Hamm gold by a sliver ATHENS - Paul Hamm feared he had blown a shot for a medal when he stumbled at the end of his performance in the vault, his fourth event in the six-event men #39;s individual all-around final. But the freckle-faced gymnast from Wisconsin ...


Bush, Kerry Open Final Debate in Arizona TEMPE, Ariz. - President Bush and challenger John Kerry opened their third and final debate on Wednesday as each candidate hoped to stamp a last favorable impression on millions of voters before Elecion day...


Israeli Forces Kill 11 in Gaza Camp Raid JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - Israeli troops and aircraft hit hard at Palestinian militants this weekend, killing at least 11 in a massive Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip's largest refugee camp, as masked Hamas gunmen vowed more rocket attacks on Israeli towns.    About 2,000 soldiers have taken control of a 5-mile-deep chunk of northern Gaza to counter militants firing homemade rockets into Israel...


Phelps Upbeat Despite End of Seven-Gold Dream  ATHENS (Reuters) - The dream of emulating Mark Spitz's  seven Olympic gold medals is over for Michael Phelps but the  American refused to be disappointed after finishing third in  the most eagerly-awaited race of the Athens Games Monday.


No. 9 Utes Face Last-Place Aztecs (AP) AP - All Urban Meyer really wanted to talk about during the week was San Diego State, the next opponent for his ninth-ranked Utah Utes.


U.S. Soldier Killed in Afghanistan (AP) AP - An attack on a patrol killed an American soldier, the third U.S. fatality this week in Afghanistan, the military said Wednesday, amid a flurry of attacks that wounded over a dozen Americans in the run-up to the Oct. 9 presidential election.


Clashes persist in South Ossetia Heavy fighting is reported in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region after the deaths of two soldiers.


Palestinian official denies committee to act for ailing Arafat A senior Palestinian official denied Thursday that a three-man committee has been appointed to act for the ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who was in critical condition after a stomach flu Wednesday.


Australia #39;s Metcash Unveils A\$846M Bid For Foodland -2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian grocery and liquor wholesaler Metcash Trading Ltd. (MTT.AU) Monday launched aA\$846 million takeover bid for the Australian assets of Perth-based Foodland Associated Ltd.


US calls Sudan atrocities genocide (AFP) AFP - US Secretary of State Colin Powell called atrocities in Sudan's Darfur region genocide and demanded a UN probe into the crisis, hastening moves toward sanctions on Khartoum.


Body of missing British tourist found near Australia's Ayers Rock (AFP) AFP - An investigation has been launched into the death of a British tourist whose body was found near Australia's famed Ayers Rock 36 hours after she went missing, police said.


Parties Spar in Congress on Medicare Increase (Reuters) Reuters - Senate Republicans and Democrats on\Tuesday battled over blame for a record increase in Medicare\health premiums, which Democratic presidential candidate John\Kerry has criticized in his campaign to unseat President Bush.


Sony Computer to launch worldwide sales of new PS2 console in Nov TOKYO, Sep 21, 2004 (AFX-UK via COMTEX) -- TOKYO (AFX) - Sony Computer Entertainment Inc, the game unit of Sony Corp, will roll out worldwide a new, smaller version of the PlayStation 2 game console from the start of November, company President Ken


Group to Talk Coal-Bed Methane Drilling (AP) AP - Dozens of scientists plan to converge at the University of Wyoming to talk about West Nile virus, water pollution and other issues related to coal-bed methane drilling.


London Stock Exchange eyes Asia HQ The London Stock Exchange plans to set up an Asia headquarters in Hong Kong to tap the growing number of mainland corporates eyeing listings abroad, a local newspaper reports.


Murray ready for McEnroe SCOTLANDS Murray brothers face an exciting weekend north and south of the Border, with Jamie due to contest the doubles final of the LTA Futures event at Craiglockhart, and Andrew fulfilling a boyhood ambition at Wembley where he will come face to face


Scientists Think Data From Space Capsule Can Be Salvaged Samples and data inside the wrecked Genesis space capsule appear intact enough to salvage most of the mission's science, optimistic researchers said Friday.


Gallacher beats McDowell in playoff for first European Tour win Stephen Gallacher beat Graeme McDowell with a birdie on the first playoff hole at the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday to score his first European Tour victory.


Safin Downs Hewitt at Paris Masters Marat Safin, of Russia, returns the ball to Lleyton Hewitt, of Australia, during the quarterfinal of the BNP Masters indoor tennis tournament in Paris, Friday, Nov. 5, 2004.


UPDATE 3-Cott profit falls, outlook cut, stock plunges Shares of Cott Corp. (BCB.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (COT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) sank as much as 16 percent on Wednesday after the world #39;s largest


Bomb traces found in Russian plane wreck Investigators say they have found traces of explosive in the wreckage of one of the two passenger planes that crashed earlier this week in southern Russia.


Bitter Takeover Saga Ends In \$10.3 Billion Deal _ Oracle Corp. finally scooped up bitter rival PeopleSoft Inc. after 18 months of legal and verbal strife, ending a nasty feud with a \$10.3 billion deal that promises to shake up the business software industry.


Yukos CFO delays return to Russia MOSCOW The chief financial officer of Yukos, Russia #39;s embattled oil company, said Thursday that he had delayed his return to Moscow indefinitely after Russian prosecutors had summoned him for questioning.


CNN worker kidnapped in Gaza City Armed men have seized an Israeli Arab producer working for the CNN television network from a car in Gaza City after asking for him by name.


Oracle readies CRM updates Oracle Corp. plans to release the latest version of its CRM (customer relationship management) applications within the next two months, as part of an ongoing update of its E-Business Suite.


Samsung, Sony Ericsson Post Gains Samsung Electronics posted a 46 percent gain in earnings, despite a dip in its cell phone and telecom-equipment business. Separately, Sony Ericsson posted a 29 percent year-over-year increase in sales during the third quarter.


Google Buys Digital Mapping Company Search company cuts price of Keyhole LT mapping software by more than half.


19-year-old woman found dead in dorm room at McGill University (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - A McGill University student has been found dead in her dormitory room and police are calling the death suspicious.


Sources: Sony Eyes File-Sharing Venture LOS ANGELES - Sony BMG Music Entertainment and online peer-to-peer software distributor Grokster are working on a new venture that is expected to offer paid and free song downloads over the Internet, sources say.


Generating Income with Blogs - Blogging for Dollars Generating Income with Blogs - Blogging for Dollars\\Blogging for dollars might sound like the latest game show or some new drinking game, but it's the latest craze to hit the Internet. Bloggers began blogging for a number of reasons, but as the blog movement has increased in popularity, they have ...


U.S., EU Trio Agree Iran Nuke Resolution --Diplomats  VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States compromised with  France, Britain and Germany on a toughly-worded U.N. nuclear  resolution on Iran that calls for an immediate halt to Tehran's  uranium enrichment program, a Western diplomat said.


Boston College 24, No. 24 Notre Dame 23 Paul Peterson threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Tony Gonzalez with 54 seconds left to give Boston College a 24-23 victory over No.


JBoss unveils workflow engine This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure.


Soccer: Youth brings energy to a night drained of meaning On Tuesday, Cesc Fabregas, a 17-year-old Spaniard, scored a flamboyant goal and ran the midfield so well that Arsenal thrashed Rosenborg Trondheim 5-1.


Retailer's Share Up on Wal-Mart Interest (AP) AP - Shares of Japan's troubled supermarket chain Daiei Inc. soared 27 percent Thursday following reports that U.S. giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. planned to submit a proposal for turning the company around.


African Gold Miner Sues Suitor in US By Reuters. Gold Fields said yesterday that it had filed suit in the United States against Harmony Gold Mining, a rival South African miner, in an attempt to stop Harmony #39;s hostile \$7.


Microsoft math: Multicore licensed as one chip Siding with chipmakers, the software giant says it won't charge double for dual-core chips when they come to market next year.


Maria Sharapova Advances in China Open (AP) AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open on Wednesday, routing fellow Russian Tatiana Panova 6-1, 6-1.


Hamas rejects ceasefire in preparations for Palestinian elections The Islamic resistance movement Hamas on Wednesday refused to halt attacks against the Jewish settlements during the period of preparations for the Jan. 9 elections.


US Trade Deficit No Cause for Alarm-Evans (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans on\Tuesday brushed off financial market concerns about America's\massive trade deficit and stressed that a recent sharp uptick\was fueled in part by surging energy prices.


Democrat Groups Raise More 'Soft Money' (AP) AP - Whatever the reasons John Kerry and the Democrats lost the race for the White House, lack of money wasn't one.


Hong Kong #39;s Record \$2.7 Bln Property Trust IPO May Be Delayed The trading debut of Hong Kong #39;s record \$2.7 billion property trust may be delayed because of a legal challenge, a government lawyer said.


India can be among worlds top five by 2010 The success of Indias broadband policy will depend on the government clearly articulating the strategic role it expects broadband to play in delivering socio-economic gains to all stakeholders.


Cisco to Buy P-Cube for About  #36;200 Million (Reuters) Reuters - Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO.O), the\world's largest maker of equipment to direct traffic on the\Internet, on Monday said it will buy privately held software\developer P-Cube for about  #36;200 million in cash and options.


Mothers of Russian GIs Appeal to Rebels (AP) AP - A group of Russian mothers, desperate for peace in Chechnya, told rebels in the breakaway region Wednesday they were ready to mediate peace between the government and militants fighting a decade-long battle for independence.


Zimbabwean Opposition to boycott election The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is calling on the Government to introduce electoral reform. The MDC says it will not take part in Zimbabwe #39;s 2005 general election because the poll will not be free and fair.


U.S. Military Says Has 100 Pct Control of Falluja (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. troops have secured control\over the whole of rebellious Falluja, a Marine officer said on\Monday, with more than 1,000 insurgents taken prisoner.


The Tablet PC Takes Its Place in the Classroom A versatile portable device can play a role in tests, note-taking and homework, and even act as a blackboard.


Infineon execs face jail in DRAM case Four executives from Infineon Technologies have pleaded guilty to price fixing in the DRAM industry, according to the US Department of Justice.


Turkey's EU Bid Back on Course After Damaging Row  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkey's bid to join the European  Union was back on course Thursday after Prime Minister Tayyip  Erdogan backed down in a row with the bloc over attempts to ban  adultery in his Muslim nation.


Krispy Kreme operating chief quits WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.'s John Tate quit as chief operating officer amid a government probe of the chain's accounting and earnings forecasts.


Nortel shares down on news of criminal probe News of an RCMP criminal investigation of Nortel Networks and its financial accounting practices sent the company #39;s shares down slightly on Tuesday.


Saddam has first meeting with his lawyer Preparations to put Saddam Hussein on trial intensified on Thursday with a first meeting between the ousted Iraqi president and a member of the defence team appointed by his family.


