Santini reveals truth about Arnesen  quot;Right from the beginning there was a problem with responsibilities within the club, especially regarding recruitment, quot; the Frenchman said during half-time, with the scores still level at 1-1.


Fierce gunfire erupts in Najaf after mortar fire NAJAF: A fierce gunbattle erupted between US troops and radical Shi #39;ite militants near Najaf #39;s holy shrine this morning, a Reuters witness said.


Miller's Deal With Brewers Is Finalized (AP) AP - Catcher Damian Miller's  #36;8.75 million, three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers was finalized Monday after team doctors allayed concerns over his health.


Microsoft, Intel Plan Joint Campaign for Media Center Under the advertising slogan  quot;Digital Joy, quot; Microsoft and Intel plan a national television advertising campaign in the US, with plans to take the campaign to other countries next year.


Gaffes Haunt Cardinals in Game 3 of Series (AP) AP - Tony La Russa grimaced, then pulled the bill of his cap down low.


Oil prices steady as US readies draw on strategic reserves Resurgent oil prices paused for breath as the United States prepared to draw on its emergency reserves to ease supply strains caused by Hurricane Ivan.


Video Game Report Card Helps Parents Goal is to assist moms and dads in buying family-friendly entertainment for their kids. Video games are a popular item on the Christmas wish lists of kids, which


Alabama Congressional Candidate Injured (AP) AP - A congressional candidate's antebellum home burned down early Friday, and he broke his knee jumping from the second floor.


Passenger bus seizure in Greese Greek police surrounded a bus full of passengers seized by armed hijackers along a highway from an Athens suburb Wednesday, police said.


Wall St. Seen Rising as Oil Prices Slip (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. stock futures pointed toward a\higher Wall Street open on Tuesday after crude oil prices fell\for a third day, easing investors' fears that costly oil would\squeeze company profits and slow growth.


Consumer goods giants sweep Indian hinterland (Reuters) Reuters - She's not quite the Avon Lady, but Sujathamma Jella represents the new face of direct selling in India, trudging down muddy roads every day with a bag filled with soap, shampoo and skin-lightening cream.


Olympics: Hamm salutes triple victory from gymnastics controversy WASHINGTON : American Paul Hamm was celebrating what he hailed as a  quot;third victory quot; after being told by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that he could keep the Olympic gold medal he won in the men #39;s all-around gymnastics event in Athens.


Indonesian Court Opens Bashir Terror Trial  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian Islamic cleric Abu Bakar  Bashir went on trial on Thursday accused of leading an al  Qaeda-linked militant network and of planning or inciting  others to carry out attacks in the world's most populous Muslim  nation.


Yahoo Mobile Brings Search to Cell Phones Yahoo Mobile can obtain localized search results, make calls from the results page, and obtain images. Shortcuts offer quick access to information, such as weather, stock quotes, sport scores and flight information.


DreamWorks Animation Flips to Profit  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Animated film studio DreamWorks  Animation SKG Inc DWA.N on Wednesday reported a profit from a  year-earlier loss in its first earnings period since the  company went public in October.


Cendant near \$1.2B deal to buy Orbitz Source says travel and real estate giant is close to reaching agreement to acquire travel Web site. PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Travel and real estate company Cendant Corp.


Chile to Pay Torture Victims  SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 28 -- President Ricardo Lagos of Chile on Sunday proposed special pensions and other reparations for more than 28,000 Chileans who were tortured by government agents during the country's 1973-1990 military dictatorship.


Neighbourhood watch PRIME Minister John Howard flies to Indonesia today for the inauguration of Indonesia #39;s newly-elected President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.


Loeb takes the slow road to first world title A cautious approach helped Frenchman Sebastien Loeb to win his first world rallying title on Sunday. Before the Rally of France, Citroen team boss Guy Frequelin


More toxic materials set to join global trade watch list GENEVA: Up to 15 hazardous substances are expected to be added to a  quot;watch list quot; regulating international trade in toxic industrial products and pesticides, the UN #39;s environmental agency said.


England vs. Wales = Man Utd vs. Man City And you know exactly what he means. Our man on Radio Four (ooooh!) Andy Gray says England should win but in all local derbies it #39;s always the lesser team who cares more.


Dollar Vulnerable, Gold Lifted  LONDON (Reuters) - The euro hovered near two-month highs on  Friday as key U.S. data loomed and as traders awaited a Group  of Seven meeting of finance ministers, while oil-fired  inflation fears lifted gold close to a 5-1/2 month high.


The conflict without Arafat The imminent passing of Yasser Arafat will mark the beginning of a new era in the Arab-Israeli conflict. For a century, Palestinian national politics has been dominated by two men: Hajj Amin al-Husseini led


US firm gets two Iraqi contracts The US Agency for International Development awards American firm Louis Berger two Iraqi reconstruction contracts worth a total \$208m.


Colombian Rebels Sought Bush Assassination Colombia's main rebel group asked followers to mount an assassination attempt against President Bush during his visit to Colombia last week, Defense Minister Jorge Uribe said. There was no evidence Saturday that rebels even tried to organize such an attack.


Arsenal, Manchester Rivalry Heating Up (AP) AP - The rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United is getting downright nasty. Accusations of vicious fouls, cheating, refereeing mistakes and a disputed penalty kick followed the latest confrontation between two of the giants of English soccer  #151; a 2-0 victory by Manchester United that ended Arsenal's record unbeaten streak of 49 games in the Premier League.


Stir Crazy (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - On a cold November morning in Brooklyn Edward Hamann, a buyer for Barnes  amp; Noble, drops to one knee and cautiously cuts a green chili with a 300-year-old Bengalese fish slicer. The device is an upright sheet of hammered iron in the silhouette of a swan, its neck a vertical sword. "Too fast!" warns Julie Sahni, the raven-haired Indian chef who is teaching this master class. "Indians do everything by hand, so you're going to need all your fingers." Her three students laugh nervously.


Jobless Claims Up, Import Prices Gain  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. jobless claims rose  unexpectedly last week in more worrying news for the labor  market, government data showed on Thursday, while other  indicators offered more positive signals for the economy.


Basketball: Moscow fumes as Utah Jazz pulls out of NBA date MOSCOW : Russian basketball champions CSKA Moscow said they were disappointed that NBA giants Utah Jazz had pulled out off a planned exhibition match here because of security fears.


Black day for Conrad The hammer finally came down yesterday on Lord Conrad Moffat Black of Crossharbour - known also by his media nickname of Tubby. Lawyers went to court and filed a 76-page  quot;complaint quot; against the former newspaper


The Limits Of Tolerance After an outspoken filmmaker is murdered on an Amsterdam street and a Muslim arrested for his killing, the Dutch question their liberal tradition


Culpepper Leading Pro Bowl Voting (AP) AP - Daunte Culpepper was leading Pro Bowl fan balloting through Wednesday with 325,383 votes.


Ivory Coast MPs discuss key laws Ivory Coast's parliament start to debate proposed laws which lie at the heart of the two-year conflict.\</b>


EDITORIAL: Another example of true democracy! What happened in the National Assembly on October 22 was unsavoury but expected. Yet there is one good reason for wanting to comment on the proceedings of the house that day: General Pervez Musharrafs constant


BHP Billiton 2nd-Half Net Doubles on Commodity Prices (Update3) Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- BHP Billiton, the world #39;s biggest mining company, more than doubled second-half profit as Chinese demand boosted commodity prices and said it may return as much as \$2 billion to investors, including through share buybacks.


The Last Raise for Gates and Ballmer? Despite Microsoft #39;s many woes, the honchos got a bump this year. Considering the company #39;s outlook, their next may be a ways off.


A Bridge Suspended in Controversy In the history of ambitious bridge projects, doubt -- and the controversy that stems from it -- tends to make regular appearances.


Ponting leads tributes to Miller Australia captain Ricky Ponting has led the tributes to great all-rounder Keith Miller, who died on Monday. Miller, who played in Donald Bradman #39;s Invincibles team, died in Melbourne at the age of 84.


Be your own telecom, wireless firm suggests A local startup is selling technology to enable the average person to set up and manage their own WiFi wireless network. BeeTelecom Inc.


Sprint acquiring Nextel in \$35B deal Sprint Corp. said yesterday it will acquire Nextel Communications Inc. in a \$35-billion deal that will create the nation #39;s third-largest wireless phone carrier, Sprint Nextel.


Fatigue is main fear for Henman An American asked Tim Henman if he would like to comment on the fact that only two US men, Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi, survived into the last 32 of this year #39;s US Open.


Update 1: FDA Puts CuraGen Protein on Fast-Track Shares of CuraGen Corp. shot up 13 percent Thursday morning after the biotechnology company said regulators gave a  quot;fast-track quot; designation to its experimental treatment for mouth sores that often accompany chemotherapy or radiation therapy.


Colo. Senate Candidates Clash Over Terror (AP) AP - The candidates for Colorado's tightly contested open Senate seat  #151; beer heir Peter Coors and state Attorney General Ken Salazar  #151; clashed Sunday over whether Osama bin Laden deserves the death penalty and the legal age for drinking.


ECB and Britain leave key interest rates alone BRUSSELS: Record high oil price pose the biggest threat to the global economic recovery, the European Central Bank said yesterday as it left its key interest rate unchanged at 2 per cent.


Amazon Profit Misses Estimates Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit but its stock fell more than 4 percent as the online retailer #39;s results failed to top Wall Street expectations.


Boeing Probe Widens to \$100 Bln Contract  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A criminal probe of Boeing Co.'s  dealings with the U.S. Air Force is widening to include a \$100  billion Army program it oversees, the Wall Street Journal  reported on Tuesday.


SpaceShipOne has made Space History Brian Binnie (top left in image), grabbed previous Pilot #39;s Mike Melvill #39;s torch and flew the second leg of the X Prize competition in Burt Rutan #39;s SpaceShipOne.


Major Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast (AP) AP - Hurricane forecasters are calling for an above-average Atlantic hurricane season again next year after one of the most destructive seasons on record.


Domenech pleased with France despite dull performance France coach Raymond Domenech was surprisingly pleased with his team #39;s lacklustre performance in the goalless draw against Ireland in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday.


Major Water Main Break Floods Street Oct. 27 (BCN) - Fremont Boulevard was reopened at approximately 4:30 am after a water main break flooded an estimated ten million gallons of water over Fremont #39;s Centerville District Tuesday night, according to the Alameda County Water District.


Darfur #39;s War of Definitions Finally, the conflict in Darfur in western Sudan is a focal point in international diplomacy and media attention. This is the least to expect after months of bloody campaigns of murder, rape and dare I say, ethnic cleansing, starting as ...


Wi-Fi gets ready for next-generation Net Wireless networking equipment makers are starting to roll out IPv6-ready gear to meet demand for the new protocol in Asia.


Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results For its fiscal 2004 fourth quarter, Apple posted a net profit of \$106 million, or \$.26 per diluted share. These results compare to a profit of \$44 million, or \$.12 per share, a year ago. Revenue for the quarter was \$2.35 billion, up 37 from a year ago. Gross margin was 27, up from 26.6 last year. International sales accounted for 37 of revenue. Oct 13


First full planes, then full stomachs Passengers flying toward their Thanksgiving feasts can expect to find crowded airports and packed flights on the way. By JEAN HELLER, Times Staff Writer.


A Conversation with Matthew Koll Gary Price checks in with web search pioneer Matthew Koll, who shares his thoughts on the current and future state of the industry.


ID Theft Case Yields Guilty Plea A computer technician who prosecutors said made possible the largest identity theft in U.S. history, surpassing \$50 million, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy in a scheme that poached personal information from tens of thousands of people.


Robbie Williams Album Launched on Memory Card UK-based record company EMI has teamed up with British retailer Carphone Warehouse to sell Robbie Williams #39; Greatest Hits album in memory-card format for cell phones and PDAs.


Worker morale may take toll on airlines It is a management truism that low morale among workers inevitably results in low productivity, low quality, erosion of customer loyalty and, ultimately, lower profits.


Najaf: A Victory for Politics Friday #39;s defusing of the three-week military standoff in Najaf has the disappointing result that Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his militia survive to fight another battle, threatening US military forces and the fledgling Iraqi government.


Schilling Gets Ankle Stitched Again (AP) AP - Pitchers have dipped their fingers in pickle brine to ward off blisters, gotten cortisone shots in their shoulders or elbows, had their hamstrings wrapped in yards of tape.


Manchester United Shares Drop Amid Report That Talks Have Ended Shares of Manchester United Plc, the world #39;s most profitable sports franchise, dropped as much as 6.8 percent after newspaper reports said takeover talks collapsed between US billionaire


Supporting Musharraf was greatest blunder: Imran LAHORE: Acknowledging probably for the first time that he had  quot;committed a great mistake quot; by extending support to General Pervez Musharraf during a presidential referendum, former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan has warned that if not stopped in his


British companies  quot;shut out quot; in lucrative European contracts <b>...</b> British companies have been discriminated in winning lucrative public contracts in European Union countries, according to a report on Monday commissioned by the Treasury.


Nintendo sells 500,000 DS handhelds in first week Nintendo sold 500,000 Nintendo DS video game devices during the first week of sales in US stores for the new handheld featuring two screens for game playing, the Japanese game maker said Wednesday.


Sports: Red Sox 9 Cardinals 7 after 7 innings BOSTON Boston has scored twice in the seventh inning to take an 9-to-7 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series opener at Fenway Park.


Serena Williams Keen on Fashion Career (AP) AP - Serena Williams still loves playing tennis, although her passion for fashion is undeniable.


Peyton Manning Has 4 TD Passes as Colts Beat Bears: NFL Week 11 Peyton Manning threw for 211 yards and four touchdowns to help the Indianapolis Colts win their third straight game, a 41-10 victory over the Chicago Bears.


Euro Disney debt plan agreement Euro Disney, the French theme park operator, said yesterday it had won agreement from all its creditors on a modified debt restructuring plan, including a 250m (170m) capital increase, designed to haul it back from the brink of bankruptcy.


Heroin Holy War Pledged by Afghan President Afghanistans President Hamid Karzai has declared a holy war on Afghanistans runaway narcotics industry, calling for international aid to counter a threat he said was more dangerous than any his country has faced in more than 20 years of war.


Hhg Offloads Pearl and London Life Financial group HHG today announced the 1.03 billion sale of its UK life insurance business, which includes the Pearl and London Life brands.


Russian Oil Giant Warns of Output Cut  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian oil major YUKOS again warned on  Thursday that it may be forced to cut output after saying that  a Moscow court ruled this week that \$2.6 billion of company  funds could be seized by the authorities.


Series start keeps Suppan satisfied Former Red Sox stats, schedule pitcher Jeff Suppan, who Thursday night outdueled Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the NLCS, was thrilled to be getting another chance to pitch at Fenway, especially with all the marbles on the line.


FedEx Ordered to Repay US \$29 Million FedEx Corp. #39;s (FDX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) express air shipping unit has been ordered by the US government to repay \$29 million in excess funds received under an act established after the Sept.


Japan still shaking from earthquakes OJIYA, Japan -- Strong aftershocks rocked northern Japan today after a barrage of powerful quakes jolted the region yesterday, killing at least 14 people and toppling buildings.


Murdoch's News Corp. to Join S P 500 (Reuters) Reuters - News Corp.  , the media\company built by Rupert Murdoch, will join the Standard  \Poor's 500 stock index after the close of trading on Dec. 17,\S P said on Tuesday.


N.Koreans Seek Refuge at Japan School in China  TOKYO (Reuters) - Seven people claiming to have defected  from North Korea sought refuge in a Japanese school in Beijing  on Friday, Japanese government officials said.


Hopes Dim As Players, Owners Reject Plans to End Lockout NHL Players Association President Bob Goodenow gestures while speaking at a press conference after meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman at the NHL offices in Toronto, December 14, 2004.


GULP! Higher Coffee Prices Brewing  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumers may soon have to  swallow more expensive coffee as soaring futures and rising  costs from milk to fuel induce roasters to charge more for the  steamy brew, industry participants said.


Dynegy to Acquire Exelon Power Assets Energy company Dynegy Inc. on Tuesday said it will by some of the power generation assets of Exelon Corp. for \$135 million in cash plus debt assumption.


British soldier killed in redeployment A British soldier was killed and three others injured on Friday as the Black Watch regiment travelled from southern Iraq to its more dangerous new base near Baghdad, a military spokesman confirmed.


SEC Probes Payments to Pension Planners The Securities and Exchange Commission is finding troubling indications that mutual-fund companies and other money managers paid retirement-plan consultants to be recommended to the consultants #39; clients, people familiar with the probe told The Wall Street


BEA Systems to Host Financial Analyst Conference on December 9 <b>...</b> SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (http://bea.com/more_info.jsp?p8 amp;r=1.4.6 ) -- BEA Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:BEAS), the world #39;s leading application infrastructure software company, today announced


Pilots #39; Union at United Makes Pension Deal The union that represents pilots at United Airlines said yesterday that it had struck a deal that would allow the airline to terminate the pilots #39; ailing pension plan and partly compensate them for the loss.


Air India trial witness derided as "scoundrel" (Reuters) Reuters - An FBI informant who testified that a Sikh separatist admitted to the bombing of Air India Flight 182 is a "scoundrel" motivated by greed. a defense attorney told a Canadian court on Monday.


Baghdad Governor Assassinated; Bombing Kills 10 (Reuters) Reuters - Gunmen killed the Baghdad governor in\Iraq's highest-profile assassination in eight months and a\suicide bomber killed 10 people near the Green Zone on Tuesday\in an escalating campaign to wreck a Jan. 30 election.


Singh Wins PGA Championship in Playoff HAVEN, Wis. - Vijay Singh shot a 4-over 76 to eke into a three-way playoff Sunday, then made his only birdie of the day on the first of three extra holes to beat Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits...


Net Virus Turf War Resumes After Rival's Arrest (Reuters) Reuters - A new virus outbreak emerged on Thursday\that packs a baffling message: a photograph of accused German\virus author Sven Jaschan that security officials believe to be\a geeky taunt from a rival gang of computer programmers.


Money Tip Act quick when luggage is lost NEW YORK - You #39;ve arrived at your travel destination only to find that your luggage has not. Certain actions can make a big difference in how quickly your bag is recovered or in what kind of reimbursement you #39;ll receive if it #39;s lost.


Johnson Said To Be in Talks for Heart Device Maker Johnson   Johnson is in advanced negotiations to acquire Guidant, one of the nation's largest makers of devices to treat heart illnesses, for more than \$24 billion.


Symantec releases patching tool Security company Symantec Corp. plans to announce the release of a patch management product on Monday that it says will enable small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to stay on top of software vulnerabilities.


China wins first women #39;s volleyball Olympic gold in 20 years China embraced its first volleyball Olympic title in 20 years, beating Russia 3-2 in the women #39;s final in Athens on Saturday. After trailing two sets down, China came from behind to trounce Russia 28-30, 25-27, 25-20, 25-23 and 15-12 to claim the title.


Plane forced to land  #39;on full emergency #39; An Olympic Airlines flight from Athens to New York was forced to land Sunday at London #39;s Stansted Airport  quot;on a full emergency, quot; a spokeswoman said.


Update 1: Merck a Drag on Drug Sector Merck  amp; Co. #39;s decision to pull its Vioxx anti-arthritis drug from the markets due to severe side effects left pharmaceutical sector mixed Thursday.


AT amp;T looks into closing Windows com October 5, 2004, 2:09 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.


Lowe ready to contribute in any role All the baseball world yesterday learned that a pitcher's ankle bone is connected to his pitching bone, but the late-afternoon revelation here at Yankee Stadium was the medical/anatomical bulletin that Curt Schilling's ankle bone is connected to Derek Lowe's pitching bone.


Rain puts leaders out front at Darlington Rusty Wallace takes shelter under an umbrella as rain canceled qualifying for Sundays NASCAR Southern 500 Friday at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC NASCAR set the grid for the race by car owner points.


Canada Fires Coach of National Hoops Team TORONTO - Jay Triano was fired as coach of the Canadian national team Tuesday, a move Triano said was due to his inability to give enough time to the job.


First lessons leave lasting impressions As I was having a romp with my 8-month-old grandson the other day, simultaneously being head-butted, drooled upon, and having tiny but sure-grip fingers working to rip out my eyeball, I had the sudden thought that in another winter -- oh, maybe two -- with any luck at all I'll have a hand in starting another little boy in a ...


More protests as Ukraine talks end without agreement (AFP) AFP - Opposition supporters in Ukraine continue to block key government buildings, after the first meeting between two presidential rivals ended without agreement and amid opposition threats of "action" if the election dispute is not resolved within days.


Astros exercise Biggio #39;s option, decline Kent #39;s Craig Biggio will be back with the Houston Astros next season. If Jeff Kent returns, it will be at a reduced rate. Biggio #39;s \$3 million option was exercised Thursday by the Astros


Hacker Hits California University Computer
\

 SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A computer hacker accessed names\and Social Security numbers of about 1.4 million Californians\after breaking into a University of California, Berkeley,\computer system in perhaps the worst attack of its kind ever\suffered by the school, officials said on Tuesday.


