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


China cracks down on Net CHINA has closed 1,600 internet cafes and fined operators a total of 100 million yuan (6.5m) for letting children play violent games and for other violations, the government revealed yesterday.


Branson #39;s Virgin Group Plans to Offer Space Flights in 2007 Virgin Group Ltd., owned by billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, said it formed a company called Virgin Galactic to offer commercial space flights starting in 2007.


Nintendo to Bring Music, Video to DS Game Machine
\

 TOKYO (Reuters) - Nintendo Co. will begin selling an\adaptor for its DS and Game Boy Advance handheld game players\to allow them to play music and video, the company said,\matching a popular feature on Sony's portable game machine.


SpaceShipOne shows what initiative, daring and great personal <b>...</b> The terms were simple enough. Be the first to fly three people or the equivalent weight 62 miles high. Do it a second time within two weeks.


Will Disney keep key partnerships? LOS ANGELES Without Michael Eisner at the helm of Walt Disney, will Harvey Weinstein and Steve Jobs stay as partners? That is the question on the minds of analysts and Hollywood executives after Eisner, the


Heating Oil Price Drops for 2nd Week  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The average price U.S. consumers pay  to warm their homes with heating oil declined for the second  week and inventories of distillate fuel are expected to start  rising later this month as more refineries ramp up their  operations, the government said on Wednesday.


Sharon: Stop Terror and Talk; Arabs: Words Before Action The Palestinian Authority, refusing Israel #39;s demand for a halt in terrorist attacks, also insists that Israel release convicted terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is serving multiple life sentences for murder.


Gold Banc falls after scuttling takeover Shares of Gold Banc Corp. (GLDB.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 3.8 percent on Tuesday after the Kansas banking company terminated an agreement to be bought by Silver Acquisition


Ranieri salutes  #39;incredible #39; Inter Valencia coach Claudio Ranieri said he could do little more than salute opponents Inter Milan after their crushing 5-1 victory over his side at the Mestalla on Wednesday.


Beltre #39;s slam helps Dodgers open three-game lead The Los Angeles Dodgers are closing in on their first playoff berth in eight years, and they #39;re not about to leave their chances to fate.


Michael Wilbon It #39;s not what Washington has grown accustomed to, the Redskins being a defense-first team. From Otto Graham to Sonny to Joe Gibbs riding Riggo, Theismann and Art Monk, it #39;s almost always been about offense.


Andrew forecasts a loss Andrew Corp. Thursday forecast a fiscal fourth-quarter loss on lower revenue, citing rising raw materials costs and weak demand in North America as two large customers that are about to


Yahoo! plays catch-up as it buys music download service LONDON - Yahoo! is joining the music-download arena with the \$160m acquistion of Musicmatch, which sees it playing catch-up with established competitors such as Apple #39;s iTunes, Coca-Cola #39;s MyCokeMusic and MSN Music.


Iraq Asks Some of Saddam's Soldiers to Return to Work  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's interim government, preparing  for an election next month while fighting a bloody insurgency,  asked some of Saddam's Hussein's disbanded army to come back to  work on Wednesday.


\$8-billion deal for NFL, 2 networks CBS and Fox will continue to televise NFL games on Sunday afternoons through the 2011 season. The price tag for the six-year deal: \$8 billion, 25 percent and 30 percent higher than the previous eight-year contracts for the two networks.


Skype readies business telephone offering Skype plans to offer a business telephone service for  quot;individuals and workgroups, not CIOs quot; that the free Internet phone service provider believes will shake-up another major telephone market.


Oil Ends Nearly \$2 Down  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slid nearly \$2 a barrel to  end at 7-week lows on Tuesday, as growing signs of ample supply  eased concerns over fuel stocks for the northern winter.


Brief: CSC signs \$1B outsourcing deal with Textron Computer Sciences Corp. will provide Textron Inc. with infrastructure and network support services under a 10-year, \$1 billion contract, the companies announced.


Russia to Hold YUKOS Auction  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it would go ahead  with an auction to sell the key asset of embattled oil company  YUKOS despite a U.S. bankruptcy court decision to block it for  several days.


Hollinger Inc. note holders OK refinancing Hollinger Inc., one of the key companies in Conrad Black #39;s troubled business empire, has received approval to issue another \$15 million (US) in notes to raise cash for its day-to-day operations.


UK welcomes progress made by India, Pakistan : Shillong, Nov 19 : The UK today welcomed the progress made by India and Pakistan to normalise bilateral relations and said it would support this endeavour  #39;only from outside #39;.


No flex in union muscle It's difficult to sit here in the heart of Red Sox Nation -- where people are buying every form of BoSox garb and memorabilia (Red Sox dog bones?) to put under the tree -- and feel the rain of the game's steroid scandal soaking your head and shoulders.


Diagnosis on Arafat Expected in a Few Days The Palestinian Authority #39;s representative in France says a diagnosis of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s illness will not be available until he undergoes a series of tests that could take several days.


JAIL GETS MAKEOVER ALDERSON, W.Va. - The federal lockup Martha Stewart will call home for the next five months is getting a makeover just in time for domestic diva #39;s arrival this week.


Australian commodity exports set to increase 15 percent <b>...</b> SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia #39;s commodity exports are forecast to increase by 15 percent to a record 95 billion dollars (71 million US), the government #39;s key economic forecaster said.


Software helping companies beat Sarb-Ox deadline Companies that have until 2005 to document their IT and financial controls under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are using documentation software to help them prepare ahead of time.


U.S. Nuclear Panel Closes Online Library (AP) AP - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has shut down its online document library, pending a review to determine what potentially sensitive documents should be removed because they might be useful to terrorists, the agency said Tuesday.


China's Huawei to supply Spain's Telefonica (AFP) AFP - China's Huawei group has signed a deal to supply the Brazilian and Chilean subsidiaries of Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica with highspeed Internet routers, financial daily Expansion revealed.


Farina aware draw would be disastrous Socceroo goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer poses in front of a set of makeshift goal posts in the Solomon Islands. Photo: Tim Clayton. Australian coach Frank Farina last night admitted anything


HP pledges to correct order processing problems At HP World this week, company officials scrambled to reassure customers that it is working hard to fix its order processing problems by the end of this month.


Martha Stewart Adds to Furniture Line, Including Turkey Hill She may be in a West Virginia prison, but Westport #39;s Martha Stewart is growing her business by adding to her furniture line, including new items to a collection based on her Westport home.


Banks pay price for money laundering THE fight against money laundering is costing banks and other financial institutions dear as they invest heavily in technology to combat crime, according to a survey by KPMG.


Israeli Unions End Crippling General Strike (Reuters) Reuters - Israel's labor unions ended a\paralyzing two-day general strike on Wednesday that grounded\international air traffic, shut financial markets and halted\public services in a dispute over unpaid wages.


Martial law in Chinese city after riot BEIJING - Martial law was declared in a town in central China after at least four people died in rioting, residents said on Monday.


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


Vijay takes win in stride NORTON -- Most people will look back on the final round of the 2004 Deutsche Bank Championship and think,  quot;wasnt that poetic quot; -- Vijay Singh overtakes Tiger Woods in the world rankings by beating him head-to-head on the golf course.


Germany, Poland Fail to Resolve WWII Fight (AP) AP - Top lawmakers from Poland and Germany failed Monday to bridge differences over World War II reparations claims that are weighing on relations between the two former enemies and new European Union partners.


Bush reform may have blue states seeing red President Bush #39;s  quot;revenue-neutral quot; tax reform needs losers to balance its winners, and people claiming the federal deduction for state and local taxes may be in administration planners #39; sights, news reports say.


Intel prepares for next 20 years of chip making OCTOBER 25, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Intel Corp. pulled back the curtain Friday on some of its future research projects to continue making transistors smaller, faster and less power-hungry out as far as 2020.


Gulf war syndrome did damage to 6000 AN independently-funded inquiry called yesterday for the Ministry of Defence to compensate up to 6000 British veterans of the 1991 Gulf war for  quot;damaged health quot; as a result of their service.


Manager Admits Getting Papers on Opponent (AP) AP - Two weeks after denying he knew anything about it, the campaign manager for a Democratic congressional candidate has admitted having someone obtain public records on the Republican opponent.


Long Trip for Psychedelic Drugs Researchers who believe psychedelic drugs like ecstasy and mushrooms can help people with mental disorders are slowly getting federal agencies on board. By Kristen Philipkoski.


Applied Materials Reports Profit in 3Q Applied Materials Inc., the world #39;s largest supplier of machines that make computer chips, Tuesday said surging sales in its latest quarter surpassed its own and Wall Street estimates.


Removal of Kim Jong Il Portraits in North Korea Causes Speculation In North Korea, portraits of Kim Jong Il have been taken down in what may signal significant and possibly far-reaching changes in the Stalinist leader #39;s personality cult.


Roddick vs. Federer could cap Slam season Andy Roddick, at heart, is an entertainer. So he loves the US Open and its Big Apple buzz, the fans who offer players high-fives, just the general state of hyperactivity.


Jets Struggle Once More Against Elite Team (AP) AP - After another loss to a winning team, the New York Jets tried yet again to explain why they always come up short in big games. Reserve running back LaMont Jordan was quick with an answer.


Vodafone launches Wi-Fi Windows Mobile VPA III Vodafone today announced a Windows Mobile-based device dubbed the Vodafone Personal Assistant III, or VPA III, with superior connectivity via W-LAN hotspots or GPRS data.


FCC Chief Pushes TV Via High-Speed Internet Lines US Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell on Wednesday said technology and telecommunications companies are racing to develop ways to pipe television


Car bombs, US raids kill 21 in Baghdad BAGHDAD - The Iraqi capital was engulfed in violence yesterday as 21 people were killed and more than 100 wounded from two car bomb attacks and from United States-led offensives on Shi #39;ite and Sunni rebel pockets in the city.


Music industry aims to send in radio cops You can learn a lot from writing a newspaper column, especially when a reader calls in to say that you're wrong. I've just received a revealing critique that foreshadows a nasty new escalation in the battle over our digital rights.


Lilly Shuts Down Red Sox Ted Lilly strikes out a career-high 13 in a three-hit shutout, stopping Boston's six-game winning streak and leading the Blue Jays past Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox 3-0.


