U.S. Wins World Cup Qualifying Semis (AP) AP - Brian Ching got another big goal, and the United States received the gift of jewelry. Ching scored just five minutes in on the Americans' first shot, and El Salvador was forced to play a man short after a defender was ejected midway through the first half for wearing a gold chain. Landon Donovan went on to score a second-half goal, and the United States won 2-0 Saturday to move into good position to advance to the regional finals of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.


Brodeur Leads Canada Past Distracted Russia in Hockey  TORONTO (Reuters) - A Russian team moved by tragedy could  not beat an inspired Martin Brodeur as Canada claimed a 3-1 win  over their rivals on Saturday to finish unbeaten in round-robin  play at the World Cup of Hockey.


Pope makes final journey of year The Pope will visit Italy's Adriatic coast for a beatification ceremony in his last journey of the year outside Rome.


Global Crossing founder, others likely to be fined under SEC pact Global Crossing Ltd. founder Gary Winnick and at least two other executives are likely to be fined under an agreement that will end a Securities and Exchange Commission probe into the company's accounting, people familiar with the matter said.


Microsoft XP SP2 Update And Spyware Conflict If you have spyware installed on your computer system and you update your operating system with the latest Windows XP Service pack 2 (SP2) update, your computer could possibly freeze.


NL Wrap: Giants Rally for Big Win (Reuters) Reuters - Marquis Grissom hit a grand slam\homer and the San Francisco Giants rallied from a six run\deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7 in National\League play on Saturday.


NL Wrap: Giants Rally for Big Win  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Marquis Grissom hit a grand slam  homer and the San Francisco Giants rallied from a six run  deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7 in National  League play on Saturday.


Iraq Injury Count Rose About 1,100 U.S. soldiers and Marines were wounded during August, by far the highest combat toll for any month since war began.


Shanghai to Honor Its Jewish Legacy  SHANGHAI -- Saul Marmer, a retired Cincinnati shoe retailer, peeled away from his tour group the other day to reflect on a special moment in Shanghai's long and eventful history. As summer rain bathed the city, and its residents raced about in their relentless drive to accumulate wealth, Marmer, 79, ducked into the Ohel Moishe Synagogue.


Afghan Blast Has Alarming Implications  NAIK NAM, Afghanistan -- Saher Gul was chalking a long division lesson on the blackboard of his two-room village school. Twenty-five boys, ages 9 to 19, were sitting cross-legged on the dirt floor. Suddenly the earthen walls and ceiling exploded and collapsed, smothering the class in a mountain of rubble.


India, Pakistan Extend Peace Talks   NEW DELHI, Sept. 4 -- India and Pakistan agreed Saturday to widen peace talks that focus on eight festering issues, including the decades-old dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.


Markets brace for fresh hurricane Hurricane Frances is pushing up commodity prices and weighing on insurance company stocks as it heads for the Florida coast. Orange juice prices hit nine-month highs on the New York Board of Trade on Thursday


Enron CEO #39;s Firm Seeks  #39;Success Fee #39; The firm led by Enron Corp. #39;s (ENRNQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research) acting chief executive asked a bankruptcy judge for a \$25 million  quot;success fee quot; for its efforts in


Australia makes steady start at Lord #39;s Pakistan has taken two quick wickets to have Australia in trouble at 4-115 off 27 overs in their one-day international at Lord #39;s.


Feminist anger as Bryant rape case is dropped The dismissal of rape charges against the basketball superstar Kobe Bryant caused ripples of disquiet yesterday among feminist activists and legal experts, who said the young


United States 3, Slovakia 1 Team USA finally showed some energy in the World Cup of Hockey, beating Slovakia 3-1 Friday for its first win in the tournament. Bill Guerin, Jason Blake and Bryan Smolinski scored for the younger, quicker


No. 18 Missouri 52, Arkansas St. 20 Brad Smith threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 63 yards and another score to help No. 18 Missouri rout Arkansas State 52-20 on Saturday night in the season-opener for both teams.


Nasdaq chipped by Intel NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Technology stocks sank Friday after Intel Corp., the world #39;s largest chipmaker, disappointed investors by slashing its revenue forecast.


Man wanted for violent home invasion in U.S. arrested outside Toronto (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - A man wanted for allegedly tying up three adults and setting fire to their car in Washington state was scheduled to appear in a Toronto court Tuesday after Canadian officials found him hiding in a Newmarket, Ont., home.


Slowing Housing Market May Stir Inflation  NEW YORK (Reuters) - As U.S. home purchases slow, an  expected rise in demand for rentals will result in a spike in  inflation, analysts say, citing studies showing housing costs  have been under-reported by the government.


Sluggish Frances Cuts Power to 2M in Fla. FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Massive Hurricane Frances trudged toward land with 105 mph wind and pelting rain late Saturday, knocking out power to 2 million people and forcing Floridians to endure a frightening night amid roaring gales that shredded roofs and uprooted trees...


Hoyas Breeze Georgetown broke its four-year losing streak in season openers by defeating St. Francis (Pa.), 36-7, Saturday in a nonconference game before 1,671 at Harbin Field.


North Texas Mean Green AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- Cedric Benson and Selvin Young allowed No. 8 Texas to run away with a season-opening win. Benson rushed for 183 yards and two touchdowns and Young added a career-high 101 and two


Kansas St. Wildcats Sproles ran for 221 yards and a touchdown to lead Kansas State to a lackluster 27-13 victory over Division I-AA Western Kentucky in the season opener for both teams.


Arkansas St. Indians COLUMBIA, Missouri (Ticker) -- No. 17 Missouri went out and proved it was deserving of its first preseason ranking since 1980. The Tigers scored 21 points in less than 10 minutes and went on to trounce Arkansas


Russian hostage tragedy: Putin takes stock of massacre at school Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beslan on Saturday, one day after the violent end of a hostage drama at a school in the North Caucasus town claimed the lives of at least 250 adults and children and terrorized the community.


Kashmir peace dialogue resumes in India India and Pakistan resolved to widen their peace dialogue yesterday as they discussed festering issues including their decades-old dispute over Kashmir.


Iraq reels under sabotage, bombs Saboteurs set ablaze oil pipelines in both northern and southern Iraq yesterday, threatening to further cripple the country #39;s ailing economy and send world prices back upwards.


European stability pact watered down Bowing to the inevitable -- following persistent breaches of the rules by the eurozone #39;s two most powerful members, Germany and France -- Brussels announced plans that would make the pact less rigid.


APEC forum of finance chiefs stresses role of gov #39;t,institutions The 11th meeting of finance ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) concluded on Friday, highlighting the role of governments and financial institutions


Aide: Kerry Would Shift Trade Focus Toward WTO Democrat John Kerry probably would put more time and energy into world trade talks and enforcing existing agreements than pursuing bilateral deals like the Bush administration has, a campaign adviser said.


Mutual fund votes show limits to change When corporate America came looking for raises last year, Boston #39;s largest mutual funds routinely turned them down, voting in hundreds of cases against lucrative


Intel announces milestone in shrinking chips Contradicting fears that the semiconductor industrys pace of development is slowing, Intel Corp. announced it has achieved a milestone in shrinking the size of


The aliens aren #39;t coming, yet Despite all the reports about SETI discovering a likely signal from an alien civilisation, you shouldn #39;t squint skywards just yet looking for a spherical disc from which little green men will hop out.


Sharapova #39;s heart not in Open With thoughts of those killed by captors in her native Russia, the Wimbledon champion says it  quot;just shows that my loss is a little thing.


Singh takes two-shot lead, Woods tied for second Fiji #39;s Vijay Singh fashioned an eight-under par 63 on Saturday to take a two-shot second-round lead on 131 in the Deutsche Bank Championship.


A costly case The decision by Colorado prosecutors Wednesday to drop the rape case against NBA star Kobe Bryant ends a massive legal and social debacle in a way that leaves no one looking good.


Revamped US squad dumps Slovakia CBC SPORTS ONLINE - After suffering two straight defeats at the World Cup of Hockey, US coach Ron Wilson overhauled his lineup Friday with hopes of getting his team a victory.


Canada still can #39;t be beat Canada beat Russia 3-1 Saturday night in Toronto. Team Canada is now rolling on all cylinders and is getting scoring from everywhere.


Putin vows to strengthen security Russian President Vladi mir Putin visits a victim of the besieged school at a hospital in Beslan, September 4, 2004. Putin ordered a crackdown in seething southern Russia after a school siege killed at least


Frances to have limited local effect Hurricane Frances is expected to have limited effects on beachgoers heading to the Cape, the islands, or Rhode Island for the rest of Labor Day weekend


Clearing a path to peace NAIROBIAs ethnic violence continues in Sudan, and the government and southern rebels pursue a deal that appears increasingly elusive, a group of Sudanese women are working toward making peace with one another.


Slowing Housing Market May Stir Inflation (Reuters) Reuters - As U.S. home purchases slow, an\expected rise in demand for rentals will result in a spike in\inflation, analysts say, citing studies showing housing costs\have been under-reported by the government.


Signs of Discord Emerge as Indo-Pak Ministers Meet (Reuters) Reuters - Signs of discord emerged between\India and Pakistan as foreign ministers from the nuclear armed\rivals prepared to meet on Sunday to review and advance a peace\process that has faltered recently over Kashmir.


US economic outlook depends on where you stand (AFP) AFP - The best of times, or the worst of times. The US economy is the strongest in years, or is mired in the deepest employment crisis in decades.


Open-Federer Hits Form, Misery for Sharapova  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Roger Federer and Andre Agassi stayed  on course for a quarter-final showdown at the U.S. Open on  Saturday, but Maria Sharapova and Carlos Moya were heading home  after shock third-round exits.


World Needs More Oil Capacity -Watchdog  SYDNEY (Reuters) - An extra 3 million barrels per day (bpd)  of production capacity worldwide is needed to avoid another  year of blistering oil prices, International Energy Agency  (IEA) executive director Claude Mandil warned on Sunday.


The Fall Hunt Is On at Arrowhead To see the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line in action is like watching one giant shell game, with large, mobile men sliding from side to side, hiding Priest Holmes in the backfield.


In a Matchup Against Youth, Age Triumphs Tennis's onetime "It" girl met up with the weary one of the present, and Mary Pierce, wiser and calmer at 29, prevailed over the 17-year-old Maria Sharapova.


Nonunion firms hit ironworkers with suit Six New England steel-working firms have filed an antitrust lawsuit against one of Boston's most powerful and politically connected unions, alleging that the labor group has conspired to shut out nonunion companies from major construction projects in the region.


Dollar daze The dollar is falling, so the smart money is moving into international stocks and mutual funds, right?


