Ivory Coast Bombs Rebel Zone Again, War Fears Rise  BOUAKE, Ivory Coast (Reuters) - Government warplanes and  helicopter gunships pounded rebel-held towns in northern Ivory  Coast for a second day on Friday, fueling fears of a slide into  all-out war in the world's top cocoa grower.


Using New Radar, Israeli Town Ducks Gazan Rockets A custom-built early warning radar installed in an Israeli border town passed its first live test on Wednesday, alerting residents to incoming Palestinian rockets in time for them to take cover.


Should Your Next Car Be New or Used? Used cars have a lot to offer -- if you know what you're doing.


First-place Juventus wins in Italian league Juventus came back from an early deficit to beat Lazio 2-1 Sunday and restore its four-point lead in the Italian league. By Paco Serinelli, AFP.


Tunisian Doctors Examine Arafat, Aides Blame Flu (Reuters) Reuters - Six Tunisian doctors\arrived in the West Bank on Saturday to examine Yasser Arafat,\but aides dismissed Israeli media reports that the Palestinian\president's health had deteriorated and said he had flu.


Nobel Peace Prize Winner Maathai Answers Critics  OSLO (Reuters) - Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari  Maathai dismissed critics on Thursday who say ecology has too  little to do with peace to merit the award. She said most wars  are fought over natural resources.


Top US cyber-security official resigns WASHINGTON -- The nations top cyber-security official has resigned unexpectedly, raising new questions about the progress of efforts to protect the nations vast computer networks from terror attacks, electronic viruses and other threats, government


Prince Arch runs down Mustanfar in Saranac Prince Arch, who had been racing against the likes of multiple stakes winners Kittens Joy and Artie Schiller, returned from a layoff of nearly two months to win the \$108,200


Update 3: US Airways Gets OK to Cut Workers #39; Pay A bankruptcy judge granted US Airways authority Friday to immediately cut the pay of its union workers by 21 percent through mid-February, saying the airline #39;s situation is so dire that urgent action must be taken.


For a Fee, a Stream of Tunes, Talk and Video High-speed connections and software improvements are giving rise to subscription services for music, movies, sports events and talk radio to PC's.


Court denies Tribune media-merger request A federal appeals court on Friday denied a request from Tribune Co., publisher of the Chicago Tribune, to allow mergers between newspapers and broadcast stations in markets with at least nine television stations.


Battle over Website Address An internet entrepreneur today claimed he was fighting a David versus Goliath battle with computer giant Apple over the ownership of a website address.


San Diego Chargers Martin rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns to become the New York Jets  #39; all-time leading rusher as the Jets posted a 34-28 victory over the San Diego Chargers .


Cat Clones \\From CNN  (which didn't permalink this article so no PageRank for you!):\\"Baba Ganoush and Tabouli, the first cats cloned by chromatin transfer, tackle a\cat toy in San Francisco Thursday. The technology was developed by Genetic\Savings   Clone, a company that produces cat clones."\\


US Airways Permitted to Cut Workers Pay by 21 Percent A bankruptcy judge granted US Airways authority today to immediately cut the pay of its union workers by 21 percent, saying the airline's situation is so dire that urgent action must be taken.


IBM to pay \$320M to partially settle pension case IBM will take a \$320 million charge this quarter to settle some claims and cap its liability on others in a long-running class-action fight over changes made to its pension plan in the 1990s.


Alonso Next in at Anfield Rafael Benitez #39;s Anfield revolution gathered pace today when the Liverpool manager unveiled one new signing and revealed he was close to completing a deal for another.


Arab TV airs video of 3 UN hostages in Afghanistan DUBAI: Al Jazeera television aired a video yesterday of three UN employees held hostage in Afghanistan by kidnappers who are threatening to kill them unless Taliban and al Qaeda prisoners are freed.


Credit Cards Sabotaging Mortgages Your credit card company might be needlessly costing you thousands.


Emmons Loses Gold American shooter Matt Emmons fired at the wrong target on his final shot Sunday, blowing a commanding lead in the Olympic 50-meter three-position rifle event and allowing Jia Zhanbo of China to take the gold


M T Bank Profit Rises on Fewer Bad Loans  NEW YORK (Reuters) - M T Bank Corp. MTB.N, which counts  billionaire Warren Buffett as its third largest shareholder, on  Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose a greater-than-expected  19 percent, helped by growing fees and a drop in bad loans.


Connecticut Man Accused of Selling Microsoft Code A Connecticut computer hacker was arrested yesterday and charged with selling copies of Microsoft Windows proprietary source code.


Utes spread the wealth With quarterback Alex Smith at the controls, unbeaten Utah is second in the nation in scoring. Utah #39;s offensive architects don #39;t take credit for reinventing the spread, the veer, option football or the wheel, for that matter.


Ready for Service Pack 2? Not so fast, XP Pro users You #39;ve been patient. You #39;ve done what Microsoft asked you to do. You #39;re ready to download Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.


Spilled Oil, Gas Ignite in Iraq #39;s South Rumaila Field Oil and gas spilled during recent sabotage attacks on Iraq #39;s southern oil pipelines ignited Sunday and firefighters battled to douse the flames.


But seriously folks You want answers and you want them now. The only thing is, four weeks of ludicrous exhibition games haven't told you anything. So here's some advice: Take it slow, real slow.


Gateway expands Media Center PC lineup NOVEMBER 18, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Gateway Inc. plans to release two additional Media Center PCs Thursday, hoping that consumer excitement over multimedia will boost what is forecast as a weak holiday season for consumer PCs.


Real Madrid Shocked By Espanyol Its official; Real Madrid is in a crisis after slumping to a 1-0 defeat away to Espanyol. The loss is Madrids second of the week as they were humiliated on Wednesday by Bayer Leverkusen in Champions League play.


Genentech Quarterly Profit Up (Reuters) Reuters - Genentech Inc.  on Wednesday\said third-quarter earnings rose 50 percent, spurred by growth\in new colon cancer treatment Avastin and strong sales of its\older drugs, and raised its full-year profit forecast.


Iraq mortar fire hits US mission A mortar round hits the roof of the US embassy in Baghdad, slightly injuring two emplyees,  a spokesman says.


China #39;s communist party must adapt to changing times--media BEIJING, China -- Chinese state media Friday said it was crucial the ruling communist party adapt to social changes but gave few clues about an apparent power struggle as a secretive party plenum entered a second day.


Vikings Add Depth in Secondary; Ink Shaw and Brown  EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., (Sports Network) - The Minnesota  Vikings added some much- needed depth to its secondary on  Tuesday by signing veterans Terrance Shaw and Ralph Brown.


NHL on Ice, Maybe for Whole 2004-05 Season (AP) AP - No shots, no saves, no goals. The National Hockey League locked out its players, threatening to keep the sport off the ice for the entire 2004-05 season and perhaps beyond in an effort by management to gain massive economic change.


Google under pressure over desktop search Analyst firm Gartner has put out a statement warning businesses to steer clear of Google #39;s desktop search tool until a more robust, enterprise-ready version is released.


Manufacturing accelerates Manufacturing in the nation accelerated in August and September, supporting Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan's view that the economy  quot;regained some traction. quot;


Aussies on top but India show fight Australia is in a commanding position at stumps on day three of the first cricket Test against India in Bangalore, despite a late fightback from the home side.


Mortar barrage kills one, wounds several in central Baghdad A mortar barrage hammered the heavily fortified Green Zone and elsewhere in central Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least one person and underscoring the vulnerability of even Iraq #39;s best-protected areas ahead of national elections.


Afghan deputy escapes blast A DEPUTY to US-backed President Hamid Karzai escaped a roadside bombing in northern Afghanistan today, just four days after Mr Karzai himself was targeted as he attempted to hit


Worldcon Is Gateway to Big Time Science fiction and fantasy fans gather to celebrate their favorite genre and hand out Hugo Awards, which some writers have been able to convert into wider exposure. Mark Baard reports from Boston.


Outfielder #39;s season done No matter what happened in the AL division series against Boston, Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia said Friday the suspended left fielder wouldn #39;t play in the postseason.


Boeing: Pact Battle Not Linked to Vote Boeing Co. #39;s chief executive on Monday said his call for Washington to end a pact with Europe on aircraft development funding was not aimed at garnering political support ahead of the US presidential election.


US Embassy warns diplomats to stay away from Marriott hotel : Pakistani officials insisted that an explosion at the Marriott hotel in the capital city was caused by an electrical short-circuit, not a bomb, but the US Embassy today issued a warning


Techincal problem delays launch of Soyuz spacecraft The next crew of the International Space Station likely will wait a few more days to blast off from Kazakhstan after Russian engineers found another technical glitch with their Soyuz spacecraft.


Paula Radcliffe gives up Paula Radcliffe has withdrawn in tears after just over two hours of the Olympic women #39;s marathon. The world record holder and big favourite was in fourth place at the time but was losing ground.


Fuzzy Math Ohio State's national championship win over Miami in 2002 is the only time in recent memory that the college football season has ended absolutely free of controversy.


Gold Fields rejects Harmony Gold #39;s \$8.1bn takeover offer NEW YORK, October 19 (newratings.com) - Gold Fields Limited (GFI.NYS) has rejected Harmony Gold Mining Company #39;s recently announced takeover bid through an all-stock deal valued at about \$8.


Send Your Sims To Uni in 2005 EA announce the first expansion pack for The Sims 2, giving you the ability to send your kids to university... One of the key features that kept The Sims constantly engaging to fans of the title were the multitude


Apple iTunes Rocks Europe  quot;We #39;re excited to bring the iTunes Music Store to even more music fans across Europe, and with this expansion we now reach customers in almost 70 percent of the global music market, quot; Apple #39;s Vice President of Applications Eddy Cue said.


Benitez on Deportivo draw But the Reds boss could not argue with the quality of performance from his players, and afterwards claimed that it was the best Liverpool had played under his management.


Elusive Anschutz Leaves Wide Footprint The billionaire investor is on the cusp of becoming a major presence in Washington with ambitious plans for D.C. United and new ownership of Journal Newspapers Inc.


SCO Group Web Site Attacked Again Software maker SCO Group has been targeted by hackers once again. This time, the company #39;s Web site was defaced. The attacks began during the long holiday weekend and were first noticed


Militants kill 11 Armymen in Kashmir blast SRINAGAR: Militants set off a powerful landmine in Kashmir killing eleven, including an Army Major, a civilian and nine soldiers in one of the biggest attacks in recent weeks, police say.


Putin  quot;Dictates quot; new measures of control over Russia President Vladimir Putin has announced new measures to strenghten the governments power in tackling the fight against terrorism. In a cabinet meeting today, Putin blamed Russian authorities for being inefficient


UN troops hurt in Haiti violence the second UN peacekeeper to be shot in Haiti over the weekend. On Saturday a Brazilian was hurt in the capital


Mozilla #39;s Thunderbird 1.0 Shows Promise Mozilla appears to have another winner on its hands. Its free Thunderbird e-mail client reads e-mail from Web and POP accounts, accesses RSS feeds, and offers significant flexibility.


