Ziggy speaks frankly and says he was pushed MARK COLVIN: All this year, the business world has been abuzz with talk about the board of Telstra, and whether Chief Executive Ziggy Switkowski could survive.


IBM launches Atlantic Calling it their most significant release in the last four or five years, IBM's Rational Software on Wednesday formally rolled out its Rational Software Platform, code-named Atlantic, intended to better unify software development across IBM's line of server software.


Beckham Criticized for Suspension FIFA's president criticized England captain David Beckham for deliberately getting himself suspended for a World Cup qualifier and urged the English Football Association to take action.


Cell Phones Double as Credit Cards Motorola will test handsets that include wireless payment functions.


Dollar Lifted by Slipping Oil Prices (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar rose to a three-week high\against the euro on Wednesday, boosted by a fall in the price\of oil, which should help narrow the U.S. trade deficit and\thus benefit the dollar.


Blue Chips Fall on Commodity, Oil Stocks (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. blue chips fell on Wednesday as a\steep decline in commodity prices and lower crude oil dented\shares of Alcoa Inc.  and Exxon Mobil Corp.,\outweighing strong earnings from McDonald's Corp. .


U.S. CEOs' Confidence Slips Further (Reuters) Reuters - Confidence among chief executives in\the U.S. economy slipped for the second straight quarter,\private research firm The Conference Board said on Wednesday.


Germany has no plans to change its Iraq policy: Schroeder (AFP) AFP - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder renewed his firm opposition to deploying troops to Iraq, a spokesman said, slapping down hints at a change in policy from his defense minister.


U.S. Allies Don't Want NATO in Afghanistan (AP) AP - France and Germany spoke out Wednesday against a U.S. proposal to put NATO in charge of the military and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, but U.S. and other officials said the alliance would go ahead and develop options for merging the missions.


GM Set to Cut About 10,000 Jobs - Source  FRANKFURT (Reuters) - General Motors will cut around 10,000  jobs in Europe in a drive to save some 500 million euros  (\$613.4 million) a year and return its loss-making operations  there to profit, a company source said on Wednesday.


Sky-High Oil Price Down for a Second Day  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell from record peaks for a  second session on Wednesday as big-money funds took profits  from a searing rally on signs that high commodity prices are  finally starting to dampen demand.


McDonald's Quarterly Earnings Rise  CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N third-quarter  earnings rose a higher-than-expected 42 percent on a  preliminary basis, the world's largest restaurant chain said on  Wednesday, citing strong sales in the United States and a lower  tax rate.


Dollar Lifted by Slipping Oil Prices  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose to a three-week high  against the euro on Wednesday, boosted by a fall in the price  of oil, which should help narrow the U.S. trade deficit and  thus benefit the dollar.


Blue Chips Fall on Commodity, Oil Stocks  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips fell on Wednesday as a  steep decline in commodity prices and lower crude oil dented  shares of Alcoa Inc. AA.N and Exxon Mobil Corp.XOM.N,  outweighing strong earnings from McDonald's Corp. MCD.N.


Treasuries Edge Narrowly Higher at Midday  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices moved narrowly  higher on Wednesday as an earlier bout of profit-taking turned  into a chance to buy securities, traders said.


EU Sues Germany Over Volkswagen Law  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission dragged  Germany to court on Wednesday over a law that shields carmaking  icon Volkswagen AG from hostile takeovers, the culmination of a  long battle to break down barriers to foreign investment.


Middle Class America The Post's Jonathan Weisman discusses the increasing importance of temporary employment to the American economy.


Ahold, Former Executives Settle SEC Charges Global grocery retailer Ahold NV has agreed to a settlement of civil fraud charges over an alleged \$1 billion overstatement of earnings in a deal with U.S. regulators that does not fine the company.


Northern Light Announces Business Research Engine Northern Light Announces Business Research Engine\


Microsoft Releases 10 Security Patches for Windows, Excel, and IE Microsoft Releases 10 Security Patches for Windows, Excel, and IE\\If you use Microsoft Windows, Excel, or their Internet Explorer browser you better watch out, because there are some large security holes that need patching. Microsoft on Tuesday published 10 software security advisories, warning Windows users and corporate administrators of 22 ...


News: Seven critical in MS October patch batch Microsoft yesterday released 10 new security bulletins to fix multiple components in its Windows operating system and applications.\


News: Prosecutor resigns over hacked PC A leading Dutch prosecuter resigned yesterday after hackers entered his mail box and revealed yet another classified letter addressed to the public prosecutor's office.\


HP to sell PathScale compilers Hewlett-Packard will resell PathScale's compiling tools for high-performing clusters.


Open-source Web tools company nets VC funding A \$5 million infusion of venture capital will help Laszlo Systems work on tools to build Web pages.


Taking aim at iPods, cell phones roundup Virgin introduces a tiny music player, and Dell could be ready to unveil its own "Pocket DJ." Also: In France, cell phone silence is golden.


DreamWorks Animation Will Sell 29 Million Shares Katzenberg is taking the animation unit public in a year that has seen box office success for the studio:  quot;Shrek 2 quot; has brought in \$876.


Molson-Coors Merger Gets Canadian Competition Bureau Clearance Molson Inc., Canada #39;s biggest beer maker, and Adolph Coors Co., the third-largest US brewer, won clearance from Canada #39;s Competition Bureau for their planned \$3.


Metro Briefs DETROIT - General Motors Corp. #39;s ratings on about \$200 billion in debt may be cut by Moody #39;s Investors Service, which cited unsold vehicles in North America, losses in Europe and rising health care costs.


Ex-employee: Spyware maker used Rochester club The longtime general manager of a defunct city nightclub says his former boss is not telling the truth about the clubs role in a computer spyware operation.


Russian-US crew prepares for launch to international space station All three men heading to the international space station in a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft this Thursday will be riding the tiny craft for the first time, breaking with 30 years of tradition.


Update 5: EU Expands Probe Into Intel Favortism The European Union #39;s head office Wednesday expanded its probe into whether EU governments are illegally requiring that the computers they buy must contain microprocessors made by Intel Corp.


Motorola to Test MasterCard PayPass Technology Motorola Inc. will be conducting a field trial of mobile phones enabled with MasterCard PayPass, a new  quot;contactless quot; payment option that will allow users to use their phones to make payments.


Trigenix Buy Gives Qualcomm European In-road Qualcomm Inc. figures to expand is presence in the European wireless arena with the \$36 million purchase of Trigenix. Founded in 2000, United Kingdom-based Trigenix develops


Mac OS X For your PC A Hawaiian company specializing in streaming video claims to have developed a \$50 software emulator that allows a Windows PC to run Apple Computer #39;s Mac OS X. Maui X-Stream on Tuesday announced CherryOS, a virtual PC that mimics the hardware of a G4 Mac.


Schiavone rallies to upset Petrova The tough Russian women #39;s field suffered its first loss early Wednesday when Italy #39;s Francesca Schiavone came back from a set down to upset eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the US\$2.


Crew prepares for launch to International Space Station A two-man crew launches to the International Space Station tonight, tasked with keeping the outpost running and ready for space shuttles that will arrive after the men leave.


Germany Signals Shift on Iraq Policy In a possible softening of its strict non-deployment policy in Iraq, Germany #39;s defense minister said he could not rule out sending troops there in the future.


Allawi threatens rebel-held Fallujah with force Perhaps seeking to leverage any momentum from recent negotiations with prominent citizens of the volatile Iraqi city of Fallujah, Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi Wednesday issued what The Australian Broadcasting Corporation calls an  quot;ultimatum.


Tom Cruise, Oprah Co-Host Nobel Concert LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Following his role as a hired killer in  quot;Collateral, quot; Tom Cruise will host this year #39;s Nobel Peace Prize concert.


Israeli Says Country Will Become Isolated (AP) AP - Israel is set on a collision course with the European Union and could turn into a pariah state, like South Africa during the apartheid years, if the Mideast conflict is not resolved, Israel's Foreign Ministry warns in a confidential 10-year forecast.


Feds Ask to Give Overseas Voters More Time (AP) AP - The federal government asked a judge to give military families and overseas voters in Pennsylvania until after the Nov. 2 election to submit absentee ballots for president because of an ongoing court fight over Ralph Nader's ballot status.


Florida Supreme Court to Rule on Backup Ballots (Reuters) Reuters - Voters displaced by\hurricanes or given flawed instructions should be allowed to\cast ballots outside their designated precincts, critics of\Florida's provisional ballot law told the state Supreme Court\on Wednesday.


Supreme Court Questions Juvenile Death Penalty (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court questioned on\Wednesday whether world opinion against the death penalty for\juveniles should influence its decision on the\constitutionality of executing those who committed murder at\age 16 or 17.


U.S. SEC Proposes Stricter Rules for IPOs The U.S. Securities and Exchange\Commission on Wednesday proposed stricter rules to halt\underwriting practices that artificially boost demand for\shares in initial public offerings.


UN scaling back Darfur food aid The World Food Programme scales back its projects in Darfur in Sudan because of worsening security.


5 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide attack and roadside bombings killed six American soldiers, the U.S. command said Wednesday, as U.S...


Stocks Mixed on Strong Earnings Reports NEW YORK - Falling oil prices and strong earnings from Intel Corp. and McDonald's Corp...


Yankees, Red Sox Ready for Game 2 of ALCS NEW YORK - A day after giving Boston ace Curt Schilling a pounding, the New York Yankees look to take a 2-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night. Martinez (16-9) faces Jon Lieber (14-8)...


Ahold, Ex-Execs Settle with Regulators Ahold NV (AHLN.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) , the Dutch grocery operator, and three former top executives have agreed to settle US securities fraud charges related to massive overbooking of profits, the company and US regulators


Moody #39;s may cut HCA #39;s rating deeper into junk Moody #39;s Investors Service on Wednesday said it may cut its bond ratings on HCA Inc. (HCA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) deeper into junk, citing the hospital operator #39;s plan to buy back about \$2.


Swiss remain competitive despite ratings slip Switzerland has slipped down another place in the global league of most competitive nations, but still ranks in the top ten.


US Accounting Board Approves Options-Expense Rule (Update1) The US Financial Accounting Standards Board approved a rule that will force companies to treat employee stock options as an expense and delayed its implementation until next June.


