Malaysia's Anwar Loses Bid to Lift Political Ban  PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) - Malaysian rebel politician  Anwar Ibrahim failed on Wednesday in a final court bid to erase  his criminal record, leaving a royal pardon as his only option  for a swift return to politics.


US dollar sinks to new lows EUROPEAN Union finance ministers today pressed for action by the US to prop up the dollar as eurozone nations expressed their deep disquiet at the parlous state of America #39;s national finances.


Vivendi posts big losses THE French media group Vivendi Universal today said that a surging net loss so far this year would give way to better-than-expected adjusted net income for 2004 as a whole.


Databases to the Rescue at Oracle Strength in the software giant #39;s mainstay product powered a healthy quarter. Weakness elsewhere shows why PeopleSoft is a target.


IBM, LG Electronics Put Brakes On Joint Venture IBM Corp. and LG Electronics Inc. will end their eight-year joint venture company, LG IBM PC Co., by the year #39;s end, according to an Associated Press report.


Larsson helps Barca to victory against Celtic Celtic were on the receiving end of Henrik Larsson #39;s brilliance last night as they went down 3-1 to Barcelona in their opening Champion #39;s League match.


Discontent in China boils into public protest When the local government announced it was going to confiscate their homes and businesses to make room for a new development, residents of this village in southeastern China fought back.


NL Wrap: Bonds Denied Home-Run Milestone in Giants Win (Reuters) Reuters - Barry Bonds failed to collect a hit in\his bid to join the 700-homer club, but he did score a run to\help the San Francisco Giants edge the host Milwaukee Brewers\3-2 in National League action on Tuesday.


Tiger Put to the Ryder Cup Challenge (AP) AP - Tiger Woods has been chasing Jack Nicklaus in golf record books since he was a kid. When it comes to the Ryder Cup, though, Tiger doesn't mean Jack.


Viv Uni unfazed by \$2.2 bil loss The mood at Vivendi Universal #39;s headquarters was distinctly upbeat during a Tuesday morning news conference here to announce the company #39;s first-half results -- despite the fact that


Oracle #39;s Earnings Just Top Expectations SAN FRANCISCO Sept. 15, 2004 - Oracle Corp. topped Wall Street #39;s profit forecast, but the business software maker saw sales of its business applications software slide 36 percent with the reversal of that


SABMiller venture buys Lion Nathan #39;s China interest for US\$154m HONG KONG : Brewing giant SABMiller has said that China Resources Breweries Ltd., a joint venture in which it has a 49-percent stake, has bought the Chinese brewing interests of Australian brewer Lion Nathan for 154 million dollars.


Toyota takes Prius hybrid to China Toyota Motor Corp. will start building its Prius hybrid sedans in China next year with FAW Group in a step it hopes will promote the vehicles as the global standard for fuel-efficient cars.


C4 Systems wins contract The US Army named the Scottsdale-based division of General Dynamics Corp. on Tuesday as the lead contractor on a multibillion-dollar battlefield communication program.


Hiring slump continues for many in high-tech Researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago have confirmed what many high-tech workers have long suspected: The job market for technology workers remains bleak, years after the US recession officially ended in late 2001.


Allied Waste cuts forecast Shares in Allied Waste Industries Inc. slid 9 percent in heavy volume Tuesday after the company lowered its profit expectations for the second time this summer.


Amazon to Take Searches on Web to a New Depth Amazon.com, the e-commerce giant, plans to take aim at the Internet search king Google with an advanced technology that the company says will take searches beyond


Sony starts mass producing OLED displays Yesterday we talked about how Toshiba and Canon have formed a joint venture to develop SED display technology. Now comes news that Sony is ready to start volume production of OLED displays.


Bills for Domestic Programs, Disaster Relief Get Support Faced with pressures to deal with a spate of unanticipated natural disasters as well as with the election-year needs of dozens of key constituencies, Congress moved this week


Internet is caught in its own web It is the news that Internet users do not want to hear: the worldwide web is in danger of collapsing around us. Patrick Gelsinger, the chief technology officer for computer chip maker Intel, told a conference


Underdog role gives Europeans motivational edge On paper, it #39;s hardly a sporting proposition. It never is. On paper, the Ryder Cup is habitually a bigger mismatch than Lyle Lovett walking down the aisle with Julia Roberts.


Canada is World Cup champion When Wayne Gretzky began assembling Team Canada #39;s roster last spring for the World Cup of Hockey, he knew that nothing short of victory would appease a nation that had been stunned by the Americans in 1996.


Mussina pitches Yanks by Royals KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mike Mussina pitched three-hit baseball for eight innings and struck out a season-high 11, leading the New York Yankees past the Kansas City Royals, 4-0, Tuesday night.


Astros escape with victory Batting practice barely had started Tuesday evening, but the Astros already had killed one bird. Although it was an accident when Chris Burke #39;s hard grounder killed a pigeon


Twins put up nine-spot in sixth Because their delayed flight home from Detroit didn #39;t land until 4 am CT on Tuesday, the bleary-eyed Twins were admittedly dragging entering their series opener with the White Sox.


Comets remain in playoff race Over the first eight minutes it was hard to determine whether the Comets realized the desperate straits theywere in, trying to keep alive their faint playoff hopes.


Facing UN resistance, US drops call for oil embargo The United States yesterday softened its threat of sanctions against Sudan #39;s oil industry in a new UN draft resolution demanding a halt to the violence in Darfur.


Suicide bomber kills 47 in Baghdad A massive car bomb demolished a streetside market near a police recruiting station in the Iraqi capital yesterday, killing 47 persons and wounding at least 88 -ost of them aspiring officers.


Police probe death threats against Sharon Jerusalem - Israeli police have launched an investigation into anonymous telephone threats to kill Prime Minister Ariel Sharon apparently linked to his plan to withdraw from the occupied Gaza Strip.


Bird flu jumps outside quarantine zone in Malaysia for 1st time A Malaysian state near the border with Thailand faces a quarantine to stop the spread of potentially deadly bird flu, which has spread inexorably since first being discovered in this country a month ago, a news report said


China Party Chief Rules Out Multi-Party Democracy Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao ruled out multi-party democracy on Wednesday on the eve of a key meeting aimed at tightening the party #39;s grip on power.


Delta Pilots Tell Negotiators to Get Pact  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc.'s pilots union on  Tuesday ordered its negotiators to strike a deal with the  carrier to address the possible retirement of a large number of  pilots, which could lead to grounded flights and push Delta  toward bankruptcy.


Dollar Stalls as Focus Shifts to Fed  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar stalled on Wednesday after  weaker-than-expected U.S. economic data failed to provide new  direction for the market and focus shifted to what the Federal  Reserve would say after an expected rate rise next week.


Alitalia and pilots agree on new contracts MILAN Alitalia took a big step Tuesday toward resolving labor disputes that have threatened to push the Italian airline into bankruptcy, agreeing to new contracts with 2,300 pilots.


Oracle beats forecast by penny, stock up SAN FRANCISCOOracle Corp. reported a 16 per cent rise in quarterly net income yesterday as the world #39;s second-largest software company benefited from steady demand for its flagship database software.


Toyota to make Prius hybrid cars in China Japan #39;s largest automaker Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it has reached an agreement with China FAW Group Corp. to jointly produce Toyota #39;s Prius hybrid-engine cars in China by the end of 2005.


Howe to Mets: If I #39;m out, fire me now If the free-falling Mets have already decided to fire Manager Art Howe, he wants to be let go now instead of after the season.  quot;Why put me through this?


Sinn Fein accuses Government of bugging Sinn Fein has accused the British government of planting a bugging device in one of its Belfast offices. It is the second time in as many weeks that the Northern Irish party has produced what it claims is evidence of continued bugging by Downing Street.


Saudi Violence Pushes Oil Prices Higher Oil prices were forced higher today by an outbreak of violence in Saudi Arabia and concerns that Opec may cut output. The cost of a barrel of light, sweet crude oil climbed


Senate Wants Intel Chief With Budget Say (AP) AP - The committee writing the Senate's intelligence reorganization plan is recommending creation of a strong national intelligence director with spending power, while leaving the Pentagon in charge of some military spy agencies.


US to change Iraq funding focus The US administration seeks to refocus its spending in Iraq on better security and other short-term needs.


Retail Sales Down in August Retail sales dropped 0.3 percent in August, led by a decline in automotive purchases, after climbing 0.8 percent in July, the Commerce Department said.


Argentina coach Bielsa resigns Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa resigned out of the blue on Tuesday, less than one month after steering the twice world champions to their first Olympic soccer gold medal.


Special to ESPN.com TORONTO -- Long after the Finns had departed the ice, replaced by a throng of television cameras and the hopelessly odd looking World Cup of Hockey trophy, three Tampa Lightning teammates gathered for a picture along the boards, delirious Canadian fans


Kazmir Shocks Red Sox With 9 Strikeouts As he took the mound to start the fifth inning Tuesday night, 20-year-old Scott Kazmir caught himself getting caught up in the moment.


GAME DAY RECAP Tuesday, September 14 Felipe Lopez gave the Cincinnati Reds the lead in the sixth inning with his bat and made sure they kept it in the ninth with his glove.


Mariners Edge Angels 3-2 (AP) AP - Bobby Madritsch pitched shutout ball into the ninth inning to beat Jarrod Washburn, and the Seattle Mariners hung on to defeat the Anaheim Angels 3-2 Tuesday night.


Zimbabwe Turns Back Clock After Turmoil (AP) AP - Things have gotten so bad in Zimbabwe that people have taken to telling a wry joke: "What did we have before candles?" The answer: "Electricity." Zimbabwe once boasted one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most vibrant economies, but four years of turmoil have erased that progress.


North Korea Looks to Delay Nuclear Talks (AP) AP - North Korea is looking for an extended delay in resuming negotiations over its nuclear weapons program and even told China there was no point in continuing the six-sided talks at all, a senior U.S. official says.


Senate Wants Intel Chief With Budget Say WASHINGTON - The committee writing the Senate's intelligence reorganization plan is recommending creation of a strong national intelligence director with spending power, while leaving the Pentagon in charge of some military spy agencies.    Sen...


Canon, Toshiba team up on flat screen SEDs MIGHTY COMBINES Canon and Toshiba said they will create a joint venture next month to develop, produce and sell surface conduction electron emitter display (SED) panels.


20,000 rally against Hardie MORE than 20,000 workers and victims rallied across Australia today, pledging to force James Hardie Industries to meet its responsibilities to those suffering asbestos related diseases.


Lion Nathan to sell Chinese business Trans-Tasman beer and wine group Lion Nathan is selling its Chinese beer business to the second largest brewer in China for \$US154 million, or \$A219 million.


New Windows Flaw Targets JPEG Images On Tuesday, Microsoft warned its customers that several of its products are vulnerable to a flaw in the way they handle JPEG graphics images.