Tumbling dollar is bringing a global moment of truth WHEN the worlds leading currency goes on the slide, be braced for all manner of latent trouble to come to the fore. The slide in the greenback, renewed after disappointing US jobs numbers last Friday, is


Hopes renew as KGL responds to abductors #39; demand Amidst fresh hopes of release of three Indian hostages, their Kuwaiti employer company KGL today declared it had  quot;no presence quot; in Iraq and expected early end to the over month-long crisis as efforts were moving in a  quot;promising  quot;direction quot;.


Freddie Mac to Restructure Unit Government-sponsored lender Freddie Mac said Monday that it will restructure some of its mortgage securities operations, primarily by ceasing the market-making activities of its Securities


Samsung to Launch Phone with Mini Hard Drive  SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., the world's  third-largest handset maker, said on Tuesday it was launching  the first mobile phone with a stamp-sized hard disc drive this  month that would expand the memory capacity by 15 times.


New JFK video game called  #39;despicable #39; A new video game that allows players to recreate the 1963 assassination of US president John F. Kennedy is being called  quot;despicable quot; by family members.


For the Giants, Signs of Peace Are Gone The truce between New York Giants Coach Tom Coughlin and his players has ended. The Giants #39; four-game winning streak was halted by Sunday #39;s loss to the Detroit Lions at Giants


Foreign Tax Havens Costly to U.S., Study Says Americas biggest corporations are increas- ingly funneling profits earned in the United States to tax havens around the globe, accord- ing to a new study.


Derek makes Tigers topple like dominoes: Red-hot Sox continue <b>...</b> At times like this, it is important to remember a simple truth: No matter how much they have improved, no matter how much promise they may show at times, there is something they have yet to escape.


Israeli Cabinet Passes Gaza Bill Before Key Vote Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s cabinet passed a bill on the nuts and bolts of pulling out of occupied Gaza Sunday, a day before he seeks approval from Israel #39;s parliament for his withdrawal plan.


Crying Games again for Paula DEVASTATED Paula Radcliffe was led out of the ancient Panathinaiko Stadium with only tears for souvenirs as her Olympic dream lay in tatters on an Athens roadside.


Wi-Fi Successor Called High-Speed Hype, for Now (Reuters) Reuters - At virtually every turn, Intel\Corp. executives are heaping praise on an emerging long-range\wireless technology known as WiMAX, which can blanket entire\cities with high-speed Internet access.


Feuding Midfielders D.C. United's Dema Kovalenko and Dallas's Ronnie O'Brien are still at odds over a scuffle near the start of their game last week.


Sony Springs From  #39;Spider-Man #39; Web Sony Corp. on Thursday reported a big boost in profits in the second quarter, due to the success of box office hit  quot;Spider-Man 2. quot;.


Update 3: Japan Court Approves UFJ-Mitsubishi Talks Japan #39;s Supreme Court on Monday said merger talks could proceed between troubled UFJ Holdings Inc. and Mitsubishi Tokyo Group Inc.


Bonds propels Giants with arm, not bat Barry Bonds swung at nine pitches and none of them left the ballpark. He made one spectacular throw and it saved the game.  quot;Tonight, he did it with his arm, quot; winning pitcher


CA ex-CEO Kumar loses perks after indictment SAN FRANCISCO - Computer Associates International Inc. has revoked perks, including office space and home security services, that it handed out to former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sanjay Kumar after he left the company last month.


Skulls mobile trojan learns Bluetooth The Skulls trojan horse we warned you about last month didnt do much since users had to install it themselves (thats why its called a trojan).


EU Not Yet Ready to Lift China Arms Embargo The European Union says it is not yet ready to lift a 15-year-old ban on selling arms to China, but is working toward that goal. The arms embargo dominated a one-day EU-China summit in the


Locust alert in Canary Islands  A state of alert is ordered as swarms of locusts from Africa arrive in Spain's Canary Islands.


Govt. Seeks to Seize Rigas Systems - WSJ  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Justice Department has asked a  judge to enter a \$2.53 billion judgment against two Rigas  family members in a bid to seize some cable systems run by  Adelphia Communications Corp., the Wall Street Journal reported  on Tuesday.


Report: IBM selling personal computer unit NEW YORK -- International Business Machines Corp. has reportedly put its personal computer business up for sale in a deal that could fetch as much as \$2 billion and close an era for an industry pioneer which


Laptop full of new tunes stolen from Natasha Bedingfield (AFP) AFP - Chart-topping pop singer Natasha Bedingfield's laptop computer -- with a hard disk full of new songs and lyrics -- has been stolen at Heathrow airport.


Biologists Worried Over Alien Fish in U.S. (AP) AP - A fish known for its voracious appetite and ability to wreak havoc on freshwater ecosystems was found in Chicago's Burnham Harbor, alarming state biologists.


Fla. Court Nixes Law Keeping Woman Alive TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a law that was rushed through the Legislature last fall to keep a severely brain-damaged woman hooked up to a feeding tube against her husband's wishes...


Bush taps top Latino exec WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday nominated Carlos Gutierrez, among the most prominent Hispanic business executives in the United States, to be his new Commerce secretary, as the president continued with what Republicans said would be a broad overhaul


Artest Testifies About Basketball Brawl (AP) AP - Ron Artest took the witness stand and described, in his words, one of the worst brawls in NBA history. Teammates Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O'Neal and Anthony Johnson did the same, and a union attorney and one of O'Neal's bodyguards also testified.


Multiplex weighs bid in billions CONSTRUCTION giant Multiplex was assessing at the weekend whether to top Westfield #39;s 585 million (\$1.5 billion) bid for the British property group Chelsfield.


Angels option on Molina, decline Ortiz ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - Catcher Bengie Molina will return to the Anaheim Anaheim Angels next season but he will not have righthander Ramon Ortiz throwing to him.


Bryant records first tour win at Texas Open Bart Bryant won his first PGA Tour event Sunday, closing with a 3-under 67 for a three-stroke victory over Patrick Sheehan at the Texas Open.


Struggling Rams on Deck Patrick Ramsey will start tonight when the Redskins face the Rams, a team looking to rebound from a 24-7 loss Monday at Kansas City.


EU Forces Turkey to Backtrack on Adultery Amid protests from womens groups and warnings from the EU, Turkeys government agreed to measures that would appear to scuttle its plans to introduce legislation making adultery a crime.


Renewal of Peace Process Discussed a Month After Arafat Death The death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat a month ago appears to have created a new atmosphere for possible renewal of peace efforts in the Middle East.


Mickelson Rates Europe as Ryder Cup Favorites  OAKVILLE, Ontario (Reuters) - U.S. Masters champion Phil  Mickelson thinks the United States will start as underdogs in  this week's Ryder Cup against Europe at Michigan.


Memo lands prince in trouble London - Prince Charles #39;s penchant for memo-writing caught up with him on Thursday when his uncompromising opinions about the state of education in Britain found their way onto the front pages.


CoTherix, Google Rise Before the Bell  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of CoTherix Inc. CTRX.O rose  2.7 percent  before the bell on Tuesday after Piper Jaffray  initiated coverage of the biopharmaceutical company with an  "outperform" rating and a \$10 price target.


Treo 650 Pre-order Opens on Sprint Network If you are a current palmOne customer, you are eligible to a palmOne.com exclusive offer on our new Treo 650 smartphone. Pre-order yours today with or without a Sprint service plan and you #39;ll receive a FREE Bluetooth headset with your order (\$99 value).


Univ. of Michigan September sentiment falls to 94.2 WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Consumer sentiment eroded in late September, according to media reports Friday of proprietary research from the University of Michigan.


Fedossova Upsets Shaughnessy at Japan Open (AP) AP - Fifth-seeded Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States was upset 7-5, 7-6 (5) by Youlia Fedossova, a French teen ranked 448th, in the first round of the Japan Open on Tuesday.


Woods right on course There have been signs of danger he has read about, warnings of trouble told to him.


Fictional Billionaires (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - Mickey Mouse may be 75, but age hasn't put a damper on his earning power. Last year Mickey and Disney pals Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto and Goofy grossed  #36;5.8 billion from toys, movies and the like. That's 23 more than the year before, when Disney's Winnie the Pooh topped the list. Why the mouse's rebound? Credit hoopla and new products--including adult apparel--tied to Mickey's milestone birthday last year. For more details, stories and methodology, go to forbes.com/extra.


UN official proposes autonomy for Sudan's embattled Darfur region (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees proposed autonomy for the troubled Darfur region of Sudan - a solution the government has resisted. But it said Friday it would be willing to discuss the position anew in an effort to end the violence that has killed 50,000 people.


Amnesty for rein on MNCs New Delhi, Nov. 29: Amnesty International, Greenpeace and other non-governmental organisations are working towards establishing a legal framework to make multinational corporations more accountable to peoples needs.


Olympics: Unforgiving Greeks Boo as Games Turn Ugly  ATHENS (Reuters) - The Olympics turned ugly when  unforgiving Greeks, incensed that fallen hero Costas Kenteris  was missing from the 200 meters, delayed the final by booing  and chanting for five minutes.


Beijing Official Seeks To Calm Microsoft Controversy Beijing has been debating a policy proposal that will force the city to spend at least half of its IT budget on offerings from local companies.


SBC lowers broadband prices for new customers SBC Communications will offer a high-speed Internet connection for \$19.95 per month to new customers who buy a premium calling plan and sign a one-year contract, the company said on Wednesday.


Viruses Aimed at Microsoft Rise Sharply-Symantec  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The number of new viruses and  worms aimed at Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT.O ubiquitous Windows  operating system rose 400 percent between January and June from  the same year-earlier period, leading computer security company  Symantec said on Sunday.


Conference focuses on challenges of fighting cybercrime Preserving the digital crime scene poses one of the biggest challenges in the global fight against cybercrime, said participants this week at a major international conference on fighting Internet-based crime.


Cost Cap Proposed D.C. Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp attempts to put a high-water mark on the price of a stadium that would force a relocation if the price is too high.


IP Battle Lines Drawn in Spam Wars  quot;We believe the current license is generally incompatible with open source, contrary to the practice of open Internet standards, and specifically incompatible with the Apache License 2.0.


Putin's Governors Plan Confirms His Control Long before President Vladimir Putin decided this week to eliminate the popular election of governors and appoint them himself, Putin effectively controlled who would lead Russia's diverse regions.


Tigers #39; Monroe facing theft charge in Charlotte County Detroit Tigers outfielder Craig Monroe was arrested for allegedly stealing a \$29.99 belt from a department store, a records clerk at Charlotte County jail said Tuesday.


Why I dumped Internet Explorer After months waiting for Microsoft to give me a reason to remain loyal, I finally dumped Internet Explorer for the Firefox Web browser last week.


Intel crams 500M transistors on a chip A small, fully functional, 70-megabit static random access memory computer chip crammed with more than 500,000,000 transistors has been developed by researchers at Intel Corp.


