F.D.A. Defends Its Handling of Vioxx Safety Issues

Amid questions about whether the drug Vioxx was taken off the market soon enough, Senator Charles Grassley called for more safety precautions.


Yahoo, SBC Expand Internet Deal to Video, Wireless (Reuters)

Reuters - Yahoo Inc.  and SBC\Communications Inc.  have expanded an alliance to link\Internet, video, wireless and home networking services, the\companies said on Thursday.


Global Experts Unite to Study Water Shortages (Reuters)

Reuters - Seventy percent of global water usage is taken up by\agriculture and using water efficiently is seen as key in\preventing serious shortages, with experts studying river\basins across the world for clues to boost food production.


Russia Ratifies Kyoto, Starts on Feb 16 (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia formally ratified the Kyoto\Protocol on global warming on Thursday, clearing the way for\the environment pact to come into force in February 2005.


Casey Overcomes Demons to Give England Solid Start

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - England's Paul Casey fought off  the demons of regret to help steer his team to within a stroke  of the WGC World Cup first round lead Thursday.


Sweden Readies for Space Rocket Launch (AP)

AP - Swedish Space Corp. workers on Thursday carried out final preparations on a rocket carrying weightlessness experiments that is due to be launched next week.


NOAA U.S. Winter Weather Forecast: Mixed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Affected by a weak El Nino, winter  weather in the United States will be warmer in the West and  cooler and wetter in the South and Southeast, forecasters  predicted Thursday.


One Woman, Uh-Huh, but So Many Guises

Whoopi Goldberg's intermittently funny but sluggish evening of comic portraiture is a show in desperate need of a stringent theatrical intelligence.


Egypt Demands Israel Explain Killing of 3 Policemen

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt protested angrily to Israel on  Thursday and demanded a full explanation for what it called  irresponsible Israeli conduct after an Israeli tank crew killed  three Egyptian policemen at the Egyptian-Gaza border.


EADS quells Thales merger talk

European aerospace firm EADS quashes speculation it was poised to take over the French defence electronics firm Thales.


Redskins' Taylor Cleared in Spit Incident (AP)

AP - The NFL will not fine Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor after looking into allegations that a Cincinnati player was spit on during Sunday's game.


Merger excites Kmart staff

Accustomed to the uncertainty that has dominated their jobs in recent years, local Kmart workers seemed almost relieved by Wednesday #39;s announcement of a merger with Sears, Roebuck and Co.


FDA defends its actions on Vioxx safety

WASHINGTON - Congress is looking into whether the Food and Drug Administration shirked its duty by ignoring safety concerns about Vioxx raised by its own reviewers and outside scientists.


UPDATE 1-Gold-backed security lists on NYSE, then slips

A new gold-backed security named streetTRACKS Gold Shares made a much-hyped debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, aimed a attracting the investment capital that helped lift the bullion price to a 16-year high


Irish Government To Probe Alleged EUR1B Tax Scam

DUBLIN (Dow Jones)--The Irish government will next year begin an investigation into an alleged EUR1 billion tax evasion scam in the insurance industry, the chairman of the Revenue Commissioners said Thursday.


MPAA files first suits against movie file-swappers

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has announced that it has begun filing lawsuits against people who use peer-to-peer (P2P) software to trade movie files without permission over the internet.


Apple confirms two additional UK stores at preview event

UK to gain two more Apple retail stores in early 2005, company officials confirmed on Thursday afternoon. Two days before officially opening the doors to its new retail store on Regent Street in London, Apple


Microsoft, Dassault Form Strategic Alliance

In a joint statement, Microsoft and Dassault said using the Microsoft platform will cut ownership and integration costs of using the Dassault software, widening the potential customer base.


Transport ship fails to raise ISS to designated orbit.

MOSCOW, November 17 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian transport ship Progress failed to raise the International Space Station to the designated orbit on Wednesday.


#39;Halo 2 #39; a must-have for casual, hard-core gamers alike

There #39;s a balance to making a sequel to a successful video or computer game. The developer, at the very least, is expected to match the quality of the first game.


Racially Offensive Search Terms To Be Banned By EBay

Internet auction house eBay has announced that they will be taking preventative action against users searching for racially sensitive items.


Racist chants

BRITISH Sports Minister Richard Caborn has hit out at the racist abuse suffered by black England players during their friendly match.


Cricket: Oram and Sinclair overcome blunders

New Zealand #39;s bid to rescue the first test against Australia has started a shade sooner than expected. Given little chance of upsetting the world champions, New Zealand were living up to their


Blair and Chirac pledge unity

Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac today promised to work together on restoring stability in the Middle East while drawing a line under their past differences over the war in Iraq.


SBC, Yahoo! Expand Multimedia Services (AP)

AP - SBC Communications Inc. and Yahoo! Inc. are expanding their partnership in high-speed Internet access to make news, entertainment and other services available not just on computers but also on cell phones, televisions and other devices.


Commander: Iraq Insurgents Killed American (AP)

AP - Insurgent forces in Fallujah attacked U.S. Marines and Iraqi government forces from a house inside the city Thursday, killing one Marine and one Iraqi soldier, a Marine commander said.


Bloodshed in N.Iraq, Govt. Hails Falluja 'Success'

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Guerrillas in Mosul attacked the  governor's office of Iraq's third city on Thursday and there  was bloodshed elsewhere in the north as U.S. forces wound down  their offensive against the shattered rebel stronghold of  Falluja.


Shoppers give Sears, Kmart merger mixed reviews

TRAVERSE CITY - Word of the merger between retail giants Sears and Kmart struck some local shoppers like an out-of-the-blue-light special - while others found it as exciting as a 25-cent rebate.


Dollar posted a new record low

Dollar fell to an all-time low of \$1.3068 against euro on Wednesday. Against yen, it slipped to 103.66, the lowest level since April 1. Market analysts contemplate the possibility of dollar-euro exchange rate reaching \$1.35 and 100 yen within months.


FDA defends its handling of Vioxx safety

Amid questions about whether the arthritis drug Vioxx was taken off the market soon enough, a key senator suggested Friday that an independent board of drug safety might


BT wins reprieve on break-up

BT has won a reprieve after telecoms regulator Ofcom backed away from demanding the former state telecom monopoly #39;s break-up, calling instead for it to offer rivals equal access to its network.


Duffield: Oracle #39;s skewing facts on stock sales

At the 11th hour for Oracle #39;s latest tender offer for PeopleSoft, the battle between companies continues to escalate. PeopleSoft founder and Chief Executive David Duffield on Thursday accused Oracle of issuing


Intel chief sees better global performance

NEW DELHI -- Intel Corp., the world #39;s largest computer chip maker, is expected to report higher revenue from global operations in the first half of 2005 than in the same period this year, chief executive Craig Barrett said.


ING Sells Insurance Unit to Prudential

ING Group NV will sell its Atlanta-based life insurance business to Britain #39;s Prudential PLC in a \$256.8 million deal designed to realign the Dutch financial services giant #39;s international operations.


Evening Gazette Our Say

The Royal Mail #39;s proud boast that it is making 1m a day profit will come as little consolation to those who feel the service is still poor.


Humans born to be endurance runners: anthropologists

LONDON - It #39;s our ability to run, not walk, that sets humans apart as the world #39;s dominant species, researchers say. According to an anatomical analysis by two US scientists, we #39;re built to run.


Microsoft Threatens Lawsuits Over Linux

Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Steve Ballmer on Thursday warned Asian governments that they could face intellectual rights-infringement lawsuits for using rival open-source operating platforms such as Linux.


Microsoft extends Overture ad contract

Yahoo #39;s Overture Services division has extended its deal to provide ad placement technology to Microsoft Web portal MSN.com, the companies said Thursday.


Klinsmann Seeks Confident Strikers

Germany coach Jrgen Klinsmann revealed that he has been working on the confidence of his strikers after Wednesday #39;s 3-0 success over Cameroon in Leipzig.


Time for US Moderation

THE KIDNAPPING and murder of foreigners in Iraq is continuing. Many of those kidnapped have been engineers or other support workers for the coalition forces.


Middle East Approaches That Won #39;t Work

Brent Scowcroft #39;s Nov. 12 op-ed column,  quot;A Middle East Opening, quot; was a reminder of the Middle East policy that failed the first George Bush and his successor, Bill Clinton.


Egypt blasts shooting, requets probe

Egypt strongly condemned the killing of three of its policemen by Israeli tank fire Thursday, demanding an immediate investigation.


OPEC Projects Big Winter Oil Stockbuild

LONDON (Reuters) - The OPEC cartel on Thursday revised down  its expectations of oil demand growth for next year and  projected a rare big winter stockbuild if the group keeps  producing at current levels.


NEC, Panasonic jointly develop Linux-based platform for mobile phones (AFP)

AFP - Japanese electronics giants NEC Corp. and Panasonic Mobile Communications said they have jointly developed a Linux-based software platform which offers third-generation mobile phones-users more services on their handsets.


Leading Indicators Down for 5th Month

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A key forecasting gauge of future  U.S. economic activity fell for a fifth straight month in  October, a private research firm said on Thursday.


Hi-tech grandpas to offer support for Japan's small businesses run by elders (AFP)

AFP - A team of tech-savvy but patient experts in their 50s and 60s has been set up to offer consultancy for Japan's growing number of elderly small business owners on their computer needs, the Japanese arm of IBM said.


Pakistan Arrests Suspect in U.S. Consulate Blast (Reuters)

Reuters - Pakistani security forces have\arrested an Islamic militant suspected of involvement in a 2002\bomb attack on the U.S. consulate in Karachi in which 12\Pakistanis were killed, officials said on Thursday.


Commons advised not to waive privilege protecting key sponsorship witness (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The House of Commons should not waive the legal privilege that protects a key witness at the federal sponsorship inquiry, a panel of MPs recommended Thursday.


NOAA: Winter Weather Warmer in West, Cooler in East

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Winter weather in the United States,  affected by a weak El Nino, will be warmer in the West and  cooler and wetter in the South and Southeast, forecasters  predicted Thursday.


Microsoft's e-mail policy at issue in legal fight

Burst.com, a streaming-media firm suing Microsoft for patent infringement, alleges that Redmond axed e-mails crucial to the case.


Duffield:  Oracle's skewing facts on stock sales

PeopleSoft's CEO fires back at rival, saying it's wrong about his stock transactions. Both companies scramble ahead of Friday deadline.


Sprinters Charged With Dodging Drug Test (AP)

AP - Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou and their coach were charged Thursday with avoiding a drug test on the eve of the Athens Olympics and faking a motorcycle accident hours later.


