Arafat #39;s death a reminder of Palestinian struggle The Arab world is enormous and complex. In today #39;s world of terrorism and radical groups, it #39;s important not to lump all Arabs or all Muslims into one mound of extremism.


Gerrard all set to make a comeback England midfielder Steven Gerrard says he is ready to make his comeback for Liverpool at Middlesbrough on Saturday, after a two-month injury absence.


UN Council Heads to Kenya in Search of Sudan Peace UN Security Council ambassadors were still quibbling over how best to pressure Sudan and rebels to end two different wars in the country even as they left for Kenya on Tuesday for a meeting on the crisis.


Chancellor takes aim at Brussels for bigger budget demands GORDON Brown yesterday fired off yet another political salvo at Brussels, as he dismissed a call from the European Commission to increase its spending limit by 35 per cent.


Wal-Mart profit rises 13 LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas Wal-Mart Stores, the world #39;s largest retailer, on Tuesday reported a 12.7 percent rise in its earnings in the third quarter, meeting Wall Street expectations, but its stock fell on worries over its sales outlook.


First European spacecraft in moon #39;s orbit The SMART-1 probe made it to within 3,100 miles of the moon yesterday morning, and will now begin spinning its way closer to the surface, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.


Microsoft Enlists Channel Help For Server, Desktop Management As it strives to improve its reputation in the server and desktop management arena, Microsoft announced on Tuesday Virtual Server 2005 and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 as well as the first public beta of Windows Update Services.


Sony Plans Portable Blu-ray Disc Drives Sony and blue-laser diode maker Nichia have developed a component that they say is vital to realizing support for Blu-ray Disc and DVD discs in portable devices, they announced this week.


Keane on target as Republic win TOTTENHAM striker Robbie Keane scored his 24th international goal last night as the Republic of Ireland beat Croatia 1-0 in a friendly international in Dublin.


Rehhagel Gets Tough With Greece Greece coach Otto Rehhagel has attempted to shake the team out of their Euro2004 championship hangover by insisting that they dont deserve a place in World Cup 2006 if they cant defeat lowly Kazakhstan at home.


Varitek Wants Stability in Next Contract (AP) AP - If the Boston Red Sox want to keep Jason Varitek, they might have to give him a no-trade clause.


Nine out of 10 pubs face smoking ban Government plans to ban smoking in the majority of enclosed public spaces in England, ranging from offices to restaurants, within four years were labelled a  quot;bodge quot; yesterday.


US, Iraqis regain some ground in Mosul MOSUL - US and Iraqi troops recaptured police stations and secured bridges in the northern city of Mosul on Tuesday in an offensive aimed at pushing out fighters supporting the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.


Right wing icon voted greatest Dutchman Slain right wing politician Pim Fortuyn has been voted the greatest Dutchman of all time by television viewers in the Netherlands.


Jerry Graybeal Quits As Weber State Coach (AP) AP - Weber State football coach Jerry Graybeal resigned Tuesday after a 1-10 season, the worst in the program's 43-year history.


Ramsey Settles In Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey, for the first time since preseason, will spend time working with the first-team offense.


Hoping for Big Finish Virginia Tech opened the season unranked but climbed to No. 15 with a 7-2 record going into Thursday night's game against Maryland.


Jordan To Head Scouting The Orioles name former Florida Marlins scout Joe Jordan director of scouting on Tuesday. Jordan worked with VP Jim Beattie from 1997 to 2001 with the Expos.


Randall Makes Difference One person not surprised by Virginia Tech's successful season is Ralph Friedgen, who says quarterback Bryan Randall is the key.


Ten Colombian Police Die in Marxist Rebel Ambush (Reuters) Reuters - Ten Colombian police officers\were killed on Tuesday in an ambush by the National Liberation\Army, or ELN, in the worst attack by the Marxist group in\years, authorities told Reuters.


Texas Officials Wary of Plan to Hunt by Internet (Reuters) Reuters - Hunters soon may be able to sit at\their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via\the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up\in arms.


New York Announces New System to Process Families Seeking Shelter A streamlined process supplies beds and social workers more quickly and eliminates the system's rundown gateway in the Bronx.


Handle With Care: Moving the Modern The deputy director for exhibitions relived her two-and-a-half-year race to transport, store and reinstall the Modern's collection in time for the museum's reopening on Saturday.


Some Democrats Believe the Party Should Get Religion Bested by a Republican campaign emphasizing Christian faith, some Democrats are scrambling to shake off their secular image, stepping up efforts to organize the "religious left."


Chinas fixed-asset investment eases slightly Chinas fixed-asset investment in October was up 26.4 percent from a year earlier, down from the previous month but at a level analysts said was still high enough for Beijing to keep a tight grip on credit.


Vodafone doubles dividend VODAFONE, the mobile phone giant, yesterday confirmed it is to reward patient shareholders by doubling its interim dividend following a  quot;robust quot; set of first-half figures.


X-43A Jet Breaks Air Speed Record NASA engineers shattered the aircraft speed record on Tuesday by flying their unmanned X-43A jet off the coast of California at nearly 6,600 miles per hour.


Mavs Lose Injured Dampier, Terry (AP) AP - Dallas Mavericks center Erick Dampier left Tuesday night's game against Phoenix with strained hip, then guard Jason Terry was lost to a sprained ankle.


Hewitt states intent with demolition of Moya Lleyton Hewitt was able to get off the mark after an overnight delay at the Masters Cup here yesterday. The Australian former world No 1 completed his opening round-robin contest, defeating Carlos Moya, of Spain, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.


Jerry Graybeal resigns as Weber State coach after 1-10 season Weber State football coach Jerry Graybeal has stepped down after a 1-10 season, the worst in the program #39;s 43-year history. Graybeal informed athletics director William J. Weidner of his decision Tuesday and


Hot Stove heats up with Pedro-Steinbrenner meeting com. The rumors that Pedro Martinez would be meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in Tampa started rippling through Red Sox Nation around midday on Tuesday.


Israel has duty to protect citizens Tom Friedman, in his column  quot;Jews, Israel and America, quot; offers an unrealistic solution that is at odds with recent history and the current geopolitical environment:  quot;... One thing that Israel


Skating to Europe According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, 276 N.H.L. players have signed with European teams. Could hockey be headed for a new world order?


Losing Puts Frustrated Parcells in a Foul Mood Coach Bill Parcells refused to talk about his future in Dallas, a tenure that may be short-lived if the Cowboys' troubles continue.


College Coach Believes in Manning The last time Eli Manning made a debut as a starting quarterback, his coach, David Cutcliffe of Ole Miss, had goose bumps.


China Construction Spending Down in Oct. China #39;s spending on construction and factory equipment edged lower in October, but there was no sign of a major cutback despite efforts to curb lending for such investments.


Reid offers blueprint for fitness John Reid, the health secretary, yesterday championed personal choice over state dictation as he launched the government #39;s wide-ranging blueprint for disease prevention ranging from smoking bans to personal health trainers, curbs on advertising junk food


Dollar Stuck Near Lows Ahead of G20 Meet (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar idled near seven-month lows\against the yen on Wednesday as traders considered what\officials from the Group of 20 countries might say about recent\weakness in the U.S. currency at an upcoming meeting.


Climate change 'ruining' Everest The world's highest peak should put on a UN danger list to force action on global warming, campaigners say.


HP Lifts Asian Tech Stocks  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The dollar hovered above 7-month lows  against the yen, pressuring shares in Japanese exporters, but  stocks elsewhere in Asia neared a 5-year high as upbeat  earnings from Hewlett-Packard boosted tech stocks.


SBC in Deal With Microsoft to Provide TV on High-Speed Lines SBC Communications will pay \$400 million to Microsoft for software used to deliver TV programming over high-speed data lines.


Congress Urged to Conduct Its Own Insurance Inquiry Senate governmental affairs subcommittee hearing on insurance brokerage policies, with Eliot Spitzer of New York and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut scheduled to testify.


Yet Again, Jil Sander and Prada Part Ways Sander - who sold her fashion house to Prada four years ago, left four months later, then made a dramatic comeback in 2003 - has left the company again.


U.S. Troops Move to Rein in Rebels in North of Iraq The U.S. military raced into the streets of Mosul to root out bands of rebels. Also, a kidnapped aid worker is feared dead.


World poverty is in retreat Developing countries will enjoy their best year of economic growth in 2004, producing a  quot;spectacular quot; drop in poverty around the world, the World Bank said yesterday.


Vodafone doubles dividend Vodafone made good on its promise to return more cash to shareholders yesterday with a doubling of its half-year dividend and plans to buy back a further 2.2bn of shares over the next four months.


Murdoch #39;s News Corp. to join S amp;P 500 NEW YORK - News Corp., the media company built by Rupert Murdoch, will join the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 stock index after the close of trading on Dec. 17, S amp;P said on Tuesday.


EUROPEAN SPACECRAFT ENTERS LUNAR ORBIT The first European spacecraft to be sent to the moon has entered lunar orbit, according to the European Space Agency. The SMART-1 spacecraft has reached its closest point from the moon so far, coming within 5,000 kilometres of the lunar surface.


Evil Searches MSN #39;s beta search tool has been out for a week and has already created a controversy with a search for  quot;more evil than Satan quot; throwing up Google #39;s home page as its first match.


Intel climbs flash rankings as market dips The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip giant climbed back up the rankings in the flash memory market in the third quarter, according to research firm iSuppli, thanks to its pricing strategy.


Guerrero named American League MVP Anaheim Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero was named Most Valuable Player in the American League Tuesday. Guerrero received 21 of 28 first-place votes and 354 points in balloting


Boss, Pedro talk shop Sometimes George Steinbrenner does his own negotiating, and on Tuesday, ESPN has learned, he met face-to-face with the most prominent free agent pitcher on the market -- Pedro Martinez, who


US push to rid Mosul of insurgents American troops and Iraqi security forces launched a major operation to regain control of Mosul yesterday, after a week of lawlessness which saw large parts of Iraq #39;s third city fall under the control of militants determined to open a new front in the


APEC helps Chile deepen ties with Asia-Pacific region: govt The Chilean government said Tuesday that the presidency of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) has helped Chile to deepen relations withthe Asia-Pacific region.


Hawks Rally From 11 Down, Edge Rockets (AP) AP - Antoine Walker had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 6:11 to beat the Houston Rockets 88-84 Tuesday night.


Terps Deny Musketeers Maryland's women's basketball team pulls out a tough 74-72 victory over Xavier when it blocks Kristy Wallner's attempt to tie the game for Xavier in the closing seconds.


Colombia Rebels Kill 9 Officers in Ambush (AP) AP - Leftist rebels ambushed a police convoy Tuesday in northeastern Colombia, killing at least nine officers and wounding three others, authorities said. A 10th policeman was killed in a separate incident.


