MCI reports \$3.4B loss, but says it's back on track

MCI reported a \$3.4 billion third-quarter loss today, as the company's efforts to recover from bankruptcy were slowed by stiff competition in the long-distance telephone service market.


Internet banking fraudsters step up phishing scam

A potent new program circulating on the Internet embeds itself on a user's computer and either overwrites saved bookmarks or redirects the victim from the intended banking site to an authentic-looking fake.


IBM, SGI win Linux supercomputer deals in Asia

IBM Corp. and Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) have won contracts to supply Linux-based supercomputers to a Korean national university and a Japanese nuclear research institute, the two companies said Thursday.


Update: Omnipod beefs up instant messaging service

Omnipod, which provides hosted instant message (IM) services to companies of all sizes, is preparing several enhancements to its platform, including the additions of a Web-based client, a telephony component and a persistent-chat feature, Omnipod's chief executive officer said.


Nokia to revamp mobile handsets

Nokia Corp. hopes to distinguish its products and regain lost market share by leading the mobile-device market in delivering cutting-edge bells-and-whistles on its new handsets, company executives said Thursday duringhop a daylong meeting in New York with analysts.


Microsoft checks out new IE security flaw reports

Microsoft is investigating reports of a serious security flaw in Internet Explorer (IE), but has not yet seen malicious code that exploits the reported flaw, the company said Thursday.


'ROIDS COULD RUIN THE GAME (New York Post)

New York Post - THINK of Major League    Baseball as the Titanic    after it rammed into the    tip of the iceberg.


HP, Brocade hook up for integrated servers

Hewlett-Packard on Thursday announced that it will integrate Brocade Communication's SAN switching capability into its HP BladeSystem architecture.
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SBC Datacomm White Paper
Find out how Crate   Barrel expects to save \$180,000 by moving to VoIP, compared to a traditional PBX.


IBM creates SOA practice

Deepening its commitment to help corporate users create SOAs (service-oriented architectures) through the use of Web services, IBM's Global Services unit on Thursday announced the formation of an SOA Management Practice.


Microsoft to help users prep for patching

Microsoft Corp. will give customers advance notice of its monthly security updates in an effort to help them prepare to install related software patches, the company announced Thursday.


Telcos' convergence strategies diverge

CANNES -- Kai-Uwe Ricke, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Deutsche Telekom AG, and Ben Verwaayen, his counterpart at BT Group PLC, have diverging views on convergence -- the idea that, some day, fixed and mobile telecommunications systems will come together into a seamless whole.


Update: MCI reports \$3.4B loss but says it's back on track

MCI Inc. reported a \$3.4 billion third-quarter loss on Thursday, due mainly to a write-off of the value of its assets, as the company's efforts to recover from its bankruptcy were hampered by stiff competition in the long-distance telephone service market.


Phishers Adopt Scam Tricks From Virus Writers

Dangerous new ways to try to steal your money are in progress.


Microsoft Investigates Reports of New Internet Explorer Hole

Yet another security flaw reported for popular Web browser.


Microsoft to Help Users Prep for Patching

Software giant will publish advance notice of security bulletins.


Microsoft, Intel Spread Digital Joy

Companies are teaming up to bring their technology to your living room.


Symantec Eyes Mobile Phone Market

Company is readying security software or cell phones and handheld devices.


Mailblocks Finds Its Messages Blocked

Challenge/response e-mails accidentally marked as spam by AOL and EarthLink.


Tech 2005: What's New and  What's Next

The products you use are about to get smarter, faster, smaller, cheaper, and more colorful. Here's your guide to what's ahead in PCs, software, mobile gadgets, home electronics, and more.


More E-Voting Problems Reported

Some voters say machines indicated they had voted for a different candidate.


More Surfers Ditch Internet Explorer

Microsoft's browser continues to lose market share as more users switch to Mozilla.


Poor Defenders

Some anti-spyware companies use confusing ads, and our tests show their \$20-\$60 products are less effective than free competitors.


New Media Center OS Plays Well

Windows XP Media Center 2005 connects smoothly with video and audio equipment.


Tech.gov: Paying for Piracy in Advance

Should prices for blank media and recording products include a royalty fee to copyright holders for presumed losses to piracy?


Qualcomm to Build National Wireless Media Network

Network would beam music and video to 3G handsets.


First Look: NEC's Slick Wi-Fi Projector

NEC's LT265 can connect to an 802.11g wireless network, but getting it set up can be tricky.


Tech Spending Outlook Perks Up

CIO Magazine says poll shows IT budgets are expected to grow over the next year.


Search Engine Forums Spotlight

Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Local Search Marketing: A Huge Untapped Market - Research: Do Keywords In URL Influence Your Rank? - Make All Your Keywords Plural? - How Do PPC Campaigns And SEO Compliment Each Other - World Without Search Engines - Does Adwords Have a Limit On the Number of Ads? - New AdWords Classifications Coming


Iraq's Allawi Plays Down EU 'Spectators' Remarks (Reuters)

Reuters - Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad\Allawi sought to calm anger on Friday over his description of\states that opposed the U.S.-led war to oust Saddam Hussein as\"spectators."


Politicians See E-Voting as a Remote Prospect (Reuters)

Reuters - Forget the hi-tech predictions\-- it will be years, if ever, before electors can use the\Internet to vote, many policymakers believe.


Tuning up your Skills in the Web Search Garage

Every now and then a book comes along that's a must-read for every serious searcher, and Tara Calishain's Web Search Garage falls squarely into that category.


The Search Engine Report - Number 96

Search Engine Watch editor Danny Sullivan's recap of top search engine stories from October 2004.


Bosch to hire 600 software engineers in India by next year (AFP)

AFP - German maker of car parts and electrical household goods Robert Bosch said it will hire 600 software professionals by next year at its Indian software and engineering centre.


Local Search: Missing Pieces Falling into Place

Some pundits claim that the paid search market has peaked, but new research tells a different story, suggesting that local search is emerging as an important and powerful driver for the paid search market.


Impressions of Search Engine Strategies Stockholm

Last week, Search Engine Strategies made its debut in Sweden, drawing attendees from all over Scandinavia, Europe and even Africa and India.


LookSmart and UpSNAP Partner for Cell Phone Directory\\Looksmart has partnered with UpSNAP! to offer its customers a new way to extend their reach off-line and directly to consumers via text-enabled cell phones under a pay-per-click/call model. UpSNAP! recently launched its free 411 service allowing mobile users to access White Pages ...


Feedster Offers RSS Feed Finder

Feedster Offers RSS Feed Finder\\Feedster is now offering an RSS feed finder, at http://www.feedster.com/feedfinder.php . This search is in beta, but allows you do search a database of over 900,000 RSS feeds (Feedster claims an index of 972,046 feeds at this point) by entering keyword, description, owner's name, etc.\\A search ...


Six Ways To Create a Keyword-Rich Domain Name\\An effective domain name can help to brand your site. It can also communicate to your customers the types of products you sell online. An easy to remember domain that describes your services should be the goal of every site owner. Here are ...


Why you should NOT submit your site on Search Engines\\Before to answer to this question we have to know what is the difference between a search engine and directory. Here is a brief explanation. The main difference between search engine and directory lay in the way how websites get entered ...


Amazon.com Gets Sex Appeal with Adam   Eve Deal

Amazon.com Gets Sex Appeal with Adam  #038; Eve Deal\\Who says that a shopping search entity can't turn up the heat and still not bow down entirely to the porn industry. As some of the major online shopping and search sites have been laying down the law on riskee sex driven ...


Importance of Keywords in URLs and Search Engine Ranking\\One of the most debated topics in the SEO community (besides for the black hat versus white hat topics) is the question; do keywords in the URL improve a page's rankings? It is funny, some top notch SEOs claim they do, while ...


Copernic Desktop Search Targeting Multi-Lingual European Markets \\Copernic and its international business development partner Contraco initiated a European market penetration strategy by announcing German, French, and Dutch versions of the award-winning Copernic Desktop Search (CDS) product, with an Italian version soon to follow. Copernic continues to outmaneuver both Microsoft and ...


Yahoo Announces Media Head - Former ABC Chairman Braun\\Yahoo today hired former ABC television network Chairman Lloyd Braun as head of Yahoo Media and Entertainment. Lloyd Braun will be overseeing Yahoo movies, TV, entertainment, music, games, finance, news, weather, sports, health and children channels. \\Bloomberg reports that Braun left Walt ...


ObjectsSearch Offers Open Source Search Results\\Aiming to provide users with unbiased website ranking, ObjectsSearch.com has launched an open source search engine based on Nutch.org's search. ObjectsSearch looks to solve problems related to search result manipulation and information overload. ObjectsSearch claims that their open source approach provides an "alternative to commercial ...


News: Former University of Texas student indicted for allegedly hacking into computers, stealing info

The Associated Press


News: Corporate governance goals impossible - RSA

Companies are struggling to cope with tighter corporate governance regimes, which might even work against the goal of achieving improved IT security they are partly designed to promote.


Infocus: SSH User Identities

This article shows how to improve SSH security using public key authentication instead of, or in addition to, password authentication.


Columnists: The Cost of Security Training

The cost of providing security training to your staff may be high, but what is the cost of not providing any training at all?


Columnists: Phishing For Savvy Users

Recent "phishing" episodes are still often overlooked by tech-savvy users, but a lesson in history shows how entire nations have been fooled.


Cell Signaling Technology

Carlos Del Castillo, IT manager at Cell Signaling Technology, drove the effort to move the company to Macs. Now  #147;no one worries about the system anymore, #148; he says.  #147;They #146;re concentrating on their work, using the Mac as a tool rather than as a computer. #148; Also, check out Why Mac for Science and other new features on the Science site.\ Nov 04


Reviewing iPod Photo

Comparing the new iPod Photo to iRiver H320, Walt Mossberg writes in the Wall Street Journal,  #147;Our verdict: The iPod Photo was just as easy, and satisfying, to use with photos as it is with music. It #146;s a winner, if a little pricey. But the iRiver player is complicated and clumsy, designed by techies for techies. #148; Nov 03


Amazing Animation Effects

#147;Motion is a fantastic application designed for people who want to add professional-looking titles, DVD menu items, and other visualizations to their video and DVD projects, #148; writes Jan Ozer in PC Magazine.  #147;What #146;s most striking about Motion is that it is simple enough that beginners can jump right in, yet advanced enough that professionals will be happy with the results. #148; Nov 02


iPod Photo Worth Every Dime

#147;Apple #146;s latest addition to its hugely popular iPod line, the iPod Photo, has moved the bar even further as the digital lifestyle continues to converge, #148; writes Mike Wendland for the Detroit Free Press.  #147;It combines the two most important things driving consumer electronics this year: digital music and digital pictures. #148; Nov 02


User Serviceable iMac G5

#147;The iMac G5 is completely user serviceable, #148; writes Leander Kahney for Wired News.  #147;With its simplified, modular interior, the machine was designed to make it easy for consumers to perform their own repairs. If something goes wrong, Apple dispatches a spare part, and the owner performs the do-it-yourself repair, from swapping out a faulty hard drive to installing a new flat screen. The new iMac is perhaps the most user-serviceable machine on the market. #148; Nov 01


Hardest Tech-Support Job on Earth

When U.S. soldiers need expert engineering advice -- like how to gauge the structural integrity of a bombed-out bridge in a battle zone -- they contact the Army's crack squad for quick answers. Michelle Delio reports from Vicksburg, Mississippi.


