British Muslims condemn Fallujah 'slaughter' (AFP) AFP - Muslim organizations in Britain condemned the US-led assault on the Iraqi rebel stronghold of Fallujah, describing the offensive as a  quot;ghastly quot; counterproductive move to pro-democracy efforts.


Cisco First-Quarter Profits Up 29 Percent (AP) AP - Cisco Systems Inc.'s fiscal first-quarter profits jumped 29 percent as the network equipment giant reported continued strength in its traditional markets as well as emerging technologies such as Internet telephones, wireless and home networking gear.


Mozilla Mulls Desktop Search Features for Firefox Browser (PC World) PC World - Mozilla hopes to capture more than 10 percent of the browser market in 2005.


Sun is upgrading enterprise development tool suite Sun Microsystems on Tuesday unveiled Version 7 of the companys enterprise development tool suite, Sun Java Studio Enterprise, and previewed a JVM that will support 64-bit AMD Opteron processors.


Showjumper Faces Losing Gold Medal Irish showjumper Cian OConnor was facing the prospect of losing his Olympics gold medal tonight after a second positive drugs test on his horse.


Oracle Lobbies PeopleSoft on Takeover Bid (AP) AP - Business software maker Oracle Corp. is trying to sway the outcome of its  #36;9.2 billion bid for PeopleSoft Inc. by meeting directly with its rival's major shareholders, hoping to persuade them the all-cash offer is their best remaining option.


Sun is upgrading enterprise development tool suite (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Sun Microsystems on Tuesday unveiled Version 7 of the company #8217;s enterprise development tool suite, Sun Java Studio Enterprise, and previewed a JVM that will support 64-bit AMD Opteron processors.


Dosanjh slams doctors, pharmacists who give prescriptions to unknown Americans (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - Canada's health minister says doctors and pharmacists who give prescriptions to Americans without meeting them first are being unethical.


IBM trots out new Workplace products SAN FRANCISCO -- IBM on Tuesday released a series of new products and services in its Workplace productivity software lineup. IBM Workplace blends collaborative tools from Lotus Notes/Domino with WebSphere Portal and Everyplace technologies.


Safety Board Faults FAA Runway Safety Effort A near-collision between a jumbo jet and another plane in August prompted US safety investigators on Tuesday to classify as unacceptable aviation regulators #39; efforts to improve runway safety.


IBM Expands Workplace Offerings IBM Lotus expanded its lineup of Workplace client-computing software Tuesday, debuting an Express version of the product for small and midsize businesses.


British grand prix thrown a lifeline The British grand prix may, after all, be on next year #39;s calendar after a dramatic development yesterday as nine of the 10 formula one teams agreed to cost-cutting measures that could allow the race to take place on July 3.


B-test proves positive The Irish showjumper Cian O #39;Connor faces losing his Olympic gold medal after a B-tested blood sample confirmed traces of banned substances in the horse he rode to victory in Athens.


Dollar Edges Up After Euro Talked Down (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar crept up on Wednesday,\enjoying some respite from recent falls due to caution ahead of\an announcement on U.S. interest rates and after more European\officials spoke out against the euro's rapid rise.


Trojans Closing in on National Title Game (AP) AP - Here's how well things are going at Southern California: Coach Pete Carroll is worried about ball security even though his top-ranked Trojans are tied for second nationally in turnover margin.


Dollar Edges Up After Euro Talked Down  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar crept up on Wednesday,  enjoying some respite from recent falls due to caution ahead of  an announcement on U.S. interest rates and after more European  officials spoke out against the euro's rapid rise.


Minaya Heads South, and Things Heat Up KEY BISCAYNE, Fla., Nov. 8 - When Omar Minaya checked into the Ritz-Carlton on Monday for the major league baseball general managers meetings, he had a receiving line of New York reporters waiting for him in the lobby.


Pennington May Be Out for a Month A magnetic resonance imaging test Monday revealed that Jets quarterback Chad Pennington had a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder.


Seoul Sees Efforts Gathering Pace for N.Korea Talks (Reuters) Reuters - This week's talks between Japan and North\Korea show that efforts to hold another round of six-party\negotiations on the North's nuclear program are gathering pace,\South Korea's foreign minister said on Wednesday.


Insurgents Warn Iraqis to Stay Home (AP) AP - A posting on an Islamist Web site warned Iraqis to stay at home Wednesday in Baghdad and other cities or they would be "putting their lives in danger."


Amazon CEO Bezos Predicts Record Holiday Season (Reuters) Reuters - Amazon.com chief executive Jeff\Bezos on Tuesday said the online retailer was poised for record\holiday sales, with MP3 players and digital cameras leading the\way as this year's hot gift items.


Bush Cabinet Quote Box (AP) AP - Reactions Tuesday to the resignations of Attorney General John Ashcroft and Commerce Secretary Don Evans:


Marsh Grass Threatens Plants in S.F. Bay (AP) AP - An exotic marsh grass is spreading throughout San Francisco Bay more rapidly than anticipated, threatening native plants and birds and prompting an urgent search for ways to eradicate it.


Study Shows Golf Courses Good for Birds (AP) AP - A new study shows that golf courses can be good homes for more than one kind of birdie. The study by South Carolina researchers tracked bird mating seasons for two years on 24 golf courses along the Grand Strand. The study found that natural vegetation on the region's courses increases the bird population and variety of birds, as well as drawing other animals.


Solar Sail Craft to Be Launched in March (AP) AP - A solar sail spacecraft designed to be propelled by the pressure of sunlight will be launched early next year, The Planetary Society said Tuesday.


Congo Mine, Source of Atom Bombs, Stays Shut -UN  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A mine in the Democratic  Republic of Congo that provided uranium for the U.S. atomic  bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 -- the first nuclear weapons  used in warfare -- is too dangerous to reopen, the United  Nations said on Tuesday.


FCC Takes VoIP Regulation Out of State's Hands Decision exempts Vonage from Minnesota state telephony laws.


Mozilla Mulls Desktop Search Features for Firefox Browser Mozilla hopes to capture more than 10 percent of the browser market in 2005.


Wireless USB Standard Pledged by Year's End Decision may bring world of wireless peripherals to market.


Amazon CEO Wants to Go Into Space on Own Rocket (Reuters) Reuters - Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos has a\loftier goal than dominating the online retail market -- he\wants to help colonize space.


News.com Extra: Mozilla claims no Google browser in the works Plus: Microsoft ready to launch search engine


Northrop, Boeing to Issue Joint NASA Bid (AP) AP - Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co., the world's largest aerospace company, said Tuesday they will bid as a team to compete for NASA's planned manned and robotic space exploration program.


Verizon expands DSL service Baby Bell extends broadband offerings to 16 more regions in its geographical footprint.


'Heavy fighting' ahead in Falluja The full-scale assault on the Iraqi rebel city of Falluja could intensify, warns the US officer in charge of the offensive.


Clarett Accuses Ohio State of N.C.A.A. Violations Maurice Clarett's contentions in an ESPN the Magazine article were dismissed by the Ohio State athletic director as issues the university had already dealt with.


For Mourning and Others, Higher Stakes Than a Trophy Alonzo Mourning should dwell less on his passion for winning an N.B.A. championship and more on being a champion of the transplant community.


Mets Hire Two Assistants in Front Office (AP) AP - The New York Mets hired two special assistants Tuesday, getting former major leaguer Tony Bernazard from the players' union and grabbing Sandy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks.


U.S. Team Wins Tommy Bahama Challenge (AP) AP - Americans Hank Kuehne, Chad Campbell, Zach Johnson and Chris Riley beat a foursome of international players on the first playoff hole Tuesday in the inaugural Tommy Bahama Challenge.


Dollar Up, Stocks, Bonds Flat Before Fed  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose above an all-time low  against the euro on Tuesday, while stocks and bonds ended  little changed as markets stayed cautious before the Federal  Reserve's Wednesday meeting on interest rates.


Cisco Systems Earnings Rise 29 Percent  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO.O, the  biggest maker of equipment that directs data over the Internet,  on Tuesday said quarterly earnings rose 29 percent on stronger  demand for gear such as wireless networks and Internet  telephone equipment.


Cisco boosts Q1 net income, revenue Cisco Systems Inc. on Tuesday reported significant gains in earnings and revenue for its fiscal 2005 first quarter that met analyst expectations.


Antivirus subscription prices climb Troublesome Trojan horses, virulent worms, nasty viruses--sometimes it may seem like the Internet exists just to let the bad guys attack your PC.


Fed to raise US rates to underpin steady growth WASHINGTON: Another small hike in US interest rates is seen as a certainty when Federal Reserve policy-makers meet on Wednesday - a step on the march toward a level of rates necessary to underpin long-term expansion.


Crude futures continue freefall, with prices at seven-week lows? <b>...</b> Crude oil futures continued to plummet Wednesday on the belief that fuel supplies in the United States will be adequate to deal with its coming winter.


Euro Disney Sees Capital Increase in Mid-Jan Euro Disney plans a life-saving 250 million euro (\$322 million) capital increase in mid-January if market conditions permit, said its finance


Cisco Profits Are Higher, but Investors Want More Cisco Systems, the largest maker of Internet networking equipment, reported Tuesday that its first-quarter profit rose 29 percent, squarely in line with Wall Street forecasts.


Insurer will cut 3,000 jobs worldwide Marsh  amp; McLennan, the broker at the centre of America #39;s insurance scandal, yesterday said it was cutting 3,000 jobs worldwide, including about 280 in the UK, as it reported a 94pc slump in third-quarter profits.


Sarkozy says UK cannot  #39;change its address #39; and ignore Europe Britain should look to Europe rather than the US for its economic destiny, the French Finance Minister said yesterday as Gordon Brown launched a scathing attack on the euro system.


Digital Subscribers Help Cablevision Cut Loss Cablevision Systems said yesterday that its loss in the third quarter was 41 percent smaller than in the period last year as demand for its digital television, high-speed Internet and phone services offset higher operating costs.


China Netcom Raises \$1.14 Bln in IPO for Expansion (Update1) China Netcom Group Corp. (Hong Kong) Ltd., China #39;s second-biggest fixed-line phone company, raised \$1.14 billion in an initial public offering to expand and upgrade its telecommunications systems and pay bank loans.


At Last, a Microsoft Search Tool Microsoft is planning to introduce its long-awaited Internet search engine on Thursday, a person knowledgeable about the announcement said.


Connecticut Man Accused of Selling Microsoft Code A Connecticut computer hacker was arrested yesterday and charged with selling copies of Microsoft Windows proprietary source code.


Northrop, Boeing to partner in spaceship deal Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co. have formed a partnership Tuesday to compete in a deal to build NASA #39;s next manned spaceship -- a deal with multi-billion dollar potential, according to reports.


