Against these aces, it #39;s not in Cards

The Boston Red Sox look as if they are going to win this World Series.  quot;What are you Thom, some kind of moron? Don #39;t you remember 1986 when the Red Sox were up 2-0 against the New York Mets?


With Zook ousted, talk turns to Spurrier

Most of the citizens of Gator Nation hungrily devoured the juicy piece of news yesterday morning: The University of Florida fired its beleaguered football coach, Ron Zook.


Ganguly, Harbhajan ruled out of second Test

Nagpur: India suffered a double blow even before the first ball was bowled in the crucial third cricket Test against Australia on Tuesday when captain Sourav Ganguly and off spinner Harbhajan Singh were ruled out of the match.


Devils #39; Gomez finds work close to home

Anchorage, AK (Sports Network) - New Jersey Devils center Scott Gomez has signed with an East Coast Hockey League team in his hometown of Anchorage.


Giants notebook: Green #39;s status remains cloudy

The Giants didn #39;t lose to the Detroit Lions because LB Barrett Green did not play. In fact, Sunday #39;s starter, Nick Greisen, helped keep the game close with his stellar play.


Jets: Too soon to anoint Pennington

As Bill Parcells would say,  quot;Don #39;t put him in Canton just yet, fellas. quot;. As in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.


Mets: Randolph still leading man

A confident Willie Randolph emerged from a break in his interview with the Mets yesterday to talk to reporters on a conference call set up by the team, and sounded every bit the leading candidate that he is.


Powell seeks Seoul help on N.Korea

programmes as Seoul stepped up security along its border with North Korea due to a suspected infiltration. pressure to give more concessions to entice the reclusive state back to nuclear arms talks.


BILLIONAIRE #39;S PAYDAY TO GILD GOLDEN YEARS

While Wilbur Ross celebrates his new honeymoon, he #39;s also toasting his latest deal - an \$80 million bet that reaped a \$4.5 billion payoff in just two years.


Justice gives nod to phone deal

The Justice Department reached a settlement agreement yesterday allowing Cingular Wireless to buy AT amp;T Wireless and create the nation #39;s largest cell phone company.


HEIDRICK TO HELP PICK NEXT EISNER

October 26, 2004 -- Walt Disney Co. said its board chose executive search firm Heidrick  amp; Struggles to help it find a new chief executive officer when Disney CEO Michael Eisner steps down.


YSL CHIEF REPLACES SANTUCCI AT GUCCI

Robert Polet, chief executive of the Gucci Group, named company veteran Mark Lee to the post of president and managing director of the Gucci division, moving quickly to


New bank law due this week

As a single parent with one income, Barbara George said she routinely relies on the float when she writes a check. If Im writing a check for my kids lunch money or while on vacation


Intel invests in McCaw #39;s Clearwire

The Santa Clara, Calif. semiconductor giant yesterday said it was investing an undisclosed amount in Clearwire, the Kirkland wireless Internet startup that McCaw introduced earlier this year.


Broadband in Suburbia (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - In many ways, Brambleton looks like any of the new housing developments that have popped up near Dulles Airport in the past several years. Except coursing under its crisp green lawns and treeless streets is a fiber-optic network that supplies some 600 homes with Internet access at speeds once reserved for the largest corporations.


Sox have eyes on the big prize

With their eyes set squarely on the prize, there was no indication from the Red Sox yesterday that they were leading the 100th World Series, 2-0, needing only


Pentagon responds to missing-explosives report

The Pentagon said yesterday that 380 tons of missing explosives from an Iraqi munitions facility may have been moved before US troops overran the area during the invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein.


Death toll from northern Japan earthquakes reaches 24

A strong aftershock measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted north Japan #39;s Niigata Prefecture Monday morning, leading the death toll from the three major quakes that hit the prefecture Saturday to reach 24, with more than 2,000 injured.


Zarqawi claims Aussie attack

THE group led by Iraq #39;s most wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, says it was behind the convoy bombing in Baghdad yesterday that injured three Australian soldiers.


U.S. Military: Al-Zarqawi Aide Killed (AP)

AP - The U.S. military said Tuesday that an aide to Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike in the militant stronghold of Fallujah.


Sudan says rebels kill 89

Darfur in the eight months after the ceasefire was higher than in the previous 15 months.  quot;The state cannot allow this to happen ... even though we are totally committed to the ceasefire, quot; Haroun told reporters in Khartoum on.


Seoul finds holes in North border

South Korea is on a high security alert after two holes are found in the wire along its border with the North.


Cassini makes closest Titan flyby today

The Cassini spacecraft will swoop near Saturn #39;s mysterious moon Titan today, revealing features on the surface in the best detail yet.


Yahoo, Adobe Strike Search Toolbar Deal

Yahoo said yesterday it struck a deal with Adobe Systems to distribute the Yahoo Search toolbar with Adobe software. The pact calls for Adobe Reader, the free software used to read PDF files, to include a Yahoo search box.


Microsoft Alters Sender ID to Gain AOL Support

Microsoft revised its Sender ID e-mail authentication technology to address concerns raised by AOL. Microsoft said yesterday it submitted the new Sender ID specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force, the Internet #39;s standards body.


VCA throws the book at Indians

Nagpur: One-Test down, two to go, a batting line-up thats out-of-form, a famous but as-yet-untested recovering elbow, a fully recharged Australian team and a nice, hard, green wicket.


Football grad rate is on the rise

Players in the NCAA #39;s top-tier Division IA are more likely than ever to leave school with degrees, according to the latest survey of graduation rates compiled by the federal government and released Monday by the NCAA.


6 Convicted on Sex Abuse Charges on Pacific Island

SYDNEY -- Six men have been convicted on charges ranging from rape to indecent assault following trials that exposed a culture of sexual abuse on their small Pacific island, home to descendants of the 18th-century mutineers from the British ship HMS Bounty.


Adelphia Mulling Offer from Time Warner-Comcast

When bankrupt cable operator Adelphia Communications begins eyeing bids for some or all of its cable systems, one heavyweight contender is likely to be a joint offer from Comcast Corp.


Around The Region

HCC Insurance Holdings said Monday that its subsidiaries that have market service agreements have voluntarily suspended payments under the agreements.


Nokia to sell mobile apps to operators

This will simplify the process of discovery, trial and purchase of mobile applications, content and services for the consumer. HELSINKI: The world #39;s largest mobile phone maker Nokia, has launched an initiative


Wireless venture has Intel onboard

SAN JOSE, CALIF. - Hoping to accelerate the deployment of a new wireless technology, Intel announced Monday it #39;s invested in a venture started by billionaire Craig McCaw to deliver high-speed Internet service over the airwaves.


Sharon Seeks Support for Gaza Withdrawal (AP)

AP - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon opened a stormy debate in parliament Monday with a passionate appeal to lawmakers to support his Gaza withdrawal plan  #151; which has divided the country and weakened his government  #151; as the only way to secure Israel's future.


U.S.-Led Afghan Coalition Critcized (AP)

AP - A U.N. human rights expert criticized the U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan for violating international law by allegedly beating Afghans to death and forcing some to remove their clothes or wear hoods.


Iraqi officials investigating infiltrators #39; role in ambush

Iraqi officials opened an investigation Monday into the role played by infiltrators in the ambush on Sunday that left 49 Iraqi National Guard trainees dead, in the face


Nokia Preminet  The Next Generation In Content Delivery

Entering a market where there are already several well established players Nokias Preminet open service model solution is being heralded as the next generation of content delivery systems for wireless devices.


Dollar Loses More Ground, Hits 8-Mth Low

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar tumbled to fresh eight-month  lows against the euro on Tuesday, down for a 10th straight day  as traders sold more of the currency on worries about the U.S.  economy and the gaping trade deficit.


Cuba Moves to Stop Trade in U.S. Dollars (AP)

AP - Moving to wean its communist economic system from the U.S. currency, Cuba said that dollars will no longer be accepted at island businesses and stores in a dramatic change in how commercial transactions have been done here in more than a decade.


News Corp investors agree US move

Shareholders of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation agree the tycoon's plan to move the company's headquarters from Australia to the United States.


Summit to discuss Turkey EU bid

German, French and Turkish leaders meet, with Ankara's EU bid expected to be high on the agenda.


BP Beats Q3 Forecasts on High Oil Price

LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil  company, reported bumper third-quarter earnings on Tuesday on  the back of high oil prices.


'Strong global demand' boosts BP

High oil prices, combined with surging demand for oil products such as petrol, land BP another jump in profits.


Clinton jumps into campaign, as missing explosives force Bush on defensive (AFP)

AFP - Democratic candidate John Kerry charged President George W. Bush with  quot;incredible incompetence quot; over the disappearance of powerful explosives in Iraq, while Bush accused his rival of offering a  quot;strategy of pessimism and retreat quot; in Iraq.


India on top after early strikes

India claim three quick wickets as Australia reach 103-3 at lunch on day one of the third Test.


EU Set To Lift Sanctions For Now

The European Union has decided that it will lift, at least temporarily, the sanctions it has imposed on US goods, now that Congress enacted sweeping changes in corporate tax law earlier this month, an EU official said yesterday.


News Corp investors agree US move

News Corporation shareholders have approved the company #39;s decision to move its headquarters from Australia to United States. At a extraordinary meeting in Adelaide, more than 90 of shareholders voted to support


Trade outlook good despite oil price hikes

Global commerce is expected to grow 8.5 percent by the end of this year, helped by economic expansion that could overcome record oil prices, the World Trade Organization said Monday.


Adelphia to allow Time Warner/Comcast dual bid-WSJ

Bankrupt cable operator Adelphia Communications Corp (ADELQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research) will allow cable companies Time Warner Inc.


Nokia Offers Hosted Mobile Content Solution

Nokias Preminet solution, launched this week at the CTIA Wireless IT  amp; Entertainment event in San Francisco, sources Java and Symbian OS software from leading developers and content aggregators around the globe to give network operators a master


Pot (of soup) boils over in Arsenal-Manchester feud

Accusations of vicious fouls, cheating, refereeing mistakes and a disputed penalty kick followed the latest confrontation between two of the giants of English soccer -- a 2-0 victory by Manchester United that ended Arsenal #39;s record unbeaten streak of 49


Lakers 117, SuperSonics 91

Caron Butler scored 18 points in the first quarter and the Los Angeles Lakers won their third straight preseason game, 117-91 over the Seattle SuperSonics on Monday night.


