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.


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;.

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.


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.


CRN INTERVIEW: JOHN FOWLER, SUN Sun #39;s Fowler: Rising Sales While Hewlett-Packard, Dell and IBM are the recognized leaders of the X86 server market, one player has surprisingly begun to gain ground.

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


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.


Arsenal loses again in Premier League Arsenal dropped five points behind Chelsea in the English Premier League on Sunday after losing 2-1 to Liverpool on an injury-time goal by Neil Mellor.

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.


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...


Nuggets 100, Clippers 88 Carmelo Anthony, who missed Denver #39;s previous game after being cited for marijuana possession, scored 23 points for the Nuggets in a 100-88 preseason victory Thursday night over the Los Angeles Clippers.

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.


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


US Supreme Court to Decide Grokster Case The US Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether Internet file-trading networks should be held responsible when their users copy music, movies and other protected works without permission.

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 ...


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


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.

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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


Milosevic #39;s Lawyers to Appeal Own Appointment THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The two lawyers representing Slobodan Milosevic filed papers Thursday (9 September), asking for permission to appeal their appointment by the UN tribunal.

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.


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.


Scandal won #39;t go away ATHENS -- It was telling yesterday that the majority of the dozens of journalists who asked questions and attended a news conference into a Greek doping scandal were mostly Canadian. Question after question came from Canadians. We were all there, I think, ...


JJB profit and bid hopes fade away Sports retailer JJB yesterday reported a near 25 drop in profits and continuing poor sales, and ended shareholders #39; hopes of a takeover by announcing that a potential bidder had walked away.


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.

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.


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.


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.

EU foreign ministers hope to break deadlock over ASEM summit The European Union said Friday it  quot;hoped to reach a conclusion quot; at a meeting of foreign ministers on the participation of military-ruled Myanmar in an upcoming summit of Asian and European nations.


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.


EU Accuses Microsoft of Paternal View Microsoft Corp. said Friday that small companies and their customers would suffer most if it is forced to remove its digital media software from Windows, while the European Union accused it of being "paternalistic" in trying to decide what's best for everyone.

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 ...


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


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.

Musharraf Hopeful For Kashmir Solution ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Nov 10 (SADA) - President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday hoped that debate on options he spelt out recently on Kashmir issue would take Pakistan and India closer to find out the settlement of decades-old dispute.


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


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.

LSE says no to German exchange for a second time LONDON (CBS.MW) - Failed efforts to merge stock exchanges have littered the trading landscape in recent years, but the German stock exchange isn #39;t giving up on creating a pan-European and British market for trading stocks and derivatives.


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.


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.

Patriots Begin Title Defense with Narrow Win Over Colts The New England Patriots began their quest for successive Super Bowl titles with a tight 27-24 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the opening game of the NFL season in Foxboro Thursday.


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.


Eagles sign cornerback Brown to six-year deal Sheldon Brown signed a six-year extension with Philadelphia on Thursday, keeping the second-year cornerback with the Eagles through the 2012 season.

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.


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.


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.

Eagles sign cornerback Brown to six-year deal Sheldon Brown signed a six-year extension with Philadelphia on Thursday, keeping the second-year cornerback with the Eagles through the 2012 season.


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.


Seminoles Monday recap Despite myriad miscues, Florida State rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Syracuse 17-13 before 40,539 fans at the Carrier Dome.

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


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.


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.

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.


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?"


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.

Sears gets a boost from Vornado Vornado Realty Trust gave Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co. #39;s stock a big boost Friday when it said it bought a 4.3 percent stake in the famous but struggling chain.


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.


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 ...


Ex PeopleSoft chief admits lying to analysts WILMINGTON: The former chief executive of PeopleSoft, who was fired last week, said he lied to Wall Street analysts last year about the impact of Oracle #39;s hostile bid on the company #39;s business.

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


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.


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.

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


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


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.

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.


AOL, E-Mail Companies Sue Spammers The nation #39;s largest e-mail providers today filed a new round of lawsuits against Internet spammers allegedly responsible for shoveling millions of junk e-mail messages into computer users #39; in-boxes and their instant messaging screens.


EU foreign ministers hope to break deadlock over ASEM summit The European Union said Friday it  quot;hoped to reach a conclusion quot; at a meeting of foreign ministers on the participation of military-ruled Myanmar in an upcoming summit of Asian and European nations.

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.


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.


RIJKAARD SAVOURS BARCA WIN Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard savoured his side #39;s battling qualities after the Catalan giants fought back to beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-1 at the Nou Camp and open up a nine-point lead in the Primera Liga.

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.


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


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

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.


Oil Firm After 4 Percent Jump Oil prices held firm on Friday after leaping almost \$2 a day earlier on news US crude stocks sank to a five-month low last week and distillate fuels barely grew ahead of winter.


