Britain to impose smoking ban in England, Wales

LONDON - The British government announced plans Tuesday to impose a smoking ban across England and Wales. As part of the government #39;s wide-ranging  quot;White Paper on Public Health, quot; which also aims to tackle


Diaz Ends the Year on a Strong Note (AP)

AP - Now that Laura Diaz is starting to see progress, the LPGA Tour season is about to end. But at least she gets one more week, which is all she wanted.


Safin Storms to Easy Masters Cup Win Over Coria

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Russia's Marat Safin rolled to a 6-1,  6-4 win over Guillermo Coria of Argentina at the Masters Cup  Tuesday, the rainy conditions doing little to cool off the  ATP's hottest player.


ETA Urged to Quit Fight as 17 More Suspects Jailed

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Basque regional government  called on armed separatist group ETA to renounce violence on  Tuesday, stepping up political pressure on the severely  weakened guerrillas to lay down their arms.


World Health Leaders Call for New Research Goals

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Global health leaders meeting in  Mexico this week want nations of the world to spend more on  medical research, not only to develop new cures but to make  those now on the market available to the poor.


NASA Test Flight Breaks World Jet Speed Record (Reuters)

Reuters - An unmanned experimental jet broke\a world record for speed on Tuesday by accelerating to about\7,000 miles per hour high over the Pacific Ocean in a NASA test\of cutting-edge engine technology.


Everest Needs UNESCO Status as Glaciers Melt-Greens (Reuters)

Reuters - Mount Everest should be put on a United


Fired Up Hewitt Rallies Past Moya

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A fired-up Lleyton Hewitt underlined  his determination to end the season with a third Masters Cup  title as he rallied past Spain's Carlos Moya 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to  complete their rain-delayed opening match Tuesday.


Ohio Has Clearer Picture of Ballots Now (AP)

AP - Most of the presidential election provisional ballots rejected so far in Ohio came from people who were not even registered to vote, election officials said after spending nearly two weeks poring over thousands of disputed votes.


U.S. Signs Agreement Targeting Methane (AP)

AP - Seeking to bolster its credentials on global warming, the United States signed an agreement Tuesday with 13 other nations that calls for investing up to  #36;53 million in companies that will profitably control emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas.


Ivory Coast Leader Says Committed to Reunification

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo  said on Tuesday he was committed to reunifying the West African  country but said that it was up to the United Nations to start  disarmament in the world's top cocoa grower.


Indian PM Visits Kashmir, Troops Start Pullout

SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan  Singh begins his first visit to revolt-torn Kashmir on  Wednesday as New Delhi starts pulling troops out of the  disputed Himalayan state hoping to boost the chances for peace.


NASA Launches Hypersonic 'Scramjet'

An unmanned NASA jet was launched over the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday in a bid to demonstrate a radical new engine technology by flying at a world-record 7,000 mph - almost 10 times the speed of sound.


HP Earnings Rebound

Hewlett-Packard late Tuesday released the financial results for its fourth fiscal quarter, which ended Oct. 31. The Palo Alto, Calif.


World Bank: Global Economy Improving

The World Bank said that developing countries are seeing their strongest economic growth in three decades -- and strong growth is likely to continue for the next two years.


ATA Holdings Corp. Announces Definitive Agreement With AirTran <b>...</b>

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ATA Holdings Corp. , announced today that the Company and its principal subsidiary, ATA Airlines, Inc.


Nordstrom earnings beat estimates

SEATTLE -- Nordstrom Inc. #39;s income soared 71 percent in its latest quarter as the clothing chain continued to focus on improving merchandise and managing expenses.


Bush Econ Team to Undergo Gradual Changes (Reuters)

Reuters - President Bush, who swiftly\reshuffled his foreign policy team on Tuesday, is planning a\more gradual overhaul of his top economic staff, people close\to the White House said.


Scramjet reaches record of nearly Mach 10

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE - NASA #39;s unpiloted jet briefly reached more than nine times the speed of sound in a test flight on Tuesday.


Movie Studios Sue File Traders

The trade group that represents movie studios filed its first round of lawsuits Tuesday against people who allegedly share copyright films on the internet.


Solaris 10 appears

After a steady diet of feature announcements throughout most of this year, Sun Microsystems officials formally launched their next-generation operating system this week.


Drug companies, retailers adopting RFID for drugs

Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Purdue Pharma are the first drugmakers willing to take the plunge and use radio frequency identification technology to protect their US drug supply chains from counterfeiters.


Microsoft Floats NetWare Migration Promo

Officials at Microsoft (Quote, Chart) took advantage of their new arrangement with Novell (Quote, Chart) to launch a promotion to get US customers off the NetWare operating system and onto Windows Server 2003.


Sony makes progress towards smaller Blu-ray/DVD players

NOVEMBER 16, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Sony Corp. and blue-laser diode maker Nichia Corp. have developed a component that they say is vital to realizing support for Blu-ray Disc and DVD discs in portable devices, they announced on Tuesday.


McCain raps Bush on global warming

Seeking to bolster its credentials on global warming, the United States signed an agreement Tuesday with 13 other nations that calls for investing up to \$53 million in companies that will profitably control emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas.


NVIDIA Announces GeForce 6600 GT for the AGP Bus

November 16, 2004 - NVIDIA today has announced an AGP version of its GeForce 6600 GT, its competitively priced, high-performance solution aimed at gamers.


Aussies satisfied with a draw

Australia has drawn 2-2 with Norway in its international friendly at Craven Cottage in London - Tim Cahill and Josip Skoko got the goals for Frank Farina #39;s side.


Keane strikes gives Ireland victory over Croatia

DUBLIN: Ireland #39;s all-time leading scorer Robbie Keane struck the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Croatia in an international soccer friendly on Wednesday.


Junior hockey league bans David Frost from games after incident in <b>...</b>

ATHENS, Ont. (CP) - David Frost, the agent for jailed former NHL player Mike Danton, has been banned from attending all future games and events of Central Jr.


MAC to fill Pac-10 #39;s slot in Silicon Valley bowl

The Silicon Valley Bowl is close to finalizing a deal to bring a team from the Mid-American Conference to the game in place of a Pac-10 team.


Eagles show Cowboys night of humiliation

IRVING, Texas -- Donovan McNabb spun away from one would-be tackler and sprinted to his right, only to find another defender waiting.


Browns Waive RB James Jackson (AP)

AP - The Browns waived disgruntled running back James Jackson on Tuesday to make room for a rookie on their roster.


Jazz Get Arroyo Back, Put Him in Lineup (AP)

AP - Carlos Arroyo spent 30 minutes getting pregame treatment, then tried to hustle out onto the court. In such a hurry to rejoin the Utah Jazz, he made a wrong turn and headed toward the buffet line.


Fate of UN hostages hangs in balance

KABUL, Nov 16: The latest deadline set by Muslim militants in Afghanistan who threatened to kill three UN hostages passed with no word on their fate on Tuesday, but the government said it was hopeful they would be released.


Thatcher to fight call for extradition over  #39;coup #39;

SIR MARK THATCHER is facing an extradition demand from Equatorial Guinea to stand trial over claims that he helped to bankroll an attempted coup in the oil-rich West African state.


Auburn's Tailback Duo Share Spotlight (AP)

AP - Auburn tailbacks Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown haven't joined in the rush to the Heisman Trophy.


PeopleSoft introduces support by subscription

New technical support service lets businesses outsource tuning, patching and monitoring of their PeopleSoft systems.


Eighth Wonder Bread of the world

Looking for a miracle with your meal? You may be in luck. A Florida woman is selling what she claims is a miraculous sandwich, and apparently, it's just what some spiritual bidders are craving. Missing Links


Bush Econ Team to Undergo Gradual Changes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush, who swiftly  reshuffled his foreign policy team on Tuesday, is planning a  more gradual overhaul of his top economic staff, people close  to the White House said.


Stocks Slip on Strong PPI; HP Climbs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks retreated on Tuesday, as a  jump in the Producer Price Index on skyrocketing food and  energy costs raised concerns that the Fed might become more  aggressive with rate increases in the months ahead.


US Flight Attendants Union To Begin Strike Vote

The Association of Flight Attendants said its union leaders unanimously authorized a strike vote on Tuesday that will begin immediately at bankrupt US carriers, including United Airlines and US Airways.


Crude oil prices fall amid optimism over US oil stockpiles

Crude oil prices fell Tuesday astraders widely anticipated a continuing increase in US inventories of crude oil. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil futures for


US pension agencys deficit jumps to \$23b

WASHINGTON: The deficit at the federal agency that rescues failed US corporate pensions more than doubled to \$23.3 billion in fiscal year 2004, officials said on Monday, with analysts largely blaming bankrupt airlines.


Some shareholders accept, others reject Oracle bid

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- PeopleSoft #39;s board could be the target of another shareholder lawsuit over the anti-takeover measures it adopted to fend off a hostile bid from rival Oracle, according to a lawyer representing a group of PeopleSoft shareholders.


Developing nations  #39;to prosper #39;

Developing nations are this year set to record their strongest economic growth since 1974, the World Bank has said. Many countries are on course to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals of cutting global


Zurich Financial Underwriters Plead Guilty in Probe (Update4)

Two underwriters at Zurich Financial Services AG, the third-biggest US commercial insurer, pleaded guilty to charges they helped rig bids to help an insurance broker give business to favored clients.


Film Industry Files Wave of Anti-Piracy Lawsuits

The MPAA estimated that global film piracy costs the US movie industry more than \$3 billion annually, but it did not give an estimate for how much online piracy costs the industry.


Fear Is Spread by Body Language, Study Says

The study shows that images of fear affect the emotional part of the brain. Since the link between the emotional brain and action is stronger than the link between the visual brain and action, viewing fearful


U.S. Stocks Fall on Inflation Fears

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks and bonds fell on Tuesday  as a jump in producer prices sparked worries about inflation  and aggressive interest-rate hikes.


ABC Sports apologizes for steamy intro to  #39;Monday Night Football #39;

The network #39;s steamy intro to the Philadelphia-Dallas game, featuring a naked Nicollette Sheridan jumping into the arms of Eagles receiver Terrell Owens, drew complaints from viewers and the NFL.


Castilla leaving Rockies

A blend of sadness and excitement resonated in Vinny Castilla #39;s voice this afternoon. Despite his popularity and production, Castilla #39;s career with the Rockies is over.


Yankees meet with Martinez

The hot stove season got a little hotter on Tuesday, as Pedro Martinez met with the Yankees in Tampa to discuss the possibility of joining the Bronx Bombers.


Segway completes trans-continental voyage

Tired scooter rider enthused to finish coast-to-coast journey across 14 states.


In Brief: Bowstreet unveils pre-packaged portal offerings

Bowstreet this week launched its Enterprise Portal Solutions, a set of portal-based composite applications designed to bolster employee, partner, and customer productivity.


