Music Industry To Sue  #39;Major File-Sharers #39; British record companies trade association the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) has announced it is to begin a rolling programme of legal action against  #39;major filesharers #39; who illegally make copyright music available to millions of people across the


Leading Vendors Back Competing Systems-Management Specifications The WS-Management spec is part of the effort to improve Sun-Microsoft system interoperability. But IBM is taking a different road.


Equestrianism: O #39;Connor could lose gold after mount tests positive The news that Ireland #39;s Cian O #39;Connor could lose his Olympic gold medal after a positive dope test on his mount, Waterford Crystal, has shaken the show jumping world.


FA to test for EPO after Wenger #39;s drug fears LONDON - The Football Association announced yesterday that it will introduce a test for the banned drug erythropoietin (EPO)  #39;in the near future #39;.


Here come the Russians ... SUZUKA (Japan) - First football #39;s English Premiership, then women #39;s tennis. Now, the Russians are set to make their mark in Formula One.


McDowell tames Old Course in 10-under 62 ST ANDREWS (Scotland) - Graeme McDowell, taking a page out of Tiger Woods #39; book, eclipsed the world Nos 1 and 2 plus a host of celebrities, by destroying St Andrews #39; Old Course with a record-equalling 10-under 62 on Thursday.


Keane #39;s job to inspire, not just play PARIS - Roy Keane #39;s return to the Irish team is not so much about what he can produce on the pitch, but what he can inspire in others.


Soldering plays Spadea next LYON, France -- Robin Soderling made sure none of the top four seeds would reach the semifinals of the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix. Soderling upset the highest seed remaining, No.


Longhorns aim to end their Sooners skid in classic football <b>...</b> Mack Brown and his most important supporters believe his tenure at Texas should not be defined by a four-game losing streak to Bob Stoops and the Oklahoma Sooners.


Kenyan is Nobel Peace laureate NYERI (Kenya) - Crying with delight, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai planted a tree to celebrate winning the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday and vowed to use her award money to strengthen her campaign to save Africa #39;s forests.


Austria #39;s Elfriede Jelinek Wins Nobel Prize for Literature Austrian novelist Elfriede Jelinek was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature on October 7. True to the mood of despair cast in her novels (which include The Piano Teacher, Lust, and Women as Lovers), Jelinek, 57, said that she  quot;can #39;t stand quot; the attention


Security Council Condemns Acts of Violence Against Civilians The Security Council unanimously passed a Russian-initiated antiterror resolution today that declares all intentional acts of violence against civilians unjustifiable


Hollywood Asks Top U.S. Court to Weigh File Trading  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Movie studios and record labels on  Friday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that  Internet "peer to peer" networks cannot be held liable when  their users copy music and movies without permission.


Copyright Bill Dies in Senate as Others Advance  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill that would make it easier to  sue online file-trading networks like Kazaa appeared on Friday  to have died a quiet death, but other copyright bills sought by  the entertainment industry continued to advance.


Novell to Open Enterprise to Netware and Linux Novell (Quote, Chart) announced today that it was moving up the timetable by 10 months on its new Open Enterprise Server (OES). The new server, due out in February, will include Novell #39;s NetWare operating


Freelancer Wins Big in Canadian 'Tasini' Case (Editor and Publisher) Editor and Publisher - CHICAGO In a Canadian version of the U.S. Supreme Court's Tasini decision on copyrights, a divided Ontario Appeals Court Thursday declared that The Globe and Mail violated a freelance writer's copyright when it republished her articles online and in electronic databases.


AOL making a Standalone Browser Firefox seems to have reignited the browser war. First, Google made headlines when it got hold of the domain name GBrowser.com pointing towards a possible browser release from them.


Homeland Security Names New Cyber Chief By 1:57 PM EDT Fri. Oct. 08, 2004. The Department of Homeland Security Thursday appointed an acting US cybersecurity chief to replace Amit Yoran, who resigned suddenly from the position a week ago.


Arsenal players used EPO, says Wenger Arsene Wenger has claimed that some of Arsenal #39;s overseas players could have used performance-enhancing drugs before they joined the club.


SODERLING WINS BATTLE OF SWEDES Robin Soderling ensured none of the top four seeds would reach the semi-finals of the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix by ousting fellow Swede Joachim Johansson in straight sets on Friday.


Brown #39;s archrival won #39;t cost him job Dallas - A popular notion in sports circles is that Texas coach Mack Brown simply cannot, will not and should not survive yet another loss to Oklahoma.


Outfielder #39;s season done No matter what happened in the AL division series against Boston, Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said Friday the suspended left fielder wouldn #39;t play in the postseason.


Goodbye SNMP? Hello, WS-Management Laoping writes  quot;News.com has a story about a new Web services management specification designed to simplify network administration across a wide range of devices.


AT T Puts Cell-Phone Twist on Song Sales (Reuters) Reuters - AT T Wireless has given U.S.\music fans the ability to purchase 99-cent songs using a mobile\phone.


Israelis accuse Egyptian officials of being slow to take action EILAT (Israel) - Thousands of frightened Israeli tourists rushed back home yesterday, streaming into Eilat just across the border, after the deadly hotel bombing in Taba, Egypt.


Peace Nobel for Kenyan OSLO, Oct. 8. - The Kenyan environmental activist, Ms Wangari Maathai, has won the Nobel Peace prize for her work as leader of the Green Belt Movement, which has sought to empower women, improve the environment


Paris bomb at Indonesia Embassy wounds 10 PARIS A bomb rocked a quiet, elegant neighborhood of apartment buildings in the west of the city, slightly wounding at least 10 people, including 4 workers at the Indonesian Embassy, where a rigged package exploded below its crimson and white national flag


Bomb blasts rock Red Sea resorts  quot;The toll from the explosions was 12 dead and 135 wounded, quot; an Interior Ministry spokesman said on Friday. Earlier unofficial reports put the death toll from the explosions on Thursday evening as high as 35 people.


29 killed, at least 114 wounded in explosion near Egypt-Israeli <b>...</b> Three explosions shook popular resorts on Egypts Sinai Peninsula, where Israelis were vacationing Thursday night at the close of a Jewish holiday, Egyptian officials and witnesses said.


Ellison Has Talked About Revising PeopleSoft Bid (Reuters) Reuters - Oracle Corp.  Chief\Executive Larry Ellison said on Friday that Oracle has talked\about revising its  #36;21-per-share offer to buy rival PeopleSoft\Inc. , but he dented Wall Street expectations by saying\Oracle has focused more on lowering the bid than raising it.


Rescuers Hunt for Survivors of Egypt Bombing (Reuters) Reuters - Rescue workers scrabbled through\the wreckage of an Egyptian resort hotel on Saturday in a hunt\for survivors from bomb blasts targeting Israelis that killed\at least 30 people and buried dozens more.


Voters in Hungary decide referenda Voters in Hungary went to the polls Sunday to decide a double referendum on citizenship rights and their nation #39;s health care system.


Election-Related Lawsuits Pile Up in Fla. (AP) AP - A lawsuit demanding touch-screen voting machines be made to produce paper records will not be heard until Oct. 18, a judge ruled Friday, raising doubts that any significant changes to the system used by about half of Florida's voters will happen before the election.


FDA Rejects AstraZeneca's Exanta  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Friday turned  down AstraZeneca Plc's  AZN.L AZN.N anti-clotting drug  Exanta, following the advice of an advisory panel on which some  members had voiced doubt about the drug's safety and  effectiveness.


NFL Suspends Lewis Two Games for Drug Case OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was suspended for two games without pay by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy, one day after pleading guilty to trying to set up a drug deal four years ago...


Afghan Security on Alert Ahead of Election KABUL, Afghanistan - On the eve of Afghanistan's first-ever direct presidential election, Muslim clerics urged Friday worshippers to embrace democracy, election workers scurried to ready voting booths and 100,000 troops went on high alert across the country.    In Peshawar, Pakistan late Friday, armed men wounded one police officer at a refugee camp polling site just hours before the Afghan refugees were to vote, police said...


Photo: National LambdaRail Architecture NLR is a consortium of 18 universities and research groups that are building the first nationwide optical network owned and operated by researchers.


#39;); //-- gt; Eye On Stocks A federal judge denied a request by Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ) to halt competitors #39; sales of gabapentin, a generic form of Pfizer #39;s Neurontin epilepsy drug.


A burst of light, a powerful bang, then ringing mobiles Behind the twisted wire mesh and shattered glass winks a sign:  quot;Taba Lounge quot;. The lounge itself has been gutted. Couches are buried under rubble while contents from upper floors sag precariously above loose ceiling blocks.


Judge rejects AMD plea for confidential Intel documents SAN FRANCISCO - A San Jose, California, judge ruled Monday that Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) is not entitled to trial documents that the company says might help it prove its European Commission antitrust complaint against Intel Corp.


Indonesian president calls for action on terror? (updated PM 1:37) Indonesia #39;s president on Monday said terrorism is the enemy of all religions and urged regional leaders of the Islamic, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist faiths to fight the scourge.


Sun settles Java suit with Kodak Sun on Thursday announced that it settled the lawsuit Eastman Kodak had brought against it, but the charge that Suns Java violated software patents held by Kodak brought to light the major impact patents can have on software techniques.


Undaunted PeopleSoft rolls out business apps Although the threat of Oracles hostile takeover continues to cast a shadow over it, PeopleSoft is pressing on with plans to integrate into its product mix the enterprise applications it picked up last year in its acquisition of J.D. Edwards.


FTC files suit against alleged spyware distributor WASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Thursday filed a legal complaint against two companies that allegedly infected computers with spyware and pop-up advertising, then tried to sell their owners spyware-blocking software.


Honeywell LCD patent suit targets PC industry SAN FRANCISCO - Aerospace manufacturer Honeywell International Inc. has filed suit against 34 PC and mobile phone companies that it says are infringing on its patents for LCD (liquid crystal display) technology.
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IBM upgrades blade servers SAN FRANCISCO - IBM Corp. will soon begin shipping upgraded models of its HS20 and JS20 blade servers, including a new SCSI (small computer system interface) option for the HS20 that will double the number of SCSI blades that users can fit into a single chassis, the company announced Friday. The Armonk, New York, computer maker also announced new management software for the servers designed to make them cooler and easier to manage.


Ellison: Oracle may cut its PeopleSoft bid NEW YORK - Soon after an Oracle Corp. director said Oracle's current \$21 per share offer for control of PeopleSoft Inc. may not be its final bid, Oracle Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Larry Ellison countered that the company is as likely to lower its bid as to raise it.


Sun settles Java suit with Kodak (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Sun on Thursday announced that it settled the lawsuit Eastman Kodak had brought against it, but the charge that Sun #8217;s Java violated software patents held by Kodak brought to light the major impact patents can have on software techniques.