Intel plans to fix internet Intel Corp has proposed an overhaul of what it says is an increasingly creaky internet that would result in servers running its chips taking as central role in the network as Cisco #39;s routers do today.


Read Madrid coach Camacho steps down Real Madrid accepted the resignation of coach Jose Antonio Camacho on Monday, two days after a loss to Espanyol that was its second in four days.


Sonics dance in Dallas DALLAS -- Two games in two days in a pair of sold-out arenas and the Sonics are now two-for-Texas after they beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-102 last night at American Airlines Center.


SEC Sues JB Oxford in Fund Trading The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the brokerage firm JB Oxford Holdings and its National Clearing Corporation unit, accusing them of improper mutual fund trading.


Yield on Bonds and baseball: dropping? The slugger #39;s testimony on steroid use raises sharp questions about integrity of baseball and all pro sports. By Mark Sappenfield  Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor.


Students Fight Copyright Hoarders College students around the country start groups to teach their peers about copyright law and how Hollywood and record companies abuse it. To fight vacant stares, they frame the issue like this: Save the iPod. By Katie Dean.


Polls say Kerry narrowly won US election debate (AFP) AFP - Snap polls taken after the second US presidential election debate said Senator John Kerry narrowly beat President George W. Bush.


US edge second day of UBS Cup A mix-up between Gary Player and Mark McNulty, where they played the wrong ball, allowed the US to edge into a 6-1/2 to 5-1/2 lead over the Rest of the World in the UBS Cup on Saturday.


For Second Day, Bomb Explodes Near Green Zone Description: For the second consecutive day, a suicide bomb explodes near the entrance of Baghdad #39;s heavily fortified Green Zone.


U.S.-Led Forces Reach Central Falluja-U.S. Source  FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces punched to the heart  of Falluja on Tuesday after fierce fighting with guerrillas in  Iraq's most rebellious city, a U.S. military source said.


Russian Wins Points Race America's struggles on the cycling track continued Tuesday, when Colby Pearce managed only a tie for 13th place in the points race.


Update 23: Crude Prices Stay Above \$50 Per Barrel Oil lingered above the \$50 per barrel threshold in Asian trade Wednesday, breaching the mark for the second straight day ahead of key US crude stockpile data.


Middle East Approaches That Won #39;t Work Brent Scowcroft #39;s Nov. 12 op-ed column,  quot;A Middle East Opening, quot; was a reminder of the Middle East policy that failed the first George Bush and his successor, Bill Clinton.


S amp;P revises Scottish Re Group outlook to stable Standard  amp; Poor #39;s revised its outlook on Scottish Re Group Ltd. to stable from positive, citing Scottish Re #39;s (SCT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) agreement to acquire ING Groep #39;s


Top Iraqi Shi #39;ite Cleric Arrives in Al-Najaf 26 August 2004 -- Iraq #39;s top Shi #39;ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, arrived in the city of Al-Najaf today in a bid to end a weeks-long conflict between US forces and militiamen loyal to Shi #39;ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.


Update 12: Kmart Acquires Sears in \$11 Billion Deal A resurgent Kmart, home of the blue light special, is buying the once-dominant Sears department store chain in a surprising \$11 billion gamble it is counting on to help both better compete with Wal-Mart and other big-box retailers.


GM and Ford SUVs to add safety feature DETROIT -- Electronic anti-rollover systems will become standard equipment on 1.8 million sport-utility vehicles from GM and Ford in 2005, the automakers announced last week.


A Taste of Yum! Wins the World Over It seems that fast food is in style. Favorites McDonald #39;s (NYSE: MCD) and Wendy #39;s (NYSE: WEN) had already posted positive August sales comps; Yum!


Microsoft earns \$2.9 billion in Q1 (MENAFN) The world #39;s biggest software company, Microsoft Corp, said that its first quarter profits grew to \$2.9 billion as consumers and businesses boosted demand for new computers, AFP reported.


Jaguars edge Colts on the road INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Rookie Josh Scobee put his foot into some more late-game magic for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Scobee kicked a season-high 53-yard field goal with 38 seconds left in the first half to


House may vote on spyware bill next week WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives will vote as soon as next week on a measure to crack down on deceptive spyware that hides in users computers and secretly monitors their activities, key lawmakers said on Wednesday.


Internet service providers file more spam lawsuits In a second round of lawsuits four major US internet service providers (ISPs) are taking on senders of e-mail spam and unwanted commercial messages sent via instant messaging.


Dad ID's Kidnapped Daughter in Colombia Daniela Vanegas, a bright-eyed girl with thick, dark tresses, was kidnapped almost a year ago as she boarded her school bus in Bogota.


Report: PC Sales Growing as Economy Rebounds (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - New statistics from IDC's Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker show that commercial \demand for PCs is rising in tandem with the growing economy, with PC shipment \growth in the second quarter the highest since mid 1999.


USA : Oil price lifts mens apparel prices Wholesale prices for domestically produced mens and boys apparel rose 0.6 percent in October 2004, which economists attributed to higher energy costs rather than real pricing power, the Labor Departments Producer Price Index revealed on Tuesday.


Jamal Lewis Out Versus Bengals  BALTIMORE, (Sports Network) - Baltimore Ravens running back  Jamal Lewis will miss his second straight game with a sprained  right ankle when his club takes on the Cincinnati Bengals this  Sunday.


Garciaparra still interested in Cubs BASEBALL Nomar Garciaparra can become a free agent after the World Series and will consider returning to the Chicago Cubs, his team for the final two months this season.  quot;Do I know what's going to happen, what is going on? That I can't foresee, quot; Garciaparra said before yesterday's season finale against Atlanta, one day after the Cubs were eliminated from ...


Bomb Near Embassy in Indonesia Kills Three A powerful bomb exploded near the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday, killing at least three people and wounding 50, witnesses and officials said.


Israeli Helicopter Fires Missile in Gaza -Witnesses (Reuters) Reuters - An Israeli helicopter fired a missile into\a town in the southern Gaza Strip late on Wednesday, witnesses\said, hours after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew herself up\in Jerusalem, killing two Israeli border policemen.


OutKast tops first digital-music sales awards Hip-hip duo OutKast have taken top honours as the recording industry handed out its first awards for music sold through Internet-music services like Apple Computer Inc.


Sun To Acquire MSP SevenSpace Sun Microsystems Monday expanded its growing managed services business with an agreement to acquire SevenSpace, a small managed services company based in Ashburn, Va.


Consortium Works on Network Interoperability A new international group of defense contractors and systems integrators plans to accelerate increased interoperability in network systems that serve the military, first responders and, eventually, commercial users.


He hurt me: Carolina Panthers kickoff returner Rod Smart, aka  quot;He Hate Me, quot; sprained his left knee Sunday on a kickoff return in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons.


Sprint, Nextel in merger talks: reports WASHINGTON (AFP) - US mobile telephone groups Sprint and Nextel are engaged in merger talks which could create the third-biggest US mobile operator worth some 30 billion dollars, according to reports.


Drop in price of oil gives boost to financial markets Oil prices plunged to \$50.13 yesterday, capping a 10 percent fall from record highs set last week and easing worries about high energy prices in financial markets.


Gunmen Kill Kashmiri Separatist Alliance Leader  SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Two gunmen shot dead a member  of the moderate faction of Kashmir's main separatist alliance  on Thursday, police said, days after New Delhi said it will try  to resume a stalled dialogue with the separatists.


Burt Rutan takes a V2-powered wander down memory lane Aviation pioneer Burt Rutan has been fondly remembering his childhood hero - German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. The X-Prize victor recently hooked up with two surviving members of von Braun #39;s V2 team


Sun License Thumbs Nose at GPL (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Sun's open-source license proposal for Open Solaris will surely be unpopular.


Microsoft delays IM beta release over security concerns com October 7, 2004, 12:45 PM PT. There #39;s no doubt the Internet will continue to make its mark in the world of business and technology.


Barber, Shockey score TDs to lead Giants past Packers 14-7 Tiki Barber ran for a 52-yard touchdown and Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey to lead the New York Giants past the Green Bay Packers 14-7 on Sunday.


Sun, Eastman Kodak settle high-stakes dispute over Java Sun Microsystems Inc. will pay Eastman Kodak Co. \$92 million to license patents originally filed by Wang Laboratories, a former minicomputer maker in Lowell.


Flu Vaccine Distributor Cuts 2004 Views Medical products distributor Henry Schein Inc. lowered its financial targets for the rest of the year, citing the impact of British regulators shutting down its major supplier of flu vaccine on Tuesday.


Methane link strengthens life-on-Mars theory Paris - The European Space Agency (ESA) said on Monday that it had found concentrations of water vapour and the gas methane in the same places on Mars, a finding which strengthens speculation that the Red Planet could be a haven for microbial life.


Consumer Prices Up in Nov. As Gas Calms (AP) AP - Consumer prices rose by a mild 0.2 percent in November as costs for gasoline and food products calmed down after posting sharp increases the month before.


Concerns mount for reporters missing in Iraq A freelance Italian journalist who had been working in the troubled Iraqi city of Najaf is missing and his driver has reportedly been killed, government and aid officials said on Saturday.


Pact to speed Navy Yard plans The Boston Redevelopment Authority and a New York developer yesterday reached an agreement that should speed construction of housing and a marina at the Charlestown Navy Yard.


Kerry: Americans' Safety at Stake in Election (Reuters) Reuters - Democratic challenger John Kerry said on\Friday the safety of Americans was at stake in next week's\election and refused to let a new Osama bin Laden videotape\overshadow his race with President Bush.


Hello Ogo : IM a-go-go In the week when rumours of the Oqo launch have been buzzing, it #39;s a bit confusing to have AT amp;T announce something called Ogo.


Cultivating Materialism Children in America are becoming deeply enmeshed in the consumer culture of getting and spending.


Review: GPS in Cell Phones Performs Well (AP) AP - O.K., so I don't like asking for directions. But I don't get lost so often that I need to spend more than  #36;1,000 on a built-in car navigation system to plot my course with global positioning satellites.


Macromedia readies Captivate for demos and simulations (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Macromedia on Monday is announcing Captivate, formerly known as RoboDemo, for recording onscreen activity and building software demonstrations and interactive simulations.


IRS Has Refunds For  quot;Lost quot; NJ Residents (1010 WINS) SPRINGFIELD, NJ Nearly three-thousand people in New Jersey are proving hard to find by the IRS -- and it #39;s not because they owe money.


Japan Rejects Bobby Fischer's Appeal (AP) AP - Japan's Justice Ministry on Tuesday rejected former chess champion Bobby Fischer's demand for protection as a political refugee, issuing an order to deport him.


