Unions representing workers at Turner   Newall say they are 'disappointed' after talks with stricken parent firm Federal Mogul.

Fears for T N pension after talks


SPACE.com - TORONTO, Canada -- A second\team of rocketeers competing for the  #36;10 million Ansari X Prize, a contest for\privately funded suborbital space flight, has officially announced the first\launch date for its manned rocket.

The Race is On: Second Private Team Sets Launch Date for Human Spaceflight (SPACE.com)


AP - A company founded by a chemistry researcher at the University of Louisville won a grant to develop a method of producing better peptides, which are short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.

Ky. Company Wins Grant to Study Peptides (AP)


AP - It's barely dawn when Mike Fitzpatrick starts his shift with a blur of colorful maps, figures and endless charts, but already he knows what the day will bring. Lightning will strike in places he expects. Winds will pick up, moist places will dry and flames will roar.

Prediction Unit Helps Forecast Wildfires (AP)


AP - Southern California's smog-fighting agency went after emissions of the bovine variety Friday, adopting the nation's first rules to reduce air pollution from dairy cow manure.

Calif. Aims to Limit Farm-Related Smog (AP)


The British Department for Education and Skills (DfES) recently launched a

Open Letter Against British Copyright Indoctrination in Schools


Loosing the War on Terrorism


\\FOAF/LOAF  and bloom filters have a lot of interesting properties for social\network and whitelist distribution.\\I think we can go one level higher though and include GPG/OpenPGP key\fingerpring distribution in the FOAF file for simple web-of-trust based key\distribution.\\What if we used FOAF and included the PGP key fingerprint(s) for identities?\This could mean a lot.  You include the PGP key fingerprints within the FOAF\file of your direct friends and then include a bloom filter of the PGP key\fingerprints of your entire whitelist (the source FOAF file would of course need\to be encrypted ).\\Your whitelist would be populated from the social network as your client\discovered new identit ...\\

FOAFKey: FOAF, PGP, Key Distribution, and Bloom Filters


Wiltshire Police warns about

E-mail scam targets police chief


In its first two years, the UK's dedicated card fraud unit, has recovered 36,000 stolen cards and 171 arrests - and estimates it saved 65m.

Card fraud unit nets 36,000 cards


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A group of technology companies  including Texas Instruments Inc. <TXN.N>, STMicroelectronics  <STM.PA> and Broadcom Corp. <BRCM.O>, on Thursday said they  will propose a new wireless networking standard up to 10 times  the speed of the current generation.

Group to Propose New High-Speed Wireless Format


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc.<AAPL.O> on  Tuesday began shipping a new program designed to let users  create real-time motion graphics and unveiled a discount  video-editing software bundle featuring its flagship Final Cut  Pro software.

Apple Launches Graphics Software, Video Bundle


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Free Record Shop, a Dutch music  retail chain, beat Apple Computer Inc. to market on Tuesday  with the launch of a new download service in Europe's latest  battleground for digital song services.

Dutch Retailer Beats Apple to Local Download Market


A giant 100km colony of ants  which has been discovered in Melbourne, Australia, could threaten local insect species.

Super ant colony hits Australia


Dolphin groups, or

Socialites unite dolphin groups


Tyrannosaurus rex achieved its massive size due to an enormous growth spurt during its adolescent years.

Teenage T. rex's monster growth


Jet Propulsion Lab -- Scientists have discovered irregular lumps beneath the icy surface of Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede. These irregular masses may be rock formations, supported by Ganymede's icy shell for billions of years...

Scientists Discover Ganymede has a Lumpy Interior


European Space Agency -- ESAs Mars Express has relayed pictures from one of NASA's Mars rovers for the first time, as part of a set of interplanetary networking demonstrations.     The demonstrations pave the way for future Mars missions to draw on joint interplanetary networking capabilities...

Mars Rovers Relay Images Through Mars Express


When did life begin? One evidential clue stems from the fossil records in Western Australia, although whether these layered sediments are biological or chemical has spawned a spirited debate. Oxford researcher, Nicola McLoughlin, describes some of the issues in contention.

Rocking the Cradle of Life


update Earnings per share rise compared with a year ago, but company misses analysts' expectations by a long shot.

Storage, servers bruise HP earnings


By the end of the year, the computing giant plans to have its biggest headcount since 1991.

IBM to hire even more new workers


Developers get early code for new operating system 'skin' still being crafted.

Sun's Looking Glass Provides 3D View


New technology applies electrical fuses to help identify and repair faults.

IBM Chips May Someday Heal Themselves


Google has billed its IPO as a way for everyday people to get in on the process, denying Wall Street the usual stranglehold it's had on IPOs. Public bidding, a minimum of just five shares, an open process with 28 underwriters - all this pointed to a new level of public participation. But this isn't the case.

Some People Not Eligible to Get in on Google IPO


By MICHAEL LIEDTKE     SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- With its low prices and iconoclastic attitude, discount stock broker Charles Schwab Corp. (SCH) represented an annoying stone in Wall Street's wing-tipped shoes for decades...

Rivals Try to Turn Tables on Charles Schwab


Industry cyber security standards fail to reach some of the most vulnerable components of the power grid.\

News: Sluggish movement on power grid cyber security


Michael Phelps won the gold medal in the 400 individual medley and set a world record in a time of 4 minutes 8.26 seconds.

Giddy Phelps Touches Gold for First Time


FOXBOROUGH -- Looking at his ridiculously developed upper body, with huge biceps and hardly an ounce of fat, it's easy to see why Ty Law, arguably the best cornerback in football, chooses physical play over finesse. That's not to imply that he's lacking a finesse component, because he can shut down his side of the field much as Deion Sanders ...

Tougher rules won't soften Law's game


With the weeks dwindling until Jason Varitek enters free agency, the Red Sox continue to carefully monitor Kelly Shoppach , their catcher of the future, in his climb toward the majors. The Sox like most of what they have seen at Triple A Pawtucket from Shoppach, though it remains highly uncertain whether he can make the adjustments at the plate ...

Shoppach doesn't appear ready to hit the next level


Just imagine what David Ortiz could do on a good night's rest. Ortiz spent the night before last with his baby boy, D'Angelo, who is barely 1 month old. He had planned on attending the Red Sox' Family Day at Fenway Park yesterday morning, but he had to sleep in. After all, Ortiz had a son at home, and he ...

Mighty Ortiz makes sure Sox can rest easy


In  quot;helping themselves, quot; Ricky Bryant, Chas Gessner, Michael Jennings, and David Patten did nothing Friday night to make Bill Belichick's decision on what to do with his receivers any easier.

They've caught his eye


The Cleveland Indians pulled within one game of the AL Central lead by beating the Minnesota Twins, 7-1, Saturday night with home runs by Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez.

Indians Mount Charge


Canadian Press - VANCOUVER (CP) - The sister of a man who died after a violent confrontation with police has demanded the city's chief constable resign for defending the officer involved.

Sister of man who died in Vancouver police custody slams chief (Canadian Press)


AP - The man who claims Gov. James E. McGreevey sexually harassed him was pushing for a cash settlement of up to  #36;50 million before the governor decided to announce that he was gay and had an extramarital affair, sources told The Associated Press.

Man Sought  #36;50M From McGreevey, Aides Say (AP)


NAJAF, Iraq - Explosions and gunfire rattled through the city of Najaf as U.S. troops in armored vehicles and tanks rolled back into the streets here Sunday, a day after the collapse of talks - and with them a temporary cease-fire - intended to end the fighting in this holy city...

Explosions Echo Throughout Najaf


LOURDES, France - A frail Pope John Paul II, breathing heavily and gasping at times, celebrated an open-air Mass on Sunday for several hundred thousand pilgrims, many in wheelchairs, at a shrine to the Virgin Mary that is associated with miraculous cures.    At one point he said

Frail Pope Celebrates Mass at Lourdes


Supporters and rivals warn of possible fraud; government says Chavez's defeat could produce turmoil in world oil market.

Venezuela Prepares for Chavez Recall Vote


AP - A 1994 law strengthened job protections for National Guard and Reserve troops called to active duty. Here are major provisions of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

1994 Law Designed to Preserve Guard Jobs (AP)


TEHRAN (Reuters) - A senior Iranian military official said  Sunday Israel and the United States would not dare attack Iran  since it could strike back anywhere in Israel with its latest  missiles, news agencies reported.

Iran Warns Its Missiles Can Hit Anywhere in Israel


KABUL, Afghanistan - Government troops intervened in Afghanistan's latest outbreak of deadly fighting between warlords, flying from the capital to the far west on U.S. and NATO airplanes to retake an air base contested in the violence, officials said Sunday...

Afghan Army Dispatched to Calm Violence


AP - Randy Johnson took a four-hitter into the ninth inning to help the Arizona Diamondbacks end a nine-game losing streak Sunday, beating Steve Trachsel and the New York Mets 2-0.

Johnson Helps D-Backs End Nine-Game Slide (AP)


Reuters - Apparel retailers are hoping their\back-to-school fashions will make the grade among\style-conscious teens and young adults this fall, but it could\be a tough sell, with students and parents keeping a tighter\hold on their wallets.

Retailers Vie for Back-To-School Buyers (Reuters)


AP - If Hurricane Charley had struck three years ago, President Bush's tour through the wreckage of this coastal city would have been just the sort of post-disaster visit that other presidents have made to the scenes of storms, earthquakes, floods and fires.

Politics an Afterthought Amid Hurricane (AP)


FT.com - Shares in Sohu.com, a leading US-listed Chinese internet portal, fell more than 10 per cent on Friday after China's biggest mobile phone network operator imposed a one-year suspension on its multimedia messaging services because of customers being sent spam.

Spam suspension hits Sohu.com shares (FT.com)


AP - Darin Erstad doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, lifting the Anaheim Angels to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The win pulled Anaheim within a percentage point of Boston and Texas in the AL wild-card race.

Erstad's Double Lifts Angels to Win (AP)


AP - Outfielder J.D. Drew missed the Atlanta Braves' game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night with a sore right quadriceps.

Drew Out of Braves' Lineup After Injury (AP)


CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelans voted in huge  numbers on Sunday in a historic referendum on whether to recall  left-wing President Hugo Chavez and electoral authorities  prolonged voting well into the night.

Venezuelans Flood Polls, Voting Extended


HONG KONG (Reuters) - Dell Inc. <DELL.O>, the world's  largest PC maker, said on Monday it has left the low-end  consumer PC market in China and cut its overall growth target  for the country this year due to stiff competition in the  segment.

Dell Exits Low-End China Consumer PC Market


BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing on Monday accused a  Chinese-American arrested for spying for Taiwan of building an  espionage network in the United States, and said he could go on  trial very soon.

China Says Taiwan Spy Also Operated in U.S. - Media


Another major, another disappointment for Tiger Woods, the No. 1 ranked player in the world who has not won a major championship since his triumph at the 2002 U.S. Open.