Lamy says Airbus pleased with US decision to take subsidy dispute <b>...</b> The European aircraft manufacturing group Airbus believes it will benefit from a US decision to take a subsidy dispute to the WTO, since the move will destabilize development of the 7E7 by US rival Boeing, EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said here


PayPal.com resumes operations after four-day service disruption OCTOBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Four days after its online payment Web site was slowed and only intermittently available to users due to a coding problem, PayPal.


DHS mulls shift in cyberczars power Homeland Security Department officials are reviewing the status of their cybersecurity chief, a position now vacant following the abrupt resignation of Amit Yoran See GCN story.


Outage nearly over, PayPal says PayPal said late Tuesday that it has fixed a software glitch that locked some of its customers out of their accounts and crippled eBay users #39; ability to complete online transactions.


Froogle released in Europe Google #39;s shopping-specific search site, Froogle, has seen its first release outside US shores. The UK is the first European country to get Google #39;s shopping search and comparison service.


Game Data: Ohio State at Iowa We have all of the pertinent data, the ABC coverage map, depth charts and one man #39;s prediction for Saturday #39;s game at Iowa (3:30 pm).


Moss questionable for Sunday The Jets announced on Wednesday that wide receiver/punt returner Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday #39;s game against the San Francisco 49ers.


SBC to Use WiFi Network to Extend Cingular Reach (Reuters) Reuters - SBC Communications Inc.  will\use its growing roster of public Wi-Fi access points as a\springboard for Cingular Wireless services, including advanced\phones and voice services using Internet technology.


IBM launches Atlantic (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Calling it their most significant release in the last four or five years, IBM's Rational Software on Wednesday formally rolled out its Rational Software Platform, code-named Atlantic, intended to better unify software development across IBM's line of server software.


Greenhouse Gas Jump Shows Kyoto Vital - UK (Reuters) Reuters - A worrying rise in the levels of\so-called greenhouse gases linked to climate change highlights\the importance of the Kyoto protocol, British Environment\Minister Elliot Morley said Wednesday.


Genetic Factors Influence Male Homosexuality-Study (Reuters) Reuters - Genetic factors, along with cultural and\early experiences, influence male homosexuality, Italian\scientists said on Wednesday.


SBC to Use WiFi Network to Extend Cingular Reach  LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - SBC Communications Inc. SBC.N will  use its growing roster of public Wi-Fi access points as a  springboard for Cingular Wireless services, including advanced  phones and voice services using Internet technology.


London court set to rule whether radical cleric to face charges (AFP) AFP - Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was set to learn Thursday whether he would be charged under Britain's anti-terrorism law, thus delaying his possible extradition to the United States to face terrorism-related charges.


EU leaders hold talks in Sudan after new sanctions threat (AFP) AFP - A European Union delegation led by Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot was holding talks after renewed EU sanctions threat against Khartoum over the Darfur crisis.


Congress Leads Exit Polls in Key Indian State  BOMBAY (Reuters) - India's ruling center-left Congress  party was heading for a narrow win in elections in the key  western state of Maharashtra that is the heart of business and  Bollywood, two television exit polls showed on Wednesday.


Bringing Space Composites Down to Earth European Space Agency -- Innovative uses for plastics, rubber and their derivatives will be on display next week in Dsseldorf, at the world's leading trade fair for plastics and rubber, K2004.     A team from ESA will be present to show visitors how these commonplace materials can be used in space  and how this can lead to new technology for use on Earth...


Greener pastures--and wallets--for tech workers? Study predicts better salaries and more competitive IT job market in the next three years.


Briefly: HP to sell PathScale compilers roundup Plus: Open-source Web tools company nets VC funding...SAP spiffs up small business programs...Piracy crackdown yields \$2.2 million...Sun draws Nvidia graphics into Solaris.


UK paper moves to Enfield Production staff - now standing at 1000 - will be cut by two-thirds as News International, the UK newspaper unit of News Corp, moves its London printing facilities from Wapping to Enfield.


Ryzhkov: Yukos Case Is State Banditry Independent lawmaker Vladimir Ryzhkov called the looming sale of the Yukos oil company #39;s core production unit legal chaos and criticized the role of the Western investment bank that valued the subsidiary.


FDA approves injecting ID chips in patients The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the practice of injecting humans with tracking devices for medical purposes, according to a Florida company that makes the devices.


Google B #39;lore to be  #39;ideas #39; centre BANGALORE: Google Bangalore, the first R amp;D centre outside the US of the number one internet search engine, is to be an ideas centre, said the fab-two who set up the company six years ago.


Delta pilots offer a new contract proposal Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pilots, who have been negotiating a slew of employment issues with company management, have offered a new contract proposal


FASB Delays Options Expensing Rule Bowing to corporate pressure, the group that sets standards for the US accounting industry said on Wednesday it postponed the implementation of compulsory expensing of employee


Fed #39;s McTeer sole candidate to head Texas A amp;M Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert McTeer was named on Wednesday as the sole candidate to become Chancellor of the Texas A amp;M University System and his office said he would release a statement later.


US SEC Proposes Stricter IPO Rules Artificially boosting demand for initial public stock offerings and ramping up related commissions would be restricted under rules proposed on Wednesday by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.


Antitrust Pressure Against Intel Appears to Ease in Europe As antitrust pressure against Intel appeared to ease today, the European Commission filed complaints against France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland saying they unfairly


Microsoft Issues Flurry of Fixes on Busy Patch Day Updated: A  quot;cumulative security update quot; plugs eight holes in the Internet Explorer browser, while other patches address  quot;critical quot; vulnerabilities in the Windows shell, in SMTP and elsewhere.


IBM Unveils New TotalStorage Servers  quot;Our goal is to be number one in the data-storage system market, quot; says Cindy Grossman, director of IBM #39;s TotalStorage programs.


Space Crew Takes First Spin in a Soyuz BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan -- This week #39;s trip to the international space station will be the cosmonauts #39; first flight in a Soyuz spacecraft -- a rupture with the 30-year tradition of having at least one crewman with previous experience in piloting the capsule.


PayPal Says System Glitches Substantially Fixed PayPal, the online payment system owned by eBay Inc. (EBAY.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , on Wednesday said it has fixed most of the problems that for five days left some users unable


Motorola, MasterCard trial RFID PayPass system Motorola and MasterCard are conducting field tests of new mobile phones that include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips embedded in them as part of a cashless payment system dubbed PayPass.


Novell to defend open-source software with patents OCTOBER 13, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Novell Inc. is prepared to use its portfolio of software patents to protect its open-source software products against lawsuits, the company said in a statement posted


Fake David Beckham Pictures Launch Trojan Horse Virus Hackers have posted thousands of messages advertising pictures of David Beckham, supposedly in a compromising position. What inquisitive users actually get is the Hackarmy trojan horse -- a


Virgin Electronics Enters MP3 Player Market Virgin Electronics is challenging Apple #39;s iPod digital-music player, launching its own 5-GB device. Virgin #39;s player can store more than 1,200 tracks and sells for \$249.


Enter your e-mail: The folks at the Wi-Fi Alliance--the trade group that certifies Wi-Fi products from different vendors for compatibility--called today to share their thoughts about a coming wave of products promising superior performance to today #39;s fastest 802.


Disney Sends Out Three October 13, 2004 - Disney Interactive announced today that it has shipped three TV-based titles for the Game Boy Advance: Disney #39;s That #39;s So Raven, Disney #39;s Lizzie McGuire 2: Lizzie Diaries, and Disney #39;s Lilo  amp; Stitch 2: Hamsterviel Havoc are all now


Google launches UK version of Froogle Google, the giant Internet search engine, is launching a British version of its shopping comparison site Froogle, the Guardian reported Wednesday.


Adobe releases hobbyist Photoshop package com October 13, 2004, 12:19 PM PT. According ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October, application development is the last priority, but nonetheless an important one.


Dell launches Axim X50 and X50v Dell has upgraded its X30 with the X50 range of handhelds with three new models. The new Axim handheld computers offer Intel XScale Processors up to 624MHz, integrated Wi-Fi 802.


Schilling #39;s ankle will require surgery Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the AL championship series Sunday.


Britain, France and San Marino Provisional on 2005 F1 Calendar The British, French and San Marino Grand Prix Formula One races got a reprieve Wednesday, when they were listed on the provisional 2005 Formula One calendar.


Wales fail to give manager Hughes winning send-off Wales failed to give departing manager Mark Hughes the send-off he wanted as Poland performed a smash and grab act to win 3-2 at the Millennium Stadium in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Late goal salvages N.Ireland draw against Austria A goal deep in injury time from Stuart Elliott salvaged a 3-3 draw for Northern Ireland in a pulsating World Cup European Group Six qualifier against Austria on Wednesday.


UPDATE 2-Keane sets all-time Ireland scoring record Striker Robbie Keane set an all-time scoring record of 23 for Ireland with both goals in a 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands on Wednesday.


UPDATE 2-Van Nistelrooy double helps Dutch sink Finland Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a goal in each half as the Netherlands recovered from a goal down to beat Finland 3-1 in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


UPDATE 1-Henry scores to help France to 2-0 win Striker Thierry Henry scored his first international goal for four months to help struggling France snatch a badly needed 2-0 victory over Cyprus in their World Cup Group Four qualifier on Wednesday.


Sides talking but not to eachother The National Hockey League #39;s top negotiator, Bill Daly, says that by not talking to the National Hockey League Players #39; Association, the league is actually moving the process forward.


A little good news for winless Dolphins: Welker wins special teams <b>...</b> Rookie Wes Welker kicked off, then made the tackle. He returned punts and kickoffs, kicked a PAT and even made a field goal, providing a lift for a team that has had little to celebrate this season.


Germany Rejects Speculation That Iraq Policy May Change German officials today reaffirmed their policy of not contributing troops to the American-led coalition in Iraq and rejected speculation, prompted by a remark by the


Russia Treads Fine Line On Iranian Nuclear Issue At a press conference during his recent visit to Tehran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia does not support the idea of referring Tehran #39;s nuclear case to the United


More dead in Gaza rampage At least four Palestinians have been killed and five injured in the continuing Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip. In the latest violence a Palestinian teenager was shot dead and two others wounded by Israeli


EU Sues Berlin Over Volkswagen Law The EU Commission on Wednesday dragged Berlin to court over a law that shields carmaking icon Volkswagen from hostile takeovers, the culmination of a long campaign to break down barriers to foreign investment.