Today's top 25 games Matchup Comment 1. USC (5-0) vs. No. 15 Arizona St. (5-0) Trojans' Leinart has thrown for 1,187 yards and 10 TDs.


Ukrainian CEC announces results of presidential elections RBC, 02.11.2004, Kiev 15:55:11.Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has won 40.22 percent support during the recent presidential elections, according to the results announced by the Ukrainian Central Elections Commission after 95.


Plastic magnet breaks the mold Researchers in England have made the first magnet made of plastic that works at room temperatures.


#39;Still Committed to Road Map #39;, says Sharon Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has reaffirmed his commitment to a Middle East peace initiative, despite comments from one of his senior advisers who effectively dismissed the plan.


DODD LEADS DESPITE TRIPLE BOGEY Stephen Dodd paid a heavy price for one shot in his third round of the Volvo China Open in Shanghai on Saturday - but at the end of it the 38-year-old Welshman was still on course for his first European Tour victory.


Who's Left From Bush's First-Term Cabinet (AP) AP - A look at the six people in President Bush's 15-member Cabinet who will remain in the administration in the second term:


Benefits Seen in Earth Observation Data (AP) AP - Scientists are planning to take the pulse of the planet  #151; and more  #151; in an effort to improve weather forecasts, predict energy needs months in advance, anticipate disease outbreaks and even tell fishermen where the catch will be abundant.


Russian press review Saturday's Russian press is dominated by the bloody hostage drama in North Ossetia .


Aid Afghan democrats Afghan President Hamid Karzai dodged death three weeks ago when Taliban fighters fired a rocket at him in Gardez. Yesterday, his running mate in Saturday #39;s national election, Ahmad Zia Masood, barely survived a Taliban bomb in Faizabad.


This weekend on TV, radio TODAY AUTO RACING 2:30 p.m. -- NASCAR Busch Series Mr. Goodcents 300 qualifying at Kansas City, Kan., Speed Channel 4:10 p.m. -- NASCAR Nextel Cup Banquet 400 qualifying at Kansas City, Kan., Speed Channel 1 a.m. -- Japanese Grand Prix qualifying at Suzuka, Speed Channel PRO BASEBALL 4 p.m. -- AL Division Series: Red Sox vs. Anaheim at Fenway Park ...


Canada Has Biggest Surplus in 3 Years, Pays Down Debt (Update1) Canada recorded aC\$9.1 billion (\$7.9 billion) budget surplus in fiscal 2004, five times the government #39;s forecast, as accelerating economic growth generated a tax windfall for Finance Minister Ralph Goodale.


Els stalks leader in South Africa Ernie Els made the most of his local knowledge with a five-under-par 67 in the first round of the Dunhill Championship. Els, who has a house on the course, carded five birdies and no bogeys after starting at 6:45am local time.


Citigroup regrets August bond sale-memo US financial services giant Citigroup (CN: Quote, Profile, Research) regrets its controversial sale of around 11 billion euros (\$13.


Sour apple THE COMPETITION from Boston is obviously becoming too much, and New York is starting to crack. It #39;s not simply the Red Sox on a late season streak that is baking the Apple, but the events of July when a bean


Uranium enrichment suspended by Iran The suspension fulfills a pledge Iran made earlier this month and came days ahead of a key meeting of the agency #39;s board to judge Tehran #39;s compliance with the agency #39;s investigation into nearly two decades of hidden nuclear activities.


Business ; Tokyo Stocks Weak, Dollar Hurts Exporters Business News, TOKYO - Japan #39;s Nikkei average fell 0.69 percent by mid-afternoon on Thursday as a fall in the dollar further weakened investor confidence over company earnings, prompting selling on exporters such as Canon Inc.


U.S., Militants Battle in Central Baghdad (AP) AP - A gunbattle between U.S. forces and militants erupted in central Baghdad on Friday, witnesses said.


Britains HHG sells life services arm for 1bil MELBOURNE: Britains HHG Plc has agreed to sell its life insurance business for 1.025bil to Life Company Investor Group, and plans to return 875mil of the proceeds to shareholders.


Some of Leaders in United Iraqi Alliance (AP) AP - Some of the main leaders in the United Iraqi Alliance:


Manhunt underway for UN hostages, as fears rise of Iraq-style kindappings (AFP) AFP - A massive manhunt was underway for three UN foreign election workers whose daylight abduction in Kabul has sparked fears of the start of Iraq-style kidnappings in Afghanistan.


SunGard will spin off disaster recovery unit OCTOBER 04, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Software and services vendor SunGard Data Systems Inc. today announced plans to split into two companies early next year, spinning off a disaster recovery services unit


Don #39;t rule it out completely Incredulity and bewilderment greeted today #39;s suggestion that rugby #39;s World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward might be England #39;s next football saviour.


Germany's Siemens mulling options for loss-making mobile phone unit (AFP) AFP - German electronics giant Siemens said it is considering options for its loss-making mobile phone unit but declined to comment on a report that China's Ningbo Bird is a potential buyer.


Davis Gets a Grip Vernon Davis has used his size and athleticism to develop into an explosive downfield target at the tight end position for the Terrapins.


PalmSource Agrees To Buy Linux Developer China MobileSoft PalmSource Inc., which has seen its share of the handheld computer market plummet, said on Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire China MobileSoft Ltd.


Nintendo gets touchy feely Nintendo wants you to know that its new handheld is not just another blob of circuitry encased in cold silver plastic. To make this point, my review copy of the Nintendo DS came in unusual packaging.


Ticket Process Begins The Expos seek deposits from fans who had registered for season tickets, although the process begins a day earlier than expected.


France backs Annan on  #39;illegal #39; Iraq war PARIS, Sept 17 (AFP) - France on Friday backed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan #39;s description of the US-led war on Iraq as  quot;illegal quot;, with Foreign Minister Michel Barnier saying that long-held stance was why his country had opposed joining the conflict.


Burundi Army Says Might Enter Congo After Massacre  BUJUMBURA (Reuters) - The Burundi army said on Tuesday it  might cross into neighboring Congo to pursue rebels and militia  it blames for massacring 160 Congolese Tutsi refugees at a camp  in western Burundi.


Bonds Passes on Day Off, Stays in Lineup (AP) AP - Barry Bonds decided against taking a day off and was in the lineup Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. The Giants slugger often skips day games that follow night games, and he originally was scheduled to sit out Saturday.


US forces storm Iraqi town US-led forces have stormed Samarra and say more than 100 guerrillas have been killed in air strikes and street-to-street combat during a major new American offensive to wrest control of the Iraqi town.


Shiite Militia Fighters Start Turning in Weapons in Baghdad Followers of radical cleric Moqtada Sadr trickled in to police stations in Baghdad #39;s Sadr City district to hand in weapons today under a deal seen as a key step toward ending weeks of fighting with US and Iraqi forces in the Shiite militant stronghold.


Campbell set to sign new Arsenal deal Sol Campbell today revealed that he has agreed to sign a new long-term contract at Arsenal. The England defender is expecting to tie up a few loose ends over the next couple of weeks before making an official announcement.


Job Cuts Rise Further in Nov. - Report Planned job cuts at US firms climbed during November, a report said on Tuesday, in a further sign of sluggishness in the labor market.


Campbell Ready For Sustained Action Arsenals England defender Sol Campbell is relishing the prospect of facing Rosenborg tonight in the Champions League after playing his first match of an injury-delayed season at Manchester City last Saturday.


Alitalia near collapse Near-bankrupt Alitalia held crucial contract negotiations with unions representing flight attendants and ground staff Wednesday in a last-minute attempt to save the state-controlled airline from collapse.


Superconductors take an odd turn Physicists in the US and Japan have seen the best evidence to date for a new form of superconductivity. Ying Liu and co-workers at Pennsylvania State University and Kyoto University have observed  quot;odd-parity quot; superconductivity in strontium ruthenate.


Brunell Gets Some Work Quarterback Mark Brunell practiced Friday for the first time this week, taking about a third of the snaps on his strained hamstring to keep alive his chances of playing Monday night.


Loss has Mercury scrambling to hold final playoff berth The Mercury wasted a 13-point lead and dipped to .500 at 16-16 with a 73-58 loss to the Seattle Storm at KeyArena Wednesday night.


Google #39;s Corporate Governance Score Is  quot;Pretty Darn Awful quot; Google has one of the worst corporate governance of any company in the S amp;P 500 index according to a highly respected advisory group.


Travel tips for a safe and less stressful holiday The Boise Airport is bracing for the two busiest travel days of the year on Wednesday and Sunday. Travelers are advised to arrive at least two hours before their departure time.


Vote Count in Disputed Afghan Poll Delayed (Reuters) Reuters - Afghan officials delayed counting ballots\in a historic presidential election on Monday to deal with\complaints of fraud, but several of the candidates appeared to\be pulling back from an initial decision to boycott the vote.


US economy to grow by 3.5 percent in 2005: White House (AFP) AFP - The US economy is expected to slow to a still-solid 3.5 percent growth pace in 2005, allowing it to trim a record budget shortfall, the White House said.


Yankees Send Lofton to Phillies for Rodriguez The begin reshaping their roster, sending Kenny Lofton and cash to the Phillies for setup man Felix Rodriguez and nearing a trade to reacquire Mike Stanton from the Mets.


Suicide Bombers Kill 25 Iraqi Troops  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb hit a bus packed  with Iraqi National Guards on Sunday, killing 26 people in the  deadliest attack of its kind in four months on Iraqis  cooperating with U.S. forces to secure a Jan. 30 election.


Allied Domecq toasts profits increase The world #39;s second-biggest spirits group, Allied Domecq, today reported a 6 rise in annual profits, boosted by a change in US tastes from beers to spirits.


Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew hands over Palestinian leader #39;s medical <b>...</b> (Ramallah, West Bank-AP) Dec. 11, 2004 - Yasser Arafat #39;s nephew has given Palestinian leaders his uncle #39;s medical records.


US elections polling begins today WASHINGTON: Polling for the US elections will begin according to Pakistan time at 5:00 pm on Tuesday as Americans vote in one of the closest presidential elections in decades after a long and often bitter campaign between Republican incumbent George W


Get or Give Gmail Invites With GMailOMatic Get or Give Gmail Invites With GMailOMatic\\I heard about this last week, but when I tried to send it a couple invitations, it didn't work. It worked yesterday so I'll mention it. GmailOMatic allows people to submit Gmail invitations and request Gmail invitations.\\So if you've got a couple invites left ...


Illinois to name Zook its new coach CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Florida coach Ron Zook will be named Illinois #39; 22nd head coach today, sources said Monday. Zook, a former Miami University defensive back, will replace Ron Turner, who was fired Nov. 22 after the team went 3-8.


AMD adds mobile processor to Athlon 64 lineup SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Further pitting itself against Intel Corp. #39;s Pentium-M offerings, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.


