Nintendo cuts price on Game Boy Advance Nintendo Co. has permanently slashed prices on its Game Boy Advance SP portable video game system as the company tries to entrench its No.


AT T, Vonage Cut Prices on Internet Calling (Reuters) Reuters - AT T Corp.  and Internet telephone\provider Vonage said on Thursday they were cutting prices for\their residential Internet calling services by  #36;5 per month,\the strongest signs yet of a price war in the nascent market.

Various Factors Blamed for Childhood Obesity By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A wide-ranging effort involving parents, schools, communities and government is needed to turn the tide of childhood obesity, the Institute of Medicine said Thursday...


Boller Silences Critics Much maligned quarterback Kyle Boller should have a pleasent week after playing one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 20-17 overtime win over the Jets.


Piece of shrapnel still lodged in girl #39;s brain A PIECE of shrapnel remains lodged in the brain of the five-year-old girl badly hurt in Thursday #39;s Jakarta bombing, and her doctors said she was almost certain to be paralysed.

Government Warns Americans of Iraq Travel (AP) AP - The State Department reminded Americans Friday of the dangers of traveling in Iraq, a day after two American construction workers were kidnapped from their home in Baghdad.


Paypal and Apple iTunes link-up Payment system Paypal announces a tie-up with Apple's iTunes as it continues to secure new business with online retailers.


ENGLAND STARS SET FOR REAL STRUGGLE DAVID BECKHAM and Michael Owen could miss Real Madrid #39;s Champions League clash with Roma tonight as their Bernabeu nightmare goes from bad to worse.

Bettman engages fans in online chat (CP) - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spent part of his afternoon Wednesday answering questions from fans about the league #39;s lockout rather than preparing for opening night.


Dollar Retreats Vs Yen The dollar pared earlier gains versus the yen on Monday as traders took profits following the US currency #39;s advance last week on positive jobs news that raised prospects for an interest rate rise later this month.


Patriots, Eagles Do the Expected _ Win (AP) AP - There might still be a spotless season on the NFL horizon this year.

DECOURCY: Rededicated Huggins back at Cincy CINCINNATI - His workday began Friday at 12:01 am ET. Bob Huggins made a couple of recruiting calls, one to a point guard who interests the Cincinnati Bearcats, another to a power forward.


British Mercenary May Head to African Jail (AP) AP - From special forces commander to soldier of fortune, Simon Mann's colorful career reads like a thriller. Born to a world of wealth and privilege, the British mercenary made a fortune in some of Africa's bloodiest wars  #151; and even enjoyed a stint in the movies.


Update: Intel Q3 revenue slightly higher than new expectations Third-quarter revenue was \$8.47 billion, up 8 percent from last year's third-quarter revenue of \$7.83 billion. Intel shipped a record number of processors in the quarter, but it had forecast even higher growth coming off of its second-quarter earnings conference call.

Qualcomm chips in Siemens 3G phones New deal between the two companies is another sign of the wireless industry's focus on the W-CDMA standard.


Fannie Mae Financial Reports Questioned Home mortgage lender Fannie Mae on Wednesday said the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight uncovered accounting inaccuracies that raise doubts about the company #39;s previous financial reports.


French ex-minister in art trial The trial begins of former French foreign minister Roland Dumas, accused of corruption over art sales.

9 killed in clashes between Pakistani forces, militants At least nine were killed Tuesday in the clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in the South Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, Daily Times reported Wednesday.


Kmart Names Lewis As President, CEO Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. said Monday that it named Aylwin Lewis as president and chief executive and a director, effective immediately.


Kidnappers Say They Have Killed Italian Hostage --TV (Reuters) Reuters - Militants in Iraq said they have killed\Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who went missing after being\ambushed on the road between Baghdad and Najaf, Al Jazeera\reported Thursday.

Germany, France back permanent seat for Japan on Security Council NEW YORK - Both Germany and France in their speeches before the 59th General Assembly session on Thursday supported Japan #39;s ongoing effort to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.


South African wins Madrid Open by two shots to assure European <b>...</b> Richard Sterne of South Africa shot a 5-under-par 65 and rallied to win the one-million-euro (\$1.5-million Cdn) Madrid Open by two shots Sunday, ensuring the 23-year-old of another year on the European tour.


#39;Helpful #39; politicians unneeded by markets The stock market marches to its own drumbeat, although politicians of both major parties spend a lot of time and money telling voters otherwise.

AirAsia ordering 40 Airbus planes Airbus won an order to sell 40 planes to AirAsia, Southeast Asia #39;s largest discount airline, beating out Boeing. The Kuala Lumpur-based airline said in a statement to the Malaysian stock


Wolfensohn May Step Down From World Bank (AP) AP - James Wolfensohn said Sunday he anticipates bowing out in 2005 as World Bank president and not serving a third five-year term, but would do whatever shareholders ask of him.


Kuwaiti Paper: Laden Lives in a Safe Place in NE of Kabul It is claimed that Al-Qaeda terrorist network leader Osama Bin Laden lives in a northeastern part of the Afghani capital Kabul in a safe place under the protection of a tribe.

South Africa Arrests One in WMDs, Nuclear Probe  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - South African  authorities have arrested one person in an investigation into  contraventions of laws on weapons of mass destruction and  nuclear energy, the government said Thursday.


Intelligent Telescopes Survey the Violent Skies PPARC -- British astronomers are celebrating a world first that could revolutionise the future of astronomy. They have just begun a project to operate a global network of the world's biggest robotic telescopes, dubbed 'RoboNet-1.0' which will be controlled by intelligent software to provide rapid observations of sudden changes in astronomical objects, such as violent Gamma Ray Bursts, or 24-hour surveillance of interesting phenomena...


Microsoft Sees \$100 Million First Day for 'Halo 2' Game  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - First-day sales of Microsoft  Corp.'s MSFT.O new video game "Halo 2" will reach \$100  million, a senior Microsoft games executive said on Tuesday.

CA expects loss on restructuring, settlement charges Computer Associates said Wednesday that it met its sales forecast in the quarter ended Sept. 30 but will post a loss for the quarter as it absorbs restructuring charges and the \$225 million it agreed to pay shareholders in compensation for its accounting violations.


No big deal One day after the Yankees #39; worst loss in team history, the Boss finally broke his silence. George Steinbrenner issued a brief statement Wednesday, in which he shrugged off Tuesday #39;s embarrassing 22-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.


ISS: Critical Netscape flaw could be widespread Security company Internet Security Systems is warning of a critical security hole in a commonly used technology from the Mozilla Foundation called the Netscape Network Security Services library that could leave Web servers vulnerable to remote attack.

Stem Cell Molecules Repair Genetic Damage Researchers report that embryonic stem cells sent molecular signals that repaired fatal genetic damage to heart cells in laboratory mice.


UPDATE 2-Adriano crushes Messina, Milan in Parma comeback Late goals from Brazilian Kaka and midfielder Andrea Pirlo gave AC Milan a 2-1 win at lowly Parma in Serie A on Saturday. Brazilian Adriano hit a devastating first half


Indonesia's Yudhoyono rejects foreign help to solve Aceh conflict (AFP) AFP - A state of civil emergency in the rebellion-hit Indonesian province of Aceh has been formally extended by six month, as the country's president pledged to end violence there without foreign help.

Powell Criticizes Some European Allies on Iraq In a fresh sign of lingering tensions over the Iraq war, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Thursday rapped European allies who declined to assist a NATO-led Iraq training


United says it will ask workers for more cost cuts CHICAGO _ Calling its financial condition  quot;sobering, quot; United Airlines said Friday that it will seek substantially more cost cuts than previously announced to help the carrier emerge from bankruptcy.


Nvidia Cross-Licensing Deal Positive For Intel Standard and Poor #39;s Equity Research reiterated a  quot;hold quot; rating and \$27 target price on Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ). The research firm said the chipmaker #39;s deal with Nvidia (nasdaq: NVDA - news - people

ATA parent hires restructuring officer ATA #39;s parent corporation has appointed a chief restructuring officer amid heightened speculation that the nation #39;s 10th-largest airline might be nearing bankruptcy.


Update: Intel Q3 revenue slightly higher than new expectations Third-quarter revenue was \$8.47 billion, up 8 percent from last year's third-quarter revenue of \$7.83 billion. Intel shipped a record number of processors in the quarter, but it had forecast even higher growth coming off of its second-quarter earnings conference call.


Various Factors Blamed for Childhood Obesity By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A wide-ranging effort involving parents, schools, communities and government is needed to turn the tide of childhood obesity, the Institute of Medicine said Thursday...

Briefly: Web services security outfits merge roundup Plus: Groups push on for TV on cell phones...Shopping.com holders cut IPO shares...Transmeta starts new chip, warns on earnings.


Bollore to Raise Havas Stake; Won #39;t Seek Short-Term Control French financier Vincent Bollore said he plans to lift his stake in Havas SA, the world #39;s sixth- largest advertising company, from the current 10.


Four held under terror laws Police say they are holding four men under anti-terrorism legislation after a tip-off from a newspaper, which said the suspects tried to buy explosives for a dirty bomb.

Sharon steps up efforts to form national unity govt JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stepped up efforts on Friday to overcome resistance in the ranks of his right-wing Likud party to an enlarged government coalition with the centre-left Labour, ahead of a decisive party meeting.


Microsoft desktop-search announcement due Microsoft #39;s MSN division is expected to announce a test version of its long-awaited desktop-search software this morning in a conference call with reporters.


Move Over, Edison (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - MaryLou O'Malley wants to get something off her chest--or collarbone, more precisely. The 72-year-old is tired of having to adjust her necklace when it slips around her neck. Wouldn't it be wonderful, she says, if there were an adhesive to keep her jewelry stuck to her skin?

G20 Divided Over Dollar Slide, U.S. Mum  BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe and Japan voiced strong concern  on Saturday over the slumping dollar but the world's 20 biggest  economies, nearing the end of a two-day summit, looked divided  over what if anything to do about it.


Streets of New York on deck for Kastor Even in the immediate afterglow of her bronze medal in the Olympic marathon in August, Deena (Drossin) Kastor was thinking of Sunday #39;s New York City Marathon.


Family believes 'fear her murder'  The family of the aid worker, Margaret Hassan, who was kidnapped in Iraq four weeks ago, say they fear she may be dead.

Blast kills 10 in southwestern Pakistan At least 10 people were killed and 21 others wounded in a powerful bomb blast Friday in Quetta, capital of Pakistan #39;s southwestern Baluchistan province, state-run Pakistan TV reported.


