Former Boeing CFO Pleads Guilty (Reuters)

Reuters - Former Boeing Co.  Chief\Financial Officer Michael Sears pleaded guilty on Monday to one\felony count of aiding the illegal hiring of a U.S. Air Force\official for a top job at the company.


Geographic Photographer Dies in Amazon Plane Crash

Freelance photographer Nicolas Reynard died yesterday. The seaplane in which he was traveling crashed in the Negro River near Manaus in northern Brazil.


European Software Pirates Caught (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Making illegal copies of computer games and desktop applications is one thing, but ripping off enterprise software is entirely another.


Bobcats Shuffle Roster to Help Okafor (AP)

AP - In desperate need of frontcourt help, the Charlotte Bobcats activated forward Jamal Sampson on Monday even though he isn't 100 percent healthy.


Wireless Carriers Cut Portability Fees (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Verizon Wireless and Sprint (NYSE: FON) are giving their customers a break, cutting their fees for number portability, which the carriers have charged all customers to meet the costs of enabling wireless users to keep their phone numbers when they switch service providers.


VC Firm Joins Open Source Development Labs (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Voyager Capital, a Pacific Northwest I.T. venture firm, has joined the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL), an Oregon-based organization dedicated to boosting the growth and adoption of Linux in enterprises.


Microsoft Inks Deals With Infosys, Wipro (AP)

AP - Software giant Microsoft Corp. signed software partnerships Monday with India's leading outsourcing firms, Infosys Technologies Ltd. and Wipro Ltd., and stepped up plans to hire more programmers in India.


Sun Rolls Out Solaris 10 (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW) today came out swinging with the launch of the latest\Solaris operating system, announcing that the new and improved\Unix-based software would be offered for free.


Surprising Second Black Hole Found in Milky Way's Center (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Astronomers think they have found a rare if not unique black hole very near the center of the Milky Way. That would make two of the beasts in that part of the galaxy.


NASA To Test Laser Communications With Mars Spacecraft (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - Work is underway to establish the first interplanetary laser communication link. The  #36;300 million NASA experiment, if successful, will connect robotic spacecraft at Mars with scientists back on Earth via a beam of light traveling some 300 million kilometers.


Sarbanes-Oxley kicks in

Security vendors eye a billion-dollar pie as key section of accounting law goes into effect.


Defense Dept. tests Net phone calls on IPv6

Next-generation Internet Protocol inches forward, with signs of growing corporate demand.


Dow, Nasdaq Rise as Crude Falls

The blue-chip Dow average ended slightly higher on Monday and the tech-driven Nasdaq also gained as declining crude-oil prices made equities aside from energy names attractive.


Federal Tax Agency has Thousands in Refund Checks for Alabamians

The Internal Revenue Service is looking for a few taxpayers -- no it is not for overdue taxes -- the agency says it has nearly \$767,000 in tax refund checks that could NOT be delivered to about 1,096 Alabamians.


Oil dives below \$46 to eight-week low

Crude oil prices tumbled again Monday, sliding to an 8-week low, under \$46 a barrel, as growing fuel stocks in the United States eased fears of a winter supply crunch.


Kraft to sell Life Savers, Altoids unit to Wm. Wrigley for \$1.5B

Kraft Foods Inc., the owner of Oscar Mayer Foods Corp., Madison, said Monday that it will sell its sugar confectionery business, including the Life Savers and Altoids brands, to chewing gum and candy maker Wm.


New burger has 1,400 calories, 103 grams of fat

ST. LOUIS - The Hardee #39;s fast food chain has rolled out its new 1,400-calorie Monster Thickburger, with 107 grams of fat. The sandwich boasts two-thirds of a pound of beef, four strips of bacon, three slices


Head Restraint Safety

Thomasville - If you #39;ve ever been rear ended in a car wreck, you may of had some of these symptoms:  quot;You end up with tight muscles, sore neck, dizziness, headache, quot; says Chiropractor Dr.


Dell Forges New Blades

Rekindling its blade ambitions and hoping to make inroads with customers in the midst of consolidation planning or in need of general, yet space efficient Web farms and HPC clusters, Dell today announced the Xeon-based PowerEdge 1855, a server that


McAfee Enhances Spyware Protection

McAfee this week plans to announce an add-on for its enterprise antivirus products to offer increased protection against spyware. Users of McAfee VirusScan Enterprise Edition versions 7.1 or 8.0i next month


Yahoo Unveils New Mail Enhancements

Recently Yahoo unveiled some new features for their email service, Yahoo Mail. Some of the new features include improved search, Address AutoComplete, and full implementation of DomainKeys.


Reconstructing the utility storage system vision

NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (SNW ONLINE) - Since the late 1990s, leading data storage technology vendors have adopted a myopic and largely self-serving approach for addressing the two central challenges of enterprise storage: resource provisioning and data


David Beckham denies quit rumours

England skipper David Beckham has denied reports he will quit playing for his country after the 2006 World Cup. The 29-year-old Real Madrid star says he hopes to reach 100 international caps and has no plans to retire from international football yet.


WADA Wants More Funds to Fight Drug Cheats

The man leading the fight against drug cheats in sport said on Monday he wanted a further \$1.5 million in funding to help stamp out substance abuse.


French troops to stay, minister says

French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie warned Monday that without the stabilizing presence of foreign peacekeepers, the Ivory Coast risked erupting into bloodshed akin to


Macedonian Prime Minister resigns

Macedonia #39;s prime minister Hari Kostov resigned Monday over disagreements with ethnic Albanian coalition partners, setting off a government crisis in the Balkan state where ethnic tensions run high.


Dow Jones to buy MarketWatch for \$519M

Dow Jones will buy MarketWatch for about \$519 million, a deal that would end a month-long bidding war for the online financial news and information provider.


Euro close to record highs as dollar struggles

LONDON (AFP) - The euro eased back from close to record highs against the dollar as dealers remained concerned about US economic imbalances, while US Treasury Secretary John Snow said markets should determine the value of the American currency.


Pfizer Pulling  #39;Wild Thing #39; Viagra Ads

Pfizer Inc. has begun pulling two television advertisements for its Viagra impotence drug after US officials said the  quot;wild thing quot; ads made unsubstantiated claims about a return of sexual desire.


Oil Giveth, Oil Taketh Away

With the stock market looking to start a fourth week of gains, another drop in oil prices gave aid to some stocks Monday but pulled the rug out from under others.


More Than 1,000 Federal Income Tax Refund Checks Returned <b>...</b>

Oklahoma City - The Internal Revenue Service is looking for more than 950 Oklahomans whose federal income tax refund checks totaling more than \$741,000 were returned to the IRS as undeliverable by the Postal Service.


Govt slashes price of kerosine

President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday directed that the price of kerosene be slashed immediately. He did not however give a benchmark for the price.


Gum maker Wrigley agrees to buy major candy brands from Kraft for <b>...</b>

Candy and gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. announced Monday it has agreed to buy a number of candy brands, including Life Savers and Altoids, from Kraft Foods for \$1.


Eurozone finance ministers mull rising euro, stability pact

BRUSSELS (AFP) - Eurozone finance ministers were to focus at a meeting on the rise of the single currency to record levels against the dollar, with swelling deficits also set to share the limelight.


Here #39;s looking at you, babe!

YOU have read about the alternative Internet browser that is known as Firefox. Here #39;s an easy guide to it. Nothing. Firefox is the collective product of volunteer programmers in what is known as the open-source community.


Microsoft, Apple and the HP Gambit

HP knows it can #39;t depend on Microsoft for marketing. This has been particularly clear throughout its relationship with the company.


Young Palestinians hope for post-Arafat democracy

They fly his banner, wear his face on their T-shirts, and utter solemn prayers with upturned hands at his graveside. But many young


Macedonia PM Quits, Says Reform Drive Not Supported

Macedonian Prime Minister Hari Kostov announced his resignation on Monday after less than six months in office, saying reforms were being neglected.


Federal judge stays ruling in UPS case

SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge on Monday stayed his own ruling that UPS must give deaf and hearing impaired workers the same opportunity as others to become truck drivers, allowing the company to appeal.


Network Appliance Offers Up Flexible Storage

The vendor adds features to its storage appliance to quickly bring back online storage that had been dedicated to an underused application.


Giants Sack Warner; Name Manning Starter

New York Giants quarterback Kurt Warner is sacked by Arizona Cardinals Bertrand berry during the first quarter Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.


Study: Posture Able to Communicate Fear (AP)

AP - A fight breaks out, and even though people at the far side of the crowd can't see what's going on, they are immediately on edge. Now, a Harvard researcher has an explanation for this fear contagion, the quick spread of emotion through a crowd.


Coffee, Soybeans Rise, Crude Drops

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prices for arabica coffee rallied 14  percent on Monday chased higher by commodity funds as concerns  about a decline in the number of bags in U.S. warehouses were  reinforced by an earthquake in major grower Colombia.


As smoke clears, next battles are political

As the military stabilizes Fallujah, fresh violence erupts in other Sunni-dominated areas of Iraq.


Young Palestinians, after rule of Arafat, hope for rule of law

While Arafat was seen as the champion of Palestinian nationalism, he also came to represent corruption.


Europe persuades Iran to cool nuclear program - for now

Iran agreed Sunday to suspend a uranium enrichment program in exchange for trade considerations.


Watch where you point that camera phone

Consumer Electronics Association publishes guidelines for responsible use of cell phone cameras


Navy Pounds Army

PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Kyle Eckel rushed for a  career-high 179 yards and a touchdown to lead the Navy  Midshipmen to a 42-13 rout of the Army Black Knights in the  105th meeting of the storied rivalry between the service  academies from Lincoln Financial Field.


Bosnian Serb police detain eight war crimes suspects (AFP)

AFP - Bosnian Serb police detained eight suspects wanted by the UN war crimes court, the first such arrests since the end of the 1992-95 conflict, police and court sources said.


Group Challenges Banknorth-TD Bank Merger (AP)

AP - A consumer advocacy group in New York is objecting to Banknorth Group Inc.'s proposed  #36;3.8 billion merger with Toronto-based TD Bank Financial Group because it says Banknorth underserves minority and low-income consumers.


Stocks End Flat, Microsoft Lifts Techs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed little changed on  Monday as investors paused for breath following significant  gains in the market so far this month, while lower oil prices  weighed on energy shares, including Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM.N.


Lowe's Profit Rises, But Stock Falls

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Home improvement retailer Lowe's Cos.  Inc. LOW.N on Monday reported a 15 percent rise in  third-quarter profit, aided by its expansion to New York and  other big U.S. markets, but its stock fell on a disappointing  outlook and concern about profit margins.


NASCAR to Keep New Points System for 2005

NASCAR chairman Brian France will keep the new points system in place for next year, satisfied that the closest championship race in history is proof that the 10-race playoff structure works better than expected.


