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qpPLUPT&go|#pYz{5I{#al&d(?I51G!-8~@uw?P6zW1PvNd^w9KwzX({EnHiZ0j0pa= z0YKuOpDzNdf7)2sfIyJ*f3wlk0{|dR=)c*3%*;Sg(!bjP49u)-fIn=EAb+5FAQOP~&wPPQOn^UQ1~N0y{~0ronU(2}x&Q_y zM&>`_1KF7W%nj57j35o;zvT Please fill the following info:\n", + "> - Your Name: \n", + "> - Your SCIPER:" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "## Answer all the parts of the exam:\n", + "\n", + "- [PART 0: Rename your notebook with your SciperNo](#part0)\n", + "\n", + "- [PART 1: Multiple Choice Questions - Quiz](#part1)\n", + "\n", + "- [PART 2: Theory questions](#part2)\n", + "\n", + "- [PART 3: Programming exercise](#part3)\n", + "\n", + " - [3.1: Parse and understand the data](#part31)\n", + " - 3.1.1 Create the vocabulary of the documents\n", + "\n", + " - [3.2: Encode documents with Vector Space Retrieval](#part32)\n", + " - 3.2.1 Build the term-frequency matrix.\n", + " - 3.2.2 Build the inverse document-frequency matrix\n", + " - 3.2.3 Vectorize input with Vector Space Model\n", + "\n", + " - [3.3: k-Nearest-Neighbors (kNN)](#part33)\n", + " - 3.3.1 Implement kNN function\n", + " - 3.3.2 Print k=10 closests documents to the given query\n", + " - 3.3.3 Implement probabilistic and weigting estimation of kNN\n", + " - 3.3.4 Compute weighting and probabilistic estimation of the given query\n", + " - 3.3.5 Implement a Rocchio classifier\n", + " - 3.3.6 Compute Rocchio estimation of the given query\n", + "\n", + " - [3.4: Naive Bayes Classifier](#part34)\n", + " - 3.4.1 Compute the Naive Bayes estimation for the given query\n", + " - 3.4.2 Discuss the difference the above classifers\n", + "\n", + " - [3.5: Association rules](#part35)\n", + " - 3.5.1 Compute support and confidence\n", + " - 3.5.2 Compute lift\n", + " - 3.5.3 Explanation of implemented metrics\n", + " \n", + "- [SUBMIT EXAM](#submit)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "# 🍀 GOOD LUCK 🍀" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "## PART 0: Rename your notebook with your SciperNo\n", + "\n", + "The final sumbitted file should have the following name: `SciperNo.ipynb`" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "## PART 1: [Multiple Choice Questions - Quiz](https://moodle.epfl.ch/mod/quiz/view.php?id=1235302)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "## PART 2: Theory Questions" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "**Given a document collection with a vocabulary consisting of three words, $V = {a,b,c}$, and two documents $d_1$ = aabc and $d_2 = abc$. The query is $q = ab$.**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> **2.1. Using standard vector space retrieval, is it possible to enforce a ranking of
a) $d_1 > d_2$
b) $d_2 > d_1$
by adding suitable documents to the collection. If yes, give examples of such documents to be added, if no, provide an argument why this cannot be the case.**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "**➡️ PLEASE WRITE YOUR ANSWER HERE**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> **2.2. Using smoothed probabilistic retrieval (with $\\lambda=0.5$), is it possible to enforce a ranking
a)$d_1 > d_2$
b)$d_2 > d_1$
by adding suitable documents to the collection. If yes, give examples of such documents to be added, if no, provide an argument why this cannot be the case.**\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "**➡️ PLEASE WRITE YOUR ANSWER HERE**\n", + "\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> **2.3. Is it possible to enforce a ranking $d_2 > d_1$ with vector space retrieval and $d_1 > d_2$ with probabilistic retrieval ($\\lambda=0.5$), by adding the same documents to the collection? If yes, give examples of such documents to be added, if no, provide an argument why this cannot be the case.**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "**➡️ PLEASE WRITE YOUR ANSWER HERE**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "## PART 3: Programming exercise" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "### 💡 THE BACKSTORY\n", + "\n", + "You are given a \"news topic classification\" dataset (`data.csv`), and the task is to apply document classification techniques you've learned during the semester. The goal is to classify news articles based on the topic they refer to.\n", + "\n", + "### 📰 THE DATA\n", + "\n", + "This dataset contains ~7000 samples of news articles which consists of 3 columns:\n", + "\n", + "The first column is `label`, the second is `title` and the third is `description`.\n", + "\n", + "The topic labels are numbered 1-4 where `1` represents topic **\"World\"**, `2` represents topic **\"Sports\"**, `3` represents **\"Business\"** and `4` represents **\"Sci/Tech\"**.\n", + "\n", + "| Column | Description |\n", + "|------------|-------------------------------|\n", + "| **label** | The topic label/topic id of the article|\n", + "| **title** | The title of the article |\n", + "| **description** | The description of the article |\n", + "\n", + "\n", + "### ✅ THE TASK\n", + "\n", + "You need to build a KNN and a Naive Bayes classifer to classify the articles into the 4 different categories." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "### 3.1: Parse and understand the data\n", + "\n", + "*(1 sub-question)*" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Import libraries- you can additionally import any library you want.\n", + "import pandas as pd\n", + "import numpy as np\n", + "from collections import Counter\n", + "import math\n", + "import string\n", + "import nltk\n", + "from nltk.corpus import stopwords\n", + "from nltk.stem import PorterStemmer\n", + "import matplotlib.pyplot as plt\n", + "\n", + "nltk.download('stopwords')\n", + "nltk.download('punkt')\n", + "\n", + "%matplotlib inline" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Read a list of documents from a file. Each line in a file is a document\n", + "data_path = \"data.csv\"\n", + "data = pd.read_csv(data_path)\n", + "print(\"Number of news articles: \", len(data))\n", + "\n", + "# Plot the distribution of topics\n", + "labels = data.label.unique()\n", + "sizes = [Counter(data.label)[i] for i in labels]\n", + "plt.figure( figsize=(5,5) )\n", + "plt.pie(sizes , labels=labels , autopct='%1.1f%%')\n", + "plt.show()" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Utility functions - NOTHING TO CHANGE HERE\n", + "stemmer = PorterStemmer()\n", + "\n", + "# Tokenize, stem a document\n", + "def tokenize(text):\n", + " text = \"\".join([ch for ch in text if ch not in string.punctuation])\n", + " tokens = nltk.word_tokenize(text)\n", + " return \" \".join([stemmer.stem(word.lower()) for word in tokens if word not in stopwords.words('english')])\n", + "\n", + "# Preprocess articles\n", + "def preprocess_text(documents):\n", + " docs = list()\n", + " for doc in documents:\n", + " docs.append(tokenize(doc).split()) # tokenize\n", + " return docs" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Tokenize titles of the articles \n", + "original_documents = [doc[\"title\"].strip() for _, doc in data.iterrows()]\n", + "tokenized_documents = preprocess_text(original_documents)\n", + "documents_topics = list(data.label)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.1.1 Create the vocabulary of the articles." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "def get_vocabulary_frequency(documents):\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " It parses the input documents and creates a dictionary with the terms and term frequencies.\n", + " \n", + " INPUT:\n", + " Doc1: hello hello world\n", + " Doc2: hello friend\n", + " \n", + " OUTPUT:\n", + " {'hello': 3,\n", + " 'world': 1,\n", + " 'friend': 1}\n", + "\n", + " :param documents: list of list of str, with the tokenized documents.\n", + " :return: dict, with keys the words and values the frequency of each word.\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " vocabulary = dict()\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return vocabulary" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Create the vocabulary\n", + "vocabulary = get_vocabulary_frequency(tokenized_documents)\n", + "f\"Vocabulary Size: {len(vocabulary)}\"" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# print the most frequent token\n", + "voc_sorted_keys = sorted(vocabulary, key=vocabulary.get, reverse=True)\n", + "print(f\"{voc_sorted_keys[0]} : {vocabulary[voc_sorted_keys[0]]}\")" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "### PART 3.2: Encode documents with Vector Space Retrieval\n", + "\n", + "*(3 sub-questions)*\n", + "\n", + "In this part, we will encode/vectorize the documents using the **Vector Space Model**. \n", + "More specifically:\n", + "- we will compute the term-frequency matrix **(tf)**\n", + "- we will compute the inverse document frequency **(idf)**\n", + "- we will vectorize/encode the articles with **tf-idf**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.2.1 Build the term-frequency matrix" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "def get_tf(documents, vocabulary):\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " It creates the term-frequency matrix with rows the terms of the vocabulary and columns the number of documents.\n", + " Each value of the matrix represents the frequency (normalized to document max frequecy) of a term (row) \n", + " in a document (column).\n", + " Example:\n", + " \n", + " > INPUT:\n", + " documents:\n", + " Doc1: hello hello world\n", + " Doc2: hello friend\n", + " \n", + " voc: \n", + " [hello, world, friend]\n", + " \n", + " > OUPUT: \n", + " [[1, 1],\n", + " [0.5, 0],\n", + " [0, 1]]\n", + " \n", + " :param documents: list of list of str, with the tokenized documents.\n", + " :param vocabulary: dict with the vocabulary (computed in 1.1) and each term's frequency.\n", + " :return: np.array with the document-term frequencies\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " document_term_freq = np.zeros(shape=(len(vocabulary), len(documents)))\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " \n", + " return document_term_freq" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "tf = get_tf(tokenized_documents, vocabulary)\n", + "tf.shape" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.2.2 Build the inverse document-frequency matrix (idf)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# compute IDF, storing idf values in a dictionary\n", + "def get_idf(vocabulary, documents):\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " It computes IDF scores, storing idf values in a dictionary.\n", + " \n", + " :param documents: list of list of str, with the tokenized tweets.\n", + " :param vocabulary: dict with the vocabulary (computed in 1.1) and each term's frequency.\n", + " :return: dict with the terms as keys and values the idf for each term.\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return idf\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "idf = get_idf(vocabulary, tokenized_documents)\n", + "len(idf)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.2.3 Vectorization of input with the Vector Space Model" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Function to generate the vector for a document (with normalisation)\n", + "def vectorize_vsr(document, vocabulary, idf):\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " It takes the input text and vectorizes it based on the tf-idf formula.\n", + " \n", + " :param document: list of str, with the tokenized document\n", + " :param vocabulary: dict, with the vocabulary (computed in 1.1) and each term's frequency.\n", + " :param idf: dict, with the terms as keys and values the idf for each term.\n", + " :return: np.array, with the vectorized document\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return vector\n", + " \n", + "vectorized_documents = np.array([vectorize_vsr(s, vocabulary, idf) for i, s in enumerate(tokenized_documents)])\n", + "vectorized_documents.shape" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "### PART 3.3: k-Nearest-Neighbors (kNN)\n", + "\n", + "*(7 sub-questions)*\n", + "\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "> #### 3.3.1 Implement kNN function (finding k nearest documents for a given document)" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "def cosine_similarity(v1, v2):\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " It computes cosine similarity.\n", + " \n", + " :param v1: list of floats, with the vector of a document.\n", + " :param v2: list of floats, with the vector of a document.\n", + " :return: float\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " sumxx, sumxy, sumyy = 0, 0, 0\n", + " for i in range(len(v1)):\n", + " x = v1[i]; y = v2[i]\n", + " sumxx += x*x\n", + " sumyy += y*y\n", + " sumxy += x*y\n", + " if sumxy == 0:\n", + " sim = 0\n", + " else:\n", + " sim = sumxy/math.sqrt(sumxx*sumyy)\n", + " return sim\n", + "\n", + "def euclidean_distance(v1, v2):\n", + " \"\"\" It computes the euclidean distance between to vectors.\n", + " :param v1: First vector (numpy array).\n", + " :param v2: Second vector (numpy array).\n", + " :return: Euclidean distance (float)\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " return np.linalg.norm(v1 - v2)\n", + " \n", + "def knn(doc_vectors, query_vector, k=10):\n", + " \"\"\" It finds the `k` nearest documents to the given query (based on euclidean distance).\n", + " :param doc_vectors: An array of document vectors (np.array(np.array)).\n", + " :param query_vector: Query representation (np.array)\n", + " :return: List of document indices (list(int))\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return top_k_docs\n", + "\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.3.2 Print k=10 closests documents to the given query" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "query_title = \"Tiny telescope's big discovery opens new doors\" # label = 4\n", + "\n", + "query = tokenize(query_title).split()\n", + "query_vector = vectorize_vsr(query, vocabulary, idf)\n", + "\n", + "top_k_docs = knn(vectorized_documents, query_vector)\n", + "\n", + "for k, doc_index in enumerate(top_k_docs):\n", + " print(f\"{k+1} : {original_documents[doc_index]}\")" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.3.3 Implement probabilistic and weigting estimation of kNN " + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "def knn_weighting_estimate(doc_vectors, doc_labels, query_vector, k=10):\n", + " \"\"\" Weighting estimation for kNN classification\n", + " :param doc_vectors: Document vectors (np.array(np.array))\n", + " :param doc_labels: Document labels/topics (list)\n", + " :param query_vector: Query vector (np.array)\n", + " :param k: Number of nearest neighbors to retrieve\n", + " \n", + " :return: A dictionary containing the estimation score for each label/topic (dict)\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return scores\n", + "\n", + "def knn_probabilistic_estimate(doc_vectors, doc_labels, query_vector, k=10):\n", + " \"\"\" Probabilistic estimation for kNN classification\n", + " :param doc_vectors: Document vectors (np.array(np.array))\n", + " :param doc_labels: Document labels/topics (list)\n", + " :param query_vector: Query vector (np.array)\n", + " :param k: Number of nearest neighbors to retrieve\n", + " \n", + " :return: A dictionary containing the estimation score for each label/topic (dict)\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return scores\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.3.4 Compute weighting and probabilistic estimation of the given query" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "query_titles = [(\"Airlines Agree to Cut Flights at Chicago O'Hare\", 3), (\"Stuttgart Closing on Qualification\", 2)]\n", + "\n", + "queries = [tokenize(q[0]).split() for q in query_titles] \n", + "query_vectors = [vectorize_vsr(q, vocabulary, idf) for q in queries]\n", + "k = 10\n", + "\n", + "for i, query_v in enumerate(query_vectors):\n", + " print(f\"Query: {query_titles[i]}\")\n", + " w_estimate = knn_weighting_estimate(vectorized_documents, documents_topics, query_v, k)\n", + " w_estimate = sorted(w_estimate.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)\n", + " print(f\"Weighting estimate: {w_estimate}\")\n", + " \n", + " prob_estimate = knn_probabilistic_estimate(vectorized_documents, documents_topics, query_v, k)\n", + " prob_estimate = sorted(prob_estimate.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)\n", + " print(f\"Probabilistic estimate: {prob_estimate}\")\n", + "\n", + " print(\"*************************************************\\n\")" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.3.5 Compute weighting and probabilistic estimation of the given query for different values of `k`:\n", + "\n", + "Discuss the changes in the results by increasing the value of `k`" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# KNN estimation for different values of k (first query)\n", + "for k in [1, 5, 10, 15, 20]:\n", + " w_estimate = knn_weighting_estimate(vectorized_documents, documents_topics, query_vectors[0], k)\n", + " w_estimate = sorted(w_estimate.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)\n", + " w_label = w_estimate[0][0]\n", + "\n", + " prob_estimate = knn_probabilistic_estimate(vectorized_documents, documents_topics, query_vectors[0], k)\n", + " prob_estimate = sorted(prob_estimate.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)\n", + " p_label = prob_estimate[0][0]\n", + "\n", + " print(f\"k: {k}, w_label = {w_label}, p_label: {p_label}\")" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "**➡️ PLEASE WRITE YOUR ANSWER HERE**\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.3.6 Implement a Rocchio classifier" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "def rocchio_estimate(doc_vectors, doc_labels, query_vector):\n", + " \"\"\" \n", + " Rocchio classification\n", + " :param doc_vectors: Document vectors (np.array(np.array))\n", + " :param doc_labels: Document labels/topics (list)\n", + " :param query_vector: Query vector (np.array)\n", + " \n", + " :return: A dictionary containing the estimation score for each label/topic (dict)\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return scores\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.3.7 Compute Rocchio estimation of the given query" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "roc_estimate = rocchio_estimate(vectorized_documents, documents_topics, query_vectors[0])\n", + "roc_estimate = sorted(roc_estimate.items(), key=lambda x: x[1])\n", + "print(f\"Rocchio estimate: {roc_estimate}\")" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "### PART 3.4: Naive Bayes Classifier\n", + "\n", + "*(2 sub-questions)*" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Naive Bayes Classifier\n", + "def get_topic_tf(tokenized_docs, doc_labels, vocabulary):\n", + " \"\"\" It computes term frequency for each topic/label\n", + " :param tokenized_docs: List of tokenized documents (list)\n", + " :param doc_labels: Document labels/topics (list)\n", + " :vocabulary: A dictionary, with keys the words and values the frequency of each word.\n", + " :return: A dictionary, with keys the topics/labels and values a dictionary of word frequencies \n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " topic_term_freq = {t:{w:0 for w in vocabulary} for t in list(set(doc_labels))}\n", + " for i, doc in enumerate(tokenized_docs):\n", + " counter = Counter(doc)\n", + " for word in vocabulary:\n", + " if word in counter:\n", + " topic_term_freq[doc_labels[i]][word] += counter[word]\n", + " return topic_term_freq" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.4.1 Compute the Naive Bayes estimation for the given query" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "def navie_bayes_classifier(tf_dict, query, topics_probs):\n", + " \"\"\" Naive Bayes classification\n", + " :param tf_dict: A dictionary, with keys the topics/labels and values a dictionary of word frequencies \n", + " :param query: Query vector\n", + " :param topics_probs: Probaility distribution of each topic/label (dict)\n", + " :return: A dictionary containing the log probability estimation for each topic\n", + " \"\"\"\n", + " # --------------\n", + " # YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + " # --------------\n", + " return log_probabilities" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Compute the probability distribution of topics/labels\n", + "topics_freq = Counter(documents_topics)\n", + "topics_probs = {t:topics_freq[t]/len(documents_topics) for t in topics_freq}\n", + "# Compute word frequency per topic\n", + "tf_dict = get_topic_tf(tokenized_documents, documents_topics, vocabulary)\n", + "\n", + "nb_estimation = navie_bayes_classifier(tf_dict, queries[0], topics_probs)\n", + "nb_estimation = sorted(nb_estimation.items(), key=lambda x: x[1], reverse=True)\n", + "print(f\"Naive Bayes Estimation: {nb_estimation}\")" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> #### 3.4.2 Discuss the difference the above classifers:\n", + "1. Which kNN classifer is more accurate? Weighting or probabilistic estimation? Why?\n", + "2. What is the difference between Rocchio and kNN classification?\n", + "3. When Naive Bayes is prefered over kNN? " + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "\n", + "**➡️ PLEASE WRITE YOUR ANSWER HERE**\n", + "\n" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "\n", + "### PART 3.5: Association Rules\n", + "*(3 sub-questions)*\n", + "\n", + "Now we would like to identify frequent rules that govern how words appear together in the news article **titles**.\n", + "\n", + "Using the `tokenized_documents` provided before and by considering the pair of words containing _\"microsoft\"_ (we only consider rules of size 2) do the following:\n", + "\n", + "* Compute **support** and **confidence** for the rules `microsoft` -> `X`, where X is a word appearing with microsoft in the title of an article.\n", + "* From the confidence of the rules you obtained, compute **lift**." + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> **3.5.1 Compute support and confidence for the rules `microsoft` -> `X`, where X is a word appearing with microsoft in the title of an article.**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# --------------\n", + "# YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + "# support = {}\n", + "# confidence = {}\n", + "\n", + "# --------------" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "> **3.5.2 From the confidence of the rules you obtained, compute lift.**" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# --------------\n", + "# YOUR CODE HERE\n", + "\n", + "# lift = {}\n", + "\n", + "# --------------" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Show the 3 rules with highest support\n", + "{k: v for k, v in sorted(support.items(), key=lambda item: item[1], reverse=True)[:3]}" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Show the 3 rules with highest confidence\n", + "{k: v for k, v in sorted(confidence.items(), key=lambda item: item[1], reverse=True)[:3]}" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "code", + "execution_count": null, + "metadata": {}, + "outputs": [], + "source": [ + "# Show the 3 rules with highest lift\n", + "{k: v for k, v in sorted(lift.items(), key=lambda item: item[1], reverse=True)[:3]}" + ] + }, + { + "cell_type": "markdown", + "metadata": {}, + "source": [ + "## 🔚 END OF EXAM\n", + "> Don't forget to change the submitted file with your SciperNo as the file name before submitting.\n", + "\n", + "\n", + "#### [SUBMIT HERE](https://moodle.epfl.ch/mod/quiz/view.php?id=1235303)" + ] + } + ], + "metadata": { + "kernelspec": { + "display_name": "Python 3 (ipykernel)", + "language": "python", + "name": "python3" + }, + "language_info": { + "codemirror_mode": { + "name": "ipython", + "version": 3 + }, + "file_extension": ".py", + "mimetype": "text/x-python", + "name": "python", + "nbconvert_exporter": "python", + "pygments_lexer": "ipython3", + "version": "3.10.9" + }, + "vscode": { + "interpreter": { + "hash": "75fd394e35225182f207b93437350142e41aafd8fa2b11cc1a17258e1fa2f196" + } + } + }, + "nbformat": 4, + "nbformat_minor": 2 +} diff --git a/Extras/2022-Final/data.csv b/Extras/2022-Final/data.csv new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b463b10 --- /dev/null +++ b/Extras/2022-Final/data.csv @@ -0,0 +1,6995 @@ +label,title,description +3,Shell pulls staff from oil region,"The Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell, withdraws hundreds of workers from oil facilities in Nigeria's troubled Niger Delta." +4,Scientists Think Data From Space Capsule Can Be Salvaged,"Samples and data inside the wrecked Genesis space capsule appear intact enough to salvage most of the mission's science, optimistic researchers said Friday." +3,UBS Raises Its Rating on Delta; Shares Up,"Shares of US airlines took off in Wednesday trading after UBS Investment Bank raised its rating on Delta Air Lines Inc., saying the cash-strapped carrier's latest survival moves are lessening prospects of bankruptcy." +3,Coventry Health to Buy First Health,Coventry Health Care Inc. on Thursday said it agreed to buy rival health plan First Health Group Corp. for $1.8 billion in stock and cash as it looks to expand its geographic reach and keep pace with rivals. +1,France Bans Hizbollah Satellite TV as Anti-Jewish,A French court ordered a prompt end to satellite television broadcasts to Europe by Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrilla group on Monday on grounds they were clearly anti-Semitic and a potential threat to public order. +4,Robots set to get homely by 2007,"The number of robots helping out and entertaining in the home is set to soar sevenfold by 2007, says the UN." +3,Toymakers Hit by Economy; Holidays Grim," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The two top U.S. toymakers posted disappointing third-quarter results on Monday and softened expectations for the crucial holiday season, citing a wobbly economy and cautious retailers." +3,Manufacturing Activity Up in September,"Manufacturing activity rose in September for the 16th consecutive month, but at a more gradual pace than in August, an industry research group reported Friday." +3,IDC raises estimate for PC sales,"Researcher IDC has raised its estimate for the number of PCs that will be sold in 2004, saying it now expects sales of 176.5 million units, the company said Monday." +1,Troops ready for Mosul after Fallujah,"US-backed Iraqi commandos were poised Friday to storm rebel strongholds in the northern city of Mosul, as US military commanders said they had quot;broken the back quot; of the insurgency with their assault on the former rebel bastion of Fallujah." +4,Red Hat: Fake Emails Circulating,Red Hat posted a notice on their web site about fake emails that purport to come from them. Here is the statement in its entirety: quot;Red Hat has been made aware that emails are circulating that pretend to come from the Red Hat Security Team. +2,No. 18 Miami Tops No. 10 Virginia 31-21 ,AP - Roscoe Parrish returned a punt for a touchdown and caught a clinching touchdown pass in the final minute Saturday as Miami got back into the ACC title race by beating No. 10 Virginia 31-21. +1,"Hamas attack kills Israeli soldier, ends lull in Gaza violence","Egypt has brokered an understanding to halt Israeli-Palestinian violence and move toward a peace accord, the official Egyptian news agency said Tuesday." +4,Look... face it: Your PC is NOT secure,"Apparently, some two thirds of home users think they are safe from online threats, but 20 percent of home computers are infected by a virus, and 80 percent have problems with spyware and adware." +2,Racing: Italian Trulli to race for Toyota in Japan and Brazil,"PARIS : Italian driver Jarno Trulli, who has signed to drive for Toyota next season, will now be driving for the Japanese constructor in the final two races of this season, Toyota revealed." +3,Opposition rejects audit of Chvez recall vote,"CARACAS The Venezuelan electoral authorities on Thursday conducted a random audit of the referendum that confirmed President Hugo Chvez's mandate, but the opposition rejected it and said the vote was a fraud." +4,Researcher Finds Flaws in XP SP2,"German research firm Heise Security has issued an advisory for a pair of security flaws in Microsoft's (Quote, Chart) recently shipped Windows XP Service Pack 2 with a warning that attackers could launch malicious files from an untrusted zone. " +1,Saudi dissident fails to stage mass protests,"RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Hundreds of security forces made a show of force in two Saudi cities yesterday to ward off protests against the royal family, chasing a few would-be demonstrators in the streets and arresting several others, after a dissident called for a day of marches." +3,Calpers President Voted Out,"Sean Harrigan was ousted from his post as president of the $177 billion California Public Employees Retirement System. In a 3 to 2 vote in San Francisco, the California state Personnel Board pulled Harrigan " +4,UK Man Held Over Cisco Source Code Theft," LONDON (Reuters) - Police said on Monday they have arrested a 20-year-old British man on suspicion of stealing Cisco Systems <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=CSCO.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">CSCO.O</A> source code, the basic instructions for the machines that direct Internet traffic across the globe." +3,Warner Chilcott agrees takeover,"Northern Irish drugmaker Warner Chilcott has agreed to a 1.62 billion pound takeover by the private equity arms of investment banks CSFB and JP Morgan, spurning two rival suitors." +4,File-Sharing Network Thrives Beneath the Radar," LONDON (Reuters) - A file-sharing program called BitTorrent has become a behemoth, devouring more than a third of the Internet's bandwidth, and Hollywood's copyright cops are taking notice." +3,DHL scraps Brussels growth plan,"Courier firm DHL is ditching plans to site its international hub in Brussels at a likely cost of 1,700 jobs by 2008. Negotiations with local and federal authorities over increasing the number of night flights have failed, the firm told BBC News Online." +2,Bryant Accuser May Move Suit to Calif. ,"AP - The Kobe Bryant saga may be ending in Colorado. After 17 months of bitter court fights and lurid headlines, the 20-year-old woman accusing the NBA star of rape might dump her civil lawsuit here and sue him in his home state of California because of Colorado's strict limits on financial damages." +3,Keeping Score: Bush's promises,"Four years ago, candidate George Bush issued a steady stream of promises to win votes. The promises were big and small, widely embraced and bitterly opposed." +1,Iran votes to resume nuclear programme,"The Iranian parliament, which is dominated by hardliners, passed a bill yesterday obliging the government to press ahead with efforts to develop a nuclear energy programme." +1,Chirac inaugurates world's tallest bridge in France,"MILLAU, France - As air force jets screamed overhead, French President Jacques Chirac inaugurated the world's tallest bridge, a stunning masterpiece of engineering that will carry drivers 270 metres (885 feet) above ground." +2,Tough one for the Gunners,THE Gunners - for the time being at least - have lost the knack of putting teams away. Draws with Southampton and West Brom in their last two Premiership games at Highbury highlight Arsenal's current shortcomings +2,Spotlight shines on quarterbacks,"They couldn't be more different. One is the prototype quarterback, seemingly built using the create-a-player function from a video game, standing tall in the pocket and firing laser beams across the field." +3,Euro Rises to Record High Above $1.3329, NEW YORK (Reuters) - The euro hit a fresh record high against the dollar above $1.3329 on Tuesday following the release of weaker-than-expected U.S. consumer confidence data. +4,PDF Proof: This Song is Your Song ,A court case alleging copyright infringement against a Web site using a popular song in a political parody ended abruptly when an Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) investigation revealed that Woody Guthrie's quot;This Land is Your Land quot; is in the public +3,State Health Care Proposition Would Benefit Many Workers,"It is often said that national trends originate in California. By voting yes on Proposition 72 next Tuesday, California voters have a chance to start a positive national trend toward solving our health care crisis." +3,Wachovia's 3Q Profits Increase 14 Percent,"Wachovia Corp. said Friday that third-quarter earnings rose 14 percent to $1.26 billion, or 96 cents a share, on gains in its wealth management and investment banking businesses." +2,Pittsburgh vs. Arizona,"PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Jack Wilson lofted a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a wild 8-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the 10th, Jose Castillo drew leadoff walk against Greg Aquino (0-1) and stole ..." +2,James Lawton: Only Beijing can bury agony for Radcliffe,Paula Radcliffe got so many things right in New York. In winning another marathon she achieved all of her goals except the one that was beyond her. +4,Google Shares Surge On Market Forecasts,Google Shares Surge On Market Forecasts\\On Friday Google stocks soared up 20 percent on earnings news to trade at over 100 of its lower than expected IPO price two months ago. Google reported an earnings report on Thursday which showed large gains in come due to to the Google AdWords ... +1,Lawyers file Abu Ghraib complaint,"BERLIN -- A group of American civil rights lawyers filed a criminal complaint in a German court yesterday against top US officials, including Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, for acts of torture committed at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq." +2,Montgomery and Gaines Hearings Postponed, LONDON (Reuters) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has postponed its hearings with American sprinters Tim Montgomery and Chryste Gaines who have been charged with serious doping violations. +1,Europe Sets Deadline for Iran on Weapons ,"AP - Europe's major powers have agreed to set a November deadline on Iran to meet demands meant to resolve concerns that it is secretly trying to make nuclear weapons, in a confidential document made available Saturday to The Associated Press." +3,Eli Lilly Bares All,"In the spirit of full disclosure, the Big Pharma company publishes clinical trial results online." +4,Folded Ice Discovered Beneath Antarctica ,"AP - Glaciers in Antarctica are thinning faster than they did in the 1990s and researchers have discovered an unexpected folded section deep beneath the ice cap, findings that may indicate the ice is less stable than had been thought." +4,Get ready for SPIT (spam over Internet telephony),"If spam could talk, it would spit. SPIT stands for spam over Internet telephony and could become just as annoying, according to executives from Qovia Inc., which recently filed two patent applications for technology to thwart SPIT." +2,Lashko in gold pole position,Irina Lashko has put Australia in a strong medal position going into the finals of the Olympic 3m springboard competition in Athens. +1,Iraqi Kidnappers Release 2 Indonesian Women,Two Indonesian women held hostage for several days by militants in Iraq have been freed. The two women were handed over to the United Arab Emirates embassy in Baghdad on Monday. +1,"British Hostage Beheaded in Iraq, Insurgents Say","British hostage Ken Bigley was beheaded near Baghdad on Thursday afternoon, insurgent sources in the rebel-held town of Falluja said on Friday." +4,"Wanna buy an iPod, guv?",Apple's first British store will open this Saturday on London's Regent Street--and Silicon.com got to take a peek before the doors open to shoppers. +3,Kodak Profits on Discontinued Operations," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=EK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">EK.N</A>, the world's top maker of photographic film, on Wednesday said its third quarter profit rose, boosted by discontinued operations. Sales were boosted by the weaker dollar and its key growth area of digital photography. Rochester, New York-based Kodak, which one year ago announced a dramatic strategy shift toward digital cameras and printing and away from film, posted net income of $479 million, or $1.67 a share, including $1.51 from discontinued operations. A year earlier its profit was $122 million, or 42 cents a share. Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News, visit http://topnews.reuters.com " +3,Vodafone not in talks with Verizon about Sprint,British-based mobile phone giant Vodafone Group said Tuesday that it was not in talks with US partner Verizon Communications about a possible bid for US rival Sprint. +2,Bourdais takes close victory from teammate Junquiera in Las Vegas ,"Sebastien Bourdais and Bruno Junquiera spent much of the weekend together, eating and hanging out in the garage areas their Newman-Haas teams share." +1,IRS Releases Tax Tables for New Deduction ,AP - Making big splurges this holiday season? The IRS released tax tables Friday to help taxpayers calculate whether they would benefit from a new sales tax deduction. +2,Mates faith in Beitia rewarded in victory,"As he prepared for a potential game-winning field goal in the waning moments Saturday, Florida State senior Xavier Beitia had several teammates tell him they believed in him." +1,Frenchman shot dead in Saudi Arabia,"A French national was shot and killed in the Saudi Arabian city of Jiddah early Sunday, the Interior Ministry said. The man was shot at 1 am in the Red Sea port city." +2,"Nets Get 23 From Jefferson, Beat Celtics","Boston Celtics Gary Payton scrambles over New Jersey Nets Eric Williams after a loose ball during the first quarter Friday, Oct. 22, 2004, in Boston." +2,Former Tottenham goalkeeper Bill Brown dies in Ontario at the age ,"SIMCOE, Ont. (CP) - Bill Brown, a former Scottish international goalkeeper who went on to play soccer and live in Canada, has died after a lengthy battle with cancer." +2,Raiders Kicker Gets Contract Extension ,"AP - Sebastian Janikowski finalized a 10.5 million, five-year contract extension with the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday that makes him the highest paid placekicker in the NFL." +1,Kroll Defends Arrested Employees,International security consultant Kroll Inc. took out ads in Brazil's largest newspapers Thursday to defend five employees arrested amid allegations Kroll illegally spied in its probe of a bitter corporate dispute. +4,"NASA Jet Will Try to Go 7,000 MPH ","AP - In March, NASA launched an experimental jet that reached a record-setting speed of about 5,000 mph. Now researchers want to leave that milestone in the dust." +3,Vodafone doubles dividend,Vodafone made good on its promise to return more cash to shareholders yesterday with a doubling of its half-year dividend and plans to buy back a further 2.2bn of shares over the next four months. +1,Insurgents keep up deadly attacks in northern Iraq,"Insurgents renewed attacks on United States troops and Iraqs security forces today, killing five police officers, including a general, and wounding 14 American soldiers in continuing attempts to derail the coming elections." +3,Dutch steel firm buying International Steel Group for $4.5 billion,"PHILADELPHIA _ International Steel Group Inc., which includes the remains of the bankrupt Bethlehem Steel Corp., is being acquired by a Dutch steel company for $4." +1,Falluja Rebels Fight On; Clashes Across Iraq," FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes, artillery and mortars attacked areas of Falluja on Monday as diehard insurgents held out to the last in the week-long battle and heavy clashes broke out in the Iraqi cities of Mosul and Baquba." +1,Darfur Peace Talks Start Amid New Fighting (Reuters),Reuters - Darfur peace talks kicked off\four days late in Nigeria Monday amid mounting international\concerns of a resurgence of fighting in the remote Sudan\region. +4,"DNA as a Sex-Crime Solver: Good Tool, Not Whole Solution","A race to pursue DNA-based indictments has made apparent that no matter how sophisticated the science of DNA, a genetic profile is less than half the battle." +3,Greenspan bearish on dollar,"Alan Greenspan came to the home of the euro on Friday and suggested that the relentless decline of the dollar might well continue, offering little relief to those here " +4,Google Goes on Hiring Spree,"(Article Central) Google has started spending some of the $1.67 billion it made in last month's initial public offering, recruiting a half-dozen of the brightest minds from Microsoft and other tech giants." +1,Low turnout sinks Macedonia referendum,"SKOPJE, Macedonia -- A referendum bid to block a law that gives Macedonia's Albanian minority more rights failed yesterday, upholding the Western-brokered peace plan that ended ethnic fighting in 2001." +3,Ellison: Oracle Will Ship PeopleSoft's Next-Generation Products,SAN FRANCISCOOracle Corp. will complete development and ship the next version of PeopleSoft's flagship enterprise applications even if it ultimately succeeds in buying out its competitor. +2,"Ireland, Austria Share World Cup Lead",The Irish duo of Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington shot a 12-under 60 Thursday to share the lead with Austria's Martin Wiegele and Markus Brier after the first round of the team World Cup. +2,The Ballad of Shaikh Ahmed,THE guy exudes an aura of sure-fire confidence - the confidence that is based on his burning desire to excel. Shaikh Ahmed Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum expects to be successful - and he invariably is. +2,Vijay Singh win more than 10 million US dollars in one season,"Singh ended the five-year reign of Tiger Woods as world number one in September, defeating Woods in a man-to-man duel for the Deutche Bank Championship title to confirm his supremacy." +3,Yen Holds Gains as Oil Remains Below $50," LONDON (Reuters) - The yen steadied on Thursday after bouncing back from recent lows against the dollar and the euro as oil prices stepped down from this week's record highs, while investors awaited key economic data from Japan." +1,Part 1 of 2: The evolution of Indonesian democracy,"Although it is yet to be officially announced, it now seems certain that Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) will become Indonesia's next president." +4,Spammers exploit anti-spam trap,Spammers have become enthusiastic adopters of technology designed to spot and stop them. +2,Roddick and Fish lead US Davis Cup effort,"Charleston, SC (Sports Network) - Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish will play singles for the United States in this weekend's Davis Cup semifinal matchup against Belarus." +1,Friends and curious turn out for goodbye to alleged Montreal Mob boss (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - At least 200 people paid their final respects Saturday to Frank Cotroni, the reputed head of the Montreal Mafia who died of cancer at the age of 72." +2,Prefontaine hoofs the Lions,"For a guy who would have preferred to see the SkyDome lid closed, Noel Prefontaine did a fine job of putting the boot to the football yesterday in the chilly, open air of the topless stadium." +2,Hewitt Thunders to Final,"Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the finals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Robby Ginepri on Saturday." +4,SpaceShipOne Guru: NASA Needs a Visionary ,"AP - Burt Rutan, an aviator whose SpaceShipOne won the 10 million Ansari X-Prize for making three suborbital space flights, said NASA needs another Wernher von Braun #151; and chided the space agency for what he called a failed space shuttle program." +1,Man poses as worker to get into palace at Holyrood,AN intruder posed as a bogus workman in order to con his way into Holyrood Palace and get within yards of the Royal Apartments. Police were today hunting the man who succeeded in bypassing the palaces security +3,UPDATE 1-Fed's Gramlich: Impact from costlier oil inevitable,"Costlier imported oil is bound to have some negative economic impact on the US economy, but it does not mean policymakers can lose sight of their long-term goal of keeping inflation under control, Federal Reserve Governor " +1,Libya Arrests 17 Alleged al-Qaida Members ,"AP - Police have arrested 17 non-Libyans suspected of being al-Qaida members who entered this North African country illegally, the interior minister said Sunday." +2,McGrath has India reeling,"Glenn McGrath claimed three wickets, Michael Kasprowicz two and Shane Warne bagged the all-important scalp of VVS Laxman to reduce India to 150 for 6 wickets by the end of Day 2 in the first Test against Australia at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore " +1,Gaza out of control,"We are entering a very dangerous time. Everyone has their own gun and there is no one person in control.. BY ANDREW METZ. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- The young men wore hostile expressions and carried guns " +4,Veritas' India lab to become its largest R D center,"BANGALORE, INDIA - Veritas Software's research and development (R D) center in Pune, India, will soon be the company's largest worldwide, according to a company executive." +2,Victory in Moldova Vogts pledges,and predicted the victory would be more impressive than Italy s. The German knows he could be sacked if Scotland +2,"Hayden crashes out, Barros mounts another spirited charge",lex Barros finished the last race of the season in sixth place while team mate Nicky Hayden crashed out unhurt while contesting a podium finish in front of capacity crowd at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia today. +3,Stocks poised to drop,US stock futures pointed to a sharply lower start Friday as Intel Corp.'s disappointing third-quarter revenue and margin forecast sent chip stocks tumbling overseas. +1,Civil war possible after Iraq elections: US' top soldier ,AFP - US army chief General Richard Myers said in an interview that civil war could erupt in Iraq after forthcoming elections. +3,"Alcoa profits up slightly despite fire, hurricane and strikes","PITTSBURGH Alcoa reported slightly improved earnings today on higher aluminum prices, though the company was plagued throughout the third quarter by a fire, a hurricane and labor strife." +4,Remote control rifle range debuts,Soon you will be able to hunt and shoot wild pigs and sheep via the net. +4,Vodafone launches mass-market 3G mobile ,"AFP - After a four-year wait, billions of pounds spent on licences and numerous delays, Vodafone finally rolled out mass-market third-generation (3G) mobile telephone services." +3,Inquiry into Fannie Mae may hike mortgage cost,"The rate consumers pay on a 30-year, $200,000 home loan will likely rise 0.2 of a percentage point - an extra $9,200 over the course of the loan - as the largest US buyer of mortgages slows growth to meet regulators request to boost capital, said Kevin " +3,"Alcatel to buy wireless, conferencing companies",Networking gear maker Alcatel on Friday announced acquisition plans for a pair of US companies to help it gain access to wireless and collaboration technologies. +1,UN must lead fight against terror: PM,Dr Manmohan Singh said international networks of terror appear to cooperate more effectively between themselves than the nations they target. +4,XP SP2 Downloads Surpass 100M Mark,"Two months after the heavily hyped release of Microsoft's Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), the company has exceeded its delivery projections for individual users and small businesses." +3,"CommScope Says Costs Rise, Sales to Fall"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Communications cable maker CommScope Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CTV.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">CTV.N</A> on Monday projected higher fourth-quarter costs and lower sales at an Omaha manufacturing subsidiary, losing nearly a quarter of its stock market value in after-market trading." +3,"Networking, Security Integration Reaches TippingPoint ","The trend of merging network and security technologies continued today as 3Com (Quote, Chart) bought TippingPoint Technologies (Quote, Chart) for approximately $430 million, the companies said." +3,Vehicle complexity leads to record number of recalls,"Automakers have recalled more vehicles in the USA this year than ever before, likely more a result of the increasing complexity of cars and trucks and greater vigilance than a lapse in quality." +1,Malaysian Vows to Push Reforms,"KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Sept. 3 -- Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim vowed to push for democratic reforms in Malaysia, including freer news media, fair elections and an independent judiciary, as he " +2,Colorado back in game,"At the start of the season, they were in the also-ran bin. Not on anyone's radar screen nationally, or even in the Big 12, for that matter. But a month into the 2004 season, look at what the Colorado Buffaloes have done." +1,Israeli officer charged over slain Gaza girl,JERUSALEM - Israel has charged an army captain who was accused of riddling a Palestinian girl's body with bullets after she was already dead. +3,"Delphi to cut 8,500 jobs, post 350-million-dollar loss in 2005","New York (dpa) - Delphi Corp., the world's largest auto-parts maker, said Friday that it will cut 8,500 jobs, or nearly 5 per cent of its workforce, next year while it also announced that it would post losses for the fourth quarter and for 2005." +2,Cricket-Zimbabwe race probe collapses,"HARARE - A formal hearing into allegations of racism in Zimbabwe cricket, set up here by the International Cricket Council (ICC), collapsed in disarray when the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) and the rebel players refused to budge on witness procedure " +2,Harvard boasts big-time talent,"Clifton Dawson had been on the Harvard campus exactly one day before preseason practice began for the 2003 season. There was little time to introduce himself to his teammates. quot;I wondered what was expected of me and I felt I had something to prove, quot; said Dawson, who had withdrawn from Northwestern -- where he was on a football scholarship -- ..." +4,DoubleClick Signs on MSN to Use Its Rich Media Ads," NEW YORK (Reuters) - A top executive for Web marketing company DoubleClick <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=DCLK.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">DCLK.O</A> on Tuesday said Microsoft Corp's <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=MSFT.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">MSFT.O</A> MSN Web portal will use its rich media ads online, paving the way for wider use of a key DoubleClick product." +4,Napster's mobile market plans,The company has formed an agreement with mobile developer and publisher Dwango Wireless to launch the service - Napster Mobile - across the US and Canada in 2005. +2,Former NL MVP Caminiti passes away,"Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Ken Caminiti, who won the National League MVP in 1996 and later admitted to using steroids during his playing career, passed away on Sunday due to an apparent heart attack." +1,Car Bomb Kills at Least Six in Baghdad,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. troops pounded Fallujah with airstrikes and tank fire Sunday, and the Iraqi government appealed to residents to expel ""foreign terrorists"" to prevent an all-out attack..." +2,"Blue Jays 4, Orioles 1","Gregg Zaun homered and Orlando Hudson had three hits and an RBI, leading the Toronto Blue Jays past the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 Monday night." +4,Sophos: 2004 was the year of Netsky worm,"Netsky-P, an e-mail computer worm that disrupted tens of thousands of businesses and homes worldwide, was the hardest-hitting virus of 2004, according to Web security firm Sophos." +3,US Treasuries Fall as Durable-Goods Orders Top Forecasts,"US Treasury notes fell after a measure of durable goods orders rose more than forecast in August, adding to speculation the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at least once more this year." +3,AG Reilly seeks 6.2 car insurance cut,"Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly urged state regulators to cut auto insurance rates 6.2 percent next year, a sharp contrast with the 9.2 percent rate hike being sought by insurers and agents. Reilly said his proposal would shave about $60 off the existing statewide average premium of $1,082, while the industry proposal would increase the average premium by $101. A ..." +4,Foundation Awards Annual 'Genius Grants' ,"AP - When Rueben Martinez became a barber in the Los Angeles area, his love of literature inspired him to lend out books for customers. He noticed that few books made their way back to him." +2,Wenger stab at Mourinho,Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insisted he is not surprised by Jose Mourinho turning Chelsea into title contenders - as Claudio Ranieri had already laid the foundations for success. +2,Needham tackle now playing for Harvard,"Andrew Brecher, a three-sport athlete at Needham High School, is now a sophomore at Harvard University, where he is a backup offensive tackle on the varsity football team." +3,Back to School (Forbes.com),"Forbes.com - Over the past three decades the Federal Government has poured three-quarters of a trillion dollars into financial aid for college students. Back in 1971, the annual total for grants, loans, tax breaks and other aid was the equivalent, in today's dollars, of 18 billion. It's now running at a 65-billion-a-year clip." +2,Miami coach Wannstedt steps down,"CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Head coach Dave Wannstedt resigned from the struggling Miami Dolphins Tuesday morning, ending a frustrating season that began with the retirement of star running back Ricky Williams before training camp." +3,Coolbrands Cuts Year-End Profit Outlook," TORONTO (Reuters) - Coolbrands International Inc., the maker of frozen desserts, cut its profit outlook for fiscal 2004 on Tuesday, because of a decision to take a noncash charge related to stock options." +1,Syria continues withdrawing its forces from Lebanon,Syrian military units withdrew from Lebanon in the early hours of today (Thursday) morning in the framework of a large- scale redeployment operation by the Syrian forces. +1,Industrial Park Hostage to U.S.-N.Korea Ties (Reuters),"Reuters - An industrial park\offering cheap labor, handy transport links and next door to\major Asian markets should be a powerful lure for manufacturers\looking for a competitive edge." +1,Tropical storm Jeanne to bring floods and deaths to Haiti,"HAITI - At least 90 people died due to floods caused by heavy rains brought by Tropical storm Jeanne. Hundreds of people in Port-au-Prince, Haitis capital, have to save their lives from powerful water streams on the roofs of their properties." +1,Russia: Chechens Were Part of School Raid,"MOSCOW Sept. 9, 2004 - Ten of the militants who seized a school in southern Russia have been identified and six were from Chechnya, security officials said Thursday, drawing a strong connection to the Chechen " +1,Top UN envoy details lack of progress in Darfur crisis,UNITED NATIONS -- The top UN envoy to Sudan said yesterday that the Sudanese government has failed to improve security for the embattled people of Darfur or to bring to justice the perpetrators of atrocities during the 19-month conflict. +3,Desert plant offers rich pickings for Bushmen,THOUSANDS of South African Bushmen are to receive a royalty windfall after a Cambridgeshire company yesterday signed a deal with Unilever to develop one of their bush plants into a slimming aid. +2,UNDATED: in 41 chances.,Ryan Klesko singled in the go-ahead run with none out in the eighth inning and San Diego ended St. Louis nine-game winning streak. +1,Ichiro Breaks Sisler's Season Hits Record,"SEATTLE - The 258th hit in 2004 for Ichiro Suzuki was like so many others, a little ground ball up the middle. Only this one made history - a hit cheered 'round the world..." +2,Dolphins talk to LSU's Saban about coaching vacancy,LSU coach Nick Saban and Dolphins officials met for several hours Tuesday night about the team's vacant head-coaching position. +3,Banker Questioned in Enron Criminal Case," HOUSTON (Reuters) - Prosecutors in the first Enron Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ENRNQ.PK target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ENRNQ.PK</A> criminal trial sought to cast doubt on Wednesday on a former Merrill Lynch <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MER.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MER.N</A> banker's statements that he was worried about financial risks from buying three barges from Enron." +4,Powerline Ethernet Gets the Nod,"Broadband over powerline (BPL) got a boost from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week, but even as the technology begins deployments, it's unclear how much of a fight it will put up against DSL and cable." +4,Moon to turn blood-red on account of total lunar eclipse tonight,"A total lunar eclipse expected to create views of a blood-red moon will be visible tonight throughout most of North America, weather permitting." +1,Iran Considers EU Compromise Proposal,"Representatives from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom met with Iranian officials twice in October in an effort to head off a possible diplomatic showdown over its nuclear program." +3,"Wishing Won't Make Market Better, Bulls","What's the case for higher stock prices? Let's examine it, on this slightly down morning, if only to remove some of the incessant gloom I feel surrounds this stock market." +2,Fergie: Only A Win Will Do,Sir Alex Ferguson is convinced Manchester United will end Arsenals 49-game unbeaten run on Sunday - because they simply have to. +4,"Teen accused of making threats about school, possessing weapons","A 17-year-old was arraigned Friday after authorities received a tip that he was making threats in an online chat room against his high school, fellow students and an officer assigned to the building." +4,"Asteroid to Come Closest to Earth Since 12th Century, NASA Says","Toutatis, a mountain-sized asteroid, will today come the closest to the Earth since at least the 12th century, giving scientists an opportunity to gather data about it, NASA said on its Web site." +3,PeopleSoft's Schizophrenia,"Craig Conway was fired from PeopleSoft (nasdaq: PSFT - news - people ) today, the same day the company announced that its third-quarter license revenue will be much better than expected." +2,Simms doubtful; Griese to start,"TAMPA, Fla. - Chris Simms first NFL start lasted 19 plays, and it might be a while before he plays again for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers." +4,Sun Capital putting Anchor on block (TheDeal.com),"TheDeal.com - The Boca Raton, Fla., venture capital firm hopes to get 210 million or more for the teenage apparel retailer." +2,US Davis Cup Brings 9-Year Title Drought to Final Versus Spain,"Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and the Bryan brothers hope to add to Davis Cup lore this weekend when they assume the monstrous underdog role, facing Spain on their home red dirt in front of an expected record-setting crowd in Seville." +2,MLB reduces suspensions for three Texas pitchers,"Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - The three Texas Rangers relievers involved in last Monday's altercation with fans in Oakland had their suspension reduced one game each by the league Wednesday." +4,"ICANN enters negotiations on .mobi, .jobs domains","Two new top-level domain names moved closer to approval this week, as the body charged with overseeing the Internet's technical matters moved into negotiations with the companies applying to set up and run the "".mobi"" and "".jobs"" domains." +3,Gwalia on brink of collapse,"ONE of Australia's biggest gold miners, Sons of Gwalia, has called in administrators after negotiations with its creditors collapsed." +1,"FedEx, New York Life Press Bush on Trade as China's Power Grows",US companies such as FedEx Corp. and New York Life Insurance Co. are pleading with President George W. Bush to start discussions on a Pacific Rim free-trade bloc as he heads to this weekend's regional economic summit. +4,Campaign Donor Data Goes Mobile,"Political wonks no longer need to hunch over their PCs to track the political leanings of different regions. A new service sends that data to cell phones and PDAs, so people can find out instantly if they're in a Democratic or Republican stronghold. By Daniel Terdiman." +4,IETF Disbands Anti-Spam Working Group,"The Internet Engineering Task Force has disbanded its working group tackling spam, saying it was deadlocked, in part, over troubles related to Microsoft Corp." +2,Olympic rowing champion Pinsent bows out,"A few months after winning his fourth Olympic Gold Medal Matthew Pinsent, one of Britain's premier rowers in recent years has announced his retirement." +2,"After bad hop, he bounces back","Tony Womack has his winter planned. The Cardinals second baseman will not only rest following a long season, he will heal." +2,Illinois Proves Rank,"Sporting their brand-new No. 1 ranking, Illinois reigns 14 three-pointers on Chicago State as the Illini cruise to a 78-59 triumph on Monday night." +2,Mickelson Wakes Up,"After a restless night Friday, Phil Mickelson was feeling a bit better after Saturday's foursomes, where he and David Toms gave the U.S. a 4-and-3 victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thomas Levet." +2,Argentina beat Italy for place in football final,"Favourites Argentina beat Italy 3-0 this morning to claim their place in the final of the men's Olympic football tournament. Goals by leading goalscorer Carlos Tevez, with a smart volley after 16 minutes, and " +2,United warned Glazer will fight,"Manchester United have been warned that they are still not safe from the take-over plans of Malcolm Glazer by Keith Harris, the City financier who could yet lead a supporters " +3,"J.C. Penney Posts Profit, Sales Strong"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Department store operator J.C. Penney Co. Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=JCP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">JCP.N</A> on Tuesday posted a quarterly operating profit, reversing a year-earlier loss, on inventory controls and strong sales of jeans, home furnishings and career clothes." +4,"ADIC combines disk, tape in new storage appliance","Advanced Digital Information (ADIC) has announced a mid-level storage system that combines disk and tape in a single appliance, the Pathlight VX 2.0." +1,"There was no coup plot, say accused","Malabo - Equatorial Guinea intends to seek the extradition of Mark Thatcher, son of the former British prime minister, in connection with the alleged coup plot, a government source here has said." +3,Continental posts quarterly loss,"HOUSTON -- Continental Airlines said Tuesday that rising oil costs and $280 million in federal transportation, security and airport fees charged on passenger tickets drove the carrier to post a loss in the third quarter." +1,UN Approves Oil Sanction on Sudan,The United Nations (UN) Security Council passed a resolution yesterday (September 18) that proposes implementing oil sanctions on Sudan if the government fails to end the crisis in its Darfur region. +2,New deal for Moyes,"Everton manager David Moyes has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until 2009. Moyes, 41, has steered the club to third in the Premiership table despite last season's narrow escape from " +3,Dollar Edges Higher as Greenspan Awaited,The dollar posted modest gains on Wednesday as investors awaited comments from the Federal Reserve chief that are expected to point to further rises in US interest rates this year. +1,Democracy wins in Afghan election,What a difference the ballot makes. The election of Hamid Karzai as the first popularly elected president of Afghanistan is a dramatic affirmation of the power of democracy. +4,"TiVo, Netflix Close to Internet Movie Deal-Report (Reuters)","Reuters - Online DVD renter Netflix Inc.\ and television recorder maker TiVo Inc. are\close to a deal to allow Netflix subscribers to download movies\over the Internet to their TiVo devices, according to the\latest issue of Newsweek magazine." +2,Players dismiss security worries,"Given nearly a week to examine the security issues raised by the now-infamous brawl between players and fans in Auburn Hills, Mich., Nov. 19, the Celtics returned to the FleetCenter last night with two losses and few concerns about their on-court safety." +4,USPO Ditches Home Photo Stamps,"Make a stamp? Nope, no more, says the U.S. Postal Service. Though most used the service to create postage from images of their dogs, babies and weddings, some folks made legal postage out of images of not-so-nice people." +4,Google's Desktop Search Could Change SEM Forever,"Google was first to market a desktop search utility. Well, actually, others were first, but Google's the one everyone noticed." +2,"Fox, Traded by Lakers to Celtics, Retires ","AP - Rick Fox retired Thursday, ending a 13-year pro career during which he was part of three NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers." +1,Cricket: Aussies watch India tumble,"Australia take control of the first Test, reducing India to 150-6 after posting 474." +2,Missed target,Unfavorable exchange rates and fear of terrorism are keeping many would-be spectators at home. ATHENS-An uninformed spectator stumbling into the Athens Olympic Sports Complex on Wednesday night could have been forgiven for ... +4,UK ; Last Rites Sounded for Life-Changing Video Format," quot;We are now entering the digital age and the new DVD technology available represents a step-change in picture quality and convenience, quot; said marketing director John Mewett." +4,Blackberry shrinks phone keyboard,A new keyboard for phones that incorporates a traditional Qwerty layout and a standard number pad has been developed by the makers of the Blackberry mobiles. +2,"Agassi, Nalbandian withdraw from Paris Masters","Paris, France (Sports Network) - Andre Agassi and David Nalbandian announced Monday that they have withdrawn from the Paris Masters because of injuries." +4,European Union Extends Review of Microsoft Deal,Microsoft and Time Warner ran into fresh trouble in Europe today as antitrust regulators ordered an in-depth probe of their deal to collaborate in making anti-piracy software. +2,Rugby-Ireland erase tour woes with win over Springboks,A jubilant Ireland were celebrating their first victory over South Africa in almost 40 years on Saturday after beating the Tri-nations champions 17-12 at Lansdowne Road. +3,Insurers Weather Storm; Stocks Climb,Shares of financial services firms helped lead the broader market higher Tuesday as investors were encouraged that insurance companies saw less damage from Hurricane Frances than originally feared. +4,The Little Website that Couldn't,"There once was a boy who for no apparent reason went around knifing his classmates. This boy's parents took him to nearly every mental health professional with no success... until one day a famous hypnotist came to town. There was a long line to speak to him, and as they waited medical doctors hovered around them trying to convince them it was all quackery. But the parents, figuring they had nothing to lose, continued standing in line with their disturbed son. At long last they told the doctor about their son's twisted history, and after a long pause the doctor looked the boy square in the eye and said, ""My, won't you be surprised when you never do anything like this again.""" +3,Mortgage rates take a tumble,"Long-term mortgage rates tumbled to six-month lows this week amid concerns the economic expansion may be losing steam. Defying expectations earlier this year that it would now hover around 6.5 percent, the " +2,No. 1 Tigers too much for Gophers,"Ina showdown between two of the top womens college basketball players in the nation, Minnesotas Janel McCarville shined, scoring a career-high 31 points and making a boisterous statement for her Wooden Award candidacy." +3,Hungarian central bank cuts key interest rate by half percentage point ,"AFP - The Hungarian central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points from 11.5 percent to 11.0 percent, the bank said in a statement posted on its website." +2,Giants already match win total from last season,"The New York Giants aren't just winning. They're doing the kind of things winning teams do. Like making a stand on fourth-and-1 deep in their own territory, then again at midfield in the fourth quarter." +1, Two systems tested in Hong Kong,"On Sunday, voters will have a limited chance to elect members to the city's parliament. By Robert Marquand Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor." +3,Venezuela's Chavez Wins Recall Referendum (Reuters),"Reuters - Venezuela's left-wing\President Hugo Chavez won a recall referendum on his divisive\rule in a vote backed on Monday by international observers who\found no ""element of fraud.""" +1,Hurricane Jeanne Targets Fla. East Coast,"FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Floridians scrambled to board their homes and stock up on groceries and gas - again - as Hurricane Jeanne churned westward Friday and threatened to become the fourth hurricane to pound the state in the last six weeks..." +4,Decline hits North American birds,The National Audubon Society's State of the Birds report draws on data collected between 1966 and 2003 for 654 American bird species. +2,Case of Fumbles Afflicts Giants' Barber ,"AP - Not only are the New York Giants in a tailspin that mirrors last season, Tiki Barber once again is finding it tough holding onto the football." +1,Torture 'widespread' in Uganda,"Uganda's security forces routinely torture suspects, the Human Rights Commission says in its annual report." +3,Gateway Will Buy Back Stock From America Online,"IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 2 -- Computer maker Gateway Inc. said Tuesday that it had agreed to repurchase stock held by America Online Inc." +3,Gillette hopes to create a buzz with vibrating women's razor,Gillette Co. yesterday unveiled its newest razor -- one that promises to make a buzz in women's shaving. +3,Norwich Union moves jobs to Asia,UK insurer Norwich Union announces plans to move 950 jobs to India and Sri Lanka over the coming year. +1,Quake aftershocks hit north Japan,Strong aftershocks have continued to hit Japan two days after 24 people died in the country's deadliest earthquake in almost a decade. +4,Verizon Wireless pulls phone from shelves,The company discovers a flaw with a camera lens installed on its popular v710 Motorola phone. +3,Malden Mills buyback plan hits setback,Aaron M. Feuerstein's ambitions to buy back control of Malden Mills Industries Inc. suffered a blow recently when a major real estate partner said it was no longer interested in continuing a financing agreement. +2,"Berti Vogts Quits as Scotland Soccer Coach, Cites Abuse by Fans",Berti Vogts quit as Scotland's national soccer coach after a run of results left the team unlikely to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in his home country of Germany. +3,Forty Phones Fuel Nokia's Strategy For 2005,"com. In an attempt to stay in front of increasingly vigorous competition, mobile-phone maker Nokia Corp. said it will employ a variety of strategies next year in introducing 40 different handset models." +3,Cendant Makes Its Move on Diller,"By nabbing Orbitz in a pricey deal, Henry Silverman's outfit will now go head-to-head against InterActiveCorp in online travel." +3,Hometrack survey reveals falling house prices,"Signs of a housing slowdown are now beginning to surface across the UK as a fall in the number of new buyers has now created a surplus of properties, suggests the latest Hometrack house price survey." +3,Barcelo Crestline to Acquire Missouri-Based Hotel Group,"Barcelo Crestline Corp., a privately held McLean hotel company, said yesterday it plans to acquire a Missouri-based firm that is one of the country's largest independent owners and operators of hotels." +2,Forest legend Brian Clough dies at 69,"LONDON - The controversial Brian Clough, who led Nottingham Forest to two European Cups, died aged 69 yesterday. A great motivator and tactician who managed Forest to the 1979 and 1980 wins, he was universally " +4,Parents should censor games - expert,"Otago University computer science lecturer and games expert Simon McCallum is urging parents to pay more attention to the ratings classifications on computer games, many of which, he says, are aimed at adults." +1,Revenge Fears High After Russia's Mourning ,"AP - Last week, Tanik Kuizev buried a niece who was among hundreds who died after a North Ossetian school was seized by raiders that included members of the rival Ingush ethnic group. After Wednesday, he vows, he will bury an Ingush to be killed in retribution." +4,Philly Broadband Clash Pits City Against Telcos (Reuters),"Reuters - Philadelphia officials have laid the\groundwork to provide wireless, high-speed Internet access\anywhere in the city, but their plan could be scotched under a\state bill that could be signed into law on Tuesday." +4,Microsoft Renews Push for Living Room PC (Reuters),"Reuters - Microsoft Corp. is making a\renewed push this week to get its software into living rooms\with the launch of a new version of its Windows XP Media\Center, a personal computer designed for viewing movies,\listening to music and scrolling through digital pictures." +2,"Royals Score 26, Shut Out in Same Day ","AP - Jeremy Bonderman brought the Kansas City Royals back to earth in a hurry. After Kansas City set a team record for runs in a 26-5 victory in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday, the Detroit right-hander shut down the Royals in the nightcap, allowing six hits in eight innings in the Tigers' 8-0 victory." +2,Rookie is here to stay,"In the Deutsche Bank field of 156 golfers, many are well-known, but a lot are far removed from the spotlight. Meet another of those unheralded golfers -- PGA Tour rookie Zach Johnson. He won the BellSouth Classic in April and ranks 23d on the money list, but he's hardly a household name. Yet." +1,Three Israelis among five killed in Palestinian raid on Gaza ,"GAZA CITY : Five people, including three Israelis, were killed during a Palestinian raid on a Jewish settlement in the southern Gaza Strip amid a flare-up in violence on the eve of the Yom Kippur holiday." +4,PayPal Outage Effects Online Retailing and eBay,PayPal Outage Effects Online Retailing and eBay\\eBay Inc.'s online payment system PayPal said on Tuesday that account data and personal information were not compromised by a glitch in the new system update that has resulted in some users not being able to log into their accounts and also PayPal not ... +4,Earlier blooming lilacs another harbinger of global warming ,"As the first signs of winter push into the US Northeast, American researchers have some good news for fair weather fans - spring is coming earlier than it used to." +4,DOWNLOAD AND DIRTY,The retail chain are after a slice of the lucrative market - worth 25million and growing - dominated by Apple's iTunes. Tesco offer essentially the same service as iTunes for the same price: 79p per song. +4,MyDoom Virus Writing Not a Resume Builder," quot;There's no way anyone would hire them to fight viruses, quot; said Sophos security analyst Gregg Mastoras. quot;For one, no security firm could maintain its reputation by employing hackers." +2,"Sharapova, Hewitt advance at Japan Open","TOKYO -- Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova advanced to the Japan Open quarterfinals on Wednesday after overcoming a shaky second set to defeat Australian Samantha Stosur 6-4, 1-6, 6-3." +3,The Fool's Look Ahead,"Wild rides, a snow-hugging choo-choo, and a movie mecca will factor greatly during the week that is on the way." +3,Penalties unlikely to rein in Microsoft,"Penalties imposed on Microsoft by the European Union are unlikely to rein in the software giant and could result in higher costs for other software developers, regulators said on Friday." +3,Yukos's Theede Says Putin May Agree to Save Yugansk ,"OAO Yukos Oil Co., battling to avert bankruptcy, said the Russian government may be considering ways to settle a $7.5 billion tax bill without taking over the company's biggest oil-producing unit." +4,"In ""Shark Tale"" and Real Seas, Life Is Hard","In the animated movie <i>Shark Tale,</i> a tiny cleaner fish dreams of climbing the social ladder on a reef terrorized by sharks. The story may not be that far-fetched." +2,Lowe is ruthless and clueless,"The more English football sees of Rupert Lowe, the less appealing he becomes. Southampton's chairman has made himself look utterly foolish over his handling of the demise " +4,Amazon lists PlayStation 3,Retailer's Japanese arm posts product page for hotly anticipated game console. +4,Rocket plane lands $10M,"MOJAVE, CALIF. -- A stubby private rocket plane blasted through Earth's atmosphere for a second time in a week yesterday, capturing a $10-million US prize meant to encourage space tourism." +2,Gilbert Reaches Deal to Buy Cavaliers ,"AP - Detroit mortgage magnate Dan Gilbert has reached agreement with owner Gordon Gund to buy the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have risen from the NBA's depths to unprecedented popularity since the arrival of star LeBron James." +3,DreamWorks soars on 1st day Shrek-sized hopes lift shares up 38,Shares of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. jumped 38 percent on the first day of trading yesterday as investors anticipated Shrek-sized profits from the computer animation film studio. +3,Small Business Optimism Still Strong (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. small business optimism dipped\slightly last month but remained near record levels, suggesting\a strong outlook for growth, a survey released on Tuesday\showed." +3,(Hot) Dog of the Day,"A new distribution deal in Russia makes Ipix look better, unless you look closely." +1,Barroso 'backs down' on EU vote,"The incoming EU Commission president is to call for a delay in a crucial vote on his new team, reports say." +1,Sharon defends Israeli Army despite civilian deaths,"The Israeli military has acknowledged it has killed about 30 innocent Palestinians during operations in the West Bank this year. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has defended the Army, describing it as quot;more moral than any other army I know quot;." +3,Dollar Near Record Low Vs Euro, TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar dangled near a record low against the euro on Monday after a meeting of the Group of 20 rich and developing nations produced no coordinated stance to stem the U.S. currency's decline. +1,Fire in Ohio Apartment Building Kills 8,"COLUMBUS, Ohio - A suspected arson fire engulfed an apartment complex in suburban Columbus Sunday, killing eight people and forcing others to jump from third-story windows to escape, firefighters said. The fire in Prairie Township came just six weeks after three fires were set in the same building in an empty apartment and hallway, said Fire Chief Steve Feustel..." +1,Al-Zarqawi aide killed in airstrike: US military,"BAGHDAD - An American airstrike on Fallujah killed an aide close to rebel leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the US military said on Tuesday." +2,Angels stay in hunt with win over A s,"Garret Anderson hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning, Darin Erstad had a three-run homer and the Angels beat Oakland 5-3 on Saturday to move within two games of the division-leading Athletics again." +4,"Sony, Samsung bolster alliance, agree to share 24,000 patents","Sony Corp., the world's second-largest consumer electronics maker, and Samsung Electronics Co., the world's second-largest chip maker, said Tuesday they have agreed to share about 24,000 patents, fortifying an alliance between two of Asia's biggest " +4,Enter your e-mail:,"According to wire reports, Sony has finally decided to support MP3s in some of its future digital music players. Hey, better super-duper late than never." +2,Move produces mixed emotions,"It was 3:45 pm ET on Wednesday afternoon when Expos president Tony Tavares held a team meeting to inform the players that the Expos franchise would be relocated to Washington, DC, starting in 2005." +3,Burma List 'shames' UK companies,Rolls-Royce and Lloyd's of London are among the 39 UK companies which have been added to the Burma Campaign's annual 'Dirty List'. +3,Pixar Shares Jump to Record High on Results,"Shares of Pixar Animation Studios Inc. on Friday rose to a record high, a day after the company posted a 70 percent quarterly profit increase, driven by strong home video sales for quot;Finding Nemo quot; and quot;Monsters, Inc." +3,Chronicle increases its daily circulation,"The Houston Chronicle's daily circulation grew in the last six months, while Sunday circulation declined, the Audit Bureau of Circulations has reported." +1,Indian inflation falls to 7.81 pct (Reuters),"Reuters - India's annual wholesale price inflation rate fell to 7.81 percent in the year to Sept. 4 due to lower prices of oilseeds and poultry and a higher base effect, data showed on Friday." +1,Iran Calls on World to Recognize Its Atomic Rights," TEHRAN (Reuters) - The world must recognize Iran's right to enrich uranium for fueling power stations, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami said on Wednesday, responding to a U.N. call for Iran to suspend enrichment-related activities." +3,Wall St Seen Edging Up on Crude Price," LONDON (Reuters) - Wall Street was expected edge higher at Tuesday's opening as the price of U.S. crude oil eased, with insurers firming after the head of Marsh McLennan Cos. Inc.<A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MMC.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MMC.N</A> resigned." +4,Detect and Block IM for Free,Businesses that think their employees aren't using IM or some type of peer-to-peer file sharing application may be living in ignorant bliss. +1,U.S.-Led Forces Claim Victory in Samarra," SAMARRA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces on Sunday declared victory in Samarra, the first step of a drive to take back all of Iraq's rebel-held areas before elections due in January." +2,Youzhny reaches China final,Russian Mikhail Youzhny reached the final of the China Open with a surprise win over Paradorn Srichaphan. The sixth-seeded Thai struggled to find his rhythm and dropped his serve in each set to lose 6-4 6-4. +2,Van Gundy concerned over injured O Neal's limited practice time,"Shaquille O Neal remains bothered by a strained left hamstring, yet the 11-time All-Star center hopes to play Wednesday when Miami opens its season at New Jersey." +2,"Games Rock Athens, Thousands Party Nightly","While the world's best athletes fight the noble Olympic battle in stadiums and pools, their fans storm the streets of Athens, turning the Greek capital into a huge international party every night." +2,Canadians join in on criticism of FIG,The rules seem to be the problem. The South Koreans are upset that the rules are too strict. The Americans are upset that the rules are being broken. +1,Chechen forces kill 22 separatist rebels,"AP - Chechen security forces killed 22 separatist rebels, including the alleged leader of the assassination of the republic's president, Chechen deputy prime minister Ramzan Kadyrov said, according to news reports." +1,Powell Praises Najaf Peace Agreement ,AP - Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday praised the peace deal that ended fighting in Iraq's holy city of Najaf and said the presence of U.S. forces in the area helped make it possible. +1,India farmers may be Africa bound,The government of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh considers plans to send farmers to East Africa. +1,Hopes rest on issue of leadership,PALESTINIAN leaders stepping into the power vacuum left by the death of Yasser Arafat face one of the most daunting challenges in their people's troubled history. +2,New Orleans Bowl,"Who: North Texas (7-4)vs. Southern Miss. (6-5) When and where: Tonight, 7:30,at New Orleans. TV: ESPN. Last meeting: Southern Mississippi won, 22-0, in 1981. Comments: North Texas freshman running back Jamario Thomas led the Sun Belt in rushing with 1,709 yards in just nine games. He rushed for more than 200 yards four times and scored 17 touchdowns while leading ..." +1,"Japan PM Prefers Bush, Could Cope with Kerry"," TOKYO (Reuters) - If Junichiro Koizumi could vote in the November U.S. presidential election, the Japanese prime minister would almost certainly cast his ballot for his diplomatic soul mate, President Bush." +3,James Hardie will miss forecasts,"MELBOURNE James Hardie Industries, Australia's fourth-biggest maker of building materials, said Monday that full-year profit would miss analysts estimates because of boycotts by unions protesting the handling of asbestos compensation." +3,New check law sinks the float ,The days of writing a check and scrambling to the bank within a few days to cover it with a deposit are coming to an end. The paper check is going high tech. +1,DA Won't Prosecute Bishop Accused of Rape,"SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - A district attorney said Monday that he would not prosecute Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Dupre on child rape charges because the statute of limitations has expired in the case..." +3,Levi Strauss Posts Profit," CHICAGO (Reuters) - - Jeans maker Levi Strauss Co. on Tuesday posted a quarterly profit, compared with a year-earlier loss, helped by sales of higher-priced products in Europe and Asia and lower costs." +1,Stick-up becomes unstuck at Aussie restaurant,"Sydney - Bemused diners watched as three hapless thieves unsuccessfully tried to kick open a sliding door in a botched attempt to rob an Australian seafood restaurant, police said on Monday." +4,"For online singles, Web romance can be a bit too public (USATODAY.com)","USATODAY.com - Karina Longworth lives in New York City, where it shouldn't be that hard to avoid an ex-lover." +3,Countrywide Fincl loan volume falls,"NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Countrywide Financial Corp. on Tuesday reported September loan funding of $31 billion, down 6 percent from year-ago levels and steady with August." +3,Fidelity discloses its proxy votes,"Fidelity Investments' largest funds voted to oust Michael D. Eisner from the chairman's post at Walt Disney Co., in one of last year's biggest proxy battles, according to voting records the nation's largest mutual-fund firm has made public for the first time." +4,IBM Says It Swamps Rivals in Key UNIX Computer Test,"IBM IBM.N said on Thursday its workhorse commercial computers have smashed the industry's most demanding tests, which analysts said creates a performance gap that could " +3,Oracle still in fight for PeopleSoft despite shareholder support,"After 18 months of heated rhetoric, antitrust judgments and a few billion dollars more, Oracle Corp.'s hostile bid for smaller rival PeopleSoft Inc." +2,"Peugeot, Citroen will withdraw at","com staff writers. The parent company of Peugeot and Citroen has announce that due to the economy affecting the car market, they will withdraw from World Rally Championship competition at the end of the 2005 season." +2,Jeanne Cancels Blue Jays-Devil Rays Game ,AP - The game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday has been canceled because of Hurricane Jeanne and will not be made up. +3,"Dollar Weak, Asia Stocks Down (Reuters)","Reuters - Asian shares retreated on Wednesday,\tracking losses in U.S. stocks, and pressured by a weak dollar\which sat close to a record low struck against the euro late on\Tuesday." +1,Several Killed in Israeli Bus Bombings,"JERUSALEM - Two buses exploded in southern Israel on Tuesday, killing several people and wounding many others, Israeli rescue officials said, in what appeared to be the first suicide bombing inside Israel in nearly six months. Police reported a third blast, but no further details were immediately available..." +1,UN force in Congo gets a boost,"Britain, France and the US have agreed to a 5,900 increase in the strength of the UN force in the Democratic Republic of Congo, fewer than half the reinforcements requested by the secretary general, Kofi Annan." +3,Coke Says 2nd-Half Profit Will Miss Target,"he Coca-Cola Company warned yesterday that its earnings for the second half of the year would fall short of forecasts, citing competitive pressures in North America and unseasonably cool and rainy weather in Europe." +3,Cisco Stock Falls on Tech Spending Concerns,"Shares of technology bellwether Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell more than 6 percent on Wednesday, as the company's disappointing revenue outlook " +4,Microsoft blames spammers for Hotmail charges,"In a move which Microsoft claims will help fight spammers, MSN Hotmail users are facing charges if they want to access the email service via the Outlook email client." +1,Turkey warns US on northern Iraq,Turkey says it will end cooperation in Iraq if the US continues its offensive in the northern town of Talafar. +3,Ahold Sells Spanish Business to Permira for 685 Million Euros,"Royal Ahold NV, the food retailer that owns the US Giant chain, agreed to sell its Spanish business to Permira funds for 685 million euros ($851 million)." +4,U.K. Group Complains of Higher ITunes Cost ,AP - A consumer's group said Wednesday it has complained to government regulators about the cost of downloading music from Apple's iTunes system. +1,Uncertainties remain in Mideast,"The Israeli Knesset's approval of a plan to dismantle Jewish settlements in Gaza and part of the West bank raises hopes for Middle East peace progress, but, as always in the region, there are myriad uncertainties." +1,US to throw out terror verdicts,The justice department is set to overturn the convictions of three men after it emerged mistakes were made in the case. +4,The Right Tools for Research,"Now with centralized management of their more than 1000 Mac, PC and UNIX computers, scientists at the University of Maryland's College of Life Sciences have more freedom than ever to focus on their research. For many of them, the Mac platform is all they need. Dec 16" +1,'Better' head injury test devised,Scientists develop an electronic device to test for serious head injuries. +2,Turner Doesn't Believe in Moral Victories ,"AP - Norv Turner took no solace in the fact his Oakland Raiders played San Diego much closer this time. In Turner's mind, a loss is a loss." +1,"Addressing UN Assembly, Annan urges nations to restore respect for ","Decrying what he described as quot;shameless quot; disregard for the rule of law around the globe, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday urged world leaders gathered at the General Assembly to do everything within their power to restore respect for " +3,Slower Pub Sales Hit Whitbread,Shares in Whitbread weakened 3 today after it said slower sales in its pub restaurants and upmarket hotels had offset rising demand for budget lodges. +2,Agreement Reached on Guillen Suspension," OAKLAND, Calif. (Sports Network) - On the day that Jose Guillen and the Anaheim Angels were to appear in front of an arbitrator, the two sides reached an undisclosed financial settlement Friday." +3,Gold Banc falls after scuttling takeover,"Shares of Gold Banc Corp. (GLDB.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 3.8 percent on Tuesday after the Kansas banking company terminated an agreement to be bought by Silver Acquisition " +2,Moore Leaps to Great Heights for Ravens ,"AP - His wiry 6-foot-6 frame is better suited for basketball, except when it comes to reaching for a high pass in the end zone." +3,China Rules in Favor of Corning," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corning Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GLW.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GLW.N</A> said on Monday the Chinese Ministry of Commerce ruled that the company had not dumped standard single-mode optical fiber into the Chinese market." +4,"NASA Jet Will Try to Go 7,000 Mph","In March, NASA launched an experimental jet that reached a record-setting speed of about 5,000 mph. Now researchers want to leave that milestone in the dust." +4,HP's Livermore opts for 'content free' content,<strong>HP World</strong> Booth intro steals show +4,Mozilla's Thunderbird 1.0 Shows Promise,"Mozilla appears to have another winner on its hands. Its free Thunderbird e-mail client reads e-mail from Web and POP accounts, accesses RSS feeds, and offers significant flexibility." +2,Agassi overcomes Goldstein in Washington opener,"NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Number-one seed Andre Agassi survived a surprisingly tough first set test before he eventually coasted to a 6-4 6-2 win over Paul Goldstein at the Washington Classic on Tuesday. " +2,Iliadis Takes Greece's Second Gold with Judo Win,"ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek teenager Ilias Iliadis swept up the Olympic host country's second gold medal on Tuesday, winning the men's judo under 81kg category. " +3,Currencies: Dollar falls as traders await Fed testimony,"NEW YORK The dollar fell against the euro and the yen amid optimism over Japanese growth and as traders awaited congressional testimony by the Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan." +1,Anniversary marked with fire and blood,"BAGHDAD: A suicide car bomber linked to al-Qaeda killed 13 people in Baghdad yesterday, the first anniversary of Saddam Hussein's capture." +3,US Stocks Rise; SP 500 Has Best Three-Week Rally Since 2002,"US stocks rose, capping the Standard amp; Poor's 500 Index's best three-week rally in two years, as better-than-expected reports on retail sales and consumer confidence suggested the economy may accelerate." +2,"NHL owners, players are so far apart, some fear lockout could last ","If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, where does that leave NHL officials and members of the NHL Players Association?" +4,Computers snared by spyware,"EDITOR's NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series on the spyware epidemic. NEW YORK - David Eckstein turned on his computer one day and launched his Web browser, just as he had every day." +3,H R Block Faces Fraud Over Enron Bonds (Reuters),"Reuters - H R Block Inc.'s financial\advisers unit misrepresented the risks of 16.4 million in\bonds from Enron Corp before the energy trader sank\into bankruptcy, the NASD said in a civil fraud complaint\seeking restitution for more than 800 investors." +2,Titans' McNair Injured in Loss to Jaguars ,AP - Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair bruised his sternum on a 2-point conversion late in the fourth quarter of Tennessee's 15-12 loss to Jacksonville. +1,"A Look at Lawsuits, Voting Problems ",AP - Many states are facing legal challenges over possible voting problems Nov. 2. A look at some of the developments Thursday: +1,Arabs tell Israel stop incursion into Gaza ,"Arab nations demanded in a draft UN Security Council resolution yesterday that Israel immediately halt its incursion into the northern Gaza Strip, where fighting has left at least 65 Palestinians dead." +2,NHL LOCKOUT,"Answer: The prevailing wisdom is the NHL Players Association is working on an offer to present to the owners, even though the NHLPA says nothing is imminent." +3,Blockbuster Interested in Hollywood Chain,"Blockbuster Inc. (BBI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the largest US video rental chain, on Thursday said it has contacted Hollywood Entertainment Corp." +1,"Gaza Smuggling Tunnel Collapses, Trapping 5"," GAZA (Reuters) - A smuggling tunnel being dug by Palestinians on the Gaza-Egypt border collapsed on Friday and at least five people were trapped inside, witnesses in the Gaza frontier town of Rafah said." +1,Envoy pleads for Bigley's body,"Baghdad - The killers of Kenneth Bigley were asked on Sunday to return his body to end the quot;agonising wait quot; for his family and to quot;finally allow them to lay him to rest quot;, in an appeal by the British ambassador to Iraq." +4,San Diego teen wins Siemens top prize,"A San Diego-area teen who used scavenged parts to invent a gyroscopic generator that turns ocean waves into electricity won the top $100,000 individual scholarship Monday in " +2,Football Legend Maradona Returns to Cuba for Drug Rehab,Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has arrived in Cuba to resume his rehabilitation for cocaine addiction. Tuesday's move follows a relapse that left him confined to a psychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires. +2,"Broncos 31, Raiders 3","Jake Plummer and Reuben Droughns did little wrong while turning the Denver Broncos biggest rivalry into a rout. On the other hand, Kerry Collins and Oakland's offense did almost nothing right -- and the furious " +4,Intel's 3Q Profits Rise 15 Percent ,"AP - Driven by record sales of server and mobile microprocessors and a bigger slice of the flash memory market, Intel Corp.'s third-quarter profits rose 15 percent even as it struggled with lackluster PC sales, excess inventory and stiff competition." +2,Athletics: She's the Bahamas darling,ATHENS - Tonique Williams-Darling has claimed the Bahamas first individual athletics gold by blasting to the women's 400m title. +1,Man Remanded over Danielle Murder,A 20-year-old man appeared in court today charged with the murder of schoolgirl Danielle Beccan. Mark Ontonio (cor) Kelly is accused of killing the 14-year-old in the early hours +4,Windows world gets OS X wake up call,"Apple should be pushing its Mac OS X software aggressively into corporations running Windows, says a Microsoft solution provider in Massachusetts, but others claim that Apple might be missing " +2,Owen strike hands Madrid victory,Michael Owen scored his first goal for Real Madrid in a 1-0 home victory over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League. The England striker toe-poked home Ronaldo's cross in the 35th minute to join the Russians +1,Early ballots flood in across US,Millions in the US have already cast their ballots under early vote programmes that could attract one in five. +1,Maoist rebels cut off Kathmandu,Maoist rebels yesterday cut off routes into the Nepalese capital Kathmandu in their first blockade of the city since they launched their insurgency to overthrow the constitutional monarchy eight years ago. +1,Man arrested over Amelie murder,A 36-year-old man is arrested in connection with the murder of French student Amelie Delagrange. +4,Update for Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 secures new beta status,May result in unexpected behavior +2,"Again, no word on Expos",MILWAUKEE Major League Baseball's executive council met for three hours yesterday but made no formal recommendation on whether the Montreal Expos should move to Washington next season. +2,Officials: Snohomish County preferred site for NASCAR track,Snohomish County and state officials announced Monday that International Speedway Corp. has chosen a 850-acre site about 30 miles north of Seattle as the preferred site for a NASCAR racetrack. +2,"NFL, Attorneys Meet",Ricky Williams's attorney met with NFL officials to discuss the tailback's desire to return from his brief retirement. +4,Attack of the Radio Clones,"Microsoft's new internet streaming service attempts to replicate terrestrial stations, without all the annoying chatter -- and without permission. By Randy Dotinga." +2,Nuggets Anthony denies marijuana was his,"LOS ANGELES: Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, who charged with marijuana possession last week, said Thursday at a pre-season National Basketball Association game that the drugs were not his." +4,"NASA's Return to Flight on Track, Shuttle Officials Say (SPACE.com)","SPACE.com - NASA is close \to nbsp;meeting all nbsp;of the return-to-flight safety requirements set by \Columbia accident investigators and should be able to launch a shuttle by May \2005, shuttle program officials said today." +1,US asks Laos to probe alleged massacre of Hmong children ,"AFP - The United States said it was taking quot;very seriously quot; reports that the Laotian military massacred ethnic Hmong children, urging Vientiane to launch a probe on the issue." +2,Mavs Acquire Dampier,"The Associated Press reports that the Warriors and Mavericks are close to completing a deal that would bring Eduardo Najera and Christian Laettner to Golden State and send Erick Dampier, Evan Eschmeyer and Dan Dickau to Dallas." +3,Blockbuster bids for Hollywood,A saga involving a campaign to turn Hollywood Video's Wilsonville-based parent company private turned into a cliffhanger on Thursday when rival Blockbuster Inc. +2,Now is the hour for Vogts,"From Mount Florida to Moldova, five days in which Scotland's World Cup fate will be spinning like a top. Five days in which wee Berti could be king, could be clown." +3,The 401(k) Card,Washington Post staff writer David A. Vise discusses the unveiling of the new 401(k) credit card -- which allows American workers to easily borrow money from their own retirement savings. +3,Eminem Satellite Radio Channel Sets October Debut,"Controversial rapper Eminem will launch his widely expected satellite music radio channel called Shade 45 on Oct. 28 with a live broadcast of a concert from New York, the Sirius network said on Thursday." +4,Court to rule on stay of EU sanctions against Microsoft,A decision on suspending the EU's sanctions against Microsoft is expected next week. +3, Merck a Drag on Drug Sector,Merck Co.'s decision to pull its Vioxx anti-arthritis drug from the markets due to severe side effects left pharmaceutical sector mixed Thursday. +4,House OKs Bill Imposing 'Spyware' Fines ,"AP - Companies and others that secretly install ""spyware"" programs on people's computers to quietly monitor their Internet activities would face hefty federal fines under a bill the House passed Tuesday." +3,Oil Extends Rebound Ahead of Election,"Oil prices extended a bounce from three-week lows on Monday, climbing back above $52 for US crude amid jitters over tight global winter fuel stocks and this week's US presidential election." +4,Google Desktop Search versus Microsoft Windows Search,"Google Desktop Search versus Microsoft Windows Search\\Google Desktop Search Software can't find your lost keys or tell you where you left the Tivo remote control, or that your glasses are on top of your head, where you left them. But the beta software from Google Labs is nothing short of ..." +4,Rollins signals Dell deal with AMD,"Dell chief executive Kevin Rollins on Monday gave the most direct indication yet that a deal with AMD may be on the way, dropping a strong hint that the news was a question of when, not if." +2,"After a pause, Schumacher wins again in Formula One","Michael Schumacher asserted his authority in Formula One again Sunday with his 13th victory of the season but first since August. The seven-time world champion captured the Japanese Grand Prix, which was run " +1,Tennis: Federer celebrates,Roger Federer struggles to come to terms with winning his third Grand Slam of 2004 at the US Open. +3,British retail sales see fastest growth in Sept.,"Retail sales in Britain saw the fastest growth in September since January, casting doubts on the view that the economy is slowing down, according to official figures released Thursday." +1,Hurricane Ivan Closes In on Grand Cayman; Cuba Braces,Hurricane Ivan lost some strength as it hit the Cayman Islands and Cuba but was still capable of causing tremendous damage. +4,SpaceShipOne stakes claim to $10mn prize,"US rocketship SpaceShipOne has blasted into space for the second time in five days, staking claim to a $10-million prize for the first private manned space travel and setting a new altitude record." +1,Thailand: Origami Politics Wont Do,"In southern Thailand where unemployment is high, thousands of people have been spending the past couple of weeks collecting paper cranes fired at their villages and towns from the air." +1,"Egypt signs trade deal with Israel, US amid criticism and ","Egypt wants jobs. Israel wants a meaningful peace. On Tuesday, they signed an agreement that they hope will fulfill both their goals and maintain the momentum for revitalized Mideast peace negotiations." +1,NATO Postpones Talks with Ukrainian Minister," BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO has postponed a Thursday meeting between its foreign ministers and their Ukrainian counterpart, to avoid high-level contacts with a government accused of election fraud, NATO sources said." +1,"In quot;year of opportunity, quot; Sharon offers state to Palestinians","HERZLIYA, Israel An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says a final vote on his planned pullout from Gaza and four West Bank communities could take place months sooner." +4,Tuesday 24th August 2004,Could integrating antivirus software into Windows be the key to solving Microsoft's security woes or could the technology create more problems than it solves? +2,NHL set to miss opening night,"The Tampa Bay Lightning were supposed to raise their Stanley Cup championship banner this week to kick off the new season. Instead, the arena that rocked during the finals in June will be dark because of a labor dispute that shows no sign of ending soon." +3,Texas Instruments Narrows Forecast," LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Texas Instruments Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TXN.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TXN.N</A>, the world's largest maker of chips for cell phones, on Tuesday said it expects fourth-quarter revenue and earnings per share at the mid range of its previous estimates, as order trends remain soft." +3,First Enron Trial May Show Wall Street's Darker Side,HOUSTON -- The darker side of Wall Street could come to light Monday as the criminal trial involving former Enron executives takes a look at the inner workings of the Wall Street investment banking business. +1,"Pauline Gore, Mother of Former VP, Dies ","AP - Pauline Gore, whose son Al became vice president and nearly captured the presidency and whose husband had a long and distinguished career in Congress, died Wednesday. She was 92." +4,Russian mishap threatens launch schedule,"The explosion of a small separation bolt aboard the Soyuz spaceship now being prepared for a trip to the international space station may delay that launch for five or 10 days, Russian " +1,Anti-Muslim Dutch film maker killed,"AMSTERDAM, Nov 2: Dutch film maker Theo van Gogh, who recently made a controversial short film about women and Islamic culture, was shot and stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street on Tuesday, police said." +1,Stocks Up Despite Oil Nearing $50 a Barrel,"NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher in early trading Friday as investors tried to uncouple share prices from skyrocketing oil costs, even as crude reached new highs and flirted with $50 per barrel. A barrel of light crude was quoted at $48.97, up 27 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange after setting a new intraday record earlier in the session at $49.40..." +1,Barghouti Release Would Reward Terror,"consecutive life terms, plus another 40 years, by an Israeli civil court that found him guilty of five cases of murder of innocent citizens, attempted murder and membership in a terror organization." +3,Fannie Mae Faces Deadline on 3Q Results,"As it struggles with an accounting crisis, Fannie Mae faces a Monday deadline to file its third-quarter financial results - and investors are eager to learn whether the mortgage giant will be forced to restate earnings." +4,Google Posts Big Gains,"Google Inc. reported Thursday that sales and profit more than doubled in third quarter, despite an expense of more than $200 million, as the company issued its first quarterly financial report since going public." +2,Gay happy to get his chance,"Patriots right cornerback Randall Gay realizes he has been the opposition's No. 1 target, and will remain so in Sunday night's game against Buffalo." +2,This Date in Baseball ,"AP - 1934 #151; Daffy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched a no-hitter against the Brooklyn Dodgers for 3-0 victory in the second game of an Ebbets Field doubleheader. Daffy's brother, Dizzy, held Brooklyn hitless for eight innings in the opener and won 13-0." +1,Mexico Journalists Want More Security After Murders (Reuters),"Reuters - More than 200 Mexican journalists\sent an urgent letter to President Vicente Fox on Monday\demanding better security after three journalists were murdered\this year, the latest one last week." +1,A new broom in Jakarta,Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is set to become Indonesia's next president. The former general has been projected as the landslide winner of this week's presidential ballot. +2,Homestretch for Pena,"Carlos Pena was all hellos, handshakes, and hugs before facing the Red Sox last night at Fenway Park. Leaning over the waist-high wall by the visitors' dugout, he greeted friends and family members. All the early arrivals seemed to have some connection to the Detroit Tigers' first baseman through either his hometown of Haverhill or his alma mater, Northeastern." +2,"Oil tanker spills 30,000 gallons into the Delaware","Times Staff and Wire reports TINICUM -- Globs of heavy crude oil were flowing down the Delaware River Saturday, covering boats docked along the river and threatening fish and waterfowl." +4,"Shenzhou VI space outfits light, removable","Space outfits for China's second manned space flight capsule quot;Shenzhou VI, quot; scheduled to launch in September next year, will be lighter and removable, the Beijing Morning Post reported." +4,Delta rocket puts on late-night show with GPS launch,"After a nerve-racking stay on its Cape Canaveral launch pad with uncomfortably close brushes with two powerful hurricanes, a Boeing Delta 2 rocket finally thundered into space this morning where it successfully deployed a Global Positioning System " +3,Dutch Steelmaker Buying ISG in $4.5B Deal,A Dutch steelmaker led by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is buying U.S.-based International Steel Group Inc. for about $4.5 billion in cash and stock in a deal that would make it one of the largest steel companies in the world. +4,X-Prize Long Shots Still in Play,"So far, one entrant, SpaceShipOne of California, seems likely to win the prize for a successful manned spacecraft launch. But three other teams say they're still in the running. By Dan Brekke." +4,Monkeys use tools to forage,"LONDON - Wild capuchin monkeys can understand cause and effect well enough to use rocks to dig for food, scientists have found. Capuchin monkeys often use tools and solve problems in captivity and sometimes " +3,Thomson Financial Receives Subpoena From US SEC ,"Thomson Financial, a unit of financial information provider Thomson Corp., said it received a subpoena from the US Securities and Exchange Commission for documents related to its capital markets intelligence business." +1,Midnight death deadlines for Afghan hostages,"Afghan militants threatening to kill three UN hostages, including Northern Ireland's Annetta Flanigan, pushed back the deadline for their deaths until midnight today - 7.30pm Irish time." +3,Export earnings weigh on Nikkei,"Tokyo's Nikkei average slipped 0.85 percent to finish at a three-week closing low on Thursday as a fall in the dollar further weakened investors confidence in company earnings, prompting selling of exporters such as Honda Motor." +2,Prandelli Cedes Roma Reins,"Cesare Prandelli has become the second manager to leave a major European side this summer without coaching a single competitive match, quitting his new AS Roma post to care for his ailing wife." +2,"Door remains open for Button, say BAR",BAR expect Briton Jenson Button to continue racing for them next season if Formula One's contract recognition board takes their side in a bitter tug-of-war with Williams. +3,"Petsmart Earnings Rise, But Shares Slump"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Petsmart Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PETM.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PETM.O</A>, the top U.S. pet supplies chain, on Thursday said quarterly earnings rose on improved pet services sales, but its stock sank as much as 12 percent as results lagged analysts' expectations." +2,A tough playoff draw for UNH,The University of New Hampshire football team is going dancing -- the Wildcats will be playing in the NCAA Division 1-AA playoffs for the first time since 1994. +3,Circuit City Disappointed in 3Q Sales ,"AP - Circuit City Stores Inc. reported a smaller-than-expected loss in the third quarter on store efficiencies and higher extended warranty sales, but the retailer's top executive said sales closer to the holiday season were slower than expected." +4, Deutsche Telekom to Buy Back Provider,"German phone giant Deutsche Telekom said Saturday it plans to buy back full control of its Internet unit by next year to profit from burgeoning demand for broadband Internet services, a move that could cost the company euro2." +4,EU probes mobile phone call costs,The amount consumers are charged for making mobile calls while abroad is to be investigated by EU regulators. +4,Chicago Moving to 'Smart' Surveillance Cameras,An advanced system of video surveillance will alert Chicago police whenever anyone viewed by the cameras acts suspiciously. +4, Star Wars phone plans,like the one used in Star Wars - could soon be installed on the high-street. Boffins in Japan claim to have developed technology for image chambers - similar +3,"SEC, potential WBIX buyer meet",Christopher F. Egan met yesterday afternoon with lawyers at the Securities and Exchange Commission in an effort to keep his planned purchase of radio station WBIX-AM on track. +3,Study: Government data limited on offshoring,A new report from Congress research arm about quot;offshoring quot; sheds little light about the controversial practice of sending services work abroad. +1,Israeli Coalition Crisis May Force Early Election,"Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's shaky coalition Tuesday faced collapse in a row over the 2005 budget, raising the prospect of early elections that would endanger his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip." +3,Time Warner Shares Rise on Talks Report," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Time Warner Inc <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TWX.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TWX.N</A> rose 2 percent on Tuesday after a report that the world's largest media company was near a settlement with regulators that could limit potential shareholder lawsuits over probes into accounting at its America Online unit." +2,Five more suspended by weightlifting body,"ATHENS -- Weightlifting's aggressive pursuit of drug cheaters will continue even if it jeopardizes its future in the Olympics, its top official said yesterday after six more positive doping cases in what is again becoming the Games dirtiest sport. Five ..." +1,Barghouti may be ready to quit PA race,"Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti may be close to withdrawing from the race for Palestinian Authority president. Hatem Abdel Kader, a member of Fatah's " +4,"Motorola, DoCoMo to make 3G phones for businesses","Motorola and NTT DoCoMo, Japan's top mobile phone operator, plan to jointly develop third-generation handsets, giving Motorola a way into a market largely out of reach for foreign manufacturers." +4,Cami to get $100M boost,"Cami Automotive in Ingersoll will spend $100 million next year to add production capacity, the first step in what workers hope will be an expansion of jobs." +1,Syrian pullback of some forces near Beirut meets with skepticism?,"Syria's decision to pull back some of its forces from hills near Beirut, an apparent attempt to deflect international pressure to get its army out of Lebanon altogether, was met with caution, skepticism and concern that the move may not end Damascus " +1,Report: N.Korea Says Explosion Was Planned,"SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea said Monday that a huge cloud caused by an explosion near its border with China several days ago was the planned demolition of a mountain for a hydroelectric project, British media reported. North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun said the blast was intentional, responding to a request for information from British Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell, who is visiting the North, the British Broadcasting Corp..." +2,"Kobe, Los Angeles are getting adjusted to NBA life without Shaq in ","The Lakers were in town. So, automatically, the first thing you did was look around for the big guy. You kept searching for a guy named Shaquille O Neal, who once played for LSU." +3,"Stocks Up a Bit, Factory Orders Revised", NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose a bit on Thursday after a revision in factory orders in June suggested orders are improving and some apparel makers raised profit forecasts or reported better-than-expected sales in August. +4,NASA Seeks Methods to Repair Shuttles in Flight,"NASA is hoping techniques that would enable a crew to repair damages to a space shuttle in flight will be ready for the shuttle's planned May 2005 return to space, officials with the agency said on Monday." +1,British hostage reportedly still alive in Iraq,"The waiting and wondering continued Sunday about the fate of British hostage, Kenneth Bigley, although one Muslim activist says he is still alive." +3,Microsoft launches MSN Music service,"Microsoft Corp. is offering a quot;preview release quot; of MSN Music, its answer to Apple's popular iTunes Music Store. The music download service is available in the United States exclusively for users of the Windows " +2,Oram puts Australian attack to the sword,AUSTRALIAN crowds are familiar with the sight of a big-hitting left-hander wandering to the wicket at No.7 and turning a Test match on its head. +2,Kent blasts Astros ahead,"Roger Clemens is ready to go on short rest tomorrow. The Astros don't need to rush him back. In a stellar pitching duel and defensive clinic last night, Houston beat the Cardinals, 3 " +1,"Palestinians kidnap Israeli, a CNN producer, in Gaza City","By israelinsider staff September 27, 2004. An Israeli Druze citizen employed by CNN was kidnapped in Gaza City on Monday evening, by five armed Palestinians." +4,News: South Pole 'cyberterrorist' hack wasn't the first,"Internal reports show that Romanian cyber extortionists weren't the first to penetrate the South Pole Research Station, but cast doubt on the U.S. claim that life support systems were compromised in the attack.\" +2,Astros discover killer instinct,The Killer B's didn't have to go it alone. Roger Clemens and the powerful Houston lineup made sure the Astros got off to a good start in their quest to finally win a playoff series. +1,China angrily rejects Taiwan's peace overture ,"AFP - China angrily rejected Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's peace overtures, saying Beijing's stance was unchanged and warning that Chen risked quot;great catastrophe quot; by pushing for independence." +1,US soldier among 7 killed: Deputy governor in Iraq kidnapped,"Gunmen abducted the US-appointed deputy governor of Anbar province on Wednesday, relatives of the official said. Several masked gunmen stormed the house of Bassem Mohammad Munajed in the " +1,More Arrested in Pakistan Following Killing of Al-Qaida Leader,Pakistani security forces have arrested more suspected militants in a series of raids following Sunday's killing of a top al-Qaida leader and the arrest of two of his aides. +1,Ukrainian legislators fail to pass vote reform,"KIEV -- Lawmakers fought over and failed to pass legal reforms aimed at ensuring a fair rematch of Ukraine's fraudulent presidential runoff, accusing each other yesterday of acting in bad faith as several thousand orange-clad protesters besieged parliament and chanted, quot;Parasites! Parasites! quot;" +1,Plane diverted to Ireland,"AN Olympic Airways plane bound for New York with 295 passengers aboard was being diverted to Shannon airport in Ireland after an Athens newspaper received warning of a bomb on board, a company spokesman said." +3,Qualcomm Sees Spike in its Future,"Qualcomm (Quote, Chart) is in talks to acquire a semiconductor design firm to help satisfy demand for its third-generation CDMA (define) wireless devices, the company said Thursday." +1,Film shows 10 new Iraq hostages,Video footage of 10 more hostages kidnapped in Iraq was today broadcast on the al-Jazeera television channel as the British government again said it would not negotiate to free Kenneth Bigley. +1,Argentina Leader Calls IMF Head 'Plantation Owner'," BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - Argentina's leftist president called IMF head Rodrigo Rato an old-style ""plantation owner"" for trying to force the South American country to swallow free-market reforms as a condition for aid." +2,Rookie Nitties Grabs Halfway Lead in Australian PGA, SYDNEY (Reuters) - Rookie professional James Nitties shot a flawless second round of 65 to snatch the outright lead in the Australian PGA Championship Friday. +2,Melvin Finds Role,"A basketball refugee when the ROckers folded, Chasity Melvin has since helped stabilize the Mystics without Chamique Holdsclaw." +4,Latest Conspiracy Theory Hits the Ether,"Even as Sen. John F. Kerry's campaign is steadfastly refusing to challenge the results of the presidential election, the bloggers and the mortally wounded party loyalists and the spreadsheet-wielding conspiracy theorists are filling the Internet with head-turning allegations." +1,Twist to unarmed man death,: The NBC journalist who filmed the fatal shooting of an apparently injured and unarmed Iraqi by a US Marine inside a Falluja mosque has written on his website that the wounded man made no sudden movements before he was shot. +4,Kraft Foods Orders Up Healthier Array of Snacks,"By DAVE CARPENTER NORTHFIELD, Ill. -- These are the times that try cookie makers' sales..." +1,Britain's Conservatives Struggling ,"AP - A decade ago, analysts were calling Britain's Conservative Party the dominant force in 20th-century British politics." +3,Consumer prices inch higher,"The US Labor Department said Thursday inflation at the consumer level remained tame in August. The consumer price index rose 0.1 percent in August, reversing a 0.1 percent decline in July, the Labor Department said." +2,Safin into Paris final,Marat Safin has progressed to the final of the Paris Masters with a straight-sets victory over an angry Guillermo Canas of Argentina. +1,FBI Suspects Israel Has Spy in Pentagon -- CBS News," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI believes there is an Israeli spy at the very highest level of the Pentagon, CBS News reported on Friday. The Israeli embassy immediately denied the report." +2,Pro Tour Set for 2005 with or Without Tour De France," VERONA, Italy (Reuters) - Hein Verbruggen, head of the International cycling Union (UCI), has reaffirmed that the sport's revolutionary Pro Tour will begin in 2005 as planned." +3,Time for Alternative Minimum Tactics,"By now, most people have at least heard of the AMT, but those who still think of it as what it was intended to be -- a special tax to make sure rich people pay at least something to the government -- are badly out of date." +2,Lone Star ready for Breeders Cup,"In the spirit of Texas Hold Em, The Breeders Cup is raising the stakes. Horse racing's richest day is gambling on an untested racetrack tomorrow for the second time " +2,LIVE! FROM SUNNY ANAHEIM,"Maybe it's the memory of Curt Schilling sprinting off the mound during an 8-2 game, pulling down a high chopper, awkwardly throwing the ball into right field, then pulling up lame as my buddy Hench screamed quot;He's grabbing his ankle, I think he hurt his " +1,Iran's conservatives seen tightening power in republic,"TEHRAN -- After eight years of a bold but bungled experiment with reform, Iran's government is in the throes of a takeover by conservatives determined to restore the revolution's Islamic purity, according to Iranian politicians and analysts." +3,Paris plans partial sale of Areva in early 2005,"PARIS The French government forged ahead on Wednesday with a plan to sell a one-third stake in the nuclear power group Areva on the Paris stock exchange early next year, a transaction that could raise more than 3." +1,Islamic group claims Russian plane crashes,"An Islamic group has claimed that it hijacked two Russian planes that crashed earlier this week, killing at least 89 people. The statement was posted on a website which usually carries Islamic militant statements." +4,Microsoft Expands Sharing of Source Code ,AP - Microsoft Corp. is expanding a program to give government organizations access to some of its tightly guarded software blueprints amid growing competition from rivals who make such source code freely available. +3,"Business ; Tokyo Stocks Weak, Dollar Hurts Exporters","Business News, TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average fell 0.69 percent by mid-afternoon on Thursday as a fall in the dollar further weakened investor confidence over company earnings, prompting selling on exporters such as Canon Inc." +1,Paper: Expletive Hidden in Campaign E-Mail ,"AP - A fund-raising e-mail from a Democratic congressional candidate contained a hidden expletive directed at his opponent, a newspaper reported Saturday." +2,Houston vs. Indianapolis,INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- David Carr would like to finally get a win against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts Sunday when the AFC South teams meet for the first time this season. +3,Former Merrill Lynch banker seeks millions,"Stephanie Villalba, a former top Merrill Lynch banker, lost her job because she was difficult to work with, unwilling to travel and lacked the leadership skills to turn around the loss-making division she ran, a British employment tribunal in London was " +1,Aceh a focus for Yudhoyono,"JAKARTA, Indonesia -- As Indonesia awaits next month's formal announcement that its new president will be Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the former army general has pledged to seek an end to the bloody separatist war in Aceh province." +1,"Clashes erupt between Philippine troops, Muslim rebels (AFP)","AFP - Clashes erupted between soldiers and Muslim separatist rebels in the southern Philippines, with both sides accusing the other of violating a truce ahead of peace talks." +3,"PeopleSoft, Unfazed, Announces 5-Year Pact With IBM","PeopleSoft announced a broad partnership with IBM on Tuesday, in an attempt to show that it is moving forward aggressively despite the turmoil created by Oracle's $7." +3,HP unveils 25 fresh consumer electronics products,"Hewlett-Packard on Friday will launch 25 consumer products, part of its push toward digital entertainment as some of its other units struggle." +1,N. Irish Peace Talks End Without Breakthrough," LEEDS CASTLE, England (Reuters) - Talks aimed at reviving home rule in Northern Ireland and disbanding IRA guerrillas ended on Saturday without a final deal, British and Irish Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern said." +2,Roundup: Canada's Weir increases his lead,"The only birdie putt Mike Weir made yesterday in the Canadian Open came at a good time, a 6-footer on the 18th hole that gave him a three-shot lead and left him " +2,"Redskins Tied, 7-7","The Giants, capitalizing on a Washington turnover, have rallied to tie the Redskins, 7-7, in the second quarter at the blustery Meadowlands." +1,"Report Links Ex-TV Manager, Saddam's Son ","AP - A videotape found in Baghdad after the ouster of Saddam Hussein shows a former manager for Al-Jazeera television thanking one of Saddam's sons for his support, the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat says." +4,Manganese Bronze rings up for Zingo (FT.com),"FT.com - Manganese Bronze is to sell for just pound;1 some of the rights to Zingo, the mobile phone cab ordering service that last year kept the maker of London taxis well in the red." +1,Mbeki: Ivory Coast Parties Agree New Peace Push," ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (Reuters) - South African President Thabo Mbeki said Monday he had reached agreement with all sides in Ivory Coast's conflict on measures which should speed up implementation of a French-brokered peace accord." +4,Space telescopes discover more of sun's sisters,"Astronomers are finding more of the sun's sisters as they train two sharp eyes on the universe. NASA, ESA, DR Ardila, DA Golimowski, JE Krist, M. Clampin, JP " +2,Nelson downplays his first trip back to Philly,"Is it the one who was quoted on the Orlando Magic Web site saying he still has a chip on his shoulder after the collegiate Player of the Year was taken 20th in last summer's NBA draft, behind " +3,"Fed raises key rate to 2, a 3-year high","The Federal Reserve yesterday raised its key interest rate to the highest level in three years, suggesting more increases will follow as the economy gains strength." +1,Chemical Blast Wounds 2 at Kenya Airport,"An explosion went off Sunday at an airport in Kenya's capital, wounding at least two people Sunday and prompting authorities to seal off the facility to air traffic, witnesses said." +2,Stung by one that got away,"It should have been the perfect cap to another precious win for Corey Dillon. For the first time in his three games as a Patriot, Dillon " +2,Michigan to Face Rival Michigan State ,AP - Bragging rights are at best the second-most important thing on the line for No. 12 Michigan when it plays rival Michigan State on Saturday. +2,The Nation in Brief,"DENVER - Attorneys for Kobe Bryant have dropped their fight to seal investigative files compiled as part of the rape case against the NBA star but insist prosecutors open all records, including those that may clear their client." +1,Hundreds Mourn Marine From Md.," Tracy Miller thinks about her son's touch and his voice, trying to grasp that she will never experience either again." +3,Fed: High oil constrains spending,"Reports from Federal Reserve districts say economy is growing but energy prices have cut spending. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US economy kept on growing in September and early October, even as higher prices " +3,Treasury Yields Hit 5-Month Lows (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. benchmark Treasuries yields broke\beneath 4.0 percent on Wednesday for the first time in\five-months, driven in part by a jump in oil prices and a slide\in equities." +2,Clijsters and Hewitt call off engagement,The 21-year-old Belgian former world No 1 announced the split on her website but did not divulge any further details about the break-up of her long-term relationship with the 23 +3,US Airways Bankruptcy Signals More Turbulent Times,"NEW YORK, Sept 13 - The bankruptcy filing of US Airways highlights the still-fragile condition of the US aviation industry three years after the September 11 attacks, with more turbulence looming, analysts say." +4,Apple updates Mac OS X,"New version has improve file sharing, FireWire compatibility, built-in Safari, updated graphics drivers." +2,US ; Japanese-born teen youngest US chess champ since Bobby ,"US News, NEW YORK - A teenager from New York state, who just became the youngest US national chess champion since Bobby Fischer in 1958, says he is more sane than his troubled predecessor." +3,Unilever Pressures European Stocks (Reuters),"Reuters - A profit warning from consumer products\giant Unilever and concern that oil prices, now topping 46 a\barrel, will hurt company earnings kept European shares in\negative ground Monday." +2,UCF signs Speraw to 3-year deal,and seven months after his leading UCF to its third NCAA Tournament -- men's basketball Coach Kirk Speraw signed an incentive-laden contract +3,"Boeing Profit Up 78 Pct., Raises Forecast","Boeing Co. on Wednesday topped Wall Street expectations with a 78 percent jump in quarterly profit on strength in its defense operations, and raised its earnings forecast for 2004." +4,Ironport Release New Version Of C-Series Appliance,Ironport Systems today announced the latest version of the e-mail security company's C-Series E-Mail Security Appliance. The new version formalizes the release of Ironport's Virus Outbreak +1,Aid group warns of jobs catastrophe with end of textiles quota system ,"AFP - Millions of desperately poor workers, particularly women, will lose their jobs next year following the lifting of a global system of textile and clothing tariffs, a leading aid agency warned." +4,Cisco to Acquire P-Cube in $200M Deal,"Networking giant Cisco Systems Inc. said Monday that it agreed to acquire Sunnyvale, Calif.-based P-Cube Inc. for about $200 million in cash and stock options." +2,Wizards can't corral Wade,"WASHINGTON--For much of the night, Shaquille O Neal was right where the Washington Wizards wanted him. Saddled with foul trouble, the center was cramming his 7-foot-3-inch body onto a way-too-small folding chair on the Miami Heat's bench." +4,Babes in a Grown-up Toyland,"Are dolls, blocks and stuffed animals fading away in favor of electronic gadgets, and is childhood fading with them?" +1,Russian Buddhists trudge through snow to see Dalai Lama ,AFP - Hundreds of Buddhists in southern Russia marched through snow to see and hear the Dalai Lama as he continued a long-awaited visit to the country in spite of Chinese protests. +3,Borders Cuts Forecast; Storms Hit Sales," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Bookseller Borders Group Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BGP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">BGP.N</A> on Tuesday slashed its financial forecast, saying sales were weaker than expected due in part to hurricanes, and that profits during the key holiday season would miss Wall Street estimates." +4,"Dell, Microsoft integrate patch management apps","NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Dell Inc. and Microsoft Corp. said today that they're working together to integrate their systems management applications to allow customers to update server hardware and software with a single tool." +2,Both sides talking lawsuits in Oakland chair incident,"The woman whose nose was broken when Texas Rangers reliever Frank Francisco threw a chair into the stands Monday night said yesterday she plams to seek compensation for her injuries once prosecutors and baseball officials complete their investigation. Jennifer Bueno , 41, with a large white bandage covering her nose, and her husband, Craig , appeared at a news conference ..." +3,Informer (Forbes.com),"Forbes.com - Xinhua Financial Network, affiliate of the Chinese government's Xinhua propaganda arm, has asked a New York federal court to block an InternalRevenue Service summons for records concerning Loretta Fredy Bush (no kin to W.), an expatriate U.S. entrepreneur from Utah who has overseen XFN's overseas expansion (Feb. 16). The summons seeks records from United Business Media, the British parent of PRNewswire, which also owns part of XFN. ..." +4,The iMac G5: A first look at Apple's new all-in-one,"SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - OK, let's get the iMac aesthetics issue out of the way right from the start. Judging from comments on a variety of Mac-related Web sites, Apple fans around the world are " +4,Sun Desktop Rises in Japan Again,"Sun Microsystems (Quote, Chart) has eked out its second major contract in Japan for its Java Desktop System (JDS), the company said Wednesday." +4,Q A: Grid Alliance president on winning enterprise converts,"The Enterprise Grid Alliance, whose mission is to push the adoption of grid computing, is working on standards and specifications to make it easier to deploy vendor products in a grid environment, according to EGA President Donald Deutsch." +4,Why did Sendo bury the hatchet with MS?,<strong>Analysis</strong> Too expensive to bury it <em>in</em> MS? +2,Houston Rockets Team Report - December 16,"(Sports Network) - Tracy McGrady scored a game-high 25 points and added six rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets over the Atlanta Hawks, 92-69, on Wednesday at the Toyota Center." +4,Sharks respond to magnetic lines,Hawaiian scientists provide hard evidence to support the theory that sharks navigate with a biological compass. +3,"Office Depot Warns, Blames Hurricanes"," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Office Depot Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ODP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ODP.N</A> on Tuesday warned of weaker-than-expected full-year profit because of the string of hurricanes in Florida and poor sales across North America and Europe, sending its stock down nearly 8 percent." +1,Isareli aircraft fire missiles at Gaza,"JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - Israeli soldiers on Saturday shot and killed a Hamas militant whom the military said was responsible for a rocket attack that killed two Israeli preschoolers last week and triggered an army offensive in northern Gaza." +2,Hewitt flies to Paris amid reports he's devastated by split with ,"Former No. 1 tennis player Lleyton Hewitt has been left quot;angry, embarrassed and devastated quot; after his split with fiancee Kim Clijsters of Belgium, the Sydney-based Sunday Telegraph has reported." +2,US team might be better off without Tiger; Sutton's strategy flops,"Did I just attend one of the greatest events in sports, or was it the Booz Allen Classic? The Europeans dominance was so overwhelming from the very first session that the life was completely sucked out of this Ryder Cup, along with all of the energy." +2,South Africa Ends Phelps' Gold Medal Quest, ATHENS (Reuters) - South Africa ruined Michael Phelps's dream of winning a record eight gold medals in a dramatic and controversial day of swimming at the Athens Olympics on Sunday. +3,"Both legislators, firms split on stem-cell incentives ",Beacon Hill's new enthusiasm for embryonic stem-cell research would seem to be good news for the biotechnology industry. +4,Be Careful with Google Desktop Search,"Be Careful with Google Desktop Search\\Google Desktop Search like most Google products makes an awesome first impression. I have tried other desktop search tools, but none of them can match the convenience that Google Desktop Search comes with. It is just a 450K download and it integrates in Google Search ..." +1,Gurkha Soldiers Win Right to British Citizenship,"Gurkhas, who have served with British army for nearly 200 years, won a landmark battle on Thursday to be able to settle in the UK and gain British citizenship." +4,"Q A: Artemis CEO on aligning IT projects, business goals","Artemis International Solutions has developed software that supports IT portfolio management, project management, activity-based costing and balanced scorecard activities." +3,US Stock-Index Futures Decline; Dow Stocks Drop in Europe,"US stock-index futures declined before Alan Greenspan's presentation to Congress, where the Federal Reserve's chairman may restate his commitment to a measured increase in borrowing costs." +4,Adobe proposes new file standard for digital cameras,"It could turn out to be a revolutionary step in the field of digital photography - if everyone adopts it, anyway. Adobe Systems plans to introduce a new format for digital photos." +4,The iPod's New Trick: Photo Show,"A new, top-of-the-line iPod takes the concept of a high-capacity music player in a new direction. Instead of just playing songs, the iPod Photo also shows off your digital pictures." +2,Garcia full of confidence,"All 12 members of Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team were due to be in action at the Volvo Masters which started in Valderrama, Spain, today." +3,BellSouth Posts Lower Earnings,"BellSouth Corp. (BLS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday said third-quarter earnings fell due to hurricane damage in the southeastern US." +2,Mayer Tops Ferrer in Romania Open Upset ,"AP - Florian Mayer beat defending champion David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 Friday in the quarterfinals of the Romania Open." +4,GAO Says Offshoring Could Stymie Tech Job Growth,"SEPTEMBER 27, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - A new government report indicates that offshore outsourcing could hurt IT employment growth over the next decade." +2,Sturrock and Southampton part ways,"Southampton, England (Sports Network) - Southampton and manager Paul Sturrock have agreed to an amicable separation, effective immediately." +4,Smart or Misguided? The Proactive Doctor,"For doctors, searching out disease before it appears can also carry risks." +1,Middle East ; Iran nuclear deal tied to US election ," quot;This is the beginning of the endgame, not the endgame, quot; Samore said. The meeting was to give Iran a last chance to come clean before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) decides on 25 November whether Iran is cooperating or not." +4,NASA Shoots for Mach 10,"The agency plans to prove that the 40-year-old dream of ""hypersonic"" flight -- using air-breathing engines to reach speeds above 3,800 mph is a reality. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B> -The Washington Post</B></FONT>" +3,"UPDATE 1-Oracle raises PeopleSoft offer, sets deadline","Oracle Corp. (ORCL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday raised its hostile takeover offer for rival software company PeopleSoft Inc." +3,Oil price at new record of above $54 pb; Brent crosses $51 pb,"NEW YORK, October 12 (newratings.com) - World crude oil prices continued their upward rally today above $54 per barrel, rising to new record high levels for the sixth consecutive day." +3,Cerberus to Buy LNR for $1.9 Billion," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private investor Cerberus Capital Management LP has agreed to buy real estate investment and management company LNR Property Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=LNR.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">LNR.N</A> for $1.92 billion in cash." +3,Curtain Call for Junk-Fax Blaster,The nation's most notorious junk-fax sender agrees to the terms of a court order forcing it to stop its ink-depleting ways. But that hasn't convinced a longtime Fax.com foe to drop a $2.2 trillion lawsuit against the firm. By Ryan Singel. +4,HD-DVD Drives Find a Place in the PC,"NEC, Toshiba will put the next-generation DVD technology in desktops and laptops next year. NEC plans to start selling desktop PCs equipped with HD-DVD (High Definition/High Density-DVD) drives at the end of 2005, the company says." +1,One killed in Nepal violence,"KATHMANDU: Angry protesters burnt tyres in Kathmandu and forcibly shut down schools and shops on Wednesday, following the killing of 12 Nepalis by their abductors in Iraq." +3,ECB Rates Unchanged," FRANKFURT (Reuters) - European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet kept up his anti-inflation rhetoric on Thursday, warning of short-term risks to the inflation outlook even as growth prospects are deteriorating." +3,PeopleSoft's board said it rejects Oracle bid,"PLEASANTON, Calif. PeopleSoft's board of directors said it srejected Oracle Corp.'s nine-point-two (b) billion dollar takeover bid Saturday." +1,India and France to discuss range of issues during FM's visit ,"AFP - India and France will discuss a range of bilateral and global issues during this week's visit by French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, a foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday." +1,Mexican firm bids 2.3bn for RMC,"Mexican group Cemex makes a 2.3bn ($4.1bn) offer for UK-based RMC, the world's biggest supplier of ready-mixed concrete." +4,Convictions send stern warning to spammers,Spammers will find that the money to be made by bombarding computers with junk e-mails is not worth the risk. A Virginia jury sent a sobering message last week to the unscrupulous purveyors of junk e-mail. +4,When jammers meet the jetpods,"LONDON: If your city's increasing traffic leaves you with nothing but a headache, here is a godsend vehicle that promises to make life easier." +1,"Haiti Storm Death Toll Could Reach 2,000","GONAIVES, Haiti - Workers dug new mass graves for corpses that still littered this flood-ravaged city Thursday as the death toll from Tropical Storm Jeanne rose to more than 1,070 and residents grew increasingly agitated from a lack of food and drinkable water. Health workers feared an epidemic from the unburied bodies, raw sewage in drinking water and infections from injuries..." +3,Little hotel venture now takes care of millions,"Not long ago, a Saga holiday seemed synonymous with a coachload of ancient aunts with Thermos flasks heading for the coast. Now the company that has made a fortune out of the quot;grey pound quot; is " +3,Thayer Gets Stake in BFI,"Thayer Capital Partners, a D.C. private-equity partnership that buys companies, agreed to a deal that will give it a 24 percent stake in one of Canada's largest trash haulers." +4,GPS Technology Drives Global Treasure Hunt,"The key to hidden treasure lies in your handheld GPS unit. GPS-based ""geocaching"" is a high-tech sport being played by thousands of people across the globe." +2,"Dogs get revenge, dismantle LSU","Athens -- In one incredibly thorough dismantling of LSU Saturday before a raucously red crowd at Sanford Stadium, Georgia exacted revenge on the team that beat it twice last season, validating its ranking as one of the nation's best teams." +2,Magic Unveil A New Look,"Tracy McGrady was traded to Houston in the offseason. He was the guy who could score 50 points a night, but his team would lose by 20." +3,A timeline of McDonald's CEOs,"_December 2002: Jack M. Greenberg retires after four years as chairman and CEO as the company struggles to emerge from a deep, two-year slump." +4,Could eclipse bring something spooky?,"IR Feature Writer - 10/27/04. How superstitious are you? A little? Not at all? When the Earth's shadow overtakes the moon tonight starting at 6:06 pm, superstition, in all its mystery, may be lurking just around the corner." +1,Bodies of 2 Turkish hostages found,The bodies of two Turkish hostages have been found in the northern Iraqi town of Baiji. Qatar-based al-Jazeera satellite TV reported that the two Turkish captives had apparently been killed by gunfire. +1,China mine blast toll rises to 33 as inspection drive announced ,"AFP - The death toll from an explosion at a coal mine in central China has risen to 33 with six injured, as authorities announced plans for an inspection drive in a bid to improve shockingly low safety standards in the nation's mines." +2,"Brunell, Redskins Shellac Dolphins 17-0 ","AP - Mark Brunell directed two touchdown drives, and the Washington Redskins controlled the ball for 41 minutes to beat the Miami Dolphins 17-0 Saturday night." +1,Harry scuffles with photographer,"AP - Prince Harry scuffled with a paparazzi photographer outside a nightclub early Thursday, further feeding his growing public image as a rebellious party boy." +1,Clinton Likely to Have Surgery Monday,"Former President Bill Clinton's heart bypass, expected Monday, likely will be an ordinary replumbing of his ailing heart, not some new whiz-bang robotic or ""keyhole"" surgery, leading surgeons say. A source close to the former president who spoke on condition of anonymity said Clinton has told him the surgery was scheduled for Monday morning..." +1,Table tennis: Gold for China,Zhang Yining beats North Korea's Kim Hyang-Mi to win the table tennis women's singles. +4,Tech Buying Guide: Music,"MP3 players -- technically, digital-music players, although almost all of them are used mainly to play songs saved in the popular MP3 format -- come in three sizes: tiny, big and really big." +1,German Police Foil Plot To Kill Iraqi Premier,German police Friday arrested three Iraqis suspected of hastily putting together a failed plot to assassinate interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during his visit for talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. +4,Microsoft details conflicts in new XP update,"Microsoft has published a list of nearly 50 applications -- including developer and backup tools, antivirus software and an FTP client -- that may not work correctly after installing Service Pack 2 for Windows XP." +1,PM denies misleading public,PRIME Minister John Howard is insisting he has not deliberately misled the Australian public over the children overboard affair. +2,Twellman: Booting painful,WASHINGTON -- Revolution striker Taylor Twellman played half of last night's game against D.C. United with a right foot injury and plans to undergo an X-ray today. +3,"Stocks End Lower on Retail, Price Data"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended lower on Tuesday, as a lackluster sales report from world's largest retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WMT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">WMT.N</A> hurt that sector and a jump in producer prices sparked concerns about inflation and higher interest rates." +4,The Shame of Adult Male Virginity,"My feeling is that somewhere between the ages of 18 and 22-25 society starts expecting men to not be virgins. Well, maybe ""expecting"" is not the right word, but that's the age range were I started feeling shame about being a virgin. There are many advantages to being a virgin: you know you're not diseased, you know you're not a daddy and you don't have a woman who has reached deep into your inner feelings and can manipulate you with that leverage. A quick side note about diseases: besides the scary lifelong and life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases it is estimated that as many as 50 of sexually active singles have Genital Warts, for which there is no cure. They are extremely easy to transfer between partners and can be a precursor to penile, cervical and rectal cancer." +1,Barghouthi to Run for Palestinian President," GAZA (Reuters) - Jailed popular leader Marwan Barghouthi decided on Wednesday to run in a Palestinian presidential election and Hamas militants vowed to boycott it, throwing the campaign into turmoil after Yasser Arafat's death." +1,"World Failed Bhopal Gas Victims, Says Amnesty","London, Nov. 30 (NNN) : The world has failed to help survivors of the Bhopal gas leak in India 20 years ago or to punish the guilty, Amnesty International has said." +4,Google Investors Await the Dropping of 39 Million Shoes,Google investors may find out this week whether there really can be too much of a good thing. +2,Bryant Judge Chastises Prosecutors ,"AP - On the eve of Kobe Bryant's rape trial, a frustrated judge chastised prosecutors Thursday for waiting until the last minute to challenge DNA evidence the defense says shows the accuser had sex with someone else hours after her encounter with the NBA star." +3,"U.S. Heartland Is Bursting with Corn, Soy"," ROCHELLE, Ill. (Reuters) - Golden mountains are rising out of the fertile farmlands of the U.S. Midwest, a changing landscape formed by huge piles of corn from the most bountiful harvest in U.S. history." +1,High profile BJP leader suspended,India's main opposition party takes action against senior party member Uma Bharti after a public row. +2,Padres box score,"a-flied out for Carrara in the 7th. b-popped out for D.Ross in the 7th. EIzturis (10), Werth (4). LOBLos Angeles 5, San Diego 7. 2BJHernandez (11), RaHernandez (20)." +1,"Eves, Harper call for Ontario Conservative party to unite behind new leader (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - Ontario Progressive Conservative members must unite behind whoever is chosen as their new leader, outgoing Leader Ernie Eves and Federal Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said as the party awaited the result of its leadership contest Saturday." +2,"Intro still generating buzz, mostly negative","If ABC hoped to generate a little bit more buzz for Monday Night Football and quot;Desperate Housewives, quot; its risqu intro to the Dallas-Philadelphia game sure did the trick." +1,INSURGENTS MASSACRE 49 ARMY RECRUITS,The group linked to insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for the massacre of 49 unarmed army recruits in one of the bloodiest attacks on Iraq's fledgling security forces. +4,First Profit Since 2000 For Lucent (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - Lucent Technologies Inc, the nation's leading telecommunications-equipment maker, recorded its first annual profit since 2000, fueled by rapid growth in its wireless telephone division, the company announced yesterday." +3,"Anheuser Profit Up on Price Hikes, Growth"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BUD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">BUD.N</A>, the largest U.S. brewer, said on Wednesday quarterly profit rose on price increases for brands such as Bud Light and strong growth in its international business, which benefited from the acquisition of Harbin Brewery in China." +2,"NL notebook: Mets fire Howe, effective at end of the season",The New York Mets fired manager Art Howe yesterday but left him in the dugout for the final 2-1/2 weeks of a season gone bad after the All-Star break. +1,Kerry Sees Debate as Chance to Shed 'Flip-Flop' Label,"Senator John Kerry conceded today that the Bush campaign had been ""particularly successful"" in portraying him as wobbly." +1,China calls for Europe to lift arms embargo,German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder stretches his hand to shake hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao after a joint press conference in Beijing. +2,Names in the Game,MIAMI - Dan Marino suspects the Miami Dolphins need to consider an overhaul if they are to regroup after the worst starts in team history. +2,Wisconsin Guard Boo Wade Taking Leave ,"AP - Boo Wade, expected to compete to be Wisconsin's starting point guard this season, is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team." +4,Sybase Offers Free Database for Linux,Company hopes to attract users who will later upgrade to its small business software. +1,Iraqi Peace Mission Snubbed by Rebel Cleric Sadr,"NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday refused to meet an Iraqi peace delegation because of quot;American aggression quot; as US troops pounded militia positions in Najaf near the country's holiest Islamic sites. " +4,"New game from Wideload, Alex Seropian named, dated","Stubbs the Zombie being built on top of the Halo engine; Aspyr pegs summer 05 as day the bloody demon arrives. Exclusive screens, developer video inside." +2,Washington Passes Amended Ballpark Bill ,"AP - The District of Columbia Council approved an amended financing plan for a ballpark for the Expos, adding provisions that major league baseball is likely to reject and could jeopardize the proposed move of the franchise." +3,BellSouth earnings hit by storm damage,BellSouth Corp. on Monday said third-quarter earnings fell due to storm damage in its region and costs stemming from Cingular Wireless planned $41 billion purchase of AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc.. The No. +3,Yukos to stop oil exports to China,"Russian oil giant Yukos has decided to halt two-thirds of its oil exports to China, raising the stakes in its yearlong legal battle with the authorities." +4,Technology companies launch grid project to woo users,"Get INQ7 breaking news on your Smart mobile phone in the Philippines. Send INQ7 BREAKING to 386. SAN FRANCISCO, California, United States of America -- After a survey by International Data Corp." +2,Kiwis Aussiehilated,"BRISBANE, November 21: Australia crushed New Zealand by an innings and 156 runs in the first Test at the Gabba on Sunday to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy." +3,Marriott 3Q profit jumps 45,"No .1 hotel operator earns 55 cents a share, in line with estimates, as room rates rise 4. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marriott International Inc." +1,Ukraine opposition rally draws hundreds of thousands ,"AFP - Tens of thousands of supporters of opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko took to the streets of Kiev, a week before the poll, to demand free and fair elections in this former Soviet state after a tense campaign marred by incidents." +2,Reds decide not to re-sign Larkin,"Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds have scheduled a press conference for 4 pm (et) today, at which time the club is expected to announce that shortstop Barry Larkin will not be re-signed." +4,Name that tune -- then find it with GoFish (SiliconValley.com),SiliconValley.com - A new search engine launches Monday aimed at helping music lovers find tunes across a growing number of online music stores. +4,"E-Biz sites hit with targeted attacks, extortion threats",IT security vendors and analysts reported an increase in the number of cyberattacks being targeted at specific companies doing business online. An ongoing denial-of-service attack against payment processor Authorize.Net is a prime example. +2,Azeri goes for Breeders Classic,Punters and bookmakers alike have been caught on the hop after star American trainer D. Wayne Lukas revealed that Azeri is to tackle the $4m Breeders Cup Classic in Texas this Saturday. +1,Classmates Sue Over 'Dazed and Confused',"SANTA FE, N.M. - Three former high school classmates of ""Dazed and Confused"" director Richard Linklater have filed a lawsuit claiming they have suffered embarrassment and ridicule because of characters based on them in the movie..." +2,Mauresmo underlines new status,"Mauresmo, 25, took time to find her rhythm against her Swiss opponent but, when her trademark backhand finally clicked, she dominated to take a place in the last eight." +4,Microsoft's New Suit,"Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) SenderID technology may not be hitting it off with other technology companies, but the company's continuing on the anti-spam crusade that it started talking up back in January." +2,Broncos will lose Griffin for year,Denver Broncos running back Quentin Griffin's strange season came to an end Tuesday when the team's worst concerns were realized. +2,Suspension-hit Pacers sign two players ,AFP - The Indiana Pacers signed forwards Tremaine Fowlkes and Britton Johnsen to fill gaps left by the suspensions of three players involved in a brawl at Detroit last week. +1,Another citizen of US abducted,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen kidnapped a Lebanese-American businessman and militants released a tape yesterday showing the beheading of an Iraqi officer as a warning to those who deal with quot;the infidel quot; Americans." +3,Cingular handset talks to users,"Cingular Wireless is offering a software application intended to help the visually impaired make full use of their cell phones. The Talks application, which works only with the Nokia 6620 phone, converts menus " +3,Clash of retail giants could benefit small toy stores,With only 34 shopping days until Christmas - and a 10-year-old son and a 7-year-old daughter to shop for - Lisa Smalley knows where she'll be doing her toy shopping. +2,US team kicks over this result,"ATHENS -- Did Japan's Kosuke Kitajima break the rules when he beat world record-holder Brendan Hansen by 17-100ths of a second in yesterday's Olympic 100-meter breaststroke? Absolutely, insisted Hansen's US teammates, who claimed Kitajima routinely uses the illegal dolphin kick." +4,Phones into Flowers,Mobile telephones are one of the most quickly discarded items of consumer electronics. Rapid changes in technology and taste means customers constantly upgrade their phones leaving behind more and more discarded phones. +3, German Business Confidence Dips in August,"An index of German business confidence dipped in August, reflecting worries about the strength of the country's economic recovery, a survey of German executives showed Thursday." +3,MGM Stays in the Picture,"A very large and valuable pile of assets now stands to change hands, possibly quite soon." +2,Atlanta's Furcal Pleads Guilty To Second DUI,"Atlanta, GA -- Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal pleaded guilty on Thursday to his second drunken driving charge. The 2000 National League Rookie of the Year is currently serving a 21-day jail sentence " +3,"Delta CEO Sees 6,000 to 7,000 Job Cuts"," ATLANTA (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DAL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">DAL.N</A> Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein on Wednesday said his transformation plan for the struggling No. 3 U.S. airline would include 6,000 to 7,000 job cuts over the next 18 months and a dehubbing of its Dallas/Fort Worth operation." +4,NHS 6.2bn computer system probed,"Government spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, is to investigate a 6.2bn programme to install a computer system at the NHS." +4,Study: Antarctic Wildlife Facing Food Shortages (Reuters),"Reuters - Global warming and disappearing sea ice\in the Southern Ocean are causing food shortages that could\threaten Antarctic whales, seals and penguins, scientists said\Wednesday." +4,FCC Insists Broadband Deployment Improving (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. communications regulators on\Thursday insisted the United States was making progress in\rolling out high-speed Internet service, despite falling\further behind other countries." +3,S and P watching Shell for possible debt downgrade,LONDON : Standard and Poor's Ratings Services said it had its eye on Royal Dutch/Shell for a possible downgrade of the oil company's debt rating in case of a further restatement of its reserves. +1,Jackson Visits Darfur to Resolve Crisis ,"AP - American civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson visited the conflict-torn region of Darfur on Friday, urging the Sudanese government and African rebels to end the crisis that has killed thousands of villagers and driven more than a million from their homes." +3,Plexus to close Seattle-area plant; will cut 160 jobs,"Neenah-based Plexus Corp. plans to close a Seattle-area plant, resulting in the layoff of about 160 employees, in an effort to save about $2 million a year, the company said Wednesday." +3,IBM Exec Outlines PeopleSoft Deal,"QA: The development alliance will give both companies a broader reach in the marketplace, with the first offerings coming in early 2005, says Buell Duncan, IBM's general manager of ISV and developer relations." +4,Second Thoughts for a Designer of Software That Aids Conservation,Some believe that simpler rules may be more effective than computer models when it comes to protecting the environment. +3,"Oil prices lead fund to Mexico, away from China","Brad Aham, manager of the $745 million SSgA Emerging Markets Fund, said he's increasing his investments in Mexico on optimism about record oil prices, and avoiding China, where central bankers are poised to raise interest rates." +3,Seagate Sees Results Above Estimates,"Seagate Technology, the top US maker of computer hard-disc drives, on Tuesday forecast quarterly earnings and revenue above Wall Street estimates amid stronger demand for its products than in the previous quarter." +4,Microsoft says Linux may mean price cuts,"Microsoft has filed a report with the US Securities and Exchange Commission warning that 2005 could be challenging, as Linux continues to steal business and PC sales remain sluggish." +3,"But subsidy would remain until early next year, says Nduom","The Minister of Energy, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, has said government policy on the subsidy of ex-pump prices of petroleum products would remain unchanged " +2,We need to stay positive - Harbhajan,"Harbhajan Singh conceded that India had an uphill task to get back in the game, but expressed his happiness at taking a five-wicket haul." +3,Children's Place to Buy Disney Stores,"Children's Place Retail Stores Inc. on Wednesday said it agreed to buy Walt Disney Co.'s ailing chain of Disney Store in North America, giving Children's Place added presence in the newborn to 10-year-old market." +2,AL Wrap: Rookie Pair Connect to End A's Losing Streak, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rookies Bobby Crosby and Nick Swisher belted back-to-back homers in the eighth inning to rally the Oakland Athletics to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians in the American League Saturday. +4,Chartered to Manufacture AMD64 Processors in 2006,"AMD64 is a new computing platform that extends the ubiquitous x86 architecture to accommodate 64-bit processing. Formerly known as x86-64, AMDs enhancements to the x86 architecture allow users of laptops " +4,Govs urge endangered species changes,Western governors Saturday urged Congress to change to the Endangered Species Act and make the complex law less of a strain on private landowners. +3,Wells Fargo Profit Up; Mortgages Weigh,"Wells Fargo Co. (WFC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 4 US bank, on Tuesday said third-quarter profit rose 12 percent, helped by growth in both lending and sales of new products to existing customers." +4,"Unlike NASA, SpaceShipOne and other private pioneers can afford to ",SpaceShipOne - as much a work of art as a groundbreaking flying machine -as recast the mold for spaceflight established by NASA largely because it doesn't have to worry +2,1-2 punch is a hit for Colts,CHICAGO -- Edgerrin James on the ground. Peyton Manning through the air. The Indianapolis Colts made it look easy. +2,Sharapova Sets Up Semi-Final with Kuznetsova, BEIJING (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova set up an intriguing semi-final showdown with fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova at the China Open after her opponent Jelena Jankovic retired hurt Friday with an ankle injury. +3,Adelphia to allow Time Warner/Comcast dual bid-WSJ,"Bankrupt cable operator Adelphia Communications Corp (ADELQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research) will allow cable companies Time Warner Inc." +2,West Virginia out of national title race,"His team's national title hopes dashed, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez searched for a positive to take out of the Mountaineers loss to middling Virginia Tech." +1,Scuffles Hit Iraq: Several with Police Chief Killed in Blasts,"SAMARRA (Iraq): With renewe d wave of skirmishes between the Iraqi insurgents and the US-led coalition marines, several people including top police officers were put to death on Saturday." +4,"Health Highlights: Sept. 27, 2004","Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay: ------ Average Cost of U.S. Nursing Home is $70K Annually: Survey The average cost of a private room in a nursing home in the United States is $70,080 a year, or $192 a day, according to a survey released Monday by the MetLife Mature Market Institute..." +1,Buttiglione resigns to ease EU crisis,"ROME: Calling himself an innocent victim, Italys Rocco Buttiglione withdrew as a candidate for the incoming European Commission on Saturday to help ease an unprecedented crisis for the executive." +2,FA to check Cech comments,"The Football Association is to look into comments Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is alleged to have made about Graham Poll, and his decision to allow Arsenal's controversial second goal at the weekend." +1,Somalia forms central government,"After years of anarchy, Somalia is poised to set up a new parliament which will elect a president." +4,Frances Damages NASA Space Center ,"AP - Hurricane Frances did more damage to the Kennedy Space Center than any other storm in history, tearing an estimated 1,000 exterior panels from the Vehicle Assembly Building and leaving a checkerboard of holes, officials said Monday." +2,Chimes up for Redknapp,"Harry Redknapp quit Portsmouth after the relationship with chairman Milan Mandaric became untenable, though the manager diplomatically said he simply felt it was time for a break." +3,Dollar Pauses Near Record Low Vs Euro," LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit an eight-month low against the euro on Tuesday, coming within a cent of a record low, and set its lowest level in eight years versus Swiss franc on concerns about the U.S. economy and current account gap." +1,"Buddhist Teacher Killed, Two Bombs Hit Thai South"," BANGKOK (Reuters) - Gunmen on motorcycles shot and killed a Buddhist martial arts teacher and two bombs wounded at least 10 people in Thailand's restive south on Friday in apparent revenge for the deaths of 85 Muslims, police said." +1,"Man arrested after 2 killed, 29 hurt in bombing of Pakistani cinema (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - PESHAWAR, Pakistan - A bomb exploded in a cinema during a screening early Wednesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing two people and injuring 29 others, police said." +2,Stuttgart Claim Top Spot with Win over BVB,"Matthias Sammer's Stuttgart went top of the Bundesliga on Saturday after a 2-0 win over the coach's former team. At times efficient, at others exciting, VfB looked the complete package and deserving league leaders." +1,Newmont cleared in Indonesia,Indonesian authorities find no traces of mercury pollution near US mining firm Newmont's Buyat Bay site. +4,Siebel moves toward self-repairing software,Siebel Systems wants to cut the costs of tending its software by teaching the programs to manage themselves. +3,ID Biomedical's Shot in the Arm,"ID Biomedical (Nasdaq: IDBE) recently showed the importance of being in the right place at the right time, especially in the vaccine business." +4,Sun Panther Chip Doubles Clock Speed,"SAN JOSE, Calif.Sun Microsystems Inc. officials disclosed Tuesday that the UltraSparc IV quot;Panther quot; chip will offer twice the performance of the UltraSparc IV." +4,Intel delays first TV chip,"In another setback, the chipmaker says a processor for large-screen projection TVs won't come out this year." +1,"BP, BHP Evacuate Crews From Trinidad Rigs; Ivan Nears ","BP Plc, Europe's largest oil company, said it evacuated 500 non-essential workers from offshore rigs near Trinidad and Tobago as Hurricane Ivan approached the Caribbean country." +2,AL notables,"The Yankees posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since Aug. 27-28, 2002, at Boston." +3,MCI says its asset values to be written down $3.5 billion,MCI Inc. plans to write down the value of its assets by $3.5 billion to reflect the decreased worth of the company's telephone network as its consumer business shrinks. +3,A technology whiz strives to make life simpler,John Maeda is a man with a lot on his mind. The MIT professor of media arts and sciences thinks about how to make technology simpler; he thinks about using the computer as a mode of expression rather than simply as a tool; he thinks about making digital art from Cheetos and sugar crystals. +3,Ingersoll-Rand to sell Dresser unit for $1.2bn,"NEW YORK: Ingersoll-Rand has agreed to sell its Dresser-Rand energy equipment business to private equity firm First Reserve, which specialises in the energy industry, for $1." +1,Leaders sign EU's first constitution,"However, their celebration of unity has been marred by uncertainty over its ratification and turmoil over the stalled European Commission." +3,Boeing stock soars on news of 777 order,"Shares in The Boeing Co. hit a one-year high Wednesday on news that the aircraft builder has received an order to build 18 777-300 ER (extended range) airplanes for Singapore Airlines, with the airline also " +2,"For Jets, Two Victories and Two Big Injuries","The Jets began their bye week Monday, and the time off comes not a moment too soon. A day after their second straight victory sent them to their best regular " +2,Dunfermline v Celtic,Celtic sent out a chilling winter message to rivals Rangers by responding to their European failure with one of their best performances of the season to return to the top of the Bank of Scotland Premier League table with a comfortable 2-0 win at East End +3,Nikkei Falls on Higher Oil Price," TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei average fell 1 percent by midsession on Tuesday as auto makers declined following a rise in crude oil to another record high, and as the yen's rise against the dollar stoked concern over exporters' earnings." +3,Woolworths Second-Half Net Rises 12 on Cost Cuts ,Woolworths Ltd.'s second-half profit rose 12 percent after Australia's biggest grocer cut the cost of getting goods to its shops and opened 37 new supermarkets and liquor outlets. +1,Hassan Body Found in Fallujah: Australian PM,Australia's prime minister says a body found in Fallujah is likely that of kidnapped aid worker Margaret Hassan. John Howard told Parliament a videotape of an Iraqi terrorist group executing a Western woman appears to have been genuine. +4,Background Investigation Shortfall Sends ManTech to a Loss,"Despite an increase in revenue, ManTech International Corp. swung to a loss during its second quarter when a contract to conduct background investigations for the Department of Defense turned out to be far less lucrative than previously expected." +3,Abercrombie Fitch Posts Fall in Profit," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Youth-oriented retailer Abercrombie Fitch Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ANF.