Sun posts Java source code to developers Sun Microsystems has posted the next version of its Java 2 Platform Standard Edition (J2SE) to the developer community for early review and feedback.


Huygens On Target for Titan At the beginning of next year, the descent probe, Huygens, will try to sample what lies beneath the thick atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Huygens passed its last in-flight checks and scientists are preparing for the perilous, one-way trip towards the surface.


Investors duke it out in PeopleSoft bid One major shareholder says it won't touch Oracle's latest offer. Another says it likes the price. Who'll prevail?


A Tax Bill, Full of Breaks, Passes Senate After nearly three years of jockeying by legions of business groups, the Senate passed a \$137 billion corporate tax bill on Monday that gave something to almost everyone.


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


Gus Dur asked to help free two Indonesian women kidnapped in Iraq JAKARTA (Antara): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked former president Abdurrahman  quot;Gus Dur quot; Wahid on Friday to help free Rosidah binti Anom and Rafikan binti Amin -- two Indonesian women who were kidnapped in Iraq.


Malaysian Court Rejects Anwar Appeal of Corruption Conviction Malaysia #39;s highest court has turned down former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim #39;s appeal of his corruption conviction.


Car Bomb Kills 12 Iraqis Near Baghdad BAGHDAD, Iraq - A suicide car bomber plowed into an Iraqi military checkpoint northwest of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 12 Iraqis and wounding about 25, as U.S. and Iraqi forces sealed off roads south of the capital in a campaign to curb the insurgency before January's national elections...


Jakarta Hunts Islamic Militants After Embassy Attack  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian police launched a nationwide  manhunt on Friday for al Qaeda-linked militants blamed for a  suicide car bomb attack outside the Australian embassy that  jolted both countries ahead of elections.


IBM Opens Up Design of Its Blade Servers (Reuters) Reuters - International Business Machines Corp.\ said it is making the design of its "blade" computer\servers widely available, in a move designed to gain wider\acceptability in data centers and the telecommunications\industry.


Cubs 1, Pirates 0 Carlos Zambrano pitched 7 1-3 shutout innings to outduel Oliver Perez and beat Pittsburgh for the fifth straight time this season, carrying the Chicago Cubs to a tense, 1-0 victory over the Pirates on Wednesday night.


Tracking management bugs As regulatory audits loom, wise executives have long ago abandoned the save everything approach to regulatory compliance, which is akin to stuffing receipts into a shoebox while hoping the IRS will go knocking elsewhere.


CRPF jawan runs amok, kills 7 colleagues in Baramulla JAMMU, Nov. 28. - In a fit of anger after he was punished, a CRPF jawan shot dead seven of his colleagues before getting killed in retaliatory fire at the base camp of the 152 battalion of the CRPF in Baramulla, north Kashmir, late last night.


Giants 26, Cowboys 10 Barber, who had just 26 yards on 10 carries midway through the third quarter, had a key 58-yard run and a late touchdown to finish with 122 yards rushing as the New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 26-10 Sunday.


US to deploy hyper-missiles American scientists are developing hypersonic cruise missiles that will fly 10 times faster than current rockets, penetrate concrete armouring and could be launched from any site in the world.


Microsoft looks to quicken Windows XP SP2 adoption Prior to the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft set a goal of having 100 million copies distributed through its automatic update (Windows Update downloads not included).


Greek Riot Squad Bus Blast Raises Security Fears (Reuters) Reuters - A roadside bomb blast targeting a police\convoy in Athens early on Friday caused no injuries but alarmed\authorities who had been insisting that Greece's leftist\guerrillas were defeated.


UMich Finds Consumer Sentiment Up a Bit US consumer sentiment brightened slightly in November, helped by cheaper gasoline and a better jobs outlook, a survey released on Wednesday showed.


Sunday #39;s NFL Summaries By The Associated Press Det_Williams 18 pass from Harrington (Hanson kick), 9:25. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 5:35. Key plays: Harrington 24 pass to S.Alexander; Harrington 19 pass to Bryson on 3rd-and-15; Harrington 10 pass to Swinton on 3rd-and-10 to Giants 22.


IBM buys into project management Big Blue plans to beef up its Rational suite of development tools with technology it will gain through its acquisition of Systemcorp.


Sony Woos The Fox With the war on for the next-generation DVD disk format, Sony, Matsushita Electric Industrial, Sharp and other companies are considering developing 8cm (3 inch) Blu-ray discs compared with the standard 12cm discs.


Hunters kill last brown bear Hunters have shot dead the last female brown bear native to the Pyrenees, condemning the species to extinction and causing an  quot;environmental catastrophe quot; for France, the government said.


Glorious Garcia inspires charge A BRACE of eagles from an inspired Sergio Garcia lit up the World Cup overnight as home-country favourites Spain overhauled a big England halfway lead in the second session of fourballs.


What kind of friendship? I am not an Irish Friend of Israel. Official. Indeed, I am so unfit for that title that those bestowing membership to the group don #39;t reply to my letters.


Microsoft sets holiday Xbox bundle Microsoft announced a new holiday Xbox package that essentially gives buyers two free sports games and a trial subscription to the Xbox Live online gaming service.


U.S. Deaths in Iraq Top 1,000; Aid Groups Eye Exit  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Dozens of international aid agencies  considered quitting Iraq Wednesday following the abduction of  two Italian women, and as the U.S. military death toll rose  above 1,000.


Royals rip Yankees for 17-8 win Rookie Brad Halsey was taking the injured Kevin Brown #39;s turn on Monday night, and the Yankees #39; worst-case scenario was about to be realized at Kauffman Stadium.


Satellite radio looks to lure males hock jock Howard Stern #39;s move to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. begins an association between a man who was happy to describe, in detail, Paris Hilton #39;s sex tape and the industrial giants of the auto industry.


Gordon Cooper, 1 of 1st astronauts VENTURA, Calif. - Gordon Cooper, who as one of the original Mercury astronauts was a pioneer in human space exploration, has died.


Lions Make Final Roster Moves The Detroit Lions whittled their roster to the mandatory 53 on Sunday, releasing veteran kick-returner Reggie Swinton, second-year receiver and fan favorite David Kircus, rookie linebacker Andrew Battle, recently signed linebacker Michael Young, running


Soccer: Barca finally beaten, but unbowed MADRID : Barcelona may have lost in the league for the first time this season when they went down 2-1 at Real Betis on Sunday, which ended their 10-game unbeaten streak, but the Spanish leaders remain unbowed.


Defending champion Capriati ousted by Dechy in New Haven Jennifer Capriati #39;s preparations for next week #39;s US Open were dealt a body blow when she lost 6-4 7-5 to eighth seed Nathalie Dechy of France in the quarter-finals of the \$585,000 New Haven Open on Thursday.


'Killer Apps' Demand Computer Upgrades This is turning out to be the year of the upgrade for many computer gamers, thanks to the arrival of blockbuster game titles such as Doom 3 and Half-Life 2, on its way to retail shelves after a year's worth of delays. -The Washington Post


PalmSource Embraces Linux Through China Buy NEW YORK - PalmSource #39;s planned acquisition of China MobileSoft signals its desire to expand its presence in Asian markets, as well as to produce a new, Linux-based version of its handheld operating system.


A Big Increase of New Voters in Swing States A registration campaign in Democratic areas has added tens of thousands of new voters to the rolls in Ohio and Florida.


Bills' McGahee Said to Ask for Trade (AP) AP - Running back Willis McGahee has asked the Buffalo Bills to trade him if he is not their starter on opening day, a source told The Associated Press on Friday.


Despite Scandals, Boeing Still Wins Wall Street #39;s Favor When Boeing Co. chief executive Harry C. Stonecipher took the helm in December, he proclaimed that his top priority was restoring the aerospace giant #39;s reputation after revelations that employees


Health Highlights: Sept. 7, 2004 Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:    ------      Early Puberty Increases Risk of Substance Abuse      Youngsters who begin puberty at an early age are more likely to experiment with and abuse alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana than kids who start puberty at a later age, says a Australian study in the September issue of the journal Pediatrics.      The study found that early puberty was more important than school grade or age in influencing this kind of behavior...


Pudge, Guillen injured in loss Playing the Minnesota Twins can be a painful process. On Saturday night, however, it literally was for the Tigers. Not only did they lose the game, 3-2, but two star players as well.


China to Move Toward Flexible Currency The Bush administration won a commitment today from China to move "firmly and steadily" to a flexible currency, though the Chinese did not offer a firm timetable.


Deaths from bird flu THERE have been three new deaths from bird flu in Vietnam, the World Health Organisation says, raising fears of a fresh outbreak of the disease in South East Asia.


Barcelona wins again Barcelona is now nine points clear at the top of the Primera Liga table thanks to a 2-1 win at Getafe. An easy win looked on the cards for Barca when Rafael Marquez and Deco put it 2-0 up after just 22 minutes


Bank of America Profit Up 29 Percent (Reuters) Reuters - Bank of America Corp. , the No.\3 U.S. bank, on Thursday said third-quarter profit rose 29\percent, helped by its purchase of FleetBoston Financial Corp.\and growth in deposits and credit card issuance.


Zo, Nets break the ice The score was in the low 60s. The teams combined to shoot 29 and make an NBA record-low 44 field goals. Several players added floor burns to their tattoos and Shareef Abdur-Rahim even suffered a bloody gash on his head.


US Consumers Anxious About Lack of Hiring  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence retreated in  August while Chicago-area business activity slowed, according  to reports on Tuesday that added to worries the economy's patch  of slow growth may last beyond the summer.


Three UK soldiers killed in central Iraq Three British troops have been killed and others injured in an attack in central Iraq, British Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram confirmed on Thursday.


LifePoint to Buy Rival for \$1 Bln  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rural hospital operator LifePoint  Hospitals Inc. LPNT.O agreed to buy rival Province Healthcare  Co. PRV.N for \$1.03 billion in cash and stock to broaden its  geographic reach, the companies said on Monday.


Charges Have Been Filed In NBA Brawl It #39;s official, the notorious brawl last month between the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and some fans has resulted in criminal charges.


Oil price rally takes off again Oil prices resume their upward path, lifted by reports of pipeline sabotage in Iraq and fears that Russian firm Yukos may cease production.


Moss #39; hamstring forces another early exit Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss was in the starting lineup Sunday when the team hosted the New York Giants, but the star wideout was again removed from the game due to his sore hamstring.


Around the world Israeli forces continued a major operation in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, using tanks and armored vehicles to suppress rocket fire into Israel, and in the process killing seven Palestinians.


Kerry Courts Black Voters at Church Stops (AP) AP - With just three Sundays left before Election Day, Sen. John Kerry is asking for all the help he can get from black voters and the Almighty.


Oil price exceeds record mark OIL #39;S RECORD-breaking rally took US crude over US\$52 a barrel yesterday fuelled by the impact of Hurricane Ivan on US winter inventories.