Paris Favored to Win 2012 Olympics Bid

The five cities looking to host the 2012 Summer Games submitted bids to the International Olympic Committee on Monday, entering the final stage of a long process in hopes of landing one of the biggest prizes in sports.


Update 1: Fannie Mae Misses SEC 3Q Filing Deadline

Mortgage giant Fannie Mae missed a regulatory deadline Monday for filing its third-quarter financial results after its independent auditor KPMG refused to sign off on the report.


Update 2: Interest Rates on Treasury Bills Rise

Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in Monday #39;s auction to the highest levels in more than three years. The Treasury Department auctioned \$19 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 2.075 percent.


Prescription Drugs to Get Electronic IDs

The US Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced an anti-counterfeiting initiative that would provide prescription drugs with an electronic fingerprint by outfitting them with tiny chips and antennas.


Bob Evans 2Q Earnings Tumble 41 Percent

Shares of Bob Evans Farms Inc. fell Monday after the family restaurant chain reported Tuesday that second-quarter earnings fell 41 percent because of soft same-store sales and higher food and labor costs.


Greece admits deficit figures were fudged

Greece admitted yesterday that the budget figures it used to gain entry to the euro three years ago were fudged. The Finance Minister, George Alogoskoufis, said


WTO starts negotiations on trade facilitation

The World Trade Organization (WTO) launched negotiations on trade facilitation at a meeting on Monday. WTO members agreed on a work plan and a schedule of meetings on negotiations


Microsoft Cracks Down on Xbox Changes (AP)

AP - In the days before Microsoft Corp. released the hotly anticipated Halo 2 video game for the Xbox game console, some gamers noticed a sudden spike in the number of people being kicked off the company's online game service. That was no coincidence.


Bush Attends Army-Navy Football Game (AP)

AP - The roar of Air Force One and a tip of its wing over the playing field signaled President Bush's arrival Saturday at the Army-Navy football game, a matchup steeped in tradition and shadowed today by the war in Iraq.


UPDATE 2-US Treasury: Debt limit must be raised this week

The US Treasury Department on Monday postponed announcing a four-week bill auction to avoid piercing the limit on federal borrowing, and said


As Sun reveals Solaris 10, users pleased

While Sun Microsystems on Monday held its official launch of the Solaris 10 operating system, the future of the operating system, and perhaps Sun itself, was being decided many miles away, at organizations such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and FedEx


FDA Orders Viagra to Pull  #39;Wild Thing #39; Ad

The government ordered Pfizer Inc. to yank cheeky television ads that promised better sex for men taking Viagra because they failed to disclose known risks associated with


Dell, Microsoft integrate patch management apps

NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Dell Inc. and Microsoft Corp. said today that they #39;re working together to integrate their systems management applications to allow customers to update server hardware and software with a single tool.


Yahoo, Earthlink Build Bulwark Against Spoofing

There are several technologies similar to DomainKeys, including Cisco #39;s Identified Internet Mail and Microsofts #39;s SenderID.


Intel reaches Pentium 4 speed limit at 3.8 GHz

NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - As expected, Intel Corp. introduced a 3.8-GHz Pentium 4 processor today in what could represent the end of an era for the chip maker.


PalmOne #39;s next moves

More than most people, Ed Colligan is well acquainted with the ups and downs that punctuate the handheld-device market. Along with Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky, Colligan was part of the troika that left Palm to found rival Handspring.


Toyota sign Jordan deal

Privateer Formula One team Jordan will be Toyota-powered next season, it was revealed on Monday. The one year deal - for the  #39;affordable #39; 2005-spec RVX-05 V10 supply - was concluded before the weekend, according to a Toyota statement.


Angels option on Molina, decline Ortiz

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - Catcher Bengie Molina will return to the Anaheim Anaheim Angels next season but he will not have righthander Ramon Ortiz throwing to him.


Computers Keep Oklahoma No. 2 in the BCS

Computers Keep Oklahoma No. 2 in BCS, but Auburn Gains; Both Teams, and No. 1 Trojans, Are 10-0. Oklahoma running back Kejuan Jones, pictured in the first quarter against Nebraska, in Norman, Okla.


Urlacher out four to six weeks

Just when their defense was playing at a high level and sparking a three-game winning streak, the Chicago Bears lost star linebacker Brian Urlacher.


Backups and Fill-Ins Help Steelers Win (AP)

AP - They played most of Sunday's game with a special teams player at linebacker, a tight end at fullback, an undrafted former backup at nose tackle and, yes, that rookie quarterback who wasn't supposed to play this season.


Young Palestinians, after rule of Arafat, hope for rule of law

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK - They fly his banner, wear his face on their T-shirts, and utter solemn prayers with upturned hands at his graveside.


Ivory Coast, France trade jabs

ABIDJAN - Ivory Coast and France traded jabs Monday over responsibility for last week #39;s unrest, as the UN Security Council appeared set to impose an arms embargo on the divided west African state.


Zarqawi rallies fighters in new tape

An audiotape purportedly from a leader of forces opposed to the US-led government in Iraq has urged fighters supporters to brace for new battles against US forces after the assault on Falluja.


Wounded US soldiers recount Fallujah battle

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Wounded US servicemen bore scars of a fierce battle for the Iraqi city, and told of a city teeming with heavily armed fighters who roamed the streets in small groups and fired from rooftops and mosques.


Craigslist posting offers political fist-fight

Wanted: One Bush supporter--but not for long walks on the beach, candle-lit dinners or spooning on winter mornings. Missing Links


Reggae Boyz Head to World Cup Qualifier (AP)

AP - Jamaica's soccer team left the island Monday for Columbus, Ohio, where it will play the United States in a crucial World Cup qualifying match.


Google Edges Up as Shares Set to Come Onto Market (Reuters)

Reuters - Shares of Web search leader\Google Inc. on Monday inched higher a day before the expiration\of a restriction period that will allow employees and early\investors to sell 39 million shares.


Lewis: Player Spit On

Coach Marvin Lewis says one of his Cincinnati Bengals was spit on during a 17-10 victory over the Redskins, and he hopes the NFL does something to crack down.


Resigning U.S. agriculture secretary won't slow border reopening: beef industry (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - EDMONTON (CP) - The push to convince the United States to reopen its border to live Canadian cattle shouldn't be affected by Monday's resignation of U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, industry leaders say.


Bonds Wins MVP Award Despite Tainted Season

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco Giants slugger  Barry Bonds captured a record seventh MVP award on Monday,  providing a sparkling finish to a season tainted by doping  allegations.


Apache Geronimo readied as Java app server (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - LAS VEGAS -- Geronimo, the open source Java application server in development by the Apache Software Foundation, will provide a malleable technology base amenable to applications such as regulatory compliance systems, according to a technologist working on the project. #160;


Coleman, Dole Each Claim Enough GOP Votes (AP)

AP - Sens. Norm Coleman and Elizabeth Dole both claimed Monday they have enough votes from their GOP colleagues to take over leadership of the influential National Republican Senatorial Committee.


Skype plugs hole in VoIP software

The peer-to-peer Internet phone company patches a serious security flaw in its product for Windows PCs.


Photo: The Bot, by Alienware

Alienware hopes to broaden its appeal with the sub-\$600 Bot desktop for home users.


Apache Geronimo readied as Java app server

LAS VEGAS -- Geronimo, the open source Java application server in development by the Apache Software Foundation, will provide a malleable technology base amenable to applications such as regulatory compliance systems, according to a technologist working on the project.


AMD chips to gain security, virtualization features

SAN FRANCISCO - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) plans to build security and virtualization features into its server processors by 2006, the company said Friday during its annual analyst event.


Dow Jones buys MarketWatch for \$519 million

NEW YORK-- Business news publisher Dow Jones  amp; Co. said today it is acquiring MarketWatch Inc., an online financial news and information provider, for \$519 million in cash, broadening the company #39;s presence in the growing realm of online advertising.


Bob Evans Earnings Down 40 Percent

Bob Evans Farms Inc. (BOBE.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday reported a 40 percent drop in quarterly earnings and warned that full-year results would fall short of estimates due to weak sales at its namesake restaurants.


Greek membership of eurozone not in doubt

BRUSSELS - Greece #39;s membership of the eurozone is not in doubt despite a damaging review of its budget data stretching back five years, a European Commission official said Monday.


McAfee Adds Real-Time Scanning to Zap Spyware

Security software specialist McAfee Inc. has added a new module to its virus scan engine to help businesses combat the growing spyware scourge.


Grokster teams with P2P radio

File-swapping company Grokster is teaming up with newcomer Mercora to distribute an advanced streaming radio service to the peer-to-peer crowd.


3.8GHz Intel cap ends an era

Intel is capping its processor speeds at 3.8GHz in a move some have interpreted as the final humiliating climbdown of a difficult year.


Jaguar given new lease of life by Red Bull

FORD sold its Jaguar Formula One team on the cheap to ensure that they were guaranteed survival and a multimillion-pound budget that will allow them to flourish.


Daly-Donofrio rebounds from ordinary season

Heather Daly-Donofrio may not win very often on the LPGA Tour (this was just her second career win), but the manner in which she held several of the game #39;s leading players at bay in the final round of the Tournament of Champions in Alabama, suggests that


Glazer signals intentions by opening talks with new bank

Malcolm Glazer #39;s intention to make a hostile bid for Manchester United was underlined yesterday as he held talks with Deutsche Bank about financing a deal.


McCaffery:Desperate Cowboys are Eagles challenge

IRVING, Texas -- By now, according to the script, Bill Parcells should be deep into a Super Bowl journey, with a Monday night opportunity to take in a little more of the breathtaking scenery.


Five seriously injured in Tilt Train derailment

At least five people have serious injuries after a high-speed train derailment in south-east Queensland. A Tilt Train commuter service with 157 passengers and seven staff on board came off the tracks north of Bundaberg just after midnight.


Wounded US soldiers describe  #39;reckless #39; Fallujah rebels

LANDSTUHL, Germany, Nov 15 (AFP) - Wounded US soldiers being treated at the military hospital here on Monday gave a graphic account of the battle for the rebel Iraqi stronghold of Fallujah.


Bonds wins record seventh MVP in a walk

Capping a season filled with suspicion and success, the San Francisco Giants left fielder became the oldest player to become the MVP of a major North American professional league.


Can this gritty, resilient bunch be the Falcons?

Pick just about any other season in their mostly lamentable existence. Without question, the Atlanta Falcons would have fallen apart at a moment like this.


NBC Says Marine Shot Dead Wounded Iraqi Prisoner

LONDON (Reuters) - A television pool report by U.S. network  NBC said on Monday that a U.S. Marine had shot dead an unarmed  and wounded Iraqi prisoner in a mosque in Falluja.