For developers, it's not all fun and games

Employees at game software makers are speaking out about demanding hours, challenging companies to change their ways.<br /> Photo: Family time for former EA worker


Defense Seen As Key in Auburn-Alabama Game (AP)

AP - Alabama has the nation's top pass defense and ranks second overall. No team in major college football allows fewer points than No. 2 Auburn.


European gold peaks, eyeing weak dollar

Gold, benefiting from a weak dollar, peaked at \$444.60 an ounce in Europe on Wednesday, and traders said the metal could rise higher still.


Oil prices turn lower again as rally fades

LONDON, Nov 18 (AFP) - Oil prices continued their decline Thursday after a brief rally on the back of renewed concerns over heating oil stocks in the United States fizzled out.


Senator Says FDA Ignored Own Scientists on Vioxx

The Food and Drug Administration ignored danger signals from its own scientists about Merck and Co. Inc. #39;s Vioxx painkiller, Sen. Charles Grassley told a hearing Thursday into the drug #39;s withdrawal in September.


Google Warns on Revenue Growth

Google has warned that the rapid revenue growth it experienced in the third quarter may not continue in the fourth quarter and beyond.


Netflix ups forecast on price cuts

Online DVD rental company Netflix Inc. raised its subscriber and revenue forecasts for the fourth quarter, saying a price cut had helped draw new customers.


Pitney Bowes wins Bank of America mailing contract

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Mail and document management company Pitney Bowes Inc. said Thursday it has signed a \$112 million mailing services contract with banking giant Bank of America Corp.


Future of EU Patent Legislation in Doubt (AP)

AP - The future of controversial European Union legislation that would allow for some software patents was in doubt Thursday after the Polish government switched sides, saying the directive could hurt small and medium-sized businesses.


Microsoft Warns Asian Governments of Linux Lawsuits (Reuters)

Reuters - Microsoft Corp. warned Asian\governments on Thursday they could face patent lawsuits for\using the Linux operating system instead of its Windows\software.


Charming Shoppes Looking Better

If Lane Bryant continues to perform, the retailer's shares should continue their rise.


CRM Software's Glass Slipper

Custom CRM software developer Salesforce.com is still growing at warp speed, although it may take a natural dip in 2005.


Is Multimedia Games a Buy?

Multimedia Games might appear cheap, but most investors should stick to the bigger slot makers.


Philly Fed: Factories Slowed in November

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Factory activity in the U.S.  Mid-Atlantic region slowed in November, but held in positive  territory as the outlook for the future bounced back from  depressed levels, a survey showed on Thursday.


Yukos lawyer faces arrest warrant

Russian authorities pile the pressure on oil firm Yukos, arresting an official at its Moscow office and issuing an arrest warrant for the firm's leading lawyer.


U.S. Airlines' October Unit Revenue Declined

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A key measure of U.S. airline industry  revenue slipped more than expected in October, pressured by  excess capacity, weak demand and a lingering impact from  hurricanes in Florida, analysts said.


Greek Sprinters Charged Over Missed Test

ATHENS (Reuters) - Disgraced Greek sprinters Costas  Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were charged Thursday with missing  drugs tests on the eve of August's Athens Olympics and faking a  motorcycle accident.


EU Drafts UN Nuclear Resolution on Iran-Diplomats

VIENNA (Reuters) - France, Britain and Germany are drafting  a resolution on Iran for a key meeting of the U.N. nuclear  watchdog next week and Washington is pushing the trio to  include some tough language, diplomats said on Thursday.


Fisis ready to go!

Giancarlo Fisichella will test the Renault R24 for the first time next Wednesday, and hes raring to go!


Gates: Even Microsoft Master Is Plagued By  #39;Spam #39;

Think you get spam? Imagine having an Internet profile like Bill Gates. The Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) chairman gets millions of e-mails every day, according to Chief Executive Steve Ballmer.


Bill Gates Signs UNESCO Agreement

Microsoft has signed a pact to work with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to increase computer use, Internet access and teacher training in developing countries.


Future of EU patent legislation in doubt

The future of controversial European Union legislation that would allow for some software patents was in doubt Thursday after the Polish government switched sides, saying


Internet Life EBay Restricts Use of Racially Offensive Terms

EBay has given notice that from now on, racially offensive terms may be used only if they are part of a book, movie or other product title.


FIFA demand explanation from Spain

World soccer #39;s governing body will investigate the racial taunting of England #39;s black players by Spanish soccer fans during two international matches this week.


100m profit for London Olympics, but Paris favourite

London, Nov. 18 - London #39;s 2012 Olympic bid could make a profit of 100 million which would be ploughed back into grassroots sport, it emerged today, while a strong Paris bid launched yesterday, stressing


CONCACAF qualifying round-up

Panama, Costa Rica and Trinidad  amp; Tobago grabbed the last three final hexagonal places available on Wednesday as the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup came to a close.


US Women #39;s Soccer Under-19 Beats Spain

Jessica Rostedt, right, of the US fights for the ball with Zurine Gil Garacia of Spain during the first half of their U-19 Women #39;s World Cup Championship match at Surakul Stadium in Phuket, southern Thailand, Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004.


Controversy Again: Owens #39; ABC Spot Catches Heat

WR Terrell Owens found himself in the middle of yet another controversy this week. Owens agreed to a request by ABC to take part in a two-minute intro to the Eagles #39; Monday Night Football appearance against the Dallas Cowboys.


Rooney Urged to Control Aggression

David Beckham has joined forces with Sven-Goran Eriksson to warn Wayne Rooney that he must learn to channel his fiery aggression in the right manner.


World Bank Is Ready to Fund Projects

The World Bank is ready to fund development projects in Kashmir if that helps bring peace to the insurgency-wracked region, President James D. Wolfensohn said Thursday as he pledged US\$9 billion in aid to India over the next three years.


3 smugglers killed as tunnel collapsed

Three Palestinians were killed Thursday in the collapse of a tunnel they were digging on the border between Rafah in southern Gaza and Egypt.


Key Militant Suspect in Deadly US Consulate Bombing Arrested

Consulate in Karachi two years ago, but another key member of his network remains at large, a senior official said Thursday. Naveed-ul Hassan was detained Wednesday at a clothing shop he had been running for


Philly Fed: Factories Slowed in November (Reuters)

Reuters - Factory activity in the U.S.\Mid-Atlantic region slowed in November, but held in positive\territory as the outlook for the future bounced back from\depressed levels, a survey showed on Thursday.


Stage Stores 3Q Profit Dips, Meets Views

Specialty department store retailer Stage Stores Inc. on Thursday said its third-quarter results met Wall Street expectations, even though its profit dropped against a year-ago gain.


Blue Chips Gain, Led by Tobacco Stocks

US blue chips rose on Thursday, led by tobacco stocks, while technology share were under pressure by a warning from Applied Materials Inc.


Burma frees thousands from jail

Burma's military leaders release nearly 4,000 prisoners ruled to have been jailed using "irregular" means.


Microsoft Warns Asian Govts of Linux Lawsuits

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. warned Asian  governments on Thursday they could face patent lawsuits for  using the Linux operating system instead of its Windows  software.


Limited Brands Lifts Operating Profit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Limited Brands Inc. LTD.N on  Thursday reported higher quarterly operating profit as cost  controls and strong lingerie sales offset poor results at the  retailer's Express apparel stores.


Russia Arrests 2 in Deadly School Seizure (AP)

AP - Authorities have detained two residents of the southern province of Ingushetia on suspicion of being linked to terrorists who held more than 1,000 people hostage in a school in September, officials said Thursday.


Ex-Wal-Mart Exec Pleads Guilty to Kickback (AP)

AP - A former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executive pleaded guilty to taking a kickback from a supplier to the world's largest retailer.


Japan, China Try to Smooth Over Tensions (AP)

AP - Japanese and Chinese officials were trying to arrange a meeting between the leaders of their two countries on the sidelines of a weekend summit to try to calm rising tensions, authorities said.


Kmart purchase highlights struggle for once-huge Sears

Sears, Roebuck and Co. was once on top of the world, reveling in the popularity of its  quot;big book quot; catalog from company headquarters in the world #39;s tallest building.


Tom Hauck/Getty Images

1. Rapper Snoop Dogg attended practice Tuesday with No. 1 USC as a guest wide receiver. The Trojans were delighted by the star #39;s presence, as were a group of pee-wee football players watching practice that day.


Barrett sees better performance in  #39;05

Intel expects a much better performance in the first half of next year, CEO Craig Barrett said Thursday. In October, the bellwether for the technology sector reported a 15 percent rise in third-quarter earnings


Calpers Tenders 1.5 Mln PeopleSoft Shares to Oracle (Update2)

The California Public Employees #39; Retirement System, the largest US pension fund, tendered its PeopleSoft Inc. shares to Oracle Corp.


Microsoft #39;s Bill Gates gets millions of spam daily

If you didn #39;t think anybody else could possibly get any more spam than you, then think of Bill Gates. The Microsoft Corp. chairman receives 4 million pieces of e-mail per day, most of it junk, said Steve Ballmer, the company #39;s chief executive.


AOL to Release 9.0 Security Edition

The message coming from America Online could not be any clearer:  quot;We will keep our customers safe online. quot; Even though the market is awash with security software, AOL has stepped in for its members and delivered a fortified version of AOL 9.0, dubbed


London Apple Store Opens to Media

The store covers two floors on London #39;s upscale Regent Street. Apple said the store has the largest single sales floor of any Apple retail store and a 14-meter long Genius Bar with 20 stools.


Richardson backs UC lab bid

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is urging the University of California to stay in the competition to run three of the nation #39;s scientific laboratories.


OLYMPICS  #39;WILL MAKE 100m PROFIT #39;

More than 100million profit is expected to be made from staging the 2012 Olympic Games in London, it has been claimed. The estimate forms part of the London 2012 bid book handed into the International Olympic Committee on Monday.


Return of the Ol #39; Ball Coach

Any day now -- probably following his team #39;s regular-season finale Saturday against Clemson -- South Carolina coach Lou Holtz is expected to announce his retirement.


Hot Stove Truth  amp; Rumors: Nov. 18, 2004

No sooner had the Tigers introduced Troy Percival on Wednesday as their new closer than the subject turned to the next former Angel in whom the Tigers are interested -- Percival #39;s friend, Troy Glaus.


Start the party #39; _ Beaujolais Nouveau arrives in the US

The 2004 Beaujolais Nouveau is well-balanced,  quot;with aromas of raspberry and gooseberry, quot; vintner Franck Duboeuf said as he uncorked a few bottles at a Manhattan wine shop on Thursday.


House Starts Process to Raise Debt Limit (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. House of Representatives on\Thursday prepared to raise the nation's debt ceiling by  #36;800\billion, taking the new limit to  #36;8.184 trillion.


