Will O's Switch to NL if D.C. Gets Expos? (AP) AP - Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli offered an interesting solution to the team's concern about losing revenue if the Montreal Expos move to Washington. "Switch leagues," he said Sunday, suggesting that Baltimore join the National League and that the Washington team move to the American League.


2 Ecologists Near End of West Coast Hike Forget a Global Positioning System or even a map. The Earth #39;s own original satellite is the most important guide for two hikers making the first known continuous trek of the nation #39;s western coastline.


PeopleSoft urges upgrades PeopleSoft launched a promotion on Thursday to encourage customers of its business management software to upgrade to the latest version - even as Oracle continues its disruptive takeover bid, which threatens the company #39;s future.


Todt on the race, Rubens #39; victory, strategy and the  #39;China project <b>...</b> Following an  #39;eventful #39; inaugural Chinese Grand Prix, certainly as far as his team is concerned, Jean Todt sat down to answer a few questions, while company president Luca di Montezemolo disappeared to change out of his Champagne-soaked suit.


Cahill #39;s late goal gives Everton win over Portsmouth Tim Cahill #39;s goal in the 80th minute lifted Everton to a 1-0 victory Sunday at Portsmouth, keeping the Toffies firmly in third place in England and only three points behind league-leading Arsenal.


JOHNSONS HARD RIGHT FELLS JONES AND ENDS AN ERA When Roy Jones Jr. showed up on Thursday for a press conference in the lobby of the Fed Ex Forum, the most noticeable thing about him - the thing that everybody in the arena commented onwas how small, even fragile, he looked.


Shock 76, Liberty 66 Cheryl Ford had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Deanna Nolan scored 18 points to lead the defending WNBA champion Detroit Shock past the New York Liberty 76-66 Sunday, evening their first-round WNBA playoff series at 1-1.


Stenson Wins Heritage by Four Strokes (AP) AP - Henrik Stenson of Sweden shot a 6-under-par 66 Sunday to win The Heritage by four strokes over Carlos Rodiles of Spain.


Titans' Schulters Leaves Game With Injury (AP) AP - Tennessee Titans free safety Lance Schulters hurt his left foot Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars and was taken to the locker room. His return was questionable.


Al-Qaeda figure  #39;killed in gunfight #39; PASKISTANI security forces today killed an al-Qaeda kingpin allegedly behind an assassination attempt on President Pervez Musharraf and charged over the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl, a security official said.


2 Utah State Basketball Players Suspended (AP) AP - Utah State indefinitely suspended basketball players Jason Williams and Marques Crane on Sunday for a violation of team rules, and coach Stew Morrill said the two may be dismissed from the team.


Jeanne could be year #39;s costliest Hurricane Jeanne has the potential to be the most expensive storm to hit the United States in a year of expensive storms. Risk Management Solutions


Nibbling at the pie THOSE who move away from the majority to tread a path of their own have always been termed mavericks. One category of people who today could qualify to be called mavericks are those using Web browsers other than Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer (IE).


Hamas vows to hit Israeli targets abroad Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas, vowed on Sunday to hit Israeli targets abroad after one of its leaders was assassinated in Damascus earlier in the day.


US dollar under pressure despite Fed hinting at further rate hikes LONDON : The dollar came under renewed pressure from the euro and yen, even as minutes released by the US Federal Reserve from its August meeting hinted at a steady pace of US interest-rate tightening.


Investors expecting clarity this week NEW YORK - The first presidential debate this week and a load of data on consumer spending will settle some questions that have been hanging over US stocks, and equity strategists, and traders say the decreased uncertainty could draw buyers back to the


State #39;s top marching bands spend millions FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Booster clubs for high school marching bands that have made it to the state finals have spent more than \$12 million the past four years for props, music and other necessities that help make the bands successful.


Spaniard fends off compatriot Perez MADRID, Spain -- Roberto Heras became only the second rider to claim three Tour of Spain titles when he held off a charging Santiago Perez in the final stage Sunday.


Bomb Alert Prompts Greek Plane to Land in London A bomb threat prompted a Greek Olympic Airlines passenger plane to make an emergency landing, escorted by British Tornado jets, at London #39;s Stansted Airport on Sunday.


Senior Taliban commander arrested in southern Afghanistan (Kandahar, Afghanistan-AP) Sept. 26, 2004 - Afghan officials say an alleged senior Taliban commander and two fighters have been killed in a raid on a village home in southern Afghanistan.


South Americans Make Offer to EU on Trade (AP) AP - The South American trade bloc Mercosur has made a new offer in a bid to advance stalled trade talks with the European Union and clinch a trans-Atlantic free trade deal by an October deadline.


Debates Give Kerry Last Chance to Make Case (Reuters) Reuters - When President Bush and Sen. John\Kerry open a series of debates on Thursday, voters will get\their first chance to directly compare the White House\candidates -- and Kerry will get perhaps his last chance to\convince Americans he is up to the job.


Iraq Dogs Blair as Party Conference Starts  BRIGHTON, England (Reuters) - Iraq overshadowed the start  of Tony Blair's Labour Party conference on Sunday despite the  prime minister's efforts to turn attention to the domestic  agenda ahead of a general election expected next year.


Titans Kinney leaves with left calf injury Titans tight end Erron Kinney strained his left calf in the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Kinney was hurt after Steve McNair threw an incomplete pass to the end zone for receiver Drew Bennett.


Week in review: Can the Trojans bring it early? It happens to nearly every team in its quest for a national title. In happened to USC on Saturday when the Trojans had to come from behind to beat Stanford 31-28.


Nigerian rebels target Agip Rome - The Italian oil group Eni said on Sunday that it would continue operations in Nigeria, despite reported threats by a militant group, and denied that its helicopters had been used for military purposes.


Pearl Kidnapping Suspect Dies in Pakistan KARACHI, Pakistan - Paramilitary police killed a suspected top al-Qaida operative, wanted for alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, during a four-hour shootout Sunday at a southern Pakistan house, the information minister said. At least two other men were arrested...


Mets Put Another Dent in Cubs' Hopes NEW YORK - Al Leiter pitched two-hit ball for six innings to earn his first win in six weeks, and the New York Mets put another dent in Chicago's playoff hopes Sunday with a 3-2 victory over the Cubs.    Chicago began the day a half-game in front of San Francisco in the NL wild-card race after losing 4-3 to the fourth-place Mets in 11 innings Saturday...


Hamas Operative Killed in Syrian Capital Israel's claim to have killed a Hamas leader in the Syrian capital on Sunday marked an escalation in the Jewish state's war against the violent group, embarrassed Syrian leaders and turned up pressure on Damascus to expel Palestinian militants.


Mets Put Another Dent in Cubs' Hopes (AP) AP - Al Leiter pitched two-hit ball for six innings to earn his first win in six weeks, and the New York Mets put another dent in Chicago's playoff hopes Sunday with a 3-2 victory over the Cubs.


Braves Eliminate Defending Champ Marlins (AP) AP - The Florida Marlins won't be repeating as World Series champions. Florida was eliminated from postseason contention Sunday, losing to the Atlanta Braves 6-3 as John Thomson held the Marlins to one run in seven innings.


British hostage reportedly still alive in Iraq The waiting and wondering continued Sunday about the fate of British hostage, Kenneth Bigley, although one Muslim activist says he is still alive.


Titans' McNair Injured in Loss to Jaguars (AP) AP - Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair bruised his sternum on a 2-point conversion late in the fourth quarter of Tennessee's 15-12 loss to Jacksonville.


Niners' Lloyd Inactive for Seahawks Game (AP) AP - San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Lloyd was inactive for Sunday's game at Seattle because of a strained groin.


Umpire Leaves Mariners-Rangers Game (AP) AP - First-base umpire Ed Montague left Sunday's game between the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers before the start of the fifth inning because of an elevated blood pressure.


Roddick Extends U.S. Domination Over Belarus  CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - U.S. world number  two Andy Roddick coasted to victory over Belarus teenager  Alexander Skrypko in a dead reverse singles rubber in the Davis  Cup semi-finals on Sunday.


O #39;s Thrive on Suspense These Baltimore Orioles have suddenly turned into heart-stoppers. After four breathtaking games against playoff contender Boston this week, the Orioles appeared


Comfortable win escapes Cubs Victor Diaz grew up a Chicago Cubs fan, and on Saturday he beat his one-time favorite team. Diaz hit a game-tying three-run home run with two out in the ninth inning


Jeanne Damage Estimated at \$4-\$8 Billion  MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Jeanne, which roared across  Florida on Sunday, may have caused \$4 billion to \$8 billion in  insured damage, a risk management group said.


Banker recalls concerns about barge deal An ex-Merrill Lynch banker testified Thursday that she #39;s kept a facsimile about an Enron deal for more than four years because she thought something was amiss.


Brown hit hard in return In his first start since breaking his non-pitching hand Sept. 3, Brown got just two outs Sunday. He allowed four runs and six hits and put the Yankees in a deep hole in their final regular-season game against Boston.


NFL Game Summary - Jacksonville At Tennessee Nashville, TN -- Fred Taylor scored on a one-yard run with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter to lift the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 15-12 victory over the Tennessee Titans at The Coliseum.


Umpire leaves Mariners-Rangers game First-base umpire Ed Montague left Sunday #39;s game between the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers before the start of the fifth inning because of an elevated blood pressure.


European Tour stats attack Mr Accuracy Henrik Stenson played some of the best golf of the season to run away with The Heritage at Woburn #39;s treacherous Duke #39;s Course.


Woodbridge blasts tennis  #39;cancer #39; Veteran Davis Cup player Todd Woodbridge says the introduction of synthetic grass courts has been a  quot;cancer quot; on Australian tennis.


NFL Game Summary - Baltimore At Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH -- Jamal Lewis ran for 184 yards on just 16 carries along with a touchdown as Baltimore defeated Cincinnati, 23-9, in an AFC Central showdown at Paul Brown Stadium.


Jeanne Damage Estimated at  #36;4- #36;8 Billion (Reuters) Reuters - Hurricane Jeanne, which roared across\Florida on Sunday, may have caused  #36;4 billion to  #36;8 billion in\insured damage, a risk management group said.


Rates Mean End of Low Interest Costs (Reuters) Reuters - Despite record federal deficits, the\Bush administration has benefited from historically low\interest payments, but as rates continue to rise, the era of\cheap debt service may be over.


Fannie CEO May Not Withstand Challenge  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The vaunted political and financial  skills of Fannie Mae Chief Executive Franklin Raines may not be  enough to save him professionally after a scathing regulatory  report last week detailed pervasive accounting lapses at the  mortgage finance company.


JPEG exploit toolkit spotted online A toolkit designed to exploit a recently-disclosed Microsoft JPEG vulnerability has been released onto the net. The toolkit (screen shot from AV firm F-Secure here) makes it trivially easy for maliciously-minded


Stenson shoots 66 to win by four Henrik Stenson of Sweden shot a 6-under-par 66 Sunday to win The Heritage by four strokes over Carlos Rodiles of Spain. Stenson, the overnight leader, birdied four successive holes beginning at the 14th to


Windies have become a proud unit The West Indies are back. And I say this not because of their triumph on Saturday but I base it on the way they fought tooth and nail to pull off the incredible victory.


