CA #39;s Cron To Remain Interim CEO

Don #39;t expect Ken Cron to become CEO of Computer Associates International. At least, not anytime soon. Cron, currently CA #39;s interim CEO, will likely retain that status after the company #39;s annual stockholders


Olympics Chiefs Want Bush Campaign to Back Off (Reuters)

Reuters - Olympic officials are seething at a\campaign ad for President Bush which, they say, hijacks the\Olympic brand.


Durable Goods, Housing Data Trip Stocks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were slightly lower on  Wednesday after government reports for July on durable goods  orders and new home sales cast some doubt on the strength of  the economy.


Mortgage Applications Fall 6.3 Percent

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Applications for U.S. home loans fell  6.3 percent last week after a brief bounce in early August  spurred by a drop in mortgage rates, an industry group said on  Wednesday.


Palestine condemns attack on deputy intelligence chief

Brig. Rashid Abu Shbak, chief of Palestinian preventive security in Gaza, described on Wednesday the attack on the deputy chief of security intelligence Tareq Abu Rajab as  quot;a condemned crime quot;.


Economic Doubts Rally Treasuries

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices rallied on  Wednesday as the latest U.S. economic data contained enough  soft spots to keep the economic outlook uncertain.


S.Africa Police Arrest Thatcher Son in Coup Probe

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - The son of former British Prime  Minister Margaret Thatcher was arrested in South Africa on  Wednesday on suspicion of involvement in a mercenary plot  against the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.


Australian may get family reunion before war crime tribunal

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba : The father of accused Australian terrorist David Hicks hopes to hold an emotional reunion with his son before he appears before a US war crimes tribunal.


Gaza Gunmen Shoot Palestinian Intelligence Chief

GAZA (Reuters) - Gunmen ambushed the commander of the  Palestinian intelligence service in the Gaza Strip on  Wednesday, wounding him, killing two bodyguards and fueling  fears of spreading chaos.


Singapore Air Sets \$7.35 Bln Boeing Order

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd., the world's  second most valuable airline, said on Wednesday it planned to  buy up to 31 Boeing Co 777-300ER planes worth about US\$7.35  billion to support growth plans.


Two Russian Planes Crash, Cause Unclear

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two Russian passenger planes crashed  almost simultaneously, killing all 89 people on board in what  investigators said on Wednesday might have been a terrorist  attack or simply a mysterious coincidence.


Typhoon Aere Pounds Taiwan, Heads Into China

TAIPEI (Reuters) - A powerful typhoon triggered landslides  and flash floods in northern Taiwan on Wednesday before plowing  into China where hundreds of thousands of people have been  evacuated.


TD, Banknorth in Talks on Possible Deal

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's Toronto Dominion Bank TD.TO  said on Wednesday that it is in talks with U.S.-based Banknorth  Group BNK.N about a possible deal.


U.S. New Home Sales Fall in July

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. new home sales fell more than  expected in July to the their lowest pace since December, as  higher mortgage rates cooled the housing market, a government  report showed on Wednesday.


Sudan Govt. Agrees to Bigger AU Force in Darfur

ABUJA (Reuters) - Sudan's government agreed in a  breakthrough at peace talks on Wednesday to allow more African  Union troops to enter the Darfur region to confine rebel  fighters to their bases, a possible precursor to disarmament.


Bulgaria Won't Pay Libya Over HIV Case (AP)

AP - A senior Bulgarian official ruled out paying any compensation to get Libya to reconsider the death sentences of five Bulgarian nurses accused of infecting children with HIV.


Paris Fetes 1944 Liberation from Nazi Occupation

PARIS (Reuters) - Two columns of Second World War tanks,  trucks and cars rumbled through Paris on Wednesday to re-enact  the arrival of French and United States forces 60 years ago to  liberate the city from four years of Nazi occupation.


Shell 'faces \$1.5bn Nigeria bill'

The Senate in Nigeria reportedly passes a motion requiring Shell's operation in the country to pay \$1.5bn in compensation to oilfield communities.


Europe starts new Microsoft probe

The European Commission opens a probe into Microsoft and Time Warner's plans to buy anti-piracy firm ContentGuard.


MmO2 leapfrogs rivals with super-fast 3G

Telecoms provider mmO2 says it will adopt extra fast 3G network technology from next summer, although the ultra-high-speed network initially will be available only in the Isle of Man.


Indian low-cost airline expands

India's first low-cost airline, Air Deccan, offers cheap flights between Bangalore and New Delhi.


Bahrain eyes power grid upgrade

Middle East island nation Bahrain is  to spend \$1.86bn upgrading its electricity network after Monday's blackout brought the country to a standstill.


Student #39;s Projects Win \$100,000 in Siemens Westinghouse <b>...</b>

Aaron Goldin, a senior San Dieguito High School Academy in Encinitas, CA, won the \$100,000 Grand Prize scholarship in the individual category for inventing the Gyro-Gen, a gyroscope that converts ocean wave energy into electricity.


Pinochet to testify in Jara case

Chile's ex-leader Augusto Pinochet is told to give written testimony in the 1973 murder of singer  Victor Jara.


Oil Prices Halt Three-Day Losing Streak

Oil prices rose modestly today, halting a three-day losing streak on profit-taking from record highs near \$50 a barrel.


Can Lifeway Survive a Disaster?

What happens when a great company gets hit by unforeseen circumstances?


Don't Make the Babies Cry

The telecom industry has endured some tough times. They haven't seen anything yet.


Bush Campaign's Top Outside Lawyer Resigns

An election lawyer for President Bush also has been advising a veterans group running TV ads against John Kerry.


Sleepless sheep can count on familiar faces

The way to soothe an anxious sheep is to show it a picture of another sheep. British scientists believe that - like humans - sheep need to see a familiar face when they are alone.


Consumers Trade in Home Phones for Mobile and Web

Laura Bekke moved into her new Amsterdam flat last week and declined to have a fixed phone line installed. Merijn Groenhart, a


Microsoft Leaves UN Standards Group

pk2000 writes  quot;Microsoft withdrew from a United Nations software standards group for commerce. quot;  #39;Unfortunately, for now, we have made the decision to stop participating in UN/Cefact for business reasons and this serves as notification of our immediate


Harrop wins silver

FORMER Aussie backpacker Kate Allen pipped Australian favourite Loretta Harrop in sight of the finish to win the Olympic women #39;s triathlon today, but will take the gold medal home to Austria.


South Africa opts to bat first at Dambulla

Dambulla: South African captain Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to bat in the third One-dayer against Sri Lanka in Dambulla.


Two Russian Planes Crash, 89 Die, After Hijack Alarm (Update7)

Two Russian passenger airliners from Moscow crashed within minutes of each other, killing all 89 passengers and crew, the greatest number of civilian Russian air deaths in a single day for more than three years.


'On Death and Dying' Author Dies at 78

PHOENIX - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a psychiatrist who revolutionized the way the world looks at terminally ill patients with her book "On Death and Dying" and later as a pioneer for hospice care, has died. She was 78...


Russia Probes Cause of Two Plane Crashes

BUCHALKI, Russia - Russian emergency workers searched heaps of twisted metal and tall grass Wednesday for clues about what caused two airliners to plunge to earth within minutes of each other, killing all 89 people aboard. Officials said one jet sent a hijack distress signal, raising fears terrorists had struck...


Thatcher's Son Charged in Coup Plot

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Mark Thatcher, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was arrested Wednesday and charged with helping to finance a foiled plot to overthrow the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.    Thatcher, a 51-year-old businessman who has lived in South Africa since 2002, was arrested at his Cape Town home shortly after 7 a.m...


Australian Detainee Meets With Father

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - The father of an imprisoned Australian cowboy accused of fighting with Afghanistan's ousted Taliban saw his son for the first time in five years Wednesday, as he prepared to go before an American military tribunal on war crimes charges.    After the meeting, David Hicks, 29, wore a suit and tie as he arrived for a tribunal hearing on charges of conspiracy to commit war crimes, aiding the enemy and attempted murder for allegedly firing at U.S...


Sistani Returns to Iraq, Calls for March on Najaf

Iraq's most influential Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, returned to the country on Wednesday and urged Iraqis to march on the "burning city" of Najaf, where fighting is creeping ever closer to its sacred shrine.


July Durable Good Orders Rise 1.7 Percent

WASHINGTON Aug. 25, 2004 - America #39;s factories saw orders for costly manufactured goods in July post the biggest gain in four months, an encouraging sign that the economy is emerging from an early summer funk.


Tata Consulting Services makes successful IPO

Indian software and services giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) made its stock market debut today, jumping 16 per cent over the day as investors piled money into the firm.


Politics cloud debate on Philippine  #39;crisis #39;

MANILA When President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared this week that the Philippines was  quot;already in the midst of a fiscal crisis, quot; many thought she was just stating the obvious.


Macrovision CDS-300 version 7 beta

Exclusive A CD lock-in tech that only annoys P2P traders?


Wayward whale yet to leave NS power plant area

ANNAPOLIS ROYAL, NS - Nova Scotia Power officials continued to keep the sluice gates open at one of the utility #39;s hydroelectric plants Wednesday in hopes a wayward whale would leave the area and head for the open waters of the Bay of Fundy.


American Susan Williams Takes Triathlon Bronze

Kate Allen produced a stunning run to overhaul long-time leader Loretta Harrop in the last 150 meters of the women #39;s Olympic triathlon Wednesday and win Austria #39;s first gold medal at Athens.


Programs: for Stealth Lovers, 'Thief' Is a Steal

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Reuters) - One of the joys of the games  in the "Thief" series is the ability to sneak up on opponents,  quietly take them out with a good knock on the noggin, and then  dump their body in the shadows so you can resume your hunt for  loot.


Livewire: Beep! Beep! Ultra-Fast Broadband Is Here

LONDON (Reuters) - For Rainer Kinnunen, life has been a bit  of a blur since he signed up for a superhigh-speed Internet  service three years ago.


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Laura Bekke moved into her new  Amsterdam flat last week and declined to have a fixed phone  line installed. Merijn Groenhart, a disc jockey in the same  city, has lived without a home phone for over a year.


Playboy Posts Unused Google Excerpt to Web Site

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Playboy magazine on Tuesday  posted to its Web site an unpublished portion from its  interview with Google's founders, which raised regulatory  eyebrows not for what it revealed, but for its timing -- just  before the Internet search engine's much-anticipated initial  public offering.


DoubleClick Signs on MSN to Use Its Rich Media Ads

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A top executive for Web marketing  company DoubleClick DCLK.O on Tuesday said Microsoft Corp's  MSFT.O MSN Web portal will use its rich media ads online,  paving the way for wider use of a key DoubleClick  product.


New Project Shows Promise for Grape Growers

By DAISY NGUYEN     RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) -- Since the discovery five years ago that a ravenous insect was spreading grape-killing Pierce's Disease in California, grape growers have contributed millions of dollars to fund research projects they hope can end the scourge...