Union anger at SA telecoms deal

South African unions describe as "disgraceful" the use of public money to buy telecoms shares for former government officials.


Mid-Atlantic Factory Growth Slows in Nov.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Output growth at U.S. Mid-Atlantic  factories eased in November but still suggested the  manufacturing sector was operating at a healthy clip.


Security Council agrees on Sudan resolution as foes pledge imminent deal (AFP)

AFP - UN ambassadors agreed here unanimously on the text of a resolution aimed at restoring peace to war-ravaged Sudan, as the country's main foes promised to conclude talks on their 21-year-old conflict by the end of the year.


IMF chief counsels Putin on how to double Russia's growth (AFP)

AFP - IMF Director General Rodrigo Rato urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to limit state intervention in the economy and keep a close eye on inflation in order to meet his goal of doubling output by 2010.


Dollar Up from Fresh Lows Vs Euro

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar turned higher on Thursday  afternoon, rallying from all-time lows against the euro when  traders took profits in the euro zone currency ahead of a G20  finance ministers' meeting in Berlin this weekend.


Russia's Putin Defends Political Reforms

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said  Thursday he had no plans to grab more power or change the  constitution when reforming Russia's government structure,  dismissing fears in the West he is watering down democracy.


US leading indicators reveal sluggish economy: Conference Board (AFP)

AFP - The US economy is  quot;losing steam, quot; the Conference Board said, reporting that the index of US leading economic indicators fell 0.3 percent in October, marking the fifth straight decline.


Williams-Sonoma Lowers Forecast

Housewares retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. (WSM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday cut its forecasts for fourth-quarter sales and earnings per share, and its shares fell 6 percent.


SBC, Yahoo Reach Beyond the PC

Responding to the convergence of networks and the growth of connected devices, SBC (Quote, Chart) and Yahoo are expanding their successful Internet access and content partnership beyond the PC.


UPDATE 3-Limited Brands lifts operating profit

Limited Brands Inc. (LTD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday reported higher quarterly operating profit as cost controls and strong lingerie sales offset poor results at the retailer #39;s Express apparel stores.


Oracle Issues Appeal as PeopleSoft Deadline Nears

Oracle has sent an open letter to PeopleSoft stockholders, urging them to accept its \$24-er-share bid to buy the company. Oracle charges that PeopleSoft #39;s board has denied shareholders the


Bond Set For Man Accused In Wal-Mart Shooting

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Bond was set Tuesday for an Oklahoma man who is accused of opening fire outside a Fayetteville Wal-Mart. Henry Bunch, of Stilwell, Okla.


Corinthian Colleges co-founder quits CEO post

SANTA ANA, Calif. (Dow Jones/AP) - Corinthian Colleges Inc. said Thursday it has named Jack Massimino president and chief executive to succeed co-founder David Moore, who remains chairman.


Bill Gates world #39;s number one target of spam

Bill Gates gets 4 million emails a day according to Microsoft #39;s CEO Steve Ballmer. There are two people who probably are the number one spam recipients in the world, Ballmer said at a Microsoft event in Singapore Bill Gates because he is Bill Gates.


Google hints at slowing growth

Google does not expect to maintain the same pace of revenue growth it has recorded over the last several quarters, the company acknowledged Thursday in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.


Britain condemns racist taunts; FIFA calls for probe

The British government condemned racist taunts by fans in Spain aimed at black players on England #39;s team during an exhibition game, and soccer #39;s governing body ordered an investigation Thursday.


Russia presents Kyoto ratification to UN

Russia #39;s ambassador to the United Nations Thursday formally presented Moscow #39;s ratification of the Kyoto global warming treaty to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.


Straw in Bid to Kick Start Mideast Peace Talks

Sponsors of an internationally backed Mideast peace plan will send their foreign ministers to the region next week in hopes of restarting peace talks in the wake of Yasser Arafats death.


Whose Ad Is This? Advertisers Play with Web Films

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When the manager of a coin-operated  laundry seduces a mother and daughter and convinces them to  skip town, there's bound to be trouble, or perhaps a movie  plot.


FDA Defends Its Handling of Vioxx Review

Responding to public criticism of its handling of the controversial arthritis drug Vioxx, the US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday defended its oversight of the monitoring process and said it acted in the best interests of the public #39;s safety.


US jobless claims drop last week, hopeful sign for labour market

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits dipped last week, offering a hopeful sign for recovery in the labour market.


Update 2: Authorities Arrest Yukos Unit Manager

Authorities intensified the pressure on the OAO Yukos oil giant Thursday, arresting a manager at a key subsidiary and issuing an international arrest warrant for the company #39;s chief lawyer.


SBC to offer VoIP service

By Staff and wire reports . In a move to stave off competitors, SBC Communications Inc. will offer residential Voice over Internet service in early 2005.


Universal Life cooperating in insurance probe

Insurance broker Universal Life Resources (ULR) has agreed to cooperate with California authorities in their investigation of alleged insurance industry misdeeds, an attorney for the state said on Thursday.


Is Microsoft Rattling the Linux-Patent Sabers?

Microsoft Corp. is denying that its CEO Steve Ballmer told Asian government leaders on Thursday that Microsoft believes that Linux violates more than 200 software patents.


Bit Bytes : Halo 2

At gaming stores, lines went through doors as people arrived at midnight to get the first copies. Halo 2 was definitely worth the wait.


Van Nistelrooy hurts hip

Manchester, England (Sports Network) - Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy picked up a hip injury while playing for Holland in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday.


Ireland, Austria share lead at -12

SEVILLE, Spain -- Ireland and Austria share the lead after Thursday #39;s first round of the World Cup of Golf at the Royal Seville Golf Course, while a pair of unheralded Americans remain in contention.


The highs and lows of the Entente Cordiale

When Britain and France signed the Entente Cordiale 100 years ago they hoped it would bring to an end centuries of conflict, from the territorial battles of the Middle Ages to colonial disputes of the nineteenth century.


Japan, China try to smooth over tensions

Japanese and Chinese officials were trying to arrange a meeting between the leaders of their two countries on the sidelines of a weekend summit to try to calm rising tensions, authorities said.


Palestinian PM called for end to  quot;armed chaos quot;

GAZA CITY, Nov 18 (AFP) - Prime minister Ahmed Qorei called for an end to  quot;armed chaos quot; in the occupied territories Thursday as the interim Palestinian leadership held a raft of talks with various political factions here.


Programs: a Checklist for Tuning Up Your PC

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Reuters) - You change the oil in your car  every 5,000 miles or so. You clean your house every week or  two. Your PC needs regular maintenance as well -- especially if  you're using Windows and you spend a lot of time on the  Internet.


US cannot verify Iran nuclear claim

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Nov 18 (AFP) - The White House said Thursday that it could not verify an Iranian exile opposition group #39;s charge that the Islamic republic was running a secret nuclear bomb facility near Tehran.


Arafat died of clotting disorder -- Le Monde

Paris, Nov. 17: Doctors who treated Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, believe he died of a blood condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and have ruled out poisoning, Le Monde newspaper reported today.


Eisner: TV Interview with Ovitz Was Dumb

GEORGETOWN, Del. (Reuters) - Michael Eisner, the chief  executive of the Walt Disney Co. DIS.N, on Thursday said it  was "stupid" to appear on a national television show in 1996 to  show his support for Michael Ovitz and conceded he was less  than candid with the public during the interview.


Flying High on the Web

A new study shows airline and hotel websites may sell better than online travel agencies. Who knew?


Microsoft Threatens Patent Lawsuits

\\More FUD  from our friends in Seattle:\\"Asian governments using Linux will be sued for IP violations, Microsoft CEO\Steve Ballmer said today in Singapore. He did not specify that Microsoft would\be the company doing the suing, but it's difficult to read the claim as anything\other than a declaration of IP war."\\"According to a Reuters report (which we fervently hope will produce one of\Ballmer's fascinating 'I was misquoted' rebuttals*), Ballmer told Microsoft's\Asian Government Leaders Forum that Linux violates more than 228 patents. Come\on Steve, don't hold back - what you mean 'more than 228' - 229? 230? Don't pull\your punches to soften the blow to the community. "Some day," he contin ...\\


In Defense of Clapton's Layla

Recently, GuitarWorld magazine published a list of top 100 of the worst guitar solos, riffs and licks of all time. I am a big sucker for this sort of thing, so I swallowed the \$7.95 price to purchase it, with a good expectation of what would be included. Just as literary scholars have a canon of great literature, the guitarist community has a canon of really awful guitar solos - including, for instance, Neil Young's infamous one-note Cinnamon Girl solo, anything by Van Halen, and anything played by Kurt Cobain. When I turned to the list, I suffered a cruel, horrible shock.


'Original' great ape discovered

The remains of a primate that could be the ancestor of humans and all the great apes is discovered.


Ancient Ape Discovered #151;Last Ape-Human Ancestor?

In Spain scientists have discovered 13-million-year-old fossils of new species of ape. The species may have been the last common ancestor of humans and all great apes living today. <b>Photo Gallery.</b>


Can Central Africa's Rain Forests Live With Logging?

A study in Central Africa suggests that logging and tropical rain forests can coexist. Some environmental groups disagree.


Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

The Leonid meteor shower will peak tonight. Sky-watchers say long, glowing meteor trails will highlight the heavenly show.


Calpers Tendered Its PeopleSoft Shares

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Calpers, the biggest U.S. pension  fund, said on Thursday that it had tendered its 1.5 million  shares of PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O to Oracle Corp. ORCL.O,  accepting its \$8.8 billion hostile takeover bid.


Google sees Q4 rev growth slowdown

NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Google said its revenue growth rate from the second to the third quarter of 2004 may not be sustainable into the fourth quarter of this year.


David vs. Goliath vs. Goliath

Laszlo Systems CTO David Temkin is taking an open-source gamble to woo Web developers from Macromedia and Microsoft.


Athens Olympics Cost More Than Thought (AP)

AP - The total cost of the Athens Olympics may exceed  #36;14.6 billion, according to Greece's 2005 budget submitted to parliament Thursday.


Study: Learning to Run Propelled Evolution

long thought to be a byproduct of walking for early man - was actually an instrumental step in the evolution of people from ape-like creatures into what we know today as humans.


Got mail? You bet: Bill Gates gets millions of spam e-mails

If you thought nobody could get more spam than you, think of Bill Gates. The chairman of Microsoft (MSFT) gets 4 million pieces of e-mail a day, most of it junk, says Steve Ballmer, Microsoft #39;s chief executive.


MSN Renews with Overture -- For Now

Microsoft today extended its 3-year-old agreement with Yahoo! to provide Overture paid listings on MSN sites in the US and Canada, Europe and Asia through June 2006.


