Hamm keeps gold More than two months after he won it in Athens, Olympic gymnastics champion Paul Hamm will get to keep his all-around gold medal.  quot;This is obviously a great day


Sharon rival backs referendum on Gaza pullout JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's attempt to speed up a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip was undercut yesterday by his main political rival, who called for a national referendum that could delay or even scuttle the pullout.


Venezuela audit 'confirms' result Venezuelan officials say first results of an audit of the vote on President Chavez's rule show no fraud.


Sharp and Sony Ericsson work together on 3G handsets Sharp and the Japanese division of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications will jointly develop mobile phone handsets based on the Symbian operating system (for NTT DoCoMo #39;s third-generation (3G) Foma service in Japan and software for Foma phones.


Reheated Bagle smokes out antivirus defenses A new version of the fast-spreading Bagle mass-mailing worm was discovered Friday, with its threat level quickly rising to a moderate level, according to security experts.


MGM Deal Brings Sony Closer to Its Vision  TOKYO (Reuters) - With its acquisition of Hollywood film  studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Corp is one step closer to its  vision of linking hardware and content, and to winning the key  battle for the next generation DVD.


Observers Foresee Snags in U.S. Election (AP) AP - Problems loom for the presidential election including voting equipment changes that could delay the outcome past Nov. 2, a group of international observers said Tuesday in a report.


Five Former Natural Gas Traders Charged Federal prosecutors on Monday charged five former natural gas traders with reporting fake prices to industry publications in a bid to manipulate commodity prices.


Two weeks and 3m to celebrate princes wedding IT lasted two weeks and cost nearly 3m. By the standards of the royal family of one of the world #39;s wealthiest oil-rich states, it was subdued.


Bomb rocks Baghdad A suicide car bomber has killed at least eight people in an attack on a police checkpoint in Baghdad, after a night of US air strikes around the rebel-held city of Falluja that killed scores.


Brown TD return tempered by injury to key defender GREEN BAY, WIS. - Lovie Smith did not take long to fulfill his No. 1 goal of beating Green Bay. But the man who helped him do it wasn #39;t around afterward to celebrate.


Baird Hits the Front in Funai Classic  ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Briny Baird shot a  six-under-par 66 to grab the lead after the second round of the  \$4.2 million Funai Classic at the Walt Disney Resort on Friday.


IBM, AMD claim 24 per cent chip speed gains IBM and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have jointly developed a new method for implementing strained silicon technology on both positive and negative transistors, the companies are expected to announce today.


HUGHES TO PICK SOUNESS BRAIN Mark Hughes will pick Graeme Souness brains about his new job as boss of Blackburn - but the Welshman insists he will bring his own brand of management to Ewood Park.


Microsoft Still Wants EU Settlement (Reuters) Reuters - Microsoft Corp's chief counsel,\briefing reporters in the lead-up to a European Union court\hearing this week, said on Monday he remains hopeful the\software giant's European antitrust case can be settled.


House Approves U.S. Spy Agency Overhall (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. House of Representatives\approved on Friday a Republican overhaul of U.S. spy agencies,\setting the stage for a battle with the Senate over immigration\controls and the powers to be given to a new national\intelligence director.


High Turnout Reported for Ghana #39;s National Elections Vote counting has begun in Tuesday #39;s general election in Ghana, where President John Kufuor is widely expected to win re-election.


Sun readies tool support for 64-bit AMD systems Sun Microsystems plans to release its Sun Studio 10 development tool in the fourth quarter of this year, featuring support for 64-bit applications running on AMD Opteron and Nocona processors, Sun officials said on Tuesday.


Four Palestinian shot dead; Israelis mount search operation in <b>...</b> JENIN, West Bank, Sept 27 (AFP) - Four Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire in the occupied territories on Monday, while the Jewish state #39;s army pressed a large search and arrest operation in Jenin, security sources said.


Rangers Sign a Goaltender Glen Sather, the Rangers' president and general manager, addressed one of the team's glaring weaknesses, signing unrestricted free-agent goaltender Kevin Weekes.


Citigroup #39;s Peterson Tells Japan Lawmakers He #39;ll Fix Breaches Citigroup Inc. #39;s top Japan executive Douglas Peterson told lawmakers he will improve employee training to help fix compliance breaches that cost the company its private banking license in the country.


Zimbabwe Turns Back Clock After Turmoil (AP) AP - Things have gotten so bad in Zimbabwe that people have taken to telling a wry joke: "What did we have before candles?" The answer: "Electricity." Zimbabwe once boasted one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most vibrant economies, but four years of turmoil have erased that progress.


Australian City Agency Switches to Sun's StarOffice (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - In another blow to Microsoft, a government agency in New South Wales, Australia, signs a deal with Sun to migrate 1,500 users to the company's StarOffice productivity suite and Messaging products.


S. America creates single market Presidents and officials of 12 South American countries are meeting in Peru to create an economic and political community.


MSN Search debuts today Microsoft Corp.s proprietary new search engine is scheduled to go live today in a beta version, at beta.search.msn.com. Like its rival, Google.


Stelco gets \$900M bid from bank Stelco Inc. unveiled a \$900-million bid by Deutsche Bank yesterday to recapitalize the insolvent steelmaker and help pull it out of court-supervised bankruptcy protection.


Oil Troublesome Says a Fed President  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Record oil prices are creating  headwinds for the U.S. economy but do not place its recovery at  risk, Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert McTeer said  on Monday.


IBM, Honda team on voice-driven car navigation Companies, along with Zagat Survey, to offer oral directions based on voice commands to U.S. addresses, restaurants.


Epic food convoy crosses Sahara The first convoy of food for Sudanese refugees arrives in Chad from Libya, crossing the Sahara Desert.


Trend of Foreign Whites Adopting Black US Kids Description: NPR #39;s Tavis Smiley talks with reporter Dawn Davenport about her latest article,  quot;Born in America, Adopted Abroad, quot; featured in the October 27 edition of The Christian Science Monitor.


Germany and Britain Warn Iran The foreign ministers of Britain and Germany issued a joint warning to Iran on Tuesday to address international worries about its nuclear program, serving notice that Tehran must take action immediately.


Court Tosses VeriSign Suit Vs. Overseers (AP) AP - A federal judge dismissed an antitrust complaint against a key Internet oversight group brought by a company that controls directories for guiding Internet users worldwide.


Some rely on boats in Maldives KOLHUFUSHI ISLAND, Maldives -- Residents of this low-lying atoll are being forced to seek refuge on the sea more than a week after it destroyed their homes.


Wednesday #39;s Sports In Brief SAN FRANCISCO - Olympic track star Marion Jones filed a defamation lawsuit against BALCO head Victor Conte, who told a national TV audience that he gave her steroids and watched her inject herself with them.


Insurance commissioner targets hidden fees Decrying  #39; #39;ethical breaches of an unprecedented nature, #39; #39; California #39;s insurance commissioner announced regulations Wednesday to bar brokers from steering customers to certain policies in exchange for hidden commissions.


NL Wrap: Weathers Wins First Start in Six Years for Marlins David Weathers pitched five strong innings in his first start for six years, leading the Florida Marlins to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs and a split of their National League doubleheader in Miami Monday.


Yankees-Red Sox Set to Renew Rivalry in ALCS  NEW YORK (Reuters) - It is a series that fills Boston Red  Sox fans with dread, New York Yankee supporters with giddy  confidence and has left Major League Baseball and television  executives smiling from ear-to-ear.


U.N. Condemns Rebel Capture of Darfur Town (AP) AP - The United Nations has condemned the rebel capture of a town in Darfur province, saying it violates a cease-fire agreement and jeopardizes the lives of tens of thousands of people who will not receive aid because of the fighting.


Rudy Giuliani #39;s Investment Banking Racket As someone who first made a name for himself by stretching the racketeering laws to go after investment bankers, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has decided the allure of the silly


Hurricane Ivan Closes In on Grand Cayman; Cuba Braces Hurricane Ivan lost some strength as it hit the Cayman Islands and Cuba but was still capable of causing tremendous damage.


Hospital says 13 killed in suicide blast in Iraq Hospital workers say a suicide car bombing in Baghdad has killed at least 13 people and injured 15 others. Police say the car exploded while waiting in line at a gate to the Green Zone.


Miller:  quot;I #39;ma real skier! quot; His remark, of course, was half in jest, fuelled by the euphoria of a clean sweep of the World Cup season thus far. With Super-G wins in Soelden and Lake Louise, and the Lake Louise downhill as well, Miller #39;s


WHO warns of potential pandemic over  #39;bird flu #39; virus infections <b>...</b> Shanghai. (Interfax-China) -The World Health Organization (WHO) warned the of potential dangers of an outbreak of influenza H5N1 infections in pigs in China.


Bank on course to freeze rates Experts expect the Bank of England to leave interest rates on hold at 4.75 on Thursday.


Gazprom sets up new daughter company Gazpromneft MOSCOW, November 1 (Itar-Tass) - Gazproms chief Alexei Miller has signed a document that founds the open joint stock company Gazpromneft and appoints as its director general Sergei Bogdanchikov, president of Rosneft, PRIME-TASS reported on Monday.


Craven is riding a wave of emotion Ricky Craven of Newburgh, Maine, is driving his final race in the No. 32 Tide Chevrolet in tomorrow's Sylvania 300 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at New Hampshire International Speedway.


Sprint-Nextel: First Marital Tiff The proposed merger of Sprint and Nextel Communications could face a rocky start as the companies work to run and eventually merge two wireless technologies without breaking the bank or losing customers.


India #39;s diplomatic gains in UN Manmohan Singh #39;s recent trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, his first as India #39;s prime minister, has been widely seen as a diplomatic triumph.


HDS unveils TagmaStore array SEPTEMBER 08, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - NEW YORK -- Hitachi Data Systems Inc. yesterday announced the general availability of a new high-end storage sub-system that it said is unprecedented in its ability to


Apple hits 4-year high; iPod seen lifting sales Apple Computer Inc. stock jumped to a four-year high yesterday after a major Wall Street firm nearly doubled its price target on the stock, saying that customer satisfaction with its iPod music player is creating  quot;wildfire word-of-mouth marketing quot; for its Mac computers and other products.


Columnists: I Spy With My Little Eye Forget Congress' myopic efforts to outlaw spyware. What we really need is better enforcement of existing computer crime laws.\


China party chief rules out full democracy Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao called for parliament to take a stronger watchdog role on the eve of a key leadership meeting but ruled out Western-style democracy


CNN to shut down its CNNfn network CNN will shut down its struggling CNNfn financial news network in mid-December, giving up its attempt after nine years to compete in a market dominated by CNBC.


WSJ: SBC avoided \$9B in income taxes Telephone services provider SBC Communications Inc. received \$9 billion worth of tax breaks during a three-year period, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.


