INTERVIEW: Sony Chases Rivals in Image Chip Race  TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp., the world leader in video  equipment, finds itself in the unusual position of playing  catch-up in the next battleground for technology used in  cameras, video recorders and phones.


Delta gets share incentive boost Delta Air Lines is to issue millions of new shares without shareholder consent as part of moves to ensure its survival.


PeopleSoft Won #39;t Go Quietly A major battle is over, but the war for PeopleSoft (PSFT:Nasdaq - news - research) rages on. Executives of the business software giant continued to resist Oracle #39;s (ORCL:Nasdaq - news - research) \$9 billion


Lewinsky and Loos dish on kiss-and-tell after Clinton and Beckham (AFP) AFP - Kiss-and-tell queens Monica Lewinsky and Rebecca Loos, in a debate on media payments for interviews, came clean about dishing the dirt on Bill Clinton and David Beckham, but the former White House intern claimed her sex story sat on higher moral ground.


Judge Revokes Mine Permit in Florida FORT MYERS, Fla. - A federal judge Friday revoked a permit to develop a limestone mine amid 6,000 acres of habitat that could be used by the endangered Florida panther.


Milosevic Loses Director Role in His Own Courtroom Drama The ghosts that have long haunted Slobodan Milosevic have finally appeared in court, and they have fundamentally altered the war crimes trial of the former Yugoslav president.


Dollar Keeps Gains Against Euro  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar clung to most of the previous  session's gains against the euro on Monday after a positive  U.S. jobs report last week reinforced expectations for an  interest rate rise this month.


AP: Fund-Raisers Trade With Iran, Iraq (AP) AP - More than two dozen top fund-raisers for President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry are current or former senior managers of companies punished for trading with Iran or Saddam Hussein's Iraq  #151; including the chairman of Bush's Homeland Security Advisory Committee and Kerry's fund-raising chairman.


Report: IBM To Spin Off PC Unit (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) is selling its PC business, marking the end of an era for the\personal computing pioneer, according to a story published today in the


This weekend on TV, radio FRIDAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL/MEN 7:30 p.m. -- Memphis at Purdue, ESPN2 PRO BASKETBALL 7:30 p.m. -- Celtics vs. Toronto at the FleetCenter, FSN, WWZN (1510) 8 p.m. -- Detroit at San Antonio, ESPN 10:30 p.m. -- Indiana at Sacramento, ESPN BOXING 9:30 p.m. -- Friday Night Fights at Atlantic City: Rocky Juarez vs. Guty Espadas Jr. (featherweights), ESPN2 GOLF 1:30 p.m. ...


Homeowners can click to check flood risk LONDON - People in England and Wales can now discover at the click of a mouse whether they are living in areas liable to flooding, the Environment Agency says.


Phillies not likely to hire Leyland If former Pirates manager Jim Leyland returns to the dugout next season, it appears that it won #39;t be with the Philadelphia Phillies.


Federal communications panel takes on oversight of internet phone <b>...</b> WASHINGTON: The Federal Communications Commission seized regulatory control over Internet-based telephone services on Tuesday by issuing an order that sharply limited the role of state regulators.


Cleric in Najaf Refuses to Meet Iraqi Mediators The delegation hoped to convince Moktada al- Sadr to disarm his militia, to leave the shrine and to join the political process.


Bush's Withdrawal Plan Could Draw Votes WASHINGTON - President Bush's plan to call tens of thousands of U.S. troops home from Europe and Asia could gain him election-year applause from military families, but won't ease the strain on soldiers still battling violent factions in Iraq and Afghanistan...


DENVER BRONCOS ODDS REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR SUPERBOWL Denver Broncos suffered a small setback on Monday Night Football when they were utterly outplayed by Cincinnati Bengals. The AFC West division leaders dropped to 5-2, although remain unchanged in the Superbowl


Spoiler Pittsburgh tops Astros The Houston Astros have gone cold in Pittsburgh. Rookie John Van Benschoten allowed five hits in eight innings for his first major league win, and the Pirates beat the Astros, 6-1, last night.


Hong Kongs GDP expands 7.2 on tourist spending Hong Kongs gross domestic product rose 7.2 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter as strong trade flows and tourist spending continued to drive its recovery from the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome last year.


Redskins' Taylor Cleared in Spit Incident (AP) AP - The NFL will not fine Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor after looking into allegations that a Cincinnati player was spit on during Sunday's game.


Microsoft examines yet another flaw Microsoft Corp. is investigating yet another critical flaw in one of its products, this time in two versions of its popular word processing software, Microsoft Word 2000 and Word 2002.


Wal-Mart to open another 500 stores Wal-Mart has shrugged off growing opposition to its dominance of the US retail market by announcing plans for another 500 stores in 2005.


Panasonic DVD Recorder Gets Connected Device offers remote programming, features a whopping 400GB of storage.


SEC teams hope to beat Ivan to punch Hurricane Ivan is threatening to wash out one of the highlights in the biggest weekend of college football so far. Southeastern Conference officials are mulling whether to postpone No.


Mexican Lawmakers Approve Controversial GM Law  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican lawmakers approved a new  law on Tuesday to regulate genetically modified crops, but  opponents said it catered more to the interests of big business  than to the protection of centuries-old biodiversity.


PlayStation 3 chip on track Sony revealed new details Monday on the chip that will power the next version of its PlayStation video game machine and said development is on track to deliver products based on the chip next year.


Soccer: Women #39;s event draws protests DHAKA, Bangladesh The organizers of Bangladesh #39;s first women #39;s tournament on Wednesday said play would continue, despite protests by a Muslim group that termed the event  quot;indecent and against Islamic norms.


Caminiti reminder of dangers Even through a television set 3,000 miles away, the eyes revealed it: Something burned deep inside Ken Caminiti, a fire that ultimately consumed him.


Aussie scientists see palaeontology gold rush Australian scientists predicted a  quot;palaeontological gold rush quot; after the discovery of a new species of tiny human in neighbouring Indonesia in a find that will re-draw the human family tree.


File Traders Could Do Hard Time The House of Representatives passes a bill that would sic the feds on people using peer-to-peer networks to swap songs or movies. Copyright infringers may face up to three years in prison.


NFL Wrap: McNabb Leads Eagles to 4th Straight East Title (Reuters) Reuters - Donovan McNabb passed for one\touchdown and rushed for another as the Philadelphia Eagles won\their fourth straight division title with a 27-6 win over the


Clash Over Internet Sports Photos Britains big football leagues and daily newspapers are circling each other in a showdown over game photos on Internet sites.


Pakistan v West Indies scoreboard  Cricket-Inzamam gamble fails as West Indies rout Pakistan September 22, 2004 12:32:48 SOUTHAMPTON, England, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq gambled and lost on Wednesday as his team were routed by West Indies for 131 from 38.


Pounded by the competition, Frank #39;s Nursery set to close Before there was Home Depot for shovels and mulch, before there was JoAnn Fabrics for thread and ribbon, there was Frank #39;s Nursery.


European Parliaments OKs new commission The European Parliament approved a new slate of commissioners Tuesday in a delayed start of the new president #39;s administration.


New Crop of Portable Players Nips at IPod (AP) AP - At least a dozen portable music players are angling to steal sales away from Apple Computer Inc.'s wildly popular line of iPods this holiday season. In the past month alone, five companies have unveiled their iPod challengers  #151; pocket-sized players with hard disks that can store anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 songs.


Early sea spider flashes pincers Scientists reconstruct a sea spider from the faint imprint it left when it fossilised 425 million years ago.


U.S. Frees 11 Afghan Prisoners at Karzai's Request (Reuters) Reuters - The United States has released 11 Afghans\held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba on suspicion of Taliban links\after a request from President Hamid Karzai, an Afghan official\said on Wednesday.


Busch Picks Up Honors at NASCAR Awards (AP) AP - Kurt Busch's busy week of celebration was capped Friday night with his acceptance of NASCAR's Nextel Cup championship trophy.


FDA Approves Use of Chip in Patients (AP) AP - The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved an implantable computer chip that can pass a patient's medical details to doctors, speeding care.


Sharon Aide Nixes Palestinian State JERUSALEM - The real objective of Ariel Sharon's offer to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank is to freeze Palestinian statehood indefinitely, with U.S. blessing, the prime minister's point man with the Bush administration acknowledged in an interview published Wednesday...


Oil Ends Lower Ahead of Long U.S. Weekend  NEW YORK (Reuters) - World oil prices eased on Friday, with  shortened trading hours in New York and London, as traders  squared positions ahead of a long U.S. weekend.


Gucci Replaces Chief Executive Santucci Gucci Group, the luxury goods division of Pinault-Printemps-Redoute SA, said Wednesday that Giacomo Santucci has been replaced as chief executive of the Gucci brand.


Republicans Push Controversial Votes (AP) AP - Flag-burning and the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance are about to join gay marriage among the volatile issues that congressional Republicans have pushed to votes ahead of the election to remind the public how the GOP and Democrats differ.


Western leaders waiting for African solutions to African wars JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Aug 19, 2004 (AP) -- As the month-end deadline nears for Sudan to disarm the Janjaweed militias in Darfur, the United Nations and Western powers debate how far to go to stop the killing ...


Yankees win, denied forfeit NEW YORK - After a daylong wait for an afternoon doubleheader that was turned into a single night game, the New York Yankees found their 1-2-3 punch.


Microsoft gives NT4 users support boost Microsoft has improved its support for Windows NT 4.0 Server and has outlined how it will end support for e-mail system Exchange Server 5.5.


NCAA Denies Reinstatement for Williams (AP) AP - Southern California wide receiver Mike Williams has had his request to be reinstated denied Thursday by the NCAA.


Koivu Says Next NHL Season Also at Risk -- Paper  HELSINKI (Reuters) - The prospects of saving the National  Hockey League (NHL) season are grim and unless owners and  players start talking soon to end a lockout the 2005-2006  season is also at risk, Montreal's Saku Koivu said.


Top Iraq groups demand poll delay Several leading Iraqi political parties call for national elections scheduled for 30 January to be delayed.


Intel Lays Out Future Product Roadmap Intel said it was already starting to explore options such as carbon nanotubes and nanowires. Such materials will be needed to take chips below the 10 nanometer size, which is expected to occur early in the next decade.


Treasuries Take Breather from Big Rally  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices were stuck  in neutral on Tuesday as momentum from a red-hot two-day rally  waned ahead of a pair of debt auctions this week.


Ajax sign Argentine Olympic winger Rosales Ajax Amsterdam have signed Argentina forward Mauro Rosales for four years from Newell #39;s Old Boys, the Dutch champions said on Monday.


NCAA Game Summary - Miami-Florida at Virginia Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Frank Gore rushed for 195 yards and a touchdown, Roscoe Parrish scored twice in the fourth quarter and No.