Gay row hits EC BRUSSELS: European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has defended the appointment of Rocco Buttiglione as Europe #39;s justice and security chief, despite outrage at his claims that homosexuality is a sin.


Canada docks sub fleet pending navy probe The navy has docked its fleet of submarines pending the investigation of a deadly fire at sea, renewing questions over the viability of Canada #39;s troubled underwater capability.


Sinai Attacks Appear to Have Limited Effect on Egyptian Tourism The terrorist bombings last week at resorts along Egypt #39;s Red Sea coast raised fears of another slump in the country #39;s tourism industry, a key sector of its economy.


Red Sox Turn to Martinez The New York Yankees look to take a 2-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series on Wednesday.


Ban for former Ahold executives Dutch food retailer Ahold and three former top executives have agreed to settle fraud charges related to \$1bn overstatement of profits.


Schilling's Ankle Will Require Surgery (AP) AP - Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the AL championship series Sunday.


Rockets' Yao Goes Back to School in China (AP) AP - A day before starring in the NBA's first China game, Yao Ming went back to school. All the way back. The 7-foot-6 center visited his old elementary school Wednesday as part of an NBA sponsored program to promote reading. That was just one part of the league's promotional juggernaut that has descended on Yao's hometown ahead of Thursday's exhibition game against the Sacramento Kings, the first NBA game in China.


Florida Coach Zook Admits Confrontation (AP) AP - Florida coach Ron Zook acknowledged Wednesday that he confronted several fraternity members after a fight between them and three of his players last month, and athletic director Jeremy Foley called Zook's behavior "unacceptable."


Top-Seeded Ljubicic Advances in Metz (AP) AP - Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia defeated Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) Wednesday in the second round of the Open de Moselle.


Panthers Lose Jenkins for Season  CHARLOTTE, N.C., (Sports Network) - Carolina Panthers  defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was placed on injured reserve  Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season because of  a shoulder injury.


Warrick Doubtful for Sunday  CINCINNATI (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals wide  receiver Peter Warrick is doubtful for Sunday's game against  Cleveland because of a shin injury.


Paradorn Powers Past Struggling Costa  VIENNA (Reuters) - Fifth seed Paradorn Srichaphan added to  Albert Costa's woes at the Vienna Trophy Wednesday, winning  6-4, 6-4, to reach the second round.


Chip Implant Can Be Used to Get Health Records -US A computer chip that is implanted under the skin won US approval on Wednesday for use in helping doctors quickly access a patient #39;s medical history.


Feds McTeer tapped to head Texas A amp;M - FRX ECO INDUSAFIN ENG  2004-10-13 22:22:02 Fed #39;s McTeer tapped to head Texas A amp;M - UPDATE 1 WASHINGTON (AFX) -- Robert McTeer, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said he would retire from his post if named, as


Dell swings new Axims into play The Axim 50 range comprises entry- and mid-level Axim 50 models and the Axim 50v which boasts a larger 3.7in screen supporting full VGA resolution and bundled game, plus greater graphics power in the form of the 16MB Intel 2700 accelerator.


Schilling questionable for Game 5 with dislocated tendon NEW YORK -- Curt Schilling #39;s postseason might come to a premature end because of a dislocated tendon in his right ankle. Boston team doctor William Morgan said Wednesday afternoon that Red Sox trainers will


Time for a new leader England v Azerbaijan - another game for the national side totally overshadowed by David Beckham. This is, of course, a not uncommon phenomena.


2004 NLCS Preview: Cardinals vs. Astros The best team in the National League will meet the hottest team in baseball when the Cards take on the Astros in the LCS. Game 2: Matt Morris (0-1, 5.14 ERA, 5 K) vs.


Phils give Baylor managing interview The former manager of the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs was in town to interview for the Phillies #39; vacancy at the same position.


US, G-8 nations to talk of Iran penalties Friday The Bush administration will take up strategy for UN sanctions against Iran at a meeting Friday of senior officials from eight nations.


Nigerian court rule on ongoing strike hailed by trade union Nigeria #39;s umbrella union on Wednesday hailed a high court rule on the ongoing warning strike against rising domestic fuel prices, saying the government has failed to stop the strike using the court.


Netherlands beats Finland in World Cup qualifier after nightmare <b>...</b> Ruud van Nistelrooy returned with a vengeance, scoring twice in the Netherlands #39; 3-1 victory over Finland in World Cup qualifying Wednesday.


Jenkins may be lost for season CHARLOTTE -- Just when it seemed the Carolina Panthers #39; luck with injuries couldn #39;t get any worse, it appears to be about to.


Tory MP calls for independent experts at sub inquiry OTTAWA - The navy board of inquiry investigating the fatal submarine fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi should include independent members, perhaps from another country, says Tory MP Bill Casey.


Federal reserve bank chief finalist for A amp;M job Texas A amp;M University System regents selected the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas as the sole finalist for its chancellorship today.


Poles are party-poopers POLAND produced a stunning comeback to deny departing Wales manager Mark Hughes a happy send-off at the Millennium Stadium today. The home side dominated the first-half and Robbie Savage finally unlocked the


Austrian seeds move on THIRD seed Rainer Schuettler and No.5 Paradorn Srichaphan advanced to the second round of the CA Trophy today. Schuettler, a finalist at this year #39;s Australian Open, seized the initiative early and broke the Austrian at 2-2, enough to win the first set.


Dolphins sign Matt Bryant MIAMI (Ticker) - The winless Miami Dolphins signed kicker Matt Bryant on Wednesday and announced sidelined running back Lamar Gordon had successful surgery on his shoulder.


Disney releases three for GBA Lilo  amp; Stitch 2, Lizzie McGuire 2, That #39;s So Raven jump from your TV to the Game Boy Advance today. Disney Interactive announced today that three Game Boy Advance titles based on Disney Channel children #39;s television properties have shipped to retail.


Schilling #39;s Ankle Will Require Surgery Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling watches as New York Yankees Gary Sheffield rounds first base after hitting a double in the first inning of game one of the ALCS in New York Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004.


Kremlin Cup Upset for Nadia Petrova The tough Russian women #39;s field suffered its first loss early Wednesday when Italy #39;s Francesca Schiavone came back from a set down to upset eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the \$2.


Astros #39; Backe living out a dream CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Houston Astros aren #39;t pitching future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens or 20-game-winner Roy Oswalt in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.


Russia to Sell Big Yukos Unit at Low-End Price The Russian government said on Tuesday that it would sell part of the oil giant Yukos #39;s most valuable subsidiary by the end of November, but at a price well below what investors and analysts consider its worth.


VeriChip Approved by FDA for Medical Use in Humans About the size of a grain of rice, VeriChip cannot be seen by the human eye and contains a unique 16-digit verification number that is captured by briefly passing a proprietary scanner over the insertion site.


Update 2: Ahold, Three Former Execs Settle Charges Global grocery retailer Ahold NV has agreed to a settlement of civil fraud charges over an alleged \$1 billion overstatement of earnings in a deal with US regulators that does not fine the company.


Pilot talks continue; Delta shares fall ATLANTA -- Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. fell Monday on the fear among some analysts that the struggling carrier will be forced into bankruptcy if it doesn #39;t get significant wage concessions from its pilots in the next three weeks.


US Supreme Court hears arguments on juvenile death penalty (AFP) AFP - The US Supreme Court heard arguments on the legality of the death penalty for criminals under age 18 in a case that has received international attention.


Henry on target for French THIERRY HENRY finally added to his recent meagre goal tally for France in this World Cup qualifier today. Henry scored in the closing stages after Sylvain Wiltord #39;s opener, for only his third international


US Considering Incentives for Iran Resigning Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, center, and newly appointed Vice-President Majid Ansari, second left, attend a meeting of the central council of their party President Mohammad Khatami accepted Abtahi #39;s resignation, in Tehran, Iran


Schroeder Rules Out German Troops for Iraq  BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on  Wednesday ruled out sending German troops to Iraq after his  defense minister said a deployment could be possible in the  future.


Tennis: Stepanek dumps top seed Safin out of Kremlin Cup MOSCOW : Unseeded Czech Radek Stepanek produced a major upset when he dumped top seeded Russian Marat Safin out of the 2.3 million dollar Kremlin Cup tournament in the second round.


Police Play Down Fears of Post-Beslan Reprisals  VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia (Reuters) - Police in the Russian  region traumatized by the Beslan school siege played down  reprisal fears as mourning drew to a close, while locals  thought the shattered community was too exhausted for revenge.


Cambodia tribunal may pave way for judicial reform Optimism has been tempered by years of negotiations and legislative delays; many Cambodians lost hope long ago.


In Beslan, a tense bid for calm Russian officials hope to prevent reprisals as a 40-day mourning period ends for victims of the school siege.


Adobe Ships New Version Of Photoshop Elements Adobe Systems Inc. on Wednesday released an upgrade of its consumer-focused photo-editing software, which has been enhanced with new features for improving photo quality.


Netherlands beats Finland 3-1 in World Cup qualifier after poor <b>...</b> Ruud van Nistelrooy scored two goals Wednesday as the Netherlands rebounded from a poor start to beat Finland 3-1 in a World Cup qualifying match.


Oil set to top Russia-China talks Russia's president says Moscow's interests come first as he starts his China visit to discuss key oil projects.


Al-Qaeda figures 'held in Jordan' The CIA declines to comment on a report that senior al-Qaeda suspects are being held in Jordan.


Former SA official denies graft A former advisor to the South Africa's deputy president pleads not guilty to charges of fraud and corruption.


SA edges up the pile South Africa has moved up a spot on the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Index; SA is now 41 out of 104 countries ranked on the basis of competitiveness.


PeopleSoft exec: We pumped up earnings com October 13, 2004, 2:19 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Rape 'a weapon in Colombia war' Sexual violence is being used to terrorise entire communities caught in Colombia's conflict, Amnesty says.


Illegal wood seized across Spain Spanish Civil Guard officers seized 33 tonnes of illegal Brazilian tropical wood in raids on a number of cities.


New Crew Ready for Space Station Mission A Russian Soyuz rocket is due to blast off from the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan early Thursday. Astronaut Leroy Chiao and cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipovalso will observe conditions on


We are open to UN inspectors, says Iraq BAGHDAD: UN nuclear inspectors are welcome to return, an Iraqi minister said on Tuesday in response to concerns of an apparent systematic dismantlement of Saddam Husseins once-vigorous nuclear programme.


