Online music at UC UC Berkeley, hoping to wean students away from free file-sharing programs like Kazaa, will offer subscriptions to a licensed online music service for \$2 per month starting this school year.


Pensions chaos as computers fail ENGINEERS were today tackling a massive computer failure which has caused chaos at the Department for Work and Pensions. Up to 80 per cent of the ministrys systems for processing millions of pension and benefit payments collapsed on Monday.


Britain #39;s Straw leaves for Sudan BRITAIN #39;S Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to Sudan today, stepping up international pressure on the government there to tackle the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur.


Microsoft Delays SP2 Auto Update For Enterprises Although Monday was to be the day when Microsoft began pushing Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) to enterprises, it changed its mind at the last minute and delayed the automatic updating for more than a week.


Knicks Nudge Rockets 93-92 at Buzzer (AP) AP - Jamal Crawford banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the New York Knicks to their first road win of the season, 93-92 over the reeling Houston Rockets on Thursday night.


Police question details of India code theft report BANGALORE, INDIA -- Police officials investigating the alleged theft of source code at Jolly Technologies' Mumbai development center are questioning aspects of the security incursion reported by the company.


Oil worries remain, despite price slide With crude oil prices drifting down to as low as \$ 41 per barrel, OPEC is expected by many observers to slash production, when it meets on Friday.


Three top police officials among 19 killed in Iraq MOSUL: A US aircraft dropped a half-tonne bomb on Mosul on Saturday after insurgents attacked a US patrol that was trying to capture an insurgent arms dump, a military spokesman said.


Senate report says Canadians won't cut greenhouse gases until it costs them (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - (CP) - It's time for Canadians to stop paying lip service to climate change and start paying cash in the form of higher bills to tank up their cars and heat their homes, says a Senate report released Thursday.


TV project aims to kick-start 3G High-quality, affordable TV on mobiles could be just what 3G operators are looking for, say researchers.


Dollar Holds Fire Ahead of Fed  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar held steady against major  currencies on Tuesday as markets waited to see what the Federal  Reserve says about the U.S. economy after an expected interest  rate rise later in the session.


Russians Begin Burying Victims of Attack BESLAN, Russia - Mothers wailed over the coffins of their children Sunday and dozens of townsmen dug graves in a football field-sized piece of scrubland next to the cemetery. Funeral processions snaked through the streets of this grief-stricken town as Russians began to bury victims of the terror attack on a school that left more than 350 people dead...


Sara Lee Raising Retail Coffee Prices (Reuters) Reuters - Sara Lee Coffee   Tea said Wednesday\it was raising its retail coffee prices to keep pace with 14\percent hikes by other major roasters as global bean supply\next year shifts from surplus to deficit.


EU judge plans Microsoft ruling within a month This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning) and open source initiatives are on the horizon.


Global Markets: Euro Surges vs the Dollar  LONDON (Reuters) - The euro surged to a near 8-month high  against the dollar on growth worries on Wednesday while stock  markets sank as investors dumped metal, technology and  insurance stocks.


A Black Eye for Sports A week later, the tape of the fight between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit fans sticks with me like a bad dream. I am still stunned to watch Ron Artest bound over rows of courtside chairs to attack a fan


Boom! Big kickoff for  #39;Madden 2005 #39; EA #39;s newest version of top title sells 1.3 million copies in first week, holding off competition. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -  quot;Madden NFL 2005, quot; the latest version of Electronic Arts Inc.


New Shuttle Fuel Tanks Should Not Shed Foam By MARCIA DUNN    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- NASA's redesigned space shuttle fuel tanks should no longer shed dangerous pieces of foam when launches resume next spring, officials said Thursday...


McCain: Air Force fixed bids WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain called Friday for  quot;full accountability quot; for Air Force officials involved in a controversial contract to acquire tanker aircraft from Boeing, accusing them of incompetence or corruption.


Labor determined to reopen children overboard inquiry Labor says there appears to have been pressure from the Prime Minister #39;s office on a public servant and it #39;s reaffirmed its determination to reopen the Senate inquiry into the matter.


Making seamless transition to Paralympics will be a challenge <b>...</b> VANCOUVER (CP) - How to make a seamless transition from the Olympics to the Paralympics is one of the lessons a five-member team from the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee is learning during a visit to the Athens Paralympic Games, said VANOC CEO John


Feds expected to ease Net phone rules Sources say FCC on Tuesday will further exempt Internet calls from state rules and taxes. But is cable a fly in the ointment?


9/11 commissioner: Threat of airplane suicide bombing has <b>...</b> A member of the 9/11 commission told House lawmakers Wednesday that the risk of an airline passenger detonating a suicide bomb has increased as a result of security precautions to prevent hijackings.


Gators Try to Break Drought at FSU (AP) AP - Florida coach Ron Zook has one final chance to do something even Steve Spurrier couldn't do as Top Gator  #151; win at Florida State. When the Gators play No. 10 Florida State on Saturday, they will try to break an 18-year winless streak at Doak Campbell Stadium in Zook's final regular-season game.


Olympics: No Ad Bonanza The showcase for the world's athletes doesn't produce marquee names for advertisers.


Sosa #39;s costly departure Various media outlets, including mlb.com and ESPN Radio 1000, are reporting the Cubs have docked their superstar a day #39;s pay for leaving last Sunday #39;s Cubs-Braves game well before it ended.


6 Convicted on Sex Abuse Charges on Pacific Island  SYDNEY -- Six men have been convicted on charges ranging from rape to indecent assault following trials that exposed a culture of sexual abuse on their small Pacific island, home to descendants of the 18th-century mutineers from the British ship HMS Bounty.


Google IPO Paper Not Declared Effective (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Securities and Exchange\Commission did not declare effective Google Inc.'s registration\statement for its multibillion-dollar initial public offering\by the close of the agency's business day on Tuesday, an SEC\official said.


Mutombo says he will join Yao on NBA Rockets (AFP) AFP - Dikembe Mutombo, the 38-year-old African center who has played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association, says he has agreed to a trade deal that will put him alongside Yao Ming in Houston.


Beijing's Tourism Impresses Williams Three days into his 11-day trip to Asia, the D.C. mayor said Washington has much to learn from the way China's capital sells itself as a tourist destination.


That #39;s rich: Gates tops Forbes list once again com September 24, 2004, 7:23 AM PT. IT Management and Web Technology have been fighting neck-to-neck for the fifth spot for the last year.


Australian cruise missile plan slammed SYDNEY: Australia announced on Thursday a cruise missile programme to acquire the regions  quot;most lethal quot; air combat capacity, but critics quickly denounced the plan as a foolish provocation to its neighbours.


EU court to review MCI ruling BRUSSELS -- The European Union's (E.U.'s) Court of First Instance will rule on Sept. 28 whether the European Commission had the right to block the aborted merger between U.S. telecommunications giant MCI Inc. (formerly WorldCom Inc.) and Sprint Corp.


Decision over Liverpool Groundshare Due Liverpool and Everton will decide by the end of this month whether the two clubs can share a ground - but the obstacles to such an arrangement continue to look insurmountable.


What Is Your CRM Personality? - Part 2 (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - In Part 1 of this series, \Gartner research director Scott Nelson made the case that the decision to buy a CRM application involves much more than price, implementation costs and strategic goals of the company.


Michigan St. Routs Nicholls St., 102-52 Michigan State #39;s Maurice Ager shoots a 3-pointer in the first half against Nicholls State Saturday, Nov. 27, 2004, in East Lansing, Mich.


Grunfeld Backs Action Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld agrees with the NBA Commissioner David Stern's level of punishment for the Pacers-Pistons brawl.


SAS Institute lures former Red Hat CFO Private data-mining software maker scoops up Kevin Thomson, who resigned from Linux maker in July.


But seriously, folks We have reached a most glorious part of the season. The final week of open dates.


Experts see record year for US insured losses The four hurricanes that hit Florida this season combined to beat the record set by Hurricane Andrew for insured losses in what may be the nation #39;s costliest hurricane season ever, officials said Tuesday.


The boob tube on your smartphone Handset manufacturers unite to develop TV-enabled mobile phones, but dont expect to watch Survivor on your cell phone anytime soon.


Asian Shares Track Wall Street Losses (Reuters) Reuters - Asian stocks slid on Monday on gloomy\U.S. jobs data, bleak earnings prospects at tech firms and high\oil prices, while the Australian dollar hit a six-month peak\after the coalition government was swept back to power.


Global Arms Sales Drop Again, Asia Biggest Market  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global arms sales fell for a third  consecutive year in 2003, dropping to \$25.6 billion from a peak  of \$41 billion in 2000, and Asia has overtaken the Middle East  as the biggest customer, according to a study released on  Monday.


Greek weightlifter stripped of medal for drugs Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis, Greece #39;s first medal winner at the Athens Olympics, was stripped of his bronze medal and excluded from the Games Sunday for a doping offense, another big blow for the host nation which is welcoming the homecoming


Oracle extends offer for PeopleSoft again Oracle yesterday extended its controversial bid for enterprise resource software provider PeopleSoft, while both companies await the final judge #39;s ruling in the Department of Justice (DoJ) anti-competition case.


Microsoft details XP SP2 conflicts Microsoft Corp. has published a list of nearly 50 applications and games that may not work correctly after installing Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP.


Dollar Steadies After Fall on Jobs (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. dollar steadied against the\yen and euro on Monday after suffering sharp losses on\weaker-than expected job growth figures that raised questions\about the need for further U.S. rate rises this year.


European Search Landscape - Search Engine Strategies Coverage European Search Landscape - Search Engine Strategies Coverage\\I was a bit late getting to the Search Engine Strategies conference, but I made it here for the second track. I decided to attend a new session named European Search Landscape. Here are my notes, please excuse any typos, this was done ...


Egyptian cooperation insufficient in rescue work: Israeli fire <b>...</b> Israel #39;s fire chief complained of insufficient cooperation from Egypt on Friday in rescue efforts at an Egyptian Red Sea resort hotel, torn apart by a bomb blast.


RocketInfo Partners with Canadian Press, Helps Nascar RocketInfo Partners with Canadian Press, Helps Nascar\\Rocketinfo Inc., news search engine announced yesterday that it has formed a key reseller alliance with the Canadian Press (CP), one of the top-rated multimedia news agencies in the world. CP plans to expand their media monitoring services by offering clients access to the ...


Nintendo Says 12 DS Games to Debut in Japan (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's Nintendo Co. Ltd. said on\Thursday it will make available 12 software titles for its new\"DS" handheld game console when the dual-screen machine debuts\in Japan on Dec. 2.


