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

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.


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.


\$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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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 ...

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


#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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


'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.

Investors Take a Holiday  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors may pack up and leave next  week as the Republican National Convention comes to New York  and many on Wall Street take a vacation, draining U.S. markets  of volume and leaving stocks flopping around with little  direction.


Two Killed, 10 Hurt in Latest Bangladesh Blast Two people were killed and 10 wounded in a bomb blast in northeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, in the latest of a series of attacks that have killed more than 100 people in the past four years, police said.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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


Nuggets snag win this time The Nuggets and the Timberwolves, who exchanged words and cheap shots in a playoff series in April, met again Thursday night at the Pepsi Center.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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


Current stories in Viewpoints, Outlook: Cragg Hines welcomes the departure of NASA #39;s chief but worries about the list of potential successors, especially Gen. Missileman.


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.

The Last Noel If destructible DVDs are going to have a fair shot, distributors are going to have to test the concept by releasing a film that is reasonably in demand.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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


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...

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.


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.


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?

AOL offers its customers online shield free of charge America Online blocked popup ads and intensified its fight against junk e-mail last year. Starting today, the largest online service is carrying its campaign against online plagues even further.


Athens champion album - Aug. 21 (1) Britain #39;s Yngling crew Shirley Robertson (M), Sarah Webb (R) and Sarah Ayton celebrate at award ceremony after winning the first title at the Athens Olympic Games on August 21, 2004.


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.

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.


Hurricane Jeanne Targets Fla. East Coast FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Floridians scrambled to board their homes and stock up on groceries and gas - again - as Hurricane Jeanne churned westward Friday and threatened to become the fourth hurricane to pound the state in the last six weeks...


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.

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.


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


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.

French Open champ Myskina tumbles in Bali French Open champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia must face an early exit in the Wismilak International Tennis Tournament in Bali after losing to Maria Elena Camerin of


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.


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.

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.


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


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.


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.


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.

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.


Mobile phone 'ear tumours risk' Scientists have found using a mobile phone for at least 10 years increased the risk of ear tumours.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


Survey Notes Rise in US Broadband Users The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.

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.


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

Hub schools make grade with \$12.5M science grant A record \$12.5 million grant to be announced today will revolutionize science teaching throughout Boston Public Schools, officials said.


Continental Refutes Report of Charges (AP) AP - Continental Airlines Inc. said Wednesday it was "outraged" at reports that French authorities want to prosecute the airline and several employees over the Concorde crash that killed 113 people in Paris four years ago.


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.

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.


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 ...


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.

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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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?


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Starbucks price hike seen Oct. 6 Newspaper reports the coffee giant will raise the average drink price by 11 cents a cup. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Coffee shop giant Starbucks Corp.


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

#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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

The Giants of Anime are Coming The three titans of Japanese animation are all about to unleash monster new films. Watch your back, Shrek. By Charles C. Mann from Wired magazine.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


Steel crisis leaves Nissan output  #39;at risk #39; The steel crisis at Nissan Motor might force the carmaker to reduce production by a further 15,000 vehicles next March on top of the 25,000 that have been


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.

\$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.


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.


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.

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.


Survey Notes Rise in US Broadband Users The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.


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.

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.


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.


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.

FCC further deregulates Net calls States are now barred from imposing telecommunications regulations on Net phone providers.


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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


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.

Bulldogs Clip Jackets Quarterback David Greene throws a 28-yard touchdown pass for No. 8 Georgia in its 19-13 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday.


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.


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

Poll: Voters Eyeing National Security WASHINGTON - Concern about national security is dominating public attention in the final months of the presidential campaign because of continuing fears of terrorism and unhappiness about the war in Iraq, according to a poll released Wednesday.   "For the first time since the Vietnam era, national security issues are looming larger than economic issues in an election year," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People   the Press...


Saudi to fight terrorists with prayers Saudi Arabia said Friday it has advised the nation #39;s imams they should condemn terrorism and terrorists in prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


Steel crisis leaves Nissan output  #39;at risk #39; The steel crisis at Nissan Motor might force the carmaker to reduce production by a further 15,000 vehicles next March on top of the 25,000 that have been


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.

Briefly: Hello, halitosis roundup Plus: House takes on piracy, 'video voyeurism'...Verizon sets up Iobi Home...Sun makes financial pitch...PeopleSoft-Oracle trial delayed.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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?


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.

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.


Continental Refutes Report of Charges (AP) AP - Continental Airlines Inc. said Wednesday it was "outraged" at reports that French authorities want to prosecute the airline and several employees over the Concorde crash that killed 113 people in Paris four years ago.


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.

