Bank of America Vice Chairman to Retire Bank of America Corp., the third-largest bank in the United States, said Thursday that vice chairman James H. Hance, Jr., will retire at the end of January 2005 after nearly 18 years with the company.


IT heavyweights line up on MegaGrid  quot;A-list quot; IT suppliers Oracle Corp, EMC Corp, Dell Corp, and Intel Corp have banded together to forge an alliance to develop the grid computing systems of tomorrow.


Yukos unit to be sold for knockdown \$4 bn The Russian government yesterday night appeared to be preparing to sell the main asset of Yukos, the countrys embattled oil company, for as little as \$4 billion - a fraction of its fair value -n a move analysts branded as daylight robbery


Key New England games UCONN (5-2) vs. SYRACUSE (3-4) When, where: Tomorrow, 1:30 p.m., at Syracuse, N.Y. Last season: First meeting. Comments: UConn is coming off a 45-31 victory against Temple. Dan Orlovsky became UConn's career leader in TD passes. He was 18 of 26 for 260 yards, with two TDs and one interception. LBs Maurice Lloyd and Alfred Fincher combined for 29 tackles ...


Mideast awaits Powell visit Israel has said it would consider any formal request to pull troops away from West Bank cities to facilitate a Palestinian presidential election, ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Colin Powell.


Panel Urges Sharing of Data on Germs (AP) AP - The value of freely sharing data on dangerous germs so vaccines and treatments can be developed outweighs the danger that bioterrorists may use the information to do harm, a scientific panel concluded Thursday.


Irishman Gets Suspended Jail Term for Pushing Runner  ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek court Monday gave a former Irish  priest a suspended 12-month jail sentence and a 3,000 euro fine  for pushing a leading Olympic marathon runner off the road, a  court source said.


Probe arrives at Moon's gateway European spacecraft Smart is set to enter into orbit around the Moon on Monday.


Ivan Lashes Cuba With 160 Mph Winds PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba - Packing ferocious winds and whipping up monstrous waves, Hurricane Ivan's eye brushed Cuba's sparsely populated western tip as a treacherous Category 5 storm - the most powerful - and barreled north toward the U.S. Gulf Coast...


Protesters Ransack Russian Gov #39;t Offices Hundreds of protesters ransacked and occupied the regional administration building in a southern Russian province Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the


Unions in plea to Jaguar bosses Unions are locked in talks with Jaguar bosses in the hope of  persuading them not to stop car production at the Browns Lane factory in Coventry.


Ballots Pour Into Afghan Counting Centers KABUL, Afghanistan - Ballot boxes poured into counting centers Monday for a tally of the troubled presidential election in Afghanistan amid signs an opposition boycott was wavering after at least two candidates agreed to accept the ruling of an independent panel's inquiry.    Election organizers hope their decision, announced late Sunday, to establish a panel of about three foreign election experts to investigate the balloting will end the boycott, which many fear could seriously undermine the winner's ability to rule this war-ravaged nation...


Lawyers say Australian terror suspect likely to be freed from Guantanamo (AFP) AFP - Lawyers for Australian terror suspect Mamdouh Habib were confident he would soon be released from the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay.


Singer being moved to French jail French rock star Bertrand Cantat, jailed in Lithuania for killing his lover, is going home to serve his sentence.


Blast, Mushroom Cloud Reported in N. Korea SEOUL, South Korea - A large explosion occurred in the northern part of North Korea, sending a huge mushroom cloud into the air on an important anniversary of the communist regime, a South Korean news agency reported Sunday.    The Yonhap news agency, citing an unidentified source in Beijing, said the explosion happened Thursday in Yanggang province near the border with China...


Astronauts May Soon Wear Germ-Fighting Clothes KINSTON, N.C. (AP) -- Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, undersea explorers are living a safer life thanks to germ-fighting clothing made in Kinston...


Can Glaser, Jobs find harmony? RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser has survived longer than most in the Internet business, largely by pulling rabbits out of his hat when the competition least expects it.


Mavericks Beat Warriors 101-98 in Overtime (AP) AP - Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, including the opening basket in overtime that put Dallas ahead to stay, and the Mavericks remained unbeaten with a 101-98 victory over winless Golden State on Monday night.


Ebbers #39; Trial Delayed New York (Oct. 20, 2004) - A federal judge has granted defense lawyers #39; request to delay the trial of former WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers by two months, according to published reports.


Henry: Record not enough Arsenal striker Thierry Henry says reaching their milestone on Sunday will mean nothing if they don #39;t win anything. The5-3 win over Middlesbrough equalled Nottingham Forest #39;s 42-game unbeaten League run, set 25 years ago.


Asteroid Toutatis Cape Town - If the giant asteroid Toutatis, which closely missed earth on Wednesday, hit a place such as the Mother City, the entire city and all its suburbs would have disappeared in an instant.


Congress drops tobacco curbs in tax bill Smoking foes, led by Ohio Republican Sen. Mike DeWine, yesterday vowed to continue their fight for government regulation of tobacco products, shortly


Foodland gets offer for Australian unit SYDNEY Metcash Trading, Australia #39;s biggest grocery wholesaler, said Monday that it had offered 846 million Australian dollars, or \$660 million, in cash or stock for Foodland Associated #39;s Australian business, to complete a nationwide distribution network.


Update 4: Alitalia Reportedly to Cut 5,000 Jobs Its future at stake, Italy #39;s flagship air carrier Alitalia said Monday it plans to cut 5,000 jobs - almost a fourth of its workforce - as part of restructuring efforts aimed at averting collapse.


Two More IE Holes Surface Security researchers are warning of another pair of vulnerabilities in Microsoft Corp. #39;s Internet Explorer browser affecting users on fully patched Windows XP Service Pack 2 systems.


Phelps Adds New Olympic Triumph (Reuters) Reuters - American teen-ager Michael Phelps, one\of the superstars of the 2004 Athens Games, added a seventh\medal Friday night to his collection of Olympic keepsakes but\new doping scandals tarnished world sporting's greatest event.


Automatic Data Posts Higher 1Q Profit Automatic Data Processing Inc., a provider of payroll and financial processing services, on Monday posted a 7 percent rise in first-quarter profit, helped by strong national account sales and heightened demand for its employer services.


Spurrier reportedly to lead USC after Holtz #39;s retirement (Columbia-AP) Nov. 19, 2004 - Following news Lou Holtz announced his pending retirement to his Gamecock players before practice Thursday, the attention of South Carolina fans turns to the man who will reportedly replace him, Steve Spurrier.


U.S. Seeks to Throw Out Terror Convictions WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has asked a judge to throw out the convictions of a suspected terror cell in Detroit because of prosecutorial misconduct, reversing course in a case the Bush administration once hailed as a major victory in the war on terrorism, legal sources said Tuesday.    The department told U.S...


Novak topples Henman to advance to semi-finals Jiri Novak made Tim Henman #39;s life as miserable yesterday as he did at this summer #39;s Olympics, toppling the second-seeded Briton 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the euro989,750 (US\$1.


Ambrose wants hat-trick Motorsport crowned a new king in the V8 Supercars last night when Ford #39;s Marcos Ambrose swept to successive championship titles in the final round of the season at Eastern Creek.


Politically Savvy IT Managers Key to Grid Project Success SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - PHILADELPHIA -- Information technology managers embarking on grid computing projects could get some tips from the candidates in this election season.


China, Linux Could Put PalmSource in the Catbird Seat Opinion: While the Palm Inc. spinoff has had a tough infancy, its acquisition of China MobileSoft promises to position it as a formidable contender in the emerging mobile market.


FCC Clears Broadband over Power Lines Barriers The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way for Internet access over the same infrastructure that carries electricity to homes and businesses in America.


Al Qaeda to Attempt Major Marine Attack -Report Al Qaeda will attempt an attack on a key maritime target in the next 12 months with potentially devastating economic consequences, UK security experts said on Friday.


Conference Gives Iraq Democracy First Test (AP) AP - Despite the steady clang of mortar shells outside and persistent violence in the country, many delegates at the opening on Sunday of Iraq's National Conference held out hope that this first fragile taste of democracy would succeed.


No Taxation on Net Connections Internet users will not have to pay a tax for their connection service after Congress passes legislation blocking local governments from charging such a levy.


Two US marines killed in Iraq #39;s Fallujah Two US marines were killed on Thursday in the flashpoint city of Fallujah, where US marines are fighting pockets of insurgents, a US military spokesman said in a statement Saturday.


Africa's Penguins Still Reeling From "Guano Craze" Faced with the lingering effects of a 19th-century trade in seabird excrement and more modern pressures, jackass penguins are struggling to recover, conservationists say.


Mozilla Releases Thunderbird (Article Central) The Mozilla Foundation launched version 1.0 of its email management software Thunderbird in advance of the official release this Tuesday.


Edmilson The Latest Barca Casualty New Barcelona defender Edmilson is set to go under the knife after injuring himself against Numancia on Sunday. The Brazilian hurt his knee during the 1-0 win, after falling badly following an aerial challenge.


Wannstedt Quits As Miami Coach Miami Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt called it quits today midway through a dismal season that began with the retirement of running back Ricky Williams and has left the team with the NFL #39;s worst record at 1-8.


-Posted by david.berlind  6:57 am (PDT) ThoughMicrosoft #39;s Web site appears to indicated otherwise, the company has acknowledged that, going forward, critical Internet Explorer security updates will only be available for Internet Explorer(IE) running on Windows XP.


Microsoft braces for EU anti-trust appeal hearing US software giant Microsoft said Monday it will abide by whatever ruling is handed down by a European appeal court hearing due this week against an EU condemnation for abusing its market dominance.


Ministers Discuss Kashmir Dispute The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan met today to try to find a lasting resolution to the dispute over Kashmir, the cause of two wars between the nuclear rivals.


Foxes turn to Wilkinson Former Sunderland and Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson has been appointed temporary first-team coach of Leicester. Bassett told Sky Sports News:  quot;I spoke to Howard about helping Leicester out and he #39;s accepted that situation.


It #39;s black  amp; red and signed by U2 To fend off increasing competition from other players, Apple Computer has retaliated with a secret weapon. It has introduced a new larger-capacity iPod with a colour display as well as a first-of-its-kind digital compendium of the rock band U2 #39;s songs.


Stocks Set to Rise; Retail and Apple Eyed (Reuters) Reuters - Stock futures rose on Monday, pointing\to a firmer open, as investors pinned hopes on a solid start to\the holiday shopping season, while Apple Computer Inc \was helped by another brokerage raising its price target on the\stock.


Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 to support Indian languages Red Hat Inc.'s Enterprise Linux 4 products, scheduled for release early next year, will support five Indian languages, reflecting the growing importance of the Indian market, according to an executive of the Raleigh, North Carolina-based Linux company.


