Senators Concerned About Secret CIA Memo Leading senators expressed concern Sunday about a report that the CIA has secretly moved as many as a dozen unidentified prisoners out of Iraq in the past six months, a possible violation of international treaties.


Cards DH Anderson Gets Postseason Start Marlon Anderson got his first start of the postseason for the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night, serving as the designated hitter in the second game of the World Series.


Citigroup to Revamp Japan Operations -WSJ (Reuters) Reuters - Citigroup is to revamp its\Japanese private banking unit, creating a local committee to\oversee operations, the Wall Street Journal reported.


DirecTV Sees Up to  #36;1.6 Billion Charge (Reuters) Reuters - Satellite television provider\DirecTV Inc. said it may take up to  #36;1.6 billion in charges to\write down the value of satellites it would use for\broadcasting instead of high-speed data services.


Jack LaLanne keeps going and going BIRTHDAY BOY: Jack LaLanne keeps going and going, and so do the parties celebrating his 90th birthday in Santa Monica, Calif. On Saturday, nearly a month after the fitness guru turned


Human genes estimate falls to 20,000-30,000 A new and perhaps final report from the international consortium of laboratories that decoded the human genome has revised the estimated number of human genes sharply downward.


Ryan Palmer Triumphs At Disney As the winner of the Funai Classic at Walt Disney World Resorts walked up to the 18th green, a member of the gallery shouted Way to go Arnie!


Wizards #39; Pieces Fall Into Place Wizards 97, Bobcats 85 Fans at MCI Center got their first look at the Washington Wizards last night, and in a sense, so did Coach Eddie Jordan. Gilbert Arenas, Jarvis Hayes and Anthony Peeler returned from minor


Death toll from Japan earthquakes reaches 24 A strong aftershock measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted north Japan #39;s Niigata Prefecture Monday morning, leading the death toll from the three major quakes that hit the


Karzai clinches Afghan poll win woman and a young Afghan girl killed on Saturday by a Taliban suicide bomber in central Kabul. declare a winner until it has reviewed a report by an independent panel investigating voting irregularities.


China rules out Hong Kong democracy vote China has rejected calls from Hong Kong #39;s pro-democracy lawmakers for a public referendum on whether local residents should be allowed full, direct democracy from 2007.


Japan Earthquakes Leave at Least 23 Dead (AP) AP - Yoshikazu Ogawa stood outside the pile of rubble that was once his home, poking around the plaster and wood that had suddenly come crashing down on his two minivans when a series of earthquakes hit northern Japan, killing at least 23 people and injuring some 2,000.


Japan #39;s quake bodycount mounts STRONG aftershocks jolted central Japan today after thousands spent a night in shelters following the country #39;s deadliest quake in nearly a decade that left 24 people dead.


Dollar Skids to Lows Versus Euro, Yen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar tumbled to eight-month lows  against the euro and six-month troughs versus the yen on Monday  as worries persisted about the outlook for the U.S. economy.


Microsoft Feeling Heat from the Penguin Microsoft #39;s Steve Ballmer argued that the true amount of shifting from Microsoft to Linux in places like Europe and Asia has been overstated in the media.


Madrid Masters: Safin beats Nalbandian Sunday #39;s final of the Madrid Masters pitted players ranked ninth, Marat Safin, and 10th, David Nalbandian, in the world; both near the top of their games.


Wizards 97, Bobcats 85 WASHINGTON - Gilbert Arenas had 20 points and six rebounds to lead the Washington Wizards to a 97-85 preseason win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday night.


Six guilty of sex attacks on Pitcairn Six of the seven men charged with sex attacks on Pitcairn Island have been found guilty. Mayor Steve Christian was found guilty of five rapes.


Girl killed by 43-year-old ex A 16-year-old French girl was shot dead hours after she was kidnapped by her former boyfriend, who then killed himself, officials in western France said today.


Asian Shares Fall on Dollar; Gold, Oil Up  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar stumbled on Monday,  setting multi-month lows against the yen and euro and trading  around four-year lows against the Korean won and Singapore  dollar, prompting investors to clip Asian share markets.


Australian Stock Index Falls, Led by BHP Billiton (Correct) Australia #39;s S amp;P/ASX 200 Index had its biggest drop in three months, led by BHP Billiton, on concern record high oil prices will slow global economic growth and demand for commodities.


Mark McNulty rallies to steal Schwab championship; Hale Irwin wins <b>...</b> Mark McNulty and Hale Irwin had roughly the same thought as they collected their big trophies and bigger cheques: How did Tom Kite let all this great stuff slip away at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship?


Karzai #39;s main rival concedes defeat in Afghan poll Mr Qanooni, 47, quit Mr Karzai #39;s cabinet months before the ballot to spearhead a bid by the mainly Tajik Northern Alliance of anti-Taliban and anti-Soviet war heroes to unseat the interim Pashtun leader.


Myanmar army strongman to meet Indian premier on 'historic' visit (AFP) AFP - Myanmar army strongman General Than Shwe was due to meet Indian premier Manmohan Singh, leader of the world's biggest democracy, in New Delhi as the neighbouring nations sought stronger ties.


Ten Are Killed in Crash of Nascar Team Plane A plane owned by the Nascar race team Hendrick Motorsports crashed Sunday en route to the Subway 500 Nextel Cup race, killing all 10 on board.


Duke U's Journalistic Antisemitism Uproar In a Chroncle editorial titled "The Jews", Trinity senior Philip Kurian has created a global uproar.  The editorial complains that Jews are, as a community of special interest, stifling free speech.  The response of the Jewish community to this oped has been to stifle free speech.


Stocks plunge in morning TOKYO - Tokyo stocks plunged Monday morning as a series of deadly earthquakes Saturday in Niigata Prefecture and a tumble in US shares last Friday prompted widespread selling, pushing the benchmark Nikkei index to a 10-week intraday low.


Asian Shares Fall on Dollar; Gold, Oil Up (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. dollar stumbled on Monday,\setting multi-month lows against the yen and euro and trading\around four-year lows against the Korean won and Singapore\dollar, prompting investors to clip Asian share markets.


Johnson takes bitter-sweet win at Martinsville MARTINSVILLE, Va. - Jimmie Johnson won the Subway 500, and no one knows how he did it. The reasons for that are understandable. Seconds after winning for the sixth time, Johnson celebrated normally.


Six on Pitcairn Island convicted of abuse SYDNEY, Australia - Six men were convicted of a string of sex attacks on Pitcairn Island, the isolated Pacific territory that is home to descendants of the 18th century Bounty mutineers, after trials that exposed a culture of sex abuse in the tiny


Let the Israeli people decide JERUSALEM On Monday, Israel #39;s Parliament, the Knesset, will debate one of the most important decisions in the country #39;s history.


Powell presses China on NKorea, Taiwan talks Beijing: US Secretary of State Colin Powell pressed China on Monday to convince North Korea to return to stalled talks on its nuclear weapons programs and urged Beijing to take up a Taiwanese offer for dialogue.


49 army recruits executed in Iraq: Mortar kills US diplomat BAQUBA, Oct 24: Rebels killed 49 unarmed army recruits in one of the bloodiest attacks on Iraq #39;s nascent security forces and, in a separate attack on Sunday, killed a US diplomat in a mortar strike near Baghdad airport.


Typhoon Nock-ten batters Taiwan Taiwan and offshore Penghu County have geared up for strong winds and heavy rains as Typhoon Nock-ten is scheduled to encompass the whole island and outlying islands this morning.


TV to the rescue Cell phone executives say new data-oriented services such as TV will help bolster an industry in a precarious state.


PalmOne pushes out Treo update New top-of-the-line smart phone has a sharper screen, a faster chip and a removable battery.


iRobot readies for war--and the household Whether mopping up a battlefield or living room floor, the robot maker is working on vehicle to get the job done.\


Washington rejects protocol for industry THE United States helped negotiate the protocol under former President Bill Clintons administration. But President George W. Bush ditched the agreement shortly after coming


Montoya bows out of Williams with Brazil victory Juan Pablo Montoya finnished his four years with Williams in style as he won the season-ending Brazilian GP at Interlagos. The Colombian, who joins rivals McLaren next season


Moseley misses out by \$23 Jarrod Moseley, who won the Heineken Classic on his European Tour debut in 1999, must try his luck at the tour #39;s qualifying school - all for the sake of 23 dollars.


Taiwan Markets Closed for Typhoon; Flights Canceled (Update2) Taiwan #39;s markets and government offices closed today as Typhoon Nock-ten whipped parts of the island with torrential rains and winds as high as 180 kilometers (113 miles) an hour.


Lack of Clutch Hitting Hurts Cards Again (AP) AP - The National League's best offense is off to a feeble start in the World Series, and the St. Louis Cardinals' chances are sagging along with it.


Red Sox Grab 2-0 Lead Curt Schilling grinds through six strong innings to overcome another four-error game by Boston and  guides the Red Sox to a 6-2 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday night.


Microsoft Does Well On Server-Software Sales Microsoft said last week that its first-quarter net income rose 11 and revenue 12 because of strong server-software demand and steady sales of PCs that run its products.


EU set to rule on Oracle bid EUROPEAN Union regulators will decide on Tuesday whether Oracle #39;s hostile \$US7.7 billion (\$10.4 billion) bid for rival PeopleSoft can proceed, the EU #39;s antitrust chief said.


Smart Ones Skate America: Skater optimistic after headfirst fall Bruised but unbowed, Tatiana Totmianina, the champion Russian pairs skater who had a horrific headfirst fall Saturday night at Mellon Arena, predicted yesterday that she will return to the ice within two weeks.


Immune find may help transplants Immune systems can perhaps accept tissues from people with other blood types, Canadian researchers find.


Plague carriers: Most users unaware of PC infections If you are the average user, your computer has more bugs than a skid row motel.


A New Mobile Phone Search Service UpSnap turns your cell phone in to a search tool, offering free directory assistance lookups using SMS text messaging.


Elpida May Raise as Much as 102 Bln Yen in Initial Share Sale Elpida Memory Inc., Japan #39;s largest manufacturer of memory chips, plans to raise as much as 102 billion yen (\$954 million) in an initial public offering to help finance the construction of a new plant.


Hendrick Motorsports plane crashes, killing 10 on way to NASCAR <b>...</b> A Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed Sunday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, including the son, brother and two nieces of the owner of one of auto racing #39;s most successful organizations.


Amid the Errors, the Red Sox Do Not Drop the Ball For the second game in a row, the Red Sox made four errors. It made no difference after Curt Schilling beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-2, in Game 2 of the World Series.


Security for Internet Users Deemed Weak (AP) AP - Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers. They found most consumers have no firewall protection, outdated antivirus software and dozens of spyware programs secretly running on their computers.