Napster Creator Unleashes New File Sharing Service Napster Creator Unleashes New File Sharing Service\


Ferdinand Returns, Helps United Beat Liverpool 2-1 (Update1) Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said Rio Ferdinand had a calming influence on the team during yesterday #39;s 2-1 victory over archrival Liverpool, the defender #39;s first match after a drug ban.


New Cabir Variants Quick To Replicate (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - F-Secure, the Finnish anti-virus software developer, has identified two new, fast-spreading versions of Cabir, the worm that infects cell phones using the Symbian operating system.


Tiny Ideas Coming of Age Nanotechnology is confronting the U.S. with a familiar problem - assessing claims of innovation that do not match up neatly with the way patent examiners are trained to categorize them.


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


Photos: Invasion of "Half-Life 2" Screen shots of the video game show tripods towering over crumbling cities.


Microsoft--license to deal You back my patent, I'll back yours. That could be the software giant's motto in its quest for intellectual property.


Briefly: HP to sell PathScale compilers roundup Plus: Open-source Web tools company nets VC funding...SAP spiffs up small business programs...Piracy crackdown yields \$2.2 million...Sun draws Nvidia graphics into Solaris.


Texas A M, Tenn. to Meet in Cotton Bowl (AP) AP - Texas A amp;M's great turnaround season continued Sunday as the Aggies earned a spot in the Cotton Bowl against Tennessee. And the Aggies have their top rival, Texas, to thank for it.


IBM Offers Companies Monthly Security Report Service IBM today introduced a security service that offers a concise, monthly global-network threat report designed to help organizations assess security needs and vulnerabilities from a business perspective.


Rallying from a slow start this season, Houston clinches the NL <b>...</b> Houston Astros players celebrate their NL wild-card-clinching win over the Colorado Rockies. The Astros finalized the playoff pairing by beating the Colorado Rockies 5-3 Sunday in Houston to edge the San Francisco Giants for a playoff berth.


Dracula's descendant sets Reg straight Letter Transylvania: the spine-tingling truth


Chen's Taiwan Poll Loss Seen Easing China Strains  TAIPEI (Reuters) - The pro-independence party of Taiwan  President Chen Shui-bian suffered a surprise defeat in weekend  legislative elections that could ease tensions with China but  paralyze government on the democratic island.


Federal Reserve Raises Key Interest Rate The Federal Reserve boosted a key short-term interest rate by one-quarter percentage point Wednesday, the fourth increase this year.


Quarterback Controversy Imperils a Successful Season for Dolphins The battle that has erupted in Miami between Jay Fiedler and A. J. Feeley is only the latest problem for a franchise that must wonder if the locusts are coming next.


Unilever and Colgate Warn of Slowdowns in Their Earnings The two companies do not operate in all the same markets, but Monday's warnings seemed to suggest that both were suffering from tougher competition in some areas.


Garcia Remon receives Perez #39;s vote of confidence Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said new coach Mariano Garcia Remon will be allowed time to make his presence felt and was under no pressure to obtain instant success.


Baghdad Suicide Bomb Attack Kills at Least 7 Iraqi authorities say a suicide car-bomb blast in central Baghdad killed at least seven Iraqis and wounded 19 other people Monday - the anniversary of Saddam Hussein #39;s capture by US forces.


Briefly: AOL kicks off free fantasy sports roundup Plus: HP partners with 3G gear maker...AMD starts shipping 90-nanometer chips...ABC.com to air on Real's SuperPass.


Marino and Young Head Hall of Fame Nomination List (Reuters) Reuters - Former All-Pro quarterbacks\Dan Marino and Steve Young, both first-year eligible\candidates, head a list of 89 former players, coaches, and\contributors who comprise a list of preliminary nominees for\enshrinement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2005.


Oil prices continue to rise WASHINGTON -- Oil prices bounded higher for the fourth day in a row yesterday, with further declines in US supply expected as petroleum producers disrupted by hurricane Ivan continue to regroup.


Michael Phelps Wins Second Gold Medal ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps, denied in his bid to win seven gold medals, picked up his second victory of the Athens Games by winning the 200-meter butterfly Tuesday night in Olympic-record time. Phelps fell just short of his own world record, holding off Takashi Yamamoto to win in 1 minute, 54.01 seconds...


Saudi Arabia To Boost Output as Oil Tops \$50 The Saudi announcement came after oil prices moved above the US\$50 per barrel mark. Oil analyst Deborah White at Societe General bank, said:  quot;The Saudi announcement is not a surprise.


Gators pour it on in opener GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Chris Leak threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns in the rain yesterday, leading No. 11 Florida to a 49-10 rout of Eastern Michigan in the Gators' delayed season opener. Ciatrick Fason rushed for 105 yards and two TDs, while DeShawn Wynn, O.J. Small, Dallas Baker, Billy Latsko, and Skyler Thornton all scored once for Florida. The ...


Qwest to Settle with SEC for \$250 Million  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Qwest Communications International  Inc. Q.N has agreed to pay \$250 million to settle financial  and disclosure fraud charges, a source familiar with the matter  said on Friday.


Group claims execution of Italian hostages in Iraq: website (AFP) AFP - A group calling itself the  quot;Jihad Organization quot; said it had  quot;slaughtered quot; two Italian female hostages in Iraq, in a statement posted on an Islamist website.


Will defense or offense win out? Last Saturday against Minuteman, the North Shore offense looked unstoppable in a 63-32 win. Meanwhile, the St. Mary's defense has held opponents under 15 points in 10 of 11 games.


6 turnovers stymie MSU in 31-24 loss to Irish Michigan State looked like a bunch of shamrocks in their green jerseys, pants and helmets, but it couldn #39;t take the luck of the Irish away from Notre Dame Saturday night in Spartan Stadium.


Mutu says sorry to Chelsea fans Adrian Mutu has issued an apology to fans at his former club Chelsea for testing positive for cocaine last month. The Romanian striker was sacked by Chelsea and handed a seven month ban by the English Football Association for failing the drug test.


This time, Bentley gives advance notice for playoffs Bentley coach Peter Yetten knows that increased success breeds increased expectations. Yetten's Falcons are returning to the NCAA Division 2 tournament one year after their first-round loss to eventual repeat national champion Grand Valley State. It being the program's first foray into postseason play, just being there was accomplishment enough.


Suit advances against investor in automaker Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian must face a DaimlerChrysler AG shareholder's claims that the businessman wrongfully sold shares in the automaker after obtaining insider information, a judge ruled.


McAfee launches managed e-mail service McAfee Inc. says that a new managed e-mail service will help small businesses handle the deluge of spam and viruses pounding their networks.


Update 12: Judge Won #39;t Block United Pension Plans A federal bankruptcy judge approved United Airlines #39; amended financing plan Friday, rejecting union arguments that United didn #39;t try hard enough to come up with an alternative that would continue company contributions to employee pension funds.


Masters organisers hold crisis meeting over withdrawals The organisers of European Masters Series tournaments will meet in Paris on Tuesday to discuss ways to curb the number of withdrawals by leading players from their events.


Start-up banks on Java hardware boost Hardware expected to begin selling next year is designed to make it faster and more efficient to run Java programs.


Fifth Windows XP  #39;Lite #39; Country is India Fast on the heels of its announcement that Russia would be the fourth of five countries in a pilot program of a low-cost, limited-functionality version of Windows XP, Microsoft named India as the fifth country.


Cyberonics Up, Andrew Down Before Bell  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Cyberonics Inc. CYBX.O  jumped 14 percent before the bell on Thursday after the medical  technology company said federal health regulators had given  conditional approval to a depression treatment.


Stocks Move Lower on Employment Report NEW YORK - Stocks were modestly lower in Friday as investors sorted through an uninspiring employment report and Intel Corp.'s weak profit outlook hit technology shares hard.    Investors were satisfied with - but not impressed by - the Labor Department's latest reading on unemployment, which fell to 5.4 percent from 5.5 percent in July, and the 144,000 jobs created in August was close to the 150,000 Wall Street had expected...


Elan Corp. Reports Widening 3Q Loss Elan Corp. PLC, Ireland #39;s largest pharmaceutical firm, reported widening third-quarter losses Thursday but predicted a return to profit in 2006.


Sudanese Cease-Fire Breaks After New Clashes Government helicopters and warplanes bombed the town of Tawila in North Darfur on Tuesday after rebel fighters attacked police stations there Monday, breaking a renewed


UN peacekeepers wounded in Haiti violence GONAIVES, Haiti - Two United Nations peacekeepers were wounded in shootouts with supporters of Haiti #39;s ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the capital and storm survivors in flood-ravaged Gonaives, officials said today.


Pass the baton of trust These are three innocent sprinters, sharing a baton and their medal hopes with Marion Jones, knowing she could take them all down with one horrific lie.


Britons die in Jordan bus crash At least six Britons are believed to have died in a crash in Jordan near the ancient city of Petra.


Teams unite to cut costs, except Motorsport.com. Nine of the ten Formula One teams have united to propose cost-cutting measures for the future, with the notable exception of Ferrari.


Soccer: Owen on track for crack at critics and Wales MANCHESTER, England : Michael Owen is confident of recovering from a back injury in time to line up for England against Wales in Saturday #39;s World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford.


Computer Associates Results Top View (Reuters) Reuters - Software maker Computer  Associates\International Ltd. , on Wednesday posted\better-than-expected quarterly results and said full-year\earnings will exceed Wall Street estimates, aided by\cost-cutting.


Croatia Presidential Race Goes Into Second Round  ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia's pro-Western President Stjepan  Mesic narrowly failed to win re-election on Sunday, paving the  way for a second round run-off against the candidate of the  ruling conservative government.


Cisco, Fujitsu Ally on Routers to Spur Asia Sales (Update1) Cisco Systems Inc., the world #39;s largest maker of computer-networking equipment, formed an alliance with Fujitsu Ltd. to increase sales to Japanese telephone carriers.


Wireless Industry Leaders Publish Open Specifications for Cellular <b>...</b> MILPITAS, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- Sept. 7, 2004 -- Kineto Wireless a Key Participant in Creation of Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) Specifications.


It's October and It's Time for Playoffs! (AP) AP - Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez are revved up. Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt are rarin' to go. Baseball fans are ready, too. The shadows are getting longer, the leaves are starting to turn and pumpkins are showing up. And that means just one thing: It's October, and it's playoff time!


Google shares top 100 on debut NEW YORK Despite voluble skepticism among investors, Google #39;s stock jumped about 18 percent to \$100.01 a share when it debuted Thursday on the Nasdaq stock market.