Cisco Systems Earnings Rise 29 Percent  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc. CSCO.O, the  biggest maker of equipment that directs data over the Internet,  on Tuesday said quarterly earnings rose 29 percent on stronger  demand for its networking gear.


James Walston: I respond. You negotiate. He gives in to terrorism  quot;Qui lo dico, qui lo nego quot; is an Italian maxim much repeated and much used; it means  quot;I #39;m telling you and I #39;m denying it at the same time quot;.


Dutch arrest in Iraq genocide case A 62-year-old Dutchman will be charged for war crimes and as an accomplice to genocide for supplying lethal chemicals to Saddam Hussein #39;s regime, prosecutors said Tuesday.


Compiled by Page 3 With real life news reading funnier than made-up comedy bits, the Late Night kings are loving every minute of it. Page 3 #39;s top shelf team (OK, it #39;s one dude out on the west coast, but he #39;s still top shelf) compiled


Blast near convoy of Palestinian security chief Moussa Arafat, cousin of Yasser Arafat and a top Palestinian security chief, has survived an apparent car bomb assassination attempt in Gaza City in an attack that signals deepening internal faction fighting.


Wal-Mart to open up to 18 new stores in China by end-2005: report HONG KONG : US retail powerhouse Wal-Mart Inc will open as many as 18 stores in China by the end of next year as it takes advantage of new rules allowing foreign retailers to expand into second-tier cities, a press report said.


FCC letting utilities move into broadband US regulators will let utility companies send high-speed Internet signals through electrical outlets to residential and business clients.


NFL Game Summary - Washington at Philadelphia Owens didn #39;t catch a pass in the first half, the first time all season he has gone without a reception in any half. His 13 touchdowns tied a club record accomplished three other times, most recently by Mike


Superb display by Nowitzki Dirk Nowitzki netted 53 points - the top score in the NBA this season - as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 113-106 in overtime.


GAME REVIEW: Exciting  #39;Halo 2 #39; game shoots for perfection At the risk of breaking down its rough-and-rugged reputation,  quot;Halo 2 quot; for Xbox is the Mary Poppins of video games,  quot;practically perfect in every way.


Ajax Make UEFA Cup After Bayern Draw Ajax Amsterdam qualified for the UEFA Cup after a 2-2 Champions #39; League Group D draw with Bayern Munich at the Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday evening.


EU Nations Ban Phthalates From Toys (AP) AP - European Union governments on Friday permanently banned chemicals used to soften plastic from being used in toys, saying they are harmful to young children who put toys in their mouths.


Forces target tense Fallujah Hundreds of insurgents arrive from other cities amid airstrikes by the US, which sees the city as a terrorist haven. By wire services.


American League Game Summary - Seattle at Oakland Ichiro, with 914 hits since his rookie year in 2001, is currently on pace to set the record for most hits over any four-year span in the majors.


11.10 / 17:48  0 President Roh says N. Korea won #39;t  #39;go to <b>...</b> Astana - Hanoi, October 11 KAZINFORM -- President Roh Moo-hyun said Monday he did not expect North Korea to go to extremes over the issue of its nuclear weapons development program.


The opportunities and dangers of the post-Arafat era Yasser Arafat #39;s increasingly imminent passing from the scene points to the end of a long and complex era that is best left for historians to assess.


BlackBerry in Sync with Apple (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Information Appliance Associates is offering an application that links the \BlackBerry mobile e-mail platform with Mac OS X, further extending BlackBerry's considerable reach.


Athens throws Paralympic party for largest games ever More than 3,800 disabled athletes gathered Friday for the opening ceremony of the largest Paralympics in the games #39; 44-year history.


Sportsview: Roddick, Agassi Blown Out Open (AP) AP - Tennis in gale force gusts is closer to a farce than a sport.


Nordstrom profit soars in quarter, but not enough for Wall St. Nordstrom reported a strong second-quarter profit as it continued to select more relevant inventory and sell more items at full price.


Cole ban is reduced Andy Cole will be back in action for Fulham at Aston Villa next weekend after his ban was reduced by the FA. Cole was initially suspended for three matches after being sent off for his part in a brawl at West Bromwich on September 18.


IBM, Intel Offer Blade Specs  quot;We are convinced that openness will expand the blade-server marketplace and bring more people on board with these types of servers, quot; says Tim Dougherty, director of BladeCenter marketing at IBM.


Buckeyes Dash Wolverines' Outright Title Hopes Quarterback Troy Smith ran for 145 yards as the Buckeyes upset the Wolverines, who might have also lost a return visit to the Rose Bowl.


Bush seeks to mend ties to Canada Working to mend the frayed relations between their countries, President Bush and Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada sought to project a unified front


Consumer confidence declines again in September Continued job worries resulted in an unexpected decline in consumer confidence in September, the second consecutive monthly dip, a New York-based private research group said Tuesday.


No. 19 Iowa Survives Scare From Minnesota (AP) AP - Rhys Lloyd's 51-yard field goal try drifted left with 28 seconds remaining, allowing 19th-ranked Iowa to hold on for a 29-27 victory over Minnesota Saturday  #151; the Hawkeyes' sixth straight win.


Investment in robots reaches record levels A joint UN-industry study says investment in industrial robots has increased by double digits to the highest level ever recorded. The Geneva-based UN Economic Commission


Space Specimens Saved From Wrecked Capsule cientists think useful samples of all the many types of solar particles collected by the Genesis space capsule survived its crash in the Utah desert almost four weeks ago, promising researchers


Singh Keeps Lead Vijay Singh follows up his opening-round 64 by shooting a steady 68 and maintains a two-shot lead over American Ben Curtis in Farmington.


Rate hike #39;s effects The Federal Reserve #39;s new wave of interest-rate increases is spilling into consumers #39; and investors #39; lives in good and bad ways.


Maxtor's Tufano Resigns as CEO, President  NEW YORK (Reuters) -  Computer disk drive maker Maxtor  Corp. MXO.N on Monday said Paul Tufano has resigned as chief  executive, president and acting chief financial officer, less  than a month after the company forecast a quarterly loss that  was about double what Wall Street had been expecting.


Methane on Mars causes controversy Methane and water vapour are concentrated in the same regions of the Martian atmosphere, say scientists studying data from Europe #39;s Mars Express orbiter.


Aboriginals receive ancestors' remains from Sweden in formal ceremony (AFP) AFP - Sweden returned to Aboriginal elders the remains of 15 of their ancestors taken from Australia for scientific research a century ago.


US TV special for tsunami relief A US celebrity TV special will benefit the tsunami relief effort in South Asia, as actors make donations.


CORRECTED (OFFICIAL)-US Airways lenders OK aircraft use In NEW YORK story headlined  quot;US Airways lenders let carrier keep using aircraft, quot; please correct paragraph 3 to read ... US Airways said it has agreed to cure and perform for all but 36 aircraft, and has reached interim arrangements for 14 of these .


Lawyers Clear Krispy Kreme of Wrongdoing Troubled doughnut maker Krispy Kreme said Thursday that lawyers have concluded for a second time that no one at the company engaged in intentional misconduct related to the company #39;s acquisition of a Michigan franchise.


Hacker Hits California University Computer SAN FRANCISCO -- 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


CalPERS: Getting Back to Business It #39;s one of the most powerful jobs in the world of finance. The president of the board of the California Public Employees #39; Retirement System oversees the nation #39;s largest pension fund, with \$177 billion in assets.


Lawmakers drop massive Boeing tanker agreement WASHINGTON - Congressional negotiators decided to pull the plug on a Boeing Co. tanker deal as part of an agreement on a massive defense bill.


How can owners of suspended players regroup after brawl fallout? The Melee in Motown between the Pacers and Pistons didn #39;t only shake up the NBA, it laid waste to many a fantasy team #39;s chances this season.


VoIP Price War Declared gardel writes  quot;Voxilla reports that a VoIP price war was declared today. An announcement that AT amp;T would drop its prices for its CallVantage Service from \$34.


Capriati Edges Serena in Titanic Quarter-Final  By Simon Cambers  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jennifer Capriati won a titanic struggle  with old foe Serena Williams to reach the semi-finals of the  U.S. Open, going through 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 Tuesday after one of the  most dramatic battles in the tournament's history.


NASA Says Spaceport Should Withstand Ivan By MARCIA DUNN     CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- NASA's hurricane-damaged spaceport should be able to withstand the wind and rain from Ivan if the storm stays well to the west, the Kennedy Space Center's director said Saturday...


Perot Systems: Peter Altabef new CEO SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Perot Systems Corp. said Friday it has named Peter Altabef president and CEO and Ross Perot Jr., who previously held those titles, as board chairman.


Eight dead in Iraq's Green Zone Eight people have been killed in two blasts in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, the US military says.


Coke to alter sales methods in Europe BRUSSELS -- Coca-Cola agreed Tuesday to dramatically change the way it sells soft drinks in Europe, ending a five-year investigation into allegations that Coke abused its power to keep rivals out of the market.


Ukraine Parliament Says Run-Off Poll Invalid Ukraine's parliament declared invalid the disputed presidential election, a non-binding move demonstrating the country's rising dissatisfaction with the outcome.


Weeping hostage pleads for life A new tape of hostage Margaret Hassan broadcast on al-Jazeera TV station shows her pleading for her life.


Najaf stand-off has beginnings in earlier US failures in Fallujah The battle of Najaf, in which Iraq #39;s fledgling government is being held to ransom by the occupation of Shia Islam #39;s holiest site, can be traced to American political and military failures in recent months.


Russia Plans 500-Day Mock Mars Mission (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Russian space researchers will lock six men in a metal tube for more than year in an effort to mimic the stresses and challenges of a manned mission to Mars.


Palestinians Head to Paris to Probe Arafat's Death (Reuters) Reuters - Palestinian leaders plan to\send a delegation to Paris to seek details on what caused the\death of President Yasser Arafat last week at a French\hospital, officials said on Wednesday.


Packers 24, Panthers 14 Green ran for two touchdowns and caught a third Monday night to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 24-14 victory over the Panthers, who became the sixth straight team to lose in the Super Bowl and their ensuing season opener.


Beagle Team Unveil Potential Successor to Failed Mars Mission The team behind Beagle 2, the failed mission to land on Mars and search for life, has unveiled potential plans for a successor, it emerged today.


Niners hand it to Dolphins SAN FRANCISCO -- Randy McMichael caught a 15-yard touchdown pass with 10:35 to play, and the 49ers fumbled five times in the fourth quarter of the Miami Dolphins' 24-17 victory yesterday, leaving San Francisco as the league's only one-win team.


NHL: Canadians Find Saturday Night Lacking Fever  TORONTO (Reuters) - It is Saturday and time for "Hockey  Night in Canada." But there is just one problem for hockey-mad  Canadians -- no NHL.