Kidnapped Italian freed in southern Philippines An Italian volunteer worker kidnapped earlier by an unidentified group in the southern Philippines has been released, the Philippine military said Wednesday.


Blast in Quetta market kills 10 ISLAMABAD, DECEMBER 10: At least 10 people, including a soldier, were killed when a bomb exploded near an Army truck in a busy market area in the Pakistani city of Quetta today.


First conviction in Gharib scandal BAGHDAD, Sept. 11. - The first US military intelligence soldier brought to court in the Abu Gharib prisoner abuse scandal was sentenced today to eight months in prison, demoted to private and expelled from the military.


Nets: A STAR RISES, FADES IN CANADA Vince Carter had everything a basketball player could want: A fat contract, highlight-reel talent and an entire nation that had anointed him as its favorite athlete not on ice skates.


Veritas beefs up utility software com November 1, 2004, 9:56 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


William wants to fight PRINCE William has declared his wish to fight on the frontline beside his fellow soldiers should the need arise. The second in line to the throne, who confirmed he is considering an army career


Laboratory Mice Produce Human Antibodies (AP) AP - For a small biopharmaceutical firm that has yet to get a drug on the market, Medarex Inc. has been keeping some impressive company. Top pharmaceutical and biotech firms, from Johnson  amp; Johnson to Amgen Inc., have been signing deals with Medarex to use its genetically engineered mice as they seek to develop new drugs. The doctored mice have the rare ability to produce human antibodies, which can help fight disease just as natural antibodies do.


Beer in Moderation Could Be Good for You TORONTO (AP) -- Beer, a health food? That's what some Canadian researchers report.    A study from the University of Western Ontario finds a brew could be good for you...


Bank on it: Tour will return NORTON -- Several players said yesterday they were thrilled to hear that the Deutsche Bank Championship has committed for two more years at TPC Boston.


Brazil seeks more Haiti UN troops Brazil calls for more UN troops to be sent to Haiti to curb a wave of violence in which dozens have died.


Chelsea go for the jugular (AFP) AFP - Chelsea's drive to claim the club's first English title in half a century gathered pace as Newcastle were blown away by a late four-goal blitz at Stamford Bridge.


Gophers rely on golden backfield duo Minnesota coach Glen Mason came to a stop sign on 15th Ave. SE outside the Bierman Athletic Building on Tuesday night and saw his season flash before his eyes.


Lehman Selected Captain of 2006 US Ryder Cup Team On Wednesday, November 3, Tom Lehman was selected to captain the 2006 US Ryder Cup Team. Lehman, a member of three Ryder Cup Teams and winner of the 1996 British Open, was chosen by the PGA of America to guide


Reg Readers hail NTL abusive message Letters Not so keen on 'spam-free' email plans


Rookie blows past world #39;s top player Ryan Palmer surges to 3-shot victory over Singh, rest of field for 1st title on PGA Tour. The name was familiar. So was the charge.


Terror and tourism THE devastating terrorist attacks in the Egyptian resorts of the Sinai Peninsula last week which left more than 30 people dead - mainly Israeli tourists - have been widely attributed to Al-Qaeda.


Davenport loses to Myskina in Kremlin Cup semifinals Ailing Davenport loses: A weakened Lindsay Davenport lost to defending champion Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) yesterday in the Kremlin Cup semifinals in Moscow but still will regain the No.


MSN Music Falls Just Short of iTunes' High Marks (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Microsoft's MSN Music store shouldn't surprise anybody. The company with its own operating system, online service, digital-music format and media software was always the likeliest suspect to launch an online music store.


China #39;s e-crackdown Citing its concern for the effects of violent and pornographic content on China #39;s impressionable youth, Beijing permanently closed down 1,600 Internet cafes and suspended the operations of another 18,000 between February and August.


Rams starting CB Fisher breaks arm Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis Rams starting cornerback Travis Fisher suffered a broken arm during the first half of the team #39;s 24-7 preseason loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Monday night.


Briton in Afghan kidnap dispute A British hotelier and cameraman has said Afghan authorities tried to get him to confess to involvement in the kidnapping of three UN hostages.


Oil Prices Are at New High, Over \$49  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices raced to fresh highs on  Friday, carrying U.S. crude over \$49 a barrel, driven by  escalating violence in Iraq and unabated fuel demand growth  from China and India.


Sharapova Loses to Wild Card in Conn. (AP) AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was upset in three sets by wild card Mashona Washington Tuesday in the Pilot Pen tennis tournament. Sharapova had 12 double-faults in the match. Three of them occurred in the two games that Washington broke the fourth-seeded Russian in the deciding set of her 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win.


KPMG Units Agree to Pay to Settle Malpractice Suits The American and Belgian arms of KPMG International have agreed to pay \$115 million to settle claims of accounting malpractice.


When Long Hours at a Video Game Stop Being Fun For players with ambitions to develop games, Electronic Arts must appear to be the best place in the world, but there is unhappiness among those living that dream.


Dream Team Loses Again, but Still Advances ATHENS, Greece - The United States men's basketball team endured another brutal loss Saturday night. But because Angola is playing even worse than the Americans, the Dream Team is in the quarterfinals of the Athens Games...


Sprint and Nextel Announce a \$35 Billion Merger While the combined company makes a formidable No.3 player in the wireless market, it may be hard pressed to match the firepower of its larger rivals.


Court sides with state in case against FERC Federal energy regulators improperly calculated how much money energy companies should refund to California consumers, and the state should get another


Economy, Iraq War Frame Bush-Kerry Debate ST. LOUIS - A lackluster unemployment report and fresh questions about President Bush's rationale for invading Iraq frame the second face-to-face encounter Friday night between Bush and Sen...


8 Slashed to Death in Chinese High School The unexplained attack is the latest and most serious in a series of such knifings that have alarmed the Chinese public and led police to reinforce security at schools and day-care centers.


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.


Australian Job Advertisements Rose 5 Last Month (Update2) The number of jobs advertised in major Australian newspapers rose in October to the highest level since January 2001 as employers face difficulties finding workers as the economy expands.


Reasons for U.S.C.'s No. 1 Ranking Run Deep With the race for the No. 2 slot in the B.C.S. standing intensifying between Oklahoma and Auburn, U.S.C. has solidified its status as the nation's top team.


Stale memories of Athens There will be many lingering memories from these Athens Olympics, not least of which will be every detail of the in-venue catering, a tawdry little collection of the stewed, the strange and


Blunkett-bashing t-shirt remans the barricades Cash'n'Carrion NO2ID restock coincides with e-Petition


New \$50 Bill Begins Circulating Coming to cash registers near you: Colorful new \$50 bills sporting splashes of red, blue and yellow. Next up for a makeover, the government said Tuesday: \$10 bills.


Researchers Show Supercomputer Projects (AP) AP - They help predict the path of weather halfway around the world or in space, shed light on the death of dinosaurs and train pilots to fly in Alaska. They're supercomputers, capable of high-speed calculations that would take people trillions of years to do.


Crew edge shorthanded Earthquakes Two in a row was just too much for the Earthquakes, without the likes of forwards Brian Ching, Landon Donovan, Dwayne De Rosario and goalkeeper Pat Onstad.


US Forces Pound Fallujah Ahead of Planned Offensive US warplanes and artillery continued to blast rebel targets in Fallujah Saturday, as thousands of US and Iraqi troops prepared for a major assault on the rebel-held Iraqi city.


Being Dragan slayer would be an Auxsome return for me THE lonely walk to a seat in the Ibrox stand on big Euro nights served as a chilling reminder to Dragan Mladenovic of what was absent from his world.


Thatcher trial wait MARK Thatcher will have to wait until at least next April to face trial on allegations he helped bankroll a coup attempt in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.


Pakistan ; India, Pakistan hold talks on nuclear CBMs Pakistan News, Islamabad,Pakistani and Indian experts began talks here Tuesday on confidence building measures (CBMs) aimed at averting any accidental outbreak of hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours.


Karzai Holds Lead Amid Fraud Probe (AP) AP - Hamid Karzai's victory in Afghanistan's first presidential election could be sealed within days, a top election adviser said Wednesday  #151; unless investigators uncover major fraud.


Schwartzel has a very bright future He is so young and so good that the mere sight of him hitting a golf ball might be enough to induce an older player to give up, go into a dark room and babble quietly to himself.


U.S. Services Growth Slower in August  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Growth in the vast U.S. services  sector slowed in August although managers seemed more willing  to hire new workers, according to an industry survey published  on Friday.


Iomega REVs backup and recovery Iomega this week unveiled a SCSI version of its REV drive aimed at server backup and disaster recovery applications.


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


Sluman Eases to Lead A course-record 62 vaults Jeff Sluman into a two-shot lead after the first round at the Chrysler Championship.


Wisden Cricinfo Sabina Park survived the onslaught of Hurricane Ivan with only minor damage, according to a report on the caribbeancricket.com website.


Dream Team Pulls Away to Beat Spain 102-94 ATHENS, Greece - Stephon Marbury set a U.S. Olympic record with 31 points, and a U.S...


Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck Improving (AP) AP - Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's injured right thigh is improving, thanks partly to acupuncture treatments, and he could be ready to play Sunday against Buffalo.


Glorious Red Sox rout Yankees THE sign had said WE BELIEVE but the fan had crossed out the second word and rewritten it. As he brandished his board around Yankee Stadium in the late stages of yesterdays game, it read: WE KNOW.


U.N. Election Workers Freed in Afghanistan Afghan officials denied Tuesday that they struck a deal with kidnappers who released three foreign U.N. workers unharmed in Kabul.


Fannie Mae Shares Drop 13 Pct. in 3 Days WASHINGTON Sept. 24, 2004 - Shares of Fannie Mae fell again on Friday, capping a three-day slide of more than 13 percent, as investor concerns widened after a government regulator accused top executives


India Rethinks Plan to Send Man to Moon (AP) AP - India is rethinking its plan to send a man to the moon by 2015, as the mission would cost a lot of money and yield very little in return, the national space agency said Thursday.


Abu Hamza to face charges in Britain Abu Hamza, the radical Muslim cleric, is to face terrorism charges in the UK, delaying US extradition proceedings and upsetting the American authorities who wanted to try him for separate offences.


