Aid worker #39;s husband hopeful of release

The Iraqi husband of kidnapped aid chief Margaret Hassan said he was cautiously optimistic she would be released quickly given her long years of service to the people of Iraq .


One Down, Two to Go (Online Commentary)

The sacking of Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt this week came as no great surprise. What did come as a surprise, however, was that the state-run press simply said that he was permitted to retire


Karzai victory almost sealed, opposition awaits inquiry

KABUL : With more than half the ballots in Afghanistan #39;s presidential election counted and outright victory virtually assured for incumbent Hamid Karzai, attention has turned to when the winner can be declared and how opposition candidates will react.


Photo: NEC's new SX-8 supercomputer

The SX-8 is the latest incarnation of the high-end but relatively rare "vector" computer breed.


Hamm Can Keep Gold

Paul Hamm can keep his Olympic gold medal. Sports' highest court rejected a South Korean appeal Thursday, ruling that Hamm is the rightful champion in the men's all-around gymnastics competition at the Athens Games.


Online attack puts 1.4 million records at risk

Time to call the credit bureaus? Almost 1.4 million records containing the personal information of Californians likely stolen.


No Charge For Beckham

The Football Association have decided against charging David Beckham in relation to his controversial booking against Wales earlier this month.


Hamm Can Keep Olympic All-Round Gold

LONDON (Reuters) - American gymnast Paul Hamm will keep his  Olympic all-round gold medal after the Lausanne-based Court of  Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected an appeal from South  Korea's Yang Tae-young.


FA Won't Punish Beckham Over Yellow Card (AP)

AP - David Beckham won't be punished by England's soccer federation for intentionally getting a yellow card in a World Cup qualifying game.


Edward C. Baig: Personal Tech - OQO pocket-size Windows XP PC clever but could be better (USATODAY.com)

USATODAY.com - I'm guessing the founders of a San Francisco start-up called OQO are bummed that Microsoft long ago snagged the name Pocket PC for its personal digital assistants. Because Pocket PC might be the ideal moniker for OQO's new model 01 "ultrapersonal computer"- uPC for short.


US jobless claims tumble 25,000 in a week (AFP)

AFP - The queue of newly jobless Americans shrank last week, providing a dose of good news to the labor market.


UPS profit grows 20 percent in third quarter

United Parcel Service Inc. #39;s net income increased 20.4 percent in the third quarter, and the company #39;s board of directors has increased UPS #39; share repurchase authorization to \$2 billion.. The Atlanta-based


UPDATE 1-Trump bondholders agree on recapitalization plan

Trump Hotels  amp; Casino Resorts Inc. (DJTC.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) , which has been on the brink of bankruptcy, said on Thursday that bondholders have approved the company #39;s


US Jobless Claims Fell to Lowest Level in Six Weeks (Update2)

The number of Americans filing first- time jobless claims declined to the lowest level in six weeks, suggesting an improving labor market, a government report showed.


Consumers pushed retail sales to a record \$29.1 billion in August <b>...</b>

OTTAWA (CP) - Consumers pushed retail sales to a record \$29.1 billion in August, says Statistics Canada. That was up 0.8 per cent from July when sales rose 0.4 per cent and also set a record at \$28.


Allied Domecq toasts profits increase

The world #39;s second-biggest spirits group, Allied Domecq, today reported a 6 rise in annual profits, boosted by a change in US tastes from beers to spirits.


AstraZeneca posts strong rise in profits, optimistic about sales (AFP)

AFP - Anglo-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca reported a 14 percent rise in third quarter pre-tax profit and said it was on track to hit earnings estimates for the full year.


Insurgents kill five in Tripura (Reuters)

Reuters - Tribal separatist insurgents gunned down five people, including two children, in the remote and restive Tripura state in different attacks in the past 24 hours, police said on Thursday.


Hackers attack Cal database

State and federal authorities are investigating a hacker attack at University of California, Berkeley, after someone broke into a computer containing the Social Security numbers


Microsoft Clears One License For Many Cores

Microsoft software that is currently licensed on a per-processor model will continue to be licensed per processor, not per core, for hardware that contains dual-core and multi-core processors.


Intel expands Centrino line with new Pentium M chip

Intel Corp. gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost Wednesday with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processor, a PC chipset and a WLAN (wireless LAN) chipset.


Quantum to buy tape rival Certance

com October 20, 2004, 5:29 PM PT. Data storage tape company Quantum on Wednesday said it will pay \$60 million in cash to acquire rival tape technology developer Certance.


Almost a third of US birds  quot;declining significantly quot;

Around 30 of North America #39;s bird species are declining significantly according to a new report from The National Audubon Society (BirdLife in the US).


EarthLink Profit Up, But Revises Outlook (Reuters)

Reuters - EarthLink Inc. on Thursday\posted a higher third-quarter profit, helped by subscriber\growth, but it forecast revenue below analysts' consensus\target for the current quarter, which dragged down shares 9\percent.


Loverly rivalry

(October 21, 2004) - HENRIETTA -he rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees literally hits home with the Haggertys.


Cards force seventh game with 12th inning homer

The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros are going the distance to decide the National League Championship Series. Jim Edmonds came through with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Cardinals a 6-to-4 win over Houston.


Beckham escapes punishment

The Football Association today decided not to charge David Beckham with bringing the game into disrepute. The FA made the surprise announcement after their compliance unit ruled


Brits Head To Iraq Danger Zone

LONDON (CBS) Britain agreed Thursday to meet a US request for British troops to be moved into volatile central Iraq, a proposal that has met strong opposition within the governing Labor Party.


Typhoon paralyzes wide area of Japan

TOKYO Japan #39;s deadliest typhoon in more than two decades killed at least 62 people and left 27 missing before veering out to sea north of Tokyo on Thursday, according to media reports.


Explosion in Chinese coal mine kills at least 60 people

BEIJING: Rescue workers in central China searched Thursday for 88 coal miners who were missing after a gas explosion ripped through a shaft, killing at least 60 others in the country #39;s deadliest mine disaster this year.


US Lifts Arms Embargo on Haiti as Tensions Mount

WASHINGTON, DC, Oct 20 (OneWorld) The administration of US President George W. Bush has lifted a 13-year arms embargo on Haiti, amid sporadic violence that threatens to plunge the western hemispheres poorest nation back into chaos.


Korea court rejects plan for capital relocation

SEOUL Dealing a major blow to the South Korean president, Roh Moo Hyun, Korea #39;s Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that his government #39;s controversial plan to relocate the nation #39;s administrative capital out of Seoul was unconstitutional.


Sears Posts Loss, Cuts Outlook Stock Down

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck   Co S.N, the largest  U.S. department store chain, on Thursday posted an unexpected  third-quarter loss and cut its full-year profit forecast,  sending its shares tumbling more than 8 percent.


Losses for major carriers mount, Delta #39;s biggest of all amid <b>...</b>

Three of the nation #39;s largest airlines have reported a combined 906-(m) million-dollars in third-quarter losses. The largest by far was at Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines -- where bankruptcy looms unless it


Swedish chefs retain title at Culinary Olympics (AFP)

AFP - Sweden has retained its title as world champion after three days of competition at the 21st Culinary Olympics held in Erfurt, eastern Germany, organisers said.


TOMPKINS: Best, worst in TV baseball manifest as Sox, Yanks duel

The 14-inning playoff game between and Yankees and the Red Sox Monday was baseball #39;s version of The Longest Day, and it illustrated some of the best and worst in televised baseball.


Egypt firm to invest 250 mln dlrs in Bangladesh mobile phone market (AFP)

AFP - Egyptian telecom company Orascom has taken over Bangladesh's Sheba Telecom and plans to invest 250 million dollars to boost coverage and create nearly four million new subscribers.


Tech Stocks Rise; Blue Chips Struggle

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. technology stocks rose on  Thursday as profits from eBay Inc. EBAY.O, the world's  largest online market place, helped lift the Nasdaq.


Bush, Kerry Don't Worry About Tech

Election Day is less than two weeks away, but so far technology has yet to make more than the occasional cameo appearance on either presidential candidate's priority list. That's not proving to be good news for tech executives. -washingtonpost.com


Earnings alert: EarthLink trims outlook

Plus: AT #38;T posts \$7.1 billion loss...Lucent sees first profitable year since 2000...EMC issues sunny report...IBM net income inches higher, despite legal bill.


Dementieva Beats Bovina to Reach Zurich Quarterfinal

ZURICH (Reuters) - Third seed Elena Dementieva came through  a scrappy battle with Russian Fed Cup team mate Elena Bovina  7-5, 3-6, 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the Zurich  Challenge on Thursday.


UPS Profit Grows But Misses Estimates (Reuters)

Reuters - United Parcel Service Inc. \said on Thursday its quarterly profit rose but missed\expectations as shortfalls in its U.S. package business and\rising fuel prices offset strength internationally.


Caesars Profit Rises, But Outlook Lags

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Caesars Entertainment Inc.CZR.N  on Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter profit as Las Vegas  hotels filled up and Atlantic City properties squeaked out a  profit that was unexpected by the company.


Reebok Posts Higher Earnings, Stock Up

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Athletic shoe and apparel maker Reebok  International Ltd. RBK.N on Thursday posted  better-than-expected quarterly earnings on an acquisition and  the weak dollar, sending its shares up more than 3 percent.


Caesars Profit Rises, But Outlook Lags (Reuters)

Reuters - Caesars Entertainment Inc.\on Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter profit as Las Vegas\hotels filled up and Atlantic City properties squeaked out a\profit that was unexpected by the company.


AT T Posts \$7.1 Bln Loss on Writedown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. T.N, the No. 3 U.S.  telephone company, on Thursday reported a \$7.1 billion  third-quarter loss due to \$12.5 billion in charges for cutting  asset values and jobs after its retreat from consumer services.


Royal Doulton in takeover talks

Struggling china maker Royal Doulton says it is in talks with about a possible takeover by Irish rival Waterford Wedgwood.


Car makers ready to return to work

PRODUCTION is set to resume at Ellesmere Port #39;s Vauxhall plant after striking German workers returned to work. Production of the new Astra came to a standstill yesterday due


Martha Stewart asks court to overturn  quot;fundamentally unfair quot; <b>...</b>

Lawyers for Martha Stewart asked a federal appeals court to overturn her conviction for lying about a stock sale, arguing that her trial was  quot;fundamentally unfair quot; because prosecutors suggested she was accused of insider trading.


Lilly cost-cutting to include 425 more positions

Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical firm says it will also close a research facility in North Carolina in effort to reduce drug prices.


Update 2: Hershey Reports Higher Earnings on Sales

Hershey Foods Corp., the nation #39;s largest candymaker, reported an almost 16 percent jump in third-quarter earnings on Thursday, citing strong sales of new products and higher prices.


