Eminem to launch satellite radio channel

American rapper Eminem is to launch a satellite music radio channel called Shade 45 later this month. On 28 October Shade 45 will broadcast its first programme - a live concert from New York.


Davenport regains No. 1 ranking

American Lindsay Davenport regained the No. 1 ranking in the world for the first time since early 2002 by defeating Dinara Safina of Russia 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of the Kremlin Cup on Thursday.


Sox to go without Schilling

Boston - Given a short flight home and abbreviated night #39;s sleep, the Boston Red Sox decided not to bother. Curt Schilling will not pitch in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series because of a dislocated


Petrova Out, Kuznetsova Advances at WTA Moscow

Russians were winners in four of five matches played Wednesday at the ATP stop in Moscow, with the only upset caused by Italian Francesca Schiavone knocking out No.


Tsvangiri #39;s supporters await verdict

Supporters of Zimbabwe #39;s opposition leader gathered outside court on to hear the verdict in his treason trial, which could see him sentenced to death.


Palestinian killed as Israeli army redeploys in Northern Gaza <b>...</b>

One Palestinian was killed and three others were seriously injured when an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at a group of people in the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip early Friday morning.


Kofi Annan #39;s Son Under Scrutiny

NEW YORK - The US Justice Department criminal probe into the UN Oil-for-Food program is focusing on several individuals, among them UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan #39;s son.


BOMB HOAX GROUNDS JET

A BOMB threat which forced a Virgin Atlantic flight to land at Stansted Airport yesterday was a hoax, police have confirmed. The airbus, carrying 215 passengers and 18 crew from Hong Kong to Heathrow, was forced to land at Stansted at 5.25am.


Insurers lead FTSE lower

The FTSE 100 has fallen for the fifth session in a row, with insurers crowding the list of fallers after sentiment in the sector was damaged by news that New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer was suing a US firm.


Google Debuts Desktop Search Tool

Google unveiled a desktop search agent yesterday that lets users find any information stored on their computer, including visited Web pages, files and e-mail as well as instant messages.


FCC ruling speeds network creation

SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. will build fiber-optic networks for carrying video more quickly after US regulators said they won #39;t force the phone companies to share the equipment with competitors.


Rite Aid official gets 10 years for fraud

harrisburg, pa.Franklin Brown, a former Rite Aid Corp. chief counsel convicted of accounting fraud, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison by a judge who rejected his arguments that the term would be a death sentence because he is 76 and ill.


Rossi on verge of fourth premier world title

PHILLIP ISLAND (Melbourne): Italian Valentino Rossi is within a top-two podium finish of claiming his fourth consecutive premier class world title in the Australian MotoGP championship race here on Sunday.


Warne claims world record

AUSTRALIAN Shane Warne claimed the outright world Test wicket-taking record today with his 533rd scalp. Warne reached the mark during the first session on day two of the second Test against India when he had


Newman gives himself a boost

Ryan Newman, who knows he #39;ll have to be flawless over the final six races to win the Nextel Cup title, was just that Thursday night, shattering the track record at Lowe #39;s Motor Speedway


Discipline is Key to Irish Victory on Saturday

The Irish held their second day of practice on Wednesday in preparation for their game against Navy this weekend. Many think the key to the Irish winning this game will be stopping the Midshipmen on offense.


U.S.-Backed TV Asserts Independence

Alhurra, a network with 150 reporters based in Springfield, is the U.S. government's largest and most expensive effort to sway foreign opinion over the airwaves since the creation of Voice of America in 1942.


U.S. Hits Debt Limit After Ceiling Raises Delayed

The House passed a \$690 billion increase in the debt ceiling in a 2005 budget resolution, but it was never adopted by the Senate, leading to delayed contributions to federal employees' pension systems.


Airline Can Use Lenders' Cash, Judge Says

The Arlington airline, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time, is seeking an across-the-board 23 percent employee pay cut for at least six months in hopes of saving about \$38 million a month.


GM Posts Anemic Third-Quarter Earnings

The world's largest automaker lowered its annual earnings forecast Thursday, a few hours after announcing plans to cut about 20 percent of its European workforce by the end of 2006 in hopes of saving about \$600 million a year.


US insurers reel amid fix probe

Insurance firms are left  reeling as New York attorney general Elliot Spitzer sues Marsh   McLennan, the world's largest insurance broker, for taking illegal payments.


Yukos unit may be sold for \$4bn

Yukos'  future is thrown into fresh doubt amid reports that Russia is planning to sell 77 of its key oil production unit for \$4bn by the end of November.


Google Desktop Could be Better

\\Today Brad  gave me a quick demo of Google  Desktop .\\Its great that Google keeps innovating (and more power to them) but to be honest\I was a bit underwhelmed.\\caption: Google Desktop Homepage.\\It should be possible to quickly put together a Lucene  Desktop which\performed the same tasks but was Open Source and based on web standards.\\There are a few steps here of course:\\ - Integrating lucene to index the filesystem only when files are changed.  This\   can be accomplished by looking at directory timestamps and only searching\   directories that have changed since the last index run. \\ - Only indexing during idle CPU time.  On windows you could build this around a\   screensaver.   ...\\


Like My New Blog Design?

\\What do you think of the new design?  For those of you reading via RSS just\click on the permalink. \\Fixed layout.  Blue background.  Nice clean sidebar.  No more obsolete\links. Updated content.\\All to give the appearance that I'm a professional!\\This is part of my new effort to blog more now that I have Rojo  launched.\\Anyway.  If anything looks strange please let me know!  I'll also be making some\additional layout tweaks in the next couple of days.  In the meantime this will\do...\\


Brewers take steps to attract merger support

Molson drops a plan to have an option-holders #39; vote, and Coors hires an investment bank to court stock owners. In a bid to build support for its proposed merger with Adolph Coors Co.


Starbucks launches first of  quot;music bars quot; for CD burning

SEATTLE, Washington, Oct 14 (AFP) - Coffee shop giant Starbucks said Thursday it was launching the first of its  quot;music bars quot; where customers can listen to digital recordings and burn their own CDs.


NetSuite #39;s new offering joins up the dots

Analysis Over the past few years, CRM implementations have come in for much criticism, especially in the elusive area of ROI. This has caused many companies to re-evaluate their technology implementations


Editorial: Different strokes for different handhelds

Mobile Computing Editor Larry Garfield looks at the different design strategies of the leading handheld companies, and muses on what it says about the way they think.


Gibernau on Rossi #39;s tail

WHILE Valentino Rossi coasted into his familiar position at the head of the pack for the Australian Motorcycle grand prix today, rival Sete Gibernau warned:  quot;Don #39;t write me off.


Adopting a new model yields gains at old Fleet

Within months of acquiring FleetBoston Financial Corp. , Bank of America Corp. handed out its sales playbook to Fleet employees in the branches to teach them how to sell.


August trade gap hits \$54b

WASHINGTON -- The trade deficit jumped to the second-highest level in history as surging demand for foreign oil swamped a small gain in US exports, the government reported yesterday. America's trade gap with China hit a record high as retailers stocked up on cellphones, toys, and televisions in preparation for Christmas sales.


Heating oil report jolts prices

NEW YORK -- A decline in the nation's inventory of heating oil catapulted crude futures prices toward \$55 a barrel yesterday, providing the latest jolt to a market already rattled by the world's tight supply of oil, strong demand, and the possibility of output problems in several producing nations.


Fidelity Investments cuts brokerage fees

THE REGION Fidelity Investments, the world's largest mutual fund manager, said it reduced the cost of online stock trades by one-third for entry-level brokerage customers, keeping pace with Charles Schwab Corp. Fidelity lowered commissions for ''bronze-level quot; clients by \$10 to \$19.95 a trade, the Boston-based company said. The bronze level accounts for two-thirds of Fidelity's customers, spokesman Adam Banker said. ...


Investor group aims to halt buyout by Art Technology

Art Technology Group's plan to acquire a Seattle software firm has come under fire from a group of investors who have launched a proxy fight to halt the deal.


<cite>Reg</cite> road tests the BioNav #8482; in-car nav wonder

Sophisticated kit - at a price


X-Prize for world's 'Holy Grails'

X-Prizes for breakthroughs in science or technology that solve the world's greatest challenges are planned.


Historical directories go online

Amateur historians and academics can take advantage of a wealth of archived data on the web.


EU pursues Greece over games law

The European Commission takes Greece to court for failing to change a law could ban people playing computer games at home.


Treasury Official Sees US Economy Spurt

The US economy will expand by 4 percent this year, sustaining the recovery begun in 2002, a senior US Treasury official said Sunday.


Google's New Tool Brings Search Home (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - Google Inc. released free software yesterday that lets people simultaneously search the Web and their personal computers for information, a move analysts described as a potential blow to rivals Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. in the race to woo more searchers.


Indian software major Wipro second-quarter net profit up 79 percent (AFP)

AFP - India's third-largest software exporter, Wipro, said that second quarter net profit jumped 79 percent as sales rose 44 percent, beating both the market's and the company's expectations.


Sun Capital putting Anchor on block (TheDeal.com)

TheDeal.com - The Boca Raton, Fla., venture capital firm hopes to get  #36;210 million or more for the teenage apparel retailer.


Mac Skeptic: Are Hackers Now Gunning for the Mac? (PC World)

PC World - Macs still have fewer bugs than Windows PCs, but Apple moves to plug security holes before problems crop up.


Halo 2 leaked

AGENTS FOR Microsoft are investigating how its forthcoming Halo 2 game was pirated and distributed on the Internet nearly a month before it hit the shops.


Privacy Eroding, Bit by Bit and Byte

Cheap computers, blazing fast networks and clever engineers are finding more ways to keep tabs on where you go and what you buy, even what you'll do next.
-The Washington Post


John Kerry Hits Midwest States (AP)

AP - John Kerry's telling voters that President Bush's record on jobs and taxes have helped special interests, not their interests, as he launches the final stretch of his presidential campaign with running mate John Edwards.


Google's New Tool Brings Search Home

Google Inc. released free software Thursday that lets people search the Web and their personal computers for information simultaneously.
-The Washington Post


Digene Settles Patent Dispute Over HPV Test

The company's HPV DNA test is used in conjunction with the better-known Pap test to screen for cervical cancer and its precursors in women 30 years of age and older.
-The Washington Post


FCC Approves New Broadband Hookups

Supporters say the new technology, which uses electric power lines, could become a major alternative to cable modem and phone connections if FCC approval helps it attract  participation of major utility companies.