The Giants' Warner, a Backup, Speaks Up The person insisting loudest that the Giants' offense has bigger problems than Eli Manning is Kurt Warner, the quarterback who was benched in favor of Manning.


Brazil's Trade Surplus Is Biggest Ever Brazil racked up its biggest trade surplus in history last year, but the country's export boom of everything from soybeans to automobiles is expected to ease in 2005.

WHO urges poor nations to offer women deworming pills  PRETORIA -- The World Health Organization urged poor countries yesterday to offer deworming pills to pregnant women after a recent study in Nepal showed a 41 percent drop in the deaths of infants of mothers who took the pills before giving birth.


Microsoft Trims Next Windows Server Release Microsoft Corp. wants to deliver its Windows Server 2003 update, known as  quot;R2, quot; in 2005. To make sure it will be able do so, the company is prioritizing its feature list and moving some R2 features into later releases.


G20 Divided Over Dollar Slide, U.S. Mum  BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe and Japan voiced strong concern  on Saturday over the slumping dollar but the world's 20 biggest  economies, nearing the end of a two-day summit, looked divided  over what if anything to do about it.

Australia #39;s Alinta: ACCC Won #39;t Oppose Dampier Pipe Bid-2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian energy company Alinta Ltd. (ALN.AU) said Monday that Australia #39;s competition regulator won #39;t oppose its joint bid for the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline in Western Australia state.


College Basketball: Illinois Defeats Wake Forest  CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Sports Network) - Roger Powell Jr. scored  19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead fifth-ranked  Illinois to a lopsided 91-73 win over No. 1 Wake Forest in the  ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Assembly Hall.


Ferocious Ivan bears down on Jamaica Heavy rain and winds have begun to lash Jamaica as Hurricane Ivan roared closer, after ravaging Grenada and killing 27 people on a track that could make it the third big storm in a month to hit Florida.

Mugabe Higher Than Tsvangirai In Zimbabwe (CPOD) Aug. 26, 2004 - Adults in Zimbabwe are divided over the performance of Robert Mugabe, according to the Afrobarometer conducted by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Ghanas Centre for


Fed raises again Central bank boosts fed funds rate to 2.25 but after 5 hikes in this year what #39;s in store for  #39;05? NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The Federal Reserve raised a critical short-term interest rate by a quarter of a percentage


US urges Americans to avoid Grenada WASHINGTON -- The US government is urging its citizens to avoid travel to Grenada, Cuba, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica in light of Hurricane Ivan.

Thorpe leads big guns Ian Thorpe sets the fastest time in the 200m freestyle as swimming's top names cruise into the semi-finals.


AMD fleshes out flash plans The chipmaker plans to release the Ornand family of flash memory chips in 2005, which could lead to expansion into wider markets.


Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid Deadline Nears  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. ORCL.O on Friday  won the backing of another key public pension fund in its  \$8.8-billion hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O as the  17-month takeover battle between the two California-based  business software makers neared a key deadline.

'Soft patch' not so soft, as US economic growth is revised higher (AFP) AFP - The US economy's  quot;soft patch quot; was not as weak as initial estimates, according to government data showing a 3.3 percent pace of expansion in the second quarter.


South Africa Arrests One in WMDs, Nuclear Probe  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - South African  authorities have arrested one person in an investigation into  contraventions of laws on weapons of mass destruction and  nuclear energy, the government said Thursday.


Universal Life cooperating in insurance probe Insurance broker Universal Life Resources (ULR) has agreed to cooperate with California authorities in their investigation of alleged insurance industry misdeeds, an attorney for the state said on Thursday.

Interbrew Wins Shareholder OK for AmBev Belgium #39;s Interbrew won approval from shareholders on Friday to buy Brazil #39;s AmBev in a deal valued at about 8 billion euros (\$9.


No big deal One day after the Yankees #39; worst loss in team history, the Boss finally broke his silence. George Steinbrenner issued a brief statement Wednesday, in which he shrugged off Tuesday #39;s embarrassing 22-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.


DECOURCY: Rededicated Huggins back at Cincy CINCINNATI - His workday began Friday at 12:01 am ET. Bob Huggins made a couple of recruiting calls, one to a point guard who interests the Cincinnati Bearcats, another to a power forward.

Johansson beats Agassi in final STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Ticker) - With the support of the home crowd, Sweden #39;s Thomas Johansson finally beat Andre Agassi. Johansson rallied from a set down and defeated the top-seeded Agassi, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4


Various Factors Blamed for Childhood Obesity By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A wide-ranging effort involving parents, schools, communities and government is needed to turn the tide of childhood obesity, the Institute of Medicine said Thursday...


Fla. IT shops suffer minimal disruptions from Frances Data centers in Florida weathered the brunt of Hurricane Frances, suffering only minor disruptions from the Labor Day weekend storm.

NSF Announces Two Cybersecurity Centers To Study Internet <b>...</b> The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 33 new projects from its \$30 million Cyber Trust program, including two new cybersecurity research centers that will focus on eliminating plagues of Internet worms and viruses and on building better


Bollore to Raise Havas Stake; Won #39;t Seek Short-Term Control French financier Vincent Bollore said he plans to lift his stake in Havas SA, the world #39;s sixth- largest advertising company, from the current 10.


Turnpike managers collecting tolls during strike #39;s second day Turnpike officials had anticipated a walkout by about 2,000 toll collectors, maintenance workers and office employees, so they waived tolls all day Wednesday after the strike began at 4 am, costing the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission about \$2 million in

Judge Tells VeriSign U CAN #39;T When it comes to ICANN, let #39;s just say  quot;You Can #39;t. quot; Or rather, you can #39;t dispute its authority. In the latest phase of a long-simmering dispute between VeriSign (Nasdaq: VRSN


Mexico Has Repeat Champion Unam Pumas became the first team to win back-to-back titles in Mexico when they defeated Monterrey on Saturday in the second leg of the title series.


Kmart Names Lewis As President, CEO Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. said Monday that it named Aylwin Lewis as president and chief executive and a director, effective immediately.

Universal Life cooperating in insurance probe Insurance broker Universal Life Resources (ULR) has agreed to cooperate with California authorities in their investigation of alleged insurance industry misdeeds, an attorney for the state said on Thursday.


Venture Capital's Summer Vacation A drop in investments in the third quarter is a sign that investors are still proceeding with caution, but some VC leaders are spinning it as a summer break. -washingtonpost.com


Shaun Alexander drags LB Julian Peterson SEATTLE - It was a year and 12 days since the Seahawks last held an opponent scoreless in a game. The last time the 49ers were held scoreless in a game was in 1977: Jimmy Carter was in office and David Krieg

NL Wrap: Bonds Homers Again as Giants Rout Expos  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Barry Bonds hit his third home  run in two days to help the San Francisco Giants earn a split  of their doubleheader with a 14-4 win over the Montreal Expos  on Wednesday.


Mugabe Higher Than Tsvangirai In Zimbabwe (CPOD) Aug. 26, 2004 - Adults in Zimbabwe are divided over the performance of Robert Mugabe, according to the Afrobarometer conducted by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Ghanas Centre for


Els takes lead at WGC American Express Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, the South African breezed through a wacky day of weather at the WGC American Express Championship by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead

South African wins Madrid Open by two shots to assure European <b>...</b> Richard Sterne of South Africa shot a 5-under-par 65 and rallied to win the one-million-euro (\$1.5-million Cdn) Madrid Open by two shots Sunday, ensuring the 23-year-old of another year on the European tour.


HP to Buy Synstar Hewlett-Packard will pay \$297 million for the British company. Also: TiVo goes all out to attract customers   hellip;. Sprint offers service guarantees for business wireless subscribers   hellip;. and more.


Update 1: Ex-Disney Director Testifies About Eisner A former Walt Disney Co. director testified Monday that Disney chief executive Michael Eisner told her in a December 1996 telephone conversation that then-Disney President Michael Ovitz was being fired and was eligible for a large severance package.

Nortel Restatements Delayed to November  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. NT.TO, one of  the world's largest makers of telecoms equipment, said on  Wednesday it would miss by about two weeks its end of October  deadline to release long-awaited restated financial results.


E-Voting Machine Crash Deepens Concerns (AP) AP - A computer crash that forced a pre-election test of electronic voting machines to be postponed was trumpeted by critics as proof of the balloting technology's unreliability.


Sharon steps up efforts to form national unity govt JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stepped up efforts on Friday to overcome resistance in the ranks of his right-wing Likud party to an enlarged government coalition with the centre-left Labour, ahead of a decisive party meeting.

Kidnappers Say They Have Killed Italian Hostage --TV (Reuters) Reuters - Militants in Iraq said they have killed\Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who went missing after being\ambushed on the road between Baghdad and Najaf, Al Jazeera\reported Thursday.


IBM Unwraps Middle Tier i5 Server IBM on Tuesday unveiled the eServer i5 550, a new addition to its Power 5-based lineup that it #39;s aiming at mid-sized business.


Levi shoots 64 to lead Champions Tour event HUNT VALLEY, Md. - Wayne Levi tied a tournament record with an 8-under 64 and held a one-shot lead over Rodger Davis after the first round of the Constellation Energy Classic on Friday.

Armstrong indicates he will skip 2005 Tour In his strongest comments yet, Lance Armstrong said he was unsure if he would ride in next year #39;s Tour de France because he wants to compete in other cycling races.


Former Haitian Soldiers Vow to Provide Security in Port-Au-Prince Former Haitian soldiers who fought to oust former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide say they intend to provide security to help stop street violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince.


Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Lawmakers Invited to China Reception A leading Hong Kong anti-establishment activist who won a seat in the Chinese territory #39;s legislature has been invited to a reception celebration China #39;s National Day.

Pakistan win toss and bat against West Indies (AFP) AFP - Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq won the toss and elected to bat in their ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against West Indies at the Rose Bowl here.


Bernard Hopkins Leaves Calling Card  Stops De La Hoya in Ninth Just four months shy of his 40th birthday, Hopkinswho appeared to be starting to wear De La Hoya down as the fight neared the championship roundsclosed the show with a lethal body shot in the 9th.


Schwarz out of the race nother stage victory for race leader Petter Solberg, his fifth since the start of the rally. The Subaru driver is not pulling away at a fast pace from Gronholm and Loeb but the gap is nonetheless increasing steadily.

Chance for McCants Redskins wide receiver Darnerien McCants is happy to be back on the active roster and contributing again.