HP server group sees profit in Q4

Hewlett-Packard's troubled Enterprise Storage and Servers group bounced back to profitability during its most recent financial quarter, and the company as a whole saw revenue rise 8 percent to \$21.4 billion, the Palo Alto, California, company reported Tuesday.


US claims 'no fault' in 2003 killing of reporters in Iraq: Reporters Without Borders (AFP)

AFP - The US Army has acknowledged  quot;no fault or negligence quot; in the April 2003 attack on a Baghdad hotel that killed two reporters, a rights group said, even though the military knew that hundreds of journalists were based there.


Nokia Demos Mobile Call Using IPv6 (PC World)

PC World - Internet Protocol version 6 will improve VoIP quality, other wireless services.


Iranian Hard-Liners Criticize Nuclear Deal (AP)

AP - Iranian hard-liners on Tuesday criticized a nuclear deal reached with European nations, saying Iran gained nothing in return for suspending the nuclear enrichment process.


SDForum: Open source becoming first option (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - SANTA CLARA, CALIF.  #8211; Enterprises that in the past may have been leery of open source alternatives to commercial software have opened up to the concept, panelists said here Tuesday at an SDForum conference entitled "Open Source  #8211; Entering the Mainstream. #8221;


In Brief: Bowstreet unveils pre-packaged portal offerings (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - Bowstreet this week launched its Enterprise Portal Solutions, a set of portal-based composite applications designed to bolster employee, partner, and customer productivity.


Nokia Demos Mobile Call Using IPv6

Internet Protocol version 6 will improve VoIP quality, other wireless services.


Geiger, Tressel Defend Ohio State (AP)

AP - Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger and coach Jim Tressel defended the school's football program Tuesday against charges that players were paid by boosters and coddled academically.


Black moves to privatise Hollinger

Black was charged with fraud yesterday by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), accusing him of using the company as, what they termed, his personal piggy bank.


Iran suspending uranium enrichment

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said Monday that it was suspending uranium enrichment and related activities briefly, voluntarily and in hopes of building confidence in the world that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.


A revised disengagement strategy

As Yasser Arafat was being brought for burial, and even before a Palestinian leadership has arisen that will prove that it is heading in a new direction, British Prime Minister Tony Blair went


Motorola to acquire MeshNetworks

Motorola Inc. has agreed to buy MeshNetworks Inc., a developer of technology and products for rapidly deployed, self-creating wireless mobile networks.


Borders Posts \$1.5M Loss in 3rd Quarter

Borders Group Inc. said Tuesday that it swung to a loss in the fiscal third quarter as fewer customers came to stores and best seller sales declined.


Murdoch #39;s News Corp. to Join S amp;P 500

News Corp. (NWS.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) (NWS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the media company built by Rupert Murdoch, will join the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 stock index after the close of trading on Dec. 17, S amp;P said on Tuesday.


MPAA sues file swappers

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) launched its initiative to file lawsuits against online movie traders on Tuesday.


Euro probe comes in 4th in moon race

Nearly 40 years after US and Soviet space probes orbited the moon, the European Space Agency has put its own satellite into lunar orbit.


Revealed: why the fear factor runs with the pack

THE rapid spread of fear that can cause crush injuries and serious accidents in crowds could be provoked by an innate reaction to body language, a provocative new study has found.


HP PCs To Include Blu-Ray Drives

Hewlett-Packard said Tuesday that it will bring products using Blu-Ray next-generation optical technology to market in late 2005. In January, both HP and Dell announced their support for the Blu-Ray specification


Sharapova caps superb year as foil to Williams

WIMBLEDON champion Maria Sharapova capped her stunning year by overcoming an injured Serena Williams 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles yesterday.


Global economy to slow sharply next year, says the World Bank

THE growth of the world economy is poised to slow sharply next year as oil pressures continue and China attempts a soft landing, the World Bank said yesterday.


After 13-month flight, Europe arrives at the moon

More than 30 years after the last Apollo mission, European scientists have made it to the moon. Their experimental Smart-1 probe, powered by a revolutionary Star Trek-style thruster, has entered into orbit around the lunar surface.


Silvestre lambasts Domenech

France defender Mikael Silvestre has hit out at the lack of communication from national coach Raymond Domenech. The 27-year-old Manchester United defender was left out of France #39;s squad for Wednesday #39;s friendly with Poland.


Hollywood Writer Sues Microsoft Over Yoga Game (Reuters)

Reuters - Academy Award-winning screenwriter\Roger Avary has sued Microsoft Corp. in California for\purportedly stealing his idea for a virtual yoga studio after\the software giant sought his advice for winning over women to\videogames, his attorney said on Tuesday.


PeopleSoft Shareholders Clash on Takeover (AP)

AP - Oracle Corp.'s takeover tug-of-war with rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. intensified Tuesday as two shareholders who own nearly 20 percent of PeopleSoft's stock indicated they are prepared to line up on opposite sides of the battle lines.


FDA Chief Counsel Daniel Troy Resigns (AP)

AP - Daniel E. Troy, chief counsel for the Food and Drug Administration, resigned Tuesday with plans to return to the private sector.


Hollywood Writer Sues Microsoft Over Yoga Game

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Academy Award-winning screenwriter  Roger Avary has sued Microsoft Corp. in California for  purportedly stealing his idea for a virtual yoga studio after  the software giant sought his advice for winning over women to  videogames, his attorney said on Tuesday.


Ivorean head won't 'hinder' peace

Ivory Coast's leader vows not to block peace moves in the divided nation as the UN imposes an arms embargo.


Bush Names Hawkish Rice Top U.S. Diplomat (AP)

AP - President Bush on Tuesday picked National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, who once tutored him on global affairs, to be his top diplomat, saying her foreign-policy experience and struggle against racism uniquely qualified her to be America's "face to the world" as secretary of state.


Execs Tell Congress of More Insurance Woes (AP)

AP - Revelations of bid-rigging within the insurance industry may lead Congress to a "Pandora's box" of unethical conduct, a top investigator told Congress on Tuesday, just before two more executives pleaded guilty.


Glaciers Said Threatening Mount Everest (AP)

AP - Melting glaciers caused by climate change are posing an urgent threat to Mount Everest's unique environment, activists said Wednesday, launching a campaign to protect the Himalayan mountain range and the world's highest peak.


For O.D.B., Fun Was Too Much or Not at All

For hip-hop stars, there is nothing glamorous about being out of control. The late rapper burned hot in a world where stars are supposed to stay cool.


Europe's First Moon Mission Successful (AP)

AP - A fuel-efficient, compact spacecraft has made it into lunar orbit, signaling Europe's first successful mission to the moon and putting the inexpensive probe on course to study the lunar surface, officials said Tuesday.


Analyst: Outsourcing can save costs in health care

BALTIMORE - Health care organizations not considering offshore outsourcing are missing out on significant cost savings, but administrators need to be aware of potential risks, including lax handling of data security by some vendors and the effect on employee morale, a health care IT analyst said Tuesday.


Davenport Ends Season Top-Ranked Player (AP)

AP - Lindsay Davenport finished No. 1 in the world for the third time in the year-end WTA rankings released Tuesday.


Kobe Bryant Civil Lawsuit Set to Begin (AP)

AP - Three months after prosecutors dropped a sexual assault charge against Kobe Bryant, attorneys for the NBA star prepared to return to court for the first hearing in a civil lawsuit filed by his accuser.


Hewlett-Packard 4th-Qtr Net Rises on Server Rebound (Update4)

Hewlett-Packard Co., the world #39;s No. 2 personal-computer maker, said fourth-quarter profit rose 27 percent, exceeding its forecast, as sales of servers rebounded and PC revenue set a record.


Peoplesoft bid battle heats up

The battle for PeopleSoft intensified on Tuesday, with the company #39;s two top shareholders said to be taking opposite sides in the software maker #39;s struggle against an \$8.8 billion hostile bid by its bigger rival Oracle.


Murdoch: Plans Cable Rival For  #39;Disappointing #39; CNBC

Rupert Murdoch, sunny news junkie. After the annual shareholder meeting of Fox Entertainment Group (nyse: FOX - news - people ), Murdoch said he saw a niche for a new cable business news channel that #39;d offer


Expos OK Deals With 3B Castilla, SS Guzman (AP)

AP - The Expos made their first big splash since announcing their move to Washington, agreeing Tuesday to a  #36;6.2 million, two-year contract with third baseman Vinny Castilla and a  #36;16.8 million, four-year deal with shortstop Cristian Guzman.


Growth in developing countries strongest in 3 decades: WB

The developing countries will enjoy the strongest economic growth in three decades this year andshould continue to enjoy solid expansion in 2005 and 2006, the World Bank predicted on Tuesday.


IRS Announces Thousands In Unclaimed Refunds

FORT SMITH, Ark. -- Many Arkansans and Oklahomans could have money coming and not know it, federal officials said Tuesday. The Internal Revenue Service announced that more than 1,500 residents in both states have unclaimed tax refunds.


Bell Ringers Banned from Target

Captain Chuck Anderson from the Salvation Army is spraying the kettles red, in preparation for their annual Christmas fundraiser. He says, quot;Last year we helped almost 1500 children and senior citizens and over 600 families.


US scramjet clocks 10 times speed of sound

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, United States : A US hypersonic experimental scramjet, the X-43A, clocked up a test flight at a world record speed 10 times faster than sound, NASA said.


FDA Tells Viagra To Soften Its Ads

The FDA said the Viagra ads were so suggestive they touted the drug #39;s effectiveness, thereby requiring a description of the evidence for the claim and the possible side effects.


Europe probe safely enters Moon orbit

PARIS The first European spacecraft sent to the Moon has entered orbit there, the European Space Agency said on Tuesday. The SMART-1 spacecraft reached its closest point to the Moon so far, coming within 5,000


Dell and Microsoft improves patch management

Microsoft and Dell launched a new initiative program for their enterprise consumers that promise to be productive and cost efficient.


Solaris will be available for free

At yesterday #39;s official launch of the new Solaris 10 operating system in San Jose, Calif., Sun executives said Solaris will be issued next January under an  quot;open-source quot; licensing plan similar to that used by the rival operating system Linux and the


Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Back Up on EBay

MIAMI Nov 16, 2004 - The Internet auction house eBay Inc. reversed itself Tuesday and is allowing bids for half of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that its owner says bears the image of the Virgin Mary.


Hollywood Writer Sues Microsoft Over Yoga Game

Academy Award-winning screenwriter Roger Avary has sued Microsoft Corp. in California for purportedly stealing his idea for a virtual yoga studio after the software giant sought his


Spot On: Blu-ray bares teeth in format fight to the finish

A battle over next-generation disc standards could create a rift in console game storage. Which side are you on? There are few who contest the fact that the acceptance of CD-ROM and then DVD-ROM standards


Ireland Beats Croatia in Soccer Friendly; Australia Ties Norway

Robbie Keane scored his 24th international goal as the Republic of Ireland beat Croatia 1-0 in an exhibition soccer match. Australia and Norway drew 2-2.