HK Votes in Close Poll, Focus on More Democracy  HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong residents voted on Sunday  in a legislative election seen as a referendum on greater  democracy and a test of popularity for China's communist rulers  in the former British colony.


Luis Garcia becomes latest Liverpool casualty Liverpool, England (Sports Network) - Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia pulled his hamstring during Tuesday #39;s 1-0 loss to Monaco in Champions League action and will be out of action for about a month.


Frank Thomas, Carl Everett to return in Chicago, Sandy Alomar won #39; <b>...</b> Frank Thomas #39; decision to return to the Chicago White Sox wasn #39;t nearly so dramatic this year. Thomas exercised his \$8 million US option Thursday.


US commercial property loans rise in 2nd quarter Lenders issued \$33.2 billion in new loans for commercial properties in the second quarter, up 17.4 percent from the same quarter in 2003, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Friday.


Australian security plan worries New Zealand: World News: Wellington, Dec 16 : An Australian plan to boost coastal security with a vast surveillance net across the Tasman Sea has taken New Zealand by surprise.


Update 1: Level 3 Buys Sprint #39;s Internet Unit Level 3 Communications Inc., a provider of integrated communications services, said on Friday that it acquired telecommunications giant Sprint Corp.


Berlusconi Acquitted of Corruption Charges A Milan court today acquitted Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi of corruption charges - a major victory in the billionaire business barons decade-long battle with legal woes he blamed on left-wing prosecutors.


Martha Stewart Appeals, Says Tarred by US Martha Stewart is urging an appeals court to overturn her conviction because she was  quot;tarred quot; by prosecutors #39; implications she committed the uncharged crime of insider


Washington Post backs John Kerry for president (AFP) AFP - The Washington Post endorsed John Kerry for president in an editorial, saying the choice was not an easy one but that President George W. Bush had not earned a second term in office.


Critical Flaws in Mozilla, Thunderbird The Mozilla Project has issued a warning for a series of  quot;highly critical quot; security holes in three of its core projects, including its flagship Firefox Web browser and the Thunderbird e-mail client.


Treasuries Dip But Selling Momentum Slows (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury debt was down a sliver\on Monday, but four straight days of selling appeared to be\sputtering out as investors awaited key events like a speech\from the Fed chairman and the crucial September jobs report.


Oil Prices Waver, Eye on Nigeria Supply Oil #39;s rally wavered on Thursday, but worries over the security of Nigerian supply supported prices despite an easier US crude inventory picture and news that Russia #39;s YUKOS would resume full supply to China.


SunTrust Expects to Restate  NEW YORK (Reuters) - SunTrust Banks Inc. STI.N, the No. 7  U.S. bank, on Monday said it put two senior finance executives  on paid leave, and expects to restate first- and second-quarter  profit higher as it fixes errors in how it accounts for loan  losses.


Philosopher Jacques Derrida Dies at 74 PARIS - World-renowned thinker Jacques Derrida, a charismatic philosopher who founded the school known as deconstructionism, has died, the French president's office said Saturday. He was 74...


United #39;s Labor Deals May Be in Jeopardy United Airlines formally raised the possibility of throwing out union contracts on Friday, asking a bankruptcy judge for permission to discuss the matter at an upcoming court hearing.


Toshiba to use perpendicular recording in new drives Toshiba said today that it is close to commercializing a new data storage technology, called perpendicular recording, that could significantly increase the capacity of hard-disk drives.


Sony starts mass producing OLED displays Yesterday we talked about how Toshiba and Canon have formed a joint venture to develop SED display technology. Now comes news that Sony is ready to start volume production of OLED displays.


UPI NewsTrack TopNews A UN official calls for more aid for Sudan #39;s Darfur region, saying that 70,000 people have died there since March and the toll is rising by 10,000 every month.


NFL: Johnson and Johnson Stun Broncos (Reuters) Reuters - Chad Johnson and Rudi Johnson both\scored long touchdowns as the Cincinnati Bengals stunned the\Denver Broncos 23-10 in the National Football League on Monday.


Boeing, EADS Likely to Make Tanker Bids The Pentagon will hold a competition to replace its aging fleet of refueling tankers, potentially pitting aerospace giant Boeing Co.


New Cambodia king is crowned PHNOM PENH: In a ceremony full of pageantry and hope, KING NORODOM SIHAMONI ascended the Cambodian throne yesterday, ushering in a new royal era for a country still trying to draw a line under its bloody, genocidal past.


Qorei urges calm as Arafats condition unchanged CLAMART, France: A senior aide to Yasser Arafat said Saturday that the ailing Palestinian leader had undergone further medical tests and that results were expected within days.


Intel Cuts Revenue Outlook; Stock Falls (Reuters) Reuters - Intel Corp.  on Thursday\cut its third-quarter revenue and profit margin forecast after\demand for both its computer microprocessors and communications\chips weakened beyond expectations. Its stock fell nearly 8\percent.


Treo Smartphones to Get Smarter Staying in touch with clients, customers and the home office is one of the most crucial aspects of running a successful small business, especially if you #39;re on the road a lot.


Japanese Stocks Rise for a 3rd Day; Asahi Glass, Daiei Advance Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese stocks rose for a third day, as Asahi Glass Co. and Nippon Mining Holdings Inc. raised their earnings forecasts, sparking optimism domestic economic growth will support profits.


Anlaysis: Yukos seeks legal asylum in US Over the years Russia #39;s embattled oil company Yukos has morphed into a respected corporate citizen of the world and is seeking bankruptcy protection in the United States on the


Giants 5, Astros 1 Noah Lowry takes a lesson out of every outing, and the baseball world is quickly learning that this kid is pitching nothing like a 23-year-old rookie.


Verizon: Wait for dial tone, punch in number, rock out Verizon Wireless service lets users treat people who call them to music rather than the sound of a ringing phone.


Samples From Genesis Craft Sent to Calif. SALT LAKE CITY - The first solar-wind samples recovered from the crashed Genesis space capsule have been sent to researchers in California.


De La Hoya: 'This Is for All the Marbles' (AP) AP - Oscar De La Hoya has been in enough big fights to know what each one means. Some have helped build his reputation, others have made him rich. So don't just chalk it up to hype when he says his fight Saturday night against Bernard Hopkins means more than all of them put together.


Gold Fields shareholders reject Canadian merger The management of Gold Fields, the South African gold producer, was dealt a blow on Tuesday after shareholders voted against a proposed reverse takeover of Canadian gold group Iamgold.


Why MSN Search is good for the consumer? Microsoft launched the second beta release of MSN Search with little fanfare. There is no doubt it is good, but few consider it as a threat to Google for sometime to come.


Funds have front-row seats at great pharmaceutical debate Who'sgot money riding on the outcome of the great pharmaceuticals debate? You and I do, if we have our retirement accounts invested in any of the hordes of mutual funds that own shares of Pfizer Inc. , Eli Lilly  amp; Co., Schering-Plough Corp. , and other titans of the medication trade.


Stolen papers linked to drug saga Documents stolen from the Equestrian Federation of Ireland were linked to the ongoing doping scandal surrounding an Olympic gold medal winning horse.


Ferreira looks to retirement after US Open loss South Africa #39;s Wayne Ferreira played the final ATP Tour singles match of his 15-year career on Wednesday, losing in the first-round of the US Open to former world No.


Guard Reports Serious Drop in Enlistment The Army National Guard has failed for two months to meet its recruiting quotas, falling about 30 percent below its overall target.


Monty Hailed as Hero of Stunning Ryder Victory  LONDON (Reuters) - When Colin Montgomerie's final putt  plopped into the cup of the 18th green at Oakland Hills on  Sunday it clinched a remarkable Ryder Cup triumph and soothed  the Scot's personal anguish.


Koalas Put on  #39;The Pill #39; to Control Population Wildlife authorities in Australia plan to implant contraceptive hormones into 2,000 koala bears in an effort to keep the numbers down.


No Clear Winner 'Til Election Day, if Then (AP) AP - It's a voluntary army vs. a professional force. Button-down Republicans vs. street-wise Democrats. It's the ground war of American politics, with allies of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry spending fortunes to find their supporters and  #151; here's the hard, final part  #151; get them to vote.


TAIKO: Drum Master Think you #39;ve got rhythm? Test out your skill with TAIKO: Drum Master a new game for the whole family! Attach the miniature Japanese drum controller to your PS2 and you #39;re ready to drum to the music.


US eyes Syria #39;s aid in Iraq security A US envoy on a Middle East tour said Sunday that America has suggested having its military experts work alongside Syrians to stop militants from crossing the Syrian-Iraqi border


Roma, Madrid battle problems LONDON -- Nobody has more problems at the start of the Champions League season than Real Madrid - unless it #39;s Italian side AS Roma.


Court May Clear the Way for Cheaper Ink Lexmark suffers a setback in its fight to keep third-party ink cartridges off store shelves.


Alitalia board approves relaunch plan: 3,700 employees to be <b>...</b> After winning union acceptance of job cuts, Alitalia gave formal approval Monday to a four-year business plan aimed at saving the near-bankrupt Italian airline from collapse.


Memory boost for Nokia phones by  #39;05 Nokia plans wave of camera phones <nobr>Dallas Morning News (subscription)</nobr>


GM, Ford Cut Production; U.S. Sales Fall (Reuters) Reuters - General Motors Corp.  and Ford\Motor Co.  posted weaker U.S. sales for August on\Wednesday and both cut planned fourth-quarter production as\their aging vehicle lineups lost ground to rival Chrysler and\some foreign brands.


CORRECTED: Oil Strikes New Record on Supply Fears  SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures hit a new  record on Tuesday at \$50.01 a barrel as worries about the  stability of supplies from Iraq, Nigeria and Russia compounded  concerns over low fuel stocks ahead of peak winter demand.


Study: CDs Still Overshadow Digital-Music Downloads The CD will remain the dominant format for music distribution in Europe at least until the end of the decade, according to a new study.


China Mine Blast Kills at Least 56, Scores Missing  BEIJING (Reuters) - A gas explosion in a crowded coal mine  in central China has killed at least 56 people and left scores  missing, the Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.


As Drama Plays Out, Arafat's Neighbors Express Sorrow, Fear RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct. 28 -- No crowds of well-wishers massed Thursday outside the Mukata, the mostly ruined compound where Yasser Arafat has been confined for the past two years. Only a throng of reporters assembled, peering through the smoked windows of sedans carrying officials to a frail old man who still embodies the national aspirations of many Palestinians.


Maryland 20, No. 5 Florida State 17 Fifth-ranked Florida State was in the process of completing another comeback on the road, and Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen could think of only one course of action.


Di claim dismissed LONDON: A former bodyguard of Britain #39;s Princess Diana yesterday said he doubted that one of her alleged lovers had been  quot;bumped off quot; - a claim she made in never-before-seen videotapes broadcast in the US.