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.

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.


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.


Caymas to open with security gateways Security start-up Caymas Systems launches Monday with products to protect the flow of corporate data.

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.


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.


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

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


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.


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

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.


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.


EA Signs Five-Year Exclusive NFL Deal Electronic Arts announced an exclusive licensing relationships with the National Football League and PLAYERS INC to develop, publish and distribute interactive football games.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

Mosaic Merger to Take Effect Today Polk County will retain its position at the heart of the US phosphate industry, at least through the end of this decade, following the merger of IMC Global Inc.


UN Council Votes Ivory Coast Arms Embargo (Reuters) Reuters - The U.N. Security Council on\Monday imposed an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast and\voted to punish key government and rebel leaders with\additional sanctions next month.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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


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


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

we must win this new conflict Britain is embroiled in a fresh conflict with Iraq as it battles to quash global terrorism for ever, Tony Blair declared in a stark relabelling of the situation yesterday.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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 ...


Mosaic Merger to Take Effect Today Polk County will retain its position at the heart of the US phosphate industry, at least through the end of this decade, following the merger of IMC Global Inc.


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.

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


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.


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.

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 ...


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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


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

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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

An Afghan 'hanging chad' dispute An independent inquiry is helping to defuse a controversy over ink used in Saturday's election.


AOL, E-Mail Companies Sue Spammers The nation #39;s largest e-mail providers today filed a new round of lawsuits against Internet spammers allegedly responsible for shoveling millions of junk e-mail messages into computer users #39; in-boxes and their instant messaging screens.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Australia better prepared, says Gilchrist Mumbai - Australia #39;s stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist said on Saturday his team was seeking a momentous Test series triumph in India.


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


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

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

Blair Flies to Stand by Bush in Post-Arafat Plans (Reuters) Reuters - As George W. Bush formulates his plans\for a Middle East without Yasser Arafat, British Prime Minister\Tony Blair will be standing where he says he belongs: right by\the U.S. president's side.


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.


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.

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.


Milosevic #39;s Lawyers to Appeal Own Appointment THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The two lawyers representing Slobodan Milosevic filed papers Thursday (9 September), asking for permission to appeal their appointment by the UN tribunal.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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


Sears gets a boost from Vornado Vornado Realty Trust gave Sears, Roebuck  amp; Co. #39;s stock a big boost Friday when it said it bought a 4.3 percent stake in the famous but struggling chain.


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.

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...


we must win this new conflict Britain is embroiled in a fresh conflict with Iraq as it battles to quash global terrorism for ever, Tony Blair declared in a stark relabelling of the situation yesterday.


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.

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.


IBM #39;s New eServer Supports AMD Dual-Core IBM (Quote, Chart) is looking to get a leg up on the competition with the October 15 launch of eServer 326, a rack-mounted server that supports AMD #39;s (Quote, Chart) upcoming dual-core 64-bit processor.


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.

EU Accuses Microsoft of Paternal View Microsoft Corp. said Friday that small companies and their customers would suffer most if it is forced to remove its digital media software from Windows, while the European Union accused it of being "paternalistic" in trying to decide what's best for everyone.


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.


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

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?"


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

UN Council Votes Ivory Coast Arms Embargo (Reuters) Reuters - The U.N. Security Council on\Monday imposed an immediate arms embargo on Ivory Coast and\voted to punish key government and rebel leaders with\additional sanctions next month.


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.


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.

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.


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 ...


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.

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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Seminoles Monday recap Despite myriad miscues, Florida State rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Syracuse 17-13 before 40,539 fans at the Carrier Dome.


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.


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.

Ex PeopleSoft chief admits lying to analysts WILMINGTON: The former chief executive of PeopleSoft, who was fired last week, said he lied to Wall Street analysts last year about the impact of Oracle #39;s hostile bid on the company #39;s business.


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."


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

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.


Blair Flies to Stand by Bush in Post-Arafat Plans (Reuters) Reuters - As George W. Bush formulates his plans\for a Middle East without Yasser Arafat, British Prime Minister\Tony Blair will be standing where he says he belongs: right by\the U.S. president's side.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


Musharraf Hopeful For Kashmir Solution ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Nov 10 (SADA) - President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday hoped that debate on options he spelt out recently on Kashmir issue would take Pakistan and India closer to find out the settlement of decades-old dispute.


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.

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.


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.


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.


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.


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

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.


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. ...

Egypt and Israel sign US trade accord 25 years after peace treaty (AFP) AFP - In a partnership hailed as a major boost to often chilly ties, Egypt and Israel signed a first joint trade accord with the United States since their historic peace treaty 25 years ago.


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


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 ...

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.


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.


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.

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.


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...


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.

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.


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.


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.