Sprint, Nextel Agree To Merge The deal, valued at \$35 billion, will create a large wireless service provider to compete with wireless rivals Cingular and Verizon.


Wicked good outcome So where should the Boston Red Sox start their World Series parade? That #39;s the question. At Bill Buckner #39;s house? How about from in front of Aaron Boone #39;s plasma screen?


Motorola sends 1,000 drones packing Motorola plans to axe 1,000 workers across a number of business units, hoping to reduce costs as it refocuses on its wireless business.


North Korean Media Drop Dear Leader #39; Title, Press Monitor Says North Korea #39;s official media have dropped the honorific dear leader #39; #39; from reports on Kim Jong Il, a Japanese news agency reported a day after other reports said his portrait had been removed at some public sites.


iBasis to offer free calls  iBasis Inc. , a Burlington company that has become a major behind-the-scenes wholesale carrier of international phone calls over the Internet for big phone companies like AT amp;T Corp. and Sprint , is launching its first direct consumer service with a splashy promotion: 1 million minutes of free phone calls for the first customers who sign up.


Lebanon PM Resigns, Says Will Not Head New Govt.  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri  submitted his cabinet's resignation Wednesday and said he would  not form a new government.


Wilkinson named as England captain Flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, who kicked the winning drop goal in last November #39;s World Cup final against Australia, has been named as England captain.


Explosion rocks Israel checkpoint A number of Israelis are hurt in a blast on the border between the Gaza strip and Egypt, Israeli officials say.


Local thoughts on Arafat UMW professor says people should not expect quick, dramatic change in dynamics following death of longtime leader. As Palestinians mourn the death of their leader, Yasser Arafat, attention is shifting to who


Group: Tigers Live on Bangladesh Border (AP) AP - Scientists estimate there are nearly 700 highly endangered tigers in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest that straddles the border of India and Bangladesh, officials said Saturday.


His status is not in the pink NORTON -- Had the numbers shaken out a bit differently, spectators at today's third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship would have had some color with their morning coffee.


Smizik: Kendall deserves chance to play for winning team How appropriate that the trade that finally sent Jason Kendall out of Pittsburgh would come on Thanksgiving eve. There can be no more thankful player in baseball than


Dear Marwan: Don #39;t do it It has been a very long time since we had an opportunity to talk, and I wish that I could meet you and see you face to face, as I would like to tell you some things on very personal level.


Taiwan typhoon death toll rises The death toll from Typhoon Aere has risen to 24 in Taiwan as the bodies of 15 villagers buried in a mudslide in the island #39;s north are recovered.


Weaned on Video Games Video gamers are getting younger and younger. And parents and the video game industry agree that the implications are likely to be huge.


William Shatner pledges USD 200k for Space Travel Traveling in space has been a desire for many since ages. Nevertheless, it only seems to be coming true in this millennium. Even though we are still years away from mass scale space tourism, the enthusiasm


Microsoft ready to launch search engine Microsoft on Thursday will launch its long-promised Internet search engine, which will compete directly with market leader Google, sources close to the company said Tuesday.


NY Times Cuts  #39;04 Profit Targets New York Times Co. (NYT) on Monday forecast third-quarter and full-year earnings below Wall Street #39;s average estimates, citing lower-than-expected revenue so far in September.


Denver #39;s Anderson out for season Englewood, CO (Sports Network) - Denver Broncos fullback Mike Anderson is expected to miss the entire 2004 season because of a severe groin tear.


India #39;s role vital to resolve Maoist problem: US envoy Kathmandu: India has a very important role to play in finding a long-term solution to the Maoist problem in Nepal, which has claimed over 10,000 lives since 1996, US Ambassador to Nepal James F. Moriarty has said.


Antitrust Ruling Reverberates Oracle Corp. was not the only beneficiary of a federal judge's ruling late Thursday that it could proceed with its \$7.7 billion hostile takeover bid for software rival PeopleSoft Inc. Yesterday, the stock prices of numerous software firms surged during widespread speculation that the antitrust ruling could spark a wave of consolidation in the industry.


Against the Irish, Navy Faces 40 Years of Futility Once upon a time, before the Internet, the Bowl Championship Series and the zone blitz, Navy #39;s football team routinely beat Notre Dame.


Update 7: Oil Prices Sink Below \$50 a Barrel Oil futures prices sank below \$50 a barrel Monday, continuing the selloff sparked last week by rising US supplies of crude and easing fears about the refining industry #39;s ability to satisfy heating oil demand.


Moya Lifts Spain to Deliver His Davis Cup Dream It was not quite what Carlos Moya missed the first time. The setting was not his country #39;s tennis capital and his former home, Barcelona, but the capital of the Spanish region Andalusia.


Spam: From nuisance to corporate killer KUALA LUMPUR: Corporations which think that spam is merely an irritation must change their mindset to consider it a real security threat instead, said e-mail security provider Ironport Systems Inc.


Tesco launches music download business Leading supermarket chain Tesco has launched a music download service, entering a market dominated by Apple Computer #39;s iTunes.


MMO2 signs Japanese net deal MMO2 gears up to launch i-mode internet services in the UK, Germany and Ireland.


QLT Prostate Cancer Treatment Wins FDA OK QLT Inc. (QLT.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (QLTI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it won US regulatory approval for the six-month formulation of its prostate cancer treatment, Eligard.


Analysis: IBM adjusts to harsh PC market DECEMBER 08, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Perhaps it isn #39;t quite as surprising as if Ford suddenly decided to sell its Mustang sports car brand to Hyundai.


Ex-Soldiers Take Over Aristide #39;s Home PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - A band of former soldiers took over ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide #39;s former home early Wednesday and said they would use it to provide security in the neighborhood on the outskirts of the capital.


Crude Oil May Rise on Supply Concern, Survey Shows (Update2) Crude oil may rise for a sixth week, after reaching a record \$55 a barrel in New York, on concern supply cuts from Norway, Nigeria or Iraq may deter refiners from building winter fuel inventories, a Bloomberg survey shows.


US in new warming battle  over Arctic Deepening a rift over global warming policy, some European partners are accusing the Bush administration of trying to weaken a report that warns the Arctic is warming almost twice as fast as the rest of the planet.


Gov. Bush praises Treasure Coast efforts during hurricane season VERO BEACH - Gov. Jeb Bush got teary-eyed on the last day of the hurricane season Tuesday as he thanked scores of Indian River County officials, emergency workers and volunteers for their relief efforts following Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne.


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


P2P Music Upstart Signs On the Big Boys A new online music service, Peer Impact, has signed deals with three major music labels -- Sony BMG, Universal and Warner. What sets Peer Impact apart is its use of a peer-to-peer distribution


No. 22 Maryland Tops Penn 76-56 (AP) AP - Shay Doron and Crystal Langhorne had 16 points each to lead No. 22 Maryland to a 76-56 victory over Penn in the consolation game of the Coors Classic Saturday night


Musicians Are Making Tracks to Video Games Winning a spot on Madden NFL's soundtrack is a new route to an old audience, as sure a bet as any when it comes to grabbing a prized demographic.


Health Highlights: Sept. 28, 2004 About half the Viagra sold on the Internet could be fake, according to University of London researchers. The scientists used near infrared (NIR) microscopy to check the ingredients of various samples of Viagra that were purchased online.


Cal up to 4th in BCS Rose Bowl or national title game possible for <b>...</b> The absurd notion of Cal playing in the national championship game does not seem so absurd today. Thanks to losses by Miami and Florida State and a significant rise in the Bears #39; computer ranking, Cal rose four spots in this week #39;s BCS standings to No.


Ill. Gov. Seeks Violent Video Game Ban (AP) AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich is proposing to make it a misdemeanor for businesses to sell violent and sexually explicit video games to minors, a step that other states have tried with little success.


SEC begins formal investigation of Newton biotech company The Securities and Exchange Commission has upgraded its investigation of Pro-Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Newton from an informal inquiry to a formal probe, according to the firm's most recent quarterly report to investors. The federal securities watchdog is looking at whether false or misleading statements were made about Pro-Pharmaceuticals, possibly by the company itself.


Mobile phone gaming set to boom LONDON - Video game and mobile phone companies are set to rake in the cash this year as customers use phones to zap space invaders or sink game-winning golf putts, pushing the mobile gaming market over US\$1 billion (NZ\$1.


World ; First US flight in Vietnam since 1975 World News, HO CHI MINH CITY, A United Airlines plane has landed in Vietnam #39;s Ho Chi Minh City, the first commercial American airliner to fly to the country since the Vietnam War.


Donors examine billions of dollars in aid for Iraq TOKYO: Donors to Iraq #39;s reconstruction are examining billions of dollars in aid pledges that have gone mostly unused amid an insurgency, as the interim government appealed for firmer world support.


Yukos saga gives pause to foreign investors in Russia: IMF <b>...</b> MOSCOW : The Russian government #39;s assault on oil giant Yukos is a source of concern that could impact foreign investment in the country, a senior International Monetary Fund official warned.


Seagate ships 400Gb drive Hard drive manufacturer Seagate Technology is now shipping what it claims is the world #39;s largest capacity hard drive holding a whopping 400Gb.


Mutilated body of  #39;Western woman #39; found The mutilated body of a Western woman was found by American forces in Fallujah yesterday, lying on the street covered with a blood-soaked cloth.


Letters Placement of photo, headline confusing When I opened a recent business section, what I beheld above the fold was a picture of Lance Armstrong under a headline ''It is better to give when not being deceived quot; ( Nov. 21). My immediate reaction was that the Lance Armstrong Foundation was deceptive in its practices. It took a reading of your article ...


Jets Low Key About Showdown With Patriots (AP) AP - Jets guard Pete Kendall has a unique appreciation for the record streak the New England Patriots are on.


Mice flex muscles in genetic studies Genetically engineered mice developed by Salk Institute and UCSD scientists in separate studies have greater performance abilities when running and swimming.


Manning in eye of the storm After several days of debate about whether the Giants made the right decision in turning their playoff hopes over to the No. 1 pick in this year #39;s draft, the anticipation of what will take


Would You Pay for Airline Food? Alaska Airlines plans to test a pay-to-eat plan on some flights in a move to cut costs.