Early Heart Attacks Likelier in Smokers

If you're under 40 and smoke, your risk of having a heart attack is significantly greater than someone your age who doesn't, a new study finds. According to the report, male smokers between the ages of 35 and 39 were almost five times as likely to have a nonfatal heart attack as were nonsmokers.


Draining Brain Toxins May Slow Alzheimer's

Cognitive test scores remained stable in treated patients    HealthDayNews -- Reducing levels of specific toxins in the brain may help stabilize cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease patients.    That's the finding of preliminary research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, published in the August issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease...


CA execs can keep bonuses--for now

Computer Associates International shareholders vote down a proposal to recoup money paid to top execs during an accounting scandal.


Gartner sees solid server sales

IBM, HP, Sun and Dell lead the market, which saw 7.7 percent revenue growth in the second quarter, compared with a year earlier.


Programs: for Stealth Lovers, 'Thief' Is a Steal (Reuters)

Reuters - One of the joys of the games\in the "Thief" series is the ability to sneak up on opponents,\quietly take them out with a good knock on the noggin, and then\dump their body in the shadows so you can resume your hunt for\loot.


U.S. Women's Hoops Team Cruises Into Semis (AP)

AP - Hushing a boisterous crowd with its all-around domination, the United States defeated Greece 102-72 Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women's basketball tournament. The Americans, seeking their third straight gold medal, will play Russia in the semifinals Friday.


Livewire: Beep! Beep! Ultra-Fast Broadband Is Here (Reuters)

Reuters - For Rainer Kinnunen, life has been a bit\of a blur since he signed up for a superhigh-speed Internet\service three years ago.


Consumers Trade in Home Phones for Mobile and Web (Reuters)

Reuters - Laura Bekke moved into her new\Amsterdam flat last week and declined to have a fixed phone\line installed. Merijn Groenhart, a disc jockey in the same\city, has lived without a home phone for over a year.


Soft Margins Cut Bombardier Profit (Reuters)

Reuters - Second-quarter profit fell by\two-thirds at plane and train maker Bombardier Inc. (BBDb.TO)\as its regional aircraft business lagged a rebound in the\business jet market, the company said on Wednesday.


US Women's NBA stars get the message - gold or failure (AFP)

AFP - Hours before the United States women's basketball Dream Team routed Greece 102-72 to reach the Olympic semi-finals, US captain Dawn Staley gathered the squad to make sure they knew the stakes.


Over 100 Arrested in U.S. Spam Crackdown (AP)

AP - The Justice Department has made a series of arrests against purveyors of e-mail "spam" as part of a nationwide crackdown against Internet scam artists, a marketing group said Wednesday.


Gartner: Q2 server shipments up on Sun, Dell strength

Server shipments and revenue increased in the second quarter as Sun Microsystems Inc. and Dell Inc. gained market share at the expense of Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) and IBM Corp., according to research released by Gartner Inc. Wednesday.


Intel Eyes Tri-Mode Wi-Fi (PC World)

PC World - Upcoming chip set will support 802.11a, b, and g networks.


Typhoon Aere slams into China after claiming 12 lives elsewhere (AFP)

AFP - Typhoon Aere slammed into China after killing at least 12 people in the region and forcing more than half a million Chinese to evacuate their homes and thousands of fishing boats to return to port.


Europeans on Ryder Cup Scramble at BMW (AP)

AP - Sergio Garcia can afford to look relaxed at the BMW International Open. The Spaniard is one of six players to have sealed berths on the 12-man European Ryder Cup team that faces the United States at Oakland Hills in Michigan on Sept. 15-17.


Basketball: U.S., Russia Set for Semifinal Showdown

ATHENS (Reuters) - The unbeaten U.S. women's basketball  team cruised to another victory Wednesday, pummeling Greece  102-72 to advance to the Olympic semi-finals.


Japan Plans to Launch Spy Satellites (AP)

AP - A Japanese government panel has approved plans to send two spy satellites into Earth's orbit beginning next year, a media report said Wednesday.


Williams-Sonoma Profit Up; Stock Jumps

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Williams-Sonoma Inc. WSM.N on  Wednesday posted a better-than-expected 55 percent increase in  quarterly profit, sending its stock up 10 percent, as sales  jumped at its Pottery Barn chain.


Soft Margins Cut Bombardier Profit

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Second-quarter profit fell by  two-thirds at plane and train maker Bombardier Inc. BBDb.TO  as its regional aircraft business lagged a rebound in the  business jet market, the company said on Wednesday.


Montgomerie, Donald Paired in Ryder Cup Race

MUNICH (Reuters) - The two favorites for a Ryder Cup  wildcard, youngster Luke Donald and seven-time European number  one Colin Montgomerie, have been paired for the first two  rounds of the BMW International Open that begins Thursday.


AL Wrap: Matsui's Late Single Leads Yankees Past Indians

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hideki Matsui drove in the winning run  with a ninth-inning single to earn the rallying New York  Yankees a 5-4 victory over the host Cleveland Indians in the  American League Tuesday.


Gymnastics: Russia Chief Blasts 'Judging Mafia'

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's gymnastics chief Leonid Arkayev  has added his voice to a chorus of public opinion calling for  major reforms in his sport, saying Olympic gymnasts are  powerless against what he called "judging mafia."


RIAA Cheers College Music Deals

Penn State, Cornell University among those offering paid download services to students.


Prisoners 'to get Afghan trials'

The US says many of the prisoners it is holding in Afghanistan will stand trial under Afghan law.


U.S. Cruises Past Greece

The women's basketball team advances to the semifinals with a 102-72 win over Greece, which had heart, the home court and little else.


Australian Detainee Meets With Father

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - The father of an imprisoned Australian cowboy accused of fighting with Afghanistan's ousted Taliban saw his son for the first time in five years Wednesday as he headed into an American military tribunal to face war crimes charges.    David Hicks, 29, wore a suit and tie as he arrived for a tribunal hearing on charges of conspiracy to commit war crimes, aiding the enemy and attempted murder for allegedly firing at U.S...


Israel Wins First Olympic Gold

A windsurfer whose first name means "wave" in Hebrew gave Israel its first Olympic gold medal ever Wednesday, taking a plunge in the Saronic Gulf to celebrate.


Pakhalina Leads Springboard Preliminaries

Yulia Pakhalina of Russia leads the Olympic preliminaries of 3-meter springboard diving, beating out Canada's Blythe Hartley and China's Guo Jingjing.


Slyusareva Wins Women's Points Race

Russia's Olga Slyusareva adds an Olympic gold medal to her collection of world championships, easily winning the points race Wednesday.


Google Blesses Blogger Users with AdSense Advertising\\Blogger, having replaced the default Google powered AdSense ads with a search enhanced Blogger task bar, has recently announced that they will now make Google AdSense advertisements available to Blogger members and other personal blog owners via a new program. Biz Stone, a Google ...


Friendster Names Ex-AOL Executive VP of Sales\\Friendster today announced that it has named Charles Barrett as Vice President of Sales, effective immediately. Charlie will oversee all aspects of advertising sales. His first initiatives will include building a world-class national ad sales team and creating new revenue producing programs. In addition, ...


Real Networks iTunes Price Cutting Bags 1 Million Sales

Real Network's iTunes Price Cutting Bags 1 Million Sales\\Real Network's recent price cutting of iPod compatible song downloads may not be bringing profit to the company, but it is cutting into the iTunes market as well as carving their own song download market before Microsoft enters the picture. Real has ...


Infocus: Using Libwhisker

This article discusses the use of Libwhisker, a PERL module which allows for the creation of custom HTTP packets and can be used for penetration  testing various web applications.


Reactors Trim Radioactive Waste

Researchers at a Department of Energy lab are developing fuel rods that could halve the amount of nuclear waste produced. That's good news for Yucca Mountain, Nevada, where 40 years' worth of radioactive material is slated to be stored. By John Gartner.


Copyright Bill Needs Big Changes

Technology companies and public-interest groups want to narrow the scope of the controversial Induce Act to focus on those who engage in 'mass, indiscriminate infringing conduct.' By Katie Dean.


JibJab Is Free for You and Me

Turns out that Ludlow Music, which claims to own the copyright on a classic Woody Gutherie song, may not actually own it after all. Which means JibJab, a scrappy web animation site, gets to use 'This Land Is Your Land' to its heart's content. By Katie Dean.


Poll: Voters Want Paper Trail

Almost three-quarters of likely voters think electronic voting systems should produce a paper record the voter can verify, according to a new poll. But that's not likely to happen for many of them in November. By Laila Weir.


Attacking the Fourth Estate

A series of subpoenas issued to reporters as part of the Justice Department's investigation of the leak of a CIA operative's identity seems more like a tactic of intimidation than legitimate information gathering. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg.


Master of the Nerdiverse

Craig Newmark could become a dot-org millionaire. He'd rather help you find a cheap sublet, a cool job and maybe even a date. By Josh McHugh from Wired magazine.


Music Services Score an A-Plus

More colleges and universities are embracing music services for their students in an effort to cut down on peer-to-peer traffic that clogs school networks and puts students at risk for lawsuits. By Katie Dean.


The New American Idol

Politics as usual? Hasta la vista, baby. The radical center has flexed its muscle in California, short-circuiting the parties and going directly to the people. Now it could sweep the nation. By Jill Stewart from Wired magazine.


Dozens Charged in Push Against Spam and Scams

Federal and state law enforcement agencies have quietly arrested or charged dozens of people with crimes related to junk e-mail, identity theft and other online scams.


European Union Extends Review of Microsoft Deal

Microsoft and Time Warner ran into fresh trouble in Europe today as antitrust regulators ordered an in-depth probe of their deal to collaborate in making anti-piracy software.


Polish Cops Bust Computer Piracy Gang

Polish police have broken up a gang of more than 100 hackers who sold pirated music and films, using academic computer systems around the world.


UPDATE 3-Williams-Sonoma quarterly profit up; stock jumps

Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday posted a better-than-expected 55 percent increase in quarterly profit, sending its stock up 10


Update 3: EU Probes Microsoft-Time Warner Deal

Risking another trans-Atlantic tussle over Microsoft Corp., European Union antitrust regulators said Wednesday they were investigating whether the software giant #39;s deal with media conglomerate Time Warner Inc.


Seven Brokerages Fined Total \$3.65M by SEC

Seven regional brokerage firms have been fined a total \$3.65 million by federal regulators for allegedly failing to disclose that they received payments for issuing research on certain companies, in a settlement announced Wednesday.


Durable Goods Orders Up; Homes Sales Down

Orders for US durable goods posted a larger-than-expected rise in July, but new home sales showed signs of buckling under the weight of higher interest rates, two government reports showed on Wednesday.