Blunkett to back EU asylum plans David Blunkett is set to back plans to work closely with other European Union states on asylum and immigration.


Delta, Pilots To Resume Talks ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines and its pilot union plan to resume talks on pay cuts Monday in Washington, after failing to reach agreement Sunday.


Bush hands firms \$140bn in tax breaks US president George W Bush had repealed an internationally disputed export tax subsidy but lavished \$140 billion (R868 billion) in new tax breaks on corporations.


Euro zone confidence likely to slide Euro zone economic indicators for release this week would show that business and consumer confidence was falling and that inflation was on the rise again, economists said.


Yahoo, Adobe Team Up for New Web Services (AP) AP - Stepping up the heated battle of online search and services, Yahoo Inc. and Adobe Systems Inc. have joined forces to tap each others' customers and put Web search features into Adobe's popular Acrobat Reader software.


SF mayor seeks cooling-off period in hotel contract dispute SAN FRANCISCO - Mayor Gavin Newsom on Sunday asked labor leaders and the management of 14 hotels embroiled in a nearly month-old dispute to resume normal operations for at least 90 days while the two sides try to negotiate a new contract.


In Game 2, It #39;s Bloopers: The Sequel At the rate the Boston Red Sox are going, they will soon be selling their World Series highlight film, which should be quite a bargain, considering it can double as a bloopers video.


Week 7 Judgements: The Lions streak tonight When we talk about winning streaks, all we hear about is New England. But how about some equal time for the Detroit Lions? Brock Marion and the Lions barrel into Giants Stadium to steamroll Jeremy Shockey and company.


Six Pitcairn men guilty of rape Six of the seven Pitcairn Island men charged with raping and indecently assaulting girls as young as 12 have been found guilty by a British court on the remote South Pacific island, a British official says.


EU to pick up half AU #39;s Darfur tab The European Union has announced it will pay for more than half of the African Union #39;s peacekeeping force in Sudan #39;s Darfur region.


Polls close in Tunisia Tunisian polls closed Sunday in presidential and parliamentary elections widely expected to be won by the incumbent president and his party.


Koizumi eyes visit to quake-hit areas TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday he is considering visiting areas in Niigata Prefecture hit Saturday by powerful earthquakes that killed at least 25 people and injured over 2,100.


Software As a Service Is Poised for Rebound (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - The services we once expected from ASPs are back, but now we refer to them as business process outsourcing.


IBM Transitions to Power5 (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - IBM next month will finish transitioning its core pSeries and iSeries server lines to the Power5 chip when it starts shipping three new high-end systems, two of which support as many as 64 processors.


SEC Pounces on Ford and GM, the 800-Pound Gorillas US automakers, wobbling under crushing employee benefit costs, now have a new worry: The federal government is determined to find out whether the costs are accounted for fairly and properly.


ENERGY AND AMERICA #39;S FUTURE Gasoline prices are hitting record highs, stocks of winter heating fuel are shrinking and energy costs are slowing the US economy.


German Business Confidence Probably Dropped to Four-Month Low Business confidence in Germany, Europe #39;s largest economy, probably declined to a four-month low in October amid signs that both export orders and consumer spending are slowing, a survey of economists showed.


Cingular Purchase of AT amp;T Wireless Approved by FCC, People Say Cingular Wireless LLC won approval from US regulators for its \$41 billion purchase of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc. on the condition the companies sell airwaves and give up customers in


Mayor gets tough on hotel dispute He issues a formal request for a <b>...</b> Mayor Gavin Newsom stepped up the pressure on hotel owners in the San Francisco hotel labor dispute Sunday, issuing a formal letter asking the two sides to adopt a 90-day cooling-off period that would bring workers back to their jobs while negotiations


Typhoon swipes Taiwan; shuts schools, businesses Howling winds and torrential rain lashed Taiwan on Monday as a rare autumn typhoon bore down on the island #39;s eastern shore, forcing schools and businesses in the capital and other regions to close.


Karzai #39;s dangerous road from exile to Afghan presidency KABUL: Hamid Karzai has steered Afghanistan from the ruins of war to its first elected presidency, using skills honed from plotting to end Soviet occupation and negotiating the minefield of volatile Afghan politics.


Sprint Offering Wireless Tracking Devices (AP) AP - Sprint Corp. said Monday it is coming out with a suite of services aimed at helping companies better manage cell phones and PDAs they issue to employees, including a feature to remotely erase sensitive information from devices that are lost or stolen.


PalmOne Unveils Treo 600 #39;s Successor Treo 650 boasts a high-res display, an improved keyboard and camera, a removable battery, and more. PalmOne this week is announcing the Treo 650, a hybrid PDA/cell-phone device that addresses many of the shortcomings


Schilling, Boston halfway to history BOSTON -- Recent history suggests that ancient history may be, well, a thing of the past. The Boston Red Sox, winless in the World Series since 1918 and just a week ago three outs from elimination this 2004


Executives of top NASCAR team killed in plane crash A private airplane carrying members of one of NASCARs most successful teams crashed Sunday afternoon in Bull Mountain near Blue Ridge Regional Airport.


Cooling the Jets: Patriots claim AFC Bill Belichick #39;s post-game wave to his kids in the stands usually resembles that of a man on a street corner trying to hail a cab.


Baseball-Schilling Gives Red Sox 2-0 World Series Lead  BOSTON (Reuters) - Curt Schilling, his wonky ankle held  together by stitches, tossed six courageous innings to help the  Boston Red Sox pound the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 to seize  control of the 100th World Series Sunday.


PalmOne Unveils Treo 600's Successor Treo 650 boasts a high-res display, an improved keyboard and camera, a removable battery, and more.


Top Cards Underachieving The powerful St. Louis trio of Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds is 4 for 23 with one RBI in the series and with runners on base, they are 1 for 13.


Clash Over Internet Sports Photos Britains big football leagues and daily newspapers are circling each other in a showdown over game photos on Internet sites.


Spitzer Probe May Give Push to National Insurance Regulation The creation of a US insurance regulator is gaining support in Congress and among consumer groups after New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer disclosed his probe of improper sales practices.


Bank of Communications says IPO not finalized The Bank of Communications, Chinas fifth-largest lender, had not finalized details of its upcoming initial public offering, the Shanghai Securities News reported Friday, citing a bank spokesman.


US Stocks May Fall as Outlook for 2005 Profit Growth Worsens US stocks #39; drop amid the release of third-quarter earnings reports may reflect concern that next year #39;s profit growth will slow even more than forecast.


PalmOne pushes out Treo update PalmOne is aiming to sharpen up its image with the launch of the Treo 650 on Monday. As previously reported, the smart phone update has a higher-resolution screen and a faster processor than the previous top-of-the-line model, the Treo 600.


Yahoo acquires email startup YAHOO has appeared to move a step closer to challenging Google in searchable web mail, acquiring the startup behind the powerful email application Bloomba.


In This Climate, Victory #39;s No Picnic, Either THE long and bitter presidential campaign will (it is widely and devoutly hoped) be over in nine days. One man will win, and the voters will be rewarded with either George W. Bush #39;s  quot;ownership


Vikings 20, Titans 3: Defense makes a difference MINNEAPOLIS -- In terms of beauty, Sunday #39;s 20-3 Minnesota Vikings win had all the appeal of a glow-in-the-dark, velvet portrait of a group of dogs playing poker around a table.


21 die, 2000 injured in Japan #39;s quake Local residents take refuge outdoors after a series of earthquakes in Niigata Prefecture, northwestern Japan, Oct, 24, 2004. A series of powerful earthquakes, one measuring a preliminary magnitude of 6.8, rocked northwestern Japan Saturday evening.


Soyuz Capsule Lands on Kazakhstan Steppe (AP) AP - A Russian-U.S. crew returned to Earth from the international space station Sunday in a pinpoint landing on the Kazakhstan steppe, and NASA's chief said the United States wanted to continue the joint relationship on future missions to Mars.


Nepal's king calls for end to "cycle of devastation" (AFP) AFP - Nepal's King Gyanendra called for an end to  quot;the cycle of devastation quot; in a weekend message to a nation reeling from a Maoist revolt.


Darfur talks to open in Abuja The second round of AU-chaired talks aimed at finding a solution to the Darfur crisis are set to open in Abuja.


Grass-Roots Politics With Click of a Mouse As the election season reaches its peak, Silicon Valley is trying to change politics by harnessing the Internet's ability to take advantage of and grow social networks from the bottom up.
-The Washington Post


Technology Firms Find Tougher Terrain Entrepreneurs and start-ups emerging today find themselves in an environment different from that during the dot-com boom.
-Ellen McCarthy


Advertisers Tune In to New Radio Gauge In 14 locations around the Washington area, MobilTrak devices are sensing which radio stations drivers are listening to by picking up electronic signals emitted from car antennas.
-The Washington Post


Electronic Voting Raises New Issues Touted as the solution to the hanging chads of the 2000 presidential election, experts debate the reliability of software that operates the new electronic voting systems.
-The Washington Post


South Korea #39;s Kospi also tumbles after US loss TOKYO (CBS.MW) - Japanese stock indexes fell sharply by midday Monday as record oil prices and the dollar #39;s fall to a six-month low against the yen sparked fears about the impact on consumer spending and corporate profits.


Will RBI hike interest rates? Will he or won #39;t he? That #39;s the 25 basis points (or is it 50 basis points?) question Reserve Bank of India Governor YV Reddy will answer on October 26 when he unveils the midweek review of the annual monetary policy.


Baseball-Schilling Gives Red Sox 2-0 World Series Lead Curt Schilling, his wonky ankle held together by stitches, tossed six courageous innings to help the Boston Red Sox pound the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 to seize control of the 100th World Series Sunday.


Sterne wins in Madrid to salvage European career The South African Richard Sterne rescued his European Tour career in brilliant fashion yesterday by winning the Madrid Open with a closing 65.


Fantasy Dozen: RB outlooks in Cleveland and Minnesota Every Sunday, we look at 12 important lessons to be learned from the day #39;s games in the Fantasy Dozen. In Week Six, some receivers had good outings, but not all of them have earned our trust yet.


Australasia ; Pitcairn sex abuses, six convicted Australasia News, SYDNEY, Australia: Six men were convicted of a string of sex attacks on the remote Pacific island of Pitcairn, media there reported Monday, following trials that exposed a culture of sexual abuse on the island home of descendants of the


Bush has been adroit at exploiting 9/11: Carter (AFP) AFP - US President George W. Bush  quot;has been adroit quot; at exploiting the suffering caused by the September 11 attacks, his predecessor Jimmy Carter said in an interview with the Guardian.


