Euro soars as dollar nosedives THE dollar sell-off gained fresh momentum in latest trading with the greenback tumbling to its lowest level for nine years against the currencies of its main trading partners.


Drop in crude futures a trend, say analysts Crude futures prices fell yesterday, briefly sinking below \$49 US a barrel, as the US supply of oil grows and traders said institutional investors shifted their capital from commodities to equities.


Feds probing Merck Already reeling from the Vioxx recall, Merck said late yesterday it faces a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice and an informal inquiry by the Securities and Exchange Commission.


SocGen profit beats forecast Reuters, Paris, November 9 French bank Societe Generales third-quarter profit rose a forecast-beating 10 per cent on consumer banking growth, gains in investment banking, and a sharp fall in bad debt provisions, it said on Tuesday.


Salvation Army seeks volunteers The sounds of the holiday season are a joyous cacophony of loving banter, caroling and children #39;s laughter. Thanks to the classic film  quot;It #39;s a Wonderful Life, quot; everyone knows that every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.


Comcast deal gives Microsoft entry into cable TV Comcast is giving Microsoft something the software giant has struggled to get on its own: an easy way to expand from the desktop computer to the home-entertainment center.


NO OVITZ-SIGHT Disney #39;s board of directors didn #39;t get to see all the details of Michael Ovitz #39;s fat employment contract or the deal that let him walk away with a \$140 million severance


Scientists warn Arctic is warming quickly Scientists say changes in the earth #39;s climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced


The Novell Linux Desktop Novell Inc. has just announced details of its latest Linux offering for desktop computers. The software is to be known as the Novell Linux Desktop 9, hopefully to be shortened to NLD 9, and will be the first


Big Blue named top computer again Big Blue has brought the title of the worlds fastest supercomputer back to the US for the first time in three years. IBMs still incomplete Blue Gene/L system has been officially named the fastest in the


Textbook disclaimer on evolution in Ga. court A trial opened yesterday over whether a warning sticker in suburban Atlanta biology textbooks that says evolution is  quot;a theory, not a fact quot; violates


Bluetooth Version 2.0 Enhanced Data Rate Announced The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) today announced the adoption of Bluetooth Core Specification Version 2.0  EDR (Enhanced Data Rate).


Intel Updates Itanium Intel Corp. is adding to its current Itanium 2 processor line with six new processors that the company says deliver performance increases of 15 percent for database transaction processing and up to 35 percent


Vocal biologist fired from wildlife agency The US Fish and Wildlife Service has fired a biologist who publicly accused the agency of using bad science to approve construction projects in panther habitat.


\$1 million bail for spammer LEESBURG, VA. -- Bail was set at \$1 million for a Raleigh man awaiting sentencing in the nation #39;s first felony prosecution of illegal distribution of spam.


Colts can #39;t win it all History says they cant do this. History says the Indianapolis Colts cant win a championship in a league where offense sells tickets and defense wins Super Bowls.


BRITISH PEOPLE HELPED ME WIN IN NEW YORK PAULA RADCLIFFE last night paid tribute to the  quot;incredible support quot; which helped her overcome her Olympic nightmare. Radcliffe fought back from her Athens heartbreak to win the New York Marathon


RUUD RAGE ARSENE WENGER is preparing for outright confrontation with the FA over his right to call Ruud van Nistelrooy a cheat. Arsenal boss Wenger was charged with improper conduct by Soho Square for his comments after


Report indicates Wannstedt out And it #39;s not often you hear a head coach asked for his response to all the  quot;vultures quot; who have shown up to witness his possible firing.


Robinson #39;s class act sweeps snobbery aside at last New England captain Jason Robinson is setting new standards. Sam Wheeler looks at the career of the state-educated Leeds-born former rugby league star Thirty-two years after Clive Sullivan led Great Britain


Van Gundy paints offensive strategy MIAMI  Stan Van Gundy called his players together at the end of Monday #39;s practice and warned them about overlooking the obvious.


Violence flares in Ivory Coast ahead of presidential visit Joint patrols have begun in Ivory Coast #39;s commercial centre, Abidjan, in an attempt to maintain law and order after three days of disturbances.


US-Led Forces Thrust Towards Central Falluja US-led forces thrust at least one km (half a mile) into rebel-held Falluja on Tuesday and were not far from the Iraqi city #39;s heart, residents and an Iraqi army officer said.


13 killed in hospital car bomb AT least 13 people were killed and about 60 injured when a car bomb exploded outside the emergency unit of one of Baghdad #39;s main hospitals, medical officials said today.


After Arafat In his press conference last Thursday, President Bush said people who don #39;t believe in the applicability of democracy to the Arab world cannot really believe in a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict with Israel.


US to enhance ties with Pakistan: Armitage Visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said here on Tuesday that the United States will further enhance its relations with Pakistan.


Powell unhappy at Sudan #39;s Darfur camp relocations US Secretary of State Colin Powell voiced displeasure on Monday at Sudan #39;s movement of camps for people who fled their homes in Darfur.


Judge halts patent suits against Columbia A federal judge in Boston dismissed patent claims filed by large biotechnology companies against Columbia University that alleged the New York school was improperly trying to extend its rights to a process widely used to engineer new drugs.


Novell, Microsoft settle row Novell Inc. of Waltham is getting a half-billion-dollar check from Microsoft Corp. to settle an antitrust case that's never been filed.


Marsh ousts 2 top executives Two top executives of scandal-tarred insurance firm Marsh Inc. were ousted yesterday, the company said, the latest casualties of an industry probe by New York's attorney general.


McDonald's sales push its stock to 2-year high McDonald's Corp. yesterday reported another month of strong worldwide sales, sending its stock up modestly to its highest closing price in 2 years.


'Revenge' killing in S Thailand \A second Buddhist man is beheaded in Thailand's south in apparent revenge for the deaths of Muslim protesters.


Network fighting huge Janet fine TV network CBS fights the record \$500,000 fine imposed following Janet Jackson's breast-baring incident.


Ivory Coast loyalists in standoff ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- Thousands of government loyalists massed outside the home of the president yesterday, facing off against French armored vehicles in response to urgent appeals for a ''human shield quot; around the hard-line leader, amid fears of an overthrow.


22 rebels said killed, including key figure MOSCOW -- Chechen security forces killed 22 separatist rebels, including the alleged organizer of the assassination of the republic's president, a top republic official said yesterday, according to news reports. Deputy Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov was quoted as saying the rebels were killed in an operation in the Vedeno region, about 30 miles southeast of Grozny, the Chechen capital. The ...


Iraqi envoy backs raid on Fallujah UNITED NATIONS -- An assault on Fallujah was Iraq's ''least damaging choice quot; for providing security for civilians in the rebel-held city, Baghdad's UN ambassador said he told Secretary General Kofi Annan yesterday.


Iraqi called uncooperative CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- A Marine major implicated in the death of an Iraqi prisoner testified at his court-martial yesterday that he thought the prisoner was uncooperative.


Prosettlement party to quit Sharon government over pullout JERUSALEM -- A prosettlement party said yesterday that it plans to quit Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's coalition government over his plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, further eroding his hold on power.


Resentment high on Arafat's wife RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Suha Daoud Tawil Arafat, 41, has been the focus of resentment and controversy among Palestinians for most of the time that she has been married to the founder and chief symbol of the Palestinian national movement.


Exemplary assistance The work of Bill Belichick's muted underlings was never more noticeable than during Sunday's 40-22 win over the St. Louis Rams, in these most challenging of times for these Patriots.


Things could heat up fast at Miami meetings Good things happened for Theo Epstein the last couple of years when baseball's general managers gathered for their annual meetings. In Tucson, Ariz., two years ago, he went from promoting Billy Beane as the next GM of the Red Sox to effectively landing the job himself. Then he used last year's meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., as a springboard ...


Colts, Vanderjagt save best for last Peyton Manning provided the expected fireworks. Mike Vanderjagt's leg sealed the win for the Indianapolis Colts.


Wannstedt said set to resign Dave Wannstedt may have coached his last game for the Miami Dolphins. With his team at 1-8, Wannstedt is expected to resign today, according to reports late yesterday on The Miami Herald's website and two South Florida television stations. A third TV station, WTVJ, said Wannstedt already resigned.


Kovalev heading home Movement continues to take place among NHL players -- but it's not toward North American teams nor arenas.


His little pain means big gain He's not among the team leaders in points or minutes, two areas that Raef LaFrentz could well improve on as the NBA season moves along. But here's where he is undeniably at the top of the list for the Celtics: relief. He's playing, he's playing reasonably well ( quot;hot and cold, quot; according to coach Doc Rivers), and he's playing ...


Kansas, Tennessee top NCAA basketball polls Kansas often grabs a spot in the upper half of the Associated Press men's preseason college basketball poll, but the school hasn't been No. 1 since Wilt Chamberlain suited up for the Jayhawks in the 1950s.


Eagles, Mountaineers in a summit meeting Rich Rodriguez expects a tough, physical game -- as usual -- from Boston College, a team the West Virginia coach says has a defensive line with no weaknesses.


Framingham down, not out The Framingham boys' soccer team was without two of its best defensive players yesterday, but not without a commitment to playing strong team defense.


Today's schedule College hockey: MEN -- Worcester St. at Wentworth, 8 p.m.; WOMEN -- Rensselaer at MIT, 7 p.m.


For Marine, a case of glove love at first sight Laura Barrow has learned quite a bit in her 20 years. For example, when you step into a boxing ring, forget what they taught you in ballet class. Tonight, when the Marine lance corporal from Dallas takes on Beverly's Nicki Silveira in the first stop of the Great Northeast Tour at the Roxy, she will remember that lesson.


Phelps in hot water now Swimmer Michael Phelps , who won eight medals -- six of them gold -- at last summer's Olympics in Athens, was arrested last Thursday in Salisbury, Md., and charged with drunken driving. A trooper saw the 19-year-old go through a stop sign, state police said yesterday. The trooper saw signs of intoxication and arrested Phelps for driving under the influence. ...


Digital Gear: Slimming Down Systems and Users A sleek desktop debuts, along with VR-like games that help you exercise--and a robot that doesn't.


Iran Says Can Mass Produce Medium-Range Missiles (Reuters) Reuters - Iran said on Tuesday it was now able to\manufacture large quantities of its medium-range Shahab-3\ballistic missile, which defense experts say is capable of\hitting Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf.


Nokia Releases Newest Version Of SSL VPN (TechWeb) TechWeb - New Secure Connector feature gives remote users secure network-level access, including access to business applications, data, and network services.


Novell wins windfall Microsoft settlement As software disputes go, Novell #39;s decade-long antitrust claim against Microsoft was particularly drawn out. That made the \$536 million payoff announced Monday especially sweet.