U.S. Raids Hit Iraq's Falluja at Start of Ramadan

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes bombed targets in Iraq's  rebel-held city of Falluja Friday, marking a violent start to  the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.


Poland to Reduce Number of Troops in Iraq

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland said Friday it plans to reduce  the number of its troops in Iraq from early next year and will  not remain there "an hour longer than is sensible."


X-Prize for world's 'Holy Grails'

\A series of X-Prizes for breakthroughs in science or technology that solve the world's greatest challenges are planned.


Salmond in fishing policy demand

Alex Salmond is to deliver a petition calling on the UK to withdraw from the Common Fisheries Policy.


Antibiotic hope for Parkinson's

\An antibiotic used to treat leprosy and tuberculosis is showing promise as a therapy for Parkinson's disease.


Hopes of malaria vaccine by 2010

Scientists say they have developed an effective vaccine against malaria that could be ready in six years.


Dancer's retrial begins in Vegas

An Irish woman convicted of murdering her millionaire boyfriend returns to court in Las Vegas.


Warne breaks Test wickets record

Tributes flow in for Australian Shane Warne after he becomes Test cricket's most prolific wicket-taker.


US probes flu jab 'price scams'

The US health secretary asks local officials to investigate reports of companies raising prices to exploit a flu vaccine shortage.


Refugees storm Beijing consulate

A group of 20 people, thought to be North Koreans, force their way into the South Korean consulate in Beijing.


UN mulls Syria-Lebanon resolution

France and the US draw up a UN resolution aimed at getting Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon.


Select few 'can identify liars'

Scientists believe a select group of people can spot when someone is lying.


John Lennon killer 'wanted fame'

John Lennon's killer Mark Chapman talks about his reasons for shooting the former Beatle in 1980.


Brazil Making Progress on Software Export Drive

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's drive to increase  computer software exports is beginning to show results and the  government expects the sector to sell about \$400 million abroad  this year, four times what it exported in 2001.


Toll put at 7,000 in 1995 massacre

Bosnia-Herzegovina BANJA LUKA -- Bosnian Serb forces killed more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica, a Bosnian Serb commission conceded yesterday in its final report on the 1995 massacre. Bosnian Muslim officials claim that up to 8,000 men and boys were killed at Srebrenica in July 1995, when Serb troops overran the UN-declared safe zone in Europe's worst ...


Israel drops threat to limit Muslims at shrine

JERUSALEM -- Israel will not limit the number of Muslim worshipers at a hotly disputed Jerusalem site during the holy month of Ramadan, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided yesterday, backing away from a threat to restrict access.


Pakistani forces attack kidnappers

CHAGMALAI, Pakistan -- Pakistani special forces attacked kidnappers holding two Chinese engineers near the Afghan border yesterday, killing all five of the Al Qaeda-linked militants, who were followers of a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner. One of the hostages was killed in the raid, while the other survived.


Cambodia names a new king

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Prince Norodom Sihamoni was named Cambodia's new king yesterday, succeeding his father, Norodom Sihanouk, who stunned the country last week by announcing his abdication because of ill health.


Protesters decry Gaza withdrawal

JERUSALEM -- Thousands of Israelis demonstrated across the country yesterday against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and a small part of the West Bank, hours after Sharon declared the pullout would begin in June.


Saudi professes his innocence

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- A Saudi-American released after being held by the US military for three years in solitary confinement without charge said in an interview broadcast yesterday that he cooperated with his jailers, calling himself ''an innocent man. quot;


Brazilians Battle Indians: 'This Land Is Our Land'

White settlers are using the judicial system to try to evict Indians from parts of a reservation in the Amazon.


Nobels Bring Prestige to Calif. Colleges

GOLETA, Calif. - The University of California system is amassing Nobel Prizes at campuses once noted more for beer bashes and odd mascots than academic excellence...


Vote Counting Begins in Afghan Election

KABUL, Afghanistan - Interim leader Hamid Karzai took an early lead as vote counting began in Afghanistan's landmark presidential election, after allegations of ballot-box stuffing, voter intimidation and multiple voting forced five days of delay.    The tally was halted Friday so the 1,000 Afghans on the counting staff could have the day off to celebrate the start of Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month...


Federal Deficit Surges to Record \$413B

WASHINGTON - Democrats are blaming President Bush for the record 2004 federal deficit of \$413 billion, but Republicans say the figure shows that the economic and budget pictures are brightening.    The Treasury Department announced the figure Thursday, two weeks after the government's 2004 budget year ended and just 19 days from an Election Day in which Bush's economic and fiscal performance are pivotal issues...


Crowds Gather for Zimbabwe Opposition Chief Verdict (Reuters)

Reuters - Scores of supporters of Zimbabwe's\opposition leader gathered outside the high court on Friday to\hear the verdict in his treason trial, which could see him\sentenced to death.


Opel workers stage work stoppages in protest against job cuts (AFP)

AFP - Production was halted at the Bochum factory of troubled German car maker Opel as workers laid down tools for the second day in a row in protest against plans by the group's US parent, General Motors, to axe thousands of jobs and possibly even close a plant after 2006.


Mac Skeptic: Are Hackers Now Gunning for the Mac?

Macs still have fewer bugs than Windows PCs, but Apple moves to plug security holes before problems crop up.


NBA Considering Taking Games to China (Reuters)

Reuters - The NBA is considering playing some of\its regular season games in China, commissioner David Stern\said Friday.


NBA Considering Taking Games to China

BEIJING (Reuters) - The NBA is considering playing some of  its regular season games in China, commissioner David Stern  said Friday.


Els Takes Care of Drummond at Wentworth

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Defending champion  Ernie Els completed a 2-and-1 victory over Briton Scott  Drummond when the rain-delayed World Match Play Championship  first round resumed at Wentworth Friday.


Level best

The last two coaches Patriots owner Bob Kraft hired -- Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick -- are arguably the most successful football coaches in America right now.


Johnny on the spot

It has never just been about the hair. Certainly Johnny Damon's long, flowing locks with auburn highlights, which have left women suffering from Clairol envy, have come to symbolize the carefree ways of the Red Sox. Yet the self-professed leader of this  quot;bunch of idiots quot; would not have enjoyed the same impact in the clubhouse had he not also submitted ...


Moose mania

GREENVILLE, Maine -- Winter is not far away beyond the peaks of these northern hills, and at an outdoor community gathering here Monday, where PTO volunteers grill the hot dogs and kids press their hands around steaming cups of cocoa, that inevitability comes in the form of 20-knot gusts off Moosehead Lake.


No Game 5 start for Schilling

That could be all, folks. Barring a last-minute breakthrough, Curt Schilling may have thrown his last pitch in trying to help the Red Sox end their 86-year championship famine.


Williams's time to shine

Bernie Williams isn't sure just what comes over him every year when the leaves change and the air turns crisp, or why he tends to pop out of a box score whenever the Yankees are playing prime-time ballgames for rings.


Hernandez will put up dukes

Orlando Hernandez , who hasn't pitched in more than two weeks, will start Game 4 tomorrow night for the Yankees against Tim Wakefield .  quot;Experience, quot; said manager Joe Torre , who bypassed Javier Vazquez to go with El Duque, who has pitched in four World Series and has a 4-1 record in League Championship Series.


Arroyo plans an inside job

Take notice Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Gary Sheffield: If you crowd the plate, you are going to hear a symphony of chin music. Or worse, you could get hit with a 90-mile-per-hour fastball in tonight's Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park.


Brown feels fortunate to have a hand in series

Thirty-two pitches. That's a couple innings for most pitchers -- or two lengthy Johnny Damon at-bats. It amounted to Kevin Brown's entire body of work against the Red Sox Sept. 26. It was not a pretty sight.


Rainy-day plan for Fenway ticket-holders

With forecasters predicting heavy rain, the Red Sox said tonight's game would be made up Monday if it can't be played tonight. Tickets for tonight's game, marked either  quot;Home Game #1 quot; or  quot;Friday, October 15 quot; would be good for Monday's game, which likely would be scheduled to start at 5:10 p.m.


Cardinals go back-to-back

The Houston Astros return home for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series tomorrow with ace pitchers Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt ready to go against the St. Louis Cardinals.


Looking to change it up

The handwritten message on a chalkboard in the Red Sox clubhouse yesterday said it all:  quot;We can change history. Believe it. quot;


Dillon still hobbled by sore foot

Corey Dillon didn't practice for the second straight day because of a sore right foot. His status is questionable for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. How questionable?


But seriously folks

Being at home isn't what you think in the NFL. Heading into the weekend, 10 teams remain undefeated at home, but we're only talking two or three games. Let the season play out, but don't be surprised if that figure is less than what it was a year ago (four unbeatens at home).


The NFL is in a league of its own

You need to be involved in a fantasy football league? Why? The real stuff provides enough drama without making things up.


Another step along the way

The unofficial exhibition season disclaimer for defending champions and lottery teams alike reads as follows:


Hurricanes whip up a win

The Louisville Cardinals drew a flag for excessive celebration in the second quarter, and another in the third. Against Miami, the displays of jubilation were premature.


Bentley comes home just ahead of NE-10 crowd

The Northeast-10 Conference race is entering the final third of the season, and the four teams atop the standings are separated by just a half-game.


Key college games on TV

NOTRE DAME (4-2) vs. NAVY (5-0) > When, where: Tomorrow, noon, at East Rutherford, N.J. TV, radio: Channels 4, 12; WJDA (1300). AP rankings: Neither team is ranked. Last season: Notre Dame won, 27-24. Comments: Notre Dame and Navy play for the 78th consecutive year, making it the longest continuous intersectional rivalry in the country. The Irish hold a 67-9-1 ...


Rain puts crimp on match play

US Open champion Retief Goosen was the only winner on a rainy opening day of the World Match Play Championship at Virginia Water, England, yesterday, beating Jeff Maggert over 36 holes by a record 12 and 11.


Spotlight shines on quarterbacks

They couldn't be more different. One is the prototype quarterback, seemingly built using the create-a-player function from a video game, standing tall in the pocket and firing laser beams across the field.


Today's schedule

Pro baseball: AL Championship Series -- New York Yankees vs. Red Sox (Game 3) at Fenway Park, 8 p.m.


Split seasons a matter of making accommodation

In a perfect racing world, Suffolk Downs management would like to see the return of a thoroughbred circuit between the East Boston oval and Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H., only on a smaller scale. However, current realities would appear to make that impossible.


Mild Seven Renault F1 Team Preview, Brazilian Grand Prix

The official Mild Seven Renault F1 Team preview of the Brazilian GP, round 18 of the 2004 F1 season.