Undaunted PeopleSoft rolls out business apps (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Although the threat of Oracle #8217;s hostile takeover continues to cast a shadow over it, PeopleSoft is pressing on with plans to integrate into its product mix the enterprise applications it picked up last year in its acquisition of J.D. Edwards.


Canadian reported killed with rebel group in Chechnya; Ottawa seeks details (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MOSCOW (CP) - A Canadian reported killed in Chechnya was described by Russian defence officials Friday as an explosives expert who was among a group of insurgents involved in fighting there.


Market likes leaner AT amp;T Investors on Friday cheered a decision by AT amp;T, the largest US provider of long-distance service, to eliminate more than 20 percent of its work force this year and write off \$11.


McGrath and Kasprowicz push India to the brink India enjoyed their best day of the first Test here yesterday but still face defeat on a pitch that is starting to favour the spinners.


Nemechek wins second straight pole; Earnhardt eighth  quot;Front Row Joe quot; went four years without winning a pole, but now has two in a row after leading qualifying Friday for the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Kansas Speedway.


Williams Says He'd Play Only One More Year (AP) AP - Former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams says he misses football but would only play one more season if he returns to the NFL.


Pacers' Bender Sits With Sore Knee (AP) AP - Throughout his NBA career, Jonathan Bender has been slowed by injuries. As his Indiana Pacers teammates finished practice Friday, there he was again, just sitting and watching.


Israel tourists flee after Sinai blasts EILAT, Israel Thousands of Israelis trudged through the Taba border post on Friday, returning home, like shocked refugees, from a Sinai bloodied by three terrorist bombings of three tourist hotels on Thursday night.


Hewitt adds a qualifier to her qualified Iraq apology Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, capped a cabinet apology for faulty intelligence on Iraq #39;s weapons arsenal yesterday by insisting that Saddam Hussein had been  quot;corrupting and undermining quot; UN sanctions to the point that they were in


Afghans foil  #39;catastrophic #39; attack on southern city KANDAHAR - Afghan troops foiled an attempt to blow up a fuel truck in the city of Kandahar in what the governor said could have been a  quot;catastrophic quot; attack to disrupt a landmark election.


Johan Santana to Start Game 4 for Twins (AP) AP - Johan Santana is ready to start against the New York Yankees on short rest.


N.F.L. Suspends Lewis Two Games for Drug Case Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was suspended for two games without pay by the N.F.L. for violating the league's substance abuse policy.


Carlos Tosca Interviews With Mets Former Toronto Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca interviewed with the Mets on Friday, the first candidate brought in following the firing of Art Howe.


Coming to a college near you: Services science? SAN FRANCISCO - More than40 years after Purdue University established the first department of computer science in the U.S., a whole new field of study is about to emerge in colleges and universities throughout the country, according to a researcher at IBM Corp.'s Almaden Research Center, who believes that students could begin to receive doctorate degrees in the field of "services sciences" in 10 years time.


Gaza Violence Kills Four Palestinians (AP) AP - Soldiers shot and killed a 10-year-old Palestinian girl and three other Palestinians died in missile strikes Friday during Israel's massive offensive into the northern Gaza Strip, witnesses and hospital officials said.


Jimenez continues superb late form Spain #39;s Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a 4-under-par 66 Sunday to win the Hong Kong Open by one stroke over defending champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland and South African James Kingston.


Dell Recalls Millions of Potentially Faulty Notebook Adapters Dell has announced a massive recall of notebook computer power adapters, saying the components -- made by a company whose products caused a similar recall last month by IBM -- could overheat and spark fires or electrical shock.


Leslie wins second MVP award Lisa Leslie was selected the WNBA #39;s Most Valuable Player for the second time in her career. The Los Angeles Sparks center, the league #39;s MVP in 2001, received 425 points and 33 of a possible 48 first-place votes from a national media panel Friday.


Furcal Shrugs Off Distractions in Playoffs (AP) AP - Rafael Furcal will spend three weeks in a cramped, windowless jail filled with about 70 inmates when the postseason ends for the Atlanta Braves.


Earnhardt Jr. Speaks Out Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds to the NASCAR penalty that knocked him out of the Nextel Cup lead and says the punishment was too severe.


Update 1: Drug Stocks Slide for Week Drug makers failed to bounce back from a Thursday slide, with many drug stocks closing down Friday as drug giant Pfizer Inc. and generic drug challenger Alpharma Inc.


Drugs woes and lacklustre jobs data send Wall St lower US SHARES fell on Friday, pressured by declines in the drugs and semiconductor sectors and by slower-than-expected US jobs growth.


Dell Recalls AC Power Adapters Due To Fire, Shock Hazard Dell Inc. announced today that it is voluntarily recalling a total of 4.4 million AC power adapters used with some Dell notebooks, among these, 2.9 million were sold in the US alone.


Eriksson to put caution to one side IF ONE stereotype doesnt fit, try another. Sven Goran Eriksson, pilloried in the summer for being an over-cautious Swede, inculcated during his Serie A career with a craven inclination to defend a slender


Mauresmo, Davenport reach semis in Germany FILDERSTADT (Germany) - Amelie Mauresmo and Lindsay Davenport took their battle for the No. 1 ranking and Porsche Grand Prix title into the semi-finals with straight-sets victories on Friday.


Drug accused fights back THE BALCO Labs executive director accused of steroid distribution has asked a US federal court to drop charges against him because of procedural errors made at the time of his arrest.


Green campaigner wins peace prize A Kenyan environmentalist and human rights campaigner has been awarded the Nobel peace prize, becoming the first African woman to win the prestigious award since it was created in 1901.


Car bomb attacks kill 28 in Egypt At least 28 people were killed and scores injured when car bombs exploded at resorts packed with Israeli holidaymakers on the Red Sea coast of Egypt #39;s Sinai desert in attacks Israel blamed on Al Qaeda.


Afghans Set for Historic Vote Under Militant Threat (Reuters) Reuters - Millions of Afghans prepared for a\historic poll on Saturday, which will give the mountainous\Islamic nation on the ancient Silk Road its first elected\president and perhaps end over a quarter century of war.


Bush and Kerry to Face Undecided Voters (AP) AP - President Bush and Sen. John Kerry will face questions from an audience of uncommitted voters in their second debate Friday night, with tepid jobs numbers and the war in Iraq certain to be points of contention.


Milk Measure Pulled From Relief Bill (AP) AP - An end-of-the-session food fight over a milk support program erupted Friday in Congress, stalling action for hours on legislation ranging from corporate tax cuts to hurricane and drought relief and preventing lawmakers from adjourning to hit the campaign trail.


Stocks Hit by Oil, Bonds Up on Weak Jobs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks slid on Friday after oil  hit a record \$53.40 a barrel, while surprisingly weak September  jobs data touched off a rally in the bond market.


Afghans Set for Historic Vote Under Militant Threat  KABUL (Reuters) - Millions of Afghans prepared for a  historic poll on Saturday, which will give the mountainous  Islamic nation on the ancient Silk Road its first elected  president and perhaps end over a quarter century of war.


U.S.: Hostage Tried to Escape Execution BAGHDAD, Iraq - Kidnappers beheaded British hostage Kenneth Bigley after twice releasing videos in which he wept and pleaded with Prime Minister Tony Blair for his life. A U.S...


Why cant Johnny compute? When I suggested in a recent column that a problematic 5 percent of employees account for 75 percent of the IT support burden, I expected a wave of right on! letters from IT support staffers. After the column was published, the letters did come  most of them disagreeing with my premise, with one reader suggesting that the real whiner was yours truly. I still think its outside the realm of overextended IT departments to provide training on basic computing skills (which I defined as managing and finding files, and basic working knowledge of suites such as MS Office). But my thinking was adjusted a bit by the thoughtful feedback.


A break with tradition If you think of your business as a car and your IT infrastructure as the road it travels on, then your business processes are the tires that let the car move along the road. What we are seeing now, at an ever increasing rate, is CFOs asking CIOs to kick the tires and check the air pressure. Analogies aside, CFOs want CIOs to get more involved in process design across the company.


IT's secret sauce Successful IT often requires as much insight into business as into technology.
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SBC Case Study: Crate   Barrel
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Crude oil prices end over \$53 per barrel in NY Crude oil futures finished above 53 dollars a barrel Friday as traders were unsettled about winter fuel supplies in the United States and labor-government confrontation in Nigeria.


September job growth weaker than expected US employers added just 96,000 jobs in September, far fewer than analysts expected and a sign that the economic recovery remains weak.


Judge dismisses \$1.25bn case against Black Lord Black, former owner of The Daily Telegraph, won a temporary reprieve yesterday when a US judge dismissed a lawsuit by his former company, which was seeking \$1.


New Nintendo console analysts #39; choice The PlayStation Portable is the talk of the town, after basking in the limelight at a recent game show. But despite all the hoopla, Sony Computer Entertainment Co.


Exhausted Phelps feels the strain Michael Phelps yesterday pulled out of the 400 metres individual medley at the short course world championships in Indianapolis with a sore back.


Busch wants win by more than 25 points Surprise. Underdog. Cinderella story. The media is calling Kurt Busch a lot of things these days but the title he #39;d prefer is  #39;Champ.


Magical McGrath has India seeking a miracle The 10-day Hindu festival of Dussehra is being celebrated in these parts. It is associated with the vanquishing of demons, though whether these will include Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne today is doubtful.


Search, Mobile Markets Help Internet Firm Bounce Back (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - InfoSpace is a rarity in this post-dot-bomb world: an Internet company with a healthy share price and bottom line.


Officials seek perpetrators in deadly Egypt blasts Israeli and Egyptian officials searched for proof Friday to determine who had reduced a five-star hotel full of Israeli tourists to a pile of concrete and metal the night before


Kidnappers behead British hostage Fulfilling the worst nightmares of a British family, kidnappers Friday released a video showing their beheading of Kenneth Bigley, a contractor seized from his Baghdad


Web-Hosting Firm Gives Feds Hard Drives (AP) AP - A Texas Internet company said Friday it gave U.S. government officials the hard drives from a pair of its Web servers leased to online journalists and others.


Bush to Aid 'Moderate' Parties in Iraq Election  WASHINGTON (Reuters) -  The Bush administration plans to  give strategic advice, training and polling data to what it  deems as "moderate and democratic" Iraqi political parties with  candidates running in the country's upcoming elections,  government documents show.


UK hostage Bigley murdered in Iraq The family of the British hostage Kenneth Bigley confirm that he has been killed by his captors in Iraq.


Bid to dismiss US sport drug case The head of Balco, a US lab accused of supplying steroids to sport stars, asks a court to drop all charges.


