Korea to lodge appeal South Korea confirmed yesterday they will lodge an appeal with sport #39;s supreme legal body over scoring errors at the Olympic gymnastics tournament which robbed them of a gold medal.


Olympia champion has drug positive The Russian who made history when she became the first woman to win a gold medal at the sacred site of ancient Olympia has tested positive for an anabolic steroid.


Davenport reaches Cincinnati Open final CINCINNATI (Ohio): American Lindsay Davenport advanced to the final of the WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday after Frances Marion Bartoli pulled out with a blister on her right hand.


Arsenal equal Nottingham Forest #39;s 42-match unbeaten record with a <b>...</b> It was not enough for Arsenal to make their mark by pulling level with Nottingham Forest #39;s record of 42 League matches undefeated.


Train set on fire by mob DHAKA: A mob torched a train in central Bangladesh yesterday as anger over a grenade attack which killed 19 people and narrowly missed opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed erupted in violence and protests, officials said.


Guantanamo alert for terror hearings GUANTANAMO BAY US NAVAL BASE: US military authorities yesterday defended the special trials for war on terror detainees that start this week as they stepped up security at the Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba for the hearings.


Somalia swears in new MPs SOMALIA, the only country without a national government, took a step towards ending its failed-state status yesterday as international mediators swore in members of its new parliament.


Lee eases curbs on political expression SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore yesterday announced a partial relaxation of rules on political expression but warned that race and religion will remain sensitive issues subject to restrictions.


Schrder #39;s Best  quot;PR Campaign quot; The German chancellor #39;s decision to adopt a young child has unleashed massive media coverage. Schrder #39;s been fighting revelations about his private life but the current attention could help rather than harm his career.


Ashour Conquers World Junior Squash Title ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Aug 23 (PNS) - Egypt Ramy Ashour became the newest World Junior Squash Champion following a 3-0 finals victory in the PIA 13th World Junior Squash Championships against Yasir Butt of Pakistan at the Mushaf Ali Mir Squash Complex


Post-9/11 Mergers Brought Problems Government service firms often leaped before they looked as they scrambled to buy their way into the booming intelligence and anti-terrorism field.  -The Washington Post


Anaheim Claims Sweep The red hot Angels completed their first sweep of the Yankees since the 1999 season with a 4-3 win, their fifth straight, Sunday in New York.


NBC's Five-Ring Circus If Roone Arledge invented the modern TV Olympics, Dick Ebersol has imploded it. Everyone wants to watch the Olympics, but they're just too unwatchable -- too much, too fragmented, too staged, too jingoistic, too hyped, too commercialized, too long, too everything. The Olympics no longer feel Olympian. They feel like a sweeps-week sports reality show.


THECHAT <em> Dean Cain has spent much of his life in a uniform. He's done time as an all-American safety at Princeton (where he established a since-broken single-season Division I-AA record for interceptions), an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills (before a preseason knee injury ended his football career), a sportsman of the future (in the aptly named movie "Futuresport") and an iconic superhero (in television's "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman"). Next up is a set of pinstripes -- Cain plays star third baseman Conrad Dean in the CBS drama "Clubhouse," which is scheduled to debut next month. </em>


Title No.22 for Hewitt in Washington Australian Lleyton Hewitt has claimed his third title of the year with victory in the Legg Mason Classic in Washington. The South Australian No.


Honda Indy 225 Top-Three Finishers Transcript DAN WHELDON: Especially following last week, it was one of the most challenging races of the year. The flag was just changing completely the whole day.


Funny Cide Finishes Second in His Return Home Because of setbacks in his training, Funny Cide didn #39;t have the chance to run in the Travers Stakes last summer after he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.


US planes pound militants in Najaf NAJAF: US planes pounded Iraqi militias in Najaf last night after tanks rumbled to within 800 metres of a holy shrine at the centre of a near three-week insurgency.


Putin flies to Chechnya for tribute to slain president THE Russian president, Vladimir Putin, made an unannounced visit to Chechnya yesterday to lay flowers at the grave of the regions assassinated president a week before the election to replace him.


Venezuelan president reshuffles cabinet Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Sunday appointed new ministers of interior and justice and information, a cabinet reshuffle after his victory in a recall referendum.


Australia #39;s Woolworths second-half profit up Australian supermarket giant, Woolworths, beat forecasts on Monday with a 12 per cent rise in second-half profit on vigorous cost savings and its ability to drive margins despite a competitive onslaught.


US economy buffeted by record high oil prices High oil prices, which have een a factor in virtually all US recessions over the past three decades, are surging again this year. And the higher crude oil prices climb, the more risk energy


Ministers deny interest in raising inheritance tax Downing Street distanced itself last night from reports that inheritance tax will rise to 50 per cent for the wealthiest families.


THE REVIEW It #39;s easy to spot ESPN NFL 2K5 on the shelf: It #39;s the one that #39;s \$20, making it the least expensive sports video game available for PlayStation2 and Xbox.


Track team is tops for NBC NBC #39;s Olympic track and field production and announcing unit needed just three days of competition to show it is one of the network #39;s best groups in Athens.


Mets #39; Aggressive Bonds Strategy Backfires Barry Bonds lounged in his personal leather recliner, watching his personal big-screen television, flanked by three of his devoted handlers.


Reporter Freed as Rebel Cleric Brokers a Deal A kidnapped American journalist was released Sunday after the intervention of the cleric Moktada al-Sadr, even as his Shiite militia engaged


Nikkei Up Over 1 Percent at Midday  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei stock average rose 1.02  percent by midsession on Monday as investors were encouraged to  seek bargains by a recovery in U.S. stocks after crude oil  prices retreated from record highs.


Mets' Aggressive Bonds Strategy Backfires The Mets attacked Barry Bonds as if they had a brand-new scouting report on him, and he basically deposited it in McCovey Cove.


Reporter Freed as Rebel Cleric Brokers a Deal A kidnapped American journalist was released, even as Moktada al-Sadr's militia engaged in heavy fighting in Najaf.


A G.O.P. Senator Proposes a Plan to Split Up C.I.A. The proposed legislation would break up the C.I.A. and divide its responsibilities among three new spy agencies.


Kerry TV Ad Pins Veterans' Attack Firmly on Bush The ad blames President Bush for a campaign by a "front group" of veterans that Senator John Kerry said had smeared his Vietnam record.


Nikkei Up Over 1 Percent at Midday The Nikkei stock average rose 1.02 percent by midsession on Monday as investors were encouraged to seek bargains by a recovery in US stocks after crude oil prices retreated from record highs.


Google #39;s Offering Proves Stock Auctions Can Really Work t worked. Google #39;s auction process, both criticized and feared on Wall Street, could have gone much more smoothly, and investors might yet regret putting money into a company that plans to go its own way regardless of what others think.


Pigeon fanciers use taste to ward off falcons London - British pigeon fanciers are developing methods to make their birds taste so awful that peregrine falcons in the wild are put off preying on them, the Sunday Telegraph reported.


Windows upgrade helps hold down the fort Are you nervous about viruses, worms, spyware and other threats to your computer? Wish you had the power to appoint an intelligence czar to safeguard your PC?


Shot-putter Korzhanenko to be stripped of gold: Russians Russian Olympic shot put champion Irina Korzhanenko will lose her gold medal after testing positive for a banned steroid, the head of the Russian Olympic Committee #39;s anti-doping body said overnight.


Young drivers rule in today #39;s Indy Racing League Last week at Kentucky Speedway, 41-year-old Adrian Fernandez became just the second driver older than 30 to win a race this season.


Berths in Semifinals for Two Americans On aqua-colored walls and giant blue columns, Patricia Miranda saw all she needed to see. The message was written in white inside Ano Liossia Olympic Hall, even next to the wrestling mats in case anyone forgot.


Four Marines killed in Anbar province BAGHDAD, Iraq Four Marines have been killed in separate incidents in Iraq #39;s volatile Anbar province. The US military says one Marine was killed in action yesterday, while two others died of wounds sustained


Oil raises economists #39; concerns WASHINGTON - Crude oil prices soaring to nearly \$50 a barrel have heightened concerns that sustained high energy costs could drag the slowing US and world economies into a more serious downturn.


Advanced Model of World #39;s Smallest Flying Microrobot from Epson Epson has long been engaged in the research and development of microrobots and in the development of applications for their enabling technologies.


Which Candidates Do Tech Companies Support? In a down year for tech industry contributions to political groups, political action committees (PACs) and employees from computer and Internet companies have contributed just over \$1.


Moore battles back to top List at US amateur championship Ryan Moore staged a remarkable comeback to overhaul Luke List in the 36-hole final of the US amateur championship at the Winged Foot Golf Club on Sunday.


CMS Energy to Offer \$200 Million Notes CMS Energy Corp., the holding company for utility Consumers Energy, said Tuesday that it plans to offer \$200 million of convertible senior notes due 2024, subject to market conditions.


Virgin Blue Increases Surcharge as Fuel Prices Soar (Update1) Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd., Australia #39;s second-biggest airline, increased a surcharge on all tickets as the cost of jet fuel soars.


Apple to recall laptop batteries Apple Computer has agreed to recall about 28,000 batteries used in its 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptop computers, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission says.


Ulmer resets record, wins gold Sarah Ulmer won New Zealand #39;s first Olympic cycling gold medal Sunday, shaving almost two more seconds off the world mark she set Saturday in the women #39;s individual pursuit.


Trials Set To Begin For Four at Guantanamo Four suspected al Qaeda terrorists will face military trials this week at the Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in historic legal proceedings that have not been conducted by the US government


Banks pull plug on Ion SPOOKED lenders to local auto parts maker Ion have withdrawn vital finance facilities, forcing the group to the brink of collapse.


Beijing a  #39;source of chaos, #39; Yu says in NY Premier Yu Shyi-kun, speaking yesterday to a group of Taiwanese in New York, accused Beijing of being a  quot;source of chaos in the world.


Yu urges Taiwanese expats to help sell FTA to US Premier Yu Shyi-kun () said Saturday that he attaches great importance to the signing of a free trade agreement with the United States and urged Taiwanese expatriates to help Taiwan achieve this goal.


Pope Condemns Unethical Science, Cloning CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy Aug. 22, 2004 - Pope John Paul II warned in a statement released Sunday that humanity #39;s speedy progress in science and technology risks overlooking moral values, citing with particular concern experiments in human cloning.


RealNetworks Online Petition Targeting Apple Backfires  quot;There was a lot of obscenity and personal comments quot; about Chief Executive Rob Glaser, said senior vice president Dan Sheeran.


Clicking on Profits The latest data from the US Department of Commerce further bolsters what we have all suspected: E-commerce sales are increasing. Not only might one suspect that consumer confidence


Novell posts 3rd-quarter profit, revenue rises Novell Thursday posted a quarterly profit as revenue rose, but the company warned that spending on information technology by companies remained weak.