Man arrested after 2 killed, 29 hurt in bombing of Pakistani cinema (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A bomb exploded in a cinema during a screening early Wednesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing two people and injuring 29 others, police said.


Dollar Stuck Near Lows Ahead of G20  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled near seven-month lows  against the yen on Wednesday as traders considered what  officials from the Group of 20 countries might say about recent  weakness in the U.S. currency at an upcoming meeting.


Steinbrenner and Martnez Meet: Let the Intrigue Begin The Red Sox' Pedro Martnez met with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in a potential bid to dramatically change his status in the Bronx and in Boston.


Gun battle erupts in Kashmir city Militants attack a stadium in Srinagar hours before the Indian prime minister is due to address a rally.


Business 'booms' for rural crafts Craftspeople could soon overtake farmers as the biggest contributors to the rural economy, a report says.


Google Falls as More of Its Shares Start Trading Shares of Google, the newly public Web search company, fell 6.7 percent as selling restrictions were lifted on 39 million shares held by employees and early investors.


In Texas, 28,000 Students Test an Electronic Eye Hoping to prevent the loss of children, a few schools have begun monitoring student movements using technology similar to that used to track livestock and retail shipments.


PeopleSoft Shareholders Have Opposing Views on Oracle Bid PeopleSofts top shareholder, Capital Guardian Trust, has decided to support Oracles \$8.8 billion hostile takeover, but the No. 2 holder, Private Capital Management, has decided against it.


PM #39;s visit to focus on reconstruction of Kashmir New Delhi: The two-day visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Jammu and Kashmir, starting on Wednesday will focus more on reconstruction and development of the state, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said.


Asia-Pacific powers to set sights on N. Korean nukes, trade <b>...</b> SANTIAGO : Asia-Pacific power brokers, starring US Secretary of State Colin Powell, convene here Wednesday determined to suppress terrorism, free up world trade and thwart North Korean nuclear ambitions.


Time to Talk Baseball It's time to talk about the serious risks and potential benefits of building an expensive ballpark in Washington.


Fans Honor United Approximately 500 D.C. United fans gathered at RFK Stadium on Tuesday to celebrate the team's victory in Sunday's MLS Cup.


China to invest 20 billion dollars in Argentina BUENOS AIRES : China #39;s President Hu Jintao and Argentine President Nestor Kirchner signed cooperation agreements as Chinese companies pledged investments of 20 billion US dollars.


NASA  #39;Scramjet #39; Soars Almost 7,000 Mph In this photo released by NASA, the X-43A  quot;scramjet quot; is seen attached to a modified Pegasus rocket under the wing of a B-52 aircraft before its release off the Southern California coast Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004.


No. 15 Hokies still have ACC title hopes Virginia Tech was picked to finish in the middle of the pack in its first year in the ACC. Instead, it heads into the final weeks of the season with a chance to win the conference title.


Tim Duncan and Spurs Torch Knicks 99-81 (AP) AP - Tim Duncan had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and began a key third-quarter burst that helped the San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks 99-81 Tuesday night.


Tenth-Ranked Arizona Rips San Diego 80-69 (AP) AP - Mustafa Shakur scored 23 points and Ivan Radenovic 20  #151; both career highs  #151; in 10th-ranked Arizona's often-sloppy 80-69 victory over San Diego Tuesday night in the first round of the Preseason NIT.


NBA Wrap: Allen Leads Sonics to Seventh Straight (Reuters) Reuters - Ray Allen scored a season-high 37\points to carry the Seattle SuperSonics to their seventh\straight victory, a 103-95 win over the 76ers in Philadelphia\Tuesday.


New Technique Stirs a Debate in Cardiology A new method of diagnosing heart disease takes only seconds to conduct, but critics say the technique is ripe for overuse.


In Texas, 28,000 Students Test an Electronic Eye Hoping to prevent the loss of a child, a few schools have begun monitoring students' arrivals and departures using technology similar to that used to track livestock.


Stocks drop as wholesale prices surge A huge jump in wholesale prices sent stocks falling yesterday as investors worried that rising oil prices were taking a toll on the overall economy.


S amp;P changes its indices S amp;P has announced changes to its indices in the US and Australia in relation to News Corporation. After trading closes on Friday December 17, 2004 New Corp.


NASA Jet Sets Record for Speed A small, pilotless NASA aircraft set a speed record for jet planes on Tuesday when it dashed out over the Pacific Ocean at almost 10 times the speed of sound, project officials announced.


Nokia Demonstrates IPv6 Phone Nokia Corp. on Tuesday demonstrated the use of IPv6, the next generation Internet protocol, on a handset. The Finnish company demonstrated what it called the industry #39;s  quot;first Mobile IPv6 call.


Beckham wasnt interested in The Pink Panther Football star David Beckham said Monday that he turned down a good part in MGMs The Pink Panther, staring Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Beyonce Knowles and Jean Reno.


Eriksson: No Man Utd, Arsenal rifts in squad England boss Sven Goran Eriksson insists the row between Manchester United and Arsenal will not spill over into tonight #39;s international against Spain.


Yankees #39; Sheffield blackmailed CBC SPORTS ONLINE - New York Yankees right-fielder Gary Sheffield revealed Tuesday that he and his wife were targeted by a blackmailer.


Militants launch attack in Kashmir ahead of Indian PMs visit SRINAGAR - Militants early Wednesday launched an attack near a stadium in Kashmir where Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is due to address a rally later, police said.


Rumsfeld terms Ecuador ally in fighting terrorism US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday termed Ecuador an ally in the combat against terrorism and drug trafficking. Rumsfeld made the remarks at a joint press conference


Specter Gets Hatch Support to Chair Panel (AP) AP - Sen. Arlen Specter gained ground Tuesday toward winning the Senate Judiciary Committee chairmanship, which was thrown into doubt after he said judges who oppose abortion rights would face confirmation problems.


Bush to Visit Canada on Nov. 30 (AP) AP - President Bush will make his first official visit to Canada on Nov. 30, meeting Prime Minister Paul Martin for talks ranging from security for the world's longest undefended border to commerce between these major trading partners, officials said Tuesday.


DeLay Supporters Move to Protect His Spot (AP) AP - Supporters of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay proposed a Republican rules change Tuesday that would protect the Texan's leadership position if he were to be indicted by a Texas grand jury that already charged three of his associates.


U.S. Extends Deadline to Switch Screeners (AP) AP - The government announced Tuesday that it will make it easier for airports to replace federal baggage and passenger screeners with privately employed workers.


Stock car racing in Canada gets boost from NASCAR deal with CASCAR TORONTO (CP) - Stock car racing in Canada received a boost Tuesday as NASCAR announced a multi-year operational and marketing agreement with CASCAR.


Ten Colombian Police Die in Marxist Rebel Ambush

 BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Ten Colombian police officerswere killed on Tuesday in an ambush by the National LiberationArmy, or ELN, in the worst attack by the Marxist group inyears, authorities told Reuters.


Stern Likes Latest Arena Plan for Kings (AP) AP - NBA commissioner David Stern believes the Sacramento Kings will secure funding for a new arena in plenty of time to prevent the team from leaving Northern California.


Arizona Stops San Diego Mustafa Shakur scores 23 points and Ivan Radenovic 20 in 10th-ranked Arizona's often-sloppy 80-69 victory over San Diego Tuesday.


A New Pattern Is Cut for Global Textile Trade The expiration of WTO textile quotas at the end of 2004 is expected to jeopardize jobs in some of the world's poorest places as the textile industry uproots to consolidate in low-cost China.


Skating to Europe and Playing On According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, 276 N.H.L. players have signed with European teams. Could hockey be headed for a new world order?


Attendant Union Approves Strike Over Contracts The president of the nation #39;s largest flight attendants union yesterday vowed that its members would go on a nationwide strike if US Airways and United Airlines are allowed to nullify their labor contracts in bankruptcy court.


Crude dips below \$US46 CRUDE oil futures eased below \$US46 a barrel in Asia today as traders awaited the weekly US crude inventory report, which has helped bring down prices in recent weeks by showing a recovery in supplies.


Wholesale Inflation Rises Sharply Wholesale inflation rose last month at the fastest pace in more than 14 years, largely because of steep jumps in energy and food costs, the government reported yesterday, raising concerns


US - Consumer Price Index (Oct, 2004) The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average price level of a fixed basket of goods and services purchased by consumers. Monthly changes in the CPI represent the rate of inflation.


Audit concludes firm overbilled LA by \$4 million LOS ANGELES An audit has concluded that a public relations firm overbilled the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power by more than four (m) million dollars.


GM to Close Van Factory In Baltimore General Motors Corp. said yesterday that it will shut its 70-year-old van factory in southeast Baltimore next year, confirming a closure that some 1,100 workers have long expected but that state officials had hoped to stave off.


NASA  #39;scramjet #39; launched, soars at 11,263 kph A tiny unmanned NASA  quot;scramjet #39; #39; soared above the Pacific Ocean Tuesday at nearly 10 times the speed of sound, or almost 7,000 mph (11,263 kph), in a record-breaking demonstration of a radical new engine technology.


Europe #39;s Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit BERLIN, Nov. 16 -- A small spacecraft has made it into lunar orbit, marking a key milestone in Europe #39;s first successful mission to the moon and setting the stage for the craft to begin studying the lunar


eBay pulls carpet from under cheesy miracle The folk at eBay were unbelievers in the cheesy miracle: one half of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich, the owner of which claimed it bore the image of the Virgin Mary.


World Community Grid IBM has launched a network to harness the power of idle computers around the world. It #39;s trying to create one massive PC to help out in scientific research in what could become the world #39;s largest public computing grid.


Sheffield Says Wife Was Blackmail Target By The Associated Press. Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield said yesterday that he and his wife were the targets of a blackmailer who claimed to have embarrassing videotapes showing her having sex with a professional musician.


Kewell back in big time AUSTRALIA coach Frank Farina believes Harry Kewell #39;s nightmare season is about to change for the good, declaring the Liverpool midfielder is returning to form.


NBA roundup: Walker leads Hawks #39; comeback vs. Rockets ATLANTA -- Antoine Walker had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 6:11 to beat the Houston Rockets 88-84.


Leaders condemn  #39;Hassan murder #39; Political leaders have condemned the apparent murder of aid worker Margaret Hassan by her Iraqi kidnappers. Tony Blair said it was  quot;abhorrent quot;, while Irish premier Bertie Ahern said her kidnappers  quot;stand condemned by.


Equatorial Guinea resumes coup trial Equatorial Guinea resumed on Tuesday the trial of 19 suspected mercenaries accused of plotting a coup in the oil-rich African country, after a two-month adjournment to give


Russian, Japanese ministers to discuss peace treaty problem Astana - Moscow, November 17 KAZINFORM - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is planning to discuss with his Japanese colleague Nobutaka Machimura relations between the two countries, including the peace treaty problem.