Europe to Consider Complaints About Online Music Royalties

The European Commission says the organizations that collect royalties for songwriters in Europe are restricting competition in the field of music distribution over the Internet.


Fannie Mae Misses Quarterly Filing Deadline

Mortgage giant Fannie Mae missed a regulatory deadline Monday for filing its third-quarter financial results after its independent auditor KPMG refused to sign off on the report.


Expos Suit Tossed Out

Arbitrators ruled Monday against the former limited partners of the Montreal Expos in their case against former controlling owner Jeffrey Loria, clearing Major League Baseball to move the franchise to Washington.


Faster chip plugged into midrange UltraSparc

Upcoming "Niagara" will appear in the 1.6GHz UltraSparc IIIi.


Hu's South American tour raises hopes of Chinese riches (AFP)

AFP - President Hu Jintao of China ended a visit to Brazil, the first leg of a tour of Latin America that has raised expectations of untold riches in every country on his list.


Powell Says Will Work Hard Until He Exits (AP)

AP - Secretary of State Colin Powell, widely viewed as the moderate in an administration dominated by hawks, announced Monday he will step down as America's chief diplomat once a successor is in place.


US backs  #39;strong dollar #39;

DUBLIN The United States backs a strong dollar, US Treasury Secretary John Snow reiterated Monday. But he added that it was up to the market to determine exchange rates based on economic fundamentals, leading


AmEx files antitrust suit against credit card rivals

American Express said Monday that it had filed suit against Visa International and MasterCard International for imposing rules, later overturned by the courts, that barred tens of thousands of banks from issuing its credit card.


US pension agency posts \$23.3B deficit

The government agency that insures the private pensions of 44.4 million workers said Monday that its deficit more than doubled in 2004 to a record \$23.


Delta Hedging Its Bets on Debt Swaps

Delta Air Lines (DAL:NYSE - news - research) appears to have given up on part of a debt exchange that is part of its restructuring plan.


NASA Postpones Launch of Super-Fast Jet to Tuesday

NASA officials on Monday postponed for a day the launch of an unmanned experimental jet that would have attempted to shoot out across the Pacific Ocean at a record speed of more than 7,000 mph (11,265 kph) after an apparent glitch


Sun to give away new operating system

Sun Microsystems Inc., whose servers run corporate networks and websites, will give away its newest operating system to generate more sales from service contracts.


Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional

New security, collaboration, and organization features; Microsoft Office 2003 compatibility; Professional version allows Acrobat Reader users to annotate PDF documents.


Ion-Propulsion Craft Reaches The Moon

Rollie Hawk writes  quot;It ain #39;t warp speed, but it #39;s exciting new technology at work! The European Space Agency put an ion-propelled rocket into lunar orbit today.


Alienware tames prices for home PC users

In an attempt to broaden its reach, PC maker Alienware has uneviled a stylishly chic, compact PC for home users. The Miami-based PC maker is best known for building extreme desktops--machines that cost thousands--for gamers.


Acer Ferrari 3400 Notebook

Acer America Corporation, one of the leading worldwide suppliers of IT solutions, announced the newest addition to the Ferrari line of notebooks, the Ferrari 3400.


Spin doctors must deal with truth

So the 600-page Olympic and Paralympics candidate file for London 2012 is now with the International Olympic Committee and Sebastian Coe has told us we must Make Britain Proud and Back the Bid


Ramsey to start for Redskins against Philly

Patrick Ramsey will start instead of Mark Brunell at quarterback for the Washington Redskins, a move coach Joe Gibbs hopes will end the team #39;s worst scoring drought in seven decades.


Threats could force England to cancel trip

As England departed on a three-month tour of southern Africa yesterday, their captain, Michael Vaughan, suggested that his team could yet refuse to fulfil their commitment to the Zimbabwe section of the trip.


Acquittal of Iran nuclear programme qualified

The United Nations (UN) has said on Monday that, as far as it knows, Iran had not diverted any nuclear materials to a weapons programme - a verdict diplomats said undermined the


Abbas Meets Hamas to Urge Unity Pact

GAZA CITY, 16 November 2004 - Trying to put the Gaza gunfight of Sunday behind it, the new Palestinian leadership held a series of talks aimed at creating what one called a national accord ahead of presidential elections in two months.


The two Yasser Arafats

To Palestinians, Yasser Arafat was  quot;Mr Palestine quot;, a historical figure who embodied the Palestinian nationalist movement.


Australian train derails injuring 100

A high-speed passenger train has derailed on Australia #39;s tropical north coast, sending carriages and passengers flying through the air and injuring 128 people, five of them seriously.


Gartner cuts fourth-quarter PC forecast

Budget competition from other consumer electronics devices is among factors lowering sales estimates.


Microsoft Expands Operations in India

The Microsoft Corporation announced on Monday that it was significantly expanding its software development operations in India as it opened a new campus near Hyderabad


SEC charges Lord Black and takes control of Hollinger

REGULATORS in the US moved to seize the bulk of Lord Black of Crossharbours wealth yesterday and remove his power as controlling shareholder of Hollinger International, the newspaper publisher.


Fannie Delays Quarterly Filing

Fannie Mae (FNM:NYSE - news - research), the scandal-tainted mortgage finance firm, says it #39;s looking at a \$9 billion loss in its derivatives portfolio if regulators don #39;t accept its accounting practices.


EADS Seen Facing Hurdles Inside and Out Over Thales

A blockbuster merger to make Airbus parent EADS an even bigger threat to US archrival Boeing Co. would face opposition both internally


York Int #39;l Unit Recalling Gas Furnaces

A York International Corp. (YRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) subsidiary has agreed to recall about 226,000 natural gas furnaces because of a fire risk, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Monday.


Card firms face lawsuit

NEW YORK: American Express Company, the travel and financial services giant, said yesterday it was suing Visa and MasterCard over anti-competitive business practices.


Britain Says European Contract Competition Is Unfair

For years, Continental Europeans have chastised the British for what they regard as a lack of European credentials. The British, other Europeans complain, stand outside the


Sarkozy, Clement to discuss Thales, EADS in Berlin on Tuesday

BERLIN : Rumours of a possible tie-up between French defence electronics group Thales and the European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS) are to be discussed by the German and French economy ministers later this week, a German government


Fourteen die as suicide bombs rock Baghdad and Mosul

Suicide bombings yesterday in Baghdad and Mosul killed 14 people and wounded more than 60, many of them policemen, worsening a surge of violence across Iraq.


Giants Sack Warner; Name Manning Starter (AP)

AP - Stop referring to Eli Manning as the New York Giants' quarterback of the future. The job is his, now and for seemingly years to come.


NASA Delays Flight of X-43A Scramjet

In this photo released by NASA Langley Research Center, the 12-foot X-43A hypersonic jet is shown attached to a modified B-52 bomber in an image from NASA television.


Linux looms large for Sun Solaris 10

In doing some reporting for Sun #39;s Solaris 10 announcement Monday, I asked some analysts for their thoughts on Sun #39;s overall Solaris vs.


Consumer Alert: Car Restraint Systems Rated

(Nov. 15) -- Would your car protect your head and neck in case of a crash? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested restraint systems in dozens of cars.


Posture found able to communicate fear

A Harvard researcher says seeing someone in a fearful posture triggers areas of the brain that express emotion and prime the body for action, even without seeing the person #39;s facial expression.


Grokster touts  #39;legal, licensed #39; p2p music share system

Grokster has partnered with  #39;P2P radio #39; company Mercora to offer what it claims is  quot;the Internet #39;s largest, legal and licensed peer-to-peer music search and discovery service quot;.


Acer Ferrari 3400LMi

The Acer Ferrari truly lives up to its namesake as being an expensive system, but with that price comes an excellent thin and light notebook with tons of performance.


Mularkey Sticking With Bledsoe As Bills QB (AP)

AP - Mike Mularkey has a message to those clamoring for rookie quarterback J.P. Losman to replace Drew Bledsoe as Buffalo's starter. Not yet.


Grand prix snag for Silverstone

Jaguar may have gone to a good home, but as yet the British Grand Prix does not have one. On a remarkably good day for Formula One teams in trouble, with the sale of Jaguar going through to


Computers keep Oklahoma BCS #39; No. 2

Oklahoma remained second in the Bowl Championship Series Standings on Monday, holding off Auburn because of a stronger computer ranking.


Injury joins insult for winless NBA Hornets (AFP)

AFP - Two-time All-Star guard Baron Davis will miss one or two weeks of the National Aasketball Association season with an inflamed disc in his lower back, adding to the misery of the winless New Orleans Hornets.


Mets Decline Al Leiter's  #36;10.2M Option (AP)

AP - Al Leiter became a free agent Monday when the New York Mets declined his  #36;10.2 million option and decided to pay a  #36;2.1 million buyout.


U.S. Military Says Has 100 Pct Control of Falluja (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. troops have secured control\over the whole of rebellious Falluja, a Marine officer said on\Monday, with more than 1,000 insurgents taken prisoner.


Australian train derails injuring 100

quot;The train is just a twisted wreck, it #39;s an absolute bloody mess, quot; a rail official told reporters.  quot;The train has ploughed through the dirt like a bulldozer.


Arafat left Middle East peace foundations

A UN Middle East expert Monday asked world leaders to continue Yasser Arafat #39;s efforts to negotiate an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


Wounded servicemen describe Fallujah fight

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Getting the Purple Heart Medal for his war wounds doesnt mean Spc. Kris Clinkscales is a hero. Getting the Purple Heart just means the rocket found me, quipped the 22-year-old


Allegation of second affair with secretary in ministerial office

By our political staff. David Blunkett was hit by more revelations about his private life last night as it was reported that he had an affair with a civil servant nearly 20 years his junior.


Eurozone frets over rising euro, stability pact (AFP)

AFP - European finance ministers expressed concern at  quot;excess volatility quot; in currency rates in talks that also took in the vexed question of reforms to the eurozone's tattered budget rules.


Powell sees  #39;progress #39; on Iran nuke talks

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said there had been some  quot;progress quot; in European efforts to end Iran #39;s alleged nuclear weapons program.


Qurie seeks Arafat death report

RAMALLAH: Palestinian prime minster Ahmed Qurie has asked France to provide him with a medical report detailing the cause of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s death, his office said last night.


Federer Makes Winning Return at Masters Cup

HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer made a  winning return from injury Monday, opening the defense of his  Masters Cup crown with a ruthless 6-1 7-6 win over Gaston  Gaudio.


Update: Apache Geronimo readied as Java app server (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - LAS VEGAS -- Geronimo, the open source Java application server in development by the Apache Software Foundation, will provide a malleable technology base amenable to applications such as regulatory compliance systems, according to a technologist working on the project. #160;


NASA Postpones Launch of Super-Fast Jet to Tuesday (Reuters)

Reuters - NASA officials on Monday postponed\for a day the launch of an unmanned experimental jet that would\have attempted to shoot out across the Pacific Ocean at a\record speed of more than 7,000 mph after an apparent glitch\with its electronics systems.