Bhopal victims still awaiting justice Twenty years later, Union Carbide is still shortchanging the victims of the world #39;s worst industrial disaster. On Dec. 3, 1984, a toxic gas leak from Union Carbide #39;s pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, killed at least 7,000 people.


FCC approves Cingular/AWS merger WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission today conditionally approved the \$41 billion merger of Cingular Wireless LLC and AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.

Bollore to Raise Havas Stake; Won #39;t Seek Short-Term Control French financier Vincent Bollore said he plans to lift his stake in Havas SA, the world #39;s sixth- largest advertising company, from the current 10.


US Electoral College withstands critics ... so far (AFP) AFP - Lambasted as antiquated and anti-democratic, the Electoral College that decides the US presidency has survived for centuries as an unmovable albeit creaky pillar of the American political system.


Sunday #39;s NFL Roundup The Pittsburgh Steelers are accomplishing feats never seen in the NFL, largely because of rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers combined their new quarterback with a touch of the old - Jerome

Athletics: She #39;s the Bahamas #39; darling ATHENS - Tonique Williams-Darling has claimed the Bahamas #39; first individual athletics gold by blasting to the women #39;s 400m title.


Brazil's Trade Surplus Is Biggest Ever Brazil racked up its biggest trade surplus in history last year, but the country's export boom of everything from soybeans to automobiles is expected to ease in 2005.


Greenspan: Economy Regaining Traction (Reuters) Reuters - The U.S. economy has escaped a\recent soft patch and seems to be picking up steam, Federal\Reserve chief Alan Greenspan said on Wednesday in remarks\economists saw as cementing a September rate rise.

Oracle's PeopleSoft Bid Deadline Nears  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. ORCL.O on Friday  won the backing of another key public pension fund in its  \$8.8-billion hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O as the  17-month takeover battle between the two California-based  business software makers neared a key deadline.


South Africa Arrests One in WMDs, Nuclear Probe  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - South African  authorities have arrested one person in an investigation into  contraventions of laws on weapons of mass destruction and  nuclear energy, the government said Thursday.


Greece tackles road safety after crash Greece announced stringent measures to improve safety on its roads yesterday as the country mourned seven schoolchildren killed in a traffic accident on their way to the Paralympics.

Lack of Courtesy From ADs Miffs Osborne (AP) AP - Tom Osborne has been out of college football for seven years, and now he can't even get a phone call returned.


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


Now boarding! NY, London, space? Virgin Atlantic honcho Richard Branson yesterday announced plans to boldly go where no airline company has gone before - outer space.

Fla. IT shops suffer minimal disruptions from Frances Data centers in Florida weathered the brunt of Hurricane Frances, suffering only minor disruptions from the Labor Day weekend storm.


NBA teams play first exhibition game in China SHANGHAI - Playing in his home town before an adoring crowd that chanted his name, Yao Ming had the jitters. He missed his first two shots and allowed Brad Miller to score against him repeatedly early in the first quarter.


Armstrong indicates he will skip 2005 Tour In his strongest comments yet, Lance Armstrong said he was unsure if he would ride in next year #39;s Tour de France because he wants to compete in other cycling races.

Birdstone Proves Worth Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone established himself as the nation's leader among 3-year-olds Saturday with a victory in the Travers Stakes.


Virus chaos thwarted by poor social engineering The latest variant of the Sober virus was released on Friday and has been spreading over the weekend, but antivirus experts say the situation could have been much worse.


AMD fleshes out flash plans The chipmaker plans to release the Ornand family of flash memory chips in 2005, which could lead to expansion into wider markets.

Congress Fails to Act on Copyright Bills Controversial bills proposed new penalties (including jail time) for copyright violations.


Australia #39;s Alinta: ACCC Won #39;t Oppose Dampier Pipe Bid-2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian energy company Alinta Ltd. (ALN.AU) said Monday that Australia #39;s competition regulator won #39;t oppose its joint bid for the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline in Western Australia state.


Oil Prices Drive Concerns for Airlines  LONDON (Reuters) - European airlines hoping for a 2005  industry recovery face new hurdles as record high oil prices  threaten to drive up costs and fuel surcharges for passengers,  officials said.

US Congress Sends Bush Corporate Tax Bill The US Senate easily gave final congressional approval on Monday to a huge corporate tax bill that aims to end a trade fight with the European Union by repealing US export


Now boarding! NY, London, space? Virgin Atlantic honcho Richard Branson yesterday announced plans to boldly go where no airline company has gone before - outer space.


Londoners urged to embrace 2012 bid To the outside world, Londoners are cold, brusque and unimpressed at the prospect of millions of people turning up on their doorstep to watch the 2012 Olympics.

Cashing in at Deutsche Bank Vijay Singh's gift bag was without question stuffed more than anyone else's when he left TPC Boston in Norton following Monday's final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.


Ukraine Liberal Vows Demonstrations if Cheated  KIEV (Reuters) - The liberal challenger in a closely fought  presidential election in Ukraine raised the stakes on Friday,  threatening to bring his supporters onto the streets if the  authorities tried to deny him victory by cheating.


AirAsia ordering 40 Airbus planes Airbus won an order to sell 40 planes to AirAsia, Southeast Asia #39;s largest discount airline, beating out Boeing. The Kuala Lumpur-based airline said in a statement to the Malaysian stock

Virgin Blue Increases Surcharge as Fuel Prices Soar (Update1) Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd., Australia #39;s second-biggest airline, increased a surcharge on all tickets as the cost of jet fuel soars.


Notables The previous NL game in an AL ballpark was in 1946, when the Boston Braves played several games at Fenway Park because a paint job on the seats at Braves Field had not dried, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.


Typhoon Kills 66 in Japan, Deadliest in 22 Years  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's deadliest typhoon in more than  two decades killed 66 people, news reports said on Thursday as  rescuers searched frantically for 22 still missing in floods  and landslides.

New push to stop child soldiers A report released Wednesday shows commitment by 85 countries to end the practice - but enforcement still lags. By Mike Crawley  Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor.


NASA sets Swift launch for Saturday Swift #39;s new launch date is Saturday, if NASA, Boeing and the Air Force can replace and test components of the rocket in time. The gamma-ray observatory #39;s


US Air Locked in Down-to-Wire Talks on Cuts With Its Pilots US Airways was locked in tough bargaining on wage and benefit cuts with its pilots union, whose backing is critical for the struggling airline to avoid another bankruptcy filing.

Universal Life cooperating in insurance probe Insurance broker Universal Life Resources (ULR) has agreed to cooperate with California authorities in their investigation of alleged insurance industry misdeeds, an attorney for the state said on Thursday.


McBride inspires US to victory Brian McBride and debutant Eddie Johnson gave the United States a 2-0 victory over El Salvador in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday.


EDS offers early retirement to 9,200 workers PLANO, Texas Electronic Data Systems today announced it will offer early retirement incentives to about 92-hundred workers. That #39;s just over 17 percent of the domestic work force of Plano-based EDS.

US Air Locked in Down-to-Wire Talks on Cuts With Its Pilots US Airways was locked in tough bargaining on wage and benefit cuts with its pilots union, whose backing is critical for the struggling airline to avoid another bankruptcy filing.


Olympics: Thorpe Wins 'Race of the Century'  ATHENS (Reuters) - Australia's Ian Thorpe won the gold  medal in the men's 200 meters freestyle, dubbed the "race of  the century," at the Athens Olympics on Monday.


Virus chaos thwarted by poor social engineering The latest variant of the Sober virus was released on Friday and has been spreading over the weekend, but antivirus experts say the situation could have been much worse.

CA expects loss on restructuring, settlement charges Computer Associates said Wednesday that it met its sales forecast in the quarter ended Sept. 30 but will post a loss for the quarter as it absorbs restructuring charges and the \$225 million it agreed to pay shareholders in compensation for its accounting violations.


Sharon steps up efforts to form national unity govt JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stepped up efforts on Friday to overcome resistance in the ranks of his right-wing Likud party to an enlarged government coalition with the centre-left Labour, ahead of a decisive party meeting.


Ortiz Saves Red Sox David Ortiz hammers a two-run, 12th inning home run to give the Boston Red Sox new life and a 6-4 win over the Yankees early Monday morning. New York leads the series 3-1.

FA investigates violence at Bridge The Football Association began an investigation yesterday into the crowd trouble which marred Chelsea #39;s League Cup match against West Ham on Wednesday evening, the second such outbreak at a London match within 24 hours.


Netanyahu Presses for Referendum After Knesset Approves Gaza <b>...</b> Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won an  quot;historic quot; vote in the Knesset Tuesday evening for his disengagement plan, but the uprooting of Jewish communities in Gaza is still far from a done deal after Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu immediately led a


Kroger Is King Nation's leading supermarket operator posts 29 rise in third-quarter earnings, strong same-store sales.

Kmart Names Lewis As President, CEO Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. said Monday that it named Aylwin Lewis as president and chief executive and a director, effective immediately.


ISS: Critical Netscape flaw could be widespread Security company Internet Security Systems is warning of a critical security hole in a commonly used technology from the Mozilla Foundation called the Netscape Network Security Services library that could leave Web servers vulnerable to remote attack.


U.S. Launches Fierce Air Attack on Rebels in Najaf (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. planes unleashed a fierce\attack on rebel targets in Najaf early on Thursday, a Reuters\witness said.

Piece of shrapnel still lodged in girl #39;s brain A PIECE of shrapnel remains lodged in the brain of the five-year-old girl badly hurt in Thursday #39;s Jakarta bombing, and her doctors said she was almost certain to be paralysed.


7-Eleven deploys HP technology in 5,300 U.S. stores The five-year, \$55 million deal is designed to help the convenience retailer improve customer service while boosting efficiency and productivity.


AirTran to acquire ATA #39;s Chicago gates AirTran Airways plans to assume the Chicago Midway Airport gate leases and acquire other related assets including takeoff and landing slots at New York #39;s LaGuardia and Washington #39;s Ronald Reagan National airports from ATA Airlines for approximately \$87.

Foreign retailers #39; enclosure of land competition in China It is reported that another  quot;Champion Supermarket quot; of French retailer Carrefour will open soon in Guangming Village, Haidian District in Beijing.


Bettman engages fans in online chat (CP) - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spent part of his afternoon Wednesday answering questions from fans about the league #39;s lockout rather than preparing for opening night.


