White House Deals With Detainee Legalities (AP) AP - The Bush administration is taking the narrowest possible view of legal rights the Supreme Court gave to terrorism detainees while trying to fend off any new court challenges. Ultimately the high court probably will weigh in again, lawyers said.


Sadr Militia Still Controls Iraq Shrine -- Witness  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Shi'ite fighters appeared to be in  control of a holy shrine in Najaf Friday, hours after Iraq's  interim government said it had overcome a bloody uprising by  seizing the Imam Ali mosque without a shot being fired.


Constantine and the rise of Christianity The history of how Christianity became an accepted mainstream religion is an interesting one. If you have never heard the story of the Roman Emperor Constantine and his effect on the world's current religious landscape, read on to learn how one mans actions during his rise to power changed the world forever.


Electronic Arts Breaking Out The company's stock is not as popular as Madden NFL 2005, with its top sales numbers. Yet.


Microsoft benches sports games Turn out the lights, the party's over for unit that created mainstream sports games for the Xbox. Seventy-six workers lose jobs.


Kazaa Owner Cheers Court's File-Swapping Decision By MIKE CORDER    SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- The distributor of file-swapping giant Kazaa on Friday welcomed a U.S. court's ruling that two of its rivals are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works shared online by their users...


Yahoo Mail Fixes Security Flaws Yahoo Mail Fixes Security Flaws\\Yahoo reportedly fixed two flaws in Yahoo Mail which had the potential to allow a hacker to read a victim's browser cookies and change the appearance of some pages, Yahoo told news services. A Yahoo representative said the flaws were fixed last month by making changes ...


News: Slow-moving lawsuits over music downloads producing court twists The Associated Press By Ted Bridis


Bloody Battle Dulls Cleric's Heroic Image (AP) AP - Radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has emerged from a bloody, two-week showdown with U.S. forces with his militia intact but his heroic image in question.


Why Tech Stocks Stink (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - The wit who dubbed August "the dog days of summer" could have been looking at 2004's tech stocks in his crystal ball. Just what is ailing these critters? Let's look at all of the possible explanations. Perhaps by eliminating the foolish and transient we can discover a theme and pick up some bargains.


Hanes Opens Unmentionables Market in China (AP) AP - Hanes is entering the lucrative consumer market of the world's most populous nation, China.


GOP Convention Light on Stars (AP) AP - The Republicans will have one sure Hollywood star for their convention  #151; California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger  #151; along with performers to keep the country music fans happy. But they'll be hard-pressed to match the Democratic convention's appeal to young voters led by Ben Affleck.


Stocks End Higher as Oil Eases  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks finished higher on Friday,  as investor worry about high fuel costs crimping consumer  spending and hurting company profits eased after crude oil  prices fell from their peak.


Swimming: Fifth Gold, Seventh Medal for Phelps  ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps won his fifth gold medal  at the Athens Olympics Friday to claim a place alongside Mark  Spitz as one of the greatest swimmers in Olympic history.


Bush Spending Spree Continues, More Cash to Burn (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush's campaign spent\ #36;45.8 million in July, the bulk of it on advertising, but he\still had about  #36;32.5 million left to spend before he accepts\his party's nomination next month, according to a filing\released on Friday.


Swimming: Shibata Joins Japanese Gold Rush  ATHENS (Reuters) - Ai Shibata wore down French teen-ager  Laure Manaudou to win the women's 800 meters freestyle gold  medal at the Athens Olympics Friday and provide Japan with  their first female swimming champion in 12 years.


Congo Former Foes Head to S.Africa for Talks  KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Reuters) -  Former rebels and loyalists now in Congo's transitional  government headed to South Africa on Friday for talks on  reviving the country's shaky peace process and improving  regional security, officials said.


Blast at Police Post in Nassiriya, Three Dead  NASSIRIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - A blast ripped through a police  station in the town of Nassiriya in southern Iraq on Friday,  killing three police and wounding others, police said.


UN warns of Sudan refugee exodus Some 30,000 Sudanese refugees might cross into Chad to escape persecution by Arab militia, the UN warns.


Miami Struggles on Offense The Redskins on Saturday will face a Dolphins team facing a number of issues on offense.


Phelps to Forgo Final Race of Olympics ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps is done for the Olympics. Shortly after winning his fifth gold medal and seventh overall, Phelps told U.S...


IRS: Rose Owes Nearly \$1M in Unpaid Taxes MIAMI - Pete Rose is back in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, which says the baseball great owes nearly \$1 million in unpaid taxes.    The IRS filed a federal tax lien in Broward County on Tuesday alleging that baseball's all-time hits king owes \$973,693.28 in back taxes from 1997 to 2002...


Spectrum of Stormy Saturn Seeing Saturn in different wavelengths gives mission scientists a new and stormy picture of weather on the gas giant. While the view in ultraviolet highlights the stratosphere, the view in infrared shows swirling patterns from rotating cloud bands...


DNA Project May Reunite Adoptees with their Parents By MITCH STACY     SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- Linda Hammer has helped thousands of adoptees find birth families through her people-finding Web site, weekly radio show and newspaper column...


Drag-and-drop flaw mars Microsoft's latest update An independent researcher finds an Internet Explorer vulnerability that could turn drag-and-drop into drag-and-infect.


Report: Consumers tuning in to plasma TVs Shipments go up, prices go down...with more of the same on the horizon.


'Doom 3' Game Unlikely for Xbox This Year - Id CEO (Reuters) Reuters - The Xbox version of "Doom 3," the\long-awaited PC video game recently released to wide acclaim,\is not likely to be released in 2004 dealing a blow to\enthusiastic game players who are anxiously awaiting it.


Federal Court Rules for P2P Networks (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - A federal appeals court has ruled that two peer-to-peer online music-sharing networks, Grokster and StreamCast, are not liable for the illegal swapping of copyrighted music and other entertainment files on their networks.


Apple Recalls 28,000 PowerBook Batteries Due to Overheating Concern (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has issued a warning related to potential problems with the\batteries in some 28,000 of its 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptop computers,\telling customers that the batteries may pose a fire hazard due to\overheating.


Nokia Taps Ex-Coke Exec for Branding Help (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - On the heels of -- and perhaps in response to -- its recent struggles with declining market share, mobile-handset maker Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has signed former Coca-Cola executive Keith Pardy to head up its branding efforts. Pardy, a 17-year Coke veteran, was vice president of the company's non-cola branding efforts.


Microsoft Gets Good Grades on SP2 (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Service Pack 2 for Windows XP is one of the company's most ambitious operating system updates ever, and -- as expected -- some experts already have discovered security vulnerabilities in the giant patch.


The CRM Money Pit - Part 4 (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Over the course of this five-part series, CRM Daily examines areas that tend to develop into financial black holes for companies launching or updating a CRM project.


BlackBerry in Sync with Apple (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Information Appliance Associates is offering an application that links the \BlackBerry mobile e-mail platform with Mac OS X, further extending BlackBerry's considerable reach.


Dolphins Ask Williams for  #36;8.6 Million (AP) AP - The Miami Dolphins have asked Ricky Williams to return  #36;8.6 million they say the running back owes the team because he has decided to retire.


'Doom 3' Game Unlikely for Xbox This Year - Id CEO  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Xbox version of "Doom 3," the  long-awaited PC video game recently released to wide acclaim,  is not likely to be released in 2004 dealing a blow to  enthusiastic game players who are anxiously awaiting it.


Reds' Graves Placed on DL With Sore Back (AP) AP - Cincinnati Reds closer Danny Graves was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of lower back spasms that flared up during his last outing.


Swimming: Phelps Wins Fifth Gold, Seventh Medal  ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps clinched his fifth gold  medal and became the first man since Mark Spitz to hold four  individual Olympic swimming titles when he won the 100 meter  butterfly final Friday.


Sadr Militia Still Controls Iraq Shrine -- Witnesses  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Shi'ite fighters appeared to be in  control of a holy shrine in Najaf Friday hours after Iraq's  interim government said it had overcome a bloody uprising by  seizing the Imam Ali mosque without a shot being fired.


Vagrant Killings Raise Fears of Brazil Death Squad  SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - The beating to death of four  vagrants and the battering of several others in downtown Sao  Paulo have raised suspicions of death squads as crime soars in  this vast South American city, officials said on Friday.


Belgium impounds Ukraine plane A Nato-chartered Ukrainian cargo plane is detained in Brussels after a court ruling in a financial dispute.


Bush Aide Says White House Is Not Linked to Anti-Kerry Ad The president's spokesman said the White House had nothing to do with accusations John Kerry lied about his military service.


Kerry Says Bush Ignores 'Average Folks' CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on Friday traced North Carolina's job loss over the past four years to President Bush's fixation on tax cuts for the wealthy and indifference to the needs of everyday Americans.


Online sales continue to rise, up 23.1 from a year ago While they're still a sliver of overall U.S. retail sales, retail online sales continued to rise in the second quarter of the year to \$15.7 billion, according to figures released today by the U.S. Department of Commerce.


J.D. Edwards users still aren't sold on PeopleSoft's takeover Based on interviews with J.D. Edwards users and an informal poll conducted by Computerworld, PeopleSoft has yet to win over the new customer base it inherited after buying its former competitor one year ago.


Possible security breach seen at AOL An AOL user who logged on to check his online financial portfolio was given access to someone else's data and is calling on AOL to correct what he sees as a security breach. AOL acknowledged an "issue," but said corrective action has been taken.


Former Microsoft COO: Intelligence overhaul means crushing 'fiefdoms' Ending turf battles and "fiefdoms" will be as important as IT investments if the U.S. intelligence community is to be successfully overhauled, said Bob Herbold, former executive vice president and COO at Microsoft.


Reports criticize DHS for lack of progress on IT The GAO and the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general have issued critical reports about IT at the DHS -- a development that calls into question whether a proposed consolidation of U.S. intelligence agencies would lead to the same kinds of problems.


Oracle moves to monthly patching schedule After coming under criticism for sitting on patches for multiple holes in its database software, Oracle has announced that it will move to a monthly patch release schedule, though it hasn't said when.


New Download.Ject worm variant appears A new version of the Download.ject worm has begun spreading on the Internet, according to security firm PivX.


Reporter's notebook: HP World users disdain offshore support move This week's HP World is over, and users at the event had a lot of things on their minds.


Tech industry split in its political donations Tech industry political action committees and employees from computer and Internet companies have contributed just over \$1.6 million to President George Bush, and almost the same amount to Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry.


More money for fuel cells Neah Power Systems, which develops fuel cells for notebooks, raises \$12 million in venture funding.