Phone Sex Is Better Than Porn

Why look at pictures when you can have the real thing? All it takes is a telephone -- and the ability to give good voice. Commentary by Regina Lynn.


Incredibles: Another Pixar Winner

Some filmgoers still snub animation, but it's their loss if they miss The Incredibles. This movie is an example of great filmmaking: gorgeous cinematography, smart writing and genuine feeling for the characters. Jason Silverman reviews Pixar's latest wonder.


Progress in an Ancient Tongue

Research advances could bring Ethiopic characters -- hundreds of them -- to text messaging, and maybe help modernize the country. Andrew Heavens reports from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


Brand Names Take a Beating

Sure, there are more brands than ever. But their value is plummeting as consumer loyalty evaporates. Who's to blame? A new breed of hyperinformed superconsumers. By James Surowiecki from Wired magazine.


Computer Loses 4,500 Votes

UniLect gives bogus information to North Carolina counties about the capacity of the company's electronic voting machines, and some voters' picks go ignored as a result.


Movie Lawsuits on the Way

The movie industry plans to sue people who share movies online. Starting Nov. 16, people who trade copyright films online could be sued for thousands of dollars. By Katie Dean.


Flu Shots Skin Injection Might Stretch Supply of It

Researchers said it may be possible to stretch the supply of flu vaccine by giving some people reduced doses that are injected into the skin instead of a muscle.


Sperm Stem Cells Are Grown Outside Body

Scientists have succeeded in growing outside the body the special stem cells that direct the remarkably prolific process of sperm production.


Measure Passed, California Weighs Its Future as a Stem Cell Epicenter

A vote by Californians to spend \$3 billion on human embryonic stem cell research could speed progress on the promising but controversial field and make the state the epicenter of such research.


Spawning of Interloper Fish in Potomac Worries Experts

With the evidence of the northern snakehead fish's spawning, hope is fading along the Potomac River that the aggressive, toothy Asian invader can be stopped.


Drought Unearths a Buried Treasure

Due to a drought in Utah, Glen Canyon is on its way back  viewable in much of its former glory.


A Palmtop's Curious Subtraction

The new Palm Tungsten T5 takes a lot of steps backward, but offers one huge leap forward.


Have You Called Your Car Lately?

The Viper G.P.S. Tracking System can be reached by the Internet or a cellphone.


Movie Industry Preparing Suits on File Sharing

Hollywood's major movie studios said that they would begin filing lawsuits against people who make copyrighted films available for downloading over the Internet.


Giving Voice to Video Games

As video games take on an ever slicker, more cinematic feel, developers are increasingly turning to cartoon actors, movie-trailer announcers and even film stars to read the lines.


Giving Overstuffed Cameras Some Offloading Options

For regular travelers with eager shutter fingers, storage gadgets can be more economical than additional memory cards.


On-time performance soars at O #39;Hare in September

Airlines at O #39;Hare Airport in September ranked fourth in on-time arrivals and 10th in on-time departures nationwide, according to federal figures released Thursday.


Linux cluster storage system takes off

Linux Networx has developed a clustered storage appliance which is able to pool capacity from separate storage devices into a single high-capacity resource.


Bosnian Government Resigns

Bosnian Prime Minister Adnan Terzic has announced that he and the Bosnian government will resign. Terzic made the statement to Bosnia private television, BN TV.


Seven to be charged with terrorism over killing of filmmaker (AFP)

AFP - Seven people close to Islamic groups in the Netherlands are to be charged with terrorist-related activities over the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh, the Amsterdam public prosecutor revealed.


Listwin steps down as CEO at Openwave (SiliconValley.com)

SiliconValley.com - Don Listwin, chief executive of communications software maker Openwave Systems, is giving up the executive reins to throw himself into a personal crusade against cancer.


Regions house prices  #39;will buck trend #39;

House prices in East Anglia will buck the national trend by holding firm or even continuing to grow, says a building society chief.


JPMorgan, Cazenove Announce Joint Venture

JPMorgan Chase  amp; Co. and Cazenove Group PLC said Friday they were launching a joint venture to combine their investment banking services for British customers.


Despite 1.8bn loss, MCI says it is back on track

MCI has reported a \$3.4bn (1.8bn) third-quarter loss due mainly to a write-off of the value of its assets. The company #39;s efforts to recover from its bankruptcy are being hampered by stiff competition in


Update 2: Japan Airlines Sees Profit on Int #39;l Travel

Japan Airlines Corp. said Friday that it returned to profitability in first half of the fiscal year as international travel picked up from a decline a year ago caused by the war in Iraq and the SARS outbreak in Asia.


Cool weather heats up retail sales

Cool autumn weather and apparent pent-up demand for clothing drove strong sales in October at Gap, Neiman Marcus and other national retailers, according to company reports issued Thursday.


Appliance sales give Sears an Oct. surprise

Sears Roebuck and Co. surprised naysayers Thursday by reporting a sales gain in October, the first in six months. Sales at stores open at least a year rose 1.9 percent versus a year ago, largely on the strength


Musicians push for satellite radio

A rift appeared within Canada #39;s music industry yesterday as prominent artists called on the CRTC to embrace satellite radio and the industry warned of lost revenue and job losses.


Shareholders sue Tribune Co.

Tribune Co. said yesterday it has been sued by shareholders who are upset by the circulation scandals at Newsday and the Spanish-language paper Hoy.


Indonesian experts deny  #39;Flores man #39; fossil claim

YOGYAKARTA (Antara): Indonesian senior pale-anthropologist Teuku Jacob denied claims made by Australian anthropologist Peter Brown saying that fossils found in September 2003 were of a newspecies called Homo floresiensis.


NFL FRIDAY: WEEK 9

For the second week in a row, Pittsburgh tries to knock off an undefeated team. With ex-Eagle Duce Staley, the Steelers should be able to run the ball against a Philadelphia defense that struggles stopping the run.


Top UN arms inspector slams Bush

The chief UN nuclear arms inspector sharply criticized the Bush administration Thursday, saying the American invasion and occupation of Iraq had damaged the credibility of the United States.


Marines await orders for Fallujah assault

A senior US commander says marines are making final preparations for an imminent offensive against Iraq #39;s rebel bastion of Fallujah and are awaiting orders to strike.


EU fast-tracks action to end institutional limbo

Incoming European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso acted Friday to end an unprecedented EU stalemate, by arranging fast-track confirmation hearings for his re-arranged Brussels executive team.


Security No. 1 for Afghan head

President Hamid Karzai promised Thursday to assemble a representative government, but said he did not feel bound to offer top Cabinet positions to his defeated rivals.


Afghan militants may spare Filipino

Afghan militants have hinted they might release a Filipino hostage, one of three UN workers kidnapped last week, as his country has no troops in Afghanistan.


No mutiny from Microsoft's bounty

A year on, and the company's \$1 million tip-off program has nabbed just one virus writer. Is it a bust?\


Iran, EU Nuke Talks Underway, No Breakthrough Seen

PARIS (Reuters) - Diplomats from France, Britain and  Germany met their Iranian counterparts on Friday for a new  round of talks to persuade Tehran to give up its uranium  enrichment program, but diplomats said no breakthrough was  likely.


Kuwait Plans Big Oil Project Spending

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait plans to spend some \$30 billion  to \$40 billion to upgrade its energy sector, and to increase  oil production capacity 60 percent to four million barrels per  day by 2020, top oil officials said in remarks published in  local newspapers on Sunday.


Egypt 'will release Israeli spy'

Reports say Egypt is to free an Arab-Israeli man jailed on spying charges in return for six students held by Israel.


Shining Path leader faces retrial

Abimael Guzman, ex-leader of Peru's Shining Path rebels, faces retrial in a civilian court 12 years after his capture.


India pull off astounding victory

India bowl out Australia for 93 to win the fourth Test by 13 runs, but the tourists take the series 2-1.


New menu boosts McDonald's Japan

Profits triple at McDonald's Japan after the fast-food chain starts selling larger burgers.


World 'forgets' internal refugees

A UN report urges better protection for millions of internally displaced people - refugees in all but name.


Verizon to Buy NextWave Licenses for \$3 Billion

\

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless said on Thursday that\it had signed an agreement with NextWave Telecom Inc. to\purchase all of its airwave licenses for \$3 billion.


Trio of Hot New Games Victimized by Piracy

A month before the video game's scheduled release this coming Tuesday, illegal copies of the hot sci-fi action title "Halo 2" were already circulating on the Internet. It's had a lot of company lately.


IBM Supercomputer Again Claims Record

A \$100 million supercomputer being built to analyze the nation's nuclear stockpile has again set an unofficial performance record - the second in just over a month.


Update 10: Oil Prices Fall on Boost in Crude Supplies

Oil futures prices plunged by more than \$2 a barrel Thursday, continuing a selloff that began last week amid rising US supplies of crude and expectations of a surge in heating oil production before winter arrives.


Dividend sweetens Molson-Coors deal

MONTREAL -- Molson Inc. and Adolph Coors Co. are sweetening their brewery merger plan with a special dividend to Molson shareholders worth \$381 million.


11am Market Update

European stock markets got off to a flying start this morning as investors cheered a plunge in crude oil prices and fresh post-election gains on Wall Street.


Teraflop topping IBM supercomputer being assembled

The IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer is currently being assembled for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Livermore plans to buy a unit four times the current supercomputers size, according to eBCVG.


Qualcomm media network to boost mobile services

The dedicated tower network to be built by Qualcomm #39;s MediaFLO USA subsidiary should give US carriers a smooth road for rolling out mobile multimedia services, though it may be some time before they embrace the idea.


Loeb in limbo as French teams pull out

SBASTIEN LOEB, the new rallying world champion, will be the highest-profile casualty of a shock decision yesterday by two leading French manufacturers to pull out of the sport.


Three British soldiers killed in Iraq suicide attack

: Insurgents attacked British troops at a checkpoint in central Iraq, killing three and wounding eight in a suicide bomb and mortar barrage aimed at soldiers sent to the high-risk area


Views clash: hero, rogue

Yasser Arafat, fighting for his life in a French hospital Thursday, triggered a war of words about his legacy: Palestinians hailed a freedom fighter who saved them from national extinction; Jewish leaders welcomed the imminent death of a terrorist.


Blair Hails Russia Climate Pact Move

Russias signing of the Kyoto Protocol, bringing the global climate change agreement into force, was today hailed as a real step forward by Prime Minister Tony Blair.