Another Major Non-Factor


AFP - A squadron of US Air Force F-15E fighters based in Alaska will fly to South Korea next month for temporary deployment aimed at enhancing US firepower on the Korean peninsula, US authorities said.

US fighter squadron to be deployed in South Korea next month (AFP)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Randy Johnson struck out 14 batters in  8 1/3 innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks end a nine-game  losing streak with a 2-0 win over the host New York Mets in the  National League Sunday.

Johnson Back to His Best as D-Backs End Streak


AFP - A curfew in the capital of the Maldives was eased but parliament sessions were put off indefinitely and emergency rule continued following last week's riots, officials and residents said.

Restive Maldives eases curfew after rounding up dissidents (AFP)


TheDeal.com - The U.K. mobile giant wants to find a way to disentagle the Czech wireless and fixed-line businesses.

Vodafone hires Citi for Cesky bid (TheDeal.com)


LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar dipped to a four-week low  against the euro on Monday before rising slightly on  profit-taking, but steep oil prices and weak U.S. data  continued to fan worries about the health of the world's  largest economy.

Dollar Briefly Hits 4-Wk Low Vs Euro


As Michael Kaleko kept running into people who were getting older and having more vision problems, he realized he could do something about it.

Promoting a Shared Vision


AFP - India's Tata Iron and Steel Company Ltd. took a strategic step to expand its Asian footprint with the announcement it will buy the Asia-Pacific steel operations of Singapore's NatSteel Ltd.

India's Tata expands regional footprint via NatSteel buyout (AFP)


BAGHDAD, Iraq - Delegates at Iraq's National Conference called on radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to abandon his uprising against U.S. and Iraqi troops and pull his fighters out of a holy shrine in Najaf...

Delegates Urge Cleric to Pull Out of Najaf


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices slipped on  Monday, though traders characterized the move as profit-taking  rather than any fundamental change in sentiment.

Treasuries Slip as Stocks Rally


NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar extended gains against the  euro on Monday after a report on flows into U.S. assets showed  enough of a rise in foreign investments to offset the current  account gap for the month.

Dollar Rises Vs Euro on Asset Flows Data


MILWAUKEE (Sports Network) - U.S. Ryder Cup captain Hal  Sutton finalized his team on Monday when he announced the  selections of Jay Haas and Stewart Cink as his captain's picks.

Sutton Adds Haas, Cink to Ryder Cup Team


Jay Haas joined Stewart Cink as the two captain's picks for a U.S. team that will try to regain the cup from Europe next month.

Haas and Cink Selected for Ryder Cup Team


AP - American Natalie Coughlin won Olympic gold in the 100-meter backstroke Monday night. Coughlin, the only woman ever to swim under 1 minute in the event, finished first in 1 minute, 0.37 seconds. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, who swims at Auburn University in Alabama, earned the silver in 1:00.50. Laure Manaudou of France took bronze in 1:00.88.

Natalie Coughlin Wins 100M Backstroke (AP)


NewsFactor - Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) has revamped its sales-side CRM applications in version 11i.10 of its sales, marketing, partner relationship management and e-commerce application.

Oracle Overhauls Sales-Side Apps for CRM Suite (NewsFactor)


AFP - The United Nations launched an appeal here for 210 million dollars to help flood victims facing

UN launches 210-million-dollar appeal for flood-hit Bangladesh (AFP)


Government in South Indian state of Kerala sets up wireless kiosks as part of initiative to bridge digital divide.

Indian state rolls out wireless broadband


PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Urban rescue teams, insurance adjusters and National Guard troops scattered across Florida Monday to help victims of Hurricane Charley and deliver water and other supplies to thousands of people left homeless...

Hurricane Survivors Wait for Water, Gas


SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Fans of Michael Jackson erupted in cheers Monday as the pop star emerged from a double-decker tour bus and went into court for a showdown with the prosecutor who has pursued him for years on child molestation charges...

Jackson Squares Off With Prosecutor


AP - The Charlotte Bobcats traded center Predrag Drobnjak to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday for a second round pick in the 2005 NBA draft.

Bobcats Trade Drobnjak to Hawks for Pick (AP)


Canadian Press - LANGLEY, B.C. (CP) - Police have arrested a man in the kidnapping and sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl that frightened this suburban Vancouver community last week.

Suspect charged in abduction, sexual assault of 11-year-old girl (Canadian Press)


Red Flag Software Co., the company behind China's leading Linux client distribution, plans to focus more on its server operating system and enterprise customers, the company's acting president said.

China's Red Flag Linux to focus on enterprise


AOL Properties Sign Girafa For Thumbnail Search Images\\Girafa.com Inc. announced today that the CompuServe, Netscape, AIM and ICQ properties of America Online, Inc., have signed an agreement with Girafa to use Girafa's thumbnail search images as an integrated part of their search results.\\Using Girafa's thumbnail search service, search users can ...


AP - NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spied two new little moons around satellite-rich Saturn, the space agency said Monday.

Cassini Spies Two Little Saturn Moons (AP)


An industrial city northwest of Moscow struggles as AIDS hits a broader population.

On front line of AIDS in Russia


AP - A Nobel laureate in medicine said Monday the Bush administration's limits on funding for embryonic stem cell research effectively have stopped the clock on American scientists' efforts to develop treatments for a host of chronic, debilitating diseases.

Nobel Laureate Decries Stem Cell Limits (AP)


AP - Prosecutors suffered another setback Monday in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, losing a last-ditch attempt to keep the NBA star's lawyers from telling jurors about the alleged victim's sex life.

Jury Can Hear of Kobe Accuser's Sex Life (AP)


Reuters - China has said no date has been set for\working-level talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis and gave\no indication that the meeting has been canceled, Australian\Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Tuesday.

North Korea Talks Still On, China Tells Downer (Reuters)


The Redskins expect huge things from 300-pound Cornelius Griffin, who was signed to aid the team's weakest unit - the defensive line.

Griffin to Anchor D-Line


AFP - The last surviving American defector to communist North Korea wants to tell his story to put a human face on the Stalinist state which he believes is unfairly vilified abroad, British film-makers said.

Last American defector in North Korea agrees to tell story (AFP)


Richard Faulds and Stephen Parry are going for gold for Great Britain on day four in Athens.

Live: Olympics day four


Reuters - Democratic challenger John Kerry\has a commanding lead over President Bush in California of 54\percent to 38 percent among likely voters, a poll released on\Tuesday found.

Kerry Widens Lead in California, Poll Finds (Reuters)


ATHENS (Reuters) - At the beach volleyball, the 2004  Olympics is a sell-out, foot-stomping success.

Capacity Crowds at Beach Volleyball Rock the Joint


LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar held steady near this week's  four-week low against the euro on Tuesday with investors  awaiting a German investor confidence survey and U.S. consumer  inflation numbers to shed light on the direction.

Dollar Near Recent Lows, Awaits ZEW/CPI


SAN FRANCISCO -- In the latest of a series of product delays, Intel Corp. has postponed the launch of a video display chip it had previously planned to introduce by year end, putting off a showdown with Texas Instruments Inc. in the fast-growing market for high-definition television displays.

Intel to delay product aimed for high-definition TVs


CARACAS -- Venezuelans voted resoundingly to keep firebrand populist Hugo Chavez as their president in a victory that drew noisy reactions yesterday from both sides in the streets. International observers certified the results as clean and accurate.

Venezuela vote keeps Chavez as president


AFP - Hong Kong democrats accused China of jailing one of their members on trumped-up prostitution charges in a bid to disgrace a political movement Beijing has been feuding with for seven years.

Jailing of HK democrat in China 'politically motivated' (AFP)


AP - Shares of Kmart Holding Corp. surged 17 percent Monday after the discount retailer reported a profit for the second quarter and said chairman and majority owner Edward Lampert is now free to invest the company's  #36;2.6 billion in surplus cash.

Kmart Swings to Profit in 2Q; Stock Surges (AP)


AP - Former chess champion Bobby Fischer's announcement thathe is engaged to a Japanese woman could win him sympathy among Japanese officials and help him avoid deportation to the United States, his fiancee and one of his supporters said Tuesday.

Fischer's Fiancee: Marriage Plans Genuine (AP)


ATHENS, Greece - Top American sprinters Jason Lezak and Ian Crocker missed the cut in the Olympic 100-meter freestyle preliminaries Tuesday, a stunning blow for a country that had always done well in the event.    Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and Australian Ian Thorpe advanced to the evening semifinal a day after dueling teenager Michael Phelps in the 200 freestyle, won by Thorpe...

U.S. Misses Cut in Olympic 100 Free


A proposal backed by a coalition of telephone carriers would cut billions of dollars in fees owed by long-distance companies to regional phone giants but would allow the regional companies to make up some of the difference by raising monthly phone bills for millions of consumers. <FONT face=

Consumers Would Pay In Phone Proposal


KABUL (Reuters) - The United States has brokered a  cease-fire between a renegade Afghan militia leader and the  embattled governor of the western province of Herat,  Washington's envoy to Kabul said Tuesday.

U.S. Brokers Cease-fire in Western Afghanistan


Keep an eye on your credit card issuers -- they may be about to raise your rates.

Sneaky Credit Card Tactics


In another product postponement, semiconductor giant Intel Corp. said it won't be offering a chip for projection TVs by the end of 2004 as it had announced earlier this year.

Intel Delays Launch of Projection TV Chip


NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Money managers are growing more pessimistic about the economy, corporate profits and US stock market returns, according to a monthly survey by Merrill Lynch released Tuesday.

Fund pessimism grows


Olympic champion Kostas Kederis today left hospital ahead of his date with IOC inquisitors claiming his innocence and vowing:  quot;After the crucifixion comes the resurrection. quot; ...

Kederis proclaims innocence


NEWCASTLE, England (AP) - England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said Tuesday he isn #39;t under any extra pressure in the aftermath of a scandal that damaged the Football Association #39;s reputation.

Eriksson doesn #39;t feel any extra pressure following scandal


NEWCASTLE, England (AP) - Striker Emile Heskey has pulled out of the England squad ahead of Wednesday #39;s friendly against Ukraine because of a tight hamstring, the Football Association said Tuesday.

Injured Heskey to miss England friendly


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

Staples Profit Up, to Enter China Market


AGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 17  A delegation of Iraqis was delayed for security reasons today but still intended to visit Najaf to try to convince a rebellious Shiite cleric and his militia to evacuate a shrine in the holy city and end ...

Delegation Is Delayed Before Reaching Najaf


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices dropped in July  for the first time in eight months as a sharp run up in energy  costs reversed, the government said in a report that suggested  a slow rate of interest rate hikes is likely.

Consumer Prices Down, Industry Output Up


An Indian army major shot his way to his country #39;s first ever individual Olympic silver medal on Tuesday, while in the same event an member of Dubai #39;s ruling family became the first ever medallist from the United Arab Emirates.