Finland Ranked World #39;s Most Competitive Economy Finland has topped the rankings in the Global Competitiveness Report for the third time in the last four years. The United States has maintained its second-place position.


F.D.A. Approves Implantable Chip for Patient's Health Data The Food and Drug Administration approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors.


Cisco to Sell Routers with Fujitsu  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO.O, the  largest maker of gear to direct Internet traffic, said on  Sunday Japanese computer and electronics provider Fujitsu Ltd.  6702.T will sell Cisco's high-end routers and switches in  Japan.


Lava Gives Mount St. Helens Eerie Glow SEATTLE - The molten rock rising inside Mount St. Helens is giving the peak an eerie red glow at night...


Soaring Oil Prices Send Stocks Skidding NEW YORK - Soaring oil prices trumped positive earnings news Wednesday, sending stocks skidding as investors rushed to take profits on new fears that the market is in the midst of a commodities bubble.    Stronger than expected profits at chip bellwether Intel Corp...


Appeals Court Denies Moussaoui Hearing WASHINGTON - Terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui lost a bid Wednesday to have the full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals review two issues - witness access and the death penalty - that have delayed a trial...


6 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide attack and roadside bombings killed six American soldiers, the U.S. command said Wednesday, as U.S...


Apple Profit Doubles; Outlook Tops Views (Reuters) Reuters - Apple Computer Inc.  on\Wednesday reported its quarterly profit more than doubled, on\strong sales of its iPod digital music player and notebook\computers and said revenue and earnings for the current quarter\would top Wall Street estimates.


Bank of Italy chief warns public accounts in "serious" shape (AFP) AFP - Italy's public accounts are in  quot;serious quot; imbalance and corrective measures are needed to prevent the public deficit from skyrocketing above the European Union limit in the coming years, Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio said.


Mothers of Russian GIs Appeal to Rebels (AP) AP - A group of Russian mothers, desperate for peace in Chechnya, told rebels in the breakaway region Wednesday they were ready to mediate peace between the government and militants fighting a decade-long battle for independence.


McDonald's Earnings Rise, Stock Up  CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N third-quarter  earnings per share rose a higher-than-expected 42 percent on a  preliminary basis, the world's largest restaurant chain said on  Wednesday, citing strong sales in the United States and a lower  tax rate.


Sola Says Agrees to Be Sold for \$815 Mln  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sola International SOL.N, an  eyeglass lens maker, said on Sunday that it had agreed to be  bought by Germany's Carl Zeiss AG and European private equity  firm EQT for about \$815 million in cash.


Bayer to Pay Fine for Rubber Price Fixing  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Germany's Bayer AG BAYG.DE has  agreed to plead guilty and pay a \$4.7 million fine for taking  part in a conspiracy to fix the prices of synthetic rubber, the  U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.


Banker Questioned in Enron Criminal Case  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Prosecutors in the first Enron Corp.  ENRNQ.PK criminal trial sought to cast doubt on Wednesday on  a former Merrill Lynch MER.N banker's statements that he was  worried about financial risks from buying three barges from  Enron.


PeopleSoft Execs Defend Bid Rejection  WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Inc.'s PSFT.O  chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's  customer assurance program might not force liabilities on  Oracle Corp. ORCL.O if its \$7.7 billion takeover bid  succeeds.


Hurricane Damage to Hit Allstate Profits  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp. ALL.N, the No. 2 U.S.  home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter  profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than  \$1 billion in hurricane-related payouts.


Sandisk Profit Rises But Misses Forecasts  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sandisk Corp. said on Wednesday its  quarterly profit tripled but shares fell 18 percent as its  results missed Wall Street estimates because an oversupply of  memory cards drove down prices.


FCC Majority OKs Cingular-AT T Wireless  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A majority of the U.S. Federal  Communications Commission has voted to conditionally approve  Cingular Wireless' proposed acquisition of AT T Wireless  Services Inc. AWE.N, a source familiar with the matter said  on Wednesday.


SEC Investigating Newspaper Circulation The Securities and Commission is conducting an investigation into circulation reporting in the newspaper industry following several disclosures of fraudulent practices in recent months.


Abbey a step closer to takeover The hopes of Spain's largest bank to secure Abbey National have been given a boost after the City watchdog said it saw no reason to block the deal.


S.E.C Probes Chiron Over Flu Shot Shortage The S.E.C. has launched an informal inquiry into how Chiron handled the disclosure of vaccine-manufacturing problems that caused the nation's flu shot crisis.


Apple Profit Doubles; Outlook Tops Views Apple posted a higher quarterly profit today, boosted by strong sales of its iPod digital music player and notebook computers.


Nordic Nations Prevail in Surveys of World's Hot Economies Finland retained its hold at the top of the world's economies in the survey with Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland also in the top 10.


Intel's Inventory Bugaboo Plus, slow-cruisin' Harley, the Golden Arches' golden times, and it's good to be Yahoo!


Dude, Where's My Car? Seriously. Have you seen a four-door Accord, VA YGD 3719 tags? It's mine, and I want it back.


Astros Take on Cards, Red Sox Face Yanks NEW YORK - A day after giving Boston ace Curt Schilling a pounding, the New York Yankees look to take a 2-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the National League Championship Series gets underway when the Houston Astros take on the St...


How to Spot a Serial Acquirer Acquisitions can juice sales but can also lead to messy balance sheets. A simple test can sort them out.


Study: Adolescence Affects Breast Cancer The way a girl grows during adolescence and even in the womb may play an important, if murky, role in her risk of breast cancer later in life, a study suggests. The study of 117,000 women in Denmark found that those who were chubby at birth but tall and lean at 14 were more likely to develop the disease...


Oil rally sends stocks sharply lower Soaring oil prices trumped positive earnings news Wednesday, sending stocks skidding as investors rushed to take profits on new fears that the market is in the midst of a commodities bubble.


Allstate Sees Q3 Well Below Views Allstate Corp. on Wednesday warned its third-quarter profit would be a fraction of Wall Street expectations after the insurance firm said it sees more than \$1 billion in catastrophic losses from recent hurricanes.


Canadian agency OKs Coors-Molson merger Canada #39;s Competition Bureau said today it has no objection to the proposal to merge brewers Molson Inc. of Montreal and Adolph Coors Co.


SEC considering disclosure rules for executive pay In the flood of corporate reform unleashed by recent business scandals, one issue has been largely ignored, shareholder activists say: the stratospheric level of executive pay and


IBM Gets Flexible with Small Storage Systems Key to the announcement is the fact that the systems share microcode, said Dianne McAdam, senior analyst at Data Mobility Group.  quot;That means that if I want to make a copy of a volume on the DS6000 I use the same commands as the DS8000.


US-Soviet Crew For Space Station Smiling and confident, two Russians and an American prepared for their first mission in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft - breaking the nearly 30-year tradition of having at least one crewman with previous experience in piloting the capsule.


David Beckham Fans Beware: Trojan Makers Are Targeting David Beckham has made it into the news, once again. But Beckham has done nothing for this publicity. Computer hackers have created a trojan virus attached to software by claiming to have sleazy photographs of the soccer star.


802.11n: Not So Fast! The Wi-Fi Alliance yesterday warned wireless gear makers not to jump the gun on marketing 802.11n features before the standard is ratified.


Microsoft releases Office 2004 Service Pack 1 The Mac BU today announced the availability of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Office 2004 for Mac via Microsoft AutoUpdate, which it says addresses potential security issues and bugs reported via the new Microsoft Error Reporting Protocol (MERP), which


Cyber-Security to Get Higher-Profile Leader Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said yesterday that the role of overseeing computer security and the Internet should have a higher profile at the agency, in the face of increasing concern


IBM unveils new Shark and midrange array OCTOBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - NEW YORK -- IBM yesterday unveiled two new enterprise-class storage arrays, one aimed at the high end and one at midrange environments but both with compatible software that allows the boxes to be managed through a


Paris City Hall Balks at Linux Switch Local government offices in the French capital will not abandon Microsoft software overnight but instead gradually phase in more open-source programs, Paris City Hall said.


Legal downloading reported down The number of consumers legally downloading recorded music has fallen to 1 million from a high of 1.3 million in April, The Hollywood Reporter said Wednesday.


Tokyo Stocks Weaker as Yen Weighs  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average slipped 0.55  percent in early trade on Monday after a weak U.S. jobs report  pushed the dollar down against the yen, hurting the shares of  Japanese exporters.


Phil Jackson details clashes with Kobe Bryant Phil Jackson called his relationship with Kobe Bryant at times a  quot;psychological war quot; and sought to trade his star guard in January, according to a diary of the former Lakers coach.


Van Basten restoring harmony to Holland What can be done about Greece? Marco van Basten, Holland #39;s controversially appointed coach, yesterday turned his mind from what to do about Finland tonight to how international


Wales caught as Poles vault ahead towards finish Mark Hughes farewell as Wales manager turned into a wake as their World Cup dreams were shattered by a remarkable Polish comeback.


Wiltord, Henry on target France has defeated Cyprus 2-0 in its World Cup qualifier in Nicosia thanks to goals from Sylvain Wiltord and Thierry Henry. Wiltord, a former teammate of Henry #39;s at Arsenal, netted the opening goal in the


Fregosi to interview with Phils The goal for the Phillies is to find a manager who can take a disappointing winning team to the next level -- the playoffs. So why not call in the guy who managed the last Phillies team to do it?


Astros must go to Plan B with pitchers ST. LOUIS - If Andy Pettitte and Wade Miller were available, the Houston rotation would be set up perfectly for the National League Championship Series.


Israel launches air strike on Palestinian militants, killing one An Israeli aircraft fired a missile ata group of militants near the Palestinian town of Beit Lahya in northern Gaza Strip Wednesday evening, killing one of them, witnesses said.


Germany in EU dock over Volkswagen law The European Commission has begun legal action against Germany over the so-called  quot;Volkswagen law quot; which protects the carmaker from hostile takeovers.


Double Standards That Kill As usual, there has been a disproportionate and unbalanced reaction to recent and ongoing violence in our region. Since late September, Israel has been butchering civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip.


UPDATE 2-Mylan defends King deal amid investor concerns Generic drug maker Mylan Laboratories Inc. reaffirmed on Wednesday its planned \$3.37 billion purchase of King Pharmaceuticals Inc.