Turkey back on track for EU membership Turkey #39;s long battle for EU membership was back on track yesterday, after Ankara pledged to press ahead with key reforms and backed down over plans to criminalise adultery.


Back to 'School' for Walton, and 167 Other Hopefuls  LONDON (Reuters) - Ireland's Philip Walton, who holed the  winning putt for Europe at the 1995 Ryder Cup, tees off this  week in a field of 168 at the European Tour qualifying school  finals in Spain.


Car Bomb Kills 7 U.S. Marines Near Iraqi Town of Falluja The deadliest attack on Americans in Iraq since May came as Iraqi officials announced that Saddam Hussein's deputy had not been captured on Sunday.


Sony's Vaio X: Like TiVo on Steroids (PC World) PC World - New device offers 1TB of storage, can record seven channels simultaneously.


Cdn X Prize team postpones launch KINDERSLEY, Sask. (CP) -- A Canadian team of engineers competing in an international race to put civilians into space has postponed its first stab at the \$10-million prize.


It's Shaq's Day Modeling his new Miami Heat uniform, a slimmed-down center Shaquille O'Neal promised to be a team leader during the organization's designated media day.


Lenovo revenue grows, but problems persist China's largest PC maker sees surge in profits but loses market share to multinational companies.


In Search Of Open-Source Experts As companies ramp up open-source deployments, expertise is in high demand and short supply. The costs of developing talent can add up.


Vodafone shares hit by fear of pressure to fund US bid VODAFONE shares fell nearly 3 per cent yesterday on fears that the mobile phone group could come under pressure from its US partner to provide \$25 billion (13 billion) to help to finance a bid for Sprint.


Hewitt rallies to beat Moya at ATP Masters Lleyton Hewitt knows how it feels to be No 1 in the world. Anything less is no big deal to him. Australia #39;s Hewitt rallied to beat Carlos Moya of Spain, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4, in a first-round


Titans' McNair to Sit Out Rest of Season (AP) AP - Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair will miss the final three games of the season and undergo surgery to strengthen the bruised sternum that has plagued him most of the year.


Iraqi car bomb kills 10 in Kirkuk Iraqi police say at least 10 people are killed in a suicide attack on national guard recruits in Kirkuk.


On Wall Street: Dominic Rushe: The slammer is no deterrent for the <b>...</b> JEREMY JAYNES is about to make history. As the first spammer to be sent to the slammer, Jaynes was described by prosecutors last week as a modern-day snake oil salesman.


Iowa State Misses a Chance To Play for the Big 12 Title Gerald Riggs ran 12 yards for a touchdown with 38 seconds remaining and No. 15 Tennessee defeated Kentucky, 37-31, Saturday.


California Schools Warned of Identity Theft LOS ANGELES (AP) -- California university officials have warned nearly 600,000 students and faculty that they might be exposed to identity theft following incidents where computer hard drives loaded with their private information were lost or hacked into.    Since January, at least 580,000 people who had personal information about them stored in university computers received warnings they might be at risk...


Do Not Expect Intervention from Japan Hiroshi Watanabe, Japan #39;s vice finance minister for international affairs, said today Japan and Europe could take  quot;harmonized action quot; to stem the appreciation of their currencies.


Extinction May Have Trickle-Down Effect WASHINGTON - Conservationists concerned about the extinction of plants and animals may be overlooking the danger to thousands of other species that depend on the threatened ones.


Somerfield buys 114 Safeway outlets MORRISONS is to hand over 114 of its smaller Safeway stores to rival Somerfield as part of a 260m deal. Morrisons said the sale would let it concentrate on the larger Safeway stores that it acquired and


Singapore oil chief to face police over \$550m trade losses CHEN JIULIN, the suspended chief executive of China Aviation Oil (CAO) in Singapore, has agreed to face a criminal investigation into the Beijing-backed groups \$550 million (283 million) in derivatives trading losses.


UPDATE 1-Parmalat investors file suit for damages in US Investors stung by the collapse of Parmalat have filed a class action lawsuit in a US court as they seek more than \$8 billion in damages from the Italian food group #39;s former management, banks and auditors.


Dirrell assured medal Flint middleweight Andre Dirrell dashed Cubas dreams of another boxing gold rush and moved into the Olympic medal round himself Wednesday.


Woodhall backing for Khan Former Olympic bronze medallist Richie Woodhall believes Amir Khan will be  quot;the Mario Kindelan of the next Games quot; if he is still an amateur in four years #39; time.


Business Week taps new editor Business Week has reached outside its own ranks and into those of The Wall Street Journal to name a new editor in chief. The 75-year-old financial magazine said yesterday that Stephen J. Adler


Shaukat Aziz takes oath as Pakistan #39;s new PM ISLAMABAD : Shaukat Aziz, former finance minister and a key ally to President Pervez Musharraf, has been sworn in the country #39;s new prime minister.


Hollywood Hot To Sue P2P Pirates Warning that film piracy represents an enormous threat to the movie industry, the Motion Picture Association of America announced that it plans to sue people for trading illegal digital copies of movies over the Internet.


Militant Chechen Rebel Leader to Go on Trial for Masterminding <b>...</b> Chechen separatist leader Aslan Maskhadov says his group is planning to try the mastermind of the hostage siege in southern Russia that left more than 330 people, more than half of them children, dead.


Red Bull confirms Jaguar purchase Red Bull have this morning been confirmed as the new owners of Jaguar Racing after Ford completed their withdrawal from Formula One.


Bears 28 Giants 21 EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ Anthony Thomas ran for two touchdowns and the Chicago Bears forced five turnovers in a 28-to-21 win over the New York Giants.


Oracle Talked of Lowering PeopleSoft Bid Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) Chief Executive Larry Ellison said on Friday his company has talked about revising its current \$21-per-share offer to buy rival PeopleSoft Inc.


Gymnastics competition marked by sound, fury The final night of gymnastics competition at the 2004 Games ended with another black eye for the beleaguered sport as spectators at Olympic Indoor Hall turned their rage against a panel


Lucent, Unions to Talk Beyond Deadline  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Lucent Technologies Inc. LU.N and  unions representing roughly 10 percent of the  telecommunications equipment maker's work force said on Friday  they have agreed to extend talks a week beyond a midnight EST  Sunday contract deadline.


Netflix Testing Networking System (AP) AP - Online DVD rental leader Netflix Inc. is putting social networking on its marquee of coming attractions for next year.


FCC Rules Vonage is Not Subject to State Jurisdiction The FCC ruled that Vonage #39;s broadband telephony service is not subject to traditional state public utility regulation and asserted its federal authority over VoIP.


Hamm assays gold Seeking to put a simmering gymnastics scoring controversy to rest, gold medalist Paul Hamm said Sunday that he is the legitimate Olympic all-around champion.


Rockies #39; Neagle charged with soliciting a prostitute Colorado Rockies pitcher Denny Neagle was charged Friday with soliciting a prostitute after a woman in his car said he paid her \$40 for oral sex, police said.


WOODWARD:  #39;I #39;M STILL IN CHARGE #39; Mystery surrounded Sir Clive Woodward #39;s future as England coach tonight after he left Twickenham following a four-hour meeting with senior Rugby Football Union figures.


New Lava Has Pushed Through to Surface of Mount St. Helens Lava has appeared around the crater the first time since Mount St. Helens awoke three weeks ago with bursts of ash and steam.


Trainer Says Bonds Took Undetectable Drug: Report  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Baseball star Barry Bonds took an  undetectable performance-enhancing drug during the 2003 season,  his weight trainer said on a secretly recorded tape, The San  Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.


Bush and Kerry Gear Up for First Debate (Reuters) Reuters - President Bush and\Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry on Wednesday wrapped up\practice sessions for their first debate with each side\claiming the other faced the tougher challenge.


Dolphins #39; Feeley gets starting nod Feeley played well enough coming off the bench in the Dolphins #39; season-opening loss to earn a start this week at Cincinnati, coach Dave Wannstedt said Sunday.


Rooney Urged to Control Aggression David Beckham has joined forces with Sven-Goran Eriksson to warn Wayne Rooney that he must learn to channel his fiery aggression in the right manner.


Aluminium Ship Builder Austal Teams with Raytheon for Amphibious <b>...</b> Austal Limited today announced that it had teamed with Raytheon Australia to bid for the upcoming Australian Government tender to build two amphibious ships, which is due to be issued in early 2005.


Remains Found in Search for Hacking Body SALT LAKE CITY - Police on Friday recovered human remains at a landfill where investigators have been searching for the body of Lori Hacking, the missing Utah woman whose husband is charged in her death.    It was not immediately clear whether the remains were those of Hacking, 27, who has not been seen since July 18...


TNK-BP nears Russian top spot TNK-BP, which represents the biggest foreign investment in Russia, is fast emerging as the country #39;s largest oil producer. Its rise to prominence comes amid increasing state involvement


Tokyo Edge: The Latest in Home Theater Do-it-all convergence devices, plus a MiniDisc player, both tiny and high-end cameras, and big LCD TV debut this fall.


EU Appeal to US to bring up Dollar European Central Bank President Jean- Claude Trichet joined European finance ministers in appealing to the US to stem the decline of the dollar, warning that the currencys slide risks derailing global growth.


Marks  amp; Spencer Says First-Half Earnings Fell as Much as 12 Marks  amp; Spencer Group Plc, the UK #39;s largest clothing retailer, said first-half earnings fell as much as 12 percent after sales declined for a fourth straight quarter.


Judge Urges U.S. to Speed Abu Ghraib Case (AP) AP - An Army reservist charged with abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison said Monday he will plead guilty to some offenses, acknowledging he broke the law and saying he accepts responsibility for his actions.


Phelps wins first medal, Sandeno wins three at Short Course World <b>...</b> Phelps led all the way in winning the 200-meter freestyle at the World Short Course Championships on opening night Thursday, giving the world #39;s best swimmer a chance to equal the six gold medals he won at the Athens Olympics.


Is Real a Real Hypocrite? Real's recent marketing campaign purporting to promote choice in digital music fails to rally music fans. Instead, the blitz provokes nasty comments from Apple users and cries of hypocrisy from critics. By Katie Dean.


Tearing up the UN Charter Bernstein: UN peacekeepers are now collaborating with the Haitian police and death squads, in a bloody purge of thousands of pro-democracy supporters of President Jean Bertrand Aristide.


New EU members face tough euro test The EU's ten newest members must get their economies into shape if they are ever to join the euro, the European Central Bank and Commission warn.


Judge Orders Microsoft to Pay \$112 Million SAN FRANCISCO -- A judge is ordering Microsoft Corp. to pay \$112.5 million to attorneys who successfully sued the software maker for monopolizing a segment of California #39;s market.