Phelps Adds New Olympic Triumph (Reuters) Reuters - American teen-ager Michael Phelps, one\of the superstars of the 2004 Athens Games, added a seventh\medal Friday night to his collection of Olympic keepsakes but\new doping scandals tarnished world sporting's greatest event.


N.S. submariner recalls harrowing experiences in career spent underwater (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - As Sam Jennings started to regain consciousness, he saw the dark smoke billowing through his submarine.


White House Says It Is Not Behind Attack Ads (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush and a top\adviser have long-standing ties to people behind advertisements\claiming Sen. John Kerry lied about his war record, but the\campaign denied any part in the ads on Friday and criticized\Kerry for "losing his cool."


IRS: Rose Owes Nearly \$1M in Unpaid Taxes MIAMI - Pete Rose is back in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, which says the baseball great owes nearly \$1 million in unpaid taxes. The IRS filed a federal tax lien in Broward County on Tuesday alleging that baseball's all-time hits king owes \$973,693.28 in back taxes from 1997 to 2002...


Stocks Edge Higher As Oil Prices Fall NEW YORK - A welcome slide in oil prices set off a relief rally on Wall Street Friday, with stocks posting a healthy advance as crude approached but then fell back from the \$50 a barrel mark. The major indexes all ended the week higher...


FCC Issues Rate Freeze for Phone Networks (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Friday issued interim rules that would freeze for six months\the wholesale rates for leasing access to the major U.S. local\telephone networks.


Stocks Jump as Oil Retreats from High  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks jumped higher on Friday,  as investor worry about high fuel costs crimping consumer  spending and hurting company profits eased after crude oil  prices fell from their peak.


General Growth to Buy Rouse for \$7.2 Bln  NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Growth Properties Inc. on  Friday said it would buy Rouse Co. for \$7.2 billion, adding  such swank shopping centers as Chicago's Water Tower Place and  Boston's Fanueil Hall to what is already the nation's second  largest mall portfolio.


United Air Raises Fuel Surcharge  NEW YORK (Reuters) - UAL Corp. UALAQ.OB , the parent of  United Airlines, said on Friday it would raise its existing \$10  each-way fuel surcharge by an additional \$5 due to soaring fuel  costs.


SEC Proxy Access Plan Stalled  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 10 months after moving  boldly to boost the power of U.S. shareholders in choosing  corporate directors, the Securities and Exchange Commission has  become mired in disagreement.


Kerry takes legal action against Vietnam critics (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's campaign formally alleged that a group attacking his Vietnam war record had illegal ties to US President George W. Bush's reelection bid.


U.S. Treasury Prices Edge Lower  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices edged lower on  Friday as oil prices retreated from record highs, but trading  was thin as a dearth of data prompted many investors to take  off for an early weekend.


Briefly: More money for fuel cells roundup Plus: Linux release features Windows support...Gmail delivered to desktops...Chinadotcom mobile services suspended...Maker of disposable RFID tags gets millions...Mitsubishi expands solar production.


UAL Wins OK for Exclusivity Extension (Reuters) Reuters - A U.S. bankruptcy court judge on Friday\approved a 30-day exclusivity extension for United Airlines,\giving the carrier another month to file its own reorganization\plan without competing plans from creditors.


Gas stoppage may have caused deadly Belgian blast: TV report (AFP) AFP - A Belgian gas explosion in which 20 people were killed may have resulted from a combination of a halt in the gas circulation in a pipeline and existing damage to the main, Belgian television said.


UAL Wins OK for Exclusivity Extension  CHICAGO (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy court judge on Friday  approved a 30-day exclusivity extension for United Airlines,  giving the carrier another month to file its own reorganization  plan without competing plans from creditors.


McGahee Pressures Bills According to the Associated Press, second-year running back Willis McGahee has asked the Buffalo Bills to trade him if he is not named the starter for opening day.


Briefly: Glitches hit some EarthLink-hosted sites roundup Plus: More money for fuel cells...Linux release features Windows support...Gmail delivered to desktops.


A chat check list for IT managers There are hundreds of considerations when selecting and implementing an IM management solution -- from product features and technology to pricing. Still, IM security consultants and vendors agree that the following points apply across the board.


Enterprise IM: Dangerous by default Organizations frequently pick a corporate-grade IM system -- IBM Lotus Instant Messaging and Web Conferencing, Jabber Messenger, or Microsoft LCS (Live Communications Server), for example -- thinking that internal-only IM is immune from threats.


Reining in public IM There is no question that IM is entrenched in the enterprise. More than 90 percent of businesses report IM activity, according to Osterman Research. A main reason, as we discovered in "Getting serious about enterprise IM," is the improved productivity and reduced communications costs that IM delivers. What should concern CIOs is that unsanctioned consumer IM networks -- such as those from America Online, ICQ, Microsoft, and Yahoo -- make up 80 percent of corporate IM use today, and the number of users of these unsecured IM networks is growing at a fast clip, according to The Radicati Group. True, public IM networks offer enterprises some protection, such as very basic identity control. But organizations are still exposed to a multitude of security risks, including viruses and breached firewalls.


Kennedy, Kendall Suspended for Brawling (AP) AP - Colorado Rockies pitcher Joe Kennedy was suspended Friday for five games and Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Jason Kendall four for their parts in a bench-clearing brawl Sunday.


Tennessee May Start Freshman QB in Opener (AP) AP - Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer are trying to accomplish a feat that even Peyton Manning couldn't pull off at Tennessee  #151; start at quarterback in the season-opener as a freshman.


Boeing Sees EU Agreeing to End Launch Aid  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Boeing Co. official said on  Friday he was optimistic the European Union would agree to end  government aid to develop new aircraft, which has helped its  chief rival Airbus grab more than half of the civil aircraft  market.


Bekele Succeeds Mentor Gebrselassie  ATHENS (Reuters) - Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele succeeded his  mentor Haile Gebrselassie as the Olympic 10,000 meters champion  Friday after an astonishing final lap in the longest track  event.


Zimbabwe moves to restrict NGOs Zimbabwe's government unveils a bill which would ban many human rights groups and charities.


9/11 Commission Formally Disbands WASHINGTON - The Sept. 11 commission closes down Saturday, but its members plan to continue testifying before Congress and traveling the country to try to get the government to improve homeland security...


Militia Offers to Cede Control of Shrine NAJAF, Iraq - A rebel cleric's militiamen kept their guns outside a holy site Friday after issuing a surprise offer to give up control of the Imam Ali Shrine to Shiite Muslim religious leaders, but negotiators wrangled into the night over getting the militants out of the compound.    The removal of weapons and pledge to hand over keys to religious authorities was seen as a big step toward a resolution of the two-week faceoff in Najaf that has killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds in fighting between Muqtada al-Sadr's militia and a joint U.S.-Iraq force...


Sanofi-Aventis becomes world's third-largest pharmaceutical company (AFP) AFP - French pharmaceutical group Sanofi-Synthelabo formally announced the birth of Sanofi-Aventis, the world's third-largest pharmaceutical company, ranking number one in Europe.


Team USA Says Labor Woes Won't Affect Cup (AP) AP - Team USA players promise NHL labor problems that could threaten the upcoming season won't be a distraction at the World Cup of Hockey.


Judge gives lawyers more time to review evidence in Regina election challenge (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - REGINA (CP) - A judge has given lawyers for former NDP MP Dick Proctor more time to pore over federal voter lists as they try to force a byelection that could, if successful, ultimately shift the balance of power in the House of Commons.


Ex-Enron CEO Seeks Separate Trial  HOUSTON (Reuters) - Lawyers for former Enron Corp.  ENRNQ.PK chief executive Jeffrey Skilling on Friday asked a  federal court to separate his trial from his former boss Ken  Lay's on charges linked to the downfall of the energy company.


Arch Coal: Triton Acquisition Completed  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Arch Coal Inc. ACI.N said on  Friday it had completed the acquisition of rival Triton Coal  Co. after a U.S. appeals court denied the government's bid to  block the deal.


FCC Puts Hold on Wholesale Phone Rates (AP) AP - Federal regulators Friday imposed a six-month freeze on the rates regional phone companies may charge their competitors to use networks to provide local service.


Nicaragua, Taiwan open trade talks (AFP) AFP - Nicaragua and Taiwan opened talks aimed at drafting a free-trade deal by the end of 2005, officials said.


Linux Desktop Needs PC Vendor Support (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Opinion: If the Linux desktop is ever to be more than a niche player, it needs a hand from PC vendors, including real support from the ones that already claim to back it.


Rose Takes Big Tax Hit Pete Rose is back in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, which says the baseball great owes nearly \$1 million in unpaid taxes.


Dolphins Want a Refund From Williams The Miami Dolphins have asked Ricky Williams to return \$8.6 million they say the running back owes the team because he has decided to retire.


Rain Hampers Play at NEC Invitational Only 24 players finished the second round at Firestone South, but the forecast was for dry, cool weather the final two days.


Possible security breach seen at AOL America Online Inc. is acknowledging an "issue" that allowed some of its members to gain access to online financial portfolios of other members. But the Internet service provider downplayed the incident, saying no personal identifying information such as usernames or credit card numbers was ever compromised.


Ex-Enron CEO Seeks Separate Trial (Reuters) Reuters - Lawyers for former Enron Corp.\(ENRNQ.PK) chief executive Jeffrey Skilling on Friday asked a\federal court to separate his trial from his former boss Ken\Lay's on charges linked to the downfall of the energy company.


Moore Reaches U.S. Amateur Semifinals (AP) AP - Ryan Moore keeps rolling along in the U.S. Amateur, moving into the semifinals with a 3 and 2 victory over Jason Hartwick on Friday at Winged Foot Golf Club.


GM's CEO Pours Cold Water on Gas Tax Hike  DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. GM.N on Friday  said Americans had no need to worry about talk of higher  federal gasoline taxes being used to curb their dependency on  foreign oil.


Major League Approves Baseball Channel for TV  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Major League Baseball has approved  the creation of a national cable television channel devoted to  America's favorite pastime, but regular-season games may be  confined to the dugouts for the network's first year, a top  league official said on Friday.


U.S. Arrests Two in Hamas Financing Case  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials have arrested two men  whom they accuse of funneling money to the Palestinian militant  group Hamas for the past 15 years, the Justice Department said  on Friday.


Chilean Judge Questions Pinochet on Riggs Money  SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - A Chilean judge has questioned  former dictator Augusto Pinochet about secret U.S. bank  accounts worth up to \$8 million, a member of Pinochet's legal  defense said on Friday.


Agent: Rose Making Payments on Back Taxes PLANTATION, Fla. - Pete Rose owes almost \$1 million in back federal taxes, but he is making monthly payments on the debt, his representative said Friday...


