Harris Bank Expands Into Indiana

Harris Bank said Wednesday that it is buying a privately held network of banks in northwest Indiana, expanding its branches into the state for the first time.


Canada Has Biggest Surplus in 3 Years, Pays Down Debt (Update1)

Canada recorded aC\$9.1 billion (\$7.9 billion) budget surplus in fiscal 2004, five times the government #39;s forecast, as accelerating economic growth generated a tax windfall for Finance Minister Ralph Goodale.


Biotech Stocks Open Lower

Shares of Atherogenics Inc. opened down 7.2 percent on the Nasdaq Wednesday following a pre-market report that the drug developer is abandoning further clinical trials of its AGIX-4207 treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.


Bush, Kerry ready for final face-off Wednesday in Arizona

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry are set to face off for their third and final debate Wednesday, when the candidates turn from foreign policy to domestic issues.


RPT-UPDATE 2-US mortgage refinancings lose steam despite rates

The number of US mortgage refinancings fell sharply last week suggesting that the refinancing boom may have run its course even as rates eased, economists said.


Medical-History Chip Can Be Implanted In Body

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration has approved an implantable computer chip that can be inserted in patients to pass along their medical history to doctors.


US agency taking spyware to court

The US Federal Trade Commission has formally announced its first assault against spyware - bits of computer code that surreptitiously install themselves on the computers of Internet users to track their activities, push them to Web sites, barrage them


Outage over, PayPal says

com October 13, 2004, 7:50 AM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


European Union Steps Up Probe Of Intel

com. In a signal from the European Commission that it is stepping up its investigation into possible illegal business practices by Intel, the commission is asking four European countries why they


Pod people untouched by Zen

Faced with developing serious competition to the powerhouse that is Apple #39;s iPod, Creative #39;s Zen Touch Player takes aim at several of the iPod #39;s features and frailties.


Cell Phones Double as Credit Cards

Motorola is the latest company to move towards adding a payment function to its line of cell phones, the company announced this week.


Is Interest in Online Music Fading?

Research firm NPD Group says that, while Apple Computer #39;s ITunes service remains the clear market leader in the sector, the number of paying customers using such services has declined since April.


Microsoft #39;s Media Launch Won #39;t Lift Earnings Yet

Goldman Sachs said new media offerings from Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people )  quot;are not likely to be material to earnings this fiscal year and possibly longer.


EMC acquires Retrospect maker Dantz

OCTOBER 12, 2004 (MACCENTRAL) - Hopinkton, Mass.-based EMC Corp. announced today that it has acquired Retrospect backup software maker Dantz Development Corp.


Microsoft Refreshes Mac Office

While the battle between Microsoft and Apple Computer for the nascent digital media market intensifies, Microsoft #39;s Mac Business Unit has released a significant update for Office 2004 for Mac.


IBM software vendors feel the love

IBM is opening up its software developer programme in order to get more bodies behind its battle with Microsoft. Big Blue wants to increase the number of independent software vendors it works with.


Germany coach Klinsmann surprised at criticism

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann has been surprised at the amount of criticism his recent decisions have provoked. Klinsmann was called a  quot;cold-blooded killer quot; by


Queuing fans miss Kewell

ANGRY soccer fans missed most of Harry Kewell #39;s rare Sydney performance on Tuesday because of long queues to buy and collect tickets.


Basketball: Seattle Storm Wins WNBA Finals

The Seattle Storm is the new Women #39;s National Basketball Association champion. Seattle defeated the visiting Connecticut Sun, 74-60, in the third and decisive game of the WNBA Finals.


NBA Player Investigated for Dog Fighting

Qyntel Woods, No. 24, has been suspended without pay by the Portland Trail Blazers while investigators look into allegations of animal cruelty.


Jets #39; Moss questionable for Sunday

Hempstead, NY (Sports Network) - New York Jets wide receiver Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday #39;s game against San Francisco because of a hamstring injury.


PREVIEW-Singh and Els primed for Match Play showdown

Vijay Singh and Ernie Els, the world #39;s top two players, could not be more confident going into the World Match Play Championship starting at Wentworth on Thursday.


NASCAR driver T. Labonte to drive limited schedule in Nextel Cup <b>...</b>

Labonte, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, announced Tuesday that he will compete in at least 10 races with Hendrick Motorsports in 2005 and 2006 before retiring from the series.


India turns against its own

ONE major Test win has enabled Australia to unearth a potent new weapon against India ... India. Or, more specifically, Indian fans and critics who get as angry about any loss as they get excited by any victory.


Softbank sues Japan government over 3G bandwidth plan (AFP)

AFP - Japanese Internet firm Softbank Corp. asked a court to block a government plan for distributing high-speed bandwidth to mobile phone operators, saying it would bar new entrants until 2012.


Cell Phones Double as Credit Cards (PC World)

PC World - Motorola will test handsets that include wireless payment functions.


Lycos Builds Web Circles (PC World)

PC World - New social networking site lets users share photos, videos, and more.


Microsoft Refreshes Mac Office (PC World)

PC World - Service Pack 1 fixes security flaws, updates individual applications.


Swarms of Locusts Devastating Crops Moving (AP)

AP - Swarms of locusts that have devastated crops and pastures across West Africa may hit countries as far away as Pakistan, a U.N. agency said Wednesday as it announced an intensified control campaign.


Taiwan Hopes to Wipe Out Red Fire Ants in 3 Years (Reuters)

Reuters - Taiwan wants to eradicate red imported\fire ants within three years but the pest, which has spread\fear across the island, will be tough to get rid of, an\agriculture official said Wednesday.


Australia Says It's Starting to Win Its Locust War (Reuters)

Reuters - Australian locust fighters are getting\on top of one of the worst outbreaks of the insects in decades,\knocking out infestations before they begin to swarm and so far\protecting crops from major damage.


Bank of Montreal to expand Harris

Bank of Montreal, Canada #39;s fifth largest bank, said Wednesday it plans to buy privately held Mercantile Bancorp Inc., as well as the stock of Lake Commercial Corp.


Soccer: Wenger backs Lehmann to become Germany No 1

LONDON : Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Jens Lehmann can replace Oliver Khan and become Germany #39;s first-choice goalkeeper in the 2006 World Cup.


Jackson over the moon after eclipsing Sun

LAUREN JACKSON yesterday completed an emotional tribute to her  quot;nan Irene quot; when she helped Seattle Storm win the WNBA title.


Ganguly hopes to win the second test against Aussies

Captain Sourav Ganguly today said he hoped to win the second test match against Australia beginning in Chennai on Thursday. Despite master blaster Sachin Tendulkar #39;s absence, and a thrashing win by the visitors, Ganguly did not seem to lose hope.


Submariner remembered for his dedication at memorial service held <b>...</b>

The heartbroken crew of HMCS Chicoutimi couldn #39;t muster the strength Wednesday to deliver a eulogy at a memorial service in this picturesque Scottish village for a fallen comrade.


US presses NATO to merge Afghan forces, speed Iraq mission

POIANA BRASOV, Romania, Oct 13 (AFP) - The United States persuaded its NATO allies Wednesday to consider ways to merge Alliance-run and US-led forces in Afghanistan, despite deep reservations notably from Germany and France.


Mass Graves Found In Iraq

The remains are being unearthed as part of an investigation looking for evidence to use against Saddam Hussein in his future trial.


Nigerian Strike Set to Drag Into Fourth Day

A general strike in Nigeria which has raised fears over oil supplies was set to enter a fourth day after a court rebuffed a government request to declare it illegal on Wednesday.


Islamist militant charged after expulsion from Germany

ISTANBUL, Oct 13 (AFP) - Metin Kaplan, a Turkish Islamist activist known as the  quot;Caliph of Cologne, quot; was indicted on sedition charges and jailed by an Istanbul criminal court Wednesday, the day after he lost a protracted legal battle against deportation


Chinese Government Delcares Taiwan Proposal Fraudulent

The Chinese government declared Wednesday that a conciliatory proposal made Sunday by President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan was fraudulent, intended only to fool Taiwanese voters and international opinion.


Using New Radar, Israeli Town Ducks Gazan Rockets

A custom-built early warning radar installed in an Israeli border town passed its first live test on Wednesday, alerting residents to incoming Palestinian rockets in time for them to take cover.


Problems with PayPal Persist for Fifth Day

PayPal #39;s problems arrive at the very start of the crucial holiday selling season. Users began to note problems on Friday following a software upgrade, eBay said.


Study: Apple #1 Music Download Service; Online Buyers Down

Apple Computer #39;s online iTunes Music Store (iTMS) remains the leader in paid digital music downloads with 70 of the legally downloaded music market, but the


Peace Prize a well-deserved honour

Sometimes what at first seems like a minor change can actually signal major shift in understanding. Last week, Kenyan deputy environment minister Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize - a wonderful achievement for two reasons.


ALK CoPilot Smartphone

Reg Review Top notch sat nav for Windows handsets


Home Office seeks spin doctor to sell cuddly ID card brand

An ID card says something about a man. Oh yes...


Caution Dampens Spirit at Cannes Tech Conference

CANNES, France (Reuters) - Concerns about soaring oil  prices and terrorism have injected fresh caution into global  markets over the last six months, executives and investors said  at a technology conference in Cannes.


UNRWA condemns killing of Palestinian schoolgirl

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) strongly condemned on Wednesday the killing of a 10-year-old schoolgirl by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.


EU Expands Intel Favoritism Investigation

quot;The bad blood and legal wrangling between Intel and AMD goes back a decade, quot; Jonathan Eunice, an analyst with the research firm Illuminata, told the E-Commerce Times.


Creative unveils 5GB Zen Micro

The compact, 5GB unit will  quot;outshine all the others quot;, the company said, with it 12 hour battery life, FM radio with 32 station pre-sets, voice recorder and PDA-style personal information management functionality.


Nigerian Strike Set to Drag Into Fourth Day (Reuters)

Reuters - A general strike in Nigeria which has\raised fears over oil supplies was set to enter a fourth day\after a court rebuffed a government request to declare it\illegal on Wednesday.


Will Fox's Bowl Runneth Over?

The company wants to charge more money for ad time during the Super Bowl.


Slow-Cruisin' Harley

Harley's latest numbers are a lot like the bikes: powerful underneath but not too speedy.


Networks to Test New Exit Polling System (AP)

AP - Determined to avoid a repeat of high-profile failures in 2000 and 2002, television networks will rely on new systems on Nov. 2 to help project election winners and analyze why voters made their choices. And they have turned to The Associated Press to count the vote for them.