Spotlight on entire Giants offense

The Giants are on the clock again, and it is a race against time as dramatic as the one that ended in April when they made the trade for Eli Manning.


Officials hope for calm after Apple Cup

PULLMAN, Wash. -- Washington State officials hope to avoid a repeat of 2002 #39;s post-Apple Cup melee by having more police on site and stressing good sportsmanship at the game Saturday.


Wales  #39;homecoming #39; adds twist for Henry and Hansen

There was a bizarre feeling to events yesterday, hearing two Wales coaches talking about New Zealand looking for a victory, but then, it is an unprecedented situation.


Europe doesn #39;t believe in democracy

What Tony Blair disarmingly calls his  quot;damn high wire act quot; is getting shakier. The bridge between Europe and the United States has become a frayed rope in a tug-of-war match.


Tension high, Dutch ponder old blasphemy law

THE HAGUE Dutch leaders debated Tuesday about invoking a rarely used law banning blasphemy in response to a wave of ethnic tension and violence.


Australia #39;s WMC Resources Says No Takeover Offer Made -2-

MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian diversified nickel producer WMC Resources Ltd. (WMC) on Wednesday said it hasn #39;t received any new takeover proposals.


Hewlett-Packard posts 26.5 per cent rise in fourth quarter profits

Hewlett-Packard Co. reported Tuesday a 26.5 per cent rise in fourth-quarter profit on the strength of record revenue growth across all of the computer manufacturing giant #39;s businesses.


Motorola to acquire MeshNetworks

Motorola has agreed to buy MeshNetworks, a developer of technology and products for rapidly deployed, self-creating wireless mobile networks.


US  #39;Scramjet #39; Breaks Speed Record

The US space agency (NASA) says an unmanned supersonic jet Tuesday succeeded in breaking a speed record. NASA says preliminary data from its X-43A experimental aircraft shows it reached speeds


Xbox game lawsuit

The LA Times today has the story (free reg. required ) of a notable Hollywood figure suing Microsoft over an Xbox game:  quot;If this were one of his screenplays, Roger Avary might have sent gun-packing, wisecracking thugs to settle his beef with Bill Gates.


Dell thrusts blade into datacentres

A substantial price cut and footprint squeeze show a new commitment from Dell to getting its enterprise-class blade servers into data centres.


RUMOR: Next generation Apple iPod to feature downloadable games?

quot;Apple #39;s iPod has lately been subject to the Rumor of the Week, quot; Rich Duprey writes for The Motley Fool.  quot;Gaming is the latest rumor to have attracted attention.


Keane On Target As Ireland Win

The Republic of Ireland #39;s leading scorer, Robbie Keane, extended his record to 24 goals as Brian Kerrs side beat Croatia 1-0 in a friendly at Lansdowne Road in Dublin on Tuesday.


PREVIEW-Beckham and Owen to feel at home against Spain

England captain David Beckham and Michael Owen, playing at a home from home in Wednesday #39;s friendly against Spain, have points to prove at the Bernabeu.


ABC Sorry for  #39;Desperate Housewives #39; Football Plug

The National Football League has thrown a penalty flag at ABC television, and the network has apologized, for its literal use of locker-room humor to promote the new hit drama  quot;Desperate Housewives.


MLB: Anaheim Angels #39; Guerrero Wins MVP Award

Major League Baseball #39;s Vladimir Guerrero of the Anaheim Angels has wrapped up his inaugural season in the American League by winning the Most Valuable Player Award.


Boks bring  #39;streetwise #39; approach to Twickenham

Few who witnessed the decisive sucker-punch try by Ireland #39;s Ronan O #39;Gara in Dublin last Saturday, scored while the Springbok captain John Smit was engaged in a lengthy conference with his team on the subject of illegal ball-killing, would use the word


Hurricanes Strap on the Pads for Tuesday Workout

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Despite a recent rash of injuries, the University of Miami #39;s 12th-ranked football team conducted a normal Tuesday practice with full-contact work at the Greentree Practice Fields.


Iraq #39;s tireless worker killed in the country she loved

When Margaret Hassan was kidnapped in October, her car was waved down by two men in Iraqi police uniforms. Gunmen surrounded the car and dragged Ms Hassan #39;s driver and unarmed guard from their seats.


Japan vs. Russia on Kuril islands

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced on Tuesday that Tokyo would not support the idea to solve the problem of southern Kuril Islands and peace treaty with Moscow by getting just two islands, Shikotan and Habomai.


China Sees Heavy Investment in Argentina in Decade (Reuters)

Reuters - China and Argentina\signed accords on Tuesday that could bring nearly  #36;20 billion\in investment from the Asian giant over the next 10 years for\the capital-starved Latin American economy.


Film Trade Group Files Anti-Piracy Suits (AP)

AP - A trade group representing seven major movie studios filed a first wave of lawsuits against individuals they say are offering pirated copies of films using Internet-based peer-to-peer file-sharing programs.


By Matt Bramanti

Some 10 years ago, Miami resident Diana Duyser made a grilled cheese sandwich. But not just any grilled cheese sandwich. This one bears the image of the mother of Christ, Duyser claims: The Blessed Virgin Mary, in bread-and-cheese form.


Beckham to play beyond 2006 World Cup

England captain David Beckham has denied reports that he plans to retire from international soccer after the 2006 World Cup and said he wants to play for his country as long as possible.


Lauda says Red Bull should hire DC

Three-time world champion Niki Lauda says Formula One #39;s new team Red Bull Racing should sign up David Coulthard. Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull bought the Jaguar team from Ford earlier this week, and


World doubles number ones reach semifinals

World doubles top players Daniel Nestor of Canada and Mark Knowles of Bahamas Tuesday defeated Zimbabweans Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) at the ATP Masters Cup held in Houston, the United States.


Arafat in Gaza

For all but the most elderly Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, portraits of Yasser Arafat, in outdoor posters, framed in public buildings, smaller pictures in the most humble homes of


eXo adds portal software to ObjectWeb

ObjectWeb, a consortium focused on delivery of open source infrastructure technologies, announced Tuesday that eXo Platform SARL has joined the consortium and that its Enterprise Portal Solution (EPS) will be hosted by ObjectWeb.


eXo adds portal software to ObjectWeb (InfoWorld)

InfoWorld - ObjectWeb, a consortium focused on delivery of open source infrastructure technologies, announced Tuesday that eXo Platform SARL has joined the consortium and that its Enterprise Portal Solution (EPS) will be hosted by ObjectWeb.


Study: U.S. needs foreign-born workers

Report backed by pro-visa group sees shortages in high-skill occupations, a view not shared by all.


TiVo backer Aslop to leave VC firm

Prominent venture capitalist at Silicon Valley's New Enterprise Associates wants to "see if I can design a working life for myself."


SBC in Deal With Microsoft to Provide TV on High-Speed Lines

SBC Communications plans to announce that it will pay \$400 million to Microsoft for software used to deliver TV programming over high-speed data lines.


Universal Music Said to License Songs (AP)

AP - Universal Music Group has licensed songs from its stable of artists including U2 and Eminem to a company that has developed technology designed to prevent the unauthorized distribution of audio tracks over online file-sharing networks, a source familiar with the venture said.


Motorola Acquires MeshNetworks (AP)

AP - Motorola Inc. is acquiring MeshNetworks Inc., developer of a technology that makes it easy to set up and expand wireless networks, in a deal expected to help the world's No. 2 cell phone maker win more government business.


New Judges Chosen for Peru Rebel Retrial (AP)

AP - Peru named three new judges to hear the retrial of Shining Path rebel leader Abimael Guzman, officials said Tuesday, replacing jurists who stepped down and caused his first public trial to collapse.


Pakistan Movie Theater Explosion Kills 2 (AP)

AP - A bomb exploded in a movie theater in northwestern Pakistan early Wednesday, killing two people and injuring 29 others, police said.


Bush Seeks to Build on His Education Base (AP)

AP - President Bush is ready to shift his education focus to older students, building on the law he pushed through before terrorism and war came to define his presidency.


Congress Ready to Update Special Ed Law (AP)

AP - Congressional negotiators have reached agreement on major changes in special education, aiming to boost discipline in class, better identify children with disabilities, get help to students earlier and reduce lawsuits by parents.


Ozone 'link' to premature deaths

High levels of  may be killing off people living in cities around the world, experts suspect.


Clash of the superheroes

Marvel Enterprises, IP guardian of The Hulk and untold other fictional freaks, is suing the creators of the hot online game "City of Heroes," claiming that characters in the game are virtually identical to Marvel characters. Missing Links


Guerrero Wins American League M.V.P. Award

Vladimir Guerrero of the Anaheim Angels won the A.L. Most Valuable Player award, easily beating the second-place finisher, Gary Sheffield of the Yankees.


European officials urge US to halt dollar #39;s slide

BRUSSELS European finance officials on Tuesday called on the United States to take concrete action to halt the slide of the dollar.


Vodafone pays out 6bn but fears grow on margins

Vodafone is to hand out 6bn to shareholders this year thanks to a doubling of its dividend and an increase in its share buy-back programme.


News Corp marked in for S amp;P move

A date has been announced for the inclusion of Rupert Murdoch #39;s News Corporation in a key share market index in the United States.


US wholesale prices up sharply in October

Wholesale prices in the United States jumped 1.7 percent in October as a result of sharply higherenergy and food costs, the Labor Department reported on Tuesday.


Scramjet flies at Mach 10

By staff writers and wires. NASA says it has broken the world speed record for powered flight with an experimental jet that has just flown at 10 times the speed of sound.


EPA budget audit finds improvement

An audit found improvement in the Environmental Protection Agency #39;s recent budgets, including a reduction of the Superfund deficit from \$82.7 million to \$7.6 million in 2004.


Music rebels seek to tame P2P

com November 16, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. After years of bitter battles between copyright holders and file-swapping services, the outlines of a partial truce are emerging that may soon see


Senate May Ram Copyright Bill

WASHINGTON -- Several lobbying camps from different industries and ideologies are joining forces to fight an overhaul of copyright law, which they say would radically shift in favor of Hollywood and the record companies and which Congress might try to


Gerrard ready for Liverpool comeback

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says he is ready to make his comeback at Middlesbrough after a two-month injury absence. Gerrard, who broke a bone in his foot during Liverpool #39;s 2-1 Premier


New Mexico Coach Gets 2009 Extension

ALBUQUERQUE, NM Nov 16, 2004 - New Mexico signed coach Rocky Long a contract extension through 2009 on Tuesday. While details of the new contract are still being worked out, Long is getting a pay raise of


Former Buc Jackson signs with old team

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Tampa Bay inked former Buc and Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson on Tuesday to add depth to its suddenly-thin safety position.