Athletics: Crying shame for Radcliffe as marathon dream dies in <b>...</b> ATHENS - Paula Radcliffe #39;s entrance to the Panathinaiko Stadium was not supposed to have been like this. For four years she has dreamed of setting the final garland on an honour-strewn career by arriving at


Najaf mosque reportedly hit as standoff goes on Reports from Iraq say US forces have hit part of a holy Shiite shrine in Najaf where rebels have been locked in a two-week standoff with US-led forces.


North Korea Lashes Out at George Bush North Korea lashed out today at US President George Bush for turning a peaceful world into a pandemonium unprecedented in history, and reaffirmed the communist nation wont attend working meetings ahead of planned nuclear disarmament talks.


Japan #39;s Stocks Rise, Led by Toyota, on Oil Drop; Daiei Plummets Japanese stocks rose after oil prices fell from a record in New York on Friday, easing concern higher energy costs will damp consumer spending and corporate profits.


Matthew Wins Wendy's on Han Playoff Bogey (AP) AP - Catriona Matthew rolled in a short par putt on the first playoff hole to beat defending champion Hee-Won Han and win the Wendy's Championship for Children on Sunday.


Dollar Edges Up, Direction Sought  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar inched up on Monday but  traders struggled to find direction in a market devoid of  economic data.


Gatlin #39;s the best by the blink of an eye If you live for the mens 100 meters and figure that once its over, the rest of the Olympic track meet is just a lot of people from places you couldnt find on a map


West Nile 'causes lasting damage' Being infected with severe West Nile Virus can cause long-term health problems, a study has found.


Pancreas stem cells for diabetes A stem cell cure for diabetes is a step closer, Canadian researchers are predicting.


Gold Fields shareholders reject Canadian merger The management of Gold Fields, the South African gold producer, was dealt a blow on Tuesday after shareholders voted against a proposed reverse takeover of Canadian gold group Iamgold.


Memo Appealed for Ways To Break Iraqi Detainees A memo issued last summer by a U.S. Army military intelligence officer appealed for suggestions on how to extract information from prisoners in Iraq and called for tougher means of getting intelligence.


Court: File-swapping Software OK The entertainment industry is pondering its next move in the wake of a legal setback delivered Thursday, August 19. On that day, a Federal appeals court in San Francisco


Noguchi wins women #39;s marathon gold ATHENS -- Conquering sweltering heat and a grueling course over steep hills, Japanese long-distance runner Mizuki Noguchi steamed ahead to win the women #39;s marathon gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games on Sunday.


Athletics as artistry From the Latin, the Olympic motto is:  quot;Faster. Higher. Stronger. quot; It says nothing about  quot;Beauty. Harmony. Emotion. quot; Yet those values, promoted by the International Gymnastics Federation, help explain the scandal


Big break for Hewitt LLEYTON Hewitt will take on unheralded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in the final of the Legg Mason Classic in Washington today . Muller played the match of his life in his semi-final yesterday to down Andre Agassi 6-4 7-5.


Shot at wrong target costs rifleman gold Matthew Emmons is a trained accountant but he got his numbers terribly wrong yesterday. The American sharpshooter was just one shot away from a second Olympic gold medal when he fired at the wrong target in the final round.


Dollar Edges Up, Direction Sought (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar inched up on Monday but\traders struggled to find direction in a market devoid of\economic data.


AL Wrap: Molina Leads Angels to Sweep of Yankees (Reuters) Reuters - Bengie Molina had four hits, including\a three-run homer, as the Anaheim Angels completed a three-game\series sweep of the New York Yankees with a 4-3 win on Sunday.


Cink Answers Skeptics With Emphatic Victory If anyone had questions about Stewart Cink being chosen for the Ryder Cup team, he answered them with authority Sunday at the NEC Invitational.


Singapore oil chief to face police over \$550m trade losses CHEN JIULIN, the suspended chief executive of China Aviation Oil (CAO) in Singapore, has agreed to face a criminal investigation into the Beijing-backed groups \$550 million (283 million) in derivatives trading losses.


Boy's Murder Case Entangled in Fight Over Antidepressants One murder case has attracted special attention amid a debate over the safety of antidepressant use in children and teenagers.


Controversial Overtime Rules Take Effect The hundreds of pages of new rules redefine the criteria for which administrative, professional and managerial workers qualify for overtime.


Reporter Freed as Rebel Cleric Brokers a Deal The journalist was released after Moktada al-Sadr intervened, even as his Shiite militia engaged in heavy fighting in Najaf.


Kerry TV Ad Pins Veterans' Attack Firmly on Bush The advertisement blames President Bush for a campaign that Senator John Kerry said had smeared his Vietnam record.


FTC looks into debt-aid firms The telemarketer at the other end of Orlando Castelblanco #39;s line promised to reduce the consumer #39;s credit card debt by at least \$2,500 and get his 20 percent -- and growing -- interest rates down to single digits.


Google Not The First To Go Dutch You don #39;t have to be Google to challenge the way Wall Street manages initial public offerings. A little southwest Virginia biotechnology company has just gone public using the same innovative  quot;open IPO quot; process as Google.


Bloomberg Columnists Wal-Mart Stores Inc. isn #39;t just working to woo Japanese shoppers -- it #39;s doing a little shopping of its own in the No. 2 economy.


Sims Q1 earnings to match or exceed Q4 Metal recycler Sims Group has reported a net profit for the year to June 30 2004 of \$112.5 million, up 50 per cent on the previous year.


Gatlin guns way to 100m crown with blazing run The 27-year-old ran a personal best of 9.85 seconds - one hundredth of a second outside the Olympic record - to strike gold as five men ran under 10 seconds.


Crying Games again for Paula DEVASTATED Paula Radcliffe was led out of the ancient Panathinaiko Stadium with only tears for souvenirs as her Olympic dream lay in tatters on an Athens roadside.


Golf: Cink beats Woods by four strokes to capture WGC Invitational AKRON : American Stewart Cink captured his second title of the year with a wire-to-wire win at the US\$7 million World Golf Championship Invitational on Sunday.


Hewitt wins Washington Open Australia #39;s Lleyton Hewitt further fine-tuned his game ahead of the US Open with a convincing 6-3 6-4 win over Gilles Muller to capture the \$US500,000 (\$A692,377) Washington Open.


Hatchs comeback proves silver is golden When Annia Hatch was 17, her homeland of Cuba refused to send her to the 1996 Olympics even though she had won the country #39;s first world championship medal earlier that year.


World Business Quick Take Scandal-hit telecom giant Nortel Networks on Thursday announced job cuts of 10 percent of its workforce and a new purge of executives as it muscled through a scandal which has spawned two criminal probes.


Mets: Wright shares spotlight in a wild victory Art Howe stood behind his desk, looked down at his folded scorecard and scratched his head as he gazed at all the scribblings and crossed-out names that made the card look like a 2-year-old #39;s afternoon art project.


quot;Flash quot; Biffle Leads Roush One-Two at Michigan Greg Biffle, driving the  quot;Flash quot;-blazoned National Guard Ford, led 73 of the 200 laps Sunday to take his second career win in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing.


China #39;s leaders fly pro-reform flags for Deng DENG Xiaoping loathed the cult of personality but that didnt stop Chinese Communist Party leaders falling over each other to idolise their late leader to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth yesterday.


Gunmen attack police station Chechnya MOSCOW -- Gunmen attacked a police station and polling sites in the Chechen capital Saturday night, killing several people eight days before a special election to replace the region #39;s assassinated president, according to Russian news agencies.


Steve Cherundolo Scores in Hannover Win (AP) AP - American defender Steve Cherundolo scored the second goal of the game in the 53rd minute Sunday, helping Hannover 96 to a 3-0 victory at VfR Neumuenster in the first round of the German Cup.


Hamm assays gold Seeking to put a simmering gymnastics scoring controversy to rest, gold medalist Paul Hamm said Sunday that he is the legitimate Olympic all-around champion.


Rueter riddles Mets Bonds blasts No. 693; Giants finish homestand <b>...</b> If the Giants #39; 12-inning loss to New York on Saturday was a grand, tragic opera, Sunday #39;s game was  quot;The Minute Waltz, quot; a blithe romp on the grass that brought cheer inside the clubhouse not only for its outcome, but its brevity.


Philly tailback has to prove he #39;s durable Never mind that after only two NFL seasons Brian Westbrook #39;s medical dossier includes notations on a couple of sprained ankles, wrist surgery and an operation only seven months ago to stitch


Braves 10, Dodgers 1 Chipper Jones #39; three-run homer capped an eight-run second inning, JD Drew hit a two-run double and the Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-1 on Sunday for a split of the four-game series.


Putin Visits Chechnya Before Presidential Vote, Interfax Says Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Chechnya ahead of presidential elections next Sunday in the southern republic where rebels are fighting to create an independent Islamic state, Interfax reported.


Somali Parliament Sworn In as Clan Dispute Flares NAIROBI, Aug. 22 -- Members of a new Somali transitional parliament were sworn in Sunday, a key step toward establishing the country #39;s first national government since 1991.


UK expansion helps lift Sonic profit Pathology and radiology group, Sonic Healthcare, has benefited from its expansion in the United Kingdom to achieve a 41 per cent jump in full-year profit to almost \$58 million.


Russian shot putter stripped of gold after doping test CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Another Olympic medallist has been stripped of a medal after failing a doping test. Russia #39;s Irina Korzhanenko will lose her shot put gold medal after testing positive for the steroid stanozolol


Gatlin #39;s coach claims responsibility for THG source CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Just hours after Justin Gatlin stunned the world by winning Olympic gold in the 100 metres, his coach made a surprise admission on Sunday, revealing he was the anonymous source that sparked a doping investigation that rocked the world


New Somali Parliament Brings Hopes of Peace Members of a new transitional parliament for Somalia were sworn in yesterday - a key step toward establishing Somalias first national government since 1991.


Reconsider highway project I am a professor of geography visiting Taiwan, and have read about the proposed construction of a freeway from Taipei to Hualien. The experience of communities in North America and Europe has been fairly consistent


China  #39;preparing for conflict with US #39; TAIPEI - China is secretly mapping underwater terrain in the Pacific in preparation for an eventual conflict with the United States there, reports said yesterday, quoting the Taiwanese Premier.


Indonesian police arrest suspected JI suicide squad members (AFP) AFP - Indonesian police have arrested three men suspected of being members of a suicide squad belonging to the Al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah regional terrorist network, a senior officer said.


Southwest to cut 88 flights - WSJ Southwest Airlines Inc. (LUV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US discount carrier, will cut 88 scheduled flights in October, largely to free up planes for more lucrative


New overtime rules take effect Monday NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- The US Department of Labor #39;s revamped overtime rules take effect Monday. Free! Sign up here to receive our SiteWatcher e-Newsletter!