HSBC to Open D.C. Branch, Pursue Embassy Clients  HSBC Bank USA will open a D.C. branch by the end of November in a bid to replace Riggs Bank as the city's premier diplomatic bank.


Linksys Teams With Verizon, Best Buy, Intel Cisco #39;s Irvine-based Linksys division has announced new relationships with a number of other companies. Linksys said that it has signed an agreement with Verizon to include the company #39;s VoIP phones in its services.


Pistons Coach Brown Returns to Bench (AP) AP - Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown returned to the bench Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing two weeks due to hip surgery.


Musharraf #39;s one-way deal is just the ticket NO WONDER that President Musharraf is pleased with his trip to London yesterday and Washington at the weekend. He has been fted as the chief ally in the War on Terror, a third implicit


Dollar Higher Vs Yen  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar rose against the yen on  Tuesday on weaker than expected Japanese output figures, but  traders said that recent heavy selling of the U.S. currency had  not ended.


Tough EU terms for Turkey Draft of document draws framework BRUSSELS -- Turkey will have to accept tough conditions, including de facto recognition of Cyprus and a permanent brake on labor migration, to open European Union entry talks, according to a draft EU summit statement.


Investors Flocking to Web Networking Sites By MICHAEL LIEDTKE    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Internet whiz kids Marc Andreessen, Josh Kopelman and Joe Kraus share something in common besides reaping huge jackpots during the dot-com boom.    All three belong to LinkedIn, a rapidly growing online networking service whose ability to connect people with common friends and work interests helped persuade the trio to invest in the company before it even started to generate revenue...


Far from  #39;roid to ruin In many ways, in fact, this probably isn #39;t even as scandalous as the late, great Collusion Fiasco back in the 1980s. But now that we #39;ve got that out of the way, there #39;s still no denying that


October retail sales reassuring Retailers around the country reported October sales Thursday that were better than Wall Street analysts were expecting, but industry experts said the results didn #39;t raise their expectations for the holiday season.


6 Egyptians, 2 Iraqis Kidnapped in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen abducted six Egyptians and four Iraqis working for Iraq's mobile phone company, seizing two in a bold raid on the firm's Baghdad office and the others outside the capital, officials said Friday, the latest in a string of kidnappings that have underscored the country's fragile security.    Also Friday, mortars exploded near the Italian Embassy in Baghdad, slightly wounding three Iraqis, the Foreign Ministry in Rome said...


Lebanon arrests 2 leaders BEIRUT Lebanon said Wednesday it had arrested 10 members of a Qaeda-linked group planning to blow up the Italian Embassy in Beirut using a car packed with 300 kilograms of the explosive TNT.


Progress, no resolution on Tokyo beef ban Trade talks on lifting the Japanese ban on US beef ended in Tokyo Saturday with some progress and pledges to talk again. A source close to the talks said the two sides reached


Pfizer warns on arthritis drug Bextra NEW YORK, OCTOBER 15 : PFIZER Inc. on Friday said two clinical trials showed patients taking its anti-inflammatory drug Bextra, had a higher risk of cardio-vascular events during high-risk coronary bypass surgery.


Airborne Cell Phone Ban Like To Remain in Effect Hopes -- and worries -- that U.S. regulators will soon end the ban on using wireless phones during U.S. commercial flights are likely at least a year or two early, government officials and analysts say.


Supreme Court Sidesteps Credit Card Dispute MasterCard and Visa no longer can block banks from issuing credit cards from competitors after the Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal Monday.


Wal-Mart keeps September sales view CHICAGO - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Monday maintained its September sales forecast and said back-to-school demand picked up for key categories including electronics and clothing after a sluggish start.


Two Palestinians killed in Gaza Two Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, apparently when explosives they were carrying were set off.


Two Rockets Hit Downtown Baghdad Sheraton BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two rockets hit a downtown Baghdad hotel housing foreigners and journalists Thursday, and gunfire erupted in the neighborhood across the Tigris River from the U.S. Embassy compound...


UK wants partial smoking ban, limit on junk food ads LONDON: Britain will announce plans today for a ban on smoking in many public places and a crackdown on television advertising of  quot;junk food quot; aimed at children.


In Ethnic Tinderbox, Fear of Revenge for School Killings Ethnic Ingush in Kartsa, Russia, wait in fear for possible reprisals after the mass killings in Beslan.


Marlon King #39;s stunner does it for Forest NOTTINGHAM, England (AFP) - A superb last-minute goal by Nottingham Forest #39;s Jamaican international Marlon King wrapped up a suitable ending here yesterday on a day dedicated to remembering former manager Brian Clough, who died of stomach cancer last


Tech Stocks Lead Way as Markets Surge The tech move upward was led by Intel, which rose by 1.3 percent after announcing its longtime president and COO would move up to CEO next May.


No. 2 Oklahoma Rolls Over Kansas, 41-10 (AP) AP - Jason White threw for 389 yards and four touchdowns against a defense geared up to stop Adrian Peterson, and No. 2 Oklahoma defeated Kansas 41-10 on Saturday.


Credit Suisse to combine units, float Winterthur NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Credit Suisse Group said Tuesday it will merge its Credit Suisse First Boston investment banking division into its private and corporate bank, cutting up to 300 jobs cuts and dropping a name that #39;s been on Wall Street for 72 years.


Levy is the glue that holds Wake together We can talk all you want about Chris Paul, Justin Gray and Eric Williams. We know how talented the three are at their respective positions.


Sharapova Sets Up Semi-Final with Kuznetsova  BEIJING (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova set  up an intriguing semi-final showdown with fellow Russian  Svetlana Kuznetsova at the China Open after her opponent Jelena  Jankovic retired hurt Friday with an ankle injury.


Minutemen slam the brakes on their skid DURHAM, N.H. -- After suffering losses each of the last four weeks in a  quot;murderer's row quot; schedule -- in the words of coach Don Brown -- it appeared Massachusetts was about to lose No. 5 early in yesterday's game.


INTER VISIT SURPRISE PACKAGE Internazionale boss Roberto Mancini has challenged his players not to drop any points between now and next month #39;s game against Juventus, but immediately faces a stiff test when they travel to high-flying Lecce on Wednesday.


It #39;s nearly winter  why is gasoline so expensive? A. With history as a guide, it #39;s not unreasonable to expect gas to be cheaper in winter months. Instead, the average retail price nationwide is just below \$1.95 a gallon.


Home Depot Raises Outlook, Tops Estimates  ATLANTA (Reuters) - Home Depot Inc. HD.N on Tuesday  reported a 19 percent rise in second-quarter profit, topping  estimates, as store renovations and efforts to improve service  drove higher average sales in every category.


US cracks down on spam mountain John Ashcroft, the attorney General of the US, is expected to announce on Thursday dozens of lawsuits against alleged spammers following a low key campaign against the practise across the US.


Patriots Finally Acknowledge the Streak (AP) AP - With less than a minute left in their NFL record 19th straight victory Sunday, the New England Patriots finally acknowledged the streak by dousing coach Bill Belichick.


Teen in the dock for first Madrid bombings trial (AFP) AFP - A teenage youth was due in the dock for the first trial of a suspect implicated in the Madrid train bombings, which killed 191 people in Spain's worst terrorist attack.


Boobirds Batter Symantec-Veritas Updated from 12:51 pm ESTWithin hours of the announcement that antivirus maker Symantec (SYMC:Nasdaq) and software storage vendor Veritas (VRTS:Nasdaq) would merge, skeptical investors shaved about a billion dollars off the value of the all-stock deal.


Apple: ITunes Music Store Accepts PayPal (Reuters) Reuters - Apple Computer Inc.  on\Friday said customers of its iTunes online music store can now\use eBay Inc.'s  online payment service PayPal to buy\songs and audio books, becoming the second major online music\store to do so.


Update: Microsoft asks EU court to suspend remedies LUXEMBOURG -- Microsoft Corp. asked a judge to suspend the European Commission's antitrust ruling against it on Thursday, arguing that secrets revealed now cannot be retracted.


Microsoft offers indemnification for all Microsoft Corp has upped the ante in its claims to offer better intellectual property indemnification than Linux vendors by extending to all end users its IP protection policy, which was previously only available to volume licensing customers.


Note left on body had death threat THE HAGUE, Netherlands Officials in the Netherlands say the killers of an outspoken filmmaker are also threatening a Dutch politician.


Mortgages rates up this week Mortgage rates around the country went up this week, with 30-year mortgages climbing to the highest level since early September. Freddie Mac, in its weekly survey released Thursday, reported that rates on


Supreme Court Limits Trademark Protection By Bloomberg News. The United States Supreme Court limited the scope of federal trademark protection yesterday, saying that rival companies in some cases can use proprietary terms even when that might cause confusion among customers.


Barghouti enters election race Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian leader now in jail, has been entered in next month #39;s presidential election to succeed the late Yasser Arafat.


AMD's Ruiz disappointed by Microsoft's 64-bit delays Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) is disappointed by Microsoft Corp.'s decision to delay the introduction of 64-bit versions of its Windows operating system, but sees no significant impact from the delay on sales of its 64-bit processors, the company's top executive said Thursday.


A Low-Key Migration (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Change is coming for AT T Wireless's 21.7 million customers -- although they wouldn't know it from watching the company's commercials or shopping in its stores.


UK urged to join US insurance action BRITAIN #39;S largest financial institutions are being urged to take lead roles in lawsuits seeking hundreds of millions of dollars from the scandal-struck US insurance industry.


Bonds should get his chance in Milwaukee Barry Bonds didn #39;t have to worry about another  quot;not-in-my-ballpark quot; manager ordering his team to pitch around the San Francisco slugger.


Nichols Declines to Appeal Convictions PONCA CITY, Okla. - Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols will not appeal his state murder convictions for his role in the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, his attorney said Thursday...


Nepal's king calls for end to "cycle of devastation" (AFP) AFP - Nepal's King Gyanendra called for an end to  quot;the cycle of devastation quot; in a weekend message to a nation reeling from a Maoist revolt.


Stolen away by Grand Theft Auto #39; Jake Stephens, a senior in my AP English class at TC Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., is hooked.  quot;The narrative is so exciting you lose all track of time, quot; he said to me last week.


Apple pitches music industry on U2-style promos (MacCentral) MacCentral - U2 has been a familiar sight to iTunes Music Store visitors in recent weeks, with the online music store featuring everything from a U2-themed iPod to a digital boxed set of the Irish rock band's recordings. And if Apple has its way, other musical acts will enjoy a similar promotional push as part of an effort to bolster business at the online store, the director of iTunes product marketing told a gathering of music industry executives Wednesday.


No airing of the pairings It is a team game, this Ryder Cup stuff that will commence Friday at Oakland Hills Country Club. So what are the teams? For the Americans, captain Hal Sutton isn #39;t saying.


