Microsoft leaves UN industry group Microsoft has followed a European company in withdrawing from a UN software standards group for commerce. Known as the United Nations Center for Trade Facilitation and Electronic


Arafat #39;s  #39;politics of grievance #39; Yasser Arafat #39;s rule was a disaster for the Palestinians and whole Middle East when he was alive, says Heritage Foundation Middle East expert James Phillips.


RSC unveils Stratford revamp plan The Royal Shakespeare Company reveals plans to refurbish its main theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon.


Eagles 27 Vikings 16 PHILADELPHIA Donovan McNabb threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Philadelphia beat Minnesota 27-to-16. McNabb #39;s 45-yard scoring pass to Terrell Owens gave the Eagles a 24-to-9 lead midway through the final quarter.


Storm Death Toll Rises to 622 in Haiti GONAIVES, Haiti - The death toll from a tropical storm that devastated parts of Haiti rose to 622 late Monday as search crews recovered hundreds of bodies carried away by raging weekend floods or buried by mud or the ruins of their homes, officials said.    The bodies of at least 500 people killed by Tropical Storm Jeanne were filling morgues in Gonaives, according to Toussaint Kongo-Doudou, a spokesman for the U.N...


TENNIS NOTEBOOK US team hopes to be more than clay pigeon in Spain The last time the United States entered a Davis Cup tie as a bigger underdog than it is this week was, come to think of it, the last time the Yanks were made to go to Spain.


Priest #39;s Arrest Fuels Anger of Supporters of Aristide Human rights groups in Haiti and abroad are protesting the detention of the Rev. Grard Jean-Juste, a well-known Roman Catholic priest and vocal supporter


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


Bears still believe in Quinn, kind of The Bears did not want an off-season quarterback competition, but now they have something far worse: an in-season quarterback competition.


Study: meager recovery for IT job market The number of US information technology workers rose 2 percent to 10.5 million in the first quarter of this year, but demand for them is dropping, according to a new report.


Pakistan issues \$1m al-Qaeda list Pakistan offers rewards totalling more than \$1m for the capture of six top al-Qaeda suspects.


IBM unpacks new storage gear Big Blue says its expected storage products will offer customers better performance at a lower cost.


Amazon UK rents DVDs Amazon UK has entered the DVD rental business in a bid to cash-in on this growing sector of the entertainment industry. For 7.99 a month, subscribers can have two movies at home at one time, with a total of four DVD rentals a month.


Edmonton in, Vancouver out of Champ Car CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Champ Car World Series is coming to Edmonton. But not Vancouver. Local organizer Greg Macdonald confirmed Wednesday that Edmonton was named the fourth Canadian stop on the CCWS circuit


Asda clothing overtakes M amp;S Marks  amp; Spencer is no longer the UK #39;s largest clothing retailer after losing its crown to supermarket chain Asda. Industry figures for the 12 weeks to July 25 are understood to show that Asda now has a leading


Typhoon Kills 44 in Japan, Deadliest in a Decade  TOKYO (Reuters) - Rescuers were searching through rubble  for survivors on Thursday after Japan's deadliest typhoon in a  decade triggered floods and landslides that killed at least 44  people and left 36 missing.


Pilots to pluck space capsule from air The Genesis space capsule carrying solar wind particles will be plucked from nearly a mile above the Utah desert by stunt helicopter pilots whove replicated the retrieval, without fumbles, in nearly a dozen practice runs.


Treasuries Mirror Oil's Climb  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury yields hit their lowest  level in almost seven months on Monday as record high oil  prices clouded the outlook for global economic growth.


Mtl experts knew about C. difficile outbreak but didn't tell province:report (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - City health officials knew about the deadly C. difficile outbreak at least five months before the provincial Health Department was informed, according to a broadcast report.


Aussies Pile on Runs Australia picked up from where they left off in their first innings by racking up the runs in their second innings to take a 312-run lead into lunch on day three of the first Test in Perth.


Chalabi, Claiming Exoneration, Plans Another Comeback In his first public appearance since an Iraqi judge ordered his arrest three weeks ago, the Iraqi exile Ahmad Chalabi announced his return to Iraq #39;s political scene


Russians wary of Putin #39;s actions MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin says he will fight anti-Russian attacks by consolidating security agencies and further tightening political control over the country.


NBA snubs hearing with arbitrator Ron Artest took the witness stand in New York yesterday and described one of the worst brawls in NBA history. Indiana Pacers teammates Stephen Jackson , Jermaine O'Neal , and Anthony Johnson did the same, and a union attorney and one of O'Neal's bodyguards also testified. It went on for six hours, with none of the witnesses being cross-examined by ...


A Great Phone, Tied Down NEW YORK - When it comes to selecting a wireless phone for myself to use, I have in the past been a bit of a neo-Luddite. Sure, as part of this job I get to play with all the very latest and greatest that


Iraqi ministers escape attacks BAGHDAD (BBC)-- Two Iraqi interim government ministers have survived apparent assassination attempts in the capital Baghdad. Convoys carrying the environment and education ministers were attacked on their way to offices in the city.


Netflix Anticipates Amazon DVD-Rental Service Shares of mail-order DVD rental company Netflix Inc. plunged Thursday after it warned that it was slashing its subscription price in anticipation of Amazon.com Inc. entering an already crowded market.


NASA says Jeanne caused little damage, but shuttle work more <b>...</b> It says the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, lost some external panels from its vehicle assembly building in the storm, but overall damage was minimal.


Inside Lines: Athens brings out the Games #39; feminine side Have you noticed how women are beginning to dominate these Olympics? A week ago it was Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki who was a star of the show at the opening ceremony.


Streaking Braves Stop Giants 5-3 (AP) AP - Barry Bonds hit a three-run shot for his 694th homer, but Chipper Jones' two-run drive helped the Atlanta Braves beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 Friday night for their fifth straight victory.


Intel nuances Itanium; Microsoft ignores it It #39;s no longer Sun Microsystems and IBM working to undermine the Itanium processor. Both the chip #39;s maker - Intel - and close software partner Microsoft are doing the dirty work now.


Retailers are wary about Sony stores COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Few people took notice when Sony Electronics Inc. opened a tiny storefront last year here at South Coast Plaza, a swanky mall south of Los Angeles.


Plunkings strike a sour note They may never be mistaken for the boys from the Bronx as Boston #39;s archrivals. But the Devil Rays picked up last night where the Yankees


Dollar Recovers Footing After Fed (Reuters) Reuters - The dollar fought back from one-month\lows against the euro and Swiss franc on Wednesday as investors\viewed its sell-off in the wake of the Federal Reserve's\verdict on interest rates as overdone.


JAGS FACING LEFTWICH LAYOFF The Jacksonville Jaguars playoff dreams may well have been dealt the biggest blow they could have imagined. Quarterback Byron Leftwich, who once played a college football game with a fractured shin, has sustained


69 Years Later, Is It Happening Here? Before 1984,  before   The Handmaid's Tale,  before either the movie or  the book by  Stephen King, there was Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here.    Lewis' vision of an American descent into Fascism is as fresh and disturbing today  as it was when it was written in 1935.  Check out the full text  online,  and consider with me the continuing relevance of this 69 year old warning.


Harry says sorry to family for embarrassment Prince Harry has spoken at length to the Prince of Wales and Prince William after being involved in an early morning scuffle with a photographer outside a nightclub.


Ivorian parties agree to peace proposals Abidjan - President Thabo Mbeki on Monday said Ivorian groups embroiled in a bitter two-year civil upheaval have agreed to four proposals to put the troubled west African country back on the road to peace.


3 Palestinians Shot Dead After Killing 3 Israeli Soldiers Relying on a dense fog for cover, three Palestinian gunmen reached an Israeli Army outpost in the Gaza Strip early today and shot dead three soldiers before the attackers were themselves killed.


Hitachi TVs to pick up Gemstar technology Gemstar-TV Guide and Hitachi announce a multiyear deal to bring program guides to digital TVs.


Chinese textile makers concerned at petition against their <b>...</b> Chinese textile manufacturers saidThursday they are  quot;highly concerned quot; by a petition posted by United States textile industry to limit Chinese textile products in the US market.


EMI #39;s upbeat tone lifts shares EMI shares surged 15 per cent yesterday after the record company unveiled weaker interim profits and revenues but gave a robust outlook on the back of impending releases from artists including the Rolling Stones and Coldplay.


Iran: Isolation or Engagement? Iran claims that it can produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear weapon within a year. According to Undersecretary of State John Bolton,  quot;We cannot let Iran, a leading sponsor


Brockton upends St. John's Prep The Boxers were supposed to be vulnerable, coming off their first loss of the season at the hands of Xaverian.


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


Britain mourns hostage murdered in Iraq LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair condemned the killers of British hostage Kenneth Bigley as barbaric, and most of the victims relatives praised his handling of the crisis.


Els Withdraws from Florida Event with Finger Injury  LONDON (Reuters) - Ernie Els has pulled out of this week's  Chrysler Championship in Florida due to a finger injury, the  world number two said on his official Web Site.


No going back on reforms: PM THE HAGUE (THE NETHERLANDS): Assuring foreign investors of continuity in policies and that India will never become an  quot;international liability, quot; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said there was no question of going back on the economic reforms initiated 13


Not at His Best, Clemens Wins a Game 1 The Houston Astros battered the Atlanta Braves, 9-3, in Game 1 of their N.L. division series even without the best from their starting pitcher, Roger Clemens.


A modified R24 for China The R24 has undergone several revisions ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. Technical Director Bob Bell explains what's new.


Eight suspected Islamic radicals arrested in van Gogh murder Dutch police have arrested eight suspected Islamic radicals as part of the investigation into the brutal slaying of outspoken filmmaker Theo van Gogh, prosecutors said Wednesday.


France to Host Nuclear Fusion Project - EU Source (Reuters) Reuters - The European Union is confident of a\deal on Tuesday for France to host a  #36;12 billion global nuclear\fusion project after Japan signaled it would give up its bid in\return for compensation, an EU source said on Monday.


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


Sun settles Java suit with Kodak Sun on Thursday announced that it settled the lawsuit Eastman Kodak had brought against it, but the charge that Suns Java violated software patents held by Kodak brought to light the major impact patents can have on software techniques.


Sport Shorts Cycling legend Eddie Merckx will be the guest of Israel Triathlon Championship in December. Merckx, a five-time winner of the Tour de France and four-time world champion, who is considered by many as the greatest


Rugby: Vyvyan called up as England save Worsley for Boks and <b>...</b> LONDON : Saracens captain Hugh Vyvyan has been called up to the England replacements #39; bench for Saturday #39;s Test match against Canada at Twickenham as a result of an injury to back row forward Joe Worsley.