Silicon Valley Aims to Refresh Its Image Charlie Rose, the TV interviewer, is taping five shows back to back of Silicon Valley heavyweights.


Roddick Defeats Henman in Masters Cup (AP) AP - Andy Roddick waited out a rain delay and then held off Tim Henman of Great Britain for a 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championship Tuesday night.


Tough one for the Gunners THE Gunners - for the time being at least - have lost the knack of putting teams away. Draws with Southampton and West Brom in their last two Premiership games at Highbury highlight Arsenal #39;s current shortcomings


Yahoo Launches Premium Personals Service (Reuters) Reuters - Yahoo Inc.  late on\Tuesday launched Personals Premier, a premium online dating\service aimed at attracting serious relationship seekers with\deeper pockets.


TiVo backer Alsop to leave VC firm Prominent venture capitalist at Silicon Valley's New Enterprise Associates wants to "see if I can design a working life for myself."


Excited about Bonds chasing home run record? Not anymore SAN JOSE, Calif. _ So it has finally happened. The smoldering fumes of steroid smoke have burst into flames around Barry Bonds. According to his own grand-jury testimony, leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle


HP profit tops lowered forecast Hewlett-Packard Co. today reported net income for its fiscal fourth quarter of \$1.09 billion, compared with \$862 million during the same quarter a year earlier.


Two big PeopleSoft shareholders split vote on Oracle bid Reflecting the uncertainty that has always swirled around Oracle's hostile bid for control of PeopleSoft, two major PeopleSoft shareholders have reached opposite conclusions about how to cast their votes on Oracle's buyout offer.


Enron Inquiry Turns to Sales by Lay's Wife Federal prosecutors are investigating whether the wife of Enrons former chairman, Kenneth Lay, engaged in insider trading just before the company collapsed, people involved in the case said.


Starbucks Will Use Cups With 10 Recycled Paper Starbucks has received F.D.A. approval to use recycled paper in their cups. The company says no one else uses recycled paper.


Managing the Firehose of Real-Time Information RSS feeds, search alerts and other information monitoring technologies are great, but often end up providing too much of a good thing.  PubSub is a 'matching engine' that offers a promising new way to keep up to date while alleviating information overload.


Nordstrom posts 71 increase Nordstrom Inc. beat its cautious forecasts once again, posting a 71 percent increase in third-quarter earnings, reaping the benefits of a streamlined inventory system while focusing on improving its merchandise.


Crematory Operator to Plead Guilty A former crematory operator accused of dumping 334 bodies and passing off cement dust as ashes has agreed to a plea deal requiring him to serve no more than 12 years in prison, the Associated Press learned Tuesday.


DC Tops Nation In Women #39;s Pay, Equity With Men The District of Columbia ranks ahead of all 50 states in women #39;s median wage, while Maryland is a close second and Virginia ranks eighth, according to a new state-by-state report on the status of women.


Growth in developing countries strongest in three decades: World <b>...</b> The developing countries will enjoy the strongest economic growth in three decades this year and should continue to enjoy solid expansion in 2005 and 2006, the World Bank predicted on Tuesday.


HP Profit Tops Lowered Forecast Hewlett-Packard Co. on Tuesday said quarterly profit topped its own lowered expectations as the computer and printer maker saw record revenues in every business


Audit finds firm overbilled LA by \$4M A public relations company billed the city #39;s Department of Water and Power for more than \$4 million in questionable costs that it should repay, according to an audit released Tuesday.


At 6,600 mph, test plane redefines zoom NASA #39;s experimental X-43A, a sleek unpiloted forerunner to a routine space launcher or a blindingly fast airliner, streaked above the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday to establish a speed record for jet aircraft of about 6,600 mph.


Viagra: A Drug Ad Too Far? Pharmaceutical companies love to tout their drug ads as examples of consumer education. But that argument hardly stands up in Pfizer #39;s (PFE ) latest Viagra pitches.


IBM Launches Public Grid Computing Project IBM hopes to give a boost to large-scale public grid computing projects with the launch of the new  quot;World Community Grid. quot;.


Microsoft Sharpens Up Its Elbows Microsoft is on the move again. As it has in the past, the software giant is trying to elbow aside rivals who have pioneered new markets.


All Blacks rest captain New Zealand made the rare move of resting its captain, and Wales named three changes for their rugby Test at Millennium Stadium on Saturday.


Kings Defeat Winless Bulls 113-106 (AP) AP - Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points, Mike Bibby added 27 and the Sacramento Kings kept the Chicago Bulls winless with a 113-106 victory on Tuesday night.


Queen Urges Thais to Help Govt. Fight Muslim Unrest (Reuters) Reuters - Revered Queen Sirikit has urged all\Thais to work with the government in its fight against the\violence in the largely Muslim south, where almost 500 people\have been killed since January.


Europe eyes end to limbo in EU assembly vote (AFP) AFP - EU lawmakers are expected finally to declare the European Union's new executive arm fit for office Thursday, ending an unprecedented three-week state of limbo for the expanding bloc.


Report: SBC Sets TV Deal with Microsoft  NEW YORK (Reuters) - SBC Communications, the No. 2 U.S.  telecommunications company, has agreed to pay \$400 million to  Microsoft Corp. for software that can deliver television via  high-speed data lines, The New York Times reported on  Wednesday.


Oil \$46 Ahead of Expected U.S. Stockbuild  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices eased again early on  Wednesday, hovering around \$46 a barrel ahead of weekly U.S.  data expected to show fuel stocks rising in time for winter.


Slammed shut General Motors Corp. plans to close its Baltimore manufacturing operations next year, shuttering a factory that employs 1,100 hourly and salaried workers.


Update 5: Hewlett-Packard Income Surges 27 Percent Record revenue growth across all of Hewlett-Packard Co. #39;s business units, particularly in its consumer electronics division, helped generate strong fourth-quarter earnings for the computer giant.


Senate Hears of Insurance Misdeeds Preliminary investigations in New York, Connecticut and California suggest that insurance companies frequently pay insurance brokers and agents undisclosed compensation -- including cash, loans


Guerrero Wins AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero wins the American League MVP award Tuesday, just the fifth time a player switched leagues and earned the honor in his first season with his new team.


Hollywood fires first lawsuits at pirates Hollywood #39;s top studios tried to knock the wind out of the sails of Internet movie pirates yesterday, filing the first wave of lawsuits against people they say are illegally sharing online copies of films.


Virgin Mary sandwich? This image of a cheese sandwich was taken from the www.ebay.com Web site. Sandwich owner Diana Duyser, of Hollywood, put the sandwich up for sale last week, drawing bids as high as \$22,000 before eBay pulled the item Sunday night.


NBA ROUNDUP James Helps the Cavaliers Break .500 LeBron James scored 33 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved over .500 for the first time in more than three years with their fourth straight victory, a


Guerrero is AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero had such a huge impact during the final week of the season that voting for the American League Most Valuable Player award wasn #39;t even close.


NCAA Game Summary - San Diego at Arizona Tucson, AZ (Sports Network) - Mustafa Shakur led three Arizona players who scored at least 20 points as the 10th-ranked Wildcats opened their 2004-05 season with an 80-69 victory over San Diego at the McKale Center in the first round of the Preseason NIT.


Ohio State knocks Clarett #39;s allegations Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel and the school #39;s athletics director, Andy Geiger, defended the besieged program Tuesday -eiger delivering a vigorous


There was no coup plot, say accused Malabo - Equatorial Guinea intends to seek the extradition of Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, in connection with the alleged coup plot, a government source here has said.


Thailand #39;s queen urges unity in violence-plagued deep south Thailand #39;s Queen Sirikit urged thecountry to unit to solve ongoing violence in the Muslim-dominated deep south. In a emotional plea for peace in the region, the Queen said theinnocent


Fox hunting ban in England, Wales looms after compromise fails (AFP) AFP - An outright ban on fox hunting with dogs in England and Wales appeared inevitable after a majority of over 100 MPs in the House of Commons rejected last-ditch compromises on the blood sport.


Report: SBC Sets TV Deal with Microsoft (Reuters) Reuters - SBC Communications, the No. 2 U.S.\telecommunications company, has agreed to pay  #36;400 million to\Microsoft Corp. for software that can deliver television via\high-speed data lines, The New York Times reported on\Wednesday.


Two militants, civilian killed in Kashmir attack (AFP) AFP - Two Islamic militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces near a stadium in Kashmir where Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was later due to speak, an army spokesman said.


Heart Scanner Stirs New Hope and a Debate A new method of diagnosing heart disease takes only seconds to conduct, but critics say the technique is ripe for overuse.


Boston Scientific Will Invest In Developer of a Plastic Stent Boston Scientific announces an investment in  and strategic partnership with  REVA Medical, which is working on a polymer successor to todays metal stents that would be biodegradable in the body.


Clippers Pop Raptors 101-89 (AP) AP - Marko Jaric had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 101-89 victory over the Toronto Raptors.


Earnings Climb at Hewlett The Hewlett-Packard Company said yesterday that its profits rose 27 percent in the fourth quarter as revenues reached record levels across its business lines.


Insurance Investigation Leads to More Guilty Pleas Two midlevel employees of the Zurich American Insurance Company pleaded guilty yesterday to criminal charges related to the rigging of bids that investigators say was organized by the Global Broking unit of Marsh  amp; McLennan.


Retail discord ringing over charity #39;s bells As the Salvation Army kicks off its annual red-kettle program today, a growing number of retailers, from Best Buy to Target, are banning Salvation Army bell ringers


Murdoch Moves to Avoid a Friendly Fight for Control The chairman of the News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, may be telling investors and the media that his relationship with his counterpart at Liberty Media, John C. Malone, is friendly, as he did yesterday at an annual meeting.


Kings Defeat Winless Bulls 113-106 Sacramento Kings #39; Peja Stojakovic, left, of Serbia-Montenegro, and Chicago Bulls #39; Andres Nocioni of Argentina battle for a loose ball on the sidelines in Sacramento, Calif.


Bush Folly, Campaign 2004 and the Middle East The saddest thing about the American election of George Bush is that in the long run it will make the United States irrelevant in all matters save that we have the power to blow the


HP Fares Well in Much of Asia  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Upbeat earnings from U.S. computer  company Hewlett-Packard drove an index of Asian stocks outside  of Japan toward a 5-year high, but the dollar's weakness  against the yen pressured shares in Japanese exporters.


Four Companies Plan Expansion in Virginia  Four companies are planning to hire more than 10,000 workers for new homeland security-related jobs in Virginia over the next five years, Gov. Mark R. Warner is to announce today.