Update 2: Senate Delays Approving Tax Law Overhaul The drive to pass a \$136 billion corporate tax bill hit a roadblock in the Senate on Friday when lawmakers upset about tobacco regulation, new overtime rules and combat pay employed delaying tactics to keep the measure from coming up for a vote.


Former NASA inspector pleads innocent to falsifying inspections ORLANDO, Fla. He was supposed to be doing safety inspections on the space shuttle fleet -- sometimes inspecting parts that were so crucial, their failure could destroy the shuttle.


And the winner is  SpaceShipOne SpaceShipOne #39;s successful flights did more than win \$10 million - they proved to the world that space is open for all humanity.


Struggling pitcher thrust into heart of series MINNEAPOLIS -- Struggling right-hander Javier Vazquez will start for the New York Yankees in Game 4 of their AL Division Series against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.


UN adopts resolution to intensify global anti-terror campaign The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on October 8 calling on states to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including extraditing and prosecuting anyone who supports, finances and participates in terrorist


Yahoo's Yang Looks Back on 'Amazing Ride' Cofounder reflects on company's first ten years at Web 2.0 Conference.


Polls open in Australian general election with contenders in dead heat (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his Labour party challenger were in a virtual dead heat as voting began Saturday in a general election, with voters focusing on the economy and social programs more than Howard's decision to send troops to Iraq.


Bush faces critical test in second debate (AFP) AFP - US President George W. Bush's re-election bid, buffeted by bad news on the economy and Iraq, faced a crucial test Friday as he headed into a second debate with resurgent Democratic challenger John Kerry.


Key Provisions of the Intelligence Bills (AP) AP - Comparison of some provisions in the House and Senate bills with the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission:


N.H. Man Denies FTC 'Spyware' Charges (AP) AP - The man at the center of the nation's first spyware case  #151; a businessman notorious for his junk Internet mailings  #151; says federal regulators were politically motivated in targeting him for enforcement of new bills outlawing intrusive software.


BoSox Eliminate Angels 8-6 in 10 Innings BOSTON - This self-proclaimed band of idiots is going to play for the pennant. David Ortiz homered in the 10th inning to send the Boston Red Sox into their second consecutive AL championship series, completing a three-game sweep of the Anaheim Angels with an 8-6 victory Friday...


Web services for your TiVo? Web services are becoming increasingly popular for linking software programs. Now, Microsoft and some other big companies are pitching the technology as a way to manage everything from big corporate servers to mobile phones.


Partial solar eclipse occurs next week A partial solar eclipse will occur on Thursday, and will be visible in northeast China, north of the Pacific Ocean, northwest of North America and part of the Arctic Ocean.


The Future of Private Space Travel Description: We consider what might be ahead for the future of private space travel. Will the SpaceShipOne flight kick off a new era of space development?


Schumacher wins first practice at rain-soaked Suzuka World champion Michael Schumacher drove the quickest time in the first practice on October 8 for Sunday #39;s Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in Suzuka.


Torre giving Brown ball next Orlando Hernandez on Wednesday was officially scratched from his Game Three start because of his tired right shoulder, but his replacement isn #39;t exactly healthy, either.


Sailor in critical condition due to smoke inhalation SLIGO, Ireland - A Canadian sailor was waging a battle last night to overcome severe smoke inhalation injuries after he and a fellow sailor were airlifted from their disabled submarine to hospital in this small Irish north coast town.


Violence in northern Gaza kills four Palestinians, including young <b>...</b> GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Witnesses say a ten-year-old girl was one of four Palestinians killed today by Israeli forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip.


Burma Still a Concern at ASEM An Asia-Europe summit opened Friday overshadowed by the European Union #39;s threat to slap fresh sanctions on one of the grouping #39;s newest Asian membersmilitary-ruled Burmaif it fails


30 killed, 120 hurt in Egypt resort bombings At least 30 people were killed and 120 wounded when car bombs exploded at resorts packed with Israeli holidaymakers on the Red Sea coast of Egypt #39;s Sinai desert in attacks claimed by a group saying it belongs to Al-Qaeda.


Partial solar eclipse is a real time-twister A partial solar eclipse will take place next week, oddly ending the day before it begins. The eclipse will be visible, weather permitting, from northeastern portions of Asia, including all of Japan


Montgomerie sends Ryder smoke signal Colin Montgomerie yesterday applied for the job of captain of the 2006 Ryder Cup team - by the simple expedient of not applying for it.


Yahoo's Yang Looks Back on 'Amazing Ride' (PC World) PC World - Cofounder reflects on company's first ten years at Web 2.0 Conference.


Space Tourism Faces Safety Regulations (AP) AP - Thrill seekers are plunking down six figures to ride rockets that haven't even been built yet, and a new airline called Virgin Galactic promises to be up and soaring in the next three years. Still, the budding space tourism industry faces a myriad of safety concerns  #151; in the sky and on the ground  #151; that must be resolved before any paying passenger takes off.


National aerospace policy in the works, says Canada's transport minister (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - GATINEAU, Que. (CP) - A national aerospace policy is in the works that would consolidate existing financial-aid initiatives into one cohesive program, Transport Minister Jean Lapierre said on Friday.


Senate Delays Approving Tax Law Overhaul (AP) AP - The drive to pass a  #36;136 billion corporate tax bill hit a roadblock in the Senate on Friday when lawmakers upset about tobacco regulation, new overtime rules and combat pay employed delaying tactics to prevent a vote.


Britain Shocked by Death of Iraq Hostage  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Washington's closest ally in Iraq was  horrified by the beheading of a British hostage there and Prime  Minister Tony Blair urged Britons not to let it undermine their  support for continued involvement in the country.


Update 11: Parmalat #39;s Trustee Sues Bank of America Parmalat #39;s government-appointed administrator sued Bank of America Corp. on Thursday, alleging that the bank helped executives at the dairy company hide debt and conceal its insolvency from investors.


Computer Associates to acquire Netegrity in \$430 million all-cash <b>...</b> Computer Associates International Inc. will acquire Netegrity Inc. in a \$430 million cash deal that will merge the computer security software makers, the companies said Wednesday.


Judge Denies AMD Access to Intel Documents A federal judge has denied a request by AMD (Quote, Chart) that Intel (Quote, Chart) turn over internal documents, the latest development in a long-running legal battle.


Before the Bell: Knight Falls, Too Rises Knight Trading Group Inc. (NITE) shares fell more than 6 percent before the bell on Wednesday after the Nasdaq stock trader warned of a quarterly loss because of weak stock trading volume.


BoSox Eliminate Angels 8-6 in 10 Innings (AP) AP - This self-proclaimed band of idiots is going to play for the pennant. David Ortiz homered in the 10th inning to send the Boston Red Sox into their second consecutive AL championship series, completing a three-game sweep of the Anaheim Angels with an 8-6 victory Friday.


Gordon Cooper, 1 of 1st astronauts VENTURA, Calif. - Gordon Cooper, who as one of the original Mercury astronauts was a pioneer in human space exploration, has died.


Scientists praise Maurice Wilkins British scientists and science commentators have paid tribute to the DNA pioneer Maurice Wilkins, who died on Tuesday aged 88. Professor Wilkins, who called himself  quot;the third man of the double helix quot;, helped


Man accused of infecting computers with  quot;spyware quot; says he #39;s <b>...</b> A man accused of infecting computers with intrusive  quot;spyware quot; and then trying to sell people the solution has denied any wrongdoing.


Yahoo #39;s Yang Looks Back on  #39;Amazing Ride #39; San Francisco--At the closing session of the Web 2.0 Conference, Yahoo cofounder and Chief Yahoo Jerry Yang assessed the famous Web portal #39;s first decade.


AOL Plans New Web Browser  amp; Logos An article at eWeek is saying that AOL plans to launch it #39;s own web browser sometime soon. The  quot;AOL Browser quot; will be based off of Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer and not AOL #39;s dead Netscape Browser.


Hynix sells non-memory business Hynix of Korea has sold its non-memory semiconductor operations to Citigroup Venture Capital for Won954.3bn (\$828m) and it will be renamed MagnaChip Semiconductor.


Big Blue #39;s Blades Up Server Speed Stakes Tim Dougherty, director of marketing for IBM #39;s eServer BladeCenter, said the company #39;s new BladeCenter machines have increased speed, memory, power management and operating system support in order to widen customers #39; choices.


Sony in CD-copying u-turn The company currently allows customers to copy a CD once onto a personal computer, but uses the Internet to charge a fee for subsequent copying of the same disk.


English FA aims for EPO tests The English Football Association (FA)said on Friday that they will introduce tests for the banned drug EPO (erythropoietin) in the near future.


Britain Shocked by Death of Iraq Hostage Washington #39;s closest ally in Iraq was horrified by the beheading of a British hostage there and Prime Minister Tony Blair urged Britons not to let it undermine their support for continued involvement in the country.


Australia #39;s Voters to Choose Between Howard, Latham (Update1) Australian Prime Minister John Howard is seeking a fourth term in power at today #39;s election, promising to extend 13 years of economic growth and keep mortgage rates low.


Ortiz's 10th-Inning Homer Earns Red Sox Sweep of Angels  BOSTON (Reuters) - David Ortiz's two-run homer in the  bottom of the 10th inning gave the Boston Red Sox an 8-6 win  over the Anaheim Angels and a 3-0 sweep of their American  League Divisional Series Friday.


Cognos reassigns new exec after indictment Cognos this week announced that Andrew Cahill, who was a senior vice president at the company, has been reassigned to other duties at Cognos after being indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with activities at his previous employer.


Leslie Named MVP Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie was selected the WNBA's Most Valuable Player for the second time in her career.


No. 13 Minnesota (5-0) at No. 14 Michigan (4-1) Outlook:  No other team in the nation has a running back duo like Minnesota's Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney, who have combined for 274.4 rushing yards per game -- and distribute it quite evenly. Michigan freshman QB Chad Henne went 17 for 21 for 316 yards and three touchdowns last week against Indiana and hasn't thrown an interception in the past two games. Plus, the Wolverines' aggressive defense leads the nation with 19 takeaways.


Red Sox Advance David Ortiz homered in the 10th inning to give the Red Sox an 8-6 victory over Anaheim and completing a three-game sweep.


Afghans vote in first elections under shadow of violence (AFP) AFP - Afghans vote Saturday in the first direct presidential elections in their history, under the threat of violence from anti-US militants and Osama bin Laden's terror network.


Chirac promotes China trade links The French president will meet his Chinese counterpart on a four-day state visit focusing on economic ties.


Eluding Press, Stewart Slips Into Prison Before Dawn Martha Stewart beat the news media trailing her every move by announcing that she had checked into prison in West Virginia.