Langer shows Singh the door Virginia Water, England - Bernhard Langer beat Vijay Singh on the first extra hole on Friday to knock the world #39;s top-ranked player out of the World Match Play Championship in the first round.


Viacom Starts Blockbuster Exchange Offer Viacom Inc. (VIAb.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has begun a share exchange offer to split off its Blockbuster Inc. (BBI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) unit and put the video rental chain


Q A: What follows Arafat? The BBC News website looks at the key questions arising from the death of Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestinian cause for more than 40 years.


Sharon, Abbas say they are willing to meet Ahead of an expected meeting between both sides #39; foreign ministers in The Hague, Sharon told Newsweek magazine that he was ready to meet with the post-Yasser Arafat leadership whenever they wanted.


Air Force Clears Athlete of Cheating (AP) AP - Air Force guard Dan Nwaelele will play Saturday against No. 3 Georgia Tech after being cleared of allegations that he cheated academically.


11 guardsmen killed, Iraqi insurgents say Iraq #39;s hostage crisis continued unabated yesterday, with one group of insurgents claiming that it had killed 11 Iraqi national guardsmen, another saying it had abducted


Gaza Enters 7th Day of Bloodshed GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Three Palestinian gunmen killed a Thai guest worker on Wednesday after infiltrating a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip before being shot dead in an attack claimed by Hamas as retaliation for a massive Israeli offensive.


Good Scans Made Slowly For low-volume users who don't plan to rely on their scanner to do extensive photo restoration work, Visioneer's Xerox 6400 has lots of appeal.


With rings and belts, Pistons begin defense of title BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) - With championship belts to go with their rings, the Detroit Pistons scored a late unanimous decision in their first title defense.


Barcelona coach Rijkaard: 7 points clear hasn #39;t won us anything Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard has told his players they can #39;t afford to relax, despite last night #39;s stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid.


Dollar Edges Up from Lows  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar clung to slim gains Monday but  stayed close to a record low against the euro and a five-year  low vs the yen, with traders saying it was just a matter of  time before the market dumps the U.S. currency again.


Hepatitis Outbreak Laid to Water and Sewage Failures A virulent form of hepatitis that is especially lethal for pregnant women has broken out in two of Iraq's most troubled districts.


Pakistan Says Holding Yemeni 'Qaeda Leader'  ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has arrested a Yemeni  national who is an important figure in al Qaeda's new  leadership and another foreign national who is one of the  network's communications specialists, officials said on  Wednesday.


Cali Drug Kingpin Faces U.S. Court in Chains

 By Michael Christie

 MIAMI (Reuters) - The most powerful drug lord everextradited by Colombia appeared before a U.S. judge on Monday,and his lawyer said he would fight U.S. charges that he ran hismultibillion-dollar business from a Colombian jail cell.


VMware previews virtual server (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Hoping to keep the heat on archrival Microsoft, VMware on Wednesday will give developers a glimpse of an early version of its Virtual SMP product that allows a single virtual machine to work with as many as four processors, which in turn can more effectively drive mission-critical applications.


Linux in Government: In Spite of Endorsements, Government Linux <b>...</b> Latest report from the UK, although indicative of serious change, tells us again what we already know. On Thursday, October 28, the press was abuzz with news of the United Kingdom #39;s formal publication of its


Marsh  amp; McLennan to lay off 3,000 workers as it deals with fallout <b>...</b> NEW YORK -- Marsh  amp; McLennan, the nation #39;s largest insurance brokerage, said Tuesday it will lay off 3,000 employees, or about 5 percent of its work force, because of fallout from a bid-rigging scandal that has engulfed the insurance industry.


Greenspan unperturbed by record US household debt, surging home <b>...</b> The record weight of debt being carried by American households and soaring home prices do not represent serious threats to the US economy, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said Tuesday.


Wireless Companies Chat Up Teens, Young Adults  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The wireless industry, not content  with getting corporate executives addicted to e-mail on the go,  is setting its sights on the instant messaging generation.


PM Pledges Russia Will Meet Oil Goals (AP) AP - Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov pledged Friday that Russia would keep meeting its oil export commitments to China, an apparent reference to fears that a cut in production at the beleaguered Yukos oil company could harm Beijing.


Anthrax hits Ugandan park hippos Scientists struggle to contain an anthrax epidemic which has killed nearly 200 hippos in a Ugandan national park.


Seattle Mariners Team Report - August 24 (Sports Network) - The Seattle Mariners host the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight in the the middle contest of a three-game set at Safeco Field.


Rangers Clobber Athletics 10-3 OAKLAND, Calif. - Mark Mulder has lost his edge, and the Oakland Athletics are in ever-greater danger of losing their spot atop the AL West...


Bush Pins Hopes on Iraq Election President Bush told Marines on Tuesday that Iraqi insurgents have suffered a "severe blow" but are not defeated, as he sought to boost U.S. troop morale and prepare the public for a violent run-up to next month's election in Iraq.


McConnell #39;s Mideast trip at tense time A day after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat #39;s funeral, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky arrived in the Middle East amid an atmosphere of anxiety about what will happen next.


It will take more than a win to convince me everything is fine <b>...</b> What a mouth-watering prospect Manchester United v Arsenal is. Giants versus giants. Or are we all getting carried away? Whatever the result, could it be that Old Trafford #39;s


Ballmer Confronts Linux Head-On Microsoft CEO tells customers that Windows carries lower total costs and is more secure than the open-source operating system. By John Foley.


Decision to start El Duque final Win or lose last night, the Yankees were committed to starting Orlando Hernandez in Game 4 tonight.


Sweet Catomine takes BC Juvenile Fillies Sweet Catomine overcame traffic problems on the turn for home and posted a 3-length victory in the \$1 million Breeders #39; Cup Juvenile Fillies on Saturday.


US Defense Secretary Says Military Ties With India Will Strengthen US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has paid a visit to the Indian capital New Delhi for discussions on how to improve military relations between the two nations.


EU ssks WTO to get US, Canada to lift sanctions The European Union has asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to order the United States and Canada to lift sanctions on EU exports because of EU #39;s ban on hormone beef.


Jakarta suspects key terror suspect over bombing A car bomb attack outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta on Thursday bears all the hallmarks of a Malaysian terror suspect who is a senior member of an al Qaeda-linked group, Indonesia #39;s police chief said.


NESN's Red Sox video world-class NESN's  quot;Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox quot; hits the retail stores today in both DVD and VHS formats.


Golf Capsules Andre Stolz played like a veteran instead of a struggling rookie when it counted most Sunday, shooting a 5-under 67 to win the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas by a shot over Tom Lehman and two others.


Intuit Posts Wider Loss After Charge  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intuit Inc. INTU.O, maker of  the No. 1 U.S. tax presentation software TurboTax, on Wednesday  posted a wider quarterly loss from a year earlier after taking  a goodwill impairment charge during its seasonally weaker  fourth quarter.


IBM Rounds Out EMC Support IBM Friday said it has filled out gaps in its virtualization portfolio, adding support for EMC #39;s remaining Clariion systems. The company added Clariion 300, 500 and 700 systems support for its SAN Volume Controller


Children slaughtered Bombs killed 35 children and wounded scores of others as US troops handed out candy Thursday. It was the largest death toll of children in any insurgent attack since the start of the war.


Turning Up the Heat A growing U.S. focus on North Korea's human-rights record will complicate the six-nation talks


Fraud, Feds top concerns as CSOs meet in New York NEW YORK - The explosive growth in online fraud and the impact of tough new federal regulations were on the minds of information security executives who gathered in New York Tuesday for the second annual CSO Interchange, a gathering of chief security officers (CSOs).


Alitalia secures 400m euro loan Alitalia has reached agreement with the Italian government on a 400m euro (275m) loan to aid the restructuring of the struggling airline.


Intel admits Itanium pains, plots server future IDF Fall '04 Welcome Whitefield


Brazil #39;s Mello ousts second-seeded Fish in ATP tour DELRAY BEACH, Florida, United States of America -- Ricardo Mello of Brazil rallied to oust second-seeded American Mardy Fish 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Wednesday in the second-round of the 380,000-dollar Millennium International tennis tournament.


Tiger Woods Marries Swedish Ex-Nanny  LONDON (Reuters) - Former world No. 1 Tiger Woods has  married Swedish model Elin Nordegren at the luxury Sandy Lane  resort in Barbados, The Daily Nation newspaper reported on  Wednesday.


Jeter, Wells each pick up first career fielding awards com. American League winners of the 2004 Rawlings Gold Glove Award were announced Tuesday evening. Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez won his 11th Gold Glove, while Toronto #39;s Vernon Wells and


Beckham is facing lengthy lay-off David Beckham #39;s cracked rib could sideline him for up to six weeks and the England skipper will be on his way to worried Real Madrid on Monday rather than to Wednesday #39;s World Cup game in Azerbaijan.


Bank confirms merger talks Maine firm seen seeking partner to aid <b>...</b> Banknorth Group of Maine confirmed yesterday that it was in merger talks with TD Bank Financial Group of Canada, a move that would end Banknorth #39;s short reign as New England #39;s largest independent bank.


Update 1: Net Rivals Rise and Fall on Google IPO Rivals to Internet search giant Google Inc. rode the momentum of its long-awaited initial public offering and saw mixed gains in early trading Thursday, but sank near the closing bell as Google #39;s shares remained


High Court ruling opens banks to new card issuers The US Supreme Court rejected appeals by Visa and MasterCard to overturn a ruling that they violated antitrust rules by barring banks from issuing cards on rival networks.


My views coming back into fashion - Prince THE Prince of Wales has defended his  quot;old-fashioned views quot; after Education Secretary Charles Clarke angrily accused the heir to the throne of being out of touch.


Study: Broadband leaps past dial-up For the first time ever, more Americans are seeking faster connections to access the Internet.


Sony Announces DVD Burner for Mac (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Sony (NYSE: SNE) has announced plans to release a double-layer DVD burner that is compatible with the Macintosh platform.


Badgers able to dig deep MADISON, Wis. -- Anthony Davis rushed for two touchdowns and No. 6 Wisconsin beat Northwestern , 24-12, yesterday with star defensive end Erasmus James and his pass-rushing partner Jonathan Welsh on the sideline.


Travel Upstarts Take on Top Sites A new breed of specialty search engines promise to deliver the best bargains to travelers using the web to find the best airfares and accommodations. They're challenging established sites like Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz.


Update 1: Verizon Wireless to Buy NextWave Licenses Verizon Wireless is buying cellular capacity for 23 markets from bankrupt NextWave Telecom Inc. for \$3 billion, ending the government #39;s long tug-of-war over the never-used licenses and bolstering Verizon against


Pacers officials back banished players Indiana Pacers officials backed their players as the National Basketball Association rang with recriminations in the wake of a violent brawl between Pacers players and fans in Detroit.