GM to Close Van Factory In Baltimore  General Motors Corp. said yesterday that it will shut its 70-year-old van factory in southeast Baltimore next year, confirming a closure that some 1,100 workers have long expected but that state officials had hoped to stave off.


D.C. Tops Nation In Women's Pay, Equity With Men  The District of Columbia ranks ahead of all 50 states in women's median wage, while Maryland is a close second and Virginia ranks eighth, according to a new state-by-state report on the status of women.


Senate Hears of Insurance Misdeeds   Preliminary investigations in New York, Connecticut and California suggest that insurance companies frequently pay insurance brokers and agents undisclosed compensation -- including cash, loans, stock and exotic trips -- for steering health, automobile and other retail insurance business to them, state officials told Congress yesterday.


Iraq forces 'need extra US help' The senior US general in Iraq expresses concern about the ability of Iraqi forces to cope with election security.


Wholesale Inflation Rises Sharply  Wholesale inflation rose last month at the fastest pace in more than 14 years, largely because of steep jumps in energy and food costs, the government reported yesterday, raising concerns that businesses may be under growing pressure to raise consumer prices.


Eagles Hang On Jason Thomas scores a career-high 23 points and grabs 11 rebounds to help American withstand a late Vermont rally and beat the Catamounts, 67-64.


Australia stunned by murder of aid worker who helped Iraq's poor (AFP) AFP - Aid worker Margaret Hassan's apparent murder by her kidnappers in Iraq caused shock and dismay among Australians and employees of the charity group that employed her, CARE Australia.


Two dead in Srinagar gunbattle as Manmohan Singh arrives (Reuters) Reuters - Indian soldiers killed two militants after a fierce gunbattle in Srinagar on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in the city to promote peace in the disputed region.


Federal surplus at least  #36;8.9 billion but clouds on horizon, says Goodale (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - A strong domestic economy and healthy global demand means Ottawa is on pace to record another whopping budget surplus -  #36;8.9 billion - this fiscal year, says Finance Minister Ralph Goodale.


More Than 15,000 Species Said to Be Facing Extinction (Reuters) Reuters - More than 15,000 species, from sharks\to frogs to fir trees, are facing extinction and the total is\rising faster than ever before, conservationists and scientists\said Wednesday.


Summary: Rice, Bush Have Good Relationship (AP) AP - STANCE: Condoleezza Rice has been both protege and mentor to President Bush in his first four years in the White House and has never indicated publicly any difference in view with him.


GOP Election Victory Shaping Budget Bills (AP) AP - The Republican election victory and the sheer weight of record deficits are shaping a pair of mammoth budget bills that the GOP is trying to shove through Congress during its lame-duck session.


Israel Vows Response to Rocket Fire from Lebanon (Reuters) Reuters - Israel vowed on Tuesday to respond\against militants who launched a cross-border rocket attack\into the Jewish state from southern Lebanon, but said it would\act with restraint to avoid inflaming the situation.


Verizon Considering Move to Va. Verizon Communications Inc., which has been in discussions with New York and New Jersey over whether to keep its headquarters in Manhattan, has put out feelers to Virginia as well..
-The Washington Post


InPhonic Shares Gain During Debut Shares of InPhonic Inc., a Washington reseller of wireless service and telephones over the Internet, rose 26 percent Tuesday on their first day of trading..
-The Washington Post


Flight attendants union OKs strike The board of the country #39;s largest flight attendants union authorized a national strike Tuesday after its president said the airline industry is using the bankruptcy process to threaten workers #39; livelihoods.


Hollywood sues film pirates Los Angeles - A trade group representing seven major movie studios filed a first wave of lawsuits against individuals they say are offering pirated copies of films using peer-to-peer file-sharing programs.


IBM Sponsors Humanitarian Grid Computing Project BrianWCarver writes  quot;Reuters reports that IBM and top scientific research organizations are joining forces in a humanitarian effort to tap the unused power of millions of computers and help solve complex social problems.


Albatron debuts Nvidia AGP6600 and AGP6600GT cards for the AGP 8x <b>...</b> Albatron Technology today announced the Nvidia-based AGP6600 and AGP6600GT VGA cards, both of which are designed for the AGP 8x interface.


Roddick outlasts Henman Second-ranked Andy Roddick of the United States edged Tim Henman of Britain for a 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)victory Tuesday night in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championship.


Guerrero wins by country mile They partied in the streets yesterday in the Dominican Republic, where the president declared a national holiday after Anaheim #39;s Vladimir Guerrero won the American


ABC apologizes for intro on  #39;Monday Night Football #39; ABC apologized Tuesday for beginning this week #39;s Monday Night Football telecast with a tease sequence in which Nicolette Sheridan, star of ABC #39;s top-rated domestic drama, attempted to seduce


ON FOOTBALL A Giant task awaits New York #39;s Manning Life doesn #39;t get much better than being a successful quarterback in the NFL. Tom Brady dates actresses. Brett Favre has a best-selling book.


FBI nabs  #39;activist #39; on extortion charges CHICAGO  In July of 2002, community activist Derrick Mosley blasted State Sen. James Meeks, who had been named successor to the president of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, for offering spiritual counseling to prominent people accused of sexual offenses.


New Mexico #39;s Long gets extension through 2009 New Mexico, on the verge of going to a third straight bowl game, Tuesday gave coach Rocky Long a contract extension through 2009. While details of the new contract are still being worked


Clarett may leave shiners on Buckeyes Maurice Clarett #39;s charges against Ohio State are so unsettling that the NCAA may do more than round up the usual suspects this time.


Minnesota #39;s shooters slash Miami #39;s defense MINNEAPOLIS - The Heat wasn #39;t overly concerned about its 0-2 record against Western Conference teams heading into Tuesday #39;s game at Minnesota.


New Free Trade Plan For Asia Pacific Asia-Pacific leaders attending the annual summit in Santiago this week are being asked to consider establishing a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).


France won #39;t release Arafat #39;s medical records France has no intention of making Yasser Arafat #39;s medical records public and will leave the decision about what to do with them up to his family, the foreign minister said yesterday.


Craft sets speed record A sleek NASA X-43A aircraft set a world speed record Tuesday, flying at more than 6,600 mph in a test flight that eventually could revolutionize air travel and space exploration.


Late run propels Guerrero to MVP Vladimir Guerrero provided an instant return on Anaheim #39;s five-year, \$70 million, free-agent investment, and Tuesday was named the American League MVP by the Baseball Writers Association of America.


- NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg George Steinbrenner met with Pedro Martinez yesterday in Tampa, perhaps setting the stage for the most mind-blowing defection between enemies since Babe Ruth.


Gunshots echo in Indian-controlled Kashmir Gunshots echoed in the heart of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir Wednesday morning, just a few hours before Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives.


US racing insurgents for influence in Fallujah as battle winds <b>...</b> As fighting winds down, US troops face an even more difficult mission in Fallujah winning the people #39;s allegiance. Planners want to


Thai queen urges nation to unite to end southern violence (AFP) AFP - Thailand's respected queen has made a rare public appeal for the nation to unite to end violence in the troubled Muslim-majority south where nearly 550 people have died this year.


Google shares fall as staff sell Shares in Google have fallen 6.7 as employees and early investors in the web search take advantage of the first chance to sell their holdings.


Final foray The group of fans approached the coach after spotting her on a street in downtown New Orleans, eager to share their admiration of her team, even though it was missing from the women's Final Four.


Holes yet to be covered The Patriots worked out former Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson Monday, according to the NFL's daily personnel notice, but by last night the safety had agreed to terms with his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


It's bad news bare for ABC ABC apologized yesterday for a steamy intro to  quot;Monday Night Football quot; after receiving complaints from viewers and the NFL.


Revolution veterans left open The Revolution will expose some of their most experienced and respected players to the Major League Soccer expansion draft, scheduled for Friday to stock new teams in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.


Holy Cross at a glance Coach: Bill Gibbons (20th year, 393-172). Last year: 13-15, 8-6 (fourth in Patriot League).


Time to step to the fore The University of Connecticut is still not sure what life will be like without Diana Taurasi, the two-time national player of the year who led the Huskies to three straight national championships. Taurasi, who was the No. 1 draft pick in the WNBA last spring (Phoenix Mercury), lost only eight games in her four-year career.


Harvard at a glance Coach: Kathy Delaney-Smith (23d year, 335-240). Last year: 16-11, 9-5 (tied for second in Ivy League).


Hoopla for 2006 event begins Declaring,  quot;Boston, the ball is in your court, quot; the NCAA yesterday tipped off an 18-month drive to pay for the 2006 Women's Final Four at the FleetCenter, which is expected to cost \$2.3 million, with a ceremony at the State House.


Militants rebuff Abbas truce idea GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Islamic militant groups behind many suicide bombings dismissed yesterday a call from Mahmoud Abbas, the interim Palestinian leader, to halt attacks in the run-up to a Jan. 9 election to replace Yasser Arafat.


Returns are in, and Merrimack looks like a winner With a 90-59 record in five years at Merrimack , Ann McInerney has set some high standards.


France won't release Arafat's medical records PARIS -- France has no intention of making Yasser Arafat's medical records public and will leave the decision about what to do with them up to his family, the foreign minister said yesterday.


Couto stops Danvers Anyone looking for a last-minute retirement gift for Somerset boys' soccer coach Whit Horton should consider picking up a copy of Journey's Greatest Hits so the Blue Raiders can blast  quot;Don't Stop Believing quot; during their warmups this weekend.


China regrets submarine's intrusion, Japan says BEIJING -- China expressed regret through diplomatic channels yesterday that one of its nuclear-powered submarines intruded into Japanese territorial waters last week for  quot;technical reasons, quot; Japanese officials said.


Britain targets a smoky tradition LONDON -- Four hundred years after King James I denounced tobacco as  quot;loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, quot; the British government is taking heed. It announced plans yesterday to ban smoking in most public places, including restaurants and any pub that serves food.


Quincy gets its revenge It took a year, but Quincy's volleyball team has bragging rights in the city again.


BC High drops Cotter home finale For many coaches, their last home game after 41 years on the job would be an emotionally charged event that becomes bigger than the game.


Walpole's victory feels like old times WALTHAM -- Certain programs are expected to compete for championships every year in local high school sports, such as Catholic Memorial in ice hockey and Everett in football.


Brockton rules New Bedford Even without their star rusher, the No. 3 Brockton Boxers continued rolling last night, turning in a dominant defensive effort to handle New Bedford, 32-6.


HP Fares Well in Much of Asia (Reuters) Reuters - Upbeat earnings from U.S. computer\company Hewlett-Packard drove an index of Asian stocks outside\of Japan toward a 5-year high, but the dollar's weakness\against the yen pressured shares in Japanese exporters.