EU, U.S. in Contact with Hamas, Group Leader Says (Reuters) Reuters - The United States and the European Union\are in contact with Palestinian militant group Hamas despite\having listed it as a terrorist organization, a Hamas leader\said in an interview broadcast on Monday.


They have bond You may have seen Patriots owner Robert Kraft sitting with Red Sox owner John Henry at Fenway Park last season, and the two sat together at a playoff game in New York. They were together again Nov. 14 when the Patriots honored the Red Sox with a ceremony at Gillette Stadium.


Clashes in Ramadi as militant group executes 11 Iraqi guards At least two Iraqis were killed in clashes today between US troops and insurgents in the restive city of Ramadi, as a militant group claimed it had executed 11 members of the Iraqi National Guard.


Ryanair sees profits rise 15 percent Ryanair, the Irish no-frills airline, said net profit rose 15 percent for the quarter to September, adding it was well-placed to combat the threat of record high oil prices and fierce competition.


Arsenal Beats Everton to Extend Streak (AP) AP - Arsenal opened its defense of its English title with a 4-1 win at Everton on Sunday, making it 41 straight games without a loss in the Premier League.


Arafat Conscious, Days Needed for Diagnosis-Aide  CLAMART, France (Reuters) - Doctors will need "several  days" to diagnose Yasser Arafat's illness but the Palestinian  leader was conscious and in good shape when he arrived in  France on Friday, a Palestinian diplomat said.


Vikings Place Kleinsasser and Rosenthal on IR  EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., (Sports Network) - The Minnesota  Vikings suffered a major blow on Wednesday when the club placed  right tackle Mike Rosenthal and tight end Jim Kleinsasser on  injured reserve, ending both players season.


Nintendo adds media playing to DS Nintendo is releasing an adapter for its DS handheld console so it can play music and video. The add-on for the DS means people can download TV programmes, film clips or MP3 files to the adaptor and then play them back while on the move.


Small Syrian force withdraws from Lebanon as part of redeployment About 300 Syrian soldiers in a convoy of trucks and armored vehicles crossed the Lebanese border into Syria early Thursday as part of a partial troop withdrawal that began two days ago, Lebanese security officials said.


Serbian church sues over Kosovo Serbia's Orthodox Church files a lawsuit accusing the UK, France, Germany and Italy of failing to protect churches in Kosovo.


A Brutal Sexual Assault Galvanizes Swazi Women  MANZINI, Swaziland -- Gugu Pungwayo couldn't bear to read the newspaper article. She recalled that she glanced at the headline, then put the paper down. Picked it up again. Put it down. Again. And again.


Lucky seven share lead after 18 holes Jason Bohn wasn #39;t having much success in Las Vegas --  quot;Been getting killed, quot; he said with a laugh -- until he picked up his golf clubs.


Britain to Charge Cleric Risking a showdown with American prosecutors, the British authorities are planning to bring terrorism charges next week against an Egyptian-born


TEAM SPIRIT GIVES US THE ADVANTAGE - MONTY Colin Montgomerie believes Europe #39;s team spirit can defeat USA - and their partisan fans - when the Ryder Cup starts this week in Oakland Hills, Michigan.


High Court to Hear Cable Internet Case (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court said on\Friday it would decide what regulations should apply to\high-speed broadband Internet service offered by cable\television companies like Time Warner Inc.


US CEOs Less Bullish About Economy-Survey  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chief executives have become  slightly less optimistic about the economy in the past quarter,  but half plan to increase capital spending in the next six  months, according to a survey released on Wednesday.


Walker lands two big ones in opener It has become a bit of tradition for Larry Walker that when October comes around, he goes fishing.  quot;Normally, I #39;m up in my cabin in British Columbia with my brother and some buddies fishing for some salmon


Heebner's crystal ball You're probably a stock market investor if you feel sure the past five years have been dragging on for at least a decade.


After Vioxx recall, the FDA and Merck both claim that all other <b>...</b>  quot;We were wrong about Vioxx, but you can trust us on all those other meds, quot; the FDA seems to be saying. If you enjoy this article, you may also be interested in an article entitled  #39;The FDA remains in state of denial about drug safety questions.


Victory for Black in US court Hollinger International #39;s \$US1.25billion (\$1.7 billion) legal action alleging racketeering against former chief executive Conrad Black and businesses he controlled was dismissed by a US federal judge last Friday.


Pakistan and India hold talks to avert nuclear catastrophe Pakistan and India have held talks on giving advance warning of ballistic missile tests and other steps to avert any dangerous misunderstanding.


Buttiglione resigns to ease EU crisis ROME: Calling himself an innocent victim, Italys Rocco Buttiglione withdrew as a candidate for the incoming European Commission on Saturday to help ease an unprecedented crisis for the executive.


Verizon, Qwest Ask Court to Block FCC Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Qwest Communications International Inc. (QN: Quote, Profile, Research) asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to block


Where Do the Extra Embryos Go? Every year, in vitro fertilization clinics produce more embryos than they use in helping women get pregnant. A new study shows a wide discrepancy in what happens to the extras, from incineration to freezing. By Kristen Philipkoski.


#39;Bricolage #39; Barroso takes high risk EU gamble By refusing to sack controversial new justice commissioner Rocco Buttiglione, the new Brussels chief may face a protest vote in the European Parliament next Wednesday.


Spanish Leader Faces Grilling on Train Bombings Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero will become the first Spanish prime minister to be questioned by a parliamentary commission on Monday when he gives his version of events surrounding the Madrid train bombings.


Google to Log Library Books (Article Central) Search giant Google announced on Tuesday that the libraries of five of the world #39;s most reputable academic institutions will be digitized by Google.


UN creates Internet governance working group Delegates to world summit agreed to set up a working group to discuss management of the Internet at both technical and policy levels after failing to reach a consensus on this contentious issue.


Torre Unsure of Rivera's Availability for Tuesday (Reuters) Reuters - New York Yankees manager Joe\Torre said Monday he was unsure if closer Mariano Rivera would\be available for Tuesday's opener of the American League\Championship Series against Boston after a tragic accident at\the reliever's home in Panama over the weekend.


Stelios enters online music fray The founder of Easyjet has confirmed he is entering the online music market in a partnership with UK-based Wippit. Stelios Haji-Ioannou #39;s move comes as Microsoft and Yahoo revealed challenges to the likes


Where the Game Is the Medium The co-founder of game producer WildTangent Inc. is a booming bear of a man who clobbers you with one grand pronouncement after another. -Leslie Walker


Kicker Hall Returns After missing five games with a right groin strain, the Redskins will activate place kicker John Hall for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.


Microsoft Seeks Video Game Winner With Halo 2 mostly men in their late teens and 20 #39;s - will line up near Union Square in New York, eagerly awaiting their first glimpse of the sequel to a science-fiction blockbuster.


Stocks Slump on Higher Oil, Fannie Mae Stocks fell sharply on Wednesday after oil prices jumped more than a dollar and a US government review questioned home finance company Fannie Mae #39;s (FNM.


N.H.L. to Lock Out Players on Thursday The National Hockey League will lock out its players Thursday, threatening to keep the sport off the ice for the entire 2004-05 season.


Garcia and Khan lead in Mallorca Sergio Garcia waltzed into a share of the lead at nine under after a third-round 68 in the Mallorca Classic. The Spaniard holed from a bunker for birdie on 13 and chipped in for birdie on 17 to join England #39;s Simon Khan.


Aftershocks continue to rattle Japan Aftershocks shook central Japan Monday as the death toll from Saturday #39;s earthquakes rose to 25, with more than 21,000 injured.


Cink wins by four shots STEWART CINK cruised to a comfortable four-shot win at the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio today. Cink started the day with a five-shot cushion and, while it wasn #39;t all smooth sailing, Rory Sabbatini was the


Flying cars swoop to the rescue As motorways become more and more clogged up with traffic, a new generation of flying cars will be needed to ferry people along skyways.


UK to Seek Bush Support on G8 Poverty Goals  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will seek Washington's support  to help it achieve goals on global poverty reduction, debt  relief and fair trade during London's G8 presidency next year,  finance minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday.


Clear Channel posts drop in profit, but tops forecasts The owner of several Denver-area radio stations, and other properties in 63 countries worldwide, says third-quarter earnings dropped 59 percent from last year -- but still beat analysts #39; expectations.


Sit back and watch the Earth die Richard Branson plans to fly the first commercial passengers into space. Let #39;s hope we experience delays. This week Sir Richard Branson announced his plans to fly the first commercial passengers into space.


Sadler wins race, clinches spot in top 10 Elliott Sadler raced to his second victory of the season and wrapped up a spot in the NASCAR #39;s new championship playoff Sunday night at California Speedway.


Hurricane, Oil Worries Pressure Stocks  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks struggled to make gains on  Tuesday as oil prices rose and investors feared economic  fallout from Hurricane Ivan as it roared into the Gulf of  Mexico toward a possible landfall in the United States.


Stock Sale by Lay's Wife Investigated  Federal prosecutors are investigating a stock sale by the wife of former Enron Corp. chairman Kenneth L. Lay just days before the Houston energy trader filed for bankruptcy protection in late 2001, according to lawyers involved in the probe.


'Longhorn' Delay Is Linux Gain (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Microsoft's omission of WinFS from the Longhorn version of Windows may open options for open-source competitors to the forthcoming operating system.


Google #39;s Plan Prompts a Question: What #39;s on the Web? Description: This week, the search engine Google announced plans to digitize millions of library books and make them searchable online.


Premiers differ on air security plan THE Federal Government #39;s plan to boost security at regional airports was inadequate because it did not include permanent passenger screening, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said today.


Pacers' Bender Out Indefinitely with Knee Injury  INDIANAPOLIS (Sports Network) - Indiana Pacers forward  Jonathan Bender will be out indefinitely due to his chronically  injured left knee.


Ivan Rattles Gulf Coast, Leaves 33 Dead PENSACOLA, Fla. - The storm that was Hurricane Ivan extended its deadly march across the South on Friday, destroying homes, swamping streets and leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power from the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas...


Google prepares to wrap up share auction (AFP) AFP - Google Inc prepared to wrap up an extraordinary share auction, meaning a final price in the multi-billion-dollar listing will be announced within days.


Proud Italy awaits La Scala opening with bated breath (AFP) AFP - Italy's cultural cognoscenti were waiting with bated breath for the reopening of the La Scala opera house, restored to its former glory after a sumptuous 61 million euro (81 million dollar) makeover.


Home working trial proves popular Experiment confines workers to their homes for two days to try teleworking.