Bob Bell analyses a 'challenging but successful' season

Ahead of the final race of the season, the Renault F1 Team Technical Director sat down to give his verdict on 2004 and the team's performance.


News: U.S. Air Traffic Control Found Vulnerable

In the wake of last month's air traffic communications failure, investigators report that computer security issues haunt the FAA's most critical systems.\


Faulty Sensors May Explain Capsule Crash

The crash of a capsule last month was likely to have been caused by a design flaw that led to the sensors that were to deploy the capsule's parachutes being pointed in the wrong direction, a NASA investigatory panel reported.


Washington Considers Purchasing Flu Vaccine

The government is considering making commitments to buy a certain number of flu shots each year to help bolster supplies and avoid severe shortages like the current one.


Ex-British Ambassador Plans Legal Action (AP)

AP - A British ambassador removed from his post after he criticized Uzbekistan's human rights record said Friday he planned to take legal action against the government over damage to his health.


Bioshield Effort Is Inadequate, a Study Says

Experts say the Bioshield program will not be adequate to create new vaccines and drugs to protect the nation against either a biological attack or a natural epidemic.


Thais look to sky for hope

THE Thai military turned to the power of origami yesterday in its attempt to bring peace to the countrys restive south. Air force planes dropped 100 million paper birds over the area, where fighting between


Australian court convicts drug addict of murdering Stuttle (AFP)

AFP - A drug addicted-drifter was found guilty by a Supreme Court jury of murdering a teenage English backpacker by throwing her from a bridge after robbing her of her handbag.


Egypt frees alleged spy in Israel deal

Egypt yesterday freed an Israeli Arab businessman, convicted of spying, in exchange for Israel #39;s release of six Egyptian students.


A Tribute to Spam, the Meat

A trip to Spamtown USA to check out a museum celebrating the canned pork product reminds us how Spam made an impact on world cuisine long before its name became synonymous with unwanted e-mail. Michelle Delio reports from Austin, Minnesota.


Expo Tries to Whet Geek Appetites

New laptops, games and even Google applications share the spotlight at DigitalLife2004, a show designed to tempt consumers to pry open their wallets. Michael Myser reports from New York.


It's Time for Reality Porn

Gina Lynn wonders why cosmetic surgery has become so commonplace and suggests that it's time for a change.


Broadband: More Power to You

Federal regulators adopt rules aimed at enticing utilities to offer internet service over power lines. But experts say it'll be several years before many people will get broadband from their electrical outlets. Michael Grebb reports from Washington.


Our Kids Are in Big Trouble

Government is using technology to burden their future -- and it's all our fault. By Lawrence Lessig from Wired magazine.


E-Vote Snafu in Florida

A server crashes, disrupting the pre-election test of electronic voting machines in West Palm Beach. Critics say this underscores the unreliability of e-voting, while election officials say all glitches will be fixed.


German Stocks Decline; Munich Re, Allianz Pace Drop by Insurers

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer yesterday sued Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos., alleging the world #39;s largest insurance broker took payoffs to steer clients to some insurers.


Be open to reform, business groups told

Too many business interests are clinging to a failed status quo and resisting necessary governance reforms, the government #39;s top securities regulator said yesterday.


iTunes sales reach 150 million

Apple has sold over 150 million songs through its iTunes Music Store, the company announced last night. iTunes users are now downloading more than 4 million songs per week, a rate of over 200 million songs per year.


New bug in open source database MySQL

Users of the open-source MySQL database could be at risk from remote attacks from a bug in phpMyAdmin, the web-based MySQL administration tool.


Manchester United Shares Drop Amid Report That Talks Have Ended

Shares of Manchester United Plc, the world #39;s most profitable sports franchise, dropped as much as 6.8 percent after newspaper reports said takeover talks collapsed between US billionaire


US Raids Hit Iraq #39;s Falluja at Start of Ramadan

US warplanes bombed targets in Iraq #39;s rebel-held city of Falluja Friday, marking a violent start to the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.


US launches Fallujah offensive

US forces haved launched air and ground attacks against insurgents in Fallujah, about 40 miles west of Baghdad. The military says  quot;precision strikes quot; are being used.


Pakistan hunts kidnappers #39; leader

Pakistan has vowed to track down the leader of a kidnap group in South Waziristan after one of two Chinese hostages died in a rescue attempt.


Israel: no limits on Al Aqsa Mosque

Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Israel will set no limit to the number of Muslim worshippers entering the Al Aqsa Mosque during Ramadam, which begins today.


Sportsview: NFL Plays Bad Cop Vs. Plummer (AP)

AP - The National Football League wanted to package its tribute to Pat Tillman much the same way it's planning the next halftime show at the Super Bowl. Nice, neat and orderly, with no surprises.


Shaq Should Help Heat Perimeter Players (AP)

AP - Shaquille O'Neal will never be mistaken for a great shooter. His percentage annually ranks among the NBA's leaders, but only because his success rate is fueled by a steady stream of dunks.


LPGA: Park Feels at Home in the Desert (AP)

AP - Although the Southern California desert is a long way  #151; and drastically different  #151; from her native South Korea, Grace Park feels at home among the sand and the cacti.


NFL Game Summary - Carolina at New Orleans

Goings caught six passes for 46 yards for Carolina, which leads the all-time series 10-9...Darren Howard finished with two sacks for the Saints, who have failed to hold any opponent to under 20 points this season...Mike Rucker added a sack and Will


Intel shelves plans for 4GHz Pentium 4

Intel has confirmed it will not release a 4GHz version of its flagship Pentium 4 product. Instead it will transfer its engineers to the company #39;s new design priorities.


Coventry will buy First Health for \$1.8 billion

First Health Group, which manages health-care benefits for employers and unions and which has struggled lately, will be acquired by Coventry Health Care in a \$1.


Peregrine ex-auditor enters plea

Daniel F. Stulac, the former outside auditor for San Diego #39;s Peregrine Systems, has pleaded innocent to fraud charges detailed in a federal indictment issued last week.


Spawn of X Prize on Horizon

So Burt Rutan #39;s SpaceShipOne has grabbed the \$10 million Ansari X Prize. What #39;s next for Peter Diamandis and the organization he started in the mid- #39;90s to promote development of private spaceships?


Cards #39; power leaves Astros all wet

ST. LOUIS -- The battle between the Houston Astros #39; unheralded Pete Munro and the St. Louis Cardinals #39; Matt Morris was a surprising push.


Determined Davenport reclaims world number one spot

American second seed Lindsay Davenport became the WTA #39;s new world No. 1 following her 6-4, 6-2 win over Dinara Safina of Russia in the second round of the \$2.


Strong temblor sways buildings in Taiwan capital

TAIPEI, Taiwan - A strong earthquake rocked Taiwan #39;s capital during the lunch rush today, shaking tall buildings for about a minute.


Karzai leads but 99 of votes to be counted

With 99 percent of the votes still to be counted in Afghanistan #39;s presidential election, incumbent Hamid Karzai had taken a lead that many observers expect him to retain right to the end of a marathon count.


U.S. Economy Questions Paralyze Dollar (Reuters)

Reuters - The dollar steadied broadly on Friday\after a swelling U.S. trade deficit and steep oil prices pushed\it lower in the previous session, as investors awaited new data\about the U.S. economy.


Polish PM Pledges Iraq Troop Cuts, Strong Economy (Reuters)

Reuters - Prime Minister Marek Belka promised to\reduce Poland's military presence in Iraq from early 2005 and\maintain buoyant economic growth if he wins a confidence vote\in his minority cabinet Friday.


U.S. Economy Questions Paralyze Dollar

LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar steadied broadly on Friday  after a swelling U.S. trade deficit and steep oil prices pushed  it lower in the previous session, as investors awaited new data  about the U.S. economy.


Oil, Economic Growth Worry Investors

LONDON (Reuters) - Questions about the sustainability of  global economic growth held many markets hostage Friday as  crude oil prices bumped close to \$55 a barrel and investors  awaited a raft of U.S. data.


Oil Dips But Near \$55 on Winter Anxiety

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Friday, but still  within sight of the \$55-mark as traders feared time was running  out to top up low heating oil supplies before winter.


UK Judge: Enron Bankers Can Face U.S. Trial

LONDON (Reuters) - A British judge said Friday that he saw  no reason why three former British bankers could not face trial  in the United States over alleged fraud charges involving Enron  executives.


Zimbabwe Court Acquits Tsvangirai of Treason

HARARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's High Court Friday  acquitted opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on charges of  plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe, saying the  state had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.


Bankers facing Enron extradition

A judge rules that three UK bankers can be extradited to the US to face fraud charges related to a deal with Enron.


'Militant' killed in Gaza strike

Israel carries out an air raid on the northern part of the Gaza Strip, killing a Palestinian near the Jabaliya refugee camp.


Decision due on 500,000 new homes

A decision is due to be taken on whether 500,000 new home should be built in eastern England.


Israel Winds Down Gaza Military Operation

Several thousand Israeli settlers and supporters demonstrate, during a rally against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s planned pullout and evacuation of Gaza Strip Jewish settlements, near Sharon #39;s residence, in Jerusalem, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004.


Google Desktop Search Has Arrived

Google has finally announced Google Desktop Search, a search application that enables users to search their email, files, web history, and chats.


Broadband: More Power to You

WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators on Thursday adopted rules aimed at tempting electric utilities to offer broadband services -- a move officials hope will someday enable US consumers to jack in to the web from virtually any power outlet.


Corel Corporation acquires Jasc Software

Corel Corporation has expanded its software portfolio with the acquisition of Jasc Software, which produces the Paint Shop family of image editing and digital photography programs.


Dell targets iPod mini

Dell introduced two new music players yesterday, aiming to take a chunk from Apple #39;s iPod market share. Marketed under the Dell DJ (Digital Jukebox) line of digital music players, one - the


The future face of identity checking

After signatures, fingerprints and iris recognition, 3-D face maps encoded onto ID cards and passports are unveiled today. The ground-breaking system of recording biometric information could be the key to our security.


Reports say talks with Irish duo have collapsed

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Manchester United, the most well-known soccer club in the world, is expected Friday to make a statement on the status of its takeover approach, the BBC reported, as speculation grows that Malcolm Glazer #39;s talks with its largest


Rossi takes provisional pole in Australia

PHILLIP ISLAND - Italian Valentino Rossi, closing in on a fourth consecutive premier race world title, grabbed provisional pole after initial qualifying at the Australian MotoGP earlier today.