Badgers #39; defense posts best month since  #39;51 They #39;ve allowed just 19 points in their 4-0 start, making up for the loss of star tailback Anthony Davis to an eye injury for the last 3 games.


NFL: Ravens/Bengals _ Jamal Lewis ran for 186 yards as Baltimore dumped Cincinnati 23-to-9. He had a 75-yard touchdown sprint that clinched win win for the 2-and-1 Ravens.


Code targets Microsoft JPEG flaw Code that exploits a weakness in the way many Microsoft applications process JPEG images has been published on the internet. Microsoft only discovered the security flaw, which could allow software viewing


Musharraf terms talks with Manmohan  #39;gain for peace #39; AMSTERDAM, September 27 (Online): President Musharraf described his meeting with Indian Prime Minister very positive and constructive adding,  quot;it will go long way to resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir quot;.


Bomb Threat Sparks Air Alert Police were tonight preparing to search a Greek airliner which was forced to divert to a London airport for an emergency landing following a bomb threat.


Presidential Debate, Consumer Data Eyed The first US presidential debate this week and a load of data on consumer spending will settle some questions that have been hanging over US stocks, and equity strategists


Singh Unseats Woods Vijay Singh wins the PGA Tour player of the year award Monday for the first time, ending Tiger Woods' five-year hold on the honor with a season that left no debate about who was No. 1 in golf.


Armed Militiamen Worry Sudanese Refugees (AP) AP - Armed militiamen surged into a western border area where some Darfur refugees attempted to return to their raided village, U.N. security officials said Sunday, raising further concern about how quickly 1.4 million displaced Sudanese could return home safely.


US Airways says reaches new contract with trainers US Airways (UAIRQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) , which this month sought bankruptcy protection for the second time in two years, said on Sunday it reached a new union contract with 65 flight crew training instructors.


PeopleSoft #39;s Conway maintains defiant tone With 15,000 attendees at PeopleSoft #39;s Connect user conference waiting to hear how the company would address Oracle #39;s lingering hostile takeover bid, PeopleSoft chief executive Craig Conway tackled the issue early in his opening keynote.


Jaguars #39; late TD beats Titans 15-12 The last time the Jacksonville Jaguars were facing a goal-to-go situation at Nashville Coliseum with time winding down, they went away disappointed.


NFL: Eagles/Lions _ Donovan McNabb threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score as Philadelphia beat Detroit 30-to-13. While the Eagles improve to 3-and-0 the surprising Lions fall to 2-and-1.


Kansas City Chiefs KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- David Carr and Kris Brown gave Dick Vermeil another reason to cry. After Carr put his team in position, Brown drilled a 49-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining as


Notes: Rotation questions for Torre Joe Torre and Mel Stottlemyre have an interesting week ahead of them, as they try to sort out the Yankees #39; starting rotation for the postseason.


Aid workers braced for more Darfur refugees UN refugee workers are readying themselves for an influx of refugees from Darfur as people in the western Sudan region take advantage of the end of the rainy season and a promised government clampdown on militia violence.


Putin Says State Firms Can Buy Yukos Assets State-controlled companies have every right to bid for Yukos assets if they are sold to pay off the firm #39;s whopping tax debt, although the government is not seeking to nationalize the company, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.


EU prepares to battle Microsoft BRUSSELSRegulators are set to argue that the European Union needs to take a tougher stand against Microsoft Corp. because its antitrust rules are different from those that allowed the company to avoid making


Business in Brief Yukos #39; largest oil-producing unit regained power supplies from Tyumenenergo, a Siberia-based electricity generator, Friday after the subsidiary pledged to pay 440 million rubles (\$15 million) in debt by Oct. 3.


Despite healthy global economy, ministers still face tricky issues The global economy is healthy and no major financial crises loom. Yet finance ministers meeting this week must confront uncertainties about the fight against terrorism, rising interest rates and volatile oil prices.


Global finance chiefs won #39;t let oil dent optimism WASHINGTON: Global finance chiefs may admit this week that soaring oil prices are a cloud on a generally sunny world economic horizon but they will likely dismiss any chance they could drown growth.


Tigers drop fifth straight When Tigers manager Alan Trammell described his bullpen #39;s recent struggles on Friday, he compared it to an offense being in a slump.


Blair #39;s Silence Is  #39;Kiss of Death #39; for Hostage The silence of Prime Minister Tony Blair is the kiss of death for British hostage Ken Bigley, his brother claimed tonight. Paul Bigley, who dramatically


Update 1: UK Proposes Debt Relief for Poor Nations Britain will provide more debt relief for the world #39;s poorest countries and challenge other rich governments to do the same, Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s government said Sunday.


BAA caught in Net 'dirty tricks' campaign Analysis Lawyer calls for urgent domain dispute reform


Fannie CEO May Not Withstand Challenge (Reuters) Reuters - The vaunted political and financial\skills of Fannie Mae Chief Executive Franklin Raines may not be\enough to save him professionally after a scathing regulatory\report last week detailed pervasive accounting lapses at the\mortgage finance company.


Gasoline Prices Rise with Storm (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. average retail gasoline prices\rose over the last two weeks as storms temporarily shut  down\oil production and refineries along with Gulf Coast, an\industry analyst said on Sunday.


News Brief: Computer Failure Grounds Lufthansa Flights The computer error was fixed after a six-hour outage and services were expected to return to normal by the evening, Lufthansa said.


Formula One: Barrichello wins in China SHANGHAI Rubens Barrichello won the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Sunday, but while he occupied Michael Schumacher #39;s accustomed place atop the podium he could not take his teammate #39;s place at the center of attention.


Soaring Eagles crush Lions Donovan McNabb threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 30-13 win over Detroit.


NFL: New Orleans 28, St. Louis 25 (OT) A 31-yard field goal by John Carney in overtime Sunday gave the New Orleans Saints a 28-25 win over St. Louis. Carney kicked five field goals in the game, including a 38-yarder


Turkey Approves Revision of Penal Code Turkey #39;s Parliament approved a sweeping revision of the country #39;s penal code today to bring it closer to European Union norms, a step aimed at enhancing Turkish membership in the 25-nation bloc.


Plane forced to land  #39;on full emergency #39; An Olympic Airlines flight from Athens to New York was forced to land Sunday at London #39;s Stansted Airport  quot;on a full emergency, quot; a spokeswoman said.


Japan  #39;concerned #39; on Korea missiles BEIJING Japanese negotiators expressed  quot;serious concern quot; Sunday about North Korea #39;s missile program, a Japanese diplomat said.


Falling Bond Yields: Not To Worry What #39;s up with the bond market? As the Federal Reserve has steadily increased short-term interest rates over the past few months, investors in the bond-trading pits have pushed long-term yields down.


Davis Cup Tennis: For US and Spain, a little psychic compensation The Davis Cup is tennis #39;s best way of compensating, and that #39;s no reference to prize money, which is not the reason most of the world #39;s top men #39;s players still look forward to this century-old team competition.


Newman dominates Dover; Gordon takes lead Ryan Newman left misfortune behind and ran away from the field, while four-time series champion Jeff Gordon took the NASCAR Nextel Cup points lead Sunday at Dover International Speedway.


Cricket: West Indies #39; winning revival LONDON West Indies has won the Champions Trophy, international one-day cricket #39;s second-most important title, beating England by two wickets at The Oval here.


Hamas Leader Killed in Syria Car Bombing DAMASCUS, Syria -- A car bomb killed a leader of the militant group Hamas in Damascus on Sunday. Police at the scene of the explosion were seen retrieving pieces of the body of Izz el-Deen Subhi Sheik Khalil.


Resistant Israeli Settlers May Get Prison JERUSALEM Sept. 26, 2004 - Armed settlers who resist evacuation could face five years in prison under a law proposed Sunday before next year #39;s planned removal of all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank.


Iraq dogs Blair as party conference starts Iraq has overshadowed the start of Tony Blair #39;s Labour Party conference despite the prime minister #39;s efforts to turn attention to the domestic agenda ahead of a general election expected next year.


More time to quiz terror suspects Police holding four men arrested on suspicion of a terrorist plot to buy radioactive material have been given more time to question them.


Resistant Israeli Settlers May Get Prison (AP) AP - Armed settlers who resist evacuation could face five years in prison under a law proposed Sunday before next year's planned removal of all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank.


N.B. hospital workers plan to take strike to premier's riding on first day (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - FREDERICTON (CP) - New Brunswick hospital workers are adopting an in-your-face strategy in their fight for higher wages by saying they will begin their strike Monday in Premier Bernard Lord's Moncton riding.


Russia Terrorism Plan Meets Mixed Reviews (AP) AP - China on Friday welcomed a Russian draft resolution to draw up a new list of terror suspects who would be subject to extradition in a stepped-up global campaign against terrorism. But the United States and France eyed the plan with a measure of caution.


Pro-Democracy Protest in Iran Gains Momentum  TEHRAN (Reuters) - A rare pro-democracy protest in Tehran  gained momentum late on Sunday with hundreds of cars pouring  onto the streets, blaring horns and provoking an appearance  from hardline vigilantes, witnesses said.


UN refugee head makes Darfur plea The UN refugee chief calls on all sides in Darfur to "sort things out", amid reports of militia movements in the area.


Red Sox Top Yanks in Flareup-Filled Game BOSTON - Curt Schilling allowed one hit in seven innings and Boston battered Kevin Brown in his return from a broken hand, beating the New York Yankees 11-4 Sunday in another flareup-filled game between the rivals.    Boston's Pedro Astacio and New York's Brad Halsey were ejected in the eighth inning for throwing inside to batters...


Israel Claims Killing of Hamas Operative DAMASCUS, Syria - In a hit claimed by Israeli security officials, a senior Hamas operative was killed in a car bombing Sunday outside his house in Damascus, the first such killing of a leader of the Islamic militant group in Syria.    Izz Eldine Subhi Sheik Khalil, 42, died instantly in the explosion, which wounded three bystanders...


Carney #39;s 5 field goals give Saints OT Win Something about the St. Louis Rams always seems to bring out the best in the New Orleans Saints. It proved true again Sunday as John Carney kicked the last of his 5 field goals in overtime to defeat the Rams 28-25.


NFL: Atlanta 6, Arizona 3 The Atlanta Falcons #39; Jay Feely kicked two field goals Sunday in a 6-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Feely #39;s field goals were from 25 and 23 yards in the first half.


Roundup: Limo and Shibui win in Berlin Yoko Shibui continued Japan #39;s supremacy in the Berlin women #39;s marathon and Felix Limo extended Kenya #39;s dominance of the men #39;s race Sunday.