Pope condemns human cloning CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy -- Pope John Paul II warned in a statement released Sunday that humanity #39;s speedy progress in science and technology risks overlooking moral values, citing with particular concern experiments in human cloning.


Calpers President Voted Out Sean Harrigan was ousted from his post as president of the \$177 billion California Public Employees #39; Retirement System. In a 3 to 2 vote in San Francisco, the California state Personnel Board pulled Harrigan


U.S. Aircraft Hit Militias in Najaf as Tanks Near Shrine  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. helicopter gunships pounded  Shi'ite militias in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf on Sunday as  tanks rumbled to within 800 meters (yards) of a holy shrine at  the center of a near three-week insurgency.


Supreme Court Internet Privacy Decision Verizon attorney Sarah Deutsch and washingtonpost.com's David McGuire discuss the Supreme Court case allowing Internet service providers to keep their customers' identities secret, even if the recording industry suspects them of illegally sharing music online.


News Corp. Profit Rises 27 on Higher Cable Ad Sales (Update2) News Corp., the media company controlled by Rupert Murdoch, said fiscal first-quarter profit rose 27 percent, partly because advertising sales increased at its cable-television networks including Fox News Channel.


Mortgage Applications Off in Aug. 20 Week (Reuters) Reuters - New applications for U.S. home loans\fell last week after a brief bounce, as 30-year mortgage\interest rates edged up, an industry group said on Wednesday.


IBM #39;s  #39;most secure laptop #39;  Rs 95,000 IBM India has launched its first ThinkPad with an integrated fingerprint reader at prices beginning from Rs 95,000. ThinkPad, the most secure notebook PC, now features a model that delivers simplified access


Cal Coach Gets Five-Year Contract Deal California football coach Jeff Tedford looks up at the scoreboard in the fourth quarter as their game against Southern Mississippi winds up in Hattiesburg, Miss.


Is Interest in Online Music Fading? Research firm NPD Group says that, while Apple Computer #39;s ITunes service remains the clear market leader in the sector, the number of paying customers using such services has declined since April.


Scientists Make Phone That Turns Into a Sunflower (Reuters) Reuters - Scientists said on Monday they have\come up with a cell phone cover that will grow into a sunflower\when thrown away.


Captives Escape After Hours of Pitched Battles More than 700 hostages were rushed to hospitals, but many bodies lay in the charred wreckage of the school's gymnasium.


WorldCom Investors Settle    A federal judge approved a \$2.575 billion settlement of a class-action lawsuit by WorldCom investors who claimed they were defrauded by Citigroup, the second-largest settlement ever in a securities fraud case. When the tentative pact was announced by Citigroup in May, it was for \$2.65 billion, but the agreement presented to the judge was reduced by \$75 million. Investors accused Citigroup of hiding WorldCom's financial risks when it helped sell \$10 billion of WorldCom debt in 2001.


BA merger with Iberia steps closer after 425m Qantas sale A merger between British Airways and the Spanish airline Iberia moved closer yesterday after BA raised 425m by selling its stake in Australia #39;s national carrier Qantas


Turner Doesn't Believe in Moral Victories (AP) AP - Norv Turner took no solace in the fact his Oakland Raiders played San Diego much closer this time. In Turner's mind, a loss is a loss.


Tennis: Capriati wins epic Jennifer Capriati beats fellow American and rival Serena Williams to reach the last four of the US Open.


McCARTHY SLAMS HIS OWN  #39;STUPID #39; FANS South African international Benni McCarthy has criticised Porto fans who taunted two Chelsea players with racist chants during their Champions League clash.


CA taps IBM executive to be CEO This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been enterprise directories for several months, but for many IT managers, ERP (enterprise resource planning) and open source initiatives are on the horizon.


Belichick won't issue any passing grades Tom Brady delivered the signature play of the Patriots' first exhibition game. He dropped back, scrambled to his left, and with Eagles defender N.D. Kalu tugging at his jersey, whipped a spinning first down pass to David Patten .


Mexico set to pass Canada in vehicle sales Mexico is poised overtake Canada in annual passenger vehicle sales by 2010, a situation one economist says could make it more difficult for Canada to lure future investments from automakers, including the construction of new assembly plants and


New on DVD (USATODAY.com) USATODAY.com - This week, your DVD choices range from Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ to Federico Fellini's I Vitelloni.


2,500-Year-Old Pomegranate Found in Greece A scientific dig has uncovered four pomegranates believed to be 2,500 years old preserved inside a woven basket nestled in a bronze vessel, a Greek archaeologist said Friday.


Govt tackles Left parties, hikes FDI cap in aviation to 49 New Delhi: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on Wednesday hiked foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the civil aviation sector from 40 to 49 per cent but barred foreign airlines from holding stakes.


Regulators Probing Tips on Offerings -WSJ  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. regulators are looking into  whether Wall Street firms are providing insider information on  upcoming offerings, either on purpose or inadvertently, the  Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.


Indians Promote Right-Hander Kyle Denney (AP) AP - The Cleveland Indians called up right-hander Kyle Denney to start Tuesday night against Detroit.


Iran says has missile with 2,000 km range Such a missile would be capable of hitting Israel or parts of southeastern Europe. Iran says its missiles are for purely defensive purposes.


Toys R Us Fights to Stay Afloat in Toy Business Despite fierce competition from dominant of discount chains like Wal-Mart and Target, Toys R Us Inc. is betting its survival on low prices, strong inventory and good customer service.


Security Firm Tribute to Ex-Gurkhas Killed by Baghdad Rockets The London-based security firm which employed four former Gurkhas killed in a rocket attack on their compound in Baghdad tonight paid tribute to them as brave and professional individuals.


Putin: Russia #39;s Fight Against Terrorism Will Not Sidetrack Reforms Russian President Vladimir Putin is defending his government #39;s efforts to strengthen and centralize control in the wake of several recent terrorist attacks.


UPDATE 3-Pinpoint McGrath puts Australia in command Glenn McGrath celebrated his 100th test by grabbing two key wickets and putting Australia on course for a rare series victory in India on the second day of the third test on Wednesday.


Analysis: Iraq Dominates Policy Debate (AP) AP - President Bush and Democrat John Kerry are concentrating on Iraq and relegating other international issues to the sidelines. Their preoccupation is not lost on other world leaders.


Taipei Plans City-Wide Wi-Fi by End 2005 (Reuters) Reuters - Taipei plans to make wireless Internet\access available across the Taiwan capital by the end of 2005,\joining a small number of cities offering Wi-Fi networks.


Japan's Sharp develops world's largest LCD television (AFP) AFP - Sharp Corp. has developed a 65-inch (1.66 metres) liquid crystal display (LCD) colour television under its AQUOS brand, the world's largest.


On the firing line: Giants quarterback Eli Manning Eli Manning is behind schedule compared to his brother, Peyton, who set the family #39;s standard for rookie quarterbacks in 1998 with the Indianapolis Colts.


Analysis: Bush's Daunting Task in the Mideast and North Korea Support from allies becomes crucial in solving crises


Big Demand for Digital Music Players An anonymous reader writes  quot;Market research company IDC is predicting a rosy future for MP3 player sales. They predict that by 2008 it will grow into a \$58 billion industry - four times bigger than the US record industry.


3G gets jittery with new super fast rival The latest contender, Flash OFDM technology carries data 10 times faster and is cheaper than 3G phone networks. AMSTERDAM: Europe #39;s second largest mobile carrier T-Mobile said it had started the continent #39;s


Syria on offensive as Israel threatens to avenge bombings Israel #39;s threats against Syria after the Beersheba suicide bombings would  quot;exacerbate the deteriorating situation in the region, quot; the Syrian foreign minister said yesterday.


Qwest to pay \$250m settlement Qwest, the US telecoms company founded by Millennium Dome entrepreneur Philip Anschutz, will pay \$250m (140m) to settle civil fraud charges, according to a union official briefed on the pact.


United asks court to void contracts Says it needs to save an additional \$725M and also asks for pension relief; strikes loom. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The parent of United Airlines Inc.


Kerry, Sharpening Criticism of Bush, Lists Costs of Iraq War John Kerry said today that because of poor administration planning the war had cost taxpayers \$200 billion.


Walgreen Profit Rises 30.5 Pct, Shares Up  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Walgreen Co. WAG.N on Monday posted a  30.5 percent jump in quarterly profit, its largest increase in  four years, boosted by sales of generic drugs and digital photo  processing.


Israelis celebrate first gold medal Israel #39;s first gold medalist ever, Gal Fridman, Wednesday met an outburst of joy seconds after he won the men #39;s Mistral sailing race at the Olympics.


Mortgage Applications Rise in Week  NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. home loans  rose, spurred by a rise in mortgage refinancings last week as  30-year mortgage rates eased to their lowest level since early  April, an industry group said on Wednesday.


Enter your e-mail: Today, I got an e-mail from Amazon informing me that there was a problem with my account, and I wouldn #39;t be allowed to order any more products until I #39;d clicked on a link to update my information.


Anthem merger could be back on fast track California insurance commissioner expected to announce today that he will allow \$16.4 billion deal with WellPoint Health Networks to take place.


Powell plays up diverse broadband options WASHINGTONFCC Chairman Michael Powell said the diverse options for broadbandincluding both unlicensed and licensed choicesmake America strong even if others, including his fellow commissioners, believe the United States is lagging the rest of the


Veterans lead way for US women Sue Bird, the No. 1 pick in the 2002 WNBA draft, didn #39;t get many minutes at the Athens Games. By Jack Gruber, USA TODAY. In the gold medal game, a 74-63 victory against Australia, she played just one.


Goldman Sachs Goes Green When some distressed debt owned by Goldman Sachs finally flat-lined not long ago, the investment bank found itself in possession of some unusual collateral: 800,000 acres of undeveloped land in Tierra del Fuego.


Novell accepts \$536 million to settle antitrust case with <b>...</b> Novell has settled its long-standing NetWare anti-trust claim with Microsoft - to the tune of \$536 - but in the same announcement reveals plans to launch a second claim relating to WordPerfect.


Madison Park snags a deadlock with Jets The Madison Park boys' soccer team had one goal in mind yesterday: spoiling No. 14 East Boston's perfect record of 14-0. It couldn't hand East Boston a loss, but earned a 2-2 tie.


Gazza reveals frustration The former England midfielder spent two months as a player-coach with the League Two side but left to embark on a Football Association coaching course.


Navy Unit Finds Perils in Rebuilding Fallujah The assault on the city was accompanied by a pledge from U.S. officials to rebuild it after the offensive was complete. But keeping that promise may prove more difficult than anticipated.


Court reins in Aussie unions #39; right to strike SYDNEY - Australia #39;s High Court has ruled that trade unions cannot take industrial action over political, social or environmental issues.