CIT Group Posts Higher 3Q Profit

Finance firm CIT Group Inc. on Thursday said more new business and improving credit quality drove a 24 percent climb in third-quarter profit that beat Wall Street targets by a penny.


Southern Co. Quarterly Profit Rises

Southern Co. (SO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , which supplies power to the US Southeast, said Thursday its third-quarter earnings rose slightly, as increased energy use in the industrial


Intel expands Centrino line with new Pentium M chip

Intel has given its Centrino laptop package a speed boost with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processors, a PC chipset and a wireless Lan chipset.


Grand Theft Auto Stolen

Someone needs to buy a firewall. The game industry, Rockstar in particular, has once again been a victim of piracy. After the big-time thefts over the last year or so, such as Half-Life 2, Doom


Quantum Snags LTO Rival Certance

After preaching the superiority of its DLT tape format for years, Quantum has up and bought Certance, a key maker of the rival LTO format.


Sox beat Yankees, curse

Boston players celebrate beating the New York Yankees in game seven of the American League championship series. Photo: AP. They had been reliable caretakers of a cosmic curse, feasting for decades


GAME 7 TONIGHT: The hidden fall classic

A pennant on the line, an adopted city #39;s heart in his hands, a hostile stadium and swarming opponent. Roger Clemens, and a blistering National League Championship Series, have arrived at Game 7. Barely visible


Madrid and Valencia, two teams struggling, meet in La Liga this <b>...</b>

Recent games between Real Madrid and Valencia have gone a long way to determining the fate of the Spanish league title. But perhaps not this season.


Parlow Trick Leads US

The US Women #39;s National Team rolled over Ireland, 5-1, on a chilly night at Soldier Field to move to 26-1-3 in 2004, tying a record for most wins in a calendar year that was set in 2000.


Blast kills 56 miners, traps 92

Fifty-six miners are dead and another 92 are still stranded underground after a gas blast at the Daping coal mine in Central China #39;s Henan Province, safety officials said Thursday.


Indonesia #39;s Yudhoyono Swears in New Cabinet with Some Surprises

Indonesia #39;s new president has sworn in his cabinet, a day after his inauguration. But some of the names in the new administration have raised concerns among observers that politics might have won out over practicalities.


Bush, Kerry paint each other as unfit to lead war effort (Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Tribune - As the campaign for president becomes increasingly vitriolic, Sen. John Kerry and President Bush visited north-central Iowa on Wednesday, with each portraying the other as incompetent to lead the war against terrorism.


Texts to alert HK emergencies

A new scheme allowing disabled people to summon emergency services by text message is launched in Hong Kong.


IBM jumps into Liberty Alliance

Big Blue's deal with mobile provider Orange prompts it to join the Internet security consortium and take a seat on its board.


Australia red-faced

BUOYANT New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was relieved to have enlivened a dormant summer after his Black Caps conjured a stunning four-wicket win against Australia in the opening


McCullum lives up to his billing

It was never going to be a question of  quot;if quot; where Brendon McCullum was concerned. He has always been too classy to have to wait a long time before bringing up his maiden Test century.


Bush to Talk Health Care in Pennsylvania (AP)

AP - President Bush is returning to the swing state of Pennsylvania on Thursday to talk about health care.


A global platform built with local materials

creating a global company based on Australian technology and research. Moreover he did it under the noses


Bumpy ride for Qantas

QANTAS is suffering an unexpected softening in passenger demand, particularly on international routes, as the impact of the rising global oil price starts to strike consumer spending.


Cellphone addition: high-definition TV

Miniature mobile phones, which already double as cameras, Internet devices and music players, are poised to merge with the largest of home appliances: the television.


Sox deliver miracle of lost souls

THERE he was, novelist Stephen King, master of the horror story, watching his beloved Boston Red Sox from a front row seat at Yankee Stadium yesterday (AEST), and it was obvious he feared the worst.


Wilkinson Injures Arm, May Miss Three England Matches (Update1)

Jonny Wilkinson, the fly-half who kicked England to victory in last year #39;s rugby World Cup final, has been ruled out for several weeks #39; #39; with an arm injury, his club said.


Parlow propels US women

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Cindy Parlow recorded a hat trick for the United States during a 5-1 win over Ireland Wednesday night at Soldier Field.


Nuclear demand for Iran

EUROPE #39;S three main powers have given Iran a final chance to reassure the world it is not developing atomic weapons or it will face sanctions.


Corruption is rampant in 60 countries, and the public sector is <b>...</b>

London, 20 October 2004 --- Corruption in large-scale public projects is a daunting obstacle to sustainable development, and results in a major loss of public funds needed for education, healthcare and poverty alleviation, both in developed and


Barroso fails to calm Buttiglione row

Jos Manuel Barroso, the incoming European commission president, today failed in a bid to appease key European parties demanding that the justice minister designate, Rocco Buttiglione, be removed.


Burma PM accused

WASHINGTON: The new Prime Minister of military-ruled Burma was behind an attack on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy last year, Washington claimed yesterday.


Jeans Maker VF Sees Earns Up 24 Percent (Reuters)

Reuters - VF Corp , the world's largest\jeans maker, on Thursday said third-quarter profit jumped 24\percent, boosted by recent acquisitions, and set a new\long-term sales growth target of 8 percent.


Arsenal trio in injury race for Old Trafford summit (AFP)

AFP - Arsenal striker Thierry Henry insists he will throw off an ankle injury to play in Sunday's Premiership showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.


AIG Faces Federal Grand Jury Probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal grand jury is investigating  products American International Group Inc. AIG.N sold that  companies might have used to massage earnings, the world's  largest insurer by market value said on Thursday.


Nigerian Military Officers Charged with Coup Plot

LAGOS (Reuters) - Four Nigerian military officers and a  civilian were accused Thursday of plotting to overthrow  President Olusegun Obasanjo by firing a rocket at his  helicopter, court documents showed.


MPs' expense details are revealed

Electors can check up of their MPs' expense claims for the first time, with the listing of claims over three years.


Deadly Typhoon Claims 55 Lives in Japan

Japan's deadliest storm in more than a decade unleashed flash floods that washed away entire hillsides, killing 55 people and leaving at least 24 people missing before it veered east into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.


Goosestepping Germans Only in UK Media? (Reuters)

Reuters - No one in Germany knows the goosestep\any more, but German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said\Wednesday anyone wanting lessons in the military march used by\the Nazis could get them from Britain.


Cisco to buy security start-up

Perfigo's products will fit into Cisco's security architecture that combines virus scanning with network policing.


Injured Viking WR Moss a Game-Time Decision Vs. Titans

MINNEAPOLIS (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings wide  receiver Randy Moss will be a game-time decision for Sunday's  game against Tennessee because of a hamstring injury.


Injured Viking WR Moss a Game-Time Decision Vs. Titans (Reuters)

Reuters - Minnesota Vikings wide\receiver Randy Moss will be a game-time decision for Sunday's\game against Tennessee because of a hamstring injury.


Dollar Weakens on Sense of Economic Gloom

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar weakened across the board  on Thursday, forging new lows as a deepening sense of gloom  over the U.S. economic and external deficit picture weighed on  sentiment, analysts said.


Trump Hotels to Seek Bankruptcy in Deal With Holders (Update2)

Donald Trump #39;s Trump Hotels  amp; Casino Resorts Inc. said it will seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of an agreement with bondholders to reduce debt by \$400 million.


Reebok #39;s Third-Quarter Earnings Jump

Sports and fitness products company Reebok International Ltd. on Thursday said third-quarter sales rose 12 percent, driven by its acquisition of Hockey Co.


Imation to cut 250

Imation Corp. plans to lay off 250 employees in the fourth quarter in order to reduce expenses. These cuts are on top of Imation #39;s lay off of 280 employees announced in July, a spokesman for the company confirmed.


Union Pacific #39;s 3Q Profit Plummets

Rail transportation firm Union Pacific Corp. on Thursday said soaring fuel prices and increased operating costs offset higher third-quarter revenue and drove down its profit by 36 percent.


Iran to Consider EU Nuclear Offer, No Deal Yet (Reuters)

Reuters - Iran has not agreed to an offer by the\European Union to receive nuclear technology in exchange for\abandoning its uranium enrichment program, but it will consider\the proposal, an Iranian official said on Thursday.


Swatch, Microsoft launch wireless data watches

Swiss watchmaker Swatch and US software company Microsoft have launched a new range of wireless data watches, the companies announced Wednesday.


Consumption Of Resources Focus of Report

An environmental group says earth #39;s people are using up the planet faster than it can restore itself and the west is the chief culprit.


Intel Boosts Centrino #39;s Speed

Intel gave its Centrino laptop package a speed boost this week with the release of a new, faster Pentium M processor. The Centrino package includes a Pentium M processor, a PC chip set, and a WLAN (wireless LAN) chip set.


Departing pair showing new crew around space station

Though cargo is piling up in the International Space Station and shuttles won #39;t fly until after the new crew leaves, the astronauts on board are optimistic about their mission.


Microsoft Courts Non-Friendly #39; Linux Users to Increase Sales

Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer is reviving profit and sales growth by preventing customer defections to Linux, a computer operating system available for free on the Internet.


U2 Special Edition iPod

Apple is set to unveil a special edition black iPod in collaboration with U2, according to a report on Forbes.com.  quot;Sources close to the group say the U2 edition of the popular digital music player will come


Chelsea Cashing in on Czech - Cole

Joe Cole believes Chelseas number one Petr Cech is probably the best keeper I have ever seen. The 7million summer signing from Rennes has been installed ahead of Carlo


Enfant terrible

There is no higher praise that I can bestow on Craig Bellamy other than to reveal that he has graced my fantasy football team on several occasions - an honour I impart only on those select few that pass my unscientific, spurious but highly-stringent


Morientes not for sale, say Real Madrid

Real Madrid sought to dampen speculation over the future of Fernando Morientes by issuing a statement saying the striker was not for sale.


Pennington proving to be the real deal

It took a while for everything to fall into place, but it now seems clear: Chad Pennington is the real deal. Listen LIVE to NFL games, plus watch video news and features of your favorite team.


Fidel Castro falls after speech, breaking knee and causing <b>...</b>

Cuban President Fidel Castro tripped on a step and tumbled to the ground after leaving the stage at a graduation ceremony, fracturing a knee and arm but quickly returning to say that he was  quot;all in one piece.


Britain agrees to US request for troop redeployment

Prime Minister Tony Blair #39;s government agreed Thursday to meet a US request and redeploy a battalion of 850 British troops into volatile central Iraq, despite strong opposition from lawmakers.


Rafic Hariri quits, not to form a new government

The Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri submitted the resignation of his government to the Lebanese President Emil Lahoud who accepted it.


