Swatch tax complaint dismissed

US officials dismiss claims of tax evasion levelled at watchmaker Swatch by two former employees.


Small firms struggle as oil soars

Small manufacturers in the UK are struggling in the face of soaring oil prices and higher interest rates, the CBI says.


Microsoft takes down SP2 swappers

Microsoft is stopping people getting hold of a key security update via net-based file- sharing systems.


Symantec Readies Patching Tool

ON IPatch monitors, ensures networked Windows systems are current in midsize businesss.


Panchen Lama Visits Tibet Capital (AP)

AP - The boy chosen by the Chinese government as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama was greeted warmly by dozens of monks when he visited Tibet's most sacred temple, state television reported, giving rare publicity to one of his appearances.


BearingPoint Wins ID Project at TSA

BearingPoint Inc. of McLean won a \$12 million contract from the Transportation Security Administration to begin the third phase in the agency's program to create a standard identification card for U.S. transportation employees.


Government Spending Up Sharply Locally

Federal procurement spending in the Washington area rose last year at its highest rate since the 1980s, according to a study to be released today, creating tens of thousands of jobs and increasing economic growth disproportionately in Northern Virginia.


Expense Issue Draws Mixed Views From Companies

The debate over whether companies should  treat stock options as an expense draws mixed reactions from Washington area businesses, some of which have a lot to lose if the accounting rule changes.


Palestinian Prisoners Launch Hunger Strike

JERUSALEM - More than a thousand Palestinian prisoners went on a hunger strike to press for better conditions, but Israel responded by tightening inmate restrictions, and a Cabinet minister said he wouldn't care if they starved to death.    About 1,600 prisoners struck on Sunday...


Europe and US in aircraft aid row

The European Commission and President George Bush are in a war of words over subsidies given to aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing.


Ex-Chess Champion Fischer to Marry Japanese Woman

TOKYO (Reuters) - In a bold gambit worthy of the chess  champion he once was, Bobby Fischer plans to wed a four-time  Japan great in the hope of avoiding deportation home to the  United States, where he is wanted for breaking sanctions.


Rogue proteins give yeast an edge

Rogue proteins that behave like those linked to vCJD and Alzheimer's can give yeast a survival advantage.


Twins Rally to Beat Indians in 10 Innings (AP)

AP - The Minnesota Twins left Cleveland clinging to first place in the AL Central  #151; and already looking ahead to their next showdown with the surprising Indians.


Doping-Greek Sprint Duo's Hearing Postponed

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and  Katerina Thanou won a two-day reprieve at the Athens Olympics  when a disciplinary hearing investigating their missed drugs  tests was adjourned until Wednesday.


Why cyberscofflaws get off easy

CNET News.com's Declan McCullagh explains why convicted virus and worm authors are more likely to do Club Fed than hard time.


Pakistan still supporting Kashmiri rebels: Indian Home Ministry (AFP)

AFP - Pakistan continues to support Islamic insurgency in Kashmir and will use militant attacks to influence ongoing peace talks with rival India, India's Home Ministry said in its annual report.


Lowe's Second-Quarter Profit Rises (Reuters)

Reuters - Lowe's Cos. (LOW.N), the second-largest\home improvement retailer behind Home Depot Inc. (HD.N), on\Monday said quarterly profit rose, but trailed estimates.


Stocks Seen Little Changed; Oil Weighs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks are seen opening little changed  on Monday as crude prices remain high, but insurers may dip on  worries about their potential liabilities after a hurricane  struck Florida on Friday.


Lowe's Second-Quarter Profit Rises

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos. <LOW.N>, the second-largest  home improvement retailer behind Home Depot Inc. <HD.N>, on  Monday said quarterly profit rose, but trailed estimates.


Oil Prices Hold Near Record

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices simmered near fresh highs  Monday even though early reports of victory for Venezuelan  President Hugo Chavez in a referendum on his rule eased fears  that unrest could upset the country's oil exports.


BA workers approve holiday strike

British Airways workers plan to strike for 24 hours during the August Bank Holiday weekend unless a pay row is settled, the GMB union said.


Doping Probe of Greeks Staggers Toward Farce

ATHENS (Reuters) - A doping probe that has dogged the host  country's Olympic Games staggered toward farce on Monday when a  hearing involving Greece's two top sprinters was postponed  again.


Lowe's 2Q Earnings Higher on Home Market (AP)

AP - Home improvement retailer Lowe's Cos. reported Monday that a robust housing market drove second-quarter earnings higher year-over-year, but results failed to meet Wall Street expectations.


Sri Lanka hit by oil strike

Workers at Sri Lanka's main oil company end a two-day strike, held in protest at government plans to sell more of the company.


Internet calls add foreign accent (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - In the digital age, the next best thing to being there might be this: a French phone number.


FCC mobile spam rule doesn't cover some SMS (MacCentral)

MacCentral - A rule prohibiting mobile-phone spam adopted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) earlier this month doesn't prohibit phone-to-phone text messaging, but FCC officials believe the new rule, combined with a 13-year-old law, should protect U.S. mobile phone customers against unsolicited commercial e-mail.


Ky. Professor Looks to Set Up Telescope (AP)

AP - A University of Kentucky professor is pushing to set up a telescope in Australia that students could use via the Internet.


Survival of software's fittest

Darwin may work in the flat enterprise software market--mergers and acquisitions are expected to increase the clout of leading firms.


Playing the convergence game

Sony and Microsoft confront consumer apathy as they attempt to turn game consoles into multipurpose entertainment gadgets.


Singh Wins Playoff to Seize Third Major Title

KOHLER, Wis. (Reuters) - Fiji's Vijay Singh held his  composure to win the 86th U.S. PGA Championship in a three-way  playoff on Sunday, clinching the third major title of his  career.


Williams Has No Problem Running with Jones

ATHENS (Reuters) - American sprinter Lauryn Williams said  on Monday she would have no problem competing on the same team  as Marion Jones in the Olympic 4x100 meters relay.


Moya Tames Olympic Wind and Enqvist; Dementieva Out

ATHENS (Reuters) - Spanish third seed Carlos Moya tamed a  swirling wind and dogged Swedish opponent Thomas Enqvist to  reach the second round of the Olympic men's singles with a 7-6,  6-7, 9-7 victory Monday.


Britain 'sleepwalking' into big-brother state, watchdog warns (AFP)

AFP - Britain is "sleepwalking into a surveillance society" because of government plans to introduce ID cards and a population register, the nation's information watchdog was quoted as saying.


India urges Bangladesh not to kill stray elephants (Reuters)

Reuters - Authorities in northeast India urged Bangladesh on Monday not to kill about 100 wild elephants that have strayed across the border and gone on a rampage, killing 13 people and injuring dozens more.


Israel Turns Up Heat on Palestinian Hunger Strike

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel declared psychological war on  hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners Monday, saying it would  barbecue meat outside their cells to try to break their will.


Cost Cuts Boost Kmart Quarterly Profit (Reuters)

Reuters - Kmart Holding Corp. (KMRT.O) on Monday\reported its third consecutive quarterly profit as cost cuts\made up for slumping sales, and its cash pile grew to about\ #36;2.6 billion.


Cost Cuts Boost Kmart Quarterly Profit

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kmart Holding Corp. <KMRT.O> on Monday  reported its third consecutive quarterly profit as cost cuts  made up for slumping sales, and its cash pile grew to about  \$2.6 billion.


Wall Street to Open Little Changed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street is seen opening little  changed on Monday as crude prices remain high, but insurers may  dip on worries about their potential liabilities after a  hurricane struck Florida on Friday.


Sysco Profit Rises; Sales Have Slowed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sysco Corp. <SYY.N>, the largest U.S.  distributor of food to restaurants and hospitals, on Monday  said quarterly profit rose as an extra week in the period and  acquisitions helped offset the effects of higher food prices.


Lowe's Profit Rises But Trails Estimates

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos. <LOW.N>, the No. 2 home  improvement retailer behind Home Depot Inc., on Monday reported  an 18 percent increase in second-quarter profit, but results  trailed estimates as sales weakened in June.


Kmart Swings to Second-Quarter Profit (AP)

AP - Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. reported Monday that the company swung to a profit in the second quarter, but same-store sales were still in decline.


Vodafone names former rival as new head of Japanese unit (AFP)

AFP - British mobile phone operator Vodafone said it has brought in an executive from Japanese rival NTT DoCoMo to head up its struggling Japanese unit, Vodafone K.K.


Cheap Windows comes under fire

Microsoft's attempt to win over new users with a cut-down edition of Windows comes in for strong criticism.


Wal-Mart Maintains August Sales Forecast (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT.N) on Monday\maintained its August sales forecast and said demand was\particularly strong in the U.S. Southeast last week as people\stocked up on duct tape, rope and water in preparation for\Hurricane Charley.


Cost Cuts Help Kmart Post Profit


China's Red Flag Linux to focus on enterprise

The company behind China's leading Linux client distribution, Red Flag Software Co. Ltd., is shifting its main focus to its server operating system and enterprise customers, and planning to expand sales overseas, the company's acting president said in an interview on Friday.


Symantec releases patching tool

Security company Symantec Corp. plans to announce the release of a patch management product on Monday that it says will enable small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to stay on top of software vulnerabilities.


Chavez Claims Victory in Referendum on His Rule

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won backing from 58 percent of voters, with 94 percent of electoral rolls counted, in a referendum on whether to recall him.


U.S. Tries to Rebound From Loss in Athens (AP)

AP - Greetings from the Olympic men's basketball tournament, where America is tied for last place with Angola, Australia, New Zealand, China and the defending world champions from Serbia-Montenegro.


Olympian on Briton death charge

An Olympic sailor is charged with the manslaughter of a Briton who died after being hit by a car in Athens.


AccuRev touts software configuration management approach

AccuRev on Monday will release an upgrade to its SCM (software configuration management) package that the company argues offers a superior alternative to file-based SCM systems.


End of the line for HP's Alpha processor

Hewlett-Packard Co. will release the final processor upgrade for its AlphaServer line of Unix servers on Monday.


HP pushes parity for Itanium, PA-RISC servers

At its annual HP World user conference in Chicago this week, Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) will announce a number of enhancements to its HP-UX operating system, designed to narrow the gap between the capabilities of the company's Integrity and HP 9000 servers.


Darfur Displaced Return to 'Live in Fear' of Militia (Reuters)

Reuters - Villagers returning to their\homes in Sudan's Darfur region are living in fear of the Arab\militiamen who initially drove them away, the United Nations\said in a report received by Reuters Monday.


Sudan Trying to Keep Darfur Promises-U.N. (Reuters)

Reuters - Raids by Sudanese forces and Arab\militiamen have worsened a desperate situation in Darfur,\rights groups say, but the United Nations said Khartoum was\making serious efforts to keep pledges to curb the violence.