Class of '01 may graduate to free agency It happens at this time every year. And no, it's not the World Series or the Head of the Charles.


Tiger ratings boost on PGA return A second-place finish in his first tournament since getting married was good enough to take Tiger Woods from third to second in the world rankings.


PeopleSoft, Oracle: Like Red Sox vs. Yankees? PeopleSoft shareholders have rejected Oracle #39;s  quot;final quot; offer for the company, but could Oracle make a comeback? The board is hoping it can hold off its rival for just a few more innings.


Bulluck Picks Super Bowl Shot Over Cash (AP) AP - Keith Bulluck knows his answer to the question of how much is enough. Coming off his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro season, the Tennessee linebacker could have played out the final year of his contract then become a free agent in search of more money. Instead, he signed a six-year,  #36;36 million contract in March and remained a Titan.


Stocks Up; Traders Eye Crude Oil Prices  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks made gains on Wednesday as  investors bought beaten-down shares, while strength in oil  prices pushed up energy companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp.  XOM.N


Ethiopians denounce border talks More than 50,000 people in Addis Ababa demonstrate against government plans to renew border talks with Eritrea.


Bills tackle Sam Adams puts frustrations aside and focuses on <b>...</b> Sam Adams #39; concerns about his role in the Buffalo Bills defensive scheme are suddenly secondary. Whatever frustrations the defensive tackle has can be taken out against Baltimore, his former team, this weekend.


More activity seen at N. Korea missile bases-paper Engineers and vehicles carrying liquid fuel have been seen gathering at North Korean bases housing missiles capable of striking most of Asia and parts of the United States, a Japanese newspaper said on Sunday.


Oracle Extends PeopleSoft Offer (AP) AP - Oracle Corp. extended its hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. for the 12th time, pushing the tender offer through Oct. 8.


Oil price rises hit service firms Rising oil prices and interest rates have hit confidence in British service firms but manufacturers have recorded their best spell of orders for nine years, two new surveys showed today.


OmniWeb browser takes aim at minority Mac market SUCH an embarrassment of riches. Apple Macintosh users have two new web browsers to choose from. It #39;s a curious market. All Macs come with two free browsers: Microsoft #39;s Internet Explorer 5.2, and Apple #39;s own slick and elegant Safari.


Rice Believes He Could Be Traded Soon (AP) AP - Jerry Rice believes he could be traded by the Oakland Raiders before the Oct. 19 deadline. Rice, who turns 42 Wednesday, told Sacramento radio station KHTK on Tuesday that his days with Oakland may be numbered, and that he wants to play for a team that will better utilize his talents.


Sarbanes-Oxley kicks in Security vendors eye a billion-dollar pie as key section of accounting law goes into effect.


Russian Foreign Minister Meets With Castro (AP) AP - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with President Fidel Castro and other Cuban leaders Wednesday as the countries worked on re-creating more modest versions of political and economic alliances that unraveled after the Soviet Union's collapse.


Finland leads in economic competition for the second straight year According to the World Economic Forums ranking, for the second straight year the most competitive economy is Finlands one. Finland hit the top for the quality of its public institutions and the high


Preview: Manchester City v Tottenham Boss Kevin Keegan will again be without Claudio Reyna, Ben Thatcher, Trevor Sinclair and Jihai Sun. Bradley Wright-Phillips, who opened his goal-scoring account after just three minutes on the pitch against


Apple Launches ITunes Music Store in Canada Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday launched its iTunes online music store in Canada, the 14th country in which the popular service is available.


His little pain means big gain He's not among the team leaders in points or minutes, two areas that Raef LaFrentz could well improve on as the NBA season moves along. But here's where he is undeniably at the top of the list for the Celtics: relief. He's playing, he's playing reasonably well ( quot;hot and cold, quot; according to coach Doc Rivers), and he's playing ...


Gateway To Reenter Japanese PC Market Gateway has announced it will start sales on December 10 of own-brand high-performance personal computers in Japan through four consumer electronics volume retailers.


KMart Same-Store Sales Fall 4.6 Pct  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Kmart Holding Corp. KMRT.O on Monday  said sales at stores open at least a year fell 4.6 percent in  the November-December period -- an improvement from declines  earlier in the year.


Oracle piles Files, App Server and Collab Suite on users McNealy warns Ellison: 'Beware of our Redmond friends'


U.S. Probes Death of Afghan Detainee (AP) AP - The U.S. military is investigating whether American soldiers abused an Afghan detainee so badly that he died last year at a special forces base in southeastern Afghanistan, an official said Tuesday.


Juniper Tightens Security In VPN Appliance Juniper Networks Inc. on Monday launched an initiative to tighten security between its VPN gear and third-party end-point security products.


Finder of first Peking Man skull commemorated in Beijing An exhibition is being held in Beijing to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pei Wenzhong,the discoverer of the first Peking Man skull.


Crude Oil Tests Record High According to preliminary data, the December futures contract closed 63 cents higher at \$55.17, matching the previous record high, in regular floor trading on the Nymex.


Grizzlies Drop Pistons' Record to 10-10 (AP) AP - Pau Gasol scored 20 points and Shane Battier hit four free throws in the final 20 seconds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 72-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.


Chief Justice of Supreme Court Is Treated for Thyroid Cancer William H. Rehnquist, 80, spent the weekend in Bethesda Naval Hospital, and underwent a tracheotomy on Saturday.


AmWest passes up bid to buy bankrupt ATA assets PHOENIX America West Airlines has backed away from a potential bidding war for bankrupt ATA Airlines, paving the way for AirTran to take over ATA operations.


BU Bests Michigan Chaz Carr scores 14 of his game-high 16 points in the second half and BU hands Michigan its first home loss of the season, 63-52.


Intel issues dire warning about internet #39;s future SAN FRANCISCO - Intel has outlined its vision of the internet of the future, one in which millions of computer servers would analyse and direct network traffic to make the Web safer and more efficient.


England cricketers fly to Zimbabwe The England cricket team will fly out to Zimbabwe today for the start of their controversial tour of the south African country. Thirteen British journalists had been banned from covering the tour but, following


Techs, Miners Help Tokyo Market Advance  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei rose 0.3 percent by midday  on Tuesday as another jump in U.S. technology shares fueled  buying of local peers such as Tokyo Electron Ltd., while  earnings optimism again buoyed some miners.


Jets 29, Texans 7 Chad Pennington made some great throws and some ugly ones. He took a few hits, too. While his return from a strained right rotator cuff was far from perfect, Curtis Martin was stellar yet again, and the two


Italian women kidnapped in raid on relief agency BAGHDADGunmen kidnapped two Italian women working for an aid agency and two Iraqis in broad daylight in central Baghdad yesterday.


Opera Browser - Firefox Not the Only IE Alternative Opera Browser - Firefox Not the Only IE Alternative\\Security flaws have long plagued Internet Explorer (IE), the market-dominating web browser from Microsoft. IE won the early browser wars, not only because it was free and bundled with Windows, but because it had some features and capabilities that its only real ...


Dell, EMC, Intel and Oracle Line Up on the Grid Dell will provide an enterprise networked server infrastructure consisting of dual Intel Xeon and four-way Intel Itanium processor-based PowerEdge servers.


Running 'key to human evolution' US researchers say humans began endurance running about 2 million years ago to help hunt for prey.


England - a rudderless team? The future of Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach is the subject of intense discussion after the draw in Austria. Has the Swede lost the confidence of the nation or does he remain the best man for the job?


Phelps Pushes Gold-Medal Haul to Three ATHENS, Greece - With the quest to surpass Mark Spitz out of the way, Michael Phelps could savor one of the greatest races in swimming history. Phelps claimed his second and third gold medals of the Athens Games on Tuesday, winning the ...


Politics over policy When it comes down to a choice between good politics and good policy, which usually wins? Let #39;s put it this way: We don #39;t call it the political Play of the Week for nothing.


Sinama-Pongolle Wants Repeat Liverpools Carling Cup hero Florent Sinama-Pongolle has urged manager Rafael Benitez to stick with the youngsters for next months semi-final against Watford after the Reds rookies sent Tottenham crashing last night.


Injured Gail Devers Can't Finish Hurdles (AP) AP - Gail Devers, the most talented yet star-crossed hurdler of her generation, was unable to complete even one hurdle in 100-meter event Sunday  #151; failing once again to win an Olympic hurdling medal.


SC2004 supercomputing show kicks off with focus on business IT The growth of supercomputing as an enterprise IT option is one of the highlights of this week's SC2004 Supercomputing Conference, which kicks off tomorrow in Pittsburgh.


Three and out JACKSONVILLE - The players pinned buttons to their Gator blue wind suits that read:  quot;Another level. quot;. They wore gray T-shirts with the words  quot;Pride Out quot; on the front and  quot;Coaches, Team, Family, quot; on the back.


Nine Marines dead, deadly explosion rips Baghdad NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - Nine Marines killed in Iraq Saturday, eight of them in a car-bombing near Fallujah. That #39;s the heaviest toll on American fighters in about six months.


Consumer prices inch higher The US Labor Department said Thursday inflation at the consumer level remained tame in August. The consumer price index rose 0.1 percent in August, reversing a 0.1 percent decline in July, the Labor Department said.


Israelis, American Win Nobel for Chemistry (AP) AP - Two Israelis and an American won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Wednesday for showing how cells can give a "kiss of death" to destroy unwanted proteins, a finding that could help scientists find new medicines for cancer and other diseases. The award marks the first time an Israeli has won a Nobel science prize.


Ukraine's presidential campaign, Part II: a cleaner run? A flood of foreign observers is expected for the Dec. 26 rerun of the presidential vote.


Hurricane Ivan Devastates Grenada ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada - Hurricane Ivan made a direct hit on Grenada, killing at least three people as it turned concrete homes into piles of rubble and hurled the island's landmark red zinc roofs through the air...


When team hits road, Ortiz will take field Even though David Ortiz has started only two games at first base in the last three months, he will play the position when the Red Sox face the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in Games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary) of the World Series. The way the Sox see it, they have no choice but to go with ...


Movie industry sues file swappers Taking a page from the music industry #39;s playbook, the movie industry filed lawsuits in St. Louis and elsewhere Tuesday as part of a national campaign to crack down on piracy online.


Agreement lets MGM survive merger with Sony Under a definitive agreement reached Thursday by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and a consortium led by Sony Corporation of America, MGM will continue to operate as a private movie-making company


IBM Rolling Out Biggest WebSphere Update in 2 Years  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - IBM late on Tuesday announced the  biggest update of its popular WebSphere business software in  two years, adding features such as automatically detecting and  fixing problems.


FG Holds Talks with Niger Delta Militants The Federal Government yesterday revealed that security agencies are holding talks in Abuja with the leadership of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), led by Alhaji Asari Dokubo, over the continued unrest in the Niger Delta.