AOL offers its customers online shield free of charge America Online blocked popup ads and intensified its fight against junk e-mail last year. Starting today, the largest online service is carrying its campaign against online plagues even further.


Macy #39;s supplants venerable names The Lazarus nameplate, a fixture on the retail landscape for 153 years, is coming off department store signs, joining Shillito #39;s as a defunct brand.


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

The Giants of Anime are Coming The three titans of Japanese animation are all about to unleash monster new films. Watch your back, Shrek. By Charles C. Mann from Wired magazine.


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.


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.

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.


Bulldogs Clip Jackets Quarterback David Greene throws a 28-yard touchdown pass for No. 8 Georgia in its 19-13 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday.


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.

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.


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


Trescothick boosts England England and Sri Lanka were evenly poised when rain brought a premature end to their crucial Champions Trophy encounter at the Rose Bowl.

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.


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.


Obama: Not Quite Ready for History Books (AP) AP - On the eve of taking office, the most watched new arrival in the nation's capital says it's way too early to talk about his place in history.

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...


Harrah #39;s, Caesars to sell four casinos to satisfy regulators Harrah #39;s Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment Inc. have agreed to sell four hotel-casinos to an affiliate of Colony Capital LLC for about 1.2 billion dollars.


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.

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.


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.


Iraq's Top Cleric Arrives in Najaf NAJAF, Iraq - Iraq's top Shiite cleric made a dramatic return to Najaf at the head of a massive convoy Thursday hoping to end three weeks of fighting in the holy city, but hours earlier a mortar barrage slammed into a mosque filled with Iraqis preparing to join his march, killing 27 people.    Along with the mortar attack, another group of thousands of marchers heading into Najaf from its sister-city Kufa came under fire from an Iraqi National Guard base...

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.


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.


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


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.


Stocks Fall as Intel Update Awaited  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Tuesday as a sharp drop  in U.S. consumer confidence in August stirred fresh doubt about  the economy and analysts lowered revenue forecasts for  technology bellwether Intel Corp. INTC.O

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.


Fish Beats Hernych at St. Petersburg Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish beat Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4 Monday to reach the second round of the St. Petersburg Open.


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.

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.


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.


Current stories in Viewpoints, Outlook: Cragg Hines welcomes the departure of NASA #39;s chief but worries about the list of potential successors, especially Gen. Missileman.

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


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.


Briefly: Hello, halitosis roundup Plus: House takes on piracy, 'video voyeurism'...Verizon sets up Iobi Home...Sun makes financial pitch...PeopleSoft-Oracle trial delayed.

Disk storage outlook dimmer A ray of second-quarter sunshine is overshadowed by clouds on the horizon, according to Gartner.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


Mobile phone 'ear tumours risk' Scientists have found using a mobile phone for at least 10 years increased the risk of ear tumours.

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.


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.


Macy #39;s supplants venerable names The Lazarus nameplate, a fixture on the retail landscape for 153 years, is coming off department store signs, joining Shillito #39;s as a defunct brand.

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.


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.


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.

French Open champ Myskina tumbles in Bali French Open champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia must face an early exit in the Wismilak International Tennis Tournament in Bali after losing to Maria Elena Camerin of


UN council mulls Sudan resolution, US to speak on genocide UNITED NATIONS : The UN Security Council was to discuss a new US draft resolution aimed at tightening the pressure on Sudan over the crisis in Darfur, including possible sanctions on its oil sector.


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.

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.


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


Steel crisis leaves Nissan output  #39;at risk #39; The steel crisis at Nissan Motor might force the carmaker to reduce production by a further 15,000 vehicles next March on top of the 25,000 that have been

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.


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.


Disk storage outlook dimmer A ray of second-quarter sunshine is overshadowed by clouds on the horizon, according to Gartner.

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


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.


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.

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.


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 ...


Fire of London Anyone seeking the secret of Chelsea #39;s success this season need have witnessed only one moment in training yesterday, a second #39;s play that exemplified the spirit, individual

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.


Child soldiers square up to US tanks Struggling to lift a Kalashnikov, a 12-year-old with the Mahdi army militia said he could do anything in battle except fly a helicopter.


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.

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.


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...


Hurricane Jeanne Targets Fla. East Coast FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Floridians scrambled to board their homes and stock up on groceries and gas - again - as Hurricane Jeanne churned westward Friday and threatened to become the fourth hurricane to pound the state in the last six weeks...

Mobile phone 'ear tumours risk' Scientists have found using a mobile phone for at least 10 years increased the risk of ear tumours.


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.


The Last Noel If destructible DVDs are going to have a fair shot, distributors are going to have to test the concept by releasing a film that is reasonably in demand.