Golden Times for Golden Arches

Attitudes toward burgers have changed, and that's good news for McDonald's.


Invest Like Steinbrenner

You might hate his tactics and his team, but the New York Yankees owner is one heck of an investor.


On Debate's Eve, Campaigns Hone Message (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - COLORADO SPRINGS, Oct. 12 -- As President Bush and Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry prepared for Wednesday night's final debate, the two sides previewed their themes for the domestic-policy showdown, with the incumbent branding Kerry a liberal and the Democrats decrying Bush's job-creation record.


Beckham Apologizes for Yellow Card Ploy

LONDON Oct. 13, 2004 - David Beckham apologized Wednesday for the yellow card ploy that earned him a convenient World Cup suspension.


Qyntel Woods suspension protested

Portland Trail Blazers players are protesting the suspension of teammate Qyntel Woods because of allegations involving dogfighting.


Special to ESPN.com

Would you have marveled at the sight of a Stanley Cup banner, slowly rising from the ice at the St. Pete Times Forum as the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning prepared to host the Philadelphia


U.N. Nuclear Inspectors Ready to Return to Iraq

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. inspectors, barred from most of  Iraq since last year's invasion, are ready to return to probe  the disappearance of equipment that could be used in atomic  weapons, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday.


WorldCom's Ebbers Wants Company to Pay Legal Bills

Former WorldCom Inc. chief executive Bernard Ebbers has indicated he will seek reimbursement from the company for his millions of dollars in legal bills.


Afghan Vote Count Stalled, Karzai Rival Ends Boycott

KABUL (Reuters) - Another top rival to Afghan election  frontrunner President Hamid Karzai ended his boycott of the  process on Wednesday, but vote counting was further delayed as  a panel began to sift through dozens of complaints of fraud.


Next space station crew to launch

Expedition 10, the latest crew to take up residence on the International Space Station, is set to launch from Kazakhstan.


'Sleeping dragon' had bird repose

A fossil dinosaur caught sleeping with its head tucked under its forearm has been discovered by Chinese scientists.


Learning languages 'boosts brain'

Scientists believe learning a second language alters a part of the brain.


ABUJA (Reuters) - A general strike in Nigeria which has  raised fears over oil supplies was set to enter a fourth day  after a court rebuffed a government request to declare it  illegal on Wednesday.


Questions Persist on Canadian Subs as Funeral Held

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Military officials and family members  attended funeral services on Wednesday for a Canadian naval  officer who died as the result of a fire on a second-hand  submarine that Canada bought from Britain.


FASB delays new options expensing rule by 6 months

Bowing to corporate pressure, the group that sets standards for the US accounting industry said on Wednesday it postponed the implementation of compulsory expensing of employee stock options by 6 months, to June 15, 2005.


Hardee #39;s September sales up 5 on new products

New products helped push Hardee #39;s Food Systems Inc. #39;s sales up 5.1 percent in the four weeks ended Oct. 4, its parent company said Wednesday.


Three Picks For A Communications Rebound

Deutsche Bank Securities said the communications-equipment sector is likely to report weak third-quarter results, though  quot;given the extent of negative sentiment among investors, we do not believe this will represent much of a surprise.


Applied Digital Shares Jump on Chip OK

Shares of Applied Digital Solutions Inc. and Digital Angel Corp. soared Wednesday morning on news the companies #39; VeriChip implantable radio frequency identification microchip for humans has been cleared by


Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac Service Pack 1

Theres time for fun and time to focus. When youre ready to get down to business, Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac provides the intuitive, intelligent tools you need to transform your ideas and opportunities into action.


Red Sox Nation Keeps Faith With Pedro

BOSTON -- The Red Sox are hoping to rebound Wednesday in New York as they take on the Yankees in Game 2 of their championship series.


Wisconsin, Louisville aiming for upsets

What the key is for Wisconsin to beating Purdue #39;s short passing attack with quarterback Kyle Orton? Wisconsin has to rush the passer effectively.


Both sides nervous with season on ice

Andy Murray will be biting his nails at a hockey game tonight, even if no one in LA will see it. Keith Carney and Sandis Ozolinsh will be skating in Anaheim but not against the Calgary Flames.


Warne bows to Lillee

Today #39;s second Test against India at Chepauk Stadium should end Warne #39;s agonising ascent to the record for which he needs just two wickets to eclipse Muthiah Muralidaran #39;s world mark of 532.


Israel 'worried over world image'

A secret Israeli report warns Israel's world image could fall as low as South Africa's during the apartheid era, reports say.


Massive insider trading claim

Sharemarket watchdog the Securities Commission has filed unprecedented insider trading action against high-profile former owners and executives of Tranz Rail.


Eftia Joins IBMs PartnerWorld Industry Networks for ISVs

Ottawa, Canada (PRWEB) October 13, 2004 -- Eftia, a global provider of operations management software solutions designed to meet the business automation needs of service providers and large enterprises today announced that they have joined IBMs


FEC Might MoveOn to the Internet

With political activity skyrocketing on the web, election officials may be forced to regulate. Also: Yahoo stays strong and growing   hellip;. 7-Eleven joins 21st century   hellip;. and more.


Supreme Court Debates Teenage Executions

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is considering whether the United States is out of step with the rest of the world, and with national and global standards of decency, by allowing teenage killers to be put to death.    Nineteen states allow capital punishment for 16- and 17-year-olds, and more than 70 juvenile murderers are on death row...


China Declares Taiwan Proposal a Fraud

The Chinese government declared Wednesday that a conciliatory proposal made Sunday by President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan was fraudulent, intended only to fool Taiwanese voters and international opinion.


PeopleSoft modifies refund program

Company says changes were made due to information that came to light during the trial and to address concerns raised by the judge.


Briefly: SAP spiffs up small business programs

roundup Plus: Piracy crackdown yields \$2.2 million...Sun draws Nvidia graphics into Solaris...Tibco scoops up software company.


SAP spiffs up small business programs

The software maker releases an upgraded version of its small-business management applications with new features for coordinating factory work.


Media Center 2005

There were a lot of press releases yesterday announcing support Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Media Center 2005. Companies like ATI and NVIDIA announced their products were designed to work with this new operating system.


Majority of FCC OKs Cingular-AT amp;T Wireless-Source

A majority of the US Federal Communications Commission has voted to conditionally approve Cingular Wireless #39; proposed acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


FDA Approves Implanted Medical-Records Chip

The US Food and Drug Administration gave consenting adults the ability to carry vital medical records wherever they go by voting Wednesday to approve an implantable computer chip the size of a grain of rice.


Qualcomm pushes multicast CDMA

The company behind most CDMA technology is now planning to go multicast in order to allow faster and more stable streaming content.


Wednesday, October 13th - 7:30 pm (et)

GAME NOTES: The surprising Connecticut Huskies welcome their first-ever ranked opponent to the friendly confines of Rentschler Field, as they play host to the


EU takes aim at Intel--again

The European Commission has asked four more countries for information on how they buy computers. Rival AMD applauds the move.


France fries cell phones

Performance venues there can now install signal-jamming equipment to deal with rude mobile-phone users.


Moss Questionable With Strained Hamstring (AP)

AP - Jets receiver Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday's game against San Francisco with a strained right hamstring.


Santonja Goes to Quarterfinals at Tashkent (AP)

AP - Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain rallied to beat Belarusian Anastasiya Yakimova 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 Wednesday and advance to quarterfinals of the Tashkent Open.


Trail Blazers Suspend Woods

PORTLAND, Ore., (Sports Network) - Portland Trail Blazers  forward Qyntel Woods was suspended without pay pending the  club's investigation regarding allegations by Multnomah County  for dog abandonment and by Clackamas County for dog fighting.


Japan's JVC joins Blu-ray group

The consumer electronics company backs a technology lauded by Sony and others, as the DVD format battle heats up.


Silverstone Owners Want F1 Deal by End-October

LONDON (Reuters) - Silverstone's owners gave a cautious  welcome on Wednesday to the troubled British Grand Prix's  inclusion on the 2005 Formula One calendar.


Singh and Els Primed for Match Play Showdown

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Vijay Singh and Ernie  Els, the world's top two players, could not be more confident  going into the World Match Play Championship starting at  Wentworth Thursday.


Dell taking aim at iPod Mini?

PC maker plans to talk consumer electronics this week, and the conversation could turn to a "Pocket DJ."


Paradorn Powers Past Struggling Costa

VIENNA (Reuters) - Fifth seed Paradorn Srichaphan added to  Albert Costa's woes at the Vienna Trophy Wednesday, winning  6-4, 6-4, in the second round.


Ziggy speaks frankly and says he was pushed

MARK COLVIN: All this year, the business world has been abuzz with talk about the board of Telstra, and whether Chief Executive Ziggy Switkowski could survive.


IBM launches Atlantic

Calling it their most significant release in the last four or five years, IBM's Rational Software on Wednesday formally rolled out its Rational Software Platform, code-named Atlantic, intended to better unify software development across IBM's line of server software.


Beckham Criticized for Suspension

FIFA's president criticized England captain David Beckham for deliberately getting himself suspended for a World Cup qualifier and urged the English Football Association to take action.


Cell Phones Double as Credit Cards

Motorola will test handsets that include wireless payment functions.


Dollar Lifted by Slipping Oil Prices (Reuters)

Reuters - The dollar rose to a three-week high\against the euro on Wednesday, boosted by a fall in the price\of oil, which should help narrow the U.S. trade deficit and\thus benefit the dollar.


Blue Chips Fall on Commodity, Oil Stocks (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. blue chips fell on Wednesday as a\steep decline in commodity prices and lower crude oil dented\shares of Alcoa Inc.  and Exxon Mobil Corp.,\outweighing strong earnings from McDonald's Corp. .


U.S. CEOs' Confidence Slips Further (Reuters)

Reuters - Confidence among chief executives in\the U.S. economy slipped for the second straight quarter,\private research firm The Conference Board said on Wednesday.


Germany has no plans to change its Iraq policy: Schroeder (AFP)

AFP - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder renewed his firm opposition to deploying troops to Iraq, a spokesman said, slapping down hints at a change in policy from his defense minister.


U.S. Allies Don't Want NATO in Afghanistan (AP)

AP - France and Germany spoke out Wednesday against a U.S. proposal to put NATO in charge of the military and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, but U.S. and other officials said the alliance would go ahead and develop options for merging the missions.


GM Set to Cut About 10,000 Jobs - Source

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - General Motors will cut around 10,000  jobs in Europe in a drive to save some 500 million euros  (\$613.4 million) a year and return its loss-making operations  there to profit, a company source said on Wednesday.