Sonic Health boosts profit 41 pc Australian pathology and radiology group Sonic Healthcare Ltd has reported a 41 percent jump in annual net profit, boosted by its UK expansion and higher government payouts for blood tests.


Crude oil price drop buoys sentiment TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The Nikkei Average finished the morning just under the key 11,000 mark after breaking that level earlier Monday following US gains as the pullback in oil prices eased concerns about corporate profits.


Steps to climb out of debt For those sinking in a flood of unpaid loans, don #39;t lose hope. Many people have gone before you and made it out. Simply put, there are debt-defying actions you can take.


Google stock process a good deal There will be criticism over some aspects of Google #39;s highly publicized public stock offering, but it shouldn #39;t overshadow what the Internet search engine company managed to accomplish.


Sony zooms in with new TV tech Sony Corporation will introduce eight new flat screen televisions, which drastically elevate three fundamental elements: picture clarity, audio fidelity and easy user-operation - all of which, allows the user to see all that is possible within the new


Powell misses medal JAMAICA #39;S ASAFA Powell, a hot favourite for a medal in the men #39;s 100 metres, ran his worst race of the 2004 Olympic Games last night to finish fifth in the final at the Athens Olympic Stadium.


The Marathon Man In less than 20 hours, Chile #39;s Nicolas Massu fought his way to gold in men #39;s singles and doubles tennis. Four years ago the 24-year-old Chilean carried his county #39;s flag into the opening ceremonies in Sydney.


Vieira Looks to Golden Future with Gunners Captain Patrick Vieira predicted a terrific future at Arsenal as the club moved within touching distance of setting a new unbeaten league record.


Silver glint of a glowing future Silver for the women #39;s quad yesterday sealed Britain #39;s biggest Olympic rowing tally since 1928, which they matched with a gold, two silvers and a bronze.


Lists run stopped in final com. But Moore, the reigning NCAA Division I champion from UNLV, roared back over the last four holes to overtake List and win the championship 2-up.


Emilie Murder Hunt Seeks Serial Links Crime profilers will join the Emilie Delagrange murder investigation to help determine whether a serial hammer attacker is on the loose.


Taiwan says China ships challenge US defence line Taiwan Premier Yu Shyi-kun accused arch-foe China of sending surveillance ships into Taiwan and Japanese waters to prepare for a possible confrontation with the United States, newspapers said today.


They Don #39;t Have a Word for It Does language sometimes define the content of thought? Are there people who cannot entertain certain ideas because their language does not have the words to express them?


Noguchi Wins Olympic Marathon as Radcliffe Drops Out (Update3) Mizuki Noguchi won the women #39;s marathon at the Athens Games, holding off world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya to earn Japan the title for the second straight Olympics.


Williams on fast track after streaking to silver Not long after sunrise yesterday, Lauryn Williams woke up and had some breakfast. And, with that, the normalcy ended. Before noon, she was at the Olympic complex


MOORE REFUSES TO BE BEATEN When it #39;s typed up and aligned just so and stuck in the PGA Tour media guide someday, Ryan Moore #39;s resume may rank among the best in the book.


Competitors voice pride in being pioneers as women #39;s wrestling <b>...</b> This was not one for the books. It was one for the looks. How many times had Sara McMann seen the look? She would tell people she was a wrestler, and their eyebrows would


#39;EVENING #39; FALLS ON FUNNY CIDE The conditions were ideal for a successful Saratoga debut for its native son Funny Cide, but the Spa #39;s reputation as the Graveyard of Favorites prevailed again.


Taskmaster Coach Brings  #39;Suffering #39; (and Medicine Ball) Wolf Wigo was 27, earning well into six figures as an options trader in San Francisco, when Ratko Rudic invaded his life. It was 2001, a year after the Sydney Olympics, where


Sudan ready for any UN actions over Darfur: FM Sudan is ready for any action that the United Nations might take over the situation in the west region of Darfur, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Othman Ismail said on Sunday.


Nepal Maoists kill soldier, kidnap six policemen KATHMANDU, Aug 22: Maoist rebels killed a soldier, bombed government offices and kidnapped six policemen in a raid on a district headquarters in Nepal #39;s far northwest, police said on Sunday.


NZ protesters march against legal recognition of gay relationships About 5,000 people marched Monday from Wellington #39;s Civic Square to Parliament to protest against proposed legislation giving gay relationships legal recognition.


Germany Accuses Iraqis Over Insurgency, Death Plot  KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - German prosecutors on  Tuesday accused a 30-year-old Iraqi man of recruiting militants  for the Iraqi insurgency and smuggling wounded fighters back to  western Europe for treatment.


Report: Southwest to cut 88 flights this fall Southwest Airlines is planning to cut as many as 88 flights from its schedule to free up the planes for more profitable markets, according to a published report.


Chief of McDonald #39;s Has More Surgery Charles H. Bell, the chief executive of the McDonald #39;s Corporation, is recuperating after another surgery, the company said on Saturday.


More Is Not Necessarily Better magine if one company controlled the card catalog of every library in the world. The influence it would have over what people see, read and discuss would be enormous.


Life without numbers 11=2. Mathematics doesn #39;t get any more basic than this, but even 11 would stump the brightest minds among the Piraha tribe of the Amazon.


2 Vietnamese die of unidentified virus Among three recent human deaths in Vietnam #39;s northern Thai Nguyen province, two were initially reported to have contracted an unidentified dangerous virus, local newspaper Labor reported Monday.


Franchitti gets second win; Rice has disaster It appears Dario Franchitti of Scotland is getting the hang of it in the Indy Racing League. Franchitti dominated Sunday #39;s Honda Indy 225 at Pikes Peak International Raceway for his second IRL win of the season.


THIS OFFENSIVE DISPLAY PUTTING SEASON IN PERIL THE Yankees #39; final seven at-bats yesterday defined their current state. Gary Sheffield homered and was followed by six meek outs in 11 pitches.


US tanks advance towards shrine: Heavy clashes in Najaf NAJAF, Aug 22: Heavy clashes flared between US troops and militiamen in Najaf on Sunday after the suspension of a proposed hand over of the militia #39;s shrine stronghold to Iraq #39;s religious leadership.


US journalist set free in Iraq, cites misunderstanding BAGHDAD/CAIRO - US journalist Micah Garen was set free Sunday after being held hostage by kidnappers in Iraq for more than a week, news reports said.


Pollution 'hides' global warming The true extent of global warming is hidden by air pollution, a German scientist is warning.


Woolworths Second-Half Net Rises 12 on Cost Cuts (Update3) Woolworths Ltd. #39;s second-half profit rose 12 percent after Australia #39;s biggest grocer cut the cost of getting goods to its shops and opened 37 new supermarkets and liquor outlets.


Facts on Stem Cells This summer marks the third anniversary of President Bush #39;s announcement of his policy on stem cell research. In the intervening years, the subject has become a polarizing flash point for American politics and a focal point for the presidential campaign.


FCC Says It Extended Discounted Phone-Line Rates T amp;T, MCI and other telephone companies that provide local calling by renting other carriers #39; equipment have received a six-month extension on discounted leasing rates while regulators work on new competition rules.


Fresh sign of housing market cooling House prices in England and Wales fell slightly in August, property research company Hometrack says, offering another sign the market may be cooling in the face of higher interest rates.


NBA could use this reject Sarunas Jasikevicius is just another international nobody who is too slow and too anchored to the floor to play in the NBA. He is not what we want, not our style.


Australia boosts anti-terror measures at small airports SYDNEY : The Australian government announced a major security upgrade for nearly 150 small airports including the creation of police rapid response teams to deal with possible terrorist attacks.


Philippine rebels vow to end conflicts through talks The Philippine rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Monday reiterated its resolve to end conflict with the government troops through talks.


A Radio Challenge to Arbitron A new service will measure radio audiences in cars, combining global positioning technology and tracking of the radio dial to challenge Arbitron, the dominant radio ratings provider.


As Congressional Budget Chief, Former Bush Economic Aide Isn #39;t <b>...</b> Congressional Democrats were deeply suspicious when Republican leaders selected Douglas J. Holtz-Eakin to take over the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office in early 2003.


Oil steady in edgy Asia trading SINGAPORE -- Oil prices remained below the \$50 a barrel mark in Asian trading Monday but fears of escalating violence in Iraq kept traders on edge.


Users Delay SP2 Rollouts Many enterprise IT managers are delaying for months any rollout of Microsoft Corp. #39;s long-awaited and often-delayed Windows XP Service Pack 2, saying it is breaking too many of their applications.


The State of Mac Browsing: An Embarrassment of Riches Up to now, I #39;ve chosen my browser based mostly on which one shows up on my desktop by default. Since Apple #39;s Safari is preloaded in the Mac OS X Dock, that #39;s what I #39;ve been using.


Keep track of hometown heroes: ATHENS, GREECE - The tattoo on Maurice Greene #39;s biceps reads GOAT That stands for Greatest Of All Time. It was 22-year-old Justin Gatlin who blazed to victory in the heavyweight event of the Olympic Games, winning


Atlanta gives LA 8 reasons to worry LOS ANGELES - The Atlanta Braves have won 12 consecutive division titles by reloading, rather than rebuilding. They #39;ve done it this season with Jaret Wright and JD Drew.


North Korea says Bush worse than Hitler North Korea has described US President George W. Bush as a tyrannical political imbecile. who put Adolf Hitler in the shade and said Pyongyang could see no justification for talks with his administration.


Fierce Fighting Erupts in Iraq's Najaf-Witnesses (Reuters) Reuters - Fierce fighting broke out in the\holy Iraqi city of Najaf Monday, with numerous explosions and\gunfire echoing around a sacred shrine held by followers of a\radical Shi'ite cleric, Reuters witnesses said.


Fierce Fighting Erupts in Iraq's Najaf-Witnesses  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Fierce fighting broke out in the  holy Iraqi city of Najaf Monday, with numerous explosions and  gunfire echoing around a sacred shrine held by followers of a  radical Shi'ite cleric, Reuters witnesses said.


Singapore aims to lift birth rate Singapore will give families financial incentives to boost record-low birth rates, says new PM Lee Hsien Loong.


Oil steady after failure to hit \$50 Oil prices have steadied after sliding sharply from record highs late last week but the tightening siege on rebels holed up in a shrine in Iraq has heightened uncertainty in the market.


Property prices continue to drop House prices fell for the second month running during August as the market continued to feel the effects of rising interest rates, figures show.


Australian Agency Picks Sun Desktop Over Microsoft An Australian city has signed a contract to replace Microsoft  #39;s Windows-desktop system on several thousand PCs with Sun Microsystems #39;s products, Sun officials said Friday.


Men #39;s Gymnastics Mired in Scoring Fiasco In many Olympics competitions winners and losers are determined by less than a fraction of a point and even the slightest error in scoring can set back an athlete from the gold to the bronze.