SOLBERG STORMS CLEAR OF RIVALS Subaru #39;s Petter Solberg has extended his lead in the Rally Japan to 46.4 seconds after dominating the action on the second morning.


Microsoft's spam plan rejected Internet engineers are unhappy with Microsoft's plans for tracing where e-mails come from.


UBS to Buy Schwab Research, Trading Unit UBS AG (UBSN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) is expected to buy Charles Schwab Corp. #39;s (SCH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) institutional research and trading unit for about \$265 million, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.


It #39;s flak jacket time for Microsoft #39;s Linux guy What kind of E-mail is landing in Martin Taylors in-box right about now? Its probably not unlike some of the messages Ive been getting in response to a story I wrote about Steve Ballmers Oct. 27


Steel Partners Offers to Buy Up GenCorp Investment group Steel Partners II LP on Thursday offered to buy up the remaining stake in aircraft component maker GenCorp Inc., saying the company #39;s board has made  quot;many mistakes quot; in allocating capital and managing day-to-day operations.


Dialogue only way to solve Irans nuclear case, says Khatami TEHRAN: Talks and negotiations are the only way to resolve Irans nuclear standoff with the West, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday.


Train crashes in north Australia More than 150 people are injured when a high-speed train derails in the Australian state of Queensland.


Saudi Urges Arab Media to Combat 'Improper Ideas'   KUWAIT CITY, Oct. 9 -- Saudi Arabia's interior minister appealed to regional news media Saturday to help combat "improper ideas" that lead young people to support extremist movements.


Dollar sees gains against the euro The US dollar rose against the euro and other major currencies yesterday, recovering after some early losses as foreign exchange trading resumed in the new year.


RUDDOCK HOPING FOR PIECE OF HISTORY Wales head coach Mike Ruddock is urging his players to rewrite the history books with a famous victory over New Zealand at the Millennium Stadium.


Fireman's Fund says it will keep insuring autos in Mass. Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., apparently swayed by recent meetings with a Massachusetts regulator, reversed course yesterday and said it now plans to continue writing auto insurance policies in the state next year.


Anti-Spyware Legislation Could Pass This Year (washingtonpost.com) washingtonpost.com - Measures to curb the use of "spyware" -- the computer programs that surreptitiously track people's online movements -- are steamrolling their way through Congress and a combined proposal could reach the President's desk before lawmakers break for the November election.


Hip hip hooray: Billups rallies Pistons past Wolves Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Chauncey Billups scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half to help the Detroit Pistons rally for a 93-85 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in coach Larry Brown #39;s first game back from hip surgery.


Wizards Court Singles The Wizards will host a series of dating games this season in a marketing effort to lure people to watch some basketball.


U.S. Rejects N.Korea Conditions for Nuclear Talks (Reuters) Reuters - The United States rejected North Korea's\conditions for a resumption of six-party talks on scrapping its\nuclear programs, a response to Pyongyang's latest demands that\left the two nations in a stalemate.


GPS Used to Track Teens' Driving (AP) AP - Retired Gen. Tommy Franks has signed on to be the spokesman for a company that uses global positioning system technology in teens' cell phones to let parents know how fast they're driving.


Mets and Randolph Launch a New Era Willie Randolph walked into Shea Stadium on Thursday and was introduced as the first African-American manager of a major league team in New York.


Gill breaks foot in US loss Defenseman Hal Gill is the latest veteran to drop off the Bruins roster after breaking his left foot during the US team's 3-1 World Cup of Hockey exhibition loss to Canada in Ottawa Wednesday night.


Sun buys IT services company to help HP/IBM fight Sun Microsystems is buying IT services company SevenSpace for an undisclosed amount of cash, helping to expand its support for operating systems outside of Solaris.


Intel stock tumbles 7 after lowered outlook SAN FRANCISCO - Intel Corp. #39;s shares fell more than 7 percent yesterday, a day after the computer chip giant #39;s management lowered the company #39;s financial projections after concluding businesses and consumers aren #39;t in a spending mood.


ATI Technologies insider-trading case pushed back to March TORONTO - The hearing into insider trading allegations leveled against the chairman of ATI Technologies has been pushed back until March 29.


Gilchrist says Warne did the job ACTING Australian captain Adam Gilchrist assured Shane Warne he had paid his way despite falling short in his exasperating tilt at world record glory yesterday.


Claire #39;s 2Q Earnings Are Up 48 Percent Jewelry and accessories retailer Claire #39;s Stores Inc. reported Thursday that second-quarter earnings rose 48 percent to beat Wall Street expectations, and guided above estimates for the fourth-quarter and fiscal year periods.


The A.C.C. Runs Deep and Strong This Season With the addition of the powerhouses Miami and Virginia Tech this year, there is little doubt that football has become the new money sport that drives the Atlantic Coast Conference. But the sport of champions in the A.C.C., for now, remains men's basketball.


Total Lunar Eclipse on October 27 October #39;s lunar eclipse is well-placed for North and South America as well as western Europe and Africa. From the United States, the eastern two-thirds of the country will see the entire eclipse (weather permitting).


Business, Pleasure, or Both? Corporations and government contractors have been lubricating their relationships with the region's state officials all week in New York.


Satellite Radio That's Well Received With its somewhat bulky contours and shiny silver case, Delphi's MyFi portable satellite radio evokes an old transistor radio.-The Washington Post


Critics debunk China #39;s Communist Party #39;s plan to build up its <b>...</b> BEIJING: China #39;s ruling Communist Party has issued a lengthy policy paper on way to reverse its waning popular support, citing corruption and  quot;hostile forces quot; as issues that could end its 55-year grip on power.


Soldier, 4 Militants Die in Renewed Gaza Fighting Four Palestinian militants and an Israeli soldier were killed Tuesday in the heaviest Gaza fighting since Yasser Arafat #39;s death, raising the prospect that renewed violence could complicate a vote for his successor.


Species disappearing at an alarming rate, report says The world #39;s biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, the recognized global watchdog on endangered species said Wednesday in announcing its annual list of most vulnerable wildlife.


HP to stop using Intel Itanium chip: WSJ New York, September 27: Printer and PC maker Hewlett-Packard Co will stop offering desktop workstations based on Intel Corp #39;s Itanium microprocessor, The Wall Street Journal reported on its online edition.


Network Solutions is Pathetic \\We have a few domains hosted on Network Solutions.  For one reason or another we\were in a hurry and just used NetSol as our registrar.  BIG mistake!\\They are one *pathetic* organization!\\They are a DNS company.  That's what they DO!  Their DNS admin only allows 10\IPs. Of course they don't tell you this when you signup.  You only find out that\the UI doesn't allow for additional IPs until try to add them.\\To add insult to injury when you try to move AWAY from NetSol by changing your\primary and secondary they drop your IP configuration immediately.  You're just\out of luck if there are clients which have cached your primary and secondary\DNS servers.\


Brazil Raids Kroll Offices in Spy Probe Police raided the Brazilian offices of international security consultant Kroll Inc. and arrested five employees Wednesday in an investigation into allegations of illegal spying by Kroll during the company's probe of a nasty corporate dispute.


Gateway returns to PC roots Company discontinues many consumer electronics lines to focus on PCs--and profitability.


Yankees restore some order Jon Lieber stopped the hard-charging Boston Red Sox in what might turn out to be a key game in the American League East race. Lieber no-hit the Red Sox until David Ortiz #39;s two-out


Challenges await ex-general Yudhoyono as Indonesia #39;s sixth <b>...</b> JAKARTA, Oct 20 (AFP) - Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was Wednesday sworn in as Indonesia #39;s sixth president, promising to revive a precarious economy by personally leading a war on endemic graft while also tackling terrorism.


More Internet Ads Seen in Presidential Race By LIZ SIDOTI     WASHINGTON (AP) -- While there has been more Internet advertising activity in this year's presidential race than in the past, the money spent on Web ads still pales in comparison to that allocated for TV commercials, the first-ever study of online political ads found.    The study, released Monday by the Pew Internet   American Life Project, said President Bush, Democrat John Kerry, their political parties and allied independent groups spent \$2.6 million to post banner ads on Web sites from January through August...


High price for high-speed mobile licenses in Hungary The T-Mobile unit of Deutsche Telekom and the Pannon GSM unit of Telenor said Wednesday that they had won licenses to provide high-speed mobile phone service in Hungary, but analysts said they might have paid too much in their effort to stay ahead in the


NBC deal hits Vivendi #39;s results Vivendi Universal posted a first-half net loss Tuesday that almost doubled to 1.86 billion, as it was hit by currency translation losses linked to its entertainment deal with NBC.


World Series Underway in Boston Larry Walker laced a one-out double to right field, but was left on second base as Tim Wakefield managed to baffle the rest of the Cardinals and get out of the first inning unscathed.


Blackburn get their man as Hughes agrees Ewood deal WALES coach Mark Hughes was last night installed as the new manager of Blackburn, filling the gap left by the departure of Graeme Souness to Newcastle.


US areas lag behind in keeping up with races BEAVER CREEK, Colo. -- As the World Cup rolls on to Europe after its brief moment of glory in North America, one can't help but remember when New England hosted such events, last put on by Tommy Corcoran at Waterville Valley.


Boeing deal makes skies friendly for WiFi users (AFP) AFP - The Boeing Company's Connexion unit has teamed up with iPass Inc. to offer in-flight Wi-Fi access so "road warriors" can go online at 30,000 feet, the companies said in a joint statement.


Economy Grows at 2.8 Rate in the Spring The U.S. economy, struggling under the weight of a bloated trade deficit, grew at a relatively modest 2.8 percent annual rate in the second quarter, a slower pace of expansion than previously thought.


Update 1: Foot Locker 3Q Net Income Up 19 Percent Net income at Foot Locker Inc., the country #39;s largest sports-shoe chain, increased 19 percent in its fiscal third quarter as sales climbed 14 percent.


El Duque seeks to stay unbeaten for Yanks NEW YORK - Orlando Hernandez will try to continue his unbeaten season when the AL East-leading New York Yankees close out a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.


Adriano Knows Inter Can Improve Inter Milan brace ace Adriano says that, despite a 2-0 victory over Bundesliga holders Werder Bremen on Tuesday, the San Siro side have yet to reach optimum form.


Five new moons for planet Neptune Five new satellites - and one candidate moon - have been discovered orbiting the giant planet Neptune, bringing its tally of moons to 13.


China Protests US Limits on Sock Imports China on Tuesday vehemently protested a US decision to impose a quota on sock imports, warning it might take  quot;further steps quot; under World Trade Organization rules to protect its own rights.


Florida State's Sexton to Start at QB Against North Carolina Wyatt Sexton will make his first start at quarterback for FSU, replacing injured Chris Rix for Saturday's game against North Carolina.


Sir Martin Sorrell  #39;very impressed #39; with US group Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, yesterday declared he was  quot;very impressed quot; with Grey Global, stoking speculation WPP will bid for the US advertising company.