Sky-High Oil Price Down for a Second Day

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell from record peaks for a  second session on Wednesday as big-money funds took profits  from a searing rally on signs that high commodity prices are  finally starting to dampen demand.


McDonald's Quarterly Earnings Rise

CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N third-quarter  earnings rose a higher-than-expected 42 percent on a  preliminary basis, the world's largest restaurant chain said on  Wednesday, citing strong sales in the United States and a lower  tax rate.


Dollar Lifted by Slipping Oil Prices

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose to a three-week high  against the euro on Wednesday, boosted by a fall in the price  of oil, which should help narrow the U.S. trade deficit and  thus benefit the dollar.


Blue Chips Fall on Commodity, Oil Stocks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips fell on Wednesday as a  steep decline in commodity prices and lower crude oil dented  shares of Alcoa Inc. AA.N and Exxon Mobil Corp.XOM.N,  outweighing strong earnings from McDonald's Corp. MCD.N.


Treasuries Edge Narrowly Higher at Midday

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices moved narrowly  higher on Wednesday as an earlier bout of profit-taking turned  into a chance to buy securities, traders said.


EU Sues Germany Over Volkswagen Law

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission dragged  Germany to court on Wednesday over a law that shields carmaking  icon Volkswagen AG from hostile takeovers, the culmination of a  long battle to break down barriers to foreign investment.


Middle Class America

The Post's Jonathan Weisman discusses the increasing importance of temporary employment to the American economy.


Ahold, Former Executives Settle SEC Charges

Global grocery retailer Ahold NV has agreed to a settlement of civil fraud charges over an alleged \$1 billion overstatement of earnings in a deal with U.S. regulators that does not fine the company.


Northern Light Announces Business Research Engine\


Microsoft Releases 10 Security Patches for Windows, Excel, and IE\\If you use Microsoft Windows, Excel, or their Internet Explorer browser you better watch out, because there are some large security holes that need patching. Microsoft on Tuesday published 10 software security advisories, warning Windows users and corporate administrators of 22 ...


News: Seven critical in MS October patch batch

Microsoft yesterday released 10 new security bulletins to fix multiple components in its Windows operating system and applications.\


News: Prosecutor resigns over hacked PC

A leading Dutch prosecuter resigned yesterday after hackers entered his mail box and revealed yet another classified letter addressed to the public prosecutor's office.\


HP to sell PathScale compilers

Hewlett-Packard will resell PathScale's compiling tools for high-performing clusters.


Open-source Web tools company nets VC funding

A \$5 million infusion of venture capital will help Laszlo Systems work on tools to build Web pages.


Taking aim at iPods, cell phones

roundup Virgin introduces a tiny music player, and Dell could be ready to unveil its own "Pocket DJ." Also: In France, cell phone silence is golden.


DreamWorks Animation Will Sell 29 Million Shares

Katzenberg is taking the animation unit public in a year that has seen box office success for the studio:  quot;Shrek 2 quot; has brought in \$876.


Molson-Coors Merger Gets Canadian Competition Bureau Clearance

Molson Inc., Canada #39;s biggest beer maker, and Adolph Coors Co., the third-largest US brewer, won clearance from Canada #39;s Competition Bureau for their planned \$3.


Metro Briefs

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. #39;s ratings on about \$200 billion in debt may be cut by Moody #39;s Investors Service, which cited unsold vehicles in North America, losses in Europe and rising health care costs.


Ex-employee: Spyware maker used Rochester club

The longtime general manager of a defunct city nightclub says his former boss is not telling the truth about the clubs role in a computer spyware operation.


Russian-US crew prepares for launch to international space station

All three men heading to the international space station in a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft this Thursday will be riding the tiny craft for the first time, breaking with 30 years of tradition.


Update 5: EU Expands Probe Into Intel Favortism

The European Union #39;s head office Wednesday expanded its probe into whether EU governments are illegally requiring that the computers they buy must contain microprocessors made by Intel Corp.


Motorola to Test MasterCard PayPass Technology

Motorola Inc. will be conducting a field trial of mobile phones enabled with MasterCard PayPass, a new  quot;contactless quot; payment option that will allow users to use their phones to make payments.


Trigenix Buy Gives Qualcomm European In-road

Qualcomm Inc. figures to expand is presence in the European wireless arena with the \$36 million purchase of Trigenix. Founded in 2000, United Kingdom-based Trigenix develops


Mac OS X For your PC

A Hawaiian company specializing in streaming video claims to have developed a \$50 software emulator that allows a Windows PC to run Apple Computer #39;s Mac OS X. Maui X-Stream on Tuesday announced CherryOS, a virtual PC that mimics the hardware of a G4 Mac.


Schiavone rallies to upset Petrova

The tough Russian women #39;s field suffered its first loss early Wednesday when Italy #39;s Francesca Schiavone came back from a set down to upset eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the US\$2.


Crew prepares for launch to International Space Station

A two-man crew launches to the International Space Station tonight, tasked with keeping the outpost running and ready for space shuttles that will arrive after the men leave.


Germany Signals Shift on Iraq Policy

In a possible softening of its strict non-deployment policy in Iraq, Germany #39;s defense minister said he could not rule out sending troops there in the future.


Allawi threatens rebel-held Fallujah with force

Perhaps seeking to leverage any momentum from recent negotiations with prominent citizens of the volatile Iraqi city of Fallujah, Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi Wednesday issued what The Australian Broadcasting Corporation calls an  quot;ultimatum.


Tom Cruise, Oprah Co-Host Nobel Concert

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Following his role as a hired killer in  quot;Collateral, quot; Tom Cruise will host this year #39;s Nobel Peace Prize concert.


Israeli Says Country Will Become Isolated (AP)

AP - Israel is set on a collision course with the European Union and could turn into a pariah state, like South Africa during the apartheid years, if the Mideast conflict is not resolved, Israel's Foreign Ministry warns in a confidential 10-year forecast.


Feds Ask to Give Overseas Voters More Time (AP)

AP - The federal government asked a judge to give military families and overseas voters in Pennsylvania until after the Nov. 2 election to submit absentee ballots for president because of an ongoing court fight over Ralph Nader's ballot status.


Florida Supreme Court to Rule on Backup Ballots (Reuters)

Reuters - Voters displaced by\hurricanes or given flawed instructions should be allowed to\cast ballots outside their designated precincts, critics of\Florida's provisional ballot law told the state Supreme Court\on Wednesday.


Supreme Court Questions Juvenile Death Penalty (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court questioned on\Wednesday whether world opinion against the death penalty for\juveniles should influence its decision on the\constitutionality of executing those who committed murder at\age 16 or 17.


U.S. SEC Proposes Stricter Rules for IPOs

The U.S. Securities and Exchange\Commission on Wednesday proposed stricter rules to halt\underwriting practices that artificially boost demand for\shares in initial public offerings.


UN scaling back Darfur food aid

The World Food Programme scales back its projects in Darfur in Sudan because of worsening security.


5 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide attack and roadside bombings killed six American soldiers, the U.S. command said Wednesday, as U.S...


Stocks Mixed on Strong Earnings Reports

NEW YORK - Falling oil prices and strong earnings from Intel Corp. and McDonald's Corp...


Yankees, Red Sox Ready for Game 2 of ALCS

NEW YORK - A day after giving Boston ace Curt Schilling a pounding, the New York Yankees look to take a 2-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night. Martinez (16-9) faces Jon Lieber (14-8)...


Ahold, Ex-Execs Settle with Regulators

Ahold NV (AHLN.AS: Quote, Profile, Research) , the Dutch grocery operator, and three former top executives have agreed to settle US securities fraud charges related to massive overbooking of profits, the company and US regulators


Moody #39;s may cut HCA #39;s rating deeper into junk

Moody #39;s Investors Service on Wednesday said it may cut its bond ratings on HCA Inc. (HCA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) deeper into junk, citing the hospital operator #39;s plan to buy back about \$2.


Swiss remain competitive despite ratings slip

Switzerland has slipped down another place in the global league of most competitive nations, but still ranks in the top ten.


US Accounting Board Approves Options-Expense Rule (Update1)

The US Financial Accounting Standards Board approved a rule that will force companies to treat employee stock options as an expense and delayed its implementation until next June.


Lamy says Airbus pleased with US decision to take subsidy dispute <b>...</b>

The European aircraft manufacturing group Airbus believes it will benefit from a US decision to take a subsidy dispute to the WTO, since the move will destabilize development of the 7E7 by US rival Boeing, EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said here


PayPal.com resumes operations after four-day service disruption

OCTOBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Four days after its online payment Web site was slowed and only intermittently available to users due to a coding problem, PayPal.


DHS mulls shift in cyberczars power

Homeland Security Department officials are reviewing the status of their cybersecurity chief, a position now vacant following the abrupt resignation of Amit Yoran See GCN story.


Outage nearly over, PayPal says

PayPal said late Tuesday that it has fixed a software glitch that locked some of its customers out of their accounts and crippled eBay users #39; ability to complete online transactions.


Froogle released in Europe

Google #39;s shopping-specific search site, Froogle, has seen its first release outside US shores. The UK is the first European country to get Google #39;s shopping search and comparison service.


Game Data: Ohio State at Iowa

We have all of the pertinent data, the ABC coverage map, depth charts and one man #39;s prediction for Saturday #39;s game at Iowa (3:30 pm).


Moss questionable for Sunday

The Jets announced on Wednesday that wide receiver/punt returner Santana Moss is questionable for Sunday #39;s game against the San Francisco 49ers.


SBC to Use WiFi Network to Extend Cingular Reach (Reuters)

Reuters - SBC Communications Inc.  will\use its growing roster of public Wi-Fi access points as a\springboard for Cingular Wireless services, including advanced\phones and voice services using Internet technology.


IBM launches Atlantic (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Calling it their most significant release in the last four or five years, IBM's Rational Software on Wednesday formally rolled out its Rational Software Platform, code-named Atlantic, intended to better unify software development across IBM's line of server software.


Greenhouse Gas Jump Shows Kyoto Vital - UK (Reuters)

Reuters - A worrying rise in the levels of\so-called greenhouse gases linked to climate change highlights\the importance of the Kyoto protocol, British Environment\Minister Elliot Morley said Wednesday.


Genetic Factors Influence Male Homosexuality-Study (Reuters)

Reuters - Genetic factors, along with cultural and\early experiences, influence male homosexuality, Italian\scientists said on Wednesday.