Crawford gives Knicks lift

NEW YORK - Former Michigan guard Jamal Crawford seems to be fitting right in with the New York Knicks. Crawford has led the Knicks in scoring four times during the exhibition season, including a 22-point


UN agency confirms missing explosives in Iraq

As the UN #39;s nuclear watchdog agency confirmed Monday that about 380 tons of explosives are missing from an Iraqi military complex, the issue quickly moved into the presidential campaign.


Arafat can leave compound for hospital, Israel says

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be allowed to leave his West Bank headquarters for medical treatment, an Israeli official said Monday.


Venture capital slips in Arizona

Venture capital investments in Arizona companies dropped slightly during the third quarter, but the state is still on pace to bounce back from last year #39;s record-low levels, according to the latest MoneyTree Survey.


Attorney says ATA expected to file bankruptcy Tuesday

INDIANAPOLIS An attorney says the parent company of the nation #39;s tenth-largest airline is expected to file for bankruptcy today.


Taiwan market: Top-three mobile-phone vendors grab 48 of the <b>...</b>

International mobile-phone vendors Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications totaled 48 of the Taiwan handset market in September, holding the top three positions, according to statistics compiled by Taiwan mobile-phone distributors.


IBM tracking threats to computer networks

IBM #39;s campus in Boulder has begun issuing a monthly report on threats to computer networks that has similarities to Uncle Sam #39;s system for warning citizens about the danger of terrorist attacks.


Zook fired at Florida

After a string of lackluster play on the field and controversial incidents off of it, University of Florida football coach Ron Zook was fired Monday, two days after an upset


India strikes first blow

Zaheer Khan struck the first blow, removing Australia opener Matthew Hayden India in the third Test test in Nagpur. Hayden and Justin Langer put up a strong partnership, taking the score to 67 when a superb


S.Korea on Alert for Possible Infiltration (AP)

AP - South Korea went on high alert over possible infiltration by North Korean agents Tuesday after border guards found a hole cut in a fence. The alert came as Secretary of State Colin Powell urged the North to return to nuclear talks if it wants international assistance.


PACs' Post-Labor Day Spending Favors Kerry (AP)

AP - Interest groups that can urge the public to vote for or against candidates have spent at least  #36;25 million on the presidential race since Labor Day, with John Kerry's supporters outspending Bush's by more than 4-to-1.


Murdoch Wins Vote to Shift News Corp.

ADELAIDE (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch won shareholder  approval on Tuesday to move the corporate headquarters of his  \$48 billion News Corp. Ltd. media empire to the United States  and finally sever its Australian roots.


Venture capitalists curb investment in third quarter

Venture capitalists curtailed their investments in the third quarter, suggesting the financiers who bankrolled the dot-com boom are taking a more sober approach to the revived interest in high-tech startups.


British American Tobacco Quarterly Profit Rises on Acquisition

British American Tobacco Plc, the world #39;s second-largest cigarette maker, said third-quarter profit gained 60 percent as the acquisition of Italy #39;s largest tobacco company added to revenue.


Delta deal hinges on pilot concessions

A unit of American Express Co. agreed Monday to provide Delta Air Lines Inc. with up to \$600 million in financing - if the cash-strapped airline persuades its


Spacecraft aims for titanic discovery

Planetary scientists expect to be  quot;pleasantly bewildered quot; tonight when the first close-up pictures of Saturn #39;s haze-shrouded moon Titan are beamed back to Earth from NASA #39;s Cassini spacecraft.


Zaheer leads Indian fightback v Australia

India #39;s Zaheer Khan removed openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, pegging Australia back to 103 for three at lunch on the first day of the third test on Tuesday.


Hendrie happy under O #39;Leary

Lee Hendrie has insisted it is  quot;vital quot; for Aston Villa that David O #39;Leary remains as manager on a long-term basis. And the free-scoring midfielder admitted he would have quit the club 18 months ago if O #39;Leary had not replaced Graham Taylor at the helm.


Graduation rate falls for CU athletes

The University of Colorado has logged its lowest graduation rate for student athletes in five years, according to a report released Monday by the NCAA.


Lukas, Baffert, Frankel, Bailey must mean it #39;s Breeders #39; Cup

If D. Wayne Lukas, Bob Baffert, Bobby Frankel, Jerry Bailey and Pat Day are at the same track on the same day, it must be the Breeders #39; Cup.


Israeli vote due on Gaza withdrawal plan

The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, is preparing to vote tonight on a controversial plan to withdraw Jewish settlers from the Gaza strip.


Seoul finds holes in North border

South Korea has put frontline troops on high alert after finding two holes cut in the wire along its heavily fortified buffer zone with North Korea.


Powell says China will consider talks on human rights

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said on Monday that China had agreed to discuss the American request for a new dialogue over the detention of Chinese citizens


CEO of under-fire Marsh resigns

The chief executive of US insurance giant Marsh and McLellan Jeffrey Greenberg last night resigned as the firm promised reforms after being accused of rigging bids.


EU agrees to lift tariffs on US goods

The European Union agreed Monday to lift penalties that have cost American exporters \$300 million, following the repeal of a US corporate tax break deemed illegal under global trade rules.


Settlers debate to begin

The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, is set to begin debate on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s controversial plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from all of Gaza and parts of the West Bank.


India have three Aussies for lunch

Australia faltered in the last 30 minutes of the first session of the third Test against India at Nagpur and the hosts took full advantage to emerge with their necks out in front.


Montoya can be  #39;even better

Juan Pablo Montoya could become an  #39;even better #39; Formula One racer at the wheel of a McLaren, Woking CEO Ron Dennis said prior to returning to Europe.


BENGALS END LOSING RUN

Rudi Johnson rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown as the Cincinnati Bengals ended a three-game losing streak with a 23-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in their first Monday night game since 1989.


Brutality suit seen likely in pepper-pellet death

Boston police will almost certainly face a brutality lawsuit seeking millions of dollars in damages in the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Victoria Snelgrove


S. Korea, US Agree to Resume 6-Way Talks After US Poll

South Korea and the United States agreed to push for an early resumption of negotiations to end the North Korean nuclear crisis as soon as the US presidential election comes to a close, top diplomats of the two nations said Tuesday.


Musharraf calls for debate on Kashmir options

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Monday called for a national debate on ways to resolve the Kashmir dispute, with options to include independence or joint control of the region, Dawn reported Tuesday.


Netanyahu Says He Won #39;t Alter Budget to Win Coalition Partners

Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose Likud party is trying to rebuild the coalition government, said any political party seeking to join will have to agree to his economic plans and the 2005 budget.


BP Beats Q3 Forecasts on High Oil Price

LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil  company, beat analysts' expectations to report bumper third  quarter earnings on Tuesday on the back of high oil prices and  strong refining and chemicals margins.


Oil Prices Slide Toward \$54

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped toward \$54 a  barrel on Tuesday, breathing easier after a Norwegian strike  threat receded but still anxious over the thin state of global  pre-winter heating oil supplies.


Big wireless merger clears Justice Dept.

The Justice Department approved Cingular Wireless #39; \$41 billion acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless yesterday, clearing one of the last hurdles in a deal to create the country #39;s largest wireless-phone company.


Low rates boost housing: Single-family home sales reach 2nd <b>...</b>

The state #39;s housing market continued to hit record levels last month as a dip in mortgage rates and improved inventories spurred many buyers to action, according to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.


No. 2 Internet service provider buying Classmates Online

Classmates Online, the Renton company that built a business around uniting high-school alumni, is being acquired by Internet service provider United Online for \$100 million in cash.


RBI unveils Credit Policy, keeps interest rate unchanged

While keeping the interest rates unchanged, RBI has reduced the GDP forecast for financial year 2005 from 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent.


Checking overhaul to begin

Starting Thursday, if you write a check, the money had better be in the account to back it up. The cash could be coming out quicker.


Mbeki in Ivory Coast rebel town on peace mission

President Thabo Mbeki took his peace mission to Ivory Coast #39;s rebel-held stronghold of Bouake today, where he was greeted by hundreds of people demanding Laurent Gbagbo, the president, quit.


Eight newcomers named in All Blacks for European tour (AFP)

AFP - Eight newcomers have been named in an All Blacks squad of 32 for their rugby tour of the northern hemisphere next month.


Intel joins McCaw #39;s new tech venture

On the day Craig McCaw #39;s old company, AT amp;T Wireless, came one step closer to being absorbed by Cingular Wireless, the cellphone pioneer announced that his latest venture, Clearwire, has formed a high-profile partnership with Intel.


Fearing risk, NASA shifts path of craft near Saturn

Scientists are taking extra care to ensure the landing of Cassinis Huygens probe on a moon in January. Scientists studying Saturn with the Cassini spacecraft have tweaked their planned route, an effort


Area residents Waltrip, Allison mourn Hendrick #39;s loss

As the close-knit NASCAR community mourns the loss of team owner Rick Hendrick #39;s son, brother, twin nieces and six others in a plane crash Sunday, perhaps no one outside of the immediate family grieves more deeply than Darrell Waltrip.


WHICH PEDRO WILL SHOW TONIGHT? (New York Post)

New York Post - ST. LOUIS  #x2014; Tonight is the first World Series start in Pedro Martinez' illustrious career. Not to spoil the party, but will he finally pitch like a three-time Cy Young Award winner this postseason?


Griffin could miss season because of knee injury

Cincinnati - Quentin Griffin was supposed to salvage his season as a kick returner after losing his starting tailback job. Griffin #39;s season likely has ended on a kick return.


North Korea says resumption of six-nation talks depends on US <b>...</b>

North Korea on Tuesday accused the administration of US President George W. Bush of using a dispute over its nuclear weapons program to gain votes in next week #39;s presidential election.


Baghdad Rally for Kidnapped Margaret Hassan

About 200 colleagues of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan, who went missing a week ago today, gathered at a rally in Baghdad to demand her release.


How Groups Feel About Outcome of Election (AP)

AP - Some demographics and details of voter worries about the upcoming presidential election. The poll was taken Oct. 22-24 of 1,000 adults and 856 registered voters and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points for the whole sample, slightly larger for subgroups:


Zarqawi aide 'dies in air strike'

An aide to Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been killed in an air strike in Iraq, the US military says.


NASA Expert Criticizes Bush on Global Warming Policy

A NASA climate expert planned to say in a lecture on Tuesday night that a Bush administration official told him not to discuss the consequences of global warming.


The Dorms May Be Great, but How's the Counseling?

Given the prevalence of emotional difficulties on campus, it pays to find out, before choosing a college, what mental health services are available.


Policy to Preserve Coastline Runs Into Reality on Nation's Beaches

Property owners at Cape San Blas, Fla., have run into an insurance Catch-22.


This Season, Heisenberg Wears a Red Sox Rally Cap

A Red Sox fan blames "quantum baseball" on his team's misfortunes.


