Rugby-Lions accept extra match on 2005 New Zealand tour The British and Irish Lions have accepted an extra match on their tour of New Zealand next year. The Lions will now play the traditionally strong Auckland provincial

Shanghai, Qualifying: Surprises all round Michael Schumacher spun and Sauber looked strong this afternoon. Fernando and Jacques went sixth and thirteenth.


Pakistan down India to ensure top six finish (AFP) AFP - Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India 3-0 here to ensure they stand among the top six in the Olympic men's field hockey competition.


WTO Hits EU Again Over Sugar Sales  GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization (WTO) has  again declared some European Union sugar exports illegal,  dealing a new blow to the bloc's lavish system of farm  subsidies, a trade source close to the case said Wednesday.

Rate hikes by Fed dull ARMs #39; luster 30-year fixed home loans remain appealing, but variable rates have been on the move up. By Sandra Block. If you #39;re hoping an adjustable-rate mortgage will help you afford your dream house, you may want to rethink those granite countertops.


Virgin Starts (70) Mile-High Club With the misery that has plagued the airline industry recently, the last place you #39;d expect to see some inspiring -- heck, potentially rule-breaking -- thinking would be from an airline entrepreneur.


Plane crash kills 10 close to racing MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- A Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed yesterday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, including the son, brother and two nieces of the owner of one of auto racing's most successful organizations.

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


ANZ sells project finance unit Australia  amp; New Zealand Banking Group said today it would transfer most of its London-based project finance business to Standard Chartered.


Hollywood to sue server operators in bid to stymie online piracy LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of US- and European-based computer servers that help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks.

Mobile phone  #39;deafness #39; risk p2pnet.net News:- Defects in Siemens 65 series mobile phones could cause deafness, says the company.  quot;In extreme cases, this volume could lead to hearing damage.


Thai Airways orders six Airbus superjumbos Thai Airways International plans to buy six Airbus A380 double-decker aircraft that will be delivered in 2008 and 2009. The airline is also ordering two additional A340 aircraft.


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

Alstom to sign 1 billion Euro in contracts with China (AFP) AFP - The French Group Alstom Saturday will sign contracts worth up to 1 billion Euros (1.23 billion dollars) in China for the delivery of trains and locomotives, French sources with knowledge of the deal revealed to AFP.


Oil Hits \$53 on Winter Worries, Nigeria  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices scaled new heights at \$53 for  U.S. crude on Thursday on concerns over tight winter heating  fuel supplies and an unexpected strike at Nigerian oil  terminals.


Plant a tree at Easter urges Nobel laureate world to plant trees at Easter as a symbol of renewal and to protect the planet. planted, quot; Maathai told Reuters Television in Oslo, where she received the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.

Pinochet is ordered to stand trial for murder Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator, was ordered under house arrest yesterday, charged with kidnapping and murder dating back to his 17-year rule.


Travel Column: Australia Through Aboriginal Eyes This week's TravelWatch column profiles Anangu Tours, an Aborigine-owned tour company in Australia's Red Center.


Going ballistic: Agni-II test fired NEW DELHI: Indias quest to develop a solid missile defence took a step forward today when it successfully test-fired the surface-to-surface Agni-II missile, which can cover targets in the 2000-2500 kms-range, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at

Princess Di's Ex-Bodyguard Disputes Claim (AP) AP - A former bodyguard of Princess Diana on Tuesday dismissed her claim that one of her lovers was "bumped off."


Four players shoot opening-round 66 SEMMES, Ala. -- Grace Park, looking to clinch second place in the Player of the Year race, birdied the final hole Thursday to gain a share of the lead after the first round of the Tournament of Champions.


Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers  continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the  third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market  slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.

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


Barcelona return for Mourinho Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, last night talked about how  quot;emotional quot; it will be returning to Barcelona in the last 16, knockout stage of the Champions League.


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

In Chile, pace of justice quickens A judge has ruled that Gen. Augusto Pinochet stand trial for his alleged involvement in state-sponsored torture.


AOL Files Lawsuit Against IM  #39;Spim #39; America Online Inc. said Thursday it had filed a federal lawsuit accusing numerous unnamed defendants of violating federal and state laws by sending bulk messages known as  quot;spim quot; to instant message accounts and Internet chat rooms.


IBM Releasing New Power5-Based Servers RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK - IBM is rolling out a new line of Power5-processor based servers that it says outperform rivals from Sun and HP.

Cape Clear, Neon in Web services deal Cape Clear Software and Neon Systems Inc. on Wednesday announced they are working together to integrate their respective technologies and allow users to quickly integrate mainframe applications and data through the use of Web services.


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


Kashmir separatist chief arrested Kashmir separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani is prevented from leading a protest against allleged rapes by an Indian army officer.

Election chaos? (U.S. News   World Report) U.S. News   World Report - Michael Cadigan's day job is practicing commercial law in Albuquerque. But over eggs at the trendy Gold Street Caffe in the heart of downtown, he and a dozen other lawyers are immersing themselves in the intricacies of election law. On Election Day, they plan to be out in force for Democrat John Kerry at polling places across New Mexico, where Al Gore won in 2000 by just 366 votes.  quot;We know there was a lot of monkey business with counting ballots before, quot; says Cadigan.  quot;We want to make sure that doesn't happen again. ...


Pfizer News Sends Blue Chips Down  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow Jones industrial average fell  on Friday after Pfizer Inc. PFE.N shares opened nearly 19  percent down on trial data for its popular arthritis drug  Celebrex that showed increased risk of heart attack.


Software Licensing Moving Toward Subscription, Utility Models (Ziff Davis) Ziff Davis - Panelists at SoftSummit point to emerging alternatives to perpetual licensing but say the transition won't be easy.

Samsung MMCmicro Cards Samsung MMCmicro It seems that mobile phones will soon be getting yet another new memory storage format, joining a growing field of ever-smaller memory cards.


As reserve, Penny seeks Knick payoff The aging process for veteran NBA players is usually accelerated when they have reached their tenth season. Penny Hardaway has 11 years and 647 games on his odometer and he can feel it in his bones and joints.


Charting East Asias milestones IT is a special honour for me to be speaking before such a distinguished gathering, including my illustrious predecessor and his colleagues from Korea and Japan who are all well-known for their visionary ideas and as proponents of East Asian cooperation.

Parliament Invasion Spurs Security Concern (AP) AP - Silver buckled shoes, stockings and a ceremonial sword? Time, some say, for Parliament's archaic security measures to be dragged into the 21st century after what was called the worst security breach at the House of Commons since 1642.


Dell Offers SUSE on Servers Dell (Quote, Chart) officials announced Wednesday an agreement with Linux distributor Novell (Quote, Chart) to distribute and support SUSE Enterprise Server 9 on its single- and dual-processor line of servers.


Qwest: The end of the beginning Thursday #39;s agreement between Qwest Communications and federal regulator settles allegations of  quot;massive financial fraud quot; at a price of \$250 million.

Local group joins suit to de-list endangered species Bob Briggs wifes family has owned about 1,000 acres of redwood forest off Waddell Creek since 1913. He doesnt clearcut, and logs about once a decade.


Hollywood to sue server operators in bid to stymie online piracy LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of US- and European-based computer servers that help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks.


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

Interview: OSDL chief Stuart Cohen - Part 2 In the second of a two-part interview, Open Systems Development Labs chief Stuart Cohen gives his views on Linux security, desktops, the Domino effect towards Linux, and why Microsoft will eventually port to Linux.


Spain coach faces racism inquiry THE Spanish football federation yesterday opened a disciplinary file against national coach Luis Aragones - but anti-racism campaigners expect him to be let off with a warning.


Shanghai, Qualifying: Surprises all round Michael Schumacher spun and Sauber looked strong this afternoon. Fernando and Jacques went sixth and thirteenth.

Kansas State 76, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 42 Clent Stewart scored a career-high 15 points and Kansas State used stifling defense for a 76-42 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday.


Understanding Search Engine Models Understanding Search Engine Models\\To understand search engines and search engine marketing, one must first understand the search engine model. There are two fundamentally different types of search engine back ends: site directories and spidering search engines. Site directory databases are built by a person manually inputting data about websites. Most ...


Five facts about France #39;s Muslim headscarf ban - The French parliament passed the law in March to ban  quot;conspicuous symbols quot; of faith from its state school system. Guidelines for applying the law identified Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps and large


Barcelona return for Mourinho Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, last night talked about how  quot;emotional quot; it will be returning to Barcelona in the last 16, knockout stage of the Champions League.


A different ball game Two interesting stories this week. One - Manchester United #39;s signing of Wayne Rooney - exciting if rather predictable; another - Southampton #39;s apparent intent to hire England rugby union coach Sir Clive Woodward - surprising and, to many, baffling.


Dollar Keeps Gains as Market Awaits Data  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled on Tuesday after gaining  the previous day, as many investors held off building positions  ahead of economic data from the United States.


Hanover Striker Mathis to Return to US Hanover 96 striker Clint Mathis is to return to the United States after only a year in the Bundesliga, the German club said Tuesday.

UEFA Introduces Anti-Doping Program  SOFIA (Reuters) - UEFA will enforce a new anti-doping  program at all levels in and out of competition, a meeting of  the European soccer body's executive committee decided  Thursday.


U.S. Says N.Korea Miscalculating by Stalling on Talks  TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States accused North Korea  Tuesday of miscalculation by refusing to resume talks on its  nuclear programs before the U.S. presidential election while  China renewed a diplomatic drive to end the stalemate.


Giga counters They #39;re bold, brash and break most rules of business -- so why are the Google guys multi-billionaires? GOOGLE Inc had plenty to celebrate at its recent annual summer picnic -- its debut as a public company

Microsoft Patches for ISA Server 2000 and Proxy Server 2.0 Microsoft has released bulletin MS04-039 reporting a security vulnerability in Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000 and in Proxy Server 2.0, and has also announced the availability of the patches to resolve these issues.