Aural Heaven: IPod and Analog In high-tech Japan, an antiques dealer pioneers a new way to listen to digital music -- by piping the tunes through tube radios. Nobuyuki Hayashi reports from Tokyo.

\$1 million bond set for alleged spammer #39;s freedom Alleged spammer Jeremy Jaynes must pay \$1 million in bail for sending as many as 15 million junk e-mails a day and bilking recipients of millions of dollars, a Virginia judge ordered this week.


Money From Salvadoran Immigrants Aids Farming Cooperative Back Home SAN PEDRO MASAHUAT, El Salvador -- Marta Sonia Ayala hunched over a metal table in a room that resembles a large restaurant kitchen, scooping heaps of a light brown powder into plastic bags. Later, she placed the bags of frijolito -- beans ground into flour -- in a heat-sealing machine, placed colored labels on them and shipped them to 22 stores throughout the country where they would sell for \$1.35 a pound.


Notables The previous NL game in an AL ballpark was in 1946, when the Boston Braves played several games at Fenway Park because a paint job on the seats at Braves Field had not dried, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Nowitzki Breaks Out Dirk Nowitzki sets a Mavericks franchise record with 53 points to lead host Dallas to a 113-106 overtime victory against Houston.


India-Pakistan spat ahead of Kashmir talks With India pulling out a large number of troops from Kashmir, the guns may have fallen silent but the verbal dual between India and Pakistan is nowhere near an end.


Camara to get nod up front Celtic striker Henri Camara is set to play alongside John Hartson in the Hoops attack in tonights Champions League clash with Spanish giants Barcelona at Celtic Park.

Point taken AUBURN, Ala. -- The ball finally got to Courtney Taylor, the flag rescued John Vaughn, and No. 14 Auburn proved itself a Southeastern Conference contender.


South Africa Arrests One in WMDs, Nuclear Probe  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - South African  authorities have arrested one person in an investigation into  contraventions of laws on weapons of mass destruction and  nuclear energy, the government said Thursday.


WHO urges poor nations to offer women deworming pills  PRETORIA -- The World Health Organization urged poor countries yesterday to offer deworming pills to pregnant women after a recent study in Nepal showed a 41 percent drop in the deaths of infants of mothers who took the pills before giving birth.

King frees convicted activist in Bahrain MANAMA, Bahrain -- Bahrain's king ordered the immediate release of a human rights activist who was convicted of inciting hatred of the government and sentenced to one year in prison yesterday in a case linked to criticism of the prime minister.


Iran's protest blogger numbers grow The number of Iranian bloggers passes 10,000 as internet users seek to protest against media censorship.


A second test failed Miami #39;s Roscoe Parrish and Frank Gore tore up and down David A Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium on Saturday, leading the 18th-ranked Hurricanes to a 31-21 ACC victory over 10th-ranked Virginia.

Ponting Hails  #39;Gladiator #39; Symonds Andrew Symonds second one-day international hundred was the lynchpin of Australias 10-run NatWest International win over Pakistan - and the source of great personal satisfaction


FCC Insists Broadband Deployment Improving (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Thursday insisted the United States was making progress in\rolling out high-speed Internet service, despite falling\further behind other countries.


Speculators driving up oil prices says Kuwait NEW DELHI: Kuwait #39;s foreign minister said yesterday that Middle East oil exporters are producing at maximum capacity to stabilise prices that are being driven up by speculators from outside the region.

#39;Suspect Package #39; Man Dies in Polling Day Blast A man who tried to bring a suspicious package into a polling station in Chechnya today was killed in an explosion as he ran away, election officials said.


Irish urged to reduce gas emissions Ireland #39;s leading expert on climate change, Dr John Sweeney, has warned that both the Government and the public urgently need to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.


Airstrike said to kill 50 at suspected Qaeda site PAKISTAN WANA -- Pakistani warplanes pummeled a suspected Al Qaeda training facility near the border with Afghanistan yesterday, flattening a vast mud-brick compound and killing at least 50 fighters, the military said. The assault was among the fiercest in months of fighting in the border region, considered a possible hideout for Osama bin Laden and his deputy, who are still ...

China, Pakistan call for closer army-to-army ties China and Pakistan officials voiced their common aspiration of furthering ties between the two armies during a meeting here Wednesday.


Wolfsburg remains top Martin Petrov put the home side ahead early, but Kaiserslautern #39;s Carsten Jancker made it 1-1 with just eight minutes remaining.


Wolfsburg remains top Martin Petrov put the home side ahead early, but Kaiserslautern #39;s Carsten Jancker made it 1-1 with just eight minutes remaining.

Signs point to Anelka exit NICOLAS Anelka #39;s future with Manchester City is in serious doubt after chairman John Wardle admitted for the first time the club would consider bids for him.


Bhopal victims still awaiting justice Twenty years later, Union Carbide is still shortchanging the victims of the world #39;s worst industrial disaster. On Dec. 3, 1984, a toxic gas leak from Union Carbide #39;s pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, killed at least 7,000 people.


NL Wrap: Bonds Homers Again as Giants Rout Expos  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Barry Bonds hit his third home  run in two days to help the San Francisco Giants earn a split  of their doubleheader with a 14-4 win over the Montreal Expos  on Wednesday.


AMD fleshes out flash plans The chipmaker plans to release the Ornand family of flash memory chips in 2005, which could lead to expansion into wider markets.


Ukraine Liberal Vows Demonstrations if Cheated  KIEV (Reuters) - The liberal challenger in a closely fought  presidential election in Ukraine raised the stakes on Friday,  threatening to bring his supporters onto the streets if the  authorities tried to deny him victory by cheating.

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


Athlete Milton Bradley has run-in with police Copley Township - Former Indians centerfielder Milton Bradley has run afoul of the law once again. Bradley, traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in April, was charged with disorderly conduct Thursday after he allegedly interfered with police Sgt.


Anti-French mood roils Ivory Coast Mobs of government supporters looted French businesses and attacked French nationals Sunday.

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations 33 Palestinians, 23 of whom are civilians, including 7 children and a mentally disabled man, were killed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).


Kmart Names Lewis As President, CEO Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. said Monday that it named Aylwin Lewis as president and chief executive and a director, effective immediately.


US strike kills 15 Iraqis Meanwhile, Italy #39;s foreign minister, Franco Frattini, arrived in Kuwait on an 11th-hour mission to win the release of two Italian women hostages kidnapped by Islamist militants last week.

Powell Criticizes Some European Allies on Iraq In a fresh sign of lingering tensions over the Iraq war, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Thursday rapped European allies who declined to assist a NATO-led Iraq training


Judge rejects injunction by organizers over use of Olympic symbols The local issue of Playboy remained on newsstands Friday, after a judge rejected a request for a temporary injunction filed by Athens Games #39; organizers over the magazine #39;s use of Olympic symbols in a photo spread.


British Mercenary May Head to African Jail (AP) AP - From special forces commander to soldier of fortune, Simon Mann's colorful career reads like a thriller. Born to a world of wealth and privilege, the British mercenary made a fortune in some of Africa's bloodiest wars  #151; and even enjoyed a stint in the movies.

Anti-French mood roils Ivory Coast Mobs of government supporters looted French businesses and attacked French nationals Sunday.


Universal Life cooperating in insurance probe Insurance broker Universal Life Resources (ULR) has agreed to cooperate with California authorities in their investigation of alleged insurance industry misdeeds, an attorney for the state said on Thursday.


Olympic champ Massu, Ginepri fall VIENNA, Austria -- The top three seeded players were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the CA Trophy on Friday, and American Robby Ginepri also was ousted.

NL Wrap: Weathers Wins First Start in Six Years for Marlins David Weathers pitched five strong innings in his first start for six years, leading the Florida Marlins to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs and a split of their National League doubleheader in Miami Monday.


Wolfensohn May Step Down From World Bank (AP) AP - James Wolfensohn said Sunday he anticipates bowing out in 2005 as World Bank president and not serving a third five-year term, but would do whatever shareholders ask of him.


A tape-measure shot for Bonds #39; 700th would be just about right For the sake of argument, here #39;s hoping Barry Bonds #39; next home run ball travels 500 feet, minimum. In these days of inflated baseball, something monstrous for No.

South African wins Madrid Open by two shots to assure European <b>...</b> Richard Sterne of South Africa shot a 5-under-par 65 and rallied to win the one-million-euro (\$1.5-million Cdn) Madrid Open by two shots Sunday, ensuring the 23-year-old of another year on the European tour.


Venture Capital's Summer Vacation A drop in investments in the third quarter is a sign that investors are still proceeding with caution, but some VC leaders are spinning it as a summer break. -washingtonpost.com


Dollar Retreats Vs Yen The dollar pared earlier gains versus the yen on Monday as traders took profits following the US currency #39;s advance last week on positive jobs news that raised prospects for an interest rate rise later this month.

Giving Voice to A Billion Things (Forbes.com) Forbes.com - When Robert Poor looks at the world, he sees 50 billion embedded microcontrollers, the workhorse chips inside cars, traffic lights and air conditioners, doing their jobs in splendid isolation. Then he imagines what will happen when they all can talk to one another.


PM Says Iraq Succeeding In Fight For Stability 23 September 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi told a joint session of the US Congress today that his country is making progress in its effort to create a stable Iraq despite obstacles.


New push to stop child soldiers A report released Wednesday shows commitment by 85 countries to end the practice - but enforcement still lags. By Mike Crawley  Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor.

U.S. Launches Fierce Air Attack on Rebels in Najaf (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. planes unleashed a fierce\attack on rebel targets in Najaf early on Thursday, a Reuters\witness said.


Latest scandal puts spotlight back on boards At first glance, it might seem as if software company Computer Associates International Inc. has cleaned up its act. Yes, its former CEO and another top executive were indicted last


7-Eleven deploys HP technology in 5,300 U.S. stores The five-year, \$55 million deal is designed to help the convenience retailer improve customer service while boosting efficiency and productivity.

Various Factors Blamed for Childhood Obesity By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A wide-ranging effort involving parents, schools, communities and government is needed to turn the tide of childhood obesity, the Institute of Medicine said Thursday...


Report: US Airways Seeks Union Pay Cut  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bankrupt airline US Airways will ask a  bankruptcy court judge to impose emergency pay cuts of 23  percent on its major unions, the New York Times reported late  on Thursday.