Olympic history for India, UAE


Rising fuel prices, a bugbear for most of the retail sector, are helping Home Depot (HD:NYSE - news - research), the remodeling giant that reported a surge in second-quarter earnings Tuesday and guided the rest of the year higher.

Home Depot Likes High Oil


BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- China is carrying out a nationwide campaign to crack down on  quot;phone sex quot; services, paralleling another sweeping operation against Internet pornography, Minister of Information Industry Wang Xudong said here Tuesday.

China cracks down on  quot;phone sex quot; services


Charly Travers offers advice on withstanding the volatility of the biotech sector.

Surviving Biotech's Downturns


Just what Alexander Downer was thinking when he declared on radio last Friday that  quot;they could fire a missile from North Korea to Sydney quot; is unclear. The provocative remark, just days before his arrival yesterday on his second visit to the North Korean ...

Mr Downer shoots his mouth off


ATHENS (Reuters) - World 100 meters champion Torri Edwards  will miss the Athens Olympics after her appeal against a  two-year drugs ban was dismissed on Tuesday, a source told  Reuters.

Edwards Banned from Games - Source


NEW YORK - Stocks rose for a second straight session Tuesday as a drop in consumer prices allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term.    With gasoline prices falling to eight-month lows, the Consumer Price Index registered a small drop in July, giving consumers a respite from soaring energy prices...

Stocks Climb on Drop in Consumer Prices


Ilias Iliadis of Greece thrilled the home crowd Tuesday, beating Roman Gontyuk of Ukraine to win the gold medal in the 81-kilogram class.

Iliadis, Tanimoto win judo golds


AFP - Sudan will take the lead in restoring order to its rebellious Darfur region but needs the support of African peacekeepers and humanitarian aid, Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said.

Sudan vows to restore order to Darfur but calls for African peacekeepers (AFP)


The battle over home entertainment networking is heating up as a coalition proposes yet another standard for the IEEE #39;s consideration.

TGn Sync Proposes New WLAN Standard


Web giant Yahoo! is gambling that price cuts on its domain name registration and Web hosting products will make it more competitive with discounters in the space -- which means that small businesses looking to move online get a sweeter deal through ...

Yahoo! Ups Ante for Small Businesses


IBM said Tuesday it has acquired a pair of Danish IT services firms as part of its effort to broaden its presence in Scandinavia. As a result of the moves, IBM will add about 3,700 IT staffers to its global head count. Financial terms of ...

IBM Buys Two Danish Services Firms


Motorola plans to sell mobile phone network equipment that uses Linux-based code, a step forward in network gear makers #39; efforts to rally around a standard.

Motorola and HP in Linux tie-up


Microsoft will delay the release of its SP2 update for another week to fix software glitches. But not everyone is quite so eager to install the SP2 update for Windows XP. In fact, many companies have demanded the ability to prevent their ...

Microsoft Pushes Off SP2 Release


Reuters - Two new moons were spotted around\Saturn by the Cassini space probe, raising the total to 33\moons for the ringed planet, NASA said on Monday.

Cassini Space Probe Spots Two New Saturn Moons (Reuters)


There are remarkable similarities between the 2004 Ohio State Buckeyes and those that won the national championship just two years ago.

Buckeyes have lots to replace but are brimming with optimism


The new IBM Power5 eServer i5 550 also features higher performance and new virtualization capabilities that allow it to run multiple operating systems at once on separate partitions.

IBM adds midrange server to eServer lineup


Newsday #146;s Stephen Williams reports on seeing Sony #146;s NW-HD1 audio player in a store:  #147; #145;How #146;s it compare to the iPod? #146; I asked a salesman.  #145;Battery life is a lot longer, up to 30 hours, #146; he said.  #145;The LCD readout is kind of dim, #146; I said.   #146;Battery life is a lot longer, #146; he said.  #145;I understand it can #146;t play MP3 files, #146; I said.  #145;Battery life is a lot longer, #146; he said. #148; Aug 17

iPod Comparison


Mills Corp. agreed to purchase a 50 percent interest in nine malls owned by General Motors Asset Management Corp. for just over \$1 billion, creating a new joint venture between the groups. The deal will extend ...

Mills Grabs \$1B Portfolio; Taubman Likely to Lose Contracts


ATHENS -- The mistakes were so minor. Carly Patterson #39;s foot scraping the lower of the uneven bars. Courtney Kupets #39; tumbling pass that ended here instead of there. Mohini Bhardwaj #39;s slight stumble on the beam.

Women stumble to silver


The price of oil has continued its sharp rise overnight, closing at a record high. The main contract in New York, light sweet crude for delivery next month, has closed at a record \$US46.75 a barrel - up 70 cents on yesterday #39;s close.

Oil prices bubble to record high


quot;It hurt like hell. I could see (Thorpe) coming up. But when I was breathing, I saw my team going crazy -- and that really kept me going. quot; ...

Notable quotes Tuesday at the Athens Olympics


It wasn #39;t the first to go small, and it won #39;t be the biggest producer, but AMD #39;s (Quote, Chart) 64-bit 90-nanometer (nm) chips are expected to make waves in the semiconductor pool.

AMD Ships Notebook Chips


LONDON, AUGUST 17: Britain charged eight terror suspects on Tuesday with conspiracy to commit murder and said one had plans that could be used in striking US buildings that were the focus of security scares this month.

UK charges 8 in terror plot linked to alert in US


NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has -- again -- sought to have the pending legal claims by The SCO Group dismissed. According to a motion it filed in a U.S. district court, IBM argues that SCO has no evidence to support its claims that it appropriated confidential source code from Unix System V and placed it in Linux.

IBM Seeks To Have SCO Claims Dismissed (NewsFactor)


NEW YORK - The newly released traffic crash fatality data have something for everyone in the debate about the safety of sport utility vehicles.

SUVs: Live And Let Die


A CANADIAN husband #39;s love for his wife has led to a tightening of security at all Olympic venues in Athens.

Security scare as intruder dives in


Now that everybody in and around USA Basketball has breathed a huge sigh of relief, let #39;s not get carried away.

Team USA barely wins, but struggles not all players #39; fault


-- The United States men #39;s basketball team capped off a big day for the USA by fighting off Greece for a vital win, 77-71.  quot;They played with heart, quot; said Coach Larry Brown.  quot;That #39;s all you can ask. quot; ...

UPI NewsTrack Sports


BAGHDAD, Iraq - A national political conference #39;s bid to end the fighting in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf appeared to have failed Tuesday.

Peace delegation leaves Najaf empty-handed as fighting continues


TBILISI, Georgia  Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili appealed to world leaders Tuesday to convene an international conference on the conflict in breakaway South Ossetia, where daily exchanges of gunfire threaten to spark ...

Georgian president calls for international conference on South Ossetia


AFP - Georgian and South Ossetian forces overnight accused each other of trying to storm the other side's positions in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, as four Georgian soldiers were reported to be wounded.

Shelling, shooting resumes in breakaway Georgian region (AFP)


BOSTON -- It was another busy day on the medical front for the Red Sox, as a series of roster moves were announced prior to Tuesday night #39;s game against the Blue Jays.

Youkilis, McCarty placed on 15-day disabled list


AP - John Kerry, Bob Kerrey. It's easy to get confused.

Kerry-Kerrey Confusion Trips Up Campaign (AP)


AP - William H. Harlan, the retired University of Florida swimming coach who led the Gators to eight conference titles, died Tuesday, school officials said. He was 83.

Former Florida Swimming Coach Dies at 83 (AP)


THENS, Aug. 17 - So Michael Phelps is not going to match the seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz. And it is too early to tell if he will match Aleksandr Dityatin, the Soviet gymnast who won eight total medals in 1980. But those were not the ...

US Men Have Right Touch in Relay Duel Against Australia


Three-year-old Victoria, from St Petersburg, has been living at the Schrders #39; family home in Hanover in northern Germany for several weeks.

Schrder adopts Russian orphan


AP - Orlando Cabrera hit a run-scoring double off the Green Monster in the ninth inning on reliever Justin Speier's second pitch of the game, giving the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Cabrera Leads Red Sox Past Blue Jays 5-4 (AP)


Sheik Ahmed bin Hashr Al-Maktoum earned the first-ever Olympic medal for the United Arab Emirates when he took home the gold medal in men #39;s double trap shooting on Tuesday in Athens.

United Arab Emirates trap shooter secures nation #39;s first Olympic gold


Israel announced plans for 1,000 houses in the West Bank yesterday, accelerating the expansion of the settlements.

Sharon orders 1,000 homes in West Bank


AP - At least one member of the top-ranked Southern California football team is under investigation for sexual assault, the Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday.

So. Cal Player Investigated in Sex Assault (AP)


President Bush, in Pennsylvania, said that opponents of a missile defense system were putting the nation's security at risk.

Bush Promotes His Plan for Missile Defense System


BEIJING (Reuters) - China breathed a measured sigh of relief after the skills of its basketball giant Yao Ming dwarfed New Zealand to sweep his team nearer to their goal of reaching the Athens Olympics semi-finals.

China Sighs in Relief as Yao Scores High


A leaked Israeli plan to build 1,000 new Jewish settler homes in the West Bank yesterday sent Bush administration officials scrambling for a response in the sensitive period before November #39;s presidential election.

Israelis OK new homes in West Bank


LONDON - British police charged eight terrorist suspects yesterday with conspiring to commit murder and use radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals or explosives to cause  quot;fear or injury. quot; ...

Britain accuses 8 of terror plot


Islamic group #39;s armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. Doctors said he suffered leg wounds.

Israel kills 5 in strike at Hamas activist


ENVER, Aug. 17 - Victor Zambrano came to the Mets with radical movement on his pitches, fixable flaws in his delivery and a curious sore spot lingering around his right elbow.

Zambrano Out Early; So Are Mets


TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar moved in tight ranges on  Wednesday as most investors shrugged off lower-than-expected  U.S. inflation data and stuck to the view the U.S. Federal  Reserve would continue raising rates.

Dollar Stuck, CPI Offers Little Direction


Right-hander Matt Morris threw seven solid innings, but the Cardinals needed a bases-loaded walk to second baseman Tony Womack and a grand slam from new right fielder Larry Walker to key a six-run eighth inning for a ...

St. Louis Cardinals News


ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have arrived at an Athens hotel for an International Olympic Committee (IOC) hearing into their missed doped tests, a saga that has shamed and angered the Olympic host ...

Greek sprinters arrive at IOC hearing


BOSTON -- The Toronto Blue Jays have had worse hitting games this season against lesser pitchers than Pedro Martinez.

Flop in the ninth inning sinks Jays


Renewed clashes in South Ossetia, which resulted in death of two Georgian soldiers, erupted late on August 17, several hours after the South Ossetian and Georgian officials agreed on ceasefire. As a result Tbilisi has already announced that it will not ...

Fresh Fighting Shatters Short-Lived Ceasefire Deal


Paul Hamm takes another shot at history tonight, when he'll try to become the first American to win the Olympic men's all-around in gymnastics.