Darfur Displaced Return to 'Live in Fear' of Militia

KHARTOUM, Sudan (Reuters) - Villagers returning to their  homes in Sudan's Darfur region are living in fear of the Arab  militiamen who initially drove them away, the United Nations  said in a report received by Reuters Monday.


Ex-Chess Champion Fischer to Marry Japanese Woman

TOKYO (Reuters) - In a bold gambit worthy of the chess  champion he once was, Bobby Fischer plans to wed a four-time  Japanese great in the hope of avoiding deportation home to the  United States, where he is wanted for breaking sanctions.


Heiress Nicky Hilton Marries in Vegas

LAS VEGAS - Nicky Hilton, the hotel heiress and socialite, has tied the knot with her beau in a late-night ceremony, according to court filings obtained by The Associated Press.    Hilton, 20, married New York money manager Todd Andrew Meister, 33, at the Las Vegas Wedding Chapel early Sunday, according a Clark County marriage license...


Anarchists' Convention Debates Voting

ATHENS, Ohio - A group of anarchists is taking an unusual step to make its political voice heard - going to the polls.    Anarchists generally pride themselves on their rejection of government and its authority...


Allstate Says Charley Could Hurt Results

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp. <ALL.N>, the No. 2 U.S.  home and auto insurer, on Monday said potential losses stemming  from Hurricane Charley could hurt its current results.


Hungarian central bank cuts key interest rate by half percentage point (AFP)

AFP - The Hungarian central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points from 11.5 percent to 11.0 percent, the bank said in a statement posted on its website.


CompUSA Stores to Sell Gateway PCs (Reuters)

Reuters - Gateway Inc. (GTW.N), the computer\maker that recently shuttered its chain of 188 stores, will\begin selling its desktops at CompUSA Inc.'s outlets later this\week, the two companies said on Monday.


CompUSA Stores to Sell Gateway PCs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Gateway Inc. <GTW.N>, the computer  maker that recently shuttered its chain of 188 stores, will  begin selling its desktops at CompUSA Inc.'s outlets later this  week, the two companies said on Monday.


Lebanese shun mobile phones for a day in protest at high costs (AFP)

AFP - Lebanese mobile phone users were urged to leave their portable telephones at home or switched off in protest at what is considered one of the costliest services in the world.


Forming galaxy cluster captured

The Chandra telescope has seen huge gas clouds in space in the act of merging to form a massive galaxy cluster.


U.S. Embassy in Malaysia Has Anthrax Scare (AP)

AP - Authorities are testing a suspicious powder mailed to the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia to determine whether it is anthrax, officials said Monday after the second such scare at a U.S. mission in Asia within a week.


Suspicious Powder Found at U.S. Embassy in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Reuters) - An envelope containing  suspicious white powder and threats against Americans was  delivered to the U.S. embassy in Malaysia, prompting health  checks on three staff, the embassy and police said Monday.


Megawati Defends Achievements Ahead of Vote

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian President Megawati  Sukarnoputri, trying to maintain momentum in a tight election  battle, said Monday her government had stabilized the economy  and cracked down hard on militants and separatists.


Syrian Rights Activist to Be Released Pending Trial

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - A Syrian court has agreed to release  on bail a prominent rights activist who faces trial on charges  of tarnishing the image of the Arab state by publishing false  information, one of his lawyers said Monday.


Kmart Posts Profit After Cost Cuts

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kmart Holding Corp. <KMRT.O> on Monday  reported its third consecutive quarterly profit despite  slumping sales as it cut jobs and reduced advertising and  discounts, boosting its cash pile to \$2.6 billion.


LifePoint in \$1.1 Billion Province Deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rural hospital operator LifePoint  Hospitals Inc. <LPNT.O> has agreed to acquire rival Province  Healthcare Co. <PRV.N> for \$1.125 billion in cash and stock to  broaden its geographic reach, the companies said on Monday.


Commuter tackles bad train service by starting own railway (AFP)

AFP - Grumbling about trains is part of the way of life, but one commuter has decided to do something about it -- by starting his own railway.


Israel turns up heat on prisoners

Israel launches psychological war against hundreds of Palestinian inmates on hunger strike for better conditions.


Czech Coach Hlinka Dies in Car Accident (AP)

AP - Czech Republic national ice hockey team coach, and former Pittsburgh Penguins coach, Ivan Hlinka died Monday after sustaining serious injuries in a car crash, an official said.


Stocks Set to Open Little Changed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street is set to open little  changed on Monday as crude prices remain near their record  highs, but insurers may slip on worries about their potential  liabilities after a hurricane struck Florida on Friday.


Wherenet adds biz rules to RFID

The first indication that the value of RFID (radio frequency identification) will extend beyond the supply warehouse was shown last week by WhereNet, a provider of wireless location and communications technology.


Oracle readies CRM updates

Oracle Corp. plans to release the latest version of its CRM (customer relationship management) applications within the next two months, as part of an ongoing update of its E-Business Suite.


Grieving families cremate dead after Assam bombing (Reuters)

Reuters - Grieving relatives on Monday cremated victims, mostly women and children, of a separatist bombing in northeastern India, while hundreds of angry people rallied against the rising bloodshed.


Chechnya marks 'special' birthday

The authorities in war-torn Chechnya announce cash gifts for boys born on the slain leader's birthday.


Feedster Includes Kanoodle Ads in RSS Feeds\\Feedster, Inc. today announced the launch of its RSS feed media program. The Company rsquo;s RSS search feeds will soon contain context targeted ads from Kanoodle, Inc., a leading provider of sponsored links for search results and content pages. Alternatively searchers may opt to pay ...


Google IPO Continues Despite Playboy Boob\\Google's IPO ran into another problem last week with investors being allowed to start bidding on the company last Friday. Google rsquo;s founders will appear in an upcoming issue of Playboy magazine which will be on the shelves this Friday. Although the interview was apparently held ...


Greek Sprinters Given Two-Day Reprieve

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and  Katerina Thanou won a two-day reprieve at the Athens Olympics  Monday so they could appear in person at a disciplinary hearing  into their missed drugs tests and protest their innocence.


Sysco Corp.'s 4Q Profit Up 16 Percent

Sysco's fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose 16 percent due to an extra week in the quarter, customer-service initiatives and operating efficiency.


Chvez Is Declared the Winner in Venezuela Referendum

The president won the backing of 58 percent of voters, officials said, but the opposition said that the government had cheated.


Stocks Open Near Flat as Oil Near Record

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened little changed on  Monday as crude prices remain near their record highs, but  early reports of victory for the Venezuelan president in a  referendum on his rule eased fears about the country's oil  exports.


Letter, suspicious powder spark anthrax scare at U.S. Embassy in Malaysia (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Authorities are testing a suspicious powder mailed to the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia to determine whether it's anthrax, officials said Monday. It's the second such scare at a U.S. mission in Asia within a week.


Patriots Sign First-Round Pick Watson (AP)

AP - The New England Patriots signed first-round draft pick Benjamin Watson on Monday, ending the tight end's lengthy holdout.


Indonesia urges debt flexibility

Indonesia calls on the International Monetary Fund to help reschedule its debts, as figures reveal a slowdown in economic growth.


Oil Holds Near Record Level

Oil prices fell 23 cents to \$46.35 a barrel after Venezuelan Hugo Chavez won a recall referendum, appeasing worried energy markets.


Ride This Gem

Amusement park operators have produced volatile results, but this company has stood the test of time.


HP Faces New Realities in a 64-Bit World (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - The company this week will unveil more programs and technologies designed to ease users of its high-end servers onto its Integrity line, which uses Intel's 64-bit Itanium processor.


EU Extends Microsoft-Time Warner Review (AP)

AP - European antitrust regulators said Monday they have extended their review of a deal between Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc. to make anti-piracy software together.


Insurers Begin Tallying Charley Losses (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. insurers on Monday predicted that\Hurricane Charley could be the most costly U.S. storm since\Andrew in 1992, with Florida officials initially estimating\economic losses at  #36;15 billion.


Google Stays on Track Despite Best Efforts

It looks like Google's public stock offering will proceed, no matter how hard the company tries to shoot itself in the foot. Not only that, its unique approach to the IPO game could result in an overhaul of federal securities regulations. -washingtonpost.com


Microsoft lists SP2 conflicts

Software giant releases just which programs are having issues with its Service Pack 2 update for Windows XP.


Chavez Declares Recall Victory; Foes Claim Fraud

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's left-wing  President Hugo Chavez on Monday declared victory in a historic  recall referendum on his rule, but his opponents vowed to  challenge vote results they rejected as a "gigantic fraud."


Singh Wins PGA Championship in Playoff

HAVEN, Wis. - Vijay Singh shot a 4-over 76 to eke into a three-way playoff Sunday, then made his only birdie of the day on the first of three extra holes to beat Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits...


Crews Rush to Hurricane-Ravaged Florida

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Urban rescue teams, insurance adjusters and National Guard troops scattered across Florida Monday to help residents rally from the brunt of Hurricane Charley, the worst storm to hit the state in a dozen years...


Stocks Higher Despite Soaring Oil Prices

NEW YORK - Wall Street shifted higher Monday as bargain hunters shrugged off skyrocketing oil prices and bought shares following an upbeat sales report from Wal-Mart Stores and a bright outlook from Lowe's.    The Dow Jones industrial average was up 84.07, or 0.9 percent, at 9,909.42, after edging 0.1 percent higher last week...


China  Condemns Whistle-Blower

A Communist Party whistle-blower who created a national sensation in China by publicly accusing his superiors of tolerating official corruption has been condemned for breaking party rules and ordered to "do a complete self-examination," authorities announced.


KMart Posts Profit; Cash Pile Grows

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kmart Holding Corp. <KMRT.O> on Monday  reported its third consecutive quarterly profit despite  slumping sales as it cut jobs and reduced advertising and  discounts, boosting its cash pile to \$2.6 billion.


Thomson Buys Test Provider Capstar

TORONTO (Reuters) - Electronic publisher Thomson Corp.  <TOC.TO> said on Monday it will buy test provider Capstar from  Educational Testing Service, the latest in a string of  acquisitions designed to flesh out its product offerings.


Lowe's Reports Increase in Second-Quarter Net Income

Lowe's reported a 17.9 percent increase in net income during its second quarter, but results missed Wall Street expectations.


New tool identifies 'phishy' Web sites

A new software tool from WholeSecurity Inc. can spot fraudulent Web sites used in online cons known as "phishing" scams, according to a statement from the company.


Lowe's Net Trails Views, But Shares Rise

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos. <LOW.N>, the No. 2 home  improvement retailer behind Home Depot Inc., on Monday reported  an 18 percent increase in second-quarter profit, but results  trailed estimates as sales weakened in June.