Lawyers argue Thatcher coup case

Sir Mark Thatcher's lawyers are to argue for his right to silence over a call to answer questions on his role in an alleged coup plot.


Thai forces blamed for bloodshed

\An Islamic leader in southern Thailand says authorities "overreacted" to a protest, after six people are killed.


Hong Kong rights group snubs British official over free speech row (AFP)

AFP - A Hong Kong rights group has boycotted a meeting with a visiting British official, accusing London of failing to speak up in support of pro-democracy politicians in the territory.


Signs point to slowdown in housing market

The local real estate market is showing signs of slowing down. There are more homes on the market in Greater Boston than at any time during the last five years, some properties -- especially the more expensive ones -- are taking longer to sell, and price reductions are becoming increasingly common. Meanwhile, sales of single-family homes across the state fell ...


Bank customers to lose 'float' time

Horace Small knows it's a bad idea to write checks without enough money in the bank to cover them. But with property taxes and car insurance making huge dents in his income, the neighborhood organizer occasionally relies on the  quot;float quot; -- the two or three days it takes for checks to clear -- to juggle all of his payments.


Sell Google

Among the 20 stock analysts who follow the fortunes of Google Inc., only one lonely researcher suggests selling the shares. I would join him.


\$4.5b deal to create steel giant

AMSTERDAM -- Steel tycoon Lakshmi N. Mittal yesterday said he would pay \$4.5 billion in cash and stock for US steelmaker International Steel Group Inc., which had been cobbled together by onetime investment banker Wilbur L. Ross Jr. from mills whose parents landed in bankruptcy court.


Rivals line up to take on iPod

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Lauren, 11, saunters nonchalantly past a Discovery Channel store and a Gymboree clothing store at the mall. Then suddenly, the girl's eyes light up and she pulls her mother into an Apple Computer Inc. retail shop.


Insurer's earnings up 55 in 3d quarter

Allmerica Financial Corp.'s third-quarter earnings rose 55 percent, and the property and casualty operations reported ''solid quot; pretax segment earnings for the period despite being hurt by catastrophe losses primarily related to hurricanes in the Southeast. The Worcester insurance and financial services holding company said earnings were \$17.7 million, or 33 cents a share, for the quarter, up from net income ...


John Deere, iRobot team on military vehicle

BOSTON -- In a pairing of robotics and tractor companies, iRobot and John Deere disclosed plans yesterday to build a 9-foot-long semi-autonomous battlefield vehicle.


Galvin charges firm with fraud for failing to admit guilt

It's not enough to pay a fine for breaking securities laws in Massachusetts. State officials want a public admission of guilt, too.


Company to shut Japan trust unit in light of scandal

TOKYO -- Citigroup Inc. said yesterday it will close its trust banking unit in Japan within a year, after Japanese authorities ordered the US financial services giant to suspend its private banking business there.


T-bill rates rise in auction

WASHINGTON -- Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities rose in yesterday's auction. The Treasury Department sold \$21 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 1.86 percent, up from 1.77 percent last week.


What the change will mean

What is Check 21? Check 21 is the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, which takes effect Thursday. It allows banks to replace paper checks with an electronic copy called a ''substitute check. quot;


Explosives were looted after Iraq invasion

WASHINGTON -- Iraqi officials reported that thieves looted 377 tons of powerful explosives from an unguarded site after the US-led invasion last year, the top UN nuclear official said yesterday. And a former weapons inspector said he had counted about 100 other unguarded weapons sites that may have been stripped of munitions for use in the wave of attacks against ...


New measure will ban US dollar transactions

HAVANA -- Cuba announced yesterday that US dollars will no longer be accepted at stores or other businesses on the communist island starting next month in a move that will radically change the way business has been done there over the past decade. The measure called for all such transactions to be done in a local currency known as convertible ...


Sharon's withdrawal plan

Overall Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank in 2005, without coordination with the Palestinians. Israel contends the current Palestinian leadership is not a partner for peace talks. Twenty-one settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank will be removed by September 2005, followed by a pullout of Israeli troops.


N. Korea, US trade blame for delays

SEOUL -- North Korea said yesterday that prospects for talks on its nuclear weapons program are getting dimmer every day and it condemned US-led naval exercises in Japanese waters as an ''ultimate war action. quot;


Noor denounces actions of Islamic extremists

BOGOTA -- Queen Noor of Jordan is urging Muslim moderates to speak out against the ''ranting quot; of extremists who use Islam to justify beheadings and suicide bombings against the United States and Westerners.


Israel and Egypt Swap Prisoners

Six Egyptian students captured sneaking into Israel have been exchanged for an Israeli businessman convicted in Egypt as an Israeli spy.


Marsh  amp; McClennan CEO quits

The head of Marsh  amp; McLennan Companies Inc., the nation #39;s largest insurance broker, resigned Monday, clearing the way for the settlement of bid-rigging charges brought by New York #39;s attorney general.


Venture investing dives 57 in NE

Venture capital investing, a key barometer of the entreprenerial economy, unexpectedly tumbled 26 percent to 4.3 billion nationally in the third quarter, from


Delta gets American Express aid

Delta Air Lines Inc. said Monday it has obtained up to \$600 million in new financing as the struggling carrier seeks to avoid bankruptcy.


Microsoft revamps Sender ID

Microsoft has revised its anti-spam specification Sender ID following the spec #39;s near-death in the technical community. The software giant said Monday that it has rewritten Sender ID -- a specification for


Firefox 1.0 limbers up for launch

Mozilla will today launch the nearly-final version of Firefox, its open source web browser, ahead of the 1.0 product launch on 9 November.


Intel expands Intel Centrino mobile technology with new Intel <b>...</b>

Intel Corporation yesterday introduced the Intel Pentium M processor 765, expanding its mobile processor offerings and enabling a broader range of Intel Centrino mobile technology-based notebooks for corporate and home users.


India takes early honours on day one

India overcame the loss of captain Sourav Ganguly and offspinner Harbhajan Singh to take the early honours on day one of the third Test at the VCA Ground as Australia wasted another solid partnership from Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden.


Shooting guard starter remains a big question

The Sixers coach knows Allen Iverson will log 40-plus minutes at point guard this season, but in his mind, he #39;s got plenty of players who can ably play the shooting guard or small forward positions.


NCAA graduation-rate study

Michigan, Michigan State and Western Michigan have the highest graduation rates for athletes among the state #39;s seven NCAA Division I schools, an NCAA report showed Monday.


Allen #39;s absence suspends drama in Sonics loss to Lakers

SAN DIEGO - With a face that showed no signs of subterfuge, Sonics coach Nate McMillan announced that his star, Ray Allen, the other half of what was to be a scintillating showdown against Kobe Bryant, would not play in last night #39;s game.


KILLING ZONE

Iraq has a population of about 20 million. According to Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, most are living in relative peace and safety.


Yudhoyono not convinced JI exists

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said the Government will ban Jemaah Islamiah (JI), which is believed to have links with international terrorist network Al Qaeda, if it is proven to exist.


Show-me state for Martinez

Pedro wasn't talking. The inference is that he would have his arm do all the talking necessary tonight.


Baseball is in his blood

Revolution striker Taylor Twellman was among the closet Cardinal fans at Fenway Park Sunday night. Twellman and his wife were in the standing room section, but if Twellman had chosen differently as a teenager, he might have been on the playing field instead of in the stands.


Ortiz hoping to be a hit in the field

Here comes the tricky part. By stunning the Cardinals in the first two games of the World Series, the Red Sox showed the rest of the baseball world what American Leaguers already knew: They are one mighty tough team at Fenway Park.


Millar is ready in a pinch

They don't believe in the designated hitter over here in the National League, which is why Kevin Millar will be the designated sitter for tonight's Game 3 of the World Series.


Werner is no silent partner in this

Red Sox chairman Tom Werner did not need an introduction to Theo Epstein.  quot;I knew Theo when he was in San Diego, quot; Werner said while sitting in a conference room in Fenway Park as fans filed in for the second game of the World Series.


Ex-mates vote Garciaparra in

In some ways, he is the 26th man. Nomar Garciaparra played such an integral role in helping the Red Sox become a championship-caliber franchise that his former teammates have not forgotten him even as they approach the threshold of a dream.


Busch's ambience set it apart from others

ST. LOUIS -- Even a cookie-cutter stadium -- which is the pejorative term that came to describe the multipurpose bowls that seemed to spring up simultaneously in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Queens, Philadelphia, and St. Louis in the late 1960s and early '70s -- can have their quirks.


Support system helps the Cardinals

The signs of encouragement were everywhere yesterday, on a summer-like afternoon softened by blue skies and sunshine.  quot;Go Cards quot; messages were hung from buildings large and small, including banks and other businesses. The disappointments of the weekend in Boston were fading fast for St. Louis and the Cardinals.


Team is mum on ace

ST. LOUIS -- In the best of all worlds for the Red Sox, they would be World Series champions by Saturday, the next time Curt Schilling is scheduled to pitch. Schilling could kick back, savor the victory parade and the avalanche of accolades, and prepare to undergo surgery to repair the dislocated tendon in his right ankle.


Lately, it's been fast times

World Series analyst Tim McCarver noted last week that his boss, Fox sports chairman David Hill, had made the point that baseball isn't a slow game, it's a fast game in terms of constant strategy and decision-making.


Bengals change stripes

Chad got the best of Champ last night, turning the Cincinnati Bengals into an unexpected prime-time success.


Celtics loudest after the game

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The most intense action last night occurred in the corridor between the locker rooms when a fight erupted between the teams after the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Celtics, 95-88, in an exhibition game at Value City Arena.


Gators' Zook given hook

Florida coach Ron Zook was fired yesterday after two-plus years and a stack of embarrassments on and off the field, satisfying a growing groundswell for his ouster that began the day he replaced Steve Spurrier . Zook will finish out the season while athletic director Jeremy Foley and school president Bernie Machen search for another coach.


Hockey East women's capsules

Hockey East is in its last season as a six-team league, with Boston University scheduled to field its first varsity team next season and Vermont moving over from the ECAC. The league also gets its first automatic bid to the newly expanded eight-team NCAA Tournament.


The old-school approach

It was early September when Northeastern women's hockey coach Laura Schuler climbed the steep staircase in Matthews Arena to her new office for the first time.


Scoring leaders

THE GIRLS Following are the leading scorers in EMass. Information is supplied by league representatives. PLAYER G A Pts 1. J. Vickers, Norwell 32 14 46 2. J. Leaverton, Feehan 26 13 39 3. B. Hogan, Bp. Feehan 26 12 38 3. J. Powers, Andover 24 14 38 5. M. Sheehan, Belmont 21 16 37 5. S. Leonard, Rockland 20 ...