TiVo, Cable or Satellite? Choose That Smart TV Wisely Though technophiles are the ones who usually like to brag about their electronic toys, recently, even tech novices have started crowing about their digital video recorders.


Stranded Britons party up a storm Hundreds of British families stranded in Florida are stocking up on treats and holding hurricane parties.


Mystics Blown Out The Washington Mystics shoot just 25 percent from the field and lose 69-42 in Indiana on Saturday night.


Illegal Research and Patents \\If the US makes Stem Cell research illegal, and a company in a foreign country\(say Japan), develops a cure for a desease (say Cancer, or Alzheimers), can\said company file a patent in the US?\\I assume so... seems like a pretty good reason to make Stem Cell research legal.\\


Law firm told to pay \$7.2m for negligence A state judge has ordered the Boston law firm of Rubin and Rudman to pay \$7.2 million plus as much as \$2.1 million more in attorneys fees to settle charges that it negligently misrepresented the status of legal proceedings against its client, West Lynn Creamery, during negotiations to sell the dairy in 1998.


No. 4 LSU Edges Oregon State 22-21 in OT BATON ROUGE, La. - LSU can thank an Oregon State kicker who could not make extra points for its season-opening victory...


Putin, As School Toll Tops 350, Vows Fight BESLAN, Russia - A shaken President Vladimir Putin made a rare and candid admission of Russian weakness Saturday in the face of an "all-out war" by terrorists after more than 350 people - nearly half of them children - were killed in a hostage-taking at a southern school.    Putin went on national television to tell Russians they must mobilize against terrorism...


Frances Roars Into Fla., Cuts Power to 2M FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Massive Hurricane Frances trudged ashore with 115 mph wind and pelting rain late Saturday, knocking out power to 2 million people and forcing Floridians to endure a frightening night amid roaring gales that shredded roofs and uprooted trees...


Problems Abound in Election System When Americans go to the polls in November, they will confront a voting system beset by many of the same problems that produced the bitterly disputed outcome four years ago.


Fed having a change of space Apparently the mammoth Federal Reserve building going up at 1801 Allen Parkway didn #39;t need to be quite so big after all. It turns out that a portion of the 300,000-square-foot property originally


Kmart to sell 45 stores to Sears for \$524 million Kmart Holding Corp. (KMRT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it would sell 45 stores for \$524 million to Sears, Roebuck and Co.


Continental isn #39;t funding its pension plan this year Continental Airlines, the fifth-largest US carrier, yesterday said it will skip contributions to employee pension plans this year, taking advantage of a law enacted in April to conserve cash.


1,600 Ford workers to be furloughed The 1,600 workers at a Ford Motor Co. plant in Minnesota will be furloughed for three weeks as Ford cuts production of the Ranger pickup truck.


Iran Plans to Launch Satellite by May 2005 Iran said Thursday it would launch its first satellite into space by May 2005, state television reported. Mohammad Fathi, head of Iran #39;s Scientific and Industrial Research Center, said the


Instant Analysis: Oregon State at LSU If you #39;re a romantic who thinks about sports the way Grantland Rice wrote about the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, this exhausting, wrenching battle between Oregon State and Louisiana State represented everything that makes college football a supreme


Mercury 63, Storm 55 Behind 18 points each from Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor, the Phoenix Mercury kept their playoff hopes alive by knocking off the second-place team in the Western Conference.


Putin asks Russians to unite against  #39;war #39; In a rare address to his nation at a time of grave crisis, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the school siege in the southern city of Beslan was an attack on all of Russia


A close battle for No. 1 (minus the polls) NORTON, MASS. - Forget college football: The best battle for No. 1 might be taking place on a golf course outside of Boston. Vijay Singh - the No.


VENUS SETS UP CLASH WITH ARCH RIVAL Venus Williams set up a clash with arch rival Lindsay Davenport after beating fellow American Chanda Rubin 7-6 (7/4) 6-3 in the third round of the US Open at Flushing Meadow.


IT #39;s North Texas Game Picks IT #39;s Bill Frisbie, Michael Pearle and Clendon Ross give you their picks, and the reasoning behind those picks, in Saturday #39;s game between Texas and North Texas.


I lost my temper, I am sorry: Woodward Former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward apologised in an interview published on Sunday for a viscious outburst directed at club owners and directors of rugby at a press conference last week confirming his resignation.


Homemade booze kills 18 AT least 18 people have died after drinking tainted homemade liquor in Pakistan #39;s eastern Punjab province. Two of the men were dead on arrival at Nishtar Hospital in Multan, and six others died in intensive


Hebron #39;s middle classes choose America rather than martyrdom Tareq Natsha is fresh out of secondary school and about to join a growing exodus: young, middle-class Palestinians who are leaving their West Bank homes with their families #39; blessing


China flash floods leave 19 dead Landslides and flash floods triggered by torrential rain in south western China leave 19 people dead and 21 missing.


Center of Eye of Frances Makes Landfall STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances howled ashore at Florida's east coast early Sunday with sustained wind of 105 mph and pelting rain, knocking out power to 2 million people and forcing Floridians to endure a frightening night amid roaring gales that shredded roofs and uprooted trees...


As School Toll Tops 350, Putin Vows Fight BESLAN, Russia - A shaken President Vladimir Putin made a rare and candid admission of Russian weakness Saturday in the face of an "all-out war" by terrorists after more than 350 people - nearly half of them children - were killed in a hostage-taking at a southern school.    Putin went on national television to tell Russians they must mobilize against terrorism...


Body of Egyptian Hostage Found in Iraq - Police (Reuters) Reuters - The body of an Egyptian who was\kidnapped in Iraq last month has been found in northern Iraq,\Iraqi police said on Sunday.


NL Wrap: Bonds Kept at Bay But Giants Rally for Win  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Marquis Grissom hit a grand slam  homer and the San Francisco Giants rallied from a six run  deficit to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-7 in National  League play on Saturday.


Body of Egyptian Hostage Found in Iraq - Police  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The body of an Egyptian who was  kidnapped in Iraq last month has been found in northern Iraq,  Iraqi police said on Sunday.


State seen missing out on tourism opportunity Europeans are flocking to the United States to shop, drawn by a weak dollar that promises cheap holiday shopping excursions. But some say Massachusetts businesses are missing out because \$2 million earmarked for international tourism marketing is sitting untouched.


Violence kills at least 42 in Iraq Violence flared in Iraq on Saturday with a suicide car bomb attack in Kirkuk, a joint US-Iraqi offensive on Latifiya, and heavy clashes between US forces and insurgents in Tall Afar, leaving at least 42 dead.


Hundreds march in Nepal for peace Hundreds of people marched in Katmandu on Sunday, waving banners urging religious tolerance in wake of riots over the killing of 12 Nepalese hostages by Iraqi insurgents.


Pakistani home brew kills 31 A toxic batch of home-brewed alcohol has killed 31 people in several towns in central Pakistan, police and hospital officials say.


Bush, Kerry battle over jobs report President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry on Friday seized on a Labor Department report showing the US expanded payrolls by 144,000 and lowered the unemployment level to 5.4 percent


Hollinger Money Funded Lavish Lifestyle Between 1997 and 2003, Conrad Black and his associates personally received in cash up to 92.5 percent of Hollinger #39;s entire adjusted net income -- much of it to keep the various Black households


Does a Tiger Lurk in the Middle of a Fearful Symmetry? Environmentalists, who have recognized the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea as a wildlife refuge, are pressing to preserve it.


Dog Medicine Is Recalled at Request of F.D.A. A time-released medication used to prevent heartworm in millions of dogs was recalled after thousands of dogs suffered adverse reactions.


WORLD CUP 2006 QUALIFYING: Ching and Donovan lead US past El <b>...</b> The United States got goals from San Jose Earthquakes Brian Ching and Landon Donovan to in a 2-0 win over El Salvador in the semifinal round of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup on Saturday in front of 25,266 fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.


Beslan: first funerals taking place The first funerals for the victims of the Russian school siege are due to be held. Survivors of the atrocity are still recovering in hospitals in and around the town of Beslan.


ASEAN pushes ahead trade liberalization Economic ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) finally agreed to beef up their commitment to push ahead the program of


Gaza Gunmen Seize Governor's Office in Protest (Reuters) Reuters - Masked gunmen occupied the Palestinian\governor's office in a southern Gaza Strip town on Sunday,\demanding compensation for Israeli raids in a protest that\added to signs of growing lawlessness.


Govt sticks to army law despite protests (Reuters) Reuters - The home minister has ruled out lifting an unpopular law giving the army widespread powers of arrest in the country's remote northeast, despite two months of bitter protests in Manipur.


Gaza Gunmen Seize Governor's Office in Protest  GAZA (Reuters) - Masked gunmen occupied the Palestinian  governor's office in a southern Gaza Strip town on Sunday,  demanding compensation for Israeli raids in a protest that  added to signs of growing lawlessness.


Probe of gifts said to focus on Fidelity Federal regulators have subpoenaed Fidelity Investments and several brokerage firms that handle the stock-trading business for the mutual fund giant, seeking information about gifts and expensive perks Fidelity traders may have accepted from the brokerage firms, according to attorneys involved in the case.


Active Duty Military Attending the RNC A   recent report  filed by the Associated Press contained a startling bit of information:      About 15 percent of the 4,800-plus delegates and alternates to the convention in New York are veterans, organizers said Monday. An additional 3 percent are active military personnel.      This report was   displayed prominently  on the Republican National  Committee's website, and   lauded gleefully  by the fine folks at Free Republic, among others    As it turns out though, it's actually not such a good thing to have active-duty military anywhere near a political convention - if you value your democracy.  In fact, up until just a few days before the convention, it was quite illegal for active-duty military even to attend.  And yet, there it was in black and white.  Active duty military members were not only attending, but participating as delegates in the RNC.  How could this happen?


Randall, Russell complement each other in Tigers #39; win After spending most of the spring and fall preseason trying to stem talk of a quarterback controversy, LSU coach Nick Saban braced himself for questions about the Tigers #39; signal-callers Saturday night.


Ministers Discuss Kashmir Dispute The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan met today to try to find a lasting resolution to the dispute over Kashmir, the cause of two wars between the nuclear rivals.


Hurricane Frances Kills Two In Bahamas NASSAU, Bahamas, Sun. Sept. 5: At least two people are dead in the Bahamas and several others injured, victims of Hurricane Frances.


EU to attend ASEM summit, but Myanmar remains cloud (AFP) AFP - The European Union will after all attend a summit with key Asian states next month after resolving a row over military-ruled Myanmar, while insisting it stands firm against Yangon.


Vanuatu government tells Australian police they're not wanted (AFP) AFP - Vanuatu's new government has told Australian Federal Police on assignment in the Pacific island nation to leave the country by September 15, officials in Canberra said.