Update 3: Economic Powers Vow Aid for Poor Nations Rich nations pledged an agreement soon on forgiving the debt burden weighing on poor nations in Africa, Latin America and Asia but remained divided on reducing billions of dollars of Iraqi debt.


British house prices record sharpest fall in 9 years House prices in Britain fell at their steepest pace in nine years in the three months to September,adding to evidence that the property market is cooling and decreasing the possibility


Daimler and GM gear up for transmission revolution Carmakers DaimlerChrysler and General Motors are to co-operate on developing a new type of transmission-based system to compete with Toyota and Honda in the growing hybrid market.


Williams Asks NFL to Clarify His Status Ricky Williams has asked the NFL for a hearing to clarify his playing status, a possible first step if the running back tries to return to the league.


US Economy: Orders Show Factories Boosting Growth (Update4) Orders for durable goods including computers and communications equipment rose last month by the most since March, evidence that US manufacturing is gaining momentum less than two months before the presidential election.


U.S. Officials Build a Powerful Partnership in Iraq Much of the U.S. strategy in Iraq has become balancing a military campaign with diplomatic maneuvering and economic assistance.


HD-DVD Gains Three Backers November 29, 2004 - After months of momentum for Blu-ray, HD-DVD has shot back with a big gain - studio support. Toshiba Corp., which has been developing the HD-DVD format, announced it has lined up Warner Bros.


Thousands March to Holy Shrine in Najaf NAJAF, Iraq - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his fighters to lay down their arms and leave the area as thousands of Iraqis thronged the revered Imam Ali shrine Friday after he and the Iraqi government agreed to a peace proposal by Iraq's top Shiite cleric to end three weeks of fighting in Najaf.    Al-Sadr issued the order in a statement to his Mahdi Army militia from his office in Najaf that also was broadcast through loudspeakers at the shrine, which militants have used as a stronghold and refuge throughout their standoff with a combined U.S.-Iraqi force...


Lunar eclipse coming Wednesday night Baseball fans wanting to take their minds off a playoff not involving the Yankees can still find an October classic in the sky. The last total lunar eclipse in North America until March 2007


Twins Roll Rangers Terry Tiffee hits a go-ahead two-run double in his major league debut as the Twins edge out a dramatic 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.


Earthquakes Tie Burn to Clinch Playoffs (AP) AP - The San Jose Earthquakes clinched the final playoff spot in the Western Conference by tying the Dallas Burn 2-2 on Saturday night in the season finale for both teams.


UK may need to raise taxes to cut deficits - OECD British public borrowing is set to rise and the government will need to raise taxes or reduce spending to decisively cut the deficit, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said yesterday.


Jackson's Lavish Lifestyle Put on Display SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Michael Jackson's elegant home with its lavish playground for children was placed on display in a courtroom as defense attorneys showed a judge videotapes of a raid last year on the pop star's Neverland estate...


Sony Walkman to support MP3 format Sony launches music players with MP3 support <nobr>CNET News.com</nobr>


Word mangled by unpatched security hole A highly critical and unpatched security hole in Microsoft #39;s ubiquitous Word software could be used to launch a denial of service attack and give system access.


Sun unleashes Tiger Sun Microsystems last week released the long-awaited overhaul of the Java 2 Standard Edition. Sun is calling J2SE 5.0, code name  #39;Project Tiger, #39; the most significant upgrade of the Java


Group visits N. Korea blast site Diplomats from eight countries are on their way to the site of a mysterious blast in North Korea that sparked speculation a nuclear test had taken place.


Pentagon Weighs Satellite Needs The Defense Department's use of commercial communications satellites has soared with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, the Pentagon is trying to decide whether it can save money by buying service directly from satellite carriers instead of through three Washington area resellers.


Nuggets Overpower Warriors for 105-86 Win (AP) AP - Earl Boykins scored 19 points and the Denver Nuggets forced the Golden State Warriors into 26 turnovers en route to an easy 105-86 victory Friday night in the opener of an NBA preseason doubleheader at Staples Center.


Afghan Warlord's Ouster Prompts Violence (AP) AP - Demonstrators broke into a U.N. compound in the western city of Herat on Sunday, a day after the Afghan government fired the city's warlord governor.


The Worst Things About Tokyo 1. The toilets. What is that thing, you say? Well, its not a urinal, but rather what is known in English as a squat-toilet. It might seem hard to believe, but many people in Japan prefer using these floor holes to a standard Western toilet.


Cup doesn #39;t runneth over for the US BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The dateline fools you as much as the event may fool you. These are the suburbs of Detroit, where the grit turns into greenery, where the big shots who manage the car factories


Computer analysis shows scientists could reconstruct the genome of <b>...</b> Contrary to the movie Jurassic Park, in which scientists recreate dinosaurs from ancient DNA, genetic material more than about 50 thousand years old cannot be reliably recovered.


Weight of drugs felt Weightlifting #39;s aggressive pursuit of drug cheaters will continue even if it jeopardizes its future in the Olympics, its top official said yesterday following six more positive doping cases in what is again becoming the Games #39; dirtiest sport. Five ...


Croom, fans savor historic moment When Sylvester Croom met with 500 members of the Mississippi State Quarterback Club at the Starkville Country Club recently, he read a poem entitled:  quot;What is a Coach?


China homespun 3G unravels in trials The future of Chinese 3G technology and how it is licensed by the government is in doubt today after it failed a five month trial.


Calm in the markets but squalls ahead ? LONDON Amid the wars, terror threats and other tremors rattling political capitals, the global economy and financial markets seem strikingly placid - at first glance, at least.


Talks Continue After China Hostage Deadline Passes  WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Islamic militants holding two  Chinese engineers hostage in Pakistan threatened to kill one on  Monday unless security forces ended a siege of their hideout.


TEAM USA: Quizzical Riley is life of the party Birmingham #39;s Townsend Hotel expected the United States Ryder Cup players, their wives and maybe a few children this week. But no one thought the players and children could get confused.


Negotiation offer on Iraq hostage THE Australian Government might help plead for the release of kidnapped CARE Australia worker Margaret Hassan, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.


Seven die in Greek bus crash At least seven school children die when their bus crashed as they were travelling to the Paralympics Games in Athens.


Afghan Vice Presidential Candidate Survives a Bomb Blast Afghan President Hamid Karzai #39;s running mate in Saturday #39;s presidential election escaped unhurt when a bomb exploded near his convoy in the northern city of Faizabad.


Stocks Slip As Oil Jumps to Record High Stocks sagged Wednesday as oil jumped to a fresh record high on a mixed report about US crude inventories, and investors considered the long-term implications of the flu vaccine shortage.


Preliminary nuclear pact OK'd, Iran says TEHRAN -- Hoping to avoid a UN showdown, Iran and the European Union's three big powers reached a preliminary agreement over Tehran's nuclear program, Iran's chief negotiator said yesterday.


Intel sheds light on 2005 desktop strategy Intel's products for the digital home and digital office in 2005 will give consumers and IT managers more capabilities than just raw performance, and the company plans to highlight those products as it did with its Centrino mobile technology, Intel executives said Tuesday.


Horna Ends Paradorn Bid for Long Island History  COMMACK, New York (Reuters) - Paradorn Srichaphan's bid to  become only the second man to win the \$380,000 Long Island Cup  in three successive years ended when he lost 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 to  Luis Horna of Peru in a dramatic semifinal Saturday.


Krispy Kreme inquiry intensifies The company said that federal regulators have intensified their inquiry into the company #39;s business practices from an informal to a formal investigation, raising the possibility of embarrassing and expensive penalties down the line.


Geiger: No evidence to back accusations COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In the wake of Maurice Clarett #39;s accusations of impropriety within the Ohio State football program, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel and athletic director Andy Geiger defended the program Tuesday.


No title game for Iowa State Crossett #39;s 25-yard field goal in overtime, the first of his college career, secured a 17-14 victory for beleaguered Missouri on Saturday.


Western Australia skittle Pakistan for 262 in tour game Pakistan were bowled out for 262 against Western Australia on Thursday in a worrying sign for the tourists ahead of next week #39;s first test against Australia.


(18) Miami 31 (10) Virginia 21 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Eighteenth-ranked Miami stayed in the ACC title race by beating tenth-ranked Virginia 31-to-21. That leaves the Hurricanes, Cavaliers and Florida State all with two losses while conference leader Virginia Tech has one.


US-bound News Corp posts strong Q1 profits Media giant News Corp today posted a 27 rise in first quarter net profit today, prompting chief Rupert Murdoch to declare that the US-bound company is on the cusp of a new era of prosperity.


India Orders Probe Into Taj Mahal Tilt (AP) AP - An Indian state government ordered an urgent investigation Wednesday after reports that one of the four minarets of the 17th century Taj Mahal  #151; the country's fabled monument to love  #151; has tilted slightly.


Annan urges big increase in troops for Darfur The UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, called for a substantial and speedy expansion of the international forces in Darfur after reporting that the Sudanese government had failed to stop attacks on civilians.


Former Champ Bowe Eyes a Return to the Ring  SHAWNEE, Oklahoma (Sports Network) - Former heavyweight  champion Riddick Bowe is eyeing a return to the ring after  hanging up the gloves in 1996.


Good Times End With a Thud for Buffaloes (AP) AP - If heart and resiliency won championships, Colorado would have hoisted the Big 12 trophy before the title game even started.


Holocaust survivor laments Darfur UNITED NATIONSToo little has been done, too late, to end rape and killing in Sudan #39;s Darfur region, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel said yesterday and urged a more vigorous international response.


One killed in Nepal violence KATHMANDU: Angry protesters burnt tyres in Kathmandu and forcibly shut down schools and shops on Wednesday, following the killing of 12 Nepalis by their abductors in Iraq.


Google Planning Desktop Search for Mac Computers Google announced plans to offer its Google Desktop Search to Mac computers on Friday, introducing Google technology to a loyal group of computer users who are not using the Windows operating system.


Bush defends action against Iraq President Bush backs his policy on Iraq, despite confirmation that Saddam Hussein did not have WMD.


Russian ministries start agreeing to Kyoto approval At least one Russian ministry has signed letters agreeing to Moscow #39;s approval of the Kyoto Protocol, a spokesman said on Thursday, in what could be a final step in bringing the global pact into force.


Yukos, of Russia, files for bankruptcy in US MOSCOW The Russian oil producer Yukos sought bankruptcy protection in the United States on Wednesday and requested an emergency court hearing to stop the Russian government #39;s auction of its largest production unit.


Poll: Money Managers Bullish on Stocks  NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than 56 percent of U.S. money  managers are "bullish" or "very bullish" about the U.S. stock  market near term, forecasting stocks will move higher in the  next eight months, according to a new Barron's poll.