Soft Margins Cut Bombardier Profit

Second-quarter profit fell by two-thirds at plane and train maker Bombardier Inc. (BBDb.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) as its regional aircraft business lagged a rebound


US Economy: July New Home Sales Fall, Durable Goods Rise

US new home sales in July fell 6.4 percent to a 1.134 million annual rate, the year #39;s slowest pace and a sign housing may provide less fuel for the economy in coming months.


Gartner: Q2 server shipments up on Sun, Dell strength

Server shipments and revenue increased in the second quarter as Sun Microsystems Inc. and Dell Inc. gained market share at the expense of Hewlett-Packard Co.


DoCoMo, Motorola Partner on 3G Phone

US and Japanese mobile-phone giants Motorola and DoCoMo are teaming up to develop a FOMA handset that runs on GSM/GPRS networks. The third-generation device will allow Japanese business users


CA execs can keep bonuses--for now

Computer Associates International shareholders on Wednesday struck down a proposal to recoup money paid out to executives during a long-running accounting scandal.


Intel Eyes Tri-Mode Wi-Fi

Fulfilling a long-time goal, Intel is set to introduce this week its first chipset that supports all three current forms of Wi-Fi, according to sources familiar with the announcement.


Israel celebrates joy of first gold medal

Israel has celebrated its first Olympic gold medal, saying Gal Fridman #39;s win gave pride and joy to Jewish people around the world.


Cricket: Officials Call Off Australia-Pakistan Match Due to Heavy <b>...</b>

Organizers in Amstelveen, the Netherlands have called off the cricket match between Australia and Pakistan after heavy rain overnight soaked the pitch.


Cricket: Herath puts South Africa in spin

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka : Little-known spinner Rangana Herath grabbed three wickets as Sri Lanka boosted their chances of wrapping up the one-day series when they restricted South Africa to a modest 191 in the third match here.


Anky van Grunsven continues domination in dressage

Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands successfully defended her gold medal in the individual dressage event on Wednesday at the Olympics.


Michael Reiziger out with shoulder injury

MIDDLESBROUGH, Aug 24 (SW) - Michael Reiziger will be sidelined for the coming six to eight weeks. The player dislocated his shoulder a few weeks ago and is unable to play on.


Quarter million Chinese flee typhoon

Typhoon Aere made landfall in southeastern China Wednesday after killing five people and flooding Taiwan, the BBC reported. The storm system packing winds of 86 mph and gusts


Occupation army invades Nablus, detains leader of al-Aqsa group

The Israeli occupation army yesterday renewed its invasion of Nablus city to the north of the West Bank and imposed curfew, while the Israeli military vehicles were deployed intensively in several areas of the city.


Guantanamo detainee visits with parents

An Australian detainee being arraigned Wednesday before a US military commission on charges of attempted murder and aiding al Qaeda met with his parents, their first visit together in five years.


Hungarian prime minister resigns, pre-empting ouster (AFP)

AFP - Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy resigned, pre-empting a move by his ruling Socialist party to oust him in a no-confidence vote in parliament next month.


Olympic Gold's Price:  #36;12 Bln for Athens (Reuters)

Reuters - The Athens Olympics will cost a total of\almost 10 billion euros ( #36;12.09 billion), more than double the\original target, pushing Greece's budget gap well above EU\limits, finance ministry sources said on Wednesday.


Militants Threaten Turkish Hostages' Lives (AP)

AP - Militants in Iraq are threatening to kill two Turkish hostages if their company does not withdraw from the country within three days, Turkish media reported Wednesday.


Sardine Migration One of Nature's Great Wonders (Reuters)

Reuters - Once a year the\normally-tranquil waters off South Africa's balmy east coast\bubble as billions of sardines migrate north with sharks and\dolphins in hot pursuit.


Ad watchdog warns Microsoft to 'Get the Facts'

Linux 10 times more expensive? U.K. standards body says company's "Get the Facts" ad campaign may be misleading.


Virgin plans China mobile service

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has said the group is in talks with a Chinese company over setting up a mobile phone service in mainland China.


CA shareholders reject compensation proposal

Computer Associates shareholders have defeated a stockholder proposal calling for current and former executives to return bonuses based on restated results, the company said.


Stocks Up on Conflicting Economic Reports

Stocks inched higher in quiet trading Wednesday as a pair of government reports offered conflicting signals about the economy and oil prices declined.


Second-Quarter Server Sales Grow 8

Economic worries notwithstanding, the server market continued to grow at a healthy clip in the second quarter, according to research firm Gartner.


Brokerage unit saps H amp;R Block but will it be sold?

A day after H amp;R Block Inc. (HRB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) reported its first-quarter loss some analysts wondered if the largest US tax preparation firm would consider selling its brokerage business.


Applebee #39;s: Olympics ate our sales

Applebee #39;s International Inc. shares fell more than 4 percent Wednesday after the restaurant company reported weak August sales and said it expects the Olympics will hurt sales for the first week of September.


Windows XP Service Pack 2 Comes Complete With Errors

Microsoft began rolling out SP2 last week, claiming that the software offers the latest security  #39;innovations, #39; fixes several major security holes, and provides new protective features.


DoCoMo, Motorola to build FOMA/GSM handset

Increasing NTT DoCoMo #39;s reach outside Japan, the Japanese carrier has partnered with Motorola to build a 3G FOMA phone that also does GSM/GPRS.


Sheepish portraits can calm woolly nerves

London - British scientists have found a seemingly unlikely way to soothe anxious sheep, a report said on Wednesday - by showing them photographs of other sheep.


Tiny telescope spots giant planet

A tiny telescope has spotted a giant planet circling a faraway star, using a technique that could open a new phase of planetary discovery, according to scientists.


JibJab Is Free For You and Me

Ludlow Music dropped its demands that JibJab, a small web animation site, stop using Woody Guthrie #39;s  quot;This Land is Your Land quot; in a satirical Flash cartoon.


Japan win baseball bronze

Japan #39;s all-professional team have overpowered newcomers Canada 11-2 to win the Olympic baseball bronze medal, restoring some of their pride following a shock 1-0 semi-final loss to Australia.


Don #39;t do the math in the Hamm controversy

If everybody always agreed with me, there wouldn #39;t be any sense in writing a column. So in the true Olympic spirit, it #39;s your turn.


Van Grunsven wins sixth equestrian medal

Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands successfully defended her Olympic title Wednesday by winning the individual dressage competition.


Thatcher #39;s son arrested over coup plot claims

Mark Thatcher, the son of the former prime minister Baroness Thatcher, has been arrested at his home in Cape Town . South African authorities say he has been detained by police investigating an alleged coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea .


Passengers face more delays

British Airways has cancelled four domestic flights as the effects of yesterday #39;s problems continued to disrupt operations from Heathrow.


Israeli FM praises French fight against anti-Semitism

Israeli Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom said here Wednesday that he was confident French authorities are making every effort to fight against anti-Semitism.


PM Shujaat tenders resignation, federal cabinet dissolved

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat has resigned from his office and the federal cabinet has also been dissolved. The national assembly will elect the leader of the house on Friday while the new prime minister will take oath on Saturday.


Instant Messaging On Rise at Work and Mobile\\Instant Message use in the workplace and on mobile phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) is on the rise, according to a new survey from America Online Inc. The second annual survey on instant messaging use in America, released today by the world's ...


RIAA Cheers College Music Deals (PC World)

PC World - Penn State, Cornell University among those offering paid download services to students.


Britain to deploy fighter planes to Afghanistan (AFP)

AFP - Britain said it would deploy six Royal Air Force Harrier jets to Afghanistan, the first time it has sent combat planes to the country following the fall of the Taliban regime.


Server Sales Continue to Soar (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - According to Gartner, worldwide server revenue increased in the second quarter by 7.7 percent over the year-ago period,  and server shipments jumped 24.5 percent.


Gardner Unable to Defend His Olympic Title

ATHENS (Reuters) - U.S. heavyweight Rulon Gardner lost his  Olympic title Wednesday after being beaten in the semi-final  stage of the 120kg Greco-Roman wrestling event by Georgiy  Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan.


Spokane diocese files for bankruptcy

By becoming only the third diocese nationally to seek shelter in bankruptcy court, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane is hoping the court will help provide a clearer picture of its financial liability in mounting sex-abuse lawsuits and goad its


Singapore Air Sets \$7.35 Bln Boeing Order

SINGAPORE/CHICAGO (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines Ltd.  SIAL.SI plans to buy up to 31 Boeing Co. BA.N long-range  777-300ER planes worth about \$7.35 billion, the carrier said on  Wednesday.


Sick Serbians Bow Out in Volleyball

ATHENS (Reuters) - Reigning champions Serbia and  Montenegro, hit by a virus, were eliminated from the men's  Olympic volleyball tournament Wednesday in an outstanding match  with Russia.


Gambro Sells US Clinics Business

Gambro, the Swedish medical technology group controlled by the Wallenberg family, on Tuesday confirmed the sale of its US dialysis clinics business to DaVita and also unveiled


Churches 'snap up Passion DVDs'

Makers of The Passion of the Christ are tempting US churches with bulk orders, says  The New York Times.


A Small Cap for Any Market

The market may be stuck in neutral, but your portfolio doesn't have to be.


Iraq's Leading Shiite Cleric Looks to Broker Deal With Rebels

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returned after surgery, raising hopes that the rebellion led by Moktada al-Sadr would be resolved.


Jury Rules WTC Attacks Were Two Events; Silverstein May Recover 2x <b>...</b>

The second of three scheduled trials to determine the amount of the recovery for the destruction of the World Trade Center #39;s twin towers ended in a victory for master lease holder Silverstein Properties, and its head Larry Silverstein.


Hollywood battles DVD chip makers

Hollywood has made legal moves against two chip makers in its bid to combat DVD piracy.


US cracks down on spam mountain

John Ashcroft, the attorney General of the US, is expected to announce on Thursday dozens of lawsuits against alleged spammers following a low key campaign against the practise across the US.


Microsoft Pulls Out of UN Talks

In an e-mail message sent Monday to two officials of the UN standards group, Dave Welsh, a Microsoft program manager, wrote:  quot;Microsoft regularly evaluates its standards participation and its


Bad Hair Day for Sir Mark

First, the son of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was caught in his pyjamas when police raided his Cape Town home. Then he was robbed in a holding cell while waiting to be charged with helping finance a foiled coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea.


Italian troops to stay on in Iraq despite hostage ultimatum

The Italian government said Tuesday it would maintain its 3,000 troops in Iraq despite an ultimatum from a radical Muslim group holding an Italian journalist and demanding that Rome withdraw its forces within 48 hours.


Bills QB Losman to Have Surgery on Leg (AP)

AP - Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback J.P. Losman will have surgery Thursday to repair the left leg he broke in practice.