Six soldiers killed, air strikes mount ahead of expected Fallujah <b>...</b>

RAMADI, Iraq : Six British and American troops were killed in Iraq over the last 24 hours as the US military battered the flashpoint city of Fallujah with air strikes ahead of an expected all-out assault.


Review: 'San Andreas' Among Best Games (AP)

AP - "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" is an epic homage to the West Coast gang culture of the early 1990s. Yes, parents, there's way too much violence and profanity here for the kids. For those of us 18 and older, though, it's among the best video games this year.


Microsoft E-Mail Looks Like Spam to Some Recipients (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - For a year, Microsoft Corp. has extolled the virtues of the Can-Spam Act, which Congress passed in late 2003 to crack down on purveyors of unwanted bulk e-mail. The company, with other Internet and marketing firms, helped craft the act and has sued several spammers under its provisions.


Abu Sayyaf kidnapper killed

TROOPS killed a member of the Abu Sayyaf Muslim kidnap gang and captured four others in a raid in this southern Philippine city, officials said today.


Tibetan exiles in India campaign for monk's release (Reuters)

Reuters - About 100 Tibetan exiles chanted prayers as they began a hunger strike on Friday in a busy business district of Bombay, to demand the release of a Tibetan Buddhist monk jailed in China over a spate of bombings.


California Company to Make New Anthrax Vaccine (Reuters)

Reuters - California vaccine maker VaxGen Inc.\will make a new and improved version of the anthrax vaccine for\use in case of a biological attack, the U.S. government said on\Thursday.


Molson, Coors to Offer Special Dividend

Adolph Coors Co. and Montreal-based brewer Molson Inc. said Friday that they will pay a special dividend to Molson shareholders in connection with the companies #39; merger.


Vioxx heart risks apparent for years

Scientific evidence of increased heart attack risk associated with popular arthritis drug Vioxx was available as early as 2000, say Swiss scientists, although the drug was only withdrawn in September 2004.


Luxury retailers report sales rise

Itsa good time to sell champagne and a bad time to sell soda pop. Luxury retailers had strong sales in October while discounters like Wal-Mart Stores Inc.


Microsoft Improves Security

Microsoft will provide advanced notice to customers of upcoming patches, including what software and products will be affected, in an effort to allow customers to prepare and pre-roll patches instead of having to try and deal with issues after patches are


E-gold Tracks Cisco Code Thief

The electronic currency site that the Source Code Club said it will use to accept payment for Cisco Systems Inc. #39;s firewall source code is confident it can track down the perpetrators.


NBA: Denver 94, Minnesota 92 (OT)

Denver #39;s Earl Boykins scored with six seconds left in overtime and the Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 94-92 Thursday.


EU, meeting Iraqi PM, urged to heal divisions

BRUSSELS : European leaders were urged to forget their past divisions over Iraq as they met the country #39;s interim leader on the second day of a summit in Brussels.


Philippines Rushes Relief to Flooded Areas

GENERAL NAKAR, Philippines (Reuters) - Philippine soldiers  rushed food, drinking water and other supplies by foot and  helicopters on Sunday to provinces cut off by four storms in  two weeks that left more than 1,300 people dead or missing.


Dutch politician threatened in letter pinned with knife to filmmaker's body (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The killers of an outspoken Dutch filmmaker threatened his scriptwriter - a politician who renounced Islam and has criticized its customs - in a letter that was pinned to the victim's body with a knife.


Two Guilty in 1st Felony Spam Conviction (AP)

AP - A brother and sister who sent junk e-mail to millions of America Online customers were convicted Wednesday in the nation's first felony prosecution of Internet spam distributors.


US military 'seals off Falluja'

The US military closes all roads into the Iraqi city of Falluja, amid speculation a major assault is imminent.


U.S. Troops Urge Civilians to Leave Iraqi Rebel City

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces warned residents of  Falluja through loudspeakers and leaflets on Friday that they  would detain any man under 45 trying to enter or leave the  rebel-held Iraqi city.


Iraq Will Hold Elections on Jan 27-Vice President

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will hold national elections on  Jan. 27, Vice President Ibrahim al-Jaafari said on Friday.


Putin clears way for Kyoto treaty

Russia's President Putin signs the Kyoto protocol on climate change - enabling it to  come into force next year.


Top Linux exec departs from Novell

Novell is mum on the exit of Chris Stone, a key leader in the company's transformation to Linux vendor.


MSN's download service expanding

Microsoft's music download service launches in eight new countries as the software giant bids to takes on Apple's market leading iTunes.


Job Gains Strongest in Seven Months

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of new U.S. jobs soared  at the sharpest rate in seven months in October, the government  reported on Friday, helped by a surge in construction activity  as hurricane-racked areas in the Southeast were rebuilt.


IBM aims for top 10 with new Spanish supercomputer

IBM Corp. and the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science introduced a new supercomputer on Friday that they hope will be the most powerful in Europe, and among the10 most powerful in the world.


Nokia sues over patent and registered designs

Nokia Corp., the world's largest mobile phone maker, took legal action earlier this week against two European manufacturers for allegedly infringing on technology patents and registered designs.


Short-Term Rate Futures Sink on Jobs Data

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Short-term interest rate futures  plunged on Friday after U.S. jobs growth for October was far  above median Wall Street expectations, suggesting the  possibility for more aggressive monetary policy tightening.


Oil at 5-Week Low as Supply Fears Ease

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil slid to a five-week low on Friday,  continuing a fund-led selling spree that has knocked 12 percent  from last week's record highs as rising stockpiles have eased  worries of a winter supply crunch.


October Job Growth Stronger Than Expected

Employers aggressively hired new workers in October, adding 337,000 people to payrolls after a sluggish summer, although the overall unemployment rate rose marginally, to 5.5 percent.


Molson and Coors sweeten merger plan with dividend worth \$381 <b>...</b>

MONTREAL (CP) - Molson Inc. and Adolph Coors Co. are sweetening their brewery merger plan with a special dividend to Molson shareholders worth \$381 million.


MCI reports \$3.4 billion loss

WASHINGTON - MCI Inc. on Thursday reported a \$3.4 billion third-quarter loss as it wrote down the value of its assets due to a withering price war for long-distance telephone service.


Job growth continues but unemployment rate remains unchanged

OTTAWA - The economy created another 34,300 jobs in October but the unemployment rate remained at 7.1 per cent as more people entered the labour force, Statistics Canada said Friday.


Marsh general counsel to resign amid probe

NEW YORK - The general counsel for broker Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. will step down next week as the embattled firm seeks to clean house and reform its business practices, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.


MSN #39;s download service expanding

Microsoft #39;s has launched its MSN music download service in eight more European countries as the software giant bids to takes on Apple #39;s market leading iTunes.


Mars rovers working overtime

Martian rovers Spirit and Opportunity are going strong 10 months after they began their geological study of the red planet, mission scientists said Thursday.


IBM Is Back on Top with Blue Gene Supercomputer

This recent milestone shows the current state of an ongoing, multi-year project that has been (and continues to be) a series of opportunities and challenges.


Intel readies  #39;East Fork #39; digital home PC platform

Intel is gearing up to create a Centrino-style brand and platform for  #39;digital home #39;-oriented PCs, it has emerged. Codenamed  #39;East Fork #39; - after the Ohio state park, apparently - the platform centres on  #39;Smithfield


Munch Museum to stay closed well into 2005

Oslo #39;s Munch Museum could remain closed until June 2005 while officials upgrade its security system following a brazen daylight robbery in August of two Edvard Munch masterpieces.


Stars come out to compete at Advanta Championships at Villanova

A year ago, the Advanta Championships returned to The Pavilion after a two-year absence, but the tournament suffered from injury withdrawls and a lack of star power.


Bellamy on Toon Army battle

The smile on the Welshmans face was as broad as the Tyne after his 56th-minute volley cemented a 2-0 victory over Dinamo Tbilisi at St James Park last night, in stark contrast to his mood as the Magpies jetted out to Athens for their opening Group D


Ol #39; ballcoach draws up another trick play

The inability to figure Steve Spurrier hasn #39;t been this severe since Georgia dumped Ray Goff. During his 12-year coaching run at the University of Florida, no one ever knew exactly what he was


Doping case was flawed, report finds

MONTREAL A series of errors and misunderstandings led to the botched drug test that resulted in Tyler Hamilton, the American cyclist, retaining his gold medal from the Athens Olympics, the World Anti-Doping Agency has said in a report.


Small Steelers DBs Concerned With Owens (AP)

AP - Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend knows how lonely it can feel when lined up in man-to-man coverage across from a receiver such as the Eagles' Terrell Owens.


Chirac skips meeting with Allawi

France #39;s president left a Brussels meeting early in what has been widely seen as a refusal to meet Iraq #39;s prime minister. Jacques Chirac left a European Union summit Thursday


Two Palestinian kids killed in Gaza blast

: Two Palestinian boys, ages 7 and 8, were killed in an explosion in the Gaza Strip today. The Israeli military said the boys were killed by a stray mortar round fired by Palestinians.


Thai PM warns of more violence

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has warned that violence in the country #39;s south could get worse. Mr Thaksin said suspected Muslim separatists wanted to provoke the government into over-reacting.


Coal mine blast in northern China kills 10 miners

At least 10 miners were killed and six trapped below ground when leaking gas exploded in a northern China coal mine, the government said on Friday.


Studios Launch Legal Offensive Vs. Pirac (AP)

AP - Hollywood studios said Thursday they will file hundreds of lawsuits later this month against individuals who swap pirated copies of movies over the Internet.


Weak industrial output weighs on British growth (AFP)

AFP - Britain's industrial sector appears to have been a bigger drag on overall economic growth in the third quarter than was first assumed.


Review: 'Mortal Kombat' Adds New Modes (AP)

AP - Few video games have outraged anti-violence advocates like "Mortal Kombat," which debuted in the arcades more than a decade ago. The latest version, "Mortal Kombat: Deception," continues the grisly tradition while adding several new modes you wouldn't expect in a fighting game, including  #151; you read it right  #151; "Chess Kombat."


Nanotechnology May Change Energy Industry (AP)

AP - BISMARCK, N.D.  #151; Jack Uldrich says his stain-resistant pants are just the beginning for a technology that could someday be used to create cell phones so small they can be sewn into clothes and enhance electrical transmission through power lines.


Penn National Pays Over \$2B for Argosy Gaming

WYOMISSING, PA-Penn National Gaming entered into a merger agreement to acquire Alton, IL-based Argosy Gaming Co. for approximately \$2.


Unemployment rate holds steady at 7.1

OTTAWA - Despite gains of about 34,000 jobs last month, the unemployment rate remained steady in October at 7.1 per cent, Statistics Canada said Friday.


Seven shares crash 10pc

NEVER surprise the market with a profit downgrading or the shares of your company will be severely caned. A slumping advertising share saw a surly Kerry Stokes yesterday issue a major earnings downgrade for the Seven Network.