Learn to locate all of those missing Apple iTunes files Q:I HAVE SOME SONGS that play fine with the iTunes program, but when I look for the song files on my hard drive, I can #39;t find them.


Florida Starts Massive Hurricane Cleanup PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Residents left homeless by Hurricane Charley's 145 mph winds dug through their ravaged homes on Sunday, sweeping up shattered glass and rescuing what they could as President Bush promised rapid delivery of disaster aid...


Fred L. Whipple, 97, Dies; Comet Research Pioneer Astronomer Fred L. Whipple, 97, who died of an undisclosed ailment Aug. 30 at a hospital near Boston, was a leading sky watcher of the last century.


MSN Music expands reach to give iTunes a serious challenge Eight more European countries got access to Microsofts MSN Music Store today. This comes in wake of Apples similar move to provide iTunes access to more European countries.


Russian showdown Russian duo Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova have extended their hot US Open form to set up a semi-final showdown at the Wismilak WTA tournament in Bali.


Microsoft issues security patches to fix 21 flaws Microsoft Corp., world #39;s largest software maker, published numerous patches to fix 21 flaws in its software applications yesterday.


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


Synnex Beats 2Q Estimates; Net Income Up 50 Percent Synnex beat Wall Street estimates and reported a 50 percent increase in net income for the third quarter ended Aug. 31, and a 29-percent increase in sales.


Forces find hostage  quot;slaughterhouses quot; in Fallujah Iraqi troops have found  quot;hostage slaughterhouses quot; in Fallujah where foreign captives were held and killed, the commander of Iraqi forces in the city said Wednesday.


Pope returns icon to Russia Pope John Paul, aiming to improve ties with Russia #39;s Orthodox Church and possibly pave the way for a papal trip, has sent an icon dear to Russians on its way back to Moscow after nearly a century in the West.


Gary Andres Frivolous obstructionism was on display again in the US Senate Tuesday. But don #39;t try to adjust your C-SPAN picture; it #39;s just another poignant example of what the Wall Street Journal calls the  quot;Dead Zone, quot; legislation


Injuries leave Panthers with no tailbacks DeShaun Foster suffered a broken clavicle during the second quarter of Sunday #39;s 20-17 loss against the Denver Broncos, forcing coach John Fox to play the rest of the game with fullbacks Brad Hoover and Nick Goings in his backfield.


Caterpillar, UAW Resume Contract Talks Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. (CAT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) came away empty-handed on Thursday after meeting face-to-face with the United Auto Workers for the first time since workers rejected a company offer in August.


Did Triassic monster use suction to feed? A newly discovered Triassic reptile that has a neck much longer than its body is reopening a question long thought settled: what good is a long neck?


Families Mark Third Anniversary of 9/11 NEW YORK - With quavering voices, parents and grandparents of those killed at the World Trade Center slowly read the names of the victims early Saturday to mark the third anniversary of the attacks that brought down the twin towers.    Moments of silence were observed at 8:46 and 9:03 a.m., the times two planes slammed into the trade center towers on Sept...


Coleman reportedly swerved to avoid a deer FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman swerved to avoid a deer and flipped his luxury vehicle, authorities said Wednesday.


U.S. Official: Lebanese Govt. 'Made in Damascus' (Reuters) Reuters - Lebanon's new government was "made in\Damascus" in defiance of a U.N. resolution calling for an end\to Syria's interference in Lebanese affairs, a senior U.S.\official was quoted on Wednesday as saying.


A Record Increase of 17 Percent Is Set for Premiums in Medicare The announcement of the record increase came a day after President Bush heralded his efforts to help the elderly with medical expenses.


Delphi announces plans to cut 8,500 jobs; predicts \$350 million <b>...</b> Delphi Corp. said Friday it plans to cut 8,500 jobs -- or 4.6 percent of its total work force -- worldwide next year as part of an ongoing restructuring.


South Carolina Gamecocks COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Ticker) -- South Carolina blew another home lead and lost another Southeastern Conference home game. Bill Flowers reeled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Flatt with 1:05 to


'Fake marriages network' smashed A major criminal network arranging fake marriages in Britain is smashed by the Immigration Service.


Millions gather for mass prayer outside Bangladeshi capital Millions of Muslims prayed together for peace and harmony on a riverbank near the Bangladeshi capital on Sunday, concluding an annual assembly that is considered one of the world #39;s largest Islamic gatherings.


Europe cautiously optimistic about 2nd Bush term President Bush #39;s biggest adversaries from  quot;Old Europe quot; extended a hand of friendship as the world greeted his re-election with a mixture of hope and disappointment.


Men #39;s Tennis: 4 Seeded Players Advance at TD Waterhouse Cup <b>...</b> Four seeded players came out winners as first round play continued at the TD Waterhouse Cup men #39;s tennis tournament in New York Tuesday.


A Firefox in IE #39;s Henhouse When was the last time you heard about the browser wars? Well, they #39;re back. The reason: For the first time in more than seven years, Microsoft (MSFT ) is losing Web browser market share.


Second win of year at Darlington comes in the last Southern 500 For the majority of his victory in yesterday #39;s Southern 500, Jimmie Johnson was driving blind. With each trip through a treacherous Turn 3 drenched in unusually blazing sunlight, Johnson #39;s No.


WORLD IN BRIEF GAZA CITY -- An explosion wounded a senior Islamic Jihad field commander, Mohammed Khalil, in a Gaza refugee camp Thursday in what the Palestinian militant group said was an assassination attempt by Israel.


THE BLAME GAME Herman Edwards did the only thing he could do yesterday to quell the fallout from the calamity that was the Jets #39; inexplicable 20-17 overtime giveaway loss to the Ravens on Sunday.


Branson Announces He #39;s Taking Virgin Craft to Outer Space  quot;Virgin has been in talks with Paul Allen and Burt Rutan throughout this year and in the early hours of Saturday signed a historical deal to license SpaceShipOne #39;s technology to build the world #39;s


Toshiba Wins Support for HD DVD from 4 Film Studios (Reuters) Reuters - Toshiba Corp. said on Monday it had won\support for the HD DVD optical disc standard from Warner Bros.\Studios, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures and New Line\Cinema, advancing its cause in the battle for the\next-generation DVD.


Northwest Pilots The elected union representatives of Northwest Airlines pilots have voted unanimously to endorse concessions sought by the airline.


It's Dungy's turn to play defense Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy is often characterized as the individual on the NFL's Competition Committee most responsible for getting the 5-yard chuck rule enforced this season. But in a conference call with Patriots media yesterday, Dungy said that wasn't the case.


Sri Lanka defeats Zimbabwe LONDON: Sri Lanka survived a scare as they nearly lost their opening match of the Champions Trophy at the hands of Zimbabwe at The Oval.


Air Force Consolidates Contracts, Software NOVEMBER 22, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - The US Air Force last week announced an enterprisewide software licensing agreement with Microsoft Corp.


Kidd Skipping Night Session, Irking Nets (AP) AP - Jason Kidd is refusing to attend night sessions during the New Jersey Nets' two-a-day practices at training camp, and he doesn't care if the team fines him for it.


Consumption increase  quot;encouraging quot;: statistics official A spokesman for China #39;s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said here Friday that the 9.7 percent increase of consumption in the first three quarters this year is  quot;encouraging quot;.


Yankees' Sheffield Will Have Surgery  NEW YORK (Sports Network) - New York Yankees outfielder  Gary Sheffield will have arthroscopic surgery Tuesday on his  ailing left shoulder.


DaimlerChrysler Returns to Profit; VW Reports Decline (Update1) DaimlerChrysler AG, the world #39;s fifth- biggest carmaker, reported a third-quarter profit as Chrysler #39;s US sales rose. Volkswagen AG #39;s earnings fell a seventh quarter in a row on higher sales incentives while Fiat SpA #39;s loss widened.


NASA #39;s longest-serving astronaut retiring His first space flight was in 1965 when he piloted the first manned Gemini mission. Later he made two trips to the moon -- orbiting during a 1969 flight and then walking on the lunar surface during a mission in 1972.


Security Vulnerabilities Discovered in WinXP SP2 SoTuA writes  quot;Few months after SP2 hit windowsupdate.com, Finjan Software reports that security flaws have been found in WinXP SP2, including malicous code execution without user intervention.


Curtain rises on Solaris 10 Calling it  quot;the biggest thing we #39;ve done quot; in nearly a decade, Sun Microsystems #39; chairman and chief executive Scott McNealy yesterday officially launched the Solaris 10 operating system.


Brown tells activists to return to party values Gordon Brown will make an appeal today to traditional Labour values, calling on rank and file to build a  quot;progressive consensus quot; for the 21st century.


Local Search Guide Backed By Yellow Pages Association, Kelsey Group, and SEMPO Local Search Guide Backed By Yellow Pages Association, Kelsey Group, and SEMPO\\With local search - providing online information on businesses located in a community - as the catalyst, Internet Yellow Pages and Search Engine companies are joining forces at a rapid rate. To provide a central resource that captures these ...


British hostage calls home A British UN worker who was kidnapped in Afghanistan by Islamic militants nearly two weeks ago has telephoned her family to say she is still alive.


Coaching change won #39;t help Dolphins win Here #39;s what you didn #39;t hear from the Dolphins on Tuesday: You didn #39;t hear anyone suggest this day helps them win. You didn #39;t hear anyone pretend this franchise is improved.


Last Year Is Last Year, or So the Giants Hope Last year's Giants were 4-4 after eight games, then went on an eight-game losing streak, collapsing in a heap of injuries and lost confidence.


PalmOne updates the Treo smart phone Analyst says wireless synchronization with Exchange e-mail software may make it more attractive to corporate IT departments, which usually favor devices based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system.


Update 4: Tokyo Stocks Lower at Late Morning Tokyo stocks plunged Tuesday morning on concerns about higher oil prices. The dollar was down against the Japanese yen. The Nikkei Stock Average was down 121.


Clout shown in rout ATHENS -- When the Olympic softball schedule was released, Lisa Fernandez grabbed a marker and began counting down the days.  quot;This game is always on my calendar, quot; she said.  quot;I have a tremendous history with Australia. quot; And until yesterday, mostly a haunting one.


Arroyo set to woo China on trade Philippines leader Gloria Arroyo aims to strengthen economic ties with China during a visit to Beijing.