Baseball-Stitched-Up Schilling Makes World Series History  BOSTON (Reuters) - A stitched-up Curt Schilling became the  first pitcher in major league history to win World Series games  with three different teams after producing a gritty display  Sunday.


Boxing-Jungle Still Rumbles When Talk Turns to Ali  KINSHASA (Reuters) - Nothing on the damp-infested walls or  among the dirty terraces declares that this was the scene of  one of the world's greatest sporting confrontations.


Illinois Democrat Wins Kenyan Hearts, in a Landslide The people of Nyang'oma, Kenya, are dreaming of good fortune for their remote village should Barack Obama be elevated to high office.


Faster clearing comes with change on Thursday On Thursday, banks will begin implementing the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, better known as Check 21. The law is designed to speed up the processing of many of the 40 billion checks written each year.


BHP Approves Spence Copper Mine, Iron Ore Expansion (Update1) BHP Billiton, the world #39;s largest miner, approved the \$990 million Spence Copper Project in northern Chile and a \$575 million expansion of its iron ore operations in Western Australia.


Home PCs not as protected as owners think much more so than the average home PC user realizes. That notion, widely held in the tech industry, is borne out


Postseason issues begin to surface As he says he does each week this time of year, Texas coach Mack Brown sat down with his team Sunday and explained where it stands in terms of qualifying for a Bowl Championship Series game.


Iran #39;s Revolutionary Guards getting a bigger appetite They are the shock troops of Iran #39;s Islamic Revolution - the men who helped seize the US embassy a generation ago and bore the brunt of their country #39;s eight-year war with Iraq.


Baseball Tax Raises Question of Fairness Advocates and opponents of a publicly funded baseball stadium in D.C. say there are big inequities in the details of the business tax that Mayor Williams has proposed.


RFID cell phones take shape at Nokia The cell phone maker is working on a phone that uses controversial microchips used to store product information and signal their location.


Security for Internet Users Deemed Weak WASHINGTON Oct 25, 2004 - Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers.


DART flight will test key autopilot system A sophisticated autopilot system that could play a vital role in missions to the moon or Mars will be tested this week during a \$100 million demonstration 500 miles above Earth.


Estimate for Number of Human Genes Slashed NEW YORK Oct 22, 2004 - In a blow to human vanity, researchers now say that people have about the same number of genes as a small flowering plant or a tiny worm.


Palmer magical at Funai Classic He chipped in on one hole and then rolled in a long, downhill putt for another birdie a little later. During the stretch in which he seized control of the golf tournament


Hendrick plane crashes en route to NASCAR race Hendrick Motorsports #39; NASCAR victory celebration was cut short with word that one of the organization #39;s planes had crashed on its way to the race, killing all 10 people on board.


Early results show Karzai victory Preliminary figures in the Afghan presidential election indicate interim leader Hamid Karzai has won the simple majority needed to avoid a run-off.


Opposition wins Lithuania #39;s parliament elections The right-win opposition Conservative Party and Liberal Center Union won 43 seats in the 141-member Lithuanian parliament, after more than 99 percent of the votes were counted


Prison Guards Kept Log of Practices The military police soldiers who ran the high-security wing of the prison in Iraq kept an unofficial log of their daily activities, a diary of sorts that documents the conditions during the months that detainees were abused.


Motor Racing-Montoya Leaves Williams on a High

 By Alan Baldwin

 SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Juan Pablo Montoya left Williams as awinner in Brazil on Sunday, even if he had hoped for greaterthings before the season started.


Patriots, Eagles Do the Expected _ Win (AP) AP - There might still be a spotless season on the NFL horizon this year.


Trojans' Defense Carrying No. 1 Team (AP) AP - Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush get the headlines. Southern California's defense does the heavy lifting.


Third quarter is fine, but what about fourth? NEW YORK - Third-quarter earnings are meeting Wall Street #39;s expectations, but the lack of company forecasts on future earnings - or disappointing outlooks in many cases - is starting to have investors worried.


Microsoft #39;s Second Mistake: Boring Upgrades Opinion: In Part II of his series on Microsoft #39;s biggest failures, David Coursey claims the software giant has failed miserably to create upgrades that excite its users.


SEC Seen Probing Pension Costs The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into the accounting practices six companies #39; use in calculating pension and other post-retirement benefit costs, according to published reports.


Computer security survey finds awareness gap Most computer users believe they are safe from online threats even as their machines fall victim to viruses and spyware, according to a survey.


Gaining advantage: WR Givens steps up game The wide receivers have been the most significant contributors to the Patriots stats, news #39; inactive list this season. Every week quarterback Tom Brady news counts on one of


Giants: Harrington renders  #39;D #39; useless It should have been obvious to the Giants from the first series of the game yesterday that they were going to have problems containing the Detroit Lions.


CRAWFORD LIGHTS UP GARDEN With the expected news Allan Houston is out for the preseason and likely out for the season opener, though it #39;s not official, the pressure was on for struggling Jamal Crawford to produce last night against the Mavericks.


50 Iraqi soldiers die in ambush, US diplomat killed A total of 49 new Iraqi army soldiers have been killed in an ambush near the town of Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, which dealt a blow to the interim government #39;s efforts to build Iraqi security forces.


Talks on conflict in Sudan #39;s Darfur to restart in Nigeria After a month of suspension, the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel groups are due to formally restart negotiations on Monday in Nigeria in the hope of ending a 20-month-old


DirecTV to write-off Net-via-satellite effort This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


BHP Billiton approves \$US990m mine BHP Billiton today announced the approval of the \$US990 million Spence Copper Project in northern Chile. The project will have a designed capacity to produce 200,000 tonnes of copper cathode per annum and will have a mine life of 19 years.


Microsoft Stays Pricing Course By announcing plans to maintain its current per-processor server software licensing, Microsoft Corp. has pleased customers and, in the process, put serious pressure on competing software developers to do the same.


PalmOne Extends Treo on the High End Palmone Inc. this week will unveil the Treo 650 smart phone, although the phone likely will not be available from carriers until later this fall.


Yahoo buys email start up SEARCH outfit Yahoo! has splashed out on an email software company that develops software technology that allows users to quickly search through mails and attachments.


Russian Skater Recovering World champion pairs skater Tatiana Totmianina was released from the hospital yesterday, a day after suffering a concussion in a fall during the free skating program at Skate America.


Grant steps up for Lakers in Vegas LAS VEGAS (Ticker) -- Brian Grant had his first big game for the Los Angeles Lakers, helping hand Phoenix Suns their first preseason loss.


Titans Report Card Quarterback Steve McNair was knocked out of the game early, and the normally reliable Billy Volek struggled. On two of his three interceptions, including the one in the end zone, Volek underthrew his target.


Myanmar army strongman to meet Indian premier on  #39;historic #39; visit NEW DELHI: Myanmar army strongman General Than Shwe was due to meet Indian premier Manmohan Singh, leader of the world #39;s biggest democracy, in New Delhi as the neighbouring nations sought stronger ties.


Nuclear scientist remains in custody Judges in Pakistan have ruled that a top scientist arrested last year for allegedly being involved in leaking nuclear technology should have his detention extended for a further three months.


Bomb Explodes Near U.S. Convoy in Baghdad (AP) AP - A roadside bomb exploded Monday near a U.S. military convoy in central Baghdad, causing some casualties, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said.


Dalian Shide players storm off pitch as Chinese football worries deepen (AFP) AFP - Football powerhouse Dalian Shide abandoned a match against Shenyang Jinde in protest at the referee Sunday, confronting China's embattled Super League with yet another crisis.


BHP Approves Spence Copper Mine, Iron Ore Expansion (Update2) BHP Billiton, the world #39;s biggest miner, approved a total of \$1.5 billion to expand its copper and iron ore output amid increasing global metals demand led by China.


Time running out for Hardie: ACTU JAMES Hardie would face possible litigation if it did not ensure asbestos victims were adequately compensated, the ACTU said today.


NASA to fly space drone NASA will launch a craft tomorrow afternoon for a computer-controlled rendezvous in space - the first time the agency will attempt such a feat without a pilot at the controls.


Birds  #39;had four wings #39; London - A theory that birds may have had four wings during a stage of their evolution has been given fresh support with the discovery of a new fossil in China.


A charge that lived up to the name He spent three years on the Tight Lies and Hooters tours, where guys have to put down a deposit to play and some of them carry their own bag.


Junqueira #39;s win puts hold on teammate #39;s title party SURFERS PARADISE, Australia - Brazil #39;s Bruno Junqueira spoiled his teammate #39;s bid to clinch the Champ Car drivers title. Junqueira won Sunday #39;s Lexmark Indy 300, meaning Newman/Haas teammate Sebastien Bourdais


Leftwich is best on day of passing Donovan McNabb threw for 376 yards and four touchdowns to lead Philadelphia to a 34-31 overtime win at Cleveland. Minnesota #39;s Daunte Culpepper completed 24 of 30 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown to lead the Vikings to a 20-3 rout of Tennessee.


Dozens of new Iraqi troops die in ambush Officials fear that an infiltrator may have tipped insurgents that the unarmed soldiers were heading home on leave. BY ROBERT H. REID.


President likely to win again President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was headed for an almost certain five-year extension of his mandate when Tunisians voted in presidential and parliamentary elections yesterday.


Oil prices at high on Norway fear US oil prices hit fresh record levels after Norwegian ship owners threaten to cut off supplies from the world's third biggest exporter.


EU set to clear Oracle-PeopleSoft takeover (AFP) AFP - European Union competition authorities are expected Tuesday to clear unconditionally US firm Oracle's hostile takeover of business software rival PeopleSoft, sources say.


Earthquake Weighs Heavily on Tokyo Stocks (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks ended sharply lower Monday due to economic uncertainties following powerful earthquakes that hit northern Japan over the weekend. The dollar was lower against the Japanese yen.


UK urged to prepare for Olympics The UK needs to plan well ahead for the 2012 Olympics to ensure a lasting legacy, two leading think-tanks warn.


Drugmaker Warner Chilcott: New offer at 837p/share LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Northern Irish drugmaker Warner Chilcott (UK:WCRX) said it #39;s received a third offer at a price of 837 pence a share - a 2.2 percent premium to the share #39;s 818.


Stock market access to Chinese insurers BEIJING: China has given the green signal for direct investment of insurance capital in the stock market under strict supervision, the State media reported today.


Ford #39;s investment vote of confidence In an era when every major business transaction is measured in the billions of dollars, Ford Motor Co. of Canada #39;s decision to pump \$1 billion into redevelopment of its Oakville site - the formal announcement


Six found guilty in Pitcairn trials ELEANOR HALL: Now to the judgment in the sex abuse trial on Pitcairn Island. A short time ago the court on the Island handed down a guilty verdict against all but one of the seven men who had been charged with offences ranging from indecency to rape.