Ortiz Earns Red Sox Series Sweep of Angels  BOSTON (Reuters) - David Ortiz's two-run homer in the  bottom of the 10th inning gave the Boston Red Sox an 8-6 win  over the Anaheim Angels and a three-game sweep of their  American League Divisional Series Friday.


Senate Tobacco Foes Agree on FDA Bill Anti-tobacco senators agreed late Friday to stop delaying a tax bill that includes a bailout for tobacco farmers and pass a separate bill calling for Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco, Sen.


Google Library meets Bookstore Search engine Google has plans to introduce a new service that lets users search complete texts of books and helps publishers sell them.


UK Record Industry Targets P2P File-swappers in Britain are to be taken to court for trading tracks over the Internet. The crackdown by the British Phonographic Industry is the first of its kind in the UK, although the


Yahoo! Seen Outperforming Peers Goldman Sachs reiterated an  quot;outperform quot; rating and raised estimates for third-quarter revenue and earnings before interest depreciation and amortization for Yahoo!


The Top 20 Internet Security Flaws of 2004 The vast majority of worms and other successful cyber attacks are made possible by vulnerabilities in a small number of common operating system services.


Can Mike Lawrie make Siebel better? In many ways, Mike Lawrie seems to be just the sort of guy software maker Siebel Systems needs to lift it out of its dark days. It #39;s true he doesn #39;t exactly ooze charisma and intensity.


T. rex #39;s smaller ancestor was covered with down Fossil remains of the oldest and smallest known ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex, the world #39;s favorite ferocious dinosaur, have been discovered in China with evidence that its body was cloaked in downy  quot;protofeathers.


Civil Rights Panel to Wait to Discuss Bush (AP) AP - The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights voted Friday to wait until after next month's election to discuss a report critical of the Bush administration's civil rights record. Republican members had objected to the report's timing. The report remains posted on the commission's Web site, however, despite objections from GOP commissioners who sought to get it removed.


American League Playoff Game Summary - Anaheim at Boston The headline on Friday #39;s edition of the Boston Herald read  quot;Go Yanks!, quot; indicative of how badly the Red Sox faithful yearn for a rematch of last year #39;s ALCS...Prior to the game, Scioscia announced that suspended outfielder Jose Guillen would not be


Next stop, Our Lady of Victory Lane If you listen between the lines, it sure sounds like what Dale Earnhardt Jr. was really saying was something like,  quot;While today #39;s accomplishment is extremely gratifying on both a personal and professional


Gibbs Admires Well-Grounded Ravens Offense When Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs and his staff watch the Baltimore Ravens run the football, they cannot help but recall their great Redskins teams of old.


Afghans vote in first elections under shadow of violence KABUL: Afghans vote Saturday in the first direct presidential elections in their history, under the threat of violence from anti-US militants and Osama bin Laden #39;s terror network.


Israeli army kills two Palestinians in Khan Yunes GAZA CITY, Oct 9 (AFP) - Israeli forces early Saturday killed two Palestinians at Khan Yunes in the south of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian hospital sources said.


Cingular's Quiet Takeover Change is coming for AT T Wireless's 21.7 million customers -- although they wouldn't know it from watching the company's commercials or shopping in its stores. The cell phone provider is expected to complete its \$41 billion merger with Cingular Wireless within weeks.\\-The Washington Post


Piracy Bill's Language Protects ClearPlay It's acceptable for consumers to use software that edits out nudity or bad language from a DVD movie -- but they had better leave the commercials and promotional announcements in, according to legislation adopted by the House of Representatives this week.
-The Washington Post


Suspected Plutonium Convoy Nears France (AP) AP - A trans-Atlantic shipment of plutonium from the United States arrived by guarded convoy at a factory in southern France Friday, amid protests by environmental groups.


Presidential Debate Excerpts (AP) AP - Excerpts from Friday's presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis:


House OKs Bill on 9/11 Recommendations (AP) AP - House Republican leaders on Friday easily pushed through sweeping new law enforcement powers as part of a Sept. 11 anti-terrorism package, but the House now must negotiate a truce with the Senate on those measures to get President Bush's signature before the elections.


Blair: Iraq Report Shows Sanction Problems (AP) AP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that a U.S. arms inspector's report on Iraq shows that United Nations sanctions against Saddam Hussein's regime were "not working," insisting that it backed the U.S.-British decision to go to war.


Malls, zoos and museums among the most unusual places to learn Students at Aviation High School learn in the shadow of the massive jetliners this region has produced for decades. Holding classes at Boeing Field and the Museum of


Should you jump to satellite radio with Howard Stern? WEST PALM BEACH, Fla - Shock jock Howard Stern is dumping traditional radio for satellite. Should you? The question is on millions of listeners #39; minds after Stern stunned the radio world this week by announcing


FOOTBALL: ROONEY #39;S ALL SET TO LEAD 3-MAN STRIKEFORCE COOL kid Wayne Rooney will spearhead a three-pronged strikeforce for England against Wales today. Boss Sven-Goran Eriksson insists not even a World Cup Final would make Rooney nervous and will place Manchester


Notes: Dodgers gaining experience Aside from Steve Finley, no Dodgers position starter had postseason experience before Tuesday. By comparison, every member of the Cardinals #39; starting lineup came into the series having played in October.


Like a Tree, Unbowed The Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai has been clubbed in the head by riot police officers. She has been denounced as a subversive.


UN council unites on terror UN Security Council members have unanimously backed a Russian-sponsored resolution to intensify the international battle against terrorism.


Sony #39;s Vaio X: Like TiVo on Steroids CHIBA, JAPAN -- Sony will begin selling in Japan in November a combination personal computer and video server that can record up to seven channels of television simultaneously, it said at the Ceatec 2004 exhibition here.


Wheaton attempts another friendly merger RENO--(Mineweb.com) Vancouver-based Goldcorp and Toronto gold-producer Wheaton River Minerals have scheduled a telephone conference Monday morning to announced that Goldcorp will buy Wheaton River for \$2.09 billion in stock.


Typhoon Ma-On Nears Japan, May Strike Tokyo  TOKYO (Reuters) - A powerful typhoon, one of the strongest  storms recorded in Asia this year, churned toward Japan on  Saturday, lashing the nation with heavy rain, prompting  evacuations and threatening to strike Tokyo.


Hollinger International's Suit  Against Black Is Dismissed A federal judge Friday tossed out Hollinger International Inc.'s \$1.25 billion suit against embattled press tycoon Conrad M. Black and other top corporate officials, ruling that the company could not use racketeering laws to recover money it claims Black and the others stole.


Popcorn, With a Dash of Magic In the celluloid dreams of her own keeping, Latika Harris is watching her favorite movie, "Love and Basketball," and in this dream she has replaced actress Sanaa Lathan. She sees herself playing small forward, or maybe a shooting guard, alongside the handsome male lead of Omar Epps.


Review: GPS in Cell Phones Performs Well (AP) AP - O.K., so I don't like asking for directions. But I don't get lost so often that I need to spend more than  #36;1,000 on a built-in car navigation system to plot my course with global positioning satellites.


Report Cites Profit by Americans in Sale of Iraqi Oil U.S. oil companies and a Texas oil investor received lucrative vouchers that enabled them to buy Iraqi oil under the U.N. oil-for-food program.


Bush Defends Iraq War in Second Debate ST. LOUIS - In a debate rematch Friday, President Bush defended his invasion of Iraq and said "I wasn't happy when we found there weren't weapons" that prompted his administration to go to war against Saddam Hussein...


Mud, Debris Hinder Aid Efforts in Haiti Three weeks after Haiti's worst natural disaster in years the country is trying desperately to attend to its sick, feed its hungry, keep drinking water flowing and remove tons of mud and debris.


U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq Attack A U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded Friday when their patrol was attacked with a homemade bomb, the U.S. command said in a statement.


Hollinger International #39;s Suit Against Black Is Dismissed A federal judge yesterday tossed out Hollinger International Inc. #39;s \$1.25 billion suit against embattled press tycoon Conrad M. Black and other top corporate officials, ruling that the company


Recall on Dell Notebook Adapters The home computer maker is recalling nearly a million AC notebook adapters. The company says they can overheat, catch fire, or cause electrical shock.


UN Starts African Polio Vaccinations The United Nations launched a massive polio immunization campaign across Africa on Friday, aiming to undo the region-wide effects of a vaccine boycott in Nigeria.


Iraq: At least 10 dead in car bombing attack A suicide car bomber attacked Wednesday an Iraqi military camp northwest of Baghdad, killing 10 Iraqis and injuring more than 20, Iraqi officials said.


Gore Touts Promise of Stem-Cell Research (AP) AP - Former Vice President Al Gore touted the promise of stem-cell research for curing debilitating and deadly diseases on Friday  #151; using his pitch to stump for fellow Democrats Christine Gregoire and Dave Ross.


Bomb Blast Injures 9 at Embassy in Paris (AP) AP - France tightened security around embassies Friday after a bomb outside the Indonesian Embassy slightly injured nine people in a pre-dawn explosion that shattered neighborhood windows and puzzled police.


Americans Warned to Avoid Part of Sinai (AP) AP - The United States warned its citizens Friday to avoid the northeastern Sinai Peninsula for the next three months after suicide bombings hit three Egyptian hotels in the area.


Canadian ports are 'sieves' says Transport Minister Jean Lapierre (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - GATINEAU, Que. (CP) - Transport Minister Jean Lapierre described Canada's ports Friday as "sieves," adding the federal government must take measures to tighten security on the waterfront.  "It's clear that Canadian ports cannot remain sieves," he said during a speech to the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce. "We have to tighten the screw." Asked later to clarify his comments, the minister said he was only quoting from a 2002 Senate report that criticized port security.


City mourns killed hostage Bigley A day of mourning has been declared in Liverpool in memory of the murdered British hostage Ken Bigley.


Blair and Paisley in Crisis Talks Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley and Prime Minister Tony Blair will hold make-or-break talks today on a deal to revive power sharing at Stormont.


Rivals Clash on Iraq, Economy and Health in Second Debate President Bush defended his economic record and his decision to invade Iraq, while John Kerry said that Mr. Bush lacked the record to justify re-election.


Major events in Afghanistan since December 2001 election of Karzai KABUL, Oct 9 (AFP) - Afghanistan holds its first ever presidential election Saturday. Following is a list of major events since the current President Hamid Karzai took office in 2001.


Australians vote: Bush ally Howard tipped to win SYDNEY (AFP) - Australians went to the polls in national elections tipped to see the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard, a key US ally in Iraq, beat off a strong challenge from the center-left Labor Party.