Resistant Israeli Settlers May Get Prison (AP) AP - Armed settlers who resist evacuation could face five years in prison under a law proposed Sunday before next year's planned removal of all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank.


Incendiary device found on Sydney jet SYDNEY - Australia promised swift action to plug gaps in its air security yesterday after an incendiary device was found on a jet operated by domestic airline Virgin Blue.


Epson Announces Advanced Model of the World #39;s Lightest Micro-Flying Robot TOKYO, Japan -- Seiko Epson Corporation ( quot;Epson quot;) has announced that it has successfully developed a lighter and more advanced successor to the FR, the world #39;s smallest and lightest micro-flying robot. Turning once again to its micromechatronics ...


Indonesian Police Have 10 Suspects in Embassy Bombing Case Indonesian police are investigating 10 suspects of possible involvement in last week #39;s bomb attack outside the Australian embassy in the capital Jakarta, National Police chief Da #39;i Bachtiar said.


Millar will not play second fiddle at first Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar , making an appearance at Modell's Sporting Goods at the Westgate Mall yesterday, said he told general manager Theo Epstein there isn't room for both him and Doug Mientkiewicz at first base.


EU chief seen as keen to push Oracle merger through The European Commission has confirmed that it wants to reach a decision on Oracle Corp. #39;s hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. before the end of October, prompting speculation that it will approve the merger.


School #39;s out for Sterne A first win on the European Tour is a notable feat in any golfer #39;s career - but the one by South African Richard Sterne in the Madrid Open deserves special mention.


Duma ratifies Kyoto protocol MOSCOW, October 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Russias State Duma has approved of a bill on the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.


EU #39;s  #39;big three #39; give Iran last chance Britain, France, and Germany to offer Iran nuclear technology if it ends uranium enrichment efforts. Agence France-Presse reports that Britain, France and Germany are  quot;ready to promise Iran nuclear technology


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


Microsoft Debuts Own Web Search Technology (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp. finally debuted its own Web search technology on Thursday, hoping to challenge Google Inc.'s long dominance of the field with results tailored to a user's location and answers from its Encarta encyclopedia.


AT amp;T Cuts More Jobs AT amp;T Corp. on Thursday said it is reducing one fifth of its workforce this year and will record a non-cash charge of approximately \$11.


Death toll rises to 10 in Quezon train mishap (10:50 am) PADRE BURGOS -- A speeding passenger train derailed and fell into a ravine in Quezon province, overturning several times and killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 118 others, officials said.


UPDATE 2-US pension agency chief warns of solvency risk The longer-term solvency of the US agency that insures pensions is at risk, threatened by troubled airlines and other companies failing to fund their retirement plans, the agency #39;s director said on Thursday.


Hewlett-Packard Buys Back \$1.3B in Stock Hewlett-Packard Co. Monday said it bought back \$1.3 billion in stock and announced a plan to buy back another \$3 billion in shares over the next several months.


Outsourcing CEOs Get Big Pay Hikes NEW YORK - US companies that outsourced the most jobs in 2003 also offered well-above average pay increases to their chief executives, according to a new study released this morning.


Howard Schmidt to lead U.S. CERT Howard Schmidt, chief security officer at eBay and a former White House cybersecurity adviser, has been named chairman of the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.


25 dead in India rail accident NEW DELHI - At least 25 people are feared killed and more than 50 hurt after two Indian Railway trains collided head-on in the Hoshiarpur District of Punjab State about 350 kilometers north of New Delhi on Tuesday.


Iran delivers  #39;strategic missile #39; TEHERAN - Iran added one more missile to its military arsenal and the defence minister said on Saturday his country was ready to confront any external threat.


Court to rule on Milosevic plea Judges at the war crimes trial of the ex-Yugoslav leader may issue subpoenas to defence witnesses unwilling to testify.


More British jobs to be outsourced to India LONDON: British insurance major Royal  amp; Sun Alliance (RSA) has announced that it would shift as many as 1,100 jobs from Britain to India in the next two years.


Yahoo buys e-mail search company Yahoo Inc., one of the largest online based companies said, it has bought out privately held e-mail search firm - Stata Labs. This is Yahoo #39;s move to compete against Microsoft and Google with their e-mail search functionalities.


Knicks Top 76ers Day After Helm Resigns (AP) AP - Lenny Wilkens gained some job security despite coaching without a hand-picked assistant for the first time in his career as the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 96-88 Tuesday night.


Expos' Preparations Thrown a Curve (AP) AP - Some fans who had not heard the news showed up at a downtown restaurant Wednesday expecting to witness the unveiling of the Washington Nationals uniforms.


Monaco 2-0 Deportivo La Corua: FT Report MONTE CARLO, September 28 (Champions League) - It may not have been as emphatic as last year #39;s victory against the same opposition but Monaco pulled off another famous win at the expense of Deportivo La Coruna in a Champions League Group A match on


Close-ups of Saturn moon received The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft #39;s flyby of Titan, the largest Saturnian moon, provided scientists Tuesday with ringside seats to view the solar system #39;s


Cambodia, US to take first steps towards FTA: commerce minister (AFP) AFP - Cambodia and the United States have agreed to start negotiations that could lead to a free trade agreement after US elections this year, Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh said.


The  #39;basketbrawl #39; in Detroit We #39;re all taught in elementary school a universal principle:  quot;Two wrongs don #39;t make a right. quot;. What happened in the NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers is a perfect example of how true that principle is.


Russia Criticizes West Over Chechen Asylum Russia #39;s foreign minister criticized Western countries for granting asylum to Chechen separatists, who Moscow blames from last week #39;s bloody school hostage taking, saying the practice


Blair unveils a 10-point policy plan as he sets out vision for <b>...</b> Tony Blair pledged to create an  quot;opportunity society quot; in which everyone had  quot;an equal chance to succeed quot; yesterday as he outlined the policies he would introduce if Labour wins an historic third term in power.


Indian tech grads bring parents to work Offshore software development outfit woos potential workers in India by courting their parents. Can "arranged careers" work?


Serena flies to Austria in desperate search for points Desperate to salvage a major title from a disappointing 2004, Serena Williams has flown to Austria to earn points for the end-of-season WTA Championships.


Seoul Stocks Under Pressure, HK Firmer (Reuters) Reuters - Seoul shares were under pressure\early on Monday as a strong currency fueled worries about\export earnings but Hong Kong and Singapore stocks were\slightly firmer in light post-holiday trade.


Guite says he never checked if ad firms fulfilled sponsorship contracts (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The former head of the federal sponsorship program says he never checked to ensure ad agencies were fulfilling their contract terms and weren't overbilling the government.


Europeans welcome qualified yes for Turkey talks to join EU Supporters found plenty of reasons to cheer the European Unions recommendation of yesterday for talks to begin on making Muslim-majority Turkey a member.


Sox Fan's Death Raises Questions on Force (AP) AP - The death of a college student from a pepper-spray-filled projectile sparked anger and questions Friday about whether police used too much force to break up rowdy Red Sox revelers outside Fenway Park.


A fitting finish for Lions Winning close games is an art form -- a nebulous blend of luck, talent, timing, and intangibles. But Chelmsford has it down to a science.


Wil Wheaton to speak at Macworld Expo SF (MacCentral) MacCentral - IDG World Expo on Tuesday announced that actor, author and self-described geek Wil Wheaton will deliver "a special feature presentation" entitled "Just a Geek" at the upcoming Macworld Conference  amp; Expo in San Francisco, Calif. Macworld Expo takes place at the Moscone Center from January 10 - 14, 2005, and Wheaton's presentation will take place on January 13 at 9:30 AM. There will be a book signing after his presentation.


Win, lose Oscar is no gamble LAS VEGAS -- There is another reason 1992 Olympic champion Oscar De La Hoya is so appropriately called The Golden Boy.


Russia Reassures India on UN Security Council Bid (Reuters) Reuters - Russia said Saturday India should\become a veto-wielding permanent member of the United Nations\Security Council if the U.N.'s top decision-making body is\enlarged to reflect post-Cold War realities.


Race-hate attack fuels fear of Beslan backlash Fears that the Beslan school massacre will lead to attacks against people from the Caucasus mounted yesterday after skinheads beat four people  quot;of Caucasian appearance quot; on the underground railway system in Moscow.


Netgear, Vonage gear up for VoIP over Wi-Fi The companies team up to develop broadband telephony products due in time for the holidays, sources familiar with deal say.


Audubon: Habitat Losses Lower Bird Count The feathered creatures winging across North America have an obvious gift that land-bound humans lack, but their survival is threatened by earthly concerns.


Owen is closer to England go-ahead England striker Michael Owen took part in a full training session on Thursday, but keeper David James missed out as they prepared to face Wales.


Jazeera: Iraq Militants Kill Two Macedonia Hostages A militant group in Iraq said it had killed two Macedonian hostages it accused of spying for the United States, Arabic television Al Jazeera reported Monday.


DNA fingerprinting no longer foolproof #39; Sep 09 - The genetic profiles held by police for criminal investigations are not sophisticated enough to prevent false identifications, according to the father of DNA finger printing.


OPEC Blames Rising Oil Prices on Unrest  quot;There must be a significant reduction in geopolitical tensions quot; in order for oil prices to stabilize, says OPEC President Purnomo Yusgiantoro.


Baghdad and Kabul approved for WTO talks The World Trade Organisation gave approval on Monday for Iraq and Afghanistan to begin negotiations to join the 148-member body - but the US again blocked the opening of accession talks with Iran.


EMC holds its breath With just six business days remaining in the current calendar quarter, it's easy to spot the investors holding lots of technology stocks. They're the ones holding their breath.


Singh has a few more goals Vijay Singh #39;s next milestone on his record rise atop the PGA Tour #39;s money list should be as easy to reach as loose change under the sofa cushions.


Kyoto Protocol not enough to stop warming: scientists REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - Canadian scientists at an international symposium on climate change say a new report shows the Kyoto Protocol agreement on limiting fossil fuel emissions is not enough to slow the potentially disastrous warming of the planet.


Cambodia PM Urges Swift Succession if King Retires  PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen,  concerned for his country's political stability, said on Sunday  that a new monarch should be chosen next week if King Norodom  Sihanouk was determined to retire.


EMC picks up maker of backup tools This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Sri Lanka protestors place body outside embassy of peace broker (AFP) AFP - Hundreds of Sri Lankan protestors carried the body of a slain political activist to the Norwegian embassy in a noisy protest against Norway's role in brokering peace with Tamil Tiger rebels, witnesses said.