World Bank reports drop in poverty levels in East Asia, Pacific The World Bank says fewer people than ever are living in extreme poverty in East Asia and the Pacific due to economic growth of around seven per cent.


Guite defends use of fed slush funds Ad agencies were given federally financed slush funds in order to cut through red tape and speed up the awarding of grants, according to the former head of the federal sponsorship program.


Halo 2 Hits The Streets (Rochester, NY) 11/09/04 -- Workers in some Rochester-area toy and game stores worked late Monday night as fans of  quot;Halo 2 quot; lined up to buy a copy of the X-Box game that went on sale at midnight.


T #39;s CharlieCard #39; more than just a token effort Nearly a decade in the making, the MBTA is entering the homestretch of a new \$140 million fare collection system as officials yesterday unveiled the CharlieCard, #39; #39; a debit-type card to be used on the T in 2006.


Woods moves to No. 2 in world By wire services. Tiger Woods, who surrendered his record 264-week streak as the world #39;s top-ranked golfer to Vijay Singh in September, rose a place to No.


Ivory Coast loyalists fear leader #39;s overthrow ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast - A pro-government  quot;Jeune Patriote quot; militia supporter holds a sign in French which translates to  quot;We are ready to fight the rebellion quot; at a demonstration in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Thursday, Nov.


Lithuanians held over fake euros Eleven Lithuanians are charged with masterminding what is believed to be Europe's biggest euro forgery operation.


Reaching out, Bush hews to stance When President Bush walked into Halifax #39;s Pier 21 on Wednesday, the stage was literally set for him to usher in a new era of partnership


French Hospital Says Arafat's Condition Worsened  PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat's condition worsened  overnight and his coma has deepened, the French military  hospital caring for the Palestinian leader announced on  Tuesday.


Bomb Explosion in Nepal's Capital Wounds 38  KATHMANDU (Reuters) - A bomb tore through a government  office in the Nepali capital on Tuesday, wounding at least 38  people in an attack police suspect was carried out by Maoist  rebels.


Exit Shinui The moment after Shinui achieved its meteoric achievement of 15 Knesset seats, the question was: Can the party make the transition from a one-issue, one-election wonder to one of the top two national parties?


US top of supercomputing charts IBM's Blue Gene/L was  named the fastest supercomputer in the world on Monday, pushing Japan off the top of the list.


Players sought for \$1m tournament A Pop Idol type competition is being held to find UK gamers to take part in a \$1m tournament.


Young Wildcats receive the spanking on Initiation Day Initiation Day concluded with the older guys raising their arms to provoke adoration and the younger guys walking away, heads lowered, shirts and egos untucked.


Microsoft settles two big fights Microsoft agreed yesterday to pay more than \$500 million to settle a potential antitrust lawsuit by rival software maker Novell but will likely have to fight another part of Novell #39;s claim in court.


World Bank: Cambodia Economy to Slow Down Cambodia #39;s economy will slow down significantly next year due to losses in the garment sector - the country #39;s main economic engine - although gains in tourism may help offset the downward tumble, the World Bank said Tuesday.


Toshiba takes Hynix to task in patent clash Toshiba has accused Hynix of infringing its DRAM and Flash patents, and has begun legal proceedings against its South Korean rival in the US and Japanese courts.


Tasers OK #39;d for Korean airline A foreign airline has been given permission by the federal government to carry electronic Taser stun guns on some of its flights in the United States to protect against hijackings or other attacks.


Rose axes four M amp;S directors Stuart Rose today consolidated his authority at Marks  amp; Spencer as the ailing retailer announced a clear-out of top executives.


Marsh May Have to Cut Jobs as Earnings Decline, Investors Say Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos., the US insurance broker accused of rigging bids and taking payoffs, #39; #39; may cut jobs to help mitigate a drop in earnings, investors said.


Fans Throng for First Crack at New Game 'Halo 2'  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It takes a special kind of person  to stay up all night and stand in a line nearly 250 people long  just to buy a video game -- but for rabid fans of the first  "Halo" on the Xbox video game console, it was well worth the  wait to buy the new "Halo 2."


ATI #39;s Radeon Xpress 200 chipset reviewed Intel may be struggling a bit with its processors right now, but the company smacked one out of the park with the introduction of its 900-series chipsets.


Student Finds New Species of Amphibian Vertebrate Paleontologist Amy C. Henrici of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh holds a stone fossil of a new genus and species of terrestrial adopted amphibian that lived in the Pennsylvanian Period, about 300 million years ago, Monday


Firefox Browser, a Microsoft Rival, Fully Released The free Firefox Web browser, which has chipped away at the market dominance of Microsoft Corp. #39;s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Internet Explorer, has been readied for a full release including new features designed to make it more


Fans throng for first shot at  quot;Halo 2 quot; game It takes a special kind of person to stay up all night and stand in a line nearly 250 people long just to buy a video game -- but for rabid fans of the first  quot;Halo quot; on


Bluetooth For Multi-Player Gaming? The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has unveiled a roadmap that outlines updates to the technology in performance, security, power optimization and usability.


Telecom Unveils its 3G Mobile The New Zealand based company, Telecom, launched its high-speed third-generation (3G) mobile broadband service and is expecting strong demand from businesses and consumers.


File-swapping case finds friends in court A broad list of copyright owners, artists, law professors and state attorneys general on Monday asked the US Supreme Court to hear a controversial case on the legality of file-swapping software.


Williams to trial 2005 hopefuls Anthony Davidson and Nick Heidfeld will test for Williams next month as the team bids to finalise their line-up for next season. Davidson, third driver with BAR in 2004, will take to the track at Jerez in


\$8-billion deal for NFL, 2 networks CBS and Fox will continue to televise NFL games on Sunday afternoons through the 2011 season. The price tag for the six-year deal: \$8 billion, 25 percent and 30 percent higher than the previous eight-year contracts for the two networks.


Swim phenom sinking on DWI Olympic swimming sensation Michael Phelps was drowning in criticism from his coach and fans last night after being busted for drunken driving in Maryland.


Defending champions avoid second lost Defending champions Detroit Pistons avoided second lost in the first four games of new season as they narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 99-96 after two overtimes Monday in Los Angeles.


Hall ceremony special nonetheless Even with the NHL in the midst of a lockout, defensemen Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey, Larry Murphy and executive Cliff Fletcher were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night.


Class of 2004 announced USA Track  amp; Field on Monday announced the inductees for the Class of 2004 for the National Track  amp; Field Hall of Fame. The inductees are modern athletes Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Michael Johnson, Joan Benoit Samuelson


Arafat's Wife Attacks His Aides, Setting Off a Public Brawl An old feud between the wife of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and his senior advisers erupted into an extraordinary public brawl Monday after  Suha Arafat accused the aides of plotting against  her husband and they accused her of blocking access to the ailing leader and withholding information about his health.


Critics of Islam on edge after murder LONDON - For some writers who criticize Islam, bullet-proof glass, bodyguards, death threats and pseudonyms are a part of everyday life.


Palestinian leadership hinges on Arafat fortune: Israel Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom says any debate among Palestinians as to who will lead in the absence of the ailing Yasser Arafat is related to Mr Arafat #39;s personal fortune.


Iraqi envoy backs raid on Fallujah An assault on Fallujah was Iraq #39;s  quot;least damaging choice quot; for providing security for civilians in the rebel-held city, Baghdad #39;s UN ambassador


Basayev associate killed in Vedeno operation GROZNY. Nov 9 (Interfax) - Guerrilla commander Rezvan Isayev, a close associate of Chechen separatist leader Shamil Basayev, is among the fighters killed in a recent large-scale operation in Chechnya #39;s Vedeno


Train wreckage operation begins A painstaking operation to lift the mangled wreckage of the Berkshire train crash from the tracks has been taking place. The exact events surrounding the crash which killed seven people are still being investigated


High Stakes in Vegas vs. Macau Glittery Las Vegas gambling has arrived in seedy Macau, promising new charms for China's inveterate players, and this former Portuguese colony may never be the same.


Brazilian Troops to Remain in Haiti Brazilian U.N. peacekeepers will remain in Haiti until presidential elections are held in that Caribbean nation sometime next year, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday.


AOL to Be Split Into Four America Online Inc. Monday put new leaders in senior posts and revamped its corporate structure in a sweeping overhaul.
 -The Washington Post


Microsoft Ends Disputes Company settled legal disputes Monday with two of its largest remaining antagonists in a move that will ensure its antitrust deal will not be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. -The Washington Post


Halo 2 Poised to Ring Up \$80M in Sales Video game is creating the kind of buzz usually reserved for a Hollywood opening of, say, "The Incredibles." -The Washington Post


Lockheed CEO Sees World  of Potential Named Lockheed's top executive in August, Robert J. Stevens presides over the biggest defense contractor in the world at a time of shifting military priorities and precarious defense budgets.-The Washington Post


Brown seeks out global challenge Chancellor Gordon Brown tells the CBI his mission is to build a "shared national economic purpose".


Bomb Explosion in Nepal's Capital Wounds 38 (Reuters) Reuters - A bomb tore through a government\office in the Nepali capital on Tuesday, wounding at least 38\people in an attack police suspect was carried out by Maoist\rebels.


AOL to Be Split Into Four Units (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - America Online Inc. yesterday put new leaders in senior posts and revamped its corporate structure, undertaking a sweeping overhaul just one month before the company plans to slash costs by firing more than 700 employees.


Public hostility to Iraq war at record levels: poll (AFP) AFP - Public distaste with the Iraq war in Britain has hit its worst-ever level, with fewer than a third of people thinking it is the right thing, an opinion poll said.


Fans Throng for First Crack at New Game 'Halo 2' (Reuters) Reuters - It takes a special kind of person\to stay up all night and stand in a line nearly 250 people long\just to buy a video game -- but for rabid fans of the first\"Halo" on the Xbox video game console, it was well worth the\wait to buy the new "Halo 2."


Ponting "dug his own grave", says controversial Test pitch curator (AFP) AFP - A former India captain who prepared the crumbling pitch for last week's Bombay Test against world champions Australia defended himself by passing the blame on touring skipper Ricky Ponting.


Summary: Student Finds New Amphibian (AP) AP - THE DISCOVERY: A University of Pittsburgh geology student on a field trip stumbles across the fossil of an oversized, salamander-like creature that lived about 300 million years ago.


Student Finds New Species of Amphibian (AP) AP - A freshman geology student on a field trip stumbled across the fossil of an oversized, salamander-like creature with vicious crocodile-like teeth that lived about 300 million years ago, paleontologists said.


Google Blazes Lonely IPO Trail Few experts who tried to predict how Google's much-antipated IPO would perform managed to get it right, and no firms have opted to follow its auction approach. By Joanna Glasner.