Paris showcase for Apple's vision Apple has been showing off in Paris what we can expect from the company in the coming months.


Center of Eye of Frances Makes Landfall STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances crashed ashore at Florida's east coast early Sunday with sustained wind of 105 mph and pelting rain, knocking out power to 2 million people and forcing Floridians to endure a frightening night amid roaring gales that shredded roofs and uprooted trees...


Ways to cope with emergencies  quot;No one around here cares about the customers, quot; the Northwest Airlines agent ruefully told me on the phone. My father-in-law had just died, and I was frantically trying to get two of our kids


Sharapova falls; Agassi, Federer in fourth round Roger Federer, of Switzerland, returns to Fabrice Santoro, of France, at the US Open tennis tournament in New York on Saturday. NEW YORK - Maria Sharapovas drive to win another Grand Slam title got dashed


Roundup: Gold chain, Ching help US men win Brian Ching got another big goal, and the US men #39;s soccer team received the gift of jewelry. Ching, a former standout for the Seattle Sounders and Gonzaga, scored


Game of the day: Cut! Red Sox streak ends The Red Sox lost for the first time in 11 games, falling to the Texas Rangers 8-6 yesterday and missing a chance to pull 1-1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East.


Bellevue (Wash.) ends record streak De La Salle High School lost 39-20 Bellevue (Wash.), ending the Spartans #39; record high school winning streak Saturday night in Seattle.


US mulls new Darfur resolution The United States said on Friday it is preparing a new UN resolution on Darfur and that US Secretary of State Colin Powell might address next week whether the violence in western Sudan constitutes genocide.


Asian parties hope to deepen exchanges: Senior CPC official All Asian political parties share the hope of further deepening their exchanges and cooperation in the 21st century, said Liu Yunshan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Sunday.


Changes in check-processing lie ahead Consumers may notice their monthly bank statements are considerably lighter now that banks no longer have to return paper checks but instead can return digital images or substitute versions of the checks.


Fund finds turnaround opportunities John Keeley, manager of the \$155 million Keeley Small Cap Value Fund, is generating above-average returns by buying shares of US companies that are emerging from bankruptcy or being restructured.


Australia waits on iMacs, iMusic AFTER a two-month delay, Apple has unveiled its new iMac desktop computer which integrates disk drives and processors into a flat display less than two inches (5cm) thick.


Between the seams: Ponson pounces on rank Yanks The New York Yankees can #39;t even push a runner past first base lately, much less find a way to score. Sidney Ponson became the latest pitcher to stop the suddenly punchless


New tradition starts in California For 54 years, Labor Day weekend meant one thing to NASCAR: a trip to Darlington Raceway for the Southern 500. No more. A new tradition will begin today with the Pop Secret


Dowdell, receivers struggle Defensive end Ryan Neills 31-yard interception return in the third quarter propelled Rutgers to a 19-14 victory over Michigan State Saturday in the season opener.


Gaza militants seize government building GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Palestinian gunmen seized the governor #39;s office in a southern city on Sunday, demanding aid for families left homeless by an Israeli military operation, witnesses said.


A Better View Into Relationships (TechWeb) TechWeb - Anacubis Desktop 3.0 shows the BI potential of information visualization software.


Is Open Source Imperative? (TechWeb) TechWeb - LinuxWorld speakers say Linux is ready for you; be ready for it.


Here's The Deal (TechWeb) TechWeb - Strategic software acquisition should mark the beginning of a beautiful relationship. But in today's BI market, contract negotiations involve sorting through complex pricing options, maintenance fees, and more. Sage advice will help you become a smarter BI buyer.


Timing Is Everything   Here's just what you need: another complication involving individual retirement accounts.


School toll climbs to nearly 400 as Russia buries its dead (AFP) AFP - The death toll from Russia's school hostage crisis climbed to at least 394 as grieving relatives prepared to bury the first victims while others sifted through overwhelmed morgues for their lost loved ones.


Hidden fees From bank accounts and mortgages to credit cards and car loans, let the buyer beware: Financial fees are on the rise. And many are just waiting to blindside you.


Paris showcase for Apple #39;s vision Some 70,000 Mac fans gathered at Apple Expo 2004 in Paris earlier this week for the largest exhibition of its kind in Europe. The event provided a showcase for just what kind of stylish technology


Mosh a  #39;wireless mesh #39; Tallahassee #39;s wireless digital canopy has covered the downtown area, including the state Capitol, for more than two years. It was expanded to include Tallahassee Regional Airport in February.


Ponson fills in blanks in O #39;s 7-0 win Heeding the instructions of his manager, Orioles pitching coach Ray Miller walked the length of the dugout yesterday to find Sidney Ponson.


Slide of the Yankees Passed up a chance to chat baseball with a couple of Yankees fans over a brew in a Pacific Beach pub in order to watch a softball game.


Schedule displeases Smith Michigan State played a season opener Saturday on the road for the first time since 1994, when George Perles final season as coach started with a loss at Kansas.


Dorrell #39;s positive spin remains off kilter PASADENA - Progress is gauged differently around college football, and in the case of UCLA, it goes something like this: At no time during a season-opening loss to Oklahoma State yesterday did the Bruins call for a pass and run a reverse.


Biffle bests Mears for Busch win  quot;My car worked so well, quot; Greg Biffle said after winning a duel with Mears to claim the Target House 300 for NASCAR #39;s Busch Series cars.


Surprise! Bonds fails to belt HR SAN FRANCISCO - Barry Bonds reached another milestone on Saturday, but it didn #39;t wipe the frowns from the captains in their kayaks out in McCovey Cove.


Suicide bomber kills 20 outside Kirkuk police academy A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb yesterday outside a police academy in Kirkuk, a city in northern Iraq, as hundreds of trainees and civilians were leaving for the day, killing at least 20 people and wounding 36, authorities said.


E-Guinea to question Thatcher in SA State prosecutors from Equatorial Guinea have requested permission to question Mark Thatcher over his alleged involvement in coup attempt on President Teodoro Obiang Nguema.


Iraqi Oil Exports Not Cut by Yesterday #39;s South Pipeline Breach Iraq is exporting oil normally from the south through its Persian Gulf terminals after a pipeline was breached yesterday, the UK military and two shipping agents said.


Filene's Basement markdown policy gets a makeover after 96 years The downtown Boston Filene's Basement store has quietly altered its 96-year-old ''world famous quot; automatic markdown policy, making consumers wait longer to snare the steepest discounts.


Once highflying, unions hit turbulence Has anyone in the labor movement lost more altitude than the unionized pilots at the nation's biggest airlines? Until recently, they had it all: great pay, great benefits, and a great lifestyle, thanks to work rules that required senior pilots to fly only about 40 hours per month. But like the heroes in a Greek tragedy, the pilots have tumbled ...


Mutual fund votes show limits to change When corporate America came looking for raises last year, Boston's largest mutual funds routinely turned them down, voting in hundreds of cases against lucrative stock and options packages for senior executives, according to proxy-vote data released last week for the first time.


Bank on it: Tour will return NORTON -- Several players said yesterday they were thrilled to hear that the Deutsche Bank Championship has committed for two more years at TPC Boston.


Everyone benefits from accountability It's a benefit to the investors (and, by the way, to the companies seeking venture capital) to have VC Fund performance out in the open (''State discloses venture results, quot; Aug. 25).


In wake of scandals, here's what's ahead It's been a year since New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer fired the shot heard 'round the mutual fund world.


Chasing the  #145;unbanked #146; Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons rolled into town this summer with a mission: Get people to the voting booths and banking to the people.


It #146;s so not hip to be Union Square  Its oval promotional stickers, colorless and lowercase, are still everywhere, on parking meters, street signs, and lampposts.


Growth is prime on agenda for Ipswich bank With \$3.9 million in new capital, First National Bank of Ipswich is pushing farther into New Hampshire and may add an investment arm to the \$330 million-asset community bank. And with a new ticker symbol of FIWC, First National is now publicly traded on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board.


Agony of defeat Searching for scapegoats? Try horrormeister Stephen King, who tossed a ceremonial first pitch.


A range of emotions for Texas It didn't take anything so drastic as driving a stake through Manny Ramirez's heart, but to the Texas Rangers, who brought an end to the Red Sox' 10-game winning streak here, it almost felt like that's what was needed to put the Sox in the loss column.  quot;Especially in Boston, quot; said Doug Brocail, the Rangers' 37-year-old reliever who has pulled ...


MVP: Manny, very possibly Manny Ramirez said in the spring that he'd love to win a Most Valuable Player award, but he knows better than to pin his hopes on it, regardless of how well he plays.


For Bellhorn, Rangers' decision is just grand For the second straight game, the Rangers used a lefthanded reliever against Mark Bellhorn even though the switch-hitting second baseman has fared better against lefthanders (.313) than righthanders (.244). Texas opted to try protecting an 8-1 lead by sending out lefthander Ron Mahay yesterday against Bellhorn. Lefthanded hitters were batting .202 against Mahay and righthanders .238. So it was that ...


The cream of the crop Their beacons of hope are Kevin Youkilis , Casey Fossum , and Shea Hillenbrand , prospects who once walked in their spikes and made it to the bigs. Nearly 200 Red Sox farmhands from the Dominican Summer League to Triple A Pawtucket yesterday were close to packing their equipment bags and heading home for the winter after spending the season ...


ESPN ahead of the game Twenty-five years ago this Tuesday, a brash startup cable channel with a strange name began broadcasting. Its goal: Provide sports programming 24 hours a day. The concept behind ESPN was solid, but the execution was shaky in those early days of bouncing a signal off a satellite from a half-built building in a muddy field in then-rural Bristol, Conn. Today, ...


Wakefield outing all over the map The top half of the first inning passed with deceptive speed and ease. Three minutes. Eight pitches. It was quick and efficient even by Tim Wakefield standards. But as with all things pertaining to the knuckleball, fortunes also change in a hurry; some might say they rise and fall with the wind. So, without any warning, an auspicious start quickly ...


Medalist McCann charged in crash Olympic wrestling silver medalist Sara McMann has been charged with careless driving causing death following a crash that killed her boyfriend, the Colorado State Patrol said yesterday. Steven Blackford , 28, a three-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Arizona State, died Friday when the Jeep they were in rolled off the shoulder of Interstate 76 in northeastern Colorado. McMann, 23, of ...


Transactions BASEBALL Anaheim (AL): Activated P Jarrod Washburn from the 15-day DL. Arizona (NL): Recalled OF Doug DeVore from Tucson (PCL).


Edmonds's 300th lifts Cardinals Jim Edmonds hit his 300th career home run, Jason Marquis won his 11th straight decision, and the Cardinals won their eighth in a row, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-1, last night in St. Louis.