Busch stays in front by avoiding finishes in back

After tearing up the track in the first six rounds of NASCAR #39;s new 10-race, playoff-style championship format, Kurt Busch is looking a little more Matt Kenseth-esque these days.


Geiger: No evidence to back accusations

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the wake of Maurice Clarett #39;s accusations of impropriety within the Ohio State football program, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel and athletic director Andy Geiger defended the program Tuesday.


WC Group 2 Preview: Greece-Kazakhstan

Greece host Kazakhstan on Wednesday night in a game that the home-side is looking only for the maximum in order to remain in the fight for the top places of the second group.


Sudan: Peace Deal Must Tackle Past Abuses

(Nairobi, November 18, 2004) - The impunity enjoyed by the Sudanese authorities in their ongoing atrocities in Darfur demonstrates why the near-final peace deal to end the country #39;s North-South conflict must include accountability for human rights abuses


Witness recants

The prime witness in an alleged coup plot in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea repudiated his confession Tuesday, saying it was coerced by interrogators who threatened him with death.


Dollar Stuck Near Lows Ahead of G20 Meet

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled near seven-month lows  against the yen on Wednesday as traders considered what  officials from the Group of 20 countries might say about recent  weakness in the U.S. currency at an upcoming meeting.


St. Paul Travelers gets another subpoena in insurance probe

ST. PAUL, Minn. Saint Paul Travelers Companies says it has been subpoenaed by the New York attorney general for documents relating to its business practices.


Vodafone to Buy Back More Shares

As it reported results on Tuesday, the Vodafone Group, the world #39;s largest mobile phone operator, said that it would double dividends and increase a share buyback program by 1 billion (\$1.9 billion).


NASA Test Flight Nears 7,000 Mph, Breaks Record

An unmanned experimental jet broke a world record for speed on Tuesday, cruising over the Pacific Ocean at just under 7,000 miles per hour in a NASA test of cutting-edge  quot;scramjet quot; engine technology.


Microsoft to NetWare Users: I Want You

Microsoft has introduced a package of tools, training and technical support designed to lure users away from Novell #39;s Netware, to Windows Server 2003.


Rep of Ire 1 Croatia 0

BRIAN KERR finished the international year on a high with this friendly win at Lansdowne Road. Republic of Ireland boss Kerr has taken his side to the top of Group Four in World Cup qualifying


Arafat #39;s death a reminder of Palestinian struggle

The Arab world is enormous and complex. In today #39;s world of terrorism and radical groups, it #39;s important not to lump all Arabs or all Muslims into one mound of extremism.


Gerrard all set to make a comeback

England midfielder Steven Gerrard says he is ready to make his comeback for Liverpool at Middlesbrough on Saturday, after a two-month injury absence.


UN Council Heads to Kenya in Search of Sudan Peace

UN Security Council ambassadors were still quibbling over how best to pressure Sudan and rebels to end two different wars in the country even as they left for Kenya on Tuesday for a meeting on the crisis.


Chancellor takes aim at Brussels for bigger budget demands

GORDON Brown yesterday fired off yet another political salvo at Brussels, as he dismissed a call from the European Commission to increase its spending limit by 35 per cent.


Wal-Mart profit rises 13

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas Wal-Mart Stores, the world #39;s largest retailer, on Tuesday reported a 12.7 percent rise in its earnings in the third quarter, meeting Wall Street expectations, but its stock fell on worries over its sales outlook.


First European spacecraft in moon #39;s orbit

The SMART-1 probe made it to within 3,100 miles of the moon yesterday morning, and will now begin spinning its way closer to the surface, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.


Microsoft Enlists Channel Help For Server, Desktop Management

As it strives to improve its reputation in the server and desktop management arena, Microsoft announced on Tuesday Virtual Server 2005 and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 as well as the first public beta of Windows Update Services.


Sony Plans Portable Blu-ray Disc Drives

Sony and blue-laser diode maker Nichia have developed a component that they say is vital to realizing support for Blu-ray Disc and DVD discs in portable devices, they announced this week.


Keane on target as Republic win

TOTTENHAM striker Robbie Keane scored his 24th international goal last night as the Republic of Ireland beat Croatia 1-0 in a friendly international in Dublin.


Rehhagel Gets Tough With Greece

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel has attempted to shake the team out of their Euro2004 championship hangover by insisting that they dont deserve a place in World Cup 2006 if they cant defeat lowly Kazakhstan at home.


Varitek Wants Stability in Next Contract (AP)

AP - If the Boston Red Sox want to keep Jason Varitek, they might have to give him a no-trade clause.


Nine out of 10 pubs face smoking ban

Government plans to ban smoking in the majority of enclosed public spaces in England, ranging from offices to restaurants, within four years were labelled a  quot;bodge quot; yesterday.


US, Iraqis regain some ground in Mosul

MOSUL - US and Iraqi troops recaptured police stations and secured bridges in the northern city of Mosul on Tuesday in an offensive aimed at pushing out fighters supporting the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.


Right wing icon voted greatest Dutchman

Slain right wing politician Pim Fortuyn has been voted the greatest Dutchman of all time by television viewers in the Netherlands.


Jerry Graybeal Quits As Weber State Coach (AP)

AP - Weber State football coach Jerry Graybeal resigned Tuesday after a 1-10 season, the worst in the program's 43-year history.


Ramsey Settles In

Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey, for the first time since preseason, will spend time working with the first-team offense.


Hoping for Big Finish

Virginia Tech opened the season unranked but climbed to No. 15 with a 7-2 record going into Thursday night's game against Maryland.


Jordan To Head Scouting

The Orioles name former Florida Marlins scout Joe Jordan director of scouting on Tuesday. Jordan worked with VP Jim Beattie from 1997 to 2001 with the Expos.


Randall Makes Difference

One person not surprised by Virginia Tech's successful season is Ralph Friedgen, who says quarterback Bryan Randall is the key.


Ten Colombian Police Die in Marxist Rebel Ambush (Reuters)

Reuters - Ten Colombian police officers\were killed on Tuesday in an ambush by the National Liberation\Army, or ELN, in the worst attack by the Marxist group in\years, authorities told Reuters.


Texas Officials Wary of Plan to Hunt by Internet (Reuters)

Reuters - Hunters soon may be able to sit at\their computers and blast away at animals on a Texas ranch via\the Internet, a prospect that has state wildlife officials up\in arms.


New York Announces New System to Process Families Seeking Shelter

A streamlined process supplies beds and social workers more quickly and eliminates the system's rundown gateway in the Bronx.


Handle With Care: Moving the Modern

The deputy director for exhibitions relived her two-and-a-half-year race to transport, store and reinstall the Modern's collection in time for the museum's reopening on Saturday.


Some Democrats Believe the Party Should Get Religion

Bested by a Republican campaign emphasizing Christian faith, some Democrats are scrambling to shake off their secular image, stepping up efforts to organize the "religious left."


Chinas fixed-asset investment eases slightly

Chinas fixed-asset investment in October was up 26.4 percent from a year earlier, down from the previous month but at a level analysts said was still high enough for Beijing to keep a tight grip on credit.


Vodafone doubles dividend

VODAFONE, the mobile phone giant, yesterday confirmed it is to reward patient shareholders by doubling its interim dividend following a  quot;robust quot; set of first-half figures.


X-43A Jet Breaks Air Speed Record

NASA engineers shattered the aircraft speed record on Tuesday by flying their unmanned X-43A jet off the coast of California at nearly 6,600 miles per hour.


Mavs Lose Injured Dampier, Terry (AP)

AP - Dallas Mavericks center Erick Dampier left Tuesday night's game against Phoenix with strained hip, then guard Jason Terry was lost to a sprained ankle.


Hewitt states intent with demolition of Moya

Lleyton Hewitt was able to get off the mark after an overnight delay at the Masters Cup here yesterday. The Australian former world No 1 completed his opening round-robin contest, defeating Carlos Moya, of Spain, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.


Jerry Graybeal resigns as Weber State coach after 1-10 season

Weber State football coach Jerry Graybeal has stepped down after a 1-10 season, the worst in the program #39;s 43-year history. Graybeal informed athletics director William J. Weidner of his decision Tuesday and


Hot Stove heats up with Pedro-Steinbrenner meeting

com. The rumors that Pedro Martinez would be meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in Tampa started rippling through Red Sox Nation around midday on Tuesday.


Israel has duty to protect citizens

Tom Friedman, in his column  quot;Jews, Israel and America, quot; offers an unrealistic solution that is at odds with recent history and the current geopolitical environment:  quot;... One thing that Israel


Skating to Europe

According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, 276 N.H.L. players have signed with European teams. Could hockey be headed for a new world order?


Losing Puts Frustrated Parcells in a Foul Mood

Coach Bill Parcells refused to talk about his future in Dallas, a tenure that may be short-lived if the Cowboys' troubles continue.


College Coach Believes in Manning

The last time Eli Manning made a debut as a starting quarterback, his coach, David Cutcliffe of Ole Miss, had goose bumps.


China Construction Spending Down in Oct.

China #39;s spending on construction and factory equipment edged lower in October, but there was no sign of a major cutback despite efforts to curb lending for such investments.


Reid offers blueprint for fitness

John Reid, the health secretary, yesterday championed personal choice over state dictation as he launched the government #39;s wide-ranging blueprint for disease prevention ranging from smoking bans to personal health trainers, curbs on advertising junk food


Dollar Stuck Near Lows Ahead of G20 Meet (Reuters)

Reuters - The dollar idled near seven-month lows\against the yen on Wednesday as traders considered what\officials from the Group of 20 countries might say about recent\weakness in the U.S. currency at an upcoming meeting.


Climate change 'ruining' Everest

The world's highest peak should put on a UN danger list to force action on global warming, campaigners say.


HP Lifts Asian Tech Stocks

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The dollar hovered above 7-month lows  against the yen, pressuring shares in Japanese exporters, but  stocks elsewhere in Asia neared a 5-year high as upbeat  earnings from Hewlett-Packard boosted tech stocks.


SBC in Deal With Microsoft to Provide TV on High-Speed Lines

SBC Communications will pay \$400 million to Microsoft for software used to deliver TV programming over high-speed data lines.


Congress Urged to Conduct Its Own Insurance Inquiry

Senate governmental affairs subcommittee hearing on insurance brokerage policies, with Eliot Spitzer of New York and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut scheduled to testify.


Yet Again, Jil Sander and Prada Part Ways

Sander - who sold her fashion house to Prada four years ago, left four months later, then made a dramatic comeback in 2003 - has left the company again.


U.S. Troops Move to Rein in Rebels in North of Iraq

The U.S. military raced into the streets of Mosul to root out bands of rebels. Also, a kidnapped aid worker is feared dead.


World poverty is in retreat

Developing countries will enjoy their best year of economic growth in 2004, producing a  quot;spectacular quot; drop in poverty around the world, the World Bank said yesterday.