Toshiba Sues Hynix for Patent Infringement In the latest squabble over patents between Japanese and South Korean electronics giants, Toshiba has sued Hynix Semiconductor #39;s Japan and US units, alleging patent infringement in flash-memory


WTO complaint filed against US, Canada The European Unions head office said Monday it had filed a complaint against the United States and Canada for failing to lift sanctions against the EU over its ban on imports of hormone-treated beef.


11 banks under review for possible ratings cut--Moody #39;s MOODY #39;S Investors Service said it had placed on review for possible downgrade the foreign currency long-term deposit ratings of 11 banks.


Target drops kettles from Salvation Army Target Corp. has banned Christmas kettle donations in front of its stores, costing the local Salvation Army fund drive about \$20,000 a year, the organization #39;s area commander said Monday in kicking off its annual holiday campaign.


Telkom Welcomes Black Consortium As Strategic Shareholder JOHANNESBURG (Dow Jones)--Telkom SA Ltd (TKG) said in a statement Tuesday it welcomes the sale of a 15.1 stake in the company to a black consortium.


RPT-CORRECTED-US #39; Al Gore starts sustainable growth firm In LONDON story of Nov. 8 (not Nov. 2) headlined  quot;US #39; Al Gore starts sustainable growth fund firm quot; please read in fifth paragraph ... Peter Knight, a former campaign manager ... instead of ... Peter Harris, a former campaign manager ... (corrects surname).


System X takes seventh place Virginia Tech #39;s  #39;System X #39; computer has fallen to seventh place in the Top500 supercomputer ratings, with G5 manufacturer, IBM, dominating the chart.


Mozilla Firefox 1.0 Released The Mozilla Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving choice and promoting innovation on the Internet, today announced the worldwide availability of the Mozilla Firefox 1.0 web browser.


AMD signs foundry for 64-bit CPU production AMD is to outsource AMD64 processor production - or at least a portion of it - the chip maker announced today. The move is one part of a larger deal struck with Singapore #39;s Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing


Fish and Wildlife Service delays panther protection plan The US Fish and Wildlife Service has delayed the adoption of a plan designed to protect Florida panthers from encroaching development.


British hostility to the war deepens as another Black Watch <b>...</b> THE British publics opposition to the war in Iraq has risen to record levels amid signs that the continued violence could be a major factor in next years expected general election.


Baghdad Car Bombing Kills 13 People Outside Hospital, AFP Says At least 13 people were killed and 56 were injured when a car bomb exploded outside the emergency unit of one of Baghdad #39;s hospitals, Agence France-Presse reported, citing medical officials.


Ideas Stolen Right From Nature Nature is pretty good at solving engineering problems, so designers are increasingly turning to biomimetics to improve their products and ideas. By Rowan Hooper.


Stop Trying to Persuade Us A PBS documentary makes the case that Americans have tuned out marketers pitching everything from cars to candidates. The result: even more crass attempts to get through, and a fragmentation of American society. By Jason Silverman.


The Great Southwest Salt Saga How an accidental oasis in the Mexican desert sank Arizona's \$250 million desalination plant. A case study in the law of unintended consequences. By Jeff Howe from Wired magazine.


Everything Is Green at This Fair San Francisco's Green Festival is a cornucopia of environmentally conscious products and services, displaying everything from a corn-based disposable printer to hemp bars. Daniel Terdiman reports from San Francisco.


Life-or-Death Question: How Supernovas Happen Lately, supernovas have become signal events in the life of the cosmos, as told by modern science.


Long After Kinsey, Only the Brave Study Sex Scientists say one thing has remained constant since Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey's work: Americans' ambivalence about the study of sexuality.


Germs, Germs Everywhere. Are You Worried? Get Over It. The fantasy of a germ-free home is not only absurd, but it is also largely pointless.


A Melting Glacier in Tibet Serves as an Example and a Warning Compelling evidence from a remote glacier suggests "drastic climate change," according to scientists.


Japanese carrier KDDI to tie up with BT on data communications (AFP) AFP - Japan's number two telecoms operator KDDI said it had agreed with major British carrier BT to join hands on international data communications services for corporate clients.


A Diabetes Researcher Forges Her Own Path to a Cure Dr. Denise Faustman, who has cured diabetes in mice, thinks she has a shot at curing it in humans.


Key cable TV deal for Microsoft US pay TV firm Comcast is set to roll out set-top boxes featuring Microsoft software, in a crucial test for Microsoft's cable TV ambitions.


News Corp. plans poison pill to thwart Liberty WASHINGTON - Two of the world #39;s media titans may be getting set to square off in a clash that will have a wide impact across the industry.


Update 8: Crude Futures Change Little Crude futures rose Tuesday as traders awaited US oil inventory data, and analysts said the market fundamentals were pointing to higher prices in the coming weeks.


Schwab ex-CEO to get almost \$10M SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Charles Schwab Corp. is paying David Pottruck, ousted as chief executive officer in July, a lump-sum payment of \$6.


Telkom welcomes BEE deal, shares soar Following Monday #39;s announcement that a black economic empowerment (BEE) consortium had concluded an agreement to acquire the remaining 15.


DeKalb wins new Target center Target Corp. Monday said it plans to build a regional distribution center in DeKalb - its first in Illinois - and employ up to 1,000 workers thanks to a \$9.


UK firms 'embracing e-commerce' A minister hails progress on e-commerce after a study suggests UK firms are the third most sophisticated users of IT.


Blue Gene quits ivory tower Fresh from setting a supercomputer performance record, IBM has announced it will make a commercial version of its Blue Gene system available for businesses and scientific researchers.


New game  #39;will blow past anything Hollywood has #39; Microsoft #39;s Halo 2 video game launched in stores across Canada at midnight this morning, its accompanying media frenzy and record-breaking sales confirming blockbuster games are becoming as profitable -- and as culturally important -- as first-run movies.


P2Pers ask Supreme Court to reject RIAA ban request StreamCast has formally asked the US Supreme Court to reject the request made by the Motion Picture Ass. of America (MPAA) and Recording Industry Ass.


Spansion maps out future for 8Gbit memory parts Spansion, the flash memory joint venture between AMD and Fujitsu has laid out its plans to develop 8Gbit memory parts based on 65nm lithography.


Supercomputing Windows skips Itanium 2 Microsoft will support only x86 processors with 64-bit extensions when it releases a special version of Windows Server for high-performance computing next year, leaving support for Intel #39;s Itanium 2 chip to a later, unspecified date.


The Music Mess: Advantage, Microsoft Imagine buying a CD at Best Buy (BBY ) only to discover that it won #39;t work on the CD player you bought at Circuit City (CC ). Absurd as it sounds, this sort of situation is the rule rather than the exception in the world of legally downloaded music.


Colts Finish One Stride Ahead of the Vikings Two minutes 50 seconds on the clock. Tie game. The ball in Peyton Manning #39;s hands. Is there really any question? Manning led the Colts down the field, and Mike Vanderjagt


Sales of 'Shrek 2' DVD seeing green, possibly sinking 'Nemo' (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - The big green ogre may be about to reclaim his DVD sales crown from that little orange clown fish. Already the top-grossing movie of 2004, Shrek 2  is now the biggest DVD of the year after just the first three days of sales.


He's jazzed up over Couric (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - "You should see me blushing right now," says Chris Botti, speaking on his cell phone from Germany. That's because the jazz trumpeter, 42, is being pressed - gently, of course - to talk about new squeeze Katie Couric.


Two Afghan hostages phone home KABUL, Afghanistan - Two of three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan have called home to say they are OK, officials and relatives said Tuesday, and one hostage said she expected to be released soon.


Another Buddhist killed in  #39;revenge attack #39; Thailand - Unknown assailants on Tuesday beheaded a 60-year-old Buddhist plantation worker in the southern province of Narathiwat in an act of revenge for 87 Muslims slain in a government crackdown there in October.


Kidnapped UN hostages call home KABUL - Two of three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan telephoned home to say they are OK and one expressed hope she soon would be free, officials and relatives said Tuesday.


Russian Troops Kill 22 Rebels in Chechnya Operation  Kadyrov At least 22 Chechen rebels were killed by Russian troops in the separatist republic, including a man officials say was linked to the assassination of Chechnya s pro-Moscow president Akhmad Kadyrov.


#39;LoC fencing by India would complete in March 2005 #39; SRINAGAR: Illegal fencing by India of Line of Control in Kashmir has been going in violation of agreements and most of the projected work is reportedly nearing completion.


Stocks Look to Open Lower; Cisco Awaited  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a  slightly lower open on Tuesday as investors stay cautious after  last week's three-day rally and await results from networking  gear maker Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO.O which will set the  direction for technology stocks.


Chunghwa Telecom earnings ahead of forecast (AFP) AFP - Taiwan's leading telecom operator, Chunghwa Telecom, said it had a net profit of 43.45 billion Taiwan dollars (1.32 billion US) in the 10 months to October or 4.0 percent ahead of its full year target of 41.58 billion dollars.


Dlr Regains Poise After ZEW Slump  LONDON (Reuters) - News German investor confidence had  plunged to its lowest level in almost 2 years gave the dollar  much needed support on Tuesday and European shares eased from  6-month highs after a mixed bag of earnings results.


Dollar Steers Clear of Record Low Vs Euro  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar on Tuesday held almost a cent  above its record low against the euro, winning respite from  recent heavy selling ahead of U.S. trade data and an expected  rise in U.S. interest rates on Wednesday.


Dutch film maker to be cremated The funeral is expected to take place on Tuesday of the Dutch film maker, Theo van Gogh, who was shot and stabbed to death in Amsterdam a week ago.


Bomb Explosion in Nepal #39;s Capital Wounds 38 A bomb tore through a government office in the Nepali capital on Tuesday, wounding at least 38 people in an attack police suspect was carried out by Maoist rebels.


Bottom-Dwelling Marine Life Found in Ga. (AP) AP - Researchers working off coastal Georgia have discovered what could be three new species of bottom-dwelling creatures known as sea squirts.


Major Brokerages' Trades Investigated NEW YORK, Nov. 8 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether more than a dozen big brokerage firms failed to execute certain trades at the best possible prices for individual investors, sources familiar with the probe said.


NASD Files Charges Against H R Block The NASD yesterday lodged fraud charges against H R Block Financial Advisors Inc. for selling \$16.4 million of Enron Corp. bonds to investors without warning of risks, shortly before the energy trading company filed for bankruptcy protection.


Firefox browser takes on Microsoft Few people get excited when some new software is released, especially when the program is not a game or a music or movie player. But the release of the first full version of a web browser called Firefox has


Pleat casts doubt over foreigners David Pleat says Tottenham #39;s managerial problems have been caused by too many foreign coaches at White Hart Lane. The former Spurs manager told BBC Five Live:  quot;To understand how the game works in this country


Eagles pay for inability to stop run Thirteen points in the last two games... not much of an onslaught from offensive savior Terrell Owens and his mates. Yet, with that influx of talent in


Vancouver Sun Jason Bay proved this past baseball season he could consistently hit a major league curveball. On Monday, the Trail native proved he can also handle a soft-lobbed verbal knuckleball with suitable diplomacy.