Tommy Lee Plays With College Marching Band LINCOLN, Neb. - Drummer Tommy Lee has played plenty of stadium shows with his band Motley Crue...


IAEA Inspectors in S.Korea for 2nd Investigation (Reuters) Reuters - Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear watchdog\arrived in Seoul on Sunday to conduct a second inspection of\South Korea's nuclear experiments, a day after the South said\it had no plans to develop or possess nuclear weapons.


Bank of America Plans Big Layoffs -Paper NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp. (BAC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , plans on Wednesday to lay off hundreds of tellers and other employees at Fleet bank branches, and ask them to leave immediately, the Boston Globe said on Wednesday, citing ...


Putnam cuts deal with big investor In an unusual deal with the nation's most powerful public pension fund, Putnam Investments yesterday pledged new disclosures and other protections intended to win back the trust -- and business -- of investors who fled the beleaguered firm after its market-timing fraud case last year.


Women #39;s Golf: Jackson Leads Safeway Classic Ladies Professional Golf Association tour rookie Brandi Jackson of the United States has the lead heading into Saturday #39;s second round of the 54-hole Safeway Classic in Portland, Oregon.


Rising Chinese business star hit by RM2.09 billion loss SINGAPORE: The career of a fast-rising Chinese expatriate businessman once listed among Asia #39;s future leaders has been brought to a halt after his Singapore-based firm lost 550 million US dollars (RM2.09 billion) speculating in the volatile oil market.


IBM Puts Its PC Business Up for Sale -NYT (Reuters) Reuters - International Business Machines Corp.\has put its personal computing business up for sale in a deal\that could be worth as much as  #36;2 billion, the New York Times\reported on Friday.


Verisign plans authentication management VeriSign Inc. officials are launching a managed security service that they believe can cut up to 40 percent of the cost of deploying strong authentication throughout an enterprise.


Fed, Corporate Forecasts to Set Tone  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks should stay firm next week  if the Federal Reserve says the economy is recovering and if  corporations entering the heart of the so-called confession  season go slow on profit warnings.


Samarra sees repeated attacks, British defense minister visits <b>...</b> Insurgents launched a string of assaults around the city of Samarra on Wednesday, trading gunfire with US forces, attacking a US convoy


Vodafone, Nokia Team Up to Simplify Mobile Software  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Mobile phone giants Vodafone and  Nokia teamed up on Thursday to simplify software for cell  phones written with the Java computer language that promises to  bring cheaper, smarter handsets.


India, Pak agree on CBMs, differ on J amp;K New Delhi: Making  quot;progress quot; on the composite dialogue process, India and Pakistan agreed on a series of military and other confidence building measures (CBMs) to improve relations but sharply differed on Jammu and Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism


Iraq Bombings Kill 35 Youths, Hurt Scores (AP) AP - A string of bombs killed 35 children and wounded scores of others as U.S. troops handed out candy Thursday at a government-sponsored celebration to inaugurate a sewage plant. It was the largest death toll of children in any insurgent attack since the start of the Iraq conflict.


Red Sox Close Within 2 1/2 Games of Yankees (AP) AP - In just 19 days, the Boston Red Sox have cut the New York Yankees' 10 1/2-game AL East lead to 2 1/2 games. "We're just going to take care of what we can take care of," Boston reliever Mike Timlin said after the Red Sox beat Texas 2-0 on Friday night for their 10th straight victory. "We won today. We're going to win tomorrow."


Reining in public IM There is no question that IM is entrenched in the enterprise. More than 90 percent of businesses report IM activity, according to Osterman Research. A main reason, as we discovered in "Getting serious about enterprise IM," is the improved productivity and reduced communications costs that IM delivers. What should concern CIOs is that unsanctioned consumer IM networks -- such as those from America Online, ICQ, Microsoft, and Yahoo -- make up 80 percent of corporate IM use today, and the number of users of these unsecured IM networks is growing at a fast clip, according to The Radicati Group. True, public IM networks offer enterprises some protection, such as very basic identity control. But organizations are still exposed to a multitude of security risks, including viruses and breached firewalls.


Harley-Davidson Posts Higher Profit  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc.  HDI.N roared to record quarterly earnings on Wednesday,  boosted by more efficient operations and demand for its new  models.


Bush, Kerry Exchange Bitter Words on Iraq (AP) AP - President Bush and Democratic rival John Kerry traded biting accusations over the war in Iraq on Monday as early Florida voting produced scattered complaints that stirred memories of the state's chaotic 2000 recount.


59 left dead after attack on Iraqi police Iraqi police suffered two massive blows in attacks that left at least 59 people dead and more than 120 injured. The major attack - a car bomb blast near a Baghdad police station - was claimed by an al Qaida-linked terror group.


Face-off in gaming olympics Computer gamers from around the planet are gathering in San Francisco for the World Cyber Games.


Indonesia Arrests Four Suspects in Embassy Blast Indonesian police have arrested four suspects, among them a bomb-maker, over a blast outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta that killed 10 people in September, police chief Da #39;i Bachtiar said Wednesday.


Giving a game a good score Game makers need to spend time to make sure that music adds to the playing experience.


Russian Buddhists trudge through snow to see Dalai Lama (AFP) AFP - Hundreds of Buddhists in southern Russia marched through snow to see and hear the Dalai Lama as he continued a long-awaited visit to the country in spite of Chinese protests.


Tribune Revises Circulation Figures Tribune Co. (TRB.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the publisher of Newsday and Hoy which has been embroiled in a circulation scandal, said on Friday it would make more revisions to circulation


Putin ratifies accord with EU Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified a pact with the EU, extending a standing trade agreement with the bloc to its 10 new members, a presidency statement said on Saturday.


Oxygen Generator on Space Station Fails The main oxygen generator for the International Space Station has failed, and the two astronauts on board will tap into an attached cargo ship #39;s air supply this weekend, NASA said Thursday.


Vulcan falls on asset sale charge news NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Shares of Vulcan Materials Co lost more than 4 percent of their worth Tuesday, after the company announced it will take a non-cash charge of about 70 cents per share related to an asset sale.


Honda Moves To Prevent Engine Fires Honda Motor Co. has acknowledged a problem with oil filters on CR-V sport-utility vehicles and is taking steps to prevent engine fires caused by oil leaks.


Tokyo stocks end flat TOKYO - Tokyo stocks ended Friday almost flat as earlier gains on buying of high-tech shares evaporated after selling of domestic demand-related issues accelerated later in the day.


Economy-Stock Market Link Can Be Confusing (AP) AP - The link between the stock market and the economy sometimes can sound like the chicken and the egg scenario  #151; Which comes first?


Mars Orbiter Photographs Rover From Space (AP) AP - A spacecraft orbiting Mars photographed one of NASA's rovers and its tracks on the surface, the space agency said Monday.


Australia #39;s S amp;P/ASX 200 Index Heads for Record; Foodland Rises Australia #39;s S amp;P/ASX 200 Index advanced for a third day and was heading for a record close. Foodland Associated Ltd. rose after full-year earnings climbed 19 percent, helped by one-time gains.


Greek airliner resumes flight A Greek airliner diverted to Ireland by a bomb threat resumed its flight to New York after a search did not find anything suspicious onboard.


Cheap flash drives, cheapest 1GB CF IF YOU know of any good value IT sales (auctions, rebates, one-off, clearance, surplus, classified ads) going around in the United Kingdom, France, USA or Singapore, don #39;t hesitate to contact me, at least 24 hours before the sales end.


Quantum Snags LTO Rival Certance After preaching the superiority of its DLT tape format for years, Quantum has up and bought Certance, a key maker of the rival LTO format.


UK bankers face Enron fraud trial Three former bankers with the UK #39;s NatWest bank were told on Friday that they should be extradited to the US to face fraud charges connected to the collapsed energy company Enron.


Hungary Wins Gold in Olympic Water Polo Tamas Kasas was born the same month Hungary won its sixth Olympic water polo gold medal. For two decades, Hungarians waited for somebody like him to revive its dominance in a sport


Microsoft withdraws Outlook support for hotmail Microsoft has outlaid plans that involve charging people for accessing their email via its email application Outlook. However Microsoft is not citing the urge to make even more cash, but an attempt to quell


Microsoft Fixes ISA Server Spoofing Flaw A bug in Microsoft #39;s Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 and Proxy Server 2 can let hackers spoof Web content, such as a trusted site, with their own fake content, the Redmond


Cheney Due to Lash Into Kerry in Speech NEW YORK - Vice President Dick Cheney was stepping up to denounce Democrat John Kerry's "confusion of conviction" after President Bush formally won the Republican nomination for a second term in a carefully choreographed GOP convention roll call.    The second day of the convention brought out thousands of protesters who set out on a march to the convention site, getting in the way of a busload of delegates and engaging in shouting matches with officers around Manhattan...


Stocks post gains after Fed raises rates US stocks gained yesterday, after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates as expected, while it reassured investors that inflation was in check and indicated the economy was growing at a moderate pace.


Allardyce to be with Bolton for five more years Bolton, England (Sports Network) - Bolton rewarded coach Sam Allardyce with a new five-year-deal Monday. Allardyce, who has already been with Bolton for five years, turns 50 years old this week.


Palace Intruder Dresses as Batman A protester dressed in a Batman costume scaled the front wall of Buckingham Palace Monday, reaching a ledge near the balcony where the royal family appears on ceremonial occasions.


Act now on the budget, Brown told Chancellor Gordon Brown has been given a lecture ahead of tomorrow #39;s pre-Budget Report - he faces raising taxes or cutting spending.


Let baseball solve its own problems Ever vigilant for new frontiers of American life where Congress can dictate the rules of behavior, elected officials in the nation #39;s capital have cast their eye on Major League Baseball.


Parking Fees May Help A plan to raise \$100 million by charging for parking near a new stadium is one of the top proposals in the city's bid to find private money to finance the ballpark.


Sri Lankan Tamil rebels to resume talks conditionally A senior leader of Sri Lanka #39;s rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said it is ready to resume peace talks with the government if its self-rule proposal gets a positive response, a local newspaper reported Sunday.


Nintendo DS Feature a Day #4 November 12, 2004 - Going all the way to the official launch of the Nintendo DS system, we #39;re going to break the new handheld hardware down to its individual parts and talk about specific elements that make the Nintendo DS so darn cool.


DreamWorks Animation Charms Wall Street  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Star-struck Wall Street gave a  dazzling welcome to DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. on Thursday,  sending shares of the animated film maker up more than 35  percent in their market debut.


Timing an issue in Tel Aviv hit Ilan Moscovsky was heading out of his apartment to buy vegetables in Tel Aviv #39;s Carmel Market Monday at the moment a 16-year-old Palestinian suicide bomber detonated himself.