Vodafone doubles dividend

Vodafone made good on its promise to return more cash to shareholders yesterday with a doubling of its half-year dividend and plans to buy back a further 2.2bn of shares over the next four months.


Murdoch #39;s News Corp. to join S amp;P 500

NEW YORK - News Corp., the media company built by Rupert Murdoch, will join the Standard  amp; Poor #39;s 500 stock index after the close of trading on Dec. 17, S amp;P said on Tuesday.


EUROPEAN SPACECRAFT ENTERS LUNAR ORBIT

The first European spacecraft to be sent to the moon has entered lunar orbit, according to the European Space Agency. The SMART-1 spacecraft has reached its closest point from the moon so far, coming within 5,000 kilometres of the lunar surface.


Evil Searches

MSN #39;s beta search tool has been out for a week and has already created a controversy with a search for  quot;more evil than Satan quot; throwing up Google #39;s home page as its first match.


Intel climbs flash rankings as market dips

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip giant climbed back up the rankings in the flash memory market in the third quarter, according to research firm iSuppli, thanks to its pricing strategy.


Guerrero named American League MVP

Anaheim Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero was named Most Valuable Player in the American League Tuesday. Guerrero received 21 of 28 first-place votes and 354 points in balloting


Boss, Pedro talk shop

Sometimes George Steinbrenner does his own negotiating, and on Tuesday, ESPN has learned, he met face-to-face with the most prominent free agent pitcher on the market -- Pedro Martinez, who


US push to rid Mosul of insurgents

American troops and Iraqi security forces launched a major operation to regain control of Mosul yesterday, after a week of lawlessness which saw large parts of Iraq #39;s third city fall under the control of militants determined to open a new front in the


APEC helps Chile deepen ties with Asia-Pacific region: govt

The Chilean government said Tuesday that the presidency of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) has helped Chile to deepen relations withthe Asia-Pacific region.


Hawks Rally From 11 Down, Edge Rockets (AP)

AP - Antoine Walker had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 6:11 to beat the Houston Rockets 88-84 Tuesday night.


Terps Deny Musketeers

Maryland's women's basketball team pulls out a tough 74-72 victory over Xavier when it blocks Kristy Wallner's attempt to tie the game for Xavier in the closing seconds.


Colombia Rebels Kill 9 Officers in Ambush (AP)

AP - Leftist rebels ambushed a police convoy Tuesday in northeastern Colombia, killing at least nine officers and wounding three others, authorities said. A 10th policeman was killed in a separate incident.


Man arrested after 2 killed, 29 hurt in bombing of Pakistani cinema (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A bomb exploded in a cinema during a screening early Wednesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing two people and injuring 29 others, police said.


Dollar Stuck Near Lows Ahead of G20

TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled near seven-month lows  against the yen on Wednesday as traders considered what  officials from the Group of 20 countries might say about recent  weakness in the U.S. currency at an upcoming meeting.


Steinbrenner and Martnez Meet: Let the Intrigue Begin

The Red Sox' Pedro Martnez met with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in a potential bid to dramatically change his status in the Bronx and in Boston.


Gun battle erupts in Kashmir city

Militants attack a stadium in Srinagar hours before the Indian prime minister is due to address a rally.


Business 'booms' for rural crafts

Craftspeople could soon overtake farmers as the biggest contributors to the rural economy, a report says.


Google Falls as More of Its Shares Start Trading

Shares of Google, the newly public Web search company, fell 6.7 percent as selling restrictions were lifted on 39 million shares held by employees and early investors.


In Texas, 28,000 Students Test an Electronic Eye

Hoping to prevent the loss of children, a few schools have begun monitoring student movements using technology similar to that used to track livestock and retail shipments.


PeopleSoft Shareholders Have Opposing Views on Oracle Bid

PeopleSofts top shareholder, Capital Guardian Trust, has decided to support Oracles \$8.8 billion hostile takeover, but the No. 2 holder, Private Capital Management, has decided against it.


PM #39;s visit to focus on reconstruction of Kashmir

New Delhi: The two-day visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Jammu and Kashmir, starting on Wednesday will focus more on reconstruction and development of the state, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said.


Asia-Pacific powers to set sights on N. Korean nukes, trade <b>...</b>

SANTIAGO : Asia-Pacific power brokers, starring US Secretary of State Colin Powell, convene here Wednesday determined to suppress terrorism, free up world trade and thwart North Korean nuclear ambitions.


Time to Talk Baseball

It's time to talk about the serious risks and potential benefits of building an expensive ballpark in Washington.


Fans Honor United

Approximately 500 D.C. United fans gathered at RFK Stadium on Tuesday to celebrate the team's victory in Sunday's MLS Cup.


China to invest 20 billion dollars in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES : China #39;s President Hu Jintao and Argentine President Nestor Kirchner signed cooperation agreements as Chinese companies pledged investments of 20 billion US dollars.


NASA  #39;Scramjet #39; Soars Almost 7,000 Mph

In this photo released by NASA, the X-43A  quot;scramjet quot; is seen attached to a modified Pegasus rocket under the wing of a B-52 aircraft before its release off the Southern California coast Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004.


No. 15 Hokies still have ACC title hopes

Virginia Tech was picked to finish in the middle of the pack in its first year in the ACC. Instead, it heads into the final weeks of the season with a chance to win the conference title.


Tim Duncan and Spurs Torch Knicks 99-81 (AP)

AP - Tim Duncan had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and began a key third-quarter burst that helped the San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks 99-81 Tuesday night.


Tenth-Ranked Arizona Rips San Diego 80-69 (AP)

AP - Mustafa Shakur scored 23 points and Ivan Radenovic 20  #151; both career highs  #151; in 10th-ranked Arizona's often-sloppy 80-69 victory over San Diego Tuesday night in the first round of the Preseason NIT.


NBA Wrap: Allen Leads Sonics to Seventh Straight (Reuters)

Reuters - Ray Allen scored a season-high 37\points to carry the Seattle SuperSonics to their seventh\straight victory, a 103-95 win over the 76ers in Philadelphia\Tuesday.


New Technique Stirs a Debate in Cardiology

A new method of diagnosing heart disease takes only seconds to conduct, but critics say the technique is ripe for overuse.


Hoping to prevent the loss of a child, a few schools have begun monitoring students' arrivals and departures using technology similar to that used to track livestock.


Stocks drop as wholesale prices surge

A huge jump in wholesale prices sent stocks falling yesterday as investors worried that rising oil prices were taking a toll on the overall economy.


S amp;P changes its indices

S amp;P has announced changes to its indices in the US and Australia in relation to News Corporation. After trading closes on Friday December 17, 2004 New Corp.


NASA Jet Sets Record for Speed

A small, pilotless NASA aircraft set a speed record for jet planes on Tuesday when it dashed out over the Pacific Ocean at almost 10 times the speed of sound, project officials announced.


Nokia Demonstrates IPv6 Phone

Nokia Corp. on Tuesday demonstrated the use of IPv6, the next generation Internet protocol, on a handset. The Finnish company demonstrated what it called the industry #39;s  quot;first Mobile IPv6 call.


Beckham wasnt interested in The Pink Panther

Football star David Beckham said Monday that he turned down a good part in MGMs The Pink Panther, staring Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Beyonce Knowles and Jean Reno.


Eriksson: No Man Utd, Arsenal rifts in squad

England boss Sven Goran Eriksson insists the row between Manchester United and Arsenal will not spill over into tonight #39;s international against Spain.


Yankees #39; Sheffield blackmailed

CBC SPORTS ONLINE - New York Yankees right-fielder Gary Sheffield revealed Tuesday that he and his wife were targeted by a blackmailer.


Militants launch attack in Kashmir ahead of Indian PMs visit

SRINAGAR - Militants early Wednesday launched an attack near a stadium in Kashmir where Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is due to address a rally later, police said.


Rumsfeld terms Ecuador ally in fighting terrorism

US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Tuesday termed Ecuador an ally in the combat against terrorism and drug trafficking. Rumsfeld made the remarks at a joint press conference


Specter Gets Hatch Support to Chair Panel (AP)

AP - Sen. Arlen Specter gained ground Tuesday toward winning the Senate Judiciary Committee chairmanship, which was thrown into doubt after he said judges who oppose abortion rights would face confirmation problems.


Bush to Visit Canada on Nov. 30 (AP)

AP - President Bush will make his first official visit to Canada on Nov. 30, meeting Prime Minister Paul Martin for talks ranging from security for the world's longest undefended border to commerce between these major trading partners, officials said Tuesday.


DeLay Supporters Move to Protect His Spot (AP)

AP - Supporters of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay proposed a Republican rules change Tuesday that would protect the Texan's leadership position if he were to be indicted by a Texas grand jury that already charged three of his associates.


U.S. Extends Deadline to Switch Screeners (AP)

AP - The government announced Tuesday that it will make it easier for airports to replace federal baggage and passenger screeners with privately employed workers.


Stock car racing in Canada gets boost from NASCAR deal with CASCAR

TORONTO (CP) - Stock car racing in Canada received a boost Tuesday as NASCAR announced a multi-year operational and marketing agreement with CASCAR.


Ten Colombian Police Die in Marxist Rebel Ambush

BOGOTA, Colombia (Reuters) - Ten Colombian police officerswere killed on Tuesday in an ambush by the National LiberationArmy, or ELN, in the worst attack by the Marxist group inyears, authorities told Reuters.


Stern Likes Latest Arena Plan for Kings (AP)

AP - NBA commissioner David Stern believes the Sacramento Kings will secure funding for a new arena in plenty of time to prevent the team from leaving Northern California.


Arizona Stops San Diego

Mustafa Shakur scores 23 points and Ivan Radenovic 20 in 10th-ranked Arizona's often-sloppy 80-69 victory over San Diego Tuesday.


A New Pattern Is Cut for Global Textile Trade

The expiration of WTO textile quotas at the end of 2004 is expected to jeopardize jobs in some of the world's poorest places as the textile industry uproots to consolidate in low-cost China.


Skating to Europe and Playing On

According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, 276 N.H.L. players have signed with European teams. Could hockey be headed for a new world order?


Attendant Union Approves Strike Over Contracts

The president of the nation #39;s largest flight attendants union yesterday vowed that its members would go on a nationwide strike if US Airways and United Airlines are allowed to nullify their labor contracts in bankruptcy court.


Crude dips below \$US46

CRUDE oil futures eased below \$US46 a barrel in Asia today as traders awaited the weekly US crude inventory report, which has helped bring down prices in recent weeks by showing a recovery in supplies.


Wholesale Inflation Rises Sharply

Wholesale inflation rose last month at the fastest pace in more than 14 years, largely because of steep jumps in energy and food costs, the government reported yesterday, raising concerns


US - Consumer Price Index (Oct, 2004)

The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average price level of a fixed basket of goods and services purchased by consumers. Monthly changes in the CPI represent the rate of inflation.


Audit concludes firm overbilled LA by \$4 million

LOS ANGELES An audit has concluded that a public relations firm overbilled the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power by more than four (m) million dollars.