China #39;s heroes welcomed in Beijing Athletes who won China its highest-ever Olympics gold medal tally were greeted like heroes when they returned Tuesday, with flag-waving fans cheering wildly at the airport.


Update: AMD, IBM Announce New Power-Saving Tech AMD and IBM said Monday that they had developed a new strained-silicon process that offers more performance at the same power levels, a technology that will enter production in mid-2005.


Audit concludes firm overbilled LA by \$4 million LOS ANGELES An audit has concluded that a public relations firm overbilled the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power by more than four (m) million dollars.


Six Shot Dead in New Northeast India Violence (Reuters) Reuters - Suspected tribal rebels stormed\a remote village in India's northeast on Monday and shot dead\six people, police said, raising to 62 the death toll in a new\wave of violence that erupted in the region at the weekend.


Australian Voters Head to Polls  SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australians voted Saturday in an  election which offered the choice between a conservative  government that unreservedly backs the United States and its  Iraq war and a Labor opposition seeking stronger ties in Asia.


Venezuelan audit confirms victory Venezuela's electoral officials say an audit of the vote on President Hugo Chavez's rule shows it was fair.


Advocaat new Gladbach boss GERMAN side Borussia Monchengladbach today named former Dutch boss Dick Advocaat as their new manager. Advocaat, 57, signed a contract with the five-time German champions until June 2007 and takes over from Holger Fach who was sacked six days ago.


Lycos Europe #39;s antispam tool no longer available After days of negative publicity and criticism, Lycos Europe #39;s  quot;Make love not spam quot; screensaver application is no longer available.


NFL ROUNDUP Eagles #39; Kalu Will Be Out for the Year Philadelphia Eagles defensive end ND Kalu will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at yesterday #39;s practice.


Red Bull Boss Purnell Says Drivers Can Wait  LONDON (Reuters) - Red Bull will not be rushed into any  decision about drivers after buying the Jaguar Formula One team  Monday, says team boss Tony Purnell.


Twins make it official While most of his players quietly shuffled into the clubhouse, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen remained in the dugout Monday night and watched the rival Twins celebrate.


Satellite Failure Hits Broadband Users (PC World) PC World - StarBand is hoping to provide temporary dial-up access to affected customers.


Toshiba announces HD-DVD / DVD combo disc AN ALL-NEW TYPE of media disc, which is to combine the DVD standard with an all-new high definition format, has been developed by Toshiba and Memory-Tech.


BMW Keeps 2004 Forecast German premium carmaker BMW reported a lower-than-expected 7.6 percent rise in third-quarter pretax profit, but reaffirmed its forecast for record revenues, earnings and car sales in 2004.


U.N. Troops Fight Way Into Gang-Held Haitian Slum  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - U.N. troops, backed by  armored vehicles and helicopters, fought their way into a  lawless slum in the Haitian capital on Tuesday in their first  attempt to end a killing spree by warring street gangs.


Retailers Post Weak Sales In November From discounters to department stores, the nation #39;s retailers reported bleak November sales yesterday, raising doubts about holiday sales prospects.


Key executive will rejoin troubled ATA David Wing will return to his posts of chief financial officer and executive vice president at the parent company of ATA Airlines, four months after abruptly leaving the Indianapolis company for personal reasons.


Video gamble for the Bells Baby Bells are spending billions to sell video service over broadband. Can they crack cable and satellite's hold on TV viewers?<br />\  Image: Video via broadband


Iraq output rises; oil futures fall  Oil futures fell yesterday after Iraq, the sixth-largest supplier to the United States, boosted shipments to tankers to normal rates for the first time in two weeks.


Billionaire Soros gives sons bigger role in his empire George Soros, the billionaire investor, is giving greater control of his business to his two sons, Robert and Jonathan, and at the same time scaling back his empire by spinning off several divisions.


Cats try to bust out of cellar It may not be for the Pac-10 championship, but don #39;t tell the UA football team that its matchup with Washington doesn #39;t matter.


US: Still Time to End N.Korea Crisis in Talks Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday there was still time to resolve a nuclear crisis with North Korea through six-party talks despite Pyongyang #39;s refusal to resume the negotiations.


At least 90 dead, 77 missing in China rainstorms BEIJING : At least 90 people were killed and 77 were missing in torrential storms lashing southwest China, disaster relief officials said.


Late strikes lift Memphis JONESBORO, Ark. -- Tim Goodwell forced a fumble and returned it 10 yards for a touchdown with 2:22 left and No. 25 Memphis scored 21 points in the final three minutes for a 47-35 comeback victory over Arkansas State yesterday.


Els Pegged Back by Cabrera, Harrington Sparkles  VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Defending champion  Ernie Els trailed Argentina's Angel Cabrera by one hole at the  halfway point of their quarter-final match in the World Match  Play Championship at Wentworth Friday.


Pittsburgh airport may allow nonticketed shoppers A plan that would have allowed people without tickets to shop in stores at Pittsburgh International Airport has been postponed for at least two months, airport officials said.


No debate, it's Manning You share a pepperoni pizza. You even share a Nobel Peace Prize. You do not share the NFL MVP Award.


Free Agent: Where the Geeks Are Taking Us LinuxWorld Expo came to San Francisco, and our columnist managed to ignore most of the show. Read on to see what did catch his eye.


SA #39;s e-attacks jump 796 Johannesburg, 23 September 2004 - Symantec #39;s sixth biannual report on global trends in Internet attacks, vulnerabilities, and malicious code activity shows SA recorded a 796 annual increase in the number of these attacks, rising from 375 per user last


Commerce One patents auctioned for \$15.5 million About 40 patents owned by bankrupt software vendor Commerce Onewere auctioned for \$15.5 million in a San Francisco bankruptcy court Monday.


Fischer aiming for No. 9 ATHENS -- She won her first Olympic gold medal in kayaking when she was 18, the youngest paddler to do so in Games history. Yesterday, at 42, Germany #39;s golden girl Birgit Fischer won her eighth Olympic gold in the four-woman 500-metre kayak race.


Barrett gets life sentence for Finucane murder Loyalist killer Ken Barrett has been sentenced to 22 years in jail for the murder of Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane at his north Belfast home in February 1989.


Bands Debut Dual-Sided CD/DVD Hybrid (AP) AP - A new hybrid CD format that offers standard CD audio on one side and the enhanced media capabilities of a DVD on the other made its nationwide debut this week.


AT T Lowers Price on Internet Calling Service (Reuters) Reuters - AT T Corp  on Thursday said it\was lowering the price on its CallVantage Internet calling\service by  #36;5 per month, matching the price from several other\suppliers.


Bank of Montreal to acquire Indiana-based institution Toronto (Dow Jones) -- Bank of Montreal on Wednesday said it agreed to acquire Mercantile Bancorp Inc. for \$156.5 million as it moves to expand in the Midwest region of the United States.


Powell pushes for nuke talks US Secretary of State Colin Powell, making possibly his last official visit to northeast Asia in the shadows of the US presidential election, said yesterday there was a  quot;sense of urgency quot; in dealing with North Korea #39;s rogue nuclear program.


Mariners beat Athletics 4-2 to knock Oakland out of first place Ichiro Suzuki #39;s teammates won #39;t stand for anybody messing with his spectacular season. When Suzuki got plunked in the back, Seattle starter Bobby Madritsch nearly went ballistic.


What triggers nicotine dependency? Revealing study Nicotine is a major addictive component in cigarettes, scientists said. However, how chemical dependency results from nicotine #39;s interaction with brain cells still largely stumps the experts.


Holiday Air Travel Post reporters Sara Goo and Keith Alexander share holiday travel stories and discuss how the airlines handled what was one of the biggest holiday travel fiascos in years.


Jets Bounce Back From Loss to Ravens (AP) AP - Quincy Carter threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Justin McCareins with 5:32 remaining as the New York Jets bounced back from an embarrassing loss with an ugly 10-7 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.


US Military Taps Bugs and Weeds in War on Terror (Reuters) Reuters - Don't squash that bug! Cockroaches,\beetles, spiders and worms may be the U.S. government's next\line of defense in the war on terror.


Saudis call for delays in output cuts Saudi Arabia is urging global oil stocks be increased before the world #39;s crude oil cartel consider cutting output. Members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries


Apple stock hits four-year high The action continued in after hours trading, where the company gained another US cent. The company saw stocks climb \$2.33 during the day, a 4.86 per cent increase.


Last laugh Oh, those wacky Red Sox. Nothing like a little levity to take the edge off a playoff race. That #39;s why Terry Francona #39;s merry pranksters last night let Manny Ramirez lead the charge out of the dugout in the ...


Sox Fans Hope Team #39;s Magic Continues SALEM, NH -- Red Sox fans can be superstitious, and students and teachers in one New Hampshire town are using ritual and music to try to bring the team luck.


Badgers' Starks Goes From Goat to Hero (AP) AP - Making the most of second chances is second nature to Wisconsin senior Scott Starks.


Manufacturing seen stronger despite fall in durable goods WASHINGTON -- Orders to US factories for big-ticket goods dropped in August, largely weighed down by a sharp decline in demand for commercial airplanes.


White House: Trying to Confirm Terror Group #39;s Allegiance to bin <b>...</b> The Bush administration says it #39;s trying to confirm the latest declaration from the most feared militant group in Iraq. In a statement posted on a Web site Sunday, the group led by terror mastermind Abu Musab


US Cyclists Capture Three Medals ATHENS, Greece - Tyler Hamilton #39;s greatest ride capped the finest Olympic day for US cycling, which won three of the six medals awarded in Wednesday #39;s road time trials - surpassing its two total road medals won since the 1984 Games in Los ...


Delta warns of bigger losses No. 3 airline says loss to be worse than forecasts; gives new warning of bankruptcy threat. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc.


Satellite radio on mobile phones  2004-12-02  Accessing satellite radio on mobile phones would be possibile in the next five years. Hugh Panero, chief executive officer, XM Satellite Radio Holdings, has confirmed that his company is


Northern Rock upbeat as loans surge Northern Rock #39;s full-year profit will at least meet analysts #39; expectations as the mortgage bank continues to pile on business despite the slowing housing market.


Iraq Group Shows Tape of Beheading of Three Kurds  DUBAI (Reuters) - An Iraqi Islamist group said on Sunday it  killed three members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP),  which cooperates with the Iraqi government, and posted a video  tape on its Web site of the apparent beheadings.


Thailand frees Muslims detained in protest NARATHIWAT, Thailand - Hundreds of Muslim men were freed in southern Thailand on Saturday after being detained last week in the wake of protests that left 85 dead and outraged Muslims worldwide.


The passion of the athlete Shawn Green is a vital player in the Los Angeles Dodgers #39; run toward the playoffs. The All-Star first baseman hit a two-run, ninth-inning home run Sunday to lift the Dodgers to a 7-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies.