Macedonia #39;s prime minister resigns Macedonian Prime Minister Hari Kostov resigned Monday over a minority party dispute and Parliament is expected to decide on the resignation Thursday.


U.S. Struggles to Win Muslim Hearts, Minds The Bush administration is facing growing criticism that it has failed to move aggressively enough in the war of ideas against al Qaeda and other Islamic extremist groups over the three years since the 9/11 attacks.


Lamprey May Offer Paralysis Cure Researchers are studying the spinal cord of the eel-like sea lamprey in hopes that a machine based on its structure could someday enable paralyzed people to regain control of their legs. By Karen Lurie.


Davenport Won't Decide on Retirement Now (AP) AP - All in due time, Lindsay Davenport will decide whether she wants retire. Only right now is not that time.


Web Servers Lead Top 20 Security Problems List The SANS Institute has issued its latest list of the 20 most critical Internet security vulnerabilties. Web servers top the list for Windows-based systems and fall second on the list of Unix and Linux systems.


10 Red Sox Players File for Free Agency World Champion Boston Red Sox team member Derek Lowe, second from left, picks confetti from the hair of Jay Leno as Mike Timlin, far left, Alan Embree, David Ortiz and Dave Roberts, far right, look on during their visit to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno


NBA's Action Rankles Union The punishment of Ron Artest by David Stern has convinced players' union head Billy Hunter that Stern's power needs to be addressed in current labor talks.


Israel responds to massive tunnel blast ISN SECURITY WATCH (14012/04) - The Israeli army has responded to a massive explosion that killed five Israeli soldiers on Sunday by launching an attack on two buildings in Gaza City allegedly being used by Palestinian militants to manufacture weapons


Eagles pay for inability to stop run Thirteen points in the last two games... not much of an onslaught from offensive savior Terrell Owens and his mates. Yet, with that influx of talent in


Jobs Picture Weighs on Consumer Confidence Consumer confidence dipped for the second straight month in September, as Americans remained concerned about the employment situation, according to a survey by the Conference Board.


Russian-US crew prepares for launch to international space station All three men heading to the international space station in a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft this Thursday will be riding the tiny craft for the first time, breaking with 30 years of tradition.


Oil prices cool Oil futures cooled on Monday, giving investors a brief reprieve from record-high prices amid word that Iraqi oil exports have returned to normal for the first time in two weeks.


In Pursuit of Happiness One Fool experiences more than two hours of lost pre-party productivity in a Barnes   Noble quest.


SOE to launch web-based community service Station Players will allow Sony #39;s online MMO customers to meet and greet online; set to launch alongside EverQuest II. Sony Online Entertainment today announced a Web-based service that will allow players


Patriots Open Season With Lopsided Win Lamar Butler scored 16 points to lead five George Mason players in double figures last night as the Patriots defeated Indianapolis-Purdue Fort Wayne 69-51 in the opening round of the Coaches vs.


AOL Dumps Microsoft #39;s Sender ID America Online Inc. #39;s announcement Wednesday that it would abandon its attempts to support Microsoft #39;s Sender ID e-mail authentication standard are a serious setback for the Redmond, Wash.


Peoplesoft turns down Oracle bid The directors of software firm Peoplesoft reject a fifth takeover offer from rival Oracle, decribing the \$8.8bn bid as inadequate.


Microsoft to Help Users Prep for Patching Microsoft 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 today.


UPDATE 1-Vicente inspires Valencia win over Anderlecht Vicente scored the opening goal and created the second to give Valencia a comfortable 2-0 victory over Anderlecht in their opening Champions League Group G match on Tuesday.


Resistance Support from Arab World It has been reported that in American military operations against insurgents in Mosul in the north of Iraq this week four decapitated corpses were found.


Durazo Leads Athletics by Orioles 5-4 (AP) AP - Erubiel Durazo hit three homers and drove in all five of Oakland's runs, and Mark Mulder became the majors' first 16-game winner by pitching the Athletics to a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.


Market does not need more oil: Iranian minister VIENNA (AFP) - There is no need to put more oil on the market as it is well-supplied, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh said here on Tuesday on the eve of an OPEC meeting.


No 'Unit' for Yankees The Yankees tell the Diamondbacks they are no longer interested in trading for ace Randy Johnson given Arizona's 'unreasonable' proposals.


Liberty Beat by Nat Hentoff The Most Evil Crime On my last visit to the Darfur area in Sudan, in June, I found a man groaning under a tree. He had been shot in the neck and jaw and left for dead in a pile of corpses.


UPDATE 1-Euro Disney deal brings relief but challenges loom Euro Disney (EDLP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) shares leapt on Wednesday after the French theme park operator clinched a long-awaited deal to restructure its


Update 8: Justice Dept. Cracks Down Internet Crime The Justice Department on Wednesday shut down a network allegedly used to illegally share copyrighted music, movies, software and games and, separately, has embarked a nationwide campaign against purveyors of e-mail  quot;spam.


SAS Says 2.5M Passengers Flew in November Scandinavian Airlines, which is part of travel conglomerate SAS AB, said Tuesday it flew 2.5 million passengers last month, an increase of 1.6 percent compared to November 2003.


Bush tells UN  #39;all must fight the murderers #39; President Bush stressed the importance of spreading freedom in the world and defended his decision to invade Iraq in a speech Tuesday to the UN General Assembly.


Manning throws for 6 TDs in Colts #39; romp Peyton Manning threw for six touchdowns in less than three quarters and raised his season total to 41 scoring passes, leading the Indianapolis Colts past the Detroit Lions 41-9 Thursday.


Iran says US could join nuclear program talks TEHRAN, Iran - Iran is willing to talk with the United States about a nuclear program that Washington alleges is aimed at secretly acquiring the bomb, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Monday.


'Climate Witnesses' Testify About Warming (AP) AP - A Nepalese Sherpa fears his mountain valley will be flooded by melting glacier runoff high in the Himalayas. A Fiji islander frets about rising sea levels, while villagers cope with the destruction of mangrove swamps in India.


Youth admits to creating computer virus German prosecutors say a teenager has confessed to creating the virulent Sasser computer virus. Authorities say Sven Jaschan is believed also to be responsible for the Netsky virus.


British leaflets asks Iraqis to look for hostage LONDON The British Foreign Office says its embassy in Baghdad has printed 50-thousand leaflets urging Iraqis to help find a kidnapped British citizen.


Deutsche Bank Checked China Aviation Finances Before Share Sale Deutsche Bank AG said it questioned China Aviation Oil (Singapore) Corp. about its finances before arranging aS\$196 million (\$119 million) share sale in October, a month before company


Thunderbird well worth a test flight Many people don #39;t pay all that much attention to their e-mail software. After all, it takes a real geek to care about the fine points of one program or another, especially when they all do more or less the same thing.


CT Scan Reveals Dino Skeleton's Secrets (AP) AP - A CT scan of dinosaur bones from northwest Wyoming could help resolve a dispute about the great Tyrannosaurus rex.


Instability looms as currencies slide Economic instability looms as major currencies seem to be racing each other to the bottom of the pile. This is the flavour of the markets at the moment.


U.S. Posts  #36;57.88 Billion Budget Deficit (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. government posted a  #36;57.88\billion shortfall between receipts and outlays in the month of


Israel moves to impede UN relief to Palestinians Israel has mounted a political campaign based on lies against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), alleging that it has aided Palestinian terrorists.


Paper: Jeb Bush Ignored Felon List Advice (AP) AP - Florida Gov. Jeb Bush ignored advice to throw out a flawed felon voter list before it went out to county election offices despite warnings from state officials, according to a published report Saturday.


Tanager clients: Wachovia to watch over you Tanager Financial Services of Waltham, which helps wealthy people manage their finances, yesterday agreed to a takeover by North Carolina-based banking giant Wachovia.


This Date in Baseball (AP) AP - 1934  #151; Daffy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched a no-hitter against the Brooklyn Dodgers for 3-0 victory in the second game of an Ebbets Field doubleheader. Daffy's brother, Dizzy, held Brooklyn hitless for eight innings in the opener and won 13-0.


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


U.S. to Enforce Rules for Mail to Canada (AP) AP - Most mail to Canada must bear the complete name and address of both sender and recipient or it won't be allowed into the country, the U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday. The tighter addressing requirements are in response to increased security.


Israeli 'Copter Fires Missile Into Gaza -Witnesses  GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli helicopter fired a missile at  an unknown target in Gaza City on Friday, witnesses said, hours  after troops killed eight Palestinians in southern Gaza. There  were no immediate reports of casualties.


Linux looms large for Sun Solaris 10 In doing some reporting for Sun #39;s Solaris 10 announcement Monday, I asked some analysts for their thoughts on Sun #39;s overall Solaris vs.


Briefly: Circuit City picks up AT T Net phone plan roundup Plus: Tech firms rally against copyright bill...Apple .Mac customers suffer e-mail glitches...Alvarion expands wireless broadband in China.


The Roman road to beauty Call it the Maximus factor. Archaeologists working at the site of an old Roman temple near Guy #39;s hospital in London have uncovered a pot of cosmetic cream dating back to AD2.


Microsoft heats up search engine war The launch of Microsoft #39;s new search engine has ignited a new war for control of the Internet, according to analysts. A global beta, or test version of MSN Search, was launched on Thursday in 26 markets and


Sportsview: Bills Get Playoff Hunger (AP) AP - Pat Williams is a big man with a big heart and appetite. So imagine his dilemma when the Buffalo Bills were back to their bumbling selves at the start of this season.


Nice guy vs. The Ice Guy, Tuesday night in Cleveland (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Democrats were giddy with anticipation thinking about this year's vice presidential debate when John Kerry selected John Edwards as his running mate back in July. Their man is 51, dashing and camera-ready; Dick Cheney is 63, phlegmatic, balding and hardly a matinee idol. This was to be a fight Democrats would love.


Sony Sings Off-Key The company that brought us the Walkman should be giving the iPod a run for its money. What happened? Perhaps you #39;ve caught a glimpse of Sony #39;s new digital music player, a sleek silver gizmo brandished in


Investors consider economic news The Dow Jones industrial average is down 34 points at ten-thousand-91. Gainers on the New York Stock Exchange hold a four-to-three lead over losers.