A capper of a week for Cink Stewart Cink was amused by television analysts who speculated which two players US captain Hal Sutton was going to pick for the Ryder Cup, especially when his name only came up once.


Ogunleye: Dolphins showed no  #39;class #39; DAVIE - A day after he was traded to the Chicago Bears, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said Dolphins General Manager Rick Spielman showed a  quot;lack of class quot; by continually denying that he would trade him to another team.


Missile shield talks lose-lose case for PM There are times in the life of a minority government when the biggest hurdle on the horizon is not a vote it stands to lose but rather one it can #39;t avoid winning.


Framingham health center seeking new, larger home The Framingham Community Health Center, which just opened in March, is hoping to relocate and expand to serve a fast-growing population of low-income, mostly Brazilian patients.


Virgin Blue budget airline announces fuel surcharge hike Australian budget airline Virgin Blue announced Monday it will increase the fuel surcharge it adds to ticket prices from Aug. 26 because of soaring oil prices.


China revises GDP growth rate to 9.69 in Jan-June China has revised upward its gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 9.69 per cent during the first half of this year due to higher growth in service industries, the state media reported on Monday.


Football action that #39;s worth tackling For anyone wondering what it might be like to bow in a huddle with Tom Brady, ESPN NFL 2K5 is the game for you. In the game #39;s first-person mode, players can maraud about while viewing the action from behind a face mask.


Cink goes wire-to-wire at NEC AKRON, Ohio -- The last man picked for the Ryder Cup team led at Firestone from start to finish. Where: Shanty Creek Resort, Bellaire (Legend and Cedar River courses).


Carl Lewis Says Olympic Sprints Weren #39;t Dimmed By Drug Scandals Carl Lewis, who won the Olympic 100 meters in 1988 after Ben Johnson was thrown out for using steroids, said Justin Gatlin and Yuliya Nesterenko #39;s sprint victories weren #39;t dimmed by doping scandals that dwindled the fields.


Trade paying dividends in Boston CHICAGO -- Every day you see a little more evidence on the side of the Red Sox, the team that traded a Boston legend for two people most noted for their glove work.


Singapore aims to lift birth rate Singapore will give families financial incentives to boost record-low birth rates, new Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his national address.


CHINA WATCH: HK Democrats Nearing Path To Beijing Talks HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Pro-democracy parties look set to increase their seats in Hong Kong #39;s Legislative Council elections next month, a result that could finally pave the way for a direct dialogue with Beijing.


UPDATE: Australia #39;s Sonic Targets More Europe Expansion SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Citing a lack of growth opportunities in its home market, Australian pathology and radiology company Sonic Healthcare Ltd.


Doctors say US plan will alienate Health care professionals across the state say a new federal program that will give \$1 billion to hospitals nationwide that provide emergency care to undocumented


Macromedia expands J2EE pitch Macromedia plans to release on Monday the first major extension for Flex, server software introduced earlier this year as part of a drive to expand use of the company #39;s Flash format.


Another Chinese SMS firm suspended BEIJING: Chinadotcom Corp, an integrated software and mobile applications company, said that China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC) has suspended its Go2joy short message service (SMS) for an unspecified period due to various violations of its


Wrong target costs gold ATHENS, Greece -- Matt Emmons hit just about everything he aimed at Sunday. And it cost him his second gold medal. The US shooter had a commanding lead in the Olympic 50-meter three-position rifle competition


Mob sets train ablaze in Bangladesh protests DHAKA, BANGLADESH -- An angry mob set fire to a passenger train and protesters clashed with police across Bangladesh yesterday, leaving dozens of people injured, as violence spread a day after a grenade attack on an opposition rally killed 19 people and


Nepal opposition calls for truce to end blockade Nepal #39;s main opposition party urged the government on Monday to call a unilateral ceasefire with Maoist rebels and seek peace talks to end a road blockade that has cut the capital off from the rest of the country.


Memo Appealed for Ways To Break Iraqi Detainees MANNHEIM, Germany, Aug. 22 -- A memo issued last summer by a US Army military intelligence officer appealed for suggestions on how to extract information from prisoners in Iraq and called for tougher means of getting intelligence.


Bush, Defense Policy Team Have Meeting (AP) AP - President Bush is mapping out defense strategy with his top defense advisers as U.S. deaths in Iraq inch toward 1,000 and the election campaign focuses intently on he and Democrat John Kerry's credentials for keeping the nation safe.


Medical Records May Go Online Health industry, tech firms, government agencies might collaborate to build a secure database of patient records.


Kroger Profit Edges Up, Misses Forecast  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co. KR.N, the top U.S.  grocer, on Tuesday reported that quarterly profit edged up as  it kept a tight rein on expenses and sales rebounded.


DoCoMo and Motorola talk phones Japanese mobile phone company DoCoMo is in talks to buy 3G handsets from Motorola, the world's second largest handset maker.


Munch's 'Scream' Is Stolen From a Crowded Museum in Oslo Edvard Munch's masterpiece, "The Scream," and another painting were grabbed off the wall of a crowded museum by armed robbers.


Australia #39;s Billabong year net profit up 14 per cent Surfwear maker Billabong International Ltd said today its annual net profit rose 14 per cent on strong sales. Net profit for the year ended June 30 rose to A\$87 million (NZ\$94.


HK walks out of 68-month deflation cycle The latest composite consumer price index will be released later Monday, Tang said at the Hong Kong Economic Summit which was opened Monday morning.


US Dream Team: a nightmare Someone forgot to inform the US Olympic basketball team that it was sent to Athens to try to win a gold medal, not to embarrass its country.


AROUND THE HORN: Glaus may return to Angels; Catalanotto out for <b>...</b> NEW YORK -- Troy Glaus has been out of touch with the Anaheim Angels since having right shoulder surgery May 21. That will change this week, when the club might determine whether the third baseman will play in September.


Medical Records May Go Online (PC World) PC World - Health industry, tech firms, government agencies might collaborate to\ build a secure database of patient records.


Sudan's Rebels, Government Meet for Talks (AP) AP - Pushed to end what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, envoys of Sudan's government gathered in Nigeria on Monday for talks with rebel leaders in Sudan's bloodied western Darfur region.


Indian truckers' strike enters third day, prices spiral (AFP) AFP - A strike by thousands of Indian truckers protesting a proposed new tax entered its third day, with officials reporting a sharp increase in prices of essential goods in major centres.


Indian leader facing arrest quits The leader of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Uma Bharati, steps down after facing arrest over a riot case.


Edwards Hits Bush on Overtime Pay Rules RACINE, Wis. Aug. 23, 2004 - John Edwards chose the almost evenly divided state of Wisconsin to tout the Democratic presidential ticket #39;s economic plans and criticize the Bush administration #39;s new rules for overtime pay.


Hong Kong Official: Deflation Run Is Over Financial Secretary Henry Tang said Monday that Hong Kong #39;s extended streak of deflation is officially over after 68 months.  quot;According to the trend of the consumer price index of the past few months, I believe


Presidential plans fail on good-tax basics If taxes are the price of civilization, election year is the time for bargain hunting. Over the past few months, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.


Steel Shares Dive On Price Cuts MUMBAI, AUG 23: Shares of steel firms fell in the range of 4 to 7 per cent early on Monday after top producers slashed prices amid government concerns about spiralling inflation, traders said.


Macromedia launches Flex Builder Macromedia will ship Flex Builder this week, which is designed to provide an interactive development environment for the company #39;s Flex presentation server.


Roundup: Kupets and Hatch golden in gymnastics A year ago, gymnasts Courtney Kupets and Annia Hatch wondered if injuries would prevent them from ever competing again. Last night in Athens, they not only competed, but they also excelled on the biggest stage of them all.


Gold slips out of reach Mardy Fish figured he eventually would see Nicolas Massu lying on the court. Just not as part of his postmatch celebration. After three sets, Massu was staggering


Davenport remains on title streak Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport claimed her fourth consecutive championship on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over second-seeded Vera Zvonareva in the Western and Southern Women #39;s Open in Mason, Ohio.


Angels pass Yankee test In a season filled with false starts and unfulfilled promise, the Angels know better than to get too excited at one weekend of achievement.


Fierce Battles for Control of Holy City Explosions and gunfire shook Najaf today amid fierce battles between US forces and Shiite militants, who remained in control of a revered shrine there as negotiations dragged on for its handover to religious authorities.


Four US soldiers face hearing in Germany over Iraq prisoner abuse BERLIN : Four US soldiers accused of abusing prisoners at a notorious jail in Iraq, including the suspected ringleader, face a military hearing in Germany on Monday, before their trial by court martial.


BMO to lead off banks #39; quarterly results reports Canada #39;s major banks begin reporting third-quarter earnings this week and analysts will be looking to see whether they can repeat the strong showing from the second quarter.


UPDATE: Woolworths Profit Up 12; CEO Departure Delayed SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian retail heavyweight Woolworths Ltd. (WOW.AU) Monday said annual net profit rose 12 to A\$731 million, and predicted solid growth this


Abbey Staff to Learn Scale of Takeover Job Cuts Abbey National staff were today expected to discover how many jobs will go in the banks planned takeover by Spanish group Santander Central Hispano.


Macromedia launches Flex Builder Macromedia this week will ship Flex Builder, which is designed to provide an interactive development environment for the companys Flex presentation server.


Flying the Sun to Safety When the Genesis capsule comes back to Earth with its samples of the sun, helicopter pilots will be waiting for it, ready to snag it out of the sky.


Report: Global LCD oversupply to peak in 3Q Excess supplies of large liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are forecast to peak in the third quarter of this year, but will balance out by the fourth, a US research firm said on Friday.


US sprinter Gatlin hangs on to beat a blazingly fast field ATHENS - Greece woke up to the Olympics last night, the spirit as it swayed to the music of Zorba #39;s Dance in the Olympic Stadium so infectious, so tantalizing that the finalists in the 100 meters joined in, acting more like dancers than runners minutes


IOC strips gold medal from Russian shot putter Russia #39;s Irina Korzhanenko was stripped of her shot put gold medal Monday, the first athlete of these games to lose an Olympic title because of doping.


Report: Colorado hit by grand jury indictment A grand jury has handed down an indictment regarding the use of prostitutes to entice football recruits to the University of Colorado, The Denver Post reported yesterday.


Four US soldiers in Abu Ghraib prisoner scandal face pretrial <b>...</b> Four US soldiers charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison face pretrial hearings before an American military judge in Germany.


Kabul bounty hunter trial resumes The trial of three Americans accused of torture and hostage-taking in Afghanistan is due to resume shortly in the capital, Kabul. Last week the US Federal Bureau of Investigation released material which could be used as evidence in the case.


NFL Pass-Interference Crackwon Draws Fire (AP) AP - Darren Sharper is upset about the NFL's crackdown on pass interference.


Baseball Today (AP) AP - Minnesota at Texas (8:05 p.m. EDT). Johan Santana (13-6) starts for the AL Central-leading Twins against Kenny Rogers (15-5).