Defense Lawyers Say Rapport with Milosevic Ruined  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The lawyers appointed to defend  Slobodan Milosevic in his war crimes trial renewed their plea  on Tuesday to be allowed to withdraw from the case, saying  their relationship with the defendant had been irreparably  damaged.


Mio 8390 smart phone Reg review Windows Mobile 2003 in a clamshell


MS - NHS tie up unsettles Reg readers Letters And a job offer for the brainiest woman


The definitive guide to PHP Power Programming Site Offer Save 30 on 1000's of titles!


P2Pers ask Supreme Court to reject RIAA ban request District Court, appeal court rulings clear enough


Firefox browser takes on Microsoft Microsoft's popular Internet Explorer has a serious rival in the Firefox browser.


E-university's record 'abysmal' The failure of the UK's e-university was blamed on weak marketing by the higher education minister.


Slowdown Forces Many To Wander for Work Information technology workers face rising unemployment and are having mobility thrust upon them as companies change the way they staff computer-related jobs.


E-Mail Firms Seek Spam Solution Representatives from America's largest e-mail companies will meet in Washington today and Wednesday to look for a way to reduce the amount of "spam" clogging the nation's e-mail accounts, but experts said a concrete solution remains months or even years away. -washingtonpost.com


'Phishing' on the Rise, But Don't Take the Bait Jan Boldt can hardly believe the number of fake e-mail warnings she receives almost daily from crooks impersonating the security divisions at eBay, AOL, PayPal and other businesses. She usually deletes them without even looking.


Polar people 'will need to adapt' The indigenous peoples of the Arctic are told their culture will be threatened by climate warming.


UK: M amp;S reports lower profit, reshuffles management UK food and clothing retailer Marks  amp; Spencer has reported lower profits for the first half, and announced management changes as it tries to turn around its business.


Ad:tech Celebrates Industry Revival NEW YORK -- Online advertising executives celebrated the rejuvenation of their industry from its dormancy following the dot-com bust, yet warned that marketers need to tread carefully in how they communicate with consumers.


Firefox browser fully released The free Firefox Web browser, which has chipped away at the market dominance of Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer, has been readied for a full release including new features designed to make it more stable, backers of the program say.


How big is  #39;Halo 2 #39;? Xbox game could make \$75 million in 24 hours, give Grand Theft Auto a run for its money. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - How big is  quot;Halo 2 quot;?


Summary: Yasser Arafat in a Coma (AP) AP - HEALTH STATUS: Yasser Arafat is in a coma and his condition worsened overnight. Hospital spokesman Gen. Christian Estripeau did not issue a prognosis but suggested the chances of a recovery were poor.


Powerful bomb injures 32 civilians in Kathmandu (AFP) AFP - A powerful bomb planted by suspected Maoist rebels exploded in a brand new government office block in the centre of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, injuring 32 people, police said.


Palestinian Delegation to Visit Comatose Arafat  PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat slipped deeper into a coma  overnight and his health worsened, a doctor treating him said  on Tuesday before Palestinian officials arrived at a French  military hospital for a visit Arafat's wife adamantly opposed.


U.S.-Led Forces Reach Central Falluja-U.S. Source  FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces punched to the heart  of Falluja on Tuesday after fierce fighting with guerrillas in  Iraq's most rebellious city, a U.S. military source said.


SEC Considers Suing Ex-Lucent Officers Lucent Technologies, the nation #39;s biggest telecommunications equipment maker, said yesterday that the Securities and Exchange Commission was considering suing three former executives over possible


Christmas assistance Families who are approved will receive a Christmas food box and gifts for their children through the Angel Tree program. Those applying need to appear in person at The Salvation Army, 200 E. Ninth in Shawnee.


The new browser on the block Imagine if everyone watched television using the same set, listened to the radio using the same audio system or surfed the Web using the same browser.


IBM regains No.1 supercomputer rank Blue Gene L leads the group followed by SGI #39;s NASA installation and NEC #39;s Earth Simulator Center in the third position. NEW YORK: IBM, the world #39;s biggest computer maker, has regained its position at the head


Two-year Bluetooth roadmap laid out Bluetooth short range wireless connectivity is to receive a number of upgrades over the next two years, according to the body that controls development of the technology.


James Lawton: Only Beijing can bury agony for Radcliffe Paula Radcliffe got so many things right in New York. In winning another marathon she achieved all of her goals except the one that was beyond her.


EU, India sign strategic partnership deal New Delhi (VNA) - India and the European Union on Monday signed a  quot;strategic partnership deal #39; #39; aimed at tightening economic and political ties.


Dining with the dolphin hunters Paul Kenyon confronts the drive hunt fishermen of Taiji in Japan and the intermediaries who sell the animals to dolphinariums.


Can IT fuel clean energy technologies? With crude hovering near \$50 a barrel, Nicholas Parker heads a VC group seeking out investments in "clean" technologies.


Photos: Invasion of "Half-Life 2" Screen shots of the video game show tripods towering over crumbling cities.


Crude Oil Little Changed as US Inventory Gain Expected Crude oil was little changed in London after falling 12 percent from a record two weeks ago as rising US inventories, steady imports and mild temperatures generated optimism refiners will make enough heating oil for the winter.


Dollar Steers Clear of Record Low Vs Euro The dollar on Tuesday held almost a cent above its record low against the euro, winning respite from recent heavy selling ahead of US trade data and an expected rise in US interest rates on Wednesday.


Case centers on Saudi Arabia bribery investigation SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- The former chairman of Lucent Technologies and two other past employees likely will face civil enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with a bribery investigation in Saudi Arabia, the company


Computer gaming #39;s Steam-powered war For weeks now, bits and pieces of Valve Software #39;s  quot;Half-Life 2, quot; one of the year #39;s most hotly anticipated computer games, have been trickling onto nearly 2 million computers around the world.


Tennessee, Kansas Begin At No. 1 Pat Summitt #39;s team took the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press #39; preseason women #39;s basketball poll Monday, the 11th time it has started the season atop the rankings - and first since 1998.


Mbeki tries to restore calm in Ivory Coast ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST - South Africa #39;s president flew to Ivory Coast to try to quell the violence between government forces, French troops and civilians that has wounded more than 600 and killed at least 20.


UN Panel Begins Probe of Genocide Claims in Sudan A United Nations team has arrived in Sudan to study if genocide has occurred in the western Darfur region, where fighting has displaced more than 1.5 million people.


Officials Attempt to Visit Comatose Arafat Yasser Arafat is in a coma and his condition worsened overnight, a hospital spokesman said Tuesday, as Palestinian officials sought to visit their critically ill leader over his wife's angry objections.


EU Threatens to Go It Alone on Nuclear Fusion (Reuters) Reuters - The European Union warned on\Tuesday it may go ahead and build the world's first nuclear\fusion reactor with whatever partners it can find if there is\no global deal to put the project in France at talks in Vienna.


EU Threatens to Go It Alone on Nuclear Fusion  BRUSSELS/VIENNA (Reuters) - The European Union warned on  Tuesday it may go ahead and build the world's first nuclear  fusion reactor with whatever partners it can find if there is  no global deal to put the project in France at talks in Vienna.


China in for Extreme Weather as Climate Change Felt (Reuters) Reuters - China can expect more droughts, floods\and other extreme weather as it struggles to balance rapid\development with environmental concerns, a report on climate\change released on Tuesday said.


Pakistan Wins U.S. Praise Over Afghan Vote  ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official commended  Pakistan on Tuesday for its help in ensuring the success of  last month's Afghan election and said the United States wanted  to accelerate and broaden its cooperation with Pakistan.


Australian Farm Group Announces Research (AP) AP - Farmers said Tuesday they are investigating alternatives to slicing flesh from live sheep to prevent them from becoming infested with flies, after animal advocates urged a boycott of Australian wool to protest the "grossly inhumane" practice.


Anthrax Kills Nearly 200 Hippos in Uganda (AP) AP - An anthrax outbreak has killed 194 hippos in western Uganda, wildlife officials said Tuesday, and scientists are struggling to develop a way to quickly diagnose and contain the disease.


Microsoft to end antitrust issue Microsoft will pay as much as \$500 million as a part of settlement of the antitrust lawsuit that may be filed by rival software maker Novell, the company said Monday, within an attempt to end its antitrust fight.


Update 11: EU Head Office Backs ECB Warning on Euro The European Union #39;s head office on Tuesday echoed comments by the European Central Bank chief, warning that  quot;excessive volatility quot; of the euro #39;s exchange rate against the US dollar could damage economic growth in Europe.


US Rejects EU That Hormone-Treated Beef Ban Is Justified The US Trade Representative on Monday rejected the European Union #39;s assertion that its ban on beef from hormone-treated cattle is now justified by science and that US and Canadian retaliatory sanctions should be lifted.


GE plans sale of outsource business General Electric Co. said Monday it will sell 60 percent of GE Capital International Services, its global outsourcing business, to General Atlantic Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners, two US-based equity firms, for \$500 million.


EchoStar Posts Profit, Adds Subscribers EchoStar Communications Corp. (DISH.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose on an aggressive campaign to add more new subscribers.


British Bank Shifting 1,000 Jobs to India Banking group Lloyds TSB said Tuesday it will transfer about 1,000 British jobs to India by the end of next year. The group will transfer jobs in its information technology and group operations departments


Lucent Reaches Tentative Deal with Unions Lucent Technologies Inc. said on Tuesday it has reached a tentative agreement with the unions representing 10 percent of the telecommunications equipment maker #39;s work force.


Trade gap shrinks as UK exports surge ahead BRITAINS trade gap with the rest of the world narrowed unexpectedly in September as goods exports surged to their highest level in more than two years, official data revealed today.


Arafat Worsens as Tension Grows Between Wife and Political Heirs Yasir Arafat's wife, Suha, has used French privacy laws to keep the state of her husband's health a mystery to the world.


Novell Launches its First Branded Linux Desktop 9 Novell has announced its latest Linux offering for desktop computers. Christened the Novell Linux Desktop 9, the software will be the first  quot;Novell branded quot; Linux desktop offering supplied by the company following


IBMs Blue Gene/L is the Fastest Supercomputer in the World IBM has brought the title of the world #39;s fastest supercomputer back to the United States for the first time in three years... IBM #39;s still incomplete Blue Gene/L system was officially named the fastest in the


Mozilla: The next Internet Explorer? At the Office of Information Technology computing cluster in Perkins Library, junior Alexandra Oliveira was among the many students browsing the Internet.