Cassini Probe Illuminates Saturn #39;s Moon The photos sent back from the international Cassini spacecraft were taken during a flyby that took it within 745 miles of Titan. Scientists at NASA #39;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory declared themselves


JP Morgan, Cazenove agree joint venture deal Cazenove and JP Morgan have agreed a joint venture that effectively ends 181 years of independence for the UK stockbroker. The new venture, to be called JP Morgan Cazenove


Several Hurt in Israeli Missile Strike Palestinians walk in the ruins of a house that was destroyed in an ongoing Israeli army operation in the Jebaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday Oct. 9, 2004.


Tokyo Stocks Close Up for Third Day (Reuters) Reuters - Japanese shares rose for a third straight\day on Thursday, advancing over one percent as a rally on Wall\Street encouraged buying of technology issues such as Toshiba\Corp. and Shin-Etsu Chemical


The Dawn Of HD Radio Broadcasters embrace digital service public knows little about.-washingtonpost.com


India ; Rebels set off landmine in Kashmir, 11 dead The victims included the jeep #39;s driver and another civilian accompanying the soldiers who were headed for an operation against militants, said to be hiding in nearby mountains.


Spitzer Strikes Again Eliot Spitzer received an anonymous letter last March that made for intriguing reading. The message suggested that the New York attorney general poke around Marsh  amp; McLennan, the US #39;s largest insurance broker


Capital professor lands lead role with UK Athletics EDINBURGH University professor Dave Collins was today appointed as the new performance director of UK Athletics. The ex-Royal Marine, who has worked with competitors across a range of sports in the Capital


Greenspan Says Oil Prices Not Problem for Economy Greenspan noted that even with the recent surge, energy prices are still only three-fifths as high, after adjusting for inflation, as they were at their all-time peak in February 1981.


Merger could make Penn National 3rd largest casino operator By VICKI SMITH, Associated Press Writer, The Associated Press. Penn National, based in Wyomissing, Pa., will pay \$47 per share for Argosy stock, or about 15 percent more than Wednesday #39;s closing price and assume \$805 million of Argosy #39;s long-term debt.


Exorcist movie thrills box office A new prequel to The Exorcist was the most popular film at North American cinemas at the weekend, taking \$18.2m.


Specialty Foods, General Donlee funds sink on suspended or cut <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Non-energy income trusts are disappointing investors, with two more cutting or suspending their cash distributions to unitholders this week and causing the value of their units to plummet.


Alabama Notebook TUSCALOOSA - Alabama head coach Mike Shula received a heavy dose of criticism earlier this season for choosing to punt on fourth-and-short in a loss to Arkansas.


News: Climate Change Could Doom Alaska's Tundra In the next 100 years, Alaska will experience a massive loss of its historic tundra, as global warming allows these vast regions of cold, dry, lands to support forests and other vegetation that will dramatically alter native ecosystems. (Oregon State University press release)


Fury at killing of Pyrenean bear French environmentalists condemn hunters who shot one of the last female brown bears in the Pyrenees.


Turner to Provide Content for Net TV Company SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- Akimbo Systems Inc., a startup that plans to deliver video over the Internet to television sets, has signed a deal for mainstream content from Time Warner Inc...


Lebanese March Protests Syrian Domination (AP) AP - Thousands of Lebanese students and activists defied government warnings Friday and demonstrated against Syria's domination of their country.


E-Card Holiday Virus Packs Ugly Punch A new virus strain masquerading as electronic Christmas cards is accounting for one in every 10 e-mails hitting in-boxes, security experts warned Wednesday.


U.S. Women Beat Spain in First Real Test ATHENS, Greece - Seriously challenged for the first time in these Olympics, the U.S. women's basketball team fought through foul problems and long stretches of frigid shooting to clinch first place in its preliminary group with a 71-58 victory over Spain on Friday...


Half-Life 2 Released November 16, 2004 - Yes, we #39;d barely believe it either if we hadn #39;t seen it ourselves: Half-Life 2 is here. More than six years in development, more than a year dramatically in the public eye, weathering delays


Fresh initiatives on many fronts: Determination in joint <b>...</b> NEW DELHI, Sept 8: Pakistan and India announced their determination on Wednesday to resolve the Kashmir issue according to the letter and spirit of the Shimla Agreement , and invoked the purposes


Bush Econ Team to Undergo Gradual Changes  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush, who swiftly  reshuffled his foreign policy team on Tuesday, is planning a  more gradual overhaul of his top economic staff, people close  to the White House said.


Red, white and . . . gold Team USA concluded its domination at the Olympics by defeating Australia 5-1 at Helliniko Stadium on Monday, giving coach Mike Candrea a gold medal five weeks after his wife, Sue, died of a brain aneurysm.


Abbas promises to coordinate with Syria A top-level Palestinian delegation yesterday promised Syria #39;s leader that it would coordinate with the country in future peace negotiations with Israel, but stopped short


Powell seeks Seoul help on N.Korea programmes as Seoul stepped up security along its border with North Korea due to a suspected infiltration. pressure to give more concessions to entice the reclusive state back to nuclear arms talks.


Group Abandons Work on Anti-Spam Standards The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has shut down the MARID working group, which was attempting to develop a Sender ID standard.


Mauresmo underlines new status Mauresmo, 25, took time to find her rhythm against her Swiss opponent but, when her trademark backhand finally clicked, she dominated to take a place in the last eight.


Novell revenue up as SUSE investment shows promise Networking and Linux vendor Novell reported a profit of \$57.1 million for fiscal 2004 and said its Linux offerings are allowing the company to reach new customers.


NL notables Larry Walker was 3 for 4 and is 10 for 27 (.370) with 11 RBIs since joining the Cardinals.


EPA Finds Problem With Airline Drinking Water Now there #39;s something else for airline passengers to worry about -- the safety of their drinking water. New tests show nearly one of out every eight passenger airliners flying in the United States has drinking


Brits against warned against  #39;iTrip #39; British authorities are warning fans of the Apple iPod music player using a companion device called the iTrip is illegal. Made by Griffin Technology and available on eBay for less than \$40, it lets users play


LNM Plans to Merge Two Main Divisions Privately-owned Dutch steelmaker LNM Group said Monday it plans to merge its two main divisions, Ispat International NV and LNM Holdings NV, and then take over US-based International Steel Group, which would make it the largest steel company in the world.


In Foxboro, Starting at the Bottom for the Team at the Top For a team that enters this season with a 15-game winning streak, the New England Patriots' rookies present an interesting juxtaposition.


IBM sets up hands-on user test centre IBM has established a new technology centre in the Washingon DC to help IT departments to better define their Tivoli-based infrastructure management strategies.


Price of cards to be shuffled At a charity auction in New Jersey last weekend, baseball memorabilia dealer Warren Heller was approached by a man with an unusual but topical request.


Blair Seeks to Prick World Conscience on Africa Britain hopes to use a summit in Ethiopia this week to force an international community obsessed with Iraq and terrorism to also focus on the  quot;scar quot; of Africa.


FCC Takes on Oversight of Internet Phone Services The Federal Communications Commission seized regulatory control over Internet-based telephone services on Tuesday by issuing an order that sharply limited the role of state regulators.


TSA readies security systems rollout The Transportation Security Administration has announced a series of IT-based pilot programs to bolster airport security, but lawmakers and industry executives are frustrated by a lack of progress in deploying needed technologies.


Henin-Hardenne Confirms Filderstadt Withdrawal  BERLIN (Reuters) - Olympic champion Justine Henin-Hardenne  has withdrawn from next week's Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in  Filderstadt because of a mystery virus.


British hostage pleads for life Facing a death threat from his Iraqi captors, British hostage Kenneth Bigley appeared in a video on an Islamist Web site Wednesday and tearfully pleaded to British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help spare his life, saying,  quot;Please


Ansari X Prize is one small step away SpaceShipOne will attempt to rocket into space today for the second time - following last Wednesdays successful flight - in order to bag the \$10 million Ansari X Prize, which has gone unclaimed for eight years.


Japanese bank taps RFID for document security NEC Corp. has signed a contract with a Japanese bank for an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) -based document management system, the company said Tuesday in a statement.


S. Africa Links Pakistani Khan Network #39; to Arrests (Update1) South Africa #39;s arrest of two men for the alleged smuggling of goods that could be used to make nuclear weapons is linked to the so-called Pakistani Khan network, #39; #39; a foreign affairs official said.


Moving toward peace in the Middle East With news of politics, war and baseball dominating the headlines, it is easy to overlook events in faraway lands. But people interested in long-term peace in the Middle East should be encouraged by the historic


Supreme Court sidesteps credit card dispute MasterCard and Visa no longer can block banks from issuing credit cards from competitors after the Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal Monday.


Hubble Approaches the Final Frontier: The Dawn of Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope -- Hubble Space Telescope -- Detailed analyses of mankind's deepest optical view of the universe, the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), by several expert teams have at last identified what may turn out to be some of the earliest star-forming galaxies.     Astronomers are now debating whether the hottest stars in these early galaxies may have provided enough radiation to "lift a curtain" of cold, primordial hydrogen that cooled after the big bang...


Sugar would be sweeter to Eagles Boston College's 36-17 victory over West Virginia yesterday put the Eagles in control of their destiny in terms of the Big East championship and the Bowl Championship Series berth that comes with it.


NL notables Houston's Roger Clemens struck out a season-high 12 to surpass 200 in a season for the 12th time in his career.


Peirsol wins 100 backstroke; Phelps withdraws INDIANAPOLIS  Aaron Peirsol, who swept the backstroke events at the Athens Olympics, won the 100-meter backstroke at the Short Course World Championships on Friday night.


Briefly: LookSmart buys Furl.net roundup Plus: Pentagon expands access to voting site...Ad campaign touts multimedia cards...T-Mobile sells Sidekick II...Spyware bill moves to Senate.


Oil Off from Record Highs on Nigeria Pact  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Monday after rebels  in Nigeria withdrew a threat to target oil operations, but  lingering concerns over stretched supplies ahead of winter kept  prices close to \$50.


7Up tops off space flight with ticket to ride WHAT #39;s the prize beneath the cap of that soft drink bottle? A trip into space. It may sound far-fetched - if not a little crass -ut the commercialisation of the final frontier began in earnest yesterday


RFID Tags May Not Reduce Drug Counterfeiting Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, said it would begin shipments of the tagged medication this week. Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, said it would begin shipping RFID-tagged bottles by the end of next year.


Presidential Second Terms Can Be Painful (AP) AP - An upbeat President Bush set forth an aggressive agenda for the next four years, but he also must deal with the realities his predecessors faced  #151; second terms tend to be disappointments, often marred by scandals, infighting and lackluster performances.


Opec 'ready to agree output cut' Opec looks set to agree a cut in the rampant quota-busting, which its members say has caused oil prices to fall in recent months.


