REDMOND, Washington, Oct 21 (AFP) - The world #39;s biggest software company, Microsoft Corp, said Thursday that its first quarter profits swelled to 2.9 billion dollars as consumers and businesses pumped up demand for new computers.

Software giant Microsoft rings up multibillion dollar profit gain


HUMAN beings are plundering the earth #39;s resources at an alarming and unsustainable rate, and Australians are among the worst offenders.

World #39;s  #39;worst plunderers #39; named


The US declines to wish Fidel Castro a speedy recovery after he fractures bones in a fall at a public ceremony.

'Wrong kind of fall' for Castro


Five-year, \$1.8 billion cost-cutting contract approved Thursday also reduces retirement benefits, increases work hours and eliminates retiree medical coverage.

US Airways Pilots Approve 18 Pay Cut


J.E. Robert Cos. completed raising \$823 million from about 40 institutional and private equity investors this week.

J.E. Robert Assembles New Investment Fund


General Motors hopes to make its hulking Hummer lineup  quot;more approachable quot; with a new midsize sport utility vehicle scheduled to go on sale next spring.

Hummer going smaller for share of big market


TOKYO (Reuters) - As the death toll rose from Japan's  deadliest typhoon in two decades, experts warned on Friday that  climate change could bring a stormier future.

Death Toll 69 in Japan Typhoon, 19 Still Missing


Yun Young-Chul (C-back), president of the Constitutional Court, speaks as the court ruled against President Roh Moo-Hyun #39;s plan to relocate the country #39;s capital at the court, in Seoul, October 21.

South Korean court blocks relocation of capital


WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Qwest Communications on Thursday said it #39;s agreed to pay \$250 million to end a federal probe of allegedly fraudulent accounting practices used by former executives.

Qwest to pay \$250 million to end probe


The Financial Times claims Nomura, the Japanese bank, is involved in a plan to raise 200m to block a takeover of Man Utd by Malcolm Glazer.

Bank 'looks to block Glazer bid'


The keyboard is mightier than the whiteboard at an emergency room in the Bronx, where the use of computers is now a staple.

In the E.R., Learning to Love the PC


MEPs threatened last night to bring down the new European Commission before it even takes office, as a row sparked by controversial comments about homosexuality escalated into an unprecedented crisis.

MEPs threaten to sink commission over Buttiglione


A debate on draft day 2003 was whether the Patriots should have moved up to take Kentucky defensive lineman Dewayne Robertson , who was picked fourth overall by the Jets. After he had a subpar rookie season, the feeling was the Patriots made the right choice, though they took Ty Warren 13th overall that year and he also ...

Robertson emerges with time


Thursday #39;s agreement between Qwest Communications and federal regulator settles allegations of  quot;massive financial fraud quot; at a price of \$250 million.

Qwest: The end of the beginning


SKIPPER Patrick Vieira is set to hand Arsenal a massive boost for Sunday #39;s crunch clash against Manchester United by declaring himself fit to lead the Gunners at Old Trafford.

VIEIRA FIT FOR UNITED BATTLE


President Bush plans major changes in his Cabinet if he wins a second term -- perhaps nominating the first female defense secretary and first black attorney general -- but very little change among the small group of his closest advisers.

Staying or Going? Some Possibilities if Bush Wins


With the Yanks out of the World Series, the city #39;s economy loses out on at least \$40 million, according to studies by the controller #39;s office and other city agencies.

City Series-ly wounded


Chelsea today shrugged off concerns about their attendances this season and insisted they are delighted with the support for Jose Mourinho #39;s side.

Our crowds are up, say Blues


Kumar Sangakkara's unbeaten fifty revives Sri Lanka's chances against Pakistan.

Sri Lanka off to positive start


Twenty-nine people believed to be North Koreans have entered a South Korean school in Beijing, apparently seeking asylum. Diplomats say the group, including two children, entered the school early Friday.

N. Koreans Seek Asylum in Beijing


Connecticut is going to join California amid New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzers probe over the US insurance industry scandal.

Connecticut joins California in Spitzer probe


An experiment using two orbiting satellites has proved that as the Earth turns it drags space and time around itself, like a spinning top in treacle.

Einstein Is Proved Right Again


Microsoft and Swatch announced a new line of wireless data watches named Paparazzi. The watches offer news, sports, weather and stock quotes, among other snippets of content, via Microsoft #39;s MSN Direct wireless data service.

Microsoft/Swatch Offer New Wireless Watch


AP - A military judge ordered a U.S. Army reservist on Friday to stand trial Jan. 7 in Baghdad for allegedly abusing Iraq inmates at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad.

Trial Date Set for Soldier at Abu Ghraib (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc. <A HREF=

Citigroup's Ex-Exec May Face SEC Action


Reuters - The dollar edged up against the yen and\steadied against the euro on Friday, but kept within sight of\multi-month lows hit this week on worries about the U.S.\economy and its ability to attract global investors.

Dollar Stabilizes Above Recent Lows (Reuters)


BEIJING: China #39;s economy surged by an impressive 9.5 per cent year-on-year in the first nine months of this year, marginally slower than the 9.7 per cent recorded in the first half of the year, the government said here on Sunday while claiming credit for

Chinese economy surges 9.5 in first 3 quarters


Primaris Airlines Inc. has announced plans to buy 20 Boeing 7E7-8 Dreamliners and 20 737-800s, a deal worth \$3.8 billion at list prices, the new low-cost business carrier and the Boeing Co.

Primaris to spend \$3.8B on jets


The move won #39;t have raised many eyebrows. Security is a hot market in which Cisco already has a strong grip in the enterprise space, and the vendor giant has already bolstered its security portfolio through

Cisco Bolsters Its Security Story


The European Commission launches graphic images showing the damage smoking can do to people's health.

EU launches graphic tobacco ads


Arsenal were the clear  #39;devils #39; back in September 2003, just six games into last season. Following captain Patrick Viera #39;s second half dismissal for lashing out on free-faller Ruud Van Nistelrooy, and then

Now or never for United


Religious and political leaders gather at the Umm al-Qura Sunni Muslim mosque outside Baghdad, where clerics called for their followers to boycott Iraq #39;s January elections.

Sunni clerics urge election boycott


There is a strong trend for consumers to move away from using fixed-line phones in concert with mobiles to use mobile handsets for all or most of their voice calls, according to a study conducted for Finnish mobile handset maker Nokia by UK market

Fixed-to-mobile substitution gaining momentum


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Weyerhaeuser Co.'s  quarterly profit  rose sharply on a large gain from the sale of timberlands in  Georgia and it set tender offers to reduce as much as \$700  million in debt, the company said on Friday.

Weyerhaeuser Profit Up


It bought Stata Labs and apparently plans to incorporate Stata technology in an e-mail client that could compete with Google #39;s Gmail.

Yahoo Acquires Another E-Mail Startup


The car rental company takes a major hit because of problems with IT, including high costs associated with an ERP project.

Avis blames IT for multimillion-dollar loss


NEC has unveiled its latest supercomputer, which is almost twice as fast as the BlueGene/L machine rolled out by IBM in September.

NEC Tops IBM with Speedier Supercomputer


MADRID (Reuters) - Severiano Ballesteros said on Friday he  has made such a dramatic recovery from his back problems that  he hopes to play a full season next year on both sides of the  Atlantic.

Ballesteros Hoping to Play Full Season Next Year


roundup Free-roaming source code breeds new Netsky pest. Also: From IE to Opera, browsers are a likely prey.\

Bug bites continue to plague the Net


OCTOBER 22, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Amazon.com Inc. fell a penny short of analysts #39; per-share earnings expectations, while reporting net sales of \$1.

Amazon.com net sales jump 29; Google reports \$52M in net income


Lacie today introduced a new series of external harddrives with SATA interface at the SMAU trade show in Milan, Italy. The drives are available in capacities up to 400 GByte.

Lacie announces external SATA harddrive, high-end LCD


Mr Vladimir V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, Mr NR Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor and Chairman, Infosys, and Mr Nandan Nilekani, CEO and Managing Director, at the Infosys campus in Bangalore on Sunday.

India, Russia must join hands to develop new tech: Putin


Eliot Spitzer, fresh from rocking the insurance industry, has now asked the music business to uncover the secrets behind how radio stations decide what records they play.

Spitzer launches music industry probe


NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc.  rose as much as 20 percent on Friday, to trade at more than  twice the level of its cut-price IPO, after the Web search  leader posted strong quarterly results in its first reported  quarter as a public company.

Google Results Revive 'Dot-Com' Fervor


Since becoming NC State #39;s head football coach in January of 2000, Chuck Amato has endeavored to change the culture of a program that had rarely flirted with greatness.

Wolfpack, Canes Clash at Carter-Finley


MADRID, Spain -- England #39;s Paul Broadhurst, winless in nine years on the European Tour, shot a 6-under-par 65 Friday and took a one-stroke lead midway through the Madrid Open.

Broadhurst leads in Spain


AP - Mississippi State is looking for another landmark win against Florida.

Bulldogs, Gators Remember Last Miss. Game (AP)


AP - Ground zero for the country's costliest House race is Dallas, where two congressmen shoehorned into the same new district have each raised  #36;4.1 million  #151; and counting  #151; to bash each other with television ads and sophisticated mailings.

Campaign Spending on Rise in House Races (AP)


The U.S. government's drive for homeland security has produced a boom in antiterror technologies--as well as industry confusion and privacy concerns.

This week in security news


Fernando 7th and Jacques 12th after a studious opening day at Interlagos for the Mild Seven Renault F1 Team.

Brazilian GP, Friday


North Korea on Friday eased its tough stance against the United States, saying it is willing to resume stalled six-way talks on its nuclear weapons if Washington is ready to consider its demands.

North Korea eases tough stance against US in nuclear talks


US Treasury prices rose on Friday as a potent combination of record high oil prices and slumping stocks kept market participants jittery about the potential for slower growth.

Rising oil, falling stocks lift US Treasury prices


AP - A senior Saudi official rejected on Friday a suggestion that his government was lax in pursuing Saudi nationals who provide money to Iraqi insurgents or terrorist groups.

Saudi Denies Failure to Pursue Insurgents (AP)


China #39;s economic boom is still roaring despite efforts to cool sizzling growth, with gross domestic product climbing 9.5 per cent in the first three quarters of this year, the government reported Friday.

China #39;s economy still sizzling, with GDP up 9.1 in Q3, but prices <b>...</b>


Margaret Hassan, the kidnapped British aid worker, appeared in a new and harrowing video yesterday, weeping and asking Tony Blair to save her life by halting the deployment of British

Harrowing footage shows Hassan pleading for her life


Some 850 British troops have started preparations to redeploy from southern Iraq to an area outside of Baghdad. The move comes after Britain agreed to a US request for help and is designed to make more US

In Controversial Move, Britain Says  #39;Yes #39; to Troop-Redeployment <b>...</b>


WASHINGTON President Bush has signed into law the most sweeping rewrite of corporate tax law in nearly two decades. Bush signed the bill today with no fanfare, during a flight on Air Force One to a campaign stop in Pennsylvania.