Firefox browser available today Mozilla Foundation #39;s Firefox browser will be available for free download today after 19 months of development, news.com reports.


Parakeets long gone, but DNA makes some wonder EXTINCT BIRD: The last unconfirmed siting of a Carolina parakeet was in 1933. Pretty much all that remains of the bird are in books and its egg shells in museums.


Intel tops out server range with data-crunching Itanium chips Intel has updated its heavy-duty Itanium 2 server range to include chips with 9MB of cache and clock speeds of 1.6GHz. The new processors comprise 1.6GHz chips with 9, 6 and 3 MB of L3 cache (two models, with


China homespun 3G unravels in trials The future of Chinese 3G technology and how it is licensed by the government is in doubt today after it failed a five month trial.


Beckham takes football movie role Footballer David Beckham will take his first major acting role in movie Goal!, in which he will play himself. Directed by Judge Dredd film-maker Danny Cannon, Goal!


Steelers won #39;t get too giddy They have dispatched the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles to stake a claim as the NFL #39;s top team. Now the Pittsburgh Steelers could become the team everybody wants to beat.


How young Hughes impressed Saint When Bill Shankly signed this young lad from Blackpool, we couldn #39;t believe the energy this boy had, he was always in the front of the queue at training.


Oklahoma Strenghens Number Two Spot In BCS Poll It #39;s still a USC/Oklahoma one two punch in the latest Bowl Championship Series poll. In fact, Oklahoma strengthened its lead over third place Auburn in this week #39;s BCS poll; the Tigers were idle last week and have a huge game this week with Georgia.


Mbeki in African Union bid to halt new Ivory Coast clashes ABIDJAN (AFP) - South African President Thabo Mbeki was to meet his Ivory Coast counterpart Laurent Gbagbo, hoping to ease tensions after a weekend of violence that has evoked fears of a return to the conflict that has split the west African state for two


Kathmandu bomb injures 12 At least a dozen people were injured Tuesday when a powerful bomb went off in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. Police attributed the blast to Maoist rebels who have waged an eight-year insurgency in the Himalayan state.


Berlin marks anniversary of Wall #39;s fall Subdued observations were held in Berlin Tuesday to mark the 15th anniversary of the tearing down of the Cold War-era Berlin Wall.


New browser takes on Microsoft Microsoft's popular Internet Explorer has a serious rival in the Firefox browser.


ADV: Get a Great Deal on a Home Loan More lenders, more options, more solutions. America #39;s Lending Partners can get you a great deal on home loans. Fill out one form and you #39;ll get up to 4 great offers from prominent lenders nationwide.


Stealing movies: Why the MPAA can afford to relax Analysis Spinning the exploitation cycle


May Dept. Posts Lower Profit, Sales Fall (Reuters) Reuters - May Department Stores Co. ,\parent of Lord   Taylor and David's Bridal retail chains, on\Tuesday posted a lower quarterly profit on disappointing sales\of dresses and home furnishings.


Marsh   McLennan to Lay Off 3,000 Workers Embattled insurance brokerage Marsh   McLennan Companies Inc. said Tuesday that it will lay off 3,000 employees, or about 5 percent of its work force, as it struggles to deal with the fallout from a bid-rigging probe by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.


UK oil balance moves into deficit The UK's oil trade balance sank into the red for the first time in 13 years in September, official figures show.


Race on to Build Fiber Optic Networks - Alvarion  TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Broadband services using fiber optic  networks are expected to grow in the coming years with the race  now on among companies to develop this technology, the chairman  of Israel's Alvarion Ltd. ALVR.O said on Tuesday.


Court Urged to Hear File-Sharing Case A disparate group made up of dozens of state attorneys general, labor unions, retailers, professional sports leagues and others urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to hear a claim brought by the recording and film industries against two Internet file-sharing firms.


Convicted Spammer's Bail Set at  #36;1M (AP) AP - Bail was set at  #36;1 million Monday for a North Carolina man awaiting sentencing in the nation's first felony prosecution of illegal distribution of junk e-mail, or spam.


Euro reaches new high against the US dollar The euro surged to an all-time high of \$1.2987 yesterday, putting pressure on Europe #39;s largely export-driven economic recovery and prompting European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet


EchoStar Earnings Nearly Triple in 3Q ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Satellite TV giant EchoStar Communications Corp. on Tuesday reported its third-quarter earnings nearly tripled as the parent company of Dish Network, the nation #39;s second largest satelite TV service, added about 350,000 new subscribers.


Stocks Seen Slightly Lower; Merck Down US stock futures pointed to a slightly lower open on Tuesday as investors take a step back after last week #39;s three-day rally, with shares of drug maker Merck  amp; Co.


Race on to Build Fiber Optic Networks - Alvarion (Reuters) Reuters - Broadband services using fiber optic\networks are expected to grow in the coming years with the race\now on among companies to develop this technology, the chairman\of Israel's Alvarion Ltd.  said on Tuesday.


Microsoft offers governments sharing tools As part of its ongoing efforts to woo public sector customers, Microsoft Corp. has begun giving governments tools for collaborating and sharing technology information with other organizations so that they can learn from each other's experiences and cut development costs.


Mozilla Launches Firefox 1 Mozilla Firefox 1.0 has launched following a two-month preview that drew 8 million downloads of the alternative Web browser. ADVERTISEMENT.


Intel Rolls Out Single-Core  #39;Madison #39; Chips Intel Corp. is refreshing its 64-bit Itanium 2 processor line with six new chips based on the Madison core. The new processors represent the last single-core Itanium chips that the Santa Clara, Calif.


Modernized version of Soyuz rocket launched An updated version of Russia #39;s venerable Soyuz rocket took its first flight Monday, placing a dummy satellite into orbit during a successful qualification launch.


Mac-based supercomputer drops to 7th place on Top500 (MacCentral) MacCentral - With performance almost double that of the Earth Simulator, in Yokohama, Japan, IBM Corp.'s Blue Gene/L on Monday was officially ranked first on the Top500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers. IBM built four of the top ten machines on the biannual list, which was set to be announced Monday evening at the SC2004 conference in Pittsburgh. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University reappeared on the list, finishing in seventh position five months after dropping off the June list because of a hardware upgrade to Apple Computer Inc.'s Xserve systems. ...


Emlyn Hughes factfile Born August 28 in Barrow-in-Furness, the son of former Barrow and England rugby league player Fred Hughes. After just 31 league and cup appearances for the Seasiders, signed by Liverpool manager Bill Shankly for 65,000, aged just 19.


Take it to the bank -- It #39;s USC, Sooners College football #39;s goofy formula for selecting the finalists for the national championship game on Jan. 4 is clicking about as well as the University of Washington #39;s offense, right?


Sri Lanka keeper calls it a day The 34-year-old decided to quit after being left out of the training squad for next month #39;s tour to New Zealand. He played 49 Tests and 189 one-day games, including the 1996 World Cup final when Sri Lanka beat Australia.


Marsh   McLennan to Cut 3,000 Jobs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh   McLennan Cos. MMC.N, at the  center of a bid-rigging scandal rocking the insurance industry,  on Tuesday said it will cut 3,000 jobs and said third-quarter  profit fell 94 percent as it set aside money for legal and  regulatory expenses.


Armitage talks India with Pakistan ISLAMABAD: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told Pakistani officials on Tuesday that Washington wants closer ties with the Muslim nation, a key ally in the US war on terrorism, officials said.


Microsoft to skip Itanium with supercomputing Windows Microsoft Corp. will support only x86 processors with 64-bit extensions when it releases a special version of Windows Server for high performance computing (HPC) next year, leaving support for Intel Corp.'s Itanium 2 for a later, undefined date.


Update: Toshiba sues Hynix on memory patents Japan's Toshiba Corp. filed patent infringement lawsuits in Japanese and U.S. courts on Monday against South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc., it said Tuesday.


Intel: Volume shipments of Montecito expected in 2006 Montecito, the first dual-core processor based on Intel Corp.'s Itanium 2 architecture, will not begin shipping in volume until 2006, company executives revealed during a conference call with the press Monday.


Before the Bell: Merck Fall, Sears Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Merck   Co. MRK.N fell  about 3 percent before the bell on Tuesday after the drug maker  said federal authorities are investigating circumstances  surrounding its withdrawal of pain-relief medicine Vioxx.


May Dept. Posts Lower Profit, Sales Fall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - May Department Stores Co. MAY.N,  parent of Lord   Taylor and David's Bridal retail chains, on  Tuesday posted a lower quarterly profit on disappointing sales  of dresses and home furnishings.


Music Surprises to Boost Vivendi Revenues  PARIS (Reuters) - A second consecutive quarter of surprise  growth at Universal Music helped boost revenues at French media  group Vivendi Universal, but future sales at the unit, home to  Nelly and U2, remained uncertain.


Lucent Reaches Tentative Deal with Unions  NEW YORK (Reuters) -  Lucent Technologies Inc. said on  Tuesday it has reached a tentative agreement with the unions  representing 10 percent of the telecommunications equipment  maker's work force.


Cablevision Posts Narrower Loss  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cablevision Systems Corp. CVC.N on  Tuesday posted a smaller third-quarter net loss as revenue rose  20 percent..


Two Palestinians killed in Gaza Israeli troops shoot two Palestinians who entered a closed military area in Gaza, near the Israeli border.


Sales Help Narrow Loss for Sotheby's (Reuters) Reuters - International auctioneers Sotheby's\Holdings Inc.  on Tuesday said its third-quarter loss\narrowed slightly on higher sales.


Marks  amp; Spencer Announces Shakeup Troubled British retailer Marks  amp; Spencer Group PLC announced a management shakeup Tuesday as it reported lower profits in the six months ending Oct. 2. Chief executive Stuart Rose, who recently fought off


UPDATE 2-Marsh  amp; McLennan to cut 3,000 jobs as profit sinks Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. (MMC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , at the center of a bid-rigging scandal rocking the insurance industry, on Tuesday said it will cut 3,000 jobs and said


Halo sequel delivers on the hype Halo 2 has the feel of an instant classic, with addictive gameplay and impressive graphics.


East Germany Becoming a Retro Utopia 15 Years On The yellowing linoleum and faded wallpaper in the former prison of the East German secret police would be ultra hip in any German bar.


Dozens casualties in Nepal bomb explosion A heavy bomb exploded near a government office in the Nepal capital, wounding at least 38 people. According to the police three men left a bomb on the first floor of the office of the Employees Provident Fund.


Euro stops short of 1.30 dollars as officials raise rhetoric LONDON (AFP) - The euro wavered after failing to pierce the symbolic 1.30-dollar threshold, as eurozone officials expressed disquiet at the currency #39;s rise to record highs against the greenback.