Saddam meets lawyer, aides due in Court Saddam Hussein met with a defense lawyer Thursday for the first time since his capture a year ago, days before several of his top aides are due to appear in court for hearings on alleged war crimes.


Report boosts Nextel, Sprint Shares of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. jumped yesterday following reports the two telephone companies were discussing a merger.

Chips are down in tech world EUROPE #39;s biggest chipmaker, Infineon, rocked the technology world today as profits fell e100m (70m) short of analysts #39; expectations.


AOL Updates Audio Video Search SingingFish AOL Updates Audio Video Search SingingFish\\Rumors are floating that market leaders Google along with Yahoo! and Microsoft (MSN) are working on an improved multimedia searching capabilities. AOL entered into the field with their acquisition of Singingfish Inc. around a year ago.\\Singingfish Inc. would be today announcing their updated services to ...


Car Crashes Into Japan Parliament Gate -Jiji (Reuters) Reuters - A car crashed into a gate of Japan's\parliament building in central Tokyo on Thursday and caught\fire, Jiji news agency said.

Putin backs veto for members of expanded Security Council Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday rejected a key recommendation of a United Nations panel on expanding the UN Security Council, saying any reform would be one-sided if new members did not have veto power.


Red Sox ready to end jinx The New York Yankees hold the Curse of the Bambino, the Boston Massacre and their acquisition of Alex Rodriguez in their longstanding dominance over the Red Sox, but recent history suggests changes are coming.


Brazilian victory lifts Williams The Williams team breathed a sigh of relief after Juan Pablo Montoya #39;s victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix. The team finished fourth in the constructors standings but technical director Sam Michael was full of praise for the Colombian #39;s performance.

Rugby-Lions accept extra match on 2005 New Zealand tour The British and Irish Lions have accepted an extra match on their tour of New Zealand next year. The Lions will now play the traditionally strong Auckland provincial


Shares plunge 20 at Global Crossing NEW YORKShares of Global Crossing Ltd. lost nearly 20 per cent in value yesterday on concerns it could face a second bankruptcy after it said it is cutting 600 jobs as it negotiates with lenders for financing.


SunGard to Spin Off Data Recovery Unit  NEW YORK (Reuters) - SunGard Data Systems Inc. SDS.N on  Monday said it would spin off its data recovery business,  sending its stock up 11 percent to a four-month high.

An insurer sees the light Snoopy has left the building. Well, almost. MetLife Inc. , the insurance giant that employs Charlie Brown's dog in ads, is close to completing a deal to sell its State Street Research and Management investment arm to BlackRock Inc. for about \$400 million. Everyone involved will be better off for it.


Deficits soil safe-haven image of US Treasury debt Once a seemingly indestructible hiding hole for the frightened investor, some on Wall Street are beginning to question the super-safe status of US Treasury debt.

Thai Airways orders six Airbus superjumbos Thai Airways International plans to buy six Airbus A380 double-decker aircraft that will be delivered in 2008 and 2009. The airline is also ordering two additional A340 aircraft.


Shanghai, Qualifying: Surprises all round Michael Schumacher spun and Sauber looked strong this afternoon. Fernando and Jacques went sixth and thirteenth.


Dell Offers SUSE on Servers Dell (Quote, Chart) officials announced Wednesday an agreement with Linux distributor Novell (Quote, Chart) to distribute and support SUSE Enterprise Server 9 on its single- and dual-processor line of servers.

McNealy: Microsoft needs Sun to beat IBM and Red Hat Whatever pleasantries once existed between Sun Microsystems and Red Hat have vanished. This won #39;t come as a shock to many of you.


Check Boeing sops, Airbustells US Check Boeing sops, Airbustells <b>...</b> European aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday criticised a US move to take a fight about subsidies to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying it showed its rivals unwillingness to address its own subsidies.


German Finance Professionals Grow Sharply (AP) AP - German finance professionals grew sharply more pessimistic about the country's economic growth outlook, fearing that the euro's record highs against the U.S. dollar will weigh on exports, a monthly survey showed Tuesday.

China move on textile exports gets cautious response The US and the European Union responded cautiously yesterday to China #39;s surprise undertaking to impose duties on some textile exports, a step it said was designed to ensure a  quot;smooth


Mobile phone network reaches last of China's ethnic minorities (AFP) AFP - China has brought its mobile phone network to the last of its ethnic minority regions previously cut off from communication with the outside world, state media reported.

Intel drops prices on computer chips SAN FRANCISCO - Intel Corp. has cut prices on its computer chips by as much as 35 percent, though analysts on Monday said the cuts were probably unrelated to swelling inventories of the world #39;s largest chip maker.


Google Shares, Once Devalued, Just May Be Winners After All Wall Street, which forced Google, the Internet search engine, to sharply lower the price of its shares in its initial public offering in August, has decided that the company is worth a lot more today than it was then.


49ERS NOTEBOOK Fumbling holiday-party plans If you think you are having trouble with your holiday party, check out the 49ers. The 49ers planned to have theirs Friday at a hotel near where the team stays the night before games, but coaches and their

Cricket-Lillee a victim of generational change, says spin guru MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - Cricket Australia said it was better off hiring full-time coaches than employing bowling great Dennis Lillee, who has abruptly ended his long coaching involvement with the body.


EU chief battles to avert veto in crunch vote (AFP) AFP - The European Union braced for a knife-edge vote to decide the fate of its new executive arm with incoming EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso hardening his stance against rebel legislators.


Kansas State 76, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 42 Clent Stewart scored a career-high 15 points and Kansas State used stifling defense for a 76-42 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday.

It #39;s About Time Sox Became The Champs  And Real Rivals Finally. the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have a bona fide rivalry. Please don #39;t assume that this belongs on the sports pages.


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


McNealy: Microsoft needs Sun to beat IBM and Red Hat Whatever pleasantries once existed between Sun Microsystems and Red Hat have vanished. This won #39;t come as a shock to many of you.

Interview: OSDL chief Stuart Cohen - Part 2 In the second of a two-part interview, Open Systems Development Labs chief Stuart Cohen gives his views on Linux security, desktops, the Domino effect towards Linux, and why Microsoft will eventually port to Linux.


Iran Denies Any Nuclear Activity At Suspect Site Parchin VIENNA (AFP) - Iran denied that it had carried out any nuclear-related activity at the Parchin military site which is the subject of US and UN concern.


EasyGroup close to launching low-cost mobile phone service (AFP) AFP - EasyGroup, the holding company of no-frills British airline easyJet, is close to striking a deal to launch a low-cost mobile telephone service in Britain, the Financial Times reported.

Conditions Worsen in Darfur, U.N. Agencies Say (Reuters) Reuters - Conditions for 1.2 million Sudanese\displaced in Darfur continue to worsen amid violent attacks,\spreading disease, and heavy rains which wreak havoc with aid\convoys, United Nations agencies said on Tuesday.


Eleusis wins Long Island  #39;cap; Personal Legend wins Turnback the <b>...</b> Eleusis made a successful US debut by beating Literacy by 2\\ lengths in Aqueduct #39;s Saturday feature, the Grade II, \$150,000 Long Island Handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older.


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

Travel Column: Australia Through Aboriginal Eyes This week's TravelWatch column profiles Anangu Tours, an Aborigine-owned tour company in Australia's Red Center.


German Finance Professionals Grow Sharply (AP) AP - German finance professionals grew sharply more pessimistic about the country's economic growth outlook, fearing that the euro's record highs against the U.S. dollar will weigh on exports, a monthly survey showed Tuesday.


Microsoft Will Replace Fake Copies of XP U.K. users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased.

Hollywood to sue server operators in bid to stymie online piracy LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of US- and European-based computer servers that help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks.


Reds pick up Miley #39;s option for 2005 Reds general manager Dan O #39;Brien said Sunday what he has hinted at for the last month or so: Dave Miley and his staff will be back for 2005.


FDA stifled dangerous Vioxx results - expert Washington - An expert with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said on Thursday he was pressured by his agency to stifle study results showing the potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.

Dollar Keeps Gains as Market Awaits Data  TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled on Tuesday after gaining  the previous day, as many investors held off building positions  ahead of economic data from the United States.


Jags Cut Compton, Maddox (AP) AP - Veteran offensive lineman Mike Compton and rookie defensive tackle Anthony Maddox were among the 12 players cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.


OSDL teams with another open source group The Beaverton-based Open Source Development Labs announced this week it is combining some efforts with another open source group to further the adoption of Linux.


Pfizer Hikes Warning on Bextra Skin Risk  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. PFE.N said on Friday it  is sending additional information to healthcare professionals  about its arthritis drug Bextra, a COX-2 product in the same  class as the withdrawn drug Vioxx.


Polls Open for Indonesia #39;s First Direct Presidential Elections Polls have opened for Indonesia #39;s first direct presidential election. Election observers say they are impressed with the six-month electoral process, which also chose members of the national assembly and local councils.

Peruvian Maoist trial thrown into chaos The first hearing in the re-trial of former leaders of Peru #39;s Shining Path guerrilla group has ended in chaos. The judge suspended the hearing after the group #39;s founder, Abimael Guzman, and his 15 co-defendants


Gold Fields wins appeal to fight takeover Gold Fields Ltd. won an appeal on Friday in its battle to stave off a hostile \$7.1 billion takeover by Harmony Gold Mining Co. that would create the world #39;s largest gold mining company.


Expos Skipper Robinson OKs One-Year Deal (AP) AP - Frank Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract to return as manager of the Expos, although whether he actually manages the team next year will hinge on the pace of the team's sale and the whim of the new owners.

Japan #39;s Sato staying at BAR Japan #39;s Takuma Sato will continue to drive for BAR next season, the Formula One team said on Tuesday. Sato, gearing up for his home grand prix at Suzuka on Sunday, is eighth in the


US stocks up on durable goods news; chips down US stocks got a mild boost on Friday as government data showed better-than-expected demand in August for durable goods other than transportation equipment, but climbing oil prices limited gains.


Qatar Defense Show Focuses on Videogame Technology  DOHA (Reuters) - Rick Bracewell is driving through Baghdad  when gunmen open fire. Then a nearby dead dog strapped with  explosives blows up and his vehicle goes up in flames.