Ten-man PSG clinch seventh straight win over Marseille Ten-man Paris St Germain clinched their seventh consecutive victory over arch-rivals Olympique Marseille with a 2-1 triumph in Ligue 1 on Sunday thanks to a second-half winner by substitute Edouard Cisse.


Nikkei Falls as Xilinx Hits Tech Shares (Reuters) Reuters - Japan's Nikkei stock average fell to a\one-week low by midsession on Thursday after some tech issues\were hit by a bearish outlook from U.S. chip maker Xilinx Inc.


Sharon Expresses Optimism for Upcoming Year Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday that 2005 will be "a year of great opportunity" in which Israel will have unprecedented chances to make peace with the Palestinians and improve relations with the rest of the world.


Alitalia unions get pay warning The Italian government warns the unions at airline Alitalia that if they do not agree to pay cuts, the carrier could go bankrupt within a month.


Port Adelaide Beats Brisbane for 1st Australian Football Title Port Adelaide Power beat the Brisbane Lions by 40 points in the Australian Football League grand final to win its first premiership, ending the Lions #39; run of three titles.


Amazing race ATHENS -- In one of the greatest 100-meter races in history, in a packed stadium rocking with emotion, Justin Gatlin of the United States bolted to an Olympic gold medal last night in front of a fiercely energized field that set a new standard of sprinting excellence.


Afghan Kidnappers Say Government Agrees Deal  KABUL (Reuters) - Kidnappers of three U.N. workers in  Afghanistan said on Wednesday the government had agreed to  terms for their release, despite indications from Afghan and  U.S. officials that a compromise was not possible.


EU, Mercosur Divided at Trade Talks The European Union and Mercosur were wide apart on Wednesday in negotiations to form the world #39;s biggest free trade area despite a new EU offer to settle their differences, diplomats said.


Co. Recalls Air Conditioners/heat Pumps The Goodman Company is recalling about 875,000 Package Terminal Air Conditioner / Heat Pumps (PTAC) due to possible fire hazards, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.


N. Quincy serves notice to Warriors Tied at one game apiece, the North Quincy girls' volleyball team grinded out a win in yesterday's Division 1 Central semifinal, defeating host Brookline, 3-1.


Bush win would mean victory over terror: Putin MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a win by George W. Bush in the US election would mean victory over terror.


SGI Wins Supercomputer Crown for the Moment A new supercomputer named Columbia has claimed the title of world #39;s fastest. The computer, built by Silicon Graphics for NASA at the Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, includes 10,240 Itanium


Retailers Finding a Market Downtown In downtown Washington, once synonymous with the demise of urban retail, upscale men's clothier Jos. A. Bank has beaten internal sales predictions by 15 percent one year after opening. And developers are putting the final touches on a 275,000-square-foot shopping complex with five national chains.


Bush sharpens jabs against Kerry ahead of debates (AFP) AFP - President George W. Bush sharpened his jabs against Democratic challenger John Kerry, who has called for an end to the nasty advertising war that he said was scaring off voters only days before the rivals' first televised debate.


A vow and an appeal IN A long-awaited victory speech yesterday, Indonesia #39;s President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed to get down to business immediately after taking office to revive the economy, end regional conflicts and stamp out corruption.


China shuts 1,600 cybercafes A furious China has shut down over 1,600 Internet cafes and arrested people in a bid to curb the menace of content which is harmful to public morality.


US lumber group seeks appeal of NAFTA decision VANCOUVER (CP) - The lobby group representing the US softwood lumber industry demanded today that its government appeal a US trade body ruling favourable to Canada #39;s industry.


Make Our Ports Safer Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge met with a group of Seattle officials recently and told us he #39;s sleeping better at night because our country is better prepared than before to defend against a terrorist attack.


MSN #39;s Latest Search Beta Launched Microsoft #39;s (Quote, Chart) MSN released the latest version of its homegrown search technology on Thursday (beta.search.msn.com), offering multiple ways to narrow results, including providing local results and natural language search.


Lazio president chasing 3.5M from Inter Milan coach Mancini Lazio president Claudio Lotito is considering legal action against Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini over the way he left the club.


Nadal beats Sanguinetti in an hour Madrid, Spain - Spanish youngster Rafael Nadal needed only an hour to push past Italy #39;s Davide Sanguinetti in straight sets on Tuesday and advance to the second round of the Madrid Masters.


Voters in Hungary decide referenda Voters in Hungary went to the polls Sunday to decide a double referendum on citizenship rights and their nation #39;s health care system.


Interstate Bakeries Hires Turnaround Firm (Reuters) Reuters - Interstate Bakeries Corp. (IBC.N),\maker of Wonder bread and Hostess Twinkies, on Monday said it\hired a turnaround firm and delayed filing its annual report\with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.


A monkey off their back Nagpur: It is fitting that Australia won their battle against the Indian demon in Nagpur, here at the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground.


JPMorgan #39;s Dimon, Three Months on Job, Reshuffles Leadership Jamie Dimon waited less than three months after becoming president of JPMorgan Chase  amp; Co. to install as finance chief a banker he worked with for more than a decade.


Roh: Korea needs to be vigilant on won #39;s strength LONDON - President Roh Moo-hyun said on Thursday the country must be ready to guard against excessive currency moves and that channels for more international cooperation on exchange rates should be kept open.


Britain slips down education league table The proportion of youngsters who drop out of the British education system is one of the highest in the developed world, according to an international study published yesterday.


Report: Harrison has new deal with Colts Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - The Indianapolis Colts and wide receiver Marvin Harrison have reportedly agreed to a new contract.


Report: Bank of America to lay off Fleet workers BOSTON A published report reveals that Bank of America plans to lay off hundreds of tellers and other branch employees at Fleet banks today.


Enron Inquiry Turns to Sales by Lay's Wife Federal prosecutors are investigating whether the wife of Enrons former chairman, Kenneth Lay, engaged in insider trading just before the company collapsed, people involved in the case said.


Oil Fades to \$47 as Supplies Build Oil prices fell to seven-week lows below \$47 a barrel on Wednesday as traders braced for another increase in US oil and natural gas inventories ahead of winter.


Cricket-Fired-up Australia close to victory in first Test BANGALORE, India (AFP) - World champions Australia were on the brink of a massive victory in the first cricket Test against India after destroying the hosts #39; batting again.


Stolz wins Michelin Championship LAS VEGAS (Ticker) -- In Sin City, 21 was a lucky number for Andre Stolz, who notched his first PGA Tour victory. Stolz fired a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 that including a 10-foot birdie on the 16th hole that


Stocks Down Slightly; Economic Data Mixed  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on  Friday as a higher-than-expected jump in U.S. producer prices  helped to offset a fall in oil prices and dividend hikes from  General Electric Co. GE.N and SBC Communications SBC.N.


Sony's Smaller PS2 to Debut in U.S., Europe on Nov 1  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp. said on Tuesday it  would launch a new version of its popular PlayStation 2 game  console in the United States and Europe on Nov. 1 at a price of  \$149 and 149 euros (\$181) respectively.


Netline Refreshes Linux Groupware (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - The German company prepares to release its third version of Open-Xchange Server, which it open-sourced under the GPL in August. A supported product will be available at a price.


Researchers warn laptop users of infertility risk A combination of the heat generated by a laptop and the position of the thighs needed to balance it leads to higher temperatures that can be dangerous to a man's reproductive health.


Money-Saving Energy Tips From "This Old House" Pro It's easy to cut costs by using less energy in your home, says <I>This Old House</I> TV personality Tom Silva. The long-time contractor shares tips on how you can do it.


UF gets lesson in growing up GAINESVILLE -- The young Florida Gators needed to grow up all at once here Saturday night. They weren #39;t ready to. They didn #39;t know how.


Camera phone technology brings quick arrest of robbery suspect NASHVILLE, Tenn. A camera phone -- and its quick-thinking owner -- are being credited with solving a robbery. The victim is a limo driver who was washing his car in Nashville, Tennessee, today.


Broadcom Covers More Area No one every said Wi-Fi was perfect. It suffers from difficult setup, questionable security, interferences from appliances, and doesn #39;t always stretch its signal as far as advertised.


Consumer Confidence Drops In November _ Consumer confidence declined in November for a fourth consecutive month, a private research group reported Tuesday, reflecting doubts about the economy once the holidays are past.


New IBM servers tout increased performance for enterprise needs OCTOBER 15, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM today unveiled two high-performance p5 servers in its eServer line. The new servers run Unix or Linux and are aimed at medium to large businesses.


Derby win for Birmingham London - Birmingham City defeated Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday to claim the second city derby, taking the match on first-half goals from Clinton Morrison and David Dunn.


Arafat Relative Unhurt in Gaza Car Bombing JERUSALEM, Oct. 12 -- A top Palestinian security leader who is related to Yasser Arafat escaped unharmed Tuesday when a booby-trapped car exploded near his convoy in Gaza City.


Dell talks home economics--and more Look for more consumer electronics products and services from the PC behemoth. Also: SuSE Linux for Dell servers.


New York Times to Sell Its Headquarters  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Times Co. NYT.N will sell  its midtown Manhattan headquarters building to a partnership  led by Tishman Speyer Properties for \$175 million, the  companies said.


Deadline for Black Watch to assess risk of operation BRITAINS military forces have had less than ten days to assess the risks of sending The Black Watch battle group to fill in for US Marines south of Baghdad, it was confirmed yesterday.


Probe questions account given by British former home secretary in visa row (AFP) AFP - An official inquiry will show that former British home secretary David Blunkett originally gave a misleading account in the case of a visa application for his former lover's nanny, a newspaper said.


Champions Trophy 2004 Pakistan #39;s Mohammad Saqlain (centre) raises his arms to celebrate the first goal against India during the six-nation Champions Trophy Tournament match at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore, on Wednesday.


Shell Shocked? Long-suffering investors in Royal Dutch Petroleum (NYSE: RD) and Shell Transport (NYSE: SC) likely spent the day wondering whether this morning #39;s news might finally clear the air.


FBI Seizes Counterfeit Software Eleven charged in 'Digital Marauder' case that could hit \$87 million.


Favorite son eliminated Hoosier Overton fends off four-time Winged Foot champ and St. John #39;s grad Svoboda in Amateur. BY MARK HERRMANN. MAMARONECK, NY - The golf phrase  quot;local knowledge quot; took on new meaning this week at the US Amateur.


NHL to Lock Out Players on Thursday (AP) AP - The National Hockey League is locking out its players starting Thursday, threatening to keep the sport off the ice for the entire 2004-05 season and perhaps beyond in an effort by management to gain massive change in the sport's economic structure.