Thai government drops origami peace bombs Bangkok: The Thai government has begun dropping an estimated one hundred million paper origami birds in an unusual peace bid. The birds are being dropped by military planes over the countrys Muslim south after a surge of violence in the area.


Solar Eclipse to Start Thursday, End Wednesday! A partial solar eclipse will take place next week, oddly ending the day before it begins. The eclipse will be visible, weather permitting, from northeastern portions of Asia, including all of Japan, northeastern Mongolia and China, and much of Siberia.


Midland F1 team to enter F1 in 2006 A new team, Midland F1, has announced that it will make its Formula One debut in 2006. Backed by the Midland Group, a privately-owned international trading and investment-holding organisation, Midland F1 is


Tamada gets pole position ahead of the Malaysian GP Makoto Tamada of Japan claimed provisional pole position Friday for tomorrow #39;s Malaysian Grand Prix ahead of Sete Gibernau of Spain and world Moto GP champion Valentino Rossi.


Astros ready for some good home cookin #39; (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros won a franchise-record 18 straight games at Minute Maid Park to end the season and now will lean on their home crowd on Saturday for Game 3 of their National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves.


Sun 68, Storm 64 Connecticut rookie Lindsay Whalen played with the guile of a veteran Friday night, leading the Sun to a 68-64 victory over the Seattle Storm in the opening game of the WNBA Finals.


Before Rape Arrest, Bryant Expressed Fear to Police In his first comments to the police on the night he was accused of rape, the basketball star Kobe Bryant was scared about what happened and may have conceded lying to


BALCO Defendants Want Steroid Case Dropped Defendants at the center of the BALCO steroid scandal asked a court to drop charges against them Friday, claiming misconduct by prosecutors in a case which has tarnished several top sporting names.


All Business on This Trip This was supposed to be an exhilarating weekend for futbol fans in El Salvador, what with those dastardly Americans in town for a 2006 World Cup qualifier Saturday night


Social critic tenth woman to win Nobel The latest Nobel Prize laureate for literature is a self-described advocate for the weak, whose own  quot;social phobia quot; will keep her from attending the awards ceremony in Stockholm.


European, Asian leaders wrap up summit, sidestep Myanmar issue (AFP) AFP - Asian and European leaders were to wrap up summit talks here by calling for the United Nations to lead the fight against terrorism while largely side-stepping a rift over military-ruled Myanmar.


BCCI officials suspended A court suspends all newly-elected office-bearers on India's cricket board citing election misconduct.


Kobe Bryant's Accuser Apologized for 'Mix-Up' (Reuters) Reuters - The woman who accused basketball star\Kobe Bryant of rape apologized to police at one stage for\providing confusing information, according to court documents\released on Friday.


Yankees Put Twins on Brink of Elimination Backed by Derek Jeter's three R.B.I.'s and a relentless offense, Kevin Brown threw six strong innings to lead the Yankees past the Minnesota Twins, 8-4.


Before Rape Arrest, Bryant Expressed Fear to Police On the night he was accused of rape, Kobe Bryant was scared about what happened and may have conceded lying to detectives, according to a tape recording made then.


Works in Progress U-Md.'s Joel Statham and Georgia Tech's Reggie Ball have thrown more touchdown passes than anyone in the ACC.  However, they also rank near the top in interceptions.


Hokies' Road Test Wake Forest has eight interceptions for the season -- which ranks 12th nationally -- and will test Va. Tech quarterback Bryan Randall, who has thrown six picks in five games.


Nemechek Nabs Pole Veteran driver Joe Nemechek earns his second straight pole Friday in Kansas City after having gone four years without winning one.


Topics A, B and C in Run-up to Debate: Jobs, Jobs and Jobs Senator John Kerry will assail George Bush tonight as the first president since Herbert Hoover to preside over a four-year term with fewer Americans working than when he began.


Weather Hits Japanese Grand Prix The Japanese round of the World Rally Championship on the island of Hokkaido just missed a typhoon, and the weather has also affected the Japanese Grand Prix weekend.


Russians Coming In Formula 1 It doesn #39;t plan an entry until next year #39;s Australian Grand Prix, but the Canadian-based Midland Group chaired by expatriate Russian (and Canadian citizen) Alexander Shnaider has announced the formation of a new GP team to be called Midland F1.


Earnhardt says punishment more severe than the crime Dale Earnhardt Jr. admits he was wrong to cuss in a live TV interview last weekend but says NASCAR was wrong to penalize him so harshly.


Playoff Series Quickly Turns Against Twins (AP) AP - The Minnesota Twins were in great shape just two days ago. Now they're on the brink of being eliminated by the New York Yankees for the second straight year.


Veteran Lewis Seizes Slender Lead in Las Vegas  LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Reuters) - PGA Tour veteran JL Lewis  reeled off seven birdies and an eagle to race into a one-shot  lead after the second round of the \$4 million Las Vegas  Invitational Friday.


BALCO Defendants Want Steroid Case Dropped  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Defendants at the center of the  BALCO steroid scandal asked a court to drop charges against  them Friday, claiming misconduct by prosecutors in a case which  has tarnished several top sporting names.


SEC Makes Investigation Of Krispy Kreme Formal WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The Securities and Exchange Commission has escalated its investigation of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. to a formal inquiry, the company announced Friday.


Questions for the  #39;Comforter in Chief #39; How could I have forgotten that George W. was a compassionate conservative? He chose the moniker of a kinder, gentler Republican four years ago to distinguish himself from Newt Gingrich #39;s crowd.


China: Most Office Computers Hit By Internet Security Problems China says 58 percent of computer networks in the country #39;s offices have fallen victim to Internet security problems this year.


Band of merry fools gets another chance to rewrite baseball <b>...</b> The frat house full of fools will play for a pennant for the second year in a row. David Ortiz #39;s 10th-inning homer gave the Boston Red Sox an 8-6 victory over the Anaheim Angels on


Gunners attack Aragones A racist slur made by Spanish national coach Luis Aragones against Thierry Henry has angered the Arsenal star #39;s teammates, who have called for FIFA take action.


Tracy hopes club can take advantage of opportunities Aside from Steve Finley, no Dodgers position starter had postseason experience before Tuesday. By comparison, every member of the Cardinals #39; starting lineup came into the series having played in October.


Howell Leads Dunhill Links by 1 Shot England #39;s David Howell holed a 105-yard shot for an eagle and finished with a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Luke Donald yesterday after the second round of the Dunhill Links Championship in St.


Britain mourns hostage murdered in Iraq LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the killers of British hostage Kenneth Bigley as barbaric, and most of the victims relatives praised his handling of the crisis.


Afghans begin voting under shadow of Taliban threat Afghans braved threats of Taliban attacks to begin voting today in a historic presidential election that they hope will mark the beginning of the end to a quarter century of conflict.


Australian voters head to polls Australians voted today in an election which offered the choice between a conservative government that unreservedly backs the United States and its Iraq war and a Labour opposition seeking stronger ties in Asia.


Child mortality rate drops in Latin America: UNICEF Latin America has seen a decline in child mortality rate, but the situation in Iraq, countries of the former Soviet Union and those in sub-Saharan Africa has worsened over the


Brown, Jeter Hand Yankees Series Lead Over Twins  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kevin Brown pitched six innings and  Derek Jeter notched three hits and drove in three runs to lead  the New York Yankees to an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins  in the American League Divisional Series Friday.


U.S. Continue to Dominate Without Injured Phelps  INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The U.S. team continued to  dominate the world short course championships Friday, claiming  five gold medals without the help of Michael Phelps after he  was forced out of the meeting with an injured back.


Son Seeks to Persuade Cambodian King Not to Quit  PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk  appears determined to retire, his son said on Saturday before  heading to Beijing in a bid to persuade the 81-year-old monarch  to change his mind about abdicating.


Jimenez edges Kingston in Hong Kong Ryder Cup star Miguel Angel Jimenez continued his love affair with Asia as he kept his nerve to take a one-stroke victory at the \$800 000 Hong Kong Open on Sunday.


Colombia Seeks Help Demobilizing Militias (AP) AP - Colombian government officials said Friday they need support from the international community to assist in the planned demobilization of thousands of right-wing paramilitary fighters.


Bush and Kerry Put on a Lively Show (AP) AP - Friday's rematch between President Bush and John Kerry proved to be a livelier affair, and a more revealing show, than their first debate.


Bush and Kerry Trade Attacks in Their Second Presidential Debate President Bush defended his decision to invade Iraq, while John Kerry said that Mr. Bush lacked the record to justify re-election.


Report Cites U.S. Profits in Sale of Iraqi Oil Under Hussein U.S. oil companies received lucrative vouchers that enabled them to buy Iraqi oil under the U.N. oil-for-food program.


Official: British Hostage Tried to Escape BAGHDAD, Iraq - Kidnappers beheaded British hostage Kenneth Bigley after twice releasing videos in which he wept and pleaded with Prime Minister Tony Blair for his life. A U.S...


Yanks Beat Twins 8-4 to Take Playoff Lead MINNEAPOLIS - Kevin Brown already apologized to the New York Yankees for his foolish injury. This was an even better way to make up for it...


Churches launch climate campaign Church leaders have begun a campaign to curb climate change, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.


Job creation falls short of forecasts The nation added 96,000 jobs in September, a weaker-than-expected figure that could play a pivotal role in the presidential election.


28,000 lives may be about to change ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Sitting at the front of US Bankruptcy Court, surrounded by US Airways #39; managers and high-priced lawyers, Chief Executive Officer Bruce Lakefield looked nervous, almost embarrassed.


Dell Drops 15 GB Dell DJ To US\$149, 20 GB for US\$195 Dell has taken an aggressive pricing strategy in its competition with Apple in the music player space. Jupiter Research analyst Joe Wilcox reported in his blog today that Dell has dropped pricing on the 15


Socceroos on Honiara goal spree Frank Farina #39;s new look Australian attack fired the Socceroos to a 4-0 half-time lead over Solomon Islands in their their Confederations Cup qualifier in Honiara this afternoon.


Notebook: Dodgers say Bradley won #39;t be disciplined Los Angeles outfielder Milton Bradley won #39;t be disciplined by the Dodgers for a clubhouse confrontation with a reporter he called an  quot;Uncle Tom.


Afghans vote in presidential poll Around 100-thousand armed security personnel, including 27-thousand foreign troops from a US-led coalition and NATO, have been deployed to protect more than 10 million registered voters.


Chinese paper says Chirac #39;s China tour magnifies partnership Dialogue between China and France, two countries which highly value cultural diversity and pluralism in international politics, is no doubt conducive to world peace, China #39;s


Mars rovers find new signs of water Mars rovers have found new evidence that water was once plentiful in the hills and plains of the now-barren Red Planet. After discovering the plains where it landed was once a


NASA worker charged with fake inspections A veteran NASA safety inspector appeared in court Friday in Florida to answer charges that he filed false reports of checks on the space shuttle.