Ford Recalls Econoline Vans to Fix Brakes
\

 DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. <F.N> said on Thursday\it is recalling 234,208 Econoline vans in North America to fix\a defect in the anti-lock brake unit that can spark fires even\when the vehicles are parked.


Smith to restore the Stein dynasty THE imminent appointment of Walter Smith as the national manager will restore to influence the dynasty which stretches all the way back to Jock Stein.


Smaller, more powerful PC fuel cell is on the way A new fuel cell for notebook PCs, more compact and powerful than competing technologies, could be on the market in early 2006 at a price of around US\$90, its Japanese inventors said Tuesday.


Defendants Accused of Sending Spam Three people who allegedly sent America Online customers millions of junk e-mail messages touting penny stocks and other Internet gimmicks went on trial Tuesday in the nation's first such felony case.


Tax to Encourage Savings Holds Promise  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The looming political battle over  how to reform the tangled U.S. income tax code could get ugly.  But one option, a tax aimed at boosting savings, holds promise.


Royal Society fights all-out cloning ban BRITAINS leading academic institution is backing an international campaign to stop the United States securing an international ban on all forms of human cloning.


O #39;Neal could go either way Shaquille O #39;Neal wants to play in the Miami Heat #39;s season opener tonight at New Jersey despite a strained left hamstring. O #39;Neal said after yesterday #39;s practice the hamstring felt awkward when he ran.


Bonds undergoes arthroscopic surgery on left knee Barry Bonds underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday and is expected to be at full strength when the San Francisco Giants open spring training in February.


FERGIE vs WENGER - YAWN Everyone is moaning about the fallout from last weekend but they keep on reporting the aftermath.  #39;The fall-out from the so-called  quot;Battle of Old Trafford quot; continues to settle over the nation and the debate


Candidates Hit Crucial Swing States of Ohio and Pennsylvania President Bush attacked John Kerry's health plan; Christopher Reeve's widow backed Mr. Kerry, citing his stem cell policy.


Urbina heads to Venezuela after mother reportedly kidnapped Detroit Tigers closer Ugueth Urbina, whose father was killed in a robbery 10 years ago, rushed back to Venezuela on Thursday after his mother was apparently kidnapped at a home Urbina owns in his native country.


Race Is Wide Open As Howard prepares to play its final six games, all against MEAC opponents, the Bison find themselves in the thick of the conference race.


UN rights envoys urge probe into Burundi massacre GENEVA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - United Nations human rights investigators on Wednesday called on Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo to identify and hold accountable those behind the massacre of at least 160 Congolese Tutsi refugees.


Leyland among Phils #39; candidates Jim Leyland, who led the Marlins to the World Series title in 1997, will interview for the Phillies managerial vacancy. Leyland, a scout for the Cardinals the past four seasons


Police investigating theft of Olympic drug test sample DUBLIN, Ireland The investigation into whether Ireland #39;s only medal winner from the Athens Olympics had a banned substance in his system has taken a twist.


Mutual Funds Can Have Tax Trap in December (AP) AP - The end of the year can be a great time to rebalance your portfolio and unload poor performers, but wise investors know to do a bit of research before buying and selling mutual funds in December.


ANALYSIS-Red Sea bombs fit al Qaeda #39;s aims and methods The bombings on Egypt #39;s Red Sea coast appear to bear the hallmarks of al Qaeda or a related group and to fit the agenda of Osama bin Laden #39;s network, security sources and analysts said.


President admits country in fiscal crisis PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo admitted on Monday that the country was in a fiscal crisis and called on the nation to help face the problem through sacrifice.


Applied Materials Returns to Profit  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Applied Materials Inc.  AMAT.O,  the largest maker of chip-making tools, on Tuesday said healthy  spending on new semiconductor factories more than doubled  revenue and returned it to a quarterly profit.


Liquid 'suggested' on Titan Scientists examining pictures sent back from the Cassini spacecraft think they may be closer to showing there is liquid on Saturn's moon Titan.


Tech Briefs The United Kingdom #39;s Advertising Standards Authority, a self-regulating agency for the advertising industry, upheld complaints alleging that a Microsoft Corp.


Washington pursues O'Brien for vacancy The courtship of Boston College football coach Tom O'Brien moved east yesterday when University of Washington athletic director Todd Turner and president Mark Emmert flew east and met with O'Brien.


P2P Tilts Toward Legitimacy A peer-to-peer company signs a deal with three major record labels to provide content on its Peer Impact service, but it might not offer much for music fans. By Katie Dean.


Ratan Tata, Kumarmangalam may head revamped Board of Trade New Delhi, Aug. 31 (PTI): The revamped Board of Trade could be headed by renowned industrialist Ratan Tata, or former CII Secretary General Tarun Das.


Update 1: VNU Sells Directories Unit for \$2.6B The Dutch publisher VNU, which owns the Nielsen TV ratings service, said Monday it signed a deal to sell its World Directories unit for \$2.


Nokia Ships One Million N-Gage Game Decks Nokia (NYSE: NOK) announced that it has shipped its one millionth game deck globally since the sales of the N-Gage platform started eleven months ago.


Democratic Party Searches for Leader Again Democrats may be experiencing a sense of deja vu as they again search for a leader in a crowded field of candidates with no clear favorite to win. A year ago, the hopefuls were vying for president. Now, a new crop is running to lead the Democratic National Committee.


#39;Jackal #39; Accomplice Acquitted of Bombings A German court acquitted the suspected right-hand man of international guerrilla  quot;Carlos the Jackal quot; Monday of charges that he took part in deadly bomb attacks in France more than 20 years ago.


Biotech Grass Breeding Raises Concerns (AP) AP - Pollen from genetically engineered grass floated more than 12 miles from experimental plots and bred with conventional plants, raising concerns that the biotechnology industry can't control the "gene flow" of its creations.


In Brief: Neon Systems acquires ClientSoft Neon Systems, a provider of mainframe integration solutions for Microsoft .Net and Java applications, has acquired ClientSoft for \$10.5 million in cash and the rights to purchase 1.1 million shares of Neon stock. The privately held ClientSoft specializes in secure, high-performance integration solutions for mainframe Web services. The purchase, which adds 180 customers to Neon's base of 300 customers, brings together Neon's Shadow z/Services and ClientSoft's ServiceBuilder product lines and should provide customers with a robust set of solutions to support service-oriented architectures (SOAs).\\


Microsoft #39;s Halo 2 video game leaked on internet Halo 2, the sequel to Microsoft #39;s best-selling game for its Xbox video console, has leaked onto the internet nearly four weeks before its planned sale.


Brown Says He May Never Get Over Athens (AP) AP - Larry Brown didn't have much time to enjoy his first NBA title. After coaching the Detroit Pistons to a surprising victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Brown focused all his energy on getting the U.S. basketball team ready for the Olympics. Much to his dismay, the Americans came home with just a bronze medal.


Genetic Material May Help Make Nano-Devices: Study (Reuters) Reuters - The genetic building blocks that\form the basis for life may also be used to build the tiny\machines of nanotechnology, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.


Mets #39; Aggressive Bonds Strategy Backfires Barry Bonds lounged in his personal leather recliner, watching his personal big-screen television, flanked by three of his devoted handlers.


Intel goes  #39;Extreme The Intel Pentium 4 processor Extreme Edition supporting Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology and a higher-speed system bus enabled by the new Intel 925XE Express chipset form the foundation of this new enthusiast platform.


2 Palestinians, Israeli killed GAZA: Israeli troops killed two Palestinian gunmen in Gaza on Tuesday and militants shot dead an Israeli soldier in the West Bank.


Hurricane Hits Abaco Island in Bahamas FREEPORT, Bahamas - Hurricane Jeanne lashed the Bahamas with violent winds and torrential rains Saturday, making a direct hit on Abaco island and threatening the country's second-largest city, Freeport. Hundreds of people took refuge in emergency shelters...


PM arrives in the Hague for India-European Union Summit : World News  gt; The Hague (The Netherland), Nov 7 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived here tonight to participate in the India-European Union summit during which a proposal for a strategic partnership will be finalized.


Report finds European bird species face extinction A new report has found that more than 40 per cent of all European bird species are threatened and may disappear soon due to intensive agriculture and climate change.


Rommedahl strike gives Charlton late 1-0 win Charlton beat London rival Crystal Palace 1-0 on Sunday with an injury time winner from substitute Dennis Rommedahl. The win was Charlton #39;s second away win of the season and lifted the club three places to 10th.


Eight former Peregrine Systems execs indicted Eight former officials of Peregrine Systems Inc. have been indicted by a federal grand jury for what prosecutors say was a massive conspiracy to commit a multibillion-dollar securities fraud over three years.


Oracle Extends Offer for PeopleSoft SAN FRANCISCO -- Business software maker Oracle Corp. said on Thursday it extended again its \$7.7 billion hostile tender offer for PeopleSoft Inc.


Rugby-Gregan signs with Wallabies through 2007 World Cup Australia captain George Gregan has signed a three-year contract with the Wallabies which will take him through the 2007 World Cup in France.


JFK: Reloaded JFKReloaded.com recreates the last few moments of the President #39;s life and challenges participants to help disprove any conspiracy theory by recreating the three shots that Lee Harvey Oswald made from the infamous sixth floor of the Dallas book depository


Westwood rises above hot odds Lee Westwood fought the heat, a brutal course and the inexperience of a part-time caddie to shoot a two-under-par 70 for a four-way share of the lead after the first round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa yesterday.


Notre Dame sure can pick  #39;em It takes a lion #39;s share of guts and bravado to provoke Michigan #39;s receiving corps, especially for a defensive back without any career interceptions.


Hollywood lawsuits to strike Net pirates com November 4, 2004, 2:38 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


Arafat 'Very Sick,' Palestinian Leaders Summoned  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President  Yasser Arafat's health worsened sharply on Wednesday and he was  slipping in and out of consciousness at his besieged West Bank  headquarters, officials and medics said.


Mitchell-Alston feud brews as Toronto heads to Cleveland CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Vince Carter isn #39;t the only Raptor unhappy to be in Toronto right now. Guard Rafer Alston is starting to question his role on the team, even contemplating quitting the rest of the season


Microsoft Profit Up; Forecast Mixed Microsoft Corp.'s quarterly earnings rose 11 percent over the comparable quarter last year, with strongest growth in sales of server software.


Worsley reclaims England starting place Joe Worsley, the Wasps forward, will return to the England team for Saturday #39;s clash against Tri-Nations champions South Africa at Twickenham.


Gandhi's Grandson Urges Palestinians to March Home  RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The grandson of Mahatma  Gandhi urged Palestinian refugees Sunday to march home from  Jordan en masse, even if the Israelis "kill 200 people," to  shock the world into taking notice.