Emlyn Hughes, a star on the pitch and the screen, dies aged 57 To football fans he will be remembered as the indomitable leader of the Reds. To many others, the defining memory of Emlyn Hughes will be of a jumper-wearing, quiz-show team captain being berated by Princess Anne for his spelling.


Discord in Miami as Wannstedt Quits The departure yesterday of Miami Dolphins Coach Dave Wannstedt adds another layer of unrest to a Miami season that has included the unexpected preseason retirement of the star running back


Ferdinand:  quot;We #39;re in It Together quot; Rio Ferdinand has rejected Sir Alex Fergusons theory that Manchester United are finding the Barclays Premiership too mundane - and told his team-mates they must all shoulder responsibility


Equestrianism: O #39;Connor to lose gold as drug test confirmed <b>...</b> Statements issued yesterday by the Irish rider, Cian O #39;Connor, and his solicitor, Andrew Coonan, have confirmed the presence of forbidden substances in a blood sample taken from the horse


Banned for having weapon MILWAUKEE Bucks forward Marcus Fizer was suspended for one game without pay by the NBA today after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a weapon.


Arafat said to be on brink of death Yasser Arafat was reported teetering on the brink of death last night, with one wire service quoting a senior Palestinian official saying that the Palestinian leader had died of liver failure.


Sudan signs key peace deals with rebels as Darfur crisis <b>...</b> SUDAN and its rebel enemies yesterday signed two  quot;landmark quot; peace deals to try to bring stability to the region of Darfur amid United Nations warnings that the humanitarian situation was getting worse.


Cisco First-Quarter Profits Up 29 Percent SAN JOSE, Calif. - Cisco Systems Inc. #39;s fiscal first-quarter profits jumped 29 percent as the network equipment giant reported continued strength in its traditional markets as well as emerging technologies


Dell to spend \$115 million on new plant Organizations are replacing aging servers with newer more-powerful boxes, often Linux--based, and theyre also investing in storage.


Cablevision Captures Customers Few companies see their shares move solidly higher after posting a \$63 million (\$0.22) quarterly loss, but that is exactly the reaction Cablevision Systems (NYSE: CVC) received


Report: Boeing Probe Widens Government scrutiny of Boeing (BA:NYSE - news - research) appears to be widening, with federal prosecutors reportedly now looking at a \$100 billion Army program Boeing oversees.


Legends remember  #39;bundle of joy #39; Emlyn Hughes #39; passion for football and for life will be the abiding memory of those who knew him. The former England and Liverpool captain Hughes, who died today aged 57, led the Anfield side to two European


US team wins Tommy Bahama Challenge in playoff Americans Hank Kuehne, Chad Campbell, Zach Johnson and Chris Riley beat a foursome of international players on the first playoff hole Tuesday in the inaugural Tommy Bahama Challenge.


Lehmann in, Katich out ... again Simon Katich has lost a close call for the final batting place to Darren Lehmann for the first Test against New Zealand at the Gabba, starting on November 18.


US-led forces advance towards heart of Falluja US-led forces thrust at least one km (half a mile) into rebel-held Falluja on Tuesday and were not far from the Iraqi citys heart, residents and an Iraqi army officer said.


Cisco Systems Earnings Rise 29 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - Cisco Systems Inc. , the\biggest maker of equipment that directs data over the Internet,\on Tuesday said quarterly earnings rose 29 percent on stronger\demand for gear such as wireless networks and Internet\telephone equipment.


Powell: U.S., Iran to Talk Iraq Stability (AP) AP - The United States expects to sit down with Iran at an international conference to discuss stability in Iraq, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations.


Japan Account Surplus Expands in Sept. (AP) AP - Japan's current account surplus expanded 9.3 percent in September from a year earlier, for its 15th consecutive month of growth, the government said Wednesday.


FCC Takes on Oversight of Internet Phone Services The Federal Communications Commission seized regulatory control over Internet-based telephone services on Tuesday by issuing an order that sharply limited the role of state regulators.


Halo 2 Rakes in \$100 Million First-day sales of Microsoft #39;s new video game Halo 2 will reach \$100 million, a senior Microsoft games executive said Tuesday.


Microsoft to Preview New Search Engine REDMOND, Wash. - Microsoft Corp., stepping up its efforts to compete with rival Google Inc., will offer consumers a preview of its technology for searching the Internet, beginning Thursday.


Rocket Wins Record Seventh Cy Young Award Houston Astros starting pitcher Roger Clemens reacts after Astros catcher Brad Ausmus picked off St. Louis Cardinals Tony Womack at first base in the fifth inning during Game 7 of the NL championship series at Busch Stadium in St.


NBA #39;s Fizer suspended one game after weapons guilty plea Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. NEW YORK, New York, United States of America -- Milwaukee Bucks forward Marcus Fizer was suspended one game


WWW KOTV.com _ Two of three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan have called home to say they are OK, officials and relatives said Tuesday, and one hostage said she expected to be released soon.


Japan Navy Mobilized After Sub Seen in Japan Waters  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's navy was mobilized on Wednesday  after an unidentified submarine was found in Japanese waters,  the top government spokesman said, confirming a report by  public broadcaster NHK.


US expecting another interest rate hike WASHINGTON - The unexpected boom in US job creation in October has locked in an interest rate rise Wednesday and will likely encourage another tightening in December, analysts said.


Monday #39;s MLB roundup Seattle Mariners: The team has hired former major league player and manager Don Baylor as hitting coach. Baylor, 55, spent the past two seasons as a bench coach for the New York Mets.


Dutch Hold Memorial for Slain Filmmaker (AP) AP - Dutch Muslims and Christians urged an end to a cycle of retaliatory vandalism of mosques and churches Tuesday as slain filmmaker Theo van Gogh was cremated, a week after his murder by a suspected Islamic radical.


China returns N Korea refugees China repatriates up to 70 North Koreans caught in Beijing while allegedly preparing to seek asylum.


Aides Seeking Arafat Burial in West Bank As Yasir Arafat lay in a deep coma, Palestinian officials asked Israel for permission to bury him in Ramallah.


Even Digital Memories Can Fade The problem of preserving digital photos and other electronic records for future decades confounds even the experts.


Malaysia's laws on gay sex need to be amended: Anwar (AFP) AFP - Malaysia's laws on homosexuality need to be amended, says former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, whose conviction and nine-year jail sentence for sodomy were recently overturned on appeal.


Clemens May Take His 7 Cy Youngs and Go Home Roger Clemens sounded like a relieved pitcher who had thrown his last fastball after easily winning an unprecedented seventh Cy Young Award.


Jets' Carter Back in the Kitchen, Heat and All Because of quarterback Chad Pennington's strained rotator cuff, Quincy Carter, a four-year veteran, is being thrown into the fire again.


Cricket: Warne back to face NZ Australia's Darren Lehmann and Shane Warne return to take on New Zealand.


Malone #39;s side:  #39;We don #39;t have hostile intentions #39; Liberty Media CEO Robert Bennett did his part Tuesday to try to quash growing speculation that his company #39;s chairman, John Malone, is positioning himself to take a run at Rupert Murdoch #39;s News Corp.


Rose wields the axe as M amp;S slide continues Marks  amp; Spencer chief executive Stuart Rose yesterday took hands-on control of the underperforming retailer, announcing the departure of four main board directors and two other senior executives.


Marsh cuts 3,000 jobs as lawsuit slashes profits by 90 Marsh  amp; McLennan, the insurance broker grappling with allegations of fraud, yesterday announced plans to cut 3,000 jobs and reported a fall in third quarter profits of more than 90.


FCC Rules Vonage is Not Subject to State Jurisdiction The FCC ruled that Vonage #39;s broadband telephony service is not subject to traditional state public utility regulation and asserted its federal authority over VoIP.


California Backs Merger of 2 Giant Blue Cross Plans TV quot; gt; Anthem and WellPoint Health Networks, two giant Blue Cross plans, finally won approval yesterday from California #39;s insurance commissioner for their \$16.


London analysts hard hit by Commerzbank cuts Commerzbank is almost halving the number of people in its London securities operation in a drastic effort to boost the profitability of the loss-making operation.


Lloyds TSB transfers 1,000 more jobs to India Lloyds TSB is moving another 1,000 jobs to India, increasing its workforce in Bangalore and Mumbai to 2,500 by the end of next year.


Russia offers to buy Canadian steel company Russian steel giant OAO Severstal on Tuesday made a formal takeover offer for Canadian #39;s insolvent Stelco Inc. which is in the midst of bankruptcy protection.


Nets Nip Blazers 64-60 in Offensive Dud (AP) AP - Alonzo Mourning scored 14 points, including two layups down the stretch, and the New Jersey Nets found some late offense to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 64-60 Tuesday night in what was nearly the lowest scoring game in modern NBA history.


Mozilla launches Firefox 1.0 Mozilla Foundation, creators of the open-source browser Firefox, has released version 1.0 of its highly successful browser today. Firefox 1.0 browser will strongly compete against Microsofts Internet Explorer with more features and functionalities.


Microsoft launches Halo 2 Microsoft Corp. finally came through with Halo 2 and ended the waiting period of millions of gamers worldwide today by announcing Halo 2 in the market.


Intel Fleshes out Itanium 2 Line with High-performance, Lower <b>...</b> Intel is shipping six new processors aimed at filling out its burgeoning Itanium 2 server CPU lineup. But, more than that, Intel hopes that the new CPUs will provide it with traction


#39;Ice volcano #39; on Titan WASHINGTON: The European-American Cassini-Huygens space probe has detected traces of ice flowing on the surface of Saturn #39;s largest moon, Titan, suggesting the existence of an ice volcano, NASA said Tuesday.


Knicks Top 76ers Day After Helm Resigns (AP) AP - Lenny Wilkens gained some job security despite coaching without a hand-picked assistant for the first time in his career as the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 96-88 Tuesday night.


SWIM ACE ON DRINK DRIVE RAP The American swimmer, who won eight medals in Athens this year, was stopped by police after he sped through a stop sign. A state trooper in Salisbury, Maryland, saw signs of intoxication in the 19-year-old


Marbury sees point in Iverson As if he didn #39;t have the ball in his hands often enough in previous seasons, scoring machine Allen Iverson also is now the point guard for Philadelphia.


Kaluwitharana calls it a day Diminutive yet dynamic Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana has retired following his omission from a Sri Lankan training squad due to face New Zealand next month.


Falluja advance encounters sporadic resistance US and Iraqi forces have faced less resistance than expected and suffered minimal casualties, a commander said Tuesday, as the troops continue their second day of assaults on militant-controlled Falluja.


Netanyahu Drops Resignation Threat The Israeli finance minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Tuesday retracted a threat to resign unless Prime Minister Ariel Sharon set a date for a referendum on plans to withdraw settlers from the Gaza Strip.