Jim Leyland Still Wants to Manage Again (AP) AP - Jim Leyland still wants to manage again despite being turned down by the Philadelphia Phillies, but has little interest in any job that wouldn't allow him to return regularly to his Pittsburgh home.


Singapore cuts 2004 growth forecast after Q3 slowdown (AFP) AFP - Singapore cut its growth forecast for this year to 8.0-8.5 percent from 8.0-9.0 percent following a sharp slowdown in the third quarter and warned of uncertainties ahead for 2005.


Retail discord ringing over charity's bells This holiday season's retail conundrum: to silence the bells, or let them ring. As the Salvation Army kicks off its annual red-kettle program today, a growing number of retailers, from Best Buy to Target, are banning Salvation Army bell ringers from their doors -- to avoid having to choose between competing charities and out of concern for customers, they say.


SEC details Bleidt's alleged scheme Bradford C. Bleidt, the investment adviser and radio entrepreneur accused of stealing as much as \$20 million from clients over two decades, hid his activities from regulators by keeping two sets of books: one for investors whose funds were put into legitimate accounts, and a secret second set that kept track of money he stole from investors and put in ...


Taking care of little guy If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, then a small-business person scorned by his bank comes in second.


Offshoring accelerating Michael Brightman is reminded daily that workers in New Delhi do the same job he does. His Indian counterparts routinely direct AT amp;T customers to him for long-distance billing problems that the New Delhi workers can't answer.


Middle-class, white-collar jobs leaving, too, not just 'grunt' work Jim Pinder lost his job to India before most people had ever heard of ''offshoring. quot;


Latinos turning focus to networking When Ferdinand Alvaro Jr. wanted to start a minority-owned law firm in Boston three years ago, he immediately ran into trouble. The Puerto Rican lawyer and his partners, two black men, made presentations to the cream of Boston's downtown: banks, mutual funds, and other companies throughout the financial district.


Just subtract the fear, and add some planning Even with a degree in finance from Bentley College and a year working for a financial planning firm, John Tosti found the prospect of planning for retirement so intimidating that he avoided organizing his savings.


Wholesale prices rocket 1.7 increase is the largest in over 14 years Wholesale prices -- catapulted by more expensive energy and food -- soared last month by the largest amount in more than 14 years.


\$8.8m Oracle bid nears judgment day Two major PeopleSoft Inc. shareholders yesterday indicated they would split their votes on whether to accept Oracle Corp's \$8.8 billion hostile takeover bid.


Flight attendants to hold strike vote The nation's largest flight attendants union said yesterday it would hold strike authorization votes at four major airlines, accusing the industry of using the bankruptcy process to cut workers' pay and other benefits.


Spitzer warns of further insurance industry woes Disclosures of bid-rigging within the insurance industry may lead Congress to a ''Pandora's box quot; of unethical conduct, a top investigator told Congress yesterday, just before two more executives pleaded guilty.


2.5 auto insurance rate hike reaffirmed The state's highest court affirmed an already approved 2.5 percent average increase in auto insurance premiums for this year, but said the insurance commissioner may have to revise her decision in a way that would ease premiums for certain drivers. The Supreme Judicial Court rejected Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly's challenge of a new formula used by Insurance Commissioner Julianne ...


SEC, potential WBIX buyer meet Christopher F. Egan met yesterday afternoon with lawyers at the Securities and Exchange Commission in an effort to keep his planned purchase of radio station WBIX-AM on track.


Facing putting the children through college Norfolk County Treasurer Joseph Connolly makes \$89,000 a year. His wife, Elaine, has a hotel job, and they own a home in Weymouth. Connolly also has two part-time jobs, one of them a seat on the Weymouth City Council, another teaching at Curry College. By most standards this family would be considered well off.


Specter Closer to Leading Judiciary Panel (AP) AP - Despite protests from anti-abortion activists, Sen. Arlen Specter is moving closer to locking down the spot as next year's Judiciary Committee chairman and shepherd to President Bush's judicial nominees in the Senate.


Chirac Says Iraq War Created More Dangerous World  LONDON (Reuters) - Last year's U.S.-led invasion of Iraq  and ousting of President Saddam Hussein has made the world more  dangerous, French President Jacques Chirac said on the eve of a  state visit to key U.S. ally Britain.


Weak Dollar Seen Pinching Developing Countries Developing countries with substantial reserves in US dollars will lose wealth if the American currency depreciates further, but are unlikely to quickly offload their


China Pledges Investments of \$19.7 Bln in Argentina (Update1) China pledged to invest \$19.7 billion in Argentine railroad, energy, telecommunications and housing projects over the next 10 years, an Argentina government official said.


2 major PeopleSoft shareholders split on Oracle deal Two of PeopleSoft #39;s (PSFT) largest shareholders indicated Tuesday that they would split on supporting Oracle #39;s (ORCL) \$8.8 billion takeover bid for its business software rival, plunging the deal into uncertainty.


Price surge gains traction In the back of the DeKalb Farmers Market, a worker heaves 50-pound bags of Thai rice from a truck docked at the warehouse. Through a large door, he throws the sacks, an image of the Earth embossed on each one.


Nasa test flight sets new record An unmanned experimental jet has broken a world record for speed, cruising over the Pacific Ocean at just under 7000 miles (11,265km) per hour in a NASA test of cutting-edge  quot;scramjet quot; engine technology.


Film piracy lawsuits accuse 22 in Colorado Hollywood studios went to Denver federal court Tuesday, filing two lawsuits against 22 unnamed Coloradans suspected of swapping pirated copies of movies over the Internet.


Microsoft Rolls Out NetWare Migration Package Microsoft is campaigning for Novell NetWare users, again. This time Microsoft is wooing Netware users with a migration package that contains several incentives ranging from tools, prescriptive


Hewitt rallies past Moya Lleyton Hewitt let the first set slip away after an overnight rain delay. He wasn #39;t about to allow the trend to continue. Hewitt came back from a first-set lag to beat Carlos Moya 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4 in a


NFL ROUNDUP: Fight costly for 2 Browns, 1 Steeeler NEW YORK -- Linebacker Joey Porter of the Pittsburgh Steelers and running back William Green of the Cleveland Browns were fined \$10,000 each by the NFL on Tuesday for their fight before Sunday #39;s game.


BRIDGE HANDED ENGLAND CHANCE Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge will tonight be handed the chance to stake his claim as the long-term solution to Englands left-sided midfield conundrum.


ABC apologizes for sexy  #39;MNF #39; intro In a skit with Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens,  quot;Desperate Housewives quot; actress Nicollette Sheridan was shown wearing just a towel in the Eagles #39; locker room.


Sonics #39; Defense to Get a Boost with Return of Fortson Allen <b>...</b> PHILADELPHIA - How valuable has Danny Fortson been to the Seattle SuperSonics? He #39;s having an impact on the team even when he #39;s not playing.


Washington-bound Expos find the money for Castilla, Guzman For a team without a budget, the Expos made a big early splash in free agency. In their first major moves since announcing their relocation to Washington, the Expos on Tuesday agreed to terms with third baseman


US forces fight in Mosul; hostage is believed slain US and Iraqi troops stormed insurgent-held police stations and neighborhoods in Mosul today, launching an offensive to retake parts of this northern Iraqi city where gunmen staged a mass uprising last week in support of fighters in


US  #39;ignoring dollar worries #39; BRUSSELS: Euro-zone finance ministers yesterday stepped up pressure on the US to show its strong dollar policy was more than just rhetoric even though they feared their calls were falling on deaf ears.


Tokyo Edge: Autumn Brings Gamers' Delights Handheld game devices and satellite radio receiver vie for gadget fans' attention with camcorders, big LCD TV, and more.


With earnings up 12.7, Wal-Mart shares drop LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s largest retailer, reported a 12.7 percent increase in its third-quarter earnings.


Wholesale prices jump in October Even with the surge of energy prices, Fed policy-makers said  #39;inflation and longer-term inflation expectations remain well-contained.


Murdoch wants Malone #39;s word Following a policy of trust-but-verify, Rupert Murdoch said Tuesday that he wants formal assurance that Liberty Media Chairman John Malone won #39;t make a run at his News Corp.


Zurich Financial Q3 falls 31 on hurricane impact LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Zurich Financial Services (ZZ:001107539) said Wednesday that third quarter net profits fell 31 percent to \$454 million, hit by the impact of hurricanes.


Salvation Army ready to ring in cash Equipped with bells and the familiar red kettles, local Salvation Army volunteers and clients will hit the streets this weekend for the agency #39;s annual kettle campaign.


NASA completes test flight of super-fast jet NASA on Tuesday successfully conducted the final and fastest test flight of an unmanned experimental jet, at a record nearly 10 times the speed of sound, or 11,260 km per hour, it is reported.


Movie industry sues file swappers Taking a page from the music industry #39;s playbook, the movie industry filed lawsuits in St. Louis and elsewhere Tuesday as part of a national campaign to crack down on piracy online.


Microsoft targets older people for web via TV Seattle, November 17: For people trying to get their aging parents on the web so they can read e-mail and get digital photos of the family, Microsoft Corp has a message: Don #39;t give up.


Microsoft Retaliates By Poaching Novell #39;s Customers After Novell slapped a lawsuit on Microsoft, blaming it for the death of its office productivity suite WordPerfect, the Redmond giant seems furious.


Hewitt rallies to beat Moya; Roddick wins without best serve Lleyton Hewitt knows how it feels to be No. 1 in the world. Anything less is no big deal to him. Hewitt rallied to beat Carlos Moya 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 in a first-round match at the ATP Masters Cup Championships


PO Little League The PO Little League will hold an election of officers meeting at 7 pm Thursday at the YMCA. All officers, coaches, volunteers and interested parents are urged to attend.


CHELSEA DUO TO START AGAINST SPAIN Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge will be handed the chance to stake his claim as the long-term solution to England #39;s left-sided midfield conundrum.


MVP Guerrero best in country, AL With three of the top four contenders for the American League #39;s Most Valuable Player award from his country, Dominican Republic president Leonel Fernandez felt it was safe to host a celebration


Let Bob do his job: agent CHICAGO -- Be prepared for the worst. That could be the message NHL Players Association executive director Bob Goodenow conveys to player agents at a meeting today.


Aid worker who cared for Iraqis is believed slain BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Margaret Hassan spent a large part of her 59 years helping needy Iraqis. On Tuesday, her friends and family said they believed her captors had executed her, unjustly ending her life in the land she had adopted as her home.


Tokyo Edge: Autumn Brings Gamers' Delights (PC World) PC World - Handheld game devices and satellite radio receiver vie for gadget fans' attention with camcorders, big LCD TV, and more.


NASA Jet Sets Record for Speed A tiny pilotless NASA jet soared above the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday at nearly 10 times the speed of sound, almost 7,000 miles an hour, thanks to a radical new engine technology.