Voting begins in Afghanistan VOTING began in Afghanistan today for the first direct presidential election in the country #39;s history. Some 10.5 million registered voters are eligible to select a president from a total of 18 candidates.


A Look at Presidential Debate Topics (AP) AP - President Bush and Sen. John Kerry on the issues at Friday's debate:


Best Defense: More Offense In the debate, John Kerry was on the offensive on topics like tax cuts in wartime, prescription drug imports and the deficit.


Stewart Enters Prison She arrived at 6.15 am, Friday at the Alderson Federal Prison Camp, according to an announcement by the US Bureau of Prisons. She put out the news first, on her Marthatalks.


AT amp;T to take \$1.1 bn charge AT amp;T, the US telecommunications group, yesterday said it will take a restructuring charge of about \$1.1 billion in the third quarter mainly to cover the cost of about 7,000 job cuts and revalue downward its assets by \$11.


Business news briefs: 10/9/04 It may be up to Pittsburgh shoppers to determine if consumer electronics retailer Circuit City continues its foray into the eBay drop-off business.


Stoddart warns new team AUSTRALIAN Paul Stoddart has warned the owners of a potential new Formula One team to be prepared for a long, tough haul in the sport.


No. 24 LSU at No. 12 Florida Coaches: Ron Zook is 19-11 in his third year at UF; Nick Saban is 42-15 in his fifth year at LSU and 85-41-1 in his 11th year overall.


Sales provides knockout punch for Sun Six-time WNBA all-star Nykesha Sales and the Connecticut Sun are heading to the WNBA championship finals after beating the New York Liberty last Friday and last Saturday in the best two out of three games for the WNBA Eastern Conference Championship.


Earnhardt Jr. says punishment harsh Kansas City, Kan. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday that he should have been punished for using profanity in victory lane last week at Talladega Superspeedway but taking 25 points wasn #39;t the proper thing to do.


World ; Polling for President starts in war-torn Afghanistan World News, KABUL - Voting began in Afghanistan Saturday for the first direct presidential election in the countrys history. Some 10.


Russia, India vow to fight terror (AFP) AFP - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pledged that his country would cooperate with India in the fight against global terrorism.


Former Mexican Police Official Arrested (AP) AP - Federal agents arrested a former government security agent on charges of kidnapping a leftist rebel in 1975, the second former official to arrested in the disappearance of Jesus Piedra.


Pakistan's Abbas 'honoured' to enter hockey Hall of Fame (AFP) AFP - Pakistan's penalty-corner expert Sohail Abbas said he was honoured to enter field hockey's Hall of Fame after he set a new world record for most goals.


Voting Begins in Tight Australia Election (AP) AP - Australians voted in parliamentary elections Saturday with Prime Minister John Howard and his Labor Party challenger in a virtual dead heat, following a campaign that focused more on the economy and social programs than on Howard's decision to send troops to Iraq.


Regular Folks Question the Candidates (AP) AP - They wondered if Sen. John Kerry really is too wishy-washy, how he would protect America from another terrorist attack and whether he wants to raise taxes on the middle class. They challenged President Bush to find three mistakes he's made, to say how he'd heal anti-American aggravation in the world and to rate his environmental record.


Microsoft examines yet another flaw Microsoft Corp. is investigating yet another critical flaw in one of its products, this time in two versions of its popular word processing software, Microsoft Word 2000 and Word 2002.


The Charleston Gazette: Inspiring Amid all the warfare, suicide bombing, political vitriol and other ugly aspects of life, itsa joy when the yearly Nobel Prizes show humanity at its finest.


Russia stays Yukos execution for three months (AFP) AFP - Yukos won a stay of execution when a Russian official said its main production unit will have three months to scrape up cash to cover a crushing tax bill that could otherwise bury the wounded oil giant.


A race-day washout? The FIA has already cancelled todays activities at Suzuka as Super Typhoon Ma-On heads towards the 5.807km circuit. Saturday practice has been cancelled altogether while pre-qualifying and final qualifying


Red Sox back in ALCS and on a mission (Sports Network) - Boston Red Sox fans know all too well of past failure, but there #39;s a different aura this year, and it seems their long-standing curse of not winning a World Series since 1918 may finally disappear.


Yanks Beat Twins 8-4 to Take Playoff Lead MINNEAPOLIS Oct. 9, 2004 - Backed by Derek Jeter #39;s three RBIs and a relentless offense, Kevin Brown threw six strong innings to lead the New York Yankees past the frustrated Minnesota Twins 8-4 on Friday


UN council passes anti-terror resolution The UN Security Council unanimously passed a tough new anti-terrorism resolution yesterday aimed at stemming attacks against civilians by denying terrorists safe havens, weapons, financial resources and freedom of movement.


Pakistan bans meetings after car bomb kills 40 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The authorities announced a nationwide ban on all political and religious meetings except Friday Prayers after a car bombing early Thursday in the central city of Multan killed 40 people and wounded at least 100.


Playing a different role (model) Heisman Trophy hopeful Cedric Benson of Texas grew up idolizing Ricky Williams. Oklahoma freshman force Adrian Peterson is more of an Emmitt Smith man.


Live: India v Australia Australia took complete control of the first Test on day three in Bangalore, building a lead of 355 over India. India were bowled out for 246, adding 110 for the last three wickets with Parthiv Patel making a patient 46.


Australian Voters Head to Polls  SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australians voted Saturday in an  election which offered the choice between a conservative  government that unreservedly backs the United States and its  Iraq war and a Labor opposition seeking stronger ties in Asia.


Yanks Beat Twins 8-4 to Take Playoff Lead MINNEAPOLIS - Backed by Derek Jeter's three RBIs and a relentless offense, Kevin Brown threw six strong innings to lead the New York Yankees past the frustrated Minnesota Twins 8-4 on Friday night for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five AL first-round series.    Brown shrugged off back pain and put his broken hand behind him...


INVESTCORP BID WINS THOMSON In a move that caught the publishing world by surprise, an underdog bidder defeated the likes of media bigwigs Bruce Wasserstein, Robert Krakoff and Jimmy


Valley  amp; state business briefs R. David Martin, the chief financial officer of Action Performance Cos., abruptly resigned Friday, as the Tempe-based company said it wanted to go in a different direction.


Meanwhile in a typhoon The Formula 1 circus spent Saturday morning holed up in various hotels in the Suzuka area, a number of people nursing sore heads after a little too much time off on Friday night.


Try Another Day Moments after the Twins lost 8-4 to the Yankees on Friday, to fall behind 2-1 in the best of five American League Division Series, manager Ron Gardenhire walked through a silent clubhouse.


Lawmakers Move Toward Deal on Storm Aid (AP) AP - House-Senate bargainers neared agreement Friday on an election-season  #36;14.7 billion package of aid for East Coast hurricane victims and drought-stricken farmers, participants said.


96,000 jobs added in US in September US employers added 96,000 jobs last month, a tepid performance that disappointed Wall Street markets but was strong enough to keep the unemployment rate from rising above 5.4 percent.


Ruling means Hollinger can #39;t recover \$1.25 billion from execs Chicago Sun-Times owner Hollinger International saw its plan to recover \$1.25 billion from former executives crumble on Friday, as a federal judge threw out the company #39;s racketeering lawsuit against the group.


CNBC #39;s Rukeyser to end weekly show Television #39;s dean of financial news, Louis Rukeyser, is giving up his CNBC show  quot;Louis Rukeyser #39;s Wall Street. quot;.


Mars Rovers Planners Plot Crater  #39;Escape #39; LOS ANGELES Oct. 7, 2004 - NASA #39;s Mars rovers don #39;t seem to be wearing out, so mission planners have begun to think more boldly including a plan to let one climb up a steep slope from a crater it has been exploring to set out across a plain.


The Back Page - Fool vs. Fool: Apple is Rotten and Macs Suck, So <b>...</b> I always enjoy The Motley Fool #39;s Fool vs. Fool debates over a stock, especially when it #39;s Apple they #39;re talking about.


Hanson completes 50m quinella OLYMPIC silver medallist Brooke Hanson led an Australian quinella in the 50 metres breaststroke final at the world shortcourse win titles at Indianapolis today.


Aching Damon remains a sparkplug Although Boston Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon admits to having problems with migraine headaches and a stiff neck, you #39;d never know it.


Cal #39;s epic at Troy Bee Staff Writer. They don #39;t just remember the scores. They remember the plays, the turning tides, the goal-line stands, the masses rushing onto the field at Cal #39;s Memorial Stadium.


Aussies lead by 432 runs Australia lost three more wickets as they look to extend their lead against India on the fourth day of the first Test in Bangalore.


Nobel to first African woman WHEN Wangari Maathai got word she had won the Nobel Peace Prize, she was busy with the work that earned her the prestigious award - campaigning to protect Kenya #39;s forests and distributing food to hungry constituents suffering from drought.


Australia goes to the polls Australia #39;s 13 million voters have begun choosing a new government with the opposition Labor Party pinning any hope of victory on a late surge of  quot;undecideds quot; swinging their way.


UN adopts resolution to intensify global anti-terror campaign The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday calling on states to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, including extraditing


Piracy Bill's Language Protects DVD Movie Filters (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - It's acceptable for consumers to use software that edits out nudity or bad language from a DVD movie -- but they had better leave the commercials and promotional announcements in, according to legislation adopted by the House of Representatives this week.


A Low-Key Migration (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Change is coming for AT T Wireless's 21.7 million customers -- although they wouldn't know it from watching the company's commercials or shopping in its stores.


Ask Matt A: Apple #39;s digital music player, which uses a high-capacity hard drive to store music, has truly become a pop-culture touchstone.


Beon Media #39;s GalleryPlayer a no-show Just two weeks ago, Beon Media founder Scott Lipsky was touting a partnership with Microsoft that he said would help the 27-person company distribute famous photographs, artwork and other digital images to thousands of computers and flat screen televisions


Twins #39; Santana to start Game 4 on short rest Johan Santana is ready to start against the New York Yankees on short rest. The left-hander told Minnesota Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson on Friday that


Tennis: Davenport reaches semis with win over Jankovic Lindsay Davenport reached her 12th semi-final of the year on Friday, with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jelena Jankovic at the WTA Grand Prix event in Filderstadt, Germany.


Australia crush Solomon Islands MELBOURNE: Josip Skoko scored twice to help Australia crush Solomon Islands 5-1 in their Oceania Confederations Cup first-leg qualifier in Honiara today.


US expects tough test in El Salvador The US men #39;s national soccer team, holding a slim lead atop the CONCACAF region #39;s Group 1, faces a tricky test today as it meets an El Salvador team battling to stay alive.