Nigerian Senate Orders Shell Unit to Pay (AP)

AP - Nigeria's Senate has ordered a subsidiary of petroleum giant Royal/Dutch Shell to pay a Nigerian ethnic group  #36;1.5 billion for oil spills in their homelands, but the legislative body can't enforce the resolution, an official said Wednesday.


Australian Taliban charged at US military tribunal after meeting family (AFP)

AFP - A US military tribunal charged Australian Taliban fighter David Hicks with warcrimes after he was allowed to meet his family for the first time in five years.


Report: Iraqi Official's In-Law Abducted (AP)

AP - Militants said Wednesday they had kidnapped the brother-in-law of Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan and demanded he end all military operations in the holy city of Najaf, according to a video, Al-Jazeera television reported. The authenticity of the video could not immediately be verified.


Accreditation Team Criticizes U. of Ill. (AP)

AP - A panel from the association that accredits the University of Illinois chastised the school Wednesday for failing to resolve the long-standing controversy over its American Indian mascot, which supporters argue is an honored tradition and others say is racially offensive.


Edwards Stumps in Democratic Stronghold (AP)

AP - Vice presidential candidate John Edwards on Wednesday sought to assure black supporters that he and John Kerry have "fought for this community our entire lives"  #151; and would continue doing so  #151; on a day devoted to reaching out to the base in the Democratic stronghold of northeast Ohio.


GM Pulls 'Jack Flash' Corvette Ad

DETROIT (Reuters) - Protests from seven safety groups  prompted General Motors Corp. to pull a television ad that  shows a young boy driving a Corvette sports car so recklessly  that it goes airborne, officials of the automaker said on  Wednesday.


Boeing and Airbus clash

The US and the EU have agreed to hold further talks in order to avoid legal action in the trade dispute over government support for Airbus and Boeing.


Canada bank, Banknorth talk \$2B deal

Canada #39;s Toronto Dominion Bank said Wednesday it is in talks with US-based Banknorth Group about a possible deal, while a published report said the two parties are in advanced negotiations that could lead to a \$2.


Williams-Sonoma Delivers Value

If you received a cool catalog in the mail recently, most likely it came from one of the companies under the umbrella of Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM).


Boston Scientific Gets FDA Balloon OK

Medical device company Boston Scientific Corp. said Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration granted the company US marketing clearance for its peripheral cutting balloon microsurgical dilation device to improve blood flow to diseased kidneys.


Investors Pull Out of Homebuilder Stocks

Investors pulled out of homebuilder stocks on Wednesday after a pair of economic reports on the pace of home sales indicated the once-hot market might be cooling.


Smucker Spreads It On Thick

The latest earnings report from jam specialist JM Smucker (NYSE: SJM) heralds  quot;Record First Quarter Results. quot; Read carefully, though.


Beer Shows Its  quot;Metal quot;

Early 2000 we took a look at beermeister Miller as it prepared to take some of its nice, cold, frosty brew doggies out of their traditional glass bottles and aluminum


Key Windows update fully rolls out

Computer giant Microsoft has fully rolled out its crucial security update to computers running its Windows XP. Last week, it  quot;soft launched quot; Service Pack 2 (SP2) security update, making it available for some


Motorola, DoCoMo Team For 3G Handsets

Motorola and NTT DoCoMo plan to target Japanese business travelers with a new 3G handset next spring that will run on W-CDMA and GSM networks.


Update 8: Justice Dept. Cracks Down Internet Crime

The Justice Department on Wednesday shut down a network allegedly used to illegally share copyrighted music, movies, software and games and, separately, has embarked a nationwide campaign against purveyors of e-mail  quot;spam.


Semiconductor Sales Booming in 2004

Worldwide semiconductor sales will reach US\$226 billion in 2004, a 27.4 percent increase from 2003, according to the latest prediction from Gartner.


WS-I tackles Web services attachments

Standards body the Web Services Interoperability Organization, or WS-I, on Tuesday published updated standards compliance guidelines for applications that use file attachments.


Hollywood battles DVD chip makers

The Motion Picture Association of America #39;s (MPAA) campaign against movie piracy has taken another turn after it confirmed it was suing two chip makers.


One dream inspires El Guerrouj

Throughout the chilly Moroccan winter, one dream burned bright for Hicham El Guerrouj as he trained in the thin air of the Atlas mountains.


Fridman:  #39;My Dream has Come True #39;

Gal Fridman today added a glorious chapter to Israels tragic Olympic history and sent a nation into delirious bewilderment by winning their first ever gold medal.


Bayley wins Keirin gold medal, capping Australia #39;s golden show

Australia #39;s Ryan Bayley won the men #39;s Keirin final Wednesday, becoming the only cyclist to win two individual gold medals at the Athens Games.


Athletics: She #39;s the Bahamas #39; darling

ATHENS - Tonique Williams-Darling has claimed the Bahamas #39; first individual athletics gold by blasting to the women #39;s 400m title.


Argentina Continues to Stifle, Will Play for Gold

rgentina swept aside Italy, 3-0, yesterday in Athens to advance to the final of the Olympic men #39;s soccer tournament without conceding a goal in five games.


NATO says  #39;so far so good #39; on Olympic security

BRUSSELS : NATO remains on alert to protect the Olympics from extremists, even if no incidents have occurred and the perceived threat remains low as the Games move into their last few days, an official said.


Not Normal Routine for Gymnastics

The gymnastics competition at the 2004 Olympic Games produced some extraordinary performances, but ultimately was overshadowed by judging controversies that pitted nation against


Son of  #39;Iron Lady #39; a coup plotter?

Former British PM Margaret Thatcher #39;s son arrested in South Africa for possible connection to alleged coup plot. After numerous rumors and allegations linking him to a plan to overthrow the leader of oil-rich


Sistani returns as US forces trap Mehdi Army

Iraq #39;s Shi #39;a spiritual leader rushed back from abroad on Wednesday to  quot;save Najaf quot; after American forces smashed militia defences to trap hundreds of supporters of rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in the city #39;s shrine.


2 More Nations Report Polio Cases

Cases of polio have been found in Mali and Guinea, bringing to 12 the number of African countries recently reinfected by an ongoing polio epidemic in Nigeria.


Pakistan #39;s caretaker PM resigns

Pakistan #39;s interim Prime Minister Chaudhry Shaujaat Hussain has announced his resignation, paving the way for his successor Shauket Aziz.


Washington ignores North #39;s verbal attacks

Washington shrugged off harsh verbal attacks from North Korea against US President George W. Bush, saying that the insults would not hinder efforts to end nuclear crisis on the peninsula.


WHO Official Seeks More Money for Bird Flu

The world #39;s wealthier nations must contribute more money and intellectual power to fighting bird flu or risk a worldwide epidemic that spreads to people, a Vietnam-based official from the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Wednesday.


Israelis to Expand West Bank Settlements

Description: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says he is committed to dismantling Jewish settlements in Gaza. But Israel says it will continue to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and cites the tacit approval of the Bush administration.


BA services  #39;back to normal #39;

British Airways today said it had resumed normal service for most of its operations as it reduced the number of cancelled flights to four.


Pakistan PM makes way for Aziz

Pakistan  #39;s caretaker prime minister has resigned and his cabinet dissolved in a formality to allow the finance minister to take over as head of the government.


Fuji Readies 16X DVDs (PC World)

PC World - Fuji joins the fray of makers of 16X DVD media with scheduled fall release.


Hurt Leopold Off U.S. Team at World Cup (AP)

AP - Jordan Leopold of the Calgary Flames pulled out of the World Cup on Wednesday because of a concussion, the third key defenseman lost by the defending champion United States.


'Super Earth' Discovered at Nearby Star (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - In a discovery that has left one expert stunned, European astronomers have \  found one of the smallest planets known outside our solar system, a world about \  14 times the mass of our own around a star much like the Sun.


U.S. Overcomes Cuban Jamming of Broadcasts (AP)

AP - The Bush administration has successfully overcome Cuban jamming of U.S. government radio and television broadcasts through transmission from a military aircraft, the State Department said Monday.


Sky Capture: How NASA Will Bring Genesis Down to Earth (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - An experienced team of pilots, engineers and scientists are relying on a reinforced skydiving parachute and a helicopter's hook to safely return the first samples from space since the Apollo era.


OmniVision's No Flash in the Pan

The specialty chip maker predicts a lean transition quarter, but it plans a rebound in 2005.


Prosecutors Seize Medical Files of Greek Sprint Stars

Prosecutors seize the hospital records of two Greek sprinting stars who withdrew from the Olympics after they missed a doping test and were involved in a suspicious motorcycle accident.


Door open for silicon replacement

A breakthrough in the way scientists make crystals could lead to a replacement for silicon in chips for devices.


Card fraud prevention 'pays off'

Fraud on UK credit cards has fallen - but identity fraud is on the up, a survey from analysts Datamonitor finds.


Europeans investigate Microsoft #39;s intentions

The European Commission announced Wednesday it will extend an antitrust investigation of a move by Microsoft and Time Warner to take control of technology that could help the music and movie industries fight piracy.


Windows XP SP2 Has a Dangerous Hole

Windows XP Service Pack 2 promises to raise the security bar for the sometimes beleaguered operating system. Unfortunately, one of the new features could be spoofed so that it reports misleading information


Tiny telescope spots new Jupiter-sized planet

WASHINGTON - Astronomers have used a network of small telescopes to discover a planet circling a far-off star.  quot;This discovery demonstrates that even humble telescopes can make huge contributions to planet


Ad claimed Linux 10 times more expensive than Windows

LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) - A Microsoft advertisement claiming that the Linux operating system is much more expensive to operate than its own Windows was found to be misleading by the a UK regulator on Wednesday.


Real Sells 1 Million Songs in First Week of Promotion

RealNetworks says it sold a million songs in the first week of its 49-cent-per-track promotion. The digital-media firm also signed agreements with the University of California at Berkeley and


Liverpool Progresses to Champions League; Monaco, Inter Advance

Four-time champion Liverpool progressed to soccer #39;s Champions League 2-1 on aggregate, overcoming a 1-0 home defeat to AK Graz in the second leg of qualifying.


Justice Dept. Cracks Down on Internet Crime

Moving against Internet crime, the Justice Department on Wednesday disrupted a network allegedly used to illegally share copyrighted files and was engaged in a series of arrests against purveyors of e-mail "spam." -AP


Music Industry Sues 744 More for File Sharing

The trade group representing the\U.S. music industry has filed a new round of lawsuits against\744 people it alleges used online file-sharing networks to\illegally trade in copyrighted materials, it said on Wednesday. -Reuters


Squeezing Out Monkey Clones

Researchers who once dismissed another team's cloning method used the disputed process to create monkey embryos. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Smallest 'Earth-like' planet seen

European scientists have discovered what they describe as the smallest Earth-like planet orbiting a star outside of our Solar System.