Hamas plots revenge after leader assassinated By Hugh Macleod in Damascus and Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem. Hamas leaders pledged bloody retaliation yesterday after one of its senior figures in Damascus was assassinated in an attack widely read as a new


Police given extra time to hold  #39;dirty bomb #39; suspects Anti-terrorist police were granted a further five days yesterday to question four men arrested after a Sunday newspaper claimed they were plotting to detonate a chemical bomb in Britain or the US.


AC Milan Beats Lazio 2-1 (AP) AP - Andriy Shevchenko's two second-half goals rallied defending champion AC Milan past Lazio 2-1, leaving the teams tied for fourth place in the Italian league.


Acker-Macosko Shoots 11-Under 60 at Longs (AP) AP - Anna Acker-Macosko shot an 11-under 60 on Sunday at the Longs Drugs Challenge, one stroke off Annika Sorenstam's tour record.


NFL Wrap: McNabb Sparkles as Eagles Rout Lions  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Eagles thumped the  Detroit Lions 30-13 in a clash of two previously unbeaten teams  in the NFL on Sunday.


U.S.C. Stays Atop A.P. Poll; Okla. Earns No. 2 U.S.C. received 46 first-place votes in The Associated Press poll released Sunday, eight fewer than last week.


Ravens Plow Bengals After two subpar efforts, Jamal Lewis finds his stride Sunday, running for 186 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown that clinches a 23-9 victory over the Bengals.


Critics Cite Red Light Monitoring Risks (AP) AP - As Philadelphia prepares to install monitoring cameras at some city intersections, officials say they're not worried about studies that suggest the surveillance may lead to more accidents.


Could a 'GBrowser' Spawn an 'MBrowser'? (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - If Google releases a browser, will Microsoft do an about-face and deliver a new standalone version of Internet Explorer?


Egyptians Irked by Prisoner Swap Deal CAIRO, December 6 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - Despite the Egyptian official denial of any deals behind the release of six Egyptian students detained in Israel and convicted Israeli spy Azzam Azzam, opposition figures and people lambasted what


UPDATE: Origin #39;s Bid For NZ Contact Isn #39;t Fair - Adviser WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--New Zealand Contact Energy #39;s (CEN.NZ) independent directors Monday recommended that shareholders not accept a takeover offer from Australia #39;s Origin Energy Ltd.


Rover Missions Renewed as Mars Emerges from Behind Sun As NASA #39;s Spirit and Opportunity rovers resumed reliable contact with Earth, after a period when Mars passed nearly behind the Sun, the space agency extended funding for an additional six months of rover operations, as long as they keep working.


Formula One Race Features China #39;s New Taste for Luxury If any doubts remained that China has turned its back on socialist equality for the masses, they faded in the exhaust fumes Sunday as Rubens Barrichello #39;s flaming red Ferrari


Johnson keeps IBF light heavyweight crown MEMPHIS (Tennessee): Jamaican-born Glen Johnson knocked out American Roy Jones junior in the ninth round on Saturday to retain his International Boxing Federation light heavyweight title.


Vaughan must forget dispiriting reverse and look forward The England camp will no doubt feel depressed that their splendid season should have ended on a dispiriting note with their narrow defeat by the West Indies at The Oval.


Real beaten again, Becks says no crisis MADRID - Just when they thought things would change for the better, Real Madrid slipped back into the mire of possibly a disastrous Spanish Primera Liga season.


NKorea accuses Japan of revising defense policy towards militarism North Korea on Sunday accused Japan of using anti-terrorism moves as an excuse for militarism which put the Korean peninsula at risk of invasion.


Origin #39;s NZ\$3.2 Billion Offer for Contact Too Low (Update2) Origin Energy Ltd., Australia #39;s second-largest energy retailer, probably won #39;t increase its stake in Contact Energy Ltd. much above the 51 percent it has already agreed to buy after


Google accused of pandering to Chinese censors Google, the internet business that made its mantra  quot;do no evil quot;, is accused of pandering to attempts by the Chinese government to censor certain websites.


Arrivederci Roma for Voeller after 26 days ROME - Another week, another European soccer coach gone. Roma #39;s Rudi Voeller became the latest coaching casualty, handing in his resignation after the club #39;s 1-3 away defeat by nine-man Bologna on Saturday.


Shibui breaks Berlin Marathon record; Limo wins men #39;s race Japan #39;s Yoko Shibui overcame a run-in with an official to win the Berlin Marathon on Sunday in a race-record 2 hours, 19 minutes, 41 seconds, the fourth-best time for a woman at the distance.


Newman wins DOVER, Del. Ryan Newman is the winner of the MBNA America 400 at Dover International Speedway in Delaware. Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon took the NASCAR Nextel Cup points lead by finishing third.


23 killed in Iraq violence BAGHDAD: At least 23 people were killed in Iraq overnight and on Sunday as US Secretary for State Colin Powell acknowledged that organising elections throughout the country in January could be difficult.


Labour slips to third place in UK poll LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair has seen his ruling Labour Party slip to third place in a newspaper poll on the eve of its annual conference.


Sparks 71, Monarchs 57 Mwadi Mabika scored 22 points and Tamecka Dixon had 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to a 71-57 victory over the Sacramento Monarchs in the second game of their WNBA first-round playoff series Sunday.


Manning tosses five TDs in first half The Colts #39; Peyton Manning and Green Bay #39;s Bret Favre had a sharp-shooting contest for a first-half score of 35-17 and leaving the opposing defenses full of holes at the RCA Dome today.


Democrats signing up more new voters: report (AFP) AFP - Democrats have far outpaced Republicans in efforts to register new voters in two key US states, according to the New York Times, which conducted a county-by-county analysis of registration data in Ohio and Florida.


Jaguars Surprise Again Fred Taylor ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 9 seconds left Sunday to push the Jaguars past the Titans, 15-12, moving to 3-0 despite scoring just 35 points this season.


Texans Boot Chiefs Houston's Kris Brown caps a Texans rally by nailing a 50-yard field goal with 2 seconds left for a 24-21 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, dropping the defending AFC West champs to 0-3.


Red Sox Belt Yankees Curt Schilling allows one hit in seven innings and Boston batters Kevin Brown in his return from a broken hand, beating the Yankees 11-4.


NZ stocks: Down-time listings hold some interest between results and annual meetings - the NZX is keeping investors interested with a small flurry of listings over the week ahead.


Four Geneva communities had the choice of voting online (Keystone) Of the 22,000 voters in Anieres, Cologny, Carouge and Meyrin, 2,723 chose to cast their votes online in four ballots on easing citizenship, introducing statutory maternity benefits nationwide, and preventing the closure of some 800 state-owned post offices


Golf: Stenson ends three-year wait for title WOBURN, England : Sweden #39;s Henrik Stenson won his first European Tour title for three years when he clinched a four-shot victory in The Heritage tournament.


San Diego Chargers DENVER (Ticker) -- Jake Plummer more than made up for a lack of a running game. Plummer passed for 294 yards and two touchdowns as the Denver Broncos posted a 23-13 victory over the San Diego Chargers in a battle of AFC West Division rivals.


SINGH WINS AGAIN Vijay Singh shot a final-round three-under-par 69 to hold off a charging Stewart Cink and win the 84 Lumber Classic. It was his third straight victory and tour-best eighth of the season.


McNabb Helps Eagles Beat Lions, Reach 3-0: NFL Week 3 (Update1) Donovan McNabb passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 30-13 victory over the Detroit Lions and their first 3-0 start since 1993.


Shevchenko Puts Milan Back on Track A superb second-half performance by Andriy Shevchenko saw champions AC Milan kickstart their season with a 2-1 win in Rome against Lazio tonight.


N.Korea calls missile launch reports  quot;speculation quot; A senior North Korean official denied reports that the secretive communist state was preparing a missile launch, saying they were pure speculation, Japan #39;s Kyodo news agency reported today.


Injury crisis engulfs Rangers SCOTTISH Premier League leaders Rangers have nine players out of action for Sunday #39;s clash against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Pittodrie.


Swiss referendum tests virtual democracy Swiss authorities have hailed as a success what they said was the world #39;s first binding internet vote in a national referendum.


A Touchy Debate Over Voting With the presidential election less than six weeks away, activists and security experts are ratcheting up concern over the use of touch-screen machines to cast votes.


YAHOO! and OMD Reveal Study Depicting Life Without the Internet Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO - News), a leading global Internet company, and OMD, the world #39;s leading media agency*, today unveiled the findings of an Internet Deprivation Study examining consumers #39; media habits


Voeller dumps troubled AS Roma ROME: Rudi Voller (pic) quit as coach of Roma after just four league matches following their 3-1 defeat away to Bologna on Saturday.


Heroics of Ryder Cup inspire Stenson to victory Having lost four of the last five Ryder Cups, an even bigger worry for American golf should be that they have lost the last three Walker Cups.


Milan beats Lazio; Inter held to draw by Parma Andriy Shevchenko netted two second-half goals to rally 10-man AC Milan to a 2-1 win at Lazio on Sunday, lifting the defending league champion closer to the top of the Serie A standings.


Seahawks 34, 49ers 0 Once again, the Seattle Seahawks won with their dominant defense. This time, they ended an NFL record streak. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 254 yards with two touchdowns, Shaun Alexander scored three TDs and Seattle #39;s


Dozens killed in Iraq violence FALLUJAH, Iraq: US airstrikes on rebel-held Fallujah left 15 dead while an insurgent attack in another Sunni Arab town killed 10 more, as Britain and Egypt stepped up efforts Sunday to secure the release of hostages in Iraq.


Schroeder #39;s party halts slump German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder #39;s party has halted an 18-month run of poll disasters by avoiding a fresh slump in local elections on Sunday, but will still need to make giant leaps to win a third term in 2006.


Spy Imagery Agency Watching Inside U.S. (AP) AP - In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency  #151; and some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment  #151; have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.


Navy to Shut Down Sub Radio Transmitters (AP) AP - With terrorism the new global threat, a network of radio antennas that let the Navy maintain secure communications with submarines at sea has become yet another Cold War relic.


Israel Claims Killing of Hamas Operative (AP) AP - In a hit claimed by Israeli security officials, a senior Hamas operative was killed in a car bombing Sunday outside his house in Damascus, the first such killing of a leader of the Islamic militant group in Syria.


Armed militia raises concern for refugees returning to Darfur (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - GENEINA, Sudan (CP) - Armed militiamen surged into a western border area where some Darfur refugees attempted to return to their raided village, United Nations security officials said Sunday, raising further concern about how quickly 1.4 million displaced Sudanese could return home safely.


Opium paraphernalia jumps from Asian taboo to hot collectible (AFP) AFP - Once feeding a scourge which ruined the lives of millions of Asians, opium-smoking paraphernalia has returned, but this time as hot and hip art collectibles being snapped up across the region at skyrocketing prices.