Mars Rovers Get Mystery Power Boost

A rock dubbed  quot;Uchben quot; in the  quot;Columbia Hills quot; inside Gusev Crater is seen in this photo released Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004 taken by the Mars Rover Spirit.


Putin clears way for Kyoto treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the Kyoto protocol on climate change - clearing the way for the treaty to come into force next year.


2 children killed in Gaza explosion

Two Palestinian children were killed Friday in the explosion of an apparent roadside bomb near Khan Younis in Gaza, reports said. But Palestinian sources said the children, an 8


China Coal Mine Blast Kills 15 -Xinhua

A coal mine explosion has killed at least 15 miners in northern China, the latest in a string of accidents in the country #39;s notoriously dangerous mining industry, the official Xinhua news agency said on Friday.


Beazer Homes Posts Higher 4Q Profit

First-time homebuilder Beazer Homes USA Inc. said Friday that fourth-quarter earnings rose sharply due to strength in home orders from the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and West regions.


Au revoir to rally

THE World Rally Championship has been rocked with news Citroen and Peugeot plan to withdraw after next season. The series was looking strong after Ford committed for another four years this week but the unexpected


Australia blamed for bin Laden panto appearance

FoTW Inability to follow a story by reason of anger, part 73


Readers embrace Welsh language tool

Letters Courting controversy with every word


Blunkett-bashing t-shirt remans the barricades

Cash'n'Carrion NO2ID restock coincides with e-Petition


BOFH: A little Ray of sunshine

Episode 38 Happy thoughts in the comms room


Putin Signs Bill to Ratify Kyoto Protocol (AP)

AP - President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill confirming Russia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, the Kremlin said Friday, clearing the way for the global climate pact to come into force early next year.


Treasuries Plunge on Huge Payrolls Rise

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices plunged on Friday  after a startlingly strong U.S. jobs report confounded  speculation the Federal Reserve might soon pause in its rate  hikes.


This is how its done

Navy beat Army by two years yesterday, tying the rivalry at an almost-poetic 49-49-7. For while the Midshipmen hired their reparative coach fully three Decembers ago, the


Economy Added Far More Jobs Than Expected in October

The first employment survey released after the election said U.S. businesses added 337,000 jobs -- almost twice as many as expected -- last month.


Cazenove Loses Independence with JPM Deal

LONDON (Reuters) - UK brokerage Cazenove effectively gave  up 181 years of independence on Friday when it sealed a joint  venture with J.P. Morgan Chase   Co., designed to lift the U.S.  bank's UK presence and give Cazenove a broader reach.


Hokies capture ACC title, BCS spot

Virginia Tech now can proclaim itself the ACC #39;s best team - and no one can argue. The 10th-ranked Hokies capped their inaugural ACC season with the league #39;s outright championship, getting two touchdown passes


Salesforce.com pushes integration

Hosted CRM service provider Salesforce.com took another step forward last week in its strategy to build an online ecosystem of vendors that offer software as a service.


Dollar Climbs Broadly After U.S. Jobs Data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar firmed swiftly across the  board on Friday, after the influential U.S. October employment  report signaled a more robust labor market than expected.


USC on track despite Bruin power

The intracity football debate between Los Angeles #39; most distinguished schools of higher learning, USC and UCLA, started off as expected Saturday afternoon, as the Trojans #39; extraordinary sophomore


Nokia Plans 40 New Handsets for 2005

The Finnish company, which has promised to launch a total of 35 new handsets in 2004, is trying to regain market share after competitors chipped away at its dominance in the mid- to high-end range of phones.


Euro Stocks Rally After Strong U.S. Data (Reuters)

Reuters - European shares strongly extended gains\on Friday after data showed job creation in the U.S. economy\was double expectations at 337,000 in October.


Autopsy: Zholtok Died of Heart Failure (AP)

AP - An autopsy confirmed that NHL player Serge Zholtok died from heart failure after playing a game this week in Belarus.


U.S. Job Gains Strongest in Seven Months

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. jobs soared at the sharpest  rate in seven months in October, the government reported on  Friday, helped by a surge in construction activity as  hurricane-battered areas in the Southeast were rebuilt.


U.S. Job Gains Strongest in Seven Months (Reuters)

Reuters - New U.S. jobs soared at the sharpest\rate in seven months in October, the government reported on\Friday, helped by a surge in construction activity as\hurricane-battered areas in the Southeast were rebuilt.


Treasuries Plunge on Huge Payrolls Rise (Reuters)

Reuters - Treasuries prices plunged on Friday\after a startlingly strong U.S. jobs report confounded\speculation the Federal Reserve might soon pause in its rate\hikes.


Official: E-Governance Failures Abound (AP)

AP - Many electronic governance projects are failing globally due to poor planning, political interference and bureaucratic bungling, a top World Bank official said Friday.


US adds more jobs than expected

The US economy added 337,000 now jobs in October, a seven-month high and much higher than Wall Street expectations.


Short-Term Rate Futures Sink on Jobs Data (Reuters)

Reuters - Short-term interest rate futures\plunged on Friday after U.S. October jobs growth was far above\median Wall Street expectations, raising the chances of a\Federal Reserve rate increase in December.


Record for personal bankruptcies

Individual bankruptcies in England and Wales have risen to their highest level on record, official figures show.


Kerry Supporters Left to Deal With Blues (AP)

AP - It's a long way from the Manhattan office of psychoanalyst Sherman Pheiffer to the Cambridge, Mass., practice of psychologist Jaine Darwin. But both are in blue states that voted heavily for John Kerry, and on the day he conceded, they heard plenty of distress about the election.


UK brokerage Cazenove effectively gave up 181 years of independence on Friday when it sealed a joint venture with JP Morgan Chase  amp; Co.


Molson offers special dividend to smoothen merger with Adolph <b>...</b>

NEW YORK, November 5 (newratings.com) - Molson Inc (MOL.A.TOR) has announced a special dividend payment worth about C\$381 million for its shareholders, as part of its plans for a merger with the Adolph Coors Company (RKY).


For sixth year, valley leads nation in clean air violations

California had its cleanest summertime air in three decades, yet the San Joaquin Valley still had 104 violations of the daylong, or eight-hour, smog standard.


Philippines Rushes Relief to Flooded Areas (Reuters)

Reuters - Philippine soldiers\rushed food, drinking water and other supplies by foot and\helicopters on Sunday to provinces cut off by four storms in\two weeks that left more than 1,300 people dead or missing.


Movie swappers put on notice

LOS ANGELES - On Sept. 1, former secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman replaced the legendary Jack Valenti as president and CEO of Hollywood #39;s trade group, the Motion Picture Association of America.


Celestial Summit Meeting

Kenneth L. Franklin, the former Chairman and Chief Astronomer at New Yorks Hayden Planetarium, would often make reference to our  quot;dynamic and ever-changing sky.


Singh is a golfer for all seasons

ATLANTA - If Reggie Jackson is forever baseball #39;s Mr. October, Vijay Singh has become golf #39;s calendar boy for August. And September.


India spin to memorable win in Mumbai

It was a Test match with a surprise in every corner. Chasing a victory target of 107 runs, Australia were blown away for 93 runs to hand India a 13-run win on the third day of the fourth Test


Bellamy: I #39;ll fight for my place

Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy insists that he is happy to knuckle down and fight for his place after helping to fire his side closer to the UEFA Cup knock-out stages.


Manchester Derby has Added Significance for United

Manchester United are within touching distance of a void, and victory by their occasionally-troublesome neighbours on Sunday would sever the remaining strands securing the line to Arsenal and Chelsea.


Goodyear Sees Profit; Stock Up

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goodyear Tire   Rubber Co. GT.N on  Friday said it would report a third-quarter profit, reversing a  year-earlier loss, on higher prices for its products and  stronger sales.


US marines prepare to storm rebel city

AMERICAN marines today blocked all roads around Fallujah as they prepared to launch a massive assault on the rebel-held Iraqi city.


Darfur Talks Stalled Over Compromise Deal

DARFUR, November 5 (IslamOnline.net  amp; News Agencies) - The Darfur talks in Abuja, Nigeria, were stalled Friday, November 5, over a security deal proposed by the African Union (AU), amid reports the situation in the western Sudanese region is heading


WALKMAN STUMBLES

In a meeting with executives from four Hollywood studios this year, Sony Electronics brass laid it on the line: They were going ahead with technology for the next generation


Arafat Is in Coma 'Between Life and Death,' Spokeswoman Says

Yasir Arafat is not brain dead, his spokeswoman said as Palestinian officials met to consider a future without him.


Iraqi Prime Minister Meets With European Union Leaders

Ayad Allawi sought to calm anger today over his description of states that opposed the war as "spectators."


Are you sitting comfortably? Then well begin

Giancarlo Fisichella began preparations for the 2005 season yesterday at Enstone, when he visited Renault F1 Teams UK base for a seat fitting.


Time for a new Dem agenda

Whoever officially wins this election mdash;at the time of this writing, it rsquo;s technically still a squeaker that could conceivably go either way, though it rsquo;s looking like Bush rsquo;s first election to office mdash;what is clear is that the Republicans owned the political agenda. I rsquo;m not talking about Iraq or terrorism, though those were significant issues. What I rsquo;m talking about is what got so many people to turn out and vote Republican on Tuesday: values.


Dell sued for alleged global sales patent abuse

Tiny firm claims ownership of international e-commerce


US jobs market breaks out of quagmire

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US labor market smashed out of a summer-long quagmire, churning out a seven-month record of 337,000 jobs -- far more than predicted by Wall Street.


Higher Rates Blamed for British Bankruptcy

Rising interest rates and a reliance on credit were blamed Friday for an increased number of British personal bankruptcies in the latest quarter.


Cazenove agrees JP Morgan merger

Cazenove #39;s investment banking unit, which advises nearly half of Britain #39;s leading companies, is to be merged with the rival operation run by JP Morgan, ending 181 years of independence.


Goodyear to post profit

Goodyear Tire  amp; Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT) expects its third quarter to go from red to black as it posts record sales in this year #39;s third quarter.


IFIL to Sell Foods Chains to Auchan

Holding company IFIL SpA said Friday it will sell the foods division of retailer La Rinascente SpA to French supermarket retailer Auchan in a deal worth euro1.


ACE fires two employees in bid-rigging controversy

ACE Ltd. has fired two employees and suspended three others over their alleged involvement in the contingent commissions scandal that is being investigated by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.


First Jailed Spammer Gets 9 Years

Thirty-year-old Jeremy Jaynes, a US citizen settled in North Carolina, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for sending junk e-mails with fraudulent and untraceable routing information.


Chelsea accuse FA of lenient Mutu drugs ban

Chelsea, London, Nov. 5 -- Sacked Chelsea striker Adrian Mutus amazing FA escape after testing positive for cocaine, has angered Chelsea, as the FA have suspended Mutu from football for seven months with 20,000 fine.