PC Shipments Rise 12 Pct Worldwide in 3rd Quarter  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shipments of personal computers  in the third quarter rose 12 percent, driven by strong  corporate demand and ongoing strength in Europe, the Middle  East and Africa, a market research firm said on Monday.


Police defuse bomb after Blair #39;s visit Police have defused a bomb near the Sardinian holiday home of Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, just hours after a visit by Tony Blair.


NHL's Allure Melting Fast Nobody seems to care that the NHL season was supposed to have started last week in Washington and 29 other North American cities.


Howard terror plan gets brush-off Australia's neighbours dismiss Prime Minister John Howard's plan for pre-emptive strikes oversees.


Army cadets massacred by guerrillas GUERRILLAS in Iraq killed almost 50 army cadets heading home on leave, ambushing the men on a desert road and making them lie face down on the ground before methodically shooting each one in the back of the head, Iraqi officials said yesterday.


Circuit City Growth Misses Estimates  By Ellis Mnyandu  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Circuit City Stores Inc. on Tuesday  reported a 2.9 percent gain in quarterly same-store sales, but  its growth lagged estimates due to a calendar shift and reduced  spending through August.


Briefly: Firms bundle Web services wares roundup Plus: PMC-Sierra lowers forecast...WebSideStory cuts IPO to 4.4 million shares...BMC looks to simplify network operations.


Microsoft readies Host Integration Server 2004 The newest edition of Host Integration Server, which replaces the 2000 version, is designed to make it easier for users to link Windows systems with IBM mainframes and midrange iSeries servers.


Teacher sentenced for slapping Schroeder An unemployed teacher has been given a four-month suspended sentence and ordered to perform community service for slapping German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in the face at a Social Democrat party event in May.


Rooney on Fifa shortlist Zurich, Switzerland - England and Manchester United teenage sensation Wayne Rooney has made it on to the shortlist for Fifa #39;s 2004 Player of the Year award.


Canada Confirms Second Mad Cow Case Canada on Sunday confirmed its second case of mad cow disease, just days after the United States said it planned to reopen its border to Canadian beef.


Apple introduces iPod Photo, digital  #39;box set #39; Apple has introduced the iPod Photo, a version of the popular digital music player that can hold up to 25,000 digital photos alongside the user #39;s music library and displays them on its colour screen.


Gartner points out the security you don't need London -- The plethora of security technologies on the market are enough to overwhelm even the most knowledgeable IT managers, but in sorting through all of the options, it may be helpful to look at what is not needed, according to Gartner Inc. research detailed hereat its IT Security Summit conference.


State Coffers Benefit From Boom in N.Va. Economists say growth in federal defense and anti-terrorism spending has fueled economic recovery and boosted tax collections.


Board pledges to defend Yukos The board of directors of embattled oil giant Yukos said Thursday it will continue to defend the company from a criminal probe it called politically motivated amid reports that board members have fled Russia.


Amazon A9 Search Engine Offers Shopping Discount Amazon A9 Search Engine Offers Shopping Discount\\In an effort to boost Amazon's A9 search engine usage and draw searchers away from Yahoo, Google and MSN, Amazon/A9 is offering a discount plan for A9 searchers on Amazon.com. Amazon is discounting purchases by 1.5 for A9 users as long as they register ...


Study Links Mobile Phones, Benign Tumors (AP) AP - A new Swedish study suggests that people who use a mobile phone for at least 10 years might increase their risk of developing a rare benign tumor along a nerve on the side of the head where they hold the phone.


Presidential campaign gathers steam in final stretch to November 2 (AFP) AFP - President George W. Bush and challenger John Kerry traded blows over Iraq and taxes as they scrambled for votes in the final week of their presidential race.


Red Sox Grab 2-0 Lead Curt Schilling grinds through six strong innings to overcome another four-error game by Boston and  guides the Red Sox to a 6-2 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday night.


China Bans Nike Ad China banned a Nike television commercial showing LeBron James battling a cartoon kung fu master, saying the ad insults national dignity.


Microsoft Caught Out Software piracy threatens to rob our cultural pioneers of their incentive to keep bringing us the best in everything they do. Microsoft is committed to preventing piracy from hurting legitimate software users, but by staying informed, you can ensure you're being part of the solution.   -- Microsoft on Software Piracy    Oops. Not taking your own advice is just silly.


Martha Stewart Going to W.Va. Prison  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Homemaking icon Martha Stewart will  serve her five-month jail sentence for lying about a suspicious  stock sale at a minimum security prison in West Virginia she  said on Wednesday.


Shell Output Unchanged After Staff Evacuation Multinational oil giant, Royal Dutch/Shell has disclosed that its out put remains unchanged despite its evacuation of non-essential staff from two oil production plants in its eastern operations area in the Niger- Delta where Nigerian troops are engaged


Expedition proves China #39;s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau glaciers shrinking Glaciers in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in west China have been shrinking at an unprecedented fast speed, said Yao Tandong, head of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Research Institute under


Gas prices top \$2 a gallon in state It's back: \$2 gasoline. After sliding steadily from late June through the Labor Day weekend, the average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded gasoline in Massachusetts was back up to \$2.01 yesterday, according to the most recent survey by the American Automobile Association. The nationwide average also crossed over the \$2 threshold between Sunday and yesterday, AAA said.


SUV sales in Tennessee jump fastest in the country KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Sales of sport utility vehicles jumped 151 percent in Tennessee between 1997 and 2002 - faster than any other state and three times the national rate, a new government report says.


Manmohan arrives in Manipur Imphal: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today arrived in Manipur on a two-day visit to the state. Singh #39;s special Indian Air Force helicopter from Silchar in Assam landed at Jiribam, a border town, at 10.25 am.


PAULA HOLDS MEDAL HOPES Long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe is tipped to add to Britain #39;s Olympic gold medal tally when she competes in the women #39;s marathon today.


Hamas vows to hit Israeli targets abroad Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas, vowed on Sunday to hit Israeli targets abroad after one of its leaders was assassinated in Damascus earlier in the day.


ALONSO IMPRESSES BENITEZ Rafael Benitez admitted he was delighted with Liverpool #39;s performance in beating Norwich 3-0, but insisted his players  quot;still need to raise their level quot;.


He's elated to be walking on air OK, it's official. There is now an established major league style, an etiquette, for those delightful occasions when one hits a walkoff homer in the postseason.


Iran Hints at Agreeing to Enrichment Freeze (Reuters) Reuters - Iran's top security official suggested\on Monday Tehran may agree to extend its freeze on uranium\enrichment but warned it could not be forced to scrap its\nuclear technology for good.


Two China Banks Uncover Fake Web Sites (Reuters) Reuters - Two of China's leading banks have\identified fake Web sites in recent days and reported them to\the country's public security organs, bank officials said on\Thursday.


Attack Halts Oil Exports From South Iraq Oil exports from southern Iraq have come to a complete halt because of attacks on pipelines and are not likely to resume for at least a week, a senior Iraqi oil official said Monday.


Lycos Europe:  quot;Make love not spam quot; In a new take on fighting spam, Web portal Lycos Europe has launched a screensaver designed to bombard Web sites promoted in unsolicited e-mail.


Snyder Takes Stake in Six Flags Pressure from Microsoft chairman and shareholder Bill Gates over a sagging financial outlook and news that Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has bought nearly 9 percent of Six Flags, Inc. drove the amusement park company's shares up more than 25 percent Tuesday.


Something was on the blink The problem with being in the spotlight dance is a basic one. You had better know how to dance.


D-Backs CEO Colangelo resigns com. Colangelo was originally set to step down on Jan. 1, 2005, but decided to accelerate his timetable. CEO-elect Jeff Moorad, who was to take over in January, will instead begin as CEO on Oct. 15.


Stocks Climb on Positive GDP Figure News NEW YORK - A sluggish gross domestic product reading was nonetheless better than expected, prompting investors to send stocks slightly higher Friday on hopes that the economic slowdown would not be as bad as first thought.    The 2.8 percent GDP growth in the second quarter, a revision from the 3 percent preliminary figure reported in July, is a far cry from the 4.5 percent growth in the first quarter...


AOL to Sell Cheap PCs to Minorities and Seniors (Reuters) Reuters - America Online on Thursday said it\plans to sell a low-priced PC targeting low-income and minority\households who agree to sign up for a year of dialup Internet\service.


E.U. Firm Probes Area Firm's  Ownership A Bethesda company owned by Microsoft Corp. and Time Warner Inc. is the subject of an investigation  into whether the firm's software will give the two media giants a monopoly in copyright protection. -The Washington Post


A Challenge to Software Vendors, From One of Their Own SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Earlier this year, The Yankee Group published the results of a customer satisfaction survey that showed that buyers of market-leading ERP software -- the integrated suites that companies use to run basic business


Insurgent assault feared in Baghdad Insurgents fought US troops in running street battles in the capital Saturday, assassinated three Iraqi officials and their driver, and detonated a car bomb in Baghdad #39;s Liberation


Donald #39;s revival lifts Langer Luke Donald kept his cool in the Swiss mountains to see off two of his more distinguished Ryder Cup team-mates and win the European Masters here yesterday.


China Detains Eight Roman Catholic Priests -Group  BEIJING (Reuters) - China has detained eight Roman Catholic  priests in northern Hebei province, continuing a crackdown on  those loyal to the Pope, a U.S.-based religious right group  said on Wednesday.


Tomato Juice May Cut Clotting in Diabetics By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter    HealthDayNews -- For people with type 2 diabetes, tomato juice may help stave off the heart troubles that often complicate the disease.    Researchers have found that drinking tomato juice for three weeks had a blood-thinning effect in people with the disease...


Macrovision updates software-packaging app Macrovision this week is upgrading its AdminStudio software-packaging application, which the company acquired when it bought InstallShield in July.


Olympics: AOC to appeal to CAS for Rogers to get Olympic cycling <b>...</b> SYDNEY : The Australian Olympic Committee said it has appealed to sport #39;s highest international arbitration body to open the way for Australian cyclist Michael Rogers to claim a bronze medal from the Athens Games.


Bypassed for top job, Penney #39;s department store chief leaves PLANO, Texas An executive recruited by JC Penney to revive its sagging department stores has left the company after being passed over for the retailer #39;s top job.


Delta to slash up to 7,000 jobs Delta Air Lines unveiled changes yesterday that will remake its business, but officials warned that soaring costs still could land the nation #39;s third-largest carrier carrier in bankruptcy court.


Techs Can't Find Hangover Cure (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - There's plenty of good news out there in the technology sector, particularly when it comes to e-commerce powerhouses like eBay and Amazon, and portals like Yahoo.