Corruption is rampant in 60 countries, and the public sector is <b>...</b> London, 20 October 2004 --- Corruption in large-scale public projects is a daunting obstacle to sustainable development, and results in a major loss of public funds needed for education, healthcare and poverty alleviation, both in developed and


Israel Expands Offensive in Gaza Strip JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - More troops poured into the Gaza Strip on Saturday as Israel expanded its offensive to counter Palestinian rocket fire, one of the largest incursions in four years of fighting. Seven Palestinians were killed in new clashes, including four who cut through Gaza's border fence...


NASA sets Swift launch for Saturday Swift #39;s new launch date is Saturday, if NASA, Boeing and the Air Force can replace and test components of the rocket in time. The gamma-ray observatory #39;s


British Airways profits soar British Airways today reported further progress in its recovery as it made a half-year pre-tax profit of 335m, but said higher fuel costs remained a concern.


XBox, EA to Stage Interactive World Cup Microsoft Corp.'s XBox video game system will team up with software maker Electronic Arts Inc. to stage an online Interactive World Cup tournament later this year, the companies announced Thursday.


Microsoft delays access control technology for two years Microsoft Monday again revised its Windows server roadmap, this time delaying for nearly two years the release of features for controlling network access - in part to implement a new plan to develop the technology in unison with similar technology from


Cubs-Marlins to Play Two Doubleheaders (AP) AP - The Chicago Cubs and Florida Marlins will play two doubleheaders to make up the three-game series that was wiped out last weekend in Miami by Hurricane Frances.


NotifyLink Supports palmOne #39;s New Treo 650 Smartphone for Novell <b>...</b> SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Notify Technology Corporation (BULLETIN BOARD: NTFY) , today announced that its NotifyLink Enterprise Mobility Solution for Novell GroupWise has been enhanced


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


GE to Buy SPX #39;s Fire-Detection Unit for \$1.4 Billion (Update2) General Electric Co. agreed to buy SPX Corp. #39;s Edwards Systems Technology business for about \$1.4 billion in cash to add fire detection and building safety systems to its three-year-old security systems unit.


LG Wins DMB Satellite Handset Race LG Electronics has unveiled the worlds first terrestrial digital broadcasting cell phone this week. The Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) handset will allow people to receive satellite broadcasts to watch consumer programs.


Royals Rally to Defeat Mariners 3-2 (AP) AP - John Buck hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.


US inflation falls for first time in 2004 US inflation fell by 0.1 per cent in July -- the first decline since late last year -- on a drop in gasoline prices, the US Department of Labour said yesterday in a report that suggests underlying price pressures in the world #39;s biggest ...


Waste management firms BFI Canada, IESI announce \$1.1 billion <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - BFI Canada Income Fund and IESI Corp. of Fort Worth, Tex., say they have agreed to a \$1.1-billion merger that will give IESI shareholders a 39 per cent stake in one of North America #39;s largest non-hazardous solid waste management companies.


Area's Palestinians Mourn Loss of a Symbol Despite Arafat's flaws, area residents say the leader represented struggle of the state.


Democrat Elected as Powerful Belgrade Mayor  BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia's pro-reform Democratic Party  candidate won the powerful post of Belgrade mayor in the runoff  vote on Sunday, beating an ultra-nationalist rival, according  to a preliminary result by independent monitors.


STK Grabs Storage Management Vendor Tape storage king StorageTek puts new pressure on the storage-management market with an acquisition. By Martin J. Garvey. Storage Technology Corp.


Legacy is lesson on fighting terrorism If Yasser Arafat had died at birth, a Palestinian state would today likely be living side by side with a Jewish state, in peace. The Palestinian state would be called Jordan, which claimed and governed the


US men graceful in sweep of 400 In just under 45 seconds, three largely unknown Americans brought respect back to the United States in the 400 meters, dominating exactly as expected.


Law: Rooney Can Take My Crown Manchester United legend Denis Law has tipped Wayne Rooney to obliterate his Old Trafford scoring records. Law was the ultimate United marksman and is still widely acclaimed as The King for his amazing goalscoring feats.


Approved Stem Cells #39; Potential Questioned All of the human embryonic stem cells available to federally funded scientists under President Bush #39;s three-year-old research policy share a previously unrecognized trait that fosters rejection


Artful Software Spots Faked Masterpieces The method could also be used to determine if more than one hand was involved in creating the work, something physical forensic science has never been able to do.


Brees kept offense cool If ever there were a time for the Chargers offense to panic, this was it. In fact, it seemed as if the group already was a bit unnerved.


Stocks Seen Lower After Greenspan  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks looked to open lower on  Thursday, a day after comments from Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan  did little to inspire investors and after Texas Instruments  Inc. gave a mixed business forecast.


Amazon offers discount to A9 search users Amazon Inc., a popular online retailer, extended its reach on the Internet by introducing its search engine on Tuesday. The search engine was launched earlier this week and is the first project from Amazon #39;s


Tokyo stocks finish lower, US dollar slides against euro, yen? <b>...</b> Tokyo stocks finished lower Monday as investors took profits from recent gains. The US dollar fell to an all-time low against the euro and a seven-month low against the Japanese yen amid worries about the US current account and budget deficits.


Afghan President Condemns Violence Against Aid Workers Afghan President Hamid Karzai has expressed concern about violence against aid agencies in the country. The president #39;s office said Thursday non-governmental organizations have provided invaluable services


ABB won #39;t close Guelph transformer plant ABB Inc. has reversed a decision to close its transformer plant in Guelph, Ont., saving 300 jobs, the union representing the workers said today.


Calif. Democrats File FCC Complaint (AP) AP - A gift of free air time to GOP candidates from a Fresno-area broadcaster drew challenges on several fronts Thursday, as Democrats tried to stop the ads from running in key areas before Tuesday's election.


Canon PowerShot A95 The PowerShot  quot;A quot; series from Canon has been a hit worldwide and as far as India is concerned, the entry-level and mainstream models are all well placed to attract lot of attention.


Adobe Ships New Version Of Photoshop Elements Adobe Systems Inc. on Wednesday released an upgrade of its consumer-focused photo-editing software, which has been enhanced with new features for improving photo quality.


Bombardier CEO Quits, Shares Plunge  MONTREAL (Reuters) - Paul Tellier stepped down as president  and chief executive of Bombardier Inc. BBDsvb.TO BBDb.TO,  sending the train and plane maker's shares down as much as 26  percent to a 10-year low on Monday.


Sharon Says Iran Doing All to Get Nuclear Weapons (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\accused arch-foe Iran Monday of doing everything it could to\obtain nuclear weapons.


Cingular Completes Acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless (PC World) PC World - Cingular becomes the nation's largest wireless carrier.


Rumsfeld Says US Faces Test of Wills in Iraq Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday the United States and its allies were locked in a test of wills with insurgents in Iraq and must overcome the  quot;pain and ugliness quot; of the conflict.


Businesses keep Q3 PC growth on track PC shipments have started to ease off, as expected, but the worldwide PC market remained fairly strong in the third quarter, according to research from IDC and Gartner Inc. released Monday.


GERMAN COURTS: NY-based rights group pushes war crimes probe An American civil rights group filed a criminal complaint in Germany on Tuesday alleging Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and other US officials condoned torture and human rights violations at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.


GIs Occupy Fallujah but Fighting Continues (AP) AP - U.S. military officials said Saturday that American troops had now "occupied" the entire city of Fallujah and there were no more major concentrations of insurgents still fighting after nearly a week of intense urban combat.


Convention Timing Gives Bush Money Edge (AP) AP - John Kerry cut his campaign spending sharply last month in an effort to stretch  #36;75 million in government funding, but he still started September with several million less than President Bush.


Blue Hills playoff bound The crowd went crazy. The announcer screamed through a megaphone because of problems with the public address system. With 1 minute and 35 seconds left in the game, the scoreboard read Blue Hills 8, Bristol-Plymouth 8 after an apparent B-P 2-point conversion; the game appeared headed to overtime last night.


Hurricanes Hit Office Depot Profit (Reuters) Reuters - Office Depot Inc.  on Tuesday\warned of weaker-than-expected full-year profit because of the\string of hurricanes in Florida and poor sales across North\America and Europe, sending its stock down nearly 8 percent.


Judge leaves Black as Hollinger chief A judge overseeing the battle for control of Hollinger Inc. has allowed Conrad Black to remain atop the company, even after Black acknowledged that a \$1.


United to call on youngsters Manchester United are set to name a second string side to face Fenerbahce in the Champions League. United have already sealed their path into the knockout stages of the competition and manager Sir Alex Ferguson


Iraqi Troops Raid Baghdad Mosque, 17 Detained Hundreds of Iraqi troops backed by US forces stormed a Sunni Muslim mosque in Baghdad after Friday prayers, killing four people and wounding at least nine, witnesses and an influential group of Sunni clerics said.


Northwestern Notebook There may have been more to Kyle Orton #39;s departure from Saturday #39;s game at Northwestern than just a left hip flexor. Listen to Purdue head coach Joe Tiller, and it sounds as if Orton #39;s physical


Your Old Inkjet Printer Could Aid Burn Victims (PC World) PC World - Medical research team believes units could be modified to 'print' new skin.


Yao: China not ready to learn from NBA Houston Rockets #39; center Yao Ming gave no push to the development of the Chinese basketball though the NBA could be one of the best textbooks for China.


Aerospace giants hope to build next craft Boeing NASA Systems of Houston will team with another aerospace giant to bid on building the successor to the space shuttle, a spacecraft that would take explorers to the moon and Mars, officials from the two companies announced Tuesday.


Canas, Lopez advance to CA Trophy final Guillermo Canas of Argentina will play Feliciano Lopez of Spain in the final of the CA Trophy after straight sets victories Saturday.


This is a job for Batman! p2pnet.net OT News:- It was  #39;unbelievably easy #39; to breech security quot; and,  quot;.. it #39;s easier to get onto the Queen #39;s balcony than see my own children quot;.


Does new Peoplesoft CEO signal a buyout? The ouster of Craig Conway and the return of Dave Duffield could be a prelude to PeopleSoft accepting Oracle's offer.


Bernie:  #39;I am not the guilty one #39; In the ongoing Silverstone-dispute, Bernie Ecclestone says Sir Jackie Stewart and the British Racing Drivers #39; Club is to blame for Silverstone #39;s axing, not him.


Schwarzenegger Barnstorms Japan During Four-Day Trade Mission Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is hoping his international star power in one of the state #39;s most important foreign markets will help bring new business opportunity to California.