Six Palestinians killed in Gaza air strikes Israel has killed six Palestinians in air strikes during a raid on a militant stronghold in southern Gaza. Witnesses said pilotless aircraft fired five missiles at Palestinian targets in the


Egypt, Israel in prisoner swap deal: World News: Cairo, Dec 5 : A convicted Israeli spy will be released by Egypt in exchange for six imprisoned Egyptian students, an Arabic-language TV station reported Sunday.


US Analyst unimpressed, Swanepoel unfazed JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) -- Harmony representatives are on the US leg of their hostile takeover tour, with shareholders from both sides attending a presentation on Thursday.


Boeing confident over pension probe outcome Chicago - The Boeing Company on Thursday said it is co-operating with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the agency #39;s general inquiry into pension accounting methods.


New faces helps Lakers sink Suns LAS VEGAS - Brian Grant had 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers over the Phoenix Suns 111-103 in a preseason game Sunday night.


Sloppy Wizards get past Bobcats Playing their only preseason game at MCI Center, the Washington Wizards used a balanced attack to defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 97-85 last night before an announced crowd of 11,024.


Karzai on course to win Afghanistan election outright The interim leader Hamid Karzai coasted towards victory in Afghanistan #39;s presidential election yesterday when his share of the vote passed the 50 mark.


Iran Rejects European Offer On Nukes Tehran,Oct. 25 (NNN):Iran has rejected as  quot;unbalanced quot; a European offer of trade concessions and nuclear technology in return for the suspension of uranium enrichment.


Lithuanian PM for coalition without Labor party VILNIUS, October 25 (Itar-Tass) -- Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas said he will be looking for a new coalition in the new parliament but made it clear that any coalition with the Labor Party, led by Russian-born businessman Viktor Uspaskich


Japan Digs Out Amid Big Quake's Aftershocks Thousands of residents of northern Japan camped outdoors, unnerved by a day of aftershocks from the nation's deadliest earthquake in a decade.


Egypt to return ambassador to Israel Israel #39;s Foreign Ministry Director General Ron Prushor said Sunday Egypt might return its ambassador to Israel in the near future.


Two Back on Earth After Six Months on Space Station Two astronauts who spent half a year aboard the International Space Station returned safely on Saturday to the steppes of Kazakhstan in the predawn darkness.


'Nepal Maoists kidnap officials' Suspected Maoist rebels kidnap a judge and a former adviser to the late king, Nepalese police say.


Man Utd end Glazer takeover talks Manchester United said it has rejected a business plan from US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer and ended takeover talks. The club said an outline plan presented by Mr Glazer was not in its best interests because


James Hardie assures fund of help James Hardie Industries says it has written to the foundation it set up to compensate asbestos victims reaffirming its willingness to top up the fund.


Warner Chilcott gets bid approach Northern Irish drug maker Warner Chilcott has received a bid approach worth 837 pence per share which values the company at 1.53 billion pounds.


Technology Stocks Spur Nikkei Higher TOKYO - Tokyo stocks ended moderately higher Friday as investors bought high-technology blue chips following recent declines. The dollar inched up against the Japanese yen.


BHP Billiton Approved \$990m Copper Project in Chile BHP Billiton today announced the approval of the US\$990 million Spence Copper Project in northern Chile. The project will have a designed capacity to produce 200,000 tonnes of copper cathode per annum and will have a mine life of 19 years.


FTSE 100 set to tumble The FTSE 100 is expected to fall after a sharp sell-off in the US on Friday and amid continued strength in the price of oil. Financial bookmakers forecast the FTSE 100 .


Gold Fields appeal  #39;a delaying tactic #39; The objection to aspects of Harmony #39;s bid for Gold Fields, submitted by Gold Fields to the Securities Regulation Panel (SRP), is purely a delaying tactic, Harmony CEO Bernard Swanepoel told I-Net Bridge on Friday.


Financier said to have eyes on Sainsbury #39;s AILING supermarket chain Sainsbury #39;s is reported to be the target of a 5bn takeover bid being prepared by an ex-treasurer of the Conservative party.


Citigroup to Revamp Japan Operations -WSJ Citigroup is to revamp its Japanese private banking unit, creating a local committee to oversee operations, the Wall Street Journal reported.


Soyuz Landing Delivers Fincke, Padalka to Earth After Six Months <b>...</b> A Soyuz capsule made a precision landing in Kazakhstan Sunday, safely delivering two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut to Earth after several months on the International Space Station.


Ballmer: Microsoft Software Too Expensive Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently declared that a \$100 PC was needed to combat piracy in the emerging economies. Ballmer was quoted as stating that  quot;There has to be...a \$100 computer to go down-market in some of these countries.


Montoya bids team farewell with a victory SAO PAULO, Brazil - Juan Pablo Montoya won in his final race for Williams-BMW on Sunday, beating future McLaren teammate Kimi Raikkonen to capture the Brazilian Grand Prix.


Dangerous #39; Kimi fined Formula One drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld are both \$10,000 poorer after separate fines for  #39;dangerous driving #39; in Sunday #39;s year-ending Brazilian grand prix.


KC runs over Vick, Falcons It was the kind of complete game Chiefs fans had been dreaming of throughout the course of a nightmare season.  quot;This is how (people thought) we could score points and dominate


Hook could come for Zook He tried to make the words sound determined and defiant, but the sound of Ron Zook #39;s voice had a tired inevitability about it.


Favre, Pack offense are clicking like never before GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Brett Favre did something Sunday he hadn #39;t done for a long time. He finally posted a quarterback rating of at least 100.


Teams halt unofficial Brit GP It would be difficult to justify the extra cost of racing in a non-championship British grand prix, Williams #39; Sam Michael said on Sunday.


China sees value of stronger currency (AFP) AFP - Chinese leaders have held several lengthy meetings in the past few weeks to discuss revaluing the yuan but have decided not to tinker with the system in the short term, a press report said.


Candidates paint two incomplete views on foreign policy Few topics paint a starker difference between George W. Bush and John F. Kerry than US foreign policy. Bush, a man who rarely traveled outside


North Korean refugees enter South Korean consulate in Beijing BEIJING: A group of North Korean refugees attempted to enter a South Korean consulate building in Beijing but only three managed to take shelter inside, South Korean officials and media said.


US insurance investigation widens Investigators probing US insurance firms are alleged to have found evidence of improper practices at Aon, the world #39;s second largest broker.


Chinese insurers get green light to invest in stocks BEIJING: Chinese insurers have been given the green light to invest in stocks, potentially boosting liquidity by nearly 60 billion yuan (7.


Malaysia #39;s Proton to sign assembly deal with Volkswagen this week KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia #39;s national carmaker Proton is expected to sign a deal this week to assemble cars for Volkswagen AG in a tie-up that would boost the German giant #39;s presence in Southeast Asia #39;s fast-growing auto market, a report said.


Using Windows on Macs Apple Computer #39;s OS X, the operating system in its Macintosh personal computers, is Apple #39;s most Windows-friendly OS to date, but it won #39;t run Windows applications.


Lions learn to win on road EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ  The road to respectability for the Detroit Lions has been, well, the road, ironic for a team that went three years and an NFL-record 24 games without winning away from Motown.


Japan still shaking from earthquakes OJIYA, Japan -- Strong aftershocks rocked northern Japan today after a barrage of powerful quakes jolted the region yesterday, killing at least 14 people and toppling buildings.


Insurgents kill about 50 Iraqi soldiers In their boldest ambush yet, insurgents waylaid three minibuses carrying US-trained Iraqi soldiers heading home on leave and killed about 50 of them - forcing many to lie


Karzai ahead in Afghan election  #39;For the national interest and so the country does not go into crisis, we will respect the result of the election. But we also want the fraud to be made clear.


Putin winds up his three-day visit to India Russian President Vladimir Putin today wrapped up his three-day visit to India. On his last day, he visited the country #39;s second largest software exporter Infosys Technologies in of Bangalore.


Two to go No one wants the Red Sox to capture the franchise's first world championship since 1918 more than the players who fell so excruciatingly shy in the four seven-game heartbreakers since that glorious day 86 years ago.


Patriots' timing is perfect FOXBOROUGH -- As the newspaper of record, we must inform our readers that yesterday's 13-7 Patriots victory over the New York Jets broke the NFL record for consecutive regular-season victories. The team has 18, 21 overall.


Heading west 2 games up  It might have been the last Fenway Park game of the magical 2004 season. And if it was, there'll be a parade in Boston sometime before Election Day . . . perhaps the grandest celebration in 374 years of Hub history.


Painful day, then win sewn up He couldn't go. Curt Schilling wasn't hedging on this. He wasn't thinking maybe, or I'm doubtful, or let's see.


It's impossible to overlook 1967 dreamers Yes, Yaz threw out Saturday night's first ball. That's not enough. Nope, not enough '67.


After bad hop, he bounces back Tony Womack has his winter planned. The Cardinals second baseman will not only rest following a long season, he will heal.


Ratings off to a good start Saturday night's Game 1 World Series telecast returned a 13.7 national rating (25 share), the highest number for a Game 1 since the 1999 opener of the Yankees-Braves Series delivered a 14.2 (26 share) on NBC. It was the highest-rated World Series Game 1 for Fox since it began broadcasting baseball in 1996 (NBC retained the Series in 1997 and ...


Not winning was real error In the immortal words of Casey Stengel:  quot;Can't anybody here play this game? quot; That was the title of Jimmy Breslin's classic book about manager Stengel and his wretchedly incompetent 1962 New York Mets, an expansion team that lost 120 games.


American Airlines, Airbus spar over crash WASHINGTON -- The bitter battle between American Airlines and France-based Airbus over a New York crash in 2001 that killed 265 people has escalated as the US government nears its decision tomorrow on the cause of the second-worst air disaster in US history.


The Internet of things At a renovated textile warehouse near Boston's Fort Point Channel, where 50 employees of Ember Corp. are moving this month from cramped quarters next door, young engineers are busy lining the walls with 600 wireless sensor nodes -- each containing a low-powered radio frequency microchip mounted on a printed circuit board.


Utilities take pass on offering broadband The nation's top telecommunications regulators are convinced that electric-power lines are finally ready to become a revolutionary new way for Americans to get high-speed Internet access, unleashing competition for cable and phone giants.


La Russa, Francona have family ties For the here and now, it is the challenge of matching wits with Terry Francona that dominates Tony La Russa's thoughts in the World Series.


Ethernet creator evangelizes on new networking revolution WALTHAM -- Bob Metcalfe -- inventor, entrepreneur, pundit, and venture capitalist -- is just back from Europe and jet-lagged.