Hopkinton does it again

Hopkinton senior Jon Curran shot an even-par 71 to win the MIAA Division 2 state golf individual title yesterday and propel the Hillers to their second straight state championship.


It's Wallace, of course

If there's something positive that can be taken from a golfer's disappointment, it's that it might inspire motivation for future success -- especially if one knows the course well enough.


Girls' Top 20

Following is the Globe Top 20 in EMass for girls' soccer. No. Team Record Last 1. Belmont 14-0-1 1 2. Oliver Ames 13-1-0 2 3. Lynnfield 15-0-0 3 4. Norwell 15-0-0 5 5. Andover 14-1-0 4 6. Bishop Feehan 11-1-1 6 7. Old Rochester 14-1-1 7 8. Marshfield 10-1-4 9 9. Wellesley 9-0-5 8 10. Weymouth 12-1-2 10 11. Rockland ...


Elmer Santos

It's all about sticking to the basics with Elmer Santos. The offensive sparkplug (19 points) has led East Boston to an 6-0-0 record in the Boston City League. A senior center midfielder, Santos leaves us some food for thought in this week's Q  amp; A.


Boys' Top 20

Following is the Globe Top 20 in EMass for boys' soccer. No. Team Record Last 1. Stoneham 14-0-1 1 2. Framingham 10-0-5 2 3. Hingham 15-0-2 6 4. Weymouth 10-1-4 4 5. Medford 10-3-2 13 6. Woburn 10-2-2 10 7. Newton North 10-4-2 5 8. Everett 10-3-2 2 9. Lincoln-Sudbury 12-1-2 7 10. Dartmouth 14-1-0 9 11. BC High 7-1-6 ...


Dutch steelmaker will buy ISG

Remnants of Bethlehem Steel will live on under foreign ownership in a \$4.5 billion deal announced Monday. A privately owned Dutch steelmaker led by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is acquiring International Steel


BAT profits rise despite strong pound

British American Tobacco, the world #39;s second-biggest cigarette maker, has posted a 20 percent rise in nine-month profits, saying its wide brand portfolio and geographic spread have helped offset the strength of the pound.


C amp;W to sell Japanese arm to Softbank

Cable  amp; Wireless has agreed to sell its Japanese unit to Softbank for 72.4 million pounds. The deal, under which the Japanese Internet communications company will assume debt worth 9.5 million


Soaring oil prices redistributing world #39;s wealth

WASHINGTON -- While North Americans wince as they fill up their vehicles with fuel, market forces are smiling on the Saudi Arabias and Exxon Mobils of the world.


Suppan now sees different shade of red

St. Louis right-hander Jeff Suppan came up through the ranks with Boston and returned there as an established veteran last year in a midseason trade.


Sports ; Arsenal vs. Manchester United: A feud grows in England

Sunday #39;s game added further heat to this simmering rivalry: Arsenal, the defending champion and rising power vs. United, the team of the  #39;90s trying to reclaim its dominance; Wenger, the urbane Frenchman vs.


Bungle against Bengals won #39;t do

You don #39;t lose to the Bengals. It simply isn #39;t done. Not on Monday night, not on Sunday afternoon, not on Oct. 25, not on the 12th of Never.


Europe faces tough task in Texas, warns Biancone

The European contingent for the Breeders #39; Cup flew into Texas last night to be greeted by increasingly stormy weather and a warning that things could be extremely tough


US stocks mark time ahead of poll

US shares closed just a tad lower last night as the amrket held its breath ahead of the US election. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 7.82 points adrift (0.


Merger, purchase activity climbing

Two studies released this week confirm that venture capital funding is lagging in Colorado in comparison with other parts of the nation.


Tokyo Stocks Finish Mixed, Dollar Higher

Tokyo stocks ended mixed Tuesday as investors grew cautious ahead of the US presidential election. The US dollar edged higher against the Japanese yen.


Cassini-Huygens makes first close approach to Titan

Today the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens spacecraft makes a fly-by of Saturn #39;s largest moon Titan - the closest ever performed. At the time of the closest approach, which is scheduled for 18:44 CEST, the spacecraft


Sony Ericsson to offer EDGE/Wi-Fi combo PC card

Cellular communications hardware maker Sony Ericsson on Monday announced a new quad-band PC card compatible with both Windows and Mac-based laptop computers that enables them to communicate with EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) cellular data


Giants Struggling Inside Opponent's 20 (AP)

AP - The New York Giants were the worst team in the NFL last season inside their opponent's 20, and things have gotten worse  #151; at least statistically  #151; under new coach Tom Coughlin.


Wenger asked to explain

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been given a  #39;please explain #39; by the Football Association following his scathing post-match attack on referee Mike Riley after his side #39;s loss to Manchester United.


Move not a surprise to local UF fans

As he left Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Miss., on Saturday, Florida Gators fan Pete D #39;Alessandro and his friends knew Ron Zook #39;s days were numbered.


NBA Game Summary - Seattle vs. LA Lakers

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Caron Butler scored 18 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers to a 117-91 preseason victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.


Lost Iraqi explosives gone before US arrived?

US officials suggested yesterday that nearly 380 tons of conventional high explosives that disappeared from an Iraqi weapons facility near Baghdad were


Iraq: US claims to kill al-Zarqawi aide in Fallujah

The US military said Tuesday that an aide to Jordanian activists Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike in Fallujah.  quot;The 3 am strike hit a known safehouse being used by al-Zarqawi #39;s terrorist network


As sales fall, cigarette makers spending more on marketing

Tobacco companies are spending more than ever to market cigarettes, but sales still are falling, according to a study released Friday.


On Advertising: Sony wages battle of the brands

LONDON Sony essentially created the market for portable music devices with its Walkman, but it missed a beat in the digital music revolution as Apple #39;s iPod grabbed the spotlight.


HP has chips with everything

For the time being, Hewlett-Packard will keep the crown as the world #39;s biggest spender on semiconductors, according to a report released on Monday.


Soccer board doesn #39;t back bid

British soccer club Manchester United won #39;t endorse Malcolm Glazer #39;s proposed buyout offer and temporarily suspended talks with the 76-year-old tycoon, the team said Monday.


They can #39;t get a break

The Carolina Panthers lost any hope of DeShaun Foster playing again this season when it was determined yesterday the running back needs surgery on his broken collarbone.


Iraq bombings kill 8, including US soldier

Four coalition and Iraqi military convoys and a pro-vincial government office were bombed yesterday, kil-ling at least eight people, including an American soldier and an Estonian trooper in the Baghdad area.


BP Posts Bumper Q3 Profits on Oil Price

LONDON (Reuters) - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil  company, reported bumper third-quarter profits on Tuesday on  the back of high oil prices and stronger than expected refining  and chemicals margins.


Indian Central Bank Raises Key Rate to Curb Prices (Update2)

India #39;s central bank unexpectedly raised a key interest rate for the first time in four years, saying record oil prices and rising corporate demand for credit threaten to fuel inflation.


Bat Lifted by Higher Volumes and Profits

British American Tobacco posted a 20 rise in profits today and said a business-transforming deal in the United States had shown early promise.


Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Finish Mixed, Dollar Higher

Tokyo stocks ended mixed Tuesday as investors grew cautious ahead of the US presidential election. The US dollar edged higher against the Japanese yen.


Merloni: With home advantage gone, Sox #39; job not easy

Heading into the World Series, I didn #39;t think St. Louis #39; pitching would be able to stop the Red Sox #39; offense. Through the first two games, the advantage goes to the Red Sox.


Aussies crumble as Khan strikes

India claimed three quick wickets to seize the initiative on day one of the Third Test against Australia in Nagpur. The home side toiled early on as Australia openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer put on


Israeli MPs Vote Historic Exit from Gaza

The Israeli parliament is set for a historic vote on whether to withdraw from Gaza Strip after 37 years of occupation. The proposal of the withdrawal was made Monday in the Israeli Parliament by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, causing heated debates.


Turkey on Chirac-Schroeder agenda

President Jacques Chirac and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will discuss Turkey #39;s EU membership bid on Tuesday as strong advocates of entry talks, but analysts say questions remain on their stance due to domestic opposition.


Football: Man U star denies stamp

Man Utd's Ruud van Nistelrooy says he is not guilty after being hit with an FA charge over a tackle on Ashley Cole.


Musharraf arrives in UK for talks

Pakistan #39;s President Pervez Musharraf has arrived in Britain for talks with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. General Musharraf was given a red carpet welcome after landing on a flight from Washington where he held talks with US President George Bush.


'Extinct' pine marten in comeback

Wildlife experts believe the pine marten, once declared extinct in England, is on the comeback trail.


Iraq carnage kills 21

AT LEAST 21 people were killed in the latest in a renewed spree of attacks to hit Iraq, as a top UN official issued a stark warning that elections could not be held in the current climate of violence.


Today's schedule

College field hockey: MIT at Wellesley, 3 p.m.; Salem St. at Lasell, 3 p.m.; University of New England at Bridgewater St., 3 p.m.; Wesleyan at Tufts, 3:30 p.m.; Western New England at Babson, 7 p.m.; Clark at Wheaton, 7 p.m.


Williams to meet Klitschko for title

British heavyweight Danny Williams , who knocked out Mike Tyson in the fourth round July 30, will meet Vitali Klitschko Dec. 11 at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Council version of the heavyweight title . . . Willie Randolph interviewed for the Mets' managerial job, and stressed that his many years with the Yankees ...


At Tense Syria-Iraq Border, American Forces Are Battling Insurgents Every Day

Syrians say they have begun a serious effort to tighten security and prevent rebels from crossing their 400-mile border with Iraq.


News Corp. move to New York approved by shareholders

ADELAIDE, Australia : News Corp. shareholders have backed Rupert Murdoch #39;s plan to move his media empire to the United States from the sleepy Australian city of Adelaide where the company #39;s foundations were laid more than 50 years ago.


1m an hour profit for BP

Oil giant BP today posted record profits of \$3.94bn (2.14bn) after fuel prices hit new highs. The third quarter performance of Britain #39;s biggest listed company came as oil prices rose to an average of almost \$50 a barrel.


Risk capital drop raises few alarms

Venture capital investing declined during the quarter ended Sept. 30, nationally and in Florida. But industry experts say the drop doesn #39;t necessarily reflect an alarming trend.


Tokyo mixed ahead of US poll

Tokyo stocks were mixed Tuesday morning as investors grew cautious ahead of US presidential election. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen.