Potential Arafat Successor Gains Approval Amid Talk of a Rival Mahmoud Abbas, the new chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization, won a vital vote on Thursday evening from the Palestinians #39; dominant political faction approving


Adobe patches holes in Acrobat Reader Adobe has patched two bugs in its Acrobat Reader application that could allow an attacker to take over a user #39;s system via a malicious PDF attached to an e-mail message.


Olympic Discus Champion Thrown Out of Games  ATHENS (Reuters) - Hungarian Olympic discus champion Robert  Fazekas will lose his gold medal and be expelled from the Games  after being caught trying to tamper with a urine sample, an  International Olympic Committee source said Tuesday.


Bengals #39; Warrick out for season Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Peter Warrick was placed on the injured list Friday because of a shin injury, ending his season .


Ball kids get makeover at Madrid tennis event Women in black tank tops and white, knee-length skirts chased errant shots during Albert Costa #39;s 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Irakli Labadze.


CA to buy Netegrity for \$430 million Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) announced Wednesday that it plans to buy identity and access management software maker Netegrity Inc. of Waltham, Massachusetts, for \$430 million in cash.


Analysis: Tensions over northern Iraq Not for the first time, events in Iraq are straining relations between two traditionally close allies, Turkey and the United States.


Davenport Wins, Moves Closer to Top Spot (AP) AP - Lindsay Davenport won the Porsche Grand Prix on Sunday when top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo quit after losing the first set because of an injured left thigh.


AMD Big Gainer in 3rd-Quarter Microchip Sales-IDC Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) captured nearly 10 percent of computer microchip market revenue in the third quarter, the highest level


Cavs sign Scott Williams Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday signed veteran forward/center Scott Williams. As per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.


Yankees Rally to Win Game 2 Over Twins NEW YORK - Alex Rodriguez hit a tying double in the 12th inning, then Derek Jeter dashed home on Hideki Matsui's sacrifice fly and the Yankees bailed out Mariano Rivera with another improbable postseason comeback, beating Minnesota 7-6 Wednesday night to even their series at a game apiece.   "Alex had a little trouble settling in here, but when you do this at Yankee Stadium in a postseason game, especially coming from behind, God only knows what it's going to do for him," New York manager Joe Torre said...


More mobile anti-virus appears Trend Micro will become the latest major anti-virus software company to provide protection against mobile phone viruses with the release today of Trend Micro Mobile Security 1.0.


Agencies Find What They #39;re Looking For When computer users hunt for information on the Internet, they typically turn to Google or Yahoo. When analysts working for US intelligence look for documents and data stored on computers


EU to Issue Last Chance to Iran on Nuclear Plans Senior officials from France, Britain and Germany will meet Iranian counterparts Thursday to issue Tehran with an incentive-backed last chance to end uranium enrichment plans or face possible UN sanctions.


Posco Profit Probably Rose for Ninth Quarter, Helping Expansion Posco, South Korea #39;s biggest steelmaker, is likely to report its ninth consecutive quarter of profit growth, helping fund expansion in China, India and Brazil as the company tries to diversify sales and secure raw materials.


Yahoo buys e-mail software firm Stata OCTOBER 22, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Yahoo Inc. has snapped up privately held software company Stata Labs, which develops technology allowing users to quickly search through e-mail and attachments.


MTV, Gamers  Hope Video Clicks With Young Voters (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - It's not JoJo, not Britney, but Lara Croft in that hip-hugging outfit, who raps, "You've got to stand and choose."


Bump Doesn #39;t Stop Prince Arch in Saranac Favored Prince Arch overcame a bump with Good Reward in upper stretch to rally for a resolute victory by a head over Mustanfar in the closing-day \$108,200 Saranac Handicap (gr.


Volvo in worldwide vehicle recall Volvo recalls 460,000 vehicles worldwide because a wiring problem could cause  fans to overheat and burn.


Mediacom will offer Sprint service Mediacom customers in the Quad-Cities soon will be able to add home telephone service to the television subscription and high-speed Internet services already available from the company.


Rare, "Weird" Snake Survives in Louisiana One of the rarest snakes in the U.S., the Louisiana pine snake is relatively abundant on a tract of commercial forest in the state. Scientists hope to learn why.


India and Pakistan to meet at UN India and Pakistan will aim to push forward the peace process between them at talks in New York on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.


Court Urged to Hear File-Sharing Case (AP) AP - A disparate group made up of dozens of state attorneys general, labor unions, retailers, professional sports leagues and others urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to hear a claim brought by the recording and film industries against two Internet file-sharing firms.


A tall order awaits Williams but his dream is within reach If Danny Williams did not fully appreciate the sheer size of Vitali Klitschko, he does now. After a series of eyeball-to-eyeball poses for the photographers at yesterday #39;s London press conference to announce


EU Commission taking its time with SCH bid for Abbey National The European Commission is taking all the time it needs to rule on Banco Santander Central Hispano #39;s bid for Abbey National, competition spokeswoman Amelia Torres said Monday.


VA Improves Health Benefits for Ex-POWs (AP) AP - All former U.S. prisoners of war who suffer from heart disease or stroke will receive government health care benefits without having to prove the ailments were linked to their captivity, Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi said Saturday night.


Report: China's Imports of Steel Fall (AP) AP - China's steel imports declined over the first nine months of the year in reaction to higher international prices, while exports soared, state media reported Friday.


Colgate rejig has a brush with layoffs : Consumer goods maker Colgate-Palmolive Co said on Tuesday it would cut about 12 per cent of its 37,000-person work force and close one-third of its factories worldwide as part of a four-year restructuring.


Powell, in China, seeks progress on NKorea and Taiwan BEIJING : US Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Beijing for talks which he hopes will lead to a quick resumption of stalled talks on the North Korean nuclear impasse amid new bellicose accusations from Pyongyang.


Singh has put PGA to rest AKRON -- As the \$7 million NEC Invitational begins today on Firestone County Club #39;s South Course, there is bad news for the 75 players in the field who aren #39;t Vijay Singh.


Few surprises -- or answers -- so far (Sept. 29, 2004) -- New England and Philadelphia clearly are the cream of the crop so far this season. I like Indianapolis, too, but I #39;m still not sold on its defense.


Group Decries Corporate Tax Slide Business tax cuts and proliferating shelters pushed the effective tax rate of 275 large US corporations down by 20 percent since 2001, even as their pretax profits jumped 26 percent, according


US Average Gasoline Pump Price Falls to \$1.96, Lundberg Says US gasoline pump prices fell about five cents in the past two weeks to an average of \$1.96 a gallon, Trilby Lundberg said, citing a survey of about 7,000 filling stations by her Camarillo, California, research firm.


Independence, Mechanics  at Odds Union leaders representing mechanics at Flyi Inc.'s Independence Air said Monday that contract negotiations have bogged down, and they raised the prospect of a strike at the 3 1/2-month-old airline.


Linux-based Palm OS on chart The open-source software Linux is making a bigger dent in China #39;s ever-galloping mobile phone market. US-based PalmSource, provider of Palm OS, a popular operating system powering


Boeing fires airborne laser as part of missile defense A Boeing Co.-led team has succeeded in firing a laser beam for the first time as part of a ballistic missile defense shield, the Pentagon and the Boeing Co.


Axed TV presenter joins Russian Newsweek The dismissal in June of Leonid Parfyonov, one of the best-known screen faces in Russia whose programme often tested the limits of Kremlin-defined political correctness, triggered fears of further crackdown on media freedom.


Bucs' Jurevicius Returns to Practice (AP) AP - Joe Jurevicius felt like a rookie again. The Tampa Bay receiver practiced for the first time this season Wednesday and expects to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears after being sidelined most of the past year by knee and back injuries.


Microsoft patches month-old IE flaw Microsoft has released an update to Internet Explorer to fix a security flaw that was discovered a month ago and has since been exploited to attack users.


IBM preps new top-end Unix servers Big Blue plans to announce the servers Friday, sources say, stirring up major new challenges for Sun and HP.


Summary: a Bird? a Plane? No, a Scramjet (AP) AP - SPRINT TO RECORD: A NASA-backed supersonic combustion ramjet  #151; or scramjet  #151; flew on its on power for 10 seconds, setting a world speed record for an air-breathing engine.


Is Microsoft's media center ready for prime time? CAMBRIDGE -- The traveling ''Windows on Wheels quot; exhibition, parked at dusk outside the Micro Center electronics palace on Memorial Drive, is jam-packed with wary Christmas shoppers checking out Microsoft Corp.'s lit-up vision of their entertainment future.


AMD Shares Slip in Wake of Q3 Report Flash memory remained profitable for AMD, but declined sharply from the previous quarter due to inventory adjustments at cell phone manufacturers.


FTSE 100 set to tumble The FTSE 100 is expected to fall after a sharp sell-off in the US on Friday and amid continued strength in the price of oil. Financial bookmakers forecast the FTSE 100 .


Oil at 3-Month Low, Off \$8 in 7 Sessions  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit a new three-month low on  Wednesday as mild winter weather in the United States and  expectations of a rise in heating fuel stocks kept downward  pressure on the market.


Anthem deal looks healthy for state Our position is: Anthem #39;s ability to move forward with merger is an important victory for Indiana #39;s economy. Thanks to California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi #39;s decision to finally relent and approve


Stocks Are Seen Off a Touch at Open US stocks are seen off a touch at the open Wednesday as the price of oil continues to plague investor sentiment.


Borders Posts Third Quarter Loss  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Book retailer Borders Group Inc.  BGP.N on Tuesday posted a quarterly loss versus a year-ago  profit due to sluggish store traffic and a slowdown in sales of  bestsellers.


Orange County, Indiana still ready for Trump casino A southern Indiana county is keeping its hopes up for an economic revival led by Donald Trump #39;s casino even though his casino company has filed for bankruptcy protection.


IBM Details PC Unit's Financial Woes The business racked up nearly \$1 billion in losses since 2001.


Excerpts From the Presidential Campaign (AP) AP - Excerpts of remarks Wednesday by President Bush in Mason City, Iowa, and Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in Waterloo, Iowa, as transcribed by e-Media Millworks Inc.


Phils appear to be settling for 2nd-best Charlie Manuel might turn out to be the best manager ever. He might lead the Phillies to the World Series and bring peace, love and understanding into a tense clubhouse.


The railroading of Ron Artest I am not about to condone the Indiana Pacer #39;s behavior for charging into the stands and swinging at some Detroit Piston fans. As a professional and public figure, he has a responsibility to take the high road with unruly fans.