Hamm hopes to get on a roll


Reuters - Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai\promised Afghans greater security when they go to vote in the\country's first ever democratic election during an independence\day speech on Wednesday.

Karzai Promises Afghans Security for Election (Reuters)


SAN JOSE, Calif. - In a sign that Google Inc.'s initial public offering isn't as popular as expected, the company lowered its estimated price range to between \$85 and \$95 per share, down from the earlier prediction of \$108 and \$135 per share...

Google Lowers Its IPO Price Range


Students at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine learn that diet and culture shape health in East Harlem.

Future Doctors, Crossing Borders


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices surged to a new high of \$47 a  barrel on Wednesday after a new threat by rebel militia against  Iraqi oil facilities and as the United States said inflation  had stayed in check despite rising energy costs.

Oil Sets New Record \$47 on Iraq Threat


ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece #39;s two top athletes have pulled out of the Athens Olympics and apologised to the Greek people for a scandal over missed dope tests that has tarnished the Games #39; return to their birthplace.

Greek sprinters quit to end Games scandal


ATHENS (Reuters) - A weary Michael Phelps targeted his  fourth Olympic gold medal in Athens, turning his attention on  Wednesday to the 200 meters individual medley and settling for  the second-fastest overall time in the heats.

Phelps Eyes Fourth Gold


GAZA (Reuters) - A senior Hamas leader survived an Israeli  assassination attempt in the Gaza Strip Wednesday but at least  five other Palestinians were killed in the explosion that tore  through his home.

Israel Kills 5 in Attempt to Assassinate Hamas Man


SAN FRANCISCO -- With the first doubleheader at SBC Park set to go off, today already stood to be a long workday for the Giants. It will come on the heels of an even longer night.

Giants win 6th straight, but Schmidt is injured


USATODAY.com - The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to vote Wednesday to prohibit mutual fund companies from funneling stock trades to brokerage firms that agree to promote their funds to investors.

SEC may put end to quid pro quo (USATODAY.com)


RealNetworks has kicked off what it claims is the biggest online music sale in history. For a limited time, every song in the firm #39;s RealPlayer Music Store can be downloaded for 49 cents, with most albums available for \$4.99.

Real targets iPod with download price cut


PRESENTACION, Philippines (Reuters) - Philippine communist  rebels freed Wednesday two soldiers they had held as

Philippine Rebels Free Troops, Talks in Doubt


LONDON (Reuters) - British terror suspects charged in a  plot linked to security alerts at financial targets in New  York, New Jersey and Washington made their first court  appearance Wednesday inside a high security prison.

British Terror Suspects Make First Court Appearance


HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--China Mobile (Hong Kong) Ltd. (CHL), the listed unit of China #39;s biggest cellular phone operator, posted Wednesday a 7.8 rise in first-half net profit on a 23 increase in its subscriber base.

UPDATE: China Mobile 1H Net Up 7.8 On Subscriber Growth


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Monsanto Co. <A HREF=

Monsanto Says Justice Dept Closes Inquiry


Cox Communications Inc. #39;s board of directors has formed a special committee of independent directors to consider Cox Enterprises Inc. #39;s proposal to take the company private in a \$8 billion stock buyout.

Cox Communications forms committee to advise on buyout


Afghan women made a short-lived debut in the Olympic Games on Wednesday as 18-year-old judo wildcard Friba Razayee was defeated after 45 seconds of her first match in the under-70kg middleweight.

Afghan women make brief Olympic debut


THE international effort to end the North Korean nuclear crisis appears at risk of unravelling, despite Foreign Minister Alexander Downer #39;s high-profile mission to the secretive Stalinist state.

North Korea peace efforts in peril


There are some  great  browsers  out there. But they all seem to have some slight niggles, different for  each, that make it hard for me to kick back and enjoy them.        While there are some projects out there to make browsers more useful for  some specialised purposes  or by bolting on handy  extensions, wouldn't it be great if these people could come up with a  standardised set of nice features like these? A lot of browsers may support  one or two, but I'll bet none have them all.

10 features for a perfect browser


Several Minnesota police departments are field testing a handheld device that scans a suspect's fingerprint and digitally checks it against Minnesota's criminal history and fingerprint database.

Cops Test Handheld Fingerprint Reader


AP - Discount retailer Ross Stores Inc. Wednesday said its profit fell about 40 percent in the latest quarter due to problems with a new computer system that limited the company's ability to respond to changes in customer demand.

Ross Stores Profit Plummets 40 Percent (AP)


BOSTON The jury is still out on whether a computer can ever truly be intelligent, but there is no question that it can have multiple personalities. It #39;s just a matter of software. We usually think of the processor chip as the brains of a computer. The ...

Small computers can have multiple personalities, too


KATMANDU, Nepal The Nepali capital was largely cut off from the rest of the country on Wednesday after Maoist rebels threatened to attack any vehicles traveling on main roads, in a virtual blockade of Katmandu to press their demands for the release of ...

Rebel threat on the roads leaves Katmandu isolated


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Most of the nearly two million immigrants who arrived in Canada during the 1990s settled in one of the country's 27 census metropolitan areas, but still found it harder to find work than natural-born citizens, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday.

Immigrants settled in big cities, but less likely to find work: StatsCan (Canadian Press)


Sun Microsystems Inc. has decided to postpone its September SunNetwork 2004 San Francisco user conference, and is contemplating merging the event with its JavaOne 2005 developer conference, scheduled for the end of June 2005.

Sun postpones September user show


ATHENS : Dutch cycling great Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel emotionally defended her Olympic time trial gold medal here.

Olympics: Emotional Zijlaard-van Moorsel defends time trial title


Oracle introduced a new BI platform yesterday, Business Intelligence 10g that rolls up into one solution all of their BI tools. However, more interesting than the nitty-gritty details of what is included is the back story taking place at the same time.

Oracle launches Business Integlligence 10g


AMSTERDAM  Cyclist Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel won the first gold medal for the Netherlands at the Athens Olympic Games on Wednesday.

Dutch cyclist defends Olympic gold


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kroger Co., the top U.S. grocer, on  Tuesday posted a 29 percent rise in quarterly profit due to  cost controls, but price cuts to lure shoppers caused earnings  to miss Wall Street estimates and shares fell.

Kroger's Profit Up; Price Cuts Weigh


Major League Soccer's two expansion teams, Real Salt Lake and Club Deportivo Chivas USA, will join the Western Conference for the 2005 season.

Expanding West


AP - The Indiana Pacers activated center Jeff Foster from the injured list Tuesday.

Pacers Activate Foster From Injured List (AP)


Hot on the heels of its 10-year strategic partnership with the London Borough of Newham, Microsoft is close to signing a new broad three-year public sector agreement with the government.

Microsoft finalises three-year government deal


CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. airlines have agreed to limit  flights into Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to 88  arrivals per hour between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. in an effort to cut  congestion that has slowed the whole U.S. aviation system,  federal officials said on Wednesday.

Airlines Agree to Cut Flights at Chicago O'Hare


MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to contribute to a settlement of conflict between Georgia and its separatist province of South Ossetia.

Russia ready to contribute to settlement of South Ossetia conflict: Putin


Six months before NASA plans to return the shuttle to space, officials think they #39;ve essentially solved the problem that doomed Columbia in 2003 -- debris coming off its fuel

NASA confident of debris solution


Police in Burundi #39;s capital, Bujumbura, used tear gas to break up a demonstration Wednesday held to protest the massacre of Congolese Tutsi refugees.

Burundi Police Forcibly Disperse Tutsi Protest


The Hall of Fame released the latest Veterans Committee ballot yesterday. As you might (or might not) remember, there #39;s a (nearly) new committee in town.

Veterans Committee counts for little


Cornice blasts Seagate's suit over patents for tiny hard drives used in portable gadgets.

Drive maker files counterclaims in patent suit


CHICAGO - Hewlett-Packard(HP) has moved its Active Counter Measures network security software into beta tests with a select group of European and North American customers in hopes of readying the product for a 2005 release, an HP executive said at the HP World conference here in Chicago Wednesday.

HP moves network scanning software into beta


Canadian Press - OTTAWA (CP) - Paul Martin announced a major overhaul of his senior staff Wednesday, with several close confidants and one ex-cabinet minister handed major roles in the Prime Minister's Office in a post-election shakeup.

Martin announces major overhaul of key staff in Prime Minister's Office (Canadian Press)


AFP - Democratic White House hopeful Senator John Kerry warned that President George W. Bush's plan to withdraw 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia would hinder the war on terrorism and embolden North Korea.

Kerry assails Bush troop withdrawal plan (AFP)


Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr reportedly agrees to end an uprising in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf.

Iraq cleric 'to end Najaf revolt'


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc. <A HREF=

Medtronic Quarterly Earnings Rise


Federal officials today announced plans to temporarily cut 37 flights operating at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to help reduce the delay problems that ripple across the country.

Airlines Agree to Cuts at O'Hare


NEW YORK - Investors shrugged off rising crude futures Wednesday to capture well-priced shares, sending the Nasdaq composite index up 1.6 percent ahead of Google Inc.'s much-anticipated initial public offering of stock.    In afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 67.10, or 0.7 percent, to 10,039.93...

Stock Prices Climb Ahead of Google IPO


Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel of the Netherlands wipes a tear after winning the gold medal in the women #39;s road cycling individual time trial at the Vouliagmeni Olympic Centre in Athens on Wednesday.

Today in Athens


Medtronic Quarterly Net Up


ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece #39;s top two sprinters have quit the Olympic Games after submitting their country to six days of embarrassment in a hide-and-seek contest with anti-doping enforcers.

Greek sprinters quit Games


Single mothers, poverty were big factors in school performance    HealthDayNews -- American teenagers who live with poor single mothers are more likely to get into trouble at school and have poor marks and are less likely to think they'll go to college, says a Rice University study.    Holly Heard, an assistant professor of sociology, analyzed data from thousands of teens who took part in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health...

Strong Family Equals Strong Education


AUGUST 18, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - A majority of US home Internet users now have broadband, according to a survey by NetRatings Inc.

NetRatings survey shows broadband users now a majority in US


IT PROMISES to be a scene worthy of a science fiction spectacular. A space probe carrying primordial material scooped from outer space starts to plunge towards our planet. But before it can strike, a helicopter flown by a Hollywood stunt ...

Stunt pilots to save sun dust


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. forces killed more than 50 Shi'ite  militiamen on Wednesday in a significant advance into a Baghdad  suburb that is a powerbase for radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr,  the military said.

U.S. Forces Kill 50 Sadr Militia in Baghdad Suburb


AP - Trying to get the best possible ballpark deal for the Montreal Expos, major league baseball instructed its lawyers to press ahead with negotiations involving four of the areas bidding for the team.

Owners Seek Best Ballpark Deal for Expos (AP)


ATHENS (Reuters) - A roaring crowd helped inspire Greece's  top women's beach volleyball team to trounce China on Wednesday  and reach the next round.