Notables The San Diego Padres retired former All-Star outfielder Tony Gwynn's jersey No. 19. Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina is 0-5 since beating the Mets, 11-6, June 27, including 0-3 since coming off the disabled list.


Vinatieri has gone from footnote to footlights He's a kicker, for crying out loud. So why is Adam Vinatieri so popular? Kickers, after all, are supposed to be outcasts with small facemasks and funny shoes, guys with too many consonants in their last names who trot facelessly on and off the field between the real action.


Lined up for an early start The Patriots start preparation for Thursday's season opener today, treating practice as they would a Wednesday session during a week leading up to a Sunday game. Led by head coach Bill Belichick , they move on to the regular season with little reflection of the five weeks of training camp.


Dolphins seek Williams money The Miami Dolphins have filed a grievance against Ricky Williams , asking an arbitrator to uphold the team's contractual right to recover \$8.6 million paid to the recently retired running back in signing bonus and incentives, the Miami Herald reported on its website yesterday.


An unqualified success FOXBOROUGH -- San Jose Earthquakes coach Dominic Kinnear had just finished watching as two of his players, Brian Ching and Landon Donovan, scored for the United States in a 2-0 win over El Salvador in a World Cup qualifying match yesterday.


Fashion statement: US takes charge in Cup qualifier FOXBOROUGH -- Maybe the US Soccer folks have been going about this all wrong. Maybe they should cut a deal with The Shopping Channel people for bulk jewelry and spread it around to their playmates from Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras. What easier, cheaper way to get to the World Cup?


Revolution kept down by Brown FOXBOROUGH -- Chris Brown, who helped launch the Revolution's rally late last season with key goals, might have spoiled the Revolution's chances this season, providing a 48th-minute header for the San Jose Earthquakes in a 1-0 victory last night at Gillette Stadium.


Galley doesn't expect a sympathetic reaction Back in the fall of 1994, National Hockey League training camps opened on time, only to close down when the owners and the Players Association failed to reach a collective bargaining agreement. Ultimately, the season was shortened to 48 games. Back then, there was a different kind of unease, as well as a lack of experience with -- and preparedness ...


Stonehill has grand opening Stonehill rolled up 349 yards of total offense in a 23-6 Northeast-10 Conference victory over Assumption yesterday in Easton, snapping a seven-game winless streak dating to last season and winning its first season opener in seven years.


Henne rules the roost in romp for Wolverines ANN ARBOR , Mich. -- Freshman Chad Henne threw for two touchdowns in a surprising start for Michigan, helping the eighth-ranked Wolverines to a 43-10 victory over Miami of Ohio yesterday that ended the nation's longest winning streak.


California proves to be a second-half force AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- J.J. Arrington ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns, and Aaron Rodgers threw for 208 yards and a TD to help No. 13 California pull away from Air Force in a 56-14 victory yesterday. The Bears had touchdowns on their first three possessions and put the game away with five more scores in the second ...


Gulls settling in to varsity roost Joining the ranks of collegiate varsity football last year was like starting from scratch for Endicott College coach J.B. Wells and his staff. With so many talented yet inexperienced players forced to play key roles for the second-year program, which had just moved up from the subvarsity level, Wells and his staff were forced to do a lot of teaching.


HC fails to put up it dukes WORCESTER -- Niel Loebig threw for four touchdowns as Duquesne beat Holy Cross, 31-7, yesterday in the season opener for both teams.


Buckeyes' offense earns no style points in victory COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Lydell Ross rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown, and No. 9 Ohio State's defenders stymied Cincinnati in a 27-6 win yesterday.Justin Zwick, seeing his first substantial playing time at quarterback for the Buckeyes, threw two interceptions and had four fumbles in a rough outing. He completed 14 of 26 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. ...


Benson the catalyst in Longhorns' lambasting AUSTIN, Texas -- Cedric Benson ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 7 Texas revved up its punishing rushing attack and overwhelmed North Texas, 65-0, last night.


Lundy, Cavaliers topple Temple with great ease PHILADELPHIA -- Wali Lundy ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns, and Alvin Pearman returned a punt 70 yards for a score to lead No. 16 Virginia to a 44-14 win over Temple yesterday.


A premier performance by Ware in Georgia debut ATHENS, Ga. -- Danny Ware rushed for 135 yards and three touchdown in his college debut, leading No. 3 Georgia to a 48-28 victory over Division 1-AA Georgia Southern yesterday.


Croom's job is history STARKVILLE, Miss. -- It will be different in November, when he makes the 90-mile journey east back to Tuscaloosa, Ala. Tougher, too. More difficult to control the emotions that he has kept in check for so long, since last December when opportunity and availability finally converged, making him a historic figure.


Huskies score a lopsided win BROOKLINE -- By halftime, with a 41-0 lead over Cheyney University, the only question that remained for Northeastern was whether the final score of this year's season opener at Parsons Field would exceed last year's 78-6 shellacking of Stonehill.


Wildcats spring Sproles for another huge game MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Darren Sproles ran for 221 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries, leading No. 12 Kansas State to a season-opening 27-13 victory over Division 1-AA Western Kentucky last night.


Early outburst gives Gophers smooth sailing MINNEAPOLIS -- Bryan Cupito was 10 of 12 for 279 yards and a touchdown in his first start, and No. 25 Minnesota's running backs picked up where they left off last season in a 63-21 rout of Toledo last night.


Shanks a lot BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana State can thank an Oregon State kicker who could not make extra points for its season-opening victory.


Badgers win opener but may have lost Davis MADISON, Wis. -- John Stocco threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score in his first start for No. 21 Wisconsin, which routed Central Florida, 34-6, yesterday.


Hawkeyes make sure Flashes don't pan out IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Drew Tate threw two touchdown passes in his first start and No. 19 Iowa turned in a dominating defensive performance to blast Kent State, 39-7, in its season opener yesterday.


White helps Oklahoma get off to a fresh start NORMAN, Okla. -- Jason White was 21 of 31 for 238 yards and three touchdowns and No. 2 Oklahoma ended its first two-game losing streak since 1999 with a 40-24 victory over Bowling Green in its opener yesterday.Kejuan Jones rushed for a career-high 148 yards to lead Oklahoma. Adrian Peterson, the Sooners' top-rated high school recruit, flashed brilliance with a ...


Montana pulls rank Colorado transfer Craig Ochs passed for 217 yards and three touchdowns yesterday to lead Montana to a 27-20 victory over Maine in the opener for both teams in Missoula, Mont.


Clemson needs two OTs to dump Wake Forest CLEMSON, S.C. -- Charlie Whitehurst threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Browning in the second overtime, which lifted No. 15 Clemson to a 37-30 victory over Wake Forest yesterday.


Pierce outshines Sharapova Nine Saturdays ago, the answer was Maria Sharapova, the 6-foot Siberian who made the opposition at Wimbledon seem like seven female dwarfs.


Yankee batters hit wall Sidney Ponson pitched a two-hitter for his fourth career shutout, and Rafael Palmeiro hit one of the Baltimore Orioles #39; three homers yesterday in a 7-0 victory in New York over the suddenly punchless Yankees.


MSU counting on Dortch during homecoming at Rutgers Tyrell Dortch #39;s homecoming will be triumphant regardless of how Michigan State #39;s season-opener against Rutgers turns out. There was a time in 2001 when doctors claimed a major victory on


Bryant prosecutor may have hurt re-election bid Mark Hurlbert, the prosecutor who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing a case against Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant before dismissing it, may pay dearly for his decision at the polls in November.


Singh goes low (63) to reach heights NORTON -- There was a warm twilight some 10 hours after the golf had begun, and after a day filled with birdies, eagles, and red numbers, it had come down to this: David Duval standing over a 2 1/2-foot putt to make the cut, while in the fairway some 200 yards away, Vijay Singh waited anxiously for a chance to ...


Sudan committed to resolving Darfur crisis: Bashir KHARTOUM, Sept 4 (AFP) -- Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir declared that he was committed to resolving the crisis in the troubled western Darfur region amid international criticism that his government was not doing enough to stop what the UN has


Saboteurs Blow Up Pipeline Saboteurs blew up an oil pipeline in southern Iraq early today in the latest attack targeting the countrys crucial oil industry, police and oil officials said.


His status is not in the pink NORTON -- Had the numbers shaken out a bit differently, spectators at today's third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship would have had some color with their morning coffee.


4-shot lead for Kerr Cristie Kerr shot her second straight 9-under-par 63 yesterday to take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill.


Mission inside the fault zone BBC correspondent David Shukman meets the scientists who are drilling into California's San Andreas fault.


Week in review DETROIT - The chairman of the world #39;s largest automaker says whoever wins the US presidential race must work across party lines to solve the nation #39;s health care crisis.


French Leaders Discuss Hostage Crisis in Iraq (Reuters) Reuters - French leaders began high-level meetings\on Sunday on the fate of two French hostages in Iraq after\Foreign Minister Michel Barnier returned to Paris empty-handed\from a Middle East rescue mission.


ASEAN, Australia, N.Zealand See 2007 Pact  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Southeast Asian nations, Australia and  New Zealand hope to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) by  2007 after beginning formal negotiations next year, Australian  Trade Minister Mark Vaile said on Sunday.


Russia School Siege Town Prepares to Bury Dead  BESLAN, Russia (Reuters) - The sound of weeping mothers who  lost their children in the bloody end to Russia's school siege  drifted out of the houses of Beslan on Sunday as relatives  prepared to bury the first of 333 people killed.


Russia blasts EU crisis statement Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot tries to defuse a row over a EU statement on Russia's handling of the hostage crisis.


'Suicide pact' leads to tragedy A teenager dies from a suspected drugs overdose after apparently making a suicide pact with her best friend.


Death toll soars to 322 in Russia school siege BESLAN, Russia -- Hundreds of children, their parents, and teachers died in the bloody culmination of a 52-hour siege that began when heavily armed Muslim guerrillas stormed their school Wednesday and ended in hours of battle with Russian troops Friday.


Militants threaten to kill Turk hostage  CAIRO -- Iraqi militants threatened to behead a Turkish truck driver if his company and the Kuwaiti contractor it works for did not stop their operations in Iraq within 48 hours, according to a videotape aired on Arab television yesterday.


Shrinking population threatens an ancient faith  BOMBAY -- For centuries, this city has been the citadel where Zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest religions, has persevered in the face of overwhelming odds.


India and Pakistan agree to widen peace dialogue  NEW DELHI -- Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan agreed yesterday to widen their peace dialogue in talks that focused on eight festering issues, including the decades-old dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir.


South Korean adoptees encounter hurdles in search for roots KUNSAN, South Korea -- The clerk in the police station gives a quizzical look to the young woman in the short green sundress. She has Korean features, but something about her manner and the sweep of her ponytail is distinctly American.