Candidates Gear Up for Crucial Debates (AP) AP - This fall's presidential debates will pit George W. Bush's folksy manner and big-picture brand of policymaking against John Kerry's more cerebral outlook and nuanced world view. Each is a proven debater who knows, only too well, what personal pitfalls to avoid: Bush must stifle the smirk, for instance, and Kerry must cut short his rhetorical rambling.


Edwards Discusses War on Terror at Rally (AP) AP - Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards said Sunday a Kerry-Edwards administration would show no mercy to terrorists.


Telstra in \$750m buyback By staff writers and wires. THE nationn #39;s biggest telco, Telstra Corp, is offering shareholders up to \$4.65 per share in a off-market buyback worth \$750 million.


PeopleSoft teams up with IBM In a move likely to obstruct Oracle?s hostile take-over bid, PeopleSoft last week announced it will adopt IBM?s WebSphere as its preferred middleware platform.


Philippine economy faces more inflation The Philippine central bank should raise interest rates or price inflation will bust out of the government #39;s 4 percent to 5 percent target for the year, a former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor says.


As for the competing IRAs, the Roth wins hands down In life, there are certain things that are beyond indispensable. Like brake lights, hot showers, birthday candles and second chances.


Monitor duty is welcomed The channel may benefit from controversial European Union (EU) proposals to increase import tax duty on TFT monitors, according to resellers.


Microsoft to share Office code Microsoft Corp would share the underlying software code for its Office programme as part of its efforts to make governments more confident in the security and compatibility of the worlds largest software makers products.


VeriSign creates kid credentials VeriSign and a children #39;s safety group unveiled a new technology on Thursday that they said would make it easier for children to avoid child predators online.


Golf: Singh fires final round 69 to win third straight event FARMINGTON, United States : Vijay Singh shot a three-under par 69 to win the 4.2 million dollar PGA event and capture his eighth title of 2004.


NFL: Denver 23, San Diego 13 Jake Plummer hit on 25-of-36 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns Sunday to lead the Denver Broncos to a 23-13 win over the San Diego Chargers.


NFL Game Summary - New Orleans at St. Louis St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - John Carney #39;s 31-yard field goal 7:04 into overtime handed the New Orleans Saints a dramatic 28-25 victory over the St.


19 killed in Iraq violence FALLUJAH: Nineteen people were killed in new clashes in Iraq as the US military continued its operations against militants loyal to guerilla chief Abu Musab Al Zarqawi.


Blair vows agenda for future BRIGHTON: British Prime Minister Tony Blair dismissed talk of resignation and vowed a strong agenda for the future as his ruling Labour Party #39;s annual convention opened yesterday.


Saudi Police, Militants Clash in Capital Riyadh Saudi security forces, battling a wave of al Qaeda attacks in the world #39;s biggest oil exporter, clashed with suspected militants in the capital Riyadh on Sunday.


Musharraf #39;s battle for approval Pakistan #39;s Gen Pervez Musharraf is rarely out of the news. However, his recent speech to the UN, in which he demanded action to prevent an iron curtain separating the Muslim world from the West, gained him an unusual amount of attention.


Schroeder #39;s Party Avoids Major Losses BERLIN - Germany #39;s governing Social Democrats emerged from local elections in the country #39;s most populous state Sunday trailing well behind the conservative opposition in projections, but party leaders were relieved they avoided major new losses.


Crazy John #39;s gone reckless: Latham A CRAZY John #39;s  quot;mother of all clearance quot; sales is how Mark Latham yesterday described John Howard #39;s \$6 billion pre-election spending spree.


Goalless draw leaves Real trailing A lackluster Real Madrid lost further ground to Barcelona at the top of the table after they were held to a 0-0 draw at Villarreal in the Primera Liga on Sunday.


Saudi Police, Militants Clash in Capital Riyadh  RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi security forces, battling a wave  of al Qaeda attacks in the world's biggest oil exporter,  clashed with suspected militants in the capital Riyadh on  Sunday.


Gene clue to malaria drug failure A gene could explain how parasites which cause malaria escape the action of some antimalaria drugs, say researchers.


Tokyo Stocks Open Lower on Oil, Economy (Reuters) Reuters - Tokyo's Nikkei average opened down 0.29\percent on Monday with airlines, exporters and banks under\selling pressure amid growing worries about higher oil prices\and the domestic economic outlook.


Tokyo Stocks Open Lower on Oil, Economy  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average opened down 0.29  percent on Monday with airlines, exporters and banks under  selling pressure amid growing worries about higher oil prices  and the domestic economic outlook.


Lazard Is Near a Public Offer, Executives Say Bruce Wasserstein, the big, brash Wall Street deal maker, is hatching a plan to take Lazard public.


Around the World and Into the Psyche The New York Film Festival, thirty-eight years in the running, continues to command respect as a showcase for eminent filmmakers and up-and-coming masters.


Latest Hurricane Kills Six in Florida HUTCHINSON ISLAND, Fla. - Jeanne, Florida's fourth hurricane in six weeks, piled on destruction in already ravaged areas Sunday, slicing across the state with howling wind that rocketed debris from earlier storms and torrents of rain that turned streets into rivers...


Turnover Helps Colts Derail Packers 45-31 INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning and Brett Favre lived up to their superstar reputations, throwing nine touchdown passes between them. Still, it took a defensive play for the Indianapolis Colts to finally clinch their 45-31 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday...


Foreign Tax Havens Costly to U.S., Study Says Americas biggest corporations are increas- ingly funneling profits earned in the United States to tax havens around the globe, accord- ing to a new study.


For Cingular, Becoming No. 1 Also Poses Risks The union of Cingular and AT T Wireless would create the nation's largest cellular company. How smoothly will it go?


Turnover Helps Colts Derail Packers 45-31 (AP) AP - Peyton Manning and Brett Favre lived up to their superstar reputations, throwing nine touchdown passes between them. Still, it took a defensive play for the Indianapolis Colts to finally clinch their 45-31 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.


Judge slams Ecclestone's F1 power A judge rules against Bernie Ecclestone in a legal dispute which challenged the businessman's control of the firm behind Formula One racing


Seahawks Shut Down Winless 49ers 34-0 (AP) AP - Once again, the Seattle Seahawks won with their dominant defense. This time, they ended an NFL record streak. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 254 yards with two touchdowns, Shaun Alexander scored three TDs and Seattle's defense was magnificent in a 34-0 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.


Saints Hold Off Rams 28-25 in Overtime (AP) AP - Even without Deuce McAllister, the New Orleans Saints' running game is in good hands.


Dodgers Slay Giants in Crunch Pennant Game  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Dodgers opened up  a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League West pennant race with  a 7-4 victory over title rivals the San Francisco Giants  Sunday.


U.S. Are Davis Cup Final Underdogs, Says Roddick  CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - World number two  Andy Roddick says the United States will probably be the  underdogs in the Davis Cup final against hosts Spain in  December.


Telstra announces \$750m share buy back Telstra Corp has announced a \$750 million off-market share buy-back as part of its capital management program. Telstra expects to return \$1.


I'm no hypocrite, says Blunkett David Blunkett defends himself over revelations on his private life, saying he is not saying one thing and doing another.


Shibui breaks Berlin marathon record BERLIN: Japans Yoko Shibui ran the fourth fastest womens race in history on a chilly, drizzling Sunday and broke the Berlin Marathon record with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 41 seconds.


Hamm #39;s case to keep gold goes to arbitrators As he headed by car to JFK airport Saturday evening to fly to Lausanne, Switzerland, to defend his Olympic all-around championship before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, gymnast Paul Hamm was calm and collected.


Cubs Fall Again to Mets The Cubs fall behind early and lose their second straight game to the lowly Mets 3-2, putting a dent in their playoff chances.


Mystics on the Verge In the Eastern Conference's cellar for much of the season, the Mystics could lock up a trip to the conference championship with a victory over the Sun Monday.


Manning Outduels Favre Peyton Manning throws for 393 yards and five first-half touchdowns and Brett Favre racks up 358 yards and four TDs, but the Colts produce a big fumble to secure a 45-31 win.


Cisco, Fujitsu Team on High-End Routers The Cisco-Fujitsu alliance will benefit from Cisco #39;s leadership in IP technology and Fujitsu #39;s edge in networking products.


Panel Studies Effects of Nuclear Tests (AP) AP - Idaho residents who believe Cold War nuclear testing harmed their health will testify before a National Academy of Sciences panel to say they should be included in a federal compensation program.


Singh hangs on for another win Farmington, PA (Sports Network) - Vijay Singh carded a three-under 69 on Sunday to hang on for the title at the 84 Lumber Classic.


Ferrari Dominates in Shanghai In the end, the winner was a man behind the wheels of a Ferrari, just not the Ferrari driver whom tens of thousands of Chinese had come to see.


Stenson grit wins the day The simplest agenda at the Heritage tournament at Woburn has been the winning one, which was achieved yesterday by Henrik Stenson, the deadpan Swede, who played magnificently to finish on 19 under par.


Oil prices steady as US readies draw on strategic reserves Resurgent oil prices paused for breath as the United States prepared to draw on its emergency reserves to ease supply strains caused by Hurricane Ivan.


Telstra sets price range for \$750m buyback Telstra today announced the price range for its \$750 million off-market buyback, which was part of its capital management program.


Riot witness to clarify testimony India's Supreme Court orders a key Muslim witness to explain why she changed statements in a Gujarat riot case.


Telstra Corp. to Pay Up to A\$4.65 a Share in Buyback (Update2) Telstra Corp., Australia #39;s biggest phone company, offered to buy back shares for as much as A\$4.65 each, the first stage in a plan to return A\$4.


Cole takes control as Arsenal play it cool At Manchester City, their enduring sense of optimism creeps up on you like the rain clouds that sweep east over the city and settle over the stadium on matchdays.


Fijian Golfer Singh Wins 8th PGA Tour Event of Season World number one golfer Vijay Singh of Fiji has captured his eighth PGA Tour event of the year with a win at the 84 Lumber Classic in Farmington, Pennsylvania.


Fitting return for Stenson the forgotten Henrik Stenson, a largely forgotten Swede who last won in 2001, was, in a contrary kind of way, a fitting winner of The Heritage event over the Duke #39;s course yesterday.


Rusedski defeat seals fate For close to a decade now, Great Britain #39;s Davis Cup team has consisted of Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski, during which time the elite world group has been reached four times but without a match being won there.


Roberto Heras factbox Factbox on Spanish cyclist Roberto Heras, who won the Tour of Spain for the third time in his career on Sunday. Took up cycling at the age of 13 after his father promised him a bike if he beat him in a game of tennis.


Spoiled Again: Cubs Humbled by Mets linging to a half-game lead in the race for the National League wild card, the Cubs sent Kerry Wood to the mound at Shea Stadium yesterday, needing to shake off a sudden and shocking defeat a day earlier.


Tornado fighters escort jet to Stansted after bomb scare A jet bound for New York made an emergency landing at Stansted airport yesterday after repeated warnings that a bomb was on board.