Update 1: New Crop of Portable Players Nips at iPod

Lauren, 11, saunters nonchalantly past a Discovery Channel store and a Gymboree clothing store at the mall. Then suddenly, the girl #39;s eyes light up and she pulls her mother into an Apple Computer Inc.


Martinez lets arm do his talking

Dave Wallace met Pedro Martinez in a sugar-cane field in the Dominican Republic. Wallace was looking for live arms for the Los Angeles Dodgers, his search bringing


Captains abound, but who can save UF #39;s ship?

tunningly, unexpectedly, one of college football #39;s prized head coaching jobs came open Monday morning with the firing of Florida #39;s Ron Zook.


Sooners, Utes move up in BCS

By wire services. Miami is No. 1 to the BCS computers, but it still fell to No.3 in the standings released Monday. USC stayed atop the standings at .


SERIES NOTEBOOK: St. Louis hopes Busch friendlier

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals returned to Busch Stadium on a warm, sunny autumn Monday after two straight World Series losses in cold, rainy Boston.


Israeli parliament set for historic vote on Gaza pullout

JERUSALEM : The Israeli parliament is set for an historic vote on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s hotly contested plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip after 37 years of occupation.


Howard takes oath of office

JOHN Howard has been officially sworn in as prime minister by Governor-General Michael Jeffery. In front of his new ministry, Mr Howard took the oath of office for the fourth time as prime minister.


Hurriyat reacts cautiously to Musharraf #39;s proposal

The two factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday reacted cautiously to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf #39;s proposal to demilitarise some regions of Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control and grant them automomy.


Mishap capsizes corporate promo

AN embarrassing crash into Sydney #39;s Opera House today took the wind out of the sails of a British newspaper #39;s marketing campaign.


Oil Prices Hold Above \$54

LONDON (Reuters) - High-flying oil prices held above \$54 a  barrel on Tuesday as concern lingered over the thin state of  heating oil supplies ahead of the northern winter.


Top Marsh exec resigns

Jeffrey W. Greenberg yesterday resigned as chairman and chief executive of embattled Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. and said that the firm will announce  quot;significant reforms quot; today, a move that avoids criminal prosecution of the insurance broker.


SD venture funding resilient

Companies developing new drugs and biomedical devices got the biggest percentage of funds invested by venture capital firms in the third quarter, according to two new surveys.


Taiwan Semiconductor Reports Record Profit

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world #39;s biggest producer of made-to-order chips, on Tuesday reported record net profits in the third quarter amid increased demand for chips for cameras, mobile phones, notebook computers and other devices.


Cassini gives Iapetus a wide berth

The Cassini probe will not pass as close to the moon Iapetus as originally planned because of fears that the flyby will disturb the path of the \$3.


Illinois seeks OK to buy flu shots from foreign lab

Chicago -- Citing  quot;an urgent need quot; at a time of flu vaccine shortages, Illinois asked for federal permission Monday to buy at least 62,000 vaccine doses from Europe for the state #39;s nursing home residents.


Sox say Schilling to pitch in Game 6, if there is one

Curt Schilling #39;s gimpy right ankle, which still could alter the course of this World Series, caused Schilling to limp across the clubhouse yesterday, one day after the Red Sox ace led Boston to the 6-2 win in Game 2.


Tons of explosives missing at Iraq site

The United Nations nuclear agency warned yesterday that nearly 400 tons of missing explosives could be in the hands of insurgents who have been targeting US-led forces in Iraq for months.


Australia probes Iraq bomb blast that produced its first <b>...</b>

SYDNEY : An investigation has been ordered into whether the media was tipped off before a car bombing that caused Australia #39;s first casualties in the Iraq conflict, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.


Antitrust clears wireless merger (TheDeal.com)

TheDeal.com - The Department of Justice has approved Cingular Wireless'  #36;41 billion acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless Services.


Icelanders after French salmon (TheDeal.com)

TheDeal.com - SIF hf. plans to buy Labeyrie Group for an enterprise value of  #36;425 million.


Powell Maintains Tough Stance on N. Korean Weapons Program

One day after China urged the Bush administration to adopt greater flexibility in talks over North Korea's nuclear programs, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell on Tuesday sought to maintain a united front with South Korea over the administration's tough line on dismantling Pyongyang's weapons.


Lastminute.com chairman Allan Leighton to step down (AFP)

AFP - Online travel agent and retailer Lastminute.com said its chairman, Allan Leighton, will step down in January 2005 and be replaced by Brian Collie, currently a non-executive director.


Adobe and Yahoo! partner to create PDF documents online

Adobe, the company behind the ubiquitous Acrobat PDF reader and Yahoo! have teamed up to promote each other #39;s products. Adobe has agreed to add Yahoo!


Martyn, Lehmann flay injury-hit India in third Test (AFP)

AFP - Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann scored a quickfire century partnership to lead Australia's recovery in the third cricket Test against a severely depleted India here.


US: Zarqawi  #39;associate #39; killed

An early morning US air strike has killed a  quot;known associate quot; of Islamic militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq #39;s restive Sunni Triangle region, the military said.


Hanging on the musical telephone

BT is looking to breathe new life into its network of phoneboxes by giving customers the chance to download music.


Leighton steps down at Lastminute

Online travel and leisure business Lastminute says chairman Allan Leighton will leave the firm in January.


SA unionists defy Zimbabwe ban

A South African trade union delegation is allowed into Zimbabwe despite being told their visit is not acceptable.


Election Wagers Hinge on Ohio

Bettors give Bush a higher likelihood of victory than Kerry on websites that allow wagering on next week's election. But odds indicate that the race is still very close and whoever wins the crucial swing state of Ohio will likely prevail. By Joanna Glasner.


System X Faster, but Falls Behind

Virginia Tech's recently rebuilt Macintosh supercomputer flies past the 12-teraflop mark, but will the performance boost be enough to keep it in the supercomputer top 10? By Leander Kahney.


An Empire Built of Glass

Designer James Carpenter understands the poetics of light and material, working with architects to enhance public places. Fourth in a series profiling this year's MacArthur 'genius award' winners. By Kari Lynn Dean.


Election Drives Online Traffic

The run-up to November's presidential election has benefited websites, bringing increased numbers of visitors. Now, the trick is to maintain that traffic surge. By Daniel Terdiman.


No Paper Trail, No Problem

A federal judge rules that Florida doesn't have to provide a paper trail for electronic votes, tossing out a congressman's lawsuit. Jacob Ogles reports from Orlando, Florida.


Home PCs Plagued With Problems

Researchers find that net users are not as secure as they think. Among surveyed adults who believed they were safe from online threats, most had spyware running on their home computers and few had firewall protection.


Getting bedrock value

A conversation about Walter McCarty never stays focused on the Celtics' versatile forward for long. Just ask coach Doc Rivers.


Cingular set to complete takeover

With one federal approval received yesterday and another coming as soon as today, Cingular Wireless is finally poised to complete its \$41 billion takeover of AT T Wireless Services Inc.


Biopure seeks OK to boost stock sales

Biopure Corp. is running out of money -- again. Recent regulatory filings, including one yesterday, show the Cambridge blood-substitute developer seeking the financial flexibility it says it will need to keep operating after January. That's when it expects to use up the \$7 million it raised through a stock sale in September.


Pandas benefit from wireless net

A broadband wireless network is helping researchers at an important panda park in China.


Spitzer mentor takes over at Marsh

A FORMER mentor to Eliot Spitzer replaced Jeffrey Greenberg as chief executive of Marsh  amp; McLennan last night, as the embattled insurance group made its first move towards settling a lawsuit with the New York Attorney-General.


New steel giant iSG, Ispat Inland joining mittal

Tycoon Lakshmi N. Mittals \$4.5 billion purchase of International Steel Group will create a colossal powerhouse in the world steel industry with the capabilities of producing 70 million tons of steel annually.


Coles Myer backs down in battle for ALH

Sydney - Australian retailer Coles Myer on Tuesday said it would not raise its bid for pubs operator, Australian Leisure and Hospitality, as rival Woolworths said it had gained more than 20 percent of the company and declared its offer unconditional.


Cingular set to complete takeover

With one federal approval received yesterday and another coming as soon as today, Cingular Wireless is finally poised to complete its \$41 billion takeover of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


BP Sees Third-Quarter Profits Rise 53 Pct.

High oil and gas prices and bigger profit margins in refining helped BP PLC drive up third-quarter earnings by 53 percent, the company said Tuesday.


New Credit Policy: RBI Keeps Interest Rate Untouched At 6

Mumbai, Oct. 26 (NNN): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced the busy season credit policy keeping the bank rate untouched at six per cent.


Cable and Wireless to sell Japanese unit to Softbank

LONDON : Cable and Wireless, the British telecoms group, said it had agreed to sell its Japanese unit to Internet service provider Softbank Corp for about 133 million dollars (104 million euros) including debt.


TSMC expects first 4Q sales drop ever

After again posting record earnings for the third quarter, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) expects to see its first sequential drop in fourth-quarter revenues, coupled with a sharp drop in capacity utilization rates.


Treo 650 Launched by PalmOne

A finer, mellow blend of phone and PDA, PalmOne launched the Treo 650 in the US yesterday. There are changes on the outside and changes on the inside - some cosmetic, some ergonomic, and some fundamentally technical.


System X Faster, but Falls Behind

Virginia Tech #39;s recently rebuilt Mac supercomputer has squeezed out a few more teraflops, but it probably won #39;t be able to keep its top-five world ranking.


Study: HP is world #39;s top chip buyer

ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year.


Martyn on fire as Aussies pile on the runs

Damien Martyn blasted an unbeaten 80 as Australia powered to 245-4 at tea in the first day of the third Test in Nagpur. He was ably supported by Darren Lehman, who made a quickfire 70 before being dismissed


Skater:  #39;I have a headache, but I #39;m OK #39;

A photographer was taking snaps of skater Tatiana Totmianina Monday when her coach remarked,  quot;Smile for the camera. #39; #39;.


Al-Zarqawi aide killed in airstrike: US military

BAGHDAD - An American airstrike on Fallujah killed an aide close to rebel leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the US military said on Tuesday.


5 convicted of rapes on island founded by Bounty mutineers

The mayor of the Pacific Ocean island of Pitcairn and his son were among five men found guilty Monday of a series of rapes and sexual assaults against girls on the island stretching back over four decades.


Rain prompts Japan quake fears

Persistent rain in northern Japan has triggered fears of fresh landslides in the wake of powerful earthquakes which have shaken the region.


John Howard sworn in for fourth time as Australian PM

CANBERRA : John Howard has been formally sworn in as Prime Minister with his new fourth term ministry by Queen Elizabeth II #39;s Australian representative Governor-General Michael Jeffery.