Duffield: Oracle's skewing facts on stock sales

PeopleSoft's CEO fires back at rival, saying it's wrong about his stock transactions. Both companies scramble ahead of Friday deadline.


Security Council agrees on Sudan resolution as foes pledge <b>...</b>

NAIROBI (AFP) - UN ambassadors agreed here unanimously on the text of a resolution aimed at restoring peace to war-ravaged Sudan, as the country #39;s main foes promised to conclude talks on their 21-year-old conflict by the end of the year.


US troops patrol Mosul

US troops were seen out on patrol in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul today, following several days of clashes between insurgents and US-led forces.


Body Found In Fallujah Believed To Be Slain Aid Worker

Australia #39;s prime minister said it #39;s likely that a body found in the Iraqi city of Fallujah is that of aid worker Margaret Hassan.


Thales, EADS have no merger plans: EADS chief (AFP)

AFP - The French-British defence electronics group Thales and the European aerospace group EADS do not have a plan to merge, EADS co-chairman Philippe Camus said.


Maverick MP Carolyn Parrish turfed from Liberal caucus (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Carolyn Parrish, the maverick MP who gained notoriety for her outspoken anti-Americanism, has been turfed from the Liberal party caucus.


Make Love Not Spam Decentralized

Lycos Europe released a screen saver that would pepper spam sites with requests for pages, in an effort to burden their bandwidth.  Now it's disabled, but in very fixable ways...


Iraqis, U.S. Hail Falluja Success, Threats Remain

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - The Iraqi government and U.S.  commanders declared their offensive on rebel-held Falluja a  success on Thursday but U.S. troops still faced dangers in the  city and guerrillas attacked elsewhere in Iraq.


Cybersecurity and the question of leadership

The success of the cybersecurity czar is more about the exercise of leadership than anything else, CompTIA policy chief Roger Cochetti says.


A Misguided Merger

Without clear strategic synergies, the recently announced merger between Sears and Kmart is likely to destroy shareholder value.


Updated AOL focuses on security

The revamped software for AOL's proprietary online service tackles spam and other Internet security issues.


Microsoft's answer to phishing: Two IDs

Banks aren't moving fast enough on requiring online customers to provide two forms of ID, the company says.


Google Shares Fall on 4Q Revenue Warning

Google Shares Slip As Co. Warns That Its 4Q Revenue Growth Rate Is Likely to Slow. The Google Inc. company headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.


Barrett: CEO Tours Intel India Unit, Sees Revenue Rise

Go east, young man. Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) Chief Executive Craig Barrett is traversing India. The CEO #39;s two-day trek will include a review of the chipmaker #39;s design center in bustling Bangalore


US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Off 3,000 to 334,000

The number of former workers continuing to receive state unemployment benefits fell by 16,000 to 2.79 million in the week ended November 6. The four-week average of continuing claims rose by 500 to 2.8 million.


Calpers says tendered its PeopleSoft shares

Calpers, the biggest US pension fund, on Thursday said it had tendered its 1.5 million shares of PeopleSoft Inc. (PSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) to Oracle Corp.


Painkiller risk to gut revealed

The risk of intestinal damage from common painkillers may be higher than thought, research suggests.


SALT LAKE CITY Nov 18, 2004 - New research suggests that developing the ability to run long thought to be a byproduct of walking for early man was actually an instrumental step in the evolution of people from ape-like creatures into what we know today


Bill Gates gets 4 million e-mails a day

SINGAPORE -- Bill Gates might not use AOL, but he #39;s definitely got mail. The Microsoft Corp. chairman receives millions of Internet messages a day, said Steve Ballmer, the company #39;s chief executive.


Paleontologists say fossil may be ancestor to great apes

BARCELONA - A fossilized ape that was adept at climbing trees and stood upright was the last probable ancestor to great apes, including humans, researchers said Thursday.


New Microsoft Search Engine Rivals Google

Microsoft, Yahoo and AskJeeves have adopted the  quot;link analysis quot; algorithmic approach that gave Google a vast lead among search engines.


AOL Tightens Security

AOL has launched its 9.0 Security Edition, which includes McAfee #39;s VirusScan Online application, offering protection against infection from peer-to-peer file sharing, Web site downloads, CD-ROMs and disks, or multimedia files.


Google Searches For Scholars

Google late Wednesday rolled out a beta search tool designed for academics and other researchers digging through peer-reviewed papers, abstracts, and theses.


Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight

Astronomers say the show should be a good one. They note, however, that predicting meteor shower intensity is not always an exact science.


Scott Speed moving up to F1 ?

Red Bull Racing owner Dieter Mateschitz has not made his final choice for his team #39;s drivers line-up but he is not hiding his actual preferences.


Controversy surrounding Owens #39; MNF promo touches deep social <b>...</b>

I should #39;ve known this latest Terrell Owens story wouldn #39;t have vanished quickly. It involves sex, money, sports and, most critically, race.


Va. Tech #39;s Beamer to coach despite mother #39;s death

The mother of Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer died early Thursday morning, but Beamer said he will be on the sidelines for tonight #39;s game with Maryland, according to the school.


Terps open ACC tournament

The No. 7-seeded Terrapin volleyball team begins its ACC championship defense tonight in Charlottesville, Va., against No. 10-seed Wake Forest.


Congress Told FDA Failed Public on Vioxx

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug  Administration failed the public in its oversight of Merck   Co  Inc.'s MRK.N withdrawn painkiller Vioxx and is "incapable of  protecting America" from another dangerous drug, an agency  researcher told Congress on Thursday.


A Glimpse of Bristol-Myers' Portfolio

Late-stage drugs are crucial for a company beset with patent losses.


Google Warns of Slowing Growth

quot;Although our revenue growth rate increased in the third quarter of 2004 compared to the second quarter of 2004, our revenue growth rate has generally declined, and we expect it will continue


Economy: Raspy Second Wind

After a batch of stronger-than-expected economic reports lately, some pundits have declared the  quot;soft patch quot; dead. In fact, it could make an unwelcome return in the coming months.


Rates on 30-Year, 15-Year Mortgages Dip

Rates on 30-year and 15-year mortgages dipped this week, a development that should help keep the housing market humming. Rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.74 percent for the week ending Nov.


Yukos lawyer faces arrest warrant

Russian prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for Yukos #39; chief lawyer and arrested another executive from the oil firm on suspicion of embezzlement.


Calif. insurance commish sues MetLife, Pru, others: report

California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi has sued MetLife, Prudential Financial Inc., Cigna Corp., and UnumProvident Corp.


Human race off and running

The evolution of a physique for long-distance running is what made humans look the way we do now -- whether winning a marathon, nursing a strained Achilles #39; tendon


Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Miracle Blesses eBay

A partially eaten piece of a grilled cheese sandwich has become the most talked about item on eBay over the past week, bringing in bids of almost \$19,000.


Gates Gets 4M Spam Messages Each Day

SINGAPORE -- Bill Gates, the chairman and founder of Microsoft, receives millions of e-mail messages a day, said Steve Ballmer, the company #39;s chief executive.


Future of EU Patent Legislation in Doubt

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The future of controversial European Union legislation that would allow for some software patents was in doubt Thursday after the Polish government switched sides, saying the directive could hurt small and medium-sized businesses.


FIFA launches probe into Bernabeu abuse

FIFA will hold an investigation and demand answers from the Spanish Football Federation after home fans hurled racist abuse at England #39;s black players in the friendly international between the two countries in Madrid last night.


Men #39;s contest highlights Trophee Bompard skating

Johnny Weir and Brian Joubert already have victories in the Grand Prix series. The American champion and European gold medalist meet this week at the Trophee Bompard.


Device Allows Doctors to Practice Deliveries

The birth simulator has now been used to determine the best way to deliver a baby whose shoulders become stuck in the birth canal.


A Fantasy Field Trip to Jurassic Park

The career of Richard Ellis advances the maxim that scientific knowledge is often moved forward by the work of committed amateurs.


Militant groups back end of chaos

Palestinian militant groups Thursday expressed support for disarming independent militias operating in the Palestinian territories.


Merci la France: We Will Be Forever Grateful

By honoring President Yasser Arafat, France has honored every Palestinian man, woman and child. For this we will be forever grateful.


Arafat's Diagnosis May Soon Be Revealed (AP)

AP - Nearly a week after his death, speculation still swirls around what killed Yasser Arafat. Cirrhosis of the liver, AIDS, a blood disorder and poisoning are frequently mentioned in unconfirmed reports  #151; all consistent with the little that is publicly known about the medical condition that landed the Palestinian leader in a French hospital.


Suspected Mastermind Held in Pakistan (AP)

AP - Authorities have arrested a man they called the alleged mastermind of a deadly bombing near the U.S. Consulate in Karachi two years ago, but another key member of his network remains at large, a senior official said Thursday.


Walmart.com Sees Electronics Leading Online Sales (Reuters)

Reuters - Consumer electronics should be the\hottest online sellers this holiday, according to the head of\the online unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's top\retailer.


Tories raise allegations of ties between NY mob and Gagliano (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Conservative Leader Stephen Harper raised published allegations Thursday that former Liberal cabinet minister Alfonso Gagliano was a member of a New York organized crime family.


Oracle readies integration splash (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Oracle at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco the week of Dec. 5 plans to unveil Oracle Integration, a product that combines the company #8217;s application server with several other technologies for integration and enablement of SOAs (service-oriented architectures).


Fossil Ape May Be Ancestor of All Apes -- Report (Reuters)

Reuters - An ape that lived 13 million years\ago in what is now Spain may have been the last common ancestor\of all apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and\humans, researchers said on Thursday.


Ancient Animal Could Be Human-Ape Ancestor (AP)

AP - The last probable common ancestor to humans and great apes had a body like an ape, fingers like a chimp and the upright posture of humans, according to researchers who unearthed a fossil of the animal in Spain.


Several Insurgent Command Bases Found in Falluja, General Says

A top Marine officer also denied reports that one of them was the headquarters of the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.


UN Security Council, in Africa, Pushes Sudan Peace

NAIROBI (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council, leaving its  New York home for the first time in 14 years, met in the Kenyan  capital on Thursday and won promises from Khartoum and rebels  in south Sudan of an end to their 21-year civil war.


Update 6: FDA Called  #39;Defenseless #39; Against Bad Drugs

The American public is  quot;virtually defenseless quot; if another medication such as Vioxx proves to be unsafe after it is approved for sale, a government drug safety reviewer told a congressional committee Thursday.


Not all great apes were swingers

The fossil of an ancient species of ape, discovered at a construction site in western Spain, has revealed that great apes went through more evolutionary stages than previously thought.