No. 1 USC Routs No. 15 Arizona St. 45-7 (AP) AP - Nobody could call Southern California lucky after this game. Dominant would be a better description. A week after getting past California despite being badly beaten statistically, No. 1 Southern Cal took command early against Arizona State and routed the 15th-ranked Sun Devils 45-7 Saturday.


Microsoft Delays SQL Server Software, Plans Beta To hold the interest of key parties, especially developers, Microsoft will release the first Community Technical Preview (CTP), or advanced beta release, of the database.


Cricket: Ponting gives thumbs up Australia captain Ricky Ponting, recovering from a broken thumb, is confident he can improve his poor record in India and help his team win the test series.


Kidde Nixes United Technologies #39; Takeover The board of Kidde PLC said Friday that it had rejected a tentative takeover bid from United Technologies Corp., saying it significantly undervalues the company.


CNNfn going off the air CNN has reported plans to shut down its CNNfn network in mid-December, cutting 60 jobs in the process. Some of the financial news network #39;s programming will shift over to CNN.


Sides talking but not to eachother The National Hockey League #39;s top negotiator, Bill Daly, says that by not talking to the National Hockey League Players #39; Association, the league is actually moving the process forward.


Jury: WTC attack was two events Attaching victory to a string of defeats, a jury yesterday agreed with World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein #39;s claim that the planes that struck the Twin Towers represented two separate, insurable events.


State eyes 9.3 auto-rate hike In what Governor Mitt Romney hopes will be a regulatory swan song, Massachusetts officials yesterday began hearing testimony on rate increases sought by the state's automobile insurers and agents that would boost the average premium of drivers next year by 9.3 percent, to \$1,183.


Israeli Soldier, Militant Killed in Gaza  GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian militants killed an Israeli  soldier and wounded four others in an ambush in the central  Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.


U.N. Fears Child Mercenaries Being Hired in Liberia (Reuters) Reuters - Child soldiers who fought during\Liberia's 14-year civil war may be being recruited to fight\again as mercenaries in neighboring Guinea, a senior U.N.\official said.


Villeneuve the fastest in test session LONDON: Canadian Jacques Villeneuve set the pace for Sauber while Germanys Nick Heidfeld did his best to impress Williams in a wet and windy Formula One test session at Jerez on Thursday.


Friars Collapse in Upset Providence scores just five second-half field goals on 19 percent shooting to allow Winthrop to rally and defeat the Friars, 60-54, on Tuesday night.


Anderson Hoping for Happier Times for Scotland Russell Anderson claims he relishes every opportunity to pull on a Scotland jersey - even though he does not have too many happy memories to call upon.


Oil prices rise yet again in US The price of crude reaches a new high in the US,  driven up by official data showing a decline in heating oil stocks.


Parents 'auction' school on eBay Parents angry at a religious group sponsoring a city academy are auctioning it for 2m on the internet.


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


Jupiter drifted towards sun in its youth Jupiter, the king of planets in the solar system, drifted tens of millions of kilometres towards the sun in its youth, a new study suggests.


Bomb Hits Iraq Govt., Year After Saddam Capture  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber killed at least  seven Iraqis outside Baghdad's government compound on Monday, a  year to the day since U.S. forces captured Saddam Hussein.


Sun talks up Java advances (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- Simplifying Java programming is on the minds of Java development executives at Sun, but making the language available via an open source format remains off the table, according to executives at a Sun  #8220;Chalk Talk #8221; session here on Wednesday.


Kenyan  Wins Nobel Peace Prize Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan firebrand who mobilized the women of Africa in a powerful crusade against deforestation called the "Green Belt Movement," will receive the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004.


MLB works to appease Angelos (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - If Major League Baseball can negotiate a settlement with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, it could announce next week the Montreal Expos' new home is Washington, D.C.


Notes: Ichiro CAT scan proves OK KANSAS CITY -- A precautionary CAT scan taken on Ichiro Suzuki on Thursday afternoon was  quot;completely normal quot; and the right fielder could continue his pursuit of another 50-hit month Friday night in Detroit.


Accor Hotels Group Reports Drop in Profit PARIS - French hotels group Accor SA on Wednesday reported a 24 percent drop in first-half net profit as its brands such as Sofitel and Motel 6 suffered from the uneven recovery in the global travel market.


Can Mozilla Beat Godzilla? (CBS) I have no idea whether Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates stays up at night worrying about his empire but, if he does, he may very well be losing sleep over the Mozilla Foundation.


Judge convicts Juventus doctor, acquits team chairman in doping <b>...</b> A Juventus team doctor was convicted Friday for administering banned substances to players on the famed Italian soccer team during the 1990s.


Bush, Kerry Court Voters in New Mexico SANTA FE, N.M. - Bracing for their final debate, John Kerry accused President Bush of favoring "friends in the oil industry" over consumers strapped with rising fuel bills on Monday while Bush said his challenger so misunderstood the war on terror that he thought it could be reduced to "a nuisance" akin to prostitution or illegal gambling...


Your Personal Data Is Often at Risk As Ken Solomon read the letter last month from a company whose software he had bought, one sentence set off alarms: "Your credit or debit card information may be at risk."


Taiwan #39;s Delta sees losses from IBM adapter recall Taiwan electronics components maker Delta Electronics Inc said on Friday a recall of power adapters for laptop computers would cost it less than T\$50 million (\$1.


UK inflation rate fall continues The slow rise in the price of clothing and footwear on the high street has once again helped to keep inflation under control in the UK.


EDITORIAL:Nuke tests in S. Korea South Korea has admitted conducting experiments on nuclear materials in the past without the knowledge of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog.


Smithfield Foods plans private note offer Hog and pork producer Smithfield Foods Inc.(SFD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday it plans a private offering to sell about \$150 million worth of senior notes due 2011.


Suzuki announces plans to ramp up output in India TOKYO Suzuki Motor said Monday that it planned to invest up to 25 billion, or \$228 million, to make minicars and diesel engines in India, expanding in Asia #39;s fourth-largest vehicle market.


New intelligence reform bill may pit US Congress against White House (AFP) AFP - The powerful chairman of the US Senate intelligence committee promised to introduce this week a new intelligence reorganization bill likely to set Congress on a collision course with the White House, which favors an intelligence "czar" with vaguely defined powers.


Oprah Car Giveaway Generates Buzz for GM  DETROIT (Reuters) - Just ask "Anna Karenina" about Oprah.  The daytime talk show host, whose recommendation put the 19th  century novel on the best-sellers list, has generated a rush of  interest in General Motors Corp.'s GM.N new Pontiac G6  mid-sized car, GM officials said on Tuesday.


After Circulation Scandal, a Move to Build Trust Belo Corporation has set aside \$23 million to compensate advertisers for exaggerated circulation figures at The Dallas Morning News.


Pakistan Denies CIA Is There Seeking bin Laden Pakistani officials on Monday denied a report about the presence of a Central Intelligence Agency search mission for the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in


Table hockey is too limited Of all the great things about being a hockey fan, reading stories about NHL management-labor strife is not one of them. But, rest assured, there is worse. To wit: reporting and writing stories about NHL management-labor strife (you can send notes of sympathy to the e-mail posted at the bottom of this report).


Update 1: Altera, Xilinx Warnings Slam Sector Shares of chip makers sank in Thursday trading after two US firms lowered their quarterly sales expectations, but the sector saw some relief after National Semiconductor Corp.


US soccer battling through qualifying Winning at home and tying on the road is the proven formula for success in World Cup qualifying, but the manner by which the US team has compiled two ties and a victory


Russia urges Iran nuclear action Russia says Iran must do more to dispel international concerns about its nuclear programme.


20 injured in fight at Malaysian detention camp for terror suspects (AFP) AFP - Twelve inmates and eight warders have been injured in a fight at a Malaysian detention camp for terror suspects during a search which turned up a cache of home-made weapons.


Nintendo DS Readies for Portable Gaming Competition  quot;DS provides the road map to the future of video games, quot; Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America #39;s executive vice president of sales and marketing said.


Russia to Tighten Passenger Requirements MOSCOW Aug. 28, 2004 - Russian airlines will be required to document passengers more thoroughly following this week #39;s twin plane crashes, a news agency reported Saturday, as the discovery of explosives stoked


Linux standards base Version 2.0 has C support The Free Standards Group (FSG) on Tuesday will release Version 2.0 of its Linux Standard Base (LSB), a key standard that enables developers to rally around a common programming framework and keeps Linux from fragmenting into competing camps.


MPAA Starts Suing Today the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) announced today that it had filed an unspecified amount of lawsuits against people who trade Movies using p2p (peer-to-peer) programs.


Rimando's Prime-Time Net Work A game-winning save in penalty kicks last Saturday marked the pinnacle of a tumultous season for United keeper Nick Rimando.


Cal #39;s Arrington has record-tying 11th 100-yard game California running back JJ Arrington needed less than three quarters to tie a 23-year-old Pac-10 Conference record against Southern Miss Saturday night at Roberts Stadium.


Tories accuse Labour of dirty tricks in cyberspace (AFP) AFP - The ruling Labour Party was accused of planning dirty tricks by registering three Internet domain names which use the name of the leader of the main opposition Conservatives.


Sharapova Toughs Out Three-Set Win Maria Sharapova nearly crumbled under the weight of remarkable expectations Tuesday night in her first-round match at the US Open.


Japan puts off royal wedding announcement after family death (AFP) AFP - Japan put on hold the long-awaited announcement that Princess Sayako would become the last of the emperor's children to marry after the oldest royal, Princess Kikuko, died at age 92.


FEDS #39; WTC PLAN SCRUBS CLEANUP FOR DOWNTOWN even if they #39;re still contaminated from the World Trade Center attacks. Three years after the Twin Towers #39; collapse and eight months


Sinn Fein accuses Government of bugging Sinn Fein has accused the British government of planting a bugging device in one of its Belfast offices. It is the second time in as many weeks that the Northern Irish party has produced what it claims is evidence of continued bugging by Downing Street.


9-Term Mayor in East Chicago, Ind., Loses (AP) AP - Mayor Robert Pastrick will not finish his ninth term in office after conceding defeat in a court-mandated special Democratic primary ordered because of corruption allegations.