How to play it straight Like the  quot;Curse of the Bambino, quot; baseball's unwritten rules are still a part of the game.


A new laptop with big-media power With elaborate fanfare this month, Microsoft yanked the wraps off the latest version of its Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) operating system. Although the software has had some moderate success -- Microsoft recently announced MCE unit sales had broken the million mark -- getting couch potatoes to become computer-friendly tubers has been a daunting task.


Just call it the bullish pen When he finally flopped into bed well after 2 in the morning, naturally Red Sox manager Terry Francona couldn't sleep. His brain kicked into overdrive as soon as he lay down, and as the details of Game 1 of the World Series whirred through his head at near warp speed, he remained stuck on one particular juncture of the victory ...


Take the trouble to block WiFi poachers If you have wireless Internet access at home, your next-door neighbor could have it as well, without paying for it. He can just use yours. No problem if he's just shopping on Amazon.com or e-mailing Grandma. But what if he's sending spam messages or downloading kiddie porn?


Yahoo, Adobe link on Web services SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Stepping up the heated battle of online search and services, Yahoo Inc. and Adobe Systems Inc. have joined forces to tap each others' customers and put Web search features into Adobe's popular Acrobat Reader software.


IBM unveils challenge to EMC For the second time in two weeks, IBM Corp. will unveil a product designed to challenge its archrival in the data storage business: EMC Corp. of Hopkinton. EMC dominates the market for high-end corporate storage hardware, but IBM's new ''storage virtualization quot; software could encourage defections from EMC by making it easier for companies to mix and match storage hardware from ...


Givens and Patten are on receiving end of praise FOXBOROUGH -- With the injured Deion Branch and Troy Brown on the sidelines, it was time for David Givens and David Patten to step up.


Internet users seen having few safeguards WASHINGTON -- Home Internet users are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers, which found most consumers have no firewall protection, outdated antivirus software, and spyware programs secretly running on their computers.


Not sold on Vick Michael Vick has certainly been a commercial success so far in his young NFL career -- it's hard to watch an NFL game on television without seeing him shilling for something.


Eagles couldn't pen it any better As he left Browns Stadium, Terrell Owens pulled a Sharpie out of his pocket and signed autographs for any fan who wanted one.


Zook wary of hook Bad weeks happen to everybody. But Florida coach Ron Zook can retire the award for the season. All that happened to Zook, who had to endure the sting of a fireronzook.com website in his first season replacing Steve Spurrier as Gators coach, was a confrontation in a fraternity house, a lukewarm vote of confidence by the school president, and a ...


Scooby-Doo breaks cartoon record Scooby-Doo is awarded a Guinness World Record for the most episodes of a cartoon comedy series.


TECH BUZZ: Yahoo, Adobe team up for new Web services Stepping up the battle of online search and services, Yahoo Inc. and Adobe Systems Inc. have joined forces to tap each other #39;s customers and put Web search features into Adobe #39;s popular Acrobat Reader software.


Rookie blows past world #39;s top player Ryan Palmer surges to 3-shot victory over Singh, rest of field for 1st title on PGA Tour. The name was familiar. So was the charge.


Gunners cry foul London - Arsenal #39;s fury at Manchester United #39;s 2-0 win in the English Premiership on Sunday spilled over into the papers on Monday with the Gunners #39; manager Arsene Wenger #39;s claiming they had been cheated.


Sterne stages escape to victory South African golfer Richard Sterne rescued his European tour career in brillant fashion yesterday by winning the Madrid Open with a closing 65.


Brit GP talks  #39;back on Talks about the embattled British grand prix are back on, BRDC chief executive Alex Hooton has revealed. A few days ago, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he had called off all negotiations in deference to a new and wealthy long-term grand prix host.


Fumbles, stumbles lead Colts to tumble With so much on the line in front of a sold-out, lathered-up RCA Dome crowd Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts simply seized up. They emerged from their bye week not looking anything like the


NOTRE DAME: Monday morning quarterback Know the foe: The Irish #39;s season is in danger of turning bad after a 24-23 loss to Boston College on Saturday. They now have two weeks to prepare for a game at No.


Some 50 Iraqi soldiers executed in ambush ISN SECURITY WATCH (25/10/04) - Insurgents disguised as police killed 43 Iraqi soldiers and five civilians in an ambush in remote eastern Iraq on Saturday, news agencies quoted senior Iraqi officials as saying.


Cabinet approves Gaza compensation Israel #39;s Cabinet approved compensation yesterday for settlers who will be uprooted by Ariel Sharon #39;s program to withdraw from the Gaza Strip


Haiti Moves on Pro-Aristide Militants Haitian police and UN troops moved into a slum that has become a flashpoint for unrest, using bulldozers to remove a barricade of torched cars that had blocked traffic in the capital.


INTERVIEW: Newmont Preparing Defense In Indonesian Case JAKARTA (Dow Jones)--US mining giant Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) is preparing a legal defense of five executives who face possible criminal charges related to the alleged dumping of toxic wastes by the company #39;s Indonesian unit, a company executive said.


Colombia explodes 6,800 land mines as victims look on BOGOTA -- Colombia's armed forces blew up 6,800 stockpiled land mines yesterday as President Alvaro Uribe, Queen Noor of Jordan, and dozens of mine blast victims watched on large screens, launching an effort aimed at ridding the country of the weapons.


Karzai seen winning Afghan majority KABUL, Afghanistan -- Interim leader Hamid Karzai has won a majority of estimated votes cast in Afghanistan's landmark presidential elections, according to preliminary results released yesterday.


6 reported convicted in Pitcairn rape cases SYDNEY -- Six men were convicted of a string of sex attacks on the remote Pacific island of Pitcairn, media there reported yesterday, following trials that exposed a culture of sexual abuse on the island home of descendants of the 18th century Bounty mutineers. Among those convicted was the island's mayor, Steve Christian, who claims to be a direct descendant ...


Kurds say changes merely gesture by Turkey for EU ILICA, Turkey -- For the past nine years, Osman Acar, his two wives, and 22 children have spent most nights inside an 18-by-15-foot tent pitched outside this remote village in the mountains separating Turkey from Iraq.


Warner Chilcott Says It Got Offer of About \$2.9 Bln (Update1) Warner Chilcott Plc, Northern Ireland #39;s largest drugmaker, said it #39;s talking with an unidentified bidder that has offered about 1.56 billion pounds (\$2.


Australia #39;s Colorado Sees FY Net Up In Excess Of 30 SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Colorado Group Ltd. (CDO.AU), an Australian footwear and clothing retailer, said Monday it expects net profit for the fiscal year ending Jan. 29 to be over 30 higher than that of a year earlier.


Morrison to sell 114 Safeway stores William Morrison Supermarkets has agreed to sell 114 small Safeway stores and a distribution centre for 260.2 million pounds. Morrison bought these stores as part of its 3 billion pound


Internet users not as safe online as they believe, researchers <b>...</b> Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers. They found most consumers have


Red Hat users urged to patch with Trojan A FAKE security advisory is being circulated that suggests that Red Hat #39;s Linux distribution users should download and install malicious code.


Red Sox lead 2-0 over Cardinals of World Series The host Boston Red Sox scored a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, helped by Curt Schilling #39;s pitching through pain and seeping blood, in World Series Game 2 on Sunday night.


Arizona Cardinals 25, Seattle Seahawks 17 When the opportunity arose to seize the day, the Seattle Seahawks looked more ready for a mausoleum than carpe diem. The Seahawks couldn #39;t take advantage of a prime chance


Typhoon inspires changes to qualifying format next year SAO PAULO: Formula One qualifying will take place on Sunday mornings from next season after proposed changes were voted through at the Brazilian Grand Prix.


Road to LA: Hang on a minute! Molik, who beat Sharapova in the final, was Australia #39;s first champion of a WTA Tier I event and proved that you can be 20-something and breakthrough.


Lions defenders get after Warner Like a big, real-life Buddha, he slumped on the stool in front of his locker stall espousing to his audience how it was that a Detroit Lions team that entered this


Irish #39;s poor offensive effort in 2nd half gives BC life Notre Dame knew what it needed to do but couldn #39;t get it done for the fourth year in a row against Boston College.  quot;We knew we had to come out in the second half and play our best football, quot; Irish coach Tyrone


Top US foe claims Iraq killings America #39;s top enemy in Iraq claimed the killing of nearly 50 unarmed army recruits in a cold-blooded assault on fledgling security forces slated to take part in a crackdown on rebels before elections due in January.


Norwegian oil production faces paralysis after lock-out threat (AFP) AFP - Norway's oil production faces a crisis in mid-November with a threat by oil sector groups to stage a lock-out to end industrial action which has weighed on the industry since July.


Viewers to be able to shape TV The EU is backing a project that would let viewers personalise shows and films to suit their tastes.


Montana's Mining Future on Ballot Measure (AP) AP - Mining is such a major part of Montana's legacy that the words "gold and silver" in Spanish are still emblazoned on the state seal.


Weighty US presidential campaign lightened by relentless comics (AFP) AFP - President George W. Bush and Democratic rival John Kerry have not been spared by US comedians who have constantly lampooned the US presidential contenders in a comic assault led by a widely watched fake newscast.


Fake email targets Red Hat Linux LINUX distributor Red Hat has warned about an email scam designed to lure users of its open source software to download a fake update.


Red Sox walking on err with 2-0 lead in Series Two games into the 100th World Series, the Boston Red Sox are threatening to run away from the National League #39;s winningest team in 18 years.


Crude Oil Reaches Record on Norwegian Oil-Rig Labor Dispute Crude oil futures rose to records in London and New York on concern offshore oil output from Norway, the world #39;s third-biggest exporter, may be halted by a labor dispute.


Stocks noon: Tokyo adds to pressure The Australian sharemarket remained weaker at noon, extending its morning losses after a disappointing performance on Wall Street on Friday and a nervous opening on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.


GAME 6: DETROIT 28, NY GIANTS 13 First score: Lions, on an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joey Harrington to wide receiver Roy Williams in the first quarter.


Thousands celebrate Zambia #39;s independence Lusaka - Presidents from three African countries have laid wreaths to celebrate Zambia #39;s 40th independence anniversary. Fighter jets flew overhead in a display of military might not seen in at least a decade.


Washington Post Endorses Kerry \\I really like how the Washington Post cites their endorsement of Kerry :\\"EXPERTS TELL US that most voters have had no difficulty making up their minds\in this year's presidential election. Half the nation is passionately for\George W. Bush, the pollsters say, and half passionately for John F. Kerry --\or, at least, passionately against Mr. Bush. We have not been able to share in\this passion, nor in the certainty. As readers of this page know, we find much\to criticize in Mr. Bush's term but also more than a few things to admire. We\find much to admire in Mr. Kerry's life of service, knowledge of the world and\positions on a range of issues -- but also some things that give us pause. On\ba ...\\


EU bid to catch US economy 'a big failure': Prodi (AFP) AFP - Europe's efforts to catch up to and then outpace the US economy have been  quot;a big failure, quot; the outgoing head of the European Union executive commission, Romano Prodi, told the Financial Times in an interview.