Damascus rebuffs UN on Lebanon ties Syria said yesterday it would deepen ties with Lebanon, despite a UN Security Council resolution warning against outside interference there. The resolution aimed -- in vain -- to head off a vote in Lebanon's parliament to extend the term of the Syrian-backed president, Emile Lahoud, for three years after his current six-year term expires. Many council members regarded the extension ...


Like Democrats, GOP Conventioneers Fail to Lock Down Wireless Newbury Networks #39; wardrive found thousands of unsecured access points around Madison Square Garden, even though the GOP had declared its convention a Wi-Fi free zone.


GREEKS TOPPLED, FRANCE AND TURKEY HELD European champions Greece were given a sharp reminder of the fleeting nature of success in football when they were humbled 2-1 by Albania on Saturday in a World Cup qualifier.


Pre-Human Walked Upright 6 Million Years Ago -Study A chimp-sized human ancestor walked upright 6 million years ago, far earlier than anyone had been able to show before, researchers reported on Thursday.


Rangers top Bosox, ending streak at 10 The Red Sox lost for the first time in 11 games, falling to the Texas Rangers, 8-6, yesterday and missing a chance to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Yankees in the AL East.


Tough stuff for Yanks just beginning You know it #39;s bad when the heaviest hitter on the team in terms of doing damage these past two days turns out to be Kevin Brown, who took the prevailing new theme around Yankee Stadium -  quot;when the goin #39; gets tough, the tough get goin #39;  quot; - just a little


Pope Celebrates Mass Near Hilltop Shrine (AP) AP - Pope John Paul II traveled to a hilltop shrine near the Adriatic Sea Sunday to celebrate an open-air Mass attended by tens of thousands of pilgrims.


Cotrone wrestling at Oklahoma Dan Cotrone of Hanover, the all-New England Prep All-American heavyweight wrestler at the Tilton School in New Hampshire last year, is now attending the University of Oklahoma and vying for a spot on the Sooners's varsity wrestling team.


Tapit is 2-1 favorite in Pennsylvania Derby BENSALEM, Pa. -- This was supposed to be a salute to Smarty Jones, a run on his home track before a rapturous crowd at Philadelphia Park.


Nikkei Ends Down for 2nd Day  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average fell for a  second straight session on Tuesday, closing 0.99 percent lower  after the dollar's retreat below 103 yen put pressure on  exporters such as Sony Corp.


Standing up to Syria THERE ARE occasions when symbolic gestures in the realm of diplomacy are worth making, and the UN Security Council resolution that Washington and Paris sponsored Thursday to denounce Syria #39;s flagrant manipulation of Lebanese politics was one of those


S.Korea's Roh Sees Slow Progress in 6-Party Talks (Reuters) Reuters - South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said\on Sunday he expected only slow progress in the six-nation\talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions but retained hopes\for a diplomatic resolution.


Two killed in bomb blast in Bangladesh (AFP) AFP - Two people were killed and seven injured in a bomb blast near a military compound on the outskirts of Bangladesh's northeastern city of Sylhet, police said.


Signs of Discord as Indo-Pakistan Ministers Meet  NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Signs of discord emerged between  India and Pakistan as foreign ministers from the nuclear-armed  rivals met on Sunday to review and advance a peace process that  has faltered recently over Kashmir.


Typhoon Songda Batters Southern Japan  TOKYO (Reuters) - High winds and heavy rain lashed Japan's  southernmost prefecture of Okinawa on Sunday, swamping  buildings and stranding holidaymakers, as the third powerful  typhoon in three weeks neared the country's coast.


Bryant #39;s been a trial for city witness Relieved in more ways than one is how a Calgary woman drawn into Kobe Bryant #39;s legal troubles is feeling now the criminal case is closed.


Car bomb kills 20 in Kirkuk A suicide attacker yesterday detonated a car bomb outside an Iraqi police academy, killing 20 people and wounding 36 in the latest attack designed to thwart US-backed efforts


Massive Hurricane Frances Smothers Florida (Reuters) Reuters - Hurricane Frances smothered eastern\Florida on Sunday with drenching rains and fierce winds that\ripped away roofs, trees and boat moorings and cut power to 1.3\million homes and businesses.


Egyptian found dead in northern Iraq (AFP) AFP - The body of an Egyptian was found on a road north of the Iraqi town of Tikrit, police and medical sources said.


US employment glass is either half-empty or half-full One, an 80-page tract from the conservative Employment Policy Foundation, paints a Horatio Alger portrait of a nation becoming more competitive globally, thanks in part to small-business growth and a surge in self-employment.


Philadelphia joins the list of cities mulling wireless Internet <b>...</b> For about \$10 million, city officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world #39;s largest wireless Internet hot spot.


Appeals court revives Oracle shareholder case While Oracle Corp. awaits a judge #39;s decision on whether it can continue in its quest to acquire PeopleSoft Inc., the company faced a setback in an unrelated case.


Kasprowicz causes dilemma AUSTRALIA captain Ricky Ponting says the form of Michael Kasprowicz has left the world champions with a problem to solve ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, which gets underway in England this week.


Sachin Is Finally Out Of Champions Trophy London, Sept. 4 (NNN): Master-blaster Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was finally ruled out of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy starting here on September 10.


One dead after World Cup qualifier One man has died and seven have been injured in clashes between Greek and Albanian fans in Greece following the World Cup qualifier game played between the two countries in Tirana, police say.


Kyushu braces for powerful typhoon A large and powerful typhoon that brought heavy rains and strong winds to Okinawa #39;s main island and Amami Islands Sunday is likely to hit Kyushu Tuesday, the Meteorological Agency said.


Two Killed, 10 Hurt in Latest Bangladesh Blast Two people were killed and 10 wounded in a bomb blast in Bangladesh #39;s northeastern Sylhet town on Sunday, police said. They said the blast occurred outside a cinema hall in the town, 219 miles from Dhaka.


Mid-cap may not be only choice Most experts expect mid-cap #39; #39; stocks, or stocks issued by medium-size companies, to perform well as our economy expands.


They like it here -- we knew they would When you #39;re from Boston, you get used to knowing everything about everything, especially sports. It #39;s as simple as that. When the hometown is


Bomb explosion near US base A CAR bomb exploded outside an air base used by US forces near Dijiel, about 40km north of Baghdad, the US military and police said.


Pope Celebrates Mass Near Hilltop Shrine Pope John Paul II traveled to a hilltop shrine near the Adriatic Sea Sunday to celebrate an open-air Mass attended by tens of thousands of pilgrims.


WRAPUP 1-Open-Roddick keeps home flag flying in New York Defending champion Andy Roddick kept the home flag flying at the US Open on Friday, but it was a bad day for his compatriots as only two American men reached the


Tamada on pole for Portuguese Grand Prix Japan #39;s Makoto Tamada powered into pole position for Sunday #39;s Portuguese Grand Prix, setting a lap record just before the end of qualifying on Saturday.


Foot fault Unranked and 18-point underdogs, Oregon State came into Death Valley and nearly shocked the nation Saturday night. After a 47-minute weather delay, the Beavers outplayed fourth-ranked


Pope Celebrates Mass Near Hilltop Shrine A frail Pope John Paul II traveled to a hilltop shrine near the Adriatic Sea on Sunday, putting three more Catholics on the road to sainthood during an open-air Mass attended by some 200,000 pilgrims.


Coffee, Tea or Job? For Airline Workers, an Uncertain Future or decades, an airline job was a coveted plum. Good pay, generous benefits, strong unions and the glamour of air travel made pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and even baggage handlers the envy of their neighbors.


World Needs More Oil Capacity -Watchdog (Reuters) Reuters - An extra 3 million barrels per day (bpd)\of production capacity worldwide is needed to avoid another\year of blistering oil prices, International Energy Agency\(IEA) executive director Claude Mandil warned on Sunday.


ASEAN, Australia, N.Zealand See 2007 Pact (Reuters) Reuters - Southeast Asian nations, Australia and


Eurozone data to show growth based on exports, consumption weak (AFP) AFP - Data to be released this week are expected to confirm that the eurozone's economic recovery is fueled by strong export demand, not consumption or investment, and that Britain's industrial sector is gaining steam, analysts said.


Hong Kong Democrats in Public Rally Ahead of Polls  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's scandal-rocked  pro-democracy camp joined hands on Sunday to stage a public  rally ahead of crucial legislative elections next weekend, the  biggest test of public mood since district elections in  November.


Strong quake hits western Japan An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 shakes western Japan, reportedly making tall buildings sway in Tokyo.


Police to question 'suicide pact' girl Police wait to speak to a seriously ill teenager whose friend died after the girls made an apparent suicide pact.


Car Bomb Explodes Near U.S. Base in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb exploded outside an air base used by U.S. forces near Dijiel, about 25 miles north of Baghdad, the U.S...


It Takes Time to Judge the True Impact of New Technology   About this time last year, I wrote a column following up on some pieces I'd written earlier to see what if anything new had happened to those topics. The reaction I heard afterwards convinced me that revisiting old news was a worthwhile exercise -- in general, it's too easy for tech reporters to lose sight of how a product works over time in the real world, as opposed to a brief trial in a reviewer's hands.


Internet's Speed Increases As It Turns 35 Years Old   As the Internet turned 35 last week, Web speed-demons claimed a new record for how fast data can be transmitted over computer networks, announcing they had sent the equivalent of a big fat DVD movie file from Switzerland to California in a few seconds.


Mobile Mappers Stop Short of Ideal  Thanks to such free mapping sites as MapQuest and Yahoo Maps, it's been a while since road warriors have had to sketch out a route with a yellow highlighter, guessing which shortcuts to take or avoid. Instead, they can just type in start and destination addresses and print out crisply labeled, turn-by-turn directions, with the only cost being some printer ink.


Apple, eBay, Intel make waves; what is a nanometer? (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Maybe you were out of town last week, or maybe you just weren't paying attention. That's OK. Here's a quick rundown of what you missed, culled from reports by our staff and wire services.


Russian School Siege Town Buries First of Its Dead  BESLAN, Russia (Reuters) - The sound of weeping mothers who  lost their sons and daughters in Russia's school siege drifted  out of the homes of Beslan on Sunday as the first burials were  held for some of the 338 people killed.


Signs of Discord Emerge as Indo-Pak Ministers Meet  NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Signs of discord emerged between  India and Pakistan as foreign ministers from the nuclear-armed  rivals met on Sunday to review and advance a peace process that  has faltered recently over Kashmir.


Evacuees vow never to return to storm-ravaged towns Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. INFANTA, Quezon, Philippines -- Severina Espedero has nothing but the clothes she is wearing.