Mauresmo hopes to regain top spot

An old foe came calling just as Amelie Mauresmo reached the peak of her career. She #39;d spent a month as the talk of her homeland, the first French tennis player of either gender to reach the world #39;s No.


Roddick, Henman Out of Paris Masters

Top seed Andy Roddick and holder Tim Henman, their minds perhaps on next week #39;s Masters Cup, bowed out of the Paris Masters in the third round on Thursday.


Spurrier Withdraws From Florida Search

Steve Spurrier is seen in this 2003 NFL season photo. Spurrier removed his name from consideration Thursday Nov. 4, 2004 to replace Ron Zook as coach of the Florida Gators, who was fired last week after the latest in a series of embarrassing losses.


Filmmaker #39;s Murder May Spell End of Dutch Tolerance

Dutch police have apprehended eight suspects (all young Moroccans and Algerians) in the killing of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh (yes, he is related) on Tuesday morning outside his flat in Amsterdam, an act which horrified Dutch citizens.


Iraq dominates EU summit

1500CET--The Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi #39;s participation in the EU Summit entered its second day which was dominated by the Iraq issue as the


Human rights outcry

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of the only official found guilty over the 1999 bloodshed in East Timor.


Database to trace stolen phones

Thames Valley Police joins a national mobile database to trace owners of stolen phones.


Dollar Hits 8-1/2-Month Low Against Euro

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The euro rebounded against the dollar  on Friday to hit 8-1/2-month highs in technically-driven buying  which offset the effect of a much stronger-than-expected U.S.  employment report for October.


Internet Movie Piracy

The Motion Picture Association of America said Thursday that it will sue people who download movies from online file-sharing services. Reporter David McGuire discusses the likely impact of the lawsuits with Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge.


IBM to take supercomputing crown

A new incarnation of Blue Gene/L can perform 70.7 trillion calculations per second, IBM says.


Intel preps speedier Pentium 4

The chipmaker will quietly roll out its 3.8GHz Pentium 4 570 for desktops on Nov. 15, sources tell CNET News.com.


Linux cluster firms attract new funding

Venture capitalists are lavishing money on the fashionable Linux supercomputing concept--but smaller firms face much larger rivals.


Molson, Coors to Pay C\$381 Million to Sweeten Merger (Update1)

Molson Inc., Canada #39;s biggest brewer, and Adolph Coors Co., agreed to pay Molson shareholders a special dividend of C\$381 million (\$315 million) as part of their proposed merger in an effort to win over investors.


Beazer notifies \$80.1 million 4Q profit

Beazer Homes USA Inc., the US homebuilder, has announced that fourth-quarter earnings increase as a result of home orders growth in Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and West regions.


Oil at 5-Week Low as Supply Fears Ease

Oil slid to a five-week low on Friday, continuing a fund-led selling spree that has knocked 12 percent from last week #39;s record highs as rising stockpiles have eased worries of a winter supply crunch.


Heat on Olympics

CHINA is taking no chances as host of the summer Olympics in 2008 and has picked an auspicious 8pm start on August 8, 2008 -- or 8/8/8/08 -- for the opening ceremony.


Raptors host defending champs on TSN

TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Detroit Pistons will not have coach Larry Brown on the sideline when they visit the Toronto Raptors Friday.


Two US Marines Killed in Volatile Western Iraq

Two US Marines have been killed and four wounded in action in a volatile area west of Baghdad, the US military said on Friday.  quot;Two Marines assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force


JP Morgan Buys Queen Elizabeth's Broker

LONDON (Reuters) - UK brokerage Cazenove effectively gave  up 181 years of independence on Friday when it sealed a joint  venture with J.P. Morgan Chase   Co., designed to lift the U.S.  bank's UK presence and give Cazenove a broader reach.


Phishers adopt scam tricks from virus writers

You know all about phishing scams, right? You know better than to click on a Web link embedded in an e-mail that purports to be from your bank, or to reply to messages requesting your user name and password. But if you think that's enough to protect yourself, think again.


Spammer Convicted to Nine Years in Prison\\Yesterday the first two spammers ever were convicted of a felony for sending fraudulent unsolicited commercial e-mail - spam. Jeremy Jaynes and Jessica DeGroot, a brother and sister team, were convicted in a Virginia court Wednesday of sending AOL users millions of unsolicited commercial ...


BellSouth and SBC Partner to Buy YellowPages.com\\SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. announced that their directory affiliates have created an Internet yellow pages partnership that has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the online directory publisher www.yellowpages.com, Inc. The new venture will utilize the highly recognized YellowPages.com brand and ...


Microsoft Expands MSN Music Store Download Service\\Microsoft expanded its MSN Music Store to eight new countries yesterday, crossing the border into major European countries that iTunes staked its claim in during its U2 fueled EU push in October. With this expansion the MSN Music Store is now accessible in 17 ...


Hurricanes Jump-Start Hiring in October (AP)

AP - Employers aggressively hired new workers in October, adding 337,000 people to their payrolls after a sluggish summer, but the unemployment rate rose fractionally to 5.5 percent.


Seals Bludgeoned, Shot on Irish Island (Reuters)

Reuters - Up to 60 protected gray seals have been\killed off the west coast of Ireland in what a wildlife group\described as slaughter.


IBM set to take supercomputing crown


Movie industry to sue file-sharers

The Motion Picture Association of America announced yesterday that it would shortly be following in the footsteps of the music industry and suing people who have illegally traded digital copies of films over the internet.


Pavin wants to win Vietnam Masters for wife

Former US Open champion Corey Pavin said Wednesday he #39;s playing for his caddie this week - who also happens to be his wife - at the inaugural Vietnam Masters.


Arakawa sits first; pairs team fifth

NAGOYA, Japan (AP-CP) - World champion Shizuka Arakawa of Japan overcame a case of jitters and a new pair of skates Friday to win the women #39;s short program at the NHK Trophy figure skating competition.


US Forces Launch Night Of Air Strikes On Al-Fallujah

5 November 2004 -- The US military in Iraq has reportedly sealed off Al-Fallujah in central Iraq and launched a night of air strikes on that rebel-held city.


EU leaders extend trade carrot in Iran nuclear standoff

European Union leaders Friday dangled the prospect of a lucrative trade pact to Iran if the Islamic republic suspends its nuclear programme.


The Fool's Look Ahead

Wild rides, a snow-hugging choo-choo, and a movie mecca will factor greatly during the week that is on the way.


A Sigh of Relief in Hyde Park

Historians and conservationists are breathing a little easier after the Scenic Hudson Land Trust bought 336 acres of forest in President Roosevelt's old estate.


Molson and Coors Agree to Special Dividend

The move is seen as an effort to appease Molson's investors, who have criticized the planned merger with Coors because it did not include a takeover premium for their shares.


Stocks Rise as Jobs Figures Impress

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Friday after news the  economy added more than twice the number of jobs expected last  month, sending the Standard   Poor's 500 index to its highest  in more than 2 1/2 years.


Vornado Buys 4.3 Pct. Stake, Shares Soar

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Sears, Roebuck and Co. were  up about 20 percent on Friday after real estate company Vornado  Realty Trust said it raised its stake in the retailer, a step  that could mean Sears plans to convert some of its real estate  assets into cash.


United Says It Needs \$2 Bln More in Cost Cuts

CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines, trying to revamp its  business after nearly two years in bankruptcy, has told its  unions it must terminate and replace their pensions as part of  its drive to cut costs by an additional \$2 billion a year.


'Ultimate game' award for Doom 3

Doom 3 has blasted away the competition at a major games ceremony, the Golden Joystick awards.


Stadium Plan Challenged

D.C. Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp has developed a plan that would significantly change both the site of a stadium and the cost of the project, a source said this morning.


Treasuries Trounced on Fears Fed to Hike

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices plunged on Friday  after a startlingly strong U.S. jobs report raised the risk the  Federal Reserve would keep hiking interest rates well beyond  the move widely expected for next week.


Ivory Coast's Army Bombs Rebel Towns

BOUAKE (Reuters) - Government warplanes and helicopter  gunships pounded rebel-held towns in northern Ivory Coast for a  second day on Friday, fueling fears of a slide into all-out war  in the world's top cocoa grower.


Darfur Aid Groups Fear Fresh Violence, Move Staff

EL FASHER, Sudan (Reuters) - Aid agencies fearing an  upsurge of fighting in Sudan's troubled Darfur region have  suspended operations and evacuated staff from the volatile  Jebel Marra area in West Darfur state, U.N. officials said on  Friday.


Ace terminates two employees following insurance scandal

ACE Ltd., a Bermuda-based insurance company, announced on Thursday that it had terminated two executives and suspended three more unnamed employees in the wake of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzers probe into the bid-rigging practices in the


Economy Added Far More Jobs Than Expected in October

The economy created 337,000 new jobs in October, nearly double the 169,000 that Wall Street was expecting. The overall unemployment rate rose marginally to 5.5 percent from 5.4 percent.


Verizon Wireless agrees to buy NextWave licenses

Verizon Wireless has agreed to buy wireless spectrum licenses covering 23 US markets from bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. for \$3 billion in a deal that would boost Verizon #39;s capacity in several major markets.


Update 1: Beazer Homes #39; Profit Soars on New Homes

Beazer Homes USA Inc., a homebuilder based in Atlanta, on Friday posted a 40 percent surge in profit for its latest quarter amid growth in new-home orders.


Study: Vioxx removal came years late

An analysis in a prominent medical journal reports that the painkiller Vioxx demonstrated an increased risk of heart attack four years ago and should have been withdrawn long before Sept.


Goodyear Sees Profit; Stock Up

Goodyear Tire  amp; Rubber Co. (GT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US tiremaker, on Friday said it would report a third-quarter profit, reversing a year-earlier loss


Molson, Coors to Pay C\$381 Million to Sweeten Merger (Update3)

Molson Inc., seeking to overcome opposition to its planned C\$3.8 billion (\$3.16 billion) merger with Adolph Coors Co. to create the world #39;s fifth-biggest brewer, said it will pay minority shareholders a special dividend.


Altria plans to split businesses

Altria, the owner of food company Kraft and the world #39;s biggest cigarette maker Philip Morris, may split itself up to help limit the effect of legal battles.


October jobless rate holds steady at 7.1 per cent, says StatsCan

OTTAWA (CP) - The economy continues to show signs of healthy growth, adding about 34,000 jobs in October. However the number of people looking for work also rose, keeping the overall unemployment rate at 7.1 per cent, unchanged from September.


Moss Has Slight Tear in Hamstring

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings  wide receiver Randy Moss will not play at full speed for a few  weeks after an MRI Thursday revealed a slight tear in his  injured right hamstring.


Edison International 3Q Profit Soars

Edison International, a power generating and electric utility holding company, on Friday said its third-quarter profit soared on gains from asset sales.