Alt-School Gives Students Second Chance (AP) AP - This chemistry lesson takes a strong stomach: It starts with grinding up fish in a big blender.


Six Pitcairn Islanders guilty of sex crimes (AFP) AFP - Six out of seven men charged with multiple sex abuse crimes on Pitcairn Island have been convicted, officials said, after a trial which exposed the dark side of the remote Pacific community.


E.U. Set To Lift Sanctions For Now European Union has decided to lift, at least temporarily, sanctions imposed on U.S. goods since Congress enacted sweeping changes in corporate tax law earlier this month.


Web-apps are the legacy apps of the future.   Back in the days of stone knives and bearskins applications were  things that were written in cretinous languages like COBOL that  ran on wierd 71 bit architectures and used messed up file formats like  JCL and VSAM files or whatever.  What's a 'Data Division'?  Some whiny  80s band from Manchester?      Of course today we are so much  smarter.  If you look at the evolution, from ML, to branched languages  to structured programming to OOP, and from 3270 applications, to PC  apps to client server to web apps, you can clearly see how the  applications programmer transformed himself from knuckle dragging  simian to homo sapiens. That's the stereotype, right?    We have a name for all that old stuff, a pejorative name:  'legacy'.1   I'm here to tell you that the web application is the new  legacy.


The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear Last Wednesday BBC2 aired part one of a three part series called The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear.


Spanish Bank BBVA Sees Profit Rise Spain #39;s second-largest bank, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, said Monday its nine-month net profit rose 18.4 percent on strong income from Spain and Mexico.


Drugs Group Confirms Higher Approach The battle for Warner Chilcott moved to the next round today when the drugs group confirmed an approach that could value it at more than 1.


BHP Approves Spence Copper Mine, Iron Ore Expansion (Update3) BHP Billiton, the world #39;s biggest miner, approved a total of \$1.5 billion to expand its copper and iron ore output amid increasing global metals demand led by China.


Somerfield takes on 114 Safeway stores Wm Morrison has sold 114 small stores acquired with the 3 billion takeover of Safeway, signalling its distaste of the convenience market being pursued by rival supermarket giants.


Web attacks up by a third SERVICE AND software outfit IBM says that Internet attacks directed at the networks rose 27 per cent in September over July and August.


Rookie Palmer charges to first PGA win It wasn #39;t exactly Cherry Hills and the US Open, and he wasn #39;t hitching up his trousers and making the gallery swoon. But Palmer did charge to victory Sunday at the Funai Classic.


US PGA AND EUROPEAN GOLF LATEST BETTING ODDS NEWS Richard Sterne of South Afrrica won for the first time in his career on Sunday when he finished on 18 under par to win the Open de Madrid.


Lions keep roaring on road EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- The road to respectability for the Detroit Lions has been . . . the road. How ironic for a team that went three years and an NFL-record 24 games without winning away from Motown.


Smith tops 100 yards for record 78th time Their fates matched those of their teams in the Arizona Cardinals #39; 25-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks yesterday. Smith sealed the win with a 23-yard touchdown run, a play that put him over the 100-yard


Chiefs rush for NFL-record 8 TDs KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Neither 12 years in the league nor nine trips to the Pro Bowl could prepare left tackle Willie Roaf for what he did, saw and felt on this history-making day.


First UN Rep Office Unveiled in Sofia The first United Nations representation office was officially opened in Sofia on Monday, bringing under the same roof most of the UN agencies and programmes, working in the country.


Newsweek says move intended to help talks with Spitzer CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- Jeffrey Greenberg may step down as early as Monday as chief executive of Marsh  amp; McLennan, the insurance broker accused of rigging bids by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, according a media report Sunday.


ARI sells \$115m stake in Colorado Clothing and footware company Colorado Group Ltd today confirmed that Australian Retail Investments (ARI) had sold its \$115 million stake in the company.


Check 21: A classic case of risk The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, or Check 21, will supposedly revolutionize the check-clearing process. It is the most significant change since banks actually started clearing checks.


HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS STATEMENT CHARLOTTE, North Carolina Hendrick Motorsports officials have confirmed that an airplane owned by the organization was reported missing and downed today.


NFL Game Summary - Jacksonville at Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Josh Scobee hit a 53-yard field goal with 38 seconds left and Byron Leftwich threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns, as Jacksonville defeated Indianapolis 27-24 at the RCA Dome.


ADV: Refinance Rates Just Got Lower \$150,000 mortgage for only \$610/month. Lower your mortgage - free quotes.


Gold Fields plans to respond to Harmony offer by Nov. 3 LONDON (CBS.MW) -- South African gold miner Gold Fields (GFI) said it #39;s board met Friday to assess an \$8.1 billion hostile takeover offer from Harmony (HMY) as well as to review measures for its defense.


#39;Takeover bid #39; for Sainsbury #39;s AILING supermarket chain Sainsbury #39;s is the target of a 5bn takeover bid being prepared by an ex-treasurer of the Conservative Party, it was reported yesterday.


Week critical for Delta Delta Air Lines has warned repeatedly that a bankruptcy filing could come within weeks if settlements aren #39;t reached soon with its pilot union and its debt holders.


Karzai Looks Set To Win Afghan Presidency 25 October 2004 -- With nearly all the votes counted, Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai appears on his way to an outright victory in the initial round of Afghanistan #39;s first-ever direct presidential election.


Elite US eights entry hits wall CAMBRIDGE -- Princeton Training Center (i.e. the US national team) nearly had the men's championship eights won in one of the Head of the Charles Regatta's most prestigious races yesterday.


Motricity pulls in  #36;27M after merger (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - The wireless content delivery company gets a third institutional round of funding, bringing total venture investment to  #36;46 million.


British, Spanish tourists stranded for four days in Bolivian Andes (AFP) AFP - A group of 250 mainly European tourists was stranded for four days in the Bolivian Andes after indigenous protestors blocked roads amid a territorial dispute, the Interior Ministry said.


2 killed in Baghdad blast A car bomb targeting a US Military convoy exploded near the Australian Embassy in Baghdad on Monday, killing at least two people. Police at the scene said the morning explosion killed two Iraqi bystanders and injured several others.


Six Pitcairn men found guilty of sex attacks Six Pitcairn islanders were today found guilty of raping and indecently assaulting girls as young as 12 after a trial on the South Pacific island.


China, US Agree to Push for Resumption of N. Korea Talks China and the US agreed to work together to revive six-party talks aimed at dismantling North Korea #39;s nuclear program, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in the Chinese capital, Beijing.


Patil reviews J amp;K situation with Army Chief New Delhi, Oct. 25. (PTI): A day after the militant attack on National Conference leaders in Kashmir, a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil reviewed the over-all situation in the state.


Shipowners #39; threat sends oil soaring The threat of a lock-out by Norwegian shipowners which would halt production at the world #39;s third-biggest crude producer has sent oil prices to record highs.


Warner Chilcott gets 1.5 bln stg bid approach Northern Irish drug maker Warner Chilcott Plc has received a bid approach worth 837 pence per share which values the company at 1.53 billion pounds (\$2.


M amp;S says buyback demand strong Demand for a 2.3-billion-pound share buyback by Marks  amp; Spencer has been strong, the retailer says after pricing the move above market expectations at 362 pence per share.


Q3 venture capital investment down 4, survey says LONDON (CBS.MW) -- US venture capital investment and number of deals were down 4 percent with \$4.56 billion invested in 467 deals in typical third quarter slow-down, according to the Quarterly Venture Capital Report released by Ernst  amp; Young and VentureOne


He's Always Being Hit On 10 years ago Craig Newmark started Craigslist for a few friends. Now the site is one of the Web's top portals.


Intel Chief Begs Forgiveness, Says Company Became Too Relaxed #39; Craig Barrett, Intel Corp. #39;s 6-foot-3- inch chief executive, walked onto a stage during a industry conference in Florida last week, got down on his knees in front of more than 6,000 technology managers, and begged forgiveness.


Avis Europe is latest to get stung by IT Avis Europe has scrapped development of a new ERP system because of cost overruns and delays, and will also scale back its overall IT restructuring project.


Fairfax E-Voting Video Speaks Immigrants' Languages Fairfax County is putting its technology prowess to work for its new immigrants on Election Day.


Ruud #39;s goal: Was it a penalty? MANCHESTER United brought Arsenal #39;s long, unbeaten run to an end yesterday with a 2-0 win, but controversy rages over whether the Reds #39; first, scored by Ruud van Nistelrooy, was a deserved penalty.


School #39;s out for Sterne A first win on the European Tour is a notable feat in any golfer #39;s career - but the one by South African Richard Sterne in the Madrid Open deserves special mention.


SECOND LOOKSnapshots from the latest in college football The boys of Pi Kappa Phi better look out. Mississippi State pulls off the SEC stunner of this Millennium, beating Ron Zook and Florida 38-31.


Is the End Nigh for Opel? As restructuring talks continue, Opel #39;s works council and US parent company General Motors are considering a possible merger of GM #39;s European subsidiaries.


EU seeks joint asylum policy European Union ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss a five-year plan for co-ordinating policies on asylum, immigration and cross-border security.


Misdirected Text Message Leads to Teenager #39;s Murder A 16-year-old French girl was kidnapped, raped and then murdered by a jilted boyfriend she met after accidentally sending a text message to his mobile phone.


SAT Site Crashes The ability to get SAT scores on the Web has been celebrated by many teenagers and their parents; but when the site crashes, as it did Thursday, modern life suddenly seems maddeningly inconvenient.


Majestic Moya Wins Davis Cup for Spain  SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - A majestic Carlos Moya tamed  world No. 2 Andy Roddick, 6-2, 7-6, 7-6, Sunday to clinch the  Davis Cup for Spain.


Yahoo, Adobe team up on new Web services Yahoo Inc. and Adobe Systems Inc. have joined forces to tap each others #39; customers and put Web search features into Adobe #39;s popular Acrobat Reader software.


Schwarzenegger Shows Eco-Friendly Hummer LOS ANGELES - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) has introduced an environmentally friendly Hummer - but not the converted hydrogen-powered car he promised voters he would build when he campaigned for office.


Internet users seen having few safeguards WASHINGTON -- Home Internet users are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers, which found most consumers have no firewall protection, outdated antivirus software, and spyware programs secretly


Yahoo buys e-mail search firm SAN FRANCISCO: Internet media and Web search company Yahoo Inc. said that it bought privately held e-mail search company Stata Labs, jumping into the nascent market for search-based email programs and services.