GM to Close Van Factory In Baltimore

General Motors Corp. said yesterday that it will shut its 70-year-old van factory in southeast Baltimore next year, confirming a closure that some 1,100 workers have long expected but that state officials had hoped to stave off.


NASA  #39;scramjet #39; launched, soars at 11,263 kph

A tiny unmanned NASA  quot;scramjet #39; #39; soared above the Pacific Ocean Tuesday at nearly 10 times the speed of sound, or almost 7,000 mph (11,263 kph), in a record-breaking demonstration of a radical new engine technology.


Europe #39;s Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit

BERLIN, Nov. 16 -- A small spacecraft has made it into lunar orbit, marking a key milestone in Europe #39;s first successful mission to the moon and setting the stage for the craft to begin studying the lunar


eBay pulls carpet from under cheesy miracle

The folk at eBay were unbelievers in the cheesy miracle: one half of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich, the owner of which claimed it bore the image of the Virgin Mary.


World Community Grid

IBM has launched a network to harness the power of idle computers around the world. It #39;s trying to create one massive PC to help out in scientific research in what could become the world #39;s largest public computing grid.


Sheffield Says Wife Was Blackmail Target

By The Associated Press. Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield said yesterday that he and his wife were the targets of a blackmailer who claimed to have embarrassing videotapes showing her having sex with a professional musician.


Kewell back in big time

AUSTRALIA coach Frank Farina believes Harry Kewell #39;s nightmare season is about to change for the good, declaring the Liverpool midfielder is returning to form.


NBA roundup: Walker leads Hawks #39; comeback vs. Rockets

ATLANTA -- Antoine Walker had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 6:11 to beat the Houston Rockets 88-84.


Leaders condemn  #39;Hassan murder #39;

Political leaders have condemned the apparent murder of aid worker Margaret Hassan by her Iraqi kidnappers. Tony Blair said it was  quot;abhorrent quot;, while Irish premier Bertie Ahern said her kidnappers  quot;stand condemned by.


Equatorial Guinea resumes coup trial

Equatorial Guinea resumed on Tuesday the trial of 19 suspected mercenaries accused of plotting a coup in the oil-rich African country, after a two-month adjournment to give


Russian, Japanese ministers to discuss peace treaty problem

Astana - Moscow, November 17 KAZINFORM - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is planning to discuss with his Japanese colleague Nobutaka Machimura relations between the two countries, including the peace treaty problem.


Silicon Valley Aims to Refresh Its Image

Charlie Rose, the TV interviewer, is taping five shows back to back of Silicon Valley heavyweights.


Roddick Defeats Henman in Masters Cup (AP)

AP - Andy Roddick waited out a rain delay and then held off Tim Henman of Great Britain for a 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championship Tuesday night.


Tough one for the Gunners

THE Gunners - for the time being at least - have lost the knack of putting teams away. Draws with Southampton and West Brom in their last two Premiership games at Highbury highlight Arsenal #39;s current shortcomings


Yahoo Launches Premium Personals Service (Reuters)

Reuters - Yahoo Inc.  late on\Tuesday launched Personals Premier, a premium online dating\service aimed at attracting serious relationship seekers with\deeper pockets.


TiVo backer Alsop to leave VC firm

Prominent venture capitalist at Silicon Valley's New Enterprise Associates wants to "see if I can design a working life for myself."


Excited about Bonds chasing home run record? Not anymore

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ So it has finally happened. The smoldering fumes of steroid smoke have burst into flames around Barry Bonds. According to his own grand-jury testimony, leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle


HP profit tops lowered forecast

Hewlett-Packard Co. today reported net income for its fiscal fourth quarter of \$1.09 billion, compared with \$862 million during the same quarter a year earlier.


Two big PeopleSoft shareholders split vote on Oracle bid

Reflecting the uncertainty that has always swirled around Oracle's hostile bid for control of PeopleSoft, two major PeopleSoft shareholders have reached opposite conclusions about how to cast their votes on Oracle's buyout offer.


Enron Inquiry Turns to Sales by Lay's Wife

Federal prosecutors are investigating whether the wife of Enrons former chairman, Kenneth Lay, engaged in insider trading just before the company collapsed, people involved in the case said.


Starbucks Will Use Cups With 10 Recycled Paper

Starbucks has received F.D.A. approval to use recycled paper in their cups. The company says no one else uses recycled paper.


Managing the Firehose of Real-Time Information

RSS feeds, search alerts and other information monitoring technologies are great, but often end up providing too much of a good thing.  PubSub is a 'matching engine' that offers a promising new way to keep up to date while alleviating information overload.


Nordstrom posts 71 increase

Nordstrom Inc. beat its cautious forecasts once again, posting a 71 percent increase in third-quarter earnings, reaping the benefits of a streamlined inventory system while focusing on improving its merchandise.


Crematory Operator to Plead Guilty

A former crematory operator accused of dumping 334 bodies and passing off cement dust as ashes has agreed to a plea deal requiring him to serve no more than 12 years in prison, the Associated Press learned Tuesday.


DC Tops Nation In Women #39;s Pay, Equity With Men

The District of Columbia ranks ahead of all 50 states in women #39;s median wage, while Maryland is a close second and Virginia ranks eighth, according to a new state-by-state report on the status of women.


Growth in developing countries strongest in three decades: World <b>...</b>

The developing countries will enjoy the strongest economic growth in three decades this year and should continue to enjoy solid expansion in 2005 and 2006, the World Bank predicted on Tuesday.


HP Profit Tops Lowered Forecast

Hewlett-Packard Co. on Tuesday said quarterly profit topped its own lowered expectations as the computer and printer maker saw record revenues in every business


Audit finds firm overbilled LA by \$4M

A public relations company billed the city #39;s Department of Water and Power for more than \$4 million in questionable costs that it should repay, according to an audit released Tuesday.


At 6,600 mph, test plane redefines zoom

NASA #39;s experimental X-43A, a sleek unpiloted forerunner to a routine space launcher or a blindingly fast airliner, streaked above the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday to establish a speed record for jet aircraft of about 6,600 mph.


Viagra: A Drug Ad Too Far?

Pharmaceutical companies love to tout their drug ads as examples of consumer education. But that argument hardly stands up in Pfizer #39;s (PFE ) latest Viagra pitches.


IBM Launches Public Grid Computing Project

IBM hopes to give a boost to large-scale public grid computing projects with the launch of the new  quot;World Community Grid. quot;.


Microsoft Sharpens Up Its Elbows

Microsoft is on the move again. As it has in the past, the software giant is trying to elbow aside rivals who have pioneered new markets.


All Blacks rest captain

New Zealand made the rare move of resting its captain, and Wales named three changes for their rugby Test at Millennium Stadium on Saturday.


Kings Defeat Winless Bulls 113-106 (AP)

AP - Peja Stojakovic scored 29 points, Mike Bibby added 27 and the Sacramento Kings kept the Chicago Bulls winless with a 113-106 victory on Tuesday night.


Queen Urges Thais to Help Govt. Fight Muslim Unrest (Reuters)

Reuters - Revered Queen Sirikit has urged all\Thais to work with the government in its fight against the\violence in the largely Muslim south, where almost 500 people\have been killed since January.


Europe eyes end to limbo in EU assembly vote (AFP)

AFP - EU lawmakers are expected finally to declare the European Union's new executive arm fit for office Thursday, ending an unprecedented three-week state of limbo for the expanding bloc.


Report: SBC Sets TV Deal with Microsoft

NEW YORK (Reuters) - SBC Communications, the No. 2 U.S.  telecommunications company, has agreed to pay \$400 million to  Microsoft Corp. for software that can deliver television via  high-speed data lines, The New York Times reported on  Wednesday.


Oil \$46 Ahead of Expected U.S. Stockbuild

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices eased again early on  Wednesday, hovering around \$46 a barrel ahead of weekly U.S.  data expected to show fuel stocks rising in time for winter.


Slammed shut

General Motors Corp. plans to close its Baltimore manufacturing operations next year, shuttering a factory that employs 1,100 hourly and salaried workers.


Update 5: Hewlett-Packard Income Surges 27 Percent

Record revenue growth across all of Hewlett-Packard Co. #39;s business units, particularly in its consumer electronics division, helped generate strong fourth-quarter earnings for the computer giant.


Senate Hears of Insurance Misdeeds

Preliminary investigations in New York, Connecticut and California suggest that insurance companies frequently pay insurance brokers and agents undisclosed compensation -- including cash, loans


Guerrero Wins AL MVP

Vladimir Guerrero wins the American League MVP award Tuesday, just the fifth time a player switched leagues and earned the honor in his first season with his new team.


Hollywood fires first lawsuits at pirates

Hollywood #39;s top studios tried to knock the wind out of the sails of Internet movie pirates yesterday, filing the first wave of lawsuits against people they say are illegally sharing online copies of films.


Virgin Mary sandwich?

This image of a cheese sandwich was taken from the www.ebay.com Web site. Sandwich owner Diana Duyser, of Hollywood, put the sandwich up for sale last week, drawing bids as high as \$22,000 before eBay pulled the item Sunday night.


NBA ROUNDUP James Helps the Cavaliers Break .500

LeBron James scored 33 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers moved over .500 for the first time in more than three years with their fourth straight victory, a


Guerrero is AL MVP

Vladimir Guerrero had such a huge impact during the final week of the season that voting for the American League Most Valuable Player award wasn #39;t even close.


NCAA Game Summary - San Diego at Arizona

Tucson, AZ (Sports Network) - Mustafa Shakur led three Arizona players who scored at least 20 points as the 10th-ranked Wildcats opened their 2004-05 season with an 80-69 victory over San Diego at the McKale Center in the first round of the Preseason NIT.


Ohio State knocks Clarett #39;s allegations

Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel and the school #39;s athletics director, Andy Geiger, defended the besieged program Tuesday -eiger delivering a vigorous


There was no coup plot, say accused

Malabo - Equatorial Guinea intends to seek the extradition of Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, in connection with the alleged coup plot, a government source here has said.


Thailand #39;s queen urges unity in violence-plagued deep south

Thailand #39;s Queen Sirikit urged thecountry to unit to solve ongoing violence in the Muslim-dominated deep south. In a emotional plea for peace in the region, the Queen said theinnocent


Fox hunting ban in England, Wales looms after compromise fails (AFP)

AFP - An outright ban on fox hunting with dogs in England and Wales appeared inevitable after a majority of over 100 MPs in the House of Commons rejected last-ditch compromises on the blood sport.


Report: SBC Sets TV Deal with Microsoft (Reuters)

Reuters - SBC Communications, the No. 2 U.S.\telecommunications company, has agreed to pay  #36;400 million to\Microsoft Corp. for software that can deliver television via\high-speed data lines, The New York Times reported on\Wednesday.