Al Fayed asking 110M for Fulham

Turkish-Cypriot brothers Halil and Husnu Falyali insist their bid to takeover Fulham is still on. The deal could be worth 100 million and the Falyalis insist negotiations are continuing, despite denials from the London club.


Man City v Chelsea

Chelsea full-back Wayne Bridge could return to the team after being out with a calf injury since 19 September. Celestine Babayaro (hamstring) could also feature in the squad along with Mateja Kezman (groin).


Martin will cut schedule

Mark Martin joined the growing list of longtime drivers easing their way out of NASCAR, announcing Thursday that the 2005 season will be his last as a full-time racer.


Greenpeace Calls For Stepped Up Action to Protect Iraqis from <b>...</b>

WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (OneWorld) The environmental group Greenpeace has echoed a call by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to permit the UN watchdog to return in force to Iraq to track nuclear-related materials looted after the 2003 US-led


Defence ; NATO, Russia Vow To Boost Anti-Terror Cooperation

The talks, on the second day of informal ministerial talks in a Romanian ski resort, were given focus by the school massacre in Beslan in September, which left as many as 350 people, most of them children, dead.


Saturn probe may reveal key to life

A space probe headed for Saturn #39;s largest moon, Titan, is nearing the end of its two billion mile journey, reports Nic Fleming.


Searching files on PC easier

The Mountain View company unveiled the free technology Thursday that allows users to simultaneously scan the Web and their computer hard drives for documents, e-mail, instant messages and the sites they #39;ve visited in the past.


Delta sees wider third-quarter loss

Delta Air Lines Inc. expects to report a much wider loss for the third quarter due to one-time charges, higher oil prices and a decline in its domestic passenger-mile yield, the airline said Friday.


Wachovia Profit Rises 14 Percent

Wachovia Corp. (WB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 5 US bank, on Friday said third-quarter profit rose 14 percent, helped by increased lending to consumers and a decline in bad loans.


UK bankers may face US trial over Enron

Three British ex-bankers are to appeal a decision by a judge that they could be extradited to the United States to face trial over alleged fraud charges relating to disgraced energy group Enron.


Govt may slash duty on petrol, diesel

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) may consider slashing customs duty on petrol and diesel from 15 per cent to 10 per cent besides exempting kerosene and LPG from excise levy as part of efforts to spare consumers from the impact


S amp;P 500 Futures Rise on Stronger-Than-Expected Retail Sales

Futures on the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 Index rose after a government report showed retail sales rose more than forecast last month.


Airbus to seek one billion euros in state loans

PARIS : European aircraft maker Airbus aims to apply for loans worth up to one billion euros (1.24 billion dollars) from European states for its new A350 airplane program, chief executive Noel Forgeard was quoted as saying in the Financial Times.


Intel not to make 4-Gigahertz version of Pentium 4 PC processor

The world #39;s No. 1 chipmaker Intel says that it will not make the 4-gigahertz version of its Pentium 4 PC processor. Intel will release another chip that has fewer gigahertz.


FCC approves broadband over power line rules

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way for power companies to roll out broadband over power line service by approving a set of rules designed to limit interference to other radio frequency devices.


IPods an eye-opener for industry

Apple Computer #39;s iTunes Music Store sold its 150 millionth song on Thursday, another key milestone in the Cupertino firm #39;s push to stay ahead of digital music rivals like Microsoft and Dell.


Microsoft investigates game code theft

Microsoft is investigating the recent on-line release of a pirated copy of the forthcoming Xbox Halo 2 game, warning that downloading the code, or making it available for download, will be treated as theft.


Online music pirates will be collared within days

Trade association The British Phonographic Association (BPI) which last week vowed to bring 28 illegal music uploaders to justice, has secured a High Court action to force the internet service providers to come up with the identities of the alleged


IBM Fleshes Out Power5 Line

IBM (Quote, Chart) upped the ante against rivals HP (Quote, Chart) and Sun Microsystems (Quote, Chart) in the server market by adding three new machines based on its Power5 processor, two of which can run 254 virtual servers on a single machine.


Microsoft gets a fashion makeover

com October 15, 2004, 5:11 AM PT. Wood paneling and chrome made your dad #39;s station wagon look like a million bucks, and they might also be just the ticket for Microsoft #39;s fledgling


UK scientists bring hydrogen cars closer

British scientists have used nanotechnology to trap and store hydrogen gas for a new generation of fuel cell car engines, they report today.


A da Vinci Project Update for Canadian Town

Canadian rocketeers hoping to launch a privately built spacecraft from the small Saskatchewan town of Kindersley met with community officials Thursday, updating residents on the missions progress and reaffirming their intent to fly.


Drummond enjoys Wentworth Els test

Shropshire #39;s Scott Drummond believes he will learn from the experience of going head-to-head with world number two Ernie Els, despite seeing his HSBC World Matchplay dreams end this morning.


Sunny weather, a Sunny-like Sehwag, shining Shane

And Virender Sehwag too was expected to pour runs, that is. But he too was unusually Sunny, er, Sunil Gavaskar-like as the Indians quite methodically moved up to 197 for 3 with Sehwag carving out a fine century


Kobe #39;s New Role: Villain

Now he is the Big Victim. For so long, we thought of Shaquille O #39;Neal as the Big Monster. But it turns out the monster was his former sidekick, Kobe Bryant, according to Phil Jackson #39;s new book.


Saha back for Man United

Striker Louis Saha returns to the Manchester United squad for Saturday #39;s game at Birmingham City to give manager Alex Ferguson the choice of four front-line strikers for the first time this season.


England sticks with Beckham as captain

David Beckham lurches from one crisis to another. Michael Owen projects a squeaky clean image. The country which invented soccer should have no problem deciding who #39;s the best choice to captain England #39;s national team.


Fulham Football Club star ban reduced

Fulham Football Club striker Andy Cole has had his six-match suspension reduced to four games. The former Manchester United man was handed a three-match ban and a 10,000 fine on top of his original three


York site has several advantages

It should come as no surprise that York University picked up the stadium project ball after the University of Toronto dropped it. It has been apparent the Argos and the Canadian Soccer Association would be


Brazil Making Progress on Software Export Drive (Reuters)

Reuters - Brazil's drive to increase\computer software exports is beginning to show results and the\government expects the sector to sell about  #36;400 million abroad\this year, four times what it exported in 2001.


Oil import prices fuel 7 jump in US trade deficit

THE US trade deficit widened in August to its second-highest level on record, fuelled by the highest oil import prices in 23 years and record imports from China.


Update 7: Crude Oil Hugs Milestone \$55 Mark

Crude oil futures stayed within range of the \$55 milestone Friday, a day after a decline in the US inventory of heating oil roiled a market already on edge over tight supplies, high demand and unrest among key producers.


UK Enron Bankers Can Be Extradited to the US, Court Rules

Three British bankers can be extradited to the US to face fraud charges related to former energy trader Enron Corp., a London court ruled.


Govt decides not to raise oil prices

New Delhi: The Indian government decided on Friday not to increase retail prices of petroleum products despite global crude oil prices reaching record highs, Petroleum and natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said.


Netflix stock drops on anticipation of Amazon competition

Shares of mail-order DVD rental company Netflix plunged Thursday after it warned that it was slashing its subscription price in anticipation of Amazon.


Health Management Cuts 4Q Outlook

Health Management Associates Inc., which operates acute care hospitals in rural areas, lowered profit guidance Friday for the fourth-quarter and fiscal year, citing outages and service disruptions related to Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne.


UCLA Wins Men's Water Polo Championship (AP)

AP - Logan Powell scored with 13 seconds remaining in the second overtime Sunday to lift UCLA to the NCAA championship with a 10-9 victory over Stanford.


Web coming to electrical outlets

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Electric companies may soon join the fray of providing Internet services after regulators cleared the way for utility companies to offer broadband services through electrical outlets, according to a report published Friday.


United fans seek safety net

Manchester United fans have called on the club #39;s major sponsors to help ring-fence shares to stave off further takeover threats.


Bundesliga matches, Oct 16-17

VfB Stuttgart coach Matthias Sammer hosts his former charges Borussia Dortmund on Saturday and believes Kevin Kuranyi will be back to inflict further pain on the visitors.


Wachovia reports boost in 3rd-quarter profits

CHARLOTTE, NC - Financial services firm Wachovia Corp. said Friday that third-quarter earnings increased as declining retail brokerage activity was offset by higher revenue in wealth management and investment banking segments.


Intel puts brakes on plan for faster chip

San Jose - In the latest change to its product lineup, Intel Corporation on Thursday shelved its plans to release a 4-Gigahertz (Ghz) computer microprocessor, saying it would rely on approaches other than faster clock speed to improve the performance of


Langer ousts Singh in World Match Play

Bernhard Langer beat Vijay Singh on the first extra hole Friday to knock the world #39;s top-ranked player out of the World Match Play Championship in the first round.


Australian Warne Sets Cricket Mark; India Leads by 56 (Update4)

Australia spinner Shane Warne became the top wicket-taker in Test cricket on day two of the second match against India, as Virender Sehwag #39;s seventh Test century helped the home side reach 291-6 to take a 56-run lead.


Silence is best, Eriksson tells sorry Beckham

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says captain David Beckham should have kept quiet about his decision to deliberately pick up a yellow card against Wales.


Gregan agrees Wallabies contract

Australia captain George Gregan is set to sign a new three-year contract to take him through to the 2007 World Cup. Sydney #39;s Daily Telegraph newspaper claimed the 31-year-old scrum-half is ready to put pen to paper on the deal.


Christopher Lee Becoming a Video Game Wizard (Reuters)

Reuters - Christopher Lee says he\does not own a computer or a mobile phone. But that hasn't\prevented the veteran British actor from starring in some of\the most successful and accomplished marriages of narrative and\computer-generated artistry that ever entertained an audience.


2nd UPDATE: Hutchison Telecom Debut Pales Vs China Power

HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd. #39;s (2332.HK) debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Friday paled in comparison to China Power International


A step towards pollution-free cars

Scientists have made a world-first discovery which is a step towards using environmentally-friendly hydrogen to power our cars. A team from the Universities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Liverpool in the UK, who


Murray State favorite to win OVC

Losing ten players usually means a rebuilding year. Not at Murray State. Despite the loss, the Racers were picked as the pre-season favorite to win the Ohio Valley Conference.


Strong quake rocks north-east Taiwan

A strong earthquake in the Pacific Ocean off Taiwan has rocked the island #39;s north-east, damaging buildings and injuring several people, according to officials.