On the Beastie Boys 'virus' CD

Review Does not attempt world domination, but


Briefly: AOL kicks off free fantasy sports

roundup Plus: HP partners with 3G gear maker...AMD starts shipping 90-nanometer chips...ABC.com to air on Real's SuperPass.


EC puts off decision on Microsoft, Time Warner deal

Regulators could still launch an investigation into the two titans' acquisition of ContentGuard, a digital rights company.


An Olympic Selection of Search Resources

The 2004 Summer Olympics are underway in Athens and the web is home to plenty of information that makes watching the games even more interesting.


KMart Posts Profit; Cash Pile Grows (Reuters)

Reuters - Kmart Holding Corp. (KMRT.O) on Monday\reported its third consecutive quarterly profit despite\slumping sales as it cut jobs and reduced advertising and\discounts, boosting its cash pile to  #36;2.6 billion.


Oil Slips from Record High of \$46.30

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices eased from new record highs  on Monday as victory for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in a  referendum on his rule eased fears that unrest could upset the  country's oil exports.


Stocks Gain as Oil Prices Ease

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks gained on Monday as oil  prices dipped after reports of victory for the Venezuelan  president in a referendum on his rule eased fears about the  country's oil exports.


News: Technology Already Exists to Stabilize Global Warming

Existing technologies could stop the escalation of global warming for 50 years and work on implementing them can begin immediately, according to an analysis by Princeton University scientists.  (Princeton University press release)


News: Future Heat Waves: More Severe, More Frequent, and Longer Lasting

Heat waves in Chicago, Paris, and elsewhere in North America and Europe will become more intense, more frequent, and longer lasting in the 21st century, according to a new modeling study by two scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). (NCAR press release)


News: New Hypoxic Event Found Off Oregon Coast

For the second time in three years, a hypoxic "dead zone" has formed off the central Oregon Coast. It's killing fish, crabs and other marine life and leading researchers to believe that a fundamental change may be taking place in ocean conditions in the northern Pacific Ocean. (Oregon State University press release)


HP invokes Adaptive Enterprise mantra

Hewlett-Packard will detail enhancements to its virtualization products, the HP-UX 11i Unix operating system, and its AlphaServers this week during its HP World 2004 conference in Chicago.


Haas, Cink Join Ryder Cup Team

Jay Haas became the second-oldest player to be on the Ryder Cup team, joining Stewart Cink as the two captain's picks Monday for a U.S. team that will try to regain the cup from Europe next month.


American Aphrodite

Brooklyn-native Yvette Jarvis is an 'every woman' in Greece: professional basketball player, model, TV and talk show star and Athens councilwoman.


Edwards Appears for Hearing

U.S. sprinter Torri Edwards appeared for a hearing on her doping case that will determine whether the reigning 100-meter world champion competes in the Athens Games.


Superstar's uncivil behavior is criminal (Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Tribune - Pop stars are no strangers to bad behavior. Smashed guitars, ruined hotel rooms--such misdeeds often are chuckled over later, written up in the tabloids, perhaps listed on invoices for damage. Not so in Russia, where the public expects its performers to remember that they walk in Tchaikovsky's footsteps.


Canada must help raise profile of development issues in Africa: Goodale (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Canada intends to return to the forefront on African development issues, beginning with a renewed effort at helping the troubled continent grow out of poverty, says Finance Minister Ralph Goodale.


Govt likely to cut oil product duties - official (Reuters)

Reuters - The government is expected to slash customs and excise duties on petroleum products in a bid to control inflation without hurting the profitability of oil firms, an oil industry official said on Monday.


National pharmacare program would reduce hospital waiting lists: McGuinty (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - A national pharmacare program funded by the federal  government would indirectly result in shorter waiting lists, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said Monday.


Losses and Lessons for Bush and Kerry (Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles Times - They lost at politics at an early age. Since then, they've rarely made the same campaign mistakes twice.


Pakistan Military Plays Down 'Terror Summit' Report

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's military Monday played  down a report in the latest edition of Time magazine describing  what it called a "summit of terrorists" held in March in  lawless tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.


Trial on Private Prison in Afghanistan Is Underway

Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema, the American accused of running a free-lance anti-terror operation and private prison in Afghanistan, testified in court Monday that he could prove U.S. and Afghan authorities were fully aware of his actions.


Bush's Withdrawal Plan Could Draw Votes

WASHINGTON - President Bush's plan to call tens of thousands of U.S. troops home from Europe and Asia could gain him election-year applause from military families, but won't ease the strain on soldiers still battling violent factions in Iraq and Afghanistan...


Delegates Urge Al-Sadr to Leave Shrine

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Delegates at Iraq's National Conference called Monday for radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to abandon his uprising against U.S. and Iraqi troops and pull his fighters out of a holy shrine in Najaf...


Phelps to Take on Thorpe in Busy Night

ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps, still smarting after America's upset loss to South Africa in the 400 freestyle relay, returned to the pool Monday and qualified fastest for the Olympic 200-meter butterfly. Phelps' quest to break Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games was dashed with the Americans' bronze medal in the relay Sunday night...


Haas, Cink Selected for Ryder Cup Team

MILWAUKEE - Jay Haas became the second-oldest player to be on the Ryder Cup team, joining Stewart Cink as the two captain's picks Monday for a U.S. team that will try to regain the cup from Europe next month...


Florida Hurricane Death Toll Rises to 17

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Urban rescue teams, insurance adjusters and National Guard troops scattered across Florida Monday to dig out victims of Hurricane Charley and deliver water and other supplies to thousands of people left homeless...


Stocks Sharply Higher on Dip in Oil Prices

NEW YORK - A drop in oil prices and upbeat outlooks from Wal-Mart and Lowe's prompted new bargain-hunting on Wall Street Monday, sending stocks sharply higher. The Dow climbed more than 110 points in morning trading...


How to Hire a Financial Planner (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - You've got a money question, and the guy in the next cubicle hasn't a clue how to answer. You need trustworthy information. But where to start?


Daimler Nets \$900 Mln Via Hyundai Sale

LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler said it raised  more than \$900 million by selling its 10.5 percent stake in  Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. on Monday, a remnant of its dented  ambitions to build a global carmaking empire.


AP: Group Discovers John the Baptist Cave (AP)

AP - Archaeologists said Monday they have found a cave where they believe John the Baptist anointed many of his disciples  #151; a huge cistern with 28 steps leading to an underground pool of water.


Speed Up Saddam's Trial, Allawi Tells Court (Reuters)

Reuters - Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi\urged an Iraqi court Monday to speed up proceedings against\toppled leader Saddam Hussein and his close aides.


The Internet Is Calling

Web phone service is exploding. And maverick Jeffrey Citron lit the industry's fuse


A Stereo with a Brain

You can train Bose's new system to play songs you like. Is it worth the price?


The Sponsor Moves In

The Days, owned by its advertisers, may boost ABC'S bottom line. But will they control content?


South African telephone monopoly to go ahead with lay-offs despite court ban (AFP)

AFP - South African fixed line monopoly Telkom vowed to go ahead with plans to cut 4,000 jobs despite a court injunction forcing the state-run enterprise to seek agreement with the unions.


China Typhoon Death Toll Rises; 40 Missing (AP)

AP - China raised its official death toll from Typhoon Rananim to at least 147 on Monday, as villagers with farm tools dug through massive landslides searching for 40 people still missing.


Speed Up Saddam's Trial, Allawi Tells Court

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi  urged an Iraqi court Monday to speed up proceedings against  toppled leader Saddam Hussein and his close aides.


Singer 'may move to French jail'

French rock star Bertrand Cantat could return home from Lithuania to complete his jail term for killing his lover.


What is this Man Plotting?

A newly revealed summit of terrorists raises fears of a fresh plan to attack the U.S. This bombmaker and pilot could be a key player


Stocks Higher on Oil Price Relief

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks gained on Monday, getting  a boost from lower oil prices after news the Venezuelan  president survived a recall eased fears about the country's oil  exports.


Nanotech Research Spending Seen Reaching  #36;8.6 Bln (Reuters)

Reuters - Worldwide research and\development spending in the emerging field of nanotechnology\should rise about 10 percent this year to  #36;8.6 billion, a\research firm said on Monday.


Kan. to Move Forward on Dinosaur Exhibit (AP)

AP - Concerns about funding and poor attendance will not stop plans to bring a dinosaur exhibit to Science City at Union Station, University of Kansas and Science City officials said.


Nanotech Research Spending Seen Reaching \$8.6 Bln

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Worldwide research and  development spending in the emerging field of nanotechnology  should rise about 10 percent this year to \$8.6 billion, a  research firm said on Monday.


Bombs explode at Nepal luxury hotel, no casualties (Reuters)

Reuters - A man on a bicycle threw at least four bombs into the compound of a luxury hotel in Nepal's capital on Monday but the blasts caused no casualties, authorities said.


AdWatch: Bush Raps Kerry on Intel Reform (AP)

AP - Details of new television ad from President Bush to begin airing Monday:


Is 4Kids 4 Investors?

4Kids Entertainment got karate-chopped last week. Can it get back up off the mat?


Google: Now Playboy's Latest Bunny (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - Investors in the company that's trying to come off as cute as a bunny could find themselves holding a fistful of vipers if the founders of Google Inc. continue to chart their erratic course.


Security expert warns computer hackers keeping up with technology (AFP)

AFP - Computer hackers are keeping up with the times and are putting an increasingly technology-dependent world at risk, the chairman of leading US-based IT security firm McAfee said.


E.U. Extends Review of Anti-Piracy Software Deal

European antitrust regulators said Monday they have extended their review of a deal between Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc. to make anti-piracy software together.


Bicycle Bomber Attacks Nepal Hotel

KATHMANDU, Nepal (Reuters) - A man on a bicycle threw at  least four bombs into the compound of a luxury hotel in Nepal's  capital Monday but the blasts caused no casualties, authorities  said.


Charley Sends Mobile Home Stocks Soaring

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of mobile home manufacturers  soared on Monday on hopes of increased business after the  destruction Hurricane Charley wreaked in Florida over the  weekend, an analyst said.


Windows update causes headaches

Games and security programs are on a long list of software that does not work well with the Windows SP2 update.


Nanotech Research Spending Seen Reaching \$8.6B

Worldwide research and\development spending in the emerging field of nanotechnology\should rise about 10 percent this year to \$8.6 billion, a\research firm said on Monday.


Donkey cart beats out Porsche in Portuguese road race (AFP)

AFP - A donkey cart beat a Porsche in a race held in a northern Portuguese city over the weekend to see which mode of transportation could best handle car congestion.