Fingerprints for landed U.S. immigrants not on Canada's radar: Sgro (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government has no plans to fingerprint landed immigrants from the United States when they visit Canada, says Immigration Minister Judy Sgro.


Powell Vows to Work Hard Until Departure (AP)

AP - Secretary of State Colin Powell, widely viewed as the moderate in an administration dominated by hawks, announced Monday he will step down as America's chief diplomat once a successor is in place.


Veneman Presided Over Wary Food Supply (AP)

AP - Ann Veneman, a peach farmer's daughter who became the first woman to the head the Agriculture Department, presided during a period of unprecedented wariness about the safety of the nation's food supply.


Liberty Tops No. 19 Kansas State, 77-56 (AP)

AP - Liberty took advantage of No. 19 Kansas State without Kendra Wecker, snapping the Wildcat's 35-game regular-season home winning streak.


NASA Delays Flight of Hypersonic Jet (AP)

AP - NASA on Monday delayed a planned flight of an unmanned hypersonic jet designed to reach a record speed of Mach 10, or 7,000 mph.


UN Council Votes Ivory Coast Arms Embargo

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council on  Monday imposed an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast and  voted to punish key government and rebel leaders with  additional sanctions next month.


Tulane Green Wave

The Cardinals got touchdowns from five different players - including two from Eric Shelton - in a 55-7 romp over Conference USA rival Tulane.


Yahoo Upgrades Its E-Mail Service

Portal says DomainKey use will protect users from ID theft and phishing scams.


#39;Milkfloat #39; motor on road to success

When the Liverpool footballer Harry Kewell parked his  quot;greenmobile quot; beside his team-mates #39; sparkling Ferraris and Aston Martins he was teased mercilessly over his choice of wheels.


Students for security

For the second year, the Department of Homeland Security awarded more than a hundred math, science and engineering students full tuition and a monthly stipend to pursue academics aimed at improving the nation's security. Security Blog


Dell Looking For Bigger Blade Share

Just as some analysts believe the market for blade servers is about to heat up, Dell (Quote, Chart) moved forward with its most significant modular server, unveiling the PowerEdge 1855 for powerful computing at a lower cost.


VITAL SIGNS Reactions: Your Posture, a Telltale Fright Sign

The brain reacts more powerfully to the body language of a person in a posture denoting fear than it does to a fearful facial expression, according to a study released yesterday.


Ohio EPA plan to revise clean-air rules criticized

Some environmentalists believe Ohio is backsliding on requirements for modernizing coal-fired power plants, factories, and other major air pollution sources simply by making state rules consistent with what is mandated by a US Environmental Protection


Odds on London shorten as 2012 bids submitted

THE odds on London winning the right to stage the 2012 Olympic Games shortened to 3-1 from 7-2 yesterday as the five rival cities delivered their bid documents to the IOC.


Iran to suspend uranium enrichment

The United States, which has been pressing for tough UN action against Iran, has not yet given its position on any deal, saying today it was waiting for word from Britain, Germany and France, the nations negotiating with Tehran.


Lewis Says Bengals Player Was Spit On (AP)

AP - Coach Marvin Lewis said one of his Cincinnati Bengals was spit on during a 17-10 victory in Washington, and he hopes the NFL does something to crack down.


Fighting Across Iraq Kills More Than 50 (AP)

AP - U.S. soldiers battled insurgents northeast of Baghdad on Monday in clashes that killed more than 50 people. Some guerrillas were said to be "fighting to the death" inside Fallujah, where American forces struggled to clear pockets of resistance.


Chip Makers Set Sights on Digital Video Recorders

Devices seen as good entry point to consumer electronics market.


Kjus edges Maier in World Cup giant slalom

Norwegian Lasse Kjus returned to the hill where he won a world championship and tore through the second run with the fastest time Saturday to win a his first World Cup giant slalom


RFID Tags May Not Reduce Drug Counterfeiting

Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, said it would begin shipments of the tagged medication this week. Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, said it would begin shipping RFID-tagged bottles by the end of next year.


EDS posts 3rd-qtr loss on Navy contract charge

Electronic Data Systems Electronic Data Systems which had delayed its quarterly earnings several times, said on Monday it lost \$153 million in its third quarter after taking a loss on a large Navy contract.


AMCC to Lay Off 150

Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (AMCC) (Nasdaq: AMCC - message board) is laying off 20 percent of its staff following a disappointing quarter, officials announced today after the stock markets closed.


CalPERS goes after  #39;egregious #39; exec pay

The California Public Employees #39; Retirement System wants to rein in what it calls abusive compensation practices in corporate America and hold directors and compensation committees more accountable for their actions.


Not To Be Outfeatured, Yahoo Adds E-mail Storage

Yahoo is now providing 250 megabytes of e-mail storage for users of its free e-mail service, up from 100 MB. The company also unveiled an anti-spam authentication technology called DomainKeys


Beckham claims he trusts on the capability of Owen

David Beckham, the English midfielder of Real Madrid, recognized the important role played byhis compatriot and teammate, Michael Owen, and acknowledged he hasnever had doubts about his performance.


Ramsey to start for Redskins in Philly

Ashburn, VA (Sports Network) - Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs said Monday that Patrick Ramsey will start at quarterback this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.


Big East to be one 16-team division in 2005-06

The Big East basketball conference will merge into one 16-team division in 2005-20006, but only 12 schools will participate in the post-season basketball tournament.


Bush Names Campaign Manager to Head GOP (AP)

AP - President Bush's choice to head the Republican Party said Monday he hopes to extend the GOP's grip on power in Washington.


Investigation Underway Into Whether Marines Killed Unarmed Iraqi

Marine commanders in Iraq are investigating an incident in which Marines fighting in Fallujah apparently shot and killed a severely wounded and unarmed Iraqi in a mosque in the city.


U.N. OKs Iran Deal to Suspend Enrichment (AP)

AP - The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency Monday endorsed Iran's agreement to suspend all uranium enrichment within a week, the key element of a deal worked out with European countries.


US SEC files fraud charges against tycoon Conrad Black

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit accusing the newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his former top deputy of defrauding shareholders of Hollinger International Inc.


Sears: Boeing Ex-CFO Pleads Guilty In Air Force Hire

Michael Sears says he dunnit. The former chief financial officer at Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) pleaded guilty Monday to illegally hiring a top Air Force procurement officer.


Oracle Doesn #39;t Want to Take It Higher

With Oracle #39;s (ORCL:Nasdaq - news - research) \$24-a-share offer for PeopleSoft (PSFT:Nasdaq - news - research) set to expire late Friday night, the database giant has thrown cold water on the notion that the price could go higher.


Colombian Drug Kingpin Transported to U.S. (AP)

AP - A founder of a Colombian drug cartel that became the world's chief supplier of cocaine in the 1990s was transported to a Florida jail Saturday after being extradited from Colombia.


NASA Delays Mach 10 Flight

NASA mission controllers decided to delay the flight of their supersonic X-43A aircraft until Tuesday after instrument trouble caused them to miss their planned Monday launch.


Pentium 4 Reaches the Speed Limit

As expected, Intel has introduced a 3.8GHz Pentium 4 processor in what could represent the end of an era for the chip maker. The Pentium 4 570 processor at 3.8GHz will have the fastest clock speed of any processor


Grokster launches a legal Net radio

Grokster, one of the best-known P2P services (at least one of the best-known by the RIAA  amp; co), has taken yet another step in its path to make its P2P service to please the record labels by teaming up with a start-up called Mercora to provide an artist


Red Bull saves 300 British jobs - and Coulthard may make 301

The new formula one team rose from the ashes of Jaguar Racing when the energy drink maker announced yesterday its long-awaited takeover of the British team, which was put up for sale by Ford two months ago.


Cardinals #39; Isringhausen has surgery

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen underwent successful left hip surgery on Monday. Isringhausen is expected to be at full strength in six-to-eight weeks and ready for the start of spring training.


Mets buy out Leiter #39;s contract

New York, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Mets bought of the contract of pitcher Al Leiter on Monday, making him a free agent. Leiter -- who went 10-8 with a 3.21 earned run average in 30 starts in 2004


I couldn #39;t let team down

He refused the offer of a rest in order to lead his players on the controversial visit to the crisis-torn nation. Vaughan and the 14-man squad are due to arrive in Namibia this morning for


UN orders Ivory Coast arms ban

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast -- The UN Security Council has voted to impose an immediate arms embargo on the Ivory Coast. The 15-member council also vowed to punish key government and rebel leaders with additional


Track inspected hours before crash

THE track where a passenger train crashed in south-east Queensland today, injuring more than 100 people, was inspected just hours beforehand, rail authorities said.


France #39;s Chirac Says UK Won Nothing from Bush Support

French President Jacques Chirac said in a newspaper interview on Tuesday that Britain has gained nothing from its support for the United States-led invasion of Iraq.


Dutch to launch manhunt

THE HAGUE: Dutch authorities will launch an international manhunt for the alleged Syrian leader of a Dutch-based terrorist group responsible for the murder of a filmmaker, and similar groups of homegrown radicals are believed operating in the Netherlands


Slugger Bonds Wins Record Seventh NL MVP (AP)

AP - Barry Bonds won his record seventh NL MVP award in a walk. Capping a season filled with suspicion and success, the San Francisco Giants left fielder became the oldest player to become the MVP of a major North American professional league. The 40-year-old received 24 of 32 first-place votes and 407 points Monday in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America to earn the award for the fourth straight season.


Aruba targets wired network security

Grid architecture aims to protect corporate networks from interior security threats.


Computers Keep Oklahoma No. 2 in the BCS (AP)

AP - Computers prefer Oklahoma over Auburn and Southern California. The Sooners held on to second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings Monday, staying ahead of third-place Auburn because of a stronger computer ranking.


Holmes Likely Out Again for Chiefs (AP)

AP - Priest Holmes will likely miss next Monday night's game against the New England Patriots with sprained knee ligaments, the same injury that kept him out of Kansas City's loss to New Orleans on Sunday's loss to New Orleans.


Chelsea go for the jugular (AFP)

AFP - Chelsea's drive to claim the club's first English title in half a century gathered pace as Newcastle were blown away by a late four-goal blitz at Stamford Bridge.


World Leaders Issue Praise for Powell (AP)

AP - World leaders saluted Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday, with some expressing regret at the departure of a figure who had sought international consensus through his multilateralist views. All said they hoped for constructive ties with his successor.


Kazaa Faces Piracy Charges in Trial

Australia #39;s record company lawyers are attempting to have Kazaa #39;s owners, Sharman Networks, declared liable for copyright breach and loss of earnings in the civil case now underway.