Time Warner Profit Falls on Legal Reserve Time Warner Inc. (TWX) on Wednesday posted an 8 percent drop in quarterly net profit as it set up a \$500 million legal reserve related to accounting probes at its America


Colgate to slash 10pc of workforce Colgate-Palmolive, the toothpaste-to-bleach consumer goods giant, is cutting more than one in 10 of its workforce across the world.


Gulf War Syndrome Acknowledgment Urged LONDON - A new report on Gulf War illness urges the British government to acknowledge that Gulf War syndrome is real and calls for compensation for veterans who became ill following service in the 1991 conflict.


Nets 109, Hawks 88 Eric Williams scored 21 points and the New Jersey Nets shot a season-high 54.4 percent from the field in a 109-88 win over Atlanta on Saturday night, the Hawks #39; ninth straight loss.


Report: Delta pullout to cost North Texas North Texas and DFW International Airport will lose \$782 million annually when Delta Air Lines pulls out of the airport next year, economists say.


No Deal on Ending Baghdad Clashes-Senior Sadr Aide  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The chief spokesman for rebel Iraqi  cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Wednesday no deal had been  agreed with Iraq's government to end fighting in Baghdad's  Shi'ite slum district of Sadr City.


I was abysmal: Keane (AFP) AFP - Manchester United skipper Roy Keane has described his performance in the 2-2 Champions League draw with Lyon in midweek as 'abysmal'.


Offensive balance eludes Cats Even-mannered and analytical possibly to a fault, the word just fits Bill Snyder. It #39;s more than just Snyder #39;s goal for the Kansas State offense.


Indonesia indicts Ba #39;asyir with Bali, Marriott bombings Indonesian Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba #39;asyir Thursday was accused of having incited others to carry out last year #39;s Jakarta Marriott Hotel bombing that killed 12 people.


Manninger faces six months out with injured shoulder Austrian goalkeeper Alex Manninger could be out for the rest of the season after dislocating his shoulder at the end of his team #39;s 3-3 draw with Northern Ireland in their World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.


Singh Wins 84 Classic, Breaks Woods #39; Record FARMINGTON, Pa. -- Vijay Singh held off Stewart Cink #39;s fast finish to win the 84 Lumber Classic by one shot Sunday and break Tiger Woods #39; one-year PGA Tour money record.


Security researchers say JPEG virus imminent Trojan horse that exploits flaw in how Windows handles JPEG images may be low risk, but it's a bad omen.


Tennis Replay System Not Coming Anytime Soon While all the buzz at the rainy US Open is about the need for instant replay, don #39;t hold your breath. Replay won #39;t be coming to an umpire chair near you anytime soon.


RAPE SHAME OF THE BOUNTY ISLAND CHIEFS THE mayor of remote Pitcairn and his son were among five men convicted yesterday of raping and sexually assaulting young girls over 40 years.


ADV: Protect Your Family After Your Death Get up to \$1 Million in life insurance with inexpensive rates. Highly advanced life insurance system. Get covered in 10 minutes. Manage your insurance online. No doctor visit needed.


Smallest  #39;Earth-like #39; planet seen European scientists have discovered what they describe as the smallest Earth-like planet orbiting a star outside our Solar System.


More Australia child porn arrests Australian police make more arrests in a child pornography crackdown, as the first people charged appear in court.


What #39;s in the Box? Radio Tags Know That, and More BM plans to announce today that it will invest \$250 million over the next five years and employ 1,000 people in a new business unit to support products and services related to sensor networks.


Investment curbs working, Beijing says BEIJING China #39;s efforts to slow the economy by curbing investments in industries such as steel and cement are working, a senior official said Sunday, suggesting that further tightening measures such as an interest rate increase may be unnecessary.


Microsoft contests patent infringement decision An appeals court should throw out a \$500m (260m) patent infringement judgement against Microsoft because a lower court failed to recognise that the patent was not invented by the company awarded the money, a Microsoft lawyer claimed yesterday.


State of emergency declared in Iraq as police officers massacred BAGHDAD, Nov 7 (AFP) - Prime Minister Iyad Allawi on Sunday declared a state of emergency in Iraq to combat spiralling violence as 21 police officers were shot dead execution-style in a dawn ambush on their stations.


Dollar Hits Multi-Month Lows Vs Euro, Yen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar hit eight-month lows against  the euro and six-month troughs versus the yen on Monday on  continued worries about the U.S. economy and the yawning trade  deficit, and traders say it could fall even further.   Dealers  said the dollar's outlook against the Japanese currency had  worsened because it dropped below the closely watched 107 yen  level -- the lower end of the five-yen range in which it had  moved for the past five months.


Australian PM Howard Celebrates Fourth Poll Win Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a key US ally and supporter of the Iraq war, celebrated on Sunday his election win over opposition Labor after voters enjoying the fruits of a strong economy gave him another term.


Underwater Archaeologists Dig for History (AP) AP - Instead of wearing khakis, students this summer at Croton Point Park donned wet suits and scuba gear as they dug up discoveries beyond the reach of landlocked archaeologists.


Google Introduces Google SMS Continuing their (exponential?) company growth, Google has introduced another service, this time, aimed at the mobile phone generation.


Red Hat to Buy Netscape Server Programs Red Hat Inc. announced Thursday that it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with America Online Inc. to acquire its Netscape Security Solutions software assets.


Lend Lease, Stockland, GPT under trade halts Some of Australia #39;s biggest property interests have placed their shares under a trading halt amid speculation of further major consolidation in the sector.


Packers don #39;t get mad, they just hope to get even Nobody in the Green Bay Packers #39; locker room had anything nasty to say about the Eagles. They didn #39;t say anything about the fact that with the score 44-3 late in the fourth quarter yesterday, Donovan McNabb


Bush laments loss of life in Iraq US President George Bush pays tribute to US soldiers killed in Iraq as the death toll tops 1,000.


Wi-Fi Alliance to Announce Interim Multimedia Spec Next week, the Wi-Fi Alliance will release Wi-Fi Multimedia, or WMM, an interim standard that will provide early quality-of-service functionality for multimedia equipment based on the emerging 802.


RealNetworks Tries to Core Apple RealNetworks launched round two in its heavyweight digital music match against Apple Computer, slashing the cost of its music downloads to take business away from Apple's iTunes download service. -washingtonpost.com


Bangalore thrives, chokes on outsourcing flood (Reuters) Reuters - When narrow colonial-era streets get jammed with evening traffic in India's technology capital, the radio disc jockey on car stereos turns agony aunt.


Boeing thanks Airbus for the flattery The Boeing Co. is welcoming a decision by its European rival to build a plane that can compete with the Chicago company #39;s 7E7.


Jordan comeback?  #39;Wishful thinking #39; MIAMI - Michael Jordan won #39;t be joining the Miami Heat or any other NBA team this season, according to Estee Portnoy, his Washington, DC-based spokeswoman.


Time Warner pays up Agrees to \$210M Justice Dept. deal and proposes paying an additional \$300M to end SEC probe. BY HARRY BERKOWITZ. Seeking to remove a cloud that has lingered over Time Warner for years, the media giant said yesterday


Technology ; Mozilla #39;s Firefox renews browser war Technology News, A new front has been opened in the long-dormant browser war, with an open-source program called Firefox aiming to challenge Microsoft #39;s dominant Internet Explorer.


Duke Study on Chemicals to Use Tiny Worms (AP) AP - _ Tiny worms are taking the place of laboratory rats and mice for a Duke University scientist studying the effect of chemicals on the body.


Israeli Forces Seize Control of Parts of North Gaza  GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli forces seized control of parts of  the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, a day after soldiers  killed 14 Hamas fighters in the deadliest strike against the  leading Palestinian militant group.


Online Shopping Increases, Malls And Stores Report OK Sales Minneapolis (WCCO) Were you part of the shopping opener this weekend? Malls and department stores report sales were not spectacular.


Shorthanded Juve Top Messina Despite a striker crisis, Juventus inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on impressive risers Messina by a 2-1 tally. Marcelo Zalayeta and Pavel Nedved grabbed goals on either side of the break to lead Il Bianconeri.


London opens with gains on bid flurry London equities opened in positive territory on Thursday as a raft of bid news helped lift sentiment on the market. The FTSE 100 started trade up 0.3 per cent at 4,740.1 and the mid-cap FTSE 250 stayed flat at 6,755.7.


Naughty, nice are irrelevant if Santa can #39;t find any iPods You could spend all weekend exploring retail stores in Wichita, and you still probably won #39;t find it. The Dora the Explorer talking dollhouse is sold out.


Ailing McDonald #39;s CEO resigs McDonald #39;s Corp. CEO Charlie Bell, who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in May, resigned Monday to focus on his battle with the disease, the company announced.


Karmazin named CEO at Sirius A month after signing Stern to a five-year deal, Manhattan-based Sirius said yesterday its new chief executive is Mel Karmazin, the former head of media conglomerate Viacom who was successful


Makers battle for next generation The next generation of passenger jets from the world #39;s biggest airplane manufacturers will soon be coming off the production line.


British National Party Leader Arrested On Suspicion Of Racial <b>...</b> HBN, LONDON, England, Weds. Dec. 15: Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, joined 11 other party members yesterday to be arrested on suspicion of incitement to commit racial hatred.


Jailed Palestinian to Run for President (AP) AP - Marwan Barghouti, a leader of the Palestinian uprising jailed by Israel but perhaps the strongest candidate to oust Yasser Arafat's old guard of politicians, plans to run in upcoming presidential elections, a person close to Barghouti said Saturday.


IBM reported to put its PC business up for sale San Francisco, December 4: IBM is reportedly in talks to sell its personal computer business in a deal that could be worth up to \$2 billion and would cap a gradual withdrawal from the business it helped to pioneer in 1981.


CA shareholders back management over bonuses issue Shareholders yesterday rejected a proposal requesting that Computer Associates' board adopt a policy of revoking executive bonuses paid based on financial results that are later revised.


Greek Weightlifter Stripped of Olympic Medal, Ejected From Athens <b>...</b> The International Olympic Committee has stripped a Greek weightlifter of his bronze medal and expelled him from the Athens Games for a doping offense.


In The Service: EDS Gets Intranet Project Back On Track EDS #39;s effort to build the Navy and Marine Corps Intranet has been plagued by problems ever since the services vendor won the original \$6.


IBM readying tools for SMB IBM on Wednesday announced the pre-release of several tools for SMBs (small and midsize businesses) designed to speed development of solutions built on IBM middleware.


Lots of eyes on Disney trial The courtroom drama of shareholders vs. Disney #39;s battling Mikes - Michael Ovitz and Michael Eisner -as become a can #39;t-miss reality show for entertainment industry executives.