Star Alliance airlines may delay orders to hear more about Airbus <b>...</b> C-117 writes  quot;The 15 Star Alliance member carriers decided to move ahead with a complete analysis and comparison of the Boeing 7E7 and Airbus A350, which could be seen as a setback for Boeing, as several airlines may delay potential orders while waiting


Adobe announces Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Macintosh Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Macintosh, a major upgrade to its digital imaging software for photo hobbyists that makes it easier than ever to enhance images and transform photos.


Blast kills 10 in southwestern Pakistan At least 10 people were killed and 21 others wounded in a powerful bomb blast Friday in Quetta, capital of Pakistan #39;s southwestern Baluchistan province, state-run Pakistan TV reported.

US strike kills 15 Iraqis Meanwhile, Italy #39;s foreign minister, Franco Frattini, arrived in Kuwait on an 11th-hour mission to win the release of two Italian women hostages kidnapped by Islamist militants last week.


Tendulkar, Pathan put India on verge of win Defiant knocks by Manjural Rana and Nasif Iqbal helped Bangladesh survive another day of Test cricket in the first match of the series against India at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.


Powell Visits Port-Au-Prince, Urges World Help to Control Haitian <b>...</b> Secretary of State Colin Powell held talks in Port-au-Prince Wednesday in a brief visit to Haiti marred by a shooting incident outside the presidential palace as he met officials of the country #39;s interim government.

Germany, France back permanent seat for Japan on Security Council NEW YORK - Both Germany and France in their speeches before the 59th General Assembly session on Thursday supported Japan #39;s ongoing effort to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.


Brown to abandon fuel duty increase Gordon Brown will scrap this year #39;s planned increase in fuel duties this week as part of a heavily political package of measures designed to win back Labour #39;s lost supporters in middle Britain.


Ponting Hails  #39;Gladiator #39; Symonds Andrew Symonds second one-day international hundred was the lynchpin of Australias 10-run NatWest International win over Pakistan - and the source of great personal satisfaction

FA investigates violence at Bridge The Football Association began an investigation yesterday into the crowd trouble which marred Chelsea #39;s League Cup match against West Ham on Wednesday evening, the second such outbreak at a London match within 24 hours.


South Korea's Roh to showcase Russia's regional ambitions (AFP) AFP - South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun begins Monday a high-profile visit to Russia that is a chance for Moscow to showcase its role as a regional power in northeast Asia.


Ford Down, Nissan Up in September Sales Ford Motor Co. (FN) posted its fourth consecutive month of weaker US sales with a 7 percent drop in September results on Friday, and the automaker doubled its incentives on some models to kick-start sales this month.

Kmart Names Lewis As President, CEO Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. said Monday that it named Aylwin Lewis as president and chief executive and a director, effective immediately.


Bhopal victims still awaiting justice Twenty years later, Union Carbide is still shortchanging the victims of the world #39;s worst industrial disaster. On Dec. 3, 1984, a toxic gas leak from Union Carbide #39;s pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, killed at least 7,000 people.


Venus Williams Upset in Kremlin Cup Play (AP) AP - A weakened Lindsay Davenport lost to defending champion Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 7-6 (1) Saturday in the Kremlin Cup semifinals but will still regain the No. 1 ranking next week.

Olympics: Thorpe Wins 'Race of the Century'  ATHENS (Reuters) - Australia's Ian Thorpe won the gold  medal in the men's 200 meters freestyle, dubbed the "race of  the century," at the Athens Olympics on Monday.


Money From Salvadoran Immigrants Aids Farming Cooperative Back Home SAN PEDRO MASAHUAT, El Salvador -- Marta Sonia Ayala hunched over a metal table in a room that resembles a large restaurant kitchen, scooping heaps of a light brown powder into plastic bags. Later, she placed the bags of frijolito -- beans ground into flour -- in a heat-sealing machine, placed colored labels on them and shipped them to 22 stores throughout the country where they would sell for \$1.35 a pound.


Mortgage Applications Climb Last Week (Reuters) Reuters - New applications for U.S. home loans\climbed last week, as most mortgage rates fell from the\previous week, an industry group said on Wednesday.


Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations 33 Palestinians, 23 of whom are civilians, including 7 children and a mentally disabled man, were killed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).


Pair urges Disney CEO search The leaders of the effort to oust Michael Eisner as chief executive of Walt Disney Co. have called on the company's board to reject Eisner's offer to retire in 2006 and his pick of president Robert Iger as his successor.

US Air Locked in Down-to-Wire Talks on Cuts With Its Pilots US Airways was locked in tough bargaining on wage and benefit cuts with its pilots union, whose backing is critical for the struggling airline to avoid another bankruptcy filing.


A second test failed Miami #39;s Roscoe Parrish and Frank Gore tore up and down David A Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium on Saturday, leading the 18th-ranked Hurricanes to a 31-21 ACC victory over 10th-ranked Virginia.


US Airways Seeks Court Approval To Cut Union Pay - Report US Airways will ask a bankruptcy court judge to impose emergency pay cuts of 23 percent on its major unions, according to a newspaper report late on Thursday.

Qwest posts loss of \$569 million in third quarter Qwest posted a third-quarter loss of \$569 million after setting aside money to settle lawsuits stemming from a three-year accounting fraud.


US urges Americans to avoid Grenada WASHINGTON -- The US government is urging its citizens to avoid travel to Grenada, Cuba, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica in light of Hurricane Ivan.


Cubs face music after suffering heartbreak Usually after a heartbreaking loss, the losing team #39;s locker room is as quiet as a tomb. Cubs closer LaTroy Hawkins, who allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth and suffered the

NL Wrap: Weathers Wins First Start in Six Years for Marlins David Weathers pitched five strong innings in his first start for six years, leading the Florida Marlins to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs and a split of their National League doubleheader in Miami Monday.


FCC approves Cingular/AWS merger WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission today conditionally approved the \$41 billion merger of Cingular Wireless LLC and AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


\$1 million bond set for alleged spammer #39;s freedom Alleged spammer Jeremy Jaynes must pay \$1 million in bail for sending as many as 15 million junk e-mails a day and bilking recipients of millions of dollars, a Virginia judge ordered this week.

NSF Announces Two Cybersecurity Centers To Study Internet <b>...</b> The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 33 new projects from its \$30 million Cyber Trust program, including two new cybersecurity research centers that will focus on eliminating plagues of Internet worms and viruses and on building better


No big deal One day after the Yankees #39; worst loss in team history, the Boss finally broke his silence. George Steinbrenner issued a brief statement Wednesday, in which he shrugged off Tuesday #39;s embarrassing 22-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.


Venture Capital's Summer Vacation A drop in investments in the third quarter is a sign that investors are still proceeding with caution, but some VC leaders are spinning it as a summer break. -washingtonpost.com

\$1 million bond set for alleged spammer #39;s freedom Alleged spammer Jeremy Jaynes must pay \$1 million in bail for sending as many as 15 million junk e-mails a day and bilking recipients of millions of dollars, a Virginia judge ordered this week.


UPDATE: Australia #39;s Orica Triples FY Net To A\$327.8M MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Following several years of cost cutting, Australia #39;s Orica Ltd. (ORI.AU), the world #39;s biggest maker of mining explosives, on Wednesday said net


Cuba to Get Rid of Dollars After a Decade  HAVANA (Reuters) - Cubans rushed to change dollars into  local pesos on Tuesday as President Fidel Castro's communist  government prepared to pull the U.S. currency from circulation  more than a decade after it was legalized here.

UN staff blast officials, spare Annan UNITED NATIONS, Nov 19 (AFP) - The UN staff union on Friday passed a resolution highly critical of the world body #39;s senior management while declining to pin the blame directly on Secretary General Kofi Annan.


Hollinger sells Jerusalem papers Hollinger International yesterday announced a \$13.2m (7.2m) deal to sell the Jerusalem Post, leaving the one-time media powerhouse and former owner of the Daily Telegraph with just a handful of assets in North America.


Powell Criticizes Some European Allies on Iraq In a fresh sign of lingering tensions over the Iraq war, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Thursday rapped European allies who declined to assist a NATO-led Iraq training

King frees convicted activist in Bahrain MANAMA, Bahrain -- Bahrain's king ordered the immediate release of a human rights activist who was convicted of inciting hatred of the government and sentenced to one year in prison yesterday in a case linked to criticism of the prime minister.


Space race sparks new interest The race to collect the Ansari X Prize has all the makings of a good television reality show. But the competition to win the \$10 million prize is also drumming up renewed interest in space flight at a time


Boller Silences Critics Much maligned quarterback Kyle Boller should have a pleasent week after playing one of the best games of his career in Sunday's 20-17 overtime win over the Jets.

NBA teams play first exhibition game in China SHANGHAI - Playing in his home town before an adoring crowd that chanted his name, Yao Ming had the jitters. He missed his first two shots and allowed Brad Miller to score against him repeatedly early in the first quarter.


Coca-Cola Sees 2nd-Half Below Estimates  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. KO.N on Wednesday said  earnings for the remainder of 2004 would lag current  expectations because of weakness in key markets.


It's a fitting honor for school's finest He was an unparalleled star of his day, throwing touchdown passes, swatting home runs, and swishing baskets at Lynn Classical. Aristotle George Agganis, whose mother called him "Ari" and friends dubbed "Harry," was recruited in 1948 by football powerhouses including Notre Dame, but the Greek boy from Lynn chose to stay close to home at Boston University, where he instantly ...

Newbery Wins Platform Diving Gold for Australia Chantelle Newbery became the first Australian to win the Olympic women #39;s platform diving title with a clearcut victory in the final on Sunday.


Jackson Squares Off With Attorney 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...


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

Apple wants to expand music download service across Europe (AFP) AFP - Apple Computer is planning to expand its online music download service to more European countries, the company announced at the Popkomm music trade fair.


Development: Donor Neglect Deadly - Oxfam The world #39;s poorer nations are paying a heavy price in human lives for the failure of the rich to provide the resources they promised to fight global hunger and poverty, humanitarian agency Oxfam said in a report released Sunday.


FCC Insists Broadband Deployment Improving (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Thursday insisted the United States was making progress in\rolling out high-speed Internet service, despite falling\further behind other countries.

Microsoft Sees \$100 Million First Day for 'Halo 2' Game  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - First-day sales of Microsoft  Corp.'s MSFT.O new video game "Halo 2" will reach \$100  million, a senior Microsoft games executive said on Tuesday.


Indonesia Prospective Leader on Hunt for Ministers Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono discussed presidential plans and a cabinet with visitors to his home on Wednesday, even though he has yet to declare victory


Athlete Milton Bradley has run-in with police Copley Township - Former Indians centerfielder Milton Bradley has run afoul of the law once again. Bradley, traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in April, was charged with disorderly conduct Thursday after he allegedly interfered with police Sgt.