KOREA: Rumors Swirl over Missing Portraits

Speculation surrounding the reported removal of portraits of Dear Leader Kim Jong-il from some public buildings and homes in North Korea continued to swirl Thursday but


Airlift for earthquake-hit fish

Japan's 'living jewel' koi carp are airlifted to safety after the Niigata earthquake devastated stocks of the ornamental fish.


Sprinters Charged With Dodging Drug Test

Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou and their coach were charged Thursday with avoiding a drug test on the eve of the Athens Olympics and faking a motorcycle accident hours later.


Dow Near Flat; Nasdaq, S P 500 Down

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue-chip stocks rose slightly on  Thursday after a court gave a boost to Altria Group Inc. MO.N  and other tobacco companies, but that was offset by a drop in  McDonald's Corp. on new mad-cow worries.


Photos: 'Wanna buy an iPod, guv?'

Apple's new London store on Regent Street puts the iPod music player front and center.


Dell's Photo All-In-One Printer 962

Dell's Photo All-In-One Printer 962 prints, scans, faxes and copies for \$179.


Dell goes wireless with printers

Company adds new level of convenience to home and office printing with wireless printer adapter and multifunction inkjet product.\<br />\  Photo: Dell All-In-One Printer 962 \


First Taste of a Once-Forbidden Fruit

Long seen as a threatening land ruled by a madman, Libya has become a must-see destination ever since it opened its doors to Western tourists 10 months ago.


Gadgets rule in digital household

photos The NowHouse project in San Francisco brings together the latest in design, construction and digital wares.\


Photos: Handheld fever grips Japan

Consumers get psyched for the release of Nintendo and Sony gaming devices.


Cracker Barrel Rolling

The country dining chain is weathering cost increases better than its rivals.


Photo: Giant digital image

A TNO engineer prepares to start capturing images for the world's biggest digital photo.


Stern and Letterman Get Sirius

Stern has a date with Letterman tonight, and you can expect fireworks.


Seagate drive joins 400GB club

The Barracuda 7200.8 series packs more data on the hard-drive platters.


World's biggest digital pic

Dutch engineers stitch together hundreds of images to create a photo with 2.5 billion pixels.<br /> Photo: Giant digital image


Four vendors team up on new standardized Linux

Four small Linux vendors are working together to create a new Linux Standard Base 2.0-compliant binary set that they hope will attract independent software vendors and hardware makers to port their wares to the new code.


Burst.com says Microsoft destroyed evidence

In court documents made public this week, Burst.com accused Microsoft managers of telling employees in 2000 to destroy evidence contained in old e-mails.


West Coast retailer hits software rollout bumps

Ross Stores has taken a hit to its bottom line because of ongoing problems surrounding the implementation of a merchandising system.


Q A: Cordys president talks up Web services

Justin Anderson, president of Cordys' Americas group, sat down yesterday with Computerworld at the Gartner Application Integration and Web Services Summit to talk about his company and its Web services platform.


Troubled HP server group sees profit in Q4

Several key executives in that group were fired during the quarter following a botched order-processing system migration. HP CEO Carly Fiorina said the problems with the system have been resolved.


Kmart, Sears agree to \$11B merger

The companies, both of which have struggled in recent years, said the merger, expected to be finalized by March, is expected to generate significant cost savings, but could also trigger sales of "nonstrategic real estate assets.


Seagate ships 400GB hard disk drive

Seagate Technology has started shipping a 400GB hard disk drive for PCs that offers performance closer to that of a 10,000-rpm drive than that of a 7,200 rpm.


'World Community Grid' seeks to harness unused computers

IBM and officials from leading science, education and philanthropic organizations yesterday launched a global grid computing project aimed at helping solve a variety of health issues and other scientific problems.


RIAA files 761 new file-trading lawsuits

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has filed new lawsuits against 761 people who allegedly use peer-to-peer (P-to-P) software to trade music files without permission, the trade group announced Thursday.


Oracle readies integration splash

Oracle at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco the week of Dec. 5 plans to unveil Oracle Integration, a product that combines the companys application server with several other technologies for integration and enablement of SOAs (service-oriented architectures).


Ukraine MPs reject election bill

Ukrainian MPs fail to adopt election law changes the opposition says are needed to avert fraud in a new run-off.


PeopleSoft, Oracle fight is a canine affair

The wrangling between PeopleSoft and Oraclehas once again gone to the dogs.


W3C highlights Mobile Web Initiative at workshop

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is considering a new effort called the "W3C Mobile Web Initiative," that will seek to make Web access from mobile devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants), as simple, easy and convenient as desktop Web access.


New Google Scholar search service aimed at academics

Google on Thursday formally launched a new search service aimed at scientists and academic researchers.
ADVERTISEMENT

Solaris 10(TM) OS: Position your business ten moves ahead.
Solaris 10 OS has arrived and provides even more\reasons for the world's most demanding businesses\to operate on this, the leading UNIX platform.\Like the fact you can run Linux and Solaris applications\side-by-side and run the same OS on SPARC(R),\AMD Opteron(TM), and Intel processor-based systems.\Discover more reasons and how Solaris 10 OS can move\your business ahead today.


Intel evaluating India for chip manufacturing

BANGALORE, INDIA -- Intelis evaluating India as a possible location for a new chip manufacturing facility, the company's chief executive officer, Craig Barrett, told reporters Thursday in Delhi.


Microsoft, Yahoo extend contract for Web ads

Microsoft has extended its partnership with Yahoo to deliver sponsored search results on its U.S. and international MSN sites, despite the software maker's recent declarations that it intends to be a major force in the search market.


3G: Anything in it for businesses?

HONG KONG -- Consumers have been promised a lot from the high-speed 3G (third generation) cellular networks being rolled out around the world, but is there much in it for businesses?


German Police Arrest Fourth Iraq Attack Suspect

BERLIN (Reuters) - German authorities arrested a fourth man  in connection with a suspected plan to attack Iraqi Prime  Minister Iyad Allawi during a visit to Berlin earlier this  week, the federal prosecutor's office said on Saturday.


AMD-Fujitsu Venture Plans 'Mega' Japanese Chip Plant

Spansion sinking nearly a billion dollars into flash memory production.


New AOL Software Gives Added Security

Service provider revamps spam and spyware defenses, offers account lock to members.


Microsoft Talks Security, Seriously

Efforts to ease patch management are just part of the process, exec says.


Google Scholar Offers Access To Academic Information

Google has launched a new Google Scholar search service, providing the ability to search for scholarly literature located from across the web.\


Mitsubishi Motors to buy preferred shares of Isuzu Motors

LONDON, November 18 (newratings.com) - Mitsubishi Corp (7211.TSE), Japans largest trading company, has agreed to purchase 11.75 million preferred shares, worth  9.4 billion (US\$ 90 million), of Isuzu Motors (ISU).


Calpers Tendered Its PeopleSoft Shares

Calpers, the biggest US pension fund, said on Thursday that it had tendered its 1.5 million shares of PeopleSoft Inc. (PSFT) to Oracle Corp.


LA City Council OKs tax relief package

LOS ANGELES -- The City Council unanimously passed a tax relief package aimed at keeping film companies and other businesses from leaving Los Angeles.


Uh-Oh! SpaghettiOs switches brands

quot;Uh-oh, SpaghettiOs! quot; The iconic kids pasta that has made mealtime easier for countless American families for four decades is getting a face-lift, and its once-popular Franco-American brand is being consigned to history.


Delhomme Feels He May Play on Sunday (AP)

AP - Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme said he's encouraged about his chances of playing against the Arizona Cardinals after throwing Thursday for the first time this week.


MPAA Sues Movie Swappers

Following in the footsteps of the RIAA, the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) announced that they have began filing lawsuits against people who use peer-to-peer software to download copyrighted movies off the Internet.


More Security Holes Found In Internet Explorer 6.0

Three more vulnerabilities in Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer 6.0 browser were disclosed Wednesday by Danish security vendor Secunia, bringing the total of IE bugs found by the firm in the last two months to an even dozen.


Steve Spurrier Set to Take South Carolina Coaching Job

One legendary coach will replace another at South Carolina next season. According to published reports, former University of Florida and Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier will take over the as head


Asia-Pacific leaders to spur world trade, fight terror

US President George W. Bush and other Asia-Pacific leaders muster in Chile this weekend to spur world trade and suppress terrorism, under the growing menace of nuclear proliferation.


Prince Charles rebuked for  #39;old fashioned #39; views

Prince Charles #39; beliefs on class standing are about as ancient as his royal lineage, say his critics. Servants should not aim above their station, according to the heir to the throne.


Chileans Take Advantage of Divorce Law (AP)

AP - A 48-year-old woman became the first person in Chilean history to file for divorce Thursday, ushering in a new era for this heavily Roman Catholic country that had been the last in South America with no divorce law.


Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Miracle Blesses eBay\\A partially eaten piece of a grilled cheese sandwich has become the most talked about item on eBay over the past week, bringing in bids of almost \$19,000. Don't get me wrong, this is not ordinary grilled cheese sandwich. You see, it's a miracle. ...


Organic Search Engine Optimization for Large Sites\\Commercial websites are getting larger. Driven by the rapid evolution of content management systems, shopping carts and e-biz facilitation, and by the increasing sophistication of Internet retailers, "small" business sites averaging 500 pages have become common.\\Some large sites are very well focused and present ...


MSN and Yahoos Overture Extend Paid Search Relationship

MSN and Yahoo's Overture Extend Paid Search Relationship\\Yahoo's Overture is going to continue to serve ads on MSN Search for the next 18 months. Overture today announced that they have extended its sponsored search distribution relationship with Microsoft Corp. in the United States and internationally through June 2006.\\Under the terms ...


RocketNews Search Engine Adds Personalization\\The RocketNews current news and weblog search engine has been enhanced with the addition of personalization features. RocketNews is a technology showcase operated by Rocketinfo Inc., a  supplier of real-time news and competitive intelligence software to corporations, governments and professional service firms.\\Visitors to the new ...


Search Engine Friendly Design and Coding (Especially Flash)\\Its been almost a year since I attended a session of this nature. I was not too impressed last time, so I am hoping things have changed within the year. Brett introduces the panel, by saying its the first time WMW is doing ...


History of Search Engine Optimization and Marketing Testing\\Calum I. Mac Ceod was first up. He discussed how Google used to rank pages (title and pagerank). Now its a bit more complicated, with proximity and linkage data. He goes through the various on page factors and describes how most are not ...


Paid Inclusion Topics and Issues

Paid Inclusion Topics and Issue\\Greg Boser is the moderator and he introduced the panel. The first man up was Jim Stobb from PositionTech. He discusses what paid inclusion is: (1) new sites are usually indexed within 72 hours (2) existing pages are recrawled every 48 hours. Two programs (1) Direct ...