Door open for silicon replacement

A breakthrough in the way scientists make crystals could lead to a replacement for silicon in electronic devices.


Site Bars Black Box Voting Head

A politically progressive website at the forefront of discussions about electronic-voting machines and election irregularities is barring Black Box Voting founder Bev Harris from posting to its site. By Joanna Glasner.


Open-source developers focus on accessibility

KDE'S developers unveil plans to make things easier for people with disabilities through their Linux desktop software.


Briefly: WS-I tackles Web services attachments

roundup Plus: Newspaper sites take up paid search ads...Microsoft IPTV to woo Swiss test group...Sony speeds up Memory Stick cards...Real touts one week, 1 million songs.


WS-I tackles Web services attachments

Standards body publishes three technical compliance guidlines regarding how attached files exchange data.


Amazon to sell AT T's Net phone service

Second such partnership in one week underscores the importance of VoIP in Ma Bell's long-term plans.


Justice Department Cracks Down On Spammers

It disrupted a network allegedly used to illegally share copyrighted files and is making a series of arrests against purveyors of spam.


China's Inbreeding Pandas to Be Given More Space (Reuters)

Reuters - China is trying to stop its pandas,\rebounding from the brink of extinction, from inbreeding by\building them a giant safari park, Xinhua news agency said on\Wednesday.


US Military, Spy Satellites Need More Coordination (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. troops increasingly rely on\data collected by satellites, but the intelligence and military\communities lack a process for coordinating which technologies\to fund, an Air Force official said on Tuesday.


Roads Go Wild, Get Safer

No street signs. No crosswalks. No accidents. Surprise: Making driving seem more dangerous could make it safer. By Tom McNichol from Wired magazine.


Japan's Hot Springs Sullied by Scandal (AP)

AP - For at least four centuries, the rust-colored waters that bubble out of the mountainside behind the Ikaho Shrine have been as good as gold to this little spa village. Shared by dozens of inns, the spring waters are among the most venerable in the country.


Hurricane Charley Leaves Cuba \$1 Billion Bill

HAVANA (Reuters) - Hurricane Charley caused more than \$1  billion in damage to Havana and its surrounding provinces when  it roared through western Cuba on Aug. 13, killing four people,  a leader of the ruling Communist Party said on Wednesday.


Intel Unit Members Faulted in Iraq Abuse

WASHINGTON - Twenty-seven members of an intelligence unit at Abu Ghraib prison either requested or condoned certain abuses of Iraqi prisoners there, an Army investigation found.   "We discovered serious misconduct and a loss of moral values," said Gen...


Stocks Up on Conflicting Economic Reports

NEW YORK - Stocks inched higher in quiet trading Wednesday as a pair of government reports offered conflicting signals about the economy and oil prices declined.    Despite the modest rise in share prices, investors have been in no hurry to commit new money to stocks...


Video Feeds Follow Podcasting

Just as people currently use newsreaders to read syndicated text from blogs and news sites, a few hackers are creating applications that let users view syndicated video feeds. Think of it as TiVocasting. By Daniel Terdiman.


Atlanta Fed chief sees respectable US job growth

Atlanta Federal Reserve President Jack Guynn said on Wednesday he expected  quot;respectable quot; US job growth in the coming months.


Singapore Air signs \$7 billion Boeing deal

SINGAPORE Singapore Airlines, Asia #39;s fourth-largest carrier, said on Wednesday that it had chosen Boeing to supply as many as 31 new long-range jetliners, a deal that could be worth more than \$7 billion to the US aerospace company.


Sprint, Mediacom agreement could lead to wireless reseller deal

Sprint Corp. announced a multiyear agreement with the countrys eighth-largest cable operator Mediacom Communications Corp., enabling Mediacom to provide telephony services in nearly all of its markets currently covering 2.7 million homes in 23 states.


Global server sales up in second quarter

Global sales of servers, powerful computers used by large companies, rose 7.7 percent in the second quarter to \$11.55 billion (6.4 billion pounds) as demand for information technology remained strong after a three-year downturn


Fuji Readies 16X DVDs

Fuji Photo Film, better known by its FujiFilm brand name, will begin selling 16X DVDR media and double-layer DVDR media later this year.


Report: US Leads in Spam Production

The United States tops the  quot;Dirty Dozen quot; list of spam-producing countries released by security firm Sophos.  quot;The problem is that there is so much money to be made with spam, and it is very


Custom-System Builders: Intel Price Cuts Move Processor Sweet Spot

System builders say Intel #39;s latest price cuts will help them clear out old inventory and should move the sweet spot of the company #39;s processor lineup to the 3GHz Pentium 4 from the 2.8GHz Pentium 4. After


Sam Kellerman / FOXSports.com Posted: 2 minutes ago

I confess that I am a complete ignoramus when it comes to women #39;s beach volleyball. In fact, I know only one thing about the sport - that it is the supreme aesthetic experience available on planet Earth.


Countdown to Spa.

As the F1 circus leaves Hungary in Eastern Europe, the build up begins to F1s eagerly awaited return to the great Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium this weekend.


Iran #39;s Supreme Leader Warns US About Najaf Siege

Iran #39;s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the United States is facing what he called  quot;decades of hatred quot; in the Islamic world because of the US-led military siege in the Iraqi Shi #39;ite holy city of Najaf.


The semantics of Israeli occupation

Every few months, an Israeli official creates a public-relations nightmare for government spokesmen by simply pointing out the obvious.


H R Block Files One Away

Declining mortgage margins sink the tax-preparation specialist's first quarter.


Second Career for Old Robot: Art

A German art group reprograms old assembly-line robots to become autonomous artists. The machines draw, spin tunes and dance in public. The group wants to show that the industrial beasts can create beauty. By David Cohn.


Open source makes noise

Developers forum looks at Linux for the disabled. Also: Microsoft chided for ad campaign.


Microsoft wraps up MOM 2005 management tool

Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said it has finished work on Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005, a major update to its MOM 2000 performance management software.


Italian transport minister in call to unions over Alitalia crisis (AFP)

AFP - Italian Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi urged trade unions to cooperate in efforts to end the crisis at Alitalia, warning that the government had already done all it could.


Florida E-Vote Study Debunked

Statisticians release an analysis debunking a previous Berkeley study that said President Bush received more votes than he should have in Florida counties that used touch-screen voting machines. By Kim Zetter.


Nigerian Senate orders Shell to pay 1.5 billion dollar compensation (AFP)

AFP - The Nigerian Senate has ordered Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell to pay 1.5 billion dollars (1.2 billion euros) compensation for damages caused by nearly 60 years of exploration in the Niger Delta, a Senate document said.


Sunlight to Fuel Hydrogen Future

Solar power these days comes from cells that turn light into electricity, but researchers are now working on materials that can crank out hydrogen. By John Gartner.


Seeking a Sleeping Giant (Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles Times - BAMIAN, Afghanistan  #8212; Archeologist Zemaryalai Tarzi can barely bring himself to look at the ravaged cliff face where two ancient Buddhas towered until the Taliban infamously blasted them to bits.


Plans to Expand Settlements Spark Anger (AP)

AP - The recent announcement of plans to add more than 1,800 housing units to West Bank settlements may have sparked world anger, but on the ground it's just business as usual. The fact is  #151; settlement building never stopped.


Civilian aircraft keep US factories busy in July (AFP)

AFP - Roaring demand for civilian planes added thrust to the US manufacturing sector in July, government figures showed, an encouraging sign for factories.


Dollar Shrugs Off Overvalued U.S. Housing

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar so far has brushed off  signs the U.S. property market could be overheating as house  prices keep rising quickly and consumer demand stays robust.


Basketball: U.S., Russia, Brazil in Semifinals

ATHENS (Reuters) - The unbeaten U.S. women's basketball  team cruised to another victory Wednesday, pummeling Greece  102-72 to advance to the Olympic semifinals where it will meet  Russia.


Top Seed Federer Handed Tough Opener at U.S. Open

NEW YORK (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer faces a  stern test in the first round of the U.S. Open after being  pitted against Spaniard Albert Costa in Wednesday's draw.


Shell increases 2004 spending in Europe

LONDON -- Royal Dutch/Shell Group on Wednesday announced a \$150 million increase in the amount of money it will spend in 2004 on exploration and production in Europe, bringing the total to \$1.


Possible Bank Merger: Banknorth, TD Bank are in talks

Canada #39;s TD Bank Financial Group says it #39;s discussing a  quot;possible transaction quot; with Portland, Maine-based Banknorth Group.


FDA OKs Boston Scientific Cutting Balloon

Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it received US regulatory approval for a device to treat complications that arise in patients with end-stage kidney disease who need dialysis.


H amp;R Block Files One Away

One quarterly earnings report cannot make or break a company. Sure, it can provide a fair depiction of a company #39;s current state of affairs, but by definition it is a backward-looking tool.


Civilian aircraft keep US factories busy in July

WASHINGTON : Roaring demand for civilian planes added thrust to the US manufacturing sector in July, government figures showed, an encouraging sign for factories.


Northwest Sues Sabre Over Contract

Northwest Airlines Corp. said Wednesday it is suing Sabre Travel Network for breach of contract in a Minnesota district court. The airline alleges the unit of Sabre Holdings Corp.


Stocks stick close to the flatline

The Dow Jones industrial average is down four points at ten-thousand-94. Decliners on the New York Stock Exchange hold a narrow lead over advancers.


Microsoft Releases MOM 2005 to Manufacturing

Microsoft on Wednesday reached another milestone in its multiyear Dynamic Systems Initiative when it released to manufacturing the latest version of its Microsoft Operations Manager.


Toll Brothers #39; profit soars 56

HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. (Dow Jones/AP) -- Toll Brothers Inc. Wednesday said profit for its latest quarter surged 56 percent as demand for new luxury homes remained strong.


TCS shares close at 16 premium on debut

Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, and Mr S. Ramadorai, Managing Director, look at the TCS shares being listed on the National Stock Exchange in Mumbai on Wednesday.


Citigroup Resets \$1.18 Billion Credit for Cinram International

Citigroup Inc. refinanced a \$1.18 billion credit facility for Cinram International Inc., the world #39;s second-biggest maker of digital video disks, that will reduce the company #39;s borrowing costs, the company said.


Justice Dept. Cracks Down Internet Crime

WASHINGTON Aug. 25, 2004 - Federal agents seized computers and software Wednesday as part of an investigation targeting an Internet network used to illegally share copyrighted music, movies, software and games, Attorney General John Ashcroft said.


Gartner sees solid server sales

Global revenue from server sales climbed to \$11.5 billion in the second quarter, according to new data from Gartner. This represents a 7.7 percent revenue increase over the same period last year, the market researcher said Wednesday.