National Registry Push Could Ease Drug Study Hunt By LAURAN NEERGAARD     WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scientists are conducting thousands of medical experiments that can offer tantalizing hope to the ill, but tracking them down and getting enrolled can be incredibly difficult.    It might get easier, thanks to a growing push by doctors and lawmakers to force drug companies to list on a national registry every study they conduct...


Islamic threaten women #39;s soccer tournament in Bangladesh The organizers of Bangladesh #39;s first women #39;s soccer tournament promised to keep playing despite protests by a Muslim group that called the event  quot;indecent and against Islamic norms quot;.


Conditions Worsen in Darfur, U.N. Agencies Say (Reuters) Reuters - Conditions for 1.2 million Sudanese\displaced in Darfur continue to worsen amid violent attacks,\spreading disease, and heavy rains which wreak havoc with aid\convoys, United Nations agencies said on Tuesday.

Fierce Clashes in Iraq Kill 34 People BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces battled insurgents loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City on Tuesday, in clashes that left at least 34 people dead, including one American soldier, and 193 people injured, U.S...


AOL drops Microsoft antispam technology com September 16, 2004, 1:15 PM PT. This fourth priority #39;s main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half.


Web domains approved for Posties, travel The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved two new sponsored Internet domains, .post and .travel, specifically for the post and travel industries.

Dell Offers SUSE on Servers Dell (Quote, Chart) officials announced Wednesday an agreement with Linux distributor Novell (Quote, Chart) to distribute and support SUSE Enterprise Server 9 on its single- and dual-processor line of servers.


American shoppers splurge in September WASHINGTON (AFP) - Shoppers -- the dynamo in the US economy -- shrugged off rising energy prices and splurged in malls and car showrooms in September, a government report showed.


Spain coach faces racism inquiry THE Spanish football federation yesterday opened a disciplinary file against national coach Luis Aragones - but anti-racism campaigners expect him to be let off with a warning.

Women #39;s basketball team finds special place in Chancellor #39;s heart The medal ceremony had ended. Van Chancellor had already shed a few tears, but he had held his emotions together through all the hugs and dancing, even through the victory


A Taste of Yum! Wins the World Over Strong international sales growth and solid U.S. comps propel the company's stock to its highest price ever.


Southwest To Bid For ATA Chicago Assets Southwest Airlines said on Friday it will bid at least USD\$100 million for assets of bankrupt ATA Airlines, including taking over six of ATA #39;s 14 gates at Chicago #39;s Midway Airport and selling tickets on some of each other #39;s flights.

Heineken Profit Dips But Repeats Outlook  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken posted a 4.5  percent fall in core profit for the first half on Wednesday, at  the low end of expectations as a weak dollar and sluggish  markets hurt business.


Labour has failed on pensions, commission will report A report on pensions commissioned by the Government will be highly critical of Labour #39;s record on the issue, saying that people are saving far less for retirement than official figures show


Dutchman suspected of aiding Saddam in war crimes is arrested A MAN suspected of helping former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein commit war crimes and genocide by supplying him with materials for chemical weapons, has been arrested by the Netherlands authorities.


Wall Street Set for a Flat Start (Reuters) Reuters - Wall Street was set for a flat start on\Tuesday as investors braced themselves for a slew of data, with\a steadier dollar helping to offset the impact of firmer crude\oil prices.

Rapidly expanding Vietnam Airlines ready to take on America HANOI : Yesterday Vietnam, today Asia, tomorrow the United States: Vietnam Airlines has expanded to the point where it is even eyeing the huge American market, a move which would have been unthinkable not long ago.


Microsoft, Sun, Intel push IT management via Web services (InfoWorld) InfoWorld - Microsoft and Sun Microsystems on Thursday are publishing a specification to leverage Web services for managing a broad range of IT systems including PCs and devices on a network.


Youzhny sends champion Henman crashing out of Paris PARIS (AFP) - Defending champion Tim Henman crashed out of the 2.45-million-euro Paris Masters tamely surrendering the title he won so impressively last year.

Guo tucks away gold for China China #39;s Guo Jingjing easily won the women #39;s 3-meter springboard last night, and Wu Minxia made it a 1-2 finish for the world #39;s diving superpower, taking the silver.


AOL Files Lawsuit Against IM  #39;Spim #39; America Online Inc. said Thursday it had filed a federal lawsuit accusing numerous unnamed defendants of violating federal and state laws by sending bulk messages known as  quot;spim quot; to instant message accounts and Internet chat rooms.


Running was a key human characteristic By Lee Bowman. The ability to run long distances across the African savannah gave human ancestors an evolutionary advantage over other primates that walked upright, but could not run the mile or 20, researchers argue in a new study.

Microsoft Will Replace Fake Copies of XP U.K. users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased.


Adams backs power-sharing plan Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams   recommends his party  accept proposals to revive power-sharing.


Rapidly expanding Vietnam Airlines ready to take on America HANOI : Yesterday Vietnam, today Asia, tomorrow the United States: Vietnam Airlines has expanded to the point where it is even eyeing the huge American market, a move which would have been unthinkable not long ago.

Rats in Mouse #39;s house? Remember John Edwards Two Americas campaign theme? It occurred to me how well that theme fits the corporate world. For proof, look no further than the stockholder lawsuit against Walt Disney Co.


Yankees' Holding Pattern Is Sure to Change Brian Cashman, the general manager of the Yankees, on Friday looked as if he had been up deep into the night plotting how to improve the team.


U.S. Report Undercuts Bush War Rationale WASHINGTON - Undercutting the Bush's administration's rationale for invading Iraq, the final report of the chief U.S. arms inspector concludes that Saddam Hussein did not vigorously pursue a program to develop weapons of mass destruction after international inspectors left Baghdad in 1998, according to lawmakers and others briefed on the report...

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


EU Pursues Oracle-PeopleSoft Case (AP) AP - European Union regulators suggested Monday they are not bound by a U.S. decision to allow Oracle Corp. to pursue its  #36;7.7 billion bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. and are continuing to collect data on the deal.


EU to talk through asylum plans Key EU interior ministers are to meet in Florence to discuss plans for migrant holding centres outside Europe.

EU chief battles to avert veto in crunch vote (AFP) AFP - The European Union braced for a knife-edge vote to decide the fate of its new executive arm with incoming EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso hardening his stance against rebel legislators.


Virgin Starts (70) Mile-High Club With the misery that has plagued the airline industry recently, the last place you #39;d expect to see some inspiring -- heck, potentially rule-breaking -- thinking would be from an airline entrepreneur.


Election chaos? (U.S. News   World Report) U.S. News   World Report - Michael Cadigan's day job is practicing commercial law in Albuquerque. But over eggs at the trendy Gold Street Caffe in the heart of downtown, he and a dozen other lawyers are immersing themselves in the intricacies of election law. On Election Day, they plan to be out in force for Democrat John Kerry at polling places across New Mexico, where Al Gore won in 2000 by just 366 votes.  quot;We know there was a lot of monkey business with counting ballots before, quot; says Cadigan.  quot;We want to make sure that doesn't happen again. ...

Australian reporter freed in Iraq An Australian journalist was seized by militants in Iraq for nearly 24 hours, but then released unharmed.


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


Robertson emerges with time A debate on draft day 2003 was whether the Patriots should have moved up to take Kentucky defensive lineman Dewayne Robertson , who was picked fourth overall by the Jets. After he had a subpar rookie season, the feeling was the Patriots made the right choice, though they took Ty Warren 13th overall that year and he also ...

Germany Cedes 2006 Cup Honor to Brazil (AP) AP - Germany declined the chance to play in the opening game of the 2006 World Cup, with the host nation ceding the honor to Brazil, the 2002 champion.


Chercher dans toute l #39;actualit Italy ground to a halt as millions of workers observed a general strike in protest against the economic policies of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi #39;s centre-right government.


Blue Chips Drop After Merck Announcement  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were lower on Thursday  after drug company and Dow component Merck   Co.MRK.N said it  was withdrawing a key drug, casting a dark mood over the market  as oil prices remained above \$49 a barrel.

FDA stifled dangerous Vioxx results - expert Washington - An expert with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said on Thursday he was pressured by his agency to stifle study results showing the potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.


Pinochet is ordered to stand trial for murder Augusto Pinochet, the former Chilean dictator, was ordered under house arrest yesterday, charged with kidnapping and murder dating back to his 17-year rule.


Cape Clear, Neon in Web services deal Cape Clear Software and Neon Systems Inc. on Wednesday announced they are working together to integrate their respective technologies and allow users to quickly integrate mainframe applications and data through the use of Web services.

Planned Grand Canyon Flood Seeks to Reverse Erosion Description: Researchers flooded the Colorado River last week, in an attempt to reverse erosion in the Grand Canyon. NPR #39;s Liane Hansen speaks to Denny Fenn, director of the Southwest Biological Science Center, about the experiment #39;s preliminary findings.


Euro exchange rate poses no threat to eurozone economy A top European Union (EU) economic official said on Monday that the current level of the euro against the US dollar posed no threat to the eurozone economic recovery.


Labour delegates force Iraq vote Iraq is chosen for a vote at Labour conference but Tony Blair says he will not apologise for the war.

U.S. Says N.Korea Miscalculating by Stalling on Talks  TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States accused North Korea  Tuesday of miscalculation by refusing to resume talks on its  nuclear programs before the U.S. presidential election while  China renewed a diplomatic drive to end the stalemate.


US stocks up on durable goods news; chips down US stocks got a mild boost on Friday as government data showed better-than-expected demand in August for durable goods other than transportation equipment, but climbing oil prices limited gains.


Pakistan's Musharraf to Retain Army Post Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will stay on as chief of the army staff beyond the date he promised to give up the post, the information minister said on Wednesday.


Interview: OSDL chief Stuart Cohen - Part 2 In the second of a two-part interview, Open Systems Development Labs chief Stuart Cohen gives his views on Linux security, desktops, the Domino effect towards Linux, and why Microsoft will eventually port to Linux.