Bush signs \$136 billion tax-cut bill with no fanfare


There are two consolations for disillusioned tennis romantics upset by yesterday #39;s news of the split of Lleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters four months before their scheduled marriage.

Clijsters and Hewitt reach break point


Cyber security audits find improvement in some agencies, but viruses and worms still plague the halls of government.\

News: Report card day looms for federal agencies


Pete Kendall #39;s New England accent is as thick as his 6-5, 292-pound frame. So there #39;s no hiding his roots or his allegiance to Red Sox Nation.

Big day for New England


In line with his pledge made during the election campaign, Indonesian new President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stressed the importance of fighting corruption and terror while

President Susilo stresses fighting against graft, terror as <b>...</b>


St. Louis is a collection of superstar position players and anonymous pitchers.

Starting for Cardinals Has Privileges


The \$41 billion merger between Cingular Wireless LLC and AT T Wireless Services Inc. won approval from the Federal Communications Commission Friday, according to federal sources close to the agency.
\<FONT face=

Regulators Let Cingular Buy AT T Wireless


CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen brought St. Loius past Houston during the sixth inning, giving them the win and the pennant.

Cardinals make it to the World Series


Tennessee and Alabama fans needed extra reasons to hate each other about as much as Deion Sanders needs more reasons to love himself.

Column: Alabama fans should take responsibility for their own <b>...</b>


Stock prices were pummeled by a toxic combination of still-rising oil prices and anxiety surrounding Eliot Spitzer #39;s probe of the insurance industry.

MARTS SWOON ON RISING OIL


MADRID, Spain (Ticker) - Appearing in his first tournament since the US Open, Andre Agassi has not displayed much rust. The 34-year-old Agassi advanced to the semifinals of the Tennis Masters Madrid on Friday

Agassi advances in Madrid


\\The blogs  are buzzing  that the Treo 650 will be released on Monday.\\From Gizmodo:\\

Treo 650 on Monday?


AP - Kobe Bryant scored 25 points and the Los Angeles Lakers got major contributions from their ever-improving reserves Friday night, beating the Clippers 113-102 in a preseason game.

Bryant's 25 Helps Lakers Beat Clippers (AP)


AP - A roadside bomb exploded near an American military patrol in Baghdad Saturday, injuring six soldiers, the U.S. command said.

Roadside Bomb Injures Six GIs in Iraq (AP)


Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, the Washington Post reported in its Saturday edition, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation.

Delta Air May File Bankruptcy Soon-Report


Stephen Werner and the Minutemen weren't easily discouraged in their Hockey East opener last night.

In OT, first-minute men lift UMass


Delta Air Lines Inc. could file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as next week, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

Delta Air Lines Prepares Chapter 11 Filing


XINMI, China -- Desperate to know their loved ones' fates, grieving relatives scuffled with guards yesterday at the scene of China's worst mining accident this year as rescue workers pulled more bodies out of a mine shaft choked with poison gas.

82 still missing in Chinese mine blast


Reuters - U.S. planes bombed targets in\Iraq's rebel-held city of Falluja, killing two people, and the\U.S. military said it had captured a lieutenant of its\deadliest Islamist enemy in Iraq in a raid early on Saturday.

US Forces Bomb Iraq's Falluja, Seize Zarqawi Aide (Reuters)


NEW YORK Oct. 18, 2004 - People who use public or workplace computers for e-mail, instant messaging and Web searching have a new privacy risk to worry about: Google #39;s free new tool that indexes a PC #39;s contents for quickly locating data.

Google #39;s New PC Search Tool Poses Risks


Iran on Sunday refuted a report made by some US media that UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei had collaborated with Iran by giving Tehran an advance look at his reports, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Iran refutes allegation about collaboration with IAEA chief


The now former starting Tennessee safety was arrested early Monday morning for firing the handgun of teammate Chris Heath. Afterwards, Johnson was slapped with indefinite suspension.

BAD BLOOD, GOOD RIVALRY: Vols prep for raging Tide


Former Tottenham captain Dave Mackay has led the tributes to legendary former Spurs manager Bill Nicholson, who passed away on Saturday aged 85.

Tributes flood in for Nicholson


Bankrupt US Airways is giving flight attendants, machinists and passenger service workers three weeks to reach consensual cost-cutting pacts before the airline asks

Greater pressure directed at US Airways unions


England #39;s Paul Broadhurst shot a 6-under 65 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Madrid Open. Broadhurst, who hasn #39;t won on the European tour in nine years, is 10-under 132 overall

Broadhurst leads by a shot after second round of Madrid Open


The doubts, the uncertainty, the mud-slinging that have kept investors indecisive all year are set to end one week from Tuesday when US voters go to the polls.

Wall Street Fears an Undecided Election


Public transit in Toronto will not improve next year despite \$81-million in provincial gas tax funding announced yesterday, according to Mayor David Miller.

Miller slams transit funding


Ten outs away from winter, knowing a 105-win magic-carpet ride was about to hit the runway way too soon. Ten outs away from winter, and the St.

Cards all hearts


AP - Milwaukee Bucks forward Zendon Hamilton will miss six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Bucks' Zendon Hamilton Has Knee Surgery (AP)


Reuters - The majestic pyramids and\temples of the ancient Zapotec kingdom of Monte Alban sit\spectacularly atop a hill in Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca.

Mexico Struggles to Preserve Ancient Ruins (Reuters)


SAO PAULO, Oct 23 (AFP) - World champion Michael Schumacher was involved in a high-speed crash in Saturday #39;s practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Schumacher escapes high-speed practice crash


ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The European Union and its member  states will contribute more than \$100 million to an African  Union (AU) force in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, EU foreign  policy chief Javier Solana said on Saturday.

EU to Give \$100 Mln for AU Force in Darfur-Solana


Charity workers were still facing an agonising wait for news of Iraq aid worker Margaret Hassan tonight after a televised plea to her kidnappers was met with silence.

Plea for Kidnapped Aid Worker Meets with Silence


AP - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova advanced to the final of the Swisscom Challenge, defeating fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in one of Saturday's semifinals. The fourth-seeded Sharapova, who eliminated Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, extended her winning streak to 12 matches.

Sharapova, Molik Advance to Swisscom Final (AP)


Insurgents launched strikes on Saturday at United States and Iraqi outposts across Iraq, killing at least a dozen Iraqi police officers and national guardsmen

Rebel Attacks Kill 12 Iraqis; GI #39;s Injured


AP - Seizing on a report that a plan to privatize Social Security includes raising the retirement age for full benefits to 72, vice presidential candidate John Edwards on Saturday renewed a promise that the Democrats would never raise the retirement age.

Edwards: I Won't Raise Retirement Age (AP)


Suspected Algerian Islamic militants killed 16 people in the first attack on civilians since the start of the holy month of Ramadan, officials said on Saturday.

16 killed in Algeria rebel attack


Sachin Tendulkar will play in the third Test against Australia beginning Tuesday. That the master batsman has been declared fit to play in the Test was announced by physio Andrew Leipus of the Indian cricket team.

Sachin ready for Nagpur


KABUL - A man with six grenades strapped to his body killed himself and a 12-year-old girl on a busy street in Kabul Saturday, police said.

Taliban suicide bomber kills girl, wounds 6 others


Rubens Barrichello appears to have rid himself of his bad luck in Brazil only for it land on his team-mate Michael Schumacher. Barrichello last finished the Brazilian GP in 1994, which means even seeing the

Rubens bad Brazilian luck visits Michael


AP - The United States could cut its forces in Afghanistan next summer if Taliban militants accept an amnesty to be drawn up by President Hamid Karzai and neighboring Pakistan, the senior U.S. commander here said Sunday.

Taliban Wanted List to Be Drawn (AP)


MAJOR Japanese computer maker Toshiba aimes to sell laptop computers that are loaded with its next generation DVD drive by next year.

Toshiba laptops with HD DVD soon


NASA #39;s Deep Impact spacecraft has arrived in Florida to begin final preparations for a launch on Dec. 30, 2004. The spacecraft was shipped from Ball Aerospace  amp; Technologies in Boulder, Colo.

Countdown to Deep Impact


WILMINGTON, Delaware, isnta popular spot with the Hollywood crowd. I imagine they would be a bit sniffy about what passes for local entertainment.

On Wall Street: Dominic Rushe: Disney trial is more than a Mickey <b>...</b>


MADRID: Marat Safin defeated Andre Agassi 6-3, 7-6 yesterday to book a place in the Madrid Masters final against Argentina #39;s David Nalbandian.

Agassi bites the dust as Russian Safin sets up final clash with <b>...</b>


Suicide bombers killed at least 22 members of Iraq #39;s fledgling security forces yesterday amid a spate of insurgent attacks across the country that also

Iraq: 26 killed on horrific day of violence


AP - The European Union will help rebuild conflict-ravaged Somalia, but the cost is not clear, the EU's foreign policy chief said Saturday.

Official: EU Will Help Rebuild Somalia (AP)


Tied for the lead in what was shaping up as another shootout at Disney, Tom Lehman believes he has experience on his side. Not from the last 12 years, but the last three weeks.

Lehman hoping third time is a charm


Shareholders in Kidde, the fire protection group, have indicated they would be prepared to sell out if United Technologies Corporation (UTC), the US industrial conglomerate

Investors put 1.5bn tag on Kidde


ISLAMABAD, Oct 23: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz briefed Commonwealth Secretary-General Donald C. McKinnon on full restoration of democracy in the country and Pakistan #39;s role in promoting regional and global peace.

McKinnon briefed on democracy: Meeting with PM


Nextel Communications, the nation #39;s fifth-largest wireless provider, said yesterday that its profit jumped 69 percent in the third quarter from the period last year.

Nextel #39;s Profit Rose by 69 in 3rd Quarter


Paul Broadhurst shot a 3-under 68 Saturday for a share of the lead after the third round of the Open de Madrid. Broadhurst finished 54 holes at 13-under-par 200 for a tie with Darren Fichardt, who shot a 67.

Broadhurst, Fichardt lead Open de Madrid


In finance, a process that requires a company to estimate the expected future value of a company #39;s pension assets and the expected cost of fulfilling pension and health care obligations to current and retired employees.

Pension accounting


AP - David Greene threw for a career-high 382 yards and two touchdowns, Thomas Brown rushed for 107 yards and No. 10 Georgia held off Arkansas 20-14.

Tenth-Ranked Ga. Gets Past Ark. 20-14 (AP)


GUILDERLAND, NY Socially conscious consumers have made fair trade brews a rapidly growing niche of the coffee market. The beans can now be found on supermarket shelves next to the Folgers and in the espresso at Dunkin #39; Donuts.