Blair #39;s silence  #39;is kiss of death #39; The brother of Kenneth Bigley last night claimed that Tony Blair #39;s inaction could cost the British hostage his life. Paul Bigley, who cited new information


Renault F1 Team launches Bijoux Racing The Renault F1 Team is excited to announce the launch of a collection of luxury jewellery, in collaboration with designer Mary Kaczor: Bijoux Racing.


INTERVIEW: Telstra Rev Growth Similar To 2H04 -2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Telstra Corp. #39;s (TLS) revenue so far this fiscal year has been growing at a similar pace to the second half of 2003-04, Chief Financial Officer John Stanhope said Monday.


Tokyo stocks open slightly lower TOKYO - Stocks opened slightly lower Monday on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as declines in US technology shares last Friday prompted selling.


eBay will keep Half.com subsidiary open indefinitely EBay announced Thursday that it will keep its Half.com subsidiary open indefinitely, scrapping previous plans to shutter the e-commerce site in mid-October.


Sunday, September 26, 2004 Calling On Plummer On a day when the Denver Broncos honored the greatest quarterback in franchise history - John Elway received his ring from the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a halftime ceremony -he


MBNA America 400 results DOVER, Del. - Results Sunday from the MBNA America 400 for NASCAR #39;s Nextel Cup series at Dover International Speedway, listing starting position in parentheses, driver, car, laps completed with reason out if not running at the finish, and money won:


Titans' McNair Bruises Sternum in Loss to Jags (Reuters) Reuters - Tennessee Titans\quarterback Steve McNair suffered a bruised sternum late in the\fourth quarter of Sunday's game against Jacksonville.


Top Pakistani Al-Qaeda suspect killed KARACHI (Pakistan) - Paramilitary police have killed a suspected top Al-Qaeda operative wanted for his alleged role in the slaying of a Wall Street Journal reporter and two assassination attempts against President Pervez Musharraf, the Information


Brown tells activists to return to party values Gordon Brown will make an appeal today to traditional Labour values, calling on rank and file to build a  quot;progressive consensus quot; for the 21st century.


NFL Wrap: McNabb Sparkles as Eagles Rout Lions  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Eagles thumped the  Detroit Lions 30-13 Sunday in a clash of two previously  unbeaten teams.


NL Wrap: Dodgers Slay Giants in Crunch Pennant Game  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Dodgers opened up  a 2 1/2 game lead in the National League West pennant race with  a 7-4 victory over title rivals the San Francisco Giants  Sunday.


Steroid Row Mostly Forgotten as Bonds Wows Fans  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Barry Bonds failed to lift the  San Francisco Giants to victory against title rivals the Los  Angeles Dodgers Sunday, although he did cap a revitalization of  his reputation in his last home game of the regular season.


Titans' McNair Bruises Sternum in Loss to Jags  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sports Network) - Tennessee Titans  quarterback Steve McNair suffered a bruised sternum late in the  fourth quarter of Sunday's game against Jacksonville.


Spoiled Again: Cubs Humbled by Mets Al Leiter provided a settling influence and Kerry Wood struggled with his control, yielding three first-inning runs.


Tokyo Stocks Extend Losses  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei fell 0.67 percent by  mid-morning on Monday, extending losses into a seventh session  as worries about higher oil prices hit airlines while banks and  retailers wilted on concerns about the domestic economic  outlook.


Tokyo Stocks Extend Losses Tokyo #39;s Nikkei fell 0.67 percent by mid-morning on Monday, extending losses into a seventh session as worries about higher oil prices hit airlines while banks and retailers wilted on concerns about the domestic economic outlook.


World economy  #39;is at its best for five years #39; MADRID: The world economy is at its best point for five years, although the US budget deficit and sluggish European growth pose problems, International Monetary Fund (IMF) head Rodrigo Rato was quoted yesterday as saying.


Chen defends Taiwan #39;s controversial arms package Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian said Sunday a controversial arms deal was part of the government #39;s attempts to deter any attempt by rival China to invade the island.


Voller: My resignation best way of helping Roma The German offered his resignation immediately after Saturday #39;s 3-1 defeat at Bologna, but was asked by director general Franco Baldini to reconsider.


Messina Stays 3rd in Italy; Barcelona Leads in Spain (Update2) Messina missed the chance to join Juventus on 10 points at the top of Italian soccer #39;s Serie A after drawing 0-0 at home with Chievo.


Barcelona #39;s Eto #39;o dazzles on Mallorca return Samuel Eto #39;o had a memorable return to the Estadio Son Moix on Sunday as his two first-half goals helped his new club Barcelona defeat Real Mallorca 3-1.


Eagles #39;  quot;big quot; plays difference in win The Lions and Eagles entered Sunday #39;s game at Ford Field in the same place -- atop their respective divisions -- and with identical 2-0 records.


Jags get offense clicking in second half Fred Taylor calls Byron Leftwich the most positive person he #39;s ever met. But unless the game is on the line, Mr. Positive has had a difficult time gaining yards on offense this season until the final seconds.


(Sept. 26, 2004) -- Quick takes on some of Week 3 #39;s more <b>...</b> Indianapolis 45, Green Bay 31: The class of NFL quarterbacking squared off in this one. The class of NFL pass defense did not. The predictable result was a highly entertaining shootout that saw Peyton Manning


Record loss for Schrder in biggest state Germany #39;s Social Democrat chancellor, Gerhard Schrder, suffered a humiliating election defeat in the party #39;s traditional stronghold yesterday.


Oil Heads Toward \$49.40 Record  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices pushed above \$49 a barrel  on Monday, approaching record levels as worries about the  stability of supplies from Iraq, Nigeria and Russia compounded  concerns over low fuel stocks ahead of winter.


Audio spam, new harassment to Internet users A scientific study shows that audio spam, or spit, will be a new headache for Internet users. The study is carried out by a Maryland-based technology company, China Radio International reported Monday.


Guillen banned for postseason too, if Angels make it The Angels suspended outfielder Jose Guillen for the remainder of the season and the postseason, if they qualify, the team announced Sunday night.


Eagles Are Where the Lions Want to Be He turned a grown man #39;s game into a day on the sandlot, straying from the confines of the playbook, fleeing trouble on the balls of his feet.


Ichiro gets one more hit as M #39;s play spoiler against Rangers ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Rangers might not be in a must-win situation yet, but they #39;re hurting their playoff chances with each loss.


Dover II: Tony Stewart race report DOVER, Del., (Sept. 26, 2004) - A sixth-place finish in any type of race car at Dover International Speedway is a solid and respectable achievement, but after two wins, nine top-fives and now 11 top-10 results


Bigleys brother pleads with Blair PAUL Bigley, brother of the Iraqi hostage Ken, last night appealed to Tony Blair to  quot;pick up the bloody phone quot; to save his brother #39;s life.


Leading al Qaeda suspect killed in gun battle PARAMILITARY police killed a suspected top al Qaeda operative in a four-hour gun battle at a house in southern Pakistan yesterday.


Iran #39;s Asefi: No plan to quit NPT Iran stressed Sunday its commitment to voluntary suspension of uranium enrichment, but warned against hauling Tehran to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.


Britain doing everything for hostage release: Blair: World News London, Sep 26 : British Prime Minister Tony Blair reiterated Sunday his government would do everything it could to win the release of a Briton taken hostage in Iraq, Xinhua reports.


St. Helens Activity May Signal Explosion (AP) AP - A strengthening series of earthquakes at Mount St. Helens prompted seismologists Sunday to warn that the once-devastating volcano may see a small explosion soon.


Plane Diverted to London on Bomb Threat (AP) AP - A bomb threat that mentioned Iraq forced a New York-bound Greek airliner to make an emergency landing Sunday at London's Stansted Airport escorted by military jets, authorities said.


Government spending will push up Australian interest rates, critics warn (AFP) AFP - The Australian government has defended its big-spending election promises as opponents and some economists claimed its new commitments would push up the very interest rates it is promising to hold back.


Strong Charges Are Exchanged Before Debate The intensity of advertisements broadcast this weekend signaled the importance that both sides attach to the debates.


Another Hurricane Roars Across Mid-Florida Hurricane Jeanne caused at least five deaths, making landfall almost exactly where Frances did over Labor Day weekend.


Kevin Costner Weds at His Aspen Ranch ASPEN, Colo. - "Dances with Wolves" star Kevin Costner has wed his girlfriend of five years, Christine Baumgartner, at his Colorado mountain ranch...


Spy Imagery Agency Watching Inside U.S. BETHESDA, Md. - In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home...


Multiplex Offers A\$1.3 Billion for Ronin Property (Update1) Multiplex Ltd., the Australian construction company that is building London #39;s Wembley Stadium, offered A\$1.33 billion (\$950 million) for Ronin Property Group as it seeks access to the property trust #39;s steady rental income.


Singh breaks Woods #39; single-year money record with third straight <b>...</b> Singh broke the PGA Tour single-year money record Woods set while winning three majors in 2000, holding off Stewart Cink to win the 84 Lumber Classic by one shot Sunday for his third consecutive victory.


Singh Dominating At Lumber Classic FARMINGTON, Pa. -- Just when Vijay Singh thinks he can #39;t play better, he does. Just when it seems he can #39;t do much more during his Tiger Woods-like season, he does that, too.


Philadelphia visits surprising Lions in game featuring two <b>...</b> They beat the Minnesota Vikings in the 13th game of the 2001 season, guaranteeing the Lions would not be the NFL #39;s first 0-16 team.


Dodgers Extend Lead Over Giants Look for a definition of a big-game pitcher anywhere, and you probably would not find Jeff Weaver #39;s name. Weaver, a Los Angeles right-hander, after all, was 12-12


Singh sets money record with eighth win Vijay Singh is leaving little doubt in anyone #39;s mind who #39;s the No. 1 golfer in the world. Singh shook off a challenge from Stewart Cink on Sunday at the 84 LUMBER Classic to claim his eighth PGA TOUR title of 2004.


Dolphins RB Gordon Injures Shoulder (AP) AP - Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Gordon left Sunday's game against Pittsburgh in the first quarter with a left shoulder injury after a jarring tackle by safety Chris Hope.


Brown Suffers Rocky Return in Feisty Finale There was Kevin Brown at his worst, Curt Schilling at his best and baseball's most bitter rivalry at its end - for now, anyway.


Students heckle Iranian president Iranian students interrupt a speech by President Khatami to mark Student Day at Tehran university.


Positive Identity Emerges for Giants' Offense Most of the credit offensively went to Kurt Warner, the man who delivered the ball and created team chemistry by the way he did it.


Old School, Part 2 Joe Gibbs will meet his coaching nemesis, Bill Parcells, for the first time since 1990 on Monday when the Redskins play the rival Cowboys.


Dodging Harm Alex Cora's second homer in two days provides the spark Los Angeles needs to beat San Francisco 7-4 and extend its lead to 2 1/2 games in the NL West.