'Virtual Girlfriend' Demands Gifts HONG KONG - She needs to be coddled with sweet talk and pampered with gifts, but you'll never see her in the flesh. A Hong Kong company has developed a "virtual girlfriend" for new cell phones with video capability...


Yahoo Unveils Mobile Search, Google Rivalry Rages
\

 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Internet media company Yahoo Inc.\<YHOO.O> on Wednesday launched its Web search service aimed at\mobile phone users in the United States, opening a new front in\its rivalry with Internet search leader Google Inc. <GOOG.O>


What alZarqawi knows Its often been said in recent weeks that you cant negotiate with terrorists. Morally thats right: in the case of the Jordanian Abu Muab alZarqawi and his Tawhid  amp; Jihad interlopersgroup, the statement is also fact.


Scientists Find Arctic Warming Quickly WASHINGTON - Scientists say changes in the earth #39;s climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced by widespread melting of glaciers, thinning sea ice and rising permafrost temperatures.


Mussina has no margin for error against Twins lefty Santana It seems the Yankees have the Mets to thank for the big, overhand left thats coming head-on at them tonight in Game 1 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium.


Yahoo! Storage Now 250 MB In an attempt to retain its free e-mail account users and keep its competitors, Google and Microsoft on their feet Yahoo will be increasing the storage size for free e-mail accounts to 250 MB.


New Vaginal Gel May Protect Women From HIV By LAURAN NEERGAARD    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A chemical specially designed to thwart how the AIDS virus invades during sex offers scientists a new lead in the long quest for a vaginal gel that women could apply to protect themselves when men don't use a condom.    The experimental drug isn't ready for human testing yet, but it provided potent protection to female monkeys exposed to large amounts of an AIDS virus, researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science...


US consumer confidence falls as election race goes to the wire WASHINGTON - Americans are becoming increasingly glum about their economic prospects, as uncertainty over the outcome of the neck-and-neck presidential race grows.


Payton finding his place Gary  quot;The Mentor quot; Payton made his presence felt yesterday at Patrick Gymnasium. He clapped to offer encouragement. He pulled Marcus Banks aside for pointers. He talked about his favorite role, as team leader. By force of physical fitness and personality, Payton dominated the first day of Celtics training camp on the court and in conversation.


Vols See Tough Road After Florida Stunner (AP) AP - Here's a way to spoil the celebration for No. 11 Tennessee after beating Florida: check out the Volunteers' remaining schedule and recent history.


Yanks' Giambi Gets Groin Strain Treatment (AP) AP - Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi is getting treatment for a strained left groin and might resume running outdoors next week.


US soldier Jenkins found guilty of desertion Japanese wife, Hitomi Soga, resolving a diplomatic headache for Japan and its close ally, the United States. Japan has asked for leniency out of sympathy for Jenkins wife.


Survey: Net File-Sharing Doesn't Hurt Most Artists Most musicians and artists say the Internet has helped them make more money from their work\despite online file-trading services that allow users to copy songs and other material for free, according to a study released on Sunday.


AOL 9.0 Packs Antivirus Protection Citing the urgent need to protect its users from online threats, America Online will begin bundling antivirus software from McAfee with the latest version of its software, AOL 9.0, according to a statement from the company.


Danvers finally breaks through Danvers quarterback Chris Small and senior Ned Grady have been playing football together since they were children.


OECD expects robust 3.6 percent growth Higher oil prices have slowed economic growth in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, but it should expand by 3.6 percent this year.


Suicide bomber hits Kabul street At least six people including two peacekeepers are hurt in a blast in a popular Kabul shopping area.


Tech groups push for R D credit, Internet tax ban  Technology lobbying groups are stepping up their push for lawmakers to pass several pieces of legislation.


UN Marks Anniversary of Bombing of Baghdad Mission The United Nations is marking the first anniversary of the bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad that killed 22 people, including the world body #39;s top envoy to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello.


Clemens to Miss Start With Virus (AP) AP - Roger Clemens was scratched from Houston's critical regular-season finale against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday after coming down with a stomach virus, missing a chance to help the Astros clinch the NL's wild-card spot.


Health Management Cuts 4Q Outlook Health Management Associates Inc., which operates acute care hospitals in rural areas, lowered profit guidance Friday for the fourth-quarter and fiscal year, citing outages and service disruptions related to Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne.


FDA Approves Use of Microchip Implants in Humans By DIEDTRA HENDERSON    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors, speeding care.    VeriChips, radio frequency microchips the size of a grain of rice, have already been used to identify wayward pets and livestock...


New York averts sweep by Twins Gary Sheffield homered twice and keyed a four-run rally in the ninth inning last night, sending the New York Yankees to a seesaw 13-10 win over the Minnesota Twins at Minneapolis.


IBM chalks up two health care wins The deals with a university medical center and a California health care provider come two weeks after a win with the Mayo Clinic.


Iraq Abductors Vow to Free U.S. Journalist (AP) AP - A top aide to firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who appealed to kidnappers to free a Western journalist, said Friday they had promised to release him. The pan-Arab television station Al-Jazeera reported Thursday that a militant group calling itself the Martyrs Brigade had abducted New York journalist Micah Garen and threatened to kill him within 48 hours unless U.S. pulled out of the wear-shattered city of Najaf.


\$1 million bail for spammer LEESBURG, VA. -- Bail was set at \$1 million for a Raleigh man awaiting sentencing in the nation #39;s first felony prosecution of illegal distribution of spam.


Israeli Army Raid Into Gaza Kills 5 Palestinians Israeli tanks and troops raided southern Gaza on Friday in response to increasing Palestinian mortar attacks, killing at least five Palestinians and prompting hundreds to flee their homes, witnesses and medics said.


Blu-ray Disc Association Launches Today, more than 70 companies from the consumer electronics, information technology, media and software industries held the first official meeting of the Blu-ray Disc Association.


Unions  #39;close to BA deal #39; Union negotiators today claimed they were close to agreeing a pay deal with British Airways to avoid a bank holiday strike and the resulting travel chaos.


Poor nations pledge to reform UN DURBAN, South Africa (Reuters) - Developing countries have pledged to band together to force the West to help tackle their problems, ranging from poverty to reform of the United Nations.


Giants Beat Astros to Keep Wild Card Lead Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants can reach the playoffs two ways. They certainly boosted both chances Tuesday night...


Oil falls \$1-a-barrel as gasoline prices slide Oil prices fell more than \$1 to just over \$44 a barrel Wednesday, dragged down by heavy losses in US gasoline futures after summer driving demand failed to meet expectations.


Norilsk support for Harmony not that irrevocable Johannesburg - Norilsk Nickel included escape clauses in its pact to support Harmony #39;s takeover bid for Gold Fields, according to the agreement.


'Zippy' chipper despite loss A couple of the somebodies around here are going to walk away from Flushing Meadow with a million bucks apiece in their petty cash stash. You can call them champ.


Australia training its spies in Middle East: espionage chief (AFP) AFP - Australia is sending its domestic intelligence agents to the Middle East for specialist training as part of a major effort to boost the fight against terrorism, the head of the country's main spy agency said.


Restatement Decision Deferred The Securities and Exchange Commission is months away from deciding whether Washington mortgage giant Fannie Mae will need to restate its earnings in the aftermath of a sharply critical report on its accounting practices, according to government and company officials.


Bad Sex For the past 12 years, the Literary Review has held an annual Bad Sex competition aimed at exposing "the crude, tasteless, often perfunctory use of redundant passages of sexual description in the modern novel, and to discourage it".   This year's winner, drawn from a shortlist that included Will Self, Andre Brink and Nadeem Aslam, was veteran journalist and author Tom Wolfe.


Gates touts software 'magic' to cut complexity Microsoft Chief Software Architect Bill Gates said the key for simplifying system management lies in the company's Dynamic Systems Initiative, which he described as a long-term vision that needs broad industry cooperation.


C amp;W Has \$150M Broadband Plan Cable  amp; Wireless plc (NYSE: CWP - message board) is significantly ramping up its investment in local loop unbundling (LLU) in the UK, and it plans to spend up to 85 million (\$152.


Ramjet aims at record Mach 10 speed NASA will attempt to set the world speed record for an air-intake engine tomorrow. The X-43A Hyper-X is a supersonic ramjet that may lead to more efficient launch vehicles and missiles in the future.


Genesis Capsule a 'Mangled Mess' (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - TOOELE, UTAH -- Its not \  the kind of "breaking news" that NASA wanted.


Oil and Economy Cloud Stocks' Outlook  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Soaring crude prices plus worries  about the economy and the outlook for earnings are expected to  hang over the stock market next week during the depth of the  summer doldrums.


Search Engine Forums Spotlight Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: Google - Paid inclusion? - Gbrowser - The Google Browser - Directory - Linkfarm, Where Exactly Is the Difference? - How Fair Is the Link Popularity Algorithm? - Ask Jeeves   Citysearch Partnership Goes Live - Pay Per Click Shopping Sites - Microsoft Using Doorway Pages


Justin Langer smashes New Zealand Nothing much changed for New Zealand on day 2 of the second test match between Australia and New Zealand. Australia are dominating like they did on the first day and with Justin Langer completing his double


Brave old Bhoys not down and out yet CELTIC have thrown themselves a European lifeline at a time when they were in real danger of sinking without trace. Of course, they still have a major task on their hands to make the Uefa Cup spot their own.


Small investors scared off by exercise in stock democracy This was supposed to be the people's IPO, an exercise in shareholder democracy that would serve as a model for other companies seeking to go public without the suffocating embrace of Wall Street.


Opp rejects two-offices bill ISLAMABAD: The Senate opposition rejected the two-offices bill on Monday, arguing that it violated the Constitution and deprived parliament of its powers.


Dolphins vs. Jets (Position-by-position) Sammy Morris has given the Dolphins #39; rushing attack a much-needed shot in the arm, running for 174 yards and one touchdown in the past two games.


Molecule may be key to nicotine addiction WASHINGTON - California researchers fiddled with a single gene to create mice hypersensitive to nicotine, pointing to a single molecule partly to blame for nicotines addictive allure.


Ivan Lashes Jamaica; Death Toll Hits 37 (AP) AP - Waves two-stories high crashed on Jamaica's eastern shore Friday, flooding homes and washing away roads as Hurricane Ivan's ferocious winds and pounding rains began to lash the island and threatened a direct hit on its densely populated capital. The death toll elsewhere in the Caribbean rose to 37.


India approves \$104bn budget NEW DELHI: India #39;s parliament passed the annual budget yesterday as opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote, accusing the country #39;s premier of insulting them after they refused to debate the spending bill.