New Technique to Advance Semiconductors

In an advance that could lead to lighter spacecraft and smarter cars, researchers have developed a new technique for producing a high-quality semiconductor that #39;s much more resistant to extreme conditions than the silicon found in most of today #39;s


Under Fire, CA Pledges To Right Its Ship

Facing palatable shareholder anger, top executives of Computer Associates International pledged Wednesday to add 150 new employees to aid its channel efforts and to overcome distractions created by the accounting scandal that continues to haunt the company


#39;Super Earth-like #39; planet discovered

PARIS - European astronomers announced Wednesday the discovery of what they say is the smallest known planet orbiting a star other than our sun.


Best Software overhauls Act

Best Software launched this week an overhaul of its Act contact management software, adding to the product line a second version with more scalability and advanced functionality.


WS-I Addresses Web Services Attachments Interoperability

The Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) on Tuesday announced three new profiles have been published as  quot;Final Material: quot; Basic Profile 1.1, Attachments Profile 1.0, and Simple SOAP Binding Profile 1.0.


Webcam worm watches from afar

A new version of an old computer worm has a nasty twist, anti-virus firm Sophos warned on Monday. The Rbot-GR worm can use webcams attached to infected computers to spy on users.


Athletics: Champion of champions

quot;Hee-sham! Hee-sham! Hee-sham! quot; they called, pressing flesh against the chest-high fence that separates the champions from the hordes in the belly of the Olympic Stadium.


Record Run Gives American Joanna Hayes Hurdles Gold

Joanna Hayes of the United States stamped her authority on a chaotic Olympic 100 meters hurdles competition when she blazed to the gold medal in a Games record 12.


Isinbayeva cleared high five

OLYMPIC pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva said today she cleared five metres in training earlier this year under competition conditions, nine centimetres more than the world record she set in winning gold in Athens.


Hicks fronts military commission

DAVID Hicks, the Australian accused of fighting with the Taliban, appeared before a US military commission panel overnight, with defence lawyers challenging the impartiality of one panel member once praised for  quot;tracking and killing quot; Taliban fighters.


Bali bombers may be brought here

THE Australian Government may try to bring those behind the Bali bombings to Australia for trial if they avoid jail time in Indonesia.


New Polio Cases Reported in Sudan

Global health officials say war-torn Sudan is one of three sub-Saharan African countries reporting new cases of polio. The new polio virus is believed to the same strain registered in a major outbreak in northern Nigeria.


Rebels lift blockade, warn of more

Maoists rebels have lifted a blockade that cut Nepal #39;s capital Kathmandu off from the rest of the country for a week. In a statement released Tuesday, however, the rebels warned the


Former Enron Executive Will Pay \$1.49 Million

Enron Corp. #39;s former director of investor relations has agreed to pay \$1.49 million to settle fraud charges related to the bankrupt energy company, US securities regulators said on Wednesday.


Can You Live with Windows XP SP2?

Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Microsoft Windows XP is expected to start showing up on many more desktops today (Wednesday 8/25), as Microsoft starts to deliver it to XP Professional users who have automatic updates turned on, as well as via Windows Update.


It #39;s out there somewhere

Astronomers are claiming to have found a  quot;super-Earth quot; orbiting a star some 50 light years away. They say the finding could significantly boost the hunt for worlds beyond our Solar System.


Briefly: Music promoter offers concert downloads

Music promoter the Mean Fiddler has signed a deal with Universal Records that will let fans download live tracks from bands who are playing at events such as the Reading Festival.


Vonage doubles its money

Broadband Internet telephony company Vonage raised \$105 million in its latest round of funding, which will be used to expand its reach in the United States and internationally.


ATHENS OLYMPICS 2003 / Hayes captures bizarre 100-meter hurdles <b>...</b>

As the American sliced to victory in Tuesday night #39;s final of the women #39;s 100-meter hurdles at the Athens Olympics, a crash early in the race had taken out two of her main rivals.


Israeli dedicates first gold to Munich victims

Israel #39;s first Olympic gold medallist has dedicated his victory to his 11 countrymen killed in the Munich massacre of 1972, vowing he would visit their memorial to show them his medal.


Brazilians win gold at the beach

Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Brazil #39;s Ricardo Sanos and Emanuel Rego won their country #39;s first-ever gold medal in men #39;s beach volleyball Wednesday night with a straight set victory over Javier Bosma and Pablo Herrera of Spain.


Ba #39;asyir transferred to Cipinang, formal charges expected in days

Investigators submitted the case file on cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir to prosecutors on Wednesday, paving the way for his trial on charges of involvement in a string of terrorist attacks across the country.


Netherlands Panel Suggests Turkey-EU Talks (AP)

AP - An influential Dutch advisory body said Wednesday that Islam was not a bar to membership in the European Union and recommended the organization open talks with Turkey, while insisting Ankara do more to meet EU human rights standards.


Bryant Prosecutors Question Defense DNA Evidence (Reuters)

Reuters - Prosecutors in the rape case against\U.S. basketball star Kobe Bryant are questioning the validity\of DNA evidence crucial to the defense's case, saying data\appeared to have been manipulated and might have to be thrown\out.


Wiesel urges swift action in Sudan; Danny Glover arrested at Sudanese embassy (AFP)

AFP - Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel urged the international community to take swift action to end the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's embattled Darfur region.


Ridge: Convention Security Measures Solid (AP)

AP - Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Wednesday that security measures for the Republican National Convention are as strong and well-coordinated as officials have had for any event.


A Low-Key Olympic Return for Marion Jones

ATHENS (Reuters) - Triple champion Marion Jones made a  low-key return to Olympic competition Wednesday by successfully  qualifying for Friday's women's long jump final.


India wins \$77m steel investment

Australia's largest steelmaker BlueScope is to build three manufacturing plants in India, as part of an ongoing expansion across Asia.


Dirrell Boosts American Title Hopes in Boxing

ATHENS (Reuters) - Middleweight Andre Dirrell boosted the  United States' slim hopes of winning an Olympic boxing title by  booking a place in the semi-finals with a narrow victory over  Cuba's Yordani Despaigne Wednesday.


Awesome Halkia Stuns Sad Pittman in Hurdles

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sensation Fani Halkia blitzed to  gold in the Olympic women's 400 meters hurdles on Wednesday to  confirm her meteoric rise in the world elite.


Iraqi killed on 'march to Najaf'

At least one person is killed apparently heeding a top Iraqi cleric's call to march on Najaf, where a stand-off continues.


Man shot dead in Canada stand-off

Police shoot and kill an armed man who had taken a woman hostage in a dramatic stand-off in the Canadian city of Toronto.


M. Jones Advances

American Marion Jones advances to the final of the long jump in her first appearance of the Athens Olympics but Allen Johnson exits the second round of the 110-meter hurdles.


Ridge Reviews Security in N.Y., Declaring 'We Are Prepared'

The homeland security secretary today inspected arrangements for the Republican convention that starts next week.


Stocks Rally on Lower Oil Prices

NEW YORK - Stocks rallied in quiet trading Wednesday as lower oil prices brought out buyers, countering a pair of government reports that gave a mixed picture of the economy.    In the final hour of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average added 83.62, or 0.8 percent, to 10,182.25...


US Stocks Gain as Oil Prices Tumble

US stocks made strong gains in late-day trading on Wednesday, as a tumble in oil prices boosted investor confidence about the economy, but thin volume meant dealers were skeptical about the strength of the rally.


Altria, Kraft Foods raise dividend payouts

NEW YORK, August 25 (New Ratings) - Altria Group Inc (MO.NYS), the parent group of the tobacco company, Philip Morris, raised its regular quarterly dividend today from \$0.


JB Oxford Sued by SEC for Improper Mutual Fund Trades (Update2)

JB Oxford Holdings Inc., a Beverly Hills-based discount brokerage firm, was sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly allowing thousands of improper trades in more than 600 mutual funds.


Oil falls \$1-a-barrel as gasoline prices slide

Oil prices fell more than \$1 to just over \$44 a barrel Wednesday, dragged down by heavy losses in US gasoline futures after summer driving demand failed to meet expectations.


Global server revenue up 8 percent in second quarter

Worldwide server revenue surpassed 11.5 billion US dollars in the second quarter of 2004, up 7.7 percent from the same quarter a year ago, according to a study released Wednesday by Gartner.


Sprinting Toward VoIP

Telecom network operator Sprint (Quote, Chart) will provide VoIP services to cable operator Mediacom Communications under a multi-year deal announced today.


MPAA sues DVD chipmakers

The Motion Picture Association of America #39;s war on piracy took an unexpected turn this week with a new lawsuit. This time, instead of targeting pirates directly the MPAA has sued two microchip makers, Sigma Designs, Inc.


Greek sprinter rides cheers to victory

ATHENS - Homeland favorite Fani Halkia of Greece, cheered on by her compatriots in Olympic Stadium, roared to victory in the women #39;s 400 meter hurdles Wednesday night, taking the gold medal in a time of 52.


Sa #39;adi Thawfeeq reporting from Dambulla

DAMBULLA, Wednesday - Sri Lanka spinners strangled the South African batting dismissing them for 191 in 50 overs on a slow two-paced pitch at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium here today - venue of the third one-day international played under lights.


India gt; India-Kuwait sign extradition treaty

New Delhi, Aug 25 Learning a quick lesson from the ongoing Indian hostage crisis in Iraq, India and Kuwait tonight pledged to jointly combat terrorism by signing an extradition treaty and an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.


US agents raid five locations in digital piracy probe (AFP)

AFP - US federal agents raided five locations in what authorities described as the first criminal enforcement action targeting copyright piracy of films, music and software on peer-to-peer networks.


Microsoft Releases MOM 2005 to Manufacturing (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - The latest version of its Microsoft Operations Manager includes 20 new Microsoft Management Packs that encapsulate intimate knowledge about how specific applications should work, with the aims of cutting operational cost and complexity.


New Technique to Advance Semiconductors (AP)

AP - In an advance that could lead to lighter spacecraft and smarter cars, researchers have developed a new technique for producing a high-quality semiconductor that's much more resistant to extreme conditions than the silicon found in most of today's electronics.


Simple Telescopes Discover New Planet (AP)

AP - Astronomers using telescopes not much larger than the spyglass Galileo wielded 400 years ago have discovered a new Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a bright, distant star.


Paris Fetes 1944 Liberation from Nazi Occupation

World War II tanks rumbled through Paris on Wednesday and thousands of Parisians danced in the streets to re-enact the arrival of French and US forces 60 years ago to liberate


Briefly: Music promoter offers concert downloads

roundup Plus: WS-I tackles Web services attachments...Newspaper sites take up paid search ads...Microsoft IPTV to woo Swiss test group.


Microsoft's MOM goes out the door

Software giant takes big step toward October release of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005.


Death of the Internet greatly exaggerated

Russian antivirus expert says claims in the media of an "electronic Jihad" were taken out of context.


Vonage doubles its money

Funding round of \$105 million brings broadband Internet telephony company's total haul to \$208 million.