UPDATE 1-Late Polish fighback earns 3-2 win in Wales Wales failed to give departing manager Mark Hughes the send-off he wanted as Poland performed a smash and grab act to win 3-2 at the Millennium Stadium in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Yuvraj likely to open for confused India The first rays of sunlight bring with it the hope of a new day, a new beginning and a new start to a life gone awry for a while. The Indian team, having had a nightmarish start to a new cricket season, hopes


LIVESTRONG band decision provoked furor Ten Virginia high school cross country runners disqualified for wearing Lance Armstrong #39;s LIVESTRONG wristbands during a meet last week have had their results reinstated.


Google Founders on Hiring Trip to India (AP) AP - Google Inc. founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin said Wednesday that some new features on the world's top search engine and other services will come from its research center in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, where they are on a hiring spree.


Microsoft Launches Music Service in Japan (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp. will begin its music download service in Japan with an initial offering of 50,000 songs, a spokeswoman for the U.S. software giant's online service unit said Wednesday.


Evite Plans Web Network of Friends' Food Reviews (Reuters) Reuters - Online party planning site Evite\plans on Thursday to launch a service to let users get\restaurant and entertainment recommendations from friends and\acquaintances, Evite President John Foley said.


FCC Majority OKs Cingular-AT T Wireless (Reuters) Reuters - A majority of the U.S. Federal\Communications Commission has voted to conditionally approve\Cingular Wireless' proposed acquisition of AT T Wireless\Services Inc. , a source familiar with the matter said\on Wednesday.


PeopleSoft Execs Defend Bid Rejection (Reuters) Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc.'s \chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's\customer assurance program might not force liabilities on\Oracle Corp.  if its  #36;7.7 billion takeover bid\succeeds.


Great Lakes to Get Asian Carp Barrier (AP) AP - The Army Corps of Engineers will in two weeks begin building a permanent electric barrier to keep the invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes, officials announced Wednesday.


Wealthy New Lab Aims to Capture Dreams, Literally (Reuters) Reuters - Gerald Rubin is looking for\someone who can take a picture of a thought.


Fresh ISS Crew Sees 'Pleasant' Trip Despite Glitch (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S.-Russian space\crew due to blast off Thursday say they expect six "pleasant"\months in orbit, despite a technical glitch that has twice\delayed the launch.


FDA: Chip Implant Can Be Used to Get Health Records  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A computer chip that is implanted  under the skin won U.S. approval on Wednesday for use in  helping doctors quickly access a patient's medical history.


Apple Profits Surge on iPod, Laptop Sales Apple Computer Inc.'s fourth quarter earnings soared on strong sales of laptop computers and its popular iPod music players, helping the company notch its highest revenue for the quarter in nine years. -AP


FDA Approves Chip for Patients The Food and Drug Administration approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors, speeding care.


Famous Blacks Get Out the Vote in Florida (AP) AP - Black actors including LeVar Burton and Alfre Woodard will join members of Congress crisscrossing Florida by bus this weekend to try to get out the vote for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.


Reindeer Decline Threatens Mongolian Nomads For centuries the Tsaatan people have roamed Mongolia with the reindeer that provide their livelihood. But disease and inbreeding now threaten their herds #151;and cultural future. <i>With photo gallery.</i>


SpaceShipOne Burns Rubber, Laughing Gas #151;More Fun Facts Get fun facts on <I>SpaceShipOne,</I> the first privately built manned spacecraft. For starters, the ship burns a mixture of rubber and laughing gas.


Birding Column: Appreciating Non-Native Ducks and Geese While "serious" birders in the U.S. disdain non-native ducks and geese, one birding columnist enjoys observing the many species that have made California their home.


Scanning the Skies for Threats from Space PPARC -- British astronomers are providing a vital component to the world-wide effort of identifying and monitoring rogue asteroids and comets. From this month, the UK Astrometry and Photometry Programme (UKAPP) for Near-Earth Objects, based at Queens University, Belfast, will track Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and feed their crucial information into the international programme of protecting the Earth from any future impact by a comet or asteroid...


Harvard Scientists Want to Clone Human Embryos CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) -- Harvard University scientists have asked the university's ethical review board for permission to produce cloned human embryos for disease research, potentially becoming the first researchers in the nation to wade into a divisive area of study that has become a presidential campaign issue...


NetSuite updates customer management tools NetSuite 10.0 offers analysis tools to help businesses predict information about customers based on data they've already entered.


Patent case challenges Microsoft's 'AutoPlay' A case scheduled for hearing in December focuses on technology for automatically loading software from a disc.


PeopleSoft exec: We pumped up earnings The company asked customers to accelerate deals in order to bolster earnings--a ploy to exaggerate profits, Oracle lawyers say.


Briefly: Westinghouse cuts price of LCD TVs roundup Plus: Adobe debuts hobbyist Photoshop package...Symbol joins WiMax wireless broadband group...HP to sell PathScale compilers.


WebMethods wraps process software in Fabric The new software is designed to simplify the process of knitting together back-office business applications.


SCO to launch legal Web site Prosco.net will feature an archive of filings and other information related to the company's many legal battles over Linux.


FDA approves injecting ID chips in patients Regulators sign off on implantable tracking device to manage treatment of Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease, other conditions.


HP to open research center in South Korea Over the next five years, the company will spend \$40 million on its new lab, which will focus on the digital home.


Locked out--and locked up--on the Net? Outages put a crimp in access at PayPal, Gawker. Also: Microsoft's latest security warnings.


Symbol joins WiMax wireless broadband group Symbol Technologies follows Cisco, which also recently joined the WiMax Forum.


Westinghouse cuts price of LCD TVs The company has cut up to 25 percent off the price of two of its liquid-crystal display TV models.


Adobe releases hobbyist Photoshop package Photoshop Elements 3.0 enhances tools for touching up photos, including the "healing brush."


Segway may go off-road The scooter maker is testing a new four-wheel gadget that travels 20 mph and can handle rough terrain.


Small discs for camcorders get the blue light Blu-ray group is developing a smaller version of its technology for portable electronics, aiming to give its format a leg up.


Phillies Interview Former Indians Manager (AP) AP - After spending two seasons as a special assistant and adviser with Philadelphia, Charlie Manuel saved his best recommendation for last: Hire him as the new manager of the Phillies.


Creative declares war on Apple EXPECT to see and hear Creative Technology everywhere as it embarks on a worldwide marketing campaign to snatch dominance of the digital music player market from Apple Computer.


Techies want assistant secretary to address cybersecurity The technology industry stands behind its call for an assistant secretary for cybersecurity in the Homeland Security Department, even as confusion grows over what the department is planning.


SCO plans own Web site as alternative to Groklaw The SCO Group Inc. is setting up a Web site to cover the latest happenings in its many legal disputes and as an alternative to the Groklaw.net, a popular Web site that has been highly critical of the company.


SAP releases new version of Business One German business software vendor SAP AG released a new version of its SAP Business One software with several functions designed for small and medium-size manufacturers.


IBM, Borland upgrade developer tools IBM and Borland have both upgraded their development platforms to focus more on business process automation.


Caution dampens spirit at Cannes tech conference Soaring oil prices and terrorism have instilled fresh caution into global markets over the past six months, executives and investors said at a technology conference in Cannes.


Novell to defend open-source software with patents Novell Inc. said it is prepared to use its portfolio of software patents to protect its open-source software products against lawsuits.


IBM unveils new Shark and midrange array IBM presented two new enterprise-class storage arrays that feature compatible software that allows the boxes to be managed through a single interface and data to be replicated between them.


Brief: Iron Mountain snaps up backup software vendor Iron Mountain plans to acquire Connected Corp. to enhance its online backup and recovery portfolio.


PayPal.com resumes operations after four-day service disruption Online payment Web site PayPal.com was back in service late last night after a coding error disrupted service for four days.


CA adds antivirus, antispyware to Cisco NAC program Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) said on Wednesday that it was joining a Cisco Systems Inc. program to harden enterprise networks against attacks by enforcing security policies on computer hosts that attempt to access network resources, the company said in a statement.


Schilling Needs Surgery Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the ALCS on Sunday.


FDA Approves Use of Microchip Implants in Humans By DIEDTRA HENDERSON    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors, speeding care.    VeriChips, radio frequency microchips the size of a grain of rice, have already been used to identify wayward pets and livestock...


U.S. Appeals NAFTA Panel Lumber Decision (AP) AP - The Bush administration said Wednesday it will appeal a NAFTA dispute panel's finding that imports of Canadian softwood lumber pose no threat to American companies.


White House: Islamic Agency Aids Terror (AP) AP - The Bush administration on Wednesday accused a Sudan-based relief organization and five of its officials of helping finance Osama bin Laden and other terrorists.


US Supreme Court reviews Cubans' indefinite detention (AFP) AFP - The US Supreme Court examined whether the United States can indefinitely detain two Cubans who face deportation but remain in legal limbo because Cuba refuses to take them back.


Hurricane Damage to Hurt Allstate Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp. ALL.N, the No. 2 U.S.  home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter  profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than  \$1 billion in hurricane-related payouts.


Putting Your PC in a Pocket OQO, a tiny 14-ounce Windows XP computer, may just be the most elegant and versatile miniature PC possible with current technology.


Touches of Weird, Done Best in Japan NO one does weird quite as well as Japanese game designers and animators. In this spirit, three new video games bring the bizarre home.


Oft-Scorned Segway Finds Friends Among the Disabled Gyroscopically balanced scooters have given disabled people a new grasp on mobility.


Mobile Phones Increase Tumor Risk - Swedish Study (Reuters) Reuters - Ten or more years of mobile phone use\increases the risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a benign\tumor on the auditory nerve, according to a study released on\Wednesday by Sweden's Karolinska Institute.


Mobile Phones Increase Tumor Risk - Swedish Study  STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Ten or more years of mobile phone use  increases the risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a benign  tumor on the auditory nerve, according to a study released on  Wednesday by Sweden's Karolinska Institute.


IBM chip chief now managing intellectual property High rate of patents, open-source age increase importance of intellectual property issues.


Vonage talks of 911 advancements In Rhode Island, will there be an answer to a major problem for the Internet phone industry?\


FDA approves use of chip in patients The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient #39;s medical details to doctors, speeding care.


SEC seals settlement with Ahold WASHINGTON Ahold, the Dutch food retailer, and three of its former top executives have agreed to settle US securities fraud charges related to overbooking of profits, the company and US regulators said Wednesday.