Rural China reels from violent protests extent of unrest in rural China, fuelled by corruption and a growing gap between rich and poor. the Hui Muslim minority sparked rioting through the weekend.


Japan #39;s powerful quakes leave 19 dead, four missing: police TOKYO : A series of powerful earthquakes in central Japan, with an initial tremor measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, left 19 people dead and four missing and injured nearly 900 people, police said.


Microsoft unveils IPTV-ready set-top box Microsoft has teamed up with consumer electronics firm Thomson to launch set-top boxes supporting Microsoft TV #39;s Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) software platform.


Fire rips through Venezuela tower, no casualties A huge fire on Sunday destroyed 22 floors of Venezuela #39;s highest tower block in a Caracas complex housing ministries and state agencies, but there were no casualties, authorities said.


No. 25 Purdue Embarrasses Syracuse, 51-0 WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kyle Orton passed for 287 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as No. 25 Purdue used a slew of big plays Sunday to beat Syracuse 51-0, the Boilermakers #39; first shutout in four years.


Sybase Offers Free Linux Database (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Sybase is offering a free version of its leading enterprise database management system for Linux.


San Francisco to Expand Wi-Fi Program (AP) AP - The mayor says San Francisco plans to rapidly expand its free wireless Internet access program and will soon make free computers available at housing projects and community centers.


3Com challenges Cisco to router duel The smaller gear maker claims that its new routers will cost 30 percent to 50 percent less than similar offerings from the market leader.


MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf Goes Gold To celebrate the upcoming release, Microsoft has launched a new MechAssault 2 mini-site where visitors will find tons of information on the upcoming Xbox action title, such as trailers, wallpapers, and plenty of screenshots.


Madritsch, M #39;s deflate Angels; Ichiro up to 232 The reasons for Mariners pitcher Bobby Madritsch #39;s remarkable rebirth from baseball #39;s scrap heap to mound renown become more apparent with each outing.


Eriksson Spoilt for Choice Sven-Goran Eriksson is relishing the selection dilemma posed by the long-awaited return of Rio Ferdinand to the England squad ahead of next weekends World Cup qualifier against Wales.


Microsoft Set to Ask Judge to Suspend Penalties  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is ready to ask a judge  on Thursday to suspend penalties imposed on it for violating  antitrust law by using the monopoly of its Windows operating  system to hurt competitors.


DaimlerChrysler Sued Over Car Seat Injury  DETROIT (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler AG DCX.N DCXGn.DE  has been hit with a multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by a  paraplegic who says the automaker's heated car seats caused him  a severe burn injury.


Putin backs Gazprom shares deal Russian president Vladimir Putin has backed plans to end restrictions on the foreign ownership of shares in Russian energy giant Gazprom.


Macy #39;s to go nationwide The name Goldsmith #39;s will be disappearing from the retail landscape in January. Federated Department Stores plans to put all of its regional chains under its Macy #39;s brand, completing a transition that began with the other stores sharing the Macy #39;s name.


Hostage families return to school Relatives return to the scene of Russia's bloody three-day school siege, as the number killed reaches 330.


Treasuries Creep Up on Rate Prospects (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices rose on Monday in\subdued trading, extending Friday's rally as dealers\anticipated slower official rate hikes in 2005 following slack


Budapest, Race: Renault on the podium Fernando Alonso finished third in the Hungarian Grand Prix, behind two unbeatable Ferraris.


Cisco adds to storage switching portfolio Two new products are designed to make it easier for businesses to connect storage computers across long distances.


Microsoft Delays New Windows Search Feature Microsoft will release its long-awaited update to its Windows operating system in 2006 without its advanced file search capability, the company said last week.


Soyuz crew docks craft manually with international space station A US-Russian crew had to turn off autopilot yesterday and manually moor its Soyuz spacecraft to the international space station after an unidentified glitch resulted


Russia beat France to win its first Fed Cup Russia edged defending champion France 3-2 to claim its first Fed Cup title Sunday, with Anastasia Myskina and Vera Zvonareva beating Marion Bartoli and Emilie Loit 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the decisive doubles match.


Brutal Haddin hundred seals two points Brad Haddin blasted a career-best 154 from 162 balls in a brutal display to earn New South Wales first innings points against Victoria at the Junction Oval.


Arsenal expose England #39;s soft underbelly ARE Arsenal truly the Invincibles or are we merely witnessing the breakdown of what is laughably called the best football league in Europe?


Unions-Alitalia OK Deal, Turnaround Plan  ROME (Reuters) - Clearing the way for a make-or-break  restructuring, unions at Italian airline Alitalia AZPIa.MI on  Wednesday agreed to unemployment packages for around 3,700  employees which would be largely paid for by the state.


Business Analysis: Turner  amp; Newall pensions crisis leaves <b>...</b> The crisis in the UK occupational pensions sector seemingly scaled new heights this week as Federal Mogul, the insolvent American car parts manufacturer, finally pulled the plug on the pension fund of its UK subsidiary Turner  amp; Newall.


U.S. Frees Falluja Negotiator After Daylong Battle  BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. forces freed Falluja's chief  negotiator on Monday after air strikes and a nine-hour battle  blasted the rebel-held Sunni Muslim city west of Baghdad.


Opera Mobile reaches 1 million direct downloads Opera Software has announced that over 1 million copies of its Opera Mobile web browser for Symbian OS have been downloaded from the company #39;s direct download site


PM in Assam for a two-day visit GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in on Sunday from Manipur on a two-day visit to Assam amidst tight security. The Prime Minister drove straight to the Raj Bhavan, where he is scheduled to meet


APEC Seeks Palestinian Solution, Wider Coalition in Terror War SANTIAGO, 21 November 2004 - The US-led war on terror must include a resolution to the Palestinian question and involve a broader coalition, Washingtons Asia-Pacific partners warned yesterday as leaders of 21 Pacific Rim economies opened a two


Enter your e-mail: System administrators who have been installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 on their own PCs and on test systems are reporting the results of their practice runs to the SANS Institute Web site--and the failure rate seems to be pretty high.


The Logic Behind a Sprint-Nextel Deal The imminent deal underscores how rapidly wireless is displacing the traditional land-line phone business. If the merger goes through, Sprint plans to sell off its local-phone business, which


Kalam to leave for Abu Dhabi to offer condolences New Delhi, Nov. 3. (PTI): President APJ Abdul Kalam is leaving today for Abu Dhabi to offer condolences to ruling family, Government and people of UAE on the demise of President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan.


Korean nuclear talks likely stalled until  #39;05 There are three problems with the six-party talks on North Korea #39;s nuclear issue. First, they risk confusing form with substance: as if merely getting North Korea around a table is success


78 die of suffocation after Thai riot Thai soldiers apprehend hundreds of men after demonstrators clashed with police outside the Tak Bai police station in Thailand #39;s Narathiwat Province, nearly 1150 km (715 miles) south of Bangkok in this picture taken October 25, 2004.


CAT in alliance with AstraZeneca Cambridge Antibody Technology has announced an alliance with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca after posting a slightly narrower annual loss before tax.


Italy: Juventus increases lead Juventus increased its lead in the Serie A on Saturday by beating newcomer Messina 2-1, ending the hopes of the unheralded Sicilian team to earn a historic first place in Italy #39;s top league.


eBay to clean up racial slurs Madison City Councilwoman Cynthia McCollum played a key role in the National League of Cities #39; negotiations with eBay to limit the use of racially derogatory words on listings on eBay #39;s Web site.


KU, OU to play in KC in  #39;05 For more than a month it has been public knowledge that Kansas was considering moving next season #39;s home football game against Oklahoma to Kansas City #39;s Arrowhead Stadium.


Islamabad, Kabul to fight terror KABUL: President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday pledged to fight terrorism offensively and promised full cooperation with Afghanistan during a visit to the Afghan capital.


Google Search: Best-Laid Plans Oct. 11 issue - When Google first burst on the stock-market scene, the guys running the place sounded like political newcomers attaining public office for the first time and vowing to clean up the place: Mr.


Women moved by family not ideology Dusk was falling over the Chechen village of Kirov-Yurt when the Russian troops approached Uvais Nagayev, 32, at the gate of his family house.


Four killed, several injured in storm lashing western, northern <b>...</b> A storm lashed Friday in western andnorthern France and the region of Paris, killing four people and injuring several others as well as cutting power to 385,000 homes.


Study: VoIP costs all over the map Companies trying to deploy Internet phone calling face varied costs depending on the technology provider, according to a report.


Tyson Cuts Forecast on Chicken Prices, Grain Costs (Update5) Tyson Foods Inc., the world #39;s largest meat processor, reduced its forecast of annual profit because of higher costs for feed grain and a drop in beef and chicken prices.


MS Supports AMD #39;s Multi-core Licensing Plan Since AMD furthered its industry leadership in multi-core computing by demonstrating the industry #39;s first x86 dual-core processor in August, AMD has strongly advocated this customer-centric software licensing strategy for both server and client software.


U.S. Execs Plan More Hiring - Survey (Reuters) Reuters - Most senior executives at large U.S.\companies plan to increase hiring and investments over the next\12 months amid growing optimism about the economy, according to\a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers released on Thursday.


Bomb blast explodes near Australian Embassy in Baghdad, killing 2 <b>...</b> A car bomb targeting a US military convoy exploded near the Australian Embassy Monday, killing at least two people, police and the Iraqi Interior Ministry said.


US sweeps Iraqi Sunni 'hotspots' Thousands of US-led troops target lawless areas south of Baghdad known as Iraq's "triangle of death".


California Blackout Sure, California quarterback Aaron Rodgers and running back JJ Arrington get the lion share of the publicity for the Golden Bears.


Kids Give Language Its Shape Children's brains are hard-wired to learn languages and, in some cases, to improve upon them. That's the conclusion of a new study that followed several generations of deaf Nicaraguan children as they created their own sign language and then continuously tinkered it with each new group of signers.


Sepracor Says FDA Approves Sleep Drug  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sepracor Inc., a specialty  pharmaceutical company, said on Wednesday it received a  long-awaited approval to market its Lunesta treatment for  insomnia, giving it a foothold in an estimated \$2 billion  market in the United States.


Barrichello lauds  #39;phenomenal #39; Spa Rubens Barrichello may have to say goodbye to his title aspirations in Belgium this weekend but he doubts tat will take anything away from the  quot;phenomenal sensation quot; he gets lapping the Spa circuit.


Suppan faces former team In 2003, Pedro Martinez and Jeff Suppan were teammates. Just one year later, both are in the Fall Classic and pitching against each other.