US promises enhanced security, economic ties: Islamabad-Delhi <b>...</b> ISLAMABAD, Nov 9: The United States on Tuesday assured Pakistan of continuity and expansion of bilateral ties in all spheres, particularly economic and security matters.


Kabul in Touch With Captors of UN Aides The Afghan government announced Tuesday that contact had been made with the three United Nations election officials kidnapped nearly two weeks ago and expressed hope that they would be released soon.


Blues' AHL Team to Move to Peoria for '05 (AP) AP - The Worcester IceCats will move to Peoria, Ill., next season after the sale of the AHL team by the St. Louis Blues is completed.


Launch Date Set for Cosmos 1, The World #39;s First Solar Sail <b>...</b> The Cosmos 1 team announced today that the worlds first solar sail spacecraft will be set for launch on March 1, 2005 from a submerged submarine in the Barents Sea.


Isiah Thomas, Nobody #39;s Fool, Won #39;t Coach These Knicks WITH the Knicks shedding assistant coaches like a volcano emits warning rumbles, and the Nets reverting back to the bad old days, it could be a long winter for New York.


Legal Woes Cut Into Bottom Line at Riggs Riggs National Corp. said Tuesday that it lost \$10 million in the third quarter, largely the result of \$13 million in fees for a small army of lawyers and consultants to help it navigate a growing list of criminal, regulatory and civil matters.


Priming the Public For Hydrogen Fuel  The new pump at the Shell station on Benning Road NE in the District doesn't look much different from the others, but it represents a new concept in automotive technology: hydrogen power.


FTC Admonishes Media On False Diet Ads As part of a crackdown on false and deceptive diet claims, letters sent Tuesday reminded media companies to stop publishing ads for bogus weight-loss products.


Marsh Plans to Cut 3,000 Jobs to Offset Recent Setbacks Staggered by accusations that it cheated its customers, Marsh   McLennan will lay off 3,000 employees, or 5 percent of its work force.


Heat Hold Off Wizards Shaquille O'Neal has the Miami Heat off to their best start ever after scoring 20 points in a 103-93 victory over the Wizards.


New Study Links Pfizer's Bextra, Similar to Vioxx, to Heart Attacks Patients given Pfizers painkiller Bextra have more than twice as many heart attacks and strokes as those given placebos, according to preliminary results of a study.


As American as Cowboy Boots? The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company is using patriotic imagery in its new marketing campaign to gain a toehold inside the Pentagon.


California Backs Merger of 2 Giant Blue Cross Plans Anthem and Wellpoint Health Networks finally won approval from Californias insurance commissioner for their \$16.4 billion merger.


Union, Agents Clash The NFLPA may discipline at least one of the agents involved in a string of high-profile contract controversies that occurred recently.


Rimando's Prime-Time Net Work A game-winning save in penalty kicks last Saturday marked the pinnacle of a tumultous season for United keeper Nick Rimando.


Dreams turn sour for young Indian doctors in Britain (AFP) AFP -  quot;Don't come here! It's a trap! quot; warns Sanjay Teotia, an Indian doctor whose dream of travelling to Britain for better training and higher income has become a nightmare.


A Daily Look at U.S. Iraq Military Deaths (AP) AP - As of Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004, at least 1,145 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 877 died as a result of hostile action, the Defense Department said. The figures include three military civilians.


20 years later, the pain from Bhopal lingers on (AFP) AFP -  quot;I wanted to jump out of the plane because the headache was so unbearable, quot; said Champa Devi Shukla, still in pain after inhaling toxic fumes in the world's largest industrial disaster in India 20 years ago.


Mulroney urges Bush to repair damaged relations with Canada, world (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - It's time for U.S. President George Bush to begin repairing the rift with Canada and other countries opposed to the war in Iraq, says former prime minister Brian Mulroney.


Dollar Edges Up After Euro Talked Down  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar crept up on Wednesday,  enjoying some respite from recent falls ahead of an  announcement on U.S. interest rates and after more European  officials spoke out against the euro's rapid rise.


No Urban renewal for fading Notre Dame NEW YORK - When Notre Dame fired Tyrone Willingham earlier this week, there was a strong feeling among certain influential Board of Trustees members that the university had to move immediately or risk losing coveted Utah coach Urban Meyer to another school


Seoul Sees Efforts Gathering Pace for N.Korea Talks  SEOUL (Reuters) - This week's talks between Japan and North  Korea show efforts to hold more six-party talks on the North's  nuclear plans are gathering pace and most countries want a  meeting before the year ends, South Korea said on Wednesday.


Lonard claims another win Peter Lonard pipped third-round leader and fellow Australian James Nitties to win the Australian PGA in Melbourne. Lonard, winner of the Australian Open last week, carded a seven-under par round of 65 to finish


Marketers Plan Holiday Blitzes Ad campaigns for the holiday season from retailers like Best Buy and Target aim to forge emotional bonds with consumers.


Peace Corps Opens Office in Mexico The Peace Corps has opened its first office in Mexico, staffed largely with a new breed of volunteers -- older people with expertise in computers, engineering and business, Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez said Tuesday.


Riggs National Subject of Investigation Riggs National Corp., the parent of Riggs Bank, disclosed Tuesday that both the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice are conducting an investigation into the bank holding company.


China Netcom Prices IPO At HK\$8.48/Shr;Raises US\$1.14B -2 HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--China Netcom Group Corp. (Hong Kong) Ltd. (0906.HK) Wednesday priced its initial public offering at HK\$8.48 a share, allowing it to raise US\$1.


Studies: Arctic Thaw Threatens Livelihoods According to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, the  quot;Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much larger changes are projected.


Wizards Fall to Heat In Round 2 Near the end of the third quarter of the Miami Heat #39;s 103-93 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, Shaquille O #39;Neal leaned against the scorer #39;s table in AmericanAirlines


Former high school football star executed for slaying Houston man HUNTSVILLE, Texas A former high school football star has been executed in Texas for a 1994 slaying. Demarco McCullum was arrested the day that he was supposed to leave for a junior college where he had an athletic scholarship.


Manmohan Singh returns from The Hague Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned early on Wednesday after a  quot;successful quot; three-day visit to The Hague where he attended the India-EU Summit.


Clinton to Democrats: Discuss Convictions (AP) AP - Former President Clinton, noting an "astonishing turnout among evangelical Christians" in this year's election, warned Tuesday that Democrats "cannot be nationally competitive when we don't feel comfortable talking about our convictions."


FCC Takes VoIP Regulation Out of State #39;s Hands WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission Tuesday yanked jurisdiction on Internet telephony away from states, a decision that could set a major precedent for the industry.


Halo 2: It is more than just a game A line nearly 250 people long was standing all the night and thats just in order to buy a new video game from Microsoft  quot;Halo 2 quot;.


Microsoft ready to launch search engine Microsoft on Thursday will launch its long-promised Internet search engine, which will compete directly with market leader Google, sources close to the company said Tuesday.


Microsoft Fixes ISA Server Spoofing Flaw A bug in Microsoft #39;s Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 and Proxy Server 2.0 can let hackers spoof Web content, such as a trusted site, with their own fake content, the Redmond


More Gran Turismo 4 Info Nike will release a special edition of Gran Turismo 4 on December 3rd in Japan that will come with the game, a special pair of GT4 shoes, an aliminium case, and a special GT4 T-Shirt that when scanned by the Sony EyeToy will unlock a Nike car in-game that


Robinho: Leave us in peace RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilian footballer Robinho appealed for his family to be left in peace as he spoke in public for the first time since his mother was kidnapped on Saturday.


NBA ROUNDUP Recovering Hill Powers Magic Past Mavericks By The Associated Press. Grant Hill had 17 points and 9 rebounds, and Steve Francis nearly posted a triple-double in the Magic #39;s 94-84 victory over the Dallas Mavericks last night in Orlando, Fla.


resignation should be no surprise DAVIE - General manager Rick Spielman #39;s voice cracked as he spoke about his good friend and -ulp  -mer colleague. President Eddie Jones said he sat in the auditorium crying as head coach Dave Wannstedt


Backers In Line for Reward DC Mayor Anthony A. Williams has persuaded seven of the council #39;s 13 members to line up in support of his baseball financing plan by slipping more than \$70 million in


FCC Rules in Favor of Net Phone Industry (AP) AP - Federal regulators gave a boost Tuesday to the fledgling Internet phone industry, removing a regulatory hurdle that threatened to drive up the cost of making calls through cyberspace.


Digital Memories, Piling Up, May Prove Fleeting The problem of preserving digital photos and other electronic records for future decades confounds even the experts.


At Last, a Microsoft Search Tool Microsoft will introduce its long-awaited Internet search engine on Thursday, a person knowledgeable about the announcement said.


F.C.C. Takes on Oversight of Internet Phone Services The Federal Communications Commission seized regulatory control over Internet-based telephone services by issuing an order that sharply limited the role of state regulators.


Mudslinging Weasels Into Online History Collaborative history is a wild ride, as Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia maintained by users all over the world, discovered during election season.


Digital Subscribers Help Cablevision Cut Loss Cablevision Systems said that its loss in the third quarter was 41 percent smaller than in the period last year as demand for its digital television, high-speed Internet and phone services offset higher operating costs.


InterMune Gets Subpoena from Justice Dept (Reuters) Reuters - Biotechnology company InterMune Inc. \on Tuesday said it received a subpoena from the U.S. Department\of Justice demanding information related to its key drug\Actimmune, which is designed to spur the immune system.


Kobe Nets 31, Lakers Sting Hornets 106-98 (AP) AP - The Los Angeles Lakers gave new Hornets coach Byron Scott every reason to wish he was still a part of Showtime.


FCC Asserts Role as Internet Phone Regulator The ruling, which asserts that the federal government, not states, has the authority to regulate phone service provided over the Internet.
 -The Washington Post


NASA Shoots for Mach 10 The agency plans to prove that the 40-year-old dream of "hypersonic" flight -- using air-breathing engines to reach speeds above 3,800 mph is a reality.  -The Washington Post


GMU Plans Terrorism Defense Lab in Va. The \$40 million high-security laboratory will test and develop new vaccines and treatments to defend the public against bioterrorism, officials announced Tuesday.\
 -The Washington Post


Asia #39;s economic growth drives down poverty A fifth year of powerful economic growth in East Asia and the Pacific has driven the number of people living in poverty in the region to its lowest level ever, but the World Bank warned yesterday that oil prices could dampen the boom next year.