Ivan Bears Down on Jamaica with 150 Mph Winds Strengthening More than half a million Jamaicans fled their homes today as Hurricane Ivan bore down on the island with 150 mph winds. It left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean and the death toll of 23 was expected to rise.


UPDATE 3-Battling Woods in touch with Mount Juliet lead Champion Tiger Woods battled through back pain to stay in touch with the lead as fellow American Todd Hamilton set the pace in the WGC-American Express Championship first round on Thursday.


MOUSE HOUSE FLICK IN WORKS The classic power struggle between Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner and former feared talent agent Michael Ovitz makes for high drama in the courtroom - and apparently on cable.


Cisco Plans to Accelerate New Product Offerings (Reuters) Reuters - Cisco Systems Inc. , the\world's largest maker of gear for directing Internet traffic,\plans to offer twice as many new products this year as ever in\its history, its chief executive said on Wednesday.


CORRECTED: Cheney Is a Quiet Force Behind Bush Presidency (Reuters) Reuters - Dick Cheney is one of the most\powerful vice presidents in U.S. history, regarded as a driving\force behind the Iraq war and the Bush administration's\industry-friendly energy policy.


Bombardier Says Air Canada May Buy up to 90 Aircraft (Update1) Bombardier Inc., the world #39;s third- biggest maker of commercial aircraft, said Air Canada ordered 45 planes and may buy 45 more in an agreement with a potential value of \$2.


Austria #39;s Walchhofer wins men #39;s World Cup super-G VAL GARDENA, Italy (AFP) - Austria #39;s Michael Walchhofer won the men #39;s World Cup super-G ahead of countrymen Hermann Maier and Benjamin Raich for his first victory in the discipline.


Neeskens sacked as NEC coach Johan Neeskens has been sacked as coach of NEC Nijmegen, the struggling Dutch first division club said in a statement on Monday. NEC are 14th in the standings following a 3-2


Google Co-Founders to Sell Company Shares Google Inc. co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin each plan to sell up to 7.2 million shares of their stock in the online search engine leader during the next 18 months


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


E-mails show depth of Boeing tanker scandal  quot;Everyone #39;s nervous, quot; warned Michael Wynne, acting undersecretary of defense, in a confidential e-mail to Air Force Secretary James Roche on July 8, 2003.


Update 1: Indian Telecom Buys Tyco Network Assets Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd., India #39;s top phone and broadband provider, on Monday said it plans to buy Tyco International Ltd. #39;s undersea fiber-optic network for \$130 million, a move an analyst said could spawn a number of similar deals involving foreign


Christina Kim shoots 64, leads LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge Second on the LPGA Tour with 300 birdies, Kim fired a 7-under-par 64 to take a one-shot lead after Thursday #39;s opening round of the \$1 million Longs Drugs Challenge.


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


N Korea warns on nuclear rods North Korea has said it has turned plutonium from 8,000 spent fuel rods into nuclear weapons. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su-hon said the weapons were needed for  quot;self-defence quot; against  quot;US nuclear threat quot;.


Microsoft #39;s Halo 2  quot;hello quot; to the world before planned sale World #39;s largest software maker #39;s best-selling game for Xbox video console -- Halo 2-- has leaked onto the Internet nearly four weeks before its planned sale date.


Zaheer leads Indian fightback v Australia India #39;s Zaheer Khan removed openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, pegging Australia back to 103 for three at lunch on the first day of the third test on Tuesday.


Indian troops leave Kashmir A thousand Indian troops withdrew from the disputed territory of Kashmir yesterday in a goodwill gesture aimed at fostering a new peace in the province.


UPDATE 1 - Fitch cuts Merck #39;s triple-A rating by two notches Fitch Ratings on Thursday cut Merck  amp; Co. Inc. #39;s (MRK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) top  quot;AAA quot; rating by two notches, citing its withdrawal of the arthritis drug Vioxx and subsequent


Hu Becomes China #39;s New Military Leader BEIJING Sept. 20, 2004 - President Hu Jintao #39;s new status as commander of China #39;s military should strengthen efforts to fight corruption and control a surging economy, forcing resistant lower-level officials


Powell Rejects North Korean Demand on US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell on Saturday rejected North Korea #39;s latest demand that the United States drop its  quot;hostile quot; policy toward that nation and agree to other


Cornhuskers must stop Peterson As we head down the stretch of the season, the significance of each game will be amplified. While it is difficult to envision any team looking past an opponent at this juncture of the season


BA plane makes emergency landing in Canada (AFP) AFP - A London-bound British Airways plane carrying 302 passengers from Phoenix, Arizona was diverted to Montreal for technical reasons, a spokesman for the airline told AFP.


Green's Slam Lifts L.A. Shawn Green connects on a grand slam and a solo homer to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Atlanta Braves 7-4 on Saturday.


Rutgers Makes Bid for Prime Time With Opening Win Freshman Jeremy Ito kicked four field goals and Ryan Neill scored on a 31-yard interception return to lead improving Rutgers to a 19-14 victory yesterday over visiting Michigan State.


Oil Firm Near \$54 on Heating Fuel Worries  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices rebounded to \$54 a barrel  on Thursday ahead of U.S. inventory data expected to show tight  heating fuel stocks ahead of winter.


Gilmore fuels the Jets In East Boston, there are a few important games, but none can compare to town bragging rights that the East Boston-Savio Prep game brings. Kevin Gilmore, an Eastie native, will be getting more than his fair share of praise at Santarpio's Pizza, after scoring four touchdowns yesterday in the Jets' 48-20 victory over Savio Prep (2-5) in nonleague action.


New record for Irish demography A new survey shows that Ireland's population now totals more than four-million with this rise reflecting immigration stemming from the country's economic boom.


Bears lose Urlacher for 4-6 weeks SPORTS NETWORK - Chicago Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher is sidelined 4-6 weeks because of a lower left leg injury. Urlacher, 26, hurt the leg during Sunday #39;s 19-17 overtime win at Tennessee and underwent


Cricket: Hall battles India attack Andrew Hall steers South Africa to 230-4 on day one of the first Test against India.


Portugal blasted after draw with Liechtenstein _ Portuguese media heaped criticism Sunday on the country #39;s national soccer team, which was held to an embarrassing 2-2 draw by minnow Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying.


Pay dispute ends in South Africa South Africa's wage dispute ends after unions representing public sector workers accept a revised government offer.


Violence Flares in Boston After Red Sox Win  BOSTON (Reuters) - Scattered violence broke out on Thursday  after thousands of Boston Red Sox fans converged on Fenway Park  to celebrate their baseball club's historic win over the New  York Yankees that puts them in the World Series.


No wonder it was over so quickly How much sweeter for the Nation to contemplate only the second sweep in postseason history by the Red Sox, the first since perhaps the most beloved Sox team in the last 30 years, the Sox of Pudge and Yaz and Looie and Lynn and Evans swept the A's in the 1975 American League Championship Series, than to ponder the implications ...


Tyson Cuts Fiscal 2004 Earnings Forecast Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday cut its fiscal 2004 earnings forecast because of weaker-than-expected demand for chicken and beef and unexpectedly steep raw material costs.


Canada #39;s Bombardier fires chief executive Yesterday #39;s immediate dismissal of Paul Tellier is a move analysts say increases investor uncertainty over the company #39;s direction.


Microsoft Biting the Apple (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) is waking up to the music. In the latest attempt to capture the fast-growing market of online music the big M is fighting to break the hold Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL - News) iPod has on the market. The deal is to join up with a big-name financial company in hopes of making the sale of music more attractive.


Star cyclist Richard Virenque retires French cycling star Richard Virenque retired Friday, ending a career marked by his fierce mountain climbs but tainted by his part in the Tour de France #39;s worst doping scandal.


SportsNetwork Game Preview (Sports Network) - The Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians will close out the regular season with a doubleheader of sorts, as the teams battle at the Metrodome today.


Carl Reiner: Comedy as a Life #39;s Work Description: Actor Carl Reiner found his life #39;s calling in the third grade, making his classmates laugh by walking on his hands. The actor, comedian and director joins NPR #39;s Neal Conan and takes calls.


US Declares Genocide in Sudan #39;s Darfur The United States declared on Thursday genocide has occurred in Sudan #39;s Darfur region and blamed the Khartoum government and Arab militias for the crisis that has driven more than a million people from their homes.


Nike Chief Phil Knight Resigns; Board Appoints Perez (Update4) Nike Inc. said Phil Knight, who began the company in 1972 selling sneakers from his car and built it into the world #39;s biggest athletic-shoe maker, will step down next month as chief executive officer.


Intel, AMD Pack Dual Processing Cores on Single Chip Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. are revving up for what they see as the next big step in the evolution of x86 processorsthe introduction of dual processing cores.


Photo 5 of 8: Global gamers clash for cash \$2.5 million in prize money is on the line as gamers from Uzbekistan to Ecuador compete in the World Cyber Games.


UN creates game to tackle hunger A forthcoming video game aims to educate children about the global fight against hunger.


Majerus Takes USC Job, With Docs' OK (AP) AP - Rick Majerus' new basketball coaching job comes with a doctor's permission slip. Given the OK to return to the high-stress, late-night, eat-on-the-run profession he loves, Majerus took over Southern California's underachieving program Wednesday although he won't be on the bench this season.


NO MORE LATE FEES! If you #39;re tired of paying late fees forDVD and video rentals, Blockbuster says you don #39;t have to do that anymore. As of January first, Blockbuster says it will change its policy on late fees.


Six held after Jakarta bombing Indonesian police hunting those responsible for last week #39;s deadly bombing at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta said yesterday they had detained six people who might be linked to militants behind the attack.


Fireworks possible at NHLPA meeting If certain people show up, today #39;s meeting of NHL Players #39; Association executives and members in Toronto could turn into a passionate debate between the union #39;s haves and have-nots.


Wi-Fi Planet highlights multichannel access points (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - This week #8217;s Wi-Fi Planet Conference and Expo will highlight the increasing variety and sophistication of WLAN technology for the enterprise.


No Change Expected on Spotted Owl Status A spotted owl perches in the Tahoe National Forest in California, July 12, 2004. The timber industry group that sued to have the threatened species status of the northern spotted owl reviewed says it does


Geronimo looking to be regulations specialist THE LATEST version of the open source Java application server in development by the Apache Software, Geronimo is shaping up as a good server for specialised applications, such as plug-ins to ensure that users are complying with regulations.