Constitutional Court Puts an End to Capital Relocation Controversy

The Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled the government #39;s plan to relocate the administrative capital as unconstitutional. Eight of the court #39;s nine judges ruled the plan as unconstitutional.


Soldier Says Mission Not Refused From Fear (AP)

AP - A soldier from an Army Reserve unit whose members refused to deliver fuel along a dangerous route in Iraq says he and others did not act out of fear, as the soldier's father has said.


WNBA President Ackerman Steps Down

NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Val Ackerman is stepping down  as WNBA President after serving in that capacity for eight  seasons. The resignation is effective February 1, 2005.


Afghan Prisoners Released From U.S. Base (AP)

AP - Seventeen Afghans were released Thursday from a U.S. base at the center of an investigation into the deaths of two prisoners in custody, the international Red Cross said.


SAP earnings beat estimates

Sales in Europe were especially strong, rising 24 percent, the software maker says.


Earnings alert: SAP earnings beat estimates

Plus:  EarthLink trims outlook...AT #38;T posts \$7.1 billion loss...Lucent sees first profitable year since 2000...EMC issues sunny report.


Detroit's new song: Have iPod, will travel

Electronics companies are devising better ways to link Apple's best-selling audio player to a vehicle's stereo.


Arbitration Court Rules That Hamm Is Gold Medal Winner in Gymnastics

The courts decision marked the official end of a controversy that had simmered since Paul Hamm captured the gold after a close finish.


Martha Stewart Appeals, Says Tarred by US

Martha Stewart is urging an appeals court to overturn her conviction because she was  quot;tarred quot; by prosecutors #39; implications she committed the uncharged crime of insider


Royal Doulton in takeover talks

China maker Royal Doulton has revealed it is in talks about a takeover by Irish rival Waterford Wedgwood. Stoke-based Doulton, which is to close its last remaining current UK factory next year, said it was in  quot;advanced discussions quot; with Waterford.


CIT Group #39;s Q3 profit up 25, tops by a penny

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- CIT Group (CIT) achieved 25 percent growth in net earnings for the third quarter, reporting \$183.9 million, or 86 cents per share, up from \$147.


Update 3: Qwest Paying \$250M to Settle SEC Charges

Qwest Communications International Inc., the regional telecommunications company, agreed Thursday to pay \$250 million to settle allegations that it improperly booked millions in revenue and that senior managers sought to cover it up.


Pentium M 765 is fastest Centrino CPU

Intel has added a high-end model to its range mobile processors. The Pentium M 765 is based on Intel #39;s market-leading 90nm manufacturing process technology and features 2MB of integrated, power-managed Level 2 cache.


GTA: San Andreas Leaked

Rockstar Games issued a press release confirming rumors that illegal copies of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas have appeared online in various forms of download.


Sox exorcise demons with historic comeback

New York Times News Service - 10/21/04. NEW YORK - They had been reliable caretakers of a cosmic curse, feasting for decades on the gift that kept on giving: Babe Ruth, purchased from the


Point of fact: Miller among elite

When Andre Miller led the NBA with 10.9 assists a game in 2001-02, he had the first stamp of success required to enter the league #39;s pantheon of premier point guards.


Hamm keeps Olympic gold

(LAUSANNE, Switzerland) - Paul Hamm will get to keep the gold medal he won two months ago. The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland has rejected an appeal from South Korea #39;s Yang Tae-Young of the Olympic gymnastics all around results.


Football #39;s Scottish Claymores are sacked

SCOTTISH Claymores, the Glasgow-based American football team of the NFL Europe League, have ceased operations after 10 seasons. The league called it an economic decision to close down the only American football team in the UK.


Wilkinson sidelined for England test series

New England captain Jonny Wilkinson looks set to miss his country #39;s autumn games against Canada, South Africa and Australia as a result of his latest injury.


Bellamy apologizes to Souness after swearing following <b>...</b>

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness accepted an apology from Craig Bellamy on Thursday, after the player muttered obscenities at the manager in a 1-1 draw Sunday against Charlton.


Madrid says Morientes not for sale

Real Madrid is not planning to transfer Fernando Morientes, the club said in a statement Thursday, denying suggestions the striker was poised to move to Liverpool.


Frederick Gets 8 Years in Iraq Abuse Case

US Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Ivan  quot;Chip quot; Frederick is shown in a 2003 photo taken in Kuwait. Frederick, the highest ranking soldier charged in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, was sentenced Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004


British troops to support US in Baghdad

LONDON -- Britain has agreed to a US request to redeploy British troops from southern Iraq to an area closer to Baghdad. The british defence secretary made the announcement in the House of Commons.


Unity plea as SBY names Cabinet

SUSILO Bambang Yudhoyono began his first day as Indonesia #39;s president yesterday by swearing in his Cabinet - a mix of experts and political appointees whom analysts said could push through


EU official regrets comment

Brussels - EU commissioner-designate Rocco Buttiglione sought on Thursday to defuse a row over controversial comments he made about homosexuals and women, offering to give up some powers in return for keeping the job.


Two dozen Lebanese lawmakers say they will boycott presidential <b>...</b>

At least 28 lawmakers said they will not take part in talks on forming new government started by Lebanon #39;s president on Thursday, a day after the Cabinet of veteran Prime Minister Rafik Hariri resigned.


U.S. Indicators Fall, 4th Month Straight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A closely watched gauge of future  U.S. economic activity fell in September for the fourth  straight month after a stronger pace earlier in the year, a  private research firm said on Thursday.


Maytag Profit Slumps; Job Cuts on Track

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Home appliance maker Maytag Corp.  MYG.N on Thursday reported an 80 percent drop in  third-quarter profit, hurt by higher steel and energy costs and  lower sales of its Hoover vacuums.


Farmland bird decline 'slowing'

The UK government says that the severe decline in Britain's farmland bird populations is slowing down.


AT T posts \$7.1 billion loss on impairment charge

AT T Corp. on Thursday reported a net loss of \$7.1 billion, or \$8.95 per share, for the third quarter of 2004, but that loss included asset re-evaluation and other charges of \$12.5 billion.


HD-DVD Drives Find a Place in the PC

NEC, Toshiba will put the next-generation DVD technology in desktops and laptops next year.


Older Voters Worry About Iraq as Well as Drug Costs (Reuters)

Reuters - Give elderly voters in\this up-for-grabs Philadelphia suburb an opportunity to air\their fears about health care, and they will. But chances are\the topic will quickly turn to Iraq instead.


ADV: Distance Learning Directory - Online Degrees

Bachelor, Master and Post-Grad degrees online from accredited colleges and universities. Business, Education, IT, Healthcare, more. Browse by degree or program. Request info and get started today.


German autoworkers hit streets over plan to cut 12,000 jobs

A strike at a General Motors plant in Germany began to squeeze the company #39;s European production Tuesday as a lack of parts halted two other factories, while thousands of


AT amp;T posts \$7.1 billion loss

Wired  amp; Wireless continues its reign at the top spot among IT priorities due to widespread IP telephony and wireless deployment.


Qwest settles with SEC for \$250M

Qwest Communications International Inc. has agreed to pay \$250 million to settle financial and disclosure fraud charges, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday.


Assessing The Security Threat Of Google #39;s Desktop Search

There is some confusion about threats posed by the new search tool. Google says common sense is enough of a patch. By Thomas Claburn.


Microsoft, Swatch Partner on Wireless Watch

Microsoft and watch maker Swatch are offering a smart wristwatch that receives news, sports, weather and other information using Microsoft #39;s MSN Direct broadcast technology.


Grand Theft on the internet

Games publisher Rockstar is on the warpath after pirates leaked a copy of its forthcoming PS2 game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the internet.


Google continues to grow

Since its IPO back in August, the search engine Google has seen its shares rise over 70 in a little over two months. Google shares closed Tuesday at \$147.


Microsoft CEO: Hackers Getting Smarter

Microsoft Corp. #39;s chief executive believes it #39;s naive to suggest the software giant can eliminate all security vulnerabilities in its various products even though engineers are trying hard to do so.


Kazaa in Decline

According to BayTSP, eDonkey/Overnet had an average of 2.54 million users per day in September while FastTrack had an average of 2.48 million.


Claymores fold from NFL Europe

Scotland #39;s NFL Europe franchise has folded due to falling attendance, leaving the league with only one team outside of Germany.


Prince Harry Scuffles With Photographer

Britain #39;s Prince Harry was hit in the face with a camera during a scuffle with a photographer outside a London nightclub early Thursday, a royal official said.


Barroso optimistic over EP support for proposed commissioner team

Incoming European Commission (EC)President Jose Manuel Barroso said here Thursday that he was optimistic over securing European Parliament (EP) support next week for his proposed 25-member team of commissioners.


US presidential race most expensive in history: study (AFP)

AFP - The 2004 US presidential election is set to smash all spending records according to an independent study, which estimates that more than a billion dollars will be spent on the race for the White House by election day.


Spain beats United States to win Davis Cup

Andy Roddick searched out Carlos Moya in the throng of jumping, screaming Spanish tennis players, hoping to shake hands. Moya had just beaten Roddick 6-2, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5) Sunday to clinch Spain #39;s second Davis


London shares close just higher; NY regains some losses (AFP)

AFP - Leading shares closed just above the gain line, after US indices regained some earlier losses and mining blue chips lent support, dealers said.


TI Working on Television Chip for Phones for 2007 (Reuters)

Reuters - Texas Instruments Inc. \has begun developing a chip that could bring television shows\to mobile phone screens in three years.


Wilkinson to miss England games

England captain Jonny Wilkinson has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a haematoma in his right arm. The Newcastle fly-half looks certain to miss England #39;s game against Canada on 13 November, plus the


Verdict plunges ruling camp into turmoil

Aside from being  quot;shocked, quot; members of the ruling party were at a loss for words following the Constitutional Court ruling that the party #39;s capital relocation plan was  quot;unconstitutional.


Five killed, six injured by tribal rebels during Hindu festival (AFP)

AFP - Five people were killed and six wounded in India's northeastern state of Tripura by tribal separatists during a Hindu festival dedicated to the demon-slaying goddess Durga, police said.


Yellowstone May Start Bison Feeder Herds (AP)

AP - A proposed quarantine facility for Yellowstone National Park bison to eventually provide herd startups for Indian reservations and wildlife refuges is being considered, state officials say.


Bush Signs Youth Suicide Prevention Law (AP)

AP - President Bush on Thursday signed into law a bill authorizing  #36;82 million in grants aimed at preventing suicide among young people.


The Business of Search Engines and Advertising - Look Out!\\The major search engines are changing the way they do business with the advertising community. Many SEOs and SEMs have waited patiently for the search engines to recognize the benefits our sector brings. Now that search is sexy however most will ...