Is fair trade coffee a beachhead for bananas?


Google is famed for its Web search engine, but over the past few years it has acquired a different role: Microsoft #39;s No. 1 foreign aid donor.

Google Desktop Outshines Windows #39; File-Search Capabilities


 IN
   Aylwin B. Lewis,  president of Yum Brands, as chief executive of Kmart.

Revolving Door


BOSTON (Reuters) - With a power-packed lineup that features  sluggers like Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, it was Mark  Bellhorn who was the unlikely hero of Game One of the 100th  World Series with a two-run homer for the Boston Red Sox  Saturday.

Bellhorn Makes Big Noise for Red Sox


South African President Thabo Mbeki left Ivory Coast #39;s rebel town of Bouake after talks Sunday, saying mediators would prepare proposals to end the crisis in the world #39;s top cocoa grower.

South Africa #39;s Mbeki Leaves Ivory Coast Rebel Zone


AP - The Bush administration may impose sanctions against leaders of the former Soviet republic of Belarus as part of a broader range of punitive measures, the State Department said Thursday.

U.S. Weighs More Sanctions Vs. Belarus (AP)


Pilots at US Airways narrowly approved \$300 million in wage and benefit cuts today, making the Air Line Pilots Association the first major union representing US Airways workers to agree to permanent concessions.

Pilots #39; union accepts pay cuts from US Airways


TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran on Sunday turned down a European  Union proposal that it stop enriching uranium in return for  nuclear technology.

Iran Says EU Nuclear Proposal Unacceptable


For 10 years, Ellen Zane oversaw community doctors for Partners HealthCare, the parent organization of Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospitals and the biggest and most profitable hospital and physician network in Massachusetts. Then in December, she became chief executive of a very different institution: Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood. Tufts-NEMC is not only smaller, it's ...

Her aim: Give Tufts-NEMC intensive care


KABUL, Afghanistan -- A Taliban suicide fighter killed himself and wounded at least seven others, including three members of a NATO-led peacekeeping force, in a grenade attack on a busy shopping street in central Kabul yesterday.

Suicide bomber wounds 7; Afghan vote tally nears end


For the first time in three years, former Bruins forward Bill Guerin will be home with his family for Halloween. But he won't be dressing up as a National Hockey League player any time soon. He'll be a full-time dad to his four children while he waits -- with his NHL Players Association brethren -- for something to break in ...

Guerin trades NHL job for family business


Arsenal bounced back to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 victory over struggling Birmingham City yesterday. A brace from Thierry Henry came after Robert Pires #39; opener, but it was the shaky Premiership debut

Arsenal boss Wenger has keeper worries


AP - Hip-hop mogul Sean

P. Diddy Takes Vote Drive to Swing States (AP)


RALEIGH, N.C. -- Brock Berlin tied a Miami record shared by Bernie Kosar, Steve Walsh, and Ken Dorsey with five touchdown passes, and Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for another score, helping the No. 4 Hurricanes hold off North Carolina State, 45-31, last night.

Berlin ties Miami mark


401(k) credit card would give millions of American workers the chance to borrow their own money from their retirement savings plans.

A Card to Your Future


US Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives in Seoul today for a two-day visit, after rejecting a North Korean overture to resume the six-party nuclear talks if the US rewards it for freezing its nuclear activities.

Powell rejects NK overture, arrives here today


Markus Curry made the hit low, Ernest Shazor made the hit high and Leon Hall leapt for the football as it wobbled freely toward the University of Michigan sideline.

UM defense a big hit from start to finish


Bruno Junqueira won Sunday #39;s Lexmark Indy 300 ahead to retain hopes of winning the Champ Car title. The Brazilian #39;s Newman-Haas team-mate Sebastian Bourdais needed to win seven more points than Junqueira in Surfers Paradise to secure the title.

Junqueira sets up Champ Car final


or write a check before the funds are available in their accounts - might soon find themselves at risk for more bounced checks and high overdraft fees.

Bank on it: Checks won #39;t float, they #39;ll bounce


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Record crude oil prices, a tidal wave  of quarterly earnings reports and anxiety ahead of the  presidential election may pin U.S. stocks down this week.

Stocks Seen Stymied by Oil, Earnings


ISRAEL killed two Islamic Jihad militants in the Gaza Strip yesterday as Ariel Sharon and his cabinet finalised a bill to withdraw from Gaza.

Israel strikes before Gaza vote


US Secretary of State Colin Powell, left, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi before their meeting at the Foreign Ministry #39;s annex in Tokyo Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004.

Powell Presses N. Korea on Weapons Talks


An American woman, believed to be a civilian, and a young Afghan girl died from their wounds after a suicide bomb attack in a busy shopping street in the Afghan capital.

American Woman, Afghan Girl Die After Kabul Blast


AP - A large explosion shook downtown Baghdad on Sunday night, but its cause could not immediately be determined.

Large Explosion Shakes Downtown Baghdad (AP)


Chinese duo Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao have clinched the first spot in pairs free skating at Smart Ones Skate America, the first station of the 04-05 ISU Grand Prix.

Chinese skaters crowned at Smart Ones Skate America


Two Iraqis were killed and four others wounded in clashes that broke out between US troops and insurgents in Samarra, north of Baghdad, police said on Sunday.

2 people killed in clashes in Iraq #39;s Samarra


Randy Moss was the starting lineup for the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday despite a strained right hamstring that kept him out of practice all week.

Moss in Minnesota #39;s lineup against Tennessee


So what will Curt Schilling do for an encore tonight? Take the mound without a flu shot? Five days after baseball #39;s most inspiring comeback that didn #39;t involve an Iowa cornfield, Schilling

Schilling, Morris face tall task


A US security official, assigned to the US Embassy in Baghdad, was killed on Sunday by a mortar attack on a US Army base near Baghdad International Airport, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

US security official killed in Iraq attack


AFP - Thousands of people were spending the night in emergency shelters after the deadliest quakes to hit Japan in nearly a decade killed 23 people and injured more than 900, police and reports said.

Japan earthquakes kill 23, leave thousands in shelters (AFP)


United are back in the title race after bringing Arsenal #39;s long unbeaten run to a grisly end in the Manchester rain. Ruud van Nistelrooy erased the misery of his penalty miss in last season #39;s fixture by slotting a second-half spot-kick past Jens Lehmann.

UNITED V ARSENAL: MATCH REPORT


AP - Two Turkish soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit a land mine in southeastern Turkey, and a small oil pipeline was damaged by a bomb in two attacks Sunday blamed on Kurdish rebels, the Anatolia news agency reported.

2 Troops Said Killed by Turkey Land Mine (AP)


AFP - Irish-Moroccan or Egyptian-English, with headscarf or without, the diverse students at Britain's first state-funded Islamic school are at the vanguard of a trend toward a distinctly European Muslim culture.

Headscarf optional at Britain's first state-funded Islamic school (AFP)


AP - A plane carrying members of the Hendrick Motorsports organization was missing Sunday after losing contact with the Federal Aviation Administration on its way to a NASCAR race, and a search was underway for the aircraft.

Plane of NASCAR Team Hendrick Missing (AP)


INDIANAPOLIS Byron Leftwich was flawless on a 30-yard drive in the final four minutes, and rookie kicker Josh Scobee made a season-long 53-yard field goal to help the Jacksonville Jaguars pull off a 27-to-24 win over Indianapolis.

Jaguars 27 Colts 24


The Miami Dolphins finally gave their fans reason to celebrate, combining a polished offensive performance with solid defense for their first victory this season, 31-14 over the St.

Dolphins finally win, taking out frustration on Rams


AP - A  #36;500,000 donation by Republican beer baron Pete Coors to his own Senate campaign has triggered a new federal law that eases fund-raising restrictions for his Democratic opponent.

Coors' Donation to Own Campaign Draws Ire (AP)


Race fans wave American flags in the stands during the singing of the National Anthem prior to the start of the NASCAR Subway 500 stock car race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.

Plane of NASCAR Team Hendrick Missing


MINNEAPOLIS -- With Randy Moss relegated to two snaps of decoy duty, Daunte Culpepper and the Minnesota Vikings shifted gears and grinded one out against the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee Loses McNair Again in Loss


The Williams team breathed a sigh of relief after Juan Pablo Montoya #39;s victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix. The team finished fourth in the constructors standings but technical director Sam Michael was full of praise for the Colombian #39;s performance.

Brazilian victory lifts Williams


AP - A plane owned by the Hendrick Motorsports organization crashed Sunday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, federal officials said. A spokesman for a funeral home where the bodies were being taken said the dead included the son, brother and two nieces of Rick Hendrick, owner of one of the most successful organizations in NASCAR history.

Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash Kills 10 (AP)


WASHINGTON - With no fanfare, President Bush Friday signed the most sweeping rewrite of corporate tax law in nearly two decades, showering \$136 billion in new tax breaks on businesses, farmers and other groups.

Bush quietly signs corporate tax-cut bill


TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average fell 2 percent at  the opening on Monday as investors shied away from exporters  including Toyota Motor Corp. after a fall in the dollar below  107 yen stoked concerns about their earnings.

Nikkei Sinks Due to Exporters


MG Rover, the ailing British carmaker, has signed a binding agreement to hand over technology and know-how to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC).

MG Rover offers know-how to Chinese partner


Five years may not seem a whole lot, but consider what has happened since the last time the Green Bay Packers played the Dallas Cowboys prior to today #39;s meeting.

Long and short of a rivalry that was


The head of Indian Kashmir #39;s main opposition party, Omar Abdullah, has survived a second assassination bid in a month. Police say seven people were injured when rebels detonated a bomb a few steps away from Mr Abdullah, two of them critically.

KASHMIR LEADER SURVIVES ATTACK


Premier Dalton McGuinty sent a shot across the bow of have-not provinces Sunday, warning that Ontario will not support efforts to wring billions more in equalization payments out

Ontario won #39;t help other provinces squeeze Ottawa for more <b>...</b>


Federal regulators will formally approve Cingular Wireless #39;s \$41 billion purchase of AT amp;T Wireless today, company officials briefed on the matter said over the weekend.

Approval Expected for Big Cellphone Deal


I.B.M. plans to begin releasing a monthly report of threats to computer networks in an effort to establish an indicator similar to the federal governments Homeland Security Advisory System.

New I.B.M. Report Will Warn of Computer Security Threats


Of the 115 rushing yards Corey Dillon rolled up against the Jets on Sunday, it was the final 12 that might have been the most important.

Dillon Relishes Icing Victory


Using armored cars and earth movers, U.N. peacekeepers and Haitian police moved into an area early Sunday controlled by militants loyal to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, protecting workers removing burned out cars used as road blocks.