Milosevic #39;s Lawyers to Appeal Own Appointment THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The two lawyers representing Slobodan Milosevic filed papers Thursday (9 September), asking for permission to appeal their appointment by the UN tribunal.


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.


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.

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.


Pump prices may dip after Labor Day Pump prices have been climbing in advance of Labor Day, as they often do before the last major drive-away weekend of the summer. The average price for self-serve regular


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


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.


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.

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


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.


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.

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.


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


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

Crude oil prices soar on drop in US oil inventories Crude oil futures surged Wednesday as the US Energy Department reported US oil supplies fell more than expected. Crude oil for October delivery rose 1.68 dollars to 43.


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


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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...


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.

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.


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.

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.


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 ...


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.

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...


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.


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.

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.


Arsenal loses again in Premier League Arsenal dropped five points behind Chelsea in the English Premier League on Sunday after losing 2-1 to Liverpool on an injury-time goal by Neil Mellor.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Virus writers look for work THE WRITERS of the MyDoom viruses are encoding job applications into the latest variants of the bug. According to Sophos the plea for work was found when its boffins were stripping the code of the MyDoom-U and MyDoom-V variants.


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

Fans Honour Legend Clough Thousands of football fans fell silent today to honour the life and achievements of legendary manager Brian Clough. A public tribute was held in Nottingham city centre and a minute


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.


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

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.


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

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


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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

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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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


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.

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.


Australia better prepared, says Gilchrist Mumbai - Australia #39;s stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist said on Saturday his team was seeking a momentous Test series triumph in India.


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.

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


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...

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.


China plans renewed bank bailout A year after injecting \$45bn into two state banks to ready them for flotation, China is preparing a fresh bailout for two more institutions.


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.

The Playlist: What's Wrong With Digital Music Stores? (PC World) PC World - Though digital music has come a long way, today's online music stores still have significant problems. Here's my fix-it wish list.


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.


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."

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.

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.


McCain Optimistic About Steroid Test Deal (AP) AP - Sen. John McCain is "guardedly optimistic" that major league baseball and its players could reach an agreement on tougher testing for steroids.


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.

Oil Firm After 4 Percent Jump Oil prices held firm on Friday after leaping almost \$2 a day earlier on news US crude stocks sank to a five-month low last week and distillate fuels barely grew ahead of winter.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

New drug extends multiple sclerosis options 25/11/2004 - The first in a completely new class of drug for multiple sclerosis has been approved in the US, opening up a new avenue of treatment for sufferers of the debilitating diseases and potential blockbuster revenues for developers Elan and Biogen


Indiana Hires Hoeppner Miami of Ohio's Terry Hoeppner is hired as Indiana's football coach and vows to take the Hoosiers to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1968.


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.

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.


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.

Titan reveals its purple patches LONDON: Unprecedented pictures of the purple atmospheric haze on Titan have been captured by the Cassini spacecraft during its closest approach yet to Saturn #39;s largest moon.


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.


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

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


Symantec to Buy Veritas for \$13.5 Billion  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Security software maker Symantec Corp.  has agreed to buy Veritas Software Corp. for \$13.5 billion,  expanding into the backup and recovery software market, the  companies said on Thursday.


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.

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...


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.

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.


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


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

Musharraf Hopeful For Kashmir Solution ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : Nov 10 (SADA) - President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday hoped that debate on options he spelt out recently on Kashmir issue would take Pakistan and India closer to find out the settlement of decades-old dispute.


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.


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

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.


China plans renewed bank bailout A year after injecting \$45bn into two state banks to ready them for flotation, China is preparing a fresh bailout for two more institutions.


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.

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


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.


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

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.


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


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


Virus writers look for work THE WRITERS of the MyDoom viruses are encoding job applications into the latest variants of the bug. According to Sophos the plea for work was found when its boffins were stripping the code of the MyDoom-U and MyDoom-V variants.


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.

Seminoles Monday recap Despite myriad miscues, Florida State rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Syracuse 17-13 before 40,539 fans at the Carrier Dome.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

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.


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.


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.

Mosaic Merger to Take Effect Today Polk County will retain its position at the heart of the US phosphate industry, at least through the end of this decade, following the merger of IMC Global Inc.


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.


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.

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 ...


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.


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.

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.


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.


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

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.


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.


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.

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?"


Egypt and Israel sign US trade accord 25 years after peace treaty (AFP) AFP - In a partnership hailed as a major boost to often chilly ties, Egypt and Israel signed a first joint trade accord with the United States since their historic peace treaty 25 years ago.


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

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.


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.


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 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.


Jobless Claims Rise on Hurricanes The number of Americans seeking initial jobless benefits jumped by 18,000 last week, the government said on Thursday, but it attributed the entire rise to the effects of hurricanes that have battered the southern United States.


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.


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.