AstraZeneca and CAT in research deal AstraZeneca is spending 75 million pounds to take a 20 percent stake in Cambridge Antibody Technology and boost its position in one of the fastest-growing fields of drug research.


After decades of longing, generations can rejoice At 11:33 am yesterday, in a mist of rain and confetti, a boy and his father watched history being made. The boy was 45 years old, his dad 77.


Digital vs. analog- which is better? In the movie The Rock, the protagonist is a chemestry nerd who gleefully signs for a package as if he's a kid who's just gotten his box tops honored with a toy in the mail. He opens it- and it is an old, presumably pristine, Beatles LP.    His fellow chemist asks, "why would you pay \$600.00 for that when you can get the CD for thirty?"    "Because," the nerd says, "these sound better."    But do they, really?


Fulham call in lawyers over brawl Fulham have brought in lawyers for advice on the best way to fight a mass of Football Association disciplinary charges which could also land manager Chris Coleman and several of his players with major suspensions and fines.


Alcatel hopes security will get users to switch European telecom equipment maker looks to push into corporate switching, a market long dominated by Cisco.


Capriati Scrambles Past Chladkova Challenge at Open  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Crowd favorite Jennifer Capriati  flirted with disaster before scrambling past Czech Denisa  Chladkova 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the second round of the U.S.  Open on Monday.


Ten dead in Afghanistan bomb blast: US military KABUL : Ten people, most of them youths, were killed and an unknown number were injured when a bomb went off overnight in a religious school in Afghanistan, the US military said.


Flames Engulf Mosque in Netherlands (AP) AP - Flames engulfed a mosque in southeastern Netherlands early Saturday, the latest in a string of fires at Muslim institutions since the killing of a Dutch filmmaker who was critical of Islam.


Preview of SQL Server 2005 Released December 7, 2004 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- According to a report by internetnews.com, Microsoft (microsoft.com) has released the second community technology preview for SQL Server 2005.


Suspended Spain Soccer Game Rescheduled (AP) AP - The soccer game between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad that was suspended because of a bomb threat Sunday will be completed on Jan. 5.


Sudan's Rebels, Government Meet for Talks (AP) AP - Pushed to end what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, envoys of Sudan's government gathered in Nigeria on Monday for talks with rebel leaders in Sudan's bloodied western Darfur region.


Mobile Phone Makers Hoping To Get Boost From 3G Rollout (Investor's Business Daily) Investor's Business Daily - Europe's largest wireless carrier, Vodafone Group, this month said it's expanded its 3G high-speed wireless service to more markets -- and cell phone makers cheered.


NO BABY BLUES FOR GOOSEN Retief Goosen has revealed that he almost decided not to make the trip to Hawaii after the birth of his daughter Ella last Friday.


NBA Game Summary - Detroit At Miami Little Rock, AR -- Dwyane Wade scored 20 points, including eight in the decisive third quarter, to lead the Miami Heat to an 83-74 win over the Detroit Pistons, 83-74, in preseason action.


IBM jumps into Liberty Alliance com October 21, 2004, 7:42 AM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.


Purchase may weigh down Cemex Lorenzo Zambrano gained a reputation as a savvy deal-maker as he led Mexico #39;s Cemex on a spending spree that turned it into the world #39;s third largest cement maker with 15 acquisitions in a dozen years.


De La Hoya, Hopkins worry about Ivan, too Hurricane Ivan could blow away some of the rewards Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins hope to realize from their middleweight showdown here Saturday.


Oil Hits \$53 High on Supply Worries  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices set a new record at \$53 a  barrel on Thursday on concerns over tight winter heating fuel  supplies and news that a strike in Nigeria could put some crude  exports on hold.


Four Los Alamos lab workers fired over security, safety lapses Four laboratory workers were fired from their jobs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory because of their roles in several recent security and safety incidents in the facility.


Five Nations Win Seats on UN Security Council Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania on Friday won coveted two-year terms on the UN Security Council at a time when pressure is mounting to expand the powerful 15-nation body.


Singapore Shares End Flat, But Chinese Stocks Volatile SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore shares ended flat Monday, although many Chinese stocks fell on renewed fears about corporate governance sparked by a newspaper report containing unconfirmed allegations about a businessman linked to Singapore-listed United


Vinatieri stays upright when offense stumbles FOXBOROUGH -- Adam Vinatieri increased his consecutive field goal streak to 16 last night and his first extra point made him the only player besides Gino Cappelletti to score 1,000 points in his Patriots career.


Retailers Post Disappointing Nov. Sales (AP) AP - The nation's retailers had a disappointing start to the holiday season, reporting sluggish sales for November as a much hoped-for surge in Thanksgiving weekend business failed to materialize.


Court extends Stelco protection TORONTO -- Stelco Inc. #39;s protection from creditors was extended to Feb. 11 yesterday at a court hearing where lawyers for shareholders and workers ganged up on a bid by Deutsche Bank to refinance the steelmaker.


Blair hails 'remarkable' Powell (AFP) AFP - Prime Minister Tony Blair paid tribute to outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell, calling him  quot;a remarkable man quot; and a long-time  quot;good friend quot; of Britain.


Software Giant Buys Giant Software Microsoft today announced that it will buy Giant Company Software, a developer of anti-spyware and Internet security offerings. The Redmond, Washington, firm will use technology from the acquisition


Airgo Says Linksys to Use Chips for Wireless Gear  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Airgo Networks said on Monday the  Linksys unit of Cisco System Inc. will use its chips in  equipment for high-speed wireless networking, bolstering  support for the start-up chip maker's technology.


Verizon: No Imminent Plan for Sprint Bid (Reuters) Reuters - Verizon Communications Inc. has\eyed a potential acquisition of Sprint Corp. , but has\no imminent plans to make a bid, people familiar with the\situation said on Tuesday.


Females 'work harder for degrees' \Female undergraduates work harder and are more open-minded than males, leading to better results, say scientists.


Napster to enter ringtone market with Dwango MUMBAI: Napster today announced that it has forged an agreement with Dwango Wireless, a leading mobile developer and publisher of entertainment content to launch Napster Mobile across major North American carriers.


South Korea Says to Pin Down Nature of North Blast (Reuters) Reuters - South Korea is seeking independent\verification on the nature of a huge blast in North Korea last\week, which its communist neighbor has said was linked to a\hydroelectric scheme, Seoul's defense minister said on Tuesday.


Talks will be successful, hopes president NEW YORK, Sept 20: Expressing the hope that there will be a breakthrough in his first meeting with the Indian prime minister, President Pervez Musharraf said here on Sunday he expected the talks to get the impetus they deserved.


Significant thaw in Israeli-Egyptian relations Recent warming considered by defense establishment as event of significant strategic importance. PM associate: It sounds too good to be true.


Israel blocking Arafat burial in Jerusalem Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has reaffirmed that he would block moves to bury Yasser Arafat in Jerusalem, public radio reported Thursday as medical sources said the Palestinian leader was clinically dead.


Stocks Fluctuate on Wal-Mart Sales News NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s warning of disappointing sales sent stocks fluctuating Monday as investors' concerns about a slowing economy offset their relief over a drop in oil prices.    October contracts for a barrel of light crude were quoted at \$46.48, down 24 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange...


Beltran's Bat Ties Series Carlos Beltran homers in a record fifth consecutive postseason game in the eighth inning to carry the Astros over the Cardinals, 6-5, knotting the series at two games apiece.


Mickelson Benched by Sutton at Ryder Cup  BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Phil Mickelson was  relegated to the Ryder Cup sidelines by U.S. captain Hal Sutton  on Friday after the Masters champion and partner Tiger Woods  slumped to two defeats at Oakland Hills.


Seattle forces decisive Game 3 SEATTLE - Betty Lennox scored 27 points, and the Seattle Storm held off the Connecticut Sun, 67-65, on Sunday to force a decisive third game in the WNBA Finals.


Extreme microchips take the heat Japanese scientists say they have tackled one of the last frontiers of semiconductor technology, environments where electronic devices have to run at high power, in fierce heat or at lethal doses of radiation.


California Golden Bears BERKELEY, California (Ticker) -- Behind the running by JJ Arrington and the arm of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, No. 13 California recorded another convincing victory.


Thatcher: I feel like a corpse in a river Sir Mark Thatcher today told how his life had been  quot;destroyed quot; by charges that he helped finance a failed African coup. The son of former prime minister


U.S., Iraqis Battle Resistance in Samarra (AP) AP - Sporadic gunfire echoed through this Sunni Muslim stronghold Saturday as U.S. and Iraqi forces battled pockets of resistance a day after the start of what appeared to be the first major push to regain control of a string of cities before elections in January.


Unlocking the chip's inner Hemingway Can computers get along fine without writers? Word is they just might. Missing Link


Owner #39;s remarks draw big fine The NHL fined Steve Belkin, one of the Thrashers owners, \$250,000 on Tuesday for saying the league could use replacement players next season, the Associated Press reported.


Unisys plans to cut 1,400 workers Unisys Corp. plans to cut 1,400 jobs, or nearly 4 percent of its work force, and consolidate some facility space, moves that will help yield annualized savings of about \$70 million a year by 2005.


PREVIEW-Rugby-England #39;s Robinson era set for high-scoring start England begin the Robinson era on Saturday when coach Andy takes charge for the first time and new captain Jason leads the team out at Twickenham against Canada.


AMD expands global reach To foster the rapid adoption of technology in high-growth markets throughout the world, AMD (www.amd.com) has unveiled a business strategy with initial participants in India, Mexico and the Caribbean to enable 50 percent of the world #39;s population with


Canuck player injured Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau of New Westminster, BC, was taken to a hospital for X-rays on his left hand after being hit by a pitch from Cleveland starter CC Sabathia in the sixth inning yesterday.


Eisner vs Ovitz: this time in court A different Michael is about to take center stage at Walt Disney Co. On Wednesday a nasty and grueling battle between Disney shareholders


McNealy Pitches Desktop Hosting Option In case you missed it, Scott McNealy #39;s big on the subscription model. And, Sun Microsystems is weighing a new desktop hosting initiative to go along with already-announced hosting options.


Koubek beats Gaudio; Henman struggles through Stefan Koubek beat French Open champion Gaston Gaudio 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors. Second-seeded Tim Henman struggled to get through to the quarterfinals for the


Citigroup, Goldman Market \$5.8 Bln Cemex Loan, Mexico #39;s Biggest Citigroup Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. will market a \$5.8 billion loan for Cemex SA to other lenders over coming days, bankers involved in the deal said, in what #39;s the largest-ever credit for a Mexican company.


Heat rout short-handed Nets in Shaq #39;s debut The greatest center in Miami history isn #39;t sure that adding Shaquille O #39;Neal to the Heat lineup this season makes them a sure thing for the NBA Finals.


UPDATE 2-GE to buy SPX fire detection unit for \$1.4 bln General Electric Co. (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said it would buy a fire detection systems business from SPX Corp.