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ANF.N</A> on Tuesday posted an unexpected fall in quarterly profit as it struggles to boost sales, and said it remained cautious for the rest of the year." +3,"Caesars, Quintain to Build Wembley Casino",US casino firm Caesars Entertainment Inc. and Quintain Estates have formed a joint venture to turn the area around London's Wembley Stadium into a $600 million leisure and gambling resort. +3,Trade organization slaps sanctions on American exports Clash over ,"WASHINGTON - The World Trade Organization imposed penalties yesterday on US exports ranging from apples to textiles, escalating a trade dispute the Bush administration has struggled to defuse by unsuccessfully urging Congress to repeal legislation aimed " +1,Spain poised to sanction same-sex marriages,"MADRID Spains cabinet proposed legislation Friday allowing same-sex marriages and for homosexuals to adopt children, pressing ahead with its liberal agenda despite vociferous opposition from the influential Roman Catholic Church." +3,Red Cross Calls For More Help For Hurricane Victims,"MANCHESTER, NH -- More victims of Hurricane Charley returned to the devastation Friday, Red Cross officials said more help is needed." +3,"Nvidia, Intel Sign Cross-License Deal","Nvidia Corp., a maker of computer video cards, on Friday said it inked a multiyear patent cross-licensing agreement with Intel Corp." +2,Arbitrator: Williams must pay Dolphins,"An arbitrator has ruled that Ricky Williams owes the Miami Dolphins $8.6 million US in the wake of his retirement just before the start of camp, an NFL spokesman said." +3,Profit Jumps 30 Percent at Goldman Sachs,"Goldman Sachs today posted a 30 percent jump in profit for its latest quarter, helped by strong growth across its segments." +4,Mac OS X Rock Solid,"The Macintosh, with its OS X operating system, is rock solid, #148; writes Walt Mossberg for the Wall Street Journal. It is elegant, and #151; when you do a feature-by-feature price comparison with Windows competitors #151; it's surprisingly affordable. #148; Dec 09" +3,Cheney Pushes for Permanent Tax Cuts,"Vice President Dick Cheney said Wednesday that it is critical to make President Bush's tax cuts permanent during his second term, while achieving broader reforms in the tax code and bolstering Social Security." +4,Report: Robotic Hubble Mission Likely to Fail,Description: NASA is considering an unprecedented robotic mission to save the Hubble Space telescope. But a final report from the National Academy of Sciences says the robotic mission probably won't be ready on time to save the telescope. +2,"Jokinen, Peltonen Combine for Four Goals ","AP - Olli Jokinen of the Florida Panthers scored twice and teammate Ville Peltonen added two goals and an assist, leading Finland to a 4-2 victory over Germany in a World Cup of Hockey exhibition game Thursday." +2,A Cry for Justice,"Less than a month after the death of Northeast football player Jamahl Jones, prosecutors dropped charges against the four suspects, citing insufficient evidence after a preliminary autopsy." +3,Beautiful day? Not if you're Microsoft,A US lawsuit brought by a company backed by rock group U2 is threatening to reopen old legal wounds for Microsoft. Californian technology company Burst. +3,Nikkei Extends Losing Streak,"Tokyo's Nikkei edged down 0.33 percent Monday, falling for a seventh straight session in its longest losing streak since December 2002 as worries about oil prices and weaker business sentiment plagued the market." +4,We May Not Be the Only Humans on Earth,A 3ft tall hobbit discovered on a remote Indonesian island has raised the extraordinary possibility that our human species might not be alone on Earth. +1,Powell to say Thursday if Darfur deaths are genocide ,"AFP - US Secretary of State Colin Powell will tell a Senate panel whether the United States believes genocide is being committed in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, the State Department said." +2,"Juventus, Lyon qualify from group stage in Champions League",Juventus and Olympique Lyon became the third and fourth teams to reach the knockout stage of the European Champions League on Wednesday. +3,Petrol prices drive up inflation,"Rising petrol prices were the main driving force behind a rise in UK inflation, official figures show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said increasing fuel costs had seen the consumer price index (CPI) rise 0.1 to 1.2 in October." +1,Summary: Series of Earthquakes Hit Japan ,"AP - THE DISASTER: A series of earthquakes that hit northeastern Japan #151; the largest measuring magnitude 6.8 #151; leaves 98,000 residents in shelters." +4,New crop of portable players nips at iPod,"PALO ALTO, Calif. - Lauren, 11, saunters nonchalantly past a Discovery Channel store and a Gymboree clothing store at the mall. Then suddenly, the girl's eyes light up and she pulls her mother into an Apple Computer Inc." +4,Report: Fast-Internet Use Doubles in U.S.,"The number of Americans using fast Internet connections doubled from 2001 through late 2003, still below some expectations and especially low among minority groups and people in rural areas, according to a report by the Bush administration." +3,"New Study Links Pfizer's Bextra, Similar to Vioxx, to Heart Attacks","Patients given Pfizers painkiller Bextra have more than twice as many heart attacks and strokes as those given placebos, according to preliminary results of a study." +1,"Durable Goods, Lower Oil Lift Stocks","NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher Friday as a dip in oil prices and a satisfactory report on durable goods orders cheered investors at the end of a losing week. In late morning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 27.14, or 0.3 percent, to 10,066.04..." +2,Utes Forcing Way In,"TAMPA - Just a few weeks ago, the Utah Utes were building an impassioned case for why they belonged in a Bowl Championship Series game." +2,Indians Pitcher Kyle Denney Shot ,AP - A Cleveland Indians pitcher was shot in the right calf when a bullet pierced the team's bus and grazed another player late Wednesday night. +3,US stress on cyber crime,The US today urged India to adhere to the principles of the Council of Europes convention on cyber crime for strengthening national laws in the areas of cyber-security. +3,Tobacco Companies Deny Conspiracy to Push Smoking," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A tobacco industry lawyer acknowledged on Wednesday that some executives may have acted wrongly, but said cigarette companies have never engaged in a conspiracy to mislead the public about the dangers of smoking." +3,"Textron Posts Profit, Raises Outlook"," BOSTON (Reuters) - Diversified manufacturer Textron Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TXT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TXT.N</A> on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit and lifted its full-year earnings estimate on a strong performance by its Cessna business jet division, sending its shares up nearly 5 percent." +4,Arguments conclude in evolution sticker trial,Attorneys for both sides of a challenge to evolution disclaimers on science books in a suburban Atlanta school district made their final pleas before a federal judge Friday. +3,Fannie Salaries Rile Hill,Data showing that 16 executives received bonuses in 2002 that were larger than their salaries is called a mismatch with the company's lending mission. +2,Golf: Monty brought down to earth with a bump,"WOBURN, England : Colin Montgomerie, the hero of Europe's Ryder Cup slaying of the United States last weekend, came down to earth with a bump on Friday as he slumped out of The Heritage tournament." +1,Freedom hope for French journalists,"Two French journalists held hostage in Iraq were handed over to intermediaries yesterday, raising hopes that they would soon be freed." +1,Armored Vehicles Mass at Gaza Border,"JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - Armored vehicles massed on Gaza's border Friday after Israel's security Cabinet approved a large-scale military operation - dubbed ""Days of Penitence"" - to stop Palestinian rocket fire. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz had ordered troops to ""exact a price"" from the militants, security officials said, after a Hamas rocket killed two children, ages 2 and 4, in an Israeli border town..." +3,Stability fears as oil reliance grows,"The world's reliance on oil and gas is set to increase sharply as global energy demand soars by 60 over the next 25 to 30 years, an influential report predicts." +2,Taylor Is Moving Closer,A penchant for making big plays and the recent release of Ifeanyi Ohalete has ripped open the door for rookie Sean Taylor to claim a starting spot. +3,Cingular Reaches Agreement with Justice on AT amp;T Wireless Deal,"Cingular Wireless LLC, the joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp., has reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice that will allow the companys proposed acquisition of AT amp;T Wireless to proceed on schedule." +4,"ASML, Nikon agree draft settlement of patent infringement dispute",AMSTERDAM (AFX) - ASML Holding NV and Nikon Corp said they reached a tentative agreement on settlement terms for Nikon's case of alleged patent infringement against ASML. +1,"US jets, artillery hit Fallujah","American jets and artillery batteries launched attacks on the insurgent-held city of Fallujah yesterday, hitting targets in the run-up to what could be a major assault on the Sunni- dominated town." +3,"Oil Steadies, Investors Wary Ahead of GDP", LONDON (Reuters) - European equities clung to three-week highs on Friday as oil steadied around the $43 a barrel mark. +1,"Japan, China Try to Smooth Over Tensions ","AP - Japanese and Chinese officials were trying to arrange a meeting between the leaders of their two countries on the sidelines of a weekend summit to try to calm rising tensions, authorities said." +1,US patient load surges at military hospital in Germany,"LANDSTUHL, Germany - The number of injured US military personnel arriving at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center this week -ost from the offensive against insurgents in the Iraqi city of Fallujah -ched its highest level since April, a US " +1,Cambodia's new king arrives in Phnom Penh,"Cambodia's new king arrived in the capital of his homeland today to be crowned after the shock abdication of his ageing father, King Norodom Sihanouk." +3,"Dow closes under 10,000 on oil fears","The blue-chip Dow Jones average closed below 10,000 for the first time in six weeks on Monday as a spike in oil prices to nearly USD50 a barrel renewed concerns about corporate profits." +4,Summary: Spring coming earlier than usual,"SPRING TORRENTS: In one of the most comprehensive studies of plants response to the global warming trend, Cornell scientists and their colleagues at the University of Wisconsin concluded " +1,Romania Party Transcripts Cause Outrage ,AP - Documents purported to be transcripts of top-level ruling party meetings with ministers discussing intimidating opposition leaders and rigging votes in the Senate have surfaced ahead of Romania's Sunday elections. +1,Militants extend deadline to kill one hostage by four hours,"Islamabad, Oct 11. (PTI):The suspected pro-Taliban abductors of two Chinese engineers in Pakistan's tribal south Waziristan agency bordering Afghanistan today extended the deadline by four hours to kill one of the hostages." +4,Broadband in Suburbia (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - In many ways, Brambleton looks like any of the new housing developments that have popped up near Dulles Airport in the past several years. Except coursing under its crisp green lawns and treeless streets is a fiber-optic network that supplies some 600 homes with Internet access at speeds once reserved for the largest corporations." +1,Govt Confident UN Seat Won't Spark Diplomatic Row,Government has dismissed speculation that declaring its readiness to serve as a Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) could spark a diplomatic row with certain African countries. +1,"BP, BHP Evacuate Workers From Trinidad Rigs as Ivan Approaches","BP Plc, Europe's largest oil company, said it evacuated 500 non-essential workers from offshore rigs near Trinidad and Tobago as Hurricane Ivan approached the Caribbean country." +1,Three U.N. Hostages in Afghanistan Freed ,"AP - Three U.N. workers kidnapped in Afghanistan have been released unharmed after more than three weeks in captivity, Afghan officials said Tuesday." +3,US growth figures revised upwards,"The US economy grew more quickly than previously thought in the three months to June, official figures suggest." +1,Barghouthi Pulls Out of Palestinian Election,"Jailed Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouthi has pulled out of a Jan. 9 presidential election to succeed Yasser Arafat, a close aide said on Sunday." +2,Silver lining navigated on high seas,"ATHENS -- US sailors needed a big day to bring home gold and bronze medals from the sailing finale here yesterday. But rolling the dice on windshifts and starting tactics backfired both in Star and Tornado classes, and the Americans had to settle for a single silver medal." +3, Winter Fuel Supply Worries Continue on Data,"Concerns about winter fuel supplies were heightened Wednesday after a report showed US inventories of distillate, which includes heating oil, shrank for the sixth straight week." +4,Pod people untouched by Zen,"Faced with developing serious competition to the powerhouse that is Apple's iPod, Creative's Zen Touch Player takes aim at several of the iPod's features and frailties." +1,Ex-chief of prisons ordered to testify,"FORT HOOD, Texas -- A military judge yesterday ordered the former commander of US prisons in Iraq to testify at the trial of a soldier who says he was ordered to abuse detainees at Abu Ghraib." +2,MLB Wrap: Borchard's Blast Helps White Sox Edge Phillies,Joe Borchard cracked the longest home run in the history of Chicago's US Cellular Field to help the White Sox defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-8 in an interleague game on Monday. +2,Nero Acquires Tanzer Business ,AP - Alan Nero is acquiring the company of fellow baseball agent Tommy Tanzer in the latest consolidation in the industry. +2,Police conduct internal probe into student death,"The family of a college student killed by a police officer outside Fenway Park will await the results of an internal police investigation before deciding whether to sue the department, the family's lawyer said Monday." +4,Beijing Calls Off Controversial Deal with Microsoft," quot;Procurement departments in some provinces and municipalities, regardless of national interests and information security, bought a lot of foreign software and did not procure, or procured only a little domestic software, quot; Li Wuqiang, deputy director of " +4,Gates expands on Microsoft's IT management vision,Microsoft Corp. is set to provide more details on Tuesday of its vision to simplify IT management and to announce the first public beta of its Windows Update Services (WUS) patch management product. +4,A Bridge Suspended in Controversy,"When an earthquake knocked down a section of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, engineers vowed to make a stronger span. But years later, that plan is still mired in controversy. Part 2 of 2. By Amit Asaravala." +4,Tired of spyware? Try another browser,"During a recent six-week period, I conducted a small spyware experiment on my Windows computer. I kept track of days I opened Microsoft Internet Explorer." +3,"Talks Resume Between US Airways, Pilots","ARLINGTON, Va. Aug. 30, 2004 - Talks between US Airways Group Inc. and the union representing pilots have resumed, the Air Line Pilots Association said Monday." +3,China to Move Toward Flexible Currency,"WASHINGTON Oct. 1, 2004 - The Bush administration, struggling to show progress in attacking this country's soaring trade deficits, won a commitment Friday from China that it would move quot;firmly and steadily quot; to a flexible, market-based currency." +3,Edwards sees valve trial delayed,Medical device company says FDA not likely to greenlight a clinical trial of heart implant in 2004. CHICAGO (Reuters) - Edwards Lifesciences Corp. +4,Russia Plans Space Station Launch on Oct. 11 (Reuters),"Reuters - Russia will launch a three-man crew to\the International Space Station on Oct. 11, two days later than\initially scheduled due to problems with the docking system,\Itar-Tass news agency reported on Wednesday." +4,"Music Sites Ask, Why Buy If You Can Rent? ","ong before Sir Richard Branson dreamed of becoming the latest billionaire with a reality TV show, before he started his cellphone company, his airline and his record label, he sold music from " +1,EU ponders sugar industry reforms,EU agriculture ministers are to discuss urgent reforms to Europe's heavily subsidised sugar industry. +1,"Howard sends envoy, bomb experts",Australian Prime Minister John Howard is sending bomb experts to Jakarta with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer Thursday night. That follows a powerful blast near the Australian +4,Sun plans patent protection for open-source Solaris,Plans to provide umbrella from patent-infringement suits to outsiders using or developing the OS--a move to counter Linux.\ +4,Group plans repeat of Kon-Tiki voyage,"OSLO: Nearly 60 years after Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl and five others crossed the Pacific on their Kon-Tiki raft, six men will attempt to redo the feat next year, the head of the expedition said on Monday." +3,Chain Store Sales Rise in the Oct 9 Week," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store sales fell in the first week of October as increased customer traffic in malls failed to translate into bigger purchases, a report said on Tuesday." +4,AMD introduces new chip for notebook computers,"US chipmaker AMD on Monday introduced a faster mobile chip, Athlon 64 processor 3000, for thin and light notebook computers. The new chip enables a powerful 32-bit computing " +2,Cards' Kline Could Return in Postseason ,"AP - Ailing St. Louis reliever Steve Kline was unavailable for Game 3 of the NL championship series on Saturday, but Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa hopes the left-hander will pitch later this postseason." +1,"Iran, EU trio to hold further talks on nuclear issue",Iran has not accepted a proposal of the European Union (EU) to trade nuclear technology with its uranium enrichment program. quot;It is just at the initial stage. +4,"MPAA targets core BitTorrent, eDonkey users","com December 14, 2004, 11:46 AM PT. The Motion Picture Association of America launched a new legal campaign Tuesday targeting the BitTorrent and eDonkey file-swapping networks, two technologies widely used to trade movies online." +4,Krispy Kreme Doughnut Reward Plan Raises Concerns,Krispy Kreme has offered to reward students with a doughnut for every A on their report card - up to six per grading period - sparking concern among school officials trying to fight childhood obesity. +4,More Surfers Ditch Internet Explorer,Microsoft's browser continues to lose market share as more users switch to Mozilla. +1,"Two Polish Soldiers Dead, Five Injured in Iraq -PAP (Reuters)","Reuters - Two Polish soldiers were killed and five\injured in a road accident in Hilla after their patrol was\fired on near their Babylon base in southern Iraq, Polish news\agency PAP said on Thursday, citing a military spokesman." +2,BU Bests Michigan,"Chaz Carr scores 14 of his game-high 16 points in the second half and BU hands Michigan its first home loss of the season, 63-52." +4,"Nerd party needed to replace 'left-wing' Democrats, says area man",<strong>Election 2004</strong> Point and click +4,Cingular Wireless Makes Phone for Vision-Impaired,"By BRUCE MEYERSON NEW YORK -- A new cellular application promises to help vision-impaired people who can't read the screen of a mobile phone. It responds to spoken commands with voice recognition technology and reads back menu options, text messages, and other information to the user..." +1,Australian foreign minister ends productive North Korea talks,"Australia's foreign minister, Alexander Downer, has wrapped up talks in North Korea on the stand-off over the country's efforts to develop nuclear weapons. " +1,PLANE BOMB ALERT NO3,the third in a week. BA flight 983 had just left Berlin for London when the quot;specific threat quot; is believed to have been made through a German TV station. +4,Yahoo Buys E-Mail Startup To Battle Google,Yahoo! has purchased a privately held e-mail software company that develops software technology that allows users to quickly search through mails and attachments. +2,Ramsey Settles In,"Redskins quarterback Patrick Ramsey, for the first time since preseason, will spend time working with the first-team offense." +3,Stocks Edge Higher on Retail Report,Stocks rose steadily in late trading Friday as Wall Street welcomed a new retail sales report that showed an increase in consumer spending. +3,Citigroup to Pay $250K Fine on Fund Sales," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The NASD on Monday censured Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and fined it $250,000 for distributing misleading sales material on hedge funds, the latest regulatory mishap for the world's largest financial services company." +4,Cingular/AT T Wireless: Now for Integration (NewsFactor),NewsFactor - The US 41 billion merger of Cingular Wireless and AT T Wireless Services (NYSE: AWE) is the largest so far in the U.S. wireless telecom industry. +4,Gamers Get a Look at PlayStation Portable,Sony's upcoming gaming device earns mostly positive reviews from the crowd. +1,Labour's anti-terror pledge,Home Secretary David Blunkett has signalled that a third term Labour government would impose sweeping new anti-terror laws amid fears of an al Qaida attack on Britain. +3,Bank CEO to explain actions in re,"Bank of America honcho Kenneth Lewis arrives in Boston today to try to put out fires blazing on multiple fronts due to recent controversial employment moves by his Charlotte, NC-based bank." +2,"Rick Hendrick grieves, and a racing community joins him","Richard Childress can empathize with at least some of the despair that fellow NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick is going through. Nearly four years ago, Dale Earnhardt was killed while driving for Childress in the Daytona 500." +4,Intel invests in McCaw's Clearwire,"The Santa Clara, Calif. semiconductor giant yesterday said it was investing an undisclosed amount in Clearwire, the Kirkland wireless Internet startup that McCaw introduced earlier this year." +1,Plan OK'd to cancel some Iraq debt,"BERLIN -- Germany and the United States have agreed on a proposal to write off as much as 80 percent of Iraq's debt, Germany's finance minister said yesterday, capping a months-long US push for debt forgiveness." +3,Abraham Leaving Energy Department,"Spencer Abraham joined the exodus from President Bush's Cabinet yesterday, submitting his resignation as energy secretary after four years of running a department that faced a series of high-profile challenges." +4,Voters Checking Out Other Sides Sites,Are right-leaning voters spending all their online time on Rushlimbaugh.com? Are left-leaning voters locked into the like-minded Talkingpointsmemo. +3,Eli Lilly Launches Online Clinical Trial Registry,"Drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it will make clinical trial information available online amid calls by lawmakers and physicians for more disclosure of negative trial results." +1,Ukraine's Unity Is Under Threat by Vote Impasse,"As many as 3,500 officials voted to seek autonomy if the opposition continues to seek the presidency for Viktor A. Yushchenko." +4,Microsoft offers flat-fee support option for NT 4.0 Server ,"DECEMBER 06, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Microsoft Corp. will offer custom support options on a flat-fee basis to users of Windows NT 4.0 Server and Exchange Server 5.5 when the standard support phases for those products end." +3,U.S. Oil Holds Above 46 on Supply Fears (Reuters),Reuters - U.S. oil prices held above 46 a\barrel on Tuesday on worries of a major supply disruption at a\time when producers are pumping at full tilt to meet strong\demand. +4,Gmail Users Soon Able to Check E-Mail Via Outlook, SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Web search leader Google Inc. said on Wednesday it will soon make it possible for users of its Gmail service to check their e-mail via Microsoft Outlook or on certain handheld devices such as mobile phones. +2,Results are in: They're not same old Lakers,"Jeffrey Osborne sang the national anthem before a Lakers home opener for the 22nd straight year, the sellout crowd cheered loudest in the pregame introductions for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers " +2,Jones faces ban and medal stripping after expos,"MARION Jones, once regarded as the world's finest woman athlete, could be banned despite never having failed a drugs test and be stripped of her Olympic gold medals." +1,"2 Americans, 1 Briton Kidnapped in Iraq","BAGHDAD, Iraq Sept. 16, 2004 - Gunmen kidnapped two Americans and a Briton Thursday from a house in an upscale Baghdad neighborhood where many foreign companies are based, the Interior Ministry and witnesses said." +4,Spyware Bills Win House Approval,"Two bills designed to curb the proliferation of Internet ""spyware"" took another step toward law this week, but they are racing against the clock as Congress prepares to disperse for the November elections. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +1,IAEA Agrees on Plan to Police Iran Nukes ,"AP - The U.N. nuclear agency agreed Monday on a plan for policing Iran's nuclear programs designed to avoid a showdown at the United Nations. But Iran's representative immediately raised questions about the wording of the pact, and the United States said it retained the right to take the case to the U.N. Security Council on its own." +4,Cassini-Huygens Set for Closest-Ever Flight Past Titan,"It's an encounter that everyone has been waiting for: on Tuesday, October 26, Cassini-Huygens will streak past Titan in the mission's first close encounter with Saturn's largest moon." +3,"AO Smith Lowers 3Q, Year Outlook","Electric motor maker AO Smith Corp. lowered its third-quarter and full-year earnings estimates Monday, citing increased costs for raw materials and freight." +1,Prospect of North Korean Missile Launch Alarming to Seoul,South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon said Thursday that intelligence indicating a possible launch of a North Korean ballistic missile is quot;very much alarming +2,"After playing stopper, UNH keeps going",The University of New Hampshire defense was under siege in the first half of last week's Division 1-AA playoff against high-octane Georgia Southern. +3,Brazil Jobless Falls to 7-Month Low," RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazil's unemployment rate fell in July for the third straight month to a seven-month low of 11.2 percent and wages rose, underscoring the strengthening economy, official data showed on Thursday." +4,"Longhorn to be Released in 2006, Sans WinFS","skillio writes quot;Everyone's favorite OS maven, Bill Gates, announced a release date for Longhorn on Friday. He confirms what many had suspected - Microsoft will attempt to complete this release in calendar year 2006." +1,"Derrida, father of deconstructionism, dies","number of false assumptions and that they have multiple meanings which even their author may not have understood. It is heralded as showing the multiple layers of meaning at work in language, but was described by critics as nihilistic." +3,Coca-Cola earnings dip 24 as sales lose fizz,"The Coca-Cola organisation yesterday blamed poor sales in the US and Europe, bad weather, new recycling laws and a lukewarm welcome for a new quot;mid-calorie quot; Coke as it issued a profit warning." +2,Highlights of the college football weekend,College football fans welcomed back the first full weekend of the season with plenty of excitement and storylines over a holiday weekend packed with action. +4,IBM Claims Top Spot in World's Fastest Supercomputer Listing,"International Business Machines Corp. has assembled the world's most powerful computer, unseating Japan's NEC Corp. after more than two years, according to an industry ranking." +4,IBM Adds Biometrics to ThinkPads (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - IBM (NYSE: IBM) has announced a new ThinkPad notebook line that will use biometrics for added security. Due for release on October 19th, certain models of the ThinkPad T42 will have embedded fingerprint readers that will allow users to sign on using fingerprints rather than passwords." +2,Zook never had a chance to fill Spurrier's shoes,"Not too long ago, a coach who was 2-0 against the Georgia Bulldogs would have been able to eat for free at any restaurant in Gainesville, Fla." +2,Jaguar Formula One team taken over by Red Bull beverage company,"Formula One team Jaguar will race next season after being taken over by beverage company Red Bull on Monday. Jaguar's parent company, Ford, said Sept." +4,"PalmOne Updates Treo Phone with Display, Battery (Reuters)","Reuters - PalmOne Inc. on Monday\unveiled a new version of its popular Treo that adds a\removable battery and short-range wireless technology to the\device, which combines a mobile phone and digital organizer." +3,Tyson Foods Posts Lower Earnings," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tyson Foods Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TSN.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TSN.N</A>, the largest U.S. meat producer, on Monday said quarterly earnings dropped by more than 50 percent in part to poor results in its beef segment." +3,Kodak eyes faster digital growth,Kodak enjoys a rise in profits thanks to strong sales of digital cameras but its traditional film business continues to struggle. +2,Understudy Takes Stage,A year has made quite a difference for Virginia defensive end Kwakou Robinson who has stepped into the void created by the absence of injured end Chris Canty. +3,"Windows Users Want Results, Not Ballmer Promises","ORLANDO, Fla.Windows users said actions speak louder than words when it comes to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's promise that Microsoft will fix the various security vulnerabilities in his company's computing platform." +4,Zafi computer virus shows up in quot;Happy Holidays quot; e-mail,"(National-NBC) Dec. 17, 2004 - The Christmas Grinch on the Internet this season is a new computer virus called quot;Zafi. quot;. Zafi pretends to be an e-mail with holiday greetings, according to the antivirus firm Symantec." +4,Serbs Darwinian battle,BELGRADE Serbia's education minister was ridiculed in cartoons and pelted with resignation demands on Thursday for ejecting Charles Darwin from school classrooms in favor of Old Testament quot;creationism. +1,Debate over Israeli army's role in school,A controversial new program will have lieutenant colonels interact with high school students. +3,You Can Pay for College (The Motley Fool),"The Motley Fool - Did you know that September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month? Well, it is. It's also National Head Lice Prevention Month. But perhaps of most interest to us financially minded Fools, it's College Savings Month -- so says the College Savings Plan Network (CSPN) of the National Association of State Treasurers." +2,Unbeaten Federer Marches Into Masters Semi-Finals," HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer downed Carlos Moya, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, Thursday to complete a dazzling unbeaten run through the round-robin stages into the semi-finals of the Masters Cup." +3,Chrysler Boss Sets Sights on Europe (Reuters),"Reuters - It has taken six years, but\Chrysler is betting it has improved the quality and style of\its cars to the point where it can win over twice as many\European motorists, its chief executive said." +2,India beats Germany in Champions Trophy field hockey,"India rallied to outscore Germany 3-1 for its first victory in the men's Champions Trophy field hockey tournament in Lahore, Pakistan on Tuesday." +1,Russian Plane Bombers Exploited Corruption,"A thousand rubles, or about $34, was enough to bribe an airline agent to put a Chechen woman on board one of the two flights that exploded in midair last month, killing all 90 people aboard." +4,New Lava Has Pushed Through to Surface of Mount St. Helens,Lava has appeared around the crater the first time since Mount St. Helens awoke three weeks ago with bursts of ash and steam. +2,"Gerrard Is The Key, Says Benitez",Rafa Benitez believes that the return to action of Steven Gerrard will give Liverpool the impetus they need as they prepare for the crunch Champions League trip to Monaco. +1,Multiple Fatalities in Train Crash Near London," UFTON NERVET, England (Reuters) - A British high-speed passenger train plowed into a car at a level crossing and flew off the rails on Saturday, killing a number of people and injuring scores of passengers." +4,Starbucks launches first of quot;music bars quot; for CD burning,Coffee shop giant Starbucks said it was launching the first of its quot;music bars quot; where customers can listen to digital recordings and burn their own CDs. +3,"Bank of America to Cut 4,500 Jobs","Bank of America said Thursday it will cut about 4,500 jobs, or about 2.5 percent of its work force, beginning this month as a result of its merger with FleetBoston Financial Corp." +3,Increased Sales Power Tool Company Profit," ATLANTA (Reuters) - Black Decker Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BDK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">BDK.N</A> on Wednesday reported a 51 percent increase in third-quarter profit, topping estimates, as sales and profit margins improved in power tools and home hardware." +2,NOVO PROMISES RANGERS REACTION,Striker Nacho Novo expects Rangers to respond in style to their UEFA Cup setback in Holland because of the prevailing quot;great spirit quot; in the squad. +4,Nokia 9500 Communicator receives Wi-Fi certification,The Nokia 9500 Communicator has been granted the IEEE 802-11b and WPA (Wireless Protected Access) certifications by the Wi-Fi Alliance. +4,Credit union beefs up database security,IPLocks will help Western Corporate Federal Credit Union meet government security requirements. +4,Blu-ray Disc Association Launches,"Today, more than 70 companies from the consumer electronics, information technology, media and software industries held the first official meeting of the Blu-ray Disc Association." +4,Dell and Microsoft improves patch management,Microsoft and Dell launched a new initiative program for their enterprise consumers that promise to be productive and cost efficient. +3,Philips Electronics Takes $750 Mln Charge," AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Philips Electronics said it will write off $753 million for its healthcare unit MedQuist, leaving analysts wondering if Philips will need to restate its earnings." +3,Slowdown in eurozone growth is only temporary: ECB ,"AFP - The slowdown in economic growth seen in the 12-country eurozone in the third quarter of this year is only ""temporary,"" the European Central Bank's chief economist Otmar Issing said in a newspaper interview." +4,Soyuz Capsule Lands on Kazakhstan Steppe,"American astronaut Mike Fincke, front , and Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Shargin, third, get off a plane at the Chkalovsky airport, just outside Moscow, Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, while heading to Moscow's Star City, the home-base of Russia's space program." +2,Army's allure has brought Ross back to sideline,"Retirement hasn't changed Bobby Ross much. He's waiting for the same pregame goose bumps he always felt in his years of coaching college and pro football. He's reverted to his old coaching habits and is relishing the time spent with his new players, starting at 5:45 a.m. and often putting in 16 or 17 hour days." +4,MIKE's MAILBAG,I've received lots of e-mail from readers who disagreed with my dissing of the combination laptop and Tablet PC I reviewed Tuesday (catch up online at www. +4,Sophos: Worm Spies on Innocent Computer Users,Sophos believes that the W32/Rbot-GR worm is evidence of a growing trend of more and more malware spying on innocent home computer owners and poorly-protected businesses. +2,=== One-hit wonders by Backe and Kent give Houston NLCS lead ===,Brandon Backe's arm and Jeff Kent's bat have gotten the Houston Astros within a game of where the franchise has never been before - the World Series. +2,Mexican officials announce Cancun will host Formula One race,"Formula One has signed a five-year agreement to hold a race in Cancun starting in 2006, joining NASCAR in heading south of the border." +4,World's largest ID theft felon faces 14 years' jail,Help desk technician pleads guilty to $50m scam +2,Gentlemanly competition has potential to get out of hand,"The Ryder Cup matches were founded in 1927, in part, to promote sportsmanship and civility, and those ideals have been predominant themes in the run-up to what " +3,Google Wins GEICO Trademark Suit over Keywords,"The decision left undecided whether the sale of GEICO's trademarks by Google or any other search engine, in and of itself, violates the trademark laws or other laws." +1,CBO Projects $442 Billion Federal Deficit,"WASHINGTON - The Congressional Budget Office is projecting that this election-year's federal deficit will reach $422 billion, congressional aides said Tuesday, the highest ever, yet a smaller shortfall than analysts predicted earlier this year. The figure, provided by aides who spoke on condition of anonymity, is sure to provide political fodder for both parties during the remaining two months of the presidential and congressional campaigns..." +2,Kindred: Forfeit request from Yankees ill conceived,"With an unparalleled history of success, vast resources, an exorbitant payroll and a smug, quick-tempered owner, the New York Yankees have long been a quot;love-hate quot; franchise." +1,Iranian Diplomat Freed By Iraqi Captors,"27 September 2004 -- An Iranian diplomat was freed by his captors in Iraq today after spending more than a month as a hostage. Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed that Faridoun Jahani, the Iranian consul in " +3,Can MSN music unseat iTunes?,"The software giant quietly raised the curtain for its MSN Music Web site, which offers song downloads for 99 cents. The store also has a home in Windows Media Player 10, which is slated to launch on Thursday." +2,Chelsea to sack Mutu - with Abramovich approval,"The Sun says Mutu, 25, has confessed to soccer chiefs he is a regular user and has been addicted to the drug since early this year." +4,The Geminid Meteor Shower,The 2004 Geminid meteor shower is underway. Midnight sky watchers this weekend sawbright meteors shooting out of the constellation Geminid--at least a few per hour. +3,Microsoft Steps Into the Ring,"For subscription services such as Napster and RealRhapsody, the entrance of Microsoft into its business space might have the same quot;Oh no!" +4,Napster Receives New Life As Public Company,"Call it the kitty's third life. Roxio Inc. (ROXI) bought the Napster brand name and feline logo at a bankruptcy auction two years ago and with the acquisition of another music service, pressplay, relaunched the once-renegade file-swapping pioneer as a legal music service last October." +2,Angels move 1 game ahead in AL West,Anaheim moved a game ahead of Oakland in the American League West race Wednesday night while New York moved within a victory of the AL East title. +2,McGrath keeps up the pressure,"New Zealand were clinging on for dear life at 149 for five as play came to a close at the Adelaide Oval on the fourth evening. Their main hope was rain, for the fifth-day forecast " +3,DR Horton Net Profit Jumps in 4Q,Home builder DR Horton Inc. said Wednesday that fourth-quarter net income surged 52 percent on improved results in all its markets. +4,Virgin launches new digital music service,Virgin Group announced on Monday that it has launched a new online music store that will offer music downloads for the regular price of $0. +1,US presses Syria to stabilize porous border with Iraq,"DAMASCUS, Syria-- The dire security conditions in Iraq have overshadowed many of the Bush administration's diplomatic priorities in Syria, prompting US officials to focus their efforts here on enlisting the government's help in stabilizing the country's eastern border with Iraq." +2,Australia v New Zealand- ICC Champions Trophy scoreboard," Cricket-New Zealand 198-9 v Australia - ICC Champions Trophy September 16, 2004 12:40:46 LONDON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - After being put into bat by Australia captain Ricky Ponting, New Zealand hit 198-9 in 50 overs in their Champions Trophy Pool A match " +2,SILVERSTONE BIG LOSS TO BRITISH DRIVERS - HERBERT,Johnny Herbert feels the next generation of British Formula One stars will miss out after their home grand prix was axed from the calendar. +4,Microsoft sees profits climb 11,"Microsoft, the world's largest maker of computer software, reports an 11 rise in quarterly profit but says sales may disappoint in the current period." +3,Wal-Mart Lowers August Sales Forecast,"BENTONVILLE, Ark. Aug. 23, 2004 - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's biggest retailer, lowered its sales forecast for August, citing Hurricane Charley's swipe across Florida and slower than expected back-to-school sales." +3,Molson sweetens Coors merger proposal with $381-million dividend,MONTREAL (CP) - Molson Inc. shares gained ground Friday after the brewer announced its shareholders will get a special premium if they agree to a proposed merger with Colorado beer maker Adolph Coors Co. +1,Howard seeks apology over Liverpool article,LONDON: The leader of Britain's main opposition party yesterday ordered a legislator to apologise for a magazine article that depicted the people of Liverpool as sentimental victims who nurse a quot;tribal grievance quot; against the rest of society. +2,BAR stops Davidson's Williams test,Motorsport.com. BAR test driver Anthony Davidson was due to try out for Williams at the beginning of December but BAR has put a stop to it. +2,Roddick to Open U.S. Davis Cup Bid Against Belarus," CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - U.S. world number two Andy Roddick will face Belarus' Vladimir Voltchkov in the opening singles tie of their Davis Cup semi-final Friday." +1,Iraq Assessments: Insurgents Not Giving Up ,"AP - The recapture of Fallujah has not broken the insurgents' will to fight and may not pay the big dividend U.S. planners had hoped #151; to improve security enough to hold national elections in Sunni Muslim areas of central Iraq, according to U.S. and Iraqi assessments." +4,Former cybersecurity czar: Code-checking tools needed,"DECEMBER 02, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - WASHINGTON -- Software vendors need automated tools that look for bugs in their code, but it may be a decade before many of those tools are mature and widely used, said the former director of cybersecurity for the US " +4,Google Buys Digital Mapping Company ,"AP - Google Inc. has bought digital map maker Keyhole Corp., extending the search engine leader's bid to fend off rivals with a toolbox that can catalog almost anything in the world." +2,BC wheels its way to Tire Bowl in N.C.,"After squandering the Big East title and a Bowl Championship Series bid to the Fiesta Bowl, Boston College yesterday settled for its next best option by accepting an invitation to the Continental Tire Bowl. Making their sixth consecutive bowl appearance, the Eagles will play North Carolina, a future Atlantic Coast Conference rival, in a 1 p.m. contest Dec. 30 at ..." +3,"Oil Fades Toward 47, Awaits U.S. Data (Reuters)",Reuters - Oil prices fell to seven-week lows\near 47 a barrel on Wednesday as traders braced for another\increase in U.S. oil and gas inventories. +3,Former Enron Executive Will Pay $1.49 Million,"Enron Corp.'s former director of investor relations has agreed to pay $1.49 million to settle fraud charges related to the bankrupt energy company, US securities regulators said on Wednesday." +3,Google shares set to hit market,"Restriction on sale of 39M shares to expire, but analysts expect supply will be quickly absorbed. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Web search leader Google Inc." +3,Gazprom Head Orders Creation of Gazpromneft Company,"Board chairman of the Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom , Alexei Miller, has signed an order to found the Gazpromneft company, the RIA-Novosti news agency reports." +3,Virgin wins most Indian flights,"Virgin Atlantic has won the largest share of 21 additional direct flights between the UK and India, gaining 10 to BA's seven and BMI's four." +4,DSL Leads the Broadband Boom,"DSL is leading a global boom in broadband Internet access. Over the 12 months that ended June 30, DSL subscribers grew to 78 million, while the number of subscribers using all types of broadband services surpassed 123 million, the DSL Forum says." +3,Game firm Eidos delays launch,Tomb Raider creator Eidos delays the launch of a new game in the run up to the all-important Christmas trading season. +4,Japan Fumes Over Whales as U.N. Meeting Winds Up (Reuters),Reuters - Japan was fuming over the failure of\its bid to expand trade in whale products and Africa swapped\blows over ivory Thursday as a U.N. meeting on trade in wild\plants and animals wrapped up. +3,SAP Reports 3rd Quarter Profit Rise,"SAP AG, the German business management software maker, reported a 15-percent jump in third-quarter net profit Thursday to euro291 million (US\$366 million), citing increased sales across the globe." +4,Bill Gates Inundated with Spam,"Steve Ballmer said he, too, is among the most spammed people in the world because he gives out his e-mail address in nearly every speech he makes." +3,"After failed attempts, One Beacon gets sold","One Beacon Street, one of Boston's earliest prominent office towers, was sold yesterday for about $340 million, the third time in two years a sale had been in the works for the 34-story building." +3,Brown Clashes With EU Ministers Over UK's Budget Rebate,"UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown sought to counter calls from Germany and the Netherlands to cut Britain's annual rebate from the European Union budget, saying current proposals " +1,Phelps to Forgo Final Race of Olympics,"ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps is done for the Olympics. Shortly after winning his fifth gold medal and seventh overall, Phelps told U.S..." +3,"Yes, Options Really Are an Expense",FASB stares down the tech lobby and mandates that employee stock options must be expensed. +2,4 suspended after NBA melee,"NBA Commissioner David Stern indefinitely suspended four players who took part in an ugly melee with fans, now regarded as one of the worst in sports history, in a Friday night game between the Indiana Pacers and the host Detroit Pistons." +1,Blast in Baghdad Rebel District Kills at Least 35,A huge blast tore through a crowded Baghdad market close to a police station on Tuesday and Reuters witnesses said at least 35 people were killed. +2,But seriously folks,"Being at home isn't what you think in the NFL. Heading into the weekend, 10 teams remain undefeated at home, but we're only talking two or three games. Let the season play out, but don't be surprised if that figure is less than what it was a year ago (four unbeatens at home)." +1,Bush Follows Debate With Attack on Kerry,"CLEVELAND - President Bush offered a sharp if familiar critique of his rivals on Wednesday, picking up where Dick Cheney left off in the vice presidential debate while defending the war in Iraq and their economic policies. Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards responded by calling the president ""completely out of touch with reality."" Bush assailed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry as he usually does in campaign appearances, accusing the Massachusetts senator of wavering in his support of the war on terrorism, favoring scores of tax increases, and sending mixed signals to allies and enemies..." +4,Skype Launches Free Wireless VoIP," quot;Skype is expanding the range of complementary platforms to provide consumers with choice and flexibility alongside the quality gains and cost-savings of modern calling, quot; says Skype CEO Niklas Zennstrm." +3,Court refuses to pass Halliburton settlement plan,"A federal judge in Dallas rejected a US$ 6 million settlement proposal on Friday in a securities class-action lawsuit against the Halliburton Co, expressing concern that it was neither fair nor adequate." +1,Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations,Israeli Occupation Forces have perpetrated more human rights violations against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. +1,Pakistanis Divided on President's Failure to Give Up Military Post,A new bill that would allow Pakistan's president to continue serving as head of the military is generating controversy across the country. +3,NBC's New Reality,"After years as champ, the peacock network is flagging. Can its boss glue the feathers back on?" +4,Canada hails Arctic Council's climate change document,"REYKJAVIK, Iceland - Canada's environment minister says people shouldn't underestimate the policy recommendations on climate change announced in Iceland Wednesday." +1,Zimbabwe Convicts Accused 'Mercenary' for Weapons," HARARE (Reuters) - A Zimbabwe court Friday convicted a British man accused of leading a coup plot against the government of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea on weapons charges, but acquitted most of the 69 other men held with him." +4,Sony Vaio Pocket VGF-AP1L digital music player,<strong><cite>Reg</cite> review</strong> Does colour screen touch-sensitive control pad = iPod killer? +4,IE Gets Spanked By Firefox,"Microsoft continues to take its browser dominance for granted, and it's starting to get spanked as a result. The market share of Internet Explorer has been slipping since June, and the latest figures show that the decline continues." +4,System X drops back,"p2pnet.net News:- Last november, Virginia Tech's Mac-based System X was ranked as the third-fastest computer on the planet. The rebuilt Mac has since, quot;squeezed out a few more teraflops, but it probably won " +1,Dignitaries Expected at Arafat's Funeral ,"AP - The following dignitaries are expected at Yasser Arafat's funeral in Cairo on Friday, according to Palestinian planners and other officials." +4,Cassini spacecraft images of Saturn's moon befuddling,"After staying up much of the night analyzing the first close-up images of Titan's smog-shrouded surface, groggy scientists acknowledged yesterday that they were befuddled " +1,Iran Rules Out Complete Nuclear Dismantling," BEIJING (Reuters) - Iran will never be prepared to dismantle its nuclear program entirely but remains committed to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), its chief delegate to the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Wednesday." +1,Accused Air India bomber is a victim of lies: defense lawyers ,"AFP - A key prosecution witness is lying when he implicated one of the Sikh men charged with the mid-air bombing of an Air India plane that killed 329 people in 1985, the defense team argued in the closing arguments of the case." +3,Group to lobby Ford over Jaguar,Jaguar workers will lobby Ford bosses at the Paris Motor Show over the threatened closure of the Browns Lane plant. +1,Al-Qaida spending little on terror attacks: Report,"The Al-Qaida terror network spent less than 44,600 on each of its major attacks except the September 11 suicide hijackings and one of its hallmarks is using readily-available items like mobile phones and knives as weapons, a new United Nations report " +3,2 French firms agree on aeronautics merger,"PARIS Snecma, a state-run maker of airplane engines, and Sagem, a maker of mobile phones and defense electronics, said Friday that they had agreed to merge in a transaction that would create a company worth about 7." +4,Bay Bridge Paving Flaw a Puzzler,"Maryland officials said yesterday that they are baffled about why a special type of concrete used on other bridge projects failed on a recently repaved section of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, a problem that could cost $7 million to fix and promises to delay traffic for months." +2,Milwaukee Brewers Team Report - September 16,"(Sports Network) - The Brewers will try to keep Barry Bonds from getting his 700th homer today, when they close out their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants." +3,Dollar Firm After Upbeat U.S. Data (Reuters),"Reuters - The dollar held firm against the yen and\the euro on Thursday on upbeat U.S. manufacturing data, but\many traders expected range-bound trading ahead of next week's\Federal Reserve meeting." +1,House Leadership Blocks Vote on Intelligence Bill,A core of highly conservative Republicans aligned with the Pentagon moved to block a vote on a bill that would have enacted the recommendations of the 9/11 panel. +2,England defender Neville out for up to a month,Manchester United defender Gary Neville is likely to miss England's World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Azerbaijan next month after being sidelined for up to four weeks with a knee fracture. +4,Intel aims for Microsoft's Linux jugular,"CHIP GIANT Intel is making a concerted attempt to push the Linux OS in China and India, countries with citizens numbering over two billion." +4,Why does Asia get all the cool stuff first?,Also: Congress OKs private spaceflight bill. News.com Extra +1,"Cheney Got Flu Shot, Aides Say, Citing Heart Issue (Reuters)","Reuters - Vice President Dick Cheney has\received a flu shot, aides said on Wednesday, citing his\history of heart disease as a reason to qualify for a shot\during a national shortage." +4,Firefox 1.0 Available Today,Firefox 1.0 Available Today\\Firefox 1.0 (Preview Release) is now available. If you've never tried this wonderful browser it's MORE THAN worthy of your attention. What's new in this release?\\- Improved pop-up blocker: new pop-up blocker blocks even more pop-ups while making it easy to view pop-ups when necessary.\\- Security improvements: ... +3,Japanese Internet Co. Acquires Daiei Hawks,"Japanese Internet service provider Softbank Corp. agreed Tuesday to pay troubled retailer Daiei Inc. 5 billion yen (US\$48.5 million; euro36.61 million) for its baseball team, the Daiei Hawks, becoming the " +3,U.S. Factory Growth Eases (Reuters),"Reuters - Expansion in the U.S. factory sector\slowed in August as higher costs for energy and raw materials\squeezed manufacturers, a report showed on Wednesday, but\analysts said growth remained relatively robust." +1,Rough weather hampers bid to rescue disabled Canadian submarine,British ships battled through rough weather on Wednesday to reach a Canadian navy submarine with 57 crewmembers on board that was drifting in the Atlantic after an electrical fire that officials said was more severe than originally thought. +2,NCAA Game Summary - Utah at New Mexico,"Albuquerque, NM (Sports Network) - Alex Smith passed for 167 yards and ran for a pair of touchdowns, leading No. 14 Utah to a 28-7 victory over New Mexico in a Mountain West Conference matchup." +2,Roy Keane charged with assault,"Manchester United captain Roy Keane has been charged with assault and criminal damage for a fight on September 4, police say. The Ireland international is due to appear before Trafford Magistrates " +4,Phone makers team on mobile TV plans,"Several major phone manufacturers have teamed up with the Open Mobile Alliance to develop a standard for mobile broadcast. Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Siemens and Sony " +4,Microsoft to charge for Hotmail-Outlook link,"Microsoft Corp. on Monday will start charging for a Hotmail feature that allows users of the Web-based e-mail service to access their e-mail using the Outlook e-mail client.<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p><p><img src=""http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/idg.us.ifw.general/sbcspotrssfeed;sz=1x1;ord=200301151450?"" width=""1"" height=""1"" border=""0""/><a href=""http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;9228975;9651165;a?http://www.infoworld.com/spotlights/sbc/main.html?lpid0103035400730000idlp"">SBC Case Study: Crate Barrel</a><br/>What sold them on improving their network? A system that could cut management costs from the get-go. Find out more.</p>" +1,Bangladesh Awakes in Shock as Blast Toll Hits 16 (Reuters),"Reuters - Extra armed police patrolled the streets\of the Bangladeshi capital and traffic was light on Sunday, a\working day, as shocked Bangladeshis woke up to the aftermath\of grenade blasts that killed at least 16 people." +1,Musharraf takes Blair into confidence,LONDON: President General Pervez Musharraf has succeeded in persuading British Prime Minister Tony Blair about the severity of Kashmir and Palestine disputes. +1,China Mulls Measures After Textile Quotas Scrapped,"China will consider adopting measures to protect its interests and those of its trading partners once global textile quotas are scrapped at the end of this month, a government spokesman said on Friday." +2,Sun blaze Magic 121-100,"BEIJING, Dec. 14 -- The Phoenix Suns continued to blaze brightly as they beat Orlando Magic 121-100 and kept their leading position at the NBA." +4,Airespace partners with IBM on Wi-Fi service,"SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 (REUTERS) - Airespace Inc. a Silicon Valley telecommunications services start-up, won a partnership with IBM that will help Airespace grab a piece of the growing market for Wi-Fi services, the two companies said yesterday." +3,Cendant Near Deal to Buy Orbitz," PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Travel and real estate heavyweight Cendant Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">CD.N</A> is nearing a deal to buy online travel site Orbitz Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORBZ.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ORBZ.O</A>, which is controlled by the top five U.S. airlines, for about $1.2 billion in cash, a source close to the talks said on Tuesday." +3,Japan's Nikkei Hits a One-Month Low," TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei hit a one-month low on Wednesday as investors sold a broad range of shares, extending losses from the day before when poor Japanese industrial output data put a damper on the economy's outlook." +2,Dixon ninth overall in IRL,"Dixon finishes ninth overall in the championship with a second placing his best result of the season. He now takes a break, with a fair amount of testing lined up over our summer." +3,"Investment needed to keep oil flowing, analysts suggest","The spike in oil prices in recent months is stoking heated arguments between market players, who blame each other for the lack of production capacities that has been exposed by strong global demand." +1,German police detain 74 neo-Nazis,"Anti-Nazi groups held counter-demonstrations, some holding banners proclaiming quot;Neo-Nazis are a joke quot;. Hess was found hanged in his prison cell in the Spandau district of Berlin in 1987." +1,Ramirez OK After Fouling Ball Off Knee,The most satisfying images from the Boston Red Sox's latest win are the X-rays of Manny Ramirez's knee. The Boston slugger fouled a ball off his knee in the fourth inning of the Red Sox's 5-3 home victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night... +1,Taliban target Cheney visit to Karzai ceremony,"The Taliban has said that it is aiming to disrupt the inaugaration ceremony of Afghanistan's new president, Hamid Karzai, which will be attended by Dick Cheney, the American vice-president, Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary." +4,Subscription-based licensing lacking corporate excitement,"A new study sponsored by Macrovision, the Software and Information Industry Association, and the Centralized Electronic Licensing User Group has found that there is a discrepancy between where software companies think software licensing is heading and " +4,PalmOne to make Microsoft WindowsMobile Treo?,"First that team wins that thing, now thisPalmOne (PalmSources biggest customer and maker of the Treo 650) appears it really might be planning to use Microsofts WindowsMobile OS in its Treo line of SmartPhones." +2,"Notebook: Vizquel, Giants agree to terms","Shortstop Omar Vizquel, a nine-time Gold Glove winner, has agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants. Vizquel has a $12.25 million, three " +4,Kazaa in Decline,"According to BayTSP, eDonkey/Overnet had an average of 2.54 million users per day in September while FastTrack had an average of 2.48 million." +1,Philippine Catholic leader Sin in stable condition after heart ,"MANILA: The Philippines most influential Roman Catholic leader, Cardinal Jaime Sin, is in stable condition but remains under intensive care after suffering a heart attack, his church says." +1,Activists Sue Over Calif. Forest Plan ,"AP - Environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday, claiming a six-year-old federal law aimed at preventing wildfires has degenerated into a backdoor effort to eventually increase logging across 340,000 acres of Sierra Nevada national forests." +3,Oil Rebounds After Iraq Pipeline Attack, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Friday as a sabotage attack on Iraqi oil infrastructure reignited concern about the reliability of crude exports from the country despite a peace deal to end an uprising in Najaf. +1,Europe rout US in record-busting Ryder Cup victory ,AFP - Europe pulled off a sensational Ryder Cup victory when they crushed the all-star American team by a record-breaking 18 1/2 to 9 1/2 points. +1,Sex case island picks woman mayor,Pitcairn Island selects its first woman mayor in its 214-year history after its former mayor - a convicted rapist - was sacked last week. +3,Argentina Rebuffs IMF Managing Director (Reuters),"Reuters - In a tense meeting\marred by violent street protests, Argentine President Nestor\Kirchner on Tuesday told the head of the IMF to ""not even\dream"" of Argentina setting aside more money to pay its\defaulted debt." +1,16 die in Venezuela plane crash,"A military plane crashed in the mountains near Caracas, killing all 16 persons on board, including two high-ranking military officers, officials said." +3,Verizon Wireless Expands High-Speed Data Network,"erizon Wireless said on Wednesday that it would expand its wireless high-speed data network into 14 additional cities, including New York and Los Angeles, starting on Monday." +3,Postponed quot;Cars quot; release puts Pixar ahead,Pixar has said its upcoming film quot;Cars quot; will be postponed from its planned November release to a June 2006 bow -- a move that could leave the company better +3,Refinancings soar 21 as rates slump,"Demand for new home loans and refinancings jump as interest rates slide amid weak economic reports. NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for US home loans rose last week while refinancings surged, as 30-year mortgage interest rates fell to their lowest ..." +1,"Few Factual Errors, but Truth at Times Got Stretched","President Bush and Sen. John F. Kerry made few major factual errors in their first debate, although on occasion they stretched the truth or left out inconvenient facts -- or may have confused viewers as they spoke in policy shorthand." +2,US team hits low point on first day,"BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. One day into the Ryder Cup, American captain Hal Sutton is already working on Plan C. Sidelining this year's Masters champion for this morning's round of four-ball " +4,Women in science get centre boost,"The UK opens a national centre for women scientists, engineers and technologists to combat under-representation in the field." +4,Plasma TVs Lead Gadget Price Declines in Sept. -NPD,"Falling prices in September for plasma televisions and digital cameras sparked the biggest monthly decline in US consumer electronics prices in five months, according to an industry study prepared for Reuters." +2,"To finish first, first be Finnish","Miracles don't happen in motor racing, but there is an exception to every rule. At the start of the 2004 season the McLaren-Mercedes was the joke of the paddock." +2,Soccer: Palace notches first League win,"Crystal Palace notched their first Premier League win of the soccer season with a 2-0 victory yesterday over London rivals Fulham, who played for all but the first six minutes with 10 men." +1,"For Fallujah Family, a Daring Escape","After hiding for days, 10 relatives flee U.S. assault across Euphrates River." +1,Hicks charged with war crimes,ACCUSED Australian Taliban fighter David Hicks was charged with war crimes by a US military tribunal today after meeting his father for the first time in five years. +1,US Firms Look Ahead To Emissions Cuts Overseas,"On Thursday, as news was leaking out that Russia was likely to ratify the Kyoto global warming treaty, a group of US business executives was discussing climate policy as they lunched on chicken and avocado sandwiches in Washington's St." +1,Venezuelan Prison Riot Kills at Least 30 ,"AP - Inmates armed with hand grenades and guns rioted at a western Venezuela prison, killing at least 30 fellow inmates before hundreds of national guardsmen restored order, authorities said Wednesday." +2,Breaking down the Big 12 North,Like wide-open races? You'll love the Big 12 North. Here's a quick morning line of the Big 12 North as it opens conference play this weekend. +4,Armies of Exigo marches into stores,"EA's latest RTS features combat on two levels; gamers can battle with elves, trolls, and beasts for $39.99. Electronic Arts today shipped its latest real-time strategy game, Armies of Exigo, to retail stores." +2,Carling Cup Wednesday Wrap: Big Guns Progress,"Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all made it through to the quarter finals of the Carling Cup on Wednesday night. First-half goals from Louis Saha and Kieron Richardson saw Manchester United to a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford." +4,Microsoft Order Pulled by Beijing Amid Focus on Local Products,Beijing's municipal government canceled an order for Microsoft Corp. computer software following official complaints that local governments aren't buying enough domestically-developed software. +3,Vivendi Net Loss Widens,"Vivendi Universal posted a near doubling in its first-half net loss to 1.86 billion euros ($2.28 billion) on Tuesday, hit by currency translation losses linked to its " +4,EDS/Vodafone switch on managed mobility service,"Vodafone and EDS have deployed a global managed service for ABN AMRO Bank of the Netherlands, based on RIM's BlackBerry mobile email clients." +1,Grenade deaths fuel violence,"SECURITY forces were on high alert yesterday after a weekend grenade attack on an opposition rally killed 19 people and wounded hundreds, triggering more violence across Bangladesh." +3,"Election Over, Eyes Turn to Rates"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - With the U.S. presidential election finally over, stock investors won't get much of a break next week as they face the next big obstacle -- higher interest rates." +3,European Stocks Rise as Oil Slips,"A sharp fall in oil prices boosted European stock markets and energy import-dependent Japan's yen on Thursday, but depressed government bonds as investors factored in a rosier economic outlook." +2,Gudjohnsen hat trick helps Chelsea to within two points of Arsenal,Eidur Gudjohnsen scored a hat trick Saturday to help Chelsea beat Blackburn 4-0 in the Premier League and close the gap to league-leading Arsenal to two points. +3,Study: About 27 of working families fall below poverty line,"More than a quarter of all working families in the United States, including 20 million children, are considered low-income or poor, an independent report said yesterday." +4,Pentium M 765 is fastest Centrino CPU,"Intel has added a high-end model to its range mobile processors. The Pentium M 765 is based on Intel's market-leading 90nm manufacturing process technology and features 2MB of integrated, power-managed Level 2 cache." +2,Park continues to set torrid pace,"PALM DESERT -- For the second consecutive day, Grace Park turned Bighorn Golf Club into her personal shooting gallery, bagging six more birdies during Friday's second round of the Samsung World Championship." +3,"Payless Sales Drop, President Exits"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Footwear chain Payless ShoeSource Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PSS.N</A> on Thursday posted worse-than-expected sales at stores open at least a year in August and said its president, Duane Cantrell, will step down effective immediately, sending its shares down 8 percent." +4,Policy Meets Reality in West as Cattle Tracking Is Tested,"Wide-open spaces, technological glitches and bitter cold all are potential obstacles to plans to track livestock and protect the food supply from disease and bioterrorism." +3,Wal-Mart Exec Tom Coughlin to Retire,Wal-Mart Stores Incorporate vice chairman Tom Coughlin is retiring from the Bentonville-based retailer. Coughlin's responsibilities include overseeing Wal-Mart and Sam's Club warehouse stores. +1,What's behind Israeli construction permits?,"Timing of new building in West Bank linked to political survival instincts of Ariel Sharon. In a move that caught both the international community and the Bush administration by surprise, the government of Israel Tuesdayissued contract proposals for 1,001 ..." +3,The Week's Business: Putting Black behind bars or recovering money ,"Even in the context of current outrage against corporate malfeasance, the tone of a report released this week detailing financial self-dealing by Conrad Black and his top lieutenant at Hollinger International Inc." +3,TiVo puts a brave face on subscription numbers,Digital video recorder pioneer TiVo sent mixed signals Thursday about the progress of its ambitious effort to win new subscribers and become profitable. +1,Clean houses 'may trigger asthma',"Parents who keep a clean house may unwittingly be developing asthma in their children, research suggests." +3,US Airways: More Turbulence Ahead?,"Attempting to ward off a second bankruptcy filing, management and pilots of US Airways (Nasdaq: UAIR) took discussions of concessions that might keep the airline afloat through this past weekend." +3,"Corning to take nearly $3 billion in charges, cites gloomy telecom ","CORNING, NY -- Corning Inc. will take non-cash charges of as much as $2.9 billion against third-quarter results as the company's telecommunications unit continues to struggle with industry sluggishness." +2,IOC opens investigation into allegations against Jones,LONDON (Ticker) - The International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday it has begun its investigation of doping allegations against American gold medal-winning sprinter Marion Jones. +2,Moss to Miss First Game of N.F.L. Career,Minnesota Vikings receiver Randy Moss will sit out Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts with a strained right hamstring. +1,Upper Midwest Crucial to Kerry's Hopes,"LA CROSSE, Wis. - In 2000, political pundits summed up the race in three words: Florida, Florida, Florida..." +4,Witness against Sharman switched sides,"One of the witnesses against Sharman Networks had at one time offered to be an expert witness for the company in the civil trial now taking place in Australia, according to Sharman's attorney." +4,Adobe aims at workgroups with Acrobat 7,"Adobe Systems Inc. by the end of the year will release Version 7.0 of its Acrobat products, including a new free Acrobat Reader that now includes reviewing capabilities, the company plans to announce Monday." +1,Militant group threatens to avenge Indian bandit Veerappans ,"NEW DELHI - A little-known militant group threatened to avenge the killing of Indias most dreaded bandit with a series of bomb blasts in southern India, New Delhi Television said Saturday." +3,European stock markets face rough water over new accounting ,"PARIS, Oct 17 - European stock markets could be heading for a patch of rough water with the introduction of new accounting standards, analysts are warning, saying that stock prices could be bounced around and initial public offerings held back." +4,"Virgin to Offer Space Flights (Even, Sort of, at Discount)","Sir Richard Branson, owner of the Virgin Group, announced on Monday that he would offer travelers the chance to go to the edge of space beginning in 2007, for $190,000 a ticket." +2,NHLPA Disputes Claims,"The NHLPA said on Thursday that its 24 percent salary rollback would produce a $275.5 million profit for teams as opposed to a $568.5 million loss, as stated by the NHL." +4,Intel Outlines WiMax Plans,"Upcoming chips will lead to relatively inexpensive hardware, company says." +4,Computer Associates to Acquire Netegrity ,"AP - Computer Associates International Inc. will acquire Netegrity Inc. in a 430 million cash deal that will merge the computer security software makers, the companies said Wednesday." +4,NASA Says Spaceport Should Withstand Ivan,"By MARCIA DUNN CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's hurricane-damaged spaceport should be able to withstand the wind and rain from Ivan if the storm stays well to the west, the Kennedy Space Center's director said Saturday..." +3,Guest Column Addressing Global Imbalances is Within the Realm of ,"THE global economy is slowly recovering, and with it hopes for a sustained period of economic growth in all regions. South Africa's economic future is tied to that of the rest of the world and for this reason " +3,FCC Approves Cingular's AT T Wireless Bid," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday it has conditionally approved Cingular Wireless' $41 billion acquisition of AT T Wireless Services Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AWE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">AWE.N</A>, clearing the last big hurdle for the deal." +4,Freescale announces dual-core PowerPC processor,"Manufactured with a 90-nanometer process, Freescale's MPC8641D processor has two PowerPC e600 processor cores that run at clock speeds faster than 1.5 GHz and are connected by a high-speed interface." +4,"AGs, artists urge top court to hear P2P case","com November 8, 2004, 5:08 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients." +2,Vinnie firms as storm strikes Flemington,IRISH stayer Vinnie Roe firmed from $6 to $5.50 for this afternoon's Melbourne Cup as a storm reached Flemington bringing strong winds and rain. +2,Edwards goes from worst to first at Bristol,"Bristol, TN (Sports Network) - Carl Edwards elected to go to the back of the field after spinning during qualifying, but it didn't hurt his chances of victory as he drove all the way to the front and captured Wednesday night's O Reilly 200 Craftsman Truck " +4,Free Online Legal Service Launched ,AP - A nonprofit that helps the poor with legal services launched a free Web site Friday to help people navigate the state and federal courts in California. +3,"Construction, Industrial Data Give Mixed Signals","Construction spending surged in August to the highest level on record, while manufacturing grew at a slower pace in September, offering mixed signals about the economy's strength." +2,Koukalova among opening-round winners in China,"Guangzhou, China (Sports Network) - Eighth-seeded Klara Koukalova was one of three first-round winners Monday at the inaugural Guangzhou International Women's Open tennis tournament." +3,VORNADO MAKES BUNDLE ON SEARS,"The real-estate investment trust recently bought an options position that equaled 4.3 percent of Sears, Roebuck shares - and announced that it had done so even though it wasn't required by law." +1,Lindh's killer has jail term confirmed,The confessed killer of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has had his life jail sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court after he appealed for leniency saying he was mentally ill when he stabbed her. +3,"Maxim Plunges, Colgate Slips in Pre-Trade"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Maxim Pharmaceuticals Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MAXM.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MAXM.O</A> shares plunged nearly 60 percent on Monday after the company said its experimental liver cancer drug failed to show an improvement in patient survival rates during a clinical trial." +3,Business ; Chinese Inflation Drops Sharply,"Business News, BEIJING, China's annual inflation rate dropped sharply in November, providing further evidence that steps to cool the economy are working and reducing the chances in the near term of a fresh rise in interest rates." +1,Indonesian Former General Sworn in as President," JAKARTA (Reuters) - Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took office as Indonesia's first directly elected leader on Wednesday after sweeping to power by vowing faster job growth, a war on corruption and tough punishment for terrorists. A solemn-looking Yudhoyono was sworn in at parliament in front of the very legislators many expect will challenge the big popular mandate he won in Indonesia's historic democratic presidential ballot last month." +1,"Bomb Attacks Target UK, US Interests in Turkey","ANKARA, Turkey -- Four bombs went off in front of British and US interests in Turkey late Tuesday (28 September), causing damage but no casualties." +1,"Quit or be toppled, bin Laden tells Saudi elite","Saudi riot police chased anti-royalist demonstrators through Jeddah yesterday and arrested more than a dozen as a tape recording, purportedly by Osama bin Laden, called " +4,I.B.M.'s 3rd-Quarter Profit Beats Analysts' Predictions,I.B.M. delivered a solid quarterly performance that pointed to modest if uneven improvement in the corporate technology sector. +4,Microsoft's Ballmer Warns Asia of Linux Lawsuits, SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. Chief Operating Officer Steve Ballmer on Thursday warned Asian governments that they could face intellectual rights-infringement lawsuits for using rival open-source operating platforms such as Linux. +3,Thoughts on Tysabri's Approval,"For those that missed it last night, Biogen Idec (BIIB:Nasdaq - news - research) and Elan Pharmaceuticals (ELN:NYSE ADR - news - research) received FDA approval for their new multiple sclerosis drug, now called Tysabri (formerly known as Antegren." +3,"Aerospace firms sales, jobs climb",The aerospace industry bounced back this year with record sales and the first upswing in employment in five years as a result of quot;robust quot; defense +2,Real Madrid faces AS Roma in the most important game of the ,Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos called Wednesday's do-or-die Champions League match against AS Roma quot;the most important game of the season. +3,EU-US Plane Fight May Find Peaceful Deal," GENEVA (Reuters) - Washington and Brussels may have gone for their guns in a fight over plane subsidies, firing off huge tit-for-tat cases at the World Trade Organization (WTO), but analysts say a peaceful deal may yet be done." +2,IPC President Upbeat About Athens Paralympics,"Phil Craven, head of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) told a press conference he was very upbeat about the Games." +1,"Florida Panhandle Braces for Latest Storm, Hurricane Ivan",Residents boarded up windows and stocked food as deadly Hurricane Ivan appeared to be heading in their direction. +3,Dollar bounces off low against the euro after ECB complaints,The dollar bounced back from a new all-time low against the euro after stern comments from European Central Bank president Jean-claude Trichet about the greenback's slide. +3,Gazprom gets go-ahead for Yukos,"Russian gas monopoly Gazprom gets government approval to make a bid for Yugansk, the main production arm of stricken oil firm Yukos." +3,Regulators Question Fannie Mae Accounting,"Description: Fannie Mae, the nation's largest source of financing for home mortgages, faces accusations of pervasive accounting problems." +1,Victims of Bali Bombings Remembered ,AP - Relatives of the 202 people killed in the Bali terror attacks marked the second anniversary of the bombings Tuesday with a moment of silence and a defiant vow to defeat the Islamic militants behind the blasts. +3,Sprint and RadioShack enter deal to open wireless kiosks in malls,"RadioShack Corp. (NYSE: RSH), on Tuesday said it has entered into an agreement with Sprint Corp. (NYSE: FON) to open Sprint-branded wireless kiosks in malls nationwide." +2,NL Wrap: Cubs Maintain Wild-Card Lead with Win," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Derrek Lee's 10th-inning single scored Mark Grudzielanek with the winning run, clinching the red-hot Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the host New York Mets in the National League Friday." +4,Report: Symantec eyes $13B Veritas acquisition,"Symantec's reported interest in purchasing Veritas for $13 billion is in keeping with the company's expansion plans, analysts say." +4,Novell Posts 4th-Quarter Profit of $13M,Novell Inc. on Thursday said it swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit after the computer networking provider saw strong growth from its enterprise server business during the period. +4,Microsoft unveils simplified version of WindowsXP in Asia,World's leading software developer Microsoft has announced that it will promote its cheaper and simplified version of WindowsXP in Russia and soon launch a series of marketing +4,Samsung streams on Sprint with MM-A700,"Samsung's latest phone offers streaming video and audio, including from major old media companies, along with a megapixel camera. " +1,At Least 7 Dead in Russia School Siege,"BESLAN, Russia - At least seven people were killed and 310 others wounded Friday, reports said, after commandos stormed a school in southern Russia where hundreds had been held hostage for three days by Chechen rebels strapped with explosives. Troops killed five of the hostage-takers but 13 others escaped, the ITAR-Tass news agency said..." +2,"Kuznetsova, Petrova Advance at Wismilak","BALI, Indonesia - Svetlana Kuznetsova, fresh off her championship at the US Open, defeated Australian qualifier Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-4 Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Wismilak International." +1,2 held over Madrid train bombings,"Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- Police arrested two men on Friday in eastern Spain for alleged links to the Madrid train bombings last March, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman told CNN. " +1,"Bush, Kerry Clash Over Latest Jobs Report ","AP - President Bush hailed a slight decline in unemployment Friday as reason for his re-election, evidence the ""economy is strong and getting stronger."" Not so, said Sen. John Kerry, countering that the administration's term will end with a net loss of jobs." +1,Rocket hits central Baghdad,"A rocket has landed in a busy street in central Baghdad, killing at least one person and wounding several others, witnesses said. A loud boom echoed across the city as the rocket struck " +3,"Stocks Seen Higher, Ford Ups Forecast"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were set to open higher on Friday after Ford Motor Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=F.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">F.N</A> raised its earnings forecasts, while a $1 billion share buyback at Texas Instruments Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TXN.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TXN.N</A> could support technology stocks." +1,Israel Plans for Arafat Burial in Gaza,"Candles and flowers surround a portrait of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in front of the Percy Military Teaching hospital in Clamart outside Paris Saturday, Nov. 6, 2004." +2,Frances wrath lingers in Atlanta,"Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Tuesday night's game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves at Turner Field was postponed because of rain." +4,SpaceShipOne: A giant leap for high-tech vets?,"update MOJAVE, Calif.--A venture backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen got a jump Wednesday on rivals eyeing a $10 million prize for the first privately funded junkets into space and back." +4,Bagle back from the dead,"THE BAGLE worm is back from the dead with three new variants which are different enough to avoid some AV scanners. McAfee, Symantec and Sophos also reported intercepting many samples of the new worms and advised customers to update antivirus signatures." +4,Caution! New worm on the prowl,"NEW YORK: At least one new variant of a worm spread rapidly from Asia and Europe to US computers on Friday morning, filling up people's e-mail accounts, but otherwise causing little apparent damage." +2,Defeat of Panathinaikos would put Arsenal in comfort zone,Arsenal plan to shore up their defence for the visit of Panathinaikos knowing victory on Tuesday would go a long way to ensuring their qualification for the next stage of the Champions League. +3,"Retail sales slowed in September, reports say",The outlook for the holiday shopping season grew more uncertain yesterday as the nation's largest retailers reported that they had a fourth straight month of tepid sales in September. +2,United's Petke follows wife's lead,"DC United defender Mike Petke today will get to experience for the first time something very familiar to his wife. Petke will be playing in his first MLS Cup, an event Kim Petke attended " +3,Peoplesoft bounces back to profit,"Peoplesoft, the software maker that is the target of a hostile takeover bid from industry heavyweight Oracle, returns to profit in the third quarter." +2,RIJKAARD SALUTES RONALDINHO,Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard lavished praise on Ronaldinho after the Brazilian's brilliant late winner saw off the challenge of Champions League opponents AC Milan. +2,Goalie Gets Long Workout,Providence goaltender David Cacciola expected to face a lot of shots when the Friars visited Boston College on Saturday. But he did not expect about three games' worth. +1,ANC seeks to calm war of words,South Africa's ruling party tries to soothe the tempers of President Thabo Mbeki and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. +4,"""I Am David"" Film Puts Human Face on Refugee Crisis","Opening in the U.S. today, the movie <i>I Am David</i> depicts a Bulgarian refugee's struggle in post-World War II Europe. The film is being used by the UN to highlight the plight of current-day refugees." +4, quot;Hobbits quot; Found In Indonesia,"Exploding through the newsnets is the discovery of the remains of seven members of a tiny, previously unknown human species that survived until at least 13,000 years ago, and perhaps co-existed with modern humans right up to the present day. Adult Homo Florensiensis, nicknamed ""Hobbits"" by the dig workers who helped uncover the remains at the Liang Bua cave on the island of Flores in Indonesia, were about the size of a three-year-old modern human child, but had a brain one-third the size. Stone tools and pygmy elephant bones found at the site indicate that these ""Hobbits"" hunted co-operatively together in groups, meaning that they must have had language. ""The whole idea that you need a particular brain size to do anything intelligent is completely blown away by this find,"" commented Dr Henry Gee of Nature magazine to the BBC." +3,UPDATE 2-Forest says Alzheimer's drug fails to meet goal,"Forest Laboratories Inc. (FRX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said its experimental treatment for Alzheimer's disease failed to prove effective in a large clinical trial, sending its shares lower in after-hours trading." +1,Howard defiant as attacks mount,PRIME Minister John Howard conceded yesterday a fresh inquiry into the children overboard saga would find he had lied. +4,"At Last, a Microsoft Search Tool","Microsoft is planning to introduce its long-awaited Internet search engine on Thursday, a person knowledgeable about the announcement said." +4,France case over Yahoo drags on,"SAN JOSE, California Yahoo will likely have a tough time getting American courts to intervene in a dispute over the sale of Nazi memorabilia in France after a US appeals court ruling." +3,Packer's PBL signs deal to build complex on Macau,ELEANOR HALL: Australia's most famous punter is making a push into the fast growing and lucrative Asian gaming industry. Kerry Packer's media and casino company PBL has signed a joint venture deal with a leading +2,Cyclones Upset Cavs,"Curtis Stinson's three-pointer with 18.6 seconds remaining lifts Iowa State over the No. 19 Cavaliers, 81-79, on Monday, despite 40 points from Devin Smith." +2,Beltran and Pujols Playing Can You Top This? ,Houston Astros center fielder Carlos Beltran and St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols meet near the batting cage before every game of the National League Championship +2,"Nets 109, Hawks 88","Eric Williams scored 21 points and the New Jersey Nets shot a season-high 54.4 percent from the field in a 109-88 win over Atlanta on Saturday night, the Hawks ninth straight loss." +4,AOL Canada makes the leap into VoIP,AOL Canada Inc. will announce plans today to enter the burgeoning market for providing telephone service over the Internet. The on-line service company has beaten its US parent Time Warner Inc +2,Olympic Track Wrap: Holmes Ends Mutola's Dream,Briton Kelly Holmes extinguished training partner Maria Mutola's dream of consecutive Olympic titles Monday with an agonizingly close win in the women's 800 meters final. +3,Elan Corp. Reports Widening 3Q Loss,"Elan Corp. PLC, Ireland's largest pharmaceutical firm, reported widening third-quarter losses Thursday but predicted a return to profit in 2006." +3,"Hurricanes, typhoons to cost insurance industry up to US$ 50b","PARIS : After a nearly unbroken succession of hurricanes in the Caribbean and typhoons in Asia, the global insurance industry is doing its books, with US$ 50 billion in economic losses and US$ 20-US\$35 billion in insured losses expected so far." +1,Aide in Jakarta blast case admits link to key suspect,"JAKARTA, SEPTEMBER 17: Indonesian police have made their first arrest in the car bombing outside the Australian Embassy last week, detaining a man they said on Friday had helped their top suspect prepare the attack." +4,Feds Poison Prairie Dogs to Save Ferrets ,AP - The federal government will begin poisoning prairie dogs in southwestern South Dakota next week after reaching a deal with conservationists designed to protect the endangered black-footed ferret. +4,Google Blesses Blogger Users with AdSense Advertising,"Google Blesses Blogger Users with AdSense Advertising\\Blogger, having replaced the default Google powered AdSense ads with a search enhanced Blogger task bar, has recently announced that they will now make Google AdSense advertisements available to Blogger members and other personal blog owners via a new program. Biz Stone, a Google ..." +2,Top-Seed Spadea Advances at Millennium ,"AP - Top-seeded Vincent Spadea beat qualifier Hugo Armando 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 Friday night to reach the semifinals of the Millennium International Tennis Championships." +4,India's unmanned moon mission going smoothly: official,"India's unmanned moon mission -Chandrayan - is expected to take place in 2007-08 as it is progressing smoothly, the country's space agency chief G. Madhavan Nair said Sunday in New Delhi." +1,Japanese Cabinet Resigns Before Reshuffle,"TOKYO Sept. 27, 2004 - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reshuffled his Cabinet on Monday, in hopes of solidifying his power and boosting his ability to carry out reforms." +3,"Cisco Systems Earnings Rise, Stock Falls","Cisco Systems Inc., the biggest maker of equipment that directs data over the Internet, on Tuesday said quarterly earnings rose 29 percent on stronger demand for its networking gear." +3,"Toys quot;R quot; Us Posts 2Q Profit, Sales Fall","Toys quot;R quot; Us Inc. swung to a profit in the second quarter from a loss a year ago, buoyed by a reversal of $200 million in income tax reserves." +2,Patriots Make the Bills Pay and Win Their 18th Game in a Row,"Rashad Baker, a rookie defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, learned a hard lesson Sunday in his third NFL game: you can't give the New England Patriots a second chance." +4,Dell may sell AMD based servers - Dell CEO,Dell may begin to use AMD chips in some of its servers according to the company's Chief Executive Kevin Rollins. The revelation was made in conference call to analysts to discuss the company's Q3 earnings. +3,Strike Ends at VW Factory in Mexico,"Workers at Volkswagen's Mexico plant agreed to end a three-day-old strike Saturday and accept a pay package very close to the company's original offer, officials " +4,Scramjet breaks own speed record on final flight,"With a defiant streak across the sky, the fastest plane in the world broke its own speed record before plunging into the sea for the last time." +2,Barrichello well placed to end home-town jinx,Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello aimed to shake off a decade-long jinx after seizing pole position at his home Brazilian Grand Prix for the second year in a row. +3,Nortel Says 3rd-Qtr Revenue Will Fall From 2nd Qtr ,"Nortel Networks Corp., North America's largest telephone-equipment maker, said third-quarter revenue will fall from the second quarter's $2." +4,In Brief: Bowstreet unveils pre-packaged portal offerings,"Bowstreet this week launched its Enterprise Portal Solutions, a set of portal-based composite applications designed to bolster employee, partner, and customer productivity." +2,"When Edwards Needed Him the Most, Martin Was There","On offense, two of the Jets top three receivers - Wayne Chrebet and Santana Moss - had seemingly spent more time in the trainer's room than they had on the practice field." +2,"Chiefs Rolling Up Huge Chunks Of Points, Yards","_ Crowd the line of scrimmage to stop the Pro Bowl running back, and passes from the Pro Bowl quarterback will find the Pro Bowl tight end." +4,Linux Poised for Takeoff,"The market for Linux-based products, including servers, PCs and software, will reach $35 billion by 2008, according to a report from IDC." +2,Figure Skating: American in Paris outshines France's Joubert,"PARIS : US national champion Johnny Weir looks poised for his second win of the season when he lead the ISU Grand Prix figure skating event after the short program, as favourite Brian Joubert, the men's world silver medallist from France, struggled in " +1,Thatcher Called to Answer Investigators on Coup Plot Sept. 22,"Mark Thatcher, arrested in South Africa last month on suspicion of bankrolling a failed coup in Equatorial Guinea, has been summonsed to answer questions by investigators from the west African nation on Sept." +4,Scientific Method Man,Gordon Rugg cracked the 400-year-old mystery of the Voynich manuscript. Next up: everything from Alzheimer's to the origins of the universe. By Joseph D'Agnese from Wired magazine. +2,"U.S. Open: Hewitt Hits Top Gear, Mauresmo Storms On"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former champion Lleyton Hewitt bristled, battled and eventually blossomed as he took another step toward a second U.S. Open title with a second-round victory over Moroccan Hicham Arazi on Friday." +2,Tiger out of tourney line-up,"Changes over the past 11 months should also force golfers to deal with a bear of a course. But to the sure lament of golf fans, a once-promised Tiger will no longer be part of the show." +1,Bush Denounces Ads by Outside Groups,"CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush on Monday denounced campaign commercials aired by outside groups, including an ad that accuses John Kerry of lying about his combat record in Vietnam. ""That ad and every other ad"" run by such groups have no place in the campaign, Bush said when asked about the commercial sponsored by Swift Boat Veterans For Truth that has roiled the race for the White House..." +3,Talbots Profit Meets Lowered Forecast (Reuters),"Reuters - Clothing retailer Talbots Inc. (TLB.N)\on Wednesday posted a slight increase in quarterly profit,\meeting its lowered forecast, as it sold more merchandise at\full price and recorded a tax benefit." +1,"Turkey must reform courts, warns Barroso","Pressure mounted on Turkey yesterday to push ahead with far-ranging legal reforms, as the incoming European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, said that Ankara has not yet done enough to start talks on EU membership." +1,Zambia refugees face food cuts,"Over 100,000 refugees in Zambia will have their food rations cut by half due to lack of money, the UN says." +2,Agassi Headlines Fourth Day of U.S. Open, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Andre Agassi headlines day four of the U.S. Open Thursday as he seeks a place in the third round at his home grand slam. +3,Dollar Ignores Data and Tumbles," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar tumbled against the euro on Wednesday, as traders shrugged off the surge in U.S. consumer prices in October and focused more on the upcoming G20 finance minister's meeting in Berlin starting from Friday." +1,Britons die in Jordan bus crash,At least six Britons are believed to have died in a crash in Jordan near the ancient city of Petra. +4,Flying cars swoop to the rescue,"As motorways become more and more clogged up with traffic, a new generation of flying cars will be needed to ferry people along skyways." +3,News International to Move Printing Out of Wapping,"News International is to move printing operations out of Wapping, east London as part of plans to invest more than 600 million in new plants." +1,Iraqi judge dismisses case against Chalabi,"BAGHDAD -- A judge has dismissed counterfeiting charges against a senior political figure once considered a front-runner to become Iraq's leader, authorities said yesterday." +3,Icahn Offers Nearly 5 Bln for Mylan Labs (Reuters),"Reuters - Financier Carl Icahn on Friday\offered to buy the shares of generic drugmaker Mylan\Laboratories that he does not already own for 4.9\billion, or 20 a share, according to a government filing." +1,Fujimori on List Blocking Entry to U.S.,"Former President Alberto Fujimori is on a watch list barring his entry to the United States because of allegations of corruption during his decade-long authoritarian regime, a U.S. diplomatic official said." +1,House Race Turns Ugly in Colorado ,"AP - The race in Colorado's newest congressional district has turned ugly in the homestretch, with swastikas scrawled on the signs of Republican Rep. Bob Beauprez and deer entrails left on the doorstep of a Democrat." +2,Report: NHL to reject union proposal,"Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The National Hockey League will reject last week's National Hockey League Players Association proposal on Tuesday, according to The Sports Network of Canada." +3,Bill Gates charges forward into digital entertainment,"Today at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium, Microsoft's Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates laid out his vision of the future of multimedia." +4,From cell phone to sunflower,"Scientists said on Monday they have come up with a cell phone cover that will grow into a sunflower when thrown away. Materials company Pvaxx Research amp; Development, at " +1,Jeanne kills nearly 700 in Haiti,"Tropical Storm Jeanne claimed at least 556 lives in Haiti over the weekend.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo). HAVANA, Sept. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- With the death toll in Haiti by Tropical Storm Jeanne rising to nearly 700 " +3,"Stocks Sink, Dlr Steadies Above 103 Yen"," SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Fears of further dollar weakness sent shares in Asian exporters sharply lower on Monday, after a meeting of the Group of 20 rich and developing nations said nothing to arrest its fall." +1,Man breaks biscuit-eating record,A SINGAPOREAN man broke the world record for eating three cream crackers in the fastest time as part of a wacky competition involving attempts at breaking 10 Guinness World Records. +1,Iran's parliament refuses to approve tough nuclear inspections,TEHRAN: Iran's conservative-controlled parliament said it would not ratify a treaty allowing tougher UN nuclear inspections after the International Atomic Energy Agency passed a tough resolution against the Islamic republic. +1,Falluja Data Said to Pressure Guerrillas,Documents and computers found in Falluja are providing clues to the identity of home-grown opponents of the new Iraqi government. +1,Aziz Says Pakistan Wants Peace With India ,"AP - Insisting it was time for peace between Pakistan and India, Pakistan's prime minister said Wednesday that the two nuclear-armed rivals had the chance to ""prove the pundits of gloom and doom wrong.""" +3,"Airbus to Buy More Parts, Build Base in China, Official Says","Airbus SAS, the world's biggest aircraft maker, plans to source more parts for its planes from China and to set up an engineering base there, the head of the company's operations in the country said." +4,Solaris will be available for free,"At yesterday's official launch of the new Solaris 10 operating system in San Jose, Calif., Sun executives said Solaris will be issued next January under an quot;open-source quot; licensing plan similar to that used by the rival operating system Linux and the " +3,Robert Bruss: Six key questions to ask to become a superb realty ,"Whether you are a home buyer or seller, a quot;rookie quot; real estate agent dreaming of your first sale closing, or an quot;old pro quot; real estate investor or sales agent, we always " +2,Nowitzki Burns Wolves,"With Latrell Sprewell suspended and Don Nelson tossed two minutes into the game, Dirk Nowitzki becomes the story by scoring 34 points to lift the Mavs over the Wolves, 97-87." +2,Pole victory adds to Busch's edge,"If Kurt Busch wasn't already the man to beat for the Nextel Cup championship, he is now. Anyone expecting Busch or his Roush Racing team to crack under the pressure of the " +3,Defrauded investors may soon get some payback,WASHINGTON -- A federal initiative to repay investors who lost money because of corporate wrongdoing and other misdeeds has amassed $2.6 billion in just two years and has played a role in almost 100 cases settled by federal regulators. +3,Wal-Mart Will Allow Unions in China," BEIJING (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's biggest retailer, gave ground to Chinese pressure Tuesday and said it would allow its workers to set up a trade union." +2,Top-seed Bartoli upset,"LOCAL favourite Iroga Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan produced a major upset today, eliminating top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France 6-4 6-4 in the first round of the $US140,000 ($191,048) Tashkent Open tennis tournament." +1,Venezuelans Vote to Keep Chavez in Office,"CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted to keep President Hugo Chavez in office, dealing a crushing defeat to a splintered opposition and allowing the leftist leader to convert one of the biggest challenges of his presidency into an even broader mandate to carry on his ""revolution for the poor."" Stunned opposition leaders, who have fought for years to oust Chavez, claimed fraud after results announced Monday by election officials showed nearly 60 percent of voters had said ""no"" to the question of whether he should leave office immediately. But former President Jimmy Carter and the Organization of American States endorsed the results of Sunday's vote, which saw one of the biggest turnouts in Venezuela's history, and urged everybody to accept the outcome..." +1,Arafat's medical records show no poison ,"Medical files showed tests performed on Yasser Arafat's body found no evidence the Palestinian leader was poisoned. Arafat's medical records were released to his nephew, Nasser al-Kidwa, on Monday despite objections from Arafat's widow Suha." +2,Hearing to be held Friday in Oakland,The Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday filed a grievance to reverse the Angels decision to suspend outfielder Jose Guillen for the remainder of the season and the postseason. +1,Lawmakers request CIA's 9/11 report (Chicago Tribune),"Chicago Tribune - The ranking members of the House Intelligence Committee have asked the CIA to turn over an internal report on whether agency employees should be held accountable for intelligence failures leading up to the Sept. 11 attacks, congressional officials said Tuesday." +2,Georgias Pollack wins Lombardi Award,"The schools all-time leader in sacks with 33, the senior defensive end added something even more prestigious to his legacy Wednesday as he was named winner of the Lombardi Award by the Rotary Club of Houston." +2,Baer set to lead Notre Dame,"Interim Notre Dame football coach Kent Baer completed his team's third postseason practice Friday morning, and is only beginning to prepare for the Insight Bowl." +1,Radical Muslim cleric wanted in US to be charged in Britain ,"LONDON -- Britain will charge radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri with terrorism offenses, sources said yesterday, stalling US attempts to extradite him over a 1998 hostage-taking in Yemen and links to Al Qaeda." +1,Sex charges haunt UN forces,"In places like Congo and Kosovo, peacekeepers have been accused of abusing the people they're protecting." +4,FlexWiki: Microsoft's Third Open Software Project (Ziff Davis),Ziff Davis - Could problems with Microsoft's GotDotNet Workspaces be prompting Microsoft to release more code to SourceForge? +4,Congressional Republicans to Push Stem-Cell Issue (Reuters),"Reuters - California voters' approval of a 3\billion ballot measure this week to fund controversial\stem-cell research gives new life to a similar effort in the\U.S. Congress, moderate Republicans said on Thursday." +3,SEC Calls on Fannie to Restate Earnings, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday said Fannie Mae misapplied accounting principles and called on the mortgage finance company to restate earnings. +3,Challenge over Enron extradition,Three former bankers are due in court to face an extradition hearing in connection with the collapsed energy giant Enron. +1,Indian PM offers Kashmir new start as first troops pullout ,AFP - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered Kashmiris peace and prosperity as he pulled an army battalion out of the troubled state and held out hope of further troop cuts. +1,Violence Flares Across Sunni Areas,Violence flared across Sunni areas of Iraq on Saturday as insurgents attacked U.S.-backed forces near Baquba and fighting erupted in Ramadi. A U.S. soldier was killed in a roadside blast north of Baghdad and while 17 bodies were discovered in Mosul. +3,"Oil Holds at $55, Braced for Winter", LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held firm around $55 a barrel on Wednesday as traders braced for the start of the northern winter with thin heating oil supplies. +1,Spanish PM Wants to Testify at Train Bombs Probe (Reuters),Reuters - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis\Rodriguez Zapatero said on Monday he wanted to testify before a\parliamentary commission probing the March 11 train bombings --\an appearance likely to trigger a fierce political debate. +2,Manning outguns Favre,"Peyton Manning threw for 393 yards and five first-half touchdowns and the Indianapolis Colts beat the Green Bay Packers 45-31 in a wild, high-scoring game on Sunday." +1,"Iraqi Troops Raid Baghdad Mosque, 17 Detained"," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Hundreds of Iraqi troops backed by U.S. forces stormed a Sunni Muslim mosque in Baghdad after Friday prayers, killing four people and wounding at least nine, witnesses and an influential group of Sunni clerics said." +4,Intel finally cancels Digital TV screen project,"In another development in what is becoming a depressing year for Intel, the company has announced that it has finally abandoned plans to get into the digital TV screen business." +1,Berlusconi talks terrorism with Thai PM ,"AFP - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his Thai counterpart Thaksin Shinawatra held talks on international terrorism, the situation in Iraq and reform of the United Nations, his office said." +2,No. 23 Maryland Blows Away Duke 55-21 ,"AP - Joel Statham threw four touchdown passes to offset a host of mistakes Saturday, and No. 23 Maryland piled up 685 yards in total offense to beat winless Duke 55-21." +1,Ecuador judges' lock-in protest,Supreme Court judges in Ecuador lock themselves inside their offices in protest at a decision to sack them. +3,Consumer spending up,"According to Stuart Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Services Group, Consumer spending rebounded on the strength of rebate-induced auto sales." +4,"Altnet Fights Back, Sues RIAA",Peer-to-peer company accuses RIAA and its partners of infringing upon its patents. +1,Bush plays on isolationist sentiment in tight White House race with Kerry ,"AFP - To assure his reelection on November 2, President George W. Bush appears unhesitant about playing the isolationist card, belittling Democratic challenger John Kerry's commitment to greater cooperation with US allies." +1,Car bomber raids police convoy,BAGHDAD: A suicide car bomber attacked a police convoy in Baghdad yesterday as guerillas kept pressure on Iraq's security forces despite a bloody rout of insurgents in Fallujah. +3,Dollar Drops on Deficit Concerns," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell to new multi-month lows on Thursday as a deepening sense of gloom over bulging U.S. deficits outweighed better-than-expected economic data, analysts said." +2,Texas rises to No. 7 in latest BCS rankings,and not only on the political spectrum. Another November - another BCS college football quagmire looming. With the release +4,The IPod Economy,NEW YORK - By year's end a five-year-old company called PortalPlayer will begin selling its shares to the public. What's notable is that this company owes its success--even its existence--to the popularity of Apple Computer's iPod. +1,Caroline Kennedy tells Bush to stop invoking JFK ,"AFP - Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, daughter of the late Democratic president John Kennedy, urged Republican President George W. Bush not to invoke her father's name in his campaigning against Democratic rival John Kerry." +4,PeopleSoft Denies Execs Visited Oracle (Reuters),"Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc. on Tuesday\denied an analyst report that its executives recently met with\Oracle Corp. , the rival software vendor that last year\launched a hostile bid for PeopleSoft." +4,Schwab to Cut Most Online Trade Commissions by One-Third,The Charles Schwab Corporation said that it would reduce commissions on most online trades by a third as it strives to retain customers. +4,"Don't ditch that home phone for VOIP service just yet, experts ","NEW YORK -- AT amp;T Corp. expects to have one million voice-over-Internet customers by the end of next year, while cable TV giant Comcast Corp." +1,"Egypt FM, intelligence chief to visit Israel next month (AFP)",AFP - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit announced that he and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman intend to visit Israel next month to discuss bilateral issues as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. +3,Fidelity still fighting independent chair rule,"Fidelity Investments hasn't given up its opposition to a rule that requires the boards of mutual funds to have an independent chair, and the senior US senator from New Hampshire is backing that effort." +1,Jakarta blast: Manny's amazing recovery,"THREE weeks ago, photographs of an unconscious Elisabeth Musu bleeding from her wounds were flashed around the world. Yesterday afternoon, the survivor of last month's Jakarta bomb blast smiled for the camera " +3,Kellogg Quarterly Earnings Top Estimates,"Kellogg Co. (KN: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's largest cereal maker, on Monday reported a quarterly profit that exceeded Wall Street estimates and raised its full-year earnings " +1,Typhoon Tokage takes Tokyo,"TOKYO -- Officials say 63 people are dead and more than two dozen missing after Typhoon Tokage ripped across Japan. One resident of a small Japanese island said his mother was buried alive by a mudslide, telling " +3,Hundreds of Fleet layoffs expected,"Bank of America Corp. plans to lay off hundreds of tellers and other branch employees at Fleet banks today, asking them to leave the building immediately as part of the process, according to documents obtained by the Globe and Fleet branch managers told of the decision." +1,Pakistan forces battle on border,"An ongoing battle between Pakistani forces and suspected al Qaeda fighters Sunday in a tribal area near the border with Afghanistan has left six suspected terrorists and 12 Pakistani forces dead, two government officials told " +1,Troops Await Decision on US Back-Up Plea,British soldiers are waiting today to learn if they will be ordered to relieve US troops in Iraq. US military commanders have asked their British allies for help outside their normal areas of operation. +4,Scientist Vies for Human Cloning License ,"AP - One of the creators of Dolly the sheep, the world's first mammal cloned from an adult, said Tuesday he was seeking permission to create cloned human embryos for medical research." +4,Beagle team probes its own loss,The UK-led Beagle 2 team maintains its Mars lander was probably lost because of unexpected atmospheric conditions during entry. +4,"Shuttle Enterprise Takes Center Stage, at Last","Space shuttle Enterprise was born to be an astronautical bridesmaid, never a bride. Built in 1976 as one of the first trio of US shuttles, Enterprise never left " +4,Fossil Indicates Brown Bears Went South,"CALGARY, Alberta - A fossilized jaw found in an Alberta gravel pit may have cleared up a mystery for researchers wondering how brown bears originally made it across North America." +1,"One probe to cover fire, death of sub officer","FASLANE, SCOTLAND -- The Canadian military will conduct one all-encompassing inquiry into the deadly fire aboard HMCS Chicoutimi, rejecting an initial suggestion to separately examine the blaze and the subsequent death of a navy submariner." +1,Bush Shrugs Off Bad Polls on Iraq Outlook ,"AP - President Bush on Thursday shrugged off polls that suggest most Iraqis see Americans as occupiers not liberators. ""I saw a poll that said the right track-wrong track in Iraq was better than here in America,"" he told reporters." +2,Monkey chant fan to apologise to Yorke,A football fan yesterday admitted racially abusing Birmingham City footballer Dwight Yorke - and vowed to apologise personally to the striker. +2,"Owens, Lewis Face Off","After an offseason of verbal jousting when wide receiver Terrell Owens shunned the Ravens for the Eagles, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and Owens take it to the field on Friday." +1,Thousands in Russia Rally Against Terror,"MOSCOW - Waving flags and banners, tens of thousands of Russians demonstrated against terrorism Tuesday, massing outside the Kremlin in response to calls for solidarity by President Vladimir Putin's government after a series of deadly attacks that have killed more than 400 people. The growing crowd stood still for a moment of silence in memory of victims, starting the rally after a clock atop the Kremlin's Spassky Tower struck 5 p.m..." +4,Home PCs to get key Windows fix,PC owners will be able to download a major security update for Windows XP as from Wednesday. +1,Iraqi Militants Release Sudanese Hostage ,"AP - Iraqi militants have released a Sudanese man who was kidnapped last month while working as an interpreter for a U.S. contractor, Sudan's Foreign Ministry said Saturday." +1,Ontario government unveils list of junk foods to be banned in schools (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - The Ontario government is banning pop, potato chips and other calorie-laden junk foods from elementary school vending machines in a bid to improve the physical fitness of the province's schoolchildren." +4,Throwing money at technology (page 3),"Strategic conflicts, rampant confusion and election-year politics are slowing the war on terror." +3,Google advertising boom,"p2pnet.net News:- Posting its first results as a publicly held company, Google says its third-quarter earnings and revenues have more than doubled from a year ago, riding on an quot;online advertising boom that continues to gather steam, quot; says the Boston Globe " +3,Oil slides from record highs,Oil prices slid from record highs above $US50 a barrel Wednesday as the US government reported a surprise increase in crude stocks and rebels in Nigeria's oil-rich delta region agreed to a preliminary cease-fire. +3,UK Ad Firm WPP Wins Bid for U.S. Rival (Reuters),"Reuters - British advertising company WPP said on\Sunday it won an auction for U.S. rival Grey Global, with what\sources familiar with the matter said was a cash-and-stock deal\worth about 1.34 billion." +1,Cambodia abdication confirmed,"Cambodia's King Sihanouk ignores appeals for him not to abdicate, as attention focuses on the succession." +4,NASA Extends Mars Odyssey Orbiter Mission ,AP - NASA has extended the mission of the Mars Odyssey orbiter which has been studying and mapping the Red Planet since early 2002 as well as serving as a relay for data from the surface rovers Spirit and Opportunity. +3,"Wall St. shops, too?","NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Malls may not be the only places where shoppers reign Friday, as stock market futures indicated a higher open for Wall Street's abbreviated session despite continued weakness in the dollar." +1,"U.S., Afghan Forces Raid Homes in Kabul ","AP - American and Afghan forces searching for three kidnapped U.N. workers smashed their way into houses in downtown Kabul early Monday, officials and witnesses said." +2,Time to Talk Baseball,It's time to talk about the serious risks and potential benefits of building an expensive ballpark in Washington. +3,Briefs: Delta gets financing from GE,"Delta Air Lines, which is trying to avert a bankruptcy filing, said Monday that General Electric's commercial finance unit would provide it with $500 million of financing." +2,MICK SENT TO BENCH,"BLOOMFIELD TWP., Mich. - There are still two more days of this 35th Ryder Cup to be played out, but unless something dramatic occurs in favor of the US team, Phil " +2,Purdue Wants to Win for Keady This Season ,"AP - In Gene Keady's 24 years on the Purdue sideline, few have been more trying than last season. His Boilermakers were flying high after winning the Great Alaska Shootout, but it was mostly downhill from there. Losses, injuries and academic ineligibility plagued the team, as it limped to a 17-14 finish and missed the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years." +2,Amarilloan shoots 10-under 62 to claim first title on PGA Tour,"When Ryan Palmer went to the golf course Sunday morning for the final round of the Funai Classic, he knew he would need to shoot a low score to have a chance at winning." +2,Jags QB Leftwich sidelined with sprained knee,"JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Ticker) -- Byron Leftwich once played a college football game with a fractured shin. So will a sprained left knee put the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback on the sidelines?" +3,TSX chief will lead Royal shake-up,"Barbara Stymiest, head of the Toronto Stock Exchange for the last five years, is leaving to become chief operating officer of the Royal Bank of Canada as part of a major executive and organizational shake-up." +2,Friday's Sports In Brief,Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis was suspended for two games by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy. +4,Locust Plague Hits Israel,"Israeli ag officials are coping with huge swarms of locusts sweeping in from North Africa, the first such invasion since 1959. Residents report clouds of the insects munching palm trees bare, but some citizens are eating the bugs." +4,Apple Plans EU Expansion of iTunes Next Month (Reuters),"Reuters - Apple Computer is planning the next wave\of expansion for its popular iTunes online music store with a\multi-country European launch in October, the services chief\architect said on Wednesday." +2,Manning Gets Chance to Start,Giants Coach Tom Coughlin announced that rookie quarterback Eli Manning will start ahead of two-time M.V.P. Kurt Warner in Thursday's preseason game against Carolina. +4,Sony DVD burner skirts PCs,"Device can be connected to a camcorder or VCR for transferring taped footage directly to a DVD, without using a computer." +4,Intel's 65nm chip will make laptops go further,"Intel has built a fully functional 70Mb static random access memory (SRam) chip with more than half a billion transistors, using 65nanometer (nm) process technology." +4,Possible Source of Cosmic Rays Found,"com Staff. Astronomers have produced the first truly useful image ever of something in space using gamma rays. It's a picture only an astronomer could love, but it appears to help solve a century-long mystery." +4,Disney Relaunches Muppets on Web Site ,"AP - Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and their pals are starring in their own Web site #151; the first in a series of new creative efforts launched by The Walt Disney Co. since buying the Muppets in April." +4,Linux: Fewer Bugs Than Rivals,An analysis of the 5.7 million lines of Linux source code shows that it contains fewer bugs per thousand lines of code than commercial counterparts. By Michelle Delio. +4,Microsoft XP SP2 Update And Spyware Conflict,"If you have spyware installed on your computer system and you update your operating system with the latest Windows XP Service pack 2 (SP2) update, your computer could possibly freeze." +1,Arafat's ultimate failure was that he never dared to let go of the ,"Yasser Arafat died as he lived: amid confusion, intrigue and farce. His fatal ailment was described first as a stomach flu, then an unknown blood disorder or liver condition and, finally, a brain haemorrhage." +2,Zook is 20-13 in three seasons,"The University of Florida has fired coach Ron Zook, effective at the end of the season, an assistant coach on the staff confirmed Monday." +2,Halftime: US leads Lithuania in bronze medal game,"Athens, Greece (Sports Network) - The United States has grabbed a 49-44 lead over Lithuania at the half of their bronze medal game at the Olympics." +4,U.S. to Poison Prairie Dogs in South Dakota (Reuters),"Reuters - Wildlife workers have begun a program to\poison thousands of prairie dogs in the grasslands of South\Dakota to stop them from moving onto private ranch land parched\by drought, a federal official said on Tuesday." +4,Movie Industry Sues More DVD Chip Makers on Piracy," LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The representative for Hollywood's major movie studios on Monday said its members have sued two microchip makers, alleging they sold their products to makers of equipment that can be used to illegally copy DVDs." +1,Ireland tries to get UK hostage's release,"The Irish government has stepped up its efforts to free the British hostage in Iraq, Ken Bigley, whose mother is from Ireland, by talking to diplomats from Iran and Jordan." +4,Antidepressants and Suicidal Kids,"Because some antidepressant drugs have been shown to lead to suicidal thoughts among children and teens, the FDA decrees that all manufacturers must carry a warning on their labels." +1,Rare whale find excites Australian researchers,An extremely rare whale with a beak like a dolphin found dead on a Byron Bay beach has excited Australia's marine researchers. +3,Microsoft Fears Changing Windows," LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp will suffer serious harm if it is forced to provide a version of Windows without Windows Media Player audio-visual software, its lawyer told a European Union court on Friday." +3,chipmaker Infineon admits price fixing,"German computer chipmaker Infineon Technologies AG has agreed to plead guilty to price fixing and will pay a $160 million fine, the Justice Department announced Wednesday." +4,Apple Expo: Apple intros iMac G5 (MacCentral),"MacCentral - Apple's senior vice-president of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, took\a cue from his boss, CEO Steve Jobs, as he unveiled one more thing at the\end of his keynote to kick off this week's Apple Expo in Paris: an iMac G5 that includes the entire\system inside a 17- or 20-inch LCD screen. Continuing the all-in-one theme\that started with the original CRT iMac, the G5 edition features a new\industrial design that does away with the hemispherical base of the previous\generation all together. Schiller said that the new iMacs will be available\in mid-September." +1,Abbas Needs Support In His Push for Peace,"By the News-Register. Mahmoud Abbas, the interim leader of the Palestinian Authority, has made it clear that he believes terrorist attacks aimed at Israelis must end if there is to be peace between his people and Israel." +3,135 arrested in telemarketing probe,"WASHINGTON - More than 135 people have been arrested in an investigation of global telemarketing scams that have victimized 5 million people, many of them elderly, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Tuesday." +1,German leaders avoid big losses in electoral test,"BERLIN - Germanys governing Social Democrats avoided major losses in local elections Sunday in the countrys most populous state, while the conservative opposition lost votes but stayed well ahead in a traditional stronghold for Chancellor Gerhard " +4,NASA X-43A Mach 10 Mission Scrubbed,NASA's third X-43A hypersonic research mission has been scrubbed for today due to technical glitches with X-43A instrumentation. +3,Storm buffets price of oil,"new yorkCrude oil rose yesterday for a third day in four on concern about the loss of production and possible damage from Hurricane Ivan, which passed just east of most Gulf of Mexico production platforms." +3,Russia offers to buy Canadian steel company,Russian steel giant OAO Severstal on Tuesday made a formal takeover offer for Canadian's insolvent Stelco Inc. which is in the midst of bankruptcy protection. +1,Stewart Asks to Serve Sentence Soon,"NEW YORK - Even at a wrenching moment of surrender, Martha Stewart was - as always - under impeccable control. Her announcement Wednesday that she would report to prison as soon as possible came in a light-bathed studio, before a brilliant backdrop of color swatches, perfectly choreographed for television..." +4,"Cataract, Hormone Discoveries Win Awards ",AP - A researcher who turned cataract surgery into a brief outpatient procedure and three scientists who illuminated how some hormones and vitamins act on the body's cells have won prestigious medical awards. +1,"U.S. Men Set World Record, Without Phelps","ATHENS, Greece - The United States won the men's 400-meter medley relay in world-record time Saturday night, giving Michael Phelps his record eighth medal of the Athens Olympics without him getting into the pool. Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Ian Crocker and Jason Lezak won in 3 minutes, 30.68 seconds, lowering the old mark of 3:31.54 set by the Americans at last year's world championships in Barcelona, Spain..." +1,Social critic tenth woman to win Nobel,"The latest Nobel Prize laureate for literature is a self-described advocate for the weak, whose own quot;social phobia quot; will keep her from attending the awards ceremony in Stockholm." +1,"Schwarzenegger, Laura Bush to Speak Today","NEW YORK - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, first lady Laura Bush, Sen..." +4,News: Slow-moving lawsuits over music downloads producing court twists,The Associated Press By Ted Bridis +3,Sea-Tac keeping federal screeners,"Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will continue to use federal screeners, the Port of Seattle confirmed this week as airports nationwide ponder whether private contractors could do a better job." +1,General appointed new Burmese PM,"A senior figure in the Burmese military has been appointed to replace the prime minister, Khin Nyunt, Burmese state media has reported." +1,Paper birds of peace fly to appease Thailand's Muslims,MORE than 50 military aircraft dropped 120 million origami birds over southern Thailand yesterday in a gesture of peace towards three largely Muslim provinces where 540 people have died in violent clashes this year. +2,"Storm 70, Lynx 58",Lauren Jackson scored 14 points to lead the Seattle Storm past the Minnesota Lynx 70-58 Saturday in the first game of their WNBA Western Conference semifinal series. +1,"Seven Held in Dutch Anti-Terror Raids, Police Hurt"," THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Dutch police stormed a flat after a 14-hour stand-off in which four officers were wounded, arresting two people, and detained five more elsewhere -- all suspected of links with a network of radical Muslims." +3,Netherlands brings me luck: Manmohan Singh:,"World News: The Hague, Nov 8 : Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says a visit to the Netherlands brought him luck. It was on his return from a visit to this country in 1991 that he was called upon to " +4,"Systinet, AmberPoint bundle Web services wares",The two companies are targeting customers that have invested in a services-oriented architecture. +1,'Distressed' Thatcher flies home,Baroness Thatcher returns home as it emerges her son Sir Mark could face extradition proceedings. +3,Company to shut Japan trust unit in light of scandal,"TOKYO -- Citigroup Inc. said yesterday it will close its trust banking unit in Japan within a year, after Japanese authorities ordered the US financial services giant to suspend its private banking business there." +3,Edison International 3Q Profit Soars,"Edison International, a power generating and electric utility holding company, on Friday said its third-quarter profit soared on gains from asset sales." +2,Yankees See New Chance to Make Deal for Johnson,Two agents said that the Yankees were on the verge of acquiring Randy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks. +1,Car Attack on President Inflames Serb Suspicions, BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian President Boris Tadic called for a rapid investigation on Wednesday after a man in a car tried several times to ram his limousine as it sped through the streets of Belgrade in a night-time convoy. +2,Play of Some Linemen Carries a Lot of Weight,"Some massive defensive linemen are the antithesis of the slimmer, more mobile linemen made famous by the Tampa Bay defense and personified by Warren Sapp." +2,"Astacio, Halsey Suspended",Red Sox pitcher Pedro Astacio and Yankees pitcher Brad Halsey were each suspended Tuesday for three games and fined an undisclosed amount. +3,Motorola Expects Strong Sales Growth," SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Motorola Inc., the world's second-largest mobile phone maker, said on Tuesday it expects to sustain strong sales growth in the second half of 2004 thanks to new handsets with innovative designs and features." +4,Huang to Push For a Research Institution,"Eugene Huang is an introvert who's on an extended lecture circuit, a high-level government official who dislikes politics and, as of Oct. 1, one of the youngest state Cabinet secretaries in the nation." +4,Gadget 'restored my independence',A remote control device which can operate household appliances has given a disabled man back his independence. +4,AOL Concentrates On Security Issues With New Software,"America Online Inc. is releasing a new version of its software today that focuses on increasing online safety and security, which the company hopes will help it hold on to more subscribers." +4,Trojan Targets Symbian Handhelds (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - A virus aimed at users of next-generation mobile phones is making the\rounds, casing headaches for those using handhelds based on the popular\Symbian operating system." +4,Refreshing Drinks of Fresh Air,"An army needs water to operate, but it's a pain to tote the stuff around. So Darpa is looking at ways to pull it out of thin air. By Noah Shachtman." +3,Finance Leaders Urge Vigilance on Terror, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Finance officials from all over the globe gathered under heavy guard on Sunday to push for a stepped-up fight against terror financing while warning the poor must not be forgotten. +3,Frontier justice won't stop the spam,"Spam makes sense. Sure, most of it reads like filthy gibberish. But the authors of this dreck are not semi-literate perverts. They're cool, rational business folk who have found a sleazy but effective way to make a buck." +4,IBM expands China research site in mid-market push,"Big Blue adds ""innovaton center"" to its China Research Lab to develop technology catering to small and midsize businesses." +1,Blair Visits Sudan,British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Sudan on Wednesday the international community would not rest until violence was ended in Darfur and a comprehensive peace deal was struck across the whole country. +3,Exposing Execs quot;Stealth quot; Compensation,The use of a luxury apartment valued at $11 million and other shockingly lavish perks that former General Electric (GE ) CEO Jack Welch received when he retired three years ago are old news. +3,Dim outlook for new hires,"The new year may be a slow one for job seekers, as few area employers expect to be hiring in the first quarter of 2005, the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey showed." +3,Microsoft considering 100-dollar PC,"San Francisco (dpa) - Microsoft is working toward a bare-bones personal computer that would cost less than 100 dollars and could help stem rampant software piracy in emerging countries, CEO Steve Ballmer said Wednesday, according to tech news service ZDNet " +2,Tom Watson Set to Defend Tradition Title ,"AP - Tom Watson's victory in the inaugural Tradition is all the more memorable because it was his last win with the man who was by his side for some 30 years, caddie Bruce Edwards." +2,Ponting doesn't think much of Kiwis or winning myth ,RICKY PONTING believes the game's watchers have fallen for the quot;myth quot; that New Zealand know how to rattle Australia. +2,"Hewitt, Sluiter, Muller Win at Legg Mason ","AP - Lleyton Hewitt breezed to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Kenneth Carlsen Monday night in the first round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic." +1,Newsview: Political Rhetoric Has Price ,"AP - President Bush says politicians should say what they mean. But doing so can sometimes be an invitation to disaster, as Arlen Specter, John Kerry, John Snow and Bush himself can attest." +4,How Can We Stop IM Worms?,"Traditional antivirus technology may be too slow to protect users, researchers say." +2,A Mountain Too High,"Less than a week after a historic 29-17 victory over Pittsburgh - UConn's first as a Big East Conference member -he Huskies were no match for the conference's best team, West Virginia." +4,Napster brings digital subscription music content to Windows ,Napster announced that its portable music subscription service quot;Napster To Go quot; is available for users of the new AT amp;T Wireless based Audiovox SMT5600 Smartphone. +1,Mexicans Lukewarm on Fox Call for Nationalist Show, MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A government call for Mexicans to show unity by singing the national anthem en masse met a tepid response on Wednesday in another embarrassment for President Vicente Fox. +3,Radio Chain to Cut Ties to Promoters Paid by Labels,"Infinity Broadcasting, one of the nation's largest radio chains, said yesterday that it planned to sever its relationships with independent record promoters, distancing itself from a practice that critics have likened to bribes." +3," Comcast, Time Warner Consider Joint Bid","Time Warner Inc. and Comcast Corp. said they are exploring a potential joint bid for Adelphia Communications Corp., the troubled cable company that put itself on the block as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding." +1,Yushchenko Was Poisoned by Dioxin - Doctors," VIENNA (Reuters) - The man who hopes to become Ukraine's next president was the victim of poisoning by dioxin -- a toxic chemical that can easily be administered in soup containing cream, Austrian doctors said on Saturday." +4,Amazon and Microsoft Join in Lawsuit Against Spammers,"The joint lawsuit was filed yesterday in federal court in Seattle against Gold Disk Canada and its principals -- Barry, Eric and Matthew Head -- and accuses them of misusing Microsoft's Hotmail " +3,Putin aims to ease business fears,Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the country's existing business inquiries and tax probes should not be seen as a threat to other companies. +3,Exports to China give Bay State firms boost,"Massachusetts exports to China have nearly doubled from just two years ago, making China one of the state's biggest foreign markets." +3,Haji-Ioannou: Easy Win Versus Stelmar Board,"Former billionaire Stelios Haji-Ioannou loves winning the good fight, whether battling US movie studios, the car rental industry or travel agents." +4,EU approves Oracle bid for PeopleSoft,"As expected, the European Commission announced Tuesday it has ruled that Oracle Corp. can proceed with its hostile acquisition attempt of PeopleSoft Inc." +4,Fossil may fill gap in evolution,"A 13-million-year-old fossil found in Spain may be that of the last common ancestor to all living great apes, including humans, researchers reported Thursday." +1,Japan Eases Arms Export Ban for New Missile Shield," TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan eased a blanket ban on arms exports on Friday to open the way for joint production of a new missile shield with the United States, but said it would still refrain from most other weapons exports." +4,Sony to support MP3 - shock,"<a href=""http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/business/2004/0409231157.asp?A=MAW S=Mobile20and20Wireless20Technology O=FPT"">SA MP3 market ready to take off</a> <font size=-1 color=#6f6f6f><nobr>ITWeb</nobr>" +4,Ads in video games set to rise,Ads in video games are becoming a lucrative area for firms trying to reach young people. +4,"Barrett: Intel Makes U-Turn, Cancels Four-Gigahertz Chip","In a bumpy year of missteps and about-faces, Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) announced another U-turn: On Thursday the chipmaker said it halted plans to release a 4-gigahertz microprocessor." +1,Berlusconi Ally Gets 9-Year Prison Term for Links to Mafia,An Italian court has sentenced a close political ally of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to nine years in prison for working with the mafia. +3,Former Qwest executive negotiating settlement with SEC,A former Qwest Communications executive is negotiating a possible settlement of SEC charges against him. The Securities and Exchange Commission has accused Michael Felicissimo of fraud that led to overstated wireless revenues at Qwest. +2,"Plushenko, Slutskaya earn Cup of Russia titles",Evgeni Plushenko and Irina Slutskaya delighted the home crowd Saturday by winning the Cup of Russia with superb free skating programs in Moscow. +1,Turkey Pushes Ahead With Improvements,"ISTANBUL, Turkey - Turkey will push to improve its democracy and human rights record regardless of whether European Union leaders decide in December to begin membership talks with Ankara, the government said Monday." +3,Halliburton may shed KBR unit,"Halliburton, beset by controversy over its work in Iraq, said Thursday that it would sell its KBR engineering and construction unit if the oilfield services company's share performance did not measure up to sector rivals." +2,Mauresmo reaches semifinals,New world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo led the top four seeds into the semifinals Friday at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Mauresmo replaced Justine Henin-Hardenne as the world's top +1,Suicide bomb rips through market,"A PALESTINIAN suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded outdoor market in central Tel Aviv last night, killing four Israelis and wounding 32." +3,Brown 'could break golden rule',"Chancellor Gordon Brown is in danger of breaking his economic ""golden rule"" because forecasts for tax revenues are too optimistic, a report says." +4,Wal-Mart Launches Windows Media Song Downloads,"Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launched an online music store that works with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media Player, the world's largest retailer said on Thursday." +4,Scientists 'rebuild' Grand Canyon,Millions of tons of sediment-heavy water are being sent through the Grand Canyon in a bid to help local wildlife. +3,US Stocks Rebound as Oil Prices Fall,US stocks rebounded on Wednesday morning as oil prices fell sharply after a higher-than-expected rise in crude stocks trumped a drop in distillate inventories. +2,DUI Case Leaves Hole in Redskins Secondary,"A day after skipping practice following his arrest on a drunken-driving charge, the Washington Redskins rookie safety Sean Taylor was granted an excused absence yesterday, and the team told him to stay away until Monday." +1,Dalai Lama arrives in Russia,"ELISTA, Nov. 29. - The Dalai Lama, smiling modestly at his admirers, began his first visit to Russias Buddhists today after Moscow abruptly reversed its refusal to grant the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader entry." +1,Arafat: Speculation swirls,"Paris - Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat remained in an unchanged but still critical condition on Saturday, with his closest adviser insisting that a recovery was possible." +4,Google and the History of Link Building,"Google and the History of Link Building\\I can't begin to tell you how sick I am of reading articles and posts that mention the two words ""Google"" and ""penalty"" in the same sentence!\\So many webmasters are walking on eggshells these days when it comes to Google, and it just doesn't ..." +4,ATT chief refuses to miss VoIP,"Ma Bell--under prior management in the 1990s--let the Internet revolution slip from its grasp, as companies like America Online, EarthLink and MSN grabbed the lead in providing Internet access." +2,Apathy grows as lockout enters second week,Peter Forsberg signs with MoDo of the Swedish Elite League while Rick Nash and Joe Thornton have an auspicious debut with HC Davos of the Swiss Elite League. +3,Building a better English muffin,WOBURN -- No sooner had David Vickers finished an on-air interview with West Coast radio host Gene Burns than the requests began pouring in. +3,Dollar's weakness sending US investors overseas,Americans have been stepping up their international purchases of stocks and bonds as the dollar's decline has accelerated and foreign investors have slowed their buying of securities in the United States. +4,Lindows postpones public offering,"CEO Michael Robertson says the Linux company ""won't be forced into a cut-rate IPO.""" +2,Expect a real US NBA Dream Team in Beijing ,"AFP - Perhaps if National Basketball Association players ask nicely, the guys from Argentina wearing gold medals will come to the United States and give them a few pointers on how to play the game." +4,"Several Bird Species Populations Down Sharply, Audubon Society ",There's a reason why Arkansans haven't seen as many meadowlarks in recent years. The National Audubon Society says there aren't as many of the birds around as there once were. +2,Golf: Sergio Garcia Leads Omega European Masters,Spain's Sergio Garcia has a one-stroke lead over countryman Miguel Angel Jimenez after the second round of the Omega European Masters golf tournament in Switzerland. +3,"Oil, stocks both rise","Oil prices shot up yesterday to their fifth straight 21-year high, as hurricane damage closed a key oil shipping port in Louisiana." +1,Bush Campaign Raises 260 Million Total ,AP - The GOP's decision to hold its presidential nominating convention a month later than the Democratic gathering is giving President Bush a big financial advantage in the campaign's final weeks. +3,San Diego's Sea of Fiscal Woes,It sure isn't the kind of a report an incumbent mayor seeking to hold onto his job wants to have come out six weeks before an election: On Sept. +2,Lockout could be NHL's demise,"The National Hockey League went on resuscitation at 12:01 am today, the right time for the fewest people possible to hear any commotion whatsoever, despite a year of blaring sirens beforehand." +1,Death Toll Nears 700 from Haiti Flooding," PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - The death toll in Haiti from flooding and mudslides triggered by Tropical Storm Jeanne rose above 660 on Tuesday and government officials were still struggling to reach areas cut off by flood waters." +1,Iraq Rebels Strike Before U.S. Attack on Falluja," FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Rebels shot dead 21 Iraqi policemen in cold blood on Sunday, a day after killing 34 people in attacks on security forces, in a clear show of force ahead of an imminent U.S. offensive on insurgents in Falluja and Ramadi." +3,Storm zaps recently restored electricity,"Hurricane Jeanne knocked out power to 250,000 Brevard County customers, though about 45,000 had electricity restored by Sunday evening, company spokeswoman Kathy Scott said." +1,Thatcher waits to be questioned,Sir Mark Thatcher is waiting to find out when he will be questioned over his alleged involvement in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea. +4,Oxygen generator fails on space station,"The main oxygen generator on the International Space Station has failed, but NASA said Thursday there is plenty of oxygen on board to sustain the station's inhabitants for the foreseeable future." +2,Dunn Sets Strikeout Record,"Cincinnati Reds slugger Adam Dunn set the major league record for strikeouts in one season with 190, when he fanned in his first two at-bats Thursday against the Chicago Cubs." +3,Yen Near 5-Week Low Vs Dollar," TOKYO (Reuters) - The yen hovered near a five-week low against the dollar on Friday after minutes from a U.S. central bank meeting reinforced expectations that measured rate rises would continue, and as oil prices closed in on record highs." +4,7-Eleven Turns To HP To Streamline Operations,The rollout of new servers and networking switches in stores is part of a five-year agreement supporting 7-Eleven's Retail Information System. +2,"Profile: Chen Qi/Ma Lin, China's new quot;golden pair quot;","This time in Athens, the quot;golden pair quot; China had prepared for its rivals was Chen Qi and Ma Lin, two Olympic rookies. In the final match played in the Galatsi Olympic Hall in northwest Athens Saturday afternoon " +1,Price drop prompts oil quota call,Opec members call for a cut in rampant over-production as prices oil prices plummet amid warmer US weather. +4,Web-apps are the legacy apps of the future.," Back in the days of stone knives and bearskins applications were things that were written in cretinous languages like COBOL that ran on wierd 71 bit architectures and used messed up file formats like JCL and VSAM files or whatever. What's a 'Data Division'? Some whiny 80s band from Manchester? Of course today we are so much smarter. If you look at the evolution, from ML, to branched languages to structured programming to OOP, and from 3270 applications, to PC apps to client server to web apps, you can clearly see how the applications programmer transformed himself from knuckle dragging simian to homo sapiens. That's the stereotype, right? We have a name for all that old stuff, a pejorative name: 'legacy'.1 I'm here to tell you that the web application is the new legacy. " +4,Russia Combines Oil and Gas (The Motley Fool),"The Motley Fool - The invention of the American depositary receipt (ADR) was both a boon and a curse to U.S. investors. On the one hand, when foreign companies list their shares on U.S. exchanges, they make it a heck of a lot easier for the average investor to buy a piece of Nokia (NYSE: NOK - News), Cable amp; Wireless (NYSE: CWP - News), or SAP AG (NYSE: SAP - News) than it would have been if she had to figure out how to buy shares on the Helsinki, London, or Munich stock exchanges. But on the other hand, there are the -- to put it politely -- ""inefficiencies"" of buying ADRs." +4,"Microsoft hypes BI, adds reporting tools for end users","Microsoft unveiled plans Wednesday to integrate business intelligence reporting into the next version of SQL Server, placing new reporting tools in the hands of end users." +2,"Twins, veteran Radke agree to two-year deal","The Minnesota Twins agreed to a two-year contract with veteran right-hander Brad Radke, and offered arbitration to third baseman Corey Koskie, left-hander Terry Mulholland and catcher Henry Blanco, the team announced late Tuesday." +2,Coulthard tests for Red Bull,"David Coulthard's Formula One prospects have received a boost with news of a test with the Red Bull team at Jerez in Spain. Coulthard, who has no confirmed seat for 2005 after " +3,Opec ready with spare capacity ,The oil ministers of Opec heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have pledged to maintain output after prices hit new peaks at the end of last week. +2,Garcia has heard enough of Owens,Cleveland Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia said Wednesday that he does not consider Terrell Owens an quot;enemy of mine quot; even though the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver repeatedly has criticized his former teammate. +4,Nokia and Land Rover offfer advanced handsfree solution,"Nokia and Land Rover have jointly developed a Personal Telephone Integration (PTI) System, an integrated automotive communications solution for Land Rover vehicles such as the new Discovery 3 and Range Rover." +4,Toshiba to use perpendicular recording in new drives,"DECEMBER 14, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - Toshiba Corp. said today that it is close to commercializing a new data storage technology that could significantly increase the capacity of hard disk drives." +4,Radical fabric is one atom thick,"A new class of material, which brings computer chips made from a single molecule a step closer, has been discovered by scientists." +2,No. 23 Arizona St. Squeaks Past Stanford ,AP - Andrew Walter threw four yards to Matt Miller #151; his fourth touchdown pass of the night #151; with nine seconds to play Saturday to give No. 23 Arizona State a wild 34-31 victory over Stanford. +4,EMC hires ex-IBM grid guru for CTO role,"EMC has appointed Jeff Nick, the former chief architect of IBM's grid computing initiative, as its senior vice-president and chief technology officer (CTO)." +3,Stocks Edge Lower As Oil Prices Climb,Stocks edged lower Wednesday as investors weighed rising oil prices against a pair of government reports that gave a mixed picture about the economy. +1,British Troops Raid Rebel Stronghold South of Baghdad,Hundreds of British troops raided houses of suspected Saddam Hussein loyalists Thursday in the latest phase of a US-led operation to crack down on guerrilla strongholds in the lawless territory south of Baghdad. +1,I was abysmal: Keane ,AFP - Manchester United skipper Roy Keane has described his performance in the 2-2 Champions League draw with Lyon in midweek as 'abysmal'. +1,Africa and its children,"ALERE, Uganda -- Kasmiro Bongonyinge remembers sitting up suddenly in his bed. It was just after sunrise on a summer morning two years ago, and the old man, 87 years old and blind, knew something was wrong." +2,Park uses late rally to take lead at Wachovia Classic,Grace Park closed with an eagle and two birdies for a 7-under-par 65 and a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Wachovia LPGA Classic on Saturday. +1,Pak for strategic stability with India: Pervez,"Gen Musharraf regretted that while the Islamic world was moving towards reforms, the West was not trying to resolve disputes affecting the Muslim world." +3,Export Support for German Recovery Slips ,"AP - German exports fell slightly in August, the government's statistics agency said Friday, in a sign that the strong support from exports for the country's budding recovery is beginning to ease." +1,Bush goal: Palestinian nation,"President George W. Bush pledged Friday to spend some of the political capital from his re-election trying to secure a lasting Middle East peace, and he envisioned the establishment " +2,Stewart Backs Earnhardt on NASCAR Penalty ,"AP - Tony Stewart took a verbal swipe at NASCAR on Saturday, insisting friend and competitor Dale Earnhardt Jr. should not have lost points for cursing during a live TV interview last weekend." +3,First Enron Criminal Case Set for Trial (Reuters),"Reuters - Nearly three years after Enron Corp.'s\ dramatic collapse into bankruptcy, the first\criminal trial against the disgraced energy company's former\employees is set to kick off on Monday." +2,Beckham Breaks Rib As England Tops Wales ,"AP - David Beckham scored a spectacular goal on a curling, 25-yard shot to lead England past Wales 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier Saturday, but he wound up with a suspension and broken rib." +1,Iraq rebels stage fresh attacks,Insurgents have mounted fresh attacks in Baghdad and a US-Lebanese contractor has become the latest victim of a kidnapping spree in the run-up to a threatened US assault on rebel-held Falluja and Ramadi. +3,Indian outsource firm joins MIT study project ,"CAMBRIDGE -- At a sponsors' meeting of MIT Sloan School's Center for Information Systems Research this week, there was a new project on the research agenda: outsourcing." +2,"Empty stadium won't affect Real, says Samuel",Walter Samuel says Real Madrid will not be affected by playing their decisive Champions League match against AS Roma behind closed doors at Rome's Olympic Stadium on Wednesday. +3,Homebuilder Toll Up 4 Pct on Forecast," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TOL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TOL.N</A> on Tuesday reported record fourth-quarter homebuilding sales and backlog, citing a growing population of affluent buyers." +3,Column: M A Rankings Under Scrutiny," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investment banks are in the midst of the annual fight for bragging rights as the biggest dealmakers of the year, but this time the rankings -- a key factor in winning new business -- are under intense scrutiny." +2,Longhorns back on BCS bubble,"It has happened every year since the BCS was formed in 1998. One way or another, whether by blowing its chance or by another team not providing help, Texas finds itself at the Cotton or Holiday bowls." +3,Munder's Cook Keeps Eyes on Net," NEW YORK (Reuters) - About a decade ago, Paul Cook, a technology officer at Munder Capital, spent so many late nights at the office studying to become a certified financial analyst that his wife suspected he was having an affair." +1,House Starts Process to Raise Debt Limit (Reuters),"Reuters - The U.S. House of Representatives on\Thursday prepared to raise the nation's debt ceiling by 800\billion, taking the new limit to 8.184 trillion." +2,Dodgers Lead Cardinals 1-0 After One,"Los Angeles Dodgers Shawn Green watches his home run in the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004, in Los Angeles." +1,"These Days, the College Bowl Is Filled With Milk and Cereal","Students these days are consuming breakfast cereal as if their grade-point averages depended on it - for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between." +2,Pair of US squads advance to finals,"By just two ticks of the clock yesterday morning, the US rowing team squeezed two entries into this weekend's Olympic finals on an otherwise empty day." +3,U.S. Airways Pilots Say Labor Talks Break Down,"Talks between US Airways Group Inc. and the union representing pilots have broken down, the Air Line Pilots Association said Monday." +4,Elcoteq Focuses on Design to Tap Hefty Demand (Reuters),"Reuters - Elcoteq is targeting\growth by strengthening its focus on design services to tap\surging demand in the mobile handset market, Europe's top\electronics manufacturing services firm said." +3, Siebel Systems Swings to 3Q Profit,Software maker Siebel Systems Inc. on Wednesday said its third-quarter results swung to a profit on improved licensing revenue. The company reported earnings of $19. +4,Reeves Says EBay May Cause Identity Theft ,"AP - Martha Reeves, former lead singer of Martha Reeves amp; the Vandellas, says eBay left her open to identity theft by posting a contract on its Web site that showed her Social Security number and signature." +4,EA working on new CC Red Alert game,Electronic Arts has revealed that it's working on a new game in the Command amp; Conquer: Red Alert series in an email sent to fan site operators by VP and executive producer Mark Skaggs. +3,Grumbling Over the Greenback,Financial markets and economic policymakers around the globe all were focused last week on the shrinking value of the dollar. The greenback fell to its lowest level in years against both the yen and the euro +3,Becoming a player,"Modell's Sporting Goods planned to open stores in New England at some point. But a year ago, when one regional chain closed 14 stores and another faced bankruptcy, Mitchell Modell, the New York chain's chief executive, decided the timing was now." +1,Negotiations Seek End to IRA Threat,The British and Irish governments summoned rival Northern Ireland parties to a moat-surrounded castle Thursday in hopes of crafting a new peace deal for the British territory. +3,Freddie Mac Announces Changes in Division,Mortgage giant Freddie Mac announced Monday that it is shutting down some operations of its debt-securities sales division and transferring others - moves that experts said should tighten the company's internal controls after an accounting scandal. +2,Jets' Josh Evans Out With Back Injury ,AP - Jets defensive tackle Josh Evans is out for Sunday's game against the San Diego Chargers with a back injury. +3,"Highways, airports to be busy this week",Load up the kids and drive for hours. Fork out money for gas or plane tickets. Keep our cool in traffic jams and airport security lines. +4,Tri-Mode Wi-Fi Module from Intel,"Its short for wireless fidelity, and it is used to describe products that follow the 802.11 set of standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)." +1,Televangelist Said Tried to Hush Charges,"LOS ANGELES - The founder of the world's largest Christian broadcasting network has sought repeatedly to prevent a former male employee from going public with allegations of a sexual encounter between them eight years ago, a newspaper reported Sunday. Paul Crouch, 70, president of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, reached a $425,000 settlement in 1998 with the former worker who threatened to sue over claims he had been unjustly fired from the network, the Los Angeles Times said..." +3,"Oil Down Nearly $8 in 8 Days, Funds Exit", LONDON (Reuters) - World oil prices fell sharply again on Tuesday as Iraq restored oil exports and hedge funds continued the rush to take profits from record highs. +1,Fresh bird flu hits Malaysia,"MALAYSIA announced today its second outbreak of deadly bird flu in three weeks, near a northern village close to the border with Thailand where the disease was first detected." +2,Black Blue Review: Week 10,"Randy Moss has burned the Packers over the years, but it doesnt look like hell be able to suit up Sunday, when the rivals meet at Lambeau Field for the division lead." +1,Afghan leader seeks to replace powerful governor,Afghan leader Hamid Karzai has effectively tried to sideline a powerful regional rival by promoting him to cabinet minister less than a month before presidential elections on Oct. 9. Ismail +3,PeopleSoft board opens up to Oracle,"While it has so far rejected each of Oracle's takeover offers, PeopleSoft's board of directors is willing to talk about a deal at the right price, a member of PeopleSoft's board said on October 5. On the stand " +2,"MLB: Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 1","Andruw Jones 25th home run of the season helped the Atlanta Braves beat Philadelphia 3-1 Monday. Travis Smith, pitching in place of Mike Hampton, held the Phillies to one run, five " +2,"Mayfield in for Chase, Kahne out","Jeremy Mayfield last night earned a spot in NASCAR's new Chase for the Championship the old-fashioned way. Down to his last chance and with the pressure on, the former Fairgrounds " +2,"Mauresmo, Slew of Russians Into Quarters at Filderstadt","World No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo, looking to defend her shaky perch atop the WTA Rankings, moved into the quarterfinals Thursday at Filderstadt with a tough 7-5, 6-4 win over Swiss Patty quot;Handshake quot; Schnyder." +3,SK Corp. faces legal challenge,"SEOUL Sovereign Asset Management, the largest shareholder of SK Corp., said Sunday that it would take legal action after directors of South Korea's biggest oil refiner refused a request for an extraordinary general meeting." +1,Sudanese Aid Workers Released by Rebels ,"AP - Rebels released six Sudanese aid workers early Wednesday in Darfur, four days after they went missing during a trip to register refugees fleeing a brutal campaign of killings in the war-ravaged region, a U.N. official said." +1,Jihad Will Boycott Palestinian Election,"GAZA CITY, 3 December 2004 - Islamic Jihad said yesterday it would boycott a Jan. 9 Palestinian presidential election for a successor to Yasser Arafat." +2,No. 21 Wisconsin Trounces Penn 77-44 ,AP - Mike Wilkinson scored all but two of his 19 points in the second half and Brian Butch had a memorable debut in No. 21 Wisconsin's 77-44 rout of Penn on Saturday night. +4,Here Comes the Sun (The Motley Fool),"The Motley Fool - No, the U.S. is not on the verge of a solar revolution, and sunshine won't provide the country with ""energy independence"" anytime soon. But solar power is gaining momentum, and based on current trends, that momentum will probably continue to build." +2,QB Tate to Lead Injured Hawkeyes Vs. PSU ,AP - No. 25 Iowa is having a hard time keeping its tailbacks healthy. +1,Second Sunni Cleric Gunned Down in Iraq," BAQUBA, Iraq (Reuters) - Gunmen killed a Sunni Muslim cleric in the city of Miqdadiya Tuesday, the second such killing in Iraq in as many days, witnesses and hospital officials said." +4,Cassini Probe Discovers Tiny Saturnian Moons,"Two tiny moons orbiting Saturn -- each measuring around two miles in diameter -- are the latest discovery of the Cassini spacecraft. They are located between the orbits of moons Mimas and Enceladus, a surprise to scientists who thought such ..." +1,Yukos 'hit with fresh tax demand',"Russian authorities demand a further $1.2bn in back-taxes from stricken oil firm Yukos, the Interfax news agency reports." +1,Man. man appealing murder conviction to have bail hearing next month (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - A Manitoba man who says he was wrongfully convicted of murder will have a bail hearing next month. +2,NBA Wrap: James Inspires Cavs to 4th Straight Win," NEW YORK (Reuters) - LeBron James recorded 33 points to guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to their fourth straight win, a 99-88 victory over the Golden State Warriors Monday." +2,Nuggets Sign White Despite Gun Charge ,"AP - The Denver Nuggets signed free agent forward Rodney White to a 2-year deal Tuesday, a day after a judge allowed him to leave Washington D.C. for the first time since his arrest last month on a gun charge." +2,Golf: O'Hern and Jacquelin Vie for Breakthrough Win," COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - Nick O'Hern and Raphael Jacquelin made their latest bids to break their European Tour ducks when they shared the early lead in the second round of the German Masters Friday." +2,Red Bull Racing confirms David Coulthard to join team for testing ,"Red Bull Racing confirmed today that as part of the continued winter test programme, David Coulthard will join the team in Jerez (Spain) this week driving the 2004 car, the R5." +2,Sacked Chelsea striker Mutu banned 7 months,"November 5, 2004. Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has been suspended for seven months and fined 20,000 following an FA disciplinary hearing into his failed drugs test." +3,Verizon adds shopping tools to SuperPages.com,Verizon SuperPages.com said Friday it has teamed up with eBay and Shopping.com for the rollout of new shopping tools on its online Yellow Pages site. +1,Expert warns of further landslips,An expert has warned that landslides such as those seen this week in Perthshire and north Cornwall are set to become more common. +3,Sanofi Weight Loss Drug Effective in 2-Year Study (Reuters),"Reuters - An experimental Sanofi-Aventis diet\drug helped people lose much more weight than a placebo in an\eagerly anticipated two-year trial, researchers said on\Tuesday." +3,SEC may act against exchanges,The Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing enforcement actions against three US stock exchanges -- and possibly the head of one of them -- over charges that in-house regulators failed to adequately enforce their own rules +1,"Kabul Bomb Death Toll Rises, Up to 12 Believed Dead",The toll from Sunday's car bomb blast in Kabul rose Monday with different accounts from Western security forces and Afghan officials suggesting as many as a dozen people may have been killed. +2,"Deng, Bulls wear down Bryant, get a home win","When Kobe Bryant scored 9 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter, it looked as though the Bulls had no hope of beating the Lakers on Wednesday night." +3,Sprint to cut 700 jobs as it trims back service,"Sprint Corp., the telecommunications giant, said yesterday it will cut 700 jobs in its business solutions division as it stops selling business long distance services outside of package deals." +2,"Catalanotto, Blue Jays agree to two-year deal","Outfielder Frank Catalanotto and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed Monday to a $5.4 million, two-year contract extension through 2006. Catalanotto will make $2." +4,JK gaffe costs Microsoft dear,"LONDON: It was a tiny software slip up - just eight pixels symbolising Jammu and Kashmir, which were coloured a different shade of green from the rest of India." +4,Hollywood lawsuits to strike Net pirates,"com November 4, 2004, 2:38 PM PT. This priority retains its ranking at number five as more and more companies deploy Web services to share business logic, data and processes with each other and with clients." +1,Americans Miss Cut in 100-Meter Freestyle,"ATHENS, Greece - Top American sprinters Jason Lezak and Ian Crocker missed the cut in the Olympic 100-meter freestyle preliminaries Tuesday, a stunning blow for a country that had always done well in the event. Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and Australian Ian Thorpe advanced to the evening semifinal a day after dueling teenager Michael Phelps in the 200 freestyle, won by Thorpe..." +2,Arsenal midfielder Edu suffers broken toe,"Arsenal midfielder Edu, who had just returned to the lineup after a calf injury, broke a toe in the Gunners 3-1 Carling Cup win over Everton on Tuesday." +1,Yemen sentences 15 militants on terror charges,"SANAA, YEMEN - A court in Yemen has sentenced one man to death and 14 others to prison terms of up to 10 years for a series of attacks on foreign targets." +1,Momentum Builds for U.S. Role in Paying Highest Health Costs,Politicians are pushing an idea to fight high health costs by shielding employers from the most expensive medical cases. +4,Oracle hopes for big splash with Tsunami,Database giant expected to launch content management competitor to products from IBM and Microsoft this year. +2,Erickson Staying in SF After Talks with Ole Miss," ASHBURN, Va. (Sports Network) - San Francisco 49ers head coach Dennis Erickson will remain with the team after discussing the head coaching vacancy at Ole Miss with school officials on Tuesday." +1,Discontent in China boils into public protest,"When the local government announced it was going to confiscate their homes and businesses to make room for a new development, residents of this village in southeastern China fought back." +1,British police search for clues on the train crash that killed 7 (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - LONDON - Police on Sunday searched the site of a train crash that killed seven people and seriously injured 11 for clues to what caused a car to be on the tracks as the high-speed train approached. +2,"Live on Sky Sports 2, 5pm (KO 5.15pm)","This is, in my opinion, one of the biggest games Manchester United have played for years. It may sound strange ahead of what is only the second game of the season, but don't think this is one they can afford to lose. " +3,Mass. job growth highest since ,Massachusetts bucked the national hiring slowdown in July as the state posted its biggest monthly job gains in nearly four years and manufacturing employment surged. +4,Antivirus companies warn of new Bagle variants,"New versions of the Bagle worm rolled onto the Internet Friday, prompting antivirus companies to warn customers about the threat and to push out software updates to spot the new worms." +4,HP to open research center in South Korea,"Over the next five years, the company will spend $40 million on its new lab, which will focus on the digital home." +4,Microsoft's answer to phishing: Two IDs,"Banks aren't moving fast enough on requiring online customers to provide two forms of ID, the company says." +2,Giants Place Bromell on Injured Reserve ,"AP - Lorenzo Bromell was placed on injured reserve by the New York Giants on Thursday, joining the team's growing list of defensive linemen whose season has been ended by injury." +3,HBOS calls for bank tie-up probe,HBOS asks the European Commission to look at Spanish bank BSCH's relationship with the Royal Bank of Scotland. +4,Water coursed through Martian hills,The twin rovers on Mars - now reviving having survived the freezing depths of Martian winter - have found new signs that water was once plentiful on Mars. +2,Gone too soon,"Ken Caminiti's power hitting, defensive acrobatics, and a rugged appeal that reached even nonbaseball fans made him one of San Diego's premier athletes, and helped lay groundwork for a $474 " +3,Oil Firm After 4 Percent Jump, SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices held firm on Friday after leaping almost $2 a day earlier on news U.S. crude stocks sank to a five-month low last week and distillate fuels barely grew ahead of winter. +4,Macworld Expo Games Pavilion to feature new games (MacCentral),"MacCentral - IDG World Expo on Wednesday offered details about the Macintosh Games Pavilion, featured at next month's Macworld Conference amp; Expo in San Francisco, Calif. The pavilion will feature new games from publishers including Aspyr Media, MacSoft, Freeverse Software and Ambrosia Software. It'll also be populated by an Arcade area where showgoers can get their hands on Power Mac G5s and iMac G5s running the latest titles available for the Macintosh." +1,Khatami: Iran Will Pursue Nuclear Program,"TEHRAN, Iran - President Mohammad Khatami said Tuesday that Iran will continue a nuclear program some suspect is aimed at developing weapons, even if that means an end to U.N. oversight..." +2,Clippers exercise option on Wilcox,"Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Clippers Monday exercised the contract option for the 2005-06 season on forward Chris Wilcox." +2,"Eagles open to rave reviews Owens, Westbrook and McNabb have ","PHILADELPHIA For the Philadelphia Eagles, it was a case of in with the new, and also in with some of the old. For the New York Giants, it was more of what has become the same stale story." +4,Accord Set on Efficiency for Cooling,The combatants in a fight over how much electricity an air-conditioner should use have reached a truce that could eventually lead to savings for building owners. +1,Navy docks sub fleet,A military probe's secret findings on the fire that crippled HMCS Chicoutimi has propelled the navy to dock its four second-hand submarines indefinitely. +1,Interview: Minister says Sudan open to idea of autonomy in Darfur,Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said here on Monday that his government is open to the idea of granting some sort of autonomy to the western Darfur region where +2,Case closes out Melrose in five,"Up two games to none and holding a 15-11 lead over Melrose in Game 3, Case seemed assured of making another trip to the Division 2 state volleyball finals." +3,DT Wants All of T-Online,"BONN, Germany -- On Saturday, Deutsche Telekom's Supervisory Board approved a merger plan by the Board of Management. One day later, T-Online's Supervisory Board consented to the offer of merger negotiations." +3,UK expansion helps lift Sonic profit,"Pathology and radiology group, Sonic Healthcare, has benefited from its expansion in the United Kingdom to achieve a 41 per cent jump in full-year profit to almost $58 million." +3,Mortgage Applications Ease in Aug 27 Week," NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. home loans eased last week for the second week in a row even though 30-year mortgage interest rates decreased slightly, an industry group said on Wednesday." +2,Former Chelsea Football Club star will return to football,Adrian Mutu has vowed to rebuild his career after being sacked by Chelsea Football Club and banned for seven months. Mutu received the worldwide ban from football after failing a routine drugs test. +2,Coyotes re-sign RW Johnson to three-year deal,"----------------------------------------------- GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - Mike Johnson missed most of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but that didn't stop the Phoenix Coyotes from giving him the veteran right wing a three-year contra" +1,Venezuela Revels in Fireworks Celebrations ,"AP - Whistling rockets streak through the sky each night, and firecrackers still echo through the streets in Venezuela this holiday season despite a long-standing ban and a new effort by authorities to crack down on the tradition." +4,Cassini probe snaps Mimas,The Cassini space probe has taken a stunning image of Saturn's moon Mimas against the blue-grey backdrop of Saturn's rings. +2,"NFL extends contracts with CBS, Fox for $8b",CBS and Fox yesterday announced an $8 million rights extension with the National Football League that gives the networks the right to continue televising +3,Wall Street treads water as traders await fresh direction,"US STOCKS were narrowly mixed yesterday as investors digested a jump in second-quarter gross domestic product, while keeping a close eye on falling oil prices." +4,Privacy experts shun black boxes in cars,Plus: Is Microsoft search engine crawling Google? News.com Extra +3,Crude Oil Little Changed After Gaining on Heating Oil Concern,Crude oil futures were little changed in New York after surging 5.4 percent on Nov. 19 on speculation falling temperatures in Europe will boost competition with the US for heating fuel. +4,"Sony to Open More Stores, Worrying Others ","AP - Few people took notice when Sony Electronics Inc. opened a tiny storefront last year here at South Coast Plaza, a swanky mall south of Los Angeles. As it turns out, the small store would represent a big change in how Sony sells its televisions, DVD players and other gear." +1,U.S. Seeks Help on N.Korea Talks; Pyongyang Says No, SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea joined China on Tuesday in pressuring Washington to give more concessions to entice North Korea to resume talks on its nuclear programs but Secretary of State Colin Powell rebuffed the appeals. +4,Likely First Photo of Planet Beyond the Solar System (SPACE.com),"SPACE.com - A group of European-led \ astronomers has made a photograph of what appears to be a planet orbiting another \ star. If so, it would be the first confirmed picture of a world beyond our solar \ system." +1,Official warns citizens to leave Iraq after abduction of child,"BEIRUT: The Lebanese charge d affaires in Iraq warned Lebanese expatriates in Iraq to take extreme cautions or leave the country entirely, following the kidnapping of a 7-year old Lebanese boy there." +4,Too Close to Call?,"The votes won't be counted for another four days, but that's not stopping mathematicians, online bettors and traditional pollsters from trying to predict a Bush or Kerry victory. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +1,Evidence of hostage murders discovered,Iraqi forces fighting alongside US troops in Fallujah yesterday claimed to have found the houses in which civilian hostages were held by militants and beheaded in front of a camera. +4,Government panel says cybersecurity mandates not needed,"Despite real threats and little sense of urgency by many company executives, now is not the time for the U.S. government to mandate cybersecurity standards to private industry, a panel of of government officials said." +4,What Price Privacy?,"Tucked away in this week's $388 billion spending bill is a rule that could put a privacy officer in every federal agency, no matter what its function. By Ryan Singel." +2,Steelers stop streak by stunning New England,"The Steelers got a bucket full of treats yesterday, including turnovers, early points, a poised quarterback and a dominating defensive performance." +3,Oil Rises as Hurricane Moves Toward Platforms in Gulf of Mexico,"Crude oil futures rose on concern Hurricane Ivan may disrupt production, refining and the arrival of shipments as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico, where a quarter of US oil and natural gas is pumped." +3,Forex: Dollar Falls After Fed Rate Hike, NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar extended its losses on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates as expected but signaled that both inflation and inflation expectations were easing. +3,Health insurer to halt payments,MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minnesota health insurer says it won't pay the bill when doctors make serious mistakes -- apparently the first time an insurer has taken such a hard-line stand against medical errors. +4,Linux goes mainstream,"Sales of the open source operating system Linux will reach $35 billion by 2008, according to analysts at IDC, with $10 billion of that accounted for in desktops." +1,Black Watch troops back in Basra,"Britain's 850-strong Black Watch battle group has pulled out of Camp Dogwood in Iraq and returned to its base in Basra, the BBC reported Saturday." +4,Average techie starting salaries to remain stable,"IT professionals can expect a moderate increase in starting salary, a staffing firm says." +2,"Former Steelers, Maine player Strzelczyk dies after highway chase, crash","Justin Strzelczyk , a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the University of Maine, died yesterday in a fiery head-on collision with a tanker truck in Herkimer, N.Y., after he led state troopers on a 40-mile highway chase during morning rush hour. Strzelczyk, 36, was an offensive lineman with the Steelers for nearly a decade until the team released ..." +2,Schumacher grabs top spot,"Michael Schumacher returned to top spot in Friday's first practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The Ferrari driver suffered a rare defeat two weeks ago in Belgium, although second place was enough to clinch a seventh world title." +4,"Report: IT Salaries Show Upward Trend, Outsourcing Overblown","The lid on IT salaries is beginning to lift, and IT specialists should see gains of as much as 10 to 15 percent over the next three years, according to a new IT staff salaries study by the META Group." +1,DRC FORCES ALERT AS CIVILIANS FLEE,"The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed it troops on alert and is deploying soldiers to the east of the country, after reports that Rwandan troops have infiltrated the area." +3,A Bright Money-Saving Idea,"WEST ORANGE, NJ-October 12, 2004 - If you're looking to do some home improvements, officials want you to see how you can save money too." +4,"Bee Decline May Spell End of Some Fruits, Vegetables","Bees, via pollination, are responsible for 15 to 30 percent of the U.S. food supply. But in the last 50 years the domesticated honeybee population has halved, scientists say." +2,Bourdais happy with podium.,"After an eventful Lexmark Indy 300 at Surfers Paradise, championship leader Sebastien Bourdais proclaimed himself happy with the runners-up spot after Newman Haas team-mate Bruno Junqueira claimed the race win." +1,John Howard sworn in for fourth time as Australian PM,CANBERRA : John Howard has been formally sworn in as Prime Minister with his new fourth term ministry by Queen Elizabeth II's Australian representative Governor-General Michael Jeffery. +3,Texas Instruments Narrows Its 4th-Qtr Sales Forecast ,"Texas Instruments Inc., the world's biggest maker of mobile-phone processors, narrowed its fourth- quarter sales forecast because industrial customers for its chips continue to reduce inventory." +1,Chile Group Plans Bush Welcome with War Crime Suit," SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Chileans opposed to the Iraq war have accused President Bush of war crimes in a criminal complaint lodged on Tuesday, less than a month before he is scheduled to visit the country." +1,Egypt Prepares for Arafat's Funeral ,"AP - Egypt prepared Thursday for a strictly controlled military funeral for Yasser Arafat where dignitaries from around the world will pay their respects, but where the people #151; among whom Arafat was by far more popular #151; will be mostly shut out." +4,Administration Shifts On Global Warming,"A Bush administration report suggests that evidence of global warming has begun to affect animal and plant populations in visible ways, and that rising temperatures in North America are due in part to human activity." +3,"Vodafone, Optus agree on shared 3G network in Australia","The Australian mobile carrier units of Vodafone Group PLC and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. have agreed to roll out a combined third-generation (3G) cellular network in the country, they said Friday." +2,"Griffin, Broncos on the run again","Quentin Griffin took off the middle, broke left to daylight and juked past a defender before racing into the end zone." +4,Vioxx: How Safe Is FDA Approval?,"The problems with Vioxx, taken off the market last week, raise questions about the Food and Drug Administration's safety review process. Observers say longer clinical trials should be required." +2,Campaign season lasting into December,"Is Saturday the end of a football season or Election Day? Between speculation about polls and appeals to voters, it's difficult to tell." +2,"Han Shoots Par, Leads Wendy's Championship ","AP - Hee-Won Han was back atop the leaderboard at the Wendy's Championship for Children. Han, the defending champion and 2002 runner-up, shot an even-par 72 in the third round Saturday to take a two-shot lead. The South Korean had earlier rounds of 66 and 70 at the rain-soaked and muddy Tartan Fields Golf Club and was at 8-under-par 208." +2,"A Door Swings Open, and the World Rambles In","Like a latter-day Ellis Island, the National Tennis Center bristled with overseas energy, overseas hopes, overseas dreams." +3,Colgate to Cut Jobs and Use Savings to Spur Sales,"Colgate-Palmolive said that it would close about a third of its factories and cut more than 4,400 jobs over the next four years." +4,AMD Announces Strategy To Hook Up World To Internet,Semiconductor supplier AMD announced Thursday (Oct. 28) it has launched an initiative to give 50 percent of the world's population Internet connectivity and computing capabilities +2,Birdstone Shows Belmont Was No Fluke,Birdstone won the Travers Stakes on Saturday and solidified his credentials as the top 3-year-old in training. +4,Big Blue Absorbs Venetica in Move To Strengthen Information ,"CHARLOTTE - In a move it says will strengthen its bid to dominate information integration markets, IBM announced Thursday that it was acquiring Venetica, a Charlotte-based developer of database integration tools." +3,Not Buying Into Shopping's Big Day,"To most weary shoppers, it's known as Black Friday, the semiofficial start of the holiday retail season. But to hundreds of regional residents and countless others worldwide " +3,"Report: BofA job cuts total 1,365","American Banker reports Ken Lewis, chief executive of Charlotte-based Bank of America Corp. says the bank has laid off 1,365 former FleetBoston Financial Corp." +4,Task force should clear shuttle for launch,"NASA appears on track to return the space shuttle to flight in May or June 2005 as planned, says an influential oversight panel. The independent task force - set up to oversee NASA's efforts following the " +4,Ottawa moves to expand DNA databank,OTTAWA - The federal government passed legislation Friday that will authorize judges to order people convicted of child pornography to submit DNA samples. +3,"EU, Japan on Hold, Awaiting WTO Green Light to Hit Back at US",US questions about how Japan and the European Union would retaliate against a law that has handed more than $750 million in customs duties to US companies stalled World Trade Organization approval of the sanctions today. +3,Oracle quarterly profit rises on software demand,Oracle (ORCL) Tuesday reported a 16 rise in quarterly net income as the world's second largest software company benefited from steady demand for its flagship database software. +3,High Court To Weigh File Sharing,"The Supreme Court agreed yesterday to hear the entertainment industry's case against two Internet-based file-sharing services through which millions of people swap music and movies online, a " +1,House intelligence bill would add police powers (Chicago Tribune),Chicago Tribune - House Republican leaders introduced legislation Friday that grafts broadened police powers onto a plan to reform the nation's intelligence gathering agencies. +1,Hurricane Ivan Damages Parts of Barbados,"ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada - Packing ferocious winds, Hurricane Ivan made a direct hit on Grenada Tuesday, blasting apart scores of homes and forcing hundreds of evacuations before growing even stronger as it moved in Jamaica's direction..." +4,PDA Market Continues its Downslide: IDC,"With the advent of smartphones and declining popularity of personal digital assistant (PDAs), IDC has reported a drastic fall in sales of PDAs worldwide with the industry recording a year-on-year fall for the third successive quarter." +4,Study Links Tree Rings to Global Warming ,AP - Did global warming spur severe drought in the Western United States? A new study co-authored by a tree-ring researcher at the University of Arizona shows a possible connection. +1,Hurricane Jeanne Continues to Ravage Fla.,"MELBOURNE, Fla. - Hurricane Jeanne tore a fresh path of destruction and despair as it continued its march up storm-ravaged Florida, where the fourth major hurricane in six weeks shut down much of the state and prompted recovery plans on a scale never before seen in the nation..." +3,Eurofighter set to boost BAE in 2005,"BAE Systems, the weapon system manufacturer, said on Monday that it was expecting a modest performance improvement in 2005, in part because of the results ongoing negotiations with the British government over the Eurofighter programme." +1,Iraqi insurgents continue,Iraqi firemen walk in front of heavy black smoke billowing from a sabotaged key pipeline pumping oil exports from northern Iraq to Turkey and a local supply line west of the main northern oil capital of Kirkuk. +3,"Hell no, we wont go, says Gold Fields","JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) -- Initial feedback from Gold Fieldss North American and European investors is rejection of the hostile all-share bid by Harmony Gold for its larger rival, which has labeled the offer as opportunistic, Gold Fields chief " +3,Oil Dips Below $46 as Iraq Flow Rises, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped below $46 on Tuesday in a third day of falls as a more optimistic Iraq export picture helped unwind some of the supply worries that have lifted the market to historic levels. +4,Star Wars or A Peaceful Life on Mars: NASA Gets The World Dreaming ,"If peace on earth is no longer feasible by the end of the century, you may have another option: Move to Mars! Yesterday, the head of NASA's surface exploration mission said if we can find water on the red " +1,Rescuers Search for Survivors of Egypt Bombing," TABA, Egypt (Reuters) - Rescue workers sifted through the wreckage of an Egyptian Red Sea hotel on Saturday, hoping to find survivors after a series of bomb blasts targeting Israeli tourists in the Sinai Peninsula killed at least 33 people." +1,Japan Rejects Fischer's Refugee Bid,"TOKYO - Japan's Justice Ministry rejected former chess champion Bobby Fischer's demand for protection as a political refugee on Tuesday and issued an order to deport him. Fischer, in custody since he was detained by Japanese airport authorities on July 13 with an invalid U.S..." +1,Right-Winger Fini Is New Italy Official ,"AP - Gianfranco Fini, a right-wing leader who has turned his party from Neo-Fascist to mainstream conservative, was appointed Thursday as Italy's new foreign minister, a Cabinet minister said." +3,Maker of Antidepressant Drug to Release All Trial Results,"In a settlement that the New York State attorney general said would transform the drug industry, GlaxoSmithKline agreed today to release the results of all its drug clinical trials." +4,Double MyDoom for Internet Explorer flaw,"A second version of the MyDoom variant that uses a flaw in Internet Explorer has started to spread, antivirus researchers said on Tuesday." +1,House GOP Alters Its Rules to Shield Combative DeLay (Los Angeles Times),Los Angeles Times - WASHINGTON #8212; House Republicans changed a party rule Wednesday to allow Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas to remain as majority leader even if indicted in an investigation of campaign finance violations in his home state. +2,Cavaliers Rally to Beat Celtics 98-96 ,"AP - Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 26 points, including the game-winning jumper on an assist from LeBron James with 19 seconds left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Boston Celtics 98-96 Friday night." +1,Five Pitcairn men guilty of rapes on girls,THE mayor of Pitcairn Island and his son were among five men found guilty yesterday of a series of rapes and sexual assaults against young girls on the island stretching back more than four decades. +2,Palmeiro Not Bitter Back in Texas ,"AP - Rafael Palmeiro didn't return to Texas a bitter man. There are too many good memories at the place he called home the past five seasons, and where he hit his 500th homer last year." +1,Protester attacks Berlin exhibition of art bought with Nazi blood ,Security will be tightened at a Berlin art show which is alleged to have been funded by Nazi quot;blood money quot; after a woman protester overwhelmed wardens and vandalised two works at the exhibition yesterday. +4,IBM Releases New Linux-Oriented Database Software (Reuters),Reuters - International Business Machines\Corp. late on Wednesday rolled out a new version of its\database software aimed at users of Linux and Unix operating\systems that it hopes will help the company take away market\share from market leader Oracle Corp. . +3,Selling your small business? Broker can smooth the way,So you've decided to sell your small company. You figure that all you have to do is put an ad in a newspaper or trade publication and you'll have a buyer in no time. +2,Forget Paris: Sammy happy to be a Cub ,"The flood of trade rumors involving the Cubs and New York Mets has traveled all the way to Paris, where Sammy Sosa took a break from vacation to phone his agent." +1,Home users get Windows update,Microsoft is making its important security update for Windows XP available on auto-update servers today. +1,A Sunni commission issues a Fatwa to release French journalists,A-Arshiad and Dawa ( Guidance and call) commission has issued a Fatwa demanding the kidnappers of the French journalists be released immediately and not to be harmed. +4,This week in VoIP news,The nation's top telephone regulators further deregulated Internet phone services. +3,CIO Business Briefing Disney's Q4 Earnings Reach $516 Million,"The Walt Disney Company reported $516 million net income in the quarter ended September 30th, compared to $415 million in the year-ago quarter." +1,Lott Criticizes Rumsfeld,The former Senate majority leader joined a growing chorus of Republicans criticizing the Pentagon chief's failure to call for more troops in Iraq and to properly equip troops. +3,Schwab said to sell capital markets business to UBS,"LONDON (CBS.MW) - US stock futures were tracking lower on Monday, indicating expectations for a weaker start despite a couple of anticipated deals." +4,Voyeur Virus,"p2pnet.net News:- W32/Rbot-GR is a Windows worm that lets others access your computer. It steals information, uses its own emailing engine, reduces system security, records keystrokes and installs itself in the registry." +2,"Colts 49, Texans 14",The Houston Texans made mistake after mistake Sunday and Manning converted them into touchdown after touchdown. Manning completed 18 of 27 passes for 320 yards and threw five touchdowns for the third time +3,Bombardier's 3rd-Qtr Net Drops on Fewer Deliveries ,"Bombardier Inc., the world's biggest maker of railway equipment, said third-quarter profit plunged 93 percent because of higher costs in the train business and fewer aircraft deliveries." +3,Eurozone growth slows slightly in second quarter,"Growth in the eurozone economy slowed slightly to 0.5 percent in the second quarter and is set to maintain roughly that pace for the rest of the year, the European Commission said Tuesday." +3,End of line for Buffalo bakery,"Interstate Bakeries Corp. said it plans to shut down its bakery operation in Buffalo effective Oct. 23, a closing the Kansas City-based company said will affect approximately 200 employees." +2,Wilkinson takes over at Leicester after Adams departure,Former England caretaker manager Howard Wilkinson has taken temporary charge of coaching English second division Leicester City after the resignation of Micky Adams. +2,Taking mound on short rest no big deal to Oswalt,Roy Oswalt wasn't surprised to hear the Astros were flying Sunday night through the remnants of a tropical depression that dumped several inches of rain in Louisiana and could bring showers today in Atlanta. +1,"EGuinea officials to question Thatcher, probe Armenian company over coup (AFP)","AFP - A team of state prosecutors from Equatorial Guinea was set to leave Malabo for South Africa to question Mark Thatcher over his alleged involvement in a complex bid to oust President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, a government source said." +4,Nokia's latest smartphone gives a widescreen view,"Nokia's latest smartphone, the 7710, takes a widescreen approach to helping users be productive on the move. The device was launched at the mobile phone maker's Mobility Conference in Monaco in Tuesday." +2,Hubie meets press; no details on health,Hubie Brown appeared at a news conference Friday but did not elaborate on the health issues that led to his retirement as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. +3,FDA Official Alleges Vioxx Report Obstruction,"A US Food and Drug Administration official who attempted to publish his negative findings about the now-withdrawn painkiller Vioxx said that agency officials ridiculed the results and ultimately delayed publication, The New York Times reported Thursday." +2,Favre's mother falls ill while on book promotion tour,"Bonita Favre was taken to the emergency room after waking up with quot;a horrible stomach bug, quot; said Zo Je Feigenbaum, the publicist for the book entitled quot;FAVRE." +3,IBM eyes Web hosting as growth engine,"IBM widened its lead last year in the US market for Internet hosting services as it won a greater share of the midsize-business market, according to data recently published by market researcher IDC." +3,Oil prices fall to four-month low,"NEW YORK Oil prices have dropped again, going down to the lowest level in four months. In New York, crude for January delivery fell one dollar and 52 cents to settle at 41 dollars, 46 cents a barrel." +3,"Huge risk of building US factories paid off for both Honda, Ohio",Vicky Burress was 47 when she realized her family needed a second income to put two children through college. Despite a thin rsum a high school +1,Stock Futures Indecisive in Early Going,"NEW YORK - U.S. stock futures were indecisive early Wednesday despite Republican convention speaker Arnold Schwarzenegger's scolding of ""economic girlie men."" Dow Jones futures were down 1 point recently, while Nasdaq futures fell 2.50 point and S P futures rose 0.30 of a point..." +1,Cross-Border Terrorism Must Stop First: Natwar,"New Delhi, Sept. 10 (NNN): Islamabad must halt cross-border terrorism first in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir for the Indo-Pakistan Composite Dialogue to make any meaningful progress, External Affairs " +1,African leaders reject foreign intervention in Darfur conflict,"Calling the bloody humanitarian crisis in Darfur an quot;absolute African issue, quot; Sudan's president and four African counterparts rejected all foreign intervention Monday." +1,Police Kill India's Most Wanted Bandit (Reuters),"Reuters - Police have shot dead India's\most wanted bandit, Koose Muniswamy Veerappan, accused of\killing more than 100 people, kidnapping, poaching and\smuggling from his jungle hideout, officials said on Tuesday." +3,Sprint bid to acquire Nextel on tap,"Sprint and Nextel Communications could unveil their $36 billion merger within a few days, but speculation has intensified about the emergence of a rival bid." +1,Guns trained on Mosul,US forces and Iraqi units last night were preparing to storm rebel strongholds in the northern city of Mosul as fighting wound down in Fallujah. +1,India tests nuclear-capable Agni missile,"India Sunday successfully tested the nuclear capable Agni-II missile that can strike at targets as far as China. The missile, which has a range of over 2,000 km, was fired at 12." +4,Schools Weather PC Onslaught,"Schools across the Washington region relied on stringent new security precautions that helped quarantine infected PCs before they even had a chance to spread their disease. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +1,Thousands of observers quit Romanian election,BUCHAREST - Romania's main civil rights group said Monday it was pulling thousands of observers out of the Romanian presidential election after being submerged by an avalanche of fraud allegations. +3,Investors Take a Holiday," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors may pack up and leave next week as the Republican National Convention comes to New York and many on Wall Street take a vacation, draining U.S. markets of volume and leaving stocks flopping around with little direction." +1,Thatcher fights questions by Equatorial Guinea on coup plot ,"AFP - Mark Thatcher and his lawyers fought a call to answer questions on his alleged role in a coup plot in Equatorial Guinea, saying any trial in the oil-rich west African state would amount to a quot;military tribunal. quot;" +2,Zook fired from University of Florida,Ron Zook has been fired as University of Florida football coach. Athletic director Jeremy Foley told The Gainesville Sun the news. +2,NBA Wrap: James Sets New Milestone as Cavaliers Keep Winning,"LeBron James had 26 points to become the youngest player in National Basketball Association history to score 2,000 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers eased to a 96-74 home win over the Chicago Bulls Saturday." +3,PC sales storm ahead,"South African PC demand looks set to keep pace with the good worldwide demand, with rand strength, product bundling " +1,Crude Oil Prices Breaches $50 Per Barrel,"SINGAPORE - Crude oil topped $50 per barrel during Asian trading on Tuesday, pushing past the psychological milestone for the first time then surging further to new record levels likely to unsettle oil-consuming nations. Traders bid oil to new highs in after-hours trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange in a reaction to the slow recovery of U.S..." +2,"Who's going to win (World Series, election)?",I am expecting the Red Sox to beat the Cardinals. The Red Sox are an unbelievable team determined to achieve their goal of winning the World Series. +2,Schumacher stays on course,Jarno Trulli benefited from changeable weather conditions to take pole position for today's Belgian Grand Prix after an inspired tyre choice gave him the edge. +3,Crude Oil Little Changed After Yesterday's Election-Led Rally,Crude oil was little changed after rallying more than 2 percent yesterday when US President George W. Bush's re-election signaled the government probably will continue its policy of buying oil for a national reserve. +4,Consumers 'snub portable video',"People want to listen to music while they are on the move, rather than watch video, research suggests." +1,Britain Charges Suspects in U.S.-Linked Terror Case (Reuters),"Reuters - Britain charged eight men on Tuesday\with conspiracy to murder and other terrorism charges, some\relating to plans for U.S. buildings such as the New York Stock\Exchange that were the subject of terrorism alerts this month." +2,Gold has nice ring to it,"Andre Ward was the last man standing for the US Olympics boxing team Friday night. Booed by a hostile crowd, confused about the score, running on fumes in the " +4,"Too much auditing, not enough auditors (SiliconValley.com)","SiliconValley.com - Two weeks ago Monday was a lousy day for Julianne Biagini, chief financial officer of a Sunnyvale wireless company." +2,Guerrero Wins AL MVP,"Vladimir Guerrero wins the American League MVP award Tuesday, just the fifth time a player switched leagues and earned the honor in his first season with his new team." +4,Ireland Cracks Down on Online Scammers,bizpile writes quot;Ireland has decided to take some extreme measures to crack down on one type of online scam. They have decided to suspend direct dialing to 13 countries (mostly South Pacific Islands) in order to halt the use of auto-dialers. +2,Racing: Consortium claims it has agreed terms to keep Silverstone ,"LONDON : A consortium, including former world champion Nigel Mansell, claims it has agreed terms to ensure Silverstone remains one of the venues for the 2005 Formula One world championship." +2,Italian steals victory,"In an Olympic marathon marred by a bizarre intrusion, Italy's Stefano Baldini surged ahead with more than three kilometres to win the gold yesterday." +2,PACK BACK IN PHILLY,The Green Bay Packers return to the site of one of their most bitter defeats on Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers still have the memory of last season's divisional play-off loss to +1,Device found on Australian plane,Australian police investigate an incendiary device found on board a Virgin Blue Boeing at Sydney airport. +4,News: Rise of the Botnets,"The first half of 2004 saw a huge increase in zombie PCs. Also called bots, their average numbers monitored by security firm Symantec rose between January and June from under 2,000 to more than 30,000 per day - peaking at 75,000 on one day.\" +2,United ends Arsenal's streak,Manchester United emerged triumphantly from an uncompromising Battle of the Titans to end Arsenal's 49-match unbeaten English Premier League run with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday. +3,SEC Charges Ex-Peregrine Execs with Fraud," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday said it filed civil fraud charges against six former senior officers at Peregrine Systems Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PRGN.PK target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PRGN.PK</A> who orchestrated and tried to cover up a massive accounting fraud at the technology company." +2,Brazilian Grand Prix Fact File - the 700th F1 GP,"As its name suggests, Interlagos was located between two lakes when the circuit was built in the 1940s. Today, however, the setting is no longer as picturesque, with the sprawling city now extending almost up to the circuit's crash barriers." +3,U.S. to Push for More Forex Flexibility, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow on Tuesday pledged a renewed drive to get countries such as China to adopt flexible currency rates in order to rein in the swelling U.S. trade deficit. +4,Rumor Control: Bono buys Edios and Metal Gear Solid: The Movie,"The official story: quot;No, this isnt true. Just a wild rumor. quot;--Eidos staffer. Bono was unavailable for comment. What we heard: Though at first it was laughed off as one of the loopiest rumors to hit the " +1,Millions Flee Hurricane Frances,Two-and-a-half million people have been told to get out of the way of hurricane Frances. . The storm is aiming at a 480-kilometre stretch of Florida's Atlantic coast. +2,Tensions still high between Red Sox and Yankees,More bad blood between the Red Sox and Yankees in Boston's 11-to-4 win yesterday. Boston's Pedro Astacio and New York's Brad Halsey were ejected in the eighth inning for throwing at batters. +2,Auburn is still perfect -- barely,"TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Auburn's stars rescued the Tigers' national championship hopes with a stellar second half." +3,Dollar Stuck Near Lows Ahead of G20, TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar idled near seven-month lows against the yen on Wednesday as traders considered what officials from the Group of 20 countries might say about recent weakness in the U.S. currency at an upcoming meeting. +3,Credit Agricole third-quarter profit jumps 70 pct on lower ,PARIS - French bank Credit Agricole posted a better-than-expected 70.9 percent surge in third-quarter net profit thanks to lower provisions and despite an overall decline in revenues. +4,Sun CEO lays out server strategy,"Scott McNealy isn't throwing barbs at Microsoft anymore. But the chief executive of Sun Microsystems still has choice words for IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Red Hat Software and other rivals." +1,Budget flap jeopardizes Sharons pullout plan,"Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is facing threats from inside and outside his largest coalition partner that may bring down the Israeli government, which would force the country to hold early elections and suspend his Gaza withdrawal plan." +2,ROOKIE ROETHLISBERGER TOO MUCH FOR COWBOYS,Irving - Pittsburgh's highly efficient passing game prevented Dallas from passing its biggest test of the season Sunday at Texas Stadium. +1,Defence pleads for conditional sentence for Alberta cop who shot prisoner (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - LETHBRIDGE, Alta. (CP) - Sending an RCMP officer to jail for shooting a drunken prisoner who grabbed his gun would amount to cruel and unusual punishment, Mike Ferguson's lawyer argued Thursday." +4,Teck Cominco to Appeal U.S. Pollution Ruling (Reuters),"Reuters - Canadian miner Teck\Cominco Ltd. will appeal a U.S. judge's refusal to dismiss a\case over cross-border pollution of a lake on the Columbia\River, a spokesman said on Tuesday." +2,Federer beats Hewitt at Masters Cup,"HOUSTON (Ticker) - Once again, Roger Federer of Switzerland got the better of Aussie Lleyton Hewitt. Federer, the top seed and world No." +2,Giants to Keep Bonds for at Least Two More Seasons, SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Barry Bonds will chase the all-time home run record as a San Francisco Giants player after the team dropped its option to void the final year of the slugger's contract in 2006. +2,This Date in Baseball for Oct. 23 ,"AP - 1910 #151; Philadelphia's Jack Coombs won his third game of the World Series, beating the Chicago Cubs 7-2 as the Athletics took the championship in five games. Eddie Collins had three hits, including two doubles, to lead the A's attack." +1,"Despite smiles, Bush's visit to Canada chilly","OTTAWA - On his first official visit to Canada, President Bush on Tuesday faced a frosty public critical of many of his policies, most notably the war in Iraq, and his meeting with Prime Minister Paul Martin yielded little progress on trade issues that " +1,Ukraine lawmakers agree to amend laws,KIEV -- Ukraine's political rivals agreed early today on legislation to ensure a fair vote during the rerun later this month of the presidential runoff but remained divided on constitutional amendments trimming presidential powers. +3,US Airways Talks with Pilots Collapse," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Negotiations between US Airways <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=UAIR.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">UAIR.O</A> and its pilots union over a new round of steep concessions collapsed on Monday, heightening pressure on the carrier as it tries to avert insolvency." +1,"Joy, fear in air as election nears","As one of the thousands of food-ration agents who are entrusted with handing out voter registration forms in Iraq, Fadhil Muhsen Salom has a feel for the mood of his Shiite " +2,School's out for Sterne,A first win on the European Tour is a notable feat in any golfer's career - but the one by South African Richard Sterne in the Madrid Open deserves special mention. +1,Agreement close on atom deal with Iran,"Iran appeared yesterday to have reached a tentative deal with Britain, France and Germany that would avert the threat of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear programme." +4,Home working trial proves popular,Experiment confines workers to their homes for two days to try teleworking. +3,Airline plans schedule changes,"ARLINGTON, VA. -- Charlotte and Philadelphia will benefit by changes US Airways plans to make in its flight schedules in February." +1,Two Blasts Rock Kazakh Ruling Party's Headquarters (Reuters),"Reuters - Two powerful blasts rocked\the headquarters of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's ruling\Otan (Fatherland) party in Almaty's busy central district\Sunday evening, a spokeswoman for the Emergencies Agency said." +1,Egypt frees Azzam Azzam after 8 years,"Egypt yesterday released Azzam Azzam, an Israeli arrested and jailed in Egypt eight years ago on charges of espionage. In exchange, Israel freed six Egyptian students who were captured in August this year " +4,Lots Of Interest in Lucene Desktop,\\I've made a few passive mentions of my Lucene Desktop prototype here on\PeerFear in the last few days and I'm amazed how much feedback I've had. People\really want to start work on an Open Source desktop search based on Lucene.\\* Current Status *\\I have a prototype implemented that runs from the console and accepts a given\directory to index and writes it to /.lucene-desktop. It then has a console\searcher that returns the output in grep format:\\file:rank\\I'm trying to get keyword in context to work but I haven't had a chance to hack\on this recently. I need another 30 minutes to integrate the Lucene Highlighter\and then I should be done.\\At this point I will return:\\file:rank:hit ...\\ +3,"Registers ring, stores are listening","Consumers shrugged off rising energy costs and kept spending in October, boosting retail sales and supporting forecasts of a solid holiday season ahead for retailers." +3,UBS in private banking deal,"Baer's North American wealth management business employs 55 people and manages more than $4 billion in client assets. It is based in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles, Palm Beach and Montreal." +2,DETTORI-LED WILKO RUNS PAST YOUNG FIELD AT 28-1,"Roger, wilco and out went enough Breeders Cup Pick 6 tickets to burn down Lone Star Park yesterday when Euro-invader Wilko, dismissed at 28-1 in a field of eight, rolled " +4,"Survey: Transportation, logistics firms' privacy policies flawed","More than one-third of the largest transportation and logistic firms shared customers' personal data without their permission, according to a survey by The Customer Respect Group Inc. And one-fifth of the companies didn't even have privacy policies in place." +4,Jamaica to provide free Net access,JAMAICA's government has announced a $US5 million program to provide free internet access in poor communities across the island. +1,Turkey Parliament OKs EU-Oriented Reforms,"ANKARA, Turkey - A special session of parliament approved legal reforms Sunday aimed at opening the way for Turkey to begin membership talks with the European Union after the governing party dropped a proposal to criminalize adultery, a plan that had upset EU leaders. The vote came before an Oct..." +4,Witness says Kazaa activity can be monitored,A witness in the ongoing civil trial against peer-to-peer software provider Sharman Networks has added weight to testimony that logs can be maintained to trace users who are exchanging unlicensed music online using the Kazaa software. +2,Wiggins Overcomes Mcgee Fear,"Bradley Wiggins had dreamed of winning an Olympic gold since he was 12, but the Londoner got the fright of his life when Brad McGee returned to track racing two years ago." +3,Airline loss projections revised,The International Air Transport Association is forecasting quot;significantly quot; narrower losses for the global airline industry this year as reduced costs and rising demand for air travel help counter higher fuel prices. +4,Overlaying to boost Internet performance,"World leading microchip developer Intel says the Internet needs a radical overhaul to make itself more powerful. Intel's chief technology officer, Pat Gelsinger, notes that " +2,Nation's capitol may lose baseball,"If you already marked the date on your Cardinals 2005 calendar, if you already purchased tickets for the series at Busch Stadium on May 27-29, if you bought the quot;East Coast Pack quot; that includes games with the Red Sox, Yankees and Mets, you could be in for " +3,"J.C. Penney Taps Former Macy's, LVMH Head ","AP - J.C. Penney Co. Inc. named a former chairman and chief executive of both Macy's and luxury retailer LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, to lead the department store company, replacing Allen Questrom." +3,Pixar's Waiting for Summer,"Plus, IBM's win-win, Eli Lilly bares all, and a ticking retirement time bomb." +2,High Court rules on Bernie Ecclestone,"Overnight in London a High Court judge ruled in favor of three shareholder banks who sought to gain control of a business they majority own, but is presently stacked with directors friendly to Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, that ensures he retains " +4,Munich To Make Linux Migration Official (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - A year after announcing it would migrate its Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows-run computers to Linux, the German city of Munich is expected to make the migration official. The city's council has scheduled a vote, which is anticipated to kick off the next phase of the Linux move." +4,Outrage at Seal Hunt Tourism Is Nonsense - Norway (Reuters),"Reuters - Foreign outrage at a Norwegian plan to let\tourists go on seal-shooting trips is mostly ""emotional\nonsense,"" a senior official said on Monday." +2,Henman has to stay cool in warm-up for Roddick,It was overcast and chilly at the Westside Tennis Club here yesterday morning when Tim Henman went out to practice for the Masters Cup. +1,Veteran Aid Worker in Iraq Abducted,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents abducted the local director of CARE International from her car in Baghdad on Tuesday, targeting a charity worker who has championed ordinary Iraqis for decades. In new violence, mortar attacks killed an American contractor and at least four Iraqi National Guard members and wounded 80 Iraqis, the U.S..." +1,"Aided by Iraqis, U.S. Seizes Part of Rebel Town",U.S. and Iraqi forces claimed to have killed more than 100 guerrillas in one of the largest military operations since the war began. +3, DaimlerChrysler Posts $1.27B Net Profit,"Automaking giant DaimlerChrysler AG said Thursday it earned 951 million euros ($1.18 billion) in the third quarter on good performances from its financial services division and its US Chrysler arm, rebounding from a 1.7 billion euro loss a year ago when " +2,Bears place Tucker on injured reserve,"LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Chicago Bears placed guard Rex Tucker on injured reserve with a hamstring injury on Tuesday and signed safety Jason Shivers from the St." +4,Vitamin Supplements May Slow Middle-Age Weight Gain,"Four common ones tied to healthier weights over 10-year period HealthDayNews -- Four common supplements -- chromium, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and multivitamins -- may help slow weight gain in middle-age adults, claims a study by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Researchers reviewed questionnaire responses from about 15,000 people, average age 55, in Washington state..." +4,SpaceShipOne Team Ready To Grab X Prize,"The SpaceShipOne team will attempt to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize on Monday, the 47th anniversary of the start of the first space race when the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik satellite." +4,CA adds utility-like mainframe pricing,"com October 7, 2004, 10:30 AM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +1,Explosions rock central Baghdad,A series of explosions rocked central Baghdad on Friday afternoon during a day of violence in the capital. The cause or exact location of the blasts was not immediately clear. +1,"Typhoon Songda Pounds South Japan, Snarls Transport"," TOKYO (Reuters) - Powerful typhoon Songda made landfall in southern Japan on Tuesday, pounding the region with torrential rains and high winds that forced evacuations, caused blackouts and brought public transport to a virtual standstill." +4, Philly Considers Wireless Internet for All,"Forget finding an Internet cafe. For less than what it costs to build a small library, city officials believe they can turn all 135 square miles of Philadelphia into the world's largest wireless Internet hot spot." +4,Study finds IT worker confidence slipping,"Survey shows workers less optimistic about job market, with fewer saying personal finances are getting better." +1,Karzai 'disturbed' at Kabul bomb,The Afghan president expresses deep concern after a bomb attack which left at least seven people dead. +2,Saint Joseph's Extends Martelli's Contract," PHILADEPHIA (Sports Network) - Saint Joseph's University extended the contract of men's basketball coach Phil Martelli on Thursday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the new contract will keep Martelli on Hawk Hill through at least the 2011-12 season." +1,Falluja troops under heavy fire,US marines in Falluja have come under sustained attack from several different directions in the headquarters they have set up in the Iraqi city. +3,Stocks step back,"NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks edged lower early Friday with some lingering weakness in the tech sector, weakness in the dollar and higher oil prices in the background.. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite (up " +2,US sailors lose guessing game,"In the course of an hour, the notorious Meltemi wind yesterday cost American sailors Tim Wadlow of Marblehead and Pete Spaulding their chance to win a medal in their first Olympics." +2,Aussies sweep series with 213-run victory over Kiwis,"ADELAIDE, Nov 30: Australia crushed New Zealand by 213 runs on the final day of the second Test to complete a series clean sweep at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday." +4,P2P Battle Reaches FTC,"The trade commission hears what's right and wrong with file sharing, but there's no guarantee it will institute regulations. Michael Grebb reports from Washington." +4,HP to manage IT for Finnish energy giant,"Finnish energy giant Fortum Corp. has signed a five-year agreement with Hewlett-Packard to manage its IT infrastructure and support about 10,000 users across Europe." +2,Arbitrator to Hear Artest Appeal Petition ,AP - An arbitrator ruled Friday that he has jurisdiction to decide whether the brawl-related suspensions given to Ron Artest and other NBA players can be appealed to someone other than commissioner David Stern. +4,Montavista claims real time support for Linux mobile,'Linux set to assume the role of a universal platform' +3,Automakers draw battleline with California,"Toyota, General Motors and seven other automakers filed suit on Tuesday to block California's new greenhouse gas regulation, which was approved by the state in its final form in September." +3,World's largest steelmaker formed,"ROTTERDAM - Dutch-Indian steel group Ispat International announced on Monday that it had agreed to merge with Dutch LNM Holdings and US International Steel Group to form the world's largest steelmaker, which would be known as Mittal Steel." +2,Benitez: Reds need time to gel,Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has conceded that his side could take a few months to kick into gear following Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Bolton. +4,AMD Rolls Out Low-Cost Net Access Device in India (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. chip maker Advanced Micro Devices\ has unveiled a low-cost Internet access device that\could cost just a few hundred dollars, aimed at first-time\technology users in the developing world." +4,AOL Won't Use Microsoft Anti-Spam Standard (Reuters),"Reuters - America Online Inc. on Thursday\shunned a Microsoft Corp. proposal to help weed out unwanted\""spam"" e-mail because Internet engineers are reluctant to adopt\technology owned by the dominant software company." +4,Businesses keep Q3 PC growth on track,"PC shipments have started to ease off, as expected, but the worldwide PC market remained fairly strong in the third quarter, according to research from IDC and Gartner Inc. released Monday." +2,"On the Far Side of the Field, a Familiar Face",Perhaps there will be a moment during Sunday's game between the Giants and the Redskins when a coach and his former franchise quarterback will do a double take. +3,Britain's inflation rate falls in August,"Britain's inflation rate fell in August further below its 2.0 percent government-set upper limit target with clothing and footwear prices actually falling, official data showed on Tuesday." +1,Malaysia battle 2nd flu outbreak,Two people were under hospital observation in northern Malaysia with flu-like symptoms yesterday as the country fought to contain the second case of deadly bird flu in two weeks. +3,Consumers Fuel Faster Economic Growth,"Robust consumer spending on cars, furniture and food helped the US economy advance faster than first thought in the third quarter, a government report showed, while underlying inflation was the tamest in decades." +4,Nokia to launch all-in-one phone,"Mobile handset maker Nokia today announced the Nokia 9300, a new high-end smartphone. Dubbed by the company its smartest smartphone, with voice and data capabilities, the Nokia 9300 is meant to be an all-in-one device for users." +4,Anteon gets Defense contract,"The US Joint Forces Command has awarded a $29 million contract to design, establish and maintain a Joint Advanced Training Technology Laboratory to Anteon International Corp." +4,IBM grabs content management company,Big Blue plans to acquire Venetica to fill out its lineup of software for accessing business documents. +3,Planned GM job cuts in Europe protested,"A strike at a General Motors Corp. plant in Germany began to squeeze the company's European production yesterday as a lack of parts halted two other factories, while thousands of workers rallied against GM's plan to cut up to 12,000 jobs across the continent." +2,Chelsea beats defending champion Porto,"Jose Mourinho's Chelsea outplayed the team he led to Champions League glory, FC Porto, 3-1 on Wednesday, leaving his former club with a huge task to stay in the competition." +2,Schilling coming to Verizon with President Bush,Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling will accompany President George W. Bush to his campaign stops in Manchester and Portsmouth on Friday. +2,Story by editor, Nicky Butt will miss Newcastle United's next three European matches as punishment for his sending-off against Bnei Sakhnin in the Uefa Cup first-round tie. +1,Israeli Troops Kill 3 Palestinian Militants-Sources (Reuters),"Reuters - Israeli soldiers shot dead\three Palestinian militants near the West Bank city of Nablus\on Thursday, Palestinian security sources said." +4,3Com to buy Tippingpoint ,"3Combecame the latest company to scoop up technology for preventing attacks on computer networks, announcing on Monday that it was acquiring TippingPoint Technologiesof Austin, Texas, for $430 million in cash." +1,Fringe Parties See Gains in German Vote ,"AP - Voters in two east German states angry over high unemployment and cuts in social programs handed a rebuke Sunday to Germany's two biggest parties, giving big gains to far right and former Communist groups, projections showed." +2,Teenage Khan goes for gold,"Teenage boxing sensation Amir Khan believes he can go all the way to gold, even if it takes a knockout, in today's Olympic lightweight final." +1,Jordan's King Worries About Iraq Elections,"PARIS Sept. 28, 2004 - Extremists will have the upper hand in Iraqi elections if voting is held amid the current violence, Jordan's King Abdullah II said in an interview published Tuesday, voicing profound " +2,Clark Homers 3 Times in Yankees' Rout ,"AP - With the New York Yankees' starting rotation struggling, the team's offense matched its biggest performance of the season. Tony Clark homered three times, Ruben Sierra hit his 300th career homer, and Gary Sheffield and Alex Rodriguez also connected to lead the Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 18-6 Sunday." +1,Bombers target embassy,"BASRA: A car bomb exploded near the US embassy office in the southern Iraqi city of Basra yesterday, killing two people and wounding three, but no Americans were injured." +3,Citi and Amex: Plastic Fantastic?,"The financial titans hope their co-branded cards win over better-heeled, prompt-paying consumers. It may not be so simple, however." +1,"Ahead of announcement for Nobel Peace Prize, odds favour fight ",Speculation on who will win the Nobel Peace Prize has been hotly focused on the battle against one of the great threats to world peace: weapons of mass destruction. +3,"How to keep oil flowing? Invest, invest, invest (AFP)","AFP - The spike in oil prices in recent months is stoking heated arguments between market players, who blame each other for the lack of production capacities that has been exposed by strong global demand." +4,"RocketInfo Partners with Canadian Press, Helps Nascar","RocketInfo Partners with Canadian Press, Helps Nascar\\Rocketinfo Inc., news search engine announced yesterday that it has formed a key reseller alliance with the Canadian Press (CP), one of the top-rated multimedia news agencies in the world. CP plans to expand their media monitoring services by offering clients access to the ..." +3,Safety Gap Grows Wider Between S.U.V.'s and Cars,People driving or riding in a sport utility vehicle in 2003 were nearly 11 percent more likely to die in an accident than people in cars. +3,Dollar Rebounds as Oil Prices Ease," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar was stronger across the board on Monday as oil prices eased from record highs and a more optimistic view on global economic growth prospects spread through trading floors, analysts said." +3,US Begins Criminal Probe on Riggs-Paper,"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US Justice Department has begun a criminal investigation into possible wrongdoing at Riggs Bank, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing a letter from the US attorney for the District of Columbia to federal bank ..." +4,"Sony, IBM, and Toshiba reveal more plans for Cell chip","The four companies developing the Cell microprocessor released a few more details about the chip on Monday -- and with them a surprise: first generation versions of the device won't be built on a cutting edge production technology into which the companies have sunk billions of dollars, but on a technology already in widespread use today." +3,Global aviation security in a confusing mess: IATA,"Geneva, Dec 16 (UNI) Three years and three months after September 11 terror attacks in the United States, aviation security worldwide remains a confusing mess." +3,Glass looks half empty for JD Wetherspoon,"PUBS group JD Wetherspoon today said a sales slowdown in the second half had taken the fizz out of its annual profits. The city centre pub and bar operator, which runs around 650 outlets including The Standing " +3,Oil Prices Rise as Supply Concerns Linger, NEW YORK (Reuters) - World oil prices rose on Thursday as concerns over a supply shortage after Hurricane Ivan persisted despite news the U.S. will loan some oil from its reserves to refineries to make up for lost production. +2,No. 9 UNC Routs Elon 86-40 in Opener ,AP - Ivory Latta scored 17 points to lead No. 9 North Carolina to an 86-40 victory over Elon in the season opener for both teams Friday night. +3,"Oil Extends Slide, Supplies Seen Growing", NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices extended a streak of losses on Tuesday as dealers anticipated that strong OPEC output and recovering production in the United States would boost lean stockpiles in time for peak winter heating demand. +4,Hewlett-Packard Unveils iPod Clone ,"AP - Hewlett-Packard Co. unveiled its own version of the iPod portable music player Friday, showing the fruits of a groundbreaking partnership it had previously announced with Apple Computer Inc." +2,Ukrainian Klitschko retains WBC heavyweight crown,Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine stopped Danny Williams of Britain in the eighth round to retain his World Boxing Council heavyweight crown in Las Vegas on Saturday. +3,"U.S. Stocks End Up, Ford Gives a Lift"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Friday after Ford Motor Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=F.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">F.N</A> raised its earnings forecasts, but Qualcomm Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=QCOM.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">QCOM.O</A> limited advances on the Nasdaq after the wireless technology provider said an accounting review may reduce its pretax income and revenue." +3,Midway Purchase Was Inevitable,Acquisitions such as the one for the development studio are more about people and technology than anything else. +3,ISS positive on Harmony and Gold Fields merger,"Harmony Gold Mining Co. (HMY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (HARJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc." +1,Koizumi hopes US ties deepen,"Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday he hopes to further develop Japanese-US ties through his close personal relationship with President George W. Bush, who was re-elected in a neck and neck race with Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry." +2,Knicks tighten defense in time,"When Stephon Marbury practically scraped the sky with a fourth-quarter jumper that barely beat the shot-clock buzzer and gave the Knicks a 12-point lead with 1:59 to play Saturday afternoon, Madison Square Garden began to empty." +3,Thomson to Sell Media Group for $350 Mln," OTTAWA (Reuters) - Thomson Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TOC.TO target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TOC.TO</A> said on Friday it will sell its media division to investment group Investcorp in a $350 million cash deal that will tighten its focus on electronic publishing." +2,Golden lining greets softball,"This gold medal comes with a broken heart. This victory - as dominant as the Olympic Games have seen in years from any sport, any team, any nation - comes with a searing sense of loss." +2,Absent Phelps Gets Eighth Medal, ATHENS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps got his eighth medal at the Athens Olympics Saturday without even getting wet when the United States broke the world record in the men's 4x100 meters medley relay. +1,Top UK Minister Blunkett Quits Ahead of Election (Reuters),"Reuters - Senior British government minister David\Blunkett resigned on Wednesday, ripping a hole in Prime\Minister Tony Blair's team months before an expected general\election." +1,Music company EMI reports loss for first half but says sales on way back up (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - LONDON - EMI Group PLC, one of the world's Big Three music companies, reported a fall in sales and a net loss for the first half of its fiscal year Friday but said it expected an improvement in the second half when its album release schedule kicks in." +1,Car bombings shake Baghdad,"A spate of car bombings rocked Baghdad on Thursday, killing more than 20 people, including a US soldier and two Iraqi police officers, according to Iraqi and US officials." +3, Starbucks CEO to Retire in March 2005,"Starbucks Corp.'s president and chief executive, Orin Smith, said Tuesday he plans to retire early next year because he wants to slow down and focus on philanthropy, family and hobbies." +4,Windows XP SP2 respite to end,"After a nine-day postponement, Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday plans to start pushing out Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) to PCs running Windows XP Professional Edition." +3,European Stocks Advance As Tesco Boosts,"European stocks moved cautiously higher Tuesday, with the retail sector getting a leg up from some stellar first-half numbers from UK grocer Tesco." +3,UNCTAD releases annual world investment report,FDI fell one-third in Central and Eastern European countries from 2002 to 2003. The quot;skilled but relatively cheap workforce quot; in the eight new EU member countries did not pull in investment as strongly as expected +4,"Sony, IBM, and Toshiba Reveal Additional Details on Cell Chip",Initial versions of PlayStation 3 chip will not be produced with a cutting-edge chip-making technology. +1,"Iraqi Government, Al-Sadr OK Peace Deal","NAJAF, Iraq - Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, made a dramatic return to Najaf on Thursday and swiftly won agreement from a rebel cleric and the government to end three weeks of fighting between his militia and U.S.-Iraqi forces. The renegade Muqtada al-Sadr accepted the proposal in a face-to-face meeting Thursday night with the 75-year-old al-Sistani, Iraq's most influential Shiite cleric..." +1,Pitcairn father fell in love with 13-year-old,One of the principal defendants in the Pitcairn Island sex abuse trials pleaded guilty to three charges yesterday but claimed to have been quot;in love quot; with a 13-year-old girl with whom he had a long affair. +4,Mars Rovers Still at Work,"Description: The two Mars Rovers, Opportunity and Sprit, are showing signs of wear... not surprising, since their mission was expected to end in April." +4,Travelers Could Soon Report to Work Mid-Flight (Reuters),"Reuters - Business travelers will be able to\surf the Web securely on long-distance flights by combining\services from Boeing Co. (BA.N) and iPass Inc. (IPAS.O), the\companies plan to announce on Monday." +3,China raises rates to cool growth,"China has raised its core interest rates for the first time in nine years, as the country's central bank moves to rein in the booming economy." +2,"Heskey left out of England squad, Cole back in",England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has left Emile Heskey out of his 23-man squad for the World Cup Group Six qualifiers away to Austria in Vienna next Saturday and Poland in Chorzow four days later. +2,Greek weightlifter tests positive,ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece looks set to lose the first medal it won at the Athens Olympics after bronze-winning weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis failed a drugs test. +2,Smart Ones Smart America: Frenchman wins despite errors,"That would imply that any of the men in the Smart Ones Smart America competition last night were left standing, and they were not." +2,Everton tie up Moyes until 2009,"Everton manager David Moyes has signed a new contract that will keep him at Goodison Park until 2009. The 41-year-old Scot, who joined Everton from Preston in March 2002, has guided the Merseysiders to third place in the Premiership this season." +4,"Regaining Fury, Hurricane Ivan Churns Toward Cuba","Hurricane Ivan will pass near or over the western tip of Cuba today. The powerful Category Five storm, which has already claimed 65 lives, will bring devastating winds and a potential storm surge of 20 feet (6 meters) or more." +3,Checks to clear much faster as float disappears,"written a check with the hopes that it wouldn't clear for a few days, so there's enough time to get more money in the bank account to cover the expense." +4,Kerry Debate Shows Fickleness of Memories ,"AP - Past presidential candidates and their critics have been known to shade the truth for political purposes. But to memory researchers, it doesn't take intentional falsifying to understand the discrepancies in the retelling of Sen. John Kerry's war experiences." +4,Intel pulls plug on TV chip plans,"In another sign that the hype is off the advanced television market, Intel said Thursday that it is scrapping plans to build microdisplay chips for rear-projection televisions." +3,Consumers who play float will sink,"It will soon be riskier than ever to write a check if you don't have money in the bank to cover it. Under a law that goes into effect Oct. 28, banks that get checks will be allowed " +2,AL Wrap: Redman Helps Athletics Maintain AL West Lead, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mark Redman pitched eight strong innings as the Oakland Athletics clung on to first place in the American League West with a 3-1 road win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday. +4,United Online Cuts Full-Year Subscriber Goals (Reuters),"Reuters - United Online Inc. , a\low-cost Internet service provider, on Monday reported\disappointing growth in quarterly revenue and subscribers, and\cut its full-year subscriber target for the second time in\three months, sending shares as much as 7 percent lower." +4,Space Shuttles Survive Hurricane Frances,"maggeth writes quot;In an update to a previous story, NASA damage assessment teams have begun work at the Kennedy Space Center, which was hit by Hurricane Frances." +2,Beckenbauer warns about youth vs experience,MUNICH - Former German football great Franz Beckenbauer has warned national team coach Juergen Klinsmann against fielding too many young players at the expense of experience. +2,Former Super Flyweight Champion Quiroga Found Dead," SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Former International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Robert Quiroga was killed early Monday, police said." +2,Monty tipped for wildcard,Ryder Cup qualifiers Thomas Levet and Miguel Angel Jimenez moved two shots clear at 15-under with one round of the BMW International in Munich remaining. +4,Drilling for Weird Life,"Scientists interested in the search for life on other planets often spend their time hunting for novel life forms and unique ecosystems here on Earth. The Ro Tinto, a river in Spain with highly acidic water the color of red wine, has one group of researchers intrigued about what might be living underground." +2,Spurrier Withdraws From Florida Search,"Steve Spurrier is seen in this 2003 NFL season photo. Spurrier removed his name from consideration Thursday Nov. 4, 2004 to replace Ron Zook as coach of the Florida Gators, who was fired last week after the latest in a series of embarrassing losses." +1,Analysis: Kerry Term Would Face Hurdles ,"AP - If Sen. John Kerry is elected, his presidency is likely to bring a sharp shift in White House direction #151; along with pragmatic backpedaling on some of his boldest campaign promises." +3,US Airways Union Mails Strike Ballots,"The union representing flight attendants on Friday said it mailed more than 5,000 strike authorization ballots to its members employed by US Airways as both sides continued talks that are expected to stretch through the weekend." +1,SEC Opens Inquiry Into Google Stock Issue,"SAN FRANCISCO - In another twist to Google Inc.'s public stock offering, the Internet search company said federal regulators have opened an informal inquiry into its failure to register millions of shares. In a regulatory filing Monday, Google said it ""understands"" the inquiry was opened by the Securities and Exchange Commission..." +1,Muslims Asked to Concentrate on Righteous Deeds,"JEDDAH, 16 October 2004 - Sheikh Saleh Al-Taleb, one of the imams of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, yesterday called upon Muslims to outdo each other in righteous deeds to win rewards during Ramadan." +2,Stone Gone,"CHICAGO - After a season full of frustration and several well-documented hissy fits from Cub players, veteran broadcaster Steve Stone announced his resignation Thursday night on WGN AM Radio." +2,McDowell equals record,"A little over a month ago in Munich, when it was too late to make the team, Graeme McDowell scored a 62 on the final day of Ryder Cup qualifying." +1,Ivory Coast travel warning,"THE US today warned its citizens against travel to Ivory Coast, citing a quot;volatile quot; security situation throughout the country and a high risk of violence against foreigners." +1,Democracy campaigner enters race,A PALESTINIAN democracy activist who has campaigned for non-violent resistance to Israeli occupation said today he would run for president to succeed Yasser Arafat. +1,Darfur rebels accuse Sudan of continuing attacks,Rebels refuse to return to AU-sponsored talks with Sudanese government until latter stops attacks in Darfur. ABUJA - Rebel leaders accused the Sudanese government of pursuing an offensive in the western region +3,Auto Workers Strike Before Fiat Meeting,"Some of Fiat's auto workers struck for two hours Monday, a day ahead of a top-executive meeting that could determine whether Fiat SpA insists on an option to force General Motors Corp." +4,"ISPs unite, sue spammers","Microsoft has joined big Internet service providers, America Online, EarthLink and Yahoo against spamming. The companies announced they are filing three new antispam " +1,Maryland Court Rejects Electronic-Voting Challenge (Reuters),Reuters - Maryland's highest court has\rejected a challenge to the state's electronic voting system\and upheld a ruling that touchscreen-style voting machines\provide a reasonable level of ballot security. +1,Brother may buy Bigley,THE brother of Iraq hostage Ken Bigley was yesterday investigating whether it might be possible to buy his sibling's life. Paul Bigley was looking into reports in a Kuwaiti newspaper that a Iraqi militant +2,Ackerman Resigns As WNBA President,"Val Ackerman resigned as president of the WNBA, a position she has held since the league started in 1996." +1,Anti-war meeting hears Paul Bigley message,"About 200 anti-war protesters held a sombre meeting tonight calling for the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq. The meeting, which was initially due to feature a live telephone link with Paul Bigley, brother " +2,British Grand Prix to be Dropped from Formula One Next Year,"News reports from Britain say the British Grand Prix race will be dropped from next year's Formula One calendar, because of a financial dispute between race organizers and Formula One chief Bernie Eccelstone." +3,HP bags $500 million outsourcing deal,"Hewlett-Packard on Wednesday said it has received a $500 million contract to provide global IT services for WestLB, a European commercial bank and financial services firm." +1,OPEC Warns Oil Supply Cuts Needed for 2005, CAIRO (Reuters) - OPEC oil producers said Thursday that Friday's ministerial meeting would rein in oversupply to bolster falling prices and that the cartel would have to reduce output quotas early next year. +1,"Letter, suspicious powder spark anthrax scare at U.S. Embassy in Malaysia (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Authorities are testing a suspicious powder mailed to the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia to determine whether it's anthrax, officials said Monday. It's the second such scare at a U.S. mission in Asia within a week." +3,Ahold to sell off its Spanish holdings,"AMSTERDAM -- The Dutch supermarket retailer Ahold, seeking to streamline global operations and reduce debt, said yesterday that it will sell its holdings in Spain to Permira Funds, for roughly $849 million." +2,It's no easy task for Notre Dame,"Notre Dame of Hingham , often among the top girls' soccer programs in EMass, expected to compete for the Division 1 title this season. The Cougars didn't expect that they'd begin the season with a new coach." +1,"US Planes Hit Iraq's Falluja, Zarqawi Man Seized"," FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. warplanes bombed targets in Iraq's rebel-held city of Falluja overnight, killing two people and wounding three, and the U.S. military said it had captured a wanted militant on Saturday." +4,Recording Industry Sues 762 for Net Music Swaps (Reuters),"Reuters - A recording-industry trade group\said on Thursday it had filed a new round of lawsuits against\762 people it suspects of distributing its songs for free over\Internet ""peer to peer"" networks like Kazaa and eDonkey." +1,UN focus on Iraq education crisis,"Poor facilities are limiting schooling opportunities for many children in post-Saddam Iraq, says Unicef." +2,No. 6 Notre Dame Clips Colorado St. 69-47 ,"AP - Megan Duffy scored 15 points and Jacqueline Batteast added 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to lead Notre Dame to a 69-47 victory over Colorado State on Monday night." +1,Supreme Court Won't Hear Do Not Call Case ,"AP - The Supreme Court turned away a challenge Monday to the federal do-not-call registry, ending telemarketers' bid to invoke free-speech arguments to get the popular ban on unwanted phone solicitations thrown out." +4,Microsoft ships Virtual PC 7,The emulation software works with Apple computers that use the G5 processor. +4,SpaceShipOne's success has the industry trying to seize momentum ,"No sooner had SpaceShipOne glided back to terra firma, claiming both the $10 million Ansari X Prize and distinction as the first privately funded manned spaceflight, than talk turned to a glorious future: personal space trips ." +1,U.S. Rolls Into Softball Gold-Medal Game,"ATHENS, Greece - Right now, the Americans aren't just a Dream Team - they're more like the Perfect Team. Lisa Fernandez pitched a three-hitter Sunday and Crystl Bustos drove in two runs as the Americans rolled to their eighth shutout in eight days, 5-0 over Australia, putting them into the gold medal game..." +4,Suit by Cities Says Microsoft Overcharged,"icrosoft, which has agreed to pay $1.8 billion to settle consumer antitrust suits, has been sued by California munciplaties, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, over claims that the company overcharged them for its Windows software." +1,Rescue attempt underway for ill-fated transatlantic rower from Germany (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - Floating in the Atlantic Ocean, his life raft deflated, a man who has failed in his bid to row from the United States to England was counting on a Canadian search-and-rescue helicopter to pluck him from water Thursday." +2,Three jockeys held in race fixing probe,"THREE jockeys and a trainer were arrested today in a probe into alleged fixing of horse races. More than 130 officers raided 19 addresses across Suffolk, North Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and arrested 12 people for conspiracy to defraud." +4,First class to the moon,"London - British airline magnate Richard Branson announced a plan on Monday for the world's first commercial space flights, saying quot;thousands quot; of fee-paying astronauts could be sent into orbit in the near future." +3,Fraud trial for Spanish bank boss,"The chairman of Spain's largest banking group, Santander Central Hispano, is to stand trial on charges of tax fraud." +3,Citigroup Bond Trading Investigated by UK Regulator ,"Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Citigroup Inc., the world's biggest bank, is being investigated by the UK market regulator over unusual trading activity in European government bonds earlier this month. " +3,Retailers Usher in the Holiday Season,"Apple Store customers in San Francisco test the iPod Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004. The iPod is one of the hot electronic items on the Christmas list of many a holiday shopper." +2,Morning After,"The Morning After -- Every week, uncut, honest thoughts first thing Monday morning, win or lose, before there's time for quot;the coach quot; inside to begin thinking rationally." +3,Durable goods up slightly,"Overall demand for long-lasting goods below estimates, but ex-transportation orders show solid gain. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Orders for long-lasting goods rose in September, the government reported Wednesday " +3,UPDATE 1-Greenspan says better banking rules benefit economy,Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Tuesday that better management of banking risk and new rules on capital hold the promise of a stronger banking system contributing more to economic growth. +3,US Airways Shares Tumble on Union Move,US Airways Group Inc.'s shares tumbled nearly 9 percent in early trading Tuesday after union leaders representing US Airways pilots rejected sending a management contract proposal to members for possible ratification. +2,Redskins Daily 12/8,LaVar Arrington practiced for the first time since undergoing knee surgery. Now the Redskins have to wait and see if he'll be able to play. +2,The Rundown,"5 LSU at 14 Auburn 3:30 p.m., WUSA-9, WJZ-13 <br>Don't expect a resolution to LSU's quarterback controversy, which pits freshman JaMarcus Russell against senior Marcus Randall. ""My view is that both quarterbacks can be weapons for our team,"" LSU Coach Nick Saban said. No such controversy in Auburn's backfield, where Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown are both averaging more than 100 rushing yards per game. Hurricane Ivan, of course, is raging in the South. But so is Auburn, which remembers the 31-7 thrashing at the hands of LSU last season. The winner of this game will be the favorite in the SEC West." +3,Taser Guns Allowed Aboard Korean Air Jets,(CBS 5 News)--The federal government has given the go-ahead for commercial pilots to carry stun-guns. Scottsdale based Taser International will soon be arming people in the cockpit! +2,Palmer Leads Bengals Past Colts 16-13 ,"AP - Carson Palmer made a rookie mistake: He pointed to the sky too soon. Other than a premature touchdown celebration on a goal-line fumble, Palmer looked like an up-and-coming quarterback Friday night during the Cincinnati Bengals' 16-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts." +4,Sun Sets Sights on Low-End Market ,"AP - After years of battling Microsoft Corp., Sun Microsystems Inc. has set its sights on Linux vendors, seeking to jump into a low-end but high-volume market it's been accused of ignoring." +1,Pro-hunt demo at Labour gathering,Thousands of angry pro-hunting protesters are to stage a rally at the Labour Party conference in Brighton. +4,ICANN Gives the Nod to Two New Domains,"One domain, quot;.mobi, quot; will be set up for websites trying to work with the restrictions of Internet surfing on cell phones." +4,Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 to support Indian languages,"Red Hat Inc.'s Enterprise Linux 4 products, scheduled for release early next year, will support five Indian languages, reflecting the growing importance of the Indian market, according to an executive of the Raleigh, North Carolina-based Linux company." +2,England: Blackburn fight back to draw with Birmingham,"BLACKBURN, Nov 21 (SW) - After an atrocious defensive display in the first half, Blackburn Rovers came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Birmingham City at Ewood Park on Sunday." +4,Nintendo DS breaks new ground,"NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - In June 2001, Nintendo launched the Game Boy Advance -nd gamers cheered. Twenty-one months later, the company rolled out the Game Boy Advance SP - that cheering turned into an ovation." +2,China: Paralympic powerhouse,"Athens - Runner-up to the United States by a handful of gold medals at the Athens Olympics, China was the big winner at the Paralympics." +2,Despondent Brown: 'I Feel Like a Failure' ,"AP - Larry Brown was despondent, the head of the U.S. selection committee was defensive, and Allen Iverson was hanging up on callers who asked what went wrong. A day after their first Olympic loss in 16 years, the Americans were experiencing varying degrees of distress." +2,Baseball Players Union Meets in Valley,(CBS 5 NEWS) - The controversy surrounding steroid use in Major League Baseball could heat up today as the Players Union begins a week long meeting here in the valley. +1,Dawn blasts shake central Baghdad,A series of explosions rock Iraq's capital as smoke is seen rising above the zone housing US and Iraqi offices. +4,Investment in private spaceflight field lags enthusiasm by public,"LONG BEACH, Calif. - It was billionaire Paul Allen's $20 million that allowed Burt Rutan to build SpaceShipOne, the first privately financed manned rocket to reach space." +2,McNair Leaves Game After Reinjuring Chest ,AP - Oft-injured quarterback Steve McNair left Tennessee's game at Minnesota on Sunday after reaggravating the bruised chest that kept him in the hospital for two nights last month. +3,Airport Investment Two Fingers to Doom-Mongers ,"A 240 million US dollars (126.75 million) investment by budget airline Ryanair in the west of Ireland sticks two fingers up to the doom-mongers who said Shannon Airport would not work, it was claimed tonight." +3,Trade Gap Narrows But Still 2nd Highest,"The US trade deficit narrowed more than expected in July, but still was the second highest on record at $50.1 billion even though imports dropped for the first time in 10 months and exports leapt higher, the US government said on " +4,Playboy Posts Unused Google Excerpt to Web Site," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Playboy magazine on Tuesday posted to its Web site an unpublished portion from its interview with Google's founders, which raised regulatory eyebrows not for what it revealed, but for its timing -- just before the Internet search engine's much-anticipated initial public offering." +4,Google Unfolds 3D Mapping Acquisition,"Augmenting its technology assets and pushing into subscription services, Google (Quote, Chart) announced today that it has acquired digital mapping specialist Keyhole for an undisclosed sum." +3,Debt Relief Deal for Poor Nations Seems to Be Near,The U.S. and top financial institutions indicated that they were closing in on an agreement to forgive the debts of many of the world's poorest countries. +1,"RCMP should get better training to deal with domestic abuse, says coroner (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - BURNABY, B.C. (CP) - New RCMP recruits should get more training about spousal abuse and more supervision when handling such complaints, a coroner has suggested." +4,"P2P Needs a Fix, but What?","The FTC's peer-to-peer workshop brings opposing sides together, and they agree something should be done, but it's that uncertain something that is causing trouble. Michael Grebb reports from Washington." +1,Pro-hunt demo at Hain's home,A demonstration by pro-hunt campaigners is being held outside Peter Hain's home in south Wales. +2,Jol confirmed as Spurs boss,Tottenham have confirmed that Martin Jol will take over as head coach following Jacques Santini's surprise resignation on Friday. +1,Berlusconi cleared of corruption,"A TRIUMPHANT Silvio Berlusconi hailed his acquittal on corruption charges by a Milan court yesterday, saying he had never doubted he would be cleared." +3,Snow Predicts Oil Prices Set to Go Down,US Treasury Secretary John Snow predicted on Sunday skyrocketing oil prices were set to go down and said Middle Eastern finance ministers had responded positively to his request to boost output quotas. +1,John Howard 1st Iraq Invader to Face Vote,"Prime Minister John Howard will become the first of three allied leaders who launched the US-led invasion of Iraq to face voters, having announced Sunday that Australians will go to the polls on Oct. 9. The " +4,Hanging on the musical telephone,BT is looking to breathe new life into its network of phoneboxes by giving customers the chance to download music. +1,Post-Kyoto climate talks end on a low,"to get talks rolling for after 2012, when the Kyoto protocol to cut greenhouse gases runs out. protocol last month, allowing the treaty to take effect in February with a seven-year delay." +2,News Ltd considers SANZAR deal,"The deal will now include a Super 14 with two new teams from Australia and South Africa, as well as an extra round of the Tri-Nations." +1,Roh: Korea needs to be vigilant on won's strength,LONDON - President Roh Moo-hyun said on Thursday the country must be ready to guard against excessive currency moves and that channels for more international cooperation on exchange rates should be kept open. +1,"Rebels attack Chechen police station, several people killed","Several people were killed and a few others wounded when rebels attacked a police station in the capital of Russia's breakaway Chechen republic on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, citing officials." +4,Play : Half-Life 2 will take over your life,"THANK God for Valve Softwares Kellie Cosner, who gave me a complimentary edition of one of the most anticipated games of all time, Half-Life 2. Kellie, whom I previously corresponded with " +2,UPDATE 1-Lowly Reggina hand Juventus first defeat,"Serie A leaders Juventus suffered their first loss of the season with a shock 2-1 defeat at lowly Reggina on Saturday. The result gives second-placed AC Milan, who host AS Roma on " +1,Formula One supremo Ecclestone faces legal challenge ,AFP - A legal dispute which is expected to be a decisive factor in whether rights holder Bernie Ecclestone continues to dominate Formula One racing began. +2,"Gibernau, Rossi right behind Tamada",KUALA LUMPUR -- Japan's Makoto Tamada took provisional pole position for Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix after lapping inside the track record in Friday's first qualifying. +2,Acker-Macosko Shoots 11-Under 60 at Longs ,"AP - Anna Acker-Macosko shot an 11-under 60 on Sunday at the Longs Drugs Challenge, one stroke off Annika Sorenstam's tour record." +4,New Google Scholar search service aimed at academics,"Google on Thursday formally launched a new search service aimed at scientists and academic researchers.<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p><p><img src=""http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/idg.us.ifw.general/solaris;sz=1x1;ord=200301151450?"" width=""1"" height=""1"" border=""0""/><a href=""http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;12204780;10550054;n?http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;12165994;10522295;g?http://www.sun.com/solaris10"">Solaris 10(TM) OS: Position your business ten moves ahead.</a><br/>Solaris 10 OS has arrived and provides even more\reasons for the world's most demanding businesses\to operate on this, the leading UNIX platform.\Like the fact you can run Linux and Solaris applications\side-by-side and run the same OS on SPARC(R),\AMD Opteron(TM), and Intel processor-based systems.\Discover more reasons and how Solaris 10 OS can move\your business ahead today.</p>" +1,Senior Taliban commander arrested in southern Afghanistan,"KANDAHAR, Afghanistan Afghan officials say an alleged senior Taliban commander and two fighters have been killed in a raid on a village home in southern Afghanistan." +1,N.Korea Says Reconsidering Place at Nuclear Talks," SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is seriously reconsidering its role in talks on its nuclear plans because of what it sees as a concerted campaign to topple the North's ruling system, the North Korean Foreign Ministry said on Monday." +1,Braves Edge Dodgers 6-5,"LOS ANGELES - Johnny Estrada homered, drove in three runs and started Atlanta's go-ahead rally in the ninth inning, and the Braves beat Eric Gagne and the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 Thursday night. In a matchup of division leaders, the Dodgers had scored twice in the eighth to tie it 5-5..." +4,Blog the word of the year,"The word quot;Blog quot; is the word of the year by Merriam-Webster, the renowned American dictionary publisher. According to Merriam-Webster, the word quot;blog quot;, short for Weblog, is a " +2,A-Rod becomes a Yankee,"No matter how good or bad of a year Alex Rodriguez had this season in New York, his first year in pinstripes would ultimately be judged on how he performed in October." +1,Bleak outlook for Cambodian gem diggers as mining firms move in ,"AFP - In the search for riches beyond the dreams of most Cambodians, hundreds of gem diggers plunge daily down dangerous hand-built shafts hunting for amethysts and zircons." +4,"NASA: Hubble Fix Pricey, Not Guaranteed","Earlier this year, NASA administrator Sean O Keefe nixed a final shuttle service mission to Hubble scheduled for mid-2006, saying it posed too much of a risk to the lives of astronauts." +4,NTL 'sorry' over abusive message,The NTL phone company apologises after an abusive recorded message is left on their faults line. +1,"Majority of Taiwanese See Island as Independent, Sovereign","Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) - Highlighting a growing assertiveness and sense of national identity, a new opinion survey has found that a large majority of Taiwanese consider the island to be independent and sovereign." +3,Administration Considering Oil Stockpile Release,The Bush administration is moving toward releasing oil from the nation's emergency stockpiles as a result of disruptions to production and imports caused by Hurricane Ivan. +1,Iraq carnage kills 21,"AT LEAST 21 people were killed in the latest in a renewed spree of attacks to hit Iraq, as a top UN official issued a stark warning that elections could not be held in the current climate of violence." +1,Calif. Democrats File FCC Complaint ,"AP - A gift of free air time to GOP candidates from a Fresno-area broadcaster drew challenges on several fronts Thursday, as Democrats tried to stop the ads from running in key areas before Tuesday's election." +4,Borland to tout tool for building Microsoft apps,"San Jose, Calif. - Borland Software at its BorCon conference here on Monday will preview the upcoming Diamondback release of its Delphi development tool for the Microsoft platform, which is to support development via managed code." +3,Cingular to upgrade high-speed data network,"Cingular Wireless, the largest cellphone service provider in the United States, will upgrade its high-speed data network, allowing faster downloads than are now available " +2,Red Sox Face Old Nemesis in Cardinals ,"AP - Paint the World Series red #151; Red Sox and Redbirds, a classic matchup filled with a rich history." +2,ATP Stockholm Sunday results,Thomas Johansson denied top-seeded American Andre Agassi his second title of the year in a riveting three-set match while he collected his second If. +1,Rumsfeld: U.S. Troops Can Leave Before Iraq Peaceful (Reuters),"Reuters - The United States does not have to\wait until Iraq ""is peaceful and perfect"" before it begins to\withdraw military troops from that troubled country, Defense\Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Friday." +3,Boeing tanker backers hope to save deal,"Supporters of an Air Force plan to buy 100 aerial tankers from The Boeing Co. insisted yesterday they could salvage the troubled deal, even as Congress moved to kill it and federal investigators continue to " +3,US Airways Seeks Concessions from Unions," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bankrupt US Airways <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=UAIRQ.OB target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">UAIRQ.OB</A> sought consent from its big unions on Wednesday for temporary relief from contracts and threatened to go to court to force changes if workers did not voluntarily agree." +1,Blair faces surgery for heart flutter,LONDONBritish Prime Minister Tony Blair undergoes a procedure to correct heart palpitations today - hours after dramatically announcing that he wants to serve no more than a third term in office. +3,Risk Assets Tread Water," LONDON (Reuters) - Friday's weak U.S. jobs data remained the focus on world financial markets on Monday, with European stocks barely changed, government bonds consolidating gains and the dollar still under pressure." +2,Scandals Sink Sports,"The past weeks of steroids, on-field brawls and questionable of NFL marketing have led some to ask: what are sports degenerating into?" +2,Van Gundy paints offensive strategy,MIAMI Stan Van Gundy called his players together at the end of Monday's practice and warned them about overlooking the obvious. +4,Will this pick-up line work for you?,"Japanese sociologists and psychiatrists have come up with the best pick-up line in the world. The line quot;Rainen no kono hi mo issho ni waratteiy-oh quot; means quot;This time next year, let's be laughing together quot;." +2,Argonauts aim to tame Lions,"CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Quarterback Michael Bishop has helped keep the Toronto Argonauts entrenched in second place in the CFL's East Division, but his hold on the starting job likely is about to expire." +1,Cambodia is 6th Asian nation to detect bird flu,"PHNOM PENH Cambodia has detected its first outbreak of bird flu in chickens in recent months to become the sixth Asian nation to report a resurgence of the potentially fatal virus, officials said Wednesday." +2,Group including Mansell says it has deal to save British GP,A group that includes former Formula One champion Nigel Mansell said Thursday it had reached a deal with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone to promote the race. +2,Ichiro gets one more hit as M's play spoiler against Rangers,"ARLINGTON, Texas - The Texas Rangers might not be in a must-win situation yet, but they're hurting their playoff chances with each loss." +2,China rears sporting head,"ATHENS: While India continued to wallow in the misery of a lone silver medal, it was euphoria for China as it celebrated its best performance at Olympics after sprinting home in Athens in the final few days of competition with an unexpected surge of gold " +4,Peerbot Search Engine Offers Searching by Favicon,"Peerbot Search Engine Offers Searching by Favicon\\You know what favicons are? They're little teeny icons that show up on the address bar in at least Opera, Mozilla, and Internet Explorer. You can get information on what they are and how to put them together at ClickFire .\\Peerbot ( http://www.peerbot.com ) ..." +3,Henkel says will not issue bond to finance Dial buy,"Henkel KGaA (HNKG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it would not need to issue a bond to finance its acquisition of US-based Dial Corp." +1,Report: Islamist Group Frees 18 Iraqi Soldiers," DUBAI (Reuters) - An Islamist group has released 18 Iraqi soldiers it had captured and threatened to kill unless an aide to Shi'ite rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was released, Arabic television Al Jazeera reported Monday." +2,Eagles Defensive Tackle Thomas Injured ,"AP - Philadelphia defensive tackle Hollis Thomas could miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season, this time with a dislocated elbow." +3,Merck Pulls Arthritis Drug Off Market," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Merck Co Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MRK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MRK.N</A> on Thursday pulled its arthritis drug Vioxx off the market after a study showed it doubled the risk of heart attack and stroke, a move that sent its shares plunging and erased $25 billion from its market value." +3,Is Sears firing a prelude to buyout?,"The firing of Mark Cohen as chairman and chief executive officer of Sears Canada Inc. may be a prelude to its US parent scooping up the minority stake of the Canadian division that it doesn't already own, an analyst says." +2,Pats Law Said Out 4-6 Weeks With Injury,"BOSTON Nov 2, 2004 - New England Patriots cornerback Ty Law will be out four to six weeks with a broken bone in his left foot, his agent told The Boston Globe." +3,Cisco to invest more heavily in Asia,"Networking giant Cisco Systems this week announced plans for increased investment in Asia, including a new research and development facility in China and a venture investment program in India." +1,India and Pakistan to meet at UN,India and Pakistan will aim to push forward the peace process between them at talks in New York on Friday. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. +1,Barroso opts for last minute face saver ,An eleventh hour face saving move by the President-Designate of the European Commission Jos Manuel Durao Barroso managed to diffuse an institutional crisis in the European Union yesterday. +4,"Birding Column: Blind Views of Quail and Jays","Birder Mathew Tekulsky reveals the effectiveness of a concealed location for viewing birds, as he describes the behavior of quail and jays in his yard." +3,JPMorgan Chase To Shuffle Management; Financial Chief To Leave,"NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- JPMorgan Chase amp; Co. 's (JPM) chief financial officer, Dina Dublon, will resign at the end of the year and be replaced by Michael Cavanagh , currently head of middle market banking." +4,Staff fix needed at DIY website,"Screwfix.com, the internet home improvement service and part of the B Q chain, is freezing orders until more staff can be found." +2,"Colts 41, Lions 9","While Peyton Manning tried to downplay his individual accomplishments, receiver Brandon Stokley heaped on the praise. quot;Hes the best thats ever played this game as far as quarterbacks are concerned, quot; Stokley said." +3,"Ford's US Auto Sales Fall 5 to 268,474 in October ","Ford Motor Co., the second-largest US automaker, said its US sales of cars and trucks fell 5 percent in October. The 268,474 vehicles sold included a decline of 20 percent from a year " +2,New rule isn't very practical,"Prior to the preseason, the NBA instituted new rules about the amount of time each team can actively practice each day. Not including teaching, stretching, shooting, weightlifting, and film review, coaches are limited to three hours of practice per day." +2,Eagles miss shot at Big East crown,BOSTON - Diamond Ferri ran for 141 yards with two touchdowns and scored again on an interception as Syracuse rolled to a 43-17 victory over No. +1,Venezuela ratifies referendum vote,Venezuela's electoral authorities Friday ratified the results of a recent referendum that kept President Hugo Chavez in power. +3,Grace responds to letter about investigation,"WR Grace amp; Co., a Columbia-based supplier of silica products, alerted shareholders Friday it received a letter saying it is the subject of a federal grand jury investigation." +4,Hidden fault may contribute to Bay Area earthquake risk,"Earthquakes are not unusual in the San Francisco Bay Area, but a team of Penn State geoscientists believes that the hazard may be greater than previously thought because of a hidden fault under Marin County." +4,PeopleSoft devotees in denial?,"com September 22, 2004, 5:38 PM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +1,EU Agrees to Lift All Sanctions on Libya," BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has agreed to implement last year's U.N. decision to lift economic sanctions on Libya as well as ending its arms embargo on the North African country, diplomats said on Wednesday." +4,Yahoo! to test new anti-spam tool,Yahoo! Inc. and EathLink Inc. today announced they would begin attaching digital signatures using a new anti-spam technology to all of its outgoing emails to separate e-mails from unwanted soliciting emails - spam. +1,India seeks formal proposal on JK,India has expressed its readiness to look at Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf's recent informal formula for resolving the Kashmir issue if it is formally proposed by Islamabad. +4,"Kabul Museum's ""Lost"" Treasures: Photographs","More than 22,000 antiquities survived 25 years of turmoil in Afghanistan in a secret vault. The discovery that they are safe and intact is a ray of hope in the quest to restore Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage. <b>Photo gallery.</b>" +1,Japan PM's Support Slides on Iraq Concerns -Paper," TOKYO (Reuters) - Support for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and his cabinet slid sharply to 37 percent in a poll taken after his decision to extend the mandate of Japanese troops serving in Iraq, a national daily said on Sunday." +1,Hostage brother hits out over police raid,THE brother of Iraq hostage Ken Bigley hit out at police today after officers investigating the kidnapping raided his home. Paul Bigley said the raid had made him feel like a criminal and had wasted time in the race to save his brothers life. +1,US says Iran's missile is threat,"The US State Department Tuesday said iran's missile program posed a threat to the region and US interests. The United States has had and continues to have serious concerns about Iran's missile program, department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said." +1,Normal life resumes in Kathmandu Valley,"With the passage of one week, the effect of the quot;Kathmandu Valley blockade quot; imposed by the Nepalese anti-government guerrillas has waned with the government's move to step up security in order to foil the embargo." +2,Leonard-Flesch team grabs lead on strength of six early birdies,NAPLES - Justin Leonard and Steve Flesch combined for a 9-under 63 and a one-stroke lead over Hank Kuehne and former Florida State standout Jeff Sluman on Friday after the first round of the Franklin Templeton Shootout. +2,Ramsey Is Likely Starter,Redskins backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey took an abundance of the snaps during practice Tuesday and remains likely to start Monday's game against Dallas at FedEx Field. +2,Ponting eyes winning finish,"Ricky Ponting is confident of his team winning the Mumbai Test and ending the series as it began -- on a victorious note. Australia's skipper himself has a point to prove in India, where he scored 17 runs " +1,Burma PM removed ,"THE secretive military government of Burma was at the centre of rumours today that the prime minister, the long-powerful General Khin Nyunt, had been removed from office, diplomats in Burma and senior officials in neighbouring Thailand said." +2,Marlins sign Jones to one-year contract,"Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins made the signing of right- handed reliever Todd Jones official Monday by announcing a one-year contract." +2,Lawyer says sprinter did not know about test,"Athens -- Greek sprinter Costas Kederis did not know he was expected for a doping test, his lawyer said after the disgraced athlete testified to a public prosecutor probing the scandal that rocked Greece on the eve of the Olympics." +3,Georgia seeks Anthem concessions,"Anthem's yearlong effort to buy WellPoint Health Networks is now focused on Georgia, where the insurance commissioner says he wants cash concessions like those given in California." +3,Mortgage Rates Inch Higher,"The weekly survey from mortgage company Freddie Mac had rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages inching higher this week, up to an average 5.82 percent from last week's 5.81 percent." +4,"Ground Zero, the Long View",The main attraction at the Project Rebirth Web site is the time-lapse photography capturing the rebuilding at ground zero. +2,NAT roundup: San Francisco watches Los Angeles celebrate after ,"(CP) - It was painful for San Francisco to watch Los Angeles celebrate its division title win on Saturday. With a win of their own and some help on Sunday, the Giants can take their turn wooping it up." +1,Sinn Fein Cast Doubt on Chances of N.Irish Deal," BELFAST, Northern Ireland (Reuters) - Sinn Fein, the political ally of the IRA, cast doubt Saturday on whether a deal to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland could be struck with its arch foes, led by firebrand cleric Ian Paisley, at talks next week." +3,ATT posts $7.1 billion loss,Wired Wireless continues its reign at the top spot among IT priorities due to widespread IP telephony and wireless deployment. +2,Fired Willingham blames only himself,"SOUTH BEND, Ind. - One day after being dismissed as Notre Dame football coach, Tyrone Willingham admitted that he failed to live up to his own expectations." +3,Microsoft Targets 2006 for Next Windows," SEATTLE (Reuters) - The next version of the Windows operating system, Microsoft Corp.'s <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MSFT.O</A> flagship product, will ship in 2006, the world's largest software maker said on Friday." +1,US Releases Senior Aide to Sadr,"The US military released a senior aide to the rebellious Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr on Thursday, and Sadr aides said momentum was growing toward an agreement to disband the " +3,Gas drops to lowest price in 2 months,"SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - The average price of gasoline fell nearly 3 cents per gallon for the first time in two months, according to a national survey released Sunday." +4,"Heat Waves to Worsen Across America, Europe - Study (Reuters)","Reuters - Heat waves like those that have hit\Paris and Chicago in recent years are likely to get worse,\roasting more and more cities with ever-higher temperatures,\climate researchers predicted on Thursday." +2,Federer breezes to third Slam event,"Well, theres at least one person who isnt trying to figure out whether Roger Federer could one day complete a Grand Slam or match Pete Sampras career record of 14 major titles: Federer himself." +4,MS moves to can more spammers,Microsoft announced today that it has filed seven lawsuits against spammers who failed to label their junk mail as sexually explicit - in contravention of the US's CAN-SPAM law. +1,"Myanmar junta putting Aung San Suu Kyi's health, safety at risk: opposition (AFP)",AFP - Myanmar's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party accused the military regime of endangering party leader Aung San Suu Kyi's life by restricting her access to a doctor and non-junta security. +2,Molik stays on course for second tournament win in row,"Alicia Molik came back to beat French teen Tatiana Golovin 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the SEAT Open quarterfinals Friday, moving closer to winning her second WTA Tour title in two weeks." +3,OECD: Oil Prices Set Back Global Recovery,"The OECD cut its 2005 economic growth forecast for the euro zone and other major economies on Tuesday, blaming a quot;surge in oil prices quot; and the slide in the dollar." +2,Jeter catches first Gold Glove,Derek Jeter's diving grab against the Red Sox in July caught the attention of all of baseball and perhaps earned him his first American League Gold Glove. +1,Bomb victim makes good recovery,"A five-year-old Indonesian girl critically injured in last month's Australian embassy bombing in Jakarta has made a remarkable recovery and will leave hospital this week, press reports said yesterday." +2,Ballack set to miss Bielefeld clash,"MUNICH, Sep 10 (SW) - Bayern Munich playmaker Michael Ballack is likely to miss Saturdays home game against Arminia Bielefeld after returning from international duties with an angina." +1,"Annan's Post at the UN May Be at Risk, Officials Fear","United Nations officials fear that Secretary General Kofi Annan may have lost the confidence of the organization's most powerful constituent, the United States." +4,"Motorola to Cut 1,000 Jobs, Take Charge","Motorola Inc. will cut 1,000 jobs worldwide and take a charge of $50 million for severance benefits, officials said Tuesday." +3,1st Profit Forecast for Reynolds American (Reuters),"Reuters - Reynolds American Inc. , parent\of the No. 2 U.S. cigarette company, on Wednesday forecast 2004\profit of 5.75 to 6.05 a share, its first forecast since the\company was formed at the end of July." +3,"US Court Rejects Movie, Music Makers' Piracy Claims"," LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Thursday delivered a stinging blow to the anti-piracy efforts of major movie studios and music companies, ruling that several online file-sharing software companies are not liable for copyright infringement." +2,Vogts sure side will beat Moldova,Scotland manager Berti Vogts has expressed his confidence that his team will win in Moldova on Wednesday. There have been calls for his resignation after Saturday's 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat by Norway. +2,It is a perfect time to be with Renault: Giancarlo Fisichella,"After his first test last week in Barcelona, Giancarlo Fisichella sat down to share his thoughts about his progress so far, and his first impressions of the Renault team." +2,Crass interference or no flag?,"Whatever you do, don't ask Colts coach Tony Dungy, Are you ready for some football? . Dungy lambasted ABC, the NFL and the Eagles for the cross-promotion of the network's new hit show Desperate Housewives " +4,Late Street spurt to buoy bourses start (FT.com),FT.com - European bourses are seen starting positively after a late spurt on Wall Street thanks to encouraging results from technology stalwarts IBM and Texas Instruments. A slide in oil back to 53.30 from its 55.33 peak on Monday also helped. +1,"Cosatu defiant, enters Zim for talks","The delegation from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), a partner in the ruling African National Congress government, was held up for nearly an hour by officials at Harare's international airport on arrival for a visit Mugabe's government " +4,Nintendo moving into online within 3 to 4 years - Miyamoto,"Comments attributed to Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto in this week's Famitsu magazine indicate that the company is planning to bring its systems online within a three to four year timescale, with DS leading the way." +2,No big deal,"One day after the Yankees worst loss in team history, the Boss finally broke his silence. George Steinbrenner issued a brief statement Wednesday, in which he shrugged off Tuesday's embarrassing 22-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians." +1,Terror mystery haunts jet disasters,"Russian authorities struggled last night to explain how two passenger aircraft had apparently blown up simultaneously in midair on Tuesday night, killing all 89 people on board." +2,Injury report; stars of the day,Green Bay running back Ahman Green left last night's game against the Houston Texans after aggravating a rib injury. Green had returned in the second quarter after leaving earlier with the rib problem. +2,Indian doubles pair crash out,"India's hopes of an Olympic tennis gold medal evaporated last night when Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi lost 6-2, 6-3 to Germany's Nicolas Kiefer and Rainer Schuettler in the doubles semi-finals. " +4, Toshiba sues Hynix on memory patents,"Japan's Toshiba Corp. filed patent infringement lawsuits in Japanese and U.S. courts on Monday against South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc., it said Tuesday." +1,Bosnian Serb Accused of Genocide Held ,AP - The U.N. war crimes tribunal took custody Sunday of a Bosnian Serb commander who is accused in the 1995 genocide of Muslims in the U.N.-protected zone of Srebrenica and is one of the most senior army officers to fall into the court's hands in recent years. +1,Garang confirms he is not supporting rebelling;Khartoum denies ,"The Sudanese minister of state for foreign affairs, Najib al- Kheir Abdul Wahab, denied the consent of his government to give self rule to Darfur; noting that it will ask for explanations from the UN Higher Commissioner for Refugees over his statements to " +1,US volcano eruption 'imminent',A tremor at Mount St Helens volcano in the US state of Washington prompts fresh warnings of an eruption. +4,$10 million space shot,"A star-spangled rocket plane returned to space yesterday, enabling a team of entrepreneurs to collect a $10 million prize for developing the first reusable private spacecraft." +1,BA cancels four more flights,British Airways has cancelled four domestic flights but says other services have returned to normal at Heathrow Airport after severe disruptions earlier this week. +2,Milan rivals steamroller Spain's finest,"THE Milanese giants flexed their considerable muscles last night, both gaining impressive victories in the Champions League. AC Milan won the glamour clash with Barcelona thanks to Andrei Shevchenkos 31st " +1,Thai riot official death toll questioned,"A Thai legislator says the death toll from a riot and its aftermath in the largely Muslim south may be far higher than the officially acknowledged 85, most of whom suffocated in army custody." +2,Tatupu Takes Long Way to Stardom at USC ,AP - Linebacker Lofa Tatupu believed in his ability to play big-time football when few others did. +1,Clash over prisoners exposes power struggle,The confusion yesterday over whether two quot;high-value quot; women prisoners being held in Iraq would be released has underlined the limits of the interim government's authority. +1,Iran's president slams nuke plan,"IRANIAN President Mohammad Khatami has criticised an International Atomic Energy Agency resolution on its nuclear activities drawn up by Britain, France and Germany." +3,Qwest to pay $250M in settlement?,Source says local phone company won't deny or admit to charges of financial and disclosure fraud. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Qwest Communications International Inc. +4,Blaster Author Pleads Guilty,Teen faces prison for unleashing malicious variant of MS Blaster worm last year. +3,US Airways wants court to cut pay,"Bankrupt US Airways wants a judge to replace existing contracts for passenger service agents, flight attendants and mechanics with less-expensive ones." +1,More held over Australia drug haul,"Two men have been arrested in Belgium in connection with Australia's biggest seizure of the drug ecstasy. Australia's police commissioner said a major European syndicate was behind the shipment, and more arrests were likely." +4,Winamp vulnerable to camouflaged-skin attacks,Users of the music player should watch out for hacked themes; a flaw allows would-be intruders to take control of PCs. +1,F.B.I. Goes Knocking for Political Troublemakers,The F.B.I. has been questioning demonstrators in an effort to forestall violent protests at the Republican convention. +4,New Trojan Spams SMS,The Delf-HA Trojan horse infects PCs and then contacts a Russian Web site to download instructions for running a spam campaign. The Trojan sends spam SMS by using the quot;Send a text message quot; facility +4,Nextel to assist U.S. Navy,"Nextel Communications to supply U.S.-based U.S. Navy personnel with cell phones, voice minutes and wireless data plans." +3,SEC Inspections Yield More Referrals,"Risk-assessment techniques are yielding results at the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the number of enforcement referrals from SEC inspectors is up significantly in the last six months, senior SEC officials said." +4,Still No Answers From Mars on Beagle 2 ,AP - The British team that built the space probe for Europe's doomed mission to Mars conceded Tuesday that any future ventures to the Red Planet should have better funding and detection systems for potential problems. +3,Warning of terrorists threat to businesses,"BRITISH business is open to the threat of terror attack unless it works more closely with the Government to assess and counter active security risks, a former intelligence chief will tell the CBI today." +2,"If Jets and Steelers Are Mirror Images, It's Time for One of Them to Crack","After they both finished 6-10 a year ago, the Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers have found themselves linked again, but now in their rise to the N.F.L.'s upper echelon." +3,NatFoods makes its pitch for SPC,PERENNIAL takeover target and suitor National Foods has identified SPC Ardmona as a merger partner in a deal that would add packaged fruit to its own dairy operations and build a major Australian food company. +1,Typhoon-Like Gusts Hit Japan; 13 Injured,"TOKYO - Gale-force winds pounded eastern Japan early Sunday, knocking out power to homes, stirring coastal waves that caused a tanker ship to run aground and injuring at least 13 people." +4,Virgin to Unveil Portable Music Player ,"AP - The consumer electronics arm of the Virgin Group is introducing a new 5-gigabyte hard-disk portable music player, bringing a powerful brand name in music to the increasingly crowded product space." +3,Wall Street rattled by Fed as Shell fails to please City,WALL Street is said to be a bit rattled at the Federal Reserves latest quarter-point rise in American interest rates. Yesterdays one-third drop in quarterly profit announced by investment bank Morgan Stanleys will not help the jitters. +4,Debugging the Megahertz Myth,"Most, if not all, of you have read or been in heated debates over why or why not higher clocked microprocessors are better than their quot;comparable quot; competition." +4,"VoIP: Today Des Moines, tomorrow the world",Federal ruling makes Internet phone providers roll out services more actively. +4,PSP to support MP3,It has emerged that Sonys new portable handheld gaming device - the PSP will also support MP3 formatted tracks alongside Sonys properitory format ATRAC. +4,Space Station Oxygen Maker Broken,"The oxygen generator for the International Space Station craps out, leaving the two astronauts on board weighing alternative sources for breathable air." +4,Reebok Revives Pump Sneaker,"The shoe features an air chamber that molds itself to the shape of the wearer's foot. But unlike its Pump predecessor, the new shoe inflates itself automatically." +3,U.S. Airways Asks to Skip Pension Payment," ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - US Airways Group Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=UAIR.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">UAIR.O</A>, trying to raise money and avoid liquidation, on Monday asked a judge for permission to skip a big pension payment due this week, in its first move since filing for protection against creditors over the weekend." +2,Shadow of Perry still looms over British game,Britain last won the Davis Cup in 1936. You can account for the paucity of confidence in the British team last weekend when you realise their last victory predates rationing. +3,"EADS profit soars, earnings forecast up","PARIS, Nov 4 - The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company reported Thursday that its nine-month net profit more than doubled, thanks largely to sales of Airbus aircraft, and raised its full-year forecast." +2,City Put 25m Price Tag On SWeeP,"Manchester City are reported to have hung a 25 million price tag on Shaun Wright-Phillips. It seems that City, whose debts have grown to 62 million, are willing to part company with their star player, but " +2,"In the Rain, Pittsburgh Makes a Mess of Miami",The hurricane-weary Miami Dolphins had their matchup against Pittsburgh moved back to a night game because of Hurricane Jeanne. But the Steelers also had reasons to be out +2,Home series defeats for India,"Australia, by winning the third Test at Nagpur on Friday, also won the four-match series 2-0 with one match to go. Australia had last won a Test series in India way back in December 1969 when Bill Lawry's team beat Nawab Pataudi's Indian team 3-1." +1,Iran Says Can Mass Produce Medium-Range Missiles (Reuters),"Reuters - Iran said on Tuesday it was now able to\manufacture large quantities of its medium-range Shahab-3\ballistic missile, which defense experts say is capable of\hitting Israel or U.S. bases in the Gulf." +4,Marshalls role in space revolution,A NASA experiment that could help shape the future of space exploration as part of a new generation of potentially life-saving space crafts has launched +2,Glazer stockpiles even more United shares,"Malcolm Glazer will not make an quot;imminent quot; bid for Manchester United but it is his quot;unwavering intention quot; to launch a full takeover offer as soon as he can persuade the club's biggest shareholders to sell, according to a City source." +3,US Airways Pilots Offer Final Talks,The leadership of the pilots' union at US Airways voted late last night to hold last-ditch talks with the airline on its bid for wage and benefit cuts. +3,"Why You Hate, and Like, Social Security","Is Social Security an important part of civilized society, or just another form of welfare?" +2,Red Sox hope Schilling doesn't have to pitch again,The Boston Red Sox will try to get Curt Schilling ready for another World Series start. They certainly hope they don't need to use him. +1,War crimes prosecutor Del Ponte says Saddam should be tried outside Iraq ,AFP - Chief UN war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte said that ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein should be tried for crimes against humanity outside Iraq. +3,Delta chief customer service officer retires,Delta Chief Customer Service Officer Vicki Escarra will retire on Oct. 1 after 31 years with the Atlanta-based airline. Escarra said she wanted to spend more time with family. +3,Warburg to buy Kotak bank pie,"Foreign Institutional Investor Warburg Pincus International will pick up 2.75 per cent stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank for Rs 75.9 crore (Rs 759 million), subject to shareholders approval." +3,Dealer Can Write Off Stolen Drug Money,"An Australian court ruled Wednesday that a convicted heroin dealer can claim a 220,000 Australian dollar (US\$165 million; euro 129 million) tax deduction for money that was stolen during a drug deal." +2,Millen Guides Lions,Matt Millen has survived a number of missteps since becoming president of the Lions in January 2001 and now believes the franchise is heading in the right direction. +2,"Foulke, Wakefield are happy to pitch in","As much as the Red Sox relished thumping the Yankees, they took special satisfaction from the outings of two key pitchers who recently have struggled, Keith Foulke and Tim Wakefield ." +2,"Arsenal, Chelsea, Man. United and Liverpool all win",Champions Arsenal remain at the top of the Premier League with two-point lead after a 1-0 victory at Manchester City after title rivals Chelsea beat Middlesbrough 1-0 on Saturday. +1,UN staff union mulls no-confidence motion against senior UN management ,"AFP - The UN staff union was meeting to discuss a no-confidence measure against senior management of the United Nations, which has been hit by a series of scandals involving top UN officials." +4,Russian-US crew prepares for launch to international space station,"All three men heading to the international space station in a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft this Thursday will be riding the tiny craft for the first time, breaking with 30 years of tradition." +2,FACTBOX-Luigi Del Neri factbox,"- After a modest playing career in Serie A and B with Spal, Foggia, Novara and Udinese, Del Neri takes up his first coaching job in August 1990 with Teramo in Serie C2, Italy's fourth division." +2,Bears lose Urlacher for 4-6 weeks,"SPORTS NETWORK - Chicago Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Urlacher is sidelined 4-6 weeks because of a lower left leg injury. Urlacher, 26, hurt the leg during Sunday's 19-17 overtime win at Tennessee and underwent " +3,Oracle sales rise on database demand,"com September 14, 2004, 2:26 PM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +2,Top 10 are taking shape,It was after her heroics in Athens that I posed the question quot;Is Kelly Holmes this nation's greatest female athlete? quot; Did her middle-distance Olympic double nudge her ahead of Mary Rand (ne +3,Airbus hits back at Boeing over aid,AIRBUS said last night that the move by the United States to file a complaint with the World Trade Organisation reveals Boeing's unwillingness to enter talks to end massive federal and state support for its new 7E7 Dreamliner. +4,Virgin Mary Grilled Cheese Back Up on EBay,"MIAMI Nov 16, 2004 - The Internet auction house eBay Inc. reversed itself Tuesday and is allowing bids for half of a 10-year-old grilled cheese sandwich that its owner says bears the image of the Virgin Mary." +2,Youzhny ends title drought,"ST PETERSBURG, Oct. 31. - Russias Mikhail Youzhny overwhelmed Karol Beck of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2 here today in the final of the one-milliondollar ATP tournament to record his first title win of the season." +1,World ; Three die as Maoists enforce 48 hr shutdown,"World News, Kathmandu, Three people were killed, over a dozen vehicles torched and a global march to empower people at the grassroots was disrupted as Maoist insurgents Tuesday enforced a 48-hour shutdown in six regions of Nepal." +1,"Malaysia, Singapore Work to Repair Ties","Malaysia and Singapore on Monday made significant progress in repairing four decades of soured relations, agreeing to hold top-level talks on a range of disputes including " +2,Glazer Buys More Manchester United Stock ,"AP - Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer increased his stake in Manchester United for the third straight trading day, upping his ownership share Tuesday to 28.11 percent and edging closer still to a possible takeover bid." +1,Carter worried about US election ,AFP - Former US president Jimmy Carter expressed fears that there could be vote cheating in battleground states in the US election on November 2. +3,FCC Proposes Fine Against Fox TV,"The Federal Communications Commission Tuesday proposed a record-setting $1.2 million fine against 169 Fox television stations for an April 2003 broadcast of ""Married by America"" that featured whipped-cream-covered strippers and digitally obscured nudity. <BR><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</B></FONT>" +2,Federer Ends Brilliant Year with Masters Title," HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer capped one of the finest seasons in tennis history by successfully defending his Masters Cup crown with a devastating 6-3, 6-2 final win over Lleyton Hewitt on Sunday." +3,Oil Higher on Iraq After Heavy Fall (Reuters),Reuters - Oil prices edged higher on Thursday\from a heavy drop the day before as renewed violence and\sabotage attacks in Iraq revived fears over supply disruptions. +2,Falcons Spoil Manning's Debut With Giants ,"AP - Michael Vick ran for 104 yards and threw two first-half touchdown passes to Alge Crumpler to lead the Atlanta Falcons to a 14-10 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, spoiling Manning's first start." +4,Study: Bears Kill More Elk Than Wolves ,"AP - Grizzly and black bears killed a majority of elk calves in northern Yellowstone National Park for the second year in a row, preliminary study results show." +2,Chris Graythen/Getty Images,Minnesota's 34-13 loss to the Giants last week ended a four-game win streak and shrunk its division lead to one game over the Lions and Packers. +3,AmEx wants rivals to pay,Now the credit-card companies are trying to tack on billions in charges to each other. American Express Co. wants rivals Visa USA Inc. +2,Justin Langer smashes New Zealand,Nothing much changed for New Zealand on day 2 of the second test match between Australia and New Zealand. Australia are dominating like they did on the first day and with Justin Langer completing his double +2,Raiders Finally Sign Woodson," ALAMEDA, California (Sports Network) - Oakland cornerback Charles Woodson finally ended a lengthy holdout Tuesday and signed the Raiders' one-year tender. The deal is reportedly worth $8.782 million for the upcoming season." +3,Stronger yen clips Toyota's profit,"No. 1 Japanese automaker posts drop in 3Q earnings, but boosts forecast for global sales in 2004. TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp." +1,N. Korea May Be Preparing Missile Launch,"Japan said it has obtained intelligence indicating that North Korea may be preparing to test fire a short-range missile, in what would be the latest provocation from the communist country." +2,"On the brink, Dodgers left to lean on Lima","He sings, he dances. He serves as the Dodgers' unofficial cheerleader, racing nonstop around the dugout and constantly pumping his teammates up. Most important, Jose Lima pitches -- and very well at Dodger Stadium." +3,"Oil prices skid, US stocks of crude seen growing","NEW YORK : World oil prices fell, capping a drop of more than 14 percent in a two-and-a-half-week slide triggered by a perception of growing US crude oil inventories." +3,Wachovia exec McMullen retires,"Wachovia Corp. said Thursday that Don McMullen Jr., head of its capital management unit, is retiring at year-end. He will be replaced by David Carroll, 47, who has led the company's merger integrations and corporate marketing." +2,Black players are taunted in Spain,"I'm mad at people who think it's funny to taunt black soccer players. I'm saddened that a small group - I hope it's just a small group but I have my doubts -f stupid fans are ruining, what " +4,Tourists Await Mount St. Helens Eruption ,"AP - Camcorder in hand, Sheri Ray stood on Johnston Ridge #151; named for a man who died in the cataclysmic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 #151; and waited impatiently for the volcano to blow again." +4,Columnists: Seeds of Disaster,Internet Explorer's problems can be traced to Microsoft's shortsightedness during the browser wars of the 1990s. Is the company sowing tomorrow's security woes today?\ +1,Mourning and Anger at School Caught Up in Terrorism,"The 40th day since the siege of Middle School No. 1 in Beslan, Russia, brought forth a fresh outpouring of pain. It also laid bare some of the darker emotions, like vengeance." +2,Packers Lead Panthers 10-7 at Halftime ,AP - Ahman Green ran for a 6-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to give the Green Bay Packers a halftime lead over the Carolina Panthers on Monday night. +4,Virus writers focus on image bug,Security experts warn that virus writers could be preparing to create havoc using a bug in the way that Windows handles images. +4,Worm speaks to Windows users,"Most IT Managers won't question the importance of security, but this priority has been sliding between the third and fourth most important focus for companies." +2,Did Steelers send message?,"n If the New England Patriots are considered the NFL's best team, what does that make Pittsburgh? The Steelers opened a lot of eyes Sunday at Heinz Field with a convincing 34-20 win over the defending Super " +2,Boston College still seeking its identity,"Tom O Brien knows a thing or two about what his Boston College Eagles face today against West Virginia. quot;We're aware that Boston College has never won a Big East game in Morgantown, quot; he said." +1,'On Death and Dying' Author Dies at 78,"PHOENIX - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a psychiatrist who revolutionized the way the world looks at terminally ill patients with her book ""On Death and Dying"" and later as a pioneer for hospice care, has died. She was 78..." +3,Vioxx study's publication derailed by FDA queries,"Government questions about ''basic data integrity quot; derailed publication of a report raising safety concerns about arthritis drug Vioxx on the eve of a contentious congressional hearing, according to an e-mail exchange." +1,More than 30 Ivorians killed: official,"PARIS - French troops killed more than 30 Ivory Coast nationals and wounded at least 100 others in the ongoing crisis in the west African country, Ivorian parliament speaker Mamadou Coulibaly said on French public radio France Inter on Sunday." +2,Iranian Will Not Meet Israeli in Olympics Due to Weight, ATHENS (Reuters) - A diplomatic wrangle of Olympic proportions was avoided Sunday when Iranian world judo champion Arash Miresmaeili failed to make the weight for his clash with an Israeli opponent. +3,Palestinian economy in decline,"The Palestinian economy is in crisis, performing well below its potential, the World Bank says." +3,Oil Futures Rise on Signs of Cold Winter,"Crude oil futures moved upward Wednesday, as the northeastern United States _ a heavy consumer of heating oil _ felt the first signs of what could likely be a colder-than-expected winter." +2,American Hoopsters No One's Dream Anymore," ATHENS (Reuters) - The days of U.S. domination of the Olympic basketball tournament are over and so, it appears, is the fans' love affair with the American Dream Team." +2,Davidson sets the pace in Shanghai,Anthony Davidson has stolen the limelight from Formula One's race drivers by setting the benchmark in both practice sessions for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. +3,XM radio goes portable,"XM Satellite Radio goes after subscribers in their cars, and in their homes, and now it's targeting folks in the gym or just about anywhere." +3,No progress in Sun-Times labor talks,"Negotiations to avoid a strike by union journalists at the Chicago Sun-Times are heading into overtime. With the tabloids labor agreement set to expire tomorrow, labor and management appear no closer to a deal than they were Sept." +4,Taking the Express Train to Venus,"To celebrate the hardware completion of the next orbiter to Venus, the European team of scientists hope toasting to a toasty planet will broaden astrobiology's view of our neighbor. Because on the surface, Venus is hot enough to melt lead..." +4,Free Agent: Where the Geeks Are Taking Us (PC World),"PC World - LinuxWorld Expo came to San Francisco, and our columnist managed to ignore most of the show. Read on to see what did catch his eye." +2,Sulamani cruises by 11/2 in Canadian International,"The other jockeys tried to keep Sulamani, the 4-5 favorite, boxed in, but it hardly mattered as he captured the $1.5 million, Grade I Pattison Canadian International by 11/2 lengths under a hand ride yesterday at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto." +4,"Lexmark recalls 39,000 laser printers","The recalled printers include the Lexmark E232, E232t, E330, E332n and E332tn models; the IBM Infoprint 1412 and 1412n; and the Dell 1700 and 1700n, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission." +4,New ISS crew prepare for lift-off,"With just a week to go before their launch, the new crew of the International Space Station are preparing for blast-off, CCTV reported Friday." +4,The Election That Never Ends ... Online,"In the real world, campaign 2004 ended last week with John Kerry's concession to President Bush. But online, the lost cause lives on in the form of conspiracy theories and collective mourning. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +1,British Military Begins Deployment in Iraq,"British Army soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington Regiment, move toward the center of Basra, southern Iraq, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, during clashes with armed gunmen." +4,MS debuts forthcoming attractions pre-alert alert,Microsoft is to give users three working days notice about upcoming security patches. Starting this month the software giant will provide a general summary of upcoming updates just before it releases patches +2,"Russia, France 2-0 up",Russia and France are on track for a meeting in the Fed Cup final in Moscow after both teams took 2-0 leads following the first day of their respective semi-finals. +1,"Shell, Sinopec launch 187 million dollar service station venture (AFP)","AFP - Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec Group) have launched a 187 million dollar service station joint venture, the companies said." +1,Norwegian Mistakenly Burns Cash for Heat ,AP - A Norwegian who felt a bit chilly after a night on the town and decided to stoke his fireplace didn't really have money to burn. It just turned out that way. +3,Board rules options be counted as expenses,"The nation's accounting rule maker decided yesterday that companies will have to begin deducting the value of stock options from their profits next year, reining in a cheap way to compensate workers that had been abused by executives and clouded earnings." +1,10 dead as train falls into ravine,"PADRE BURGOS, Philippines -- At least 10 people died when a train derailed and plunged down a steep ravine yesterday. Rescuers smashed windows in a desperate attempt to reach about 100 trapped passengers." +1,Kuchma warns over Ukraine chaos,Ukraine's outgoing president warns against disorder ahead of a close election to choose his successor. +1,"Egypt frees four Muslim Brothers, extends custody of 52 (AFP)","AFP - Egyptian state security prosecutors released four members of the banned but normally tolerated Muslim Brotherhood and extended the custody of 52 others, legal sources said." +1,Rebels target Black Watch troops,Insurgents in Iraq have targeted Black Watch troops in a series of rocket attacks at their base just 25 miles south of Baghdad. No one was injured in the four separate assaults and there was minimal damage. +2,Cardinals go back-to-back,The Houston Astros return home for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series tomorrow with ace pitchers Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt ready to go against the St. Louis Cardinals. +3,Disney finds buyer of retail chain,"SECAUCUS, NJ Disney has a deal to sell its retail chain in North America to Children's Place. The long-sought agreement includes a licensing pact allowing Children's Place to operate the 313 stores under the Disney Store brand name." +1,Iran's Nuclear Issue,"Sometimes it helps just to open an atlas and stare for a few moments. I did so this morning, checking out the Southwestern Asia map (#98) of the National Geographic Atlas of the World (a handsome volume, by the way)." +3,Appeals court faults Oracle in shareholder suit,Oracle suffered a legal setback Wednesday when a federal appeals court reviewing a shareholder lawsuit reversed a lower court's ruling that had found in the company's favor. +1,Crime tops Queen's Speech agenda,New measures to fight crime and drugs are expected to be at the heart of the Queen's Speech on Tuesday. +4,Report: CEOs Stagnant on Security,CEOs aren't doing enough to address the myriad IT security threats that loom large. At least that's what Ernst amp; Young concluded from survey results it released today. +3,Quota Move on Garments Riles China,The Ministry of Commerce filed a protest Thursday over the possible imposition of quotas in the United States on five categories of garment imports. +4,HP Earnings Rebound (TechWeb),TechWeb - CEO Carly Fiorina says Enterprise Servers and Storage unit has returned to profitability. +2,William Rivers Pitt: Believe,"Four score and six years ago, a relatively new Boston baseball team called the Red Sox won the World Series for the fifth time. Not long after, a man named George Herman Ruth, Jr." +4,"NASA's backup plan involves rescue shuttles, space station","Significant technical challenges, particularly trouble encountered while developing a way to repair severe wing panel damage, have led NASA to develop an unprecedented backup plan." +4,"Windows kernel, LSASS flaws fixed","As anticipated, Microsoft today released five security bulletins rated quot;important. quot; All five fix vulnerabilities in Windows that could have been exploited by attackers to " +3,China to Impose Duties on Clothing Exports,"China has decided to impose duties on its exports of textiles and apparel, a move that could ease worldwide fears that Chinese clothing makers will soon dominate the global market after its liberalization on Jan." +3,"Wal-Mart to Open, Expand Up to 295 Stores ",AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to open or expand 40 to 45 discount stores and 240 to 250 Supercenters in the United States next year as the world's largest retailer continues an aggressive expansion plan. +2,FSU notebook: Bowden: No decision on QB,"Bowden replaced starting quarterback Wyatt Sexton with Chris Rix at the beginning of the fourth quarter, with FSU trailing 20-10. quot;I definitely wasn't expecting it, quot; Sexton said, quot;but I understood " +4,TI Unveils Digital TV Chip for Cell Phones,"Texas Instruments unveiled a single chip solution for cell phones. Code-named quot;Hollywood, quot; the new chip integrates a tuner, OFDM demodulator and channel decoder processor." +4,Take Kerry's Swift Boat for a Nonpolitical Spin,"Kuma Reality Games, which specializes in recreating military encounters, is making one of Mr. Kerry's Swift boat missions the situation for a game." +1,Leader of devastated Australian Labor Party to stand again ,AFP - Opposition leader Mark Latham has declared his intention to recontest the leadership of the centre-left Labor Party even as he was being blamed for its devastating defeat in the weekend election. +3,Irish cigarette sales slump,Cigarette sales in Ireland have fallen by 17.6 percent this year after it became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on smoking in the workplace. +3,Yet Another Bidder Emerges for Australian Pub Operator,"Australia's largest retailer, Coles Myer, waded into a takeover battle for the pub operator Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group yesterday, offering 1.18 billion Australian dollars ($856 million) in a bid with a local bank." +2,Jaguars edge Colts on the road,INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Rookie Josh Scobee put his foot into some more late-game magic for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Scobee kicked a season-high 53-yard field goal with 38 seconds left in the first half to +2,China kicks off last three flyaway races,"Motorsport.com. Formula One now enters the final three races of the 2004 season, all of which are long distant events. The inaugural Chinese Grand Prix heads the trio this weekend, followed by Japan and Brazil." +3,Wal-Mart Holds Sales View," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WMT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">WMT.N</A>, the world's largest retailer, said on Saturday it still anticipates September U.S. sales to be up 2 percent to 4 percent at stores open at least a year." +1,Howard wins fourth term in Australian election,Opposition Labor Party leader Mark Latham has conceded defeat in Australia's general elections and congratulated Prime Minister John Howard for winning a fourth consecutive term in office. +2,Nowitzki Injures Ankle Against Nuggets ,AP - All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki had to be helped to the Dallas locker room after twisting his left ankle Sunday night against the Denver Nuggets. +3,Trucking Firm Takes a Tumble,Less-than-truckload shipping specialist SCS Transportation (Nasdaq: SCST) has found itself in unwanted territory -- the largest Nasdaq percentage loser. +4,Andreessen: Microsoft to make IE more competitive,"The success of alternative browsers such as Mozilla Foundation's Firefox may ultimately have an unexpected side effect, causing Microsoft to be more aggressive in leveraging its dominance of Internet client software, said Marc Andreessen, one of the " +2,Ravens' Running Back Lewis Pleads Not Guilty (Reuters),"Reuters - Baltimore Ravens star running\back Jamal Lewis was not in the court room for his arraignment\on Friday, but pleaded not guilty through his lawyers on drug\charges." +3,Privacy Complaint Against Airline Dismissed,"Northwest Airlines did not violate its own privacy policy and did not mislead customers when it shared passenger records with the government as part of a secret airline security project after the terrorist attacks in 2001, the Department of Transportation has ruled." +2,Easy Going for Els,"Ernie Els breezes through a wacky day of weather at the American Express Championship by finishing with an 8-under-par 64, and taking a two-shot lead in Ireland." +4,Microsoft issues five bulletins on Windows flaws,Microsofton Tuesday released five Security Bulletins warning of several vulnerabilities that put computers running Windows at risk of attack. +1,Chinese sub detected in Japan waters,Japanese government officials Thursday confirmed a Chinese Navy submarine intrusively entered Japanese waters a day earlier. The submarine was discovered early Wednesday +3,Saudi boosts oil output to rein in prices,"Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, is to raise production from 9.5 million barrels a day to 11 million barrels in an attempt to rein in prices that have topped US$ 50 a barrel." +1,Kuwait minister assures release of Indian hostages,"NEW DELHI: Kuwait is working closely with Iraqi authorities to ensure the safe and expeditious release of three Indians abducted in Iraq, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah al-Salem al Sabah said on Wednesday." +3,Founder of Nike to Hand Off Job to a New Chief,"Philip H. Knight, the brash founder of Nike who became as synonymous with the sneaker brand as its swoosh logo, resigned yesterday as chief executive after more than 32 years at the helm." +1,"Islamabad, Kabul to fight terror",KABUL: President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday pledged to fight terrorism offensively and promised full cooperation with Afghanistan during a visit to the Afghan capital. +3,FDA to Pfizer: Pull Wild Thing Viagra Ad," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two television advertisements for Pfizer Inc.'s <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PFE.N</A> impotence drug Viagra should be withdrawn for claiming a return of sexual desire and omitting key information, the Food and Drug Administration said in a letter to the company released on Monday." +2,Felony charge deferred based on behavior,"WASHINGTON, DC -- Denver Nuggets forward Rodney White has pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor firearm charges in Washington DC after being arrested in September." +2,NBA Wrap: Lakers Rally to Beat Rockets (Reuters),Reuters - Lamar Odom supplemented 20 points with\13 rebounds and Kobe Bryant added 19 points to overcome a big\night from Yao Ming as the Los Angeles Lakers ground out an\84-79 win over the Rockets in Houston Saturday. +4,'Madden' Week No. 1 Game Sales Top 1.3 Million (Reuters),"Reuters - ""Madden NFL 2005,"" the latest\version of Electronic Arts Inc.'s pro football video game\franchise, sold more than 1.3 million copies in its first week,\giving a strong kick-off to one of EA's top sellers, the\company said on Thursday." +4,Unanet's Software Lets Managers Watch Work in Progress,"For about a decade, Frances B. Craig looked for a product to build her company around. She had started an information technology consulting company but missed building software to help companies operate efficiently." +4,Apple's iTunes now accepting PayPal,"Customers at Apple Computer's iTunes store will now be able to pay for their songs, albums and gift certificates using PayPal, a virtual wallet technology owned by eBay." +2,Roundup: 5 Pacers charged for fighting fans,Five Indiana Pacers players were charged in Detroit on Wednesday for fighting with fans in the stands and on the court during the brawl that broke out at a Pistons game last month. +2,"Billups, Pistons fill it up vs. Mavericks","Chauncey Billups tied his season high with 24 points and Richard Hamilton scored 13 of his 19 in the third quarter, helping the Detroit Pistons pull away from the Mavericks and post a 101-85 victory last night in Dallas." +4,Reining in public IM,"There is no question that IM is entrenched in the enterprise. More than 90 percent of businesses report IM activity, according to Osterman Research. A main reason, as we discovered in ""Getting serious about enterprise IM,"" is the improved productivity and reduced communications costs that IM delivers. What should concern CIOs is that unsanctioned consumer IM networks -- such as those from America Online, ICQ, Microsoft, and Yahoo -- make up 80 percent of corporate IM use today, and the number of users of these unsecured IM networks is growing at a fast clip, according to The Radicati Group. True, public IM networks offer enterprises some protection, such as very basic identity control. But organizations are still exposed to a multitude of security risks, including viruses and breached firewalls." +1,Oil: Reason Behind Coup Bid,"THE men exposed as plotting a coup in Equatorial Guinea are the scum of the earth. Next time someone demands that the West should quot;take over and sort out Africa quot;, remember this scandal and the real face of Western intervention it reveals." +4,"Nokia, Vodafone Attack Java Troubles In Mobile Phones",Nokia Corp. and Vodafone Group Plc on Thursday said they have launched a standards initiative to make it possible for software makers to develop Java applications that can run across cellular phones built by different manufacturers. +2,Injuries prevent Fox from continuing career,"Rick Fox made it official yesterday: He will not be coming through any door to have a second go-round with the Celtics. As shockers go, this one is slightly behind quot;Dewey Defeats Truman. quot;" +1,Madrassas hit by sex abuse claims,"A Pakistani minister reveals hundreds of cases of alleged child sex abuse at religious seminaries, or madrassas." +2,Illness can't stop Parham,"Despite being under the weather yesterday, junior forward Aja Parham provided the spark as the Boston College women's basketball team routed Northeastern, 90-63, at Conte Forum." +3,"Caesars, Quintain to Build Wembley Casino", LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. casino firm Caesars Entertainment Inc. and Quintain Estates have formed a joint venture to turn the area around London's Wembley Stadium into a $600 million leisure and gambling resort. +3,Stocks tumble as oil surges again,The Dow Jones industrial average fell 108 points to about 97-hundred-58. Decliners on the New York Stock Exchange outnumbered advancers by a five-to-three margin. +3,"Depression Drugs, Suicide Linked, Reviewer Says (Reuters)",Reuters - A U.S. government medical\reviewer told an advisory panel Monday that new findings\confirmed his conclusion months ago that certain\antidepressants increase the chances of suicidal behavior among\children and teens. +3,Markets brace for fresh hurricane,Hurricane Frances is pushing up commodity prices and weighing on insurance company stocks as it heads for the Florida coast. Orange juice prices hit nine-month highs on the New York Board of Trade on Thursday +2,DIVING - Helm backs himself to take a dive for last-second ,Mathew Helm has practised the dive that won him silver at the Athens Olympics thousands of times. He finished Australia's greatest Olympics in diving in almost the best possible way - with four perfect 10s and a spot on the medal podium. +3,WPP Offers Over $1.25B for Grey Global,"Britain's WPP Group PLC and private-equity firm Hellman amp; Friedman have submitted offers in the auction for advertising firm Grey Global Group, according to people familiar with the matter." +3,Immucor CEO Is Subject of Criminal Probe,Immucor Inc. on Tuesday said president and chief executive Gioacchino De Chirico will step aside as CEO while the company investigates a criminal probe into De Chirico and an Italian subsidiary. +2,NHL Labor Dispute Chills Arenas Across U.S., MIAMI (Reuters) - The lockout of ice hockey players by the National Hockey League is sending a chill through U.S. arena operators who rely on professional hockey as a vital audience puller. +2,Olowokandi Still Out,Minnesota decides to suspend Michael Olowokandi for a second game after his arrest early Thursday morning for disorderly conduct. +2,SuperSonics Stay Atop Northwest Division ,AP - Nate McMillan looks at the standings of the new Northwest Division and sees something a little odd #151; the SuperSonics are in first place. +3,A fragmented look at the business of multiculturalism,"My friends laugh at me for watching ''Passions, quot; the campy daytime drama about occult doings in a New England hamlet. But my favorite soap is cutting-edge: It has been praised for featuring a Mexican-American family, a rare dash of color in the largely white world of recurring TV characters." +3,Scots employers aim to go hire,"EMPLOYER hiring confidence in Scotland is robust for the first quarter of 2005, notably above the national average, according to research released today." +2,"Dodging Another Upset, U.S. Holds Off Greece","Nobody heard the American players exhale when the buzzer sounded to end a 77-71 victory, because 12,000 delirious fans saluted Greece, the home team that had come close." +3,Dollar Crumbles to Record Low Vs Euro (Reuters),Reuters - The dollar sank to a record low against\the euro on Thursday and stood near a 12-year low versus the\pound after a round of robust U.S. economic data failed to\dispel souring sentiment on the U.S. currency. +3,American Express Profit Rises 14 Percent," NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Express <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AXP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">AXP.N</A> on Monday said quarterly earnings rose 14 percent, matching analysts' expectations, as cardholder spending and borrowing increased while loan losses fell." +1,Iranian parliament approves uranium enrichment,Iran's parliament approved on Sunday an outline of a new bill obliging the government to resume uranium enrichment activities - which the country views as a national. +1,Opposition parties begin talks for coalition Israeli Government,The opposition Labour Party in Israel has begun coalition talks with the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party. Labour leader Shimon Peres says negotiations to establish a coalition government could be completed within a few days. +4,Apple G5 chips in short supply ,Apple may be facing greater difficulties than previously thought in sourcing chips to power its high-end personal computers. +4,"Microsoft, ScanSoft pair up for speech software","Text-to-speech technology will be featured in a range of Redmond's server products, beginning with Speech Server 2004." +2,Notre Dame Accepts Insight Bowl Invite,Notre Dame Accepts Invitation to Play in Insight Bowl in Arizona Against Pac-10 Team on Dec. 28. Notre Dame's quarterback Brady Quinn gets a pass off under pressure from Southern California's Mike Patterson +1,Crippled Canadian sub set for safe harbour,"Montreal - The British-built Canadian submarine HMCS Chicoutimi, crippled since a fire at sea that killed one of its crew, is under tow and is expected in Faslane, Scotland, early next week, Canadian naval commander Tyrone Pile said on Friday." +1,U.N. Tells Iran to Suspend Nuke Program,"VIENNA, Austria - The U.N. atomic watchdog agency demanded Iran suspend all uranium enrichment activities and set a November timetable for compliance in a vote Saturday that U.S..." +4,The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Developer Diary,"Well, we started the project soon after Morrowind, and our team was split into two groups -- one working on technology for Oblivion, and one working on expansion packs." +1,Law lords back terror detainees,"Detaining foreigners without trial under emergency anti-terror laws breaks European human rights laws, law lords ruled today. The decision from nine of the law lords, who make up Britain's highest court, throws " +2,Ricky Ray to be Jets third QB,"HEMPSTEAD, NY (AP-CP) - Quarterback Ricky Ray, who guided the Edmonton Eskimos to a Grey Cup title last year, has been signed to the New York Jets active roster." +1,Jiang-Hu tussle ahead of China's Communist Party plenum,"Beijing, Sept. 15 (PTI): The Communist Party of China will hold its fourth plenum here from September 16 to 19 to discuss key issues facing the nation but a reported power tussle between the camps of military " +1,Australian police to trial stun guns for air marshals ,AFP - Australian police say they may soon follow the United States' lead and issue air marshals with electric stun guns after a trial of the weapons by an elite security unit. +3,The Economy Is Killing Overtime,NEW YORK - The effect of new US overtime rules that go into effect today are the subject of intense dispute between labor groups and the Bush administration. +1,Panel Says Iraq to Hold Elections Jan. 30 ,AP - Iraq's Electoral Commission on Sunday said that national elections will be held Jan. 30. +2,Not Normal Routine for Gymnastics,"The gymnastics competition at the 2004 Olympic Games produced some extraordinary performances, but ultimately was overshadowed by judging controversies that pitted nation against " +1,IAEA: Confidence in Iran's Nuclear Program Has Eroded,The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has exempted some centrifuges from its commitment to freeze uranium enrichment and lacks trustworthiness because of past concealment and delays in disclosing information. +4,ATI takes another look at shared memory,ATI today said that it will develop a new approach to use system memory rather than more dedicated memory on its graphics card. HyperMemory will use PCI Express +2,Owenagainlifts Real Madrid from the doldrums,"MADRID, Spain - Michael Owen scored his first Spanish soccer league goal on Saturday to lead Real Madrid over defending champion Valencia, 1-0." +2,Green Bay sent packing,Chris Brown rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the Tennessee Titans ended a run of three defeats by powering to a 48-27 victory over the struggling Green Bay Packers. +4,Boffins boost DVD capacity tenfold,Scientists working at London's Imperial College have come up with a way of radically increasing the storage capacity of optical discs. +2,Red Sox hammer M's 9-0,"SEATTLE - Bronson Arroyo pitched seven shutout innings, and Manny Ramirez and Mark Bellhorn homered, leading the Boston Red Sox to an 9-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night." +2,Orioles Cruise Past Blue Jays 9-3 ,"AP - Miguel Tejada homered and drove in three runs to boost his major league-leading RBIs total to 146, and the Baltimore Orioles cruised past the Toronto Blue Jays 9-3 Thursday night." +3,"Dell, HP Lead Growth in PC Market","The global PC market continued to grow in the third quarter, according to reports from analyst firms International Data Corp. and Gartner Inc." +3,Survey: Gas prices drop as consumption goes down,"CAMARILLO, Calif. Gas prices at the pump declined over the past two weeks. An industry analyst says a seasonal drop in consumption and lower crude oil prices contributed to the drop." +1,Charest says fiscal imbalance holding back modernization of federal system (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - CHARLOTTETOWN (CP) - Quebec Premier Jean Charest says the fiscal imbalance between Ottawa and the provinces is one of the major impediments to a much-needed renewal of Canada's federal system. +4,Taipei Plans City-Wide Wi-Fi by End 2005 (Reuters),"Reuters - Taipei plans to make wireless Internet\access available across the Taiwan capital by the end of 2005,\joining a small number of cities offering Wi-Fi networks." +4,A So-So Debut For Microsoft's Blog Service (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - Microsoft Corp. made a belated entrance into the ""blogosphere"" Thursday, unveiling a free Web-log publishing service one day after Merriam-Webster Inc. proclaimed ""blog"" the word of the year." +1,Resistant Israeli Settlers May Get Prison,"JERUSALEM Sept. 26, 2004 - Armed settlers who resist evacuation could face five years in prison under a law proposed Sunday before next year's planned removal of all 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank." +3,Sears fires chief,"TORONTO -- Sears Canada Inc. has dismissed Mark Cohen as chair and chief executive, citing quot;strategic differences quot; between him and the board of directors." +2,Minnesota's shooters slash Miami's defense,MINNEAPOLIS - The Heat wasn't overly concerned about its 0-2 record against Western Conference teams heading into Tuesday's game at Minnesota. +1,Stocks Mixed on Latest GDP Reading,"NEW YORK - Stocks were mixed in early trading Wednesday as investors digested a jump in the second-quarter gross domestic product and kept a close eye on oil prices that still hovered near $50 per barrel. Investors saw the Commerce Department report, which said the nation's GDP grew 3.3 percent from April to June, as a mix of good and bad news..." +1,Iran Defiance Threatens Euro Bid to End Nuclear Row,"Iran again vowed to continue enriching uranium, in a potential setback to a European plan to ease the nuclear standoff with Tehran by offering sales of nuclear fuel and a trade deal as incentives." +1,NASA Chief Said to Be Top Contender for L.S.U. Job,"Sean O'Keefe has sought and become the top contender for a high-level job at Louisiana State University, according to NASA and university officials." +3,Warehouse offers cut-price coffins,"A US discount warehouse chain known for piling em high, and selling em cheap, is offering cut-price coffins along with the buckets of sauce and tubs of ice-cream under a new pilot program. " +3,PeopleSoft Board Rejects Oracle Bid Again," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker PeopleSoft Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PSFT.O</A> said on Saturday that its board again rejected Oracle Corp.'s <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORCL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ORCL.O</A> $9.2 billion tender offer, remaining defiant a day after most of its shares were tendered to Oracle." +1,Russia: Accidental Blast Led to Siege End,"MOSCOW - The militants who raided a school in southern Russia last week were led by a man dubbed the Colonel, who enforced obedience by killing three fellow attackers - two by detonating the explosives they had strapped to their bodies. Two days later, the attackers were moving the explosives they rigged around the gym where hundreds of hostages were held, and a bomb went off accidentally..." +1,Sudan: U.S. Genocide Label May Hurt Talks ,"AP - The U.S. declaration that government-backed militiamen have committed genocide in Darfur is a ""big mistake"" that could hinder peace talks and undermine the role of African mediators in the conflict, Sudan's top officials said Friday." +2,Earnhardt reminded to keep it clean,"Tony Eury Sr. oversees Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the racetrack, but Sunday he extended his domain to Victory Lane. Earnhardt was unbuckling to crawl out of the No." +2,Astros Split Doubleheader With Pirates ,"AP - Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus and Lance Berkman drove in two runs each and the Houston Astros shook off Pirates starter Oliver Perez's dominance in the opener, beating Pittsburgh 9-2 for their 13th victory in 14 games and a doubleheader split." +1,US air force 'deaf to sex claims',A Pentagon report on claims of sexual assault says US air force commanders failed to recognise the problem. +2,Mauresmo Pulls Out of Fed Cup Finals," PARIS (Reuters) - Fed Cup holders France will be without world number two Amelie Mauresmo for this month's finals in Moscow, shortening the odds on a first title for Russia." +1,Another Buddhist Beheaded in Thai South Revenge," BANGKOK (Reuters) - Suspected Muslim militants beheaded an elderly man in Thailand's south in revenge for the deaths of 85 Muslim protesters last month, the second Buddhist decapitated in a week, police said on Tuesday." +1,Bangladesh bus accident kills 22,"At least 22 people in southern Bangladesh have been killed in a head-on collision between a bus and a lorry, police say." +3,Merger Costs Hit JP Morgan Chase Profit,"JP Morgan Chase amp; Co. (JPM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the No. 2 US bank, said on Wednesday profit fell in the third quarter, missing analyst expectations, as a result of costs from its July merger with Bank One Corp." +1,Go ahead for more Darfur troops,"The African Union agrees to strenghten its force in Sudan's Darfur region from under 400 to more than 3,000." +4,Election Overseers Want Big Win,"Administrators are hoping that the victor in this year's presidential election will win by a wide margin. A close race, they fear, will result in more charges of voter fraud and demands for recounts. Kim Zetter reports from Washington." +2,Mariners Hire Hargrove as Manager,Mike Hargrove was hired Wednesday to manage the Seattle Mariners and turn around the team after its worst season in 12 years. +2,Massive task for Kallis and de Bruyn,Master batsman Jacques Kallis's ability to keep India at bay on Thursday seems likely to decide South Africa's fate in the second test - and the series. +3,Oracle's best and final offer rejected,PeopleSoft's (PSFT) board Wednesday rejected Oracle's (ORCL) quot;best and final quot; hostile takeover bid worth about $8. +1,Canadian probe into submarine fire begins,"A Canadian board of inquiry is convening in Scotland to investigate the cause of the fire on the submarine HMCS Chicoutimi, in which an officer was killed." +2,Trojan Felix Sanchez Wins Olympic Gold Medal In 400-Meter Hurdle,ATHENS -- Trojan hurdler Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic won the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdle today (Aug. 26) at the 2004 Athens Olympics. +4,U.S. Wildlife Refuges Facing Threats ,"AP - A sweeping wildlife preserve in southwestern Arizona is among the nation's 10 most endangered refuges, due in large part to illegal drug and immigrant traffic and Border Patrol operations, a conservation group said Friday." +1,GOP Convention Light on Stars ,AP - The Republicans will have one sure Hollywood star for their convention #151; California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger #151; along with performers to keep the country music fans happy. But they'll be hard-pressed to match the Democratic convention's appeal to young voters led by Ben Affleck. +4,Man Held in England in Cisco Code Theft,"A 20-year-old man has been arrested in England in the theft of the proprietary software blueprints used by Cisco Systems Inc.'s networking equipment, police and the company confirmed." +2,"Emlyn Hughes, a star on the pitch and the screen, dies aged 57","To football fans he will be remembered as the indomitable leader of the Reds. To many others, the defining memory of Emlyn Hughes will be of a jumper-wearing, quiz-show team captain being berated by Princess Anne for his spelling." +2,Garciaparra Files for Free Agency ,"AP - Nomar Garciaparra filed for free agency Friday, starting the bidding process for the All-Star shortstop." +1,Dream Team Breezes Past Angola 89-53,"ATHENS, Greece - The Americans got a taste of what it was like in the good ol' days. They finally played an opponent they were able to beat easily, routing Angola 89-53 Monday in their final preliminary game of Olympic men's basketball..." +2,FA investigate Stanford Bridge crowd chaos,The Football Association has started an investigation into crowd trouble at Chelsea's League Cup match with West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. +4,What's missing in Microsoft IE?,"com September 30, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. There's no doubt the Internet will continue to make its mark in the world of business and technology." +2,Myskina salvages Fed Cup tie for Russia vs. France,MOSCOW -- French Open champion Anastasia Myskina pulled Russia into a 1-1 tie with defending champion France at the Fed Cup final Saturday after US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova lost the first singles match. +4,Bush website inaccessible from Australia,"United States President George W Bush's campaign website is inaccessible from outside the United States, blocking access for Americans living in Australia." +4,Windows XP: to Russia with Love,"Russia is the fourth nation to participate in Microsoft Corp's Windows XP Starter Edition pilot program, for first-time PC users in developing technology markets." +1,Britain Considers U.S. Request for More Iraq Help (Reuters),"Reuters - Britain is considering a U.S. request to\move troops into more potentially dangerous areas of Iraq, a\politically charged move which has re-ignited anger over Prime\Minister Tony Blair's support for the war." +3,Northland sells cranberry processing business to Ocean Spray ,"Wisconsin Rapids-based Northland Cranberries Inc. has agreed to sell its cranberry processing operations, including its Wisconsin Rapids plant and cranberry inventory, to rival Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc." +3,Stocks: Weak earnings undercut US share prices,"NEW YORK US stocks ended slightly lower Monday, despite receding oil prices, as a raft of disappointing earnings reports and jitters over the close presidential election tempered investors optimism, traders said." +4,Israel to collaborate with India in IT,"BANGALORE, INDIA - Israeli companies want to collaborate with Indian companies on research and development (R D) to create IT products and services for the global market, according to Ehud Olmert, Israel's deputy prime minister and minister for industry, trade, labor and communications." +4,Microsoft Keeps Legal Options Against Office Alternative,Microsoft's settlement with Sun Microsystems includes a provision explicitly preserving Microsoft's right to sue licensees of a free alternative to its dominant Microsoft Office software. +4,Windows Media Player sound files 'edited with warez',<cite>PC Welt</cite> looks under the hood +4,Birding Column: Sweet Song of the Winter Sparrows,Birding columnist Mathew Tekulsky considers the joys of sparrows wintering in his California backyard. +2,"Browns, Steelers fight before game","Talking trash wasn't enough. The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers decided to trade punches. Less than an hour before Sunday's game, Browns running back William Green and Steelers linebacker Joey Porter " +3,U.S. Execs Plan More Hiring - Survey (Reuters),"Reuters - Most senior executives at large U.S.