Two militants, civilian killed in Kashmir attack (AFP)

AFP - Two Islamic militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces near a stadium in Kashmir where Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was later due to speak, an army spokesman said.


Heart Scanner Stirs New Hope and a Debate

A new method of diagnosing heart disease takes only seconds to conduct, but critics say the technique is ripe for overuse.


Boston Scientific Will Invest In Developer of a Plastic Stent

Boston Scientific announces an investment in  and strategic partnership with  REVA Medical, which is working on a polymer successor to todays metal stents that would be biodegradable in the body.


Clippers Pop Raptors 101-89 (AP)

AP - Marko Jaric had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds Tuesday night to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 101-89 victory over the Toronto Raptors.


Earnings Climb at Hewlett

The Hewlett-Packard Company said yesterday that its profits rose 27 percent in the fourth quarter as revenues reached record levels across its business lines.


Insurance Investigation Leads to More Guilty Pleas

Two midlevel employees of the Zurich American Insurance Company pleaded guilty yesterday to criminal charges related to the rigging of bids that investigators say was organized by the Global Broking unit of Marsh  amp; McLennan.


Retail discord ringing over charity #39;s bells

As the Salvation Army kicks off its annual red-kettle program today, a growing number of retailers, from Best Buy to Target, are banning Salvation Army bell ringers


Murdoch Moves to Avoid a Friendly Fight for Control

The chairman of the News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, may be telling investors and the media that his relationship with his counterpart at Liberty Media, John C. Malone, is friendly, as he did yesterday at an annual meeting.


Kings Defeat Winless Bulls 113-106

Sacramento Kings #39; Peja Stojakovic, left, of Serbia-Montenegro, and Chicago Bulls #39; Andres Nocioni of Argentina battle for a loose ball on the sidelines in Sacramento, Calif.


Bush Folly, Campaign 2004 and the Middle East

The saddest thing about the American election of George Bush is that in the long run it will make the United States irrelevant in all matters save that we have the power to blow the


HP Fares Well in Much of Asia

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Upbeat earnings from U.S. computer  company Hewlett-Packard drove an index of Asian stocks outside  of Japan toward a 5-year high, but the dollar's weakness  against the yen pressured shares in Japanese exporters.


Four Companies Plan Expansion in Virginia

Four companies are planning to hire more than 10,000 workers for new homeland security-related jobs in Virginia over the next five years, Gov. Mark R. Warner is to announce today.


GM to Close Van Factory In Baltimore

General Motors Corp. said yesterday that it will shut its 70-year-old van factory in southeast Baltimore next year, confirming a closure that some 1,100 workers have long expected but that state officials had hoped to stave off.


D.C. Tops Nation In Women's Pay, Equity With Men

The District of Columbia ranks ahead of all 50 states in women's median wage, while Maryland is a close second and Virginia ranks eighth, according to a new state-by-state report on the status of women.


Senate Hears of Insurance Misdeeds

Preliminary investigations in New York, Connecticut and California suggest that insurance companies frequently pay insurance brokers and agents undisclosed compensation -- including cash, loans, stock and exotic trips -- for steering health, automobile and other retail insurance business to them, state officials told Congress yesterday.


Iraq forces 'need extra US help'

The senior US general in Iraq expresses concern about the ability of Iraqi forces to cope with election security.


Wholesale Inflation Rises Sharply

Wholesale inflation rose last month at the fastest pace in more than 14 years, largely because of steep jumps in energy and food costs, the government reported yesterday, raising concerns that businesses may be under growing pressure to raise consumer prices.


Eagles Hang On

Jason Thomas scores a career-high 23 points and grabs 11 rebounds to help American withstand a late Vermont rally and beat the Catamounts, 67-64.


Australia stunned by murder of aid worker who helped Iraq's poor (AFP)

AFP - Aid worker Margaret Hassan's apparent murder by her kidnappers in Iraq caused shock and dismay among Australians and employees of the charity group that employed her, CARE Australia.


Two dead in Srinagar gunbattle as Manmohan Singh arrives (Reuters)

Reuters - Indian soldiers killed two militants after a fierce gunbattle in Srinagar on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in the city to promote peace in the disputed region.


Federal surplus at least  #36;8.9 billion but clouds on horizon, says Goodale (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - A strong domestic economy and healthy global demand means Ottawa is on pace to record another whopping budget surplus -  #36;8.9 billion - this fiscal year, says Finance Minister Ralph Goodale.


More Than 15,000 Species Said to Be Facing Extinction (Reuters)

Reuters - More than 15,000 species, from sharks\to frogs to fir trees, are facing extinction and the total is\rising faster than ever before, conservationists and scientists\said Wednesday.


Summary: Rice, Bush Have Good Relationship (AP)

AP - STANCE: Condoleezza Rice has been both protege and mentor to President Bush in his first four years in the White House and has never indicated publicly any difference in view with him.


GOP Election Victory Shaping Budget Bills (AP)

AP - The Republican election victory and the sheer weight of record deficits are shaping a pair of mammoth budget bills that the GOP is trying to shove through Congress during its lame-duck session.


Israel Vows Response to Rocket Fire from Lebanon (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel vowed on Tuesday to respond\against militants who launched a cross-border rocket attack\into the Jewish state from southern Lebanon, but said it would\act with restraint to avoid inflaming the situation.


Verizon Considering Move to Va.

Verizon Communications Inc., which has been in discussions with New York and New Jersey over whether to keep its headquarters in Manhattan, has put out feelers to Virginia as well..
-The Washington Post


InPhonic Shares Gain During Debut

Shares of InPhonic Inc., a Washington reseller of wireless service and telephones over the Internet, rose 26 percent Tuesday on their first day of trading..
-The Washington Post


Flight attendants union OKs strike

The board of the country #39;s largest flight attendants union authorized a national strike Tuesday after its president said the airline industry is using the bankruptcy process to threaten workers #39; livelihoods.


Hollywood sues film pirates

Los Angeles - A trade group representing seven major movie studios filed a first wave of lawsuits against individuals they say are offering pirated copies of films using peer-to-peer file-sharing programs.


IBM Sponsors Humanitarian Grid Computing Project

BrianWCarver writes  quot;Reuters reports that IBM and top scientific research organizations are joining forces in a humanitarian effort to tap the unused power of millions of computers and help solve complex social problems.


Albatron debuts Nvidia AGP6600 and AGP6600GT cards for the AGP 8x <b>...</b>

Albatron Technology today announced the Nvidia-based AGP6600 and AGP6600GT VGA cards, both of which are designed for the AGP 8x interface.


Roddick outlasts Henman

Second-ranked Andy Roddick of the United States edged Tim Henman of Britain for a 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)victory Tuesday night in the first round of the ATP Masters Cup championship.


Guerrero wins by country mile

They partied in the streets yesterday in the Dominican Republic, where the president declared a national holiday after Anaheim #39;s Vladimir Guerrero won the American


ABC apologizes for intro on  #39;Monday Night Football #39;

ABC apologized Tuesday for beginning this week #39;s Monday Night Football telecast with a tease sequence in which Nicolette Sheridan, star of ABC #39;s top-rated domestic drama, attempted to seduce


ON FOOTBALL A Giant task awaits New York #39;s Manning

Life doesn #39;t get much better than being a successful quarterback in the NFL. Tom Brady dates actresses. Brett Favre has a best-selling book.


FBI nabs  #39;activist #39; on extortion charges

CHICAGO  In July of 2002, community activist Derrick Mosley blasted State Sen. James Meeks, who had been named successor to the president of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, for offering spiritual counseling to prominent people accused of sexual offenses.


New Mexico #39;s Long gets extension through 2009

New Mexico, on the verge of going to a third straight bowl game, Tuesday gave coach Rocky Long a contract extension through 2009. While details of the new contract are still being worked


Clarett may leave shiners on Buckeyes

Maurice Clarett #39;s charges against Ohio State are so unsettling that the NCAA may do more than round up the usual suspects this time.


Minnesota #39;s shooters slash Miami #39;s defense

MINNEAPOLIS - The Heat wasn #39;t overly concerned about its 0-2 record against Western Conference teams heading into Tuesday #39;s game at Minnesota.


New Free Trade Plan For Asia Pacific

Asia-Pacific leaders attending the annual summit in Santiago this week are being asked to consider establishing a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).


France won #39;t release Arafat #39;s medical records

France has no intention of making Yasser Arafat #39;s medical records public and will leave the decision about what to do with them up to his family, the foreign minister said yesterday.


Craft sets speed record

A sleek NASA X-43A aircraft set a world speed record Tuesday, flying at more than 6,600 mph in a test flight that eventually could revolutionize air travel and space exploration.


Late run propels Guerrero to MVP

Vladimir Guerrero provided an instant return on Anaheim #39;s five-year, \$70 million, free-agent investment, and Tuesday was named the American League MVP by the Baseball Writers Association of America.


- NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg

George Steinbrenner met with Pedro Martinez yesterday in Tampa, perhaps setting the stage for the most mind-blowing defection between enemies since Babe Ruth.


Gunshots echo in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Gunshots echoed in the heart of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir Wednesday morning, just a few hours before Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives.


US racing insurgents for influence in Fallujah as battle winds <b>...</b>

As fighting winds down, US troops face an even more difficult mission in Fallujah winning the people #39;s allegiance. Planners want to


Thai queen urges nation to unite to end southern violence (AFP)

AFP - Thailand's respected queen has made a rare public appeal for the nation to unite to end violence in the troubled Muslim-majority south where nearly 550 people have died this year.


Google shares fall as staff sell

Shares in Google have fallen 6.7 as employees and early investors in the web search take advantage of the first chance to sell their holdings.


Final foray

The group of fans approached the coach after spotting her on a street in downtown New Orleans, eager to share their admiration of her team, even though it was missing from the women's Final Four.


Holes yet to be covered

The Patriots worked out former Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson Monday, according to the NFL's daily personnel notice, but by last night the safety had agreed to terms with his former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


It's bad news bare for ABC

ABC apologized yesterday for a steamy intro to  quot;Monday Night Football quot; after receiving complaints from viewers and the NFL.


Revolution veterans left open

The Revolution will expose some of their most experienced and respected players to the Major League Soccer expansion draft, scheduled for Friday to stock new teams in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.


Holy Cross at a glance

Coach: Bill Gibbons (20th year, 393-172). Last year: 13-15, 8-6 (fourth in Patriot League).


Time to step to the fore

The University of Connecticut is still not sure what life will be like without Diana Taurasi, the two-time national player of the year who led the Huskies to three straight national championships. Taurasi, who was the No. 1 draft pick in the WNBA last spring (Phoenix Mercury), lost only eight games in her four-year career.


Harvard at a glance

Coach: Kathy Delaney-Smith (23d year, 335-240). Last year: 16-11, 9-5 (tied for second in Ivy League).