U.S. Gets Spain in Final The United States completes a 4-0 sweep over Belarus Sunday after Andy Roddick's win, and heads to Spain for the Davis Cup finals.


Terps Take Break Improvement is both the hope and expectation as Maryland enters a bye week before facing a series of dangerous ACC teams.


Newman Wins at Dover Ryan Newman resuscitates his fragile title hopes by winning the MBNA America 400 on another day of dizzying scoreboard watching.


Big Wi-Fi Project for Philadelphia What would Benjamin Franklin say? Philadelphia plans citywide free Wi-Fi Internet access for computer users.


If Hockey Is Out, Best Thing on Ice May Be a Computer Game A cable channel plans to resurrect each of the 1,230 regular-season games listed on the league's defunct 2004-2005 schedule by setting them in motion on a video game console.


What's in the Box? Radio Tags Know That, and More I.B.M. plans to invest \$250 million over the next five years and employ 1,000 people in a new business unit to support products and services related to sensor networks.


Maker of Palm Software to Unveil Operating System for Smart Phones PalmSource is set to announce its first operat- ing system for smart phones, with applications typically found on desktop computers.


Music Sites Ask, 'Why Buy If You Can Rent?' Virgin is the first major music retailer to enter the download market in introducing a music store to sell music as streams of bits to be downloaded from the Internet.


INTERVIEW: Australia #39;s Cochlear To Ramp Up Output SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian ear implant maker Cochlear Ltd. (COH.AU) said Monday it has moved quickly to lift production to meet increased demand from doctors following


Angels suspend Guillen for rest of season CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Anaheim Angels suspended outfielder Jose Guillen for the rest of the season without pay Sunday following an outburst during a game the previous night.


Kim lands maiden victory Christina Kim fired a closing 65 to win the Longs Drugs Challenge by one shot over Karrie Webb in California. Kim, 20, the first-round leader, landed her first LPGA title with five birdies on the back nine to finish on 18 under.


Serb leader apologises in Bosnia Serbian President Boris Tadic says sorry for crimes committed in the name of the Serb people in Bosnia.


INTERVIEW: Australia #39;s Cochlear To Ramp Up Output -2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian ear implant maker Cochlear Ltd. (COH.AU) said Monday it has moved quickly to lift production to meet increased demand from doctors following


Music Notes Apple vs Apple: Despite persistent rumors of an impending settlement, the trademark dispute between Apple Corps, the Beatles #39; record company, and Apple Computer remained unresolved as of late September.


Singh breaks Woods #39; money record Having overtaken Tiger Woods as the world #39;s premier golfer, Vijay Singh on Sunday pushed Woods further into his wake by claiming the PGA Tour #39;s single-season money record.


Serena Williams picks China Open title Serena Williams of US holds the championship trophy after defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the inaugural China Open women #39;s final September 26, 2004, in Beijing.


Report: HP to Stop Using Intel Itanium Chip  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Printer and PC maker Hewlett-Packard  Co. HPQ.N will stop offering desktop workstations based on  Intel Corp.'s INTC.O Itanium microprocessor, The Wall Street  Journal reported on its online edition.


Oil Heads Toward  #36;49.40 Record (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices pushed above  #36;49 a barrel\on Monday, approaching record levels as worries about the\stability of supplies from Iraq, Nigeria and Russia compounded\concerns over low fuel stocks ahead of winter.


UK launches 10m recycling effort The UK government launches a 10m multi-media advertising campaign to encourage the British public to recycle their waste.


Nikkei Weighed Down by Oil, Economy  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei fell 0.79 percent by  midday on Monday, extending losses into a seventh session as  worries about higher oil prices hit airlines, while banks and  retailers wilted on concerns about the domestic economic  outlook.


Report: HP to Stop Using Intel Itanium Chip (Reuters) Reuters - Printer and PC maker Hewlett-Packard\Co.  will stop offering desktop workstations based on\Intel Corp.'s  Itanium microprocessor, The Wall Street\Journal reported on its online edition.


Lebanese delegation to UN states its case ahead of Annan report on <b>...</b> BEIRUT: UN Mideast envoy Terje Roed Larsen is putting the final touches on a UN report on the compliance of both Lebanon and Syria with Resolution 1559.


Index funds, once considered mediocre, come of age Index funds aren #39;t splashy. They never lead the  quot;mutual fund of the month quot; lists or get plugged by commentators on the financial news.


NASA Struggles for Shuttles #39; Return Twenty months after the Columbia tragedy, NASA is still struggling to overcome serious engineering hurdles to resume flying its space shuttles in March, a task that has become even tougher


Report: HP to Stop Using Intel Itanium Chip Printer and PC maker Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will stop offering desktop workstations based on Intel Corp.


Kim rallies at Longs Drugs Challenge beating Webb by one shot Kim made a charge on the back nine Sunday, shooting a 6-under 65 at the Longs Drugs Challenge for a one-shot victory over Karrie Webb.


INTER FIGHT BACK FOR A POINT Internazionale striker Christian Vieri was booed out of the San Siro on Sunday as his team twice came from behind to snatch a point.


NFL News, Notes, and One Liners  The Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers added fireworks to Sunday #39;s action with an explosive start, which included 412 yards of total offense and 35 points scored... in the first quarter alone. Colts


Darfur Governor Says Rebels Attempted Coup EL GENEINA, Sudan Sept. 26, 2004 - West Darfur #39;s governor on Sunday linked an alleged coup attempt against the national government to a rebellion in western Sudan, saying the same group was behind both insurrections.


Syria Defends Its Role in Lebanon Syria did not interfere in Lebanon #39;s recent presidential elections and has no interest in controlling its smaller neighbor, Syria #39;s foreign minister said Sunday.


Small Syrian force withdraws from Lebanon About 300 Syrian soldiers in a convoy of trucks and armored vehicles returned home from Lebanon on Thursday, part of a wider redeployment of forces that the United States described as encouraging.


Telstra #39;s \$750 million Share Buy-Back Telstra Corporation has announced details of its plan to invite all shareholders to participate in a \$750 milion off-market share buy-back.


Philippines Readies Emergency Iraq Plans (AP) AP - The Philippine government is preparing contingency plans to evacuate more than 4,000 citizens working in Iraq if violence escalates ahead of U.S. and British elections, the labor secretary said Sunday.


South Korea calls for resumption of nuclear talks (AFP) AFP - South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon called at the United Nations for a swift resumption of talks aimed at convincing North Korea to shelve its nuclear weapons programme.


Multiplex moves on Ronin By staff writers and wires. MULTIPLEX Group has offered \$1.33 billion to takeover Ronin Property Group in one of the latest moves of consolidation in the listed property trust sector.


Angels Rip A's 6-2, Chip Away at AL West (AP) AP - Troy Glaus drove in three runs to back a strong outing by John Lackey, and the Anaheim Angels beat Oakland 6-2 Sunday to pull within one game of the AL West-leading Athletics with a week to play.


AL Wrap: Schilling Shines as Red Sox Romp Past Yankees (Reuters) Reuters - David Ortiz's two-run double launched\a four-run first inning and Curt Schilling allowed one hit over\seven frames to power the Boston Red Sox to an 11-4 win over\the New York Yankees in the American League Sunday.


NFL Wrap: McNabb Sparkles for Eagles, Manning Delights Colts  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Eagles thumped the  Detroit Lions 30-13 Sunday in a clash of two previously  unbeaten teams.


Umpire Leaves Game Umpire Ed Montague was in good condition at a hospital after leaving Sunday's game between the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers because of high blood pressure.


IBM #39;s PC business up for sale Purchasers of IBM #39;s desktops and laptops were shocked to learn last week that IBM may be putting its PC business up on the auction block.


Israel may limit worshippers at Jerusalem Israel has warned that a part of a hotly disputed religious site could collapse on top of thousands of Muslims during the upcoming Islamic holy month.


Poll impact dents Telstra TELSTRA Corp Ltd #39;s share price was being impacted by uncertaintly about the election, chief financial officer John Stanhope said.


US Airways files motion for pay cut SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Bankrupt US Airways Group filed a court motion Friday evening seeking permission to make pay cuts totaling \$38 million per month, saying that the move is necessary to preserve about 34,000 jobs.


Asian stocks trade lower amid growing worries over higher oil <b>...</b> SINGAPORE : Asian share prices opened on a soft note on Monday as blue chips came under selling pressure amid growing worries over higher oil prices.


NASA: Hurricane Damages Shuttle Building The third hurricane to hit NASA (news - web sites) #39;s spaceport in just over a month blew out more panels and left more gaping holes in the massive


The Choice on the Environment ALTHOUGH POLITICIANS tend to talk about  quot;the environment quot; as if it were a single, easily defined topic, environmental issues range quite widely, from climate change to nuclear waste disposal to forest management.


Five out of six for awesome Singh VIJAY Singh continued his extraordinary run with victory in the Pennsylvania Classic last night, completing his fifth PGA Tour win in six starts and breaking Tiger Woodss single-season earnings record.


Webb comes up one short Australia #39;s Karrie Webb shot a terrific final round of seven-under 64, but it proved to be one shot too many as playing partner Christina Kim put together a 65 to win the LPGA Challenge event.


Henman slams Cup schedule Tim Henman said the Davis Cup schedule was too punishing after Great Britain were relegated from the World Group. GB went down 3-2 to Austria after an injured Greg Rusedski lost in the crucial fifth rubber to Stefan Koubek.


Koizumi keeps Japan guessing on cabinet reshuffle Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, back in Tokyo after an 11-day diplomatic mission to the Americas, hunkered down with senior ruling party officials on Friday to focus on a major reshuffle of cabinet and top party posts.


UN refugee chief says Sudan, rebels must cooperate Sudan #39;s government is likely to grant some autonomy to the violence-wracked Darfur region, but the rebels should help to end the world #39;s worst humanitarian crisis, UN High Commissioner for Refu-gees Ruud Lubbers said.


Police given four more days to question men arrested on suspicion <b>...</b> POLICE were yesterday granted more time to question four men arrested on suspicion of terrorism following a tip off from a Sunday newspaper.


Historians say Taj Mahals 350th anniversary up to a decade too <b>...</b> AGRA - As India Monday prepares to launch celebrations marking the 350th anniversary of the Taj Mahal, the countrys famed monument to love, historians say the festivities are up to a decade too late.


N. Korea talks end; no progress reported BEIJING (Kyodo) Japan pressed North Korea on Sunday to provide fuller accounts of 10 Japanese who Tokyo says were abducted by Pyongyang agents, but the North did not provide new information as they wrapped up two days of talks, Japan #39;s chief delegate said


Bomb Threat Plane Given All-Clear The Greek airliner forced to make an emergency landing at Stansted airport following a bomb threat has been given the all-clear by police today.


Dollar Sticks to Range Vs Yen (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar moved in narrow ranges against\the yen on Monday as option-related and exporter selling capped\the U.S. currency and traders awaited the Bank of Japan's key\corporate sentiment survey.