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


Survey Notes Rise in US Broadband Users The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


The Baron was right AUSTRALIAN rower Sally Robbins and British marathon runner Paula Radcliffe can take comfort from the philosophy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Macy #39;s supplants venerable names The Lazarus nameplate, a fixture on the retail landscape for 153 years, is coming off department store signs, joining Shillito #39;s as a defunct brand.


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.


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.

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.


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.


Survey Notes Rise in US Broadband Users The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

Vote observers: access to US polling places difficult (AFP) AFP - An international human rights group said its observers for the 2004 US election found access to polling stations difficult in Florida and Ohio.


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.


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).

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Mobile phone 'ear tumours risk' Scientists have found using a mobile phone for at least 10 years increased the risk of ear tumours.


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.


US economy slows US economic growth was slower than first thought in the second quarter, hit by a widening trade deficit. For the quarter, the world #39;s biggest economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8 per cent, down

The Last Noel If destructible DVDs are going to have a fair shot, distributors are going to have to test the concept by releasing a film that is reasonably in demand.


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


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.

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.


Thousands in anti-war protest rally The parents of British soldiers killed in Iraq were among thousands of protesters who joined an anti-war march through central London yesterday.


Pennington's leadership not half bad for New York EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Chad Pennington could feel the pressure of trying to make franchise history weighing down his teammates.

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.


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.


Investors Take a Holiday  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors may pack up and leave next  week as the Republican National Convention comes to New York  and many on Wall Street take a vacation, draining U.S. markets  of volume and leaving stocks flopping around with little  direction.


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.


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...

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.


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.


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.

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.


US economy slows US economic growth was slower than first thought in the second quarter, hit by a widening trade deficit. For the quarter, the world #39;s biggest economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8 per cent, down


French Open champ Myskina tumbles in Bali French Open champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia must face an early exit in the Wismilak International Tennis Tournament in Bali after losing to Maria Elena Camerin of

The Baron was right AUSTRALIAN rower Sally Robbins and British marathon runner Paula Radcliffe can take comfort from the philosophy of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics.


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.


Fish Beats Hernych at St. Petersburg Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish beat Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4 Monday to reach the second round of the St. Petersburg Open.

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.


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


Automakers Display Eco-Friendly Cars (AP) AP - The Habo No. 1 looks like any one of the legions of Volkswagen sedans in China. But a peek under the hood reveals an array of chrome canisters in place of the usual engine.

\$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.


Apple Has Loyalty -- But Where Is Its Future? Clearly Apple hopes the halo of its iPod can be used to tempt consumers to invest in its computers, after sales of the iPod earlier this year overtook those of its supposedly staple desktops and laptops.

Disk storage outlook dimmer A ray of second-quarter sunshine is overshadowed by clouds on the horizon, according to Gartner.


Athens champion album - Aug. 21 (1) Britain #39;s Yngling crew Shirley Robertson (M), Sarah Webb (R) and Sarah Ayton celebrate at award ceremony after winning the first title at the Athens Olympic Games on August 21, 2004.


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.

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.


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.


Cyclones Blow Chance Iowa State makes a slew of late-game errors and falls to Missouri, 17-14, in overtime. The loss sends Colorado to the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma.

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.


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.


Hub schools make grade with \$12.5M science grant A record \$12.5 million grant to be announced today will revolutionize science teaching throughout Boston Public Schools, officials said.

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.


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


Boston techies envision TV's on-demand future At the end of a boisterous dinner, after several glasses of good red wine, technology entrepreneur John Landry pulled out his iPaq hand-held and beckoned me over to his side of the table.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


Stock Futures Rise After GDP Data  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures rose on Tuesday,  pointing to a flat market open, after preliminary third-quarter  gross domestic product data showed higher-than-expected growth.

Harrah #39;s, Caesars to sell four casinos to satisfy regulators Harrah #39;s Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment Inc. have agreed to sell four hotel-casinos to an affiliate of Colony Capital LLC for about 1.2 billion dollars.


Tigers in Thai zoo dying of bird flu BANGKOK - Avian influenza has killed 23 tigers and sickened 30 more at a private zoo in eastern Thailand, Thai officials said on Tuesday.


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.

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.


Sing Me Back Home matches track mark OCEANPORT, N.J. -- Sing Me Back Home pulled away in the stretch to win the \$60,000 Decathalon Handicap at Monmouth Park yesterday, equaling the track record for 5 furlongs.


Turkey gets conditional OK for EU talks In a historic move that could extend Europe #39;s borders to the edge of the volatile Middle East, the European Union recommended Wednesday setting mostly Muslim Turkey

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.