Travel Column: Australia Through Aboriginal Eyes This week's TravelWatch column profiles Anangu Tours, an Aborigine-owned tour company in Australia's Red Center.

Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers  continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the  third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market  slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.


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


Sri Lanka raise England #39;s spirits In their opening match of the Champions #39; Trophy, Sri Lanka did little to suggest they have the wherewithal to knock England out of the tournament at the Rose Bowl on Friday.

Spurs 88, 76ers 80 The Philadelphia 76ers got a firsthand demonstration of why Tim Duncan might be the toughest player in the NBA to defend. Duncan scored a season-high 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Spurs to


Did Apple Offer Sony an ITunes Deal? Update: A partnership may be crucial for long-term success, one industry insider says.


Thousands queue for Halo 2 Hordes of video game fans queued outside more than 6500 stores across the United States overnight on Tuesday to get a copy of the new Halo 2 game whose first day takings are expected to rival a Hollywood blockbuster.

The space warrior, the witch and ICANN Leaders of the Internet's controversial ruling body are getting a visit this week from a witch-in-training and a space warrior from centuries in the future.


Goodale Hints of Tax Cuts The Federal Government says they are considering more tax cuts for lower and middle-income Canadians. Fending off attacks over the 9.1 billion dollar budget surplus, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale said he

Employees from 10 hotels locked out The San Francisco Multi-Employer Group announced this morning that it has locked out UNITE HERE Local 2 employees from 10 hotels and staffed the vacated positions with replacement workers.


France Opposes Immigrant Transit Camps in Africa France, Sweden and Belgium shot down a German proposal to set up European Union refugee processing centres in North Africa, arguing that the idea would do more harm than good.


Reds pick up Miley #39;s option for 2005 Reds general manager Dan O #39;Brien said Sunday what he has hinted at for the last month or so: Dave Miley and his staff will be back for 2005.

Mass. court denies new trial for convict BOSTON -- The state appeals court on Thursday declined to allow a new trial for a father convicted of beating a man to death at their sons #39; hockey practice.


Amazon.com net sales jump 29; Google reports \$52M in net income OCTOBER 22, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Amazon.com Inc. fell a penny short of analysts #39; per-share earnings expectations, while reporting net sales of \$1.


Oracle in Merger Talks with Other Firms  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. ORCL.O is in  merger talks with other technology companies as it awaits the  outcome of its \$9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival  software maker PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O.

A Taste of Yum! Wins the World Over Strong international sales growth and solid U.S. comps propel the company's stock to its highest price ever.


Maddux Wins No. 302, Baker Wins No. 1,000 Greg Maddux pitched the Chicago Cubs into the lead in the NL wild-card race and gave Dusty Baker a win to remember. Maddux threw seven shutout innings for his 302nd career win, Baker got his 1,000th victory as a manager and Chicago beat the Montreal Expos 5-2 on Monday night...


Unilever Cuts Profit Forecasts on Sluggish Sales (Update3) Unilever, the world #39;s largest maker of food and soap, cut its full-year earnings forecast after sales of ice cream and cold drinks slumped in Europe and demand for beauty and laundry products slowed.

PeopleSoft CEO Conway maintains defiant tone SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - With 15,000 attendees at PeopleSoft Inc. #39;s Connect 2004 user show waiting to hear how the company would handle Oracle Corp.


Reds pick up Miley #39;s option for 2005 Reds general manager Dan O #39;Brien said Sunday what he has hinted at for the last month or so: Dave Miley and his staff will be back for 2005.


Retailers Looking to Move Plasma TV's (AP) AP - Hanging stockings by the chimney with care? Retailers hope that St. Nicholas soon will be there  #151; to hang a 42-inch plasma-screen TV.

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


Dutchman suspected of aiding Saddam in war crimes is arrested A MAN suspected of helping former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein commit war crimes and genocide by supplying him with materials for chemical weapons, has been arrested by the Netherlands authorities.


U.S. Says N.Korea Miscalculating by Stalling on Talks  TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States accused North Korea  Tuesday of miscalculation by refusing to resume talks on its  nuclear programs before the U.S. presidential election while  China renewed a diplomatic drive to end the stalemate.

Alstom to sign 1 billion Euro in contracts with China (AFP) AFP - The French Group Alstom Saturday will sign contracts worth up to 1 billion Euros (1.23 billion dollars) in China for the delivery of trains and locomotives, French sources with knowledge of the deal revealed to AFP.


Goodale Hints of Tax Cuts The Federal Government says they are considering more tax cuts for lower and middle-income Canadians. Fending off attacks over the 9.1 billion dollar budget surplus, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale said he


Modified US space shuttle ready to fly next spring NASA said Thursday it had corrected flaws that caused the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia in February 2003 and that a modified shuttle would be ready to resume flights sometime next Spring.

Mobile phone network reaches last of China's ethnic minorities (AFP) AFP - China has brought its mobile phone network to the last of its ethnic minority regions previously cut off from communication with the outside world, state media reported.


POLITICAL POINTS  1:27 PM Sorry Is the Hardest Word It did not go unnoticed among the press corps traveling with President Bush that British Prime Minister Tony Blair apologized this week to fellow Labor Party officials for the fact that, as it


Explosion in Kathmandu injures 30 At least 30 people have been hurt in a explosion in Nepal #39;s capital, Kathmandu. Police say it was a bomb. The explosion struck a building of the government-owned Employees #39; Provident Fund that was under construction.

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


Robertson emerges with time A debate on draft day 2003 was whether the Patriots should have moved up to take Kentucky defensive lineman Dewayne Robertson , who was picked fourth overall by the Jets. After he had a subpar rookie season, the feeling was the Patriots made the right choice, though they took Ty Warren 13th overall that year and he also ...


UN Signs Pact with New World Court Opposed by U.S.  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations signed a  cooperation agreement on Monday with the new International  Criminal Court, despite objections to the tribunal from the  United States.

Australian reporter freed in Iraq An Australian journalist was seized by militants in Iraq for nearly 24 hours, but then released unharmed.


Wall Street Set for a Flat Start (Reuters) Reuters - Wall Street was set for a flat start on\Tuesday as investors braced themselves for a slew of data, with\a steadier dollar helping to offset the impact of firmer crude\oil prices.


Dependent species risk extinction The global extinction crisis is worse than thought, because thousands of  quot;affiliated quot; species also at risk do not figure in calculations.

Nasa to resume shuttle missions The American space agency Nasa says the first space shuttle mission since the Columbia disaster of 2003 is to be launched next May or early June.


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


EU Pursues Oracle-PeopleSoft Case (AP) AP - European Union regulators suggested Monday they are not bound by a U.S. decision to allow Oracle Corp. to pursue its  #36;7.7 billion bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. and are continuing to collect data on the deal.

OSDL teams with another open source group The Beaverton-based Open Source Development Labs announced this week it is combining some efforts with another open source group to further the adoption of Linux.


Adams backs power-sharing plan Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams   recommends his party  accept proposals to revive power-sharing.


Red Sox on Brink of World Series Victory  ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Pedro Martinez pitched seven shutout  innings and Manny Ramirez hit a home run as the Boston Red Sox  beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Tuesday, moving to the brink  of their first World Series title since 1918.

Japan #39;s Sato staying at BAR Japan #39;s Takuma Sato will continue to drive for BAR next season, the Formula One team said on Tuesday. Sato, gearing up for his home grand prix at Suzuka on Sunday, is eighth in the


Understanding Search Engine Models Understanding Search Engine Models\\To understand search engines and search engine marketing, one must first understand the search engine model. There are two fundamentally different types of search engine back ends: site directories and spidering search engines. Site directory databases are built by a person manually inputting data about websites. Most ...


PeopleSofts big bash See you next year in Las Vegas , proclaimed a marquee at the PeopleSoft user conference in San Francisco in late September. It was one of many not-so-subtle attempts by the company to reassure its customers

Ahold to Sell Spain Operations to Permira (AP) AP - The Dutch supermarket retailer Ahold, seeking to streamline global operations and reduce debt, said Sunday it will sell its holdings in Spain to Permira Funds for about  #36;849 million.


New Google Scholar search service aimed at academics Google Inc. on Thursday formally launched a new search service aimed at scientists and academic researchers. Google Scholar is a free beta service that allows users to search for scholarly literature


Vendors Upgrade Development Tools OCTOBER 18, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM and Borland Software Corp. last week separately brought out upgrades to their development tool lines that executives said add support for heterogeneous environments and

Microsoft Will Replace Fake Copies of XP U.K. users will be able to replace pirated versions of Windows that they have purchased.


Unrest Spreads To Southern Iraq (CBS/AP) As US forces continued to bombard the restive city of Fallujah and clashed with militants in the streets of Baghdad, there was unrest in the normally quiet British-patrolled city of Basra.


Dollar Plunges on Greenspan Comments  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar sank across the board,  dropping to multiyear lows against the yen and the euro on  Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said  demand for U.S. assets could ease at some point given the size  of the current account deficit.

American shoppers splurge in September WASHINGTON (AFP) - Shoppers -- the dynamo in the US economy -- shrugged off rising energy prices and splurged in malls and car showrooms in September, a government report showed.


Sharon Seeks Wider Govt. to Save Gaza Pullout Plan  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  launched new efforts Tuesday to widen his shaky coalition after  a stinging setback in parliament that complicated his plan to  withdraw from some occupied territory.


Euro exchange rate poses no threat to eurozone economy A top European Union (EU) economic official said on Monday that the current level of the euro against the US dollar posed no threat to the eurozone economic recovery.

Fannie Mae Used Improper Accounting-Probe  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fannie Mae used improper accounting  to manipulate its quarterly earnings reports, regulators said,  touching off the mortgage finance industry's second such  controversy in less than 18 months.


Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers  continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the  third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market  slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.


Sony looks under the Christmas tree Americans will go gadget shopping this holiday season even if oil prices go up, Sony execs say.