Ireland in Internet Slow Lane, Say Eircom Rivals (Reuters) Reuters - High-speed access to Ireland's \information superhighway is being denied to many because their\telephone lines are simply not up to the task, critics claim.


Detroit Diesel deal saves jobs The United Auto Workers union reached a tentative labor agreement with DaimlerChrysler AG #39;s Detroit Diesel Corp. Wednesday that is expected to preserve jobs at the company #39;s Redford plant.


Expert warns of further landslips An expert has warned that landslides such as those seen this week in Perthshire and north Cornwall are set to become more common.


Heat Puts 14-Game Streak to Test (AP) AP - Seattle and Miami are among the NBA's four winningest teams so far this season, ranking just behind Phoenix and San Antonio. Yet when the Heat put their 14-game winning streak on the line Monday night against the SuperSonics, Miami won't be looking at the matchup as a potential NBA Finals preview or a measuring stick to see where it ranks against one of the Western Conference's elite clubs.


Europe #39;s highest bridge links art and engineering President Jacques Chirac inaugurated Europe #39;s highest bridge yesterday, a creation taller than the Eiffel Tower, longer than the Champs Elyses and designed to end a traffic bottleneck in southern France.


Rocket failure refuels dream of \$10 million Other people might have been discouraged, but Eric Meier and Phillip Storm have been upbeat since their 23-foot-long Rubicon 1 rocket blew up last month in a test flight near Queets, Wash.


Peoplesoft bid hangs in balance Oracle's attempt to buy rival software producer Peoplesoft hangs in the balance as investors consider its \$9.2bn takeover offer ahead of Saturday's deadline.


New High-Tech Passports Raise Snooping Concerns Privacy advocates say that new passports that carry information about the traveler in a computer chip will be vulnerable to electronic snooping.


Alltel buys assets from Cingular; swaps market interests NEW YORK, November 26 (newratings.com) - Alltel Corporation (AT.NYS) has reached a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets from Cingular Wireless for \$170 million in cash, while the two companies have agreed to swap partnership interests in


AOL to Sell Secure ID Tags to Fight Hackers (Reuters) Reuters - America Online will begin offering to\sell members a security device and service that has been used\to safeguard business computer networks, the world's largest\Internet service provider said on Monday.


Owens England place under threat MADRID, Oct. 1. - Michael Owen will join the England squad next week with doubts over his place in the national team for the first time under Mr Sven-Goran Eriksson.


Orioles Release OF Karim Garcia (AP) AP - The Baltimore Orioles released outfielder Karim Garcia after their ninth straight loss Wednesday night, and sent outfielder Darnell McDonald to Triple-A Ottawa.


Indonesia Meeting Urges Greater Religious Tolerance Religious leaders from around Southeast Asia and Australia are urging greater efforts to promote tolerance and understanding. They met in Indonesia to build inter-religious bridges to reduce the threat posed by extremists.


Cassini gets altitude adjustment The Cassini-Huygens mission #39;s second (comparatively) close encounter Monday with Saturn #39;s moon Titan generated more atmospheric drag on the spacecraft than expected, NASA mission controllers say.


Organized Crime Transacts \$2 Trillion a Year -- U.N.  BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Transactions worldwide by  organized crime reach \$2 trillion every year, and about half  that amount goes toward corruption and bribes, the United  Nations drugs and crime watchdog said on Wednesday.


Arafat #39;s security chief escapes blast A Palestinian security chief related to Yasser Arafat escaped a suspected assassination attempt late on Tuesday when a car bomb blew up outside his headquarters in Gaza City, witnesses said.


Homer Sinks Indians Corey Koskie hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning as the Twins overcame a two-run deficit for a 4-2 win Sunday, giving them a two-game lead over the second-place Indians.


Back to front switches blamed for space probe crash It shouldn #39;t happen to a scientist: investigators have found that the \$250m (139m) Genesis space probe, which crash-landed in the Utah desert last month, failed because the switches designed to trigger its parachute were installed backwards.


Medal Stays in Hungary The Hungarian hammer thrower who was stripped of his gold medal after refusing to take a follow-up drug test at the Athens Olympics said Tuesday that he vows to keep his medal.


Edge Dynamics launches new breed of enterprise app Enterprise software takes an evolutionary step forward as Edge Dynamics and Tibco Software develop software that combines elements of both ERP and BI applications.


OVITZ MIND MELD Michael Ovitz #39;s wacky ideas for bonding with employees made it impossible for him to fit in at media giant Disney, according to a former executive.


ATP Players to Get Approved Nutritional Supplements  HOUSTON (Reuters) - The ATP, organizers of the men's tour,  will unveil a partnership deal with a pharmaceutical giant  Tuesday to provide approved nutritional supplements to players  next season.


Martha Stewart headed to West Virginia prison Martha Stewart says she #39;s happy she #39;ll be able to serve her time so soon, although she #39;ll be doing it in a different prison than she #39;d requested.


Atlas Copco to sell electric tool business STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Swedish engineering company Atlas Copco Group is selling its electric tool business which includes Milwaukee Electric Tool in the United States to Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries Co.


SpaceShipOne Burns Rubber, Laughing GasMore Fun Facts  The spacecraft #39;s test pilots do not wear spacesuits. The craft #39;s space-worthy cockpit is housed within a larger, similarly protective shell.


Northrop Grumman to co-design Jupiter moons explorer for NASA PASADENA - Northrop Grumman Space Technology has been selected to help NASA design a nuclear-powered spacecraft to orbit and explore three moons of Jupiter that may have oceans beneath their icy surfaces.


Warner leads Giants revival Kurt Warner, perhaps more than maybe any other American Football athlete, understands the bright light of stardom, and how quickly it can fade.


Aon sees profit dip in 3Q Aon Corp. said Thursday its third-quarter earnings fell because of  quot;softening market conditions quot; that, along with the halt of contingent commissions, led it withdraw its guidance for the full year.


Security tight for Afghan inauguration Afghan and international forces laid a security ring around Kabul on Monday in preparation for the inauguration of Hamid Karzai as Afghanistan #39;s first popularly elected


Rivals: Cisco's tactics unfair (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - Cisco Systems' substantial influence over the  #36;8 million technology plan for San Jose's new City Hall reflects a deliberate strategy by the networking giant: get involved in the planning process early to win more business down the road.


Misgivings from Jordan on Iraq vote King Abdullah II of Jordan said in an interview published Tuesday that he thought it was impossible under  quot;the chaos which Iraq knows today quot; to go ahead with elections there scheduled for January, and that if the vote were held  quot;the extremists quot; would win.


Stelco #39;s dance card getting crowded With its doorstep getting crowded with hopeful suitors, restructuring steel giant Stelco Inc. is keeping its options open despite the appeal of a \$900-million financing package from Germany #39;s Deutsche Bank.


Pockmarked face of Saturn #39;s icy moon The Cassini spacecraft has returned the best-ever view of the icy Tethys, one of the moons of Saturn, depicting its battered 1060km-diameter surface in this photograph released by Nasa.


Mitsubishi may partner with Merrill Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Japan #39;s only money-losing car maker, and US brokerage firm Merrill Lynch plan to set up a joint venture in North America, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Saturday.


Safety Group: Car, SUV Bumpers Don #39;t Line Up WASHINGTON -- An insurance group says low-speed crashes result in expensive repairs simply because of differences in the bumper height between cars and sport utility vehicles.


quot;Overnight quot; solution of Kashmir issue not possible: Pakistan Islamabad: Stressing that an  quot;overnight quot; solution to the Kashmir issue was not possible, Pakistan on Friday said that the forthcoming meeting between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York was expected to take the


Intel Profit Up; Outlook Reassures Market  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O on Tuesday  said quarterly profit rose 15 percent, helped by record sales  in Asia and stronger demand for notebook and server computer  chips, and gave an outlook that reassured jittery investors  that it could grow despite tough market conditions.


New Options Emerge for Music Video Play (Reuters) Reuters - The music video business, long\synonymous with MTV and more recently identified online with\Yahoo Launch and AOL, is about to get even more competitive\thanks to cable and Internet convergence.


HELP LINE Q: Recently I have been told by friends that when they try to send me e-mail they get a message that my inbox is full and their message could not be delivered.


Serf's Up in the Video Game Industry (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Holiday season in the video game industry is the equivalent of television's sweeps week, which perhaps is why new reports painting game designers as 21st century-style Dickensian factory laborers are proving especially noteworthy.


Iraqi PM to Make U.N. Debut (AP) AP - Two years after he tried  #151; and failed  #151; to convince the United Nations of the need to go to war in Iraq, President Bush will deliver a strikingly different message when he speaks to the 191-member world body this week.


Armitage talks India with Pakistan ISLAMABAD: US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told Pakistani officials on Tuesday that Washington wants closer ties with the Muslim nation, a key ally in the US war on terrorism, officials said.


Toshiba launches HDD with new recording technology and sets record Toshiba Corporation announced the first hard disk drives (HDD) based on perpendicular recording, boosting the capacity of a single 1.8-inch hard-disk platter to 40 gigabytes.


Don #39;t Call Me, I #39;ll Call You Not too long ago, I was trying to meet up with friends at an outdoor concert in the park. We had chosen a really good, well-marked meeting place--which dozens of other people and their closest friends were


FA risk flak over leniency for Beckham The Football Association laid themselves open to ridicule last night when they ruled there was  quot;insufficient evidence quot; to charge David Beckham with bringing the game into disrepute, despite


Irish Olympic Medal Horse Fails Second Test-Report  DUBLIN (Reuters) - A second blood sample taken from  Waterford Crystal, the horse Cian O'Connor rode to win  Ireland's only gold medal at the Athens Olympics, has also  tested positive for banned substances, local media reported  Tuesday.


Hamas Says to Boycott Palestinian Presidential Vote  GAZA (Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamic militant faction  Hamas will boycott a Jan. 9 presidential election for a  successor to Yasser Arafat, a senior Hamas leader said on  Wednesday.


Titans Defense Smothers Miami in Re-Scheduled Game  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lamont Thompson returned an  interception 37 yards for a touchdown while the Tennessee  Titans used a smothering defense to beat the Miami Dolphins  17-7 in their National Football League game on Saturday.


Game 2 and Done? Curt Schilling might not be able to make a second start in the World Series because the procedure to stitch together his injured ankle might be too damaging to keep repeating.