\companies plan to increase hiring and investments over the next\12 months amid growing optimism about the economy, according to\a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers released on Thursday." +1,Powell rebukes Annan on Iraq,"Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday expressed strong disapproval of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's description of the US-led war in Iraq as illegal, saying the comment was quot;not a very useful statement to make at this point." +1,Official: Yukos Sale Won't Impact Output ,"AP - The planned sale of oil giant Yukos' main pumping unit to pay off the parent company's back taxes won't affect production, Russia's energy minister was quoted Tuesday in news reports." +1,Aristide supporters rampage in Haiti,"YOUNG gangsters torched cars, fired in the air and terrorised people not far from the presidential palace as violence flared in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince." +3,Telefnica rejects bid for maker of Big Brother,"TELEFNICA, the Spanish telecoms group, is understood to have rejected a bid of at least 2 billion (1.4 billion) for its Endemol television production company, which is behind Big Brother." +3,Potential $340M Teflon settlement,The DuPont Co. agreed to a settlement potentially worth more than $340 million Thursday to resolve allegations the chemical giant contaminated drinking water in West Virginia +4,Phishing Feeds Internet Black Markets,"Phishing is a growing form of online fraud that blends old-fashioned confidence scams with innovations in technological trickery. Today and Friday, washingtonpost.com explores the methods phishers use, how e-businesses are dealing with the problem and what phishing has done to its thousands of victims. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</b></font>" +1,Hard-Hit Havana Still Short of Water,"City workers distributed water in tank trucks Monday and urged about 1.4 million residents of the Cuban capital who had no running water to remain calm, four days after Hurricane Charley roared through the area." +4,Time for a new Dem agenda,"Whoever officially wins this election mdash;at the time of this writing, it rsquo;s technically still a squeaker that could conceivably go either way, though it rsquo;s looking like Bush rsquo;s first election to office mdash;what is clear is that the Republicans owned the political agenda. I rsquo;m not talking about Iraq or terrorism, though those were significant issues. What I rsquo;m talking about is what got so many people to turn out and vote Republican on Tuesday: values." +1,Cheney Due to Lash Into Kerry in Speech,"NEW YORK - Vice President Dick Cheney was stepping up to denounce Democrat John Kerry's ""confusion of conviction"" after President Bush formally won the Republican nomination for a second term in a carefully choreographed GOP convention roll call. The second day of the convention brought out thousands of protesters who set out on a march to the convention site, getting in the way of a busload of delegates and engaging in shouting matches with officers around Manhattan..." +3,Ivan's cost may fall as it misses Big Easy,Hurricane Ivan may cost insurers less than first estimated after the third storm to hit the United States in six weeks skirted New Orleans. +3,"Pulitzer Inc. might be for sale, report says","The Pantagraph's parent company, Pulitzer Inc., which also owns the Post-Dispatch in St. Louis and 12 other daily newspapers, may be for sale according to a Friday report by the Reuters news service." +2,French teen homes in on Fed Cup win,Moscow - Blonde teenage pin-up Tatiana Golovin hopes to crown a first ever return to her native Russia by leading France to victory over the hosts in the Fed Cup final on Saturday and Sunday. +1,Iranian bill backs nuke energy drive,has passed a bill obliging the government to go on trying to develop a civilian nuclear energy programme. uranium enrichment or end snap UN inspections of atomic facilities as some lawmakers had called for. +1,"2 Americans, 1 Briton Kidnapped in Iraq","BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen abducted two Americans and a Briton in a brazen attack Thursday on a house in an upscale Baghdad neighborhood where many embassies and foreign companies are based, the Interior Ministry and witnesses said. It was the latest in a wave of kidnappings of foreigners in Iraq..." +1,U.S. Pre-Ramadan Raids Net Insurgents,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Stepping up raids before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, U.S. forces traded fire with insurgents in the Sunni stronghold of Ramadi, officials said Thursday, while troops detained 10 people, including two suspected insurgent leaders, in a sweep of Baqouba..." +2,O Connell will try to jump-start Aztecs season,"Searching for a way to stop the bleeding, Tom Craft yesterday officially replaced a quarterback who is hurting and has been ineffective." +1,Protest rocks Aboriginal island,Protesters on an Aboriginal island in Australia storm the local police station after the death of a man in custody. +2,Bonds saves his very best for the home fans,The important thing is there are a lot of San Francisco Giants fans who are going to have a lot to tell their grandchildren someday. +2,Bullpen came undone,"The Angels' bullpen, a collection of arms expert in dishing out misery all season, took lead roles in their own ugly production of Les Miserables here last night in Game 2 of the American League Divison Series." +1,ASEAN sign free trade agreement,The Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) and China have signed an agreement to create the world's biggest free trade area by removing tariffs for their two billion people by the end of the decade. +2,Keane on assault charge,Footballer Roy Keane is due to appear in court charged with assault and criminal damage. The 33-year-old Manchester United legend is said to have clashed with a 16-year-old boy near his A1. +3,"US Airways, pilots at impasse","ARLINGTON, Va. -- Talks between US Airways Group and the union representing pilots have broken down, the Air Line Pilots Association said Monday." +4,The Drive to Discover,"The need to push our boundaries is in our DNA. We can't afford not to go to Mars -- or anyplace else, for that matter. By James Cameron for Wired magazine." +4,Reform to Rules for Putnam,"Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.), who led much of Congress oversight of federal information technology during the past two years, has left the House Government Reform Committee and joined the Rules Committee." +3,Radio Companies to Merge,Classic FM owner GWR and Capital Radio are to merge in a deal creating a company with a 36 share of the UK commercial radio audience. +1,Analysis: Israel hand seen in Ivorian clash,New allegations that Israeli arms dealers helped the army of Ivory Coast attack a French military base look likely to reignite long-tense relations between Israel and France. +1,Musharraf Unsure if He'll Stay Army Chief ,"AP - President Pervez Musharraf is testing public opinion before he makes a final decision about whether he will stay on as army chief, the Pakistani leader said in a newspaper interview published on Friday." +2,Tennis: Kuznetsova Advances to China Open Quarterfinals,US Open tennis champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia has advanced to the quarterfinals of the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing with a hard-fought win over China's Li Na. +4,Launch of Canadian manned space mission on hold,"TORONTO - One of two Canadian teams competing for a $10-million US-prize has delayed the launch of its rocket. The rocket launch was set to take place in Kindersley, Sask." +1,Dozens convicted in African coup plot,"MALABO, Equatorial Guinea A court convicted dozens of alleged mercenaries from South Africa and Armenia on Friday and sentenced them to prison terms for an alleged coup plot." +1,Former world leaders urge Western pressure on Putin over state of ,WASHINGTON : Dozens of political figures including former heads of state and government have signed a letter calling on the West to toughen its stand on the state of democracy in Russia. +3,Key Martha witness found not guilty,"A government ink expert was found not guilty of lying on the witness stand during Stewart's trial. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Larry Stewart, a government witness who testified against Martha Stewart, was found not guilty Tuesday on all counts of perjury." +3,Business Analysis: Turner Newall pensions crisis leaves ,"The crisis in the UK occupational pensions sector seemingly scaled new heights this week as Federal Mogul, the insolvent American car parts manufacturer, finally pulled the plug on the pension fund of its UK subsidiary Turner amp; Newall." +4,"U2 sees iPod TV spots as synergy, not sellout (USATODAY.com)","USATODAY.com - Uno, dos, tres, CATORCE! The TV quakes as a euphoric punk holler, stabbing guitar and muscle-bound rhythms roar over convulsive images of rock stars in silhouette. The iPod ad touting U2's Vertigo isn't your father's Oldsmobile commercial, but it is a commercial, and that's stirring debate among rock 'n' roll old-schoolers and within the band's vigilant following." +1,UN peacekeepers wounded in Haiti violence,"GONAIVES, Haiti - Two United Nations peacekeepers were wounded in shootouts with supporters of Haiti's ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide in the capital and storm survivors in flood-ravaged Gonaives, officials said today." +4,Windows update causes headaches,Games and security programs are on a long list of software that does not work well with the Windows SP2 update. +1,Aznar stands by his claim of Eta link to bombings,"Jos Mara Aznar, Spain's former prime minister, accused the Socialist government yesterday of failing to investigate suspected links between Islamic terrorists and Basque separatists." +4,Red Hat to Buy Netscape Server Programs,Red Hat Inc. announced Thursday that it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with America Online Inc. to acquire its Netscape Security Solutions software assets. +1,Democrats Pressure McGreevey to Leave Soon,"TRENTON, N.J. - High-level New Jersey Democrats said Sunday that pressure is building among members of Gov..." +4,News: Phishing losses overestimated - survey,"Fraud losses from email phishing attacks will hit $137m globally in 2004, according to a study from research and consulting firm TowerGroup." +2,"Receiver to have surgery Thursday, may need ACL repaired","Tennessee Titans receiver Tyrone Calico will have surgery Thursday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee and may need to have his anterior cruciate ligament fixed as well, coach Jeff Fisher said Tuesday." +3,Microsoft Launches Music Store Beta,"While the debut of the Microsoft music store inevitably conjures up images of Apple and Microsoft going head-to-head for the hearts and wallets of consumers, Microsoft has made it clear that " +2,"Marlins release Koch, Castro walks","On Tuesday, the Florida Marlins released Koch, who has struggled with control and consistency since recording 164 saves over his first four major league seasons." +2,UPDATE 1-Late goal gives N.Ireland 3-3 draw with Austria,A goal deep into injury time by Stuart Elliott salvaged a 3-3 draw for Northern Ireland in a pulsating World Cup qualifier against Austria on Wednesday. +3,Dollar trades stronger,THE Australian dollar continued to trade only slightly stronger today as investors wait for local data due out next week to provide some short term direction. +4,High solar activity to last for few decades only:,"Technology India: London, Oct 31 : Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany, who have reconstructed the sun's activity over the last 11 millennia, have forecasted decreased activity within a few decades." +1,Thai premier visits deaths town,"Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is visiting the southern town of Tak Bai, where scores of minority Muslims died under arrest two weeks ago." +2,Mello ousts Spadea to win title in Delray Beach,"Delray Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Brazilian Ricardo Mello upset top-seeded American Vince Spadea in straight sets on Sunday to win the title at the $380,000 International Tennis Championships." +1,Macedonian Prime Minister resigns,"Macedonia's prime minister Hari Kostov resigned Monday over disagreements with ethnic Albanian coalition partners, setting off a government crisis in the Balkan state where ethnic tensions run high." +3,MOUSE MADE OVITZ CHEESY DEAL,Hollywood dealmaker Michael Ovitz quietly got a very stingy options package before joining Walt Disney - because insiders thought he might flop. +3,"Oil Prices Are at New High, Over $49"," LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices raced to fresh highs on Friday, carrying U.S. crude over $49 a barrel, driven by escalating violence in Iraq and unabated fuel demand growth from China and India." +2,Pistons hold LeBron to 11,"When LeBron James shot two airballs on a single possession in the first quarter, it was a sign of things to come. Richard Hamilton scored 21 and the Pistons almost held " +3,"Santander plans 2,500 Abbey cuts","Banco Santander will today tell Abbey National's union that about 2,500 jobs will go if the Spanish bank is successful in its takeover bid." +4,"Space station crew cuts food intake, awaits Christmas resupply",WASHINGTON--NASA officials said Thursday the international space station is running so low on food that its two crewmen have had to cut back on their eating and may have +4,GTA: San Andreas Leaked,Rockstar Games issued a press release confirming rumors that illegal copies of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas have appeared online in various forms of download. +1,Front-Porch Chat: Birth of a Kerry Campaign Tactic,"John Kerry has held 10 ""front porch visit"" events an actual front porch is optional where perhaps 100 people ask questions in a low-key campaigning style." +1,Charest trip to Mexico with France's Raffarin will weaken Canada: critics (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - QUEBEC (CP) - As Premier Jean Charest prepares for a trip to Mexico with French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, at least one federalist insists the trip will weaken Canada and its image on the international stage." +4,Apple shuts down iPodDownload,IPOD MAKER Apple has come down hard on a man who made an add-in that allowed file-sharing on iPods. iPodDownload's creator has stopped distributing the iPodDownload software after a visit from Apple lawyers who applied pressure. +2,Time for Celtic's money men to fund O Neill's ambition,ITS TIME to take stock. Those were Martin ONeills words late on Tuesday night as he tried to quantify the effect upon Celtic of watching their European season plunge into darkness. +2,FOOTBALL: THIS IS FOR YOU EMLYN,"ON A night when they came to remember a glorious past, Liverpool's grieving fans were offered a glimpse of their immediate future." +4,Microsoft Enters the Desktop Search Wars,"Microsoft today introduced MSN toolbar Suite. The software will allow users to search the contents of their hard drive, including Microsoft Outlook e-mail, calendar items, contacts and Office documents." +2,Pirates Finish Santiago Trade With Royals ,"AP - Benito Santiago was traded Thursday by the Kansas City Royals to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have sought a veteran catcher since dealing Jason Kendall to Oakland last month." +2,"Sprints More Fun Without Jones, Says Ferguson"," ATHENS (Reuters) - With no clear-cut favorite, the women's sprints at the Athens Olympics will be more exciting than they were four years ago when Marion Jones dominated, according to Caribbean sprinters Debbie Ferguson and Veronica Campbell." +3,"Nikkei Ends Down, Oil Worries Weigh",TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower on Friday as worries about record-high oil prices took the edge off investors appetite for recently battered technology issues such as Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. +4,Correction: FDA-Drug-Imports Story ,"AP - In a Sept. 28 story about the interception of drugs purportedly sent from Canada, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the medications had been ordered by Americans from the Web site www.CanadaRx.com. The drugs were ordered through www.CanadaRx.net." +1,Palestinian Mourners Await Arafat's Arrival,"The coffin of Yasser Arafat, draped with the Palestinian flag, was bound for Ramallah in the West Bank Friday, following a formal funeral on a military compound near Cairo." +2,Melvin happy to be back in Arizona,"com. Newly named Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin admitted that the conditions of his hiring Friday were unusual, but he was thrilled to be at the helm, despite having lost the job to Wally Backman four days ago." +4,Nearly Half European Birds Species at Risk -Report (Reuters),"Reuters - Over 40 percent of all bird species\in Europe face an uncertain future and some are so threatened\that they may disappear soon due to intensive agriculture and\climate change, scientists said on Monday." +2,Former Eagles Coach Nick Skorich Dies ,"AP - Nick Skorich, an NFL head coach in Cleveland and Philadelphia and the offensive line coach on the Eagles' 1960 championship team, has died at the age of 83." +1,Parts of Ariz. Border Crackdown Continue ,"AP - A government crackdown on illegal immigration in southern Arizona will continue beyond Sept. 30, the day the initiative was supposed to wrap up, a top Homeland Security official said Tuesday." +2,Lidge puts Astros games in fridge,"For a guy who spent most of his first four professional seasons on the disabled list, Houston Astros reliever Brad Lidge has developed into quite the ironman these past two days." +3,Experts in corporate governance score Google at bottom of scale,"CHICAGO _ Google Inc.'s initial public offering may have captured investors fancy, but a leading proxy voting advisory service says its corporate governance leaves a lot to be desired." +4,New Apple Gets Shined,"Hoping to boost recently slackening sales of its flagship product, Apple Computer Inc. is using the dog days of summer to unveil the redesigned iMac, opening the curtain on its popular desktop computer at the Apple Expo in Paris. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +4,Morpheus claims landmark P2P legal victory,"A US court has upheld the legitimacy of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing application Morpheus, finding against 28 of the world's largest entertainment companies which had alleged that the P2P firm's software violates copyright law." +3,"Wendy s, Interstate Bakeries Stock Falls",Investors weren't hungry for food-related stocks Wednesday after Wendy's International Corp. served Wall Street a profit warning and Interstate Bakeries Inc. +1,"Thanks to Back-Door, but Legal, Maneuver, Pakistan Has New Prime ","PAKISTAN's NATIONAL Assembly has elected Shaukat Aziz as the countrys new prime minister, replacing interim Prime Minister Chaudhri Shujaat, who stepped in when Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali resigned June 28." +3,Office Depot chief quits,"Office Depot Inc. Monday said Chairman and Chief Executive Bruce Nelson resigned by mutual agreement with the board, after four years at the helm." +2,Isiah needs a lone star,"SAN ANTONIO - Sometimes, the planets align perfectly and, presto, you can rebuild in one fell swoop without ever hitting rock bottom." +1,Israel Plans Large-Scale Gaza Operation,"JERUSALEM - Israel's defense minister decided Thursday to launch a large-scale, open-ended military operation in the Gaza Strip to stop Palestinian rocket fire on Israeli border towns, an Israeli radio station reported. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz made the decision after consultations with army commanders and the Shin Bet security service, Israel Army Radio reported..." +3,"Dollar Recovers Against Euro, Yen"," TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar recovered against the euro and the yen on Tuesday following poor Japanese output figures, although many traders suspect the U.S. currency's two-day reprieve from weeks of heavy selling won't last long." +1,Somali MPs Vote for President in Peace Bid (Reuters),Reuters - Somali lawmakers began voting on Sunday\for a president in the 14th attempt in a decade to return\government to the lawless Horn of Africa state. +2,Spanish leader Barcelona draws 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao on ,Samuel Eto o took his scoring total to eight this season as FC Barcelona drew 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league on Saturday. +2,Individual acts undermining union's argument,"In a pitched battled with the league's owners over a new collective bargaining agreement, NHL players have, for the most part, presented a strong, united front that suggests it will be a very " +4,New Logo and Tagline for Xerox,"Xerox is saying goodbye to an old slogan as it moves beyond ""The Document Company,"" to include technology and consulting." +1,Fischer wants to go to Iceland,"TOKYO - Former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, who is currently being detained in Japan over a passport dispute, wants to live in Iceland, his lawyer told a news conference in Tokyo on Friday." +3,2 Big Law Firms to Merge,"An American and a British law firm, both of which have expanded rapidly, announced a merger yesterday to form one of the largest corporate law firms." +4,"Lewis Urry, alkaline battery inventor dies","Lewis Urry, the man who put the power in the Energizer Bunny's long-lasting alkaline battery, died in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, after a short illness." +1,China's former president Jiang turns over last post to Hu (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - BEIJING - Former president Jiang Zemin turned over his last major post as chairman of the commission that runs China's military to his successor Hu Jintao, the government said Sunday, completing the country's first peaceful leadership transition since its 1949 revolution." +3,Japan Orders Citigroup to Close 4 Offices, TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's financial regulator on Friday ordered the Japanese commercial banking unit of Citigroup Inc. to close four offices for violating banking laws. +2,Fab Five Want to Go Out With Gold Medal ,"AP - The long goodbye ends for the Fab Five on Thursday when the U.S. women's soccer team plays Brazil for the Olympic title. It will be the long-anticipated chance for Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, Kristine Lilly and Brandi Chastain to end their time together as world champions, a bragging right they haven't been able to claim for five years." +3,Lazard in vital float meeting,"THE board of investment bank Lazard meets today to consider a float on Wall Street that could value the firm at 1.7bn, according to reports." +2,Rugby union-Lomu still hopeful of return to action,Former All Black winger Jonah Lomu says he is still hopeful of a return to competitive rugby following his kidney transplant earlier this year. +3,Netflix Girds for DVD Rental Price War,The future suddenly looks shaky for online DVD rental pioneer Netflix Inc. - a plucky home entertainment upstart that managed to hold its ground after retailing giants Wal-Mart Stores Inc. +2,Gooch fills in for injured Quarles again,ST. LOUIS -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers middle linebacker Shelton Quarles was a no-go in Monday night's game against the St. Louis Rams because of a strained quadriceps. +1,Kerry Faults Bush for Pursuing Saddam,"PHILADELPHIA - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry faulted President Bush on Friday for pursuing Saddam Hussein instead of Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, a part of a Bush strategy he contended had made defeating terrorism more difficult..." +2,Irish Look to Top Michigan State on Sat. ,AP - It'll take more than last week's victory over a highly ranked opponent to restore Notre Dame's lost luster. That makes Saturday's game at Michigan State a big one for the Fighting Irish. +2,British give shrink an Olympian job,LONDON - British athletics chiefs have named sports psychologist David Collins as the new Performance Director with the job of producing medal winners at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. +4,Nokia Uses Hologram To Identify Batteries,"In addition to the hologram label, each Nokia battery will have an authentication code hidden under a scratch-off area on the label." +4,Court Tosses VeriSign Suit Vs. Overseers ,AP - A federal judge dismissed an antitrust complaint against a key Internet oversight group brought by a company that controls directories for guiding Internet users worldwide. +4,Microsoft CEO Meets Indian Prime Minister ,"AP - Trying to retain Microsoft's dominance in the Indian software market amid increasing competition, company CEO Steve Ballmer brought his campaign Tuesday to the country's leadership." +4," Mr. Bill Gates, you're no Google ","Microsoft Corp. isnt often an underdog in anything, so when the software powerhouse released its new search engine, I was anxious to give it a whirl." +4,Sprint Reports Wider Loss in Third Quarter ,AP - Sprint Corp. on Tuesday reported a wider loss for the third quarter as it wrote off 3.5 billion in value for its long-distance assets. +2,Splat go the Eagles,"To the delight of the fans in a city that made him famous, Franco Harris was wearing black and gold and back on the football field yesterday." +1,UN Challenges Israel on UNRWA Terror Link Claims,"Israel is holding 25 UN employees in the Palestinian West Bank or Gaza but has not charged any with a crime or even told the United Nations of their detention, UN officials said on Wednesday." +2,Tuesday's AL Capsules,"Mike Mussina pitched three-hit ball for eight innings and struck out a season-high 11, leading the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 4-0 Tuesday night." +2,INTER VISIT SURPRISE PACKAGE,"Internazionale boss Roberto Mancini has challenged his players not to drop any points between now and next month's game against Juventus, but immediately faces a stiff test when they travel to high-flying Lecce on Wednesday." +1,Thousands of Westerns flee Ivory Coast drama,France has completed the evacuation of 5 000 Westerners and others from violence-torn Ivory Coast as Africans - with no hope of such rescue - have fled into neighbouring countries. +2,Junqueira's win puts hold on teammate's title party,"SURFERS PARADISE, Australia - Brazil's Bruno Junqueira spoiled his teammate's bid to clinch the Champ Car drivers title. Junqueira won Sunday's Lexmark Indy 300, meaning Newman/Haas teammate Sebastien Bourdais " +4,Novell launches Linux Desktop for enterprise market,"NEW YORK, November 8 (newratings.com) - Novell Inc (NOVL.NAS) has launched a new Linux desktop operating system, Desktop 9, targeted at enterprise customers." +4,Lost Tribe of Little People,"On a remote Indonesian island, archeologists were astonished to discover a new, small human species that walked the earth just 18,000 years ago. By Kristen Philipkoski." +4,IBM Makes Speech Code Open Source,"IBM's motive is not altruistic. By making the software open-source, IBM hopes that other programmers will make improvements, thus speeding the development of speech applications and allowing " +4,Stelios boards music download bandwagon,"Flamboyant entrepreneur and easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou joined the highly competitive online music market today, offering tracks from artists such as Franz Ferdinand and Beyonce as well as free downloads from unsigned artists." +1,New Pickup Makes Hummer Look Rather Puny,DALLAS - This one could make the Hummer look like a girlie car. International Truck and Engine Corp... +4,Yahoo to acquire Musicmatch,"Internet portal Yahoo, Inc., of Sunnyvale, says it's buying Musicmatch, Inc., of San Diego, which sells personalized music software and services, for about $160 million in cash." +3,Region's consumer confidence dives,"Not even a World Series win helped. New England's outlook turned decidedly gloomy over the last year as consumer confidence plunged farther than any other part of the country, according to data released today. The Conference Board, a nonprofit economic research group in New York, said its index of consumer confidence for New England dove to 77.9 in November, down ..." +3,"Air J pilots pay bill poses danger to airline, says official","Government officials, already concerned that Air Jamaica is buckling under the weight of record high fuel prices, are growing increasingly uneasy with the costs to the national carrier of its pilots." +1,U.N. Can't Define Libya Weapons Program ,"AP - The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency failed Monday to make a judgment on the origin of some technology for Libya's weapons program, a finding that diplomats said kept alive concerns of North Korean involvement." +2,Gatlin Wins Olympic 100 Meters; Greene Finishes Third ,Justin Gatlin of the US ran the fastest time in the world this year to become the youngest Olympic 100 meters champion for 36 years. +4,Motorola to trial m-commerce-enabled phones,"Motorola Inc. will conduct an m-commerce field trial of mobile phones enabled with MasterCard PayPass and Near Field Communications (NFC) technology, the company announced Tuesday." +3," Invesco, AIM Advisors Settle for $376.5M","Invesco Funds Group and its sister company agreed Tuesday to pay $376.5 million and surrender another $75 million in fees to settle allegations of improper trading, a deal that will send nearly all the money to investors harmed by the practice." +4,Oracle's Ellison Earned 3.85M Salary ,"AP - Larry Ellison, the chief executive of software maker Oracle Corp., earned 3.85 million in salary and bonus for the fiscal year that ended May 31, according to documents filed Friday." +2,Sportsview: Bonds' 700th Should Be a Blast ,"AP - For the sake of argument, here's hoping Barry Bonds' next home run ball travels 500 feet, minimum." +1,South African delegates arrested,"Zimbabwean police arrested a delegation from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) yesterday, prompting threats of a blockade at the main border crossing and raising tensions between the two countries leaders." +3, Asset Writedown Leads to $3.4B MCI Loss,"MCI Inc., one of the nation's biggest long-distance operators, lost $3.4 billion in the third quarter of 2004 due to a previously announced asset writedown of $3." +2,Liverpool play out frustrating draw,"Liverpool and Deportivo Coruna produced a lively match but no goals, drawing 0-0 in Champions League Group A at Anfield on Tuesday." +4,SCO Posts Q3 Loss as Legal Costs Mount,"Unix vendor SCO Group (Quote, Chart), in the midst of copyright infringement lawsuits over parts of Linux, reported a net loss of $7." +2,Green to Sit Out Dodgers Game for Yom Kippur (Reuters),"Reuters - Shawn Green of the Los Angeles\Dodgers is planning to miss Saturday's game against rivals the\San Francisco Giants in observance of Yom Kippur, the holiest\day on the Jewish calendar, a team spokesman said Thursday." +1,LTTE kills Karuna's brother,"A strike force of the mainstream LTTE on Wednesday ambushed and killed Reggie, the number two in the dissident Tiger faction led by the former Batticaloa commander Col Karuna." +2,Foolproof performance,"ST. LOUIS -- Over the last three years, the New England Patriots have defined the word quot;team. quot; Yesterday they redefined it and along the way embarrassed an ill-prepared team that couldn't execute, the St. Louis Rams, 40-22, at the Edward Jones Dome." +3,Crude oil prices rise to above US$ 55 a barrel,"World oil prices rose to a new record high above 55 US dollars a barrel Friday, stirring fears of 60-dollar-a-barrel New York crude, as concerns about the global supply of heating " +4,Outsourcing growth predicted at 5.9 a year,"IT job exports are forecast to increase by a compound annual growth rate of 5.9 between 2002 and the end of 2004, said Frost amp; Sullivan." +3,Industry watchers view ConocoPhillips as favourite in Lukoil ,"When the Russian government's 7.6 per cent stake in Lukoil - the world's No. 2 oil company by reserves - is auctioned Wednesday in the country's biggest privatization, industry watchers aren't expecting any surprises." +2,"Federer Drawn with Hewitt, Roddick Up Against Safin",World number one and defending champion Roger Federer of Switzerland was grouped with Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the draw on Wednesday for the season-ending ATP Tennis Masters Cup. +4,Broadcom Unveils New Multicore Chip,NEW YORK - Communications chipmaker Broadcom today will announce a chip that combines four cores--the central brain of a chip--onto a single piece of silicon. +2,Marathoner Finishes Third After Attack ,AP - A defrocked Irish priest bolted from the crowd and grabbed the marathon leader about three miles from the finish Sunday. The Brazilian runner Vanderlei de Lima wound up with the bronze #151; and a special award for sportsmanship #151; and the former priest was arrested. +3,"Canada drips with oil, but it's tough to get at",Any serious effort to ease America's addiction to Middle East oil starts near this Alberta boomtown cut out of Canada's great boreal forest. +2,"Colts deactivate Pollard, Vanderjagt",Pro Bowl kicker Mike Vanderjagt and starting tight end Marcus Pollard were inactive for the Colts game Sunday against Oakland. +2,"In the Second Half, an Orange Burst and Victory","After a miserable offensive first half during which two of Syracuse's best players seemed to be missing in action, an explosion seemed inevitable." +2,United States upsets Germany to move to soccer semifinals,"Deep into overtime, and maybe the last time for the Fab Five of US women's soccer, the breaks were going against them. A last-gasp goal that stole victory in regulation, a wide-open shot that bounced off the goal post." +4,Teraflop topping IBM supercomputer being assembled,"The IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer is currently being assembled for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Livermore plans to buy a unit four times the current supercomputers size, according to eBCVG." +3,Cox family to take cable giant private,The family that controls cable giant Cox Communications Inc. (NYSE: COX) will take the company private after raising its offer to buy out shareholders to $8. +2,"Hernandez rested, ready",The question on everybody's mind -- Red Sox and Yankee fans -- is which Orlando Hernandez will show up at Fenway Park tonight for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series. +3,ATA bankruptcy could ground traveling IU students,"Senior Kris Olsen, like many other students, has already made plans to travel home to New York for Thanksgiving break. But he wonders if his flight will even get off the ground because he's flying with ATA." +3,SP may cut Blockbuster's rating,"Standard Poor's on Thursday said it may cut its ratings on Blockbuster Inc.(BBI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) deeper into junk, citing the company's offer to buy competitor Hollywood Entertainment Corp." +3,H R Block Faces Fraud Charge Over Enron," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Financial services regulator NASD said on Monday it has charged H R Block Financial Advisors Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HRB.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">HRB.N</A> with fraud related to the sale of Enron Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ENRNQ.PK target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ENRNQ.PK</A> bonds immediately preceding Enron's bankruptcy in 2001." +2,Ultimate Soccer Mom,"In addition to driving Freddy to practice, Emelia Adu also holds responsibilities more befitting of a campaign manager than the mother of a teen." +4,HP creating software to limit virus damage,"SAN FRANCISCO Engineers at Hewlett-Packard are working on what they call virus-throttling software that could slow the spread of viruses and worms, possibly limiting the destruction that hackers inflict on millions of computers each year." +2,Windies into semis,Ricardo Powell lasted just ten balls yesterday at London's Brit Oval and his name will not figure among the inning's top scorers. +2,Hurricane Forces Football Postponement ,AP - Hurricane Jeanne forced the postponement of Saturday's football game between Illinois State and Florida Atlantic. +1,To have and have not published,"ROME -- A bullfight, an act of bravado, a brush with death. A newly discovered story by a young Ernest Hemingway has all the elements to delight fans and scholars -- but it can't be published." +2,UNDATED: points each.,"Tina Thompson scored 27 points and Sheryl Swoopes added 15 for Houston, which ended a four-game losing streak and kept its playoff hopes." +1,Chinese floods leave dozens dead,At least 64 people are now known to have died as a result of torrential rain in south-western China. About 70 more are missing in what the Xinhua news agency describes as the most destructive storms of the year in Sichuan province and nearby Chongqing. +3,Casino giant in $4bn Vegas plan,Casino giant MGM Mirage is building a $4bn gambling resort complex in the centre of Las Vegas. +1,Plan to ask Cambodian King to stay on,"Cambodians are awaiting the outcome of a trip to China by one of the country's leaders, who is hoping to coax King Norodom Sihanouk into reversing his decision to abdicate." +2,McGahee earns Bills starting job,"ORCHARD PARK, NY Willis McGahee (muh-GAY -hee) will start at running back Sunday for the Buffalo Bills in hopes of igniting a sputtering offense." +2,Special to ESPN.com,"After a big win over Florida State a strong case could be made that the Miami Hurricanes have an outstanding chance to reach the BCS championship in the Orange Bowl, and when you look at their schedule there is no reason to believe they will fail to make " +4,"If Hockey Is Out, Best Thing on Ice May Be a Computer Game","A cable channel plans to resurrect each of the 1,230 regular-season games listed on the league's defunct 2004-2005 schedule by setting them in motion on a video game console." +3,Wall Street slips as profit-takers move in post-election,STOCKS stayed little changed yesterday as interest rates and a weakening dollar took centre stage after last weeks US presidential election inspired rally. +4,Sun talks up Java advances,"SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- Simplifying Java programming is on the minds of Java development executives at Sun, but making the language available via an open source format remains off the table, according to executives at a Sun Chalk Talk session here on Wednesday." +3,Bear Stearns Profit Falls (Reuters),Reuters - Brokerage Bear Stearns Companies\ on Wednesday said quarterly profit fell 10 percent hurt\by lower investment banking revenue and higher expenses. +4,Microsoft calls iPod users thieves ,Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer doesn't think Apple will lead the way to tomorrow's digital home - and describes iPod users as music thieves. +3,Berkshire Takes Stake in Pier 1,"Fellow Fool Alyce Lomax and I need to debate Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR). Between Alyce covering the company warnings and me advising not to jump off the pier, there has been little good news to report. Is Pier 1 ready to get ..." +2,"Compete against your friends, SI experts and celebrities in this ",Fans and pundits who are picking Philadelphia as a Super Bowl contender may want to consider this: the Eagles are one Brian Westbrook injury away from starting Reno Mahe at running back. +4,AIP FYI: NASA Gets Funding Increase for Space Exploration ,"Under the omnibus bill funding the remaining FY 2005 appropriations (HR 4818), the House and Senate conferees gave NASA a substantial downpayment on the President's Space Exploration Initiative." +2,QB Strength Needed,Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall's experience on the Hokies basketball team featured the kind of leadership that the football team desperately needs this season. +1,Japan puts off royal wedding announcement after family death ,"AFP - Japan put on hold the long-awaited announcement that Princess Sayako would become the last of the emperor's children to marry after the oldest royal, Princess Kikuko, died at age 92." +2,"Olympics Great Success After HGH Testing, WADA Says"," LONDON (Reuters) - Sport's top anti-doping official hailed the 2004 Olympics as a ""great success"" Friday and revealed that one in 10 drugs samples taken in Athens had been tested for human growth hormone (HGH)." +1,Iraq political launch marred,"BAGHDAD - A deadly bomb blast in the holy Shiite city of Karbala and furious criticism of Shiite politicians by Iraq's defense minister cast a pall over the official launch Wednesday of Iraq's election campaign, threatening to inflame sectarian tension " +3,"Cocoa Drops, Metals Jump on Weak Dollar"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cocoa prices sank on Wednesday as exporters in top-grower Ivory Coast kept up with the arrival of the new crop, which was halted several times this month by an outbreak of civil violence and a farmers strike." +4,Red Hat Hires New CFO From Burlington ,AP - Red Hat Inc. hired a new chief financial officer as it tries to bolster its sagging stock price and expand into new foreign markets. +3,Census: SUV popularity accelerating across nation,"Once every week or two, Brian Spangler pumps $30 of gasoline into his 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Spangler said neither the cost nor the driving bothers him." +4,Acquisition Nets Big Clients,PEC Solutions Inc. said yesterday it had acquired AC Technologies Inc. for $46.7 million in cash plus $3 million in employee bonuses and payouts. Both companies are government contractors based in Fairfax. +4,"Microsoft Adds Voice, Video to IM Client","BOSTONMicrosoft Corp. announced Tuesday an early beta of a new rich client for its Live Communications Server product designed to unite instant messaging with telephony and video, and to embed such technologies in other applications." +3,SAP expands offshore to cater to growth markets,"BANGALORE, INDIA - SAPplans to more than double the number of staff at its software development centers in Bangalore, India, and Shanghai by 2006, and is also considering setting up a new development center in Eastern Europe, according to a company executive." +1,IAEA not to refer Iran's nuclear issue to UN,The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Monday afternoon decided that it will not submit Iran's nuclear issue to the UN Security Council for discussion. +2,No. 12 Miss. State Advances at Coaches Hoops Tournament," BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Sports Network) - Winsome Frazier netted 18 points to lead 12th-ranked Mississippi State to a 55-48 victory over Birmingham-Southern in the second round of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex." +3,SBC to Cut Thousands of Jobs,"SBC Communications expects to cut 10,000 or more jobs by the end of next year through layoffs and attrition. That's about six percent of the San Antonio-based company's work force." +4,"Google Unveils Desktop Search, Takes on Microsoft"," MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Reuters) - Google Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=GOOG.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">GOOG.O</A> on Thursday rolled out a preliminary version of its new desktop search tool, making the first move against its major competitors in the race to provide tools for finding information buried in computer hard drives." +3,Producing for the region,"For the first time in years, manufacturing may be one of the best places to look for a job in Northwest Indiana. Durable goods manufacturing and services will have the best job prospects in " +4,China homespun 3G unravels in trials,The future of Chinese 3G technology and how it is licensed by the government is in doubt today after it failed a five month trial. +2,Royals Rally to Defeat Mariners 3-2 ,AP - John Buck hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night. +3,Unrest blocks Ivory Coast cocoa,"Unrest in Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer, stops shipments from the country's two ports despite a lull in fighting." +2,Moya helps Spain draw first blood,"CARLOS Moya fired Spain into a 1-0 lead over the United States in the Davis Cup final yesterday. In front of a record tennis crowd of 27,200, the former world No 1 bamboozled Mardy Fish 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 at Seville's Olympic Stadium." +3,Microsoft downplays Real's complaint,"Microsoft Corp said on Monday a complaint filed in South Korea by RealNetworks Inc, alleging that its Media Player software breached antitrust laws, was quot;without merit quot;." +1,Annan: Burmese Democracy Will Fail Without Participation By Opposition,UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says the Burmese military government's plan for democracy will fail without input from the opposition National League for Democracy. +1,Around the world,"Paramilitary police killed a suspected top Al Qaeda operative Sunday in a four-hour gun battle at a house in southern Pakistan. The raid also led to the arrest of two other men, the information minister said." +3,Greenspan Sends Dollar to Multiyear Lows," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slumped across the board, plunging to four-and-a-half-year lows against the yen on Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said demand for U.S. assets could decline at some point given the size of the current account deficit." +4,PSP Japanese Launch Impressions,"Last week's Japanese launch of the Nintendo DS was a fairly low-key affair, with short lines, piles of available stock, and boringly high salesover 500,000 units in Japan to date, with " +1,Russian Plane Bombers Exploited Corrupt System,"A thousand rubles, or about $34, was enough to bribe an airline agent to put a Chechen woman on board a flight just before takeoff, according to Russian investigators." +3,"DR Horton Beats, Guides Up","Homebuilder DR Horton (DHI :NYSE - news - research) Wednesday reported a 52 jump in fourth-quarter profit, as the nation's housing boom roared along despite the latest predictions of a long-awaited slowdown." +4,NSF Announces Two Cybersecurity Centers To Study Internet ,"The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 33 new projects from its $30 million Cyber Trust program, including two new cybersecurity research centers that will focus on eliminating plagues of Internet worms and viruses and on building better " +2,Trail Blazers 105 Raptors 102,"PORTLAND, Ore. Zach Randolph had 27 points and 16 rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers got a last-second break to beat the Toronto Raptors 105-to-102." +2,"India seizes initiative, on course for big total","Chittagong (Bangladesh), Dec. 17 (PTI): India put themselves in a commanding position after centuries from Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid ensured the visitors another huge total against Bangladesh in the second and final cricket Test here today." +3,Big bank and broker in merger,"LONDON JP Morgan Chase and Cazenove Group, a 181-year-old brokerage firm with close ties to some of Britain's most powerful executives, announced a long-awaited joint venture Friday that puts Cazenove in charge of all of JP Morgan's British investment " +1,Volkswagen Says 'No Room' for Wage Hikes ,"AP - Automaker Volkswagen said Monday there is ""no room"" for wage increases this year as it prepares for pay talks with Germany's largest industrial union." +4,"Intel Developing Optical Connect for Laptops, Servers","Optical links will be cheaper, quieter, and smaller than copper ribbons, company says." +1,Such incidents won't deter me: Shahrukh,"Hours after a bomb ripped through his concert at Colombo, Shah Rukh Khan, who returned to Mumbai with his team mates, said the incident will not deter him from holding similar shows." +4,Report of First Birth for Cancer Survivor in a Tissue Implant,"A 32-year-old woman in Belgium has become the first woman ever to give birth after having ovarian tissue removed, frozen and then implanted back in her body." +1,Mullah: Iran bids to join nuclear tech club,Mullah Rafsanjani said here Friday that Tehran expects it would become a member of the club of countries possessing nuclear technology. +4,Firefox's Volunteer Launch Brigade,"John Musarra, a long-time Mozilla fan, is getting ready to help launch the forthcoming release of the Firefox 1.0 browser the old-fashioned way: by throwing a party." +1,Picture of North Sea fish decline,A scientific model of the North Sea's ecosystem suggests the total stock of fish has dropped from 26 million tonnes to 10 million t in just over a century. +3,Google's Value Tops Yahoo," CHICAGO/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Google Inc. hit a new high on Monday, giving the Web search leader a bigger market value than rival Yahoo Inc., as traders who had shorted the stock scrambled to buy back scarce shares after Google's better-than-expected quarterly results last week." +1,Netanyahu lifts threat to resign,Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lifts his threat to resign over the Gaza withdrawal plan. +1,New Ukraine Poll Looks Likely Way Out of Crisis (Reuters),Reuters - A new Ukrainian poll of some sort looks\increasingly likely once again on Thursday as parliament and\the Supreme Court press ahead with efforts to resolve a\national crisis over a disputed presidential election. +1,Abortion provokes ethics clash for US presidential contenders ,AFP - President George W. Bush vowed Friday that no public money would be spent on abortion -- which with embryonic stem cell research provoked an impassioned ethical clash with Democratic challenger John Kerry. +4,Sony's Vaio X: Like TiVo on Steroids,"CHIBA, JAPAN -- Sony will begin selling in Japan in November a combination personal computer and video server that can record up to seven channels of television simultaneously, it said at the Ceatec 2004 exhibition here." +4,"Kodak, Sun Microsystems Settle Java Suit","Eastman Kodak Co., poised to ask for more than $1 billion in damages from Sun Microsystems Inc., has reached an out-of-court settlement in a long-running patent dispute over the Silicon Valley company's Java programming language." +4,Weather hots up under wind farms,"Wind farms can change the weather, according to a model of how these forests of giant turbines interact with the local atmosphere." +4,Law Fights to Keep Pace With Tech,Federal and industry experts grapple with how to apply CALEA wiretap standards to something that lawmakers didn't anticipate 10 years ago -- voice over IP. Michael Grebb reports from Washington. +2,Celtics Snap Skid,"Boston coach Doc Rivers gets a measure of revenge on his old squad as the Celtics beat the Magic, 117-101, Monday night for their first win in five games." +2,Protest Planned in Athens for Powell's Arrival,The Greek government on Friday urged protestors planning demonstrations against the arrival here of United States Secretary of State Colin Powell not to mar the hitherto +1,Jenkins' Trial Will Be High-Profile Case ,"AP - The U.S. Army is preparing for its biggest desertion trial in decades following the surrender of Sgt. Charles Robert Jenkins, wanted for allegedly abandoning his patrol nearly 40 years ago and becoming a North Korean propaganda tool." +4,Japan Singles Courted by On-Line Matchmaker (Reuters),"Reuters - Many Japanese singles are still singing\the ""Wedding Bell Blues"" despite the pending nuptials of an\imperial family member next year, so an Internet matchmaker is\aggressively courting heartache in the Land of the Rising Sun." +3,Jobless Claims Down in Latest Week (Reuters),"Reuters - The ranks of Americans filing\initial claims for jobless pay shrank by more than expected\last week to 323,000, government data showed on Wednesday,\while continued claims fell to a 3-1/2 year low in more good\news for the U.S. labor market." +1,Nigerian troops to leave for AU mission in Darfur on Monday,"A 150-strong company of Nigerian troops will set off for the western Sudanese region of Darfur on Monday to join an African Union force protecting ceasefire monitors, Nigerian and AU officials said Saturday." +1,Ukraine's Kuchma Calls for Foreign Help ,AP - Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma accused the opposition Saturday of reneging on compromise agreements and called for quick foreign mediation of his nation's post-election political crisis. +4,Humans May Double the Risk of Heat Waves,"Human activity has at least doubled the risk of heat waves like the one in 2003 that killed thousands in Europe, researchers conclude in a study being published today in the scientific journal Nature." +3,Airbus to get go ahead to start marketing A350,"Airbus, the European aircraft maker, is expected to receive approval within weeks from its shareholders, EADS and BAE Systems, to start marketing the planned A350 mid " +4,"Digital Gear: Gadgets, Networks Go Mobile","A high-capacity cigar, keys to the Internet, disc repair tools, Bluetooth add-on kit, and more." +4,Blogs Diamond in the Rough for your Marketing?,"Blogs #8211; Diamond in the Rough for your Marketing?\\Blogs are a potential diamond in the rough for your website's marketing campaign. They offer readers a goldmine of insights, provided by business leaders, market leaders, innovators, philosophers, marketers, political commentators, and many other opinion makers who never before have enjoyed ..." +3,Russia okays forced sale of Yukos arm,"Govt sets minimum price at $8.6 bn, against Dresdner Kleinwort Wassersteins lowest fair value of $15.7 bn. The Russian government on Friday approved the forced sale of the main subsidiary of Yukos, the " +3,Stocks to Watch Thursday, The world's No. 2 soft drink company said on Thursday quarterly profit rose due to tax benefits. +2,Season far from running course,"With the PGA Tour's major championships concluded for 2004, we look for other story lines to sustain the golf season. The back nine: ..." +1,Earthquake of Magnitude 6.8 Jolts Tokyo," TOKYO (Reuters) - A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 jolted Tokyo and surrounding areas on Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries and no tsunami warning was issued." +4,"The Music Mess: Advantage, Microsoft","Imagine buying a CD at Best Buy (BBY ) only to discover that it won't work on the CD player you bought at Circuit City (CC ). Absurd as it sounds, this sort of situation is the rule rather than the exception in the world of legally downloaded music." +3,"Mortgage marathon -- lower payments, more of em","What medical advances have done for life expectancy, the mortgage industry is doing for borrowing -- making it last longer. In case a 30-year loan seems just too short, here comes the 40-year mortgage." +2,Titans-Dolphins Game Moved to Saturday ,AP - The Miami Dolphins' opening game against the Tennessee Titans will be played Saturday instead of Sunday because of approaching Hurricane Ivan. +4,Intel Cuts Back Projection For 3rd-Quarter Revenue," Intel Corp. lowered its revenue projections for its third quarter yesterday, citing slow consumer purchases across the globe." +2,Sharapova Eases Through to Second Consecutive Final," TOKYO (Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova reached her second consecutive final with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Japan Open Friday." +3, GE Unit to Buy Ionics for $1.1 Billion,"A unit of the industrial, financial and media conglomerate General Electric Co. said Wednesday it will buy the water treatment company Ionics Inc." +4,ISS Crew to be Replaced on October 11,"The International Space Station (ISS) crew will stay in orbit for two days longer than planned, Itar-Tass told today. The launching of the Soyuz TMA-5 spaceship has been postponed from October 9 to October 11 due to problems with the docking system." +4,Denmark Hopes to Claim North Pole ,AP - Denmark is joining Russia and Canada to see if it can lay a claim to the North Pole #151; and whatever natural riches may lie beneath it. +4,Sony Taps nVidia for Cell Console Graphics,"Dean McCarron of Mercury Research said console designers are focusing on multicore, multi-threading technology that can allow multiple programs to run efficiently at the same time." +2,Randall's Late TD Pass Lifts No. 18 LSU ,AP - Marcus Randall threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to David Jones with 2:18 left to give No. 18 LSU a come-from-behind 24-20 victory over Troy on Saturday night. +2,"Bonds and Giants Cow Braves, 9-5 ","AP - Barry Bonds hit a pair of mammoth two-run homers #151; giving him 696 in his career #151; and went 4-for-5 with six RBIs Sunday night, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 9-5 win over the Atlanta Braves." +3,Noble taps Patina Oil,Houston-based Noble Energy Inc. agreed Thursday to acquire Denver's Patina Oil amp; Gas in a deal that highlights the Rocky Mountains stature as an energy center even as Denver loses another headquarters. +2,Pakistan suffer humiliating tour defeat," Cricket-India's Laxman omitted for Bangladesh one-day series December 2, 2004 12:51:24 CALCUTTA, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Middle-order batsman Vangipurappu Laxman has been left out of India's 15-player squad named on Thursday for a one-day series in " +1,Baghdad car blast kills at least five as first British female ,"A car bomb went off outside the Iraqi Education Ministry in central Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring four, Reuters reported." +3,"US, Europe clash over subsidy for Boeing Airbus","Fierce competition between giant aircraft makers, Boeing and Airbus, has been heating up. The US government and the European Union have both stepped in to boost their prospects." +4,Ideas for Buyers and Renters,"An idea to make it easier to purchase a house, and another idea to make it easier to pay rent." +4,Sender ID gains traction,"Leading ISPs, anti-spam vendors, and e-mail software companies are moving quickly to add support for the Microsoft-backed anti-spam technology standard Sender ID, even as some e-mail experts raise doubts that the technology will work." +4,Sweden to Return Remains of Aborigines ,"AP - The skeletal remains of 15 Aborigines are being returned home for reburial, nearly 90 years after a Swedish zoologist smuggled them out of Australia for display in a Stockholm museum." +2,Ukranian rower fails drugs test,"ATHENS - Ukrainian rower Olena Olefirenko has failed a drugs test at the Olympics and has been stripped of a bronze medal, the International Olympic Committee has announced." +3,Maker takes Vioxx off market,"Merck Co. yesterday pulled the blockbuster pain medicine Vioxx off the market, announcing that a new company-sponsored study showed the drug doubled the risk " +4,"Samsung, Sony cross-license their patents","com December 14, 2004, 10:45 AM PT. Samsung and Sony have entered into an extensive cross-licensing agreement that will help them fill gaps in their patent portfolios and potentially stem off lawsuits." +3,Campbell Soup Co. Profit Falls 20 Percent," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Campbell Soup Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CPB.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">CPB.N</A>, the world's largest soupmaker, on Monday said quarterly net profit fell 20 percent as it increased spending on marketing and took a charge related to job cuts." +4,Dell plays price card with Novell Linux,Company becomes last of the four major server sellers to fully support Novell's SuSE Linux. +2,Maligned Team USA settles for Bronze,"For much of the bronze-medal game against Lithuania, several of the younger players on Team USA were having themselves a good time." +1,Optimism from Bigley negotiator,"A Muslim negotiator involved in trying to free British hostage Ken Bigley has expressed guarded optimism he will be freed, it is reported." +2,Around the AL, RHP Pedro Astacio was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at a batter against the Yankees. +4,Microsoft pushes search technology to market,"Microsoft Corp.'s Web search technology, debuting in test form Thursday in 11 languages, promises to answer plain-language questions and give results tailored to a user's region, among " +3,Lloyds sets aside another 110m for misselling,"The move means Lloyds TSB has now salted away 360m for customers sold endowment mortgages. The products, designed to pay off home loans by investing in financial markets, were popular in the 1980s and 1990s " +1,Blast at Bangladesh Opposition Meeting Kills 4 (Reuters),"Reuters - At least four people were killed when one\or more bombs exploded as former Bangladesh prime minister\Sheikh Hasina Wajed addressed a public meeting outside her\party headquarters on Saturday, police and witnesses said." +4,Broadcom Covers More Area,"No one every said Wi-Fi was perfect. It suffers from difficult setup, questionable security, interferences from appliances, and doesn't always stretch its signal as far as advertised." +2,NFL Expresses Interest in Anaheim Franchise ,AP - The NFL has approached Anaheim city officials about possibly building a stadium complex for an NFL franchise that could begin play as soon as 2008. +1,Americans Falter in 100M Freestyle Prelims,"ATHENS, Greece - Top American sprinters Jason Lezak and Ian Crocker missed the cut in the Olympic 100-meter freestyle preliminaries Tuesday, a stunning blow for a country that had always done well in the event. Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands and Australian Ian Thorpe advanced to the evening semifinal a day after dueling teenager Michael Phelps in the 200 freestyle, won by Thorpe..." +1,World's tallest bridge opens in France,"Jacques Chirac, the French president, opened the bridge which is in the Tarn Valley in the south west of the country. The four-lane bridge is taller than the Eiffel Tower at 343 metres high and 1.5 miles long." +4,Sun releases Solaris-based desktop software,Java Desktop System version 2 sneaks onto the market only two months ahead of version 3's due date. +3,Finance Leaders Tackle Terror Financing (Reuters),Reuters - World finance ministers gathered\under heavy guard on Sunday to discuss efforts to fight terror\financing while warning the world must stay focused on the\economic recovery and fight against poverty. +1,Dalai Lama Leads Prayers at Russian Monastery,"Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims trekked to a temple in the southern republic of Kalmykia today to join prayers led by the Dalai Lama, on his first visit to Russia after years of being denied entry." +4,Astronaut to Meet Baby Daughter on Return to Earth (Reuters),"Reuters - Days away from ending a\six-month mission in space, U.S. astronaut Michael Fincke said\on Wednesday he is looking forward to meeting his 4-month-old\daughter." +1,Pakistan's Musharraf starts Brazil visit ,AFP - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf travels to the Brazilian capital for talks with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he seeks to strengthen his country's international ties and open new markets. +1,Sahara tourists face theft charge,Five Germans thought to be missing in the Sahara are safe but face charges for the alleged theft of artefacts. +3,Stocks Sag as Oil Marches Higher," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks tumbled on Thursday as oil prices marched above $48 a barrel, but Google Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GOOG.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GOOG.O</A> provided some excitement after shares of the Internet search company surged on their debut." +1,Mood Mixed Among Darfur Rebels Ahead of Talks (Reuters),"Reuters - A Sudanese rebel commander\in a camp in Darfur tells his troops he is hoping for peace.\But just a few hours march away, young men say they are\convinced Sudan wants to drive them off the land." +1,Mexican police move against mob,Hundreds of police and federal agents raided a Mexico City suburb on Wednesday night after two officers were killed by an angry crowd. +4,Malfunctioning oxygen generator may force space station to be ,"HOUSTON - International space station crew members may have to abandon the outpost later this year if astronauts can't fix oxygen supply problems, a NASA official said." +3,"Cingular to Cut About 7,000 Jobs"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cingular Wireless will cut about 7,000 jobs, or 10 percent of its work force, to cut costs as it integrates recently purchased AT T Wireless, the company said on Tuesday." +4,"Picture this: iPods at play, PCs as furniture","photo galleries Music player is a must-have, much-loved accessory. Will fanciful Media Center PCs fare as well?" +3,Cellular Firms End Dispute Over Airwaves,"Cellular industry arch-rivals Nextel Communications Inc. and Verizon Wireless reached an accord yesterday, with Verizon Wireless agreeing not to sue to block regulators from giving Nextel control of airwaves worth billions of dollars." +1,Scotsman praised as media urged to keep Dafur in spotlight,POLITICIANS and aid agencies yesterday stressed the importance of the media in keeping the spotlight on the appalling human rights abuses taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan. +1,Troops Battle Militants in Iraq; 13 Dead,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Militants pounded central Baghdad on Sunday with one of their most intense mortar barrages ever, targeting the Green Zone and destroying a U.S. vehicle along a major street..." +4,Veritas to buy maker of e-mail storage tools,"In KVault Software, Veritas is getting the No. 1 maker of e-mail retrieval tools, an analyst says." +4,"EcoVillage Provides Challenge, Support ","AP - When Laura Beck and Greg Pitts realized their marriage was falling apart, one thing was clear: They would work together to maintain a loving, supportive environment for their young son, Ethan. In June 2002, the couple had moved from Austin, Texas, to EcoVillage at Ithaca, an ""intentional community"" in central New York where environmentally friendly neighbors share space, meals, chores and generally look out for each other." +4,Microsoft to show off team-development tools,Microsoft next month plans to distribute an updated beta version of its Visual Studio 2005 development tool that includes the first fruits of the company's ambitious initiative for team development. +4,Dell Inspiron 9200 17 Desktop Replacement Notebook Released,Dell has released the new Inspiron 9200 that replaces the Inspiron 9100 as Dell's desktop replacment style notebook. The 9200 features a 17 quot; UltraSharp Wide Screen with either an XGA or UXGA resolution display. +1,Tokyo Stocks Open Lower; Dollar Higher ,AP - Tokyo stocks opened lower Friday after the Japanese government said the economy grew more slowly than initially estimated in the April-June quarter. The dollar was up against the Japanese yen. +3,Leading indicators fall for 4th straight month,"NEW YORK -- A closely watched barometer of future economic activity fell in September for the fourth consecutive month, suggesting that the recovery may be cooling. A separate report from the Labor Department, however, suggested modest improvement in the job market." +3,Marriott earnings up 45 percent on growing demand for rooms,"COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Hotel operator Marriott International Inc. said its third-quarter earnings rose 45 percent as growing demand for rooms helped drive revenue up 9 percent." +1,Turkey to Get Date for Open-Ended EU Entry Talks,Turkey was on course on Wednesday to get a date to start open-ended negotiations on European Union membership as final elements of a compromise package came together on the eve of a landmark EU summit. +1,PM downplays Weisglass remarks on road map freeze,"Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office insisted Thursday that the diplomatic furor caused by senior adviser Dov Weisglass's comments, that the disengagement plan was designed to freeze the road map peace process, is over." +4,New Tools to Help Patients Reclaim Damaged Senses,An astonishing new technology allows one set of sensory information to substitute for another in the brain. +1,Election Heralds Start of Endgame in UN-Run Kosovo (Reuters),"Reuters - Kosovo's\general election on Saturday will be the first step in a tricky\endgame to settle the fate of the Serbian province, now a U.N.\protectorate in the heart of the Balkans." +3,Halliburton admits bribes may have been paid in Nigeria,WASHINGTON : US oil service firm Halliburton has acknowledged that improper payments quot;may have been made quot; to Nigerian officials through a consortium of which it was a member. +4,Microsoft Makes More Open-Source Overtures (Ziff Davis),"Ziff Davis - Microsoft is reaching out further to the open-source community with offers of joint development and testing, but some wonder about the company's sincerity." +4,Thin-client desktops: Not defunct yet,"Thin-client computing has been around for a decade, but the rising costs of updating software and installing security patches on networked personal computers is sparking renewed interest " +4,Microsoft Spyware Acquisition Hits Ownership Snag,"Microsoft's big move into the anti-spyware business has hit an immediate speed bump, with questions swirling around a Florida company's claim that it co-owns the Giant AntiSpyware codeand all future definition updatesthat Microsoft purchased earlier " +2,Greek weightlifter stripped of medal for drugs,"Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis, Greece's first medal winner at the Athens Olympics, was stripped of his bronze medal and excluded from the Games Sunday for a doping offense, another big blow for the host nation which is welcoming the homecoming " +2,"Patriots, Brady keep winning streak alive","QB overcomes his own turnovers and New England wins its 20th game in a row. FOXBORO, Mass. -- Tom Brady lost a fumble and his helmet -- but not the streak." +2,Terps Hit Speed Bump,Maryland will be without leading wide receiver Derrick Fenner when it takes on No. 5 Florida State on Saturday at Byrd Stadium. +4,Beware Dust from Jupiter's Moon Io,"Jupiter's moon Io is peppered with volcanoes, the hottest, most active volcanoes in our solar system. Sizzling vents spew plumes of gas and dust as much as 400 km high. They surge, spit, subside and surge again, non-stop. Passing spacecraft beware: Io is shooting at you." +2,"Cancellation is a serious blow to fans, host city",Few hockey purists will bemoan Wednesday's announcement that the National Hockey League has cancelled the 2005 All-Star Game in Atlanta. +4,"Cracking start to quest, but no sign of Holy Grail",TWO veteran code-breakers from Yorkshire have received a worldwide response to their request for solutions to an enigmatic message on a monument in Staffordshire reputed to say where the Holy Grail is hidden. +3,Getting Animated About Summer,"Call it the CG dance -- CG as in quot;computer generated. quot; A day after Pixar (PIXR ) and Disney (DIS ) announced they would delay for seven months the release of their next animated feature, Cars, DreamWorks SKG Animation (DWA ) said it will do the same with " +1,British envoys head to Baghdad,"The senior Islamic body in Britain, the Muslim Council of Britain, has sent two envoys to Baghdad to try to secure the release of the kidnapped engineer Kenneth Bigley." +4,Saturn moon may have ice volcano,"Saturn's largest moon Titan may have molten ice welling up to the surface from its warm interior, data from the Cassini spacecraft suggests." +2,F1: Grand Prix hopes splutter into life,The British Grand Prix has been given a stay of execution after being included on Formula One's draft 2005 calendar. Silverstone owners the British Racing Drivers Club have +3,Kroger misses mark by 8 cents,"Kroger Co., the largest US grocer, reported a lower quarterly profit Tuesday, hurt by debt costs even as sales rebounded in Southern California where it was hit by a strike." +1,Annan Urged to Report Sudan Deaths Daily ,"AP - Leaders representing over 100 million Christians, Muslims and Jews urged Secretary-General Kofi Annan to report the number of deaths and rapes in Sudan's Darfur region daily to highlight what they say is genocide." +2,Angry Ferrero Has Not Given Up Hope," SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Out of form and out of favor, Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero could barely hide his disappointment at being used as a bit-part doubles player in the Davis Cup final against the United States." +2,MLS's Comeback Kid,"Jaime Moreno has come back from career-threatening back surgery a year ago to lead United in points, lead the league in assists, and score three points in three playoff matches." +4,Computer crash to delay pension and benefit payments,Payments to tens of thousands of people who receive state pensions and benefits will be delayed after a computer crash at the Department of Work and Pensions. +4,No Taxation on Net Connections,Internet users will not have to pay a tax for their connection service after Congress passes legislation blocking local governments from charging such a levy. +2,Azeri to Run in Classic,"Azeri will try to beat the boys again, this time in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park on Saturday." +3,"GM, Ford offering safer SUVs","NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. are expanding the use of anti-rollover technology on their popular sport/utility models, addressing a major safety risk for the vehicles." +1,"New study puts civilian deaths in Iraq at 100,000","An estimated 100,000 civilians have died in Iraq as a direct or indirect consequence of last year's US-led invasion, according to a new study by a research team at the Bloom-berg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore." +4,He's jazzed up over Couric (USATODAY.com),"USATODAY.com - ""You should see me blushing right now,"" says Chris Botti, speaking on his cell phone from Germany. That's because the jazz trumpeter, 42, is being pressed - gently, of course - to talk about new squeeze Katie Couric." +3,"Oracle, PeopleSoft","LONDON (CBS.MW) -- PeopleSoft Inc. agreed Monday to be bought by Oracle Corp. for $10.3 billion, or $26.50 a share, an 11 percent premium to Friday's stock price, ending a bitter 18-month acquisition battle." +3,Companies given more time meet new rules on stock options,The Federal Accounting Standards Board has voted to give companies six more months to meet new rules that would require companies to consider employee stock options an expense. +3,Gateway Casinos controlling shareholders sell 25 of casino ,"BURNABY, BC (CP) - Major unitholders of the Gateway Casinos Income Fund are selling half their controlling stake in one of Western Canada's biggest casino operators." +1,Berlusconi Saved in Graft Trial by Time Ruling,Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi escaped conviction in a major corruption trial on Friday after a court invoked a statute of limitations that meant time had run out to sentence him for bribery. +4,A Call for Music,"As cell phones continue to expand their horizons, a new generation, due in 2005, is slated to compete with digital music players such as the Apple iPod." +2,Three share lead at Southern Farm Bureau Classic,"Madison, MS (Sports Network) - Harrison Frazar shot a seven-under-par 65 on Thursday to share the lead with Glen Day and John Senden after the opening round of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Annandale Golf Club." +1,ASEAN's minnows agree to enhance economic cooperation,VIENTIANE: Leaders of the four poorest countries within the 10-nation Southeast Asian group agreed to forge closer economic links Sunday as they strive to catch up with their wealthier partners. +4,X-Prize for world's Holy Grails ,A series of X-Prizes for the scientific or technological breakthroughs that tackle the most important challenges facing humans are being planned. +2,Sox study Cardinals and see themselves,The black T-shirt might as well have been a billboard hanging in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse. Curt Schilling paraded around with a shirt that said quot;Why Not Us? +1,US fires on Sadr City,"The attacks came after gunfire on an American patrol. Meanwhile, four GIs were charged with murder in the death last year of an Iraqi general." +3,O'Reilly Case Settled Out of Court,"Fox News Channel commentator Bill O'Reilly and a co-worker who had accused him of sexual harassment have agreed to settle and dropped all allegations against each other, lawyers for Fox said." +3,Santander accelerates Abbey bid,Santander Central Hispano has said it aims to complete its takeover of High Street bank Abbey one month sooner than originally planned. +3,"Google Gets the Green Light, Markets Perk Up","The SEC hurdle had been closely watched after Google made some missteps after announcing its intention to go public, including possibly violating the quiet period regulations. At the market close, the Dow had climbed 110.32 ..." +1,Blair Reasserts Control After Rocky Summer ,AP - Prime Minister Tony Blair has been dogged for months by speculation that his grip on power was weakening because of smoldering public anger over the Iraq war. But the pundits apparently underestimated his instinct for survival. +3,Oil falls $1-a-barrel as gasoline prices slide,"Oil prices fell more than $1 to just over $44 a barrel Wednesday, dragged down by heavy losses in US gasoline futures after summer driving demand failed to meet expectations." +3,American Express 3rd-Quarter Net Rises 14 on Travel ,"American Express Co., the fourth- largest US credit-card issuer, said quarterly profit climbed 14 percent to a record as customers spent more on travel and carried larger loan balances." +3,S.E.C. Is Investigating Morningstar Over Data,Morningstar is under investigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission for taking too long to correct inaccurate data it published regarding a single mutual fund. +3,Hub spoke at OracleWorld,"com December 6, 2004, 2:13 PM PT. This priority jumped up two spots into second place as CRM returns into the spotlight among top software initiatives alongside directory services and open source." +4,Arkansas Farm Produces Most U.S. Goldfish ,"AP - There is a good chance that the colorful carp you won at the county fair or picked up at the local pet shop came from Pool Fisheries, which sits in the middle of an Arkansas field in Lonoke County, the self-proclaimed baitfish capital of the world where more than 6 billion minnows and goldfish are bred each year." +2,Yankees and Mets Swap Relievers (Reuters),Reuters - The New York Yankees and New\York Mets have reportedly agreed on a deal to swap lefthanded\relievers. +4,Linux poised for move from data centre to desktop - report,"Clearly viable on server, client to follow within two years" +2,Australia and Pakistan set to wage speed war,Australia and Pakistan have both delayed naming their teams for the first test starting in Perth on Thursday as they consider adding extra pacemen to their bowling stocks in anticipation of a speed war. +3,Child porn threat to betting site,Criminals threaten to send out a flood of child pornography e-mails purporting to come from UK gambling website Blue Square. +4,Infineon to pay $160 million fine for DRAM price-fixing,"WASHINGTON - Infineon Technologies AG, a German manufacturer of DRAM (dynamic RAM) has agreed to plead guilty and pay a $160 million fine for attempting to fix prices in the DRAM market, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday." +2,Magpies go double Dutch,PATRICK KLUIVERT struck twice as Newcastle United got Graeme Souness's reign as Newcastle manager off to a stuttering start today. +4,"Gartner ITxpo spotlights security, wireless (InfoWorld)","InfoWorld - Enterprise IT executives attending this week's Gartner Symposium ITxpo in Orlando, Fla., got a peek at several forthcoming products for security, CM (content management), wireless, and SOAs (service-oriented architectures)." +2,United States dominates short-course swimming worlds,"American swimmers continued their dominance in the world short course championships in Indianapolis on Friday, winning five of the eight gold medals on offer without the help of injured Michael Phelps." +1,Sudanese Darfur Rebels Block Aid Pact for Refugees," ABUJA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Sudanese rebels said on Tuesday that the government must disarm its militias in Darfur before they would sign a deal to bring aid to 1.5 million civilians displaced by violence." +1,Mayor Recommits to Ambitious Recycling Pact,"The Bloomberg administration announced today that it will sign a 20-year contract with one of the nation's largest recycling companies, a move that assures the city's broad recommitment to recycling." +2,Texan leads American sweep of 400 medals,He was supposed to uphold the tradition of Michael Johnson and Baylor University. He was to break cultural barriers. He was to restore the 400 meters. +4,Caller ID spoof masks real callers,"New technology can trick US caller-ID services into displaying someone else's name and telephone number, the Washington Post reported Saturday." +1,Chile to Pay Torture Victims," SANTIAGO, Chile, Nov. 28 -- President Ricardo Lagos of Chile on Sunday proposed special pensions and other reparations for more than 28,000 Chileans who were tortured by government agents during the country's 1973-1990 military dictatorship." +2,Soccer spitter accused again,English soccer's ruling body charged Bolton forward El-Hadji Diouf with improper conduct for spitting at defender Arjan De Zeeuw during Saturday's 1-0 home loss to Portsmouth. +3,Another Case for OracleSoft,"A blowout quarter is sullied by lower applications revenue, strengthening the case for a deal for PeopleSoft." +3,Wal-Mart Still Sees Sales Up 1-3 Percent (Reuters),"Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , the\world's largest retailer, said on Saturday it still expects a 1\percent to 3 percent increase in December sales at its U.S.\stores open at least a year." +1,Israel frees Palestinian prisoners,"JERUSALEM Israel began releasing more than 130 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday in a move aimed at easing overcrowding in its jails, security officials said." +2,Dolphins Feeley gets starting nod,"Feeley played well enough coming off the bench in the Dolphins season-opening loss to earn a start this week at Cincinnati, coach Dave Wannstedt said Sunday." +1,"59 Iraqi police officials, applicants are killed","Bomb and gun attacks targeting Iraqi police killed at least 59 people Tuesday, marking the deadliest day in Baghdad in six months and continuing an increase of violence across the northern part of the country." +1,Two US Soldiers Killed in Mosul Attack,"WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2004 - Two American soldiers were killed and four were wounded in an attack in Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 4, US officials in Iraq said." +1,New inquiry into family courts,MPs have announced a new inquiry into family courts and whether parents are treated fairly over issues such as custody or contact with their children. +2,"Zee looks on as BCCI, Govt fight it out at apex court","NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 30: Chances of a judicial intervention before the start of the India-Australia cricket series receded today, as the Supreme Court remained engrossed in the legal debate on whether the BCCI should be treated as an authority of " +3,"Nortel Will Cut 3,250 Jobs, 250 Fewer Than Expected ","Nortel Networks Corp., North America's biggest maker of phone equipment, will pare 3,250 jobs, 250 fewer than it predicted last month, as it reduces other costs including real estate." +2,Williams to meet Klitschko for title,"British heavyweight Danny Williams , who knocked out Mike Tyson in the fourth round July 30, will meet Vitali Klitschko Dec. 11 at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Council version of the heavyweight title . . . Willie Randolph interviewed for the Mets' managerial job, and stressed that his many years with the Yankees ..." +1,Western Afghan city quiet after bloody clashes,"HERAT, Afghanistan: The western Afghan city of Herat has returned to calm following bloody riots over the sacking of the local governor which left at least four people dead and 50 injured." +2,He's got it covered,"To hear Patriots coach Bill Belichick tell it, the St. Louis Rams aren't necessarily prone to subscribe to the adage, quot;If at first you don't succeed, try, try again, quot; when it comes to their offensive game plan. He said as far as play-calling is concerned, New England's opponent tomorrow won't run a particular formation on consecutive downs even ..." +4,The perennial underdog is challenging Intel with a new class of ,"For 35 years, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD ) stood in the shadow of archrival Intel Corp. (INTC ) AMD churned out lower-priced clones of the tech leader's chips and occasionally enjoyed a hit that helped boost its meager profits." +3,Md. Senate Panel Relents on Medical Malpractice Reform, A Senate commission studying Maryland's medical malpractice crisis gave some ground yesterday on legal changes sought by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) and endorsed the creation of a state fund that would subsidize doctors' insurance costs for the next four years. +4,"Cheap flash drives, cheapest 1GB CF","IF YOU know of any good value IT sales (auctions, rebates, one-off, clearance, surplus, classified ads) going around in the United Kingdom, France, USA or Singapore, don't hesitate to contact me, at least 24 hours before the sales end." +1,"Tsunami toll hits 15,485 dead or missing in India: official (AFP)","AFP - The official toll in southern India from tsunamis has reached at least 9,571 people confirmed dead and 5,914 missing, many of them presumed dead, the government said." +1,Wounded Mexican police appear day after 9 people found shot near ,"Two federal police agents were discovered wounded but alive on Friday near Cancun, a day after nine other people in the area were found slain in what appeared to be drug-related violence." +4,Bush site bars overseas visitors,People based outside the US have been unable to visit the re-election website of President Bush. +1,Tired Pope Beatifies Mel Gibon's Muse ,"Pope John Paul, looking tired and speaking with difficulty, put five Catholics on the road to sainthood Sunday, including the 19th century German mystic nun who inspired Mel Gibson's film on Christ's passion." +2,Auburn focused on clinching spot in SEC championship,"Tommy Tuberville returns to Mississippi with a trip to Atlanta on the line, and he's bringing his best Auburn team yet. The third-ranked Tigers need one win to lock up a spot in the Southeastern Conference " +3,Crude oil prices soar on drop in heating-oil supply,"Crude oil prices rose sharply Wednesday as a government report showed a decline in US heating-oil stockpiles. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude oil futures for January " +2,Williams to start Game 1 of playoffs,"Woody Williams has the fewest victories of any Cardinals starter. But he, and not Matt Morris, will get the honor of starting their playoff opener." +4,New Apple Gets Shined Up (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - Hoping to boost recently slackening sales of its flagship product, Apple Computer Inc. is using the dog days of summer to unveil the redesigned iMac, opening the curtain on its popular desktop computer at the Apple Expo in Paris." +2,"Sport's hottest property, a collapsed trial, and the seedy world ","When the football agent Paul Stretford hid a camera behind a hotel coffee-machine before a business meeting last year, he planned to reveal a campaign of bullying and blackmail " +2,Williams tests two,THE hunt for Mark Webber's teammate at Williams narrowed yesterday as the former world champion announced it would test Britain's Anthony Davidson and German Nick Heidfeld. +2,Hyde Park learns to win,"Worst to first is one of the hardest things to do in sports, but how do you go from winless to a Super Bowl berth with a diverse group of kids from a variety of backgrounds and neighborhoods, many of whom have never played football before entering high school?" +1,Ex-head of oil-for-food program accused of accepting bribes,"NEW YORK -- The top US arms inspector accused the former head of the $60 billion UN oil-for-food program of accepting bribes in the form of vouchers for Iraqi oil sales from Saddam Hussein's government while running the program, according to a report released yesterday." +1,1 Dead 5 Injured at Arafat Mourning Tent in Gaza,A shooting at a tent set up for mourners of Yasser Arafat in Gaza City has left at least one security guard dead and five others injured. +1,Afghan Militants Threaten to Kill Foreign Hostages,The kidnappers of three foreign election workers in Afghanistan say they will kill their hostages by Wednesday if a list of demands is not met. +3,The fizz could go out of Sears merger euphoria,"New York -- Few things stir the heart of stock investors like a huge merger deal. And last week's shotgun wedding between Kmart and Sears, two limping retailers, was no exception." +4,Burt Rutan takes a V2-powered wander down memory lane,Aviation pioneer Burt Rutan has been fondly remembering his childhood hero - German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. The X-Prize victor recently hooked up with two surviving members of von Braun's V2 team +1,Space Capsule Crashes in Utah,"DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah, Sept. 8 #0151; A NASA capsule bearing precious atomic specimens that Hollywood stunt pilots were prepared to catch as it came into earth's atmosphere crashed into the desert this morning after a parachute that was to slow its fall failed to deploy." +4,Eclipse to consider open-source data reporting,Business intelligence software company Actuate proposes an open-source Java-based reporting tools. +3,America's Largest Private Companies (Forbes.com),"Forbes.com - Editors: Shlomo Reifman and Samantha N. Wong\Researchers: Joshua Brandt, Fei Mei Chan, \Andrew T. Gillies, Soo Jeong, Edward Knudsen, \Artie Kwok, John Ray and Jody Yen\Programmer: Carl Subick" +2,Familiar foes meet again,"According to Serena Williams, at least three doctors told her not to play this US Open because her surgically repaired left knee was acting up of late." +2,Vols Impressed With Freshman Quarterback ,AP - There is no quarterback controversy at Tennessee. The Volunteers have a competition. No. 10 Tennessee has been touting its rotation of two freshmen as a way to keep defenses off balance and busy preparing for quarterbacks with different styles. +2,Fernando Alonso: A job well done,"The Spaniard didnt quite repeat last years achievement, but his Hungarian podium left him satisfied all the same." +1,Budd inquiry uncovered the crucial second paper trail,A SECOND paper trail in the Home Office blew apart David Blunketts defence that his only involvement with his nannys visa application was to check that it was correct. +4,Vodafone finally launches 3G mobile,"London-based Vodafone has finally rolled out its mass-market third-generation (or 3G) mobile telephone services after a four-year wait, billions of pounds spent on licences and numerous delays." +4,"BTG hits Amazon, Netflix and others with patent suit","LONDON - BTG PLC, a London-based firm that focuses on intellectual property and technology commercialization, said Wednesday that it has filed suit against Amazon.com Inc., Barnesandnoble.com LLC and two other Internet companies for infringing on patents related to the tracking of users on the Web." +4,Registered Traveler extended indefinitely,"A pilot test of a program to expedite passenger screening and increase airline security has been successful enough to be worth continuing for the foreseeable future at five airports, Transportation Security Administration officials said." +2,Greek heroes quit Games,"ATHENS All of Greece expected to see Costas Kenteris crowning its Games with a laurel wreath on his brow, his barrel chest swelling in his blue and white athletic singlet, atop the podium in the Olympic Stadium after successfully defending his 200- meter ..." +2,Anxious week for striker,RANGERS striker Nacho Novo will know by Friday whether he can face Celtic in Saturday's vital Scottish Premier League game at Ibrox. +3,Cerberus to buy LNR Property for $3.8 bn,"NEW YORK, August 30 (New Ratings) - LNR Property Corporation (LNR.NYS) has reportedly agreed to be acquired by Riley Property Holdings LLC for about $3." +1,ANALYSIS-Indo-Pak peace bid runs into rough water,"Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf is quot;confused quot; and not a little impatient. India is concerned, and Kashmiris are increasingly pessimistic." +3,Indian low-cost airline expands,"India's first low-cost airline, Air Deccan, offers cheap flights between Bangalore and New Delhi." +1,Second storm in a week hits eastern Philippines; more than 300 dead (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - MANILA, Philippines - The death toll from landslides and flash floods in the eastern Philippines jumped to at least 348 with 150 others missing Tuesday, most in a region still reeling from a deadly typhoon." +3,Lift for wine producers,Shares in prime takeover target Southcorp jumped after Constellation Brands offered $US970 million for Californian winemaker Robert Mondavi. +4,Sony players to be compatible with MP3s,Electronics giant Sony has reversed its position on the formats playable by its range of digital music players. The company has announced its new devices will now be able to play music tracks in the MP3 format +1,Injured Devers Can't Finish Hurdles,"ATHENS, Greece - Gail Devers failed once again in the Olympic 100-meter hurdles, falling to injury just steps into her first race. Devers, 37, who has three world championships in the event, pulled up short and screamed as she slid under the first hurdle Sunday..." +2,Beltre leaving LA for Seattle,"CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Seattle Mariners continued efforts to bulk up their anemic offence Thursday, signing free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre to lucrative contract." +2,Thistle see an end to wanderings,Inverness Caledonian Thistle will finally be allowed to return to their own ground after half a season's wanderings following a change of heart by the Scottish Premier League. +4,Fertility Clinics Vary on Embryo Disposal ,AP - The nation's fertility clinics vary widely when it comes to how they perform one of the most delicate aspects of their jobs: disposing of unused frozen human embryos that were created to help infertile women become pregnant. +2,Last chance for NHL season,TORONTO - The public mud slinging and name calling over the National Hockey League lockout fell to a hush Wednesday ahead of the first meeting between the league and its union since the deadlock began three months ago. +1,Czech rights summit hails Cuban dissidence,PRAGUE : Former Czech president and anti-communist dissident Vaclav Havel launched a major demonstration of support for the Cuban democracy by predicting that things were set to change in the communist country. +2,Julius Jones Sparks Cowboys' Victory,"Drew Henson will have to wait before he's the star of the Dallas Cowboys offense. Right now, the youngster turning heads is rookie running back Julius Jones." +3,Ill-fated '95 hiring haunts Disney CEO search,"HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- As Walt Disney Co. directors meet today to start grappling with the process of replacing chief executive Michael Eisner, one man who has not roamed the halls in eight years is casting his shadow." +3,Stocks End Higher Before Earnings Blitz," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks advanced slightly on Monday as investors were optimistic that corporate earnings reports may exceed expectations, but oil at a fresh record near $54 a barrel curbed gains." +1,UK to Seek Bush Support on G8 Poverty Goals (Reuters),"Reuters - Britain will seek Washington's support\to help it achieve goals on global poverty reduction, debt\relief and fair trade during London's G8 presidency next year,\finance minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday." +1,"Federer, Henman, Hewitt Win at Windy Open","NEW YORK - Andre Agassi sat alone, starting blankly at an Arthur Ashe Stadium doorway, the silence punctured by the rustling leaves on nearby trees. Soon, he'd walk through that exit, his U.S..." +4,CA offers usage-based pricing for mainframe tools,Computer Associates said all of its products for use with IBM's zSeries mainframes and the zOS operating system are now available on a pay-as-you-go basis. +2,Europe's Ryder Team Is Set,"Colin Montgomerie, who has had a tough year, took a turn for the better Sunday, when he was chosen to play in his seventh Ryder Cup by the European team's captain, Bernhard Langer." +4,EU Telecoms Council Promotes Safer Internet Use,"Safer Internet Plus, the four-year program proposed by the European Commission in March, will have a budget of $60 million to combat illegal and harmful Web content." +2,Jagr says he wants to give Russia a shot,"PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Jaromir Jagr is reportedly leaving the Czech league to play in Russia during the NHL lockout. The New York Rangers forward signed with Omsk Avangard of the Russian league early Sunday " +4,3 Area Districts Added to Md.'s Watch List,"School systems in Prince George s, Charles and St. Mary's counties have been placed on a watch list that puts them at risk for sanctions -- including eventual state intervention -- if student " +4,Privacy breach feared from human-implant chip:,"Health India: New York, Oct 17 : The US government could literally be getting under the skin of its citizens with the first futuristic microchip implant for humans getting a go ahead this week." +1,Edwards' Down-Home Style Fills a Gap for Kerry (Reuters),"Reuters - Democratic Sen. John Edwards\wasn't born a millionaire, and he doesn't let voters forget\that." +1,Nigerian Militia Threatens Armed Struggle,Militiamen trying to wrest control of the oil-rich Niger Delta threatened on Tuesday to launch a full-scale armed struggle on petroleum-pumping operations in Africa's +2,"Profile: Chen Qi/Ma Lin, China's new golden pair","From Seoul 1988 to Athens 2004, China has pocketed every gold for men's doubles in the Olympic table tennis tournament and, more amazingly, each time the gold has gone to a different pair of players." +3,"Palmsource reboots Cobalt, but no phones til 2005",Palm kicks off its European developer conference in Munich this week with details of a new release of its Cobalt OS. Cobalt 6.1 will feature new GSM and 802. +4,VeriSign launches authentication tools,Company introduces its unified network identification system and strengthens its ties to Microsoft with a similar package tailored for Windows. +4,Farmers Cry Wolf Over Losses to Predators,"Sept. 23, 2004 - Cougars, wolves, lions and other predators inflict relatively few losses on livestock and farmers gain only a temporary boost if these marauders are culled, the British weekly New Scientist announced Wednesday." +2,Utah Football Team Gearing Up For Game At San Diego State,"Below are some brief notes on this week's Utah football game at San Diego State. For the complete release, please choose the PDF option." +3,"Telkom welcomes BEE deal, shares soar",Following Monday's announcement that a black economic empowerment (BEE) consortium had concluded an agreement to acquire the remaining 15. +1,YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS,"We asked those affected by Hurricane Ivan, or those in its path, to e-mail us with their thoughts and experiences. The following are a selection of your replies." +4,IBM Says Blue Gene Breaks Speed Record,"IBM Corp. claimed unofficial bragging rights Tuesday as owner of the world's fastest supercomputer. For three years running, the fastest supercomputer has been NEC's Earth Simulator in Japan." +2,"Report: Carter off the court, in courtroom","According to a report in the Toronto Sun, Raptors star Vince Carter will miss at least two exhibition games in order to settle a lawsuit." +1,Mortar attack wounds Iraqi guards,"Eight Iraqi National Guard members have been wounded in a mortar attack on their base in Baghdad, police said. Police said five mortars landed on the base in the al-Waziriya neighborhood of the capital on Thursday." +2,Preps step into spotlight,Catching Brian Morrissey is akin to catching a BB with your teeth: It's virtually impossible. But that's the task Brunswick faces tomorrow in a showdown with Governor Dummer for the NEPSAC Congleton-Stokinger title. +4,Fossil feathers add weight to evolution theory,"Chinese palaeontologists say they have found feathers on the fossilised legs of a primitive bird, which back controversial theories that birds descended from four-limbed dinosaurs." +1,Putin takes more control in Russia,VLADIMIR PUTIN strengthened his control over Russia yesterday with a series of far-reaching initiatives aimed at combating terrorism. +1,Sharon's leadership in crisis as Likud rejects settler plan,"Ariel Sharon's political obituary was being written yesterday as opponents in Labour and his own Likud party turned their backs on the embattled Prime Minister, putting his plan for a staged withdrawal of settlers from the West ..." +4,"IBM, Honda deliver in-car speech-recognition navigation system","SEPTEMBER 03, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM and Honda this week announced that they have jointly developed a hands-free and natural-sounding in-vehicle speech-recognition system." +4,President signs American Jobs Creation Act,"WASHINGTON - U.S. President George Bush on Friday signed tax legislation that provides $145 billion in new tax relief to U.S. corporations over the next 10 years, including a provision giving a tax break to companies that return income to the U.S. from operations located overseas." +3,"Bank of America to cut 4,500 additional jobs","Bank of America said Thursday that it would cut an additional 4,500 jobs from its work force, increasing the number pared since its acquisition of FleetBoston Financial by 36 percent, to 17,000." +1,"Hong Kong Authorities Say Sorry for Blunders, Poll Fair"," HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong authorities defended themselves on Wednesday against complaints of poor organization of Sunday's legislative election, and insisted the poll was open and honest." +1,"In India, some farmers benefiting from a cyber-revolution","BANGALORE, India -- For three generations, two families have fought over an acre of farmland in an arid stretch of southern India, each waving documents to support its claim." +3,"Stocks Knocked Lower on Drug Sector, Oil"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday amid heavy trading volume, as a slew of negative reports from top drug makers and a more than $2 a barrel increase in oil prices weighed on the market." +4,Critics Cite Red Light Monitoring Risks ,"AP - As Philadelphia prepares to install monitoring cameras at some city intersections, officials say they're not worried about studies that suggest the surveillance may lead to more accidents." +3,Australia's Telstra CEO Search May Favor Outsiders,"MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Even with solid internal candidates, the board of Australia's Telstra Corp. (TLS) could easily favor an outsider to replace Ziggy Switkowski." +1,Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Medical Use of Marijuana,"While it is risky to predict how the justices will decide, some expressed skepticism today about the case." +3,Infineon to invest in Asian plant,"Infineon Technologies, the second-largest chip maker in Europe, said Wednesday that it planned to invest about $1 billion in a new factory in Malaysia to expand its automotive chip business and be closer to customers in the region." +2,"Disney, NFL look bad after racy MNF intro","Prepared statements were flying like tickertape Tuesday, in the wake of ABC's racy introductory skit on Monday Night Football." +4,Hackers go Phishing for Online Bankers,"That email from your bank may be more than a friendly enquiry. It could be the hook of a Phisher, the new breed of Internet fraudster intent on stealing money by tricking customers into divulging online account details." +1,"Peace must be imposed on I Coast, says France","PARIS, Nov 16 - Peace must be quot;imposed quot; on Ivory Coast if the warring sides there refuse to abide by a ceasefire, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Tuesday, hailing sanctions voted by the UN Security Council against the west African state." +4,Wil Wheaton to speak at Macworld Expo SF (MacCentral),"MacCentral - IDG World Expo on Tuesday announced that actor, author and self-described geek Wil Wheaton will deliver ""a special feature presentation"" entitled ""Just a Geek"" at the upcoming Macworld Conference amp; Expo in San Francisco, Calif. Macworld Expo takes place at the Moscone Center from January 10 - 14, 2005, and Wheaton's presentation will take place on January 13 at 9:30 AM. There will be a book signing after his presentation." +1,Origami peace gesture met with violence in Thailand,A creative peace offering has been met with renewed violence in the troubled south of Thailand. Hours after 50 Thai army planes dropped some 100 million Japanese-style origami cranes over the predominantly +3,US consumer prices decline unexpectedly in July,"NEW YORK, August 17 (New Ratings) The US consumer prices declined for the first time in the past eight months in July this year, driven by the reduced gasoline, clothing and transportation costs during the month. " +1,Correction: One-Day-Of-Prayer Story ,"AP - In One Day of Prayer, sent in advance for use Oct. 24, The Associated Press misattributed a statement about policy toward the preaching of radical Islam at the London Central Mosque. The official quoted was the deputy director of the mosque, Sheik Anwar Madi, not the director, Ahmed Al-Dubian." +1,Manmohan pays tributes to RN Goenka,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described media baron Ram Nath Goenka as quot;one of the pillars of the freedom movement quot;. +4,Nanotech Research Spending Seen Reaching $8.6 Bln," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Worldwide research and development spending in the emerging field of nanotechnology should rise about 10 percent this year to $8.6 billion, a research firm said on Monday." +2,Jets Sign Quincy Carter,"Quarterback Quincy Carter signed with the Jets on Tuesday, three weeks after his surprising release by Dallas." +4,BEA Systems Dances At Oracle's Party,BEA Systems Inc. chose the opening day of competitor Oracle's annual user conference in San Francisco to talk about its next version of the BEA WebLogic Application Server platform. +3,"Board Members, Executives and Family Members Can Still Benefit", Many of Corporate Washington's executives and board members have side deals with the companies they oversee. +4,Xignal releases XFI interface design for 10G XFP modules,"September 13, 2004 Nashua, NH--Xignal Technologies (Munich) is releasing its intellectual property for a 10-Gbit/sec CMOS XFI interface for signal conditioner ICs in XFP transceiver modules." +3,Before the Bell: Krispy Kreme Down 11 Pct,"Shares of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. (KKD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 11 percent before the bell on Monday after the struggling doughnut shop chain reported a quarterly net loss " +4,ISA Flaw Shows Way In To Phishing Attacks,Microsoft ISA and Proxy Server are prone to an Internet domain name spoofing vulnerability that could allow an attacker to spoof Internet sites. +2,Olympics Wrap: China Grabs 1st Men's Gold in Track," ATHENS (Reuters) - China grabbed its first-ever men's Olympic gold in track and field on Friday, but it was a night of misery for Americans, who saw any chance of a fourth consecutive gold in basketball crushed." +3,"Intel Doubles Dividend, Expands Buyback (Reuters)","Reuters - Intel Corp. , the world's\largest maker of computer chips, said on Wednesday it would\double its quarterly dividend to 8 cents a share, the second\time this year it has doubled its cash payout." +3,Ebookers admits possible sell-off,"Internet-based holiday company Ebookers confirms it is in talks over a possible sale, sending its shares 22 higher." +4,France fries cell phones,Performance venues there can now install signal-jamming equipment to deal with rude mobile-phone users. +1,Malaysia Teenager in Hospital for Bird Flu Checks,"A teenager from the village at the center of a bird flu outbreak has been hospitalized with cold symptoms, Malaysia's health minister said on Friday, as poultry farmers counted their losses." +2,UPDATE 1-Centurion Youhana sets up Pakistan victory,Yousuf Youhana top-scored with an unbeaten 107 to guide Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka and into the final of a three-nation one-day tournament on Wednesday. +4,Intel Boards a Faster Bus,New Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor will be available in a high-end PC from Dell. Intel is expected to release a faster version of its powerful but expensive Pentium 4 Extreme Edition processor this week +3,"Credence to Close Two Sites, Cut Jobs","Credence Systems Corp., a maker of chip-testing equipment, on Wednesday said it plans to shut down two testing facilities and eliminate about 8 percent of its work force as it reshuffles its operations." +2,He Goes From Afterthought to Game-Breaker,It was just another one of those quickly forgotten preseason transactions that appear in small type in the back of the newspaper. March 2004: DC United reacquires the rights to forward Jaime +1,Teheran tries to rewrite EU deal on nuclear programme,"By Damien Mcelroy in Vienna and Philip Sherwell in Washington. Iran's rulers want to revise a deal part-brokered by Britain to suspend their nuclear weapons programme, throwing the agreement into doubt just " +2,Blue Jays Sweep O's,"Miguel Tejada went 4 for 5 with a homer, three doubles and five RBI for the Orioles, but it could not prevent the O's from being swept by the now hot-hitting Blue Jays, 8-5, on Sunday." +1,American Says He Was on bin Laden's Trail ,AP - An American on trial for allegedly torturing Afghan terror suspects in a private jail claimed Saturday in his first interview from custody that he was hot on the heels of Osama bin Laden and other militant leaders when he was arrested on July 5. +3,Higher Ticket Prices Spur Carnival Profit,"Carnival Corp. amp; plc, the world's largest cruise company, reported Friday that higher ticket prices and onboard sales propelled third-quarter earnings up 40 percent to its best three-month results ever." +2,There's no faking a team effort like this,"ST. LOUIS -- Look for the drop-kick next week. And while they're at it, don't forget the Statue of Liberty play, the fumblerooskie, and the time-tested quot;everybody go long quot; that's worked so well in schoolyard playgrounds during recess through the years." +1,Nasty rhetoric intensifies 50 days ahead of US presidential vote ,"AFP - Fifty days out from the US presidential election, the rhetoric is becoming nastier between George W. Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry, as the US president's lead appears to be solidifying." +4,Microsoft takes on desktop search,"Microsoft has entered the desktop search fray, releasing an initial version of software to scour a PC hard drive." +4,Gadgets rule in digital household,"photos The NowHouse project in San Francisco brings together the latest in design, construction and digital wares.\" +4,Prince of Persia 2 on shelves,Young royal returns to adventure in Ubisoft's Warrior Within; darker storyline and new fighting system highlight the multi-console title. +4,IBM to use AMD's dual-core Opteron,Upgrade to high-performance server will include AMD's dual-core chip. +1,Remains Found in Search for Hacking Body,"SALT LAKE CITY - Police on Friday recovered human remains at a landfill where investigators have been searching for the body of Lori Hacking, the missing Utah woman whose husband is charged in her death. It was not immediately clear whether the remains were those of Hacking, 27, who has not been seen since July 18..." +2,"Geiger, Tressel Defend Ohio State ",AP - Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger and coach Jim Tressel defended the school's football program Tuesday against charges that players were paid by boosters and coddled academically. +4,"Nanoparticles for energy, explosions","Aluminum, the stuff of cans, explodes in its nano form. A small start-up has decided to harness that property." +1,Congo Pulls Diplomats Out of Burundi," KINSHASA (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo has pulled all of its diplomats out of neighboring Burundi following the slaughter of Congolese Tutsi refugees there last week, its foreign minister said on Friday." +4,Web Snap(s) Search and Rebounds,"The Web glitterati came out for the Web 2.0 conference at San Francisco's swanky Nikko hotel this week. In attendance were Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Netscape cofounder Marc Andreessen, Bill " +1,"Palestinian Organized Taba Bombs, Died in Blast (Reuters)","Reuters - A Palestinian driver targeting Israelis\masterminded bombings that killed 33 people at Egyptian resorts\on Oct. 7 and he himself died in one of the explosions because\the timer was badly set, Egypt said on Monday." +4,Microsoft releases fixes for seven critical vulnerabilities,"OCTOBER 12, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Microsoft Corp.'s monthly patch release cycle may be making it more predictable for users to deploy software updates, but there appears to be little letup in the number of holes being discovered in the company's software " +2,Golf: Playoff bogey enough to bring Sorenstam LPGA crown,"WEST PALM BEACH, United States : Annika Sorenstam captured her eighth title of the year here Sunday, beating Cristie Kerr in a playoff for the season-ending LPGA ADT Championship with a bogey on the first playoff hole." +2,Michael Schumacher wins the Japanese Grand Prix,Michael Schumacher blew away the rest of the Formula 1 field to win the Japanese Grand Prix for a sixth time on Sunday. Only brother Ralf Schumacher could match his pace to finish a distant second while BAR +2,Cook Leads Lakers Past Bucks 95-90 ,"AP - Brian Cook came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers, and Kobe Bryant added 20 points despite being held without a field goal for three quarters to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Milwaukee Bucks 95-90 Tuesday night." +2,Nowhere to run Michigan's defense stifles Iowa's running game ,"refrain from stealing a glance or two at the mammoth Michigan Stadium scoreboards during Saturday's game against Iowa. quot;Don't tell the coaches, quot; he said afterward, putting a finger to his lips and smiling." +2,Giants make it six in row,"J.T. Snow singled in the winning run with one out in the ninth to lead the San Francisco Giants to their sixth straight victory, 5-4, over the visiting Montreal Expos last night." +3,Competition among telecom providers getting fierce,"Despite a recent court victory for the area's largest telecommunications company, the battle for your home phone service isn't about to end." +4,Star Wars DVDs break sales record,The DVDs of the original Star Wars trilogy break a UK sales record after one day of release. +4,News: Meet the Peeping Tom worm,A worm that has the capability to using webcams to spy on users is circulating across the Net.\ +3,"Wal-Mart Profit Rises, Raises Outlook","Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's biggest retailer, reported a 13 percent rise in quarterly profit on Tuesday, in line with expectations, and raised its outlook for the full year." +2,Football's Scottish Claymores are sacked,"SCOTTISH Claymores, the Glasgow-based American football team of the NFL Europe League, have ceased operations after 10 seasons. The league called it an economic decision to close down the only American football team in the UK." +3,"For Mutual Funds, First the Slap. Now Comes the Pinch.","oxes of documents, many bearing the names of well-known mutual fund companies, line the halls of Eliot Spitzer's offices in downtown Manhattan." +3,Noranda defends China sale,"TORONTO and OTTAWA - Senior executives from Noranda Inc. are adamantly defending controversial talks to sell the company to China's communist government, despite suggestions from MPs that Parliament may block the proposed sale." +1,China Inc. Quickly Raising Global Profile ,AP - Never heard of Sanjiu? Bluestar? Baosteel? Minmetals? You soon might. +4,EA Video Game 'Madden' Tops 1.3 Million First Week (Reuters),"Reuters - ""Madden NFL 2005,"" the latest\version of Electronic Arts Inc.'s (ERTS.O) pro football video\game franchise, sold more than 1.3 million copies in its first\week of release, the company said on Thursday, citing internal\figures." +1,Confessions of a British diplomat,Should an ambassador speak out over human rights even if this upsets his or her own government? The question has been posed by the dismissal from his post as British ambassador to Uzbekistan +2,RYDER STARS FACING WEEKEND FIGHT,"Five weeks after Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia were in a play-off for the Volvo Masters title, three more of Europe's Ryder Cup heroes are battling for victory at the Omega Hong Kong Open." +4,Nokia Preminet The Next Generation In Content Delivery,Entering a market where there are already several well established players Nokias Preminet open service model solution is being heralded as the next generation of content delivery systems for wireless devices. +4,A Long March From Maoism to Microsoft,The metamorphosis of a Communist Party expatriate to business consultant mirrors China's shift from a closed-door state to a freewheeling money-making society. +2,RFK due to retain prime soccer seating,"DC United will retain its lucrative base of sideline seats at RFK Stadium despite the arrival of baseball at the 43-year-old stadium, according to plans being developed by the DC Sports amp; Entertainment Commission." +3,US SEC files fraud charges against tycoon Conrad Black,The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit accusing the newspaper tycoon Conrad Black and his former top deputy of defrauding shareholders of Hollinger International Inc. +1,Tennis: Henman win in US Open,Tim Henman reaches the US Open quarter-finals for the first time after Nicolas Kiefer retires injured. +2,Anti-Doping Agency Is Boosted By Ban of Sprinter in Balco Case,"The United States Anti-Doping Agency received an important validation when sprinter Michelle Collins, 33, received an eight-year suspension on Friday." +1,Israel's Knesset Approves Gaza Withdrawal,"After two days of discussion, the Knesset approved Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal plan yesterday. The plan envisages the Israeli army's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank." +4,IBM makes available monthly security report,"IBM Corp. Monday introduced a security service that offers a concise, monthly global-network threat report designed to help organizations assess security needs and vulnerabilities from a business perspective." +4,LG Electronics' Third Quarter Profits Up ,"AP - LG Electronics Inc., South Korea's biggest maker of home appliances, said Tuesday its third-quarter net profits rose more than 30 percent on brisk sales of mobile phones." +3,Stelco offered $900M package,Deutsche Bank is offering Stelco Inc. a $900-million refinancing package that could leave it as the company's biggest shareholder. +3,Howard Stern Signs $500 Million Deal with Sirius,Sirius Satellite Radio announced a five-year deal with Howard Stern this morning that will bring the King of All Media to satellite radio in 2006. +2,Today's schedule,"College basketball: MEN -- Marist at Vermont, 7 p.m.; Clemson at Boston College, 7:30 p.m.; Maine at Rhode Island, 7:30 p.m.; Mount Ida at UMass-Boston, 7:30 p.m.; WOMEN -- Weber St. at Northeastern, 5 p.m.; Loyola at Maine, 7 p.m." +4,Women looking over glass cliffs,"Women are being quot;parachuted quot; into precarious positions within companies where there is a high risk of failure, according to a psychologist." +2,Detroit Cops Think They Know Chair Tosser ,AP - Police believe they know the identity of the man who threw a chair in a brawl between players and fans during the Indiana-Detroit game on Nov. 19. +2,Spain's Jimenez wins Golf HK Open,"Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez carded a four-under 66 in the final round to total 14-under 266 to win the Omega Hong Kong Open, his third victory in Asia this year." +4,SpaceShipOne named Time's Invention of the Year ,The first privately financed manned rocket to fly into space has been named Time magazine's Invention of the Year. . +2,It's a championship heavy wait,"They are like a big lobster pot on a piping hot stove, churning and bubbling, ready to boil over. The Red Sox have a 3-games-to-none lead over the Cardinals in the 2004 World Series, and all of their dreams -- and yours -- are about to come true. The local nine is bursting with optimism, yet the ..." +2,Edwards banned from Games,ATHENS (Reuters) - World 100 metres champion Torri Edwards will miss the Athens Olympics after her appeal against a two-year drugs ban was dismissed. +1,Accused deserter set to face Army trial,"TOKYO -- Responding to Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins's pledge to surrender after spending four decades in North Korea, US military officials say they are ready to put the frail 64-year-old back in uniform, give him a haircut, set him up in on-base housing -- and then try him for desertion." +3,Securities industry boots Quattrone,Former star banker barred by the NASD for refusal to testify in obstruction of justice probe. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The NASD said Monday it permanently barred former star banker Frank Quattrone from the securities +2,Mistakes Are Abundant,"Missed tackles, penalties and other assorted errors marked Maryland's intrasquad scrimmage Saturday, a dire portent of another slow start." +2,Bjorkman battles past Arthurs,"Australian tennis player Wayne Arthurs has lost his first round match at the Stockholm Open, losing in three sets to Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman." +1,"To the beat of drums, African woman receives Nobel Peace Prize","The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, environmental activist Wangari Maathai, received her award Friday to the beat of drums and " +1,Ukraine vote a threat to West,"Ukraine's extremely important national elections tomorrow are causing deep concern among Canada's ethnic Ukrainian communities and, far too late, in Europe and the United States." +1,Calgary police charge man with series of vicious rapes from 1988-92 (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - CALGARY (CP) - More than 12 years after a serial rapist terrorized a quiet southwest Calgary neighbourhood, police say advances in DNA technology have led to the arrest of a 61-year-old man who was a suspect all along." +4,Door open for silicon replacement,A breakthrough in the way scientists make crystals could lead to a replacement for silicon in electronic devices. +1,Afghan President Campaigns; 7 Killed by Mine," GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai campaigned on Tuesday for the first time since an assassination attempt last month, telling cheering supporters that a historic vote in four days would be a turning point for the war-torn nation." +1,Results of Presidential Campaign Polls ,"AP - Results of recent polls on the presidential race. Listed above each set of results is the name of the 2000 winner in a given state, the organization that conducted the poll, the dates, the number interviewed, whether it was adults, registered voters (RV) or likely voters (LV) and the margin of error (MoE). Results may not total 100 percent because of rounding." +3,NitroMed to Offer $65.2 Million Shares,"NitroMed Inc., the maker of the BiDil drug to treat heart failure in African Americans, said Monday it plans to offer $65.2 million of its common stock to the public." +2,West Virginia Edges Maryland 19-16 in OT ,AP - Rasheed Marshall threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Chris Henry in overtime to lift No. 7 West Virginia to a 19-16 victory over No. 21 Maryland on Saturday. +3,Calif. sues 4 major insurers ,"SAN DIEGO -- Four major insurance companies paid a broker tens of millions of dollars in hidden kickbacks in exchange for winning contracts with some of the largest US companies, California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi charged yesterday." +3,Russian Oil Giant Raises Reserves Estimate Fivefold,"The Russian oil giant Yukos substantially increased the reserve estimates Friday for its biggest subsidiary, one currently being appraised for sale by the government." +2,Holdout offensive tackle signs with Rams,The five-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle will get only four days of practice to prepare for the St. Louis Rams opener after signing a one-year contract for $7. +3,Sacking sensible : Ziggy,SACKED Telstra chief executive Ziggy Switkowski has conceded his departure was quot;sensible quot; for the company and its shareholders. +3,Why 2004 was the year of the blog,The term quot;blog quot; has been chosen as the top word of 2004 by a US dictionary publisher. Merriam-Webster said quot;blog quot; headed the list of most looked-up terms on its site during the last twelve months. +1,Britain Arrests Radical Cleric Al-Masri ,"AP - Police arrested a radical Muslim cleric Thursday on suspicion of preparing or instigating ""acts of terrorism,"" a move that could delay U.S. attempts to extradite the suspect for allegedly trying to establish a terrorist training camp in Oregon and on other charges." +4,Rich Asians snapping up world's most expensive mobile phones ,"AFP - How much would you pay for a mobile phone that seems as heavy as a brick and cannot even take pictures? Up to 32,000 US dollars, if the phone carries the name Vertu." +2,Wenger Confident Of Euro Progress,Arsene Wenger is confident that his Arsenal side will progress to the next stage of the Champions League despite missing two key players for the final group game in two weeks. +1,Drought and Hunger Add to Darfur's Woes,"Sudans Darfur region, already engulfed in a conflict that has forced 1.8 million people to flee their homes, now faces a new threat from drought which is drying up wells and could lead to widespread hunger next year, the top US aid official says." +2,Eagles foiled by Pitt stop,PITTSBURGH -- Forget the Curse of the Bambino. How about the Curse of Heinz Field? +1,"Bosnians hold local elections, expected to confirm strength of nationalists (AFP)","AFP - Bosnians voted in their third post-war local elections, which are expected to confirm the dominance of the ruling Croat, Muslim and Serb nationalists." +4,"CTIA features new wireless devices, initiatives",Attendees at the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2004 event were told today that they should feel optimistic about the future of the mobile and wireless industry. +1, No Blood on Our Headscarf ,"France knew no parties and no religious controversy, only republicans and patriots. As in times of war, this otherwise highly divided nation, with its many social, ethnic and religious " +1,Major events in Afghanistan since December 2001 election of Karzai,"KABUL, Oct 9 - Afghanistan holds its first ever presidential election Saturday. Following is a list of major events since the current President Hamid Karzai took office in 2001." +3,It's Scrooge-like To Ban Salvation Army Kettle,"Recently, TV news reported that the Target chain of retail stores has decided to ban the Salvation Army from the annual kettle collection at its stores, beginning this Christmas season." +1,"Manmohan Singh seeks to quicken ""handsome"" GDP growth (Reuters)","Reuters - India will improve on its already rapid economic growth levels in the years ahead, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh predicted on Monday." +1,Blunkett denies visa 'fast-track',Home Secretary David Blunkett has denied abusing his position to help fast-track a visa application for a friend's nanny +3,Sony-led deal sets MGM buy terms,SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- A consortium led by Sony Corp. of America announced late Thursday the details of its $4.8 billion agreement to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. +4,Custom Software for Corporations,"While PeopleSoft continues to fend off Oracles takeover bid, a subplot is unfolding in the world of corporate software." +4,FCC Rules To Allow Broadband via Power Lines,The Federal Communications Commission has made changes to its regulations that will allow power companies to provide broadband services over electric lines. +3,JJ Reportedly Eyes Guidant,"Johnson amp; Johnson (JNJ:NYSE - news - research) reportedly is negotiating to buy Guidant (GDT:NYSE - news - research) for $24 billion, a transaction that would unite two big manufacturers of coronary devices." +3,Saudis vow to keep spare capacity,Top world oil exporter Saudi Arabia vowed on Sunday to maintain a cushion of spare supplies of up to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) to meet future demand growth. +4,Netscape: A decade of survival,"The Netscape browser turned 10 years old last week as a shadow of its former self, but the lights haven't gone out yet on one of the most storied brands in Web history." +3,Stocks to Watch Thursday (Reuters),"Reuters - Stocks moving on Thursday: EXXON MOBIL\, ROYAL DUTCH PETROLEUM CO. :" +2,Gerrard ready for Liverpool comeback,"Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says he is ready to make his comeback at Middlesbrough after a two-month injury absence. Gerrard, who broke a bone in his foot during Liverpool's 2-1 Premier " +1,Fischer fails to halt deportation,A court in Japan rejects former chess champion Bobby Fischer's request to halt \his deportation to the US. +3,Corporate taxes melting away,"Some of the United States biggest, most profitable corporations saw their federal income tax rates decline over the last three years, thanks to recent tax cuts, according to a liberal think tank in Washington." +3,Frankel sentenced to 16 years for fraud,Former financier Martin Frankel was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison Friday for masterminding a scheme to loot insurance companies of more than $200 +3,"Goldman, Lehman Post Strong Results"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investment bank stocks rose strongly Tuesday after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GS.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GS.N</A> and Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=LEH.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">LEH.N</A> reported surprisingly strong third-quarter results, indicating that sluggish market conditions this summer did not dent Wall Street earnings." +3,Finance: Lessons of the Past Five Years,"Five years ago, the great bull market of the 90s was about to come to a crashing halt, but no one knew that yet. In fact, many investors were still buying as if the gains would continue forever." +1,Regina justice of peace on trial denies sexual touching accusations (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - REGINA (CP) - A former justice of the peace on trial for sexual assault admitted Wednesday to getting a female courthouse worker to touch his penis. +1,Pro-Aristide protesters make threats to foreigners,"PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Enraged supporters of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide armed themselves and roamed a downtown slum, threatening to behead foreigners after UN peacekeepers and Haitian police arrested dozens of people yesterday." +3,Wall St. Outlook: Bull Market with Legs?,"Stock investors next week should get more clues on whether the bull market has long enough legs to drive gains to year end, as many market pros now expect." +1,The Waning Loyalists,"(IsraelNN.com) The Likud loyalist faction, which numbered close to twenty at its prime, has diminished to a mere nine Likud faction members voting against giving Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a mandate to bring the Labor Party into the government." +1,"Once a Palace, Now Saddam Hussein's Prison","Saddam Hussein lives in an air-conditioned 10-by-13 foot cell on the grounds of one of his former palaces, tending plants and proclaiming himself Iraq's lawful ruler." +3,Court Deals Blow to Movie Studios, LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Thursday delivered a stinging blow to the anti-piracy efforts of major movie studios and music companies by ruling several Internet file-sharing software companies are not liable for copyright infringement. +4,"Bush, Kerry Don't Worry About Tech (washingtonpost.com)","washingtonpost.com - Election Day is less than two weeks away, but so far technology has yet to make more than the occasional cameo appearance on either presidential candidate's priority list." +4,Judge Challenges EU Position on Microsoft," LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - A top European Union judge challenged the EU executive's reasoning in its antitrust court battle with Microsoft Corp. Friday, questioning why it opposed the U.S. software giant's setting industry standards." +1,Thai chief is beheaded in revenge for Muslim deaths,A VILLAGE chief in southern Thailand was beheaded in retaliation for the death last week of more than 80 Muslims involved in a protest. +3,OECD sees Japanese growth slower at just above 2.0 pct in 2005 ,"AFP - The Japanese economy is expected to grow just above 2.0 percent in 2005 and 2006, losing some steam on slower exports after an estimated robust 4.0-percent expansion this year, according to the OECD." +2,Maddox Knows How Rookie Quarterback Feels ,AP - Tommy Maddox can only stand on the sideline and watch Sunday as Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger runs the offense Maddox expected to run in Miami. Throws the passes Maddox expected to throw. Leads the team Maddox expected to lead. +3,BANKRUPTCIES ARE SINKING PENSION AGENCY,"October 8, 2004 -- The longer-term solvency of the US agency that insures pensions is at risk, threatened by troubled airlines and other companies failing to fund their retirement plans, the agency's director said yesterday." +3,Report: US Manufacturing Regains Some Strength,Friday's Commerce Department report says orders for most durable goods jumped 2.3 percent in the month. These figures exclude a decline in orders for civilian aircraft. +4,Intelligence Gathering: The Study of How the Brain Evolves Offers Insight into the Mind (SPACE.com),"SPACE.com - Is there really life out there? Was a kinder, wetter Mars once dotted by bacterial blooms whose progeny now await our discovery? Do unseen, alien microbes swim in the buried oceans of Europa, Callisto, or Ganymede? What about Titan's sub-zero methane lakes?" +4,Superfast Nasa jet pushes Mach 10,The US space agency flies its X-43A hypersonic jet to a speed in excess of nine times the speed of sound. +3,Coles eyes financial planning services,COLES Myer chief executive John Fletcher wants to expand the retail giant's customer offering to include financial planning services. +1,"17 dead, over 100 injured as powerful earthquakes hit eastern Indonesia (AFP)","AFP - A succession of powerful earthquakes rocked eastern Indonesia, killing at least 17 people, injuring more than 100 others and destroying hundreds of homes." +3,"Nasdaq Ends Up, Dow Slips","The tech-driven Nasdaq Composite Index got a 1 percent boost on Thursday on gains in the semiconductor sector, but the blue-chip Dow ended down slightly after Caterpillar Inc." +3,Oracle wages proxy battle for control of PeopleSoft,Oracle nominated four candidates to serve as directors of PeopleSoft's board and said it would fight for control of the company at its annual meeting next year. +3,Factory Orders Dip as Aircraft Dive,"New orders at US factories fell unexpectedly in August after a sharp drop in demand for civilian aircraft, government data showed on Monday." +4,Mobile Phone Users Double Since 2000 (Reuters),"Reuters - Mobile phone subscribers around the\globe totaled nearly 1.5 billion by the middle of this year,\about one quarter of the world's population, the International\Telecommunication Union (ITU) said on Thursday." +1,Ohio Recount Resembles Florida in 2000 ,"AP - In a scene reminiscent of Florida circa 2000, two teams of Republican and Democratic election workers held punch-card ballots up to the light Wednesday and whispered back and forth as they tried to divine the voters' intent from a few hanging chads." +2,Yankees widen their lead,"Jason Giambi made his first start since July 23, Mike Mussina pitched three-hit ball for eight innings, and the New York Yankees beat the host Kansas City Royals, 4-0, to increase their AL East lead to four games over the Boston Red Sox." +1,New York Jets Sign Quincy Carter,"HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Quarterback Quincy Carter signed with the New York Jets on Tuesday, three weeks after his surprising release by Dallas..." +2,Rangers dig in for a capital victory,"ALEX McLeish, the Rangers manager, will ponder long and hard the importance of this match and how significant the three points secured at Easter Road could turn out to be." +2,Priest Holmes Helps Chiefs to First Victory (Reuters),"Reuters - Priest Holmes rushed for 125 yards and\two touchdowns to help the Kansas City Chiefs pick up their\first win of the season, 27-24 over the host Baltimore Ravens\Monday." +4,"Key Antarctic food source is declining, study says","A key food source for Antarctic seals, whales and penguins has declined about 80 percent since the 1970s in waters near the Antarctic Peninsula, researchers report." +2,Maryland upset at BBT Classic,"WASHINGTON TJ Thompson scored 27 points as George Washington defeated No. 12 Maryland 101-92 in the championship game of the BB amp;T Classic, the Colonials fifth consecutive victory." +3,Dissidents tell Disney to walk the walk or else,Dissident former directors Roy Disney and Stanley Gold on Tuesday called a temporary cease-fire in their war with CEO Michael Eisner and the Walt Disney Co. +2,The Olympics Are Ending: Now Athens Pays for a Nice Party,"The very pleasant Games most people experienced, superimposed on one of the world's historic cities. The very expensive Games that Greeks will have to underwrite for decades." +2,Gators survive close shave,"GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Chris Leak threw for a career-high 322 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 16 Florida held off a late rally to beat Arkansas, 45-30, yesterday." +4,FCC frees up spectrum for 3G,"com September 9, 2004, 4:46 PM PT. Federal telephone regulators on Thursday set aside more spectrum for third-generation cell phone calls and other advanced wireless services, in a move " +4,Plan Would Turn Restore Wash. Estuary ,"AP - A 15-year plan would restore salt marshes and mudflats for migrating salmon at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, more than 100 years after the farmland was drained and diked." +2,California Beats N. Carolina 9-2 in LLWS ,"AP - Danny Leon hit a two-run homer, and Tyler Carp and John Lister added solo homers to lead Conejo Valley Little League to a 9-2 victory over Morganton, N.C., on Sunday in the Little League World Series." +2,Soccer: Portugal title hopes end,"VOLOS, Greece At least the Manchester United manager, Alex Ferguson, will be pleased that he has Cristiano Ronaldo back early from the Olympics. If only Ronaldo were happy to see him. " +3,Kettle crew not on Target,"The Salvation Army's red kettles are being banned from collecting outside Target's 1,313 stores nationwide, costing the charitable organization an estimated $9 million in holiday donations and " +2,Gough lands top job at Livingston,"Gough emerged as the leading candidate for the post after captaining Rangers, Scotland and Everton, though this will be his first managerial appointment." +3,CKE's Monster,"CKE Restaurants (NYSE: CKR) seems to think that consumers can't get enough hamburger, and so far it has been right. However, its Hardee's chain may be reaching the point where it's saturating the market with red meat." +2,"World icons Hamm, Foudy take their last kicks tonight","After 18 years, 785 games, 230 goals, two Women's World Cup championships, two Olympics gold medals - and an unparalleled sociological legacy - Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy " +4,Mobiles track down wi-fi hotspots,Fans of wireless internet access can now find their nearest wi-fi hotspot using their mobile phone. +3,"Michael Stores Earnings Rise, Shares Fall","Michaels Stores Inc., the world's largest arts and crafts retailer, on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income rose 10 percent but warned future results may not be as strong as previously expected." +2,Atletico Madrid complete deal for Birmingham's Gronkjaer,"Birmingham managing director Karren Brady and Gronkjaer's agent, Vincenzo Morabito, were both in Madrid to finalise terms with Atletico officials." +1,Ethnic Clashes Are Confirmed by Beijing; Toll Is Unclear,"Riots in the central Chinese province of Henan resulted in seven deaths and 42 injuries and were quelled after authorities imposed martial law, the New China News Agency said " +2,Bonds to remain with Giants through 2006,"San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - The San Francisco Giants have scheduled a news conference prior to Tuesday night's game against Houston at which time the club is expected to announce that Barry Bonds will remain under contract through the 2006 season " +3,Bank of Montreal to acquire Indiana-based institution,Toronto (Dow Jones) -- Bank of Montreal on Wednesday said it agreed to acquire Mercantile Bancorp Inc. for $156.5 million as it moves to expand in the Midwest region of the United States. +2,Bulloch is new Scotland skipper,GORDON BULLOCH was today named as the new captain of Scotland rugby ahead of the three Abbey Autumn Tests next month writes BILL LOTHIAN. +2,NFL Game Summary - Pittsburgh At Miami,"Miami, FL -- Ben Roethlisberger threw for 163 yards and a touchdown in his first career start, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Miami Dolphins 13-3 at a water-logged Pro Player Stadium." +3,Liberty Media's Live Sellout,Donald Trump and QVC learn that live television may promise plenty but deliver slowly. +4,Sun to add JFluid profiling tool to Java Studio,"SAN FRANCISCO - Sun Microsystems Inc. last week took an important step toward commercializing an experimental Java performance measurement tool called JFluid, moving the two-year-old project from the Sun Labs research and development group into the company's software division. Sun now expects to ship the software as part of an April 2005 release of its Java Studio integrated development environment (IDE), the company said." +3,World oil prices reach new highs on supply fears,LONDON : World oil prices stormed above 54 US dollars for the first time Tuesday as strikes in Nigeria and Norway raised worries about possible supply shortages during the northern hemisphere winter. +3,Timing Is Everything, Here's just what you need: another complication involving individual retirement accounts. +4,Court Rejects Child Porn Internet Law (washingtonpost.com),washingtonpost.com - A federal court yesterday struck down as unconstitutional a path-breaking Pennsylvania law designed to prevent Internet users from seeing Web sites that contain child pornography. +4,Scientists Breed a Tougher Mouse,"Through genetic engineering, scientists have bred a mouse capable of running twice as far as other mice before exhaustion. Medical researchers believe some of their findings could apply to humans. By Kristen Philipkoski." +3,US expansion could hurt if savings rise,"NEW YORK: For years, profligate American consumers have been chided for putting aside nothing for a rainy day. Now, with the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, the prospect that households could start " +2,"Men's Tennis: Srichaphan, Hewitt Advance to Long Island Cup ",Two-time defending champion Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand and former world number one Lleyton Hewitt of Australia have advanced to Saturday's semifinals of the Long Island Cup men's tennis tournament in New York. +1,Obesity increases cancer threat,"\Breast cancer is more likely to kill obese women than those of normal weight, research suggests." +1,PM visits embassy bombing site,"Prime Minister John Howard has inspected the damage caused by last month's car bomb at the Australian embassy in Jakarta. The Prime Minister, who is to meet Indonesia's President elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono " +2,Danish players suspend strike against FIFA transfer rules,COPENHAGEN: Danish footballers on Wednesday temporarily suspended their week-long strike action in protest at a rule by the games ruling body FIFA concerning the transfer of players under 23 years old. +1,Australian Detainee Meets With Father,"GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - The father of an imprisoned Australian cowboy accused of fighting with Afghanistan's ousted Taliban saw his son for the first time in five years Wednesday, as he prepared to go before an American military tribunal on war crimes charges. After the meeting, David Hicks, 29, wore a suit and tie as he arrived for a tribunal hearing on charges of conspiracy to commit war crimes, aiding the enemy and attempted murder for allegedly firing at U.S..." +3,Icelandair buys small part of easyJet,"Icelandair has bought a small stake of 8.4 in easyJet. Hannes Smarason, chairman of Icelandair announced last week that his company would expand." +1,Britain's Straw to Keep World Pressure on Sudan," LONDON (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to Sudan on Monday to keep up international pressure on Khartoum to comply with U.N. demands to end the conflict in Darfur that has already killed up to 50,000 people." +4,Finding the Right Balance Between Power and Weight,"Electronics manufacturers are designing products that are smaller and lighter, yet offering more and more gadgets that travelers feel compelled to take with them." +1,Mexican Migrant Seeks U.S. Work Visa ,"AP - Omar Garcia Escobedo's family thought their 25-year-old son had, like so many other migrants seeking work in the United States, drowned trying to cross the treacherous, fast flowing Rio Grande River." +3,Will Howard Stern deal turn satellite into a star?,"com October 7, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. Potty talk could be just what the fledgling satellite radio industry needs to become a viable, mainstream business, industry analysts said Wednesday " +3,Twinkies May Have Lost Their Twinkle,"(Sep 23, 2004) -- OGDEN, Utah -- Interstate Bakeries Corp., which has 300 employees at bakeries in Ogden and Salt Lake City, has filed for bankruptcy protection." +2,Hawks Waive McCoy; Activate Ivey (Reuters),Reuters - The Atlanta Hawks waived center\Jelani McCoy Tuesday and activated guard Royal Ivey from the\injured list. +1,More Medical Devices Needed for Babies,WASHINGTON - Frustrated doctors say they too often find themselves jury-rigging adult medical devices to fit children's tiny bodies and special needs. Now pediatric experts have begun a major push to fill the gap... +2,Woods withdraws from 84 Lumber Classic,"Tournament officials of the 84 Lumber Classic confirmed on Tuesday that Woods has withdrawn from the event, which is scheduled to begin Thursday." +2,Cubs collapse in 12th again,"CHICAGO - Javier Valentin doubled home the go-ahead run with two outs in the 12th inning and the Cincinnati Reds played spoilers again, sending the Chicago Cubs to a crushing 2-1 defeat Thursday afternoon." +3,Stocks post small gains as investors await earnings,"NEW YORK Stocks drifted higher yesterday, brushing aside another record high for oil prices amid hopes the impending tide of third-quarter profit reports will override worries about a struggling economic recovery." +4,Go-ahead for new internet names,"The internet could soon have two new domain names, aimed at mobile services and the jobs market. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has given preliminary approval to two new addresses - ." +2,Baird and Lehman head Funai classic,"Tom Lehman and Briny Baird top the leaderboard heading into the final round of the Funai Golf Classic in Orlando. They are both at 17-under par, one shot ahead of Scott Verplank." +4,New Nokia Advances,"The world's largest phone maker, Nokia, recently announced several new advances in it's phone line including 3 new camera phones, memory boosts for many phones and handwriting recognition on one of it's smartphones." +1,Five Palestinians dead in Israeli attempt to kill Hamas activist,"Israel's air force launched an attack on a Gaza City building early Wednesday, killing at least five people, according to witnesses and officials on both sides. Seven people were also wounded, four critically. " +3,Northwest promises to match Internet fares on its own site,Northwest says it will refund the difference plus a 50-dollar travel voucher to any customer who buys a Northwest ticket finds a ticket for the exact same Northwest flight on the same date during the same day as their ticket was purchased. +2,Mixed Emotions for Sparta Coach,Straka made the surprising admission on the eve of the Champions League match between the two sides at Old Trafford. He said: Manchester United are great. +1,Jets Lose Cornerback Mickens to Torn ACL,"HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Jets cornerback Ray Mickens was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, while Terrell Buckley was signed to take his place..." +4,Do-It-Yourself Design: Just Point and Click,"On-line customization was a slow starter in the 1990's. But as technology has improved, so has the variety." +2,Dickau scores 23; Hornets get rare win,NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- Dan Dickau gave the New Orleans Hornets the lead after three quarters and made sure it stood up in the final 12 minutes. +1,"Postal Service Tale: Indie Rock, Snail Mail and Trademark Law","For the Los Angeles-Seattle based music duo, keeping your name means promoting the mail service." +1,Yushchenko Was Poisoned; Ukraine Assesses Turmoil," KIEV (Reuters) - Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned by dioxin during Ukraine's presidential election campaign, his Austrian doctors said on Saturday as the country counted the cost of the turmoil generated by the rigged poll." +2,United fans fight takeover bid,Manchester United fans are hoping people power can help beat off an Old Trafford takeover bid from American billionaire Malcolm Glazer. +4,Science pinpoints Earth's hum ,Scientists believe they have pinpointed the origin of a low frequency quot;hum quot; that emanates from the Earth. The noise - which can be picked up in the two and seven mHz (millihertz) range - occurs far below the +1,Powell calls Russian FM over Georgian conflict,"WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- US Secretary of State Colin Powell has called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the conflict in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said on Tuesday. " +4,Deadly ladybird widespread in UK,"An invasive ladybird which kills off other insects is widespread in the UK, an expert says." +2,Some California beamin' for BC,"ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Everybody came here to represent. The Cali Contingent of Boston College's basketball team -- junior Craig Smith of Los Angeles, Sean Marshall of Rialto, and Jared Dudley of San Diego -- had quite a bit of incentive in last night's 74-64 victory over UCLA in the Wooden Classic before a crowd of 14,027 at Arrowhead Pond." +1,Blair comes out fighting,Tony Blair today urged Labour to unite behind a radical third-term agenda as he sought to heal party wounds over Iraq. The Prime Minister said that he realized the war in Iraq had divided +2,Calgary's Kiprusoff Wins Big in Arbitration, TORONTO (Sports Network) - Calgary Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff will receive a huge increase in salary for the upcoming season after an arbitrator Monday awarded the Vezina Trophy finalist $2.95 million. +4,Summary: Microscopic Diamond Found in Mont ,"AP - WHAT WAS FOUND: A microscopic diamond embedded in kimberlite, the molten rock in which diamonds are found, in Montana." +3,Trump's Casinos File for Bankruptcy, PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Donald Trump's casino operations filed for bankruptcy on Sunday in a long-expected move that would allow the real estate maverick to restructure the company's debt and overhaul its aging casinos. +3,FCC Gives Internet Calls Half A Push,"NEW YORK - You could almost hear the sighs of relief when the US Federal Communications Commission ruled on Tuesday that Internet-based phone services should be regulated by the federal government, not by the states." +4,Roger Waters Goes to War with Online Tracks (Reuters),"Reuters - Former Pink Floyd mainman Roger\Waters released two new songs, both inspired by the U.S.