Crowd Inspires Greek Beach Volleyballers; U.S. Duo Ousted


Gareth Southgate has warned Barclays Premiership defences to be wary of Middlesbroughs back-to-form strikers Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Boro Captain Warns of Duo #39;s Threat


Reuters - Intuit Inc. (INTU.O), maker of\the No. 1 U.S. tax presentation software TurboTax, on Wednesday\posted a wider quarterly loss after taking a goodwill\impairment charge during its seasonally weaker fourth quarter.

Intuit Posts Wider Loss After Charge (Reuters)


THENS, Aug. 18  Tyler Hamilton had bruises splotched all over his back, painful souvenirs of a Tour de France gone terribly wrong.

Hamilton Wins Cycling Time Trial Event


Reuters - Wildfires have scorched over\5 million acres in Alaska as of Tuesday, forestry officials\said, a new record that signals possible changes in climate\conditions and the composition of the vast forests.

Alaska Wildfires Grow to Record 5 Million Acres (Reuters)


Great Britain #39;s performances in the Olympic Games made a dramatic and unexpected improvement yesterday as they won a silver and three bronze medals. They were also guaranteed at least a silver medal in badminton #39;s mixed doubles.

Britain #39;s Olympic medal total takes sudden turn for the better


TBILISI, Georgia The separatist conflicts in Georgia resulted from the  quot;foolish quot; move by Georgia to strip South Ossetia and Abkhazia of their autonomous status during the Soviet collapse, President Vladimir Putin of Russia was quoted as saying on ...

Putin faults Georgia on  #39;90s tactics in 2 regions


AP - The Colorado Avalanche prepared for the potential loss of several key front-line players, signing former San Jose Sharks captain Vincent Damphousse to a one-year,  #36;2 million contract Wednesday.

Avalanche Sign Damphousse to One-Year Deal (AP)


The Government today gave a partial go-ahead for the Indian cricket team #39;s tour of Bangladesh for the first Test match beginning on Thursday but its security delegation will go to Chittagong, the other venue, to make an assessment of the threat perception

Government gives partial clearance to Bangla tour


After a spell without scoring, Mark Viduka grabbed two goals as Middlesbrough beat Manchester City 3-2. Boro went ahead when Viduka took Stewart Downings pass, brought it sweetly under control and chipped it over onrushing City keeper David James.

Viduka Brace Helps Boro To Win


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (KRT) - Despite criticism that it should have better anticipated Hurricane Charley #39;s rapid intensification and quick turn, the National Hurricane Center #39;s forecast wasn #39;t that far off, a preliminary post-mortem shows.

Hurricane center #39;s projection on Charley not far off, data show


Health care and consumer products maker Johnson  amp; Johnson (JNJ.N: Quote, Profile, Research) is in negotiations to acquire medical-device maker Guidant Corp.

UPDATE 1-J amp;J in talks to buy Guidant - sources


Australian insurer AMP returned to the black in the first half of the year with net profits of A\$378m (150m) after a disastrous foray into Britain pushed it A\$2.16 billion into the red last year.

AMP shrugs off British debacle


Lloyds TSB is gearing up to roll out one of the largest converged networks in Europe, a 500m 70,000 phone VoIP infrastructure linking all the bank #39;s branches and cash points.

Lloyds TSB cashes in on VoIP


British athletics chiefs have appointed sports psychologist David Collins as Performance Director to produce medal winners at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

British athletics appoint psychologist for 2008 Olympics


Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - Wednesday night it was Paul Hamm #39;s turn to shine for the United States, as he won the gold medal in the men #39;s all-around competition. Will Thursday produce a sweep for the US at the Olympics? ...

Olympic Daily Preview - Thursday, August 19


YASSER Arafat, the Palestinian president, made a rare acknowledgement of mistakes under his rule yesterday and urged reforms to end corruption.

Arafat urges reforms to rectify his  #39;mistakes #39;


Descriptions of urban afflictions and images of giant mosquitoes and cockroaches to convey a sense of how Houston is nevertheless beloved by many residents.

Selling Houston Warts and All, Especially Warts


The boys from Brazil beat Haiti #39;s national soccer team Wednesday in a friendly goodwill game 6-0. The game was the brainchild of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was on hand in the Haitian capital for the historical match.

Brazil beats Haiti in goodwill soccer game


Credit Suisse Group announced plans to merge its Credit Suisse First Boston Securities unit with the rest of the company #39;s operations and cut as many as 300 jobs.

Credit Suisse to merge CSFB unit into parent


Reuters - U.S. shoppers have kept a tight grip\on their wallets this holiday season with indices on Tuesday\showing sluggish sales in the second week of the  season.

Holiday-Shopping Season Remains Sluggish (Reuters)


AFP - The second major airlift of Vietnamese Montagnards who fled to Cambodia's remote jungles after April anti-government protests will begin at the weekend.

UN to begin second airlift of Vietnamese Montagnards (AFP)


ATHENS Shell-shocked Americans Andy Roddick and Venus Williams joined already-beaten men #39;s top seed Roger Federer in the favourites #39;exodus from the Olympic tennis tournament on Wednesday.

Tennis: Roddick and Williams ousted


Hurricane Charley, the worst storm to hit the US in over a decade, will cost insurers just \$7.4bn, one insurance expert estimates.

Insurer lowers hurricane estimate


KATHMANDU (Reuters) - The fear of attack kept most vehicles  off roads leading to Nepal's capital for a second day on  Thursday as authorities sought talks to end a siege called by  Maoist insurgents.

Nepal Seeks Talks to End Rebel Blockade of Capital


Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning and the Atlanta Braves threw out the potential tying run at the plate for the final out Wednesday night, preserving a 6-5 come-from-behind win over the San Diego Padres.

Braves 6, Padres 5


ATHENS -- It was telling yesterday that the majority of the dozens of journalists who asked questions and attended a news conference into a Greek doping scandal were mostly Canadian. Question after question came from Canadians. We were all there, I think, ...

Scandal won #39;t go away


Bank of America Corp. yesterday laid off hundreds of workers at Fleet bank branches across the Northeast as the North Carolina bank began to implement its brand of ...

Hundreds laid off at Fleet offices


TechWeb - Customers are decoupling storage from server purchases, which explains why EMC and NetApp earnings were up and why Sun and HP were flat or down, Warmenhoven says.

NetApp CEO: No Storage Spending Shortfall (TechWeb)


Being freelance wine critics may sound like a sweet gig, but Ray and Eleanor Heald have soured on it. Because their home state, Michigan, blocks direct shipments from out-of-state

Justices to debate mail-order wine


AP - Stanford offensive coordinator Bill Cubit was hired Tuesday as head coach at Western Michigan.

Stanford's Cubit Hired As W. Mich. Coach (AP)


WASHINGTON -- The price of oil charged to a new high above \$47 a barrel yesterday amid nagging concerns about instability in Iraq, the uncertain fate of Russian petroleum giant Yukos, and the world's limited supply cushion.

Oil prices surge to a new high


OLYMPIA, Greece -- A brilliant idea, taking the shot put back to the birthplace of the Olympic Games, proving, if nothing else, that everything old really can become new again.

A shot in the arm for all


Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi (left) goes for a walk with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair at Berlusconi #39;s villa, Monday. AP ...

Bomb found near Berlusconi #39;s villa


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. will make their  Nasdaq stock market debut on Thursday after the year's most  anticipated initial public offering priced far below initial  estimates, raising \$1.67 billion.

After Wait, Google Set for Market Debut


Former president Bill Clinton on Monday helped launch a new Internet search company backed by the Chinese government which says its technology uses artificial intelligence to produce better results than Google Inc.

Bill Clinton Helps Launch Search Engine


LOS ANGELES - Paul Lo Duca never got to moonwalk to home plate, though he did skip gleefully to the dugout moments after facing former batterymate Eric Gagne for the first time.

Harris #39; three-run double in ninth sinks Gagne


The back of his shirt told the story last night at the Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall.

Ali gives Iraq fighting chance


MacCentral - Market research company Ipsos-Insight on Tuesday announced the results of TEMPO, a quarterly survey of digital music behaviors. According to the report, consumers aged 12 and older in the United States were as likely to be aware of Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes Music Store and Napster 2.0 when it came to recognizing digital music download brands -- each music service registered 20 percent of what TEMPO refers to as

Survey: Napster, iTunes beat other download brands (MacCentral)


Australia #39;s flagship carrier Qantas Airways has reported a record annual net profit but warned oil prices threatened its performance, increasing the chance of a hike in ticket price surcharges to offset its fuel bill.

Qantas says record profit not big enough


The state of Maine, Rite Aid Corp., and Community Pharmacy LP have agreed to a consent decree placing conditions on the sale of five Community Pharmacy stores to Rite Aid.

State, drug chains reach agreement


While the total number of home internet users has reached a plateau in the US, those who do use the internet are adopting broadband at a rapid pace, according to Marc Ryan, senior director of analysis at the audience measurement company.

Most US homes have broadband connections


The latest tiny flying robot that could help in search and rescue or surveillance has been unveiled in Japan.

Bluetooth flying bot creates buzz


PEORIA - Caterpillar Inc. said Wednesday it will acquire a South Carolina remanufacturer of engines and automatic transmissions, increasing its US employment base by 500 people.

Caterpillar snaps up another remanufacturer of engines


The kidnappers of an American-French journalist in Iraq have threatened to execute him within 48 hours unless US forces withdraw from the holy city of Najaf.

Kidnappers threaten to kill western journalist


MARK COLVIN: Qantas might have posted yet another record profit, but the national carrier #39;s boss, Geoff Dixon, claims earnings are being hampered by unfair subsidies for international carriers allowed to fly in and out of Australia.

Qantas wants better tax treatment


Sixty-six men accused of plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea deny breaching Zimbabwe's security laws.

SA 'mercenaries' plead not guilty


Every ounce of his energy was expended, leaving an empty fuel tank. But, even in a depleted state, Brendan Hansen found a way to bolster his ever-growing swimming legacy.

Olympics: Hansen still strong enough to take bronze


LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices struck a fresh record above  \$48 a barrel on Thursday, spurred higher by renewed violence in  Iraq and fresh evidence that strong demand growth in China and  India has not been slowed yet by higher energy costs.

Oil Hits New High Over \$48 as Iraq Violence Flares


A closely watched measure of future economic activity fell in July for the second consecutive month, reinforcing evidence that the nation's financial recovery is slackening.

Economic Indicators Declined in July


Reuters - An ancient walled city complex\inhabited some 1,300 years ago by a culture later conquered by\the Incas has been discovered deep in Peru's Amazon jungle,\explorers said on Tuesday.

Explorers Find Ancient City in Remote Peru Jungle (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Colgate-Palmolive Co. <A HREF=

Colgate to Cut 4,400 Jobs, Shut Plants


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pharmacy chain CVS Corp. on Thursday  said it would offer the world's first disposable digital camera  with a bright color viewing screen that allows consumers to  instantly preview pictures.