US Is One Win From Final Round Just as US national soccer team coach Bruce Arena had predicted many months ago, the semifinal round of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup has been riddled with treacherous road trips and perplexing


Iraq #39;s Patience Running Out in Fallujah Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, left, is seen during a meeting with Sunni Muslim clerics at his offices in Baghdad #39;s  quot;Green Zone quot;, Saturday Oct. 30, 2004.


Finalists Named for O'Brien Award  FORT WORTH, Texas (Sports Network) - Oklahoma quarterback  Jason White was one of three finalists announced Tuesday for  the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback.


AMD offering blueprint for \$249 PC "Personal Internet Communicator" is geared toward families in so-called emerging markets, such as China and India.


MS, Dassault form alliance PARIS: Microsoft and Dassault Systemes of France have agreed to form a strategic alliance for Dassault Systemes product lifecycle management (V5 PLM) and 3D design solutions.


Microsoft Offers Users Legal Protection In a bid to further differentiate itself from open-source rivals, Microsoft this week says it will expand its indemnification program to cover the vast majority of its customers.


** For the latest news, please refresh this page regularly ** Jesus Chavez:  quot;I am getting ready to vamp up for this coming year. I #39;m going to take a fight in February. Not sure when in February but sometime in February and then I #39;m looking to get my title back.


Trojan horse exploits image flaw Infected graphical images that can implant a backdoor into a Windows computer if they are viewed have been spotted on Usenet. EasyNews, a provider of Usenet newsgroups, said it has identified two JPEG images


A. Melhuse, C OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- After 159 games, the Anaheim Angels and the Oakland Athletics are down to a best-of-three series at Network Associates Coliseum for the American League West Division title.


Kerry comrade breaks war silence A US officer who fought alongside presidential candidate John Kerry in  Vietnam condemns his critics.


Filmmaker Who Criticized Islam Slain A filmmaker who was the great-grandnephew of the painter Vincent Van Gogh was shot and stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street Tuesday after receiving death threats over a movie he made criticizing the treatment of women under Islam.


Chinese Official Disputes GM Claim (AP) AP - A top Chinese commerce official said Monday that General Motors Corp. hasn't provided enough evidence to prove that a local company copied one of its car models.


Woburn's win is all Hart Reading fans knew Middlesex League rival Woburn had a sensational player in Boston College-bound running back Mike McLaughlin. Yesterday, the host Rockets learned Woburn also has Hart.


Liberty earns playoff berth The New York Liberty made sure it wrapped up a playoff spot sooner than later. New York beat the Connecticut Sun 69-66 last night behind Crystal Robinson #39;s season


Farmland bird decline 'slowing' The UK government says that the severe decline in Britain's farmland bird populations is slowing down.


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


Suns Win Again to Tie Seattle Atop NBA (AP) AP - One week ahead of their showdown with Seattle, the Phoenix Suns tied the SuperSonics atop the NBA standings.


Storylines for Sept. 25 weekend What a weekend of college football! It was puzzling, exciting, dramatic, thrilling, crushing, and suspenseful. But there was one thing it never was.


Padres deal for a pair of pitchers com. The Padres made a move Monday, acquiring left-hander Darrell May and right-hander Ryan Bukvich from the Royals in exchange for outfielder Terrence Long and right-hander Dennis Tankersley.


Dell Plans North Carolina Plant  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc. DELL.O on Tuesday said it  will open a third U.S. manufacturing plant, a plant in North  Carolina employing 1,500 workers, marking a rare example of a  U.S. high-tech company expanding domestic production.


If Hockey Is Out, Best Thing on Ice May Be a Computer Game A cable channel plans to resurrect each of the 1,230 regular-season games listed on the league's defunct 2004-2005 schedule by setting them in motion on a video game console.


Mississippi coach David Cutcliffe fired after 4-7 season OXFORD, Miss. A source says David Cutcliffe, the only coach in Ole Miss history to win at least seven games in his first five years, was fired by the university today.


Iraq Blames US-Led Forces for Army Massacre Iraq #39;s US-backed government said on Tuesday that  quot;major neglect quot; by its American-led military allies led to a massacre of 49 army recruits at the weekend.


We will always be No 1 - Ferguson Sir Alex Ferguson insists Manchester United will always be the top team in the country as they prepare to face Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday.


Urging Fact-Checking,  Cheney Got Site Wrong Vice President Cheney dropped a dot-bomb Tuesday night when he inadvertently directed millions of viewers of the vice presidential debate to an Internet site critical of the Bush administration.


Rivals Boeing, Northrop find common ground in space Northrop Grumman and Boeing said yesterday they will bid as a team to compete for NASA #39;s planned manned and robotic space-exploration program.


Divide over managing US #39;s wallet Both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry profess to be  quot;free traders, quot; opposed to tariffs and other impediments to commerce.


Lawmaker says he #146;s been barred A top Hong Kong opposition lawmaker said he was barred from entering China yesterday, an incident that may fuel anti-Beijing sentiment in upcoming legislative elections. Law Chi-kwong of the Democratic Party said the mainland government assured him he could visit for six days, in what seemed to be a conciliatory gesture by the authorities, who have branded pro-democracy figures here ...


Wizards Start Slow The Wizards are making up for slow starts in the first half with better play and increased scoring in the second half of games.


Marines Aided by Robotic Airplane in Iraq (AP) AP - A robotic airplane called ScanEagle has done more than 1,000 hours of intelligence and reconnaissance work for the Marines in Iraq, its developers said.


Marks and Spencer unveils major management shake up (AFP) AFP - British retailer Marks and Spencer announced a major management shake-up as part of efforts to revive its fortunes, saying trading has become tougher ahead of the crucial Christmas period.


Battle of Form (and Function) in MP3 Players To capture what he says is the underserved urban market, Damon Dash of Roc-A-Fella records is launching a new line of MP3 players and other consumer gadgets.


The Palestinian hunger strike ends ighteen days after they began a hunger strike demanding improved humanitarian conditions, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails resumed eating last night.


WRAPUP 3-Cleveland Fed chief says US needs higher rates US interest rates should rise to forestall future price pressures, Cleveland Fed President Sandra Pianalto said on Friday, while conceding that inflation did not pose a major threat now.


Montoya fears cancelled GP qualifying Formula Ones top stars are braced for bad weather this weekend in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. Weather forecasters predict a typhoon will hit Suzuka on Saturday in time to wreck qualifying and the


Explosion wounds at least two people at an airport in Kenya An explosion went off Sunday at an airport in Kenya #39;s capital, wounding at least two people Sunday and prompting authorities to seal off the facility to air traffic, witnesses said.


SEC advises Fannie Mae to restate earnings; \$9bn at stake NEW YORK, December 16 (newratings.com) - According to a report in the Washington Post today, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has advised Fannie Mae (FNM.


Bush Scraps U.S. Trade Embargo on Libya in WMD Reward (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush on Monday formally\ended the U.S. trade embargo on Libya to reward it for giving\up weapons of mass destruction but left in place some U.S.\terrorism-related sanctions.


Mobile Phone Cheats Mar S.Korean College Exam  SEOUL (Reuters) - Police questioned 350 South Korean  students Friday and more were under suspicion in a widening  probe into cheating that has uncovered a link between two  national obsessions -- education and mobile phones.


Alitalia to cut 5,000 jobs in shake-up Italy's flagship air carrier Alitalia plans to cut 5,000 jobs as part of restructuring efforts aimed at averting collapse, news reports and an industry source said yesterday.


Of Mice and Biometrics Microsoft's new keyboard features a fingerprint reader that should have been a handy gizmo. But its price and its unfriendly attitude toward non-Microsoft browsers disappoint. Melissa Kruse reviews the Microsoft Optical Desktop with Fingerprint Reader.


China football faces reform calls China #39;s elimination from the 2006 World Cup qualifiers has prompted calls for reform of the country #39;s scandal-tainted football bureaucracy.


The Airbus Showdown The United States and Europe are edging toward their biggest trade dispute everand the United States shouldn #39;t blink. The dispute involves competition between Boeing


Debate On Turkey #39;s Prospects Dominates Run-Up To Summit At a summit this week, European Union leaders must decide when and how to begin membership talks with Turkey. That the summit will approve opening entry talks with Ankara is a forgone conclusion.


U.S. Chain Store Sales Rise in Oct 2 Week (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. chain store sales rose in the\fifth week of September, with stores indicating that business\picked up toward the end of the week as temperatures in parts\of the country turned cooler, a report said on Tuesday.


Army Wages War on Modern Menaces New ways of protecting U.S. troops from RPGs, biological weapons and more take center stage at a military science conference. There's even a morphine substitute that emerged from the rave scene. Noah Shachtman reports from Orlando, Florida.


Bears, Dolphins swap former Pro Bowlers The Chicago Bears have sent wide receiver Marty Booker and a 2005 third-round draft pick to the Miami Dophins for disgruntled defensive end Adewale Ogunleye.


24 Feared Killed As Typhoon Meari Batters Japan Tokyo, Sept. 30 (NNN): At least 24 people have been killed or are missing after a powerful tropical storm struck south-western Japan.


2004 Virus Activity Collaborative and More Clever, Says Security <b>...</b> The Netsky-P worm, which was first seen in March, accounted for almost a quarter of all virus incidents reported during 2004, says security firm Sophos, making it the hardest-hitting virus of the year.


Sony zooms in with new TV tech Electronics giant develops new television technology to attack core business from a new angle.


Woods chops down Yao The so-called weak link of the Raptors #39; starting five battled his Houston Rockets counterpart Yao Ming every step of the way as Toronto prevailed in their regular-season opener, 95-88, in front of 19,800 enthusiastic fans at the Air Canada Centre.


Tony Blair arrives in Sudan for talks Prime Minister Tony Blair has touched down in the Sudan for talks in the crisis-ridden country. Mr Blair arrived in capital city Khartoum ready to urge the Sudanese government to end the slaughter that has


Venus, Capriati End Season with Defeats  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Venus Williams and Jennifer Capriati's  hopes of qualifying for next week's lucrative season finale  were crushed by quarter-final defeats at the Advanta  Championships in Philadelphia on Friday.


Bryant's Attorneys Ask for Dismissal Attorneys for NBA star Kobe Bryant have asked the judge to dismiss the sexual assault charge against him with opening statements less than a week away, a court official said Wednesday.


HHG gets out of red zone AMP spin-off HHG plc has produced a pound stg. 46 million (\$A117 million) profit for the six months to June 30 - a massive turnaround from the pound stg.


AMERICAN LEAGUE: 22-0 defeat by Indians is Yankees #39; worst ever NEW YORK -- With Thursday night #39;s epic defeat, the Yankees #39; hold on first place in the American League East became increasingly tenuous.


