don #39;t agree with.


Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas  quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas quot; is an epic homage to the West Coast gang culture of the early 1990s. Yes, parents, there #39;s way too much violence and profanity here for the kids.


Paula puts Athens behind her Paula Radcliffes response to those who doubted her ability to bounce back from her Olympic disasters could not have been more emphatic on Sunday when she triumphed in a thrilling New York Marathon.


Rude awakening for Wenger ARSENAL rsenal manager Arsene Wenger was today charged with improper conduct by the Football Association. It follows comments he made after the Gunners #39; 2-0 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford.


Crosby, Bay Win Rookie of the Year Awards Oakland Athletics #39; Bobby Crosby raises a fist and circles the bases after hitting a game-winning home run off Seattle Mariners #39; pitcher Scott Atchison in the ninth inning of their game in Oakland, Calif.


STRAHAN MAY BE LOST FOR SEASON To make a bad loss even worse, there is fear among the Giants that Michael Strahan, their Pro Bowl defensive end, could be lost, possibly for the season, with a torn pectoral muscle.


Earnhardt wins extended race in Phoenix AVONDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Amid darkness, rain and a series of late crashes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. recorded an overtime victory in Sunday #39;s NASCAR Nextel Cup Checker Auto Parts 500.


Disney Expanding Video Game Investment (Reuters) Reuters - Walt Disney Co.  is\increasing investment in video games for hand-held devices and\plans to look for acquisitions of small game publishers and\developers, Disney consumer products Chairman Andy Mooney said\on Monday.


Microsoft issues Internet Explorer security update A critical flaw in Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer Web browser could allow a hacker to take control of a computer, the world #39;s largest software maker said Wednesday.


Ad agencies sound alert over the mobile phone generation (FT.com) FT.com - In theory, advertising agencies should love mobile telephones. What better way to reach consumers on the go?


Padres Trade Long for May, Bukvich (AP) AP - The San Diego Padres traded one of their extra outfielders, Terrence Long, to Kansas City for left-hander Darrell May and right-hander Ryan Bukvich on Monday.


Regulators Rule in Favor of Harmony Gold (AP) AP - South African regulators ruled Monday in favor of Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. in the first of a series of legal and regulatory challenges to its hostile  #36;7.1 billion takeover bid for rival mining company Gold Fields Ltd.


Arafat #39;s top lieutenants en route to Paris Palestinian leaders rushed to Paris on Monday to check on the critically ill Yasser Arafat, but hospital officials said visiting rights were restricted - setting the stage


Unrest sweeps Abidjan : French troops fired into the air today to disperse protesters gathered to protect President Laurent Gbagbo, as unrest swept Ivory Coasts main city Abidjan after weekend clashes between French and Ivorian forces.


Roadside bomb kills British soldier A soldier from Britain  #39;s Black Watch regiment was killed and two others wounded in Iraq when a bomb exploded near their camp, the Ministry of Defence has said.


Delhi walks into EU elite club The Hague, Nov. 8:India and the European Union today decided to crank up their relationship by entering into a strategic partnership to deepen cooperation on key international issues of globalisation


Nuclear waste convoy rolls toward German dump after protester #39;s <b>...</b> HANOVER, Germany (AFP) - Demonstrators in Germany chained themselves to a railway to stop a shipment of highly radioactive nuclear waste from France, a day after a protester was crushed to death under the train #39;s wheels.


TCU Hoping to Play in Postseason (AP) AP - TCU has gone from trying to become the first outsider to bust into the Bowl Championship Series to just hoping for a chance to play in the postseason.


Armitage arrives in Pakistan for talks on Iraq, terrorism (AFP) AFP - US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage arrived in Islamabad for talks with Pakistani leaders on Iraq, Afghanistan and terrorism, the foreign office said.


Dow, Nasdaq Up a Bit, S P 500 Off  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended almost unchanged on  Monday as investors paused for breath after last week's  post-election rally and braced for interest-rate hikes that  threatened to slow growth and raise companies' costs.


Charest says fiscal imbalance holding back modernization of federal system (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - CHARLOTTETOWN (CP) - Quebec Premier Jean Charest says the fiscal imbalance between Ottawa and the provinces is one of the major impediments to a much-needed renewal of Canada's federal system.


Microsoft Settles With Novell, Trade Group (AP) AP - Software giant Microsoft Corp. opened its wallet again Monday to clear more of its courtroom problems, paying  #36;536 million to rival Novell Inc. and an undisclosed smaller amount to a trade group that had backed antitrust complaints by the U.S. government and the European Union.