Drugstore Offers New Wave of Disposable Cameras


 By Deborah Cohen

 CHICAGO (Reuters) - Telecommunications equipment makerCiena Corp. <CIEN.O> on Thursday reported a wider loss for thefiscal third quarter due to slack demand and forecast sales inthe current quarter would be little changed from the thirdquarter.

Ciena Posts a Loss, Forecasts Flat Sales


By ANICK JESDANUN    NEW YORK (AP) -- The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.    July measurements from Nielsen/NetRatings placed the broadband audience at 51 percent of the U.S...

U.S. Broadband Penetration Tops 51


ATHENS (Reuters) - Aaron Peirsol won his second gold medal  at the Athens Olympics Thursday after winning an appeal against  his disqualification from the men's 200 meter backstroke.

American Aaron Peirsol Wins Gold on Appeal


A report on the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal will blame at least two dozen more people, say US officials.

Abu Ghraib report 'spreads blame'


Reuters - After a decade\of court battles, lawyers on Wednesday took a lawsuit by\Ecuadorean Indians accusing U.S. oil firm ChevronTexaco Corp..\of polluting the Amazon jungle into the field.

Ecuadorean Lawsuit Vs Texaco Boils Down to Science (Reuters)


In one of the first enforcement actions of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the Internet, two major travel services have agreed to make sites more accessible to the blind and visually impaired.

Priceline, Ramada to Make Sites More Accessible to Blind


Evidence

Atlantis


AP - Organizations representing the nation's 3 million scientists, engineers and doctors have invited both presidential candidates to have a word with them  #151; online.

Groups Eager to Meet With Bush, Kerry (AP)


ATHENS (Reuters) - Carly Patterson upstaged Russian diva  Svetlana Khorkina to become the first American in 20 years to  seize the women's Olympic gymnastics all-round gold medal on  Thursday.

Carly Patterson Wins the Women's All-Round


The makers of two leading file-sharing programs are not legally liable for the songs, movies and other copyright works swapped online by their users, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday in a stinging blow to the entertainment industry.

Court: File-swapping software not liable for copyright violations


ATHENS : Weightlifting was reeling from the latest crisis to hit the perennially drug-tainted sport here as six more athletes were kicked out of the Olympics for failing dope tests.

Olympics: Olympic weightlifting reels as six more lifters fail drug tests


AP - Ran Carthon tried to avoid playing football after seeing the pain it inflicted on his father, Maurice. Bloodlines, his friends and reality forced a changed of heart.

Colts' Carthon Hopes to Follow Dad in NFL (AP)


AP - The Kraft Nabisco Championship will be played one week later than usual starting in 2006, preventing the LPGA Tour's first major from getting lost among other big sporting events.

LPGA's Nabisco to Change Dates in 2006 (AP)


The soldiers withdrew from the heights above the Ossetian of capital of Tskhinvali Thursday, turning the area over to peacekeepers. Georgia says three of its soldiers were killed in earlier fighting, while Ossetian authorities say three civilians died ...

Georgian Troops Leave South Ossetia


AP - Ohio authorities sued Best Buy Co. Inc. on Thursday, alleging the electronics retailer engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices.

Ohio Sues Best Buy, Alleging Used Sales (AP)


Cisco Systems issued a security advisory warning that some networks using its routers may be vulnerable to denial-of-service attacks. Devices running Internetwork Operating System and enabled for the open shortest path first (OSPF) ...

Cisco Flaw Leaves Router Vulnerable to Attack


It would be nice to see this week #39;s 100-meter sprint as simply the best footrace of all time. We could witness four sub-10-second sprints for the first time ever. It would be nice to watch with raised eyebrows instead of furrowed ones. It ...

Sprint is chock full of potential heros


AP - Scientists are plunking a series of high-tech sensors into the Hudson River in an effort to unravel mysteries of the murky waterway.

Scientists Study the Hudson River (AP)


AP - A team of scientists is traveling a 600-mile stretch of the Inside Passage this month to study the effects of cruise ship waste and other contaminants in Southeast Alaska waters.

Study to Examine Effects of Ship Waste (AP)


AP - Free from the burden of trying to make the Ryder Cup team, Stewart Cink looked at ease Thursday on a marathon day at the NEC Invitational that ended with his name atop the leaderboard.

Cink Leads NEC Invitational by One Shot (AP)


China is interested in participating in the bidding for Yuganskneftegaz, the top oil-producing subsidiary of the Russian oil giant Yukos, a Chinese economic official was quoted as saying in a report Thursday by the Russian news agency Interfax. The ...

Briefly: China interest in key Yukos unit


APPLE has issued a safety recall for 28,000 batteries for its Powerbook notebooks, saying they posed a potential fire hazard.

Apple recalls 28,000 batteries


Attorney General Jim Petro is suing Best Buy, alleging the electronics retailer has engaged in unfair and deceptive business practices.

Best Buy a Bad Deal?


ATHENS, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Hercules Liu Chunhong Thursday lifted three world records on her way to winning the women #39;s 69kg gold medal at the Athens Olympics, the fourth of the power sport competition for China.

Liu brings China 4th gold in weightlifting at Athens Games


Lindsay Davenport continued her dominant recent run and reached the last eight of the Cincinnati Open with a 4-6 6-4 6-1 win over Lilia Osterloh.

Battling Davenport through


In a dramatic ending that marks a beginning in scientific research, NASA's Genesis spacecraft is set to swing by Earth and jettison a sample return capsule filled with particles of the Sun that may ultimately tell us more about the genesis of our solar system.

Genesis Spacecraft Prepares to Return to Earth with a Piece of the Sun


Nathan Robertson says there is no reason why he and badminton partner Gail Emms should not win the next Olympics.

Badminton pair want more


AFP - Sudan's government and its foes in the Darfur region's rebel movements will meet on Monday for peace talks which mark a last chance for African diplomacy to solve the crisis before the United Nations steps in.

Darfur warring parties to meet in Nigeria for peace talks (AFP)


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq continued to export oil at one  million barrels per day on Friday after an attack on the South  Oil Company headquarters took sabotage operations to a new  level, an official at the state-owned entity said.

Iraq Oil Exports Still Halved After Basra HQ Attack


NEW YORKFewer Americans lined up to claim first-time jobless benefits last week but analysts said the modest decline said very little about the current state of the labour market.

US unemployment claims slip but picture still murky


Vermont's Republican governor challenged the Bush administration's prescription drug policy in federal court yesterday, marking the first time a state has chosen a legal avenue in the expanding battle over Canadian imports.

Vt. sues over importing drugs


Manning had a decent debut as a starter, but Delhomme overshadowed the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft by throwing for a touchdown and running for another in the Carolina Panthers #39; 27-20 exhibition victory last night over ...

For starters, Giants #39; Manning on mark


CHICAGO -- The Red Sox were ready to welcome Roger Clemens back to Boston. His uniform number (21) was available. Pedro Martinez , who has expressed the utmost respect for Clemens, almost certainly would have made some room for the Rocket near the locker Clemens long used and Martinez now occupies. Curt Schilling would have been thrilled to pitch with ...

Clemens deal is waived off


11=2. Mathematics doesn #39;t get any more basic than this, but even 11 would stump the brightest minds among the Piraha tribe of the Amazon.

Life without numbers in a unique Amazon tribe


In a major setback for the music and movie industries, a federal appeals court upholds a lower court's decision in the infamous Grokster case, ruling peer-to-peer services Morpheus and Grokster are not liable for the copyright infringement of their users. By Katie Dean.

P2P Services in the Clear


The producer of ads featuring PC users who switched to Macs is applying the same tactic to political commercials. This time, he'll focus on former backers of President Bush, recruited online, who've changed their political allegiance. By Louise Witt.

Swap Your PC, or Your President


WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Andre Agassi cruised into quarter-finals in Washington Open tennis with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kristian Pless of Denmark here on Thursday night.

Agassi cruises into Washington Open ATP quarter-finals


Hollywood producer Saul Zaentz sues the producers of The Lord of the Rings for \$20m in royalties.

Producer sues for Rings profits


Reuters - Some 30,000 Sudanese, victims of fresh\attacks by Arab militia inside Darfur, have threatened to cross\into Chad, the U.N. refugee agency warned on Friday.

30,000 More Sudanese Threaten to Cross to Chad -UN (Reuters)


USATODAY.com - Even a big first-day jump in shares of Google (GOOG) couldn't quiet debate over whether the Internet search engine's contentious auction was a hit or a flop.

Google scores first-day bump of 18 (USATODAY.com)


ATHENS (Reuters) - Carly Patterson upstaged Russian diva  Svetlana Khorkina to become the first American in 20 years to  win the women's Olympic gymnastics all-round gold medal on  Thursday.

Carly Patterson Wins Gymnastics All-Around Gold


Montana jury orders oil firm to pay up over gas pipeline leak from 1955; company plans to appeal. NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Montana jury ordered ChevronTexaco Corp., the number two US oil company, to pay \$40.3 million for environmental damage from a gasoline ...

ChevronTexaco hit with \$40.3M ruling


Athens -- Vanes Martirosyan became the second American to bow out of the Olympic boxing tournament Thursday when he was defeated 20-11 by Lorenzo Aragon of Cuba in their welterweight bout at 152 pounds.

3 US boxers punched out of Games


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Before-the Bell; Rouse Co. Shares Jump


Tertiary index comes in at almost double expectations, drives up yen and helps Nikkei overcome oil. LONDON (Reuters) - The yen hit a four-week high against the dollar Friday as stronger-than-expected Japanese service sector data raised optimism about the ...

Services make big gains in Japan


In the stock #39;s first day of trading, investors bought, sold and flipped shares at a furious pace, with the price ending just above \$100 - 18 percent higher than where it started. It was, in other words, everything the company #39;s founders, Sergy Brin and ...

Google shares bounce up 18 in trading debut


With the much-ballyhooed initial public offering of Google behind them and oil chugging to a new record high, investors took a step back today.

Stocks Lower as Oil Prices Steam Higher


They #39;re calling Ohio a  quot;battleground state, quot; one of the two or three places likely to decide November #39;s presidential election. On local TV, the Bush and Kerry ads air so frequently that it #39;s easy to forget it #39;s Bob Costas who actually runs the country.

Don #39;t expect Tiger to relinquish his top ranking without a fight


Understanding Google AdWords\\Unlike many search engines Google, to its credit, clearly denotes search listings that are paid placement. In fact, Google AdWords appear in a separate section down the left side of the screen.\\Google AdWords provide an inexpensive advertising venue for businesses to advertise products or services to a targeted ...

Understanding Google AdWords


Letters: The bulging postbag gives up its secrets

Service packs, senators and civil liberties


AP - One day after placing a waiver claim on troubled cornerback Derek Ross, the Saints did an about-face and released the former Ohio State standout after he missed a scheduled flight to New Orleans on Wednesday night.

Saints Revoke Waiver Claim on Derek Ross (AP)


Closing a factory is never popular, but it's the right thing to do.