Fannie Mae Takes New Approach in Crisis Independent probe might throw some top executives overboard.


Broadman Takes Tougher Stance Negotiator for D.C. hotel workers faces crucial test of his leadership.


Hecht's Adopts Smarter Look  In the cosmetics department at Hecht's in downtown Washington, construction crews have ripped out the traditional glass display cases, replacing them with a system of open shelves stacked high with fragrances from Chanel, Burberry and Armani, now easily within arm's reach of the impulse buyer.


Lazard Is Near a Public Offer, Executives Say Bruce Wasserstein, who runs Lazard, the private investment bank, is developing a plan to take the company public, according to executives.


Overseas partners sought to revamp Northeast China China will strengthen ties with foreign partners to revitalize the economy in Northeast China and to further co-operation in Northeast Asia, a senior official said.


Internet Vote A Success According to Swiss authorities, history was made Sunday when 2723 people in four communities in canton Geneva, Switzerland, voted online in a national federal referendum.


Barcelona beat Real Mallorca Two goals in two minutes from Cameroon international Samuel Eto #39;o formed the backbone of a 3-1 win for Barcelona away at Real Mallorca in the Spanish La Liga on Sunday.


Powell: Worsening insurgency makes election difficult in Iraq US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that the escalating insurgency in Iraq could make the organizing of election in the country difficult, while atleast 16 people were killed in rebel attacks in Iraq.


Officials fear Temple Mount could collapse Officials said yesterday the number of Muslim worshipers allowed onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during the coming month of Ramadan may have to be limited because of a danger the biblical-era complex might collapse.


Feds Indict CA Ex-CEO Kumar Months of legal woes and executive shuffling came to a resolution of sorts last week for Computer Associates. Federal prosecutors indicted former CEO Sanjay Kumar for back-dating contracts


World markets - 27 September 2004 New York - The first US presidential debate this week and a load of data on consumer spending will settle some questions that have been hanging over US stocks, and equity strategists and traders say the decreased uncertainty could draw buyers back to the


Wal-Mart #39;s Way Growing up in blue-collar Fort Wayne, Ind., Linda Dillman once contemplated a career as a beautician. But she chose a different path.


CB #39;s forced fumble halts Packers #39; attack For most of the first 54 minutes of Sunday #39;s game, Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jason David was definitely a marked man, a rookie fourth-round draft choice who could almost


Air raids, attack kill 25 in Iraq towns: Women, children included FALLUJAH, Sept 26: At least 25 people were killed in US air strikes on Fallujah and an insurgent attack on a petrol convoy in the nearby town of Latifiya on Sunday.


Security forces kill Amjad Farooqi NAWABSHAH, Sept 26: An alleged terrorist, who was later identified as an Al Qaeda kingpin Amjad Farooqi, was killed and seven other people, including two women and three children , were arrested


Collins, Raiders Crush Buccanneers 30-20 (AP) AP - Kerry Collins, the amiable backup quarterback who has repeatedly promised to be ready when needed, replaced injured starter Rich Gannon and calmly directed the Oakland Raiders to an emotional 30-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night.


Fannie Mae Said Near Deal on Capital  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Embattled mortgage finance giant  Fannie Mae FNM.N was close to a deal with regulators late on  Sunday that would force the company to keep billions of dollars  more in cash on hand while it corrects accounting problems, a  source familiar with the negotiations said.


Chen defends arms package Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian () said yesterday a controversial arms deal was part of the government #39;s attempts to deter any attempt by rival China to invade the island.


Jupiter drifted towards sun in its youth Jupiter, the king of planets in the solar system, drifted tens of millions of kilometres towards the sun in its youth, a new study suggests.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Twenty months after haunting the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, Jon Gruden experienced a nightmare in the Black Hole.


NFL Game Summary - Pittsburgh At Miami Miami, FL -- Ben Roethlisberger threw for 163 yards and a touchdown in his first career start, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Miami Dolphins 13-3 at a water-logged Pro Player Stadium.


Bomb alert plane given all-clear A New York-bound Greek passenger jet has been given the all-clear after it was forced to make an emergency landing at a London airport following a bomb threat, police say.


Taj Mahal Celebrates 350th Anniversary Ceremonies are planned near Agra, where the white marble monument to love was built in the 17th century as a tomb for emperor Shah Jahan #39;s most beloved wife.


China leaders warn of corruption China's Communist Party tells its members that  corruption could threaten its hold on power.


Bomb threat jet given all-clear A Greek Olympic Airlines flight is allowed to fly again after a bomb threat diverted it to a British airport.


Labour to vote on Iraq withdrawal Gordon Brown will try to focus Labour conference on the economy, after delegates force a vote on Iraq.


Strong Charges Set New Tone Before Debate The intensity of advertisements broadcast this weekend signaled the importance that both sides attach to the debates.


As a Life Ebbs, the Ultimate Family Quarrel Medical advances are forcing more patients and families to confront ever more grueling choices about living and dying.


Collins, Raiders Crush Buccanneers 30-20 OAKLAND, Calif. - Kerry Collins, the amiable backup quarterback who has repeatedly promised to be ready when needed, replaced injured starter Rich Gannon and calmly directed the Oakland Raiders to an emotional 30-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night...


Linux growing on SMB desktops: Yankee Group According to the Yankee Group, the adoption of Linux on the desktop should grow to the mid-single digits in the next year. It #39;s common knowledge that Microsoft rules the desktop operating system (OS) environment


Folded ice discovered beneath Antarctica WASHINGTON - Glaciers in Antarctica are thinning faster than they did in the 1990s and researchers have discovered an unexpected folded section deep beneath the ice cap, findings that may indicate the ice is less stable than had been thought.


Colts outscore Packers in home opener on strength of Manning #39;s arm INDIANAPOLIS -- All of the talk leading up to this week #39;s matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the Green Bay Packers focused on the quarterbacks and the shootout the two would have.


Al Qaeda leader reportedly killed in Pakistan Pakistani paramilitary forces killed one of the most wanted militants in the country Sunday, a government official said. Amjad Hussain Farooqi was killed in an early morning raid


#39;Most people don #39;t know what to do - to give in or leave it #39; At the family home of hostage Kenneth Bigley yesterday, the interminable wait for news entered its 11th day. A solitary policeman stood guard outside the terraced house in Walton, Liverpool, close to Everton #39;s


US Airways Outlines Time Frame for Possible Liquidation US Airways faces a "high probability" of liquidation by mid-February if the temporary pay cuts it requested are not approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.


Terrorists Have Oil Industry in Cross Hairs Terrorists and insurgents are stepping up attacks on oil and gas operations overseas in an effort to disrupt jittery energy markets, destabilize governments and scare off foreign workers, analysts said.


Agencies Postpone Issuing New Rules Until After Election Federal agencies have delayed a range of proposed regulations from food safety to corporate governance until after Election Day.


Six Sigma: A Hollywood Studio Learns the G.E. Way There are more signs that the shotgun marriage between NBC and Universal is anything but tranquil.


Briefly: IronPort spam shield gets steelier roundup Plus: Via brings PCI Express to AMD PCs...Rice lab makes nano parts less toxic...TV chip company gets \$19 million.


Australia #39;s Telstra announces details of A\$750 million share <b>...</b> SYDNEY: Australia #39;s dominant telecommunications firm, Telstra, has unveiled details of a 750 million dollar (532 million US) off-market share buy-back as part of a three-year, 4.5 billion dollar capital management program.


X Prize Launch Set For Wednesday At Mojave; Canadians On Hold Following its successful test flight in June, the American Mojave Aerospace team, led by Burt Rutan and backed by Paul Allen, plans to launch its first official flight in pursuit of the \$10 million Ansari X Prize on Wednesday.


Colts Take Down Packers in NFL Shootout The Indianapolis Colts built a huge lead Sunday and then held on to beat the visiting Green Bay Packers, 45-31, in a battle between two of the strongest National Football League quarterbacks.


Alas, there #39;s no  #39;Team #39; in  #39;Jose #39; ANAHEIM -- Entering the last week of a red-hot division race that is still uphill for them, the Anaheim Angels suspended their second-biggest run producer for showing up the team.


In the Rain, Pittsburgh Makes a Mess of Miami The hurricane-weary Miami Dolphins had their matchup against Pittsburgh moved back to a night game because of Hurricane Jeanne. But the Steelers also had reasons to be out


Blair: Labor will not buckle Tony Blair has said his Labor party will not cave in despite poor poll ratings, backbench revolts, and protests over hunting and the Iraq war.


Musharraf terms talks with Singh gain for peace AMSTERDAM: President General Pervez Musharraf has described the progress made during his talks with the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New York as a gain for peace.


ETF INVESTING BOSTON (CBS.MW) - A recent spate of index-fund expense reductions by Fidelity Investments and others has been widely interpreted as a direct challenge to low-cost index leader The Vanguard Group, but they also take aim at the burgeoning exchange-traded


Residents could get power update Tuesday FPL officials don #39;t yet know whether they #39;re facing a repair or rebuild effort. Nearly 1.6 million households and businesses are without power from Hurricane Jeanne, but residents in Palm Beach County could


Favre-Manning matchup lived up to billing The matchup featured two of the NFL #39;s best quarterbacks, a former and current MVP. Sunday #39;s game between the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers was billed as Brett


Angels suspend Guillen without pay for rest of season Angels left fielder Jose Guillen was suspended for the rest of the season Sunday because of his outburst after being lifted for a pinch runner a day earlier.


Seahawks Slant Defense: Ken Lucas. His biggest play was his first one. The fourth-year cornerback intercepted a Ken Dorsey pass that kissed off the hands of wide receiver Rashaun Woods and returned it 25 yards to set up the Seahawks #39; first score.


Does the Patent System Need an Overhaul? Two professors argue that seemingly innocuous reforms have caused a shift away from encouraging innovation in favor of exploiting patents largely for lawsuits.


No pacemen in top grade of new Indian cricket contract system (AFP) AFP - The Indian cricket board has announced a long-awaited list of contracted players under a new system which starts from October 1.


Opera returns to Milan's La Scala Milan's world-famous opera house La Scala is re-opening on Tuesday after a three-year closure for renovation.


Truckers of Iraq's Pony Express Are Risking It All for a Paycheck Lured by paychecks that are double or triple what they earned in the U.S., truckers are risking their lives - and occasionally losing them - working in Iraq.


1.6 million FPL customers lose electricity With the third hurricane in six weeks to hit its service area, Florida Power  amp; Light Co. is scrambling to find workers from other states to help restore electricity to nearly 1.6 million


China #39;s GDP to grow 9 percent: state commission China #39;s economy was expected to grow by about nine percent this year, a senior official with the State Development and Reform Commission was quoted as saying by the Beijing News on Saturday.


Itanium unsuitable for workstations, Intel says THE ITANIUM was never really important for the workstation market, Intel has said, causing us to choke over our salty porridge this morning.