No. 1 insurer reportedly close to settling with SEC SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- American International Group #39;s shares gained Monday on optimism the world #39;s largest insurer is close to resolving regulators #39; investigations into so-called income-smoothing products it sold.


Oil Climbs Back Over  #36;50 (Reuters) Reuters - Oil prices scrambled back over  #36;50 a\barrel Tuesday, kept on edge by a prolonged production outage\in the Gulf of Mexico at a time when major exporters are\already pumping nearly full tilt.


Congress to back aid for Internet schools WASHINGTON -- Congress guaranteed the flow of Internet aid to schools and libraries and provided federal funds to upgrade emergency 911 services for calls from mobile phones in a communications bill approved Wednesday and sent to the president for his


Keep playing while you're charging Popping a gadget into a cradle to recharge it used to mean downtime, but these days chargers are doing double duty, keeping your portable devices playing even when they're charging.


Apple rip-off claims examined p2pnet.net News:- Britain #39;s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) says it #39;s examining claims that Apple is over-charging British iTunes customers.


ITV may sell its \$126m stake in Seven Network British television broadcaster ITV is looking to sell a range of  quot;noncore quot; assets, including its \$126 million, or 12.3 per cent, stake in Australia #39;s Seven Network.


Cisco, Microsoft Target SMBs with CRM Tool Cisco has rolled out the first product to result from its collaboration with Microsoft, targeting the SMB market. The new CRM Communications Connector ties Cisco #39;s IP contact-center applications


Warner Chilcott agrees takeover Northern Irish drugmaker Warner Chilcott has agreed to a 1.62 billion pound takeover by the private equity arms of investment banks CSFB and JP Morgan, spurning two rival suitors.


Seattle #39;s Home Loan Bank may branch out The Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, one of 12 regional institutions that provide money to home lenders, is seeking to branch into the turf of mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.


Black Pastors Backing Bush Are Rare, but Not Alone The Bush campaign is making a push for the allegiance of African-American clergy, while the Democrats are motivating them to get their parishioners to the polls.


Anthem merger closer to reality California #39;s insurance commissioner Tuesday dropped his opposition to Anthem Inc. #39;s proposed \$18.4 billion purchase of WellPoint Health Networks Inc.


"Sleeping Dragon" Fossil May Link Dinosaurs, Birds Paleontologists say they have discovered the fossil remains of a duck-size dinosaur species, previously unknown to science, that died while catching some z's.


Senate Okays uniform bill ISLAMABAD: Senate Monday approved President  #39;s another office bill permitting President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to continue as Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) beyond Dec 31 this year.


Computer Associates to Acquire Netegrity (AP) AP - Computer Associates International Inc. will acquire Netegrity Inc. in a  #36;430 million cash deal that will merge the computer security software makers, the companies said Wednesday.


Gartner: Lower prices, new users keep mobile phones hot In traditionally weak quarter, sales increased 26 compared to last year.


Toxic Algae Bloom Seen Off Washington State Coast (Reuters) Reuters - An unusually large toxic bloom of\algae, which could poison humans and taint shellfish, has been\detected in the ocean off the northwest coast of Washington\state, oceanographers said on Wednesday.


Toyota, Nissan Join to Standardize Car Electronics  TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co.  will join hands in a bid to save costs and create an  international standard for the software that operates a car's  electronic systems.


White Sox Top Seattle 6-2, 3rd Win in Row (AP) AP - Joe Borchard and Paul Konerko each hit two-run homers to back a strong outing by Felix Diaz and the Chicago White Sox won their third straight with a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.


Pakistan bans religious meetings Public religious meetings are banned in Pakistan after Thursday's bomb explosion in Multan kills at least 40 people.


Ten Commandments Judge May Run for Gov. (AP) AP - Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Friday he is considering running for governor in 2006.


Bucks unleash their potential COLUMBUS - Sometimes the best way to deal with bad news is to run from it. Strap on your dancing cleats and fly a little. Maurice Clarett left Buckeye Nation backpedaling and scarlet-faced for more than a week, but Saturday came soon enough.


Arizona Cardinals 25, Seattle Seahawks 17 When the opportunity arose to seize the day, the Seattle Seahawks looked more ready for a mausoleum than carpe diem. The Seahawks couldn #39;t take advantage of a prime chance


EMI stock surges 10 on robust 2H outlook LONDON, November 19 (newratings.com) The share price of the global music company, EMI (EMI.ETR), appreciated nearly 10 to 228.5p on the London Stock Exchange today, after the company guided to improved full year results, despite posting ay/y decline


Lieber goes to the Phillies Jon Lieber agreed to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Al Leiter returned to the Florida Marlins, and Woody Williams went back to the San Diego Padres as major league teams moved quickly to grab starting pitchers yesterday after the first free-agent deadline of the offseason passed.


NTT DoCoMo, IBM, Intel team to secure mobile devices With an eye towards making mobile devices and the commerce services that run over them more secure, NTT DoCoMo Inc., Intel Corp. and IBM Corp. on Wednesday published a jointly developed security specification called the Trusted Mobile Platform.


New Goodison contract for Moyes Everton manager David Moyes has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until 2009. The 41-year-old Scot has steered the Toffees to third place in the Barclays Premiership table despite last


Roddick, Henman Out of Paris Masters Top seed Andy Roddick and holder Tim Henman, their minds perhaps on next week #39;s Masters Cup, bowed out of the Paris Masters in the third round on Thursday.


Strong Charges Are Exchanged Before Debate The intensity of advertisements broadcast this weekend signaled the importance that both sides attach to the debates.


Interstate Bakeries Files for Bankruptcy  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Interstate Bakeries Corp. IBC.N,  maker of Hostess Twinkies and Wonder Bread, filed for  bankruptcy on Wednesday after struggling with more than \$1.3  billion in debt and high costs.


Spanish police arrest 17 suspected ETA members Police arrested 17 suspected members of Basque separatist guerrilla group ETA in northern Spain on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry says.


Cheney, Edwards Controlled in Aggressive Debate (Reuters) Reuters - Vice President Dick Cheney and\Democrat John Edwards wielded stilettos rather than clubs in\their vice presidential debate on Tuesday, keeping their\emotions under tight control while still delivering fierce\personal attacks on each another.


Suspension-hit Pacers sign two players The Indiana Pacers signed forwards Tremaine Fowlkes and Britton Johnsen to fill gaps left by the suspensions of three players involved in a brawl at Detroit last week.


North Korea Urges Refugees to Return to 'Warm Home' (Reuters) Reuters - North Korea appealed to refugees who have\sought asylum in the South to return to the impoverished state,\avoiding for once labeling them "human scum" and saying a warm\home awaits them.


Microsoft settles with UK phone maker Sendo, the British mobile phone manufacturer, and Microsoft today settled a lawsuit in which the US software giant was accused of  quot;plundering quot; the smaller company #39;s technology.


With ads easier to dodge, companies eye new ways to get out the message It's a brave new world for advertisers. With digital recorders like TiVo , video-on-demand services from cable providers, and the nation's biggest cable company, Comcast , introducing cable boxes with built-in TiVo-style recorders, people can watch whatever they want whenever they want, gleefully fast-forwarding through every commercial break.


DRC FORCES ALERT AS CIVILIANS FLEE The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed it troops on alert and is deploying soldiers to the east of the country, after reports that Rwandan troops have infiltrated the area.


Schilling prepared to go on the attack New York- The Yankees and Red Sox have been there and done that. They #39;re about to do it again tonight in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.


Technology Briefs NEW YORK - Don #39;t call brick-and-mortar retail stores irrelevant in this age of e-commerce: In a survey, 69 percent of US online shoppers admit to browsing in traditional stores before buying over the Internet.


Stocks creep higher in New York NEW YORKUS blue-chip stocks ended barely higher yesterday as a spike in oil prices to record closing levels pared earlier gains and renewed concerns about the effect of high energy prices on consumer spending and corporate profits.


Beat the Analysts to Lucent #39;s Tax News It #39;s a sleepy Thursday in the biggest summer vacation week in the year. Almost nobody #39;s around. Anyone who is around is focused on politics and the president #39;s speech tonight.


Google Edges Up as Shares Set to Come Onto Market (Reuters) Reuters - Shares of Web search leader\Google Inc. on Monday inched higher a day before the expiration\of a restriction period that will allow employees and early\investors to sell 39 million shares.


Apple updates Mac OS X New version has improve file sharing, FireWire compatibility, built-in Safari, updated graphics drivers.


Martha Stewart #39;s  #39;Jail Me #39; Request Granted Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum in New York granted Martha Stewart #39;s request to be assigned to a prison camp in Danbury, Connecticut.


Microsoft to Debut 'Istanbul' Application (AP) AP - Microsoft Corp. introduced on Tuesday a desktop computer application that aims to seamlessly integrate e-mail, instant messaging, video conferencing, traditional phone service and Internet-based calling.


Softbank chief #39;s hard-nosed ambitions Masayoshi Son is a soft-spoken man with a mild manner and a polite smile that belies his grand ambitions. (Softbank)


Imagining Toyland Without One of Its Giants LABOR DAY weekend at the Wal-Mart here was a great shopping scene for children. As they pushed carts brimming with new notebooks, clothes and shoes through the aisles, they got a small preview


Pakistani Tribesmen Fail to Secure Release of Chinese Hostages A delegation of Pakistani tribal elders has met with the leader of al-Qaida-linked militants holding two Chinese engineers hostage, but failed to secure their release.


Japanese troops to stay in Iraq The Japanese government says it is undeterred in its fight against terrorism, following the killing of a Japanese hostage in Iraq.


Archbishop #39;s Bid to Heal Rift over Homosexuality Traditionalists and gay Christians were tonight cautious over a call for unity by the Archbishop of Canterbury amid the row about homosexual clergy.


Scottish  amp; Southern, Talisman Plan Offshore Wind Farm (Update1) Scottish  amp; Southern Energy Plc, the UK #39;s fourth-largest energy supplier, and Canada #39;s Talisman Energy Inc. plan a wind farm 25 kilometres (16 miles) off the coast of Scotland to test deepwater windmills.


US tech firms hire more foreigners here, too US tech companies aren #39;t just sending work overseas. They #39;re also trying to hire more foreign workers in the USA. Congress approved 20,000 new visas for skilled foreign workers this month.


Former Merrill Lynch, Enron Employees Convicted of Fraud Description: A jury in Houston finds four former Merrill Lynch bankers and a former Enron vice president a guilty of conspiracy and fraud.


Insurgents Target Iraqi Police; 59 Dead A car bomb ripped through a busy Baghdad market where Iraqis were gathering to join the police force Tuesday, and gunmen attacked a police van to the north, killing at least


Iraq cleric agrees to ceasefire... sort of However, key members of the cleric #39;s movement insisted terms of the deal had not been finalised. The claims and counterclaims followed an announcement Tuesday by prime minister Ayad Allawi that the basis of


Justice vs. Tobacco: Ready to Rumble On Sept. 21 a landmark trial will begin. At stake is no less than \$280 billion in what the feds claim is ill-gotten profits. As an industry, tobacco is no stranger to the courts.