Chip Makers Set Sights on Digital Video Recorders (PC World)

PC World - Devices seen as good entry point to consumer electronics market.


Apple releases AirPort 4.1 (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Apple on Monday released AirPort 4.1, an update to the drivers for its wireless networking hardware running under Mac OS X v10.3. AirPort 4.1 is available for download from the Software Update system preference pane, and more information is available online.


Tokyo Stocks Advance in Early Trading (AP)

AP - Tokyo stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday following Wall Street's modest gains. The dollar was up against the Japanese yen.


Gaudio no match as regal Federer reigns

Roger Federer #39;s luminous talent can lighten up the gloomiest of days, and so it was on a decidedly dark and dreary opening to the Masters Cup that the Swiss world No1, who was unbeaten when he won the title here last year, shone brightly as ever with a 6-1


F1 Red Bull #39;s takes over Jaguar

The American dream of Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz has become reality with his purchase of Jaguar. The Austrian billionaire has been involved in Formula One for a decade


Anxious week for striker

RANGERS striker Nacho Novo will know by Friday whether he can face Celtic in Saturday #39;s vital Scottish Premier League game at Ibrox.


United warned Glazer will fight

Manchester United have been warned that they are still not safe from the take-over plans of Malcolm Glazer by Keith Harris, the City financier who could yet lead a supporters


Paris, N.Y. Submit Bids

The five cities looking to host the 2012 Summer Games submitted bids to the International Olympic Committee on Monday.


Analysis: #39;Great sage grouse controversy #39; boils down to science

The advocates and lobbyists on both sides of the great sage grouse controversy in the West were claiming to have science on their side Friday after the Bush administration


PBL to Invest in Macau Hotel, Casino

Kerry Packer #39;s media and gambling empire will invest US\$163 million (euro126 million) for a 28 percent stake in a luxury hotel and casino in Macau, Packer #39;s company said Tuesday.


Microsoft takes the lead over Palm OS for the first time

According to a recent report by Gartner, Microsoft has taken the top spot for the first time in handheld shipments. Microsoft #39;s Windows CE has had a long lasting


Take control of your desktop chaos

com November 15, 2004, 4:38 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning


McAfee Battles Spyware With Enterprise Add-On

McAfee on Monday announced an add-on to its enterprise anti-virus software that boosts spyware protection for businesses. Called McAfee Anti-Spyware Enterprise Edition Module, the add-on integrates with McAfee #39;s


Stem Cell Research Offered Free of Charge

Mel 1 is based on a cell that can grow exact copies of itself, and which can be used to make any kind of cell in the human body. Once established, a cell line can be grown in the laboratory indefinitely.


Security Firm Finds 10 Major Vulnerabilities in SP2

Finjan Software, a provider of proactive secure content management solutions for enterprises, announced today 10 serious security vulnerabilities discovered by Finjans Malicious Code Research Center (MCRC) in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) operating


Netherlands wins field hockey trophy

The Netherlands beat Germany 2-0 to win the Womens Field Hockey Champions Trophy. The win earned the country some compensation for losing the gold-medal showdown at the Athens Olympics.


Isringhausen has hip surgery, should be ready for spring training

Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen had successful surgery on his left hip Monday and should be fully recovered in time for spring training.


Leiter takes buyout, becomes free agent

Mets left-hander Al Leiter filed provisionally for free agency Friday, awaiting a decision by the team on its \$10 million option. New York has until Nov. 15 to exercise the option or elect to pay a \$2 million buyout.


Mike Selvey

There is a sense of symmetry about Michael Vaughan and his England team dragging themselves off to Namibia and thence Zimbabwe with all the gloom of heretics on their way to the Tower, on the same day that London #39;s 2012 Olympic bid had a champagne bottle


Oracle Slams PeopleSoft Board on Takeover (AP)

AP - Business software maker Oracle Corp. attacked the credibility and motives of PeopleSoft Inc.'s board of directors Monday, hoping to rally investor support as the 17-month takeover battle between the bitter business software rivals nears a climactic showdown.


Study: Chemicals Linger in Environment (AP)

AP - The chemicals go down the drain, but in the environment they remain. Researchers have found that a complex brew of everyday compounds  #151; from products as ubiquitous as shampoo, bug spray and even that morning cup of coffee  #151; lingers in Minnesota waters even after they're showered off or dumped down the sink.


Cornell Scientists Produce Simulated Quake (AP)

AP - With a sudden shudder, the ground collapsed and the pipe pushed upward, buckling into a humped shape as Cornell University scientists produced the first simulated earthquake Monday at their new  #36;2.1 million research facility.


Cricket: India fights Ganguly ban

Sourav Ganguly files an appeal against a two-match ban imposed for time-wasting.


UPDATE 2-Fannie Mae estimates profit fell 9 percent

US mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae (FNM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday estimated its third-quarter profit fell 9 percent, but delayed formally reporting


CalPERS Votes to Toughen Merger Policies

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The nation #39;s biggest public pension fund, with a stock portfolio of \$167 billion, voted Monday to toughen its policies against multimillion-dollar  quot;golden parachutes quot; for executives who engineer corporate mergers.


Some tax refunds still owed

The IRS is holding \$211,000 in tax refunds for 300 people in the Richmond area. The largest local check is for \$15,094. The average is \$704.


Cornell researchers make the earth move to study quake forces

With a sudden shudder, the ground collapsed and the pipe pushed upward, buckling into a humped shape as Cornell University scientists produced the first simulated earthquake


Talks With Pakistan on Kashmir Making Progress: Manmohan

NEW DELHI, 15 November 2004 - Talks with Pakistan on the dispute over Kashmir were progressing well and the two sides were working toward a mutually acceptable solution, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said yesterday.


Europe, Islam #39;s New Front Line: The Netherlands

Description: In the Netherlands, the recent murder of controversial filmmaker Theo Van Gogh by a Muslim extremist has revealed a climate of mistrust and fear between Muslims and traditional Dutch society.


Seahawks Do Some Soul Searching Over Loss (AP)

AP - Last summer, the Seattle Seahawks were a trendy pick to reach the Super Bowl. As they keep reminding themselves, that goal remains attainable. Yet one day after their second loss to NFC West rival St. Louis, everyone from coach Mike Holmgren down was asking the same question.


Web Still in Early Days, Tech Leaders Say (Reuters)

Reuters - The Internet is only in\its early adolescence with a raft of improvements on the\horizon, and the venture capitalists who helped fund the early\boom are opening their wallets again, technology industry\leaders said on Monday.


Microsoft sues spammers for sending unsolicited mail (AFP)

AFP - US software giant Microsoft Corp has sued a group of  quot;spammers quot; who it accuses of sending unsolicited e-mails promoting pornography to millions of its customers, documents showed.


SEC Charges Black with Fraud

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his  top lieutenant were charged by regulators on Monday with  siphoning more than \$85 million from the company they ran, and  they face a move to bar them from serving as officers of a  public company.


No. 1 USC Tops UCLA for Orange Bowl Trip (AP)

AP - UCLA held Heisman Trophy contender Matt Leinart in check, but Reggie Bush had two long touchdown runs, Ryan Killeen kicked five field goals and No. 1 USC held off UCLA 29-24 Saturday to virtually lock up a trip to the Orange Bowl for the Bowl Championship Series title game.


Angels renew Molina, not Ortiz

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Anaheim Angels exercised catcher Bengie Molina #39;s contract option on Monday, but not that of pitcher Ramon Ortiz.


What #39;s wrong with the Seahawks?

As they keep reminding themselves, that goal remains attainable. Yet one day after their second loss to NFC West rival St. Louis, everyone from coach Mike Holmgren down was asking the same question.


New Israeli-Palestinian ties buoy peace hopes -UN

Israeli-Palestinian cooperation since Palestinian President Yasser Arafat #39;s death has helped buoy hopes for a revived West Asia peace process, the top UN envoy for the Middle East said.


NBA-James Inspires Cavaliers to Fourth Straight Win

NEW YORK (Reuters) - LeBron James recorded 33 points to  guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to their fourth straight win, a  99-88 victory over the Golden State Warriors Monday.


US watchdog accuses Black of fraud

Conrad Black #39;s legal woes piled up yesterday when the United States #39; financial watchdog filed a civil lawsuit against him, alleging that the former Daily Telegraph tycoon used the company, Hollinger International, as a  quot;personal piggybank quot;.


Amex mounts lawsuit over  #39;cards cartel #39;

American Express yesterday said it was seeking  quot;billions of dollars quot; in damages from Visa and MasterCard over alleged  quot;illegal and anticompetitive practices quot;.


Eisner, on Stand, Describes the Courting of Ovitz

Michael D. Eisner, the chief executive of the Walt Disney Company, played down his decades-long relationship with the former Disney president Michael S. Ovitz


Debt Doubles at Agency that Insures Pension Plans

The federal agency that insures pension plans said yesterday that its deficit, already at the highest in its history, had doubled in its last fiscal year, to \$23.


Wrigley swallows \$1.5bn Life Savers

Kraft, the struggling American food group, yesterday announced the \$1.5bn (810m) sale of its Life Savers and Altoids confectionery division to the chewing gum business Wm Wrigley Jr.


UK #39;s HSBC eyes Federated #39;s card operations -report

British bank HSBC (HSBA.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is interested in buying the \$3 billion store and credit card operations of US retailer Federated Department Stores Inc.


Bermuda Firm Is Subpoenaed in Inquiry Into Insurers

Investigations into the sale of insurance that can smooth out volatile earnings have widened significantly, as Ace Ltd., a big Bermuda insurer with extensive operations in the United


Defence talks add to French rift with Germany

France and Germany are set for a new clash on industrial policy this week over a possible defence deal which would involve 23,000 jobs in the UK.


Regis Joins Hair Club For Men

MINNEAPOLIS -- Regis Corp. is acquiring Hair Club for Men and Women, the company made famous by commercials with founder Sy Sperling.


More Than 400 Iowans Haven #39;t Received Tax Refunds

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Federal officials say more than 400 Iowans who haven #39;t received their 2003 federal tax refunds still have a chance to claim them.


US markets flat

US stocks closed near the unchanged mark on Monday as investors took a breath following significant gains in the market so far this month.


NASA delays launch of super fast jet

NASA, on Monday, reported its plans to delay the launch of its recently created super fast jet or  quot;scramjet quot; that is expected to reach high speeds of 7,000 mph in a matter of few minutes.


Collaborating on Mission Moon

Ahmedabad, November 15: Even 35 years after Neil Armstrong first put his foot on the moon, the Earths natural satellite remains a mystery to man.


BEA Releases Enhanced Beehive Open-Source Framework

LAS VEGASBEA Systems Inc. has made significant progress in the development of the Apache Beehive component model, which is designed to help accelerate the development of Web services and SOA (service-oriented architecture) applications.


