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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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


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.


'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.


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.


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.

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 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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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


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


China 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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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


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

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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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...


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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


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...

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.


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.


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?

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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


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


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


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.


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.

#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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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...


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.

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...


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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...


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.

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


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


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.

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


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.


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

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:


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.

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.


Kazaa  #39;worried about piracy #39; Kazaa, the internet #39;s most popular file-swapping system, told a court in Sydney yesterday that it was worried about users exchanging unauthorised files and had held talks with record companies in the United States.


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.

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.


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


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

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.


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).


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.

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.


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


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.

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...


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


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.

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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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...

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.


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.


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

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.


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


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

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


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


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.


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.


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

Mystery over hostage #39;s fate BAGHDAD: A body found in Iraq cannot be confirmed as that of a young Japanese man taken hostage and the corpse has been sent to Qatar for identification, Japan #39;s Senior Vice Foreign Minister Shuzen Tanigawa said yesterday.


#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.


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.

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


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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;.


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

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.


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.


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

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


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...


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.

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.


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

Randy Moss' Status Unknown for Sunday  MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings  star receiver Randy Moss suffered a hamstring injury during  Sunday's win over New Orleans and his status for this weekend's  game versus Tennessee is unknown.


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


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.

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.


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.


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...

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.


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


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.

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


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.


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.

French court to rule on Sikh boys A French court will rule on whether a new law bans three Sikh boys from wearing the under-turban to school.


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.


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.

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.


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


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.


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.


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.

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.


Photos from MacExpo 2004 With over 100 exhibitors  #151; including Apple, Adobe, Bose, Epson, HP, Microsoft, Quark and Sony  #151; and more than 20,000 visitors expected during the three-day event  #151; this year #146;s London MacExpo is shaping up as the biggest and best ever staged. Nov 18


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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


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.


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).

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


Mystery over hostage #39;s fate BAGHDAD: A body found in Iraq cannot be confirmed as that of a young Japanese man taken hostage and the corpse has been sent to Qatar for identification, Japan #39;s Senior Vice Foreign Minister Shuzen Tanigawa said yesterday.


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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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


Brazil 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.


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.

Cincinnati QB Might Miss Louisville Game (AP) AP - Cincinnati star quarterback Gino Guidugli broke a bone in his throwing hand when he slipped outside his home, and he might miss Saturday's game at No. 7 Louisville.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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...

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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


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.

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


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


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


\$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.


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.

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


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


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.

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


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.


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


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


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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


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


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.

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


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.

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


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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:

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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?


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.


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.


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 ...

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.


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


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

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


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.


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

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


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


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

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.


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


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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.


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.


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.


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


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.

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.


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.


Water of Life and Other Scientific Highlights of 2004 Science judged that the runner-up to the discovery of water on Mars was the finding of another species of dwarf human which lived on the remote Indonesian island of Flores as little as 13,000 years ago.

Kazaa  #39;worried about piracy #39; Kazaa, the internet #39;s most popular file-swapping system, told a court in Sydney yesterday that it was worried about users exchanging unauthorised files and had held talks with record companies in the United States.


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.


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.

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...


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.


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.


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