Google and Microsoft to update data sharing SAN FRANCISCO Google and Microsoft were to separately introduce enhanced information-sharing services for Internet users on Thursday.


Oracle Mulls Dropping PeopleSoft Lawsuit (AP) AP - An attorney for Oracle Corp. says the company will abandon its legal challenge to PeopleSoft Inc.'s antitakeover protections if shareholders fail to tender a majority of their shares by a Nov. 19 deadline.


Liberals Dismayed by 'Moral Values' Claims (AP) AP - Family values, traditional values and now, "moral values." Most American adults would say they have them, and yet that two-word phrase is the focus of an ideological tug-of-war heightened by President Bush's re-election, with conservatives declaring principal ownership and liberals scrambling to challenge them.


Coach Humbled by Attention Over Title IX (AP) AP - An Alabama high school coach says he was just trying to get equality for his girls' basketball team when he complained about its treatment. His legal battle to regain his job will reach the Supreme Court at the end of the month.


Ducks Increase Odds for Asian "Super Flu" The avian influenza virus known as H5N1 has killed millions of poultry in east Asia. Now researchers fear it may be tougher and more dangerous to humans than previously suspected.


What's Causing Bird and Amphibian Decline? Species in the air and on the ground are in deep trouble, according to two recent studies tallying steep declines in bird and amphibian populations. Scientists are speculating about the causes.


Crosby wins AL Rookie of the Year NEW YORK (Ticker) - Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby capably filled some big shoes and was voted the American League Rookie of the Year on Monday.


Half of Giants #39; starting defensive line lost for season Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is done for the year and will be joined on the inactive list for the remainder of the season by the team #39;s other starting defensive end Keith Washington.


Insider Racing News Archives  quot;It was something I had to do for my crew, quot; said Dale Earnhardt Jr. after winning the Checker Auto Parts 500.  quot;After I messed up so bad last week, it was important to me to pull this off.


Manning, Harrison working on NFL record The Indianapolis Colts finished practice, and Marvin Harrison started his usual routine. The two-time NFL receiving champion stayed on the field to run routes with less-heralded teammates such as Aaron Moorehead.


Arafat #39;s wife claims his men want him dead THE political struggle for Yasser Arafat #39;s inheritance escalated last night into a fierce contest for the dying man #39;s body, as a war of words erupted between the Palestinian leader #39;s wife and his top officials.


Few steps towards peace peak Leh, Nov. 8: Three days, nearly 40 delegations and hundreds of kilometres later, home minister Shivraj Patil believes he has walked a few steps forward on the long and winding road that could lead to peace in Kashmir.


Microsoft demonstrates supercomputing Windows A forthcoming version of Windows Server is designed for building supercomputers from clusters of PCs.


Photo: Appro's XtremeBlade Appro's XtremeBlade uses a 12.25-inch chassis that can house blades with two, four or eight Opteron processors.


The Marketplace Report: Fed Interest Rate Talks Description: NPR #39;s Noah Adams talks to Tess Vigeland of Marketplace about the week ahead in business and economics, including Wednesday #39;s meeting of the Federal Reserve Board to discuss interest rates.


NitroMed Heart Failure Drug Helps Blacks - Study In the first major trial to test a drug only in blacks, an experimental drug developed by NitroMed Inc. added to standard therapy helped heart failure patients live significantly longer, researchers on Monday said.


Robben says Chelsea can handle pressure Chelsea #39;s Arjen Robben says the Blues can handle the pressure of being on top of the Premier League. The club is two points ahead of Arsenal after beating Everton 1-0 Saturday on Robben #39;s 72nd-minute goal.


Strahan out for year with torn pectoral muscle EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan will miss the rest of the New York Giants #39; season with a torn pectoral muscle.


10 Questions for College Football Things are getting tighter, contenders are dropping like flies and conference races are coming down to the wire. Ahhhh, it #39;s a good time to be a college football fan.


Arafat #39;s Wife Lashes Out at Officials A senior Palestinian delegation headed to France to see Yasser Arafat, but it was unclear whether they would have access to the ailing leader after the hospital restricted


Black Watch soldier killed One member of the Black Watch battlegroup has been killed and two more have been injured - one possibly seriously - in an incident north of Camp Dogwood, the Ministry of Defence said.


Muslim suspect in filmmaker #39;s death part of scary European trend AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Two years before he allegedly killed a Dutch filmmaker in the name of radical Islam, Mohammed Bouyeri volunteered at his local community center and was a promising member of the second generation of Moroccan immigrants to the


APHC under no pressure from Pak to hold talks with India: Masood ISLAMABAD, November 09 (Online): Pakistan on Monday dispelled the assertion of Indian Home Minister that Islamabad is pressurising Kashmiri leaders including All Parties Hurriyet Conference for holding talks with New Delhi.