Courtney Love Pleads Innocent to Assault LOS ANGELES - Courtney Love pleaded innocent Friday to a felony assault charge for allegedly attacking a woman with a liquor bottle at her ex-boyfriend's home in April.    The mercurial rocker, wearing a long black dress, was composed in court, responding to Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Dennis Mulcahy's questions with "yes" or "no." Outside, she appeared shaken while talking with reporters...


Is VoIP just chump change? AT #38;T Chief David Dorman says he expects VoIP to be a \$2 billion-a-year business, small change for his company.


Major League Approves Baseball Channel for TV (Reuters) Reuters - Major League Baseball has approved\the creation of a national cable television channel devoted to\America's favorite pastime, but regular-season games may be\confined to the dugouts for the network's first year, a top\league official said on Friday.


Beleaguered CNE hoping for banner summer as others long for days gone by (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Sweet-talking carnies wasted no time launching into their well-rehearsed patter Friday at the opening day of the Canadian National Exhibition, hoping to put the plagues of the previous summer behind them.


Judge Revokes Mine Permit in Florida (AP) AP - A federal judge Friday revoked a permit to develop a limestone mine amid 6,000 acres of habitat that could be used by the endangered Florida panther.


Court Won't Halt Arch Coal's Triton Bid  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Arch Coal Inc ACI.N. on Friday  pressed forward with its acquisition of rival Triton Coal Co.  LLC after a U.S. appeals court denied an emergency request by  antitrust authorities to block the deal.


Fischer fails to halt deportation A court in Japan rejects former chess champion Bobby Fischer's request to halt \his deportation to the US.


U-Md. Locks Up Friedgen University of Maryland head football coach Ralph Friedgen signed a contract extension on Friday that will keep him in College Park through 2012.


Intelligence everywhere If Y2K is remembered for getting companies to buy new hardware and upgrade old software, the latest driver of change, Sarbanes-Oxley, will be remembered for democratizing information and making accountability a companywide responsibility. Its reporting requirements make it mandatory that businesses hold everyone's feet to the fire.


Sun goes down, Empire blows up Well, I had my second date with Margot last week. It was nice. We attended a seminar on multimodal component interfaces and then went on a romantic stroll around a waste treatment facility. She says the smell of methane calms her nerves. I sure can pick em, cant I?


Javalobby removes Java specs at Suns request Javalobby, an online community of Java developers, has removed from its new JDocs documentation Web site several vital Java APIs at the request of Java founder Sun Microsystems, an official with Javalobby said on Friday.


FCC sets interim network-sharing rules ASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will require incumbent telephone carriers to continue offering parts of their networks to competitors while the commission rewrites those network-sharing rules.


Paes-Bhupathi lose to Ancic-Ljubicic (Reuters) Reuters - Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia beat fifth-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes of India 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 16-14 in the men's doubles bronze medal match at the Olympic Games on Friday.


NYC Denies All Central Park Rally Permits (AP) AP - The city's decision to deny a permit to protesters for a rally on Central Park's Great Lawn on the weekend before the Republican National Convention is about preserving the lawn, not suppressing speech, lawyers for the city said in federal court Friday.


Volunteer Links Anti-Kerry Flier to GOP (AP) AP - A volunteer for John Kerry said Friday he picked up a flier in Bush-Cheney headquarters in Gainesville, Fla., promoting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group the Bush campaign has insisted for weeks it has no connection to.


30 More Days of Exclusivity for UAL OK'd (Reuters) Reuters - A U.S. bankruptcy court judge on Friday\granted United Airlines another 30 days of exclusivity, giving\it until the end of September to file its own reorganization\plan without competing plans from creditors.


Bombs Prompt Call for U.N. Afghan Pullout (AP) AP - The bombing of a U.N. election office in Afghanistan that injuring six policemen drew calls from a U.N. union Friday for a withdrawal of staffers from the embattled nation.


Greek Drugs Embarrassment Overshadows Phelps  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece was rocked by the threat of being  stripped of an Athens Games medal and the host nation's team  manager offered to quit on Friday, as doping overshadowed  Michael Phelps' drive to be Olympic swimming's top medal  winner.


Pinochet probed on bank accounts A Chilean judge questions former dictator Augusto Pinochet about secret US bank accounts.


A Sense of Security An Independent News writer tells of his switch from Windows to a 15-inch PowerBook,:  #147;Two months in, I have a prevailing sense of security and safety. There #146;s been not a sniff of system meltdown. The software and security updates are easy, convenient and (via broadband) fast. The sense of considerable computing power and massive processing going on is very evident, but it feels secure behind the OS X firewall and a router; and all with no need for antivirus software. #148; Aug 20


After Five Golds, Phelps Bows Out of Relay (AP) AP - Michael Phelps ended his magnificent Olympics with a magnanimous gesture. He matched Mark Spitz's record of four individual gold medals in the pool, then gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker  #151; whom Phelps had just beaten.


Mets' McEwing Probably Lost for Season (AP) AP - New York Mets infielder Joe McEwing is likely done for the season after breaking a bone in his left leg.


Chain Store Sales Rise in the Latest Week  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store sales rose in the  week ended December 4, as average sales were generally ahead of  last year, but customer counts were down, a report said on  Tuesday.


Four Tied for Lead at Reno-Tahoe Open (AP) AP - Scott McCarron made four birdies in 12 holes, moving into a four-way tie for the lead in the second round of the Reno-Tahoe Open on Friday before thunderstorms forced play to be suspended.


Candidate, Party Spending Tops  #36;1 Billion (AP) AP - Spending by presidential and congressional candidates and the national party committees that support them already tops  #36;1 billion for the 2004 election cycle, with more than two months of campaigning to go.


Kerry, Bush Escalate Battle Over Vietnam Ads (Reuters) Reuters - Democrat John\Kerry asked the Federal Election Commission on Friday to force\a group accused of collaborating with the Bush campaign to\withdraw ads challenging his service in Vietnam as the\presidential race took a decidedly bitter turn.


Reform Advocates in China Hope for a Birthday Present The Communist Party is using the 100th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping's birthday to emphasize the urgency of overhauling the one-party political system.


U.S. Now Said to Support Growth for Some West Bank Settlements The Bush administration, moving to lend support to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, has approved growth in some Israeli settlements in the West Bank.


Pinsent bids for glory British rower Matthew Pinsent will be aiming for his fourth Olympic gold when 'Super Saturday' starts in Athens.


India clears cricket team to begin Bangladesh tour (Reuters) Reuters - India said on Tuesday its national cricket team's Bangladesh tour could begin, after a threat from an Islamic militant group prompted a security review.


Court: Cos. Not Liable for Online Abuses (AP) AP - In a judicial blow to the entertainment industry, a federal appeals court ruled that makers of two leading file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works their users swap online.


Hezbollah-Linked Network Ordered to Comply (AP) AP - France's highest administrative body on Friday ordered a Lebanese TV network linked to the anti-Israel group Hezbollah to adhere to broadcast regulations or face being banned from French airwaves.


Iranian diplomat, Egyptian charged over assassination plot (AFP) AFP - Egypt said it has charged an Iranian diplomat and an Egyptian national over a plot to assassinate an unidentified public figure.


Moveon.org subscriber-data leaked through search Dozens of the political action committee's subscriber pages exposed by simple Google search.


An Oil Shock That Could Be an Economic Stimulus in Disguise Despite the parallels with the oil shocks of past decades, the impact of the oil spike on the economy is likely to be much less intense than in previous surges.


Reshaping a Reshaper of Landscapes The Rouse Company, the mall developer that has reshaped the nation's landscape, agreed to be acquired by General Growth Properties for \$7.2 billion in cash.


'Doom 3' Game Unlikely for Xbox This Year - id CEO  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Xbox version of "Doom 3," the  long-awaited PC video game recently released to wide acclaim,  is not likely to be released in 2004 dealing a blow to  enthusiastic game players who are anxiously awaiting it.


'Doom 3' Game Unlikely for Xbox This Year - id CEO (Reuters) Reuters - The Xbox version of "Doom 3," the\long-awaited PC video game recently released to wide acclaim,\is not likely to be released in 2004 dealing a blow to\enthusiastic game players who are anxiously awaiting it.


Sen. Kerry Nearly Matches Bush's Fund-Raising (Reuters) Reuters - Democratic presidential\contender Sen. John Kerry nearly caught up to President Bush's\record-breaking fund-raising efforts by taking in  #36;233.5\million, his campaign said on Friday, just behind the\incumbent's  #36;242 million.


Check your marital status Plenty of spouses would probably sometimes like to forget their nuptials, but a spate of South African single woman were recently in for the shock of their lives when they discovered that they were in fact married. This prompted the country's department of Home Affairs to launch a marital status awareness campaign, in order to clamp down on the illegal marriages.


Bearhug Politics: Careful Steps to a New Bush-McCain Alliance George W. Bush and John McCain's bearhug and smooch on the campaign trail last week was one of the odder embraces in politics in a long while.


Google Faces Challenge of Public Company Status (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Your name is synonymous with searching the Internet, and you've just raised roughly  #36;1.7 billion from investors by going public. What are you going to do now?


Athletics Pound Devil Rays 9-5 (AP) AP - Eric Chavez homered twice and Bobby Crosby went 3-for-5 with a home run to break out of a length slump as the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9-5 Friday night.


Dutch Clear Van Gogh Slay Suspects (AP) AP - Six men arrested following the slaying of filmmaker Theo van Gogh are no longer suspects in the killing, but still face charges for belonging to a terrorist group, authorities said Tuesday.


Google Faces Challenge of Public Company Status Your name is synonymous with searching the Internet, and you've just raised roughly \$1.7 billion from investors by going public. What are you going to do now?


Schilling Shines As Red Sox Rout White Sox (AP) AP - Curt Schilling allowed three hits in seven shutout innings for his 15th win and Manny Ramirez hit a grand slam to lead the Boston Red Sox over the Chicago White Sox 10-1 Friday night.


GI Jenkins Said Willing to Face U.S. Tribunal -Media (Reuters) Reuters - A U.S. Army sergeant accused of deserting\to North Korea in 1965 and now hospitalized in Japan is willing\to appear before the U.S. military in Japan for a plea bargain,\Japanese media reports said on Saturday.


Clashes Slow as Cleric's Grip on Mosque Seems to Slip Moktada al-Sadr, the rebel Shiite cleric, still retained control of a Najaf shrine, though there were signs his grip might be weakening.


Rookie Leads Falcons Past Vikings 27-24 (AP) AP - The quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons appeared comfortable in the new West Coast offense, calmly using his mobility to avoid pressure and then finding open receivers.


Phillies Top Brewers 4-2 to Stop Skid (AP) AP - Jim Thome and Bobby Abreu homered and Eric Milton pitched seven solid innings as Philadelphia ended a seven-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.