Microsoft Unveils New Version of MSN TV Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) introduced on Tuesday a new version of its Internet TV service, seeking to broaden its appeal beyond a relatively small base of older, computer-phobic users.


quot;Good relations quot; established with new Indian Govt: Zia : World News  gt; Dhaka, Oct 10 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today said her country has established  quot;good relations quot; with India after the change of power in New Delhi and hoped all bilateral problems would be resolved.


Singh Growing Hall of Fame Credentials (AP) AP - An official from the World Golf Hall of Fame joined a casual conversation last year about players on the verge of election, and someone mentioned Vijay Singh.


Congress Said Set to Back Mideast Trade (AP) AP - Congress will vote as early as February on a free trade agreement with Bahrain and stands ready to consider agreements with other countries in the Middle East, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee said Wednesday.


Thanks to Snowe, Maine a clear winner With the help of Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, Maine emerged a clear winner in the corporate tax relief bill signed by President Bush yesterday.


Big setback for Merck cholesterol drug High doses of Zocor provide no benefits in preventing new problems in heart attack patients: study. MUNICH (Reuters) - Merck #39;s anti-cholesterol drug Zocor suffered a setback after a major study found high


Vieira: Its Still In Our Hands After Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Panathinaikos at Highbury on Tuesday night, captain leaving them three points behind Group E leaders PSV Eindhoven with two games left to play, captain Patrick Vieira said:  quot;A draw is better than nothing.


Tories unveil pensions crisis plan The Conservatives today unveiled an eight-point plan to  quot;restore our saving culture quot; ahead of the publication tomorrow of the government #39;s long-awaited Turner report on pensions.


Sony on collision course with music majors over mp3 format Sony has embarked on a potential collision course with music groups, including its own Sony BMG joint venture, over MP3 digital song files.


Tears of joy as Holmes runs the race of her life FOR the second night running there were tears for British athletics. But this time, in stark contrast to the shock and bewilderment of Paula Radcliffe, they were tears of utter


Hong Kong Holding Legislative Elections (AP) AP - After a campaign marred by scandal and alleged intimidation, the people of Hong Kong voted Sunday under gray skies in legislative elections that could give pro-democracy figures more clout than they have held since China reclaimed Hong Kong in July 1997.


SEC, NASD Probe Gifts to Executives  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. market regulators are looking  into gifts of Super Bowl tickets, private jet rides, wine and  expensive golf outings by brokerage firms to mutual fund  executives, officials said on Tuesday.


Panda handstand makes its mark Remarkable filmwork of pandas in the wild shows how these rare bears engage in some gymnastics to mark their territory.


A 53-Minute Dress Rehearsal for Serena Williams Warming up in black, knee-high tennis boots, Serena Williams rolled to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Sandra Kleinova on opening night at the United States Open.


UPDATE 1-Haas holds halfway lead, Woods lurks Veteran Jay Haas edged closer to his first PGA Tour win for more than 10 years on Friday with a four-under-par 66 for the halfway lead at the Tour Championship.


UK carbon output  #39;under-reported #39; The UK is responsible for almost 30 more carbon dioxide than it reports, the conservation organisation WWF says. WWF #39;s Living Planet Report 2004 says Britain counts only CO2 emitted by UK industry, power plants and vehicles.


NASCAR glance 1. KURT BUSCH. He has posted 12 straight top-15 finishes, including six straight top-10 finishes. He is coming off a fifth-place finish at Martinsville, Va.


Mortgage rates hit 6-month low NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Long-term mortgage rates fell again this week to the lowest level in six months, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.


Gap Third-Quarter Earnings Tick Up 1 Pct  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clothing retailer Gap Inc. GPS.N  said on Thursday its third-quarter earnings ticked up 1  percent, hemmed in by lackluster sales at its Old Navy and   international Gap stores open at least a year.


Banishing bell-ringers takes a toll The jingling bells, smiling face and clanking red kettle have become as much a signature to the approach of Christmas as shopping-mall Santas.


Oil Firms Say Iraqi Purchases Were Legal  Two large American oil companies that received profitable vouchers to buy Iraqi oil under the United Nations' oil-for-food program said yesterday that the purchases complied with U.S. law.


Baghdad Bombings Kill 35 Children BAGHDAD, Iraq - Bombs exploded near a U.S. convoy in western Baghdad on Thursday, killing 35 children and seven adults, a hospital official said...


Target bans Salvation Army ringers By Sam Haverstick, Special to The CJ. Dillon West, 11, doesn #39;t understand why Target Corp. won #39;t let the Salvation Army place bell ringers outside its stores this Christmas.


Regis to Buy Hair Club for Men and Women Regis Corp., the world #39;s largest operator of hair salons, said Monday that it agreed to purchase Hair Club for Men and Women, a hair loss services company, for \$210 million.


Nursery chain to liquidate Frank #39;s Nursery  amp; Crafts, the lawn and garden retailer, declared bankruptcy Wednesday for the second time, and said it will start going-out-of-business sales as soon as it receives approval from Bankruptcy Court.


Halo 2 global sales pass five million units Microsoft has released a swathe of new figures related to Bungie #39;s Xbox opus, Halo 2, revealing that the title has now sold over five million units worldwide and become the most popular game in the history of Xbox Live.


Update 10: Crude Oil Prices Slide Further Crude oil futures slid Thursday to their lowest levels in more than two weeks as concerns over supplies ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter eased because of a rise in US inventories.


Milton deal getting closer for Yanks The Yankees are expected to make a push in the next couple of days to sign Eric Milton, and the lefthander has allowed the Yankees to examine his surgically repaired left knee.


Report: UConn freshman in critical condition UConn freshman guard AJ Price was in intensive care Tuesday after being hospitalized in critical condition with flu-like symptoms, the Hartford Courant reported.


US retail sales dip as auto sector slows WASHINGTONAmerican shoppers turned tight-fisted in August, dropping sales at retailers by 0.3 per cent and providing fresh evidence of an erratic pace of consumer spending in recent months.


Mets challenge intrigues Martinez Pedro Martinez considered the choices: stay with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, sign with the NL champion St. Louis Cardinals or become the cornerstone of a reconstruction project with the New York Mets.


Web giant Google cuts IPO prices GOOGLE, the web search engine, has slashed the price range on its eagerly awaited initial public offering to between 47 and 52 per share from 59 to 74 per share.


eBay snaps up Rent.com eBay agrees to buy Rent.com for \$415m (214m), gaining access to more of the online property market.


Home-Brew IPod Ad Opens Eyes An animated ad for Apple's iPod made by a schoolteacher is thrilling buzz marketers. Forget word-of-mouth -- the future of advertising is in professional-looking ads that go viral. By Leander Kahney.


Afghanistan Explosions Kill at Least 17 People, AFP Reports Two explosions, one at a religious school Saturday night and another in the Afghan capital Kabul Sunday, killed at least 17 people, including five children, and the Taliban militia has


Attacks Kill at Least 19 in Samarra, Iraq (AP) AP - Insurgents set off at least two car bombs and attacked a police station Saturday in the central Iraqi town of Samarra, killing at least 19 people and wounding 23, according to police and health officials.


Treasuries Fall as Investors Take Profits  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices fell for a  second straight session on Wednesday as buyers' resistance to  higher prices spawned a wave of profit-taking.


GDP Up, But Not Enough for Economists  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumers fed a pick-up in U.S.  economic growth in the third quarter but a sentiment survey for  this month showed oil prices were dampening their spirits,  government and private-sector data showed on Friday.


Kansas rallies to nip Georgia Tech in OT Keith Langford's twisting shot with three seconds left in overtime capped a comeback from a 16-point deficit and lifted second-ranked Kansas to a 70-68 victory over No. 9 Georgia Tech yesterday at Lawrence, Kan.


Maurice Wilkins Maurice Wilkins, the molecular biologist who died on Tuesday aged 87, was the third and least well-known of the three scientists who in 1962 won the Nobel Prize for medicine for determining the structure of DNA, the molecule which carries the genetic code


Roddick Smacks Voltchkov With a Record 155mph Serve Fireballing American Andy Roddick improved his service serve mark blasting a record 155 mph serve in a 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, win over Vladimir Voltchkov Friday earning the United States a 1-0 early lead lead over Belarus in the Davis Cup semifinals World Group.


RFID Deadlines Intensify Need To Manage Product Information Enterprises face dual 2005 deadlines relating to RFID and supply-chain data synchronization. Those that haven #39;t moved forward with a product-information-management strategy will be under-prepared to realize RFID #39;s value.


The China Post The Asian Wall Street Journal yesterday described US Secretary of State Colin Powell #39;s support of Taiwan #39;s eventual reunification with China as a  quot;slip-up, quot; when most Taiwanese have rejected it.


Two Chinese Engineers Kidnapped in Pakistan (Reuters) Reuters - Two Chinese engineers working at a\hydro-electric project in Pakistan were kidnapped by tribesmen\on Saturday in a region where security forces have been hunting\militants linked to al Qaeda, officials said.


Gunmen kill  #39;collaborator #39; A SUSPECTED Palestinian collaborator with Israel was executed late today by two gunmen outside a mosque in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian security sources said.


EIGHT DIE AS BOMB EXPLOSIONS HIT BAGHDAD BAGHDAD: At least eight people were killed and 45 wounded when two suspected car bombs exploded within minutes of each other outside two churches and a hospital in southern Baghdad last night.


Rams storm back, still lose to Vick, Falcons The St. Louis Rams had spent the better part of the first half watching Michael Vick run circles around them. Surprisingly, they watched the normally accommodating Falcons run defense put the clamps on Marshall Faulk.


Pope Returns Relics To Orthodox Leader  VATICAN CITY, Nov. 27 -- Pope John Paul II on Saturday handed over the bones of two saints to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, in hopes that the gesture will revive talks over unifying Roman Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity, two major forces in Christendom.


Update 2: Corporate Tax Law Overhaul Passage Likely The Senate is expected to follow the lead of the House and pass a major overhaul of corporate tax law that would dole out \$136 billion in new tax breaks to a wide array of US companies and provide a \$10.


Mickelson finally makes it to Grand Slam POIPU BEACH, Hawaii - When Phil Mickelson visited Kauai about eight months ago on a family vacation, he was determined to return. But with his 0-46 record in major championships as a pro and amateur, qualifying


Dick Ebersol Released from Hospital  GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (Sports Network) - NBC Sports  chairman Dick Ebersol and his son Charlie were released from  the hospital Monday, a week after surviving a charter plane  crash that killed three people, including Ebersol's youngest  son.


Google's Search For Dominance (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Google Inc. unveiled a new search tool yesterday that's capable of scanning both the Internet and the files on a personal computer, beating Microsoft Corp. out of the gates and significantly raising the stakes in the search-engine wars.