Options rule delayed for companies in US American companies were granted a six-month delay Wednesday on the deadline for reporting the value of stock options granted to employees as an expense - a change that would delay the reduction in reported profits for many companies, particularly in the


EU opens Intel inquiry over government deals BRUSSELS The European Commission opened legal cases against France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland on Wednesday, saying that it believed the four governments had been favoring Intel, the US computer chip maker, when awarding public contracts.


Bank of America #39;s Focus on Profit, Job Cuts Irks Politicians Bank of America Corp. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Lewis is running afoul of Massachusetts politicians as he slashes jobs to increase earnings following his \$48 billion purchase of FleetBoston Financial Corp.


Aussie wealth exceeds \$5 trillion It appears Australians have never been wealthier as total private sector wealth now exceeds \$5 trillion. Officially, private sector wealth is estimated at \$5,013 billion, which is up 18 per cent in the past year.


PeopleSoft board amends \$2 billion customer rebate program PeopleSoft Inc. #39;s board voted on Oct. 11 to change its controversial customer protection program to help it pass muster in a Delaware court battle with would-be acquirer, Oracle Corp.


US files first lawsuit in spyware battle THE United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) formally announced on Tuesday its first assault against spyware - bits of computer code that surreptitiously install themselves on the computers of Internet users to track their activities, push them to


New Russian-US crew ready for launch to space station A Russian-US expedition will take off Thursday morning to the International Space Station (ISS) on asix-month mission, local media reported Wednesday.


Google Options Takes Spotlight After Yahoo Results (Reuters) Reuters - Some options investors, encouraged by\Yahoo Inc.'s solid results, seem confident that Google Inc.\shares will avoid any big moves after the Web search leader\reports earnings next week, an options analyst said on\Wednesday.


Boston #39;s  #39;boy wonder #39; could become  #39;The Man #39; The boy wonder, who #39;s really a man these days, could be The Man by the end of the month in Boston. Theo Epstein, 30, is the youngest general manager in baseball, a kid from suburban Boston who


Lawyers pick at Silverstone deal Now the real work begins. As a July date for the British Grand Prix appeared on the provisional calendar for the 2005 Formula One season in Paris yesterday, a 21-page document landed on the


S. American Zone Moldova and Scotland seem destined to chase the wooden spoon in Group 5 after failing to take advantage of each other #39;s limitations.


Vijay is the best but Els is favourite LONDON - Vijay Singh is officially the best player in the world, but as far as this week #39;s World Matchplay Championship is concerned, Ernie Els is the top seed because he is the champion.


Office Alternatives Explore Server-Based Apps (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Sun Microsystems, with its StarOffice suite, and the open-source OpenOffice.org consider server-based applications as a way to boost security, portability and deployment.


NATO hurrying on Iraq trainers POIANA BRASOV, Romania NATO defense ministers pledged on Wednesday to speed the deployment of about 300 security instructors to Iraq by the end of the year under a program to field more Iraqi forces to help safeguard the elections in January.


Apple's fourth quarter, by the numbers (MacCentral) MacCentral - On Wednesday, Apple not only reached a major milestone with its highest fourth quarter earnings in nine years, according to CEO Steve Jobs, but it also shattered its previous record with more than 2 million iPods shipped during the fourth quarter of its 2004 fiscal year -- an incredible 500 percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2003 and 134 percent more than the previous quarter. That number not only helped the company reach a commanding 92. ...


Fossil Hunters Find Sleeping Dinosaur in China (Reuters) Reuters - Scientists have unearthed the remains of\a perfectly preserved 130 million-year-old new species of\dinosaur which provide a first-ever look at how the prehistoric\creatures slept.


Scientists, Patients Fight UN Stem Cell Study Ban (Reuters) Reuters - A coalition of 125 scientific\and patients' groups urged the United Nations on Wednesday to\reject a global ban on stem cell research sought by the Bush\administration and more than 50 other countries.


NZ in top 20 competitive economies The New Zealand economy has slipped four places in world competitiveness rankings, but remains in the top 20, a new report shows. The World Economic Forum #39;s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 ranks


Wall Street stocks end lower on rising oil prices Wall Street stocks fell sharply Wednesday as surging oil prices overshadowed positive earnings news, prompting investors to cash in more profits.


Compu-tainment In Los Angeles on Tuesday, Microsoft trumpeted a new era of  quot;digital entertainment anywhere. quot; The company unveiled the latest Windows XP Media Center PCs, aimed at bringing the computer into consumers #39; living rooms; announced the formal launch of its


ALH goes with Coles bid COLES Myer yesterday waltzed in and trumped rival Woolworths in the battle for pubs group Australian Leisure  amp; Hospitality. But Coles chief John Fletcher #39;s \$3.


Google on Bangalore hiring spree NEW Google features and services would come from the company #39;s research centre in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, where Google has been on a hiring spree, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin said.


Feds delay stock-options rule for 6 months NORWALK, Conn. - Accounting rulemakers, pressed by both businesses and regulators, on Wednesday decided to give public companies six more months to adopt a new standard for deducting from profits the value of stock options.


UPDATE 2-Fed #39;s McTeer may leave for Texas A amp;M post Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert McTeer, the US central bank #39;s resident poet and self-styled inflation  quot;lonesome dove, quot; said on Wednesday he will leave


Vodafone rejigs top tier as it prepares for less expansive era Vodafone picked a successor to long-time finance chief Ken Hydon yesterday and restructured its board in an effort to give chief executive Arun Sarin more operational control of the mobile phone company.


Hurricane Damage to Hurt Allstate Profit Allstate Corp. (ALL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 2 US home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than \$1 billion in hurricane-related payouts.


Microsoft issues security patches to fix 21 flaws Microsoft Corp., world #39;s largest software maker, published numerous patches to fix 21 flaws in its software applications yesterday.


IBM Increases Storage Space When IBM (Quote, Chart) unveiled its new, high-octane storage server at an event in New York Tuesday, it became apparent the company made some headway in taking virtualization features from its mainframe systems and dropping them into its storage line.


Dinosaur that slept like a bird Just one week after finding feathers on the ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex, Chinese and US scientists have announced the discovery of a dinosaur curled up like a sleeping cygnet.


Soccer star subject of virus writers British experts warn some people involved in spreading computer viruses are exploiting the worldwide interest in British soccer super star David Beckham.


Motorola Tests M-Commerce Motorola and MasterCard want to prove that reducing the fumble factor can save merchants money. Phones equipped with PayPass, MasterCard #39;s contactless payment service, are expected to go through rigorous testing


ISS shields Microsoft #39;s latest vulnerabilities Internet Security Systems has announced that it has preemptive protection available for the four high risk vulnerabilities announced by Microsoft on Wednesday.


Schilling #39;s Postseason May Be Finished It is the first rule that every aspiring pitcher learns. Without a balanced delivery, nothing works. For a right-hander, the right ankle is the foundation.


Bryants Anger Hurt the Lakers, Jackson Says in a New Book In his new book, Phil Jackson, the former Los Angeles Lakers coach, describes a dysfunctional team hurt by Kobe Bryants petulant anger and his pending rape trial, and feuding between Bryant and Shaquille ONeal, who is now with the Miami Heat.


United States 6, Panama 0 Established star Landon Donovan and rising sensation Eddie Johnson carried the United States into the regional qualifying finals for the 2006 World Cup in emphatic fashion Wednesday night.


Astros, Cardinals Tied 4-4 After Five St. Louis Cardinals #39; Albert Pujols hits a two-run homer in the first inning to tie the game against the Houston Astros during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium in St.


Bettman engages fans in online chat (CP) - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spent part of his afternoon Wednesday answering questions from fans about the league #39;s lockout rather than preparing for opening night.


Plummer to Remove Decal Honoring Tillman Denver quarterback Jake Plummer, who memorialized his friend Pat Tillman by wearing a No. 40 decal on his helmet in a game last Sunday, agreed yesterday to remove it.


Storm cherish title, aim to stay on top The Seattle Storm and Anne Donovan have made WNBA history, but don #39;t look for them to sit on their accomplishments. There will be a championship celebration Friday in downtown Seattle in honor of the Storm #39;s WNBA title.


Orioles lose Grimsley until June CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Pitcher Jason Grimsley is lost to the Baltimore Orioles until next June at the earliest after undergoing  quot;Tommy John quot; surgery Wednesday.


#39;Extender #39; reality check Our story this morning on Microsoft #39;s digital media launch included comments from Forrester Research analyst Ted Schadler, explaining why he thinks the first wave of Media Center Extender products will be too expensive (about \$300 for set-top boxes) for


Yet Another Bidder Emerges for Australian Pub Operator Australia #39;s largest retailer, Coles Myer, waded into a takeover battle for the pub operator Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group yesterday, offering 1.18 billion Australian dollars (\$856 million) in a bid with a local bank.


Future is now: US approves implantable chip that links to health <b>...</b> Forget about temperature taking and blood pressure checking. In the bright, near future, the first step for people seeking medical care may be to have their bicep read by an electronic scanner seeking data stored on an implanted chip.


IT  amp; BPO may hog headlines, WEF index puts India at 55th NEW DELHI: India ranks 55th in a World Economic Forum ranking of 104 countries in terms of growth competitiveness. As per the WEFs Global Competitiveness Report 2004-05, Finland, home to Nokia, is the world


FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients WASHINGTON Oct. 13, 2004 - Medical milestone or privacy invasion? A tiny computer chip approved Wednesday for implantation in a patient #39;s arm can speed vital information about a patient #39;s medical history to doctors and hospitals.


City punishes JJB for takeover failure JJB SPORTS saw its shares collapse nearly 20 per cent yesterday after it broke off talks with the private equity giant Cinven and posted dismal first-half sales.


In Challenge to EMC, IBM Introduces Smaller Servers With the proclamation that it intends to overtake EMC as the top enterprise storage supplier, IBM announced today the DS6000, a disk storage system slightly bigger than a VCR, and the TotalStorage


Q amp;A: Linus Torvalds, inventor of Linux Linus Torvalds pronounced LEE-nus started a revolution of sorts in the computer industry when he created the Linux operating system and decided to share it with fellow programmers on the Internet.


Solaris security suffers image problem A highly critical security hole has been reported in the X Pixmap (libXpm) technology shipped with Solaris and JDS for Linux, which could allow someone to run code on your system if a modified X Pixmmap (.xpm) image is loaded.