Design and Coding for the Complete Package - WMW Conf 7\\Roger Sooley from CompStar was up first, his forum name is "rogerd". He first goes into the question about building the software yourself or using a pre-built software application. The first question you need to ask is "is your business ...


WebMasterWorld Conference Coverage

WebMasterWorld Conference Coverage\\I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be attending the WebmasterWorld's Conference. I hope to be able to provide the conference coverage I have in the past for this conference, I actually plan on it, so stay tuned. The conference begins tomorrow morning and ends ...


News: Petco settles with FTC over cyber security gaffe

It's the fifth time regulators have taken action against a company for failing to protect consumer data -- and the second time the same California coder blew the whistle.


News: Russian fined for virus-writing exploits

A Russian member of well-known 29A virus writers group has been fined 3,000 roubles (approximately 57) after he admitted writing malicious code.


News: IE in fresh security drama

IE is subject to a trio of unpatched vulnerabilities, security firm Secunia warned yesterday.


Infocus: Detecting Rootkits And Kernel-level Compromises In Linux

This article outlines useful ways of detecting hidden modifications to a Linux kernel. Often known as rootkits, these stealthy types of malware are installed in the kernel and require special techniques by Incident handlers and Linux system administrators to be detected.


Chirac urges fairer world order

France's Jacques Chirac says global powers must recognise the new reality of an interdependent world.


Mac OS X Tiger Features

Derrick Story writes for the O #146;Reilly MacDevCenter, summarizing a Mac OS X Tiger preview recently presented to the O #146;Reilly Mac OS X Conference by Apple product manager Chris Bourdon. Nov 17


Mac OS X Tip of the Week: Clean Up That Clutter

Tired of the clutter on your desktop? The latest Mac OS X killer tip shows you how you can use Expos #233;, one of the coolest features of Mac OS X, to clean it up  #151; instantly. Nov 17


Intel evaluating India as manufacturing destination

Dr Craig Barrett, CEO, Intel Corporation, with a young learner from Kerala during the launch of the Intel Learn Programme in the Capital on Thursday.


AOL Beefs Up Security

America Online Inc. on Thursday launched a version of its proprietary online service that includes additional security features. AOL 9.0 Security Edition is the first version of the service


Alaska senator disagrees with climate study #39;s conclusion

US Sen. Ted Stevens says he disagrees with a new scientific study #39;s conclusion that the burning of fossil fuels is a major factor in climate change.


FDA to e-track popular drugs

The Food and Drug Administration launched an effort this week to use radio frequency identification technology to track the nation #39;s drug supply from manufacturer to pharmacy to reduce counterfeiting.


Spurrier Spurns Gators For Gamecocks

A report states that Steve Spurrier would take over at the University of South Carolina if Coach Lou Holtz should retire. Spurrier decided to turn down the job at University of Florida after Coach Ron Zoock


Purposeful negotiations possible with Pak: Singh

JAMMU: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed his belief that purposeful and meaningful negotiations are possible with Pakistan within the limits set by him that redrawing of borders and second partition of the country are not feasible.


Clarke says prince is old fashioned

Education Secretary Charles Clarke accused the Prince of Wales of being  quot;old-fashioned and out of time quot; after details emerged that the heir to the throne believes that the schools system offers pupils too much aspiration and refuses to admit failures.


FDA, Drug Industry Under Fire on Safety

US Food and Drug Administration officials defended their record on drug safety Thursday in the face of attacks from both inside and outside the agency.


Europe gains no US aid to support dollar

European officials, blaming US deficits for a surge in the euro, are unlikely to persuade Treasury Secretary John Snow to help support the dollar when the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers meet in Berlin.


US production prices increase

US industrial production jumped the most in three months in October, housing starts surged and consumer prices rose, suggesting the Federal Reserve may keep raising its benchmark interest rate.


IMF #39;s Rato says action required on US deficits

The large US current account deficit is a matter of concern, and policy changes are needed to address existing global imbalances, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato said.


Nike Co-Founder Knight Steps Down as CEO

Nike Inc. (NKE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) co-founder Philip Knight, who helped transform a small-start up business into the world #39;s biggest athletic shoe company


CIO Business Briefing Disney #39;s Q4 Earnings Reach \$516 Million

The Walt Disney Company reported \$516 million net income in the quarter ended September 30th, compared to \$415 million in the year-ago quarter.


Calif. retirement fund tenders PeopleSoft shares

Calpers, a large US pension fund, has joined a growing list of big investors supporting Oracle in its hostile buyout--at \$9.2 billion--of rival PeopleSoft.


Foot Locker 3Q Profit Meets Estimates

Athletic shoe retailer Foot Locker Inc. on Thursday said its third-quarter profit grew on higher sales, meeting Wall Street estimates.


Marsh  amp; McLennan Says Five Executives Leave Board (Update2)

Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos., the insurance broker sued by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer last month, said five company executives stepped down from the board.


Continental to Seek Wage, Benefits Cuts

Continental Airlines Inc. on Thursday said it will seek to cut \$500 million in annual wages and benefits on expectations of losing  quot;hundreds of millions of dollars quot; this year.


Leading Indicators Fall 0.3 Pct. in Oct.

The economy could be headed for slower growth in the next several months, according to a report released Thursday by a private research group.


UPDATE 2-Gold-backed security streetTRACKS debuts on NYSE

A gold-backed security named streetTRACKS Gold Shares made a much-hyped debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, aimed at attracting the investment capital


Human Species Born To Run, Scientists Say

The evolution of a physique for long-distance running is what made humans look the way we do now. The crucial role of running in human evolution, overlooked in previous research, is being proposed in an article


Bill Gates Dubbed Most Spammed Person In The World

January 2006 can #39;t come too soon for Bill Gates because that is the date by which he believes the spam problem will be solved.


Peninsula Grill serves up toasty grilled cheese sandwich, no <b>...</b>

There #39;s a Florida woman who is auctioning off a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich on eBay this week that, she thinks, bears the image of the Virgin Mary.


Ballmer attacks Linux on patent front

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer warned on Thursday that Linux may not really be free given the intellectual-property risks that could be posed by the open-source operating system.


Microsoft, Yahoo Extend Contract for Web Ads

Microsoft has extended its partnership with Yahoo to deliver sponsored search results on its US and international MSN sites, despite the software maker #39;s recent declarations that it intends to be a major force in the search market.


Ancient Animal Could Be Human-Ape Ancestor

The last probable common ancestor to humans and great apes had a body like an ape, fingers like a chimp and the upright posture of humans, according to researchers who unearthed a fossil of the animal in Spain.


Gateway expands Media Center PC lineup

NOVEMBER 18, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Gateway Inc. plans to release two additional Media Center PCs Thursday, hoping that consumer excitement over multimedia will boost what is forecast as a weak holiday season for consumer PCs.


AOL Releases Version 9.0 with Security Software

America Online today released AOL 9.0 Security Edition features a suite of safety and security features, marking the Internet service provider #39;s first version to focus specifically on safety and security.


Novell Posts 4th-Quarter Profit of \$13M

Novell Inc. on Thursday said it swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit after the computer networking provider saw strong growth from its enterprise server business during the period.


Drugmaker Teams With Law Enforcement To Use RFID To Halt Thefts

Pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma LP is working closely with law-enforcement agencies to use radio-frequency identification technology to protect shipments of OxyContin, Purdue #39;s painkiller drug that #39;s a frequent target for theft.


Wanna buy an iPod, guv?

Apple #39;s first British store will open this Saturday on London #39;s Regent Street--and Silicon.com got to take a peek before the doors open to shoppers.


Californian Charged with eBay Sports Card Scam

A man who purported to offer rare sports cards including that of baseball legend Mickey Mantle has been charged with defrauding eBay (EBAY.


Richardson urges UC to partner up; submit bid

During a speech to the UC board of regents on Wednesday Gov. Bill Richardson urged them to find an industrial partner and together bid on the Los Alamos National Laboratory management contract set to expire Sept.


The IPod Economy

NEW YORK - By year #39;s end a five-year-old company called PortalPlayer will begin selling its shares to the public. What #39;s notable is that this company owes its success--even its existence--to the popularity of Apple Computer #39;s iPod.


Olympic bid suffers as Madrid #39;s image is tarnished

THE Madrid Olympic bid has suffered a setback because of the racist chanting on Wednesday in the Bernabu stadium, one of the most famous arenas in the world and a proposed venue for the 2012 Games.


Repentant Casey fears reaction on US return

BARELY holding back the tears, Paul Casey began a damage limitation exercise in an attempt last night to win back the minds, if not the hearts, of the American public.


Kenteris and Thanou charged over missed tests

EKATERINI THANOU and Konstantinos Kenteris, the Greek sprinters, were charged yesterday with missing a mandatory drugs test on the eve of the Olympic Games and for making false statements about a motorbike accident.


Woods leads Dunlop Phoenix

MIYAZAKI - Tiger Woods, playing in Japan for the first time in two years, got off to a strong start Thursday as he shot a 5-under-par 65 to take a three-stroke lead at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament.


Ecuador upset Brazil

NEW YORK, Nov. 18. - Defending World Cup football champions Brazil suffered the most shocking result of the day, but China were the biggest losers.


Our  #39;desperate #39; TV times

Once again, my indifference to television paid off big time, because I wasn #39;t watching  quot;Monday Night Football quot; on Nov. 15, and thus avoided direct involvement with a controversial


Former NFL lineman going to jail

Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Luis Sharpe, a former offensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals, has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in state prison.


Annika seeking eighth win of season

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Annika Sorenstam is off to a good start in the final LPGA event of the season. Sorenstam, who already has won her seventh Player of the Year Award, shot a 6-under 66 in Thursday #39;s


Fallujah Strike Breaking Insurgency, General Says (Update1)

The US-led attack on insurgents in Fallujah, now in its second week, has broken the back of the insurgency, #39; #39; according to documents uncovered in house-to-house raids in the city, said Lt.


UN Security Council discusses Darfur, shuns rebels

NAIROBI, Nov 18 (AFP) -- The deteriorating situation in Sudan #39;s troubled Darfur region received secondary attention during a meeting Thursday of the United Nations Security Council in Nairobi as emphasis focused on the search for peace in southern Sudan.


Afghan Opium Cultivation Reaches Record High, UN Says

Afghanistan #39;s opium cultivation jumped 64 percent to a record 324,000 acres this year and drug exports now account for more than 60 percent of the economy, the United Nations drugs office said Thursday.


Palestinians Ask for Election Monitors

Palestinian officials appealed Thursday for international monitors to help with their presidential elections and urged Israel #39;s unilateral plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip


Williams-Sonoma Warily Pessimistic

The specialty retailer's uncertainty about the fourth quarter is unsettling.


Brown Shoe Sings the Blues

The company announces a disappointing quarter and reduces full-year guidance.