Olympics-Sprinters Serve Up Greatest Race on Earth  ATHENS (Reuters) - American sprinter Justin Gatlin won the  closest Olympic 100 meters in history as the fastest men on  earth staged a sporting spectacle that thrilled the world.


Philips Leads Europe Shares Up; ARM Down  LONDON (Reuters) - Philips Electronics, a rally on Wall  Street, and tamer oil prices lifted European shares on Monday,  but trading volumes and corporate news are remain thinned by  the holidays.


Fighting Erupts Round Rebel-Held Najaf Shrine  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Fierce fighting broke out around a  shrine in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf Monday, and pieces of  shrapnel landed in the courtyard of the mosque held by  followers of a radical Shi'ite cleric, Reuters witnesses said.


Amazing race ATHENS -- In one of the greatest 100-meter races in history, in a packed stadium rocking with emotion, Justin Gatlin of the United States bolted to an Olympic gold medal last night in front of a fiercely energized field that set a new standard of sprinting excellence.


Fastest man in world has great company ATHENS -- They are the most important 10 seconds, or thereabouts, the Olympic Games have to offer.


Drought ends with reign ATHENS -- They'd been here so many times before with gilded dreams -- in Mexico City, in Munich, in Montreal, in Los Angeles, in Seoul, in Barcelona, in Atlanta, and four years ago in Sydney. And every time, they had to listen to someone else's anthem.


Angels complete sweep of Yankees Bengie Molina went 4 for 4 with a three-run homer, Kelvim Escobar outpitched Kevin Brown, and the Anaheim Angels completed a three-game sweep of the slumping Yankees with a 4-3 victory yesterday in New York.


California overpowers N. Carolina Danny Leon hit a two-run homer, and Tyler Carp and John Lister added solo homers to lead California (1-0) to a 9-2 victory over North Carolina (1-1) yesterday in the Little League World Series at South Williamsport, Pa. The runs came quickly. California batted around in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead. Leon's shot to center and Lister's ...


Bonds powers Giants Barry Bonds hit a two-run homer in the first inning to support a strong effort by Kirk Rueter and help the Giants beat the New York Mets, 3-1, yesterday in San Francisco.


NL notables  Kirk Rueter of the Giants pitched seven innings of five-hit ball, his longest outing since May 7. Larry Walker hit his second grand slam in five days for the Cardinals. Shortstop Jerry Gil became the 48th player to suit up for the Diamondbacks, a club record. Barry Bonds of the Giants scored his 100th run for the 12th straight season. ...


Ortiz is cleaning up his act CHICAGO -- It's hard enough trying to hit a 5-ounce sphere hurtling toward the plate at 90-something miles an hour. For David Ortiz , it's even harder trying to do it batting fourth in the Red Sox lineup, although he didn't have much trouble last night.


Report: Idled Garciaparra will have MRI on Achilles #146; Nomar Garciaparra was scratched from the starting lineup for the second straight day yesterday as his Chicago Cubs beat the Astros, 11-6, in Houston.


Whitewashing CHICAGO -- The baseball gods appeared to smile on the Red Sox last night as they opened the finale of their weekend series in the Windy City. The Rangers already had lost to the Royals, giving the Sox a half-game edge in the American League wild-card race. And the Yankees had fallen to the Angels, closing the gap in the ...


Fundamental problems After New England's 31-3 loss to the Bengals in Cincinnati Saturday night, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was asked if he took solace in the fact that, over the last few seasons, his team has had a penchant for overcoming adversity.


It #146;s a choice performance If anyone had questions about Stewart Cink being chosen for the US Ryder Cup team, he answered them with authority yesterday at the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio, never letting anyone get closer than two shots and becoming the first wire-to-wire winner this year on the PGA Tour.


This house has everything. Now buyers can use technology and databases to get a more complete view of a house without driving 30 miles to see it.


After shakeout, medical websites find new health When a 32-year-old patient with rapid heart palpitations showed up in the emergency room at Massachusetts General Hospital saying she suffered from Holt-Oram Syndrome, Dr. Jonathan Adler had no idea what this syndrome was. But he knew he had to work quickly. Using his computer, he looked up a comprehensive description on eMedicine.com, a Nebraska-based Web database of various diseases ...


Despite travel slump, online firms flourish Remember that economic downturn? 9/11? The war in Iraq? Spiking oil prices, and airline fuel surcharges?


To installers of car stereos, auto systems sound fishy When Derek Kenney unhooked the radio in a customer's 2000 Cadillac Sedan DeVille DTS, music wasn't the only thing that stopped coming out of the car.


Back to school with gadgets galore Back-to-school shopping used to be pretty low-tech. You'd get pencils, a notebook with blue-lined paper, some clothes, and maybe a new backpack.


Numbers in dispute as OT rules kick in WASHINGTON -- Paychecks could surge or shrink for a few or for millions of workers across the country starting today, when sweeping changes to overtime pay rules take effect.


Rosy forecasts slipping as oil prices rise WASHINGTON -- High oil prices, a factor in virtually all US recessions over the past three decades, are surging again this year. And the higher crude oil prices climb, the more risk energy costs pose to what, until recently, many expected to be a banner year for the US economy.


Music stores lack excitement, executive says SAN DIEGO -- Music mogul Clive Davis has some advice for retailers looking to persuade music fans to return to traditional record shops: Make shopping more fun.


Doctors online Physicians constitute a significant audience for online medical services, according to a survey done in June and July of 1,013 practicing doctors:


Two Munch paintings taken in museum heist OSLO -- Armed, masked thieves burst into a lightly guarded Oslo museum yesterday and snatched the Edvard Munch masterpiece  quot;The Scream quot; and a second Munch painting from the walls as stunned visitors watched.


Talks drag as fighting shakes Najaf NAJAF, Iraq -- Explosions and gunfire shook Najaf's Old City yesterday in a fierce battle between US forces and Shi'ite militants, as negotiations dragged on for the handover of the shrine that the fighters have used as their stronghold.


At checkpoint, US forces kill 3 Afghan civilians KABUL, Afghanistan -- US soldiers sprayed a pickup with bullets after it failed to stop at a roadblock in central Afghanistan, killing two women and a man and critically wounding two other people, the latest in a string of civilian deaths at the hands of American forces.


BEA packages Web application tools The company hopes to lure software partners by promising to save them from infrastructure headaches.


UK Stocks Advance, Paced by British Airways and Rentokil UK stocks advanced, paced by British Airways Plc after the airline averted a strike by some of its staff. Rentokil Initial Plc, the world #39;s biggest pest control business, gained after


Australia #39;s Virgin Blue increases fuel surcharge after oil hikes SYDNEY : Australian airline Virgin Blue announced it was sharply increasing a fuel surcharge imposed in May to compensate for rising world oil prices.


Abbey staff loss will be  quot;under 4,500 quot; Santander Central Hispano is expected to announce that headcount at Abbey National will not drop by more than 4,500 in the three years after its takeover, a source familiar with the situation says.


Fastest race ever yields gold, bronze for US Justin Gatlin wants to be a new face of track and field. Maurice Greene doesn #39;t want his face to be forgotten. Both should agree on one thing.


American charges late, earns surprise bronze ATHENS, Greece -- Deena Kastor conquered the rugged hills of the ancient course that gave the marathon its name, somehow marshaling the energy to pull from eighth to third in the final few miles Sunday and earn the first US marathon medal in 20 years.


Shot put winner stripped of gold ATHENS, Greece -- The winner of Wednesday #39;s women #39;s shot put has been stripped of her gold medal after failing a drugs test after the competition.


An American gymnast #39;s Hamm-handed move ATHENS, Greece -- Wouldn #39;t that have been great? Paul Hamm, the man with the tarnished gold medal in the gymnastics all-around event earlier this week, coming out Sunday night and saying,  quot;The right and honorable


Fish founders late, settles for silver With Mardy Fish leading two sets to one against an opponent who seemed to be weakening and perhaps coming up lame, the gold medal match was his to lose yesterday.


Aide to Carl the Jackal Acquitted (AP) AP - A German court on Monday acquitted a jailed aide of the terrorist Carlos the Jackal of murder in a deadly series of bombings in France in the early 1980s.


Electricity Goes Off Across Bahrain (AP) AP - Electricity went out across Bahrain on Monday, leaving people without air conditioning on a day when temperatures were expected to reach 130, snarling rush hour traffic and sending businesses and the U.S. Navy to their generators.


Singapore wants to double manufacturing in 15 years Singapore says it hopes to double manufacturing output in 15 years as regional competition heats up from lower-cost rivals such as fast-growing China and India.


Pakistan reveals al-Qaeda plot ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has revealed dramatic plans of an al-Qaeda-linked group of terrorists to launch suicide attacks on key government leaders and the US Embassy earlier this month.


Experts defuse bomb in Thailand #39;s violence-hit south Experts defused a large bomb Monday in a city where three similar devices exploded over the weekend - the latest violence blamed on suspected Islamic militants in Thailand #39;s troubled south.


DoCoMo in Motorola 3G talks Japanese mobile phone company DoCoMo is in talks to buy 3G handsets from Motorola, the world's second largest handset maker.


Weather gets 3D gaming makeover BBC weather is to use 3D gaming graphics technology to make its bulletins more realistic and accurate.


Exorcist movie thrills box office A new prequel to The Exorcist was the most popular film at North American cinemas at the weekend, taking \$18.2m.


DoCoMo and Motorola in talks Japanese mobile phone firm DoCoMo is in talks to buy 3G handsets from Motorola.


Arm Holdings buys US tech firm Microprocessor designer Arm Holdings buys US tech firm Artisan for about \$913m.


Billabong sees big swell ICONIC surf wear group Billabong International Ltd expects its wave of success to continue with expectations of net profit and earnings per share to rise about 20 per cent in 2004/05.


BHP, Alcoa plan \$138m JV sale GLOBAL miner BHP Billiton Ltd and the world #39;s largest aluminium producer, Alcoa Inc, plan to raise up to \$US100 million (\$138 million) in calendar 2004 by selling shares in their metal-processing


INTERVIEW: Australia #39;s Evans  amp; Tate Aims For 10 Growth PERTH (Dow Jones)--Australian winemaker Evans  amp; Tate Ltd. (ETW.AU) said Monday it is aiming for profit growth of at least 10 in the current year as it expands sales in its key markets across Australia and the UK.


#39;Give Gunners silverware #39; Arsenal striker Thierry Henry believes that the Gunners should receive some sort of silverware for their unbeaten record. Sunday #39;s 5-3 win over Middlesbrough equalled Nottingham Forest #39;s 42-game unbeaten League run.


Hemingway nabs silver in high jump Matt Hemingway, who qualified for his first Olympics on his third try and once quit high jumping because he was  quot;burned out, quot; made sure his first Olympic experience was one to remember.