Seau to miss rest of season with torn pectoral muscle Miami Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau will miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle that will require surgery, and said Wednesday he #39;s unsure whether the injury will end his 15-year career.


Henman Battles Into Basel Quarterfinals  BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) - British second seed Tim  Henman came through an unexpectedly tough second round match  with South Africa's Wesley Moodie to reach the quarterfinals of  the Swiss Indoors tournament Thursday.


Drugs in Sport: Break-in thickens Waterford plot A break-in at the offices of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland in the early hours of yesterday morning added another twist to the story of the horse Waterford Crystal, with whom Cian


Study: Apple, Dell lead PC customer satisfaction index (MacCentral) MacCentral - The PC industry is doing a better job of satisfying its U.S. customers than in recent years, and improvements to technical support seem to have done the trick, according to the results of a study released Tuesday by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.


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


Microsoft steers  #39;R2 #39; server for  #39;05 release com October 18, 2004, 9:58 AM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Patriots are just ... well ... different FOXBORO The Patriots #39; minds and bodies hum along at a higher frequency than that which the 31 topsy-turvy teams occupying the rest of the NFL tune into.


Briefly: AOL signs up for Omniture traffic tool roundup Plus: Friendster hires ex-AOL ad exec...HP inks deal with energy firm...Holiday Inn welcomes Priceline.


Time Warner fraud charge settled Time Warner agrees to pay \$210m to settle charges of securities fraud involving America Online.


A baseball rechristening in Washington: Expos to become Nationals The 73-year-old former Washington Senators public address announcer was not about to let a protester ruin another big baseball day in the nation #39;s capital.


SBC in Deal With Microsoft to Provide TV on High-Speed Lines SBC Communications will pay \$400 million to Microsoft for software used to deliver TV programming over high-speed data lines.


Greenspan: Change social safety net JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (CNNfn) - The US government must not promise benefits to aging baby boomers that it cannot afford, because that could mean painful future adjustments to taxes and spending, according to Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan.


Montgomerie misses cut at The Heritage Colin Montgomerie shot a 5-over-par 77 and missed the cut at The Heritage on Friday, five days after making the winning putt for Europe at the Ryder Cup.


Workers at four hotels in San Francisco go on strike Unionized workers at four San Francisco hotels went on strike Wednesday morning. A union leader called the walkout  quot;a wake-up call quot; for hotels to stimulate stalled talks.


Putin asks Russians to unite against  #39;war #39; In a rare address to his nation at a time of grave crisis, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that the school siege in the southern city of Beslan was an attack on all of Russia


Jackpot at 30,000 Feet? Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost airline, might introduce in-flight gaming.


Venezuelan Car-Bomb Suspect Killed, Weapons Found  CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A Venezuelan lawyer  suspected in last week's bombing murder of a top state  prosecutor was killed in a gunfight with police on Tuesday  after he tried to ram detectives with his car and opened fire  on them, officials said.


Krispy Kreme Delays Filing with SEC Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (KKD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday delayed filing its quarterly financial report with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, citing an ongoing analysis of its accounting practices.


Kremlin candidate favourite as Chechens vote amid fears of <b>...</b> GROZNY, Russia : Chechens voted in an election expected to crown a Kremlin-backed candidate as the strife-torn republic #39;s new leader, with thousands of security personnel patrolling its streets against the threat of rebel attacks.


US Airways, Pilots Union Near Cost-Cutting Accord US Airways and its pilots union are close to reaching a \$300 million cost-cutting agreement, a key part of a restructuring plan that the airline says it needs to help it emerge from bankruptcy.


UAL, Creditors Agree to 30 Day Extension  CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines on Friday said it has  agreed with its creditors' committee to a 30-day extension,  subject to court approval, of the period during which it can  exclusively file a bankruptcy reorganization plan.


Time Warner settles AOL fraud charges for \$210M Time Warner Inc. will pay \$210 million to settle charges that its America Online unit fraudulently inflated its revenue figures. Separately, it is expected to pay about \$300 million to settle SEC charges related to its buyout of a stake held by Germany's Bertelsmann AG in AOL Europe.


IMF failing to agree on debt plan The world #39;s leading finance officials and ministers appear to be failing to reach agreement on debt relief for the poorest nations.


CDs to Dominate for Years Over Net Downloads-Study The compact disc has at least another five years as the most popular music format before online downloads chip away at its dominance, a new study said on Tuesday.


Kin plead for 2 Americans, Briton to be released; 2 clerics slain <b>...</b> Relatives pleaded Monday for the release of two Americans and a Briton held hostage as a deadline loomed for their beheading. In Baghdad, gunmen assassinated two clerics from a powerful Sunni Muslim group opposed to the US presence in Iraq.


Workers #39; safety queried in Dubai The deaths of five labourers at the construction site of the new airport terminal in Dubai will renew questions about conditions in which migrant workers toil in the United Arab Emirates.


Jan Baan launches Web services firm com September 16, 2004, 2:25 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.


China Aviation Oil Says Still in Business The main supplier of jet fuel to China is continuing to do business despite a criminal investigation of its US\$550 million (euro414 million) in losses on derivative trading, the company said.


Ricketson needs a downgrade DEVASTATED Sydney Roosters lock Luke Ricketson this morning will meet club officials to formalise a defence against a striking charge which, if unsuccessful, will see him miss Sunday #39;s grand final.


Al-Arabiya tv bombed in Baghdad A car bomb has destroyed the Baghdad offices of Arabic, Al-Arabiya television station leaving at least seven people dead and scores wounded.


Forsyth mulls over that late Volvo stutter ALASTAIR FORSYTH is today pondering over the loose shots that saw the Volvo Masters slip from his grasp at Valderrama. The Paisley golfer had gone into the final round with a three- stroke lead but a poor


'Madden NFL' called for unnecessary roughness Fans of EA's hit football game protest a scrimmage-line glitch.


It #39;s official: Giants name Warner starter for opening day NEW YORK - Eli Manning is undeniably the Giants #39; quarterback of the future. But the future is going to have wait. After a summer of speculation, Giants coach Tom Coughlin finally made it official on Sunday


Toxic Algae Bloom Grows Off Wash. Coast (AP) AP - A toxic algae bloom off the coast of Washington state has grown to about 30 miles wide, the largest and most potentially lethal algae yet found by scientists in the region.


Israeli Troops Kill Four Arab Terrorists Near Gaza Military Camp Israeli troops shot and killed four Arab terrorists in separate incidents in and around the northern Gaza Strip. Israel Radio reports Israeli troops shot and killed two terrorists who managed to slip across


ESPN, Zee Offer Ad Revenue To BCCI NEW DELHI: The telecast rights case for cricket to be played in India from October 2004 to 2008 has taken a turn, with varied offers coming from Zee, ESPN-Star and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).


Howard tries to kick-start Tories Tory leader Michael Howard has kick-started his party #39;s gloomy General Election prospects with a key speech on crime and pensions.


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


Intel Seen Readying New Wi-Fi Chips  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O this week is  expected to introduce a chip that adds support for a relatively  obscure version of Wi-Fi, analysts said on Monday, in a move  that could help ease congestion on wireless networks.


Greenspan: Home Prices Not Hurting Economy (AP) AP - The record level of debt being carried by American households and soaring home prices do not appear to represent serious threats to the U.S. economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Tuesday.


Birding Column: Appreciating Non-Native Ducks and Geese While "serious" birders in the U.S. disdain non-native ducks and geese, one birding columnist enjoys observing the many species that have made California their home.


Chinese astronauts to wear lighter outfits China has developed a light and removable spacesuit for its astronauts set to embark on China #39;s second manned space mission scheduled for next September.


Oil Prices Slip, Winter Supplies Seen Up  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday as an  expected increase in U.S. heating fuel supplies eased concerns  over an inventory crunch should this winter's weather prove  colder than normal.


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


IBM in Voice Services Deal With Lloyds International Business Machines Corp. said Monday it will provide voice and data services to British financial-services company Lloyds TSB Group PLC for seven years in a deal worth \$971.6 million.


Alleged U.S. Deserter Jenkins Surrenders CAMP ZAMA, Japan - Frail but determined, Charles Jenkins surrendered to the United States on Saturday, nearly 40 years after the Army sergeant allegedly defected to North Korea and became a potent propaganda symbol for the isolated communist state.    Jenkins' surrender ends a bizarre, twisting saga that saw him vanish from his Army unit and resurface in propaganda films as various devilish - and inevitably American - characters...


Before-the-Bell: Multimedia Games Drops  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Multimedia Games Inc.  MGAM.O fell 19.5 percent before the bell Friday a day after  the developer of games for casinos said it will post  unexpectedly weak fourth-quarter and full-year results.


Sun to tout Wall Street wins in September Struggling Sun Microsystems will try to show next month that it still has a lot of friends in the financial community. On Sept. 21, the Mountain View, Calif.


Roddick, Williams eliminated from Olympic tennis CBC SPORTS ONLINE - American tennis sensation Andy Roddick #39;s Olympic dreams are over after a straight set loss to No. 16 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in third-round action Wednesday.


Africa and its children SIBOVU, Swaziland -- The two old women were debating her future, but 13-year-old Thandeka Motsa could hardly bear to listen.


Work Begins on US Missile Defense for Commercial Airliners US officials are taking steps to head off fears that terrorists could use portable anti-aircraft missiles to shoot down civilian airliners.


Ravens' Lewis, Smith Injured Vs. Cowboys (AP) AP - Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis hurt his left ankle in the first quarter Sunday, and backup Musa Smith broke his leg later in the period.


Montgomerie, Woods, Furyk in three-way tie Colin Montgomerie was thrilled to get an invitation from Tiger Woods to play in his year-end tournament with 15 of the best players in golf.


BC-UConn meeting is a misdirection play There is symbolism in the matchup: two Big East teams, each moving into a new neighborhood, opening up their conference schedule.


PeopleSoft Removes Craig Conway as CEO In a surprise move, the business software maker fired CEO Craig Conway Friday, saying it has has lost confidence in the feisty leader who engineered the company's dogged resistance to a takeover bid by rival Oracle Corp.