NL Wrap: Pujols Boosts Cards, Giants Delight for Bonds (Reuters) Reuters - Albert Pujols cracked his 40th home\run of the season and reached 100 RBI for the fourth straight\year to help the St Louis Cardinals blank the host Pittsburgh\Pirates 4-0 in the National League Sunday.


For Cheney and Edwards, Efforts to Improve on the Other Debate Loyalists of both parties might think the No. 2 candidates were more slashing debaters than John Kerry and President Bush.


Unisys Gets Deeper into Linux, Joins Red Hat Partner Community (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Linux software company Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT) has entered a partnership with Unisys (NYSE: UIS), maker of high-end servers. The alliance will allow Unisys to offer a more tightly integrated server package comprising hardware, software and the services to support it.


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


Boy Escapes Cougar Near Canada's Jasper Park (Reuters) Reuters - Canadian wildlife\officials warned visitors to Jasper National Park on Tuesday to\be on the alert for cougars after one the animals attacked a\five-year-old boy.


A free-trade fight over wine The clinical psychologist from Saginaw, Mich., convinced his favorite wineries, tiny California operations, to ship him a precious few bottles each year.


Son of Late Officer Questions Bush Memos (AP) AP - The authenticity of newly unearthed memos stating that George W. Bush failed to meet standards of the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War was questioned Thursday by the son of the late officer who reportedly wrote the memos.


TACTICS PAY OFF FOR SVEN England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was delighted with his side #39;s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Wales and happy with his new-look three-man strikeforce.


World ; Tamil Tigers forcibly recruit child soldiers: report World News, New York,Sri Lanka #39;s Tamil Tiger guerrillas have recruited thousands of child soldiers despite signing a peace pact in February 2002, Human Rights watch said in a report released Thursday.


Nations: N. Korea Cloud Isn #39;t Nuke Blast SEOUL, South Korea Sept. 12, 2004 - A huge mushroom cloud that reportedly billowed up from North Korea was not caused by a nuclear explosion, South Korean and US officials said Sunday, but they said the cause was a mystery.


Marsh to Scrap Fees Spitzer Faulted  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh   McLennan Cos. MMC.N, the  world's largest insurance broker, on Tuesday said it will  reform and stop accepting fees that New York's attorney general  said amounted to bid-rigging.


#39;Ten hostages #39; captured in Iraq The Arabic television channel al-Jazeera has broadcast footage of what it says is a militant group claiming to have seized 10 new hostages in Iraq.


Rams refused to give up Yesterday afternoon at Qwest Field, the Rams took a pin-it-to-the-wall word and brought it to life as they erased a 17-point deficit in less than nine minutes to beat the Seahawks 33-27 in overtime.


Gizmondo creator touts smart phone scheme It #39;s only just started shipping its Gizmondo handheld games console but Tiger Telematics has already said it plans to challenge the likes of Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, HTC, PalmOne and Research in Motion with a smart phone product.


Kazaa Owner Cheers File-Swapping Decision (AP) AP - The distributor of file-swapping giant Kazaa on Friday welcomed a U.S. court's ruling that two of its rivals are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works shared online by their users.


ID Rule Exists, But Can't Be Seen Justice Department lawyers say there is indeed a rule requiring passengers to show ID at the airport before boarding a plane, but they say the exact wording of the rule can't be read by the public and can't be challenged. By Ryan Singel.


Airbus tests in-flight mobile phones European plane maker Airbus SAS has successfully completed the first in-flight trial of mobile phones and infrastructure equipment based on GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technology, the company said Wednesday.


Google Lowers Expectations for Its Value (AP) AP - Google Inc. dramatically lowered expectations for the Internet search giant's value Wednesday ahead of its much ballyhooed coming out party in the public markets. The offering is still one of the biggest and highly anticipated for an Internet company, surpassing the hot issues of the dot-com boom.


Cisco routers get an upgrade The new wide area network access routers feature embedded security measures and voice over Internet Protocol.


Jamaica to provide Internet access to poor communities Jamaica #39;s government says it plans to provide free Internet access in poor communities across the island. The e-Jamaica initiative will establish 60 Internet centres across the country by 2010, mostly in post offices.


CHRONOLOGY-Events Since North Korean Blast First Reported  SEOUL (Reuters) - A cloud of confusion surrounded a widely  reported explosion in North Korea last week with South Korea  saying on Friday its latest assessment was that no blast at all  occurred at the suspected site.


GOP Voter Vault Shipped Overseas  Massive database holds info on millions of voters, and is used to get people to the polls.


Israel Feuds With Agency Set Up to Aid Palestinians For years, Israel has feuded with the United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians over a wide range of issues, and recently Israel thought it had found a smoking gun to press its case.


S.Korea Says Did Scientific Plutonium Test in 1982  SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean government scientists  enriched a small amount of plutonium in a one-off experiment in  1982, the Science and Technology Ministry said on Thursday.


Doctors Behind Bars: Treating Pain Is Now Risky Business Dr. Frank Fisher's ordeal lingers as a cautionary tale of what can happen to doctors who treat pain aggressively.


Stocks End Higher as Oil Eases  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks finished higher on Friday,  as investor worry about high fuel costs crimping consumer  spending and hurting company profits eased after crude oil  prices fell from their peak.


Ancient Elephant Fossil Found in China (AP) AP - Construction crews working at Beijing's main airport unearthed a fossilized thigh bone of an elephant that lived 30,000 years ago, a news report said Thursday.


Community Tries to Revive Cuba's Chinatown (AP) AP - At first glance, Havana's Chinatown seems a misnomer. Restaurants serve pizza, and actual Chinese are vastly outnumbered by tourists and Hispanics.


Fla. State's Sam Won't Play in Gator Bowl (AP) AP - Florida State wide receiver Lorne Sam will not be available for the Seminoles when they play West Virginia in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1.


World oil prices boom Global oil prices boomed on Wednesday, spreading fear that energy prices will restrain economic activity, as traders worried about a heating oil supply crunch in the American winter.


Above the Clouds, the French Glimpse the Old Grandeur Higher than the Eiffel Tower, the Millau bridge is a triumph of engineering and imagination.


A Puzzling Change for Mickelson MORE than any of the rest of the world #39;s best golfers, Phil Mickelson has often tried to do the spectacular because he thinks he will hit a magical shot.


Robo-servants set to sweep into homes com October 20, 2004, 12:46 PM PT. There were over 600,000 household service robots in use worldwide in 2003, and more than 4 million new units should join them over the next three


Verizon Wireless Boosts Parent Company (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) posted profit of US #36;1.796 billion for its third quarter, up from  #36;1.791 billion a year ago. The company attributed the slight rise to its wireless segment, which brought in an additional 1.7 million wireless customers.


Hurricane Ivan Devastates Isle of Grenada (Reuters) Reuters - Powerful and\strengthening Hurricane Ivan killed at least three people in\Grenada and devastated its capital, St. Georges, as it pounded\the tiny islands of the southeastern Caribbean on Tuesday.


Clemens will be rested, ready A few hours before the Houston Astros' regular-season finale, Roger Clemens was sick to his stomach and hooked up to an IV tube.


Scuffles Hit Iraq: Several with Police Chief Killed in Blasts SAMARRA (Iraq): With renewe d wave of skirmishes between the Iraqi insurgents and the US-led coalition marines, several people including top police officers were put to death on Saturday.


Va. Tech Gets Big Chance With No. 1 USC (AP) AP - Three straight late-season stumbles have taken the luster off Virginia Tech. Now the Hokies are looking to get it back, and there's no better way to do that than to knock off No. 1 Southern California. The Hokies and Trojans open the season Saturday night in the Black Coaches Association Classic at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins. The game begins at 7:45 p.m.


Mort: Coach keeps NFL door open, leery of full-time Dave Wannstedt withdrew his name Thursday from the search for a new coach at the University of Pittsburgh, he told ESPN #39;s Chris Mortensen.


Record Number of Tornadoes Reported in '04 (AP) AP - The bad news: more tornadoes were reported in Kansas and the nation last year than at any time since records have been kept.


Concur Wants to Track Your Travel Most companies need to keep tabs on travel   entertainment expenses. Concur thinks it has a better way.


Retailer Gets Out the Green Votes Patagonia, a seller of outdoor equipment, says it wouldn't have a business if the wilderness were paved over. So the company launches a voter-education initiative on its website to support environment-friendly candidates. By Louise Witt.


Argentinian pupil shoots four dead in classroom A high school pupil wielding a 9mm pistol shot dead four classmates and wounded five more yesterday in Argentina #39;s worst school rampage.


Peace talks on Sudan #39;s Darfur halted again ABUJA: African Union-brokered peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel leaders bogged down again Tuesday, barely 10 minutes after delegates resumed negotiations following a three-day pause.


Northwest Says Anderson Resigns to Join UnitedHealth (Update1) Northwest Airlines Corp. Chief Executive Richard H. Anderson is resigning and will be replaced by President Douglas M. Steenland at a time when the company is seeking employee concessions to stem losses.


Ferguson: it #39;s Monday at Earliest for Rooney Deal Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has indicated that he does not expect any movement on the Wayne Rooney transfer saga before tomorrow.


National Foods posts increased net profit Australia #39;s biggest supplier of fresh milk, National Foods, has posted a net profit of \$68.7 million, an increase of 14 per cent on last financial year.


Update 1: Philippine Shares Hit New 53-Month High Philippine shares closed higher Friday for the fifth straight session, with the main index setting a new 53-month closing high on the country #39;s improving macroeconomic and corporate fundamentals.


Lilly Profit Rises on Sales of Key Drugs  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eli Lilly and Co. LLY.N on Thursday  said its third-quarter earnings rose as growing demand for its  medicines offset higher spending to market recently approved  treatments.


Militants threaten to kill Turk hostage  CAIRO -- Iraqi militants threatened to behead a Turkish truck driver if his company and the Kuwaiti contractor it works for did not stop their operations in Iraq within 48 hours, according to a videotape aired on Arab television yesterday.


At Unusual UN Session, Sudanese Factions Vow to End War The Sudanese government and southern rebels vowed today to end Sudan #39;s long civil war by the end of this year, putting their pledge on paper in


UPDATE 4-Marsh to scrap fees Spitzer faulted, sets reforms Marsh  amp; McLennan Cos. (MMC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world #39;s largest insurance broker, on Tuesday said it will reform its business practices and stop


France-China deals awaken Europeans PARIS President Jacques Chirac of France will return from a lavish five-day state visit to China on Tuesday with industrial orders worth more than \$4 billion, a success that is not going unnoticed in neighboring European countries and may intensify


Bengals brace for old teammate Dillon FOXBORO, Mass.  New England Patriots running back Corey Dillon darted up the middle, bounced off one tackler, then made it a point to crash into two more defenders. It hardly mattered to Dillon that this training camp session ...