Novell Comes Out Swinging Against Microsoft with Linux At the BrainShare Conference in Barcelona , Spain , Novell chairman and CEO Jack Messman talked up Linux and renewed his company #39;s attack on rival Microsoft.


SF  #39;bringing bug device to talks #39; Sinn Fein has said its delegation will bring the listening device found in its Belfast headquarters to Leeds Castle in Kent where the political parties will assemble for talks.


Flaws threaten Windows, Linux PCs At least a dozen Microsoft software applications and operating systems affected. Also: The talking worm.


HBOS decides not to bid for Abbey UK bank HBOS has decided not to make a bid for Abbey, the bank has said. Many observers had expected HBOS to make a play for Abbey, which had agreed to a 8.


Court May Decide Fate Of NZ #39;s Vector Float, NGC Bid WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--A High Court ruling later Wednesday may decide the fate of the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust #39;s plan to partially float its fully-owned Vector Ltd.


Trash Your Xerox If there were a contest for world #39;s worst corporate slogan,  quot;Technology/Document Management/Consulting Services quot; would definitely make the top 10.


Mourinho hands Chelsea #39;s Drogba a day off Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was happy to give Didier Drogba the day off after his two-goal salvo against PSG last night. Drogba, 26, is due to collect the Marc-Vivien Foe award for the best African Footballer


SportsNetwork Game Preview (Sports Network) - Johan Santana continues his push for the American League Cy Young Award, as he takes the ball for the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox.


Dodgers Defeat Padres 6-3 (AP) AP - Jose Lima pitched into the seventh inning, Jayson Werth homered for the third game in a row and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 Tuesday night.


Kerry Targets Bush Economic Policy as 'Fiscal Mess' (Reuters) Reuters - Sen. John Kerry said on Wednesday the\United States needs to make the "right choices" on the economy,\and faulted President Bush for blaming others and offering\excuses for the White House's own failed economic policies.


S.Korean Spies Say Building Work Behind North Blast  SEOUL (Reuters) - A huge explosion in North Korea last week  may have been due to a combination of demolition work for a  power plant and atmospheric clouds, South Korea's spy agency  said on Wednesday.


Four executed in China for fraud China's crackdown on white-collar crime sees four people executed for defrauding two of the country's biggest banks.


Delhi and Dhaka in critical talks Senior interior ministry officials are due to meet in Dhaka amidst a souring of ties between India and Bangladesh.


Tokyo Edge: The Latest in Home Theater Do-it-all convergence devices, plus a MiniDisc player, both tiny and high-end cameras, and big LCD TV debut this fall.


HBOS won #39;t bid for Abbey National HBOS has dropped plans to bid for Abbey National, dampening hopes of a challenge to Spanish bank Santander #39;s agreed 8.8 billion pound takeover of Abbey.


Daewoo Heavy Wins \$51 Mil. Order Daewoo Heavy Industries  amp; Machinery said Wednesday that it has won orders in the United States worth \$51 million to supply manufacturing machines during the International Manufacturing Technology Show 2004, which began last Wednesday for an eight-day run


Linux Standard Base Launched The Free Standards Group has released Linux Standard Base 2.0, a new Linux standard that has gained the backing of most major Linux suppliers.


More flaws found in Microsoft Windows The giant has released a patch so that Windows doesn #39;t let in hackers when it handles JPEG graphics formats. The flaw means that attackers can create an image file that will automatically run dodgy code, dump


Still plenty, way too many, good seats available for Bonds On a balmy September summer evening at Miller Park, Barry Bonds, arguably the best player there ever was, had a chance to go where only two men in baseball history had gone before.


Villeneuve to race Renault Jacques Villeneuve will almost certainly race the final three grands prix of the season in a blue and yellow Renault. The out-of-work  #39;97 world champion, dumped by BAR late last year, is at Silverstone on Wednesday to test Jarno Trulli #39;s R24 car.


Sox suffer setback: Tampa rookie Kazmir shuts down Boston With a huge three-game series against the Yankees set to begin Friday in the Bronx, the Red Sox could hardly be blamed for viewing this week #39;s three-game set


Howe Talks Job Security With Mets Owner, GM Manager Art Howe met with Mets owner Fred Wilpon and GM Jim Duquette yesterday, one day after saying that if the team planned to fire him, it should do it now.


US, Europe Differ on How to Rebuke Iran VIENNA, Austria Sept. 15, 2004 - Differences between the United States and Europe over how firmly to deal with Iran and its suspect nuclear program have resulted in the European Union pushing recommendations that ignore American suggestions.


Anwar Ibrahim to seek royal pardon Malaysia #39;s former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim will reportedly seek royal pardon to clear his name of a corruption conviction.


Deadline passes with no word on Australian hostages in Iraq SYDNEY - A deadline set by supposed hostage-takers in Iraq for Australian Prime Minister John Howard to announce a withdrawal of Australian forces from their country passed Wednesday with no announcement by Howard and no word on the hostages.


9 killed in clashes between Pakistani forces, militants At least nine were killed Tuesday in the clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in the South Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, Daily Times reported Wednesday.


Signs Point to Hurricane's Retaining Strength Weather models and satellite measurements of ocean heat all indicated Tuesday that Hurricane Ivan was likely to remain an extremely dangerous storm as it roared ashore.


New Priorities in Environment The Bush administration has accelerated resource development on public lands and has pushed to eliminate regulatory hurdles for military and industrial projects.


Six killed in Kashmir violence, police break up protests (AFP) AFP - Indian troops shot dead four suspected Islamic militants in revolt-racked Indian Kashmir while rebels killed a soldier and a civilian in separate shootings, police said.


China Party Chief Rules Out Democracy  BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao  called for parliament to take a stronger watchdog role on the  eve of a key leadership meeting but ruled out Western-style  democracy for China in a sign any reform would be incremental.


Cannabis may help combat cancer The chemical in cannabis that produces a high may help to combat cancer, research suggests.


Lion sells China breweries TRANS-Tasman beer and wine group Lion Nathan is selling its Chinese beer business to the second largest brewer in China for \$US154 million (\$219 million).


The Homer, by Powell Motors Have you ever seen that Wendy #39;s commercial with the guy who goes around advertising for Wendy #39;s because he loves their food so much, even though he is not actually a Wendy #39;s employee?


Software tackles digital photo proliferation SEATTLE - Now that digital cameras have overtaken film cameras in sales, users are beginning to encounter a familiar problem -- what to do with the bulging image files and folders filling up computer hard drives?


Nokia overcomes SD Card phobia Nokia Adopts SD Card Tech into Storage Portfolio <nobr>TechNewsWorld</nobr>


Apple could pay more to Apple The row has been brewing almost as long as Steve Job #39;s computer outfit existed. In 1978 Apple Records sued Jobs and got an agreement that Apple Computer would never enter the music business.


Singapore outsources to HP THE SINGAPORE Government has decided to reverse the world-wide outsourcing trend and ship some work to HP. Singapore #39;s ministry of manpower has transferred IT staff to Hewlett Packard under an outsourcing contract.


Tennis: Spadea, Fish advance but three other seeds fall DELRAY BEACH, United States : Top seed Vince Spadea rallied to join second-seeded fellow American Mardy Fish in the second round of the ATP International Championship here.


UNDATED: points each. Tina Thompson scored 27 points and Sheryl Swoopes added 15 for Houston, which ended a four-game losing streak and kept its playoff hopes.


Photographers in Princess Di Case Absolved A Paris appeals court on Tuesday upheld the acquittals of three photographers accused of invasion of privacy after they took pictures of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed at the scene of their deadly crash.


Xerox wants to move away from Xeroxing THE BOSS of Xerox says she wants to move the company away from just photocopying and become an information services outfit. Xerox chairman and CEO Anne Mulcahy says she is prepared to buy consultancies in a bid to make her cunning plans come true.


The United States is favored to win the Ryder Cup Once again, it appears the United States is the favorite -- at least on paper -- to win the 35th Ryder Cup matches, which unfold this weekend at Oakland Hills in suburban Detroit.


Israel Offers Cash to Jewish Settlers Israel is offering cash advances of up to 115-thousand dollars to Jewish settlers willing to leave the Gaza Strip and West Bank. It #39;s the first concrete step toward carrying out Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s contentious pullout plan.


Britain slips down education league table The proportion of youngsters who drop out of the British education system is one of the highest in the developed world, according to an international study published yesterday.


Tokyo Edge: The Latest in Home Theater (PC World) PC World - Do-it-all convergence devices, plus a MiniDisc player, both tiny and high-end cameras, and big LCD TV debut this fall.


Rangers Defeat Athletics 12-9 (AP) AP - Alfonso Soriano had three hits and two RBIs as the Rangers responded with their bats to beat the Oakland Athletics 12-9 Tuesday, a night after Texas reliever Frank Francisco threw a plastic chair into the stands and broke a woman's nose.


Marion Barry Victorious in Comeback Bid (AP) AP - Former Washington Mayor Marion Barry, infamous for being caught smoking crack on an FBI videotape, has made it back to city hall  #151; again.


OPEC wrestles over output increase as hurricane, Iraq attacks lift <b>...</b> OPEC members were divided yesterday on whether their output should be increased in a bid to boost global supply that might cause oil prices to drop.


HBOS won #39;t bid for Abbey National HBOS has decided against bidding for Abbey National, dampening hopes of a challenge to Spanish bank Santander #39;s agreed 8.8 billion pound takeover and hitting the target #39;s shares.


Amvescap cuts interim dividend by half Anglo-US fund firm Amvescap has announced a 50 percent cut to its interim dividend but says it plans to return to a progressive dividend policy for 2005 onwards.


Boston-area tech jobs decline Greater Boston ranks third among top information technology labor markets that have lost a significant number of tech jobs, according to a study released yesterday.


Three Rivals To Release Networking Devices That Target Convergence <b>...</b> Networking rivals Cisco, 3Com and Enterasys all will release a series of products this month designed to upgrade the infrastructures of businesses of all sizes.


Before hiatus, Canada wins The hockey season started early this year and, after two entertaining weeks of the World Cup, it ends for who knows how long. Despite the impending announcement of an NHL lockout today


Madritsch, M #39;s deflate Angels; Ichiro up to 232 The reasons for Mariners pitcher Bobby Madritsch #39;s remarkable rebirth from baseball #39;s scrap heap to mound renown become more apparent with each outing.


Giambis ecstatic to be in Yanks starting lineup After Jason Giambi put on his gray No. 25 Yankees road jersey yesterday afternoon, he breathed a sigh of a relief. He was back in the majors.


Villeneuve test could lead to F-1 ride with Renault Jacques Villeneuve will test for Renault today and tomorrow and the former Formula One champion could be back racing as early as next week.