Jobless Claims Drop for 3rd Straight Week The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits edged down last week for a third consecutive time, signaling that the labor market may be improving after hitting a speed bump in June and July.


Injured Devers Can't Finish Hurdles ATHENS, Greece - Gail Devers, the most talented yet star-crossed hurdler of her generation, failed once again in the Olympics as she was struck by injury before the first hurdle. Devers, 37, who has three world championships in the 100-meter hurdles, pulled up short and screamed as she slid under the first hurdle...


Kodak, Sun Settle Java Lawsuit Eastman Kodak Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc. have settled their lawsuit over whether Sun infringed on Kodak #39;s patents in creating the Java platform.


Chain Store Sales Increase Slightly  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store sales increased  slightly in the latest week, due in part to Labor Day sales and  back-to-school shopping, a report said on Tuesday.


Oil Tops \$49 On Renewed Iraq Violence LONDON (Reuters) - Global oil prices raced to fresh highs on Friday, carrying US crude close to \$49.16 a barrel up 46 cents, driven by escalating violence in Iraq and unabated demand growth from China and India.


Intel updates Itanium 2 line Intel on Monday updated its Itanium 2 processors, adding a top-end model to a high-end family designed to displace chips from Sun Microsystems and IBM.


Beckham to play beyond 2006 World Cup England captain David Beckham has denied reports that he plans to retire from international soccer after the 2006 World Cup and said he wants to play for his country as long as possible.


Israeli Tanks Shell Gaza Town-Palestinian Sources  GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli tanks battling Palestinian gunmen  shelled a town in the central Gaza Strip early on Tuesday,  Palestinian security sources said.


M S in talks to offload website Marks   Spencer is poised to farm out its online retail business and is talking to a number of interested parties, the High Street retailer says.


Magic Defeat Knicks, 104-98 (AP) AP - Cuttino Mobley scored 34 points in his second game back from a groin injury and made two key hustle plays down the stretch to lead the Orlando Magic past the New York Knicks 104-98 Friday night.


E-Mail Firms Seek Spam Solution Representatives from America's largest e-mail companies will meet in Washington today and Wednesday to look for a way to reduce the amount of "spam" clogging the nation's e-mail accounts, but experts said a concrete solution remains months or even years away. -washingtonpost.com


Sun loses Java case p2pnet.net News:- Eastman Kodak is looking for \$1.06 billion in damages from Sun Microsystems following a federal jury ruling in its favour.


Sony Describes HD Product Plans (PC World) PC World - Wega TVs, Vaio systems, DVD recorders and camcorder highlight HD product lineup.


Sasol partners with Malaysia #39;s Petronas Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia #39;s national oil and gas company Petronas on Tuesday announced its Petronas International unit has signed an agreement with Sasol to create South Africa #39;s largest liquid fuels business.


PC makers: Look before taking SP2 leap Many PC makers have a list of drivers and other patches that should be in place before installing the OS update.\


Wall Street set for steady open (FT.com) FT.com - Wall Street futures were flat on Tuesday, as a lack of economic news led investors to focus on the falling price of oil and the falling dollar. Investors were also assessing the merits of IBM's planned sale of its personal computer division to Lenovo, the Chinese computer group, for  #36;1.75bn.


Anti-APEC protesters unite POLICE fought street battles today for a second straight day with university students protesting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Chile and the weekend arrival of US President George W. Bush.


Battling Robots in Japan's Pop-Culture Tech The ring sits in the spotlight of a tense, packed auditorium and the jittery fighters await the bell at their red and blue corners. Like any fight, there's always the danger of a punishing uppercut or left hook. But these boxers have even more worries  like battery failure and software bugs.


Seoul dismisses North #39;s nuke claims as propaganda SEOUL (AFP) - South Korean officials on Tuesday dismissed as propaganda a top North Korean official #39;s claims that Pyongyang had made nuclear weapons from spent plutonium fuel rods, news reports said.


European Tour stats attack Mr Accuracy Henrik Stenson played some of the best golf of the season to run away with The Heritage at Woburn #39;s treacherous Duke #39;s Course.


\$1.1b deal to join hospital chains BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- LifePoint Hospitals Inc. , an operator of acute care facilities in rural areas, outlined a deal yesterday to buy rival Province Healthcare Co. for about \$1.1 billion in cash and stock.


The not-so-great cover-up A crisis, they say, is the best way to test the efficiency of a system. At the Wankhede Stadium, there was a crisis on the first morning when unseasonal showers showed up on the first morning of the final Test.


Summary: Oracle Acquires PeopleSoft (AP) AP - TAKEOVER TUG OF WAR: Oracle Corp. ends 18 months of acrimony, boosting its bid for software maker PeopleSoft Inc. by 10 percent to  #36;10.3 billion.


AL Wrap: Devil Rays Humble Red Sox, Yankees Triumph (Reuters) Reuters - Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli\cracked solo homers and rookie Scott Kazmir out-duelled Pedro\Martinez to lead the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 5-2 road win\over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.


News in Brief Coming soon: the first sub-\$1000 color laser MFP, a Wi-Fi card for handhelds, a small external TV-tuner box for PCs, and new long-lasting printer inks.


Putin, As School Toll Tops 350, Vows Fight BESLAN, Russia - A shaken President Vladimir Putin made a rare and candid admission of Russian weakness Saturday in the face of an "all-out war" by terrorists after more than 350 people - nearly half of them children - were killed in a hostage-taking at a southern school.    Putin went on national television to tell Russians they must mobilize against terrorism...


New bird survives hungry Filipinos Manila - A new species of flightless bird has been discovered living on a tiny island in the northern Philippines where the inhabitants formerly ate them, scientists and birdwatchers said on Tuesday.


Schroeder #39;s Party Routed in German Vote BERLIN Sept. 5, 2004 - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder #39;s party was routed in elections Sunday in the small western state of Saarland, where public anger over his cuts in social programs also boosted a small


Dollar Steady, Off Record Low Vs Euro  LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar held more than a cent above  this week's record low on the euro on Thursday and traded near  a two-week high on the yen, with the market wary of protest  comments out of Europe about the euro's recent rise.


Floods Kill at Least 241 in Haiti GONAIVES, Haiti Sept. 20, 2004 - Rescuers pulled bodies from floodwaters that raged through parts of Haiti #39;s third-largest city, sweeping people from their homes and forcing survivors to spend the night


Sony handheld wins customers Sony Corp. said on Monday retailers had almost completely sold out of the Play Station Portable on its first day in Japanese stores, marking a strong start for the company #39;s first handheld game machine.


Junior hockey league bans David Frost from games after incident in <b>...</b> ATHENS, Ont. (CP) - David Frost, the agent for jailed former NHL player Mike Danton, has been banned from attending all future games and events of Central Jr.


American Forces Press Into the Inner Ring of Najaf's Old City The poorly armed insurgents loyal to Moktada al-Sadr were overwhelmed by American tanks, attack helicopters and AC-130 gunships overnight.


Sudan Dismisses UN Warning Of New Refugee Exodus To Chad KHARTOUM, Aug 21 (AFP) - Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail Saturday dimissed a UN warning that some 30,000 people displaced by the civil war in Darfur were poised to join a mounting exodus to neighbouring Chad.


Delta pilots to vote on proposed pay cut agreement ATLANTA - Delta Airlines Inc. is hoping its pilots #39; union will approve a steep pay cut to help the company avoid bankruptcy. Delta pilots, currently among the highest paid in the nation with salaries that


Unprotected PCs can be hijacked in minutes and doing nothing else -xposes your PC to non-stop, automated break-in attempts by intruders looking to take control of your machine surreptitiously.


Happy returns for Revolution If Chicago defeats Columbus at Soldier Field Wednesday, the Fire will lead the Revolution by six points for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth. But the Revolution could be in position to earn the tiebreaker advantage when they meet the Fire at Gillette Stadium Oct. 16.


India to launch first satellite exclusively for education BANGALORE, India: India was set to launch its first satellite to be used exclusively for education which will connect classrooms in remote parts of the country, the space agency said.


Cueing the Balloons in Hussein's Home Town Iraqis hailed the rebuilding of a bridge destroyed during the war in a ceremony held Wednesday, but many have decried the slow pace of reconstruction efforts.


France Calls Crisis Talks Over Iraq Hostages Farce  PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre  Raffarin met ministers for a crisis meeting on two French  journalists held hostage in Iraq on Monday as efforts to secure  their release threatened to turn into a fiasco.


Intel boards a faster bus, picks up Dell Intel Corp. is expected to release a faster version of its powerful but expensive Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor on Monday alongside the introduction of a chipset that uses a faster front-side bus to connect the processor and the memory.


Pulitzer Inc. says it #39;s considering sale ST. LOUIS - Pulitzer Inc. said Sunday that company officials are considering selling the newspaper publisher to boost shareholder value.


NHLPA to Begin Lockout Pay to Players (AP) AP - The NHL players' association will begin issuing lockout pay to more than 730 players. Payments will start this month, and players will get  #36;10,000 each for November and another  #36;10,000 for December, with subsequent monthly payments varying between  #36;5,000 or  #36;10,000, The Canadian Press reported.


Video Game Let Players Command Kerry Swift Boat (Reuters) Reuters - A video game company hopes to\cash in on the publicity surrounding Sen. John Kerry's Vietnam\service by sending players on a simulation of the Swift Boat\mission that won the Democratic presidential candidate the\Silver Star.


Turk 'found dead' in Afghanistan A Turkish engineer kidnapped in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday has been killed officials say.


McNabb, Culpepper to Square Off Monday (AP) AP - Both quarterbacks have strong arms, quick feet and plenty of wins on their resumes. One other thing Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper have in common: They're the only two of the five heralded quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 1999 draft still in the NFL.


Padres add Eric Young SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - The San Diego Padres lacked speed and an experienced bench last season, things veteran infielder Eric Young is capable of providing.


Middle class is richer because of these tax cuts A House-Senate conference committee Thursday agreed to legislation that will extend key components of the Bush tax cuts for up to six years.


Santander To Cut 3,000 Jobs Spain #39;s Banco Santander Central Hispano is expected to announce today that it will cut up to 3,000 jobs at Abbey National if it succeeds with its agreed bid for the UK bank, the Financial Times reported.


Update 4: European Central Bank Keeps Rates Unchanged The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday, saying high oil prices meant uncertain prospects for Europe #39;s economic recovery.


Space Shuttle's Spring 2005 Launch Date Delayed By PAM EASTON    HOUSTON (AP) -- The first shuttle flight since the Columbia tragedy has been pushed back by NASA because hurricane damage and implementation of new safety measures made a spring 2005 launch "no longer achievable."    March or April had been the tentative date selected by NASA's spaceflight council, which announced the delay Friday.    The council, in Houston to discuss the Oct...