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.


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.

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.


Two Killed, 10 Hurt in Latest Bangladesh Blast Two people were killed and 10 wounded in a bomb blast in northeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, in the latest of a series of attacks that have killed more than 100 people in the past four years, police said.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


Treasuries Up, Indirect Bidders Buy Big (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices built on early\gains on Wednesday after an auction of five-year debt drew\surprisingly strong demand from indirect bidders, which include\foreign central banks.


Pennington's leadership not half bad for New York EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Chad Pennington could feel the pressure of trying to make franchise history weighing down his teammates.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


UK scientists help astronomers capture  #39;galactic ballet #39; 300m <b>...</b> STUNNING images have captured what astronomers call  quot;the graceful interactions of a galactic ballet, played out on a stage some 300 million light years away quot;.


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.

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.


An Ergonomic, Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Set The Wireless Optical Desktop Comfort Edition, with its mildly arced keypad, allows for easy typing while providing some relief for your wrists.


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.

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.


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 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.

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.


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.


La Russa, Francona have family ties For the here and now, it is the challenge of matching wits with Terry Francona that dominates Tony La Russa's thoughts in the World Series.

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.


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.


A Look at Lawsuits, Voting Problems (AP) AP - Many states are facing legal challenges over possible voting problems Nov. 2. A look at some of the developments Monday:

West Japan Quakes Unlikely to Be Precursors, Panel Says  TOKYO (Reuters) - Two strong earthquakes that struck  western Japan are unlikely to be precursors to the type of  massive tremors that hit the region every century or so and the  chances of major aftershocks seem low, a government panel said  on Monday.


Disgruntled Rice keeps up pressure for a trade Jerry Rice was scheduled to meet with Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis on last night to discuss the receiver's future after he said he wants to be traded.


Tigers in Thai zoo dying of bird flu BANGKOK - Avian influenza has killed 23 tigers and sickened 30 more at a private zoo in eastern Thailand, Thai officials said on Tuesday.

Hurricane Jeanne Targets Fla. East Coast FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Floridians scrambled to board their homes and stock up on groceries and gas - again - as Hurricane Jeanne churned westward Friday and threatened to become the fourth hurricane to pound the state in the last six weeks...


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.


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.

Survey Notes Rise in US Broadband Users The number of Americans who get on the Internet via high-speed lines has now equaled the number using dial-up connections.


Vote observers: access to US polling places difficult (AFP) AFP - An international human rights group said its observers for the 2004 US election found access to polling stations difficult in Florida and Ohio.


PeopleSoft reveals alliance with IBM PeopleSoft Inc., which is fighting a hostile takeover bid from Oracle Corp., on Tuesday announced an alliance with IBM that may help ease the worries of potential customers.

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.


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.


Bulldogs Clip Jackets Quarterback David Greene throws a 28-yard touchdown pass for No. 8 Georgia in its 19-13 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday.

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.


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.


AOL offers its customers online shield free of charge America Online blocked popup ads and intensified its fight against junk e-mail last year. Starting today, the largest online service is carrying its campaign against online plagues even further.

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.


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.


Nixon is eager to hit his stride ANAHEIM, Calif. -- In the immediate moments after Wednesday night's win over the Anaheim Angels, reporters gathered three-deep around the locker of catcher Jason Varitek, who clubbed a two-run homer to tie the game in the sixth, and helped navigate the heartening performance of Pedro Martinez, who notched a convincing playoff win, demonstrating high heat and the kind of location ...

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.


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


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

US economy slows US economic growth was slower than first thought in the second quarter, hit by a widening trade deficit. For the quarter, the world #39;s biggest economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8 per cent, down


Child soldiers square up to US tanks Struggling to lift a Kalashnikov, a 12-year-old with the Mahdi army militia said he could do anything in battle except fly a helicopter.


Disbelieving Hauritz bowled over by Bombay turn Off spinner Nathan Hauritz could hardly believe his eyes at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Nor could he believe his luck.  quot;I #39;ve never seen a wicket on which the

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.


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.


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

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.


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

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


Saudi to fight terrorists with prayers Saudi Arabia said Friday it has advised the nation #39;s imams they should condemn terrorism and terrorists in prayers during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

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.


Nixon is eager to hit his stride ANAHEIM, Calif. -- In the immediate moments after Wednesday night's win over the Anaheim Angels, reporters gathered three-deep around the locker of catcher Jason Varitek, who clubbed a two-run homer to tie the game in the sixth, and helped navigate the heartening performance of Pedro Martinez, who notched a convincing playoff win, demonstrating high heat and the kind of location ...