China, Argentina to establish strategic partnership China and Argentina have decided to establish and develop a  quot;strategic partnership, quot; Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Argentine counterpart Nestor Kirchner said Tuesday in Buenos Aires.


Microsoft CEO meets Indian prime minister Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer brought his campaign to retain his company #39;s dominance in the Indian software market to the country #39;s leadership yesterday.


PPI takes 1.7 jump Soaring energy costs and a surge in food prices contributed to a surprising 1.7 percent rise in US producer prices in October, the Labor Department reported Tuesday -- the biggest gain in almost 15 years.


Fox not fazed by CNBC Rupert Murdoch said yesterday he expects to launch his new Fox business channel next summer and that it will be easy to compete against CNBC.


Spitzer warns of further insurance industry woes Disclosures of bid-rigging within the insurance industry may lead Congress to a  #39; #39;Pandora #39;s box quot; of unethical conduct, a top investigator told Congress


X-43 hits 6,600 mph over Pacific Ocean NASA #39;s X-43 unmanned aircraft hit a record 6,600 mph Tuesday in the program #39;s final test flight, providing researchers with data for use on future ultra-high-speed aircraft and spacecraft.


MPAA files Internet suits The Motion Picture Association of America on Tuesday filed its first wave of lawsuits against people it alleges have traded illegally copied movies online, a practice the MPAA says represents


Kyoto protocol doesn #39;t have to be out of our reach Charles F. Wurster is professor emeritus of environmental sciences at Stony Brook University and is a member of the board of Environmental Defense, a nonprofit organization.


Grid project puts unused PCs to work IBM and several of the world #39;s leading scientific and philanthropic groups this week launched a project that would put millions of PCs to work on research problems ranging from Alzheimer #39;s to disaster forecasting.


Microsoft Cracks Down on Xbox Changes Game Stop employee Lisa Hargreaves pulls out a stack of games for waiting customers at the University Mall in Davis Calif., at the stroke of midnight Nov. 9, 2004, as fans lined up to get first crack at the \$50 sequel from Microsoft Corp.


Notebook: Guerrero earns MVP Vladimir Guerrero had such a powerful presence during the final week of the season that voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award wasn #39;t close.


ABC apologizes for racy TO intro A naked Nicollette Sheridan, playing a character who specializes in sleeping around the neighborhood, jumps into the arms of the Eagles #39; Terrell Owens, the most infamous superstar in the NFL.


Sonics #39; win streak at 7 with 103-95 win over Sixers PHILADELPHIA - The difference between the two halves of the NBA used to be as distinct as red states and blue states. Teams residing on the left side of the country preferred an up-tempo game, while everyone else plodded through half-court sets.


France #39;s Chirac says UK won nothing from Bush support LONDON: French President Jacques Chirac said in a newspaper interview yesterday that Britain has gained nothing from its support for the United States-led invasion of Iraq.


Flight Attendants #39; Union Calls For Strike HONOLULU -- The country #39;s largest flight attendants union is calling for a national strike against four airlines now in bankruptcy.


Greece #39;s Alogoskoufis Says US, Japan Needed to Buoy Dollar Greek Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis said Europe alone can #39;t halt the euro #39;s rise and the US and Japan would have to pitch in to buy dollars to end the decline of the American currency.


Vodafone doubles interim dividend, extends buy-back Vodafone Group doubled its interim dividend to 1.91p, the top end of forecasts, and extended a full-year share buy-back programme after strong underlying results.


Amex sues Visa, MasterCard NEW YORK: American Express on Monday sued credit card associations Visa and MasterCard and eight banks for damages from what it called anti-competitive practices that prevented 20,000 US banks from using its credit card products.


Hewlett-Packard Shares Jump After Sales of Servers Rebound Hewlett-Packard Co. shares jumped as much as 9 percent in Europe after the computer maker said fourth- quarter profit beat its forecast and Chief Executive Carly Fiorina said she #39;s fixed


Rupe tries roadblock Rupert Murdoch wants to put up another gate to keep media mogul John Malone from buying a bigger stake in his kingdom. One week after adopting a poison pill to protect his News Corp.


Two top shareholders take opposing positions LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- As the deadline for what Oracle Corp. has called its  quot;best and final quot; offer for PeopleSoft Inc. looms, two of the unwilling takeover target #39;s top shareholders were split Tuesday on whether to back the \$9.2 billion bid.


NASA  quot;scramjet quot; breaks speed record A tiny unmanned NASA  quot;scramjet quot; soared above the Pacific Ocean yesterday at nearly 10 times the speed of sound, or almost 7,000 mph, in a record-breaking demonstration of a radical new engine technology.


Film Trade Group Files Anti-Piracy Suits LOS ANGELES Nov 17, 2004 - Following the lead of record companies who curtailed rampant Internet piracy by targeting even small-time file swappers, Hollywood studios have launched a first wave of lawsuits against people who allegedly downloaded recent


Europe goes to the Moon Europe #39;s first mission to the Moon is about to start. The unmanned, solar energy driven SMART-1 spacecraft has entered the orbit around the Moon.


Computers worldwide will power big project on proteins If the Human Genome Project gave biologists the equivalent of a parts list for a car, then the latest biology mega-project will be like the instructions that show how the parts combine to make an operating fuel injector.


Vole stole my Yoga idea AN ACADEMY Award winning screenwriter has sued the mighty Microsoft saying it stole his idea for a virtual yoga studio when it issued  quot;Yourself!


Microsoft Unveils Its New Search Engine -- at Last! After months of speculation and two  quot;preview quot; releases, Microsoft unwraps its new MSN search engine, the first major competitor to join Web search major leagues in nearly a year.


Microsoft Uses Halo 2 to Catch Xbox Pirates With Halo 2 racking up record sales and eager fans rushing to Microsoft #39;s Xbox Live online gaming service to compete with other gamers from around the world, it should be an exciting time for Xbox enthusiasts.


Nash enjoys emotional return to Dallas; Garnett gets best of Shaq Back in Dallas, Steve Nash deftly ran the Phoenix offense and set up his new teammates with one smooth pass after another. Kevin Garnett kept the ball in his own hands, outclassing Shaquille O #39;Neal all night.


Cahill: Victory Should Have Been Ours Tim Cahill revealed he thought Australia deserved to win tonights international match with Norway at Craven Cottage. Norway took the lead through Steffen Iversen shortly before half-time, before Tim Cahill


Basketball: Canada #39;s Nash makes triumphant NBA return to Dallas DALLAS, United States : Steve Nash reminded the Dallas Mavericks how impressive a National Basketball Association player he can be, scoring 17 points and adding 18 assists to lead Phoenix in a 107-101 triumph here.


Tim and world are one Maybe coach Lenny Wilkens should make copies of the game tape of the Knicks #39; 99-81 loss last night at SBC Center and distribute them to his players as required viewing.


SIGNS OF STARDOM The colossal sign that is draped around one end of the American Airlines Arena is a rather imposing spectacle, to say the least. Theres little doubt that Dwyane Wade has achieved star status in south Florida.


Eli takes giant step to starter When Archie Manning heard his 23-year-old son would be starting against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, he remembered what his other quarterback son told him after his first NFL start.


Mosul Forces Secure 75 Percent of Police Stations, US Says US and Iraqi forces secured more than three quarters of Mosul #39;s police stations as calm prevailed following last week #39;s flare up in violence that saw insurgents raid police buildings in the city, the US military said.


Palestinian groups position candidates for election GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Militant groups behind many suicide bombings dismissed a call from interim Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday to halt attacks in the days leading up to a Jan. 9 election to replace Yasser Arafat.


Colin Powell to travel to Middle East on Nov 21-22 Washington, Nov 17 (PTI) US Secretary of State Colin Powell, facing his last weeks on the job, will travel to the Middle East as scheduled to accelerate prospects for peacemaking, the State Department has said.


Sharon mulls coordinating plan with new Palestinian leadership Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he would be willing to consider coordinating his unilateral plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip with the Palestinians if the new leadership shows willingness to fight  quot;terror quot;.


UNH squelches Merrimack Junior defenseman Jacob Micflikier scored a pair of goals and Preston Callander had three assists as the University of New Hampshire men's team handed Merrimack a 4-1 Hockey East loss last night in North Andover.


Angels' Vladimir Guerrero Wins AL MVP (AP) AP - Vladimir Guerrero figured someone from his baseball-crazed country would be chosen as the American League's Most Valuable Player.


US to fight economic imbalances, but responsibility is shared: Snow (AFP) AFP - US Treasury Secretary John Snow acknowledged that big US deficits are playing a role in global economic imbalances, but cited a  quot;shared responsibility quot; to fix the problems.


Pennington Is Ready, if a Bit Rusty For the second time in two seasons, the Jets on Sunday will welcome Chad Pennington back after an extended absence because of injury.


Insurance probe bags two more State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer told a subcommittee of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday that he expects more criminal pleas in connection with his investigation into price collusion and conflicts of interest in the insurance


Crematory operator may get 12 years A former crematory operator accused of dumping 334 bodies, including those of Tennesseans, and passing off cement dust as their ashes has struck a plea deal that calls for up


Audit finds Newsday circulation heavily inflated A long-awaited audit, released by the high court of publishing, confirmed Newsday #39;s admission that its circulation was heavily inflated and cut the size of its New York City edition.


12,000 counterfeit track suits seized A total of 12,000 counterfeit track suits bearing the Nike logo were discovered in a 40-foot container by the container monitoring unit of the Customs Department.


Cahill felt Aussies deserved win Tim Cahill says he feels Australia deserved to win last night #39;s international match with Norway at Craven Cottage. Norway took the lead through Steffen Iversen shortly before half-time, before Tim Cahill and


Arizona pulls away for another NIT win Mustafa Shakur scored 23 and Ivan Radenovic 20 - both career highs - in No.10 Arizona #39;s 80-69 victory over San Diego on Tuesday in the first round of the Preseason NIT.


Chirac Says Iraq War Made World More Dangerous  LONDON (Reuters) - Last year's U.S.-led invasion of Iraq  and ousting of President Saddam Hussein has, if anything, made  the world more dangerous, French President Jacques Chirac said  on the eve of a state visit to key U.S. ally Britain.


Navy Unit Finds Perils in Rebuilding Fallujah The assault on the city was accompanied by a pledge from U.S. officials to rebuild it after the offensive was complete. But keeping that promise may prove more difficult than anticipated.


Businessman sues singer Jackson A businessman is suing Michael Jackson for \$3m alleging he is owed for unpaid loans and producing fees.


China's IT: An Inside Outsider's View Letter An insight into piracy rates


Camera phones threat to privacy A human rights group has suggested a mandatory flash on camera mobiles would counter illicit photography.


Revelations Only Confirm Suspicions About Drugs Only the nave or willfully ignorant seem not to understand that drug use has been widespread for many years in elite sport.