Johnny Depp Says He Actually Enjoys Aging VENICE, Italy - Unlike legions of other Hollywood stars, hipster heartthrob Johnny Depp says he actually enjoys aging. The boyish-looking Depp - who plays the author of "Peter Pan" in his latest picture "Finding Neverland" - was asked if the children's character famed for never growing old made him wish for the same power...


Russian Town Mourns As Putin Vows Fight BESLAN, Russia - Wails of mourning echoed through the streets of this southern Russian town on Sunday, and the region's top police officer reportedly resigned in the wake of the school hostage-taking that left more than 380 people dead - nearly half of them children.    A shaken President Vladimir Putin went on national television Saturday to make a rare and candid admission of Russian weakness in the face of an "all-out war" by terrorists...


Frances Pounds Florida, Weakens Slightly STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances weakened slightly but pounded Florida relentlessly with high wind and heavy rain Sunday after it smashed across the state's east coast, knocking out power to 2 million people and forcing residents to withstand a prolonged lashing that shredded roofs and uprooted trees...


Business Sentiment Improves for First Time in Four Months The business sentiment index in the domestic economy has finally showed a mild upturn in the last four months. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) reported Sunday that,  quot;According to a survey conducted


Digital Bridges sign major deal with EA DIGITAL Bridges, the mobile phone games company, has acquisitions in its sights after signing an exclusive deal with the worlds biggest computer game publisher.


India wins toss, elects to bat India won the toss and elected to bat first in the third one-day international against England in the NatWest Trophy at Lord #39;s today.


QB dilemma still haunts Spartans Dale Rogers completed 85.7 percent of his passes, committed no turnovers and was the team #39;s leading rusher. Yet the Spartans still lost by 40 to Stanford.


Dogs have their day After toying with Division 1-AA Georgia Southern, the Georgia Bulldogs football team broke open the game with a 28-point third quarter, defeating the Eagles 48-28 in the season opener for both teams Saturday afternoon at Sanford Stadium.


Anwar in Munich for treatment Malaysian rebel politician Anwar Ibrahim has arrived in the southern German city of Munich for medical treatment. He arrived at a clinic in Munich under bright blue skies on Sunday


For airline employees, it #39;s the end of a golden age For decades, an airline job was a coveted plum. Good pay, generous benefits, strong unions and the glamor of air travel made pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and even baggage handlers the envy of their neighbors.


INTERVIEW: IEA Head Renews Call For OPEC Capacity Boost SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--OPEC should reaffirm its willingness to increase oil production when it meets next month and give a clear commitment to boosting production capacity, the head of the International


Stanford rolls to 43-3 football win Stanford, Calif.----Stanford took advantage of some size mismatches in the first half and then scored touchdowns on its first three second-half possessions en route to a 43-3 victory over San Jose State in the season-opening football game for both teams.


Woodward apologises for criticising clubs Former England coach Clive Woodward has apologised for his stinging comments about owners, directors and coaches at some English clubs.


Russia mourns siege victims Mourners were preparing on Sunday for the first funerals of more than 330 hostages killed in Russia #39;s school hostage siege as a top local official reportedly resigned over the crisis.


Radical cleric issues fatwa demanding release of French reporters (AFP) AFP - A leading radical Iraqi cleric issued a fatwa (Islamic decree) demanding the immediate release of two French reporters held hostage for more than two weeks.


Hurricane losses may reach \$10bn Hurricane Frances could cause between \$2bn and \$10bn in insured losses in the US, experts predict as the storm pummels Florida.


Blair - Wembley key to 2012 Tony Blair says the completion of Wembley will boost London's hopes of staging the 2012 Olympics.


What the Scottish Sunday papers say The Sunday Mail leads with the news that the official death toll from the Russian school siege in Beslan has risen to 348. The Sunday Post claims the figure could reach 400 and reports on Vladimir Putin #39;s


Rep Ireland 3, Cyprus 0 and then dedicated his feat to the memory of his late father. Keane scored the third goal in Ireland #39;s 3-0 victory over Cyprus as manager Brian


Iraqi Government Bans Al-Jazeera  quot;Indefinitely quot; BAGHDAD, Sept 5 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - The US-allied Iraqi government has extended the closure of Al-Jazeera offices in Iraq indefinitely, not only provoking the outrage of the Qatar-based network and media watchdogs, but also casting deep


Pope Prays for Beslan School Dead at Italy Mass Pope John Paul prayed for the victims of the  quot;inhumane violence quot; of Russia #39;s Beslan school tragedy as he said Mass on Sunday before 200,000 people in central Italy.


Two Killed, 10 Hurt in Latest Bangladesh Blast Two people were killed and 10 wounded in a bomb blast in northeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, in the latest of a series of attacks that have killed at least 107 people in the country since 2000, police said.


Actors hit Venice despite protest Actors Al Pacino, Kate Winslet and Johnny Depp attend the Venice Film Festival despite protests.


AMD Tweaks Intel with PR Coup In a move as predictable as the sun rising in the east, AMD drew a PR bead on Intel last week and managed to get a small bottle of ink spilled over how it had showed off a dual-core x86 90nm Opteron at its facilities in Austin, Texas on Tuesday.


Cazenove Shareholders to Meet as Company Weighs Possible Offers Cazenove Group Plc, Britain #39;s oldest independent stockbroker, will hold its annual shareholder meeting Tuesday after the Financial Times reported it #39;s weighing offers from two US banks.


No Strawberries and Cream: Sharapova Ousted by Pierce Maria Sharapova suffered a harsh introduction Saturday to the expectations that will stalk her for the rest of her career. After a third-round loss at the US


England held by Austria, Greece stunned in Albania England #39;s World Cup qualifying campaign got off to a miserable start yesterday when it squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Austria in Group Six.


PREVIEW-Open-Roddick and Williams to star on Sunday The first week of the US Open concludes on Sunday with Andy Roddick and Serena Williams the star attractions at Flushing Meadows. While many New Yorkers head out


It #39;s over for DLS gridmen The longest winning streak in high school football history came to a crushing end late Saturday night. De La Salle High School, which had fashioned 12 consecutive undefeated


Turkish company announces it is withdrawing from Iraq to save <b>...</b> A Turkish company said Sunday it was withdrawing from Iraq a day after Iraqi militants threatened to behead its employee unless it ceased operations in the country, the Anatolia news agency reported.


Iraq's Survival Still at Stake, Report Warns (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq could splinter into civil war and\destabilize the whole region if the interim government, U.S.\forces and United Nations fail to hold the ring among factions\struggling for power, according to a British thinktank.


To get or not to get Windows XP Service Pack 2? That is the <b>...</b> The talk in the computer world seems to be whether or not to get Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Service Pack 2. Both sides of the argument offer pros and cons as to whether or not computer users should proceed with this upgrade.


Talk Now Mark II limps out JUST HOW MANY times can you  #39;soft launch #39; a product? Well, Orange has already launched Talk Now - its Push-to-Talk (PTT) service -wice this year.


Honda/IBM improve speech-recognition system Honda Motor Co., with software help from IBM, is preparing to introduce an improved speech-recognition system as standard equipment on the 2005 Acura RL sedan.


Aliens Attempting To Contact Earth? Are extraterrestrials attempting to contact earth? The thought that ET may be sending out radio signals from somewhere in outer space is creating a buzz and astronomers involved in the search for extraterrestrial


Update 1: Red Hat Hires New CFO From Burlington Red Hat Inc. hired a new chief financial officer as it tries to bolster its sagging stock price and expand into new foreign markets.


EA to boost mobile-phone games Gaming giant Electronic Arts will boost production of video games for mobile phones over the next nine months, bringing top-selling franchises  quot;Fifa Football quot; and  quot;The Sims quot; to handsets, the company says.


Interstellar mail service: It #39;s slow, but no static NEW YORK Ever since 1960, when a Cornell University astronomer named Frank Drake pointed a radio telescope at a pair of nearby stars on the chance that he might hear a  quot;howdy quot; from extraterrestrial beings, astronomers have persevered in the notion that


Donald wins European Masters European Ryder Cup player Luke Donald shot a 5-under-par 66 Sunday to win the European Masters by five strokes for his second European tour victory.


Tendulkar loss  #39;no excuse #39; Indian great Sunil Gavaskar says Sachin Tendulkar #39;s injury-enforced absence cannot excuse the side #39;s poor batting performances in England.


Rossi rushing towards world title Italy #39;s Valentino Rossi, riding a Yamaha, won the Portuguese MotoGP race for the fourth year in a row to close on the world championship crown.


First-night nerves for England, France England and France opened their 2006 World Cup campaigns with frustrating draws while European champion Greece crashed back to earth with an embarrassing defeat in Albania.


New York Yankees Team Report - September 5 (Sports Network) - The Yankees will try to get back on the winning track this afternoon, when they try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium.


No longer feared by rivals, Serena just sheep in wolf #39;s clothing MUCH of the New York mentality these days is governed by what is said on late-night television talk shows. So when one particular inquisitor asked Maria Sharapova to explain how she was able to dismantle such


Former Saddam Deputy Arrested in Iraq Iraqi forces Sunday captured Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the most wanted member of Saddam Hussein #39;s ousted dictatorship, Iraq #39;s top information official told The Associated Press.


Russian Town Mourns As Putin Vows Fight BESLAN, Russia Sept. 5, 2004 - Wails of mourning echoed through the streets of this southern Russian town on Sunday, and the region #39;s top police officer reportedly resigned in the wake of the school hostage


Violence Displaces Over 3,000 More in Darfur-UN More than 3,000 people have been displaced since the end of August by violence in an area of North Darfur state in the troubled western region of Sudan, a United Nations report said on Sunday.


Second Strong Quake Hits West Japan, Tsunami Warning A second strong earthquake measuring 7.3 on the open-ended Richter scale hit western Japan on Sunday evening, just hours after the region was rocked by a similarly intense quake, public broadcaster NHK said.


Labor win fine: retailer Business feared the Labor Party in government because of its links with unions, Harvey Norman chief executive Gerry Harvey said. But Mr Harvey also said that having the Coalition or Labor in government made little difference to the economy.


Two Killed, 10 Hurt in Latest Bangladesh Blast Two people were killed and 10 wounded in a bomb blast in northeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, in the latest of a series of attacks that have killed more than 100 people in the past four years, police said.


Falling Dow hits markets SHARES are set for a bumpy ride after Wall Street lost ground on the weekend, derailed by weak US jobs data and a poor prognosis from Intel which sparked worries for the health of the tech sector.


HBOS to decide this week on Abbey The board of HBOS is due to decide this week whether to bid against Spanish bank Santander for local rival Abbey National, newspapers say, but HBOS declined to comment.