SBC to Use WiFi Network to Extend Cingular Reach

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - SBC Communications Inc. SBC.N will  use its growing roster of public Wi-Fi access points as a  springboard for Cingular Wireless services, including advanced  phones and voice services using Internet technology.


London court set to rule whether radical cleric to face charges (AFP)

AFP - Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri was set to learn Thursday whether he would be charged under Britain's anti-terrorism law, thus delaying his possible extradition to the United States to face terrorism-related charges.


EU leaders hold talks in Sudan after new sanctions threat (AFP)

AFP - A European Union delegation led by Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot was holding talks after renewed EU sanctions threat against Khartoum over the Darfur crisis.


Congress Leads Exit Polls in Key Indian State

BOMBAY (Reuters) - India's ruling center-left Congress  party was heading for a narrow win in elections in the key  western state of Maharashtra that is the heart of business and  Bollywood, two television exit polls showed on Wednesday.


Bringing Space Composites Down to Earth

European Space Agency -- Innovative uses for plastics, rubber and their derivatives will be on display next week in Dsseldorf, at the world's leading trade fair for plastics and rubber, K2004.     A team from ESA will be present to show visitors how these commonplace materials can be used in space  and how this can lead to new technology for use on Earth...


Greener pastures--and wallets--for tech workers?

Study predicts better salaries and more competitive IT job market in the next three years.


Briefly: HP to sell PathScale compilers

roundup Plus: Open-source Web tools company nets VC funding...SAP spiffs up small business programs...Piracy crackdown yields \$2.2 million...Sun draws Nvidia graphics into Solaris.


UK paper moves to Enfield

Production staff - now standing at 1000 - will be cut by two-thirds as News International, the UK newspaper unit of News Corp, moves its London printing facilities from Wapping to Enfield.


Ryzhkov: Yukos Case Is State Banditry

Independent lawmaker Vladimir Ryzhkov called the looming sale of the Yukos oil company #39;s core production unit legal chaos and criticized the role of the Western investment bank that valued the subsidiary.


FDA approves injecting ID chips in patients

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the practice of injecting humans with tracking devices for medical purposes, according to a Florida company that makes the devices.


Google B #39;lore to be  #39;ideas #39; centre

BANGALORE: Google Bangalore, the first R amp;D centre outside the US of the number one internet search engine, is to be an ideas centre, said the fab-two who set up the company six years ago.


Delta pilots offer a new contract proposal

Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) pilots, who have been negotiating a slew of employment issues with company management, have offered a new contract proposal


FASB Delays Options Expensing Rule

Bowing to corporate pressure, the group that sets standards for the US accounting industry said on Wednesday it postponed the implementation of compulsory expensing of employee


Fed #39;s McTeer sole candidate to head Texas A amp;M

Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert McTeer was named on Wednesday as the sole candidate to become Chancellor of the Texas A amp;M University System and his office said he would release a statement later.


US SEC Proposes Stricter IPO Rules

Artificially boosting demand for initial public stock offerings and ramping up related commissions would be restricted under rules proposed on Wednesday by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.


Antitrust Pressure Against Intel Appears to Ease in Europe

As antitrust pressure against Intel appeared to ease today, the European Commission filed complaints against France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland saying they unfairly


Microsoft Issues Flurry of Fixes on Busy Patch Day

Updated: A  quot;cumulative security update quot; plugs eight holes in the Internet Explorer browser, while other patches address  quot;critical quot; vulnerabilities in the Windows shell, in SMTP and elsewhere.


IBM Unveils New TotalStorage Servers

quot;Our goal is to be number one in the data-storage system market, quot; says Cindy Grossman, director of IBM #39;s TotalStorage programs.


Space Crew Takes First Spin in a Soyuz

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan -- This week #39;s trip to the international space station will be the cosmonauts #39; first flight in a Soyuz spacecraft -- a rupture with the 30-year tradition of having at least one crewman with previous experience in piloting the capsule.


PayPal Says System Glitches Substantially Fixed

PayPal, the online payment system owned by eBay Inc. (EBAY.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , on Wednesday said it has fixed most of the problems that for five days left some users unable


Motorola, MasterCard trial RFID PayPass system

Motorola and MasterCard are conducting field tests of new mobile phones that include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips embedded in them as part of a cashless payment system dubbed PayPass.


Novell to defend open-source software with patents

OCTOBER 13, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Novell Inc. is prepared to use its portfolio of software patents to protect its open-source software products against lawsuits, the company said in a statement posted


Fake David Beckham Pictures Launch Trojan Horse Virus

Hackers have posted thousands of messages advertising pictures of David Beckham, supposedly in a compromising position. What inquisitive users actually get is the Hackarmy trojan horse -- a


Virgin Electronics Enters MP3 Player Market

Virgin Electronics is challenging Apple #39;s iPod digital-music player, launching its own 5-GB device. Virgin #39;s player can store more than 1,200 tracks and sells for \$249.


Enter your e-mail:

The folks at the Wi-Fi Alliance--the trade group that certifies Wi-Fi products from different vendors for compatibility--called today to share their thoughts about a coming wave of products promising superior performance to today #39;s fastest 802.


Disney Sends Out Three

October 13, 2004 - Disney Interactive announced today that it has shipped three TV-based titles for the Game Boy Advance: Disney #39;s That #39;s So Raven, Disney #39;s Lizzie McGuire 2: Lizzie Diaries, and Disney #39;s Lilo  amp; Stitch 2: Hamsterviel Havoc are all now


Google launches UK version of Froogle

Google, the giant Internet search engine, is launching a British version of its shopping comparison site Froogle, the Guardian reported Wednesday.


Adobe releases hobbyist Photoshop package

com October 13, 2004, 12:19 PM PT. According ZDNet #39;s survey of IT professionals in October, application development is the last priority, but nonetheless an important one.


Dell launches Axim X50 and X50v

Dell has upgraded its X30 with the X50 range of handhelds with three new models. The new Axim handheld computers offer Intel XScale Processors up to 624MHz, integrated Wi-Fi 802.


Schilling #39;s ankle will require surgery

Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the AL championship series Sunday.


Britain, France and San Marino Provisional on 2005 F1 Calendar

The British, French and San Marino Grand Prix Formula One races got a reprieve Wednesday, when they were listed on the provisional 2005 Formula One calendar.


Wales fail to give manager Hughes winning send-off

Wales failed to give departing manager Mark Hughes the send-off he wanted as Poland performed a smash and grab act to win 3-2 at the Millennium Stadium in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Late goal salvages N.Ireland draw against Austria

A goal deep in injury time from Stuart Elliott salvaged a 3-3 draw for Northern Ireland in a pulsating World Cup European Group Six qualifier against Austria on Wednesday.


UPDATE 2-Keane sets all-time Ireland scoring record

Striker Robbie Keane set an all-time scoring record of 23 for Ireland with both goals in a 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands on Wednesday.


UPDATE 2-Van Nistelrooy double helps Dutch sink Finland

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a goal in each half as the Netherlands recovered from a goal down to beat Finland 3-1 in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


UPDATE 1-Henry scores to help France to 2-0 win

Striker Thierry Henry scored his first international goal for four months to help struggling France snatch a badly needed 2-0 victory over Cyprus in their World Cup Group Four qualifier on Wednesday.


Sides talking but not to eachother

The National Hockey League #39;s top negotiator, Bill Daly, says that by not talking to the National Hockey League Players #39; Association, the league is actually moving the process forward.


A little good news for winless Dolphins: Welker wins special teams <b>...</b>

Rookie Wes Welker kicked off, then made the tackle. He returned punts and kickoffs, kicked a PAT and even made a field goal, providing a lift for a team that has had little to celebrate this season.


Germany Rejects Speculation That Iraq Policy May Change

German officials today reaffirmed their policy of not contributing troops to the American-led coalition in Iraq and rejected speculation, prompted by a remark by the


Russia Treads Fine Line On Iranian Nuclear Issue

At a press conference during his recent visit to Tehran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia does not support the idea of referring Tehran #39;s nuclear case to the United


More dead in Gaza rampage

At least four Palestinians have been killed and five injured in the continuing Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip. In the latest violence a Palestinian teenager was shot dead and two others wounded by Israeli


EU Sues Berlin Over Volkswagen Law

The EU Commission on Wednesday dragged Berlin to court over a law that shields carmaking icon Volkswagen from hostile takeovers, the culmination of a long campaign to break down barriers to foreign investment.


Gay row hits EC

BRUSSELS: European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has defended the appointment of Rocco Buttiglione as Europe #39;s justice and security chief, despite outrage at his claims that homosexuality is a sin.


Canada docks sub fleet pending navy probe

The navy has docked its fleet of submarines pending the investigation of a deadly fire at sea, renewing questions over the viability of Canada #39;s troubled underwater capability.


Sinai Attacks Appear to Have Limited Effect on Egyptian Tourism

The terrorist bombings last week at resorts along Egypt #39;s Red Sea coast raised fears of another slump in the country #39;s tourism industry, a key sector of its economy.


Red Sox Turn to Martinez

The New York Yankees look to take a 2-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in Game 2 of the AL Championship Series on Wednesday.


Ban for former Ahold executives

Dutch food retailer Ahold and three former top executives have agreed to settle fraud charges related to \$1bn overstatement of profits.


Schilling's Ankle Will Require Surgery (AP)

AP - Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the AL championship series Sunday.


Rockets' Yao Goes Back to School in China (AP)

AP - A day before starring in the NBA's first China game, Yao Ming went back to school. All the way back. The 7-foot-6 center visited his old elementary school Wednesday as part of an NBA sponsored program to promote reading. That was just one part of the league's promotional juggernaut that has descended on Yao's hometown ahead of Thursday's exhibition game against the Sacramento Kings, the first NBA game in China.


Florida Coach Zook Admits Confrontation (AP)

AP - Florida coach Ron Zook acknowledged Wednesday that he confronted several fraternity members after a fight between them and three of his players last month, and athletic director Jeremy Foley called Zook's behavior "unacceptable."


Top-Seeded Ljubicic Advances in Metz (AP)

AP - Top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia defeated Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) Wednesday in the second round of the Open de Moselle.


Panthers Lose Jenkins for Season

CHARLOTTE, N.C., (Sports Network) - Carolina Panthers  defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was placed on injured reserve  Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season because of  a shoulder injury.


Warrick Doubtful for Sunday

CINCINNATI (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals wide  receiver Peter Warrick is doubtful for Sunday's game against  Cleveland because of a shin injury.