Photo: iPod's Toronto presence A sky-high iPod ad towers over a hip Toronto shopping district. Toronto will soon be home to its own Apple retail store. \


Oracle boosts enterprise content management Oracle has launched new content management software, offering file management, security and event-driven workflows. As expected, Oracle unveiled Files 10g at this week #39;s OpenWorld user conference in San Francisco.


Apple announces online music store ITunes coming to Canada in <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Canadian music lovers who #39;ve been itching to get into the ITunes online music store will have the chance next month.


Roethlisberger vs. Manning - No comparison Ben Roethlisberger needed less than a season to close the considerable gap between himself and Eli Manning, the top choice in this year #39;s draft.


PBS Rides Off with  #39;Noddy #39; Deal PBS has signed a deal to broadcast  quot;Make Way for Noddy, quot; the British cartoon series based on the classic children #39;s books by Enid Blyton.


Colonial BancGroup buys Union Bank Colonial BancGroup of Montgomery, Ala., Tuesday agreed to acquire Union Bank of Florida in in Sunrise, Fla. Under terms of the deal Colonial BancGroup will acquire Union Bank


Edwards Denounces New Overtime Rules WASHINGTON - In blasting new overtime rules that take effect Monday, Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards says he can't understand why the Bush administration wants to undermine a system that rewards workers who toil long hours.   "If you work hard, then you should be rewarded for that effort," Edwards said Saturday in the Democrats' weekly radio address...


Windows XP SP2: A bandage, not a panacea NOVEMBER 17, 2004 (INFOWORLD) - SAN FRANCISCO - Unless you #39;ve been living in a cave for the past few months, you already know Microsoft Corp.


AMICUS CALLS ON ADAIR TURNER TO RECOMMEND COMPULSORY PENSION <b>...</b> Amicus Britain #39;s largest private sector union is urging the Government #39;s Pensions Commission headed by Adair Turner to recommend compulsory contributions from employers into staff pension funds.


SCO caps legal costs as losses mount The SCO Group is looking to cut expenses to make sure it has enough cash to push its lawsuit with IBM, the company announced during its third-quarter earnings conference call yesterday.


Rutgers stumbles past Owls PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Jeremy Ito kicked three field goals and Ryan Hart threw a late touchdown pass to help Rutgers hold off Temple, 16-6, in an error-filled game yesterday.


Samsung Cell Phones to Get Tiny Hard Drive (AP) AP - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has announced the world's first mobile phone to sport a tiny hard drive. With the built-in 1-inch, 1.5-gigabyte hard disk, the SPH-V5400 could store about 15 times more data than conventional handsets  #151; everything from digital music files and photos to video, Samsung said.


Best Software overhauls Act, unveils premium edition It adds CRM functionality but faces competition from hosted services.


Schools failing 'missing pupils' Vulnerable youngsters expelled from schools in England are being let down by the system, say inspectors.


The Past Costs Backman His Job, Only Four Days After Receiving It Four days after Wally Backman was introduced as the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and months before he ever filled out a lineup card, the team fired him yesterday because of legal indiscretions he did not disclose to them.


SEC steps up probe of Krispy Kreme Krispy Kreme Doughnuts said yesterday that the Securities and Exchange Commission had upgraded its inquiry of the company #39;s financial reporting practices into a formal investigation.


Diamondbacks Keep Busy; Ortiz Heading Home  ANAHEIM, Calif. (Sports Network) - The Arizona Diamondbacks  continued their offseason makeover Friday as they signed free  agent pitcher Russ Ortiz to a four-year contract.


Cisco target of patent lawsuit A small company claims that Cisco stole its intelligent routing technology, and the company's lawyer is looking for a big pay-out.\


Md. Geologist Completes Sinkhole Study (AP) AP - A geologist who spent four years traipsing in and around Frederick has mapped areas most likely to develop sinkholes  #151; depressions in the earth that appear suddenly, swallowing cars and homes.


Sabres and Vanek agree to deal Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres have agreed to terms with 2003 first round draft choice Thomas Vanek on a three year entry-level contract.


Brown 'could break golden rule' Chancellor Gordon Brown is in danger of breaking his economic "golden rule" because forecasts for tax revenues are too optimistic, a report says.


Powell, Libya Foreign Minister to Hold First Talks  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - In a sign of warming U.S.-Libyan  ties, Secretary of State Colin Powell will meet Libya's foreign  minister on Thursday in the highest level talks between the  countries in decades, U.S. officials said.


Texans Top Titans, Break Losing Streak (AP) AP - David Carr put together a huge comeback of his own after Brett Favre showed him how to do it last week. Carr threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns and Domanick Davis rushed for a season-high 129 yards and a score to help the Houston Texans rally from an 18-point deficit in a 31-21 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.


Mysterious Moonscape Seen on Saturn's Titan Cassini is flying to within 745 miles of Titan's surface and beaming back hundreds of images in a scouting trip that will lead to the Christmas Eve release of a probe for a parachute drop into Titan's atmosphere.


Court Nixes Ex-Vivendi Chief Bail Request A Paris appeals court on Friday rejected a request by former Vivendi Universal chief Jean-Marie Messier to lower his bail in a case of suspected financial wrongdoing.


Nigeria announces fuel price cuts Nigeria's government cuts the price of fuel in a bid to avert a planned general strike by the country's biggest unions.


Intel Strikes Up Tri-Band Wireless Technology For Centrino Intel, looking to maintain mind share and market share in the mobile PC space, said Thursday it will begin shipping new, tri-band wireless functionality in its Centrino platform next month and will boost software and security support.


HP #39;s iPod Leads Product Rush With its enterprise division still reeling from its financial woes, HP (Quote, Chart) announced today 25 new consumer products it hopes will reinvigorate its brand.


GeForce 6600GT AGP, as good as it gets? We reported on PCI-Express chipsets in numerous articles in the past two months, by reading those you would almost start to think that AGP was indeed dead and buried.


HONG KONG: HK press says people still want full democracy The record turnout in Hong Kong #39;s legislative council elections shows that the territory wants full democracy, newspapers said on Tuesday.


\$12.5m grant offers teachers a science primer In a third-floor classroom at Charlestown High School, where models of human and animal skulls perch on a shelf near creature-filled specimen jars, teacher Allyson


Second Day of Violence Breaks Out in Haiti (AP) AP - Violence erupted again Friday in the Haitian capital as the decapitated bodies of three police were found, bringing the death toll to at least seven people in two days of protests for the return of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.


Software Co. PeopleSoft Tightens IBM Ties (AP) AP - Business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. strengthened its ties with technology giant IBM Corp. on Tuesday, hoping to boost its recently sagging sales as it continues to fight Oracle Corp.'s  #36;7.7 billion hostile takeover bid.


UPDATE 1-Austin wins Buick Championship in sudden death Woody Austin birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against Tim Herron to win the Buick Championship on Sunday. Both Austin and Herron completed 72 holes


Windows upgrade helps hold down the fort Are you nervous about viruses, worms, spyware and other threats to your computer? Wish you had the power to appoint an intelligence czar to safeguard your PC?


Hewitt in Quarterfinals at US Open Former champion Lleyton Hewitt beat Karol Beck of Slovakia 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 and rolled into the US Open quarterfinals on Tuesday without dropping a set.


Halliburton Units Win Approval of Asbestos Settlement (Update1) Halliburton Co., the world #39;s largest oilfield-services company, said a bankruptcy judge approved a \$1.5 billion settlement of asbestos claims between two of its subsidiaries and insurers.


Sun acquisition to boost IT services portfolio Sun is moving from its traditional focus on supporting only its Solaris operating system platform and beefing up its support for competing operating systems such as Windows, HP-UX and AIX, with the purchase of IT services company SevenSpace.


Three high-profile coaches out of Ole Miss picture OXFORD, Miss. - Three high-profile coaches are no longer being considered to fill the football coaching vacancy at the University of Mississippi.


Vodafone #39;s New Handsets To Beat Rivals Vodafone has increased the competition ahead of Christmas with plans to launch 10 handsets before the festive season. The Newbury-based group said it will begin selling the phones in November.


Hendrick team working through pain For those involved in NASCAR, racing is more than a sport. It is a way of life. It is a way of conducting one #39;s self throughout life, and eventually getting through the toughest part of life: dealing with death.


Police called in to Old Trafford buffet battle (AFP) AFP - Manchester police have been asked give evidence into the Old Trafford buffet battle when an Arsenal player was alleged to have thrown soup and pizza at Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.


Chart your space odyssey  \$190k Richard Bransons plans for suborbital tourism may sound pie-in-the-sky, but he has details all worked out. When the first space vacations are available, Richard Branson will be there selling them.


Rite Aid official gets 10 years for fraud harrisburg, pa.Franklin Brown, a former Rite Aid Corp. chief counsel convicted of accounting fraud, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison by a judge who rejected his arguments that the term would be a death sentence because he is 76 and ill.


Microsoft Steps Into the Ring For subscription services such as Napster and RealRhapsody, the entrance of Microsoft into its business space might have the same  quot;Oh no!


Strike, Hurricane Ivan cause flat quarterly earnings at Alcoa Alcoa yesterday reported third-quarter net income of \$283 million, or 32 cents per diluted share, unchanged from the aluminum maker #39;s results in the year-ago quarter.


SOUNESS BLASTS BOLTON #39;S STYLE Graeme Souness was quick to criticise Bolton #39;s tactics after watching his Newcastle United side crash to a 2-1 defeat at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday.


Canada, Sweden get home guarantees Ryan Smyth scored two goals to lead Canada to a 5-1 victory over Slovakia in the World Cup of Hockey last night in Montreal.


BAR-Honda confirm Sato for 2005 Takuma Sato will return with BAR-Honda in 2005. The team confirmed the Japanese driver #39;s return on Tuesday ahead of this weekend #39;s Japanese Grand Prix.


Greek Sprinters Withdraw from Games  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Olympic 200 meters champion Costas  Kenteris, the focus of an Olympic doping scandal, withdrew from  the Athens Games on Wednesday "out of a sense of  responsibility."


Iran says nuclear plan is no secret TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran acknowledged Thursday that it plans to process tons of raw uranium, but said the UN nuclear watchdog agency was informed about the move long ago and accused the United States of sensationalizing the matter.


Hawks sign free agent Jelani McCoy Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Hawks signed free agent forward/center Jelani McCoy on Monday and waived forward Anthony Miller.


Clubhouse Chatter: A trade that works for everyone Usually when a trade involving a high-priced player of a small market team gets consummated, there is generally the sense that the small market team is being taken advantage of.


Microsoft Purchases GIANT Anti-Spyware Microsoft Purchases GIANT Anti-Spyware\\Here's an interesting story. Microsoft, who's Internet Explorer browser is full of holes which make it able to accept browser programs and add-ons which  sometimes can be spyware, has now purchased an Anti-Spyware company. Something kind of stinks here. \\Why not fix Internet Explorer security holes ...