In Haiti, Peacekeepers Take on Militants


The race for the Champ Car drivers #39; title is going to Mexico City in two weeks. Bruno Junqueira won yesterday #39;s Lexmark Indy 300 ahead of teammate Sebastien Bourdais, stalling Bourdais #39; run to the 2004 championship

Junqueira beats Bourdais to take Lexmark Indy 300


A first win on the European Tour - any tour, in fact - is a notable feat in any golfer #39;s career. But the one by South African Richard Sterne in the Madrid Open yesterday deserves special mention.

SCHOOL #39;S OUT FOR STERNE


DESTRUCTION: At least 21 people have been killed by the quake, which has forced thousands to evacuate. Yesterday, many were readying to spend another chilly night outside.

Thousands of Japanese endure night outdoors


A deeply divided S.E.C. is expected to approve rules requiring all but the smallest hedge funds to register with the S.E.C. and make their records available.

Divided S.E.C. Likely to Ask Hedge Funds for More Data


They beat a bunch of bad teams -- some, just barely -- to become the first team in franchise history to get off to a 5-0 start. Still, we couldn #39;t tell just how good the Jets really were.

Loss bodes well for future


Ryan Palmer came from five shots behind with a magnificent 62 to earn his maiden PGA Tour tournament victory at the Funai Classic on Sunday.

PALMER BREAKS TOUR DUCK IN STYLE


The \$41 billion merger between Cingular Wireless LLC and AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc. won approval from the Federal Communications Commission yesterday, according to federal sources close to

Regulators Let Cingular Buy AT amp;T Wireless


The corpses of 50 soldiers of Iraq #39;s new army have been discovered northeast of the capital Baghdad. Interim Iraqi interior ministry spokesman Adnan Abd al-Rahman said the troops were believed to have been

Dozens of Iraqi soldiers found executed


Strong aftershocks are still shaking northern Japan after the country #39;s deadliest earthquake in nine years killed at least 24 people.

Aftershock hits Japan quake zone


SIR ALEX FERGUSON was pelted with food and pea soup by an Arsenal player in an extraordinary tunnel bust-up at Old Trafford yesterday.

FERGUSON ATTACKED IN TUNNEL BUST-UP


The three New Zealand judges presiding over sexual assault cases on Pitcairn Island have handed down their verdicts in Adamstown, finding five of the seven men charged guilty of sex crimes.

PITCAIRN TRIAL FINDS 5 OF 7 GUILTY


Hamid Karzai was assured of a majority in Afghanistans election to become its first democratically chosen president. With nearly 95 per cent of votes counted, the interim leader already has more than half

Victory Looms for Karzai as Vote Probe Continues


Jimmie Johnson, center, winner of the NASCAR Subway 500 race, is escorted to a NEXTEL Cup trailer after the race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va.

Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash Kills 10


The first at-bat of the game seemed to go on and on, with Red Sox starting pitcher Curt Schilling aiming to end the inning with little damage, and St. Louis leadoff batter Edgar Renteria aiming to throw a wrench is his game plan. Twelve pitches later, after several fouls, Schilling got Renteria to ground out to shortstop.

Cardinals unable to solve Schilling


Haitian police and U.N. troops moved into a slum that has become a flashpoint for unrest, using bulldozers to remove a barricade of torched cars that had blocked traffic in the capital.

Haiti Moves on Pro-Aristide Militants


The world #39;s richest soccer club, Manchester United (MNU.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , has called off talks with US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer over his proposed

UPDATE 2-Manchester United calls off bid talks with Glazer


MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- A Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed yesterday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, including the son, brother and two nieces of the owner of one of auto racing's most successful organizations.

Plane crash kills 10 close to racing


EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg plan moves to integrate their asylum and immigration procedures.

EU seeks joint asylum policy


GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli tanks and troops backed by  helicopter gunships stormed Khan Younis refugee camp, a Gaza  militant stronghold, on Monday, killing 10 Palestinians  including an 11-year-old boy, medics and witnesses said.

Israel Kills 10 Palestinians in Gaza Camp Raid


This is the second Rocky video game in two years -- even though it's been 14 years since the last

Rocky Legends; Tony Hawk's Underground 2; Nisus Writer Express 2.0; Surfsaver 6


Mount St. Helen #39;s in Oregon has been active these last few months but that is nothing compared to the eruption at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Another controversial Man Utd-Arsenal game


BEIJING (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell urged  China on Monday to exert its influence over North Korea to  resume stalled talks on scrapping its nuclear weapons programs  and pressed Beijing to accept a Taiwan offer of talks.

U.S. Urges China to Push for More N.Korea Talks


American astronaut Mike Fincke and Russian commander Gennady Padalka descended to Earth in remote Kazakstan late Saturday aboard a Soyuz space capsule.

Mission accomplished: US astronauts are home at last


India and Myanmar today signed three accords and agreed to step up cooperation in trade, economic and other key areas. A Cultural Exchange Programme for 2004-06 and another MOU on the Tamanthi Hydroelectric Project in Myanmar were inked.

India, Myanmar sign three accords


LUSAKA: Africa must move away from conflicts and begin to pool its resources to develop the impoverished continent and reduce poverty, South African President Thabo Mbeki said on Sunday.

Africa must move away from conflicts: Mbeki


Tuesday, barring a weather-caused delay, for the first time the United States will send an autonomous robot vehicle to join up with a satellite and conduct a 20-hour demonstration of its abilities -- without any human guidance.

NASA Puts Hands-Free Linkup to a Test


AP - Eight Egyptians have been arrested and accused of plotting the nearly simultaneous car bombings of a hotel and tourist camp in the Sinai that killed at least 34 people earlier this month.

Egypt Arrests Alleged Sinai Bombers (AP)


Harmony Gold Mining Co., the biggest miner of South African gold, made its fifth consecutive quarterly loss as the rand #39;s gains against the dollar eroded profit margins, compelling it to seek expansion to cut costs.

Harmony Gold Posts Fifth Straight Quarterly Loss (Update1)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures pointed to a lower  market open on Monday, as oil prices hit another record,  fueling worries that soaring energy costs will bite into  corporate profits.

Stocks Seen Lower as Oil Hits New High


Monday #39;s opening levels are: The Dow opens at 9,757.81, lower by 107.95. The Nasdaq starts the day at 1,915.14, lower by 38.48 .

Monday Fortune Business Report


While not pleased, the Jets were neither surprised at the outcome of their showdown against the Patriots, nor downcast about their future.

Patriots #39; game: New England beats Jets for 21st win in a row


When Lecce sold their prolific Uruguayan striker Ernesto Chevanton to French club Monaco in the close-season, many pundits added the southern club to the list of favourites for relegation.

Zeman #39;s Lecce enjoy heady heights of Serie A


The office of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has uncovered evidence of improper business practices at Aon Corp., the world #39;s second-largest insurance broker, according to a published report.

Aon may face civil suit


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ryder System Inc. <A HREF=

Ryder Quarterly Earnings Up


China #39;s total trade volume will reach 1.1 trillion US dollars in 2004 -- up 30 percent over 2003 --with a trade surplus of about 10 billion US dollars, said Assistant Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun.

China trade volume to reach \$1.1trillion in 2004


Stata Labs previously sold two products Bloomba and SAproxy Pro which have now been withdrawn from sale. Saproxy was an anti-spam product whilst Bloomba was an email management system which allows users to

Yahoo! email acquisition aims to keep Google in view


AP - South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc. said Monday its third-quarter net profit more than tripled from same period last year thanks to steady global prices for memory chips.

Hynix's 3Q Profit More Than Triples (AP)


Cisco and Microsoft have gotten the word: IT managers are tired of constantly plugging security holes in their networks.

Cisco, Microsoft shake hands on security


Mobility will take center stage this week as San Francisco plays host to the Cellular Telecommunications   Internet Association's (CTIA) Wireless I.T.   Entertainment 2004 fall conference.

CTIA shines spotlight on mobile middleware


Vienna, Austria -- The UN nuclear watchdog agency says it #39;s concerned tons of missing explosives in Iraq  quot;could have fallen into the wrong hands.

UN Nuclear Agency Confirms Tons Of Explosives Missing


China has rebuffed suggestions by US Secretary of State Colin Powell that it consider accepting the Taiwanese President #39;s offer of talks to reduce cross-strait tension.

China rebuffs Powell over Taiwan recommendation


A privately-owned Dutch steelmaker headed by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is buying US-based International Steel Group Inc. for about \$4.

Update 3: LNM to Buy ISG for \$4.5B in Cash, Stock


AURORA, ONT. - Auto parts giant Magna International on Monday unveiled bids worth a total of about \$1.3 billion to take its three publicly traded subsidiaries private.

Magna bids to privatize auto parts spin-offs


WASHINGTON - Internet users at home are not nearly as safe online as they believe, according to a nationwide inspection by researchers.

Internet users far from being secure


SAN FRANCISCO - After removing the 2006

Microsoft makes Exchange road map more mirky


Citigroup Inc. said Monday it will close its trust banking unit in Japan within a year, after Japanese authorities ordered the US financial services giant to suspend its private banking business there.

Citigroup to Close Unit in Japan


The PalmOne Treo 650 Smartphone with high-resolution screen, Bluetooth, swappable battery and extended multimedia capabilities was officially announced today.

PalmOne Treo 650 Arrives


A 24-year-old Danish football fan died after falling from the top tier of the stands at FC Copenhagen #39;s Parken Stadium during a weekend match against Viborg, news agency Ritzau said.

Danish fan falls to his death in Copenhagen stadium


washingtonpost.com - Think your PC is safe? Think again. A new study indicates your home computer is likely bogged down with spyware, viruses and other scourges wrought by hackers and PC pranksters. Ignorance may be bliss for some people, but for computer users, not knowing can be costly and inefficient.

Invasion of the Data Snatchers (washingtonpost.com)


Sony Europe has launched two tiny 512MB and 1GB MP3 players, the NW-E95 and NW-E99 Network Walkman. Both play MP3 (Sony has officially bit the mp3 bullet) and ATRAC3plus compressed files and have a small blue backlit LCD screen.

Sony NW-E95 and NW-E99 Network Walkman


AFP - The group loyal to Al-Qaeda-linked militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi claimed to have bombed an Australian convoy in Baghdad, in a statement posted on an Islamist website.

Zarqawi group claims attack on Australian soldiers in Baghdad (AFP)


Texas power company TXU Corp. (TXU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its dividend by 350 percent, boosted its earnings forecast and increased its share buyback program

UPDATE 1-TXU raises dividend, profit forecast; shares jump


Reuters - The chief negotiator in the rebel-held\Iraqi town of Falluja said Monday the government had canceled\indefinitely talks to avert a military assault on the town.

Report: Iraq Govt. Cancels Falluja Negotiations (Reuters)


\\Found this  via BoingBoing this morning:\\

This Just In - Sprint is Stupid


AP - For lack of funds, more than a third of the nation's

Scientists: Volcano Monitoring Funds Low (AP)


David Akers kicked a 50-yard field goal in overtime to help the Eagles to a 34-to-31 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Donovan McNabb matched a career high with four touchdown passes.