-led\invasion of Iraq, via online download outlets Tuesday." +4,Open-source details hold up Solaris release,"Sun will release the source code of its operating system, but those eager for details may have to wait until early 2005.\" +4,Early merger consequences,"Having reaped the benefits of 18 months of uncertainty over the make up of the enterprise applications market as a result of the Oracle/PeopleSoft merger battle, SAP AG maintains it has no worries even though the two have now agreed to merge." +1,Bold insurgents targeting Iraqi police kill 59,"Nearly 150 people have been slain in 3 days as militants try to derail plan for security force. Oil exports: Saboteurs wrecked a recently repaired pipeline junction in Kirkuk, Iraq, on Tuesday and the fire set off a cascade of power blackouts." +3,Truckers strike to continue,"NO SOLUTION YET: The Revenue Secretary, Ms Vineeta Rai, with Mr JM Saksena (2nd from left), Secretary General, All-India Motor Transport Congress, and other transport operators at a meeting in the Capital on Monday." +3,Daley Gets Top Marks From Council For Skyway Deal,- CHICAGO -- Chicago aldermen have unanimously endorsed the Chicago Skyway plan which gives the city 1.8-billion dollars while a private company gets to run it and collect the tolls for 99 years. +4,Red Hat drafts Sun exec for desktop Linux push,Java engineer Karen Tegan-Padir resigns to head up Red Hat's bid to get the open-source operating system on desktop systems. +3,Lucent Says It May Get 816M Tax Refund ,AP - Telecommunications gear maker Lucent Technologies Inc. may receive an 816 million federal income tax refund related to its multibillion dollar losses at the height of the telecom industry slump. +4,Officials Say Sea Turtles Declining ,"AP - Despite a federal rule changing the type of hooks that longline fishermen may use, the sea turtle population is declining, officials say." +3,Court Throws Out United's Pension Filing,"CHICAGO, Sept. 24 - A federal bankruptcy court judge ruled against United Airlines on Friday in a procedural dispute with unions over employee pensions, ordering that its latest pension information filing be struck from the record." +4,Apple releases Mac OS X v10.3.7 (MacCentral),"MacCentral - Apple on Wednesday released Mac OS X v10.3.7, the latest release of its ""Panther"" operating system. The company recommends the update for all users of Panther, and said that the update ""delivers enhanced functionality and improved reliability.""" +4,Primate researcher brings environmental message to Singapore ,"Dr Jane Goodall delivers her keynote speech while a picture of a chimpanzee which she calls her oldest chimp friend is projected in the background, in Singapore during the Biology in Asia International Conference." +3,"UPDATE 1-Delta to cut employee pay 10 pct, CEO declines pay","Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said it will reduce executive and employee pay by 10 percent starting in January and its CEO will go unpaid for " +2,Finland fires national hockey coach,"CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Raimo Summanen, who signed a three-year deal through 2006 to coach Finland's national hockey team, has been relieved of his duties." +4,Microsoft Issues Patch; E-Mail ID Plan Rejected," SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=MSFT.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">MSFT.O</A> released on Tuesday a patch for its latest ""critical"" rated security flaw affecting its Windows, Office and developer tools software programs." +1,L.A. Airport Reopens After Security Scare,"LOS ANGELES - Four terminals at Los Angeles International Airport were shut down for about three hours Saturday after a passenger bypassed security at one terminal and a flashlight battery exploded during screening at another, authorities said. The two incidents a half-hour apart on the busy Labor Day weekend appeared to be unrelated, said FBI spokeswoman Cathy Viray..." +1,First Students Expelled Over French Law,"An unidentified Sikh, wearing a head piece instead of a turban, enters his high school in Drancy, outside Paris, early Wednesday Oct. 20, 2004." +2,Pride left after the fall,"Burdened by six consecutive losses, Giants, Eli still can play for some respect vs. daunting Steelers. BY NEIL BEST. When athletes talk about playing for pride, it is a sure sign there is little else to play for in a season gone wrong." +2,"Tennis: Big Names Advance in Open, Medal Winners Out"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Roger Federer teased, Lleyton Hewitt shone and Serena Williams dazzled at the U.S. Open on Wednesday, although the bronze medallists at the Athens Olympics were both upset." +1,Egypt bomb blasts kill 22,"At least 22 people have been killed in back-to-back bombings in Egyptian resorts packed with Israeli tourists, and Israel says it appears to be the work of al Qaeda." +3,Black Friday's Fade to Gray,You don't need to get mauled at the mall anymore. Online storefronts are here to save the day. +2,FSU-Miami Postponed,Hurricane Frances forces the postponement of Monday's college football season opener between Florida State and Miami. +2,"NFL: Jets, Rams, Broncos and Vikings Complete Puzzle"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jeff Wilkins booted a clutch 31-yard field goal to earn the St. Louis Rams a playoff berth with a 32-29 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, as the NFL regular season came to furious conclusion." +3,"G.M.'s Earnings Are Weak; Plans to Cut 12,000 Jobs in Europe","General Motors lowered its forecast for the entire year only hours after announcing plans to cut 12,000 jobs in Europe by 2006." +1,"Boy, 12, is shot dead by Israelis","JERUSALEM: Israeli soldiers shot dead a 12-year-old Palestinian boy yesterday during confrontations with protesters in a refugee camp in the West Bank town of Jenin, medics said." +3,Disney Says CEO Eisner to Retire in 2006," LONDON (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Michael Eisner will retire in September 2006, when his contract expires, the company said on Friday." +2,WADA could look into recreational use of drugs,"The World Anti-Doping Agency could wind up looking into out-of-competition cases of athletes caught taking cocaine and other recreational drugs, its president said Monday." +2,Astros Backe living out a dream,CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Houston Astros aren't pitching future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens or 20-game-winner Roy Oswalt in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. +2,Trojans seeking top of the heap,"One game into Bridgewater-Raynham's league schedule, the Trojans' season appeared to be over. After losing to Marshfield to open Old Colony League play Oct. 30, the Trojans figured their chances at surviving beyond Thanksgiving were as good as a turkey's. With only four teams in the league, Marshfield seemed a safe bet to garner its playoff berth." +4,Exploit for Microsoft JPEG Flaw Is Published,Code that claims to partially exploit a weakness in Microsoft software's handling of image files has been published on the Internet. +4,"Slash UK broadband costs, says watchdog","BROADBAND access prices in Britain are still too high and need to be cut further to bring the country into line with other nations, according to Ofcom, Britains media and telecoms regulator." +3,Insurance Probe Drives Down Stocks (Reuters),Reuters - Top U.S. life insurer MetLife Inc.\ said on Friday it had received several subpoenas from +1,US Drops Effort for Treaty Banning Cloning,"Faced with polarizing division in the 191-member General Assembly, the United States on Friday abandoned its aggressively pursued attempt to obtain a United Nations " +4,"Playstation Supplies Tight , Admits Sony",Sony was forced to admit today that availability of its PlayStation 2 (PS2) games console in UK shops would be tight before Christmas. +4,Huge Black Holes Formed Quickly After Big Bang (SPACE.com),"SPACE.com - Incredibly massive black holes had fully matured just a billion years after the birth of the universe, according to two separate studies." +1,Barghouthi Mulls Pulling Out of Palestinian Election," BEERSHEBA, Israel (Reuters) - Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi is considering pulling out of a presidential race to avoid splitting his mainstream Fatah faction, an Israeli-Arab lawmaker said after visiting him in jail." +4,Outsourcing's next big thing--Malaysia?,"The country's infrastructure makes it an attractive candidate for offshore work, a research company says." +1,Child Soldiers in Front Line of Wars Across World (Reuters),"Reuters - Boys and girls as young as nine years\old are in the front line of wars across the world, and even\when the fighting has finished they are largely neglected in\the peace process, a report said Wednesday." +4,Vulnerability allows scammers to hijack pop-ups,Security researchers warned today of a vulnerability in most Web browsers that could allow scammers to launch phishing attacks from pop-up windows on trusted Web sites. +3,Canada's Bombardier Fires CEO Tellier,Canadian trains and planes manufacturer Bombardier Inc. fired its chief executive officer on Monday and its share price dropped to record lows. +4,Stardust memories,"Who would have thought that stardust, the stuff of fairy tales and popular songs, could actually be collected on metal plates. It sounds funny, but this is no laughing matter." +4,Hitachi to release 100GB hard drives for notebooks,Hitachi announced it would be shipping 2.5in hard drives with capacities up to 100GB for notebook computers by the end of 2004. The Travelstar 5K100 and E5K100 hard drives +2,Harrington eyes perfection as Woosnam's hopes sink,"Padraig Harrington, with next week's Ryder Cup uppermost in his thoughts, emerged from a run of indifferent form with an outstanding 66, six under par, in the first round of the Linde German Masters yesterday." +4,IBM signs $180M outsourcing deal with Dun Bradstreet,IBM has signed a seven-year IT outsourcing deal with Dun Bradstreet under which it will transform and manage key business functions and financial operations for the company. +2,Eriksson: I will not panic. I trust the players. I think we ,"It was not quite a rallying call in the class of Corporal Jones, but the message from Sven Goran Eriksson sounded worryingly familiar yesterday." +2,Leslie Named MVP,Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie was selected the WNBA's Most Valuable Player for the second time in her career. +1,"Chinese President urges Koizumi to stop shrine visits, improve ","Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday urged Japan to properly treat its war time history with an eye to the future, and called for a halt to visits by Japanese leaders to a shrine honoring World War II criminals." +1,Ukrainian Voting to Be Closely Watched,Ukrainians voted Sunday in a presidential election viewed as a test of democracy in the former Soviet republic and an indicator of whether it will move closer to the West or cultivate its historically close ties to Russia. +4,StorageTek buys up remainder of Storability,"Two years after buying Southborough-based Storability Inc.'s services business, Storage Technology Corp. scooped up the rest of the venture capital-backed company, the companies announced Thursday afternoon." +1,Pinochet arrest warrant suspended,A WARRANT placing former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet under house arrest on charges of murder and kidnapping has been suspended after an appeal by his lawyers. +2,Coleman reportedly swerved to avoid a deer,"FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman swerved to avoid a deer and flipped his luxury vehicle, authorities said Wednesday." +1,NATO Eyes Closer Ukraine Ties if Yushchenko Wins (Reuters),"Reuters - NATO is ready to speed Ukraine toward\closer ties and membership if pro-West presidential frontrunner\Viktor Yushchenko wins a revote on Dec. 26, alliance sources\and diplomats said on Thursday." +3,EU suspends US export sanctions,The European Union suspends tariffs on US imports imposed earlier this year during a bitter trade dispute. +4,Feds Accused of Exaggerating Fire Impact ,"AP - The Forest Service exaggerated the effect of wildfires on California spotted owls in justifying a planned increase in logging in the Sierra Nevada, according to a longtime agency expert who worked on the plan." +4,Free iPod - Help us Hire Engineers!,"\\Rojo is trying to hire a few Engineers . Rojo is an amazing company to\work for. We're working with some really impressive technologies and doing some\really cool work. If you're interested in RSS/Atom, Social Networking, Open\Source, Java, Linux, etc then I'd highly recommend that you come and work with\us.\\If you suggest someone to Rojo, and we hire them, we'll give you a free iPod.\At the very minimum its a nice gesture for your help.\\Also if you want a free invite to Rojo please let me know. We'd love to have\more feedback.\\" +2,Steelers winning the old fashioned way -- they pound it,"PITTSBURGH -- When Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher looked for an offensive coordinator in January he didn't start by asking candidates what they thought about Tommy Maddox, Hines Ward or Plaxico Burress." +3,Snow still backing strong dollar,"US Treasury Secretary John Snow has said the financial markets should determine the value of the dollar. But speaking in Dublin on the first leg of a tour of Europe, he reaffirmed his policy to support a strong dollar ." +4,Review: A Flat Panel That's Also Deep ,"AP - Three-dimensional movies at home, without the silly glasses, have been a science-fiction dream for at least as long as Dick Tracy's wristwatch cell phone and the household robot." +3,Bronner: US Airways To Seek Injunction If Unions Walk; UAL Flight ,US Airways Group (otc: UAIRQ - news - people ) on Thursday said it'll seek a court injunction to prohibit a strike by disaffected unions. +4,J.P. Morgan Cancels IBM Outsourcing Deal,"<p>\</p><p> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - J.P. Morgan Chase Co. <JPM.N> said\on Wednesday it was canceling a $5 billion outsourcing deal\with IBM Corp., <IBM.N> and planned to rehire about 4,000\workers who had been transferred to IBM under the pact.</p>" +2,"Bears waive Gandy, activate Colombo",Chicago Bears offensive lineman Mike Gandy was waived Monday after starting five games for the team this season and 30 over the past three seasons. +2,Impressive Haas Continues Comeback Run at Open," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tommy Haas continued his impressive comeback from injury with a dominant 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Brazilian qualifier Ricardo Mello Sunday to reach the fourth round of the U.S. Open." +1,Phelps Will End Olympics Cheering for Team,"ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps doesn't mind making history while sitting in the stands. The man who dominated the attention at the Olympic pool gave up a coveted spot on the 400-meter medley relay team to Ian Crocker..." +1,"Iran will provide nuke guarantees, declares Khatami","Iran said yesterday it is ready to provide quot;guarantees quot; it won't seek nuclear weapons, and warned the United States that success in stabilizing Iraq and Afghanistan was impossible without Iranian support." +2,"Canas struggles, Ferrero out",A DETERMINED Guillermo Canas held off a strong early charge from Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to win his first round clash at the Shanghai ATP event 7-6 6-1 today. +4,An Aspirin a Day -- Good Medicine For Many,"Most people have heard that taking a small dose of aspirin a day is good for the heart. Doctors routinely recommend it for patients who've had a heart attack or stroke, and studies show its blood-thinning affects can help prevent a repeat of such potentially deadly cardiovascular events." +3,Nortel Warns of Weaker Sales," OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nortel Networks Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NT.TO target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">NT.TO</A> on Thursday warned that third-quarter sales will fall below its second quarter and that full-year 2004 revenues at North America's largest telecom equipment maker will lag the overall sector." +2,Thousands remember former England captain Emlyn Hughes,"SHEFFIELD, England - Thousands paid their respects Wednesday at the funeral of Emlyn Hughes, the former England and Liverpool captain who was one of the greatest English soccer players of his generation." +3,Circuit City 3Q Same-Store Sales Decline,"Circuit City Stores Inc., the nation's No. 2 electronics retailer, reported Monday that same-store sales declined 4.3 percent in the third quarter, largely because of weak sales of music and movie software." +2,Wilkinson Ready To Take Next Step Along Road Back,Jonny Wilkinson's comeback schedule is set to intensify next week with the England World Cup hero targeting two games in six days. +1,Israel Winds Down Gaza Military Operation,"Several thousand Israeli settlers and supporters demonstrate, during a rally against Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's planned pullout and evacuation of Gaza Strip Jewish settlements, near Sharon's residence, in Jerusalem, Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004." +2,"Hornets snap 11-game losing streak, top Warriors 98-89",The Hornets injury epidemic gave diminutive Dan Dickau a chance to show he could play in the NBA. His latest performance made him a crowd favorite among New Orleans victory-starved fans. +3,Sony Ericsson sees profits triple,"Japanese-Swedish mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson reports a tripling of its third-quarter profit, driven by sales of new camera phones." +4,Major graphics flaw threatens Windows PCs,Microsoft published on Tuesday a patch for a major security flaw in its software's handling of the JPEG graphics format and urged customers to use a new tool to locate the many applications that are vulnerable. +1,Bush Announces Plan for Troop Realignment ,"AP - President Bush's plan to restructure U.S. military forces abroad includes bringing two Army divisions home from Cold War-era bases in Germany, and increasing the U.S. presence at bases in countries like Poland, Romania and Uzbekistan, Pentagon officials said Monday." +1,Fear and pride from Black Watch,"In a swirl of dust, the first convoy moved out of the Black Watch base near Basra and headed north. Warrior armoured fighting vehicles were transported on low loaders while some troops moved in " +2,Henrik set for emotional return,"Former Celtic striker Henrik Larsson say he is fit to play in tomorrow's Champions League tie at Parkhead. There were chaotic scenes earlier this afternoon as Larsson, and his Barcelona team-mates arrived in Glasgow ahead of the game." +4,Macromedia Puts Custom Storefronts at EBay Users Fingertips,Mom-and-pop shops doing business online have long struggled with the fact that they look just like the diminutive outfits they are. +3,Motorola Expects Strong Sales in 2nd Half," SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Motorola Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MOT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MOT.N</A>, the second-largest mobile phone maker, said on Tuesday it expects to sustain strong sales growth in the second half of 2004 on new handsets, sparking a 4.7 percent jump in its shares." +1,Hurricane Ivan Pounds Jamaica,"Hurricane Ivan has been pounding Jamaica with high winds and torrents of rain, causing flooding and power outages throughout the Caribbean island nation." +2,Stunned rookie lands pole,"FONTANA ---- Brian Vickers qualifying lap for Sunday's Nextel Cup Pop Secret 500 felt almost too good to the rookie. quot;When you cross the line after a lap like that and everything feels awesome, you're waiting " +1,Rebels Explode Two Bombs in Katmandu ,AP - Suspected rebels shot and wounded a policeman and detonated two powerful bombs in Katmandu on Friday as the guerrilla blockade of the Nepali capital entered its third day. No one was injured in the explosions. +4,"Phishing on the increase, group says","Online phishing schemes increased significantly in October as financial institutions struggled to combat attempts to steal private account information from online consumers, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG). " +3,Health Stocks in Motion,Shares of Radiation Therapy (RTSX:Nasdaq - news - research) were among the worst-performing health and pharmaceutical stocks Thursday after Banc of America Securities initiated coverage with a sell rating. +4,A Legal Gun in the Open-Source Corral,Who says litigation is always bad for business? SCO Group's (SCOX ) litigation against sellers or users of the Linux open-source software operating system created a market opportunity for venture capitalist Daniel Egger. +4,Hacker exposes private data at UC Computer held personal files on ,"In a potentially huge computer security breach, a hacker broke into a computer at UC Berkeley containing Social Security numbers and other personal data for about 600,000 Californians, the university said Wednesday." +3,Campbell Soup Posts Higher 1Q Profit,"Campbell Soup Co., the world's largest soup maker, posted better-than-expected first-quarter earnings on Monday, citing strong sales of condensed soup and broth products." +2,Cavs Williams Is Catching On,The Virginia Cavaliers were in the midst of what would become a blowout victory at Western Michigan last season when rookie wide receiver Deyon Williams came to the line of +3,Legoland park may be on the block,"CARLSBAD ---- Legoland California, the North County amusement park based on children's building blocks, and its three sister theme parks in Europe could be sold or transferred out of the Lego company, according to a statement from Legoland officials." +2,FOOTBALL LIVE REPORTS,Patrick Kluivert eased Newcastle towards the group stage of the UEFA Cup in Graeme Souness first game in charge - but at some cost. +3,Settlement reached in $1 billion metal trading suit,"Japan's Sumitomo Corp and UK broker Credit Lyonnais Rouse have settled a $1.1 billion (600 million pounds) suit in the High Court, drawing a line under a rogue trader scandal " +1,'Biological' kidney implant hope,"The first human trial of an artificial 'bio' kidney offers \hope of a working implant for patients, say experts." +1,Australia alert on Indonesia attack,"The Australian government has warned that terrorists could be preparing to carry out an attack in Indonesia, possibly targeting a Hilton hotel." +4,"Moon, Jupiter, Venus slated for get-together","Early-morning risers this week will be treated to a wonderful display of planetary motion, as Venus and Jupiter cross each other's path in the eastern sky before dawn." +1,South Korea denies harbouring any secret nuclear weapons ambitions (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - SEOUL, South Korea - Denying it has any nuclear weapons ambitions, South Korea insisted Friday that a one-time uranium enrichment test by its scientists will not derail U.S.-led efforts to dismantle rival North Korea's nuclear programs." +1,"Bush Inauguration to Tout Freedom, Service ","AP - With the theme ""Celebrating Freedom, Honoring Service,"" President Bush's second inauguration will heavily emphasize a nation at war, but festivities will rival those held during peacetime." +2,Jets' Edwards Avoids Bulletin Board Material,"Even before the hype could begin for Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, Jets Coach Herman Edwards was insisting upon a measure of caution." +2,"NATIONAL LEAGUE: Kent's HR in 9th stuns Cards, launches Astros to ","Carlos Beltran found ways to ruin the St. Louis Cardinals without hitting a home run. Two innings after making a spectacular catch in centerfield, Beltran led off the ninth inning with a single Monday night." +3,SEC inks deal for online posting of financial statements,THE SECURITIES Exchange Commission (SEC) has signed a 128-million-peso contract with several information technology firms to help develop the agency's online reporting system for Philippine companies. +3,IBM scores $1B in Danish contracts,"IBM (Profile, Products, Articles) said Wednesday that it has sewn up outsourcing deals with two Danish companies valued at more than $1 billion over 10 years, reinforcing its strength in Europe." +4,A New Look at How Planets Are Formed,New infrared observations of the disks of dust and rock around young stars reveal that many planets apparently form in an environment more violent and chaotic over a longer period of +4,Euro's Kemp Sees 'Challenge' At BBDO (AdWeek.com),"AdWeek.com - Marcus Kemp said his new job as vice chairman and chief creative officer at BBDO in Atlanta ""has all the challenges in our industry""--including building a brand with the shop's largest account (Cingular) following a major acquisition (AT T Wireless)." +3,Ex-presidents to help with WTC memorial,"NEW YORK -- The four living former presidents will be honorary leaders of the World Trade Center memorial project, Gov. George Pataki announced Monday." +2,Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko wins Golden Ball award,CBC SPORTS ONLINE - AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko was named the Ballon d Or (Golden Ball) award winner on Monday as European soccer player of the year. +4,Dell Posts $846M in 3rd-Quarter Earnings,Dell Inc. said its profit surged 25 percent in the third quarter as the world's largest personal computer maker posted record sales due to rising technology spending in the corporate and government sectors in the United States and abroad. +2,Wizards Edge Hawks 104-101 ,AP - Reserve guard Juan Dixon scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter Sunday to lead the Washington Wizards to a 104-101 victory over Atlanta for the Hawks' fourth straight loss. +4,Reconstructing the utility storage system vision,"NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (SNW ONLINE) - Since the late 1990s, leading data storage technology vendors have adopted a myopic and largely self-serving approach for addressing the two central challenges of enterprise storage: resource provisioning and data " +3,Cisco sees China as center of world tech market,"Cisco Systems, the world's largest maker of equipment for directing Internet traffic says China is well on the way to becoming the world's technology hub." +1,Doctor: Arafat May Have Died from Poison,One of the doctors that treated Yasser Arafat before his death is expressing frustration while discussing how the Palestinian leader died. +1,Tamil Separatists Threaten More Violence in Sri Lanka,The separatist Tamil Tiger guerrillas declared Saturday that they would renew fighting unless the government immediately agreed +3,GM ends Corvette ad after protest,Complaints: A television commercial featuring a wild-driving youngster at the wheel angers auto-safety advocates. DETROIT - General Motors Corp. +1,"Nikkei Down, Oil Worries Hit Exporters (Reuters)","Reuters - Tokyo's Nikkei fell 1.66 percent by\midday on Monday, extending losses into a third day as another\surge in oil prices deepened worries about the global economic\impact and knocked down exporters such as Toyota Motor Corp." +3,Drugs Giant to Go Public on All Clinical Trials,British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline today agreed to make public information about all its clinical drug trials following accusations that it misled doctors about the safety of an anti-depressant for children. +2,"Maryland 20, No. 5 Florida State 17","Fifth-ranked Florida State was in the process of completing another comeback on the road, and Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen could think of only one course of action." +1,Schroeder's party halts slump,"German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's party has halted an 18-month run of poll disasters by avoiding a fresh slump in local elections on Sunday, but will still need to make giant leaps to win a third term in 2006." +2,Safin plays injured Canas next,"PARIS -- Marat Safin hit 10 aces and beat Lleyton Hewitt 6-4, 7-6 (2) Friday in a showdown between US Open champions to reach the Paris Masters semifinals." +1,Gov't to announce decision on troop redeployment in Iraq ,"AFP - The government will announce later whether it has agreed to a US request to send hundreds of its troops to relieve American forces in Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said, a move widely expected to go ahead." +4,Hackers use Beckham bait,"SOFTWARE HACKERS are using snaps which they claim show David Beckham in a compromising position to infect people's computers. Beckham, who apparently plays football, and is married to a member of a popular " +1,Shark That Killed Australian Teen Hunted ,AP - Authorities said Friday they would kill the shark that tore apart a young surfer near a popular south Australian beach as his friends reportedly tried to save him by beating the animal with oars. +1,BNP LEADER BAILED ON RACE HATE RAP,"BNP leader Nick Griffin was bailed last night by police questioning him over race-hate offences. Griffin, 45, had been arrested at his home in Wales in the wake of a BBC documentary showing him condemning Islam as a vicious, wicked faith ." +2,Northwestern vs. Wisconsin,"NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- -- NORTHWESTERN 0 0 6 6 12 WISCONSIN (7) 3 14 7 0 24 FINAL SCORING SUMMARY 1ST QUARTER: WISCONSIN - FG, MIKE ALLEN 29 YD, 9:25." +4,Start-up banks on Java hardware boost,A Silicon Valley start-up called Azul Systems plans to start selling hardware next year designed to make it faster and more efficient to run Java programs. +4,Apple Extends iTunes to Europe,"The EU iTunes Music Store retains the same features and per-song price of 99 euro cents, established in June for customers in UK, Germany and France." +4,All Windows E-Mail Clients Suck,"com. As I write this column, I'm trying to send an important e-mail. I've got Microsoft Outlook open in another window. Every once in a while, I Alt-Tab over to that window to see if the little hourglass has gone away." +3,Rite Aid Cuts View as Pharmacy Sales Slow (Reuters),Reuters - Drugstore chain Rite Aid Corp. \on Tuesday warned that full-year profit and revenue would fall\short of Wall Street expectations because of slowing pharmacy\sales as companies try to curb health-care costs. +4,Delaware to see Oracle-PeopleSoft (TheDeal.com),"TheDeal.com - The takeover fight moves to Delaware's Court of Chancery, even as PeopleSoft dismisses its CEO." +3,Biopharmaceutical industry seen as prescription for new jobs in ,"Florida will create 4,500 new biopharmaceutical jobs in the next 10 years as the industry grows significantly across the nation, according to a report released today by the Milken Institute in Los Angeles." +3,CA to Choose IBM Vet as CEO,"Looking to regain its footing, Computer Associates (Quote, Chart) will reportedly tap IBM (Quote, Chart) veteran John Swainson as CEO." +4,"Briefly: Good Technology supported by HP, Samsung","roundup Plus: RIM touts BlackBerry with Wi-Fi...HP to sell Voltaire's InfiniBand switch...PC shipments up, but revenue less so, study says." +3," JP Morgan Chase Plans to Rehire 4,000","JP Morgan Chase amp; Co. says it will rehire 4,000 workers whose jobs it had outsourced to IBM, bucking a corporate trend in information technology." +1,Officer suspended over Gaza shooting,The Israeli army yesterday suspended an officer who is accused of firing up to 20 bullets into a 13-year-old Palestinian as she lay on the ground after having been shot from an army outpost. +4,Oracle moves to monthly patching schedule,"After coming under criticism for sitting on patches for multiple holes in its database software, Oracle has announced that it will move to a monthly patch release schedule, though it hasn't said when." +2,Seattle calls up four from minors on expanded roster,"The Seattle Mariners called up four minor leaguers Monday, completing right-hander Aaron Taylor's comeback from surgery. The 27-year-old Taylor spent most of the season on the disabled list after surgery one " +3,Stocks Off as Employment Data Disappoints," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks slipped on Monday, reversing an early rally, after disappointing U.S. employment data rekindled investor worries about weak economic growth and lackluster corporate profits." +1,Editorial: Tragedy With Multiple Victims,"DARFUR is a real tragedy. First of all, it is a tragedy for the two million refugees and then for the widows and orphans of the 70,000 people who have been slain." +1,Afghan Militants Say to Hold Talks on UN Hostages, KABUL (Reuters) - Militants holding three U.N. workers hostage in Afghanistan said they expected to hold talks via intermediaries with U.N. and government negotiators on Sunday. +2,"After his disastrous first day, Mickelson takes a seat","BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. You can say what you want about Hal Sutton and his pairing of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson on the opening day of the 35th Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills Country Club." +1,Villages set ablaze as ethnic riots break out in China,Police and paramilitary troops were last night guarding villages in central China where ethnic riots involving thousands of people led to at least seven deaths and scores of injuries. +2,Baird Hits the Front in Funai Classic," ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Briny Baird shot a six-under-par 66 to grab the lead after the second round of the $4.2 million Funai Classic at the Walt Disney Resort on Friday." +2,GOLF: TIGER WIN ENDS NIGHTMARE RUN,TIGER WOODS lifted his first strokeplay trophy in 13 months yesterday with an eight-shot victory in the Dunlop Phoenix tournament. +1,Report: Asylum Seekers Enter China School ,"AP - Twenty-nine people claiming to be North Korean asylum seekers cut through a wire fence and fled into a South Korean school in Beijing on Friday, a news report said." +2,The reign has ended,Vijay Singh's long quest for No. 1 finally comes to fruition after he knocks off Tiger Woods on Labor Day at the TPC of Boston. +1,Sudan rejects Darfur genocide label,Sudan has rejected a declaration by the US that the alleged atrocities in the country's troubled Darfur region was genocide. quot;This is just another sort of pressure brought against the government of Sudan by +1,Presidential Candidates Hit Midwest,"The presidential candidates and their running mates fanned out across the Midwest with Labor Day messages promising job creation, appealing for votes in the territory pivotal to winning November's election. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were heading to three states between them Monday; Democratic candidate John Kerry and running mate John Edwards were venturing to six..." +1,Arafat's Nephew Says Cause of Death Inconclusive, PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat's nephew said on Monday that medical records released by France showed no trace of known poisons in the late Palestinian leader but the cause of death remained a mystery. +3,SEC Mulls Civil Action Against AIG,"NEW YORK Oct. 4, 2004 - American International Group Inc., one of the world's largest insurance firms, said Monday that the Securities and Exchange Commission may bring a civil action against the company " +4,Yahoo pages to get touch-up,Yahoo on Thursday plans to let visitors test-drive its new home page and My Yahoo personalization site in preparation for a full relaunch this fall. +2,NHL GMS HUDDLE,Only Gary Bettman knows whether he in fact will be willing to in fact negotiate a CBA that does not contain absolute cost-certainty. +2,Rossi sets record time,WORLD champion Valentino Rossi took pole position at the Malaysian Grand Prix with a record lap time in Sepang today while bitter rival Sete Gibernau was relegated to the second row. +3,"TSA Deal Overpaid Boeing, Report Says","Boeing Co. received at least $49 million in excessive profits on a $1.2 billion contract to supply explosives-detection systems to hundreds of the nation's airports, the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general reported Monday." +3,Citigroup tightens up after Japan disgrace,"The weak internal controls and corporate governance that led Citigroup to violate Japanese banking laws together with the severe punishment it received from local regulators are quot;unique in Japan, quot; the chief executive of the global financial giant said " +4,NTT DoCoMo unveils Japan's first prototype micro fuel cell for 3G handsets ,"AFP - NTT DoCoMo, the top cellular phone operator in Japan, unveiled what it calls the nation's first prototype micro fuel cell aimed at boosting battery life for its powerful third-generation FOMA handsets." +3,Vioxx recall may cost $18 billion,A Wall Street analysis suggests the Vioxx recall may cost the pharmaceutical firm Merck as much as $18 billion over the next decade. +3,APEC's importance never greater,"The theme of the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) leaders meeting - quot;One Community, Our Future quot; - is a reflection of the members strong will to promote regional economic dynamism and a sense of unity." +3,Icahn Offers to Buy Mylan Laboratories for $5.38 Bln ,"Billionaire financier Carl Icahn offered to buy Mylan Laboratories Inc., the largest US maker of generic medicines, for about $5.38 billion to block Mylan's proposed purchase of King Pharmaceuticals Inc." +1,Bribes Helped Bombers to Russian Planes -Prosecutor," MOSCOW (Reuters) - Bribery and negligence by officials helped Chechen suicide bombers get on board two passenger planes last month and blow them up, Russia's chief prosecutor said in an interview published on Wednesday." +4,Unusually Good Meteor Shower Expected Tonight,"Tonight's annual Perseid meteor shower is likely to be a spectacular show of shooting stars zipping across the night sky, according to astronomers." +3,Energy lifts TSX; Dow dips,The Toronto stock market was on positive ground this morning as energy stocks continued to benefit from record high oil prices that hit $53 (US) a barrel. +3,Missile shield fails to work,THE first test in nearly two years of a multi-billion-dollar US anti-missile shield failed yesterday when the interceptor missile shut down on its launch pad in the central Pacific. +2,"No. 5 Syracuse 71, No. 12 Mississippi St. 58","Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim is known for his cutting wit, and even his star players can wind up on the receiving end. Preseason All-America Hakim Warrick scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half to lead " +4,Dell May Soon Unveil More Consumer Goods -Analyst," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=DELL.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">DELL.O</A>, the world's largest PC maker, could announce an expanded selection of its consumer electronics line in the next several weeks, a retail industry analyst said on Wednesday." +2,ND aide shaves her head to support Willingham,"The assistant to Notre Dame's president has shaved her head to protest Tyrone Willingham's firing as football coach, saying she will remain bald until the Irish win a national championship." +1,Putin's Strong Hand Fails Russia,"The mass murderers who seized the school in Beslan, Russia, this month committed one of the most heinous acts of terrorism in world history." +1,"Panel Probes Afghan Poll Fraud, Counting Delayed"," KABUL (Reuters) - A panel was investigating complaints of Afghan election irregularities on Thursday, further delaying the start of counting in a historic poll overshadowed by concerns over multiple voting." +1,UN troops surround Aristide's former compound seized by ex ,"PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Several hundred UN troops and Haitian police surrounded the estate of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Thursday in a showdown with a band of former soldiers who seized the abandoned compound." +4,NASA Still Lacks Shuttle Repair Kits,"Nearly two years after Columbia shattered in the sky, NASA still has no way of repairing the kind of holes that could doom another shuttle, space agency officials acknowledged " +3,US durable goods orders weaker than expected,"Orders for big-ticket manufactured goods from US factories eked out a tepid gain in September, according to a report Wednesday, offering a mixed view of the nation's recovering economy." +2,Weather prompts change for Cal,"By STAFF WRITER. quot;We've had concerned parents calling all day long, quot; said Tedford. quot;Not to mention the aftermath and destruction of something going through (Mississippi)." +2,"No. 2 Oklahoma uses White's arm, Ags turnovers to stay unbeaten"," quot;Entertaining was not the word I was thinking of, quot; Franchione said. quot;Draining is a little bit more like it. It's been three weeks of different kinds of emotions." +3,Argosy is merger target,"ALTON -- Argosy Gaming Co., owner of the Alton Belle Casino, announced a merger agreement Wednesday with Penn National Gaming Inc." +2,Race Features 2005 Driver Line-Up,"The driver line-up for the 2005 Formula One season is beginning to take shape with only six seats still available. Two teams, Williams and Red Bull Racing, each have one seat open, while both Jordan and Minardi " +4,Sims 2: Face Lift of the Original,"The sequel delivers all the stuff that made the original the best-selling game of all time, and adds a couple of nice touches. By the end, though, you realize the new version is just a tuneup of the old. Lore Sjberg reviews The Sims 2." +1,Turkey's continental drift,"Turkey seemed to shift geographically Westward on Wednesday, after the European Commission opened the way for it to become a full member of the European Union." +4,Mozilla's e-Mail Client Thunderbird 1.0 Launched,"The Mozilla Foundation released the final version of Thunderbird 1.0, the standalone open source e-mail client application, which is available for public download." +2,Astros ace willing to start on short rest this weekend,"Whether the Houston Astros are still in contention for the Wild Card spot when the Colorado Rockies roll into town this weekend is anyone's guess, as is which starting " +4,Satisfied Customers,"Jefferson Graham writes for USA Today, Apple'ss trendy iPod digital music player, which has revitalized the company, is giving laptop sales a boost during back-to-school season. Many students, after falling in love with the iPod, are packing for college with new Apple Macintosh computers. #148; Aug 23" +4,Predicting a President: Where the Papers' Online Electoral Maps Agree and Disagree (Editor and Publisher),"Editor and Publisher - NEW YORK In a new twist on E P's exclusive tracking of major newspaper Web sites' electoral-college maps, today's article will chart how they differ or agree on which states are still tossups and which lean toward one candidate or the other." +3,Midway to Profitability,"Video game developer is moving in the right direction, despite an ""unprofitable"" image it needs to shake." +3,Profiting From Nonproductiveness,"The tireless urban worker doesn't get a lot of opportunities to take a relaxing break, but MetroNaps is trying to change that, at $14 a pop. Rachel Metz reports from New York." +3,Fannie Mae,Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein will be online to talk about the investigation into accounting practices at Fannie Mae. +4,Kerio MailServer 6,"Server: requires Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Red Hat Linux 9.0 or later, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, SuSE Linux 9.x, or Mac OS X 10." +3,Inquiry Stymied on Company With Air Force Ties,First Command's success in its face-off with Air Force lawyers illustrates how a company with military ties can influence the people who are supposed to monitor it. +1,"Britain backs assault on Fallujah, dismisses UN warnings","LONDON, Nov 6 - Britain said a US-led assault on the city of Fallujah was needed to uproot insurgents who could derail elections in Iraq, dismissing UN warnings such an offensive would actually undermine chances for democracy." +4,Tense Moments During Trailblazing Private Space Flight (SPACE.com),SPACE.com - quot;My heart stopped \ here on the ground. quot;\ -- Erik Lindbergh +2,BASEBALL: RED-HOT SOX CLIP THE ANGELS WINGS,"BOSTON RED SOX fans are enjoying their best week of the season. While their beloved team swept wild-card rivals Anaheim in a three-game series to establish a nine-game winning streak, the hated New York Yankees endured the heaviest loss in their history." +2,Pilkadaris loses Asian Masters play-off,Australian golfer Terry Pilkadaris has finished runner-up in the Masters of Asia tournament in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. +2,Brodeur Hopes to Play Despite Sore Wrist ,AP - Goaltender Martin Brodeur has a sore wrist but hopes to play for Canada on Saturday against the Czech Republic in the World Cup of Hockey semifinals. +2,Roundup: Williams upset in Kremlin Cup,"Venus Williams was upset by unseeded Elena Bovina 6-3, 6-2, in a Kremlin Cup quarterfinal Friday that lasted little more than an hour." +2,Goin' Back to Cali: Kent Signs with Dodgers," LOS ANGELES (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers and second baseman Jeff Kent agreed to a two-year contract on Thursday, bringing the All-Star back to the state where he won his lone NL MVP award." +1,Iraq's Leading Shiite Cleric Looks to Broker Deal With Rebels,"Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returned after surgery, raising hopes that the rebellion led by Moktada al-Sadr would be resolved." +1,Whale beachings stump officials,Scientists and wildlife officials are continuing to search for what may have caused a series of mass strandings which have left 169 whales and dolphins dead on Australian and New Zealand beaches in the past three days. +4,PeopleSoft devotees in denial?,"With software tycoon Larry Ellison poised to dismantle PeopleSoft, why are PeopleSoft customers so relaxed?" +3,Explosions rock Argentine banks,"A series of blasts rocks bank branches in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, killing a security guard." +4,Report: Symantec in Talks With Veritas ,"AP - Symantec Corp.'s reported interest in acquiring Veritas Software Corp. for more than 13 billion would represent the computer security giant's biggest step yet beyond its core businesses of defending against viruses and thwarting hackers. Investors weren't impressed, though, and Symantec's shares plunged 16 percent." +4, Magnetic sharks add bite to compass theory,"Paris - Marine biologists say they have obtained the first proof that sharks can spot changes in magnetic fields, boosting evidence that the creatures have an internal compass to guide them as well as a phenomenal sense of smell." +4,Sony will release the Ultra Personal Computer in the USA,"At only over 1 pound, Sony's VAIO U Ultra Portable PC is a full Microsoft Windows XP computer, on a form factor that resembles that of a PDA." +2,Warne equals Test wicket record,Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne equalled Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan's record for Test wickets Thursday when he removed Indian opener Yuvraj Singh on the opening day of the second Test. +4,Sharp drops handhelds from U.S. retail market,"The electronics maker will stop retailing its Linux handhelds in the United States, joining a retreat from the once-popular market." +4,Online Ticketing,"The percentage of online sales for movie tickets tripled in the past three years, and growth should continue at least through 2008, the most recent data from Jupiter Research show.<br><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</B></FONT>" +2,Zvidauri Wins Gold for Georgia,"ATHENS (Reuters) - After playing second fiddle at the last two World Championships, Georgia's Zurab Zviadauri finally shook off his choker tag. " +2,Patriots: How perfect are they?,"When an NFL team opens with a prolonged winning streak, former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula and his players from the 17-0 team of 1972 root unabashedly for the next opponent." +3,Two held after Air France flight diverted,"WASHINGTON -- A flight from Paris bound for Dulles International Airport was diverted Saturday night after US Customs officials detained two passengers aboard, officials said." +3,"For Sprint and Nextel, a Battle With Titans","When Sprint and Nextel Communications merge, they will be competing against their much larger rivals, Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless." +2,Brit GP on 05 calendar - reports,The track-owning BRDC ultimately gambled on making a loss next year by succumbing to Ecclestone's proposed race fee. The only sticking point now is the duration of a new contract -- Bernie wants to renegotiate +1,Around the world,"Three US soldiers were wounded, one of them critically, when Afghan guerrillas attacked their vehicle with rockets and guns, the US military said Monday." +2,Winning comeback for superb Ferdinand,RIO Ferdinand said it was a welcome relief just to be playing football again after making his return from an eight-month suspension last night in Manchester Uniteds 2-1 Premiership win against Liverpool at Old Trafford. +1,Kerry: Bush Lets Groups Do 'Dirty Work',"BOSTON - Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Thursday of relying on front groups to challenge his record of valor in Vietnam, asserting, ""He wants them to do his dirty work."" Defending his record, the Democratic presidential candidate said, ""Thirty years ago, official Navy reports documented my service in Vietnam and awarded me the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts."" ""Thirty years ago, this was the plain truth..." +3,Telstra Pays Lowest Price in A\$750 Mln Stock Buyback ,"Telstra Corp., Australia's biggest phone company, agreed to buyback A\$750 million ($576 million) of its own stock at the lowest price in a range offered to shareholders." +3,Directors Approve Sprint-Nextel Merger,"The deal would create a new wireless telecommunications giant with 39 million customers.<FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</B></FONT>" +1,Minors held in Spanish porn swoop,"Spanish police arrest 90 people, including 21 minors, in one of its largest ever operations on child pornography." +3,A far cry from smoke-filled reporters' havens of past,Reporters who tire of searching for real news at New York's Republican National Convention next week -- or who just want a safe haven from their editors -- can look forward to some downtime in a private hideaway just for them. +2,South Korea Files Petition on Scoring Error With CAS,"After 10 days of deliberation, the South Korean delegation to the Athens Olympics finally filed a petition on the case of Yang Tae-young, bronze medallist in the mens gymnastics individual " +3,Capital One Financial to Cut 750 Jobs,"Capital One Financial Corp., the holding company of Capital One Bank, plans to eliminate about 750 jobs as it shifts the majority of its production service operations to a U.S.-based supplier, the company reported Tuesday." +2,Arsenal's Gilberto out for month with back injury,"Arsenal's Brazilian midfielder Gilberto will be out for at least a month with a back injury, the English champions said on Tuesday." +2,Siew Ai fails to make the cut,KUTZTOWN (Pennsylvania): Lim Siew Ai failed to make the cut for the US$ 1mil Wachovia Classic when she shot a one-over 73 on the second day of competition at the Berkleigh Country Club on Friday. +3,"Retail Sales Increase, Autos Lose Luster","Consumers lost a little of their enthusiasm for auto purchases last month but spent like mad in a number of other areas including clothing and gasoline, the Commerce Department reported Friday." +2,Vijay Swings to $10 m kitty,"Vijay Singh, Fijis star golfer of Indian origin, became the first golfer to go over 10 million dollars in earnings in one year after shooting a six-under-par 65 on Sunday to capture the Chrysler Championship." +1,Rescuers in China search for 79 iron miners trapped in blaze,BEIJING Eight miners have been killed in a fire that broke out in a complex of iron mines in northern China. State media says Chinese rescuers are struggling to find 79 more miners still trapped. +1,Twenty Filipinos Found Alive in Rubble After Storm,"About 20 Filipinos were found alive in the rubble of a collapsed building on Thursday, 10 days after a fierce storm and landslides devastated several eastern and northern provinces, a radio station reported." +3, Ad Sales Spur Growth at Washington Post,"The Washington Post Co. earned $82.5 million in its third quarter, the company reported Friday, well above the $19.9 million it earned in the year-ago period, when results were weighed down by expenses for " +4,3-D Maps From Commercial Satellites Guide G.I.'s in Iraq's Deadliest Urban Mazes,The Army has been using a new weapon that combines software with imagery beamed from satellites to make missions somewhat less unpredictable. +2,2 arrested for alleged racial taunts at Yorke,Police yesterday arrested two men in connection with alleged racist taunts aimed at Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke. YORKE... accused Rovers fans of making monkey gestures towards him last Sunday. +2,"In a Season Full of Tension, the Race Has Just Begun","Mark Martin has finished second in the points race in Nascar's premier series four times, so he knows the excruciating gut turn of coming close but not close enough." +4,FCC to Allow Wireless Access on Planes ,AP - Passengers taking to the skies for U.S. flights could be checking e-mail and surfing the Web through high-speed Internet connections in a couple of years. And the day when travelers can chat away on cell phones while in flight might not be far behind. +1,US Calls on UN Chief to Release All Oil-for-Food Facts,Washington's ambassador to the United Nations has urged Secretary-General Kofi Annan to promptly release all information concerning the scandal-ridden Iraq oil-for-food program. +4,Water once present on Mars,Evidence from the Mars exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity has led scientists to suggest that water was once present in large quantities on the red planet. +4,Telecom Tests Online Aromatherapy Service ,"AP - People play games, go shopping and meet dates on the Internet. So why not use the Web to download the perfect mood-enhancing fragrance?" +4,"With Mini's Rivals, More Is Sometimes Less","This month you will be able to choose from four competitors to Apple's iPod Mini, courtesy of Dell, Rio Audio, Virgin Electronics and Creative. How do they compare?" +2,February launch for Red Bull,"The RB1, the Red Bull Racing teams challenger for the 2005 FIA Formula One World Championship, will be officially unveiled in Spain next February, it has been announced." +2,MLB: Schilling cleared for Game 6,"A test of his sore right ankle finds him ready to go, if Red Sox can win Game 5 today. BOSTON - Boston ace Curt Schilling was cleared to pitch a possible Game 6 of the AL Championship Series against the Yankees " +2,Reliever Alfonseca signs with Marlins,"Free-agent reliever Antonio Alfonseca signed a one-year contract Friday to rejoin his former team, the Florida Marlins, who revised their offer when a routine physical disclosed a herniated disc in the right-hander's back." +4,Sony Describes HD Product Plans,"Wega TVs, Vaio systems, DVD recorders and camcorder highlight HD product lineup." +4,Focus group: Kazaa will meet Napster's fate,SYDNEY--Legal representatives of both the Sharman Networks parties and the music industry drew out the 13th day of the copyright trial with arguments on which pieces of evidence should be admissible. +3,Hurricane Damage to Hit Allstate Profits," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ALL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ALL.N</A>, the No. 2 U.S. home and auto insurer, warned on Wednesday its third-quarter profits would fall well short of expectations due to more than $1 billion in hurricane-related payouts." +1,Palestinians Choose Presidential Candidates," RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian officials on Saturday began registering candidates for an election to replace Yasser Arafat as officials warned the vote may be delayed unless Israel halted military activities." +3,Chicago Public Library offers free Wi-Fi,Chicago Public Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey rolled out free wireless Internet connections at the main Harold Washington Library Center and 76 branches. +4,Did Triassic monster use suction to feed?,A newly discovered Triassic reptile that has a neck much longer than its body is reopening a question long thought settled: what good is a long neck? +3,Shoppers bolt for bargains,"By CHIP GUY, RICHARD SINE and TED GRIFFITH / The News Journal. Janet Selden wasn't sure she could do it this year. In the early morning hours Friday, the 50-year-old Brandywine Hundred resident thought seriously " +3,"Kmart Names Lewis As President, CEO","Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. said Monday that it named Aylwin Lewis as president and chief executive and a director, effective immediately." +1,Philippine leader mourns top movie star and fallen rival,"MANILA : Philippine President Gloria Arroyo Tuesday mourned the death of the country's top movie star Fernando Poe, who almost unseated her in hotly-contested presidential elections in May." +4,Europe to Consider Complaints About Online Music Royalties,The European Commission says the organizations that collect royalties for songwriters in Europe are restricting competition in the field of music distribution over the Internet. +4,The Internet Column,"Thats the simple message being spread across the internet by a fast-growing clique of people who have seen the light, and switched to a different browser." +2,Solberg steals win with a flying finish ,Newtowns Phil Mills tasted further world championship glory yesterday when he co-drove Petter Solberg to victory in the Wales Rally GB. +3,Internet publishing attracting academics,BALTIMORE -- Manuel Llinas knew his career was at stake. The young scientist had just finished work on an eye-catching paper on the genome of a parasite that causes malaria. Now he and his lab director faced a critical decision: where to submit the article for publication. +3,IBM says its superfast supercomputer is No. 1,"Technology giant IBM will announce today that it has built the world's most powerful supercomputer, surpassing the performance of a machine in Yokohama, Japan." +4,Sean O Keefe's Watch,"This week, NASA has concerned itself with the fact that the astronauts aboard the international space station are running out of food." +1,"In Video Message, Bin Laden Issues Warning to U.S.",Osama bin Laden said that the best way for the U.S. to avoid a repeat of 9/11 was to stop threatening Muslims' security. +4,"Failed European first Mars probe, Beagle 2, still a mystery","Scientists are no closer to discovering what happened to the ill-fated space probe Beagle 2, which vanished while attempting to land on Mars, according to an investigation released Tuesday." +2,A pick-me-up at QB,"Flash back to draft day, when Eli Manning held aloft a San Diego Chargers jersey with all the excitement of a child unwrapping a pair of socks on Christmas Day. Soon after, the Giants tabbed Philip Rivers and shipped him out west in exchange for the No. 1 pick, and both teams were satisfied." +4,"As Ice Thaws, Arctic Peoples at Loss for Words (Reuters)","Reuters - What are the words used by indigenous\peoples in the Arctic for ""hornet,"" ""robin,"" ""elk,"" ""barn owl""\or ""salmon?""" +1,Israel 'hits' Gaza City targets,"An Israeli helicopter fires two missiles at targets in Gaza City, Palestinian witnesses say." +3,A revolution grows up,"Is the revolution over already? I'm talking about the Internet retailing revolution, which over the past six years has changed the way much of America shops." +3,U.S. Jobs Weigh on Dollar," SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Dollar and oil price weakness pulled Asian export and resource shares down on Monday and knocked Toyko shares lower, but strength in some bank and technology issues underpinned broader stock markets." +1,Car Bombs Kill 11 As Rumsfeld Visits Iraq,"AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - The United States may be able to reduce its troop levels in Iraq after the January elections if security is strengthened and Iraqi government forces continue to expand and improve, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Sunday..." +1,French Officials to Visit Baghdad To Seek Release of Journalists,French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier says government officials will go to Baghdad to work for the release of two French journalists abducted in the Iraqi capital. +4,"Briefly: House takes on piracy, 'video voyeurism'",roundup Plus: Verizon sets up Iobi Home...Sun makes financial pitch...PeopleSoft-Oracle trial delayed. +2,Celtics' defense is coming alive,"LOS ANGELES -- After 14-plus years in the NBA, Gary Payton is an unapologetic realist. He has no use for morale-boosting optimism." +4,"AT T, Covad close in on WiMax","Both companies plan to start offering the super-speedy, cost-effective wireless technology as soon as possible." +2,Ruling: R. Williams Must Repay Miami,"An arbitrator ruled yesterday that tailback Ricky Williams, who retired just before training camp, must repay the Miami Dolphins $8." +1,Colo. State Rep. Concedes in House Primary ,"AP - After a 16-day delay while ballots were counted, a state representative Thursday conceded to the state's former state natural resources chief in the tight GOP primary for the 3rd Congressional District." +3,"\$1.3 billion power plant will generate 3,500 jobs","MANAMA: A $1.3 billion (BD491 million) combined power, water and petrochemical plant is to be built in Bahrain. The project will create about 3,500 jobs during its construction and 500 in the long-term." +1,Darfur mini-summit aims to ward off UN sanctions with African solution ,"AFP - The leaders of Sudan and four neighbouring states, in a bid to avert UN sanctions on Khartoum, pledged to work to resolve the Darfur crisis at the African level, but rebel groups remained sceptical." +4,O2 and Nortel demo super-fast wireless broadband,"O2 and Nortel have completed live mobile test calls using an emerging technology known as High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), which the firms claim is three times faster than today's commercial 3G networks." +4,O Keefe poised to step down from NASA post,"After three tumultuous years at the space agency's helm, NASA administrator Sean O Keefe is poised to leave the Bush administration to become chancellor of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge." +1,Iraqi group says it freed Canadian hostage; victim's family says ,"FALLUJAH, Iraq (CP) - A group calling itself the Brigades of the Victorious Lion of God said Thursday it was responsible for the kidnapping of Canadian Fairuz Yamulky and claimed it set her free only after her company pledged to withdraw from Iraq." +2,Rooney scores three in Man U's 6-2 victory over Fenerbahce,"MANCHESTER, England - In his debut for Manchester United, Wayne Rooney scored three goals as the English side defeated Turkey's Fenerbahce 6-2 Tuesday in the second rotation of the Champions League." +1,Mariners Fire Melvin After Two Seasons,"SEATTLE - Bob Melvin was fired as manager of the Seattle Mariners on Monday, a day after the team ended the season with its 99th loss. Melvin, who lasted two seasons, was told of the decision during a morning meeting at Safeco Field, and general manager Bill Bavasi called a news conference later in the day..." +3,Fannie Mae to expand securities disclosures,US mortgage finance company Fannie Mae on Friday said it would make public information about some securities it issues to comply with new Securities and Exchange Information rules. +4,Infocus: Securing Exchange With ISA Server 2004,"This article will highlight the security issues involved with providing Outlook Web Access or full Outlook client connections over the Internet, and then discuss how Microsoft's new ISA Server 2004 can be configured to mitigate these threats." +3,Nikkei Average Moves in Tight Range," TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average moved in a tight range until late morning trade on Friday, underpinned by solid gains in stocks dependent on domestic business, such as Kao Corp." +2,Hurricane Jeanne Washes Out Rays/Jays Game for Sunday," ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Sports Network) - The threat of Hurricane Jeanne has forced the cancellation of Sunday's game between the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field." +2,Martino earns second Player of the Week honor,"New York, NY (Sports Network) - Kyle Martino has earned Major League Soccer's Player of the Week honor for Week 21 of the 2004 season." +3,Trump hopeful after restructuring setback,A deal that would have saved Donald Trump's casino company is off. His casinos are running low on cash. And Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts is drowning in $1. +1,"50 Iraqi soldiers die in ambush, US diplomat killed","A total of 49 new Iraqi army soldiers have been killed in an ambush near the town of Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, which dealt a blow to the interim government's efforts to build Iraqi security forces." +3,International Paper Posts Quarterly Loss (Reuters),"Reuters - International Paper Co. , the\world's largest forest products company, on Tuesday reported a\third-quarter loss after taking a charge to write down Canadian\assets." +2,England captain Beckham raps critics: I'm not thick!,England skipper David Beckham has revealed he deliberately got himself booked on Saturday in the 2-0 win over Wales. The Real Madrid midfielder knew he had cracked ribs in a challenge with Ben Thatcher. +1,Serbia sends general for war crimes trial,"Serbia yesterday signalled the start of greater co-operation with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, surrendering a former Bosnian Serb general whose troops held Sarajevo under siege during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war." +4,Hurricane Ivan Charges Into Eastern Caribbean (Reuters),"Reuters - Hurricane Ivan ripped off\roofs and cut power across Barbados on Tuesday, lashing the\island with fierce winds but sparing it a direct hit as it\roared into the eastern Caribbean." +2,NL Wrap: Patterson's Homer Keeps Cubs in NL Wildcard Lead, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corey Patterson clubbed a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League (NL) Wednesday. +3,"Jury Gets Enron, Merrill Lynch Case",Jurors began deliberations in the trial of six former Enron Corp. and Merrill Lynch amp; Co. executives accused of fraud and conspiracy in the energy trader's 1999 sale of three power-generating barges. +1,North Korea says resumption of six-nation talks depends on US ,North Korea on Tuesday accused the administration of US President George W. Bush of using a dispute over its nuclear weapons program to gain votes in next week's presidential election. +3,Judge Denies AMD Access to Intel Documents,"A federal judge has denied a request by AMD (Quote, Chart) that Intel (Quote, Chart) turn over internal documents, the latest development in a long-running legal battle." +2,Renegades trying more conventional approach," quot;Well, quot; says Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson, laughing at the question before he even starts answering, quot;you can't stop people from talking." +2,Birmingham to sell Gronkjaer to Atletico Madrid,"Birmingham City have agreed to sell Denmark winger Jesper Gronkjaer to Spanish side Atletico Madrid, the Premier League club says." +1,Iraq asks nuclear watchdog back,Iraq invites the UN nuclear watchdog to check on the disappearance of materials from its former nuclear sites. +4,New Apple iMac G5 launched,"MSI-Digiland president Jimmy Go Tuesday assured customers that the Apple iMac G5 will be a big hit in the Philippines because the computer combines power and beauty, features which the Filipino consumer is looking for." +2,Eagles Rusher Levens Gets Starting Nod ,AP - Dorsey Levens was ready to call it a career. He barely played last year with the Giants and there was little demand for a 34-year-old backup. +3,"New US tariffs on shrimp from China, Vietnam may help US shrimpers","Some Chinese shrimp exporters will have to pay discouragingly hefty tariffs of more than 100 percent if they want their products to appear on American dinner tables, the Commerce Department ruled Tuesday." +3,Treasuries Slip on Payroll Data, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices slipped on Friday as the long-awaited August jobs report showed enough of a rise to cement market expectations for further rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. +2,"Notre Dame's firing isn't case of black, white","Now that Notre Dame has fired Tyrone Willingham, that's how many black head coaches there are at America's 117 Division IA universities." +1,"30 killed, 40 wounded in US airstrikes in Fallujah","An injured Iraqi kid was sent to the hospital in Fallujah, Sept. 17, 2004. US aircraft launched airstrikes Friday on targets near the restive city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, killing at least 30 people and injuring 40 others." +2,"U.S. Softball Team Wins, Closes in on Gold ","AP - One more victory and U.S. softball team will have its goal: a third Olympic gold. Right now, the Americans aren't just a Dream Team #151; they're more like the Perfect Team. Lisa Fernandez pitched a three-hitter Sunday and Crystl Bustos drove in two runs as the Americans rolled to their eighth shutout in eight days, 5-0 over Australia, putting them into the gold medal game." +2,United States remain upbeat,Skipper Richard Staple insisted the USA had gained valuable experience in their 210-run Champions Trophy defeat by New Zealand at The Oval. +4,News: WinAmp flayed by skins attack,A serious security flaw in NullSoft's popular WinAmp player opens the door for crackers to seize control of vulnerable systems. +3,Sun looks for Wall Street comeback,"Looking for a comeback on Wall Street, Sun Microsystems is trying to lure financial services companies back to the fold with promotional bundles of hardware and software for companies " +1,"IMF Approves Aid for Iraq, Pushes for Debt Relief (Reuters)","Reuters - The International Monetary Fund on\Wednesday approved 436 million in emergency lending to Iraq\and said it hoped its backing would generate additional\international economic support, including debt relief." +3,Victory for Black in US court,Hollinger International's $US1.25billion ($1.7 billion) legal action alleging racketeering against former chief executive Conrad Black and businesses he controlled was dismissed by a US federal judge last Friday. +3,UPDATE 1-Huffy files for Chapter 11,"Huffy Corp. (HUFC.PK: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as the bicycle and sporting goods company struggles with mounting losses and a heavy debt load." +2,Court rules for BC in flap over exit fee,Boston College cleared a major legal hurdle in its bid to join the Atlantic Coast Conference yesterday when a Massachusetts Superior Court judge issued summary judgment in favor of the school's attempt to depart the Big East next July under the old provisions of the conference's constitution. +2,Italy: Juventus increases lead,"Juventus increased its lead in the Serie A on Saturday by beating newcomer Messina 2-1, ending the hopes of the unheralded Sicilian team to earn a historic first place in Italy's top league." +3,Krispy Kreme inquiry intensifies,"The company said that federal regulators have intensified their inquiry into the company's business practices from an informal to a formal investigation, raising the possibility of embarrassing and expensive penalties down the line." +4,U.S. boosts homeland security budget in 2005,"President Bush signs the 2005 budget for funding the Department of Homeland Security, allocating some $40.7 billion to that agency, an increase of 6.6 percent over 2004." +2,Vikings' Smith Out Two More Weeks ,AP - Vikings linebacker Raonall Smith will miss at least two more games because of concussions. +1,"Iraq's Chalabi Escapes Assassination, Arrest"," BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Ahmad Chalabi has survived again. Just after escaping an attempt to kill him Wednesday, he said an Iraqi court had dropped charges that could have put him in jail." +2,Buffalo's Gamble Pays,Buffalo's decision to draft running back Willis McGahee in the first round of the 2003 draft is finally paying dividends. +3,Alitalia's Future at Stake in Union Talk,The future of Alitalia is at stake as the Italian flagship carrier meets with unions Monday to reveal the number of planned job cuts as part of a restructuring plan aimed at averting collapse. +3,HBOS fury as EU backs Santander's Abbey bid,"HBOS, THE Halifax and Bank of Scotland group that is considering whether to make a bid for Abbey National, yesterday reacted furiously to a statement from Mario Monti " +2,Glazer's own-goal at Man U,SHARES in Manchester United will come under pressure after the apparent collapse of a controversial 780m bid by American sports mogul Malcolm Glazer. +4,IBM teams with Honda on voice-driven car navigation,"IBM said on Wednesday that it has jointly developed with Honda Motor Company a hands-free, voiced-commanded and real-time car navigation system." +1,Palestinian Delegation to Visit Comatose Arafat," PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat slipped deeper into a coma overnight and his health worsened, a doctor treating him said on Tuesday before Palestinian officials arrived at a French military hospital for a visit Arafat's wife adamantly opposed." +4,First impressions of Firefox 1.0 preview release,Firefox is my second choice for a web browser. Opera comes first. No doubts about that. But Firefox in itself is a pretty decent browser. +2,Broadhurst advances as Baker fails,Paul Broadhurst is in the hunt for his first European Tour win for nine years after adding a 65 to his opening 67 in the Madrid Open yesterday. +3,Oil Firms Report Big Profit Increases,"ExxonMobil Corp. and Royal Dutch/Shell Group yesterday reported large increases in third-quarter profits, part of an industry-wide windfall caused by high oil prices and strong demand." +3,Alitalia agrees to new contracts,"Alitalia took a step on Tuesday toward resolving the labor disputes that have threatened to push it into bankruptcy, agreeing to new contracts with its 2,300 pilots." +2,United punks have little to sing about,"This was punk against opera, and punk won. Manchester United against Arsenal now has all the fervour and spite of the Buenos Aires derby, Barcelona against Real Madrid or Fenerbache v Galatasaray." +1,NEWS ANALYSIS Tension in the Netherlands,"Everything started with the murder of radical film director Theo Van Gogh by a quot;drug addict quot; of Moroccan origin in the Netherlands, where terror can strike even at the traffic lights in broad daylight." +1,Tehran preparing uranium for enrichment,"Openly defying the United Nations nuclear watchdog, Iran announced yesterday that it has begun converting large quantities of raw uranium " +4,Firms Vie for Air Force Space Command Work,"Three local companies are among four contractors that will vie for $610 million in consulting, engineering and technical services with the Air Force Space Command over the next five years." +4,Calif. schools warned of identity theft,"LOS ANGELES - California university officials have warned nearly 600,000 students and faculty that they might be exposed to identity theft following incidents where computer hard drives loaded with their private information were lost or hacked into." +3,Mexican firm 'eyes $4bn RMC bid',"Mexican group Cemex is reportedly set to make a $4bn takeover bid for RMC, the UK firm that is the world's biggest supplier of ready-mixed concrete." +1,UN Security Council Adopts Anti-Terrorism Measure,The UN Security Council has adopted a Russian-sponsored resolution seeking to strengthen the international effort against terrorists. +3,Topics during the presidential debate _ at a glance,Kerry said he would not appoint judges who would overturn the Supreme Court's 1973 abortion rights decision of Roe v. Wade. Bush said he had no litmus test for judges and reiterated his support for the ban on so-called partial birth abortion. +2,Pavano Picks Yankees,"Carl Pavano decides he wants to pitch for the Yankees, and his agent and New York close in on a four-year contract worth about $39 million." +3,US trade deficit is 2nd highest ever,"The US trade deficit, propelled by a record foreign oil bill, surged to $54 billion in August, second highest level in history. The politically sensitive " +3,Nike Profit Up on Strong U.S. Demand (Reuters),"Reuters - Nike Inc. , the world's\largest athletic shoe company, on Monday reported higher\quarterly profit on strong demand for its namesake products in\the United States." +4,Court Slaps Wireless Spammer,A federal judge has ordered a permanent injunction against a Rhode Island man after he allegedly sent millions of unsolicited short text messages to Verizon Wireless customers. +4,Peeping Tom filter lets phones see through bikinis,"A third party developer in Tokyo, Yamada Denshi, has developed an add-on to Vodafone handsets, intended to be used as a night filter to allow Big Red's customers to take pictures with their phones in the dark." +3,Searching files on PC easier,"The Mountain View company unveiled the free technology Thursday that allows users to simultaneously scan the Web and their computer hard drives for documents, e-mail, instant messages and the sites they've visited in the past." +3,Oil punches through $54 US a barrel,"TORONTO - Oil prices broke through another new record, passing the $54-per-barrel mark on Tuesday. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price for the November contract for light sweet crude stood at $54." +4," Yahoo, SBC extend partnership, plan new services",Yahoo and SBC Communications will collaborate to extend to cell phones and home entertainment devices some of the online services and content they currently provide to PC users. +1,N-bomb equipment lost in Iraq ,"Nuclear bomb- making equipment could end up in the hands of terrorists because of the chaos in Iraq, a United Nations watchdog has warned." +3,Lojack makes Canada move with Boomerang buy,"The Westwood company is spending $48 million to acquire Boomerang Tracking Inc., a Montreal company that operates a stolen car recovery system in Canada. " +4,Firefox ignites demand for alternative browser,"Strolling between classes at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., Blake Ross looks like any other bleary-eyed sophomore. Few would guess that the laptop-carrying " +3,"Delta to Cut Up to 7,000 Jobs",Delta will cut up to 10 percent of its work force over the next 18 months as part of a restructuring plan that the airline said would save $5 billion a year in costs by 2006. +3,United pilots set to vote on pay cut,"SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Pilot leaders at United Airlines unanimously endorsed a tentative agreement that will cut pay by 15 percent, opting to accept management's demands rather than risk the chance of losing more in federal bankruptcy court." +3, Seattle Times writer admits plagiarism,A business columnist at the Seattle Times in the United States has resigned after admitting he copied the work of other journalists. +3,"Microsoft Enters Legal Agreements with Novell, CCIA",Microsoft this week reached legal and financial settlements with two of its most vocal antitrust critics -- Novell and the Computer amp; Communications Industry Association. +2,Bonds wins record seventh MVP in a walk,"Capping a season filled with suspicion and success, the San Francisco Giants left fielder became the oldest player to become the MVP of a major North American professional league." +4,Nintendo DS Sells Well in Japan,"Nintendo announced today that it has sold roughly half a million units in Japan, bringing global sales of its new handheld over its goal of one million units." +2,Mavs Hold Off Blazers,"Marquis Daniels makes a series of late hustle plays to help Dallas defeat Portland, 92-83, on Friday." +1,"Empty Stomach Battle Ends, Some Demands Met","GAZA CITY , September 3 (IslamOnline.net amp; News Agencies) - Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails have decided to call off an 18-day hunger strike after most of their demands for better conditions were met, according to a Palestinian cabinet minister." +2,"Another medal, two records","ATHENS -- Attention, ladies and gentlemen. For his next act, Michael Phelps will break an Olympic record, hurry to the warm-down pool for a swim, run to the locker room, pull on a warm-up suit, walk out to the pool deck and take part in ..." +4,MedImmune Ends Some Vitaxin Testing,"MedImmune Inc. said Monday it has ended advanced human testing of its drug Vitaxin to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis because it failed to show clinical benefits in preliminary results. <BR><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</B></FONT>" +4,2 Vietnamese die of unidentified virus,"Among three recent human deaths in Vietnam's northern Thai Nguyen province, two were initially reported to have contracted an unidentified dangerous virus, local newspaper Labor reported Monday." +4,NASA Capsule Containing Solar Wind Particles Crashes ,A space capsule containing NASA's first sample from space in more than 30 years crashed into the Utah desert today after its parachutes failed to open. +1,"Even if Just a Bauble, Luxury Counts for Holidays","The luxury market, which, only a few years ago, was struggling, has come back with a bang for the holidays." +2,"Jets Have Multiple Choices, but No Easy Answer for Ravens' Lewis","Ray Lewis, perhaps the finest linebacker in the N.F.L., will present the Jets' offense with what will probably be its biggest matchup problem on Sunday." +1,Inside Karzai's Campaign,"To become Afghanistan's first elected President, he has to placate warlords, pacify the Taliban -- and survive" +3, ); //-- gt; Eye On Stocks,Forest Laboratories (nyse: FRX - news - people ) said strong sales volume will propel fiscal second-quarter earnings higher than previously expected. +3,Cut by OPEC doesn't slow the drop in crude's price,"OPEC, worried by the recent downward spiral of crude prices, agreed to cut production by 1 million barrels a day at a Friday meeting in Cairo, Egypt, but rather than shoring up prices, the action created a sell-off." +2,Shot at wrong target costs rifleman gold,Matthew Emmons is a trained accountant but he got his numbers terribly wrong yesterday. The American sharpshooter was just one shot away from a second Olympic gold medal when he fired at the wrong target in the final round. +2,MLBPA files grievance for Neagle,CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The MLB Players Association filed a grievance Tuesday on behalf of pitcher Denny Neagle after his contract was terminated by the Colorado Rockies. +2,Cardiff to host FA Cup semi-finals,"Cardiffs Millennium Stadium will host this seasons FA Cup semi-finals as well as the final. It will be the first time the venue has hosted the semi-finals, with Old Trafford and Villa Park having been favoured in recent years." +2,Mountaineers prepared to lead the new-look Big East,The Mountaineers open the season in The Associated Press top 10 for the first time in school history. There are great expectations in Morgantown these days. +1,Prime Minister John Howard,"Mark Riley, Seven's Chief Political Reporter: Good morning Mr Howard, welcome back to the program. John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia: Morning, Mark." +4,UK Apple's iTunes Complaints,"(Article Central) The UK's Consumers Association has referred Apple's iTunes to the Office of Fair Trading, claiming the song shop is overcharging its UK users." +1,Danforth Quit U.N. Post to Return to Mo. ,AP - U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said Friday he took himself out of the running for any job in President Bush's second term because he wanted to go home to Missouri. +4,"Linksys, Vonage In Equipment Deal",Irvine-based Linksys (www.linksys.com) announced that it is in a deal with Voice over IP (VoIP) provider Vonage (www.vonage.com) to provide equipment for home and small businesses. +4,News: Judge dismisses keylogger case,"Covert use of a hardware keystroke logger does not violate federal wiretap law, court rules." +1,UN reiterates plea for hostages release in Afghanistan ,AFP - The United Nations renewed an appeal for the safe release of three UN workers taken hostage in Afghanistan by a shadowy group of Islamic militants. +3,"Philip Morris Raises Prices on Marlboros, Other Smokes","Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA has initiated a long-awaited increase in cigarette prices, providing what some analysts consider the first sign of life in the U.S. cigarette market since 2002." +3,"July Consumer Prices Drop, Energy Tumbles"," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices dropped in July for the first time in eight months as a sharp run up in energy costs reversed, the government said on Tuesday in a report showing underlying inflation pressures largely in check." +4,Apple iTunes dubbed rip-off for Brits,"The world's first legitimate music download service, Apple iTunes, is to be investigated by a government watchdog for overcharging its British customers by up to 20 per cent." +2,FOOTBALL: DONS PUT BHOYS IN A STEW,ABERDEEN boosted their reputation and brought the championship race alive with a dramatic win at Celtic Park last night. Substitute John Stewart pounced in injury time after poor defending to give Aberdeen +4,Arctic People Seek Tropical Team on Global Warming (Reuters),"Reuters - Arctic peoples aim to team up with\tropical islanders in a campaign against global warming,\arguing that polar bears and palm-fringed beaches stand to\suffer most." +3,McDonald's CEO Steps Down Due to Cancer,"McDonald's Corp. (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday President and Chief Executive Charlie Bell had stepped down to focus on his cancer treatment and that Vice Chairman Jim Skinner would replace him." +2,Langer expects the worst ,"Hal Sutton, at his press conference yesterday afternoon, was asked if his desperation to regain the Ryder Cup might encourage a repeat of the bad behaviour at Brookline in 1999." +2,Lewis (37) is superman for Sonics,"Rashard Lewis scored a season-high 37 points, and SuperSonics improved to 18-4 with a 108-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers last night in Seattle." +4,Tales from the next generation,Millions of pounds will be spent in the coming months trying to persuade people to upgrade to 3G phones. What do two users of the services which have been launched already think about what their fancy phone can do? +4,Open source - The Salvation Army of software?,"Is open source becoming the dumping ground for no-longer-wanted software, sort of like a Salvation Army dropoff point for programs instead of old clothes?" +2,Buckeyes Dash Wolverines' Outright Title Hopes,"Quarterback Troy Smith ran for 145 yards as the Buckeyes upset the Wolverines, who might have also lost a return visit to the Rose Bowl." +1,Pakistani and Indian prime ministers hold rare talks in New Delhi,"Amid repeated cautions that no breakthrough was expected, the prime ministers of India and Pakistan came together Wednesday for a rare meeting, despite tough positions stated " +1,Katmandu under curfew for 3rd day,"A shoot-on-sight curfew imposed to prevent riots and violent protests over the killing of 12 Nepalese workers in Iraq entered its third day yesterday, while officials said they were trying to recover the bodies of the slain hostages." +2,Woburn's win is all Hart,"Reading fans knew Middlesex League rival Woburn had a sensational player in Boston College-bound running back Mike McLaughlin. Yesterday, the host Rockets learned Woburn also has Hart." +3,PeopleSoft Softens Opposition to Oracle Merger,There was a twist in Oracle's hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft earlier this week when a PeopleSoft director testified in court that he would be open to discussions about a merger. +2,Freshman mixer,"SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame found a familiar way to make its problems go away -- beat Michigan." +3,"Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow","THIS weekend I am wrestling with the perfect gift for the next IMF summit of central bankers. It is an exuberant, gothic, mahogany-encased, 19th century American gingerbread mantelpiece clock." +3,"Aviva to move 7,000 jobs to Asia","Britain's largest insurer Aviva says it plans to have moved up to 7,000 UK jobs to low-cost centres in Asia by the end of 2007, the final figure in its controversial programme to shift jobs offshore." +2,Tracy claims Indy pole,"Champ Car World Champion Paul Tracy has shaken off a terrible practice session to qualify fastest for the Gold Coast Indy. Tracy hit a tire barrier towards the end of the opening 15-minute practice session, damaging his nosecone." +3,Charming Shoppes Looking Better,"If Lane Bryant continues to perform, the retailer's shares should continue their rise." +2,Team of Mystery,"Many around the NFL say they are surprised by the team's poor performance and question whether the problem lies with the Redskins' system, players or Joe Gibbs." +4,Satellite Radio That's Well Received,"With its somewhat bulky contours and shiny silver case, Delphi's MyFi portable satellite radio evokes an old transistor radio.<FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>" +2,Vogts Still Hanging on to National Job,"Berti Vogts made his reputation as a tenacious player and now the Tartan Army are finding him a difficult manager to shake off. It is now two weeks since the 2,000 fans who travelled " +2,Bears Secondary Suffers Another Blow ,"AP - Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman will miss seven to 10 weeks with a right knee injury, a blow to a secondary already stretched thin by injuries to Mike Brown and Jerry Azumah." +4,"At Japan show, it's all gadgets great and small","The CEATEC exhibit rounds up everything from wall-size ""wallpaper"" displays to the Scopo eyepiece TV." +3,"Jobs of British Airways Directors Under Threat, Telegraph Says","Three senior directors at British Airways Plc face pressure as Chief Executive Rod Eddington starts an investigation into last week's flight delays, the Sunday Telegraph said, citing an unidentified executive at the airline." +3,Economies Not Yet Dented by Oil Prices," LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC oil producers and Chancellor Schroeder of Germany, which is a prominent consumer, agree that the remorseless rise in the price of crude has so far had little impact on global economic growth." +1,Equatorial Guinea coup plotters deserve firing squad: president ,"AFP - The alleged plotters of a coup in Equatorial Guinea are ""blood-thirsty pirates"" who deserve the firing squad, the country's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said." +3,SEC May Sue AIG Over Press Releases," NEW YORK (Reuters) - American International Group Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AIG.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">AIG.N</A>, which faces a possible lawsuit by U.S. securities regulators over helping a major banking client hide bad loans, said on Monday regulators may also sue it for what they called ""false and misleading"" statements made to investors." +4,Windows XP SP2 update delayed,"BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Microsoft Corp. has delayed automatic update of Windows XP Service Pack 2 to American company users until Aug. 25. " +3,The IPod In Perspective,That's the number of music players that Apple Computer (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) said it sold in its most recent quarter. +2,This season more jolly with playoff,"Set aside, for a moment, the Twelve Days of Christmas. And consider what the coming holiday season would be like with the Twelve Teams of Playoffs." +3,Bush Picks Kellogg CEO as Commerce Chief," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday chose Carlos Gutierrez, the Cuban-born CEO of Kellogg Co, as his nominee to be commerce secretary, his second selection of a Hispanic for a second-term Cabinet." +3,ATT launches new e-mail service,"NEW YORK: ATT Wireless Services launches a mobile e-mail and messaging device without voice service on Monday, aiming to use a low price to tempt young consumers." +1,Some Palestinian Prisoners Suspend Hunger Strike," RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - About 800 Palestinian prisoners have suspended their hunger strike after winning concessions from Israeli authorities, a spokesman for the men said Saturday." +2,New England Patriots,"FOXBORO, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- A possible preview of Super Bowl XXXIX will be staged Sunday when the New England Patriots host the Seattle Seahawks in the first meeting between the teams in nearly 11 years." +2,He's not short on confidence,It's a case he could have made more convincingly with something other than a half-swing tapper to the pitcher for the final out of yet another in a seemingly endless series of one-run losses for the Red Sox. But Orlando Cabrera wants fans to believe this: For all the futile swings he has made in his two-week incarnation as a ... +1,Dalai Lama hails Russian pilgrims,"Russian Buddhists brave snow and rain to see the Dalai Lama, who is visiting the republic of Kalmykia." +4,Intel Scratches Plans for 4-Gigahertz Pentium,"By MATTHEW FORDAHL SAN JOSE, Calif. -- In the latest change to its product lineup, Intel Corp..." +1,Dead bodies found in Najaf court,"At least 25 charred and bloated bodies were discovered today in the basement of a religious court set up by rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in Najaf, but confusion reigns over how they died and why." +3,UK Ad Firm WPP Wins Bid for US Rival,"British advertising company WPP said on Sunday it won an auction for US rival Grey Global, with what sources familiar with the matter said was a cash-and-stock deal worth about $1." +3,Blockbuster offers to buy Hollywood,Blockbuster on Thursday said it has contacted Hollywood Entertainment Corp. about acquiring its top rival for $700 million. Hollywood shares jumped 13. +2,Earnhardt Ends Slump With Bristol Win ,"AP - Dale Earnhardt Jr. found the perfect cure for his struggling team's ills: Winning. Earnhardt broke out of a six-week slump Saturday night with a convincing victory in the Sharpie 500, giving him a weekend sweep at Bristol Motor Speedway that will certainly give him momentum for the upcoming championship chase." +1,Australia to boost security measures at overseas missions ,"AFP - Australia will spend 591 million dollars (460 million US) boosting security at its overseas missions in the aftermath of the Jakarta embassy bombing in September, the government said." +4,Los Alamos to Remove Nukes,"Within a year, officials plan to move all weapons-grade nuclear material from Los Alamos National Laboratory to the Nevada Test Site. The transfer will begin this month." +1,Illinois Helps Residents Import Drugs (Reuters),"Reuters - Illinois residents will soon gain\access to lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, the United\Kingdom and Ireland, sidestepping U.S. regulators' objections\to imported drugs, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said on Tuesday." +2,Arrivederci Roma for Voeller after 26 days,"ROME - Another week, another European soccer coach gone. Roma's Rudi Voeller became the latest coaching casualty, handing in his resignation after the club's 1-3 away defeat by nine-man Bologna on Saturday." +1,Lilly Throws One of Three Shutouts in AL,"Ted Lilly's three-hit shutout against the surging Boston Red Sox was barely the best pitching performance in the American League. Detroit's Jeremy Bonderman struck out a career-high 14 Monday night in a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox, and Scott Kazmir pitched five scoreless innings to win his major league debut for Tampa Bay..." +1,Russia says 11 missing in Taba explosion,Russia said Saturday 11 of its nationals who were staying at a hotel in Egypt that was bombed Thursday are missing. Russia's Itar-Tass news agency quoted a Russian embassy diplomat +3,Increase predicted in holiday travel throughout South,Millions of travelers throughout the South will take to the roads and skies this week in anticipation of the Thanksgiving weekend _ bucking a trend of lower-than-normal holiday travel in recent years. +1,Two more shot dead as Thailand praying peace for South,"Two people were shot dead by insurgents in Thailand's Muslim-dominated deep south on Sunday, when the country was praying peace for the region at a ceremony ofdropping hundred of millions origami birds." +1,Peace talks on Sudan's Darfur halted again,"ABUJA: African Union-brokered peace talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebel leaders bogged down again Tuesday, barely 10 minutes after delegates resumed negotiations following a three-day pause." +2,Nothing dull about McKenzie,"Trevor Grant THE tension was palpable in the hot, steamy air at Huntingdale, even before the tournament contenders had strapped on their spikes yesterday." +4,Software-patent battle set to flare up,"In Europe, industry leaders, government officials and others debate whether patents would hinder or cultivate innovation." +4,"Nortel reports loss in Q3, sees pickup in Q4","Amid continuing problems with the release of its financial statements, Nortel Networks yesterday reported a loss for this year's third quarter but said it expects improvements in fourth-quarter revenue." +1,"Bush, Kerry on Issue of Minimum Wage ","AP - Three times a week, The Associated Press picks an issue and asks President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry a question about it. Today's question and responses:" +4,No half measures with Half-Life 2,"Installation bugs barely dent the greatness of Half-Life 2, says reviewer James Bregman." +1,DEATH PROBE VICTORY,THE family of an Iraqi man allegedly beaten to death by British troops in custody yesterday won a legal battle in their fight for a full inquiry into the scandal. +1,IAAE: hundreds of tons of explosives lost in Iraq,The International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAAE ) stressed that hundreds of tons of traditional explosives were missing from the Iraqi military arsenal that used to be under the rule of the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. +4,New systems cut cell phone finger work,Several companies ease burden of using Internet via cell phones. +1,Differences on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus minor hiccup: Tarigami,"New Delhi, Dec. 8 (PTI): Terming the differences between India and Pakistan regarding the proposed Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service a quot;minor hiccup quot;, CPI(M) leader from Jammu and Kashmir Yusuf Tarigami, said he was hopeful of the bus link starting soon." +3,Google Improves Local Search With Map Company Buy,"Google announced its purchase yesterday of Keyhole, a mapping company that uses satellite photographs to produce three-dimensional maps, in a move that could bolster Google's local search capabilities." +4,Microsoft steers R2 server for '05 release,Security collaboration with Cisco will bump key network protection feature until 2007.\ +3,Record $4.7bn profit for BHP,BHP Billiton's record-breaking profit was driven by China's seemingly insatiable demand for commodities. Picture:Bloomberg ... +4,"IBM, AMD claim 24 per cent chip speed gains","IBM and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have jointly developed a new method for implementing strained silicon technology on both positive and negative transistors, the companies are expected to announce today." +4,GAO: Homeland Security's Enterprise Architecture Lacks Key Elements,"In a report, it says the agency's first try at building an enterprise architecture offers a partial foundation, but is lacking in several areas. " +4,O2 outlines 3G catch up strategy,O2 has outlined its plans to catch up with 3G rivals Orange and Vodafone by rolling out what it claims will be Europe's first super-fast 3G mobile data network. +2,Saints Acquire Veteran Cornerback McKenzie," NEW ORLEANS (Sports Network) - The New Orleans Saints Monday acquired cornerback Mike McKenzie and a future conditional draft choice from Green Bay. In exchange, the Packers received a second-round pick in 2005 and quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan." +3,"Finance chiefs see brighter world economy, but storm clouds loom (AFP)","AFP - World finance chiefs meeting in Washington this week will express satisfaction with a rebounding global economy, but also highlight risks from surging oil prices, turmoil in Iraq and other factors." +4,Finding Life on the Red Planet,"A remote Mars life-detection strategy is being tested in the fjords of Scandanavia, with a goal of eventually identifying even a single biological cell hiding in the rugged landscape." +1,Incendiary device found in hold of a virgin jet,"TONY EASTLEY: There's been a serious security lapse at Sydney airport, with an incendiary device being discovered in the cargo hold of a Virgin jet." +2,Willingham firing a winning thing,Notre Dame was fortunate to have a man like Tyrone Willingham at the helm. He's a class act and a quality person. The young men who played for him have benefited from his leadership and example. +1,"Bin Laden deputy vows fight Muslims to 'stand firm,' tape says",CAIRO -- Osama bin Laden's top deputy vowed in a videotape aired yesterday to keep fighting the United States until Washington changes its policies. +1,Ivorian Leader Urges End to Anti-French Violence (Reuters),Reuters - President Laurent Gbagbo appealed for\an end to anti-French crowd violence which erupted after France\destroyed most of Ivory Coast's small air force in retaliation\for the killing of nine French peacekeepers. +2,Young Suns Outhustle 76ers 108-98 ,"AP - Amare Stoudemire scored 29 points, Shawn Marion had 24, and Joe Johnson 22 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 108-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night." +1,Cannabis may help combat cancer,"The chemical in cannabis that produces a high may help to combat cancer, research suggests." +4,Artful Software Spots Faked Masterpieces,"A new digital authentication technique supplies forensic art experts with a new tool to distinguish paintings by masters from those by imitators, scientists say." +2,"Tigers 6, White Sox 4","Eric Munson hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night." +1,Main points from the US vice presidential debate ,AFP - Main points from the vice presidential debate between Republican Dick Cheney and Democrat John Edwards: +3,"Judge grants Stewart's request to start serving term, urges Conn. or Fla. sites","Martha Stewart must report to prison in less than three weeks, a federal judge ruled yesterday in granting the celebrity homemaker's request to begin serving her sentence for lying about a stock sale. Her company's stock surged 12 percent." +2,Familiar result for Krzyzewski,"JJ Redick and Daniel Ewing each scored 20 points, and No. 11 Duke turned up the defensive pressure in the second half to beat Tennessee-Martin 88-46 Saturday night in the teams season opener in Durham, NC." +1,Envoys Report Progress in Iran Talks," TEHRAN, Nov. 6 -- Two days of talks in Paris between Iranian and European delegations about Iran's nuclear program ended late Saturday without a formal agreement, but diplomats said progress had been made." +4,"Spurred by Soaring x86 Server Sales, Western European Server ","LONDON -- According to data from IDC's Western European Quarterly Server Tracker, server sales rose for the fourth consecutive quarter in the second quarter of 2004 with 10." +1,Israeli army foils suicide attack at Erez Crossing,The Israeli army said it foiled early Tuesday morning a suicide bombing attack by a Palestinian at Erez Crossing on the northern tip of Gaza. +4,IT heavyweights line up on MegaGrid," quot;A-list quot; IT suppliers Oracle Corp, EMC Corp, Dell Corp, and Intel Corp have banded together to forge an alliance to develop the grid computing systems of tomorrow." +4,Pictures on the Go,"Carrying around a wallet full of pictures of the kids or the dog is so last year, writes Cathy Lu in Digit. Apple'ss iPod Photo makes it as easy to look at your most beloved pictures on the go as it is to listen to your favorite tunes. #148; Nov 23" +3,Singapore Extends War Insurance For Air Sector,The Singapore government said on Monday it would extend third-party war-risk cover for the operator of Changi Airport and an aviation service provider due to a lack of commercial insurance alternatives. +4,Experts Hail Birth of Baby to Ex-Cancer Patient (Reuters),Reuters - Medical experts Friday hailed the birth\of the first baby born to a woman after an ovarian tissue\transplant as a highly significant achievement that could help\thousands of cancer patients become mothers. +1,"IRA: Willing to Disarm, But Photos Impossible",IRA guerrillas said on Thursday they would never be quot;humiliated quot; by the photographing of their final acts of disarmament -- the last sticking point in an Anglo-Irish drive for a Northern Ireland political settlement. +3,G7 Wants More Oil Output,The world's top finance officials on Friday asked oil-producing nations to step up production and agreed it was crucial to work out exactly why prices +1,Army Says Up to 28 G.I.'s Could Face Afghan Abuse Charges,The Army's recommendation marked the completion of a nearly 2-year-old investigation into the deaths of two prisoners. +2,Agent: Ricky Williams Wants To Return To Fins,"MIAMI -- Just when the Miami Dolphins season couldn't get any weirder, it did -- Ricky Williams is ready to come back to the Fins." +4,Telescopes capture planets in the making,"Planet-building is dusty work, and now two space telescopes have captured images of cosmic construction materials: disks of dust circling stars about the same size as our sun." +3,Yukos could be sold to state firm,"Russian President Vladimir Putin throws a question mark over the future of Yukos, saying state-owned companies should be allowed to buy the oil firm's assets." +2,HENMAN WARY OF LJUBICIC's POWER,Tim Henman is well aware of the potential damage which his next opponent Ivan Ljubicic could cause in the third round of the Madrid Masters Series. +4,Md. Senator Sees Error by Voting Machine,"Sen. Barbara Mikulski tried out a new touch-screen voting machine that was displayed at a local festival and got an erroneous result, an aide said." +4,RealNetworks sells three million songs through promotion,RealNetworks this week said the three week cut rate promotion on its online music store garnered sales of more than three million songs. +1,Mideast Initiatives Follow Arafat's Death,"The death of Yasser Arafat has brought a flurry of diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East by Arab, Palestinian and Israeli leaders aiming to revive long-stalled peace negotiations on several fronts." +4,Big buzz over coming iMac,"With Apple Computer's next iMac expected to be unveiled this week, Mac fan Web sites are buzzing with speculation over the design." +2,New backing for Glazer?,The on-off saga that is Malcolm Glazer's proposed takeover of Manchester United could be back on after reports that the American tycoon has found a new backer. +4,Kimono-Makers Employ Computer Graphics ,"AP - For centuries, Japan's kimono-makers have relied on stencils, paintbrushes and hours of labor to turn out their elaborate and graceful creations. Kimono designer Yuko Iwakuma uses some more up-to-date tools: a computer and an ink-jet printer." +1,Kerry demands answers about missing explosives ,"AFP - Democrat challenger John Kerry's campaign demanded answers from President George W. Bush about the disappearance of nearly 400 tonnes of conventional explosives in Iraq, as the deadlocked White House race entered its final week." +3,"Finally, a Boeing-Airbus Showdown",The European jetmaker has long skirted subsidy rules. Now Washington's WTO complaint will drag that abuse into the light of day. +3,Automakers rip Calif. emission rules,The California Air Resources Board opened a two-day meeting Thursday to set a final plan to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 30 percent before 2016. +2,"Staley Questionable, Bettis Probable for Steelers", PITTSBURGH (Sports Network) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back Duce Staley is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Cincinnati with a hamstring injury. +4,AMD hatches new naming plan for chip generations,"K5, K6, K8 and then Pacifica? Advanced Micro Devices is working on simultaneous projects, so it has sunk its K names." +4,SCH-S250 phone has 5-Megapixel camera,Samsung Electronics has showcased a mobile phone that integrates a 5-Megapixel digital camera. At present the highest resolution camera phones have 3-Megapixel class image sensors. +2,Owen on target for Real,MADRID: England striker Michael Owen scored in his fourth consecutive game for Real Madrid as the Spanish giants comfortably beat their newly-promoted local rivals Getafe 2-0 yesterday. +2,Knicks put Houston on injured list,"All of the other Knicks either had left the court or were doing television interviews. But backup point guard Moochie Norris remained, practicing his long-distance jumpers." +1,"3 Dead, 7 Hurt in Iraq Suicide Car Blast","SAMARRA, Iraq - A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb Sunday near a joint U.S.-Iraqi checkpoint, killing three people and wounding seven, including four U.S. soldiers in the northern city of Samarra, the military said..." +3,From Economic Power to Economic Powder,"JEDDAH, 6 December 2004 - The current situation with Iraq has all the ingredients of a long-term liability to the balance sheet of America, which some day it might be a disaster to the state of world economy." +4,Microsoft hunting last NetWare customers,"This being the age to poach customers using rivals operating systems, Microsoft Corp has announced financial incentives along with tools and support to persuade users to abandon Novell Corp's NetWare for Windows Server 2003." +2,Shaq Wins Home Debut,Shaquille O'Neal scores 17 points and Dwyane Wade adds 28 as the Heat defeat the Cavaliers 92-86 in Shaq's home debut with Miami. +1,"No retreat on Iraq, Bush vows","UNITED NATIONSThe United States will stick to its guns in Iraq, despite increasing violence, US President George W. Bush vowed yesterday." +4,Use PayPal at US iTunes Music Store,"The iTunes Music Store in the US will now accept PayPal for purchases of music downloads, audiobooks and gift certificates. Starting today, iTunes Music Store purchases can be funded through PayPal's virtual wallet, allowing customers to pay in the way they prefer #151; using a credit card, bank account or stored account balance. Dec 10" +2,"Rams, Bucs Tied 7-7 After First Quarter ","AP - The St. Louis Rams and Tampa Bay Bucs both got off to a fast start Monday night, scoring on their first possessions and they were tied 7-7 after the first quarter." +4,New MySQL Ready to Serve,MySQL AB has made version 4.1 of its database software available to the public after months of testing customer production deployments. +4,No entry for spam,"AFTER a couple of days leave, one gets back to work, opens the e-mail and starts swearing. You know the reason: Spam. Except for tech-savvy Internet users who have installed tools such as spam filtering software " +3,eBay Buys Rental Listing Firm,"The online auction giant announced Friday that it has agreed to acquire Rent.com, a leading listing service on the Internet for rental housing." +4,Google Faces Challenge of Public Company Status,"Your name is synonymous with searching the Internet, and you've just raised roughly $1.7 billion from investors by going public. What are you going to do now?" +2,One-year deal avoids arbitration,"Chicago White Sox: The White Sox avoided arbitration with right-hander Jon Garlandon Friday, agreeing to a $3.4 million, one-year contract." +3,Two Big Investment Banks Report Drops in Quarterly Profit,"Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns posted drops in quarterly profit yesterday, surprising some investors one day after two other big investment banks reported a rise in earnings." +1,Cracking under the strain,Severe cracks surfaced inside the Israeli government this week as its senior law officers publicly fell out with the defence establishment and the Foreign Ministry over the country's future strategy in the face of the July verdict of the International +3,Bruandwo back with higher bid,"WOOLWORTHS has cemented its advantage in the tussle for Australian Leisure and Hospitality, less than an hour before it would have ceded victory to Coles Myer." +4,MessageOne acquires Evergreen Assurance,"E-mail disaster recovery vendor MessageOne today said it is buying competitor Evergreen Assurance Inc., a deal that brings together two different approaches to restoring e-mail service after a disaster." +1,"For Families of Autistic, the Fight for Ordinary",Families with autistic children are finding that techniques that have proved successful in the class can be tried at home. +2,"It's Up to Players, Hubie Brown Says","Thursday's unexpected resignation of Memphis Grizzlies coach Hubie Brown left a lot of questions unanswered. In his unique way of putting things, the 71-year-old Brown seemed to indicate he was burned out and had some health concerns." +3,Oracle-PeopleSoft a done deal?,"Investors bet that now that PeopleSoft has fired Conway, the way is paved for a friendly deal. That was how most Wall Street analysts summed up Oracle's chances of finally acquiring rival software maker PeopleSoft " +4,Daggers Sharp but Not Penetrating,"You're unlikely to find a martial arts movie as beautiful as Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers, but you'll need to look elsewhere for passion. By Jason Silverman." +2,Why I had to leave Australia,"In those eight words, spoken yesterday, Lleyton Hewitt finally addressed his inner turmoil over the split in his romance with Kim Clijsters." +3,"Calif. AG Launches Probe Into Ins. Cos., Broker Practices","Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced he has launched a formal investigation into possible antitrust violations and fraud by insurance companies and brokers, and said the probe's initial focus will be on bid-rigging and other anti-competitive conduct in " +3,Fox Calls For Court Review of Standards," Fox Broadcasting Co. is appealing a record-setting $1.18 million fine for airing racy fare on a show called ""Married by America,"" saying the government's indecency rules for broadcast television are unconstitutional because they don't apply to cable and satellite television." +3,Cendant to pay $1.25 billion for Orbitz,"HACKENSACK, NJ - With one deal, Cendant Corp. is moving from an also-ran to one of the top players in the booming online travel business." +4,Programs: New 'Silent Hill' Is Gruesome and Awesome," PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Reuters) - I hope the tenants at South Ashfield Heights are getting cheap rents. The place is a mess: The hallways aren't just filthy, they're splattered with blood. Bloody handprints mark the walls opposite Room 302, which is also the source of some verrrry strange noises." +1,Italy calls time on Libya embargo,Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu says Italy is ready to lift EU sanctions on Libya unilaterally if the whole EU fails to do so next week. +4,"Interview: Dell's Rollins lays out a road map, from services to AMD","After eight years at the company, Kevin Rollins was appointed president and CEO of the $41.4 billion computer juggernaut Dell Computer last July. Many still think of Dell as a desktop supplier, but the company has become a powerhouse in server and notebooks as well and is making strong moves in the printer and storage markets." +2,FCC to review steamy intro to Monday Night Football ,WASHINGTON - The US Federal Communications Commission is reviewing whether the steamy locker-room opening to ABC's Monday Night Football this week warrants a full-blown investigation. +2,NASCAR Champ Busch Hopes to Draw New Fans ,"AP - For anyone unhappy that Kurt Busch is the new Nextel Cup champion, Jack Roush has some advice: Get used to it." +2,Finland Wins European Pool in Hockey ,"AP - Finland didn't get its long-awaited revenge on Sweden, but a 4-4 tie was good enough to win the European Pool at the World Cup of Hockey on Saturday." +4,New Trojan Virus Sends Spam to Russian Mobile Phones,"A new Trojan virus has appeared in Russian that hijacks PCs and sends spam via SMS text messages to mobile phones. After infecting a PC, the Delf-HA Trojan sends spam to the St." +1,Japan defense panel delivers report,"Japan's defense panel Monday called for greater security measures, strengthening the US/Japan security alliance and changing the Self-Defense Forces." +1,Darfur meeting aims to ward off UN sanctions with African solution ,"AFP - The leaders of Sudan and four neighbouring states, in a bid to avert UN sanctions on Khartoum, pledged to work to resolve the Darfur crisis at the African level, but rebel groups remained sceptical." +2,AP: Ohio Hires Solich As Football Coach ,"AP - Former Nebraska coach Frank Solich has been hired as coach of Ohio University, The Associated Press learned Wednesday night." +4,Plus: Virtual Farm Game,"According to a new research study by the non-profit Pew Internet and American Life Project, so-called Instant Messaging (IM) is what's really hot when it comes to electronic communication now." +4,Nintendo trims Game Boy Advance price,Nintendo trimmed the price of its Game Boy Advance player on Wednesday as the company prepared for one of the most serious challenges yet to its dominance of the portable game market. +2,Series proves baseball in October has no rival,"For all the polls that show how football is now America's most popular game, the Yankees-Red Sox showdown for the American League pennant is this year's sweet reminder that October baseball is the best game, the best theater in sports for moments to remember." +3,Managing Credit Cards Intelligently,Take advantage of cards instead of it being the other way around. +3,No easy answers,"It was the final Saturday morning in August in this North Shore town, the kind of day made for yard sales or packing off to the beach with the kids. But as the brilliant sun poured through the stained-glass windows of St. Richard Church, hundreds had come to say goodbye to Tim Harbert, a husband, a father of ..." +2,"Parrish, Gore provide push for Miami in defeat of Virginia",Roscoe Parrish returned a punt for a touchdown and caught a clinching late touchdown pass Saturday as 17th-ranked Miami got back into the ACC title race by beating No. +1,Britons Prefer Kerry to Bush for World Safety,"A large majority of Britons think a US election victory for John Kerry is the best outcome for global security, according to a poll in a Sunday newspaper." +1,Geldof flies the flag for the poor,"The great and the good of Africa and international finance, hidden inside cavalcades of ageing limos flanked by motorcycle outriders flying the yellow and gold flag of Ethiopia, poured into the UN building in the heart of Addis Ababa in great long lines " +2,"Arizona Cardinals 25, Seattle Seahawks 17","When the opportunity arose to seize the day, the Seattle Seahawks looked more ready for a mausoleum than carpe diem. The Seahawks couldn't take advantage of a prime chance " +1,Back-To-School Now Includes Electronics,"SAN CARLOS, Calif. - For back-to-school shoppers, a new alphabet reigns, and it starts with E for electronics..." +1,Parents to Read 9/11 Victims' Names,"NEW YORK - On the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, dignitaries, community leaders and relatives of victims stood at ground zero and gave voice to the names of the dead..." +4,Road to Longhorn gets longer,"Longhorn needs a new name. It's not just because I'm tired of the bovine references and the quot;shorthorn quot; jokes. No, the problem is that the future version of Windows, formerly known as Longhorn, in many ways " +4,Views of Titan hint at frozen volcanoes and methane lakes,"NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spotted what may be icy volcanic flows and a large lake of oily liquid on Saturn's mysterious moon Titan, scientists said Thursday." +3,Judge Threatens to Punish MCI Over Fees It Has Paid,"The judge who presided over the Securities and Exchange Commissions fraud suit against MCI threatened to punish the company for not receiving approval from a monitor before paying fees to lawyers, accountants and other professionals." +4,Visiting Indian delegation gets earful,Visiting Indian delegation gets earful from U.S. workers dislocated by outsourcing. +3,Stocks Wobble on DC Sickness Report," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks wobbled lower on Wednesday as reports that several people had been sickened in an office in Washington raised terrorism fears, upsetting the market, and oil prices jumped." +3,Ban OK'd on taxes on Net connections,Congress acted yesterday to block state and local governments from taxing connections that link consumers to the Internet for the next three years. +3,"Oil Prices, Inventories Rise",NEW YORK -- Crude oil prices have resumed their climb after word that the nation's crude supply grew for the second week in a row. +3,Housing Boom Over After Rate Hikes,"The house price boom has ended with values falling by their steepest for almost a decade, according to a national survey. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors says the decline in prices is the biggest " +4,Ground Zero Workers File Billion-Dollar Health Lawsuit,"Nearly three years to the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, lawyers for more than 800 ""Ground Zero"" rescue and clean-up workers announced Monday a billion-dollar class-action lawsuit against owners of the World Trade Center for exposing the workers to allegedly toxic conditions." +4,"Sprint, Nextel herald 'future of communications'","Officials from Sprint and Nextel Communications today announced a definitive agreement to merge their two companies, creating the third-largest mobile phone company in the U.S." +2,ESPN.com news services,BEIJING -- Marat Safin managed to do something the other top seeds at the China Open didn t: stay alive. The top four seeds will be missing from the semifinals following early exits for Spaniards Carlos Moya +3,US jobless rate falls to a modest 5.4 per cent low,"WASHINGTON: The US job market brightened modestly in August as employers added 144,000 workers to payrolls and weak job tallies for the two prior months were revised up, the Labour Department said yesterday." +3,"IT Jobs Dwindle in US, Offshore Hiring To Surge","Challenger, Gray amp; Christmas reports that the US information technology industry lost 54,701 jobs in the July through September quarter, which is an increase of 14 percent from the same quarter last year." +4,Ivan May Just Be a Messenger,"The recent run of hurricanes hitting the Atlantic Ocean has been helped by warmer waters, which some scientists attribute to global warming. That means get ready for more storms. By Stephen Leahy." +2,"Below a dimming light, city glows","Tomorrow night, after the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Games, Mitch Benoff of Boston will turn off his quot;Athens Olympic Meteor." +1,"Ghana Votes for New President, Parliament", ACCRA (Reuters) - Voters in Ghana queued on Tuesday to choose a new leader for their West African country in what was expected to be a race between incumbent John Kufuor and long-standing rival John Atta Mills. +1,Nuclear non-proliferation dominates IAEA conference,The 48th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concluded Friday evening with a call for the prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass +3,Airline industry seen losing up to $US4b in 2004,"MONTREAL: The global airline industry stands to incur losses of between $US3 billion ($NZ4.6 billion) and $US4 billion this year as surging oil prices wipe out any hope of profit created by rising passenger traffic, the International Air Transport " +1,"China landslide kills 23, rescue work halted (Reuters)","Reuters - At least 23 people were killed in a landslide which hit a mountain village in southwestern China, where the search for missing people has been halted by fears of further slides, state media reported on Saturday." +4,ATT Cuts Internet Phone Service Prices,"AT amp;T Corp. is trimming the price of its new Internet-based telephone service for the second time in six months, prompting a top rival to follow suit." +4,Symantec releases patching tool,Security company Symantec Corp. plans to announce the release of a patch management product on Monday that it says will enable small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to stay on top of software vulnerabilities. +4,Honor your sysadmin...be quiet,"Did you feel that extra jolt of electricity in the air when you arrived at work today? Yes, it's..." +1,Kashmir peace dialogue resumes in India,India and Pakistan resolved to widen their peace dialogue yesterday as they discussed festering issues including their decades-old dispute over Kashmir. +4,"SIA: Chip sales to hit record, flatten","Semiconductor sales will reach $214 billion this year, a new record high. But next year will be about the same." +2,Trinidad won't let thoughts wander,"Mention Bernard Hopkins, and Felix Trinidad winces. Bring up Oscar De La Hoya or Roy Jones, and Trinidad shakes his head. Back among boxing's biggest names, Trinidad is ending more than two years of retirement " +3,Qwest settles with SEC for $250M,"Qwest Communications International Inc. has agreed to pay $250 million to settle financial and disclosure fraud charges, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday." +3,ConocoPhillips may buy up to 25 of Russia's Lukoil,"US oil major ConocoPhillips is seeking to buy up to 25 percent in Russian oil giant Lukoil to add billions of barrels of reserves to its books, an industry source familiar with the matter said on Friday." +1,Northern Italy Struck By 5.3 Magnitude Earthquake ,"A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck Northern Italy at about midnight, the US Geological Survey said. There were no reports of injuries though there was some structural damage." +1,CBS Says It Can't Vouch for Bush Documents,CBS admitted today that it cannot vouch for the authenticity of documents used to support a story that questioned President Bush's National Guard service. +3,"Coming soon: Toy Story 3, Nemo 2?","Disney president says studio is pushing forward with sequels to popular animated films, Pixar or no. New York (CNN/Money) - The Walt Disney Company is pushing forward with plans to capitalize on the blowout " +3,Insurers Lose $21 Billion from Hurricanes,"including hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne -- contributed to $21.3 billion in insured property loss claims, says actuarial firm ISO." +3,September Retail Sales Up by 1.5 Percent,"Shoppers got their buying groove back last month, propelling sales at the nation's retailers by a strong 1.5 percent. It was the best showing since March." +3,Higher retail sales give markets a nudge,"US stocks advanced overnight as a jump in September retail sales boosted investor confidence in the economy. However, oil prices at a fresh record of $US55 a barrel kept gains in check." +4,Origins Traces Our Original Din,"From the big bang to the search for ET, a new PBS miniseries seeks the meaning of life, the universe and beyond. The show brings together the latest research on ancient frozen moss, far-flung meteors and organisms that live in boiling water. By Jason Silverman." +2,No. 18 Sun Devils Seek to Stop Wildcats ,"AP - Arizona State (8-2 overall, 5-2 Pac-10) is averaging just over 30 points. The Wildcats (2-8, 1-6) are averaging a measly 13 points, ranking them 117th in Division I." +2,Barcelona's Eto o given racial abuse by Getafe fans,Barcelona striker Samuel Eto o was the target of apparent racial abuse from opposition fans during his side's 2-1 victory over Getafe in Madrid on Saturday. +4,Bells Look to Fiber After Regulatory Wins ,"AP - For at least a decade, phone companies have been promising to rewire America with fiber-optic cables. Now, with a romp of regulatory victories in hand, the regional Bells say they're free to make good on that ambitious plan to bring lightning-fast Web and TV services to all the nation's homes." +2,Rams Roll Past Redskins 28-3 ,AP - Torry Holt and the St. Louis Rams finally had something to celebrate. +4,Water quality fails EU standards,"Most rivers, lakes, estuaries and coasts in England and Wales are unlikely to meet new EU rules on water quality, conservationists say." +3,Three little isles,"The ravages of Hurricane Ivan have left their mark on three islands in the Caribbean in very different ways. As people try to pick up the pieces of their lives across the region, there " +1,Nepalese struggle to break rebel hold on capital,"Essential supplies were being ferried into Kathmandu yesterday under the protection of military helicopters, after Maoist rebels cut off Nepal's capital from the rest of the Himalayan kingdom for the fifth day." +2,"Thank you, Astros","The Astros may not have made it to the World Series, but their fans turned out today to cheer for the team that made history and electrified the city by coming out of nowhere to make a dramatic grab for the pennant." +4,Nokia phone adopts handwriting recognition,"Nokia on Tuesday announced it plans to start selling a new smart phone capable of handwriting recognition. The 7710 model features a touch screen, pen input, a digital camera, an Internet browser, a radio, video " +2,Reed's record interception saves Ravens,"With the Cleveland Browns on the verge of forcing overtime, Ravens Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed entered the NFL record book with the longest interception in league history." +3,"UPDATE 1-US top court lets stand Visa, MasterCard ruling",The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a ruling that the Visa and MasterCard credit card associations violated federal antitrust law by barring their member banks from issuing credit and charge cards on the rival networks of +1,Afghan Leader's Running Mate Survives Taliban Attack, KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai's running mate for Saturday's historic presidential poll escaped unhurt on Wednesday when a bomb set off by Taliban guerrillas narrowly missed his car as he headed for an election meeting. +1,"Turn on the charm if you want to woo Europeans, Turkey told","TURKEY must do more to overcome popular hostility in the West, it was told yesterday, as Europes leaders met to take the historic decision to open talks on its membership of the European Union in October next year." +4,Google tests short message service,There's no doubt the Internet will continue to make its mark in the world of business and technology. Its maintained is position for the past year. +4,Longhorn cuts delay Microsoft Business Framework,"By cutting WinFS from Longhorn and indefinitely delaying the storage system, Microsoft Corp. has also again delayed the Microsoft Business Framework (MBF), a new Windows programming layer that is closely tied to WinFS." +4,NASA head steps down,"Since June 2003, NASA has been investigating the possibility of using a robotic spacecraft to service Hubble. Such a mission would not put the lives of astronauts in jeopardy." +1,"Hut by Hut, AIDS Steals Life in a Southern Africa Town","What happens to a society when its fulcrum - its mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses, farm workers - die in their prime?" +1,Pakistani militants abduct two Chinese,Pakistan security forces searched for two Chinese engineers and their Pakistani guard who were kidnapped Saturday in a tribal area near Afghanistan. +2,Wrexham Handed Two-Week Stay of Execution,"Wrexham have been given a stay of execution after the High Court granted the club more time to solve their financial problems. However, the Coca-Cola League Two outfit have been given just two weeks to sort out the crisis or face a winding-up order." +2,Ogunleye Remains Idled in Contract Talks ,"AP - Idled by a stalemate in contract negotiations, Pro Bowl defensive end Adewale Ogunleye can only wonder where he'll be come September." +3,Congress Probes FDA in Vioxx Case,Congress is looking into whether the Food and Drug Administration ignored safety concerns about the drug raised by its own reviewers and outside scientists. +3,Dexia Says It's in Talks With Italy's Sanpaolo IMI ,"Dexia SA, Belgium's second-largest financial-services company, is in discussions about a potential partnership with Sanpaolo IMI SpA, Italy's No." +1,Sermon urges unity for island," quot;BE not dismayed, quot; sang the Pitcairn Islanders, all wearing their best clothes, in a white, wooden church high above Bounty Bay." +4,Toyota: Some security firms promise too much,"The head of information security at Toyota spoke candidly this week to an audience of press, analysts and IT bosses about his concerns over claims made by some security vendors and resellers." +4,How Geographic's New Atlas Reflects a Changed World,"Some 17,000 changes have been made since the previous edition of the <I>National Geographic Atlas of the World.</I> Chief Cartographer Allen Carroll tells what's involved in tracking the changing world." +4,News: Visa scammers hit UK phones,Credit card fraudsters are trying to fleece UK punters by tricking them into revealing card security information over the phone. +2,Chelsea makes League's last 16,ROMAN Abramovich's face was wreathed in smiles yesterday and he had every reason as the billionaire owner of Premiership side Chelsea saw his team book its place in the last 16 of +2,Report Says Florida to Fire Zook,University of Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley will hold a news conference this afternoon regarding the future of third-year coach Ron Zook. +1,New polls show Australian government neck and neck with opposition ,AFP - Two new polls showed Australia's conservative government and Labor opposition neck and neck after the first week of campaigning for the October 9 election. +2,Brazilian racer to be honored Pierre de Coubertin Medal,"The International Olympic Committee has announced that Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil, will be presented with a sportsmanship medal. The International Olympic Committee has announced " +3,Investcorp to buy Thomson Media for $350M,"NEW YORK -- Investcorp SA, a private investment firm, has inked a $350 million all-cash deal to buy 54 business publications put on the block by The Thomson Corp." +3,Depression-Drug Suicide Debate Returns to a Boil,Two federal advisory panels meet Monday and Tuesday to discuss how to balance growing concerns that antidepressants may increase the risk of adolescent suicide vs. +1,Africa ; France airlifts evacuees from Ivory Coast,"Africa News, France on Monday was shutting down one of the largest evacuations in post-independence Africa - a five-day airlift that flew more than five thousand Westerners and others out of Ivory Coast." +2,No. 9 Ohio St. Edges Marshall 24-21 on FG ,AP - Ohio State still has that last-minute magic. Mike Nugent's 55-yard field goal as time expired gave the ninth-ranked Buckeyes a 24-21 victory over Marshall on Saturday. +1,Alabama Congressional Candidate Injured ,"AP - A congressional candidate's antebellum home burned down early Friday, and he broke his knee jumping from the second floor." +3,Greenspan: US Can Weather Oil Cost Rise,"Record oil prices are unlikely to inflict the economic pain they did in the 1970s, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Friday, adding that he thought the world could adjust to higher-priced oil." +4,HP Spurns Intel,"Add a chapter to the sad tale of Intel's (Nasdaq: INTC) sorry 2004. Today, longtime partner HP (NYSE: HPQ) admitted it would be dropping the beleaguered, 64-bit Itanium chip from its workstation lineup." +3,Krispy Kreme results have holes,Krispy Kreme's quarterly results fell sharply for the third consecutive quarter as sluggish sales and an intensifying government investigation raised concerns yesterday about whether the glaze was permanently off the once-hot pastry maker. +2,"Astros to Pitch Backe, Munro Vs. Cards ","AP - In Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt, the Houston Astros have one of the best pitching tandems in all of baseball. Only one problem going into the NL championship series: With no time to rest, those guys have been aced out of starting the first two games against the St. Louis Cardinals." +3,Bears drive at $55?,Stocks set to start the new week lower as oil futures set yet another record. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The continued upward push of oil prices is likely to send stock prices lower when US markets begin trading Monday. +4,IE Flaw Affects Windows XP SP2 Systems,"The quot;highly criticial quot; vulnerability affects Internet Explorer 5.01, 5.5, and 6 on fully patched PCs running either Windows XP SP1 or the newer SP2. " +4,Better Health Through Play,"Health care experts are convinced that games can help people get and stay well, but they don't agree on what's the best approach. By Noah Shachtman." +2,"Agassi, Federer, Move Into Quarterfinals at US Open ","Two-time champion Andre Agassi beat Armenia's Sargis Sargsian to advance at the US Open and set up a quarterfinal meeting with men's top seed Roger Federer, who reached the round after his opponent withdrew with an injury." +1,Burundi peace poll postponed,"Elections in Burundi, scheduled under a peace accord to take place by 1 November, are postponed." +2,Eberharter Retires,_ Four-time Olympic medalist Stephan Eberharter is retiring from competitive skiing after 16 years on the World Cup circuit. The 35-year-old Austrian was the runner-up in last season's overall World Cup standings. +1,Coalition presses the fear button,The divisions rending Australia in the general election campaign hardened yesterday as Prime Minister John Howard slipped out through a rear entrance to avoid hundreds of chanting protesters picketing Brisbane's City Hall. +1,Dollar losing streak continues as euro hits new highs ,"AFP - The dollar tumbled to new all-time lows against the euro, a 12-year nadir against sterling and a near five-year trough against the yen, buckling under the weight of the US twin deficits." +4,World 'will act on climate gases',"International action on climate change will eventually come, a leading UK environmental thinker says." +4,Google launches UK Froogle shopping site,"Internet search firm Google has launched its Froogle price comparison Web site in Britain, expanding the company's e-commerce business and putting it head to head with partners such as Kelkoo." +3,Marsh to Scrap Fees Spitzer Faulted," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marsh McLennan Cos. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MMC.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MMC.N</A>, the world's largest insurance broker, said on Tuesday it would reform its business practices and stop accepting fees at the center of an investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer into bid rigging." +2,Tiger Woods Opens Calif. Education Center ,"AP - Tiger Woods says the primary goal of his youth education center is to help students improve their grades, not master their golf strokes." +2,"Miserable conditions, another happy ending","FOXBOROUGH -- Does everyone in these here parts truly appreciate what's going on here? I mean, if football is your game, do you understand that you have hit the lottery? Stop worrying about whether the Patriots will win a third Super Bowl on the evening of Feb. 6, 2005. There are too many variables involved to start worrying about that. ..." +3,Teck Cominco asks US court to dismiss lawsuit,"Canadian mining company Teck Cominco Ltd. asked a US court yesterday to dismiss a lawsuit filed against it by a US native group whose land borders Lake Roosevelt, just over the border in Washington state." +3,"Allied Waste cuts forecast, again",Allied Waste Industries Inc. cut its 2004 earnings forecast for the second time in three months Tuesday saying sales growth was coming from lower-margin businesses instead of the more profitable landfill operation. +3,Microsoft Shareholders OK 32 Bln Payout (Reuters),"Reuters - Microsoft Corp. \shareholders cleared the way on Tuesday for the world's largest\software maker to pay out the largest corporate dividend ever\next month and welcomed news of a blockbuster first day of\sales for its video game ""Halo 2.""" +2,New deal for Wenger as Arsenal hit the jackpot,"Arsne Wenger celebrated Arsenal's massive 100 million sponsorship deal yesterday by declaring that he expects to sign a new contract this week, committing himself to the Premiership champions until at least 2008." +3,All Business: Corporate pension crisis still looming,"NEW YORK - The corporate pension crisis seems to be going from bad to worse. First, companies struggled to come up with the money to cover their benefit obligations, and now they want to ditch their plans altogether." +2,Robiskie Picks Up Interim Tag Once Again,"Terry Robiskie is growing accustomed to inheriting someone else's team and someone else's problems late in a wildly disappointing season, with little or no hope of turning things around and virtually " +4,Technology Firms Find Tougher Terrain,"Entrepreneurs and start-ups emerging today find themselves in an environment different from that during the dot-com boom. <br><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-Ellen McCarthy</B></FONT>" +3,Enron Inquiry Turns to Sales by Lay's Wife,"Federal prosecutors are investigating whether the wife of Enrons former chairman, Kenneth Lay, engaged in insider trading just before the company collapsed, people involved in the case said." +1,Australian PM's anti-immigration rhetoric softens as Asian vote beckons ,"AFP - Prime Minister John Howard's former rhetoric against illegal immigration has gone deafeningly quiet in Australia's election campaign, analysts say, not least because he needs Asian votes to win his own seat." +3,Trump Hotels to Seek Bankruptcy in Deal With Holders ,Donald Trump's Trump Hotels amp; Casino Resorts Inc. said it will seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of an agreement with bondholders to reduce debt by $400 million. +3,Should you jump to satellite radio with Howard Stern?,"WEST PALM BEACH, Fla - Shock jock Howard Stern is dumping traditional radio for satellite. Should you? The question is on millions of listeners minds after Stern stunned the radio world this week by announcing " +1,Iraq Disk Prompted Warning to Schools,The FBI advised officials in as many as eight cities last month to tighten security after U.S. soldiers in Iraq seized computer disks containing information about those towns' school systems. +1,China's gross value of import and export reaches US$ 623.1 bln,"During the first seven months this years China has further opened to the outside world, says Ma Kai, Director of the State Development Planning Commission." +4,Scientists Find Arctic Warming Quickly ,"AP - Scientists say changes in the earth's climate from human influences are occurring particularly intensely in the Arctic region, evidenced by widespread melting of glaciers, thinning sea ice and rising permafrost temperatures." +1,Vampire-Style Killer Found Dead in Prison ,"AP - A Scottish man convicted of murdering his best friend, whose blood he said he drank in an effort to gain immortality, was found dead Tuesday in his prison, officials said." +2,"Bad night, Vienna: England suffer from James calamity",Flattery and deception are becoming England's stock-in-trade. They managed to open a two-goal lead over Austria despite lacking inspiration but then conceded two goals in two minutes midway through the second +3,Thomson Corp. to buy e-learning company KnowledgeNet,"The Thomson Corp. of Stamford, Conn., will acquire KnowledgeNet Inc., a privately held live e-learning company, and merge it with its enterprise learning business, Thomson NETg." +2,Wolfsburg jumps to fourth by beating Bielefeld,Wolfsburg crushed Arminia Bielefeld 5-0 and jumped to fourth place in Sunday's final Bundesliga round before the winter break. +2,Mr Soccer loses fight,"WHEN FIFA president Sepp Blatter embraced Johnny Warren and presented him with the Centennial Medal of Honour in Sydney in July, it was a touching moment." +1,Oil prices dip back below 50 dollars as tensions ease in Nigeria ,"AFP - Oil prices slid below the psychologically critical 50 dollar a barrel mark as tensions eased in Nigeria's southern oil heartland, where a rebel group fighting for control of the country's key resource said it had surrendered its weapons." +2,Top 10 in AP Women's Poll Stays Same ,"AP - From LSU at No. 1 to Ohio State at No. 10, The AP women's basketball poll had no changes Monday." +1,Italy looks for Arab support to free hostages in Iraq,ROME : A top Italian official leaves for the Middle East to seek the help of Arab countries to secure the release of two female Italian aid workers taken hostage in Iraq. +3,Top 10 Portfolio Pitfalls,"Whatever problems you encounter in your own portfolio, you're not alone. Plenty of other investors trip over the same stumbling blocks." +2,Dodgers Defeat Padres 6-3 ,"AP - Jose Lima pitched into the seventh inning, Jayson Werth homered for the third game in a row and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 6-3 Tuesday night." +1,Reserve Chief Says Force Not Properly Prepared to Fight War on Terror,Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly warned that the Army faced a serious risk of running out of crucial specialists in the reserves who can be involuntarily called up for active duty. +3,Air NZ tipped to raise fuel surcharge,"Air New Zealand will most likely announce an increase in its jet fuel surcharges within days because of the relentless climb in oil prices, the carrier's chief executive, Ralph Norris, has said." +3,Georgia crematory operator pleads guilty to dumping more than 300 ,Former crematory operator Ray Brent Marsh pleaded guilty Friday to dumping 334 bodies and giving the families of the deceased cement dust instead of ashes. +3,Chirac optimistic despite depressing economic data,PARIS: French President Jacques Chirac said yesterday he remained optimistic on the outlook for the economy despite data last week showing growth at just 0.1 per cent in the third quarter this year. +3,America's Car-Mart's Diversity,The used-car retailer stabilizes results with an all-in-one strategy. +1,Karzai Win a Formality as Last Afghan Votes Counted (Reuters),"Reuters - With victory all but a formality in\Afghanistan's historic presidential election, Hamid Karzai\waited on Tuesday for the final votes to be counted to confirm\his win." +4,Expedition to Probe Gulf of Mexico ,"AP - Scientists will use advanced technology never before deployed beneath the sea as they try to discover new creatures, behaviors and phenomena in a 10-day expedition to the Gulf of Mexico's deepest reaches." +2,"With Yankees Slain, 'Miracle' Sox Eye Bigger Demon"," BOSTON (Reuters) - ""Miracle Workers."" So proclaimed The Boston Globe on Thursday after the Red Sox -- baseball's perennial also-rans -- finally brought down the ""Evil Empire,"" taking a giant step toward their first World Series title in 86 years by ousting the New York Yankees in dramatic fashion." +2,Phelps's dreams meet not-so-bad realities,"ATHENS Imagine, just for the length of a breezy, sun-kissed summer evening in Athens, that you had not heard a word about Michael Phelps before these Olympics began. That you knew nothing about his childhood in Baltimore; the failed Olympic dreams of his ..." +4,Intel Heralds Dual-Core Pentium M,"SAN FRANCISCO -- Intel continued its charge into its wireless future with news of its next generation Pentium M processor. Based on the 65-nanometer process technology, Intel is working on its quot;Napa quot; platform " +3,South Korea ready to act in case of speculative attack on won: official ,AFP - South Korea's top economic official says the government would not sit idle in case of a speculative attack on the country's currency. +1,AFGHAN PRESIDENT TAKES ON TALIBAN,AFGHANISTAN's first democratically elected president was sworn in yesterday - vowing to crack down on drug traffickers and the last of the Taliban. +4,iTunes sales reach 150 million,"Apple has sold over 150 million songs through its iTunes Music Store, the company announced last night. iTunes users are now downloading more than 4 million songs per week, a rate of over 200 million songs per year." +2,Sloppy Pack still has enough to remain unbeaten,"RALEIGH The performance by the NC State men's basketball team was the type that would leave training tables, Gatorade coolers and coaches shirt collars in disarray in the postgame locker room." +1,Head of the Chiefs Plays Second Fiddle,"Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers pays a visit to troops in Iraq, but model Leeann Tweeden steals the show." +1,Al-Sadr Loyalists Turning in Weapons,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr trickled in to police stations in Baghdad's Sadr City district to hand in weapons Monday in a first step toward bringing peace to the Shiite militant stronghold after weeks of fighting with U.S. forces..." +3,US economic barometer points to sluggish trend,"WASHINGTON : A closely watched index of future economic activity fell for a third straight month, suggesting a tepid pace of growth for the world's largest economy, analysts said." +1,Ivan Leaves Long Trail of Damage Along Gulf,"Although downgraded to a tropical storm, Ivan is still churning a deadly path north leaving a death toll of 75, including 38 in the United States." +4,"Oversight on Bioengineered Crops Is Poor, Report Says"," Federal oversight of crops genetically engineered to produce medications in their seeds and leaves is inadequate to prevent unwanted contamination of food crops, according to an analysis released yesterday by a scientific advocacy group. As a result, the report concludes, consumers are at risk of inadvertently dosing themselves with prescription drugs while eating a morning bowl of cereal." +3,Biomira Shares Skyrocket on Promising Data,"Shares of biotech company Biomira Inc. soared as it and a development partner, German drug maker Merck KGaA, reported Friday that the median survival in a study involving a lung cancer vaccine has yet to be reached after 23 months in a subset of patients." +4,The phone that knows you better than you do,"If you thought predictive texting was impressive, you ain't seen nothing yet. A cellphone is on the way that can predict what you are about to do." +4,New York Times,"Microsoft has rolled out its long-planned response to Google and Yahoo in the Internet search industry, but with an uncharacteristically soft-sell approach." +2,Kasper joins Brenly in booth,"CHICAGO -- Len Kasper is the new voice of the Chicago Cubs, replacing Chip Caray in the team's all-new TV booth. Kasper leaves the Florida Marlins to become WGN TV's play-by-play announcer for the Cubs, joining " +1,Train Crash Driver Had Two Or Three Seconds to Stop ,"The driver of the train which smashed into a car on a level crossing, killing seven people and injuring dozens of passengers, had just two or three seconds to brake " +4,Tape of Bigley's assassination posted on website,"A videotape of the beheading of British hostage Kenneth Bigley appeared Sunday on an Islamist website, showing the civil engineer pleading that he wanted quot;to live a simple life quot; moments before he was decapitated." +2,Olympic star Phelps right back at it,"Michael Phelps will attempt a racing schedule nearly as ambitious as what he did at the Olympics. But this time he won't be swimming as far. Six weeks after winning six gold medals and two bronzes in Athens, the 19-year-old will swim six events in a 25-meter pool at the World Short Course Championships that begin today in Indianapolis. Phelps ..." +3,Moto Touts PTT Upgrade,"SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT - message board) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Nextel Communications Inc." +4,Two records in one day for SGI supercomputer,"The public record has been eclipsed by a faster result yet to be announced, CNET News.com has learned." +4,New Crew Arrives at the Space Station,"A Soyuz spacecraft with a replacement crew for the International Space Station docked with the orbiting complex early on Saturday, becoming its fresh lifeboat." +2,"Players not greedy, Goodenow tells fans"," quot;Please solve this because I don't want to be watching Trading Places on Saturday night. quot;. That was from David Whittle, a hockey fan out of Hamilton, adding a personal touch of levity - and we think he meant " +3,"Bank of America to cut 4,500 jobs beginning this month","CHARLOTTE, NC - Bank of America said Thursday it will cut about 4,500 jobs beginning this month as a result of its merger with FleetBoston Financial Corp." +4,Boston's Beth Israel to pilot PanGo's asset tracking technology,"When the asset-tracking project goes live on Oct. 1, the hospital expects to be able to better track patients, clinicians and critical equipment." +1,Thatcher to go it alone,"MARK Thatcher's wife, Diane, is planning to begin a new life in the US and leave her husband to face the coup scandal alone in South Africa." +2,Hendrick plane crashes en route to NASCAR race,"Hendrick Motorsports NASCAR victory celebration was cut short with word that one of the organization's planes had crashed on its way to the race, killing all 10 people on board." +4,Microsoft to add rivalry to Google on search service,The US software giant Microsoft said it would launch its Internet search service on Thursday amid the fierce competition with rival Google. +2,Winning Iraqi Soccer Team Rare Cause for Joy," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - When Iraq's Olympic soccer side beat Costa Rica nine days ago en route to their semi-final clash with Paraguay later on Tuesday, Hussein Allawi jumped so high with joy he cut his hand in the ceiling fan." +4,Gates and Ballmer the most spammed in the world,THE KING of Microsoft his Excellency Williams Gates and his silent voodoo doll Steve Ballmer are claiming to be the world's most spammed men. +1,Saudi forces thwart protest march,"Saudi security forces thwarted planned protest marches in the kingdom's two main cities on Thursday, deploying in force in the capital Riyadh and arresting at least a dozen people in the Red Sea port of Jeddah." +2,Athletics: Russian flies high for gold,ATHENS - Russian Yelena Slesarenko deprived Hestrie Cloete of the high jump gold medal by soaring to the title with a display bordering on perfection. +4,"Broadcom, Agere Settle Suit",Irvine-based Broadcom (www.broadcom.com) said yesterday that it has settled all of the company's outstanding litigation with Agere Systems. +4,Browsers: Choice Is Yours,"The browser market lives, and IT executives should be open-minded about using Firefox and other alternatives. The browser market lives." +4,New Vaginal Gel May Protect Women From HIV,"By LAURAN NEERGAARD WASHINGTON -- A chemical specially designed to thwart how the AIDS virus invades during sex offers scientists a new lead in the long quest for a vaginal gel that women could apply to protect themselves when men don't use a condom. The experimental drug isn't ready for human testing yet, but it provided potent protection to female monkeys exposed to large amounts of an AIDS virus, researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science..." +1,"Quebec should boost hydro capacity to enhance exports, says Charest (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - Quebec should use its plentiful hydroelectric capacity as an economic development tool, just as Alberta has done with oil, Premier Jean Charest said Sunday." +1,"Arafat's Condition Critical, Leaders Urge Unity", PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat lay in critical condition in a French hospital on Saturday and Hamas militants in Gaza said there was an urgent need for unity among Palestinian leaders. +3,Blair to back 'optimistic' Brown,"Tony Blair is set to back Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report, amid concern over some of its forecasts." +3,Ispat to create world's largest steelmaker,"Ispat International, the steel producer controlled by the Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, today announced it had agreed to buy LNM Holdings and International Steel Group in " +4,Yahoo! Doesn't Get It,"If you can't beat em, join em, or so they say. Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) plans to double the storage capacity that comes with its free email product, though one might wonder why it didn't just go ahead, pull " +4,First Look: Roku's Sleek Audio Streamer,"SoundBridge M2000 eloquently frees your digital tunes from the PC, but it's pricey." +4,Microsoft Extends Overture Deal to 2006,Microsoft and Yahoo agreed to a one-year extension of MSN's deal to show Overture Services paid listings on its Web sites. +2,"No Artest, no problem","No matter who's hurt, no matter who's suspended, no matter who plays, it doesn't seem to matter. The shorthanded Indiana Pacers won their fourth game without a loss Tuesday, in their most difficult game." +1,Bali bombing victims remembered,"Mourners in Indonesia, Australia and around the world have been remembering those who died in the Bali nightclub bombings exactly two years ago." +4,"Apple Intros iPod Photo, iPod U2, and Euro iTMS",Apple last week fulfilled the wish of every Internet discussion-forum enthusiast who's longed for the capability to view photos on a tiny color screen. +3,Treasuries Inch Up on Slower Growth," CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury prices inched up on Friday as improved consumer sentiment failed to overshadow slower second-quarter growth, while flight-to-safety buying emerged before next week's Republican convention in New York." +2,Quick start works for Welch,"If yesterday's MSTCA Invitational at Franklin Park was a warmup for next week's Eastern Massachusetts championships, then Haverhill's Jefferson Welch should consider himself ready." +3,"Congress to Hear Fannie Mae CEO, CFO"," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executive and chief financial officer of mortgage finance company Fannie Mae <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=FNM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">FNM.N</A>, under fire for alleged accounting irregularities, will appear before a congressional panel next week, a company spokesman said on Wednesday." +3,BAE turns its sights on US,BAE Systems has launched a search for a senior American businessman to become a non-executive director. The high-profile appointment is designed to strengthen the board at a time when the defence giant is +3,Oil at 5-Week Low as Supply Fears Ease,"Oil slid to a five-week low on Friday, continuing a fund-led selling spree that has knocked 12 percent from last week's record highs as rising stockpiles have eased worries of a winter supply crunch." +4,Google buys map provider Keyhole,"Internet search company Google Inc. has acquired Keyhole Corp., a supplier of online satellite maps that allow users to zoom down to street level to specific locations, Google said Wednesday." +1,Indonesian polls point to change,"Election-eve opinion polls in Indonesia suggest the country is headed for a change of president. Ahead of Monday's vote, incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri is well behind her former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, polls suggest." +3,Siebel Systems Posts Profit," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software maker Siebel Systems Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SEBL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">SEBL.O</A> on Wednesday reported a quarterly profit, after a year-earlier net loss, helped by sales of new software." +1,Straw to urge Sudan to end Darfur crisis and reach settlement with ,Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flies to Sudan on Monday to press the government to end the humanitarian crisis engulfing the western region of Darfur. +3,Cable's Rivals Lure Customers With Packages,"For years, consumers who wanted to cut the cord with their cable company found that getting television and high-speed Internet service often meant the inconvenience of finding two new providers." +3,Salvation Army Facing Uphill Battle This Holiday Season,"Louisville rings in the Christmas season with a 120-year tradition. The Salvation Army kicked off its kettle and bell ringing campaign Friday, called quot;Keep the Tradition Alive." +3,SP raises outlook on Ingersoll-Rand,"Standard amp; Poor's on Thursday raised its outlook on Ingersoll-Rand Co. to quot;positive quot; from quot;stable, quot; citing the proposed sale of its Dresser-Rand business unit." +1,U.S. Men Qualify for Final in Shot Put,"ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece - Two U.S. men advanced to the final of the shot put Wednesday, hoping to make even more history at the ancient site that gave birth to the Olympics 2,780 years ago..." +4,Computer analysis shows scientists could reconstruct the genome of ,"Contrary to the movie Jurassic Park, in which scientists recreate dinosaurs from ancient DNA, genetic material more than about 50 thousand years old cannot be reliably recovered." +4,Solar Minimum is Coming,"Something strange happened on the sun last week: all the sunspots vanished. This is a sign, say forecasters, that solar minimum is coming sooner than expected." +1,Edwards Addresses Black Caucus in D.C. ,"AP - The nation has faced innumerable challenges in its history #151; social, medical and political #151; but the American spirit always bounces back, Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards said Saturday." +2,Ernie rids himself of demons,Kilkenny - World number two Ernie Els and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn have finally rid themselves of the golfing demons that threatened to derail their careers. +3,Deal Creates World's Largest Steel Producer,"Mittal Steel, the new company to be formed by a merger of British billionaire Lakshmi Mittal's considerable steel holdings with the International Steel Group, will ship about 57 million tons " +1,Top General Eases Stance on Intelligence Bill,Gen. Richard B. Myers said that his concerns about the intelligence-overhaul bill had been resolved in the final version. +1,Allies at IAEA Meeting Reject US Stand on Iran,The Bush administration failed on Friday to persuade its closest allies and other members of the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase diplomatic pressure on Iran +4,Adobe does document security,Electronic document giant Adobe Systems said that it was partnering with digital certificate company GeoTrust to provide technology that will allow documents that use Adobe's popular PDF (Portable Document Format) to be digitally certified. +4,"Mmo2, Lucent to deploy converged fixed-mobile network on Isle of ","UK mobile operator Mmo2 and US telecoms equipment maker Lucent Technologies are to deploy a converged fixed-mobile network for Mmo2's subsidiary, Manx Telecom, on the Isle of Man." +2,AL Wrap: Santana Solid on Mound as Twins Beat Yankees,"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johan Santana pitched seven strong innings to win his fifth straight start and Shannon Stewart homered, had three hits and two RBI to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 7-2 home win over the New York Yankees. " +4,US FCC May Back Some Phone Network Sharing-Sources," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Competitive telephone carriers could still serve small and medium-sized businesses by cheaply leasing the big local telephone networks under rules being drafted by U.S. communications regulators, sources familiar with the matter said this week." +2,"Langer eyes double, Australia to push for 400",Justin Langer will be aiming for another Test double century when play begins on day two of the first Test against Pakistan at the WACA ground in Perth. +3,WSJ: Gap to test new stores that target boomer women,UNDATED Gap may be looking at opening its first new retail chain in a decade. A published report says the San Francisco-based retailer is preparing to test specialty clothing stores aimed at women over 35. +4,Dust Might,"The Loch Rannoch oil tanker isn't exactly the place you'd expect to find cutting-edge computer technology. But the 850,000-ton ship owned by British Petroleum is home to an experiment in preventing critical breakdowns before they happen." +3,Google shares could start trading Wednesday,"MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF. - Google?s initial public offering could hit the Nasdaq Stock Market as early as Wednesday if US securities regulators let the Internet search engine close its auction on Tuesday. " +1,Olympian women escape the age barrier ,"AFP - The older the violin, the sweeter the music. And the Athens Olympics is proving the lyrics right as Martina Navratilova, Merlene Ottey and company are demonstrating the endurance of women with middle-aged ladies defying perceptions about age and competition in nearly every sport." +2,Northwestern 13 (17) Purdue 10,"EVANSTON, Ill. Noah Herron's three-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds left pushed Northwestern past 17th-ranked Purdue 13-to-10." +1,Japan still shaking from earthquakes,"OJIYA, Japan -- Strong aftershocks rocked northern Japan today after a barrage of powerful quakes jolted the region yesterday, killing at least 14 people and toppling buildings." +3,Conoco Wins $2 Bln Russian LUKOIL Stake, MOSCOW (Reuters) - ConocoPhillips said on Wednesday it was seeking 20 percent of Russia's LUKOIL in a far-reaching alliance that opens the way for the oil majors to tap vast reserves in northern Russia and Iraq. +1,AP: Yushchenko Sure Gov't Poisoned Him,"Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko speaks to members of the media during a press conference in Kiev, in this Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 file photo." +1,House Defeats Gay Marriage Ban Amendment,"WASHINGTON - The House followed the Senate in decisively rejecting a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, ending for this year debate on what has become the dominant issue for the Republican Party's conservative base. The 227-186 vote in the House Thursday was well short of the two-thirds majority needed to advance a constitutional amendment, but fulfilled a promise by backers to get lawmakers on the record on the highly sensitive issue in the run-up to Election Day..." +2,Diminishing Returns,"Delaware State scores on a 73-yard punt return and a 25-yard interception return and defeats Howard, 32-13, Saturday at Greene Stadium." +3,Wal-Mart confirms near-term outlook,"Retailing titan expects same-store sales to increase by 2 to 4 in November, heading into holidays. CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc." +3,The man who shaped the Federal Reserve,"At a time when the Federal Reserve chairman has rock star status, it's hard to imagine the world's greatest central bank as an obscure federal agency struggling for its independence." +1,"Britain will not back Iran war, says Straw","Britain will not back military action against Iran if President George W Bush decides to confront Tehran in his second White House term, Jack Straw has said." +1,Rebel Chief: Sudan Hides Gov't Fighters ,"AP - Sudanese authorities have moved hundreds of pro-government fighters from the crisis-torn Darfur region to other parts of the country to keep them out of sight of foreign military observers demanding the militia's disarmament, a rebel leader charged Thursday." +2,"Els closes with 69, edges Bjorn to win WGC title","The pressure to win made Ernie Els feel like he was in a major. Given all he has been through this year, his victory in the American Express Championship sure felt like one." +4,"Apple adds $1,499 1.8 GHz model to 64-bit Power Mac G5 line","Apple today added a 1.8 GHz single processor Power Mac G5 desktop priced at just $1,499 to its revolutionary 64-bit Power Mac G5 line, making the entry price even more affordable." +3,Limited Brands Boosts 3Q Guidance,Limited Brands Inc. on Monday raised third-quarter earnings guidance and increased the purchase price in its $2 billion stock buyback. +2,John Hall Returns As Redskins Kicker ,AP - Washington Redskins kicker John Hall will be back in uniform Sunday after missing five games with a groin injury. +1,Top al-Qaida man dies of heart attack,"The alleged top al-Qaida operative in Lebanon, who was arrested 10 days ago after authorities uncovered a plot to bomb embassies of Italy and Ukraine, and kill diplomats, died of a heart attack Monday, hospital officials and the Interior Ministry said." +2,Bonds Said Unknowingly Used BALCO Supplements," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds told a grand jury last year that he unknowingly used substances at the heart of the BALCO steroid scandal, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Friday." +4,Word mangled by unpatched security hole,A highly critical and unpatched security hole in Microsoft's ubiquitous Word software could be used to launch a denial of service attack and give system access. +2,Trail Blazers Snap Warriors' Win Streak ,AP - Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 97-88 come-from-behind victory Saturday night over Golden State that snapped the Warriors' four-game winning streak. +2,"Once unwanted by ACC, Hokies earned vindication","BLACKSBURG The ACC didn't want these guys. Didn't want them in 1953, didn't want them two springs ago, didn't want them if even they said pretty please with a Hokie Bird on top." +4,Another Patch Job From Microsoft,"The latest vulnerability to plague the world's largest software maker is a doozy, affecting its Windows operating system as well as its Office and developer tools programs. Microsoft says its patch plugs the leak." +4,Teenager charged over Sasser worm,"The German teenager who allegedly wrote the Sasser and Netsky computer worms has been charged. Sven Jaschan, now 18, was arrested in May this year at his parents home in Waffensen, North Germany." +3,Rite Aid Lowers 2005 Financial Projections,"Rite Aid and other pharmacies are losing sales because many large healthcare companies have raised their rates by up to $125 a month recently, and they refuse to fill some drug orders unless an illness is considered life-threatening." +2,Pacers circle wagons,"In the aftermath of the Friday night fight between the Pacers, the Pistons, and raucous fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle borrowed a phrase from Winston Churchill, saying, quot;the imagination is baffled by the facts. quot; During a pair of news conferences at Conseco Fieldhouse yesterday that addressed the unprecedented NBA penalties levied against ..." +3,UPDATE 1-China has strong reservations about yuan move-IMF,"China had quot;strong reservations quot; about floating its yuan currency (CNY=: Quote, Profile, Research) , according to International Monetary Fund documents from July that were released on Friday." +3, Gambro to Pay $350M to Settle Fraud Case,"The nation's third-largest operator of renal-dialysis clinics has agreed to pay the federal government $350 million to settle civil and criminal charges that it defrauded Medicare, a US attorney said Thursday." +2,Knicks: Isiah decides to put Houston's return on hold,"Allan Houston's comeback was put off one more time yesterday, when the Knicks shooting guard announced he will not be activated for tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies " +1,Courtney Love Sued by LA Travel Agency,"SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Rocker Courtney Love was sued Thursday by a travel agency that claims she ordered nearly $50,000 in airline tickets, but wouldn't pay..." +1,Iran: Isolation or Engagement?,"Iran claims that it can produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear weapon within a year. According to Undersecretary of State John Bolton, quot;We cannot let Iran, a leading sponsor " +3,Abercrombie Fitch Lawsuit Said Settled ,AP - Both sides in an employment discrimination suit against Abercrombie amp; Fitch Co. reported agreeing to a multimillion dollar deal that would settle accusations the clothing retailer promoted whites at the expense of minorities. +2,"Trinidad returns as requested, will face Mayorga","For the last two-plus years, Felix quot;Tito quot; Trinidad did as he pleased. He spent time with his wife and children. He ate very well, rode his horses and went to cockfights and boxing matches with his friends." +1,Leaders brief parties on talks,Some of Northern Ireland's political leaders are to brief party members after talks to restore devolved government ended without a deal. +1,Blair faces Labour wrath over Iraq,"Prime Minister Tony Blair was set to face the anger of rank and file members of his Labour Party over the Iraq war on Thursday, as party officials tried to head off a motion calling for British troops to quit the country." +1,Opposition Leader Urges Region Pressure on Mugabe (Reuters),Reuters - Zimbabwe's main opposition leader\Morgan Tsvangirai urged southern African countries on Tuesday\to put pressure on President Robert Mugabe to conduct free and\fair parliamentary elections in March. +2,DANGER AHEAD,"AFTER what seemed like the longest time, Arsenal have finally cleared the jam and got their cannons firing again. As the annals of Highbury history would record it, t was the nightmare before " +3,UPDATE 2-Fannie Mae estimates profit fell 9 percent,"US mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae (FNM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday estimated its third-quarter profit fell 9 percent, but delayed formally reporting " +2,Oates: Favre delivers on hype,"GREEN BAY - It was clear from the non-stop Brett Favre hype that aired on ABC and its little brother, ESPN, all weekend the television network had pulled some strings with the NFL to get Favre's 200th consecutive start on quot;ABC's Monday Night Football." +4,"Good Technology supported by HP, Samsung",The company announces a new version of its wireless messaging and data access software. +2,Schwartzel has a very bright future,"He is so young and so good that the mere sight of him hitting a golf ball might be enough to induce an older player to give up, go into a dark room and babble quietly to himself." +2,Comeback not enough,"To say the Sixers had trouble scoring in the first quarter Thursday is like saying a fish has trouble surviving out of water. Of their first 16 shots, the Sixers missed exactly 16." +3,Court asked to lift bar on interstate wine sales,"Seventy-one years after the repeal of Prohibition, the US Supreme Court was told yesterday that the constitutional amendment that ended the quot;noble " +2,Bengals outscore Browns,CINCINNATI -- Kelly Holcomb threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns -- and lost. Strange? Not as strange as those other numbers glowing on the scoreboard as Holcomb trudged off the field with his head down and more misery ahead. +4,Intel Updates Itanium,Intel Corp. is adding to its current Itanium 2 processor line with six new processors that the company says deliver performance increases of 15 percent for database transaction processing and up to 35 percent +3,More options for bank cards,"and yes, more pitches in the mail - now that the US Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that allows banks to offer credit cards from issuers such as American Express and Discover Card." +2,Seattle brothers held in killing Idaho football player,"MOSCOW, Idaho Two brothers from Seattle are jailed in Colfax as authorities investigate the fatal shooting of a University of Idaho football player in Moscow." +1,Top Iraq official shot dead ,Gunmen shoot and kill a senior official in Iraq's communication ministry on his way to work in Baghdad. +4,Samsung phones to double as wallets,Samsung mobile phones look set to double as m-wallets as the mobile phone manufacturer signs a Near Field Communication chip deal with Philips. +3,Unilever Sales Decline Accelerates on Competition ,"Unilever, the maker of Lipton tea and Dove soap, said its sales decline accelerated in the third quarter as demand in Western Europe fell and competitors cut prices." +3,"TI Profit Up on Cellular, TV Chip Sales"," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Texas Instruments Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TXN.