Maltais takes air out of Aeros Steve Maltais can #39;t do it all for the Wolves, but the 35-year-old certainly is trying. Maltais scored the Wolves #39; first two goals Wednesday night against Houston after scoring the team #39;s only three goals in


Braves end three-game losing streak ATLANTA - Showing they can circle the wagons with the best of them, the Braves fought off enemies real and imagined Friday night on the heels of shortstop Rafael Furcal #39;s DUI arrest.


Samsung i730, EV-DO, early 2005 A Samsung executive yesterday let it be known that Samsung would ship a mobile phone using the EV-DO high-speed data standard in early 2005.


PeopleSoft v. Oracle: Game Over? Friday was a great day for Oracle chief Larry Ellison.  First, PeopleSoft's board ousted the CEO who had fought so hard against Oracle's hostile bid, then the feds announce they're dropping their antitrust complaint. -washingtonpost.com


Northwest adds Guangzhou, more flights from Indianapolis Northwest Airlines is expanding services again in Indianapolis and has begun a new passenger service from Guangzhou, China, to its Tokyo hub.


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


Harrington Chooses Country Over Cousin (AP) AP - It took Joey Harrington about one second to choose between red, white and blue  #151; and blood.


2 Ecologists Near End of West Coast Hike (AP) AP - Forget a Global Positioning System or even a map. The Earth's own original satellite is the most important guide for two hikers making the first known continuous trek of the nation's western coastline.


Whispers of regime change As a number of public opinion polls show a sustained, if not growing, lead that President George W Bush enjoys over his Democratic Party opponent John Kerry, the neo-conservatives have started


Linux to Grow Steady for Next Four Years Linux is much more popular in the enterprise than previously thought, according to a new report out today. IT research firm IDC combined several of its data studies and threw in a few that it didn #39;t already


Jasc acquisitionm - Corel #39;s come-back sign Corel has acquired Jasc Software, developer of the Windows-only Paint Shop family of products. Discussing the move, Corel calls the acquisition:  quot;A crucial part of its ongoing growth strategy.


Study: Humans Were Born to Run More than by brain size or tool-making ability, the human species was set apart from its ancestors by the ability to jog mile after lung-stabbing mile with greater endurance than any other primate, according to research published today in the journal


After a skeptical greeting, Google shares climb NEW YORK Wall Street, which forced Google, the Internet search engine, to sharply lower the price of its shares in its initial public offering in August, has now decided that the company is worth a lot more today than it was then.


Company Recalls Vioxx Arthritis Drug The company that makes the drug, Merck, said the company recalled the drug voluntarily after it received new research results. The results showed people taking the drug for several years have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.


Jazeera: Iraq Militants Kill Two Macedonia Hostages  DUBAI (Reuters) - 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.


Economy Expands Despite Rising Oil Prices  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Surging energy costs drove up U.S.  consumer prices a hefty and larger-than-expected 0.6 percent  last month, while industrial output grew strongly after  rebounding from hurricanes and housing starts leapt, government  reports showed on Wednesday.


Philips Warns on Chip Sales (Reuters) Reuters - Europe's top consumer electronics\group Philips cut the forecast for its closely watched chip\unit on Friday and predicted a significant slowdown for the\semiconductor industry next year.


Lions keep roaring on road EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- The road to respectability for the Detroit Lions has been . . . the road. How ironic for a team that went three years and an NFL-record 24 games without winning away from Motown.


Live digital TV arrives on mobile phones TV addicts need never again be far away from their next digital telly fix, thanks to a chip being developed by Texas Instruments (TI) for mobile phones.


Israel Holding 25 U.N. Workers At least 25 Palestinian U.N. workers have been detained by Israel for as long as two years under charges Israel refuses to reveal, U.N. officials said Wednesday.


Tiger and Phil fail first test His superstar pairing of Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods 2-down through six holes Friday morning, US captain Hal Sutton hardly seemed like the picture of concern.


Annual Study Finds Rise in Beach Closures (AP) AP - The number of days that beaches closed or posted warnings because of pollution rose sharply in 2003 due to more rainfall, increased monitoring and tougher standards, an environmental group said on Thursday.


Lankford Accepts Minor League Assignment (AP) AP - St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Ray Lankford accepted a minor league assignment to Triple-A Memphis on Monday, nine days after leaving the team to consider his career options.


Bosnian Serb War-Crimes Suspect Surrenders (AP) AP - A Bosnian Serb war-crimes suspect accused of genocide in the 1995 massacre of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys surrendered Saturday, the government said.


Tired of waiting for production, Jags cut Douglas JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SportsTicker) - Three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Hugh Douglas admitted he was in a  quot;funk quot; last season and vowed to make amends in 2004.


People Wait Overnight To Buy Sony #39;s New PSP Game Console They lined up and waited for hours, and in some cases camped out overnight to be the first to own one of Sony #39;s new handheld PlayStaion Portable devices (PSP) in Japan on Sunday.


A breakthrough could be in the works By now, every Aggie knows the significance of coach Dennis Franchione #39;s second year. Year two is usually his signature season, the one people look back at as the return to prominence.


Spurs 91, Warriors 71 SAN ANTONIO - Tim Duncan had 23 points and 18 rebounds and Manu Ginobili added 22 points to lead San Antonio past winless Golden State.


Fergie blasts  #39;mental #39; Wenger Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has accused Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger of having a mental problem when it comes to Ruud van Nistelrooy.


A Pitcher Hopes to Hop Off the Injury Treadmill Jeff Zimmerman's recent baseball biography reads like a broken record, or in a more modern idiom, "Groundhog Day."


Stocks shake off oil-cost worries to rally Stocks enjoyed a late-day rally yesterday, finishing higher despite a new record price for oil and gloomy third-quarter outlooks from several companies.


July business inventories up more than expected Businesses saw inventories rise in July and sales picked up, the government reported Wednesday. The Commerce Department said that stocks of unsold goods increased 0.9 in July, down from a 1.1 rise in June.


Fossil ape may be father of all apes A 13 million years old ape living in what is now Spain may have been the last common father of all apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans.


Shia leader Sadrs movement insists on Iraq election boycott BAGHDAD - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadrs movement will not participate in the national Iraqi elections due on January 30, Sadrs senior assistant asserted on Friday.


Shoppers Drug Mart 3rd-Qtr Profit Rises 21 to C\$92.5 Million Shoppers Drug Mart Corp., Canada #39;s biggest pharmacy chain, said third-quarter profit rose 21 percent to C\$92.5 million (\$77.3 million).


Today's schedule Amateur baseball: Yawkey League playoffs -- Somerville vs. South Boston at Ronan Park, Dorchester, 7:30 p.m.


Rescue operation at air crash site ends Rescue operation atthe site of an air crash killing all 53 people aboard a commuter plane and one more on the ground on Sunday morning was declared conclusion Tuesday.


CA CEO: IT is too complex Editor #39;s Summary: The new CEO at Computer Associates has spoken! He said in a speech this week that IT products are not being designed with the customers #39; needs in mind and that the products out there are too complex.


Clinton Breathing on Own After Surgery NEW YORK - Former President Bill Clinton was described as doing well Tuesday, breathing on his own as he recovers from an operation to relieve arteries so severely clogged that he was in imminent danger of a major heart attack.    He was taken off his respirator Monday night - a crucial step in his recovery, Dr...


Dollar Inches Up, Market Focus on Fed  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar climbed on Friday as investors  took advantage of the currency's recent weakness to take  profits and as the market took on more neutral positions in the  final stretch before the year-end.


Russian Cosmonaut to Travel With the Next Space Station Crew A Russian cosmonaut will travel to the International Space Station with the outpost #39;s next two-man crew when it launches aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft next month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said.


ABA Not Catching On An attempt to bring back the American Basketball Association hasn't succeeded, as the league loses teams and changes cities weekly.


UK gamers rush to snap up Doom 3 The eagerly anticipated Doom 3 has stormed to the top of the UK games charts.


New tee will try to hold its own Many times in his career as a passionate golfer, Pat Grant had made a tee time. He had never spent any time thinking about a tee, however.


Australia, U.S. Set Record The U.S. women's and men's eights team both set world bests in the Olympic rowing competition Sunday along with Australian pair Sally Newmarch and Amber Halliday.


Auburn Headed To Sugar Bowl Auburn #39;s 38-28 win in the SEC championship game Saturday gave the Tigers a perfect 12-0 regular season. It was the first Auburn football team to accomplish that feat.


Nation/world briefs NEW YORK - Time Warner Inc. and Comcast Corp. said they are exploring a potential joint bid for Adelphia Communications Corp., the troubled cable company that put itself on the block as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.


Give Teachers a Break Our government can give tax breaks to revenue-rich corporations, but seems to have a hard time giving a puny \$250 tax break for teachers who spend their own money to buy classroom supplies.


Marbury Powers U.S. Over Spain; Coaches Square Off  ATHENS (Reuters) - Officials had to separate the U.S. and  Spanish coaches when an argument erupted at the end of the game  as the United States beat Spain 102-94 in the Olympic men's  basketball quarter-finals Thursday.


Business School Doles Out BlackBerry Devices Blending technology and education, the University of Maryland #39;s business school will arm its MBA students with Nextel BlackBerry 7510s.


Day dawns for X Prize space shot A pioneering aviation company will attempt to rocket into space on Wednesday in a bid to win the \$10 million Ansari X Prize. The prize will go to the first non-governmental vehicle that can ferry three people


China raises interest rates for first time in nine years Beijing, Oct. 28 (PTI): China today raised its interest rates for the first time in nine years to consolidate macro economic adjustment and ensure healthy growth of the economy, the apex bank said here.


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


Sick Florida smokers ask top court to restore \$145 billion damage <b>...</b> Sick Florida smokers yesterday urged Florida #39;s highest court to punish the tobacco industry for  quot;fraud and deceit quot; by restoring a \$145 billion class-action award, the largest ever by a US jury.


Kennedy Cousin Fighting Assault Accusation CHICAGO - William Kennedy Smith said Monday he has resigned from the humanitarian group he founded while he fights sexual assault allegations leveled by a former employee.   "I am simply doing everything I can to protect the organization I love," Smith said in his first public appearance since Audra Soulias filed a lawsuit last week alleging he sexually assaulted her five years ago...


First direct flight from US to Vietnam since 1975 is on its way _ For the first time since 1975, a US passenger jet is flying from the US directly to Vietnam. The United Air Lines flight with 347 aboard took off from San Francisco today and is scheduled


Unseeded Vaidisova Wins Vancouver Open (AP) AP - Unseeded teenager Nicole Vaidisova defeated American Laura Granville 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Vancouver Open on Sunday.