Google Stock Slips as New Shares Hit Market (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Google Inc. stock dropped more than 6 percent yesterday as tens of millions of new shares held by early investors and employees of the search engine giant became available for sale for the first time.


Tokyo Stocks Edge Lower, Dollar Down (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks edged lower Wednesday for the second straight day, led by export-dependent technology and automobile issues following Wall Street's overnight retreat. The U.S. dollar slid against the Japanese yen.


Exiles: Iran Hides Secret Military Nuke Site from U.N.  VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran's government is conducting nuclear  activities linked to a covert atomic weapons program at a  military site unknown to U.N. inspectors, says an exiled  opposition group that has given accurate information before.


76ers: Allen drops Sonic boom from long range PHILADELPHIA -- For the second time this season, the 76ers got an up close look at a team that does what it wants to do on the offensive end.


Isiah needs a lone star SAN ANTONIO - Sometimes, the planets align perfectly and, presto, you can rebuild in one fell swoop without ever hitting rock bottom.


Baptism of Eli passes QB test Half the world expects Eli Manning to be the next Peyton Manning. The other half only wants him to be the next Ben Roethlisberger.


Yanks star swats sex-tortion bid Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield revealed yesterday he was the victim of a shakedown artist who threatened to release X-rated video of his gospel-singer wife and a professional musician.


Pakistan hails Indian troop pullout from Kashmir (AFP) AFP - Pakistan has welcomed the first withdrawal of Indian troops from disputed Kashmir, as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hinted at further reductions.


UK unemployment total falls again UK unemployment fell by 67,000 in the three months to September to 1.38 million, official figures show.


Snow: Cutting Budget Deficit Top Priority (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said\on Wednesday that cutting a record budget deficit was a top\priority for the second-term Bush administration and challenged\Europe to play its part in helping trim the U.S. trade gap by\boosting its own economic growth.


Sainsbury #39;s reports first ever loss The struggling supermarket chain J Sainsbury today reported the first loss in its 135-year history. Sainsbury #39;s, weighed down by the costs of overhauling its business, made a loss of 39m for the six months


UPDATE 3-Vivendi raises 2004 forecast after strong quarter France #39;s largest media company, Vivendi Universal (EAUG.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) , raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a 19 percent increase in third-quarter underlying operating profit, buoyed by a rebound in


Oil Retreat Deepens Ahead of U.S. Data (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices extended recent heavy losses\on Wednesday ahead of weekly U.S. data expected to show fuel\stocks rising in time for peak winter demand.


Film industry files first wave of anti-piracy lawsuits The seven major studios filed their first wave of lawsuits aimed at ending Internet piracy. The lawsuits for federal copyright infringement were filed yesterday in several cities, including Denver, New York City, San Francisco and St.


Viagra TV ads make unsubstantiated claims, says FDA to Pfizer Two Viagra TV ads are making unsubstantiated claims about sexual desire and should be pulled out, the FDA told Pfizer Inc, the makers of Viagra.


Adobe Unveils Acrobat 7.0 Software Adobe Systems has introduced Adobe Acrobat 7.0 software suite, with features that could appeal to home offices and professionals who make a living from content design.


Firefox takes torch from Microsoft browser Web surfing has belonged almost exclusively to Microsoft Corp. #39;s Internet Explorer ever since it buried Netscape #39;s pioneering browser.


Roddick beats Henman in Texas Andy Roddick squeezed past Britain #39;s Tim Henman 7-5 7-6 at the Masters Cup overnight, giving his fellow Texans the hometown win they came to see.


Not all  #39;cheesecake #39; is the same to the NFL Showing Nicollette Sheridan in a pregame promotion for  quot;Monday Night Football quot; wearing nothing but a towel? Showing the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders repeatedly during the game, all 38 of them dressed in costumes


Radcliffe #39;s resurgence to continue in Finland PAULA RADCLIFFE is almost certain to challenge for the 10,000 metres title next summer rather than contest the marathon at the bi-annual World Champion-ships in Finland.


Snow: Cutting Budget Deficit Top Priority  LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said  on Wednesday that cutting a record budget deficit was a top  priority for the second-term Bush administration and challenged  Europe to play its part in helping trim the U.S. trade gap by  boosting its own economic growth.


Hassan Execution Make Relief Work Almost Impossible Says EU The claimed execution of Anglo-Iraqi aid worker Margaret Hassan makes relief efforts almost impossible to carry out in Iraq, the EU said today.


Indian prime minister visits Kashmir Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday paid his first visit to Kashmir since taking office, as Indian troops began to withdraw from the territory.


Minister stubs out smoke policy THE Government #39;s plans for a partial ban on smoking in public places seems to have fallen far short of what has been proposed by Liverpool City Council.


French media: Israelis aided Ivory Coast military in attacks  quot;Israel mercenaries assisting the Ivory Coast army operated unmanned aircraft that aided aerial bombings of a French base in the country, quot; claimed


China-Japan tensions over mysterious submarine ELEANOR HALL: Diplomatic tensions erupted between China and Japan this week over a mystery submarine in Japanese waters. The Japanese Government had blamed the Chinese for the incursion.


Oil Retreat Deepens Ahead of U.S. Data  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices extended recent heavy losses  on Wednesday ahead of weekly U.S. data expected to show fuel  stocks rising in time for peak winter demand.


Africa Lobbies for More AIDS, TB, Malaria Funds  ARUSHA, Tanzania (Reuters) - African leaders lobbied the  Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for more money  Wednesday to solve a cash crunch facing its work, seen as vital  for the continent's health, officials said.


Motorola Sees 3G Phone Sales Quadrupling  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Motorola Inc., the No. 2 mobile phone  maker, said on Wednesday it expects sales of phones based on  the WCDMA third-generation technology to more than quadruple  next year, helping it claw back market share.


Vivendi Ups Forecast After Strong Quarter  PARIS (Reuters) - France's largest media company, Vivendi  Universal, raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a  19 percent increase in third-quarter underlying operating  profit, buoyed by a rebound in music and strong mobile phone  sales.


Czechs recall Velvet Revolution The 15th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution that toppled the Communist Party is marked by Czechs.


Somali leader's house 'attacked' The Nairobi residence of the newly elected Somali president is reportedly attacked by unknown gunmen.


HP stock surges on record results Shares in Hewlett-Packard have risen by 8 per cent in after-hours trading after the US computer and printer manufacturer reported record revenues in every division and in every region.


1,100 losing jobs at GM Baltimore plant General Motors Corp., the world #39;s largest automaker, announced Tuesday that the 1,100 remaining workers at its Baltimore assembly plant will lose their jobs


quot;Scramjet quot; Breaks Speed Record It #39;s small, but it #39;s fast, as NASA #39;s unmanned  quot;scramjet quot; proved Tuesday in a record-breaking demonstration above the Pacific Ocean.


IBM Community to address social issues New York: The US-based software major IBM, along with representatives of the world #39;s leading science, education and philanthropic outfits, has launched a global effort aimed at harnessing the vast computing power of individuals and business computers and


Microsoft fires broadside at Novell Netware What Redmond giveth, Redmond taketh away. Barely a week after settling an anti-trust suit with Novell over unfair practices designed to drive Netware out of the Enterprise and a few days since Novell slapped


Guerrero wins MVP honors in AL Vladimir Guerrero easily defeated his competitors on the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees yesterday to win the American League Most Valuable Player award.


ABC gulps down a promo-seltzer An ABC-TV cross-promotion on  quot;Monday Night Football quot; for the new series  quot;Desperate Housewives quot; worked a little too well, so the network apologized all over itself yesterday.


Palestinian security talks continue amid fears of unrest Palestinians pray at the grave of leader Yasser Arafat at the Muqataa, Arafat #39;s destroyed headquarters, in the West Bank town of Ramallah Nov. 15.


Afghans say UN hostages still in Kabul Three UN workers abducted in Afghanistan are probably still being held in the Kabul area and not by a resistance group, the interior ministry said.


Kjus Ends Long Wait for Giant Slalom Win  BEAVER CREEK, Colorado (Reuters) - Norwegian Lasse Kjus won  a World Cup giant slalom for the first time in nine years as  Alpine skiing's golden oldies relived their past glories on  Saturday.


Child Soldiers in Front Line of Wars Across World (Reuters) Reuters - Boys and girls as young as nine years\old are in the front line of wars across the world, and even\when the fighting has finished they are largely neglected in\the peace process, a report said Wednesday.


Arabs Enraged at U.S. Soldier Shooting Wounded Iraq (Reuters) Reuters - Arabs were torn between seething rage at\images of a U.S. soldier shooting dead a wounded Iraqi in a\mosque and dismay at Iraqi insurgents in Falluja for turning\holy mosques into battlegrounds.


Vivendi Ups Forecast After Strong Quarter (Reuters) Reuters - France's largest media company, Vivendi\Universal, raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a\19 percent increase in third-quarter underlying operating\profit, buoyed by a rebound in music and strong mobile phone\sales.


Summary: a Bird? a Plane? No, a Scramjet (AP) AP - SPRINT TO RECORD: A NASA-backed supersonic combustion ramjet  #151; or scramjet  #151; flew on its on power for 10 seconds, setting a world speed record for an air-breathing engine.


Backed Into a Currency Corner? Don #39;t Overreact down - against other major currencies. The tumble has helped the portfolios of some fortunate Americans by bolstering the returns of their foreign stocks and bonds.


The Final Capitalist Frontier Future space explorers might bring back more than just pictures from their excursions -- they could mine the planets for profit. By Mark Baard.


Halo 2: Playing to the Bitter End Bungie's follow-up to its wildly successful shooter provides hours of fun, provided you're not too irritated by the ending or the long wait for a match on Xbox Live. By Lore Sjberg.


Vote Recount to Settle Doubts? A vote recount in New Hampshire requested by the Nader campaign could allay concerns about anomalous election results in the state. But if the recount uncovers problems with voting machines, it could lead to a recount in Florida. By Kim Zetter.


AntiGrav Not Exactly Uplifting The new PlayStation 2 game makes ingenious use of the gimmicky EyeToy controller, but glitches and repetition keep it from taking off. By Chris Kohler.


X-43A Jet Breaks Air Speed Record NASA's X-43A 'scramjet' now holds the jet aircraft speed record after hitting a top speed of Mach 9.6, or nearly 6,600 mph. Engineers say the technology could find its way into military and commercial aircraft. By Amit Asaravala.


Palko Throws for 5 TDs as No. 19 Pitt Routs South Florida  TAMPA, Fla. (Sports Network) - Tyler Palko threw for a  career-high 411 yards and five touchdowns, leading 19th-ranked  Pittsburgh to a 43-14 drubbing of South Florida at Raymond  James Stadium.