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TXN.N</A>, the largest maker of chips for cellular phones, on Monday said record demand for its handset and television chips boosted quarterly profit by 26 percent, even as it struggles with a nagging inventory problem." +2,Americans rebound to eke out win over Greece,"ATHENS, GREECE - The crowd danced and sang and chanted quot;Hellas, Hellas, Hellas quot; and a taunting refrain of quot;Puerto Rico quot; loud enough to stir the ancients or heal Lamar Odom's pained and poisoned stomach. " +2,Greene has no answers for offense,"Like so many Tennessee defenders, the questions kept coming and coming at Georgia quarterback David Greene after Saturdays 19-14 loss to the Volunteers." +4,Hitachi Joins Intel In Hard Drive Standard,"Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Inc. and Intel Corp. have joined in supporting an interface technology proposed for compact hard-disk drives used in portable music players, handheld computers and mobile phones." +3,Continental Air Posts Loss,"Continental Airlines (CAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday posted a third-quarter loss, reversing a year-earlier profit amid record-high fuel prices, and warned " +2,Jazzy win for Celtics,"Doc Rivers does not ordinarily spend the fourth quarter sitting on the bench. The Celtics coach prefers to pace the sideline shouting instructions, offering encouragement, and challenging referees. But last night's game against Utah offered Rivers a considerable amount of down time, particularly in the second half. He spent much of the fourth in his seat, learning back and shaking ..." +1,Terror suspects appeal to Law Lords,Nine foreign terror suspects held indefinitely without charge in Britain will challenge their detention before the country's highest court today. +3,Tax Deductions for Home PCs,"You can deduct all or part of the costs of your home PC, depending upon its use. But put on your thinking cap before you tackle this gnarly issue." +3,Qwest to Pay $250 Mln to Settle SEC Fraud Charges ,"Qwest Communications International Inc., the fourth-largest US local-telephone provider, agreed to pay $250 million to settle US Securities and Exchange Commission allegations that it " +4,A universally good year for the Geminids meteor shower,SATURN makes its reappearance on our star maps this month but is only the appetiser for a feast of planetary interest later in the night. +3,Quiet first half hits EMI profits,Music giant EMI sees profits fall in the first half of the year after opting to delay its major releases. +3,El Paso shareholders endorse auditor,HOUSTON El Paso Corporation shareholders today ignored recommendations from two advisory firms to fire its longtime outside auditor. +3,Loss Widens at Wet Seal,"et Seal Inc., a retailer of clothing for young women, said yesterday that its second-quarter loss widened after the company recorded a $75.5 million expense to write down the value of certain assets. " +2,Fueling the fires,Chattanooga businessman Terry Nida has gone to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville to cheer on the University of Alabama football team since 1976. +4,Ancient and Modern Tattoos Celebrated in Photography Book,"Since ancient times people have marked their bodies as a form of cultural spiritualism. A new book of photographs looks at tattoos, scarification, and other traditional and modern body markings in more than 30 countries. <b>Photo gallery included.</b>" +2,CLEAN SLATE FOR ENGLAND - NEVILLE,"Gary Neville insisted England must quot;start again quot; this weekend to build for the 2006 World Cup, fuelled by the self-belief they can finally end almost 40 years of international under-achievement." +3,Florida relieved as Ivan shifts,MIAMI -- The outlook for South Florida and the Florida Keys improved considerably Saturday as Hurricane Ivan unexpectedly jogged west near Jamaica and forecasters kept moving the storm's projected track farther over the Gulf of Mexico. +2,Meyer can leave Utah without buyout,"Notre Dame officials will meet with Utah coach Urban Meyer on Thursday, a source with knowledge of the discussions told the New York Times." +4,Firefox fans take fight to the papers,The Mozilla Foundation has called on its supporters to chip in for a new piece of community action - buying a full page advert in the New York Times for the launch of Firefox 1.0 in November. +3,"US tech firms hire more foreigners here, too","US tech companies aren't just sending work overseas. They're also trying to hire more foreign workers in the USA. Congress approved 20,000 new visas for skilled foreign workers this month." +3,ATA Files for Bankruptcy Protection," CHICAGO (Reuters) - ATA Holdings Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ATAH.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ATAH.O</A>, 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." +4,Yahoo fixes two flaws in mail system,"News.com: Yahoo fixed two flaws in its free mail system that could have allowed a malicious user to read a victim's browser cookies and change the appearance of some pages, Yahoo said Thursday. " +2,NBA Game Summary - New Orleans at Utah,"Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Lee Nailon finished with 16 points, hitting a pair of free throws to put the Hornets ahead with 1:42 remaining, lifting New Orleans to its first win of the season, 76-75, over the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center." +2,Brown Turns Green Bay Blue as Titans Thump Packers, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chris Brown rushed for two touchdowns and 148 yards to lead the Tennessee Titans to a 48-27 win over the reeling Green Bay Packers in the NFL's Monday night game at Lambeau Field. +3,Talbots 3Q Profit Slides 21 Percent,Women's clothing retailer Talbots Inc. on Wednesday said its third-quarter profit fell 21 percent despite a slight rise in retail sales and a gain from a tax break. +4,Sun to Introduce Newest Version of Solaris Today,Sun Microsystems plans to unveil the latest version of its flagship Solaris operating system and offer a free version of the program to make it more attractive to corporate and academic computer users. +1,North Jersey Media Group,A SMALL but loud chorus of conservative voices is calling for the resignation of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. They say he is tainted by the UN oil-for-food scandal and should step down. +4,"BugMeNot Gets Booted, Restored","The site that helps people evade registration roadblocks on websites couldn't evade trouble itself. Its server host, perhaps bowing to pressure, pulled the plug last week. But a new host is found and BugMeNot is back up. By Rachel Metz." +1,Floodcrest passes Three Gorges safely,BEIJING - A massive floodcrest passed safely through the Three Gorges Dam on China's Yangtze River yesterday as devastated communities upstream cleaned up from floods that killed at least 177 people and injured thousands. +1,"British, US officials meet on flu vaccine ",LONDON -- Stunned US health officials met with British regulators yesterday to discuss the suspension of flu vaccine production that has slashed supplies across the United States and planned to inspect the British factory to see whether any impounded vaccine could be salvaged. +2,"On a Slow Court, Spain Is Quicker","The first day of the Davis Cup final between Spain and the United States made history as a record 27,200 spectators took their seats under the temporary roof in the Estadio Olimpico." +4,Al Gore Touts Promise of Stem-Cell Research,By ELIZABETH M. GILLESPIE SEATTLE -- Former Vice President Al Gore touted the promise of stem-cell research for curing debilitating and deadly diseases on Friday - using his pitch to stump for fellow Democrats Christine Gregoire and Dave Ross... +3,"Toymakers Disappoint, Warn on Holidays (Reuters)","Reuters - The two top U.S. toymakers posted\disappointing third-quarter results on Monday, citing\uncertainty in the economy and cautious retailers, and tempered\expectations for the crucial holiday season." +4,Deutsche Telekom to Buy Back Web Unit ,"AP - German phone giant Deutsche Telekom said it plans to buy back full control of its Internet unit by next year to profit from burgeoning demand for broadband Internet services, a move that could cost the company euro2.9 billion (US 3.6 billion)." +3,Executives Say MCI Is Looking for Buyers,"MCI, the troubled telecommunications company, has quietly begun shopping itself to potential buyers, executives involved in the sale process said." +2,"For Jordan, Future Is Looking Bright",Eddie Jordan checked out of the hospital yesterday. He ended up there after Washington Wizards trainers examined his swollen left calf on Thanksgiving morning and immediately recommended that the team's head coach see a physician. +2,World champion Rossi set to dent Honda morale in Brno,BRNO (Czech Republic): World champion Valentino Rossi is 22 points clear in the title race but the Yamaha rider will not be taking it easy at this weekends Czech Grand Prix. +3,Pace of Factory Growth Climbs," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pace of growth at U.S. factories picked up in December, boosted by an increase in new orders and despite a decline in employment, a report showed on Monday." +4,"On Fed Payroll, Hackers Seek to Save America (Reuters)",Reuters - Jason Larsen types in a few\lines of computer code to hack into the controls of a nearby\chemical plant. Then he finds an online video camera inside and\confirms that he has pumped up a pressure value. +3,Pfizer's Celebrex Lifts Heart Attack Risk in Trial," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. on Friday said its popular Celebrex arthritis drug more than doubled the risk of heart attack in a large cancer-prevention trial, a setback that comes just weeks after Merck Co. recalled its similar Vioxx drug due to heart safety risks." +2,Browns Head Coach Butch Davis Resigns,"Cleveland Browns coach Butch Davis watches from the sidelines with quarterback Kelly Holcomb (10) in the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, in Cincinnati." +3,"Fruit Prices May Go Up, But Growers Still Hurt",Hurricane damage could make battered Florida grapefruit growers the beneficiaries of a bidding war between domestic and international buyers. +4,Stargazers Enjoy Total Lunar Eclipse ,AP - Astronomy buffs and amateur stargazers turned out to watch a total lunar eclipse Wednesday night #151; the last one Earth will get for nearly two and a half years. +2,FEATURE-Splendid disregard for convention marked Miller,"Deep in thought, almost certainly unrelated to the task in hand, Keith Miller once led 12 men on to the field for New South Wales." +3,Japanese Stocks May Rise on US Job Growth; Toyota May Advance,"Japanese stocks may rise after a US government report showed accelerating job growth, suggesting that the world's largest economy is emerging from a midyear lull." +1,Who's Left From Bush's First-Term Cabinet ,AP - A look at the six people in President Bush's 15-member Cabinet who will remain in the administration in the second term: +1,"European Parliament approves new, reshuffled executive","The European Parliament approved the reshuffled 24-member European Union executive on Thursday, ending a political showdown with incoming EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso over objections to his team." +3,World airlines loss estimate: $4 billion,"MONTREAL - Despite a jump of 19 percent in world air traffic this year, airlines are expected to lose as much as $4 billion in 2004 because of high fuel costs, the International Air Transport Association said Monday." +4,Microsoft offers XP counterfeit amnesty in hopes of chasing down ,Microsoft has announced a one month quot;amnesty quot; of sorts for possessors of possible counterfeit copies of the Windows XP operating system. +2,Mets Adviser Chuck Hiller Dies at 70 ,"AP - Chuck Hiller, who hit the National League's first grand slam in the World Series, has died. He was 70." +1,Astros Rally Past the Giants,"With one swing of the bat, Lance Berkman revived the Houston Astros' playoff hopes - and gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a much-needed reprieve. Berkman hit a three-run homer off Dustin Hermanson, highlighting a five-run ninth inning that sent Houston to a 7-3 win over San Francisco on Thursday night..." +4,Search Engine Forums Spotlight,Links to this week's topics from search engine forums across the web: How Do You Compete With the Fortune 500s - Google Prices Stock at $85 Per Share - MSN Block-Level Link Analysis - Slickest Link Building Tricks - Your Message to New SEOs - How To Handle AdWords With Thousands Of Keywords +4,Nude Photo Publisher Perfect 10 Sues Google (Reuters),"Reuters - A California-based pornographer\said on Monday it has sued Google Inc. , alleging that\its leading Internet search engines are illegally allowing\people to view hijacked versions of its nude photos and to\access its Web site with stolen passwords." +3,Retailers may have to do some tweaking to get consumers back in ,"With a weak back-to-school season behind them, US retailers are focused on the holidays and what steps they need to take to get consumers excited about shopping again." +3,Oracle 1Q Earnings Rise 16 Percent,Business software giant Oracle Corp. said Tuesday that first-quarter earnings rose 16 percent driven by new database license sales that rose 19 percent. +4,Online Music Site Settles Copyright Suit,The operators of a Spanish-based Web site that sold music downloads have agreed to pay $10.5 million to settle a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by several recording companies. +1,Stocks End Mostly Lower on Vioxx Troubles,NEW YORK - Wall Street closed out a dismal third quarter with a mixed performance Thursday after Merck Co. said it would be forced to remove its best-selling Vioxx arthritis drug from the market... +4,Tech industry split in its political donations,The IT industry has two horses in the U.S. presidential race this year. +4,Jobs House One Step Closer to Moving; Preservationists to Object,"After months of wrangling over a 78-year-old, 17,000-square-foot mansion in southern California Apple CEO Steve Jobs doesn't want, it appears someone is willing to " +4,CA upgrades BrightStor line with gusto,"Computer Associates is not messing around with its storage management software line. The company this month will upgrade all 13 versions of the BrightStor family, release a new product aimed at automating " +2,Els in Dunhill contention,"South African Ernie Els fired a bogey free - five under par 67 to leave him one shot off the lead in the Dunhill Championships. The World number three teed off at 0645 local time starting from the ninth, but " +3,Frank's Nursery going out of business,Franks Nursery amp; Crafts Inc. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and plans to begin closing stores soon as it initiates going-out-of-business sales. +2,Exemplary assistance,"The work of Bill Belichick's muted underlings was never more noticeable than during Sunday's 40-22 win over the St. Louis Rams, in these most challenging of times for these Patriots." +3, EU Unveils Changes for Budget Rules,"With half the European Union countries exceeding public deficit limits this year, the EU's head office bowed to reality Friday and proposed to be more flexible in how it enforces the budget rules underpinning the euro." +1,Jones Is Said to Be Near a Deal for Barneys,"The Jones Apparel Group, a $4.3 billion clothing company with a middle-brow reputation, is close to making a deal to buying the Barneys chain." +1,US warns N. Korea against missile tests ,"AFP - US Secretary of State Colin Powell warned North Korea against carrying out any new missile tests, saying Washington would not be intimidated into changing its policy towards the Stalinist state." +3,Krispy Kreme Posts Net Loss After Charges," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Struggling doughnut shop chain Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KKD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">KKD.N</A> on Monday reported an unexpected quarterly net loss because of impairment charges and store closing costs." +1,Bomb Kills Venezuela Prosecutor Leading Coup Probe,"<p></p><p> By Patrick Markey</p><p> CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A car bomb killed a topVenezuelan prosecutor investigating opponents of President HugoChavez who were accused of backing a 2002 coup attempt againstthe leftist leader, officials said on Friday.</p>" +3,"Markets surge on oil drop, election",Wall Street bounded higher for the second straight day yesterday as investors reveled in sharply falling oil prices and the probusiness agenda of the second Bush administration. +3,Canadian drug vendor wins deals with 2 states,"The Canadian pharmacy manager that arranges prescription shipments to Springfield's city employees landed a chunk of new business yesterday, emerging as the sole supplier for a new prescription importation website unveiled by Illinois and Wisconsin." +2,Redknapp quits as Portsmouth manager,"Two weeks after Portsmouth appointed Croatian unknown Velimir Zajec as executive director, Harry Redknapp quit as manager on Wednesday, citing the need to take quot;a complete break from the game quot;." +2,"Kirk Rueter picthes 7 strong innings, and the Giants trim their ","Bee Staff Writer. LOS ANGELES - One down, two or three to go - that's the Giants mantra after they successfully took their first step of a weekend mission at Dodger Stadium." +4,"Digital Gear: Gadgets, Networks Go Mobile (PC World)","PC World - A high-capacity cigar, keys to the Internet, disc repair tools, Bluetooth add-on kit, and more." +3,Stocks up on positive consumer price report,"NEW YORK - A drop in consumer prices and a decline in crude oil futures Tuesday allowed investors to put aside worries about inflation, at least for the short term, and they sent stocks modestly higher. " +1,Contact Made With Hostage-Takers in Russia,"BESLAN, Russia - Attackers wrapped in suicide-bomb belts raided a school in a region bordering Chechnya, seizing up to 400 hostages - including scores of students welcoming the new school year - and threatening to kill captives or blow up the building if it was stormed by encircling Russian troops. Authorities established contact with the hostage-takers hours after the raid Wednesday, which officials said left at least two people dead in the latest assault in a country the defense minister said has been challenged by a declaration of terrorist war..." +3,"CORRECTED - UPDATE 2-Microsoft first-quarter profit, revenue rises","In SEATTLE story headlined, quot;UPDATE 2-Microsoft first-quarter profit, revenue rises, quot; please read in 12th paragraph ... quot;Barnicle said quot; ... instead of ... quot;Barnacle said quot; ... (Corrects spelling of name). SEATTLE, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp." +2,Beckham back in England hype-fest,Michael Owen may still not have tied down a regular starting spot at Real Madrid. But his recent record of five club goals in six games means he is certain to start for his country in the friendly +1,N Korea may be next on agenda,Washington - Re-elected United States President George W Bush will waste little time in trying to get nuclear-armed North Korea back to the negotiating table and dealing with the fallout of Iraq and the war on terrorism on Muslim communities in Asia as he +3,Sony in talks to sell products at discounters,TOKYO -- Electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corp. is talking with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp. in an effort to boost sales by shipping to US discount chains with which it previously did little business. +2,Fratello Takes Over As Grizzlies Coach,"Mike Fratello was hired as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday as a replacement for Hubie Brown, who unexpectedly retired last week for health reasons." +4,Sanyo to Produce HD-DVD Players,"Sanyo Electric, an established maker of optical drives and components, will produce both components and players for the blue-laser-based HD-DVD format, the company says." +1,Thai air force drops 97 million origami birds on southern Thailand,"HAT YAI, THAILAND - The Thai air force launched one of its biggest military operations in recent history on Sunday, dispatching 51 aircraft to drop 97 million origami paper cranes on Thailands troubled deep south to bring peace to the region." +2,Baseball: Cardinals try to foil Red Sox dream run in World Series,"BOSTON : Baseball fans should forgive the St. Louis Cardinals for acting as the party poopers for the Boston Red Sox, who will try to snap an 86-year title drought by winning the 101st World Series." +4,SpaceShipOne Going for X Prize Wednesday,"By JOHN ANTCZAK MOJAVE, Calif. -- A test pilot in a stubby rocket plane will try to climb more than 60 miles over the Mojave Desert and punch through the atmosphere Wednesday in the first stage of a quest to win a $10 million prize meant to encourage space tourism..." +3,Court rejects AMD,A federal judge has refused a request by chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. to order its larger rival Intel Corp. to turn over company documents to the European Commission. +4,Sun's Kodak moment: Patent suit settled out of court,"Sun Microsystems has agreed to pay Eastman Kodak $92 million to settle an intellectual property dispute between the two companies, Sun disclosed last week." +1,Islamabad welcomes move,"ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday welcomed the statement by his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh about troop reduction in the Indian-held Kashmir." +3,Oil prices fall below $50 a barrel,"Oil prices fell sharply last night, taking US crude below $50 ahead of the US presidential election. US light crude dipped as low as $49." +2,Culpepper's fifth TD pass lassos Texans in OT,"Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Daunte Culpepper's fifth touchdown pass of the game -- a 50-yard strike to Marcus Robinson in overtime -- lifted the Minnesota Vikings to a 34-28 win over the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium." +3,"SEC Pounces on Ford and GM, the 800-Pound Gorillas","US automakers, wobbling under crushing employee benefit costs, now have a new worry: The federal government is determined to find out whether the costs are accounted for fairly and properly." +3,Valleys rental prices on the rise,"For $690 a month, her family rents a three-bedroom, two-bath house, located close to the middle school her 12-year-old daughter attends." +1,"Iraqis Angry, Distraught at Aid Worker's Murder","Iraqis reacted with anger and disbelief on Wednesday to news that British-Iraqi aid worker Margaret Hassan, who worked in Iraq for decades before being kidnapped a month ago, had been killed by her captors." +4,"Strong Hurricane Approaches Bahamas, Florida (Reuters)","Reuters - Hurricane Frances barreled toward the\Bahamas islands with 140 mph winds on Wednesday, a growing\threat that put millions of people on alert along Florida's\heavily populated east coast." +2,Red Bull gives Coulthard wings,McLaren discard David Coulthard has signed a one-year deal to race with the new Red Bull Racing team in the 2005 Formula One season. +3,A quiet top gun,"Ever hear of Ed Owens? I doubt it. Owens is one of the more publicity-shy executives at Wellington Management Co., itself one of the most publicity-averse investment firms in Boston. That's one reason Owens is the city's best mutual fund manager you probably don't know." +4,Rating Search Engine Disclosure Practices,Which search engines are adequately disclosing their paid placement and paid inclusion practices? Which ones are failing to do so? A new report offers some surprising insights. +1,Musharraf arrives in UK for talks,Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf arrives in London to hold talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. +4,Science calls for anglers to cut line,"All those recreational anglers who dangle bait off US coasts are catching a much bigger share of fish -- especially some threatened species -- than commonly thought, researchers report in a new study." +1,Neo-Nazis and communists on the rise in Germany,"The dramatic surge in support for a neo-Nazi party and reformed communists in weekend state polls marks a voter drift to the extreme political fringes, an ominous trend just two weeks " +2,Battle for Supremacy or a circus act?,"What a night for a heavyweight showdown, what a night for boxing, and what a night for your average outspoken, crazy-eyed, biker-looking foul-mouthed trainer." +1,19-year-old woman found dead in dorm room at McGill University (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - A McGill University student has been found dead in her dormitory room and police are calling the death suspicious. +2,USC Strengthens BCS No. 1 Hold; Oklahoma No. 2," PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Southern California and Oklahoma are still the top teams in the Bowl Championship Series standings, while Auburn remained third and on the outside looking in at the national championship game with one week remaining in the regular season." +1,Myanmar frees some political prisoners,"Myanmar's military government has begun to release nearly 4,000 prisoners, including some political detainees, arrested quot;inappropriately quot; by the dissolved National Intelligence Bureau led by purged prime minister Khin Nyunt." +4,IBM reports surge in network attacks,"Utilities, telecommunications companies and government agencies are more popular as targets at attacks on them surged 55 per cent from July to August, a new report says." +1,Football: Man U star denies stamp,Man Utd's Ruud van Nistelrooy says he is not guilty after being hit with an FA charge over a tackle on Ashley Cole. +1,Ford to end Jaguar production at plant in Coventry ,"AFP - Jaguar car production is to end at a plant in Coventry, Warwickshire, with the loss of more than 1,000 jobs because of weak demand for the luxury brand, US parent company Ford announced." +4,Gateway Says More PCs Available at Office Depot," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Gateway Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=GTW.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">GTW.N</A> said on Wednesday its personal computers would be widely available at Office Depot. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=ODP.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">ODP.N</A> in the latest move by the PC maker to broaden distribution at retail stores since acquiring rival eMachines this year." +3,Granite Gets Two Highway Repair Deals,"Granite Construction Inc. said Tuesday that it received two contracts, with a total value of about $274 million, for maintenance and improvement work on roadways in Orange County, Calif." +2,Flintoff boost for England,One of the marks of a great player is the ability to produce when it matters. This was England's most important one-day game of the season. +1,Behind Fallujah strategy,"The US hopes a hard strike on the city will send a message to Iraqi militants, nationwide." +1,John Howard congratulates George Bush from Kirribilli house,"TONY EASTLEY: The Prime Minister, John Howard, spoke to George W. Bush this morning from Kirribilli House in Sydney. The Prime Minister congratulated Mr Bush on his election win." +4,Critical patches highlighted in Microsoft's December Security ,"Microsoft has unveiled its security bulletin for December, including a critical patch for Windows XP with SP1, and fixes rated as important for SP2." +4,Nasa jet set for speed record bid,An quot;air-breathing quot; test plane will attempt to break a world speed record for the second time in a year by flying at nearly 10 times the speed of sound. +3,Bush Agrees to Consider Textile Limits,"On Friday, just days before the presidential election, the Bush administration agreed to consider a petition from a coalition of embattled textile manufacturers that would limit some imports from China." +4,Americans came from Australia: Study,WASHINGTON: Recent archeological evidence studies seems to suggest that the first Americans came from Australia and not Siberia as has been widely believed. +1,US vetoes Arab resolution,"United Nations - The United States on Tuesday vetoed an Arab-backed draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council, which would have called on Israel to end its deadly military operation in the Gaza Strip." +3,"Gas Price at 3-Month Low, Diesel Below $2"," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. retail gasoline prices fell to their lowest level in three months and the cost of diesel fuel dropped below $2 a gallon for the first time in 12 weeks, the Energy Department said on Monday." +1,Bush claims UN support for ousting Saddam,"St Cloud, US: Faced with UN chief Kofi Annan's charge that the war in Iraq was illegal under the world body's charter, President George W. Bush strongly implied that the invasion enjoyed UN support." +3,Marriages Made in Corporate Heaven,"A flurry of year-end dealmaking hit the tech sector as companies maneuvered to get out of low-margin businesses, fill holes in their product lines and take financial advantage of the recent run-up in share prices." +2,Chinese lead pairs; Bulgarians lead ice dance,Former world champions Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China won won the short program at Skate Canada with 66.48 points Thursday night. +2,Ganguly says performance still far from best,London: Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said the team did a great job in winning the final NatWest Challenge one-day international but was still far away from its best. +3,Wal-Mart's December Sales Jump 3 Percent ,"AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, announced Monday that it expects its December sales to have risen 3 percent at stores open at least a year, a figure that is at the top end of the company's sales estimate." +1,'American Taliban' Seeks Commuted Sentence,"SAN FRANCISCO - John Walker Lindh asked President Bush on Tuesday to commute his 20-year prison sentence for aiding the Taliban. His lawyer, James Brosnahan, said that Lindh was fighting alongside the Taliban in a civil war against the Northern Alliance, that he is not a terrorist and that he never fought against U.S..." +1,Fighting in Fallujah Nears End,"U.S. and Iraqi security forces scoured Fallujah for remaining insurgent fighters and pounded the city's southernmost neighborhoods with heavy artillery and bombs late Sunday night, as military commanders declared victory seven days after launching their largest operation since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003." +4,Law Must Respond to Internet Revolution,CURRENTLY in South Africa a man is being prosecuted for having loaded a virus onto the Edgars computer network. The accused is a former employee of the organisation who had a labour dispute with his employer +2,Sox stay in groove,"It's that time of year, the suspenseful countdown to October when Kevin Millar, the Texas rally rustler, whips up a way to inspire the Red Sox as if they were defending the Alamo." +3,UPDATE 2-IMF policy-makers fail to agree on debt relief,The International Monetary Fund's top policy-making group on Saturday failed to close divisions over debt relief for the world's poorest countries. +1,Black Flags Are Deadly Signals as Cornered Rebels Fight Back,"The flags are the insurgents' answer to two-way radios, their way of massing the troops and concentrating fire on an enemy." +3,France's Renault to invest 570 million dollars in South Korea,SEOUL - French auto giant Renault SA said it will invest some 570 million dollars in South Korea over the next three years as part of its global strategy to become a key player in Asia. +2,"Cavaliers 92, Nuggets 73","The LeBron-Carmelo matchup wasn't much of a contest, and neither was the one between the Cavaliers and Nuggets. LeBron James had 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists Thursday night to help Cleveland " +4,Conway: Saga far from over (SiliconValley.com),"SiliconValley.com - PeopleSoft CEO Craig Conway, who has spent 15 months fighting off Oracle's hostile takeover attempt, said his company is digging in for a battle it expects to last many more months." +4,Intel launches top end Centrino chip,"A new top-of-the-range Pentium M processor has been introduced by Intel: model 765, which clocks 2.1GHz, with a 400 MHz system bus and 2MB of Level 2 cache." +1,US expected to boost troop levels in Iraq,"Some question whether it will be enough to quell the violence and worry about the impact of prolonged tours. Amid a spike in violence in Iraqi cities coinciding with the Fallujah offensive, the US military " +3,"Finally, freedom to spend","When Carolyn Wood, a computer programmer, retired two years ago at 63, her husband, Paul, an English professor in Philadelphia, followed suit, even though it meant forfeiting some benefits because he was just shy of his 60th birthday." +2,"MADRID MASTERS: Ljubicic and Dent first to reach quarters, Henman ","MADRID (Spain): Hard-serving Ivan Ljubicic upset top-seeded but error prone Tim Henman of Britain 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on Thursday in the 2." +4,Microsoft shares source code with government,"Microsoft Corp., a worldwide leader in operating systems, announced its decision to share Office 2003 source code with governments from over 30 countries." +1,Pakistani forces attack kidnappers ,"CHAGMALAI, Pakistan -- Pakistani special forces attacked kidnappers holding two Chinese engineers near the Afghan border yesterday, killing all five of the Al Qaeda-linked militants, who were followers of a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner. One of the hostages was killed in the raid, while the other survived." +3,MSO Shares Still Confined by Martha's Woes,"Martha Stewart may soon head to prison, but that likely won't free her namesake company of its troubles, investors and analysts say." +2,PREVIEW-Rugby-Revenge in the air for someone at Twickenham,World Cup final revenge for Australia or quot;payback time quot; for England's June humiliation in Brisbane -- either cap fits for Twickenham's mouth-watering Saturday showdown between the best of rugby enemies. +2,Radcliffe is running again,"Paula Radcliffe stepped up her training in Athens this morning as she prepares to make a final decision over whether to run the 10,000m on Friday night." +1,High Court Considers Immigration Cases ,"AP - The Supreme Court considered Tuesday whether the government can send immigrants back to countries that haven't agreed to accept them, a question that will determine the fate of thousands of Somalis resisting deportation to their war-torn homeland." +2,Mourning sees 1st post-transplant time,"Alonzo Mourning played for the New Jersey Nets on Thursday for first time since a kidney transplant in December. Mourning, 34, finished with 12 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes in the Nets 96-94 victory over Philadelphia." +3,Spitzer's beady eye of the law spooks insurers,"Insurance salesmen are used to having a reputation for probity and trustworthiness roughly on a par with second-hand car dealers. That's beginning to look like the good old days, since America's leading brokers " +3,Samsung ups chip production spending; $24bn in new lines,"LONDON, December 6 (newratings.com) - The South Korean memory chipmaker, Samsung Electronics Company (SSUN.FSE), said today that it intends to invest approximately 25 trillion won ($24 billion; 12.36 billion) in building new chip production lines in " +4,Two Words from Bill Gates: Computer Science,"It wasn't quot;Plastics quot; as Dustin Hoffman was advised in the movie The Graduate, but computers that Bill Gates told a college audience would be the ticket to a good career in the near future." +4,Verizon's Wireless Wonder,The phone giant's mobile unit is not just a great telecom operation. It may be one of the best companies in the world. Verizon Communications (VZ ) Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg is a fan of management guru +3,Netflix Sees Green,Netflix spins the color wheel for a spell and it's a much brighter color than red. +2,CORRECTED - Van Nistelrooy plays down hip injury,"In LONDON story headlined quot;Van Nistelrooy plays down hip injury quot;, please read in intro ... World Cup qualifying win ... instead of ... friendly win ... correcting status of match. LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Manchester " +2,Australia's Ponting Will Miss First Two Tests of India Series,Australia captain Ricky Ponting was ruled out of the first two cricket Tests against India next month because of a fractured left thumb. +1,Burundian rebels: we're ready to defend ourselves in court in ,"Leaders of a Burundian rebel group said Friday they were ready to defend themselves in an international court against war crimes charges after they took responsibility for the massacre of 163 refugees, their spokesman said." +3,Barclays looks to buy Absa stake,UK lender Barclays says it is in talks with South Africa's Absa about buying a majority stake in the bank. +4,InfoWorld Announces 2005 Technology of the Year Awards,Apple Xserve G5 won InfoWorld's #147;Best Server Hardware #148; award and Mac OS X v10.3 Panther won the #147;Best Operating System #148; award. Jan 03 +2,College Basketball: Iowa Upsets No. 15 Texas,"MAUI, Hawaii (Sports Network) - Jeff Horner posted 27 points while Pierre Pierce added 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, as the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated a ranked team for the second night in a row with an 82-80 victory over No." +4,Agency: Less Than 30 Chinese Tigers Left in Wild (Reuters),"Reuters - South China tigers, among the rarest of\the five remaining tiger subspecies, are on the verge of\extinction in the wild with less than 30 remaining, Xinhua news\agency said on Friday, citing a recent survey." +3,EU to monitor anti-piracy efforts,"The European Commission is to start monitoring China, Ukraine and Russia to see if they are making genuine efforts to stop counterfeit goods." +1,Macedonians Vote on Ethnic Albanian Rule ,"AP - Macedonia's national referendum Sunday on abolishing local autonomy for the country's ethnic Albanian minority failed, authorities said." +1,Car bombers target Iraqi police; 16 killed,"Military's approach comes under fire from UN representative, who questions wisdom of the push for an early election. By Sameer N. Yacoub." +4,CSX Intermodal using CRM software with handhelds,"CSX Intermodal has about 500 independent truckers using RIM BlackBerry devices to report their progress in deliveries, get notices of changes in routes and more." +2,Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge,"For so sober and meticulous a team, Chelsea have made surprisingly short work of Group H. The holders Porto clutch just one point after this and Paris St-Germain none at all, making the progress of Jose Mourinho's men virtually certain." +4,Nose-controlled mouse not to be sniffed at,<strong>Letters</strong> <cite>Reg</cite> readers applaud sillytech +1,Prime minister's questions,"Tony Blair kept looking behind him when being challenged over the decision to re-deploy UK troops in Iraq. Was he looking for cheers of support from his backbenchers, or watching for the knives spinning towards his back?" +2,Cricket: McCullum's century exorcises Lord's demons,"DHAKA - Bangabandhu National Stadium maybe a world away from the spiritual home of cricket at Lord's in London, but for Brendon McCullum the Dhaka venue felt like heaven yesterday." +2,NHLers Hit Europe,"With an NHL lockout in place, more than 150 of the league's players have signed to play for European teams." +4,Columnists: Academia Headaches,"Academic institutions who have to add, manage, and secure thousands of new users within a period of just a few days face political and social issues on top of the immense technical ones." +2,Women's event has brighter future,"All the retirement talk has stalled for Lindsay Davenport. Eighteen straight wins, four consecutive tournament titles, and a personality and tennis game that have dominated this week's Western amp; Southern Women's Open." +2,Sponsored bibs to attract hosts,"In an attempt to encourage more cities to bid for world events, FINA will from next year introduce the wearing of bibs bearing sponsors names for swimmers as they march to the poolside." +3,Santos May Report 40 Drop in First-Half Profit as Output Fell,"Santos Ltd., Australia's biggest natural gas producer, may report first-half profit fell 40 percent after a fire on New Year's Day at its gas processing plant in central Australia cut production." +1,"China Mine Blast Kills 64, Hopes Fade for Survivors"," BEIJING (Reuters) - Rescue teams scrambling to reach 84 trapped miners after one of China's worst mine disasters in years pulled two more bodies from the rubble on Friday, leaving the toll from the blast at 64, state media said." +2,Dent wins opening-round match at China Open,"BEIJING, China (Ticker) -- Seventh-seeded Taylor Dent of the United States won his opening-round match at the inaugural China Open, defeating qualifier Peter Luczak of Australia, 6-3, 6-2 on Tuesday." +2,Cards strike first: Overpower Astros in Game 1 victory,"Conventional wisdom said that when the Cardinals and Astros hooked up in the National League Championship Series, there might be a few runs scored." +2,Late Collapse Costs Twins Their Season ,AP - The Minnesota Twins insisted they were a far better team than the one steamrolled out of last year's division series by the New York Yankees. And they might have been. +4,EU lays out objections to ContentGuard deal,The European Commission has set out its formal objections to Microsoft and Time Warner taking control of digital rights management company ContentGuard Holdings. +1,"Iraq Declares Martial Law, 23 Police Killed"," FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's interim government declared martial law on Sunday after insurgents killed 23 Iraqi policemen and set off blasts in Baghdad in a fresh show of force before a planned U.S. offensive on Falluja and Ramadi." +3,Paris cuts Air France KLM stake,"France is selling almost half its stake in Air France KLM, in a deal set to raise at least 700 million euros ($933 million), sources close to the operation said." +4,Microsoft Flexes Music Muscle,The software giant's new pay-per-download service offers an easy-to-use interface and above-average sound quality. But some critics wonder if the MSN Music service will foster a widening rift in digital music security standards. By Xeni Jardin. +1,Burials begin in Russia; 180 still missing ,"BESLAN, Russia -- Mothers wailed over the coffins of their children yesterday and dozens of townsmen dug graves in a football field-size piece of scrubland next to the cemetery. Funeral processions snaked through the streets as grief-stricken Russians began to bury victims of the terror attack on a school that left more than 350 people dead." +1,US fails to bring UN into Iran nuclear case,"VIENNA The United States once again failed Friday to persuade the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer Iran's nuclear program to the United Nations Security Council, accepting instead a repetition of calls for the country to stop uranium enrichment " +1,Israeli Army Prepares for Showdown in Gaza ,"AP - Israeli aircraft struck more targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday as the army massed an armored force in apparent preparation for a major military operation against militants in Jebaliya, the Palestinians' biggest refugee camp." +4,Apple preps black iPod U2 limited edition promo,"The infamous black iPod looks set to make a second appearance next month, when Apple ships a special edition digital music device to commemorate the arrival of rock band U2's newest long-player." +1,IAI takes rap for Ofek-6 failure,"Israel Aircraft Industries, the senior partner involved in construction of the Ofek-6 spy satellite and the Shavit launcher, yesterday accepted full responsibility for the malfunction that caused the failure of Monday's launch." +3,Delightful Dell,The company's results show that it's not grim all over tech world. Just all of it that isn't Dell. +4,Russian Cosmonaut Shargin Wants to Send Politicians to Space,The top cosmonaut of Russias space defense troops lieutenant colonel Yuri Shargin has proposed sending politicians to space to discipline them. +4,Microsoft sets licensing policy for dual-core chips,"Microsoft Corp., world's largest software maker, announced a new licensing policy for dual-core microprocessors from Intel and AMD." +1,North Korea Sells Food Aid on Local Market-South," SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has been selling on its domestic market international food aid aimed at helping to ease food shortages in the impoverished country, South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Friday." +3,Stocks End Lower as Pfizer and Oil Weigh," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday, weighed down by a number of negative reports from top drug makers, including Pfizer Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PFE.N</A>, and a $2 jump in the price of crude oil." +1,Google's IPO Price Set at $85 Before Debut,"SAN JOSE, California - On the cusp of its voyage into public trading, Google's initial stock price was set at $85 and its market value calculated at $23 billion - less than originally expected, but still impressive for a 6-year-old dot-com dreamed up in a garage. The final initial public offering price, set through an unorthodox auction that alienated many on Wall Street, means the stock will likely debut Thursday under the symbol ""GOOG"" on the Nasdaq Stock Market..." +4,China Launches Mapping and Surveying Satellite,"China Sunday launched a satellite that will carry out land surveys and mapping for several days before returning to earth, the Xinhua news agency said." +3,Airtel in JV with six cell firms in Asia-Pac,"Airtel has signed an agreement with six cellular operators to form Bridge Mobile Alliance, which will invest $30-40 million over three years to build a shared infrastructure in Asia Pacific for mobile phone technology, report newswires." +1,Ex-Kosovo Rebels Face First Hague War Crimes Trial," AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The first international war crimes trial of former Kosovo Albanian rebels was due to begin on Monday, with three men accused of murdering Serb civilians and suspected collaborators during the 1998-99 conflict." +4,Intel preparing for next 20 years of chip making,"Intel drew the curtain Friday on some of its future research projects to continue making transistors smaller, faster, and less power-hungry out as far as 2020." +3,Poverty grips more in nation,"WASHINGTON -- The number of poor Americans grew by 1.3 million last year, according to a sobering and politically sensitive Census Bureau report issued Thursday." +1,UN soldier injured in clash with Aristide loyalists,A UN peacekeeper and a Haitian policeman were injured Saturday in a clash with loyalists of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Port-au-Prince. +4,Apple Introduces iPod Photo Your Entire Music Photo Library in ,"Apple introduced iPod Photo, the newest member of the iPod family that lets you take your entire music and photo library with you wherever you go." +3,Microsoft's Softer Tune with the EC,"Microsoft's day in court -- this time, Europe's Court of First Instance in Luxembourg -- doesn't come until Sept. 30. But the software giant is already on the offensive, holding court of its own with a Sept." +1,15 Iraqi Political Groups Call for Delaying Elections,The call for a six-month postponement of elections planned for Jan. 30 gives a boost to a movement largely led by Sunni Arabs. +1,Rights-Sudan: Rhetoric On Darfur Needs to Be Backed By Action ,Human Rights Watch has called on the United Nations Security Council to take substantive action against what it claims are ongoing rights violations in the western Sudanese region of Darfur. +1,Turkish mine fire toll rises,"EIGHT bodies were pulled from an underground tunnel in a copper mine in northern Turkey where a massive fire broke out today, local officials said." +1,"Germany, Poland play down reparations row",BERLIN - German and Polish politicians have played down a resolution by the Polish parliament calling on the government to take legal action aimed at making Germany pay war reparations for Nazi Germany's World War II invasion of Poland. +4,Attack on spyware should go further,"If you use a computer, you should be thankful that Congress is aiming to outlaw the scourge known as spyware. But if you think making spyware illegal will end the pop-up ads, hijacked browsers and gridlocked " +1,"Rumsfeld, et. al. Charged with War Crimes in Germany","Reuters in Germany is reporting that Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenant and eight other unnamed US officials will be charge with war crimes in connection with the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal." +3,Gates: Buffett's Pal Bill Elected To Berkshire's Board,"Trump...and not Donald, this time. Berkshire Hathaway (nyse: BRKa - news - people ) on Tuesday said it elected Bill Gates to its board of directors." +1,Nairobi Summit Urges More Progress to Ban Land Mines,"An international summit to assess how countries are complying with a convention banning land-mine use, production, stockpiling, and transfer is underway in Nairobi." +2,"For many, story of love for baseball hits home","During the Astros-Cardinals playoff series last week, I wrote a column about the meaning of baseball for my 7-year-old son and children in general." +3,Stocks Seen Up as Value Hunters Step In, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were poised for a bounce at the open on Tuesday as investors hunt bargains a day after surging oil prices sent the major U.S. stock indexes to their lowest levels in weeks. +3, EU Is Willing to Cut Airbus Subsidies,"The European Union said Tuesday it will accept cuts in subsidies for Airbus Industries only if Washington reduces aid for its main trans-Atlantic competitor, Boeing Co." +2,Soccer: Milan's 3-0 victory keeps Juventus in sight,ROME : Three goals in a vastly improved second half gave AC Milan a 3-0 win against bottom club Atalanta and cut Juventus lead at the top of Serie A to two points. +2,GRADING THE JETS,"The stats were ugly: One offensive touchdown, 1-for-11 on third down, three sacks, fewer than 150 yards passing, and no consistency." +1,"In Beslan, a tense bid for calm",Russian officials hope to prevent reprisals as a 40-day mourning period ends for victims of the school siege. +1,Viewers to be able to shape TV,The EU is backing a project that would let viewers personalise shows and films to suit their tastes. +4,"Mount St. Helens Exhales Ash, Steam ","AP - Mount St. Helens exhaled a spectacular roiling cloud of steam and ash Tuesday, sprinkling grit on a small town some 25 miles away." +2,Penalty miss allows Arsenal off the hook,"ARSENALS recent stumble continued when they were held to a draw by Panathinaikos in the Champions League last night, and the Greeks may have won had Angelos Basinas not missed a second-half penalty." +2,Utah activates Arroyo,The Utah Jazz activated point guard Carlos Arroyo from the injured list Tuesday and placed rookie Kris Humphries on it because of tendinitis in his knee. +4,"In Britain, no more hiding behind The Times","LONDON For a newspaper nicknamed quot;The Thunderer, quot; the move was disclosed sotto voce: The Times of London, for more than two centuries the confident voice of the English establishment, is going fully tabloid as of Monday, dropping a broadsheet version that " +2,Woodgate joins Real Madrid,"England international defender Jonathan Woodgate passed his medical and will sign a four-year contract with Real Madrid on Saturday, the Spanish giants said. " +4,Microsoft patches critical JPEG exploit,"Microsoft has issued a patch to fix the security flaw, and urges its customers to use a new utility to locate the computer applications that are vulnerable." +2,Club confirms preliminary approach,"London: Manchester United, the worlds wealthiest football club, confirmed on Monday they have received a preliminary approach regarding a possible takeover bid." +3,Textile Industry to Request Limits on Chinese Goods,Officials of the United States textile industry said that they would petition to block the expected flood of Chinese imports. +3,Chief of McDonald's Has More Surgery,"Charles H. Bell, the chief executive of the McDonald's Corporation, is recuperating after another surgery, the company said on Saturday." +4,Outgunned on copyright?,"At first blush, a lot of people might find that to be a laughable proposition. But a prominent architect of the Recording Industry Association of America's legal strategy confided to me last week that his " +3,Customer Surge at Hawaii Wal-Mart Opening ,AP - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. opened a store in Hawaii on Wednesday with hundreds of eager shoppers rushing past a handful of protesters who accuse the giant retailer of desecrating ancient gravesites. +4,Partner: The Guide to Cost Effective Business,Explore powerful options available to mid-sized companies +4,New Toshiba hard drive uses perpendicular technology,Tokyo - Toshiba Corp. has developed a 1.8-inch hard disk drive that achieves a 40 Gbyte capacity by employing a perpendicular recording technology for the first time. +4,IBM promotes open-source in India,The new Open Source Software Resource Centre will be funded with $1.2 million over three years and will try to promote open-source software by establishing a portal for exchanging information on the subject and initiating proof-of-concept projects. +3,FCC Takes VoIP Regulation Out of State's Hands,"WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission Tuesday yanked jurisdiction on Internet telephony away from states, a decision that could set a major precedent for the industry." +2,London begins to believe the impossible,It was Jonathan Edwards who best summed up the overriding mood when he helped London officially unveil its candidature for the 2012 Olympic Games yesterday. +2,Oregon St. Beavers,"CORVALLIS, Oregon (Ticker) -- Chase Lyman, JJ Arrington and No. 10 California looked refreshed after having three weeks off. Lyman caught three first-quarter touchdowns and Arrington rushed for 110 yards and " +1,Frances hits Florida Panhandle as state begin recovery from initial strike (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - ST. MARKS, Fla. - Frances hammered the Florida Panhandle on Monday, taking a second swing at a storm-weary state where it already had knocked out power to six million people, torn up roofs and boats and been blamed for at least five deaths." +1,Sharon to speed up Gaza pullout,Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unveiled on Tuesday an accelerated timetable for his planned pullout of the Gaza Strip and said it should win parliamentary approval in early November. +4,ATT Partners with Best Buy To Push VoIP,"AT amp;T CallVantage Service will be available in Best Buy stores beginning this fall. According to the companies, Best Buy and AT amp;T will promote AT amp;T CallVantage Service through in-store " +1,India makes elephants appeal,Indian asks Bangladesh to spare the lives of around 100 elephants which have strayed across the border. +1,U.S. Awaits Judgment on Venezuela Voting ,"AP - There was no evident pattern of fraud in Venezuela's balloting that left President Hugo Chavez in office but a final judgment depends on what observers report, the State Department said Monday." +2,Andreychuk Back With Bolts,"TAMPA - The Lightning have signed captain Dave Andreychuk to a one-year contract, the Stanley Cup champions announced today. Terms were not disclosed." +1,Vote for Pakistan prime minister,Pakistan's parliament is expected on Friday to vote for outgoing Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz as prime minister. +4,Will internet cafs survive 10 more years?,"As the internet caf celebrates its 10th birthday, what future does it face as net access at home becomes an everyday reality for more and more people?" +1,Gunfire Greets Arafat's Coffin Upon Arrival in Ramallah,"Volleys of gunfire greeted a military helicopter carrying Yasser Arafat's coffin as it landed Friday at the late Palestinian leader's West Bank compound, which has been overrun by tens of thousands of mourners." +3,Italy joins Greece in EU dock over dodgy data ,"AFP - Following embarrassing revelations over Greece's budget data, the European Union expressed alarm at the reliability of Italy's own deficit figures and called for urgent clarification." +2,"It's Wallace, of course","If there's something positive that can be taken from a golfer's disappointment, it's that it might inspire motivation for future success -- especially if one knows the course well enough." +3,Delta Cuts to Run,"Desperate times call for desperate measures. In Delta's (NYSE: DAL) case, that's now, according to CEO Gerald Grinstein. In a memo to employees yesterday, Grinstein announced " +4,Cobb County tells its side of evolution flap,A metro Atlanta school district under fire for putting evolution disclaimers in biology books is making its case today for why the stickers should stay. +4,News: TRMM Sees Rain from Hurricanes Fall Around the World,"Since rain and freshwater flooding are the number one causes of death from hurricanes in the United States over the last 30 years, better understanding of these storms is vital for insuring public safety." +3,Brown shrugs off economy worries,"Gordon Brown outlines to MPs plans to freeze fuel duty, minimise Council Tax rises and boost childcare." +3,SEC Wants More Disclosure for Markets (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. stock markets would have to\disclose executive pay and provide details of their regulatory\programs, under new rules proposed by the Securities and\Exchange Commission on Tuesday." +1,Nine Killed as Ugandan Army Disarms Pastoralists (Reuters),"Reuters - Six Karamojong warriors and three\government troops were shot dead during an operation to disarm\the pastoralist nomads in remote northeastern Uganda, the army\said on Friday." +4,Siemens wins UMTS contract with US mobile phone giant Cingular ,"AFP - German electronics group Siemens said it had won a large contract with Cingular, the leading US mobile phone operator, to supply a UMTS network over the next several years." +3,MARKET AS UNRELIABLE AS THE POLLS,"THIS past week will go down as one of the most shocking in the annals of modern American history - a once-in-a generation election, when the most powerful and prescient prognosticator known to man, got it all wrong." +3,Brown-Forman Earnings Jump 67 Percent," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Brown-Forman Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BFb.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">BFb.N</A>, which sells products ranging from Jack Daniels whiskey to Lenox china, on Thursday posted a better-than-expected 67 percent jump in earnings as aggressive marketing boosted sales of premium spirits and new wines." +1,Dignitaries arrive for wedding of Brunei's crown prince,_ Royalty and dignitaries from around the world filled the palace Thursday for the marriage of Brunei's crown prince to a 17-year-old half-Swiss commoner in what was likely to be Asia's wedding of the year. +1,Federer Beats Hewitt Easily to Win Open,"NEW YORK - Roger Federer is at his best against the best, when it counts the most, and he was pretty much perfect in the U.S. Open final..." +3,Liquidator focuses on client money,"The liquidator of Access Brokerage believes client money may have been propping up the business for some time. The small Internet broker collapsed on Friday, with a $5 million shortfall in its client trust accounts." +1,Karzai is formally declared victor in the Afghan elections,KABUL Hamid Karzai was formally announced the winner of the Oct. 9 presidential election by Afghanistan's electoral board Wednesday after an international panel announced that irregularities it had investigated +1,Kashmir solution still far off despite Musharraf's gambit: analysts ,"AFP - President Pervez Musharraf declared he could see light at the end of the tunnel after proposing bold reforms to break Pakistan's deadlock with India over Kashmir, but analysts caution the journey is still painfully long." +4,US-Soviet Crew For Space Station,"Smiling and confident, two Russians and an American prepared for their first mission in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft - breaking the nearly 30-year tradition of having at least one crewman with previous experience in piloting the capsule." +3,Retail's Little Guys Come Back,Who's afraid of Wal-Mart? Specialty retailers and chains with unique lines are thriving by offering shoppers what the big-box stores can t. +3,US to sell $24 billion in 2-year notes on Wednesday,"CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- US Treasurys retreated Monday, with a stabilizing oil market undercutting prices as well as speculation that higher energy costs will undermine the nation's economic recovery." +2,Dungy entitled to be offended by MNF intro,"Before putting Towelgate to rest, it's important to revisit some of the specifics of what Colts coach Tony Dungy said about the Terrell Owens-Nicollette Sheridan skit at the beginning of Monday Night Football." +1,Bush applauds Iraq debt cuts,US President George Bush today applauded the decision by the so-called Paris Club of creditor nations to slash 80 per cent of the money Iraq owed them and urged non-member countries to do the same. +3,"US Labor Groups File China Currency Complaint, Urge Sanctions",A coalition of US labor unions said China's policy of setting the value of the yuan is hurting American businesses and asked the Bush administration to file a lawsuit at the World Trade Organization on their behalf. +2,"Delgado bears no grudges, but doesn't think Jays made serious ","TORONTO (CP) - Carlos Delgado says he is leaving Toronto with no grudges, although the first baseman doesn't think the Blue Jays did all they could to re-sign him." +4,GTA: San Andreas Preview,"October 24, 2004 - GameSpot have posted up a final preview of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, hitting the PS2 this week and the PC next year." +1,"Israel, Egypt swap prisoners",Sunday's exchange is just one striking example of the post-Arafat thawing of relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors. BY SALAH NASRAWI. +4,Animal shortage 'slows science',"A shortage of laboratory apes and monkeys could be holding back research into new drug treatments and genetics, it is claimed." +1,Armed police start Singapore patrols,"Special operations forces, armed with machine guns, began patrolling Singapore's residential neighbourhoods and busy shopping districts to thwart a potential terror attack in the city-state, a staunch US ally." +2,Brown Suffers Rocky Return in Feisty Finale,"There was Kevin Brown at his worst, Curt Schilling at his best and baseball's most bitter rivalry at its end - for now, anyway." +2,Longhorns aim to end their Sooners skid in classic football ,Mack Brown and his most important supporters believe his tenure at Texas should not be defined by a four-game losing streak to Bob Stoops and the Oklahoma Sooners. +4,Genesis samples to shed light on our origins,"Scientists are chomping at the bit for tomorrow's Earthly return of a sample capsule from NASA's Genesis spacecraft, hoping the star stuff it carries will help answer questions on the origins of the solar system and we who live in it." +2,Prem Preview: Manchester City-Arsenal,What a difference a week makes! Seven days ago the popular wisdom was that if Manchester City failed to win their Saturday game manager Kevin Keegans job would be at risk. +4,Sasser author indicted,"p2pnet.net News:- Sasser worm author Sven Jaschan has been indicted in Germany with computer espionage. Sasser was written as a kind of anti-virus virus unleashed against the likes of Mydoom and Bagle, Jaschan said." +2,Singh plans new regime to stay on top,"While Tiger Woods was getting married beside the waters of the Caribbean, beside the slightly chillier waters of the North Sea here the two best golfers in the world will be contesting the Dunhill Links Championship." +3,US Airways to Skip Pension Payment (Reuters),Reuters - US Airways Group Inc. \told a bankruptcy court on Monday it would skip a 110 million\pension payment due Wednesday as it looks to slash costs and\avoid liquidation after filing for protection from its\creditors over the weekend. +2,Former Buc Jackson signs with old team,"Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Tampa Bay inked former Buc and Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson on Tuesday to add depth to its suddenly-thin safety position." +2,Renteria signing a top-shelf deal,"Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein acknowledged Edgar Renteria was more a luxury for the 2005 Red Sox than a necessity. But there's nothing wrong with getting the keys to a BMW, and that's what the four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glover is in the eyes of the Red Sox." +4,Regulators Debate Broadband by Power Lines,Light regulation will encourage this alternative form of high-speed Net access. +2,Petit may provide Arsenal with stop-gap solution - Wenger,"Arsenal may consider signing French midfielder Emmanuel Petit as a stop-gap solution to their midfield injury problems, manager Arsene Wenger says." +4,Choosing Babies' Sex Gives Birth to Debate,"More couples are selecting the sex of their children, using techniques developed to help couples who are infertile or at risk for having babies with genetic diseases." +4,HP unveils Unix roadmaps,<strong>HP World</strong> Free Alpha upgrades to stem defections +2,Football365's Quotes Of The Week,"On the tackle , the penalty, Gary Megson on gardening, Jose's fuzzy math, Keggy practicing for the Bar, Souney provides us with a fireside chat." +1,Israeli TV Says Arafat Health Has Worsened, JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli television said on Wednesday that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's health had deteriorated. +1,Powell Wants Mideast Foes to Smooth Way to Election,"Secretary of State Colin Powell on Monday will invest US prestige in a new Middle East peace drive, pressing Israeli and Palestinian leaders alike for steps to help Palestinians elect a new president." +1,US soldier gets three years for murder of Iraqi,"BAGHDAD: A US soldier was sentenced to three years in prison for murdering a severely wounded Iraqi teenager earlier this year, the US military said on Saturday." +2,Murphy trial testimony ends; jurors to return,"Testimony in the sexual abuse trial of former Houston Rockets star Calvin Murphy ended this morning. Jurors will hear closing arguments and begin deliberations Monday, state District Judge Michael McSpadden said." +3,Audits of wealthy rise 40,"Audits of high-income taxpayers rose 40 in fiscal year 2004, while audits of large corporations rose 34, the IRS said Thursday. IRS officials said the numbers show the agency is " +2,Lawyers Not Close,Lawyers on both sides of Atlanta's Dany Heatley's vehicular homicide case said Monday they are not close to agreeing on a plea deal that would keep his case from going before a jury. +3,HR Block Files One Away,"One quarterly earnings report cannot make or break a company. Sure, it can provide a fair depiction of a company's current state of affairs, but by definition it is a backward-looking tool." +2,Celtics Defeat Reeling Hornets 108-90 ,"AP - Paul Pierce had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth career triple-double, and Raef LaFrentz had 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Boston Celtics defeated New Orleans 108-90 Monday night, sending the Hornets to their eighth consecutive loss." +2,There's been no reign after delays,"Rain and the Red Sox have not been good partners in October. In the three most dramatic and disappointing Boston baseball finishes of the last 30 years, a rain delay halted action just when things started to get interesting." +3,Oil Inches Towards the 55 Dollar Milestone,"Crude oil futures inched toward the 55 dollar milestone today, a day after US officials announced a decline in their countrys inventory of heating oil, heating a market already on edge over tight supplies, high demand and unrest in key producers." +3,Analyst survey supports iPod halo effect,"Apple stock is on the rise once again, as analysts raise their target prices and provide support of an iPod halo effect." +4,Wireless data gamble, Kent Thexton took a gamble when he crossed the Atlantic to become co-CEO of Seven. But the notion of the cell phone as gateway to the Internet isn't the easy sell it was on the other side of the pond. +2,Celtic captain McNamara ruled out by injury,Celtic captain Jackie McNamara will be ruled out for at least a month due to an ankle ligament damage sustained in the Scottish champions 3-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Tuesd ay. +4,"Sprint, SBC in Short-Range Wireless Roaming Deal (Reuters)",Reuters - Sprint Corp. (FON.N) said on Friday\it made a deal that will let it nearly double the number of\places it offers short-range wireless Internet connections. +2,Safin Overpowers Agassi to Reach Madrid Final," MADRID (Reuters) - Marat Safin defeated Andre Agassi 6-3, 7-6 in the Madrid Masters on Saturday with a powerful performance that underlined his recent return to top form and secured him a place in the final against David Nalbandian." +3,Microsoft called back to court over Novell settlement,The judge overseeing the software giant's appeal of a European Commission ruling has summoned both parties to appear at an quot;informal hearing quot; on Thursday. +3,Stocks Set to Start '05 on Upbeat Note, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures gained on Monday as oil prices slid lower -- pointing to an upbeat start to 2005 when Wall Street opens. +4,DoCoMo unveils phone fuel cell,NTT DoCoMo has unveiled what it calls the Japan's first prototype micro fuel cell aimed at boosting battery life for its powerful third-generation quot;FOMA quot; handsets. +1,France Wants Referendum on Turkey's EU Entry,"French President Jacques Chirac says France will hold a referendum on Turkey's entry to the European Union. Speaking to reporters Friday in Strasbourg, France, Mr." +2,European Rookies Shine at Ryder Cup ,"AP - Paul Casey and David Howell sure didn't look like Ryder Cup rookies on Saturday #151; judging by the shots they produced under pressure, and by the crucial point they won." +3,"INTERVIEW-As Starwood shifts focus, top execs to split work","As Starwood Hotels amp; Resorts Worldwide Inc.'s new chief executive Steve Heyer focuses on the Sheraton, W and Westin hotels, Chairman Barry Sternlicht aims " +2,Serena in denim puts the boot into tradition,Serena Williams strode on to court for her first match at the US Open in an outfit that would have sent shockwaves through the All England Club. +1,Uganda wants peace talks abroad,President Museveni says talks with rebels should only take place outside Uganda after a unilateral ceasefire ends. +1,Shares close lower on drug woes on both sides of the Atlantic ,"AFP - Leading shares closed the session under pressure, hit by weakness in heavyweight pharmas after AstraZeneca admitted a key cancer drug had failed tests and poor trading in New York, dealers said." +4,"Ballmer: Microsoft Courting Linux Users, Longhorn Worth Wait",Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has made courting Linux users and those considering the open-source option a top priority and said the sheer volume of innovation that Longhorn development efforts +3,Stocks Open Little Changed," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened flat on Friday as Wall Street pulled back after a big rally in the previous session, with shares of computer maker Dell Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=DELL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">DELL.O</A> higher after reporting strong earnings late on Thursday." +3,China Builds Trade Ties With South America,"BUENOS AIRES -- Chinese President Hu Jintao ended a two-day visit to Argentina with the prize he had sought -- the coveted status of quot;market economy quot; -- and pledges of investment and trade, in a regional tour that highlights China's new outward-looking " +1,"Ireland, Britain resume negotiations for peace talks","Britain and Ireland resume their joint efforts this week to revive deadlocked peace talks in Northern Ireland, aiming to forge common ground between deeply opposed sectarian groups." +4,TELECOM 04: Verizon and Comcast Call for New Rules,"Big rewards should come from big investments, said Ivan Seidenberg, Verizon's CEO, in a keynote speech at TELECOM 04 in Las Vegas." +1,Review Finds Fla. Counties Voted for Bush ,"AP - A newspaper's review of ballots cast in three north Florida counties where registered Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans showed just what officials reported: The counties' voters did on Election Day as they often do, voting for a Republican for president." +3,Big airlines feel pinch from system they created,"Delta Air Lines decision to close its hub at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and cut 2,000 jobs might seem like a big blow to the world's third-busiest airport." +2,Huskies Shut Out Buffalo To Earn Bowl Eligibility,"EAST HARTFORD, CT (November 20, 2004) - Senior quarterback Dan Orlovsky (Shelton, Conn.), playing in the home final game of his illustrious career, threw for 283 yards, sophomore tailback Cornell Brockington (Burlington, NJ) ran for 136 yards and two " +1,"Phelps, Thorpe Advance in 200 Freestyle","ATHENS, Greece - Michael Phelps took care of qualifying for the Olympic 200-meter freestyle semifinals Sunday, and then found out he had been added to the American team for the evening's 400 freestyle relay final. Phelps' rivals Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband and teammate Klete Keller were faster than the teenager in the 200 free preliminaries..." +1,Indonesia On High Alert After Australian Embassy Blast,"Indonesia has stepped up security in the wake of Thursday's bombing of the Australian embassy in the capital, Jakarta. Eleven people died, all Indonesians, after a massive bomb cratered the perimeter of the Australian embassy." +1,German Institutes Forecast Growth Will Slow in 2005 ,"German economic growth will slow next year as foreign demand for goods and services cools and consumers hesitate to increase spending, the country's six leading economic research institutes said." +3,Sony Group Agrees in Principle to Buy MGM," PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A group headed by Sony Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=6758.T target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">6758.T</A> agreed in principle to buy Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MGM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MGM.N</A> for nearly $5 billion on Monday, sources close to the deal said." +3,"Talks Between D.C. Hotels, Union Still in Deadlock","Starting Nov. 1, if there is no new contract, unionized workers will have to bear the cost of the increase in their health insurance premiums." +4,"Adobe Unveils New Versions of Acrobat, Reader",Adobe's version 7 of Acrobat Professional includes some new features meant to improve the ability to collaborate on PDF documents. +3,Career Education falls 7 pct after news report,"Shares of Career Education Corp. (CECO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) fell on Thursday, after a newspaper said a grand jury probe was launched that could result in criminal charges against the company." +4,Dual Screens Give Gamers New Options,"Nintendo's new DS handheld gamer is not supposed to replace the Game Boy Advance; the idea is to carve out a whole new market.<br><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The washington Post</b></font>" +3,Qualcomm's Crystal Ball Gets Hazy,"The ability to predict the future is getting tougher, even for a market leader like Qualcomm." +2,Nedved strike keeps Juve four points clear,Pavel Nedved scored with a superb free-kick four minutes from time to give Juventus a precious 1-0 Italian Serie A win at Bologna on Sunday. +4,Music album to be sold on memory card,"The memory card version of singer Robbie Williams' greatest hits album will cost about $54, roughly three times as much as the CD." +1,Parents back anti-bully campaign,Parents say school bullying is a major concern for them and that more should be done to tackle the problem. +3,Humana Sees Earns at Top End of Forecast," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Health insurer Humana Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HUM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">HUM.N</A> on Wednesday said earnings for 2004 should be at the top end of its previous forecast and said 2005 earnings should increase by 15 percent from its 2004 estimate." +2,Lions defenders get after Warner,"Like a big, real-life Buddha, he slumped on the stool in front of his locker stall espousing to his audience how it was that a Detroit Lions team that entered this " +3, Enron Barge Dealmaker Regrets Deal,A former in-house Enron Corp. accountant said he was convinced that the energy giant's unofficial promise to buy back several barges sold to Merrill Lynch amp; Co. +2,He'll let actions speak,"Since Pedro Martinez wasn't talking, leave it to Kevin Millar to clear that up." +4,News: Say hello to the 'time bomb' exploit,"Prepare yourself for ""time bomb"" exploits that attack web-based systems at a pre-determined time." +1,"Darfur Rebels Say Peace First, Disarming After", CAIRO (Reuters) - Rebels from Sudan's Darfur region Thursday rejected calls to disarm or confine their fighters to their bases before a political solution to the conflict there has been decided and implemented. +4,First Look: Cobra's Imperfect Portable Automobile GPS,"New NavOne offers handy PDA and Pocket PC connectivity, but fails to impress on everything else." +1,30 killed in attacks in Baghdad,"Insurgents in Baghdad struck a police station and a mosque at dawn Friday, killing at least 30 people and wounding nearly as many." +2,Neither a dream nor a team ,"This is my dream for future so-called American dream teams, no matter if they swing a golf club or cross over on the dribble. Not only that, they sit in coach." +4,Microsoft Puts Fingerprint Readers Into Hardware," SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=MSFT.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">MSFT.O</A> on Wednesday unveiled a new array of keyboard and mice, with some featuring built-in fingerprint readers to make it easier for users to log on to personal computers and Web sites." +4,CA buys PestPatrol antispyware developer,"WASHINGTON - Computer Associates International Inc. (CA) said Monday it acquired PestPatrol Inc., a firm marketing antispyware software to enterprises, small businesses and individual consumers." +4,Ultrawideband Heralds Zippier Wireless Connections, SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Think of it as Wi-Fi on steroids. On its way to U.S. living rooms and maybe even automobiles is a new type of high-speed wireless connection that promises downloaded data rates of up to 1 gigabit per second -- roughly 18.5 times the speed of Wi-Fi -- to personal computers and other devices. +2,Cisse Out for Season after Leg Break,Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse will not play again this season after breaking his leg against Blackburn yesterday. The 23-year-old France striker was carried off on a stretcher in +2,Hewitt advances to third round,"Top seeded Lleyton Hewitt rallied to a 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 win over Japan's Gouichi Motomura yesterday in the second round of the Japan Open." +4,Hearing Set After Microsoft Rivals Quit (Reuters),Reuters - The judge considering Microsoft\Corp.'s appeal against European Union sanctions has called a\closed meeting for Thursday to decide what action to take after\two more major opponents of the U.S. software giant withdrew\from the case. +1,Australian PM Howard Celebrates Fourth Poll Win," SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a key U.S. ally and supporter of the Iraq war, celebrated on Sunday his election win over opposition Labor after voters enjoying the fruits of a strong economy gave him another term." +3,SCH still expects to close Abbey takeover by year end,The Spanish bank Santander Central Hispano said it still expects to complete its acquisition of British home-loan specialist Abbey National by the end of this year. +4,"Apple Rolls Out IPod Photo, Rocks with U2"," SAN JOSE, Calif. (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. rolled out on Tuesday a new iPod that allows users to view and share photos as it opened nine new iTunes music stores in Europe, spurring its rivalry with Microsoft Corp. and others." +2,Motor Rally: Loeb on course for record-equalling rally victory,"PERTH, Australia : Newly crowned world champion Sebastien Loeb was headed for a record-equalling sixth rally win of the year here as he led a depleted field after overnight leader Marcus Gronholm crashed out." +1,Slain Haiti Pastor's Funeral Postponed ,"AP - The funeral of a slain evangelical pastor was postponed Saturday after tens of thousands tried to attend, underscoring frustration with crime in a country where rebels who ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide six months ago still patrol some towns." +4,Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo-A,Not everyone is ready to do a complete switch over to the new Intel LGA 775 platform quite yet and perhaps for good reason. Should you decided you would like to say take a peek at it without having to quot;Sell +1,Milk Measure Pulled From Relief Bill ,"AP - An end-of-the-session food fight over a milk support program erupted Friday in Congress, stalling action for hours on legislation ranging from corporate tax cuts to hurricane and drought relief and preventing lawmakers from adjourning to hit the campaign trail." +3,"US, EU move to WTO over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing","NEW YORK, October 6 (newratings.com) - The US and European Union (EU) have filed counter-complaints with the World Trade Organization (WTO), alleging that government aids to the aircraft companies, Airbus and Boeing (BA." +1,U.S. Says More Iraqi Police Are Needed as Attacks Continue,"At a time when Iraqi insurgents are targeting local police officers and recruits for attack, the United States has raised by one-third -- to 135,000 -- the size of the Iraqi police force it says will be needed to help secure the country, according to information the administration has provided to Congress." +3,John B. Sanfilippo's Profit Plunges,Nut and snack-food company John B. Sanfilippo amp; Son Inc. reported a 64 percent decline in first-quarter profit as almond demand exceeded expectations and raw material costs increased. +2,Ganguly pays price for slow play,"CALCUTTA, India -- India captain Sourav Ganguly has been banned for two Tests for his team's slow over-rate in Saturday's defeat against Pakistan, match-referee Clive Lloyd said on Sunday." +1,French FM appeals for release of hostages in Iraq ,AFP - French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier made an impassioned plea to try to save the lives of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq as an ultimatum issued by their kidnappers neared expiry. +3,"Bush, Kerry battle over jobs report","President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry on Friday seized on a Labor Department report showing the US expanded payrolls by 144,000 and lowered the unemployment level to 5.4 percent " +1,Interim Iraqi President Favors Jan. 30 Election," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar reaffirmed his support on Sunday for holding elections on Jan. 30 in Iraq, saying any delay would be a victory for violent foes and trigger resentment." +3,US weekly jobless claims rise,"The US Labor Department said Thursday the number of workers filing first-time applications for unemployment benefits rose by 10,000 last week." +4,Industry Leaders Partner With Oracle to Support First True ,"OPENWORLD, SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) today announced evidence of strong support for its content management offering through partnerships with leading technology " +3,Bush team sees growth easing in 05,"WASHINGTON US economic growth will slow to 3.5 percent in 2005, but still generate average monthly job gains of about 175,000, the Bush administration predicted Friday in a rosy annual forecast that promised solid growth, low inflation and falling " +2,Wizards Outlast Celtics,Antawn Jamison scores 27 points and the Wizards shut out the Celtics for the first 4:47 of overtime in a 110-105 victory Wednesday. +1,Five held for Sinai bombings,"CAIRO: Egypt announced yesterday it had arrested five of the nine men who bombed Red Sea resorts almost three weeks ago, saying the attackers used stolen cars packed with old war-time explosives and a washing-machine timer." +3,Airlines want end to airport control,"Ottawa should end the monopoly the airports hold over the airlines to reduce the price of landing at Canadian airports - especially at Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, says the head of the International Air Transport Association." +1,Israel Agrees to Free Jailed Palestinians," JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel agreed on Sunday to free up to 200 Palestinian prisoners to show goodwill after Egypt freed a convicted Israeli spy and ahead of elections for Yasser Arafat's successor, officials said." +3,Deutsche Bank Boosts Profit Through Cuts,"Deutsche Bank AG, Germnany's largest bank, said Friday it increased its net profit by 18 percent in the third quarter by clamping down on costs and bad loans while increasing profit from trading securities." +3,Airline cuts bring longer layovers,The scramble by big traditional US airlines to become profitable again is leaving many travelers with longer airport layovers. The typical American Airlines passenger connecting +1,EU Invites UN's Annan to Summit to Show Support,"The European Union has invited Kofi Annan as a special guest to its summit next Friday, a Dutch presidency spokesman said, demonstrating support for the UN secretary-general amid a campaign in the United States to " +2,Nuggets snag win this time,"The Nuggets and the Timberwolves, who exchanged words and cheap shots in a playoff series in April, met again Thursday night at the Pepsi Center." +4,The return of the atomic keyring,<strong>Cash'n'Carrion</strong> Glowring back from the dead +1,Bush to Meet With Latin American Allies,President Bush is tacking on visits with two Latin American allies to his trip to Chile for a gathering of Asia-Pacific leaders later this month. +4,"Dell's dirty words: Outsourcing, proprietary","Speaking at a conference in Boston, CEO Kevin Rollins expounds on his philosophies about all things IT.\<br />\ Photos: Inside Dell's plant" +4,Microsoft's anti-spam proposal rejected,NEW YORK - Engineers in charge of setting technical standards for the Internet have rejected a preliminary spam-fighting proposal from Microsoft Corp. +4,GOP Voter Vault Shipped Overseas ,"Massive database holds info on millions of voters, and is used to get people to the polls." +3,"Govt may slash duty on petrol, diesel",New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) may consider slashing customs duty on petrol and diesel from 15 per cent to 10 per cent besides exempting kerosene and LPG from excise levy as part of efforts to spare consumers from the impact +1,"Insecurity Cuts Off 360,000 of Darfur's Needy-WFP (Reuters)","Reuters - About 360,000 needy people in\Sudan's Darfur region are out of reach of the World Food\Program because of fighting, officials said on Tuesday." +3,Blogs Send Stocks Into Reverse,US stocks reversed course suddenly on Tuesday and drifted lower as chatter on the Internet speculated that early exit polls had Sen. John Kerry leading the presidential election in key swing states. +1,"Frances a Fast-Growing Hurricane, Far Out at Sea (Reuters)",Reuters - Hurricane Frances was born in the\Atlantic Ocean on Thursday but the rapidly growing storm was\many days from threatening any populated area. +4,"Tsunami 'Wave Rat' Had Best Intentions, Mother Says (Reuters)","Reuters - A Canadian student was called a ""wave\rat"" for offering the domain name ""tsunamirelief.com"" for\ 50,000 on the online auction site eBay, but his mother said he\was only trying to raise money for relief efforts." +3,Oracle Ruling May Embolden Dealmakers," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge may have sent a gift to all merger-minded U.S. executives when he rejected the government's request to block Oracle Corp.'s <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORCL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ORCL.O</A> bid for PeopleSoft Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PSFT.O</A> last week." +2,Malaysia Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria - 2.3,"and exciting - days on this year's Malaysia Airlines Herald Sun Tour of Provincial Victoria, the lead has swapped hands again, with Bicycle Superstore teammates " +2,SOCCER: Ferdinand back but Silvestre shines,ALL eyes were on Rio Ferdinand as he returned to Old Trafford yesterday after an eight-match ban for missing a drugs test. However it was his central defensive partner Mikael Silvestre who stole the show with +2,Austrians Sweep Podium in Val Gardena Super G,"Val Gardena, Italy (Friday, December 17, 2004) - Michael Walchhofer led Austrians to fill the podium in today's World Cup Super G in the Italian ski resort of Val Gardena." +2,Tribe forced to watch a Koskie Show rerun,Minneapolis- The rest of baseball is hitting .330 against Terry Mulholland this season. The Indians do not know how that is possible. +3,USA: Abbott Laboratories to acquire EAS,US pharmaceuticals company Abbott Laboratories has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire US nutrition company EAS. +3,UPDATE 2-Quebec launches C$ 1.9 bln in wind power projects,Hydro-Quebec awarded C$ 1.9 billion ($1.5 billion) in wind-power projects to two groups on Monday in a massive push to position itself as Canada's biggest buyer of the renewable energy source. +4,Apple tangles with owner of itunes.co.uk,UK-based Internet entrepreneur Benjamin Cohen says that he got an unexpected shock last month after he checked his voicemail and heard a lawyer representing Apple Computer Inc. +1,Bomb scare forces Israeli fighters to intercept aircraft,Israeli fighter jets forced a passenger plane bound for Tel Aviv to land in Cyprus yesterday in the sixth such bomb scare to hit flights over Europe in the past week. +2,England advance to semi in rain-shortened match,"Andrew Flintoff scored 104 as England advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy yesterday with a 49-run win over Sri Lanka, the match a victim of persistent rain at the Rose Bowl." +1,Afghan Vice President Survives Attack," KABUL (Reuters) - An Afghan vice president survived an assassination attempt Monday when a remotely controlled device was detonated near his convoy, while two soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition were killed in a separate gunbattle." +2,Holmes given Olympic honour,Double gold medallist Kelly Holmes will carry GB flag at Athens closing ceremony. +1,Chirac 'snubs' Allawi at EU talks,"Iraqi interim leader Iyad Allawi is to meet EU leaders, but France's president says he is too busy to attend." +2,Today's Home News,"Greek athlete Fani Halkia finished in 52.82 to win the gold medal in the women's 400m hurdles final on Wednesday. She is the third Greek athlete to win Olympic gold in an athletics event, after Voula Patoulidou and Costas Kenteris." +4,Search Engines Can Read Macromedia FLASH SDK,"Search Engines Can Read Macromedia FLASH SDK \\Macromedia has solved what was likely one of its biggest problems. As of this month, FLASH files (.SWF) can now be read and indexed by search engine spiders. Until now, the general rule was that spiders could not extract data from .SWF files. ..." +2,"Packers' Favre, Green Miss Practice"," GREEN BAY, Wis. (Sports Network) - Green Bay Packers star quarterback Brett Favre and top running back Ahman Green both missed Thursday's practice with injuries." +4,China: Most Office Computers Hit By Internet Security Problems,China says 58 percent of computer networks in the country's offices have fallen victim to Internet security problems this year. +1,Report: Militants Demand Cleric's Release ,"AP - A militant group claiming to have kidnapped two Indonesian women demanded Jakarta free a Muslim cleric accused of heading an al-Qaida-linked group, the Arab news station Al-Jazeera reported Saturday. But the cleric said he wanted no such thing." +1,Unions in Nigeria Call for an Oil Strike,"Unions declared the top multinational oil company here, the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, quot;an enemy of the Nigerian people quot; on Sunday and called for a Nov." +2,Swede wins date with other Hewitt,"LLEYTON HEWITT was supposed to be playing defending champion Andy Roddick in the US Open semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, not the longtime boyfriend of his little sister." +1,First trial at Guantanamo,The first trial has begun of one of the suspects held at the Guantanamo Bay US navy base on Cuba. A military tribunal will be hearing the cases against a total of four +1,Wounded Pilots Land Norway Plane After Axe Attack, OSLO (Reuters) - An Algerian-born man attacked two pilots and a passenger with an axe on a domestic Norwegian flight Wednesday in an unexplained assault that police said could be linked to his asylum status. +1,Belarus KGB Arrests U.S. Internet Specialist (Reuters),"Reuters - An American citizen specializing\in the Internet was arrested by the Belarus KGB for allegedly\mishandling funds, Belarus authorities reported on Monday." +2,Sorenstam Wins Mizuno to Match Record,"Swedish Annika Sorenstam is all smiles as she holds winner's trophy following her victory on the final round of the US $ 1million (euro 780,000) LPGA Mizuno classic at Seta golf course in Otsu western Japan, Sunday, Nov 7, 2004." +3,Boeing Board Approves Dividend Increase,"Aircraft maker Boeing Co. on Monday said its board approved a 25 percent dividend boost, raising its quarterly distribution to 25 cents per share from 20 cents and its yearly payout to $1." +3,Retailers Hope to Lure Shoppers Into Malls ,"AP - The nation's retailers are hoping furry ponchos, fur-lined flip-flops, and sweater sets adorned with multiple broaches will excite shoppers this holiday season and lure them into stores and malls earlier than in previous years." +1,Rebel landmine kills 11 in Indian Kashmir,"Separatist militants have detonated a powerful landmine in Indian Kashmir killing eleven people, including nine soldiers in one of the biggest attacks in recent weeks, police say." +4,"Wireless Technology to Rival Cable, DSL - Intel"," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An emerging wireless communications technology called WiMAX, which can blanket entire cities with high-speed Internet connections, will rival DSL and cable as the preferred way to connect homes and businesses to the Internet, Intel Corp. said on Tuesday." +1,U.S. Won't Back Iran Nuke Incentive Plan ,"AP - The Bush administration said publicly Wednesday it does not endorse a plan by three European allies to offer Iran incentives to suspend its enrichment of uranium, a key step in producing nuclear weapons." +1,Activity seen at North Korea missile bases,"of striking most of Asia and parts of the United States, a Japanese newspaper says. Rodong missiles are capable of reaching any part of Japan, the paper said." +1,Peres Says Coalition Talks Could Be Resolved in Days," JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres said on Saturday coalition talks between his party and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could be resolved in days, a move likely to avert snap elections and promote a Gaza pullout." +3,Gift card may not be free to use,"Gift cards are the perfect gift - they always fit and never cost a fortune to send, right? But consumer advocates are cautioning that we need to be slightly more careful when it comes to such gifts." +4,ContextWeb nabs $3 million,"com September 20, 2004, 3:00 PM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +4,Microsoft Release Patch to Fix Flaws ,AP - Microsoft Corp. announced Tuesday it has found a new security flaw with its Windows XP operating system and warned that an attacker could infiltrate other computers by persuading their owners to open a specialized graphics file. +1,Chechen rebel is targeted in attack,"LONDON -- Exiled Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev has suffered an arson attack at his home in London, British authorities said yesterday. There was minor fire damage but no injuries after Zakayev's home was targeted in the early hours of Friday, they said. Zakayev's lawyer said the attack appeared to be an assassination attempt on the exiled deputy of Chechen ..." +4,News: DIY fingerprint idea thwarts ID thieves,The Home Office is touting ID cards as a solution to ID theft in today's Queen's Speech but a Yorkshire man has taken matters into his own hands. +4,Ad campaign touts multimedia cards,"com September 22, 2004, 5:04 PM PT. With the economy slowly turning up, upgrading hardware has been on businesses radar in the past 12 months as their number two priority." +1,Sands Eyes More Casino-Hotels in Macau ,AP - U.S. gaming company Las Vegas Sands Inc. wants to build six more hotels that include some casinos in an area of the southern Chinese gambling enclave of Macau it hopes to model after the Las Vegas Strip. +3,CHINA: Textile Industry Slates US Trade Protectionism,"Chinese textile exporters have lashed out at the latest attempts by the US to restrict imports of textile and garment products. The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, an interagency group " +2,Ichiro leads an assault on baseball's records,"He's poised to rack up most hits in a season. Other marks look vulnerable, too. By Erik Spanberg Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor." +1,Rehnquist More Likely to Step Aside Now ,AP - President Bush's re-election makes it more likely Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will retire soon. And Republican gains in the Senate mean the president has more flexibility to nominate another strong conservative to fill that vacancy and other federal judgeships. +1,Pakistan Says Holding Yemeni 'Qaeda Leader'," ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has arrested a Yemeni national who is an important figure in al Qaeda's new leadership and another foreign national who is one of the network's communications specialists, officials said on Wednesday." +1,Australia boosts anti-terror defences with new maritime security zone ,"AFP - Australia is to boost its defence against terrorism by creating a 1000-nautical mile security zone around its coast to protect its shipping, ports and oil rigs from attack, it was reported here." +4,RFID Driver's Licenses Debated,Virginia legislators are weighing a plan to add biometric data and radio signal emitting chips to licenses to prevent identity theft and thwart terrorists. Critics say the plan could compromise privacy and allow new varieties of fraud to flourish. By Mark Baard. +4,Eurekster and Friendster Partner for Friendster Search Engine,"Eurekster and Friendster Partner for Friendster Search Engine\\Friendster, the social networking community, and Eurekster, the Internet search engine powered by community and social networking technologies, announced the launch of personalized Internet search and navigation services on Friendster networks in eight countries.\\Friendster Search, powered by Eurekster, shows search results that have ..." +2,"Chelsea and CSKA win, ousted coach Ranieri loses","PARIS: Chelsea beat Porto, Barcelona blew away Shakhtar Donetsk and AC Milan struck twice in the last two minutes to sink Celtic but Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was the biggest winner of them all." +3,UPDATE 5-Interstate Bakeries files for bankruptcy,"Interstate Bakeries Corp. (IBC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , maker of Hostess Twinkies and Wonder Bread, filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday after struggling with more than $1." +4,IBM Data Reveals Rising Warranty Costs,"Costs have increased steadily in recent years, causing some to wonder about quality." +2,Players refuse to let CBA talks become a distraction,"Don't mention the NHL's collective bargaining agreement in the Team Canada dressing room. The 26 players are polite when asked about the subject, but they're not going to get into any heavy discussions regarding " +2,Result knot all bad for US: Wins group after tie with Aussies,"ATHENS - Playing without suspended forward Abby Wambach, the US women's soccer team battled to a mutually beneficial 1-1 draw with Australia last night at Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki. The result was not unexpected, as the ..." +1,"Malaysia's Anwar launches bid to clear his name, return to ","PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia : Former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim launched a final bid to completely clear his name, a challenge rare in Malaysia's legal system and a move which could lead to his immediate return to politics." +1,Sharon to form new coalition,"AL QUDS, Dec 10: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon moved swiftly on Friday to forge a national unity government after winning approval to reshape his coalition and crushing internal opposition to his Gaza pullout plan." +1,Red Sox Erase 86 Years of Futility in 4 Games,"The Red Sox, the team that perfected heartbreak, silenced the Cardinals, 3-0, in Game 4 to win their first World Series since 1918." +3,Death Watch (Forbes.com),Forbes.com - Soka University in Japan trains students for government employment exams and touts their success. Might a presence of followers in the civil service be of more than spiritual use to Soka Gakkai? Consider this case from the files of the Tokyo civil courts. +3,October Airline Traffic Up at Independence,"NEW YORK, Nov. 4 -- Low-cost carriers Southwest Airlines Inc., JetBlue Airways Corp. and Independence Air on Thursday reported upbeat October passenger traffic figures, signaling greater demand for air travel and lifting airline stock prices." +4,"Asteroid Comes Closest to Earth Since 12th Century, NASA Says","Toutatis, a mountain-sized asteroid, came the closest to the Earth since at least the 12th century, allowing scientists to gather data about its trajectory and features, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration said." +2,Everton Football Club midfielder set for reprieve?,"Everton Football Club midfielder Tim Cahill could get the red card he received at the weekend rescinded. The Australian was shown two yellow cards by referee Steve Bennett, the second one dished out following " +4,"Gates: PC will replace TV, TV will become a giant Google",Chairman Bill hopes we'll keep pushing his buttons +4,T-Mobile introduces new Windows Mobile Smartphone in Germany,"The SDA Music (pictured) phone is the first Windows Mobile Smartphone to be release by the operator and gives not only allows access to Microsoft applications like Outlook, but also can be used to relax after work thanks to the integrated audio player." +2,England v Canada (Sat),England aim to launch a new era under coach Andy Robinson with a handsome victory over Canada in the first of three autumn Tests at Twickenham. +2,Top-Seed Suarez Upset at SEAT Open ,"AP - Top-seeded Paola Suarez was upset in her opening match at the SEAT Open, losing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Anabel Medina Garrigues on Thursday." +4,Microsoft Announces Another Windows Security Flaw,SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) announced Tuesday it has found a new security flaw with its Windows XP operating system and warned that an attacker could infiltrate other computers by persuading their owners to open a specialized graphics file... +4,"AT T, Vonage Cut Prices on Internet Calling","<p></p><p> By Justin Hyde</p><p> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT T Corp. and Internet telephoneprovider Vonage said on Thursday they were cutting prices fortheir residential Internet calling services by $5 per month,the strongest signs yet of a price war in the nascent market.</p>" +2,UPDATE 4-Kumble puts India in sight of victory,Leg spinner Anil Kumble completed his sixth 10-wicket test haul on Saturday to give India a wonderful opportunity to square their four-match series against Australia. +4,Home Users Most Vulnerable to SP2 Flaw (NewsFactor),NewsFactor - One of the first flaws found in Windows XP SP2 -- which leaves a PC vulnerable through a drag-and-drop hole in Internet Explorer -- could be used by hackers for even greater mischief. +1,Orioles Drub Streaking Yankees 14-8,"BALTIMORE - Brian Roberts and Larry Bigbie had two hits apiece in an eight-run third inning, and the Baltimore Orioles ended the New York Yankees' five-game winning streak with a 14-8 victory Friday night. Miguel Tejada and Melvin Mora homered, and B.J..." +3,Qantas posts record profit,"SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's biggest airline Qantas has doubled its full-year profit on cost cuts and a pick-up in traffic, but the prospect of higher fuel costs has sent its shares down six percent. " +2,Hauritz answers the call... again,"If you could rewind events back to February 2003, try winding back to Cricket's World Cup. Before Australia bowled a ball in anger, Shane Warne has stole all the headlines, failed a drugs " +4,Slashdot warns of Red Hat security scam,Slashdot has a warning posted about the existence of a phishing scam directed toward Red Hat users. Read more to see the post. rixdaffy writes quot;I just received an email from the Redhat Security Team telling +1,Aristide supporters threaten continued violence in Haiti,PORT-AU-PRINCE - UN peacekeepers and Haitian police have arrested dozens of enraged supporters of ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. +2,"Singh extends lead, closes in on Woods","Vijay Singh shot a 68 to widen his lead over Tiger Woods at the Deutsche Bank Championship, putting him one round from his sixth victory of the year and the No." +3,IRS asks about tips at Chili s,"Brinker International Inc., which operates the Chili's restaurant chain, said Monday it received an inquiry from the Internal Revenue Service regarding the company's share of taxes on $31." +2,Good health is key to Ferguson's future,The 18th anniversary today of the start of Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United career requires no more significant reminder that every great reign depends on perpetual +3,"ThyssenKrupp sells off 48,000 workers houses","ThyssenKrupp, the German engineering group buoyed by soaring steel prices, sold off a core element of its philanthropic past yesterday by disposing of its entire stock of company homes for employees for 2.1bn (1.45bn)." +4,Observing the Moon in Shadow,"On the evening of Oct. 27, North America will enjoy a total lunar eclipse, according to Fred Espenak, an astronomer at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt." +4,Cassini Shows Grandeur of Two Saturn Moons,"JPL -- New views of two of Saturn's moons, Titan and Tethys, represent the most detailed look at these moons to date and show a sharp contrast between them -- one is foggy and one is cratered." +4,Point. Shoot. Kiss It Good-Bye,Your hard drive is overflowing with gazillions of digital pics. DSC00234.jpg might as well be labeled don't_know_don't_care.jpg. Here is the quest to build the photo archive of the future. By David Weinberger from Wired magazine. +1,"Floods Kill 76 in China, No Let-Up in Sight"," BEIJING (Reuters) - Floods and landslides have killed 76 people in southwest China in the past four days and washed away homes and roads, knocked down power lines and cut off at least one city, state media said on Monday." +1,An Early Exit from Iraq?,"The distinction between what politicians say on the campaign trail and what they really believe is well illustrated by the current Kerry-Bush skirmishing on Iraq: If either man really believes some of the things he's saying, we're in worse shape than we " +3,Yukos chief sees little hope for oil giant,The American chief executive of Russia's embattled oil giant Yukos yesterday held out little hope of saving the company from dismemberment by the Putin government this month. +1,"Diplomats: IAEA, Brazil Reach Agreement","Brazil has agreed in principle to let the U.N. atomic watchdog agency see parts of equipment to enrich uranium, diplomats said Wednesday. Such a deal would resolve months of dispute over access to the technology that can be used to build nuclear weapons." +1,"Mrs Crocodile Dundee, 60, wrestles with reptile to save camper"," quot;The crocodile walked into the tent and dragged the man out. A 60-year-old woman in an adjacent tent heard the commotion and jumped on the crocodile quot; - Stephen Pemberthy, Royal Flying Doctor Service." +3,Wal-Mart Unit Passes Rival in Britain,"Asda, a unit of Wal-Mart, has overtaken Marks Spencer as Britains biggest clothing retailer, industry figures showed." +1,Stocks End Higher on Upbeat Economic News,"NEW YORK - Stocks regained some momentum Thursday as fresh economic data suggested inflation remains well under control, but volatile oil prices gave investors some pause late in the session. Analysts are closely watching stocks for signs that the market will stabilize in the second half of the year, but choppy trading has made it difficult to build confidence among investors, particularly given recent fluctuations in oil prices..." +2,Raptors' Carter Placed on Injured List, TORONTO (Sports Network) - Toronto Raptors All-Star swingman Vince Carter was placed on the injured list Friday after tests revealed a mild strain of his left Achilles' tendon. +4,"Officials Stumped by Australia, NZ Whale Beachings (Reuters)",Reuters - Scientists and wildlife officials\continued to search Tuesday for what may have caused a series\of mass strandings which left 168 whales and dolphins dead on\Australian and New Zealand beaches in the past three days. +2,"Pats Beat Seahawks, Extend Win Streak ","AP - The New England Patriots stopped a late Seattle comeback to beat the Seahawks 30-20 Sunday, running their streak to 20 wins, including playoffs. They also tied the league record with their 17th consecutive regular-season victory." +1,Asian political parties meeting issues joint statement,Beijing (VNA) - The Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) closed in Beijing on Sunday after issuing a joint declaration. +2,New stars and stripes: US may bench vets to keep Cup,"The single-elimination quarterfinals of the World Cup of Hockey's North American pool start tonight in St. Paul, Minn. And the biggest question remains just which Team USA will show up for " +4,Russian Oil Project to Be Vetted for Whale Threat,A top environmental group said on Thursday it had agreed to probe an oil and gas project led by Royal Dutch/Shell off the Russian far east coast because of fears it threatens endangered whales. +2,"Berkman Injures Knee, May Miss Opener ",AP - Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman may miss the start of next season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing flag football. +4,Japan's top cellphone operator to abolish second generation by 2012 ,AFP - Japan's top cellphone operator NTT DoCoMo said it will stop offering second-generation service by 2012 as third generation (3G) technology featuring Internet and real-time video goes mainstream. +2,Mets Hire Former Yankees Hitting Coach ,"AP - Former New York Yankees hitting coach Rick Down was hired for the same job by the Mets on Friday, reuniting him with new manager Willie Randolph." +3,GM to Boost Incentives in 'Red Tag' Sale," DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GM.N</A>, coming off two straight months of disappointing sales, told dealers on Tuesday it will launch new U.S. sales incentives later this week." +1,"17 dead or missing, hundreds hurt in Japan's deadliest quakes in decade (AFP)","AFP - Japan was on edge after powerful earthquakes left 17 people dead or missing, injured hundreds and derailed a bullet train for the first time in history, within days of the country's worst typhoon in a quarter century." +2,New York Mets call news conference for Thursday; expected to hire ,The New York Mets plan to make a major announcement Thursday amid reports they are planning to hire Omar Minaya from the Montreal Expos as head of baseball operations. +3,Putin backs Gazprom shares deal,Russian president Vladimir Putin has backed plans to end restrictions on the foreign ownership of shares in Russian energy giant Gazprom. +2,UPDATE 1-Leaders Juve end Messina's unbeaten start,Serie A leaders Juventus ended Messina's unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 win over the Sicilian club on Saturday. Goals from Uruguayan Marcelo Zalayeta and European +3,Novartis: FDA Wants More Certican Details,"Swiss drug maker Novartis Pharma AG said Monday that the Food and Drug Administration has again requested more information on the company's Certican treatment, when used in combination with Neoral, to prevent heart and kidney transplant rejection episodes " +1,Bush backers like converted Democrat's zeal ,"AFP - US President George W. Bush found strong support among voters in key states for Democratic Senator Zell Miller, who has broken with his party and raised eyebrows with attacks on Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry." +3, Judge Indicts 2 Former Parmalat Auditors,"A judge ordered two former auditors at dairy giant Parmalat to stand trial for false accounting and market rigging, handing down the first indictments in the massive fraud scandal that stripped many Italians of their savings." +4,Stuff That Crossed My Mind,"At a certain point, usually after the night terrors start, I realize I absolutely have to write a column about Some Great Topic. And when I haven't been creative enough to think of Some Great Topic, rather " +2,Pat Symonds looks at Shanghai strategy,"The teams and drivers have spent two days learning the Chinese circuit, but there are still plenty of questions ahead of tomorrows race" +1,Downer upbeat after North Korea meetings,"MARK COLVIN: The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has met North Korea's Foreign Minister and the President of the Supreme Peoples Assembly in Pyongyang. As one of the few Western nations with diplomatic relations with the isolated totalitarian state, ..." +2,Els Reflects on Season of Heartache ,"AP - ""To be No. 1 in the world is one thing, but to win a major, that's what we all strive for. That's what we all want."" #151; Ernie Els, three weeks before the Masters." +4,The Final Capitalist Frontier,Future space explorers might bring back more than just pictures from their excursions -- they could mine the planets for profit. By Mark Baard. +1,Defense Leaders Faulted by Panel in Prison Abuse,"Leadership failures at the highest levels contributed to an environment in which detainees were abused, a panel concluded." +2,Nowitzki Sidelined With Ankle Injury,"Dallas, TX -- Dallas Mavericks All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki is expected to be sidelined 7-to-10 days after an MRI exam Monday revealed a mild left ankle sprain." +3,"UPDATE 3-Cott profit falls, outlook cut, stock plunges","Shares of Cott Corp. (BCB.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (COT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) sank as much as 16 percent on Wednesday after the world's largest " +4,Hollywood Studios Endorse Toshiba's HD-DVD Standard,"Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Studios will be using the new 30 GB DVD disc format, created by the DVD Forum, an international group of hardware and software companies and content providers." +4,Predicting the Path of an Inferno,"Flames leap 200 feet in the air and burn at 2,000 degrees. A rain of fire sets thousands of acres ablaze. The smoke jumpers may get the glory, but the battle is being won by the wildfire-simulation brigade. By Michael Behar from Wired magazine." +3,Oil Shoots Up as Ivan Hits U.S. Shores (Reuters),"Reuters - World oil prices rose on Thursday as\Hurricane Ivan reached the U.S. Gulf Coast, having shut more\than 1 million barrels of daily output in the Gulf of Mexico\and 13 percent of refining capacity in the United States." +2,Jumping for joy over bronze,"American rider Chris Kappler won a bronze medal in show jumping yesterday in Athens, and was even happier when he learned his horse wasn't seriously hurt following a breakdown during a timed jumpoff." +1,FBI Suspects Israeli Spy at Pentagon -- Govt Sources (Reuters),"Reuters - The FBI is investigating whether\Israel had a spy at the highest level at the Pentagon who\obtained classified documents about Iran for the Jewish state,\U.S. government sources told Reuters on Friday." +4,Getting Into Google Book Search - Google Print,"Google Print, Google Print, Argh Argh Argh! Since I got back from Web Search University I have been buried in sites and resources to review." +3,Oracle to nominate four PeopleSoft directors,Software company Oracle (ORCL) said Wednesday it plans to nominate four candidates for election in 2005 to the board of its rival and takeover target PeopleSoft (PSFT). +1,Car bomb kills seven in Iraq,"BAGHDAD: A US soldier and seven Iraqi civilians died in a spate of attacks yesterday. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, meanwhile, travelled to Jordan to try to win support from exiled opposition leaders for the January 30 elections." +2,Bolton skipper Okocha fit for West Brom,Nigeria skipper Austin Jay Jay Okocha has declared he will be fit for Bolton Wanderers Premiership match at West Brom on Saturday after missing last weekend's 1-1 home draw with Birmingham with a groin strain. +2,Durham provides Dark Blues masterclass,"Oxford, the pre-match favourites, reclaimed the MMC Trophy in one of the better Varsity matches for some time here yesterday. But this, the 123rd staging of the annual amateur " +4,Ballmer: Windows TCO the way to go,"In the face of growing competition from Linux, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer delivered a four-page memo to customers on Wednesday outlining the economic and security advantages Windows has over Linux, the potential dangers of open source involving indemnification, and the intent to aggressively convince Unix shops to migrate to Windows." +4,Countdown to Halo 2: Piracy is for Punks,"Downloading the pirated version of Halo 2 is a disservice to an honest team of creators. October 14, 2004 - Halo 2 is the Xbox game of the year." +4,Exhibit Features Viruses as Art,"Computer viruses aren't just for wreaking havoc on global networks. They're also an art form. That's the take of an upcoming exhibit that focuses on malicious scripts, hacker films and the aesthetic charms of programming code. By Michelle Delio." +4,PeopleSoft Execs Defend Program (Reuters),"Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc.'s \chief financial officer on Wednesday said the company's\controversial customer assurance program, now being challenged\in court, might not force liabilities on Oracle Corp. \if its 7.7 billion takeover bid succeeds." +2,Drugs in sport: Olympic horse's urine sample stolen,"Part of the B-sample of a show jumping horse that won Ireland's only gold medal at the Athens Olympics has been stolen, the International Equestrian Federation said yesterday." +3,Shell hit by $1.5bn oil pollution claim from Nigerian Senate,"Shell, the beleaguered oil giant, has been asked by Nigeria's Senate to pay $1.5bn (830m) compensation to communities affected by oil pollution in the country." +3,Starbucks Aug. Same-Store Sales Up 8 Pct,"Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop chain, on Wednesday said sales at stores open at least a year rose 8 percent in August, the first time growth fell below double-digits in nine months." +2,Eagles Win Again,"Jason Thomas matches a career-high with 26 points and American wins its fifth straight by beating visiting Ohio, 64-55, Saturday at Bender Arena." +2,Nets slide reaches eight,"Throughout the day, dark clouds hovered above downtown Seattle, a fitting site for a Nets team off to one of its dreariest starts to a season." +3,Lazard Meeting Ends Without IPO Decision (Reuters),"Reuters - Lazard's board on Tuesday failed to\decide on a share sale that would end over 150 years of private\ownership at the independent investment bank but most partners\seemed to back the plan, sources close to the matter said." +4,All eyes on NextWave's exit (TheDeal.com),"TheDeal.com - The telecom, which holds billions of dollars worth of wireless spectrum, has until mid-October to file its reorganization plan." +3,Euro Zone Presses U.S. on Weak Dollar (Reuters),"Reuters - Euro zone finance ministers on Tuesday\stepped up pressure on the United States to show its strong\dollar policy was more than just rhetoric, asking it to slash\budget and trade deficits that undermine the dollar." +1,Madonna weighs in on Iraq,"Madonna made a rare foray into politics Tuesday, calling for her home country to withdraw its troops from Iraq during an interview with British radio, reports Agence France-Presse." +4,MCI Creditors Are Target of SEC Subpoenas (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - The Securities and Exchange Commission has subpoenaed 11 members of MCI Inc.'s former creditors committee for documents related to confidential communications between the company and its bondholders, according to federal bankruptcy court filings." +2,Prso stars in leading role,"Rangers revival continued with victory over a stubborn and game Motherwell side at Fir Park - courtesy of two Dado Prso strikes, six minutes from the end of each half -o keep them on " +2,Kiely on hand to save the day for Addicks,CHARLTON goalkeeper Dean Kiely produced a fine performance at The Valley last night - his stunning save from Southampton's Rory Delap's second-half screamer was right out of the top drawer - while some swift reactions also bailed the Addicks out of +1,Hundreds Held Hostage at Russian School,"BESLAN, Russia - Armed militants with explosives strapped to their bodies stormed a Russian school in a region bordering Chechnya on Wednesday, corralling hundreds of hostages - many of them children - into a gymnasium and threatening to blow up the building if surrounding Russian troops attacked. At least two people were killed, including a school parent..." +1,STRAW TO SEE DARFUR CAMP,Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to come face to face with the misery of refugees in the Darfur region of Sudan. Mr Straw will fly from the Sudanese capital Khartoum to El Fasher in northern Darfur to visit the Abu Shouk refugee camp. +2,Jockey Club clears Fallon,"Kieren Fallon, the former champion Flat jockey, will not face disrepute charges relating to race-fixing allegations made against him in a Sunday newspaper, the Jockey Club said on Tuesday." +4,Florida school district talks to Sting on iChat AV (MacCentral),"MacCentral - Music students of the Manatee School District in Bradenton, Florida talked to music legend Sting on Friday using Apple's iChat AV, an iSight camera and a PowerBook G4. Sting spoke to students from the Telewest Arena in Newcastle, England an hour before he was to perform a concert for his latest tour." +1,EU force takes over Bosnia role,A European Union force has taken over peacekeeping in Bosnia from NATO for an operation seen as a test of the EU's military aspirations and credibility. +1,Deutsche Telekom sells remaining 7.3 pct stake in SES Global ,"AFP - Deutsche Telekom said it had sold its remaining 7.3 percent stake in SES Global, the world's leading satellite operator, for approximately 345 million euros (449.5 million dollars)." +2,Clippers' Brand Suspended One Game, NEW YORK (Sports Network) - Los Angeles Clippers forward Elton Brand was suspended Tuesday for one game by the NBA for shoving Charlotte's Emeka Okafor during the fourth quarter of Monday night's game. +3,Nike Chief Phil Knight Resigns; Board Appoints Perez ,"Nike Inc. said Phil Knight, who began the company in 1972 selling sneakers from his car and built it into the world's biggest athletic-shoe maker, will step down next month as chief executive officer." +1,House Left to Wrestle With 9/11 Bill,"WASHINGTON - Senate passage of a bill to enact the Sept. 11 commission's terror-fighting recommendations now puts the focus on the House, where getting Republicans and Democrats to agree on the legislation may be more difficult..." +1,Kerry Camp Makes Video to Defuse Attacks ,AP - Sen. John Kerry's campaign released a video Saturday comparing the controversy over Kerry's Vietnam service to attacks on John McCain during the 2000 Republican primaries. +2,Brit hopes to erase taste of Athens woes,NEW YORK -- Paula Radcliffe decided there was only one way to get over the heartbreak of twin failures at the Athens Olympics: race again. +3,Finance: Give Gifts That Give Back (Reuters),Reuters - (Linda Stern is a freelance writer who covers personal\finance issues for Reuters. Any opinions in the column are\solely those of Ms. Stern. You can e-mail her at\lindastern(at)aol.com). +3,Reuters data centre to house half of global staff by next year,"Reuters, the UK-based global information company for financial services, media and corporate markets, formally opened its new data centre in Bangalore on Thursday." +2,Colorado Rockies Team Report - September 28,(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies continue a four-game series versus the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at Dodger Stadium. +2,Fratello reportedly taking Grizzlies job,"Mike Fratello will take over for the recently retired Hubie Brown, ESPN reported on Friday. Fratello, an analyst for TNT, flew to Memphis on Friday to meet with team officials." +2,Sports in brief,"Three-time All-Star catcher Jason Kendall was close to being traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Oakland Athletics for a pair of pitchers, a baseball official told the Associated Press on Wednesday." +2,Expos relocation to Washington in peril,NEW YORK - Washington's new baseball team shut down business and promotional operations indefinitely Wednesday as its move to the nation's capital teetered on the brink of collapse. +2,PREVIEW- Real tournament begins at the Oval,"The Champions Trophy, despite still being at the pool stage, reaches its knockout phase when world champions Australia meet New Zealand at the Oval on Thursday." +3,Inflation remains well contained: US Fed,US Federal Reserve said Wednesday that rate hikes can continue at a quot;measured pace quot; as quot;inflation and longer-term inflation expectations remain well contained quot;. +2,Grievance hearing to proceed after NBA says it won't seek TRO,"The NBA informed the players union Sunday it will not seek a temporary restraining order in federal court, clearing the way for a grievance hearing over suspensions for the Pacers-Pistons brawl." +3,Chip Sales Rise; Inventories Seen Down (Reuters),"Reuters - Global semiconductor sales rose 1.1\percent to 18.2 billion in August from the previous month and\it appears as though chip inventories are declining, an\industry trade group said on Thursday." +2,Sheffield has been top-shelf,"For all the fanfare regarding the Red Sox MVP candidates -- Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and he-who-can-no-longer-be-overlooked, Johnny Damon -- the man in the Bronx has a pretty compelling case." +2,NFL ROUNDUP Eagles Kalu Will Be Out for the Year,Philadelphia Eagles defensive end ND Kalu will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at yesterday's practice. +4,Researchers find holes in XP SP2,Security researchers found two software flaws in the Windows XP Service Pack 2 that could allow virus writers and malicious hackers to sidestep new security features in the operating system. +4,This answer eclipses all the others,"Until the rain clouds moved in, I was watching the juxtaposition of two planets that appeared to be converging on the same spot in the early-morning eastern sky." +1,"Parked in a Desert, Waiting Out the Winter of Life","Slab City, Calif., is not so much sinister as it is strange, a forlorn quarter of America where more than 3,000 elderly folk pass the winter." +3,Baxter pulls flu vaccine from British test,"Baxter International has pulled its flu vaccine from a clinical trial in Britain because of side effects. Baxter, of Deerfield, Ill." +2,Fla. St. coughed it up,"MIAMI -- Although Chris Rix's fumble overshadowed Xavier Beitia's blocked field goal, Florida State coach Bobby Bowden will remember them both." +4,"Intel, Clearwire to work on WiMax together","SAN FRANCISCO - Intel Corp. will work with Clearwire Corp., a wireless Internet service provider founded by cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, on future networks based on WiMax wireless broadband technology." +1,Former Haitian Soldiers Vow to Provide Security in Port-Au-Prince,"Former Haitian soldiers who fought to oust former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide say they intend to provide security to help stop street violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince." +1,Chinese Central Bank Increases Rates for First Time in 9 Years,The move is expected to dampen prospects for a long list of companies that have focused on taking advantage of the Chinese market. +1,Dozens More Killed In New Fighting In Iraq,"American and Iraqi forces once again fought with Insurgents in the cities of Falluja and Tall Afar, killing dozens of Iraqis in airstrikes and gunbattles." +3,Oil: Price drops nearly US$ 2 a barrel,"NEW YORK - Oil prices fell nearly US$ 2 a barrel on Wednesday, dragged down by heavy losses in US petrol futures after summer driving demand in the world's largest consumer failed to meet expectations." +1,Social Security a Priority for White House ,AP - The Bush administration predicts financial markets would applaud a costly overhaul of Social Security for tackling long-term financial obligations weighing on the federal budget. +3,SEC Probes Bank of New York Clearing Unit," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of New York Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">BK.N</A> on Tuesday said regulators are examining whether its Pershing LLC unit cleared improper stock trades." +2,"Ross out, and strip club manager says tailback passed stolen bills",Ohio State senior tailback Lydell Ross will not play for the Buckeyes today in their homecoming game versus Indiana. Coach Jim Tressel would not comment Friday on Ross suspension. +1,Two Italian Aid Workers Kidnapped in Baghdad,Two Italian woman aid workers and two Iraqis were kidnapped in broad daylight in central Baghdad Tuesday in a brazen raid that will alarm foreigners already edgy from widespread kidnappings. +1,The FPJ chronicles,"Last May, he fought for the Presidency and just recently, he fought for his life. Fernando Poe, Jr. lost both fights but the ironies of ironies is that he has never been more alive now than any time in the hearts of the Filipino people." +1,"After lynchings, Mexico looks inward","SAN JUAN IXTAYOPAN, Mexico -- A pair of wooden crosses outside the elementary school are all that mark the macabre site where, just weeks ago, an angry mob captured two federal police officers, beat them unconscious, and set them on fire." +4,VoIP: Find Out More About 'Net Phone Calling,Express features editor Holly Morris discusses Tuesday's special report about local providers of VoIP -- services that let you talk over the Internet with a regular phone and a broadband connection. +1,Dahlan Bows Out of Palestinian Elections ,"AP - Gaza strongman Mohammed Dahlan, once seen as a possible successor to Yasser Arafat, said Tuesday he will not run in the Jan. 9 elections and instead endorsed the interim Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas." +1,Israeli Troops Kill 5 in West Bank Clashes-Witnesses,"Israeli troops killed at least five Palestinian militants in the West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday, witnesses said. A military spokeswoman confirmed operations were under way but declined to comment on casualties." +1,Farooqi key link between Pakistan and al Qaeda (Reuters),"Reuters - Amjad Hussain Farooqi, who was shot dead by security forces on Sunday, was one Pakistan's most wanted men, a cohort of Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and a key link between al Qaeda and local Pakistani militants." +4,IBM tops server speed test,IBM's new top-end Power5-based Unix server has a commanding lead in a performance test of servers running a large database. A $16.7 million configuration of the company's eServer p5-595 performed 3.21 million +4,Branson plays space invaders in California desert,"Life in Mojave Town, the windswept and deserted frontier trading post in the Californian desert where the new Virgin Galactic base is located, is far from space age." +1,Rwandan priest boycotts genocide trial proceedings,"A Roman Catholic priest charged with directing the killing of 2,000 of his parishioners inthe 1994 Rwandan genocide has boycotted the trial proceedings by the United " +3,ACCC won't stop pipeline bid,Australia's competition watchdog has no plan to stop a bid by a consortium including gas retailer Alinta Ltd for Western Australia's biggest natural gas transmission pipeline. +1,Cambodia king urges nation to find successor,King Norodom Sihanouk has urged Cambodians to choose a new king and avoid quot;any chaos quot; in the impoverished country still struggling to recover from its Khmer Rouge past. +2,Bender Out Indefinitely With Knee Injury ,AP - Indiana Pacers forward Jonathan Bender's chronically injured left knee has taken yet another turn for the worse. +2,Maradona Rushed Back to Hospital,"Diego Maradona was rushed to hospital in the early hours of today, according to reports in Argentina. The former World Cup winner is currently undergoing lengthy treatment to cure a long-standing drug problem " +1,Festivals may not cheer durable goods makers (Reuters),"Reuters - Intense competition has depressed prices of everything from washing machines to refrigerators in India, dampening the spirits, and profits, of durable goods makers as they prepare for the busy festival season." +1,Depleted Sri Lanka too strong for South Africa ,AFP - Kumar Sangakkara and Avishka Gunawardene slammed impressive half-centuries to help an under-strength Sri Lanka crush South Africa by seven wickets in the fourth one-day international here. +1,Lawmakers Getting Flu Shot Sparks Debate ,AP - President Bush didn't get one. Neither did most of his Cabinet. Same for Democrat John Kerry and running mate John Edwards. The presidential candidates said they passed up a flu shot because of the vaccine shortage. +1,Bush Prepares for Possible GPS Shutdown ,"AP - President Bush has ordered plans for temporarily disabling the U.S. network of global positioning satellites during a national crisis to prevent terrorists from using the navigational technology, the White House said Wednesday." +1,Four Killed in Baghdad's Green Zone,"A US Army 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment soldier scans the area through his rifle scope during a joint early morning raid on insurgent targets by Iraqi and US forces, during which 13 suspects were detained in Mosul, Iraq Friday, Nov. 26, 2004." +1,108-Year-Old Man Starts Smoking Again,"GREAT FALLS, Mont. - A 108-year-old man has taken up smoking again, encouraged by gifts of cigars from as far away as London..." +3,Insurance Probe Rattles Stocks (Reuters),"Reuters - An investigation into U.S. insurers\and brokers rattled insurance industry stocks for a second day\on Friday as investors, shaken further by subpoenas delivered\to the top U.S. life insurer, struggled to gauge how deep the\probe might reach." +2,Baseball: Bonds's pursuit of 700th homer to continue at home,"MILWAUKEE, United States : Barry Bonds banged out three hits, but failed to join Major League Baseball's exclusive 700 home run club as the San Francisco Giants wrapped up a series against the Brewers." +1,"Four killed, several injured in storm lashing western, northern ","A storm lashed Friday in western andnorthern France and the region of Paris, killing four people and injuring several others as well as cutting power to 385,000 homes." +4,Steve Jobs back at Apple,"After cancer surgery, the chief executive hits meetings, with plans to return to full-time work later this month." +3,"Oracle, PeopleSoft wrap up trial","LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- PeopleSoft's revision this week to its customer rebate program has brought it much closer to meeting Oracle's concerns that the measure represents an unacceptable obstacle to its bid for its rival, a judge reportedly said Friday." +1,UK urged to review terrorism laws,A UN committee asks the UK to review its policy of detaining terrorism suspects without trial. +2,SquawkBack Poll: Will the Red Sox or Yankees win?,The contest many baseball fans wanted to see is about to begin. The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees begin playing for the American League Championship Tuesday. +4,Picture 8 of 8: Microsoft's new Media Center push,"Software maker heads to LA to show off a host of gadgets that use one or another Microsoft technology to access movies, music and video." +4,Schwarzenegger Vetoes E-Mail Monitoring Disclosure, SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed on Wednesday a bill that would have required the state's employers to give workers written notification if e-mail and other Internet activity is being monitored at work. +4,Computer game simulates JFK assassination,"A computer game that allows users to play the role of Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was released Monday by Traffic Games, a Scottish software company." +1,U.S. Takes Action Against 2 Foreign Banks ,"AP - The Treasury Department took action Tuesday against two foreign banks it suspects of money laundering, including one it accused of helping Saddam Hussein use funds from the United Nations' oil-for-food program." +3,Merck sued by New York fund over Vioxx issue,"NEW YORK (Dow Jones/AP) _ The New York state comptroller sued Merck amp; Co., claiming the drug maker hid certain risks associated with the painkiller Vioxx." +1,Castro receives get-well wishes from presidents,"HAVANA: President Fidel Castro, recovering from a fall that broke his kneecap and an arm, has received get-well wishes from the leaders around the globe, state media reported Saturday." +4,House approves anti-spyware bill,The US House of Representatives yesterday unanimously passed a bill that would make using spyware to snoop of the online activities of consumers a criminal offence. +2,Short but sweet for Kewell,"SYDNEYSIDERS got a half portion of Harry Kewell last night when the rarely-sighted Socceroo star made a cameo appearance for his country, as they completed the formalities of qualifying for next year's Confederations Cup." +4,EU Wants to Make Internet Safe for Children,The European Union has launched a 45 million euro ($60 million) plan to protect children from pornography and racist sites when they surf the Internet. +1,Ten Israeli Casualties in Gaza -Military Sources," JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian bomb attack caused 10 casualties at an Israeli army post along the Gaza Strip-Egypt border on Sunday, military sources said." +2,BBO Baseball Today ,AP - Texas at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EDT). Mark Mulder (17-4) and the A's face the Rangers. +1,"Australian opposition pulls ahead in close election race, polls show (AFP)","AFP - Australia's opposition has clawed back a potentially election-winning lead, boosted by its insistence on extra protection for cheap prescription medicines, two new polls showed." +3,Gloom continues at MS,"ALES are still falling at Marks amp; Spencer, the company revealed today, sparking fresh fears for the retailers recovery. The group confirmed that half-year profits will be between 285m-295m, in line with " +2,Cricket: Sri Lanka says ICC ruling buries Muralitharan controversy,"COLOMBO : Sri Lanka's cricket governing body welcomed the new bowling rules of the International Cricket Council (ICC), saying the decision will finally end the controversy over Muttiah Muralitharan's action." +2,The long journey from Football Focus to focusing football,"Brian Barwick is said to relish a challenge. Quite whether he's capable of handling arguably the toughest one in British sports administration remains to be seen, but at least he will take up " +2,Champions Trophy: Lankans gain ground,Sri Lanka gained ground in the opening stages of the Champions Trophy game against England at the Rose Bowl. England made a steady start before losing Vikram Solanki and captain Michael Vaughan as they reached 54-2 off 15. +2,"Olympics: Party, Party, Party - Greece's Parting Gift", ATHENS (Reuters) - They will be dancing in the aisles at the Olympic closing ceremony when Greece throws a giant Bacchanalian bash for athletes and fans. +4,Study: Supercomputer clusters shortchange security,"com November 12, 2004, 8:58 AM PT. Organizations are replacing aging servers with newer more-powerful boxes, often Linux--based, and theyre also investing in storage." +2,Els pulls ahead in Ireland,"Kilkenny, Ireland (Sports Network) - Ernie Els fired an eight-under 64 on Friday to take the lead midway through the World Golf Championships - American Express Championship." +3,"Eisner, on Ovitz, describes a culture clash at Disney","GEORGETOWN, Delaware It was at his mother's funeral in the summer of 1996 that Michael Eisner, the chief executive of Walt Disney, knew he had to dismiss the president he had hired just 10 months earlier." +3,CNNfn Network to Close by Mid-December," NEW YORK (Reuters) - CNNfn, the financial news cable network owned by Time Warner Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TWX.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TWX.N</A>, on Thursday said it will cease operating by mid-December, after fighting a losing battle against the far larger rival CNBC." +3,DreamWorks Animation Will Sell 29 Million Shares,Katzenberg is taking the animation unit public in a year that has seen box office success for the studio: quot;Shrek 2 quot; has brought in $876. +2,"Smoltz, Lidge big factors in Game 2",The box score says John Smoltz and Brad Lidge did not figure in this Game 2 thriller. Typical of the quot;win-at-all-costs quot; mind-set that the Astros and Braves carried into +4,ICANN domain transfer policy takes effect,"NOVEMBER 12, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - A new transfer policy for inter-registrar domain names went into effect today, according to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)." +1,EU leaders sign first constitution,The 25 European Union leaders on Friday signed the EU's first constitution that aims to boost the union's presence on the world stage but will face a tough ratification test at the hands of European parliaments and voters before it can take effect. +4,AOL to Adapt WebEx Services for AIM Consumers,America Online and WebEx Communications are evaluating ways to adapt some of the online meeting services they currently offer to business users of AOL's AIM instant messaging network to make these services appealing to other AIM consumers. +4,"Primus Unit to Pay $400,000 in Do-Not-Call Probe","A division of Primus Telecommunications Group Inc. agreed Tuesday to pay $400,000 to the federal government to settle allegations that the McLean phone provider made telemarketing calls in violation of the national do-not-call registry. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>" +3,Biomira stock jumps as lung cancer vaccine gets US fast-track ,EDMONTON (CP) - Shares in Biomira Inc. shot up as much as 48 per cent Wednesday after the drug developer said one of its cancer vaccines has won fast-track investigation status from the US Food and Drug Administration. +2,Rams still feel sting of losing Super Bowl,"Almost three years have passed, but a St. Louis victory over New England today may help heal some of the lingering wounds from the Patriots 20-17 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI." +3,JP Morgan ends IBM outsource deal,"JP Morgan Chase amp; Co. said Wednesday it was canceling a $5 billion outsourcing deal with IBM Corp. and planned to rehire about 4,000 workers who had been transferred to IBM under the pact." +2,Federer Wins Epic Tie-Break to Reach Masters Final," HOUSTON (Reuters) - World number one and defending champion Roger Federer won an epic 20-18 tie-break to seal a 6-3, 7-6 win over Marat Safin on Saturday and place in the Masters Cup final." +4,Grid Pioneers To Launch Company,"The creators of the widely-used Globus Toolkit have formed a company to provide commercial software, services and support for the open source software that has become the de facto standard for grid computing." +1,Nigerian Senate Orders Shell Unit to Pay ,"AP - Nigeria's Senate has ordered a subsidiary of petroleum giant Royal/Dutch Shell to pay a Nigerian ethnic group 1.5 billion for oil spills in their homelands, but the legislative body can't enforce the resolution, an official said Wednesday." +3,"Morgan Stanley, Bear Stearns Say Fiscal 3rd-Qtr Profit Declined","Morgan Stanley and Bear Stearns Cos. said fiscal third-quarter earnings fell, their first declines in more than a year. The results sparked concern that Wall Street profits are slowing, and shares of many securities firms dropped." +2,Juventus denied by Inter fightback,"Juventus blew a two goal lead in the second half to be held to a 2-2 draw Inter Milan in the San Siro on Sunday. Ironically, Inter's heroics helped arch-rivals and Serie A champions AC " +3,Penny stock scammer tried,A self-proclaimed stock guru was alternately described as a crusader and a crook yesterday in opening arguments of his federal racketeering trial in Brooklyn. +1,Police reveal prime suspects,POLICE last night released the names and mugshots of the bombers and terror masterminds believed responsible for the Australian Embassy attack in Jakarta. +3,Levi Strauss Posts Profit," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Levi Strauss Co. swung to a quarterly profit on Tuesday, citing cost cuts and a weaker dollar as the struggling jeans maker closed out poor-performing products to focus on its Levi, Dockers and lower-priced Signature brands." +3,Bad news? It's good news for Bush,It is now official: The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Last week's Congressional Budget Office tax-burden study confirms what the eye can see: John Edwards quot;two Americas quot; continues to grow. +3,J. J. Is Said to Be Near Deal to Buy Guidant,"Johnson Johnson, the pharmaceutical and health care giant, is near a deal to buy Guidant, one of the nation's largest makers of devices to treat heart and circulatory illnesses." +1,Suicide bomber kills 20 outside Kirkuk police academy,"A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb yesterday outside a police academy in Kirkuk, a city in northern Iraq, as hundreds of trainees and civilians were leaving for the day, killing at least 20 people and wounding 36, authorities said." +4,XBox and EA Sports to Stage Interactive World Cup,"LEIPZIG, Germany - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)'s XBox video game system will team up with software maker Electronic Arts Inc..." +4,"RIM Sees Strong European, Asian BlackBerry Growth"," OTTAWA (Reuters) - Research In Motion Ltd. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=RIM.TO qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">RIM.TO</A> is seeing rising demand for its BlackBerry wireless e-mail device in Europe and expects Asia to be its next major market, the company's chief financial officer said on Monday." +2,Ferguson hopes of Arsenal action fading,Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson's bid to have Arsenal duo Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry punished for what he believes was foul play during last month's Battle of Old Trafford are set to come to nothing because of Football Association (FA +2,Owner's remarks draw big fine,"The NHL fined Steve Belkin, one of the Thrashers owners, $250,000 on Tuesday for saying the league could use replacement players next season, the Associated Press reported." +2,Stewart geared up for Dover,"Tony Stewart knows his way around Dover and will attack the 1-mile speedway in today's MBNA America 400 like a man with nothing to lose -- because, well, he has nothing to lose." +1,"US soldier sentenced to 30-day confinement, dishonorable discharge","Charles Jenkins, a US military serviceman, received a minor sentence Wednesday to 30 days in confinement and dishonorable discharge by a US court-martial for his desertion in 1960s, the US Army said." +1, The Scream stolen from museum,"Armed men stormed into an art museum Sunday, threatened staff at gunpoint and stole Edvard Munch's famous paintings quot;The Scream quot; and quot;Madonna quot; before the eyes of stunned museum-goers." +2,"Grace Park, Koch share lead in Korea","Jeju Island, South Korea (Sports Network) - Grace Park and Carin Koch posted matching rounds of six-under-par 66 on Friday to share the lead after the first round of the CJ Nine Bridges Classic." +3,Gold Banc to pay $16 mln to resolve loan claims,"Gold Banc Corp. (GLDB.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , a Kansas banking company, agreed to pay $16 million to resolve claims it charged excessive interest rates and fees on federally " +1,Security Council focuson Sudan urged by US,"UNITED NATIONS Washington wants the UN Security Council to meet next month at the site of peace talks in Kenya between rebels in southern Sudan and Khartoum's government, US Ambassador John Danforth said yesterday. Such a meeting would underline how important nailing down a peace deal in southern Sudan is to reaching overall peace across the vast northeast African nation, ..." +1,The Curse of Nigerian Oil,"If anything should be apparent by now its that George Bush has seriously failed us. We are enmeshed in war for oil in Iraq. As demand across the world increases in the face of shrinking supply, resource exporters " +1,Karzai Accepts Award Ahead of Election,"KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan President Hamid Karzai left for Germany Sunday to receive an award, his office said, just six days before his war-plagued nation will hold its first-ever direct presidential election. The one-day trip had been previously announced, but the timing couldn't help but raise eyebrows as thousands of Afghan and international workers feverishly struggle to prepare for the Oct..." +1,Israel's Sharon Lines Up Support for Likud Vote,Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon marshalled support for Thursday's Likud party vote to bring the Labor Party into a government that would block snap elections and pave the way for a Gaza withdrawal next year. +1,Iran has said it has frozen uranium enrichment programs,WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- President Bush said Monday he wants to verify if Iran has indeed suspended its nuclear fuel program as it has said it has done. +3,El Paso plans to write down $3.7 billion in restatements ,"HOUSTON -- El Paso Corp. , the nation's largest natural gas pipeline company, said yesterday it will write down the value of its oil and gas properties by $2.67 billion and reduce the value of its shareholder equity by $1 billion to reflect accounting revisions for natural gas hedges." +4,Rocky Road: Planet hunting gets closer to Earth,"Astronomers have discovered the three lightest planets known outside the solar system, moving researchers closer to the goal of finding extrasolar planets that resemble Earth." +4,"Space crew cuts down food, awaits resupply",Astronaut Leroy Chiao is instructed to return by the flight controllers because of a food shortage on the international space station. +3,Stocks overcome some gloomy news,Stocks rose modestly yesterday as investors looked past a mix of economic data and falling profit forecasts from Google and Applied Materials. +2,"No. 1 LSU Beats No. 13 Minnesota, 75-67 ",AP - Seimone Augustus scored 22 points to lead top-ranked LSU past No. 13 Minnesota 75-67 in a matchup Tuesday night of Final Four teams from last season. +4,Microsoft Deepens Indemnity,"In the wake of rising concerns within companies about intellectual-property lawsuits over software, Microsoft is considering ways to broaden the indemnification policy that provides legal protection to its customers." +3,Martha Stewart gets new TV series,Jailed US lifestyle guru Martha Stewart signs a deal to present a new show for NBC from late next year. +3,Ellison testifies in takeover lawsuit,Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison testified yesterday that the business software maker is leaning toward lowering its $7.7 billion bid for rival PeopleSoft +2,Another Pacer Involved,"Police have determined that a fourth member of the Pacers, reserve center David Harrison, was involved in the brawl at last Friday night's Indiana-Detroit game." +3,French agriculture minister to take finance portfolio from Sarkozy ,"AFP - France's agriculture minister, Herv #195; #169; Gaymard, will replace Nicolas Sarkozy as finance and economy minister following the latter's resignation to take up the helm of the governing UMP party, officials said." +4,Hollywood steps up battles to squash web piracy,Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday stepped up their fight against internet piracy by pursuing lawsuits against people in the US and Europe who operate servers that relay +3, Knight Trading Expects Operating Loss,"Knight Trading Group Inc., a leading stock dealer, Wednesday said it expects to report an operating loss for the third quarter due to quot;persistent lackluster market conditions quot; in its core businesses." +4,Expedition 9 Crew Returns to Earth,"NASA -- International Space Station Expedition 9 crewmembers, Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Science Officer Mike Fincke landed on target in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 8:36 pm EDT Saturday after 188 days in space." +1,Myanmar Hardliner Power Play Dashes Reform Hopes,"The ouster of Myanmar's prime minister, architect of a tentative quot;roadmap to democracy, quot; has dashed faint hopes for an end to military rule and leaves Southeast Asia's policy of constructive engagement in tatters." +3,"Ford Hikes Profit View, Cuts Jaguar Jobs"," DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=F.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">F.N</A> raised its earnings outlook on Friday, due to strength from its financial services sector, even as it announced the end of car production at a Jaguar plant in Britain and its withdrawal from Formula One racing." +1,GOP Convention Protests Mostly Peaceful ,AP - Tens of thousands of protesters made a sweaty but jubilant five-hour march through the streets of Manhattan on the eve of the Republican National Convention for a demonstration that wound up being largely peaceful despite fears of violent skirmishes with police. +4,PluggedIn: Software Tackles Digital Photo Proliferation," SEATTLE (Reuters) - Now that digital cameras have overtaken film cameras in sales, users are beginning to encounter a familiar problem -- what to do with the bulging image files and folders filling up computer hard drives?" +4,Trial to Unmask Kazaa Owners,"In a copyright-infringement trial under way this week in an Australian federal court, music industry representatives say they plan to make public the secretive ownership structure of the Kazaa file-trading network. By Patrick Gray." +3,More Prescription Drug Health Risks,The Food and Drug Administration remains on the defensive. The agency got grilled on Capitol Hill for the second day in a row about the health risks of several popular prescription drugs. +3, The age of cheap oil is over ,"Put away the stack-heeled shoes and the Slade records. Higher oil prices may have rekindled memories of glam rock and loon pants, but the west is not about to return to the days of sky-high inflation that marked the 1970s." +3,Dollar May Gain on Speculation Fed Will Raise Interest Rates,The dollar may rise for a second day against the euro in Asia on speculation Federal Reserve policy makers will raise the key interest rate in a meeting today and signal more increases to come. +3,"US Air agents agree to pay, benefits cuts","ARLINGTON, Va. - The union for 5,800 US Airways Group Inc. customer-service and reservation agents said it reached agreement on pay and benefit cuts the airline had sought to help emerge from bankruptcy." +3,Rockwell Collins Sees 2005 EPS Up 17 Pct,"Electronics manufacturer Rockwell Collins Inc. (COL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday gave a 2005 profit forecast that was higher than Wall Street expectations as spending on defense " +3,"Vivendi, Ex-CEO Fined 1 Mln Euros Each"," PARIS (Reuters) - French regulators fined Vivendi Universal <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=EAUG.PA target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">EAUG.PA</A> and former Chief Executive Officer Jean-Marie Messier 1 million euros ($1.34 million) each on Tuesday after a probe into allegations that they misled investors when a costly media acquisition spree went wrong." +4,"Stem cells as heart ""pacemakers""","""Natural"" heart pacemakers made from human stem cells have been successfully tested in pigs." +1,EU Commission approves Repsol's acquisition of Shell Portugal assets ,AFP - The European Commission said it had approved the acquisition by Spain's Repsol YSF of most of the Portuguese products and businesses belonging to Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell. +3,KB Toys may close Opry Mills location,"Pittsfield, Mass.