Hoopla for 2006 event begins

Declaring,  quot;Boston, the ball is in your court, quot; the NCAA yesterday tipped off an 18-month drive to pay for the 2006 Women's Final Four at the FleetCenter, which is expected to cost \$2.3 million, with a ceremony at the State House.


Militants rebuff Abbas truce idea

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Islamic militant groups behind many suicide bombings dismissed yesterday a call from Mahmoud Abbas, the interim Palestinian leader, to halt attacks in the run-up to a Jan. 9 election to replace Yasser Arafat.


Returns are in, and Merrimack looks like a winner

With a 90-59 record in five years at Merrimack , Ann McInerney has set some high standards.


France won't release Arafat's medical records

PARIS -- France has no intention of making Yasser Arafat's medical records public and will leave the decision about what to do with them up to his family, the foreign minister said yesterday.


Couto stops Danvers

Anyone looking for a last-minute retirement gift for Somerset boys' soccer coach Whit Horton should consider picking up a copy of Journey's Greatest Hits so the Blue Raiders can blast  quot;Don't Stop Believing quot; during their warmups this weekend.


China regrets submarine's intrusion, Japan says

BEIJING -- China expressed regret through diplomatic channels yesterday that one of its nuclear-powered submarines intruded into Japanese territorial waters last week for  quot;technical reasons, quot; Japanese officials said.


Britain targets a smoky tradition

LONDON -- Four hundred years after King James I denounced tobacco as  quot;loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, quot; the British government is taking heed. It announced plans yesterday to ban smoking in most public places, including restaurants and any pub that serves food.


Quincy gets its revenge

It took a year, but Quincy's volleyball team has bragging rights in the city again.


BC High drops Cotter home finale

For many coaches, their last home game after 41 years on the job would be an emotionally charged event that becomes bigger than the game.


Walpole's victory feels like old times

WALTHAM -- Certain programs are expected to compete for championships every year in local high school sports, such as Catholic Memorial in ice hockey and Everett in football.


Brockton rules New Bedford

Even without their star rusher, the No. 3 Brockton Boxers continued rolling last night, turning in a dominant defensive effort to handle New Bedford, 32-6.


HP Fares Well in Much of Asia (Reuters)

Reuters - Upbeat earnings from U.S. computer\company Hewlett-Packard drove an index of Asian stocks outside\of Japan toward a 5-year high, but the dollar's weakness\against the yen pressured shares in Japanese exporters.


Jim Leyland Still Wants to Manage Again (AP)

AP - Jim Leyland still wants to manage again despite being turned down by the Philadelphia Phillies, but has little interest in any job that wouldn't allow him to return regularly to his Pittsburgh home.


Singapore cuts 2004 growth forecast after Q3 slowdown (AFP)

AFP - Singapore cut its growth forecast for this year to 8.0-8.5 percent from 8.0-9.0 percent following a sharp slowdown in the third quarter and warned of uncertainties ahead for 2005.


Retail discord ringing over charity's bells

This holiday season's retail conundrum: to silence the bells, or let them ring. As the Salvation Army kicks off its annual red-kettle program today, a growing number of retailers, from Best Buy to Target, are banning Salvation Army bell ringers from their doors -- to avoid having to choose between competing charities and out of concern for customers, they say.


SEC details Bleidt's alleged scheme

Bradford C. Bleidt, the investment adviser and radio entrepreneur accused of stealing as much as \$20 million from clients over two decades, hid his activities from regulators by keeping two sets of books: one for investors whose funds were put into legitimate accounts, and a secret second set that kept track of money he stole from investors and put in ...


Taking care of little guy

If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, then a small-business person scorned by his bank comes in second.


Offshoring accelerating

Michael Brightman is reminded daily that workers in New Delhi do the same job he does. His Indian counterparts routinely direct AT amp;T customers to him for long-distance billing problems that the New Delhi workers can't answer.


Middle-class, white-collar jobs leaving, too, not just 'grunt' work

Jim Pinder lost his job to India before most people had ever heard of ''offshoring. quot;


Latinos turning focus to networking

When Ferdinand Alvaro Jr. wanted to start a minority-owned law firm in Boston three years ago, he immediately ran into trouble. The Puerto Rican lawyer and his partners, two black men, made presentations to the cream of Boston's downtown: banks, mutual funds, and other companies throughout the financial district.


Just subtract the fear, and add some planning

Even with a degree in finance from Bentley College and a year working for a financial planning firm, John Tosti found the prospect of planning for retirement so intimidating that he avoided organizing his savings.


Wholesale prices rocket 1.7 increase is the largest in over 14 years

Wholesale prices -- catapulted by more expensive energy and food -- soared last month by the largest amount in more than 14 years.


\$8.8m Oracle bid nears judgment day

Two major PeopleSoft Inc. shareholders yesterday indicated they would split their votes on whether to accept Oracle Corp's \$8.8 billion hostile takeover bid.


Flight attendants to hold strike vote

The nation's largest flight attendants union said yesterday it would hold strike authorization votes at four major airlines, accusing the industry of using the bankruptcy process to cut workers' pay and other benefits.


Spitzer warns of further insurance industry woes

Disclosures of bid-rigging within the insurance industry may lead Congress to a ''Pandora's box quot; of unethical conduct, a top investigator told Congress yesterday, just before two more executives pleaded guilty.


2.5 auto insurance rate hike reaffirmed

The state's highest court affirmed an already approved 2.5 percent average increase in auto insurance premiums for this year, but said the insurance commissioner may have to revise her decision in a way that would ease premiums for certain drivers. The Supreme Judicial Court rejected Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly's challenge of a new formula used by Insurance Commissioner Julianne ...


SEC, potential WBIX buyer meet

Christopher F. Egan met yesterday afternoon with lawyers at the Securities and Exchange Commission in an effort to keep his planned purchase of radio station WBIX-AM on track.


Facing putting the children through college

Norfolk County Treasurer Joseph Connolly makes \$89,000 a year. His wife, Elaine, has a hotel job, and they own a home in Weymouth. Connolly also has two part-time jobs, one of them a seat on the Weymouth City Council, another teaching at Curry College. By most standards this family would be considered well off.


Specter Closer to Leading Judiciary Panel (AP)

AP - Despite protests from anti-abortion activists, Sen. Arlen Specter is moving closer to locking down the spot as next year's Judiciary Committee chairman and shepherd to President Bush's judicial nominees in the Senate.


Chirac Says Iraq War Created More Dangerous World

LONDON (Reuters) - Last year's U.S.-led invasion of Iraq  and ousting of President Saddam Hussein has made the world more  dangerous, French President Jacques Chirac said on the eve of a  state visit to key U.S. ally Britain.


Weak Dollar Seen Pinching Developing Countries

Developing countries with substantial reserves in US dollars will lose wealth if the American currency depreciates further, but are unlikely to quickly offload their


China Pledges Investments of \$19.7 Bln in Argentina (Update1)

China pledged to invest \$19.7 billion in Argentine railroad, energy, telecommunications and housing projects over the next 10 years, an Argentina government official said.


2 major PeopleSoft shareholders split on Oracle deal

Two of PeopleSoft #39;s (PSFT) largest shareholders indicated Tuesday that they would split on supporting Oracle #39;s (ORCL) \$8.8 billion takeover bid for its business software rival, plunging the deal into uncertainty.


Price surge gains traction

In the back of the DeKalb Farmers Market, a worker heaves 50-pound bags of Thai rice from a truck docked at the warehouse. Through a large door, he throws the sacks, an image of the Earth embossed on each one.


Nasa test flight sets new record

An unmanned experimental jet has broken a world record for speed, cruising over the Pacific Ocean at just under 7000 miles (11,265km) per hour in a NASA test of cutting-edge  quot;scramjet quot; engine technology.


Film piracy lawsuits accuse 22 in Colorado

Hollywood studios went to Denver federal court Tuesday, filing two lawsuits against 22 unnamed Coloradans suspected of swapping pirated copies of movies over the Internet.


Microsoft Rolls Out NetWare Migration Package

Microsoft is campaigning for Novell NetWare users, again. This time Microsoft is wooing Netware users with a migration package that contains several incentives ranging from tools, prescriptive


Hewitt rallies past Moya

Lleyton Hewitt let the first set slip away after an overnight rain delay. He wasn #39;t about to allow the trend to continue. Hewitt came back from a first-set lag to beat Carlos Moya 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4 in a


NFL ROUNDUP: Fight costly for 2 Browns, 1 Steeeler

NEW YORK -- Linebacker Joey Porter of the Pittsburgh Steelers and running back William Green of the Cleveland Browns were fined \$10,000 each by the NFL on Tuesday for their fight before Sunday #39;s game.


BRIDGE HANDED ENGLAND CHANCE

Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge will tonight be handed the chance to stake his claim as the long-term solution to Englands left-sided midfield conundrum.


ABC apologizes for sexy  #39;MNF #39; intro

In a skit with Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens,  quot;Desperate Housewives quot; actress Nicollette Sheridan was shown wearing just a towel in the Eagles #39; locker room.


Sonics #39; Defense to Get a Boost with Return of Fortson Allen <b>...</b>

PHILADELPHIA - How valuable has Danny Fortson been to the Seattle SuperSonics? He #39;s having an impact on the team even when he #39;s not playing.


Washington-bound Expos find the money for Castilla, Guzman

For a team without a budget, the Expos made a big early splash in free agency. In their first major moves since announcing their relocation to Washington, the Expos on Tuesday agreed to terms with third baseman


US forces fight in Mosul; hostage is believed slain

US and Iraqi troops stormed insurgent-held police stations and neighborhoods in Mosul today, launching an offensive to retake parts of this northern Iraqi city where gunmen staged a mass uprising last week in support of fighters in


US  #39;ignoring dollar worries #39;

BRUSSELS: Euro-zone finance ministers yesterday stepped up pressure on the US to show its strong dollar policy was more than just rhetoric even though they feared their calls were falling on deaf ears.


Tokyo Edge: Autumn Brings Gamers' Delights

Handheld game devices and satellite radio receiver vie for gadget fans' attention with camcorders, big LCD TV, and more.


With earnings up 12.7, Wal-Mart shares drop

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world #39;s largest retailer, reported a 12.7 percent increase in its third-quarter earnings.


Wholesale prices jump in October

Even with the surge of energy prices, Fed policy-makers said  #39;inflation and longer-term inflation expectations remain well-contained.


Murdoch wants Malone #39;s word

Following a policy of trust-but-verify, Rupert Murdoch said Tuesday that he wants formal assurance that Liberty Media Chairman John Malone won #39;t make a run at his News Corp.


Zurich Financial Q3 falls 31 on hurricane impact

LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Zurich Financial Services (ZZ:001107539) said Wednesday that third quarter net profits fell 31 percent to \$454 million, hit by the impact of hurricanes.


Salvation Army ready to ring in cash

Equipped with bells and the familiar red kettles, local Salvation Army volunteers and clients will hit the streets this weekend for the agency #39;s annual kettle campaign.