Davenport Advances at Ohio Tournament (AP) AP - Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport cruised past seventh-seeded Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-2 on Friday in the quarterfinals of the Western and Southern Women's Open.


Ortiz Stifle Yankees Ramon Ortiz pitched four-hit ball for eight stellar innings to lead the Anaheim Angels over the Yankees.


Wide U.S. Inquiry Into Purchasing for Health Care The case appears to be focused on whether hospitals are fraudulently overcharging Medicare and other programs for goods.


Musharraf #39;s one-way deal is just the ticket NO WONDER that President Musharraf is pleased with his trip to London yesterday and Washington at the weekend. He has been fted as the chief ally in the War on Terror, a third implicit


Cards Top Pirates 5-3 to Sweep Twinbill (AP) AP - Scott Rolen became the third St. Louis player to hit 30 homers this season and Chris Carpenter set a career best with his 13th win, leading the Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 Friday night to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep.


Japan Tropical Storm Death Toll Hits 13 (AP) AP - Tropical storm Megi swept out to sea beyond northern Japan on Friday, leaving behind an arc of destruction that killed 13 people, left hundreds homeless and cut off power to tens of thousands, officials said.


Stocks End Week on High Note Despite rising oil prices, U.S. stocks this week had their biggest rally since October, as investors reacted to some positive economic indicators, the easing of tensions in Iraq and Google Inc.'s unexpectedly strong performance after going public.


Hundreds Report Watch-List Trials For more than a year and a half, Rep. John Lewis has endured lengthy delays at the ticket counter, intense questioning by airline employees and suspicious glances by fellow passengers.


N. Irish deal hangs on IRA arms photos Anglo-Irish attempts to seal a lasting political settlement in Northern Ireland hinge on whether the IRA will allow pictures to be taken of their weapons being destroyed.


Prominent Eatery Seeks Chapter 11 Protection Galileo, the 21st Street restaurant that's a landmark in Washington cuisine and a frequent gathering place for the rich and powerful, filed for bankruptcy reorganization this week in the face of nearly \$2.5 million in debts, including a claim by the District for more than \$1 million in unpaid taxes and penalties.


Tensions Escalate Between Israel, Iran JERUSALEM - Iran threatened this week to attack Israel's nuclear facilities. Israel ominously warned that it "knows how to defend itself." Tensions between the two arch enemies have suddenly escalated, underlining the other great enmity that has been bubbling on the sidelines of the Arab-Israeli conflict for more than two decades...


NBA Jazz activate Spanish guard Lopez (AFP) AFP - Utah Jazz point guard Raul Lopez, a Spaniard who has missed the past two months while battling torn right knee ligaments, was activated by the National Basketball Association club.


Eagles Beat Ravens 26-17 but Lose Runner (AP) AP - Terrell Owens caught Donovan McNabb's long pass in stride, raced into the end zone, put his hands on his hips, stared at the crowd and nodded his head.


Four Dead After Attack on Homeless Man (AP) AP - Four homeless men were bludgeoned to death and six were in critical condition on Friday following early morning attacks by unknown assailants in downtown streets of Sao Paulo, a police spokesman said.


Expos Lose Johnson, Armas to Injuries (AP) AP - Montreal Expos first baseman Nick Johnson was hit on the side of the head by a hard grounder and was carried off the field on a stretcher Friday night.


Chavez Urges Foes to Accept Defeat, Scoffs at Fraud  CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo  Chavez on Friday urged his opponents to recognize his recall  referendum victory and pledged dialogue even with his "most  bitter enemies" to heal the country's deep political divisions.


With Boxing Show, Fox Makes Quick Move, but Judge Reacts The Fox network tried to move the premiere of "The Next Great Champ" to the day before a hearing, but the judge moved the hearing to the day of the premiere.


Yankees Are Powerless, and Stadium Was, Too The big scoreboards at Yankee Stadium went dark in the seventh inning Friday night, not that the Yankees were lighting them up, anyway.


2 Ex-I.R.S. Lawyers' Licenses Suspended for Misconduct The law licenses of two former Internal Revenue Service lawyers have been suspended after they defrauded the courts so that the I.R.S. could win 1,300 tax shelter cases.


Chinese Advocates of Reform Seek Help From Deng's Spirit China's retired elders are using the 100th anniversary of Deng Xiaoping's birthday to emphasize the urgency of political reform.


Dolphins Want Pay Back The Miami Dolphins have asked Ricky Williams to return \$8.6 million they say the running back owes the team because he has decided to retire.


Cink Leads Soaking NEC Leader Stewart Cink played eight holes Friday morning to polish off a first-round 7-under 63 at the NEC Invitational and was at 8 under when play was suspended.


AND1 Mix Tape Tour Hop-Steps Into MCI Tonight The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour, whose emphasis on dunks over defense and trash-talk over chalk talk has vaulted AND1 from being a niche clothing line to a major athletic apparel manufacturer, culminates tonight at MCI Center. Attendance for the tour is up 30 percent this year, averaging about 7,000 spectators per game. About 10,000 are expected at tonight's event, which begins at 7:30.


Austin Relieved His Head Wasn't Shouldering a Problem Potomac Cannons right-handed pitcher Jeff Austin said he thought we was a head case after several horrendous outings with the  big league club in Cincinnati last May.


Towers Stumps O's Again Former Oriole Josh Towers beats the O's for the second time in a week after allowing one run and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings as the Blue Jays triumph, 14-4, on Friday.


Corelli author loses plot in summerhouse theft (Reuters) Reuters - Louis de Bernieres, author of the best-selling novel "Captain Corelli's Mandolin", faces having\to rewrite the first four chapters of his new novel because his computer was stolen from his summerhouse.


Sadr Militiamen Still in Control of Iraq Shrine  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Rebel Shi'ite fighters appeared  still to be in control of the Imam Ali mosque in the Iraqi city  of Najaf, but the whereabouts of their leader, the fiery cleric  Moqtada al-Sadr, were unknown on Saturday.


McGahee: Play Me or Trade Me Running back Willis McGahee has asked the Buffalo Bills to trade him if he is not their starter on opening day, a source told The Associated Press on Friday.


Ortiz Stones Yankees Ramon Ortiz pitched four-hit ball for eight stellar innings and led the Anaheim Angels over the New York Yankees, 5-0, on Friday.


Moveon.org subscribers exposed Dozens of the political action committee's subscriber pages revealed by simple Google search.


Vietnam Vets in Hanoi Back Kerry with T-Shirts (Reuters) Reuters - With the U.S. presidential race taking a\decidedly bitter turn over John Kerry's Vietnam war record,\U.S. veterans in Hanoi are selling T-shirts supporting his run\for the White House.


U.S. Begins Criminal Probe on Riggs-Paper  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department has  begun a criminal investigation into possible wrongdoing at  Riggs Bank, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing a  letter from the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia to  federal bank regulators.


U.S. Begins Criminal Probe on Riggs-Paper (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Justice Department has\begun a criminal investigation into possible wrongdoing at\Riggs Bank, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing a\letter from the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia to\federal bank regulators.


Phelps Gets Five Golds, Then Steps Aside ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps doesn't mind making history while sitting in the stands. The man who dominated the attention at the Olympic pool gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker...


Dodgers Beat the Braves 3-2 in 11 Innings (AP) AP - Adrian Beltre tied the game in the ninth inning with a home run off John Smoltz and won it in the 11th with his major league-leading 38th homer, giving the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.


Pettersen in Lead at Wendy's LPGA (AP) AP - A steady downpour didn't qualify as bad weather to Suzann Pettersen. Playing through heavy showers was fine to Pettersen, who took a one-stroke lead Friday at the Wendy's Championship for Children. More than an inch of rain pounded Tartan Fields Golf Club, suspending play late in the afternoon  #151; as was the case in the first round.


Oil Price Comes Close to \$50 but Then It Stages a Retreat il prices climbed nearer to \$50 a barrel yesterday before retreating, as traders reacted to reports on the conflict in Iraq, concerned that growing unrest might interrupt crude oil exports.


Grokster Wins Legal Victory over Copyrights Hollywood and the entertainment industry were set back by a legal decision that was favorable to Internet file-sharing company Grokster. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday in San Francisco that distributors of ...


Good for Google GOOGLE #39;S INITIAL public stock offering, for all the talk about its unusual auction and the missteps of company executives, has produced a desirable outcome. The stock, fairly priced at \$85 a share for the 19.6 million shares, has generated a reasonable ...


Rival has deal for mall owner WASHINGTON - Rouse Co., the once-visionary real estate firm that founded the city of Columbia, Md., and revitalized Harborplace in Baltimore, is being acquired for \$7.2 billion in cash by General Growth Properties, a Chicago-based owner ...


FCC Adds 6 Months to Local Phone Line Rules The Federal Communications Commission yesterday released a set of stop-gap rules governing local phone competition that requires regional telephone companies to continue leasing their lines to rivals at discounted rates for six months.


US Begins Criminal Probe on Riggs-Paper WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation into possible wrongdoing at Riggs Bank, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing a letter from the US attorney for the District of Columbia to federal bank ...


Dallas firm interested in buying Cyberonics Cyberonics, the maker of a device that treats epilepsy, has nabbed the attention of a buyer. Advanced Neuromodulation Systems of Dallas said Friday it has acquired 15 percent of the company and added that it may want to buy it ...


Sir Martin Sorrell  #39;very impressed #39; with US group Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, yesterday declared he was  quot;very impressed quot; with Grey Global, stoking speculation WPP will bid for the US advertising company.


Arch Coal completes Triton deal SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Arch Coal said it completed its \$364 million acquisition of Triton Coal Friday, hours after a Federal Court turned down efforts by the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal.


Bay Street gets a boost from gold and technology sectors Toronto stocks closed higher yesterday, notching their first winning week in three as technology and gold issues teamed up to boost the market.


Oil Prices Inch Back Down Oil prices fell below \$48 a barrel as tensions between US forces and rebel fighters in Iraq eased, raising hopes that attacks against the country #39;s oil infrastructure would subside. US light crude for September delivery settled at \$47.86 on the New York ...


Airways pilots extend talks Pilots for US Airways are continuing to negotiate this weekend over the Arlington airline #39;s demand for a 16.5 percent pay cut, despite a warning from management that negotiations should have concluded yesterday.


Viacom could consider acquiring Midway Games LOS ANGELES  Media conglomerate Viacom is considering entering the video game business and could acquire Midway Games, Viacom chief Sumner Redstone, who owns a controlling stake in Midway, said in a regulatory filing Friday.


Marvell Posts 54 Increase in Earnings Shares of the Marvell Technology Group gained yesterday after the company said second-quarter earnings tripled as revenue rose 54 percent.