Cisco Systems Earnings Rise 29 Percent Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO), the biggest maker of equipment that directs data over the Internet, on Tuesday said quarterly earnings rose 29 percent on stronger demand for


Anthem deal looks healthy for state Our position is: Anthem #39;s ability to move forward with merger is an important victory for Indiana #39;s economy. Thanks to California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi #39;s decision to finally relent and approve


Update 3: Commerzbank to Cut 900 Banking Workers Commerzbank AG said Tuesday it had narrowed its third-quarter net loss but was slashing 900 of the 2,000 jobs in its investment banking division, practically eliminating the unprofitable department.


Microsoft to preview search engine MICROSOFT has stepped up its efforts to compete with rival Google, offering consumers a preview of its technology for searching the internet this week.


Teams agree deal to save grand prix for Silverstone FORMULA Ones teams last night put on a united front to come to the rescue of the British Grand Prix with a 20 million package that should put the nations most important motor race back on the calendar next year.


Knicks 96, 76ers 88 Lenny Wilkens gained some job security despite coaching without a hand-picked assistant for the first time in his career as the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 96-88 Tuesday night.


Military recovers Italian worker (10:39 am) ITALIAN aid worker Andrea Cianferoni was released was released unharmed early Wednesday, the military said. Cianferoni, who was seized Tuesday by four hooded gunmen in Lanao del Norte province, was released


Germany marks 15th anniversary of Walls fall BERLIN: Germany marked the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall Tuesday with fond memories of that days euphoric celebrations and somber ceremonies in honor of those killed in a desperate dash for freedom.


Japan #39;s navy gives chase to suspicious sub The government ordered the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to chase an unidentified submarine that was spotted in Japan #39;s territorial waters around southwestern Okinawa Prefecture Wednesday morning, a government spokesman said.


Italian Hostage Released in Philippines (AP) AP - An Italian aid worker abducted in the Philippines was released unharmed early Wednesday, the military said.


Mets Said to Consider Piazza for Green A baseball executive said that there have been preliminary conversations between the Mets and Dodgers about a trade of Mike Piazza for Shawn Green.


Microsoft to back customers in infringement cases Nearly all its customers will be indemnified against claims that their use of Microsoft software infringed on any intellectual property claims.


Phnom Penh counts on donors as it braces for a tough economic year PHNOM PENH : Cambodia, one of the world #39;s poorest countries, is counting on international donors to make new financial commitments next week to prepare the nation for what is destined to be a harsh new economic year.


Rebuilding What the Assault Turns to Rubble Weeks before Marine and Army units stormed into Fallujah, blowing up buildings and blasting holes in insurgent positions, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Larry Merola was already working on a plan to fix the damage.


Onuaku Picks Syracuse Episcopal forward Arinze Onuaku will make his choice official when he signs a national letter-of-intent to play for Syracuse Wednesday.


Nets Win Ugly Shooting 34.2 percent from the field, the Nets down the worse-shooting Blazers (24.4 percent), 64-60, in one of the NBA's lowest scoring games in history.


Pacers Bench Artest Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle benches Ron Artest on Tuesday night and for Wednesday's game against the Clippers for an unspecified reason.


Satellites track albatross flight A satellite tracking project shows the ocean hotspots where albatrosses come into conflict with longline trawlers.


Chapter 11 Filing Possible, Flyi Says The parent of Dulles-based low-cost carrier Independence Air warned for the first time Tuesday that it will be "forced to consider" a Chapter 11 filing for protection from its creditors if it cannot renegotiate aircraft lease payments of \$83 million that it owes in January.


SEC Backs Stock Market Rules The Securities and Exchange Commission unanimously proposed  rules yesterday that would require a majority of board members at the nation's stock exchanges to be independent from management, and compel exchanges to disclose how much they pay their  five top executives.


Skype ready for both telephone worlds An adapter made by Siemens allows phones to make calls using the Internet or the traditional phone network.


Cisco's router market takes a hit Company reports a decline in its router business during its quarterly earnings, which barely met analyst expectations.


California Backs Merger of 2 Giant Blue Cross Plans Anthem and Wellpoint Health Networks finally won approval from John Garamen, Californias insurance commissioner, to create the nation's largest health insurer.


Cisco Profits Are Higher, but Investors Want More Cisco Systems, the largest maker of Internet networking equipment, said its first-quarter profit rose 29 percent.


Cool tools: music players, camera phone and mouse for a PDA Check out new gadgets as holiday season approaches.


Oil Fades Toward  #36;47, Awaits U.S. Data (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices fell to seven-week lows\near  #36;47 a barrel on Wednesday as traders braced for another\increase in U.S. oil and gas inventories.


Venezuelan, Colombian Leaders Hold Talks (AP) AP - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after meeting with his Colombian counterpart in this Spanish colonial city, swore to treat any illegal, armed Colombian group that enters his country as an enemy of state.


Rockets Defeat Winless Grizzlies 90-87 (AP) AP - Juwan Howard scored 20 points, Yao Ming added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets kept Memphis winless this season, beating the Grizzlies 90-87 on Tuesday night despite losing Tracy McGrady to a hip injury.


Oil Fades Toward \$47, Awaits U.S. Data  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices fell to seven-week lows  near \$47 a barrel on Wednesday as traders braced for another  increase in U.S. oil and gas inventories.


F1: British GP 'saved by deal' Formula One bosses agree a cost-cutting deal which could save the British Grand Prix.


More Search and Browsing Fun with Firefox Mozilla Firefox has features and extensions that go far beyond what you get with Internet Explorer.  Here's how to turbocharge the browser to enhance your online experience.


Marsh  amp; McLennan to lay off 3,000 workers as it deals with fallout <b>...</b> NEW YORK -- Marsh  amp; McLennan, the nation #39;s largest insurance brokerage, said Tuesday it will lay off 3,000 employees, or about 5 percent of its work force, because of fallout from a bid-rigging scandal that has engulfed the insurance industry.


World Bank: East Asia growth may have peaked China will continue to drive East Asia #39;s growth next year, but the world #39;s fastest-growing region may have reached its peak in expansion, according to the World Bank.


Cisco #39;s router market takes a hit Cisco Systems, the world #39;s largest maker of equipment that routes traffic across the Internet, barely met analyst expectations on Tuesday when it reported quarterly earnings and noted a sequential decline in revenues for its IP router business.


China Netcom prices IPO and raises \$1.13bn China Netcom, the smallest of Chinas four big telecoms carriers, raised US\$1.13 billion from a Hong Kong and New York IPO priced just above the mid-point of its indicated range, sponsor Goldman Sachs said on Wednesday.


Proposal Would Require Independent Board Majorities The Securities and Exchange Commission unanimously proposed rules yesterday that would require a majority of board members at the nation #39;s stock exchanges to be independent


NC should cheer Dell deal, but we must weigh wisdom of incentive <b>...</b> There #39;s a new game in town concerning luring businesses to a state, and we have to point out that North Carolina, under the leadership of Gov.


Firefox ignites demand for alternative browser Strolling between classes at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., Blake Ross looks like any other bleary-eyed sophomore. Few would guess that the laptop-carrying


Microsoft expands software indemnification program Microsoft is expanding its indemnification program for Windows and other software products in order to shield users from legal claims and patent disputes.


Northrop Grumman, Boeing team up on a space contract LOS ANGELES - Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. and aerospace giant Boeing Co. said Tuesday that theyll bid as a team to compete for NASAs planned manned and robotic space-exploration program.


Skype ready for both telephone worlds An adapter made by Siemens to extend Internet access to cordless phones is now loaded with Skype Internet telephone software, allowing the same phone to make calls using the Internet or the traditional phone network.


Justin Merriman/Tribune-Review Adam Striegel, a 23-year-old senior at the University of Pittsburgh, went on a field trip this past spring to study rocks. This week, Striegel revels in the fame that comes with discovering the skull of a


Liverpool legend Emlyn Hughes dies at 57 LONDON: Former England and Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes, right, has died from a brain tumour aged 57. Hughes had been battling the illness for the last 15 months but deteriorated in the last few days, his wife Barbara said.


NFL Notebook: Wannstedt out as Miami coach Miami Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt called it quits yesterday midway through a dismal season that began with the retirement of running back Ricky Williams and has left the team with the NFL #39;s worst record at 1-8.


Quakes Staying Put...For Now It #39;s likely that Yogi Berra has never kicked a soccer ball in his life. Yet one of his more famous utterances could easily be applied to Tuesday #39;s press conference held by the San Jose Earthquakes: It #39;s dj vu all over again.


Arafat #39;s condition deteriorating Senior Palestinian officials, after consulting with doctors treating Yasser Arafat and visiting his hospital, said Tuesday his condition had deteriorated dramatically


Israeli Minister Retracts Threat to Quit Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday took back his threat to withdraw from the governing Likud Party, but a minority religious party quit Prime


Top US official begins talks in Pakistan ISLAMABAD : The visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Mr. Richard Armitage opened meetings with Pakistani officials on Tuesday on regional and international issues of interest including post election Afghanistan, war on terrorism, Pakistan-India dialogue


No euthanasia for Arafat: Shaath Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath has denied reports that President Yasser Arafat is dead, adding that Islam did not allow for him to be taken off life-support.


British troops return to southern Iraq after mission near Baghdad LONDON - Hundreds of British troops returned to their base in southern Iraq yesterday, ending a monthlong deployment requested by the United States for an offensive in a restive region near Baghdad.


10 armymen among 12 killed in Kashmir explosion: India News: Srinagar, Dec 5 : Twelve persons, including ten army troopers, were killed in a landmine explosion around midnight Saturday night in south Kashmir #39;s Pulwama district.


US stocks: Dow dips, Nasdaq up in wait for word on rates NEW YORK - The blue-chip Dow average ended slightly lower, while the tech-driven Nasdaq inched higher on Tuesday as investors waited for hints from the Federal Reserve about the pace of interest-rate increases on Wednesday.


SEC wants to strengthen governance at exchanges The stock exchanges in the United States would be forced to tighten their governance and move toward separating their self-policing function from their business operations under a plan proposed by federal regulators on Tuesday.


GM Offers Locked Rates on Next Two Cars DETROIT - General Motors Corp. said Tuesday that people who buy 2005-model vehicles with loans from the automaker #39;s financing arm through Nov. 30 will also be able to lock in the interest rate on their next vehicle.


UNDATED: fourth quarter. Chris Webber had a triple-double to help Sacramento win its first game of the season and hand Toronto its first loss. Webber had 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists -- his 18th


Health ; Arafat #39;s condition described  #39;very serious #39; (LEAD <b>...</b> Health News, Clamart (France),Amid wildly contradicting rumours Tuesday about the condition of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a French official said Arafat was not dead as of 3:30 pm (14:30 GMT).


Stock Markets Wait for the Fed The Dow Jones industrial average ended slightly lower while the Nasdaq composite index inched higher yesterday as investors waited for hints from the Federal Reserve about the pace of interest-rate increases.