Second KO leaves Jones #39; future fuzzy Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver were joking about a unification bout. Roy Jones, considered by some the world #39;s best pound-for-pound fighter, was in the back of an ambulance.


Agassi could return for Davis Cup final Andre Agassi hasn #39;t played Davis Cup since 2000, but US captain Patrick McEnroe said he wouldn #39;t rule out a return for the eight-time Grand Slam champion.


Eagles 30, Lions 13 After falling a game short of the Super Bowl the past three years, the Eagles seem to have the swagger and talent they #39;ve been missing.


SCORELESS IN SEATTLE Seattle -- - Not so long ago, the 49ers were inflicting on other teams the kind of pain and embarrassment they felt in their 34-0 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday.


Umpire Leaves Mariners-Rangers Game (AP) AP - First-base umpire Ed Montague was treated and released at an Arlington hospital after leaving Sunday's game between the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers before the start of the fifth inning because of elevated blood pressure.


Steelers Slog to Win The Steelers forces four turnovers, makes a key fourth-down stop and beats the hapless Miami Dolphins, 13-3, Sunday night.


Singh Makes History Vijay Singh breaks the PGA Tour single-year money record Tiger Woods set in 2000, holding off a fast-finishing Stewart Cink to win the 84 Lumber Classic.


Mexican firm 'eyes \$4bn RMC bid' Mexican group Cemex is reportedly set to make a \$4bn takeover bid for RMC, the UK firm that is the world's biggest supplier of ready-mixed concrete.


Finneran set for new post amid probe The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council is preparing to hire House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran even though a key confidant of his said yesterday that Finneran has received no official confirmation that federal prosecutors have closed a perjury


Swiss e-vote gets thumbs up SWITZERLAND HAS managed to stage what it thinks is the first legally binding internet vote in a national referendum. More than 2720 people in four Geneva suburbs, about one in five voters in the region who


North Beaches CAPE CANAVERALShuttles in good shape, but VAB loses more panels. NASA #39;s three space shuttles are just fine, but the already damaged Vehicle Assembly Building lost more of wall panels to Hurricane Jeanne.


#39;Chucky #39; gets horrific reception OAKLAND, Calif. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden returned to Network Associates Coliseum on Sunday. The stadium is the place he first became a coach.


VNU to sell World Directories Group SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) VNU (NL:38987) , the Dutch media group that owns TV ratings group Nielsen, said early Monday it has signed a definitive agreeement to sell its World Directories Group to World Directories Acquisition Corp.


Mexican firm  #39;eyes \$4bn RMC bid #39; UK firm RMC, the world #39;s biggest maker of ready-mixed concrete, is reportedly to get a takeover bid worth at least \$4bn (2.2bn) from Mexican group Cemex.


Fannie Mae #39;s fall from grace A shocking expose hit the Street last week about one of the best-loved, most all-American companies out there: Fannie Mae, the mortgage and financial services giant.


Australian Oil Producers Gain, Led by Woodside; Origin Falls Australian oil producers #39; stocks such as Woodside Petroleum Ltd. rose after crude oil climbed to a record amid concern that hurricane damage in North America will disrupt supply.


Storm zaps recently restored electricity Hurricane Jeanne knocked out power to 250,000 Brevard County customers, though about 45,000 had electricity restored by Sunday evening, company spokeswoman Kathy Scott said.


Red Hat big wig attacks Sun A RED HAT vice president has slammed Sun for refusing to open source its Java code and hanging on like grim death to its patents. The bone of contention is the April agreement between Sun and Microsoft.


Singh Wins in Pennsylvania to Break Woods #39;s PGA Earnings Record Vijay Singh won the 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania to push his yearly winnings to more than \$9.45 million and break Tiger Woods #39;s single-season money record.


Chinese sweet and sour for Ferrari team Shanghai: Rubens Barrichello claimed the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix yesterday, with Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher finishing a hard-luck weekend in 12th place, more than a lap behind.


Dodgers ax Giants, boost West lead SAN FRANCISCO - Eric Gagne zipped one last pitch past Deivi Cruz, then screamed for joy while San Francisco #39;s fans groaned. Gagne knew his two innings of work had resulted in more than just another save.


Hurtin #39; for certain Grossman injured late in Bears #39; loss to <b>...</b> Player of the game: Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper passed for 248 yards and two TDs, and also ran for a score. Key stat: The Bears had 14 penalties for 101 yards.


Angels inch within a game of Athletics John Lackey fell behind early before Anaheim rallied behind three RBIs from Troy Glaus to beat Oakland 6-2 on Sunday to close within one game of the AL West-leading Athletics with a week to play.


Thai Suspected Bird Flu Case Fans Human Link Fear Thailand, rattled by fears a girl passed bird flu to her mother, said Monday it has no evidence there has been human-to-human transmission of the deadly H5N1 virus in the country.


Thai suspected bird flu case fans human link fear BANGKOK -- Thai and international health officials held an emergency meeting on Monday to review a case in which there is a  quot;very remote possibility quot; bird flu was passed from human to human, a senior WHO official said.


Israel Defense Official Threatens Syria (AP) AP - A senior Israeli defense official harshly threatened Syria on Monday, accusing President Bashar Assad of direct involvement in terrorism, but stopping short of confirming that Israel was responsible for killing a Hamas leader in Damascus.


Haitians Pray for 1,500 Killed by Jeanne (AP) AP - In a cathedral ankle-deep in mud and overturned pews, Haitians prayed for 1,500 killed by Tropical Storm Jeanne and gave thanks for their lives  #151; though most lost homes and belongings  #151; while the United Nations rushed in hundreds more peacekeepers to stem looting by gangsters and ordinary citizens of the ravaged city of Gonaives.


Japanese Cabinet Resigns Before Reshuffle (AP) AP - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his Cabinet on Monday, in hopes of solidifying his power and boosting his ability to carry out reforms.


Japan PM Reshuffles Cabinet, Keeps Some Ministers  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro  reshuffled his cabinet Monday to try to boost his popularity  and bolster his ability to implement reforms, but the retention  of several key ministers led some analysts to question whether  he would succeed.


Pakistan al-Qaeda suspect killed Pakistan says al-Qaeda suffers a major blow as the country's most wanted terror suspect is shot dead.


US air strikes 'target Sadr City' US forces are reported to have launched overnight air attacks in Baghdad's Sadr City suburb.


Golf: Record earnings for Singh  Vijay Singh leads from start to finish to win the 84 Lumber Classic  and eclipse Tiger Woods' season earnings record.


Man tried for UK student's murder The trial of a man accused of murdering York backpacker Caroline Stuttle begins in Australia.


Karzai visits rival's stronghold The Afghan president makes a rare visit to the north just two weeks before the country's first presidential elections.


Oil prices threaten fresh record Opec's president says oil supply is adequate as the price of US light, crude comes within 4 cents of its all-time record.


Bush, Kerry Rev Up for Campaign Face-Off CRAWFORD, Texas - It's a classic pre-debate dance, maybe as important as the matchup itself: lower expectations for your candidate's performance and jab the other guy while you're at it. While President Bush and Democrat John Kerry remained secluded half a country apart on Sunday in preparation for their prime-time showdown Thursday, representatives for each side employed their own double-barreled debate strategy...


NZ stocks: Contact shares dump 13c in reasonable trade Shares in Contact Energy dumped 13c of their value after the firm #39;s independent directors urged minority holders to not accept the takeover offer by Australian firm Origin Energy.


VT Group says has no plans to buy BAE shipbuilding LONDON (CBS.MW) -- British shipbuilders VT Group (UK:VTG) said Monday it has no plans to acquire BAE Systems (UK:BA) shipbuilding activities, but added it  quot;remains focused... on assisting the UK government


Virgin selling music via Net Long before Richard Branson became the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cellphone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from the Virgin Record Shop on Oxford Street in London.


India #39;s unmanned moon mission going smoothly: official India #39;s unmanned moon mission -Chandrayan - is expected to take place in 2007-08 as it is progressing smoothly, the country #39;s space agency chief G. MadhavanNair said here Sunday.


Marlon King #39;s stunner does it for Forest NOTTINGHAM, England (AFP) - A superb last-minute goal by Nottingham Forest #39;s Jamaican international Marlon King wrapped up a suitable ending here yesterday on a day dedicated to remembering former manager Brian Clough, who died of stomach cancer last


Serena topples US Open champ in China Top seed Serena Williams rallied to claim the China Open yesterday, taking a hard fought 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.


NOTEBOOK: Bye week very timely for banged-up Lions Had they beaten Philadelphia, the Lions might feel different about taking a week off this early in the season. Had they gone into October with a 3-0 record, they would have been eager to keep the roll going.


Haitians pray for dead, give thanks for their lives GONAIVES, HAITI -- Haitians surrounded by the destruction from tropical storm Jeanne prayed for the 1,500 dead and gave thanks their lives were spared at church services yesterday while the United Nations rushed more peacekeepers in to stem looting in the


Virgin launches new digital music service Richard Branson #39;s Virgin Group has become the latest company to throw its hat into the online music ring by launching the Virgin Digital service.


Israel assassinates Hamas militant in Damascus Israel assassinated a Palestinian militant with a car bomb that exploded after he started his vehicle yesterday. It was Israel #39;s first slaying of a Hamas member on Syrian


McNair Injures Sternum Against Jaguars (AP) AP - Steve McNair, the NFL's 2003 co-MVP, bruised his sternum Sunday and was admitted to the hospital for the night.


Dollar Stuck Vs Yen as 'Tankan' Awaited  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar shuffled in narrow ranges  against the yen on Monday as option-related and exporter  selling capped the U.S. currency and traders awaited a key  corporate sentiment survey from the Bank of Japan.


Man Utd unveils dip in profits Manchester United says player transfers and a weaker performance on the pitch cut its full-year profits by nearly a third.


Meet too-familiar story with familiar response Just three weeks after the first strike, Jeanne on Saturday and Sunday tracked Frances across the state. It reopened some wounds and cut new ones, some of them deeper because of


Virgin Records enters the music download market Monday Long before Richard Branson dreamed of becoming the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cell phone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from the Virgin Record Shop on Oxford St.


Opening Pages The title was really meant to scare you. I bet it brought memories of those zombie films prevalent in the 80s. Dont worry. Your PCs wont suddenly get up in the middle of the night and scare the hell out of you.


Red Hat exec takes Sun to task on open source A top Red Hat executive has attacked the open-source credentials of its sometime business partner Sun Microsystems. In a Web log posting Thursday, Michael Tiemann, Red Hat #39;s vice president of open-source affairs


Microsoft Takes Stands Against Spam, Sanctions Sectors of the Internet world are still buzzing over the release of a Microsoft patent application that appears to claim rights to the underlying method proposed by companies to better determine


Rubens flies in Shanghai Rubens Barrichello has sealed second place in the 2004 world drivers championship with an all-the-way success in the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.