Special to ESPN.com MILWAUKEE -- There are easier things to do than to celebrate Barry Bonds when he isn #39;t actually making history. But at least you don #39;t have to worry about losing your voice or burning up the batteries in your tape recorder.


Herd #39;s Pruett apologizes for  #39;Mandingos #39; remark Marshall University football coach Bob Pruett has apologized for using a term some consider a racial slur, a newspaper reported. In his weekly news conference leading up to Saturday #39;s game, Pruett called the


Turkey Backs Off Plan to Outlaw Adultery Turkey #39;s leaders distanced themselves from a proposal to outlaw adultery after the opposition came out against it and western governments made clear enacting the law would


Blurry Image Might Be First Picture of Exoplanet (Reuters) Reuters - The image of a blurry red ball near\a failed star just might be the first picture ever snapped of a\planet outside our solar system, an astronomer who helped find\the object said on Monday.


Dutch Find Greater Threat to Humans from Bird Flu (Reuters) Reuters - Dutch scientists have determined bird\flu can spread more easily among humans than was previously\thought, researchers said Tuesday.


Russia Rejects U.S. Criticism of Planned Reforms  ASTANA (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday curtly rejected U.S.  criticism of sweeping political changes proposed by President  Vladimir Putin, telling Washington to stay out of its business.


Israel Kills 5 Palestinian Militants in W.Bank Raid  NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Israel killed five  Palestinian militants in a West Bank raid on Wednesday, keeping  up pressure on armed factions as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's  plan for a partial pullout from occupied lands moved forward.


Opec considers fresh output rise A meeting of the oil producers' group in Vienna will consider whether to boost output to rein in price rises, Saudi officials say.


Rays are spoilsports Kevin Millar, at the center of a scrum of New York media types seeking some back-page material for the weekend Red Sox-Yankees series, insisted before last night's first pitch that his team's focus had not strayed ahead to the pinstripers.


Freezing point is near The curtain is set to come down on the 2004-05 National Hockey League season before it ever goes up.


No winners in blame game The National Hockey League stumbles into a new era tonight when the clock strikes 12. Away go the sticks and pucks, and out come the sticks and stones.


Obstacles? Sutton keeps on truckin' Ever since she was a little girl, buzzing around her father's knees while he worked on his race cars at the family garage, Kelly Sutton dreamed about being a racer. Just like her daddy and granddaddy.


Orlovsky does his level best The thought of going to Boston College, whose football camp Dan Orlovsky attended for three years when he was in high school, was dashed when the Eagles did not offer him a scholarship.


Mussina muzzles Royals Mike Mussina pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and struck out a season-high 11, leading the New York Yankees over the Royals, 4-0, last night in Kansas City.


Minor leaguers to be honored The Red Sox will honor their top minor league players in a ceremony before tonight's game against the Devil Rays. Among those cited will be a player in a Sox uniform -- outfielder Adam Hyzdu, named Triple A Pawtucket's Player of the Year after leading the International League with a .413 on-base percentage.


Probe can't rule out Iran atomic bomb plan, UN watchdog says VIENNA -- After two years of investigating Iran's atomic program, the UN nuclear watchdog still cannot rule out that Tehran has a secret atom bomb project as Washington insists, the agency's chief said yesterday.


Not all sweet for Lou Before last night's game against the Red Sox, Tampa Bay's Lou Piniella didn't want to talk about speculation that he will


McKenzie, Packers ready to talk Green Bay Packers cornerback Mike McKenzie's holdout could end soon.  quot;All I know is I'm meeting with Mike tomorrow at 8 o'clock, quot; coach-general manager Mike Sherman said last night.


Thornton has big assist in finishing the Finns When single-elimination play began in the World Cup of Hockey, Joe Thornton was converted by Team Canada coach Pat Quinn from a high-scoring pivotman to a checking center. His assignment was to shut down the other teams' top combinations. With his size, strength, and hockey sense, Thornton parlayed his new role into a crucial one that helped Canada ...


BC gives Skinner 2-year extension After guiding the Boston College men's basketball program to 80 victories and four postseason appearances (including three NCAA berths) in the last four seasons, Al Skinner yesterday was rewarded with a two-year contract extension that runs through 2009-10.


No airing of the pairings It is a team game, this Ryder Cup stuff that will commence Friday at Oakland Hills Country Club. So what are the teams? For the Americans, captain Hal Sutton isn't saying.


Mild Seven Renault F1 Team and Jarno Trulli announce early separation The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team and Jarno Trulli today announced that the Italian driver has been released with immediate effect.


The Chechen's Story: From Unrivaled Guerrilla Leader to the Terror of Russia The man accused of plotting the terror attacks in Russia was once capable of restraint.


LVMH profits rise on retail revival LVMH, the world #39;s biggest luxury goods company, has beaten forecasts with a 14-percent rise in first-half operating profits, helped by a rebound in retailing and strong sales at Louis Vuitton.


Magellan assets fall \$496m in August Fidelity Investments #39; flagship equity fund, Magellan, saw assets slip about \$496 million in August, to \$61.9 billion, primarily a result of investor withdrawals.


Yahoo Buys Musicmatch for \$160 Million In a bid to compete with Apple and Microsoft in the online music services market, online giant Yahoo announced yesterday that it would purchase MusicMatch for \$160 million.


Nokia Widens Storage with SD Cards Timo Poikolainen, vice president of technology marketing at Nokia, said  quot;This is a natural step in our digital convergence strategy to adopt leading technologies to launch new, compelling mobile devices and services.


No airing of the pairings It is a team game, this Ryder Cup stuff that will commence Friday at Oakland Hills Country Club. So what are the teams? For the Americans, captain Hal Sutton isn #39;t saying.


MLB investigating Oakland fracas com. The Rangers issued a statement from owner Tom Hicks on Tuesday apologizing for the event.  quot;On behalf of the Texas Rangers, I want to apologize for the conduct of some members of our club last night in Oakland, quot; said Hicks.


WENGER: WE #39;RE HAUNTED BY EURO FAILURE ARSENE WENGER admitted Arsenal are still haunted by their Champions League failures after they bored their way to a nervous victory at Highbury.


Benson #39;s four-hit shutout ups ante for contract Kris Benson continued to do his best negotiating on the mound last night, throwing a four-hit shutout as the Mets rolled over the Braves, 7-0, at Shea Stadium.


Childbirth deaths a crisis, #39; UN says While reproductive planning and women #39;s equality have improved substantially over the past decade, says a United Nations report, world population will increase from 6.4 billion today to 8.9 billion by 2050, with the 50 poorest countries tripling in


European Shares Tread Water  LONDON (Reuters) - European shares traded sideways on  Wednesday but banks were a bright spot as Britain's HBOS  rallied on relief it would not be wading into a bidding war for  domestic peer Abbey.


US Treasuries Drift Lower, Data in Sight  LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices drifted lower on  Wednesday in generally subdued trade, with some focus on the  day's economic numbers.


Tokyo Stocks End Lower  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average fell 1.21 percent  on Wednesday as investors took a breather after the market's  recent rises and sold shares of gainers including tech issues  such as Canon Inc.


US to purchase flu vaccine from Canada, Germany The US government is planning to purchase 5 million doses of flu vaccine from Canadian and German plants to deal with their shortages, the Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC) reported Monday.


Harvard fund soars 21.1 percent The Harvard University endowment yesterday reported a 21.1 percent gain on its investments for fiscal 2004, marking its best year since 2000. But the nation's largest university fund also issued a sober forecast that returns over the next decade will be dramatically lower than in the past 10 years.


Seeking the third way Boston's new common ground -- or a 21st century battleground for our age-old tribalism? There is no doubt what we want to encourage and what we want to discourage as we build out the Rose Kennedy Greenway and finally put the \$15 billion Big Dig behind us. A half-baked plan to build a Boston knockoff of Rome's Piazza Navona in ...


OK, here's the 411 So long, Eryca. Here comes Darby. New Englanders who call Verizon Communications Inc.'s 411 directory assistance will start to hear a different voice over the next week, as the phone giant upgrades to a system that will handle more calls with automatic speech-recognition software instead using a human operator.


Bidder misses Fan Pier payment The prospective winning bidder for redeveloping Fan Pier yesterday missed a deadline for a down payment and the owners of the South Boston land said they plan to talk to other potential buyers.


Looming changes may spark gate war at Logan The already cutthroat competition for passengers and market share at Logan International Airport is likely to get even more heated over the next several months.


OPEC wrestles over output increase as hurricane, Iraq attacks lift prices OPEC members were divided yesterday on whether their output should be increased in a bid to boost global supply that might cause oil prices to drop.


Three-city hotel workers strike looms The threat of a strike by bellmen, housekeepers, and other Southern California hotel employees loomed larger yesterday, as an overwhelming majority of the workers gave their leaders a green light to call a walkout.


Magellan assets fall \$496m in August Fidelity Investments' flagship equity fund, Magellan, saw assets slip about \$496 million in August, to \$61.9 billion, primarily a result of investor withdrawals. The fund had a year-to-date loss of 1.56 percent through Aug. 31, compared with the 0.43 percent gain of its benchmark, the Standard  amp; Poor's 500 Index. Year-to-date through July 31, the fund lost 1.79 percent. According ...


When dreamers wield hammers By day, Lorenzo Mattii works in the Somerville office of global architect Moshe Safdie. Paul Gross works at the Boston firm CBT/Childs Bertman Tseckares, helping execute British architect Norman Foster's grandiose plan to transform the Museum of Fine Arts.


Two who put their idealism -- and financial skill -- to work Black sweater or no, some architects find they can channel their idealism into real-world projects.


3 to offer plan to expense options Cisco Systems Inc. , Genentech Inc. , and Qualcomm Inc. will present accounting rule makers with a revised method to expense stock options that would cut the cost to companies about 70 percent, a lawyer for the companies said.


iBasis to offer free calls  iBasis Inc. , a Burlington company that has become a major behind-the-scenes wholesale carrier of international phone calls over the Internet for big phone companies like AT amp;T Corp. and Sprint , is launching its first direct consumer service with a splashy promotion: 1 million minutes of free phone calls for the first customers who sign up.


European Shares Tread Water (Reuters) Reuters - European shares traded sideways on\Wednesday but banks were a bright spot as Britain's HBOS\rallied on relief it would not be wading into a bidding war for\domestic peer Abbey.


You Can Bank on Tiger, Says Sutton  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Tiger Woods has not  won a major in two years and lost his world number one ranking  but U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton says reports of his  demise will prove badly exaggerated this week.


Europe told to 'rethink security' A study commissioned by the EU calls for a major rethink of security within its borders and beyond.


Arab allies discuss Lebanon vote Egypt's president makes a hurriedly arranged visit to Syria a day after a divisive debate in the Arab League.