Can he be like Tom? FOXBORO, Mass. - It #39;s a real blue state/green state debate, this Jets-Patriots game. On the one hand, it #39;s not about the quarterbacks.


NL Wrap: Bonds Denied Home-Run Milestone in Giants Win (Reuters) Reuters - Barry Bonds failed to collect a hit in\his bid to join the 700-homer club, but he did score a run to\help the San Francisco Giants edge the host Milwaukee Brewers\3-2 in National League action on Tuesday.


Roundup: UCLA triumphs in season opener UCLA freshman Jordan Farmar gave fans a preview of his playmaking skills with a no-look, crosscourt pass to Ryan Hollins for a dunk late in the second half.


Rebuilding plan taking hold at IU In recent years, Big Ten football teams such as Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin have trekked to the University of Oregon #39;s Autzen Stadium.


Gooch fills in for injured Quarles again ST. LOUIS -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker Shelton Quarles was a no-go in Monday night #39;s game against the St. Louis Rams because of a strained quadriceps.


JFK Shooting Game Branded  #39;Despicable #39; The family of John F Kennedy has blasted a video game that reconstructs the scene of his assassination. Monday is the 41st anniversary of the event.


U.S.: No 'Quick Fixes' in Sudan Situation (AP) AP - It may take up to two years to disarm the Arab militia in the Darfur region of western Sudan and secure the vast region for the return of 1.2 million people who fled the violence there, a senior U.S. diplomat said Friday.


3 Fugitive Muslim Militants Suspected in Jakarta Attack Investigators said Friday that they believed the deadly bombing of the Australian Embassy was carried out by suicide attackers who had eluded a manhunt after fellow militants were captured during raids in July and August.


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


Ichiro draws media crowd OAKLAND - The Seattle Mariners won #39;t get to the postseason this year, but they #39;re being covered as if they #39;re already there.


China blasts Bush as  #39;arrogant #39; ahead of presidential poll China criticized US President George W. Bush #39;s war on Iraq yesterday, accusing an  quot;arrogant quot; United States of trying to  quot;rule the world quot; and blaming the US-led invasion for sparking an increase in terrorist attacks.


NBA Wrap: Garnett Leads Timberwolves #39; Rally Kevin Garnett just missed out on a triple-double with 21 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a gritty 83-82 road win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.


Mobile hard drive carries Linux The drive, loaded with the open-source OS, can be plugged into the USB port of any computer to turn it into a Linux machine.


Drug-ordering systems get a boost Nearly 70 percent of Massachusetts hospitals have failed to install special computer systems for ordering drugs for patients, mostly because they carry big price tags. But a new report from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative says the state's hospitals would end up saving money if they install these sophisticated systems to reduce medical errors.


Drive to be the coolest puts PCs on cutting edge Kawika Uechi of Cambridge hacks computers, literally. His favorite tool is an electric rotary handsaw made by Dremel, with a blade that slices neatly through the thin metal of a computer case. But when he was a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Uechi also used the school's water-jet cutter, a supersonic water pistol that can rip through hardened ...


Safin out to catch Federer express Marat Safin, back to his best with a record-equalling third Paris Masters title, hopes to be a match for world No1 Roger Federer next year.


Kidnapped Briton named The family of Kenneth Bigley, the British engineer who was kidnapped by gunmen from his house in Baghdad this week, has issued a desperate plea for his safe return.


15 People Wounded in Chechen Car Bombing Fifteen people were wounded early Sunday outside a hospital in the Chechen capital in a car bombing that apparently targeted the security service headed by the


Uefa Cup Preview: Rangers-Auxerre AZ are through but the fate of Rangers, Auxerre and Grazer AK will be decided tonight. It seems simple: avoid defeat and youre through.


Tung rules out HKSAR  quot;referendum quot; Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said Monday that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will not consider any suggestion on constitutional


Carter signs with Jets Quarterback Quincy Carter signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets yesterday, three weeks after his surprising release by Dallas.


Henson Set to Start for Injured Testaverde Dallas Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells said yesterday that the rookie quarterback Drew Henson would make his first NFL start tomorrow against Chicago  quot;unless things change appreciably with Vinny.


B-R's opening task is not an easy one When the Old Colony League was trimmed to just four teams during the offseason, the spotlight was quickly cast on Bridgewater-Raynham's game at Marshfield Oct. 29.


After Arafat In his press conference last Thursday, President Bush said people who don #39;t believe in the applicability of democracy to the Arab world cannot really believe in a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict with Israel.


Digitizing the Bill of Rights (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from conducting "unreasonable searches" of our "persons, houses, papers, and effects" without a warrant.  The First Amendment, of course, protects our right to free speech.


XML security device unveiled Web-services security company releases appliance designed to authenticate access into business networks.


Hollinger offers Black \$100m deal Hollinger International has extended an olive branch to former chief executive Lord Black by offering him a share in the proceeds of the 665m sale of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph.


FOUND MONEY (1010 WINS) NEW YORK Subway and bus fares will not rise as high as predicted next year. The Metropolitan Transit Authority says monthly unlimited Metrocards, which currently cost 70 dollars, will jump to 76 dollars instead of the proposed 84 dollars.


IMF to lower French growth forecast (AFP) AFP - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will lower its 2005 French economic growth forecast from 2.5 percent to 2.3 percent, the financial daily Les Echos said, without quoting its sources.


Souness Leaves Rovers Manager Graeme Souness has stunned the football world by turning his back on Blackburn Rovers to become the new manager of Newcastle United.


Press Row: Ugly Sox burying curse com. It sure looked that way over the weekend at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox played with hands of stone in the field and stranded enough runners to fill the Boston Marathon.


Week ahead: Apple #39;s Paris buzz Following are some of the notable technology-related events scheduled for the week of Aug. 15. Apple Computer fans are dishing the scuttlebutt this week.


Benitez: Reds need time to gel Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has conceded that his side could take a few months to kick into gear following Sunday #39;s 1-0 defeat at Bolton.


For \$600 a Week, Screen-Side Seats to Lawsuit Involving Disney A Delaware court next Monday will begin considering the shareholder lawsuit over the \$140 million severance that Walt Disney paid its former president Michael S. Ovitz.


Colts outclass Bears in one-sided track meet Chicago - The Bears needed a perfect performance to beat the Colts and came away with a 41-10 defeat in their poorest showing under Lovie Smith.


Pacers-Pistons melee another black eye for Detroit #39;s image The sight of Detroit fans scuffling with NBA stars and showering them with beer, ice and popcorn gives the city another black eye as it struggles to improve its image and overcome a well-worn reputation for violence and urban unrest.


3 days to tell if quake predictor right The day of reckoning is coming. For someone. By Labor Day, either Southern California will have suffered a magnitude-6.4 earthquake or at least one UCLA geophysicist will be eating some serious crow.


Intel Cuts Back Projection For 3rd-Quarter Revenue  Intel Corp. lowered its revenue projections for its third quarter yesterday, citing slow consumer purchases across the globe.


Blair, Chirac try to put Iraq war behind them (AFP) AFP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac called for  quot;a stable and democratic Iraq quot; as well as urgent efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


Judge not, lest ye be judged Athens, Greece - In response to two scoring controversies that overshadowed the best US gymnastics performance in Olympic history, an official with the sport #39;s international governing body says it will review judging procedures and the rule book that


SEC Files Civil Suit Against Former Hollinger Executives The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday filed a civil lawsuit alleging that media baron Conrad M. Black fraudulently diverted millions of dollars from Hollinger International Inc.


It's a Family Affair Murdoch is battling Malone to keep a tight grip on News Corp. -- and benefit heirs, if not shareholders


Kerry Campaign Helping With Fla. Recovery (AP) AP - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry does not plan to visit Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley because he's concerned his campaign entourage could distract from recovery efforts, he said Saturday.


Ministers line up to attack Charles as  #39;patronising #39; The dispute between the Prince of Wales and the Government over education intensified last night when a second Cabinet minister rebuked the prince for claiming the current system fuelled unrealistic ambitions.


Intel makes tiny breakthrough CONTRADICTING fears that the semiconductor industry #39;s pace of development is slowing, Intel has achieved a milestone in shrinking the size of transistors that will power next-generation chips.


AMR Research Estimates Sarbanes-Oxley Spending Will Reach \$5.8 <b>...</b> AMR Research estimates that companies will spend \$5.8 billion on meeting Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) requirements in 2005. Despite initial thoughts that Sarbanes-Oxley spending would be a one-time expenditure


Astros appear ready to shake postseason blues While 11,000 tickets went begging in Game 1 of this playoff series, the Houston hitters did not. The Astros #39; heat wave that produced a 36-10 record in the last six weeks of the season descended on Atlanta.


Most D.C. Hotels Have Kept Union at Bay Three years ago, before the trendy Hotel Monaco in Washington's Penn Quarter filled its goldfish bowls and tucked in its high-thread-count sheets, managers went to a local human resources association to see what the unionized hotels in the area paid employees.


Now showing: The galactic storm HILO, Hawai #39;i - Scientists released images yesterday of a collision of two galaxy clusters as they crash into each other like immense storm systems, a process that releases more energy than anything but the Big Bang itself.


12th-Ranked Miami Pounds Wake Forest  MIAMI (Sports Network) - Brock Berlin completed 13-of-19  passes for a career-high 361 yards along with four touchdowns,  while Roscoe Parrish hauled in five passes for 141 yards as  12th-ranked Miami-Florida routed Wake Forest. 52-7, at the  Orange Bowl.


Make-up, another thing the Romans did for us The first analysis of a rare Roman skin cream shows that it is similar to modern equivalents and suggests that women went to the same lengths to look beautiful two thousand years ago as they do today.


Tapp Tops Hokie 'D' Defensive end Darryl Tapp ranks among the ACC's sack leaders and as a result, has yet to relinquish the Hokie defense's most prized possession: the pail.


UN Backs Open Source With New Agency It #39;s called the International Open Source Network (IOSN), which is an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with a primary goal to promote Free and Open Source (FOSS) software usage.


Baseball legend Bonds testifies using BALCO substances: report SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Baseball star slugger Barry Bonds told a grand jury that he used a clear substance and cream from a firm embroiled in a doping scandal, but never thought they were steroids, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.


W3C highlights Mobile Web Initiative at workshop Group seeks to make Web access for mobile device users as easy as it is for desktop users.