Calpine betting state needs juice Tucked against a dry San Jose hillside, Calpine Corp. #39;s next power plant is a \$500 million leap of faith. Workers swarm through the plant #39;s five-story metal skeleton, the shriek of power tools piercing the air, as they work for completion next spring.


HP, Sun Lead in Worldwide Storage Systems Both HP and Sun claimed they were the worldwide leader in storage systems. Sun Microsystems announced that its Network Storage division took the leading position in UNIX disk storage systems factory revenue


Yankees: Brown #39;s fire sometimes burns a little too hot The flushed toilet turned the already hot water into a scalding stream from the shower nozzle. Kevin Brown bellowed, then stormed out of the stall, picked up a baseball


Saddam trial to begin before January election: Iraqi minister The trial of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his cronies, including number two Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri whose arrest was announced on Sunday, will begin before elections due in January, an Iraqi minister said.


SMIC establishes first 12-inch chip production line in mainland Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, or SMIC, has established a 12-inch chip production line in Beijing, the first of its kind on the Chinese mainland.


Philly Considers Wireless Internet For All Sep. 02, 2004. Forget finding an Internet cafe. For less than what it costs to build a small library, city officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world #39;s largest wireless Internet hot spot.


Solberg takes inaugural Rally Japan Motorsport.com. Petter Solberg claimed a comfortable victory on Rally Japan, keeping his WRC championship hopes alive, and giving a home-soil victory to the Subaru team.


NCAA Football: LSU Tigers Edge out Oregon State Beavers 22-21 US college football #39;s fourth-ranked Louisiana State University Tigers eked out a 22-21 overtime victory over the unranked Oregon State Beavers late Saturday on the first full day of action.


Checking out or whatever amount for which it is written. Under the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, commonly known


Funds: Fund Mergers Can Hurt Investors (Reuters) Reuters - Mergers and acquisitions have\played an enormous role in the U.S. economy during the past\several decades, but sometimes the results have been bad for\consumers.  Similarly, consolidation in the mutual fund\business has sometimes hurt fund investors.


Newbiz: an Unconventional Asset-The Past (Reuters) Reuters - When businesses consider their\assets, they may look at obvious things like products,\buildings, equipment, patents, even valued employees. But the\company's history?


Greek, Albanian Fans Clash After Match (AP) AP - Greek and Albanian soccer fans fought across the country, and Athens police fired tear gas to disperse crowds following a loss by European champion Greece in a World Cup qualifier.


Univision Movil Bows with Bilingual Downloads (Reuters) Reuters - AG Interactive and Univision\Communications launched Univision Movil Sept. 1. The new brand\provides bilingual wireless downloads.


Greenspan Takes Center Stage This Week  LONDON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Alan  Greenspan's testimony on Capitol Hill midweek will be the main  draw for global financial markets this week in the absence of  significant data either side of the Atlantic, analysts said.


Funds: Fund Mergers Can Hurt Investors  PORTLAND, Maine (Reuters) - Mergers and acquisitions have  played an enormous role in the U.S. economy during the past  several decades, but sometimes the results have been bad for  consumers.  Similarly, consolidation in the mutual fund  business has sometimes hurt fund investors.


Roddick and Williams to Star on Sunday at U.S. Open  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The first week of the U.S. Open  concludes Sunday with Andy Roddick and Serena Williams the star  attractions at Flushing Meadows.


Newbiz: an Unconventional Asset-The Past  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When businesses consider their  assets, they may look at obvious things like products,  buildings, equipment, patents, even valued employees. But the  company's history?


Locals Fight Wal-Mart Store Near Ancient Mexico Ruin (Reuters) Reuters - In the shadow of colossal\pyramids left by a great Mexican civilization, a Wal-Mart\rises, and some locals have gone to court to overturn its\approval.


ASEAN, Australia, N.Zealand See 2007 Deal  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Southeast Asian nations, Australia and  New Zealand hope to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) by  2007 after beginning formal negotiations next year, government  ministers said on Sunday.


Colts trio at receiver nears NFL milestone Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning isn #39;t staging a one-man assault on Dan Marino #39;s single-season touchdown record.


No Extra Points for This One; LSU Survives in OT  Baton Rouge, La. (Sports Network) - Redshirt freshman  kicker Alexis Serna's third missed extra point of the game in  overtime allowed the fourth-ranked LSU Tigers to escape with a  22-21 victory over Oregon State.


No. 3 Georgia Wins Opener  Athens, Ga. (Sports Network) - Danny Ware rushed for 135  yards and three touchdowns in his collegiate debut, as No. 3  Georgia held off Division I-AA Georgia Southern, 48-28, in the  season opener for both schools at Sanford Stadium.


Nintendo DS a major upgrade from Game Boy machines SACRAMENTO BEE. NINTENDO has been on top of the handheld gaming market for 15 years. Its various Game Boy machines have sold more than 100 million units since the first model.


Second Strong Quake Hits West Japan, Tsunami Warning  TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake measuring about 7.3 on the  Richter scale shook western Japan on Sunday, the second strong  quake to hit a area in five hours, and evacuations were ordered  due to approaching tsunamis, broadcaster NHK reported.


EU warns Italy on Alitalia stake The Italian state must give up its majority stake in troubled Alitalia when the airline sells new shares, the EU warns.


S.Africa Cancels Thatcher Meeting with Eq. Guinea  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa has canceled a  meeting with prosecutors from Equatorial Guinea who had hoped  to interview Mark Thatcher on his suspected links to a coup  plot in the oil-rich country, officials said on Sunday.


Violence Displaces Over 3,000 More in Darfur-UN  KHARTOUM (Reuters) - More than 3,000 people have been  displaced since the end of August by violence in an area of  North Darfur state in the troubled western region of Sudan, a  United Nations report said on Sunday.


'Policemen killed' in Saudi chase Three Saudi security staff are killed while chasing suspected militants, state television says.


Schroeder faces new poll defeat Voting is under way in the German state of Saarland, with polls predicting another  defeat for the Social Democrats.


Sudan willing to allow in more Darfur observers, official says KHARTOUM -- Sudan does not object to the deployment of more foreign cease-fire monitors and troops to the troubled Darfur region, Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said yesterday.


One by One, Iraqi Cities Become No-Go Zones In Iraq, the list of places from which American soldiers have either withdrawn or decided to visit only rarely is growing.


U.S. Near Seizing Bin Laden, Official Says ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The United States and its allies have moved closer to capturing Osama bin Laden in the last two months, a top U.S. counterterrorism official said in a television interview broadcast...


Frances Strikes, Knocks Out Power to 4M STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances pounded Florida with high wind and heavy rain Sunday after it smashed across the state's east coast, knocking out power to 4 million people, shredding roofs and uprooting trees...


Militants Seek Group Edict on Kidnappings BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi militant group appealed Sunday to an influential Sunni Muslim organization for an edict on whether the kidnapping of foreigners who work for occupation forces is acceptable under Islam.    The appeal came as a Turkish transportation company, Renay International, announced it would withdraw from Iraq a day after Iraqi militants threatened to behead one of its employees - the latest company to meet kidnappers' demands to go...


4 Million Without Power As Frances Strikes STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances pounded Florida with high wind and heavy rain Sunday after it smashed across the state's east coast, knocking out power to 4 million people and forcing residents to withstand a prolonged lashing that shredded roofs and uprooted trees...


Will September Be Good for Stocks? NEW YORK - Wall Street professionals know to keep their expectations in check in September, historically the worst month of the year for stocks. As summertime draws to a close, money managers are getting back to business, cleaning house, and often sending the market lower in the process...


Former Saddam Deputy Reportedly Captured Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested a man believed to be the most-wanted Saddam Hussein aide still on the run in a bloody raid on Sunday in which 70 of his supporters were killed and 80 captured, the government said.


Defenseless Targets Close to 350 die, half of them children, after Chechen rebels take an entire school hostage. What the siege means for Russia


Jobs Data Give Fed Green Light for Sept Rate Hike A moderate rise in August payrolls sealed expectations on Friday that the Federal Reserve will continue its rate-hike campaign in September without a pause.


Donald clinches European Masters title by five strokes Britain #39;s Luke Donald repaid Bernhard Langer faith in him by winning the European Masters on Sunday the week after the European Ryder Cup captain handed him a wild-card.


IBM and Intel to open up blade specifications SEPTEMBER 02, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - In an effort to encourage hardware vendors to build components for the blade platform they co-developed, Intel Corp.


ROSSI CLOSES IN ON WORLD TITLE Valentino Rossi moved a step nearer his fourth world championship title with a dominant victory in the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril today.


US Postal dominate Vuelta opener LEON, Spain -- The all-conquering US Postal squad left arch-rival T-Mobile trailing to win the opening team time trial stage of the Tour of Spain (La Vuelta) cycle race on Saturday.


Hurricane Hits Florida, Cutting Power and Water for Millions Shrieking winds and angry sheets of rain thrashed Florida's coast as Hurricane Frances hit land early this morning and was making its way slowly across the state.


Orange Launches Talk Now Orange announced the commercial availability of Talk Now, Europes first advanced Push-To-Talk service. Over the last nine months, Orange has engaged in customer trials across Europe to develop and refine


Two firms say to quit Iraq to save Turkish hostage Two employers of a Turkish truck driver taken hostage in Iraq have agreed to pull out of the country following a threat by his captors to behead him, media sources report.


IT Stocks to Influence KOSPI The information technology (IT) sector is expected to set the tone of the Korean stock market in the near term after Intel, the worlds largest semiconductor maker, slashed its third-quarter sales forecast last Thursday.


UPDATE 2-Rossi wins Portuguese Grand Prix again Italy #39;s Valentino Rossi won the MotoGP Portuguese Grand Prix on Sunday for the fourth year in a row after snatching the lead on the first lap.


World Cup of Hockey: Canada boosts record to 3-0 Martin Brodeur made 27 saves, and Brad Richards, Kris Draper and Joe Sakic scored goals to help Canada beat Russia 3-1 last night in the World Cup of Hockey, giving the Canadians a 3-0 record in round-robin play.


Millions Flee Hurricane Frances Two-and-a-half million people have been told to get out of the way of hurricane Frances. #39; #39;. The storm is aiming at a 480-kilometre stretch of Florida #39;s Atlantic coast.


The ABCs of Back-To-School Electronics (AP) AP - For back-to-school shoppers, a new alphabet reigns, and it starts with E for electronics. With camera cell phones and the Apple iPod music player topping student wish lists, some of the hottest gadgets have little to do with pen or paper, much less studying.


World focuses on Darfur, but victims of Sudan's other conflicts neglected (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - While the world focuses on the crisis in Darfur, three times as many people have been suffering for many more years in two other conflicts involving the Sudanese government.