Ancient Olympics Mixed Naked Sports, Pagan Partying Nude athletes, performance-enhancing lizard meat, and animal sacrifices are just a few of the things that separate the ancient Olympics from the modern games, says the author of <i>The Naked Olympics.</i>


IATA Sees Strong Passenger, Cargo Growth International airline passenger numbers are set to grow by six per cent year-on-year to the end of 2008, driven by economic expansion in China and India, the industry #39;s global body IATA said on Wednesday.


Ky. Professor Looks to Set Up Telescope (AP) AP - A University of Kentucky professor is pushing to set up a telescope in Australia that students could use via the Internet.


Justice Dept Opens Fannie Probe - Source  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Justice Department is  investigating possible accounting fraud at Fannie Mae, the  mortgage finance company, a source close to the matter said on  Thursday.


The Wonderful World of Succession In order to take the top job at Disney, Robert A. Iger, the companys president, must state his accomplishments without appearing to engage in an unseemly campaign for the job.


Hundreds of militia disarm in Sudan  GENEINA, Sudan -- Five hundred Sudanese militiamen in government service disarmed yesterday at a ceremony attended by UN envoy Jan Pronk, but denied they were Arab Janjaweed irregulars who killed, raped, and looted in Darfur.


Dodd earns first win China Open Jiangsu, China (Sports Network) - Stephen Dodd closed with a four-under 68 Sunday to win the Volvo China Open by three strokes. Dodd finished the tournament at 12-under-par 276.


Tokyo Stocks Fall as Tech Issues Sold  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei share average fell 0.44  percent by mid-morning on Thursday as technology shares such as  Toshiba Corp. followed their U.S. peers lower after a major  U.S. investment bank downgraded its view on the sector.


Ethics Committee Ends DeLay Fact-Finding (AP) AP - House ethics committee leaders said Monday they soon will present the panel with information on Majority Leader Tom DeLay's conduct and recommend whether to undertake a full investigation.


EMC adds Dantz to its acquisition collection EMC Corp., the Hopkinton-based information storage and management giant, has acquired Dantz Development Corp. of California for just under \$50 million.


Earl Snyder Called Up to Help Red Sox (AP) AP - Earl Snyder grew up rooting for Red Sox outfielder Ellis Burks. Now he's sitting next to him.


New players proposal could be last chance -- Any hope of saving the NHL season hinges on whether the next proposal by the players #39; association stirs serious negotiating.


Palestine Buries Arafat in the Heart to Ramallah by helicopter. Palestinians welcomed his return as if he was still alive, chanting,  quot;Welcome Abu Ammar, welcome the old man.


Jail deaths 'disaster for Kenya' A Kenyan human rights group says the death of 56 inmates at a prison this year amounts to a "national disaster".


Houston...We Have Liftoff! In a game featuring countless years of playoff futility for both teams, though with vastly different barometers of success, the Atlanta Braves could not withstand the onslaught of the Killer Bs as the Houston Astros took the decisive Game 5 of


3 blasts in Spain after ETA threat At least three bombs have exploded in central areas of Spanish cities, according to the Spanish interior ministry following a warning by the Basque separatist group ETA.


Judge to decide whether Chalabi counterfeit case goes forward An Iraqi judge will decide as soon as Thursday whether to allow the counterfeiting case against former Iraq Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi to go ahead.


FIFA join fight against player burnout FIFA is set to impose a three-and-a-half-week break for players ahead of the next World Cup finals in 2006 as it attempts to come to terms with the issue of  quot;player burnout.


Iran Ready to Provide Nuke 'Guarantees' TEHRAN, Iran - Iran is ready to provide "guarantees" it won't seek nuclear weapons, President Mohammad Khatami said Saturday, urging the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency to close its investigation into the country's program when it meets next month.    The United States, which says Iran is trying to develop weapons, is pushing the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer Tehran to the U.N...


Death plot Briton jailed in US A British mercenary who conspired to buy a fighter jet as part of a plot to kill a Colombian drugs baron is jailed.


Pistons Stop Raptors 90-86 in Overtime (AP) AP - Richard Hamilton scored six of his 19 points in overtime as the Detroit Pistons held off the Toronto Raptors 90-86 on Wednesday night.


AOL Won't Use Microsoft Anti-Spam Standard (Reuters) Reuters - America Online Inc. on Thursday\shunned a Microsoft Corp. proposal to help weed out unwanted\"spam" e-mail because Internet engineers are reluctant to adopt\technology owned by the dominant software company.


Baseball contenders feasting on also-rans One reason pennant races have heated up in both leagues is because the supposed spoilers are the ones getting spoiled. Consider the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who once were third in the American League East and flirting with .


Briefly: T-Mobile adds security measure to hot spots roundup Plus: Slashdot dips into politics...IBM releases low-cost Unix servers...Former Cisco exec joins Red Hat board.


Coup plot inquiry moves to Guernsey bank The hunt for the financiers behind the attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, which led to the arrest in South Africa of Sir Mark Thatcher, yesterday moved to the sedate surroundings of the royal court in St Peter Port, Guernsey.


Rank mulling sale of film unit Leisure group Rank has said it is thinking of selling its Deluxe film and video business as the firm announced a sharp drop in half-year profits.


Buying back T-Online Deutsche Telekom, the largest European phone company, has offered to buy out investors in T-Online International, its Internet division, for about E3 billion, aiming to revive growth at its fixed-line business.


Cash America expands to California Fort Worth-based Cash America International Inc. (NYSE: PWN) said Monday that it bought the operations of 32 cash advance locations in Southern California.


Lukas, Paulson gamble with Azeri However else he leans in the upcoming election, we already can be sure of one thing about D. Wayne Lukas. He must be. He has taken his classic lady, Azeri, one of the


iPod:  #147;High-Tech Mint on the Pillow #148;  #147;Music lovers checking into fine hotels may want to ask the front desk about the latest trend in upscale amenities: in-room iPods, #148; writes Alorie Gilbert for CNET News.com.  #147;Dream, a new Manhattan four-star, is one of the latest boutique hotels to offer guests the use of Apple #146;s popular music gadget during their stay. #148; Nov 05


Japan fires up its semiconductor industry Chipmakers are again investing heavily to avoid the mistakes of the 1990s. But can they compete with overseas rivals and avoid a glut?\


Volz escapes charges as Fulham get shakes Moritz Volz will escape punishment for accidently kicking a pensioner in the head during Fulham #39;s 4-3 defeat at Portsmouth last night.


Leeds stall takeover Leeds United have asked for proof of funding after considering a 25 million takeover deal headed by Sebastian Sainsbury. The Leeds board met this afternoon to discuss a proposed deal from a British-American


Rice gets new team but has same number Seattle gave up a seventh-round draft choice in 2005 to acquire the 42-year-old Rice. The trade reunites Rice, a 13-time Pro Bowl selection in his 20th NFL season, with coach Mike Holmgren.


EUROPE AND US CLASH OVER IRAN A rift has emerged between the US and Europe over how harshly to deal with Iran and its suspect nuclear program. The Europeans are ignoring American suggestions and circulating their own recommendations to


GAO: Homeland Security #39;s Enterprise Architecture Lacks Key Elements In a report, it says the agency #39;s first try at building an enterprise architecture offers a partial foundation, but is lacking in several areas.


It #39;s time for US action on global warming The Bush administration would like to throw cold water on the idea of doing anything substantive about global warming. But the heat should be on the president until the United States limits emissions of greenhouse gases.


Longwell barely makes game-winning field goal HOUSTON - Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre got a chance to work his fourth-quarter magic at Reliant Stadium for the first time in his career Sunday night -nd work it he did.


Antivirus subscription prices climb Troublesome Trojan horses, virulent worms, nasty viruses--sometimes it may seem like the Internet exists just to let the bad guys attack your PC.


An all-new power walk WEARABLE solar panels that help charge mobile phones or music players are likely to come on sale within three years, the New Scientist says.


It's Not Personal The NFL cautioned Browns tackle Gerard Warren not to pick up a personal foul penalty against Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday.


Radio Stocks Fizzle on Analyst Downgrade Shares of radio station operators sank in Friday trading, saddled by a report raising concerns that future growth could be limited as advertising demand wanes amid fierce competition from personal media players and satellite radio.


Berkman Hurts Knee Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman may miss the start of next season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing flag football.


Virgin to Become the Worlds First Commercial Space Tourism <b>...</b> SpaceShipOne, which is solely funded by Paul G. Allen, was designed by aviation legend Burt Rutan and built by his company, Scaled Composites.


Russian Supply Craft Docks with Space Station (Reuters) Reuters - A Russian supply ship docked with the\International Space Station on Saturday, delivering food and\fuel to the two astronauts living there, mission control said.


Windows XP SP2 rollout to resume Wednesday After a nine-day postponement, Microsoft on Wednesday plans to start pushing out Windows XP Service Pack 2 to PCs running Windows XP Professional Edition.


Jol confirmed as Spurs boss Tottenham have confirmed that Martin Jol will take over as head coach following Jacques Santini #39;s surprise resignation on Friday.


Tokyo Stocks Open Higher; U.S. Dollar Down (AP) AP - Tokyo stocks edged higher early Wednesday, taking a cue from Wall Street where investors welcomed the U.S. Federal Reserve's upbeat view of the economy and its decision to raise interest rates. The dollar was lower against the Japanese yen.


Acer Ferrari 3400 Notebook Acer America Corporation, one of the leading worldwide suppliers of IT solutions, announced the newest addition to the Ferrari line of notebooks, the Ferrari 3400.


First direct flight from US to Vietnam since 1975 has landed HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam The last time a US passenger plane landed there, it was Saigon. Today, the first US commercial flight to Vietnam in nearly 30 years arrived in Ho Chi Minh City.


US economic barometer down 0.3 in third straight decline WASHINGTON : A closely watched index of future economic activity fell 0.3 percent in August, the third consecutive monthly decline, the Conference Board said on Thursday.


Chinese Government Distances Itself from Qians Anti-Bush <b>...</b> China #39;s government is playing down an editorial in an official newspaper that slammed President Bush #39;s foreign policy on the eve of US elections.


Rookie Johnson Joins Funk in Buick Lead  CROMWELL, Connecticut (Reuters) - Rookie Zach Johnson  produced the day's joint best score, a five-under-par 65, to  join Fred Funk at the top of the leaderboard after the second  round of the \$4.2 million Buick Championship Friday.


Flintoff century steers England to 251 for seven Andrew Flintoff struck 104 to guide England to a defendable 251 for seven in the Champions Trophy Group D decider with Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl, Southampton on Saturday.


National League Playoff Preview from The Sports Network (Sports Network) - The Dodgers hope to avoid being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals, as they head into Game 3 of their National League Division Series today.