Sharon Orders Redeployment of Israeli Troops In Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has ordered a redeployment of Israeli troops, away from densely populated areas of the northern Gaza Strip.


Indonesia Files Terrorism Charges Against Cleric Bashir

Indonesian prosecutors filed terrorism charges on Friday against cleric Abu Bakar Bashir that could bring to trial within two weeks the accused leader


Outspoken UK ambassador to Uzbekistan sacked

ISN SECURITY WATCH (15/10/04) - The former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, has been sacked in what he says is the governments response to his open criticism of the use of British intelligence gained by the torture of prisoners by Uzbek


Sarah reveals tape of Prince Harry #39;s cheating  #39;confession #39;:

World News: London, Oct 15 : Sarah Forsyth, the sacked Eton teacher who alleged that she had helped Prince Harry cheat while he was taking his A-Levels, has now produced a tape of Prince Harry, which she says will substantiate her charge.


Another Turkish Driver Beheaded in Iraq

Turkish driver Ramazan Elbu was decapitated in recent incidents in Iraq yesterday that led to over 30 deaths. In a video cassette issued on a website belonging to an illegal organization called the Ansar Al


Australian man jailed for UK backpacker murder

An Australian drifter was today jailed for life for murdering the British backpacker Caroline Stuttle in 2002 by throwing her off a bridge after stealing her handbag.


UK chemists seek hydrogen store

Hydrogen has zero greenhouse emissions when  quot;burned quot; in the novel car engines now under development - but being a gas it is expensive to compress or liquefy.


Net File-Sharing Doesn't Hurt Most Artists - Survey (Reuters)

Reuters - Most musicians and artists say the\Internet has helped them make more money from their work\despite online file-trading services that allow users to copy\songs and other material for free, according to a study\released on Sunday.


Exabyte slashes media costs

Storage Expo Hopes to cut losses through cheaper tapes


Intel shift over need for speed

Intel has dropped plans for 4GHz version of its flagship Pentium 4 chip, making a shift in approach.


Spooky psychic thriller spot on

Psi-Ops' mix of futuristic military adventure and spooky psychic undertones has much to offer.


Digital Home to Set Off Next Big Electronics Wave

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Mention "home networking" to most  people and few would imagine the routers, access points and  wireless connections that in a few years could become an  indispensable part of millions of home entertainment systems.


Redskins Top Giants, Break Losing Streak (AP)

AP - Stop the game and have a parade  #151; the Washington Redskins finally scored 20 points. The historic moment occurred with 41 seconds left in the first half of Sunday's rout of the New York Giants, when tight end Robert Royal went to the ground to cradle Patrick Ramsey's 9-yard pass. Royal's first career touchdown gave the Redskins a 21-0 lead on the way to a 31-7 victory.


Border Security Measures to Tighten

Tighter security measures designed to stop suspected terrorists, sexual predators and other types of criminals at the nation's borders will begin next month, federal officials announced Thursday.


Netflix Anticipates Amazon DVD-Rental Service

Shares of mail-order DVD rental company Netflix Inc. plunged Thursday after it warned that it was slashing its subscription price in anticipation of Amazon.com Inc. entering an already crowded market.


New Propulsion System Could Make Trip to Mars in 90 Days

A new means of propelling spacecraft being developed at the University of Washington could dramatically cut the time needed for astronauts to travel to and from Mars and could make humans a permanent fixture in space.


Google expands search to desktop (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - In a move that beats competitors Yahoo, Microsoft, America Online and AskJeeves to the starting gate, Internet search giant Google on Thursday unveiled a program enhancement that searches Web pages plus e-mails, pictures, music and other documents on your hard drive.


Sprint to Cut 700 Jobs (Reuters)

Reuters - Sprint Corp. , said on Friday\it plans to reduce by up to 700 jobs in its business solutions\unit as it realigns its business to focus on wireless and\Internet-based telecommunications offerings.


IBM tops off Power 5-based server line (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Targeting Unix archrivals Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems, IBM on Friday topped off the high end of its Power 5-based line of iSeries and pSeries servers, rolling out three systems all capable of hosting as many as 250 virtual servers on a single machine.


THE SWAGGER IS BACK (SiliconValley.com)

SiliconValley.com - "I'm back," declared Apple Computer's Steve Jobs on Thursday morning in his first public appearance before reporters since cancer surgery in late July.


Retail Sales Up 1.5 Pct., Fueled by Autos (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. retail sales rose by an\unexpectedly large 1.5 percent in September, propelled by the\sharpest jump in auto sales in nearly three years, according to\a government report on Friday that bodes well for economic\growth in the third quarter.


Producer Prices Up 0.1 Pct, Energy Drops (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. producer prices edged up just\0.1 percent in September, held back by a big energy-price drop,\but the cost of non-energy items picked up steam, a government\report showed on Friday.


Delta Air Lines Sees Loss Mushrooming (Reuters)

Reuters - Delta Air Lines Inc.  on Friday\forecast a much wider third-quarter loss than Wall Street had\estimated because of weak domestic fares and a spike in fuel\costs, driven by record-high oil prices.


German Court Frees Nazi War Crimes Suspect (AP)

AP - A court ordered an 86-year-old man accused of Nazi war crimes in Slovakia freed from custody Friday after a key witness said he could no longer clearly remember what happened.


Gangsters Torch Cars in Haiti Capital (AP)

AP - Young gangsters rampaged through the heart of the Haitian capital, torching cars and firing in the air in what many people feared was a prelude to more violence.


Wachovia Plans Technology Park in Alabama (AP)

AP - Wachovia Corp. is planning a  #36;400 million data center in Birmingham that will anchor a 337-acre technology park.


Head of Troubled Japanese Retailer Resigns (AP)

AP - The president of troubled retailer Daiei announced his resignation Friday, two days after he was forced by lenders to seek a government bailout.


Blue Chips Seen Higher After Retail Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures jumped on Friday,  pointing to a firm market open, after a government report  showed U.S. September retail sales rose higher-than-expected.


Woman believed to be 1st to walk around Australia strides back to hometown (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - A 36-year-old businesswoman was believed to be the first woman to walk around Australia on Friday after striding into her hometown of Melbourne to complete her 16,700-kilometre trek in 365 days.


Producer Prices Up 0.1 Pct, Energy Drops

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. producer prices edged up just  0.1 percent in September, held back by a big energy-price drop,  but the cost of non-energy items picked up steam, a government  report showed on Friday.


Delta Air Lines Sees Loss Mushrooming

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL.N on Friday  forecast a much wider third-quarter loss than Wall Street had  estimated because of weak domestic fares and a spike in fuel  costs, driven by record-high oil prices.


Oil Holds Near \$55 on Winter Fuel Anxiety

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held strong on Friday not far  below the \$55-a-barrel mark as traders worried time is running  out to top up low heating oil inventories before winter.


'Ranked-Choice Voting' Debuts in Calif. (AP)

AP - In a change that could give new meaning to direct democracy, San Franciscans will soon cast ballots listing their first, second and third-place choices for municipal offices under a new "ranked-choice voting" system that would eliminate separate run-off elections.


Chargers Edge Broncos, 20-17 (AP)

AP - The Chargers  #151; yes, the Chargers  #151; took firm control of the AFC West by hanging on to beat the Denver Broncos 20-17 in a wild one on Sunday. LaDainian Tomlinson ran for two touchdowns and San Diego's defense saved the day by intercepting Jake Plummer four times, including in the end zone in the closing minutes.


Before-the-Bell: Multimedia Games Drops

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Multimedia Games Inc.  MGAM.O fell 19.5 percent before the bell Friday a day after  the developer of games for casinos said it will post  unexpectedly weak fourth-quarter and full-year results.


Airbus Raises Delivery Target for 2004

PARIS (Reuters) - Planemaker Airbus said on Friday it had  raised its expected deliveries target for 2004 to as many as  320 planes and might tap up to 1 billion euros (\$1.24 billion)  in controversial government loans to build a new model.


Arch Coal Profit Off, But Coal Sales Up

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Arch Coal Inc. ACI.N, the  second-largest U.S. coal producer, said on Friday that  third-quarter profit fell slightly as rail disruptions and  hurricane-related work delays affected mining operations.


Shoppers Spring Back to Life in September

Shoppers rediscovered their buying groove last month, propelling sales at the nation's retailers by a strong 1.5 percent. It was the best showing since March.


Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Acquitted of Treason

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan  Tsvangirai was acquitted on Friday of plotting to assassinate  President Robert Mugabe and seize power, in a verdict that  provides a major boost for the opposition.


UK bankers face Enron extradition

A judge rules that three UK bankers can be extradited to the US to face fraud charges related to a deal with Enron.


India's Wipro sees profits surge

Wipro, one of India's leading software exporters, reports a 65 jump in profits, driven by European demand and a rise in outsourcing.


Landslide win for Cameroon leader

Cameroon's President Paul Biya is re-elected with 75 of the vote, say officials, with just a results to come.


Wachovia Profit Rises 14 Percent

The No. 5 U.S. bank said third-quarter profit rose 14 percent, helped by increased lending to consumers and a decline in bad loans.


Muslim world celebrates Ramadan

Millions of Muslims across the world begin observing the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.


Muslim suspects in Gujarat freed

Two Muslims charged over the 2002 train attack on Hindu pilgrims that sparked religious riots in Gujarat are freed.


Early Forecast: Flu Season Could be Harsh

By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter    HealthDayNews -- While U.S. health officials say it's too soon to predict the severity of the coming flu season, unofficial accounts indicate it could be relatively harsh...


Cards Top Astros 6-4 to Take 2-0 NLCS Lead

ST. LOUIS - Scott Rolen hit two home runs, combining with Albert Pujols for back-to-back shots in the eighth inning that sent the St...


New Technology Clears Clogged Arteries

Might reduce number of bypass surgeries, study says    HealthDayNews -- A new technique that uses infrared light and radiofrequency energy to clear blocked arteries may reduce the number of patients who need bypass surgery, says a Dutch study in the October issue of the journal Cardiovascular Interventions.    The study found this guidewire system can navigate blocked coronary arteries, burn through dense scar tissue and reestablish blood flow through severely obstructed arteries...


Polls Show Worsening of U.S. Reputation

LONDON - America's reputation around the world is hurting, according to a series of coordinated polls published Friday from 10 countries, including many of the United States' closest allies.    In eight of the countries where the surveys commissioned by major newspapers were conducted, more people said their view of America had worsened in the past two to three years than improved...