In spite of best efforts, firestorms could happen again --- and <b>...</b> NORTH COUNTY ---- For many, it was like waking from a bad dream ---- and then discovering it was not a nightmare, but real, and that it was just beginning.


Missing the pressure point Home PC users will never choose Linux over Windows until it is adopted in the workplace. Whether Windows is a generic term and can be subject to copyright is all very interesting, as are some of the other


TI says chip will allow TV on cell phones Texas Instruments says it has developed a computer chip that will let television fans watch their favorite shows on cellular phones.


United ends Glazer talks Manchester United fans still celebrating yesterday #39;s victory over Arsenal received what most would regard as even better news today - the club has ended takeover talks with Malcolm Glazer.


Jackson puts Cowboys in headlock Mike Sherman forgot his candy bar, and because of it he and the Packers tasted a sweet victory Sunday at Lambeau Field. Sherman and Grady Jackson took part in some good-natured sparring in the days leading up to Sundays Packers-Cowboys game.


Strahan gives bad reviews to Strahan A Giants player was asked about the lack of pressure his team put on Lions quarterback Joey Harrington yesterday.  quot;Strahan didn #39;t get any pressure on the quarterback, quot; the player said after Detroit #39;s 28-13 victory at Giants Stadium.


Chiefs #39; offense finally breaks out (October 25, 2004) - The Kansas City Chiefs were overdue for an offensive explosion and visiting Atlanta was the 56-10 victim Sunday.


Germany #39;s most beautiful words Habseligkeiten - which means  #39;property #39; - has been voted the most beautiful word in the German language. And rhabarbermarmelade -  #39;rhubarb jam #39; - has been singled out as Germany #39;s coolest word.


France still hopeful reporters in Iraq will be released (AFP) AFP - French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said he was still hopeful two French reporters held hostage in Iraq would be freed, adding that  quot;lines of dialogue quot; had been opened with those detaining them.


Japan Quake Survivors Face Rain, Aftershocks  OJIYA, Japan (Reuters) - Thousands of weary survivors of  Japan's deadliest earthquake in a decade prepared for a third  tense night in makeshift shelters and outside as rain  threatened and aftershocks raised fears of another big tremor.


Oil prices at high on Norway fear US oil prices have hit new highs on fears that a shipping strike in Norway could severely disrupt supplies from the world #39;s third largest exporter.


Net via satellite effort to be written off by Direc TV MUMBAI: Satellite television provider, Direc TV in a regulatory filing on Friday said that it may take up to \$1.6 billion in pre - tax charges to write down the value of satellites it would use for broadcasting instead of high-speed data services.


Texas Instruments brings live digital TV to the cell phone Texas Instruments (TI) has developed the wireless industry #39;s first digital TV on a single chip for cell phones. This will capture broadcast signals and allow cell phone users to watch live broadcasts ranging.


Depleted defense did its part He plucked the errant pass out of the air and took it to a place he had never gone before. He was so overcome with emotion that he taunted an opponent just before the goal


KC barbecues Falcons Bryan Scott loved how the Atlanta Falcons opened their game Sunday to quiet the roars at Arrowhead Stadium. One play after the offense handed the defense a three-point lead, Scott stripped


Rebels massacre 49 Iraqi trainees The bodies of 49 freshly trained Iraqi national guard recruits, lined up and executed by insurgents, were discovered on a roadside about 75 miles northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said Sunday.


Darfur peace talks resume in Nigerian capital Peace talks between the Sudanese government and rebel groups in Darfur will resume in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, today. The talks are aimed at resolving the conflict which has left thousands of people dead and more than one million destitute.


Marks and Spencer begins mammoth share buy-back LONDON : Marks and Spencer, the struggling British retailer, began buying back more than one quarter of its shares in the biggest tender offer ever seen in Britain.


Linux under threat from  #39;security update #39; Linux maker Red Hat is warning users about an email that pretends to be an official security advisory but is actually a phishing-type scam that contains links to malicious code.


High hopes for Cassini #39;s Titan flyby The Cassini mission is set to reveal the first close view of Saturn #39;s giant moon Titan. At 1744 BST on Tuesday, the spacecraft will skim within 1200 kilometres of the moon - close enough for radar to penetrate


Heavy Guard as Israeli Parliament Debates Gaza Withdrawal In Gaza today, Israeli troops raided a Palestinian refugee camp in response to mortar fire, killing 11 Palestinians, including an 11-year-old boy, hospital officials said.


Aftershocks continue to rattle quake-stricken Niigata Strong aftershocks continued to rattle Niigata Prefecture on Monday after a series of devastating quakes on Saturday night left 25 people dead and more than 2,500 others injured, the Meteorological Agency and police said.


EU to Tackle Asylum and Security Policy EU Justice and Interior ministers on Monday will discuss the future policy course on a wide-ranging security and immigration program that includes controversial proposals for refugee detention camps in Africa.


Warner Chilcott gets 837p approach Northern Ireland drug company Warner Chilcott says it has received a takeover approach at a price of 837p per share. This would value the company at more than 1.


China enters peak period of trade disputes With the fast growth of China #39;s foreign trade after the WTO accession, China has entered a peak period of trade disputes with foreign countries, said officials with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.


Man Utd rejects Glazer plan MANCHESTER United today dramatically rejected the advances of Malcolm Glazer, the US sports boss who is mulling an 825m bid for the football club.


PREVIEW-Nagpur track plays into Aussie hands - Ganguly India captain Saurav Ganguly expressed his dismay and Australia #39;s Adam Gilchrist his delight as the grassy wicket in Nagpur became the centre of attention on the eve of the third test.


Powell declares North Korea a  #39;terrorist state #39; BEIJING - US Secretary of State Colin Powell, on a mission to restart talks on North Korea #39;s nuclear program, on Sunday branded North Korea a  quot;terrorist state quot; that shows  quot;no respect whatsoever for human rights.


Swanepoel #39;s Gold Fields takeover bid looks as if it was born of <b>...</b> THE bid by charismatic Harmony CE Bernard Swanepoel to take over Gold Fields has all the makings of a bitter fight and one that may result, after years of success, in a serious setback for him.


Higher trade growth predicted in 2004 despite oil price hikes Despite high oil prices, the volumeof world trade by the end of 2004 is likely to grow by 8.5 percentin real terms over 2003, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said Monday.


World growth in 2005 could be below 4.3: IMF World growth in 2005 could be lower than the 4.3 per cent forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) a month ago because of high oil prices, its deputy managing director Agustin Carstens said on Monday.


Yahoo buys Bloomba; plans Chennai operations Internet major Yahoo Inc will have a 25-member high-skilled software professional team in Chennai, after it acquired US-based Stata Labs.


Powell Urges China to Hold Taiwan Talks Secretary of State Colin Powell encouraged Chinese leaders on Monday to resume a dialogue with Taiwan but suggested Beijing was not prepared to do so because of strong concerns about President Chen Shui-bian #39;s policies.


Dad, Reluctantly Upgrading to a Modern 'Machine' We  had been talking about it for at least 10 years. I would say, "Dad, you really should buy a computer. Nobody uses typewriters anymore."


The Buyout Business Has Changed, and So Has Frederic Malek A seemingly small change was recorded last week at    Thayer Capital Partners,  one of the Washington region's biggest and best known corporate buyout firms. In its marketing brochure,    Frederic V. Malek  changed his title to "chairman and founder" from "managing partner," the title he has held since he formed Thayer in 1993.


Developing Effective Network Diagnostics Network engineers spend many of their working hours just keeping their networks up and running. Router Solutions, a three-person company in McLean, wants to help companies reduce the time their tech departments devote to such routine fixes. The company said it has developed a system-operation-management platform that monitors what's happening across an entire network, detecting issues when they arise and  fixing them with little or no intervention from network engineers.


Cogent Acquires Broadband Company  Cogent Communications Group Inc. of Georgetown plans to announce today that it acquired the assets of another telecommunications firm and will get a new investment of \$18 million in cash as part of the merger, according to the company. .


German business confidence stable despite high oil prices, strong euro (AFP) AFP - German business confidence braved surging oil prices and the strong euro to remain stable in October, a widely watched barometer of industrial confidence in the eurozone's biggest economy showed.


SingTel tests video calls between fixed-line and mobile phones (AFP) AFP - Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) started trials of third generation (3G) video calls between mobile and fixed-line phones.


Firms Vie for Air Force Space Command Work Three local companies are among four contractors that will vie for \$610 million in consulting, engineering and technical services with the Air Force Space Command over the next five years.


EU to Lift Sanctions as Bush Signs Law Repealing Tax Breaks The European Union will lift sanctions on US imports after President George W. Bush signed a law replacing an illegal export tax subsidy with a \$145 billion package of new corporate tax cuts and a buyout for tobacco farmers.


Ispat International to buy LNM, then Int #39;l Steel Ispat International NV (IST.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (ISPA.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said it would buy LNM Holdings NV and then will purchase International Steel Group Inc.


BHP Billiton approves Chile copper project, Western Australia iron <b>...</b> SYDNEY: BHP Billiton said it has approved a copper project in northern Chile costing 990 million US dollars and the expansion of its iron ore operations in Western Australia.


EU bid to catch US economy  #39;a big failure #39;: Prodi LONDON : Europe #39;s efforts to catch up to and then outpace the US economy have been  quot;a big failure, quot; the outgoing head of the European Union executive commission, Romano Prodi, told the Financial Times in an interview.


Europe falls to six-week lows European shares fell to six-week lows on Monday, taking their cue from the Dow Jones industrial average #39;s lowest close for the year, with record high crude oil prices and a sliding dollar also weighing on sentiment.


Intel switches off LCOS TV chip Intel has decided to cancel its project to develop a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) chip that would bring down the cost of rear-projection televisions.


Brazil Successfully Launches Its First Rocket To Space thatshortkid writes  quot;The Washington Times is reporting on Brazil #39;s first successful space launch. Since it is closer to the equator, the task of getting up to space is easier, meaning much more cargo room over fuel.


Earth #39;s Tides Set Off Quakes After 100 years of speculation, scientists have finally found proof that strong tides can trigger earthquakes. The link was confirmed by a trio of researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles


Amarilloan shoots 10-under 62 to claim first title on PGA Tour When Ryan Palmer went to the golf course Sunday morning for the final round of the Funai Classic, he knew he would need to shoot a low score to have a chance at winning.


Sterne shocked by Madrid victory South African Richard Sterne carded a brilliant closing round of 65 to win the Madrid Open and a place on the European Tour for the next two years.