Jaguars give Brackens his release The Jacksonville Jaguars released defensive end Tony Brackens yesterday after the team #39;s all-time sack leader struggled this preseason with the latest in a string of leg injuries.


Puyallup #39;s Moore takes US Amateur Ryan Moore of Puyallup capped one of the greatest individual summers of amateur golf in the sport #39;s history yesterday by coming from behind to win the US Amateur.


No slipups this time as Timlin holds his own Mike Timlin #39;s reaction when he saw Manny Ramirez slip on Ben Davis #39;s routine fly ball was probably no different than yours was last night.


Gaining dad #39;s support of Miranda #39;s sport was her biggest takedown She has persuaded her father that wrestling is worthy of her time and her passion. The conversion took years, but it is now complete.


New overtime rules are mostly bad news for employees Q: I keep hearing about these supposed new rules for overtime pay and I am confused. Are there new rules, and if so, what are they?


Radcliffe Will Go to Beijing - Bedford Paula Radcliffe will bounce back from her Athens marathon nightmare and make one last bid for Olympic glory in Beijing, according to David Bedford.


Surprise Greek winner in 20km walk Outsider Athanasia Tsoumeleka snatched the women #39;s Olympic 20km race walk title after a thrilling finish to give hosts Greece their first athletics gold of the Games.


Itsa losing proposition The United States had been confident of coming away from the first Olympic women #39;s wrestling tournament with the maximum four medals.


Fierce battles for Najaf Explosions and gunfire shook Najaf amid fierce battles between US forces and Shiite militants, who remained in control of a revered shrine there as negotiations dragged on for its handover to religious authorities.


Chechen police seize 7 rebels Russian military forces have struck back at Chechen rebels who attacked a police station in Grozny, and arrested seven men. Ilya Shabalkin, the spokesman for Russian forces in


Philips Leads Europe Shares Up; ARM Down (Reuters) Reuters - Philips Electronics, a rally on Wall\Street, and tamer oil prices lifted European shares on Monday,\but trading volumes and corporate news are remain thinned by\the holidays.


Out without a bang: Cannons falter in final The Philadelphia Barrage had not advanced to the postseason since Major League Lacrosse was formed in 2001. They won only one game last season.


Ulmer tracks down world record Sarah Ulmer of New Zealand continued her dominance of pursuit racing yesterday, breaking her world record to win the Olympic gold medal in the 3,000-meter pursuit.


Biffle thwarts Martin #146;s gamble for 2d triumph Greg Biffle drove to an easy victory, pulling away from gambling teammate Mark Martin late in the race to win the GFS Marketplace 400 Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway yesterday.


Vargas valiant in loss ATHENS -- The tears rolled down the bruised cheek of Devin Vargas last night. They were not there because his injured left knee was throbbing, although it was. Vargas cried for a dream, and a fight, lost.


Hardware in store for Hatch, Kupets ATHENS -- A year ago in Anaheim, Calif., they were out of uniform and on crutches, their world meet over before it began, their careers in doubt. Annia Hatch had dislocated her left knee and torn her anterior cruciate ligament. Courtney Kupets had ruptured her left Achilles' tendon. Last night, they were both on the Olympic medal stand with medals ...


Hey, just who is this guy? ATHENS -- The day after, as the US regrouped from another loss and looked ahead to the medal round, the name of Sarunas Jasikevicius still resonated. The Lithuanian point guard torched the Yanks for 28 points in a 94-90 victory Saturday night. He is leading the Olympics in assists. He is ninth in scoring. He is clearly a take-charge, take-no-prisoners ...


Hemingway has silver sense ATHENS -- Matt Hemingway gambled in the men's high jump last night, passing on the fourth height of the competition (7 feet 6 inches) to save himself for later. He easily cleared his next two jumps to take the silver.


They #146;re in the wrong ATHENS -- Matt Emmons was focusing on staying calm. He should have been focusing on the right target.


Devers can #146;t outrun pain, falls in hurdles ATHENS -- Gail Devers stared straight ahead, her eyes focused on the first hurdle.  quot;I was trying to block it out, quot; she said later.


Fish founders late, settles for silver ATHENS -- With Mardy Fish leading two sets to one against an opponent who seemed to be weakening and perhaps coming up lame, the gold medal match was his to lose yesterday.


Play of US women pleasing to the eye ATHENS -- LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and a couple of their Olympic teammates made it over to watch last night's women's game between the United States and China. They saw a team shoot well, pass well, rebound well, and dominate -- everything they are not doing so far.


Jarno looking to reverse recent form The Italian will be pushing 100 for himself and the team at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix in Spa Francorchamps.


Jarno takes in the Olympics Sports fan Jarno Trulli got a rare privilege this week as he visited the Olympics in Athens, as a guest of PUMA.


Oil Retreats, Lifts Asian Stocks Crude oil prices hovered nearly five percent below a 21-year high Monday, lifting most Asian shares and giving investors some respite from concerns that energy costs would choke off profits and economic growth.


UPDATE: Australia #39;s Fortescue Signs China Railway Group PERTH (Dow Jones)--Signing up China #39;s biggest construction company, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (FMG.AU) on Monday inched closer to realizing its A\$1.


Thin-client desktops: Not defunct yet Thin-client computing has been around for a decade, but the rising costs of updating software and installing security patches on networked personal computers is sparking renewed interest


Digital media -- knowing your rights Buying music used to be simple: You coughed up \$14 or so for a CD, and as long as you didn #39;t bootleg it or charge crowds of people to listen to it, the music was yours.


Final day brings out big crowd The galleries at Winged Foot Golf Club reached a tournament-high yesterday for the dramatic 36-hole final at the US Amateur. But Bill Rose, chairman of the championship, said the event would not be a financial success.


Soldier shot dead at biking venue ATHENS, Greece -- A Greek soldier has been shot dead while on patrol at the Olympic mountain bike course near Athens, a government spokesman said on Monday.


Kidnapped Reporter Released In Iraq 23 August 2004 -- A US reporter released in Iraq after more than a week in captivity said today he had been seized while taking pictures at a city market in Al-Nasiriyah.


Muslim group claims Jewish Paris attack A previously unknown group calling itself Jamaat Ansar al-Jihad al-Islamiya says it set fire to a Jewish soup kitchen in Paris, according to an Internet statement.


Premiers differ on air security plan THE Federal Government #39;s plan to boost security at regional airports was inadequate because it did not include permanent passenger screening, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said today.


The Shame of Adult Male Virginity My feeling is that somewhere between the ages of 18 and 22-25 society      starts expecting men to not be virgins. Well, maybe "expecting" is      not the right word, but that's the age range were I started feeling      shame about being a virgin.  There are many advantages to being a virgin: you know you're not diseased, you know you're not a daddy and you don't have a woman who has reached deep into your inner feelings and can manipulate you with that leverage. A quick side note about diseases: besides the scary lifelong and life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases it is estimated that as many as 50 of sexually active singles have Genital Warts, for which there is no cure. They are extremely easy to transfer between partners and can be a precursor to penile, cervical and rectal cancer.


ARM buys US tech firm Artisan Semiconductor designer ARM Holdings ARM.L has agreed to buy US technology firm Artisan ARTI.O for \$913 million (503.3 million pounds), to boost its product range, but


INTERVIEW: Australia #39;s Billabong On Acquisition Trail MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian surfwear company Billabong International Ltd. (BBG.AU) said Monday it will need to consider more acquisitions as part of an effort to bolster the range of products it sells.


Franchitti captures Pikes Peak FOUNTAIN, COLO. -- Although Dario Franchitti was criticized for making the jump to the Indy Racing League from the former CART series, his decision is starting to look like a good one.


Soldier shot dead at Olympics A Greek soldier guarding an Olympic facility in Athens has been shot dead after apparently playing game of Russian roulette with a policeman, security sources say.


Heart-breaking loss for Tall Blacks The Tall Blacks were eliminated from the medal round of the Athens Olympics on Monday after suffering a heartbreaking 88-84 loss to Spain.


25 dead in Venezuelan military plane crash A Venezuelan air force plane crashed in the mountainous region in northern Venezuela, killing all 25 people on board, an aviation officials said Sunday.


Abu Ghraib hearings begin in Germany Two days of pre-trial hearings began Monday at a US Army base in Mannheim, Germany, for four of seven US soldiers charged in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal that took place at Abu Ghraib prison outside of Baghdad.


Greece Goes Crazy Over 'Immortal' Walker  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece, shamed and angered by Olympic  doping scandals, went wild with delight Monday when Athanasia  Tsoumeleka won the women's 20 km walk to give the Olympic hosts  their first athletics gold medal.


ADV: \$150,000 Mortgage for Under \$690/Month Mortgage rates are at record lows. Save \$1000s on your mortgage payment. Free quotes.


China confirms bird flu found in pigs last year (AFP) AFP - China's Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that a deadly strain of bird flu was found in pigs last year, the Xinhua news agency reported.


Kenya Maasai land tensions grow Police in Kenya shoot dead an elderly Maasai tribesman who tried to graze cattle as part of a colonial land dispute.


Ordeal of 'Deserters' Who Didn't Desert Two men falsely identified as deserters by the Indian army were released in a prisoner exchange with Pakistan, but their lives remain spoiled by the mistake.


Productivity Growth Slows to 1.8 Percent  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. business productivity grew more  slowly in the third quarter than first thought, climbing at a  revised 1.8 percent annual rate, a government report showed on  Tuesday, while growth in unit labor costs was nudged up to a  1.8 percent pace.


Referendum confirmed, Chvez looks ahead CARACAS - Venezuelan leader Hugo Chvez urged his foes to accept their defeat and move on yesterday, after an audit of last week #39;s recall referendum confirmed the president #39;s victory.


Truckers #39; Strike Enters Third Day A nationwide truckers #39; strike to protest a proposed service tax entered its third day Monday, causing food prices to rise on fears of possible shortages.


UPDATE: Singapore Tiger Airways To Start Flights In Sep SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Tiger Airways, Singapore Airlines Ltd. #39;s (S55.SG) 49-owned budget affiliate, Monday said it will start flights in September, with initial services to Bangkok.


Is Real a Real Hypocrite? RealNetworks badly needs a PR coup to regain credibility with music fans, but its latest  quot;freedom of music choice quot; campaign is missing the mark, critics say.


Koorzhanenko kicked out of Olympics Disgraced Olympic shot put championIrina Korzhanenko from Russia has been expelled from the Athens Games after failing a drugs test, the International Olympic Committee said on Monday.


Henry: Record not enough Arsenal striker Thierry Henry says reaching their milestone on Sunday will mean nothing if they don #39;t win anything. The5-3 win over Middlesbrough equalled Nottingham Forest #39;s 42-game unbeaten League run, set 25 years ago.


Idowu put out by judge blunder Phillips Idowu dyed his hair red for the triple jump final last night and it proved prescient. Four times the Londoner was shown a red flag as he failed to make it into the final eight left to contend for the gold medal.