Millions Left Without Power as Hurricane Frances Strikes Four million people were tonight without power in Florida as Hurricane Frances smashed its way across the sunshine state. The storm which has left thousands of British holidaymakers


Citigroup #39;s Krawcheck Named Finance, Strategy Chief (Update1) Citigroup Inc., the world #39;s biggest bank, named Sallie Krawcheck chief financial officer and head of strategy, making her the highest-ranking woman on Wall Street.


Reach of missiles now 2,000 km: Iran TEHRAN - Iran #39;s former president Hashemi Rafsanjani said Tuesday that his country has created missiles that can now reach targets 2,000 kilometres away, a substantial increase from its previous range.


A recollection of time spent with Arafat Landrum Bolling was the US 'back channel' to the Palestine Liberation Organization for years.


Chad hopes to emulate Brady The body of work is not substantial enough to consider Chad Pennington a victim of the Belichick factor. Fair or not, Pennington #39;s five-interception game against the .


Web Posting Claims British Hostage Killed BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Internet posting claimed Saturday that an al-Qaida-linked group has killed British hostage Kenneth Bigley. The claim could not immediately be confirmed, and Britain's Foreign Office described the site where it appeared as "discredited."   Bigley was kidnapped Sept...


EU to Rule on Oracle's Bid for PeopleSoft (AP) AP - European Union regulators will decide Tuesday whether Oracle Corp.'s hostile  #36;7.7 billion bid for rival business software concern PeopleSoft Inc. can proceed, the EU's antitrust chief said Friday.


Sonic, Asbury Cut Estimates, Stocks Fall  DETROIT (Reuters) - Shares of Sonic Automotive Inc. SAH.N  and Asbury Automotive Group Inc. ABG.N fell sharply on  Tuesday after both car dealership companies cut their full-year  earnings estimates, citing the recent hurricanes and a  difficult new and used vehicle market.


Colombia Indians rally for peace Thousands of Colombia's indigenous Indians call on rebels and paramilitaries to respect their lands.


World Report Shows Andean Success Story (AP) AP - While a new environmental report gives a gloomy assessment of human management of the Earth, buried among its charts and graphs is one Andean success story that bucks the trend of a decline in wildlife species: the vicuna, a smaller, fleet-footed cousin of the camel.


Dollar Up Vs. Most Except Yen NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose against almost every one of its main counterparts except the yen on Friday, as technically focused investors shifted positions and considered the implications of spiking oil prices.


Opel plans to reintroduce 40-hour week (AFP) AFP - Troubled German car maker Opel, a unit of General Motors, is planning to extend the working week for employees from 35 to 40 hours without any corresponding rise in pay, the mass-circulation daily Bild reported.


Tools wrap: Sybase, Clear Clear eye data modeling, BPEL (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Sybase later this year will ship PowerDesigner 11.0, an enterprise data modeling tool for building or re-engineering business processes and aligning business and IT goals, according to the company.


The myth of the first 100 days and Susilo #39;s real challenges As he steps into the palace, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must address the unrealistic expectation that he should show substantial achievements within his first 100 days in office.


A Tale of Two Osamas There are some interesting, and telling, differences between the CNN translation of Osama bin Laden's speech, and Aljazeera's.


No. 1 USC 31, Stanford 28 USC had another harrowing trip to the Bay Area. Thanks to their defense and their unstoppable tailback tandem, this one had a much happier ending.


Apple In Battle For ITunes Address A 22 year-old from London, England has made life a little difficult for computer company Apple. In an effort to secure the rights to the .


Comets, Asteroids and Planets around a Nearby Star (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - A nearby star thought to harbor comets and asteroids now appears to be home to planets, too. The presumed worlds are smaller than Jupiter and could be as tiny as Pluto, new observations suggest.


Three red cards in Cardiff The Ulstermen finished the match with nine men while the Welsh, who fought back from 2-0 down, had 10 on the field. The match exploded after just nine minutes when both teams were reduced to 10 men.


Cause of shopping center fire in South Everett under investigation EVERETT  Fire investigators are still trying to determine what caused a two-alarm that destroyed a portion of a South Everett shopping center this morning.


SEC May Lift Information Restrictions The Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday proposed changes to decades-old rules that would allow companies planning new stock offerings to share far more information with investors about the state of their businesses.


Israeli Missiles Hit Palestinian Workshop in Gaza (Reuters) Reuters - Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a\metal foundry in Gaza on Friday, one day after Israel raided\two Gaza camps in response to Palestinian suicide bombings in\Israel this week.


Seattle #39;s Wistrom out 4-6 weeks Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that defensive end Grant Wistrom will be sidelined four to six weeks with a small fracture in his left knee.


Johnny Cash items up for auction More than 650 items belonging to Johnny Cash and his wife June Carter Cash are being auctioned in New York.


Oracle Extends Offer for PeopleSoft (Reuters) Reuters - Business software maker  Oracle\Corp. (ORCL.O) said on Thursday it extended again its  #36;7.7\billion hostile tender offer for PeopleSoft Inc. (PSFT.O), to\Sept. 10, as it awaits a U.S. District Court judge's ruling on\whether the takeover attempt can move forward.


Fighting continues in Najaf At least five loud explosions have been heard near holy sites in the Iraqi city of Najaf. Sniper fire could also he heard coming from the area.


Apple Recalls Batch of PowerBook Batteries Apple, in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, said it would voluntarily recall about 28,000 rechargeable batteries used in its 15-inch PowerBook G4 notebooks.


Anglican Head Warns Against Homophobia Provoked by the rising rate of hate crimes against homosexuals in England, the Archbishop of Canterbury issued a 4 page letter warning the Anglican world against the language of hatred to gays.


Oracle wins antitrust lawsuit for PeopleSoft takeover NEW YORK, September 10 (New Ratings) - Oracle Corp (ORCL.NAS) won the antitrust suit yesterday for its hostile takeover bid for rival PeopleSoft Inc (PSFT), the world #39;s second largest provider of enterprise application software.


Buzzing bin empties airport A VIBRATING sex toy was mistaken for a bomb, causing the emergency evacuation of a crowded Mackay Airport yesterday morning. The drama left the toy #39;s owner, a 26-year-old NSW man, acutely embarrassed.


Women #39;s volleyball: Russia defeats Brazil to reach finals Russia defeated Brazil in five sets in Athens on Thursday to cruise into the final of the women #39;s volleyball in the Athens Olympics.


Save me, Mr. Blair Chained and shackled and caged like an animal, British hostage Ken Bigley sobbed into a terrorist #39;s camera and moved America #39;s staunchest ally to say he is willing to  quot;respond quot; to the men who beheaded the captive #39;s two US colleagues.


Summary: Cuba Does Away With Dollars (AP) AP - BUCK STOPS HERE: Cuba announces that dollars will no longer be accepted in stores and businesses, saying it is trying to regain control of its economy as Washington cracks down on the flow of the U.S. currency to Cuba. A convertible peso will be put in circulation.


Tokyo Stocks Open Up on Banks, Exporters  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average opened up 0.54  percent on Monday with banks and exporters leading the way as a  stronger finish on Wall Street and declining oil prices soothed  worries over the global economic outlook.


One third of IT managers struggling with XP SP2 A third of IT managers have admitted that they have  quot;no idea what to expect quot; when deploying Microsoft #39;s Windows XP Service Pack 2, new research has claimed.


Grokster case set for Supreme Court WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case focusing on whether peer-to-peer (P-to-P) software vendors should be penalized for unauthorized file trading when their software is used.


Mars Rovers Planners Plot Crater  #39;Escape #39; LOS ANGELES Oct. 7, 2004 - NASA #39;s Mars rovers don #39;t seem to be wearing out, so mission planners have begun to think more boldly including a plan to let one climb up a steep slope from a crater it has been exploring to set out across a plain.


Open Season on Others' Ideas Free riders have hit the jackpot in the digital revolution, and we'd better deal with it.


Genesis Space Capsule to Come to Utah Tomorrow They #39;ve waited, they #39;ve watched, they #39;ve practiced over and over again what to do. Tomorrow it #39;s really going to happen!


EMC makes run for SMBs with Dantz buy EMC has made yet another software acquisition, picking up Dantz Development Corp. today for help in the backup market. Dantz is the 15th software maker EMC has picked up since 2000, along with big names such as VMware and Legato.


Stocks Fall on Alcoa, Visteon Warnings NEW YORK - Investors worried about third quarter earnings looked past a surprise drop in wholesale prices, keeping stocks mixed Friday. Blue-chips dropped on profit warnings from Dow component Alcoa Inc...


Vols lose top linebacker for season with injury Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer compared losing linebacker Kevin Simon to a knee injury this week to the loss of tailback Jamal Lewis in 1998.


Bobcats earn first victory Gerald Wallace slid face-first off the court after a hard foul, popped back up and looked at the scoreboard. He wasn't seeing things -- the Charlotte Bobcats really were on their way to the first win in franchise history.


US, Iraqi Troops Occupy Fallujah as Violence Spreads Other Cities American and Iraqi forces are almost entirely in control of Fallujah, after a week of fighting in which 38 American troops, six Iraqi soldiers and an estimated 1,200 insurgents have been killed.


Korean Troops Deploy in Iraq, Meet Kurdish (Reuters) Reuters - South Korea's military completed\deployment of its 2,800-strong contingent in Iraq on Wednesday\and its commander said protecting his troops was at the top of\his agenda.


Europe on Top as Woods, Mickelson Struggle (Reuters) Reuters - The heavyweight\United States duo of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were on\track for their second defeat of the day as Europe maintained a\stranglehold at the 35th Ryder Cup on Friday.


Video games 'good for children' Computer games can promote problem-solving and team-building in children, say games industry experts.


Where Only the Antelope Roam Smaller cellphone companies are feeling pressures from national carriers entering rural areas now that urban markets are saturated.


Bryant watches selection of jurors EAGLE (Colorado): Basketball star Kobe Bryant dodged photographers Tuesday and slipped through a back entrance into the court for the third day of jury selection for his rape trial.


Inflation Mild,Mid-Atlantic Factories Off  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose a slight  0.1 percent in August while activity at mid-Atlantic factories  slumped this month, according to reports on Thursday seen  boosting chances of a pause later this year in the Federal  Reserve's drive to raise interest rates.


Best Buy initiates a battle of the brands With HP and others offering direct sales, the brick-and-mortar giant is fighting fire with fire, offering its own products alongside theirs.


Australian Oil-Related Stocks Drop; Australian Leisure Rises Australian oil-related stocks fell, led by Woodside Petroleum Ltd., after crude futures had the biggest decline in more than a month.


British Music Fans Decry ITunes Pricing (PC World) PC World - Consumer group complains of higher prices in U.K. than elsewhere in Europe.