Siemens Launches New Bid for VA Technologie German industrial conglomerate Siemens AG said Monday it was launching a second bid for Austrian competitor VA Technologie AG in an offer that valued the Linz-based maker of power generation and transmission equipment at more than euro800 million (US\$1


Gaming Godzillas Prepare for Battle (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Let the games begin. Not the Olympics again, but the all-out battle between video game giants Sony Corp. and Nintendo Co. Ltd. The two Japanese companies are rolling out new gaming consoles, but Nintendo has beaten Sony to the punch by announcing an earlier launch date for its new hand-held game player.


Anti-spam firms hit back at Gartner claims Anti-spam vendors hit back on Tuesday against analyst firm Gartner #39;s claims that the level of spam is falling.  quot;I don #39;t agree with it at all, quot; said Mark Sommer, chief technology officer at MessageLabs.


Shoppers line up for  #39;Black Friday #39; sales called  quot;Black Friday quot; because retailers hope it will kick off hot seasonal sales that will put them in the black for the year -s alive and well in the Jupiter area.


More history for the Patriots; Win streak at 20 The New England Patriots extended their remarkable winning streak to 20 games on Sunday and tied another NFL record in the process in their 30-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium.


Oracle Vows 'Oversupport' for PeopleSoft Customers (Reuters) Reuters - Business software maker Oracle\Corp.  on Tuesday promised to do everything it can to\keep PeopleSoft Inc.'s  giant customer base, whose\departure could threaten the financial success of its proposed\ #36;9.2 billion takeover of PeopleSoft.


Morgan defends Zimbabwe tour ENGLISH cricket chief David Morgan yesterday provided a staunch defence of the one-day teams short tour of Zimbabwe, but insisted the players will not be politicised during their stay.


Corporate Cost-Cutters Miss Out  CHICAGO (Reuters) - One of the mantras of global industry  in recent years has been keeping inventories lean and mean, but  there are increasing signs this cost-cutting strategy is  creating strains and causing companies to miss out on sales.


Privacy questions arise as RFID hits stores Companies brace for privacy debate as potentially intrusive applications arrive faster than expected.


Disaffected Megson is shown exit by Albion GARY MEGSON has termed West Bromwich Albion the most political football club Ive ever known and the job description is likely to gloss over the fractured dressing-room, boardroom


Team delays departure to Dhaka after death threat NEW DELHI, DHAKA, DEC 5: The BCCI has deferred the departure of the Indian cricket team to Bangladesh for a two-Test tour after its players were issued a death threat by little-known Harkat-ul-Zihad in a letter to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.


India PM's Kashmir Trip Holds Out a Glimmer of Hope (Reuters) Reuters - India's prime minister, visiting\Kashmir for the first time since he took office in May, could\make more moves to reduce tensions in the disputed region after\ordering an unprecedented cut in troops posted there.


Questions Are Seen on Merck's Stance on Pain Drug's Use Merck officials had evidence far back as 2001 that Vioxx might not help thousands of users of the arthritis and pain drug.


Dell to Recall 990,000 Laptop Power Adapters Dell Inc. will recall about 990,000 power adapters for some of its laptop computer models because of a risk of overheating, which could lead to a fire or electrical shock, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday.


Typhoon Tokage Kills 54 in Japan A fishing boat sits on dike in Susami town, western Japan Oct. 21, 2004 after high waves hit the fishing port. Typhoon Tokage unleashed flash floods that washed away entire hillsides, killing up to 51 people


Like Jordan and Ruth, Hamm Has a Home in Sports Lore Mia Hamm, who will retire on Wednesday, influenced millions of people and represented the possibilities available to women after the passage of Title IX.


Accord Reached on Overhauling U.S. Intelligence The agreement will allow passage of a bill to enact the major recommendations of the independent Sept. 11 commission.


Sony to launch its first MP3 hard-disk music player Sony is broadening support for the MP3 file format in its portable music player range. It will introduce a new hard disk-based MP3 player in December, and will produce


US 10-Year Treasury Note Yield May Hold Near 4, Survey Shows The benchmark 10-year US Treasury note #39;s yield may hold near 4 percent, the lowest since April, as speculation record high oil prices will slow the economy bolsters demand for government debt.


Google Shares Hit New High (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of newly public Google\Inc.  on Tuesday hit a new high and posted  their\largest single-day percentage gain after five investment banks\issued bullish reports on the leading Web search provider.


Web Site Shows New York Drug Prices New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who has sued many big-name drug makers for bilking the government with their drug prices, on Tuesday unveiled a Web site that allows consumers to compare prices at pharmacies in the state.


PeopleSoft Ousts CEO Amid Oracle Battle  SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - PeopleSoft Corp.  PSFT.O fired its chief executive Craig Conway on Friday just  hours before U.S. antitrust regulators said they would drop  their case against Oracle Corp.'s ORCL.O \$7.7 billion hostile  bid for its software rival.


Word flaw could lead to denial of service A highly critical vulnerability has been discovered in Microsoft Word 2000 and 2002, an advisory from security advisory service Secunia says.


Web Servers Lead Top 20 Security Problems List (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - The SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute has issued its latest list of 20 most critical Internet security vulnerabilities. Web servers top the list of ten vulnerabilities for Windows-based systems, and they fall second on the list for those that are Unix- or Linux-based.


Almunia feeling pressure Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger frankly admitted his goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia is feeling the pressure to perform after a nervous display in the Gunners Champions League win overnight.


Announcement expected in coming days Two days after Hubie Brown #39;s sudden retirement, Memphis Grizzlies might have a replacement without the interim tag. Mike Fratello was in Memphis on Saturday, meeting with Grizzlies officials to finalize details


New Matsushita memory card doubles as smart card Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. on Friday unveiled a new SD Memory Card that doubles as a smart card, allowing consumers to use the product as a wallet or a train ticket, as well as to store music and pictures.


Dell, Microsoft Partner Up The companies are integrating Dell OpenManage 4 systems management software with Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 to unify the tools needed to update system software, operating systems (OS) and applications to one interface that customers


Alaska Air #39;s net beats analysts #39; projections Alaska Air Group Inc. earned \$79.2 million in net income in the third quarter, making more money than financial analysts projected as traffic increased and it worked to cut costs.


TSA Deal Overpaid Boeing, Report Says Boeing Co. received at least \$49 million in excessive profits on a \$1.2 billion contract to supply explosives-detection systems to hundreds of the nation's airports, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general reported. -The Washington Post


U.S.'s Snow Won't Discuss His Job Future (Reuters) Reuters - Treasury Secretary John Snow on\Friday said that any discussion about whether he continues in\his post or quits was a matter between himself and President\Bush.


Jones Apparel: Does Barney's Mean Trouble? The fashion company continues to build and buy in the face of disappointing sales.


Phone sales show no sign of slowing That #39;s according to research outfit Gartner, which on Thursday said that second quarter global mobile phone shipments hit 156.


Bailed jockeys back in saddle Champion jockey Kieren Fallon and colleagues Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams are due back in action after their arrests over allegations of race-fixing.


Migrating Storks Die in Israel Chemical Waste Pool (Reuters) Reuters - Some 200 storks migrating from Europe\to Africa flew to their deaths in Israel Monday, landing in an\acid-filled pool of waste outside a chemical plant, veterinary\officials said.


In The Fast Lane: Busch wins NASCAR title HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kurt Busch got his first big break in NASCAR by winning a 1999 talent audition nicknamed  quot;The Gong Show. quot; He was selected from dozens of unknown, young race drivers to work for one of the sport #39;s most famous team owners, Jack Roush.


U.S. to Help Rebuild Tsunami-Stricken Lives -- Powell (Reuters) Reuters - The United States will help the\millions devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami, but an effort\on the scale of the post-World War II Marshall Plan is probably\not needed, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday.


Comet Research Pioneer Fred Whipple Dies (Reuters) Reuters - Fred Whipple, an astronomer who\originated the idea that comets were comprised of ice and\mineral dust, has died at the age of 97.


TI Working on Television Chip for Phones for 2007 (Reuters) Reuters - Texas Instruments Inc. \has begun developing a chip that could bring television shows\to mobile phone screens in three years.


Italian Appliance Maker Cuts Outlook  MILAN, Italy (Reuters) - Merloni shares fell more than 10  percent on Friday after the Italian home appliance maker cut  its 2004 profit forecast, blaming weak demand and high prices  for steel and oil.


Orange Launches Talk Now Orange announced the commercial availability of Talk Now, Europes first advanced Push-To-Talk service. Over the last nine months, Orange has engaged in customer trials across Europe to develop and refine


Cott Q3 profit falls 14, 2004 profit target lowered; makes US <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Cott Corp. lowered its 2004 profit target Wednesday as it announced a 14 per cent drop in quarterly profits and two small US acquisitions.


NFL Wrap: Patriots Roll to 20th Straight Win (Reuters) Reuters - Corey Dillon rushed for 105 yards and\two touchdowns as the New England Patriots won their 20th\consecutive game, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 30-20 in


UK considering US request for redeploying its troops in Iraq Britain today said it was  quot;considering quot; a request from Washington to redeploy some of its troops in Iraq from their current base in Basra into strife-torn US-held areas.


CHECA TAKES TOP SPOT Carlos Checa upstaged team-mate Valentino Rossi to take pole position for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix at Losail. The track, new to the MotoGP calendar, has sprung several surprises throughout practice and


AT amp;T strikes VoIP deals with cable In an attempt to spark growth in its Net phone service, AT amp;T has turned to cable companies to pitch the technology to more consumers.


Rocket fire thwarts rally for Karzai GARDEZ, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai had to abort a rare campaign rally Thursday in this town southeast of the capital when a rocket was fired over his helicopter as it began to land.


Peach Bowl Picks No. 20 Florida Gators (AP) AP - The Peach Bowl wants Florida to play in the Dec. 31 game  #151; and hopes Ron Zook will hang around to coach the Gators for a few more weeks.


US IT spending to grow 7 in 2005 US spending on information technology goods, services, and staff will grow seven percent in 2005 and continue at a similar pace through 2008, according to a study released Monday by Forrester Research.


Gunners mystery revisited To write about Arsenal #39;s problems in Europe is to sound like a broken record. The mystery about the Gunners #39; inexplicable failures in the Champions League is increasingly becoming one of the most oversubscribed areas of football analysis.


Japan air profit up on overseas demand Japan Airlines Corp, Asia #39;s largest carrier, may say second-quarter profit more than doubled as waning concerns about SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) boosted travel overseas.


Dowie relieved by victory Boss Iain Dowie admitted his relief after Crystal Palace grabbed their first Premiership win of the season. Dowie also singled out Andy Johnson for special praise after the striker scored to set Palace on their way to a 2-0 win over London rivals Fulham.