LeBron Scores 33, Cavs Win Four Straight

Cleveland Cavaliers #39; LeBron James, left, shoots over Golden State Warriors #39; Jason Richardson in the third quarter of Cleveland #39;s 99-88 win Monday, Nov. 15, 2004, in Cleveland.


Battle for Mediocrity  Don Kings Heavyweight Extravaganza

11.15.04 - By JB Reather -reathercox.net - Battle for Supremacy? Battle for Mediocrity was more like it. With four heavyweight bouts on the card, I naively expected to see at least one exciting fight in this heavyweight smorgasbord.


New Jersey Nets

McGrady shook off a right hip injury to score 14 points and former Net Jimmy Jackson added a season-high 18 as Houston erased an early deficit en route to an easy 80-69 triumph over New Jersey.


Despite Rout, Auburn Remains 3rd Wheel

Auburn gained a measure of respect in the eyes of Associated Press pollsters for its 24-6 rout of Georgia on Saturday, but it wasn #39;t enough to vault the Tigers ahead of Oklahoma for second in the Bowl Championship Series standings.


Club remains interested in re-signing veteran southpaw

The Mets surprised no one Monday evening when they announced they had declined the \$10 million option on Al Leiter #39;s contract, leaving the veteran southpaw available


Macedonia #39;s prime minister resigns

Macedonian Prime Minister Hari Kostov resigned Monday over a minority party dispute and Parliament is expected to decide on the resignation Thursday.


Griffin Gets Good News

Th Redskins' defense receives good news on Cornelius Griffin's MRI exam of a hip injury, and the defensive tackle might play Sunday against the Eagles.


N.Y. Starts Manning

Giants Coach Tom Coughlin looks to turn around a skid where his team has lost three of their last four games by starting Eli Manning this Sunday against the Falcons.


Podlesh Is Bright Spot

Maryland punter Adam Podlesh's success has been one of the few positives in a year marred by an inconsistent offense that ranks 103rd nationally.


Taylor and Rockets Rally Past Nets 80-69 (AP)

AP - Maurice Taylor, left on the court despite picking up three early fouls, made three straight shots to snap Houston out of an early offensive funk in the Rockets' 80-69 victory Monday night over the New Jersey Nets.


SEC Charges Black with Fraud (Reuters)

Reuters - Newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his\top lieutenant were charged by regulators on Monday with\siphoning more than  #36;85 million from the company they ran, and\they face a move to bar them from serving as officers of a\public company.


Dollar Wins Respite as Oil Prices Skid (Reuters)

Reuters - The dollar ticked up on Tuesday,\extending its rebound from the previous day's seven-month low\versus the yen after a sharp fall in oil prices led traders to\scale back their bloated dollar-selling positions.


Mexico's Ex-Ruling Party Wins Two Races (AP)

AP - Mexico's former ruling party, trying to fight its way back to the presidency, overwhelmingly won two gubernatorial elections Monday and held razor-thin leads in two other races.


NBA-James Inspires Cavaliers to Fourth Straight Win (Reuters)

Reuters - LeBron James recorded 33 points to\guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to their fourth straight win, a\99-88 victory over the Golden State Warriors Monday.


Abercrombie   Fitch Lawsuit Said Settled (AP)

AP - Both sides in an employment discrimination suit against Abercrombie  amp; Fitch Co. reported agreeing to a multimillion dollar deal that would settle accusations the clothing retailer promoted whites at the expense of minorities.


Dollar Wins Respite as Oil Prices Skid

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar ticked up on Tuesday,  extending its rebound from the previous day's seven-month low  versus the yen after a sharp fall in oil prices led traders to  scale back their bloated dollar-selling positions.


CORRECTED - US stocks rise slightly, Intel offsets jobs data

In NEW YORK item headlined  quot;US stocks rise slightly, Intel offsets jobs data, quot; please read in paragraph 12,  quot; ... By Friday afternoon, the euro was at \$1.3458, a new record high against the dollar, according to Reuters data.


Disney tells court of early Ovitz tensions

Roy Disney yesterday told a courtroom that he had sensed Michael Ovitz was not performing well as Walt Disney president within weeks of the Hollywood power broker joining the company in late 1995.


X-43 scramjet test delayed

LOS ANGELES: NASA has delayed a planned flight of an unmanned hypersonic jet designed to reach a record speed of Mach 10 (11,200km/h).


Cavs earn fourth straight win

Ilgauskas had 10 of his 16 points in the final eight minutes and LeBron James added 33 as the Cavaliers ran their winning streak to four games with a 99-88 triumph over the hapless Golden State Warriors.


Mitterrand  #39;ordered phone taps to keep love child secret #39;

ONE of the darkest chapters in Frances past resurfaced yesterday as a notorious bugging scandal, dubbed the French Watergate, came to trial more than 20 years after Franois Mitterrand allegedly ordered the first of more than 150 illegal phone taps.


Peace in Straits hard to achieve, but essential

When the leaders of the People #39;s Republic of China insist that the pre-condition for the peaceful resolution of the decades-long face-off across the Taiwan Strait can only be  quot;one China, quot; they are making it quite clear that  quot;unification, quot; and not peace


Stewart-Striet enters golf hall of fame

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Marlene Stewart-Streit was inducted Monday into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Also inducted were Tom Kite, Isao Aoki and Charlie Sifford, the first African-American so honoured.


Pension Agency #39;s Deficit Hits Record

Struggling under a cascade of bankruptcy filings in the airline and steel industries, the government #39;s pension insurance agency said yesterday that its deficit has more than doubled in the past year -- to \$23.


Update 3: Tokyo Stocks Decline in Midday Trading

Tokyo #39;s key stock index edged lower Tuesday morning as investors took profits from hefty gains the day before. The dollar was up against the Japanese yen.


Beckham puts Hollywood on hold

David Beckham revealed yesterday he has been offered film parts, but that the leading role he craves most involves England. Beckham is granted his footballing wish tomorrow when he


Bonds wins record seventh MVP

San Francisco Giants left fielder, Barry Bonds, won his record seventh National League MVP award in a walk. At the age of 40, he also became the oldest player to become the MVP of a major North American professional league.


Britain planning to ban smoking in most public places (AFP)

AFP - Britain is to ban smoking in most public places, according to reports ahead of the launch of an ambitious goverment effort to legislate its way to better public health.


French bugging trial begins

Twenty years after the event, 12 men appeared in court yesterday accused of running an illegal eavesdropping operation for Franois Mitterrand - supposedly aimed at combating terrorism, but in fact seeking to preserve some of the late French president #39;s


N. Korea offers remains it says are Yokota #39;s

During a week of talks, Pyongyang sticks to its argument on the fate of 10 missing Japanese. Japanese delegates returned from Pyongyang on Monday with what North Korea says are personal belongings of missing


Tung issues caution over referendum on elections

Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa () yesterday warned lawmakers against backing a legislative motion calling for a referendum on direct elections, saying it would damage the territory #39;s  quot;harmonious atmosphere.


Volunteers Keep an Eye On the People Next Door

Backers of a law to create public order councils in Moscow's 676 subdistricts describe the measure as a kind of neighborhood watch that will involve ordinary people in the fight against terrorism, crime, public drunkenness and vandalism.


Trial of Peru Rebel Leader Collapses

The first public trial of Shining Path rebel leader Abimael Guzman fell apart on Monday as the second of the three judges presiding over the case stepped down citing a conflict of interest.


Novell #39;s Antitrust Suit Points to Continued Dominance of Office

NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Novell Inc. last week filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging that Microsoft Corp. illegally tried to eliminate competition in the desktop applications market in the mid-1990s.


Kerry Packer, Stanley Ho Form Asian Casino Venture (Update2)

Kerry Packer, Australia #39;s richest man, has bought a stake in Stanley Ho #39;s latest Macau casino development and the two have agreed to set up a joint venture to expand in Asia.


Verizon and Sprint to Cut Fee For Transferring Cell Numbers

Verizon and Sprint wireless customers will get a small break on their bills soon. The companies have decided to eliminate or reduce a 40-cent-per-line monthly charge imposed to allow customers


IRS refund checks

There are almost 90,000 undelivered income tax refund checks. More than 6,000 of those are in New York. The Internal Revenue Service says it needs the taxpayers correct addresses to get them their refunds.


HSBC said keen on US card operations

HSBC is interested in buying the \$3 billion (1.6 billion pound) store and credit card operations of US retailer Federated Department Stores (FD.


Oil prices continue fall in Asia

Crude oil futures prices fell sharply Tuesday on growing expectations that a (northern hemisphere) winter supply crisis will be averted and as union leaders canceled a strike in major exporter Nigeria.


NASA Makes Second Attempt at Jet Record

Nasa engineers are making a second bid today to launch an unmanned hypersonic jet designed to reach a record speed of Mach 10, or 7,000mph.


Adobe beefs up Acrobat

SOFTWARE maker Adobe has upgraded its flagship desktop publishing products, giving powerful new features to not only the authors of electronic documents but also their recipients.


EPA Says Enforcement Shows Results

The Environmental Protection Agency released an annual report on Monday that showed enforcement actions in the last fiscal year would eliminate a billion pounds of pollution from the nation #39;s air, land and water.


Half-Life 2 #39;s Real Battle

If the video game industry is beginning to rake in revenue that rivals the movie industry, it #39;s also beginning to accumulate Hollywood-like headaches.


Sifford celebrates historic entry into Hall of Fame

With an emotion-charged speech that had people in the audience alternately laughing and wiping tears from their eyes, Charlie Sifford made his long overdue entrance into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Monday night.


Boller #39;s Solid Play Quiets Ravens #39; Boo Birds

This should be a rather pleasant week for Kyle Boller, the oft-criticized Baltimore Ravens quarterback. He will face the usual round of questions about his performance


Bears lose Urlacher for 4-6 weeks

SPORTS NETWORK - Chicago Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher is sidelined 4-6 weeks because of a lower left leg injury. Urlacher, 26, hurt the leg during Sunday #39;s 19-17 overtime win at Tennessee and underwent


Wrigley buys Life Savers, other Kraft candy brands

CHICAGO - Candy and gum maker Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. said Monday that it agreed to buy a number of candy brands, including Life Savers and Altoids, from Kraft Foods for \$1.


Eagles Lead Cowboys 42-21 After 3 Quarters (AP)

AP - Terrell Owens caught his third touchdown pass of the game and the Philadelphia Eagles took a 42-21 lead over the Dallas Cowboys after three quarters Monday night.


Envoy Cites Chance for Peace in Mideast (AP)

AP - The top U.N. envoy in the Middle East said Monday there is a new opportunity for peace, citing recent statements from the Israeli and Palestinian leadership as well as President Bush.


Verizon and Sprint to Cut Fee For Transferring Cell Numbers (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - Verizon and Sprint wireless customers will get a small break on their bills soon. The companies have decided to eliminate or reduce a 40-cent-per-line monthly charge imposed to allow customers to transfer their phone numbers to new carriers.