Woods looks like he #39;ll stay No. 1 _ for now Stewart Cink was atop the leaderboard, and David Toms had the lead in the clubhouse. But with only 24 players completing second-round play in the rain-delayed NEC Invitational, it was hard to tell who had control.


Bekele begins reign as world #39;s distance-running king With a breathtaking final 400 meters late Friday night, the 22-year-old Ethiopian laid claim to the Olympic 10,000-meter throne previously occupied by his countryman Haile Gebrselassie.


Mets give up six in first, can #39;t struggle back SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Noah Lowry has pitched so well that Felipe Alou now counts on the rookie to win every time out -- a standard the San Francisco skipper held only for ace Jason Schmidt in the past.


Compete against your friends, SI experts and celebrities in this pro football pickoff PHILADELPHIA -- In his own inimitable fashion, Terrell Owens made it quite clear during the offseason that, all in all, he #39;d rather be in Philadelphia. He squawked long and loud, and eventually whined his way out of Baltimore.


Cubs Blast Six Homers in Astros Mauling NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mark Grudzielanek hit two of Chicago #39;s six home runs and Glendon Rusch pitched seven strong innings to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 9-2 pasting of the Astros in Houston on Friday.


Rangers beat Royals for seventh straight KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If his inconsiderate neighbor would just lose that noisy alarm clock, there #39;s no telling how many home runs David Dellucci might hit.


Overton beats hometown favorite On a day when it would #39;ve been easy to lose, Evansville #39;s Jeff Overton instead advanced to the semifinals of the 104th US Amateur Championship.


Ortiz shines in Angels win Ramon Ortiz pitched eight shutout innings as Adam Kennedy and Garret Anderson homered to lead the Anaheim Angels to a 5-0 road win over the New York Yankees on Friday.


Major League Baseball to Create Channel OS ANGELES, Aug. 20 (Reuters) - Major League Baseball has approved the creation of a national cable television channel devoted to the sport, but regular-season games may be confined to the bench for the network #39;s first year, a top league ...


Schaub Rallies Falcons Matt Schaub threw one of his three touchdown passes to first-round pick Michael Jenkins as the Atlanta Falcons rallied for a 27-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in a pre-season game.


Red Sox Bash White Sox 10-1 (AP) AP - After struggling for three months, the Boston Red Sox are getting hot. Curt Schilling allowed three hits in seven shutout innings for his 15th win and Manny Ramirez hit a grand slam to lead Boston over the Chicago White Sox 10-1 Friday night.


The Bad Overshadows Good in Eagles Win (AP) AP - Correll Buckhalter's injury overshadowed Terrell Owens' spectacular debut with the Philadelphia Eagles. Owens caught an 81-yard TD pass from Donovan McNabb on Philadelphia's first play, and rookie J.R. Reed returned a kickoff 88 yards for a score, leading the Eagles over the Baltimore Ravens 26-17 in a preseason game Friday night.


IE Flaw Affects Windows XP SP2 Systems The  quot;highly criticial quot; vulnerability affects Internet Explorer 5.01, 5.5, and 6 on fully patched PCs running either Windows XP SP1 or the newer SP2.


Hollywood to grab stardust for Nasa PASADENA (California) - Hollywood stunt pilots and Nasa scientists are teaming up to snatch a capsule full of stardust as it parachutes back to Earth next month.


Apple Announces Voluntary Recall of Powerbook Batteries Apple, in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced Thursday a voluntary recall of 15 quot; Aluminum PowerBook batteries. The batteries being recalled could potentially overheat, though no injuries relating ...


Learning to write with classroom blogs Last spring Marisa Dudiak took her second-grade class in Frederick County, Maryland, on a field trip to an American Indian farm.


E-Commerce Sales Rise in Second Quarter WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US retail sales over the Internet rose 0.9 percent in the second quarter of 2004 and gained 23.1 percent compared with the same period last year as consumers continued to turn to e-commerce to make purchases, a government report ...


Lonely town holds view of space #39;s deep corners Sutherland, South Africa - It #39;s a 60-mile drive off the main highway in South Africa #39;s Northern Cape to this 19th century wool-producing town, but the desert landscape is so desolate it can feel as if the distance is 6,000 miles. The narrow ...


Moveon.org subscriber-data leaked through search Subscribers to Moveon.org #39;s mailing lists may have found their interest in the anti-Bush political site a matter of public record.


Good-looking, Lightweight  #39;Push-to-Talk #39; Phone for Business Users You #39;ll either love or hate the metallic copper-tone case, but for us it is a welcome break from the generic silver or gray phones that everyone seems to have. (A silver version is also available, for the more timid.) Although by no means ...


AMD using strained silicon on 90-nanometer chips Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) will implement the strained silicon manufacturing technique on its upcoming 90-nanometer processors as well as 130-nanometer processors released this quarter, an AMD spokesman said Friday.


Phone company replies to man 28 years later A Romanian man #39;s had a reply from the country #39;s state phone company 28 years after asking them to install a phone. Gheorghe Titianu from the northern town of Suceava said he was delighted when he saw the letter. However, the letter was simply ...


Blackberry in sync with Apple computers Information Appliance Associates, a software developer, announced the release of an application synchronizing Research In Motion #39;s (RIM) BlackBerry mobile devices with Apple #39;s Mac OS X.


Australian opposition leader released from hospital (AFP) AFP - Australian opposition leader Mark Latham was released from hospital Saturday after suffering from an inflamed pancreas in the lead up to national elections.


Kerry Tries to Counter Impact of Criticism WASHINGTON - Attacks on John Kerry's war record may be beginning to have an impact, polls suggest, amid raised voices and new TV ads on a subject at least temporarily dominating debate in the close presidential race.    Democrats are laboring to deflect the questioning of Kerry's record with fresh ads touting his fitness for national command, even as the White House mocks the Massachusetts senator as "losing his cool" over claims he lied to win military medals in Vietnam...


Captors treat journalist well #39; An American freelance journalist with New England ties was shown in a video on al-Jazeera TV saying he is being treated well, #39; #39; while an aide to Iraqi Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr said Micah Garen may be released soon.


Lab finds deadly H5N1 virus in pigs in China BEIJING - Chinese researchers have made the first-ever discovery of a lethal strain of bird flu in pigs, sparking concerns that the virus may mutate into an even deadlier strain and cause a new epidemic in Asia.


Maoist blockade of Kathmandu continues Bombs have exploded in Nepal #39;s capital Kathmandu in the third day of a Maoist rebel blockade which is choking the passage of supplies to the city.


Make aid a demilitarized zone OXFORD, England A year ago Thursday, I was visiting the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad with my good friend, Arthur Helton, a human rights lawyer, to investigate the human costs of the war and its aftermath. We were sitting with Sergio Vieira de ...


Muslim Nations Urged to Meet About Najaf by Iran Leader EHRAN, Aug. 20 -President Mohammad Khatami has called on Muslim countries to hold an emergency summit meeting to help stop the violence between American forces and Shiite militiamen in Najaf, the official news agency, IRNA, reported ...


Fire stops production at Bridgestone #39;s biggest tire plant in Japan TOKYO : Production at Bridgestone #39;s biggest tire plant in Japan remained suspended a day after a fire broke out at a rubber refining facility, a company spokesman said.


Australia Considers Stockpiling Crude Oil, Australian Reports Aug. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Australia #39;s government is considering stockpiling crude oil or refined petroleum products to protect the country from disruption to oil imports, the Australian reported.


China Invokes Deng to Send Tough Taiwan Message BEIJING (Reuters) - China invoked late leader Deng Xiaoping on Saturday in its campaign to recover Taiwan, lauding his proposal to recover the island by a  quot;one country, two systems quot; formula but saying he never gave up the threat of force.


Utes D coordinator has two offers SALT LAKE CITY -- Defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham is deciding whether to stay at University of Utah and accept its head coaching job or take a rival offer from Brigham Young University.


Expedition Aims to Find Lost Slave Ship (AP) AP - Archaeologists are set to begin an expedition this month in hopes of finding a Spanish ship that wrecked along the jagged reefs off the Turks and Caicos Islands in 1841 carrying a cargo of African slaves.


Rate of oil exploration slows WASHINGTON -- Despite record oil prices and strong projected demand from China and the United States, major oil firms are skimping on their exploration budgets and pocketing big profits while waiting out the storm of high prices, oil analysts say.


New Fan Pier owners may take on partners The prospective new owners of Boston's Fan Pier said yesterday they would not rule out selling sections or taking on partners to develop nonresidential components of the 3 million-square-foot project.


Firm buys Rouse in \$12.6b deal  A Boston landmark changed hands yesterday, as the Rouse Company , the developer and owner of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, agreed to be purchased by General Growth Properties Inc. of Chicago.


Changes at the Herald THE REGION The Boston Herald named business columnist Cosmo Macero Jr. editor of its business section, replacing Ted Bunker, a nine-year Herald veteran, who has left the newspaper to  quot;pursue other opportunities, quot; according to a Herald statement. Macero, 37, will continue to write a regular business column. Herald editorial director Ken Chandler said Macero was promoted  quot;to make the section ...


Mass. job growth highest since  #146;00  Massachusetts bucked the national hiring slowdown in July as the state posted its biggest monthly job gains in nearly four years and manufacturing employment surged.


Giving back in a big way WOBURN -- Few developers could build a commercial property empire of 74 debt-free office, industrial, retail, and research buildings valued at about \$800 million. Even fewer would then give most of it away.


NL notables Expos first baseman Nick Johnson was hit on the side of the head by a hard grounder in the third inning and was carried off the field on a stretcher. Johnson immediately went down face first onto the infield. The Expos said Johnson never lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital for X-rays. The Expos' starting pitcher, Tony Armas ...


Rose owes almost \$1m in back taxes PLANTATION, Fla. -- Pete Rose owes almost \$1 million in federal back taxes, but he is making monthly payments on the debt, his representative said yesterday.


Car accident can't keep coach away SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Randy Hien has spent more than two decades managing Little League baseball, and he wasn't going to miss the Lincoln (R.I.) All-Stars team's trip to the Little League World Series, even though a recent car accident nearly killed him.


Red Sox: Burly effort CHICAGO -- A year ago last night, Kevin Millar emblazoned a new slogan in the New England lexicon and the Red Sox began to turn around their season. Millar responded to waning support for the Sox after they lost 11 of their first 19 games in August by declaring,  quot;I want to see somebody Cowboy Up and stand behind this ...


Ralston's position? Whatever it takes FOXBOROUGH -- Steve Ralston will be in the Revolution's starting lineup tonight against Kansas City, but his position is a mystery. Ralston has played more MLS games (271) than anyone, until recently nearly all of those matches in the same role, but Ralston has moved into three midfield positions and displayed some of his most impressive performances at right back ...