Cisco, Microsoft bridge security gap Cisco Systems Inc. and Microsoft Corp. on Monday will announce a collaborative effort designed to bridge a divide between their emerging network access-control architectures.


Boise State-Nevada Game on ESPN RENO, Nev. Nov 22, 2004 - Kickoff for the regular-season finale between No. 10 Boise State and Nevada has been moved back to 4:45 pm PST Saturday to accommodate a national television audience.


6 injured, 48 detained in Argentine clash At least six Argentine protesters were injured and 48 people, including 18 women, were detained in the clash with police over the visit of the International Monetary Fund


TRESCOTHICK: WE ARE A TEAM OF FIGHTERS England will go into their winter break with Marcus Trescothick predicting their one-day line-up can bounce back from the heartbreak of their ICC Champions Trophy final defeat.


Struggling Tiger to lead last-ditch effort A BEATEN and dejected Tiger Woods walked alone up the 16th fairway here on Saturday, no teammates in sight with only security guards as companions to share his misery.


Microsoft Cracks Down on Xbox Changes Game Stop employee Lisa Hargreaves pulls out a stack of games for waiting customers at the University Mall in Davis Calif., at the stroke of midnight Nov. 9, 2004, as fans lined up to get first crack at the \$50 sequel from Microsoft Corp.


FCC frees up spectrum for 3G com September 9, 2004, 4:46 PM PT. Federal telephone regulators on Thursday set aside more spectrum for third-generation cell phone calls and other advanced wireless services, in a move


Montoya  #39;poised for FIA summons #39; Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya could be summoned to a meeting of Formula One #39;s governing body, the FIA, to explain his conduct, according to reports.


HP Says Bye Bye Itanium: Carly Finds Way To Trim Another \$100m HP, whose contributions made the Itanium so confoundedly complicated, has dropped out of the 10-year-old partnership with Intel that saw them develop the 64-bit chip.


Hobbyist anglers take big catch Amateur anglers have a significant and possibly damaging impact on certain sea-fish populations, scientists claim. The Science magazine study says the US #39;s 10 million saltwater recreational anglers may need better regulation.


Google Launches Ultimate Search Tool Google, the world #39;s most popular search engine announced the launch of a beta desktop search utility application that goes beyond basic web search.


MLB Notebook: Johnson trade still in the works The New York Yankees, Arizona and Los Angeles spent yesterday trying to put the finishing touches on the megadeal that would move All-Stars Randy Johnson, Shawn Green and Javier Vazquez.


Federal reserve bank chief finalist for A amp;M job Texas A amp;M University System regents selected the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas as the sole finalist for its chancellorship today.


Door remains open for Button, say BAR BAR expect Briton Jenson Button to continue racing for them next season if Formula One #39;s contract recognition board takes their side in a bitter tug-of-war with Williams.


Singh becomes first \$10 million man in golf The guy who once gave \$10 lessons as a club pro in Borneo is now the first \$10 million man in golf. Singh once found work as a bouncer in a Scottish night club when he failed to get through European qualify school.


Japan Expresses  #39;serious Concern #39; About N Korean Missiles In <b>...</b> BEIJING (AFP) - Japanese negotiators told North Korea they had  quot;serious concern quot; about its missile program in talks that extended for a second day in Beijing, a Japanese diplomat said.


Garnett Delivers For Timberwolves HOUSTON, Nov. 11 (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves took advantage of Tracy McGrady #39;s absence to record a road win. Kevin Garnett scored 20 points and Sam Cassell added 18 and both made some big shots


China temporarily suspends IPOs China said Tuesday it will temporarily suspend initial public offerings until it comes up with new rules on share offer pricing. The China Securities Regulatory Commission


Verizon Considering Bid For Sprint The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Vodafone has given Verizon Wireless the green-light to make a bid to buy Sprint.  quot;Verizon Communications Inc.


Mild Seven Renault F1 Team Preview, Brazilian Grand Prix The official Mild Seven Renault F1 Team preview of the Brazilian GP, round 18 of the 2004 F1 season.


Tennis: Federer and Hewitt set for US Open final clash NEW YORK : Roger Federer will be chasing his third Grand Slam of the year and trying to blast his way into the record books as he faces Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday #39;s 17.


EU, Mercosur fail to reach trade pact, deadline extended The European Union (EU) and the South American Mercosur trade bloc failed to reach an agreement aimed at creating the world #39;s largest free trade area, negotiatorssaid late on Wednesday.


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


Getting Specific With Local Search Engine Optimization Getting Specific With Local Search Engine Optimization\\Localized search engine optimization is often overlooked as an excellent tool to bring in local traffic to your website. By including local information in your tags and web pages, you help prospective customers find specific information on the area and business they are searching ...


Upon reflection, Sox overmatched The White Sox #39; 10-2 loss to the Twins at the Metrodome Tuesday night offered a nearly perfect mirror to an increasingly ugly season.


County Refocuses on Retail Prince George's County officials Tuesday renewed their push to persuade retailers to locate in the county by releasing a 70-page report that said it is home to more high-income households than Anne Arundel, Howard counties.


HEWITT IS DUMPED BY PHONE The Belgian tennis ace, 21, called Hewitt to end their relationship without giving a reason - then posted a statement on her website.


Fool #39;s gold or silver lining? Meb Keflezighi knows what people think. That he #39;s foolish for running the IMG New York City Marathon on Sunday. That 70 days isn #39;t enough time to recover after his emotional performance at


Tech's Passing Attack Meets OSU's Rushinng (AP) AP - No. 23 Oklahoma State has a plan to halt Texas Tech's prolific passing attack. "Being in position and bringing them down where they catch it, or breaking the ball out of the receiver's hands," Cowboys coach Les Miles said. "Couple that with getting a pass rush, and that is what we worked on this past week."


Experts on Gazprom and Rosneft #39;s merger RBC, 12.11.2004, Moscow 14:57:41.Analysts with Russian investment companies consider positive news that the government approved the methodology of Gazprom and Rosneft #39;s merger.


Super Man Is Dead: Johnson KOs Jones in 9! 25.09.04 - By Lee Hayes: Tonight, Roy Jones Jr. may have stepped in to the ring for the last time, the end of a stellar career. Being KOd by rugged journeyman Glencoffe Johnson will most likely be the


Birdstone reigns during storm at the Travers SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Birdstone did it once, winning the Belmont Stakes, but he had to do it again to prove his class, and he accomplished the mission by capturing the 135th running of the \$1 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga yesterday. Now, the retired Smarty Jones, defeated by Birdstone in the Belmont, has company atop the 3-year-old division.


Children targets in war zone NEW YORK: The brutalities of a Sudan-backed religious group have left northern Uganda in a shambles, uprooting 1.8 million people who have little faith in the Kampala Government to protect them, according to a UN official.


Dollar Steadies, More Weakness Expected (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. dollar paused near recent\lows Friday but dealers expected selling to resume after a\weekend meeting of G20 finance ministers, while stock investors\sought cover in companies immune to currency risks.


Oracle Poised to Pounce of PeopleSoft (AP) AP - Bolstered by investors, Oracle Corp. appears destined to complete its long-sought takeover of PeopleSoft Inc. unless its rival becomes more profitable and proves it is worth more than the  #36;9.2 billion bid currently on the table.


Goalie Battles Toughest Foe Bowling Green's starting goaltender, the senior captain Jordan Sigalet, was found to have multiple sclerosis.


Porn in email down, claims vendor The number of  quot;inappropriate quot; email attachments sent to businesses has fallen but the reason for this isn #39;t immediately apparent, email security vendor MessageLabs says in a media release.


The Smaller the Better Division I transfer quarterbacks Justin Rascati and Craig Ochs will lead James Madison and Montana, respectively, in the I-AA final Friday.


British Ship Reaches Stranded Canadian Submarine (Reuters) Reuters - A British Royal Navy frigate reached a\crippled Canadian submarine on Wednesday and put a doctor on\board the vessel, which was left drifting in heavy seas off the\Irish coast after its engines were knocked out by a serious\fire, officials said.


From Turf to Team, Boise State Takes Unconventional Approach As Boise State has proved in finishing its regular season 11-0, its program has transcended a quirky marketing gimmick: the installation of its blue turf.


What will you give up, just to get some work? What rights will you give up in order to get some work?      We are guaranteed certain protections against the tyranny of the State, but what's to stop private companies from ignoring those protections, so long as they can require us to agree to forego them in order to receive employment?


Presidential, parliamentary elections begin in Romania Presidential elections began early Sunday in Romania with around 18 million eligible voters expected to vote in the first round of the race.


Oil prices skid sharply downwards Oil prices on both sides of the Atlantic have fall to some of their lowest levels in eight weeks, as shortage fears ease.


Brokerage Gets Fine, 1-Month Ban on Opening New Accounts NEW YORK, Aug. 19 -- National Securities Corp., a Seattle brokerage firm, has agreed to a one-month ban on opening mutual fund accounts and must pay \$600,000 in fines and restitution to settle allegations that its employees helped ...


Supreme Court challenges lawyer for Rwandan accused of triggering slaughter (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - A Supreme Court justice challenged a lawyer Wednesday who defended his Rwandan client's call in 1992 for the extermination of ethnic Tutsis prior to a bloody genocide in the African country.


Kyocera boost to Chinese PAS unit (FT.com) FT.com - Japan's Kyocera is to supply China Telecom, the country's biggest fixed-line telephone operator, with data PC cards that will allow users of its cut-price wireless network to connect their computers to the internet.


Argentina Completes Dream Team's Downfall (AP) AP - Bronze is the best the American men's basketball team can do, and the reason is simple: They were beaten by a better team, Argentina. Manu Ginobili scored 29 points to lead his nation to another victory over the country that used to dominate the sport, an 89-81 win in the Olympic semifinals Friday night.


Fergie Hails Footballing  #39;Eccentric #39; Clough Sir Alex Ferguson tonight hailed Brian Clough as a great footballing eccentric and a fantastic manager following the death of his old sparring partner.


Symantec in \$13bn Veritas merger Global security software maker Symantec is to take over Veritas Software in a merger deal valued at \$13.5bn (7bn). The all-share deal will see Symantec swap 1.1242 shares of common stock for each Veritas share.


Bush Aides Laugh Off 'Wired Debate' Rumor (AP) AP - Campaign aides to President Bush on Saturday laughed off rampant Internet speculation about whether the president was wired to get help from advisers during his first debate with Sen. John Kerry. "It's not true. It's ridiculous," Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said.