Microsoft Appeases Novell And CCIA Microsoft has reached a \$536 million legal settlement with Novell, resolving all outstanding antitrust claims by Novell against Microsoft involving NetWare and its other products.


Greenspan, Fed Governors Warn on Spending as Succession Looms Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says the growing US budget deficit could destabilize the economy. Fed Governor Susan Bies says Congress spends like it #39;s dipping into a a cookie jar.


Boeing CEO talks around Druyun problems Straight Talking Harry C. Stonecipher, Boeing Co.s chief executive, appears to be splitting hairs on the subject of disgraced former Air Force negotiator Darleen A. Druyun, who worked briefly as an executive at Boeing.


New Mydoom Worm Exploits IE Flaw A new variant of the Mydoom worm that exploits an unpatched flaw in Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer browser is in the wild and posing particular risk to home and small business users, security experts warn.


India can be among worlds top five by 2010 The success of Indias broadband policy will depend on the government clearly articulating the strategic role it expects broadband to play in delivering socio-economic gains to all stakeholders.


Dolphins GM may not have total job security Replacing coach Dave Wannstedt isn #39;t the only major management shakeup the Dolphins are facing in the offseason. President Eddie Jones confirmed Tuesday that he is retiring in March.


The Dotted Line The Colorado Rapids fired coach TimHankinson, two weeks after the team was eliminated from the MLS playoffs. Hankinson, who led the team to a 39-45-30 record in four seasons, led the team to three postseason appearances overall.


Kidnapped Italian freed in southern Philippines MANILA, Nov 10 (AFP) - A kidnapped Italian aid worker was recovered unharmed in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, the military said.


Brokerage firm to lay off 3,000 as earnings plunge amid probe Marsh  amp; McLennan Companies Inc. announced disappointing earnings for the third quarter and said it will lay off 3,000 employees, or about 5 percent of its work force, because of fallout from a bid-rigging


Marsh Mac #39;s Deepening Morass Nobody was expecting good news to come out of Marsh  amp; McLennan (MMC ) when it announced third-quarter earnings on Nov. 9. After all, the world #39;s largest insurance broker has lost its chief executive -- and


Commission calls VOIP interstate; other issues open SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- In what is considered a victory for Internet phone-service companies, the Federal Communications Commission ruled Tuesday that such services fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government and not individual states.


California OKs WellPoint-Anthem deal WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said he dropped his opposition Tuesday to the merger of Wellpoint Health Networks and Anthem, adding the two health insurance giants met his criteria in order to complete the deal.


InterMune Gets Subpoena from Justice Dept Biotechnology company InterMune Inc. on Tuesday said it received a subpoena from the US Department of Justice demanding information related to its key drug Actimmune, which is designed to spur the immune system.


Pentagon Widens Procurement Investigation The Pentagon #39;s investigation into the actions of a former Air Force official who admitted giving preferential treatment to Boeing Co.


Buy a GM Car at 0 Now, Get the Same Deal in 5 Years General Motors has a new pitch for car shoppers to coincide with an expected rate hike Wednesday from the Federal Reserve. GM #39;s program, called  quot;Lock  #39;n #39; Roll, quot; will give shoppers who buy a


Microsoft to roll out search service Microsoft Corp. plans to roll out a preview version of its new Internet search service on Thursday, according to a media report. Free!


Virus writers exploit Microsofts monthly patch cycle The creators of the Bofra worm, which exploits the recently discovered iFrame vulnerability in Internet Explorer, may have timed the release of their worm to throw Microsofts monthly patch cycle into disarray, say security experts.


Trojan horse can spread spam to mobile phones Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. ANTIVIRUS firm Sophos has warned mobile phone users that spammers are using a newly


EIT has some supercomputer bragging rights Endicott Interconnect Technologies can claim some ownership rights to the fastest computer in the world. IBM Corp. this week brought the title of the world #39;s fastest supercomputer back to the United States for the first time in three years.


Log in, rock on GONE are the days of having to buy a music album to get one good song - and of having to traipse to a music shop to do so. Online music stores have taken off in the past year, thanks in no small part to Apple #39;s


Liverpool legend Hughes dies Hughes had been battling the illness for the last 15 months but deteriorated in the last few days, his wife Barbara said.  quot;He died at his home in Sheffield with his family around him, quot; she added on Tuesday.


Clemens claims his magnificent 7th Cy Young Award Roger Clemens says he will pitch next year. Whether it #39;s throwing batting practice to his kids or split-fingered fastballs to major-league hitters remains to be seen.


LA restructures baseball operations Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta restructured his baseball operations department with two new hires and a promotion on Tuesday.


Bidding on  #39;The Curse #39; ends without buyer The contract that sent slugger Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees and started the legendary curse on the Red Sox that kept them from winning the World Series, has failed to sell on an Internet auction site, where bids had topped \$1


Kidnapped Italian freed in southern Philippines An Italian volunteer worker kidnapped earlier by an unidentified group in the southern Philippines has been released, the Philippine military said Wednesday.


Unidentified submarine found in Japanese waters An unidentified submarine was found in the Japanese waters Wednesday morning, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said. The submarine was spotted in Japan #39;s territorial waters


International environment for India #39;s development highly <b>...</b> Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said international environment for India #39;s development was  quot;highly favourable quot; and there was  quot;tremendous goodwill quot; for the country in the outside world.


Koders - Source Code Search Engine \\Found this really cool search engine (Koders ) via ResearchBuzz: \\"An article at Newsforge pointed me to Koders ( http://www.koders.com ) a search\engine for finding programming code. Nifty. The front page allows you to specify\keywords, sixteen languages (from..."\\This is pretty dead on.\\I had a similar idea about 3 years ago I was calling SourceEngine which for a\while was my Alexandria  project under Jakarta.  Some of this technology\morphed into Gump .\\Heres one innovation which I don't think Koders has picked up yet; use source\includes as indegree to compute a CodeRank.\\There you go... I'm giving you guys that one for free!  This is the Google\innovation but applied to source code ...\\


Burma military officers 'jailed' Three senior intelligence officers are reportedly jailed in further fallout from an apparent high-level power struggle.


National Basketball Association Game Capsules  ORLANDO, Fl. (Sports Network) - Hedo Turkoglu came off the  bench to contribute 19 points and Dwight Howard netted 15  points with 11 rebounds, leading the Orlando Magic over the  Dallas Mavericks, 94-84, at TD WaterHouse Center. Steve Francis  fell just shy of a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 10  boards and nine assists while Grant Hill collected 17 points  with nine rebounds for Orlando, which handed the Mavericks  their first loss of the 2004 season.


New MyDoom Worms Exploit Unpatched IE Bug New versions of the MyDoom worm that began spreading late Monday afternoon are among the fastest-ever exploits of an unpatched Microsoft vulnerability, security experts said Tuesday.


Japan on alert as suspected Chinese sub found in territorial <b>...</b> TOKYO : Japan was on alert after a suspected Chinese nuclear submarine entered its territorial waters, prompting Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to voice concern, officials and reports said.


Iraq ; Black Watch soldiers remain defiant Iraq News, Baghdad: Black Watch soldiers in Iraq #39;s  quot;triangle of death quot; said the killing of four of their comrades had strengthened their resolve to stay and see their task through.


U.S. Rules Out Deals with Afghan Kidnappers (Reuters) Reuters - A senior U.S. official said on Wednesday\deals should not be done with hostage-takers ahead of the\latest deadline set by Afghan Islamic militants who have\threatened to kill three kidnapped U.N. workers.


China's October industrial output up 15.7 percent (AFP) AFP - China's industrial output growth in October slowed to 15.7 percent year-on-year after a 16.1 percent gain in September, suggesting government lending curbs are cooling the economy.


Powell Tackles Illegal Immigrant Issue (AP) AP - An end to the U.S. political season coupled with enhanced border security has significantly improved the climate in the United States for comprehensive immigration reform, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday.


Microsoft Expands Intellectual Property Indemnification Coverage (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Redmond execs say the company will provide IP protection for all current and past versions of its software, hoping to present yet another differentiator with open-source vendors.


HAL to showcase its wares for Putin Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will line up its newly developed fighter aircraft, including the first Sukhoi 30 Mk1 that it assembled for the Indian Air Force (IAF), when the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, visits its Bangalore complex on


Bush Wants Line-Item Veto to Be Revived (AP) AP - Six years after the Supreme Court took away the president's ability to veto specific parts of legislation, President Bush is asking Congress to bring back the line-item veto to let him make precision strikes against projects and tax provisions he doesn't like.


Kerry hints White House run in his future (AFP) AFP - Defeated Democrat John Kerry, who has hinted he may run again for president in 2008, vowed to continue fighting for the issues he campaigned on as his party's presidential candidate.


SUICIDE BOMB IN IRAQ At least 17 Kurdish militiamen have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The bombing came hours after two car bomb explosions in the capital, Baghdad, killed at least four policemen and wounded 49 others.


Seoul Sees N.Korea Talks Movement; Japan Sees Sub  SEOUL (Reuters) - This week's talks between Japan and North  Korea show efforts to hold more six-party talks on the North's  nuclear plans are gathering pace and most countries want a  meeting before the year ends, South Korea said on Wednesday.


Cisco #39;s quarter strong; sales weak Cisco Systems, the biggest maker of equipment that directs data over the Internet, said Tuesday its quarterly earnings rose 29 percent with stronger demand for its networking gear.


MyDoom Spreading Fast The latest variant of the MyDoom mass-mailing worm is spreading fast, even as security firms raise the worm #39;s threat assessment.


Aerospace giants hope to build next craft Boeing NASA Systems of Houston will team with another aerospace giant to bid on building the successor to the space shuttle, a spacecraft that would take explorers to the moon and Mars, officials from the two companies announced Tuesday.


Mets reportedly to consider trading Piazza for Green KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- On the opening day of his first general managers meeting as the man in charge of the Mets, Omar Minaya moved in a direction the Mets have long been avoiding.


Germans arrest fourth man in suspected attack on Iraqi prime <b>...</b> BERLIN German authorities have arrested a fourth man suspected of plotting an attack on Iraq #39;s prime minister. Three Iraqis are already in custody for their alleged roles in the al-Qaida-linked plot.


NBA Wrap: Magic Beat Mavericks, Lakers Defeat Hornets  ORLANDO, Fl. (Sports Network) - Hedo Turkoglu came off the  bench to contribute 19 points and Dwight Howard netted 15  points with 11 rebounds, leading the Orlando Magic over the  Dallas Mavericks, 94-84, at TD WaterHouse Center. Steve Francis  fell just shy of a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 10  boards and nine assists while Grant Hill collected 17 points  with nine rebounds for Orlando, which handed the Mavericks  their first loss of the 2004 season.