-based toy retailer KB Toys Inc., announced today it will close 141 to 238 under-performing stores by Jan. 31, 2005." +2,Singh is a golfer for all seasons,"ATLANTA - If Reggie Jackson is forever baseball's Mr. October, Vijay Singh has become golf's calendar boy for August. And September." +3,Survey: FDA scientists question safety,"Two-thirds of Food and Drug Administration scientists surveyed two years ago lacked confidence that the FDA adequately monitors the safety of prescription drugs, a report released Thursday shows." +4,Organic Search Engine Optimization for Large Sites,"Organic Search Engine Optimization for Large Sites\\Commercial websites are getting larger. Driven by the rapid evolution of content management systems, shopping carts and e-biz facilitation, and by the increasing sophistication of Internet retailers, ""small"" business sites averaging 500 pages have become common.\\Some large sites are very well focused and present ..." +3,TCS shares close at 16 premium on debut,"Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, and Mr S. Ramadorai, Managing Director, look at the TCS shares being listed on the National Stock Exchange in Mumbai on Wednesday." +4,"ATT's Gambit: Relying On Automation To Make Up For 12,000 Fewer ","AT amp;T's top IT exec says automation thanks to its IT systems will let it shed more than 12,000 jobs this year without hurting its network or service." +2,Band of merry fools gets another chance to rewrite baseball ,The frat house full of fools will play for a pennant for the second year in a row. David Ortiz's 10th-inning homer gave the Boston Red Sox an 8-6 victory over the Anaheim Angels on +4,Lifting the Veil on Titan,"NASA scientists and their colleagues at the European Space Agency await the first reports from their spacecraft and probe, which will pass closer to Saturn's icy moon than ever before." +3,Stewart to serve sentence in West Virginia,"She wanted Connecticut. She would have settled for Florida. But on Wednesday, Martha Stewart drew the short straw. She was assigned to serve her sentence at a federal " +3,Oil Prices Fall as Supply Fears Ease, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. oil prices eased on Tuesday as the head of the OPEC cartel said markets were well-supplied with crude and traders continued to take profits from this year's 40 percent rally. +3,U.S. Oil Jumps Over $54 on Winter Worries, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices surged to record highs above $54 on Tuesday as a fire at Nigerian export pipeline became the latest threat to consumers' efforts to build winter heating fuel inventories. +4,ESA Findings: Mars Could Harbor Microbial Life,"Data obtained by the ESA probe Mars Express and the US spacecraft Mars Odyssey show that in some equatorial locations, low-atmosphere levels of water vapor and methane quot;significantly overlap, quot; says the ESA." +4,IBM's Meyerson: Chip industry needs a Plan B ,"The days of relying on shrinking transistors to achieve performance gains are over, and the chip industry needs to enter a new era of innovation where system-level features are just as important as thinner transistor gates, said IBM Corp." +2,American Home Comforts Suit European Ryder Rookies," BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - For Americans, there is no place quite like home. Europeans, however, always seem to enjoy the challenge of foreign lands." +2,White Sox sign OF Dye to two-year contract,"CHICAGO (USATODAY.com) - The Chicago White Sox did not offer arbitration to outfielder Magglio Ordonez. Evidently, it will be Jermaine Dye to pick up the slack." +1,Botched Relay Leaves Jones 0-For-Athens,"ATHENS, Greece - A botched relay handoff doomed Marion Jones' chances of winning even a single medal at the Athens Olympics, a disastrous ending to her summer of turmoil and disappointment. Hoping to win a pair of golds Friday, Jones was shut out instead..." +3,"US jobless claims tumble 25,000 in a week","WASHINGTON - The queue of newly jobless Americans shrank last week, providing a dose of good news to the labor market. The number of new claims for unemployment benefits tumbled 25,000 to a seasonally " +2,Zook's Swamp finale a romp,"GAINESVILLE He walked toward the tunnel one final time, his career within Ben Hill Griffin Stadium finished less than three years after it began." +2,China stops included in 05 European Tour,"SOTOGRANDE, Spain -- The European Tour will feature three, and possibly four, tournaments in China next season. The new schedule, released Thursday at the Volvo Masters, begins Nov. 25-28 with the China Open in Shanghai." +1,Traces of explosive found on 2nd plane in Russian aviation disaster (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - MOSCOW - Russian investigators found explosive residue on the wreckage of the second of two airliners that crashed minutes apart, a security spokesman said Saturday, adding to evidence that terrorists breached security at one of the country's most up-to-date airports." +4,Kazaa launches file-swap defence,"Lawyers for file-swapping software firm Kazaa have begun their defence in a landmark Australian music piracy case. Kazaa said its software, which allows users to exchange copyrighted music over " +2,"Soriano Injured, Could Miss Rest of Season"," OAKLAND, Calif. (Sports Network) - Texas Rangers second baseman Alfonso Soriano left Thursday's 5-4 loss to Oakland after he injured his left leg, and he might miss the rest of the season." +1,U.S. Envoy: Sudan Could See Somali-Style Anarchy," NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) - Sudan risks falling into Somalia-style anarchy if peace talks aimed at ending separate crises in Darfur and the south fail and embolden more factions to take up arms, the top U.S. envoy to Sudan said Friday." +2,A dynasty shattered,"ATHENS Larry Brown, the US coach, leaned back against the scorer's table, searching for support on a sinking ship. His best player, Tim Duncan, had just fouled out, and the options for an American team that " +3,Sola Says Agrees to Be Sold for $815 Mln," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sola International <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SOL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">SOL.N</A>, an eyeglass lens maker, said on Sunday that it had agreed to be bought by Germany's Carl Zeiss AG and European private equity firm EQT for about $815 million in cash." +2,Singh show not yet over for 2004,"LONDON: The Vijay Singh show, a long-running golf blockbuster in 2004, could earn one more rave review by the end of this week. Fijian Singh, firmly established as the game's most dominant player, has a golden " +1,Japan Fumes Over Whales as U.N. Meeting Winds Up, BANGKOK (Reuters) - Japan was fuming over the failure of its bid to expand trade in whale products and Africa swapped blows over ivory Thursday as a U.N. meeting on trade in wild plants and animals wrapped up. +2,Eagles Easily Best Struggling Bears ,"AP - It's going to take a really good team to stop the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles. Right now, mediocre is a reach for the Chicago Bears." +3,Wall Street stocks end lower on volatile crude oil prices,Wall Street stocks fell modestly Monday as the volatile crude oil prices pressured on the stocks while uncertainty over economic growth and electronic overshadowed the market. +1,"Briton, two Americans kidnapped as Iraq hostage crisis escalates","BAGHDAD : Two Americans and a Briton were kidnapped from their smart Baghdad home, as the two main powers behind last year's invasion became the latest victims of a five-month-old hostage crisis." +3,US Airways may ask for OK to cut wages,Labor leaders at US Airways expect management to soon seek bankruptcy court permission to cut wages for members of some of its five unions. +4,Xandros rolls out Linux desktop management app (InfoWorld),"InfoWorld - Linux desktop vendor Xandros Inc. on Tuesday announced the availability of its new Xandros Desktop Management Server (xDMS) application, which gives IT administrators the tools to roll out, configure and maintain mass deployments of Linux-equipped PCs." +4,"Microsoft, IE and Bloat","\\Zawodny threads off of Scoble on the IE issue:\\""I have to say, when I first read that I nearly fell off my chair laughing. I was\thinking ""how stupid ARE these IE guys?!?!?!"" But we all know that Microsoft is\full of smart people who care about what they're doing. So something really\doesn't compute here.""\\""Last time I checked, IE wasn't even close to feature parity with Mozilla's\browsers. No popup blocking, no tabbed browsing, etc.""\\""Does the IE team really not know what their product is missing?""\\Perhaps. It's highly likely that they just don't know.\\The bigger issue here is that Microsoft products can't fail and they can't\succeed. Microsoft has 40-50 billion in the bank. There ...\\" +1,Annan is teetering on his pedestal,"UNITED NATIONS, New York For years, Kofi Annan was seen at the United Nations as a Mandela-like figure, a statesman who brought a serene sense of personal confidence and institutional steadiness to the task of settling conflict and a person frequently " +1,"Kerry: Bush 'Chose' Iraq War, Americans Pay Bill (Reuters)",Reuters - Democratic White House\challenger John Kerry sharply rebuked President Bush on Tuesday\for choosing to go to war in Iraq and sticking Americans with\the 200 billion bill. +3,"Crude reaches another record, settling near $55","As October wears on and Halloween draws near, the oil and stock markets are getting more and more spooked. Crude oil hit another record Thursday, settling at $54." +3,Toyota Motor interim net profit up 11.4 percent to hit record high,Japan's top carmaker Toyota Motor said its interim net profit rose 11.4 percent to a record 584 billion yen (5.5 billion dollars) thanks to brisk sales both at home and overseas. +4,Hitachi TVs to pick up Gemstar technology,Gemstar-TV Guide and Hitachi announce a multiyear deal to bring program guides to digital TVs. +4,"Apple Rolls Out iPod Photo, Rocks with U2"," SAN JOSE, Calif. (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc. rolled out on Tuesday a new iPod that allows users to view and share photos, a dramatic expansion that takes the most popular digital music player squarely into the multimedia realm, while spurring its rivalry with Microsoft Corp. and others." +2,Beckham Criticized for Suspension ,AP - FIFA's president criticized England captain David Beckham for deliberately getting himself suspended for a World Cup qualifier and urged the English Football Association to take action. +3,Omnicare Extends Offer for NeighborCare," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Omnicare Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=OCR.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">OCR.N</A> said on Wednesday it extended its $30 a share all cash offer for all the outstanding shares of NeighborCare Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NCRX.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">NCRX.O</A>." +3,Brown-Forman Buying Rest of Finlandia,"Brown-Forman Corp., the maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey and Southern Comfort liqueur, said Monday that is buying the remaining 20 percent of Finlandia Vodka Worldwide Ltd." +4,In Brief: Bowstreet unveils pre-packaged portal offerings (InfoWorld),"InfoWorld - Bowstreet this week launched its Enterprise Portal Solutions, a set of portal-based composite applications designed to bolster employee, partner, and customer productivity." +3,Albertsons shops in gourmet aisle with purchase of Bristol Farms,"LOS ANGELES Grocery giant Albertsons says it has purchased Bristol Farms, which operates eleven upscale stores in Southern California." +2,Lions Printers sits and watches,"OTTAWA (CP) - In the end, Wally Buono's decision to start Dave Dickenson at quarterback Sunday ahead of the CFL's most outstanding player Casey Printers probably didn't have much of an effect on the outcome of the 92nd Grey Cup." +2,Fields are stocked for Breeders' Cup,"When Smarty Jones was retired following the Triple Crown, it took some sizzle out of the racing scene. But one doesn't have to be an insider to appreciate the field for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Lone Star Park Oct. 30. It may not be the Kentucky Derby, but a field doesn't get any better than this." +2,NCAA case no worry for Spurrier,"Shortly after Steve Spurrier arrived at Florida in 1990, the Gators were placed on NCAA probation for a year stemming from a child-support payment former coach Galen Hall made for a player." +4,"Searching Smarter, Not Harder","When it comes to searching, more is not always better. Data experts are honing topic maps to better classify the information that's out there. By John Gartner." +2,Schumacher crashes out,"Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello expects team-mate Michael Schumacher to challenge him for victory in the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix, even though the world champion will start from the back of the grid." +2,Cancellation of telecast rights Constitution Bench to hear ,"THE three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Mr Justice N. Santosh Hegde, today referred the petition filed by Zee Telefilms challenging the cancellation of the telecast rights and re-opening the bidding process by the Board of Control for " +1,Nuclear assets 'vanish' in Iraq,"Technology which could help produce a nuclear bomb has gone missing in Iraq since the invasion, the UN warns." +3,Fannie Mae Execs Appear Before Congress,Fannie Mae's chief executive and another top official are to appear before Congress to explain an accounting lapse at the mortgage giant amid regulators allegations of earnings manipulation and management misdeeds. +1,Castro Raises Doubts About Bin Laden Tape ,"AP - Fidel Castro says the emergence of an Osama bin Laden videotape just ahead of the U.S. presidential election seemed to have been ""arranged"" to help President Bush." +4,New Breed of Cat: Clones to Make Debut at Annual Show,"The annual cat show at Madison Square Garden, which begins on Friday, will include cloned kittens for the first time." +3,"Move Over, Edison (Forbes.com)","Forbes.com - MaryLou O'Malley wants to get something off her chest--or collarbone, more precisely. The 72-year-old is tired of having to adjust her necklace when it slips around her neck. Wouldn't it be wonderful, she says, if there were an adhesive to keep her jewelry stuck to her skin?" +2,SECOND LOOKSnapshots from the latest in college football,"With the weight of a perfect season and a potential BCS Maelstrom swirling in the wind, Auburn rallies in Tuscaloosa for a satisfying Iron Bowl victory against gritty Alabama." +4,US-Russian crew re-docks spaceship at space station,The crew of the international space station has successfully re-docked a spaceship at a new port. Today's maneuver is in preparation for two upcoming spacewalks. +2,Still Waiting for a New Home,"The MetroStars' telephone conference call after M.L.S.'s expansion draft was a lot like the team's disappointing season - snaps, crackles but ultimately no pop." +4,Motorola to Build Cell Phones Into Ski Jackets," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Motorola Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=MOT.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">MOT.N</A> said it will unveil plans this week for a line of outerwear that uses interactive cell phone and portable music technology in snowboarding jackets, in a bid to win over twentysomethings." +2,Novo's double takes Rangers top of the tree,"A hugely entertaining game between Scotland's two victorious UEFA Cup sides saw Rangers edge ahead in the Scottish Premier League title race for the first time since October 2003, in a match " +1,Red Cross slams 'misguided aid',"Wrongheaded relief work may worsen the situation of disaster victims, warns the international Red Cross." +4,Security firm hires writer of worms (SiliconValley.com),"SiliconValley.com - Here's one way for a company to get noticed in the crowded world of Internet security: Hire someone whose r eacute;sum eacute; is topped off with a job title ""virus author.""" +1,Pakistan Test Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile,"Pakistan successfully test-fired Tuesday an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads as parts of its efforts to boost its defenses, a military statement said." +2,Orgeron introduced as football coach at Ole Miss,"Ed Orgeron's recruiting success at Southern California helped him land the job as Mississippi's football coach Thursday. quot;We are going to teach our young men to compete, quot; Orgeron said at a news conference." +1,Who Will Lead Them Now?,Arafat's death raises hopes for a new push for peace. But much depends on who takes charge and how the U.S. responds +3,"Oil Retreats, Lifts Asian Stocks","Crude oil prices hovered nearly five percent below a 21-year high Monday, lifting most Asian shares and giving investors some respite from concerns that energy costs would choke off profits and economic growth." +2,Oblak Delighted With Slovenias Win,Slovenia coach Brane Oblak said he was delighted with the sensational victory of his team against Italy in Saturday's World Cup Group Five qualifier in Celje. +4,Linux Boosters Look To Keep The OS Together,"Sep. 13, 2004. Major Linux distributors on Monday said they have agreed to support a single version of the freely exchanged open-source operating system to ensure that it's growing popularity " +3,"Delta CEO forgoes salary, details pay cuts; Pilots OK retirement ","ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines Inc.'s chief executive said Tuesday he is giving up his six-figure salary for the rest of the year as he detailed a 10 percent pay cut that will affect senior officials, administrative staff and ticket and gate agents." +2,Burris highlights CFL Players of the Week,"Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Quarterback Henry Burris of the Saskatchewan Roughriders was among the CFL players recognized Wednesday for their outstanding performances in the division finals." +3,Bush-Kerry Surrogates Debate Trade Policies,"At a ""Bush-Kerry trade debate"" Wednesday stand-ins for President Bush and Democratic challenger Sen. John F. Kerry outlined the candidates' differences on such issues as outsourcing and free trade." +2,"Favre flattened, Packers humbled vs. Giants","The New York Giants left Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers wobbly. Tiki Barber rushed for 182 yards and scored on a 52-yard touchdown run, and Kurt Warner threw a touchdown pass " +2,Callahan says change in offense has been smooth,"Take away the glut of turnovers, and Bill Callahan says Nebraska's transition from the triple-option to the West Coast offense has gone smoothly." +1,Hamza police granted more time,Detectives have been granted more time to question cleric Abu Hamza on suspicion of being involved in terrorist offences. The Muslim cleric was arrested at Belmarsh prison under the Terrorism Act 2000 on suspicion +1,Pakistan parliament backs Musharraf in uniform (Reuters),Reuters - Pakistan's pro-military government on Friday tabled a bill in parliament to allow President Pervez Musharraf to stay on as army chief despite his pledge to give up the job by the end of the year. +1,WTO authorizes sanctions against US for anti-dumping law ,"AFP - The World Trade Organisation authorized the European Union and seven countries to impose millions of dollars' worth of sanctions in retaliation for a US anti-dumping law, a diplomat said." +3,"Toyota, Partner to Invest $461 Mln in China Venture ","Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest carmaker by value, will invest 3.8 billion yuan ($461 million) with its partner Guangzhou Automobile Group to boost manufacturing capacity in " +1,Kerry Courts Black Voters at Church Stops ,"AP - With just three Sundays left before Election Day, Sen. John Kerry is asking for all the help he can get from black voters and the Almighty." +2,Owen Beaming From Real Big Week,"Real Madrid forward Michael Owen was in the mood to celebrate after his midweek goal against Leganes completed a rare seven day hat trick of scoring La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey winners." +1,Guilty plea in Pitcairn sex trial,"Dennis Christian, a descendant of mutineer Fletcher Christian, and Pitcairn's postmaster, yesterday changed his plea to guilty, and admitted sexual assaulting two girls aged 12." +4,Apple row goes to core of online music,"Bill Thompson grew up on John, Paul, George and Ringo and bought all their records. Now he'd like them to give something back." +3,Oil Falls on Speculation Demand Doesn't Warrant Record Price,Crude oil fell more than $1 for the first time in a month after reaching a record $54.45 a barrel in New York on speculation that demand doesn't warrant prices at this level. +4,Indymedia Server Raided by FBI,"The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Nobody's exactly sure why or how the FBI got warrants to take Indymedia's HDs, but their " +3,Decision time: Last chance for 2004 tax strategies,Year-end tax planning involves making moves before Dec. 31 that will save on this year's taxes. The tactic involves the timing and the method by which your income is reported and your deductions and tax credits are claimed. +4,"Honda, IBM enhance in-vehicle, speech-recognition system","Honda Motor Co., with help from partner IBM Corp., is preparing to introduce an improved speech-recognition system that will allow drivers to get voice navigation guidance without having to manually punch in any information or take their " +2,I had faith in Paula,"PAULA RADCLIFFES husband and coach Gary Lough always believed she would bounce back in style from her Olympic nightmare. Radcliffe, 30, pipped Kenyan Susan Chepkemei to win the New York " +3,Asian oil prices drop further on expectations of a mild winter,"SINGAPORE : Crude oil prices slipped further in Asian trade on Tuesday as the market increasingly turned to the view that winter in the northern hemisphere will be mild, dealers said." +3,Venerable Yacht Builder Tries to Regain Sea Legs,Palmer Johnson hopes to regain its former glory by introducing a sleek new motor yacht design and concentrating on building boats. +1,Australian FM plays down Poland's announcement on Iraq withdrawal ,AFP - Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has declined to reveal any timetable for a possible withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq following a statement by Poland that it is aiming for a pullout by the end of next year. +4,Cisco Expects to Hit Estimate for Revenue,"Cisco Systems, the maker of Internet networking equipment, said that it was on track to meet Wall Street's estimates for 13 percent growth in revenue for fiscal 2005." +2,"For Minaya, Lots of Wheeling, Not Much Dealing","Omar Minaya, the Mets' general manager, is prepared to leave the winter meetings without making a deal, with Carlos Delgado and Richie Sexson seemingly slipping away." +3,Mortgage Applications Climb Last Week (Reuters),"Reuters - New applications for U.S. home loans\climbed last week, as most mortgage rates fell from the\previous week, an industry group said on Wednesday." +3,IBM said to be eyeing a sale of its PC business,"IBM, which pioneered the personal computer business in the 1980s, is said to be negotiating the sale of its PC unit in a move that could reshape the industry." +3,Army: May Not Withhold Halliburton Money," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army on Tuesday appeared to reverse a decision to stop paying a portion of Halliburton Co.'s <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HAL.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">HAL.N</A> bills in Iraq and gave the company more time to resolve a billing dispute." +3,Las Vegas Sands Prices Its IPO at $29,"Las Vegas Sands Corp. priced its initial public offering at $29 per share Tuesday night, up dramatically from the company's previous targets." +1,The Palestinian hunger strike ends,"ighteen days after they began a hunger strike demanding improved humanitarian conditions, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails resumed eating last night." +1,Congo VP Boycots National Unity Government ,"AP - One of Congo's four vice presidents announced Monday he was boycotting the country's national unity government, saying genocide was being committed against his ethnic Tutsi kinsmen and questioning the success of peace accords ending the country's civil war." +1,"Conversion of uranium to continue, vows Iran","VIENNA, Sept 21: Iran defied the United Nations on Tuesday by announcing it would go on converting a large amount of raw uranium to prepare it for enrichment, a process that can be used to develop atomic bombs." +2,Harrington chips in for Europeans,"PADRAIG Harrington gave Europes Ryder Cup team another morale-boosting performance yesterday in the opening round of the Linde German Masters in Cologne, the Irishman hitting top form just five days after undergoing laser eye surgery." +1,Religious Forum in Indonesia Aims to Blunt Radicals,"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, on Monday called on all religions to rise up against terrorism and show that faith could be a force for peace." +3,Dollar Gains on Fed Rate Hike Outlook," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose broadly on Monday as markets braced for a Federal Reserve policy meeting this week that is widely expected to raise the federal funds rate, making the dollar a more attractive currency." +1,"Syria, PLO mend ties, seek coordination on Israel","Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organisation opened a new chapter in their often turbulent ties today, saying they wanted to coordinate their efforts to make peace with Israel." +2,Eli has his moments,"CHARLOTTE, NC - The Eli Manning Summer School took its first field trip last night, an outing designed to ramp up an educational process that is reaching a critical stage. " +3,Kraft Foods Will Sell Altoids And Life Savers to Wrigley,Kraft Foods said yesterday that it had agreed to sell its Life Savers and Altoids brands to the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company for $1.5 billion as part of a reorganization plan. +1,Bush Praises Colombia's Battle Vs. Drugs,"Under a security web of warplanes, ships and 15,000 troops, President Bush praised Colombia's battle against drugs and Marxist guerrillas Monday and pledged to keep U.S. aid flowing so ""this courageous nation can win its war against narcoterrorists.""" +2,Early lead allows BU to hold off Fordham,"Chaz Carr scored 19 points and Matt Wolff added 17 as Boston University beat Fordham, 66-51, yesterday." +2,Saints-Chargers game blacked out,"The San Diego Chargers home game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday will not be shown on local TV because 9,500 general admission tickets remained unsold at Thursday's deadline." +3,Business Briefs,Pfizer said it has agreed to pay $430 million to settle all lawsuits against it alleging injury from insulation products made by a subsidiary. +4,"ICANN STILL CAN, SAYS COURT","A US District Court Judge has dismissed the anti-trust and conspiracy claims made by the .com and .net registry, VeriSign, against the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names amp; Numbers (ICANN)." +1,Russia's Putin Defends Political Reforms," MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he had no plans to grab more power or change the constitution when reforming Russia's government structure, dismissing fears in the West he is watering down democracy." +1,US marines find Syrian driver kidnapped with French reporters in Iraq ,"AFP - US marines have found alive in the restive Iraqi city of Fallujah the Syrian driver who was taken hostage with two French journalists almost three months ago, a military spokeswoman said." +2,U.S. Women Win Third Consecutive Basketball Gold," ATHENS (Reuters) - The U.S. women took their third consecutive gold medal in Olympic basketball on Saturday, breaking open a close game in the fourth quarter to beat Australia 74-63." +2,Trio of talented backs lift Vikings,Minnesota Vikings running back Michael Bennett watched the season's first five games from the sideline with a knee injury. Anxiety over recovering from injury eventually led to concern +4,'Office' Promo Takes Wing with United (Reuters),"Reuters - The stationary life of\acclaimed British sitcom ""The Office"" is taking flight in a DVD\promotional campaign with United Airlines beginning next month." +4,Appeals court revives Oracle shareholder case,"While Oracle Corp. awaits a judge's decision on whether it can continue in its quest to acquire PeopleSoft Inc., the company faced a setback in an unrelated case." +4,New set of Linux security flaws unveiled,"A security researcher has uncovered yet another set of security flaws in an image component, which could put Linux users at risk of system compromise if they view a maliciously crafted image." +2,US Women Shatter Olympic 800-Meter Freestyle Relay Record,The United States has shattered a 17-year-old world record in the women's Olympic 800-meter freestyle relay. +4,Microsoft moves in on music downloads,"<strong>Analysis</strong> No Apple turnover, this time" +3,Airbus Enroute to Challenge Boeing's 7E7," MUNICH (Reuters) - Plane maker Airbus got tentative approval on Monday to market a new model to rival Boeing Co.'s 7E7 from parent firm EADS, which said a final decision was expected next month." +4,Google Searches Go Mobile,Google's short message service (SMS) is accessible immediately to beta testers. The service will enable users of mobile phones and other handheld devices to send text message queries and receive +3,"Drug makers adding X-rays, MRIs to arsenal",Researchers at Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. hope to produce better drugs with medical-imaging equipment usually used to examine patients. +2,NFL Wrap: McNabb Leads Eagles to Fourth East Title, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donovan McNabb passed for one touchdown and rushed for another as the Philadelphia Eagles won their fourth straight division title with a 27-6 win over the New York Giants in the NFL Sunday. +4,The Sims 2,"FINALLY, after a gaggle of expansion packs, the sequel to The Sims has landed, and those who enjoyed the original are in for a treat." +4,ICANN domain transfer policy takes effect,"Domain name owners can now choose registrars in much the same way telephone numbers can be moved between carriers, ICANN said." +3,"US firms announce 104,530 job cuts in November, survey shows (AFP)","AFP - US employers announced plans in November to step up job cuts, with the total exceeding 100,000 for the third month in a row, an industry survey showed." +2,Badgers no longer unbeaten,"EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State used a powerful rushing attack, a trick play, and a key defensive stand to beat No. 4 Wisconsin, 49-14, yesterday and knock the Badgers out of the national championship race." +1,Officer in Kerry Motorcade Hurt in Pa. ,AP - A highway patrol officer traveling Friday with Sen. John Kerry's motorcade fell off his motorcycle and suffered minor injuries. +1,FM Shalom meets with German FM Fischer,Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom began a joint press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer today by praising the release of Israeli Azzam Azzam by Egypt. +1,Nigeria: Rebel talks continue,"Lagos - Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo will continue talks with rebels of the oil-rich Niger Delta in order to restore peace in the region, the presidential office said Sunday." +4,A da Vinci Project Update for Canadian Town,"Canadian rocketeers hoping to launch a privately built spacecraft from the small Saskatchewan town of Kindersley met with community officials Thursday, updating residents on the missions progress and reaffirming their intent to fly." +4,News.com Extra: Can billions of political spam emails sway the election?,Plus: Experts fear Check 21 could lead to massive bank fraud. +4,Professor declined to be expert witness for Sharman,Sharman Networks legal representative today revealed an e-mail stating that one of the witnesses for the Universal Music Australia parties had previously withdrawn an offer to be Sharman's expert witness in the ongoing civil trial against the peer to +4,"SpaceShipOne: One down, one to go","Peter Diamandis founded the Ansari X-Prize in 1996. Named for the Ansari family of Dallas, Texas, and funded through private donations and corporate sponsorships, the X-Prize is a $10 million purse aimed at jump-starting space tourism." +4,VeriSign is dealt another legal blow in ICANN suit,"A federal judge dismissed VeriSign's antitrust claims against the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, dealing another setback to the company in its ongoing legal battle against the Internet's technical coordinating body." +2,NFL's strong-arm tactics smack of censorship,"Over the years, there have been many jokes about NFL standing for No Fun League, demanding uniformity and squelching individuality." +2,Nighttime men's final set for Australian Open,The 2005 Australian Open will feature the first men's Grand Slam final played at night. That championship match -- in the 100th anniversary of the tournament's first edition -- will start at 7:30 pm on Jan. 30. +4,Sun loses $1 billion lawsuit to Kodak,"Let's say you're a technology company that's now struggling to cope with technological changes that threaten the very premise of your business... Waitaminute, maybe that particular hypothetical isn't such " +4,NEC extends quantum cryptography range and speed,"NEC Corp. researchers have developed a quantum cryptography system with sufficient speed and range to make it commercially viable. It could go on sale in the second half of 2005, the researchers said Thursday." +1,"Kidnappers Seize 6 Egyptians, 4 Iraqis ","AP - Kidnappers seized six Egyptians and four Iraqis working for the country's mobile phone company, authorities said Friday, and Muslim leaders in Britain announced plans to send negotiators to Baghdad in hopes of winning the release of hostage Kenneth Bigley." +3,Wall Street still digesting Google,"NEW YORK: The seldom used auction system that Web search giant Google Inc. used in its initial public offering was expected by some to change the way Wall Street does business, but almost three months later, there has not yet been another deal like it." +4,IBM Reassures Workers After Milestone China Deal (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 8 -- During an IBM employee meeting here Wednesday, a worker got up and asked a question that perhaps only 10 years ago would have been unthinkable: If he wanted to keep his job helping to design some of the world's most advanced computers, would he have to move to China?" +2,Pistons defense falters,"Detroit gives up more than 100 points for second time this season, turns ball over 23 times. By Chris McCosky / The Detroit News. DENVER -- The Pistons were the perfect guests here Thursday, providing the struggling " +3,No relief for Europe as G20 shuns action to halt dollar slide ,"AFP - The Group of 20 finance chiefs have shunned action to halt the dollar slide, leaving Europe isolated at the end of a forum here and facing an almost certain further strengthening of the euro." +2,Simms Doubtful; Griese to Start for Bucs," TAMPA, Fla. (Sports Network) - Tampa Bay quarterback Brian Griese will start next Monday's game against St Louis. Chris Simms is doubtful with a sprained left shoulder." +2,Water sinks Appleby's chances of Open title,Stuart Appleby's golf game was a notch away from its best and that was the difference between winning and finishing second at the Australian Open golf tournament here yesterday. +4,Minnesota explorers sound alarm bells over Arctic warming,"ENVIRONMENT: A four-year study documents Arctic warming, and adventurers say the world needs to take action. BY JOHN MYERS. When Arctic explorer Lonnie Dupre saw two giant glaciers on his map of Greenland, he worried how his group would get around them." +2,WHAT THE PAPERS SAY,THE SUN: Robbie Savage has been branded a coward for a vicious eye-gouging attack on Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg. Former top ref Jeff Winter raged: quot;It was sly and not the act of a man. +3,Stocks Flat: Oil Outweighs Dollar Woes," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were little changed on Monday, as rises in semiconductor stocks and a slip in crude prices from another record offset caution ahead of the U.S. presidential election and the impact of a lower dollar." +2,Federer Is Too Much for Hewitt in U.S. Open Final,Roger Federer won the U.S. Open over Lleyton Hewitt and became the first player since Mats Wilander in 1988 to win three Grand Slam titles in one year. +4,Apple Shares Close at 4-Year High (Reuters),Reuters - Shares of Apple Computer Inc.\ on Thursday closed at a four-year high as the iconic\computer maker this week rolled out an iPod that displays\photos and opened nine new iTunes online music stores in\Europe. +1,Melvyn Bragg: Political misadventures of a peer and polymath,It was to plug one of his many books that Melvyn Bragg was in the ITV building this week when he encountered an old chum who asked him to go on air to do a political interview while he was there. +4,"Four Los Alamos lab workers fired over security, safety lapses",Four laboratory workers were fired from their jobs at the Los Alamos National Laboratory because of their roles in several recent security and safety incidents in the facility. +1,"Typhoon Kills 44 in Japan, Deadliest in a Decade", TOKYO (Reuters) - Rescuers were searching through rubble for survivors on Thursday after Japan's deadliest typhoon in a decade triggered floods and landslides that killed at least 44 people and left 36 missing. +4,"NK Subramanium, Special Correspondent",The core business of Internet search engines is being threatened by the evolution of new generation of content providers. The search engines like Google or Yahoo make money by indexing the web sites all over +2,drivers role in the big picture,"If things worked like the most cynical believe they do, Tony Stewart would get six speeding penalties in Sunday's Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway." +3,Tokyo shares drop as USD weakens again,"Tokyo share prices slid overnight, on selling triggered by the dollar's renewed slide against the yen. The fall in the greenback re-ignited concern over the impact not just on exporters but Japan's export-led economic recovery, dealers said." +1,Blair leaves hospital after heart operation,"LONDON : British Prime Minister Tony Blair left hospital for home after undergoing surgery to correct an irregular heart beat, according to live television reports from the scene." +4,Rainfall moves northern Arizona down drought scale,"Northern Arizona's downgrade on a federal drought map from an quot;extreme quot; designation to quot;severe quot; could mean healthier winter vegetation, better stream flow and more moisture - at least in the short term, experts say." +4,Billboard chimes in on ring tones,"The music industry magazine will soon be publishing a list of best-selling ring tones, according to sources." +2,Miller wins long-chased World Cup downhill title,"Bode Miller of the United States clinched his first World Cup downhill title in six years in Lake Louise, Alberta of Canada on Saturday." +4,Russia to launch new Soyuz launch vehicle this month,"Russia's new medium launch vehicle Soyuz M-2 will make its maiden flight on Friday from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov announced on Monday." +3,Ofcom Unveils UK Sector Proposals,"LONDON -- Ofcom today published its proposals to support the growth of greater competition, innovation and investment certainty in the UK telecommunications sector." +3,Air Force Pitch for Boeing Detailed,E-mail records show Air Force Secretary James G. Roche put pressure on opponents of a plan to lease Boeing 767 tanker aircraft. +2,Argos WR Andre Rison seems a little underwhelmed by his CFL debut,HAMILTON (CP) - Andre Rison has been to five NFL Pro Bowls and owns a Super Bowl ring. So maybe that's why he seemed a little underwhelmed by his CFL debut in a thrilling and bizarre 30-30 Labour Day tie between +2,Real racist chants investigated,"Uefa is investigating Real Madrid over racist chanting after Tuesday's Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen. Video footage from the match, which finished 1-1, appeared to show Real fans making Nazi " +2,Stage is set for Patriots' 19th,"With the Red Sox off as they prepare to begin the AL Championship Series Tuesday, the Patriots get a Sunday to themselves for a change." +2,"Martin, Jordan power Jets to victory","For the first six games of the season, Curtis Martin single-handedly shouldered the running burden for the New York Jets. Martin hardly ever took a break in games, while his seldom-used backup fidgeted impatiently on the sideline." +2,IT's HOME OVER BUCKS FOR GOMEZ,"Paying those hometown dues, Devil center Scott Gomez is passing on a chance to make up the money he's losing from Gary Bettman's lockout." +1,Two bombs discovered in Sardinia after Berlusconi-Blair meet ,"AFP - Police discovered two bombs near the Sardinian villa of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, just hours after he met his British counterpart Tony Blair on the island." +4,Oracle Extends PeopleSoft Offer ,"AP - Oracle Corp. extended its hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. for the 12th time, pushing the tender offer through Oct. 8." +4,Panel: Astronauts Should Rescue Hubble,"This image taken by NASA's Hubble Space telescope, and released Thursday Aug. 12, 2004, shows nebula N44F, which, at left, is being inflated by a stellar wind, creating an interstellar bubble." +4,Cisco Enhances Catalyst Switch Range,Cisco said that its IP Phone allows unconstrained Gigabit Ethernet-enabled bandwidth from the network to desktop phone. Cisco's Catalyst 6500 Supervisor Engine 32 has been enhanced to allow customers to enable +2,Broken Wrist Sidelines Ravens' Ray Lewis,Ray Lewis was inactive for the Ravens' regular-season finale game against Miami on Sunday because of a broken right wrist. +2,Mild Seven Renault F1 Team and Jarno Trulli announce early separation,The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team and Jarno Trulli today announced that the Italian driver has been released with immediate effect. +3,Oil majors cash in as price hikes mean soaring profits,"MAKE hay while the sun shines, they say. Or, in the oil majors case, pump oil while the price rockets. BP yesterday, and no doubt Shell tomorrow, are doing just that, with profits going through the roof " +3,Microsoft to hire hundreds more in India,"Microsoft will hire several hundred new staff at its new Indian campus in the next year, its chief executive says -- a move aimed at strengthening its presence in Asia's fourth-biggest economy." +3,Kohl's Reconnects With Mothers,The specialty department store chain goes back to basics to get in touch with its customer base. +3,"German autoworkers hit streets over plan to cut 12,000 jobs","A strike at a General Motors plant in Germany began to squeeze the company's European production Tuesday as a lack of parts halted two other factories, while thousands of " +1,Fusion reactor decision stalled,Six nations planning to build the world's biggest nuclear fusion reactor fail to agree where to site the facility. +3,UPS to take control of Sinotrans for $100m,"United Parcel Service, the US delivery company, is to take direct control of its core international express operations in China, paying US$ 100m to buy out its local partner, Hong Kong-listed Sinotrans." +1,Donors examine billions of dollars in aid for Iraq,"TOKYO: Donors to Iraq's reconstruction are examining billions of dollars in aid pledges that have gone mostly unused amid an insurgency, as the interim government appealed for firmer world support." +4,Users buoyed by monthly patch releases,"OCTOBER 15, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Microsoft Corp.'s move to a monthly patch-release cycle one year ago this month has made it easier to install security updates for Windows and other products, IT managers said this week -- even as they were greeted with " +1,Sharon Says Israel Could Coordinate Gaza Pullout," HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Israel was ready to coordinate its Gaza withdrawal plan with a future Palestinian government and said that could open the way for a broader peace agreement." +4,Sharp kills penguin-based PDAs,JAPANESE GIANT Sharp has pulled the plug on its Linux-based PDAs in the United States as no-one seems to want them. The company said that it will continue to sell them in Japan where they sell like hot cakes +3,"Beijing a source of chaos, Yu says in NY","Premier Yu Shyi-kun, speaking yesterday to a group of Taiwanese in New York, accused Beijing of being a quot;source of chaos in the world." +1,Hostages seized by gunmen in Iraq,"A US citizen is among four people reported to have been kidnapped at gunpoint from their office in Baghdad. quot;They stormed the villa with automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, quot; a police source told the Reuters agency." +1,Koizumi eyes visit to quake-hit areas,"TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday he is considering visiting areas in Niigata Prefecture hit Saturday by powerful earthquakes that killed at least 25 people and injured over 2,100." +1,EU says no Turkey entry talks without penal code reform,"BRUSSELS - The European Union cannot start entry negotiations with Turkey unless Ankara adopts a reform of its penal code, a European Commission spokesman said on Monday." +3,Storm's blitz snarls Front Range,"Fall's first significant flurries dusted much of Colorado overnight Sunday, making Monday a mess for many people along the Front Range." +1,UN deadline on Darfur approaches,A United Nations deadline is set to expire on Monday for the Sudanese authorities to improve security in the troubled Darfur region. +1,PM's drunken sailor campaign,"Canberra, Australia - The opposition Labour Party on Monday accused Prime Minister John Howard of spending quot;like a drunken sailor quot; to woo voters ahead of next month's election in which he will seek a fourth three-year term." +1,Tense Iraq debates new assembly,Talks on setting up an Iraqi assembly continue despite fresh violence in Baghdad and the Shia stronghold of Najaf. +2,Cavs Edge Grizzlies,"LeBron James has a stellar all-around game with 31 points, eight assists and seven steals to lead Cleveland over Memphis, 92-86." +3,Dexia calls off talks with Italian bank,"Dexia, the French-Belgian bank, on Sunday called off merger talks with Italy's Sanpaolo IMI, ending the prospect of Europe's biggest cross-border banking deal." +2,Canada slides past Sweden at Four Nations Cup,"CBC SPORTS ONLINE - It was sloppy game for Team Canada at the Four Nations Tournament, but Danielle Goyette saved the day. The 38-year-old veteran scored with just 1:16 left in the third period to lift her " +4,7-11 Adopting Wireless Technology,"By DAVID KOENIG ROCKWALL, Texas -- Sherry Neal checked the refrigerated shelves of her 7-Eleven store, touched the screen of a small handheld computer and got an instant four-week sales history on turkey sandwiches. With a couple taps on the wireless device, the store manager placed an order for the next day's sandwiches without ever leaving the aisle..." +4,Mobile phone Lotto plan unveiled,"National Lottery players will be able to buy their tickets on their mobile phones, operator Camelot will announce." +3,Losses rise at British Energy after nuclear shutdowns,"British Energy, the nuclear generator, said its first-half losse had tripled following the unexpected closure of two nuclear power plants." +2,Murray looks to bright future,"Within hours of Tim Henman's US Open semi-final defeat by Roger Federer on Saturday, 17-year-old Andrew Murray stormed to the junior title with a straight-sets defeat of Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky." +4,Mars Rovers Break Time Over,NASA's robotic explorers are back at work on Mars following an extended siesta that had left mission managers with only hope and optimism that the rovers +4,China Bans Video Game for Breach of Sovereignty,"China, sensitive about issues of national sovereignty, has banned a computer sports game that classifies Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Tibet as countries and has threatened to fine Web sites that supply the game and net cafes that let " +1,Romanian exit polls predict dead heat,"EXIT polls from Romanias presidential run-off yesterday showed the race between the Social Democrat prime minister, Adrian Nastase, and the opposition leader, Traian Basescu, was too close to call." +3,SuperGen Withdraws Drug Application," NEW YORK (Reuters) - SuperGen Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=SUPG.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">SUPG.O</A> on Monday said it has withdrawn an application to market its pancreatic cancer drug in the United States, casting a cloud on the drug's future in the world's biggest market and sending the company's shares down as much as 16 percent." +1,China Iron Mine Fire Death Toll Rises to 49," BEIJING (Reuters) - Rescue workers have recovered the bodies of 49 Chinese miners killed when fire swept through an iron mine complex in the northern province of Hebei, the State Administration of Work Safety said on Monday." +1,Homeowners Come Up Short on Insurance,"Millions of homeowners are underinsured, fed largely by a shift in the way property insurance has been sold in recent years." +3,EDS Might Miss Results Filing Deadline,"Electronic Data Systems Corp. (EDS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , a technology services provider under government investigation, on Wednesday said it might miss its deadline to file third " +2,WVU will play Florida State in Gator Bowl,The most enjoyable part of Rich Rodriguez's message to his West Virginia football team yesterday was short and sweet. The Mountaineers will play in the Gator Bowl -- probably +2,Bernhard Langer may step down,"LONDON, Sept. 21. - When he departed Heathrow airport a week ago with his European Ryder Cup team, captain Bernhard Langer vowed to return with the 19-inch-high Ryder Cup Trophy." +4,AMD-Spansion shoves Intel into 2nd place,"ACCORDING TO MARKET watchers, iSuppli, in Q1-Q2 2004 Spansion (AMD/Fujitsu) remained Number One mobile phone flash memory supplier, a position it first stole from Intel in 2003." +2,Scheduling a rerun,"The champion of the America East Conference this season likely will come from the ranks of last year's big three -- Boston University, Northeastern, and tournament winner Vermont." +2,No Laughing Matter,"For a franchise that drafted 7-foot-7 Gheorghe Muresan and 7-6 Manute Bol, 7-3 center Peter John Ramos isn't close to being the tallest player the Wizards have ever chosen." +4,Intel unveils Extreme system for power users,Intel is targeting extreme gamers and power PC users with its latest high-performance platform based on the Pentium 4 processor Extreme Edition and a faster system bus enabled by the 925XE Express chipset. +4,"Internet Turns 35, Still Work in Progress ","AP - Thirty-five years after computer scientists at UCLA linked two bulky computers using a 15-foot gray cable, testing a new way for exchanging data over networks, what would ultimately become the Internet remains a work in progress." +3,Aon chairman fighting for company amid insurance investigation,CHICAGO - Aon Corp. chairman and CEO Patrick Ryan is fighting to show his company is free from wrongdoing as New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer expands his investigation into questionable insurance industry practices. +4,IBM Supports EPA Linux Grid Computing Project,"The IBM project at EPA, being performed jointly with prime contractor Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC), includes the Grid Toolbox, a collection of open standards-based Grid software from IBM, Red Hat Linux Enterprise 2.1 and Avaki Enterprise " +1,Odd attack damages art,"BERLIN A woman doing handsprings hurled herself into an art installation at the exhibition of a collection belonging to the billionaire heir of a Nazi-era arms supplier, damaging two pieces, organizers said Thursday." +3,Trade Squabble Between Boeing and Airbus Heads for WTO,"A trade fight is heating up between the United States and Europe over commercial aircraft sales. Wednesday, Washington filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization alleging that EU countries unfairly " +4,Dell debuts denser blade server,"Dell has announced a dense blade server designed for enterprises with space-tight, hard-to-cool data centres. The PowerEdge 1855 can pack as many as 10 blade servers in a 7U-sized " +3,Stern and Letterman Get Sirius,"Stern has a date with Letterman tonight, and you can expect fireworks." +3,Dollar Extends Its Rebound Into Third Day, TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar extended its rebound into a third day on Friday as investors worried that the dollar's two-month slide had been too rapid and sought more neutral ground in the final stretch before the year-end. +3,P and O cuts back Channel ferries in switch from shipping to ports,"LONDON : Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co (P and O) -- the ports, shipping and logistics group -- announced sweeping cuts to its ferry operations to refocus the business in the face of competition from low-cost airlines." +3,German state to reduce stake in Deutsche Telekom,BONN - The German state announced plans Monday to reduce its stake in telecoms giant Deutsche Telekom by some 7 percent in a transaction which could generate revenue amounting to nearly EUR 4.5 billion. +3,Norilsk has not yet backed Gold Fields Canadian deal,"Gold Fields has yet to receive support from Norilsk Nickel, its biggest shareholder, for its acquisition of Canada's Iamgold. Gold Fields announced its plan to buy Iamgold " +2,Larry Brown returns to coach Pistons,"Pistons coach Larry Brown came back to the defending NBA champions on crutches Wednesday, returning to Detroit's bench after being told by doctors it was OK to travel." +3,Gap to Launch Store for 'Boomer' Women (Reuters),"Reuters - Gap Inc. on Wednesday said it\plans to test a new store concept next year aimed at women over\age 35, and named Gap brand president Gary Muto to oversee the\development." +2,BSkyB Gets Exclusive Live Rights to England Cricket ,"British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc, Rupert Murdoch's UK pay-television arm, won an exclusive four- year contract to show live English cricket, cementing its grip on sports programming in Britain." +4,Carl Reiner: Comedy as a Life's Work,"Description: Actor Carl Reiner found his life's calling in the third grade, making his classmates laugh by walking on his hands. The actor, comedian and director joins NPR's Neal Conan and takes calls. " +1,Khartoum agrees to bigger peace force,The Sudanese government bowed to international pressure yesterday and agreed to allow more foreign troops in the stricken Darfur region. +4,Rover gets mystery power boost,Scientists are baffled by a mysterious power boost to one of its two robotic rovers on Mars. +4,Mforma Spins Spidey A Wireless Web,"Mforma has inked a multi-year, multi-level agreement with Marvel Enterprises to bring the likes of Spider-Man, X-Men, Blade, Ghost Rider and more to the world of wireless." +1,Released Turkish workers arrive at embassy in Baghdad,Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Tuesday that 10 Turkish workers who were released after they had been taken hostage in Iraq were now at the Turkish embassyin Baghdad. +3, JPMorgan to Rehire Outsourced Workers,"JPMorgan Chase amp; Co. says it will rehire 4,000 workers whose jobs it had outsourced to IBM, bucking a corporate trend in information technology." +3,WTO opens US door for Irish bookies,IRELANDS online bookmakers are lining up to grab a share of the $73 billion (56.3 billion) American gambling market following a landmark ruling by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) last week that US legislation prohibiting gambling over the +4,Supercomputer for the Home (The Motley Fool),"The Motley Fool - It's rare to hear the words ""innovation"" and ""big company"" in the same sentence. During the 1980s, IBM (NYSE: IBM - News) was a visionary in the PC revolution -- but gave away the profits to upstarts like Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) and Intel (Nasdaq: INTC - News)." +4,"Gaudi's Cathedral Gets Help from Dassault, IBM (Reuters)","Reuters - Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi's\unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral is nearing completion\faster with the help of software from France's Dassault\Systemes and IBM, Dassault said on Tuesday." +1,Car Bomb Blast in Central Baghdad - Police (Reuters),"Reuters - A car bomb exploded near a police\station in central Baghdad on Friday, and a thick column of\smoke was seen rising from the east side of the Tigris river,\Iraqi police and witnesses said." +3,"For Google investors, a taste of '90s","For investors in Google Inc., it's the roaring '90s redux. Shares of the Web search giant leapt 15.43 percent yesterday, on the heels of a 6.33 percent spurt the previous day, even as the broader financial markets continued to retreat. By the time they closed at $172.43 yesterday, Google shares had more than doubled in value since the company went ..." +3,Oil Leaps as U.S. Inventories Dwindle, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped a dollar on Thursday after the U.S. government said crude stocks fell to a fresh five-month low last week and distillate fuel inventories barely grew ahead of winter. +2,Coaching change won't help Dolphins win,Here's what you didn't hear from the Dolphins on Tuesday: You didn't hear anyone suggest this day helps them win. You didn't hear anyone pretend this franchise is improved. +2,Manning's ties closer to Fouts than Marino,"As Peyton Manning zeroes in on Dan Marino's long-standing record of 48 touchdown passes in a season, the comparisons between the two have become inevitable -- one generation's gunslinger giving way to the next." +1,Karzai on course for presidency,"KABUL, Afghanistan -- More than half the votes have been counted in Afghanistan's landmark election, and President Hamid Karzai is said to be running well ahead of his rivals." +2,Honor gets frown from the Kiwis,"New Zealand is glad three of its athletes have been crowned Olympic champions, but if they bring home their olive wreaths from Athens, the wreaths risk going up in smoke." +1,SF bringing bug device to talks ,Sinn Fein has said its delegation will bring the listening device found in its Belfast headquarters to Leeds Castle in Kent where the political parties will assemble for talks. +4,RSS: Show Me the Money,"Like it or not, ads are coming to RSS. Sending information only to those who want it might be a way to keep subscribers from rioting. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg." +2,Roddick aiming for back-to-back Opens,The US Open is really all that's left for defending champion Andy Roddick this year. He's coming in ranked No. 2 without a big title run since he won Miami in March and although he's been in the mix at nearly +3,Airline Eliminates Check-In Hassle,"As US Airways (Nasdaq: UAIR) slides back into bankruptcy, it should take a hint from Hawaiian Holdings (AMEX: HA). The company's Hawaiian Airlines subsidiary is also under the " +4,Sotheby's Hosts JFK Jumble Sale,"The auction house Sotheby's said that it would sell contents from the Kennedy house in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and from other family homes in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Virginia." +3,"IBM Hires Merrill Lynch to Find Buyer for PC Unit, Person Says","International Business Machines Corp., seeking to exit an industry it helped pioneer two decades ago, hired Merrill Lynch amp; Co." +4,Postal Service Trying to Stay Competitive ,"AP - From teaming up with a rock band to selling restaurant gift cards online, it isn't Ben Franklin's post office any more. The U.S. Postal Service is battling to keep its place in electronic America by going on the Internet." +1,Only Arafat Family Can Get Medical Dossier -France," PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said on Tuesday France would release Yasser Arafat's medical dossier only to his family, despite a request for details by Palestinian leaders." +3,Asian Stock Markets Close Mostly Higher,"Asian stock markets closed mostly higher Friday, with the key indexes edging higher both in Tokyo and Hong Kong. Tokyo's Nikkei Stock Average of 225 issues rose 80." +2,Demtchenko of Russia Wins Men's Luge ,AP - Albert Demtchenko of Russia won the men's singles Sunday to break up a sweep by the powerful German team of all five races at a Luge World Cup event. +1,Venezuelans vote on Chavez rule,A referendum is under way in Venezuela to decide if President Hugo Chavez should remain in office. +3,Job growth continues but unemployment rate remains unchanged,"OTTAWA - The economy created another 34,300 jobs in October but the unemployment rate remained at 7.1 per cent as more people entered the labour force, Statistics Canada said Friday." +1,Kerry Warns of Privatized Social Security,"WASHINGTON - Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush on Sunday of planning a surprise second-term effort to privatize Social Security and forecast a ""disaster for America's middle class."" Republicans denied the charge as scare tactics with little more than two weeks remaining in a tight election..." +2,Souness Is Talk of the Toon,"Graeme Souness is reportedly set to leave Blackburn and take over as Newcastles new manager. The Scot is said to have told his Blackburn playing staff of his intention this morning, and BBC Radio 5 Live " +3,Inquiry into card interest rates,"The Competition Commission's inquiry into store cards, will investigate interest rates, the body announces." +1,Powell Regrets Iraq Weapons Claim for War,"ATLANTA - Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday he regrets the Bush administration claimed that Iraq had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction in its argument for war, but he believes the world is better off without Saddam Hussein. Following a speech to the Atlanta Press Club, Powell defended the bulk of his presentation to the United Nations in February 2003 in which he made the case for war in Iraq..." +1,Revelations Only Confirm Suspicions About Drugs,Only the nave or willfully ignorant seem not to understand that drug use has been widespread for many years in elite sport. The +4,ESA's lunar probe closes on target,In a matter of days the European Space Agency's (ESA) SMART-1 spacecraft will enter orbit around the Moon. It will adjust its position and prepare for the scientific investigation of the lunar surface that will begin in January. +4,Google offers a suggestion,"Google has launched a new feature that tries to guess what users are looking for as they type queries into its search box. Google Suggest was quietly launched this week in the company's Labs site, which showcases " +2,Messina upset league champions Milan,Promoted Sicilian side Messina shocked Italian champions AC Milan with a 2-1 victory at the San Siro in Italian first division league match on Wednesday. +2,Hewitt ends drought,LLEYTON HEWITT further fine-tuned his game ahead of the US Open with a convincing 6-3 6-4 win over Gilles Muller to capture the Washington Open today. +2,Trojans weather the storm,"If top-ranked Southern California looked like it was playing in a fog during much of its 28-13 victory over Oregon State late Saturday night in Corvallis, no one could blame the Trojans." +3,"In wake of scandals, here's what's ahead",It's been a year since New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer fired the shot heard 'round the mutual fund world. +2,Middle management,"TORONTO -- The life of the setup reliever, lived to the fullest here last night by Mike Timlin, is rarely rewarded in the box score with the capital S' (as in save, or seal of approval)." +3,CEO Quits At Marsh McLennan,NEW YORK -- The chairman and chief executive of the insurance brokerage giant Marsh amp; McLennan is stepping down. The company said Monday that Jeffrey Greenberg submitted his resignation and the board accepted it. +1,Web Site: 2nd U.S. Hostage Killed in Iraq ,AP - A posting on an Islamic Web site claimed Tuesday that the al-Qaida-linked group led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has slain a second American hostage in Iraq. The claim could not be verified immediately. +3," Six Flags Shares Up on Gates, Redskins","Pressure from Microsoft chairman and shareholder Bill Gates over a sagging financial outlook and news that Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has bought nearly 9 percent of Six Flags, Inc." +1,Tony Blair arrives in Sudan for talks,Prime Minister Tony Blair has touched down in the Sudan for talks in the crisis-ridden country. Mr Blair arrived in capital city Khartoum ready to urge the Sudanese government to end the slaughter that has +3,Microsoft's Media Center packs sticker shocker,"com October 12, 2004, 10:10 PM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been enterprise directories as organizations spawn projects around identity infrastructure." +3,Tramford Intl Up; Sells Security Products To Lenovo Group,"NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Shares of Tramford International Ltd. (TRFDF) rose nearly 50 Wednesday, on news that a customer agreed to acquire the personal-computer business of International Business Machines Corp." +3,Congress blocks taxation of Internet connections,Congress acted Friday to block state and local governments from taxing connections that link consumers to the Internet for the next three years. +4,"Photo: The Bot, by Alienware",Alienware hopes to broaden its appeal with the sub-\$600 Bot desktop for home users. +4,Apple in cybersquatting fight over iTunes,"US computer giant Apple is locked in a cybersquatting battle with a 22-year-old London Internet whiz kid over the itunes.co.uk website, a domain the company wants for its chain of iTunes online music stores." +1,Iran Says Talks Only Way to Resolve Nuke Standoff, TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said Thursday dialogue was the only way to resolve an international standoff over the Islamic republic's nuclear program which Washington says is a cover for building atomic weapons. +3,Economy on Track as Retail Sales Jump,A surprisingly big climb in US retail sales in September and a larger-than-expected gain in underlying producer prices bolstered hopes for an economic revival and views +1,Barroso Urges Turkey to Go Extra Mile on EU Talks," BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission president urged Turkey on Thursday to ""go the extra mile"" to show Europeans it is ready for EU membership talks as the bloc prepared to approve them despite misgivings by many EU voters." +2,"Our say: District pols strive to lose baseball, embarrass city","IF THE District of Columbia were conducting an abstract debate over whether sports stadiums should be built with as much private financing as possible, we'd side with DC Council Chairman Linda Cropp." +4,Police videos end live ID parades,The tradition of identification parades at the police station is to end as technology takes over. +2,Elvstroem all set for race that stops a nation,"For 24 sets of horses, trainers, jockeys, strappers and connections, the ultimate Australian sporting prize is within reach today at famous Flemington - the $4." +2,Els trails Cabrera at Wentworth,Ernie Els went into lunch one-down against Angel Cabrera in the quarter-finals of the World Match Play at Wentworth on Friday. The world number two went as much as three-up by the sixth but was hauled back +3,Fannie Mae Whistle-Blower Won't Testify," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former Fannie Mae <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=FNM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">FNM.N</A> employee who gave U.S. officials information about what he saw as accounting irregularities will not testify as planned before a congressional hearing next week, a House committee said on Friday." +2,Bump Doesn't Stop Prince Arch in Saranac,"Favored Prince Arch overcame a bump with Good Reward in upper stretch to rally for a resolute victory by a head over Mustanfar in the closing-day $108,200 Saranac Handicap (gr." +4,Who's Using Firefox?,The Firefox Web browser has been causing a commotion among users and snaring snippets of market share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer since June--long before Version 1.0 of the open-source software was officially released earlier this month. +3,High-tech CEO is bullish on region's economic future,"Last month , IntelliCorp, a software company with offices in the United Kingdom and Silicon Valley, celebrated the opening of its new East Coast office in Westborough. The expansion was welcomed by officials in the administration of Governor Romney, who have trumpeted state government's role in attracting high-tech companies. Massachusetts seems like a logical base for IntelliCorp's East Coast operations ..." +2,Day One of tennis Paris Masters,The opening round of the three-million-US-dollar Paris Masters has produced some spectacular scenes as players displayed their strength at the last tournament of the Masters series. +1,Poll no guarantee of victory: PM,"TODAY's Newspoll was no guarantee of victory for the Coalition and the election result would be close, Prime Minister John Howard said." +1,Premier Yu makes rare stopover in Japan,"Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday made a rare stopover on Japanese soil, thanks to Typhoon Aere, prompting quot;grave concern quot; from China over the unexpected trip's diplomatic overtones." +2,Schmidt's gem is golden for Giants Bonds blast also helps SF take ,"Phoenix -- Barry Bonds hit his 699th home run Sunday, one of his sweet-mother-of-creation, look-at-it-go blows that soared 460 feet before it smacked the giant video board that towers over center field at Bank One Ballpark." +4,PeopleSoft Posts Third-Quarter Profit (Reuters),"Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc. on\Thursday reported a quarterly net profit, after a year-earlier\loss, as the company saw stronger sales of its business\software than what it had forecast earlier despite its\continued fight to block a takeover from rival Oracle Corp." +2,Dont count out champions after setback,"THIS was the Old Firm result the Premierleague wanted, and needed. A few weeks back, we were holding our heads in our hands thinking it was all over when Dundee United scored that late equaliser at Ibrox, but Rangers have fought their way back." +4,Amazon Web Services Adds Alexa Data,"Online superstore Amazon.com (Quote, Chart) has expanded its Web Services platform for developers, adding a new service for access to the Alexa database and increased access to the Amazon E-Commerce Service 4.0." +1,Journalist breaks into residence of Queen,LONDON - A journalist posing as a workman was able to gain access to a private area of the Queen's official Scottish residence in the latest breach of royal security in Britain. +2,Chelsea Beats Fulham 4-1 to Stay on Top ,AP - Premier League leader Chelsea kept winning with a 4-1 victory over Fulham on Saturday while Arsenal recorded its first league victory in three weeks by rallying past Tottenham 5-4. +4,Watching Global Warming,A new non-partisan study shows global warming is happening faster than anyone expected with effects in our own backyards. Biologist Doctor Camille Parmesan studies how living creatures respond to environmental +2,"Whitaker sidelined, Gregan in doubt","Scrum half Chris Whitaker has been ruled out of Australia's rugby tour to Europe next month, compounding selection problems for the Wallabies." +2,Martz gets mad and Rams get even,ST. LOUIS -- Mike Martz's week of anger was no empty display. He saw the season slipping away for the defending NFC West champions and thought taking potshots at his players might be his best shot at turning things around. +3,FedEx's 2Q Earnings Nearly Triple,"MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The FedEx Corp., the delivery giant, reported Thursday its second quarter earnings soared due to a strengthening economy and continued growth in overseas and ground shipping." +2,Woods Struggling to Cope with Body Changes - Singh," ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - Vijay Singh thinks the main reason he has replaced Tiger Woods as world number one is the American's failure to adapt to changes in his body." +2,"Cavaliers 92, Grizzlies 86","LeBron James punctuated a 31-point performance with a slam in the closing seconds and finished with eight assists and seven steals, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 92-86 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night." +4,Md. School to Hand Out Blackberry Devices ,"AP - The University of Maryland business school plans to give Blackberry wireless devices to all full-time MBA students this fall, an effort to make students technologically savvy and aware that a key to business is being able to access people and information at all times." +1,Hamas chief rejects ceasefire,"THE leader of Hamas in its Gaza Strip stronghold, Mahmud Zahar, has rejected any suggestion that the hardline group could soon call a halt to its campaign of attacks against Israel." +1,NIGERIA: NIGERIA: Unions call off strike after 11th-hour govt ,"LAGOS, 15 November (IRIN) - Nigeria's powerful trade unions on Monday called off a general strike planned for the next day after the government, in an eleventh-hour move, offered an almost 10-percent cut in the price of domestic fuels." +2,Yao Ming Returns to China to NBA Exhibition Game,"National Basketball Association star Yao Ming, from China, received a warm welcome and responded with 13 points, but it was not enough as the Sacramento Kings edged the Houston Rockets 91-89 in a preseason game played in Beijing." +3,Stock rally hits a bump,"Oil-supply concerns and broker downgrades of blue-chip companies left stocks mixed yesterday, raising doubts that Wall Street's year-end rally would continue." +3,Oracle extends PeopleSoft offer for 12th time,"REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. (Dow Jones/AP) -- Oracle Corp. extended its hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. for the 12th time, pushing the tender offer through Oct. 8. In a press release Thursday, Oracle said about " +1,Flu Vaccine Is Found Tainted in Factory,SAN FRANCISCO - The nation's supply of vaccine for the impending flu season took a big hit Thursday when Chiron Corp. announced it had found tainted doses in its factory... +3,Job gains hike mortgage rates,"Mortgage rates crept higher this week on news of good job growth in August, according to a survey conducted by mortgage buyer Freddie Mac." +1,Taiwan Stocks Close Higher,"Taiwan's shares ended higher Monday, with traditional stocks gaining following the transfer of military leadership in rival China to its president, Hu Jintao, analysts said." +4,Review: E-Mail Program Lacks 'Wow' Factor ,"AP - The Firefox browser has become an instant sensation, in just a few weeks gaining impressively against Microsoft Corp.'s market-leading but malware-beleaguered Internet Explorer." +1,A Look at Presidential Polls ,"AP - Results of recent polls on the presidential race. Listed above each set of results is the name of the organization that conducted the poll, the dates, the number interviewed, whether it was adults, registered voters (RV) or likely voters (LV) and the margin of error (MoE). Results might not total 100 percent because of rounding." +3,"Low-Fare Airline, ATA, Seeks Bankruptcy Protection","OCTOBER 27, 2004 -- Indianapolis, Ind. -- ATA Airlines yesterday filed for bankruptcy protection, the first domestic, low-fare airline to go the way of several traditional air carriers." +2,Pacers' Artest Back in the Lineup, PHILADELPHIA (Sports Network) - Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest will be back in the lineup for Friday's game versus Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center. +3,Sinopec 2nd-Quarter Profit Rises 92 on Fuel Demand ,"China Petroleum amp; Chemical Corp., Asia's biggest oil refiner, had a 92 percent increase in second- quarter profit on rising demand for fuel from China's motorists and power generators." +1,"With ban imminent, Prince William joins fox hunt (AFP)","AFP - Britain's Prince William went fox hunting, six weeks before the controversial centuries-old bloodsport is to be banned forever, a spokeswoman said." +4,Studies: Arctic Thaw Threatens Livelihoods,"According to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, the quot;Arctic climate is now warming rapidly and much larger changes are projected." +4,Microsoft clause puts OpenOffice users on notice,Jaded souls might say that Sun Microsystems sold the open source community down the river in its landmark settlement with Microsoft in April. +1,Israel's approval of Gaza withdrawal draws mixed reaction,"The United States onTuesday welcomed the approval by the Israeli parliament of a plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, while tens of " +1,Nordic leaders say US terror alert serious but security already ,"STOCKHOLM, Nov 1 - Prime ministers of the five Nordic countries meeting here on Monday said they were worried by a US warning of potential terror attacks in the region, but claimed that security was high enough to ward off the threat." +2,Potential All-American Dream or All-Russian Nightmare for USTA at ,"The US Open will either get its dream all-American final, a nightmare all-Russian final, or something in between today when No. 5 Lindsay Davenport faces No." +1,Center of Eye of Frances Makes Landfall,"STUART, Fla. - Hurricane Frances crashed ashore at Florida's east coast early Sunday with sustained wind of 105 mph and pelting rain, knocking out power to 2 million people and forcing Floridians to endure a frightening night amid roaring gales that shredded roofs and uprooted trees..." +2,Wonderful news: Malcolm Wilson is delighted with the new ,Ford yesterday announced a new four-year deal with the Dovenby outfit to keep the car maker a leading contender in the World Rally Championship. +2,Nocioni leads Bulls over Celtics,CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Rookie Andres Nocioni scored 20 points as the Chicago Bulls held on for a 95-92 victory over the Boston Celtics. +2,SportsNetwork Game Preview,(Sports Network) - Johan Santana is unbeaten (14-0) in 16 starts since the All- Star break and has an amazing ERA of 1.13 in that span. +4,Scientists decode chicken DNA,The latest creature to have its DNA fully decoded is the chicken. Scientists from 49 countries announce the completion of the International Chicken Genome Sequencing Project today in the science journal Nature. +2,Goosen brings a sparkle to the gloom,"With overnight rain causing a 2-hour delay to the start of play in the HSBC World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth, Retief Goosen did his bit to help to make up ground." +4,Adobe aims at workgroups with Acrobat 7,"Adobe Systems Inc. by the end of the year will release version 7.0 of its Acrobat products, including a new free Acrobat Reader that now includes reviewing capabilities, the company announced Monday." +3,NCR Recalls Inkjet Refill Kits,"NCR Corp. on Wednesday recalled 78,000 printer cartridge refill kits because they do not have child-proof packaging, posing a health risk to young children who may ingest the ink sold in the product." +4,Brief: eBay snaps up Rent.com for $415M,EBay is taking a stake in the online apartment rentals market by acquiring Rent.com for $415 million. +1,ER Patients Won't Have to Give U.S. Status ,"AP - The Bush administration is backing off plans to require hospitals to ask emergency room patients their immigration status, after hospitals and advocates for immigrants protested." +4,Wash. Scientists Study Whale Watchers ,"AP - Killer whales get the superstar treatment every summer off the Washington coast, where tourists fill up whale-watch boats to catch a glimpse of the majestic animals. Now, researchers are studying whether all the attention could be a bad thing." +2,Boston outclassed Cardinals,"They were outpitched, outhit, outsmarted and outclassed, and soon they were out of the 100th World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals turned out to be just another National League " +2,Big Easy comes through on a tough day in Ireland,"Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, Els breezed through a wacky day of weather at the American Express Championship by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead and hope that he " +3,Chancellor takes aim at Brussels for bigger budget demands,"GORDON Brown yesterday fired off yet another political salvo at Brussels, as he dismissed a call from the European Commission to increase its spending limit by 35 per cent." +1,Thai PM slips velvet glove on iron fist,"Buddhists cry for help as Thaksin visits the volatile, mostly Muslim region of southern Thailand. As Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visits the troubled southern region of Thailand, more than 100 Thai " +1,Philippines issues new warning against job-seekers heading for Iraq ,AFP - Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's government has issued a fresh warning to Filipino job-seekers trying to fly to Iraq despite a government ban. +4,IBM Enhances Transaction Monitoring Tool,IBM will launch Friday a new version of its Tivoli transaction-performance monitoring product that greatly expands the range of application transactions it can track. +4,Pesticide Study Using Children Postponed,"WASHINGTON Nov 11, 2004 - A planned government study into how children's bodies absorb pesticides and other chemicals has been temporarily suspended due to ethical concerns." +3,Oil prices back above $50 despite Saudi pledge,"LONDON, United Kingdom -- Red-hot world oil prices simmered just above 50 dollars on Wednesday after a pledge by Saudi Arabia to lift output brought only fleeting respite to a market gripped by supply fears, analysts said." +4,New Palm System Targets Smart Phones ,AP - PalmSource Inc. has finally answered the smart-phone call. +3,European Shares Open Modestly Firmer," LONDON (Reuters) - European shares opened modestly firmer on Tuesday, helped by a reprieve for the battered dollar but mixed company updates kept a lid on gains." +4,Symbol upgrades its wireless LAN switch,Symbol Technologies will take an important step in the evolution of the enterprise wireless LAN on Monday with the introduction of its WS 2000 Wireless Switch. +1,6-year-old killed in Gaza,"Israeli gunfire left a 6-year-old girl dead Friday in the Kahn Younis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medics said." +4,Uganda Opposes Trade in Ivory,"A TEAM of wildlife officials has left for a global meeting in Bangkok, Thailand to oppose the lifting of the ban imposed on ivory trade." +2,United States tops Brazil 2-1 in extra time to win gold medal in ,"Mia Hamm and the rest of the Fab Five of women's soccer from the United States had just enough left in their thirtysomething legs for one more title, beating Brazil 2-1 on Thursday in extra time to win the Olympic gold medal in their final " +2,Hewitt Survives Saulnier; Agassi Rolls Past Mathieu,"After sweeping through his first two opponents, Lleyton Hewitt finally found a challenge at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. And it almost took the No." +1,Sudanese peace talks restart after rebel boycott as UN deadline expires ,"AFP - Sudanese peace talks restarted here at the end of a one-day boycott called by rebel groups in protest at alleged government attacks on civilians, and as a UN deadline for action on the Darfur crisis expired." +4,RealNetworks Ends Download 49-Cent Promo,"RealNetworks Inc. is ending its 49 cent-per-song music download service but will keep the promotional prices in place for top 10 songs, the Internet media and software company said on Thursday." +2,UPDATE 1-Button breaks silence over Williams move,Jenson Button broke his silence on Monday to spell out the reasons behind his controversial and contested decision to leave the BAR Formula One team for Williams. +1,'Miracle baby' nurses face probe,"The Nursing and Midwifery Council is investigating the activities of seven women who claim they confirmed ""miracle babies""." +2,Button dispute goes before arbitration,"Jenson Button's exit strategy from BAR advanced apace yesterday with the formal lodging of a contract by Williams with Formula One's in-house arbitration service, the Contracts Recognition Board." +1,Yeltsin sounds alarm on rollback of rights ,"MOSCOW Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first post-Soviet leader, issued a veiled warning Thursday that President Vladimir Putin's decision to seize sweeping new powers after the Beslan hostage crisis could erode democratic freedoms." +4,PalmOne in Microsoft E-Mail Pact (NewsFactor),NewsFactor - Long-time rivals PalmOne (Nasdaq: PALM) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) have announced a licensing agreement that will enable the next generation of PalmOne's Treo smartphones to work directly with Microsoft's Exchange 2003 e-mail system. +1,"Hundreds Held Hostage at Russian School, UN Demands Their Freedom","The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the seizure of up to 400 people at a school in Russia, as the tense standoff enters its second day Thursday." +4,Shawn Fanning Returns With New Music Service,"Not quite as strong (or as controversial) as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shawn Fanning is back -- in the music downloading game, according to MTV News." +3,Bio of outgoing Harley-Davidson Inc. CEO,Education: Bleustein holds a master's degree and doctorate in engineering mechanics from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cornell University. +4,Internet junkies in chilling cold turkey experiment,"If you've ever seen a smack-head handcuffed to a bed gibbering uncontrollably because he can't get a fix, then be afraid, because that's what you'll look like after two weeks of internet-free cold turkey." +2,Woods cruises to eight shot victory in Japan,"In what became a walk in the park for the world's number two golfer, Tiger Woods today strolled to his first stroke-play victory since the American Express in October of 2004, when he completed a wire-to-wire victory at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in " +4,Drugmaker Teams With Law Enforcement To Use RFID To Halt Thefts,"Pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma LP is working closely with law-enforcement agencies to use radio-frequency identification technology to protect shipments of OxyContin, Purdue's painkiller drug that's a frequent target for theft." +2,Boro's Mendieta lost for season,"Middlesbrough, England (Sports Network) - Middlesbrough midfielder Gaizka Mendieta will miss the rest of the season after injuring his knee Sunday against Portsmouth." +1,Tony Blairs office plays down reports of Feb elections,LONDON: Tony Blairs office played down reports on Sunday that the British prime minister plans to call a snap general election in February. +3,Pepsi Bottling 3rd-Qtr Profit Rises 4.4 on Juices ,"Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., the world's largest distributor of PepsiCo Inc. beverages, said third- quarter earnings rose 4.4 percent on new Tropicana juice drinks and sales in Europe." +4,Dell grapples with Apple in Mini arena,Pocket DJ 5 undercuts price of iPod Mini music player. Consumer push also includes plasma-screen TVs. +3,Intel appoints Otellini as CEO,"Intel, the world's largest computer chip maker, announced on Thurs-day that its directors had confirmed the selection of the company president, Paul Otellini, as chief executive." +4,"All terror attacks use false passports, claims Interpol chief",Please buy my international lost and stolen database +2,"Truex Can Relax, Go All-Out in Final Busch Race of Season","Since he has nothing to lose, Martin Truex Jr. says, he can go all-out to win. Truex, 24, will finish his first season of Busch competition Saturday at Homestead in the final race of the year." +4,IBM Reclaims Supercomputing Crown from NEC,"IBM has reclaimed the title of world's fastest supercomputer, overtaking a Japanese computer that shocked the US government when it set a computing speed record in 2002." +2,Rangers Player Breaks Female Fan's Nose,"OAKLAND, Calif. -- What fan would expect to go a baseball game and get hit by a chair thrown into the stands by a player? That's what happened in Monday night's 7-6 win by Oakland over Texas in 10 innings." +3,"Delta labors to avoid bankruptcy, makes some progress","With money pouring out of its jet engine exhausts, Delta Air Lines secured one union agreement, and worked toward another, which might yet allow the third largest airline delay or avoid bankruptcy." +3,UPDATE 1-Google results revive fervor,"Shares of Google Inc. rose as much as 20 percent on Friday, to trade at more than twice the level of it cut-price IPO, after the " +4,Wash. Man Forms E-Mail Rejection Service,"NEW YORK - Attention, ladies: If that guy hitting on you just won't quit until you surrender your e-mail address, feel free to call upon Paper Napkin." +1,Listen to the show,Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet has lost his immunity by order of the countrys Supreme Court. Pinochet overthrew democratically elected socialist President Salvadore Allende and ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. +1,Egypt pushes Israeli-Palestinian accord,"JERUSALEM - Egypt said yesterday it had brokered an understanding to halt Israeli-Palestinian violence and move toward a peace accord, hours after Hamas militants set off a bomb in Gaza that killed an Israeli soldier and triggered Israeli retaliation " +2,Sri Lanka defeats Zimbabwe,LONDON: Sri Lanka survived a scare as they nearly lost their opening match of the Champions Trophy at the hands of Zimbabwe at The Oval. +2,Baseball World Cup Talks Progress ,"AP - Officials from Japan, South Korea and Major League Baseball made significant progress Friday in talks aimed at setting up a World Cup tournament in 2006." +1,Buttiglione regrets slur on gays,The controversial incoming EU Justice Commissioner apologises for comments he made about gays and women. +1,"Miami, capital of Cuban exiles, abuzz with news of Castro's fall","MIAMI, Oct 21 - Known as the capital of Cuban exiles, Miami was abuzz Thursday with news of President Fidel Castro's accident, with many Cuban-Americans bemoaning that the communist leader only fell on his face, and not from power." +3,"With Oil Prices Up, It Could Be a Long Winter","This winter, rising oil prices will translate into higher heating bills for households." +4,Domain Popularity By Alan Webb,"Domain Popularity By Alan Webb\\This article was contributed by Alan Webb from ABAKUS Internet Marketing, a long time friend of mine in this industry with a unique grasp of the International Search Marketing Industry. A buzz phrase for some time now in SEO circles has been 'Link Popularity'. Rightly so ..." +2,Gardenhire Surprised by Song Fuss ,"AP - Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire still is surprised over the fuss made last year when he said a long version ""God Bless America"" may have affected Twins pitcher Brad Radke in Game 2 of the playoff series against the New York Yankees." +4,Tokyo Edge: The Latest in Home Theater,"Do-it-all convergence devices, plus a MiniDisc player, both tiny and high-end cameras, and big LCD TV debut this fall." +1,European trio sets Iran deadline to meet UN anti-nuke demands,"Germany, France and Britain have agreed to set a November deadline for Iran to meet UN demands to clear up concerns that the country is covertly trying to make nuclear weapons, a diplomatic source said here Saturday." +2,Frustrated Woods Leaves Ireland as World No. 3," THOMASTOWN, Ireland (Reuters) - Tiger Woods ended a frustrating week at the WGC-American Express Championship on Sunday without a strokeplay title to defend for the first time since turning professional in 1996." +4,Briefly: Gmail delivered to desktops,roundup Plus: Maker of disposable RFID tags gets millions...Mitsubishi expands solar production...KDE updates Linux desktop...EA to take World Cup soccer to Xbox. +4,Introducing Two New Jam Packs,"Apple introduces two new Jam Packs for its GarageBand music creation software, giving musicians and aspiring musicians more Apple Loops and software instruments to create music. Jam Pack 2: Remix Tools makes it easy to produce compelling dance, hip-hop and electronica tracks, while Jam Pack 3: Rhythm Section offers songwriters a complete backing band for their rock, alternative and country music. Sep 29" +3,PeopleSoft's last hurrah?,"com September 20, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +4,US musicians favour sharing - new survey,"A new survey of US artists reveals that while most agree that downloading from file-sharing networks is illegal, yet they admit they themselves download media without paying and have little idea if it is legal or not." +1,Nova Scotia backbencher to introduce bill to elect Senate replacements (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - A Nova Scotia government backbencher is stepping forward to try to fulfil a promise made by Premier John Hamm to hold elections for Senate vacancies. +3,Carphone Warehouse rings up higher sales,"Europe's biggest mobile phone retailer, Carphone Warehouse, said in a trading update on Wednesday that sales were up on the back of a 25 per cent leap in new connections." +3,End-of-summer gas prices fall,"For the hundreds of thousands of New Englanders who will fill up the tank and hit the road this Labor Day weekend, a trip to the gas station is turning out to be a few dollars cheaper than it was on Memorial Day -- even though world oil prices keep climbing." +3,PeopleSoft Investors Split Votes on Deal," PHILADELPHIA/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Two major PeopleSoft Inc.<A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PSFT.O</A> shareholders on Tuesday indicated they would split their votes on whether to accept Oracle Corp's <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ORCL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ORCL.O</A> $8.8 billion hostile takeover bid." +2,Agassi Overcomes Verdasco Power," STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Andre Agassi marched into the Stockholm Open semifinals Friday, beating Spanish eighth seed Fernando Verdasco 7-6, 6-2 in his hardest match of the tournament." +2,NL Wrap: Cubs Edge Expos to Maintain Wild-Card Pace," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Chicago Cubs registered an important victory in their battle for the National League wild-card berth, edging out the Expos 2-1 over 11 innings in Montreal Wednesday." +1,Dog with bird flu sparks new fears,"An eight-year-old Thai girl and a dog were confirmed to have been infected with Asia's deadly bird flu on Sunday as the country battled a second major outbreak of the virus this year, authorities said." +1,Three UK soldiers killed in central Iraq,"Three British troops have been killed and others injured in an attack in central Iraq, British Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram confirmed on Thursday." +4,Stem Cell Debate Hits Senate,"A committee hears testimony on the possible usefulness of stem cells and current research restrictions, but it's an argument that boils down to when human life begins. By Kristen Philipkoski." +4,Voda plays Santa with 3G bonanza,"Vodafone is putting its substantial weight behind a 3G push by offering ten handsets in the run up to Christmas. From November the firm will sell handsets from manufacturers including Samsung, Sharp, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, NEC and Nokia." +2,Hagans guides Virginia,"CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Marques Hagans had 283 total yards with two touchdown runs and a TD pass to lead No. 12 Virginia to a 31-10 victory over Syracuse yesterday." +1,Burma crackdown on Indian rebels,The Indian army says Burmese troops have begun an offensive to flush out Indian rebel bases in their territory. +2,Boeker's a wreck - even before he's ousted,"Delray Beach Matias Boeker learned a couple of valuable lessons at his first ATP event this week. First, he's done driving himself to tournaments after being involved in a multiple " +4,"Teen accused of making threats about school, possessing weapons","A 17-year-old charged with making terrorist threats against his high school, fellow students and a police officer said at his arraignment that he would do anything quot;to help the community quot; in the wake of his arrest." +2,Chelsea refuse to abandon pursuit of 35m Gerrard,"STEVEN GERRARD appeared to nail his colours to the Liverpool mast when he inspired his team to reach the knockout phase of the Champions League, but Roman Abramovich is steady in his belief that " +1,Ukraine Supreme Court Invalidates Run-Off,"The Supreme Court declared the results of Ukraine's disputed presidential run-off election invalid and ruled Friday that a repeat vote should be held by Dec. 26, bringing cheers from tens of thousands of opposition supported massed in Kiev's main square." +1,"Bush to Hit at Kerry on Security, Economy ","AP - After a shaky debate performance and new controversy over the war in Iraq, President Bush is stepping up his criticism of Sen. John Kerry on national security and the economy." +1,L.A. Airport Terminals Open After Scares,"LOS ANGELES - Four terminals at Los Angeles International Airport were shut down for more than three hours Saturday after a passenger bypassed security at one terminal and two flashlight batteries exploded during screening at another, authorities said. The incidents, about a half-hour apart, were apparently unrelated and there was no link to terrorism, according to the federal Transportation Security Administration..." +4,OPEN SOURCE Software Battle Pits Microsoft Against the Open ,"I have no problem with Microsoft operating in a market environment. Given a choice, I am sure many of us would gladly pay for Windows and Office rather than use Linux and Open Office." +2,UMass Arrests 35 After Game 6 of ALCS ,AP - University of Massachusetts police arrested 35 people early Wednesday morning after the Red Sox tied the Yankees in the sixth game of the American League Championship Series. +1,Indonesia tightens nationwide security after terror warnings,JAKARTA - INDONESIAN authorities have launched a nationwide security clampdown after warnings by several countries that terrorists are preparing to strike again in the run-up to Christmas. +3,Dell to spend $115 million on new plant,"Organizations are replacing aging servers with newer more-powerful boxes, often Linux--based, and theyre also investing in storage." +1,Bleak Prognosis by C.I.A. Nominee,Porter J. Goss said that rebuilding the C.I.A. would take more than five years and that spies must take more risks. +2, Winky again sets sights on Mosley,"It would be easy to dismiss a fighter known as quot;Winky. quot; It also would be a mistake. The first fighter in 29 years to unify the junior middleweight division, Ronald Lamont Wright is slightly " +4,Spacecraft back in Jeffco,Investigation into this month's crash of the Genesis spacecraft entered a new phase last week inside a Jefferson County laboratory. +3,Yukos Chief Plans Return To Russia,"The American chief executive of Yukos, the embattled oil producer whose top executives left Russia a week ago because they feared government prosecution, said yesterday that he quot;fully intends " +1,MOFA slams China-ASEAN pact,"China intends to marginalize Taiwan, and that is why it signed a trade pact with ASEAN states at the regional summit meeting in Laos on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday." +3,Ink Expert Portrayed as Victim at Perjury Trial,Lawyers for the U.S. Secret Service laboratory director on trial for lying at Martha Stewart's criminal trial portrayed him as the victim of a bitter underling who was angry that she hadn't been called to testify in his stead. +4,DoCoMo Sees Europe as Ripe for I-Mode,NTT DoCoMo has launched its i-mode cell phone service in Britain and Ireland through a deal with British company mm02. DoCoMo believes it eventually could gain 60 million users in Europe alone as the Internet service gains acceptance. +4,"Neandertals Beaten by Rivals' Word Skills, Study Says","Neandertals may have died out like a bad movie #151;by word of mouth. Modern humans' complex use of language sounded the defeat of their big-browed cousins, a new study says." +1,Bush Says Kerry Doesn't Understand Terror War (Reuters),"Reuters - President Bush charged on\Wednesday that Democrat John Kerry has a ""fundamental\misunderstanding"" of the war on terrorism because a leader in\the Iraqi insurgency, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has sworn\allegiance to al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden." +4,Microsoft to charge on license for dual-core processors,Microsoft Corp. announced this week it will only charge users one license for running its Windows Server products on a dual-core processor. +1,NATO to begin training Iraq army,NATO allies agreed to expand the alliance's training mission for Iraq's armed forces after allaying French concerns that had delayed the plan for a week. +2,CHARGERS EYE TOP SPOT,"If the San Diego Chargers are able to contain Jake Plummer, they can take a huge step towards winning the AFC West title. The Chargers look to clinch their first winning season in nine years on Sunday when they host the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium." +4,Microsoft details XP SP2 conflicts,Microsoft Corp. has published a list of nearly 50 applications and games that may not work correctly after installing Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP. +2,US men fall again,"A stake in the heart of USA mens basketball was delivered Saturday by a player who was inches from doing it four years ago in Sydney, Australia." +2,Bonds gives reporters silent treatment,ST. LOUIS Giants slugger Barry Bonds was at last night's World Series game but refused to answer questions about the scandal surrounding him involving performance-enhancing drugs. +4,Sony to start marketing mini PS2 in November and PSP in 1Q ,"Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) unveiled a slimmer and more lightweight version of its PS2 game console in Taipei last Friday, and the company will begin shipping the product in Taiwan on November 3. The " +3,Electric plan could hit consumers,"Greater Boston businesses and homeowners buckling under soaring gasoline and heating costs could get socked with up to $800 million a year in new electric costs under a proposed federal policy change, Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly warned yesterday." +3,Giving Voice to A Billion Things (Forbes.com),"Forbes.com - When Robert Poor looks at the world, he sees 50 billion embedded microcontrollers, the workhorse chips inside cars, traffic lights and air conditioners, doing their jobs in splendid isolation. Then he imagines what will happen when they all can talk to one another." +1,A Plea for Support of Innovation," America risks losing its leadership of the global economy if government and industry fail to make changes that encourage innovation, a panel of leading executives and university presidents say in a study to be released today." +3,"Cyberonics Up, Andrew Down Before Bell (Reuters)",Reuters - Shares of Cyberonics Inc. \jumped 14 percent before the bell on Thursday after the medical\technology company said federal health regulators had given\conditional approval to a depression treatment. +4,Feds Seize $87M in Counterfeit Software Sting,"FBI officials said they have netted close to $87 million worth of counterfeit software and components in California, Washington and Texas as a result of a sting operation called Operation Digital Marauder." +1,Arab Nations at UN Demand Israel Stop Gaza Attacks (Reuters),"Reuters - Arab nations want the U.N.\Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding Israel stop a\major offensive in the Gaza Strip, but the United States raised\objections at an emergency meeting on Monday." +1,Bangladesh opposition calls for Monday strike (Reuters),Reuters - Bangladesh's main opposition party called for a fourth strike day in a week on Monday to protest against a deadly grenade attack on a political rally. +1,Violence flares in Ivory Coast ahead of presidential visit,"Joint patrols have begun in Ivory Coast's commercial centre, Abidjan, in an attempt to maintain law and order after three days of disturbances." +4,"QuickTime, RealPlayer Patch Security Holes","Flaws in media players could automatically download malicious code, let hackers in." +4,Virgin Enters Online Music Business (TechWeb),"TechWeb - Virgin Group Ltd. on Monday launched its online music store, pitting the retailer best known for its music quot;megastores quot; with tech companies such as Apple Computer Inc., which operates the most popular digital music service." +4,Lycos withdraws vigilante anti-spam screensaver,"Lycos UK has withdrawn its anti-spam screensaver download from its portal following criticism that the vigilante-style programme had been too successful against spammers websites, shutting down a range of sites." +3,Treasuries Trim Losses After Data, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury debt prices shaved narrow losses on Tuesday following news of a weaker than expected reading on the U.S. economy's huge services sector. +4,Firefox Flames Internet Explorer,"Anyone who thought the browser wars were over when Microsoft overpowered Netscape in the 1990s should think again. After all, it's Firefox time. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +1,Bush Accuses Kerry of Scare Tactics,"ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - President Bush accused John Kerry on Monday of employing ""shameless scare tactics"" on Social Security and the military draft just before voters go to the polls. In an interview with The Associated Press, Bush also said he'd be disappointed if the Iraqi people chose an Islamic fundamentalist government in free elections, ""but democracy is democracy."" ""If that's what the people choose, that's what the people choose,"" the president said, two weeks before facing his own re-election..." +1,Taiwan people protest Chen's arms purchase,"Taipei - Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Taipei Saturday afternoon, urging the local government to scrap a historical high US weapons package, which the protesters complained would trigger a bitter arms race with the Chinese mainland and " +2,Robbins slapped by rowing team-mate,Rower Catriona Oliver will face a disciplinary hearing next week after she slapped team-mate Sally Robbins at an Australian Olympic Committee function in Sydney last night. +1,Karzai thanks India for aid in reconstruction,"Kabul, Dec 7 (UNI) Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, sworn-in today as the first democratically elected head of his state, praised India's role in the reconstruction of the war-ravaged country." +3,U.S. Suit Against Tobacco Makers Goes to Trial, WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major cigarette makers go on trial on Tuesday in the U.S. government's $280 billion racketeering case that charges the tobacco industry with deliberately deceiving the public about the risks of smoking since the 1950s. +2,Backe Keeps Astros in Rare Air,"The crowd in Houston was on its feet, beckoning the latest slugging surprise in the Astros vaunted offense to reemerge from the dugout." +4,Patent Office rejects Microsoft FAT patent,"The US Patent Office has made a preliminary ruling that a patent held by Microsoft for the FAT file system is invalid, after lobby group the Public Patent Foundation put forward evidence showing that the technology already existed in the public domain." +3,OPEC moves to reassure markets,"VIENNA In a largely symbolic decision, OPEC agreed on Wednesday to increase its formal production ceiling by 1 million barrels a day, underlining the group's resolve to bring down high oil prices." +4,Comet Crashing Mission Prepped For Launch (SPACE.com),"SPACE.com - BOULDER, COLORADO -- Engineers here at Ball Aerospace amp; Technologies Corporation are readying NASA's Deep Impact mission for shipping this month to Cape Canaveral, Florida." +2,Phelps Eases Back Into Pool at Short Course Meet," INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Michael Phelps made a comfortable return to the pool at the world short course swimming championships Thursday, touching first in his preliminary heat in the 200 meters freestyle." +4,Sun settles Kodak's Java suit for $92 million,"com October 7, 2004, 3:22 PM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +4,Fossil find may be the father of us all,"Spanish anthropologists, intrigued by a single fossil tooth found near a Catalonian village, dug up more of the animal's stony skeleton and announced they have discovered what may be the last common ancestor of all the world's living great apes " +4,Verizon deal lets Philadelphia move with wireless plan (MacCentral),"MacCentral - The city of Philadelphia has reached an agreement with Verizon Communications Inc. that will let the municipal government deploy a citywide Wi-Fi network, but a carrier-backed bill that would let incumbent carriers block such projects has been signed into law by Pennsylvania's governor." +1,Lopez Defeats Canas to Capture First Title,"<p></p><p> VIENNA (Reuters) - Feliciano Lopez won his first careertitle by defeating sixth seed Guillermo Canas 6-4, 1-6, 7-5,3-6, 7-5 to claim the Vienna Trophy Sunday.</p>" +4,Andrew Kantor: CyberSpeak - Sinclair is the latest to feel the power of blogs (USATODAY.com),"USATODAY.com - Last Friday, television stations that were members of the Sinclair Media Group were scheduled to air an anti-John Kerry special called Stolen Honor. They were ordered to by executives of the company - the same execs who forbid the 62 TV stations the company controls from airing Ted Koppel's reading of the names of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq this spring." +2,HORSE RACING NOTEBOOK Azeri going out with flare,"From Horse of the Year in 2003, to her owner Michael Paulson being scrutinized for not retiring her. Paulson had also taken some heat for transferring training duties from Laura DeSeroux to D. Wayne Lukas last winter." +4,Asian vultures need vet drug ban,"The veterinary drug blamed for killing South Asia's vultures should be banned now, conservationists say." +4,Fossil Indicates Brown Bears Went South ,AP - A fossilized jaw found in an Alberta gravel pit may have cleared up a mystery for researchers wondering how brown bears originally made it across North America. +3,Apple Shares Close at 4-Year High," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Apple Computer Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=AAPL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">AAPL.O</A> on Thursday closed at a four-year high as the iconic computer maker this week rolled out an iPod that displays photos and opened nine new iTunes online music stores in Europe." +1,Police raid alleged by Bigley brother,"Paul Bigley, brother of the hostage Ken Bigley, said yesterday that a third visit had been made to his home in Amsterdam by a Metropolitan police officer and Dutch anti-terrorist police." +4,Constantine and the rise of Christianity,"The history of how Christianity became an accepted mainstream religion is an interesting one. If you have never heard the story of the Roman Emperor Constantine and his effect on the world's current religious landscape, read on to learn how one mans actions during his rise to power changed the world forever. " +4,Oracle sets new deadline on PeopleSoft bid,Oracle has again pushed back the expiration date on its offer for PeopleSoft stock. +3,Fat and Happy? Evaluating Fund Manager Incentives,It's a question that has bedeviled fund investors for years--how do you know if the people running the fund have your best interests at heart? +1,Labor Party faces vexing challenges,"The ruling Labor Party opened its annual meeting yesterday with elections looming next year, the opposition gaining favor in polls and Prime Minister Tony Blair eager to head off a rebuke over Iraq from his party's left wing." +1,"Delegates, Protesters Descend on New York","NEW YORK - Abortion-rights protesters and the first Republican delegates descended on President Bush's heavily fortified convention city Saturday as campaign officials said their boss would use the nomination spotlight to defend his hawkish foreign polices and offer a second-term agenda for health care, education and job training. ""He believes it's important for a candidate to talk about what he's done and, most important, where he wants to lead,"" said adviser Karen Hughes, aboard Bush's campaign bus in Ohio..." +2,Man Buying Brewers Introduced,"Milwaukee - For the first time, the man who is expected to be the next owner of the Brewers met with the media. California investor Mark Attanasio assured fans that if the sale goes through, the team will definitely stay in Milwaukee." +1,"Japan death toll from Meari rises to 19, 8 missing","The death toll from a tropical storm buffeting Japan rose yesterday to 19 after searchers found more victims, including two men buried inside their homes beneath mud and debris that had barreled down a mountainside." +4,AT T Wireless to Sell Stake in Venture ,"AP - Canada's largest cable company, Rogers Communications Inc., said Monday it will pay 1.33 billion for the 34 percent stake in Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. owned by longtime American partner AT amp;T Wireless Services Inc." +4,IBM opens on demand tech center,"Hoping literally to bring users more in touch with its on demand technologies, IBM on Monday announced the opening of a new technology center in Gaithersburg, Md., to help users implement a number of different orchestration and provisioning capabilities." +3,Stocks Rise on Sprint/Nextel Merger Talk, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended higher on Thursday as investors hoping for a year-end rally bought shares. +4,Extinction May Have Trickle-Down Effect ,AP - Conservationists concerned about the extinction of plants and animals may be overlooking the danger to thousands of other species that depend on the threatened ones. +2,Francis Pushes Magic Past Hornets 90-89 ,"AP - Steve Francis has his new franchise 2-0. Francis hit his second game-winner, soaring into the lane to put back Pat Garrity's missed 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left Friday night. That gave the Orlando Magic a 90-89 victory over the New Orleans Hornets." +4,LEADER ARTICLE Arctic Alert: Bush's Return Bad News For Global ,"Kevin Costner's Water World might have bombed at the box office, but the real stuff is all set to force-grab world attention. The most comprehensive scientific report to date on global warming conducted by " +4,Cisco to open RD facility in Japan,"CHICAGO: Telecommunications equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc. on Thursday said it will open a research facility in Tokyo, a move designed to strengthen its position in the growing Japanese market for high-speed Internet services." +4,Halo 2 Hits The Streets,"(Rochester, NY) 11/09/04 -- Workers in some Rochester-area toy and game stores worked late Monday night as fans of quot;Halo 2 quot; lined up to buy a copy of the X-Box game that went on sale at midnight." +3,"GLOBAL-MARKETS-Dollar on Ropes, Shares Up"," LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar was under pressure again Monday, snapping last week's rebound ahead of a key week of U.S. data and Tuesday's meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve on interest rates, but European shares got a lift as oil prices hovered near-five month lows." +2,Breaking Down the Orange Bowl Match-Up ,"AP - Southern California and Oklahoma both have a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback, an All-American tailback and swift defenses that run similar schemes. A look at how the No. 1 Trojans and No. 2 Sooners will match up in the Orange Bowl on Tuesday night:" +3,Lockheed to take $110 million Q4 charge for court ruling,The nation's largest defense contractor will take a $110 million charge against its fourth quarter earnings after losing a court bid to salvage at least some of the money it pumped +2,Report: Stottlemyre to retire?,"Mel Stottlemyre has not officially told the Yankees whether he plans to return for a 10th season as the team's pitching coach, but one published report on Wednesday indicated " +4,Another search beta for Microsoft,"The kinks have not yet been ironed out of Microsoft Corp's web search engine, but the company has gone ahead with another beta launch of MSN Search that showcases many of the bells and whistles rivals launched incrementally well after they were mature." +4,Froogle Goes Google in the UK,"Froogle Goes Google in the UK\\Google today began their shopping search British re-invasion with Froogle U.K, a beta version of their product search service that enables users search for products to buy via Google search technology. Froogle U.K. applies the power of Google's search technology to locate product information and ..." +1,Prince Harry hit in face by camera,"LONDON, England -- Prince Harry was hit in the face by a camera during an overnight scuffle outside a nightclub that left a photographer with a cut lip." +2,No. 24 Memphis Rolls Past St. Mary's 81-66 ,AP - Rodney Carney scored a career-high 33 points and Memphis ended the surprising tournament run of Saint Mary's with an 81-66 victory Thursday night in the semifinals of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. +1,"Japan quake kills 10, injures hundreds","An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, and a series of aftershocks rocked central Japan on Saturday, killing at least 10 people including four children, officials and reports said." +3,Bombardier shares fall after junk status rating,"MONTREAL -- Bombardier Inc. shares fell to a historic low yesterday, the day after a New York bond rating agency cut the company's debt rating to junk status, the latest bad news for the struggling transportation equipment giant." +3,U.S. Services Growth Slower in August," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Growth in the vast U.S. services sector slowed in August although managers seemed more willing to hire new workers, according to an industry survey published on Friday." +1,Hardest part of democracy: Creating beneficent state,"Few can doubt the historic importance of the peaceful and democratic passing of executive power to Indonesia's first ever directly elected president later this month -- with the former general-turned-democrat, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the winner." +2,Klitschko defends WBC heavyweight title,LAS VEGAS Vitali (VIH -tah-lee) Klitschko defended his WBC heavyweight title with a ninth-round TKO over Danny Williams last night in Las Vegas. +2,Texas a step ahead of Utah in polls,"Texas bumped Utah from the coveted No. 6 spot in the Bowl Championship Series standings released on Monday, improving its chance for its first major bowl in eight seasons." +3,China Cracks Down on I-Cafes,Internet cafes that fail to enforce the strict rules governing their use are being shut down by the government. Also: Companies worry that the spyware buck will stop with them hellip;. High-tech outsourcing to India continues hellip;. and more. +3,Sony's no blockbuster,EVERYONE from Rupert Murdoch to Christopher Skase kicked the tires at MGM at some point during the 30 years the fabled studio was on and off the block. +3,Crude Oil Steady After Rising as Ivan Disrupts US Gulf Output,"Crude oil was little changed after rising 2.5 percent yesterday as the approach of Hurricane Ivan disrupted production and tanker shipments in the Gulf of Mexico, where a quarter of US oil and natural gas is pumped." +3,Fannie Mae Executives Defend Decisions,"Fannie Mae executives defended themselves on Wednesday against government allegations they manipulated accounting to hide earnings swings, saying they and their auditors believed they were properly applying complex standards that " +2,Anderson lifts UMass,"Matt Anderson scored three goals, including two in the third period to help overcome a 4-3 deficit, as the University of Massachusetts defeated Clarkson, 6-4, last night in its opener in Amherst." +3, Oil Prices Climb Back to the $54 Level,"Crude oil prices climbed back to the $54 level Wednesday, reversing a two-day slide, after the US government's weekly petroleum supply report showed a fifth straight week of declining inventories of distillate fuel, which includes heating oil and diesel." +3,"Microsoft, Novell Settle Antitrust Suit"," SEATTLE/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MSFT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MSFT.O</A> said on Monday it agreed to settle antitrust lawsuits with Novell Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NOVL.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">NOVL.O</A> and an industry trade group, marking the end of a decade-long antitrust battle." +2,Expos to move Nov. 30,"The Montreal Expos have received legal notice from Major League Baseball that the team will move Nov. 30, TQS television reported yesterday." +4,Protect Your Personal Computer,"Redmond, Wash., /PRNewswire/ - As gifts for loved ones or tools for getting organized in the new year, personal computers (PCs) are always popular items during the holiday gift-giving season." +3,Worldpay struck by online attack,Internet payment system Worldpay is under attack from hackers delaying transaction times for hundreds of online retailers. +2,NHL Lockout May Not Be Ending Any Time Soon,"Chicago An NHL lockout that's already nine weeks old won't end anytime soon unless owners show some willingness to negotiate, agents said after a meeting with the players union." +2,White Sox Cut Ties With Ordonez ,"AP - The Chicago White Sox cut ties with Magglio Ordonez on Tuesday, declining to offer arbitration to their All-Star right fielder." +1,Baghdad Blasts Kill 10; Rumsfeld Visits,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two car bombs shook the capital in quick succession Sunday, killing at least 10 people and wounding 17, including an American soldier, U.S. and Iraqi officials said..." +1,UN warns of population explosion,"Failure to honour funding pledges to the UN means a world population explosion within decades, a report says." +3,Pepsi Bottling Group beats by a penny,"Pepsi Bottling Group Inc., the world's largest maker and distributor of PepsiCo's beverages, edged past analysts estimates by a penny in its third-quarter results released Tuesday." +3,Fed's rate decision not apt to affect market,"NEW YORK -- Wall Street opinion is split on whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates tomorrow, with conventional wisdom siding with a rate increase. But either way, the decision probably won't have as much impact on what happens to stock prices this week as will news of corporate earnings surprises." +4,Mediacom will offer Sprint service,Mediacom customers in the Quad-Cities soon will be able to add home telephone service to the television subscription and high-speed Internet services already available from the company. +3,AtheroGenics Shares Jump on Early Data,Shares of drug company AtheroGenics Inc. opened up 81 percent Tuesday morning and remained at high levels after the company revealed promising clinical data late Monday for a drug to treat hardening arteries. +1,Aznar Denies Madrid Bombs Were Linked to Iraq War,"Former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said Islamic militants tried to use the Madrid train bombings to oust the pro-US ruling party from power in Spain, but not because of its support for the Iraq war." +3,JetBlue Profit Down 71 Percent," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=JBLU.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">JBLU.O</A> on Thursday said third-quarter earnings fell 71 percent as it struggled with skyrocketing fuel prices and tough competition." +1,"Bush, Kerry Differ on Approach to North Korea","President Bush and his rival, Senator John Kerry, may have clashed over how to stop North Korea's nuclear plans but their policies are not as far apart as their first debate suggested, analysts said on Friday." +1,Libya to Host a Mini-Summit on Darfur This Month (Reuters),"Reuters - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi will host\a summit on the troubled western Sudanese region of Darfur with\the presidents of Chad, Egypt and Nigeria, a Libyan government\source said on Tuesday." +4,Musician Urges Parents to Tune in to Mozart Effect (Reuters),Reuters - Mozart started listening to music before\he was born -- and by age 4 was already beginning to compose\his own. +3,Time Warner pays up,"Agrees to $210M Justice Dept. deal and proposes paying an additional $300M to end SEC probe. BY HARRY BERKOWITZ. Seeking to remove a cloud that has lingered over Time Warner for years, the media giant said yesterday " +1,"Ivory Coast appointment provokes rebels, France","Ivory Coast says 63 people have been killed in a week of clashes with French troops as it hands over military powers to a former head of its northern command, whose appointment is considered a provocation by both the rebels and France." +3,Finding the Future in an Old Industry,"The $17.8 billion, three-way deal that Lakshmi N. Mittal, a financier based in London, announced this week would put him at the head of the largest steel company in the world." +2,'Cards' stacked for US,"It's called the US Open, and though fewer than a fifth of the competitors this year are US-born, it's not because the US Tennis Association hasn't tried to get more Americans. All 16 of the wild cards in men's and women's singles were awarded to Americans, even at the expense of the men's NCAA champion, Benjamin Becker ..." +2,"Heikki, champion of champions!",The Renault driver won the Race of Champions at the Stade de France last weekend against illustrious opposition! +4,NetSuite's new offering joins up the dots,"Analysis Over the past few years, CRM implementations have come in for much criticism, especially in the elusive area of ROI. This has caused many companies to re-evaluate their technology implementations " +2,Arab-owned Israeli team faces up to Souness Newcastle,"But the match has another compelling storyline: the Magpies little-known UEFA Cup opponent is an Israeli club, Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin, with a rare mixture of Jews and Arabs." +2,Pistons 93 Timberwolves 85,"AUBURN HILLS, Mich. Detroit started to resemble the NBA championship team it was last season with some key parts back on the scene." +2,Eagles extend Sheppard and Rayburn,"Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Eagles announced Saturday that cornerback Lito Sheppard and defensive tackle Sam Rayburn each signed contract extensions that will keep both players in the fold through the 2011 season." +4,Chinese Government to Institute Online Ratings Systems,"By ELAINE KURTENBACH SHANGHAI, China -- China plans ratings systems for online games, books and movies to protect children from violence and sexual content in the nation's latest effort to tighten controls on various media, reports said Friday. The system for censoring online games will be introduced by the end of October and will come ahead of ""any similar actions on books and movies,"" the state-run newspaper Shanghai Daily said, citing officials attending a conference in Shanghai..." +1,Afghan Kidnappings Prompt Big Security Review (Reuters),Reuters - The abduction of three foreign election\workers in Afghanistan could force aid groups to reduce their\international staff in a country that just finished counting\votes in its first direct presidential election. +3,Options rule delayed for companies in US,"American companies were granted a six-month delay Wednesday on the deadline for reporting the value of stock options granted to employees as an expense - a change that would delay the reduction in reported profits for many companies, particularly in the " +3,Troubled Rentokil rules out break-up,STRUGGLING pest control and security specialist Rentokil today ruled out a break-up of the company or any major disposals as it reported back following a sweeping review of the business. +1,Ivory Coast snubs Francophone summit after spat,Ivory Coast angrily pulled out of a summit of French-speaking countries on Friday after police in the host nation Burkina Faso confiscated +1,Muslim mole panics Dutch secret service,"THE Dutch secret service has been infiltrated by an Islamic extremist linked to the killer of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch film-maker whose murder has accelerated Hollands transformation from one of Europes most tolerant countries into a society " +1,"Stocks Rise on Drop in Oil, Fed Comments","NEW YORK - A drop in oil prices and reassuring words from the Federal Reserve sent stocks higher Monday, raising hopes that Wall Street would be able to extend its recent rally. Investors were cheered by a dip in oil prices, which backed off the $50 per barrel mark at Friday's close of trading..." +3,Nikkei Hits 5-Week Closing Low, TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average fell 1.13 percent to hit a five-week closing low on Friday as worries about high oil prices and uncertainty over the U.S. economic and market outlook hit a broad range of stocks. +3,Japanese Stocks Higher Despite GDP Data," TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average was 0.79 percent higher at midsession on Friday, recovering from an early fall on weak Japanese GDP data as some operators were relieved the figure wasn't negative and others said it merely confirmed their views on the economy." +3,UPDATE 1-Warburg Pincus to buy 2.75 of Kotak Mahindra Bank,"The board of India's Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. (KTKM.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) has approved an issue of shares representing a 2.75 percent stake to Warburg Pincus International LLC." +2,Better than the best,"PARIS The verdict is in: The world's greatest race car driver, the champion of champions - all disciplines combined - is Heikki Kovalainen." +4,Novell Releases Updated SuSE Linux (Ziff Davis),"Ziff Davis - The company unveils SuSE Linux Professional 9.2, which features wireless networking support, at LinuxWorld Expo in London, and says it will deliver its desktop Linux software by the end of the year. Also, HP's head of Linux says advances in security and high-performance computing are pushing Linux into new realms." +4,Faulty oxygen supply threatens space crew,"Crew members may have to abandon the international space station late this year if astronauts can't fix already weeks-old oxygen supply problems, a NASA official said Friday." +2,Mission Accomplished!,"MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY ---There is a new number one in the land and the name is Vijay Singh. The quest, which began last year was finally realized by Singh when he out dueled Tiger by three strokes to win the Deutsche Bank Championship." +3,High Court Overturns Loan Scam Damage Award,"The Supreme Court today overturned a five-figure damage award to an Alexandria man for a local auto dealer's alleged loan scam, ruling that a Richmond-based federal appeals court had wrongly " +2,Schumacher Clinches Season Title,"Michael Schumacher finished second at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, scoring enough points to clinch an unprecedented seventh Formula One drivers' title." +4,X Prize try today may set history,"A maverick California company is poised to launch a bid today to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize, a global competition expected to spur a quot;personal spaceflight revolution." +4,Fiorina: HP's ordering problem now fixed,CEO Carly Fiorina says problem that dented last quarter's financial results is a thing of the past. +1,Russia: Terrorism Leading Theory on Plane Crashes,"A top Russian official said Thursday that flight recorders failed to provide reliable information about what brought down two jetliners just minutes apart, but for the first time a government leader conceded that terrorism was considered the leading possibility." +2,American League Game Summary - Tampa Bay At New York,"Bronx, NY -- Jon Lieber continued his September hot streak by pitching into the eighth inning and Derek Jeter hit a solo homer, helping New York clinch a playoff berth for the 10th straight season with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay in a much-awaited makeup " +3, RIL board rejected Anils contention ,"Mumbai: The board of directors of Reliance Industries Ltd had considered the letter written by Anil Ambani, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, regarding the decision taken at the July 27 board meeting on powers and authorities of the CMD." +1,"UN counts 70,000 dead in Darfur crisis ","GENEVA -- At least 70,000 refugees have died since March because of poor conditions in camps in Sudan's Darfur region, and more will die at the same rate unless countries contribute the $300 million in aid they promised, the UN health agency said yesterday." +1,Support independent journalism,"Please donate now to our Fall Fund Drive to help the Monitor bring you insightful, quality journalism." +3,More Questions for Producer of Flu Vaccine,The F.D.A. is demanding that Chiron provide more information about its plans to fix widespread sanitary problems at its flu vaccine factory in England. +2,Patriots shift Nov. 28 start,"Sunday at 1 o'clock. Time for football. That's the way it was for Patriots fans pretty much every fall weekend for four decades. Then Bill Belichick amp; Co. had to go and win two of the last three Super Bowls, and now they're TV stars." +1,Asthma risk set during pregnancy,"The chances of a child developing asthma or other allergies may largely be fixed by the time they are born, research suggests." +4,Broadband offers magical journey,A 'magic carpet' to take children around the world is one of the projects that has won a community net award. +3,Nikkei Falls for Ninth Day," TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei edged down 0.27 percent to close lower for the ninth day in a row on Wednesday, its longest losing streak in two years, as worries over the impact of high oil prices on earnings weighed on exporters." +4,"Masai, Whites and Wildlife: No Peaceable Kingdom","Masai herders in Kenya have begun cutting fences and marching their livestock onto the private ranchland of white settlers, where wildlife thrives." +2,"Wizards 1, Fire 0","Igor Simutenkov scored on a free kick five minutes into the first overtime period, leading the Kansas City Wizards to a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire in the championship match of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday night." +3,ConocoPhillips Buys Stake in Lukoil,"MOSCOW Sept. 29, 2004 - In a deal paving the way for future joint ventures, US oil giant ConocoPhillips on Wednesday won an auction with a bid of nearly $2 billion for the Russian government's 7.6 percent stake in Russia's Lukoil the world's No." +3,Crude oil price drop buoys sentiment,"TOKYO (CBS.MW) - The Nikkei Average finished the morning just under the key 11,000 mark after breaking that level earlier Monday following US gains as the pullback in oil prices eased concerns about corporate profits." +1,Spanish police arrest 17 suspected ETA members,"Police arrested 17 suspected members of Basque separatist guerrilla group ETA in northern Spain on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry says." +2,"Report: Clarett Claims Cash, Cars Among OSU Benefits","COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett told ESPN The Magazine that he quot;took the fall quot; for the school during a 2003 NCAA investigation into the football program." +2,"Cubs Defeat Marlins, 5-1, in NL Showdown","MIAMI - Mark Prior allowed five hits in 7 2-3 innings to out-pitch Carl Pavano, and the Chicago Cubs moved one percentage point ahead of San Francisco atop the NL wild-card standings by beating the Florida Marlins 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader " +2,Red Sox putting fans cash into Fenway revamp,"A day after rolling out another hike to baseball's priciest tickets, Red Sox brass scrambled to show the Nation's faithful that the extra cash will be put to good use." +2,Rebuilding plan taking hold at IU,"In recent years, Big Ten football teams such as Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin have trekked to the University of Oregon's Autzen Stadium." +2,Jazz to Retire Stockton's Number," SALT LAKE CITY, (Sports Network) - The Jazz announced Tuesday that the club will retire John Stockton's No. 12 on November 22, 2004, when Utah hosts the New Orleans Hornets." +4,PeopleSoft v. Oracle: Game Over?,"Friday was a great day for Oracle chief Larry Ellison. First, PeopleSoft's board ousted the CEO who had fought so hard against Oracle's hostile bid, then the feds announce they're dropping their antitrust complaint. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +3,Broker Accused of Rigging Bids for Insurance,"Eliot Spitzer, the New York state attorney general, yesterday accused the world's largest insurance broker of cheating customers by rigging prices and steering business to insurers in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks." +2,Sri Lanka spinners throttle South Africa,Sri Lanka spinners Rangana Herath and Tillakaratne Dilshan shared six wickets to help bowl South Africa out for 191 in the third one-day international on Sunday. +2,Serena Williams ends Mauresmo's bid for year-end No. 1 ranking,"Serena Williams is in love - with her new attacking game and herself. Williams moved a step closer to salvaging her season with a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 semifinal victory over Amelie Mauresmo in the WTA Championships on Sunday." +1,An Afghan hanging chad dispute,An independent inquiry is helping to defuse a controversy over ink used in Saturday's election. By Scott Baldauf Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor. +2,Second-Ranked Auburn Downs Alabama,"TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Sports Network) - Jason Campbell passed for 224 yards and a touchdown, Courtney Taylor caught four passes for 89 yards and a score, and No." +3,Pfizer Profit Up on Demand for Key Drugs," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PFE.N</A>, the world's biggest drugmaker, on Wednesday said third-quarter earnings rose on higher sales of key medicines and favorable foreign exchange factors." +1,Another woman kidnapped in Iraq,"A POLISH-Iraqi woman has been kidnapped in Baghdad, the Iraqi interior ministry confirmed after Arab television station Al-Jazeera broadcast a videotape of the hostage." +1,Ukrainian CEC announces results of presidential elections,"RBC, 02.11.2004, Kiev 15:55:11.Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich has won 40.22 percent support during the recent presidential elections, according to the results announced by the Ukrainian Central Elections Commission after 95." +4,What Is a Comet Made Of?,"UC Davis -- A new method for looking at the composition of comets using ground-based telescopes has been developed by chemists at UC Davis. Remnants from the formation of our solar system, the makeup of comets gives clues about how the Earth and other planets formed..." +4,The iMac G5: A first look at Apple's new all-in-one,The latest incarnation of Apple's iMac all-in-one desktop computer sports a new look and a beefy G5 processor. Computerworld Online News Editor Ken Mingis snagged one and offers his first take on the latest Mac. +4,Dell thrusts blade into datacentres,A substantial price cut and footprint squeeze show a new commitment from Dell to getting its enterprise-class blade servers into data centres. +3,US Stocks Seen Flat as Election Weighs,"US stocks were headed for a flat open on Monday a day ahead of the US Presidential election, as Wall Street awaits a clear-cut winner." +1,Afghan Given Death in Reporters' Murders ,"AP - An Afghan court sentenced a man to death Saturday for the 2001 killing of three foreign journalists and an Afghan colleague who were pulled from their cars, robbed and shot as they rushed to cover the collapse of the Taliban." +1,Israelis want peace says visiting minister,JOHANNESBURG - A small group of pro-Palestinian supporters were escorted out of the Sandton Convention Centre here during a protest against a visit by Israeli Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday. +2,Everton spirit earns a point,"A CENTURY REACHED IN THE style of Michael Atherton; cussed, scruffy, with a minimum of graceful shots, blessed by good fortune, bloody-minded and bloody impressive." +1,Pakistan and India in talks to avert nuclear 'havoc' ,AFP - Pakistan and India held talks to hammer out an agreement on giving advance warning of ballistic missile tests and other steps to avert any accidental launch of nuclear weapons. +3,Prosecutors seize Yukos records,"Russian prosecutors seize financial documents for the last two years from oil producer Yukos, raising fears of fresh tax demands." +3,Jeremy Warner's Outlook: No hurricane yet as IMF warns on house ,"The International Monetary Fund is worrying about the UK housing market again. It's been doing this for an awfully long time now, yet so far none of its doom laden warnings have come to pass." +1,Report: Marlon Brando's Ashes Scattered,"LOS ANGELES - The ashes of legendary actor Marlon Brando were spread in Tahiti and Death Valley, according to a newspaper report. A memorial service for Brando, who died of lung failure at age 80 on July 1, was held at the home of Hollywood producer Mike Medavoy and was attended by Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson and Sean Penn, the Los Angeles Times reported in Wednesday editions..." +3,Board member explains Conway's firing,PeopleSoft's board ousted Craig Conway as chief executive last week after learning why he misled Wall Street analysts about the impact on his company's business of Oracle's hostile takeover bid. +4,Bill Gates Dubbed Most Spammed Person In The World,January 2006 can't come too soon for Bill Gates because that is the date by which he believes the spam problem will be solved. +2,England 32 - 16 South Africa,"It is too early to say the wounds have completely healed, but a year on from being on top of the world, followed by a dispiriting tumble, England's rugby machine is starting to go through the gears again." +2,Els Wins World Match Play Title,"On his 35th birthday, Ernie Els received a familiar present -- a World Match Play title. And he just might have his 96-year-old grandfather to thank." +2,Wolfsburg remains top,"Martin Petrov put the home side ahead early, but Kaiserslautern's Carsten Jancker made it 1-1 with just eight minutes remaining." +1,Brawl after Bashir arrest cleared,"A BRAWL broke out at an Indonesian court yesterday after the arrest and detention of alleged Jemaah Islamiah head Abu Bakar Bashir was found to be legal, clearing the way for his trial under tough anti-terror laws." +3,Australia's WMC Resources Says No Takeover Offer Made -2-,MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Australian diversified nickel producer WMC Resources Ltd. (WMC) on Wednesday said it hasn't received any new takeover proposals. +3,Saudis to Raise Oil Production in Bid to Bring Down Record Prices,Saudi Arabia says it will raise oil production in an effort to bring down prices that have soared to more than $50 a barrel. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said Tuesday that the kingdom will step up its daily +3, CalPERS Ousts Harrigan As Its President,The nation's largest public pension fund fired its president Wednesday following a tumultuous year in which he became an outspoken advocate for reform in the board rooms of corporate America. +1,Rough weather hampers rescue efforts for Cdn submarine stranded off Scotland (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - HALIFAX (CP) - The crew of a disabled Canadian submarine braved a rough night adrift in heavy seas off Scotland as inclement conditions delayed British rescue efforts early Wednesday. +4,Contractor Maximus Subpoenaed," Maximus Inc., which manages federal programs for state and local governments, disclosed yesterday that federal prosecutors have subpoenaed records connected to Medicaid reimbursement claims it prepared for the District." +2,Colorado Is Not Quite All Better,The scene at the end of Colorado's victory Saturday night probably was not what the university was looking for after a tumultuous off-season. +4,Trade Deficit Soars; Jobless Claims Rise ,"AP - The trade deficit jumped to the second-highest level in history as surging demand for foreign oil swamped a small gain in U.S. exports, the government reported Thursday. America's trade gap with China hit an all-time high as retailers stocked up on cell phones, toys and televisions in preparation for Christmas sales." +2,"Braves 7, Expos 1",Paul Byrd pitched eight strong innings and Eli Marrero homered to help the Atlanta Braves extend their winning streak to four games with a 7-1 victory over the Montreal Expos on Friday night. +1,Japan Defense Chief: Talks on U.S. Troops 'Grueling'," TOKYO (Reuters) - Negotiations between Washington and Tokyo over the impact of a global realignment of U.S. military forces are ""grueling"" because of sensitive issues involved for Japan, Defense Minister Yoshinori Ohno said Friday." +1,Strong turnout marked in HK election,"HONG KONG - Hong Kong voters made a strong turnout Sunday in a hard-fought legislative election being closely watched by Beijing. As of 5:30 pm, turnout was 35." +2,Cropp Wants Changes,D.C. Council Chair Linda Cropp has filed an eleventh-hour proposal that would significantly alter a plan to build a baseball stadium. +1,Saskatchewan court rules definition of marriage unconstitutional (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - SASKATOON (CP) - Gay couples may now tie the knot in more than half of the provinces and territories in Canada after a Saskatchewan court ruled Friday that the traditional definition of marriage is unconstitutional. +4,Microsoft commits to XML docs for long term,"Responding to a European Union request, Microsoft said the license for its Office-related XML document formats will be royalty-free forever." +1,Pope's wish list startles,"The Pope, looking tired and speaking with difficulty, has ploughed into fresh controversy with two startling new beatifications. Among the five people he set on the road to canonisation " +4,European Software Pirates Caught (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - Making illegal copies of computer games and desktop applications is one thing, but ripping off enterprise software is entirely another." +1,Israel AG suggests changes to barrier ,"JERUSALEM -- Israel risks international sanctions and other serious diplomatic repercussions surrounding the barrier it is building in the West Bank and must be prepared to make further changes in the route, the nation's attorney general has warned in a report." +3,Wall Street's Teasing Gains,"The market has had a nice little rally of late. A real push to higher levels, however, won't happen until several hurdles are cleared." +1,"Serb Not an Assassin, Just an Angry Driver",What was first believed to be an assassination attempt against President Boris Tadic of Serbia on Tuesday night was actually a case of road rage by a driver +1,Beijing Accused of Meddling in HK Elections,"Hong Kong media and a rights group accused Beijing on Thursday of meddling in a weekend election, saying its publicity about a pro-democracy candidate jailed for hiring a prostitute was timed to influence the result." +3,Merck: Successor pill safer than Vioxx,"Merck amp; Co., the US drug maker that recalled its Vioxx painkiller because of a link to heart disease, said short-term studies show the companys planned successor pill, Arcoxia, is safer." +3,Oil Under $53 as Fuel Costs Hit Economy," LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell again on Tuesday, easing U.S. crude below $53 a barrel, on signs that energy costs are slowing the economic growth that fueled this year's sharp increase in world petroleum consumption." +1,Envoy Complains of 'Anti-French Neurosis' in Israel (Reuters),"Reuters - France's ambassador to Israel\criticized Israelis on Thursday for what he called ""anti-French\neurosis,"" drawing a rebuke from the Jewish state and touching\off a new diplomatic row between the two countries." +4,Report Sounds Alarm on Pace of Arctic Climate Change,The most comprehensive international assessment of Arctic climate change has concluded that Earth's upper latitudes are experiencing unprecedented increases in temperature +2,Mids Need Motivation,"Coming off its third winning season in the last 20 years, Navy has looked sluggish on offense and uninspired overall during the last several weeks of practice." +4,Microsoft to share Office code,Microsoft Corp would share the underlying software code for its Office programme as part of its efforts to make governments more confident in the security and compatibility of the worlds largest software makers products. +2,Miller claims sixth win in 10 races,"SESTRIERE, Italy - World Cup leader Bode Miller won a slalom Monday to join Marc Girardelli as the only men to win races in all four disciplines in a season." +4,Apple Patches 15 Mac OS X Flaws (Ziff Davis),"Ziff Davis - Apple claims most users are protected from the worst dangers of the flaws, many of which originate in the OS' open-source components." +1,Iraqi minister accuses Iran of orchestrating insurgency to ,IRAQS national election campaign kicked off yesterday with angry accusations that Iran was masterminding the continuing insurgency in an effort to undermine democracy and bring about clerical rule. +2,"Australia-Pak Match Abandoned, India Out Of Tri-Series","Amstelveen (Netherlands), August 25 (NNN):Indias hopes of making it to the in the Videocon Dutch cricket tri-series final were dashed after the third and last league match between Australia and Pakistan was abandoned in Amstelveen on Wednesday without " +1,Call on Me hits number one spot,Swedish DJ Eric Prydz goes straight to number one in the UK chart with dance track Call on Me. +2,"Galaxy, Crew Play to 0-0 Tie ","AP - Kevin Hartman made seven saves for Los Angeles, and Jon Busch had two saves for Columbus as the Galaxy and Crew played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night." +2,AUSTRALIA ROMP TO HISTORIC WIN,Australia wrapped up their first series win in India in 35 years after an overwhelming victory by 342 runs in the third Test in Nagpur. +4,ManTech to Aid Air Force Network,ManTech International Corp. of Fairfax won a $20.9 million contract from the Air Force to provide network and telecommunications services in Europe and in Turkey. +1,Panic Strikes Haiti's Storm Survivors,"U.N. troops fired smoke grenades Friday as crowds tried to break into a food distribution site, demonstrating growing desperation at the slow pace of relief since Tropical Storm Jeanne." +3,Euro Disney rides to new low with a 145m loss,"EURO DISNEY, the financially crippled French theme park operator, has admitted that its annual losses more than doubled last financial year as it was hit by a surge in costs." +4,PlayStation Portable's tough birth,"Sony's PlayStation Portable may ultimately live up to company promises of a quot;Walkman for the 21st century quot; that revolutionizes entertainment, but that's not going to happen next week." +2,O'Brien Sues OSU for 3.4 Million ,"AP - Former Ohio State basketball coach Jim O'Brien sued the school, claiming he is owed at least 3.4 million because his firing violated terms of his contract." +3,"Conoco, Lukoil form alliance","US oil major pays nearly $2B for 7.6 of Russian firm, partnership eyes projects in Russia, Iraq. MOSCOW (Reuters) - US oil major ConocoPhillips and Russia's Lukoil announced Wednesday they would form a strategic " +2,Hamm gold by a sliver,"ATHENS - Paul Hamm feared he had blown a shot for a medal when he stumbled at the end of his performance in the vault, his fourth event in the six-event men's individual all-around final. But the freckle-faced gymnast from Wisconsin ..." +2,CU drops Big 12 title to Sooners,Buffalo football fans who were parked on barstools nonchalantly shrugged off Saturday night's Big 12 big blowout. The second-ranked Oklahoma Sooners pounded the University +3,"Nortel details plans to lay off 3,250 employees","Nortel Networks Corp. will lay off approximately 1,400 employees in the US and about 950 in Canada, with those employees to be notified by the end of June 2005, the network equipment vendor said in a regulatory " +1,"Stocks Slide on Oil Prices, Earnings","NEW YORK - Investors sent stocks lower Tuesday as oil prices crossed another milestone, $54 per barrel. Earnings reports from heavyweights Johnson Johnson and Merrill Lynch Co..." +2,Tapit is 2-1 favorite in Pennsylvania Derby,"BENSALEM, Pa. -- This was supposed to be a salute to Smarty Jones, a run on his home track before a rapturous crowd at Philadelphia Park." +2,Hanson sweeps to sixth victory,Australia's Brooke Hanson won a record sixth gold medal at one swimming World Short Course Championships. She saw off American Amanda Beard's challenge to take the 200m breaststroke title in Indianapolis in a time of two minutes and 21. +3,"For sixth year, valley leads nation in clean air violations","California had its cleanest summertime air in three decades, yet the San Joaquin Valley still had 104 violations of the daylong, or eight-hour, smog standard." +2,Red Sox-Yanks an instant classic,"Heroics and heartbreaks, diving catches and basepath blunders, hot bats and bizarre slumps, rainy days and endless nights. Already an instant classic, a short story transformed into a great American League " +1,Rocket lands near Afghan school as President Karzai due to visit ,"AFP - A rocket landed near a school in southeast Afghanistan minutes before President Hamid Karzai was due to visit, forcing him to abandon his trip, presidential spokesman Jawad Ludin told AFP." +1,National pharmacare program would reduce hospital waiting lists: McGuinty (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - TORONTO (CP) - A national pharmacare program funded by the federal government would indirectly result in shorter waiting lists, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said Monday." +2,New Jersey Nets,McGrady shook off a right hip injury to score 14 points and former Net Jimmy Jackson added a season-high 18 as Houston erased an early deficit en route to an easy 80-69 triumph over New Jersey. +2,Woodgate to Face Stringent Medical,"Jonathan Woodgate's medical with Real Madrid is by no means a formality, despite the confidence of Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd. " +1,No deaths miraculous in English flash flooding,"LONDON British police said today they believed no one had died in flash flooding that struck seaside communities in southwest England, but rescue operations were continuing. " +2,Running Deep,Lake Forest - One problem the Bears happy to have is how to divide carries in the backfield when Thomas Jones returns to the lineup. +1,EU clears Flextronics buy of Nortel units (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - BRUSSELS - European Union regulators on Friday cleared the acquisition by Singapore's Flextronics International Ltd. of manufacturing actives from Nortel Networks Corp., Canada's largest technology company." +4,Software as a Service Feels Price Pinch (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - The worldwide services industry is undergoing a shift similar to what happened in manufacturing a generation ago, according to IDC analyst Marianne Hedin." +1,UK to Send Troops Into US-Controlled Area of Iraq ,"UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's government, risking criticism from lawmakers in the ruling Labour Party, said it will redeploy 850 troops now in southern Iraq to a region controlled by US forces." +2,Devil Ray Baldelli will undergo knee surgery,"Tampa Bay center fielder Rocco Baldelli hurt his left knee playing baseball at his Cumberland, RI, home and will undergo surgery on Friday." +4,Grid Project Puts Unused PCs To Good Works,IBM and several of the world's leading scientific and philanthropic groups Tuesday launched a project that would put millions of PCs to work on research problems ranging from Alzheimer's to disaster forecasting. +1,"Iran Says Its Missiles Can Now Reach 1,250 Miles"," TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has increased the range of its missiles to 1,250 miles, a senior official was quoted as saying on Tuesday." +2,Glazer's bid close to collapse ,MALCOLM Glazers bid to takeover Manchester United was rumoured to be close to collapse following a dramatic fall in the club's share prices. +4,"In Video Games, Sequels Are Winners","The game business has come to rely on sequels, even more so than Hollywood. While thats good news for their revenues, its bad for the independent developers who built the industry." +1,Nepal Seeks to Break Rebel Siege with Air Patrols (Reuters),"Reuters - Military helicopters provided air\cover to vehicles ferrying crucial supplies to the Nepali\capital on Sunday, as a blockade called by Maoist rebels\stretched into its fifth day, a senior army officer said." +4,UK customers get your skates on,<strong>Cash'n'Carrion</strong> Last order date tomorrow +1,Rebels threaten to kill Briton,The fate of a British hostage kidnapped in Baghdad is looking increasingly perilous after his captors threatened to kill him if their demands are not met. +3,Oil Prices Again Hit Record Highs in US,"Oil prices have hit record highs in the United States for the third straight day in early trading Thursday, amid continuing concerns about the supply of crude oil." +3,"Clorox will give up Soft Scrub, Combat in deal with largest ",Clorox Co. said late Wednesday that it will exchange shares in a subsidiary for Henkel KGaA's 29 percent stake in the Oakland consumer products giant. +2,Gators gag on Bulldog,"You could rattle off the statistics, one after another, as the growing list of baffling facts begins to define the repulsiveness of this defeat." +2,Thank heaven it's Saturday,"SATURDAY 3PM: Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all to win, surely? If it were always so, we wouldnt bother enjoying sport and would garden or go to DIY stores every Saturday afternoon instead." +4,FedEx to Build 2nd-Largest U.S. Private Solar System," NEW YORK (Reuters) - FedEx Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=FDX.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">FDX.N</A>, the world's largest air-express shipper, on Monday said it was building the nation's second largest private solar power system atop its hub in Oakland, California." +2,They don't consider that a riot in Brazil,"What riot? quot;An Argentine friend of mine was a little derisive of the Pacers-Pistons eruption, quot; says reader Mike Gaynes. quot;He snorted, Is that what Americans call a riot?" +1,Activists Condemn FBI Tactics Before DNC ,"AP - FBI interviews and surveillance of at least a dozen political activists in Kansas and Missouri prior to the Democratic National Convention amounted to intimidation, contends the American Civil Liberties Union." +1,Chirac considers early vote on EU after Socialist yes ,President Jacques Chirac was considering bringing forward the date of France's national referendum on the EU constitution yesterday after a resounding victory for the quot;yes quot; camp +3,Pfizer to Take $369 Mln Asbestos Charge," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PFE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PFE.N</A> on Friday said it would take a third-quarter pretax charge of $369 million for a settlement with plaintiffs who allege they were harmed by products containing asbestos and other minerals once sold by a Pfizer subsidiary." +4,Sony Walkman takes on iPod,"Sony is finally out with their first direct assault on the famed Apple iPod digital music player. As reported earlier, Sony has gone ahead and released their first MP3 supported Walkman." +4,"Google patches one security hole, but another surfaces","Search engine darling Google Inc. has patched a hole in its search engine the could have allowed malicious hackers to modify the content of the Google search results page or silently modify search results, but a new hole may have already appeared." +3,Freddie Mac says 30-year mortgage rate rose to 5.7,"Mortgage rates increased this week for the first time in a month, while holding close to the lowest since early April, according to Freddie Mac." +1,"UN Reports More Darfur Violence, Displaced Camps on Edge"," KHARTOUM (Reuters) - African monitors will investigate reports of attacks by both African rebels and Arab militias on refugee camps and villages in Sudan's traumatized Darfur region, the United Nations said on Tuesday." +3,Stocks mixed as Fed raises rates; Cisco pressures tech shares,Lower-than-expected sales at Cisco Systems Inc. sent tech stocks tumbling Wednesday while the overall market was little changed after the Federal Reserve announced a widely expected interest rate hike. +1,Opp rejects two-offices bill,"ISLAMABAD: The Senate opposition rejected the two-offices bill on Monday, arguing that it violated the Constitution and deprived parliament of its powers." +3,Tribune Profit Seen Below Wall St. Views," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Publisher and broadcaster Tribune Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TRB.