UPDATE 2-Adriano crushes Messina, Milan in Parma comeback Late goals from Brazilian Kaka and midfielder Andrea Pirlo gave AC Milan a 2-1 win at lowly Parma in Serie A on Saturday. Brazilian Adriano hit a devastating first half


Venture Capital's Summer Vacation A drop in investments in the third quarter is a sign that investors are still proceeding with caution, but some VC leaders are spinning it as a summer break. -washingtonpost.com


'Soft patch' not so soft, as US economic growth is revised higher (AFP) AFP - The US economy's  quot;soft patch quot; was not as weak as initial estimates, according to government data showing a 3.3 percent pace of expansion in the second quarter.


New Trojan program squashes adware Downloader.Lunii, a new Trojan horse program that attacks and removes troublesome advertising software, also modifies the configuration of Windows machines and attempts to download files from a remote location, according to Symantec Corp.

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


Update 1: Ex-Disney Director Testifies About Eisner A former Walt Disney Co. director testified Monday that Disney chief executive Michael Eisner told her in a December 1996 telephone conversation that then-Disney President Michael Ovitz was being fired and was eligible for a large severance package.


Report: China Releases Tiananmen Protester (AP) AP - A factory worker who helped to organize a strike during China's 1989 pro-democracy protests has been released after nearly 15 years in prison, a U.S.-based prison rights group said Saturday.

Milosevic War Crimes Trial Resumes The trial of Slobodan Milosevic on war crimes charges has resumed in The Hague with the former Yugoslav president launching a spirited defense.


Johansson beats Agassi in final STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Ticker) - With the support of the home crowd, Sweden #39;s Thomas Johansson finally beat Andre Agassi. Johansson rallied from a set down and defeated the top-seeded Agassi, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4


Iran's protest blogger numbers grow The number of Iranian bloggers passes 10,000 as internet users seek to protest against media censorship.

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


Nintendo cuts price on Game Boy Advance Nintendo Co. has permanently slashed prices on its Game Boy Advance SP portable video game system as the company tries to entrench its No.


China to fire Haan Arie Haan will be sacked as China national coach following the nation #39;s early exit from the 2006 Asian World Cup qualifiers according to Chinese officials.

Utah Jazz Team Report - November 4 (Sports Network) - The Utah Jazz began their 2004-05 campaign with a 104-78 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Delta Center on Wednesday night.


Typhoon Kills 66 in Japan, Deadliest in 22 Years  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's deadliest typhoon in more than  two decades killed 66 people, news reports said on Thursday as  rescuers searched frantically for 22 still missing in floods  and landslides.


Apple wants to expand music download service across Europe (AFP) AFP - Apple Computer is planning to expand its online music download service to more European countries, the company announced at the Popkomm music trade fair.

Iran's protest blogger numbers grow The number of Iranian bloggers passes 10,000 as internet users seek to protest against media censorship.


Stocks: Shares rise on National Semiconductor profit NEW YORK US stocks were little changed Thursday, recovering earlier losses after an upbeat earnings report from the chip maker National Semiconductor sparked some buying.


Mugabe Higher Than Tsvangirai In Zimbabwe (CPOD) Aug. 26, 2004 - Adults in Zimbabwe are divided over the performance of Robert Mugabe, according to the Afrobarometer conducted by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Ghanas Centre for

PM Says Iraq Succeeding In Fight For Stability 23 September 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi told a joint session of the US Congress today that his country is making progress in its effort to create a stable Iraq despite obstacles.


Various Factors Blamed for Childhood Obesity By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID    WASHINGTON (AP) -- A wide-ranging effort involving parents, schools, communities and government is needed to turn the tide of childhood obesity, the Institute of Medicine said Thursday...


Hollinger sells Jerusalem papers Hollinger International yesterday announced a \$13.2m (7.2m) deal to sell the Jerusalem Post, leaving the one-time media powerhouse and former owner of the Daily Telegraph with just a handful of assets in North America.

LSE rejects Deutsche Boerse bid Deutsche Boerse has made a 1.3 billion (\$2.49 billion) approach for the London Stock Exchange, and the LSE #39;s rejection of it on Monday left observers doubting a much better offer would emerge.


Cotrone wrestling at Oklahoma Dan Cotrone of Hanover, the all-New England Prep All-American heavyweight wrestler at the Tilton School in New Hampshire last year, is now attending the University of Oklahoma and vying for a spot on the Sooners's varsity wrestling team.

Notables The previous NL game in an AL ballpark was in 1946, when the Boston Braves played several games at Fenway Park because a paint job on the seats at Braves Field had not dried, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.


Mortgage Applications Climb Last Week (Reuters) Reuters - New applications for U.S. home loans\climbed last week, as most mortgage rates fell from the\previous week, an industry group said on Wednesday.


Signs point to Anelka exit NICOLAS Anelka #39;s future with Manchester City is in serious doubt after chairman John Wardle admitted for the first time the club would consider bids for him.

Second-Ranked Oklahoma Routs Oregon 31-7 (AP) AP - Freshman Adrian Peterson ran for 183 yards and scored two touchdowns in his third straight 100-yard rushing performance to lead No. 2 Oklahoma to a 31-7 victory over Oregon on Saturday.


Oil Prices Rise to High As Demand Continues The price of oil hit another high yesterday, closing above \$47 a barrel as traders reacted to continuing concerns about supply disruptions from terrorism and instability in oil-producing countries.


Stem Cell Molecules Repair Genetic Damage Researchers report that embryonic stem cells sent molecular signals that repaired fatal genetic damage to heart cells in laboratory mice.

NSF Announces Two Cybersecurity Centers To Study Internet <b>...</b> The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 33 new projects from its \$30 million Cyber Trust program, including two new cybersecurity research centers that will focus on eliminating plagues of Internet worms and viruses and on building better


Hollinger sells Jerusalem papers Hollinger International yesterday announced a \$13.2m (7.2m) deal to sell the Jerusalem Post, leaving the one-time media powerhouse and former owner of the Daily Telegraph with just a handful of assets in North America.


9 killed in clashes between Pakistani forces, militants At least nine were killed Tuesday in the clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in the South Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, Daily Times reported Wednesday.

Ferocious Ivan bears down on Jamaica Heavy rain and winds have begun to lash Jamaica as Hurricane Ivan roared closer, after ravaging Grenada and killing 27 people on a track that could make it the third big storm in a month to hit Florida.


Coca-Cola Sees 2nd-Half Below Estimates  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. KO.N on Wednesday said  earnings for the remainder of 2004 would lag current  expectations because of weakness in key markets.


Flu Vaccine Is Found Tainted in Factory SAN FRANCISCO - The nation's supply of vaccine for the impending flu season took a big hit Thursday when Chiron Corp. announced it had found tainted doses in its factory...

Speculators driving up oil prices says Kuwait NEW DELHI: Kuwait #39;s foreign minister said yesterday that Middle East oil exporters are producing at maximum capacity to stabilise prices that are being driven up by speculators from outside the region.


ISS: Critical Netscape flaw could be widespread Security company Internet Security Systems is warning of a critical security hole in a commonly used technology from the Mozilla Foundation called the Netscape Network Security Services library that could leave Web servers vulnerable to remote attack.


FireFox as a Security Risk Compared to IE? A not-so anonymous Anonymous Coward asks:  quot;The administrator at my work gave me the following reason for not using Mozilla. What do you think?

Paypal and Apple iTunes link-up Payment system Paypal announces a tie-up with Apple's iTunes as it continues to secure new business with online retailers.


Star Alliance airlines may delay orders to hear more about Airbus <b>...</b> C-117 writes  quot;The 15 Star Alliance member carriers decided to move ahead with a complete analysis and comparison of the Boeing 7E7 and Airbus A350, which could be seen as a setback for Boeing, as several airlines may delay potential orders while waiting


Victor Diaz and Gerald Williams homers push Mets past Expos 4-2 MONTREAL (CP) - Victor Diaz hit his first career home run and Gerald Williams added a two-run shot to power the New York Mets to a 4-2 win Thursday over the Montreal Expos.

Wolfsburg remains top Martin Petrov put the home side ahead early, but Kaiserslautern #39;s Carsten Jancker made it 1-1 with just eight minutes remaining.


NL Wrap: Weathers Wins First Start in Six Years for Marlins David Weathers pitched five strong innings in his first start for six years, leading the Florida Marlins to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs and a split of their National League doubleheader in Miami Monday.

Streets of New York on deck for Kastor Even in the immediate afterglow of her bronze medal in the Olympic marathon in August, Deena (Drossin) Kastor was thinking of Sunday #39;s New York City Marathon.


Candidate list hints at Iraq's political future BAGHDAD -- Iraq's future political landscape began taking shape yesterday, as a coalition led by powerful Shi'ite Muslim groups revealed a few of its candidates in next month's parliamentary election. They include former exiles, a prominent cleric, and members of the interim government.


NBA teams play first exhibition game in China SHANGHAI - Playing in his home town before an adoring crowd that chanted his name, Yao Ming had the jitters. He missed his first two shots and allowed Brad Miller to score against him repeatedly early in the first quarter.

Judge rejects injunction by organizers over use of Olympic symbols The local issue of Playboy remained on newsstands Friday, after a judge rejected a request for a temporary injunction filed by Athens Games #39; organizers over the magazine #39;s use of Olympic symbols in a photo spread.


Hiding Genome Data Won't Protect Us, Experts Say (Reuters) Reuters - Making the genetic codes of\dangerous pathogens a secret will not save anyone from\bioterrorism and may make the population vulnerable to attacks\from Mother Nature, scientists said on Thursday.


Singh takes two-shot lead, Woods tied for second Fiji #39;s Vijay Singh fashioned an eight-under par 63 on Saturday to take a two-shot second-round lead on 131 in the Deutsche Bank Championship.

European powers get back on track Order was restored in Europe, but South American leaders Brazil and Argentina couldn't find the net yesterday as both were held to 0-0 draws in World Cup qualifying.


Stem Cell Molecules Repair Genetic Damage Researchers report that embryonic stem cells sent molecular signals that repaired fatal genetic damage to heart cells in laboratory mice.