Did Intel mock up dual Pentium 4 demo? ANALYST NATHAN BROOKWOOD has raised several questions about a technology announcement Intel made last week on Pentium 4 dual core processors and wonders just what technology was under the hood.


Angry Halilhodzic hits out at PSG players PARIS, Sep 15 (SW) - Paris Saint-Germain manager Vahid Halilhodzic angrily hit out at his players, following his sides severe 0-3 defeat against Chelsea on Tuesday night in the opening game of their Champions League campaign.


Rookie Kazmir outduels Pedro Scott Kazmir had a cool confidence in a tough environment for baseball #39;s youngest pitcher and a sense of wonder that he had succeeded in it.


No Evidence Of Secret Iranian Nuclear Plan: IAEA Chief Vienna, Sept. 15 (NNN): Head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed El-Baradei on Tuesday said he has seen no firm evidence that Iran was secretly developing nuclear weapons.


S.Korean Spies Say Building Work Behind North Blast A huge explosion in North Korea last week may have been due to a combination of demolition work for a power plant and atmospheric clouds, South Korea #39;s spy agency said on Wednesday.


China Party Chief Rules Out Democracy Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao called for parliament to take a stronger watchdog role on the eve of a key leadership meeting but ruled out Western-style democracy


Prince Charles wants army protection at royal residences (AFP) AFP - Prince Charles wants military protection for Britain's royal residences, The Times reported, two days after an activist dressed as Batman scaled the walls of Buckingham Palace.


BBO Baseball Today (AP) AP - Texas at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EDT). Mark Mulder (17-4) and the A's face the Rangers.


Report: Alcan May Sell Unit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alcan Inc. AL.TO AL.N, the  Canadian aluminum maker, is considering a sale of its rolled  products business in a transaction that might fetch \$4 billion  to \$5 billion, after in May announcing a plan to spin the  business off, the New York Post said on Wednesday.


Spain arrests militant suspects Spanish police detain several suspected Islamic militants in a series of pre-dawn raids in Barcelona.


US in tech job massacre THE US IT sector lost more than 403,000 jobs between April 2001 and 2004 and the future of the job market is looking bleak. According to a report prepared by the University of Illinois-Chicago, half of the


Finland can #39;t stop hockey power from claiming title of world #39;s <b>...</b> There were about 40 seconds left. The Finns had pulled their goaltender. Coach Pat Quinn had to put out someone to protect Canada #39;s one-goal lead in the final of the World Cup of Hockey on Tuesday night.


Rookie stops Sox With Pedro Martinez going for the Boston Red Sox against rookie Scott Kazmir, last night #39;s game at Fenway Park looked like a major mismatch.


Malaysia may widen bird flu quarantine KUALA LUMPUR - Three children exposed to the carcasses of culled chickens were hospitalised with flu-like symptoms on Wednesday as Malaysia mulled whether to widen a quarantine to cover an entire state near the Thai border to contain a spreading bird flu


Clothier to revise advertising practices under Spitzer settlement A national clothing chain will reform its advertising practices as part of a legal settlement reached yesterday with New York state.


Bonds propels Giants with arm, not bat Barry Bonds swung at nine pitches and none of them left the ballpark. He made one spectacular throw and it saved the game.  quot;Tonight, he did it with his arm, quot; winning pitcher


Royal security measures under the spotlight London - Britain promised an urgent security review at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday after a campaigner dressed as Batman evaded armed police and staged a five-hour protest at Queen Elizabeth #39;s London residence.


Russia rejects US criticism of strengthened Kremlin power (AFP) AFP - Russia rejected US criticism of moves to strengthen Kremlin power, saying they were reforms of a domestic nature that were perfectly constitutional.


Egypt's Mubarak Visits Syria's Assad (AP) AP - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made a quickly arranged visit to Syria on Wednesday, holding talks with Syria's President Bashar Assad a day after a divisive debate in the Arab League over Syrian troops in Lebanon.


Far-right firebrand Hanson to attempt political comeback (AFP) AFP - Pauline Hanson, the former leader of Australia's xenophobic One Nation party, has announced that she was coming back from political retirement to run for a seat in the Senate next month.


Dollar Inches Up  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged up against the euro on  Tuesday, expanding the previous day's gains as traders took  stern words from European officials against the U.S. currency's  weakness as a signal to take profits.


Dollar Focus on Fed  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar stalled against the euro on  Wednesday with markets mesmerized by the prospect of a U.S.  rate rise next week, but the yen rose slightly on increased  talk of revaluation of the Chinese yuan.


Transactions BASEBALL Cleveland (AL): Purchased the contract of RHP Kyle Denney from Buffalo (IL). Montreal (NL): Activated RHPs Tomo Ohka and Jon Rauch; transferred 1B Nick Johnson to 60-day DL. New York (NL): Called up C Joe Hietpas from Binghamton (EL).


Tree project to target under-16s Woodland conservationists launch a campaign to get children across the UK to plant 12 million trees.


SABMiller acquires Lion Nathan Chinese business SABMiller is upping its interests in China with a \$154 million deal to acquire three breweries from Australian rival Lion Nathan. Through its joint venture China Resources Breweries, the global beer company


HBOS Relief Spurs European Share Gains Banks and insurers pushed European shares higher on Wednesday, with Britain #39;s HBOS spearheading the gains on relief it would not be wading into a bidding war for domestic banking peer Abbey.


LVMH First-Half Net Profit Jumps 49 Pct. LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton said Wednesday that first-half net profit soared 49 percent, as its watches and jewelry and selective retailing businesses returned to the black.


US loses 400,000 IT jobs America saw 403, 300 hi-tech jobs disappear between April 2001 and April 2004. More than half the jobs lost were lost after the recession was pronounced officially over, by the National Bureau of Economic Research, in November 2001.


Toyota to Make Hybrid Cars in China Japan #39;s top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. will begin making its ecological hybrid model in China by the end of 2005, the first overseas assembly for the company #39;s Prius vehicle.


Callaway expecting subpar numbers Callaway Golf Co., which has struggled in recent months amid lackluster demand for its equipment, warned yesterday that its results for the third quarter and the year could be far below previous forecasts.


Technical Hitch Delays Russia Space Station Launch The launch of a Russian rocket scheduled to blast off to the International Space Station next month has been postponed because of problems with the docking system, Russia #39;s space agency said on Wednesday.


pSeries Dedicated Linux Servers Last Month saw IBM launch a range of very high performance, very cost effective Unix servers with the release of its latest pSeries machines.


EUROPEAN NOTEBOOK: Clarke pleased that less is more Five years ago, when Northern Ireland #39;s Darren Clarke last played in a Ryder Cup on American soil, he looked a bit different. His critique of his appearance is a bit harsher.


Mourinho joy at perfection Jose Mourinho said Chelsea played the  quot;perfect game quot; after they romped to an impressive 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.


Gunners grind out victory Arsenal forgot their usual fluent style but still managed to beat PSV Eindhoven 1-0 in their Champions League opener. The Gunners scraped past the defensively minded Dutch side at Highbury thanks only to a first-half own goal from Alex.


Upon reflection, Sox overmatched The White Sox #39; 10-2 loss to the Twins at the Metrodome Tuesday night offered a nearly perfect mirror to an increasingly ugly season.


59 Iraqi police officials, applicants are killed Bomb and gun attacks targeting Iraqi police killed at least 59 people Tuesday, marking the deadliest day in Baghdad in six months and continuing an increase of violence across the northern part of the country.


Poll predicts landslide defeat for Megawati Indonesia #39;s President Megawati looks set for a crushing defeat at next Monday #39;s presidential election run-off, according to an opinion poll published in Jakarta today.


Spanish Police Arrest 10 in Anti-Terrorism Sweep Spanish police arrested 10 people in an operation against  quot;Islamic terrorism quot; on Wednesday, a court source said. Most of those detained in the northeastern city of Barcelona were of Pakistani


Iraqi insurgents continue Iraqi firemen walk in front of heavy black smoke billowing from a sabotaged key pipeline pumping oil exports from northern Iraq to Turkey and a local supply line west of the main northern oil capital of Kirkuk.


Israeli Troops Kill Girl, Five Militants in West Bank  NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed an  11-year-old girl and five militants in a West Bank raid on  Wednesday, keeping up pressure in Palestinian areas as Prime  Minister Ariel Sharon's plan for a Gaza pullout moved forward.


Hong Kong Authorities Say Sorry for Blunders, Poll Fair  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong authorities defended  themselves on Wednesday against complaints of poor organization  of Sunday's legislative election, and insisted the poll was  open and honest.


Iraqi Scientists to Wage War on Pollution (Reuters) Reuters - Iraqi scientists will assess pollution\ranging from oil spills to scrap metal from destroyed military\vehicles in an effort to tackle environmental damage in the\war-ravaged country, the United Nations said on Tuesday.


Renault plans 2005 hiring spree French car maker Renault says it plans to recruit 10,000 new employees next year in order to boost its international expansion.


Fall in UK's unemployment total Jobless numbers drop by 16,000 between May and July,  according to official figures.


Hu rejects China political reform President Hu Jintao says China would be led into a "blind alley" by  copying Western political systems.


Internet task force rejects Microsoft e-mail ID plan SEATTLE: Microsoft Corp was dealt a setback on Tuesday after the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) decided not to adopt its e-mail sender ID standard that would make it easier for Internet service providers to block unwanted junk e-mail.


Think  #39;virtual #39; when migrating SERI KEMBANGAN: Most company networks run a mix of old and new systems, and so-called virtual machine software can help when migrating from one to the other.


Turkish press jubilant over axed adultery project Turkish newspapers were for the most part jubilant Wednesday after a government-opposition deal resulted in the axing Tuesday of a motion to make adultery a jailable offense in the country #39;s new penal code.


Ex-General Keeps Big Poll Lead in Indonesia Campaign A former army general looks set to snatch Indonesia #39;s presidency by a landslide in next week #39;s election run-off, two surveys showed on Wednesday, but incumbent


Arab allies discuss Lebanon vote Egypt #39;s President Hosni Mubarak is on an unscheduled trip to Syria after a divisive Arab League debate over Syria #39;s military presence in Lebanon.


US Treasuries Drift Lower, Data in Sight (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices drifted lower on\Wednesday in generally subdued trade, with some focus on the\day's economic numbers.


Spanish Police Make 10 Terror Arrests (AP) AP - Police staging pre-dawn raids in Barcelona Wednesday arrested 10 people who may have supported Islamic militants in North Africa or the Middle East, officials said.


Foreign investment into China up 18.8 percent in first eight months (AFP) AFP - China remained an attractive destination for foreign investors who poured in 43.6 billion dollars during the first eight months of the year, 18.8 percent more than the same period last year, the government said.