News in brief Sir Mark Thatcher appeared before a magistrate in Wynberg, near Cape Town, yesterday where his trial on charges of violating South Africa #39;s anti-mercenary laws was postponed until April 8. His passport remains confiscated and he must continue to report to


US CPI and Core rates rise 0.2pc in Nov US consumer price inflation moderated in November after experiencing a sharp rise in the prior month, the Labour Department said today.


Casino Forks Over \$28K for Cheese Sandwich HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - An online casino forked over \$28,000 Wednesday to the owner of a 10-year-old, partially eaten cheese sandwich thought to be embedded with the image of the Virgin Mary - and then sent the  quot;religious icon quot; on a world tour.


North Korea #39;s No. 2 Leader Visits China North Korea #39;s second-most senior leader toured a shiny new science park in Beijing Monday, a first stop on visit aimed at finding ways to help the North #39;s moribund economy as much as jump-starting stalled nuclear talks.


Notebook: Belbin, Agosto retain No. 1 standing The US ice dancing team of Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, Skate America defending champions, retained their No. 1 overall standing following the original dance competition last night.


Investor tries to block Abbey deal Abbey National faces a high court challenge to its 9bn takeover by Banco Santander Central Hispano because of concerns about criminal charges faced by executives of the Spanish bank.


July Factory Orders Exceeded Forecasts; Productivity Pace Slows July factory orders rose the most in four months, exceeding forecasts, and productivity gains slowed last quarter, two government reports released yesterday showed.


Funk seizes lead in Mississippi Fred Funk shot an eight-under par 64 to seize a one-stroke lead after the third round of the US PGA Tour Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Madison, Mississippi.


It doesn #39;t get any better and regular readers know Im as loath to offend anyone as dogs are to smell disgusting things -d ask, Who needs the World Series?


Cards force seventh game with 12th inning homer The St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros are going the distance to decide the National League Championship Series. Jim Edmonds came through with a two-run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Cardinals a 6-to-4 win over Houston.


Konarka to Acquire Solar Technology Konarka Technologies is expected to announce that it has acquired from Siemens of Germany the technology to print power cells on flexible sheets of plastic.


Dow winds blow in favour of Kerry INVESTORS and traders lean to the Republicans, but the Dow is sending a signal that George W. Bush is going to lose office. Since 1904, the incumbent has failed to win re-election if the Dow falls by 0.5 per cent or more in October.


Nepal Opposition Calls for Truce to End Blockade  KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal's main opposition party urged  the government on Monday to call a unilateral cease-fire with  Maoist rebels and seek peace talks to end a road blockade that  has cut the capital off from the rest of the country.


Israel behind death of Hamas leader JERUSALEM - Israel was responsible for a car bomb that killed a top Hamas leader in Syria yesterday, Israeli security sources acknowledged, in an escalation in Israel #39;s battle against the Islamic militant group.


Dolphins/Steelers Postponed by Hurricane Jeanne  Davie, Fla. (Sports Network) - Sunday's game between the  Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers has been postponed  because of Hurricane Jeanne.


Report Faults Military Technology in Iraq War  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Front-line U.S. troops often lacked  access to surveillance and intelligence data during the  invasion of Iraq because of computer glitches, Technology  Review magazine reported on Tuesday, citing a classified report  by Rand Corp.


Stocks Turn Higher As Oil Hits Record High Stocks clung to a modest advance Wednesday despite a new record high for oil and gloomy third-quarter outlooks from several companies as investors awaited the government #39;s jobs creation report at the end of the week.


Mexican Migrants Launch Relay to NYC (AP) AP - Mexican migrants launched a two-month relay Sunday from Mexico's capital to New York, calling on lawmakers to grant them the right to cast absentee ballots in 2006 presidential elections and organizing undocumented workers along the way.


Telcordia to sell for \$1.3B: newspaper Warburg Pincus, Providence Equity close to acquiring former part of AT amp;T Bell Labs, report says. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Two investment firms are about to close a deal to acquire telecommunications software company Telcordia Technologies Inc.


Cool, Calm Wariner Races to 400 Gold (AP) AP - Jeremy Wariner is just 20 years old. He just led a U.S. sweep in the 400 meters at the Olympic Games. So c'mon kid, get excited! Cool, calm and with a fluid running style all his own, the lean Baylor University student raced to the gold medal Monday night wearing sunglasses, two earrings and a jingling necklace.


Update 1: Sarkozy Partially Privatizes Areva Nicolas Sarkozy lifted the veil Wednesday on what is likely to be his last major sell-off as France #39;s finance minister - the partial privatization of the state-owned nuclear group Areva SA.


God has graciously granted America a reprieve from the agenda of paganism Bob Jones III, the current president of Bob Jones University (famous for it's only recently ended ban on interracial dating), wrote a short congratulatory letter to recently re-elected President Bush in which he extolls the president to stay the Christian course.    Below is the text of that letter:


Nasdaq chipped by Intel NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Technology stocks sank Friday after Intel Corp., the world #39;s largest chipmaker, disappointed investors by slashing its revenue forecast.


Digital cinema moves closer to local multiplex A movie studio coalition says it has worked out standards for films without film.


National Semiconductor Offers  #39;Trusted #39; Chip National Semiconductor has released its Safekeeper Trusted Input/Output chip, which stores passwords, digital certificates and encryption keys on PCs.


Tour #39;s generation scrap ATLANTA -- One guy hasn #39;t won in 12 months and the other hasn #39;t won in nearly 12 years. It #39;s tough to decide which stat is the more improbable.


Today's Pop Stars in It for the URLs (Reuters) Reuters - British rock band Marillion has gone a step further. Since\striking off on its own in 2000, the group has used its online\site, http://marillion.com, to raise over 500,000 pounds\( #36;913,200) from fans to finance its last two albums and support\its first North American tour since 1995.


Firefoxs biggest obstacle is lazy programming The biggest obstacle facing widespread adoption of the Firefox browser is lazy programming - not from the Mozilla Foundation but from corporates that have not tested their applications with anything but IE.


Nuggets too quick for Heat Denver  This was Western Conference basketball, running, soaring and scoring, and the Denver Nuggets were the latest team from the West to remind the Heat it really isn #39;t suited for that kind of game.


Montgomerie has strong finish at The Heritage Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie had a birdie and eagle on the last two holes Thursday, shooting a 1-under-par 71 Thursday that left him four strokes behind the leaders after the first round of The Heritage.


Anti-Spyware Bill Passed by House Anti-Spyware Bill Passed by House\\Legislation prohibiting spyware practices was passed Tuesday by the United States House of Representatives in a 399-1 vote. Termed the Spy Act, this bill not only prevents all things associated with spyware, but it also requires that opt-ins, notices and consents accompany any legal software that ...


British Bank Shifting 1,000 Jobs to India Banking group Lloyds TSB said Tuesday it will transfer about 1,000 British jobs to India by the end of next year. The group will transfer jobs in its information technology and group operations departments


Intel on the Outs? In yet another devastating body blow to the company, Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) announced it would be canceling its 4-GHz Pentium chip. The semiconductor bellwether said it was switching


Camacho Quits As Real Madrid's Coach (AP) AP - Jose Antonio Camacho quit as star-studded Real Madrid's coach after just six games and was replaced Monday by assistant Mariano Garcia Remon.


Coyotes re-sign RW Johnson to three-year deal ----------------------------------------------- GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - Mike Johnson missed most of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but that didn #39;t stop the Phoenix Coyotes from giving him the veteran right wing a three-year contract ...


Israel raid demolishes Gaza homes Israeli forces demolish two apartment blocks in raids on Gaza, while warning of a possible attack on Syria.


Iraq blast death toll rises to 18 At least 18 people were killed in a suicide bombing on Saturday, capping a week of horrific violence in Iraq as al-Qaeda-linked militants threatened to kill two American and a British hostage in 48 hours.


PREVIEW-Beckham and Owen to feel at home against Spain England captain David Beckham and Michael Owen, playing at a home from home in Wednesday #39;s friendly against Spain, have points to prove at the Bernabeu.


Study: IT job market continues to be stagnant The IT job market remains tight in the U.S., with more workers than available jobs in many parts of the country, according to the Center for Urban Economic Development at the University of Illinois in Chicago.


Almost One in Four Businesses Pirate Software Violations appears to be commonplace, even though professionals agree it is risky.


Africa ; Majority backs Macedonia #39;s multi-ethnic future The Socialist-led coalition government is committed to achieving membership of NATO and the EU, which has sent a questionnaire containing 3,000 questions that Macedonia must answer before talks about membership of the bloc can start.


Travel sites agree to changes for the blind Priceline.com and Ramada.com have agreed to make their Web pages easier to navigate for the blind and visually impaired as part of a settlement with New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.


Deadline looms in Sudan crisis Khartoum agrees to allow more African Union troops and monitors in Darfur.


Edwards Cites Layoffs During Bush Years (AP) AP - Democrat John Edwards kept up a long-distance debate over his "two Americas" campaign theme with Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday, saying it was no illusion to thousands of laid-off workers in Ohio.


Iraq troops move angers S Koreans Clashes with riot police erupt as thousands protest in Seoul against plans to send troops to help US-led forces in Iraq.


AL Wrap: Twins Secure Third Straight AL Central Title  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Torii Hunter and Corey Koskie belted  two-run homers in the first inning to help the Minnesota Twins  clinch their third straight American League Central Division  title with an 8-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox Monday.


Florida governor turns to US Supreme Court in euthanasia case (AFP) AFP - Florida's Governor Jeb Bush asked the US Supreme Court to intervene to keep a comatose woman alive, over the wishes of her husband, who wants to disconnect the feeding tube that has sustained her for 14 years.


Eagles Hang On Jason Thomas scores a career-high 23 points and grabs 11 rebounds to help American withstand a late Vermont rally and beat the Catamounts, 67-64.


With new OS, Microsoft seeks couch potatoes #39; eyes com September 15, 2004, 5:40 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.


Pirates Finish Santiago Trade With Royals (AP) AP - Benito Santiago was traded Thursday by the Kansas City Royals to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have sought a veteran catcher since dealing Jason Kendall to Oakland last month.


Larsson and Rooney bid for world player award WAYNE Rooney and Henrik Larsson are among the players nominated for FIFAs prestigious World Player of the Year award. Rooney is one of four Manchester United players on a list which is heavily influenced by the Premiership.


J.M. Smucker Disappoints, Sales Flat  CHICAGO (Reuters) - J.M. Smucker Co. SJM.N on Friday  posted an 18.5 percent rise in quarterly profit, but its shares  fell as much as 5 percent as sales were nearly flat excluding  an acquisition.


Outfoxed Offered for Remix The maker of a documentary about Fox News offers raw footage of his film online for others to re-edit into new 'mixes.' With the spread of broadband and cheap filmmaking software, film may become remixers' favored medium. By Daniel Terdiman.


Aussies Upset U.S. Women in Medley Relay (AP) AP - Petria Thomas overtook Jenny Thompson on the third leg of the Olympic women's 400-meter medley relay Saturday night, helping Australia upset the United States in world-record time.