Pension  Agency's  Deficit Hits Record

Struggling under a cascade of bankruptcy filings in the airline and steel industries, the government's pension insurance agency said Monday that its deficit has more than doubled in the past year -- to \$23.3 billion.


Iraq Gained \$21 Billion Illicitly, Senate Panel Says

Iraq illicitly earned an estimated \$21.3 billion by circumventing United Nations sanctions between 1991 and 2003, according to estimates released Monday by a U.S. Senate panel.


Abraham Leaving Energy Department

Spencer Abraham joined the exodus from President Bush's  Cabinet yesterday, submitting his resignation as energy secretary after four years of running a department that faced a series of high-profile challenges.


Flyi Delays Buying Airbus Jets

Flyi Inc., parent of struggling low-cost carrier Independence Air, yesterday announced plans to delay acquisition of 10 new Airbus jets, a money-saving move the company hopes can help avert a bankruptcy filing.


Top CIA staff quit US spy agency

Two top CIA officers quit amid reported disputes with the recently-appointed boss of the US spying agency.


Train crashes in north Australia

More than 150 people are injured when a high-speed train derails in the Australian state of Queensland.


Half-Life 2's  Real Battle

If the video game industry is beginning to rake in revenue that rivals the movie industry, it's also beginning to accumulate Hollywood-like headaches.
-The Washington Post


Defending Nobody

The Wizards can point to their defense as the main reason why they have lost four of their last five games.


Carriers to  Cut Fee for Number Transfer

Verizon and Sprint have decided to eliminate or reduce a 40-cent-per-line monthly charge imposed to allow customers to transfer their phone numbers to new carriers.
-The Washington Post


American Collapses

American blows a 17-point lead and loses, 82-76, in overtime to Virginia Commonwealth in a Preseason National Invitation Tournament first-round game.


Airlines Focus On In-Flight Entertainment

After battling the budget airlines on fares, the traditional carriers are now trying to match their rivals' in-flight entertainment offerings.
-Keith L. Alexander


Big East Sets Schedule

The Big East Conference announces its schedule plans for next season when it expands to 16 teams. The conference will retain a one-division regular season structure.


Boller Silences Critics

Much maligned quarterback Kyle Boller should have a pleasent week after playing one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 20-17 overtime win over the Jets.


Microsoft to expand operations in India

Microsoft Corp. said Monday that it will continue to expand its software development operations in India as it opened a new campus near Hyderabad.


FLYi Shares Advance After Amending Deal

Shares of FLYi Inc. soared in Monday trading after the parent of low-cost Independence Air said it reworked an agreement with Airbus SAS to delay delivery of several aircraft in an effort to preserve its cash liquidity.


MACY #39;S WEST

ON THE ROMANCE OF THE TRADITIONAL STORE  quot;Some of the nostalgia stuff that people hark back to is lore and not fact. quot;. ON REACHING YOUNGER SHOPPERS  quot;They say that kids don #39;t want to shop where their parents shop.


Australian Dollar Rises Before Central Bank Governor #39;s Speech

The Australian dollar rose to its highest in 8 1/2 months against the US currency on speculation Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Ian Macfarlane will signal the bank intends to raise its key rate of interest.


Some Car Seats Do Poor Job Of Preventing Whiplash

After testing dozens of seats to see how well they protected an average-size male dummy, the Institute for Highway Safety concluded that more than half of the seats did a poor job of preventing whiplash.


UPDATE 1-Beckham and Owen target England records

England captain David Beckham has denied reports that he plans to retire from international soccer after the 2006 World Cup and says his aim is to beat the appearance


Deacons top GW in opener

WINSTON-SALEM - First round matchups in tournaments are supposed to be nothing more than a cake walk for a highly-ranked team. But the second-ranked Demon Deacons of Wake Forest knew Monday night #39;s season-opening


Wireless to Drive Internet Growth, Tech Leaders Say (Reuters)

Reuters - Wireless services will\lead the next growth phase of the Internet as venture\capitalists who helped fund the early boom open their wallets\again, industry leaders said Monday.


Crash line had regular checks

By staff writers and wires. THE track where a passenger train was derailed in Queensland today, injuring more than 100 people, was inspected just hours before the crash, it has emerged.


UN Security Council off to Africa for Sudan meeting

UNITED NATIONS - Ambassadors from the UN Security Council will head to Kenya on Tuesday for a rare meeting outside New York aimed at pressing for an end to Sudans long-running civil war and the separate crisis in Darfur.


Namibians go to the polls

Namibians voted Monday to choose a successor to the only leader they have ever known, and election officials said the first of two days of voting for the president and parliament started smoothly.


Nigerian labour group whip up support for fuel strike

LAGOS (AFP) - The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and a coalition of civil society groups on Monday stepped up efforts to whip up support for a planned general strike, called to protest rising fuel prices in the oil-rich west African country.


1,540 Pounds of Cocaine Hidden in Squid

Peruvian anti-drug agents seized almost 1,540 pounds of cocaine destined for the Mexico that was hidden inside of a shipment of squid, police said Monday.


Internet leaders ponder U.S. tech policies

Silicon Valley luminaries worry about government's stance on stock options, outsourcing, research and education.


FLYi Shares Up After Amending Airbus Deal


NZD Firms Despite Greenback #39;s Gains

The New Zealand dollar bumped up another notch to three week highs on Tuesday despite the US dollar #39;s gains, the local currency hitching a ride with the stronger Australian dollar.


Beckham not retiring after all

England captain David Beckham hopes to reach 100 caps for his country and play on beyond the World Cup in Germany in 2006. The Real Madrid star was reported to be considering retirement after that tournament


Wireless to Drive Internet Growth, Tech Leaders Say

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Reuters) - Wireless services will  lead the next growth phase of the Internet as venture  capitalists who helped fund the early boom open their wallets  again, industry leaders said Monday.


Giants Say It Is Time to Start Manning

Kurt Warner, sacked 24 times in the past four Sundays, never sensed his demotion coming, either. Giants Coach Tom Coughlin called Warner into his office shortly


Japan Considers Sanctions Vs. N. Korea (AP)

AP - Japan on Tuesday warned it would consider sanctions against North Korea after accusing the communist country of failing to properly investigate the fates of Japanese citizens it kidnapped years ago.


New Search Related Patents

Keeping up with newly issued patents for search-related technology can help you spot emerging trends and potentially new competitors to the existing major web search players.


Digital Gamble

It #39;s buying biz news site MarketWatch, betting big on online content. But will its free offerings hurt its fee-based products?


SEC Files Civil Suit Against Former Hollinger Executives

The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday filed a civil lawsuit alleging that media baron Conrad M. Black fraudulently diverted millions of dollars from Hollinger International Inc.


American Express Sues Rivals

American Express said it was suing Visa USA and MasterCard International, along with eight banks, for damages stemming from anticompetitive practices that prevented American Express from issuing cards through US banks.


Disney #39;s Eisner Defends Ovitz Hire

Walt Disney Co. chief executive Michael D. Eisner had been on the witness stand for about half an hour on Monday when the subject of former Disney president Michael S. Ovitz finally came up.


Time to Tackle the Pension Crisis

With its \$23 billion shortfall double any previous deficit, the government #39;s Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. needs fixing -- fast.


Can Solaris 10 Make Sun Shine Again?

Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy celebrated his 50th birthday on Nov. 13 -- and two days later his company hit another milestone.


UN Finds No Nuclear Bomb Program in Iran

In its most positive assessment of Iran in two years, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported yesterday that it had found no evidence the nation had a nuclear weapons program and that


Owens Runs Wild as Eagles Destroy Cowboys

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Terrell Owens scored three touchdowns  and the Philadelphia Eagles amassed 35 first-half points on the  way to a 49-21 drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys in Irving, Texas,  Monday.


Sharapova Sinks Serena in Thrilling Final

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teen-ager Maria Sharapova capped  her stunning year by overcoming an injured Serena Williams,  4-6, 6-2, 6-4, in the final of the season-ending WTA Tour  Championships Monday.


Congress Probes Insurance Industry Scandal (AP)

AP - Congress is examining the scandal rippling through the insurance industry, with its largest brokerage accused of bid rigging and price fixing amid high-level resignations, employee layoffs and guilty pleas by some executives.


NBA Wrap: James Inspires Cavs to 4th Straight Win

NEW YORK (Reuters) - LeBron James recorded 33 points to  guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to their fourth straight win, a  99-88 victory over the Golden State Warriors Monday.


ATP Players to Get Approved Nutritional Supplements

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The ATP, organizers of the men's tour,  will unveil a partnership deal with a pharmaceutical giant  Tuesday to provide approved nutritional supplements to players  next season.


Europe's Mission to Moon Nears Lunar Orbit (AP)

AP - A dishwasher-sized spacecraft on Europe's first mission to the moon was set to enter lunar orbit, a key milestone in its 13-month trip into space, the European Space Agency said.


Firefighters hurt by BA jet fumes

Five firefighters are injured dealing with an incident on a London-to-Boston BA flight at a US airport.


Tennis: Sharapova wins finale

Maria Sharapova beats Serena Williams 4-6 6-2 6-4 in the Tour Championships final.


Online ads on track to hit record; Dow buys MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Google extended gains from last week, even though the company #39;s float is set to more than double Tuesday.


AmEx Charges Rivals for Damages

American Express (AXP ) wasted no time in capitalizing on a recent government case that successfully found card-association giants Visa USA and MasterCard International guilty of antitrust violations.


FDA Criticizes Viagra Ads, Prompting Pfizer to Halt Them

New advertising for Viagra that depicts men who take it as devilish drew criticism from the Food and Drug Administration, leading its maker, Pfizer, to say yesterday that it would discontinue the campaign.


Eisner takes the stand:  #39;I was not in this alone #39;

Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner tried to turn back years of criticism Monday by insisting that he was neither rash nor selfish in hiring friend Michael Ovitz as president in October 1995.


IRS seeking local residents due refunds

The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 1,096 Alabama taxpayers, including dozens from the Decatur area, whose income-tax refund checks could not be delivered.


Blumenthal to testify before Congress about insurance laws

(Hartford-AP, Nov. 15, 2004 10:20 PM) _ Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is heading to Washington tomorrow and says he plans to tell Congress to stay out of the insurance brokerage industry.


Top Researchers Ask Web Users to Join Science Grid

NEW YORK (Reuters) - IBM and top scientific research  organizations are joining forces in a humanitarian effort to  tap the unused power of millions of computers and help solve  complex social problems.


Nepal Maoists call for mediation

The top Maoist rebel leader in Nepal  renews a call for international mediation to resume peace talks with the government


Yahoo Mail to use Domainkeys

Washington: EarthLink Inc. and Yahoo Inc. have said they would begin tests of a new anti-spam technology that encodes digital signatures into customers #39; e-mail as a way to separate legitimate messages from unwanted spam.