Oil Rises as Hurricane Nears U.S. Gulf  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held firm on Wednesday as  Hurricane Ivan closed off crude output and shut refineries in  the Gulf of Mexico, while OPEC's Gulf producers tried to  reassure traders by recommending an output hike.


iTunes under fire over UK pricing Apple's iTunes music download service is accused by the Consumers' Association of overcharging UK users.


Lenovo Confirms Acquisition Talks  HONG KONG/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - China's largest  personal computer maker, Lenovo Group Ltd., said on Tuesday it  was in acquisition talks with a major technology company, which  a source familiar with the situation said was IBM.


Better Health Through Play Health care experts are convinced that games can help people get and stay well, but they don't agree on what's the best approach. By Noah Shachtman.


Freedom Tower Will Be Green Giant The new tower planned for the World Trade Center site has a lot more going for it than its 1,776-foot height -- it will include an array of environmentally friendly power sources. By John Gartner.


Satellites Track Turtle Trouble A group of satellites captures evidence of what scientists believe is the killing of a rare sea turtle. But little can be done about it, they say. By Amit Asaravala.


Don't Mess With Librarians The timid media won't do it, so 'radical' librarians are standing up against the government to protect free speech and fight censorship. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg.


George Lucas Does Dystopia, Too The Star Wars director's first film, THX 1138, is no masterpiece. But it shows glimpses of the storytelling skill and imagination that became evident in his later movies. Jason Silverman reviews the re-released film.


Bush Requests NASA Storm Aid The president asks Congress for \$126 million to help NASA recover from hurricane damage. The money could help the agency get its space shuttle overhaul back on track. By Amit Asaravala.


No 10 told of Putin #39;s authoritarian trend The government faces a warning today from Robin Cook and a liberal-oriented foundation that it must work harder to reverse the increasingly authoritarian tendencies of Vladimir Putin.


Gazprom shares opened 9 percent higher Wed, heavy buying continues MOSCOW, September 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Gazproms shares opened nine percent higher on Wednesday to reach 74 rubles apiece, as heavy buying continued on news of the forthcoming takeover of the oil company Rosneft and the early liberalization of the gas giant


No threat to Airbus jobs A PACT spelling out how much state aid can be given to rival aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing may be renegotiated but the issue seems unlikely to pose any immediate threat to the jobs of aerospace workers from Merseyside.


Australia #39;s Hardie faces US asbestos protests Australian building products firm James Hardie Industries Ltd., tainted by a row over asbestos, sought to repair its reputation on Wednesday


Now what? Answers on Windows XP #39;s SP2 update Wondering if you should install Microsoft #39;s Windows XP patch now? Worried about what might go wrong? We have answers to these questions and others, written from information supplied by Microsoft and other sources.


Presse Economique / High-Tech CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 2004--IBM a annonc ce jour le lancement d #39;une large suite de services visant  acclrer les avantages des systmes d #39;identification par radiofrquence pour les entreprises industrielles et du mid-market.


Sun, Microsoft To Reveal New Interoperability Plans Next Month Sun Microsystems and Microsoft have rescheduled the phase-one rollout of their interoperability pact to October as the companies weigh additional areas of cooperation.


FOOTBALL: WENGER OWNS UP TO MILAN TRAUMA ARSENE WENGER insisted Arsenal were over last season #39;s nightmare Champions League start after edging out PSV at Highbury. An own goal by Brazilian defender Alex in the 41st minute was enough to give the Frenchman three points.


Bianchi tipped to coach Argentina BUENOS AIRES - Carlos Bianchi is favourite to be named new Argentina coach after Marcelo Bielsa #39;s surprise resignation.  quot;I #39;ve not spoken to him yet but he #39;s our priority, quot; said Argentina Football Association president Julio Gondrona.


PREVIEW-Pakistan hope rain holds off, Windies enter fray Pakistan will hope they finally start their Champions Trophy campaign on Wednesday after their match with Kenya was put back from Tuesday because of rain while West Indies make their scheduled bow in the tournament.


Ballpark scuffle says more about fans than players  #39;You suck! You #39;re a piece of  amp;\$#*! You can #39;t play worth *\$#! you loser, so SIT DOWN!!! quot; That #39;s what a guy was yelling at a visiting player during a White Sox-Angels game earlier this summer.


UPDATE 1-Pakistan win toss and field against Kenya Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss and chose to field in the rescheduled Champions Trophy Pool C match against Kenya at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday after rain prevented play on Tuesday.


US softens threat sanctions on a new draft resolution on Sudan United Nations, Sept 15 (PTI) The United States presented a new draft resolution softening the threat of sanctions on Sudan in an effort to win support of key members in the Security Council but diplomats said it would have to be watered down much more to


Colo.'s Tab in Kobe Case Nearly  #36;400,000 (AP) AP - Prosecutors in the Kobe Bryant case spent nearly  #36;400,000 trying to get the NBA star convicted of raping a woman at a Vail-area resort last summer, documents show.


Oil Prices Seen Weighing on Wall Street  PARIS (Reuters) - Oil prices up toward \$45 a barrel are  likely to mar sentiment on Wall Street on Wednesday, but solid  earnings from software giant Oracle ORCL.O looks set to  support the technology sector.


PacifiCare to Buy American Medical  NEW YORK (Reuters) - PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. , one  of the biggest Medicare plan providers, said on Wednesday it  has agreed to buy health-care benefits provider American  Medical Security Group Inc. for \$502 million to expand its  product offerings to individuals and small businesses.


Decapitated bodies found in Iraq Three beheaded bodies are found on a road north of Baghdad, US and Iraqi sources say.


With 48 hours to go, Paisley allows deal could be near Ian Paisley last night emerged from Downing Street to warn the IRA that he will not compromise on the need for public proof of its disarmament, while confirming his willingness to govern Northern Ireland in partnership with his historic enemies once they


Abbey National Takeover Saga Abbey National today looked set for Spanish ownership after banking group HBOS declared it was no longer considering a rival bid. Here are the key dates in the long-running saga over the troubled banks future.


Unemployment down by 16,000 The number of people claiming unemployment benefit last month fell by 6,100 to 830,200, the Office for National Statistics said. Average earnings, including bonuses, increased by 3.8 in the year to July, down


GNOME: We have feature parity with Windows An upgraded GNOME desktop environment for Linux and Unix is due for release this Wednesday, with its authors pitching enhanced features for end-users and a commitment to make hardware  quot;just work quot;.


Turk Ruling Party Confirms Adultery Plan Shelved Turkey #39;s ruling party confirmed on Wednesday it had shelved plans to outlaw adultery that had infuriated women #39;s rights groups and upset the European Union Ankara aspires to join.


Fed up with pension defaults Citing failure of two big airlines to make payments to their pension plans, top government officials Tuesday called on Congress to make it harder for corporations to dump their obligations on taxpayers.


Tribune Earnings to Trail Estimates  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Newspaper and television station owner  Tribune Co. TRB.N on Wednesday said third-quarter earnings  would lag Wall Street estimates because of lower-than-expected  publishing and broadcasting revenue.


Democrat Kerry Slams Bush's 'Excuse Presidency' (Reuters) Reuters - Democratic candidate John Kerry\unleashed a harsh indictment of President Bush's economic\stewardship on Wednesday and urged his Republican rival to take\responsibility instead of playing the victim.


Fit-Again Ferrero Wins at China Open  BEIJING (Reuters) - Juan Carlos Ferrero showed glimpses of  his old form in thrashing American Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-1 to  reach the second round of the China Open on Wednesday.


French Police Detain Five in 9/11 Probe  PARIS (Reuters) - Police have detained five suspected  Islamic militants as part of a French inquiry into the Sept. 11  attacks, French judicial sources said on Wednesday.


Malaysia's Anwar Loses Bid to Lift Political Ban  PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (Reuters) - Malaysian dissident  politician Anwar Ibrahim failed on Wednesday in a final court  bid to erase his criminal record and free himself of a ban on  holding political office, but he vowed not to be silenced.


Drenched Dhaka counts flood cost Government offices in the Bangladeshi capital reopen as it slowly returns to normal following widespread floods.


At Least 2 Killed in Car Bombing in Iraq Today's blast south of Baghdad was the latest in a series of attacks in Iraq that have killed some 150 people in the last four days.


Car Bomb Explodes South of Baghdad; 2 Dead BAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb exploded in a town south of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 10, the latest in a spate of attacks that have killed some 150 people in the last four days.    Meanwhile Wednesday, militants released a Turkish man taken hostage in Iraq, according to a videotape obtained by Associated Press Television News...


Oracle Q1 net up 16 Net income in the fiscal first-quarter rose to \$509 million, from \$440 million a year earlier, while revenue rose seven percent to \$2.


UPDATE:Murdoch Has 7 Weeks To Secure News Corp #39;s US Move By Lilly Vitorovich Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Rupert Murdoch has seven weeks to convince News Corp. (NWS) shareholders a move to the US will make the media conglomerate more attractive to


Adobe debuts Photoshop Elements 3.0 Adobe today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0, a major upgrade to its entry-level image editing product. The updated product includes a series of powerful image editing tools taken from


AU Optronics may shelve next gen LCD fab MAJOR LCD panel maker AU Optronics may can plans to build a seventh generation TFT-LCD fab, the Taipei Times said. That follows a slump in sales in July, after prices for large size LCD panels started to topple.


Windows Mobile barrage from T-Mobile Mobile network operator T-Mobile sheds light on three new Windows Mobile powered devices, including the SDA and SDA Music smartphones and the MDA Compact communicator.


Pakistan look to strike early Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has won the toss and chosen to field in the delayed ICC Champions Trophy contest with Kenya at Edgbaston.


MLB: Seattle 3, Anaheim 2 Seattle #39;s Randy Winn hit a two-run home run as the Mariners edged the Anaheim Angels 3-2 Tuesday. Winn slammed his homer pinch-hitting in the seventh to give the Mariners a 3-0 lead.


Oracle beats experts Fresh off a surprising legal victory in its bid to acquire PeopleSoft, Oracle reported a 16 percent jump in profit Tuesday, beating Wall Street #39;s estimate by a penny.


Information tech slow to reboot At a job fair in downtown San Diego yesterday, dozens of information technology workers wandered the Civic Theater community concourse looking for leads on jobs.


Univ. of Phoenix pushes ahead The University of Phoenix disputes the government #39;s portrait that it sells education with the zeal of a hard-charging telemarketer, but recent memos to recruiters reveal tactics similar to those recently cited by federal regulators.


Mondavi to sell off luxury wine brands In the latest act of Napa Valley #39;s continuing King Lear saga, Robert Mondavi Corp. said Tuesday it plans to sell off its luxury wine brands, including the original Robert Mondavi Winery that made the company famous.


US retail sales dip as auto sector slows WASHINGTONAmerican shoppers turned tight-fisted in August, dropping sales at retailers by 0.3 per cent and providing fresh evidence of an erratic pace of consumer spending in recent months.