Paradorn Powers Past Struggling Costa

VIENNA (Reuters) - Fifth seed Paradorn Srichaphan added to  Albert Costa's woes at the Vienna Trophy Wednesday, winning  6-4, 6-4, to reach the second round.


Chip Implant Can Be Used to Get Health Records -US

A computer chip that is implanted under the skin won US approval on Wednesday for use in helping doctors quickly access a patient #39;s medical history.


Feds McTeer tapped to head Texas A amp;M -

FRX ECO INDUSAFIN ENG  2004-10-13 22:22:02 Fed #39;s McTeer tapped to head Texas A amp;M - UPDATE 1 WASHINGTON (AFX) -- Robert McTeer, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said he would retire from his post if named, as


Dell swings new Axims into play

The Axim 50 range comprises entry- and mid-level Axim 50 models and the Axim 50v which boasts a larger 3.7in screen supporting full VGA resolution and bundled game, plus greater graphics power in the form of the 16MB Intel 2700 accelerator.


Schilling questionable for Game 5 with dislocated tendon

NEW YORK -- Curt Schilling #39;s postseason might come to a premature end because of a dislocated tendon in his right ankle. Boston team doctor William Morgan said Wednesday afternoon that Red Sox trainers will


Time for a new leader

England v Azerbaijan - another game for the national side totally overshadowed by David Beckham. This is, of course, a not uncommon phenomena.


2004 NLCS Preview: Cardinals vs. Astros

The best team in the National League will meet the hottest team in baseball when the Cards take on the Astros in the LCS. Game 2: Matt Morris (0-1, 5.14 ERA, 5 K) vs.


Phils give Baylor managing interview

The former manager of the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs was in town to interview for the Phillies #39; vacancy at the same position.


US, G-8 nations to talk of Iran penalties Friday

The Bush administration will take up strategy for UN sanctions against Iran at a meeting Friday of senior officials from eight nations.


Nigerian court rule on ongoing strike hailed by trade union

Nigeria #39;s umbrella union on Wednesday hailed a high court rule on the ongoing warning strike against rising domestic fuel prices, saying the government has failed to stop the strike using the court.


Netherlands beats Finland in World Cup qualifier after nightmare <b>...</b>

Ruud van Nistelrooy returned with a vengeance, scoring twice in the Netherlands #39; 3-1 victory over Finland in World Cup qualifying Wednesday.


Jenkins may be lost for season

CHARLOTTE -- Just when it seemed the Carolina Panthers #39; luck with injuries couldn #39;t get any worse, it appears to be about to.


Tory MP calls for independent experts at sub inquiry

OTTAWA - The navy board of inquiry investigating the fatal submarine fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi should include independent members, perhaps from another country, says Tory MP Bill Casey.


Federal reserve bank chief finalist for A amp;M job

Texas A amp;M University System regents selected the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas as the sole finalist for its chancellorship today.


Poles are party-poopers

POLAND produced a stunning comeback to deny departing Wales manager Mark Hughes a happy send-off at the Millennium Stadium today. The home side dominated the first-half and Robbie Savage finally unlocked the


Austrian seeds move on

THIRD seed Rainer Schuettler and No.5 Paradorn Srichaphan advanced to the second round of the CA Trophy today. Schuettler, a finalist at this year #39;s Australian Open, seized the initiative early and broke the Austrian at 2-2, enough to win the first set.


Dolphins sign Matt Bryant

MIAMI (Ticker) - The winless Miami Dolphins signed kicker Matt Bryant on Wednesday and announced sidelined running back Lamar Gordon had successful surgery on his shoulder.


Disney releases three for GBA

Lilo  amp; Stitch 2, Lizzie McGuire 2, That #39;s So Raven jump from your TV to the Game Boy Advance today. Disney Interactive announced today that three Game Boy Advance titles based on Disney Channel children #39;s television properties have shipped to retail.


Schilling #39;s Ankle Will Require Surgery

Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling watches as New York Yankees Gary Sheffield rounds first base after hitting a double in the first inning of game one of the ALCS in New York Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004.


Kremlin Cup Upset for Nadia Petrova

The tough Russian women #39;s field suffered its first loss early Wednesday when Italy #39;s Francesca Schiavone came back from a set down to upset eighth-seeded Nadia Petrova 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the \$2.


Astros #39; Backe living out a dream

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Houston Astros aren #39;t pitching future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens or 20-game-winner Roy Oswalt in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.


Russia to Sell Big Yukos Unit at Low-End Price

The Russian government said on Tuesday that it would sell part of the oil giant Yukos #39;s most valuable subsidiary by the end of November, but at a price well below what investors and analysts consider its worth.


VeriChip Approved by FDA for Medical Use in Humans

About the size of a grain of rice, VeriChip cannot be seen by the human eye and contains a unique 16-digit verification number that is captured by briefly passing a proprietary scanner over the insertion site.


Update 2: Ahold, Three Former Execs Settle Charges

Global grocery retailer Ahold NV has agreed to a settlement of civil fraud charges over an alleged \$1 billion overstatement of earnings in a deal with US regulators that does not fine the company.


Pilot talks continue; Delta shares fall

ATLANTA -- Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. fell Monday on the fear among some analysts that the struggling carrier will be forced into bankruptcy if it doesn #39;t get significant wage concessions from its pilots in the next three weeks.


US Supreme Court hears arguments on juvenile death penalty (AFP)

AFP - The US Supreme Court heard arguments on the legality of the death penalty for criminals under age 18 in a case that has received international attention.


Henry on target for French

THIERRY HENRY finally added to his recent meagre goal tally for France in this World Cup qualifier today. Henry scored in the closing stages after Sylvain Wiltord #39;s opener, for only his third international


US Considering Incentives for Iran

Resigning Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, center, and newly appointed Vice-President Majid Ansari, second left, attend a meeting of the central council of their party President Mohammad Khatami accepted Abtahi #39;s resignation, in Tehran, Iran


Schroeder Rules Out German Troops for Iraq

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on  Wednesday ruled out sending German troops to Iraq after his  defense minister said a deployment could be possible in the  future.


Tennis: Stepanek dumps top seed Safin out of Kremlin Cup

MOSCOW : Unseeded Czech Radek Stepanek produced a major upset when he dumped top seeded Russian Marat Safin out of the 2.3 million dollar Kremlin Cup tournament in the second round.


Police Play Down Fears of Post-Beslan Reprisals

VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia (Reuters) - Police in the Russian  region traumatized by the Beslan school siege played down  reprisal fears as mourning drew to a close, while locals  thought the shattered community was too exhausted for revenge.


Cambodia tribunal may pave way for judicial reform

Optimism has been tempered by years of negotiations and legislative delays; many Cambodians lost hope long ago.


In Beslan, a tense bid for calm

Russian officials hope to prevent reprisals as a 40-day mourning period ends for victims of the school siege.


Adobe Ships New Version Of Photoshop Elements

Adobe Systems Inc. on Wednesday released an upgrade of its consumer-focused photo-editing software, which has been enhanced with new features for improving photo quality.


Netherlands beats Finland 3-1 in World Cup qualifier after poor <b>...</b>

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored two goals Wednesday as the Netherlands rebounded from a poor start to beat Finland 3-1 in a World Cup qualifying match.


Oil set to top Russia-China talks

Russia's president says Moscow's interests come first as he starts his China visit to discuss key oil projects.


Al-Qaeda figures 'held in Jordan'

The CIA declines to comment on a report that senior al-Qaeda suspects are being held in Jordan.


Former SA official denies graft

A former advisor to the South Africa's deputy president pleads not guilty to charges of fraud and corruption.


SA edges up the pile

South Africa has moved up a spot on the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness Index; SA is now 41 out of 104 countries ranked on the basis of competitiveness.


PeopleSoft exec: We pumped up earnings

com October 13, 2004, 2:19 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Rape 'a weapon in Colombia war'

Sexual violence is being used to terrorise entire communities caught in Colombia's conflict, Amnesty says.


Illegal wood seized across Spain

Spanish Civil Guard officers seized 33 tonnes of illegal Brazilian tropical wood in raids on a number of cities.


New Crew Ready for Space Station Mission

A Russian Soyuz rocket is due to blast off from the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan early Thursday. Astronaut Leroy Chiao and cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipovalso will observe conditions on


We are open to UN inspectors, says Iraq

BAGHDAD: UN nuclear inspectors are welcome to return, an Iraqi minister said on Tuesday in response to concerns of an apparent systematic dismantlement of Saddam Husseins once-vigorous nuclear programme.


Finland Ranked World #39;s Most Competitive Economy

Finland has topped the rankings in the Global Competitiveness Report for the third time in the last four years. The United States has maintained its second-place position.


F.D.A. Approves Implantable Chip for Patient's Health Data

The Food and Drug Administration approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors.


Cisco to Sell Routers with Fujitsu

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO.O, the  largest maker of gear to direct Internet traffic, said on  Sunday Japanese computer and electronics provider Fujitsu Ltd.  6702.T will sell Cisco's high-end routers and switches in  Japan.


Lava Gives Mount St. Helens Eerie Glow

SEATTLE - The molten rock rising inside Mount St. Helens is giving the peak an eerie red glow at night...


Soaring Oil Prices Send Stocks Skidding

NEW YORK - Soaring oil prices trumped positive earnings news Wednesday, sending stocks skidding as investors rushed to take profits on new fears that the market is in the midst of a commodities bubble.    Stronger than expected profits at chip bellwether Intel Corp...


Appeals Court Denies Moussaoui Hearing

WASHINGTON - Terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui lost a bid Wednesday to have the full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals review two issues - witness access and the death penalty - that have delayed a trial...


6 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide attack and roadside bombings killed six American soldiers, the U.S. command said Wednesday, as U.S...


Apple Profit Doubles; Outlook Tops Views (Reuters)

Reuters - Apple Computer Inc.  on\Wednesday reported its quarterly profit more than doubled, on\strong sales of its iPod digital music player and notebook\computers and said revenue and earnings for the current quarter\would top Wall Street estimates.


Bank of Italy chief warns public accounts in "serious" shape (AFP)

AFP - Italy's public accounts are in  quot;serious quot; imbalance and corrective measures are needed to prevent the public deficit from skyrocketing above the European Union limit in the coming years, Bank of Italy governor Antonio Fazio said.


Mothers of Russian GIs Appeal to Rebels (AP)

AP - A group of Russian mothers, desperate for peace in Chechnya, told rebels in the breakaway region Wednesday they were ready to mediate peace between the government and militants fighting a decade-long battle for independence.