Tall Blacks quarterfinal hopes dashed The New Zealand men #39;s basketball team came within four points of a chance of remaining in the medal hunt at the Olympics after a devastating 84-88 loss to Spain tonight.


Sand dreams crumble in quarter-finals The beach volleyball men #39;s pair of John Child and Mark Heese of Toronto dropped a quarter-final match yesterday to a Spanish duo, while Quebeckers Guylaine Dumont and Annie Martin lost in the women #39;s event, eliminating Canada from competition in the sport


Angels wouldn #39;t be a good playoff foe The Angels weren #39;t playing the same game as the Yankees this weekend. Not in the wide-angle sense of being a first-place team with the luxury of a comfortable lead.


Bonds hits No. 693 in Giants #39; win Barry Bonds hit a two-run home run in the first inning to support a strong effort by Kirk Rueter and help the San Francisco Giants beat the visiting New York Mets 3-1 on Sunday.


Obasanjo warns Sudan on militia, calls for AU peacekeepers Nigeria #39;s President Olusegun Obasanjo warned Sudan to move more quickly to disarm the feared Janjaweed militia and called for African Union peacekeepers to be sent to Darfur.


India News: Iran nuclear power to become operational in 2006  quot;One subject which has not been concluded yet is related to the deal on the return of spent fuel, which is very complex, quot; Sabouri explained, stressing Iran #39;s decision to return the spent fuel to Russia.


News and notes Somehow, somewhere, Nicolas Massu of Chile summoned the strength and the shots to win his second gold medal of these Olympics. That #39;s twice as many medals as the star-studded US tennis team, led by Andy Roddick and Venus Williams, managed to win.


A Site for Banner Ad Freaks Most internet users try to ignore banner ads, but web designer Tari Akpodiete can't stop collecting them. She's put her collection of 15,000 ad samples online for all who care to look. By Daniel Terdiman.


Is Real a Real Hypocrite? Real's recent marketing campaign purporting to promote choice in digital music fails to rally music fans. Instead, the blitz provokes nasty comments from Apple users and cries of hypocrisy from critics. By Katie Dean.


Army: JetBlue Data Use Was Legal A report by the Army's inspector general concludes that a controversial data-mining project involving airline passenger records did not violate federal privacy law. Critics say the report misinterprets the law. By Ryan Singel.


Politicos Dig Deep for Your Data This election year, activist groups are targeting undecided voters through consumer databases. But veteran campaigners say no magic formula can predict how people will vote based on where they live and what they buy. By John Gartner.


Scientists Breed a Tougher Mouse Through genetic engineering, scientists have bred a mouse capable of running twice as far as other mice before exhaustion. Medical researchers believe some of their findings could apply to humans. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Colgate to Cut Work Force, Close Plants  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer goods maker Colgate-Palmolive  Co. CL.N said on Tuesday it would cut about 12 percent of its  37,000-person work force and close one-third of its factories  worldwide as part of a four-year restructuring.


Mars Probes to Yell 'Geronimo!' Boeing agrees to design parachutes and software that would help future Mars probes autonomously control their descents, much like earthbound skydivers. Christopher Genna reports from Seattle.


Electricity Revives Coral Reef A Balinese project uses low-wattage electrical current to stimulate the regrowth of a badly damaged coral reef. It's the world's largest coral nursery ever built using this technology, in an area where most of the world's coral species live.


Catching Meth Cooks Pink-Handed Midwestern farmers welcome a new fertilizer additive that leaves a telltale fluorescent pink stain on the hands of anyone who touches it. Theft of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer, used to make methamphetamine, has become a major problem for farmers.


Satirists Skewer U.S. Candidates U.S. presidential hopefuls are the target of endless satirical barbs on the web as a host of cybercynics offer comic relief from election politics. Opponents Bush and Kerry appear in fake news reports, multimedia presentations and artwork.


Taiwan Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Legislative (AP) AP - Taiwanese lawmakers on Monday overwhelmingly agreed to slash in half the 225-seat legislature and revamp the election system  #151; sweeping historic changes designed to tackle corruption and weed out misbehaving legislators.


Prisoner Abuse Suspect Faces German Court MANNHEIM, Germany - A key suspect in the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison voiced fear he was being made a scapegoat when he was asked to turn over a laptop computer and other evidence suspected of containing photos of the maltreatment, an investigator told a U.S. military court Monday...


Felix Leads Three U.S. Women in 200-Meter ATHENS, Greece - Allyson Felix led three American women into the second round of the 200-meter on Monday, posting the fastest time of 22.39 seconds in the qualifying heats.    Joining the 18-year-old Felix in the quarterfinals later Monday were U.S...


Tower of gas fire diminshes, but worried evacuees can stay in <b>...</b> three days after they were evacuated when a tower of flames erupted from a nearby natural gas storage cavern. Officials


The Call Is Cheap. The Wiretap Is Extra. At first glance, it might seem like the simple extension of a standard tool in the fight against the bad guys. But in fact, wiretapping Internet phones to monitor criminals and terrorists is


P2P Networks Not Responsible for Copyright Whilst acknowledging that copyright infringements do happen on P2P networks, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that P2P network owners and software developers can #39;t be held responsible for them.


VoIP Vs. Conventional Telephones NEW YORK - Traditional phone systems may be going the way of the Pony Express. Voice-over-Internet Protocol, technology that allows users to make and receive phone calls using the Internet, is giving the old circuit-switched system a run for its money.


Long-distance Web surfing comes closer Business travellers will be able to surf the Web securely on long-distance flights by combining services from Boeing and iPass, the companies plan to announce on Monday.


Franchitti adds another win Dario Franchitti won the Indy Racing League race at Pikes Peak International Raceway at the weekend, his second consecutive victory and the Andretti Green Racing team #39;s seventh win in 12 races.


Malaysia says clear of human bird flu cases A Malaysian veterinarian and her three children have received a clean bill of health after tests for bird flu, leaving no suspected human cases of the deadly


Arroyo stays 4 economic secretaries in new Cabinet Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Monday announced that the economic team in her new Cabinet would stay for another term as the country is striving to solve its fiscal crisis.


Chain Store Sales Slip in Latest Week (Reuters) Reuters - Chain store retail sales continue to\fall during the week following the Thanksgiving holiday, a\retail report said on Tuesday.


Volkswagen Says It Will Not Increase Wages Automaker Volkswagen said Monday there is  quot;no room quot; for wage increases this year as it prepares for pay talks with Germany #39;s largest industrial union.


Boom in house prices is  #39;well and truly over #39; The tide has  quot;definitely quot; turned against the seller in the housing market, a leading property expert said today as he published figures showing that prices have fallen for two consecutive months.


Software Companies Not Liable for Copyright Infringement Description: A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that companies that provide software that runs two Internet-based file-sharing networks are not liable for copyright infringement by people who use the networks to share music and movies.


SWEAT AND TEARS Devers, Radcliffe can #39;t finish; Kastor overjoyed <b>...</b> Athens -- Two of the greatest female track and field athletes in history crashed and burned within two minutes of each other on a dramatic Sunday night of competition at the Olympic Games.


Gymnastics #39; pettiness is all-around ATHENS, Greece -- If international gymnastics is a brick house, the mortar holding it together is a conglomerate of finger-pointing, dubious judging, scandal, complaining and bald-faced weeping.


For Cink, NEC Title Comes by 4 Strokes The last man picked for the Ryder Cup team, then first at Firestone from start to finish. No wonder Stewart Cink says his confidence is at an all-time high.


Guantanamo Hearings To Give Only Restricted View Of Bin Laden <b>...</b> GUANTANAMO BAY US NAVAL BASE, Cuba, Aug 23 (AFP) - Only a sanitised glimpse of Australian David Hicks #39; life as a Taliban fighter or what it was like for Salim Hamdan to be Osama bin Laden #39;s personal driver and bodyguard will be given when their military


More tests for exhausted Radcliffe Paula Radcliffe is to have another medical check-up as a row brews over the marathon's scheduling.


J J Report Lifts Guidant Shares (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of medical device maker Guidant\Corp. jumped on Tuesday after a report saying the\company was in advanced talks to be acquired by health products\maker Johnson   Johnson  for more than  #36;24 billion.


Singapore Budget Carrier Set to Take Off Singapore Airlines #39; low-cost arm raised the stakes Monday in the battle for budget travelers, saying it is ready for a price war as it prepares to begin services next month.


#39;Jackal aide #39; in case 2 acquittal BERLIN, Germany -- A German court has acquitted Johannes Weinrich, said to be the right-hand man of international guerrilla  quot;Carlos the Jackal, quot; of charges that he took part in a deadly series of bombings in France in the early 1980s.


Sudan negotiator denies need for AU peacekeepers in Darfur (AFP) AFP - The head of Sudan's delegation to African Union-sponsored talks on the conflict in the western province of Darfur said there was no need for the AU to send peacekeeping force to the troubled region, insisting that Khartoum could handle the security situation.


Big gains for Krishnamurthi (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Engineering star Ashok Krishnamurthi quit his job at Juniper Networks with more than  #36;2 million in gains from exercising options and selling shares in his final weeks with the Sunnyvale networking company.


Area Job Growth Outpaces Nation's In percentage terms, Maryland, Virginia and the District saw much stronger levels of job creation in July than the nation as a whole.


After 38 Years, Valenti Prepares To Move On Jack Valenti took a break from cleaning out his office the other day to expound on a subject he knows well: the art of persuasion. Over minestrone soup and hummus at his usual table at the restaurant in the Hay Adams Hotel, Valenti, the 82-year-old dean of Washington lobbyists, reflected on how Washington has changed and how lobbyists should operate here.


A Curved Path for an Innovative Museum  It looked good on paper: Use huge, golden-colored limestone rocks to make an overhang 130 feet above the entrance of the National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall. It would look like the overhang in a Southwest canyon. No ugly, concrete columns underneath: It would seem as though suspended in air.


'Mercenaries' coup trial begins The trial of 14 men accused of plotting to topple Equatorial Guinea's president opens in Malabo on Monday.


Farc rebels reject hostage offer The largest rebel group in Colombia, the Farc, rejects a government proposal to exchange prisoners.


Despite judging error, Hamm #39;s gold medal shows no tarnish Let me be clear here, since some self-righteous columnists who wouldn #39;t know a handstand from a night stand have entered the fray: Paul Hamm should not give up his gold medal.


Sturrock leaves Southampton Manager Paul Sturrock has left Southampton by mutual consent, becoming the first managerial victim of the season after only two Premiership games.


Women #39;s event has brighter future All the retirement talk has stalled for Lindsay Davenport. Eighteen straight wins, four consecutive tournament titles, and a personality and tennis game that have dominated this week #39;s Western  amp; Southern Women #39;s Open.


Henry: Its Winning Things That Matters Arsenal striker Thierry Henry insists that winning trophies at the end of the season is more important than setting records at the start.