Guild members boycott gala, picket outside Sun-Times building The Chicago Sun-Times #39; management and unionized reporters planned to return to the bargaining table Wednesday morning on the heels of a vote authorizing a strike and picketing by employees outside a gala thrown by the company.


Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 Adobe has today announced Photoshop Elements 3.0. New features include the Healing Brush, previously only available in the full version of Photoshop, and new Spot Healing Brush as well as the ability to support RAW files.


Xerox adds HSBC and Boeing to its portfolio Xerox has won several new document services deals and updated its content management and workflow software. HSBC has selected Xerox to provide document services in its Brazil and UK offices that will include


Mourinho waxes lyrical over Chelsea victory Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho could hardly find enough superlatives to describe his side #39;s 3-0 win at Paris St Germain in their Champions League opener.


Bangladesh wins toss, choose to field Southampton (England), Sept. 15 (AP): Bangladesh won the toss and sent the West Indies in to bat in their Champions Trophy cricket match at The Rose Bowl today.


Throw lands pitcher in jail Incidents between baseball players and fans have long been part of the game. But they seem to be getting uglier with each year, and an imbroglio Monday night in Oakland, Calif.


No Offense: Sox Fall To Rays The Sox, who entered play Tuesday with 28 wins in their last 35 games, continued their gradual descent back to Earth by falling to the Devil Rays, 5-2, in front of another sellout crowd of 35,118 at Fenway Park.


Staying course on  #39;rocky #39; road Donahue gets 4-year extension from <b>...</b> The 49ers announced a four-year extension for general manager Terry Donahue in a news conference Tuesday with Donahue and owner John York.


Darfur Peace Talks Collapse Peace talks between the Sudanese government and rebels from the troubled Darfur region have collapsed after three weeks, one of the two main rebel factions said today.


Malaysian Court Rejects Anwar Appeal of Corruption Conviction Malaysia #39;s highest court has turned down former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim #39;s appeal of his corruption conviction.


Three beheaded bodies discovered on a road north of Baghdad Three beheaded bodies were found Wednesday on a road north of Baghdad, authorities said. There were no documents on the bodies discovered on the road near Dijiel, about 25 miles north of Baghdad, said Col.


Three Beheaded Bodies Found North of Baghdad  BAIJI, Iraq (Reuters) - The decapitated bodies of three  men, their heads strapped to their backs and the corpses put in  nylon bags, were found dumped by a roadside north of Baghdad  Wednesday, Iraqi police and U.S. officials said.


Iraq elections 'still on track' The British Army's head tells the BBC the attacks which killed dozens in Iraq will not derail January's elections.


Coca-Cola Sees Earnings Below Estimates  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. KO.N on Wednesday said  earnings for the remainder of 2004 would lag current  expectations because of weakness in key markets.


Stocks Set to Open Little Changed  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked to open little  changed on Wednesday as concerns about Hurricane Ivan weighed  on sentiment, although solid earnings from Oracle Corp.  ORCL.O could help the mood among technology stocks.


Tribune Profit Seen Below Wall St. Views  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Publisher and broadcaster Tribune Co.  TRB.N on Wednesday said third-quarter earnings would lag Wall  Street estimates because of lower-than-expected publishing and  broadcasting revenue.


LVMH First-Half Profit Advances 49 on Airport Stores (Update1) LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, the world #39;s largest luxury-goods maker, said first-half profit rose 49 percent as travelers returned to its Asian airport stores and US shoppers bought more champagne and cognac.


AOL: Back to the Future? There #39;s a song by a band I definitely don #39;t listen to,  quot;Don #39;t stop thinking about tomorrow, quot; but the lyrics rather tellingly continue,  quot;Yesterday #39;s gone, yesterday #39;s


T-Mobile introduces new Windows Mobile Smartphone in Germany The SDA Music (pictured) phone is the first Windows Mobile Smartphone to be release by the operator and gives not only allows access to Microsoft applications like Outlook, but also can be used to relax after work thanks to the integrated audio player.


Cup doesn #39;t runneth over for the US BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The dateline fools you as much as the event may fool you. These are the suburbs of Detroit, where the grit turns into greenery, where the big shots who manage the car factories


Blackburn make move for Wales manager Hughes Blackburn Rovers have approached the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for permission to speak to Wales manager Mark Hughes, Welsh soccer #39;s ruling body said on Wednesday.


A man of morals He may be known as  quot;El Loco quot;, but there is none of the traditional flamboyant Latin madness about Marcelo Bielsa. Instead, the man whose controversial reign as Argentina coach came to an end


A walk-through for Bonds Needing 1 more homer to join only Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in baseball #39;s version of the 700 Club, Bonds went 0-for-2 with 2 walks in the Giants #39; 3-2 victory over the Brewers on Tuesday night at Miller Park.


Swiss withdraws bid to host 2014 Winter Olympics ZURICH (Switzerland): Zurich officials Tuesday abandoned plans to lead a joint Swiss bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics because the city would be unable to afford its portion.


FA Cup semi-finals to be played in Cardiff This season #39;s FA Cup semi-finals will be held at Cardiff #39;s Millennium Stadium, the Football Association said on Wednesday.


Poll indicates crushing defeat for Megawati in Indonesian election An opinion poll published in Jakarta shows Indonesia #39;s President Megawati Sukarnoputri is set for a crushing defeat in next Monday #39;s presidential election run-off.


Harrington Plays Second Fiddle to Quarterback Cousin  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - As Europe's  top-ranked golfer, Padraig Harrington might well have expected  the sight of autograph seekers as he went through his first  Ryder Cup practice round on Tuesday.


Federer Seals Year-End No. 1 Spot Three Months Early  LONDON (Reuters) - It is mid-September and Roger Federer  has already guaranteed he will end the year as world number  one.


Internet accounts offer free Web space to host your site Downside is having to learn to use html code. Internet Explorer #39;s AutoComplete function remembers passwords, but experts say it creates a security risk.


HONG KONG: HK press says people still want full democracy The record turnout in Hong Kong #39;s legislative council elections shows that the territory wants full democracy, newspapers said on Tuesday.


Tomlinson Says Chargers Want Brees Back (AP) AP - The day after the San Diego Chargers assured themselves of their first winning season since 1995, LaDainian Tomlinson made a pitch for the front office to bring back quarterback Drew Brees next year.


World's largest ID theft felon faces 14 years' jail Help desk technician pleads guilty to \$50m scam


Amstrad launches home videophone A videophone that lets home users see who they are talking to has been launched by Amstrad.


Opteron gets power management In an effort to help enterprise users get a handle on power and heat issues associated with new server designs that pack more processing punch in smaller spaces, Advanced Micro Devices on Monday announced that systems built with its 32/64-bit Opteron


The Cyberspace Moviemaker LOS ANGELES -- He is like that guy who worked in your office once, the shy tech-geek, the temp down in  IT, who typed Ctrl-Alt-Delete on the keypad when your hard drive seized up. Until very recently, that guy was Kerry Conran.


Illinois hires ex-Gators coach Zook Former Florida coach Ron Zook will take over at Illinois, sources told The Associated Press Monday. Zook #39;s hiring as head coach will be announced at a news conference Tuesday, said two


UK needs 'more nuclear stations' Climate change demands Britain consider building new nuclear power plants, says Lord May, the Royal Society president.


PacifiCare to Buy American Medical (Reuters) Reuters - PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. , one\of the biggest Medicare plan providers, said on Wednesday it\has agreed to buy health-care benefits provider American\Medical Security Group Inc. for  #36;502 million to expand its\product offerings to individuals and small businesses.


Tribune Profit Seen Below Wall St. Views (Reuters) Reuters - Publisher and broadcaster Tribune Co.\ on Wednesday said third-quarter earnings would lag Wall\Street estimates because of lower-than-expected publishing and\broadcasting revenue.


Yahoo boosts music portal (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Yahoo, seeking to add e-commerce to its Internet music portal, will pay  #36;160 million in cash to acquire Musicmatch, a critically acclaimed but little known music jukebox and download service.


OPEC ministers to mull output quota hike by up to one million barrels (AFP) AFP - OPEC will mull raising its oil output quota by up to one million barrels per day at a meeting in a largely symbolic gesture as members are already pumping far above the 26 million ceiling.


Sportsview: Plenty of Seats to See Bonds (AP) AP - There were still plenty, way too many, good seats available.


Software can make your day (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Now you can project different images of yourself on the mobile phone, depending on who's calling.


Oracle surpasses earnings expectations (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Oracle (ORCL) on Tuesday posted a 16 jump in quarterly earnings, surpassing analyst estimates, despite listless sales in an area it hopes to buttress by buying rival PeopleSoft (PSFT).


Mortgage Applications Fell Last Week  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. home loans  fell last week as 30-year mortgage rates declined to their  lowest level since late March, an industry group said on  Wednesday.


Alitalia soars after pilot pact Shares of Italian airline up on optimism that pilot agreement is first step to regaining health. ROME (Reuters) - With a boost from a vital deal with pilots, Alitalia and unions for cabin crew and ground staff


Many Delta Pilots Plan to Retire Next Month he pilots #39; union at Delta Air Lines said last night that an  quot;unusually high quot; number of pilots planned to retire early in October because of concerns about the airline #39;s deteriorating financial situation.


US retail sales fell 0.3 percent in August Retail sales slid in August as people steered away from buying cars and shoppers kept a close eye on their spending after splurging in July.


Microsoft releases critical security patch Microsoft has found two new security flaws in its software, including a critical hole that could spread viruses using Jpeg graphics.


Controlling  #39;The Sims #39; Instead of genre staples such as lobbing grenades or casting spells, the game asked players to get excited about tasks such as personal hygiene and interior design.


SDBot.UJ Wiggling to Get Passwords SDBot.UJ, the latest variant of the SDbot worm that monitors network traffic after it infects a computer has been discovered by security experts.


Cisco announces integrated services routers aimed at SMBs and SMEs Cisco Systems has announced new integrated services routers capable of delivering wire-speed data, voice, video and other advanced services to the small- and medium-sized business and enterprise branch office market segments.


Rangers 12, Athletics 9 OAKLAND, Calif. Alfonso Soriano had three hits and two RB-Is as the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics, 12-to-9. The win comes a night after Texas reliever Frank Francisco threw a plastic chair into the stands in Oakland and broke a woman #39;s nose.


SportsNetwork Game Preview (Sports Network) - Barry Bonds can join the exclusive 700 club tonight, as the San Francisco Giants begin a three-game series versus the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.


Cardiff to host FA Cup semi-finals Cardiffs Millennium Stadium will host this seasons FA Cup semi-finals as well as the final. It will be the first time the venue has hosted the semi-finals, with Old Trafford and Villa Park having been favoured in recent years.