Medtronic Down, Not Out

Internal defibrillator maker's earnings growth rate is slowing down, but its future looks healthy.


Brookstone Rolls On

Brookstone met analyst estimates and has raised guidance for the all-important Christmas quarter.


Sympathy for Pfizer

The market acts like Vioxx, Bextra, and Celebrex are the same drugs. They're not.


Brady's Signs Are Positive

Most of the signs attached to Brady's most recent quarter say "Don't Exit."


The Elusive Value of Goody's

Despite an encouraging third quarter, the market still isn't sure what to make of Goody's.


No verdict in Afghan 'torture' trial

A jury in a torture trial of an alleged Afghan warlord is discharged after failing to decide a verdict.


Walt Disney Quarterly Profit Rises 24 Pct

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co.  quarterly profit  rose 24 percent on Thursday as stronger cable television  results and a tax benefit more than made up for a sharp  slowdown at Disney's movie studio.


Marsh   McLennan: 5 Top Execs Leave Board

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh   McLennan Cos. MMC.N, the  insurance broker accused by New York's Attorney General Eliot  Spitzer of bid-rigging fraud, on Thursday said five senior  executives stepped down from its board of directors.


Gap Third-Quarter Earnings Tick Up 1 Pct

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clothing retailer Gap Inc. GPS.N  said on Thursday its third-quarter earnings ticked up 1  percent, hemmed in by lackluster sales at its Old Navy and   international Gap stores open at least a year.


Knight stands down as Nike boss

Philip Knight is to resign as chief executive of sports footwear and clothing giant Nike although he will remain as chairman.


Knight Steps Down as Nike Chief

Phil Knight stepped down Thursday as president and chief executive officer of Nike Inc., the athletic shoe and clothing company he co-founded.


Ireland, Austria Share World Cup Lead

The Irish duo of Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington shot a 12-under 60 Thursday to share the lead with Austria's Martin Wiegele and Markus Brier after the first round of the team World Cup.


S American nations sign oil deal

The word's fifth largest oil exporting nation, Venezuela, signs an oil deal with South American neighbour, Paraguay.


Zimbabwe Ruling Party Picks Woman as Mugabe Deputy

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe #39;s ruling ZANU-PF confirmed the first woman to become his deputy on Saturday, putting her on course to succeed Mugabe when he eventually retires in 2008.


Vivendi boosts Moroccan stake

Vivendi Universal increases its stake in Morocco's national telecoms business, days before it is partially floated.


After Food and Shelter, Help in Coping With Unbearable Loss

Providing psychological services for millions in Asia will become critical in the coming weeks.


Sometimes, Your New Smile Will Make You Frown

Veneers, porcelain shells bonded to the front side of the teeth, may not provide smiles as pretty as expected.


Music industry asks Napster founder, former arch foe, to sing new tune (AFP)

AFP - The recording industry has turned to its former arch-nemesis, the founder of online music file-swapping service Napster, to help it beat the piracy that it once accused him of spawning.


Diet and Lose Weight? Scientists Say 'Prove It!'

A new study finds little evidence that commercial weight-loss programs help people drop excess pounds.


In Past Tsunamis, Tantalizing Clues to Future Ones

Undersea quakes are inevitable. The questions are where and when  and the recent catastrophe may provide clues.


The BlackBerry Brain Trust

First he reinvented the way we get e-mail. Now he's rounded up a bunch of radical thinkers to reinvent physics itself. By Duff McDonald from Wired magazine.


In the long run, humans prevail

To err may be human, but so, too, may be the ability to run. Specifically, the ability to run long distances across the African savannah may have given human ancestors an evolutionary advantage


Holy Toast! eBay Sandwich Taking Record Bids

The most popular item on eBay today is not a rare signed copy of Bob Dylan #39;s  #39;Like a Rolling Stone. #39; Nope. It #39;s a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich with a running price of over \$16,000.


RIAA files new round of P2P lawsuits

com November 18, 2004, 1:03 PM 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.


Saving America Online

Maybe I was a bit harsh last week when I was reminiscing about the days when AOL was a classic Rule Breaker. After all, Time Warner #39;s (NYSE: TWX) online service has only lost 2 million net subscribers over the past year.


British ID Card Gains Ground

The U.K. government sees a national identity card now making its way through Parliament as a way to fight terrorism, but opponents see it as an expensive waste of time. By Wendy M. Grossman.


Scientist: FDA Incapable of Protecting Safety

Nov. 18, 2004 -- An FDA scientist who says he was pressured by superiors not to warn the public about the cardiovascular risk of Vioxx urged lawmakers Thursday to create an independent safety office free of


Golden State of Privacy

California laws that went live on New Year's Day keep cell phones unlisted and rental cars unmonitored. The effects could be felt nationwide. By Ryan Singel.


Update 1: Foot Locker 3Q Net Income Up 19 Percent

Net income at Foot Locker Inc., the country #39;s largest sports-shoe chain, increased 19 percent in its fiscal third quarter as sales climbed 14 percent.


Call Centers Ride Out Disaster

Some U.S. customer support lines outsourced to India experienced a brief failure in service following the deadly Asian tsunami, but economists say U.S. companies won't have to move their call centers. By Elisa Batista.


Yahoo Extends Microsoft Ad Deal to Mid-2006

Yahoo Inc. (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) has agreed to extend its deal to place advertisements on Microsoft Corp. #39;s (MSFT.


Sat Radio Recording Moves Ahead

Once seen as the embodiment of evil, devices that record satellite radio are making inroads without much fight from the recording industry. By John Gartner.


Oracle Announces Quarterly Critical Patches

Quarterly patch updates will allow organizations to better plan configuration management, says Oracle, eliminating the need to deal with the current unscheduled  quot;surprise quot; patch alerts.


Fifa prepares to put Spain in the dock over racism

GOVERNMENT ministers led the calls yesterday for strong sanctions against Spain in the wake of the racist abuse of England players on Wednesday night.


Brazil left looking for answers

Altitude, apathy, overconfidence - Brazil groped for reasons Thursday to explain its stunning 1-0 loss to Ecuador in the World Cup qualifiers.


Baros fears the worst with leg injury

Liverpool striker Milan Baros is hoping for the best, but fears the worst after pulling up lame in the Czech Republic #39;s 2-0 win in a World Cup qualifier against Macedonia on Wednesday.


Ohio fires head coach Knorr after four seasons

Ohio coach Brian Knorr was fired Thursday after leading the Bobcats to an 11-35 record in four seasons. Ohio had a 4-7 mark this season.


Rockies land two of the 10 players on MLB squad

Folks are paying attention to the Colorado Rockies #39; youth movement. Second baseman Aaron Miles and outfielder Matt Holliday each made the 46th annual Topps Rookie All-Star


Annan calls for urgent action over Sudan

United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan has opened a special session of the Security Council in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. It is the first time in 14 years that the UN Security Council has met outside New York.


#39;Road map #39; sponsors will send foreign ministers to West Bank next <b>...</b>

Sponsors of an internationally backed Middle East peace plan will send their foreign ministers to the region next week in hopes of restarting peace talks in the wake of Yasser Arafat #39;s death, Israeli and Palestinian officials said Thursday.


Russia benefiting from oil price surge

The head of the International Monetary Fund Thursday lauded Russia #39;s efforts to save income from oil revenues. Concluding his visit to Moscow, the IMF #39;s Director General Rodrigo de Rato said that the agency


American Lowers  #39;Walk-Up #39; Fares, Cuts Restrictions For S. Florida <b>...</b>

FORT WORTH, Texas -- American Airlines has unveiled a new simplified domestic fare structure and eliminated many fare restrictions, including all Saturday night stay requirements on the Fort Worth-based airline, as well as American Eagle and


Gates may be world #39;s most spammed person

E-mail users inundated with unsolicited spam messages have reason to hope Microsoft will develop better tools for tackling the problem: Bill Gates is suffering more than anyone.


Sprinter Kenteris completes fall from grace

Even by the capricious standards of modern day sport, Costas Kenteris #39; fall from grace has been spectacular. Thursday #39;s announcement of a criminal prosecution against the former Olympic champion for obstructing


CORRECTED - Van Nistelrooy plays down hip injury

In LONDON story headlined  quot;Van Nistelrooy plays down hip injury quot;, please read in intro ... World Cup qualifying win ... instead of ... friendly win ... correcting status of match. LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Manchester


Donovan Wins Third Straight Player Of Year Award

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Landon Donovan was voted the US soccer team player of the year Thursday, becoming the first three-time winner of the award.


Arafat: A Costly US, Israeli Failure

I must start by thanking the French government and people for honoring President Yasser Arafat who spent his last days in their hospitality.


Mercenaries turn against Thatcher

JOHANNESBURG: Three South African men pleaded guilty to mercenary activities yesterday and agreed to testify against Mark Thatcher who is charged with bankrolling an alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea, their lawyer said.


Reports of Kim #39;s demise exaggerated

quot;DON #39;T have a reaction, I #39;ll leave it to the analysts, quot; responded US State Department official Adam Ereli to questions about the significance of reports that North Korea #39;s media had stopped calling Kim Jong-il  quot;Dear Leader quot;.


Iran  #39;breaking nuclear deal with secret site #39;

Iran is secretly producing enriched uranium for nuclear weapons at a military site in Teheran in direct breach of an agreement signed earlier this week, according to Iran #39;s most prominent opposition group.


Pakistan cracks down terrorism

A man accused of involvement in a bombing in Pakistan has been arrested by police. Naveedul Hasan, suspected of taking part in a bomb blast in front of the US Consulate in Karachi


Sirius Names Karmazin CEO, Shares Jump (Reuters)

Reuters - In the latest migration of a\mainstream radio heavyweight to the fledgling satellite\industry, Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.  on Thursday\named former Viacom Inc. President Mel Karmazin as its chief\executive officer.


Greek sprinting pair are charged

Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have been charged with avoiding a drug test on the eve of the Athens Olympics and then faking a motorcycle accident.


Sad to lose

The penalty was very debatable and I think it changed the game. At that stage we could still have won it. Wayne Rooney showed what a great young talent he is by scoring twice and, of course


Soccer: Even if Hong Kong helps, China #39;s world may end

Brazil #39;s champions are being flown from Europe to compete at high altitude in Ecuador without acclimatization. Iraq is competing against the Palestinian team.


Reds #39; Baros fears confirmed

Liverpool have received confirmation that striker Milan Baros will be out of action for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.


U.S. Mutual Funds Assets Rise This Week (AP)

AP - Assets of the nation's retail money market mutual funds rose by  #36;4.36 billion in the latest week to  #36;829.70 billion, the Investment Company Institute said Thursday.