Israeli Minister Retracts Threat to Quit Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday took back his threat to withdraw from the governing Likud Party, but a minority religious party quit Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's coalition in protest over the plan to remove Israeli settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip and a portion of the West Bank.


December pause still possible, many economists suggest WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- There #39;s little doubt that the Federal Open Market Committee will raise its short-term interest rate target by a quarter-percentage point at Wednesday #39;s meeting, economists and traders say.


Probe hurts stock price, 3,000 job cuts announced BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- The other shoe dropped Tuesday for about 3,000 workers at embattled Marsh  amp; McLennan. Free! Sign up here to receive our Internet Daily e-Newsletter!


FCC denies states control of VoIP Providers of Internet-based phone services, such as Overland Park-based Nuvio Corp. and Time Warner Cable, notched a victory Tuesday when the Federal Communications Commission said states could not regulate the futuristic service.


SEC plan would end exchange free rein The nation #39;s stock exchanges would be forced to tighten their governance and move toward separating their self-policing function from their business operations under a plan proposed by federal regulators yesterday.


Brokerage to Lay Off 3,000 Marsh  amp; McLennan, a subject of New York state Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer #39;s investigation of insurance bid-rigging, said it will lay off 3,000 employees, about 5 percent of its workforce.


Peak Downloads For Firefox Slows Mozilla Site Firefox 1.0- Mozilla Foundation #39;s first product aimed at users looking for an alternate browser, has met with an overwhelming response from users worldwide.


Northrop, Boeing plan joint bid for spaceship Northrop Grumman Corp. and The Boeing Co. are teaming up to design a replacement for the space shuttles, leaving NASA two lead competitors for the contract on a spaceship that could carry astronauts to the moon and Mars.


Minardi boss says British and French GPs saved A deal has been agreed to ensure next year #39;s British and French Formula One Grands Prix take place, according to Minardi boss Paul Stoddart.


FANS FALL IN LOVE WITH ARIZA It is crystal clear there is no single player in blue and orange who fills the Garden with more energy than the youngest player on the team.


New York Mets hire two more special assistants in front office The New York Mets hired two special assistants Tuesday, getting former major leaguer Tony Bernazard from the players #39; union and grabbing Sandy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks.


US rules out deals with Afghan kidnappers A senior US official said on Wednesday deals should not be done with hostage-takers ahead of the latest deadline set by Afghan Islamic militants who have threatened to kill three kidnapped UN workers.


Fed Seen Likely to Raise Interest Rates  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With the U.S. economy picking up  steam, the year's fourth straight interest-rate hike looked  like a certainty at Wednesday's meeting of the Federal  Reserve's Open Market Committee, economists said.


S.Africa Says to Host Ivory Coast Peace Talks  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African President Thabo  Mbeki has invited warring parties in the conflict in Ivory  Coast to peace talks and the meeting could take place this  week, Mbeki's spokesman said on Wednesday.


Time isn't in his corner NEW YORK -- Evander Holyfield knows that life, like boxing, is about adjustments. On Saturday night, we will see whether he has made the biggest adjustment of his career -- the adjustment to a boxing life of diminished skills.


Patriots shift Nov. 28 start Sunday at 1 o'clock. Time for football. That's the way it was for Patriots fans pretty much every fall weekend for four decades. Then Bill Belichick  amp; Co. had to go and win two of the last three Super Bowls, and now they're TV stars.


Wannstedt steps down Dave Wannstedt resigned yesterday as Miami Dolphins coach, forced from the job by lousy luck, relentless speculation about his future, and eight losses in nine games.


AHL's IceCats will be leaving Worcester for Peoria, Ill. St. Louis Blues president Mark Sauer said the team will sell its American Hockey League Worcester IceCats to Bruce Saurs and Anne Griffith of Peoria, Ill., and move the team to Peoria for the 2005-06 season. The team will continue to operate as the Blues' AHL affiliate and be renamed the Rivermen. The sale and relocation are subject to approval ...


Jefferson is getting crash course in NBA The coach already has a nickname for his teenage hoop hunk: Moses. It has nothing to do with tablets and everything to do with talent. In this case, we're not talking about the biblical Moses, but the basketball player who is in the Hall of Fame and who, like the teenager in question, went into pro basketball directly ...


O'Neal is turning up the Heat Shaquille O'Neal has the Heat off to their best start ever after scoring 20 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and blocking 3 shots in a 103-93 victory over the Washington Wizards last night in Miami.


Harvard and Penn's Ivy tale a familiar story Something has to give -- either 15th-ranked Harvard's status as the nation's only undefeated Division 1-AA team or 17th-ranked Penn's 20-game Ivy League winning streak -- when the teams square off Saturday in Philadelphia.


Clarett accuses Ohio St. Former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett accused coach Jim Tressel, his staff, and school boosters of arranging for him to get passing grades, cars, bogus summer jobs, and thousands of dollars in cash. The school denied the claims yesterday.


Defense steps up for Oliver Ames The top-seeded Oliver Ames girls' soccer team has outscored opponents, 11-0, in the first two rounds of the Division 1 South Sectional tournament, and its all-star forwards have not scored most of those goals.


Transactions BASEBALL Anaheim (AL): Signed bench coach Joe Maddon, third base coach Ron Roenicke, first base coach Alfredo Griffin, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, bullpen coach Orlando Mercado, pitching coach Bud Black, and bullpen catcher Steve Soliz. Colorado (NL): Removed vice chairman Jerry McMorris from board of directors. Florida (NL): Named Mark Wiley pitching coach and Harry Dunlop bullpen coach. Los Angeles ...


As Arafat worsens, leaders prepare funeral PARIS -- Yasser Arafat's coma deepened and his condition deteriorated dramatically yesterday according to the Palestinian leadership, who visited him at a Paris hospital and then returned to the West Bank to declare that his life was now ''in the hand of God. quot;


Advancing forces meet sporadic resistance FALLUJAH, Iraq -- US and Iraqi forces, facing sporadic but stiff resistance, advanced into the heart of Fallujah yesterday on the second day of a major offensive to wrest control of the insurgent stronghold.


Ivory Coast snapshot Rebels have been in control of the northern regions since a failed coup in 2002. Recent unrest has unraveled a 2003 cease-fire between the government and rebels.


Dutch call for end to violence amid memorial for slain filmmaker AMSTERDAM -- Suspected arsonists set an Islamic elementary school on fire yesterday amid a string of attacks following the killing of a Dutch filmmaker by an alleged Islamic extremist.


Chirac belatedly calls Bush over win PARIS -- France's president, Jacques Chirac, finally phoned George W. Bush yesterday to congratulate him a week after his reelection as US president, and Chirac's foreign minister, Michel Barnier, called for better trans-Atlantic ties.


Netanyahu backs off threat to quit JERUSALEM -- Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday took back his threat to withdraw from the governing Likud party, but a minority religious party quit Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's coalition, protesting the plan to remove Israeli settlers and troops from the Gaza Strip and a portion of the West Bank.


Russia warns about elections; UN fears for civilians MOSCOW -- The intense US-led assault on Fallujah could undermine Iraq's upcoming elections, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned yesterday, and the UN refugee agency expressed concern about the tens of thousands of civilians who have fled the besieged city.


No direct vote in Hong Kong, China tells legislators BEIJING -- China warned Hong Kong legislators yesterday to forget the idea of holding a referendum on whether residents should be able to directly elect their leaders.


Shaq Helps Heat to Team's Best Ever Start (AP) AP - Shaquille O'Neal promised to bring a championship to Miami. And although it's way too early to be thinking about titles, he can't wait to show off his new team to his old Western Conference rivals.


Selling lifestyle and TVs Tweeter is caught in the Wal-Mart pickle. Known for top-of-the-line electronics and custom installations, the Canton retailer has been squeezed ever since Wal-Mart began selling televisions en masse.


Why Karp backed out Once upon a time, not so long ago, great local families built great local buildings. Exhibit A in Boston, of course, was Norman Leventhal and his family, developers of Rowes Wharf, 75 State St., and South Station to name just three.


Flaherty blasts BRA over Fan Pier Boston City Council President Michael F. Flaherty yesterday lambasted the Menino administration's suggestion of a compromise on public amenities on Fan Pier in an effort to speed up development of the languishing land.


Putnam to pay \$40m to settle SEC probe Putnam Investments will pay \$40 million to settle yet another regulatory probe, while corporate parent Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. yesterday said it would cut 3,000 jobs in the fallout from the price-fixing and bid-rigging scandal enveloping its insurance brokerage unit.


Gamers get a crack at Halo 2 Long-awaited sequel debuts There's a new media king, only he isn't on the radio or in the movies. His name? Master Chief. His role: Interstellar soldier and star of Halo 2, one of the most anticipated video games ever.


Oil prices hit lowest level in 7 weeks Crude oil futures tumbled below \$48 a barrel yesterday, closing at their lowest level in seven weeks, on rising expectations that the US supply of transport and home-heating fuels will be adequate this winter.


China's boom comes off the boil Chinese industrial output slows in October, the latest evidence that its booming economy is being reined in.


Analogic, partner reach agreement L-3 Communications Corp., which sells equipment to detect bombs in airport luggage, settled a lawsuit in which it claimed business partner Analogic Corp. violated a contract by submitting independent proposals to the Transportation Security Administration. Peabody-based Analogic said terms of the settlement were kept confidential and that the agreement didn't entail a payment by either side.  quot;We look forward to ...


No. 8 Georgia Starts Freshman in Key Game (AP) AP - Mark Richt knows he'll have to get a little creative when he divvies up playing time for Georgia's running backs next season. Not so on Saturday. Thomas Brown is the undisputed starter for the biggest game of the season.


Verizon's dim-dad ad for DSL ignites a protest A TV ad showing a computer-illiterate father being chided for trying to help his Internet-savvy daughter with her homework has roused the anger of fatherhood activists, who are calling on Verizon Communications Inc. to take it off the air.


Dell to build plant in N.C. Dell Inc. said yesterday that it would build its third US manufacturing plant in North Carolina, employing at least 1,500 people within five years. The new facility, scheduled to open in the fall of 2005 at a site to be determined, will produce desktop computers.


'Me-too' prescription drugs win support in Tufts study An independent academic center at Tufts University said yesterday that critics who blast the American pharmaceutical industry for developing  quot;me-too quot; prescription drugs are wrong.


Fed seen pushing rates up The Federal Reserve is expected to nudge interest rates up for a fourth time this year today, acting on the belief the economy has finally emerged from an extended  quot;soft patch. quot;


Magic Wins With Hill; Pacers Making Do (AP) AP - The Orlando Magic are seeing just what they missed when Grant Hill was sidelined by injury year after year. Without Ron Artest and a slew of injured players, the Indiana Pacers haven't missed a beat.