McDonald's Earnings Rise, Stock Up

CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp. MCD.N third-quarter  earnings per share rose a higher-than-expected 42 percent on a  preliminary basis, the world's largest restaurant chain said on  Wednesday, citing strong sales in the United States and a lower  tax rate.


Sola Says Agrees to Be Sold for \$815 Mln

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sola International SOL.N, an  eyeglass lens maker, said on Sunday that it had agreed to be  bought by Germany's Carl Zeiss AG and European private equity  firm EQT for about \$815 million in cash.


Bayer to Pay Fine for Rubber Price Fixing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Germany's Bayer AG BAYG.DE has  agreed to plead guilty and pay a \$4.7 million fine for taking  part in a conspiracy to fix the prices of synthetic rubber, the  U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.


Banker Questioned in Enron Criminal Case

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Prosecutors in the first Enron Corp.  ENRNQ.PK criminal trial sought to cast doubt on Wednesday on  a former Merrill Lynch MER.N banker's statements that he was  worried about financial risks from buying three barges from  Enron.


PeopleSoft Execs Defend Bid Rejection

WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Inc.'s PSFT.O  chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's  customer assurance program might not force liabilities on  Oracle Corp. ORCL.O if its \$7.7 billion takeover bid  succeeds.


Hurricane Damage to Hit Allstate Profits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp. ALL.N, the No. 2 U.S.  home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter  profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than  \$1 billion in hurricane-related payouts.


Sandisk Profit Rises But Misses Forecasts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sandisk Corp. said on Wednesday its  quarterly profit tripled but shares fell 18 percent as its  results missed Wall Street estimates because an oversupply of  memory cards drove down prices.


FCC Majority OKs Cingular-AT T Wireless

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A majority of the U.S. Federal  Communications Commission has voted to conditionally approve  Cingular Wireless' proposed acquisition of AT T Wireless  Services Inc. AWE.N, a source familiar with the matter said  on Wednesday.


SEC Investigating Newspaper Circulation

The Securities and Commission is conducting an investigation into circulation reporting in the newspaper industry following several disclosures of fraudulent practices in recent months.


Abbey a step closer to takeover

The hopes of Spain's largest bank to secure Abbey National have been given a boost after the City watchdog said it saw no reason to block the deal.


S.E.C Probes Chiron Over Flu Shot Shortage

The S.E.C. has launched an informal inquiry into how Chiron handled the disclosure of vaccine-manufacturing problems that caused the nation's flu shot crisis.


Apple Profit Doubles; Outlook Tops Views

Apple posted a higher quarterly profit today, boosted by strong sales of its iPod digital music player and notebook computers.


Nordic Nations Prevail in Surveys of World's Hot Economies

Finland retained its hold at the top of the world's economies in the survey with Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland also in the top 10.


Intel's Inventory Bugaboo

Plus, slow-cruisin' Harley, the Golden Arches' golden times, and it's good to be Yahoo!


Dude, Where's My Car? Seriously.

Have you seen a four-door Accord, VA YGD 3719 tags? It's mine, and I want it back.


Astros Take on Cards, Red Sox Face Yanks

NEW YORK - A day after giving Boston ace Curt Schilling a pounding, the New York Yankees look to take a 2-0 lead over Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the National League Championship Series gets underway when the Houston Astros take on the St...


How to Spot a Serial Acquirer

Acquisitions can juice sales but can also lead to messy balance sheets. A simple test can sort them out.


Study: Adolescence Affects Breast Cancer

The way a girl grows during adolescence and even in the womb may play an important, if murky, role in her risk of breast cancer later in life, a study suggests. The study of 117,000 women in Denmark found that those who were chubby at birth but tall and lean at 14 were more likely to develop the disease...


Oil rally sends stocks sharply lower

Soaring oil prices trumped positive earnings news Wednesday, sending stocks skidding as investors rushed to take profits on new fears that the market is in the midst of a commodities bubble.


Allstate Sees Q3 Well Below Views

Allstate Corp. on Wednesday warned its third-quarter profit would be a fraction of Wall Street expectations after the insurance firm said it sees more than \$1 billion in catastrophic losses from recent hurricanes.


Canadian agency OKs Coors-Molson merger

Canada #39;s Competition Bureau said today it has no objection to the proposal to merge brewers Molson Inc. of Montreal and Adolph Coors Co.


SEC considering disclosure rules for executive pay

In the flood of corporate reform unleashed by recent business scandals, one issue has been largely ignored, shareholder activists say: the stratospheric level of executive pay and


IBM Gets Flexible with Small Storage Systems

Key to the announcement is the fact that the systems share microcode, said Dianne McAdam, senior analyst at Data Mobility Group.  quot;That means that if I want to make a copy of a volume on the DS6000 I use the same commands as the DS8000.


US-Soviet Crew For Space Station

Smiling and confident, two Russians and an American prepared for their first mission in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft - breaking the nearly 30-year tradition of having at least one crewman with previous experience in piloting the capsule.


David Beckham Fans Beware: Trojan Makers Are Targeting

David Beckham has made it into the news, once again. But Beckham has done nothing for this publicity. Computer hackers have created a trojan virus attached to software by claiming to have sleazy photographs of the soccer star.


802.11n: Not So Fast!

The Wi-Fi Alliance yesterday warned wireless gear makers not to jump the gun on marketing 802.11n features before the standard is ratified.


Microsoft releases Office 2004 Service Pack 1

The Mac BU today announced the availability of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Office 2004 for Mac via Microsoft AutoUpdate, which it says addresses potential security issues and bugs reported via the new Microsoft Error Reporting Protocol (MERP), which


Cyber-Security to Get Higher-Profile Leader

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said yesterday that the role of overseeing computer security and the Internet should have a higher profile at the agency, in the face of increasing concern


IBM unveils new Shark and midrange array

OCTOBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - NEW YORK -- IBM yesterday unveiled two new enterprise-class storage arrays, one aimed at the high end and one at midrange environments but both with compatible software that allows the boxes to be managed through a


Paris City Hall Balks at Linux Switch

Local government offices in the French capital will not abandon Microsoft software overnight but instead gradually phase in more open-source programs, Paris City Hall said.


Legal downloading reported down

The number of consumers legally downloading recorded music has fallen to 1 million from a high of 1.3 million in April, The Hollywood Reporter said Wednesday.


Tokyo Stocks Weaker as Yen Weighs

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average slipped 0.55  percent in early trade on Monday after a weak U.S. jobs report  pushed the dollar down against the yen, hurting the shares of  Japanese exporters.


Phil Jackson details clashes with Kobe Bryant

Phil Jackson called his relationship with Kobe Bryant at times a  quot;psychological war quot; and sought to trade his star guard in January, according to a diary of the former Lakers coach.


Van Basten restoring harmony to Holland

What can be done about Greece? Marco van Basten, Holland #39;s controversially appointed coach, yesterday turned his mind from what to do about Finland tonight to how international


Wales caught as Poles vault ahead towards finish

Mark Hughes farewell as Wales manager turned into a wake as their World Cup dreams were shattered by a remarkable Polish comeback.


Wiltord, Henry on target

France has defeated Cyprus 2-0 in its World Cup qualifier in Nicosia thanks to goals from Sylvain Wiltord and Thierry Henry. Wiltord, a former teammate of Henry #39;s at Arsenal, netted the opening goal in the


Fregosi to interview with Phils

The goal for the Phillies is to find a manager who can take a disappointing winning team to the next level -- the playoffs. So why not call in the guy who managed the last Phillies team to do it?


Astros must go to Plan B with pitchers

ST. LOUIS - If Andy Pettitte and Wade Miller were available, the Houston rotation would be set up perfectly for the National League Championship Series.


Israel launches air strike on Palestinian militants, killing one

An Israeli aircraft fired a missile ata group of militants near the Palestinian town of Beit Lahya in northern Gaza Strip Wednesday evening, killing one of them, witnesses said.


Germany in EU dock over Volkswagen law

The European Commission has begun legal action against Germany over the so-called  quot;Volkswagen law quot; which protects the carmaker from hostile takeovers.


Double Standards That Kill

As usual, there has been a disproportionate and unbalanced reaction to recent and ongoing violence in our region. Since late September, Israel has been butchering civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip.


UPDATE 2-Mylan defends King deal amid investor concerns

Generic drug maker Mylan Laboratories Inc. reaffirmed on Wednesday its planned \$3.37 billion purchase of King Pharmaceuticals Inc.


UPDATE 1-Late Polish fighback earns 3-2 win in Wales

Wales failed to give departing manager Mark Hughes the send-off he wanted as Poland performed a smash and grab act to win 3-2 at the Millennium Stadium in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Yuvraj likely to open for confused India

The first rays of sunlight bring with it the hope of a new day, a new beginning and a new start to a life gone awry for a while. The Indian team, having had a nightmarish start to a new cricket season, hopes


LIVESTRONG band decision provoked furor

Ten Virginia high school cross country runners disqualified for wearing Lance Armstrong #39;s LIVESTRONG wristbands during a meet last week have had their results reinstated.


Google Founders on Hiring Trip to India (AP)

AP - Google Inc. founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin said Wednesday that some new features on the world's top search engine and other services will come from its research center in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, where they are on a hiring spree.


Microsoft Launches Music Service in Japan (AP)

AP - Microsoft Corp. will begin its music download service in Japan with an initial offering of 50,000 songs, a spokeswoman for the U.S. software giant's online service unit said Wednesday.


Evite Plans Web Network of Friends' Food Reviews (Reuters)

Reuters - Online party planning site Evite\plans on Thursday to launch a service to let users get\restaurant and entertainment recommendations from friends and\acquaintances, Evite President John Foley said.


FCC Majority OKs Cingular-AT T Wireless (Reuters)

Reuters - A majority of the U.S. Federal\Communications Commission has voted to conditionally approve\Cingular Wireless' proposed acquisition of AT T Wireless\Services Inc. , a source familiar with the matter said\on Wednesday.


PeopleSoft Execs Defend Bid Rejection (Reuters)

Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc.'s \chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's\customer assurance program might not force liabilities on\Oracle Corp.  if its  #36;7.7 billion takeover bid\succeeds.


Great Lakes to Get Asian Carp Barrier (AP)

AP - The Army Corps of Engineers will in two weeks begin building a permanent electric barrier to keep the invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes, officials announced Wednesday.


Wealthy New Lab Aims to Capture Dreams, Literally (Reuters)

Reuters - Gerald Rubin is looking for\someone who can take a picture of a thought.