Dell, Microsoft Team For  #39;One-Click #39; Management

Dell (Quote, Chart) and Microsoft (Quote, Chart) continued their joint efforts to automate the data center with a deal to bundle management software that triggers changes with one mouse click.


HP #39;s Compaq X PC Uses New Pentium 4

Hewlett-Packard has announced the next iteration in its Compaq X gaming PC line, which uses the new 3.8-GHz Pentium 4 570. The launch of Intel #39;s new chip was expected, the last entrant in Intel #39;s single-core processor line.


Federer beats Gaudio in Masters Cup opener

: Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland, returned to action after missing three weeks with a torn thigh muscle and defeated Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 6-1, 7-6 (4) in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championships.


Eagles embarrass hometown Cowboys

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Donovan McNabb threw three of his four touchdown passes to Terrell Owens as the Philadelphia Eagles pasted the Dallas Cowboys 49-21 victory at Texas Stadium on Monday.


MOTOR RACING: COUL FOR BULL

DAVID COULTHARD is set to join a short list to drive for the new Red Bull team. The Scot is looking for a drive after McLaren axed him.


Beckham denies early retirement rumors

: David Beckham ruled out early retirement today and said he turned down a  quot;good part quot; in a Hollywood movie.  quot;I #39;ve never said that I wanted to go into movies.


Holyfield loses third in a row

A focused Hasim Rahman earned his way back into a heavyweight title shot with a fourth round stoppage of game Kali Meehan. Meehan, who was no match for  quot;The Rock quot;, weighed in


Morgan defends Zimbabwe tour

ENGLISH cricket chief David Morgan yesterday provided a staunch defence of the one-day teams short tour of Zimbabwe, but insisted the players will not be politicised during their stay.


Charlie Sifford Is Right Where He Belongs

ST. AUGUSTINE - The humbling, career-defining moment Charlie Sifford never truly believed could ever be his had arrived. Doors were being held open.


Militant leader in Afghanistan says group split over fate of UN <b>...</b>

By STEPHEN GRAHAM Associated Press Writer KABUL, Afghanistan (AP). The purported leader of Taliban-linked militants holding three UN hostages in Afghanistan said his group is split over whether to  quot;get rid quot; of


France says Arafat medical file can be released to family

France says the medical files of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat can be released upon demand to eligible parties, such as his family.


Glitch delays NASA #39;s X-43 test

NASA will make a second attempt today to set an aviation speed record after an instrumentation problem forced the agency to scrap a planned flight test Monday.


China's Shadow Banks

Illegal lenders are siphoning money from state-owned banks, but they may do more good than harm\


Federer races to opening win

Roger Federer hadn #39;t played anybody for keeps in six weeks. So, even though he #39;d been routinely putting in four-hour training sessions after he arrived at Westside Tennis Club last week, a measure of apprehension lingered.


Cavs cruise to victory

Cleveland Cavaliers claimed their fourth straight win with a 99-88 win over the Golden State Warriors. LeBron James led the scoring charts with 33 points, 21 of which came in the first half.


Owens Runs Wild as Eagles Destroy Cowboys (Reuters)

Reuters - Terrell Owens scored three touchdowns\and the Philadelphia Eagles amassed 35 first-half points on the\way to a 49-21 drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys in Irving, Texas,\Monday.


An Afterthought for the A.C.C. Becomes Its Champ

The No. 10 Hokies completed their inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the league's outright championship.


No. 1 insurer reportedly close to settling with SEC

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- American International Group #39;s shares gained Monday on optimism the world #39;s largest insurer is close to resolving regulators #39; investigations into so-called income-smoothing products it sold.


Merck heads to Capitol Hill

BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- Pharmaceutical behemoth Merck heads to Capitol Hill Thursday to testify at a Senate hearing on whether the government should have forced the drugmaker to withdraw its Vioxx drug from the market before late September.


Microsoft to Work With GarageBand.com (AP)

AP - Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Music site will begin featuring some artists from the independent music Web site GarageBand.com in a deal both companies said is aimed at giving little-known musicians access to a broader audience.


Yahoo, EarthLink team to fight spam

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Yahoo and EarthLink said they are adding a feature that promises to reduce spam. Free! Sign up here to receive our Before the Bell e-Newsletter!


Dell announces new enterprise-class blade servers

Dell has introduced its new PowerEdge 1855 blade servers, which it says combine enterprise-class features with increased density and lower cost than traditional Dell 1U rack servers to deliver an advantaged platform for data center computing.


Hu to stand firm on yuan-dollar peg at APEC as China tries to brake economy (AFP)

AFP - China will loom large over an Asia-Pacific summit in Chile, with the United States hoping that Beijing will loosen a fixed yuan-dollar link and cool, but not freeze, its red-hot economy.


Top Researchers Ask Web Users to Join Science Grid (Reuters)

Reuters - IBM and top scientific research\organizations are joining forces in a humanitarian effort to\tap the unused power of millions of computers and help solve\complex social problems.


Kraft Foods Will Sell Altoids And Life Savers to Wrigley

Kraft Foods said yesterday that it had agreed to sell its Life Savers and Altoids brands to the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company for \$1.5 billion as part of a reorganization plan.


Business Briefs

Markel Corp. said yesterday that state insurance departments had issued document requests or administrative subpoenas to several of its subsidiaries related to producer compensation arrangements.


Oil Edges Down, Microsoft Boosts Techs

Oil prices touched 2-month lows near \$45 a barrel on Monday before taking back most of their losses, but the downward trend knocked energy company stocks lower and US stock indexes ended little changed.


UPDATE 3-Macquarie H1 profit jumps, upgrades outlook

Macquarie Bank Ltd. (MBL.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) , Australia #39;s largest investment bank, beat expectations with a 17 percent rise in first-half profit on


Computers take liking to Sooners

The Sooners held on to second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings yesterday, staying ahead of third-place Auburn because of a stronger computer ranking.


News in brief

The Balkan republic of Macedonia lurched into fresh crisis yesterday when the Prime Minister resigned, blaming ethnic Albanians in his coalition government for hijacking the country #39;s political agenda.


Namibia Votes for New President

WINDHOEK, Namibia - The southern African nation of Namibia voted on Monday for a successor to the only leader the country has ever known, and election officials said the first of two days of voting started smoothly.


Japan Considers Sanctions Vs. N. Korea

Japan on Tuesday warned it might impose sanctions against North Korea after accusing the communist country of failing to properly investigate the fates of Japanese citizens it kidnapped years ago.


Europe blames US over weak dollar

European finance chiefs take the US to task for allowing the dollar to slide, saying it puts Europe's economy at risk.


Bihar doctors rally over killing

Striking doctors in the northern Indian state of Bihar are due to hold a rally in protest at the killing of a colleague.


Europe probe arrives at the Moon

European Space Agency's Smart 1 probe is set to enter into orbit around the Moon on Monday.


Asian Shares Lower as Oil Fall Stalls

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian share markets saw light selling  in line with a slowing retreat in oil prices on Tuesday, while  the dollar steadied as officials in Europe and Japan fretted  about the U.S. currency's recent decline.


Men of Pitcairn were just following island customs, says Australian author (AFP)

AFP - Best-selling Australian author Colleen McCullough has backed the Pitcairn Islanders convicted recently of raping teenage girls, arguing they were merely following the customs of the island community, it was reported here.


Half-Life 2's  Real Battle (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - If the video game industry is beginning to rake in revenue that rivals the movie industry, it's also beginning to accumulate Hollywood-like headaches.


Australian FM praises Powell as a great friend to Canberra (AFP)

AFP - Outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell had been a great friend to Australia who helped fight terrorism in Asia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.


China Plans to Have Over 100 Eyes in the Sky by 2020 (Reuters)

Reuters - China plans to launch more than 100\satellites before 2020 to watch every corner of the country,\state-run China Central Television quoted a government official\as saying Tuesday.


Reid Poised to Be Senate Democratic Leader (AP)

AP - Senate Democrats are changing management, their ranks reduced to a 74-year low and their longtime leader defeated for re-election back home.


Big payday for MarketWatch Dow Jones agrees to buy SF financial <b>...</b>

MarketWatch Inc., one of San Francisco #39;s surviving Internet companies, hit a notable online payday Monday, as venerable Dow Jones  amp; Co.


Waiting for a refund check? IRS may be looking for you

The Internal Revenue Service is looking for 2,955 New Jersey taxpayers whose refund checks totaling nearly \$2.6 million were returned to the government this year by the Postal Service as undeliverable.


OIL SLIDES TO \$46.85 A BARREL, A 2-MO. LOW

Crude oil prices continued down their slippery slope yesterday, hitting a two-month low after Iran #39;s government took steps to dampen political tensions with the United States.


UPDATE: Casino Moguls Ho, Packer Roll Dice On Asia Deal

SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Unable to repel an invasion of foreigners into the once tightly-controlled Macau gaming market, casino baron Stanley Ho has joined forces with Australia #39;s


Spitzer May Urge More Insurance Oversight in Senate Testimony

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer may tell a US Senate subcommittee today that federal oversight of the insurance industry is inevitable after his allegations of price manipulation and kickbacks.


UPDATE: US Hurricanes Fail To Flatten Australia #39;s Rinker

SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Higher product prices and strong US building activity helped Australia #39;s Rinker Group Ltd. (RIN.AU) offset rising costs and Florida hurricanes to


NASA delays jet speed record test

NASA has delayed the third and final test flight of an unmanned, hypersonic aircraft attempting to fly at 10 times the speed of sound.


RED BULL PUTS JAG IN F-ONE

High-octane energy drink Red Bull thinks it can go faster on the racetrack than Jaguar. The beverage in the tiny can bought Jaguar #39;s celebrated Grad Prix team from Jaguar #39;s


Eagles, Owens embarrass Cowboys

So much for making a fresh start in the second half of the season. Instead of new beginnings, the Cowboys battled the same old problems, this time getting slapped around by the Philadelphia


Bonds presumed innocent, and great MVP voters focus on slugger #39;s <b>...</b>

In a season full of free passes, Barry Bonds just got one more. He received the 2004 National League Most Valuable Player Award on Monday because of something resembling the presumption of innocence, which


Warner #39;s benching shows that Rams made right choice

Back here in Kurt Warner #39;s adopted home town, the varying opinions on the cause and effects of the meteoric rise and fall of his storybook football life always will be blurred under so many dreamy - and divergent - emotional clouds.


Cavaliers above .500

James had 33 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who moved above .500 for the first time in more than three years with their fourth straight victory, 99-88 over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.


Sifford overcomes obstacles

Charlie Sifford was still six years away from playing in his first PGA tournament in the United States, but they let him compete in Canada in 1955.