FBI Helps Probe of Blast at US Stem-Cell Lab FBI agents are helping investigate an explosion at a Boston-area laboratory specializing in stem-cell research, and a newspaper said on Friday the blast was caused by a pipe bomb.


Apple beats 4Q forecasts with fivefold increase in iPod sales NEW YORK, October 14 (newratings.com) - Apple Computer (AAPL.NAS) reported its highest fourth-quarter sales in the past nine years for 4Q FY04, while the company #39;s quarterly profits more than doubled on ay/y basis.


Sen. Boxer Tries Her Hand at Fiction (AP) AP - Infighting and power, alliances and revenge  #151; it's just another day in the Capitol. California Sen. Barbara Boxer has mined her workplace for a suspense novel in which the main character is an activist senator who does battle with right-wing ideologues.


In Return, P. Johnson Signs With the Ravens Wide receiver Patrick Johnson was smiling when he walked into the Baltimore Ravens #39; locker room after practice on Monday afternoon.


Google Apple desktop search p2pnet.net News:-  quot;We intend to do it, quot; Google chief executive Eric Schmidt told a University of California-Los Angeles conference, recently.


Soyuz Capsule Lands on Kazakhstan Steppe American astronaut Mike Fincke, front , and Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Shargin, third, get off a plane at the Chkalovsky airport, just outside Moscow, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, while heading to Moscow #39;s Star City, the home-base of Russia #39;s space program.


Pandolfo gives Rockets a lift When a tournament winds down to the final rounds, the teams with the best players usually hold the advantage. Fortunately for Reading, it had the best field hockey player in the game last night.


#39;I #39;ve never been so scared #39; IT TOOK until the third of their four goals against Newcastle United last Saturday before the home supporters launched into their ironic chants of  quot;Boring, boring Chelsea quot;.


Market Report A flurry of corporate updates failed to inspire investors today as the FTSE 100 Index slipped back towards the 4700 barrier. Catering group Compass and Rentokil


Bush fights  #39;in the red #39; menace For Bush #39;s dad, it was  #39;the economy, stupid #39;: Bill Clinton swept into the White House 12 years ago on a wave of pessimism about the  #39;jobless recovery #39; from the early 1990s recession, confirming the received wisdom that what really matters on polling day


China: Efforts to Cool Economy Working The head of China #39;s central bank said on Sunday Beijing #39;s efforts to curb excessive credit growth were bearing fruit, increasing chances the country #39;s booming economy would achieve a  quot;soft landing.


Nortel Wins \$5 Million Contract for BT Virtual Call Center Nortel said that the Internet-protocol infrastructure at BT will reduce costs and boost efficiency by making it easier to operate agents across multiple sites,  quot;allowing dispersed teams to seamlessly work together as if in a single contact center location


Storms, late holiday contributed to largest drop in 3 years WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The number of workers filing for state unemployment benefits plunged by 44,000 in the week ending Sept. 4 to 319,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.


Cheney, Edwards prepare for debate as race tightens (AFP) AFP - US Vice President Dick Cheney will square off with his Democratic rival John Edwards in a televised debate that suddenly takes on importance for the Republicans after George W. Bush's tepid showing last week.


Expos Fans Say Farewell at Shea Stadium (AP) AP - Joe Palau had an advantage over most Montreal Expos fans who wanted to say goodbye at the team's last game.


Longtime Blackhawks Coach Billy Reay Dies (AP) AP - Billy Reay, who played on two Stanley Cup champions with Montreal and became the winningest coach in Chicago Blackhawks' history, died at 86.


Rox ask Kennedy to derail Dodgers com. Rockies lefty Joe Kennedy will make his second start against the Los Angeles Dodgers this season on Saturday at Coors Field in Game 2 of a three-game set.


Putting Their Own  Stamp On Postage It seemed like a clever idea. This summer, a small Web company, Stamps.com, partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to let people put their own photos on 37-cent first-class stamps.


German recovery already running out of steam: research institutes (AFP) AFP - The German economy, which grew strongly in the first half of this year on the back of robust exports, will see a slowdown next year as a result of the braking effects of runaway oil prices and a tailing off of foreign demand for German-made goods, top research institutes warned.


Dollar Slips Vs Yen as U.S. Data Awaited  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar edged down against the yen on  Monday, extending losses made after a decline in U.S. producer  prices led investors to question whether the Federal Reserve  would raise interest rates in September and beyond.


Nikkei Up But Caution Looms Before Fed  TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average rose 0.13 percent  by midday on Tuesday as investors sought bargains among  technology firms, but gains were limited by caution ahead of a  monetary policy meeting in the United States.


Cadillac Escalade EXT, Nissan Maxima most likely to be stolen (Washington-AP, October 19, 2004, 8:54 am) It seems as though lots of people want a Cadillac Escalade EXT. But those who have one didn #39;t necessarily pay for it.


Sub tragedy may divert Martin's first major foreign tour as PM (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - The tragic events aboard HMCS Chicoutimi may divert Paul Martin's first major foreign tour as prime minister.


Motorola, Hong Kong-listed Proview end TV manufacturing agreement BEIJING (AFX) - US technology giant Motorola Inc and Hong Kong-listed monitor maker Proview International Holdings have ended their agreement to jointly develop television sets due to  quot;differences in product marketing strategies and goals for the North


PeopleSoft Warming To Oracle #39;s Offer? What Oracle CEO Larry Ellison has longed to hear from PeopleSoft behind closed doors instead floated to the surface in a Delaware courthouse.


Huge fire erupts at ammunition depot in eastern India; thousands evacuated (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - NEW DELHI (AP) - Firefighters and police evacuated thousands of villagers and battled a huge fire Thursday in a government ammunition depot in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, police said.


Google feels lucky, surpasses Web rival Yahoo Google rose \$14.97 to close at \$187.40 per share, giving it a market value of \$51.4 billion compared to \$47.9 billion for Internet rival Yahoo.


Shot put winner stripped of gold ATHENS, Greece -- The winner of Wednesday #39;s women #39;s shot put has been stripped of her gold medal after failing a drugs test after the competition.


Counsell returns to Diamondbacks Shortstop Craig Counsell returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks, agreeing Wednesday to a \$2.7 million, two-year contract. Arizona traded Counsell to the Milwaukee Brewers after the 2003 season


Danielle murder accused remanded The family of drive-by shooting victim Danielle Beccan were in court to see the man accused of her murder in the dock. Mark Ontonio Kelly ,20, is accused of killing the 14-year-old as she walked home with


US says Taliban plans foiled Afghan intelligence agents backed by international peacekeeping troops have arrested 60 people, with  quot;reported ties quot; to the Taliban, according to a spokesman for the peacekeepers .


Martin holds on for third win in Rally Catalunya Motorsport.com. Markko Martin, never known as a tarmac specialist, took his second win in a row, and again on an asphalt rally, claiming the win Rally Catalunya by 23.


ING ends link with Baring name Dutch bank ING, which paid 1 for Baring, the British investment bank brought to the brink by Nick Leeson, is to sell its remaining Baring division.


Intel Sees Web Buckling, Invests in New Systems (Reuters) Reuters - Intel Corp.  on Thursday\outlined its vision of the Internet of the future, one in which\millions of computer servers would analyze and direct network\traffic to make the Web safer and more efficient.


XP price cut may be just the beginning (SiliconValley.com) SiliconValley.com - A tiny yet important crack has opened, with little notice, in the great Windows monopoly that surrounds personal computing.


Duce Staley Makes Big Impact on Steelers (AP) AP - For the first time in years, Duce Staley didn't mind being pulled from a game. As Steelers fans chanted, "Duce, Duce, Duce" during his third consecutive 100-yard game Sunday, Staley sat down late in the third quarter of Pittsburgh's 34-23 victory over Cleveland and never returned.


Kapler First to Bolt World Series Champs (AP) AP - Gabe Kapler became the first player to leave the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo.


Revlon 3rd-Quarter Loss Widens  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cosmetics maker Revlon Inc. REV.N on  Wednesday said its third-quarter net loss widened on  refinancing costs and declining sales.


Voller: My resignation best way of helping Roma The German offered his resignation immediately after Saturday #39;s 3-1 defeat at Bologna, but was asked by director general Franco Baldini to reconsider.


Sharman begins defense in Kazaa case Sharman Networks, the company behind the Kazaa peer-to-peer file sharing software, began its defence in a Sydney court room on Tuesday against charges by members of the music industry that the company aided music piracy and copyright infringement.


Lithuania Upsets the United States The U.S. men's basketball team lost to Lithuania, 94-90, today at the Olympic Games.


FDA's home county eyes Canadian drugs The county that is home to the Food and Drug Administration took a first step yesterday toward buying prescription drugs from Canada, despite FDA warnings that such a practice would be illegal.


Louisville holds off Memphis Eric Shelton scored his fourth touchdown with 37 seconds left, and No. 14 Louisville held off Memphis, 56-49, last night.


Movie Gallery Bids on Hollywood Chain DOTHAN, Ala. - Video rental chain Movie Gallery Inc. on Friday said it has made an offer to acquire Hollywood Entertainment Corp., countering a \$700 million takeover proposed last week by Blockbuster Inc.


Sybase Server Available On IBM Linux Hardware (TechWeb) TechWeb - Sybase Inc. on Tuesday said it plans to ship next year a version of its Linux-based database on IBM's eServer systems.


Growth May Slow After Third-Qtr. Rebound: US Economy Preview The US economy accelerated in the third quarter as consumers rediscovered a penchant to spend, economists forecast the government to report this week.


Crude Oil, Natural Gas Rise as Ivan Disrupts US Gulf Output Crude oil rose and natural gas soared in New York as the approach of Hurricane Ivan disrupted production and tanker shipments in the Gulf of Mexico, where a quarter of US oil and natural gas is pumped.


Drought Aid Colors S.D. Senate Race (AP) AP - How political can it be for Congress to help farmers and ranchers suffering from a drought? Judge by the television viewing habits of Sen. George Allen of Virginia, who heads the Senate's Republican campaign operation.


Kerry's Disgusting Ad \\A few days ago Kerry sent around this ad:\\"Yesterday, the Bush-Cheney campaign, losing any last sense of decency, placed\a disgusting ad called "The Faces of John Kerry's Democratic Party" as the\main feature on its website. Bizarrely, and without explanation, the ad places\Adolf Hitler among those faces."\\"The Bush-Cheney campaign must pull this ad off of its website. The use of\Adolf Hitler by any campaign, politician or party is simply wrong."\\Which of course is a mistake.  I went and downloaded the video (which is just\stupid btw.  Not a masterpiece by any means.) and there are shots of Hitler in\there, but only from the MoveOn contest from a few months back.\\Here's the problem.  The ...\\


Hole-hearted attempt THE fastest-swivelling space science observatory rocketed into orbit yesterday to scan the universe for violent celestial explosions, which astronomers believe represent the birth screams of black holes.