Cable   Wireless to cut 600 jobs Telecoms group Cable   Wireless is to shed 600 jobs in the UK and Europe as part of an ongoing restructuring.


North Carolina holds on NO. 9 NORTH CAROLINA 91, NO. 8 KENTUCKY 78: At Chapel Hill, NC - Rashad McCants scored 28 points, Sean May had 14 points and 19 rebounds and Jawad Williams tipped in a miss to thwart a second-half rally by


Japan Navy Mobilized After Mystery Submarine Spotted  TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese navy was mobilized on  Wednesday for the first time in five years after an  unidentified submarine was spotted in waters off Japan.


When invention turns to innovation Technological "inventions" are not going to have the same kind of transformative value that they did in the past.


Meyer says he #39;s headed for Florida SALT LAKE CITY Urban Meyer confirms he #39;s leaving undefeated Utah to become the head football coach at Florida. Meyer said that at Florida everything is in place to make a run at the whole thing, and that was a factor in his decision.


Fed Seen Likely to Raise Interest Rates With the US economy picking up steam, the year #39;s fourth straight interest-rate hike looked like a certainty at Wednesday #39;s meeting of the Federal Reserve #39;s Open Market Committee, economists said.


Oil Prices Continue to Plummet Crude oil futures continued to plummet today on the belief that fuel supplies in the United States will be adequate to deal with its coming winter.


AXE  amp; SPENCER MARKS  amp; Spencer sacked six executives yesterday as the troubled giant announced profits were down by 128million. New boss Stuart Rose halved the board and is likely to continue price cuts in stores.


FCC: States can #39;t regulate Net phones Washington - Phone calls made over the Internet cannot be regulated by states, the Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday.


Rivals Boeing, Northrop find common ground in space Northrop Grumman and Boeing said yesterday they will bid as a team to compete for NASA #39;s planned manned and robotic space-exploration program.


FTC warns news media on diet ads As part of a crackdown on false and deceptive diet claims, the Federal Trade Commission sent letters to nine media companies yesterday, reminding them to stop publishing ads for bogus weight-loss products.


Trading scandal haunts NAB earnings Sydney - National Australia Bank on Wednesday reported a near 20 percent drop in its net profit for the year to September in the aftermath of a foreign exchange trading scandal that rocked Australia #39;s biggest lender early this year.


States may rethink terms Though California regulators have signed off on the merger between WellPoint Health Networks Inc. and Anthem Inc., states that had approved the deal months ago may raise new concerns based on the settlement terms here.


GM offers car now, 2nd later, same rate So badly, in fact, that it is willing to offer you what could amount to a deal of the decade: a chance to lock in a low interest rate on a new GM car or truck, as well as your next vehicle, for as long as 10 years.


Vodafone begins 3G mobile service Vodafone launches its third-generation services for mobile phones, offering video calls, music downloads and games.


Arctic ice melting twice as fast as expected In a new study commissioned by eight countries of the Arctic region, scientists point to an accelerated ice thaw with far-reaching consequences for global climate change and human activity.


Is Microsoft rolling out its search engine? Microsoft #39;s MSN division is planning to make an announcement today related to online-search technology, giving rise to expectations that the company will begin offering its own Internet search engine tomorrow.


ISA Flaw Shows Way In To Phishing Attacks Microsoft ISA and Proxy Server are prone to an Internet domain name spoofing vulnerability that could allow an attacker to spoof Internet sites.


Mission to surf sun #39;s rays Within a converted barn on the Planetary Society #39;s campus Tuesday, a group of scientists, engineers and volunteers began the countdown for a March launch of the


Vodafone begins 3G mobile service Vodafone has launched its UK third-generation (3G) services for mobile phones, offering video calls, music downloads and games. The 3G technology enables users to download data at a faster rate than before


Shaq keeps Heat perfect Shaquille O #39;Neal helped Miami improved to 4-0 for the first time in team history, but he was concerned about the Heat #39;s defensive effort in Tuesday night #39;s 103-93 win over the Washington Wizards in Miami.


Clemens earns Cy Young No. 7 Ordinarily, the overriding question for Roger Clemens would have been how, in a season when he turned 42, could he have pitched well enough to become the first pitcher in baseball history to win a seventh Cy Young Award.


Teams agree test cut The money saved will go towards an eighteenth and nineteenth grand prix next year -- in Britain and France.  quot;A commercial deal with Bernie Ecclestone is done, quot; Australian Stoddart revealed at the Hilton.


Charlton, Spurs linked with sacked Chelsea striker Mutu The Telegraph says Mutu is in rehabilitation and if he comes through that successfully, the Romanian international will be free to join another club next year.


Kobe, Los Angeles are getting adjusted to NBA life without Shaq in <b>...</b> The Lakers were in town. So, automatically, the first thing you did was look around for the big guy. You kept searching for a guy named Shaquille O #39;Neal, who once played for LSU.


Wenger still considering options Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger revealed that he is still weighing up whether to defend his outspoken attack on Ruud van Nistelrooy as he looked to a bright future with his Carling Cup youngsters.


Toledo frustrates Huskies DEKALB -- Toledo doesn #39;t just beat Northern Illinois University. It torments the Huskies. Teases their defense. NIU gets the Rockets right where it wants them.


No doubt they got message Who knew that 71-year-old assistant coach Dick Helm was the Knicks #39; problem? One day after his head rolled, so did the Knicks.


UN backs sanctions against Ivory Coast The UN Security Council yesterday gave wide support to a resolution that would impose sanctions against Ivory Coast if the government and rebels dont return to a peace process by the beginning of December, diplomats said.


Terrorism isnt just US, Israeli problem When the controversial Dutch artist and filmmaker Theo van Gogh was slain in an Amsterdam street last week by a Muslim suspect, it was more than a murder story.


ECU professors: Arafat #39;s death unlikely to bring major change While Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat lingers in a coma, the world contemplates what his death will mean to the Middle East #39;s future.


Germans grumpy 15 years after wall #39;s fall Germans marked a subdued 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Tuesday, with high unemployment in the formerly communist east and a sense in people #39;s


Big 12 notes Blame Bret Culbertson. Just don #39;t let Iowa State coach Dan McCarney hear you do it. In case you don #39;t remember, Culbertson is the freshman kicker whose missed 24-yard field


High profile BJP leader suspended India's main opposition party takes action against senior party member Uma Bharti after a public row.


Australia's Lonard Wins Third in a Row (AP) AP - Australia's Peter Lonard won for the third straight week, shooting a 7-under 65 on Sunday in the Australian PGA for a two-shot victory over third-round leader James Nitties.


Confusion Over Arafat, Palestinians Prepare Burial (Reuters) Reuters - Palestinians looked to their leadership\to lift confusion over Yasser Arafat's fate in a French\hospital on Wednesday as preparations gathered pace to bury the\icon of their fight for statehood. Arafat, 75, suffered a brain\hemorrhage on Tuesday at the hospital where he was flown from\the West Bank on Oct. 29 and had lain in a coma. Officials\insisted in public that he was alive, though aides said\privately that he was dead.


FCC Asserts Role as Internet Phone Regulator (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - The Federal Communications Commission said yesterday that the federal government, not states, has the authority to regulate phone service provided over the Internet.


AP: Iliescu Hopes Romania Will Join EU (AP) AP - Outgoing President Ion Iliescu, Romania's leader for most of the last 25 years, defended his record as leader, saying concerns about press freedoms are exaggerated and efforts to stamp out corruption are progressing.


Arafat to Be Buried at His West Bank HQ (AP) AP - Yasser Arafat will be buried at the battered West Bank headquarters that had been his virtual prison for the last three years, his aides decided after the Palestinian leader sank deeper into a coma.


Researchers Show Supercomputer Projects (AP) AP - They help predict the path of weather halfway around the world or in space, shed light on the death of dinosaurs and train pilots to fly in Alaska. They're supercomputers, capable of high-speed calculations that would take people trillions of years to do.


Japan on alert as suspected Chinese sub detected in territorial waters (AFP) AFP - Japan was on alert after a suspected Chinese nuclear submarine entered its territorial waters, setting off a chase on the high sea amid mounting disputes between the Asian powers.


Iraqi PM Allawi's Family Targeted by Kidnappers  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three members of Iraqi Prime Minister  Iyad Allawi's family have been kidnapped by gunmen, a spokesman  for the Iraqi interim government said on Wednesday.


So much for the  #39;soft patch #39; Satisfied that the economy is back on track, the Federal Reserve is likely to increase interest rates today, and in December as well.


Liberty declares  #39;no hostile #39; intent Liberty Media Corp., addressing industry speculation that it might launch a takeover bid for Rupert Murdoch #39;s News Corp., said Tuesday it has  quot;no hostile intentions quot; toward the media giant.


Australian shares back in record territory on NAB strength SYDNEY : Australian share prices returned to record territory, adding 0.28 percent as investors shrugged off disappointing results from National Australia Bank to send the market higher, dealers said.


GM offers to lock rates for 2 automobile purchases General Motors Corp. is offering customers the chance to lock in low-interest financing on their next two vehicle purchases as it seeks to boost US sales this month after a 5 percent decline in October.


Hacker flogged Microsoft source code THE FEDS have fingered the collar of a Connecticut computer hacker. He #39;s been charged with flogging copies of Microsoft Windows proprietary source code.


#39;Only hollow victories in store for Ferrari #39; Ferrari #39;s rivals have warned them that only  quot;hollow quot; victories await them if they don #39;t agree to reduce the number of days they will spend testing during next year #39;s Championship.


O #39;Neal is turning up the Heat Shaquille O #39;Neal has the Heat off to their best start ever after scoring 20 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and blocking 3 shots in a 103-93 victory over the Washington Wizards last night in Miami.


Rog still best Retirement is once again pulling at Roger Clemens. Only this time, he thinks he actually might follow through on it for more than a few months.


No Artest, no problem No matter who #39;s hurt, no matter who #39;s suspended, no matter who plays, it doesn #39;t seem to matter. The shorthanded Indiana Pacers won their fourth game without a loss Tuesday, in their most difficult game.


Top Islamic cleric rushes to bedside of comatose Arafat in French <b>...</b> A top Islamic cleric was rushing to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat #39;s hospital bedside Wednesday after his coma deepened and his caretaker government chose a burial site.


Powell gives no hint that he will leave post Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, whom many analysts had expected to leave his post in a second Bush administration, has shown little sign


Putnam will miss majority of Marsh cutbacks Marsh  amp; McLennan, the parent company of Hub funds firm Putnam Investments, announced 3,000 job cuts yesterday as it battles a scandal and a collapse in earnings.