National Registry Push Could Ease Drug Study Hunt By LAURAN NEERGAARD     WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scientists are conducting thousands of medical experiments that can offer tantalizing hope to the ill, but tracking them down and getting enrolled can be incredibly difficult.    It might get easier, thanks to a growing push by doctors and lawmakers to force drug companies to list on a national registry every study they conduct...


Putin backs veto for members of expanded Security Council Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday rejected a key recommendation of a United Nations panel on expanding the UN Security Council, saying any reform would be one-sided if new members did not have veto power.


NKorea warns Japan against economic sanctions North Korea has warned Japan that it will treat economic sanctions as a  quot;declaration of war quot; and threatens to try to exclude Tokyo from six-party talks on Pyongyang #39;s nuclear arms programs.

Car Crashes Into Japan Parliament Gate -Jiji (Reuters) Reuters - A car crashed into a gate of Japan's\parliament building in central Tokyo on Thursday and caught\fire, Jiji news agency said.


Sri Lanka raise England #39;s spirits In their opening match of the Champions #39; Trophy, Sri Lanka did little to suggest they have the wherewithal to knock England out of the tournament at the Rose Bowl on Friday.


Pfizer Hikes Warning on Bextra Skin Risk  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. PFE.N said on Friday it  is sending additional information to healthcare professionals  about its arthritis drug Bextra, a COX-2 product in the same  class as the withdrawn drug Vioxx.

Pfizer's Gloom Factor The stock will continue to be depressed, but things will improve if Celebrex's safety is proven.


Astros exercise Biggio #39;s option, but not Kent #39;s Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Craig Biggio will be around for an 18th season with the Houston Astros. On Thursday, the team exercised its contract option on Biggio for the 2005 season.


Red Sox explode in the 8th for 12-5 win The New York Yankees are going to the playoffs, and they will probably go there as AL East champions, too. They just won #39;t be clinching the division in Fenway Park.

UEFA Introduces Anti-Doping Program  SOFIA (Reuters) - UEFA will enforce a new anti-doping  program at all levels in and out of competition, a meeting of  the European soccer body's executive committee decided  Thursday.


Employees from 10 hotels locked out The San Francisco Multi-Employer Group announced this morning that it has locked out UNITE HERE Local 2 employees from 10 hotels and staffed the vacated positions with replacement workers.


Iran, EU Negotiators Seek Nuke Agreement (AP) AP - A key U.N. atomic agency meeting adjourned for the weekend, giving Iran time to consider a total freeze of a program that could make weapons grade uranium and for delegates to decide on further steps in policing Tehran's nuclear activities.

Explosion in Kathmandu injures 30 At least 30 people have been hurt in a explosion in Nepal #39;s capital, Kathmandu. Police say it was a bomb. The explosion struck a building of the government-owned Employees #39; Provident Fund that was under construction.


The space warrior, the witch and ICANN Leaders of the Internet's controversial ruling body are getting a visit this week from a witch-in-training and a space warrior from centuries in the future.


Israel's Labour to Join Sharon Coalition-Israeli Media  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's opposition Labour party has  clinched a deal with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud party  to join his coalition, a move that could push forward his Gaza  pullout plan, Israeli media reported on Friday.

Presidential campaign turns even nastier (AFP) AFP - The US presidential race hit a new low in nastiness with images of Osama bin Laden and epithets such as  quot;despicable quot; and  quot;un-American quot; bombarding voters before a crucial series of televised debates.


Livewire: Fantasy Sports Leagues Thrive Online (Reuters) Reuters - Take 15 million armchair athletes,\add a steady stream of statistics and mix in a healthy dollop\of trash talk. Post it all on the Internet and you've got a  #36;3\billion industry built around imaginary sports teams.


Maddux Wins No. 302, Baker Wins No. 1,000 Greg Maddux pitched the Chicago Cubs into the lead in the NL wild-card race and gave Dusty Baker a win to remember. Maddux threw seven shutout innings for his 302nd career win, Baker got his 1,000th victory as a manager and Chicago beat the Montreal Expos 5-2 on Monday night...

EasyGroup close to launching low-cost mobile phone service (AFP) AFP - EasyGroup, the holding company of no-frills British airline easyJet, is close to striking a deal to launch a low-cost mobile telephone service in Britain, the Financial Times reported.


As reserve, Penny seeks Knick payoff The aging process for veteran NBA players is usually accelerated when they have reached their tenth season. Penny Hardaway has 11 years and 647 games on his odometer and he can feel it in his bones and joints.


The space warrior, the witch and ICANN Leaders of the Internet's controversial ruling body are getting a visit this week from a witch-in-training and a space warrior from centuries in the future.

GAO: Outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth A new GAO report indicates that offshore outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth over the next decade, but the study released today is sprinkled with caveats and qualifiers and shows more study is needed.


County unemployment drops to 3.7 percent SAN DIEGO - San Diego County #39;s unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in August, down from a revised 4.4 percent in July and 4.3 percent a year ago, the California Employment Development Department reported today.


Princess Di's Ex-Bodyguard Disputes Claim (AP) AP - A former bodyguard of Princess Diana on Tuesday dismissed her claim that one of her lovers was "bumped off."


AOL Updates Audio Video Search SingingFish AOL Updates Audio Video Search SingingFish\\Rumors are floating that market leaders Google along with Yahoo! and Microsoft (MSN) are working on an improved multimedia searching capabilities. AOL entered into the field with their acquisition of Singingfish Inc. around a year ago.\\Singingfish Inc. would be today announcing their updated services to ...


Amazon.com net sales jump 29; Google reports \$52M in net income OCTOBER 22, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Amazon.com Inc. fell a penny short of analysts #39; per-share earnings expectations, while reporting net sales of \$1.

Samsung MMCmicro Cards Samsung MMCmicro It seems that mobile phones will soon be getting yet another new memory storage format, joining a growing field of ever-smaller memory cards.


Check Boeing sops, Airbustells US Check Boeing sops, Airbustells <b>...</b> European aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday criticised a US move to take a fight about subsidies to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying it showed its rivals unwillingness to address its own subsidies.


Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines Review November 17, 2004 - Most of us who #39;ve been gamers for a while are familiar with the history behind Troika, which was formed from key members of the Black Isle group that made the Fallout, among other talented individuals.

IBM Releasing New Power5-Based Servers RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK - IBM is rolling out a new line of Power5-processor based servers that it says outperform rivals from Sun and HP.


Clinton Rips Starr, Media on Prosecution (AP) AP - In a prime-time television outburst, Bill Clinton ripped old nemesis Kenneth Starr and what the former president portrayed as a gullible media eager to report every "sleazy thing" leaked from a prosecutor bent on bringing him down.


Judge: Geico can sue Google, Overture over ads A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a trademark infringement suit filed by the Government Employees Insurance Co. (GEICO) against Internet search giants Google Inc. and Overture Services Inc. can proceed.

Blue Chips Drop After Merck Announcement  NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were lower on Thursday  after drug company and Dow component Merck   Co.MRK.N said it  was withdrawing a key drug, casting a dark mood over the market  as oil prices remained above \$49 a barrel.


Hollywood to sue server operators in bid to stymie online piracy LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of US- and European-based computer servers that help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks.


Nasa to resume shuttle missions The American space agency Nasa says the first space shuttle mission since the Columbia disaster of 2003 is to be launched next May or early June.

Running was a key human characteristic By Lee Bowman. The ability to run long distances across the African savannah gave human ancestors an evolutionary advantage over other primates that walked upright, but could not run the mile or 20, researchers argue in a new study.


Barcelona return for Mourinho Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, last night talked about how  quot;emotional quot; it will be returning to Barcelona in the last 16, knockout stage of the Champions League.


Pfizer News Sends Blue Chips Down  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow Jones industrial average fell  on Friday after Pfizer Inc. PFE.N shares opened nearly 19  percent down on trial data for its popular arthritis drug  Celebrex that showed increased risk of heart attack.

FDA stifled dangerous Vioxx results - expert Washington - An expert with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said on Thursday he was pressured by his agency to stifle study results showing the potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.


Jags Cut Compton, Maddox (AP) AP - Veteran offensive lineman Mike Compton and rookie defensive tackle Anthony Maddox were among the 12 players cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.


Heineken Profit Dips But Repeats Outlook  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken posted a 4.5  percent fall in core profit for the first half on Wednesday, at  the low end of expectations as a weak dollar and sluggish  markets hurt business.

Clouds darken PeopleSoft conference SAN FRANCISCO -- PeopleSoft Inc. is trying to create a party-like atmosphere at its annual customer conference, but this week's gathering may feel more like a wake with rival Oracle Corp.'s \$7.7 billion takeover bid looming larger than ever.


Safin stops Youzhny for China Open title Marat Safin won the China Open yestereday, beating fellow Russian Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (4), 7-5, to claim his first title in two years.


IBM plans Web meeting service, takes aim at WebEx IBM's new Lotus Web Conferencing Service, expected to be offered next month, requires that users simply register an account and have an Internet connection, a Web browser and a phone.

OSDL teams with another open source group The Beaverton-based Open Source Development Labs announced this week it is combining some efforts with another open source group to further the adoption of Linux.


Robertson emerges with time A debate on draft day 2003 was whether the Patriots should have moved up to take Kentucky defensive lineman Dewayne Robertson , who was picked fourth overall by the Jets. After he had a subpar rookie season, the feeling was the Patriots made the right choice, though they took Ty Warren 13th overall that year and he also ...


Flower power turns up the volume A Japanese company has come up with a way of turning flowers into loudspeakers.

Qatar Defense Show Focuses on Videogame Technology  DOHA (Reuters) - Rick Bracewell is driving through Baghdad  when gunmen open fire. Then a nearby dead dog strapped with  explosives blows up and his vehicle goes up in flames.


Fannie Mae woes may hit stock If Fannie Mae (FNM) is hampered by new limits on its operations, shareholders of the USA #39;s biggest mortgage-investment company are likely to feel the pinch more than the nation #39;s mortgage borrowers.