Everhart won't join Huggins The merry-go-round future of Northeastern men's basketball coach Ron Everhart slowed down, at least temporarily, yesterday when Everhart decided not to pursue a position as an assistant on Bob Huggins's staff at the University of Cincinnati.


Eagles apply some more polish Far from being a finished product after its first preseason scrimmage last Monday, Boston College's football team continued to polish its game in its second scrimmage last night at Alumni Stadium, despite a 45-minute delay because of lightning and torrential rain.


Toms not all wet at NEC David Toms finished at 4-under-par 66 just ahead of a downpour yesterday during the second round of the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio, leaving him the clubhouse leader.


Mass. girls defend NORTH ANDOVER -- Massachusetts defended its Hockey Night in Boston Girls Summer Showcase title yesterday with a 9-3 victory over Minnesota in the championship game at Merrimack College.


As Milosevic turns 63, UN judges seek to get trial back on track THE HAGUE -- Slobodan Milosevic spent a fourth birthday in UN custody yesterday, his war crimes trial at a standstill because of his fragile health and his judges facing a dilemma on how to get it going again.


Israel #146;s AG suggests changes to barrier  JERUSALEM -- Israel risks international sanctions and other serious diplomatic repercussions surrounding the barrier it is building in the West Bank and must be prepared to make further changes in the route, the nation's attorney general has warned in a report.


Hostage says he #146;s being treated well  BAGHDAD -- A US journalist with Boston-area ties who was abducted by militants in Iraq and threatened with death said in a video aired yesterday that his captors were treating him well, while an Italian journalist also was reported missing in the war-torn country.


Capital professor lands lead role with UK Athletics EDINBURGH University professor Dave Collins was today appointed as the new performance director of UK Athletics. The ex-Royal Marine, who has worked with competitors across a range of sports in the Capital


On Tape, Abducted Reporter Says He's OK (AP) AP - A U.S. journalist abducted by militants in Iraq and threatened with death said in a video aired Friday that his captors were treating him well, while an Italian journalist also was reported missing in the war-torn country.


Fourth gold for Pinsent Great Britain's Matthew Pinsent claims his fourth Olympic gold as the men's coxless four triumph in a photo finish.


Across New York, a Death Penalty Stuck in Limbo A ruling by New York's highest court on the state's death penalty law has complicated the job of prosecutors and left the fate of inmates uncertain.


Golden mask sensational #39; SHIPKA, BulgariaA Bulgarian archaeologist has unearthed a 2,400-year-old golden mask in the tomb of an ancient Thracian king  a find he says is unrivalled in the study of classical antiquity.


Greece Soul Searches, Phelps Nears Record  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece, an ancient nation, searched its  soul over a new doping scandal on Saturday while Michael  Phelps, a fresh-faced American teenager, prepared to enter the  Olympic record books without having to swim a stroke. The  Olympics started its eighth day with 32 gold medals up for  grabs in what has been dubbed Super Saturday.


Liquor Inhaler Debuts Alcohol-Free in NYC NEW YORK - Fruit-infused water and Gatorade - not vodka and whiskey - were the inhalants offered at the Manhattan debut of a controversial new device that lets drinkers take vaporized shots of alcohol, and opponents want to make sure the machines stay liquor-free.    The machine, the Alcohol Without Liquid vaporizer, or AWOL, lets its users inhale liquor by mixing it with pressurized oxygen...


Fourth gold for Pinsent Britain's Matthew Pinsent claims his fourth Olympic gold as the men's coxless four triumph in a photo finish.


Phelps #39; gesture is worth a million Just when we thought the kid couldn #39;t do anything more to amaze us, he raised the bar Friday night and did it without putting a hand in the water.


I couldn #39;t stop Woodgate - Newcastle boss Robson Newcastle United boss Sir Bobby Robson admits he is stunned at the speed of Jon Woodgate #39;s move to Real Madrid.


Greek jubilation no myth in  #39;Peg Despite sluggish ticket sales and a scandal involving their star athletes, members of Winnipeg #39;s Greek community are still thrilled Greece is hosting this year #39;s Olympic Games.  quot;There #39;s a lot of excitement, quot; said Chris Iacovidis, president of the Greek ...


Sox cruise past Chicago CHICAGO --- Elvis didn #39;t leave the building on Friday night, but Manny Ramirez and Orlando Cabrera both did. And Curt Schilling left the Chicago White Sox feeling  quot;all shook up. quot; ...


Wily Devers snares spot in semifinals ATHENS -- The US women #39;s trio of 100-meter sprinters, including five-time Olympian Gail Devers, all raced into the semifinals with strong, controlled performances yesterday in the debut of the track and ...


Wambach #39;s boot boosts US into semifinals THESSALONIKI, Greece -- Abby Wambach will never score an easier goal. From 1 foot away, she tapped the ball into the net and put the United States into the Olympic semifinals.


In a flash, Escobedo's dream is over ATHENS -- Vicente Escobedo learned a hard lesson yesterday at Peristeri Boxing Hall. He learned you have to be ready when your moment arrives or you will chase your dream all night without ever reaching it.


'Style' scores in Spa feature SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Sense of Style lived up to her billing as the odds-on favorite and drew off through the stretch for a 6 3/4-length victory in the \$250,000 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga Race Course yesterday.


Different world NEWPORT, Vt. -- Lisa Klefos can't quite remember whether it was city life that drove her out of Boston or the beauty of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom that drew her up-country. It was either a combination of  quot;drivers, politics, and taxes quot; that made it time for her to leave, or it is the overwhelming beauty of the Lake Memphremagog region she ...


Vendt's quest quashed ATHENS -- Erik Vendt's Olympics ended in the morning yesterday, when he ran out of gas in the preliminaries and failed to qualify for tonight's final of the 1,500-meter freestyle, where he's the world bronze medalist.


Cannons find target in rout The Boston Cannons said they weren't looking for revenge last night against the Baltimore Bayhawks, who drubbed the Cannons in their penultimate game of the season. That's what they said.


Heyl's spirits still afloat ATHENS -- Brett Heyl, the Norwich, Vt., native who had hopes of making the finals of the men's slalom kayak event, finished 12th in the morning heat yesterday, dropping him from the finals.


Japan's Ueno pitcher perfect vs. China ATHENS -- Yukiko Ueno pitched the first perfect game in Olympic softball history, leading Japan to a 2-0 win over China yesterday and a spot in the semifinals.


Distant memory in 10,000 ATHENS -- The two best 10,000-meter runners in history, two slender athletes from an impoverished country, met on the greatest stage of them all last night to decide if the new truly had surpassed the old.


Wadlow, Spaulding finally get a windfall ATHENS -- The fastest 49er on the Saronic Gulf yesterday was the one with the American flag spinnaker.


For Hall, a splash and dash to another gold ATHENS -- The defending champ took the blocks as if he were Apollo Creed last night, dressed in a star-spangled robe and trunks and brandishing his clasped hands like a prizefighter. And then Gary Hall Jr. went out and knocked the rest of the swimming world on its backside again, winning the 50-meter freestyle by a hundredth of a second ...


Greece Soul Searches, Phelps Nears Record ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece, an ancient nation, searched its soul over a new doping scandal on Saturday while Michael Phelps, a fresh-faced American teenager, prepared to enter the Olympic record books without having to swim a stroke.


Power outage wreaks havoc in Bronx Perhaps it won #39;t rank in the memory banks of New Yorkers to the extent the 1965, 1977 or 2003 blackouts do, but for the 53,530 in attendance at Yankee Stadium for Friday #39;s game against the Anaheim Angels, the unplugged ...


Emmons gives it best shot It would #39;ve been understandable if American Matt Emmons had a bad first Olympic experience. The way things had been going, he seemed destined for that.


Mets lose Trach in field SAN FRANCISCO - Steve Trachsel lasted only four innings and the Mets committed three errors in a 7-3 loss to the Giants last night at SBC Park.


NL notables Expos first baseman Nick Johnson was hit on the side of the head by a hard grounder in the third inning and was carried off the field on a stretcher. Johnson immediately went down face first onto the infield. The Expos said Johnson never lost ...


Murder police carry out searches Police investigating the murder of a woman in south-west London carry out house-to-house inquiries.


Report asserts Kazaa makes the rules Setting aside Sharman Networks #39; objections, an Australian judge accepted last Friday an affidavit with potentially damaging assertions about Kazaa #39;s handling of copyrighted material.


Congress Wants Rights Board Key members of Congress and the 9/11 commission make it clear that a federal board to protect civil liberties in the age of terrorism is not optional. But they're struggling to figure out how to establish it. By Ryan Singel.


Apple in iTunes.co.uk cybersquatting row Apple has been accused of bullying tactics in its battle to force a small UK firm to hand over ownership of the iTunes.co.uk web address.


You're Athletes, Not Journalists Olympians can do media interviews but they'd better not blog. The International Olympic Committee, interested in protecting lucrative broadcasting contracts, forbids any activity that might upset the networks.


Truckers defy Kathmandu blockade More lorry drivers are bringing supplies to Nepal's capital in defiance of an indefinite blockade by Maoist rebels.


Accused Hamas Leader Denies U.S. Charges DAMASCUS, Syria - A senior official of the Palestinian militant group Hamas indicted in the United States for conspiring to fund terror attacks against Israel denied the accusations and said the charges were driven by election-year politics in the United States.   "This is election campaigning," Mousa Abu Marzook, deputy chief of the Hamas political bureau, told The Associated Press in Damascus on Friday...


Riddick's mixed bag of tricks The Chronicle of Riddick franchise is very mixed in terms of success and quality.


AMD adds power saving at the high end Future Opteron processors will have power management technology from AMD #39;s laptop and desktop systems, the company has announced.


Malaysia testing 3 people for bird flu; says outbreak isolated KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian officials on Saturday were testing three people who fell ill in a village hit by the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain, after international health officials warned that the virus appeared to be entrenched in parts of ...


Iraqi captors to  #39;free US journalist #39; The captors of an French-American journalist being held in Iraq have announced he will be released soon.


Truckers defy Kathmandu blockade More lorry drivers are defying the indefinite Maoist blockade of Nepal #39;s capital, Kathmandu, which is entering its fourth day.


Russian Cossacks ride for country again STAVROPOL, RUSSIA -- Once they were the outriders of the Russian empire, feared and fearless warriors who extended the Czar #39;s authority as far as their horses would carry them.


Abductions in Iraq catch Nepal government off guard Grappling with a blockade called by Maoist rebels and the closure of leading business houses, the Nepal government was caught off guard by reports of the possible abduction of 12 of its nationals in Iraq on Saturday.