Eagles remain unbeaten


United Online Inc., a California-based provider of low-cost Internet subscription services, has agreed to buy Internet networking company Classmates Online Inc.

Classmates agrees to \$100M buyout


One of the first pieces of malicious code targeting Apple's Mac OS X operating system has been discovered.\

News: Mac OS X rootkit surfaces


IBM on Monday plans to begin releasing a monthly report of threats to computer networks in an effort to establish an indicator similar to the US government #39;s Homeland Security Advisory System.

IBM to report on computer security threats


Reuters - U.S. Treasury yields hit their lowest\level in almost seven months on Monday as record high oil\prices clouded the outlook for global economic growth.

Treasuries Mirror Oil's Climb (Reuters)


AP - Ben Obomanu used to be curious about the goats of the sports world, the guys who had the game in their hands and failed.

Auburn's Obomanu Recalls 'The Drop' (AP)


Most users think their computer is safe from adware and spyware--but they #39;re wrong. A survey conducted by Internet service provider America Online found that 20 percent of home computers were infected by a

Your PC May Be Less Secure Than You Think


Yahoo may glow in the halo effect of the popular Adobe Acrobat Reader, installed on more than 500 million computers. At 274 million users, Yahoo will leverage the partnership to try to oust

Adobe Adds Yahoo Search Bar to Acrobat


The Federal Trade Commission won an important victory last week in its fight to protect consumers from spyware, the software that tracks unsuspecting Web surfers, bombards them with advertisements and sometimes even steal login information and passwords.

Spyware opponents win another battle


Our thoughts are with the Hendricks Motorsport team in the United States today following the plane crash in Sunday which killed five team members, two family members and three pilots.

Hendrick Motorsports


Shares of Delta Air Lines soared after the troubled airline said Monday it entered into a commitment letter with American Express Travel Related Services Co.

Delta Financing to Use Prepaid SkyMiles


HE IS THE face of sporting evil, this man who once was an accomplished bass player and now leers at us from a television screen describing the hell he hath wrought on the games people play and on the people who play them.

Conte turned athletes into towers of power


AP - Britain's Prince Philip and saber-waving cavalry re-enactors commemorated the charge of the Light Brigade on Monday, 150 years after the doomed British assault against Russian cannons in a Crimean War battle immortalized by the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson.

British Re-Enact Charge of Light Brigade (AP)


Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Baltimore Ravens All-Pro offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden could miss this week #39;s game at Philadelphia against the undefeated Eagles because of a left hamstring injury.

Ravens #39; Ogden could miss Week 8


Cisco Systems announces an upgrade to its CallManager software to improve security on its IP telephony gear.

Cisco tightens security on voice products


Adobe Systems Inc. ADBE.O and Yahoo Inc. YHOO.O on Monday said they have signed a deal to combine Adobe services, like its widely used document-sharing program, with Yahoo #39;s Web search functions.

Adobe, Yahoo to Integrate Products


ST LOUIS (Reuters) - So much for the

Red Sox Stumble and Fumble Their Way to Series Lead


Electronic Data Systems Corp., the world #39;s second-largest seller of computer services, delayed the release of third-quarter earnings while it reviews the value of a contract with the US Navy.

Electronic Data Delays Earnings for Navy Asset Audit (Update1)


Polk County will retain its position at the heart of the US phosphate industry, at least through the end of this decade, following the merger of IMC Global Inc.

Mosaic Merger to Take Effect Today


Five days after falling and fracturing a knee and an arm, Cuban President Fidel Castro appeared on television on Monday with his arm in a sling to announce Cuba will end circulation of the US dollar.

Castro Appears on TV Wearing an Arm Sling


AP - One of the state's biggest broadcasters has given 13 Republican county committees  #36;325,000 worth of free air time to promote candidates on its radio and television stations throughout California.

Broadcaster Donates  #36;325,000 to GOP (AP)


Australia  amp; New Zealand Banking Group said today it would transfer most of its London-based project finance business to Standard Chartered.

ANZ sells project finance unit


AP - There are several reasons the Jacksonville Jaguars have gone from 1-6 at this time a year ago to their current 5-2 record. The answer given by most players is just one word: confidence.

Jags Turnaround Gives Them AFC South Lead (AP)


THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- WellPoint Health Networks Inc. #39;s third-quarter net income rose 28 percent as the managed-care company saw membership growth in key markets and double-digit revenue growth.

WellPoint net income increases 28 percent


There is no simple way to replace one of the most accurate outside shooters in the game, but starting next week, barring a miraculous turn in Allan Houston #39;s health, the Knicks will try.

Houston Isn #39;t Ready, but the Knicks Will Have to Be


com October 25, 2004, 6:49 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web Services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients.

Microsoft reworks antispam spec to silence critics


In somber tones and professional adjectives, the president, the athletic director and the no-longer-the-football-coach took turns announcing a University of Florida firing Monday that was surprising only for coming sooner rather than later.

Dave Hyde column, October 25, 2004


Qualcomm began life in 1985 in a very unremarkable way -- in founder Irwin Jacobs #39; den. The space was small and crowded. The founding crew consisted of seven people, who were enthusiastic but low key.

Qualcomm: A  quot;Wireless Intel quot;?


AP - China has reached agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, on completely removing tariffs on merchandise goods by 2010 as part of a proposed free trade agreement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce says.

China, ASEAN Agree to End Tariffs (AP)


Monday #39;s workout at Busch Stadium contained a few more St. Louis Cardinals than you #39;d expect considering it was optional, but you could understand why they #39;d want to

Cards unfazed by Series deficit


AFP - Dutch steel groups Ispat International and LNM Holdings, both run by Indian businessman Lakshmi Mittal, said they had agreed to merge with US International Steel Group to form the world's largest steelmaker.

Ispat, LNM, ISG merge to form world's largest steelmaker (AFP)


Reuters - BP Plc, the world's second largest oil\company, reported bumper third-quarter earnings on Tuesday on\the back of high oil prices.

BP Beats Q3 Forecasts on High Oil Price (Reuters)


In his previous stints with Cleveland and Colorado, the teams were rebuilding. They didn #39;t do well and he was let go. By Don Bostrom.

Bell would like to manage a contending team


The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the Bank Rate untouched at 6 today, but raised the repo rate by 0.25 to 4.75 effective from tomorrow.

RBI hikes repo rate by 25bps


The Bush administration intends to seek the emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan early next year, officials said on Monday.

\$70 Billion Increase in War Funding Sought


Crews on all-terrain vehicles yesterday recovered the bodies of all 10 people killed in the crash of a Hendrick Motorsports plane that was carrying family and friends of one of NASCAR's top syndicates.

NASCAR mourns plane crash victims


LNM Holdings has steelmaking operations in eight countries with an annual steel production capacity of more than 32 million tons. ISG was formed in 2002 and bought the assets of bankrupt Bethlehem Steel Corp

To learn more


The aging process for veteran NBA players is usually accelerated when they have reached their tenth season. Penny Hardaway has 11 years and 647 games on his odometer and he can feel it in his bones and joints.

As reserve, Penny seeks Knick payoff


Like the

Unprecedented Peril Forces Tough Calls


Zimbabwe held up England #39;s charge as they battled to avert a series whitewash in the fourth one-day international in Bulawayo today.

England held up in Zimbabwe


Twenty-year-old Miss Peru has been crowned Miss World in a southern Chinese resort town, as China looks to become the regular host of an event that would have once been deemed heretical by its Communist leaders.

Miss Peru takes Miss World crown


Israeli MPs have resumed a debate on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s disengagement plan, which is expected to culminate in a historic vote in favour of a pull-out of troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Israel resumes Gaza pull-out debate


Reuters - Sara Lee Corp.  on Tuesday\posted a 53 percent increase in quarterly profit, as a fee\related to the 1999 sale of a tobacco business helped offset\higher costs for meat and cotton.

Sara Lee 1st-Quarter Net Rises on Fee (Reuters)


The 34-year-old tore his right hamstring on day one of the third Test against India at the VCA Ground just as he was presenting a very good case to be retained when captain Ricky Ponting returns from injury next week.

Lehmann may have played last Test


Reuters - President Bush holds a slim\three-point lead over Democratic rival John Kerry one week\before the Nov. 2 presidential election, according to a\Reuters/Zogby poll released on Tuesday.

Reuters Poll: Bush Keeps Three-Point Lead on Kerry (Reuters)


US Secretary of State Colin Powell ends  his tour of Asia by once again asking North Korea to resume nuclear talks.

Powell calls for more Korea talks


Since it arrived at Saturn in mid-2004, Cassini has already sent us back fascinating images of Titan, Saturn #39;s largest satellite.

Cassini-Huygens Fly-By at Titan / ESA TV Live / 27-10-2004


Adobe Systems and Internet provider Yahoo! have announced a tie-up aimed at providing consumer services to Internet users. The two companies will introduce integrated products that feature Adobe services, increase the reach of Yahoo!

Adobe Services Now Via Yahoo!


New rebel factions have emerged in western Sudan, complicating peace talks on the conflict in Darfur. The UN special representative for Darfur, Jan Pronk, says he thinks the new groups are serious and need to be taken into consideration.

New Rebel Factions Emerge in Darfur


Reuters - Australia were 362 for seven wickets at the close of play on the first day of their third cricket test against India on Tuesday.

Australia 362-7 v India, third test - close (Reuters)


\

 NEW YORK (Reuters) - No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed\Martin Corp. <LMT.N> reported a 41 percent rise in quarterly\profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street forecasts, as demand\soared for its combat aircraft and information technology\services.

Lockheed Profit Jumps on IT, Jet Demand


USATODAY.com - Justice Department antitrust regulators cleared the way Monday for Cingular Wireless'  #36;41 billion acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless Services (AWE), a crucial step toward creating the nation's largest wireless telephone company.

Cingular, AT amp;T deal gets an OK from Justice (USATODAY.com)


HOUSTON - Oilfield services giant Halliburton Co. on Tuesday swung to a loss in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, hurt by hefty charges from discontinued operations related to the settlement of asbestos and silica claims.

Halliburton Suffers Loss on Asbestos Claims


Virginia Tech #39;s all-Mac System X supercomputer, installed at the university #39;s Terascale Computing Facility, made headlines last year when it was determined to be the third-fastest supercomputer in the world.

System X supercomputer speeds up almost 20 percent


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasuries prices crawled ahead on  Tuesday as a hesitant market awaited the latest reading on  consumer sentiment and an auction of new U.S. government debt.

Treasury Prices Crawl Higher Before Data


A new home heating system from Panasonic is based on a hydrogen fuel cell; it both heats the house and produces hot water.

Panasonic, Toshiba delve into alternate energy


BOSTON (Reuters) - Diversified manufacturer General  Electric Co. <A HREF=

GE Says It's on Track for 2004, 2005


A little over a year after introducing the first version of Office Live Communications Server, Microsoft Corp. in December plans to release the next version of its enterprise instant messaging software, it said Monday.