TI Working on Television Chip for Phones for 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Texas Instruments Inc. has begun  developing a chip that could bring television shows to mobile  phone screens in three years.


Qwest Agrees to SEC Settlement

The regional telecommunications company Qwest agreed Thursday to pay \$250 million to settle allegations that it improperly booked millions in revenue and that senior managers sought to cover it up.


EBay Earns Boost Tech Stocks; Dow Slips

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. technology stocks rose on  Thursday as a strong quarterly earnings report from eBay Inc.,  the world's largest online market place, helped lift the Nasdaq  and Standard   Poor's 500 indexes.


Visteon Posts \$1.36 Bln Loss on Charges

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Visteon Corp. VC.N, the No. 2 U.S.  auto parts maker, on Thursday posted a wider quarterly net loss  of \$1.36 billion, citing charges, and said it expects rising  material surcharges and its high cost structure to hurt results  for the rest of the year.


Oil Near Peaks on Winter Supply Worries

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held near record peaks on  Thursday after a larger-than-expected decline in heating fuels  in the United States heightened fears of a winter supply  crunch.


Photo gallery: Microsoft revs its car Windows

The software juggernaut that conquered the desktop is racing to get Windows into your next car.


President Karzai closes in on victory in Afghan elections (AFP)

AFP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai moved closer to winning his country's first presidential election, taking a substantial lead over his nearest rival with more than 60 percent of votes counted, according to official results.


Nuggets' Anthony Cited for Marijuana Possession

DENVER (Sports Network) - Carmelo Anthony of the Denver  Nuggets was cited for possession of marijuana before boarding a  team flight, but the star forward said the drug was left in his  bag by a friend.


Court Says Whales, Dolphins Cannot Sue Bush (Reuters)

Reuters - The world's whales, porpoises and\dolphins have no standing to sue President Bush over the U.S.


Saudis fight for stake in 3G firm

Police are called to Saudi banks as investors jostle to apply for shares in new mobile phone firm Ettihad Etisalat.


Textron Posts Profit, Raises Outlook

BOSTON (Reuters) - Diversified manufacturer Textron Inc.  TXT.N on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit and lifted  its full-year earnings estimate on a strong performance by its  Cessna business jet division, sending its shares up nearly 5  percent.


US Airways Pilots' Union OKs Labor Deal

US Airways' pilots' union ratified a new labor contract Thursday that will cut their base pay by 18 percent and save the airline \$300 million a year.


Britain agrees to US call to move troops close to Baghdad (AFP)

AFP - With the insurgency in Iraq showing no signs of abating as US election day nears, the British government agreed to a request to redeploy 850 crack troops to a volatile area to the west of Baghdad.


Beat Hackers and Learn to Spy at Italy Tech Fair (Reuters)

Reuters - Fingerprint sensors, gadgets to pry open\doors and transmitters to spy on unsuspecting targets were\among the wizardry on show at the opening of Italy's biggest\technology fair on Thursday.


Some U.S. Factories Recover, Outlook Dims

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Factories in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic  region rebounded in October, a survey showed on Thursday, but  employment measures declined and the outlook for the future  slid sharply.


Foreign Observers See Problems in Election (Reuters)

Reuters - Substantial threats to the integrity\of the U.S. presidential election remain despite an improvement\in election practices since 2000, an international delegation\of election observers reported on Thursday.


Williams Survives to Set Up Sharapova Clash

ZURICH (Reuters) - Venus Williams came through a stiff test  against Serbian schoolgirl Ana Ivanovic on Thursday to book her  place in the Zurich Challenge quarter-finals.


Winter fuel worries keep oil prices above 54 dollars

LONDON (AFP) - Oil prices remained stubbornly above 54 dollars, creeping up towards new record summits on worries of a winter supply crunch after a fifth straight weekly fall in US heating fuel stockpiles.


Update 4: Qwest to Pay \$250M to Settle SEC Charges

Qwest Communications International Inc., the regional telecommunications company, agreed Thursday to pay \$250 million to settle allegations that it engaged in  quot;massive financial fraud quot; by improperly booking \$3.


Leading Economic Indicator Index Declines

A widely watched barometer of future economic activity edged lower in September for the fourth month in a row, suggesting a slowing in economic growth, a private research group reported Thursday.


Martha Stewart #39;s lawyers say prosecutors  #39;unfair #39;

NEW YORK - Martha Stewart #39;s lawyers want the home decorating icon #39;s conviction overturned, saying her trial was  quot;unfair quot; because prosecutors failed to make sure the jury understood she was not charged with insider trading.


UPDATE 3-Guidant net profit up as defibrillator sales rise

Cardiovascular device maker Guidant Corp. (GDT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said quarterly net profit rose 19 percent, helped by cost-cutting and


Treasuries prices initially slip after Philly Fed

US Treasury prices initially slipped and then made a slight recovery after the Philadelphia Federal Reserve #39;s business activity index showed surprising strength.


Bank of Canada Sees Economy Close to Full Capacity

A export surge has thrust the Canadian economy into high gear and it is running at close to full capacity, the Bank of Canada said on Thursday, explaining its move to


Coming soon: HDTV -- on your cellphone

NEW YORK - Texas Instruments Inc. expects to roll out cellphones capable of showing live high-definition television in the US by 2007, Chief Executive Rich Templeton said Thursday in an interview on CNBC.


Rocking in San Andreas

Music, always big in Grand Theft Auto titles, will be front and centre in the upcoming Rockstar Games title Grant Theft Auto: San Andreas.


Handheld Manufacturers Continue Retreat

Following Sony #39;s surprising exit from the US PDA handheld market earlier this summer, three other companies have announced their intentions to withdraw from the US handheld market.


HD-DVD Drives Find a Place in the PC

NEC, Toshiba will put the next-generation DVD technology in desktops and laptops next year. NEC plans to start selling desktop PCs equipped with HD-DVD (High Definition/High Density-DVD) drives at the end of 2005, the company says.


World #39;s first five-megapixel camera phone

Samsung has developed the world #39;s first five-megapixel camera phone. It can also function as a camcorder. (Oh, the espionage... -- Ed.).  quot;South Korea #39;s Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it had developed the


CA posts Q2 loss on restitution charges

OCTOBER 21, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Computer Associates International Inc. yesterday reported a 6 increase in revenue during its second fiscal quarter but posted a \$94 million loss after paying to settle government investigations into the company.


Some U.S. Factories Recover, Outlook Dims (Reuters)

Reuters - Factories in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic\region rebounded in October, a survey showed on Thursday, but\employment measures declined and the outlook for the future\slid sharply.


Red Sox Fans Savor Baseball History

NEW YORK - The Red Sox and their long beleaguered fan are savoring their moment of baseball history. The Sox clobbered the Yankees 10 to 3 to win their first American League Championship since 1986.


Astros, the opportunity to pitch his team into the World Series. <b>...</b>

down to walk-off home runs. St. Louis won the first two contests at Busch. when Jeff Kent belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.


Lehmann in the blunder zone

THE calamity-prone Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will be the centre of more derision from Gunners fans after his two horrendous blunders cost the English giants an important win in a 2-2 draw with Panathinaikos in Athens.


Claymores no more: NFL #39;s European franchise folds

Glasgow, Scotland (Sports Network) - The Scottish Claymores, an NFL Europe franchise, folded Thursday due to decreasing attendance.


Paul Hamm says court affirms he #39;s a  quot;champion quot;

The Court of Arbitration for Sport today announced it had rejected a South Korean appeal to reduce Hamm to the silver and give the all-around Olympic gold to a gymnast who lost because of a scoring error.


ROBINSON WON #39;T RULE OUT WILKINSON

Andy Robinson tonight refused to rule new England captain Jonny Wilkinson out of next month #39;s Twickenham Tests - despite the World Cup hero suffering fresh injury misery.


Bush, Kerry Don't Worry About Tech (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - Election Day is less than two weeks away, but so far technology has yet to make more than the occasional cameo appearance on either presidential candidate's priority list.


Soldier Gets 8 Years for Abu Ghraib Abuse, US Military Says

A US military judge in Baghdad sentenced Staff Sergeant Ivan Chip #39; #39; Frederick to eight years in jail for abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, a US Army spokesman said by telephone from the Iraqi capital.


Search Begins for Japan Typhoon Victims

Rescue workers and Japanese troops waded through sludge Thursday to search for victims of mudslides in Japan #39;s deadliest typhoon in over a decade that ripped across the country, killing 63 and leaving 25 missing.


Russian recruits tell of beatings, torture and sex assaults

Russia #39;s once mighty armed forces are riddled with Clockwork Orange-style sadism where senior soldiers subject their junior colleagues to vicious beatings, torture, sexual violence and death threats, a report claimed yesterday.


One Israeli, two Palestinian militants killed in Gaza violence

GAZA CITY, Oct 21 (AFP) - An Israeli man and two Palestinian militants were killed Thursday in two separate incidents in the Gaza Strip, sources on both sides said.


Two New ThinkPads (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - IBM ThinkPad G41 gets latest mobile processor; T42 gets processor upgrade and better connectivity.


Rockstar Games GTA: San Andreas Leaked

The highly anticipated GTA title, San Adreas, has been leaked according to Rockstar Games the creator of the game. The proper authorities are investigating the theft and are continuing to investigate all


India agrees to Bodo rebel talks

Delhi says it will join three-way talks with Assam and separatists to end violence in the north-eastern state.


Beat Hackers and Learn to Spy at Italy Tech Fair

MILAN (Reuters) - Fingerprint sensors, gadgets to pry open  doors and transmitters to spy on unsuspecting targets were  among the wizardry on show at the opening of Italy's biggest  technology fair on Thursday.


TI chip brings TV direct to the handset

Thanks to a new chip Texas Instruments Inc. is developing, your favorite TV show someday will come to the cell phone nearest to you.


Photo gallery: Microsoft revs car Windows

The software juggernaut that conquered the desktop is racing to get Windows into your next car.


Samsung Shows 5-Megapixel Camera Phone

Device will capture high-resolution still images and video--and it still makes phone calls.


Dollar Drops on Deficit Concerns

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell to new multi-month  lows on Thursday as a deepening sense of gloom over bulging  U.S. deficits outweighed better-than-expected economic data,  analysts said.


US Airways Pilots Ratify 18 Pct Pay Cut

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pilots at US Airways on Thursday  ratified a concession package that includes pay cuts of 18  percent, a decrease in company contributions to their  retirement plan and increased productivity.


IBM expands China research site in mid-market push

Big Blue adds "innovaton center" to its China Research Lab to develop technology catering to small and midsize businesses.


Photo 4: Microsoft revs car Windows


Cisco buys network security company Perfigo

Networking equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc. said that it intends to buy Perfigo Inc. for \$74 million in cash, boosting the company's efforts to secure network "endpoints" and protect them from worms, viruses and hacking.


