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.


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

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


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


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.

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


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


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

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.


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


US 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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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


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.


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

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.


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...


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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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


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

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


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.


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

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


Davenport Won't Decide on Retirement Now (AP) AP - All in due time, Lindsay Davenport will decide whether she wants retire. Only right now is not that time.


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.


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.


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

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


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


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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


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


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.


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

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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.


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.


\$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.

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


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


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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


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

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:


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


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.

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.


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?


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


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


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.


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.


'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.

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


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


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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


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.

Davenport Won't Decide on Retirement Now (AP) AP - All in due time, Lindsay Davenport will decide whether she wants retire. Only right now is not that time.


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.


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.

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


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


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

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


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


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.

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.


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


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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'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.


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.


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?

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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...


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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


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.


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.


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


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.

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


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.

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.


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.

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.


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.

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


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


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.

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.


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...


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

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


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


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.

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


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.


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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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

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


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


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.

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


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


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.

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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

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


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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


'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.


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

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.


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


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.

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


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


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

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


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.


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.

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...


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


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

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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

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


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.


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.


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.


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.

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


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


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.

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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...

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.


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


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

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.


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.


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

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


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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

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


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.


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.

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.


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.