Microsoft prepares to ship new corporate IM server


JERUSALEM Israel #39;s Parliament appeared poised Tuesday to approve Prime Minister Ariel Sharon #39;s Gaza pullout plan, clearing the way for a withdrawal of Jewish settlers from Palestinian territory for the first time in history.

Hot debate on Gaza pullout in Knesset


SAN FRANCISCO - Intel Corp. is working on a device management technology that could allow IT departments to take advantage of existing management software and bring a host of disparate wireless devices under the IT department umbrella, an Intel executive said Monday at the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association's Wireless Entertainment and IT conference here.

Intel guns for remote wireless device management


HOUSTON -- Oilfield services giant Halliburton Co. on Tuesday swung to a loss in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, hurt by hefty charges from discontinued operations related to the settlement of asbestos and silica claims.

Halliburton suffers loss on asbestos claims


COLLEAGUES of aid worker Margaret Hassan, kidnapped a week ago today, gathered at a rally in Baghdad to demand her release. More than 200 people staged the protest as the Foreign Office dismissed claims that

Rally demands aid worker #39;s release


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumers turned more gloomy in  October, beset by soaring energy prices, relentless violence in  Iraq and the increasingly bitter end of the presidential  election campaign.

Consumer Confidence Hits 7-Month Low


AP - President Bush sees the value  #151; and the humor  #151; in the idea that aides could secretly feed him advice through a radio receiver hidden on his back.

Bush Blames Poorly Made Shirt for Bulge (AP)


European Union antitrust regulators on Tuesday cleared Oracle Corp.'s hostile \$7.7 billion bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc., removing one of the last major hurdles to the contested takeover proposal.

E.U. Regulators Approve Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid


Record high oil prices will cut euro zone growth next year and further sharp euro gains could make matters worse, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

EU sees oil prices spoiling euro zone growth party


Mumbai: Despite the revision of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and inflation rate, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had kept the bank rate stable at 6 per cent in the mid-term review of annual policy statement for the year 2004-05 in order to boost

Bank rate stable to boost exports: Reddy


AP - The European Union's head office issued a bleak economic report Tuesday, warning that the sharp rise in oil prices will

EU Head Office Trims 2005 Growth Forecast (AP)


London: NRI business tycoon Lakshmi N Mittal, who is set to control the world #39;s largest steelmaker, has emerged as the richest man in Britain.

Lakshmi Mittal is Britain #39;s richest man


Meat from African wild animals being sold illegally in the UK is spreading a virus similar to HIV, a leading scientist warns.

Aids warning over bushmeat trade


AFP - Germany and France both support inviting to European Union membership talks at a summit in December in Brussels, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said.

Germany, France support Turkish invitation to EU membership talks (AFP)


A little over a year after introducing the first version of Office Live Communications Server, Microsoft says it plans to release the next version of its enterprise instant messaging software, in December.

Microsoft Readies Next Business IM Server


Derivatives exchange LIFFE turned up the heat on rival Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Tuesday by ratcheting up its fee incentive program for some US traders in a bid improve volume in its Eurodollar contract, the CME #39;s flagship offering.

LIFFE ratchets up price war with Merc


The man who says he didn #39;t have a pair of shoes until he was 12 is now fielding offers in the millions for a horse he compares to the late Dubai Millennium, the best in the world a few years ago.

26/10/04 Savabeel Compared To Dubai Millennium


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Thousands of rightist Israelis  accused Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of treason Tuesday as  parliament looked set to approve the first pullout of settlers  from occupied land Palestinians want as part of a future state.

Protesters Harry Israel Parliament Before Gaza Vote


Revelations that nearly 400 tons of conventional explosives have gone missing in Iraq have experts wondering what other weapons might be in jeopardy of falling into insurgent or terrorist hands.

9:22 am: Missing explosives have experts wondering what else is <b>...</b>


The Linux-based Columbia is a top contender for the title of world's fastest supercomputer.

Photo: SGI's Columbia supercomputer


AFP - Incumbent Hamid Karzai drew  quot;great happiness quot; from his lead in Afghanistan's presidential election, his spokesman said, but will not claim victory until results are officially certified.

Karzai happy to wait for official Afghan poll verdict (AFP)


AFP - The European Union braced for a knife-edge vote to decide the fate of its new executive arm with incoming EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso hardening his stance against rebel legislators.

EU chief battles to avert veto in crunch vote (AFP)


A deeply divided SEC voted Tuesday to mandate new oversight for hedge funds -- largely unregulated investment pools, traditionally for the wealthy, that have become popular with small investors.

SEC Adopts New Rules for Hedge Funds


Hard on the heels of Microsoft announcing that it #39;s taken Live Communications Server 2005 gold, instant messaging management software vendors IMlogic and FaceTime on Tuesday both touted their support for the communication product.

FaceTime, IMlogic Back Live Communications Server 2005


LONDON (Reuters) - World marathon record holder Paula  Radcliffe believes she has put her failure at the Athens  Olympics behind her after announcing on Tuesday that she will  run in the New York marathon on November 7.

Radcliffe to Run in New York Marathon


AP - The theory that Saturn's giant moon Titan has oceans or seas of liquid methane and ethane faced its best test yet Tuesday.

Cassini to Look at Saturn's Giant Moon (AP)


Family members of a college student killed by Boston police during a Red Sox celebration will wait for an internal investigation before deciding if they will sue the department.

Fan Death


Scott McGregor, former head of Royal Philips Electronics' semiconductor division, will replace Alan Ross, who plans to retire.

Broadcom taps ex-Philips executive as CEO


The electronics maker's wireless television set emphasizes advances in the boob tube.

Photo: Sony's LocationFree TVs


As hundreds of mourners paid their final respects Tuesday to Victoria Snelgrove, her pastor denounced the raucous fans who prompted police to fire the pepper-spray pellet that killed the college student.

Hundreds mourn loss of student killed by police during Red Sox <b>...</b>


Thomson Corp., a provider of information services that was once Canada #39;s largest newspaper publisher, sailed past Street forecasts in its latest quarterly results released Tuesday.

Thomson beats the Street on core strengths


IBM has launched a new intelligence service to give enterprises a monthly report showing the big picture of security attacks and other business threats, the Armonk, NY-based giant said Tuesday.

IBM Unveils Security Intel Service, Notes Big Jump In Attacks


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin  Netanyahu said on Tuesday he and three other cabinet members  from Ariel Sharon's Likud would quit unless the prime minister  agreed to hold a referendum on a pullout from Gaza.

Sharon Faces Netanyahu Threat to Resign Over Gaza


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's U.S.-backed government said on  Tuesday that

Iraq Blames US-Led Forces for Army Massacre


Reuters - Cingular Wireless on Tuesday closed\its  #36;41 billion cash purchase of AT T Wireless Services Inc.\, creating the biggest U.S. mobile service with more\than 46 million customers.

Cingular Closes  #36;41 Bln ATT Wireless Deal (Reuters)


The Reserve Bank of India announced the mid-term review of its monetary policy on Tuesday. Though the central Bank kept away from the much expected interest rate hike, the policy contained recommendations

How the credit policy will affect you


To overcome industry objections, Microsoft revises its Sender ID proposal.

AOL Supports Microsoft Antispam Plan


NASA #39;s Cassini spacecraft streaked by Saturn #39;s smoggy moon Titan today, targeted to pass within just 750 miles of the planet-sized satellite to give scientists their first

Cassini flies past Titan; pictures expected tonight


The Bengals were happy to be back on Monday Night Football after a 15 year absence. From gameplan to execution, they looked very good.

Broncos And Monday Night On The Road Don #39;t Mix


Attacks against crucial infrastructure -- utilities, telcos, and government agencies -- rose by 55 from July to August. By Gregg Keizer, TechWeb.


AP - The U.S.-European spacecraft Cassini hurtled Tuesday toward its closest encounter yet with Saturn's giant moon Titan.

Cassini Heads Toward Giant Moon on Saturn (AP)


Reuters - Israeli military police on Tuesday\arrested a commander accused by comrades of riddling the body\of a Palestinian schoolgirl with bullets after fellow soldiers\killed her.

Israeli Officer Arrested Over Killing of Gaza Girl (Reuters)


TORONTO (CP) - A rally in the insurance sector helped take stock markets up sharply - and drove New York #39;s blue chip index to a triple-digit runup - despite higher oil prices and a further slowdown in US consumer confidence.

Pickup in US insurance sector sends stocks surging despite higher <b>...</b>


U.S. District Judge Joseph A. DiClerico Jr. ordered Sanford Wallace and his companies to remove any software scripts from their Web sites that exploit security vulnerabilities in some versions of Internet Explorer.

FTC wins a temporary injunction against alleged spammer


Bayern Munich reined in Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory, courtesy of a double strike from Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro in his first match in a month.

UPDATE 1-Bayern rein in Wolfsburg with Pizarro double


AFP - US civil rights groups expressed concern over alleged intimidation of Hispanic voters and said they will work to ensure their ballots are counted in the November 2 presidential election.

Hispanic rights groups unite to fight voter discrimination (AFP)


PLANO, Tex. (CP) - Electronic Data Systems is cutting 4,600 jobs through early retirement and taking a \$150 million US charge in the fourth quarter, the information technology company said Tuesday.

EDS cutting 4,600 jobs through early retirement, taking US\$150M <b>...</b>


Microsoft released on Tuesday a preview version of new tools intended to make it easier for companies to create custom Web applications.

Microsoft previews  quot;Whitehorse quot; developer tools


Secure USB tokens used to verify a child's age before allowing him to chat.

AOL Shows Safe Chat Rooms


After losing the first two games to the Boston Red Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals try to make the World Series competitive by winning Tuesday night's Game 3 at home. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez starts for Boston against journeyman Jeff Suppan, who used to play for the Red Sox. Both are 16-9.

Cards Try to Narrow Gap in Game 3


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Add the governor of the Bank of Canada to the list of people who say Sheila Copps has a faulty memory.

Dodge denies Copps charge that Martin wanted to scrap Canada Health Act (Canadian Press)


At Tuesday's unveiling of the iPod Photo, Steve Jobs repeated his contention that the iPod is the

The video iPod is coming, I hope


Linux desktop vendor Xandros Inc. on Tuesday announced the availability of its new Xandros Desktop Management Server (xDMS) application, which gives IT administrators the tools to roll out, configure and maintain mass deployments of Linux-equipped PCs.

Xandros rolls out Linux desktop management app


AP - Apple Computer Inc. on Tuesday introduced a new larger-capacity iPod with a color display as well as a first-of-its-kind digital compendium of the rock band U2's songs.

Apple's IPod Features U2 Collaboration (AP)


PeopleSoft reiterated on Tuesday its opposition to a \$7.7 billion takeover offer from Oracle after the European Union approved the bid, removing the last regulatory hurdle to a deal.