Qwest agrees to pay \$250 million to settle fraud case

Denver-based Qwest Communications International Inc. (NYSE: Q) has agreed to a pay \$250 million fine to settle a wide-ranging fraud investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Associated Press reported Thursday.


Martha Stewart appeals conviction

Attorneys for Martha Stewart have appealed her conviction before the US Court of Appeals in New York, claiming her trial was unfair and tainted.


Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index Rises to 28.5 in October

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia #39;s gauge of manufacturing in the region rose to 28.5 in October from 13.4 the month before.


US jobless claims tumble 25,000 in a week

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The queue of newly jobless Americans shrank last week, providing a dose of good news to the labor market. The number of new claims for unemployment benefits tumbled 25,000 to a seasonally


US buy spurs registrar #39;s share surge

Australia #39;s Computershare has agreed to buy EquiServe of the United States for US\$292 million (\$423 million), making it the largest US share registrar and driving its shares up by a third.


Intel launches top end Centrino chip

A new top-of-the-range Pentium M processor has been introduced by Intel: model 765, which clocks 2.1GHz, with a 400 MHz system bus and 2MB of Level 2 cache.


TI Goes  #39;Hollywood #39; With TV Chip For Cell Phones

Texas Instruments reported Thursday that it is developing a single chip for digital TV that will bring broadcast signals to cell phones.


The Almanac: Storage

Optware Corp. in Japan (www.optware.co.jp/english) has come out with a prototype of what it calls the world #39;s first holographic recording disc for reliable recording and playback of digital movies.


Saskatoon #39;s super microscope set to open

SASKATOON - Scientists in Saskatoon are set to unveil a synchrotron on Friday, a state-of-the-art research facility and Canada #39;s largest science project in 30 years.


IBM jumps into Liberty Alliance

com October 21, 2004, 7:42 AM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


Arsenal rues blunders

CHELSEA virtually assured its place in the next round of the Champions League yesterday while calamity-prone goalkeeper Jens Lehmann cost Arsenal a point.


Villarreal #39;s Senna suspended

Madrid, Spain (Sports Network) - Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna was suspended Thursday by UEFA after failing a drug test back in August.


Pakistan score 256 for eight on second day of Faisalabad Test:

Sports India, Cricket: Faisalabad, Oct. 21 : Pakistan scored 256 for the loss of eight wickets on the second day of the Faisalabad test.


Samsung Electronics unveils world's highest resolution chip for handsets (AFP)

AFP - South Korea's Samsung Electronics unveiled a new semiconductor chip that it says uses new technology to greatly enhance the quality of images on handset display panels.


Reservist Sentenced For Role In Iraqi Prison Scandal

Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Ivan  quot;Chip quot; Frederick, 38, of Buckingham, Va., was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday for his role in the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.


Hoon confirms troops switch

The Iraq war entered a dangerous new phase today as 850 armoured British troops were ordered to the troubled heart of the country for a massive crackdown on terrorists.


Gag Title Moves South

Now, the single biggest postseason flop in baseball history does not belong to the Red Sox, who pass the uncontested title to the Yankees.


Steel Producer Nucor Sees Profit Soar

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nucor Corp., one of the largest U.S.  steel producers, on Thursday reported a more than 25-fold  increase in quarterly profit due to high steel prices, and said  it expected demand to remain strong next year.


Darfur peace talks open in Nigeria (AFP)

AFP - The African Union's peace talks on the crisis in the western Sudanese region of Darfur opened in the presence of delegates from the Khartoum government and two rebel groups.


Milosevic Calls for Control Over Own Trial Defense

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan  Milosevic made a passionate appeal to judges to allow him to  defend himself at his trial Thursday but prosecutors said he  was not fit enough and was thwarting progress.


Merck Profit Falls 29 Percent on Vioxx

Merck said lost Vioxx sales and estimated customer returns totaled \$492 million in the third quarter, and the recall slashed net income by about \$553 million.


Qwest Agrees to Pay \$250 Mln to Settle Accounting Case With SEC

Qwest Communications International Inc. agreed to pay \$250 million in two installments to settle a two-and-a-half-year investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.


US leading economic indicators decline for fourth straight month

NEW YORK, October 21 (newratings.com) - The US leading economic indicators declined for the fourth consecutive month in September this year indicating sluggish economic growth going into 2005.


Janus Capital earnings dip on lower revenue

DENVER -- Third-quarter revenue fell 7 percent at Janus Capital Group Inc. as assets under management and investment-management fees fell.


TI plans live TV for mobile phones

Texas Instruments is prepping a new single-chip solution designed to bring live broadcast television to mobile phones and other portable devices.


US argues for federal VoIP rules

quot;We cannot avoid this question any longer. It is very likely that treatment of VoIP will have some of the farthest reaching consequences of anything this commission


Miami, capital of Cuban exiles, abuzz with news of Castro #39;s fall

MIAMI, Oct 21 (AFP) - Known as the capital of Cuban exiles, Miami was abuzz Thursday with news of President Fidel Castro #39;s accident, with many Cuban-Americans bemoaning that the communist leader only fell on his face, and not from power.


Joint Irish-Palestinian appeal for release of kidnapped aid chief

DUBLIN (AFP) - A joint appeal for the release of Dublin-born humanitarian aid worker Margaret Hassan kidnapped in Iraq was issued by the Irish and Palestinian foreign ministers.


Result certain as Afghan election counting continues

KABUL: With over half the votes counted by Thursday, Hamid Karzai was on course to win Afghanistan #39;s first democratic presidential election, the climax of momentous change brought by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.


Start-up crafts nanoparticles for energy, explosions

Aluminum, the stuff of cans, explodes in its nano form. A small start-up has decided to harness that property.


GE Chief Bullish on Russian Investment (AP)

AP - Russia's energy and rail transport industries are prime for investment by Western investors, the head of U.S. manufacturing and financial giant General Electric Co. said Thursday.


State Government IT

Simone Marstiller, Florida's chief information officer, will be online to answer your questions about the challenges facing her office. Filter columnist Cynthia L. Webb will moderate.


Ackerman Resigns As WNBA President

Val Ackerman resigned as president of the WNBA, a position she has held since the league started in 1996.


Vauxhall Production to Resume

Production of Vauxhall cars will resume on Sunday following disruption caused by a shortage of components because of a strike by workers in Germany, it was announced tonight.


Santander Gets Approval of Abbey Bid

Shareholders in Santander Central Hispano on Thursday approved the euro13 billion (US\$16.4 billion) takeover of Abbey National of Britain.


Jobless Claims Drop

The Labor Department said the number of workers on the nation #39;s unemployment rolls dipped slightly in the week of October 9, the latest period for which the data is available.


Wireless Swatch Beams MSN Direct Services

Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg said that smart watches take advantage of  quot;invisible space, quot; items you carry with you that don #39;t take up any extra space.


Eggs  #39;repaired #39; with DNA

A fertility technique that repairs a woman #39;s faulty eggs using DNA transferred from elsewhere in her body has led to the births of 20 children, scientists have revealed.


Big one early in the Big East

It may be early in the Big East Conference race, but the winner of Thursday night #39;s Syracuse-West Virginia game (7:30 pm ET, ESPN) will be the favorite and control its own destiny in terms


EU #39;s  #39;big three #39; give Iran last chance

Britain, France, and Germany to offer Iran nuclear technology if it ends uranium enrichment efforts. Agence France-Presse reports that Britain, France and Germany are  quot;ready to promise Iran nuclear technology


Q amp;A: The Black Watch redeployment

Britain is sending 850 troops from the famous Black Watch regiment and supporting units from the south of the country to a position close to the Iraqi capital - a request that has led to protests


Harry in nightclub scuffle

Prince Harry has been hit in the face with a camera and cut a photographer #39;s lip as he pushed it away outside a nightclub in London #39;s West End.


Lebanese president names pro-Syrian politician Omar Karami as next <b>...</b>

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- President Emile Lahoud appointed staunchly pro-Syrian politician Omar Karami as prime minister on Thursday and asked him to form the next government, replacing billionaire Rafik Hariri in a move that consolidates Syria #39;s hold on


Russian army  #39;is tackling abuse #39;

The office of Russia #39;s chief military prosecutor says a report into alleged abuse of Russian army conscripts does not correspond to reality.


Karzai likely Afghanistan election victor

With more than half the ballots counted, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai appeared Thursday to have won by a landslide, the BBC reported.


SCH shareholders approve Abbey National takeover (AFP)

AFP - Shareholders of Spain's largest bank, Banco Santander Central (SCH), overwhelmingly approved the 8.5-billion-pound (12.3-billion-euro, 15.3-billion-dollar) takeover of British mortgage bank Abbey National.


Column: M A Rankings Under Scrutiny

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investment banks are in the midst of  the annual fight for bragging rights as the biggest dealmakers  of the year, but this time the rankings -- a key factor in  winning new business -- are under intense scrutiny.


Grand Jury Probes AIG, S P Cuts Marsh

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The storm over the U.S. insurance  industry took a new turn Thursday when American International  Group Inc. AIG.N said a federal grand jury is investigating  products it sold that companies might have used to massage  earnings.


Castro Breaks Knee in Public Fall

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban President Fidel Castro tripped and  fractured his left knee and right arm in a tumble captured on  live television, the government said on Thursday.


Fix-income deals hurt earnings at JPMorgan

NEW YORK JPMorgan Chase, the second-largest US bank, has surprised Wall Street with a sharp drop in third-quarter earnings. The bank, which reported the result on Wednesday, attributed the weaker performance to poor results in fixed-income trading.


Guidant Posts Higher 3Q Profits, Sales

Guidant Corp., a maker of cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, said Thursday that third-quarter earnings, excluding items, rose on slightly higher sales to beat Wall Street expectations.


Intel Bumps Speed Of Fastest Centrino

com. Intel on Wednesday added a faster Pentium M processor to its Centrino chip-set bundle for laptops. The Pentium M 765 runs at 2.1GHz, packs 2MB of Level 2 cache, and uses Intel #39;s power-saving technologies to extend battery life, said Intel.


UC Berkeley Hack Not Unusual, Analyst Says

in which the hacker gained access to the private information of 600,000 clients and workers in California #39;s In-Home Supportive Services program


Samsung Shows 5-Megapixel Camera Phone

Device will capture high-resolution still images and video--and it still makes phone calls. Samsung Electronics will begin selling a cell phone that includes a 5-megapixel digital camera, the company says.


U2 Get in Bed With Apple Mega-band and mega-corp forge <b>...</b>

Following the ubiquitous images of U2 gyrating to their new single  quot;Vertigo quot; in a TV spot for Apple #39;s iPod and iTunes, the band and the corporation are set to announce that they #39;ve partnered to release a special-edition iPod pre-loaded with U2 music this


AMERICAN GYMNIST PAUL HAMM WILL KEEP HIS GOLD MEDAL

The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland made that announcement today. Hamm received gold in the gymnastics all-around at the Athens Olympics.