Flight attendants threaten to strike Leaders of the nation #39;s largest flight attendants union, which represents workers at United Airlines and US Airways Group Inc.


BoE hints rates on hold for now The Bank of England appears set to hold interest rates steady for at least the next few months after revealing policymakers did not even discuss raising borrowing costs at their November meeting.


Insurance industry misdeeds widening? In town to testify on bid rigging and price-fixing in the insurance industry, California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi yesterday said ongoing investigations might reveal


Sainsbury profits slashed First-half profit at J Sainsbury has tumbled almost two thirds as Chief Executive Justin King battles to regain market share and restore financial health to the country #39;s third-largest foodseller.


Oracle #39;s PeopleSoft Bid May Benefit From Arbitragers #39; Stake Oracle Corp. Chief Executive Larry Ellison #39;s \$8.8 billion hostile bid to buy PeopleSoft Inc. may benefit from arbitragers who have loaded up on the stock and are likely to tender their shares.


Vivendi Ups Forecast After Strong Quarter France #39;s largest media company, Vivendi Universal, raised its 2004 earnings forecast as it reported a 19 percent increase in third-quarter underlying operating profit, buoyed by a rebound in music and strong mobile phone sales.


Salvation Army seeks to overcome Target ban The Salvation Army started its annual holiday fund-raising campaign Tuesday with a \$85,000 hole in the kettle. That #39;s how much the charity estimates it collected in kettles in front of Target stores last year.


Internet telephone service planned by SBC in early 2005 SBC Communications announced Tuesday that it would offer residential Internet-based calling, joining what could be the future of home-phone service.


Studios sue internet film pirates Hollywood film studios have filed their first wave of lawsuits against people in the US who trade pirated films over the internet.


Microsoft hunting last NetWare customers This being the age to poach customers using rivals #39; operating systems, Microsoft Corp has announced financial incentives along with tools and support to persuade users to abandon Novell Corp #39;s NetWare for Windows Server 2003.


Pulp Fiction writer sues Microsoft over virtual yoga Despite its best efforts to settle legal action it seems Microsoft just can #39;t stay out of court. Roger Avary, who won an Oscar for writing Pulp Fiction with Quentin Tarantino, is suing the software giant alleging it stole his idea for a yoga game.


Nokia Extends IPv6 To Phones Nokia has demonstrated the first mobile IPv6 call, using its CDMA dual stack handset. The demonstration was made at the 3G World Congress Convention and Exhibition, which took place this week in Hong Kong.


GeForce 6600GT AGP, as good as it gets? We reported on PCI-Express chipsets in numerous articles in the past two months, by reading those you would almost start to think that AGP was indeed dead and buried.


Roddick ousts Henman in Houston Tim Henman, the British No 1, lost his rain-delayed opening match against the world No 2 Andy Roddick at the Masters Cup in Houston this morning.


FOOTBALL: DEFOE: I #39;LL GO IN ANY POSITION but will play anywhere if it means he is in Sven Goran Eriksson #39;s plans. The 23-year-old Spurs striker is set to start on the


Kerr frustrated at victory margin Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr admitted he was frustrated his side did not score more than one goal in their friendly win over Croatia.


FA to complain over racism at under-21 friendly in Spain England will complain to FIFA about racist abuse directed at their black players during an under-21 friendly international in Spain, a Football Association spokesman said on Wednesday.


Boss plans raid on Boston market This wasn #39;t just an exercise designed to poke a stick at the world champion Red Sox. George Steinbrenner is enamored with the idea of signing one of the Yankees #39; all-time antagonists.


Bulls play hard, lose SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Although it was more competitive than most of their other trips to the West Coast in recent years, the result was the same.


Garnett does it all for Timberwolves Kevin Garnett had 25 points, 21 rebounds and eight assists to pace the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 108-97 victory Tuesday against the visiting Miami Heat.


Clippers Surge in Second Half LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 (Ticker) -- Marko Jaric led a third-quarter charge that put the Los Angeles Clippers where they haven #39;t been in nearly 10 years.


CARE Director Believed Slain in Iraq British and Irish leaders on Wednesday condemned the apparent slaying of a British aid worker who would be the first foreign woman killed in the wave of kidnappings that have beset Iraq.


#39;Half measures #39; for pubgoers condemned, Asthma UK Asthma experts have condemned as a  #39;shabby half measure #39; the government #39;s decision not to implement a complete ban on smoking in public places.


UN Security Council to Meet in Nairobi on Sudan The United Nations Security Council is traveling to Nairobi, Kenya, for a special two-day meeting on the conflicts in Sudan. The Security Council meetings on Thursday and Friday are intended to put pressure


Kim #39;s portraits removed upon instruction from North Korean <b>...</b> PYONGYANG, November 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Kim Jong Ils portraits were removed from some state offices frequented by foreigners at the initiative of the leadership of the country, an informed source in the Russian embassy in Pyongyang told Tass.


MPC sets record as rates peak The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee #39;s latest demonstration of unanimity - voting 9-0 to keep interest rates unchanged - is the latest piece of evidence to suggest that interest rates have peaked.


Vivendi reports sizzling third-quarter profits (AFP) AFP - Media and mobile telephone group Vivendi Universal said that third-quarter profits had risen by nearly sixfold and upgraded its full-year profit outlook owing to a change in tax arrangements.


NBA Today (AP) AP - Minnesota at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST). The Timberwolves, who had the Western Conference's best regular-season record last season, meet the defending NBA champions.


Sudan's main foes say peace deal imminent (AFP) AFP - Sudan's government and main rebel group are ready to clinch a final deal to end more than 20 years of war within days of talks resuming next week, spokesman for both sides said, a day before the UN Security Council opens a rare meeting in Nairobi on the country's peace process.


Indian PM offers Kashmir new start as first troops pullout (AFP) AFP - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered Kashmiris peace and prosperity as he pulled an army battalion out of the troubled state and held out hope of further troop cuts.


Sears, KMart to Merge in \$11 Billion Deal  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck   Co. and Kmart Holding  Corp. on Wednesday said they would merge in an \$11 billion deal  to form the third-largest U.S. retailer.


Oil Extends Retreat Ahead of U.S. Data  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices extended recent heavy losses  on Wednesday ahead of weekly U.S. data expected to show fuel  stocks rising in time for peak winter demand.


Microsoft Caught Out Software piracy threatens to rob our cultural pioneers of their incentive to keep bringing us the best in everything they do. Microsoft is committed to preventing piracy from hurting legitimate software users, but by staying informed, you can ensure you're being part of the solution.   -- Microsoft on Software Piracy    Oops. Not taking your own advice is just silly.


Arabs Enraged at U.S. Soldier Shooting Wounded Iraqi  DUBAI (Reuters) - Arabs were torn between seething rage at  images of a U.S. soldier shooting dead a wounded Iraqi in a  mosque and dismay at Iraqi insurgents in Falluja for turning  holy mosques into battlegrounds.


Another attack suspect arrested The German authorities have arrested a fourth man in connection with a suspected plan to attack the Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi during a visit to Berlin earlier this week.


Annan is teetering on his pedestal UNITED NATIONS, New York For years, Kofi Annan was seen at the United Nations as a Mandela-like figure, a statesman who brought a serene sense of personal confidence and institutional steadiness to the task of settling conflict and a person frequently


Aragones Causes More Controversy Spain coach Luis Aragones has risked further uproar with an attempt to repair the damage caused by his racist comments about Thierry Henry.


New slaying in southern Thailand after queen #39;s plea for peace A gunman fatally shot a villager early Wednesday in southern Thailand, a day after the country #39;s queen made a plea for an end to violence in the Muslim-dominated area.


Insurgents strike Iraqi police station, mosque Militants kill at least 30 in assault on Baghdad; US forces say 22 insurgents killed in Mosul. A Iraqi man mourns the death of his brother.


Czechs Mark 15th Anniversary of Uprising (AP) AP - Evoking decades of repressive rule, Czechs took to the streets for concerts and speeches by former dissidents Wednesday to mark the 15th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution that ended communism.


Spitzer tells Senate of insurance probe New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer tells US lawmakers that many insurance brokers systematically fix the market.


Sears, KMart to Merge in \$11 Billion Deal US department store operator Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co. (SN: Quote, Profile, Research) and discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. (KMRT.


HP performance hitting its groove Riding on record revenue across all its business segments, Hewlett- Packard Co. delivered surprisingly strong financial reports for its fiscal fourth quarter, with profit up 26.5 percent.


Murdoch to meet News Corp rivals NEWS Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch said today he plans to meet media investor John Malone in the coming months, and played down reports of hostility between the two tycoons.


Britain #39;s Jobless Rate at New 20-Year Low Britain #39;s unemployment rate fell to a new 20-year low of 4.6 percent in the latest quarter, according to official data released Wednesday.


Bell-ringer shortage could take toll It may be beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but Rich Forney is worried it sure won #39;t sound like it. Forney, administrator of the Salvation Army #39;s Lawrence operations, said the nonprofit #39;s annual bell


Nasa jet flies at  #39;10 times speed of sound #39; A tiny unmanned Nasa  quot;scramjet quot; set a new world speed record after flying at nearly 10 times the speed of sound. The 12ft supersonic combustion ramjet flew at just under 7,000mph - or around Mach 9.6.


Hollywood sues 200 US internet thieves Top Hollywood studios have launched a wave of court cases against internet users who illegally download film files. The Motion Picture Association of America, which acts as the representative of major film


Half-Eaten Grilled Cheese Draws Large Bids on E-bay Take a look on e-bay, and you #39;ll find some cheesy items up for sale. But probably none as  quot;cheesy quot; as this one. The on-line auction website, e-bay, took a grilled cheese sandwich listing.


RFID tags on medication introduced in US US regulators the Food and Drug Administration have released guidance for the attachment of RFID tags to drug packaging in order to  quot;insure that the drugs available in the United States are among the safest in the world.


Microsoft sued over  #39;stolen #39; game ACADEMY Award-winning screenwriter Roger Avary is suing software giant Microsoft in California for allegedly stealing his idea for a virtual yoga studio.


Microsoft bites back at Novell Microsoft has introduced a raft of migration tools designed to persuade Novell #39;s NetWare customers to defect to Windows. The move, which comes less than a week after Redmond handed over half a billion dollars


Nokia demos first mobile IPv6 call Nokia has demonstrated what it claims is the world #39;s first mobile call made over the next-generation IPv6 internet protocol. The call, made using Nokia #39;s CDMA Dual-Stack handset, combined real-time streaming


Russian press hails Sharapova Moscow - Russian newspapers lavished praise on Wednesday on 17-year-old Russian tennis sensation Maria Sharapova, saying her triumph over Serena Williams in the finals of the WTA Tour Championships was a victory for the history books and for her native