Golf Capsules England #39;s David Howell holed a 105-yard shot for an eagle Friday and finished with a 7-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald after the second round of the Dunhill Links Championship.


Kenyan president congratulates Maathai for winning Nobel Peace <b>...</b> Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Friday congratulated Wangari Maathai, the assistant minister for environment and natural resources, for becoming the first African woman to win


#39;Piano Teacher #39; author wins Nobel Prize Austrian writer Elfriede Jelinek, a reclusive author whose feminism, leftist politics and pacifism are common themes in her works, won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for what the Swedish Academy called her  quot;musical flow of voices and counter


US warplane fires at insurgents planting a roadside bomb in Sadr <b>...</b> A US warplane struck three suspected insurgents as they planted an artillery shell on a street in Baghdad #39;s northeastern Shiite district of Sadr City on Friday, a military spokesman said.


Kerry and Bush Face Off Over War, Jobs ST. LOUIS - President Bush and John Kerry sprinted back to the campaign trail, trying to build on their performances in an argumentative second debate that saw the presidential candidates colliding over war, jobs, education, health care, abortion, the environment and prescription drugs...


Boeing tanker backers hope to save deal Supporters of an Air Force plan to buy 100 aerial tankers from The Boeing Co. insisted yesterday they could salvage the troubled deal, even as Congress moved to kill it and federal investigators continue to


Sci/Tech ; Google search via mobiles Sci/Tech News, SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc. announced a new test service that allows people to use mobile phones or handheld devices to tap Google #39;s Web search via text messages, or short message service.


Even in defeat, Seattle gains confidence But to play as feebly as it did for about 35 minutes last night in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals and lose by only four points -- on the road, no less -- has to be the best confidence builder since Cindy St.


India,Sports ; Cricket: Ind-Aus test match day four: Australia 204 <b>...</b> Adam Gilchrist (26) and Shane Warne then put on a valuable partnership which was finally broken by Anil Kumble, Chopra taking the catch.


Major polio vaccination blitz launched in Africa GENEVA - Polio vaccinators set out on camels, boats and on foot Friday to immunize 80 million children under age five in 23 African countries.


Martha checks into big house Martha Stewart reported to prison before sunrise yesterday to begin serving a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale, slipping all-but-unnoticed past waiting supporters and reporters.


Report shows sluggish job growth Employment grew by 96,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported Friday, well below the level needed to keep pace with the expansion in the labor force and presenting a weak picture


Sales tax deduction revived Washington taxpayers will be able to deduct their state sales taxes from their federal income taxes if the US Senate votes this weekend to approve a major tax overhaul.


Peirsol wins 100 backstroke; Phelps withdraws INDIANAPOLIS  Aaron Peirsol, who swept the backstroke events at the Athens Olympics, won the 100-meter backstroke at the Short Course World Championships on Friday night.


GP qualifying bumped Qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix scheduled for today was postponed yesterday because of a typhoon. Race organizers and Formula One moved pre-qualifying and qualifying to


Howell grabs Dunhill lead ST. ANDREWS, Scotland  England #39;s David Howell highlighted his round with an eagle Friday to take a one-stroke lead over compatriot and Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald after two rounds of the Dunhill Links Championship.


Suns #39; sleight of hand puts Storm #39;s Jackson off her game UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Hands on her hips, her shoulders slightly pinched forward, Seattle #39;s Lauren Jackson stood stoically in front of her bench, waiting through the seemingly interminable commercials before the start of the second half.


NL playoffs: Sticks need wakeup call in Braves vs. Astros series The Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros hope Texas will be the swing state in their National League division series after both teams #39; bats resembled toothpicks for much of Games 1 and 2 in Atlanta.


Polls Show Tight Contest in Australia SYDNEY, Australia Oct. 9, 2004 - Australians voted Saturday on whether to hold onto their three-term conservative government and keep their troops in Iraq, or choose the opposition Labor Party and endorse


Israeli officials blame al-Qaida for blasts at Sinai tourist sites Rescuers dug through the rubble of a luxury hotel on Egypt #39;s Sinai Peninsula yesterday as the confirmed death stood at 24, with about 100 people


Cambodian prince to implore King not to step down Cambodia #39;s Prince Norodom Ranariddh left on Saturday for Beijing to implore his ailing father, the king, to reverse his decision to abdicate.


It hurt him to sit out The Streak started without him. In fact, it began while Ted Johnson languished on the injured list, what he described as  quot;a lonely place. quot;


A Red Sox sweep for the ages  In one of the most electrifying moments in the history of a ballpark that's almost older than household electricity, slugger David Ortiz last night propelled the wild-and-crazy Red Sox into the American League Championship Series with a 10th-inning, first-pitch, two-out, two-run, walkoff homer into the seats above Fenway Park's left-field wall.


No wonder it was over so quickly How much sweeter for the Nation to contemplate only the second sweep in postseason history by the Red Sox, the first since perhaps the most beloved Sox team in the last 30 years, the Sox of Pudge and Yaz and Looie and Lynn and Evans swept the A's in the 1975 American League Championship Series, than to ponder the implications ...


On short rest, it's all up to Santana It's now up to the ace to extend the Twins' season. Putative Cy Young winner Johan Santana will get the call and the ball today, working on only three days' rest to keep Minnesota alive in their Division Series with the Yankees.


Gloves were helping hands Red Sox third base coach Dale Sveum has taken a lot of heat this season for getting base runners thrown out at the plate, but you can't diss him for his other duty -- coaching the infield defense.


Call to lefty wasn't right one Jarrod Washburn is a starter by trade, not a closer, a man more accustomed to easing his way into games rather than nailing doors shut. Early in his career, the Angels lefthander saw his share of the relief biz, and it was just enough for him to know it wasn't really his calling.


On the brink, Dodgers left to lean on Lima He sings, he dances. He serves as the Dodgers' unofficial cheerleader, racing nonstop around the dugout and constantly pumping his teammates up. Most important, Jose Lima pitches -- and very well at Dodger Stadium.


Gorin is next in line After the Patriots placed Adrian Klemm (foot) on injured reserve Wednesday, the situation at tackle became such that Brandon Gorin will likely see his role expanded after being inactive for the first two games of the season.


Whalen, Sun off to bright start Lindsay Whalen made the most of the biggest game of her professional career. The rookie guard led the Connecticut Sun to a 68-64 victory over the Seattle Storm last night in the opening game of the WNBA Finals.


Beating Oklahoma would be OK with the Longhorns When it happens, somehow it will change. It will change by making the remainder of the season more meaningful, extending the dreams of a BCS bowl bid, which is what it's all about at the highest level of college football.


First-rate effort lifts Northeastern Northeastern sparkled in its 2004-05 hockey debut last night, stunning Michigan, 4-2, at the Lefty McFadden Invitational in Dayton, Ohio.


Avenging loss to Cal the No. 1 priority for USC USC has waited a year for this. The top-ranked Trojans get a chance to avenge their only defeat since October 2002 when they face No. 7 California today before a sellout crowd of 92,000.


Huskies are running with a limp Northeastern coach Rocky Hager has employed a running back by committee with some success this season. Yet when the Huskies host Villanova today in an Atlantic 10 showdown, Hager will be forced to take another approach -- running back by availability.


Howell leads at Dunhill England's David Howell highlighted his round with an eagle yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over compatriot and Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald after two rounds of the Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews, Scotland.


Media maven begins five-month sentence NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Martha Stewart entered a minimum security federal prison in West Virginia shortly after 6 am Friday to begin her five-month sentence for lying to investigators about her sale of ImClone stock.


Sirius Satellite, on Heels of Stern Deal Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. Friday followed its signing of radio shock jock #39; #39; Howard Stern by announcing an offering of stock and bonds that would raise \$290 million.


Bank of America to Slash 4,500 Jobs CHARLOTTE, NC Oct. 7, 2004 - Bank of America Corp. said Thursday that it plans to cut about 2.5 percent of its work force, eliminating about 4,500 jobs as part of a restructuring following its acquisition of FleetBoston Financial Corp.


CNBC host Rukeyser says he won #39;t return to program Louis Rukeyser, host of financial news network CNBC #39;s  quot;Louis Rukeyser #39;s Wall Street, quot; said he won #39;t return to the weekly program following his treatment for cancer.


General Electric Posts Higher Profit Diversified manufacturer and financial services company General Electric Co. posted third-quarter earnings in line with Wall Street expectations on Friday, as revenue rose 15 percent on higher industrial sales


Pressure-packed SEC Few coaches have endured the public scrutiny that has clouded Ron Zook #39;s tenure at Florida. From the moment his hiring became official, Zook was ostracized by fans and the media.


Paterno impressed by Purdue STATE COLLEGE -- This weekend, Joe Paterno will reach another astonishing milestone, notching game No. 457 as the head coach at Penn State and moving into a second place tie on the all-time list with the legendary Glenn Pop Warner.


France to reinforce security after explosion in Paris French Interior Minister Dominique deVillepin announced Friday that France is to reinforce security in sensible places, especially around embassies after the explosion near the Indonesian embassy in Paris.


Duo holds fate of Man U London - US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer was trying to win over Manchester United #39;s two key Irish shareholders in his bid to buy the English soccer club, but had not yet entered serious talks with them, sources familiar with the situation said yesterday.


MySQL To Use Open-Source Microsoft Toolset (TechWeb) TechWeb - The next release of the MyQSL database server will include a Windows installer based on an open-source toolset released by Microsoft.


EU Concludes Talks with Vietnam on WTO (Reuters) Reuters - The European Union has concluded talks\with Vietnam on its entry into the World Trade Organization,\clearing a major hurdle in the Southeast Asian country's\attempts to join the group by 2005.


Fate of US Iraq war ally hangs in balance as Australians vote (AFP) AFP - Australians have gone to the polls in national elections that will decide if their country remains in Iraq as staunch allies of the United States or pulls out by Christmas to switch its international focus to engagement with Asia.


Two Chinese Engineers Kidnapped in Pakistan  ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Two Chinese engineers working at a  hydro-electric project in Pakistan have been kidnapped in a  region where security forces have been hunting militants linked  to al Qaeda, officials said Saturday.


Job growth sluggish in September The US economy experienced another month of disappointing job growth in September, adding to the trend of lackluster hiring that has made this one of the weakest labor market recoveries in modern history.


CEO defends Merck on Vioxx Merck  amp; Co.'s chairman and chief executive Raymond Gilmartin yesterday defended his firm's handling of earlier health warnings about Vioxx and said he was  quot;stunned quot; when he learned two weeks ago that a Merck clinical trial had confirmed the drug could cause strokes and heart attacks.