Aus Iraq patrol attacked for first time Australian troops serving in Iraq suffered their first casualties from hostile action on Monday when a car bomb exploded near their convoy in Baghdad, media reports said.


Sudanese government, rebels restart talks on Darfur Sudan #39;s government and rebels resumed peace talks in Nigeria #39;s capital Monday aimed at resolving the crisis in Sudan  #39;s Darfur region, which has left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced more than 1 million


Sudanese peace talks open with dispute on security looming (AFP) AFP - Sudanese government envoys sat down with leaders of the rebellion in the western Darfur region as African Union peace talks took off here with a likelihood of bitter rows over security arrangements.


Mind those IMs--your cubicle's walls have ears As more firms install software to keep tabs on workers, start-ups and heavy hitters alike spy an opportunity in surveillance products.


Int #39;l Steel Group to be bought for \$4.5B NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- International Steel Group (ISG) said it will be acquired by Ispat International (IST) in a deal valued at \$4.


Oil hits new record NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Oil hit new record levels Monday, lifted by concerns over expansion of a Norwegian labor dispute that threatened to totally shut down the flow of oil from the world #39;s No.


Marks and Sparks buys back 635m shares Ailing British retailer Marks and Spencer is to buy back 635 m shares -- around 27.9 pc of its issued capital -- at 362 pence following the UK #39;s biggest ever tender offer.


Red Hat Users Targeted by Bogus Advisory Users of Red Hat Linux have been targeted by a fraudulent electronic mail advising recipients to install a  quot;security update quot; containing mailicious code.


Strong Earth tides can trigger earthquakes Earthquakes can be triggered by the Earths tides, UCLA scientists confirmed Oct. 21 in Science Express, the online journal of Science.


In Other News... October 25, 2004 - I finally picked up the latest PC Gamer and thumbed through the Half-Life 2 review. I haven #39;t read the entire feature, as I got hung up on the part that said if you don #39;t want spoilers to just skip to the end for the score.


Dream season says Ferrari #39;s technical director Ferrari #39;s record-breaking season may go down in the Formula One history books as the peak of Michael Schumacher #39;s career. Technical director Ross Brawn certainly


IMPERFECTION WON #39;T BEAT PERFECTION In their attempt to stop the Patriots #39; pursuit of perfection - which has reached 21 straight victories, including six to start the season - the Jets were imperfect.


PITCAIRN: SIX GUILTY OF SEX CRIMES Six men on the Pacific island of Pitcairn have been found guilty of subjecting women to rape and indecent assaults over a 40-year period.


Iran may continue suspension of uranium enrichment Iran #39;s senior nuclear official said that the Islamic republic might resume the suspension of uranium enrichment as requested by the European Union in an attempt to end a standoff over its nuclear program.


Killer typhoon swipes Taiwan up to 130 km (81 miles per hour). The eye was 80 km north of Taipei at 0800 GMT and. driver in the northern port city of Keelung.  quot;I #39;ve never seen anything like it.


Myanmar, India to sign cooperation agreements New Delhi (VNA) - Myanmar and India are expected to sign some cooperation agreements, including a protocol on fighting terrorism, during a five-day India visit by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar Than Shwe, which started on


Australia court hears case against song-share website owner (AFP) AFP - An Australian song-share website which offered links to music download sites was dubbed one of the world's largest copyright infringers in a landmark 500 million Australian dollar (374 million US) case.


Engelhard Posts Flat 3rd-Quarter Results  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Specialty chemicals company Engelhard  Corp. EC.N on Monday posted flat third-quarter results as  higher raw material costs and an unusually severe hurricane  season offset slightly higher sales.


Shipowners Association May Expand Lockout The Norwegian Shipowners Association threatened on Monday to lock out more oil and gas rig workers, a move analysts said could result in a near shutdown of the third-largest petroleum exporter #39;s production and drive world oil prices even higher.


Somerfield buys 114 Safeway outlets MORRISONS is to hand over 114 of its smaller Safeway stores to rival Somerfield as part of a 260m deal. Morrisons said the sale would let it concentrate on the larger Safeway stores that it acquired and


Most computer users ignore basic online security measures You may lock your doors and windows - and maybe even activate an alarm system to keep your home protected, but a new study indicates that most of us haven #39;t taken the equivalent of those basic steps when it comes to protecting ourselves when we go online.


Champion Skater Injured in Fall to Ice 10/25/04- A world champion Russian figure skater is recovering after she was dropped on the ice by her partner during a performance.


Democratic dawn Preliminary results indicate that interim leader Hamid Karzai has won a majority in Afghanistans election to become its first democratically elected President.


Powell sees urgency in N. Korean nuclear talks Previously citing a  quot;sense of urgency quot; on North Korea issues, US Secretary of State Colin Powell headed into Seoul yesterday from China for a two-day visit to discuss international and bilateral affairs.


Rand eyes 6.10 as dollar wilts The rand remained strong in late morning trade on Monday, having earlier touched 6.10 per dollar for the first time since July 23.


Red Sox take another big step (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Pitching again through pain and seeping blood, Curt Schilling helped Boston move halfway to snaring its most elusive prize: a first World Series title in 86 years. Backed by another big hit from surprising Mark Bellhorn and unfazed by a defense that made four more errors, Red Sox beat St. Louis 6-2 Sunday to take a commanding 2-0 lead.


Oil Hits High; Dollar, Stocks Slide  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit new record highs Monday  and the dollar slid against major currencies, piling up worries  in financial markets about slower growth and thinner corporate  profits.


El Guerrouj Plans to Retire in 2006  RABAT, Morocco (Reuters) - Double Olympic champion Hicham  El Guerrouj, the greatest middle distance runner of his  generation, plans to retire in 2006 after trying to break the  5,000 meters world record next year.


Manchester Utd drop Glazer talks Manchester Utd say they have ended talks with the Glazer family regarding a possible takeover.


M S starts share buyback Marks   Spencer begins buying back more than a quarter of its shares in a move that will return 2.3bn (\$4.2bn) to shareholders.


Insurgents kill 23 Iraqis countrywide Guerrillas have shot dead 17 Iraqis working for US forces north of Baghdad and killed six other people, including three Iraqi National Guards, taking the toll from three days of violence to more than 70.


Security for Internet Users Deemed Weak Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers. They found most consumers have no firewall protection, outdated antivirus software and dozens of spyware programs secretly running on their computers.


Netflix Girds for DVD Rental Price War The future suddenly looks shaky for online DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. - a plucky home entertainment upstart that managed to hold its ground after retailing giants Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Blockbuster Inc. invaded its turf.


Leading games maker up for sale Leading independent games maker,  Argonaut, is put up for sale to try to save the UK firm from going under.


Red Sox Star Keeps Bit of His Past in Present Carlos Ferreira was Manny Ramirez's Little League coach back in Washington Heights, a Dominican neighborhood in New York City, where it all began 20 years ago.


Twelve Iraqis Die in Car Bombs, Clashes (Reuters) Reuters - Car bombs and clashes killed 12 Iraqis\Monday and three Australian troops were wounded in the first\attack on their contingent since the end of the Iraq war.


Home PCs not as protected as owners think (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers. They found most consumers have no firewall protection, outdated antivirus software and dozens of spyware programs secretly running on their computers.


Tech CEOs chat about new products, globalization (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - The economic rebound might be sluggish, but technology investments matter more than ever. That's what three of the industry's biggest CEOs told 6,500 attendees last week at the Gartner Symposium and Information Technology Expo, one of the biggest annual gatherings of tech professionals. Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers, Intel CEO Craig Barrett and Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy also met with USA TODAY reporter Michelle Kessler to sound off on new technologies, stock options and globalization. Here's what they had to say, edited for clarity and space.


Stocks to Watch Monday  The company said it would shutter part of its Japanese  trust business and promised sharper oversight of its remaining  operations, after a scandal led to the closure of its private  bank in the country.


EU Lifts Sanctions After U.S. Signs Bill  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will suspend  sanctions on \$4 billion worth of U.S. goods, the bloc's  executive said Monday, three days after President Bush signed a  bill repealing illegal export tax subsidies.


Kerry demands answers about missing explosives (AFP) AFP - Democrat challenger John Kerry's campaign demanded answers from President George W. Bush about the disappearance of nearly 400 tonnes of conventional explosives in Iraq, as the deadlocked White House race entered its final week.


Oil Scales New High as Norway Strike Hits
\

   LONDON (Reuters) - Oil scaled a new high above \$55 a barrel\Monday as a threat by Norwegian ship owners to halt production\from the world's third biggest exporter stoked fears of a\winter supply crunch.


Oil Scales New High as Norway Strike Hits (Reuters) Reuters - Oil scaled a new high above  #36;55 a barrel\Monday as a threat by Norwegian ship owners to halt production\from the world's third biggest exporter stoked fears of a\winter supply crunch.


Engelhard Posts Flat 3rd-Quarter Results (Reuters) Reuters - Specialty chemicals company Engelhard\Corp.  on Monday posted flat third-quarter results as\higher raw material costs and an unusually severe hurricane\season offset slightly higher sales.


Ahold Raises Stake in ICA to 60 Percent (AP) AP - The global food retailer Ahold NV, which owns the Stop  amp; Shop and Giant chains in the United States, said Monday it will buy a 20 percent stake in Scandinavian grocer ICA AB for 7.35 billion Swedish kronor ( #36;1.03 billion).


The 401(k) Card Washington Post staff writer David A. Vise discusses the unveiling of the new 401(k) credit card -- which allows American workers to easily borrow money from their own retirement savings.


Darfur Peace Talks Start Amid New Fighting (Reuters) Reuters - Darfur peace talks kicked off\four days late in Nigeria Monday amid mounting international\concerns of a resurgence of fighting in the remote Sudan\region.


Israel Kills 14 in Gaza Before Key Withdrawal Vote  GAZA (Reuters) - The Israeli army killed 14 Palestinians in  a raid on a Gaza refugee camp Monday as Prime Minister Ariel  Sharon prepared for a critical parliamentary vote on his plan  to withdraw from the occupied territory.


World oil prices hit new record peak on Norway supply halt fears NEW YORK, October 25 (newratings.com) - Crude oil prices increased to new record high levels at \$55.63 per barrel today, driven by concerns surrounding a potential disruption in supplies due to a shipping strike in Norway, the world #39;s third-largest oil


Mittal to Buy ISG, Create World #39;s Largest Steelmaker (Update1) Indian-born billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, who made a fortune buying mills from Algeria to Mexico, agreed to acquire Wilbur Ross #39;s International Steel Group Inc.


Drugs group confirms bid approach Women #39;s healthcare specialist Warner Chilcott has received a bid approach which would value the firm at more than 1.5bn (\$2.