Hooker Furniture Puts Investors First


The latest data from the US Department of Commerce further bolsters what we have all suspected: E-commerce sales are increasing. Not only might one suspect that consumer confidence has been bolstered since last year, there ...

Clicking on Profits


ATHENS, Greece - Winning on whitewater runs in the family for Frenchman Benoit Peschier, though an Olympic gold is something new. Peschier paddled his one-man kayak aggressively but penalty free in both his semifinal and final runs on the manmade Olympic ...

French Take Gold, Bronze in Single Kayak


Experts have trained unwanted dogs into supersniffers that can detect drugs or bombs. Now they're focusing on a new threat #151;prostate cancer.

Dogs in Training to Sniff Out Cancer


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug  Administration plans to update antidepressant labels to reflect  studies that suggest a link between the drugs and suicide in  youths, but remains cautious about the strength of such ties,   according to documents released on Friday.

Antidepressants to Reflect Suicide Risk


UAL's United Airlines will have a 30-day extention on the period in which it can file an exclusive bankruptcy reorganization plan.

UAL and Its Creditors Agree to 30-Day Extension


CORCHA CAMP, Sudan (Reuters) - A Sudanese rebel commander in a camp in Darfur tells his troops he is hoping for peace. But just a few hours march away, young men say they are convinced Sudan wants to drive them off the land.

Mood Mixed Among Darfur Rebels Ahead of Talks


AP - Amid soaring crude oil prices, gasoline costs have been dropping. But don't expect that to last, economists say.

Crude Price Spike May Send Gas Higher (AP)


NewsFactor - Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) has said it will buy Joyo.com Limited -- a British Virgin Islands company that operates the largest Internet retail Web site in China -- for US #36;75 million.

Amazon Snaps Up China's Largest Web Retailer (NewsFactor)


ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps, who has won five gold  medals in the Olympic pool, said Friday he was pulling out of  Saturday's 4x100 meter medley relay final to give team mate Ian  Crocker the chance to swim.

Swimming: Phelps Wins Gold, Pulls Out of Relay


Reuters - A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday\that Arch Coal Inc. (ACI.N) may proceed with its bid to buy the\assets of rival Triton Coal Co. LLC, denying an emergency\request by the Federal Trade Commission to block the deal, a\spokesman for the agency said.

Court Won't Halt Arch Coal's Triton Bid (Reuters)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices paused for breath  on Tuesday after a blistering two-session rally ran out of  steam, though analysts still saw room to the upside given the  large short-base in the market.

Treasury Prices Take a Breather Today


NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Rebel Shi'ite fighters appeared  still to be in control of the Imam Ali mosque in the Iraqi city  Najaf early on Saturday, but the whereabouts of their leader,  the fiery cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, were unknown.

Sadr Militiamen Still in Control of Iraq Shrine


LIVERPOOL, England (AP) -- Spanish pair Xabi Alonso from Real Sociedad and Luis Garcia from Barcelona signed five-year contracts with Liverpool on Friday.

Liverpool completes signings of Alonso, Garcia


First-quarter shipments of plasma televisions in the United States more than doubled from the previous year, according to research firm iSuppli. Prices fell by nearly \$1,000 over the same period.

Report: Consumers tuning in to plasma TVs


ATHENS -- He was behind at the start. He was behind at the turn. He was behind for 99.99 of the 100 meters. His head was behind Ian Crocker's head at the finish. And yet somehow last night, Michael Phelps won again -- for the fourth and final time in an individual race at these Olympics.

Seven seize


In a report, the research firm painted a bright future for the open source operating system, claiming that shipments of servers running Linux -- and revenues from those shipments -- will rise significantly over the next five years.

One in four servers to run Linux by 2008


AP - The Republicans will have one sure Hollywood star for their convention  #151; California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger  #151; along with performers to keep the country music fans happy. But they'll be hard-pressed to match the Democratic convention's appeal to young voters led by Ben Affleck.

Republican Convention Light on Stars (AP)


After days of speculation sparked by the white bandanna worn by Mr Berlusconi on holiday in Sardinia, Piero Rosati said the results of the operation would show in a couple of months.

Italian PM #39;s transplant confirmed


The affected batteries could overheat, posing a fire hazard. Apple received four reports of these batteries overheating. No injuries have been reported.

Apple Recalls Flaming 15-inch PowerBook G4 Battery


Samsung Electronics, the world #39;s second largest computer chip manufacturer, yesterday said that it would invest Won25,000bn (\$24bn) in its semiconductor business by 2010 to generate

Samsung plans to invest Won25,000bn in chips


The European Rosetta mission will sample a comet as it tries to harpoon and hook onto its surface. A specially designed oven will cook the comet in analogy to sniffing for recognizable elements.

Rosetta Mission Sniffing a Comet


Bradley Wiggins has given Britain their second Olympic cycling gold medal in two days, winning the men #39;s 4-km individual pursuit.

More gold for Britain as Wiggins strikes


Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian as he approached a security fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israeli military sources said on Saturday.

Soldiers Kill Palestinian Near Gaza-Israel Fence


NAJAF, Iraq - Militants loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr kept their hold on a revered shrine, and clashes flared in Najaf on Saturday, raising fears that a resolution to the crisis in the holy city could collapse amid bickering between Shiite leaders.    The clashes between U.S...

Militia, Shiite Leaders Bicker Over Shrine


Tang Gonghong lifted a world record to claim in Athens the 100th Olympic gold for China since its participation in 1984 Olympic Games on Saturday when

Strongwoman hoists 100th gold for Chinese delegation


AP - As the month-end deadline nears for Sudan to disarm the mostly Arab pro-government militias in Darfur, the United Nations and Western powers are in a dilemma over how far to go to stop the killing in an African country.

West Mulls Boundries for African Fighting (AP)


Caracas, Venezuela - The results of an audit support the official vote count showing that President Hugo Chavez won this month #39;s recall referendum in Venezuela, the head of the Organization of American States said Saturday.

Chavez victory confirmed


NEW YORK (Reuters) - If there were any doubts that we're  still living in the era of the stay-at-home economy, the rows  of empty seats at the Athens Olympics should help erase them.

Wall St.'s Nest Egg - the Housing Sector


AFP - Lithuania defeated the United States 94-90 in an Olympic men's basketball preliminary round game, only the fourth loss in 115 Olympic starts for the defending champions.

Lithuanians deliver NBA stars another Olympic basketball dunking (AFP)


AP - The Chicago Bears agreed Saturday to trade receiver Marty Booker to the Miami Dolphins for unsigned Adewale Ogunleye  #151; if the Bears can reach a contract agreement with the Pro Bowl defensive end, a source close to the negotiations said.

Source: Dolphins, Bears on Verge of Deal (AP)


OVIE producers are often criticized for running at the sight of original ideas, preferring instead to milk plays, books, news events, toys and even video games for their screenplays.

Video Game Makers Go Hollywood. Uh-Oh.


LONDON (AFP) - Brian Lara said he will take stock before deciding on his future as West Indies captain following his side #39;s 10-wicket defeat to England in the fourth and final Test.

Cricket-Lara mulls over future after England whitewash


PAKISTANI troops backed by artillery and aircraft attacked two suspected terrorist hideouts near the rugged Afghan border yesterday, killing and wounding a number of militants, Pakistan army and security officials said.

Pakistani troops raid two terrorist hideouts


Bruce Fleisher carded a seven-under-par 65 to take a three-shot lead after the second round of the Greater Hickory Classic in North Carolina.

Fleisher Surges Clear


HERE in Old Europe, people install shutters outside their windows to keep out the heat, the pollution, the daylight, the noise. They also lock the shutters tight when they go away on holiday.

Glory Comes Amid Empty Seats and Closed Shutters


Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc. said on Thursday that it will buy Joyo.com Ltd., which runs some of China #39;s biggest retail Web sites, for about \$75 million to gain entry into China #39;s fast-growing market.

Amazon to Buy Chinese Retailer Joyo.com


Software developer Salesforce.com Inc. posted a sharp rise in second-quarter profit on better-than-expected revenue during its first quarter as a public company, but investors shunned the stock in late trading

Salesforce.com 2Q Profit Up Sharply


Trainer Allen Jerkens hemmed and hawed this past week over running Society Selection in Saturday #39;s Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga.

Jerkens makes right call with Society Selection


Reuters - Belarus' Yuliya Nesterenko won the top\women's athletics gold medal at the Olympics on Saturday,\triumphing over a field stripped of many big names because of\doping woes to win the 100 meters.

Unknown Nesterenko Makes World Headlines (Reuters)


When oil prices rise, public interest in alternative energy often does, too. But the logic is evidently escaping Wall Street.

Ready to Bet on Alternative Energy? Well, Think Again


Barry Zito scattered four hits over eight shutout innings, leading the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics past the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5-0 on Saturday night.

Athletics 5, Devil Rays 0


Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian movement, hopes that its former West Bank leader Marwan Barghouti would take back his candidacy for the Jan. 9 presidential election.

Fatah hopes Barghouti would take back candidacy


A series of grenade blasts has rocked an opposition party rally in the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, killing at least 13 people. There were seven or eight explosions at the Awami League headquarters, as leader Sheikh Hasina addressed a crowd.

Blasts hit Bangladesh party rally


Belarus #39; Yuliya Nesterenko became the fastest woman to qualify for the women #39;s 100 meters second round at the Olympic Games here on Friday.

Belarus #39; Nesterenko fastest in women #39;s 100m first round


The bombing of a UN election office in Afghanistan that injured six policemen drew calls from a UN union Friday for a withdrawal of staffers from the embattled nation.

Around the world


Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis will find out on Sunday if he is to be stripped of his medal.

Greek weightlifter awaits verdict


And on the eighth day, Michael Phelps actually got to rest. After swimming some 18 races in Olympic competition, Phelps was a mere spectator last night, watching his teammates cap a terrific week for the US swim team.

Work done, Phelps basks in gold glor


China will spend about \$3.4 billion over two to three years laying thousands of miles of oil pipelines to help secure its energy supply in the face of soaring prices and demand.

China confronts lack of pipelines


Jason Lane took an unusual post-game batting practice with hitting coach Gary Gaetti after a disappointing performance Friday night.

Lane drives in winning run in ninth


The International Gymnastics Federation suspended three judges yesterday for a mistake they made in scoring the men #39;s all-around final, but said results would not be changed and Paul Hamm of the United States would keep his gold medal.

Games hammered with controversy


But as far as swim greats Rowdy Gaines and John Naber are concerned, what Phelps did in Athens exceeded what Spitz did in Munich in 1972.

Admirers look to 2008


AFP - A Jewish social centre in central Paris was destroyed by fire overnight in an anti-Semitic arson attack, city authorities said.

Arson attack on Jewish centre in Paris (AFP)


CONSUMER goods maker Colgate-Palmolive said today it would cut about 12 per cent of its 37,000-person work force and close a third of its factories worldwide as part of a four-year restructuring.