Arsenal Football Club boss backs under-fire keeper

Arsenal Football Club boss Arsene Wenger has backed his under-fire keeper Jens Lehmann after a poor display in Europe. Speaking to Arsenal official website, Wenger said: When the goalkeeper concedes goals he gets criticised.


TV stations admonished for broadcasting porn star #39;s allegations <b>...</b>

Romania #39;s broadcasting watchdog admonished three television stations Thursday for broadcasting a porn star #39;s claim that she had sex with Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu and that the player had used cocaine in the past.


Scottish Claymores bite the dust

The NFL Europe League has pulled the plug on the Scottish Claymores in favour of another German team. The Claymores have been part of the NFLEL since 1995, posting an average attendance of 10,799.


Prince Harry scuffles with photographer

LONDON -- Britain #39;s Prince Harry was hit in the face with a camera during a scuffle with a photographer outside a London nightclub early Thursday, a royal official said.


China Inc. Quickly Raising Global Profile (AP)

AP - Never heard of Sanjiu? Bluestar? Baosteel? Minmetals? You soon might.


Julien Clement Takes Lead at Madrid Open (AP)

AP - Julien Clement of Switzerland shot a 7-under 64 Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Madrid Open.


Ancient Baby Bird Fossil Found in China (AP)

AP - The fossil of what may be one of the earliest baby birds has been found in northeast China.


IBM to manage customer relations for D B

Deal has Big Blue handling data acquisition and delivery, customer service, financial processes for business information provider.


IBM expands China research site in midmarket push

Big Blue adds "innovaton center" to its China Research Lab to develop technology catering to small and midsize businesses.


Grand theft intellectual property

Irony alert: Game publisher is furious over stolen copy of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," in which players steal lots of stuff.


Merger wounds JP Morgan

The sluggish bond market took a toll on another Wall Street behemoth, as JPMorgan Chase reported a 13per cent drop in third-quarter earnings, far worse than Wall Street analysts had expected.


Start-up airline orders 7E7s as part of \$3.8 billion deal

Primaris Airlines, a start-up US airline, plans to buy 20 7E7s and 20 737s, the Boeing Co. announced this morning. The deal still is being negotiated, Boeing said.


Analog Devices Lowers 4Q Outlook

Semiconductor maker Analog Devices Inc. lowered its outlook for the fiscal fourth quarter Thursday, citing weak demand in September and October.


Olympics: Hamm salutes triple victory from gymnastics controversy

WASHINGTON : American Paul Hamm was celebrating what he hailed as a  quot;third victory quot; after being told by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that he could keep the Olympic gold medal he won in the men #39;s all-around gymnastics event in Athens.


In quotes: Troop move reaction

The UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon says 850 British troops are to be sent to a US-controlled region of Iraq close to the capital.


Libya Welcomes 7 Italians It Had Expelled (AP)

AP - Seven Italians are preparing to return to Libya next month, invited by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi 34 years after they were expelled along with thousands of others from the former North African colony.


Start Spreading the News, New York Loses to Red Sox

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If New Yorkers were not already aware  their beloved Yankees had completed the worst post-season  collapse in Major League history, their media quickly reminded  them on Thursday.


Blue Chips Tumble, Caterpillar Weighs (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. blue-chip stocks slid lower on\Thursday, pulled down by industrial bellwether Caterpillar Inc.\, but technology shares remained higher after eBay Inc.\ posted strong earnings.


Pioneer to produce OLED phone screens next year

Effort is part of industrywide movement to bring the brighter, energy-efficient screens to the mass market.


'Grand Theft' of intellectual property


US economy losing momentum

A US economic barometer weakened for the fourth straight month in September as oil prices surged, showing a loss of momentum heading to 2005, the Conference Board said today.


Samsung To Release 5-Megapixel Phone

Samsung Electronics will begin selling a mobile phone equipped with a 5-megapixel figital camera to Korean customers. The multi-function phone stores almost 100 minutes of video, works as


Ebay Explodes to Twice Its Size

Executives at eBay apologized to frustrated customers who were frozen out of the online auction #39;s payment transaction service, which experienced at least five days of intermittent failures earlier this month.


Sharp Halts US Sales Of Zaurus PDA

Following in the footsteps of other electronic giants, Sharp has decided to discontinue sales of its Zaurus SL-6000 in the US market, although the company will continue to support current users in the United States.


Fossil feathers add weight to evolution theory

Chinese palaeontologists say they have found feathers on the fossilised legs of a primitive bird, which back controversial theories that birds descended from four-limbed dinosaurs.


Anthony cited for marijuana possession

Carmelo Anthony was cited for marijuana possession before getting on a team flight last week, but the Denver Nuggets #39; star says the drug was left in his backpack by a friend.


Souness won #39;t  #39;give up #39; on Bellamy

Newcastle manager Graeme Souness has accepted Craig Bellamy #39;s apology after their training ground bust-up - but warned the striker he has to play by his rules.


State Department Mum on Castro's Health (AP)

AP - The Bush administration chose Thursday to urge change in Fidel Castro's Cuba rather than speculate on the health of its aging leader.


UK agrees to US request to redeploy British troops inIraq

British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told the British Parliament on Thursday that the government has agreed to a US request to redeploy British troops in Iraq to relieve American forces.


EU proposes narrowing Buttiglione duties

The incoming European Commission president has proposed redefining the duties of controversial conservative justice commissioner Rocco Buttiglione.


African Union Expands Peacekeeping Role in Sudan

The African Union has agreed to expand its peacekeeping force in Sudan #39;s Darfur region. The move comes as the Sudanese government begins peace talks in Abuja, Nigeria, with Darfur #39;s two rebels groups.


Myanmar Official: Democracy Plans on Track (AP)

AP - Military-ruled Myanmar will stick to its plans for gradual democratization despite the abrupt appointment of a new prime minister believed to hold a hard line in dealing with the country's political reform movement, Foreign Minister Nyan Win said Thursday.


US jobless claims down to lowest level in about two months

The number of new people claiming for jobless benefits in the United States declined sharply last week, a sign that the recovery in the US labor marketmay be strengthening.


Sanofi-Aventis Sales Up 10.7 Percent

Sanofi-Aventis SA on Thursday said revenue rose 10.7 percent in the third quarter, as the company posted its first results since its creation from a tie-up between two French drug makers.


Intel Announces Latest Mobile Chip

Intel has announced the latest version of its Centrino mobile processor family, the Pentium M 765, which offers 2 MB of Level 2 cache and a 400-MHz system bus.


These services search beyond the Internet

For years, the competition in the search business has focused on finding things on the Web quickly and accurately. And Google has been widely perceived as the winner.


Ancient baby bird fossil found in China

WASHINGTON -- The fossil of what may be one of the earliest baby birds has been found in northeast China. The fossil, estimated at 121 million years old, is curled up as though still in its shell.


Husband of CARE worker pleads for her release

BAGHDAD - Tahseen Ali Hassan pleaded with kidnappers Thursday to release his wife, the director of the aid agency CARE International in Iraq.


Scuffle feeds Harry #39;s party boy image

Prince Harry has long been known as the wilder of Prince Charles #39; and the late Princess Diana #39;s two handsome sons, smoking marijuana, drinking while still underage and frequenting London #39;s trendiest nightclubs.


French Prime Minister expresses concern about loss of passenger <b>...</b>

PARIS The French prime minister has expressed concern about the loss of a bag containing explosives at Paris #39; main airport. The bag containing plastic explosives disappeared during a dog training exercise at Charles de Gaulle airport on Friday.


Ebay Explodes to Twice Its Size

Despite technical setbacks, the online business is stronger than ever Also: Kazaa loses its foothold as most popular music download site   hellip;. Sharp electronics moves away from U.S. market   hellip;. and more.


Xerox Profit Rises on Printer Sales

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Xerox Corp. XRX.N on Thursday said  third-quarter net income rose 39 percent as it cut costs and  the sales of its more-profitable color digital printers  improved.


Feathered embryo found in China

A 121 million-year-old baby bird,  fossilized while still curled in its egg, has been found in China.


Global Exchange to buy IBM services units

B2B e-commerce specialist Global Exchange Services agrees to buy IBMs Electronic Data Interchange and Business Exchange Services divisions.


IBM gives grants to universities

IBM Research will underwrite 20 research projects with grants under its Shared University Research Program.


Nanoparticles for energy, explosions

Aluminum, the stuff of cans, explodes in its nano form. A small start-up has decided to harness that property.


EU Presidency Warns Nations on Deficits (AP)

AP - The European Union on Thursday warned four countries  #151; Germany, Italy, Portugal and Greece  #151; that they risked violating budget rules next year if they do not further cut deficits.


FACTBOX-Lawsuits Surround U.S. Election Before It Starts (Reuters)

Reuters - Political parties and civil rights\activists have brought a wealth of lawsuits on voting issues\before the Nov. 2 U.S. presidential election even gets under\way.


US Air Pilots OK 18 Percent Pay Cut

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The pilots union at US Airways Group  Inc. AIR.N on Thursday approved a \$300 million concession  package, including pay cuts of 18 percent, to help the ailing  carrier survive its second bankruptcy in two years.


Hershey Profit Up, to Sell Cookies (Reuters)

Reuters - Chocolate maker Hershey Foods Corp.\ on Thursday posted a higher-than-expected 16 percent\rise in quarterly profit and said it will get into the cookie\business.


Rogge Presses Berlusconi Over Turin Games

IOC President Jacques Rogge pressed Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi to encourage fund-raising and public awareness ahead of the 2006 Turin Olympics.


Bears' Ogunleye Has Tear in Ankle Ligament (AP)

AP - Chicago Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye has a small tear in the ligament of his right ankle and won't play Sunday against Tampa Bay.


Karzai victory almost sealed, opposition awaits inquiry (AFP)

AFP - With more than half the ballots in Afghanistan's presidential election counted and outright triumph virtually assured for incumbent Hamid Karzai, attention turned to when the winner can be declared and how the losers will react.


Viacom, Disney Settle with FCC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Children's cable TV channels owned  by Viacom Inc. VIAb.N and Disney Corp. DIS.N have agreed to  settle allegations they violated federal advertising  restrictions for children's programing, U.S. regulators said on  Thursday.


Abbey deal wins Spanish approval

Shareholders in Spain's Banco Santander Central Hispano approve the takeover of UK bank Abbey.