As Milosevic turns 63, UN judges seek to get trial back on track THE HAGUE -- Slobodan Milosevic spent a fourth birthday in UN custody yesterday, his war crimes trial at a standstill because of his fragile health and his judges facing a dilemma on how to get it ...


Seven separatist rebels killed in restive Aceh BANDA ACEH, Aceh (AFP): Seven separatist rebels have been killed in the latest clashes to hit the troubled Indonesian province of Aceh, the military said on Saturday.


Policeman Killed as Nepal Siege Grips Capital (Reuters) Reuters - Suspected insurgents shot dead a\policeman in Nepal's capital on Saturday as the military said\it could escort food shipments into the city to ease a\rebel-inspired blockade.


Young French woman murdered in London park (AFP) AFP - A young French woman died in a London hospital on hours after being struck violently on the head with a blunt instrument while walking home across Twickenham Park, a police spokesman said.


HK heat 'risks bacteria growth' \Hong Kong scientists warn rising global temperatures may transform  the city into a breeding ground for viruses.


Militiamen begin to leave Shi #146;te shrine NAJAF, Iraq -- Militia fighters began to leave the Shrine of Imam Ali yesterday, taking up positions outside the sacred site or fleeing the city, after rebellious Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr offered to return custody of the complex to moderate clerics.


US Changes West Bank Policy to Help Sharon: NYTimes (Reuters) Reuters - The Bush administration has signaled\approval of growth in some Israeli settlements in the West Bank\in a policy change aimed at helping Prime Minister Ariel\Sharon, the New York Times said on Saturday.


Iran Hangs Three Drug Smugglers in Public - Paper (Reuters) Reuters - Iran has hanged three drug smugglers in\a public square in the southern province of Kerman, the\Jomhuri-ye Eslami newspaper reported on Saturday.


US Changes West Bank Policy to Help Sharon: NYTimes  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Bush administration has signaled  approval of growth in some Israeli settlements in the West Bank  in a policy change aimed at helping Prime Minister Ariel  Sharon, the New York Times said on Saturday.


Iran Hangs Three Drug Smugglers in Public - Paper  TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has hanged three drug smugglers in  a public square in the southern province of Kerman, the  Jomhuri-ye Eslami newspaper reported on Saturday.


UN airlifts food to Darfur town The UN drops food into remote communities in Sudan's troubled Darfur region that are cut off by rain.


Jackson search 'ignored warrant' Michael Jackson's Neverland manager claims police wanted to search areas unspecified by their warrant.


Pakistani Forces Attack Terrorist Lairs ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistani troops backed by artillery and aircraft attacked two suspected terrorist hideouts near the rugged Afghan border on Saturday, killing and wounding a number of militants, Pakistan army and security officials said.    The attack was launched near Shakai in the South Waziristan tribal region, scene of several military counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida fugitives and renegade tribesmen in the recent months...


Week Ahead: Stocks May Rally if Oil Eases (Reuters) Reuters - Investors will watch for oil news from\Russia and Iraq next week, but skepticism that crude prices can\stay sky-high is growing and a break in the energy market would\fuel a rally in U.S. stock markets.


Oil Unlikely to Knock Fed Off Rate Plan (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. economy may lose a step to\record high oil prices but concerns over inflation are likely\to keep the Federal Reserve on a steady course of gradually\raising interest rates, analysts say.


Week Ahead: Stocks May Rally if Oil Eases  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors will watch for oil news from  Russia and Iraq next week, but skepticism that crude prices can  stay sky-high is growing and a break in the energy market would  fuel a rally in U.S. stock markets.


Two Blasts Hit Northwest Spain After ETA Warnings  MADRID (Reuters) - Explosions rocked containers in two  separate coastal cities in northwestern Spain on Saturday after  a Basque newspaper received a telephoned warning in the name of  the armed Basque separatist group ETA, state radio said.


German Police Detain 10 Neo-Nazis Before Hess March  MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - German police detained 10  neo-Nazis on Saturday before a march marking the anniversary of  the death of Adolf Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess.


UN staff call for Afghan pullout The UN staff union calls for all personnel to be withdrawn from Afghanistan, saying it has become too dangerous.


Two bombs explode in Spain's northwest, ETA suspected (AFP) AFP - Two bombs exploded in two coastal towns in northwestern Spain, after an anonymous tip-off by a caller claiming to belong to the Basque separatist organization ETA, an interior ministry spokesman told AFP.


Multifunction Devices Draw Back-To-School Crowd (Reuters) Reuters - The consumer electronics gizmo\that offers many functions in a small package is what's\compelling back-to-school shoppers to open their wallets.


Woods May Stay No. 1 - for Now (AP) AP - Stewart Cink was atop the leaderboard, and David Toms had the lead in the clubhouse. But with only 24 players completing second-round play in the rain-delayed NEC Invitational, it was hard to tell who had control.


Away on Business: Making a Difference  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Working in poverty-stricken areas  gives corporate travelers an up-close look at global problems  such as disease, illiteracy or injustice. It also puts them in  a position to bring about change.


Multifunction Devices Draw Back-To-School Crowd  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The consumer electronics gizmo  that offers many functions in a small package is what's  compelling back-to-school shoppers to open their wallets.


Online Satirists Pull No Punches on U.S. Election (Reuters) Reuters - Some are born to rule, others to\ridicule, is a worthy reminder to U.S presidential hopefuls\struck by an endless arsenal of satirical barbs on the Web.


Spain bombs 'follow Eta warning' Bombs explode in separate Spanish towns after a warning in the name of the armed Basque separatist group, Eta.


Phelps Bows Out With Magnanimous Gesture ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps doesn't mind making history while sitting in the stands. The man who dominated the attention at the Olympic pool gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker...


Bombs Explode at Rally in Bangladesh DHAKA, Bangladesh - A series of bombs exploded at an opposition rally in the Bangladesh capital Saturday, killing one person and injuring hundreds, witnesses said.    The blasts occurred as the main opposition leader Sheikh Hasina was addressing the rally from atop a truck...


Judges Suspended Three judges are suspended Saturday for a mistake in scoring the men's gymnastics all-around final, but results are not be changed and American Paul Hamm keeps his gold medal.


Crawford Wins 100 Preliminaries Shawn Crawford speeds to victory in 10.02 seconds in the first round of the men's 100 meters, leading three Americans into the second round.


U.S. Beats Australia After a miserable Olympics four years ago, the U.S. men's volleyball team has guaranteed a place in the medal round.


Pinsent Wins Fourth Gold Rower Matthew Pinsent wins his fourth gold medal Saturday after his boat edges Canada by .08 seconds in the coxless four.


Ainslie clinches Finn gold Britain's Ben Ainslie retains his overall lead in the final race of the Finn class.


Blast at Bangladesh Opposition Meeting Kills 4  DHAKA (Reuters) - At least four people were killed when one  or more bombs exploded as former Bangladesh prime minister  Sheikh Hasina Wajed addressed a public meeting outside her  party headquarters on Saturday, police and witnesses said.


Two Blasts Hit Northwest Spain After ETA Warnings  MADRID (Reuters) - Small explosions rattled two coastal  cities in northwestern Spain on Saturday, injuring at least one  person, after a telephoned warning in the name of the armed  Basque separatist group ETA, officials said.


Blast hits Bangladesh party rally A bomb explodes at an opposition rally in Bangladesh, killing at least one person, witnesses and police say.


Blast at Bangladesh Opposition Meeting Kills 4 (Reuters) Reuters - At least four people were killed when one\or more bombs exploded as former Bangladesh prime minister\Sheikh Hasina Wajed addressed a public meeting outside her\party headquarters on Saturday, police and witnesses said.


Ainslie wins second Olympics yachting gold (AFP) AFP - Britain's Ben Ainslie collected his second successive Olympic Games yachting gold medal when he took victory in the Finn class.


Helicopter Stunt Pilots to Snag Stardust for NASA (Reuters) Reuters - NASA has recruited two\Hollywood helicopter stunt pilots for an especially tricky\maneuver -- snagging a capsule full of stardust as it\parachutes back to Earth next month, mission managers said on\Thursday.


Olympic Games Hit Stride with Medals Free-For-All  ATHENS (Reuters) - Norway, Germany, France, Britain  Romania, New Zealand and Australia all looted the gold-medal  chest in the Athens Olympic rowing basin on Saturday, as Greece  counted the cost of the Games in national pride and treasure.


Anderson offers England victory as Windies lose Lara, Gayle (AFP) AFP - James Anderson took the crucial wickets of Chris Gayle and Brian Lara as England pressed for victory in the fourth Test against the West Indies at the Oval here.


Court Acquits Mooning Theater Director (AP) AP - The Supreme Court has quashed charges of obscene exposure levied last year against avant-garde theater director Gerald Thomas, who mooned an audience after an opera performance.


Newspaper: U.S. Knew About Abandoned Kids (AP) AP - U.S. State Department officials learned that seven American children had been abandoned at a Nigerian orphanage but waited more than a week to check on the youths, who were suffering from malnutrition, malaria and typhoid, a newspaper reported Saturday.


For Native Alaskans, Tradition Is Yielding to Modern Customs Centuries-old traditions in Gambell, a village of 700, have been slipping away, as one of the most remote villages on earth finally contends with the modern world.


Sudan vows not to return displaced to their homes without watchdog's okay (AFP) AFP - The Sudanese government pledged that it would return none of the more than one million people displaced by the civil war in Darfur to their homes without the prior approval of the International Organisation for Migration.


Pakistan failing to keep Kashmir pledge - India (Reuters) Reuters - India's ruling Congress party accused Pakistan on Saturday of not keeping its promise to halt support for Kashmiri militants fighting against New Delhi's rule in the disputed Himalayan region.


Germans 'lose event gold' Germany is reportedly stripped of its three-day event team gold medal after a joint appeal was upheld.


High crude here to stay Oil dipping almost \$1 doesn #39;t signal the beginning of a major retreat, say commodities experts who suggest crude might never fall below \$40 US a barrel again.


Google goes public After a series of missteps, Google finally pulled off its much-hyped initial public offering Thursday. The good news about this unusual IPO, which sought to deprive Wall Street banks of full control over the


Venezuela Awaits Result of Presidential Recall Vote Audit Venezuelan election officials say they expect to announce Saturday, results of a partial audit of last Sunday #39;s presidential recall referendum.


British Airways strike averted after agreement reached A planned strike by British Airways(BA) workers on the August Bank Holiday has been called off after a pay settlement was reached between employers and BA staff, Sky TV reported Saturday.


2 Big Carriers at O #39;Hare to Cut Flights The nation #39;s two largest airlines, American and United, announced on Wednesday that they would cut flights at O #39;Hare International Airport to ease congestion that has been delaying flights from coast to coast.