Karzai Takes Early Lead in Afghan Count

KABUL, Afghanistan - Interim leader Hamid Karzai took an early lead as vote counting began in Afghanistan's landmark presidential election, after allegations of ballot-box stuffing, voter intimidation and multiple voting forced five days of delay.    The tally was halted Friday so the 1,000 Afghans on the counting staff could have the day off to celebrate the start of Ramadan, the Islamic fasting month...


Sinus Infections Crop Up in Autumn

Fall marks start of more than cold and flu season    HealthDayNews -- Not only is fall the start of the cold and flu season, it's also the time of year when sinus infections become more common.    "The cooler, dry weather associated with the fall allergy season will cause an increase in the frequency and severity of sinus infections and sinus headaches, especially in seasonal allergy sufferers...


Americans Able to Buy Cheaper Medicines in Canada

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration opposes commercial prescription imports, arguing that it can't vouch for their safety. But individuals can buy a three month supply of medicine if they have a U.S. prescription.


Cheneys Mad After Kerry Mentions Daughter

WASHINGTON - Mary Cheney typically works quietly behind the scenes on her father's vice presidential campaign, but she was dragged front-and-center after John Kerry noted that she is a lesbian during his debate with President Bush.    Her parents were furious at Kerry...


AP: Memo Warned About Medicare Cards

WASHINGTON - A day before the first presidential debate, the government's health policy watchdog raised concerns that early mailings to seniors about the new Medicare prescription discount cards championed by President Bush were confusing or inadequate.   "We found that these beneficiaries received very little mail from drug card sponsors that would enable them to make an informed choice among cards," the Health and Human Services Department inspector general wrote in the Sept...


New Vaginal Gel May Protect Women From HIV

By LAURAN NEERGAARD    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A chemical specially designed to thwart how the AIDS virus invades during sex offers scientists a new lead in the long quest for a vaginal gel that women could apply to protect themselves when men don't use a condom.    The experimental drug isn't ready for human testing yet, but it provided potent protection to female monkeys exposed to large amounts of an AIDS virus, researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science...


Stocks Are Set to Open Slightly Higher

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are seen slightly higher at the open but a swathe of economic data is likely to influence overall sentiment and direction...


Microsoft: The reality behind the image

CNET News.com's Charles Cooper explains why the company remains wildly successful despite a string of mediocre product launches.


How it works

California - Currently compatible only with the Windows operating system, Google #39;s new 400-kilobyte desktop program requires about 10 minutes to download on a dial-up connection and takes some five or six hours to index a computer #39;s hard drive.


September Retail Sales Up by 1.5 Percent

Shoppers got their buying groove back last month, propelling sales at the nation #39;s retailers by a strong 1.5 percent. It was the best showing since March.


Chip sales boost Samsung by 46

SAMSUNG Electronicss quarterly profit jumped 46 per cent from a year ago on strong memory chip sales, but fell 14 per cent from the previous quarter as prices of flat screens for TV and computers fell.


Morning Briefing

Automakers #39; rich incentives last month might have helped retail sales rebound from a disappointing August. A Commerce Department report out this morning is expected to show that sales at US retailers rose


Before the Bell--Marsh and La Jolla drop, Delta gains

Shares of Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. Inc. (MMC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 6 percent before the bell Friday, extending their slide a day after the insurance broker was targeted in a fraud suit by New York #39;s attorney general.


Govt not to raise fuel prices

quot;The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has decided today that prices of all petroleum products will be held at the same level, quot; said Mani Shankar Aiyar, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister.


Soyuz in orbit bound for ISS

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan: A Russian-US crew blasted off from here Thursday bound for the International Space Station where they will spend six months conducting experiments including work on the search for an AIDS vaccine.


FCC Approves BPL Despite Interference Concerns

goosman writes  quot;The ARRL is reporting that the FCC has approved revised Part 15 (unlicensed services) rules to specifically regulate the deployment of broadband over power line (BPL) technology.


IBM launches 64-way Power5 Unix servers

Without a question, the  quot;Regatta quot; family of Power4 and Power4 servers put IBM Corp #39;s Unix business in high gear. Just as Unix leaders Sun Microsystems Inc and Hewlett-Packard Co were struggling with product


Archos unveils 20GB iPod Mini-sized player

French media player maker Archos has launched what may the world #39;s smallest 20GB hard drive-based music player. The Gmini XS200 measures just 7.6 x 5.9 x 1.9cm and weighs 120g.


The Home PC, Perfected

Three times is a charm, and never is this truer than with Microsoft products. With its brand new Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 operating system, Microsoft may have unleashed the perfect OS for a home PC.


Els trails Cabrera at Wentworth

Ernie Els went into lunch one-down against Angel Cabrera in the quarter-finals of the World Match Play at Wentworth on Friday. The world number two went as much as three-up by the sixth but was hauled back


MOTOGP NEWS Rossi feels pressure to clinch crown.

Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau will go head to head in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, and they began the battle by dominating the first qualifying session at Phillip Island this afternoon.


Judgement day looms for Button

Jenson Button #39;s Formula One future should be decided on Saturday at a hearing that will also determine several other drivers #39; hopes of racing next year.


Cardinals make it two straight without an ace

Sure, the Cardinals had hoped erstwhile right-hander Matt Morris would be all that he could be on Thursday night at Busch Stadium.


England sitting pretty

England ended the latest round of World Cup qualfiers sitting pretty and well on course for Germany in 2006 - sadly not the same can be said for Wales and Scotland, two countries in turmoil.


OCTOBER DEADLINE FOR BRITISH GP

The British Racing Drivers Club have set a deadline of the end of October to save the British Grand Prix. The Silverstone race is on the provisional calendar but the BRDC are still to agree staging rights with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.


BUTTON TO DISCOVER FUTURE

Jenson Button will tomorrow discover whether he is allowed to quit BAR and move to Williams for 2005. The Englishman has signed contracts with both teams but prefers a switch to Williams, where he began his Formula One career in 2000.


Three Americans killed, one missing and presumed dead in Green <b>...</b>

(Baghdad, Iraq-AP) Oct. 15, 2004 - The US military now says three Americans were killed and a fourth is missing and presumed dead from an attack on Baghdad #39;s heavily-fortified Green Zone.


Karzai Takes Early Lead in Afghan Count

Interim leader Hamid Karzai took an early lead as vote counting began in Afghanistan #39;s landmark presidential election, after allegations of ballot-box stuffing, voter


New Cambodian King Asks for Guidance

Cambodia #39;s new king, Norodom Sihamoni, said in his first message to his kingdom Friday that he would stay out of politics, and asked for guidance and understanding while he learns his new role.


Aristide supporters rampage in Haiti

YOUNG gangsters torched cars, fired in the air and terrorised people not far from the presidential palace as violence flared in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.


Photo 2 of 2: Microsoft's fashion makeover

Wood paneling and chrome dominate one of two sample designs for a new style of Media Center PC, commissioned by Microsoft's eHome division from One   Co.


Photo 1 of 2: Microsoft's fashion makeover


Microsoft gets a fashion makeover

Design specialists dream up Media Center PCs that look more like furniture.


Forensic experts track printer fingerprints

Counterfeiters who make \$10 bills on printers could find the cops on their trail if tracking techniques pan out.


Sharp adds hard disk to its Linux PDA

Sharp Corp. has added a hard-disk drive to its latest Zaurus PDA (personal digital assistant), and is considering selling the Linux operating system-based device abroad, the company said Friday.


China Pledges Stable Economic, Yuan Policies (Update1)

China #39;s government said it would continue measures to slow economic growth and reaffirmed its commitment to a stable yuan policy as the nation #39;s leaders wrapped up their annual meeting in Beijing.


HP could make more of Compaq acquisition, CEO says

TAIPEI, TAIWAN -- More than two years after completing its buyout of rival Compaq Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has not done enough to take full advantage of the acquisition, according to HP's chairman and chief executive officer (CEO).


IBM tops off Power 5-based server line

Targeting Unix archrivals Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems, IBM on Friday topped off the high end of its Power 5-based line of iSeries and pSeries servers, rolling out three systems all capable of hosting as many as 250 virtual servers on a single machine.


Potential downside of the US dollar

One often wonders what makes the US dollar a dominant currency in the world economy. The general perception is that the strength of a currency in the market place is a reflection of the inherent strength of the economy it represents.


New Google Tool Expands on Core Technology

Google Inc. (GOOG)'s long-awaited expansion of its search tools from the Internet to individual computers takes advantage of the company's core technology as well as a weakness in Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s Windows operating system.


Intel Scratches Plans for 4-Gigahertz Pentium

By MATTHEW FORDAHL    SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- In the latest change to its product lineup, Intel Corp...


Air Canada forecasts Q3 operating income of \$235M, up from \$17M

MONTREAL (CP) - Air Canada #39;s parent company is forecasting third-quarter operating income of \$235 million, up from \$17 million a year ago, for the formerly insolvent airline.


Goosen sets record at rainy Match Play

US Open champion Retief Goosen was the only winner on a rainy opening day of the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth on Thursday, beating Jeff Maggert by a record 12 and 11.


Bashir faces new terrorism indictment

The Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir will be indicted on charges of terrorism after Indonesian prosecutors today passed their file on the extremist leader to a Jakarta court.


FCC Ruling Brings Broadband to the Power Lines\\The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)  has given the OK for US based utilities to provide broadband over power lines in a move which the FCC hopes will increase the availability of high-speed broadband access and increase competition. This will add electric companies ...


Biologists Worried Over Alien Fish in U.S. (AP)

AP - A fish known for its voracious appetite and ability to wreak havoc on freshwater ecosystems was found in Chicago's Burnham Harbor, alarming state biologists.


A da Vinci Project Update for Canadian Town (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Canadian rocketeers hoping\to launch a privately built spacecraft from the small Saskatchewan town of\Kindersley met with community officials Thursday, updating residents on the\mission's progress and reaffirming their intent to fly.


Mars Reconsidered: New Data Raises Fresh Questions (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming -- There is mounting evidence of the role of water \in Mars' evolution. That fact appears to have been favorable to the \development of life -- and the leftover calling card of past biology may be \preserved in that world's geologic record.


U.K. Judge: Bankers May Be Extradited (AP)

AP - A judge ruled Friday that three British bankers indicted in the United States on Enron-linked fraud charges could be extradited to stand trial in Texas.


Pratt Union to vote on contract proposal

(WTNH, Dec. 4, 2004 10:40 PM) _ The Machinists Union at Pratt and Whitney is set to vote on whether to accept the latest contract proposal and whether to strike.