Arafat Flies to France for Treatment  AMMAN (Reuters) - A French jet left Amman on Friday taking  ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for treatment in Paris,  witnesses said.


Pitcher presumably suffered injury on two-run single PHILADELPHIA -- Considering the number of times Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens were mentioned in the same breath this year, perhaps it #39;s only fitting they should both make headlines with their respective injuries on the same ...


United prepare  #39;Battle of the buffet #39; evidence against Arsenal MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - The fall-out over the Old Trafford tunnel brawl between Manchester United and Arsenal continued with news that United were preparing to ask the Football Association to take action.


Bigley Pleads for his Life British hostage Kenneth Bigley was reportedly made to plead for his life tonight in the latest sick video from his ruthless abductors.


Startup Devises New Way to Squash Worms While the large anti-virus vendors continue to spend millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours churning out updated signature files, a Utah-based startup this week plans to unveil an entirely new e-mail security solution that needs no signatures and


Normal life resumes in Kathmandu Valley With the passage of one week, the effect of the  quot;Kathmandu Valley blockade quot; imposed by the Nepalese anti-government guerrillas has waned with the government #39;s move to step up security in order to foil the embargo.


Testimony: Ovitz Was Denied Signing Bonus Michael Ovitz wanted a \$50 million signing bonus to become president of the Walt Disney Co., but the directors who eventually hired him were not willing


Shearer leads way as big guns book group stage places MOST of the big names, including the Alan Shearer-inspired Newcastle United, progressed safely to the new group stage of the UEFA Cup after a frantic nights action last night, although Parma and Real Zaragoza cut it fine.


Oracle: PeopleSoft Board to Reject Bid  PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Software maker Oracle Corp.  ORCL.O on Wednesday said it will let PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O  shareholders decide for themselves whether to accept Oracle's  \$8.8 billion hostile takeover bid after learning that  PeopleSoft's board of directors will reject it.


Egypt FM, intelligence chief to visit Israel next month (AFP) AFP - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit announced that he and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman intend to visit Israel next month to discuss bilateral issues as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.


Mussels Found Near N.Pole in Global Warming Sign (Reuters) Reuters - Mussels have been found growing on the\seabed just 800 miles from the North Pole in a likely sign of\global warming, scientists said on Friday.


Dhaka Seeks Interpol Help in Blasts Probe DHAKA, 28 August 2004 - Bangladesh has called in Interpol to assist investigations into the Aug. 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally which killed 20 people and wounded 300, a senior police officer said yesterday.


Buyer prices rise in October Consumer prices, stoked by more expensive gasoline and pricier fruits and vegetables, heated up in October, rising by 0.6 percent, the biggest gain in five months.


Sun, Kodak Move Forward After \$92 Million Settlement  quot;Sun is in this big battle with Microsoft for enterprise commitments, quot; Jonathan Eunice, an analyst with the research firm Illuminata, told the E-Commerce Times.


Karzai aborts trip to Afghan city after rocket hits near landing <b>...</b> KABUL, Afghanistan Afghan president Hamid Karzai aborted his trip to a provincial capital today when a rocket hit near his landing site as his helicopter was approaching.


Anschutz Purchases Journal Newspapers Philip F. Anschutz, Denver billionaire and DC United investor, yesterday announced the purchase of the Journal Newspapers Inc., the Alexandria publisher of three Washington area suburban daily


Google Wins GEICO Trademark Suit over Keywords The decision left undecided whether the sale of GEICO #39;s trademarks by Google or any other search engine, in and of itself, violates the trademark laws or other laws.


Schwarzenegger unveils hydrogen-powered Hummer but not exact d when he campaigned for office. Criticized by environmentalists for owning a gas-guzzler, Schwarzenegger


Forwarding freedom The free use of the ballot box is the ultimate expression of democracy. We #39;ve had the right so long in this country that, sadly, many of us choose to use the right in a pedestrian, occasional fashion.


Martin #39;s legs carry Jets They #39;ll remember Chad Pennington for that renegade scramble into harm #39;s way, risking that suspect shoulder on a torrid third-down tear deep into Texans #39; territory.


Vettori spins NZ to big win DANIEL VETTORI captured six wickets as New Zealand completed a hat-trick of victories over Bangladesh after clinching the opening Test by an innings and 99 runs in Dhaka today.


Ortiz double breaks it open They once again escaped with a victory in a game that had the same type of tension that marked the last time they played at Network Associates Coliseum, the home of the always formidable Oakland Athletics.


New space travel era A MANNED rocket ship, financed entirely with private funds, reached the edge of space on Monday. The spaceship #39;s builders and backers say the project #39;s success marks a new age for commercial space tourism and travel.


Microsoft changes Sender ID, AOL back on board Microsoft resurrected its anti-spam Sender ID proposal this week by making changes to appease some critics, and immediately won over one of its biggest detractors: American Online (AOL).


Blast Wounds Three U.S. Soldiers, Afghan Interpreter (Reuters) Reuters - A roadside bomb exploded in southern\Afghanistan, wounding three U.S. soldiers and an Afghan\interpreter, the U.S. military said on Thursday.


No approach from Real - Eriksson Sven-Goran Eriksson insisted on Tuesday that he had not been approached by Real Madrid to take over as their new coach. Sven-Goran Eriksson insisted on Tuesday that he had not been approached by Real Madrid to take over as their new coach.


Cos. to Sell Songs on File-Share Service (AP) AP - Three major recording companies have agreed to make their music available to be shared and sold over a new online file-swapping service that aims to lure music fans away from rival services where trading of music and movies remains unfettered.


EU fines 7 firms for price-fixing BRUSSELS Outokumpu, IMI and five other companies were fined a total of E222.3 million on Friday by the European Commission for fixing the prices of copper tubing used in household plumbing.


Dollar Rallies from Record Low Vs. Euro  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rallied on Thursday from a  record low against the euro as traders attempted to square  positions ahead of a meeting of G20 finance ministers this  weekend.


Clorox Swaps \$2.1 Bln, Two Brands to Get Henkel Stake (Update3) Clorox Co., the largest US household- bleach maker, agreed to swap \$2.1 billion in cash, the Soft Scrub and Combat brands and its share in a joint venture to buy back Henkel KgaA #39;s 29 percent stake.


Reports: J amp;J, Guidant deal near Health care and consumer products maker Johnson  amp; Johnson is close to finalizing its long-rumored \$24 billion cash and stock acquisition of medical-device maker Guidant Corp.


DirecTV Posts Loss, Blames Marketing DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday posted a large quarterly loss as marketing and subscriber retention costs rose sharply, offsetting a 49 percent rise in new subscribers.


Roethlisberger-Manning matchup calls for measuring stick Eli Manning, the No. 1 pick of the New York Giants (and vice versa), is struggling in his role as the starter. Ben Roethlisberger, the 11th overall pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has won a rookie-record 11 straight starts.


US Says Iran Increasingly Isolated, Pressured, on Nuclear Issue The Bush administration says the new International Atomic Energy Agency resolution on Iran shows that Tehran is increasingly isolated over its nuclear program.


Nations split over post-quota system strategy By Frances Williams in Geneva and Raymond Colitt in So Paulo. Developing countries in the World Trade Organisation remain split over what, if any action, the WTO should take to help smaller textiles producers


Priest brings Chiefs some salvation Kansas City held on to the ball and controlled the clock to outlast the Baltimore Ravens 27-24 and win their first game of the season.


Howard to fight terror with teams based in Asia CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard plans to base special  #39;flying squads #39; of police in South-east Asia to fight terrorism at the source and stop it reaching Australia.


Seventeen political parties demand postponement of elections Seventeen political parties on Friday demanded postponement of the Jan. 30 elections for at least six months until the government is capable of securing polling places.


US Govt investigating cyber crimes worth \$215 mn The US Justice Department #39;s crackdown on cyber crime has brought to light illegal activities, including credit-card fraud, to the tune of over \$215 million and resulted in dozens of arrests, a senior official said.


Europe clears Oracle takeover The European Commission today cleared the way for Oracle Corp. #39;s hostile takeover of PeopleSoft Inc. removing one of the deal #39;s few remaining hurdles.


Sudan Rejects US Charges of Genocide in Darfur Sudan #39;s Foreign Minister has rejected US assertion that the violence in Western Darfur region fits the definition of genocide.


Yankees' Closing Acts Resolve All Plot Twists It was a surreal and stomach-turning night for the Yankees against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, and when it ended, it was also a successful night.


T-Mobile tries on start-up's wireless gear Flarion Technologies is making its European debut by powering T-Mobile's wireless broadband service in The Hague.


NCAA Game Summary - Southern California at BYU The Cougars turned the ball over four times...The Trojans made their first ever visit to Provo...Bush posted his first career 100-yard rushing game.


Minister Tries to End Royal Memo Row Education Secretary Charles Clarke today tried to end the row over the Prince of Waless controversial memo by praising his commitment to developing peoples ambition.


India PM to visit Kashmir camp Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has arrived in Indian administered Kashmir #39;s winter capital of Jammu on the second day of his trip to the area.


Vatican returns relics of saints to Istanbul (Vatican City-AP) Nov. 27, 2004 - Pope John Paul has handed over centuries-old relics of two Orthodox saints to the spiritual leader of the world #39;s Orthodox Christians.


Gov't Set to Make Oil Loans to Refiners  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With oil near \$50 a barrel, the Bush  administration said on Thursday it would negotiate with  refineries that want to borrow oil from the federal emergency  stockpile to offset supplies disrupted by Hurricane Ivan.


Intel Unwires Chinas Panda Playground In Wolong Sydney, Australia, 25 October, 2004 - Intel Corporation today announced it has deployed a campus-wide broadband and wireless communications network within Chinas Wolong Nature Reserve to aid researchers in the study, care and preservation of the


Court rejects planned Air New Zealand-Qantas alliance New Zealand #39;s High Court on Monday rejected a proposed alliance between the country #39;s flag carrier and Australian rival airline Qantas.


Date set for India Maoist talks The Indian state of Andhra Pradesh says peace talks with the Maoist People's War Group will start on 15 October.


Sunday, September 12, 2004 Questions Answered Heading into the first game of a new season, every team has question marks. But in 2004, the Denver Broncos seemed to have more than normal.


Harland #39;s brave display Modern pentathlon was devised by the founder of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, as the ultimate test of the  quot;ideal, complete athlete quot;.


San Francisco at Milwaukee, 1:05 PM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Barry Bonds tries to go where just two players have gone before when the San Francisco Giants visit the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.