Sudan army voices opposition to upgrading of African Union mission (AFP)

AFP - The Sudanese army expressed opposition to the upgrading of an African Union protection mission newly arrived in the wartorn western region of Darfur into a full-blown peacekeeping force.


Stocks Higher on Oil Price Relief (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. stocks gained on Monday, getting\a boost from lower oil prices after news the Venezuelan\president survived a recall eased fears about the country's oil\exports.


Intelsat to Be Bought for  #36;5 Billion (Reuters)

Reuters - Intelsat Ltd., the world's\second-largest satellite operator, said on Monday it agreed to\be bought by a consortium of four private equity firms for  #36;5\billion, including assumption of  #36;2 billion of debt.


Intelsat to Be Bought for \$5 Billion

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intelsat Ltd., the world's  second-largest satellite operator, said on Monday it agreed to  be bought by a consortium of four private equity firms for \$5  billion, including assumption of \$2 billion of debt.


Stamps.com Asks You to Picture This

The online postage service offers a chance to put personal pictures on official stamps.


Will Schwab Reward Patience?

The company saw an improvement in its trades, but will this market be kind to the brokerages?


Bacteria Give Coral Its Orange Glow, Study Finds (Reuters)

Reuters - The soft orange glow of a common\Caribbean coral comes not from the coral itself but from\bacteria that live inside it, U.S. scientists said on Thursday.


HP unveils Unix roadmaps

HP World Free Alpha upgrades to stem defections


McAfee grabs Foundstone

The former plans to team up its intrusion prevention technology with the latter's vulnerability management software.


U.N. Official Urges Political Independence (AP)

AP - The United Nations should find ways to demonstrate political independence, regain the neutrality it lost after the Sept. 11 attacks and better communicate with the world's 1 billion Muslims, a top U.N. official said Monday.


Jackson Squares Off With Attorney

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Dozens of Michael Jackson's fans pressed against a chain-link fence outside court Monday, staking out viewing spots hours before the pop star was to arrive to face off against the prosecutor who has pursued him for years on child molestation charges...


AP: Group Discovers John the Baptist Cave

KIBBUTZ TZUBA, Israel - Archaeologists said Monday they have found a cave where they believe John the Baptist anointed many of his disciples - a huge cistern with 28 steps leading to an underground pool of water.    During an exclusive tour of the cave by The Associated Press, archaeologists presented wall carvings they said tell the story of the fiery New Testament preacher, as well as a stone they believe was used for ceremonial foot washing...


Delegates Urge Al-Sadr to Leave Shrine

NAJAF, Iraq - U.S. tanks rolled into the Old City of Najaf toward a holy Shiite shrine where militants were hiding Monday as participants at a national conference voted to send a delegation here to try to negotiate an end to the fighting...


Bush Announces Plan for Troop Realignment

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday announced plans to shift 60,000 to 70,000 U.S. troops who are now stationed in Europe and Asia in one of the largest troop realignments since the end of the Cold War...


'SP2' a Must For XP Users (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - To get an idea of how Windows got to be such a mess, think of it as a house that was built on an island in the middle of a lake, deep in the countryside.


Rough patches for Microsoft's SP2

Windows update doesn't play well with all applications, even Redmond's. Also: CNET Reviews on security work still to be done.


Bryant Defense Wins Ruling

In another setback to the prosecution in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, the court maintains ruling that allows information about the accuser's sex life into court.


Stocks Up, Oil Price Ease Gives Relief

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks climbed on Monday, getting  a boost from lower oil prices after Venezuela's president  declared he had survived a recall referendum, easing fears  about the country's oil exports.


KMart Posts Profit; Cash Hits \$2.6 Bln

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kmart Holdings Corp. KMRT.O on Monday  reported its third consecutive quarterly profit and boosted its  cash pile to \$2.6 billion as it cut spending on advertising and  discounts, sending its stock up 14 percent.


Personal Tech: Cybersecurity

Fast Forward columnist Rob Pegoraro will be online to talk about The Washington Post's special cybersecurity report.


PivX hardens Windows with Qwik-Fix Pro

PivX Solutions, Inc. of Newport Beach, California, on Monday announced the availability of Qwik-Fix Pro, an intrusion prevention software product for Windows machines that disables or modifies features of Microsoft Corp. Windows and the Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser that are frequent targets of malicious computer hackers and virus writers.


No Respite for Microsoft

European antitrust regulators extend their review of Microsoft-Time Warner deal. Also: Gateway plans to sell desktops at CompUSA   hellip;. Vodafone's Japanese unit headhunts an executive from rival NTT DoCoMo   hellip;. and more.


Overland Bullish on Tech

Investors are dumping tech stocks with abandon. As for Overland Storage, it is a buyer.


Plurality of Worlds in the Universe

Did the same Greek philosophers who declared the first truce for Olympic competition have the foresight to imagine a universe not just where many countries could coexist, but also a universe occupied by many such habitable worlds?


CompUSA Agrees to Sell Gateway PCs (PC World)

PC World - Desktop systems will be available in 226 stores across the U.S.


Lowe's Reports 18 Pct. Hike in Profits

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos. LOW.N, the world's No. 2  home improvement retailer, on Monday reported an 18 percent  increase in second-quarter profit and said earnings for the  rest of the year would top current estimates.


Toymakers' Stocks Hit Lows on Downgrade

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of top toy maker Mattel Inc.  MAT.N and rival Hasbro Inc. HAS.N fell to their lowest  levels at least 14 months on Monday after a downgrade by Lehman  Brothers, which cited deteriorating industry conditions.


Microsoft ships updated Works

Version 8 of the low-priced productivity package includes a stand-alone dictionary and a PowerPoint add-on.


Briefly: FaceTime pulls in \$16 million

roundup Plus: Bladed desktop pioneer gets \$25 million...AOL kicks off free fantasy sports...HP partners with 3G gear maker.


Microsoft, Time Warner DRM buy on EU review shelf

Regulators could still launch an investigation into the two titans' acquisition of ContentGuard this month.


Ex-Polaroid exec takes top finance job at 3Com

Donald Halsted, one target of a class-action suit alleging financial improprieties at bankrupt Polaroid, officially becomes CFO.


Intel delays first TV chip

In another setback, the chipmaker says a processor for large-screen projection TVs won't come out this year.


Sybase upgrades PowerBuilder, plots RFID move

Sybase Inc. released a new version of its application development tool on Monday, called PowerBuilder 10, and outlined plans for an upgrade to its database software, Adaptive Server Enterprise, which will go into beta at the end of this month and is due for release next year.


Infocus: Detecting Worms and Abnormal Activities with NetFlow, Part 1

This paper discusses the use of NetFlow, a traffic profile monitoring technology available on many routers, for use in the early detection of worms, spammers, and other abnormal network activity in large enterprise networks and service providers.


Escobedo Keeps U.S. Unbeaten in Boxing (AP)

AP - They washed cars, put up posters and sold T-shirts to raise the money to be here. When it was finally time for Vicente Escobedo to fight, his family and friends welcomed him into the arena by waving his picture and chanting "Chente, Chente."


Chronology of Key Events in Kobe Bryant (AP)

AP - Timeline of the sexual assault case against Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant:


Blackhawks Re-Sign Defenseman Berard

Chicago, Ill. (Sports Network) - The Chicago Blackhawks  Monday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with defenseman  Bryan Berard. As per team policy, financial terms of the deal  were not disclosed.


India makes elephants appeal

Indian asks Bangladesh to spare the lives of around 100 elephants which have strayed across the border.


Murder search police make arrest

Police investigating the murder of newlywed Chanel Taylor make an arrest.


Bush Announces Plan to Realign Thousands of Troops

President Bush today announced plans to shift 60,000 to 70,000 U.S. troops who are now stationed in Europe and Asia.


CINCINNATI - President Bush on Monday announced plans to shift as many as 70,000 U.S. troops who are now stationed in Western Europe and Asia in one of the largest realignments since the end of the Cold War...


Jackson Squares Off With Attorney

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Fans of Michael Jackson erupted in cheers Monday as the pop star emerged from a double-decker tour bus and went into court for a showdown with the prosecutor who has pursued him for years on child molestation charges...


Does That Web Site Look Phishy? (PC World)

PC World - WholeSecurity's new software claims to identify fraudulent sites.


Product Review: Nokia 6820 Wireless Messaging Handset (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - The Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 6820 is an ergonomically pleasing handheld device that integrates short text, multimedia and \instant messaging capabilities with all of the features and functions that one normally would expect to find in a dedicated GSM/GPRS cellular phone.


Sprint Broadens Its Vision (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Sprint (NYSE: FON) is taking its mobile-data services to the next level, targeting both consumers and business customers, as the carrier rolls out the Sprint TV multimedia service and adds the popular \BlackBerry e-mail application to its portfolio.


Microsoft Lists XP SP2 Problems (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - With automatic download of Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) enormous SP2 security patch to the Windows XP operating system set to begin, the industry still waits to understand its ramifications. Home users that have their preferences set to receive operating-system updates as they are made available by Microsoft may be surprised to learn that some of the software they already run on their systems could be disabled by SP2 or may run very differently.


2 More Turkish Men Taken Hostage in Iraq (AP)

AP - Armed assailants attacked a convoy of Turkish trucks delivering supplies to U.S. forces in Iraq and took two Turkish drivers hostage, their company said Monday.


Group to Talk Coal-Bed Methane Drilling (AP)

AP - Dozens of scientists plan to converge at the University of Wyoming to talk about West Nile virus, water pollution and other issues related to coal-bed methane drilling.


FDA Approves New Device to Clear Blood Clots

By DIEDTRA HENDERSON    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The first device to remove blood clots from the brains of people suffering strokes - a new treatment option that could save lives and shave the \$53 billion annual bill to treat strokes, has been approved by the government.    In 80 percent of strokes, a blood vessel in the brain becomes clogged by a blood clot, increasing the chance of severe disability or death...


Briefly: Sprint to bake in BlackBerry

roundup Plus: Microsoft ships updated Works...FaceTime pulls in \$16 million...Bladed desktop pioneer gets \$25 million.


Former Polaroid exec takes top finance job at 3Com

Donald Halsted, one target of a class action suit alleging financial improprieties at bankrupt Polaroid, officially becomes CFO.


Sprint to bake in BlackBerry for businesses

Research In Motion's BlackBerry e-mail and data services will be carried on Sprint's networks.


U.S. Stocks Rebound as Oil Prices Ease

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rebounded on Monday as oil  prices retreated from their highs, while upbeat earnings  announcements from retailers fueled the improved sentiment.


Dollar Rises Vs Euro After Asset Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar gained against the euro on  Monday after a report on flows into U.S. assets showed enough  of a rise in foreign investments to offset the current account  gap for the month.