Microsoft Sees Open-Source Threat Looming Ever Larger (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - The software maker is facing growing pressure from open-source software across every segment of its business #151;a competitive threat that could have significant consequences for its financial future going forward, Microsoft said in its latest 10-K filing to the SEC.


UK PRESS: Goldman-Carlyle Mull Warner Chilcott Counterbid LONDON (Dow Jones)--Goldman Sachs (GS) and private equity company Carlyle Group are considering a GBP1.6 billion-plus counter offer to halt the sale of Northern Ireland pharmaceutical company Warner Chilcott (WCRX, WCRX.


NFL, Attorneys Meet Ricky Williams's attorney met with NFL officials to discuss the tailback's desire to return from his brief retirement.


AOL Doesn't Want Your Business The internet provider will cut broadband service to several southern states  Also: Greek and British police catch a software pirater   hellip;.  AOL to provide travel services to customers    hellip;. and more.


Two inmates found dead at prison Detectives are investigating the deaths of two inmates who were both found hanged at Manchester Prison.


Sexual abuse trials underway on Pitcairn Pitcairn Island #39;s sex trials have started this morning with Mayor Steve Christian the first to face the court. The prosecution has told the court Mr Christian committed offences against four women between 1964 and 1975.


Stocks Boosted by Oil's Fall; Techs Rally  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips recovered ground on  Friday as falling oil prices offset a profit warning from  aluminum maker Alcoa Inc.  AA.N, while a tech rally was  fueled by software maker Oracle Corp. ORCL.O


Schumacher dynasty rolls on after historic seventh Formula One <b>...</b> Though an unprecedented seventh season title was conceded to him months ago, the German finally made it official. And he didn #39;t even have to win to do it.


Clippers excercise option on Wilcox LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - As expected, the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday exercised the 2005-06 contract option on forward Chris Wilcox.


Company chiefs who outsource jobs earn more, study finds WASHINGTON Chief executives of US companies that outsourced the greatest number of jobs reaped bigger pay and benefits last year than those from other companies, according to a study of executive compensation released Tuesday.


Microsoft touts 'Sender ID' to fight spam, scams Proposed tech standard would verify senders' IP addresses to cut malicious phishing and annoying Viagra pitches.


For tiny Finland, a World Cup championship would be a storybook <b>...</b> The book on extraordinary Finnish hockey accomplishments is a slender volume, no bigger than those comical books about cats that are stacked around the sales registers at Barnes  amp; Noble.


Gold May Top 15-Year High as Dollar #39;s Value Falls, Survey Says Gold may top a 15-year high of \$435 an ounce on speculation the re-election of US President George W. Bush will erode the dollar #39;s value and make precious metals more appealing than US stocks and bonds, a survey showed.


Stale Wonder Bread? Rancid revenues and restatements leave the bread and Twinkies maker on the verge of bankruptcy.


Pakistan launches attack on suspected militants near Afghan border; 50 killed (Canadian Press) Canadian Press - WANA, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani warplanes pummelled a suspected al-Qaida training facility near the border with Afghanistan on Thursday, flattening a vast mud-brick compound and killing at least 50 fighters, the military said.


Ask Jeeves Enters Desktop Search Game Ask Jeeves (Quote, Chart) entered the desktop search competition with a beta version of its own service that scours users #39; computers.


HP bags \$500 million outsourcing deal European commercial bank WestLB turns to Hewlett-Packard to manage its worldwide tech services.


Yen Rises on Corporate Sentiment Poll  TOKYO (Reuters) - The yen rose on Friday after a closely  watched Bank of Japan (BOJ) survey showed further improvement  in Japanese business sentiment.


IBM Rolls Out Low-Cost Blade Servers (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has announced a low-cost blade server chassis, along with several new "business-in-a-box" packages for a wide range of industries, including the growing bioinformatics sector.


Briefly: SAP taps search technology roundup Plus: Appeals court to rehear e-mail snoop case...Macromedia giving away Flex...T-Mobile adds security measure to hot spots.


Time Warner #39;s AOL Unit to Cut 700 Jobs -Source America Online, the world #39;s largest Internet service provider, plans to lay off about 5 percent of its US work force as it faces an ever-dwindling subscribership, a source close to the company said on Tuesday.


Ballmer: We need a \$100 PC The Microsoft CEO says one way to stem growing piracy of Windows and Office in emerging markets is to offer low-cost computers.


Aussies face Cuba in final Brendan Kingman's sixth-inning RBI single sent Australia to a stunning 1-0 victory yesterday over Japan, putting the Aussies in today's gold medal game against Cuba.


Study: MP3 Player Market Booming (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Sales of portable MP3 digital-audio players are booming and are set to generate US #36;58 billion in revenue worldwide by 2008, according to a new study from research firm IDC.


Beach Volleyball: Australia in with a Shout  ATHENS (Reuters) - To prepare for the Olympics, Kerri  Pottharst practiced serving with her team mate screaming in her  ear.


Russian School Toll Rises to More Than 300 Russian officials today gave the new figure for casualties in the violent ending of the school standoff. There are fears it could go even higher.


O'Reilly Says He's Ready to Fight Charges NEW YORK - Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly made a TV talk show appearance on what he said was "the worst day of my life" Thursday, vowing to fight sexual harassment charges by one of his producers.    Accuser Andrea Mackris spoke publicly for the first time, saying she felt threatened by her former boss, who filed a lawsuit charging the woman and her lawyer with extortion...


Cavs Dunk Bobcats LeBron James slams down a windmill dunk late in the second quarter and Cleveland never looks back in a 106-89 victory over Charlotte on Thursday night.


AMD Offers Gourmet Chip Although the FX-55 runs at 2.6 gigahertz, AMD claims its efficiency makes it a rival of the 4 GHz Pentium processor that Intel dropped from development last week.


On-Demand Apps Break Enterprise Barriers (TechWeb) TechWeb - Now with easy customization and process integration, will utility apps dominate?


HCA to let employees cash in stock options faster Hospital chain HCA said yesterday it will allow employees and its executives to cash in certain stock options earlier than was originally scheduled, a move that could be a financial plus for


Drug labels to reflect suicide link WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration plans to update antidepressant labels to reflect studies that suggest a link between the drugs and suicide in youths.


CNN Producer Seized by Armed Men in Gaza  GAZA (Reuters) - Armed Palestinians kidnapped an Israeli  Arab producer for the CNN television network from a car in Gaza  City on Monday after asking for him by name.


U.S. Urges Sudan to Return Darfur Refugees (AP) AP - The State Department urged the Sudanese government Wednesday to arrange for the return of thousands of people in Darfur who were forcibly removed from a camp where they had taken refuge.


Race-fixing probe nets 16 SIXTEEN people, including champion jockey Kieren Fallon, were arrested today in a major investigation into alleged fixing of horse races in Britain, police and news reports said.


Australian PM hints he will not be around for another election (AFP) AFP - Australia's re-elected Prime Minister John Howard has hinted he might step aside during his fourth term in office following his latest election win.


Millar Left Out of Boston's Lineup (AP) AP - Kevin Millar was the odd man out of Boston's starting lineup in Game 3 of the World Series against the Cardinals on Tuesday night.


Pitcairn trial hears a litany of child sex abuse She was a young Pitcairner, a teenage girl tending watermelons in an isolated spot on the island where she grew up. Len Brown was old enough to be her father.


More Prescription Drug Health Risks The Food and Drug Administration remains on the defensive. The agency got grilled on Capitol Hill for the second day in a row about the health risks of several popular prescription drugs.


Group H review (Chelsea Chelsea continued their great start to the Champions League with a third straight victory in the competition. Their 2-0 win over Roman Abramovich #39;s other business interest CSKA Moscow was not the prettiest


Lebanese Minister Resigns to Protest Presidential Term Extension A Lebanese cabinet minister has resigned to protest parliament #39;s controversial decision to extend the term of Syrian-backed President Emile Lahoud.


Villages set ablaze as ethnic riots break out in China Police and paramilitary troops were last night guarding villages in central China where ethnic riots involving thousands of people led to at least seven deaths and scores of injuries.


Equatorial Guinea prosecutor wants death for S. African 'mercenary' (AFP) AFP - The prosecutor in the trial of a group of suspected foreign mercenaries accused of plotting a putsch in Equatorial Guinea said he will call for the death penalty for the coup-plotters' alleged leader, South African Nick du Toit.


Troubled Rentokil rules out break-up STRUGGLING pest control and security specialist Rentokil today ruled out a break-up of the company or any major disposals as it reported back following a sweeping review of the business.


Iran given last chance to halt uranium enrichment VIENNA - Senior officials from France, Britain and Germany will meet Irans top nuclear negotiator in Vienna on Thursday to offer Tehran a final chance to halt uranium enrichment plans or face possible UN sanctions.


Pol Pot and his change from man to beast Philip Short took four years to write this biography, after completing his much-praised life of Mao Zedong () in 1999. He has trawled deep and wide, reading what are probably


Pitino, Myles Discuss U of L #39;s Upcoming Game Against Kentucky LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Louisville men #39;s basketball head coach Rick Pitino and senior forward Ellis Myles met with members of the media on Friday to preview the Cardinals #39; home game against rival Kentucky on Satursday.


Giants: Without Moss, Vikings get trampled MINNEAPOLIS With big-play wide receiver Randy Moss on the sideline in street clothes with a strained hamstring, the rest of the Minnesota Vikings were suffering from amnesia.


EA to boost mobile-phone games Gaming giant Electronic Arts will boost production of video games for mobile phones over the next nine months, bringing top-selling franchises  quot;Fifa Football quot; and  quot;The Sims quot; to handsets, the company says.


Indians pitcher shot in leg He was shot with his boots on -- white, patent leather go-go boots, but, hey, this is 2005. And those boots might have saved Cleveland Indians pitcher Kyle Denney from serious injury when a bullet hit one


Marion Jones bombs out of Athens Winner of five medals and arguably the biggest star of the Sydney Games four years ago, the American finished fifth in Friday #39;s long jump and -- barely one hour later -- went out with the US 4x100m relay team.


Blast rocks Nepal police post KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Maoist guerrillas have set off a bomb at an empty police post near Kathmandu, police say, and the Nepali capital remains cut off by land for the third day due to a rebel blockade call.


IBM sells PC business to Chinese group (KAAL) -- Last week it was announced that IBM might be selling part of it #39;s company, and now that appears to have happened. China #39;s biggest computer maker says it #39;s acquired a majority stake in IBM #39;s personal


Landmine kills Afghan policemen Seven Afghan policemen are killed by a landmine in the Kandahar province, ahead of landmark elections.