It's all a game for Bush vs. Kerry

The presidential race is being played out in several new video and online games.


Deutsche Bank hit again by phishing attack

Deutsche Bank AG was the target of a renewed phishing attack late Tuesday extending into Wednesday, after facing its first-ever reported assault last week, according to a bank spokesman.


NTT DoCoMo, Motorola tie up on 3G handsets

NTT DoCoMo will release a handset compatible with non-Japanese cellular networks and with its own 3G (third generation) mobile network early next year. The handset will be made by Motorola Inc. for DoCoMo and will also support wireless LAN, the two companies said in a statement on Wednesday.


Playboy Publishes More of the Google Interview on Playboy.com\\Playboy magazine on Tuesday published previously unsyndicated interview excerpts to its Web site from its interview with Google's founders. The original interview was published just before the Internet search engine's much-anticipated initial public offering.\\In the never before seen excerpt on Playboy.com, Google ...


Search Engine Marketing Issues - Link Popularity\\For years, "link popularity" and "Google PageRank" have been the talk of the town in the search engine optimization community. However, the definition of link popularity and how it differs from PageRank (PR), as well as how much effect these actually have on search ...


Shell to Spend More on North Sea Venture

Royal Dutch/Shell Group announced Wednesday that it would spend US\$1.8 billion on exploration and production in the North Sea, including building a pipeline to transfer gas from Norway to Britain.


Asian Stocks: Japan Climbs, Led by UFJ; China Mobile Advances

Japanese stocks rose, with the Topix index having its longest winning streak in 13 months. UFJ Holdings Inc. advanced after Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc.


UPDATE 1-Northwest, Sabre tussle heats up, Sabre shares fall

A dispute between Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWAC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sabre Holdings Corp. (TSG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) intensified


How to Make Millions, Slowly

In the best combination of tobacco  #39;n #39; food news since Homer Simpson #39;s tomacco, today Altria Group (NYSE: MO) and its cheesy stepchild Kraft (NYSE: KFT) both upped their dividends.


Williams-Sonoma 2nd-Qtr Net Rises 55; Shares Soar (Update5)

Williams-Sonoma Inc. said second- quarter profit rose 55 percent, boosted by the addition of Pottery Barn stores and sale of outdoor furniture.


Ex-Exron exec to pay \$1.49M to settle charges

While criminal trials await other former Enron Corp. executives, the Houston-based company #39;s former director of investor relations has agreed to pay \$1.


Oil tumbles below \$44

Oil prices sank more than 2 percent and fell below \$44 a barrel Wednesday, extending their recent slide after a government report showed domestic gasoline supplies had not fallen last week, as Wall Street had expected last week.


Toll Bros. tops target

Toll Brothers Inc., a US builder of luxury homes, said Wednesday fiscal third-quarter profit rose 56 percent, easily beating analysts #39; forecasts, helped by record home-building revenue.


Motorola to develop FOMA handset for DoCoMo

TOKYO - NTT DoCoMo Inc and Motorola Inc of the United States said Wednesday they will jointly develop a handset for DoCoMo #39;s third-generation FOMA mobile phone service.


Technique allows more resilient semiconductors

In an advance that could lead to lighter spacecraft and smarter cars, researchers have developed a new technique for producing a high-quality computer chip that is much more resistant to extreme conditions than the silicon found in most of today #39;s


UN-funded agency releases free Linux user manual

The International Open Source Network (IOSN), an organization funded by the United Nations, has released a beginner #39;s manual for the Linux desktop.


Yahoo has problem with the Nazis

YAHOO #39;S BID to stop two French groups stopping it selling neo-nazi paraphernalia are having a job convincing the US court system to intervene.


LogicLibrary Announces Logidex 3.5 for J2EE and .NET

LogicLibrary, a provider of software asset management tools, Tuesday announced Logidex 3.5 for J2EE and .NET platforms that features compliance with the Basic Profile of the Web Services


Lagat Remains Gracious in Defeat

Bernard Lagat gave Kenya a silver medal in the men #39;s 1,500m race, marginally losing out to race favourite Hicham El Guerrouj in a dramatic final on Tuesday night.


JOHNSON AND JONES PROGRESS

Marion Jones made a low-profile return to the Olympics on Wednesday, four years after her name was up in lights for the duration of the Sydney Games.


Second Andre win in a row boosts US gold medal hopes

Andre Dirrell, fighting with a tattoo of his grandfather #39;s face on his back, assured the United States of at least two boxing medals Wednesday by narrowly beating Cuba #39;s Yordani Despaigne to advance to the Olympic middleweight semifinals.


Satisfied Customers

Jefferson Graham writes for USA Today,  #147;Apple #146;s trendy iPod digital music player, which has revitalized the company, is giving laptop sales a boost during back-to-school season. Many students, after falling in love with the iPod, are packing for college with new Apple Macintosh computers. #148; Aug 23


U.S. State Dept Finishes Review of Iraq Aid Plan (Reuters)

Reuters - The State Department finished an\intensive review this week on how best to spend  #36;18.4 billion\in U.S. aid to Iraq and may shift focus to smaller-scale\projects, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.


Va. Senate Leader Opposes Baseball Plan (AP)

AP - As baseball officials met Wednesday with backers hoping to lure the Montreal Expos to Northern Virginia, a second key lawmaker said he opposes a plan to finance a ballpark with bonds backed by the "moral obligation" of the state.


U.S. Soldier Dies in Truck Crash in Iraq (AP)

AP - A U.S. soldier was killed in a truck accident north of the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, a military spokesman said.


Stocks End Up as Oil Prices Fall

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Wednesday,  as a drop in oil prices boosted investor confidence about the  economy, but thin volume meant dealers were skeptical about the  strength of the rally.


Dollar Dips Against Most Major Currencies

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar dipped against most major  currencies on Wednesday after mixed data on U.S. durable goods  orders and weaker-than-expected new home sales did little to  brighten the U.S. economic outlook.


Longer-Dated Treasuries Rise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Longer-dated Treasuries rose on  Wednesday as a soggy batch of U.S. economic data dampened the  outlook for future growth, although a disappointing auction of  2-year notes curbed the session's gains.


Northwest, Sabre Tussle Heats Up

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A dispute between Northwest Airlines  Corp. NWAC.O and Sabre Holdings Corp. TSG.N intensified on  Wednesday as the airline sued Sabre for changing the way it  displays fares on its computerized reservation system.


Starbucks Aug. Same-Store Sales Up 8 Pct

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp., the world's largest  coffee-shop chain, on Wednesday said sales at stores open at  least a year rose 8 percent in August, the first time growth  fell below double-digits in nine months.


Washington Post Editor Stepping Down

Steve Coll, The Washington Post's managing editor for six years, said today he is stepping down at the end of the year to pursue book projects.


Hungarian tycoon picked as new PM

Hungary's ruling Socialists choose a multi-millionaire to succeed Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy.


Still AT T Wireless, for a Spell

A tussle over the beleaguered wireless service provider's brand name leaves one Fool uninspired.


Plan Comes Under Fire

As baseball officials met Wednesday with backers of a northern Virginia ballpark for the Expos, a second key lawmaker said he opposes a plan to finance the stadium.


U.S. Prepares for Possible Flu Outbreak

WASHINGTON - Closing schools, restricting travel and rationing scarce medications may be the nation's first protections if a powerful new flu strain spurs a worldwide outbreak because it will take months to brew a vaccine, say government preparations for the next pandemic.    Specialists say it's only a matter of time before the next one strikes, and concern is rising that the recurring bird flu in Asia could be the trigger if it mutates in a way that lets it spread easily among people...


Australian Held in Cuba Pleads Innocent

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - An Australian cowboy accused of fighting with the Taliban against U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan pleaded innocent to war crimes charges Wednesday before a U.S...


Starbucks Posts Robust August Sales

Starbucks #39; (SBUX:Nasdaq - news - research) sales slowed a bit in August, but still came in above the coffee shop chain #39;s long-term targets.


Rate Scare at H amp;R Block

H amp;R Block #39;s (HRB:NYSE - news - research) low-multiple shares cheapened Wednesday as investors tried to digest its explanation for a wide first-quarter earnings miss.


EU Probes DRM Deal

The European Commission is investigating the proposed acquisition of DRM software maker ContentGuard by Microsoft and Time Warner.


Stocks Rally on Lower Oil Prices

Stocks rallied in quiet trading Wednesday as lower oil prices brought out buyers, countering a pair of government reports that gave a mixed picture of the economy.


Two Regional Bells Sue To Lift Access-Price Freeze

Verizon and Qwest have asked a federal court to force the FCC to drop its price freeze on the fees their competitors pay to connect to their regional networks.


Bill to raise Calif. minimum wage advances

A bill to raise California #39;s minimum wage to \$7.75 an hour over the next two years is headed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, providing a major test of his pledge to reject


Microsoft Posts Windows XP Service Pack 2 Compatibility Guide

Microsoft has released a kit to help IT professionals spot compatibility problems between Windows XP Service Pack 2 and other applications, and how to roll out fixes.


Modified Mice Stay Super-Fit -- Without Exercise

The super-rodents can run farther and about an hour longer than average mice. The new rodents also appear to resist weight gain in the complete absence of exerciseeven when fed a high-fat diet that led normal mice to become obese.


Smallest  #39;Earth-like #39; planet seen

European scientists have discovered what they describe as the smallest Earth-like planet orbiting a star outside our Solar System.


Celebrating Open Source

Several organisations will celebrate Saturday #39;s International Software Freedom Day by hosting open source events around the country.


ATHENS OLYMPICS 2004 / Japan bags bronze medal

Japan hustled, hurled, homered--and what would it be if it didn #39;t bunt a few times--to a face-saving Olympic bronze medal in baseball.


Airline Security Said Tight in Russia (AP)

AP - At Moscow's biggest international airport, people cannot even enter the building without passing through metal detectors. But such tough security contrasts with domestic flights that lack reinforced cockpit doors and funding for other basic safeguards.


Sprint, Mediacom Announce VOIP Deal (AP)

AP - Sprint Corp. and cable television provider Mediacom Communications Corp. announced an agreement Wednesday that will allow Sprint to offer Internet telephone service to Mediacom's 2.7 million household subscribers.


Navy Report Backs Kerry Role in Incident (AP)

AP - A Navy report filed five days after a disputed incident in Vietnam supports John Kerry's version and contradicts critics who say the Democratic presidential nominee never came under enemy gunfire when he won two medals.


Lucent Lands Isle Of Man Deal

The Isle of Man is once again in the spotlight, this time with mmO2 #39;s plans to tap Lucent Technologies for a Manx Telecom UMTS network.


Starbucks Corp., the world #39;s largest coffee-shop chain, on Wednesday said sales at stores open at least a year rose 8 percent in August, the first time growth fell below double-digits in nine months.