NL: Tempers flare in Cubs #39; win Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer as the Cubs beat the Astros 11-6 in a game with three ejections. In the third, Chicago #39;s Todd Walker hit a ground-rule double to score Corey Patterson.


Stock Futures Rise as Oil Prices Ease (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. stocks pointed to a slightly\higher open on Monday as investors seek bargains and oil prices\stay below last week's record high of nearly  #36;50 a barrel.


Britain's Straw to Keep World Pressure on Sudan (Reuters) Reuters - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw\flew to Sudan on Monday to keep up international pressure on\Khartoum to comply with U.N. demands to end the conflict in\Darfur that has already killed up to 50,000 people.


Stock Futures Rise as Oil Prices Ease  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks pointed to a slightly  higher open on Monday as investors seek bargains and oil prices  stay below last week's record high of nearly \$50 a barrel.


Tsoumeleka Wins Greece's First Track Gold  ATHENS (Reuters) - Athanasia Tsoumeleka won Greece's first  athletics gold of the Olympic Games Monday with an upset  victory in the women's 20km walk.


Stocks to Watch on August 23  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks to watch: ARTISAN  COMPONENTS INC ARTI.O British semiconductor designer ARM  Holdings Plc ARM.L agreed to buy U.S. technology firm Artisan  for \$913 million, to boost its product range, but ARM shares  slumped on Monday on concerns it had overpaid. Artisan shares  ended at \$23.88 on Nasdaq on Friday.


A.L. Wrap: Molina Leads Angels to Sweep of Yankees  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bengie Molina had four hits, including  a three-run homer, as the Anaheim Angels completed a three-game  series sweep of the New York Yankees with a 4-3 win on Sunday.


Fighting Erupts Around Rebel-Held Iraqi Shrine  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. marines and Shi'ite militiamen  fought fierce battles around a shrine in the Iraqi city of  Najaf on Monday in some of the heaviest fighting since the  20-day-old rebellion erupted.


Israel Plans 530 New Settler Homes in W.Bank-Sources  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel plans to build more than 530  new settler homes in the West Bank after Washington signaled it  would accept growth in Jewish enclaves in the occupied  territory, Israeli political sources said on Monday.


Angels Beat Yanks, Bosox Closer in AL EAST The New York Yankees are struggling to score and their once-huge lead in the AL East is suddenly shrinking. Manager Joe Torre refuses to panic just yet...


Israel OKs More West Bank Settlement Homes JERUSALEM - Israel announced plans Monday to build hundreds of new housing units in the West Bank, following an apparent U.S. policy shift on settlements that the Palestinians warned "will destroy the peace process."   The United States has signaled recently that it will allow Israel to expand existing settlements in the West Bank, while remaining opposed to construction in undeveloped areas...


Norway Searches for Treasured Masterpieces OSLO, Norway - Norwegian police said Monday that they were working on several tips in their search for two Edvard Munch masterpieces, including a version of "The Scream," after a bold daytime theft from an Oslo museum in front of stunned visitors.    The paintings were stolen from Oslo's Munch Museum on Sunday by masked, armed thieves, who pulled them from the walls as visitors and staff watched...


Election monitors work to build nations #39; trust One of the primary goals of modern society is to enhance a worldwide commitment to democracy. With so many national differences concerning preferred electoral processes, it helps to have a general definition of a democratic government.


Group: Google governance flawed Google Inc. ranks lower in corporate governance than any company in the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 stock index, according to influential proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services, said a newspaper report published Monday.


Hometrack survey reveals falling house prices Signs of a housing slowdown are now beginning to surface across the UK as a fall in the number of new buyers has now created a surplus of properties, suggests the latest Hometrack house price survey.


Travelers could soon report to work mid-flight NEW YORK - Business travelers will be able to surf the Web securely on long-distance flights by combining services from Boeing Co.


Macromedia Bolsters Flex with New Development Environment Capitalizing on the rapid adoption of its Flex presentation server, Macromedia Inc. is rolling out a new integrated development environment for the platform based on the popular Dreamweaver Web site tool.


Canuck player injured Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau of New Westminster, BC, was taken to a hospital for X-rays on his left hand after being hit by a pitch from Cleveland starter CC Sabathia in the sixth inning yesterday.


Sports: Red Sox 6 White Sox 5 CHICAGO The surging Boston Red Sox won their sixth in a row by completing a weekend sweep of the Chicago White Sox 6-to-5. The game featured five home runs.


Taiwan shrugs off Singaporean leader #39;s criticism of the island #39;s <b>...</b> Singaporean leader Lee Hsien Loong criticized Taiwan because he was under  quot;tremendous pressure quot; to patch up relations with Beijing, Taiwan #39;s foreign minister said Monday _ a day after Lee warned he wouldn #39;t support the island if it sparked a war with China


Google Not The First  To Go Dutch You don't have to be Google to challenge the way Wall Street manages initial public offerings. A little southwest Virginia biotechnology company has just gone public using the same innovative "open IPO" process as Google.


ManTech to Aid Air Force Network ManTech International Corp. of Fairfax won a \$20.9 million contract from the Air Force to provide network and telecommunications services in Europe and in Turkey.


Unanet's Software Lets Managers Watch Work in Progress For about a decade, Frances B. Craig looked for a product to build her company around. She had started an information technology consulting company but missed building software to help companies operate efficiently.


Human chips more than skin-deep Better health care and fraud protection may sound good, but are they worth the potential privacy trade-offs?


Google Wins Fans With IPO Gains If you say you #39;re going to sell your old car for \$12,000, and you end up selling it for \$8,000, are you a success or a failure?


Gatlin Turns Sprinting Into Art Justin Gatlin always wanted to make his mark on the world. But as a teenager the new Olympic 100 meters champion believed fame would come through art not sprinting.


Fiesty Cubs Take Series HOUSTON - In a heated game between Central division rivals, the Cubs out slugged the Astros to take the rubber game of the three game series.


Britain #39;s Straw leaves for Sudan BRITAIN #39;S Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to Sudan today, stepping up international pressure on the government there to tackle the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur.


New Fat-Busting Microwave Oven Unveiled (Reuters) Reuters - Eyeing up that juicy steak but worried\about your waistline? Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp.\(6753.T) says it has developed a new fat-busting microwave oven\that can melt some of your worries away.


Spain, Lithuania Go 5-0 in Men's Hoops (AP) AP - Spain could have tanked its game against New Zealand, thereby eliminating European rival Serbia-Montenegro from medal contention. Instead, the Spaniards came to play Monday and won 88-84, knocking New Zealand out and keeping the defending world champions in medal contention.


Straw leaves for Darfur visit (AFP) AFP - Foreign Secretary Jack Straw left London for Sudan, where he was to discuss the crisis in war-torn Darfur with President Omar al-Beshir and senior officials.


KMart to Sell 18 Stores to Home Depot (Reuters) Reuters - Retailer Kmart Holdings Corp. (KMRT.O)\on Monday said it finalized a deal to sell 18 of its stores to\Home Depot Inc. (HD.N) for  #36;271 million.


Bahrain boils in summer power cut Bahrainis swelter in 50-degree temperatures without air conditioning as a fault cuts electricity across the island.


UPDATE:Philippine Officials Play Dn Arroyo Crisis Remark MANILA (Dow Jones)--President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Monday caused a stir in local markets by saying the Philippines is in the midst of a  quot;fiscal crisis, quot; but finance


Singer  amp; Friedlander First-Half Net Slips 9 on Costs (Update3) Singer  amp; Friedlander Group Plc, a UK investment bank, said first-half profit slipped 9 percent as costs related to the acquisition of an Isle of Man trust business rose and the company appointed a new chief executive.


Country House Market Stages Recovery The country house market staged a recovery during the first half of the year following a revival of City bonuses and increasing confidence in the economy, figures showed today.


Dollar Bounces; Eye on Data, Greenspan The dollar bounced off recent four-week lows against the euro and yen on Monday in thin August trade with investors focusing on US data and a speech by the Federal Reserve chief later in the week.


Medarex to Start Phase III Trial Biopharmaceutical company Medarex Inc. said Monday that it reached a special protocol assessment agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to start a late-stage clinical trial for its MDX-010 drug as a combination treatment for melanoma patients.


Alcoa, BHP Billiton to sell shares in Integris Metals IPO NEW YORK, August 23 (New Ratings) - Alcoa Inc (AA.NYS) and BHP Billiton have announced their plans for an initial public offering filing for their metal processing and distribution joint venture, Integris Metals Corporation.


Morpheus claims landmark P2P legal victory A US court has upheld the legitimacy of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing application Morpheus, finding against 28 of the world #39;s largest entertainment companies which had alleged that the P2P firm #39;s software violates copyright law.


Felix, Two Other US Women Advance in 200 ATHENS, Greece Aug. 23, 2004 - Allyson Felix led three American women into the second round of the 200 meters on Monday, posting the fastest time of 22.


Police cadet faces charges in shooting death of soldier : A police cadet faced charges in connection with the death of a Greek soldier on patrol near the Olympic mountain bike course here today.


Monty would be Lee #39;s wild man COLIN MONTGOMERIE needs a Ryder Cup wild card after finishing only 70th and 58th in his last two tournaments. But Lee Westwood, certain of his place at Oakland Hills next month, feels the Scot is the man for the job.


British FM leaves for Darfur visit (AFP) AFP - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw left London for Sudan, where he was to discuss the crisis in war-torn Darfur with President Omar al-Beshir and senior officials.


Atalanta fires coach Bergamo, Italy (Sports Network) - Serie A cellar dwellers Atalanta fired its coach Andrea Mandorlini after he failed to produce a victory in any of the club #39;s first 14 league matches this season.


Impoverished families of Nepal hostages in Iraq desperate for details (AFP) AFP - Relatives of 12 Nepalese workers missing in Iraq were desperately seeking information after an Islamist website showed alleged pictures of them in captivity.


EDS picks Siebel as its preferred CRM vendor Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS) is beginning to implement a new vendor-relationship strategy emphasizing deeper alliances with fewer vendors. On Monday, it plans to name Siebel Systems Inc. as the first company with which it is forging a closer partnership.


Indian state-owned banks brace for a strike over pay MUMBAI State Bank of India, the nation #39;s largest lender, and its 26 state-owned rivals face a nationwide walkout on Tuesday by about one million employees who are demanding that banks double a proposed wage increase.


UK #39;s Glaxo Says Wins Against Teva GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Europe #39;s biggest drugmaker, said on Monday a US court had ruled in its favor in patent litigation with Israel #39;s Teva Pharmaceuticals over anti-nausea drug Zofran.


GB team: Radcliffe wasn #39;t injured ATHENS, Greece -- Paula Radcliffe #39;s emotional exit from the women #39;s marathon on Sunday was not due to an injury, the British Olympic team said on Monday.