France Opposes Immigrant Transit Camps in Africa France, Sweden and Belgium shot down a German proposal to set up European Union refugee processing centres in North Africa, arguing that the idea would do more harm than good.

Two gored to death in Spanish bull-run Two Spanish men were gored to death by fighting bulls yesterday during the bull-run at the local fiestas in Ampuero, a town 30 miles east of the northern port city of Santander.


Spurs 88, 76ers 80 The Philadelphia 76ers got a firsthand demonstration of why Tim Duncan might be the toughest player in the NBA to defend. Duncan scored a season-high 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Spurs to


ATA Files for Bankruptcy Protection ATA Holdings Corp. (ATAH), parent of struggling low-cost carrier ATA Airlines, on Tuesday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as falling fares and soaring fuel prices drained it of cash.


Travel Column: Australia Through Aboriginal Eyes This week's TravelWatch column profiles Anangu Tours, an Aborigine-owned tour company in Australia's Red Center.


Australian reporter freed in Iraq An Australian journalist was seized by militants in Iraq for nearly 24 hours, but then released unharmed.

Mediation efforts to end Ukraine crisis step up as Solana due in Kiev (AFP) AFP - Attempts to mediate the political crisis in Ukraine are gathering pace with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski expected in Kiev.


Merrill, Wachovia, others fined for late reporting NEW YORK: The NASD yesterday said it censured and fined 29 securities firms a total of \$US9.22 (\$NZ13.04) million for failing to properly disclose required information about their brokers more than 8300 times.


In Chile, pace of justice quickens A judge has ruled that Gen. Augusto Pinochet stand trial for his alleged involvement in state-sponsored torture.

Unrest Spreads To Southern Iraq (CBS/AP) As US forces continued to bombard the restive city of Fallujah and clashed with militants in the streets of Baghdad, there was unrest in the normally quiet British-patrolled city of Basra.


UEFA Introduces Anti-Doping Program  SOFIA (Reuters) - UEFA will enforce a new anti-doping  program at all levels in and out of competition, a meeting of  the European soccer body's executive committee decided  Thursday.


Update 8: Ford, GM Set Production Cuts on Sales Drop Another disappointing sales month at General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. led the nation #39;s two largest automakers to cut planned vehicle production in the fourth quarter, which could hurt profits.

KarstadtQuelle Sells Stake in Venture Troubled German retailer KarstadtQuelle AG said Monday it is selling its 82 percent stake in a three-year-old joint venture with coffeehouse chain Starbucks Coffee International to the US company.


Deportivo La Corua 0-1 Liverpool: FT Report LA CORUNA, November 3 (Champions League) - Rafael Benitez heard his name ring around a Spanish stadium in his homeland again but this time it was from Scouse voices rather than those in Valencia, with whom he won La Liga.


Women #39;s basketball team finds special place in Chancellor #39;s heart The medal ceremony had ended. Van Chancellor had already shed a few tears, but he had held his emotions together through all the hugs and dancing, even through the victory

Paralympics: China Surges As First Doping Cases Result In Lifetime <b>...</b> ATHENS (AFP) - The Athens Paralympics weathered its first doping scandal, while juggernaut China continued to dominate the competition, racking up nearly twice as many as second-place Britain over the first four days of competition.


Pfizer's Gloom Factor The stock will continue to be depressed, but things will improve if Celebrex's safety is proven.


Livewire: Fantasy Sports Leagues Thrive Online (Reuters) Reuters - Take 15 million armchair athletes,\add a steady stream of statistics and mix in a healthy dollop\of trash talk. Post it all on the Internet and you've got a  #36;3\billion industry built around imaginary sports teams.

Mobile phone network reaches last of China's ethnic minorities (AFP) AFP - China has brought its mobile phone network to the last of its ethnic minority regions previously cut off from communication with the outside world, state media reported.


Google Shares, Once Devalued, Just May Be Winners After All Wall Street, which forced Google, the Internet search engine, to sharply lower the price of its shares in its initial public offering in August, has decided that the company is worth a lot more today than it was then.


Jags Cut Compton, Maddox (AP) AP - Veteran offensive lineman Mike Compton and rookie defensive tackle Anthony Maddox were among the 12 players cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

A different ball game Two interesting stories this week. One - Manchester United #39;s signing of Wayne Rooney - exciting if rather predictable; another - Southampton #39;s apparent intent to hire England rugby union coach Sir Clive Woodward - surprising and, to many, baffling.


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


THIERRY HEELS THE WOUNDS THE MARK of brilliance is to produce the unexpected. The proof of genius is to do it time and again. Thierry Henry is a brilliant genius.

Youzhny sends champion Henman crashing out of Paris PARIS (AFP) - Defending champion Tim Henman crashed out of the 2.45-million-euro Paris Masters tamely surrendering the title he won so impressively last year.


Report boosts Nextel, Sprint Shares of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. jumped yesterday following reports the two telephone companies were discussing a merger.


American shoppers splurge in September WASHINGTON (AFP) - Shoppers -- the dynamo in the US economy -- shrugged off rising energy prices and splurged in malls and car showrooms in September, a government report showed.

Ahold to Sell Spain Operations to Permira (AP) AP - The Dutch supermarket retailer Ahold, seeking to streamline global operations and reduce debt, said Sunday it will sell its holdings in Spain to Permira Funds for about  #36;849 million.


Killings shock, humiliate Nepalese Protesters in Kathmandu have expressed disbelief and frustration after learning of the deaths of 12 Nepalese hostages in Iraq. Nepal #39;s ambassador to Qatar, Somananda Suman, confirmed


It #39;s About Time Sox Became The Champs  And Real Rivals Finally. the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have a bona fide rivalry. Please don #39;t assume that this belongs on the sports pages.

Boxing: Khan shows no rust to emerge lord of the ring Amir Khan celebrated his first fight since winning the lightweight Olympic silver medal in Athens with a one-sided 35-13 points victory over American Michael Evans at Liverpool Olympia last night.


Singingfish Floats New Multimedia Search With broadband and desktop media fueling consumer interest in digital media content, video and audio search provider Singingfish has launched an improved search portal to help the world find more multi-media online.


Alamosa to Buy AirGate for \$392 Million  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alamosa Holdings Inc. APCS.O will  acquire AirGate PCS Inc. PCSA.O for \$392 million in stock  creating the largest Sprint Corp. FON.N wireless affiliate,  the companies said on Wednesday.

US stocks up on durable goods news; chips down US stocks got a mild boost on Friday as government data showed better-than-expected demand in August for durable goods other than transportation equipment, but climbing oil prices limited gains.


Unrest Spreads To Southern Iraq (CBS/AP) As US forces continued to bombard the restive city of Fallujah and clashed with militants in the streets of Baghdad, there was unrest in the normally quiet British-patrolled city of Basra.


Sports: Cobbs out for the season DENTON, Texas Last season #39;s NCAA rushing and scoring leader will miss the rest of this football season. North Texas running back Patrick Cobbs has sprained ligaments in his left knee.

Barcelona return for Mourinho Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, last night talked about how  quot;emotional quot; it will be returning to Barcelona in the last 16, knockout stage of the Champions League.


Euro exchange rate poses no threat to eurozone economy A top European Union (EU) economic official said on Monday that the current level of the euro against the US dollar posed no threat to the eurozone economic recovery.


Chips are down in tech world EUROPE #39;s biggest chipmaker, Infineon, rocked the technology world today as profits fell e100m (70m) short of analysts #39; expectations.

Local group joins suit to de-list endangered species Bob Briggs wifes family has owned about 1,000 acres of redwood forest off Waddell Creek since 1913. He doesnt clearcut, and logs about once a decade.


Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers  continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the  third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market  slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.


Pfizer's Gloom Factor The stock will continue to be depressed, but things will improve if Celebrex's safety is proven.

Heineken Profit Dips But Repeats Outlook  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch brewer Heineken posted a 4.5  percent fall in core profit for the first half on Wednesday, at  the low end of expectations as a weak dollar and sluggish  markets hurt business.


UPDATE 1-Thompson earns Celtic a record win over Rangers Scottish champions Celtic secured a record seventh successive win over Glasgow rivals Rangers on Sunday with a 1-0 victory courtesy of midfielder Alan Thompson #39;s venomous late strike.


Space O2 Generator Fails Again Repairs to the oxygen generator onboard the International Space Station seemed to work, but then failed the following day. Astronauts are again limited to backup oxygen supplies. By Amit Asaravala.

Samsung MMCmicro Cards Samsung MMCmicro It seems that mobile phones will soon be getting yet another new memory storage format, joining a growing field of ever-smaller memory cards.


Oracle in Merger Talks with Other Firms  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Oracle Corp. ORCL.O is in  merger talks with other technology companies as it awaits the  outcome of its \$9.2 billion hostile takeover bid for rival  software maker PeopleSoft Inc. PSFT.O.


POLITICAL POINTS  1:27 PM Sorry Is the Hardest Word It did not go unnoticed among the press corps traveling with President Bush that British Prime Minister Tony Blair apologized this week to fellow Labor Party officials for the fact that, as it

Two gored to death in Spanish bull-run Two Spanish men were gored to death by fighting bulls yesterday during the bull-run at the local fiestas in Ampuero, a town 30 miles east of the northern port city of Santander.


DMCA Limited by Sixth Circuit Appeals Court The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. I really dont know why a printer manufacturer should have exclusive rights on producing ink that work with their printers.


New MSN Search May Be a Google Killer! New MSN Search May Be a Google Killer!\\The Second Look at MSN's Search technology is available for public beta testing. I've given it a spin myself and must say that I'm impressed. Although they have no ads on the SERP's of the preview site, I'm sure they will load it ...

Space Station crew become  quot;Weightless-Watchers quot; with low food <b>...</b> With food supplies becoming critically low onboard the International Space Station, the astronauts have been told to cut back on their food consumption.


Shell Warns of New Cuts in Reserves of Oil and Gas The warning came during its earnings report and on a day when Shell said it would merge the two entities that make up the company, unifying the boards and management.