Convictions send stern warning to spammers Spammers will find that the money to be made by bombarding computers with junk e-mails is not worth the risk. A Virginia jury sent a sobering message last week to the unscrupulous purveyors of junk e-mail.


NBA Game Summary - Toronto at Sacramento Toronto has now dropped seven straight and is just 1-8 all-time at ARCO...Sacramento improved to 15-5 in its home opener since the 1985-86 season...Sacramento took both meetings with the Raptors last season and has won nine of the last 10...Toronto #39;s only


Plan May Keep Bird Off Endangered List An initiative by the Bureau of Land Management to conserve the habitat of the northern sage grouse is complicating efforts to earn the bird designation as an endangered species.


BT offers free net phone calls As an incentive to buy broadband from BT, the telco is offering free calls via the internet.


US Expected to Hike Interest Rates Today The US Federal Reserve is expected to hike interest rates today for a fourth time this year. Analysts say the central bank is feeling more confident about the US economy, partly because of the strong payrolls


NAB slide  #39;unacceptable #39; says Stewart SCOTSMAN John Stewart - drafted in to turn around Australia #39;s largest bank - said today the overhaul of National Australia Bank will take several years as he unveiled an  #39;unacceptable #39; 15 fall in the group #39;s full-year cash earnings.


Strength of global recovery in question - Gordon Brown A mixture of problems including sharp currency fluctuations has led to uncertainty about how strong and durable the world recovery will prove, British finance minister Gordon Brown said yesterday.


Telecom rockets amid buyback, 600 job cuts LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Cable  amp; Wireless, the UK and Caribbean business telecoms group, unveiled a restructuring and management reshuffle on Wednesday that will see around 600 jobs cut.


University wins animal rights bid Oxford University succeeds  in gaining a continuation of a wide-ranging injunction against animal rights activists.


Oil industry feels global warming heat A top level report on artic climate change spurred by global warming has outlined possible oil industry benefits, but also many potential pitfalls.


Halo 2 blasts off shelves Two years of hype for Microsoft video-game sequel Halo 2 began to pay off yesterday as fans snapped up millions of copies of the alien-blasting game for the Xbox console.


Skype goes cordless with Siemens Skype has announced its free software is now available for the Siemens Gigaset DECT cordless phones, meaning that users can now utilise a cordless phone to place calls to other telephones, over the Internet.


Competition Aims To Take Bite Out Of iPod #39;s Business The players are all about convenience and size. They are like carrying around hundreds of CDs without the load. The iPod dominates the MP3 scene, but new competitors hope to take a bite out of Apple #39;s business.


Stem cell research a battle of the coasts A \$3 billion stem cell research initiative in California means the Garden State faces stiff competition to secure and retain top researchers, experts warned Tuesday.


Romanian Federation asks FIFA to clarify Mutu position The Romanian Soccer Federation (FRF) has asked FIFA to clarify whether striker Adrian Mutu can train during his seven-month ban for taking cocaine.


Clemens awarded seventh Cy Young No matter where he goes, the Cy Young Award always seems to find Roger Clemens, who was halfway around the globe and just off a Japanese bullet train when learning yesterday that he #39;d won


O #39;Neal, Heat keep rolling Shaquille O #39;Neal has the Miami Heat off to its best start ever after scoring 20 points, grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 3 shots in a 103-93 victory over the visiting Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.


O #39;Connor snubbed in Texaco awards Irish Olympic gold medallist Cian O #39;Connor has been snubbed by the organisers of the 2004 Irish Texaco Sport Stars awards. Despite winning Olympic gold, O #39;Connor has been ignored in the prestigious awards.


All #39;s well for Schilling after 3-hou After helping the Red Sox stats, schedule win their first World Series championship in 86 years and supporting President Bush in his bid to win a few red states, the man with the red spot


France, UN launch evacuations from Ivory Coast ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast The UN says it #39;s starting to evacuate its staff from the west African nation of Ivory Coast, following four days of chaotic violence there.


Gunmen Kidnap Three Members of Allawi #39;s Family BAGHDAD, Nov. 10- Gunmen kidnapped a first cousin of interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and two other members of his extended family from their Baghdad home on Tuesday, an Allawi spokesman said Wednesday morning.


Afghan Kidnappers Say Government Agrees Deal Kidnappers of three UN workers in Afghanistan said on Wednesday the government had agreed to terms for their release, despite indications from Afghan and US officials that a compromise was not possible.


Italian hostage released in Philippines AP - An Italian aid worker abducted in the southern Philippines was released unharmed after Muslim separatist rebels reportedly helped authorities corner his kidnappers.


Japan puts navy on alert after unidentified submarine intrudes in <b>...</b> Japan #39;s navy went on alert Wednesday when an unidentified submarine made a brief incursion into the country #39;s southern waters near Okinawa and Tokyo was trying to determine where the vessel came from.


EU wants nuclear reactor built in France Vienna - Negotiations on where to build the world #39;s first nuclear fusion reactor ended without an agreement on either of the two sites under consideration in France and Japan, a Western diplomat said on Tuesday.


Afghan Kidnappers Say Government Agrees Deal  KABUL (Reuters) - Kidnappers of three U.N. workers in  Afghanistan said on Wednesday the government had agreed to  terms for their release, despite indications from Afghan and  U.S. officials that a compromise was not possible.


Confusion Over Arafat, Palestinians Prepare Burial  PARIS (Reuters) - Palestinians looked to their leadership  to lift confusion over Yasser Arafat's fate in a Paris hospital  on Wednesday as preparations gathered pace to bury the icon of  their fight for statehood. Arafat, 75, suffered a brain  hemorrhage on Tuesday at the hospital where he was flown from  the West Bank on Oct. 29 and had lain in a coma. Officials  insisted in public that he was alive, though aides said  privately that he was dead.


France Prepares to Evacuate Citizens from Ivory Coast  ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Protesters in Ivory Coast massed to  support President Laurent Gbagbo for a fifth day on Wednesday  as France prepared to airlift citizens from its former West  African colony, once a model of post-independence prosperity.


War Not an Option Against Iran - Germany's Fischer  BERLIN (Reuters) - War is not an option against Iran and no  one expects the standoff over Iran's nuclear program to lead to  an "Iraq-like confrontation," German Foreign Minister Joschka  Fischer was quoted as saying on Wednesday.


Israeli Forces Kill 3 Palestinians Israeli troops on Tuesday shot and killed two Palestinians who entered an unauthorized area in the Gaza Strip, military sources said.


Microsoft to launch own search engine Microsoft on Thursday will launch its long-awaited internet search service that is expected to compete with market leaders Google and Yahoo, The Wall Street Journal said.


Hooton confident, Stoddart certain over British GP After weeks of negotiations that, at last viewing, appeared to be forcing the British Grand Prix off the Formula One calendar, Tuesday #39;s teams #39; meeting in London has once again resurrected hopes that the Silverstone race will take place in 2005.


Knicks rebound for first win of season A crisis of confidence was averted last night as the suddenly determined Knicks went to work on the Philadelphia 76ers and posted a relatively easy 96-88 victory at Madison Square Garden.


Vodafone launches 3G services VODAFONE, the world #39;s largest mobile phone network, launched its third-generation services in 13 countries today, including the UK.


Baseball #39;s image getting Creamed it #39;s the sport that won #39;t die, no matter what. You can have gamblers, psychotic fans, spouses that blab and players who cork.


Students Fight Copyright Hoarders College students around the country start groups to teach their peers about copyright law and how Hollywood and record companies abuse it. To fight vacant stares, they frame the issue like this: Save the iPod. By Katie Dean.


US envoy opposes kidnapper talks US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage says in Kabul there should be no talks with kidnappers of three UN workers.


Sportsview: Don't Count Out Clemens (AP) AP - Roger Clemens has waited a half-dozen years now for some telltale sign that his time is up.


Timberwolves Topple Clippers 107-100, OT (AP) AP - Sam Cassell scored eight of his season-high 30 points in overtime and Kevin Garnett added 22 points and 15 rebounds, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Clippers 107-100 Saturday night for their fifth straight victory.


#39;Crazy Horse #39; Hughes dies  #39;Emlyn started with Liverpool in midfield. As his career went on, he finished up playing centre-half and that was probably when we started to play football from the back and the way Liverpool Football Club moved up a gear.


Isiah calls it all, except own number The more that Isiah Thomas insisted yesterday he will never coach the Knicks, the more you wanted to ask,  quot;Well, why would you?


Darfur deal signed Abuja, Nigeria - Sudan and Darfur rebels signed accords on Tuesday to end hostilities and guarantee aid groups #39; access to 1.6 million civilians uprooted by conflict in the troubled western Sudan region of Darfur.


Unidentified submarine detected in Japanese waters TOKYO - An unidentified submarine was detected moving in Japanese waters near Okinawa on Wednesday, prompting Japan #39;s Defense Agency chief Yoshinori Ono to dispatch a Maritime Self-Defense Force team to step up security in the area.


Ties with Pakistan a high priority: Armitage ISLAMABAD: The US government would not only maintain continuity in its policy towards Islamabad but also strive to enhance bilateral relations in economic, commercial, defence and security spheres, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage assured the


Anthem-WellPoint merger deal wins approval in California NEW YORK, November 10 (newratings.com) - California #39;s insurance commissioner has approved the proposed \$16.5 billion merger between Anthem Inc (ATH.


Zo, Nets break the ice The score was in the low 60s. The teams combined to shoot 29 and make an NBA record-low 44 field goals. Several players added floor burns to their tattoos and Shareef Abdur-Rahim even suffered a bloody gash on his head.


Kidnapped Italian freed in southern Philippines (AFP) AFP - An Italian aid worker walked free from the southern Philippines jungle, a day after he was abducted by local gunmen, officials said.


Seventh wonder Winning an unprecedented seventh Cy Young Award, his first in the National League, only makes the question of Roger Clemens's return for the 2005 season even more compelling.\   The answer probably won't be long in coming.


Generic AIDS drugs off WHO list WASHINGTON -- A major maker of generic AIDS medicines voluntarily removed all its antiretrovirals from the World Health Organization's list of approved drugs yesterday, a move that could potentially affect tens of thousands of AIDS patients in poor countries who have only recently entered treatment.


Grim Signs Mark Global Warming Reports released this week offer evidence of climate change's impact: Plants and animals are dying and showing up in places they shouldn't, the Arctic is heating rapidly and sea levels are rising. By Stephen Leahy.


Aussies to Bear Missile Shield Australia re-elected a conservative government recently, which will allow the expansion of a crucial part of the U.S. missile defense shield. Critics say the Pine Gap facility could start an arms race in Asia. Patrick Gray reports from Brisbane, Australia.


GTA Throws in the Kitchen Sink Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas serves up a little something for everyone, unless you're against mayhem and dark humor. By Lore Sjberg.