Blast at Baghdad church wounds 35 A blast outside a Catholic church in south-western Baghdad on Monday night killed at least three people and wounded 40, hospital sources said.


McAfee unveils 2005 security suite Security software maker has released updated versions of its offerings for home computer users.\


U.K. to take tougher line on ultrawideband Report for British regulator calls for wireless technology to be more strictly controlled than in United States.


Apple updates Mac OS X New version has improve file sharing, FireWire compatibility, built-in Safari, updated graphics drivers.


BT Group To Buy Infonet  quot;This is completely a part of BT #39;s transformation into a company that specializes in IT and networking services, quot; BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen was quoted as saying.


Knight Ridder Names New CFO Newspaper publisher Knight Ridder Inc. on Monday named Steve Rossi, who had been president of its newspapers division, as its new chief financial officer.


Halliburton: Bribery May Have Taken Place  quot;Payments may have been made to Nigerian officials, quot; Halliburton says in its quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


Delta Updates Liquidity Needs Delta Air Lines #39; (DAL:NYSE - news - research) future cash needs are looking greater than previously thought. Delta said Monday it will need \$135 million in liquidity in early 2006 beyond what it has already


9/11 victims collect \$38.1 billion US in compensation WASHINGTON - Victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have received \$38.1 billion US in compensation so far from insurance companies, the US government and charities, according to a study released Monday by the Rand Institute for Civil Justice.


Former Enron CEO Skilling Seeks to Move Trial Lawyers for former Enron Corp. chief executive Jeffrey Skilling asked a federal court to move his trial out of Houston, arguing in a filing on Monday that any jury in Enron #39;s hometown would be biased.


ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 Unveiled November 08, 2004 - ATI today has announced its RADEON XPRESS 200 motherboard chipset. Targeted at AMD Athlon 64 and Sempron processors, the chipset features an integrated graphics core based on ATI #39;s RADEON X300 chipset.


Violence, protests cripple Valley SRINAGAR: Unknown gunmen shot at and injured Altaf Ahmad Shah, son-in-law of hardline pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, inside a local mosque in the outskirts of Srvvinagar on Monday.


Why MS paid Novell half a billion bucks today But fresh antitrust suit is in the envelope, says Novell


In Search Of Open-Source Experts As companies ramp up open-source deployments, expertise is in high demand and short supply. The costs of developing talent can add up.


Comcast taps Microsoft for Seattle set-tops The software titan's cable software will be offered to more than 500,000 customers in the company's hometown.


IBM previews new supercomputing server The Power5-based system is part of Big Blue's push to oust Hewlett-Packard from the top spot in high-performance set-ups.


Earnhardt closing in on Busch without lost points Suddenly, the 25 points Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost for uttering a vulgarity during a live TV interview are looming very large indeed.


Bluetooth group releases three-year road map (MacCentral) MacCentral - The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) Monday is releasing a three-year road map for Bluetooth short-range wireless technology that includes a tripling of bandwidth and the ability to multicast signals to seven other users.


Dennis Tankersley (left) and Terrence Long should play key roles <b>...</b> KANSAS CITY -- Moving quickly to deepen a corner outfield spot, the Royals obtained Terrence Long from the San Diego Padres in a four-player trade Monday.


Former NHL player Mike Danton sentenced to 7 1/2 years in murder <b>...</b> EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Former NHL tough guy Mike Danton was sentenced Monday to 7 1/2 years in prison for trying to have his agent killed.


Former US Ambassador to Israel Dennis Ross Shares Experiences at <b>...</b> Dennis Ross, the former US ambassador to Israel, joined Washington, DC, area students at The George Washington University last week to talk about his experiences in Israel and dispel myths about the Middle East.


Bay, Crosby Honored as Top MLB Rookies (Reuters) Reuters - Outfielder Jason Bay became the\first Pittsburgh Pirate to win the National League Rookie of\the Year, as he was voted the honor on Monday.


Microsoft Settles Antitrust Charges With Novell Microsoft (Quote, Chart) cleared more legal cases off its plate Monday by settling with Novell (Quote, Chart) and the Computer  amp; Communications Industry Association (CCIA) over antitrust and other charges.


Dollar bounces off low against the euro after ECB complaints The dollar bounced back from a new all-time low against the euro after stern comments from European Central Bank president Jean-claude Trichet about the greenback #39;s slide.