Polar people  #39;will need to adapt #39; The four million inhabitants of the Arctic will have to change their way of life if warming trends in the region continue apace, leaders have warned.


Freeney finishes with 3 tackles, 2 sacks Maybe it #39;s true, as the old adage suggests, that the best revenge is living well. Just don #39;t try convincing Indianapolis Colts standout defensive end Dwight Freeney that


Slain Dutch filmmaker is cremated AMSTERDAM, Netherlands Mourners in the Netherlands have gathered for the cremation of a Dutch filmmaker allegedly slain by a Muslim extremist.


Rebels Kill 45 in Attacks in Iraq #39;s Baquba Insurgent attacks and clashes killed 45 people in the Iraqi city of Baquba on Tuesday, a hospital morgue official said. Guerrillas attacked three police stations and a river bridge


Musharraf #39;s options on J amp;K forward thinking: Armitage Terming Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf #39;s recent formulation to resolve the Kashmir issue as a  quot;very forward thinking, quot; US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage today said he was  quot;very much interested quot; in the proposals.


Liverpool legend Emlyn Hughes dies (AFP) AFP - Former England and Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes has died from a brain tumour aged 57.


U.S. Wholesale Inventories Up 0.5 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - Inventories at U.S. wholesalers rose\a slightly-less-than-expected 0.5 percent in September as\stocks of automotive goods declined, a government report showed\on Tuesday.


Alou Leads Major Leaguers to Win in Japan (AP) AP - Moises Alou drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded single in the first inning to lead his major league teammates to a 7-2 win Tuesday over the Japanese All-Stars in Game 4 of an eight-game exhibition series.


Sanofi Weight Loss Drug Effective in 2-Year Study (Reuters) Reuters - An experimental Sanofi-Aventis diet\drug helped people lose much more weight than a placebo in an\eagerly anticipated two-year trial, researchers said on\Tuesday.


Microsoft settles disputes SEATTLE -- Microsoft on Monday took another big step toward putting most of its legal challenges in the rearview mirror. The world #39;s largest software maker said it will pay rival software maker Novell a \$536


Liberty Media Profit Rises on QVC Liberty Media Corp. (LN: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday posted an eight-fold gain in quarterly net profit following the purchase of a majority stake in shopping network QVC and a large gain on the sale of assets.


WB says costly oil to slash RP economic growth by 1 HIGH oil prices will slash the countrys economic growth by as much as 1 percent next year, the World Bank said Tuesday. In its latest East Asia Regional Economic Update


Marsh #39;s Dismissal of Egan Was  #39;Unexpected #39; Prudential Equity Group said yesterday #39;s dismissal of Roger Egan was a surprise because Marsh  amp; McLennan (nyse: MMC - news - people ) had previously indicated in October that Egan would remain in his position.


To cut 75 percent of division in New York, 50 in London LONDON (CBS.MW) - Commerzbank AG, Germany #39;s third largest bank by market value, unveiled plans on Tuesday to cut jobs and scale back its unprofitable investment banking division.


Abercrombie  amp; Fitch Posts Fall in Profit Youth-oriented retailer Abercrombie  amp; Fitch Co. (ANF.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday posted an unexpected fall in quarterly profit as it struggles to boost sales, and said it remained cautious for the rest of the year.


Anheuser Busch Reaffirms Outlook Anheuser-Busch Cos. on Tuesday reaffirmed its outlook for earnings per share growth for both 2004 and 2005. In a presentation to investors and analysts, management said the company expects earnings per share


Expert: Russian Oil Exports May Decrease Oil exports from Russia - the world #39;s second-largest oil producer - may decrease within two years, a top Russian oil industry expert warned Tuesday.


T-Online raises outlook after better-than-expected results (AFP) AFP - T-Online, Deutsche Telekom's majority owned Internet service provider, said it was lifting its forecast for full-year core earnings after reporting better-than-expected results.


Ben Wallace to Miss Time With Pistons (AP) AP - Ben Wallace is expected to miss at least two road games for the Detroit Pistons following the death of his brother in Alabama.


India's mobile phone users surpass land line base (FT.com) FT.com - The number of mobile phone subscribers in India last month swept past the country's fixed-line telephone base in a growth trajectory that is second only in speed and magnitude to that of neighbouring China.


Firefox and Beyond: Mozilla President Browses the Future (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Q A: As Mozilla launches Firefox for the masses, the group's president, Mitchell Baker, outlines goals for gaining more Web browser converts and focusing on a development platform play.


Beckham May Be Ready to Play This Weekend (AP) AP - David Beckham should be ready to play this weekend for Real Madrid after missing a month with two cracked ribs.


Colombian Drug Kingpin Transported to U.S. A founder of a Colombian drug cartel that became the world's chief supplier of cocaine in the 1990s was transported to a Florida jail Saturday after being extradited from Colombia.


Marks and Spencer unveils major management shake up (AFP) AFP - British retailer Marks and Spencer announced a major management shake-up as part of efforts to revive its fortunes, saying trading has become tougher ahead of the crucial Christmas period.


Minnesota explorers sound alarm bells over Arctic warming ENVIRONMENT: A four-year study documents Arctic warming, and adventurers say the world needs to take action. BY JOHN MYERS. When Arctic explorer Lonnie Dupre saw two giant glaciers on his map of Greenland, he worried how his group would get around them.


Firefox version 1.0 released The alternative browser, developed (and continually re-developed) by a network of programmers, is available for free download from the non-profit Mozilla Foundation website.


Linux aims to divide and conquer the desktop The  quot;Art of War, quot; the oldest military treatise in the world, tells aspiring generals to divide and conquer. For a certain open source operating system, this may be the approach needed to win the inevitable desktop battle.


Bluetooth 2.0 Offers Much Faster Data Transmissions The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has adopted Bluetooth 2.0  EDR. The latest version of this short-range wireless networking standard offers faster data transfer speeds while using less power.


SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 8, 2004-- Dans le cadre de ses initiatives stratgiques en matire de technologie MirrorBit(TM) annonces ce jour, Spansion LLC a galement annonc ses plans pour une nouvelle gamme de priphriques mmoire Flash.


Wil Wheaton to speak at Macworld Expo SF IDG World Expo on Tuesday announced that actor, author and self-described geek Wil Wheaton will deliver  quot;a special feature presentation quot; entitled  quot;Just a Geek quot; at the upcoming Macworld Conference  amp; Expo in San Francisco, Calif.


UK supermarket becomes iTunes rival The UK #39;s number one supermarket chain, Tesco, has unveiled a new online digital music download store. The store, which will be operated by Cable  amp; Wireless, will remain under the Tesco.


Russia successfully launches new type of rocket carrier The first test launch of a new rocket carrier, the Soyuz-2 (Rus), was carried out successfully today from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk Region at 2130 Moscow time, 1830 gmt.


UK co joins bid to launch satellite mission China is actively taking part in international co-operation in Earth observation satellites, to study meteorology, natural resources, environment surveillance and other civil


Wil Wheaton to speak at Macworld Expo SF (MacCentral) MacCentral - IDG World Expo on Tuesday announced that actor, author and self-described geek Wil Wheaton will deliver "a special feature presentation" entitled "Just a Geek" at the upcoming Macworld Conference  amp; Expo in San Francisco, Calif. Macworld Expo takes place at the Moscone Center from January 10 - 14, 2005, and Wheaton's presentation will take place on January 13 at 9:30 AM. There will be a book signing after his presentation.


Phelps faces jail over drink-driving charge SWIMMING ace Michael Phelps has admitted it was a dangerous mistake after the six-time Olympic champion was arrested for driving under the influence last week.


Emlyn Hughes dies, 57 Liverpool, Nov 9 -- Emlyn Hughes, the former Liverpool and England football captain and TV personality, has died of cancer after battling a brain tumour for the last 15 months on Tuesday, aged 57.


Williams tests two THE hunt for Mark Webber #39;s teammate at Williams narrowed yesterday as the former world champion announced it would test Britain #39;s Anthony Davidson and German Nick Heidfeld.


GP teams see red FERRARI was set to snub key talks at Heathrow today aimed at revolutionising grand prix racing. The other nine teams, led by Melbourne millionaire Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart, were intending to gang up


Kelley joins hockey #39;s best in Hall of Fame Jim Kelley wondered how some South Buffalo kid with unpretentious dreams of covering hockey for his hometown paper could ever have anything in common with such legends as Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy.


WORLD RALLY NEWS Minor scare for Sainz ahead of final event. Carlos Sainz gave his fans and his Citroen team a minor scare ahead of Rally Australia after an accident forced the Spaniard to go to hospital.


Big Deal For NFL If you don #39;t think professional football means a lot to the US networks that own the rights to broadcast the games, check out the deal a few of them just made with the NFL.


US assault on Falluja meets with resistance FALLUJA, Iraq Thousands of US marines and soldiers swarmed over a railroad embankment on the northern edge of Falluja, setting off a wild firefight and making significant advances into the city.


3 killed in Thailand #39;s violence-plagued deep south Three civilians were killed by separatists on Tuesday morning in Thailand #39;s violence-plagued deep south, while village security guards were robbed of weapons.


Israeli coalition partner to quit over Gaza withdrawal Israel #39;s pro-settler National Religious Party (NRP) decided to resign from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s coalition government after Sharon refused to put his disengagement plan to a national referendum.


Music piracy 'does hit CD sales' A study into online music piracy suggests record sales in the US have fallen because of online piracy.


Dutch Dioxin Scare Spreads to France and Spain (Reuters) Reuters - France and Spain were hit on Tuesday\by a dioxin contamination scare that has forced the closure of\almost 200 Dutch farms after the cancer-causing toxin was found\in animal feed.


EU to Boost Protection of Endangered Bird Species (Reuters) Reuters - European countries agreed on Tuesday\to expand protected bird territories to help save species\threatened by intensive agriculture and climate change.


Oil Price Dive Deepens as Supplies Swell  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices slid more than a dollar to  7-week lows on Tuesday as growing signs of ample supply ease  concerns over fuel stocks for the northern winter.


Rhode Island Senator to Stay Republican (AP) AP - Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who flirted with changing political parties in the wake of President Bush's re-election victory, says he will stay in the GOP.


Sanofi Weight Loss Drug Effective in 2-Year Study  NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - An experimental Sanofi-Aventis diet  drug helped people lose much more weight than a placebo in an  eagerly anticipated two-year trial, researchers said on  Tuesday.


New UK Airport Scanner 'Undresses' Passengers (Reuters) Reuters - A new X-ray machine at London's Heathrow\airport, which sees through passengers' clothes, has been\attacked by civil liberties campaigners as a "voyeur's\charter."


Abercrombie   Fitch Posts Fall in Profit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Youth-oriented retailer Abercrombie    Fitch Co. ANF.N on Tuesday posted an unexpected fall in  quarterly profit as it struggles to boost sales, and said it  remained cautious for the rest of the year.