MPAA to Sue Over Movie File Sharing

The movie industry announced yesterday it will file its first wave of lawsuits later this month against those it alleges are illegally sharing copyrighted films on the Internet, joining the music industry in its fight against piracy.


Fight heating up after nation #39;s first spam conviction

Although the jury for the nation #39;s first felony spam trial recommended Wednesday that defendants Jeremy Jaynes serve a nine year prison term and his sister, Jessica Degroot, pay \$7,500, defense attorneys say the fight is far from over.


Molecule May Be Key to Nicotine Addiction

New animal research indicates that a single molecule may be linked to nicotine dependence, the Associated Press reported Nov. 4. For the study, researchers in California worked with a single gene to genetically


MSN Music adds more European download stores

The software giant #39;s experiment in the rapidly expanding music download market has now set up shop in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Austria and Spain, bringing the number of countries with MSN Music services to 17.


Titan moon holds on to mystery

Scientists are none the wiser as to what awaits the Huygens space probe on Saturn #39;s moon Titan when it lands, despite a close pass by its mothership.


Munch museum tightens security

Oslo #39;s Munch Museum will stay closed till the middle of next year to secure its masterpieces with glass bolted onto the walls after robbers stole  quot;The Scream quot; by pulling it off the wall and walking out the front door.


MLB All-Stars Rally Past Japan

TOKYO (Sports Network) - Roger Clemens pitched four-plus  solid innings and David Ortiz had a two-run single to highlight  a three-run sixth inning, as the MLB All-Stars downed the  Japanese All-Stars, 7-2, at the Tokyo Dome.


Czech Stepanek reaches Paris semis

PARIS, France -- Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek booked his place in the semi-finals of the Paris Masters with a 7-6 6-3 win over Mikhail Youzhny, who knocked out holder Tim Henman the day before.


Red Sox Hero Ortiz Remains Hot in Japan

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz swings his bat before Japanese media during a workout session at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004.


The Steelers try to knock off their second unbeaten team

After ending New England #39;s 21-game winning streak last week, the Steelers greet the NFL #39;s last unbeaten team, playing Philadelphia for the Pennsylvania championship in a game that down the line might be a preview of a matchup for a much grander title.


'Incredibles' Shows Pixar's Super Powers

The debut of "The Incredibles" highlights the tech wizardry behind animated films and further validates the computer-animation prowess of Pixar Animation Studios, although the competition is growing in strength. -washingtonpost.com


EU should forget differences on Iraq  Dutch FM

BRUSSELS, November 5 (Itar-Tass) - The European Union should forget its internal differences on Iraq and give a signal about readiness to participate in the countrys restoration, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said at the EU summit in


Renewed clashes follow Ivory Coast government abandoning ceasefire

Rebel and government ground forces clashed and government warplanes mounted more bombing runs Friday, escalating hostilities a day after Ivory Coast abandoned a more than year-old ceasefire in its civil war.


Arafat: a survivor of many close encounters

Ramallah, West Bank - Yasser Arafat, fighting for his life in a Paris hospital, has cheated death on several fronts during a 40-year career as the symbol of the struggle for Palestinian statehood.


European Officials Seek to End Iran Nuclear Deadlock (Update1)

British, French and German foreign ministry officials resumed talks with their Iranian counterparts in Paris today in a bid to ensure Iran #39;s nuclear program is limited to peaceful uses, the French Foreign Ministry said.


Afghan election notebook 5 - Out for the count

I admit I was fast asleep when the moment came, although the moment wasn #39;t really the moment. It was mid-afternoon on Sunday, 24 October.


Seals Bludgeoned, Shot on Irish Island

Up to 60 protected gray seals have been killed off the west coast of Ireland in what a wildlife group described as slaughter. The Irish Seal Sanctuary said the seals -- most of them pups


Moss Has Slight Tear in Hamstring (Reuters)

Reuters - Minnesota Vikings\wide receiver Randy Moss will not play at full speed for a few\weeks after an MRI Thursday revealed a slight tear in his\injured right hamstring.


Vornado Buys 4.3 Pct. Stake, Shares Soar (Reuters)

Reuters - Shares of Sears, Roebuck and Co. were\up about 20 percent on Friday after real estate company Vornado\Realty Trust said it raised its stake in the retailer, a step\that could mean Sears plans to convert some of its real estate\assets into cash.


(Not So) Simple Simon (Forbes.com)

Forbes.com - "I want to kill them all," he says. "I want to crush them, because these incumbents are selling stuff that doesn't work, and that annoys me. They're engaged in profiteering. There's nothing wrong with making money, but not when you're selling things that don't work right."


Far Fewer Jobs Were Added in November Than Forecast

The economy added 112,000 payroll jobs in November, far fewer than the month before and not enough to keep up with average increases in the adult population, the Labor Department reported on Friday.


United Needs \$2 Bln More in Cost Cuts

CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines, trying to revamp its  business after nearly two years in bankruptcy, has told its  unions it must terminate and replace their pensions as part of  its drive to cut costs by an additional \$2 billion a year.


Euro rises to new record high 1.2937 dollars (AFP)

AFP - The euro rose to a new record high against the dollar, climbing to 1.2937 dollars in late European trades.


Verizon Wireless to Buy NextWave Licenses (AP)

AP - Verizon Wireless is buying wireless spectrum licenses covering 23 U.S. markets from bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. for  #36;3 billion, bolstering the cell phone company's ability to compete with the big new rival created by the merger of Cingular Wireless and AT amp;T Wireless.


Saskatchewan court rules traditional definition of marriage unconstitutional (Canadian Press)

Canadian Press - SASKATOON (CP) - Saskatchewan became the seventh Canadian jurisdiction to allow same-sex marriages Friday after a judge ruled the current federal law on the subject unconstitutional.


Analyst: U.S. Weapons Tests in Australia (AP)

AP - American troops will train with new U.S. military equipment in Australia under a pact being negotiated by Washington and Canberra, a prominent defense analyst said Friday.


Russia Looks to Boost Software Production (AP)

AP - Russia is seeking to slow the exodus of computer specialists and increase software production, a top government official said Friday, in an effort that some hope will help diversify the country's oil-dependent economy.


President to Consider Changes for New Term (washingtonpost.com)

washingtonpost.com - President Bush said yesterday that he will spend the weekend considering changes in his  Cabinet for his second term, feeding speculation inside and outside the White House over shake-ups in key agencies in coming weeks.


Prolific spammer given nine years jail

A United States man convicted of violating anti-spam laws by sending out tens of thousands of unsolicited emails using fake addresses faces nine years in prison in Virginia.


Officials try to convince Turin Games chief organizer to stay

Government officials are trying to convince the chief organizer of the 2006 Turin Olympics not to quit, but Valentino Castellani says there is  quot;no room for second thoughts.


Six more die in Thai violence

BANGKOK: Six more people have been killed in Muslim-majority southern Thailand in the last 24 hours, police said yesterday, amid outrage over the death last week of 85 Muslims.


Northwest Pilots OK  #36;265 Mln Concession (Reuters)

Reuters - The pilots union at Northwest Airlines\Corp. , the No. 4 U.S. air carrier, ratified a  #36;265\million concession package that includes 15 percent pay cuts,\the union said on Friday.


US jobs market breaks out of quagmire (AFP)

AFP - The US labor market escaped a quagmire in October, churning out a seven-month record of 337,000 jobs -- far more than predicted by Wall Street.


Vornado Buys 4.3 Pct. Stake, Shares Soar

Shares of Sears, Roebuck and Co. were up about 20 percent on Friday after real estate company Vornado Realty Trust said it raised its stake in the retailer, a step that could mean Sears


UPDATE 1-Northwest pilots ratify \$265 mln concession deal

The pilots union at Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWAC.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 4 US air carrier, ratified a \$265 million concession package that includes 15 percent pay cuts, the union said on Friday.


Verizon Wireless to Buy NextWave Licenses

Verizon Wireless is buying wireless spectrum licenses covering 23 US markets from bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. for \$3 billion, bolstering the cell phone company #39;s ability to compete with the big new rival


World economy at risk if oil prices remain high: Conference Board

OTTAWA - World economic growth will be at risk next year if oil prices remain near all-time highs well into next year, the Conference Board of Canada said Friday.


Stocks Open Higher, Lifted by Payrolls

US stocks rose at the open on Friday after the US economy added twice the number of jobs than had been expected last month, presenting equity investors a positive sign of US economic growth.


Altria to split businesses; ups FY04 outlook

NEW YORK, November 5 (newratings.com) - Altria Group Inc (MO.NYS), the parent company of Kraft Foods (KFT) and the world #39;s largest cigarette maker Phillip Morris, is planning a possible split-up of its businesses into three separate units.


Jimmie Johnson Back in Nextel Title Race (AP)

AP - The age-old NASCAR ethic of hard work and patience has helped Jimmie Johnson win three straight races and put him back in the Nextel Cup championship picture.


US Spammer Facing Nine Years in Jail

It is believed that with the help of his sister, Jessica DeGroot, 28, who was fined US\$7,500, Jeremy Jaynes pedalled non-existent products via email such as a  quot;FedEx refund processor quot; that supposedly


Novell counters Microsoft #39;s Linux  #39;facts #39; with  #39;truth #39;

NOVEMBER 05, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Countering the latest salvo of Microsoft Corp. #39;s  quot;Get the Facts quot; campaign against open-source software, Novell Inc.


Opera 7.60 set to offer faster browsing

The next version of the Opera browser will be integrated with SlipStream #39;s Web and email acceleration technology, Opera Software said on Thursday.


Tiger Telematics acquires Integra, confirms Spanish, Portuguese <b>...</b>

Gizmondo Europe, the UK-based subsidiary of Jacksonville, Florida firm Tiger Telematics announced yesterday that a one year distribution agreement has been signed with United Electronics to distribute the Gizmondo GPS-based handheld gaming console


Allardyce backs Mutu to return

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce believes Adrian Mutu has the ability to bounce back at the top level. The Chelsea striker has been banned for seven months after failing a drugs test.


Officials Ask Turin Games Chief to Stay

The chief organizer of the Turin 2006 winter Olympics, Valentino Castellani meets the media in Turin, Italy, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004 after announcing he is resigning amid an internal power struggle for control of the games.


Burns Puts Himself in the Frame

Scotlands caretaker manager Tommy Burns has made it clear he would consider taking on the post on a full-time basis. And he believes he is in pole position as he will get the chance


Ghostzapper won #39;t disappear come awards time

*If Eclipse Award voters, of which I am one, so desired, they could reward Stronach Stables and Bobby Frankel with firsts in three categories for Ghostzapper: Horse of the Year, Older Horse, and Sprinter.


Redknapp is manager of the month

Portsmouth #39;s Harry Redknapp has been named as the Barclays manager of the month for October. Redknapp #39;s side were unbeaten during the month and maintained an impressive climb to ninth in the Premiership.