Inquiry ordered in massacre case

BAGHDAD - Iraq ordered an investigation yesterday into whether a security breach triggered the massacre of 49 army recruits; meanwhile two foreign soldiers, an Estonian and an American, were killed in surging guerrilla raids during Ramadan.


Pakistan debates bold new Musharraf plan on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD : A national debate is raging in Pakistan after President Pervez Musharraf #39;s outlining of a range of bold new options for divided Kashmir that include independence, joint control with India and demilitarisation.


Arafat  #39;all clear #39; after surgery

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has had a medical test under anaesthetic at his compound in Ramallah after bouts of vomiting and stomach pain.


Hambali's Brother Convicted in Indonesia (AP)

AP - An Indonesian court on Tuesday sentenced the younger brother of alleged Southeast Asian terror leader Hambali to four years in jail on charges of helping finance last year's bombing of the J.W. Marriott hotel in Jakarta.


Mexico has 'giant wealth divide'

Mexico has some of the highest and the lowest standards of living in the world, such is the extent of the gap between rich and poor, a UN report says.


Hambali's brother found guilty

The brother of an alleged militant leader is sentenced to four years jail for helping to fund a Jakarta bomb attack.


Bombings kill at least 8 in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Bombings struck four coalition and Iraqi military convoys and a provincial government office yesterday, killing at least eight people, including an American soldier and an Estonian trooper in the Baghdad area.


Karzai Win a Formality as Last Afghan Votes Counted (Reuters)

Reuters - With victory all but a formality in\Afghanistan's historic presidential election, Hamid Karzai\waited on Tuesday for the final votes to be counted to confirm\his win.


Radical cleric Abu Hamza makes brief court appearance (AFP)

AFP - Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who is charged with 16 alleged offences including incitement to murder Jews, appeared briefly by video link in court.


Summary: Cuba Does Away With Dollars (AP)

AP - BUCK STOPS HERE: Cuba announces that dollars will no longer be accepted in stores and businesses, saying it is trying to regain control of its economy as Washington cracks down on the flow of the U.S. currency to Cuba. A convertible peso will be put in circulation.


Too Good to Be True? Red Sox Halfway Home (AP)

AP - Pedro Martinez on the mound. A confident, yappy bunch. A 2-0 lead, halfway to the World Series championship. Could it really be this easy for the Boston Red Sox?


Mittal creates new steel giant

Billionaire from the UK Lakshmi Mittal on Monday purchased International Steel Group from Wilbur Ross, thus creating the worlds biggest steel company.


Elan Corp. Shares Jump

Ireland #39;s major pharmaceutical firm, Elan Corp. PLC, said Tuesday it plans to pay US\$55 million (euro43 million) to resolve a US class-action lawsuit and a related investigation by American federal regulators into alleged accounting malpractice.


Softbank Acquiring Cable  amp; Wirless

British telecommunications company Cable  amp; Wireless PLC is selling its Japanese business to Tokyo-based broadband services provider Softbank Corp.


RBI keeps bank rate intact, raises repo rate

MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India surprised the market on Tuesday by raising the overnight benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent, citing concerns about a rise in inflation in Asia #39;s fourth-largest economy.


OPEC: Oil Prices May Lower Economic Growth

Another year of record-high oil prices may dent world economic growth in 2005, with China being particularly vulnerable, an OPEC official said Tuesday.


Taiwan Semiconductor Reports Record Profit

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world #39;s biggest producer of made-to-order chips, on Tuesday reported record net profits in the third quarter, but the company #39;s chairman predicted leaner times in the fourth quarter and next year.


Nokia plans one-stop content shop for mobile networks

Preminet is Nokia #39;s name for a new delivery system for mobile content, such as games and other applications. Gathering together in to one master catalogue a whole range of Java and Symbian OS software, it


PalmOne announces new breed Treo

PalmOne #39;s updated Treo, the Treo 650, will employ a new processor, have a sharper display and flash memory, as the company continues to improve its flagship product.


Burt Rutan takes a V2-powered wander down memory lane

Aviation pioneer Burt Rutan has been fondly remembering his childhood hero - German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. The X-Prize victor recently hooked up with two surviving members of von Braun #39;s V2 team


City boss Keegan charged over referee criticism

Kevin Keegan has been charged with criticising the referee after Manchester City #39;s weekend Premier League defeat against Newcastle United, the Football Association (FA) said on Tuesday.


Feds Examine Hendrick Plane Crash Wreckage

National Transportation Safety Board investigators look over the crash site of the Hendrick Motorsport plane crash in Patrick Springs, Va.


Indians check Aussies #39; run flow

Nagpur: Paceman Zaheer Khan #39;s double strike helped India to check the Australian run flow on the opening day of the third cricket Test at the VCA ground in Nagpur on Tuesday.


Investors back News Corp switch

RUPERT Murdoch has won the battle to shift the headquarters of his giant media group News Corp from the southern Australian city of Adelaide to the US state of Delaware.


British American Tobacco Main Brands #39; Sales Revived (Update2)

British American Tobacco Plc, the world #39;s second-largest cigarette maker, said third-quarter sales of its main brands rebounded, reversing a first-half drop, and it gained market share in Canada after raising some prices.


Elan settles suit and SEC probe

Pharmaceutical company Elan has announced a settlement of the class action suit filed by shareholders against the company in early 2002 in relation to its accounting practices.


Elan to pay \$15m fines in settlement of SEC inquiry

ELAN, the troubled Irish drugs group, last night said that it had settled a US regulatory inquiry into its accounting methods by agreeing to pay \$15 million (8million) in civil fines.


Cards' Suppan Faces Old Team in Game 3 (AP)

AP - The St. Louis Cardinals were looking to fill out their rotation last December when they signed Jeff Suppan to a modest two-year,  #36;6 million contract.


Dollar Pauses Near Record Low Vs Euro (Reuters)

Reuters - The dollar hit an eight-month low\against the euro on Tuesday, coming within a cent of a record\low, and set its lowest level in eight years versus Swiss franc\on concerns about the U.S. economy and current account gap.


One of Britain's last remaining coal mines closes down (AFP)

AFP - A once-thriving coal mine in Yorkshire was closing down, leaving just nine deep coal mines in Britain, the pale remains of an industry that once employed a million people.


Virginia Tech beefs up Mac supercomputer

com October 25, 2004, 9:00 PM PT. ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year.


Walks on the wild Cards #39; side

St. Louis- The World Series is no place to talk about walks and errors. It is a time for walk-off home runs, diving catches and pitchers getting big outs when nothing else is acceptable.


Critical Keegan charged by the FA

LONDON, England -- Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan has been charged by the Football Association with verbally abusing referee Steve Dunn after his side #39;s 4-3 defeat at Newcastle.


Rick Hendrick grieves, and a racing community joins him

Richard Childress can empathize with at least some of the despair that fellow NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick is going through. Nearly four years ago, Dale Earnhardt was killed while driving for Childress in the Daytona 500.


UF Boosters Support Decision

AD Foley had no choice, they agree, but it #39;s a sad day for Gator Nation. By Del Milligan. While two influential Gator football boosters in Polk County expressed sadness at the Monday morning firing of head


Schumacher and Ferrari have F1 in their grip

PARIS (AFP) - The 2004 Formula One season was a case of one red car beating another red car as Michael Schumacher and Ferrari ran their rivals ragged.


Spinners strike early for Bangladesh

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming won the toss and elected to bat first in the second Test against Bangladesh. Fleming was batting with 37 runs along with Styriswho scored 9. New Zealand replaced Ian Butler


Dollar Pauses Near Record Low Vs Euro

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit an eight-month low  against the euro on Tuesday, coming within a cent of a record  low, and set its lowest level in eight years versus Swiss franc  on concerns about the U.S. economy and current account gap.


'Act now on biological weapons'

The threat of biological weapons is real and needs to be tackled now, medical experts warn.


American Express rings up record profits

NEW YORK - Charge and credit card giant American Express Company said it rung up record third quarter profits as consumers went on a shopping splurge and extended their borrowings.


Red Hat warns against fake security email

Linux distributor Red Hat Inc is warning customers about an email scam that claims to be a Red Hat security update but in fact encourages users to download and run potentially malicious code.


Five arrested in Sinai blasts

The Egyptian government announced the first arrests in Sinai Peninsula hotel bombings case. This was the most tragic terror act in the entire country for the last seven years.


DEAF KIDS JOIN RALLY IN BID TO FREE KIDNAPPED AID WORKER MARGARET

DEAF children helped by kidnapped Margaret Hassan yesterday joined 200 mercy workers at a rally in Baghdad to call for her release.


Ex-NFL Receiver Mark Ingram Jailed (AP)

AP - Former Michigan State star and NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, a key to the New York Giants' 1991 Super Bowl victory, has been sentenced to one year in jail for stealing a credit card at a Michigan golf course.


Wall St Seen Edging Up on Crude Price

LONDON (Reuters) - Wall Street was expected edge higher at  Tuesday's opening as the price of U.S. crude oil eased, with  insurers firming after the head of Marsh   McLennan Cos.  Inc.MMC.N resigned.


Radical Cleric Denied Bail by London Court (AP)

AP - Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who is awaiting trial for urging followers to kill non-Muslims, was denied bail by a British judge on Tuesday.


Nuclear body seeks new technology

Outdated computer systems are hampering the work of inspectors, says the UN nuclear agency.


Insurance Exec Resigns over Spitzer Suit

Description: Marsh  amp; McLennan CEO Jeffrey Greenberg steps down, according to a Wall Street Journal online report. Greenberg #39;s exit comes a little more than a week after his firm was named in a bid-rigging inquiry.


Business ; Bank Rate remains untouched in RBI #39;s annual credit <b>...</b>

Business News, Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India announced its busy season credit policy today. While it kept Bank Rate untouched at six percent, inflation forecast was raised from 5 to 6.5 percent.


Google feels lucky, surpasses Web rival Yahoo

Google rose \$14.97 to close at \$187.40 per share, giving it a market value of \$51.4 billion compared to \$47.9 billion for Internet rival Yahoo.


Marconi joins the Wimax Forum

Marconi is the latest big name to join the Wimax Forum, which is expected to certify its first long-range wireless broadband products next year.


Saturn #39;s Titan about to surrender shrouded secrets

For the first time in the history of astronomy, scientists are about to glimpse the mysterious surface of Titan, Saturn #39;s haze-shrouded moon.


PalmOne unveils Treo 600 #39;s successor

PalmOne this week is announcing the Treo 650, a hybrid PDA/mobile phone device that addresses many of the shortcomings of its hugely popular predecessor, the Treo 600.