China to cut public spending in 2005 The Chinese Government will trim spending next year in an effort to slow economic growth to a more sustainable pace. Vice Finance Minister Lou Jiwei says China will reduce the


Call for inquiry into benefits computer crash Union leaders today called for an inquiry into a massive computer crash which disabled the government #39;s benefits system, forcing civil servants to write out giro cheques by hand.


Microsoft FAT Patent Claim  quot;Bogus quot; Microsoft #39;s patent on the File Allocation Table disk format has been rejected by the US Patent Office, on the grounds that it should never have been granted in the first place.


Despite All the Criticism, the B.C.S. Has Produced a Classic Matchup On Tuesday night, when No. 1 Southern California and No. 2 Oklahoma meet in the Orange Bowl, all the foibles about the B.C.S. will move to the background.


Ahold Reaches A Settlement With the S.E.C. Royal Ahold and its two former top executives reached a settlement on Wednesday with the S.E.C. in connection with a multibillion-dollar accounting scandal.


Soreness nagged him through camp It took 12 weeks for the Green Bay Packers to work out a deal with Tim Couch, six weeks to get him in uniform and five weeks to decide he wasn #39;t capable of playing in their offense.


China's Local Growth Economy Still Strong (AP) AP - China's investment in construction and factory equipment, a key growth indicator, slowed slightly in November on lower public spending, but local-level investments surged, the government reported Thursday.


Big Jake makes his mark he #39;s the tallest, most solidly-built player in international cricket at the moment. The next thing that gets your attention


Analysts See More U.S. Newspaper Consolidation Ahead (Reuters) Reuters - A wave of consolidation in the U.S.\newspaper industry could be on the way as publishers grapple\with a maturing industry that faces stiff competition from\television and the Internet, publishing experts say.


Lecavalier signs with Russian team, says Richards headed there <b>...</b> Vincent Lecavalier signed with a Russian team Thursday to play during the NHL lockout and said Tampa Bay Lightning teammate Brad Richards will be joining him.


Investors on Alert for Earnings Warnings (Reuters) Reuters - Investors are expected to focus on oil\prices and corporate earnings outlooks this week, and the\slightest warning about company revenues could weigh on stocks.


Senate's Cellular Stand (The Motley Fool) The Motley Fool - It's been four months to the day since I last wrote on the subject of the cell phone industry's plan to publish your unlisted cell phone number for all the world to see -- and charge you for the privilege. Fortunately, the U.S. Senate has not been sitting on its hands all this while. Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill on the proposed "E411" cell phone directory, sending it on to the full Senate for a floor vote.


Petrino tries to end rumors, says he #39;s staying at U of L Trying to put rumors about his candidacy for other coaching jobs to rest and quiet speculation among recruits that he wouldn #39;t be at U of L much longer, Petrino Tuesday afternoon issued his most definitive statement yet about the situation.


Brown, Vazquez Flop for Yanks in Game 7 (AP) AP - Kevin Brown had a chance to claim a place in Yankees postseason history with his start in Game 7 of the AL championship series.


Rwandan, Kenyan Named Winners of 2004 Conservation Award Two wildlife champions, Michel Masozera, Rwanda country director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Ali Kaka, executive director of Kenya's East African Wild Life Society, are this year's winners of the National Geographic Society/Buffett Award for Leadership in African Conservation.


Japan seeks UN payback with permanent Security Council seat (AFP) AFP - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pitched Japan's bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat to world leaders, calling it just reward for Tokyo's contributions to global peace and security.


ESPN to Launch Mobile Phone Service in Sprint Deal  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co.'s DIS.N ESPN  sports television network is launching its own brand of mobile  phone service in a deal with Sprint Corp. FON.N intended to  lure new users with sports news sent over a next-generation  network, the companies said on Wednesday.


Treasury Prices Falter Before Auctions  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasuries faltered on Tuesday  after a blistering two-session rally ran out of steam, though  analysts still saw room to the upside given the large  short-base in the market.


Duo boost England hopes Luke Donald and Paul Casey took a giant stride towards what would be only the second-ever victory for England in golf #39;s World Cup.


Golf Roundup Han leads by two in Wendy #39;s tourney Han, the 2003 champion and 2002 runner-up, shot an even-par 72 in the third round yesterday to take a two-shot lead. Han had earlier rounds of 66 and 70 at the rain-soaked and muddy Tartan Fields Golf Club and was at 8-under-par 208.


Double MyDoom for Internet Explorer flaw A second MyDoom offshoot is taking advantage of an unpatched security hole in Microsoft's Web browser to spread.


Magical McGrath has India seeking a miracle The 10-day Hindu festival of Dussehra is being celebrated in these parts. It is associated with the vanquishing of demons, though whether these will include Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne today is doubtful.


Charles Schwab fined \$350,000 Charles Schwab Corp. said Tuesday it has agreed to pay a fine of \$350,000 related to the processing of certain mutual fund orders.


Microsoft Judge Skeptical LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 1 -- A European judge today cast a skeptical eye on whether Microsoft Corp. should be forced to create two versions of its Windows operating system, one with its program for playing digital music and videos and one without.


Yamaha Offering Free Authoring Tools for Adding Dynamic HAMAMATSU CITY, Japan - (BUSINESS WIRE) -ov. 1, 2004  -aha Corporation, the worlds largest manufacturer of musical instruments and an established leader in digital audio, is today offering free


Assad and Mubarak call for total Lebanese sovereignty (AFP) AFP - Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, called for Lebanon's sovereignty to be respected, rejecting international condemnation of Damascus' interference in its smaller neighbour's politics.


Schultz:  #39;Bittersweet #39; As Starbucks #39; Smith Plans To Retire Decaffeinating: Starbucks (nasdaq: SBUX - news - people ) President and Chief Executive Orin Smith on Tuesday said he plans to retire early next year, because he wants to  quot;slow down.


German welfare rallies escalate Thousands of people have marched through cities across Germany in renewed protests against welfare cuts.


Cup of Civility on Menu Once the Ryder Cup matches begin Friday at Oakland Hills Country Club, the ideals of sportsmanship and civility will be more difficult to achieve than they are to talk about.


Lions 28, Giants 13 After going three years without winning on the road, the Detroit Lions are unbeatable away from the Motor City. Joey Harrington threw two touchdown passes, and Chris Cash made a diving interception in the


Soccer: Ancelotti applauds formidable Shevchenko ROME : AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti believes there is much more to Andriy Shevchenko than just finding the net after the Ukrainian striker scored his 100th Serie A goal.


Injured Castro  #39;still in control #39; CUBAN President Fidel Castro, 87, wrote from his hospital bed today that he was doing well after an operation on a knee he broke in a fall.


Britain's Straw to Keep World Pressure on Sudan  LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw  flew to Sudan on Monday to keep up international pressure on  Khartoum to comply with U.N. demands to end the conflict in  Darfur that has already killed up to 50,000 people.


Cowboys back in saddle Bill Parcells wants to develop Drew Henson into an NFL quarterback and he wants to win games. If he has to pick one, he'll take winning every time.


Major Tokyo Quake Expected Within 50 Years (AP) AP - Japan's capital has a 90 percent chance of being devastated by a major earthquake some time in the next 50 years, according to a study by a government panel.


Why Mego had to go Gary Megson dug himself into one almighty hole by announcing his decision to leave at the end of the season, it #39;s a strategy that never works whether it comes from the manager himself or the boardroom.


Federer Beats Agassi to Reach Open Semifinals Roger Federer posted a huge win in the howling wind, beating two-time champion Andre Agassi 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.


Internet is a victim of its own success It is the news that internet users do not want to hear: the worldwide web is in danger of collapsing around us. Patrick Gelsinger, the chief technology officer for computer chip maker Intel, told a conference


Capgemini plans 500 more jobs in India by April Indian subsidiary has grown from around 300 staff early last year to about 2,000 today, and serves over 100 customers around the world.


From spam king to spymaster In what could prove to be one of the great second acts in Internet history, erstwhile king of spam Sanford Wallace takes center stage this week as exhibit A in a federal crackdown on invasive online advertising software.


Cisco to set up R D lab in Shanghai BEIJING -- Cisco Systems Inc. plans to open a research and development (R D) center in Shanghai that will focus on developing VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, the company's chief executive officer (CEO) said Thursday.


Navistar Up 2.7 Percent in Pre-Trade (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of Navistar International Corp.\ rose 2.7 percent before the bell on Monday after the\commercial truck maker said it expects higher fourth-quarter\earnings and revenue.


West has broken hand Just two games into his return from a fractured right thumb, Delonte West suffered a broken right hand that will keep the rookie point guard out indefinitely. West broke his hand on an innocuous-looking fall early in the second quarter against Miami Sunday night. He iced the hand at halftime and came back to play in the ...


Aziz elected Pakistani premier Former finance minister Shaukat Aziz has been elected as Pakistan #39;s prime minister in a rubber-stamp parliamentary vote boycotted by the entire opposition.


It #39;s Too Soon for Kodak to Smile and Say  #39;Cheese #39; Opinion: Despite Kodak #39;s initial victory in its Java patent dispute with Sun, the company will be hard-pressed to prove it deserves a \$1 billion settlement.


Dutch Clear Van Gogh Slay Suspects (AP) AP - Six men arrested following the slaying of filmmaker Theo van Gogh are no longer suspects in the killing, but still face charges for belonging to a terrorist group, authorities said Tuesday.


Saudi jails  #39;seditious #39; academic A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a university professor to five years in jail for sowing dissent and sedition. Hard-line Islamist academic Said bin Zair was arrested in April on charges of condoning suicide


U.S. Bombs Fallujah; Eight Dead, 15 Hurt (AP) AP - U.S. warplanes, tanks and artillery units attacked the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah on Saturday, killing at least eight people and wounding 15, hospital officials and witnesses said.


ConocoPhillips seeks 25 stake in Russia #39;s Lukoil NEW YORK, August 27 (New Ratings) - ConocoPhillips (COP.NYS) is reportedly seeking to buy up to a 25 stake in the Russian oil company, Lukoil, which contributes 19 each to the country #39;s crude oil output and reserves.


Werder Bremen #39;s Ismael claims unwanted record MILAN September 15 (SW) - Werder Bremens Valerian Ismael earned himself an unenviable place in Champions League record books after only five minutes of his teams 2-0 defeat at Inter when the French defender became the recipient of the fastest


HK legislative poll points to the future When the British ruled Hong Kong, as pro-Beijing politicians are fond of pointing out, the territory #39;s people had no direct influence over the way they were governed.


Toutatis: Almost Too Close for Comfort The asteroid Toutatis last flew close by Earth in 1992 and 1996, but it has not come as close to us as it will this year since 1353. On Wednesday morning, scientists and skywatchers alike will be able to witness its passage within only four Earth-moon distances.