Some NATO Members Balk at Joining Iraq Mission, U.S. Says (Reuters) Reuters - In an unprecedented departure from


Taking the Battle to the Enemy U.S. and Iraqi forces launch high-risk probes of the insurgency in Fallujah and Ramadi. A TIME exclusive


Patriots Back Among the Mortal They were flawless for a month of Sundays, beating back opponents and, really, conventional wisdom itself. The New England Patriots had become football #39;s sterling exception


Ryanair Could Profit with High Oil - CEO  MADRID, Spain (Reuters) - Europe's biggest no-frills  airline, Ireland's Ryanair Holdings Plc RYA.I, will turn a  profit even if oil prices hit \$75 a barrel, Chief Executive  Michael O'Leary was quoted saying on Sunday.


AOL Creates Its Own Browsing Software As part of its reincarnation, America Online Inc. is creating its own software for browsing the Web and playing movies and songs. It #39;s a question of staying relevant in an increasingly broadband world.


Batista #39;s double ends three streaks After going hitless in his previous 23 at-bats, Tony Batista came through at the perfect time for the Montreal Expos. Batista hit a one-out RBI double in the 12th inning and the Expos ended


Chicago to Sell City-Related Items on eBay (AP) AP - City officials hope there are people willing to pay plenty of money to own a vintage Playboy Bunny costume, toss green dye into the Chicago River or throw a dinner party prepared by Oprah Winfrey's chef.


Niger president wins second term Niger's president is elected for a second term after comfortably winning a run-off vote, officials say.


Romanow says a health deal without accountability would be a huge mistake (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The federal government will be making a huge mistake if it gives the provinces more money for health without attaching conditions to ensure it is spent to reform the system, says Roy Romanow.


Patchwork of FTAs won #39;t do - Doha Round crucial WORLD Trade Organisation (WTO) members have finally established a framework for negotiations to conclude the Doha Round. This is good news.


Mauresmo pulls out of Kremlin Cup Amelie Mauresmo could lose her world number one status this week after pulling out of the Kremlin Cup because of a thigh injury. The Frenchwoman sustained the injury during the final of the Porsche Grand Prix


Intel Shelves Plans for 4-GHz P4 Company will break its promise to deliver a speedier chip, shifts focus to dual-core designs. Intel has confirmed its near-term plans for its desktop processors before it reaches the multicore era.


IRS seeks to refund locals PORTSMOUTH - Five former or current city residents are among the individuals the Internal Revenue Service is looking for because their income tax refund checks could not be delivered.


Leiter takes buyout, becomes free agent Mets left-hander Al Leiter filed provisionally for free agency Friday, awaiting a decision by the team on its \$10 million option. New York has until Nov. 15 to exercise the option or elect to pay a \$2 million buyout.


Top seeds Hewitt, Sharapova safely through in Japan Top seeds Lleyton Hewitt and Maria Sharapova were taken to three sets in their second round matches before safely advancing at the \$860,000 Japan Open on Wednesday.


Harris to Coach Stanford Football Team (AP) AP - Walt Harris was officially introduced as Stanford's new football coach Monday, given the task of resurrecting a program that struggled in three seasons under Buddy Teevens.


Arafat #39;s hospital file taken by widow YASSIR ARAFATS widow visited yesterday the French hospital where he died and retrieved his widely sought medical records, just as his nephew was about to collect them.


U.N. Expands Iraq Presence Beyond Baghdad (AP) AP - The United Nations is expanding its presence in Iraq outside Baghdad to the cities of Basra and Irbil but is planning to have only about 25 electoral experts in the entire country ahead of elections next month, a U.N. spokesman said Wednesday.


AL Wrap: Santana Solid on Mound as Twins Beat Yankees NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johan Santana pitched seven strong innings to win his fifth straight start and Shannon Stewart homered, had three hits and two RBI to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 7-2 home win over the New York Yankees.


Google Profit Up in 1st Reported Quarter  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search leader Google Inc.  GOOG.O, in its first earnings report as a publicly held  company, on Thursday posted a higher net profit as revenue more  than doubled on strong Web search advertising.


Investors throw money at storage start-up Copan Systems' haul is the one of the largest second rounds of funding a storage company has had in the past two years.


Don #39;t do the math in the Hamm controversy If everybody always agreed with me, there wouldn #39;t be any sense in writing a column. So in the true Olympic spirit, it #39;s your turn.


Search Is On At Amazon A9.com Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., last week launched a search site that will compete with Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo.


St. Louis puts end to LA #39;s upset hopes The Cardinals had been waiting for someone to step up and deliver the finishing blow, to squash the Dodgers #39; upset dreams and return them to St.


Cal makes move in BCS California made a big leap Monday in the Bowl Championship Series standings, giving the Rose Bowl a sigh of relief and possibly dashing Utah #39;s hopes.


Kobe Bryant in court (EAGLE, Colo.) - NBA star Kobe Bryant has arrived at his sexual assault trial for the first time. Bryant is in Eagle, Colorado, as attorneys in the case prepare to question individual potential jurors behind closed doors.


Chechnya  #39;Black Widows #39; linked to sabotage of Russian jets Russian officials investigating the crashes of two passenger planes have discovered the remains of two Chechen women thought to be  quot;Black Widows quot; - suicide bombers given that name


Opportunistic Defense Helps Jets Improve (AP) AP - When Jets coach Herman Edwards started reviewing the many problems that plagued his defense last year, one glaring weakness jumped out at him.


28 Palestinians, 3 Israelis Die in Gaza Fighting  JABALYA, Gaza (Reuters) - Twenty-eight Palestinians and  three Israelis were killed on Thursday, Gaza's bloodiest day in  four years of conflict, as Israel's army struck back after a  rocket attack killed two Israeli children at a border town.


Howell Takes Lead in Hong Kong as Poulter Misses Cut  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Ryder Cup player Ian Poulter missed  the cut at the Hong Kong Open after stumbling to a  five-over-par 75 in the second round Friday.


Swift Sees the Light NASA -- If we were able to see Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) with the naked eye, they would look as though the universe were taking daily flash photos of us from different parts of the sky.    Never occurring in the same spot twice, GRBs are totally unpredictable...


FCC Plans Record Fine Against CBS The FCC is set to vote unanimously for a record-setting fine against CBS-owned stations for violating broadcast decency standards with the network's January breast-baring Super Bowl halftime show, though some commissioners are expected to say the fines are not severe enough, FCC sources said.
-The Washington Post


China, India will sustain global economy despite high oil prices, BHP says (AFP) AFP - Rising oil prices are slowing growth across the world but key emerging economies such as China and India will continue to support the near-term outlook for commodities, the world's largest mining company said Friday.


Top-Ranked USC Holds Back Stanford 31-28 STANFORD, Calif. - In another harrowing trip to the Bay Area, Matt Leinart passed for 308 yards and LenDale White scored on a 2-yard run with 6:15 left, capping USC's comeback from an 11-point deficit for a 31-28 victory over Stanford on Saturday night...


Tussle at the Top Not so long ago many Western CEOs couldn #39;t even say what the renminbi was, much less whether it should appreciate. Today China #39;s currency, also known as the yuan, is all the buzz.


Kobe Bryant Civil Lawsuit Set to Begin (AP) AP - Three months after prosecutors dropped a sexual assault charge against Kobe Bryant, attorneys for the NBA star prepared to return to court for the first hearing in a civil lawsuit filed by his accuser.


Eriksson to put caution to one side IF ONE stereotype doesnt fit, try another. Sven Goran Eriksson, pilloried in the summer for being an over-cautious Swede, inculcated during his Serie A career with a craven inclination to defend a slender


Crude oil futures fall below \$49 US a barrel as oil supplies grow Oil futures prices fell Wednesday after an American government report showed US supplies of crude rising sharply, allowing traders to shrug off the fact that inventories of heating oil are still tight.


Thousands of observers quit Romanian election BUCHAREST (AFP) - Romania #39;s main civil rights group said Monday it was pulling thousands of observers out of the Romanian presidential election after being submerged by an avalanche of fraud allegations.


Jimenez regains lead in European Masters Spain #39;s Miguel Angel Jimenez was back on top in the European Masters in Switzerlnd Saturday after shooting a 5-under-par 66. Jimenez, at 15-under 198 for three rounds


Feds go for hypothetical defence in airline ID case Rule might or might not exist. But then it'd be secret


US Airways to cut pay by 21 percent; Delta warns it #39;s near <b>...</b> A bankruptcy judge granted US Airways authority yesterday to temporarily cut the pay of its union workers by 21 percent, comparing the airline #39;s financial outlook to  quot;a ticking fiscal time bomb.


Beckham prepares his defence ENGLAND captain David Beckham was today starting to compile the defence of his self-confessed deliberate booking against Wales to try to avoid a disciplinary charge.


Roger Clemens' Leg Injury Isn't Serious (AP) AP - Roger Clemens strained his right calf in the Houston Astros' 9-8 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, but the injury isn't considered serious.


Deal Gets Clean Bill of Health Will Pacificare's deal with American Medical Security prove to be a lucrative link?


Shula likes Patriots #39; chances Don Shula isn #39;t enamored with the possibility of another NFL team joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the annals of perfection.


China's Three Gorges on Alert After Floods Kill 76  BEIJING (Reuters) - China has put the Three Gorges Dam, the  world's largest hydro-electric project, on flood alert, Xinhua  news agency said on Tuesday after rain and mudslides killed 76  in areas to the west.


New computer virus for voyeurs the malicious program is capable of switching on webcams, allowing the author to literally peek into victims #39; lives.


Titans Lose To Chicago Bears In Overtime The Tennessee Titans are no longer worried about making the playoffs. Right now they just would like to finish .500. Yesterday the Chicago Bears beat the Titans in overtime in Nashville 19-17.


China seeks to strengthen cooperation links with Zimbabwe China has reiterated its support forthe government of Zimbabwe #39;s President Robert Mugabe by dispatching a high level official to attend the national conference of Mugabe #39;s ruling party.


EU to finance over half of African mission in Darfur The European Union will finance over half of the cost of the African Union #39;s (AU) ceasefire monitoring and civilian protection force in Sudan #39;s troubled region of Darfur, EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana said on Saturday.


Trial Shows How Spammers Operate (AP) AP - As one of the world's most prolific spammers, Jeremy Jaynes pumped out at least 10 million e-mails a day with the help of 16 high-speed lines, the kind of Internet capacity a 1,000-employee company would need.


Business ; HHG sells life insurance arm Business News, MELBOURNE, Financial group HHG has agreed to sell its life insurance business, including Pearl, National Provident Life and London Life, for 1.025 billion pounds to Life Company Investor Group, and plans to return 875 million pounds of the


Athletes still using Bextra com) and Ben Goessling (bgoesslingmndaily.com). Amid speculation that the painkiller Bextra will join Vioxx as drugs recalled from the market, University athletes are still using


Colgate Plans to Cut Work Force by 4,400 and Close Plants Pressured by global competition, Colgate-Palmolive announced today that it would cut jobs and close plants to increase profit margins.