EVENT LISTING FOR NOV. 12 IN TAIWAN Taipei, Nov. 11 (CNA) The following are important events scheduled to take place Friday, Nov. 12: 09: 20, A seminar on Taiwan-Japan-India cooperation organized by the Taiwan Thinktank will open at the Westin Taipei.


Redskins might be without kicker Hall on Sunday Washington Redskins kicker John Hall strained his right groin during practice Thursday, his third leg injury of the season. Hall will be held out of practice Friday and is questionable for Sunday #39;s game against the Chicago Bears.


FDA Testing Limits of Medical Technology WASHINGTON - A little-known Food and Drug program is testing the latest medical technology to determine how safe and useful it can be.    One cutting-edge experiment is designed to see if injecting certain drugs directly into diseased arteries works better than commonly used stents in keeping arteries clear...


Hungary PM Set for Victory Over Citizenship Vote (Reuters) Reuters - Hungary's new prime minister looked to\have scored a major victory on Sunday when the opposition\failed to garner enough votes to pass a referendum giving\citizenship to millions of Hungarians abroad.


Vikings Likely Lose Rosenthal for Year Minnesota Vikings right tackle Mike Rosenthal is likely out for the season with an injury to his right foot.


Former Boeing CFO Pleads Guilty (Reuters) Reuters - Former Boeing Co.  Chief\Financial Officer Michael Sears pleaded guilty on Monday to one\felony count of aiding the illegal hiring of a U.S. Air Force\official for a top job at the company.


Stocks steady on retail results Consumers return to stores in October, but holiday shopping looks tame. Oil holds above \$50 per barrel. Constellation seals the deal for Mondavi.


Campbell throws rivals a curve ball Going into territory that Merlene Ottey, Grace Jackson and Juliet Cuthbert could never quite reach, Veronica Campbell gave Jamaica their first women #39;s sprint gold medal in last night #39;s 200 metres final.


Suspected terrorist released in UK London, Sept 21 (Guardian News Service): One of the 13 detainees interned in Britain for nearly three years as suspected international terrorists was released yesterday from ahigh security prison


Bonds MVP for seventh time Barry Bonds won his record seventh Most Valuable Player award Monday, putting him back in another batter #39;s box, where the national media peppered him with


Microsoft and labels in talks about copy protection and Longhorn Microsoft and a group of recording labels are in discussion about how the next generation of the Windows Operating System, codenamed Longhorn, will support Copy Protected CDs.


Dollar bounces off low against the euro after ECB complaints The dollar bounced back from a new all-time low against the euro after stern comments from European Central Bank president Jean-claude Trichet about the greenback #39;s slide.


Siebel Sees Revenue Beating Estimates Business software maker Siebel Systems Inc. (SEBL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said third-quarter revenue would beat Wall Street estimates, sending its shares up 17 percent in pre-market trade.


Update 1: Kmart, Sears to Merge in \$11 Billion Deal Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. and department store operator Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co. said Wednesday that they agreed to merge in an \$11 billion cash and stock deal that will create the nation #39;s third largest


US has a goal in its sights A win over Panama and the United States is in. Into the regional finals of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, that is. The Americans lead their group with 8 points off two wins and two ties. By beating the Panamanians tonight at RFK Stadium, the US squad will secure a spot in the final six of CONCACAF ...


Don #39;t expect miracles: Natwar Singh: India News: New Delhi, Nov 15 : India will give its  quot;best shot quot; in the upcoming talks with Pakistan, but the country should not expect miracles, External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh said Monday.


Slowing H2 chip sales to hit 2005's growth - report Cause: softening in notebook PC and mobile phone demand


ESPN to Launch Mobile Phone Service in Sprint Deal  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co.'s DIS.N ESPN  sports television network is launching its own brand of mobile  telephone service in a deal with Sprint Corp. FON.N catering  to sports fans with news and game highlights on a  next-generation network, the companies said on Wednesday.


Update 2: Ahold, Three Former Execs Settle Charges Global grocery retailer Ahold NV has agreed to a settlement of civil fraud charges over an alleged \$1 billion overstatement of earnings in a deal with US regulators that does not fine the company.


With Escape, the SUV gets greener If the development of the hybrid gasoline/electric vehicle can be described in golf terms, we #39;re early in the match, far from making the turn at the ninth hole.


Intel CEO: Candidates Ignore Tech Debate Intel Corp.'s chief executive on Tuesday decried the lack of attention by the presidential nominees to how the United States is losing its competitive edge over other nations on education, technological infrastructure and research and development.


Siebel moves toward self-repairing software Siebel Systems wants to cut the costs of tending its software by teaching the programs to manage themselves.


Tense Iraq debates new assembly Talks on setting up an Iraqi assembly continue despite fresh violence in Baghdad and the Shia stronghold of Najaf.


American Air Sees \$1 Billion More in  #39;04 American Airlines expects soaring jet fuel prices to push its expenses up more than \$1 billion in 2004 from last year #39;s level, parent AMR Corp.


Apple Sailing on Digital River Rumor says e-commerce provider may soon allow game downloads to iPod.


Hundreds die in commando raid MORE than 200 people - including children - are believed to have died after the school hostage crisis in Russia came to chaotic and bloody end today.


Cardinals expect he'll get rollin' Another round of playoffs is giving Scott Rolen a chance to get his timing back.


UN Official Suggests More Autonomy for Darfur The chief of the United Nations refugee agency says the Sudanese government should grant more autonomy to Darfur to help end a conflict that has claimed some 50,000 lives.


Softbank Acquiring Cable   Wireless Unit (AP) AP - British telecommunications company Cable  amp; Wireless PLC is selling its Japanese business to Tokyo-based broadband services provider Softbank Corp. for 12.3 billion yen ( #36;115 million).


Hurricanes Blamed for Fruit Infection (AP) AP - This year's hurricanes spread citrus canker to at least 11,000 trees in Charlotte County, one of the largest outbreaks of the fruit-damaging infection to ever affect Florida's citrus industry, state officials said.


Heavy Rain, Low Turnout Overshadow Mozambique Poll  MAPUTO (Reuters) - Heavy rains and apparent low turnout  cast a shadow over Thursday's second day of Mozambican  elections for a successor to veteran President Joaquim  Chissano.


Yanks Walk Over O's Gary Sheffield and Hideki Matsui hit consecutive homers in the ninth inning, and the Yankees take advantage of 14 walks in a 9-7 win over the Orioles on Sunday.


Detroit Pistons Team Report - December 4 (Sports Network) - The defending world champion Detroit Pistons will try to get back to the .500 mark tonight, when they travel to New Orleans to battle the struggling Hornets.


Geiberger Avoids Bogeys, Leads Greensboro (AP) AP - Brent Geiberger stayed out of trouble for a change. "That was probably one of the things holding me back," he said. "I might have three or four birdies and then three or four bogeys. Instead of having a nice round, you have a little sub-par round when everybody else is shooting 3 or 4 under."


Four held under terror laws Police say they are holding four men under anti-terrorism legislation after a tip-off from a newspaper, which said the suspects tried to buy explosives for a dirty bomb.


Northrop, Boeing to Issue Joint NASA Bid (AP) AP - Defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co., the world's largest aerospace company, said Tuesday they will bid as a team to compete for NASA's planned manned and robotic space exploration program.


No. 2 Kansas Hosts Horned Frogs LAWRENCE, Kan. (Ticker) -- Second-ranked Kansas looks to post its 12th straight win at Allen Fieldhouse when its host Texas Christian on Thursday.


Albanian Bus Hijacking Raises Unpleasant Issue for Greeks Television viewers around the world watched a drama unfold in Athens on Wednesday morning, when two unknown hijackers took hostage 26 Greek bus passengers and threatened to detonate the bus.


Castro back on his feet after fall Havana - Less than two months after an accidental fall shattered his left kneecap and broke his right arm, Cuban President Fidel Castro is back on his feet, attending to visiting leaders and making public appearances.


Georgia's Seniors Show Their Class (AP) AP - When Georgia's seniors are introduced before their final game at Sanford Stadium, the crowd always sends them off with respectful cheers. Well, this group should get a rousing ovation.


Toy Safety More than 200,000 children were injured by last year by their own toys according to Texas Public Interest Research Group. The group says there #39;s more to toys than meets the eye.


Seven more killed in Iraq violence BAGHDAD: Seven Iraqis including four Baghdad airport employees, two Iraqi national guards and a woman were killed in two incidents in Iraq on Thursday.


Bombardier CEO Resigns, Shares Plunge  MONTREAL (Reuters) - Paul Tellier resigned as president and  chief executive of train and plane maker Bombardier Inc.  BBDsvb.TO BBDb.TO, a year before his contract was to  expire, the company said on Monday.


Typhoon strikes Kyushu, injuring 13; 3 missing TOKYO - Typhoon Meari landed on Kyushu on Wednesday morning and was moving northeast in Miyazaki Prefecture at 4 pm, bringing heavy rains and strong wind to southern and western Japan and causing the evacuation of residents and some injuries.


Six killed, 11 seriously hurt in train derailment in England (AFP) AFP - Six people were killed and 11 were seriously hurt when a high-speed train derailed after colliding with a car at a rural crossing in southern England, officials said.


Allstate Sees Q3 Well Below Views Allstate Corp. on Wednesday warned its third-quarter profit would be a fraction of Wall Street expectations after the insurance firm said it sees more than \$1 billion in catastrophic losses from recent hurricanes.


Shuttle's Spring 2005 Launch Date Delayed (AP) AP - NASA's spaceflight leadership council decided Friday to delay the spring 2005 launch date for the first shuttle scheduled to return to space since last year's Columbia tragedy, citing hurricane damage and more work needed to meet a panel's recommendations.


Russia Blames Terrorism for Downed Jet MOSCOW - Russian officials accused terrorists Friday after the wreckage of one of two crashed jetliners revealed traces of an explosive used in earlier attacks blamed on Chechen rebels, while an Islamic group claimed its suicide attackers brought down both planes.    At least one crash was "the result of a terrorist act," a spokesman for the Federal Security Service, Sergei Ignatchenko, told the ITAR-Tass news agency...


US-CERT Urges All To Install XP SP2 The US Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT), the federally-funded security clearinghouse and alert center, put its two cents in this week and recommended that every Windows XP user install the Service Pack 2 update.