Pandas benefit from wireless net

The world #39;s dwindling panda population is getting a helping hand from a wireless internet network. The Wolong Nature Reserve in the Sichuan Province of southwest China is home to 20 of the remaining 1,500 giant pandas in the world.


Marshalls role in space revolution

A NASA experiment that could help shape the future of space exploration as part of a new generation of potentially life-saving space crafts has launched


Martyn continues his run feast

Damien Martyn has made it back to back centuries against India as Australia looked to build a big first innings total in the third Test in Nagpur.


With friends like these ...

Choose well, and you are assured a lifetime of good cheer and support, with only the occasional passenger-side regurgitation cleanup.


Vogts #39; future still in the balance

The Scottish Football Association postponed a board meeting Tuesday that had been called to discuss the German #39;s future. Scotland has picked up just two points from its first three qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup.


No more Middleton for Raiders

SPORTS NETWORK - Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Frank Middleton is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of a torn left quadriceps muscle that will require surgery.


The man alone

few hours before the vote in the Knesset, now expected to be 65 in favor of disengagement and 55 against - a large enough majority for Sharon to continue rejecting the referendum being demanded by disengagement opponents -he conventional wisdom is


Musharraf Kashmir plan: Your reaction

President Pervez Musharraf #39;s proposals to solve the Kashmir dispute has been called a  quot;betrayal quot; by opposition groups in Pakistan.


Death toll from powerful earthquakes in Japan rises by 4 to 31

The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that rocked Japan over the weekend jumped to 31 on Tuesday as four people, mostly elderly, died from strokes or cerebral hemorrhages due to stress of their ordeal.


Abu Hamza in court

Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has appeared via video-link at the Old Bailey on charges of stirring up racial hatred and urging murder of non-believers.


Nigerian pilgrims robbed in Darfur - report

Khartoum - A group of 120 Nigerian pilgrims were attacked in Sudan #39;s Darfur region, an official Sudanese newspaper said on Tuesday, after another report that 300 Nigerians were robbed on their way to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, last week.


Omnicom Posts Higher Quarterly Profit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Omnicom Group OMC.N on Tuesday  reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's largest  advertising group added several high-profile accounts to its  roster and benefited from higher global ad spending.


Referee attack lands Keegan in the dock (AFP)

AFP - Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan has been charged by the Football Association for his confrontation with referee Steve Dunn in the tunnel after Sunday's 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.


Mark Thatcher in South African Court (AP)

AP - Mark Thatcher, son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, appeared in a South African court on Tuesday on charges he helped bankroll a coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.


Officials Say 78 Died After Thailand Riot (AP)

AP - At least 78 people have died following a riot in southern Thailand, many of them by crushed and suffocated after they were arrested and packed tightly into trucks, officials said Tuesday.


At Least 84 Killed in S. Thailand Monday

PATTANI, Thailand (Reuters) - At least 78 people died in a  crush in southern Thailand Monday after police and troops fired  shots to disperse a crowd of Muslim demonstrators outside a  police station, a justice ministry official said on Tuesday.


Big Fish, Little Fish Battle Over the Amazon's Bounty

A symbol of abundance to the rest of the world, the Amazon is experiencing a crisis of overfishing.


Food Plant

In the spirit of my   previous exploration of places my work has taken me, a meditation on a  totally different part of our economy.  If you're about to eat, you might want  to wait until afterward to read this.


Wall St Seen Edging Up on Crude Price

Wall Street was expected edge higher at Tuesday #39;s opening as the price of US crude oil eased, with insurers firming after the head of Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos.


Update 1: Euro Hits 8-Month High Against the Dollar

The euro hit an eight-month high against the US dollar on Tuesday, increasing the exchange-rate burden on Europe #39;s exporters as fears over high oil prices weighed on the greenback.


Oracle #39;s Bid for PeopleSoft to Get EU Clearance, People Say

Oracle Corp. will win unconditional European Union approval for its \$7.7 billion bid for PeopleSoft Inc., ending the longest-ever merger review by EU antitrust regulators, according to people familiar with the situation.


New Accounts Boost Omnicom Profit (Reuters)

Reuters - Omnicom Group  on Tuesday\reported a higher quarterly profit as the world's largest\advertising group added several high-profile accounts to its\roster and benefited from higher global ad spending.


Microsoft Regains AOL's Support For Anti-Spam Technology (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - America Online Inc. said yesterday it is once again supporting a Microsoft Corp. plan to combat unwanted bulk e-mail by verifying senders of messages, a move that could rekindle industry adoption of a new system for attacking spam.


Sony MP3 Players Finally Debut

Sony has launched two portable digital audio players that for the first time support the MP3 file format, other than its Atrac file format.


Microsoft desktop search by end of year

It looks to be all out war. Microsoft has announced the launch date for a test version of desktop search software to rival Google #39;s beta search application released earlier this month.


Your PC may be less secure than you think

A survey conducted by internet service provider AOL found that 20 percent of home computers were infected by a virus or worm, and that various forms of snooping programs such


Federal investigators continue looking for cause of Hendrick plane <b>...</b>

PATRICK SPRINGS, Va. Airport officials in Virginia say pilots of at least 20 other planes decided it was too dangerous to land at the airport near where a Hendrick Motorsports plane went down.


Vodafone Makes Sun Its Preferred IT Vendor (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - Vodafone signs a global purchasing agreement with Sun that gives Vodafone consistent terms for Sun's hardware, software and services product line.


Venture Capital Investments

Mark Heesen, president of the National Venture Capital Association, will discuss the latest quarterly MoneyTree venture capital results and trends in venture capital. Filter columnist Cynthia L. Webb will moderate the discussion.


BP Profits  #39;1m A Day #39;

Oil giant BP today said record fuel prices and better refining margins had helped it to bank nearly 1 million a day in profits. BP posted profits of 3.94 billion US


Intel gives wireless boost to Chinese panda research

Intel has teamed up with Globio, a nonprofit educational group, to set up a wireless network for researchers at China #39;s Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan province, the home of the endangered giant panda.


Microsoft users catch price break

In what #39;s being called a shrewd licensing move, Microsoft last week put its competitors on the defensive and avoided price increases for customers by announcing it would not charge extra fees for server software running on dual-core, processor-based


Back at it

The 49ers returned to the practice field Monday morning, and linebacker Derek Smith was there with them. That alone is very good news for a defense that also could have right end Andre Carter back in action


US tightens net around Fallujah

United States troops have reinforced positions around Fallujah after an overnight air strike and sealed main roads out of the rebel-held city.


Stocks Seen Slightly Higher; Oil Slipping

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a  slightly higher market open on Tuesday, as oil prices retreat  and insurance stocks look to extend gains from Monday that were  sparked by the resignation of a key figure in the investigation  into the industry's business practices.


CME Profit Up on Trading Volume Growth

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings  Inc. CME.N on Tuesday said quarterly profit rose 89 percent  on strong derivatives volumes, especially for electronic  trading, and increased third-party processing revenues.


Police called in to Old Trafford buffet battle (AFP)

AFP - Manchester police have been asked give evidence into the Old Trafford buffet battle when an Arsenal player was alleged to have thrown soup and pizza at Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.


RBI raises interest rates to tackle inflation (Reuters)

Reuters - The central bank raised its overnight repo rate on Tuesday for the first time in more than four years, citing concerns about a rise in inflation in Asia's fourth-largest economy.


Halliburton Posts \$44 Million Loss

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N , the world's  No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a  third-quarter net loss as charges from its asbestos liability  weighed.


For Dell and AMD, a tantalizing question

Will they or won't they? Dell execs remain elusive on AMD plans, but analysts say circumstances could push the two together.


Big stakes in holiday game scramble

Game publishers and hardware makers will battle for consumers' holiday dollars with a slew of high-profile releases.


Ad giant says  #39;jury is out #39; on prospects

WPP, one of the worlds biggest advertising agencies, today cast doubt on prospects for the industrys fortunes next year, saying the  quot;jury remains out quot;.


C amp;W sells Japanese arm to Softbank

Japanese communications firm Softbank is to buy the Japanese unit of Cable  amp; Wireless for \$132 million (72 million pounds), making it the No


TSMC sees plummeting utilization, capex down in 2005

LONDON - According to a correspondent in Taiwan Morris Chang, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. had some interesting things to say about the outlook following on from the company #39;s third quarter results.


Keppel Profit Climbs on Property Gains

Singapore #39;s state-linked Keppel Corp. said Tuesday its third-quarter net profit rose 14.8 percent on year thanks to strong contributions from its property unit and oil refining affiliate.


FA charges Keegan over referee insults

Kevin Keegan has been charged with verbally abusing a match official following Manchester City #39;s 4-3 defeat by Newcastle United.


DENVER BRONCOS ODDS REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR SUPERBOWL

Denver Broncos suffered a small setback on Monday Night Football when they were utterly outplayed by Cincinnati Bengals. The AFC West division leaders dropped to 5-2, although remain unchanged in the Superbowl


College Football Report

How good is Utah?  quot;They are a potential national-championship caliber team. Some people may question that, but they are playing good football and are as good as any team in the nation.


Skiles: Hughes also should be hit by NBA

Antonio Davis and Washington #39;s Brendan Haywood figure to draw suspensions for Monday #39;s dust-up during the Bulls #39; 100-95 preseason victory.


Campaigns battle over missing explosives

The disappearance of 380 tons of powerful explosives from an Iraq storage depot has become a political football in the US presidential elections as both campaigns look for a last-minute advantage.


S.Korea Probe Suggests No Infiltration from North

DONGDUCHON, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korea said  Tuesday an investigation into a hole found cut in a border  fence along the Demilitarised Zone frontier with North Korea  did not suggest infiltration from the communist country.


TB poses major threat to millions

\Tuberculosis will kill millions in developing countries unless radical action is taken, an aid organisation has warned.


Johnson Controls Earnings Rise 24 Percent

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Johnson Controls Inc. JCI.N, said on  Tuesday that quarterly earnings rose 24 percent on growth in  both its automotive interiors and building controls business.


Site on tobacco giant launched

A website detailing the inner workings of leading tobacco firm British American Tobacco has been set up.


RBI policy will not hamper growth: FM

New Delhi: Hailing RBIs monetary and credit policy, Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said it will not hamper growth and the investment momentum will continue despite pressure on price level.


Earnings at BAT are full of puff

BRITISH American Tobacco is continuing to make good profits on the strength of its four main cigarette brands: Lucky Strike, Kent, Dunhill and Pall Mall cigarettes.


WPP revenues climb but jury still out on 2005

WPP Group, the world #39;s second largest advertising company, says its third-quarter revenues grew ahead of analyst expectations but has warned of an uncertain 2005.