Heating oil report jolts prices

A decline in the nation #39;s inventory of heating oil catapulted crude futures prices toward \$55 a barrel yesterday, providing the latest jolt to a market already


Shoppers Spring Back to Life in September

Shoppers got their buying groove back last month, propelling sales at the nation #39;s retailers by a strong 1.5 percent. It was the best showing since March.


Samsung Electric Quarterly Profit Up

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. #39;s (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) quarterly profit jumped 46 percent from a year ago on strong memory chip earnings, but fell


Britons Face US Trial over Enron Fraud

Three British bankers accused of a multi-million pound fraud involving Enron officials should be tried in the United States, a court ruled today.


Court yet to rule on US Airways pay cut

Bankrupt US Airways received approval yesterday to use \$745 million in cash over the next three months, but a US Bankruptcy Court judge gave lawyers


Jasc acquisitionm - Corel #39;s come-back sign

Corel has acquired Jasc Software, developer of the Windows-only Paint Shop family of products. Discussing the move, Corel calls the acquisition:  quot;A crucial part of its ongoing growth strategy.


Before-The-Bell: Netflix, Delta Drop

Shares of Netflix Inc. (NFLX) plunged 40.2 percent before the bell Friday, the morning after the online DVD rental company said it would charge a lower subscription fee as of Nov. 1. On


Expedition 10 Rockets to Station

Astronaut Leroy Chiao and Cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:06 pm EDT Wednesday, right on time.


Intel shift over need for speed

The world #39;s largest chip maker, Intel, is changing its approach to making faster computer microprocessors. It has dropped plans to release a four gigahertz version of its flagship Pentium 4 chip.


Microsoft loses its Halo 2

Microsoft has confirmed that a pirated copy of Halo 2 for Xbox in the PAL video format and French language started circulating on the Internet late Wednesday night.


Report: Four sentenced to jail in China for porn

Four Chinese men have been sentenced to up to two and a half years in jail as punishment for operating a pornographic Web site, the country #39;s official English-language newspaper reported Friday.


Langer Holds Off Singh to Advance in World Match Play Golf

Bernhard Langer, who captained Europe #39;s Ryder Cup team to last month #39;s surprise victory against the US, eliminated world No.


Report: Argos settle on York U site

The Toronto Argonauts are set to announce York University as the location of their new stadium, according to several published reports.


Bryant accuser publicly identifies herself in civil lawsuit

Under orders from a federal judge, the woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape identified herself by name Thursday in a revised version of the lawsuit she filed against the NBA star two months ago.


The woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape -- whose name has been widely published on the Internet despite her efforts to remain anonymous -- identified herself by name in a revised version of the lawsuit she filed against the NBA star


Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Found Innocent of Treason (Update5)

Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe #39;s opposition and the strongest ever challenger to the 24-year rule of President Robert Mugabe, was found not guilty of treason by the country #39;s High Court.


#39;Militant #39; killed in Gaza strike

Israel has carried out an air raid on the northern part of the Gaza Strip, killing a Palestinian near the Jabaliya refugee camp. The Israeli army said the dead man was one of a group of militants who tried to approach its positions.


#39;Foreign Office Trumped Up False Claims #39; - Dropped Ambassador

Britains former ambassador to Uzbekistan has accused the Foreign Office of trumping up false allegations in an attempt to force him from his post.


National Foods Valuation A\$6.11-A\$6.65/Share -2-

MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Stepping up its takeover defense from predator New Zealand Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd. (FCO.YY), Australian dairy target National Foods Ltd.


Is that a Media Center PC--or an end table?

Design specialists dream up the unexpected to help Microsoft get a foothold in the living room.


Industrial Production Inches Up in Sept. (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. industrial output inched up a\less-than-expected 0.1 percent in September, suppressed in part\by hurricanes that hit the United States that month, the\Federal Reserve said on Friday.


Dollar Falls Broadly vs. Major Currencies

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell broadly against major  currencies on Friday in a technically-driven session, as  traders ignored a generally positive batch of U.S. economic  data and sold the greenback.


Goldcorp Agrees to Buy Wheaton River

Canadian mining company Goldcorp Inc. (G.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (GG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) plans to buy competitor Wheaton River Minerals Ltd (WRM.


Pfizer Hikes Warning on Bextra Skin Risk

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. PFE.N on Friday said two  clinical trials showed patients taking its anti-inflammatory  drug Bextra had a higher risk of cardiovascular events during  high-risk coronary bypass surgery.


Global Markets: Worries Grip Investors

LONDON (Reuters) - New U.S. economic data on Friday did  little to answer questions about the sustainability of global  economic growth, offering a mixed picture that left markets in  a generally bearish pattern.


US agrees to Halliburton inquiry

The US government will set up an inquiry into Iraq contracts given to Halliburton, the former firm of Vice President Dick Cheney.


China pressures Putin on pipeline

The Russian president continues his visit to China, amid frustration over failure to agree a new oil pipeline.


September Retail Sales Up by 1.5 Percent

The rise in retail sales was the best showing since March. Also, producer prices rose 0.1 percent in September.


Using Keyword Selection Guidelines To Improve Website Conversion Rates\\I've been under pressure lately to come up with more articles on organic search engine optimization with regards to how an effective keyword strategy can improve website conversion rates. Well, here is my take on it, based on the Web analytics evidence ...


Free Google search for PC desktops

Google has released a free search tool which sits on the PC desktop and can search its host computer for virtually anything. Launched on Thursday, it blends a search of hard-drive files, emails, recently visited


Is Sirius a Rule Breaker?

It #39;s like nails on a chalkboard. It #39;s like housing a headache before jumping on a jackhammer. Wondering if lowly Sirius Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) is about to change the world hurts.


Eyetech To Get Modest Lift From Macugen

Credit Suisse First Boston maintained a  quot;neutral quot; rating and \$43 target price on Eyetech (nasdaq: EYET - news - people ). News that the Retaane product from competitor Alcon (nyse: ACL - news - people ) missed


Rules OK #39;d for broadband on power lines

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved rules for transmitting broadband communications signals over electric power lines, clearing the way for the expansion of high-speed Internet access through home electrical outlets.


Cards reel  #39;em in

When Saul Bellow wrote More Die Of Heartbreak, he wasn #39;t thinking of the Houston Astros and their fans. For the second consecutive game, the St.


'e-Junk' Recycling Still in Its Infancy (AP)

AP - When Office Depot, Inc. stores ran an electronics recycling drive last summer that accepted everything from cell phones to televisions, some stores were overwhelmed by the amount of e-trash they received.


Els Pegged Back by Cabrera, Harrington Sparkles

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Defending champion  Ernie Els trailed Argentina's Angel Cabrera by one hole at the  halfway point of their quarter-final match in the World Match  Play Championship at Wentworth Friday.


Eagles Pummel Packers, 47-17 (AP)

AP - Donovan McNabb threw a career-high five touchdown passes in the first half and finished with a team-record 464 yards passing, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 47-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.


US Sept. PPI up 0.1, core rate up 0.3

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Prices of US wholesale goods and services rose 0.1 percent in September, the Labor Department said Friday. The core producer price index, which excludes volatile food and energy goods, rose 0.3 percent.


Pfizer Increases Warning on Bextra Skin Risk

Pfizer Inc. on Friday said two clinical trials showed patients taking its anti-inflammatory drug Bextra had a higher risk of cardiovascular events during high-risk coronary bypass surgery.


Bankers lose US extradition fight

A TEAM of NatWest investment bankers, the  #39;Enron Three #39;, today lost their fight to avoid extradition to the United States to stand trial on fraud charges.


Sprint to Cut Jobs, Sees Non-Cash Charge

Sprint Corp. (FON.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it plans to cut up to 700 jobs as it realigns its business to focus on wireless and Internet services and takes a non-cash network impairment charge.


Arch Coal 3Q Profit Falls Slightly

Coal producer Arch Coal Inc. on Friday posted a slightly lower third-quarter profit that missed Wall Street targets, hurt by rail transportation problems exacerbated by the recent hurricanes.


Big Blue launches little storage box

The comments, from IBM Ireland pSeries  amp; Storage products manager Michael Coyle, came after the global launch of the firm #39;s new TotalStorage DS6000 and DS8000 series this week.


Vince ready to play ball and be happy #39;

It #39;s been quiet around Vince Carter for the last two weeks: He #39;s been going about his business of getting into shape, learning a new coach, a new system and a couple of new teammates.


Baasyir to face formal terror trial

Indonesian prosecutors on Friday formally charged Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir with ordering his followers to launch a suicide attack on the JW Marriott hotel in Jakarta in August last year.


U.S. Consumer Sentiment in Surprise Fall (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. consumer sentiment fell more\sharply in early October than analysts had expected, according\to a survey released on Friday.


Bush, Kerry skirt thorny Taiwan question in polls run-up (AFP)

AFP - President George W. Bush and rival John Kerry have conveniently avoided public debate on Taiwan ahead of the November 2 presidential vote but analysts expect differences on the core issue in difficult US-China relations.


Playing the Float (Forbes.com)

Forbes.com - Houseboats(the Dutch word is woonboot) are a tradition in Amsterdam. The canals that ring the city in tight concentric circles are lined with 3,000 of them, moored to centuries-old stone quays. The vast majority never leave their moorings. Locals live on them. But 35 of them are rented out, overnight or by the week, through small rental agencies or via the Internet.


The Fool's Look Ahead

It's going to be a value meal of earnings with the burger and soda giants posting quarterly results.


Eminem Satellite Radio Debut

Controversial hip-hop rapper Eminem will launch his widely expected satellite music radio channel called Shade 45 on Oct. 28 with a live broadcast of a concert from New York, the Sirius network said on Thursday.


Government not to raise fuel prices

New Delhi, October 15 :The Government on Friday decided not to increase petrol and diesel prices this fortnight.  quot;The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has decided that prices of all petroleum products will be held at the same level.


#39;Black Tuesday #39; leaves Windows admins blue

Forget the Monday morning blues. For Windows administrators, the second Tuesday of the month has become the day to dread. That #39;s the day when Microsoft releases its monthly package of patches.


Man Utd deny receiving firm takeover bid

MANCHESTER, Oct 15 (SW) - Following the recent speculation over a potential takeover bid issued by US tycoon Malcolm Glazer, Manchester United have announced they have yet to receive a firm offer.


#39;Warne #39;s glory short-lived #39;

Colombo - Sri Lanka #39;s World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga on Friday congratulated his old foe Shane Warne on becoming the world #39;s highest Test wicket-taker, but predicted his glory will be short-lived.


Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Found Innocent

Zimbabwe #39;s Movement For Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai enters the High Court for his treason trial in Harare, Friday, Oct. 15, 2004.


Israel launches air strike on Jabaliya

Early Friday, Israels air forces launched a deadly air strike at four Palestinian fighters in Jabaliya, killing two and critically wounding a third, witnesses said.


Polish vote of confidence looms

WARSAW Struggling with high unemployment and opposition here to the war in Iraq, Poland #39;s minority leftist government, led by Marek Belka, on Thursday was trying to head off defeat in a vote of confidence by making last- minute deals to stay in power


Pakistan Parliament Allows President Musharraf to Remain Army <b>...</b>

Pakistan #39;s lawmaking National Assembly has passed a bill to allow dictator Pervez Musharraf to stay on as chief of the military.


Marsh  amp; McLennan suspends  #39;market services agreements #39;

NEW YORK -- Marsh  amp; McLennan Companies Inc. announced Friday that it was suspending its practice of using  quot;market services agreements quot; with insurance carriers.


Oil Holds Near \$55 on Winter Fuel Anxiety

Oil prices held strong on Friday not far below the \$55-a-barrel mark as traders worried time is running out to top up low heating oil inventories before winter.


Malignant Tax-Payers

Almost a year has passed since the then-Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky was jailed. Meanwhile, the oil giant he founded is about to lose its core asset, Yuganskneftegaz, that produces 60 per cent of all its oil.


Greenspan: US Can Weather Oil Cost Rise

Record oil prices are unlikely to inflict the economic pain they did in the 1970s, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Friday, adding that he thought the world could adjust to higher-priced oil.


Apple Stock on Upward Momentum; Analysts Positive

Much of the rise in the company #39;s stock yesterday was due to Apple #39;s outlook for the current holiday quarter. Apple said it expects to post a first-quarter profit of between 39 cents and 42


Samsung enjoys strong profit despite flat phone growth

In spite of a slowdown in cell-phone sales, Samsung Electronics Co. still roared to a 46-percent profit compared with the same period last year.


Nokia: profits slump despite market share recovery

October 15, 2004 4:59 PM GMT (Datamonitor) - Nokia NOK.HE has used the formidable financial muscle it has built up as mobile handset market leader to engage in a vicious price war to build its market share.


Losses at Delta Renew Bankruptcy Speculation

Delta Air Lines, which is struggling to avoid a bankruptcy filing, said today that it expected to lose as much as \$675 million for the third quarter, and that it was burning cash at a steep rate.


Pfizer #39;s Vioxx Problem

NEW YORK - The withdrawal of the arthritis drug Vioxx two weeks ago was a disaster for Merck. But it also put rival Pfizer in a fix.


La Jolla Pharmaceutical Shares Plunge

Shares of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Co. plunged more than 50 percent Friday after the Food and Drug Administration told the drug developer it needs to conduct another study of its lead drug candidate, a lupus treatment called Riquent, prior to approval.


Update 1: Sprint to Cut 700 Jobs, Expects Charge

Sprint Corp., the telecommunications giant, said Friday it will cut 700 jobs in its business solutions division as it stops selling business long distance services outside of package deals.


United to seek more cuts from labor, elsewhere

CHICAGO United Airlines says it will need even more labor cuts than anticipated to get out of bankruptcy. United told a bankruptcy court judge in Chicago today that it intends to start talks with unions next month on a new round of cost savings.


Judge approves US Airways financing deal, delays ruling on pay <b>...</b>

A federal judge is expected to rule today whether US Airways Group Inc. will be permitted to impose a far-reaching 23 percent employee pay cut.


Intel Pulls Plug on 4-Gigahertz Chip

In recent months, Intel delayed several chips and recalled other, defective ones. It overestimated demand, thereby causing an inventory glut.


Week in review: All eyes on iPod

Apple Computer is the undisputed champion of the hard-drive music market, but competitors are gearing up for a shot at the title. The various versions of the iPod account for 92.


Conservationists Claim Victory at CITES

Oct. 15, 2004 - Conservationists claimed victory at a global wildlife trade meeting on Thursday despite warnings that a cash crisis could hamper new hard-won measures to protect endangered species.


Broadband by Power Lines Moves Forward

FCC clears the way for more companies to offer the alternative form of Net access. The US Federal Communications Commission this week cleared the way for power companies to roll out broadband over power line


New IBM servers tout increased performance for enterprise needs

OCTOBER 15, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM today unveiled two high-performance p5 servers in its eServer line. The new servers run Unix or Linux and are aimed at medium to large businesses.


NASA Says Switches May Have Caused Genesis Crash

Problems with switches aboard NASA #39;s Genesis solar probe may have kept its parachute from opening, which led to the craft #39;s crash-landing in the Utah desert, the US space agency said.


PeopleSoft executive Gupta departs

A PeopleSoft executive who oversaw the company #39;s products and its integration with JD Edwards departed from the company this week, a company representative confirmed Friday.


British ISPs must unmask downloaders

update A British court has ordered Internet service providers to identify 28 people who are allegedly downloading music illegally.


ViewPoints: A new reckoning?

In  quot;The Reckoning, quot; his masterful 1986 book on the US auto industry, the journalist David Halberstam criticized the Big Three automakers - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - and their unionized workers for complacency and shortsightedness that he said


Starbucks serves up CD-burning

This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


Muslims Log On to a Cyber Congregation

As Muslims in many parts of the world mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan, streaming feed of the special evening prayers from the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, will be available on the Web in the next few weeks.


India outsourcing firms report surge in hiring

OCTOBER 15, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - In quarterly reports released this week, three big India-based offshore outsourcing companies detailed sharp increases in employee head count, clear evidence of growing demand for offshore services.


New dinosaur fossil dug up to give view of bird-like sleep

A fossil unearthed in China may provide a first look at dinosaurs #39; bird-like sleep. Xu Xing, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Mark Norell, of the American Museum of Natural History, said in a report


Motorola pilots  #39;digital wallet #39; phone trials

Motorola has teamed up with Mastercard to conduct US trials of technology that allows mobile phones to act as  quot;digital wallets quot;.


Report: IT Salaries Show Upward Trend, Outsourcing Overblown

The lid on IT salaries is beginning to lift, and IT specialists should see gains of as much as 10 to 15 percent over the next three years, according to a new IT staff salaries study by the META Group.


NBA title is T-Macs next target

Thats Tracy McGradys answer to questions about whether or not he will look to keep his scoring up despite joining Houston and Yao Ming.


Jennings gets early approval

With the appointment of Ray Jennings as coach, the United Cricket Board of South Africa is hoping to bring about a change in fortune for the national side.


Football takes on added meaning at Navy

Forty years is a long time. It #39;s a long time if you #39;re in the desert with Moses -- by Biblical reckoning, the first man to fail to ask for directions -- and it #39;s a long time


Robinson named England boss

Andy Robinson was handed the England head coach role for four years today and said he was looking forward to trying to retain the rugby World Cup won by predecessor Sir Clive Woodward.


Rossi all revved up

DEJA vu at Phillip Island yesterday left Flying Doctor Valentino Rossi counting the hours to another world title and Australian star Troy Bayliss bouncing along the bitumen.


UPDATE 1-Loeb heading for title as Duval sets pace

Citroen #39;s Sebastien Loeb remained on course to celebrate his first world title after the first leg of the French rally on Friday.


Renegades trying more conventional approach

quot;Well, quot; says Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson, laughing at the question before he even starts answering,  quot;you can #39;t stop people from talking.


Second seed Massu slumps to defeat

VIENNA, Austria -- Olympic champion Nicolas Massu of Chile was beaten 6-4 6-3 by Italian Davide Sanguinetti in the quarter-finals of the CA Trophy.


Report: Israel set to collide with EU

Confidential Israeli report also warns of country becoming a  #39;pariah state #39; like apartheid-era South Africa. Israel could one day become a  quot;pariah state quot; like apartheid-era South Africa.


Karzai leading in Afghanistan elections

Early returns Friday from Afghanistan #39;s first presidential election put incumbent President Hamid Karzai in the lead, the Financial Times reported Friday.


Israel scales back Gaza offensive as Palestinians mark Ramadan

JERUSALEM : Israel scaled back its vast operation in northern Gaza despite the deaths of four more Palestinians as tens of thousands of Muslims joined the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at Jerusalem #39;s Al Aqsa mosque.


Pakistanis Divided on President #39;s Failure to Give Up Military Post

A new bill that would allow Pakistan #39;s president to continue serving as head of the military is generating controversy across the country.


Schroeder to meet European Commission chief

BERLIN - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will have talks next week with incoming European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, a government spokesman said Friday.


Feeling Their Pain

The uphill battle the Red Sox face against the Yankees is nothing new to Boston fans.


Jackson Dunks Bryant

Everybody is used to seeing Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal trade barbs, but Phil Jackson's indictment of Byrant is a stunner.


Greenspan says oil price agony milder than in 1970s

WASHINGTON : Soaring oil prices should inflict less damage on US economic growth and inflation than the 1970s oil shock, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan revealed.


United hopes debt plan will fly

United Airlines reached an agreement with creditors that, if approved, could eliminate \$450 million of debt. The agreement concerns \$600 million in municipal bond debt


Aer Lingus redundancy deadline this evening

Employees at Aer Lingus have until 5pm this afternoon to accept a voluntary redundancy package aimed at slashing the airline #39;s staff numbers by a third.


Intel Puts 4 GHz Processor on Back Burner

Intel began to downplay so-called clock speed of processors within the past year, and other chipmakers followed suit, focusing on other advances such as dual-core, which essentially puts two


FCC Clears Broadband over Power Lines Barriers

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way for Internet access over the same infrastructure that carries electricity to homes and businesses in America.


Investigators Find Preliminary Cause of Genesis Crash

A design flaw in the reentry system of NASA #39;s Genesis space probe has been pinned as the most likely cause behind the spacecraft #39;s wild plunge into the Utah desert last month, investigators said Thursday.


Saudi to fight terrorists with prayers

Saudi Arabia said Friday it has advised the nation #39;s imams they should condemn terrorism and terrorists in prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.


Cards power way to victory

First came the swing, then the launch and then the sound of 52,347 turning Busch Stadium into a deafening caldron. Then, having given the Cardinals an eighth-inning home run that


Racing: Duval in charge as Ford set a flying pace in Corsica

AJACCIO, France : Ford got their Rally of Corsica campaign off to a flying start when Francois Duval and Markko Martin threw down the challenge to world championship leader Sebastien Loeb by leading the way after the day #39;s four specials.