Unions and Car Chiefs in Talks on Jaguar Plant Union leaders today arrived at luxury car-maker Jaguar for crucial talks over the future of the Coventry Browns Lane plant. The factory, which opened in 1951 and currently employs

LSE rejects Deutsche Boerse bid Deutsche Boerse has made a 1.3 billion (\$2.49 billion) approach for the London Stock Exchange, and the LSE #39;s rejection of it on Monday left observers doubting a much better offer would emerge.


Patriots, Eagles Do the Expected _ Win (AP) AP - There might still be a spotless season on the NFL horizon this year.


Brown, Jeter Hand Yankees Series Lead Over Twins  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kevin Brown pitched six innings and  Derek Jeter notched three hits and drove in three runs to lead  the New York Yankees to an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins  in the American League Divisional Series Friday.

Els takes lead at WGC American Express Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, the South African breezed through a wacky day of weather at the WGC American Express Championship by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead


Some Retailers Offering Online Rebates (AP) AP - The rebate check is no longer a reward reserved for penny-pinchers with an abundance of paperwork skills and patience. Paperless, online rebates are finally gaining momentum in retail, an industry that has long offered customers electronic options for virtually every other type of transaction, from simple purchases to coupons.


NL Wrap: Lamb on Fire as Astros Roast Slumping Pirates (Reuters) Reuters - Mike Lamb homered, drove in four runs\and had four hits as the streaking Houston Astros beat the\Pittsburgh Pirates 10-5 in National League play at Minute Maid\Park Sunday, their ninth straight victory.


Powell Criticizes Some European Allies on Iraq In a fresh sign of lingering tensions over the Iraq war, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Thursday rapped European allies who declined to assist a NATO-led Iraq training


Myanmar to Release More Prisoners Myanmar #39;s ruling military junta announced Saturday that more than 5,000 prisoners have had their sentences suspended and will be freed from various prisons around the

US Electoral College withstands critics ... so far (AFP) AFP - Lambasted as antiquated and anti-democratic, the Electoral College that decides the US presidency has survived for centuries as an unmovable albeit creaky pillar of the American political system.


Pakistani forces arrest several Al Qaeda suspects Pakistani security forces arrested several suspects on Monday, including some linked to Al Qaeda network. The arrests came one day after Pakistani security forces killed a senior Al Qaeda operative, Amjad Farooqi, in a raid in southern Pakistan.

China, Pakistan call for closer army-to-army ties China and Pakistan officials voiced their common aspiration of furthering ties between the two armies during a meeting here Wednesday.


Lexmark loses ink cartridge battle Printer makers can #39;t be very happy, as Lexmark has just lost what could have been a landmark case for its profits and the future of printer ink cartridges.


Adelphia to allow Time Warner/Comcast dual bid-WSJ Bankrupt cable operator Adelphia Communications Corp (ADELQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research) will allow cable companies Time Warner Inc.

Australia #39;s Alinta: ACCC Won #39;t Oppose Dampier Pipe Bid-2- SYDNEY (Dow Jones)--Australian energy company Alinta Ltd. (ALN.AU) said Monday that Australia #39;s competition regulator won #39;t oppose its joint bid for the Dampier to Bunbury gas pipeline in Western Australia state.


Shaun Alexander drags LB Julian Peterson SEATTLE - It was a year and 12 days since the Seahawks last held an opponent scoreless in a game. The last time the 49ers were held scoreless in a game was in 1977: Jimmy Carter was in office and David Krieg


Former Haitian Soldiers Vow to Provide Security in Port-Au-Prince Former Haitian soldiers who fought to oust former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide say they intend to provide security to help stop street violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Cuba to Get Rid of Dollars After a Decade  HAVANA (Reuters) - Cubans rushed to change dollars into  local pesos on Tuesday as President Fidel Castro's communist  government prepared to pull the U.S. currency from circulation  more than a decade after it was legalized here.


BoSox, Astros Play for Crucial Game 4 Wins (AP) AP - The Boston Red Sox entered this AL championship series hoping to finally overcome their bitter rivals from New York following a heartbreaking seven-game defeat last October. Instead, they've been reduced to trying to prevent the Yankees from completing a humiliating sweep in their own ballpark.


Congress Fails to Act on Copyright Bills Controversial bills proposed new penalties (including jail time) for copyright violations.

NASA sets Swift launch for Saturday Swift #39;s new launch date is Saturday, if NASA, Boeing and the Air Force can replace and test components of the rocket in time. The gamma-ray observatory #39;s


Fannie Mae Financial Reports Questioned Home mortgage lender Fannie Mae on Wednesday said the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight uncovered accounting inaccuracies that raise doubts about the company #39;s previous financial reports.


Brown to abandon fuel duty increase Gordon Brown will scrap this year #39;s planned increase in fuel duties this week as part of a heavily political package of measures designed to win back Labour #39;s lost supporters in middle Britain.

ATA parent hires restructuring officer ATA #39;s parent corporation has appointed a chief restructuring officer amid heightened speculation that the nation #39;s 10th-largest airline might be nearing bankruptcy.


9 killed in clashes between Pakistani forces, militants At least nine were killed Tuesday in the clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in the South Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, Daily Times reported Wednesday.


Mozilla Previews FireFox 1.0 (Article Central) The Mozilla Foundation is set to release a preview of FireFox 1.0, the latest version of the open source Web browser.

FireFox as a Security Risk Compared to IE? A not-so anonymous Anonymous Coward asks:  quot;The administrator at my work gave me the following reason for not using Mozilla. What do you think?


FCC approves Cingular/AWS merger WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission today conditionally approved the \$41 billion merger of Cingular Wireless LLC and AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.


Birdstone Shows Belmont Was No Fluke The downpour that engulfed Saratoga somehow held off until just after Birdstone won the Travers Stakes on Saturday and solidified his credentials as the top 3-year-old in training.

Seau worried injujry could end season NEW YORK - Frustration was compounded by injury for the Dolphins as Junior Seau, Jason Taylor, Jay Fiedler, Randy McMichael and Marty Booker were among the players who had X-rays or were seen by doctors following the 41-14 loss to the Jets Monday night.


Judge Tells VeriSign U CAN #39;T When it comes to ICANN, let #39;s just say  quot;You Can #39;t. quot; Or rather, you can #39;t dispute its authority. In the latest phase of a long-simmering dispute between VeriSign (Nasdaq: VRSN


Microsoft desktop-search announcement due Microsoft #39;s MSN division is expected to announce a test version of its long-awaited desktop-search software this morning in a conference call with reporters.

Some Retailers Offering Online Rebates (AP) AP - The rebate check is no longer a reward reserved for penny-pinchers with an abundance of paperwork skills and patience. Paperless, online rebates are finally gaining momentum in retail, an industry that has long offered customers electronic options for virtually every other type of transaction, from simple purchases to coupons.


Coca-Cola Sees 2nd-Half Below Estimates  CHICAGO (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co. KO.N on Wednesday said  earnings for the remainder of 2004 would lag current  expectations because of weakness in key markets.


Bank of Canada Raises Overnight Rate  OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada raised its overnight  interest rate a quarter percentage point on Tuesday to 2.50  percent as expected, and made clear it would keep raising rates  even as it lowered its forecast for Canadian growth.

US Airways Seeks Court Approval To Cut Union Pay - Report US Airways will ask a bankruptcy court judge to impose emergency pay cuts of 23 percent on its major unions, according to a newspaper report late on Thursday.


Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations 33 Palestinians, 23 of whom are civilians, including 7 children and a mentally disabled man, were killed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).


Stocks: Shares rise on National Semiconductor profit NEW YORK US stocks were little changed Thursday, recovering earlier losses after an upbeat earnings report from the chip maker National Semiconductor sparked some buying.

AirAsia ordering 40 Airbus planes Airbus won an order to sell 40 planes to AirAsia, Southeast Asia #39;s largest discount airline, beating out Boeing. The Kuala Lumpur-based airline said in a statement to the Malaysian stock


7-Eleven deploys HP technology in 5,300 U.S. stores The five-year, \$55 million deal is designed to help the convenience retailer improve customer service while boosting efficiency and productivity.


Qwest posts loss of \$569 million in third quarter Qwest posted a third-quarter loss of \$569 million after setting aside money to settle lawsuits stemming from a three-year accounting fraud.

LSE rejects Deutsche Boerse bid Deutsche Boerse has made a 1.3 billion (\$2.49 billion) approach for the London Stock Exchange, and the LSE #39;s rejection of it on Monday left observers doubting a much better offer would emerge.


Point taken AUBURN, Ala. -- The ball finally got to Courtney Taylor, the flag rescued John Vaughn, and No. 14 Auburn proved itself a Southeastern Conference contender.


Death Stars: Sterilizing the Galactic Center (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Anyone looking for signs of extraterrestrial life need not look in the center of our galaxy.

BPI wins court order on filesharing The High Court this morning granted the music industry the power to request the names and addresses of the 28 file sharers the industry aims to litigate against.


Returns are in, and Merrimack looks like a winner With a 90-59 record in five years at Merrimack , Ann McInerney has set some high standards.


South Korea's Roh to showcase Russia's regional ambitions (AFP) AFP - South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun begins Monday a high-profile visit to Russia that is a chance for Moscow to showcase its role as a regional power in northeast Asia.

Ukraine Liberal Vows Demonstrations if Cheated  KIEV (Reuters) - The liberal challenger in a closely fought  presidential election in Ukraine raised the stakes on Friday,  threatening to bring his supporters onto the streets if the  authorities tried to deny him victory by cheating.


Athletics: She #39;s the Bahamas #39; darling ATHENS - Tonique Williams-Darling has claimed the Bahamas #39; first individual athletics gold by blasting to the women #39;s 400m title.


Report: US Airways Seeks Union Pay Cut  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bankrupt airline US Airways will ask a  bankruptcy court judge to impose emergency pay cuts of 23  percent on its major unions, the New York Times reported late  on Thursday.

Latest scandal puts spotlight back on boards At first glance, it might seem as if software company Computer Associates International Inc. has cleaned up its act. Yes, its former CEO and another top executive were indicted last


CA expects loss on restructuring, settlement charges Computer Associates said Wednesday that it met its sales forecast in the quarter ended Sept. 30 but will post a loss for the quarter as it absorbs restructuring charges and the \$225 million it agreed to pay shareholders in compensation for its accounting violations.


Schrager eyes London hotels sale Ian Schrager, known for his luxury boutique hotels, has hung for sale signs over two of his London hotels, the St Martins Lane and the Sanderson.