Arafat Fate Mired in Confusion  PARIS (Reuters) - The fate of Palestinian President Yasser  Arafat was mired in confusion on Tuesday as French medical  sources contradicted reports by senior Palestinian officials  that he had died at a Paris hospital.


New York Times to Sell Its Headquarters  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Times Co. NYT.N will sell  its midtown Manhattan headquarters building to a partnership  led by Tishman Speyer Properties for \$175 million, the  companies said.


Liberty Media Profit Rises on QVC  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Liberty Media Corp. L.N on Tuesday  posted an eight-fold gain in quarterly net profit following the  purchase of a majority stake in shopping network QVC and a  large gain on the sale of assets.


Defense Lawyers Say Rapport with Milosevic Ruined  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The lawyers appointed to defend  Slobodan Milosevic in his war crimes trial said on Tuesday  their relationship with the defendant had been irreparably  damaged and renewed their plea to be allowed to withdraw from  the case.


IBM System Named Fastest Supercomputer Big Blue has brought the title of the world's fastest supercomputer back to the United States for the first time in three years.


AMD turns to Chartered for help Advanced Micro Devices is building a new plant in Germany but still needs outside assistance to meet expected demand.


Arafat's Health Worsens as Delegation Arrives The condition of the Palestinian leader, Yasir Arafat, has worsened overnight, just before a group of Mr. Arafat's likely political heirs arrived today.


Oil Price Dive Deepens as Supplies Swell  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices slid more than a dollar to  7-week lows on Tuesday as growing signs of ample supply eased  concerns over fuel stocks for the northern winter.


Fans brave long lines, rain for 'Halo 2' debut They lined up hours before the game's release outside EB Games in San Francisco. "I want it as soon as possible," said one gamer.\<br /> Photos: Halo 2 adventure begins


Photos: Halo 2, the adventure begins Thousands of fans wait for hours to pick up the first copies of Microsoft's long-awaited Xbox game sequel.


US losing edge in supercomputing, report warns A panel of leading computer scientists warned in a report issued on Monday that unless the federal government significantly increases support for advanced research on supercomputing, the United States will be unable to retain its lead on that


Jaco injury worry for Boks South Africa fly-half Jaco Van der Westhuyzen faces a race against time to be fit for Saturday #39;s Test match against Ireland in Dublin because of a finger injury sustained against Wales at Cardiff #39;s Millennium Stadium.


Mutu back at Dinamo after dismissing agents ADRIAN MUTU, sacked by Chelsea after testing positive for cocaine, has dismissed his agents. Mutu came to our office and told us of his decision not to co-operate with our company any more, Gheorghe Popescu said.


IBM to sell supercomputers IBM Corp., the world #39;s largest computer maker, said it is selling versions of its top supercomputer that may be scaled down for businesses and less-intensive scientific use.


US is warned on supercomputer funds SAN FRANCISCO A panel of leading computer scientists has warned in a report that unless the federal government significantly increases support for advanced research on supercomputing, the United States will be unable to retain its lead on that


F1 teams meeting in London All the F1 teams are meeting today in London to discuss the urgent measures needed to reduce costs in the sport. All the teams? Almost... one team didn #39;t want to be part of the talks: Ferrari. The other nine


Tuesday #39;s NBA summary AUBURN HILLS, Mich. The Detroit Pistons opened their NBA title defense with an 87-to-79 win over the Houston Rockets. Rasheed Wallace scored 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting to lead five Pistons in double-figures.


Mutu apologizes, turns down offer to become Romanian assistant <b>...</b> Former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu apologized Tuesday for his positive cocaine test and said he will turn down an offer to become an assistant coach for the Romanian national team.


Sainz injured in pre-rally testing Two-time world champion Carlos Sainz was taken to hospital for observation after crashing his Citroen during practice for the Rally Australia on Tuesday.


Ex-chief of prisons ordered to testify FORT HOOD, Texas -- A military judge yesterday ordered the former commander of US prisons in Iraq to testify at the trial of a soldier who says he was ordered to abuse detainees at Abu Ghraib.


Nuclear fusion negotiations go critical The troubled negotiations over whether to build the world #39;s largest nuclear fusion facility in France or Japan have finally come to a head.


British hostage calls home A British UN worker who was kidnapped in Afghanistan by Islamic militants nearly two weeks ago has telephoned her family to say she is still alive.


Europeans debate software patents, interoperability BRUSSELS -- The European Union's (E.U.'s) planned software patent rules represent a major threat to interoperability unless specific exemptions are made to the legislation, participants at a conference on the issue heard on Tuesday.


New MyDoom variant exploits IE flaw A new variant of the MyDoom worm that exploits an unpatched flaw in Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer (IE) browser is in the wild and posing particular risk to home and small business users, security experts warned this week.


Microsoft placates two foes Editor #39;s Summary: Microsoft announced that it paid an undisclosed amount to the CCIA trade group so that it won #39;t challenge the software maker #39;s US antitrust settlement or participate in a European Union antitrust case.


Marsh  amp; McLennan to Cut 3,000 Jobs Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. , the insurance broker at the center of a bid-rigging probe, on Tuesday said it will lay off 3,000 employees, or 5 percent of its work force, and reported third-quarter profit tumbled 94 percent.


Marks and Spencer unveils major management shake up British retailer Marks and Spencer announced a major management shake-up as part of efforts to revive its fortunes, saying trading has become tougher ahead of the crucial Christmas period.


Abercrombie Earnings Cut by Settlements Abercrombie  amp; Fitch Co. reported a 20 percent drop in third-quarter earnings Tuesday, citing a nearly \$33 million one-time charge to settle three class-action lawsuits related to work force diversity.


AMD turns to Chartered for help The Intel rival known for its Athlon PC and Opteron server processors announced on Tuesday plans to tap Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, a contract manufacturer, for extra chip-production capacity.


Trial begins over Georgia county #39;s evolution disclaimers in <b>...</b> ATLANTA - A suburban Atlanta school district under fire for placing stickers in biology books saying evolution is  quot;a theory, not a fact quot; is expected to argue the disclaimers are simply a way to teach tolerance, not endorse religion.


Microsoft intros supercomputing developer kit Editor #39;s Summary: At a supercomputing conference, Microsoft announced a new tool kit that will let developers create high-performance computing applications.


Parakeets long gone, but DNA makes some wonder The Carolina parakeet, the only parrot that was native to South Carolina, vanished decades ago but in this age of high tech wizardry could DNA be used to bring the feathered creatures back?


Bourque inducted into NHL Hall of Fame Former Boston Bruin great Ray Bourque entered the Hockey Hall of Fame Monday. Not bad for a kid who just wanted to make a good impression as rookie in 1979.


Two Afghanistan Hostages Call Home (AP) AP - A Kosovar woman among three U.N. workers kidnapped in Afghanistan has called home to say she is well and expects to be freed soon, a businessman seeking her release said Tuesday.


US troops closing in on central Fallujah There are reports that US troops and crack Iraqi soldiers have surged into rubble-strewn districts in the heart of Fallujah, seizing one third of the city after hours of street fighting with rebels.


Iran mulls critical nuclear decision Tehran: Iran was on Tuesday considering whether to approve a tentative agreement with Britain, France and Germany aimed at limiting its nuclear activities and easing international suspicions.


Sunni Clerics Call for Elections Boycott Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi smiles during a visit with Iraqi troops at Camp Fallujah, on the outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq, Monday, Nov. 8, 2004.


Kanoodle and TypePad / Movable Type Partner for Sponsored Blogs Kanoodle and TypePad / Movable Type Partner for Sponsored Blogs\\Kanoodle, sponsored listings provider, and Six Apart, the maker of Movable Type and TypePad blog software, today announced that the companies will offer TypePad subscribers the ability to easily add Kanoodle's content-targeted sponsored links to their sites.  This marks the ...


Clusty Launches Mozilla Firefox Clustering Search Toolbar Clusty Launches Mozilla Firefox Clustering Search Toolbar\\Vivisimo, the developer of clustering, search and meta-search software for organizing search results, today announced the industry's first clustering toolbar for Mozilla Firefox. The quick, free and easy download is available today at Clusty and offers Firefox users a number of industry-first features and ...


MSN Search Engine Launch December 2004 MSN Search Engine Launch December 2004\\MSN Search Launch December '04? Wouldn't it be a kick, if they stick to effective algorithms and the slick look they're offering in the October tech preview incarnation! That version has me very happy with the rankings of my own sites and those of clients ...


German Professionals' Growth Outlook Dips (AP) AP - German finance professionals grew sharply more pessimistic about the country's economic growth outlook, fearing that the euro's record highs against the U.S. dollar will hurt exports, a monthly survey showed Tuesday.


Online Trading Tips (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - Those nice folks at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), charged with (among other things) looking out for the interests of individual investors, never stop trying to help us out. Their sec.gov website, for example, offers a bunch of tips for those of us who trade stocks online.


Microsoft's Legal Cleanup Day (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Perhaps Microsoft was hoping for all eyes to be on the much-ballyhooed launch  today of its "Halo 2"  video game, but the company's efforts to clean up its lawsuit headaches can't be overshadowed by virtual gunslinging.


FCC Exempts Web Phones from State Rule (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Tuesday exempted Internet telephone services from certain state\oversight, a boon for Vonage Holdings Corp. and other providers\aggressively pushing the new service.


Mexico pushes U.S. on immigration (Chicago Tribune) Chicago Tribune - After waiting patiently until after the U.S. presidential election, Mexican President Vicente Fox will be applying pressure anew on the Bush administration to adopt immigration reforms during a one-day binational meeting here Tuesday.


Indian family slain in bid to create drugs front, court told (AFP) AFP - Three generations of a family of Indian origin were abducted and murdered in an elaborate plot to turn a successful import-export company into a drugs front, a court in London was told.


FCC Insulates Web Phone Service from State Rule (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Tuesday exempted Internet telephone services from certain state\oversight, a boon for Vonage Holdings Corp. and other providers\aggressively pushing the new service.


New Trojan Sends Spam (PC World) PC World - Virus hijacks PCs and uses them to send short message spam to mobile phones.


Abercrombie Warns of Profit Shortfall (Reuters) Reuters - Youth-oriented retailer Abercrombie  \Fitch Co.  on Tuesday posted an unexpected fall in\quarterly profit, due largely to a lawsuit settlement charge\and warned of a profit shortfall for the current quarter.


Mozilla Launches Firefox 1.0 (PC World) PC World - Alternative browser features protection against online scams.


Oil Price Dive Deepens as Supplies Swell  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices slid to 7-week lows on  Tuesday as growing signs of ample supply eased concerns over  fuel stocks for the northern winter.