Ichiro, Winn sting Halos Should the Angels fail to make the playoffs by the slimmest of margins, they will look back and remember a handful of games and a group of antagonists, both likely and unlikely, that led to their demise.


Bold insurgents targeting Iraqi police kill 59 Nearly 150 people have been slain in 3 days as militants try to derail plan for security force.  Oil exports: Saboteurs wrecked a recently repaired pipeline junction in Kirkuk, Iraq, on Tuesday and the fire set off a cascade of power blackouts.


Three Beheaded Bodies Found North of Baghdad The decapitated bodies of three men, their heads strapped to their backs and the corpses put in nylon bags, were found dumped by a roadside north of Baghdad Wednesday, Iraqi police and US officials said.


Super-Secure Network Warns of Data Danger It's a hacker's nightmare but a dream for bankers and spies: A computer network so secure that even the simplest attempts to eavesdrop will interrupt the flow of data and alert administrators to the snooping.


Lockheed, General Dynamics Win U.S. Army Contract
\

 By Andrea Shalal-Esa

 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army on Tuesday awarded\General Dynamics Corp. <GD.N> the lead role in developing a new\warfighter communications system, with Lockheed Martin Corp.\<LMT.N.> to get an equal share of the work, which GD said was\worth \$7 billion through 2018.


Controlling 'The Sims' Mental breakdowns and warped childhoods add to the fun in "The Sims 2," creator Will Wright explains.


Nokia to license SD memory cards Nokia has signed a licensing deal to allow it to use SD memory cards in future devices, and has applied for membership of the SD Card Association.


Internet group rejects Microsoft #39;s anti-spam solution The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has provisionally rejected Sender ID, a proposed anti-spam specification from Microsoft, because of a possible intellectual property rights conflict.


Insurgents continue bombing; 59 dead BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A car bomb and a mass shooting killed 59 people in Iraq on Tuesday, many of them policemen and unemployed young men seeking to join the country #39;s beleaguered security forces.


1st Profit Forecast for Reynolds American (Reuters) Reuters - Reynolds American Inc. , parent\of the No. 2 U.S. cigarette company, on Wednesday forecast 2004\profit of  #36;5.75 to  #36;6.05 a share, its first forecast since the\company was formed at the end of July.


Mortgage Applications Fell Last Week (Reuters) Reuters - New applications for U.S. home loans\fell last week as 30-year mortgage rates declined to their\lowest level since late March, an industry group said on\Wednesday.


Thailand Decides Against Bird Flu Vaccine (AP) AP - Thailand, faced with a second outbreak of bird flu, said Wednesday its poultry would not be inoculated against the disease because vaccines offer no guarantee of safety.


Coca-Cola Sees 2nd-Half Below Estimates  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. KO.N on Wednesday said  earnings for the remainder of 2004 would lag current  expectations because of weakness in key markets.


1st Profit Forecast for Reynolds American  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Reynolds American Inc. RAI.N, parent  of the No. 2 U.S. cigarette company, on Wednesday forecast 2004  profit of \$5.75 to \$6.05 a share, its first forecast since the  company was formed at the end of July.


Beware Dust from Jupiter's Moon Io Jupiter's moon Io is peppered with volcanoes, the hottest, most active volcanoes in our solar system. Sizzling vents spew plumes of gas and dust as much as 400 km high. They surge, spit, subside and surge again, non-stop. Passing spacecraft beware: Io is shooting at you.


Tough times ahead for semiconductor business SAN FRANCISCO -- The number of companies building and designing microprocessors is likely to shrink by approximately 40 percent over the next 10 years, analysts from Gartner Inc. predicted at the research firm's Semiconductor Industry Summit conference here in San Francisco Tuesday.


Botin pursues dream of Santander in world top 10 Santander Central Hispano #39;s Chairman Emilio Botin pledged a year ago to propel the Spanish bank into the world #39;s top 10 by market capitalisation, an ambition which could now be realised with a bid for Abbey National.


Russia to keep some state limits on foreign ownership of Gazprom MOSCOW : The Russian state will maintain some restrictions on foreign ownership in gas giant Gazprom after the liberalisation of its shareholding structure, a top minister said.


Coke to Miss 2nd Half Earnings Estimates ATLANTA Sept. 15, 2004 - Soft-drink giant Coca-Cola Co. said Wednesday that it expects second-half 2004 earnings per share to fall short of Wall Street expectations on flat to low volume growth.


UPDATE 1-US mortgage applications fall last week-MBA New applications for US home loans fell last week as 30-year mortgage rates declined to their lowest level since late March, an industry group said on Wednesday.


UPDATE 1-PacifiCare to buy American Medical for \$502 mln PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. (PHS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , one of the biggest Medicare plan providers, said on Wednesday it has agreed to buy health-care benefits provider American Medical Security Group Inc.


More union givebacks unlikely at US Airways US Airways #39; unions, defying efforts to win labor concessions to avert a bankruptcy, are unlikely to give up pay and benefits under a threat of cuts imposed by a court, a labor leader and consultants said.


Firefox Browser On An Upward Trend carbolic writes  quot;The Firefox browser is ramping up as fast as Internet Explorer is ramping down. According to these stats posted from the Engadget logfiles, IE has dropped to 57 of all browsers used to visit


It #39;s The Beatles vs iTunes! APPLE could be facing the largest legal settlement in history - and the money will go to APPLE. The electronics giant Apple Computer has been in legal wrangles with Apple Corps - The Beatles holding company


Intel dual-core chips are cool Doubled-up processors were the big news at this year?s Intel Developer Forum. They boost performance without frying your chips ? and are coming your way soon.


Hitachi to release 100GB hard drives for notebooks Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Inc. (HGST) announced the availability of 2.5-inch hard drives with capacities up to 100GB for notebook computers by the end of 2004, the company said on Tuesday.


Sudanese rebel movement says peace talks have collapsed (AFP) AFP - One of two rebel movements engaged in peace talks with Sudan's government mediated by the African Union (AU) said the negotiations had collapsed and could be suspended for weeks.


Americans Accused of Torture Sentenced (AP) AP - Three Americans accused of torturing Afghans in a private jail were found guilty Wednesday by a three-judge panel, after a trial criticized by the defense as failing to meet international standards of fairness.


Belarus Names Mirnyi to Davis Cup Team (AP) AP - Two-time U.S. Open doubles champion Max Mirnyi will lead the Belarus team that faces the United States in the Davis Cup semifinals in Charleston later this month.


Stocks to Watch Wednesday  COCA-COLA CO. KO.N:


Russia Rejects U.S. Criticism; EU Joins Fray  ASTANA, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - Russia curtly told the  United States to stay out of its business Wednesday after U.S.  criticism, echoed by the European Union, of President Vladimir  Putin's plans for radical change that will boost Kremlin power.


Lightning Strike Injures 40 on Texas Field (AP) AP - About 40 players and coaches with the Grapeland High School football team in East Texas were injured, two of them critically, when lightning struck near their practice field Tuesday evening, authorities said.


Coca-Cola issues profit warning Coca-Cola, the world's largest maker of soft drinks, issues a profit warning blaming "challenging operating conditions in key markets".


US jails author who promoted off-shore tax havens A US federal judge sentenced an author who wrote a series of books about avoiding taxes in off-shore locations to six months in prison on Monday.


Florida 'to list Nader on ballot' Ralph Nader can be listed on Florida ballots in the US presidential election, the state's electoral chief says.


Keith Henson Needs Help For those who don't know him, Keith Henson co-founded the L5 Society, was President of Xanadu Corporation and was a featured character in The Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition: Science Slightly Over the Edge.  He's about to be deported from Canada to the United States where he faces time in the infamous California prison system.


Oracle exceeds August quarter earnings forecasts NEW YORK, September 15 (New Ratings) - Oracle Corporation (ORCL.NAS) reported its 1Q FY05 earnings ahead of expectations, despite a 36 year-over-year decline in the company #39;s enterprise application software sales during the quarter.


British unemployment hits new 29-year low LONDON : British unemployment fell for the 15th month in a row in August to reach the lowest level for 29 years, official figures showed.


Raising the Linux Standard The Free Standards Group and the Open Source Development Labs(OSDL) hope that improved standards for Linux will help accelerate its adoption by enterprise and large business customers.


Novell intensifies government talk Johannesburg, 15 September 2004 - Microsoft has suffered well-publicised losses to Novell SUSE Linux in the Norwegian city of Bergen and other local governments dotted across the globe, in what Novell staffers hope is the start of sales momentum for its


HP Tapped for \$290 Million Defense Logistics Agency Contract PALO ALTO, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 15, 2004 -- HP (NYSE:HPQ)(Nasdaq:HPQ) today announced that it has been awarded a 10-year contract worth \$290 million by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency of the US Department of Defense.


100GB notebook drives arrive Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST) will ship new 2.5-inch hard drives with capacities up to 100GB for notebooks by the end of 2004, the company said today.


Microsoft Releases Patch to Fix Flaws Microsoft Corp. announced Tuesday it has found a new security flaw with its Windows XP operating system and warned that an attacker could infiltrate other computers by persuading their owners to open a specialized graphics file.


Intelligent Telescopes Survey the Violent Skies PPARC -- British astronomers are celebrating a world first that could revolutionise the future of astronomy. They have just begun a project to operate a global network of the world's biggest robotic telescopes, dubbed 'RoboNet-1.0' which will be controlled by intelligent software to provide rapid observations of sudden changes in astronomical objects, such as violent Gamma Ray Bursts, or 24-hour surveillance of interesting phenomena...


Beer in Moderation Could Be Good for You TORONTO (AP) -- Beer, a health food? That's what some Canadian researchers report.    A study from the University of Western Ontario finds a brew could be good for you...


Cardiac Researchers Make Surprising Heart Find PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Newlywed Marc Schlotthauer had just returned from his honeymoon in California and fallen asleep in his Stayton bedroom, when his heart stopped cold...


Pacifiers Could Help Teach Babies to Eat KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Researchers at the University of Kansas Medical Center are testing a high-tech pacifier that could help premature babies learn to eat...


HP girds for grid storage campaign com September 14, 2004, 3:25 PM PT. With the economy slowly turning up, upgrading hardware has been on businesses radar in the past 12 months as their number two priority.


Lawsuit May Be In Works After Fan #39;s Nose Broken In Oakland OAKLAND, Calif. -- A lawsuit could be in the works after some Texas players were involved in a brawl with taunting fans in Oakland -- that led to the arrest of Rangers reliever Frank Francisco.


At least five Palestinian fugitives killed in standoff with <b>...</b> NABLUS, West Bank - Five Palestinian fugitives, including a militant leader, were killed on Wednesday during a fierce gun battle with Israeli soldiers in this West Bank city, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.


Thailand Decides Against Bird Flu Vaccine BANGKOK, Thailand Sept. 15, 2004 - Thailand, faced with a second outbreak of bird flu, said Wednesday its poultry would not be inoculated against the disease because vaccines offer no guarantee of safety.