Fresh ISS Crew Sees 'Pleasant' Trip Despite Glitch (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S.-Russian space\crew due to blast off Thursday say they expect six "pleasant"\months in orbit, despite a technical glitch that has twice\delayed the launch.


FDA: Chip Implant Can Be Used to Get Health Records

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A computer chip that is implanted  under the skin won U.S. approval on Wednesday for use in  helping doctors quickly access a patient's medical history.


Apple Profits Surge on iPod, Laptop Sales

Apple Computer Inc.'s fourth quarter earnings soared on strong sales of laptop computers and its popular iPod music players, helping the company notch its highest revenue for the quarter in nine years. -AP


FDA Approves Chip for Patients

The Food and Drug Administration approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors, speeding care.


Famous Blacks Get Out the Vote in Florida (AP)

AP - Black actors including LeVar Burton and Alfre Woodard will join members of Congress crisscrossing Florida by bus this weekend to try to get out the vote for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.


Reindeer Decline Threatens Mongolian Nomads

For centuries the Tsaatan people have roamed Mongolia with the reindeer that provide their livelihood. But disease and inbreeding now threaten their herds #151;and cultural future. <i>With photo gallery.</i>


SpaceShipOne Burns Rubber, Laughing Gas #151;More Fun Facts

Get fun facts on <I>SpaceShipOne,</I> the first privately built manned spacecraft. For starters, the ship burns a mixture of rubber and laughing gas.


Birding Column: Appreciating Non-Native Ducks and Geese

While "serious" birders in the U.S. disdain non-native ducks and geese, one birding columnist enjoys observing the many species that have made California their home.


Scanning the Skies for Threats from Space

PPARC -- British astronomers are providing a vital component to the world-wide effort of identifying and monitoring rogue asteroids and comets. From this month, the UK Astrometry and Photometry Programme (UKAPP) for Near-Earth Objects, based at Queens University, Belfast, will track Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and feed their crucial information into the international programme of protecting the Earth from any future impact by a comet or asteroid...


Harvard Scientists Want to Clone Human Embryos

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) -- Harvard University scientists have asked the university's ethical review board for permission to produce cloned human embryos for disease research, potentially becoming the first researchers in the nation to wade into a divisive area of study that has become a presidential campaign issue...


NetSuite updates customer management tools

NetSuite 10.0 offers analysis tools to help businesses predict information about customers based on data they've already entered.


Patent case challenges Microsoft's 'AutoPlay'

A case scheduled for hearing in December focuses on technology for automatically loading software from a disc.


PeopleSoft exec: We pumped up earnings

The company asked customers to accelerate deals in order to bolster earnings--a ploy to exaggerate profits, Oracle lawyers say.


Briefly: Westinghouse cuts price of LCD TVs

roundup Plus: Adobe debuts hobbyist Photoshop package...Symbol joins WiMax wireless broadband group...HP to sell PathScale compilers.


WebMethods wraps process software in Fabric

The new software is designed to simplify the process of knitting together back-office business applications.


SCO to launch legal Web site

Prosco.net will feature an archive of filings and other information related to the company's many legal battles over Linux.


FDA approves injecting ID chips in patients

Regulators sign off on implantable tracking device to manage treatment of Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease, other conditions.


HP to open research center in South Korea

Over the next five years, the company will spend \$40 million on its new lab, which will focus on the digital home.


Locked out--and locked up--on the Net?

Outages put a crimp in access at PayPal, Gawker. Also: Microsoft's latest security warnings.


Symbol joins WiMax wireless broadband group

Symbol Technologies follows Cisco, which also recently joined the WiMax Forum.


Westinghouse cuts price of LCD TVs

The company has cut up to 25 percent off the price of two of its liquid-crystal display TV models.


Adobe releases hobbyist Photoshop package

Photoshop Elements 3.0 enhances tools for touching up photos, including the "healing brush."


Segway may go off-road

The scooter maker is testing a new four-wheel gadget that travels 20 mph and can handle rough terrain.


Small discs for camcorders get the blue light

Blu-ray group is developing a smaller version of its technology for portable electronics, aiming to give its format a leg up.


Phillies Interview Former Indians Manager (AP)

AP - After spending two seasons as a special assistant and adviser with Philadelphia, Charlie Manuel saved his best recommendation for last: Hire him as the new manager of the Phillies.


Creative declares war on Apple

EXPECT to see and hear Creative Technology everywhere as it embarks on a worldwide marketing campaign to snatch dominance of the digital music player market from Apple Computer.


Techies want assistant secretary to address cybersecurity

The technology industry stands behind its call for an assistant secretary for cybersecurity in the Homeland Security Department, even as confusion grows over what the department is planning.


SCO plans own Web site as alternative to Groklaw

The SCO Group Inc. is setting up a Web site to cover the latest happenings in its many legal disputes and as an alternative to the Groklaw.net, a popular Web site that has been highly critical of the company.


SAP releases new version of Business One

German business software vendor SAP AG released a new version of its SAP Business One software with several functions designed for small and medium-size manufacturers.


IBM, Borland upgrade developer tools

IBM and Borland have both upgraded their development platforms to focus more on business process automation.


Caution dampens spirit at Cannes tech conference

Soaring oil prices and terrorism have instilled fresh caution into global markets over the past six months, executives and investors said at a technology conference in Cannes.


Novell to defend open-source software with patents

Novell Inc. said it is prepared to use its portfolio of software patents to protect its open-source software products against lawsuits.


IBM unveils new Shark and midrange array

IBM presented two new enterprise-class storage arrays that feature compatible software that allows the boxes to be managed through a single interface and data to be replicated between them.


Brief: Iron Mountain snaps up backup software vendor

Iron Mountain plans to acquire Connected Corp. to enhance its online backup and recovery portfolio.


PayPal.com resumes operations after four-day service disruption

Online payment Web site PayPal.com was back in service late last night after a coding error disrupted service for four days.


CA adds antivirus, antispyware to Cisco NAC program

Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) said on Wednesday that it was joining a Cisco Systems Inc. program to harden enterprise networks against attacks by enforcing security policies on computer hosts that attempt to access network resources, the company said in a statement.


Schilling Needs Surgery

Curt Schilling needs surgery on his injured right ankle, but the Red Sox hope he will still be able to pitch Game 5 of the ALCS on Sunday.


FDA Approves Use of Microchip Implants in Humans

By DIEDTRA HENDERSON    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors, speeding care.    VeriChips, radio frequency microchips the size of a grain of rice, have already been used to identify wayward pets and livestock...


U.S. Appeals NAFTA Panel Lumber Decision (AP)

AP - The Bush administration said Wednesday it will appeal a NAFTA dispute panel's finding that imports of Canadian softwood lumber pose no threat to American companies.


White House: Islamic Agency Aids Terror (AP)

AP - The Bush administration on Wednesday accused a Sudan-based relief organization and five of its officials of helping finance Osama bin Laden and other terrorists.


US Supreme Court reviews Cubans' indefinite detention (AFP)

AFP - The US Supreme Court examined whether the United States can indefinitely detain two Cubans who face deportation but remain in legal limbo because Cuba refuses to take them back.


Hurricane Damage to Hurt Allstate Profit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp. ALL.N, the No. 2 U.S.  home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter  profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than  \$1 billion in hurricane-related payouts.


Putting Your PC in a Pocket

OQO, a tiny 14-ounce Windows XP computer, may just be the most elegant and versatile miniature PC possible with current technology.


Touches of Weird, Done Best in Japan

NO one does weird quite as well as Japanese game designers and animators. In this spirit, three new video games bring the bizarre home.


Oft-Scorned Segway Finds Friends Among the Disabled

Gyroscopically balanced scooters have given disabled people a new grasp on mobility.


Mobile Phones Increase Tumor Risk - Swedish Study (Reuters)

Reuters - Ten or more years of mobile phone use\increases the risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a benign\tumor on the auditory nerve, according to a study released on\Wednesday by Sweden's Karolinska Institute.


Mobile Phones Increase Tumor Risk - Swedish Study

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Ten or more years of mobile phone use  increases the risk of developing acoustic neuroma, a benign  tumor on the auditory nerve, according to a study released on  Wednesday by Sweden's Karolinska Institute.


IBM chip chief now managing intellectual property

High rate of patents, open-source age increase importance of intellectual property issues.


Vonage talks of 911 advancements

In Rhode Island, will there be an answer to a major problem for the Internet phone industry?\


FDA approves use of chip in patients

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient #39;s medical details to doctors, speeding care.


SEC seals settlement with Ahold

WASHINGTON Ahold, the Dutch food retailer, and three of its former top executives have agreed to settle US securities fraud charges related to overbooking of profits, the company and US regulators said Wednesday.


Options rule delayed for companies in US

American companies were granted a six-month delay Wednesday on the deadline for reporting the value of stock options granted to employees as an expense - a change that would delay the reduction in reported profits for many companies, particularly in the


EU opens Intel inquiry over government deals

BRUSSELS The European Commission opened legal cases against France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland on Wednesday, saying that it believed the four governments had been favoring Intel, the US computer chip maker, when awarding public contracts.


Bank of America #39;s Focus on Profit, Job Cuts Irks Politicians

Bank of America Corp. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Lewis is running afoul of Massachusetts politicians as he slashes jobs to increase earnings following his \$48 billion purchase of FleetBoston Financial Corp.


Aussie wealth exceeds \$5 trillion

It appears Australians have never been wealthier as total private sector wealth now exceeds \$5 trillion. Officially, private sector wealth is estimated at \$5,013 billion, which is up 18 per cent in the past year.


PeopleSoft board amends \$2 billion customer rebate program

PeopleSoft Inc. #39;s board voted on Oct. 11 to change its controversial customer protection program to help it pass muster in a Delaware court battle with would-be acquirer, Oracle Corp.


US files first lawsuit in spyware battle

THE United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) formally announced on Tuesday its first assault against spyware - bits of computer code that surreptitiously install themselves on the computers of Internet users to track their activities, push them to


New Russian-US crew ready for launch to space station

A Russian-US expedition will take off Thursday morning to the International Space Station (ISS) on asix-month mission, local media reported Wednesday.


Google Options Takes Spotlight After Yahoo Results (Reuters)

Reuters - Some options investors, encouraged by\Yahoo Inc.'s solid results, seem confident that Google Inc.\shares will avoid any big moves after the Web search leader\reports earnings next week, an options analyst said on\Wednesday.