Rats in Mouse #39;s house? Remember John Edwards Two Americas campaign theme? It occurred to me how well that theme fits the corporate world. For proof, look no further than the stockholder lawsuit against Walt Disney Co.

Dollar Plunges on Greenspan Comments  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar sank across the board,  dropping to multiyear lows against the yen and the euro on  Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said  demand for U.S. assets could ease at some point given the size  of the current account deficit.


Dual Internal Clocks Control Fruit Flies -Study (Reuters) Reuters - Humans are not the only creatures with\an internal biological clock. Fruit flies have two, which\separately control morning and evening activity, scientists\said Wednesday.


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

Four players shoot opening-round 66 SEMMES, Ala. -- Grace Park, looking to clinch second place in the Player of the Year race, birdied the final hole Thursday to gain a share of the lead after the first round of the Tournament of Champions.


GE Says It's on Track for 2004, 2005  BOSTON (Reuters) - Diversified manufacturer General  Electric Co. GE.N said on Tuesday that it is on track to meet  its full-year earnings forecast and to achieve double-digit  gains in earnings per share in 2005.


Gold Fields wins appeal to fight takeover Gold Fields Ltd. won an appeal on Friday in its battle to stave off a hostile \$7.1 billion takeover by Harmony Gold Mining Co. that would create the world #39;s largest gold mining company.

US stocks up on durable goods news; chips down US stocks got a mild boost on Friday as government data showed better-than-expected demand in August for durable goods other than transportation equipment, but climbing oil prices limited gains.


Japan #39;s Sato staying at BAR Japan #39;s Takuma Sato will continue to drive for BAR next season, the Formula One team said on Tuesday. Sato, gearing up for his home grand prix at Suzuka on Sunday, is eighth in the


Shares plunge 20 at Global Crossing NEW YORKShares of Global Crossing Ltd. lost nearly 20 per cent in value yesterday on concerns it could face a second bankruptcy after it said it is cutting 600 jobs as it negotiates with lenders for financing.

ANZ sells project finance unit Australia  amp; New Zealand Banking Group said today it would transfer most of its London-based project finance business to Standard Chartered.


Australia cancels 80pc of Iraqi debt Nineteen countries, including Australia, have agreed to cancel 80 per cent of the debt Iraq owes them. The deal secured for the Paris Club of creditor nations ends a trans-Atlantic dispute and probably sets


Shareholders Toast Brewers' Merger  BRUSSELS/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Shareholders gave their  blessing on Friday for Belgium's Interbrew INTB.BR to buy  Brazil's AmBev AMBV4.SA<ABV.N> in a \$9.7 billion deal that  will create the world's largest brewer.

ATA Files for Bankruptcy Protection ATA Holdings Corp. (ATAH), parent of struggling low-cost carrier ATA Airlines, on Tuesday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as falling fares and soaring fuel prices drained it of cash.


Blu-ray group mandates Microsoft codec for BD-ROM The Blu-ray Disc Association (BRDA) has selected Microsoft #39;s VC-9 video codec for future BD-ROM content, the organisation said today.


Blu-ray group mandates Microsoft codec for BD-ROM The Blu-ray Disc Association (BRDA) has selected Microsoft #39;s VC-9 video codec for future BD-ROM content, the organisation said today.

Singingfish Floats New Multimedia Search With broadband and desktop media fueling consumer interest in digital media content, video and audio search provider Singingfish has launched an improved search portal to help the world find more multi-media online.


Women #39;s basketball team finds special place in Chancellor #39;s heart The medal ceremony had ended. Van Chancellor had already shed a few tears, but he had held his emotions together through all the hugs and dancing, even through the victory


U.S. Wants to Lease Swedish Submarine (AP) AP - The United States wants to lease a Swedish attack submarine for naval exercises in the Baltic Sea in a deal possibly worth tens of millions of dollars, defense officials said Sunday.

UN demands Rwanda pull out military forces in DRC The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned reported military actions by Rwanda in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and demanded the country immediately withdraw any troops it may have in the DRC.


Consumer Confidence Hits 7-Month Low   NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumers turned more gloomy in  October, beset by soaring energy prices, relentless violence in  Iraq and the increasingly bitter end of the presidential  election campaign.


Baghdad Bombings Kill One US Soldier, Wound 13 WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2004 -- A series of car bombings in Baghdad today killed one American soldier and wounded 13 others. The bombings also killed at least two Iraqi policemen and reportedly injured scores of other Iraqis.

Going ballistic: Agni-II test fired NEW DELHI: Indias quest to develop a solid missile defence took a step forward today when it successfully test-fired the surface-to-surface Agni-II missile, which can cover targets in the 2000-2500 kms-range, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at


The space warrior, the witch and ICANN Leaders of the Internet's controversial ruling body are getting a visit this week from a witch-in-training and a space warrior from centuries in the future.


Newest video games gun to be No. 1 Voters apparently weren #39;t the only ones willing to stand in long lines. The release of this year #39;s two hottest video games - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Halo 2 - had gamers lined up at stores across the nation to pick up their pre-ordered games.

Travel Column: Australia Through Aboriginal Eyes This week's TravelWatch column profiles Anangu Tours, an Aborigine-owned tour company in Australia's Red Center.


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


Samsung MMCmicro Cards Samsung MMCmicro It seems that mobile phones will soon be getting yet another new memory storage format, joining a growing field of ever-smaller memory cards.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines Review November 17, 2004 - Most of us who #39;ve been gamers for a while are familiar with the history behind Troika, which was formed from key members of the Black Isle group that made the Fallout, among other talented individuals.


New Brussels blow for Turkey #39;s EU hopes EU farm commissioner Franz Fischler on Friday became the latest Brussels critic to raise doubts over Turkey #39;s hopes of joining the bloc, as wrangling over Ankara #39;s EU bid heats up.


Mobile phone  #39;deafness #39; risk p2pnet.net News:- Defects in Siemens 65 series mobile phones could cause deafness, says the company.  quot;In extreme cases, this volume could lead to hearing damage.

Thousands queue for Halo 2 Hordes of video game fans queued outside more than 6500 stores across the United States overnight on Tuesday to get a copy of the new Halo 2 game whose first day takings are expected to rival a Hollywood blockbuster.


Princess Di's Ex-Bodyguard Disputes Claim (AP) AP - A former bodyguard of Princess Diana on Tuesday dismissed her claim that one of her lovers was "bumped off."


Iran Announces Uranium Conversion Tests Defying a key demand set by 35 nations, Iran announced Tuesday that it has started converting raw uranium into the gas needed for enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.

Van Gogh #39;s murder brings out Holland #39;s contradictions The murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a young Muslim of Moroccan descent has shaken Holland to its very foundations. To most people, including the Dutch, the killing and its violent


As reserve, Penny seeks Knick payoff The aging process for veteran NBA players is usually accelerated when they have reached their tenth season. Penny Hardaway has 11 years and 647 games on his odometer and he can feel it in his bones and joints.


Mass. court denies new trial for convict BOSTON -- The state appeals court on Thursday declined to allow a new trial for a father convicted of beating a man to death at their sons #39; hockey practice.

Astros exercise Biggio #39;s option, but not Kent #39;s Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Craig Biggio will be around for an 18th season with the Houston Astros. On Thursday, the team exercised its contract option on Biggio for the 2005 season.


Conditions Worsen in Darfur, U.N. Agencies Say (Reuters) Reuters - Conditions for 1.2 million Sudanese\displaced in Darfur continue to worsen amid violent attacks,\spreading disease, and heavy rains which wreak havoc with aid\convoys, United Nations agencies said on Tuesday.


Taliban suicide bomber kills girl, wounds 6 others KABUL - A man with six grenades strapped to his body killed himself and a 12-year-old girl on a busy street in Kabul Saturday, police said.

EasyGroup close to launching low-cost mobile phone service (AFP) AFP - EasyGroup, the holding company of no-frills British airline easyJet, is close to striking a deal to launch a low-cost mobile telephone service in Britain, the Financial Times reported.


Mobile phone  #39;deafness #39; risk p2pnet.net News:- Defects in Siemens 65 series mobile phones could cause deafness, says the company.  quot;In extreme cases, this volume could lead to hearing damage.


Pakistan Test-Fires Nuclear Missile Pakistan has successfully test fired a medium-range, nuclear-capable missile that could hit most cities in neighbouring India. Defence officials said the exercise was not intended as a message to the South Asian rival.

Sudan Rejects US-Sponsored Darfur Resolution Sudan on Wednesday rejected a US-sponsored UN Security Council draft resolution to punish it over a conflict in its western Darfur region, saying the measure was unfair and lacked balance.


Shares plunge 20 at Global Crossing NEW YORKShares of Global Crossing Ltd. lost nearly 20 per cent in value yesterday on concerns it could face a second bankruptcy after it said it is cutting 600 jobs as it negotiates with lenders for financing.


Walgreen 4th-Qtr Net Rises 18 Percent on Drug Sales (Update1) Walgreen Co., the largest US drugstore chain, said fourth-quarter profit rose 18 percent, helped by sales of prescription drugs. Net income had its biggest gain in almost two years, climbing

Clouds darken PeopleSoft conference SAN FRANCISCO -- PeopleSoft Inc. is trying to create a party-like atmosphere at its annual customer conference, but this week's gathering may feel more like a wake with rival Oracle Corp.'s \$7.7 billion takeover bid looming larger than ever.


Steal SpongeBob, buy a PC museum We've got two more entries this week in the category of "What weird, useless stuff is for sale on eBay that I just have to have?"


Oil Hits \$53 on Winter Worries, Nigeria  LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices scaled new heights at \$53 for  U.S. crude on Thursday on concerns over tight winter heating  fuel supplies and an unexpected strike at Nigerian oil  terminals.

Rate hikes by Fed dull ARMs #39; luster 30-year fixed home loans remain appealing, but variable rates have been on the move up. By Sandra Block. If you #39;re hoping an adjustable-rate mortgage will help you afford your dream house, you may want to rethink those granite countertops.