Nigeria plans mission to Darfur as Sudan pledges to restore peace (AFP) AFP - Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo called for lawmakers to approve the deployment of up to 1,500 peacekeeping troops to Sudan's war-torn province of Darfur, as Khartoum pledged to restore order there.


Friday Edition: Thieves  amp; Cars This is not only a story about which cars are most often stolen, but why thieves love certain models. The 2002-03 model Cadillac Escalade EXT, a luxury pickup, and the 2002-03 model Nissan Maxima, a midsize


Vodafone begins 3G mobile service Vodafone has launched its UK third-generation (3G) services for mobile phones, offering video calls, music downloads and games. The 3G technology enables users to download data at a faster rate than before


Catch The Shooting Stars In Tonight #39;s Meteor Shower This one is named Geminids because it seems to originate from the constellation Gemini. It will deliver about a dozen stars an hour.


Delta plan includes job and wage cuts The much-awaited  #39;Transformation Plan #39; for Delta Air Lines Inc., one of Tampa International Airport #39;s largest carrier, will include further job cuts, wage and benefit reductions and a new strategy that will help Delta revitalize its entire business.


Emerging India set for special EU partnership BRUSSELS - Once written off as the poor cousin of Asian powerhouse China, India is to open talks today to forge a strategic partnership with the European Union, a status so far restricted to just five big countries.


Giants Edge Expos J.T. Snow singled in the winning run in the ninth to lead the Giants to their sixth straight victory, 5-4, over the Expos on Tuesday night.


US consulate reopens in Mumbai after terror threat The United States reopened its consulate in Mumbai on Wednesday after closing it the previous day saying that it had information about a terrorist threat.


More Internet Ads in Presidential Race (AP) AP - While there has been more Internet advertising activity in this year's presidential race than in the past, the money spent on Web ads still pales in comparison to that allocated for TV commercials, the first-ever study of online political ads found.


NetContinuum rolls Web app, Web services security Most IT Managers won #39;t question the importance of security, but this priority has been sliding between the third and fourth most important focus for companies.


FDA Tells Pfizer to Pull Viagra Ads The Food and Drug Administration has ordered Pfizer (PFE:NYSE - news - research) to pull two television ads promoting the impotence treatment Viagra because the agency said the ads don #39;t provide information about the drug #39;s potential side effects.


Microsoft Software to Remove Spyware (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp. disclosed plans Thursday to offer frustrated users of its Windows software new tools within 30 days to remove spyware programs secretly running on computers. But it might cost extra in coming months.


McDonald #39;s Says 3rd-Qtr Profit Rose to 61 Cts a Share (Update1) McDonald #39;s Corp., the world #39;s largest restaurant chain, said third-quarter profit rose to about 61 cents a share, beating analysts #39; estimates, on higher sales in the US and a lower tax rate.


Canada Nips Finland 3-2 in World Cup Final (AP) AP - The World Cup returned to Canada after 13 long years. How long hockey will be gone is anyone's guess.


Stocks Sink, Dlr Steadies Above 103 Yen  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Fears of further dollar weakness sent  shares in Asian exporters sharply lower on Monday, after a  meeting of the Group of 20 rich and developing nations said  nothing to arrest its fall.


Celtic suffers its first loss of the season against Aberdeen Scottish champion Celtic suffered its first loss this season, with an injury time goal from John Stewart securing a 3-2 for Aberdeen at Parkhead.


Merck knew of Vioxx health risks: report WHITEHOUSE STATION, NJ - Merck and Co. shares fell more than 10 per cent in trading on the NYSE on Monday amid reports that company documents showed the pharmaceutical firm knew for years about health issues related to its arthritis drug Vioxx.


Despite recalls, too few vehicles being Timothy Michaud died last May after falling from the tailgate of a Chevrolet pickup and suffering severe head injuries. The 19-year-old from Maine never knew that General Motors Corp.


Greenspan Warns That US Deficits Pose Risk to Dollar Alan Greenspan came to the home of the euro today and warned anxious Europeans to expect little relief from the relentless decline of the dollar against their currency.


United Rentals Is Target of U.S. Inquiry  CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators are  investigating United Rentals Inc. URI.N and have subpoenaed  some accounting records, the company said on Monday, sending  its shares down as much as 19 percent.


Button decision delayed Formula One #39;s Contract Recognition Board met but decided to adjourn the BAR versus Williams dispute over Jenson Button on Wednesday.


Zeta 'stalker' bail plea refused A US judge refuses to lower the \$1million bail for a woman accused of stalking Catherine Zeta Jones.


Krispy Kreme #39;s hot streak cools The niche doughnuts that rose quickly in popularity are feeling the weight of the low-carb craze and mass marketing. By Deb Kollars and Edie Lau -- Bee Staff Writers.


Oil Is Steady After Reaching Record \$50.47 on Supply Concern Oil futures were little changed after touching a record \$50.47 a barrel on concern Nigerian rebels will follow through on threats to cut shipments from the fifth-largest supplier to the US.


Japan #39;s Nikkei 225, Topix Decline; Kyocera Corp., Canon Drop Japanese stock benchmarks fell. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 126.43, or 1.1 percent, to 10,956.41 at 9:02 am in Tokyo. The broader Topix index dropped 11.04, or 1 percent, to 1098.73.


Dolly Creator Applies for Cloning License (AP) AP - The creator of Dolly the sheep, the world's first mammal cloned from an adult, applied for a human cloning license Tuesday to study how nerve cells go awry to cause motor neuron disease.


Wal-Mart Sees Sales to Rise 2-4 Pct  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the No. 1  retailer, on Monday said its September sales at U.S. stores  open at least a year were tracking in line with its forecast  for a 2 percent to 4 percent increase, driven by back-to-school  buying.


Mountains of Interest Add to Pain of Credit Cards Credit card companies are changing the terms of their accounts at a historically high rate, costing Americans millions of dollars in fees that they did not expect.


Russia Finds Trace Explosives on 2nd Plane (AP) AP - Russian investigators found explosive residue on the wreckage of the second of two airliners that crashed minutes apart, a security spokesman said Saturday, adding to evidence that terrorists breached security at one of the country's most up-to-date airports.


Krispy-Kreme Is Getting Harder to Stomach If investors thought things could only get better for Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (KKD:NYSE - news - research) after its disastrous summer, Monday #39;s third-quarter debacle proved them wrong.


Imf Warns of House Price Drop The International Monetary Fund has warned of a possible sharp fall in UK house prices, according to reports. The IMFs World Economic Outlook said that, based on interest rate


Vector share float looms Vector #39;s \$1.3 billion bid for NGC promises a public offering of shares in a new local energy giant within 12 months. Vector put up \$3 a share to win the bidding war for the 66 per cent stake in NGC owned by Australian Gas Light (AGL).


City sees overhaul as precursor to sale, leaving group focused on <b>...</b> P amp;O staked its immediate future as a ferry operator on the burgeoning freight market yesterday as it blamed the death of the booze cruise for the need to axe one-fifth of its workforce.


IBM System Named Fastest Supercomputer (AP) AP - Big Blue has brought the title of the world's fastest supercomputer back to the United States for the first time in three years.


FIFA claims victory over US firm concerning Internet rights World soccer #39;s governing body said Tuesday it had won a US legal dispute over World Cup rights with a Florida-based Internet company that focuses on Latin America.


J amp;J deal with Guidant in the offing The prospect of Johnson  amp; Johnson acquiring Guidant, a medical device maker that brought cutting-edge technology to cardiovascular medicine, has fueled whispers for years, gaining intensity when


British sufferer of madcow disease no longer 'terminally ill': dad (AFP) AFP - A British man suffering from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD), the human form of mad cow disease is no longer terminal ill, thanks to an experimental medical treatment, his father said.


Powell, Russian official in Ukraine clash The United States and Russia clashed yesterday at a European security forum over the crisis of Ukraine #39;s disputed election, elevating


Goodenow has NHL players #39; trust If this is hockey #39;s Armageddon -nd it #39;s hard to find anyone in the NHL who doesn #39;t view the current 61-day owners #39; lockout in cataclysmic terms  -n Bob Goodenow is the beast who will bear much of the


Option to bump up CD rate helps those afraid to lock in The low interest rates of the past few years have been particularly frustrating for retirees and others who favor conservative certificates of deposit for income.


Kerry takes legal action against Vietnam critics (AFP) AFP - Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's campaign formally alleged that a group attacking his Vietnam war record had illegal ties to US President George W. Bush's reelection bid.


Windows XP SP2 Has a Dangerous Hole Windows XP Service Pack 2 promises to raise the security bar for the sometimes beleaguered operating system. Unfortunately, one of the new features could be spoofed so that it reports misleading information


Rajasthan black gold makes Cairns glitter LONDON: British oil and gas firm Cairn Energy is on the verge of entering the elite group of blue-chip companies (FTSE-100). It #39;s saluting its Rajasthan reserves of oil for rising fortunes.


MPAA Revives P-to-P Lawsuit Group is asking the Supreme Court to overturn decision in favor of file-swapping networks.


The quest for the IT Holy Grail Opinion What's its secret? Productivity


F5 jams new tools into traffic manager SAN FRANCISCO - The many new mechanisms to secure and speed up applications running on networks are heading for consolidation that should make it easier and less expensive to deliver the kind of performance end users want.


Sun #39;s UltraSPARC IV is go SUN ANNOUNCED THE UltraSPARC IV this morning, most probably the last of its line. Sun will be taking a new direction from this point on, with the new Fujitsu co-developed chips being a definite step sideways


British Hostage's Family Appeals to Blair to Save Him (Reuters) Reuters - The family of a British hostage\threatened with execution in Iraq made a desperate appeal to\Prime Minister Tony Blair on Tuesday to meet kidnappers'\demands and save his life.


Europe on verge of record Ryder rout Sergio Garcia removed the flag from the 18th hole and waved it over his head. Padraig Harrington tossed his glove and cap into crowd that draped itself in European flags and sang  quot;Ole, Ole quot; from the top of his lungs.


Santander moves to speed Abbey acquisition SPAIN #39;S Banco Santander Central Hispano yesterday revealed plans to speed up its 8.4bn bid for Abbey in an apparent effort to thwart interest from other possible bidders.


Death toll in China mine blast reaches 77 The death toll from a devastating coal mine gas explosion in central China #39;s Henan province has risen to 77. Efforts are continuing to recover 71 others still listed as officially missing, although officials


Gates to announce Windows update tool Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Tuesday is expected to detail the company #39;s plan for computer management software and announce a long-awaited Windows update tool.


Court rejects Chechnya acquittal A Russian court overturns the acquittal of four army officers accused of murdering six civilians in Chechnya.


Best Buy Improves Its Supply Chain View (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Retailer Best Buy turns to i2's chain management/logistics software in the hopes of gaining more timely visibility into business operations on both the purchasing and logistics sides.