Gap 3Q Earnings Meet Analysts' Estimates (AP)

AP - Gap Inc.'s third-quarter profit improved slightly even as the clothing retailer's sales began to sag.


Gap Third-Quarter Earnings Tick Up 1 Pct

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clothing retailer Gap Inc. GPS.N  said on Thursday its quarterly earnings ticked up 1 percent,  buoyed by improved profit margins, but hemmed in by weakness at  its Old Navy and international Gap stores.


Vioxx fallout: Scientist names five more questionable drugs

WASHINGTON - The FDA scientist who studied the safety of the recalled painkiller Vioxx delivered a bombshell Thursday, naming five more drugs he believes could be dangerous.


Gates gets spammed 4 million times a day

So you think you get a lot of spam, maybe a few hundred per day? Well think about the amount that bill gates gets at Microsoft, over 4 million a day apparently!


Ballmer Bearish on Linux

Microsoft (Quote, Chart) CEO Steve Ballmer urged Asian government leaders not to take sides in the Linux versus Windows debate.  quot;We recommend to all governments that they not get emotionally involved in preferring


DC College Students Targeted in Piracy Suit

The recording industry #39;s lobbying group today sued three users of American University #39;s computer network, accusing them of illegally sharing digital music files online.


Rayovac to Buy United Ind. for \$476 Mln

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Battery maker Rayovac Corp. ROV.N on  Tuesday said it would buy United Industries Corp., a maker of  lawn and garden products, for about \$476 million in cash and  stock in a bid to diversify its product mix.


NFL shouldn #39;t get a pass on naked lady stunt

The decision makers at ABC are pretty much beyond embarrassment, particularly given the fact that the locker room romp was designed to promote a show called  quot;Desperate Housewives.


Inside the Top 25

Most of the Top 25 is in action this week. No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 California and No. 7 Michigan all face dangerous games against bitter rivals.


Possible Spurrier development could impact USC recruiting

(Columbia) Nov. 18, 2004 - Former South Carolina Gamecock, New York Giant and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Corey Miller says the name Lou Holtz has helped South Carolina recruit football players.


Vikings' Birk Expected to Play Vs. Lions (AP)

AP - Minnesota Vikings center Matt Birk is expected to start Sunday against the Detroit Lions despite pain in his abdomen.


Blair, Chirac try to put Iraq war behind them (AFP)

AFP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac called for  quot;a stable and democratic Iraq quot; as well as urgent efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


Bender Out Indefinitely With Knee Injury (AP)

AP - Indiana Pacers forward Jonathan Bender's chronically injured left knee has taken yet another turn for the worse.


Dominican Navy Finds 10 Migrants' Bodies (AP)

AP - Rescuers recovered the bodies of 10 Dominican migrants and searched for eight who remain missing after their boat capsized trying to reach Puerto Rico, officials said Thursday.


NHL Draft Will Wait on New Contract (AP)

AP - There won't be an NHL entry draft before a collective bargaining agreement is reached with the players' association, the director of the league's scouting department said.


Golden Bears Focus on Archrival Stanford (AP)

AP - J.J. Arrington and his California teammates are on the verge of so many remarkable accomplishments that it might be impossible not to think ahead to New Year's Day or beyond.


Baseball Owners' Vote on Expos Move Delayed

WASHINGTON (Sports Network) - Owners of Major League  Baseball's more than 30 teams did not vote as scheduled  Thursday on the proposed move of the Montreal Expos franchise  to Washington, DC.


Kerry to Give Dems Leftover Campaign Cash (AP)

AP - Under friendly fire, Sen. John Kerry likely will donate a substantial portion of his excess presidential campaign cash to help elect Democratic candidates in 2005 and 2006, advisers said Thursday.


Henman Crushes Coria to Keep Masters Hopes Alive

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Britain's Tim Henman pounded Argentine  Guillermo Coria 6-2, 6-2 Thursday to keep alive his hopes of  reaching the Masters Cup semi-finals.


Senate Hears Testimony on Porn Addiction (AP)

AP - Comparing pornography to heroin, researchers on Thursday called on Congress to finance studies on "porn addiction" and launch a public health campaign about the dangers.


Group Cites Electronic Voting Problems (AP)

AP - The record use of electronic voting machines on Nov. 2 led to hundreds of voting irregularities and shows the need for higher standards, a voting rights group said Thursday.


Iraqis, U.S. Hail Falluja Success, Threats Remain

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. Lieutenant-General John  Sattler declared on Thursday his forces had "broken the back of  the insurgency" in Falluja, but U.S. troops still faced dangers  in the city and guerrillas attacked elsewhere in Iraq.


UN Security Council to Witness Sudan Peace Pledge

NAIROBI (Reuters) - The Sudanese government and its  southern rebel opponents have agreed to sign a pledge in the  Kenyan capital on Friday to formally end a brutal 21-year-old  civil war, with U.N. Security Council ambassadors as witnesses.


IRA must take immediate steps to disarm: N. Ireland Protestant leader (AFP)

AFP - Warning that he would not be "bluffed," Protestant leader Ian Paisley said the latest attempt to achieve piece in Northern Ireland was doomed unless the Catholic paramilitary IRA took immediate and verifiable steps to disarm.


Britain Bans Fox Hunting, Brushing Off Blair Wobble

LONDON (Reuters) - Ending years of bitter argument, Britain  finally banned the centuries-old pursuit of fox hunting on  Thursday -- but only after a last-minute attempt by the  government to delay its demise until after the next election.


China eyes new turf: S. America

Bush visits the region Friday, but President Hu Jintao has been striking business deals for two weeks.


Fallujah yields up weapons, videos

Captured video shows what appears to be Iraqi insurgents preparing for battle and attacking US forces.


Activist Charged With Blackmailing Yankee (AP)

AP - A federal judge refused to dismiss charges Thursday against a self-styled community activist accused of attempting to blackmail New York Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield and his wife with a purported sex videotape, and ordered him held in jail.


MBIA Gets Subpoenas from SEC, Spitzer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MBIA Inc., a large U.S. bond insurer,  said on Thursday it received subpoenas from the U.S. Securities  and Exchange Commission and New York Attorney General Eliot  Spitzer, seeking information about so-called non-traditional or  loss-mitigation insurance products.


Disney Profit Up, TV Outshines Studio (Reuters)

Reuters - Walt Disney Co.  posted a 24\percent rise in profit on Thursday as advertising gains at ESPN\and ABC television networks more than made up for a sharp\slowdown at Disney's movie studio.


Mitsubishi, Itochu to be stakeholders in Isuzu

Mitsubishi Corp. and Itochu Corp. will buy stakes in truck maker Isuzu Motors Ltd., the two trading companies said Thursday. Mitsubishi Corp.


Nike Chief Phil Knight Resigns; Board Appoints Perez (Update4)

Nike Inc. said Phil Knight, who began the company in 1972 selling sneakers from his car and built it into the world #39;s biggest athletic-shoe maker, will step down next month as chief executive officer.


Google warns a slowing of growth is  #39;inevitable #39;

Google warned Thursday that increased competition and the maturing of the company would result in an  quot;inevitable quot; slowing of its growth.


El Paso shareholders endorse auditor

HOUSTON El Paso Corporation shareholders today ignored recommendations from two advisory firms to fire its longtime outside auditor.


Victims #39; relatives to make voices heard in crematory case

LAFAYETTE, Ga. Prosecutors say several dozen relatives of people whose bodies were among more than 300 found at a northwest Georgia crematory have asked to make statements at a sentencing hearing for the crematory #39;s former operator.


London acquires its own big Apple

Those wishing to be the first to worship at London #39;s latest temple of technology will doubtless be huddled in sleeping bags tonight outside the Apple Store in Regent Street.


RIAA follows MPAA in fight against file swappers

The great debate over file-sharing rages on, with some, like the Electronic Frontier Foundation maintaining that copyright law doesn #39;t matter anymore.


China, 15 Other Countries Consider NASA Exploration

China and 15 other countries joined NASA officials this week to consider how they might cooperate with US plans for human exploration of the moon and Mars.


Man Utd #39;s Van Nistelrooy: Injury just a knock

Manchester United #39;s Ruud van Nistelrooy has played down the injury he received playing for Holland on Wednesday night. Van Nistelrooy hobbled off with a hip problem as the Dutch beat Andorra 3-0.


Molson Indy Vancouver gets black flag

quot;The bottom line is the business model couldn #39;t work, quot; said Jo-Ann McArthur, president of sponsoring Molson Sports and Entertainment.


#39;Old-fashioned, out of time. #39; Clarke dismisses princely view of <b>...</b>

The fragile relationship between the government and the royal family was under fresh strain last night, after the education secretary, Charles Clarke, dismissed the Prince of Wales #39; views on education as  quot;old-fashioned and out of time quot; and claimed the


Wave of Violence in Iraq as Marine Is Killed in Fallujah

BAGHDAD, 19 November 2004 - A wave of violence engulfed Iraq as a US Marine and an Iraqi soldier were killed in Fallujah yesterday.


An Ivorian economy  #39;fatally hurt #39;

PARIS One week after a fragile calm returned to Ivory Coast, the country #39;s business life remains in shambles, with many foreign chief executives out of the country and no prospect of their immediate return.


Hamas demands new Palestinian election system

Hamas is demanding changes to the election system employed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the 1996 elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council (the parliament).


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

AP - As of Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, at least 1,216 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 945 died as a result of hostile action, the Defense Department said. The figures include three military civilians.


Unproven rumours and innuendo trailed Gagliano throughout years in office (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The list of slurs, none proven, has come full circle for Alfonso Gagliano, more than two years after he fled the political limelight.


House Ready to Send Bush Debt-Limit Hike (AP)

AP - Democrats accused Republicans of disastrous economic policies as Congress moved Thursday toward shipping President Bush an  #36;800 billion increase in the federal borrowing limit.


Groups Brace for Social Security Changes (AP)

AP - Officials representing business groups, financial service companies, banks and insurance firms are gearing up for a legislative fight over Social Security, telling White House officials Thursday they are solidly behind President Bush's desire to remake the retirement system next year.


TV Reporter May Be Jailed for Refusing to Disclose Source

The reporter was convicted of criminal contempt for refusing to disclose who leaked him an F.B.I. videotape on an investigation of government corruption in Providence.


US expert makes damning Vioxx claims

An expert with the Food Drug Administration has accused the agency in Congress of having pressed him to withhold results of a study showing potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.


Marsh #39;s 5 top execs leave board

Insurance firm says its board now consists of its new CEO Michael Cherkasky and 10 outside members. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos.


Knight: Quits As Nike CEO, President; Remains Chairman

In one fell swoosh. Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people ) said its President and Chief Executive Phil Knight, 66, will relinquish those posts.