Insurgents Kill 20 Iraqis as Violence Surges for Third Day

Armed insurgents opened fire on a bus full of civilians and drove a car bomb into a national guard checkpoint in northern Iraq this morning, killing 20 Iraqis in the latest


Stewart: Appeal Claims She Was Victim Of Unfair Trial

And justice for all: Martha Stewart #39;s legal defense team requested that a federal appeals court overturn her conviction for lying to federal investigators regarding the sale of her ImClone Systems (nasdaq: IMCL - news - people ) stock in 2001.


Vegas-based Primaris in deal with Boeing

A Las Vegas-based startup air carrier plans to be the US launch customer for Boeing Co. #39;s new 7E7  quot;Dreamliner quot; twin-engine jet.


F-Zero Climax Playtest

October 21, 2004 - While Nintendo #39;s home consoles tend to see only one (or at most two) versions of the company #39;s most famous franchises, Game Boy Advance is different.


Start Spreading the News, New York Loses to Red Sox

If New Yorkers were not already aware their beloved Yankees had completed the worst post-season collapse in Major League history, their media quickly reminded them on Thursday.


Turkey Corrects Its Corruption Report

Turkey #39;s downward trend on the Corruption Perceptions Index over the last four years has stopped. Its grade rose from 3.1 to 3.2 this year.


Qwest Confirms \$250 Million Settlement with SEC

Qwest neither admitted nor denied guilt, but in accordance with the judgment promised not to violate federal securities laws in the future.


Viacom, Disney Settle with FCC

Children #39;s cable TV channels owned by Viacom Inc. (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Disney Corp. (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) have agreed to settle allegations they violated


Mortgage rates hit 6-month low

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Long-term mortgage rates fell again this week to the lowest level in six months, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.


Caesars Profit Rises, But Outlook Lags

Caesars Entertainment Inc.(CZR.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter profit as Las Vegas hotels filled up and Atlantic City properties squeaked out a profit that was unexpected by the company.


Rockstar Games and Interscope Records Reveal Grand Theft Auto: San <b>...</b>

With the game set in the early 1990 #39;s, the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack will feature a large variety of tracks spanning the FM radio dial of the West Coast during this particularly influential period in American music and culture.


Ballmer: We need a \$100 PC

com October 20, 2004, 9:00 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Holiday Online Sales Growth To Slow This Year (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Retailers that saw impressive growth in year-over-year online sales during last year's holiday season should not look for the same results this year, according to estimates by Forrester Research.


ONeill stays positive after severe Champions League defeat

GLASGOW, Oct 21 (SW) - Celtic manager martin ONeill remained positive and hopeful after last nights 3-0 defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk, admitting everything was still possible.


Samsung To Release 5-Megapixel Phone (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Korean-based Samsung Electronics announced Wednesday that it will sell a new multifunction mobile phone, the SCH-S250, equipped with a 5-megapixel digital camera. The new phone will be available to Korean customers later this month.


Intel Announces Latest Mobile Chip (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Intel announced Wednesday the latest member of its Centrino mobile processor family, the Pentium M 765 chip. The 765 now is the company's flagship mobile processor for consumer and business notebooks, according to IDC analyst Alan Promisel.


Aristide Denies Ties to Violence in Haiti and Calls for Dialogue

The exiled former president of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, angrily denied accusations on Wednesday that he was fomenting violence in his homeland and accused Haiti #39;s interim leader of brutally suppressing dissent.


Sales Force Automation Back in the Spotlight (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - In the hype of the CRM boom a few years ago, \sales force automation software seemed largely forgotten. Though not quite a dinosaur, it certainly was not a hot topic.


Experts Calculate Risk of Uncontrolled Hubble Re-entry (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - If NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (HST) fireballs into Earth's atmosphere on its own, the reentry of that massive orbiting observatory violates the space agency's own safety standard.


Summary: Nations' Ecological 'Footprints' (AP)

AP - The 10 nations with the largest "ecological footprint," according to a study by the conservation organization WWF.


Life, the Universe and Everything: How Astronomy Addresses the Big Questions (SPACE.com)

SPACE.com - There are some questions \  that have curdled the brains of hominids ever since they developed the power \  to ponder. Questions like  quot;what is the nature of evil? quot; or  quot;what \  caused the Cambrian explosion? quot; not to mention Freud's famous stumper, \   quot;what does a woman want? quot;


Castro 'All in One Piece' After Fall

HAVANA (AP) -- Cuban President Fidel Castro tripped on a step and tumbled to the ground after leaving the stage at a graduation ceremony, fracturing a knee and arm but quickly returning to say that he was all in one piece.''.


Venus Williams Edges Teenager at Zurich

Former champion Venus Williams was pushed to two tiebreakers over two hours by 16-year-old qualifier Ana Ivanovic of Serbia-Montenegro before reaching the Swisscom Challenge quarterfinals Thursday.


Update 6: Qwest to Pay \$250M to Settle SEC Charges

Qwest Communications International Inc., the regional telecommunications company, agreed Thursday to pay \$250 million to settle allegations that it engaged in  quot;massive financial fraud quot; by improperly booking \$3.


US leading indicator slides again

The US Index of Leading Economic Indicators, a key gauge of where the nation #39;s economy is headed, fell for the fourth time in a row last month, according to a report Thursday.


Alaska Air Posts Quarterly Profit

Alaska Air Group, the parent of Alaska Airlines, on Thursday reported a quarterly profit, even as high fuel prices cut into earnings at rival carriers.


Intel Debuts M 765, the Newest Centrino Chip

The M 765 is made using Intel #39;s newest 90 nm process. It will begin shipping immediately in Centrino-based consumer and business devices.


US hard line on cloning back at UN

The United States was set to bring its call for a total ban on human cloning back to the UN on Thursday as the world community again struggled for consensus on the divisive issue.


Grand theft intellectual property

com October 21, 2004, 10:50 AM PT. A stolen copy of the latest sequel in one of the top-selling video game series of all time began circulating on the Web late Wednesday, the second high-profile game theft in a week.


XP SP2 Downloads Surpass 100M Mark

Two months after the heavily hyped release of Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), the company has exceeded its delivery projections for individual users and small businesses.


Astros' Beltran Gets Chance to Shine (AP)

AP - Carlos Beltran was a star long before he joined the Houston Astros. He was smacking homers and scoring runs for awful teams in Kansas City for years. His glove dazzled minor league scouts in Wilmington and Wichita before that. And his speed was evident even as a schoolboy in Puerto Rico. Still, this postseason has provided a showcase for Beltran unlike any other.


Ecclestone gets tough with Silverstone (AFP)

AFP - The race to save the British Grand Prix descended into acrimony with Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone issuing a libel writ against Jackie Stewart.


Wall St. Week Ahead: the Tax Man May Bite

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks may come under pressure this  week as investors sell shares at year's end to prepare for tax  season. But crude oil prices, earnings outlooks and moves in  the dollar will also be closely watched.


Marino, Young Nominated for Hall of Fame (AP)

AP - Quarterbacks Dan Marino and Steve Young and wide receiver Michael Irvin are among nine first-time nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.


With Yankees Slain, 'Miracle' Sox Eye Bigger Demon

BOSTON (Reuters) - "Miracle Workers." So proclaimed The  Boston Globe on Thursday after the Red Sox -- baseball's  perennial also-rans -- finally brought down the "Evil Empire,"  taking a giant step toward their first World Series title in 86  years by ousting the New York Yankees in dramatic fashion.


Connecticut Begins Insurance Probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Connecticut has issued 35 subpoenas in  recent days to insurance companies and brokers doing business  in the state, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said on  Thursday.


Business Flying Seen Up 10 Pct in 2005

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Business travel by air is likely to  increase by about 10 percent in 2005 after an initial recovery  in 2004 but the uptick is seen aiding mainly low-cost carriers,  a U.S. industry survey released on Thursday found.


Excess Chip Stockpiles Surge Above \$1 Bln -ISuppli

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Surplus stockpiles of  semiconductors ballooned 38 percent to \$1.1 billion in the  third quarter, according to preliminary estimates by market  research firm iSuppli.


Connecticut Begins Insurance Probe (Reuters)

Reuters - Connecticut has issued 35 subpoenas in\recent days to insurance companies and brokers doing business\in the state, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said on\Thursday.


With Yankees Slain, 'Miracle' Sox Eye Bigger Demon (Reuters)

Reuters - "Miracle Workers." So proclaimed The\Boston Globe on Thursday after the Red Sox -- baseball's\perennial also-rans -- finally brought down the "Evil Empire,"\taking a giant step toward their first World Series title in 86\years by ousting the New York Yankees in dramatic fashion.


Briefly: IBM gives grants to universities

roundup Plus: Sun expands pay-as-you go supercomputing...SGI works on Linux performance software...Good Technology supported by HP, Samsung.


Western investors eye Russia's wireless market

Rapid growth of the country's cell phone market has companies dreaming of a speed-dial to success. But the risks are high.\


Apple warns of store shut-off for older iTunes

If you've been clicking "remind me later" for those pesky update windows, Apple's closing its music store to you.


First Look: Big Sound for Small Spaces

Niro 400 package offers easy setup and good audio, but falls short on surround sound.


Consent decrees hit Viacom for \$1 mil, Disney for \$500K

Federal regulators reached consent decrees with Viacom and Disney on Thursday for violating the rules limiting the amount and type of commercials the networks aired on children #39;s #39; TV shows.


Martha Stewart #39;s Lawyers File Appeal

NEW YORK -- Lawyers for Martha Stewart have told a federal appeals court that she suffered a  quot;fundamentally unfair quot; trial at the hands of prosecutors who incorrectly suggested she was accused of insider trading.


Central bank vague on future rate hikes, BMO bullish on economy

The Bank of Canada remained vague Thursday about how quickly interest rates will continue to rise, while a separate report suggested the economy is poised to enjoy strong gains in the year ahead.


Islamic Group Alleges Abuse of French Law (AP)

AP - A powerful Islamic organization alleged Thursday that officials were abusing a new law banning religious symbols from schools by expelling Muslim girls who were wearing printed bandannas  #151; not Islamic head scarves.


Egypt FM, intelligence chief to visit Israel next month (AFP)

AFP - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit announced that he and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman intend to visit Israel next month to discuss bilateral issues as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


Jobless, Factory Index Signal Growth

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A drop in U.S. jobless claims in the  latest week and an upward spurt in a regional manufacturing  index signaled continued growth for the U.S. economy at the  start of the fourth quarter.


AT T Posts \$7.1 Billion Loss

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. T.N, the No. 3 U.S.  telephone company, on Thursday reported a \$7.1 billion  third-quarter loss due to \$12.5 billion in charges for cutting  asset values and jobs as it retreats from consumer services.


Annan Backs Stem Cell Studies, Differs with Bush

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday endorsed scientific studies that involve the cloning of human embryos, differing with the Bush administration #39;s push for a treaty to ban such research.