German goalkeeper battle escalates BERLIN - Jens Lehmann wore the wrong gloves and is not available for Germany #39;s Asian tour in December. Oliver Kahn, by contrast, has the right gloves, can play in December and will be made fit like never before by Sepp Maier.


US drubs Panama 6-0 in Cup qualifying Established star Landon Donovan and rising sensation Eddie Johnson carried the United States into the regional qualifying finals for the 2006 World Cup in emphatic fashion Wednesday night.


More US Soldiers Die in Iraq Blasts BAGHDAD, 14 October 2004 - Six American soldiers were killed in roadside bombings, the US command said yesterday, as US and Iraqi troops stepped up pressure on insurgents before this weeks start of the holy month of Ramadan.


Germany hints at softer stance on Iraq LONDON : German Defence Minister Peter Struck appeared in an interview with Britain #39;s Financial Times newspaper to soften his country #39;s stance on Iraq, hinting that Germany might deploy troops if conditions there change.


Armed ex-soldiers plan to stop Haiti violence PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Former soldiers who ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in a revolt said Wednesday that reinforcements are advancing on Haiti #39;s capital to stop violence that has killed at least 46 people.


Update 3: EU Head Office Challenges German Law The European Union #39;s head office took Germany to court Wednesday to challenge a German law that effectively protects Volkswagen AG, one of the country #39;s biggest employers, from hostile takeovers.


Japan #39;s troubled Daiei considering seeking aid from government <b>...</b> TOKYO : Debt-ridden Japanese retailer Daiei is considering seeking help from a state-backed corporate body, reversing an earlier reluctance after pressure from its creditors, officials said.


Howard to attend Yudhoyono inauguration Prime Minister John Howard will travel to Indonesia later this month to attend the inauguration of new Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.


Insecurity across Darfur, Sudan threatens aid deliveries, warns UN <b>...</b> 13 October 2004 - The United Nations food relief agency warned today that the security situation in Sudan #39;s strife-torn Darfur region is so volatile that it is hampering the delivery and distribution of food aid to the vast population of internally


Pilot Talks Continue As Delta Shares Fall Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. fell Monday on the fear among some analysts that the struggling carrier will be forced into bankruptcy if it doesn #39;t get significant wage concessions from its pilots in the next three weeks.


IBM announces high capacity storage servers IBM, one of the key leaders in the enterprise server market, annouced two additions to its family of high storage products yesterday.


History promises memorable Chennai encounter Over the years, the ground has produced some of the most endearing moments between the two countries. In the 1969-70 series, the match produced a shoot-out between two of the best post-war


Minaya #39;s First Move With the Mets Is to Clean House The regular season that cost Art Howe and Jim Duquette their titles ended nearly two weeks ago, but jobs are still being lost. Having just started their search for a new


SEC enters paper circulation probe Federal and local authorities, under the auspices of the New York Asset Forfeiture Task Force, have recently served grand-jury subpoenas seeking testimony in the circulationscandals


Jjb has 448 Stores Across the Country and Is the UK #39;s Biggest <b>...</b> The group, which issued a profits warning in July and floated on the stock market a decade ago, revealed the approach in a statement last Friday.


NATO to send training staff to Iraq before year #39;s end: US <b>...</b> NATO will send military trainers to Iraq before the end of the year in response to appeals by Iraqi leaders for speedy action, US ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns said Wednesday.


PA: Gaza to remain occupied land even after disengagement Israel will remain an occupying power in the Gaza Strip even if it carries out the disengagement plan, and should be treated as such, according to a legal document prepared by the Palestinian Authority.


Mass grave reveals remains of Iraqi women and children The horrific secrets of a mass grave in northern Iraq emerged yesterday as American officials accused Europeans of failing to help in the search to uncover Saddam Hussein #39;s atrocities.


Officer suspended over Gaza shooting The Israeli army yesterday suspended an officer who is accused of firing up to 20 bullets into a 13-year-old Palestinian as she lay on the ground after having been shot from an army outpost.


Security forces  #39;can #39;t stop chaos #39; PALESTINIAN security forces are unable to stop the spreading chaos in the West Bank and Gaza, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie said today, a day after a failed attempt to kill a Gaza security commander.


UPDATE 1-Late goal gives N.Ireland 3-3 draw with Austria A goal deep into injury time by Stuart Elliott salvaged a 3-3 draw for Northern Ireland in a pulsating World Cup qualifier against Austria on Wednesday.


Pitiful draw leaves Vogts in dire straits THE remainder of Berti Vogtss contract surely became as unfulfillable as the dream of World Cup qualification when Scotland failed to secure the victory that had been considered imperative here in Chisinau last night.


Hackers baiting Internet users with Beckham pix PETALING JAYA: Computer hackers are taking advantage of the frenzy surrounding David Beckhams latest alleged bout of infidelity.


Novell to defend open source software with patents Novell is prepared to use its portfolio of US software patents to protect against patent lawsuits the open source software it ships, the company said in statements posted to the Novell.


Sun releases Solaris-based desktop software com October 13, 2004, 5:06 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Google launches UK Froogle shopping site Internet search firm Google has launched its Froogle price comparison Web site in Britain, expanding the company #39;s e-commerce business and putting it head to head with partners such as Kelkoo.


Background to the Sudan conflict Sudan is the largest country in Africa and has a population of almost 28 million. About 60 per cent are Muslim, a quarter are animist and 15 per cent Christian.


Disney Launches a Trio of Titles Disney Interactive has shipped three new Game Boy Advance titles based on hit Disney Channel shows. Info from the press release (because we #39;re too lazy to rewrite this stuff today) ---.


Sask. town keen but skeptical of space launch KINDERSLEY, Sask. - A representative from a team of Canadian engineers trying to send a privately funded rocket ship into space was in Saskatchewan on Wednesday to set up logistics for a launch that he hopes will happen within the next month.


FCC to Act on Fiber-Optic Networks The Federal Communications Commission is planning to approve  a proposal to give the major telephone companies more leeway in the design of new fiber-optic networks, sparing them from the regulation that governs traditional phone lines. -The Washington Post


Start-Up Builds Less Demanding Machines So far, three-year-old Ambient Devices has sold fewer than 60,000 of its products. Yet the company fascinates me because it is working on the frontier of making computers more intuitive.\
-The Washington Post


Visa Issues  Vex Tech Workers, Their Employers Dawn M. Lurie knows how to wake up her audiences when she briefs personnel managers on immigration law: She points out that in some cases executives could face criminal penalties for hiring immigrants without the right visas.


Coverage of PET Scans The first call Sheldon Goldberg got on his first day as president of the Alzheimer's Association was not from a patient or a doctor but from Michael D. Bromberg, chairman of the Capitol Health Group, a well-connected Washington lobbying firm.


US textile firms want curbs on Chinese imports WASHINGTON - On the eve of a presidential debate on domestic issues with employment a crucial concern, American textile companies and workers have asked President George W. Bush to help save their jobs by limiting Chinese imports, which may surge once a


Israel Kills Two Hamas Militants After Renewed Threat  GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli air strikes killed two Hamas  militants in Gaza on Thursday just after the Islamic group  renewed its threats to continue rocket attacks against Israelis  despite a massive army offensive aimed at stopping them.


Panel Probes Afghan Poll Fraud, Counting Delayed  KABUL (Reuters) - A panel was investigating complaints of  Afghan election irregularities on Thursday, further delaying  the start of counting in a historic poll overshadowed by  concerns over multiple voting.


250 Leaders, But Not US, Back UN Population Plan  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - More than 250 world figures --  but not the Bush administration -- have urged the United  Nations to promote a population agenda that seeks women's  education, health care and family planning.


Haiti ex-troops 'to impose order' Leaders of the rebel army that ousted Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide vow to end violence in the capital.


Apple Profit Doubles; Outlook Tops Views  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. AAPL.O on  Wednesday reported its quarterly profit more than doubled as it  sold more than 2 million iPod digital music players and said  results for the current quarter would top Wall Street  estimates.


PeopleSoft Execs Defend Program  WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Inc.'s PSFT.O  chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's  controversial customer assurance program, now being challenged  in court, might not force liabilities on Oracle Corp. ORCL.O  if its \$7.7 billion takeover bid succeeds.


Nikkei Falls 1 Pct at Midday  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average fell 1 percent by  midsession on Thursday after sharp declines in metals prices  pushed down shares of steel makers and mining companies, which  had been big gainers over the past three months.


Scientists 'find key to hearing' A protein deep in the ear is essential for normal hearing and could help develop treatments for deafness, researchers believe.


E-Voting Machine Crash Deepens Concerns (AP) AP - A computer crash that forced a pre-election test of electronic voting machines to be postponed was trumpeted by critics as proof of the balloting technology's unreliability.


FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients (AP) AP - Medical milestone or privacy invasion? A tiny computer chip approved Wednesday for implantation in a patient's arm can speed vital information about a patient's medical history to doctors and hospitals. But critics warn that it could open new ways to imperil the confidentiality of medical records.


Review: Hi-Def TV May Be PCs' Killer App (AP) AP - It's been possible for years to watch television on a personal computer, but not many people do. The reasons are simple: mediocre picture and sound quality and the ergonomics of it all. TVs don't need to boot up.


Glickman to Film Industry: Nurture New Technology (Reuters) Reuters - In his first major speech to\Hollywood executives Dan Glickman, the new head of the Motion\Picture Association of America, said the industry must embrace\new digital and Internet technologies while continuing to\battle copyright pirates.


Fewer women in computer jobs these days But women have increased their representation in all the natural science professions, especially medical science, a study says.


Mac Takes Honors as Best Unix Desktop (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Opinion: GNOME is nice, KDE is fine and the forthcoming Looking Glass may be wonderful, but the best Unix desktop is the one in the Macintosh.


Sun releases Solaris-based desktop software Java Desktop System version 2 sneaks onto the market only two months ahead of version 3's due date.


PeopleSoft Execs Defend Program (Reuters) Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc.'s \chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's\controversial customer assurance program, now being challenged\in court, might not force liabilities on Oracle Corp. \if its  #36;7.7 billion takeover bid succeeds.


Briefly: Hitachi cuts 10 percent of U.S. work force roundup Plus: Evite goes local with invitations...Westinghouse cuts price of LCD TVs...Adobe debuts hobbyist Photoshop package.