Bikes Bring Internet to Indian Villagers (AP)

AP - For 12-year-old Anju Sharma, hope for a better life arrives in her poor farming village three days a week on a bicycle rickshaw that carries a computer with a high-speed, wireless Internet connection.


Celebrity Chefs Are Everywhere in Vegas

By ADAM GOLDMAN    LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The waiter appears tableside in the cozy dining room laden with oil paintings, stained glass and hints of cherry and oak. Before reciting the day's special menu items, he recounts the restaurant's devotion to farm-fresh produce and tosses out a morsel about its namesake, chef Bradley Ogden...


Entertainment World Wary of Microsoft Technology

By GARY GENTILE    LOS ANGELES (AP) -- CinemaNow Inc., the Internet-based movie service, is a rarity in Hollywood - a company that eagerly embraces Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) technology and relies on it exclusively to transmit, protect and display the movies it rents to customers...


European Union Extends Microsoft-Time Warner Review

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- European antitrust regulators said Monday they have extended their review of a deal between Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Time Warner Inc...


Patriots Sign Top Pick Watson (Reuters)

Reuters - The New England Patriots\Monday announced the signing of first-round draft pick Benjamin\Watson. As per team policy, terms of the tight end's deal were\not released.


Olympics: Thorpe Beats Phelps as U.S. Fights Gold Gap

ATHENS (Reuters) - Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe beat  arch-rival Michael Phelps in the men's 200-meter freestyle on  Monday as the United States pursued China, Australia and Japan  in the medals table on day three of the Olympic Games.


U.S. Awaits Judgment on Venezuela Voting (AP)

AP - There was no evident pattern of fraud in Venezuela's balloting that left President Hugo Chavez in office but a final judgment depends on what observers report, the State Department said Monday.


Bush, Kerry Press for Women's Votes (AP)

AP - Elizabeth Burnosky is a registered Democrat who voted for President Bush in 2000, opposes his policy on Iraq and calls Sen. John Kerry "a little wussy boy." Call her conflicted.


Insurers face massive storm bill

Insurers are counting the cost of Hurricane Charley in Florida, with early damage estimates reaching as high as \$14bn (7.6; 11bn euros).


Fischer Appeals to Powell to Help Him Renounce U.S. Citizenship

Former chess champion Bobby Fischer announced plans Monday to marry a leading Japanese chess official and appealed to Secretary of State Colin Powell to help him renounce U.S. citizenship, the latest in a series of moves as he seeks to block attempts to deport him to the United States.


Venezuela's Chavez Wins Recall Referendum

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's left-wing  President Hugo Chavez won a recall referendum on his divisive  rule in a vote backed on Monday by international observers who  found no "element of fraud."


Halliburton Says Army Suspends Withhold Threat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Halliburton said on Monday the U.S.  Army had decided to give the company more time to resolve a  billing dispute before withholding payment of up to 15 percent  of the company's bills in Iraq and Kuwait.


Belo Takes Charge for Advertising Refunds

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Media company Belo Corp. BLC.N on  Monday said it would refund \$23 million to advertisers because  of a circulation scandal at its Dallas Morning News newspaper,  resulting in a charge against earnings in the current quarter.


LifePoint to Buy Rival for \$1 Bln

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rural hospital operator LifePoint  Hospitals Inc. LPNT.O agreed to buy rival Province Healthcare  Co. PRV.N for \$1.03 billion in cash and stock to broaden its  geographic reach, the companies said on Monday.


Satellite TV Gains in Race Against Cable

Thousands of Americans have defected to satellite TV as the providers have reported hefty gains while the cable industry has declined. Consumers likely will see aggressive marketing promotions in the next six months as companies jockey for customers, analysts say.


Columnists: Big Brother's Last Mile

The FCC's new ruling on broadband wiretaps will force customers to pay for the privilege of making  the Internet less secure.\


US to withdraw up to 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia: Bush (AFP)

AFP - The United States will withdraw up to 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia over the next decade, President George W. Bush said, in a move aimed at increasing the capability to fight the "war on terror" and meet other new threats.


Thorpedo Sinks Phelps' Shot at Record

ATHENS, Greece - The kid couldn't catch the Thorpedo - and he won't be catching Mark Spitz, either. Michael Phelps' quest for seven gold medals ended after just three events, doomed by another bronze Monday night in the most anticipated race at the Olympic pool - the head-to-head showdown with Australia's Ian Thorpe in the 200-meter freestyle...


AP: Group Finds Cave Linked to Baptist

KIBBUTZ TZUBA, Israel - Archaeologists said Monday they have found a cave where they believe John the Baptist anointed many of his disciples - a huge cistern with 28 steps leading to an underground pool of water.    During an exclusive tour of the cave by The Associated Press, archaeologists presented wall carvings they said tell the story of the fiery New Testament preacher, as well as a stone they believe was used for ceremonial foot washing...


Venezuela's Chavez Wins Recall Referendum (Reuters)

Reuters - Venezuela's left-wing\President Hugo Chavez won a recall referendum on his divisive\rule in a vote backed on Monday by international observers who\found no "element of fraud."


Private Firms to Buy Intelsat for \$3 Bln

PARIS (Reuters) - Four private equity firms plan to buy  Bermuda-based Intelsat for about \$3 billion, the world's  second-largest satellite operator said on Monday.


Biometric ID System Said to Delay Venezuela Recall

By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER     CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- The high-tech thumbprint devices were meant to keep people from voting more than once in the recall ballot against President Hugo Chavez. Instead, they often wound up working fitfully - even when Chavez himself voted - contributing to huge delays in Sunday's historic referendum...


Hurricane Emergency Aid Set Up in Florida (AP)

AP - More than 76,000 meals and snacks have been served to hurricane-ravaged counties in Florida, with thousands more available from federal, local and private agencies, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Monday.


Taco Bell's Blue Dew

Pepsi pushes a blue version of Mountain Dew only at Taco Bell. Is this a winning strategy?


Playlist magazine announced; first issue this month (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Mac Publishing LLC, the publishers of Macworld magazine on Monday announced Playlist, a new digital music magazine for Mac and Windows users. The new magazine, which will be newsstand-only, will be available on August 24, 2004.


Traders Bet on Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid (Reuters)

Reuters - Options traders have been\building bullish positions in PeopleSoft Inc.  (PSFT.O) as\investors bet a federal judge will approve Oracle Corp.'s\hostile takeover bid of the business software maker, traders\said on Monday.


Olympics: Thorpe Beats Phelps as U.S. Suffers Gold Gap

ATHENS (Reuters) - Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe beat  arch-rival Michael Phelps in the men's 200-meter freestyle on  Monday as the United States trailed China, Australia and Japan  in the medals table on day three of the Olympic Games.


Iran Calls for U.N. Intervention in Iraq (AP)

AP - Iran and Saudi Arabia called Monday for the United Nations to intervene in Iraq to stop the fighting between U.S. forces and Shhite militants hiding in the holy city of Najaf.


Congolese Massacre Victims in Burundi Mourned

GATUMBA, Burundi (Reuters) - Mourners covered their faces  to block the smell of disinfectant and death Monday as they  buried more than 160 Congolese Tutsi refugees burned, hacked  and shot in an attack on their camp in western Burundi.


Executive Compensation

Post staff writer David Hilzenrath and editor Mike Flagg discuss which local executives have the sweetest deals.


Kmart: Retail or Real Estate?

Lately, the company's retail operation has been lagging behind sales of its locations.


RSS gets down to business

Calendar application is one of the first non-blogging uses of the standard.


Motorola and HP in Linux tie-up

Motorola plans first use of the open-source software in the core of next-generation cell phone networks.


Singh Growing Hall of Fame Credentials (AP)

AP - An official from the World Golf Hall of Fame joined a casual conversation last year about players on the verge of election, and someone mentioned Vijay Singh.


Reality TV under fire in Portugal following 'Big Brother' suicide bid (AFP)

AFP - Reality television programs were under renewed fire in Portugal after the winner of the nation's first edition of the popular "Big Brother" series threatened to throw himself from a bridge over the weekend.


2 Kidnapped in Iraq, 2 Others Freed (AP)

AP - Armed assailants attacked a convoy of Turkish trucks delivering supplies to U.S. forces in Iraq and took two Turkish drivers hostage, their company said Monday.


Iraq Conference in Najaf Peace Bid; Oil Well Ablaze

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops and Shi'ite militiamen  battled in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf Monday, just hours  after political and religious leaders in Baghdad agreed to make  a last-ditch appeal for peace.


Equity Firms to Buy Intelsat for \$3.1 Bln

PARIS (Reuters) - Intelsat is to be sold to four private  equity firms for \$3.1 billion, the world's second-largest  satellite operator said on Monday.


Halliburton: Army  to Give Company More Time to Resolve Billing Dispute

Halliburton said Monday the U.S. Army had decided to give the company more time to resolve a billing dispute before withholding payment of up to 15 percent of the company's bills in Iraq and Kuwait.


Md. Field Dig May Reach Back 16,000 Years (AP)

AP - Robert D. Wall is too careful a scientist to say he's on the verge of a sensational discovery.


Former Super Flyweight Champion Quiroga Found Dead

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Former International Boxing  Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Robert Quiroga was  killed early Monday, police said.


Olympics: Thorpe Wins 'Race of the Century'

ATHENS (Reuters) - Australia's Ian Thorpe won the gold  medal in the men's 200 meters freestyle, dubbed the "race of  the century," at the Athens Olympics on Monday.


Sysco Profit Rises; Sales Volume Flat

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Sysco Corp. SYY.N, the largest U.S.  distributor of food to restaurants and hospitals, on Monday  said quarterly profit rose as an extra week in the period and  cost control measures helped offset the higher food prices that  were slowing demand.


Microsoft details XP SP2 conflicts

Microsoft Corp. has published a list of nearly 50 applications and games that may not work correctly after installing Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP.


Kobe Bryant Rape Trial Looks Set to Go Ahead (Reuters)

Reuters - The trial in the Kobe Bryant rape\case looked set to go ahead later this month after the state's\highest court ruled against prosecutors on Monday over a key\piece of evidence in the high-profile case.


White Sox Manager Suspended Two Games (AP)

AP - Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was suspended Monday for two games and fined an undisclosed amount for arguing with umpires during an Aug. 9 game against Cleveland.


Kobe Bryant Rape Trial Looks Set to Go Ahead

EAGLE, Colo. (Reuters) - The trial in the Kobe Bryant rape  case looked set to go ahead later this month after the state's  highest court ruled against prosecutors on Monday over a key  piece of evidence in the high-profile case.


Lufthansa to levy 'temporary' fuel surcharge (AFP)

AFP - German carrier Lufthansa said it would levy a temporary fuel surcharge on tickets from August 24, in response to the rise in the price of oil.