Stocks End Up as Oil Prices Fall

US stocks ended higher on Wednesday, as a drop in oil prices boosted investor confidence about the economy, but thin volume meant dealers were skeptical about the strength of the rally.


Simple Telescopes Discover New Planet

Astronomers using telescopes not much larger than the spyglass Galileo wielded 400 years ago have discovered a new Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a bright, distant star.


Today #39;s Home News

Greek athlete Fani Halkia finished in 52.82 to win the gold medal in the women #39;s 400m hurdles final on Wednesday. She is the third Greek athlete to win Olympic gold in an athletics event, after Voula Patoulidou and Costas Kenteris.


Thatcher #39;s Son Charged in Coup Plot

CAPE TOWN, South Africa Aug. 25, 2004 - The son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, an ex-race car driver whose business career has been dogged by accusations of questionable arms deals and


Japan Planning to Launch Spy Satellites

TOKYO (AP) -- A Japanese government panel has approved plans to send two spy satellites into Earth's orbit beginning next year, a media report said Wednesday.    If confirmed, the missions would be the first since late 2003 for Japan's ailing space program, which has suffered a slew of launch and mission failures...


Microsoft wraps up MOM 2005 management tool

Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 offers new features such as graphical systems views and enhanced reporting tools, and has been designed to be easier to deploy than its predecessor.


Deutsche Bank hit again by phishing attack

After facing its first-ever phishing attack last week, Deutsche Bank AG said today it was the target of a renewed assault that began late yesterday and continued until this morning.


Yahoo's legal battle over Nazi items continues

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a District Court judgment on procedural grounds, opening up again the question of whether Yahoo is responsible under French law for information published on its Yahoo.com portal.


Gartner: '04 chip revenue growth strong, '05 weaker

The semiconductor industry should take in \$226 billion in revenue this year, up 27 from last year, according to research firm Gartner Inc. But that grow is expected to slow in 2005.


Outsourcing issue flares up at chip conference

A panel including two venture investors, a scholar, a laid-off software engineer and two chip industry CEOs debated the issue at the Hot Chips event sponsored by the IEEE.


CA shareholders back management over bonuses issue

Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) avoided a revolt at its annual meeting on Wednesday, when shareholders voted down a proposal requesting that the company's board adopt a policy of revoking executive bonuses paid based on financial results that are later revised.


RIAA Expands P-to-P Lawsuits

Latest round of legal action targets users of a variety of services, including eDonkey.


HDTV Competition Could Bring Deals

Prices are likely to drop as more outlets, including PC vendors, get into the market.


Search Engine Giving Away \$5 Million in Advertising\\Search engine Tygo.com hit the Internet today with an unusual marketing approach that matches its unusual advertising model. The new search engine is giving away \$5,000,000 in advertising through its Flat Rate Placement program to introduce advertisers to its new advertising model. Tygo.com ...


UPDATE 3-TD Bank woos Banknorth for US expansion

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) , which earlier this year ended talks to merge its discount brokerage unit with E-Trade Financial (ET.


Yemen Seaports on Alert for Possible Terror Attack (Reuters)

Reuters - Yemen has received information that\foreign terrorists are planning to attack its sea ports, a\security source said on Wednesday.


IBM nets 500m Lloyds TSB deal

COMPUTER bellwether IBM has signed a seven-year, 500 million contract with Lloyds TSB to supply the UK bank with internet telephony and data services.


Gardner Puts Down Boots to Begin New Life

ATHENS (Reuters) - A giant man placing his blue boots in  the center of a yellow mat would be a strange sight to the  uninitiated.


Delta Halfway Through Restructuring - WSJ

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines DAL.N, still hoping  to avoid filing for bankruptcy, has completed about half its  planned restructuring, the Wall Street Journal reported on  Tuesday.


Jones in Long-Jump Final; Johnson Falters

ATHENS, Greece - Marion Jones made a quiet Athens debut, advancing easily to the long jump final. Allen Johnson had the attention of everyone in the stadium, for all the wrong reasons...


Royal Dutch/Shell Settles with SEC

The US Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK #39;s Financial Services Authority have formally agreed on Shell in July for misleading the market.


Boeing stock soars on news of 777 order

Shares in The Boeing Co. hit a one-year high Wednesday on news that the aircraft builder has received an order to build 18 777-300 ER (extended range) airplanes for Singapore Airlines, with the airline also


Stocks rally as falling oil prices lure buyers

Stocks rallied in quiet trading Wednesday as oil prices fell for a third straight day and countered a pair of government reports that gave a mixed picture of the economy.


Oil: Price drops nearly US\$2 a barrel

NEW YORK - Oil prices fell nearly US\$2 a barrel on Wednesday, dragged down by heavy losses in US petrol futures after summer driving demand in the world #39;s largest consumer failed to meet expectations.


Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) avoided a revolt at its annual meeting on Wednesday, when shareholders voted down a proposal requesting that the company #39;s board adopt a policy of revoking executive


American Teen Allyson Felix Grabs 200 Meter Silver

Jamaican speedster Veronica Campbell earned the Caribbean nation their first Olympic gold medal of the 2004 Games when she won the 200 meters Wednesday in a searing 22.


Fridman gives Israel first-ever gold medal

Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Israel picked up its first-ever gold medal at the Olympics on Wednesday when windsurfer Gal Fridman won the men #39;s mistral.


Rangers 1-1 CSKA Moscow

Vagner Love struck the killer blow to Rangers #39; Champions League ambitions as CSKA Moscow left Ibrox with a deserved 3-2 victory on aggregate.


HDTV Competition Could Bring Deals (PC World)

PC World - Prices are likely to drop as more outlets, including PC vendors, get into the market.


Olympic Wrap: Greece Hails New Diva in Halkia

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece hailed a new sporting diva on  Wednesday when Fani Halkia surged from relative obscurity a few  days ago to be crowned the women's 400 meters hurdles Olympic  champion.


Tiny Telescope Detects a Giant Planet (Reuters)

Reuters - A tiny telescope has spotted a giant\planet circling a faraway star, using a technique that could\open a new phase of planetary discovery, scientists said on\Tuesday.


Federer and Henin-Hardenne Get the Top Spots for U.S. Open

Roger Federer will open against Albert Costa, and Justine Henin-Hardenne will play a qualifier when the tournament begins Monday.


Dell May Soon Unveil More Consumer Goods -Analyst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc. DELL.O, the world's  largest PC maker, could announce an expanded selection of its  consumer electronics line in the next several weeks, a retail  industry analyst said on Wednesday.


Mars Odyssey Begins Overtime After Successful Mission

NASA -- NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter begins working overtime today after completing a prime mission that discovered vast supplies of frozen water, ran a safety check for future astronauts, and mapped surface textures and minerals all over Mars, among other feats.     "Odyssey has accomplished all of its mission-success criteria," said Dr...


Possible Flu Outbreak Threatens U.S.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States may have to close schools, restrict travel and ration scarce medications if a powerful new flu strain spurs a worldwide outbreak, according to federal plans for the next pandemic, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.    It will take months to brew a vaccine that works against the kind of super-flu that causes a pandemic, although government preparations include research to speed that production...


New Technique to Advance Semiconductor Performance

By MATTHEW FORDAHL    (AP) -- In an advance that could lead to lighter spacecraft and smarter cars, researchers have developed a new technique for producing a high-quality semiconductor that's much more resistant to extreme conditions than the silicon found in most of today's electronics.    Devices built with the rugged material would not require cooling and other protections that add size, weight and cost to traditional silicon electronics in power systems, jet engines, rockets, wireless transmitters and other equipment exposed to harsh environments...


New Lawsuit Challenges Anti-Piracy Technology

By LAURENCE FROST    PARIS (AP) -- Copy protection technologies used to prevent CDs from being pirated online are facing a legal challenge in France, where a judge began a formal investigation of record label EMI Group PLC for using them.    Confirming a report in French financial daily Les Echos, the record store Fnac said Wednesday it has also been placed under investigation by a French judge along with EMI's French arm...


Review: Game Boy Add-On Video Is Limiting (AP)

AP - A pair of new add-ons for Nintendo Co.'s Game Boy Advance turn the handheld into something considerably more than a gaming machine  #151; a video phone and a video player. As long as you bear in mind that you're dealing with a toy, you might not be too bothered by the less than stellar quality.


Microsoft Expands Windows Update Release (AP)

AP - Microsoft Corp. is starting to ramp up distribution of its massive security update for the Windows XP operating system, but analysts say they still expect the company to move at a relatively slow pace to avoid widespread glitches.


Real Madrid, Man Utd, Juventus Advance (AP)

AP - Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid advanced Wednesday night to the first round of the European Champions League, and American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley scored to help PSV Eindhoven qualify.


Discrimination at U.S. Polls Now 'Subtler, More Creative' (Reuters)

Reuters - The old methods of U.S.\discrimination at the polls have been replaced by "subtler and\more creative tactics," according to a report released on\Wednesday.


House Intelligence Chairman Named (Reuters)

Reuters - Michigan Republican Rep. Peter Hoekstra\was picked to head the House Intelligence Committee, replacing\Rep. Porter Goss who has been nominated to head the Central\Intelligence Agency, Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert said\on Wednesday.


Deadline looms in Sudan crisis

Khartoum agrees to allow more African Union troops and monitors in Darfur.


Sadr loyalty grows, even as Sistani returns

Mahdi Army emerging as well-organized parallel government


Red Roof Inns Selects T-Mobile for Broadband Service (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Building on its strategy to push its service into hotels, T-Mobile will be making its HotSpot wireless-broadband service available throughout the Red Roof Inn chain, owned by Accor. Under the agreement, guests at the Red Roof Inns can access the network in the common area and in individual rooms.


Microsoft Releases SP2 Test Guide (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has taken steps to help enterprise developers who want to test their applications against Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).


Sistani to Lead Peace Mission to Embattled Iraq City

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric was due  to travel to Najaf on Thursday after making a surprise return  to the country to try to end bitter fighting creeping ever  closer to the city's holiest shrine.


Stocks Close Higher in Light Volume

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks made strong gains on  Wednesday as a tumble in oil prices boosted investor confidence  about the economy, but thin volume meant dealers were skeptical  about the strength of the rally.


US Awards Airliner Antimissile Contracts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Northrop Grumman Corp. NOC.N and  BAE Systems PLC BA.L were tapped by the Bush administration  on Wednesday to develop competing systems to protect U.S.  commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles, a potential  multibillion-dollar market.


Coke Loses Quiznos Sandwich Account

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Quiznos Sub, the third-largest U.S.  sandwich chain, said on Wednesday it signed a deal to serve  PepsiCo Inc. PEP.N drinks in its U.S. outlets, ending a  23-year relationship with Coca-Cola Co. KO.N


U.S. Treasury Prices Are Mixed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices were mixed on  Wednesday as economic data proved tepid and demand for an  auction of two-year notes was thin.