Lakers jump Kings; two in row for Bulls roundup SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- When the Lakers were dismantled last summer, the Sacramento Kings thought their biggest rivalry was finished.


All-Russian Women's Final at U.S. Open Is Set Elena Dementieva somehow outlasted Jennifer Capriati 6-0, 2-6, 7-6 (5) to set up all-Russian women's final at the U.S. Open.


Talladega: Waiting for the  #39;big one #39; The belly butterflies will be in full flight this afternoon when the 43-car field takes the green flag at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.


HP's Unix base offered Opteron carrot HP World Come for a stroll in the Sun


PalmOne packs Treo smart phone with new chip PalmOne Inc.'s long-awaited update to the Treo 600 will come with a new processor, sharper display and flash memory, as the company continues to improve its flagship product. The company is set to unveil the device, called the Treo 650, Monday at the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association's (CTIA's) Wireless IT and Entertainment conference.


JP Morgan, Cazenove tie up LONDON: JP Morgan Chase  amp; Co, the ninth ranked underwriter of UK stocks, formed a joint venture with Cazenove Group Plc to improve its access to Britain #39;s biggest companies.


Car Bomb West of Baghdad Kills One, Wounds 60 A suicide bomber killed one person and wounded 60 on Thursday when he blew up his car in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, doctors and officials said.


A ball of fire, then bloodshed A ball of fire erupts from a train car, smothering commuters with smoke, and littering the platform with bodies and blood in a chilling security-camera


Paychex #39;s founder CEO resigns NEW YORK, October 4 (newratings.com) - Paychex #39;s (PAYX.NAS) billionaire founder, B Thomas Golisano, has stepped down from his position as President and CEO of the company.


Spain have homeground advantage against US Seville, Spain - The United States, led by Andy Roddick, should be the favourite going into the Davis Cup final against Spain - except for a few small details.


McLaren aim to spoil Ferrari #39;s party Kimi Raikkonen #39;s well-deserved win in the Belgian Grand Prix has revived hopes of the last few races of the year being genuinely competitive.


Israeli soldier, four militants killed in Gaza GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Hamas militants killed an Israeli soldier and wounded four with an explosion in a booby-trapped chicken coop on Tuesday, in what the Islamic group said was an elaborate scheme to lure troops to the area with the help of a double


No scenario seen for draft of health care workers WASHINGTON -- No war or other national emergency would overwhelm the military's medical care system and require a draft of civilian health care workers, a senior Pentagon official said yesterday.


Air NZ, Qantas deal grounded MARK COLVIN: After two years of legal battles, it now seems the alliance deal between Air New Zealand and Qantas is well and truly grounded.


FBI seizes \$87 million worth of illegal software SAN FRANCISCO - A two-year investigation by U.S. law enforcement authorities has resulted in one of the largest seizures of fake software ever in the U.S. and charges against 11 individuals, government officials said Thursday.


Putin opens new military base in Tajikistan Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Tajik counterpart raised a Russian flag Sunday at a newly established permanent base for Moscow #39;s forces in this former Soviet republic, staking Russia #39;s claim for continued influence in


United planning talks with big two Manchester United plans talks with its two largest shareholders to put an end to months of speculation about the club #39;s future ownership.


Stocks sag on sub-par Canadian GDP and sliding US consumer <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Negative economic indicators helped send stock markets lower Tuesday while two more big Canadian banks reported quarterly profits.


Google Ogles Your Hard Drive The company that revolutionized the search of the Internet has now revolutionized searching your hard drive. Google #39;s (Nasdaq: GOOG) new Desktop Search utility is an incredibly


War Crime Trials Against Saddam to Start Next Week Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced that proceedings would begin against former Baath Party leaders.


Tax benefit lifts Pepsi profit 35 percent PURCHASE, NY -- PepsiCo Inc. #39;s net income rose 35 percent in its latest quarter from a year ago, helped by growth in beverage and snack volume, as well as a tax benefit.


SpaceShipOne Bid Seen Opening Space for Business A private space plane is set to shoot beyond Earth #39;s atmosphere for the second time in a week on Monday in a pioneering bid to win a \$10 million prize and prove that space is open for business.


NTSB Blames 2001 Plane Crash on Co-Pilot The co-pilot of American Airlines flight 587 caused the November 2001 crash that claimed the lives of 265 people, the staff of the nation's airline safety agency reported Tuesday.


Stocks Higher As Oil Retreats From Highs NEW YORK - Investors bid stocks higher Tuesday as oil stepped back from its highs and earnings results from companies including International Business Machines Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc...


World is  #39;in more danger #39; PAKISTAN #39;S president has warned that the war on terror has made the world a more dangerous place. Gen. Pervez Musharraf said the world was  quot;absolutely quot; less safe because military action had done nothing to tackle the causes of terrorism.


Jupiter Research: iPod/iTunes Combo an Advantage for Apple The Guardian (UK) has published an article looking at the battle between Apple and everyone else in the online music download business.


Caught in a regulatory cross fire Here's a bit of advice for those of you planning IT budgets. For the next five to 10 years, set aside 10 percent to comply with new government regulations, both from the United States and from other governments in your major markets.


Anthem-WellPoint deal OKd Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi dropped his objection to Anthem Inc. #39;s purchase of WellPoint Health Networks Inc. after the companies agreed to spend \$265 million, more than double their previous commitment


Watchdog Plays Down Abbey Suitor Fears The City watchdog today played down reports that it had concerns about Abbey National suitor Banco Santander Central Hispano. The Financial Services Authority confirmed


Els Wins Record Sixth Match Play Title Ernie Els won the World Match Play title for a record sixth time on his 35th birthday, beating Lee Westwood 2 and 1 Sunday to capture golf's biggest payday - \$1.8 million.


Illinois seeks OK to buy flu shots from foreign lab Chicago -- Citing  quot;an urgent need quot; at a time of flu vaccine shortages, Illinois asked for federal permission Monday to buy at least 62,000 vaccine doses from Europe for the state #39;s nursing home residents.


Red Sox Stumble and Fumble Their Way to Series Lead (Reuters) Reuters - So much for the "Curse of the\Bambino."


Fines and Jail Used to Enforce Flu Shot Rules As the flu vaccine shortage hits home and long lines queue around the supermarket, a handful of states and the nation's capital are threatening doctors and nurses with fines or even jail if they give flu shots to healthy, low-risk people.


Vaughan Eyes Final Finale Michael Vaughan today dreamed of capping a spectacularly successful summer for England with an appearance in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy.


US troops targeted in Iraq attacks A car bomb has exploded near a US military patrol in the town of Baiji, north of Baghdad, killing four Iraqi civilians and wounding 19 people, including two US soldiers.


SpaceShipOne #39;s Heady Flight Path The Burt Rutan/Paul Allen private spacecraft is on the brink of nabbing the \$10 million X Prize. But that #39;s just the start. The \$10 million X Prize is almost in the bank.


Lowe's Second-Quarter Profit Rises (Reuters) Reuters - Lowe's Cos. (LOW.N), the second-largest\home improvement retailer behind Home Depot Inc. (HD.N), on\Monday said quarterly profit rose, but trailed estimates.


Rookie Rallies Steelers Ben Roethlisberger hits 17 of 25 passes for 174 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions and Duce Staley runs for 123 yards in a 28-17 victory Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals.


Uefa Cup Wrap: Rangers Crash Out Rangers European adventure has come to a disappointingly early conclusion after the Scottish giants crashed to a 2-0 defeat at home to Auxerre tonight.


RIM shows off BlackBerry with Wi-Fi The new BlackBerry device can support VoIP over an 802.11b-based wireless network.


U.S. Bioterror Plan Frustrates Industry (AP) AP - When President Bush signed Project BioShield into law in July, he said he was immediately making  #36;5.6 billion available to counter such anticipated threats as smallpox genetically engineered to render current vaccines useless.


FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients (AP) AP - Privacy advocates are concerned that an implantable microchip designed to help doctors tap into a patient's medical records could undermine confidentiality or could even be used to track the patient's movements.


Boston Scientific Net Profit Doubles Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said its quarterly net earnings rose as sales of its new cardiovascular device bolstered results despite a costly recall.


Champions League: Real Madrid draws 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in <b>...</b> Raul Gonzalez scored a 70th-minute equalizer Tuesday to earn Real Madrid a 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen and keep alive its hopes of reaching the second round of the European Champions League.


Veritas releases OpForce 4.0 Veritas Software on Monday will announce a new version of its OpForce provisioning software designed to make it easier for administrators to install and manage applications, as well as operating systems, on servers.


More Data Sought on Drug for Sex Drive An advisory panel said that the first drug to enhance the sex drive of women should not be approved because of a lack of information about its long-term safety.


Wallace back in lineup, but can #39;t help Detroit beat San Antonio Ben Wallace #39;s return to the Detroit Pistons #39; lineup was far less eventful than his last appearance for the defending NBA champions.


Colon a load for opponents That arm. Oh, yeah, now you're talking. Any discussion of all things Bartolo Colon centers on his powerful right arm, which he first began to whip into shape when he was a kid in Altamira, Dominican Republic, heaving sticks and stones and all available bric-a-brac to bring down coconuts.


Clutch players need not apply What looks good on paper hasn't been tested through a season yet, so Bruce Crowder said he'll reserve judgment. He wasn't talking about rosters; he was talking about a commitment from college hockey authorities to rid the game of all the clutching and grabbing, the pinning, and tugging.


Jones Leads Cowboys to Stunning Win Over Seahawks Julius Jones scored on a 17-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left as the Dallas Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the last two minutes to stun the Seattle Seahawks 43-39 in the National Football League Monday.


Huang to Push For a Research Institution Eugene Huang  is an introvert who's on an extended lecture circuit, a high-level government official who dislikes politics and, as of Oct. 1, one of the youngest state Cabinet secretaries in the nation.


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


Peace Talks for Sudan #39;s Darfur Collapse Sudan #39;s rebels and government broke off internationally brokered peace talks for the bloodied Darfur region Wednesday after three weeks with little progress and no deal.


Bye Provides Patriots Time to Study (AP) AP - The New England Patriots have an extra week to study their next opponent  #151; whoever that might be.


Mainland inflation slows to 2.8pc easing rate rise fears Mainland inflation eased in November as food prices slowed their climb. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.8 per cent from November 2003, the smallest year-on-year increase since February #39;s 2.1 per cent, the National Bureau of Statistics said.


Impotence Rules in the UN Response Rarely has the impotence of the international community #39;s response to the crisis in Sudan #39;s Darfur province been so exposed as during the past week.


Afghan Election Bandwagon Creaks Into Motion  SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghanistan's election  bandwagon creaked into motion on Tuesday with a leading  candidate drawing the biggest crowd of the campaign so far.