Bank of Canada Raises Overnight Rate  OTTAWA (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada raised its overnight  interest rate a quarter percentage point on Tuesday to 2.50  percent as expected, and made clear it would keep raising rates  even as it lowered its forecast for Canadian growth.


Londoners urged to embrace 2012 bid To the outside world, Londoners are cold, brusque and unimpressed at the prospect of millions of people turning up on their doorstep to watch the 2012 Olympics.


NASA seeks methods to repair shuttles in flight The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA is hoping to develop techniques to allow a crew to repair damages to Space Shuttle in flight.

Venture Capital's Summer Vacation A drop in investments in the third quarter is a sign that investors are still proceeding with caution, but some VC leaders are spinning it as a summer break. -washingtonpost.com


Kroger Is King Nation's leading supermarket operator posts 29 rise in third-quarter earnings, strong same-store sales.


No big deal One day after the Yankees #39; worst loss in team history, the Boss finally broke his silence. George Steinbrenner issued a brief statement Wednesday, in which he shrugged off Tuesday #39;s embarrassing 22-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

Brown, Jeter Hand Yankees Series Lead Over Twins  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kevin Brown pitched six innings and  Derek Jeter notched three hits and drove in three runs to lead  the New York Yankees to an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins  in the American League Divisional Series Friday.


Ferocious Ivan bears down on Jamaica Heavy rain and winds have begun to lash Jamaica as Hurricane Ivan roared closer, after ravaging Grenada and killing 27 people on a track that could make it the third big storm in a month to hit Florida.


Thorpe leads big guns Ian Thorpe sets the fastest time in the 200m freestyle as swimming's top names cruise into the semi-finals.

Columbus' Tomb Opened on Anniversary (AP) AP - Roman Catholic officials opened a tomb said to contain the remains of Christopher Columbus as part of an annual ceremony Tuesday, a day after the Dominican government denied a Spanish request to conduct DNA tests to determine which country has the navigator's true remains.


Sunday #39;s NFL Roundup The Pittsburgh Steelers are accomplishing feats never seen in the NFL, largely because of rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers combined their new quarterback with a touch of the old - Jerome


Sources: Sony Eyes File-Sharing Venture LOS ANGELES - Sony BMG Music Entertainment and online peer-to-peer software distributor Grokster are working on a new venture that is expected to offer paid and free song downloads over the Internet, sources say.

Qualcomm chips in Siemens 3G phones New deal between the two companies is another sign of the wireless industry's focus on the W-CDMA standard.


Olympic champ Massu, Ginepri fall VIENNA, Austria -- The top three seeded players were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the CA Trophy on Friday, and American Robby Ginepri also was ousted.


China, Pakistan call for closer army-to-army ties China and Pakistan officials voiced their common aspiration of furthering ties between the two armies during a meeting here Wednesday.

WHO urges poor nations to offer women deworming pills  PRETORIA -- The World Health Organization urged poor countries yesterday to offer deworming pills to pregnant women after a recent study in Nepal showed a 41 percent drop in the deaths of infants of mothers who took the pills before giving birth.


Paypal and Apple iTunes link-up Payment system Paypal announces a tie-up with Apple's iTunes as it continues to secure new business with online retailers.


FA investigates violence at Bridge The Football Association began an investigation yesterday into the crowd trouble which marred Chelsea #39;s League Cup match against West Ham on Wednesday evening, the second such outbreak at a London match within 24 hours.

Phillies keep Lidle around for two more years Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed righthander Cory Lidle to a two-year deal worth \$6.3 million Tuesday.


130,000 in Moscow protest terrorism after deadly siege Tens of thousands of people rallied Tuesday outside the Kremlin in a show of solidarity against terrorism. The demonstration came nearly a week after more than 350 people, many


VC Firm Joins Open Source Development Labs (NewsFactor) NewsFactor - Voyager Capital, a Pacific Northwest I.T. venture firm, has joined the Open Source Development Labs (OSDL), an Oregon-based organization dedicated to boosting the growth and adoption of Linux in enterprises.

Virus chaos thwarted by poor social engineering The latest variant of the Sober virus was released on Friday and has been spreading over the weekend, but antivirus experts say the situation could have been much worse.


G20 Divided Over Dollar Slide, U.S. Mum  BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe and Japan voiced strong concern  on Saturday over the slumping dollar but the world's 20 biggest  economies, nearing the end of a two-day summit, looked divided  over what if anything to do about it.


Government Warns Americans of Iraq Travel (AP) AP - The State Department reminded Americans Friday of the dangers of traveling in Iraq, a day after two American construction workers were kidnapped from their home in Baghdad.

9 killed in clashes between Pakistani forces, militants At least nine were killed Tuesday in the clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in the South Waziristan tribal area bordering Afghanistan, Daily Times reported Wednesday.


Sun Micro Aims to Woo Banking Customers  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Sun Microsystems Inc. SUNW.O is  staging its first press and customer event in New York on  Tuesday in three years to roll out new products and woo  customers in the banking industry, one of the network computer  maker's most important markets.


DreamWorks #39; share price soars in debut trading NEW YORK, October 28 (newratings.com) - DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc (ticker: DWA), the creator of famous animation films including Shrek and Shark Tale, witnessed a robust rally in its share price this morning, during its debut trading at the Wall

YUKOS Denies Plans to Sell Refinery  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian oil major YUKOS denied on  Wednesday reports it planned to sell its Lithuanian refinery  Mazeikiu Nafta to help cover its huge back tax bill.


NSF Announces Two Cybersecurity Centers To Study Internet <b>...</b> The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 33 new projects from its \$30 million Cyber Trust program, including two new cybersecurity research centers that will focus on eliminating plagues of Internet worms and viruses and on building better


European powers get back on track Order was restored in Europe, but South American leaders Brazil and Argentina couldn't find the net yesterday as both were held to 0-0 draws in World Cup qualifying.

Johansson beats Agassi in final STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Ticker) - With the support of the home crowd, Sweden #39;s Thomas Johansson finally beat Andre Agassi. Johansson rallied from a set down and defeated the top-seeded Agassi, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4


Qualcomm chips in Siemens 3G phones New deal between the two companies is another sign of the wireless industry's focus on the W-CDMA standard.

AT T, Vonage Cut Prices on Internet Calling (Reuters) Reuters - AT T Corp.  and Internet telephone\provider Vonage said on Thursday they were cutting prices for\their residential Internet calling services by  #36;5 per month,\the strongest signs yet of a price war in the nascent market.


Nortel Restatements Delayed to November  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. NT.TO, one of  the world's largest makers of telecoms equipment, said on  Wednesday it would miss by about two weeks its end of October  deadline to release long-awaited restated financial results.


Newbery Wins Platform Diving Gold for Australia Chantelle Newbery became the first Australian to win the Olympic women #39;s platform diving title with a clearcut victory in the final on Sunday.

Chelsea lodge complaint with Uefa Chelsea have lodged a complaint with Uefa after up to 50 fans were barred from the ground in their Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow.


Mugabe Higher Than Tsvangirai In Zimbabwe (CPOD) Aug. 26, 2004 - Adults in Zimbabwe are divided over the performance of Robert Mugabe, according to the Afrobarometer conducted by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa, Ghanas Centre for


Chechnya marks 'special' birthday The authorities in war-torn Chechnya announce cash gifts for boys born on the slain leader's birthday.

Brazil Ruling Party Seeks Stronger Hand from Poll  SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's ruling Worker's  Party (PT) was looking to strengthen its hand in its fight to  transform this huge Latin American country with a good  performance in nationwide municipal elections on Sunday.


Morning Sky This Weekend is Sparkling For the first time in almost two years, there are no bright planets in the evening sky. You might as well stay inside and eat dinner. The morning sky, on the other hand, is sparkling. Mercury. Venus. Saturn. A slender crescent Moon. The luminous stars of Orion. They're all on display in the days ahead: Sept. 10th through 12th.


CIGNA Corp. 3Q Profit Up on Gain From Sale CIGNA Corp. said net income rose sharply in the third quarter, reflecting increased earnings in its health care segment and a gain from the sale of a retirement benefits business.


Tanks encircle shrine in US blitz on rebels UNITED States tanks today encircled the sacred Imam Ali shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf, after an intense bombardment of rebel positions overnight.


Juninho tries on Larsson #39;s No 7 shirt For a small man, he looks as though he will wear it lightly. No sooner had Juninho completed his protracted move from Middlsbrough to Celtic - he has signed a two-year contract, subject to

Venus Williams Upset in Kremlin Cup Play (AP) AP - A weakened Lindsay Davenport lost to defending champion Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 7-6 (1) Saturday in the Kremlin Cup semifinals but will still regain the No. 1 ranking next week.


ATA parent hires restructuring officer ATA #39;s parent corporation has appointed a chief restructuring officer amid heightened speculation that the nation #39;s 10th-largest airline might be nearing bankruptcy.


Adobe announces Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Macintosh Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 for Macintosh, a major upgrade to its digital imaging software for photo hobbyists that makes it easier than ever to enhance images and transform photos.

Music fans sound off RealNetworks Inc. urged digital-music lovers yesterday to stand up for their freedom of choice. They responded by exercising their freedom of speech -- much to the company #39;s chagrin.


Netanyahu Presses for Referendum After Knesset Approves Gaza <b>...</b> Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won an  quot;historic quot; vote in the Knesset Tuesday evening for his disengagement plan, but the uprooting of Jewish communities in Gaza is still far from a done deal after Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu immediately led a


Indonesia Prospective Leader on Hunt for Ministers Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono discussed presidential plans and a cabinet with visitors to his home on Wednesday, even though he has yet to declare victory


Seau worried injujry could end season NEW YORK - Frustration was compounded by injury for the Dolphins as Junior Seau, Jason Taylor, Jay Fiedler, Randy McMichael and Marty Booker were among the players who had X-rays or were seen by doctors following the 41-14 loss to the Jets Monday night.


Pakistani Forces Attack Militant Hideouts; 10 Killed  WANA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Up to ten people were killed in  fierce fighting between Pakistani security forces and al  Qaeda-linked fighters Sunday, taking the death toll to over 70  in one of the deadliest actions against the militants.

Government Warns Americans of Iraq Travel (AP) AP - The State Department reminded Americans Friday of the dangers of traveling in Iraq, a day after two American construction workers were kidnapped from their home in Baghdad.


Death Stars: Sterilizing the Galactic Center (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Anyone looking for signs of extraterrestrial life need not look in the center of our galaxy.