Partner rejects Chiofaro's plan International Place developer Donald J. Chiofaro's ownership partner said in federal bankruptcy court yesterday that it would never agree to the reorganization plan that Chiofaro has proposed to stave off a takeover of the towers by Tishman Speyer Properties of New York.


Convention bookings The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has booked six of its conventions between 2007 and 2011 at the Boston Convention  amp; Exhibition Center, the \$800 million South Boston facility that opened in April. The group will hold its Marketplace Conference and Pharmacy and Technology Conference at the center in 2007, 2009 and 2011. A total of 25,000 attendees are ...


SEC deepens Krispy Kreme inquiry The Securities and Exchange Commission has escalated its investigation of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. to a formal inquiry, the company said yesterday.


Ellison tells court Oracle may lower bid for PeopleSoft Oracle Corp. chief executive Larry Ellison testified yesterday that the business software maker is leaning toward lowering its \$7.7 billion bid for rival PeopleSoft Inc. , a shift that might create another snag in the takeover tug-of-war.


Invesco, 2 other Amvescap units settle charges Invesco Funds Group Inc. and two other mutual-fund units of Amvescap LLC will pay \$375 million to settle Securities and Exchange Commission charges of helping favored investors engage in improper mutual-fund trading.


Corporate tax bill hits hurdle in Senate The drive to pass a \$136 billion corporate tax bill hit a roadblock in the Senate yesterday when lawmakers upset about tobacco regulation, new overtime rules, and combat pay employed delaying tactics to keep the measure from coming up for a vote.


Dozens missing after blasts in Egypt EILAT, Israel -- Rescue workers yesterday searched the wreckage of an Egyptian hotel for more than three dozen people still missing after three coordinated bomb attacks that killed about 30 Israeli tourists and Egyptians at two vacation resorts on the Red Sea.


Security Council focuson Sudan urged by US UNITED NATIONS Washington wants the UN Security Council to meet next month at the site of peace talks in Kenya between rebels in southern Sudan and Khartoum's government, US Ambassador John Danforth said yesterday. Such a meeting would underline how important nailing down a peace deal in southern Sudan is to reaching overall peace across the vast northeast African nation, ...


Despite fears of attacks at polls, 'resilient' Afghans ready to vote KABUL, Afghanistan -- A day before Afghanistan's historic presidential election, Captain Jacob Larkowich's US infantry company took up positions on a hilltop next to the Intercontinental Hotel, looking out over the dusty capital for puffs of smoke and bracing to rush to the scene of any bombing.


23-nation inoculation push in Africa aims to eradicate polio JOHANNESBURG -- Health workers across west and central Africa began a 23-country polio immunization campaign yesterday to reach more than 80 million children in the next several days. The undertaking is part of an international effort to eradicate the disease by next year.


al-Qaida Blamed in Egypt Blasts; 30 Dead TABA, Egypt - Investigators searched for evidence to support Israeli suspicions that al-Qaida, rather than Palestinian militant groups, was responsible for three bombings targeting Red Sea resorts filled with Israeli tourists.    Rescuers pulled more bodies late Friday from the wreckage of the five-star Taba Hilton, where a car full of explosives crashed into the lobby...


Bradley won #39;t be disciplined LOS ANGELES  Los Angeles outfielder Milton Bradley won #39;t be disciplined by the Dodgers for a clubhouse confrontation with a reporter he called an  quot;Uncle Tom.


Beating Oklahoma would be OK with the Longhorns When it happens, somehow it will change. It will change by making the remainder of the season more meaningful, extending the dreams of a BCS bowl


Nobel winner thanks her ancestors The dance troupe at the Outspan Hotel at the foot of Mount Kenya lost both its audience and its rhythm on Friday, when it was upstaged by tearful eco-warrior Wangari Maathai, delighted at being named this year #39;s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.


Kidnappers behead British hostage Iraqi kidnappers have beheaded a British man who was seized last month, his family said yesterday, ending what one relative called  #39; #39;three long weeks of agony.


A seer in Austria THE AUSTRIAN writer Elfriede Jelinek has won the 2004 Nobel Prize in literature. The Swedish Academy cited her  quot;musical flow of voices and countervoices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic


First UK Secy Says Sorry Over Iraq War London, Oct. 9 (NNN): The British Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt has said sorry for the blunders over intelligence used to justify the Iraq war, becoming the first member of the Government to do so.


U.N. to Allow Caviar Exports, but Quota Is Cut The wildlife protection arm of the United Nations announced Friday that it would allow Caspian Sea countries to export caviar, though at lower levels than in 2003.


International Briefs SRINAGAR, India - A roadside bomb killed 10 Indian soldiers and their civilian driver yesterday in Indian-controlled Kashmir in separatist guerrillas #39; most devastating attack since India #39;s government began withdrawing troops from the disputed region last


Two Palestinians Killed in Gaza Gunbattle (AP) AP - A lengthy gunbattle erupted Saturday morning between Palestinians militants and Israeli troops just outside the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, killing two Palestinians, according to medical officials.


Historic opening day for Holyrood Thousands of people are expected to turn out to celebrate the official opening of Scotland's new parliament.


Plenty of Flaws Among the Facts President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry disagreed vigorously last night as they tossed out plenty of numbers, and both demonstrated a talent for relying on facts and assertions of questionable origin.


Iraq Disk Prompted Warning to Schools The FBI advised officials in as many as eight cities last month to tighten security after U.S. soldiers in Iraq seized computer disks containing information about those towns' school systems.


Krispy Kreme inquiry intensifies The company said that federal regulators have intensified their inquiry into the company #39;s business practices from an informal to a formal investigation, raising the possibility of embarrassing and expensive penalties down the line.


Final terms detailed on Invesco accord Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar on Friday announced final terms of a settlement over abusive trading practices at the defunct Invesco Funds Group and its sister company AIM Investments.


Ravens' Lewis Suspended for Two Games (AP) AP - Jamal Lewis will serve prison time, miss two games, and pay a princely sum for attempting to set up a drug deal four years ago.


Hometown Boy Backe Gets Start for Astros (AP) AP - Learning to hate the Atlanta Braves was easy for Brandon Backe. He grew up a Houston Astros fan.


Paper: Strzelczyk Likely Had Breakdown (AP) AP - Former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Justin Strzelczyk probably suffered a mental breakdown before he led New York state troopers on a highway chase that ended in the fiery head-on crash that killed him, according to a newspaper.


Frenzied fans pack Dome to see Twins There are a few more souvenir stands, quite a few more merchandise stands and a little different feeling among the fans at the Metrodome.


Red Sox sweep Angels BOSTON -- David Ortiz homered in the 10th inning Friday to send the Boston Red Sox to their second consecutive American League championship series, completing a three-game sweep of the Anaheim Angels with an 8-6 victory.


Cejka moves into contention in Las Vegas European Tour Member Alex Cejka gave himself the opportunity for his first victory on the US PGA Tour when he moved into a tie for second place at the halfway stage of the Michelin Championship, on the TPC at Summerlin course in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Cards Hope Morris Can Close Out Dodgers (AP) AP - Matt Morris went from longtime ace of the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff to the middle of their rotation in the first round of the playoffs.


Wimbledon Champ Sharapova Wins Japan Open (AP) AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova overpowered Mashona Washington 6-0, 6-1 on Saturday to win the Japan Open for the second straight year.


Levi, Hall Share Champions Tour Lead (AP) AP - Wayne Levi would like to get a winning streak going. To do that, he'll have to stop Craig Stadler's run. Levi matched his best round on the Champions Tour, and Walter Hall had his lowest score of the year  #151; shooting 8-under-par 64s  #151; Friday to share the first-round lead in the Administaff Small Business Classic.


Clipper offense takes spotlight Carrying a scoreless streak deep into October isn't one of the easier tasks to carry out on a gridiron.


BC High gets back on track For three sloppy quarters, retirement couldn't come soon enough for BC High football coach Jim Cotter. But the final 11 minutes of the game showed why it will be tough for the 41-year veteran to walk away after this season. The Eagles scored twice in the last quarter, including a 3-yard touchdown run by Mike Duffy with 1:34 ...


Rams subdue Prep Once is a fluke. Twice is a coincidence. A third time would be a trend, and that's something St. John's Prep coach Jim O'Leary desperately wants to avoid after his Eagles were shut out for the second game in a row in a 40-0 loss to Marshfield yesterday.


Jets ride second-half express On any given Friday, a team's hopes can be crushed or created. The AJJ Express (Aaron Flythe, Jimmy Yarde, and Julius  quot;Juice quot; Williams) made it another TGIF for East Boston yesterday, leading the Jets over West Roxbury, 24-12, to stay atop the Boston North.


Symonds anticipates potential classic race in Japan The extreme weather conditions have forced all the F1 teams to adapt this weekend. Pat Symonds thinks the result could well be an extremely exciting race


Four Palestinians killed in Gaza Four Palestinians are reported killed in the Gaza Strip - two of them policemen hit in an Israeli missile strike.


GE lights up as its sales explode General Electric brought a strong economy to life yesterday. The nation #39;s largest company, which by its presence in such a variety of businesses is considered a proxy for the broad economy, reported profit rose 11 to \$4.


Howard tipped to win as polls open A relaxed Prime Minister John Howard ignored taunts and jeers of  quot;liar, liar quot; as he cast his vote in Sydney on Saturday in an Australian election tipped to see him win a fourth term of government.


Egypt frees Israeli in prisoner swap Egypt yesterday freed an Israeli convicted of spying, in exchange for the release of six Egyptian detainees in a prisoner swap that signaled warmer ties between the countries.


Boeing 767 deal on path to defeat Congress may kill the Air Force #39;s plan to lease refueling tankers from the Boeing Co. By Bryan Corliss. Congress appears poised to reject the Boeing Co.


Dell recalls 4M laptop adapters for fire risk Dell, the world #39;s largest seller of personal computers, recalled 4.4 million notebook computer power adapters because they may catch fire.


Invesco, 2 other Amvescap units settle charges Invesco Funds Group Inc. and two other mutual-fund units of Amvescap LLC will pay \$375 million to settle Securities and Exchange Commission charges


Intel collaborates with Nokia and Symbian to help deliver Series <b>...</b> Intel Corporation, Nokia Corporation and Symbian Ltd. has announced a collaboration to bring smartphones based on the Nokia Series 60 Platform to market using Intel technology, as part of Intel #39;s recent membership


NFL: JAMAL #39;S HEADING FOR JAIL but only after the NFL season ends. The Baltimore Ravens star will serve four months in a tough federal jail and two months in a halfway


She told mom: I was raped She seemed distraught when she came home from the hotel, but didn #39;t want to talk about it. By the next morning, she had changed her mind and called her mother at work and told her to come home.