Microsoft to detail Media Center updates on Oct. 12 Microsoft Corp. plans to introduce several new consumer products on Oct. 12 at an event in Los Angeles. The announcements are expected to include an update to Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 and the first devices using Media Center Extender technology.


India's cellphone market set to grow 20 percent each year: official (AFP) AFP - India's booming cellphone market is adding 1.7 million customers every month and will grow between 15 percent and 20 percent annually, a senior industry official said.


Best Buy Posts Quarterly Profit Increase (Reuters) Reuters - Top U.S. electronics chain Best Buy\Co. Inc.  on Wednesday reported higher quarterly profit\due to expense control and higher gross margins, offsetting\sluggish sales growth.


Laptop full of new tunes stolen from Natasha Bedingfield (AFP) AFP - Chart-topping pop singer Natasha Bedingfield's laptop computer -- with a hard disk full of new songs and lyrics -- has been stolen at Heathrow airport.


Best Buy 2Q Earnings Rise on Cost Controls (AP) AP - Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy Co. said Wednesday that second-quarter earnings rose on cost controls and improved margins to beat Wall Street expectations.


Three Decapitated Corpses Found North of Baghdad  BAIJI, Iraq (Reuters) - The decapitated bodies of three  men, their heads strapped to their backs, were found dumped in  nylon bags by a roadside north of Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraqi  police and U.S. officials said.


Singapore Releases Two Jemaah Islamiah Militants  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore released from jail  Wednesday two men linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network,  including one trained in Afghanistan, but said 17 others  arrested in 2002 would be held for two more years without  trial.


UN warns of population explosion Failure to honour funding pledges to the UN means a world population explosion within decades, a report says.


Panel Wants Intel Chief With Budget Say WASHINGTON - The committee writing the Senate's intelligence reorganization plan is recommending creation of a strong national intelligence director with spending power, while leaving the Pentagon in charge of some military spy agencies.    Sen...


Student Collects Fake Parking Fines MADISON, Wis. - A fraternity member has been busted for apparently finding a unique way to supplement his college income - fake parking tickets...


Kazmir Bests Martinez and Red Sox Scott Kazmir already is coming through with flashy wins against famous foes. The 20-year-old rookie struck out a career-high nine in his fourth major league start, leading the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the Boston Red Sox and Pedro Martinez 5-2 Tuesday night...


1.2 Million Warned to Leave New Orleans NEW ORLEANS - More than 1.2 million people in metropolitan New Orleans were warned to get out as 140-mph Hurricane Ivan churned toward the Gulf Coast, threatening to submerge this below-sea-level city in what could be the most disastrous storm to hit in nearly 40 years.    Residents streamed inland in bumper-to-bumper traffic in an agonizingly slow exodus Tuesday amid dire warnings that Ivan could overwhelm New Orleans with up to 20 feet of filthy, chemical-polluted water...


Three Beheaded Bodies Found in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - Three beheaded bodies were found Wednesday or a road north of Baghdad and a car bomb exploded in a town south of the capital, killing two people and injuring 10.    The attacks were the latest in an upsurge of violence that has killed more than 200 people in the country in the last four days...


Sharon Abandons Mideast Peace 'Road Map' Israel will not follow the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan and could remain in much of the West Bank for an extended period after it withdraws from the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in a newspaper interview published Wednesday.


OPEC likely to raise output quota by 1 mn bpd NEW YORK, September 15 (New Ratings) - The core Gulf members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have reportedly recommended that the cartel #39;s official output quota be boosted by 4, or one million barrels per day.


Coca-Cola warns on profits Coca-Cola says earnings for the rest of 2004 will lag current Wall Street expectations because of weakness in key markets, further highlighting the divergent fortunes of the world #39;s largest soft drink maker and its top rival PepsiCo.


HBoS pulls out of Abbey race  quot;These things tend to be decided by egos as much as by financial logic, but HBoS has shown its ability with a level head to walk away from a deal.


Delta pilots wary of retirements Union says pilots may retire en masse to get payments rather than ride out possible bankruptcy. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc.


WSJ: Gap to test new stores that target boomer women UNDATED Gap may be looking at opening its first new retail chain in a decade. A published report says the San Francisco-based retailer is preparing to test specialty clothing stores aimed at women over 35.


DAILY DIGEST New York -- A federal appeals court agreed Tuesday to temporarily seal letters pertaining to the health of former Silicon Valley investment banker Frank Quattrone #39;s wife and teenage daughter after his lawyers protested that a judge was about to make them


Britons hit by music download  #39;rip-off #39; The competition watchdog has called for an investigation into whether Apple #39;s new iTunes music download service is  quot;ripping off quot; British consumers.


T-Mobile to battle iPod with music smart phone T-Mobile is pitching its against the likes of Apple and Creative with a new smart phone specifically (nominally) designed for digital music playback.


HP to bring grid computing to storage Grid computing links computers to harness their collective resources. HP said its grid approach to storage is designed to let customers focus more on how they use data, not how they store it.


Team Canada captures World Cup over Finland CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Canada remains on top of the hockey world after defeating Finland 3-2 in the World Cup of Hockey final on Tuesday.


CHELSEA DUO PAY CREDIT TO PSG Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and coach Jose Mourinho are convinced that Paris St Germain can bounce back from their crushing home defeat to the London side.


Speed backs Hughes #39; next move WALES captain Gary Speed today insisted Mark Hughes will join Blackburn with the blessing of the players - if his move to the Premiership is rubber-stamped.


Schalke coach Heynckes sacked Schalke 04 coach Jupp Heynckes became the first casualty of the Bundesliga season as he was sacked by the German first division soccer club on Wednesday after leading his team to a dismal start for the new season.


Seattle edges Anaheim  quot;Im happy we won, but I was kind of mad I got out there and I just didnt do the job in the last inning, quot; he said.  quot;Thats what Im upset about.


Putin shakeup won #39;t foster a safer Russia Moscow -- President Vladimir Putin #39;s moves to scrap regional elections and reform parliament in the name of fighting terrorism will move Russia closer to authoritarianism without making the country any safer, analysts and liberal politicians say.


West Bank raids leave 10 dead Israeli raids in the West Bank have left at least 10 Palestinians dead, including an 11-year-old girl and a number of wanted militants.


Business Inventories Grew in July (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. business inventories grew by\more than expected in July and the previous month was revised\higher, government data showed on Wednesday, delivering the\strongest two-month performance in nearly five years.


Treasuries Slip as NY Industry Rebounds (Reuters) Reuters - Treasuries prices slipped on Wednesday\after a survey of regional U.S. manufacturing showed a sharp\recovery in early September, countering signs of softness\elsewhere in the economy.


Consumer Group Calls for Probe of 'Rip-Off' ITunes (Reuters) Reuters - Apple Computer Corp. is charging its\British iTunes customers 17 percent more per download than its\European customers, a consumer watchdog group said on\Wednesday.


Coca-Cola: Second Half to Lag Street View  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. KO.N on Wednesday said  earnings for the rest of 2004 would lag current Wall Street  expectations because of weakness in key markets, further  highlighting the divergent fortunes of the world's largest soft  drink maker and its top rival, PepsiCo Inc.


Oil Steady as Ivan Balances OPEC Hike  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Wednesday as  Hurricane Ivan's effect on crude output and refineries in the  Gulf of Mexico balanced OPEC's attempts to reassure traders  with a four percent output ceiling hike.


Colorado River Habitat Gains Protection (AP) AP - Interior Secretary Gale Norton has signed an agreement with representatives of Arizona, Nevada and California to protect wildlife habitat on the Colorado River and aid native species.


Flashlight Takes Batteries of Any Size (AP) AP - Anyone who has cursed when their flashlight goes dead may have something new to beam about  #151; a flashlight that accepts batteries of different sizes.


Best Buy Profit Up, Backs Year Outlook  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top U.S. electronics chain Best Buy  Co. Inc. BBY.N on Wednesday posted an 8 percent rise in  second-quarter net earnings on strong sales of higher-priced  digital products and curbs on expenses.


Panel Says Pollution Plagues Great Lakes (AP) AP - Despite improvements in recent decades, the Great Lakes remain a dumping ground for pollution ranging from livestock waste to mercury emissions, a U.S.-Canadian panel said Monday.


Stocks Set to Open Lower; Coke, Oil Weigh  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked to open lower on  Wednesday as concerns about Hurricane Ivan weighed on sentiment  and Coca-Cola Co. KO.N warned that earnings for the rest of  the year would lag expectations.


QB McCown to Start Sunday for Cardinals  TEMPE, Ariz. (Sports Network) - Josh McCown has re-claimed  his role as the Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback, at  least temporarily.


Air Pollution Hits Record Levels in Hong Kong (Reuters) Reuters - Air pollution in Hong Kong has hit\record levels, the government said on Wednesday, and it warned\people with heart or respiratory problems to stay indoors.


OPEC to Increase Oil Production OPEC members were expected to increase the cartel's production during a meeting Wednesday by 1 million barrels a day to meet the global demand for oil. But analysts contended that any decision by the group would likely have little effect on high oil prices.


Sudan Rejects Revised U.N. Darfur Resolution  CAIRO (Reuters) - Sudan's foreign minister rejected  Wednesday a revised U.N. Security Council draft resolution  threatening to consider sanctions on Sudan and said it had  complicated talks on Darfur between rebels and Khartoum.


Businesses' Inventories, Sales Rise in July Businesses saw inventories rise in July as sales picked up, the government reported Wednesday.


Radio Outage Grounds West Coast Flights Airport operations were back to normal early Wednesday following a radio failure at a Federal Aviation Administration control facility that tied up travelers for hours.


Study: Starvation Caused Moose Decline (AP) AP - Malnutrition and starvation have drastically reduced moose numbers in northwest Wyoming, according to the author of a new study that debunks the belief among some that wolves are a leading cause of the decline.


Crews Fail to Find Tree-Killing Beetle (AP) AP - Survey crews searching through woods and neighborhoods in northeast Indiana have not found any new signs of the beetle blamed for killing millions of ash trees in Michigan and Ohio, a state official said.


Businesses' Inventories Rise; July Sales Up The Commerce Department said that stocks of unsold goods increased by 0.9 percent in July, down from a 1.1 percent rise in June.


Bush Says Iraqi Vote Must Proceed Jan. 30 (AP) AP - President Bush acknowledged Monday that American military forces "can never guarantee 100 percent security" for Iraq's elections Jan. 30, but said the voting must proceed on schedule to let people choose democracy over terrorism.


Exercise May Beat Cancer in the Long Run A daily walk around the block, a few laps in the pool, a vigorous game of soccer: studies suggest exercise is extending the lives of women who've survived breast cancer, even as it lifts their spirits.