October Hiring at a Seven-Month Peak

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers added to payrolls at  the fastest clip in seven months in October, the Labor  Department said on Friday, spurred by rebuilding in the  hurricane-battered Southeast and brisk hiring in service  industries.


Arafat reportedly breathing on his own

A top Palestinian official says Yasser Arafat is breathing on his own and  quot;his brain is not damaged. quot;. Conflicting reports have flown for the past day, after the Palestinian leader took


Dollar Plunges to Record Low Against Euro

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar dropped to record lows  against the euro on Friday, succumbing to negative sentiment  and erasing all of the U.S. currency's earlier gains following  a robust U.S. October employment report.


Miss. State's Roberts to Sit Out Game (AP)

AP - Mississippi State star Lawrence Roberts must sit out one game for accepting  #151; and later repaying  #151; expenses for a pre-NBA draft workout.


Weak Dollar Weighs on Stocks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Friday, boosted by  a government report showing strong jobs growth last month, but  gains were sharply reduced by a weak dollar, which fell to a  record low against the euro on concerns about the U.S. trade  imbalance.


Sears Shares Soar as Vornado Boosts Stake

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sears, Roebuck   Co. S.N shares  jumped as much as 25 percent on Friday after real estate  company Vornado Realty Trust VNO.N said it raised its stake  in the retailer, a step that could lead Sears convert some of  its real estate assets into cash.


Earnings Miss Dents Manulife Financial

TORONTO (Reuters) - Shares of Manulife Financial Corp.  MFC.TO fell on Friday, a day after Canada's biggest insurer  posted third-quarter results that fell short of expectations.


Oil Falls to Six-Week Low

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil slid to a six-week low on Friday,  continuing a fund-led selling spree that has knocked 13 percent  from last week's record highs as rising stockpiles have eased  worries of a winter supply crunch.


Machine Error Gives Bush Extra Ohio Votes (AP)

AP - An error with an electronic voting system gave President Bush 3,893 extra votes in suburban Columbus, elections officials said.


Sears' Stock Soars After Firm Buys Stake

Sears, Roebuck and Co.'s stock shot up Friday on news that a New York-based real estate investment trust had purchased a 4.3 percent interest in the huge department store chain.


Stepanek, Canas Reach Paris Masters Last Four

PARIS (Reuters) - Qualifier Radek Stepanek and Argentine  Guillermo Canas took advantage of the absence of leading  players and the early losses of others to scrape into the Paris  Masters last four Friday.


Shoppers rush to pyramid Wal-Mart

Bargain-hungry Mexican shoppers flock to a controversial  Wal-Mart supermarket that has been built half a mile away from ancient pyramids.


Euro Hits Record High Against U.S. Dollar

The euro hit a new all-time high against the U.S. dollar today, climbing on oil price worries and concern over the U.S. budget deficit.


Fundamental Flaws at Wild Oats

Disappointing results reflect flaws in the business model, not an "aberration."


Cricket: NZ clinch one-day series

New Zealand beat Bangladesh by thre wickets in Dhaka despite figures of 5-31 by Aftab Ahmed.


Profit From Management Integrity

Laser manufacturer Candela's management avoids taking the easy way out to explain shortfalls.


A City Invaded by WiFi

Taipei plans to have a citywide connection by 2005. Also: MIT creates a voice operated plane that takes audio commands   hellip;.  Basketball players use video games to hone their skills   hellip;. and more.


How organized religion, not net religion, won it for Bush

Election 2004 Not even a gay, blogging Jesus could help


Nerd party needed to replace 'left-wing' Democrats, says area man

Election 2004 Point and click


Study: Outsourcing mostly domestic

Enterprise Systems says tasks, including IT projects, are heading mainly to other U.S. companies, not offshore.


Virus writers elude Microsoft's bounty hunt

A year on, and the company's \$1 million tip-off program has nabbed just one (alleged) virus writer. Is it a bust?\


(Almost) free 411 on cell phones

Customers will just have to pay their carriers a few pennies for each text-message directory-assistance query.


Playing god: BiblePlayer for iPod catches on

A freeware Bible reader is gaining fans--and proving again that Apple's iPod could be a saving grace for e-books.


Phishers Adopt Scam Tricks From Virus Writers (PC World)

PC World - Dangerous new ways to try to steal your money are in progress.


Macworld Boston moves to new venue (MacCentral)

MacCentral - Framingham, Mass.-based IDG World Expo on Friday announced that Macworld Boston, which returned to Massachusetts last year, would be leaving the new Boston Convention  amp; Exhibition Center (BCEC) in favor of the Hynes Convention Center for the 2005 summer show. Show organizers cite venue size as the main reason for moving the event.


Telabria plans U.K.'s first WiMax network

While the debate rages on the economics of deploying and operating WiMax networks, a U.K. start-up is quietly building what it hopes will be the country's first network based on this emerging high-speed broadband wireless technology.


Verizon Catches the NextWave

Arguably the longest running soap-opera drama in the wireless industry has announced its final episode: Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) announced plans to acquire assets of a reorganized


Update 7: Dollar Hits All-Time Low Against Euro

The US dollar hit an all-time low against the euro Friday, shrugging off positive US employment data and falling on worries about oil prices and concern over the US budget deficit.


Molson sweetens Coors merger proposal with \$381-million dividend

MONTREAL (CP) - Molson Inc. shares gained ground Friday after the brewer announced its shareholders will get a special premium if they agree to a proposed merger with Colorado beer maker Adolph Coors Co.


Conference Board sees world economy faltering if oil prices stay <b>...</b>

OTTAWA (CP) - World economic growth will weaken next year if oil prices remain at record-high levels far into next year, the Conference Board of Canada says in its latest outlook report.


Record for personal bankruptcies

Personal insolvencies in England and Wales have hit another record high as interest rate rises take their toll on already over-extended households.


Pfizer calls report on Celebrex safety concerns  #39;misleading #39;

Pfizer Inc. and Canadian health officials moved Thursday to answer concerns over the painkiller Celebrex after a news report raised safety questions about the drug.


9 years for spammer Jaynes

p2pnet.net News:- Spammer Jeremy Jaynes, aka Gaven Stubberfield, had the distinction of being the first spammer to be charged under Virginia #39;s antispam law.


Microsoft Investigates Reports of New Internet Explorer Hole

Microsoft is investigating reports of a serious security flaw in Internet Explorer, but has not yet seen malicious code that exploits the reported flaw, the company said today.


It #39;s Grand Theft over the internet

A VIRTUAL crime simulator expected to be one of the biggest selling computer games of all time has been hit by techno-pirates. The Edinburgh company Rockstar North has made a fortune from its detailed virtual worlds where crime is the aim of the game.


Henman, Hewitt advance in Paris Masters

Defending champion Tim Henman of Britain beat Thailand #39;s Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3, 6-4 to reach third round of the Paris Masters in Paris on Tuesday.


Burns says he #39;s in  #39;pole position #39; for Scotland job

Burns was named caretaker manager for Scotland #39;s Nov. 17 friendly against Sweden after Berti Vogts resigned on Monday. Burns, who was Vogts #39; assistant, said he hoped to become the German #39;s permanent replacement.


Underappreciated Murphy a model of consistency

When Larry Murphy was five years old, his father discovered there was an opening in the hockey program at the local outdoor rink and enrolled is youngest boy.


It #39;s neck-and-neck at polls for Horse of the Year bids

Up to your eyeballs in elec tion returns? Perhaps a review of Saturday #39;s pari-mutuel returns from the 21st running of the Breeders #39; Cup will make all those dizzying electoral permutations seem like losing Mega Millions numbers.


Palestinian factions determined to keep unity, order if Arafat <b>...</b>

GAZA CITY, Nov 5 (AFP) - Palestinian officials and leaders from armed factions closed ranks Friday in a bid to ensure security and keep a lid on any instability should Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat die in a French hospital.


Roh, Bush agree to early six-party talks

President Roh Moo-hyun and US President George W. Bush agreed to the early resumption of the six-party talks to end North Korea #39;s nuclear weapons program, Cheong Wa Dae said yesterday.


Verizon Catches the NextWave

The company ponies up \$3 billion for key spectrum in buying out bankrupt NextWave Telecom.


News: Online fraud tutorials... from the Secret Service?

U.S. law enforcement closed down the thriving criminal marketplace Shadowcrew.com last week, but left its database of forbidden knowledge open to the public. \


News: Email worm poses as Osama videogram

The Register By John Leyden john dot leyden at theregister dot co dot uk


Diamondbacks Fire New Manager Backman (AP)

AP - The Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday fired Wally Backman, just four days after naming him their new manager.


South Africa Considers Killing Elephants

South Africa's Kruger National Park elephant population has nearly doubled in recent years, causing heavy habitat destruction and invasion of adjacent farms. Now conservation authorities are considering a plan to kill perhaps thousands elephants to bring the problem under control.


Support for Saving Peatlands Is Squishy but Solidifying

Piles of un-decomposed, waterlogged plant material known as peatlands cover about 3 percent of Earth's land and freshwater surface area. But scientists and conservationists are just beginning to fully understand the role of peatlands in the environment.


Ban Sale of Water for Profit, Health Activist Says

Environmental activist Maude Barlow believes the world is poised to experience a freshwater crisis of "monumental proportions." The Canadian author shares her views on global water use and abuse with National Geographic News.


"Reindeer People" Resort to Eating Their Herds

Researchers say Mongolia's last nomadic reindeer herders could disappear unless their ancestral forests are protected. Already some nomads have been forced to eat the reindeer they depend on. <b>Photo Gallery.</b>


Geographic's "Greatest Portraits" Collected in New Book

The photo editors of the new book In Focus: National Geographic Greatest Portraits share their thoughts on what makes a great portrait and offer advice for aspiring photographers. Interview and photo gallery.


Forty Phones Fuel Nokia #39;s Strategy For 2005

com. In an attempt to stay in front of increasingly vigorous competition, mobile-phone maker Nokia Corp. said it will employ a variety of strategies next year in introducing 40 different handset models.


It #39;s Official: Verizon, NextWave Sign Pact

NextWave Telecom and Verizon Wireless have struck a \$3 billion deal over NextWave #39;s beleaguered PCS spectrum as they strive toward starkly contrasting network goals.


FDA to Review Post-Market Safety Checks

The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday asked an outside group to review the way it monitors safety risks associated with medicines already on the market, such as Merck  amp; Co.


SEC to Propose Tigher Exchange Governance

The Securities and Exchange Commission will propose soon a plan to tighten governance at the nation #39;s stock exchanges to ensure they are serving the public interest, SEC Chairman William Donaldson said Friday.


Update 1: Goodyear Expects to Report 3Q Profit

The Goodyear Tire  amp; Rubber Co., the nation #39;s largest tire maker, said Friday it may beat Wall Street #39;s profit expectations for the third quarter and will amend or restate some past financial filings for 2003 and 2004.