McNair active, but Volek starts in Titans loss Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was active for Sunday #39;s overtime loss to Chicago, but missed his second straight game because of a bruised sternum.


Darfur Rebels Say Peace First, Disarming After  CAIRO (Reuters) - Rebels from Sudan's Darfur region  Thursday rejected calls to disarm or confine their fighters to  their bases before a political solution to the conflict there  has been decided and implemented.


Europe Dominates U.S. at Start of Ryder Cup For Europe, it was a glorious start to the 35th Ryder Cup. For the United States, it was a nightmare.


Auburn, Okla. Tied for No. 2 in AP Poll (AP) AP - Auburn moved up a spot in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, into a tie for second with Oklahoma. Southern California remained No. 1 easily with 51 first-place votes and 1,608 points. Auburn and Oklahoma each had 1,536.


Orange Revolution After many years under the rule of the corrupted government there is a new  hope for Ukraine: the new presidential elections. Among 28 candidates the   2 primary are the opposition candidate Victor Yushchenko (reformer which   served as the Prime Minister in the past and was allegedly poisoned 1 month  before the first tour of the elections) and the government's candidate Victor  Yanukovich (twice convicted in the past of rape and organized robbery,   currently serving as the Prime Minister, having strong ties with mafia clans   and holding in iron fist authorities across Ukraine).


Hughes moves into lead after completing first round Two-time champion Bradley Hughes of Australia shot an 8-under 64 to take a two-stroke lead at the Australian Masters on Friday, one day after the opening round was suspended by rain.


Australia #39;s API Buys New Price Chain For A\$112.4M -2 MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (API.AU) said Monday it agreed to buy health, beauty and lifestyle retailer New Price Retail for A\$112.


CNN Producer to Be Released in Gaza Soon-Officials  GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian police have tracked down the  Gaza kidnappers of a CNN television producer and expect him to  be freed soon, an Israeli Arab legislator close to the  Palestinian leadership said on Tuesday.


Body Asymmetry Tied to Aggression Lashing out more common if one ear or finger is larger    HealthDayNews -- If one of your ears is bigger than the other, it may be a sign you're more likely to be aggressive when you get angry.    So say Ohio State University researchers, who found that the greater the asymmetry between certain body parts -- for example, if one foot, index finger, or ear is bigger than the other -- the more likely a person will show signs of aggression when provoked...


Harris Heads for Stanford on Losing Note (AP) AP - Walt Harris definitely improved Pittsburgh football, just not enough to get the Panthers to the elite level.


Hackers Target Microsoft JPEG Hole Malicious hackers are seeding Internet news groups that traffic in pornography with JPEG images that take advantage of a recently disclosed security hole in Microsoft #39;s software, according to warnings from antivirus software companies and Internet


Car Bomber Attacks Near Baghdad Green Zone (Reuters) Reuters - A suspected suicide car bomb detonated\near a police station beside the protected Green Zone in\Baghdad on Saturday, the latest strike in a guerrilla campaign\to undermine Iraq's inexperienced security forces.


Bryan twins put US in Davis Cup final Charleston, SC (Sports Network) - Bob and Mike Bryan teamed-up for a doubles win over Belarus on Saturday to clinch a spot in the Davis Cup final for the United States for the first time in seven years.


UPDATE 1-Tyco says to take charge for bond buy back Tyco International Ltd. (TYC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday it repurchased \$350 million of convertible bonds, which will result in a fourth quarter charge of \$167 million


AU pledges to increase ceasefire observers in Darfur The African Union (AU) pledged Thursday to increase its ceasefire observers from the current 1,000 to 3,320 in the troubled western Darfur region of Sudan.


Dow Jones cuts forecast, stock sinks Company cites weak Wall Street Journal ads, analysts predict weak results at other newspaper chains. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dow Jones  amp; Co.


Union: At Least 100 Delta Pilots to Retire as Pay Cuts Start At least 100 Delta Air Lines pilots are expected to retire effective Wednesday, the start date for a 32.5 percent pay cut agreed to in a \$1 billion concessions package to help save the nation's third largest air carrier from bankruptcy.


Ganguly praises team India, awaits arch-rival Pakistan SOUTHAMPTON: Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly on Saturday expressed happiness over the all-round performance of the team in the ICC champions trophy match against Kenya and said they were ready for the big game against Pakistan.


Microsoft appoints new public sector head Microsoft Corp. has appointed a new leader for its Worldwide Public Sector group, which plays a key role in its efforts to counter competition from open source software in government and education markets.


Williams-Sonoma Lowers 4th-Qtr. Forecast  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Williams-Sonoma Inc. WSM.N on  Thursday posted a rise in third-quarter earnings, but the  housewares retailer lowered its fourth-quarter forecast, citing  volatile sales trends and demand for furniture that is  outstripping supply.


Hollywood Wants BitTorrent Dead The lobbying arm of the film studios files lawsuits against the operators of sites and servers that help users of file-sharing networks locate movies and songs. By Xeni Jardin.


Germany #39;s Glagow, Fischer win biathlon events Germany #39;s Martina Glagow won a 15-kilometer biathlon event Thursday for her first World Cup victory this season, and compatriot Sven Fischer won a men #39;s 20-kilometer race.


GENESIS Returns to Earth: IIt will be 9:54 in the morning, Mountain Daylight Time, on Wednesday, September 8, when the Genesis sample return capsule, weighing 190 kilograms (420 pounds), will enter the Earths atmosphere


Israeli air strike kills two militants in Nablus Two Palestinian militants were killed on Monday as Israeli Apache helicopters hit their car, Palestinian witnesses and medical sources said.


New legume disease discovered in the US United States authorities have confirmed they #39;ve found a new legume disease for the first time. Asian soybean rust has been confirmed in two plots at a research station in Louisiana.


US basketball loses to Argentina It didn #39;t need any dramatic comeback. No amazing flurry of three-pointers. No tough defensive stand. No bogus referee #39;s call in the closing seconds.


After Delays, Intel Points to Chip-Making Advance  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O is on track  to introduce the world's most advanced chip production  technology in its products next year, the largest semiconductor  maker said on Sunday.


Water quality fails EU standards Most rivers, lakes, estuaries and coasts in England and Wales are unlikely to meet new EU rules on water quality, conservationists say.


Israeli Missile Wounds 2 Gaza Policemen -Medics  GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli missile fired from a pilotless  aircraft wounded two Palestinian policemen in the southern Gaza  town of Khan Younis on Sunday, witnesses said.


Merck Looks Ahead Despite Vioxx Suits Merck  amp; Co. officials said Tuesday they intend to defend aggressively their handling of the painkiller Vioxx against claims by patients who say they were harmed by the now-withdrawn drug.


Molineux joy at Hoddle deal Former England manager Glenn Hoddle has been unveiled as the new boss of Championship strugglers Wolves. Hoddles appointment was announced at a Molineux press conference this morning, and he will take charge of the side for an initial six-month period.


Argentina: Bank bomb blasts kill one A series of bombings ripped through three banks in downtown Buenos Aires Wednesday killing one security guard and injuring a member of the bomb squad.


Microsoft offers kit for XP SP2 application testing IT administrators preparing for the Windows XP SP2 juggernaut may want to catch up on their reading before deploying the service pack.


Iron Ore Prices To Lift 19 For Australian Miners - Abare SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Continued strong steelmaking demand from China is expected to drive an 18.6 lift in iron ore prices for Australian producers into 2005, the government #39;s Australian Bureau of Agricultural  amp; Resource Economics said Monday.


Big Five Set Their Sights On Mobile TV TV broadcasts to the mobile phone moved a step nearer reality today when the big five handset vendors announced a co-operation deal to investigate mobile broadcast services.


Baseball outlines tougher policy An official involved with negotiations between Major League Baseball and the players #39; association said leaders of the two sides had outlined a new and significantly more stringent drug-testing program.


Fastow Helped Craft Merrill Barge Deal-Former Aide Enron Corp. former Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow helped cook up a bogus deal with Merrill Lynch to sell and buy back Nigerian power barges to inflate Enron #39;s earnings


Pilot accord might aid Delta ATLANTA -- The battered shares of Delta Air Lines Inc. surged nearly 9 percent yesterday after its pilots agreed to salary cuts to try to help the ailing carrier avoid bankruptcy, but their new contract offers no guarantees for the company's future.


Apple Plans Music Event - Is an iPod Announcement on the Agenda? (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is planning a music-themed event next week in San Jose, California, that will feature the rock band U2, fueling speculation that the computer company may be poised to make a significant music-related product announcement.


Verizon Adds Shopping Tools to SuperPages.com (Reuters) Reuters - Verizon SuperPages.com said on\Friday it has teamed up with eBay  and Shopping.com\ for the roll-out of new shopping tools on its online\Yellow Pages site.


Haiti violence is seen as worsening  WASHINGTON -- Human rights violations and outright atrocities are growing more rampant by the day in Haiti as police, former soldiers, and rebel groups wreak havoc in a violent struggle that local authorities and United Nations peacekeepers appear unable to control, according to US officials, foreign diplomats, and local human rights monitors.


Stocks Set to Open Modestly Higher NEW YORK - U.S. stocks are expected to open modestly higher Tuesday as investors use a slight let-up in the rise in oil prices to add to portfolios...


Regulators clear Google flotation US regulators approve documents relating to Google's flotation, clearing the way for its market debut.


Thirsty for learning, seniors fill college programs At Harvard University, a 63-year-old retiree -- trained in philosophy, but retired from real estate investing -- teaches a classroom of her peers about postmodernism.


CORRECTED - IMF says loosening of yuan in China #39;s interest In WASHINGTON story headlined  quot;IMF says loosening of yuan in China #39;s interest quot; please read in first paragraph ... undervalued ... instead of ... overvalued ... (corrects direction). WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters


Microsoft skips Itanium with new Windows Microsoft will come out with a special version of Windows next year for clusters, but it won #39;t run on Intel #39;s most powerful server chip, at least for now.


Soccer: Raul, Figo save Real #39;s blushes as Dynamo light up Kiev KIEV : Spanish giants Real Madrid came back from a two-goal deficit for the second time this season in the Champions League to draw 2-2 with Ukrainian outfit Dynamo Kiev in their Group B clash.


NASD may act against KeyCorp unit KeyCorp said on Friday the NASD has preliminarily decided to recommend disciplinary action against McDonald Investments, accusing the bank #39;s brokerage unit of allowing improper mutual fund trading.


Kansas Hoops Takes Preseason No. 1 Spot (AP) AP - Sure, Kansas often grabs a spot in the upper half of the AP preseason college basketball poll, but the school hasn't been No. 1 since a player named Wilt Chamberlain suited up for the Jayhawks in the 1950s.