Bush, Kerry Duel Over Health Care Plans (AP) AP - Sen. John Kerry said Wednesday night that President Bush bears responsibility for a misguided war in Iraq, lost jobs at home and mounting millions without health care. The Republican incumbent tagged his rival in campaign debate as a lifelong liberal bent on raising taxes and government spending.


Lava Gives Mount St. Helens Eerie Glow (AP) AP - The molten rock rising inside Mount St. Helens is giving the peak an eerie red glow at night.


Crew Prepares for Launch to Space Station (AP) AP - Smiling and confident, two Russians and an American prepared for their first mission in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft  #151; breaking the nearly 30-year tradition of having at least one crewman with previous experience in piloting the capsule.


Harvard Wants to Clone Human Embryos (AP) AP - Harvard researchers want to be the first in the United States to produce cloned human embryos for disease research.


Audit Board Delays Rule on Options as Expenses The move will delay the reduction in reported profits for many companies, and may give them more time to lobby Congress to stop the rule from taking effect at all.


A Hard-to-Swallow Lesson on Pensions Tens of thousands of Americans are discovering, as they approach retirement, that money they were promised is not forthcoming.


Ahold Reaches A Settlement With the S.E.C. Royal Ahold and its two former top executives reached a settlement on Wednesday with the S.E.C. in connection with a multibillion-dollar accounting scandal.


Apple's 4th-Quarter Profit More Than Doubled Apple announced on Wednesday that its quarterly profit more than doubled because of continued strong sales of iPod music players, beating Wall Street estimates by a wide margin


H M Keeps Up the Expansion, but Some Analysts See Weak Links H M, the 57-year-old cheap-and-trendy clothing giant, has been moving into new areas of Europe, while it is still striving to meet its financial goals in the U.S.


Bush and Kerry Clash on Taxes, Health Care (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush and Democratic Sen.\John Kerry battled over health care, jobs and taxes in their\final debate on Wednesday, with Bush criticizing Kerry's\"far-left" Senate record and Kerry arguing the middle class had\lost ground under the president.


Hitachi cuts 10 percent of U.S. work force The company axes 400 jobs, joining other hard drive makers in eliminating staff.


Big Blue's chip chief takes up IP helm High rate of patents, open-source age increase importance of intellectual property issues.


AP: Report Finds Lavish Spending at TSA WASHINGTON - The government agency in charge of airport security spent nearly a half-million dollars on an awards ceremony at a lavish hotel, including \$81,000 for plaques and \$500 for cheese displays, according to an internal report obtained by The Associated Press.    Awards were presented to 543 Transportation Security Administration employees and 30 organizations, including a "lifetime achievement award" for one worker with the 2-year-old agency...


Yankees Lead BoSox 1-0 in Game 2 of ALCS NEW YORK - Gary Sheffield hit an RBI single, and the New York Yankees took a 1-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of the AL championship series Wednesday night.    New York starter Jon Lieber allowed only one hit and a walk, stifling Boston's sluggers just as Mike Mussina did the night before...


E-Voting Machine Crash Deepens Concerns WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A computer crash that forced a pre-election test of electronic voting machines to be postponed was trumpeted by critics as proof of the balloting technology's unreliability...


Producer Sues O'Reilly for Harassment NEW YORK - Fox News Channel traded accusations Wednesday with one of the producers of Bill O'Reilly's show, with the woman alleging that the commentator had phone sex with her against her wishes three times. Fox in a claim of its own dismissed the sexual harassment complaint as a politically motivated extortion attempt...


Bush, Kerry Open Final Debate in Arizona TEMPE, Ariz. - President Bush and challenger John Kerry opened their third and final debate on Wednesday as each candidate hoped to stamp a last favorable impression on millions of voters before Elecion day...


Bush and Kerry Get Ready for Last TV Duel TEMPE, Ariz. - Jobs, health care and other concerns of daily life will likely be focal points as President Bush and challenger John Kerry meet Wednesday for their third and final debate...


6 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide attack and roadside bombings killed six American soldiers, and Iraq's prime minister warned residents of insurgent bastion Fallujah on Wednesday to hand over terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi or face military action.    Al-Zarqawi's Tawhid and Jihad group has claimed responsibility for beheading several foreign hostages and for car bombings throughout the country, and a videotape posted Wednesday on an Islamic Web site showed militants linked to al-Zarqawi beheading two Iraqis they accused of being intelligence officers...


Vonage talks about 911 advancements Does Rhode Island have the answer to a major problem facing the Internet phone industry?


Sony retuning to pick up MP3s Hammered by iPod, Sony will retool, adding native MP3 support to some digital music players by next summer.


Google launches Froogle in time for Christmas shopping LONDON - Google is targeting the UK online shopping market, said to be worth 17bn annually, with the launch of dedicated shopping service, Froogle, in the UK, in time for the Christmas sales period.


Apple posts highest Q4 revenue in almost a decade Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod music player continues to help the company grow revenue at dizzying rates, leading Apple to its highest fourth-quarter revenue in nine years, the company said Wednesday.


FCC chiefs to work through outdated rules LAS VEGAS - Three U.S. Federal Communications Commissioners on Wednesday said laws governing telecommunications need to be revamped, but said the agency will do all it can under the current rules to encourage deployment of new technologies and services.


Goldsmith faces calls to resign over Iraq The attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, faced calls to resign last night as Tony Blair #39;s legal justification for going to war against Iraq began to unravel.


News: Computer crash linked to excessive heat deepens concerns about electronic voting The Associated Press By Rachel Konrad


Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results For its fiscal 2004 fourth quarter, Apple posted a net profit of \$106 million, or \$.26 per diluted share. These results compare to a profit of \$44 million, or \$.12 per share, a year ago. Revenue for the quarter was \$2.35 billion, up 37 from a year ago. Gross margin was 27, up from 26.6 last year. International sales accounted for 37 of revenue. Oct 13


Smaller Can Be Better (Except When It's Not) Stores are stocked with an abundance of featherweight gadgets. But some of these tiny gadgets raise a new question: how small is too small?


What Do Women Game Designers Want? Video game makers are showing new interest in creating games that appeal to women. But women who might design those games are still finding it hard to break into an industry that considers gaming a "boy thing."


Is It Really You? A Scanner Delves Beneath Fingerprints For all their electronic sophistication, fingerprint scanners have a major shortcoming. So some new models are going beyond skin deep.


Satellite TV Spreads Its Signals Across the Landscape In the last 10 years, pizza-sized dishes have sprouted on homes all over the country. But how does satellite TV actually work?


Dell signs \$20M managed services deal with Honeywell Round Rock-based Dell Inc. (Nasdaq: DELL) has landed a three-year \$20 million contract with Morris Township, NJ-based Honeywell International Inc.


Fossil Hunters Find Sleeping Dinosaur in China Scientists have unearthed the remains of a perfectly preserved 130 million-year-old new species of dinosaur which provide a first-ever look at how the prehistoric creatures slept.


Johnson #39;s Quickfire Hat-Trick Leads US Past Panama Eddie Johnson came off the bench to score a hat-trick in 16 minutes as the US thrashed Panama 6-0 in a CONCACAF zone World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Stewart hails Silverstone progress SIR Jackie Stewart remains cautiously optimistic that the British Grand Prix will go ahead next year after it was included yesterday on the Formula 1 draft calendar for 2005.


UPDATE 1-Paradorn powers past struggling Costa Fifth seed Paradorn Srichaphan added to Albert Costa #39;s woes at the Vienna Trophy on Wednesday, winning 6-4 6-4 to reach the second round.


Once again, Warnes bowling the wrong line Who would have believed it? That Shane Warne would act like a dumb blond and forget that he had a role to play in Australias Bangalore victory.


Scotland player ratings Craig Gordon: Could not be faulted for the loss of the goal and made a tremendous save at the beginning of the second half to deny Serghei Dadu.


Apple Profits Surge on IPod, Laptop Sales (AP) AP - Apple Computer Inc.'s fourth quarter earnings soared on strong sales of laptop computers and its popular iPod music players, helping the company notch its highest revenue for the quarter in nine years.


Novellus Posts Profit, Plans Cost Cuts (Reuters) Reuters - Novellus Systems Inc. , a\maker of semiconductor production equipment, on Wednesday\warned of a sharp business decline in the current quarter that\some analysts fear could turn into a long-term slump.


Putin, on eve of visit to China, says Russia will pursue national interest (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MOSCOW (AP) - On the eve of a three-day visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would take its foreign partners' needs into account when building energy pipelines in the Far East but would proceed on the basis of its own national interests.


Customer Surge at Hawaii Wal-Mart Opening (AP) AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. opened a store in Hawaii on Wednesday with hundreds of eager shoppers rushing past a handful of protesters who accuse the giant retailer of desecrating ancient gravesites.


Large parts of Sydney without power overnight in blackout (AFP) AFP - Large parts of Sydney were left without power for a night after a substation overheated in an unseasonal heatwave, the electricity supply firm said.


Voters Offer Views on Bush-Kerry Debate (AP) AP - Voter reaction to Wednesday's debate between President Bush and Sen. John Kerry.


Dispute May Scuttle Space Tourism Bill (AP) AP - Legislation to regulate the infant space tourism industry  #151; invigorated by the successful flights of a privately financed manned rocket  #151; has been stalled by disagreements over how much protection to offer potential space travelers.


Carlyle Group:  It Never Joined Consortium The Carlyle Group Wednesday said it was not part of a consortium that touted the Washington merchant bank's political ties in an attempt to win business collecting and managing billions of dollars owed to Kuwait by Iraq.


Lost to the Flu: Paydays The shortage of flu vaccine this fall poses serious challenges for employers concerned about productivity, and for low-wage workers who don't have paid sick leave and can't afford to miss a day.


Stock Options Expensing Postponed Accounting standards setters yesterday agreed to give companies six more months to comply with a plan that would require them to treat stock options as an expense, cheering both overburdened businesses and lobbyists trying to scuttle the plan.


Report on Fannie Mae Regulator a Secret The inspector general's office at the Department of Housing and Urban Development yesterday declined to release the results of an investigation of the HUD agency that regulates mortgage-funding giant Fannie Mae, saying that such disclosure could "interfere with enforcement proceedings."


Soaring crude oil prices send stocks lower By George Chamberlin , Daily Transcript Financial Correspondent. Concerns about oil production leading into the winter months sent shivers through the stock market Wednesday.