NVIDIA Is Vindicated

The past two quarters have been a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tale for graphics chip maker NVIDIA (Nasdaq: NVDA). The last quarter was a horror story for investors, with a 79 year


Central bank welcomes IMF #39;s China report

A spokesman for the People #39;s Bank ofChina (POC) said Friday that the central bank welcomes the effortsmade by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its staff report for 2004 Article IV consultation with the People #39;s


Gold Fields Sues Harmony Gold Mining

Gold Fields Ltd. said Friday that it is suing fellow South African miner Harmony Gold Mining Ltd., charging that Harmony has misled shareholders in its recent hostile bid for Gold Fields.


Spam Scam Lands  #39;Em in the Can

Jeremy Jaynes of Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the Internet #39;s top-10 spammers, according to watchdogs, was convicted in the first felony spam case -- just up the road from Fool HQ in Loudon County, Virginia.


IBM claims supercomputing crown

IBM said that its Blue Gene/L supercomputer trumps the performance of SGI #39;s recently announced Columbia system installed at NASA by more than 65 percent.


Car Theft Without Penalty of Prison in  #39;GTA: San Andreas #39;

quot;Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas quot; takes gamers back to the days of gangster rap, low-riders and  quot;messing quot; with the police.


Microsoft To Patch ISA Server Next Week

A day after Microsoft announced it would give customers early warning of impending patches, the Redmond, Wash.-based developer fleshed out its heads-up with a notice that next Tuesday #39;s patches


Week in Review: Election takes center stage

The presidential election took center stage this week, with technology playing a role everywhere from e-voting machines to Web sites that tracked the election results.


A City Invaded by WiFi

Taipei plans to make wireless internet access available across citywide by the end of 2005, joining a small number of cities offering Wi-Fi networks.


Top Banana Gets Called Out

With operating income down and requests for dividends, Chiquita's conference call was no fun.


Petrova sends Myskina packing in Philly

Villanova, PA (Sports Network) - Russian Nadia Petrova defeated fellow countrywoman Anastasia Myskina in quarterfinal action Friday at the Advanta Championships.


No. 5 Badgers out to retrieve Paul Bunyan Axe from Gophers

Minnesota coach Glen Mason will get a firsthand look Saturday at the guy who got away. John Stocco, the starting quarterback for No.


Keegan fined for verbally abusing referee

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan was fined 8,500 pounds (\$18,900 Cdn) Friday by the Football Association for verbally abusing a referee.


Owens #39; comments weren #39;t necessary

quot;You have a guy like Ray Lewis, who, I mean, I thought pretty much he was my friend. I mean, this is a guy, you know, double-murder case, he could have been in jail.


Jackpot at 30,000 Feet?

Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost airline, might introduce in-flight gaming.


Greece in a furor over Macedonia name

A US decision to call Macedonia,  quot;Macedonia, quot; has raised the ire of Greece, which is threatening to keep the country out of the European Union.


Fallujah fighting intensifies

US military officials say a series of air raids on Fallujah provoked a deadly counterstrike from Iraqi militants. The military says one soldier is dead and seven wounded in a rocket attack


Afghan Kidnappers Extend Deadline to Saturday Night

The Afghan militant group holding three UN workers hostage on Friday extended their deadline until Saturday night to allow the Afghan government and the United Nations to hold talks with them, a spokesman for the group said.


Top Brazil party threatens to leave government

The head of Brazil #39;s powerful PMDB political party has proposed it leave the ruling Workers #39; Party coalition government in what would be a serious blow to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva #39;s reform agenda.


Canadian Dollar Jumps to 12-Year High; Job Gains Above Forecast

Canada #39;s dollar surged past 83 US cents to a new 12-year high as a higher-than-forecast jobs report added to speculation the central bank needs to keep lifting its target interest rate.


Keeping It Simple

Expeditors International posts strong results, but the jaw droppers are in its 8-K.


Penny Stocks from Heaven

Sure, many penny stocks are bad. But some of them offer divine returns for the Foolish bargain hunter.


NVIDIA Is Vindicated

The graphics chip company recaptures the high-end segment and quadruples profits.


Northwest pilots accept pay cuts

Pilots at Northwest Airlines accept a 15 pay cut as the firm struggles against high fuel bills and tough competition.


Some Democrats Blame One of Their Own

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision in February to open City Hall to thousands of gay weddings has become a subject of considerable debate among Democrats.


Wild condor chick takes off

The first wild condor chick to take flight in California in 22 years sailed into the skies over Ventura County last month. The young bird was hatched April 9 near Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge.


Diamondbacks Fire Backman

PHOENIX (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks have  fired newly-hired manager Wally Backman and are expected to  replace him with Bob Melvin, according to a published report.


Rover gets mystery power boost

Scientists are baffled by a mysterious power boost to one of its two robotic rovers on Mars.


Safin Outclasses Hewitt, Heads for Paris Treble

PARIS (Reuters) - Twice winner Marat Safin outshone Lleyton  Hewitt in straight sets at the Paris Masters on Friday and  looks ideally placed to be crowned for a third time here.


Microsoft commits to XML docs for long term

Responding to a European Union request, Microsoft said the license for its Office-related XML document formats will be royalty-free forever.


Lloyd Braun's doppelganger

New Yahoo exec's name ring a bell? Maybe you've been watching Seinfeld reruns. Missing Links


SCO seals deal for legal expense cap

Suffering stock steadied by deal that will hold costs of multiple Linux and Unix lawsuits at \$31 million.


Israel to free Egyptian students: Cairo media

CAIRO- - Israel will release within hours six Egyptian students arrested in August and charged with conspiring to abduct and kill Israeli soldiers, the Egyptian state newspaper al-Ahram reported on Sunday.


Ivory Coast Bombs Rebel Zone Again, War Fears Rise

BOUAKE (Reuters) - Government warplanes and helicopter  gunships pounded rebel-held towns in northern Ivory Coast for a  second day on Friday, fueling fears of a slide into all-out war  in the world's top cocoa grower.


IBM supercomputer top-ranked blade machine

Barcelona's MareNostrum isn't the fastest supercomputer on Earth, but 20 teraflops with regular blade servers is nothing to sneer at.


Afghan Kidnappers Set Saturday Night Deadline

KABUL (Reuters) - An Afghan militant group holding three  U.N. workers hostage extended their deadline until Saturday  night to allow the Afghan government and the United Nations to  hold talks, a spokesman for the group said.


Photos: IBM's Blue Gene/L supercomputer

Sixteen racks of IBM's Blue Gene/L supercomputer can perform 70.7 trillion calculations per second.


Peru Suspends Retrial of Shining Path Leader Guzman

CALLAO NAVAL BASE, Peru (Reuters) - Peru abruptly suspended  the retrial of Shining Path founder Abimael Guzman almost as  soon as it began on Friday after the guerrilla leader caused a  furor in court, shouting communist slogans and defiantly  raising his fists.


MS debuts 'forthcoming attractions' pre-alert alert

Alert Thursday joins patch Tuesday in BoFH calendars


U.S. October Hiring at a Seven-Month Peak

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. payrolls grew at the fastest  clip in seven months in October, the Labor Department said on  Friday, spurred by rebuilding in the hurricane-battered  Southeast and brisk hiring in service industries.


Web Site for Complaints Sparks Lawsuit (AP)

AP - When Alan and Linda Townsend were unhappy with the sprayed-on siding applied to their house, the frustrated couple launched a Web site to complain and to give other unsatisfied customers a forum.


Northwest Pilots Ratify \$265 Mln Concession Deal

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pilots at Northwest Airlines Corp., the  No. 4 U.S. air carrier, have ratified a \$265 million concession  package that includes 15 percent pay cuts, the pilots union  said on Friday.


Microsoft to Warn of Security Flaws (AP)

AP - Criticized for a program that only provided some of its largest customers with warnings on security problems in its products, Microsoft Corp. now says it will give all computer users early word on such issues.


Goodyear Sees Profit; Stock Up

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Goodyear Tire   Rubber Co. GT.N, the  largest U.S. tiremaker, on Friday expects a third-quarter  profit above most analysts' expectations, helped by higher tire  prices and stronger sales volume, sending shares up 12 percent.


Russia Seeks to Boost Software Production (AP)

AP - Russia is seeking to slow the brain-drain of computer specialists and increase software production, a top government official said Friday, in an effort that some hope will help diversify the country's oil-dependent economy.


Iran tells UN: sites off limits

IRAN said today it was not obliged to allow UN atomic energy agency inspectors to visit military sites alleged to be involved in secret nuclear weapons work, but that it was willing to discuss the issue.


Dollar Plunges to Record Low Against Euro

\

 By John Parry

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar dropped to record lows\against the euro on Friday, succumbing to negative sentiment\and erasing all of the U.S. currency's earlier gains following\a robust U.S. October employment report.


Verizon Catches the NextWave (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - Arguably the longest running soap-opera drama in the wireless industry has announced its final episode: Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ - News) announced plans to acquire assets of a reorganized NextWave Telecom (Pink Sheets: NXLCQ.PK - News), owner of 23 valuable PCS spectrum licenses around the country.


Diamondbacks Fire Backman (Reuters)

Reuters - The Arizona Diamondbacks have\fired newly-hired manager Wally Backman and are expected to\replace him with Bob Melvin, according to a published report.


Fallujah Is Site of Fiercest Resistance (AP)

AP - Fallujah calls itself the "City of Mosques" for its many Muslim houses of worship. The city 40 miles west of Baghdad is also the center of the fiercest resistance to the U.S. presence in Iraq.


India ; Putin logs into India #39;s IT capital (LEAD)

India News, Bangalore: Russian President Vladmir Putin arrived in India #39;s tech capital Saturday evening on a 21-hour visit to study the rapid strides the country has made in the areas of IT, defence and space.


Atomic Power Station Halted in Russia, No Radiation (Reuters)

Reuters - One reactor at a Russian nuclear power\station was closed down after a malfunction, but there was no\leak of radiation at the site near the city of Saratov on the\Volga river, Russian news agencies reported on Friday.


Lithuanians Hunting Missing Radioactive  #36;100 Bill (Reuters)

Reuters - Lithuanian officials warned the\country's 3.5 million citizens on Friday to be on the lookout\for a missing radioactive U.S.  #36;100 bank note.


Eventual burial site fuels emotional, political debate

TEL AVIV -- As Yasser Arafat's condition deteriorated in a hospital outside Paris yesterday, an explosive political crisis was brewing in Israel and the occupied territories over where the man who personifies the Palestinian national movement eventually would be buried.


Edwards Positions Himself for 2008 (AP)

AP - Democrat John Edwards lost the election for the vice presidency this week and will lose his Senate seat in January. But he's hardly going away. He's positioned himself for a full-out presidential run in 2008, a campaign that in a way he's already begun.


FEC Dismisses Mailing List Complaint (AP)

AP - A federal panel said Friday that a list of conservative activists given to President Bush's campaign appears to be an illegal corporate contribution, but the roster isn't valuable enough to warrant government action.