Iraq's Al-Yawer Vows Kurd Rebel Crackdown (AP)

AP - Iraq's interim president promised on Monday to prevent Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq from launching attacking into Turkey, apparently hoping to avoid a Turkish military response.


Japanese Power Company Missed Inspections (AP)

AP - The operator of a nuclear power plant where a long-neglected cooling pipe burst and killed four workers last week said Monday that four other pipes at its reactors also went unchecked for years.


Bush Announces Plan for Troop Realignment

WASHINGTON - Two Army divisions will return to the United States from Germany as part of a global military restructuring that President Bush says will bring up to 70,000 American troops home in the next decade.    Pentagon officials said Monday the 1st Armored Division and 1st Infantry Division probably won't start leaving their bases in Germany until 2006 at the earliest...


Intel to Delay Product for High-Definition TVs

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - In the latest of a series of  product delays, Intel Corp. has postponed the launch of a video  display chip it had previously planned to introduce by year  end, putting off a showdown with Texas Instruments Inc. in the  fast-growing market for high-definition television displays.


Dust Clears, Mars Bright, Spirit Good

One hundred twenty scientists have published their current running tally of results from the Spirit rover. No lakebed evidence has been found yet, but scientists are impressed with the equipment's diagnostic capabilities so far...


Despondent Brown: 'I Feel Like a Failure' (AP)

AP - Larry Brown was despondent, the head of the U.S. selection committee was defensive, and Allen Iverson was hanging up on callers who asked what went wrong. A day after their first Olympic loss in 16 years, the Americans were experiencing varying degrees of distress.


Beach Volleyball: Cook Propels Australia to Win

ATHENS (Reuters) - Twice Olympic beach volleyball medallist  Natalie Cook helped new team mate Nicole Sanderson battle  nerves to propel Australia to a 21-19, 17-21, 17-15 win against  China Monday.


Ex-Spymasters Want Power for Intel Czar (AP)

AP - Three former spymasters told senators Monday that creating a new national intelligence director would be worthless without giving that person authority over the budgets of the nation's spy agencies.


Intel to Delay Product for High-Definition TVs (Reuters)

Reuters - In the latest of a series of\product delays, Intel Corp. has postponed the launch of a video\display chip it had previously planned to introduce by year\end, putting off a showdown with Texas Instruments Inc. in the\fast-growing market for high-definition television displays.


Most Japanese Women Shun Birth Control Pill

By AIKO HAYASHI    TOKYO (AP) -- Five years ago Japanese women's rights advocates won their battle to legalize the birth control pill. Now they are waging an even tougher fight - getting women to use it...


Oracle updates CRM sales tools

Software maker promises that the sales force automation revamp will help sales processes by pulling in more data.


Germans Wary of U.S. Troop Withdrawal (AP)

AP - German officials voiced concern Monday that their country has the most to lose with President Bush's announcement that tens of thousands of troops will return to the United States over the next decade.


Scientists Work on Cure for Mysterious Nerve Disease

By LAURAN NEERGAARD    WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dr. Douglas Kerr painstakingly collected spinal fluid from hundreds of patients with a mysterious disease that can paralyze within hours of attacking - and thinks he may have found a way to fight back...


Reds' Griffey Jr. Has Hamstring Surgery (AP)

AP - All-Star outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. had surgery Monday to repair his torn right hamstring and is expected to return for spring training.


Lightning Reacquire Prospal From Ducks (AP)

AP - Vaclav Prospal is returning to the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and will likely take the spot of forward Cory Stillman, who replaced him a year ago.


Treasuries Fall as Oil Retreats (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on\Monday as investors focused on a pullback in oil prices from\record highs and largely shrugged off dismal results from a\regional manufacturing survey.


Product Previews, 8/16/2004

Novell brings updated kernel to enterprise LinuxTimed to coincide with this years linuxworld expo, Novell has announced SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9. Though Novells SuSE division has marketed a commercial Linux distribution based on the v2.6 kernel, this is the first to be granted the more stringently qualified enterprise designation. Besides kernel-level improvements and the usual collection of updated software packages, this release offers improved fail-over, clustering, and resource management and comes bundled with Novells ZENworks configuration management software for Linux. The company claims that its AutoBuild system allows it to offer identical configurations for a variety of platforms, including x86 (both 32- and 64-bit), Itanium, IBM POWER, and IBM mainframes. Free evaluation downloads are available now and support subscriptions start at \$349 per dual-CPU server.SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, Novell/SuSE


HP's Software Woe Has Bigger Industry Implication (Reuters)

Reuters - When Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ.N)\warned of a profit shortfall last week, it blamed problems it\had combining two SAP systems, something that the computer\maker believed would be relatively simple when they were\putting together a deal to buy Compaq two years ago.


Mini Could Get Mighty with Speakers (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - iPod mini users might want to consider ditching their earphones if Altec Lansing's iMmini speaker system lives up to its promise. Based on the same technology and engineering as the original inMotion system, the iMmini can be folded into a convenient carrying shape.


HP's Software Woe Has Bigger Industry Implication

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Hewlett-Packard Co. HPQ.N  warned of a profit shortfall last week, it blamed problems it  had combining two SAP systems, something that the computer  maker believed would be relatively simple when they were  putting together a deal to buy Compaq two years ago.


Exercise -- the Real Fountain of Youth

Want to age gracefully? Keep moving. Regular exercise can reduce the risk of chronic disease -- such as heart trouble, diabetes, even cancer -- and keep you feeling and looking younger as you age.


Apple's colorful computer plans detailed

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publishes Apple patent for "chameleon" cases that change their look.


Favre Not Sure He Can Throw Fewer Picks (AP)

AP - Brett Favre would love to throw fewer interceptions this season. He's just not sure he can. "It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, and that's never more true than with me," said Favre, who was picked off 21 times last season, one less than NFL co-leaders Joey Harrington and Marc Bulger. "When I roll out to pass, I feel like there's a touchdown waiting.


V. Williams, Rubin Lose

Venus Williams and Chanda Rubin lose to Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian of China in the first round of the doubles tournament.


Veterans Set for Republican Convention (AP)

AP - Americans who served in the military will be well represented at the upcoming Republican convention, more so than at last month's Democratic convention or in the U.S. population overall, according to the GOP.


Congolese Massacre Victims in Burundi Mourned

GATUMBA, Burundi (Reuters) - Mourners covered their faces  to block the smell of disinfectant and death on Monday as they  buried more than 160 Congolese Tutsi refugees burned, hacked  and shot in an attack on their camp in western Burundi.


Americans in Afghan Trial Ask FBI for Documents

KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Three Americans standing  trial in Afghanistan Monday for imprisoning and torturing  Afghans were given a week to provide evidence, which they say  was withheld by U.S. authorities, proving that they had  official clearance.


Insurers: Charley Claims at About \$7 Bln

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Insurers are braced to pay out about  \$7 billion in claims for devastation caused by Hurricane  Charley, making the storm the second most costly after  Hurricane Andrew, industry and government officials said on  Monday.


Officials say Linux not a price ploy in Microsoft deal

Local government in UK says it didn't use the open-source OS as a bargaining chip; Microsoft was simply best option.


High Expectations a New Feeling at Cal (AP)

AP - A short walk around the California campus this summer was all Geoff McArthur needed as proof of how much Golden Bears football has changed since his freshman year. A program that won only one game in 2001 and has the longest Rose Bowl drought of any Big Ten or Pac-10 team is finally getting noticed at a school more known for its protests than its passing.


GM to Begin Making Cadillacs in China (AP)

AP - General Motors said Monday it will start making Cadillacs in China this year, joining a race by foreign luxury car brands to sell to the country's newly rich elite.


Champion boxer stabbed to death

Former super flyweight boxing champion Robert Quiroga has been stabbed to death in San Antonio, Texas.


Stocks Sharply Higher on Dip in Oil Prices

NEW YORK - A drop in oil prices and upbeat outlooks from Wal-Mart and Lowe's prompted some bargain-hunting on Wall Street, sending stocks sharply higher Monday, with the swing exaggerated by thin late summer trading. The Dow Jones industrials surged more than 120 points higher in late trading...


Income Gap Up Over Two Decades, Data Show

WASHINGTON - Over two decades, the income gap has steadily increased between the richest Americans, who own homes and stocks and got big tax breaks, and those at the middle and bottom of the pay scale, whose paychecks buy less.    The growing disparity is even more pronounced in this recovering economy...


Trial Set for Courtney Love in Drug Case

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - A trial date has been set for Sept...


Carter Endorses Chavez Win in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez survived a referendum to oust him, according to results Monday, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and other election observers urged the opposition to accept the vote, deflating claims of fraud...


HP's Livermore opts for 'content free' content

HP World Booth intro steals show


Cubs Pitcher Kerry Wood Loses Appeal (AP)

AP - Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood's appeal was rejected Monday and he will begin serving his five-game suspension Tuesday.


Suspected Militants Kidnap Iraqi Officer-Jazeera (Reuters)

Reuters - Suspected militants have kidnapped an\Iraqi intelligence officer in response to the fighting in the\holy city of Najaf, Al Jazeera television reported on Tuesday.


Suspected Militants Kidnap Iraqi Officer-Jazeera

DUBAI (Reuters) - Suspected militants have kidnapped an  Iraqi intelligence officer in response to the fighting in the  holy city of Najaf, Al Jazeera television reported on Tuesday.


Cassini finds new Saturn moons

The Cassini-Huygens mission in orbit around Saturn discovers two new moons around the ringed planet.


Oracle v. DOJ: Traders bet on Oracle

special coverage Assuming Oracle will win its antitrust suit, traders are scooping up PeopleSoft options.


Open source on the line

roundup \Linux shapes up as a software standard for cell phone networks. Also: California sees security in open source.


Defense Could Dominate in the Big Ten (AP)

AP - Following a mass exodus of offensive stars and starting quarterbacks, defense could dominate the Big Ten this season.


Chinese End Venus's Doubles Bid

ATHENS (Reuters) - Venus Williams's bid for a second  successive Olympic doubles tennis gold ended on Monday when she  and stand-in partner Chanda Rubin lost 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 to Chinese  eighth seeds Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian in the first round.


Stocks Bounce Back as Oil Retreats

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rebounded on Monday as  worry about oil prices crunching corporate profits eased when  crude retreated from record highs.


Google Could Make Its Market Debut Wed.

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc. appeared set  to start trading on Nasdaq on Wednesday, after the Web's No. 1  search engine asked regulators on Monday for final approval to  price its closely watched initial public offering.


Cassini Finds Two New Saturnian Moons

Jet Propulsion Lab -- With eyes sharper than any that have peered at Saturn before, the Cassini spacecraft has uncovered two moons, which may be the smallest bodies so far seen around the ringed planet.     The moons are approximately 3 kilometers (2 miles) and 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) across -- smaller than the city of Boulder, Colorado...