US Air flying towards shutdown? US Airways faces a serious risk of going out of business, according to some leading airline analysts, despite claims by the CEO of the nation #39;s No.


Calif. Plan Aims to Add Solar Energy to Homes California should try to add solar energy systems to 1 million homes by 2017 to save electricity and cut pollution from power plants, Gov.


Nortel: Nowhere To Go But Up NEW YORK - It certainly sounds like bad news when a company fires seven executives for financial malfeasance, lays off 3,500 employees and advises investors that it expects sluggish market growth for the year.


The Aftermath Of Charley: The Most Expensive States To Insure Your <b>...</b> There are always trade-offs to every place people choose to live. If you live in New York, it #39;s too expensive. If you live in Montana, it #39;s too remote.


Medical Stocks Up 2.8 Percent on Week Medical-related stocks largely closed up Friday afternoon as Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. bought a sizable chunk of Cyberonics Inc.


Armor Holdings Selected for DoD Program Body and vehicle armor company Armor Holdings Inc. said Friday it was selected as one of the companies to receive a Defense Department ceramic body armor contract that could be worth up to \$461 million over 36 months.


Red Cross will assist in locating relatives Local residents having difficulty reaching relatives in the areas recently hit by Hurricane Charley are urged to contact the Washtenaw County Chapter of the Red Cross for assistance.


Movie Studios Lose In Case Against File-Sharing Apps The decision is likely to force the industry to take the more costly and less-popular route of going directly after file-swappers.


Latest SP2 Flaw Bypasses IE Security Zone Security researchers have discovered another vulnerability in Windows XP Service Pack 2, but it doesn #39;t appear to be an immediate threat.


Absence of linguistic skills could hamper thinking ability Not being part of a culture with a highly developed language, could limit your thoughts, at least as far as numbers are concerned, reveals a new study conducted by a psychologist at the Columbia University in New York.


A Guidebook for Every Taste LANNING a trip involves many difficult decisions, but near the top of my list is standing in a bookstore trying to choose from a daunting lineup of guidebooks, a purchase that brands the owner


Mars Rover Finds Mysterious Rocks and More Signs of Water ith one Mars rover climbing into the hills and the other descending deep into a crater, scientists yesterday reported the discovery of several mysterious rock structures along with yet more signs that Mars was once awash in water.


NASA Researchers, Stunt Pilots Prepare for Genesis Probe #39;s Return A team of NASA (news - web sites) scientists, navigators and helicopter stunt pilots is ready to snatch a space sample canister out of the sky next month when the Genesis spacecraft returns to Earth.


Apple Announces Voluntary Recall of Powerbook Batteries Apple, in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced Thursday a voluntary recall of 15 quot; Aluminum PowerBook batteries.


Battle heightens over San Francisco bridge costs Plagued by delays and cost overruns, a \$5.1 billion renovation of San Francisco #39;s Bay Bridge has run into added problems as the state refuses to pay for


Google #39;s ups and downs Google #39;s long-awaited public offering finally made it to the street, but the search is still on for Microsoft #39;s Windows update.


Electronic Arts Breaking Out Game kingpin and Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) has another hit on its hands. Madden NFL 2005 was the top-selling game its first week on the market.


Austria backs away from privatization VIENNA Austria backed away from a full privatization of its top telecommunications company after merger talks with Swisscom failed.


Amazon to purchase Chinese on-line retailer Amazon.com Inc. has agreed to buy Joyo.com, China #39;s largest on-line retailer of books, music and videos, for \$75-million (US) to gain access to the world #39;s second-biggest Internet market.


Valley wins point on spyware Technology companies in Silicon Valley have beaten back what they saw as an overreaching attempt in the California legislature to control computer spyware and hope that a new more palatable


Survey Notes Rise in US Broadband Users The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections. July measurements from Nielsen/NetRatings placed the broadband audience at 51 percent of the US online population at home.


Is VoIP just chump change? AT amp;T #39;s Net phone service may ultimately generate less than \$2 billion a year in revenue, Chief Executive David Dorman said Friday, which is chump change to a corporate giant.


Chinadotcom #39;s Text-Messages Suspended Chinadotcom Corp. said Friday that China #39;s state-controlled wireless carrier fined the company \$160,000 and suspended its text-message services on charges that the cell-phone service provider #39;s Go2joy unit


Scientists Make Malaria Drug Based on Herbal Remedy Scientists have created a synthetic drug which could offer new hope in the fight against malaria. Nearly two billion people live in areas affected by malaria.


LCD price cuts on the rise due to oversupply Prices are expected to fall for 17 and 19 inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV panels based on Thin Film Technology (TFT), according to a report by Electronic News.


Sports Headlines from the Summer Olympics Saturday marks the final day of swimming at the 2004 Olympics and even though American Michael Phelps will not be in the pool for the 400-meter medley relay he will have a chance to tie an incredible record.


Monty still coming to terms with marriage split COLIN MONTGOMERIE openly admits he is losing sleep. But there are more serious things than the Ryder Cup on his mind. As he continues his bid to be part of Europes team next month, Montgomerie is still


Pittman Makes Remarkable Hurdles Comeback Thirteen days after undergoing knee surgery, world champion Jana Pittman made a remarkable comeback Saturday morning by winning her preliminary heat of the women #39;s 400-meter hurdles.


Demetra Proud of Husband #39;s Achievements Matthew Pinsent got the nod to carry on moments after winning his fourth Olympic gold medal from the person who matters most, his wife Demetra.


Tennis: Agassi, Hewitt Advance to Legg Mason Semifinals Two former world-number-one tennis stars, American Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, have advanced to the semifinals of the Legg Mason Classic in Washington.


Afghan women blaze a trail ATHENS, Greece -- At 14.14 seconds, Robina Muqimyar posted the second-slowest time among 63 women in the 100-meter trials. But she and judo competitor Friba Razayee also have achieved historic firsts -- they


World champs Serbia-Montenegro in trouble after loss to Spain Spain clinched first place in its group with a 76-68 victory Saturday, leaving Serbia-Montenegro in danger of failing to reach the quarterfinals.


Alonso the pass master Spain international Xabi Alonso is a player that epitomises the type of footballer Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants to have at Anfield.


West Indies Hold Up England March James Anderson took both wickets to fall as England were met with West Indian defiance on the third day of the final Test at the Oval.


Red Sox 10, White Sox 1 While Curt Schilling had a performance befitting a King on Friday night, Mark Buehrle and the White Sox were all shook up. The 38,720 fans who attended  quot;Elvis Night quot; at US Cellular Field


Favorite son eliminated Hoosier Overton fends off four-time Winged Foot champ and St. John #39;s grad Svoboda in Amateur. BY MARK HERRMANN. MAMARONECK, NY - The golf phrase  quot;local knowledge quot; took on new meaning this week at the US Amateur.


Cubs Blast Six Homers in Astros Mauling Mark Grudzielanek hit two of Chicago #39;s six home runs and Glendon Rusch pitched seven strong innings to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 9-2 pasting of the Astros in Houston on Friday.


Najaf Standoff Continues Shi #39;ite militiamen continue to occupy the Imam Ali shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf, despite religious authorities #39; efforts to end the 17-day standoff.


More Violence in Nepal on 4th Day of Rebel Blockade In Nepal, fresh violence has erupted in the capital, Kathmandu, on the fourth day of a blockade imposed by Maoist rebels. The rebels are not backing down, even though the government has agreed to one of their key demands.


Malaysian bird flu an isolated case A recent case of bird flu Malaysia appears to be an isolated event, the World Health Organization says. Health officials have confirmed the case, found in the poultry of


Russian Cossacks ride for country again Once they were the outriders of the Russian empire, feared and fearless warriors who extended the Czar #39;s authority as far as their horses would carry them.


Two blasts hit northwest Spain Small explosions have rattled two towns in northwestern Spain, injuring four people, after a telephoned warning in the name of the armed Basque separatist group ETA, officials said.


A balancing act: Australia #39;s diplomatic relations HAMISH ROBERTSON: The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, sparked quite an argument last week with his comments in Beijing about whether Australia would side with the United States in any war over Taiwan.


Ex-Enron CEO Seeks Separate Trial Lawyers for former Enron Corp. (ENRNQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research) chief executive Jeffrey Skilling on Friday asked a federal court to separate his trial from his former boss Ken Lay #39;s


FDA Alters Tack on Children and Antidepressants A Food and Drug Administration reexamination of data linking the pediatric use of some antidepressants to increased suicidal tendencies has once again found a connection, and the agency is


Indian, British scientists working on drug to fight malaria At least 27 people are reported to have died of malaria in Alindra, India and 293 are seriously ill with the disease which broke out after the heavy rains and floods.


Storm-tossed counties to head back to school That #39;s what happened to Charlotte High School because of Hurricane Charley. A complex with 2,200 students, slightly bigger than Tallahassee #39;s largest high school, was demolished Aug. 13 by ferocious


Kerry accuses Vietnam critics of illegal ties to Bush campaign (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's campaign has formally alleged that a group attacking his Vietnam war record had illegal ties to US President George W. Bush's re-election bid.


Hamm Won Gymnastics Gold on Score Error: FIG  ATHENS (Reuters) - American Paul Hamm, who became the first  American to win the Olympics men's all-round gymnastics title,  should not have been awarded the gold, the sport's governing  body ruled Saturday.


Cassini Spies Two Moons Around Saturn (AP) AP - NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spied two new little moons around satellite-rich Saturn, the space agency said.


Olympics: Germans Unhorsed Amid Games Gold Binge  ATHENS (Reuters) - Norway, Germany, France, Britain,  Romania, New Zealand and Australia all looted the gold-medal  chest in the Athens Olympic rowing basin on Saturday, as Greece  counted the cost of the Games in national pride and cash.


Ruling Says Mistake Gave Paul Hamm Gold ATHENS, Greece - Paul Hamm's gold medal just lost some of its luster. A mistake in scoring of the all-around gymnastics final cost Yang Tae-young the gold that ended up going to Hamm, the International Gymnastics Federation said Saturday...


Phelps Will Finish Olympics As a Spectator ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps doesn't mind making history while sitting in the stands. The man who dominated the attention at the Olympic pool gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker...


U.S. Wins Sailing Gold Americans Paul Foerster and Kevin Burnham win their first Olympic titles after outmaneuvering their British rivals during the final 470 class race.


Equestrian Medal Overturned France is awarded the gold medal in the three-day equestrian team event after winning an appeal with Britain and the United States against an earlier decision that gave the victory to Germany.


Oil prices hit new high - and more to come Crude oil prices will top \$US50 (\$A69) a barrel for the first time this week, despite a slight fall in New York on Friday night, some analysts have predicted.