Oil back above \$55 as US winter stocks drop LONDON: Oil prices charged back up to \$55 a barrel yesterday as a fresh fall in US heating oil stocks stoked worries over winter supplies.


Sprint to Buy Nextel in  #36;36 Billion Deal (Reuters) Reuters - Sprint Corp.  said\on Wednesday it would buy mobile telephone company Nextel\Communications Inc.  for about  #36;36 billion, creating a\U.S. wireless carrier with nearly 40 million subscribers.


Hoenig: High Oil Will Not Derail Economy  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Reuters) - High oil prices will probably  brake U.S. growth but will not derail the economy provided  there is not another sharp spike upward, a top Federal Reserve  policymaker said on Tuesday.


Poole is out for the year The Patriots seemed to have reason for optimism following Tyrone Poole's return to action last Sunday and the upgrading of Ty Law to doubtful for the team's visit to Miami Monday. But the situation changed yesterday. Poole was placed on the injured reserve list and is out for the season, according to Patriots spokesman Stacey James.


Eli Manning outplays Warner in 1st NY start CHARLOTTE, NC  Eli Manning stepped to the line, pointing out the defense just like brother Peyton.


EU approves GMO seed for planting across bloc The European Union approved on Wednesday the first biotech seeds for planting and sale across EU territory, angering green groups who maintain they could contaminate other crops.


UN warns of 'growing Gaza crisis' A group of 12 United Nations agencies warn of an impending humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.


Allied Waste shares fall as company again lowers outlook AUSTIN Shares in Allied Waste Industries fell today after the waste hauler cut its 2004 profit outlook for the second time in as many months.


Olympic Swimmer Phelps #39; DUI Trial Set SALISBURY, Md. Nov 30, 2004 - Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps #39; drunken driving trial was set for Dec. 29. Phelps, 19, was stopped by a state trooper on Nov. 4 for running a stop sign in Salisbury.


Howard Dean Considering Bid to Chair Dems (AP) AP - Former presidential candidate Howard Dean is considering a bid to become chairman of the national Democratic Party.


Xbox Ghost Recon 2 deploys 2 weeks early Ubisoft #39;s first-person shooter is arriving on Microsoft #39;s console November 16, with the PlayStation 2 shipping as previously scheduled.


Serena Easily Wins First U.S. Open Match (AP) AP - Dressed for a night on the town, Serena Williams was all business in her first match in 4 1/2 weeks. Showing little sign of her injury-induced layoff, the two-time U.S. Open champion advanced to the second round with ease, overwhelming Sandra Kleinova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-3 Monday night.


Oracle-PeopleSoft a done deal? Investors bet that now that PeopleSoft has fired Conway, the way is paved for a friendly deal. That was how most Wall Street analysts summed up Oracle #39;s chances of finally acquiring rival software maker PeopleSoft


Shell sells Dutch pipeline stake The Dutch government is taking control of its country #39;s gas transport network in a deal that analysts said will boost competition in the Netherlands and ease the way for the creation of a single European gas market.


Hewlett-Packard buys Synstar IT services company Synstar plc, of Bracknell, England, has been acquired by Hewlett-Packard Co., of Palo Alto, for about \$293.3 million.


UN accused of  #39;encouraging #39; Darfur rebels The Sudanese government has accused the UN of partial responsibility for the deterioration of the conflict in the western region of Darfur.


Ancient Star Dust May Point to Human Origins-Study (Reuters) Reuters - Star dust found deep beneath the\Pacific Ocean has led German scientists to speculate that a\supernova explosion 3 million years ago might possibly have\helped bring about human evolution.


Visit to Washington blunts Kerry tactic (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Thursday that Iraq's Ayad Allawi was sent before Congress to put the "best face" on a Bush administration policy that has gone wrong.


UCLA's Dorrell Gets Contract Extension (AP) AP - Second-year UCLA coach Karl Dorrell's contract was extended for two years Friday, putting him under contract with the school through the 2010 season.


Portals, news sites, must improve customer satisfaction As far as keeping their customers satisfied, Web portals, search engines, and news and information sites in the U.S. continue to improve but still have work to do, according to a report released Tuesday.


Gay Rights Activists Reassess Strategy (AP) AP - The ritual was replayed from Boston to San Francisco: Exuberant gay couples sharing marriage vows and slices of wedding cake.


Oil Charges to \$50.35 on Supply Threats  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices soared to a new record  above \$50 on Tuesday as uncertainties over Nigerian output  heightened worries of a severe supply disruption ahead of  winter.


Rumsfeld has eye on Iraq pullout in  #39;05, with strings Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday that the United States could begin to withdraw some troops from Iraq beginning early next year, if newly trained Iraqi security forces can shoulder more of the burden.


Drug-dispensing Contact Lens Developed Drug-loaded contact lenses have been developed that could treat eye conditions such as glaucoma far more effectively than drops. Usually sufferers of glaucoma and many other eye conditions are prescribed eye drops.


Price tag mounts for storm damage Even before Ivan #39;s impact on the Panhandle, estimates in Florida top \$30-billion as the result of Charley and Frances. By JEFF HARRINGTON, Times Staff Writer.


Update 2: Tokyo Stocks Edge Up Higher; Dollar Falls Tokyo stocks gained moderately Wednesday morning on bargain hunting following losses the day before. The US dollar was down against the Japanese yen.


The way I see it - Tottenham v Arsenal Its been a little while since I was last on the scene, my fellow Gooners and its fair to say that the last week or so has been pretty eventful to say the least.


Analysis: Little hope for Kashmir plan President Pervez Musharraf #39;s radical proposals to bring an end to the long-festering Kashmir dispute with India has taken people on both sides of the border by surprise.


AT amp;T Beats Analysts #39; Expectations Despite \$7.1 Billion Loss in <b>...</b> That #39;s because the Bedminster-based telecommunications company warned of the impending trouble two weeks ago in light of its exit from marketing residential phone service.


Mortaza enjoys moment to remember Bangladesh fast bowler Mashrafe bin Mortaza was understandably elated after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar with the first ball of the day in Chittagong.


Five up for Games inclusion Golf, rugby union and squash have been included in a shortlist of five sports being considered for the 2012 Olympics. Karate and roller sports complete the list, while softball, baseball and modern pentathlon could be excluded.


US new home sales dive 6.4 percent in July (AFP) AFP - Sales of new US homes plunged in July for the second straight month, data showed, a sign of chillier demand cooling the once red-hot market.


PONTING PLANNING AMERICAN MISERY Australia are out to flex their muscles against part-timers USA at the Rose Bowl tomorrow and show the world they are serious about winning the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time.


Wal-Mart To Open, Expand Stores Next Year Wal-Mart announced Monday that it plans to open or expand up to 45 of its flagship discount stores and up to 250 Supercenters in the United States next year.


APM gets smart with ProactiveNet's latest Intelligent software is the Holy Grail of application development -- especially in the APM (application performance management) arena, where system administrators are perpetually on the lookout for more efficient ways to sift through mountains of metrics and alert data.


Stocks Fall on Greenspan Deficit Warning Stocks fell modestly Friday as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sounded a warning over the nation #39;s spiraling trade deficit.


Transactions BASEBALL Anaheim (AL): Added INF Kendry Morales to 40-man roster; designated P Bobby Jenks for assignment. Atlanta (NL): Signed P John Smoltz to a two-year contract. Boston (AL): Named Jason McLeod director of amateur scouting, Amiel Sawdaye assistant scouting director, Dave Finley national crosschecker, Mike Rikard East Coast crosschecker, Fred Peterson West Coast crosschecker, and Jon Lukens and Danny Watkins ...


Tanasugarn extends Dokic #39;s misery Jelena Dokic #39;s miserable form continued as she lost 6-3 6-0 to Thailand #39;s Tamarine Tanasugarn in the first round of the China Open in Beijing.


Coy Howard in call to arms ON the eve of possibly calling a federal election, Prime Minister John Howard chose his words carefully when delivering the key speech at the Tasmanian Liberal State Council yesterday.


GOP Sharpens Attacks As Convention Opens NEW YORK - Sen. John McCain said Monday it was fair game to criticize Democrat John Kerry's anti-war protests three decades ago, firing an opening salvo as Republicans sought to use their national convention to portray President Bush as a strong wartime leader...


Routs not fooling Smith, Cats It seems to be a basketball paradox. Kentucky dominates its early-season opposition. Coach Tubby Smith finds no difficulty in convincing his players of their shortcomings.


The Season's Seesaw of Sales Shoppers expecting big, across-the-board price cuts in the run-up to Christmas may be in for an unpleasant surprise.


Gluecode releases open-source Java dev platform Infrastructure software developer Gluecode Software Inc. plans to release Monday a new Java application development platform that ties together a number of open-source components into one integrated system.


Goldman Sachs offers to buy stakes in Japan's Takefuji (AFP) AFP - US investment banking giant Goldman Sachs has offered to buy stakes in Japan's biggest consumer finance firm Takefuji Corp. for more than 300 billion yen (2.8 billion dollars), a report said.


'Ringback' Tones May Be Next Big Thing Ring tones are so yesterday. If wireless companies have their way, the next multibillion-dollar surprise in the cellular business will be "Ringback" tones.


Two die in bid to assassinate Karzai's running mate in Afghan polls (AFP) AFP - Afghan President Hamid Karzai's running mate survived an assassination attempt when a bomb killed two people in a convoy carrying him to an election rally, a government official said.


US lender accused of  #39;cookie-jar #39; figures America #39;s biggest mortgage lender was thrown into turmoil yesterday when the industry watchdog accused it of having major accounting problems and doubted the  quot;soundness quot; of the company.


Bomb Attacks Target UK, US Interests in Turkey ANKARA, Turkey -- Four bombs went off in front of British and US interests in Turkey late Tuesday (28 September), causing damage but no casualties.


Barclays #39; South African talks BARCLAYS has started talks with Absa, South Africas largest retail bank, in one of its first moves under the leadership of John Varley.


India carries out rare execution A man convicted of raping and killing a schoolgirl is hanged in India's first execution in nine years.


Bangladesh opposition calls for Monday strike (Reuters) Reuters - Bangladesh's main opposition party called for a fourth strike day in a week on Monday to protest against a deadly grenade attack on a political rally.


Lunar Eclipse Wednesday to Have Easy Viewing Hours Just in time for Halloween season, the moon next week will treat us to its most famous trick: changing from bright white to pumpkin orange as it passes through Earth's shadow.


Ky. Students Brace to Dissect Deer Hearts (AP) AP - Gene Snyder's eighth-grade science students are supplying their own specimens for a dissection project in the spring.