Oracle #39;s bid still facing hurdles


Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken part in a live phone-in on Ukrainian TV, just days before the country #39;s presidential election.

Putin praises Ukraine #39;s leader


Description: A divided Securities and Exchange Commission will likely approve new regulations governing the hedge fund industry. Under the rules, all but the smallest hedge funds would be required to register with federal regulators.

SEC Seeks to Make Hedge Funds More Transparent


The result of the Calgary-BC game last Friday night will stand, the CFL announced yesterday. While a review of videotape from the game confirmed an officiating error resulting in a no-yards

CFL erred, Stamps still losers


AP - Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley denied a report Tuesday that school officials have contacted former coach Steve Spurrier about replacing Ron Zook.

Florida Denies Contact With Spurrier (AP)


The group led by wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has said it has abducted a member of Japan #39;s armed forces and is threatening to behead him if the Japanese government does not withdraw its troops from Iraq within 48 hours.

Threat to behead Japanese soldier


The company has just announced the release of two flash-memory-based devices, the Walkman NW-E99 and NW-E95, in Europe. The music players can play songs in MP3 and Sony #39;s own Atrac file format.

Sony launches music players with MP3 support


Reuters - Marsh   McLennan Cos. , the\world's largest insurance broker, said on Tuesday it would\reform its business practices and stop accepting fees at the\center of an investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot\Spitzer into bid rigging.

Marsh to Scrap Fees Spitzer Faulted (Reuters)


San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who hit .362, set a record with 232 walks and topped 700 career homers, was named 2004 player of the year by The Sporting News.

Sporting News: Bonds is player of year; Pujols fourth


At midnight on Saturday, the dance floor in the Hard Rock Cafe (HRC) in Bali was heaving. Apart from a careful pat down at the door for guests, the scene was no different from two years ago, before Islamist

Indonesia at a crossroad


The Islamic militant group of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi reportedly claims to have taken a Japanese citizen hostage in Iraq. In a video shown on the Internet, the group threatens to execute him if Tokyo does not withdraw its troops from Iraq in 48 hours.

Japanese citizen reportedly taken hostage in Iraq


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers  continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the  third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market  slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.

Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey


The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. I really dont know why a printer manufacturer should have exclusive rights on producing ink that work with their printers.

DMCA Limited by Sixth Circuit Appeals Court


India responded coolly yesterday to suggestions by the Pakistani president, Pervez Musharraf, on how to solve the Kashmir dispute between the two countries.

India cool on Kashmir proposals


Joe Paterno often has talked about the profound impact that a piece of classic literature has had on his life. While a student at Brooklyn Prep in the early 1940s, he devoured TheAeneid, written by the Roman poet Virgil.

Paterno #39;s real tragedy may be not knowing when to go


AP - Don't question Pedro Martinez anymore. Fame and fortune already his, Martinez finally made it to the World Series on Tuesday night. And when he got there, he shut down the St. Louis Cardinals, putting the Boston Red Sox within one victory of the World Series title that has eluded them since 1918.

Martinez Moves Red Sox Nearer Series Title (AP)


Michael Ovitz said on Tuesday that Walt Disney Co. would have made a string of dazzling deals and shrewd strategic moves during his brief tenure as the company #39;s president

Ovitz Defends His Tenure


ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout  innings and Manny Ramirez hit a home run as the Boston Red Sox  beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Tuesday, moving to the brink  of their first World Series title since 1918.

Baseball-Red Sox on Brink of World Series Victory


WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--Air New Zealand Ltd. (AIR.NZ) said Wednesday it expects to post a slight drop in profit in the current financial year, and that it hopes to raise NZ\$186 million in a rights issue next month to fund investment in new aircraft.

UPDATE: Air New Zealand Rights Issue Greeted Positively


Red Sox on Brink of World Series Victory


The Washington Wizards #39; Brendan Haywood and Larry Hughes could face suspensions for their part in a fight during Monday night #39;s preseason game against the Bulls in Chicago.

Two Wizards face possible suspensions


AP - Bobby Avila, a three-time All-Star who won the American League batting title in 1954, died Tuesday of complications from diabetes and a lung ailment. He was 78.

Former AL Batting Champion Dies at 78 (AP)


Former Walt Disney Co. president Michael Ovitz insisted Tuesday that he worked tirelessly to better the company but frequently ran into resistance from CEO Michael Eisner and a handful of senior executives who refused to report to him.

Eisner blocked big ideas, Ovitz tells court


Any time in the last decade and a half, yesterday's result would have been an upset. With a 3-2 victory over host Winchester, the Belmont girls' soccer team took the Middlesex League title from the Sachems for the first time in 16 years, and avenged a 1-1 tie with Winchester that was the only blemish on a 15-0-1 season.

Belmont beats the best to take its place at the top


Here are answers to some questions arising from the closing of Cingular Wireless #39; acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless. Q: With the merger, how will the combined company rank in the industry?

Q amp;A : Merger changes little  for now


Unless there #39;s an extenuating circumstance - see the University of Arizona last September - it #39;s generally considered poor form to change football coaches in midseason.

Midseason ouster no surprise


SEOUL -- Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday sought to fend off complaints from key partners in the effort to end North Korea's nuclear programs that the Bush administration has not been sufficiently creative or willing to compromise in the negotiations.

In Asia, Powell defends N. Korea policy


The FTSE 100 has climbed as a surge by US shares gives a boost to European markets. Shire Pharmaceuticals SHP.L jumped after winning approval for a key drug and consumer goods giant Unilever ULVR.

FTSE 100 lifted by bright Dow


JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli leader Ariel Sharon rejected  calls from within his divided cabinet on Wednesday for a  referendum on leaving Gaza after winning parliament's support  to uproot settlements from land claimed by Palestinians.

Sharon, Under Pressure, Snubs Gaza Referendum Call


For the 3,000 Britons who will run in the New York City marathon next month the most important thing will be to finish the 26.2-mile race, in order to achieve a sense of personal fulfilment.

Radcliffe awaits gun for start of Russian roulette


AP - United Microelectronics Corp.  #151; the world's No. 2 producer of made-to-order chips  #151; on Wednesday reported that its third-quarter net profit more than doubled on year as shipments of chips for mobile phones and other gadgets increased.

Chip Giant UMC Reports Higher Profits (AP)


Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has labeled North Korea and Cuba the worst countries in terms of press freedom, with Denmark being the best.

N.Korea called worst for press freedom


IOWA CITY, Iowa A NASA scientist has charged that the Bush administration is subverting science and misleading the public by trying to suppress or alter evidence on the dangers of global warming.

NASA expert says Bush stifles evidence on global warming


Reuters - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin\Shinawatra shed few tears on Wednesday over the death of 78\Muslims in military custody as distraught mourners besieged an\army base in the far south, demanding the bodies of relatives.

Thai PM Defiant After 78 Muslims Die in Custody (Reuters)


The Spanish bank which is buying Abbey made a 2.2bn profit (3.1bn euros)in the first nine months of 2004. Banco Santander Central Hispano, which is acquiring the UK lender in a 8.

Spanish bank makes bumper profits


The two teams that shared the Pac-10 women #39;s basketball title last season -- Stanford and Arizona -- are primed to share it again, according to the annual poll released at Pac-10 media day Tuesday at HP Pavilion in San Jose.

Stanford ties Arizona in poll Media splits on who #39;s favorite in <b>...</b>


THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan  Milosevic's two court-assigned defense lawyers have asked to be  withdrawn from his case, The Hague war crimes tribunal said  Wednesday.

Milosevic Defense Team Asks to Withdraw from Case


AFP - Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) said it has entered into an agreement with Malaysia's TIME dotCom to link their corporate customers through private leased line circuits.

Singapore Telecom ties up with Malaysia's TIME dotcom (AFP)


Hakim Hill, the ASU football teams oft-controversial running back, will be back on the field when the Sun Devils travel to face California, head coach Dirk Koetter announced Tuesday.

Koetter: Hill will play Saturday


AFP - Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP Billiton and Alcoa, the world's largest aluminium producer, have agreed to sell their metal services joint venture Integris Metals for 660 million dollars (359 million pounds) including debt, a joint statement said.

BHP Billiton, Alcoa sell Integris Metals for 359 million pounds (AFP)


AFP - French President Jacques Chirac said Wednesday that Turkey's EU membership bid was  quot;not a done deal, quot; although he believed it was in Europe's best interests, a government spokesman reported after a cabinet meeting.

Chirac says Turkey's EU bid 'not a done deal' (AFP)


Cable giant Comcast Corp. on Wednesday posted a smaller third-quarter profit that missed Wall Street expectations, but said digital cable and high-speed Internet subscriptions continued to grow during the period.

Comcast Posts Smaller 3Q Profit


Reuters - U.S. orders for long-lasting durable\goods rose by a smaller-than-expected 0.2 percent in September,\held back by another sharp fall in commercial aircraft,\government data showed on Wednesday.

Durable Goods Orders Up 0.2 Percent (Reuters)


_ Nearly 800 British forces left their base in southern Iraq on Wednesday, heading north toward Baghdad to replace US troops who are expected to take part in an offensive against insurgent strongholds.

WWW KOTV.com


AFP - Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone maker, said it had received a 115-million-dollar (90-million-euro) order to expand Oi Celular's second-generation GSM network in Brazil.

Nokia wins 115-million-dollar network deal from Brazil's Oi Celular (AFP)


Reuters - Nazrul Islam is an Indian\living in an Indian village.

India and Bangladesh Neglect Their Enclaves (Reuters)


THE Black Watch today moved towards Baghdad in response to the US plea for help. The Ministry of Defence said today that soldiers from the Scottish regiment were leaving their base in the southern city of

Black Watch move towards Baghdad


The second day of the third Test at Nagpur belonged to Australia #39;s bowlers, with their attritional approach wearing down India #39;s batsmen.

Aussie quartet put India on back foot


Tara VanDerveer stepped to the dais at the Pacific-10 Conference women #39;s basketball media day Tuesday and was asked to make an opening comment.

Stanford picked to win much-improved Pac-10


Jim Leyland just might be ready to manage a Major League Baseball team again, and he will reportedly interview for jobs with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, according to the NY Daily News.

Leyland has emerged as a managerial candidate


Figures showing falling mortgage approvals and rising repossessions suggest interest rate rises are being felt.

Mortgage approvals drop sharply


Google Acquires Satellite Mapping Firm Keyhole\\After a tip from Andy Beal, I checked out Keyhole Satellite Image mapping and local search tool and absolutely loved it. Basically, with Keyhole you get a satellite image of the world and can view streets in the major cities, political hotspots, and towns (mostly ...


With competitors avidly trying to nibble at the iPod #39;s market share, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has released its ostensibly new and improved version.

Is Apple Photogenic?


If hunting is banned in Britain, the pro-hunt lobby says its supporters will continue to hunt illegally.