Branson earmarks \$300m for mobile JV in China Virgin Group chief Richard Branson said on Tuesday he has earmarked \$300 million for a cellular phone joint venture in China, the worlds largest mobile market by users.


Keane set to reinforce Ireland against Swiss Manchester United captain Roy Keane could reinforce Ireland for their World Cup qualifier away to Switzerland in Basel on Wednesday.


Microsoft Sees Open-Source Threat Looming Ever Larger (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - The software maker is facing growing pressure from open-source software across every segment of its business #151;a competitive threat that could have significant consequences for its financial future going forward, Microsoft said in its latest 10-K filing to the SEC.


Pilots Aim to Catch Space Capsule in Air (AP) AP - In a harrowing feat high over the Utah desert Wednesday, two helicopter stunt pilots will try to snatch a floating space capsule that holds "a piece of the sun" and bring it safely down.


Cheney May Help or Hinder Bush's Chances (AP) AP - Vice President Dick Cheney, enormously popular with conservatives, will be key to turning out the Republican base this November. But campaign officials say they will use Cheney to persuade undecided voters as well.


Dollar slide has only a muted short-term impact on EADS: CEO BEIJING : The dramatic fall of the dollar against the euro will would have only a muted short-term impact on Europe #39;s largest defense company but if sustained, it would affect future profitability, the head of EADS said.


Voter Discontent May Hurt Afghan Leader (AP) AP - President Hamid Karzai rarely misses an opportunity to laud Afghanistan's 3 million former refugees for "voting with their feet" by returning to support their homeland's budding democracy.


B.C.'s Citizens' Assembly on electoral reform getting close to decision (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - Less than a year before British Columbia plays host to the 2010 Winter Olympics, provincial voters may be choosing their government using a different, more fair and more popular system.


Cahill, Rove Lead Presidential Campaigns (AP) AP - Karl Rove is a smooth, jovial political operative with a Texas-honed reputation as a ruthless competitor and three George W. Bush victories under his belt. Mary Beth Cahill is a daughter of Boston's rough-and-tumble ward battles who just last year brought her no-nonsense organizational skills to Democratic opponent John Kerry's camp.


Impressive Haas Continues Comeback Run at Open  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tommy Haas continued his impressive  comeback from injury with a dominant 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over  Brazilian qualifier Ricardo Mello Sunday to reach the fourth  round of the U.S. Open.


Serena Crushes Schnyder to Reach Quarter-Finals  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Third seed Serena Williams served up  her best performance of the U.S. Open to date as she beat  Switzerland's Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the  quarter-finals.


Impressive Haas Continues Comeback Run at Open  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Germany's Tommy Haas continued his  impressive comeback from injury with a 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory  over Brazilian qualifier Ricardo Mello to reach the fourth  round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.


Disney's Eisner Sees Iger as Successor  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive  Michael Eisner said company President Robert Iger is his  "preferred choice" to succeed him in running the entertainment  conglomerate, according to an interview in Sunday's Los Angeles  Times.


Slow Job Market Greets Workers Labor Day WASHINGTON Sept. 5, 2004 - A spotty job market and stagnant paychecks cloud this Labor Day holiday for many workers, highlighting the importance of pocketbook issues in the presidential election.


Filmmaker Examines Jobs Lost to Outsourcing, Offshore Production US industry is increasingly turning to countries like Mexico and China for its manufacturing, and to India for high-end services like computer programming.


World Needs More Oil Capacity -Watchdog An extra 3 million barrels per day (bpd) of production capacity worldwide is needed to avoid another year of blistering oil prices, International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Claude Mandil warned on Sunday.


Update 1: Sources: EU Closer to Coke Settlement The European Union is moving closer to settling its long-running antitrust case against The Coca-Cola Co., having judged the beverage giant #39;s offer to modify distribution deals in Europe good enough to begin gauging the industry #39;s reaction, sources close


Prodi unveils plan to ease deficit rules European Commission president Romano Prodi has unveiled proposals to loosen the deficit rules under the EU Stability Pact. The loosening was drafted by monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia, who stood beside the president at the announcement.


iMac G5: A new option Last week, Mac loyalists had gathered for an announcement they have been waiting for months to hear. Sitting at the Paris Apple Expo or crouched in front of a computer screen in a Mac chat room, thousands


Sun King is out with a begging bowl now London, September 5: Heaping ridicule on the Indian team, thrashed by a resurgent home side in the first two Natwest Challenge matches, former England captain Mike Atherton has said Sun King Sourav Ganguly has now been reduced to pauper status.


Yanks #39; righthander could miss rest of season BRONX -- New York Yankees righthander Kevin Brown underwent surgery Sunday for a broken left hand and is expected to miss at least three weeks and perhaps the rest of the season.


Alessandro Petacchi Claims 2nd Stage of Tour of Spain Italian cyclist Alessandro Petacchi won the second stage of the Tour of Spain in a mass sprint finish, as Dutchman Max van Heeswijk claimed the leader #39;s yellow jersey.


Rutgers Makes Bid for Prime Time With Opening Win Freshman Jeremy Ito kicked four field goals and Ryan Neill scored on a 31-yard interception return to lead improving Rutgers to a 19-14 victory yesterday over visiting Michigan State.


PRIEST-DIRECTOR SAW  #39;PROPER #39; OVITZ FIRING Father Leo O #39;Donovan, a Walt Disney Co. director and Jesuit priest, testified that he believed CEO Michael Eisner had the  quot;proper authority quot; to boot Michael Ovitz from the company.


Beslan mourns as Putin vows tough response to  #39;all-out war #39; by <b>...</b> Funeral processions snaked through this grief-racked town as relatives buried victims of the school siege in southern Russia in rows of freshly dug graves Sunday.


Saddam to Face Trial  #39;Within Weeks #39; Saddam Hussein and other detained members of the deposed Iraqi regime will face trial within a few weeks, Iraqs minister of state said today.


Kashmiri leader calls for more involvement in India-Pakistan talks A Kashmiri separatist leader has met Pakistan #39;s Foreign Minister to urge greater involvement of Kashmiris in the ongoing India-Pakistan peace dialogue.


ASEAN-India FTA set to kick off in January Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed on Sunday to start implementing a planned free trade area (FTA) with economic powerhouse India in January next year.


Malaysia #39;s Prime Minister denies deal over Ibrahim Malaysia #39;s Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi denies he struck a deal with Anwar Ibrahim before the rebel politician was freed last week after nearly six years in jail.


Earthquakes rattle western Japan AN earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter Scale hit western Japan this morning, just hours after another strong quake rocked the area.


Extended Iraq ban outrages Aljazeera BAGHDAD (Aljazeera) -- Iraqi security forces stormed into Aljazeera #39;s Baghdad office on Saturday and sealed it with red wax. Iraqi officials said the channel had not respected the closure order nor answered


Exit Polls Indicate Germany #39;s Social Democrats Lose State Election Exit polls say German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder #39;s Social Democrats have been defeated in a local election in the western state of Saarland.


Senator: Commander Told of Military Drain (AP) AP - A former Senate Intelligence Committee chairman asserted Sunday that the general who ran the war in Afghanistan said more than a year before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that his resources were being shifted in preparation for taking on Saddam Hussein.


Coke to alter sales practices Coca-Cola on Friday agreed to alter its sales practices in some European markets, an offer likely to bring to an end a five-year investigation by the European Commission into whether the soft drinks giant was stifling retail competition.


Shoppers: Moneyed vs. Worried Retail sales were generally lackluster in August. Some outfits blamed Hurricane Charlie. Others pointed the finger at gas prices or the late start to the back-to-school shopping season.


New-look India shine How refreshing that an entire summer of predictable one-day cricket should end with a match that turned the formbook on its head. India looked down and out of this match when they were bowled


Doan, Draper and Thornton gives Team Canada an impressive checking <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Just calling them the checking line seems strange, given that a star player like Joe Thornton is at centre. But that #39;s exactly what they are in the current Team Canada set-up, Thornton between


Petacchi unstoppable in Tour of Spain Italian Alessandro Petacchi scooped the bunch sprint to win Sunday #39;s second stage of the Tour of Spain. German Erik Zabel was second in the 207 k run from Leon to Burgos with Spaniard Oscar Freire finishing third.


Schroeder's SPD Routed in Saarland, Far Right Gains  BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's  Social Democrats slumped to their worst result in 44 years in  the western state of Saarland on Sunday as voters punished the  party for its painful economic reforms.


Pope Beatifies Three on Adriatic Coast Pope John Paul has traveled to Italy #39;s Adriatic coast northeast of Rome to beatify two devout Italians and a Spaniard who lived and died in the 20th century, placing them on the road to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.


Protesters seize oil platforms in Nigeria Protesters seized oil platforms run by Royal Dutch/Shell Group Cos. and ChevronTexaco Corp for a second day Monday, shutting down 90,000 barrels a day in oil production, company officials said.


The New New York Skyline The city's profile is about to undergo an extreme makeover, and \$30 million flying town houses are just the beginning.


Clinton Surgery Expected Early This Week Former President Bill Clinton's heart bypass, expected Monday or Tuesday, likely will be an ordinary replumbing of his ailing heart, not some new whiz-bang robotic or "keyhole" surgery, leading surgeons say.    And just as his operation is likely to be the same as the average American's, the delay in his surgery also suggests a problem typical for many patients: doctors and nurses off for the holiday weekend...


Slow Job Market Greets Workers Labor Day WASHINGTON - A spotty job market and stagnant paychecks cloud this Labor Day holiday for many workers, highlighting the importance of pocketbook issues in the presidential election.   "Working harder and enjoying it less," said economist Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics, summing up the state of working America...


Frances Strikes, Knocks Out Power to 4M STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances weakened but still pounded Florida with high wind and heavy rain Sunday after it smashed across the state's east coast, knocking out power to 4 million people, shredding roofs and uprooting trees...


Bush's National Guard File Missing Records WASHINGTON - Documents that should have been written to explain gaps in President Bush's Texas Air National Guard service are missing from the military records released about his service in 1972 and 1973, according to regulations and outside experts.    For example, Air National Guard regulations at the time required commanders to write an investigative report for the Air Force when Bush missed his annual medical exam in 1972...


Students Aiming to Avoid 'Freshman 15' AUSTIN - All-you-can-eat dorm dining. Late-night pizza parties...


EA to boost efforts in cell-phone gaming Gaming giant Electronic Arts will boost production of video games for mobile phones over the next nine months, bringing top-selling franchises  quot;Fifa Football quot; and  quot;The Sims quot; to handsets, the company said Thursday.


Petacchi unstoppable in bunch sprint Italian Alessandro Petacchi has proved more than a match for his rivals on the 207km second stage of the Tour of Spain from Leon to Burgos by winning a bunch sprint.