GAO: Outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth A new GAO report indicates that offshore outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth over the next decade, but the study released today is sprinkled with caveats and qualifiers and shows more study is needed.


EU chief battles to avert veto in crunch vote (AFP) AFP - The European Union braced for a knife-edge vote to decide the fate of its new executive arm with incoming EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso hardening his stance against rebel legislators.

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


Virgin Starts (70) Mile-High Club With the misery that has plagued the airline industry recently, the last place you #39;d expect to see some inspiring -- heck, potentially rule-breaking -- thinking would be from an airline entrepreneur.


Police Chief Backs Using Force Against Intruders Britains top police officer today called for an urgent updating of the law to protect householders who use force to defend their homes against criminals - even if it involves killing the intruder.

Israel's Labour to Join Sharon Coalition-Israeli Media  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's opposition Labour party has  clinched a deal with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud party  to join his coalition, a move that could push forward his Gaza  pullout plan, Israeli media reported on Friday.


Gregg: I will help to close deal EVERTON chairman Bill Kenwright #39;s plans for a Russian revolution at Goodison Park may have thawed the cold war with director Paul Gregg.


PSV Stays Top After 1-0 Win Over Willem II  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink scored his  seventh goal of the season to give Dutch league leader PSV  Eindhoven a 1-0 win over Willem II Tilburg on Saturday.

Hanover Striker Mathis to Return to US Hanover 96 striker Clint Mathis is to return to the United States after only a year in the Bundesliga, the German club said Tuesday.


Korean and Japanese Phone Makers Win -Survey  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - South Korean mobile phone makers  continued a rapid move up the global market rankings during the  third quarter, while growth in the wider mobile phone market  slowed, a survey found on Wednesday.


PeopleSoft CEO Conway maintains defiant tone SEPTEMBER 21, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - With 15,000 attendees at PeopleSoft Inc. #39;s Connect 2004 user show waiting to hear how the company would handle Oracle Corp.

Bank on it: Checks won #39;t float, they #39;ll bounce or write a check before the funds are available in their accounts - might soon find themselves at risk for more bounced checks and high overdraft fees.


Champion snaps Chelsea #39;s streak Porto power RUSSIAN oil billionaire Roman Abramovich suffered two rare defeats yesterday as reigning champions FC Porto downed his Chelsea side 2-1 ensuring it avoided the ignominy of becoming the first titleholders to exit in the first round.


Pulitzer shares surge on possible sale ST. LOUIS Pulitzer Incorporated shares spike more than 17 percent on news that the publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and two Arizona newspapers is considering a possible sale.

CarMax Earnings Fall, Stock Up on Outlook (Reuters) Reuters - CarMax Inc.  on Friday posted\lower quarterly profit, but the used-car retailer said its\sales have been steadily improving, sending its shares up as\much as 14 percent.


Election chaos? (U.S. News   World Report) U.S. News   World Report - Michael Cadigan's day job is practicing commercial law in Albuquerque. But over eggs at the trendy Gold Street Caffe in the heart of downtown, he and a dozen other lawyers are immersing themselves in the intricacies of election law. On Election Day, they plan to be out in force for Democrat John Kerry at polling places across New Mexico, where Al Gore won in 2000 by just 366 votes.  quot;We know there was a lot of monkey business with counting ballots before, quot; says Cadigan.  quot;We want to make sure that doesn't happen again. ...


Van Gogh #39;s murder brings out Holland #39;s contradictions The murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a young Muslim of Moroccan descent has shaken Holland to its very foundations. To most people, including the Dutch, the killing and its violent

A suicide bombing killed 3 people in a crowded Tel Aviv market <b>...</b> A suicide bombing killed at least five people and seriously injured more than 30 others in a crowded Tel Aviv open-air market. Injured shoppers were treated on the ground, as vegetables were strewn on the pavement.


Flower power turns up the volume A Japanese company has come up with a way of turning flowers into loudspeakers.


Fierce Clashes in Iraq Kill 34 People BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces battled insurgents loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City on Tuesday, in clashes that left at least 34 people dead, including one American soldier, and 193 people injured, U.S...

Australia cancels 80pc of Iraqi debt Nineteen countries, including Australia, have agreed to cancel 80 per cent of the debt Iraq owes them. The deal secured for the Paris Club of creditor nations ends a trans-Atlantic dispute and probably sets


Rate hikes by Fed dull ARMs #39; luster 30-year fixed home loans remain appealing, but variable rates have been on the move up. By Sandra Block. If you #39;re hoping an adjustable-rate mortgage will help you afford your dream house, you may want to rethink those granite countertops.

Pulitzer shares surge on possible sale ST. LOUIS Pulitzer Incorporated shares spike more than 17 percent on news that the publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and two Arizona newspapers is considering a possible sale.


Americans Have Dirty Paws New report gives them a 'C' for hand hygiene    HealthDayNews -- Americans are doing a crummy job of keeping their hands clean.    They got a "C" in hand hygiene in the 2004 Clean Hands Report Card produced by the Soap and Detergent Association...


Bombings at Two Buenos Aires Banks Kill 1 (AP) AP - Homemade bombs exploded in two Buenos Aires banks Wednesday, killing a security guard, police said.


Paralympics: China Surges As First Doping Cases Result In Lifetime <b>...</b> ATHENS (AFP) - The Athens Paralympics weathered its first doping scandal, while juggernaut China continued to dominate the competition, racking up nearly twice as many as second-place Britain over the first four days of competition.


REL asks quitting directors to rethink Mumbai: The board of Indian power utility Reliance Energy Ltd. told the Bombay exchange on Tuesday it had asked its six directors who resigned last week to reconsider their resignations.

Check Boeing sops, Airbustells US Check Boeing sops, Airbustells <b>...</b> European aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday criticised a US move to take a fight about subsidies to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), saying it showed its rivals unwillingness to address its own subsidies.


Steal SpongeBob, buy a PC museum We've got two more entries this week in the category of "What weird, useless stuff is for sale on eBay that I just have to have?"


US diplomat among 7 injured in Islamabad hotel explosion ISLAMABAD: Seven people including foreigners were injured in a powerful explosion at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel lobby on Thursday.

NKorea warns Japan against economic sanctions North Korea has warned Japan that it will treat economic sanctions as a  quot;declaration of war quot; and threatens to try to exclude Tokyo from six-party talks on Pyongyang #39;s nuclear arms programs.


British Energy to delist to save rescue plan Beleaguered British Energy has applied to delist its shares as it tries to stop shareholders from blocking a restructuring plan to keep the company in business.


A Taste of Yum! Wins the World Over Strong international sales growth and solid U.S. comps propel the company's stock to its highest price ever.

Martha Stewart Living posts bigger loss Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., still reeling from the personal legal woes of its imprisoned founder, former chairwoman and CEO, posted a wider loss in the third quarter


Juniper Takes Security to Endpoints Juniper Networks (Quote, Chart) has launched a new initiative designed to improve interoperability of popular third-party antivirus and firewall measures with its own Secure Socket Layer (define) Virtual Private Network (define) appliances.


Sainz forced off road TWO-TIME world champion Carlos Sainz #39;s career came to a premature end today after the Spaniard was forced out of the Rally of Australia.

Expos Skipper Robinson OKs One-Year Deal (AP) AP - Frank Robinson has agreed to a one-year contract to return as manager of the Expos, although whether he actually manages the team next year will hinge on the pace of the team's sale and the whim of the new owners.


Bank on it: Checks won #39;t float, they #39;ll bounce or write a check before the funds are available in their accounts - might soon find themselves at risk for more bounced checks and high overdraft fees.


Olympic traffic measures needed at Paralympics: experts Experts recommend that the traffic control measures taken during last month #39;s Olympic Summer Games and the current Paralympics should be kept in Athens permanently, as they

Rugby-Lions accept extra match on 2005 New Zealand tour The British and Irish Lions have accepted an extra match on their tour of New Zealand next year. The Lions will now play the traditionally strong Auckland provincial


Inaction #39;s Consequence LAST MONTH the United States and its allies signaled a change in Sudan policy. Rather than pressuring Sudan #39;s government to halt its genocidal attacks against civilians in the western province of Darfur, they


Putin backs veto for members of expanded Security Council Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday rejected a key recommendation of a United Nations panel on expanding the UN Security Council, saying any reform would be one-sided if new members did not have veto power.

Going ballistic: Agni-II test fired NEW DELHI: Indias quest to develop a solid missile defence took a step forward today when it successfully test-fired the surface-to-surface Agni-II missile, which can cover targets in the 2000-2500 kms-range, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at


FDA stifled dangerous Vioxx results - expert Washington - An expert with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said on Thursday he was pressured by his agency to stifle study results showing the potential dangers of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx.


Coke opens fridge door to rivals Coca Cola says it will allow retailers to stock rival drinks in its branded coolers as part of a deal with EU anti-trust watchdogs.

Fannie Mae woes may hit stock If Fannie Mae (FNM) is hampered by new limits on its operations, shareholders of the USA #39;s biggest mortgage-investment company are likely to feel the pinch more than the nation #39;s mortgage borrowers.


Dependent species risk extinction The global extinction crisis is worse than thought, because thousands of  quot;affiliated quot; species also at risk do not figure in calculations.


Interview: OSDL chief Stuart Cohen - Part 2 In the second of a two-part interview, Open Systems Development Labs chief Stuart Cohen gives his views on Linux security, desktops, the Domino effect towards Linux, and why Microsoft will eventually port to Linux.

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


USC #39;s Orgeron shows interest in Ole Miss job While the list has dwindled in the search to replace David Cutcliffe as the Ole Miss football coach, one name has risen to the top.


Unrest Spreads To Southern Iraq (CBS/AP) As US forces continued to bombard the restive city of Fallujah and clashed with militants in the streets of Baghdad, there was unrest in the normally quiet British-patrolled city of Basra.

Car Crashes Into Japan Parliament Gate -Jiji (Reuters) Reuters - A car crashed into a gate of Japan's\parliament building in central Tokyo on Thursday and caught\fire, Jiji news agency said.