Stadler Leads SAS Championship by Four (AP) AP - Craig Stadler already is atop the Champions Tour money list, and now he's poised to become the first tour player in more than six years to win three consecutive tournaments.


Giants still coming up short After the fourth question yesterday regarding backup running back Ron Dayne, Giants coach Tom Coughlin felt he had answered enough.


Former Qwest CEO May Face Civil Charges DENVER -- The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Qwest Communications #39; former chief executive could soon face civil charges for his alleged role in an accounting scandal at the company.


A loaf, then a laugh Cal dawdles in 1st half, still rips Huskies Seattle -- With his team hanging onto a one-point lead at the half, Cal coach Jeff Tedford said he was fairly restrained. He #39;d already let the Bears have it before the game.


Bailout plan shelved for Donald Trump #39;s casinos ATLANTIC CITY, NJ Donald Trump is trying to make a deal after the proposed bailout of his cash-strapped casino company was shelved by  quot;mutual agreement.


Cisco, Microsoft Band Together on Network Security Microsoft and Cisco are integrating their security technologies in an effort to isolate computers that are infected with viruses or have other security risks -- thus preventing them from spreading the danger to corporate networks.


FreeiPods.com isn #39;ta free launch A WEBSITE that promised a free iPod has been slammed as a sham by users, who are still waiting for their re-assuringly free kit to arrive.


Villeneuve: Our aim was to learn. Jacques Villeneuve has explained away his bottom of the times performance at yesterday #39;s Silverstone test as merely the process of his re-acclimatisation to Formula One, and of the Renault team learning to work with him.


A Key Year for Willingham, Notre Dame (AP) AP - Will Tyrone Willingham be the next Ara Parseghian or the next Bob Davie?


Arrest warrant issued for suspects in Klebnikov murder MOSCOW. Sept 29 (Interfax) - A Moscow court has issued an arrest warrant for two Chechens suspected of involvement in the murder of Paul Klebnikov, a prominent American journalist and editor-in-chief of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine.


Death toll from northern Japan earthquakes reaches 24 A strong aftershock measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted north Japan #39;s Niigata Prefecture Monday morning, leading the death toll from the three major quakes that hit the prefecture Saturday to reach 24, with more than 2,000 injured.


Singapore Budget Carrier Set to Take Off Singapore Airlines #39; low-cost arm raised the stakes Monday in the battle for budget travelers, saying it is ready for a price war as it prepares to begin services next month.


The Scam After the Storm? After remnants of Hurricane Gaston hit Richmond, Michael Wright's 1999 Honda CR-V sat under water just blocks from his office for three days before a towing company hauled it away.


Cisco Goes For the Small-Business Market New IP switches and routers that can be used to build converged voice, video, and data networks are aimed at business with limited IT resources.


Bush hails Afghanistan #39;s election US President George W. Bush saidon Saturday that the kickoff of Afghan presidential elections was a remarkable achievement.  quot;A marvelous thing is happening in Afghanistan, quot; Bush


Reconsider highway project I am a professor of geography visiting Taiwan, and have read about the proposed construction of a freeway from Taipei to Hualien. The experience of communities in North America and Europe has been fairly consistent


American Air to Defer 54 Boeing Jets  CHICAGO (Reuters) - AMR Corp.'s American Airlines on Monday  said it will defer 54 of 56 Boeing aircraft deliveries  scheduled for 2006 to 2010, helping the world's largest carrier  postpone \$2.7 billion in capital spending.


PalmOne Denies Pocket PC Rumors - Kind Of Mobile device vendor palmOne Thursday denied a report that its executives had said the company was developing a Pocket PC version of its Treo smartphone.


Why They Play The Game What #39;s the fun in almost a half-century of losing? That #39;s the question Navy asks each and every year that it plays Notre Dame and contained within it is the more abstract question: What #39;s


Dollar Wins Respite as Oil Prices Skid  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar ticked up on Tuesday,  extending its rebound from the previous day's seven-month low  versus the yen after a sharp fall in oil prices led traders to  scale back their bloated dollar-selling positions.


Roma to face UEFA wrath Italian side Roma will discover next week the punishment it faces for the disgraceful scenes in yesterday #39;s Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev which saw the match abandoned at half-time following an attack on the referee.


Pension Agency May Go Broke by 2020  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government agency that  insures corporate pensions will run out of money in 2020 if  current financial conditions persist, imperiling the checks of  millions of retirees, a new independent study shows.


When jammers meet the jetpods LONDON: If your city #39;s increasing traffic leaves you with nothing but a headache, here is a  #39;godsend vehicle #39; that promises to make life easier.


Dow Accepts Responsibility for Bhopal -- Spokesman Dow Chemical Co, in a major policy reversal, is accepting full responsibility for the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India, a company spokesman said on Friday.


Don't Marry Until March Plan a big, fat cheap wedding, and start your coupling with extra cash, not debt.


Napster creator reveals next step Napster creator Shawn Fanning has spoken publicly about his new project - a licensed file-sharing service with an almost unlimited selection of tracks.


Karzai Clinches Majority in Afghan Vote (AP) AP - Hamid Karzai clinched a majority of the votes cast in Afghanistan's first presidential election, near-complete results showed Sunday, leaving him all but certain of becoming his war-wrecked nation's first democratically elected leader.


Talks to resume in BA dispute Talks to avoid a crippling strike at British Airways will resume on Friday  with unions and the airline "hopeful" of reaching a deal.


Republicans Open Convention, Plan 9/11 Tribute (Reuters) Reuters - Republicans opened their national\convention on Monday to nominate President Bush for a second\term with plans for four days of tributes to his wartime\leadership and his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.


USA #39;s Hull fumes over benching Former Red Wing Brett Hull won #39;t be in the lineup again tonight, when the United States faces Russia in the quarterfinals of the World Cup of Hockey, and he #39;s not happy about it.


Palestinians Reject Sharon's Peace 'Test'  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The Palestinian Authority  on Friday rejected Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new  and seemingly softer terms for restarting peace talks, saying  he should drop all conditions for dialogue.


E-voting: Can it be trusted? com October 28, 2004, 1:15 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


NASA launches new satellite Swift The fastest-swivelling space science observatory ever built rocketed into orbit on Saturday to scan the universe for violent celestial explosions.


A major triumph for Stadler in Tradition Craig Stadler closed with four straight birdies in a round of 5-under-par 67 to earn a one-shot victory at the Tradition in Aloha, Ore., and claim his second triumph in a major tournament on the Champions Tour.


Cardinals Win, Smith Earns Another Record (AP) AP - Emmitt Smith ran his way to another NFL record and Neil Rackers booted himself into a share of one.


Ex-Enron Asst Treasurer Strikes Plea Deal  HOUSTON (Reuters) - A former Enron Corp.  ENRNQ.PK  assistant treasurer pleaded guilty on Tuesday in U.S. District  Court to conspiracy to commit securities fraud for disguising  the company's weak finances before its dramatic collapse.


TechBrief: States can #39;t regulate Net phones US regulators ruled Tuesday that providers of Internet-based telephone call services fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government and cannot be regulated by states.


SABMiller to build China brewery; Interbrew, AmBev complete merger After losing out on a bid to buy China #39;s Harbin Brewery Group Ltd. to rival Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., Miller Brewing Co. #39;s owner SABMiller plc is planning to build an \$82.


Briefly: Target to sell TiVo DVRs roundup Plus: Unisys signs up Linux allies...LookSmart names new CEO...Akamai boosts Web application services...Good Technology supported by HP, Samsung.


EU to clear Oracle's PeopleSoft bid (TheDeal.com) TheDeal.com - A source says Europe's antitrust watchdog has had a change of heart on the deal following the U.S. DOJ's loss on the case in court.


Australia to Boost Security Net Around Coastline (Reuters) Reuters - Australia plans to strengthen its\coastal security with a controversial surveillance footprint\that stretches south of New Zealand to north of Indonesia.


Olympics: Yao lifts China into Olympic quarter-finals with miracle <b>...</b> ATHENS : Yao Ming scored 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead China past world champion Serbia and Montenegro 67-66 here, advancing China into the Olympic men #39;s basketball quarter-finals.


Supreme Court Will Hear Grokster Case Lower courts had ruled that the companies are not liable for copyright violations committed by users.


In Mr. Bush's Neighborhood, a Peculiar Intersection The relationship between President Bush and Wall Street has always been layered with paradox and outright contradiction.


Billboard awards honour hitmakers R B stars Usher and Alicia Key  dominate the Billboard Awards in Las Vegas.


More Is Not Necessarily Better magine if one company controlled the card catalog of every library in the world. The influence it would have over what people see, read and discuss would be enormous.


PeopleSoft ousts CEO PeopleSoft Inc. officials said thier board of directors has ousted Craig Conway from the chief executive officer #39;s job. Conway has been one of the company #39;s strongest opponents of a proposed \$7.


US attacks Falluja 'arms store' A US air strike hits the rebellious city of Falluja, as the Iraqi government says it is now in control of Samarra.


Google Blesses Blogger Users with AdSense Advertising Google Blesses Blogger Users with AdSense Advertising\\Blogger, having replaced the default Google powered AdSense ads with a search enhanced Blogger task bar, has recently announced that they will now make Google AdSense advertisements available to Blogger members and other personal blog owners via a new program. Biz Stone, a Google ...


Former software officer indicted The former chief operating officer of a San Carlos software company has been indicted on charges of securities fraud for an alleged scheme to inflate the company #39;s revenue, authorities said Wednesday.


Coventry Health to Buy First Health Coventry Health Care Inc. (CVH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it agreed to buy rival health plan First Health Group Corp.


Sunday, 1 pm EDT You have to go back to Weeks 8-9 of 2002 to find the last time Tony Dungy #39;s Colts dropped consecutive regular-season games, but Indianapolis will snap that streak if it doesn #39;t rebound from a loss in New England and get in the win column at Tennessee.


Consumer confidence lowest in Midwest Despite the growing economy, consumer confidence has begun to taper off because of the weak labor market, according to a study released Tuesday by The Conference Board.


Samoa Worm Sperm Spawns Annual Fiesta Every October or November the reproductive swarming of an ocean worm known as the palolo is cause for a Samoan celebration. Fried in oil, baked into bread, or swallowed raw, worm sperm and eggs are a tasty treat.


Radcliffe avenges Athens How something so elephantine can be so simultaneously light on its feet is a mystery. But maybe the New York City Marathon can be explained a bit by Paula Radcliffe #39;s presence yesterday.


Jimenez Grabs First-Round Lead at European Masters  CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (Reuters) - Miguel Angel  Jimenez and Sergio Garcia warmed up for this month's Ryder Cup  with sparkling starts at the European Masters on Thursday.