Colgate to cut workforce


Give the guy some credit. Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong #39;s embattled Chief Executive, gets precious little of it from his people these daysand heaps of

A Founding Father?


KABUL (Reuters) - A man and two women were shot dead by  Afghan and U.S.-led troops after their vehicle ran through a  checkpoint on Saturday, a U.S. military statement said.

Three People Killed at Afghan Checkpoint


Like Led Zeppelin #39;s  #39; #39;Stairway to Heaven #39; #39; and Lynyrd Skynyrd #39;s  #39; #39;Freebird, #39; #39; classic video games like Frogger and Pong can bring back an entire era.

PRESS START FOR NOSTALGIA


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

Emmons loses gold medal after aiming at wrong target


The price of oil looks set to grab headlines as analysts forecast that its record-breaking run may well continue.

Oil prices look set to dominate


AP - Russian President Vladimir Putin made an unannounced visit to Chechnya on Sunday, laying flowers at the grave of the war-ravaged region's assassinated president a week before elections for a new leader.

Putin Visits Chechnya Ahead of Election (AP)


ATHENS, Greece - Right now, the Americans aren't just a Dream Team - they're more like the Perfect Team. Lisa Fernandez pitched a three-hitter Sunday and Crystl Bustos drove in two runs as the Americans rolled to their eighth shutout in eight days, 5-0 over Australia, putting them into the gold medal game...

U.S. Softball Team Wins, Closes in on Gold


Legendary Real Madrid defender Goyo Benito believes the arrival of Jonathan Woodgate at the Santiago Bernabeu will help bring an avalanche of titles to Real Madrid.

More Newcastle United Stories


AFP - A version of Edvard Munch's masterpiece

Munch masterpiece 'The Scream' stolen from Oslo museum (AFP)


ATHENS, Greece - The preliminaries in the 100 meters were perhaps just a sample of what's to come Sunday, when a talented group of qualifiers - including Americans Shawn Crawford, Justin Gatlin and defending champion Maurice Greene - will try to turn their competition into the fastest show at the Athens Games.    Five men broke 10 seconds in qualifying Saturday, led by Crawford's time of 9.89...

Men Set for Sizzling Duel in 100 Meters


New Zealand #39;s Sarah Ulmer stormed to gold in the women #39;s individual pursuit in a new world record time. Ulmer, fourth in Sydney four years ago, beat Australia #39;s Katie Mactier in a time of three minutes 24.

Ulmer storms to gold


Champions Ajax Amsterdam came from behind to thrash NAC Breda 6-2 on Sunday while Feyenoord hit four past Willem II Tilburg to regain the early lead in the Dutch first division.

Goal-happy Ajax and Feyenoord maintain perfect starts


Rising sea levels, disappearing glaciers in the Alps and more deadly heat waves are coming for Europeans because of global warming, Europes environmental agency warned Wednesday.

Agency reports climate change major problem


New Zealand #39;s star cyclist, Sarah Ulmer, last week rode under world record time twice in an hour during a secret training session in France.

Cycling: Ulmer #39;s scorching times in secret rides


Arsenal rallied for three second-half goals in 11 minutes on Sunday to beat Middlesbrough 5-3, matching a 25-year-old record of 42 league games without a loss in the top-flight of English soccer.

Arsenal matches record of 42 league games without a loss on Sunday


AP - High oil prices, which have been a factor in virtually all U.S. recessions over the past three decades, are surging again this year. And the higher crude oil prices climb, the more risk energy costs pose to what, until recently, many expected to be a banner year for the U.S. economy.

Will High Oil Prices Lead to Recession? (AP)


Labor members have scheduled two  #39;rebel #39; anti-Peres conferences for Sunday, one to be headed by MK Matan Vilnai and the second by MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer.

Labor: Anti-Peres meetings scheduled for Sunday


AP - Terin Humphrey and Annia Hatch got silver. Courtney Kupets got bronze. And Paul Hamm got mad. The United States upped its gymnastics medal haul to seven Sunday night, the most since the Americans won 16 at the boycotted Los Angeles Games in 1984. And they might not be finished yet.

U.S. Gymnasts Win 3 Medals; Hamm Angry (AP)


BULLETIN
BC-OLY--Women's Marathon RUN,0058
BULLETIN
    ATHENS, Greece (AP)  --  Mizuki Noguchi of Japan won the marathon Sunday in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 20 seconds.

Noguchi Wins Marathon


Summary - (Aug 22, 2004) NASA #39;s Spirit rover has dug up plenty of evidence on slopes of  quot;Columbia Hills quot; that water once covered the area.

More Evidence for Past Water on Mars


ATHENS (Reuters) - American Justin Gatlin roared from  virtual unknown to win the blue ribband Olympic men's 100  meters race on Sunday, upstaging more illustrious rivals in a  pulsating final.

Gatlin Sprints from Unknown to Olympic Gold


Japanese stocks have failed to measure up to an assessment made in April by Merrill Lynch #39;s chief global strategist, David Bowers, who said Japan was  quot;very much everyone #39;s favorite equity market.

Indexes in Japan fall short of hype


Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer, Moises Alou also homered and the Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros 11-6 on Sunday in the testy conclusion of a three-game series between the NL Central rivals.

GAME DAY RECAP Sunday, August 22


HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Kerry Wood got plenty of run support but didn #39;t stick around long enough to take advantage of it. Wood was ejected in the fifth inning for hitting Jeff Kent as the Cubs posted an 11-6 victory over the Astros.

SI.com


ATHENS (Reuters) - An exhausted Nicolas Massu reeled in  Mardy Fish in five tortuous sets on Sunday to win Chile their  second gold medal at an Olympic Games less than 24 hours after  helping them to their first.

Exhausted Massu Outlasts Fish for Gold


A man and two women were shot dead by Afghan and US-led troops after their vehicle ran through a checkpoint on Saturday, a US military statement said.

Three people killed at Afghan checkpoint


Afghan President Hamid Karzai is to visit Pakistan to discuss fighting terror and boosting trade.

Karzai set for visit to Pakistan


The plan would give the proposed national director responsibility for intelligence-gathering of the C.I.A. and the Pentagon.

Senate Republican Unveils Plan for Intelligence


American Lindsay Davenport captured her fourth consecutive title, beating second seed Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the \$US170,000 WTA Cincinnati Open on Sunday.

Davenport wins in Cincinnati


Coalition forces in Afghanistan say that three people were killed and two others critically wounded when their pickup truck tried to run a checkpoint in the province of Ghazni.

Afghan-Coalition Soldiers Kill 3, Wound 2 at Checkpoint


NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S. AC-130 gunship attacked  Shi'ite militia positions in the holy Iraqi city of Najaf early  on Monday after tanks reinforced the siege of a shrine at the  center of a nearly three-week insurgency.

U.S. Plane Attacks Najaf Rebels as Tanks Near Shrine


Four US soldiers charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners  are set to face pre-trial hearings in Germany.

Soldiers face Abu Ghraib hearings


Yesterday #39;s Olympics treated us to the two extremes of athletics, the endurance race which tests the body to its limits, and the heavyweight showdown, the sprint, which is in the mind.

Colin Jackson: Hard lessons learnt in the human laboratory


Stewart Cink, who needed only to play around par to convert a five-stroke lead after 54 holes into a win, did just that in the NEC Invitational at Firestone yesterday.

Cink surfaces as Donald sinks


NEW YORK At first glance, it might seem like the simple extension of a standard tool in the fight against the bad guys. But in fact, wiretapping Internet phones to monitor criminals and terrorists is costly

Wiretapping on the Net: Who pays?


AP - Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz homered on consecutive pitches to start the eighth inning Sunday night and the streaking Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5 for their sixth straight win.

Red Sox Rally to Beat White Sox 6-5 (AP)


Aug. 23, 2004 (TheDeal.com) Problem-plagued Nortel Networks Corp. announced plans Thursday, Aug. 19, to eliminate an additional 3,500 jobs and fire seven more senior executives as the company labors to reinvent

Nortel Downsizes Again


It can only remain aloft for three minutes but weighs less than an empty soft drink can -- and it can take and transmit pictures in flight.

Prototype copter-cam: Here, there, everywhere


Three weeks away from the Ryder Cup, American Stewart Cink hopes he has silenced at least some of his critics - if indeed they exist.

Cink Justifies Sutton #39;s Faith


: A military plane crashed into a mountain in Central Venezuela, killing 25 people, including five children, the Air Force rescue team said in a statement.

Plane crashes into Venezuelan mountain killing 25


AFP - The African Union will bring Sudan's warring government and rebel armies into talks with regional power-brokers aimed at heading off a mounting humanitarian crisis in the province of Darfur.

Africa brings Sudanese parties to the table as UN sanctions loom (AFP)


A vote is due to be held in Taiwan on plans to halve the number of seats in the island's famously heated legislature.

Taiwan votes on leaner parliament


TOKYO - Japan #39;s benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly recovered to the 11,000 level Monday morning on widespread buying prompted by advances in US shares last Friday.

Nikkei briefly regains 11,000 level


Hong Kong Financial Secretary Henry Tang said he believed Hong Kong has walked out of the consumer price deflation cycle that lingered for 68 months, according to the consumer price index trend in the past few years.

HK walks out of 68-month deflation cycle, official


In terms of dollar value, of all the products in the world, nothing is traded more than oil. Crude oil traded above 47 dollars a barrel for the first time this week.

Oil prices


Venezuela #39;s President Hugo Chavez has announced that he will no longer recognize the Democratic Coordination or CD as the opposition coalition.

Chavez rejects CD as opposition


FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Dario Franchitti shook off a potentially dangerous pit mishap to win the IRL #39;s Honda 225 Sunday at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

ROUNDUP: Franchitti overcomes pit mishap for IRL win


AP - The productivity of America's workers grew at a 1.8 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the slowest pace in nearly two years, the government reported Tuesday.

Productivity Growth Slowest in 2 Years (AP)


Favored Pleasantly Perfect took charge down the stretch to win by a length in the 14th running of the \$1 million Pacific Classic yesterday at Del Mar. Pleasantly

Roundup: Pleasantly Perfect takes Pacific Classic


US NAVAL BASE GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba -- Four suspected Al Qaeda fighters will be formally charged with war crimes this week as the US military opens the first legal hearings for foreign prisoners captured during the war in Afghanistan and held at a remote US Navy base in Cuba.

War crimes hearings to begin for 4 at Guantanamo


More than 1,000 Maoists launched a violent assault on a district headquarters in Nepal #39;s northwestern mountains, officials said Sunday, as angry traders rallied on the streets of Kathmandu to protest a crippling rebel blockade of the capital, now also hit

Maoists attack Nepal district HQ


SYDNEY : Foreign Minister Alexander Downer dismissed newspaper claims the Australian government was repeatedly warned its support for the Iraq war would impede the fight against terrorism.

Downer dismisses  #39;sexed up #39; Iraq warning claims