GE sells 60 in BPO arm NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 8: General Electrics (GE) India business headed for a fresh start on Monday, as it kick-started a global reorganisation of its back office operations, starting with selling 60 per cent of GECIS for \$500 million.


Murdoch: Bolsters Defense Against News Corp. Takeover Take two and don #39;t call me in the morning: Rupert Murdoch #39;s News Corp. (nyse: NWS.WI - news - people ) prescribed a  quot;poison pill quot; defense strategy today to stave off a potential takeover from long-time ally John Malone.


UPDATE 2-Delta says needs \$135 in added liquidity for 2006 Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it will need an additional \$135 million in liquidity in early 2006 to meet the requirements of certain financing agreements.


SEC may act against Ex-Lucent CEO Lucent Technologies Inc. said Monday that three of its former employees have been notified by the Securities and Exchange Commission that regulators are considering recommending civil action against them.


Comcast, Microsoft to Deploy Video Recorder Set-Tops Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O and cable television provider Comcast Corp. CMCSA.O said on Monday that they would begin deploying set-top boxes powered by Microsoft software starting next week.


UPDATE 1-US Treasury #39;s Roseboro to step down Dec 31 The US Treasury Department #39;s under secretary for domestic finance, Brian Roseboro, will resign resign effective Dec. 31, the department said on Monday.


Pacific Sunwear 3Q Profit Up 30 Percent Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. on Monday reported third-quarter profit rose 30 percent as sales increased at its PacSun and demo apparel chains.


Gold Medalist Phelps Faces DWI Charges (AP) AP - Six-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps was arrested last week and charged with drunken driving.


NFL OKs 6-Year Extensions With Fox, CBS (AP) AP - The NFL agreed Monday to contract extensions with Fox and CBS to televise Sunday afternoon games for six more years, deals worth a combined  #36;8 billion.


IBM to commercialize Blue Gene supercomputer NOVEMBER 08, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Fresh from setting a record for performance among supercomputers just a few days ago, IBM today announced it is making a commercial version of its Blue Gene system available for businesses and scientific researchers.


Tesco Opens Online Music Store UK retail giant Tesco has decided to launch its own online music store, complete with downloads from thousands of artists and one of the most open sharing schemes on the Internet.


Bluetooth chews on future plans com November 8, 2004, 2:46 PM PT. Wired  amp; Wireless continues its reign as the top IT priority among IT managers due to widespread IP telephony deployment and other network infrastructure upgrades.


CA Updates PestPatrol Anti-Spyware Technology Computer Associates (CA) on Monday rolled out new editions of PestPatrol, the anti-spyware technology it picked up in August when it purchased the privately-held Pennsylvania company.


Merck Named in SEC, DOJ Probes Over Vioxx (Reuters) Reuters - Merck   Co. Inc.  said on\Monday that it received a subpoena from the U.S. Justice\Department and that the Securities and Exchange Commission has\started an informal inquiry concerning its recalled pain\reliever Vioxx.


Tesco Launches Online Music Store (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Tesco (Nasdaq: TESOF), the UK's biggest supermarket chain, has announced an online music service that it hopes will be able to rival Apple's market-leading iTunes store.


Devising a Way to  #39;Sail #39; to Mars In this artist #39;s conception, a plasma station, lower left, applies a magnetized beam of ionized plasma to the sails of a spacecraft bound for Jupiter.


Hurt Pennington to Miss 2 Weeks or More (AP) AP - When Chad Pennington got hurt last year, the New York Jets had a hard time winning games.


US heavyweights storm supercomputer league The US government #39;s latest supercomputer, BlueGene/L, has been officially crowned the most powerful number cruncher on the planet.


Browsing the Browsers Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer is the default Web browser for Windows users, but it may not be the best choice for your organization.


Treo 650 Pre-order Opens on Sprint Network If you are a current palmOne customer, you are eligible to a palmOne.com exclusive offer on our new Treo 650 smartphone. Pre-order yours today with or without a Sprint service plan and you #39;ll receive a FREE Bluetooth headset with your order (\$99 value).


ATI Delivers Chipset for AMD Platforms (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Computer graphics specialist ATI Technologies (Nasdaq: ATYT) has unveiled a new chipset for desktop systems running AMD's (NYSE: AMD) next-generation 64-bit Athlon and Sempron processors.


Bluetooth roadmap includes performance, security With more than 3 million Bluetooth-enabled products shipping every week and analyst predictions that 13 percent of mobile phones sold worldwide this year will include the short-range wireless technology, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group has laid out a