Report: Enterprises Go Outside for Security Help (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - It is no secret that enterprise networks are increasingly under attack from a variety of sources that are difficult to thwart. To address the problem, many are turning to outside security providers, which is driving \the rapid evolution of new safeguarding technologies, according to \research conducted by the Yankee Group.


Mets buy out Leiter #39;s contract New York, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Mets bought of the contract of pitcher Al Leiter on Monday, making him a free agent. Leiter -- who went 10-8 with a 3.21 earned run average in 30 starts in 2004


Green Bay Packers GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- The Chicago Bears took advantage of the Green Bay Packers  #39; miscues to give coach Lovie Smith his first win.


Porto adds quick-tempered, quick-footed Fabiano to roster European champion Porto has signed Brazil striker Luis Fabiano from Sao Paulo, the Portuguese club said on its Web site on Tuesday.


Alcan okays plan for Australian expansion MONTREALAlcan Inc. has given the green light to a \$1.3 billion (US) expansion of an alumina refinery in Australia #39;s Northern Territory.


U.S. Weighs Borrowing Oil From Stockpile (AP) AP - The Bush administration said Thursday it is weighing a request from several U.S. refiners to borrow crude oil from the nation's emergency stockpile to help offset supply disruptions along the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Ivan.


Big Easy comes through on a tough day in Ireland Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, Els breezed through a wacky day of weather at the American Express Championship by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead and hope that he


Spanish MP3 site owner to pay RIAA \$10m Four men who attempted to use what they believed was a loophole in Spanish law to allow them to sell MP3s online legally, along with the company behind the site they ran, have agreed to pay music labels \$10.


Report: Decision could come today Art Howe has been given the option to leave as Mets manager immediately or manage until then end of the season and then be fired, a high-ranking club official has told Michael Kay of ESPN Radio 1050 in New York.


Yushchenko: Ukraine Events Are Like Fall of Soviets  VIENNA (Reuters) - Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor  Yushchenko, speaking after doctors said he was poisoned with  dioxin, on Sunday likened his country's upheaval over a rigged  election to the fall of Soviet rule or the Berlin wall.


Qualcomm May Change Royalty Recognition Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM.O: Quote, Profile, Research) may change the way it recognizes royalties from its licensees, which would reduce fourth-quarter pre-tax income by \$298 million, the company said on Friday.


Parliament Votes Against Sharon Statement JERUSALEM - The Israeli parliament gave a symbolic slap to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, voting against a statement defending his Gaza pullout plan, but he survived two no-confidence motions and pledged to bring the withdrawal itself to a vote in two weeks.    The maneuvering came Monday at the opening of the winter session of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, with Sharon heading a government that lost its majority over the Gaza pullout and is vulnerable to being toppled...


Even Near Home, a New Front Is Opening in the Terror Battle Federal officials are trying to prosecute operators of Web sites that recruit terrorists.


Simple Telescopes Discover New Planet (AP) AP - Astronomers using telescopes not much larger than the spyglass Galileo wielded 400 years ago have discovered a new Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a bright, distant star.


Fletcher Building Considering Bid for Parts of Amatek Group Fletcher Building Ltd., New Zealand #39;s largest building products maker, said it is considering buying parts of Australian construction group Amatek Holdings Ltd.


First Look: Portable Speakers Pack Punch Kilpsch's \$100 ProMedia Ultra 2.0 speakers put desktop-quality sound in a package you can lug around.


Tokyo Stocks Seen Moving Little  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese stocks will probably move little  on Monday as soaring oil prices and caution ahead of the U.S.  presidential election next month and its possible impact on  financial markets make investors nervous about trading  actively.


Nike: Undervalued Powerhouse? Plus, Colgate-Palmolive's washed away, Microsoft opens up, and a stone-cold IPO.


Leading Indicators, Jobless Claims Dip (AP) AP - A closely watched measure of future economic activity fell in July for the second consecutive month, reinforcing evidence that the nation's financial recovery is slackening.


Sony PSP Draws Crowds and Lines on First Day  TOKYO (Reuters) - Game fans stood in lines through a chilly  Tokyo night to be among the first in the world to get their  hands on Sony Corp.'s PlayStation Portable, the consumer  electronics firm's first handheld game machine.


Watching Bush and Putin THE 59th session of the UN General Assembly got underway in New York yesterday amid growing anxieties over grinding poverty faced by billions of souls and the fuel it provides for terrorism


Paper: Sirius Pricey Despite Howard Stern  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.  SIRI.O look pricey despite the company's new five-year, \$500  million pact with shock jock Howard Stern to air his program  starting in 2006, according to the latest edition of Barron's,  the weekly financial newspaper.


CRICKET: South Africa sacks cricket coach South Africa #39;s United Cricket Board today sacked national coach Eric Simons, weeks ahead of the two-Test tour of India beginning November 10.


US to Charge AOL with Fraud, Defer Prosecution Media giant Time Warner Inc. will pay fines of \$210 million under an agreement with the US government to be announced on Wednesday to settle charges that its America


Glaus Headed to Arizona??  PHOENIX (Sports Network) - Free agent third baseman Troy  Glaus is reportedly headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks.


Earthquake Hits Romania, No Reports of Casualties  BUCHAREST (Reuters) - An earthquake hit Romania on  Wednesday night, shaking buildings in the capital Bucharest but  apparently causing little damage, Reuters witnesses said.


Peruvian President: Japan Should Extradite Fugitive Fujimori Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has called on Japan to extradite fugitive ex-President, Alberto Fujimori. Mr. Toledo made the demand Wednesday during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in


Satellite Tracking Finds Albatrosses' Deadly Zones (Reuters) Reuters - Satellite tracking data have\pinpointed parts of the world where longline fishing trawlers\and albatrosses cross paths, often with fatal results for the\majestic sea birds, a report released on Wednesday said.


Is the software license dead? SANTA CLARA, Calif.--The business of selling software is due for an extreme makeover, industry executives said at the SoftSummit conference .


Virgin staff  #39;not trained for bomb #39; VIRGIN Blue had not trained its workers to cope with an emergency like the discovery of an explosive device on a flight, an airport union said today.


Wal-Mart Comes Back Swinging After being outmaneuvered by aggressive competitors at the start of the holiday shopping season, Wal-Mart Stores (WMT ) is returning fire.


Castro Says He's Working Despite Injuries (AP) AP - Demonstrating he retains firm control over Cuba after fracturing his knee and arm in a fall at a public event, President Fidel Castro told of conducting government business by cellular phone during an ambulance ride and later refusing general anesthesia.


Body of Egyptian Hostage Found in Iraq - Police (Reuters) Reuters - The body of an Egyptian who was\kidnapped in Iraq last month has been found in northern Iraq,\Iraqi police said on Sunday.


Rangers Clobber Athletics 10-3 (AP) AP - Mark Mulder has lost his edge, and the Oakland Athletics are in ever-greater danger of losing their spot atop the AL West. Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer off Mulder, and the Texas Rangers kept creeping back into the playoff chase with a 10-3 victory over the A's on Wednesday night.


Census: Poverty up in 2003 WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans in poverty and those without health insurance each rose by more than 1 million in 2003, the Census Bureau reported Thursday.


Shell Eastern Trading Signs Gas Supply Deal with Russias <b>...</b> Russian gas company, Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd, said it has signed a deal to supply Shell Eastern Trading Ltd with LNG over a 20 year period for the North American market, the AFX news agency reported on Thursday.


Chickenpox Vaccinations Lead to \$100 Million Savings By LINDSEY TANNER    CHICAGO (AP) -- Vaccinating children against chickenpox saves the U.S. health care system nearly \$100 million a year in reduced hospitalizations for severe cases of the itchy disease, a study found...


Bellevue (Wash.) ends record streak De La Salle High School lost 39-20 Bellevue (Wash.), ending the Spartans #39; record high school winning streak Saturday night in Seattle.


Ex-cabinet minister caught up in Marsh corruption scandal Lord Lang of Monkton, the president of the Board of Trade in the last Conservative government, is under pressure to resign from the board of Marsh  amp; McLennan, the insurance broker accused of corruption.


Westfield joins proposed joint bid for Chelsfield Westfield (WDC) and a new company to be formed by Multiplex Group(MXG) and the Reuben brothers today announced they are to propose a \$1.


Biogen gets the first in 8 years FDA approval for a multiple <b>...</b> Today was a day of good news for multiple sclerosis patients: FDA granted approval to a new anti-multiple sclerosis drug Antegren developed by Biogen Idec Inc.


Yemeni militants convicted on terror charges The charges include the 2002 bombing of a French oil tanker and plotting to kill the United States ambassador. One man was sentenced to death for killing a Yemeni police officer and seven received 10 year prison terms.


Oil Up from 7-Week Lows on U.S. Weather (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices perked up from 7-week lows on\Friday on forecasts for colder-than-normal weather in the U.S.


From Baghdad A Wall Street Journal Reporter #39;s E-Mail to Friends Being a foreign correspondent in Baghdad these days is like being under virtual house arrest. Forget about the reasons that lured me to this job: a chance to see the world, explore the exotic


Early market signals mixed ahead of US rate move, technology <b>...</b> TORONTO (CP) - Early indicators were mixed for North American stock markets Monday as investors weighed the impact of an expected US interest rate hike and a \$10.3-billion-US merger in the technology sector.


The Interlagos Race Report: Fernandos flawless performance After taking risks at the start, using dry tyres in the wet, Fernando finished fourth behind Montoya, Raikkonen and Barrichello.


A Sleeping Pill for Longer Use Wins Approval The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new sleeping pill that some specialists say could pave the way for longer-term use of such medications.


Apple releases December Security Update Apple yesterday released a 12.7MB security update that consists of several revised components including Apache, AppKit, HIToolbox, Kerberos, Postfix, PSNormalizer, Safari and Terminal.


Short-term T-bill rates lower Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities fell in yesterday's auction. The Treasury Department sold \$19 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 1.68 percent, down from 1.69 percent last week. An additional \$17 billion was sold in six-month bills at a rate of 1.96 percent, down from 1.99 percent.


Dull Holiday Shopping Season Predicted  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Retailers may be in for a blue  Christmas this year as worries about soaring energy prices,  consumers' cost-consciousness and a warmer December than last  year make for lackluster holiday sales, retail analysts said.


House approves extension of ban on taxing the Internet The House has given final congressional approval to a bill that bans state and local governments from taxing Internet connections for the next three years.


Experts Say More People Should Take Statins (AP) -- Perhaps no medicine today is so widely regarded as a wonder drug as the cholesterol-lowering statin. From Zocor to Lipitor to Pravachol, statins are top sellers in a country where half of American adults have high cholesterol...