TSMC #39;s Chang sees plummeting Q4 utilization, capex down in 05

In what may turn out to be an ominous sign of a short-lived recovery, foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. caught market watchers by surprise Tuesday with a grim


Cheese For The Mouse House #39;s Investors?

It was probably a slip of the tongue. Speaking to an investor conference on Sept. 30, Walt Disney (DIS) President Robert Iger noted that it was the end of Disney #39;s fiscal year -- adding:  quot;And what a year it has been.


China, ASEAN agree to end tariffs

SHANGHAI, China -- China has reached agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, on completely removing tariffs on merchandise goods by 2010 as part of a proposed free trade agreement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says.


Cursed either way

R everse the Curse ice cream has been the best-selling new flavor in the history of Brighams, a Boston-area ice-cream chain. Now, the ice cream, introduced last spring, is in danger of becoming obsolete.


TON-UP FLEMING OUT ON HIS OWN

Stephen Fleming batted himself into the record books and New Zealand into an ominous position on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong.


Depleted India strike early blows

Injury-hit India made a good start in the third cricket Test against Australia on Tuesday, leaving the tourists on 103-3 by lunch on the opening day.


Chicago bullies Wizards 100-95 despite brawl

Kirk Hinrich scored 32 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 100-95 victory over the Washington Wizards in an exhibition game delayed by a fight Monday night.


Sports in brief: Skater not afraid to go back on ice

World champion pairs skater Tatiana Totmianina said Monday she still doesn #39;t know what caused her to fall and sustain a concussion during a weekend skating program, though she says she doesn #39;t fear going back on the ice.


BP quarterly profits soar, but spending plans a worry (AFP)

AFP - British oil giant BP reported a 43-percent rise in third-quarter pro forma net profit to 3.94 billion dollars (3.08 billion euros) thanks to soaring crude prices and booming demand.


Halliburton Posts Loss on Asbestos Charge

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Halliburton Co. HAL.N , the world's  No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a  third-quarter net loss as it took \$230 million in charges to  fund its asbestos liability.


IT Services, Jets Lift Lockheed Profit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed  Martin Corp. LMT.N reported a 41 percent rise in quarterly  profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, as demand  soared for its combat aircraft and information technology  services.


International Paper Has Loss After Charge

NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Paper Co. IP.N, the  world's largest forest products company, on Tuesday reported a  third-quarter loss after charges for the write-down of Canadian  assets.


Agere Posts Loss on Revenue Drop, Charges

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Agere Systems Inc. AGRa.N on Tuesday  posted a fiscal fourth-quarter loss as the communications chip  maker's revenue declined and it took hefty charges for  restructuring.


Chain Store Sales Fall in Latest Week

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store retail sales fell for  the second week in a row, with customers mostly just window  shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


BP profits surge to record 2.14 billion

BP today announced record third-quarter profits of 2.14 billion on the back of soaring oil prices. The worlds second biggest oil firm said pro forma net earnings included a charge for exceptional items of 218 million.


Halliburton Co. (HAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a third-quarter net loss as it took \$230 million in charges to fund its asbestos liability.


Svenska Cellulosa to Slash 1,200 Jobs (AP)

AP - Papermaker and forest products company Svenska Cellulosa AB said Tuesday it would cut 1,200 jobs, or 2.4 percent of its overall work force, as it seeks to cut costs amid competition from rivals and declining demand. Most of the job losses will be at plants in France and the Netherlands.


Keegan in the dock

London - Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan has been charged by the Football Association for his confrontation with referee Steve Dunn in the tunnel after Sunday #39;s 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.


UF head football coach fired after loss to Mississippi State

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley thought Ron Zook was the right fit for Floridas football program three years ago when he hired the energetic, player-friendly defensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints.


South Korea said Tuesday an investigation into a hole found cut in a border fence along the Demilitarised Zone frontier with North Korea did not suggest infiltration from the communist country.


International Paper Posts Quarterly Loss

NEW YORK (Reuters) - International Paper Co. IP.N, the  world's largest forest products company, on Tuesday reported a  third-quarter loss after taking a charge to write down Canadian  assets.


Europe and Iran to meet again on nuclear issue (AFP)

AFP - Europe's three key states are to meet again with Iran in Vienna to hear Tehran's response to their offer for it to avoid possible UN sanctions and receive nuclear technology by indefinitely suspending uranium enrichment.


Google Working to Recruit Brainy Elite

Google Inc. locates almost anything on the Web within seconds, but finding the brainy engineers who program the company's lightning-quick search engine takes more time - and a quirky bit of ingenuity.


Intel Invests in New Wireless Venture

Hoping to accelerate the deployment of a new wireless technology, Intel Corp. announced Monday it's invested in a venture started by billionaire Craig McCaw to deliver high-speed Internet service over the airwaves.


Online Music Site Settles Copyright Suit

The operators of a Spanish-based Web site that sold music downloads have agreed to pay \$10.5 million to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by several recording companies.


New Crop of Portable Players Nips at IPod

At least a dozen portable music players are angling to steal sales away from Apple Computer Inc.'s wildly popular line of iPods this holiday season. In the past month alone, five companies have unveiled their iPod challengers - pocket-sized players with hard disks that can store anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 songs.


'Grand Theft Auto' Seen Breaking Games Sales Record

\

 By Franklin Paul

 NEW YORK (Reuters) -  When the violent video game "Grand\Theft Auto: San Andreas" hits stores on Tuesday, its sales\could eclipse Hollywood's most successful films, even as it\draws the ire of critics.


Thatcher fights questions by Equatorial Guinea on coup plot (AFP)

AFP - Mark Thatcher and his lawyers fought a call to answer questions on his alleged role in a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea, saying any trial in the oil-rich west African state would amount to a  quot;military tribunal. quot;


UN AIDS envoy urges Blair to make G8 do more for Africa (AFP)

AFP - The United Nations envoy on AIDS urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to persuade the world's richest countries to provide more funds to step up treatment of the disease in Africa.


NBC's New Reality

After years as champ, the peacock network is flagging. Can its boss glue the feathers back on?


New steel giant includes Lackawanna site

A major change is coming to the global steel industry and a galvanized mill in Lackawanna that formerly belonged to Bethlehem Steel Corp.


EU lifts sanctions on US  for now

The European Union decided yesterday to lift heavy punitive tariffs on US goods but said it might renew them if the World Trade Organization confirms suspected loopholes


Halliburton Posts \$44 Million Loss

Halliburton Co. , the world #39;s No. 2 oil field services company, on Tuesday posted a third-quarter net loss as charges from its asbestos liability weighed.


AOL survey finds homes user ignorant to online threats

A survey conducted by internet service provider America Online (AOL) found that 20 of home computers were infected by a virus or worm, and that various forms of snooping programs such as spyware and adware are on 80 of systems.


Microsoft and AOL agree to agree on anti-spoofing Sender-ID <b>...</b>

AOL is chums again with buddy Microsoft and is now supporting a new version of Redmond #39;s controversial Sender ID anti-spoofing technology.


Activision expands Doom 3 - Resurrection of Evil announced

Activision has announced today that id and Nerve Software are working an expansion pack to the mighty Doom 3. Carrying the title Resurrection of Evil it does indeed promise to resurrect some evil.


Chad bumps; Rudi runs

If the Bengals are sharing this improbable underdog sports week with the Red Sox and Peter Warricks broken leg is their version of Curt Schillings bloodied ankle, then Chad Johnson must


Cleric Abu Hamza Al-Masri Denied Bail at London #39;s Old Bailey

Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri, who faces 16 charges including the incitement of racial hatred, was denied bail by a judge at the Old Bailey, London #39;s central criminal court.


Omnicom Profit Beats Wall Street View

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Omnicom Group OMC.N on Tuesday  reported a quarterly profit that outpaced Wall Street  expectations as the No. 1 advertising group added high-profile  accounts and benefited from increased global ad spending.


U.S. Troops Reinforce After Falluja Air Strike

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops cut roads and reinforced  positions around Falluja Tuesday after an air strike aimed at  Arab militants said to roam the rebel-held city.


Inflation eases to 1.8 per cent

OTTAWA - Canada #39;s annual inflation rate edged down to 1.8 per cent in September as the overall cost of a typical basket of goods and services barely rose from August, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday.


Tech Briefs

Shares of Google rose 8.7 percent in the second trading session after the company said third-quarter profit more than doubled. The shares rose \$14.


Australia v India third test scoreboard - close

UPDATE 2-Martyn century give Australia upper hand v India October 26, 2004 11:46:28 NAGPUR, India, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Damien Martyn struck a dazzling 114 but injury-hit India clung on in the final session as Australia finished the opening day of the


FA charges Keegan with abusive behavior

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan was charged by the Football Association on Tuesday with verbally abusing the referee following his side #39;s 4-3 defeat to Newcastle.


DALE McFEATTERS: The massacre in Iraq

(sh) - The Bush administration strategy for an exit from Iraq depends heavily, perhaps even solely, on training enough Iraqi soldiers and police to secure the country for a handover to an elected Iraqi government.


Goodrich Posts Higher 3rd-Quarter Profit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Aircraft brake and landing gear maker  Goodrich Corp. GR.N on Tuesday posted higher quarterly sales  and earnings and raised its full-year forecasts as an improving  market for aircraft equipment boosted demand for its products.


Australian bank group reports record profit

SYDNEY Australia  amp; New Zealand Banking Group said Tuesday that second-half profit rose 17 percent to a record after it bought New Zealand #39;s biggest bank and raised lending to businesses as they increased investment.


India #39;s central bank pushes up key rate

NEW DELHI India #39;s central bank on Tuesday unexpectedly raised a key interest rate for the first time in four years, saying that soaring commodity prices and corporate demand for credit threatened to fuel inflation.


UK Quarterly Manufacturing Optimism Lowest in Year (Update1)

An index of optimism among UK manufacturers fell in the three months through October to the lowest since July of last year, the Confederation of British Industry said, adding to evidence of a slowdown in industry.


Lockheed Profit Jumps on IT, Jet Demand (Reuters)

Reuters - No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed\Martin Corp.  reported a 41 percent rise in quarterly\profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, as demand\soared for its combat aircraft and information technology\services.


PalmOne updates the Treo smartphone

PalmOne #39;s long-awaited update to the Treo 600 will come with a new processor, sharper display and flash memory, as the company continues to improve its flagship product.


Apple #39;s Superfast Supercomputer

NEW YORK - Apple Computer #39;s machines are known for being great for composing music, editing video and, of course, downloading music.