Sanofi Says Diet Drug Works  NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - An experimental diet drug helped  people lose nearly four times as much weight as a placebo in an  eagerly anticipated two-year trial, researchers said on  Tuesday.


FCC Exempts Web Phones from State Rule  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators on  Tuesday exempted Internet telephone services from certain state  oversight, a boon for Vonage Holdings Corp. and other providers  aggressively pushing the new service.


Cocoa Price Off, Ivory Coast Shot to Bits  LONDON (Reuters) - World cocoa prices rose from intraday  lows, but exports from the Ivory Coast, the key global  supplier, remain on hold after mob violence and military  clashes paralyze business in the West African country, traders  said on Tuesday.


Eagles DT Rayburn in Car Accident  PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Philadelphia Eagles  defensive tackle Sam Rayburn was involved in a two-car accident  Monday night and sustained minor injuries.


Oceans to Rise One Meter by 2100-Arctic Expert (Reuters) Reuters - Global warming is melting the Arctic\ice faster than expected, and the world's oceans could rise by\about a meter (3 feet) by 2100, swamping homes from Bangladesh\to Florida, the head of a study said on Tuesday.


Abercrombie Warns of Profit Shortfall  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Youth-oriented retailer Abercrombie    Fitch Co. ANF.N on Tuesday posted an unexpected fall in  quarterly profit, due largely to a lawsuit settlement charge  and warned of a profit shortfall for the current quarter.


Dollar Stabilizes on Comments from Europe  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar held steady against the  euro on Tuesday, finding support after a wave of warnings from  European officials expressing concerns over the euro's rapid  ascent against the U.S. currency.


Stocks Flat; Oil Falls, Waiting for Fed  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks hovered near the unchanged  mark on Tuesday as investors took another pause after last  week's big rally, with the Fed expected to raise interest rates  a quarter point on Wednesday.


Kerry hints at possible 2008 White House run: reports (AFP) AFP - Defeated Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has hinted that he could make another run for the White House in 2008, press reports said.


Under-fire Marsh cuts 3,000 jobs Marsh   McLennan, the US insurance broker being sued for alleged price fixing, is to cut 3,000 jobs as it faces an expected decline in its revenues.


Unrest blocks Ivory Coast cocoa Unrest in Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer, stops shipments from the country's two ports despite a lull in fighting.


Arafat Dead, Say Palestinian Sources Amid Confusion  PARIS (Reuters) - The fate of Palestinian President Yasser  Arafat was mired in confusion on Tuesday as French doctors  contradicted reports by senior Palestinian officials that the  veteran leader had died at a Paris hospital.


Sudanese Govt. Ready to Sign Darfur Deals-Minister  ABUJA (Reuters) - The Sudanese government is ready to sign  agreements with Darfur rebels on Tuesday covering aid and  disarmament in the war-torn region, a junior government  minister said, marking a major breakthrough after two weeks of  talks.


Cropp Postpones Vote Linda W. Cropp abruptly removes a bill to build a baseball stadium with public money, announcing that she has a new plan that could provide private funding for the project.


Colts Edge Vikings Mike Vanderjagt kicks a 35-yard field goal with two seconds left to lift the Colts over the Vikings, 31-28, on Monday night.


Oil scandal rocks Polish leadership WARSAW -- The new scandal mesmerizing Poland seems lifted from a Cold War dossier: Spies, oil traders, a polo player, and a billionaire are tangled in a rumored plot by Moscow to manipulate its smaller neighbor.


Microsoft #39;s Novell Settlement Clears Hurdles Goldman Sachs maintained an  quot;outperform quot; rating on Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ), saying the software company #39;s \$536 million settlement with Novell (nasdaq: NOVL - news - people ) clears more antitrust hurdles.


Update 2: Commerzbank to Cut 900 Banking Employees Commerzbank AG said Tuesday it had narrowed its third-quarter net loss but was slashing 900 of the 1,275 jobs in its investment banking division, practically eliminating the unprofitable department.


FCC Insulates Web Phone Service from State Rule US communications regulators on Tuesday exempted Internet telephone services from certain state oversight, a boon for Vonage Holdings Corp.


Oceans to Rise One Meter by 2100-Arctic Expert Global warming (news - web sites) is melting the Arctic ice faster than expected, and the world #39;s oceans could rise by about a meter (3 feet


Mozilla #39;s Firefox Makes Formal Debut Today The open-source app already has a cult following, a major portion of which like it because no one has written viruses to attack it yet.


Novell: Time for Desktop Linux Yesterday, Novell shipped its Linux Desktop 9 product, the software maker #39;s attempt to unseat Windows on business PCs. Developed with SUSE underpinnings and based on Kernel 2.6, Novell liberally sprinkled


IBM Retakes Top Supercomputer Rank as NEC Slips IBM IBM.N , the world #39;s biggest computer maker, has regained its position at the head of the Top 500 list of supercomputer installations, dislodging rival NEC Corp.


Worm Breaks Speed Record from Discovery to Life A new computer worm emerged on Tuesday which broke the speed record from the announcement of a security vulnerability in Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer to a full-blown virus that spreads in the wild.


Roadmap boosts Bluetooth bandwidth A three-year roadmap for Bluetooth short-range wireless technology will triple bandwidth and allow users to simultaneously multicast signals to seven others.


Trial Begins Over Cobb #39;s Evolution Disclaimers in Textbooks A federal trial began today in Atlanta over evolution disclaimers in Cobb County schools. A group of parents backed by the ACLU argue that the disclaimers in science biology textbooks are a government endorsement of religion.


Phelps Apologizes After DUI Arrest SALISBURY, Md. -- Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps has apologized after his arrest for driving under the influence. He was arrested after a state trooper saw an SUV allegedly driven by the 19-year-old


Becks to play himself in movie The England captain will appear in Goal!, a US\$100 million (\$165m) trilogy about football, reported PA. He will act as himself in the trilogy, which will be directed by Danny Cannon (I Still Know What You Did Last Summer).


Wannstedt Quits Dolphins; Bates to Fill In Miami Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt looks on during the fourth quarter as the New York Jets beat the Dolphins, 41-14, in this Nov. 1, 2004 file photo at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ Wannstedt may have coached his last game for the Miami Dolphins.


Mutu Wants to Set An Example Adrian Mutu is hoping to become an example for youngsters after vowing to bounce back from his drugs ban. Mutu, sacked by Chelsea after testing positive for a drug said to be cocaine and subsequently


Robinson thrilled with England captaincy JASON Robinson settled into life as England captain and admitted he had no hesitation in accepting the post. Robinson #39;s  #39;fantastic job #39; in leading Sale Sharks to the Zurich Premiership summit was also revealed


Ferrari - from the firing pan into the fire The Ferrari team did not bother to attend the meeting of the Formula 1 team bosses in London today and so it could not take part in the discussions surrounding the subject of testing.


Mother of soccer star kidnapped THE mother of Robinho, one of Brazil #39;s most exciting young soccer players, had been kidnapped, police said yesterday. Marina de Souza, 43, was abducted by two armed men who invaded a barbecue at Praia Grande


Robson back at West Brom as coach Birmingham, England (Sports Network) - West Bromwich Albion hired former player Bryan Robson to be their new head coach Tuesday. Robson, 47, began his playing career with West Brom in 1974 and made 249 appearances for the club.


Colts 31, Vikings 28 Manning threw four touchdown passes and Vanderjagt kicked a 35-yard field goal with two seconds left to give the Colts a 31-to-28 win over Minnesota.


DirecT Touchdown Football has come a long way -- and I #39;m talking about a lot more than just the hundred yards that separate the goal lines. Last night DirecTV (NYSE: DTV) announced a \$3.


Update 4: Chipmaker Infineon Sees Net Income Fall Computer chip maker Infineon Technologies AG posted a 10 percent drop in net profit for the fourth quarter after taking large charges to cover potential civil claims from US and European antitrust actions, the company said Tuesday.


Merck shares slide on civil, criminal probes into Vioxx WASHINGTON : Drugs giant Merck and Co. #39;s shares slumped after the firm revealed civil and criminal investigations into the sale of its pain drug Vioxx.


Flowers as Dutch film man cremated AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- On the day of his cremation, hundreds of people laid flowers, candles and notes at the spot where controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh was killed.


The Berlin Wall: 15 years on It may be 15 years to the day since the Berlin Wall fell, but  quot;die Mauer im Kopf quot; (literally, the wall in the head) is still there for many Germans.


New Battalion  #39;Told to Prepare to Go to Iraq #39; A British battalion of 600 infantry have been told to make ready for deployment to Iraq, the Conservatives claimed today. The soldiers, understood to be from the 2nd


Ban on hunting with dogs pits British townies vs. rural folks BRENT PELHAM, England -- The morning chill was broken with sherry, served on silver platters to riders in smartly tailored red coats, leather crops tucked neatly under their arms. With the shrill blast of a bugle, the chattering was over and the Puckeridge Hunt -- a tradition since 1725 -- was on.


Sanofi Diet Drug Impressive in 2-Year Study  NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - An experimental diet drug helped  people lose nearly four times as much weight as a placebo in an  eagerly anticipated two-year trial, researchers said on  Tuesday.


Homebuilder Toll Up 4 Pct on Forecast  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc.  TOL.N on Tuesday reported record fourth-quarter homebuilding  sales and backlog, citing a growing population of affluent  buyers.


Afghans Again Extend Deadline for UN Hostages  KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban splinter group that has  threatened to kill three U.N. hostages again extended a  deadline on its demands after the government said it would  respond to them on Wednesday, a spokesman for the group said on  Tuesday.


FCC Rules on Internet-Based Phone Services U.S. regulators ruled Tuesday that providers of Internet-based phone call services fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government and cannot be regulated by states. -AP


Worm Breaks Speed Record from Discovery to Life
\

 AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A new computer worm emerged on\Tuesday which broke the speed record from the announcement of a\security vulnerability in Microsoft's Internet Explorer to a\full-blown virus that spreads in the wild.


IBM unveils Power5-based supercomputing server Each skinny server houses eight processors. Plug a few together, and voila! A high-performance machine.\<br />  Photo: IBM's new supercomputing server\


Photo: IBM's p5-575 server IBM's p5-575, a specialized server geared for high-performance computing, has eight 1.9GHz Power5 processors.


Bomb kills 11 soldiers in Kashmir SRINAGAR -- A roadside bomb blew up an army patrol car in a predawn attack today in disputed Kashmir, killing an army major and 10 other men, police said. The blast in Wachi village, located 40 miles south of Srinagar, left a 10-foot wide crater in the road, police officer Imtiyaz Ahmed said. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but police ...


FCC further deregulates Net calls States are now barred from imposing telecommunications regulations on Net phone providers.


'Halo 2': Heaven-sent for game players? Long lines greet release of Xbox game sequel. Also: The transformative powers of "Half-Life 2."