Britain's Not-So-Civil War: Hunters Outfoxed?


PC World - IFire aims to displace LCD TVs with its lower-cost display technology.

Are Cheaper Flat-Panel TVs On The Way? (PC World)


AFP - US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he has been ordered not to comment on the presidential elections, but it hasn't kept him from defending the war in Iraq in interviews with radio talk show hosts in battleground states.

Rumsfeld turns to radio interviews in battleground states to defend Iraq situation (AFP)


INDIANAPOLIS -- ATA says it will honor all tickets and maintain its full schedule, after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday.

ATA: Customers Won #39;t Be Affected By Bankruptcy


British troops have rolled north from Basra to take over a deadly area near Baghdad and free up US troops for a widely expected attack on the rebel-held city of Falluja.

Black Watch troops move near Baghdad


 By Mark Ledsom

 BASEL (Reuters) - Britain's world number four Tim Henmanwon his opening match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournamentwith little difficulty on Wednesday, beating Frenchman AntonyDupuis 6-3, 6-4.

Henman Sails at the Swiss Indoors


Comcast Corp. (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US cable operator, on Wednesday posted a quarterly profit that fell short of Wall Street forecasts but reported better-than

Comcast Profit Falls Short of Forecasts


Scientists in Australia have found a new species of hobbit-sized humans who lived about 18,000 years ago on an Indonesian island in a discovery that adds another piece to the complex puzzle of human evolution.

Remains of New Species of Hobbit-Sized Human Found


AP - Behind thick concrete walls and iron doors, Ho Chi Minh and other top Vietnamese leaders hid in secret underground tunnels during U.S. B-52 bombing raids to plot key military strategies that led to America's defeat in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam Opens Bunker Used by Ho Chi Minh (AP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks jumped on Wednesday as oil  prices, which have held investor enthusiasm for stocks in check  for months, fell sharply after a higher-than-expected crude  build last week.

Stocks Up as Oil Slides


Dell (Quote, Chart) officials announced Wednesday an agreement with Linux distributor Novell (Quote, Chart) to distribute and support SUSE Enterprise Server 9 on its single- and dual-processor line of servers.

Dell Offers SUSE on Servers


\Flooding causes chaos for homeowners all along Cornwall's south coast as 80mph winds hit land.

Storms batter Cornish coastline


PC giant also wants to be your supplier of high-end home electronics. Also: How your desktop gets bolted together.

Dell: From factory floor to finished gear


Reuters - Pieces of Britain's past, including a\second-century silver ring and a 500-year-old Tudor trade\weight, are among artifacts being peddled daily on the Internet\to the alarm of experts at the British Museum.

Black Market in British Treasure Sold on EBay (Reuters)


Much ado has been made about whether or not Linux is truly more secure than Windows. The results were not unexpected. Even by Microsoft #39;s subjective and flawed standards, fully 38 of the most recent patches address flaws that Microsoft ranks as Critical.

Security report: Windows vs Linux


AFP - Kidnapped Briton Margaret Hassan made a new appeal for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, Al-Jazeera television said, showing her in a video.

Al-Jazeera airs new footage of pleading British hostage in Iraq (AFP)


Houston -- Prosecutors claim six executives conspired to push through a 1999 sham sale of barges because they didn #39;t think they #39;d get caught.

Closing Arguments In Enron Barge Trial


The worldwide market for handheld devices saw its third successive quarter of year-over-year decline in the third quarter of 2004, according to a new report released by IDC.

Report finds handheld device market in continued decline


Sony Corp. announced a price more fitting of a video-game machine than a slick movie-playing gadget for its new PlayStation Portable - 19,800 yen (\$186).

Sony Announces PlayStation Por


AP - The European Union said Wednesday it will impose a duty of 230 euros ( #36;290) per ton of bananas starting in 2006, in an effort to prevent producers in former African and Caribbean colonies from losing business to larger growers in Latin America.

EU Unveils Plans for New Banana Tariffs (AP)


NEW YORK - The people who will forever be associated with the Great Crash of 1929 were all white, male and wealthy, but their occupations and ethics varied considerably.

Faces From The 1929 Crash


JAKARTA (Reuters) - OPEC has taken the unprecedented step  of urging the United States to tap its emergency crude reserves  to bring down world oil prices.

OPEC Head Urges U.S. to Use Oil Reserves


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Robust demand for military equipment  and technology led four U.S. defense companies to post higher  quarterly profit on Wednesday, with jet maker Boeing Co. <A HREF=

Military Buoys Profit at Defense Firms


Perhaps the optical network supplier should call off its merger with AFC.

Will Tellabs Push Its Luck?


The US economy continued to expand in September and early October in spite of rising energy costs, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday in its Beige Book, a survey of business activity around the country.

US economy continues to expand in spite of rising energy prices <b>...</b>


SAN FRANCISCO -- Yahoo (Quote, Chart) expanded its search empire to the mobile arena with the launch of some additional services. The company was one of the original content providers for mobile devices running

Yahoo Debuts Mobile Search


Reuters - Giddiness. Paranoia. Arrogance. Caution.\All were on display on Wednesday in Boston as the supposedly\cursed Red Sox moved within one victory of a baseball\championship that has eluded them for 86 years.

Hubris, Caution in Boston as Red Sox Eye Victory (Reuters)


Lexmark's loss in court on Tuesday may mean that consumer electronics companies won't try to use the Digital Millenium Copyright Act as an all-purpose competition shield anymore, consumer advocates say. By Katie Dean.

Lexmark Loss Good for Consumers


Hundreds of villagers besieged a Thai military camp Wednesday demanding to know whether their relatives were among at least 78 Muslim men who officials said suffocated

Thai Villagers Search for Relatives


AP - Rafael Palmeiro didn't want his homecoming with the Baltimore Orioles to end after just one season, so he took a pay cut and accepted a one-year,  #36;3 million contract Wednesday.

Palmeiro Signs One-Year Deal With Orioles (AP)


OCTOBER 27, 2004 (TECHWORLD.COM) - Linux distributor Suse has warned of one of the most serious security holes to date in version 2.6 of the Linux kernel, which could allow attackers to shut down a system running 2.6-based software.

Suse warns of hole in Linux kernel


Arsenal FC have agreed a three-year contract extension with manager Arsne Wenger, retaining the Frenchman #39;s services until May 2008.

Wenger commits future to Arsenal


MATEJA KEZMAN finally broke his scoring duck to settle this League Cup derby at Stamford Bridge today. Kezman missed a string of chances before firing in from Joe Cole #39;s through-ball in the 57th-minute to quash the Hammers #39; hopes of making the last 16.

Kezman #39;s first hammer blow


The first units of a Black Watch battlegroup are due to arrive today in their new positions south of Baghdad as Tony Blair indicated that more British troops may replace them in the American-controlled zone before the end of the year.

Black Watch troops move into position


AP - Georgia Tech wants to avoid being embarrassed by another ACC rookie.

Georgia Tech Looks to Virginia Tech (AP)


KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has conveyed to Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra its concern over the latest incident of violence in southern Thailand.

Abdullah conveys concerns over violence to Thaksin


ROSTOV-ON-DON, RUSSIA - Three Russian police officers have been charged with criminal negligence in connection with the Beslan school hostage-taking that left 360 people dead, almost half of them children.

3 police officials charged over Beslan siege


If a handheld device doesn't have voice capabilities, a growing number of users around the world aren't interested, according to IDC. For the third straight quarter, shipments of handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) fell as some prominent vendors decided to pull back from the market, IDC said Wednesday.

IDC sees continuing decline in PDA market


FRANKFURT, Germany -- Hosts Germany will play in the opening match of the 2006 World Cup, the organizing committee of the governing body FIFA announced on Wednesday.

Germany to kick off 2006 World Cup


MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australia #39;s National Foods Ltd. (NFD.AU) on Thursday told shareholders to take no action on New Zealand dairy group Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd.

National Foods: Take No Action On Fonterra Takeover Bid


AP - Two new Internet domain names  #151;

New Web Domain Names Get Preliminary Nod (AP)


Bulgarian teenager Valeri Bojinov scored twice as Lecce came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Inter Milan in Italian first division league on Wednesday.

Inter draw with lecce while AC Milan crash Atlanta


Yahoo added a search feature for cell phones Wednesday, just a few weeks after rival Google launched one of its own. While Google SMS (Short Message Service) uses text-only messages to deliver its results, Yahoo #39;s

Yahoo Battles Google for The Cell Phone


Until Theo Epstein became the general manager of the Boston Red Sox two years ago, at 28, life had offered him little cause to believe in superstition.

New-Age General Manager Labors to End Age-Old Curse


AP - The Kyoto Protocol overcame its final legislative hurdle in Russia when the upper house of parliament ratified the global climate pact Wednesday and sent it on to President Vladimir Putin for his signature  #151; setting the stage for the treaty to come into force next year.

Russian Parliament Ratifies Kyoto Pact (AP)


An ambulance was called to Yasir Arafat's compound amid unconfirmed reports that he had lost consciousness at least once.

Arafat's Health Reported to Have Turned Sharply Worse


Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis took a deep breath as he prepared to answer yet another question about Terrell Owens, the wide receiver who spurned an

Owens Explains Ravens Snub


Reuters - At least five miners were killed and 14\injured in a blast in a coal mine in Russia's Siberia, the\Emergencies Ministry said on Thursday.

At Least Five Dead in Russia Mine Blast (Reuters)


TOKYO - Rescuers grappled through mud and rocks for a second day Thursday in the hope of finding a three-year-old girl trapped in a crushed car since Japans killer earthquake last weekend.

Japanese rescuers grapple with rocks to retrieve girl from quake <b>...</b>


Orders for durable goods rose in September for the third time in four months. Home sales also increased. Orders for goods intended to last more than three years increased 0.2 percent to \$195.

Durable Goods Orders Up


Astronomy buffs and amateur stargazers turned out to watch a total lunar eclipse Wednesday night - the last one Earth will get for nearly two and a half years.

Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse


Reuters - A large blast was heard in central\Baghdad on Thursday, witnesses said.

Large Explosion Heard in Central Baghdad (Reuters)


Five miners are killed by an explosion which leaves up to 240 trapped in a Siberian coal mine.

Hundreds trapped in Russia mine


Blaming excess capacity, extremely high fuel prices, which and descending fares, ATA Holdings Corp., parent of discount airline carrier ATA Airlines, said it has filed for bankruptcy.

Low-Cost Airline Enters Bankruptcy


quot;At 9:45 am (2:45 am British time) we received the signal for a methane blast. At the time, a 45-strong repair team was working in that.

At least five dead in Russia mine blast


Boeing's bottom line continues to fatten, even as its image tarnishes, thanks in part to the consolidation of the defense industry, which has left the Pentagon with few choices for buying weapons, industry analysts said.

Despite Scandals, Boeing Still Charms Wall Street