Olympics: Japan Sneak Through to Win Men's Team Gold

ATHENS (Reuters) - Japan revived memories of their glorious  gymnastics past when they upstaged favorites China and United  States to snatch the Olympic men's team gold for the first time  in 28 years Monday.


Hundreds feared trapped as floods wreak havoc in southwest England (AFP)

AFP - Hundreds of people were feared trapped in southwest England after flash floods left a popular coastal tourist village under water and swept dozens of cars and caravans into the sea.


Donsanjh still nixing pharmacare, but premiers plan meeting to refine program (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - In his first public address as federal health minister, Ujjal Dosanjh carefully toed the government line on Monday, saying Ottawa is prepared to invest more money in medicare to reduce waiting times, but not by sponsoring a national pharmacare program demanded by the provinces. But even as he was speaking, Saskatchewan's premier said in Regina that provincial premiers will meet one more time to flesh out the details of the proposed pharmacare program before taking their idea to Prime Minister Paul Martin.


Gebrselassie 'may pull out'

Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie could miss the Olympic 10,000m because of an Achilles injury.


Google Stock Offering Remains on Track (AP)

AP - Google Inc.'s stock market debut appeared to be on track for later this week after the Internet search company asked regulators to give final approval of the paperwork required for the sale.


Apple hints at colorful computer plans

Will the company's next PC look like a Christmas tree? A patent filing sheds some light.


CA buys PestPatrol antispyware developer

Computer Associates has acquired PestPatrol, a company that markets antispyware software, for an undisclosed sum and plans to incorporate PestPatrol's products into its eTrust Threat Management software suite.


Microsoft details conflicts in new XP update

Microsoft has published a list of nearly 50 applications -- including developer and backup tools, antivirus software and an FTP client -- that may not work correctly after installing Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.


Sybase upgrades PowerBuilder, plots RFID move

At its annual user conference in Orlando, Sybase Inc. released a new version of its application development tool, outlined plans for an upgrade to its database software and planned to preview a system for tracking RFID data.


McAfee to buy Foundstone for \$86M

McAfee Inc.'s purchase of Foundstone follows several moves in the past year to focus its product offerings and bolster its standing in the intrusion detection and prevention market.


IBM plans fewer U.S. layoffs to compensate for offshoring

After internal documents revealed plans to send nearly 5,000 jobs to developing countries over two years, IBM became an easy target for critics of outsourcing. Will limiting layoffs take the sting out of moving these jobs abroad?


Confidential Oracle sales data likely to be released

U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker said sales documents detailing highly confidential information, such as which companies receive discounts on Oracle products and the size of the discounts, are likely to be made public.


Sidebar: The nuts and bolts of COM -- Objects, Interfaces and GUIDs

A quick course in how some of the most esoteric aspects of COM work.


Editor's Picks: The Best of our Web Services Coverage

A guide to Computerworld's recent coverage of Web services and service-oriented architectures, including user applications, security issues and predictions.


Fun With Web services!

Forget those pesky business functions. To learn how Web services work and what you can do with them, check out these useful utilities that tell you who uttered that famous Shakespeare line, for example, or even convert Sao Tome dobras to Malawi kwacha.


Yahoo Messenger Patches Security Hole

Yahoo Messenger Patches Security Hole\\If you logged into Yahoo Messenger today and was taken a back by an automatic security download - don't be scared, it's no virus. Yahoo was only patching up a few holes.\\Yahoo has posted a security patch for a flaw in its instant messaging software that ...


Overlooked U.S. Men's Gymnasts Take Silver (AP)

AP - Twenty years later, the boys are back on the medal stand. The American men's gymnastics program, long overlooked and often unappreciated, won Olympic silver Monday, capping a four-year rebuilding project to take home a medal for the first time since the boycotted 1984 Games.


Phelps Upbeat Despite End of Seven-Gold Dream

ATHENS (Reuters) - The dream of emulating Mark Spitz's  seven Olympic gold medals is over for Michael Phelps but the  American refused to be disappointed after finishing third in  the most eagerly-awaited race of the Athens Games Monday.


Gold at Last for U.S. Swimmer Coughlin

ATHENS (Reuters) - Natalie Coughlin's run of bad luck  finally took a turn for the better when she won the gold medal  in the women's 100 meters backstroke at the Athens Olympics  Monday.


Google Could Make Its Market Debut Wed. (Reuters)

Reuters - Google Inc. appeared set\to start trading on Nasdaq on Wednesday, after the Web's No. 1\search engine asked regulators on Monday for final approval to\price its closely watched initial public offering.


Husky Energy signs seventh contract with China National Offshore Oil Corp. (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - CALGARY (CP) - Husky Energy Inc. has further strengthened its relationship with one of China's major oil companies by signing a new exploration agreement in the South China Sea.


Venezuelans Vote to Keep Chavez in Office

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted to keep President Hugo Chavez in office, dealing a crushing defeat to a splintered opposition and allowing the leftist leader to convert one of the biggest challenges of his presidency into an even broader mandate to carry on his "revolution for the poor."   Stunned opposition leaders, who have fought for years to oust Chavez, claimed fraud after results announced Monday by election officials showed nearly 60 percent of voters had said "no" to the question of whether he should leave office immediately.    But former President Jimmy Carter and the Organization of American States endorsed the results of Sunday's vote, which saw one of the biggest turnouts in Venezuela's history, and urged everybody to accept the outcome...


Dow Closes Up 129 As Oil Prices Drop

NEW YORK - A drop in oil prices and upbeat outlooks from Wal-Mart and Lowe's helped send stocks sharply higher Monday on Wall Street, with the swing exaggerated by thin late summer trading. The Dow Jones industrials surged nearly 130 points...


Lowe's Net Income Up 18 Percent

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lowe's Cos. LOW.N, the world's second  largest home improvement retailer, on Monday reported an 18  percent increase in second-quarter net income and said earnings  for the rest of the year would top analysts' estimates.


Heat Waves to Worsen Across America, Europe - Study (Reuters)

Reuters - Heat waves like those that have hit\Paris and Chicago in recent years are likely to get worse,\roasting more and more cities with ever-higher temperatures,\climate researchers predicted on Thursday.


Thorpe Wins Men's 200 Freestyle

Australia's Ian Thorpe soared past Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands to win the most anticipated race of the Olympics. Michael Phelps finished third.


Outfielder Shane Spencer Rejoins Yankees

Recently released outfielder Shane Spencer rejoined the Yankees on Monday, signing a minor league contract after working out at their spring training complex.


U.S. Ryder Cup Team Roster Set

Going with experience, Hal Sutton named Jay Haas and Stewart Cink as captain's selections for this year's United States Ryder Cup team.


Haitian Rebel Leader Appears for Trial (AP)

AP - Jury selection began Monday for a Haitian paramilitary leader convicted in absentia of killing a businessman and ordering a massacre in the early 1990s but is facing the charges again after returning to lead a revolt against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.


For US team, the night of decision

The women gymnasts are favored to make history and win gold Tuesday - a Wheaties box moment waiting to happen.


Ch #225;vez declares referendum victory, but is battle over?

With record turnout, Venezuela's president survives a recall vote, but opponents claim fraud.


Aid agencies rethink strategy

A new report urges humanitarian groups to maintain a local presence in disaster-prone areas.


Even Greek grandmas root for the home team

In 2000, Greece brought home 13 medals. The Greek Olympic Committee hopes to double that number.


IBM seeks dismissal in second part of SCO case

SAN FRANCISCO - IBM Corp. is seeking dismissal of a second major component of the lawsuit filed against it last year by Unix vendor The SCO Group Inc., according to court documents filed Friday by IBM. The documents, filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, argue that SCO's breach of contract allegations should be dismissed from the lawsuit.


Microsoft delays automatic XP SP2 delivery

SAN FRANCISCO - Microsoft Corp. has pushed back automatic distribution of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) to allow business users more time to instruct their machines to skip the update.


CA buys PestPatrol antispyware developer

WASHINGTON - Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) said Monday it acquired PestPatrol Inc., a firm marketing antispyware software to enterprises, small businesses and individual consumers.


Gartner revises PC market forecast, warns of downside

The PC market won't grow as fast in 2004 as originally predicted by Gartner Inc. analysts, as concerns about the overall health of the U.S. economy weigh on the market, the market research company said Monday.


UN tries to keep up dialogue after Khartoum irked by Darfur criticism (AFP)

AFP - The UN envoy to Sudan has tried to ease the pressure on Khartoum after a flurry of indictments of the government's failure to end the crisis in Darfur drew irate reactions from President Omar al-Beshir.


Traders Bet Oracle Wins in Antitrust Case

CHICAGO/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Options traders have been  building bullish positions in PeopleSoft Inc.  PSFT.O as  investors bet a federal judge will approve Oracle Corp.'s  hostile takeover bid of the business software maker, traders  said on Monday.


Is Mercury the Incredible Shrinking Planet? MESSENGER Spacecraft May Find Out (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - With a new spacecraft bound for Mercury, that tiny planet nbsp;near the heart of the solar system, researchers are hoping to solve a slew of riddles about the small world.


Canadian Ansari X Prize Entrant Takes the Plunge in Test (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - A Canadian team of rocketeers has moved one step closer to\launching its own manned spacecraft with the successful parachute drop test of a\crew capsule today.\\ nbsp;\\The backers of Canadian Arrow, a rocket entry in the  #36;10 million\Ansari X Prize competition, watched happily as their crew compartment drifted\down into Lake Ontario.\\ nbsp;\\Today totally proves our Canadian Arrow design, said\Geoff Sheerin, leader of the London, Ontario-based Arrows bid for the X Prize.\It went really well and everything worked as it should. ...


Only Three Golds - U.S. Misfires in Early Days in Athens

ATHENS (Reuters) - Told to avoid inflaming anti-American  sentiment, U.S. athletes may have toned down the bravado too  much in the early days of the Athens Games.


Krispy Kreme COO Leaves for New Job

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.  KKD.N  said on Monday that its chief operating officer is leaving the  company for another job, the latest setback for a company that  is trying to recover from sluggish sales and an accounting  probe.


Google IPO statement ready to go

Google's planned flotation moves another step closer after the company and its underwriters ask the SEC to declare its registration effective.


Oil Prices Retreat From a Record High After Chvez Victory

Crude oil for delivery next month settled at \$46.05 a barrel, down 53 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange after briefly trading at a new high of \$46.91 early in the day.


IBM strikes at SCO claims

SCO Group's faltering attack on Linux faces another threat as Big Blue files motion seeking dismissal of contract claims.


iSCSI gets some respect

Having received a renewed boost from those who see it moving out of niche markets, iSCSI (Internet SCSI) may finally be getting some much-needed respect.