Boston #39;s  #39;boy wonder #39; could become  #39;The Man #39;

The boy wonder, who #39;s really a man these days, could be The Man by the end of the month in Boston. Theo Epstein, 30, is the youngest general manager in baseball, a kid from suburban Boston who


Lawyers pick at Silverstone deal

Now the real work begins. As a July date for the British Grand Prix appeared on the provisional calendar for the 2005 Formula One season in Paris yesterday, a 21-page document landed on the


S. American Zone

Moldova and Scotland seem destined to chase the wooden spoon in Group 5 after failing to take advantage of each other #39;s limitations.


Vijay is the best but Els is favourite

LONDON - Vijay Singh is officially the best player in the world, but as far as this week #39;s World Matchplay Championship is concerned, Ernie Els is the top seed because he is the champion.


Office Alternatives Explore Server-Based Apps (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - Sun Microsystems, with its StarOffice suite, and the open-source OpenOffice.org consider server-based applications as a way to boost security, portability and deployment.


NATO hurrying on Iraq trainers

POIANA BRASOV, Romania NATO defense ministers pledged on Wednesday to speed the deployment of about 300 security instructors to Iraq by the end of the year under a program to field more Iraqi forces to help safeguard the elections in January.


Apple's fourth quarter, by the numbers (MacCentral)

MacCentral - On Wednesday, Apple not only reached a major milestone with its highest fourth quarter earnings in nine years, according to CEO Steve Jobs, but it also shattered its previous record with more than 2 million iPods shipped during the fourth quarter of its 2004 fiscal year -- an incredible 500 percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2003 and 134 percent more than the previous quarter. That number not only helped the company reach a commanding 92. ...


Fossil Hunters Find Sleeping Dinosaur in China (Reuters)

Reuters - Scientists have unearthed the remains of\a perfectly preserved 130 million-year-old new species of\dinosaur which provide a first-ever look at how the prehistoric\creatures slept.


Scientists, Patients Fight UN Stem Cell Study Ban (Reuters)

Reuters - A coalition of 125 scientific\and patients' groups urged the United Nations on Wednesday to\reject a global ban on stem cell research sought by the Bush\administration and more than 50 other countries.


NZ in top 20 competitive economies

The New Zealand economy has slipped four places in world competitiveness rankings, but remains in the top 20, a new report shows. The World Economic Forum #39;s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 ranks


Wall Street stocks end lower on rising oil prices

Wall Street stocks fell sharply Wednesday as surging oil prices overshadowed positive earnings news, prompting investors to cash in more profits.


Compu-tainment

In Los Angeles on Tuesday, Microsoft trumpeted a new era of  quot;digital entertainment anywhere. quot; The company unveiled the latest Windows XP Media Center PCs, aimed at bringing the computer into consumers #39; living rooms; announced the formal launch of its


ALH goes with Coles bid

COLES Myer yesterday waltzed in and trumped rival Woolworths in the battle for pubs group Australian Leisure  amp; Hospitality. But Coles chief John Fletcher #39;s \$3.


Google on Bangalore hiring spree

NEW Google features and services would come from the company #39;s research centre in the southern Indian city of Bangalore, where Google has been on a hiring spree, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin said.


Feds delay stock-options rule for 6 months

NORWALK, Conn. - Accounting rulemakers, pressed by both businesses and regulators, on Wednesday decided to give public companies six more months to adopt a new standard for deducting from profits the value of stock options.


UPDATE 2-Fed #39;s McTeer may leave for Texas A amp;M post

Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert McTeer, the US central bank #39;s resident poet and self-styled inflation  quot;lonesome dove, quot; said on Wednesday he will leave


Vodafone rejigs top tier as it prepares for less expansive era

Vodafone picked a successor to long-time finance chief Ken Hydon yesterday and restructured its board in an effort to give chief executive Arun Sarin more operational control of the mobile phone company.


Hurricane Damage to Hurt Allstate Profit

Allstate Corp. (ALL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 2 US home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than \$1 billion in hurricane-related payouts.


Microsoft issues security patches to fix 21 flaws

Microsoft Corp., world #39;s largest software maker, published numerous patches to fix 21 flaws in its software applications yesterday.


IBM Increases Storage Space

When IBM (Quote, Chart) unveiled its new, high-octane storage server at an event in New York Tuesday, it became apparent the company made some headway in taking virtualization features from its mainframe systems and dropping them into its storage line.


Dinosaur that slept like a bird

Just one week after finding feathers on the ancestor of Tyrannosaurus rex, Chinese and US scientists have announced the discovery of a dinosaur curled up like a sleeping cygnet.


Soccer star subject of virus writers

British experts warn some people involved in spreading computer viruses are exploiting the worldwide interest in British soccer super star David Beckham.


Motorola Tests M-Commerce

Motorola and MasterCard want to prove that reducing the fumble factor can save merchants money. Phones equipped with PayPass, MasterCard #39;s contactless payment service, are expected to go through rigorous testing


ISS shields Microsoft #39;s latest vulnerabilities

Internet Security Systems has announced that it has preemptive protection available for the four high risk vulnerabilities announced by Microsoft on Wednesday.


Schilling #39;s Postseason May Be Finished

It is the first rule that every aspiring pitcher learns. Without a balanced delivery, nothing works. For a right-hander, the right ankle is the foundation.


Bryants Anger Hurt the Lakers, Jackson Says in a New Book

In his new book, Phil Jackson, the former Los Angeles Lakers coach, describes a dysfunctional team hurt by Kobe Bryants petulant anger and his pending rape trial, and feuding between Bryant and Shaquille ONeal, who is now with the Miami Heat.


United States 6, Panama 0

Established star Landon Donovan and rising sensation Eddie Johnson carried the United States into the regional qualifying finals for the 2006 World Cup in emphatic fashion Wednesday night.


Astros, Cardinals Tied 4-4 After Five

St. Louis Cardinals #39; Albert Pujols hits a two-run homer in the first inning to tie the game against the Houston Astros during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium in St.


Bettman engages fans in online chat

(CP) - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spent part of his afternoon Wednesday answering questions from fans about the league #39;s lockout rather than preparing for opening night.


Plummer to Remove Decal Honoring Tillman

Denver quarterback Jake Plummer, who memorialized his friend Pat Tillman by wearing a No. 40 decal on his helmet in a game last Sunday, agreed yesterday to remove it.


Storm cherish title, aim to stay on top

The Seattle Storm and Anne Donovan have made WNBA history, but don #39;t look for them to sit on their accomplishments. There will be a championship celebration Friday in downtown Seattle in honor of the Storm #39;s WNBA title.


Orioles lose Grimsley until June

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Pitcher Jason Grimsley is lost to the Baltimore Orioles until next June at the earliest after undergoing  quot;Tommy John quot; surgery Wednesday.


#39;Extender #39; reality check

Our story this morning on Microsoft #39;s digital media launch included comments from Forrester Research analyst Ted Schadler, explaining why he thinks the first wave of Media Center Extender products will be too expensive (about \$300 for set-top boxes) for


Yet Another Bidder Emerges for Australian Pub Operator

Australia #39;s largest retailer, Coles Myer, waded into a takeover battle for the pub operator Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group yesterday, offering 1.18 billion Australian dollars (\$856 million) in a bid with a local bank.


Future is now: US approves implantable chip that links to health <b>...</b>

Forget about temperature taking and blood pressure checking. In the bright, near future, the first step for people seeking medical care may be to have their bicep read by an electronic scanner seeking data stored on an implanted chip.


IT  amp; BPO may hog headlines, WEF index puts India at 55th

NEW DELHI: India ranks 55th in a World Economic Forum ranking of 104 countries in terms of growth competitiveness. As per the WEFs Global Competitiveness Report 2004-05, Finland, home to Nokia, is the world


FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients

WASHINGTON Oct. 13, 2004 - Medical milestone or privacy invasion? A tiny computer chip approved Wednesday for implantation in a patient #39;s arm can speed vital information about a patient #39;s medical history to doctors and hospitals.


City punishes JJB for takeover failure

JJB SPORTS saw its shares collapse nearly 20 per cent yesterday after it broke off talks with the private equity giant Cinven and posted dismal first-half sales.


In Challenge to EMC, IBM Introduces Smaller Servers

With the proclamation that it intends to overtake EMC as the top enterprise storage supplier, IBM announced today the DS6000, a disk storage system slightly bigger than a VCR, and the TotalStorage


Q amp;A: Linus Torvalds, inventor of Linux

Linus Torvalds pronounced LEE-nus started a revolution of sorts in the computer industry when he created the Linux operating system and decided to share it with fellow programmers on the Internet.


Solaris security suffers image problem

A highly critical security hole has been reported in the X Pixmap (libXpm) technology shipped with Solaris and JDS for Linux, which could allow someone to run code on your system if a modified X Pixmmap (.xpm) image is loaded.


German goalkeeper battle escalates

BERLIN - Jens Lehmann wore the wrong gloves and is not available for Germany #39;s Asian tour in December. Oliver Kahn, by contrast, has the right gloves, can play in December and will be made fit like never before by Sepp Maier.


US drubs Panama 6-0 in Cup qualifying


More US Soldiers Die in Iraq Blasts

BAGHDAD, 14 October 2004 - Six American soldiers were killed in roadside bombings, the US command said yesterday, as US and Iraqi troops stepped up pressure on insurgents before this weeks start of the holy month of Ramadan.


Germany hints at softer stance on Iraq

LONDON : German Defence Minister Peter Struck appeared in an interview with Britain #39;s Financial Times newspaper to soften his country #39;s stance on Iraq, hinting that Germany might deploy troops if conditions there change.


Armed ex-soldiers plan to stop Haiti violence

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Former soldiers who ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in a revolt said Wednesday that reinforcements are advancing on Haiti #39;s capital to stop violence that has killed at least 46 people.


Update 3: EU Head Office Challenges German Law

The European Union #39;s head office took Germany to court Wednesday to challenge a German law that effectively protects Volkswagen AG, one of the country #39;s biggest employers, from hostile takeovers.


Japan #39;s troubled Daiei considering seeking aid from government <b>...</b>

TOKYO : Debt-ridden Japanese retailer Daiei is considering seeking help from a state-backed corporate body, reversing an earlier reluctance after pressure from its creditors, officials said.


Howard to attend Yudhoyono inauguration

Prime Minister John Howard will travel to Indonesia later this month to attend the inauguration of new Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.


Insecurity across Darfur, Sudan threatens aid deliveries, warns UN <b>...</b>

13 October 2004 - The United Nations food relief agency warned today that the security situation in Sudan #39;s strife-torn Darfur region is so volatile that it is hampering the delivery and distribution of food aid to the vast population of internally