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


College established for Internet game industry A college to provide training for the Internet games industry has been opened in Beijing. China #39;s Ministry of Information Technology, the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council, and a Beijing Internet company devised the new college as a joint venture.


Nigerian unions threaten to resume strike over fuel price hike on <b>...</b> Nigerian workers will go on strike protesting recent 25 percent increase of petroleum products from Nov. 16, a leading trade unionist said here Sunday.


Framingham's Noel gets first-team honors Framingham resident Arly Noel, a junior midfielder on the Mount Ida College of Newton men's soccer team, was named to the All-North Atlantic Conference first team after finishing among the nation's top 30 NCAA Division 3 players with a team-high 11 assists.


Claims for Gulf Environment Damage Exorbitant-Iraq (Reuters) Reuters - Iraq on Tuesday accused Kuwait and other\neighbors of inflating their already massive claims for\environmental damage due to its 1990 invasion and the Gulf War.


Mac Takes Honors as Best Unix Desktop (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Opinion: GNOME is nice, KDE is fine and the forthcoming Looking Glass may be wonderful, but the best Unix desktop is the one in the Macintosh.


Sudan says no Darfur self-rule, questions rebel talks Sudan on Monday ruled out any notion of self-rule for Darfur and said rebels in the western region would not secure the same concessions agreed with southern rebels after two decades of war.


Nikkei Ends Flat, Oil Concerns Weigh  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks ended flat on Friday as  worries about record-high oil prices took the edge off  investors' appetite for recently battered technology issues  such as Sharp Corp.


ChevronTexaco Profit Up, Misses Forecasts ChevronTexaco Corp.(CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 2 US oil company, rode the wave of record oil prices to post a 62 percent rise in quarterly profit on


Network Security Microsoft Image Flaw Opens Door to Hackers Microsoft is offering a patch for a critical security flaw related to the processing of JPEG images by its operating systems and other applications.


Unscheduled upgrade caused government IT death An unscheduled software upgrade what was caused some 40,000 computers at the UK government #39;s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to crash, the IT supplier EDS has announced.


Brazil accounts for 3 percent of emissions of greenhouse gases in <b>...</b> _ The burning and deforestation of Brazil #39;s vast Amazon rain forest causes nearly 3 percent of the world #39;s greenhouse gas emissions, according to a government report released Wednesday.


Update 1: Eisner Told King, Board Different Stories Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Michael Eisner testified Thursday that he told Disney #39;s directors he was hoping to  quot;trade quot; president Michael Ovitz to Sony Corp.


Cassini beams images of Saturn #39;s moon This movie taken by the Cassini spacecraft shows the surface and atmosphere of Saturn #39;s moon Titan over a range of infrared wavelengths, from .


Varitek Wants Stability in Next Contract (AP) AP - If the Boston Red Sox want to keep Jason Varitek, they might have to give him a no-trade clause.


Crazy John #39;s gone reckless: Latham A CRAZY John #39;s  quot;mother of all clearance quot; sales is how Mark Latham yesterday described John Howard #39;s \$6 billion pre-election spending spree.


Huge Afghan poll attack 'foiled' Afghan forces in the southern city of Kandahar say they have foiled a truck bomb that could  have killed hundreds.


CASILLAS #39; DELIGHT AT BUMPER TURN-OUT Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas was delighted with the turn-out at Tuesday night #39;s  #39;Game against Poverty #39; in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.


Micron Sales Rise 34 Pct Micron Technology Inc., the No. 3 computer memory chip maker, on Wednesday reported a quarterly profit on stronger pricing, reversing a year-earlier loss.


Gaza Raid to Continue as Long as Necessary-Sharon (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\said the army operation in northern Gaza would expand and\continue for as long as necessary to prevent Palestinian rocket\attacks on Israel.


Google v. Microsoft: Trustbusters Not Needed Last week, Google, a company renowned for its search service, released the Google Desktop, a software program that lets users search through materials stored on their


Thinking of Winchester Navy coaches remember Ron Winchester's gregarious personality Monday, four days after the former Midshipmen tackle was killed in the Al Anbar province in western Iraq.


Karni Tunnel as Hamas Hidden Arm into Israels Western Negev Round about 400 arms smuggling tunnels linking Egyptian Sinai to Palestinian Gaza under the Philadelphi border route have been unearthed and destroyed in the last couple of years by Israeli forces.


Truckers defy Kathmandu blockade More lorry drivers are defying the indefinite Maoist blockade of Nepal #39;s capital, Kathmandu, which is entering its fourth day.


Freaky Future:  #39;R #39; Word in Economic Forecast A Freaky Future? The mid-term economic outlook from the University of California-Los Angeles Anderson Forecast contends a recession may be brewing just over the horizon.


Virgin Mary On Grilled Cheese Sandwich Sells on eBay The online casino, GoldenPalace.com, bid \$28,000 to purchase a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that supposedly bears the image of the Virgin Mary.


Pacific Rim Nations Meet on Trade, Security (AP) AP - Top ministers from 21 Pacific Rim nations convened high-level talks on free trade and global security Wednesday, while police battled university students protesting the summit and a weekend visit by President Bush.


Mulholland signed by Twins After the Twins acquired veteran pitcher Terry Mulholland from Seattle for a dollar in April, they certainly got more than their money #39;s worth.


Oil Steady After U.S. Data  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices held steady on Thursday as  data showing stubbornly low U.S. heating fuel supplies ahead of  winter stemmed a rout of nearly \$10 since late October.


Saudi Troops, Gunmen Clash in Riyadh Saudi security forces, battling a wave of terrorist attacks in the country, have clashed with a group of gunmen in the capital, Riyadh.


How lizards walk on water The mystery of how a type of lizard "walks" on water may have been solved, a group of US scientists believe.


China pledges \$20B to Argentina China has pledged to invest \$20 billion in Argentina in the next 10 years, La Nacion reported Wednesday. The announcement came during the first day of a two-day visit


Yankees lock up AL East with 100th win The road to 100 wins is one the Yankees have traveled before. Yet this years trip to triple-digits -- their third in as many years -- was down


Yellen focuses on employment SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Matching job growth and economic growth are key to the Fed #39;s pace of raising short-term interest rates, Janet Yellen, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, said in an interview published Sunday.


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


Back to work While this town still believes in its Red Sox -quot;Keep the Faith quot; read a billboard overlooking the Green Monster  -t of it has to be bracing for the same ending it has seen every year since 1918.


A Dazed and Confused America Many of us are bewildered by common documents -- with dangerous results.


BC's Peterson a pistol at QB The key third-down conversion was typical of Paul Peterson's play in Boston College's 21-7 victory over Penn State Saturday night in an ABC-televised home opener before a sellout Alumni Stadium crowd.


Nokia Uses Hologram To Identify Batteries In addition to the hologram label, each Nokia battery will have an authentication code hidden under a scratch-off area on the label.


Priest accused in 1994 Rwanda genocide fails to front for trial A priest accused of ordering the slaughter of 2000 people who sought refuge in his church during Rwanda #39;s genocide refused to appear for the start of his trial at a UN tribunal yesterday.


EADS Co-CEO Hertrich to Step Down in 2005 BERLIN - Rainer Hertrich, a co-chief executive of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., will leave his position in 2005 when his contract expires, a company spokesman said Sunday.


Gay Marriage Issue Motivates Conservatives (AP) AP - Gay marriage is emerging as a big enough issue in several states to influence races both for Congress and the presidency.


Apple Falls After Analyst Cuts Rating Apple Computer Inc. (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) shares fell 4 percent after a Needham  amp; Co. analyst lowered his investment rating on the stock to  quot;hold, quot; saying


Fatal plane crash in Halifax was fourth for airline in 14 years LONDON (CP) - The crash of a Boeing 747 cargo plane in Halifax on Thursday that killed seven people was the fourth crash in 14 years for MK Airlines.


Bosnian Serb Premier Quits, Criticizing West The leader of the Bosnian Serb government, Dragan Mikerevic, resigned Friday to protest what he described as unconstitutional interference in his government #39;s affairs by the country #39;s Western administrator.


Paper birds of peace fly to appease Thailand #39;s Muslims MORE than 50 military aircraft dropped 120 million origami birds over southern Thailand yesterday in a gesture of peace towards three largely Muslim provinces where 540 people have died in violent clashes this year.


Signs hint at a healthier job market After job growth skidded nearly to a halt in June and July, signs are emerging that companies are ready to jump-start hiring and might already be expanding their payrolls at a faster pace.


Oracle Acquires PeopleSoft in  #36;10.3B Deal (AP) AP - Oracle Corp. finally scooped up bitter rival PeopleSoft Inc. after 18 months of legal and verbal strife, ending a nasty feud with a  #36;10.3 billion deal that promises to shake up the business software industry.


Media companies lose file-sharing case SAN FRANCISCO Grokster and StreamCast Networks are not liable for the swapping of copyright content like movies and music through their file-sharing software, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, in a blow to film studios and record labels.


Iraqi PM warned to  #39;await Angel of Death #39; A voice recording said to be that of suspected Al Qaeda commander Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, claims Iraq #39;s Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is the militant network #39;s number one target.


Jets shake off slow start, stay undefeated Chad Pennington could feel the pressure of trying to make franchise history weighing down his teammates. Trailing 14-3 at halftime, Pennington spoke up in the locker room.


XP SP2 distribution accelerated, VPN problem fixed Microsoft will accelerate the rollout of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) over the next month and has released the first official update for SP2 to fix a problem some users had with VPNs (virtual private networks).


Spamming the Big Fish Bill Gates may be the most-spammed person in the world. The Microsoft chairman receives about four million e-mails a day, most of them spam, according to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.


'New Beginning' Needed The Maryland football coaching staff enters the offseason ready to reexamine everything from practice philosophy to its own performance.


Celtics' Pierce Apologizes to Coach Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce apologized for arguing with coach Doc Rivers, one day after being benched for not hustling.


Pavano Meets With Seattle Officials (AP) AP - Carl Pavano wrapped up talks Wednesday with the Seattle Mariners and moved on to Anaheim, where he's expected to attend the winter meetings later this week and visit the Angels.


A monkey off their back Danielle Rhoades still remembers the taste of debt: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and tuna fish. That #39;s mainly what she subsisted on for a year - after living more extravagantly during her first year