Beach Volleyball: Australia in with a Shout

ATHENS (Reuters) - To prepare for the Olympics, Kerri  Pottharst practiced serving with her team mate screaming in her  ear.


Flash floods force big rescue operation in tourist area of England (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - LONDON (AP) - Heavy rain caused flash floods in seaside communities in southwestern England on Monday, and dozens of people were rescued from cars, trees and rooftops by emergency helicopters and lifeboats, officials said.


Harkin Calls Cheney Comments 'Cowardly' (AP)

AP - Sen. Tom Harkin pushed the name-calling in the presidential race to a new level, calling Vice President Dick Cheney a coward for not serving in Vietnam and cowardly for his criticism of John Kerry.


Players Union Challenges Carter's Release (AP)

AP - The NFL Players Association has gotten involved in Quincy Carter's release by the Dallas Cowboys.


Deadline Looms for Suspects in UK Anti-Terrorism Raids

LONDON (Reuters) - British police must charge or release on  Tuesday nine men arrested earlier this month in anti-terrorism  raids that followed a tipoff from an al Qaeda suspect in  Pakistan and security alerts in the United States.


Rwanda issues genocide warning

Rwanda warns it will intervene to prevent genocide, as more than 150 Tutsi  refugees are buried in Burundi.


Shell-Led Russia Venture Vows to Protect Rare Whales (Reuters)

Reuters - A Royal Dutch/Shell -led group\developing oil and gas fields in the Russian far east moved to\assure worried ecologists on Friday it is doing all it can to\protect rare gray whales living in the coastal waters.


Hurricane Victims Wait for Food and Water

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Driven from splintered trailers, roofless condos and powerless suburban homes, Hurricane Charley's hungry victims sweated through long lines Monday to find food, showers and drinking water three days after the storm left their lives in shambles...


Players Union Challenges Carter's Release

The NFL Players Association has gotten involved in Quincy Carter's release by the Dallas Cowboys. The union filed a grievance over the release Aug...


League-Leading Galaxy Fires Coach (AP)

AP - The Los Angeles Galaxy fired coach Sigi Schmid on Monday despite leading Major League Soccer with 34 points.


Alcatel hopes security will get users to switch

European telecom equipment maker looks to push into corporate switching, a market long dominated by Cisco.


Google Could Make Market Debut Wednesday

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc. appeared set  to start trading on the Nasdaq on Wednesday, after the Web's  No. 1 search engine asked regulators for final approval to  price its closely watched initial public offering.


China Mobile Suspends Sohu for Spamming Customers (Reuters)

Reuters - Chinese Internet company Sohu.com\(SOHU.O) on Friday said China Mobile (CHL.N) had suspended Sohu\as a supplier of mobile phone picture services for one year for\unsolicited marketing to some customers.


Group to Propose New High-Speed Wireless Format

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A group of technology companies  including Texas Instruments Inc. TXN.N, STMicroelectronics  STM.PA and Broadcom Corp. BRCM.O, on Thursday said they  will propose a new wireless networking standard up to 10 times  the speed of the current generation.


Thorpe Reigns Supreme in Athens Pool, Phelps Grabs Bronze

ATHENS (Reuters) - Ian Thorpe became Australia's greatest  Olympian and staked a claim to being the best swimmer of his  generation when he won "the race of the century" at Athens on  Monday.


Probe into rising ocean acidity

The Royal Society launches a scientific investigation into the rising acidity of the Earth's oceans.


New bird spotted in Philippines

A bird species new to science has been found by researchers on a remote island in the northern Philippines.


WholeSecurity program targets fraud sites

Tool that identifies Web sites pretending to be connected to banks, eBay, etc., could help leave phishing scammers dead in the water.


#147;Generic Superheroes #148;

Scripted, produced, cast, costumed, shot, edited and vigorously promoted by Darren Brandl,  #147;Generic Superheroes, #148; a 35-minute comedic-action-adventure parody, makes full use of both Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack.  #147;Every costume, #148; says the recent high school graduate proudly,  #147;was made of 100 percent spandex  #133; as any superhero costume should be. #148; Aug 16


Celtics Still Waiting to Hear From Payton (AP)

AP - Ten days after trading for Gary Payton, the Boston Celtics still have no idea if the nine-time All-Star will ever wear a Celtics' uniform.


Russian Supply Craft Docks with Space Station (Reuters)

Reuters - A Russian supply ship docked with the\International Space Station on Saturday, delivering food and\fuel to the two astronauts living there, mission control said.


A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq (AP)

AP - As of Monday, Aug. 16, 935 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq in March 2003, according to the Defense Department. Of those, 697 died as a result of hostile action and 238 died of non-hostile causes.


New bird spotted in Philippines

A bird species new to science is found by researchers on a remote island in the Philippines.


NFL Players Association Files Grievance Over Carter Release (Reuters)

Reuters - The NFL Players Association\Monday filed a grievance with the Dallas Cowboys over the\recent release of quarterback Quincy Carter, claiming the\organization was in violation of the league's collective\bargaining agreement.


NFL Players Association Files Grievance Over Carter Release

WASHINGTON (Sports Network) - The NFL Players Association  Monday filed a grievance with the Dallas Cowboys over the  recent release of quarterback Quincy Carter, claiming the  organization was in violation of the league's collective  bargaining agreement.


Chavez Survives Recall, Vows to Deepen Revolution

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's left-wing  President Hugo Chavez easily won a referendum on his rule and  on Monday offered to open a dialogue with opponents while also  vowing to intensify the reforms at the heart of the nation's  political conflict.


3Com partners with wireless switch start-up

3Com enters into the wireless switch market through a partnership with start-up Trapeze Networks.


SEC Opens Inquiry Into Google Stock Issue (AP)

AP - In another twist to Google Inc.'s public stock offering, the Internet search company said federal regulators have opened an informal inquiry into its failure to register millions of shares.


NASA Identifies Foam Flaw That Killed Astronauts (Reuters)

Reuters - The foam that struck the space\shuttle Columbia after liftoff and led to the deaths of all\seven astronauts on board was defective, NASA said on Friday.


Catching 'phishers' a WholeSecurity sport

Tool that identifies sites pretending to be connected to banks, eBay and more could help leave "phishing" scammers dead in the water.


Lankford Accepts Minor League Assignment (AP)

AP - St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Ray Lankford accepted a minor league assignment to Triple-A Memphis on Monday, nine days after leaving the team to consider his career options.


FBI Tracks Potential GOP Protesters (AP)

AP - With the Republican National Convention less than two weeks away, federal agents and city police are keeping tabs on activists and others they believe might try to cause trouble. They are making unannounced visits to people's homes, conducting interviews and monitoring Web sites and meetings.


Bush Announces Plan for Troop Realignment (AP)

AP - President Bush's plan to restructure U.S. military forces abroad includes bringing two Army divisions home from Cold War-era bases in Germany, and increasing the U.S. presence at bases in countries like Poland, Romania and Uzbekistan, Pentagon officials said Monday.


Interior Will Delay Some Energy Projects (AP)

AP - The Interior Department said Monday it will begin delaying some new oil and gas drilling projects until the effects on wildlife are studied more thoroughly.


Second hat in ring for faster Wi-Fi standard

A second consortium puts in a bid for the faster 802.11n spec. But don't expect a battle over formats.


3Com partners with wireless-switch upstart

3Com enters into the wireless-switch market through a partnership with start-up Trapeze Networks.


Interwoven scoops up records management company

ECM (enterprise content management) company Interwoven on Monday announced the acquisition of Software Intelligence, a maker of records management technology, for \$2 million in cash and stock.


Thorpedo Sinks Phelps' Shot at Spitz Mark

ATHENS, Greece - The kid couldn't catch the Thorpedo - and he won't be catching Mark Spitz, either. Michael Phelps' quest for seven gold medals ended after just three events, doomed by another bronze Monday night in the most anticipated race at the Olympic pool - the head-to-head showdown with Australia's Ian Thorpe in the 200-meter freestyle...


SEC Opens Inquiry Into Google Stock Issue

SAN FRANCISCO - In another twist to Google Inc.'s public stock offering, the Internet search company said federal regulators have opened an informal inquiry into its failure to register millions of shares.    In a regulatory filing Monday, Google said it "understands" the inquiry was opened by the Securities and Exchange Commission...


Nortel Says Canada Plans Accounting Probe

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp.  NT.N  NT.TO said on Monday the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told  the company it will begin a criminal investigation into  Nortel's financial accounting.


Brazil Starts to Crack Down on Counterfeit Goods

Brazil stands to lose billions of dollars in trade benefits from the United States if it does not prove by the end of September that it is making progress in combating copyright piracy.


AP: Israel Cave Linked to John the Baptist (AP)

AP - Archaeologists think they've found a cave where John the Baptist baptized many of his followers  #151; basing their theory on thousands of shards from ritual jugs, a stone used for foot cleansing and wall carvings telling the story of the biblical preacher.


Blind Students to Launch NASA Rocket (AP)

AP - A dozen blind students from across the United States are at a summer camp this week working on a project most don't associate with the visually impaired  #151; launching a NASA rocket.


NFL Players Union Files Carter Grievance (AP)

AP - The NFL Players Association filed a grievance Monday against the Dallas Cowboys on behalf of Quincy Carter, claiming the quarterback was released by the team for reasons not permitted in the NFL collective bargaining agreement.


Mientkiewicz Starts at Second for BoSox (AP)

AP - Former Gold Glove first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz got a rough introduction in his first career start at second base.


Thorpedo Sinks Phelps' Shot at Spitz Mark (AP)

AP - The kid couldn't catch the Thorpedo  #151; and he won't be catching Mark Spitz, either. Michael Phelps' quest for seven gold medals ended after just three events, doomed by another bronze Monday night in the most anticipated race at the Olympic pool  #151; the head-to-head showdown with Australia's Ian Thorpe in the 200-meter freestyle.


Venezuelans Vote to Keep Chavez in Office (AP)

AP - Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted to keep President Hugo Chavez in office, dealing a crushing defeat to a splintered opposition and allowing the leftist leader to convert one of the biggest challenges of his presidency into an even broader mandate to carry on his "revolution for the poor."


Edwards Vows Economic Aid for Heartland (AP)

AP - Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards promised Monday to deliver high-speed Internet access and more money for people to start businesses in rural areas.


Chavez Survives Recall, Vows to Deepen Revolution (Reuters)

Reuters - Venezuela's left-wing\President, Hugo Chavez, easily won a referendum on his rule and\on Monday offered to open a dialogue with opponents, while\vowing to intensify the reforms at the heart of the nation's\political conflict.