NEC SX-8 takes supercomputing crown

Not content with being the top of the top 500 with its Earth Simulator, NEC has surpassed itself with its new creation - the SX-8.


Shaggy band of ballplayers winks at the impossible

In the wee hours of last Sunday morning, when the nation #39;s collective clicker had long since abandoned the Yankees-Red Sox debacle


Hamm Gets to Keep Gold Medal

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The last battle of the Athens Summer Olympics is over. The dispute over who won the men #39;s all-around gymnastics Gold Medal has been resolved, at least officially.


Is This the Week Patriots #39; Streak Ends?

Is This the Week the Patriots #39; Streak Ends? New England Favored by 6 1/2 Points Over Jets. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, center, is sandwiched in a sack by New York Jets linebacker Sam Cowart


Alaska Air Group profit up 51 percent

Alaska Air Group Inc. posted third-quarter net income of \$79.2 million, or \$2.94 per share, which compares with \$40.7 million, or \$1.


British troops shift at US request

Heavily armored, elite British troops will move closer to Baghdad, allowing US forces to redeploy and ratchet up operations against militants in Falluja and other rebellion-stoked cities.


Federal Grand Jury Probes AIG

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal grand jury is investigating  products American International Group Inc. sold that companies  might have used to make their earnings look better, AIG, the  world's largest insurer by market value, said on Thursday.


'Israeli raid kills two in Gaza'

An Israeli aircraft fires a missile at a vehicle in the Gaza Strip, killing two people, Palestinian officials say.


AMD targets developing world with low-cost PC

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. next week plans to unveil a sub-\$300 PC for the developing world as the company tries to get a jump on a potentially enormous market.


Older iTunes versions being shut out, Apple warns

If you've been clicking "remind me later" for those update windows, Apple's closing its music store to you.


Qwest to Pay \$250 Mln to Settle SEC Fraud Charges (Update2)

Qwest Communications International Inc., the fourth-largest US local-telephone provider, agreed to pay \$250 million to settle US Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that it


UPDATE 3-AT amp;T posts \$7.1 bln loss on writedown, job cuts

AT amp;T Corp. (TN: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 3 US telephone company, on Thursday reported a \$7.1 billion third-quarter loss due to \$12.


Intel #39;s Centrino Gets Speed Tweak

Yesterday, Intel took the wraps off of a speedier version of its Pentium M, the heart of the company #39;s wireless notebook platform for unwired professionals, aka Centrino.


Group Warns on Consumption of Resources

GENEVA Oct 21, 2004 - Humanity #39;s reliance on fossil fuels, the spread of cities, the destruction of natural habitats for farmland and over-exploitation of the oceans are destroying Earth #39;s ability to sustain life, the environmental group WWF warned in a


Grand theft intellectual property

A stolen copy of the latest sequel in one of the top-selling video game series of all time began circulating on the Web late Wednesday, the second high-profile game theft in a week.


Button confident of 2005 chances

Jenson Button says he can thrive with BAR in 2005 despite his bitter contract dispute with the Formula One team. Button agreed to join Williams next season but was told he must stay with BAR by the contract recognition board.


News / What The Papers Say

Ruud van Nistelrooy could still face a UEFA ban after his alleged elbow on Sparta Prague defender Pavel Pergl. The United striker thought he had escaped when the referee cleared him of misconduct in Tuesdays game.


Afghanistan close to finishing vote count; Karzai in lead

US-backed interim leader Hamid Karzai was nearing victory in Afghanistans presidential vote, election officials said, as the number of ballots counted passed the half way mark.


Update 6: Insurance Broker Fee Probe Expands

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has broadened his probe into insurance brokerage fees to include life and health insurance company practices.


Update 1: Merck, Lilly Struggle on Recall, Poor Sales

Merck  amp; Co. profits plunged in the third quarter in the wake of the recall of its Vioxx arthritis drug and Eli Lilly  amp; Co.


Rates up another quarter-point

OTTAWA - Interest rates are up and are likely going higher but don #39;t lock in that variable-rate mortgage, experts advised Tuesday after the Bank of Canada raised interest rates a further quarter-point.


British takeover of Spanish bank approved

Santander, Spain - Shareholders of Spain #39;s largest bank, Banco Santander Central, on Thursday approved the 8,5-billion takeover of British mortgage bank Abbey National.


Darfur peace talks delayed

troops to monitor renewed fighting in Darfur, where 1.5 million people have been driven from their homes. Ethiopia and Chad to the talks in the Nigerian capital, which analysts say have little chance of success.


Pictures of Lilly

I wish I weren #39;t old enough to remember the old Who classic,  quot;Pictures of Lily, quot; and I #39;m sure the management at Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) would like to forget the last few weeks.


Vauxhall reveals big losses and cuts 340 UK staff

VAUXHALL lost more than 115 million last year, twice as much as it lost the previous year. The company blamed the competitive car market.


Wedgwood woos Royal Doulton

TWO of the greatest names in the British china industry look set to merge after Waterford Wedgwood said it is in talks to take over Royal Doulton, the ailing Stokeon-Trent porcelain maker.


Microsoft distributes XP security update

Microsoft says it has distributed about 106 million copies of its major security update for the Windows XP operating system. Microsoft completed work on the update


GTA: San Andreas Leaked

The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. It #39;s like a free ride when you #39;ve already paid.


Microsoft #39;s CEO Steve Ballmer: We need a \$100 PC

What #39;s one of Steve Ballmer #39;s biggest headaches? It #39;s not Linux or security breaches. It #39;s piracy, the Microsoft CEO said Wednesday.


Red Sox stages baseball #39;s greatest comeback

NEW YORKJust three outs from getting swept out of the American League championship series three nights earlier, the Red Sox finally humbled the dreaded Yankees, winning Game Seven in a 10-3 shocker on Wednesday night to become the first major league


Ecclestone gets tough with Silverstone

LONDON (AFP) - The race to save the British Grand Prix descended into acrimony with Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone issuing a libel writ against Jackie Stewart.


Karzai nears victory in Afghan election as vote count proceeds

Interim leader Hamid Karzai nudged closer to victory in Afghanistan #39;s landmark presidential poll with nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, officials said Thursday.


Grand Jury Probes A.I.G.

American International Group said a federal grand jury is investigating products it sold that companies might have used to massage earnings.


Amazon Posts Higher Quarterly Profit (Reuters)

Reuters - Online retailer Amazon.com Inc\ on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit, fueled\by strong international sales and its free shipping offer.


Bills Extend Defensive Coordinator's Deal (AP)

AP - Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray signed a contract extension with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.


Woman Hurt in Red Sox Celebration Dies (AP)

AP - A college student died Thursday of a head injury suffered in a clash between police officers and a crowd of Red Sox fans who poured into the streets outside Fenway Park to celebrate their team's victory over the New York Yankees.


Agassi Wins in Straight Sets in Madrid (AP)

AP - Andre Agassi breezed past fellow American Vince Spadea 6-1, 6-3 Thursday night to reach the quarterfinals in the Madrid Masters.


Amazon Posts Higher Quarterly Profit

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Online retailer Amazon.com Inc  AMZN.O on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit, fueled  by strong international sales and its free shipping offer.


Nasdaq Ends Up, Dow Slips

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The tech-driven Nasdaq Composite Index  got a 1 percent boost on Thursday on gains in the semiconductor  sector, but the blue-chip Dow ended down slightly after  Caterpillar Inc. CAT.N warned about higher steel prices and  other costs.


Oil Near Peaks on Winter Supply Worries

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices held near record peaks on  Thursday after a larger-than-expected decline in heating fuels  in the United States heightened fears of a winter supply  crunch.


Gilead Sciences 3rd Quarter Profit Rises

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc. GILD.O on  Thursday reported higher quarterly net profit on increased  sales of its HIV drugs.


Treasuries Lower, Oil Worries Limit Slide

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices eased on  Thursday but a warning on oil from a top Federal Reserve  official moderated the downward tug from strong regional  manufacturing figures.


Brits, French, Germans give Iran 'last chance'

In Terrorism and Security daily update: Europeans offer nuclear technology if Tehran ends uranium enrichment efforts.


Insurance industry probe goes coast-to-coast

The investigation of insurance industry practices launched by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer isn #39;t just spreading to include more insurers, it has set off a frenzy of scrutiny nationwide, from California to Connecticut.


Walkout Ends for GM Workers

10/21/04- The assembly line began is rolling again at a General Motors plant in western Germany. More than two-thirds of the workers there have decided to end a 6-day walkout protesting the threat of job cuts.


Caesars Profit Up on Vegas Hotel Business

Caesars Entertainment Inc. on Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter profit as Las Vegas hotels filled up and Atlantic City properties squeaked out a profit that was unexpected by the company.


Stewart, from prison, seeks to have conviction overturned

NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart, trying to clear her tarnished name even as she serves a prison term, claims in her appeal that her trial was tainted by  quot;a barrage quot; of unfair suggestions that she was charged with insider trading.


Sharp Retreats From US PDA Market

com. In a retreat from the US PDA market, where it once was a dominant player, Sharp Electronics reported Wednesday that it is cutting back on its PDA offerings in the US retail market.


Cubs Hire Speier As New Third-Base Coach (AP)

AP - Former All-Star shortstop Chris Speier was hired by the Chicago Cubs as their third-base coach Thursday.


BOMBERS FANS LEFT CURSING FATE

Shooed the ghosts of the Bambino and the Iron Horse and the Yankee Clipper and the Mighty Mick, on his 73rd birthday, no less, and turned Yankee Stadium into a morgue.


Clement surprise leader at Madrid Open, Montgomerie four back

Switzerland #39;s Julien Clement is the surprise leader of the Madrid Open golf tournament after carding a 7-under-par 64 on Thursday.


Israel Missile Strike Kills Hamas Leader (AP)

AP - An Israeli aircraft fired two missiles at a vehicle traveling in the Gaza Strip late Thursday, killing two people including a senior Hamas member at the top of Israel's most-wanted list, a spokesman for the militant group said.


Harry scuffles with photographer

AP - Prince Harry scuffled with a paparazzi photographer outside a nightclub early Thursday, further feeding his growing public image as a rebellious party boy.


Sharon appears to have majority for parliament vote on Gaza <b>...</b>

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appeared to have locked up enough support Thursday to win a coming parliamentary vote on his Gaza withdrawal plan despite deepening fissures within the ruling Likud Party.


Latest Linux Vulnerabilities Get Patches (Ziff Davis)

Ziff Davis - Graphics library and kernel functions are open to attack, but the current Linux kernel addresses the problems.


Microsoft Profit, Revenue Rises (Reuters)

Reuters - Microsoft Corp. , the world's\largest software maker, on Thursday said its first quarter\profit climbed as personal computer sales and business demand\fueled higher sales.