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TRB.N</A> on Wednesday said third-quarter earnings would lag Wall Street estimates because of lower-than-expected publishing and broadcasting revenue." +4,Earth to See Total Eclipse of the Moon,"CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Earthlings are about to be treated to a total lunar eclipse, just in time for Halloween. For more than an hour Wednesday night, the moon will be covered entirely by Earth's shadow and resemble a glowing pumpkin." +4,"Typhoon Aere Menaces Taiwan, Markets Close (Reuters)","Reuters - Strong winds and heavy rain from Typhoon\Aere pounded Taiwan on Tuesday, disrupting air and sea traffic\and forcing financial markets, schools and businesses in Taipei\and nearby counties to close." +2,Els takes lead at WGC American Express,"Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, the South African breezed through a wacky day of weather at the WGC American Express Championship by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead " +2,Valencia downs Zaragoza in Spanish Supercup,Spanish international Vicente Rodriguez struck from a 62nd-minute free kick Saturday to earn Valencia a 1-0 victory over Zaragoza in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup. +2,Ives Galarcep,"Like James Dean's character in Rebel Without a Cause, Clint Mathis seems to find trouble wherever he goes. The enigmatic former MetroStar and current Hannover 96 striker only needed a year to wear out his " +1,Explosions Kill at Least 13 in Gaza City,"GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli helicopters attacked a Hamas training field early Tuesday, killing at least 13 Palestinians and wounding 25 in the bloodiest strike in Gaza in months, officials from both sides said. Most of the casualties were members of the anti-Israeli militant group..." +3,Gold Fields rejects takeover bid,South African gold producer Gold Fields has rejected a $8.2bn (4.5bn) bid by rival Harmony which would have created the world's largest gold company. +4,NEC positions carbon nanotubes for prime time,"NEC Corp. has developed a method of positioning tiny tubes of carbon in a way that, 10 years from now, will make circuits run faster and consume less power than the fastest and most powerful silicon chips, the company said on Thursday." +3,"Sola to Be Acquired by Carl Zeiss, EQT","Eyeglass lens manufacturer Sola International Inc. said Sunday that it agreed to be acquired by German optical products maker Carl Zeiss AG and Swedish private equity firm EQT for $1.1 billion, including $815 " +2,Hot demand for travel packages to Capital One Bowl,The Hawkeyes are headed to Florida for the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on New Year's Day. Travel agencies say travel packages are selling fast. +4,Photos: Sun execs talk tech,"Jonathan Schwartz looks to an open-source future, while Scott McNealy shows off the upcoming ""Niagara"" chip." +2,Marlins-Cubs Washed Out Saturday as Well, MIAMI (Sports Network) - The first two games of the Florida Marlins-Chicago Cubs series at Pro Player Stadium scheduled for Friday and Saturday have been postponed due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Frances in the Miami area. +3,Greenspan: Banks are strong,"NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The US banking system is strong, having weathered a recession, large corporate bankruptcies and competition from other financial institutions, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Tuesday." +4,Cisco Systems to acquire P-Cube,"Cisco Systems Inc. of San Jose, Calif., Monday acquired privately held P-Cube Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. P-Cube develops service control platforms, which help service providers " +3,Nfld. oil spill more serious than originally thought,"ST. JOHN S, Nfld. -- An oil spill on Newfoundland's Grand Banks is larger than first reported. The Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board now says that up to 1,000 barrels of oil may have spilled into " +2,Hughes Pleased Despite Defeat,Mark Hughes maintained Blackburns hard effort would soon earn their just rewards - after his side went down 1-0 to Charlton in tonights Barclays Premiership clash at The Valley. +3,Business Glance,"ALBANY, NY - The Robertson Stevens Investments firm agreed to pay $30 million to settled allegations it allowed excessive market timing in its mutual funds, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday." +2,"Angry Safin Upset by Call, Llodra","Marat Safin lost his temper and his quarterfinal at the St. Petersburg Open on Friday, getting surprised by seventh-seeded Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-1 after protesting a line call." +4,MIT Warns of Critical Vulnerabilities in Kerberos 5,"kinrowan writes quot;MIT, inventor of Kerberos, has announced a pair of vulnerabities in the software that will allow an attacker to either execute a DOS attack or execute code on the machine." +1,"Bird Flu Believed Endemic in Asia, Spreads to Pigs","The discovery of a deadly bird flu strain in Malaysia after cases elsewhere in Southeast Asia signaled a major winter outbreak was likely, international health experts said on Friday." +3,"Nordstrom profit soars in quarter, but not enough for Wall St.",Nordstrom reported a strong second-quarter profit as it continued to select more relevant inventory and sell more items at full price. +3,Yukos executives 'flee' Russia,All the top executives at Russian oil giant Yukos have fled the country in fear of arrest as the government seeks to sell off its main asset. +4,A snapshot of camera phones that answer photography's call,"If a picture is worth a thousand words, can a camera cell phone lower your monthly talk-time bills? Probably not, but that hasn't impeded the phenomenal international success of the quot;cellcam." +4,"UC Berkeley Hack Not Unusual, Analyst Says","in which the hacker gained access to the private information of 600,000 clients and workers in California's In-Home Supportive Services program " +3,Schwab ex-CEO to get almost $10M,"SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Charles Schwab Corp. is paying David Pottruck, ousted as chief executive officer in July, a lump-sum payment of $6." +3,Oil Prices Hit Peaks on Winter Worries (Reuters),"Reuters - Oil prices rallied to a record above\ 55 a barrel Monday on concerns over a winter fuel supply\crunch, and as traders took comments from a top U.S. official\to mean high prices have yet to really dent U.S. demand." +2,Broken jaw slows Kurz,The avalanche of injuries that has raced across the Notre Dame men's basketball roster in recent months has now touched someone yet to play one minute for the Irish. +3,"Factories Speed Ahead, Consumers Spend"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The outlook for U.S. manufacturing improved in November as factories hired more workers in response to a jump in new orders, a national survey published on Wednesday showed." +3,Splenda Is Splendid,The world's sole manufacturer of sucralose reports that demand far outstrips supply. +2,Cavaliers Activate Forward Luke Jackson ,AP - Cavaliers forward Luke Jackson was activated Wednesday after missing five games because of tendinitis in his right knee. Cleveland also placed forward Sasha Pavlovic on the injured list. +1,Leading Democrat Senator Won't Block Confirmation of Gonzales,"President Bush's nominee for attorney general, Alberto R. Gonzales, was all but guaranteed Senate confirmation today." +2,NL notables,"Brandon Backe hit the first home run by an Astros pitcher since Ron Villone smacked one Aug. 15, 2003." +4,Saving the Artistic Orphans,"Brewster Kahle, the founder of the Internet Archive, sues the federal government to help 'orphan works' return to the public domain. Pieces of history and culture are caught in a morass of far-reaching copyright laws. By Katie Dean." +2,NASCAR Green-Flags Liquor Sponsors,"The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) on Nov. 10 said it's lifting its decades-long, self-imposed ban on liquor sponsorships." +4,Toshiba Develops Hybrid DVD,Toshiba Ltd. and Memory-Tech said this week that they plan to bring to market a hybrid DVD disc that can be used both for standard-definition and HD content. +4,AOL won't use Microsoft anti-spam standard,America Online has shunned a Microsoft proposal to help weed out unwanted quot;spam quot; e-mail because Internet engineers are reluctant to adopt technology owned by the dominant software company. +1,"Senate Panel to Set Hearings on Insurgency, Shortages",The Armed Services Committee's hearings will include an examination of criticism that the Defense Department failed to prepare for the insurgency and went into action with a shortage of armor for trucks and Humvees. +2,India in Commanding Position,Bangladesh finally ended Indias first innings in the second Test in Chittagong today - but not before the tourists had amassed a commanding 540. +4,Sandisk Increases Phone Memory Capacities,"Sandisk this week announced the addition of new, higher capacity memory cards for mobile phones. The miniSD and RS-MMC card formats will now be offered in capacities as large as 512MB starting in November." +3,Byrd amendment buys US $150 million in WTO sanctions,"The World Trade Organization granted authorization Friday to the European Union, Japan, Canada, Korea, Mexico, India, and Chile, to slap retaliatory sanctions if the US fails to repeal the Byrd amendment." +4,Oracle Moves To Quarterly Security-Patch Cycle,"Oracle's new quarterly security-patch schedule departs from its monthly schedule, which Microsoft also uses. By George V. Hulme." +4,Scan the Summer Sky for the Archer (SPACE.com),"SPACE.com - On these late summer evenings \ after the Sun has set, look low in the south for the classical Archer, Sagittarius." +4,Microsoft to Launch New Search Engine,"Microsoft is set to unleash its much-anticipated search technology this week, as it ramps up efforts to take on market leader Google." +1,"Report: Japan, Russia to Lose Population","WASHINGTON - Japan, Germany and many other large industrialized countries face long-term population slowdowns or declines as more young adults have fewer children or delay child-rearing, demographers say. While the world's population is expected to increase by almost 50 percent by 2050, Japan could lose 20 percent of its population over the next half-century, according to data released Tuesday by the private Population Reference Bureau..." +1,Sacked Boris 'will bounce back',"Tory MP Boris Johnson's political career is not over despite his sacking, say his friends and father." +3,Report: Southwest to cut 88 flights; local impact unclear,"Southwest Airlines plans to cut 88 flights from its schedule starting Oct. 31 in an effort to free up planes for more profitable markets, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday." +1,U.S. Commander in Iraq Faulted Supply Chain --Report," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The former top U.S. commander in Iraq complained last winter to the Pentagon that a poor supply situation was threatening the Army's ability to fight, The Washington Post reported on its Web site on Sunday." +3,This unconventional IPO has a familiar ring,"Google, like so many dot-coms before it, came roaring out of the IPO gate Thursday priced at the low end of expectations and promptly surged in value as investors piled onto the much-hyped share offering. " +2,Martyns 114 gives Aussies early impetus,"Nagpur: Barely a few minutes after stumps were drawn on the opening day, John Buchanan and Adam Gilchrist walked up to have a first-hand look at the wicket." +1,Dollar perks up from Friday's jobs slump ,AFP - The dollar drifted higher against the euro in a modest recovery after Friday's decline following weak US job creation numbers for September. +1,The Milosevic trial is doing its job,"BELGRADE Expect some fireworks Tuesday when Slobodan Milosevic takes up his own defense at the war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Over the last few years, as the prosecution presented evidence that the former " +4,New eco-friendly mobile phone case turns into flower,Feeling guilty that you've just thrown away your umpteenth mobile phone to get the latest handset? Soon you may be able to plant your old one and watch it grow into a flower. +4,"EarthLink to offer voice, data Blackberry device","Internet Service Provider (ISP) EarthLink Inc. Wednesday announced it is extending its reach as a communications company by offering Research in Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry 7750, which is both a wireless phone and a data device." +1,Chinese Official Sentenced to Death ,AP - An official once in charge of guarding cultural relics has been sentenced to death in China's biggest antiquities theft case since the start of communist rule in 1949. +1,"Tunisian Doctors Examine Arafat, Aides Blame Flu (Reuters)","Reuters - Six Tunisian doctors\arrived in the West Bank on Saturday to examine Yasser Arafat,\but aides dismissed Israeli media reports that the Palestinian\president's health had deteriorated and said he had flu." +1,Cuts unnecessary to delivery baby,"When a baby is stuck during delivery, doctors do not have to cut the woman to safely deliver the child, research shows." +2,Bowa Fired in Philly,"A number of Philadelphia newspapers reported earlier in the day that the firing was imminent and would likely come at the end of the season, but general manager Ed Wade made it official early Saturday evening." +3,Tech Stocks Tumble After Chip Makers Warn,"US stocks fell on Thursday, hit by a sharp drop in technology shares following a slew of sales warnings from semiconductor makers, and as oil prices rose nearly $1 a barrel." +3,UAL pension trustee seeks $994 million,"United Airlines must pay $994 million in skipped contributions to employee pension plans and in benefits accrued by the plans, said the company appointed to protect worker interests in the retirement funds." +4,U.S. Judge Rejects Law to Block Child Porn on Web (Reuters),"Reuters - A Pennsylvania law allowing the\state to force Internet service providers to block access to\child pornography sites is unconstitutional, a federal judge\ruled on Friday." +2,NHL to reject players latest offer: TSN,"TSN has obtained a memo showing the NHL will reject the latest offer from its players. quot;In sum, we believe the Union's December 9 CBA proposal, while offering necessary and significant short-term financial " +3,Insurer feeling strain,"Straining under the looming pension crisis in the airline industry, the federal pension benefits insurer yesterday reported that its deficit more than doubled from a year earlier." +3, Googlers scoop up piles of cash,"NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- While Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin each made tens of millions of dollars selling some of their holdings in the Internet search giant, they were hardly alone. " +4,Hewlett-Packard takes a new approach to software,The company extends a deal with open-source Java software maker JBoss in an effort to compete with IBM. +3,"China May Avoid Sudden Slowdown as Rates Rise, Survey Shows","China may avoid a sudden economic slowdown after the central bank raised benchmark interest rates for the first time in nine years last week, a survey showed." +1,Brazil denies getting nuclear technology from Pakistan:,"World News Brasilia, Oct 2 : Brazil has denied that technology for its centrifuge plants for uranium enrichment comes from the clandestine nuclear network headed by Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan." +4,What Do Women Game Designers Want?,"Video game makers are showing new interest in creating games that appeal to women. But women who might design those games are still finding it hard to break into an industry that considers gaming a ""boy thing.""" +4,"Group Formed to Track, Thwart IM Threats","A group of Internet security and instant messaging providers have teamed up to detect and thwart the growing threat of IM and peer-to-peer viruses and worms, they said this week." +4,"Nature and Nurture, the Recipe for Olympic Gold","Olympic champions have their parents to thank for their physiology #151;but no one is born a world-record holder. That also requires training, nutrition, desire, and determination." +2,Astros pass Cubs in wild-card race,"The Houston Astros pushed closer to a playoff berth, winning their club-record 15th straight home game by beating the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-4, last night." +4,"Europe gets iTunes, Canada is next","Along with the launch of 2 new iPods in iPod U2 Special Edition and iPod Photo, Apple also launched their flagship digital music store iTunes in European countries." +3,Eli Lilly expects earnings growth in 2005; accelerated newer drug ,"NEW YORK, December 9 (newratings.com) - Eli Lilly and Co (LLY.NYS) guided to earnings growth in 2005 today, driven by the accelerating sales of its newer drugs." +2,Stricken Washington guard announces return to court,"Twenty months after her teammates helped save her life when her heart stopped, Kayla Burt said Tuesday she plans to again play basketball for Washington in the 2004-05 season. " +3,Letters,"Mellon Financial is good for Boston We take exception to Sasha Talcott's characterization of Mellon Financial in her story on corporate giving in Boston ( quot;Mergers pinching smaller nonprofits, quot; Nov. 21)." +4,Kon Tiki Returns To The Sea,"Nearly 60 years after Thor Heyerdahl sailed his Kon-Tiki balsa raft across the Pacific to prove a theory about ancient mariners, a team that includes his grandson plans to recreate the 101-day epic voyage - although the craft will have solar panels " +3,Harmony Gold Bids for Gold Fields (Reuters),"Reuters - South Africa's Harmony Gold has\made an unsolicited 52.9 billion rand ( 8.2 billion) bid to\take over bigger domestic rival Gold Fields to create the\world's biggest gold producer, it said on Monday." +1,Vatican Says It's Willing to Help End Najaf (Correct),"Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The Vatican is willing to help end fighting between militiamen loyal to Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Iraqi and US forces in Iraq's holy city of Najaf, according to a statement on the Holy See's Web ..." +1,Bush Tries to Mend Ties With Latin America ,"AP - President Bush, trying to mend relations with Latin America, pledged Sunday to make a fresh push for stalled immigration reforms and defended the U.S. invasion of Iraq, saying that ""history will prove it right.""" +3,Japanese order data weigh on stocks,"TOKYO Japanese stocks fell Thursday after a government report showed that machinery orders unexpectedly declined in September, signaling that corporate investment may weaken." +1,U.S. Official: No Prospect of Bargain on Iran Nukes," BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States sees no reason to offer Iran incentives to ensure its nuclear program remains peaceful, a U.S. government official said on Tuesday." +4,Google Brings Search Technology to the Desktop,"With Google Desktop Search, users can sift through their e-mail, files, Web history and chats to find information in the same way they search the Internet." +2,Kicked into high gear,"Marc Thomas returned the opening kickoff of the second half 93 yards for a touchdown, igniting Northeastern to a run of 28 straight points in just over eight minutes as the Huskies crushed the University of Rhode Island, 42-14, at Parsons Field yesterday." +3,NZ Telecom 1Q Net Likely Up But Competition Hurt Mkt Shr,"WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--Telecom Corp. of New Zealand (TEL.NZ) is expected to post higher net profit for the fiscal first quarter thanks to reduced interest costs, but operating earnings " +2,OLYMPICS WILL MAKE 100m PROFIT ,"More than 100million profit is expected to be made from staging the 2012 Olympic Games in London, it has been claimed. The estimate forms part of the London 2012 bid book handed into the International Olympic Committee on Monday." +4,"On Mars, no life yet, but plenty blue screens of death","Evidence from busy rovers suggests one-time presence of water, but system reboots almost dried up the sea of data." +1,Turkey aids Syria on border fire,Turkey sends army planes and helicopters to help extinguish a forest fire in neighbouring Syria. +3,Stocks Fall on Greenspan Deficit Warning,Stocks fell modestly Friday as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sounded a warning over the nation's spiraling trade deficit. +3,Report: Citigroup to Bid for Cazenove," LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Citigroup is set to bid for UK stockbroker Cazenove <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=CAZ.UL target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">CAZ.UL</A>, challenging rivals JP Morgan <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=JPM.L target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">JPM.L</A> and Lehman Brothers <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=LEH.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">LEH.N</A> for the City's most venerable institution, the Observer reported." +1,Two Taliban commanders caught,"US-LED and Afghan soldiers arrested two senior Taliban commanders and six militants during an operation in south-central Afghanistan, officials said today." +3,US: Coke lowers earnings and sales expectations,"The Coca-Cola Company is lowering its long-term earning and sales targets. In a statement today (11 November), the company added that continued weak performance in certain key markets was expected in 2005 as operational issues are addressed." +3,Intuit 4Q Loss Widens on Charge,"MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP)--Intuit Inc.'s loss widened for the fourth quarter ended July 31, hurt by slower seasonal sales of the company's tax and finance software and an impairment charge from its decision to sell one of its businesses, the company said ..." +3,"Nortel cutting 950 jobs in Canada, mostly in Ottawa, among total ","TORONTO (CP) - Nortel Networks gave details of previously announced job cuts Thursday, saying it is cutting 950 jobs in Canada - almost 10 per cent of its workforce in this country-and 1,400 in the United States among a total of 3,250 to be eliminated " +3,SEI Investments beats Q3 target by 6 cents per share,"NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- SEI Investments (SEIC) on Tuesday reported third-quarter net income of $45.4 million, or 43 cents per share, up from $35." +2,WI captain expects more from England,"Brian Lara expects the England fast bowlers to come up with something similar to the Shoaib Akhtar bouncer that struck his neck and left him dizzy in the Champions Trophy semi-final, West Indies coach Gus Logie said yesterday." +1,Survey Says Political Parties Seen as Most Corrupt Institutions,"Political parties are seen as the institutions most afflicted by corruption, according to a survey released by a non-governmental organization that monitors corruption." +4,Standards group scuttles Microsoft e-mail proposal,Internet engineers working on a standard for identifying the source of e-mail messages voted down a proposal by Microsoft to include some of that company's intellectual property in the specification. +2,Heat Hold Off Wizards,Shaquille O'Neal has the Miami Heat off to their best start ever after scoring 20 points in a 103-93 victory over the Wizards. +4,"Smaller, more powerful PC fuel cell is on the way","OCTOBER 28, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - A new fuel cell for notebook PCs, more compact and powerful than competing technologies, could be on the market in early 2006 at a price of around $90, its Japanese inventors said this week." +4,Manitas principal collaborates,Credentials: Bachelor's degree in psychology from Michigan State University; master's degree in education/political science from Arizona State University; doctorate degree in educational leadership/policy studies from ASU. +4,PeopleSoft executive Gupta departs,"Ram Gupta, who was an executive vice president, leaves the company after a four-year stint. PeopleSoft is mum on the details." +4,2004: The Year Global Warming Got Respect,"Despite some media assertions to the contrary, the world's scientific community has reached consensus that human-induced climate change is real, a review finds." +3,Tokyo Stocks Seek Direction from Overseas," TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks are expected to stick to a narrow range this week as investors focus on a flood of U.S. earnings, soaring oil prices and the race for the White House." +4,"SanDisk ups capacity, again","SanDisk has announced new, high-capacity versions of many of its flash card formats. New versions of both the miniSD and RS-MMC card formats now push the maximum capacity to 512 MB." +3,"Canadian Tire Net Rises 17, Helped by Credit Cards ","Canadian Tire Corp., the country's biggest retailer of auto supplies and sporting goods, said third- quarter profit rose 17 percent as customers put more purchases on the company's credit card." +4,The Internet electric,"Will a new set of FCC rules for broadband over power lines bring the Internet to millions more homes? On Friday, proponents of broadband Internet service over power lines hailed a recent decision by the US " +2,Defense removing push to seal Bryant case evidence,"Kobe Bryant's attorneys abruptly dropped a bid to seal evidence in the NBA star's rape case Monday, saying the details will be leaked anyway and releasing all the documents would reveal " +2,Molik stays hot; Suarez bows out in Luxembourg,"Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg (Sports Network) - Aussie Alicia Molik began her quest for a second title in two weeks on Thursday, while top-seeded Argentine Paola Suarez was among the second-round upset victims at the $225,000 Seat Open Luxembourg." +1,Giambi Ends Slump As Yanks Beat Blue Jays,"NEW YORK - Jason Giambi homered to end the longest slump of his career and Esteban Loaiza finally earned his 100th career victory and first for the Yankees, leading New York over the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 Tuesday night. Gary Sheffield hit his 36th home run two days after getting a pair of cortisone shots..." +2,Urlacher not expected to play Sunday,"Lake Forest, IL (Sports Network) - Chicago Bears standout linebacker Brian Urlacher has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday's game against Philadelphia." +1,Thai King Urges Premier to Be More Lenient in the Muslim South,"In a sign of national crisis, Thailand's revered king summoned Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and urged him to take a more measured approach toward Muslim violence in the south, Mr." +4,Worm salutes Microsoft,"After a relatively quiet fall, mass-mailing worm begins to spread on Windows PCs. Meanwhile, the Air Force turns to Microsoft for security help." +4,Youth admits to creating computer virus,German prosecutors say a teenager has confessed to creating the virulent Sasser computer virus. Authorities say Sven Jaschan is believed also to be responsible for the Netsky virus. +3,Feds new OT rules quietly take effect in Valley offices,"New overtime regulations for white-collar workers went into effect Monday with little hoopla at offices in the Valley. But in Washington, DC, several hundred union members protested the Fair Labor Standards " +4,SWsoft teams with Acronis to boost virtual servers,"Firms sign joint development, marketing deal for integrated product expected next year." +4,"NetSuite relaunches, Oracle delays small business suite","Two months after ending a licensing deal with Oracle Corp., midmarket business applications vendor NetSuite Inc. is using its entry-level software relaunch to woo customers of Intuit Inc.'s QuickBooks." +1,Afghan Kidnappers Mull Fate of UN Hostages,"Afghan kidnappers holding three foreign United Nations workers hostage say they are now considering whether to kill, hold or release their captives." +3,Sprucing Up Sidewalks,D.C. has hired a group to develop new design standards for downtown food carts and souvenir stands. +2,Seventh heaven in Spa for Schumi?,"Victory in tomorrow's Belgium's Grand Prix would not only seal a seventh world title, it would also be his seventh win at Spa in Ferrari's 700th race." +2,Turin Winter Games President to Resign,The president of the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games has decided to resign saying he no longer has the support of the Italian government. +3,Best Buy Posts Quarterly Profit Increase (Reuters),"Reuters - Top U.S. electronics chain Best Buy\Co. Inc. on Wednesday reported higher quarterly profit\due to expense control and higher gross margins, offsetting\sluggish sales growth." +4,Toshiba is taking back bad memory,ZDNet's survey of IT professionals in October kept upgrading hardware at number two on the businesses radar throughout the year. +4,Google News Biased? Can Algorithms Take Sides?,"Google News Biased? Can Algorithms Take Sides?\\Danny Sullivan posted a thread at SEW forums named News Search #038; Biases, where he points to an article written at OJR.org named Balancing Act: How News Portals Serve Up Political Stories. This blew my mind.\\The article discusses how Google News seems to be ..." +3,Brokerage client assets rise 15,"Fidelity Investments said brokerage client assets increased 15 percent to $1.02 trillion in the third quarter as the company made strides to lure customers from the likes of Charles Schwab Corp. The number of client accounts increased to 13.7 million, a 6 percent gain from 12.9 million in the same period a year earlier, the Boston firm said. Fidelity has ..." +2,Montana cruises to final,"Craig Ochs passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns, and Montana forced four turnovers in a 34-13 victory over Sam Houston State in a Division 1-AA semifinal game yesterday in Missoula, Mont." +2,Williams told to repay Dolphins $8.6 million,Former Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams was ordered Friday to repay the team more than $8.6 million for breaching his contract when he suddenly quit before training camp. +3,Court rejects FT damage claim,LONDON A judge rejected a claim Wednesday for a record 230.5 million in special damages in a libel case against the Financial Times newspaper that is being pursued by the London-based brokerage firm Collins Stewart Tullett. +4,Sharp net profit up 40 percent in first half on robust LCD TV sales ,AFP - Leading electronics maker Sharp said interim net profit rose 40.7 percent to a record high on robust sales of liquid crystal display TVs and camera-equipped cellphones but it cautioned on the outlook due to the possible impact of high oil prices on global economic growth. +1,Kenyan in surprise Nobel peace win,"Kenyan Deputy Environment Minister Wangari Muta Maathai has been named winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, beating a number of much better known world names to the prestigious award." +3,Pace of Mid-Atlantic Factories Moderates,"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Factories in the US Mid-Atlantic region slowed a little in August but remained at solid levels, although new orders fell sharply in a warning sign for future growth, a report showed on Thursday. " +2,Sonics win streak at 7 with 103-95 win over Sixers,"PHILADELPHIA - The difference between the two halves of the NBA used to be as distinct as red states and blue states. Teams residing on the left side of the country preferred an up-tempo game, while everyone else plodded through half-court sets." +4,Fox fires volley over stem policy,"Actor Michael J. Fox added his Hollywood power to Sen. John F. Kerry's campaign yesterday, denouncing President Bush's stem-cell research policy as blocking promising research on major diseases." +2,Nedved gives Juventus late win,"Bologna, Italy (Sports Network) - Czech striker Pavel Nedved scored off a free kick in the 86th minute Sunday to give Juventus a 1-0 win at Bologna." +3,Tag Team: Yahoo and Adobe,The two companies join forces to beat out the competition. Also: Sprint to debut services to help companies manage cell phones issued to employees hellip;. Netflix skating on thin ice.... and more. +3,El Paso Sees $2.7 Bln Drop in Assets," NEW YORK/HOUSTON (Reuters) - El Paso Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=EP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">EP.N</A> on Monday disclosed the full damage from its drastic cut in reserves earlier this year, saying a long-awaited restatement will slash the value of its oil and gas assets by $2.7 billion." +1,Japan vows troops will stay in Iraq after 24-year-old hostage ,TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi vowed on Sunday that Japanese troops would continue their domestically unpopular mission in Iraq after Islamic militants demanding a pullout killed a 24-year-old Japanese tourist. +1,Israeli Tanks Surge Into Gaza Refugee Camp -Witnesses (Reuters),Reuters - A column of Israeli tanks surged into the\heart of the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip on\Thursday as the army broadened its sweep for militants behind a\deadly rocket attack on an Israeli town. +4,Intel Announces Latest Mobile Chip,"Intel has announced the latest version of its Centrino mobile processor family, the Pentium M 765, which offers 2 MB of Level 2 cache and a 400-MHz system bus." +2,Tech turnovers fuel runaway for Cavaliers,"ATLANTA -- Alvin Pearman scored two touchdowns and Virginia came up with four key turnovers, leading the 18th-ranked Cavaliers to a 30-10 victory over Georgia Tech yesterday." +1,Turkey Corrects Its Corruption Report,Turkey's downward trend on the Corruption Perceptions Index over the last four years has stopped. Its grade rose from 3.1 to 3.2 this year. +1,"Myanmar completes release of 9,000 prison inmates","YANGON - Myanmar has completed its mass release of more than 9,000 inmates, a prison department source said, following a shake-up in the military-run regime." +2,Nesterenko Speeds to Win in Women's 100-Meter Final, ATHENS (Reuters) - Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus sped to an unexpected victory in the women's 100 meter final at the Athens Olympics Saturday. +3,Reason to beware,The death and destruction inflicted by Hurricane Ivan confirms that Southwest Floridians fears of the powerful hurricane were well justified. +1,"U.S. Bombs Falluja, Rebels Strike in Samarra, Ramadi"," FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces poised to assault Falluja bombarded the rebel stronghold on Saturday, while insurgents launched deadly attacks that killed 34 people in Samarra, another city in Iraq's Sunni Muslim heartland." +2,Can The Irish Pull the Ultimate Upset?,The Irish head into Saturdays game with a 6-4 record and not much to play for. The Trojans are undefeated and are chasing their second consecutive National Championship. +4,Microsoft introduces desktop search feature,"Microsoft Corp., world largest software maker, introduced its desktop search feature on Monday, taking aim at Google with its beta desktop search functionality." +2,Safin Makes Early Exit at U.S. Open ,"AP - Just like at Wimbledon two months ago, Marat Safin exited at the earliest stage of the U.S. Open on Tuesday, bowing meekly to Thomas Enqvist 7-6 (5), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3." +4,English man accused of sex with Texas minor he met on the Web,A 36-year-old man has been arrested in England and charged with having sex with a 15-year-old Texas girl he met in an Internet chat room. +2,Colvin likes getting in on action,FOXBOROUGH -- It all feels different to Rosevelt Colvin. A 10-1 season feels different than the 13-3 season he experienced with the Chicago Bears under Dick Jauron in 2000. +3,"Alitalia board approves relaunch plan: 3,700 employees to be ","After winning union acceptance of job cuts, Alitalia gave formal approval Monday to a four-year business plan aimed at saving the near-bankrupt Italian airline from collapse." +2,Crawford Ready for His Closeup in the Garden Spotlight,Jamal Crawford is as eager as anyone to make critics forget the last few years of hideous productions on the Garden stage. +3,Benign inflation lifts bonds,"Consumer prices remain in line, boosting bond prices; dollar flat vs. euro, down against yen. NEW YORK (Reuters) - US Treasury prices rose slightly Thursday after a key economic report pointed to tame inflation " +1,U.N. Anti-Terror Head Wants More Intelligence Sharing (Reuters),Reuters - The U.N.'s counterterrorism body said\Wednesday countries may be reluctant to show it all their\intelligence but that was the only way the United Nations could\help prevent future terror attacks. +4,ATI's Radeon Xpress 200 chipset reviewed,"Intel may be struggling a bit with its processors right now, but the company smacked one out of the park with the introduction of its 900-series chipsets." +4,Blog Interrupted,"The instant message blinked on the computer at Jessica Cutler's desk in the Russell Senate Office Building. ""Oh my God, you're famous.""" +4,FDA Approves Defibrillator Without Prescription,"By DIEDTRA HENDERSON WASHINGTON -- People worried about sudden cardiac arrest no longer need a doctor's prescription to buy devices that jump-start the heart. The Food and Drug Administration for the first time agreed Thursday to let consumers go online and purchase the $2,000 devices for home use..." +4,ATT Adds Worm And Virus Protection To Firewall Service,It lets businesses protect themselves from a variety of threats without having to deploy firewalls at each of their locations. By Networking Pipeline News. +2,"SWEAT AND TEARS Devers, Radcliffe can't finish; Kastor overjoyed ",Athens -- Two of the greatest female track and field athletes in history crashed and burned within two minutes of each other on a dramatic Sunday night of competition at the Olympic Games. +4,Probe Gets Cozy with Mars Moon,"Nov. 12, 2004 - A new image, taken by the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft, focuses in on the Martian moon Phobos, revealing fine details of the planet's largest satellite." +3,KMart to Buy Sears in $11.5 Billion Deal," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Discount retailer Kmart Holding Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=KMRT.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">KMRT.O</A> will buy department store operator Sears, Roebuck Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=S.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">S.N</A> in a $11.5 billion deal unveiled on Wednesday, creating the third-largest U.S. retailer." +3,UK PRESS: HSBC Interested In $3B Federated Card Ops,LONDON (Dow Jones)--HSBC Holdings PLC (HBC) has expressed an interest in the $3 billion store and credit card operations of Federated Department Stores Inc. +4,"Intel, wireless pioneer McCaw team up on WiMax","SAN FRANCISCO--Intel and cell phone pioneer Craig McCaw's latest company, Clearwire, plan to develop and install high-speed networks based on broadband technology commonly referred to as WiMax." +4,Bill Would Impose Prison Time for Spyware ,"AP - The House on Thursday passed the second bill in three days that would outlaw ""spyware,"" irritating software that quietly monitors the activities of Internet users." +2,Ghostzapper won't disappear come awards time,"*If Eclipse Award voters, of which I am one, so desired, they could reward Stronach Stables and Bobby Frankel with firsts in three categories for Ghostzapper: Horse of the Year, Older Horse, and Sprinter." +1,Nationalists ahead in Bosnia's local elections,"SARAJEVO : Bosnia's ruling Croat, Muslim and Serb nationalists, who led the Balkans country throughout its 1992-95 inter-ethnic war, confirmed their dominance in local elections over the weekend, first partial results showed." +3,Call it an Early Birthday Present,Today the Supreme Court declined to rule that the National Do Not Call Registry violates telemarketers rights to commercial free speech. +2,NHL Lockout at a glance,"The NHL said Wednesday it was imposing a lockout of the players association, effective Thursday -- the day after the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement." +1,Israeli Tank Fire Kills 3 in Gaza Town," GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli tanks shelled a town in the in the northern Gaza Strip early on Wednesday, killing three Palestinians and wounding 10 children in their houses, witnesses and medics said." +1,Hundreds rally for peace in Nepal,Several hundred people come out in Kathmandu to press for an end to the country's long-running civil war. +4,Matrix cast to lend voice talent to Matrix Online,"The Matrix Online will benefit from the voice talents and likenesses of many of the movie trilogy's original cast, Warner Bros." +2,Ponting Hails Gladiator Symonds,Andrew Symonds second one-day international hundred was the lynchpin of Australias 10-run NatWest International win over Pakistan - and the source of great personal satisfaction +2,Astros place playoff tickets on sale today,The Astros will put individual game tickets for the Division Series on sale today at 8 am on astros.com and over the phone toll free at 877-927-8767. +3,Shell sells Dutch pipeline stake,The Dutch government is taking control of its country's gas transport network in a deal that analysts said will boost competition in the Netherlands and ease the way for the creation of a single European gas market. +3,Brinker International reports first-quarter income drop,DALLAS Brinker International today says its first-quarter profit fell by more than half from a year earlier. That's despite increased revenues as charges and higher expenses hurt results. +1,Britain's Blair Looks to Poll After Iraq Apology," BRIGHTON, England (Reuters) - Iraq will not be the decisive factor for Britons in the next election, Tony Blair said on Wednesday, as his party pondered the prime minister's conditional apology over the war." +1,US to change Iraq funding focus,The US administration seeks to refocus its spending in Iraq on better security and other short-term needs. +3,Snow to remain Treasury secretary,"Just days after the Washington rumor mill had John Snow leaving his job as Treasury secretary, President Bush yesterday said Snow was staying on." +1,Kidnapped Iranian Diplomat Released in Iraq - TV," TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian diplomat Fereidoun Jahani, kidnapped in Iraq last month, has been released, the Iranian embassy in Baghdad said on Monday, adding he was in good health but tired." +1,Equatorial Guinea president says thwarted massacre,Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said an international plot to overthrow him would have resulted in a massacre and those responsible deserve death by firing squad. +3,Nokia Profit Drops But Sees Strong Sales," HELSINKI (Reuters) - Nokia <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NOK1V.HE target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">NOK1V.HE</A>, the world's largest cell phone maker, reported lower third-quarter earnings on Thursday after cutting prices to claw back market share, but said sales were strong as it enters the key Christmas season." +2,Clout shown in rout,"ATHENS -- When the Olympic softball schedule was released, Lisa Fernandez grabbed a marker and began counting down the days. quot;This game is always on my calendar, quot; she said. quot;I have a tremendous history with Australia. quot; And until yesterday, mostly a haunting one." +3,Let light shine on Bombardier dealings,Laurent Beaudoin has done us all a favour. Monday's boardroom upheaval at Bombardier Inc. brings a natural opportunity to reassess the taxpayers role in this prestigious company. +3,MS launches share buyback,"Marks amp; Spencer, whose sales have dropped for the fourth straight quarter, has priced a 2.3 billion pound share buyback offer in a 332-380 pence per share range." +4,Petition asks high court to hear case on file sharing,By byron kho. A consortium of movie and record companies joined forces on Friday to request that the US Supreme Court take another look at peer-to-peer file-sharing programs. +2,Dodgers acquire Dessens for bullpen,"Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired right- handed pitcher Elmer Dessens and cash considerations from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league outfielder Jereme Milons on Thursday. " +3,Blockbuster deal?,"With the over-the-counter movie rental business on the decline, Blockbuster Inc. said Thursday that it wants to buy rival Hollywood Video in a $1 billion transaction that would include $700 " +4,Dell jumps back into blade server market,Dell is back in the blade server ring with the introduction of its PowerEdge 1855 blade servers. The company is hoping to prove to customers that its new blades have significant cost savings and performance +1,420-Pound Teen to Get Free Gastric Bypass,HOUSTON - Two doctors and a hospital offered a free gastric bypass to a 420-pound teenager after another medical center canceled the procedure because his insurance would not pay for it. Doctors at Obesity Surgery Specialists said 16-year-old Brandon Bennett needs the operation for a chance at a healthy life... +1,Quebec to cut welfare payments for young recipients who are able to work (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - QUEBEC (CP) - Able-bodied young people who live with their parents will see their monthly welfare payments cut next year, the Quebec government announced Tuesday." +2,Griffin would welcome White into exclusive club,If Jason White is named the Heisman Trophy winner he will be one of two players who have gotten the prestigious award twice. Former Ohio State tailback Archie Griffin is the only player to +3,"Bonds trade flat, dollar mixed",Treasury prices trim early gains as GDP fails to surprise; greenback gains against the euro. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Bond prices trimmed earlier gains and traded mostly flat Friday after US economic data proved +4,MySQL to make use of Microsoft code,"The code, which was open-sourced in April, will be used for the administration tool that connects to the MySQL database." +2,Royals Blast Yankees,"Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Angel Berroa went 5-for-5 with five runs scored and Kansas City exploded for 10 runs in the fifth inning en route to a 17-8 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium." +1,South American leaders sign Ayacucho Declaration,"One day after creating the South American Community of Nations (CSN), a continent wide political-economic bloc, the leaders of South America on Thursday signed the Ayacucho Declaration " +1,Hong Kong Economy Grows 12 Percent in 2nd Quarter,Hong Kong is celebrating better than expected economic figures while China has started its first financial bailout of a private company. +2,Moss hamstring forces another early exit,"Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss was in the starting lineup Sunday when the team hosted the New York Giants, but the star wideout was again removed from the game due to his sore hamstring." +1,Iraq Declares State of Emergency as Insurgents Step Up Attacks,"Faced with a surge in deadly guerrilla attacks, Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared martial law across most of the country today as American and Iraqi troops made final " +3,Volkswagen Union Stages Warning Strikes at 3 German Factories,Volkswagen AG workers demonstrated outside three factories during the latest round of talks between Europe's biggest carmaker and the union representing the company's German employees. +4,Microsoft Challenges Rivals With New Online Music Service,"icrosoft started selling music tracks yesterday on its MSN online service, taking on Apple Computer and a host of others in the fast-growing market for digital music." +3,Mortgage Applications Fell Last Week--MBA," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Applications for U.S. home mortgages declined last week as refinancing activity fell and mortgage rates were little changed, an industry group said on Wednesday." +4,"Regulating hate speech on the internet remains difficult, experts say (AFP)","AFP - As the court case between US Internet giant Yahoo and a French group trying to halt the online sales of Nazi memorabilia entered a new phase this week, experts gathered here stressed how difficult it was to regulate hate speech on the Internet." +4,Lastminute losses almost double,Shares in online travel firm Lastminute tumble as it reports pre-tax losses of 77m - almost double the figure of a year ago. +2,Eriksson to have a word in Beckham's ear,"Sven-Goran Eriksson, England's head coach, said last night that he would be advising David Beckham that quot;silence is golden quot;." +3,T-bill rates up,Interest rates on short-term Treasury bills rose in yesterday's auction to the highest levels in more than three years. +4,Sony PSP Debuts To Strong Sales,"The fight for the top of the portable gaming mountain has begun in earnest in Japan. Following up Nintendo's highly anticipated DS launch, Sony has launched their version of a portable gaming system, the PSP." +3,Sailing away,Please read this first: Following is an independent investment commentary and analysis from the Reuters.com investment channel expressing views that are not connected with Reuters News. +4,Review: Microsoft Fingerprint Reader Delivers,"By ALEX VEIGA LOS ANGELES -- Spend time online and odds are you'll have to type a username and password to check your e-mail, access your bank account or read a newspaper story. Enter Microsoft Corp..." +4,Senate Panel Weighs In On Wireless Directory (washingtonpost.com),washingtonpost.com - The Senate Commerce Committee voted yesterday to require cell phone companies to get the approval of individual customers before listing their wireless phone numbers in public directories. +2,Man Utd v Arsenal,Rio Ferdinand has called on his Manchester United team-mates to silence the critics who claim their era of dominance is over. United head into the eagerly-awaited Premiership showdown with Arsenal at Old Trafford +4,Opening the Lid on Genesis,"The Genesis desert crash has left scientists wondering about the delicate condition of its solar wind collection. The first release of samples to the community has begun, while new tests for oxygen-isotopes may help uncover which particles might have lunar, solar or terrestrial origins." +2,Winning is Greek to US: Outlasts h,ATHENS - Larry Brown found out some things about his team last night. Among them was that Allen Iverson apparently shoots better with a fractured right thumb than he does with two healthy paws. +3,Not that kind of chick,"Hamburg Township, Mich. - Gary Baja is surprised by some of the people who have checked out his new restaurant, CR Smokin Chicks." +4,MSN's download service expanding,Microsoft's has launched its MSN music download service in eight more European countries as the software giant bids to takes on Apple's market leading iTunes. +2,Dodgers Extend Lead Over Giants,"Look for a definition of a big-game pitcher anywhere, and you probably would not find Jeff Weaver's name. Weaver, a Los Angeles right-hander, after all, was 12-12 " +2,Azeri in a Breeders' Cup Classic Gamble," GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (Reuters) - Azeri, Horse of the Year in 2002 and a near certainty for the Distaff Race in the Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park Saturday, is to run instead in the tougher but much more prestigious $4 million Classic." +3,"BHP, Alcoa plan $138m JV sale","GLOBAL miner BHP Billiton Ltd and the world's largest aluminium producer, Alcoa Inc, plan to raise up to $US100 million ($138 million) in calendar 2004 by selling shares in their metal-processing " +4,Nokia Q3 Profits Drop; Sees Strong Sales (Reuters),"Reuters - Nokia, the world's largest mobile\phone maker, reported lower third-quarter earnings on Thursday\after cutting handset prices to win back market share but said\sales volumes were strong as it moves into the key year-end\shopping season." +1,National defence top priority: Shaukat Aziz,ISLAMABAD: The Newly elected Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday vowed to ensure good governance in the country which would give priority to merit and ability in all fields. +3,Women facing retirement poverty,"Pension rules need to be changed to help women avoid poverty in old age as a mix of low pay and time out for childcare is limiting their retirement savings, the TUC says." +2,Baseball Today,"Boston at Oakland (10:05 pm EDT). The Red Sox, opening a seven-game road trip, have won 17 of their last 19 games to cut the Yankees AL East lead to 21/2 games." +1,"Between Old Allies, A Sweeping Divide",The rebels from the village of Mona Quibundo fought on the same side with Marceal Miji Itengo during Angola's civil war. But their lives have gone in starkly different directions during the country's troubled peace. +4,"Northrop, Boeing plan joint bid for spaceship","Northrop Grumman Corp. and The Boeing Co. are teaming up to design a replacement for the space shuttles, leaving NASA two lead competitors for the contract on a spaceship that could carry astronauts to the moon and Mars." +2,Redskins 17 - Lions 10: Post-Game Quotes,"The Detroit Lions dropped a second consecutive game on Sunday, falling 17-10 to the Washington Redskins -- and to .500 for the first time this season at 4-4." +2,Klitschko retains title,"VITALI Klitschko successfully defended his World Boxing Council heavyweight crown here on Saturday, stopping Britain's Danny Williams one minute and 26 seconds into the eighth round of their scheduled 12-round fight." +4,ViewPoints: A new reckoning?,"In quot;The Reckoning, quot; his masterful 1986 book on the US auto industry, the journalist David Halberstam criticized the Big Three automakers - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - and their unionized workers for complacency and shortsightedness that he said " +2,Hockomock League ,"CANTON Coach: Tom Bresnahan (fourth year, 14-16). Last year's record: 7-3. Returning starters (5) : Chris Bell, OT/LB, 6-0, 250, Sr.; Mike Alberts, OL/DL, 5-10, 235, Sr.; Hashim Haneef, TE/DE, 6-2, 200, Sr.; Rob Powell, G/DT, 5-11, 235, Sr; Patrick Murphy, WR/DB, 6-1, 170, Sr. Returning lettermen: Mike Burlingame, QB/S, Sr.; Russell Burrows, G/LB, Jr.; Jacques Faubras, WR/DB, Sr.; Jason ..." +2,"Blue Jackets re-signs G Denis, RW Vyborny",#NAME? +2,Earl Snyder Called Up to Help Red Sox ,AP - Earl Snyder grew up rooting for Red Sox outfielder Ellis Burks. Now he's sitting next to him. +1,Bonderman Ks 14 As Tigers Maul White Sox,"DETROIT - Jeremy Bonderman struck out a career-high 14 and scattered eight hits in his first career shutout, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 7-0 victory over the slumping Chicago White Sox on Monday night. Bonderman (7-10) threw his first career complete game to win for the first time since July 7..." +3,"Tech, Oil and Frances to Rule Markets (Reuters)","Reuters - As if Intel's profit bomb didn't put\enough of a damper on the summer-ending long weekend, investors\returning this week after Labor Day will be wary of a market\offering as much pitfall as promise." +2,Hamm keeps gold,"More than two months after he won it in Athens, Olympic gymnastics champion Paul Hamm will get to keep his all-around gold medal." +3,Clinton's My Life helps Bertelsmann triple profit,"Bertelsmann, the world's fourth largest media group, is eyeing acquisitions after Bill Clinton's memoirs and top music acts helped triple its half-year profits." +2,Spain in another racist football row,London - British ministers have condemned the quot;disgraceful quot; racial abuse of England's black players during Wednesday's international friendly against Spain in Madrid and demanded that soccer authorities take action. +4,Dogpile Adding Topix.net News Headlines,"Dogpile Adding Topix.net News Headlines\\Topix.net announced a deal with InfoSpace to add Topix.net's news headlines to InfoSpace's Dogpile metasearch service, and also to help Dogpile's new IntelliFind technology determine when news content is likely to be relevant to users' Web search queries.\\Through this agreement, Topix.net alerts Dogpile to breaking news ..." +1,Hamas threatens to target Israelis abroad,"GAZA, Gaza Strip - The Palestinian militant group Hamas threatened today to target Israelis abroad after blaming Israel for the killing of a Hamas official in Syria." +1,Susilo to form Cabinet as of Oct. 5: Minister,"JAKARTA (Antara): Presidential front-runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is leading in the vote-count by a wide margin ahead of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, will likely start drawing up his Cabinet on Oct. 5., a party leader has said." +2,Hossa jumps to Swedish league,CBC SPORTS ONLINE - Ottawa Senators right-winger Marian Hossa is joining younger brother Marcel and Slovak countryman Rastislav Pavlikovsky with Mora of the Swedish Elite League. +1,Torture at Guantanamo Bay Described,"An Australian detainee held at the American base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba has provided a detailed account of torture in a sworn statement." +4,AOL launches program for AIM bots,America Online Inc. (AOL) is launching a program Monday to promote and facilitate the creation of what it calls AIM Robots for its AIM instant messaging system. +2,Vijay Singh breaks earnings record,"Pennsylvania, Sep 27 - World number one Vijay Singh recorded his eighth victory of the season, winning the 84 Lumber Classic in Farmington, Pennsylvania, USA on Sunday by one stroke from Stewart Cink." +2,Lima gets do-or-die start in Game 3,"Through two postseason games, the St. Louis Cardinals have shredded the Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitching. Odalis Perez surrendered six runs in Game 1. Jeff Weaver was touched " +3,Techs Lead Tokyo Stocks Up," TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo's Nikkei average added 0.8 percent by midday on Thursday as tech issues got a lift from a rally on the Nasdaq, but gains were capped and trading choppy as high oil prices fueled concerns about the world economy." +1,Poland to Reduce Number of Troops in Iraq," WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland said Friday it plans to reduce the number of its troops in Iraq from early next year and will not remain there ""an hour longer than is sensible.""" +3,Ford to recall 474 000 SUVs worldwide,"Ford Motor Company said today it was recalling about 474 000 Escape and Mazda Tribute sport utility vehicles (SUVs) globally because the accelerator cable may prevent the engine from returning to the idle position, which could increase stopping distance " +4,Google Works with Libraries to Search Book Collections,"Google Works with Libraries to Search Book Collections\\Google is taking its searchers away from the bookstore, and back to the library. Google today announced that it is working with the libraries of Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University of Oxford as well as The New York Public ..." +3,Billionaire Soros gives sons bigger role in his empire,"George Soros, the billionaire investor, is giving greater control of his business to his two sons, Robert and Jonathan, and at the same time scaling back his empire by spinning off several divisions." +4,Sprint Targets Businesses with Wireless Management Services (NewsFactor),NewsFactor - Sprint is launching a set of services designed to help businesses get a better grip on the array of wireless devices and applications that enterprises are rolling out with increased frequency. +1,"Israel Expands Gaza Offensive, UN's Annan Urges Halt",Israel has escalated its military offensive in Gaza with an air strike on a militant stronghold that killed a senior Hamas leader. +4,Business Integration Glossary,This comprehensive glossary provides a definition of terms related to business integration +1,Pope Struggles Through Mass at Lourdes,"LOURDES, France - A sick man among the sick, Pope John Paul II struggled through Sunday Mass at a French shrine that draws desperate people seeking miracle cures. The 84-year-old pontiff gasped, trembled and asked aides for help during the 2 1/2 hour service in sizzling heat..." +1,Iraqi rebels leave Najaf shrine,"left. The fighters had defied US military firepower and the interim Iraqi government for three weeks. accept a peace deal to halt the fighting, after a day of violence in which 110 Iraqis were killed and 501 wounded." +1,Manitoba RCMP investigating whether convicted pedophile committed more crimes (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - WINNIPEG (CP) - RCMP are investigating whether convicted pedophile and killer Robert Bliss Arthurson committed sex crimes against three more young girls. +3,Coolbrands Cuts Year-End Profit Outlook,"Coolbrands International Inc., the maker of frozen desserts, cut its profit outlook for fiscal 2004 on Tuesday, because of a decision to take a noncash charge related to stock options." +2,USC's Matt Leinart Wins College Football's Heisman Trophy,"Matt Leinart of the University of Southern California won the Heisman Trophy last night, becoming the second Trojans quarterback in three seasons to capture college football's most prestigious award." +1,Brazil Raids Kroll Offices in Spy Probe,"Police raided the Brazilian offices of international security consultant Kroll Inc. and other businesses Wednesday as part of their investigation into allegations of illegal spying by Kroll during the company's probe of a nasty corporate dispute, the company said." +4,Real's Music Deal Ends (PC World),"PC World - Online store will continue to offer certain songs at low prices, company says." +4,SA's e-attacks jump 796,"Johannesburg, 23 September 2004 - Symantec's sixth biannual report on global trends in Internet attacks, vulnerabilities, and malicious code activity shows SA recorded a 796 annual increase in the number of these attacks, rising from 375 per user last " +3,Stocks Open Lower,"NEW YORK (Reuters) - US stocks fell at the open on Wednesday after crude oil pushed to a fresh high and Google Inc. slashed its initial public offering price, which appeared to dampen investor sentiment. " +2,No gold but Khan shows his mettle,"IT HAD always threatened to be a fight too far for Amir Khan, and so it proved. Up against the vastly experienced Cuban Mario Kindelan, the 17-year-old from Bolton fought gamely, but in the end lost out by " +2,Camacho quits,"MADRID, SEPTEMBER 20: Jose Antonio Camacho resigned as Real Madrid coach on Monday, just four months after taking up the post. Camacho offered his resignation to club president Florentino Perez following the " +1,China's communist party must adapt to changing times--media,"BEIJING, China -- Chinese state media Friday said it was crucial the ruling communist party adapt to social changes but gave few clues about an apparent power struggle as a secretive party plenum entered a second day." +1,Suicide bomb kills 16 at guard centre,Iraq's insurgency spread to a relatively calm area near the Syrian border yesterday when a suicide car bomber killed at least 16 people at an Iraqi National Guard centre. +4,Creating sequel a thriller (SiliconValley.com),"SiliconValley.com - When ""Halo"" became a smash video game hit following Microsoft's launch of the Xbox console in 2001, it was a no-brainer that there would be a sequel to the science fiction shoot-em-up." +2,Ben Curtis on Vijay Singh's heels,"Ben Curtis came out of nowhere to win the 2003 British Open, one of the biggest upsets ever in a major championship. Almost immediately, nowhere found him again." +4,New Computer Chip Built for Speed,IBM and Advanced Micro Devices have announced that they have produced a silicon chip with a marked improvement in speed by using strained silicon technology. +4,NASA Confirms Relativity Theory,"In 1918, Albert Einstein proposed that large objects bend the space around themselves while turning on their axis. In 2004, NASA scientists confirmed that the Earth bends the time and space around it while " +4,Latest worm attack prompts call for increased antivirus vigilance,"Online security experts urge computer users to update their systems antivirus measures, after a wave of attacks by the Zafi.d worm that have swamped thousands of e-mail servers." +3,Intel keeps Moore's law on track,"Contradicting fears that the semiconductor industry's pace of development is slowing, Intel Corporation has announced it has achieved a milestone in shrinking the size of transistors that will power its next-generation chips." +2,Fit-Again Ferrero Wins at China Open," BEIJING (Reuters) - Juan Carlos Ferrero showed glimpses of his old form in thrashing American Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-1 to reach the second round of the China Open on Wednesday." +2,Three into two,"Three into two rarely goes. Graeme Souness has done his best to test that theory by playing Alan Shearer, Craig Bellamy and Patrick Kluivert together, but the striking situation at Newcastle has only reinforced that adage." +1,Grenade Kills Two at Colombo Bollywood Concert," COLOMBO (Reuters) - Two people were killed and 11 wounded when a hand grenade was lobbed into the VIP section of the audience at a concert led by Indian film superstar Shah Rukh Khan and two other actors, police said." +3,ASEAN ministers to talk free trade,"Southeast Asian economic ministers meet this weekend with counterparts from regional powerhouses China, Japan and South Korea in an effort to liberalize trade and boost business." +1,Afghan kidnappers agree to talk,"Afghan militants agreed to negotiate the release of three UN workers taken hostage last week, but warned they were ready to kill them if any rescue attempt was made." +1,Gloom for EU growth targets,"Former Dutch prime minister Wim Kok has delivered a damning report on Europe's growth and competitiveness, warning that it will be quot;extremely difficult quot; for the EU to meet its 2010 targets." +1,Dubya UN-deterred,"A stern President Bush told the UN yesterday that his policies on Iraq are good for world peace, and scornfully attacked John Kerry for criticizing the war." +4,Microsoft targets older people for web via TV,"Seattle, November 17: For people trying to get their aging parents on the web so they can read e-mail and get digital photos of the family, Microsoft Corp has a message: Don't give up." +3,Crude oil prices near US$ 49 per barrel in New York,Crude oil prices neared US$ 49 per barrel Friday as Gulf of Mexico crude production rebounded at a slower pace than analysts had expected. +4,Agency: Calif. Water Shift Won't Hurt Fish ,AP - A federal agency ruled Friday that shifting more Northern California water to Southern California will not jeopardize five threatened or endangered species of fish. +4,"In Cellular Towers' Shadows, Anxiety","Worried about radio-frequency radiation, Fairfax parents urge school board to ban placement of antenna poles near campuses." +3,Raytheon acquires San Diego engineering design firm,"Waltham-based defense giant Raytheon said it has acquired a privately held San Diego firm that provides physics modeling to government agencies and private companies, a purchase that will augment Raytheon's efforts in the defense and homeland security " +1,47 die in bomb attack on Iraqi police building,"BAGHDAD - A huge explosion tore through a crowded market close to a Baghdad police headquarters building yesterday, killing at least 47 people in the capital's deadliest single attack in six months." +2,Notebook: Emotions run high in Toronto,"TORONTO - The trade that might have transformed Toronto and Portland didn't materialize before last night's game, which left the Sonics wondering if they'd face a fractured Raptors team or one hardened by adversity." +3,Snow: Cutting Budget Deficit Top Priority, LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Wednesday that cutting a record budget deficit was a top priority for the second-term Bush administration and challenged Europe to play its part in helping trim the U.S. trade gap by boosting its own economic growth. +1,Japan Bank Exec: Economic Dip Is Temporary ,"AP - The head of Japan's central bank acknowledged Monday that the pace of economic recovery here may be slowing, but said the downturn is only temporary." +3,Citigroup Buys Texas Bank,"Continuing to snap up branch networks in states with large Hispanic populations, Citigroup Inc. Tuesday, Aug. 24, agreed to buy First American Bank of Texas for an undisclosed price." +2,Suns sign Japanese guard Tabuse,"Tabuse, who was waived after training camp with the Denver Nuggets last year, hopes to become the first Japanese-born player to make the NBA." +1,Iraqi Government Bans Al-Jazeera Indefinitely,"BAGHDAD, Sept 5 (IslamOnline.net amp; News Agencies) - The US-allied Iraqi government has extended the closure of Al-Jazeera offices in Iraq indefinitely, not only provoking the outrage of the Qatar-based network and media watchdogs, but also casting deep " +4,O'Keefe Reported Ready To Quit NASA,"NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe will likely resign this week to take a $500,000-a-year job as chancellor of Louisiana State University's Baton Rouge campus, university officials said on Sunday." +3,Jones Apparel to Buy Barneys in $400 Mln Deal, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mid-priced clothing retailer and maker Jones Apparel Group Inc. said on Thursday it was buying Barneys New York Inc. in a $400 million deal to boost its retail business and move into luxury apparel. +3,Wal-Mart Sued for Racial Discrimination (Reuters),"Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is being sued in\a federal court by a job applicant who says it discriminates\against black employees seeking work as truck drivers,\according to court documents filed on Wednesday." +3,Indiana 1 of 3 holdouts in nation,"Indiana is a standout nationally -- known all over for its refusal to adopt daylight-saving time. quot;And then there is Indiana, quot; the publisher of the Information Please almanac notes on its Web site (www." +2,The Expos Will Probably Move South to Washington,"After two and a half years in limbo as a ward of Major League Baseball, the Montreal Expos appear to be heading to a new home in Washington." +2,Celtic suffers its first loss of the season against Aberdeen,"Scottish champion Celtic suffered its first loss this season, with an injury time goal from John Stewart securing a 3-2 for Aberdeen at Parkhead." +1,Straw flies to pressure Khartoum,Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has flown to Khartoum on a mission to pile the pressure on the Sudanese government to tackle the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. +3,The Investment Column: Chief goes but SF remains a buy,"John Hodson, the chief executive of Singer amp; Friedlander, yesterday announced his retirement from the banking and fund management group after 35 years with the company." +3,Google Sharply Reduces IPO Share Price,"Google, Inc. significantly cut the expected share price for its initial public stock offering this morning, signaling lower-than-anticipated demand for the most highly publicized new stock since the late 1990s. " +2,Mashburn out for the entire 2004-05 NBA season,Former All-Star forward Jamal Mashburn will miss the entire 2004-05 NBA season because of a knee injury that could end his career. +2,Knicks get defensive,Someone asked Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury after his team's 87-79 victory over the rival Nets at Continental Airlines Arena last night whether a message had sent to the three-time +2,Hewitt advances to US Open quarterfinals,"Former champion Lleyton Hewitt reached his third consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal Tuesday, defeating Karol Beck 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, at the US Open for his 14th consecutive match victory." +2,Two goals by Pizarro as Bayern beats fearful Wolfsburg,Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro returned after a three-game injury absence with two goals Tuesday to lead Bayern Munich to a 2-0 win over Bundesliga leader VfL Wolfsburg. +4,Satellite pinpoints lost children,"A new satellite tracking device, which could cost less than 100, aims to reunite parents with their lost children." +3,Johnson Said To Be in Talks for Heart Device Maker,"Johnson Johnson is in advanced negotiations to acquire Guidant, one of the nation's largest makers of devices to treat heart illnesses, for more than $24 billion." +3,Hartford tackles image as nation's seventh-most dangerous city,"HARTFORD, Conn. -- Hartford officials are pointing to steadily decreasing crime statistics and an overhauled police department in an attempt to discredit a national survey ranking Hartford the country's seventh-dangerous city." +2,Triumphant Olympics end with pride and relief,"A nervous world learned the Greek word for thank you and repeated it endlessly at an astonishingly successful Athens Olympics that quelled fears, surprised skeptics and greatly honored the birthplace of the games." +1,Injured Woods Two Shots Back at Amex,"THOMASTOWN, Ireland - Tiger Woods looked as if he should have withdrawn with a bad back. He played as if he was capable of winning the American Express Championship for a third straight time..." +3,Blue Chips End Lower After Oil Hits $49,US blue-chip stocks declined to the lowest level in more than a month on Thursday as crude oil prices touched $49 a barrel and renewed concerns that high fuel costs will erode corporate profits. +1,Iran: Draft resolution by EU major three - politically ,"Iran regards the draft resolution proposed by the three major European states - Germany, Britain and France - on Tehran's nuclear programs as politically motivated, the spokesman for the Iranian delegation to the meeting of the International Atomic Energy " +4,iTunes music store nowhere in sight,"VANCOUVER - When it comes to the world's most popular legal music downloading service, Canadians were still waiting last night for the other song to drop." +4,New IE Exploit Spoofs Web Sites,Security researchers have uncovered a spoofing flaw in Internet Explorer that could turn out to be the perfect holiday gift for scammers. +1,"India, Pakistan report progress on Kashmir, other disputes","India and Pakistan said Wednesday they were considering scaling back thousands of troops from the Siachen Glacier, the world's highest battlefield, and reported other progress " +1,Ex-US marine: I killed Iraqi civilians,"A former US marine has said his unit killed more than 30 innocent Iraqi civilians in just two days. In graphic testimony presented to a Canadian asylum tribunal on Monday, Sergeant Jimmy Massey's evidence " +4,NASA funds extension of Mars rovers mission,"NASA has funded another extension of their mission -- an additional six months, if they last. Word from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is that NASA has regained reliable contact with the rovers Spirit and Opportunity " +3,Industry Plans To Keep Up The Pressure," The nation's home builders, real estate sales people and mortgage bankers stood by their man in the presidential election and now they hope he stands by his housing agenda during the next four years." +1,Indian bandit 'killed by police',"Indian police say they have shot dead one of the country's most wanted men, the bandit Veerappan." +4,"Cisco, Microsoft bridge security gap",Cisco Systems Inc. and Microsoft Corp. on Monday will announce a collaborative effort designed to bridge a divide between their emerging network access-control architectures. +3,OPEC nations agree to boost daily oil quota,"OPEC nations agreed to revise their oil production quota, boosting it by 1 million barrels per day in an effort to talk down crude oil prices." +1,"Thailand confirms woman has bird flu, second case in latest ","A woman was confirmed Monday to be suffering from avian flu, the second known human victim of the disease in Thailand since July, but officials said there is no evidence it was the result of human-to-human transmission." +4,First Look: Small Business Accounting Apps,"Intuit, Best Software offer new features, prices with 2005 editions." +1,ETA Sets Off Bombs Across Spain; No Serious Injuries," MADRID (Reuters) - The Basque separatist group ETA set off a series of bombs across Spain Monday, but no one was seriously injured in the resurgence of violence by the outlawed guerrillas, Spanish officials and media said." +2,Oklahoma's Jason White Wins Maxwell Award,Oklahoma quarterback Jason White has taken home the Maxwell Award as college football's best all-around player and won his second straight Davey O Brien quarterback trophy. +3,Fonterra bid too low say Aussies,Australian dairy group National Foods says its shares are worth up to 22 more than a hostile $A1.6 billion takeover offer by New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra. +4,Fire Retardant Found in Puget Sound Orcas ,"AP - Fire retardants used worldwide in manufacturing vehicle parts and computers have been found in Puget Sound orcas, raising new concerns about the long-term health of the region's killer whales, a new Canadian study shows." +4,IDC: Handheld sales continue to slide,The research firm cites a decline in shipments from PalmOne and the withdrawal of Sony from the U.S. market. +2,Barnstable nets second straight,"SHREWSBURY -- Barnstable cruised to its second consecutive MIAA Division 1 state volleyball championship, and its eighth in 10 years, with a 3-0 win over Quincy last night." +4,"Dell, Microsoft Team For One-Click Management","Dell (Quote, Chart) and Microsoft (Quote, Chart) continued their joint efforts to automate the data center with a deal to bundle management software that triggers changes with one mouse click." +3,SFO to investigate BAE contracts,"The Serious Fraud Office investigates allegations of false accounting in connection with contracts between the Saudi Arabian government and three firms, including BAE Systems." +4,Computer security survey finds awareness gap,"Most computer users believe they are safe from online threats even as their machines fall victim to viruses and spyware, according to a survey." +3,Retail Sales in U.S. Chain Stores Rise," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. chain store retail sales rose in the latest week, a report said on Tuesday." +2,Pampling Leads Australian Open ,"AP - Australia's Rod Pampling took a four-stroke lead in the centennial Australian Open on Friday, shooting his second straight 4-under 67." +3,J.C. Penney Posts Second-Quarter Profit (Reuters),"Reuters - Department store operator J.C. Penney\Co. Inc. (JCP.N) on Tuesday posted a second-quarter profit,\reversing a year-earlier loss, helped by inventory controls and\strong department store sales." +4,Camcorders Finally Find Hard Drives,"JVC is introducing two camcorders that abandon tape and discs altogether, recording onto removable hard drives." +4,IBM registers grid computing wins,"Claiming grid technology continues to expand outside its traditional scientific and research markets, IBM on Friday is announcing that several grid-based commercial projects built on IBM platforms have been launched, including one at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." +2,Just how super are the Sonics?,"They sport the best record in the NBA and have beaten several top-tier teams (like Minnesota, Sacramento, San Antonio and Denver)." +3,Counting cost of hurricanes,"FLORIDIANS today began to clean up after their third hurricane in five weeks, while Alabamans looked to rebuild their condos and beach homes along the coast." +4,PC Sector Sale by IBM Would Signal Change,"International Business Machines Corp. has steadily lost its hold on the PC market, buffeted by made-to-order rivals such as Dell Inc. and low-cost competition from overseas. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>" +4,Search Is On At Amazon,"A9.com Inc., a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., last week launched a search site that will compete with Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo." +4,Samsung unveils new display technologies,"Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has developed a new LCD (liquid crystal display) technology that builds a touch screen into the display, a development that could lead to thinner " +2,McGrady Shocks Spurs,"With the Rockets seemingly headed to another tough home loss, Tracy McGrady puts them on his back by scoring 13 points in the final 35 seconds as Houston stuns the Spurs, 81-80." +2,Agassi ousts good friend,"Having defeated Sargis Sargsian in the round of 16 of the US Open, Agassi now gets Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. Having gotten through the dicey part, now comes the fun." +3,Inflation shows surprise fall,"The inflation rate unexpectedly fell further below its 2.0 percent government-set target in August as clothing and footwear retailers raised prices by less than a year ago, official data shows." +1,Manila appeals for storm relief; weather improves,"The Philippines put the toll at more than 1,000 dead or missing in four storms in two weeks but, even with a break in the weather on Saturday " +2,SIX OF THE BEST FOR MILAN,Reigning Italian champions AC Milan handed out a lesson in quality finishing at the San Siro to hit outclassed Fiorentina for six of the best on Sunday afternoon. +3,Judge Indicts 2 Former Parmalat Auditors,"MILAN, Italy Oct. 5, 2004 - Two former auditors at Parmalat were ordered to stand trial for false accounting and market rigging under a fast-track procedure, the first indictments since the masssive fraud scandal at the Italian-based dairy giant." +4,Sexual Content on TV Spurs Teens Into Action,"By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter HealthDayNews -- Teenagers who view sexual content on television, even if it only involves characters talking about sex, are twice as likely to start having intercourse in the ensuing year compared with peers who do not watch such content. Sexual content on TV was also more likely to hasten adolescents' movement from one ""base"" to another, in other words, from kissing to breast fondling to genital touching and on to oral sex, new research found..." +3,Fed Raises Interest Rate to 2.25 Percent,The Federal Reserve pushed US interest rates up by a modest quarter-percentage point on Tuesday and expressed confidence that inflation could be kept at bay by slowly lifting credit costs from rock-bottom levels. +2,"Mauresmo reaches No. 1, without Grand Slam title","Amelie Mauresmo is the only French tennis player to be ranked No. 1, but she hasn't lost sight of her goal -- a Grand Slam tournament title." +2,"After six-month grind, three races left to be decided in season's ","SAN FRANCISCO -- Peter Magowan knows all of the schedules by heart -- when everybody plays, who they play, where they play. He knows the standings, too, obviously." +3,Enron's Chief Financial Officer Resigns," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Enron Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=ENRNQ.PK target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">ENRNQ.PK</A> said Friday Chief Financial Officer Raymond Brown resigned and will be replaced on an interim basis by Robert Bingham." +3,Hurricanes Power Gillette's Duracell,Net profit growth is keeping investors from worrying about Gillette's free cash flow. +2,World Cup Refs to Get More Training ,AP - Referees at the 2006 World Cup will begin a training program next year in what FIFA hopes will assure top officiating during the showcase event in Germany. +2,Gregan re-signs with ARU,"Australian captain George Gregan has re-signed with the Australian Rugby Union for three years, the ARU and the ACT Brumbies said Thursday." +2,Sponsorship of football rivalry weakens meaning of tradition,The Big Game has a new name and a fat contract to go with it. And corporate America has tarnished another great college football tradition. +4,Shopping Search Around the World,"Although U.S. based shopping search and product comparison services receive the lion's share of traffic, other services are emerging throughout the world that serve specific regions and countries with more localized information." +3,Metro opens its newest station,"Metro opened its newest station yesterday amid hopes that it would spark more economic development in the city's Northeast commercial district along Florida and New York avenues while serving residents in the nearby, emerging neighborhoods." +2,UPDATE 3-Aggressive Sehwag leads positive Indian reply,Opener Virender Sehwag cracked a rapid unbeaten 82 as India rushed to 129 for one in reply to South Africa's first innings 305 on the day two of the second and final test on Monday. +1,Goldsmith faces calls to resign over Iraq,"The attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, faced calls to resign last night as Tony Blair's legal justification for going to war against Iraq began to unravel." +2,ABC Shuns BCS,"ABC has pulled its contract offer to the Bowl Championship Series, a move that could result in three of college football's biggest games moving to another network." +1,Nigeria court overturns stoning,An Islamic court in northern Nigeria acquits a woman who had been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery. +1,"Three rockets fired in Afghan capital, at least one injured",KABUL - Three rockets were fired in the Afghan capital Kabul late Saturday injuring at least one person in the latest of a string of attacks following landmark elections. +3,U.S. Stocks End Higher as Insurers Climb," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rallied on Tuesday, giving the Dow its best day in four months as battered insurers rose on confidence a government probe of the industry would end quickly." +1,'Tough on terror' platform reigns (USATODAY.com),"USATODAY.com - One TV ad shows a dark-haired ""terrorist"" scoping out a nuclear power plant through binoculars and taking photos of a passing train. Another shows black smoke pouring from the World Trade Center towers." +4,HP's Software Woe Has Bigger Industry Implication," NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Hewlett-Packard Co. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=HPQ.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">HPQ.N</A> warned of a profit shortfall last week, it blamed problems it had combining two SAP systems, something that the computer maker believed would be relatively simple when they were putting together a deal to buy Compaq two years ago." +3,Dell Posts a Higher Quarterly Profit,"Dell Inc. (DELL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's largest personal computer maker, on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit, aided by market share gains and " +3,RBC sells Liberty Insurance to IBM,"TORONTO -- Royal Bank's RBC Insurance is selling Liberty Insurance Services Corp., its US business process services division, to IBM Corp." +2,MotoGP: Qatar Grand Prix Quote Machine,by staff. Carlos Checa (Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha) was forced to retire from third position with only two laps remaining of today's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix. +4,World Community Grid,IBM has launched a network to harness the power of idle computers around the world. It's trying to create one massive PC to help out in scientific research in what could become the world's largest public computing grid. +4,Tul Introduces Its latest PowerColor XPRESS 200 PCI-E Mainboard on ,"As any experienced gamer would know, current PC games demand more and more graphics power to run. The PowerColor XPRESS 200 fulfils the needs of high graphics performance and limited budget for users." +4,Jon Stewart Attacks the Media through Crossfire,"Instead of plugging his new book, Jon Stewart tonight on CNN's crossfire used his time to slam the media's coverage of the election. Although Stewart leans left, he attacked political shows and begged them: ""Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America."" Is it time to really stop all the political games that both sides play? Torrent of the event is available." +1,Rumsfeld Says U.S. Faces Test of Wills in Iraq," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday the United States and its allies were locked in a test of wills with insurgents in Iraq and must overcome the ""pain and ugliness"" of the conflict." +1,Typhoon Aere Pounds Northern Taiwan,At least seven people are confirmed dead as Typhoon Aere pounded northern Taiwan with high winds and heavy rain. The storm hit the area with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers-an-hour. +4,Giant waves causing British boulder phenomena,LONDON: Massive waves created by violent storms off Britain and Ireland are ripping off chunks of cliff and hurling them inland over distances scientists did not think possible. +4,The Battle of Algiers Revisited,In September of 2003 the Bush administration telegraphed their intent to use torture on prisoners in Iraq when they screened Gillo Pontecorvo's 1965 film The Battle of Algiers for officials in the Pentagon. +2,Report: Pennington Set to Sign Extension with Jets, NEW YORK (Sports Network) - The New York Jets and quarterback Chad Pennington are close to a deal that would make the quarterback the highest- paid player in franchise history. +1,Iraqi Premier's Relatives Kidnapped - Threatened with Beheading,"Two members of the Iraqi prime ministers family have been abducted from their Baghdad home, his spokesman confirmed today. Kidnappers claimed to be holding three relatives." +1,Professor devises climate-based model to predict football sackings ,"AFP - The life of a football manager in the English Premiership is frantic, pressured and apt to end in sometimes arbitrary dismissal. But now under-fire bosses can predict when they might face the sack -- using the weather." +1,Israel Willing to Coordinate Gaza Pullout,"Israel on Monday offered its first indication it was reassessing relations with the Palestinians after Yasser Arafat's death, suggesting it might coordinate a planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip if the Palestinian Authority cracks down on militant " +2,Cricket: Follow-on shy Aussies lead India by 355 runs,"BANGALORE, India : Hosts India braced themselves for a harrowing chase on a wearing wicket in the first Test after Australia declined to enforce the follow-on here." +3,Lawyers For Florida Smokers Ask Justices To Punish Tobacco ,"billion dollar class-action verdict. It was the largest award ever by an American jury. The smokers lawyers, however, say the justices should reduce the amount if they think it is too large as long as they " +4,"Microsoft Claims Partnership Creates 1,000 .Net Platforms","Executives with Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft have disclosed that a 2-year-old partnership created to promote the use of .Net for Web services has resulted in the installation of 1,000 ." +4,NEC retakes supercomputer title,"In the international rivalry to create the fastest, most powerful supercomputer, Japan struck back at the United States. NEC Computers Inc." +3,US inflation falls for first time in 2004,"US inflation fell by 0.1 per cent in July -- the first decline since late last year -- on a drop in gasoline prices, the US Department of Labour said yesterday in a report that suggests underlying price pressures in the world's biggest ..." +4, Dream centre of the brain found,"Scientists believe they have located the part of the brain where people's dreams are created. A team from the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland, made the discovery after treating a woman who stopped dreaming after she had a stroke." +4,IPods an eye-opener for industry,"Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store sold its 150 millionth song on Thursday, another key milestone in the Cupertino firm's push to stay ahead of digital music rivals like Microsoft and Dell." +2,Late run propels Guerrero to MVP,"Vladimir Guerrero provided an instant return on Anaheim's five-year, $70 million, free-agent investment, and Tuesday was named the American League MVP by the Baseball Writers Association of America." +3,Future Bright for Islamic Finance," KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - After spending three years and $2 million, Eric Meyer has got the go-ahead from a gaggle of lawyers, regulators and -- crucially -- four different Sharia scholars to market the first hedge fund for Islamic investors." +3,Delta pilots agree to talk on retirements,Delta Air Lines pilot union has agreed to negotiate the early retirement issue that the company says could lead it into bankruptcy if it is not settled by the end of this month. +1,Indian shares to notch long-term gains as global investors line up ,"AFP - Indian shares, Asia's second top performers last year, are poised for long-term gains as foreign investors buy into the market, seeing the country as an economic ""growth story,"" according to analysts." +1,India PM courts north-east rebels,India's prime minister has urged militant separatists in the north-east to join negotiations with the federal government and end decades of strife. +4,Hollywood Writer Sues Microsoft Over Yoga Game," LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Academy Award-winning screenwriter Roger Avary has sued Microsoft Corp. in California for purportedly stealing his idea for a virtual yoga studio after the software giant sought his advice for winning over women to videogames, his attorney said on Tuesday." +4,'Cheetah Friendly' Beef to Make Its Way to EU (Reuters),"Reuters - Namibian beef certified as\""cheetah-friendly"" will soon make its way to the European Union\as part of a new strategy to reduce conflict between ranchers\and the graceful cats." +2,"Yankees rally in 12th, even series","They knew all about this haunted house in the Bronx and about the ghosts that come out around midnight in October. But until last night, the Minnesota Twins hadn't lived the nightmare themselves." +3,Dollar Up a Bit Against Europe Currencies," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar was a little stronger against the main European currencies but weaker against the yen on Wednesday, with the Japanese currency rallying across the board as dealers adjusted positions." +3,Gas Price Up Near $1.88 a Gallon -Survey," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The average U.S. retail price of gasoline rose slightly over the last two weeks to almost $1.88 a gallon -- the first increase reported since late May, according to the nationwide Lundberg survey of about 8,000 gas stations." +2,American Alvin Harrison Banned for Four Years," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Olympic 400 meter relay gold medallist Alvin Harrison has accepted a four-year ban for drugs violations, the United States Anti-Doping Agency said on Tuesday." +2,Els Withdraws from Florida Event with Finger Injury," LONDON (Reuters) - Ernie Els has pulled out of this week's Chrysler Championship in Florida due to a finger injury, the world number two said on his official Web Site." +2,Boise State Coach Hawkins Signs Extension,"BOISE, Idaho - Boise State coach Dan Hawkins signed a five-year, $2.6 million contract extension on Tuesday that could keep him with the Broncos through the 2009 season." +2,Morgan traded for Boys Bryant,Some may see the Browns straight-up trade of Quincy Morgan for Antonio Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys as an inconsequential swap of two disgruntled receivers. +3,Southwest Airlines Third-Quarter Profit Increases,"Southwest Airlines Co. reported a 12 percent jump in profit today, as its decision to buy fuel in advance helped insulate the low-cost carrier from rising fuel prices." +1,Chechen police seize 7 rebels,"Russian military forces have struck back at Chechen rebels who attacked a police station in Grozny, and arrested seven men. Ilya Shabalkin, the spokesman for Russian forces in " +4,Storm Stress Hitting Many Floridians,"By JILL BARTON WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- It's not just roofs that have come apart and walls that are falling down..." +1,Myanmar junta says talks to resume in Jan,coming after last week's purge of Prime Minister Khin Nyunt cast doubts over the process. seven-step quot;roadmap to democracy quot; unveiled by the ousted prime minister last year. +2,Radcliffe facing tall order after Athens,"THERE is a point on the New York City Marathon course, at about 15 miles, where the runners cross the Queensboro Bridge and catch a view of the Empire State Building over to their left." +3,$55 Oil Weighs on Shares as Dollar Sags, LONDON (Reuters) - European stock markets fell and the dollar toyed with multi-month lows on Monday as U.S. crude topped $55 a barrel and investors prepared for a busy week of company results. +1,"Kerry on Iraq: 'Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time' (Reuters)","Reuters - Democratic presidential nominee\John Kerry on Monday called the invasion of Iraq ""the wrong war\in the wrong place at the wrong time"" and said his goal was to\withdraw U.S. troops in a first White House term." +2,I'll Give Them This One,"To battle your way down the interminable ramps leading to the exits at Yankee Stadium after Friday night's game, you would have thought the days of a last-place finish in a 10-team league from 1966 were back to haunt us." +2,Closer Brad Lidge Delivers for Astros ,"AP - No bullpen collapse by the Houston Astros this time. Brad Lidge was on the mound. The Astros closer allowed just one hit and struck out five in two innings Saturday, protecting Houston's lead and helping the Astros beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 in Game 3 of the NL championship series." +4,E-Mail Program Lacks 'Wow' Factor,"The Firefox browser has become an instant sensation, in just a few weeks gaining impressively against Microsoft Corp.'s market-leading but malware-beleaguered Internet Explorer." +1,Afghan Polls Fair Despite Ink Fiasco -Monitors," KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's historic presidential vote, which was held with great enthusiasm but ended in turmoil after most candidates announced a boycott, was mostly fair, independent observers said Sunday." +3,"Time Warner, Comcast enter cable pact","Time Warner Inc. and Comcast Corp. agreed to a deal Monday giving Comcast an option to cut its stake in Time Warner's cable unit, opening the door for Comcast to unwind the entire partnership." +3,"GM, Ford target SUV rollovers","General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., responding to growing concerns about the safety and stability of sport utility vehicles, said Thursday " +4,Spain OKs Stem Cell Research Conditions ,"AP - Spain's Socialist government approved new conditions governing research with embryonic stem cells Friday, allowing scientists to investigate using frozen embryos while seeking cures to diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes." +4,US cybersecurity chief resigns,"The top cybersecurity official in the United States has resigned, a little over a year after joining the Department of Homeland Security, the agency said Friday." +2,New York Yankees Team Report - September 26,(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees try to move one step closer to a division title when they conclude their critical series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. +2,Bonds more than a mere MVP,"It may be time to retire the National League Most Valuable Player Award, or at least put it in hibernation until Barry Bonds retires." +2,Sox offer Wells deal,"As they tried inching closer to signing Pedro Martinez and remained in the hunt for Carl Pavano, the Red Sox yesterday stepped up their pursuit of David Wells as the winter baseball meetings opened, offering the 41-year-old lefthander a one-year, $6.5 million contract with $1 million in potential performance bonuses." +1,Online identity theft a growing criminal problem in Asia: IDC ,"AFP - Online theft of financial information from individuals has become one of the fastest-growing non-violent crimes in the Asia-Pacific region, technology research house IDC says." +3,Manufacturing Activity Expands in December,"Manufacturing activity expanded for the 19th consecutive month in December, a new report said Monday, suggesting that the industrial sector entered the new year with solid strength behind it." +3,SCO caps legal costs as losses mount,"With its cash reserves dwindling and losses continuing to mount, The SCO Group Inc. is taking measures to cut its expenses and ensure it will have enough cash to process its lawsuit with IBM Corp, the company announced during its quarterly earnings conference call Tuesday. SCO reported a loss of $7.4 million on revenue of $11.2 million for the third quarter - a loss that was affected by the $7.2 million in legal expenses the company incurred during the quarter, which ended July 31." +1,Unions suspend strike threat targeting oil in world's No. 7 ,Nigeria's main labor union on Monday lifted its threat of a nationwide strike that would have shut down the oil industry in the world's No. +2,Injured Carter Leads Jets to Victory,"Quincy Carter left with a head injury after the third play of the game, but returned to deliver the knockout blow, a 69-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss." +2,"Padres 3, Diamondbacks 2","The San Diego Padres found out between the second and third innings that they were eliminated from wild-card contention, then rallied for a 3-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night." +4,"Report: Prosecutors, CA Reach Accord (Reuters)","Reuters - The U.S. Justice Department has agreed\to defer prosecution of Computer Associates International Inc.\ in its long-running investigation of accounting fraud at\the software maker, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday,\citing people familiar with the matter." +3,Oil prices return to above $55 per barrel,"NEW YORK, October 26 (newratings.com) - Crude oil prices resumed their upward rally to close at above $55 per barrel today, with a shift in focus back to the potential winter shortfall in the US inventories of heating oil, diesel and gasoline." +2,Victor Diaz and Gerald Williams homers push Mets past Expos 4-2,MONTREAL (CP) - Victor Diaz hit his first career home run and Gerald Williams added a two-run shot to power the New York Mets to a 4-2 win Thursday over the Montreal Expos. +4,"Yahoo, Adobe Team on Internet Services","Adobe and Yahoo are launching a new Internet toolbar that will provide users with access to Yahoo products -- including Anti-Spy, Pop-Up Blocker and Yahoo Search -- as well as Adobe products, such as Create Adobe PDF Online." +3,Dutch state takes over gas network,The creation of a single European gas market took a step forward yesterday with the Dutch government taking control of its country's gas transport network from Royal Dutch/Shell and ExxonMobil. +4,PeopleSoft's future hard to predict,The tea leaves on Oracle's takeover plans for PeopleSoft have never been harder to read than they are right now. +1,Indian PM Seeks to End Violence in Kashmir,"Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who heads for disputed Kashmir this week, said on Sunday his visit was aimed at putting an end to years of violence in the troubled Himalayan region." +1,US Sees No Immediate Push for Sanctions on Iran,The Bush administration does not plan to seek immediate sanctions against Tehran even if it succeeds in getting Iran's nuclear program referred +2,Dolphins Player Pleads Innocent to Assault ,AP - Miami Dolphins receiver David Boston pleaded innocent Tuesday to charges of assaulting a ticket agent at the Burlington International Airport in October. +2,"Even with a patchwork secondary, the Patriots just keep on winning","As both the weeks and the wins pile up for the Patriots, the more preposterous it becomes. Already it's as farfetched and fanciful as anything that has happened in the NFL this season, Ben Roethlisberger's magic carpet ride included." +4,Long-distance Web surfing comes closer,"Business travellers will be able to surf the Web securely on long-distance flights by combining services from Boeing and iPass, the companies plan to announce on Monday." +3, Cyberonics Rejects Advanced Neuro's Bid,"Cyberonics Inc. rejected a takeover bid from fellow medical-device maker Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc. on Wednesday, saying it continues to focus on strengthening its epilepsy business and is still not interested in any combination or merger." +2,Beck outs Llodra to secure final,St Petersburg - Slovakia's Karol Beck has grabbed a pass into the final of the one-million-dollar Saint Petersburg Open ATP tournament by beating French seventh seed Michael Llodra on Saturday. +4,Nation briefs 11/28,"MOUNT ST. HELENS -- A 3.1-magnitude earthquake shook the crater at Mount St. Helens on Saturday, the strongest quake at the volcano since mid-October." +3, Crude Oil Price Surges Past $55 in Asia,"The price of crude oil surged past an unprecedented $55 per barrel Monday amid continued uncertainty over production, high demand and tight supply globally." +2,NHLPA set to pay its players,"NHL players are about to receive their first lockout stipends, amounts which will work out to roughly 3.6 per cent of the average NHL salary, according to the Canadian Press." +4,Lycos Offers Revenge for the Spammed,"Lycos quot;Make Love, Not Spam quot; screensaver targets sites on secure international blacklists. quot;We cannot use this software to bring the spammers sites down entirely, as that would be illegal, quot; says Malte Pollman of Lycos Europe." +4,Marvel sues NCSoft over City of Heroes,"When you hear the words quot;comic books, quot; two companies spring to mind: DC and Marvel. Despite having a checked history--even declaring bankruptcy in the late 1990s--Marvel has become a financial powerhouse in the 21st Century." +3,Yukos faces new tax claims; total bill above $17.6 bn,"LONDON, November 1 (newratings.com) - The Russian oil giant, Yukos Oil (YUSA.FSE), has been asked for additional back-tax payments of more than $10 billion, increasing the company's total tax liabilities to above $17." +1,"Aussie journalist seized in Iraq, interrogated for over 20 hours","An Australian journalist was interrogated for more than 20 hours after being seized outside a Baghdad hotel, his employer said yesterday." +3,"Ispat to Buy LNM Holdings, Intl Steel",Netherlands-based steelmaker Ispat International NV said Monday that it agreed to acquire LNM Holdings NV and International Steel Group Inc. +1,"Sudan Says No Darfur Self-Rule, Questions Rebel Talks", KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan on Monday ruled out any notion of self-rule for Darfur and said rebels in the western region would not secure the same concessions agreed with southern rebels after two decades of war. +4,Firefox Browser Alternative to Microsoft,"Web surfing has belonged almost exclusively to Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer ever since it buried Netscape's pioneering browser. That doesn't seem to have bothered the developers of the Mozilla Firefox, a feisty new kid on the block that's worth a serious look." +3,Brussels probes Vivendi tax scheme,The European Commission on Friday said it was scrutinising a French tax scheme under which Vivendi Universal unlocked 3.8 billion ($4. +3,Sovereign CFO Hogan to Retire,Sovereign Bancorp Inc. on Monday said chief financial officer James D. Hogan will retire from the position after helping the northeastern regional bank grow dramatically through a succession of acquisitions and other financial deals. +4,Human genes overestimated ,"MAN may have as few as 20,000 genes, just a fraction of previous estimates, an international consortium of scientists say in a report to be released today." +1,UPI NewsTrack TopNews,"Iraqi national security adviser Kasim Dawood said Saturday up to 1,000 insurgents have been killed in the six-day battle for Fallujah, CNN reported." +2,Kobe Bryant Lawyers Want His Sexual Past Off Limits, DENVER (Reuters) - Lawyers for basketball star Kobe Bryant asked a judge on Monday to order attorneys for a Colorado woman who has sued him for rape not to ask the Los Angeles Laker about his sexual past. +3,Economy hurdle looms large for Latham,PRIME Minister John Howard has called an election he cannot confidently predict he will win. But he is a political veteran and has calculated that the six-week campaign is more likely to serve +2,Madrid Masters: Safin beats Nalbandian,"Sunday's final of the Madrid Masters pitted players ranked ninth, Marat Safin, and 10th, David Nalbandian, in the world; both near the top of their games." +1,"Putin Visits Chechnya Before Presidential Vote, Interfax Says","Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Chechnya ahead of presidential elections next Sunday in the southern republic where rebels are fighting to create an independent Islamic state, Interfax reported." +3,Oracle unveils PeopleSoft board candidates,Oracle has revealed the identities of the four people it will nominate to the board of PeopleSoft as it pushes ahead with its efforts to take control of the company. +2,Tigers hit the rock bottom,A career best 143 by wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum enabled touring New Zealand to take a convincing 225-run first innings lead against hosts Bangladesh on the third of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon first Test at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in city +2,Another strong showing from Fernandez duo.,"Only a week after taking his maiden IRL victory, Adrian Fernandez was back on the podium after finishing a strong second in the Honda Indy 225." +1,Hundreds die in commando raid,MORE than 200 people - including children - are believed to have died after the school hostage crisis in Russia came to chaotic and bloody end today. +2,United Reveal Rooney Deal Payments,Manchester United this morning revealed how the contingent payments to Everton for Wayne Rooney will be structured in a statement to the Stock Exchange. +4,Calif. Quake Data Bringing New Insights ,"AP - An unprecedented amount of data from a major Central California earthquake is generating new insight into how and where quakes strike, but hasn't improved scientists' ability to predict them." +1,UN calls for immediate end to Congo fighting,The United Nations called on Monday for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo as fighting between rival army factions flared for a third day. +1,"Via a grave site, Spain relives harsh divisions ","GRANADA, Spain -- On a hillside overlooking the Sierra Nevada mountains, a gnarled olive tree and a simple granite marker stand where historians believe Spain's most celebrated 20th-century poet, Federico Garcia Lorca, was summarily executed and dumped in a communal grave." +3,PeopleSoft Warming To Oracle's Offer?,What Oracle CEO Larry Ellison has longed to hear from PeopleSoft behind closed doors instead floated to the surface in a Delaware courthouse. +4, Most affordable iBook G4,"Anyway, planning to cash in on all the wonderful PR generated by iPod, Apple says starting at $1,000, its iBook features built-in AirPort Extreme, 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4 processors and SuperDrive for burning DVDs, as well as iLife 04 suite quot;for managing " +4,Mozilla's Minimo Prepares to Challenge Opera,"Fresh from their recent successful launch of the open-source Firefox browser, Mozilla may be preparing to challenge Opera for dominance in the mobile browser market, according to a story appearing on ArsTechnica." +4,Sony accepts MP3 format,"Sony has seemingly changed its mind on the MP3 music format, deciding that all new players will be able to play MP3s. Before this decision all music players made by Sony used only the company's proprietary ATRAC format, limiting users choices somewhat." +3,UPDATE 1-US concerned about UAL/pilots deal on pension plan,The US agency that insures corporate pensions is troubled by provisions in a $180 million concession deal between pilots and United Airlines (UALAQ. +4,Flexitronics acquires India's Future Software,CHENNAI - Singapore-based electronics contract maker Flexitronics has acquired telecom software solutions firm Future Software Ltd for an undisclosed amount. +3,KPMG Units Agree to Pay to Settle Malpractice Suits,The American and Belgian arms of KPMG International have agreed to pay $115 million to settle claims of accounting malpractice. +2,English Premiership round-up,Chelsea's drive to claim the club's first English title in half a century gathered pace on Saturday as Newcastle were blown away by four memorable late goals at Stamford Bridge. +4,Delhi issues plea on US sanctions,India asks the US to withdraw sanctions on two scientists accused of selling nuclear technology to Iran. +3,Honeywell to Buy Novar to Expand in Building Products ,"Honeywell International Inc., the world's largest supplier of building controls and thermostats, agreed to buy Novar Plc of the UK for 798 million pounds ($1.53 billion) to expand in security, fire and ventilation systems." +3, Tokyo Stocks End Lower on Profit Taking,Tokyo stocks fell Thursday as investors took profits after five straight sessions of gains. The dollar was down against the Japanese yen. +4,Microsoft Readies Five Windows Fixes,"As part of its new advance warning policy, Microsoft on Thursday said next week's regularly-scheduled patch day will feature five fixes for Windows, none of them more severe than quot;Important." +1,Washington expects message of unity on Iraq from conference,"WASHINGTON, Nov 21 - Washington expects this week's international conference on Iraq to send a strong and unified message of support for the country, according to Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is to attend the meeting." +3,"Oracle raises bid, sets Nov. 19 deadline","Oracle Corp. raised the stakes in its hostile bid for PeopleSoft Inc. Monday by increasing its offer to $24 per share, boosting the value of the proposed merger to $9." +2,Man U breaks off talks with Glazer,"Manchester United broke off talks Monday with American businessman Malcolm Glazer over a possible takeover of the soccer club, saying his bid relied too heavily on borrowed money." +2,Mariners send journeyman lefty Williams to Padres,The 29-year-old Williams was 7-2 for Triple-A Tacoma and made six relief appearances with Seattle after being called up in September. +2,Bundesliga round-up,A headed goal from Lucio in the 88th minute was followed by another from Makaay two minutes into extra time to leave a shocked Dortmund ruing a lost opportunity to beat their arch rivals from the south. +4,Europe Opens Another Inquiry Involving Microsoft,The European Commission has opened an investigation into the planned acquisition of ContentGuard Holdings by Microsoft and Time Warner. +2,Focal point: Bill Parcells vs. Joe Gibbs,"Nobody respects coach Joe Gibbs more than me, but this week I see the Cowboys and coach Bill Parcells having the upper hand. I'm sure Gibbs is going to get the Redskins back to an elite level, but this is just his first season." +2,Hungarian Hammer Thrower Annus Will Not Return Gold, BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian hammer thrower Adrian Annus is refusing to give back his Olympic gold medal after being stripped of his title for failing to take a drugs test. +4,Our Opinion: Fortuitous flood,"Floodgates on Glen Canyon Dam were opened for 90 hours this week, sending 67 billion gallons of water - and 880,000 tons of sediment - into the canyon." +4,Segwaying Across the Country,"Bidding his desk job goodbye, a web designer is taking his Segway scooter on a cross-country trek from Seattle to Boston. Friends are documenting the 10-mile-per-hour trip along the way. By Rachel Metz." +3,Last Call for Investors to Bid on Google,"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time is running out for prospective investors to submit their offers to buy shares of Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , the Web's No. 1 search company. " +2,"Top-seed Myskina eliminated, but Kuznetsova and Petrova advance","Svetlana Kuznetsova, fresh off her championship at the US Open, defeated Australian qualifier Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-4 Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the Wismilak International." +4,Report: North Korea Cracking Down on Mobile Phones (Reuters),"Reuters - North Korea is cracking down on the use\of mobile phones in border areas in a bid to stop smuggling and\""spy activities,"" Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Monday." +1,"8 Dead, 79 Wounded in Chinese Mine Fire","Reportedly a fire in an iron mine in Northern China has killed eight miners and 79 miners are still unable to be reached. According to the news from New Chinese News Agency, five miners managed to escape from " +1,Nonviolent protest offers little hope for Palestinians,"JERUSALEM The arrival in the Middle East of Arun Gandhi, preaching his grandfather Mahatma Gandhi's message of love, brotherhood and nonviolence to conflict-weary Israelis and Palestinians, has raised tentative hopes that the bloody conflict may be " +2,Angels Ship Guillen to Expos (Reuters),Reuters - The Anaheim Angels have\reportedly traded outfielder Jose Guillen to the\Washington-bound Expos in exchange for outfielder Juan Rivera\and a prospect. +3,Google Go Lucky,"One of Googles earliest features was a simple button beneath its search box that reads Im feeling lucky. The intention is for info-hungry masses to enter search terms, click on the lucky button and, voila, land on precisely the web page " +1,Fox hunt protest turns violent,"LONDON -- In the second major security breach in London this week, five fox hunting enthusiasts stormed onto the floor of the House of Commons yesterday to disrupt a debate on banning the centuries-old sport." +1,China mine blast toll rises to 50 as hopes for missing workers ,"CHENJIASHAN MINE, China : The death toll from a blast in a north China coal mine rose to 50 after more than 20 bodies were found as hopes of finding alive another 116 trapped workers all but vanished." +1,Arafat's health worsens,"Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat has been rushed to an intensive care unit at the Paris hospital where he is receiving treatment for a blood disorder, but his life is not in danger, his aides say." +1,"Militants, Israeli Troops Battle in Gaza",A period of relative calm in the Gaza Strip was broken by a nearly hour-long battle between Palestinian militants and Israeli troops that left at least one Israeli soldier and one militant dead. +4,Microsoft defence enters day two,Microsoft's legal fight against EU antitrust penalties enters its second day as focus turns to its media player. +1,Brazil's Economy Expands in 3Q on Exports,"Brazil's economy expanded 6.1 percent in the third quarter compared to same period a year ago, lifted by exports and rising domestic consumer demand, the government said Tuesday." +4,Secure access goes virtual,"Security-conscious IT managers stand to gain a promising new option today, as a novel tool from software virtualisation pioneer VMware enters beta testing." +1,Oklahoma Black Leaders Upset Over Candidate Remark (Reuters),"Reuters - A Republican Senate\candidate from Oklahoma who has run into trouble over verbal\gaffes was drawing fire again on Friday for saying black men\have a ""genetic predisposition"" for a lower life expectancy\than whites." +3,In support of free speech," quot;I don't think we ought to have 527s, quot; President Bush said the other day, referring to the political fund-raising and advocacy organizations that have sprouted in the wake of his signing the anti-free speech McCain-Feingold campaign-finance quot;reform quot; law " +2,Astros don't bank on recent success vs. Cards,ST. LOUIS - Houston was the only team to win a regular-season series from the St. Louis Cardinals. The Astros also are in position to become the third consecutive National League wild-card team to advance to the World Series. +3,Yen Rises on Corporate Sentiment Poll, TOKYO (Reuters) - The yen rose on Friday after a closely watched Bank of Japan (BOJ) survey showed further improvement in Japanese business sentiment. +2,Anaheim Angels Team Report - September 6,(Sports Network) - Anaheim registered a narrow 2-1 win over the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field Sunday night. John Lackey pitched 7 1/3 solid innings to lead the Angels to the victory. +1,Pain of War Draws Bead on New York Region,"Since Nov. 7, 19 servicemen from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have been killed in Iraq." +4,Women Are Making Inroads in Video Game Industry,"Jennifer Canada knew she was entering a boy's club when she enrolled in Southern Methodist University's Guildhall school of video game making. There's one woman besides Canada; the other 98 students were all guys. She jokes the ratio may be great for dating, but she sometimes got lonely." +2,He's a grown Manny,"The prevailing wisdom in Boston in 1999 was that a couple of out-of-town baseball writers robbed Pedro Martinez of that season's Most Valuable Player award. But in Cleveland that year, another player may have robbed himself of the prize: Manny Ramirez." +3,"Perrigo to Buy Agis, a Maker of Generic Prescription Drugs","The Perrigo Company, the world's largest maker of store-branded over-the-counter drugs, reached an agreement to buy Agis Industries, a developer and manufacturer of prescription generic drugs." +3,Ingersoll-Rand to Sell Dresser Unit,Private equity firm First Reserve Corp. continued its buying spree on Thursday by announcing its $1.2 billion purchase of industrial equipment maker Dresser-Rand Co. +4,IBM Introduces New Blade Servers,"IBM has introduced six new models in its BladeCenter server line, including five new HS20 models and a new JS20 blade server. The Intel-based HS20 systems now are equipped with two new, compact " +4,Broadcom warns of Q3 flatness,MAJOR CHIP maker Broadcom (tick: BRCM) said that it has revised its figures for revenues in its third quarter. It said revenues are now expected to be flat or quot;up slightly quot; compared to its second quarter revenues. +2,Final plunge for 10m platform,"There was nothing much to choose between the top four of world silver medallist Helm, Canada's double Commonwealth champion Despatie and 2000 Olympic gold and silver medallists Tian and Hu after Saturday's semi-final round." +2,"Capriati, Federer struggle but win on US Open Day 1","For good or bad, tennis players fortunes change as quickly as the direction of the swirling wind at the US Open. Just ask major champions Jennifer Capriati, Roger Federer and " +4,Readers hail NTL abusive message,<strong>Letters</strong> Not so keen on 'spam-free' email plans +1,Arafat's Legacy,"The outpouring of tributes to Yasser Arafat is marked by two themes: (1) his greatness as creator, sustainer and leader of the Palestinian cause, and (2) the abrupt opening of an opportunity for its success now that he is gone." +3, QUIET RULE MAY CHANGE,The Securities and Exchange Commission wants to scrap a 1933 rule that forces a strict quot;quiet period quot; on all talk about a company just prior to its stock being sold initially to the public. +4,"Allchin: Don't call it ""Shorthorn""","Despite the removal of an advanced file system, Longhorn will not be short on features, Jim Allchin tells CNET News.com." +2,Navy Starts Fast,A 3-0 start hasn't skewed Navy's view of where their season can go if they lose focus according to Coach Paul Johnson. +4,Breaking RSS Semantics,\\Whats wrong with this picture?\\All these URLs return HTTP 200 0K. The only problem is that none of them\actually exist and they're just HTML error pages.\ +4,Retooled Varsity Group Set to Return to Nasdaq,"Shares of Varsity Group Inc., the online bookseller that rose to prominence during the e-commerce boom only to stumble badly, will return to trading on the Nasdaq National Market this morning." +3,E.U. Announces Settlement of Coke Case,The European Union reached a settlement Tuesday of its long-running antitrust case against The Coca-Cola Co. under which the U.S. titan agreed to change sales practices that helped it win roughly half of the soft drink market in Europe. +4,Sun may have captured other system's asteroids,"The sun may have captured millions of asteroids from another planetary system during an encounter more than 4 billion years ago, astronomers report today." +3,UPDATE 2-Gold-backed security streetTRACKS debuts on NYSE,"A gold-backed security named streetTRACKS Gold Shares made a much-hyped debut on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, aimed at attracting the investment capital " +3,Dollar Weakens Against Euro But Off Lows, NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar was weaker against the euro on Tuesday but above record lows reached after remarks by European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet suggested the ECB was unlikely to intervene to stem the euro's rise. +4,Bolden on list to lead NASA,"Columbia native and former astronaut Charles Bolden is on the short list to replace Sean OKeefe, who resigned Monday after three tumultuous years running the nations space program." +4,Small Telecoms Losing Mandated Line Discounts,"Millions of customers may face higher phone bills as a result of an FCC vote Wednesday to phase out discounts that major regional phone companies must give rivals that rent space on the big companies' lines. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>" +2,India to take on Bangladesh,India's first Test against Bangladesh begins on Friday in Dhaka and already all the talk is not on whether India will win but when. +2,Irish eyes look to Louisville,"Notre Dame's search for a football coach appears to have turned from Utah eastward toward Kentucky, where sources familiar with the process said the Irish " +2,Government would back move to punish Jones,THE Australian Government said yesterday it would support any moves from the IOC to strip US sprint queen Marion Jones of the five medals she won at the Sydney Games if she was found guilty of a doping offence. +1,Taiwan denies plutonium testing,TAIPEI - Taiwan denied that the island's nuclear weapons programme - abandoned in the 1980s - involved experimenting with separating plutonium. +3,Funds: Warning Signs for Fund Investors," PORTLAND, Maine (Reuters) - Of the more than 8,000 funds available to investors, some are downright stinkers. Fortunately, it's usually easy to identify the worst of them." +3,ATA may be close to filing bankruptcy,"ATA Airlines Inc. named its top financial executive to the new position of chief restructuring officer as the Indianapolis carrier appeared closer Monday to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, possibly as early as Tuesday." +2,Cink eases to four-shot win at NEC Invitational,"Stewart Cink maintained his composure to register an even par final round score of 70 for a four-shot victory at the $7 million WGC-NEC Invitational on Sunday, his second win of the season." +3,India's 3 Million Truckers Strike Over Planned Tax Increase,"India's three million truck drivers started a strike today to protest a planned tax on cargo transportation by road, prompting local units of Honda Motor Co." +3, Top Citigroup Executives Swap Jobs,"In a move Citigroup Inc. said was aimed at broadening the experience of up-and-coming executives, two of its top managers are swapping jobs." +1,IAEA report positive step: Iran,TEHRAN -- Iran said the UN nuclear watchdog's report Wednesday on Tehran's atomic energy program was a positive step toward clearing up the country's file and demonstrating the peaceful character of the program. +3,British Airways profits soar,"British Airways today reported further progress in its recovery as it made a half-year pre-tax profit of 335m, but said higher fuel costs remained a concern." +4,AP: Israel Cave Linked to John the Baptist ,"AP - Archaeologists think they've found a cave where John the Baptist baptized many of his followers #151; basing their theory on thousands of shards from ritual jugs, a stone used for foot cleansing and wall carvings telling the story of the biblical preacher." +2,Ichiro as exciting as they come,"This record is for all the little guys, for all the players who have to leg out every hit instead of taking a relaxing trot around the bases, for all the batters whose muscles aren't " +3,Oil Prices Retreat From a Record High After Chvez Victory,"Crude oil for delivery next month settled at $46.05 a barrel, down 53 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange after briefly trading at a new high of $46.91 early in the day." +3,High Court ruling opens banks to new card issuers,The US Supreme Court rejected appeals by Visa and MasterCard to overturn a ruling that they violated antitrust rules by barring banks from issuing cards on rival networks. +1,Putin accuses West,"President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of indulging terrorists, just hours after a Chechen warlord claimed responsibility for a wave of deadly attacks in Russia and threatened more." +4,Science oddities go on display,"One of the worlds most bizarre scientific collections has gone on show. From a homemade iron lung to ancient dentists chairs and antique operating tables, it comprises part of the 170,000-odd items in the storerooms of Londons Science Museum." +3,Steel Shares Dive On Price Cuts,"MUMBAI, AUG 23: Shares of steel firms fell in the range of 4 to 7 per cent early on Monday after top producers slashed prices amid government concerns about spiralling inflation, traders said." +1,Seven Marines die in Anbar fighting,"Seven Marines have died in combat in western Iraq. The fighting in Anbar, a vast province including Fallujah and Ramadi, was the deadliest for US forces since eight Marines " +1,Crunch talks for Northern Ireland get under way ,"AFP - All-party talks to revive Northern Ireland's peace process began after two years of stalemate, as Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams predicted a deal despite an alleged spying incident." +3,Ford Posts Profit But Loses Money in Cars," DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=F.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">F.N</A> on Tuesday reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as strength in its finance arm once again offset a loss in its automotive business." +3,Fed speakers reinforce view for rising US interest rates,"CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - The dollar turned mixed, paring broad gains earned Thursday in the wake of US jobless claims data that reinforced expectations for rising US interest rates." +3,Kidde Opens Books to United Technologies,"Kidde PLC, a British fire and safety equipment maker, agreed Wednesday to open its books to United Technologies Corp. after receiving a new takeover offer from the US engineering giant." +3,Trump Has New Plan To Save His Casinos,Donald Trump will invest $71 million of his own money in Trump Hotels amp; Casino Resorts. Bondholders will trade about $575 million in debt for a stake in the casino company. +1,Iran Plans to Resume Nuke Enrichment, VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran said Monday it was losing patience with U.N. inspections of its nuclear program and announced that its agreement with the Europeans to halt uranium enrichment would soon come to an end. +1,Great White Shark Gets Protection,"Oct. 12, 2004 - The great white shark won a bid for protection Tuesday as parties to a global wildlife treaty determined the world's most ferocious deep-sea predator was under threat from excessive and unregulated trade." +4,"Vote Fraud Theories, Spread by Blogs, Are Quickly Buried","Some web logs were swift to provide dark theories about the presidential election, but others were just as quick to debunk them." +2,Trying to Keep Nelsen,MLS and D.C. United are preparing to offer all-star Ryan Nelsen a contract that would make him one of the league's highest-paid defenders. +3,GE Posts Higher Quarterly Profit," BOSTON (Reuters) - General Electric Co. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GE.N</A> on Friday reported higher third-quarter earnings as strength across many of its financial and industrial businesses outweighed hurricane-related insurance losses." +3,"Intel income rose 15, tops expectations","Intel Corp., the worlds largest semiconductor producer, said yesterday its third-quarter profit rose at the slowest pace in five quarters on record stockpile of computer chips, growing competition and slow sales of PCs." +4,BEA buzzing about Beehive (InfoWorld),"InfoWorld - BURLINGAME, CALIF.-- BEA Systems is expanding the open source Beehive initiative but still has no plans to participate in the Eclipse open source tools organization, despite the embrace of Beehive by Eclipse." +3,Venezuela jacks up oil royalties,"Venezuela announced a dramatic increase in royalties for foreign oil companies operating in the petroleum-rich country, El Nacional reported Monday." +3,News Ltd bows to shareholder demands over move to US,The Australian Council of Super Investors was one group that had urged News Corp to include major provisions of Australian corporate law in its proposed new US constitution in order to protect Australian shareholders. +4,Aliens likely to send letters not e-mails!,"WASHINGTON: When extra terrestrials want to tell their fellow beings, back on their mother planets, what earthlings are like, chances are that they will be visiting the nearest post office rather than rushing to the neighbourhood phone booth, as a new " +2,Rangers Sign Hidalgo,"Wanting another bat to support their young players, the Rangers agree to a $5 million, one-year contract with Richard Hidalgo." +3,"UPDATE 4-Krispy Kreme profit plunges, stock hammered","Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.(KKD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday reported a sharp drop in quarterly profit and signaled that business may not recover any " +1,Website video shows beheading of Turkish driver,An Iraqi militant group loyal to al Qaida beheaded a kidnapped Turkish driver and showed the execution video on its website Monday. +1,Bush Makes First Official Visit to Canada,President Bush is on his way to Canada for a two-day trip that will mark his first official visit to America's northern neighbor. +3,Stewart gets new five-year deal,"Martha Stewart may be heading to jail, but the company that oversees her stable of books, magazines and television shows is staying loyal." +4,Sinus Infections Crop Up in Autumn,"Fall marks start of more than cold and flu season HealthDayNews -- Not only is fall the start of the cold and flu season, it's also the time of year when sinus infections become more common. ""The cooler, dry weather associated with the fall allergy season will cause an increase in the frequency and severity of sinus infections and sinus headaches, especially in seasonal allergy sufferers..." +3,UPDATE 2-Anthem gets subpoena from Connecticut atty general,"Anthem Inc. (ATH.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has received a subpoena from the Connecticut attorney general in connection with the state's probe into insurance broker fees, the health insurer said on Tuesday." +1,1.2 Million Warned to Leave New Orleans,"NEW ORLEANS - More than 1.2 million people in metropolitan New Orleans were warned to get out as 140-mph Hurricane Ivan churned toward the Gulf Coast, threatening to submerge this below-sea-level city in what could be the most disastrous storm to hit in nearly 40 years. Residents streamed inland in bumper-to-bumper traffic in an agonizingly slow exodus Tuesday amid dire warnings that Ivan could overwhelm New Orleans with up to 20 feet of filthy, chemical-polluted water..." +1,Italy maintains commitment to Iraq despite killing of hostage,Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he is determined to keep up Italy's efforts in Iraq despite the execution of an Italian hostage. +4,Researchers Find New Species of Bird,"MANILA, Philippines - Filipino and British wildlife researchers say they've stumbled upon what appears to be a new species of flightless bird found only on the tiny forested island of Calayan in the northern ..." +3,Tories unveil pensions crisis plan,The Conservatives today unveiled an eight-point plan to quot;restore our saving culture quot; ahead of the publication tomorrow of the government's long-awaited Turner report on pensions. +4,War Of The Worms: Windows Worms Dominate The 2004 Virus Charts,"Sophos, a world leader in protecting businesses against viruses and spam, has released a report revealing the hardest hitting viruses of 2004." +1,Laos hosts annual Asean meeting,The heads of state of 10 South East Asian countries are meeting in Laos capital Vientiane for the annual summit of regional grouping Asean. +2,Pitcher Shot in Leg,Rookie Kyle Denney was hit in the calf by a shot that came through the side of the Indians' bus Wednesday as the team traveled to the airport after a victory over the Royals. +4,Sun to tout Wall Street wins in September,"Struggling Sun Microsystems will try to show next month that it still has a lot of friends in the financial community. On Sept. 21, the Mountain View, Calif." +1,Witnesses: U.S. Warplanes Bomb Fallujah ,"AP - U.S. warplanes bombed the volatile city of Fallujah early Tuesday, and flames and plumes of smoke rose from its southern neighborhoods, witnesses said. The U.S. military had no immediate comment." +3,Grows UK customer base while seeing more churn,LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Mobile operator Mmo2 on Thursday said it was lifting its service revenue forecast in Britain after a strong first half. +3,Fannie Mae Execs Testify on Hill,"Description: Top Fannie Mae executives defend the company's accounting practices in Congress. CEO Franklin Raines denied allegations the company had manipulated its books, telling lawmakers the controversy " +3,California joins insurance industry crackdown,California's insurance regulator has unveiled new rules to prevent brokers from taking secret commissions to steer customers to certain policies. +3,WPP says it won bid,"WPP said on Sunday that it had won the bidding for Grey Global Group, the seventh-largest agency company, ending a summer-long takeover battle in which it outlasted Havas of France and a US private equity firm, Hellman Friedman." +4,Think your spam is a problem? Think again.,"According to Microsoft's Chief Executive, Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates is number one in the amount of spam a person gets. According to the Microsoft CEO, Gates gets over four million messages a day, most of which are junk." +1,Cambodia's coronation under way,Cambodia's new King Sihamoni is anointed by his father as his coronation day gets under way. +2,Critics don't faze Mourinho,Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has insisted that he would not be concerned if the Blues became the most disliked club in the country - as that would only make them even stronger. +3,Growth Rate in Health Cost to Employers Slowed in '04,"After years of double-digit cost increases, employers are seeing a significant slowing in the rate of growth in what they pay for employee health insurance." +4,Intel looks to the high end,roundup The firm makes over its Pentium 4 Extreme Edition and gets ready to unveil a new top-of-the-line Itanium 2 for servers.\<br />\ Photo: Dell's 'Extreme' machine\ +1,Thai hospitals on alert for more bird flu cases,Hospitals and health officials across Thailand have been placed on high alert to monitor for any cases of human-to-human transmission of the deadly bird flu virus. +4,First Lady Bashes John Kerry's Pro Stem Cell Stance,"By RON FOURNIER LANGHORNE, Pa. -- First lady Laura Bush defended her husband's policy on embryonic stem cell research Monday, calling Democratic rival John Kerry's criticism ""ridiculous"" and accusing proponents of overstating the potential for medical breakthroughs..." +3,United pilots cooperation on pensions expected to affect other ,"CHICAGO _ The leaders of United Airlines pilots union have agreed to accept a 15 percent pay cut and not oppose the elimination of their pension plan, setting a precedent both " +3,Bio council hopes prez is good cell,He's a high-profile figure with national contacts and an unrivaled understanding of how to move the Legislature. That's why the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council overlooked his opposition on stem-cell research +3,US Judge issues restraining order on Yukos unit auction,"NEW YORK, December 17 (newratings.com) - A US bankruptcy court yesterday granted the beleaguered Russian oil giant, OAO Yukos Oil Co (YUSA." +4,IBM to Quit Making PCs,"An era will come to an end when IBM sells off its computer manufacturing business, according to The New York Times. A Chinese company seems the likely buyer, and the deal should fetch upward of $2 billion." +1,Bigleys brother pleads with Blair,"PAUL Bigley, brother of the Iraqi hostage Ken, last night appealed to Tony Blair to quot;pick up the bloody phone quot; to save his brother's life." +2,Athens champion album - Aug. 21 (1),"Britain's Yngling crew Shirley Robertson (M), Sarah Webb (R) and Sarah Ayton celebrate at award ceremony after winning the first title at the Athens Olympic Games on August 21, 2004." +3,Tyco turns corner over year-ago period,Industrial conglomerate Tyco International Ltd. swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit on a double-digit jump in sales and on lower one-time charges compared with the year-ago quarter. +3,Nikkei Seen Moving Little," TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo stocks will probably move little on Thursday amid worries over higher oil prices and their possible impact on global economies, but the market will be supported by bargain hunting following recent sharp losses." +1,Putin's Kiev visit timed to influence Ukraine poll ,"Vladimir Putin began a state visit to Kiev yesterday with a television interview in which he held out the possibility of favourable treatment to Ukrainians, a move thought likely to be helpful to the pro-Moscow candidate in next Sunday's presidential " +2,Guscott backs Woodward move,Former England centre Jeremy Guscott has tipped Sir Clive Woodward to be a success if he does move into football. Woodward resigned as England rugby coach on Wednesday and has been linked with a move to football +2,NHL Lockout Looming As Talks Break Off ,AP - The NHL and the players' association appeared headed toward a lockout when talks broke off Thursday after the union's first new proposal in nearly a year. +4,"Deer, Raccoons Are the Top Crop Raiders ","AP - Purdue University researchers who set up cameras in fields to catch wild animals in the act of gobbling up crops found that deer and raccoons #151; not wild turkeys, as many farmers believe #151; are the greediest crop-raiders." +3,Oil soars above 47 on US supply jitters,PARIS Oil prices climbed to another high on Wednesday after figures showed US crude supplies were down for a third straight week while a report from OPEC highlighted the threat of high oil prices for world economies. +1,Hassan Pleads for Her Life,"British-Iraqi hostage Margaret Hassan made an emotional appeal for British forces to withdraw from Iraq, in a videotape broadcast on Arabic television channel Al Jazeera on Friday." +1,UN envoy discusses Fallujah fighting with Iraqi president,"17 November 2004 - The top United Nations envoy for Iraq today discussed the situation in Fallujah with Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar, focusing on humanitarian conditions in the town and the impact of the hostilities on the civilian population " +4,Dell Soars To Four-Year Highs,"Shares of Dell (Quote, Chart) soared 8.5 Friday to their highest level in more than four years, as investors cheered the company's strong results and bullish outlook." +3,Northwest Pilots OK 265 Mln Concession (Reuters),"Reuters - The pilots union at Northwest Airlines\Corp. , the No. 4 U.S. air carrier, ratified a 265\million concession package that includes 15 percent pay cuts,\the union said on Friday." +3,"Limited Ups Earnings View, Buyback Offer"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Limited Brands Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=LTD.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">LTD.N</A> on Monday increased its earnings forecast for the third quarter due to a bigger-than-forecast tax benefit and increased the offer price in a $2 billion share buyback." +3,Gulf states must step up monetary union drive - IMF,"JEDDAH: Oil-rich Gulf Arab states need to tackle the growing challenge of unemployment and step up efforts towards their goal of a monetary union, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Saturday." +4,Excess Chip Stockpiles Surge Above $1 Bln -ISuppli," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Surplus stockpiles of semiconductors ballooned 38 percent to $1.1 billion in the third quarter, according to preliminary estimates by market research firm iSuppli." +2,Real to complete bomb threat match,Real Madrid will play the final seven minutes of their Primera Liga match against Real Sociedad next month after a bomb threat forced the evacuation of their Bernabeu stadium yesterday. +4,Mozilla Released Thunderbird 1.0,"The Mozilla Foundation (www.mozilla.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving choice and promoting innovation on the Internet, today announced the worldwide availability of the Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0 email client." +1,Boy rescued from earthquake rubble wants mom,"The 2-year-old boy rescued after being under rubble for four days after an earthquake in Japan, keeps asking about his mother. quot;When will my mom come?" +4,Q A: Worthington Industries CIO Jonathan Dove on ERP upgrade,Worthington Industries CIO Jonathan Dove tells Computerworld that he sees the role of the CIO changing. +3,Bush Allies May Defect Over Fiscal Proposals,"As the White House opens a two-day conference to promote its second-term fiscal priorities, powerful interest groups that once supported Bush are either working to undercut him or are wary of his proposals." +2,"NHL Players, Owners to Meet in Bid to Salvage Season",National Hockey League owners will meet with representatives from the players union on Thursday in what is seen as a final bid to end a lockout and save the NHL season. +2,"Kite goes everywhere, but stays at the top","Friday's lesson of the day at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship: When in doubt, fight back. If still in doubt, fight back some more." +4,Microsoft Ready to Remove Media Player,Software giant will follow court orders and comply with EU's demands if necessary. +3,Cap Gemini Said to Weigh Selling Unit in America,"Cap Gemini, the Paris-based technology consulting and outsourcing giant, is considering a sale of its struggling business in North America." +2,"Redskins, Lions Underway","The Redskins, struggling on offense but with no plans to change quarterbacks, and Lions are underway in Detroit. The Lions won the toss and took the ball, and quickly got a first down on a 17-yard reception " +2,Holmes runs on despite mixed feelings over future,Kelly Holmes has admitted to mixed feelings about her future as it dawns on her that she will never be able to top winning two Olympic gold medals. +4,Motorola/Apple Phone Details,"Forbes.com is reporting details on the rumored Motorola/Apple music phone, as told to them by Apple VP of Applications Eddy Cue. Referring to the new device, Cue was quoted as saying: quot;What we've talked about " +3,Pep Boys Stock Down After Earnings Miss,"Shares of auto parts retailer Pep Boys-Manny, Moe amp; Jack (PBY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) fell 10 percent on Thursday, a day after it said earnings dropped 48 percent last quarter on more struggles in its service operations, missing " +2,Pitcher presumably suffered injury on two-run single,"PHILADELPHIA -- Considering the number of times Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens were mentioned in the same breath this year, perhaps it's only fitting they should both make headlines with their respective injuries on the same ..." +1,Blair: 'Casinos will bring jobs',"Allowing dozens of casinos to be built in the UK would bring investment and thousands of jobs, Tony Blair says." +4,Product Review: IBM ThinkPad X40 (NewsFactor),NewsFactor - The ultra-portable sector of the notebook industry over the last few years has become a showcase for the engineering prowess of the world's largest computer companies. +1,Powell Attacks European NATO Allies on Iraq (Reuters),Reuters - Secretary of State Colin Powell\accused European allies of undermining NATO on Thursday by\refusing to allow staff seconded to the alliance to take part\in its military training mission in Iraq. +2,Samford Tops West Alabama 34-20 in Opener ,AP - Ray Nelson threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns and Samford defeated West Alabama 34-20 on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams. +1,Verdict due on Iran nuclear plans,"The UN nuclear watchdog is to release a report into Iran's nuclear plans, as Tehran says it will halt uranium enrichment." +4,3 Americans Share Nobel Prize for Physics,"Three Americans shared the Nobel Prize for Physics for their work in increasing science's understanding of the forces that bind together the smallest pieces of matter, known as quarks." +1,Palestinians ready to work with any US administration,"PARIS, Nov 3 - The Palestinian Authority is ready to work with whoever emerges as the winner of the US presidential race as long as he is prepared to push forward the Middle East peace process, a senior adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat " +1,UN's Kofi Annan Under Fire for Oil-for-Food Scandal,Description: A US senator is calling for the resignation of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Annan is being accused of fraud and lack of oversight in the Iraq oil-for-food program. +1,Plane Diverted to London on Bomb Threat ,"AP - A bomb threat that mentioned Iraq forced a New York-bound Greek airliner to make an emergency landing Sunday at London's Stansted Airport escorted by military jets, authorities said." +2,World's Fastest Men Take Center Stage at Games,"For 10 pulsating seconds, the fastest men on earth take center stage on Sunday at the Olympics to run for the ultimate prize -- the 100 meters gold medal." +4,Sony selects NVIDIA for Playstation 3 chips,"NEW YORK, December 8 (newratings.com) - Sony Corp (SNE.NYS) named NVIDIA yesterday as the supplier of the graphics chips required for its upcoming Playstation 3 video game console." +1,"Blunkett resigns, Charles Clarke new home secretary:","World News: London, Dec 16 : British Prime Minister Tony Blair moved quickly to fill the political vacuum created by David Blunkett's resignation as home secretary, appointing Education Secretary Charles Clarke in his place." +4,AMD demos first dual-core processor,"Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) has demonstrated the company's first dual-core microprocessors at its Austin, Texas, office, the company said Tuesday." +4,Source: Hollywood to Sue Server Operators,"LOS ANGELES Dec 14, 2004 - The US film industry is preparing to sue computer server operators in the United States and Europe who help relay digitized movie files across online file-sharing networks, a source familiar with the movie studios plans said " +4,Siemens Snaps up Chantry,"Siemens (Quote, Chart) will acquire wireless LAN technology player Chantry Networks to fill out its HiPath lineup, executives said Thursday." +3,FCC Fines 2 Networks For Violating Limits On Kids Show Ads,"Children's television networks owned by Viacom and Disney have agreed to pony up $1 million and $500,000, respectively, to end Federal Communications Commission investigations into whether " +3,Canon Problems Ease Fears of LCD Glut (Reuters),"Reuters - Japan's Canon Inc. said on Thursday\it had found problems with equipment for making liquid crystal\displays (LCDs), boosting shares in LG.Philips and other LCD\makers as fears of a supply glut eased." +4,Large Binocular Telescope Dedicated in Arizona,"A troubled, 20-year journey to create the world's most powerful optical telescope is nearing an end, with astronomers hoping to begin using the instrument to look for heavenly breakthroughs early next year." +3,"India's growth target lowered, anti-inflation measures unveiled:","Business India: Mumbai, Oct 26 : India's growth forecast for the current fiscal was Tuesday lowered to 6-6.5 percent by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which also unveiled measures to arrest the inflation rate." +2,FA probe into new violence,London's football fans were back in the spotlight again today after a second successive night of crowd trouble in the capital. +4,Cornell researchers make the earth move to study quake forces,"With a sudden shudder, the ground collapsed and the pipe pushed upward, buckling into a humped shape as Cornell University scientists produced the first simulated earthquake " +1,"U.S., Iraqis Battle Resistance in Samarra","SAMARRA, Iraq - Sporadic gunfire echoed through this Sunni Muslim stronghold Saturday as U.S. and Iraqi forces battled pockets of resistance a day after launching what appeared to be the first major push to regain control of a string of cities before elections in January..." +1,Flood-Hit Filipinos Seek Safety as Typhoon Nears (Reuters),Reuters - Residents of flood-hit\Philippine towns scrambled to higher ground Thursday as the\most powerful typhoon this year threatened to cause more\destruction after floods and landslides killed up to 600\people. +1,Pre-Election Tensions Mount in Florida ,"AP - Pre-election tensions mounted Thursday in Florida amid claims of voter intimidation, promises that absentee ballots will reach the Broward County citizens who are missing them, and concerns that Republicans will question the authenticity of thousands of votes on Election Day." +4,"She Loves You; well, Virtually","Hong Kong-based phone technology firm, Artificial Life, has announced the upcoming release of its new 3G game Virtual Girlfriend. Virtual Girlfriend is a mobile phone game that is based on intelligent animated " +4,AMD Introduces Low-Cost Net Access Device in India (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. chip maker Advanced Micro Devices\Inc. has introduced a low-cost Internet access device\that could cost just a few hundred dollars, aimed at first-time\technology users in the developing world." +2,"After decades of longing, generations can rejoice","At 11:33 am yesterday, in a mist of rain and confetti, a boy and his father watched history being made. The boy was 45 years old, his dad 77." +2,European Tour Investigating Ballesteros,"The European tour is investigating Seve Ballesteros, who is accused of assaulting another Spanish golfer off the course during an amateur tournament last month." +3,Eisner to retire Will assist ,"Michael D. Eisner, the chief executive who helped turn the Walt Disney Co. into the world's second-largest media conglomerate but has come under fire recently for its financial slump, announced plans yesterday to retire in two years." +3, Insurers Suffer Record Catastrophe Losses,"The property insurance industry sustained record third-quarter losses this year after a series of storms, including a string of hurricanes, according to an actuarial firm's preliminary estimate." +1,X-Prize craft set for space shot,The race for the $10m Ansari X-Prize begins in earnest on Wednesday as SpaceShipOne prepares to rocket to more than 100km above the Earth. +3,Global server sales up 5.5 in Q3,"NEW YORK: Global computer server sales rose 5.5 per cent in the third quarter to $11.5 billion (6.2 billion) from a year ago, but growth was flat in dollar terms from the second quarter, market research firm IDC has said." +3,Hollinger International to refile looting case against ex-CEO,"CHICAGO - Newspaper publisher Hollinger International Inc. said Thursday it intends to refile the bulk of its dismissed case against ousted CEO Conrad Black and associates, intent on winning back hundreds " +1,Pope struggles at shrine Mass,"LOURDES, France -- A sick man among the sick, Pope John Paul II struggled yesterday through Sunday Mass at a French shrine that draws desperate people seeking miracle cures. The 84-year-old pontiff gasped, trembled, and asked aides for help during the 2-hour service in the sizzling heat." +3,IMF board OKs Argentine repayment delay-IMF source,"The International Monetary Fund board on Friday agreed to a request by Argentina to reschedule $1 billion in loan repayments, IMF sources said on condition of anonymity." +3,"Payrolls Grow, But Miss Target","(CBS/AP) The Labor Department said Friday that employers payrolls increased by 96,000 overall in September while the unemployment rate held steady at 5.4 percent." +2,"On His Way to 700, Bonds Keeps Walking","Barry Bonds set a record Saturday night that no one cared to see. For the 199th time this season, he took ball four." +4,Maiden flight scrubbed again for Delta 4 rocket,"The maiden flight of Boeing's new Delta 4 heavy-lift rocket is expected to be delayed until the week of Dec. 19. Sunday, for the second day in a row, the booster's planned " +1,Aftershocks continue to rattle Japan,"Aftershocks shook central Japan Monday as the death toll from Saturday's earthquakes rose to 25, with more than 21,000 injured." +3,Fiat cash from GM for option would be modest-SP,"Any cash that Italy's Fiat (FIA.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) may gain from agreeing to scrap an option to sell its loss-making car unit Fiat Auto to General Motors Corp." +4,Swiss cast votes online in referendum,"Swiss authorities hailed as a success a test of Internet voting in a national referendum, even as computer security experts remain skeptical that any online balloting could ever be secure using current technologies." +2,Eagles' McDougle Has Irregular Heartbeat ,AP - Philadelphia defensive end Jerome McDougle missed practice Friday because of an irregular heartbeat and was doubtful for the Eagles' game this weekend against Cleveland. +1,Russia will continue its nuclear energy cooperation with Iran,MOSCOW A senior Russian official says his country is going to continue its nuclear energy cooperation with Iran in spite of concern that Tehran could be trying to develop atomic weapons. +1,Thousands Left Homeless by Storm Face Housing Shortage,Disaster relief agencies in Florida are beginning to confront one of their most difficult problems: finding long-term housing for thousands of displaced residents. +4,New Allergy Vaccine Shows Promise,"In the first trial of its kind, Austrian researchers have achieved success with an allergy vaccine using genetically engineered pollen. The findings are reported in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." +3,'Retired' Rapper Finds a Job Atop Def Jam,"Proving yet again that he is the hardest-working retiree in music, the rap megastar Jay-Z has agreed to become the president of Universal Music Group's Def Jam Recordings label." +1,U.S. Drug Lobby Group Taps Tauzin for Top Job (Reuters),"Reuters - The former chairman of the U.S.\House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, who\earlier this year ended negotiations to head the pharmaceutical\industry's top lobby after critics questioned the ethics of the\move, has now accepted the post, the group said on Wednesday." +3,Shake-down in low-cost sector,"The plight of Polish low-cost carrier Air Polonia, which ceased operating on Sunday, is not the only warning that the wave of new capacity launched earlier this year serving the new European Union member states was over-ambitious." +1,Does the U.S. Need the Draft?,"Both Bush and Kerry say no. But with America tied down in Iraq, military officials say they may need more troops to win the war -- and the next one" +2,Rangers Beat Staggering Orioles 6-4 ,"AP - John Wasdin pitched six strong innings in his return from the minors, and the Texas Rangers handed Baltimore its 11th consecutive loss by beating the Orioles 6-4 Friday night." +4,Oracle buys PeopleSoft for $10 billion,"Ening a bitter battle, PeopleSoft's board has finally approved a deal worth around $10 billion Oracle says." +3,$12 million payment over allegations in sales to military ,BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- First Command has reached a $12 million settlement with federal regulators for making misleading statements and omitting important information when selling mutual funds to US military personnel. +3,"2nd UPDATE: Xstrata Bids A\$7.4B For WMC, Rivals Circle","MELBOURNE (Dow Jones)--Swiss-based Xstrata Plc (XTA.LN) Thursday put WMC Resources Ltd. (WMR.AU) in play, offering A\$7.4 billion for the Australian miner that represents the start of a long bidding war." +2,High noon decision for Gerrard,Sven-Goran Eriksson will delay any decision about Steven Gerrard's involvement in tomorrow night's World Cup qualifier against Austria until a few hours before the match. +3,"UK ; Dollar Wins Reprieve, Data Weighs on Yen","UK News, LONDON - The dollar won a reprieve against other major currencies on Tuesday, bouncing off last week's record low versus the euro as markets grew cautious ahead of words from the European Central Bank chief and US data." +1,Judging Error Led to Paul Hamm's Gold,"ATHENS, Greece - Paul Hamm's gold medal just lost its luster. A scoring mistake at the all-around gymnastics final cost South Korea's Yang Tae-young the gold that ended up going to Hamm, the International Gymnastics Federation ruled Saturday..." +2,Kaneria gives Pakistan the edge,"Sri Lanka were 361 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 91, at close of play on the fourth day of the second Test against Pakistan at Karachi on Sunday." +2,Keller leads relay upset of Aussies,"ATHENS - Klete Keller says he likes to run with the bulls. Talks a little bull, too. But he doesn't kid around in the water. " +2,Lehman named as American Ryder captain,Tom Lehman has been given the job of leading the 2006 American Ryder Cup team as the try to restore some pride after their heaviest ever Ryder Cup defeat. +4,Vodafone targets iPod generation,"Young adults are the prime target of Vodafone's first video phones, which supports music downloads and TV clips." +4,O2 announces two new xda devices,O2 has unveiled two new devices that aim to build on the success of the popular xda II handheld/mobile phone. O2's new xda IIs will be available in the UK and Ireland on 1 November at a cost of around 449 (inc. +4,European supermarket chain extends RFID push,"Tesco will use the technology in more stores, focusing this time on tracking cases and pallets, rather than individual items." +2,Rangers beat Royals for seventh straight,"KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If his inconsiderate neighbor would just lose that noisy alarm clock, there's no telling how many home runs David Dellucci might hit. " +2,Arrington's status still uncertain,"LaVar Arrington's right knee wasn't aggravated enough to affect his status for Sunday's game, but apparently it will be enough to keep him out of practice." +1,NATO Struggles to Find Troops for Missions ,"AP - NATO foreign ministers pledged Thursday to speed the expansion of alliance peacekeeping in Afghanistan and boost military training for Iraq, but failed to come up immediately with the troops for both operations." +3,Stale Wonder Bread?,Rancid revenues and restatements leave the bread and Twinkies maker on the verge of bankruptcy. +1,Hmong ordered from Thai camp,"Soldiers order about 1,500 ethnic Hmong people to leave a refugee camp in central Thailand." +1,"Mass whale strandings found in Australia, NZ","Mass strandings of marine mammals have occurred in Australia and New Zealand this week, proving an earlier predication made by Australian scientists, New Zealand Press Association said Wednesday." +4,Search engine for developers is hailed,"An Eclipse IDE plug-in that would provide search capabilities specifically for developers is being readied by a University of California, Berkeley computer science professor.<p>ADVERTISEMENT</p><p><img src=""http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/idg.us.ifw.general/sbcspotrssfeed;sz=1x1;ord=200301151450?"" width=""1"" height=""1"" border=""0""/><a href=""http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;9228975;9651165;a?http://www.infoworld.com/spotlights/sbc/main.html?lpid0103035400730000idlp"">SBC Case Study: Crate Barrel</a><br/>What sold them on improving their network? A system that could cut management costs from the get-go. Find out more.</p>" +2,Nallen Loses in Playoff,"TUCSON, Ariz. (ussid) Former University of Arizona men's golfer Chris Nallen lost in 19 holes in the semifinals of match play at the 2004 United States Amateur Championship Saturday at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY." +3,"Finally, A Boeing-Airbus Showdown",The European Jetmaker Has Long Skirted Subsidy Rules. Now Washington's WTO Complaint Will Drag That Abuse Into The Light Of Day. +1,Nepal opposition calls for truce to end blockade,Nepal's main opposition party urged the government on Monday to call a unilateral ceasefire with Maoist rebels and seek peace talks to end a road blockade that has cut the capital off from the rest of the country. +2,Highlands Snaps 25-Game Losing Streak ,"AP - It was known simply as ""The Streak"" in northern New Mexico, a 25-game skid that began in November 2001. And now it's finally over." +1,Kerry mounts furious counter-offensive on security ,"AFP - Democrat John Kerry has mounted a furious counter-attack against George W. Bush on national security, seeking to regain momentum in their heated presidential race two weeks before polling day." +4,"Microsoft, ISV Partners Gear Up For Virtual Server 2005","Microsoft will join with ISV partners Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Computer Associates International and Veritas Software to unveil a host of management add-ons for its Virtual Server 2005, which will launch next week." +3,"Report: Calif economy will see growth in 2005, but danger looms","LOS ANGELES A report says California's economy will see solid growth next year, but danger looms. The quarterly UCLA Anderson Forecast says the state's fortunes could change if the national economy falters " +4,Microsoft previews 'Whitehorse' developer tools,"The tools, part of an upcoming Visual Studio update, are focused on making it easier to create customized Web applications." +1,Loyalist admits Finucane murder,"A man accused of murdering a Belfast solicitor in 1989 pleads guilty, as his trial is about to get under way in the city. " +1,Israeli Army Raid Into Gaza Kills 5 Palestinians,"Israeli tanks and troops raided southern Gaza on Friday in response to increasing Palestinian mortar attacks, killing at least five Palestinians and prompting hundreds to flee their homes, witnesses and medics said." +1,Sudan protests at EU sanctions threat,"KHARTOUM, Oct 12 - The Sudanese foreign ministry summoned the European Union's delegation chief on Tuesday to protest at a renewed threat of EU sanctions over the crisis in Darfur." +1,Britons would vote overwhelmingly for Kerry in US election: poll ,"AFP - British voters would turf President George W. Bush out of office in favour of John Kerry by an overwhelming majority if the November 2 US election was being held in their country, a poll said." +4,EU Suspends Microsoft-ContentGuard Review," BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has stopped the clock on its review of Microsoft and Time Warner's purchase of U.S. anti-piracy software maker ContentGuard, a spokesman for the EU executive said on Tuesday." +3,Dollar Fall Gathers Momentum," LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar fell to an eight-month low against the euro on Thursday, also setting multi-month lows versus the yen, sterling and the Swiss franc amid worries the U.S. economy was not growing enough to support its currency." +1,"Six Palestinians Killed in New Fighting in Gaza, West Bank","Six Palestinians died in renewed violence across the Gaza Strip and West Bank on Thursday, according to Palestinian officials, as a private group " +2,Harrington Shows Form to Win German Masters," COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - Ireland's Padraig Harrington demonstrated his return to form five days before the Ryder Cup, with victory in the German Masters on Sunday." +2,Mallorca fires coach after string of poor results in Spanish ,"Mallorca fired coach Benito Floro on Monday after a string of poor results in the Spanish league, the team said on its website. Club president Mateu Alemany said the board of directors decision was unanimous." +3,Nigeria bars Halliburton contracts,"Nigeria said on Monday it had banned the awarding of government contracts to Halliburton, the world's second-largest oil services firm, following the theft of two radioactive devices from its Nigerian subsidiary." +1,Militants in video threaten to kill journalist,"BAGHDAD -- A militant group said it has kidnapped a missing Western journalist with Boston-area ties and would kill him if US forces did not leave the holy Shi'ite city of Najaf within 48 hours, Al-Jazeera reported yesterday." +4,Cellphone That Detects Bad Breath,"Siemens Mobile, the German telecommunications company, has announced that it is working on a mobile phone that makes users aware when they have bad breath." +1,German fringe parties make gains,"Parties on the far right and left made gains in two state elections Sunday in Germany, with voters delivering a rebuke to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats as he tries to rein in German welfare programs." +1,French Relations in Africa Faces Threat ,"AP - For more than 100 years, French families have made their homes in this tropical country, rich in coffee and cocoa. Its main city, with its towering skyscrapers, crisp croissants and fine wines, became known as the Paris of West Africa." +1,EU Cannot Start Entry Talks With Turkey Unless it Reforms Penal ,"The European Union has made clear to Turkey that it cannot start negotiations on joining the union, until Ankara reforms its penal code." +2,NL Wrap: Ramirez Lifts Cubs Over Astros After Wood Exit,Aramis Ramirez hit a three-run homer as the Chicago Cubs survived the ejection of starting pitcher Kerry Wood to defeat the Astros 11-6 in National League play in Houston on Sunday. +4,Microsoft Gets Good Grades on SP2 (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Service Pack 2 for Windows XP is one of the company's most ambitious operating system updates ever, and -- as expected -- some experts already have discovered security vulnerabilities in the giant patch." +3,Ryanair profits soar to record,"Budget airline Ryanair today announced record half-year profits, but said it remained cautious about the rest of the year. The Dublin-based carrier said profits after tax " +2,Browns WR Andre' Davis Out With Toe Injury ,AP - Browns wide receiver Andre' Davis sat out Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles because of an injured left big toe. +2,Golf: Thank Dodd I'm getting better,"For starters, he moved into the final round of the European Tour's China Open in the lead - a lofty position he has never occupied." +3,"No winners in Powerball, Hoosier Lotto","INDIANAPOLIS -- None of the tickets sold for the latest Hoosier Lotto game matched all six numbers drawn, so the jackpot grows to an estimated $7 million for Wednesday's drawing." +3,"US House, Senate agree on corporate tax bill",US Senate and House of Representatives negotiators agreed on Wednesday on a huge corporate tax bill that will repeal export subsidies that violate global trade rules and give manufacturers a new tax break. +4,Nintendo DS Box Art,"The full archive of completed, final boxes for Nintendo's launch line-up. All in glorious high resolution. October 20, 2004 - Every day brings us one day closer to the launch of the Nintendo DS system." +4,Tiny L.E.D.'s Grow Into Mighty Theatrical Lights,Lamina Ceramics plans to introduce a light- emitting diode array with heat-reduction tech- nology that allows it to be as bright as a theatrical light without a meltdown. +3,"Hurricane, Oil Worries Pressure Stocks", NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks struggled to make gains on Tuesday as oil prices rose and investors feared economic fallout from Hurricane Ivan as it roared into the Gulf of Mexico toward a possible landfall in the United States. +2,Sportsview: Sutton Gets Ryder Cup Bill ,"AP - When U.S. captain Hal Sutton sent Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson out as his lead pair in the Ryder Cup, he didn't even want to think about what would happen if they got beat." +3,New OT rules to take effect,"In an unprecedented overhaul of the nations overtime pay rules, the Bush administration is delivering to its business allies an election-year plum theyve sought for decades." +1,UN: Sudan has failed to rein in Janjaweed,"New York - Sudan's government has not stopped attacks on quot;terrorised and traumatised quot; civilians in the Darfur region, United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan has said." +4,Attacks on Windows PC's Grew in First Half of 2004,"A survey of Internet vulnerabilities to be released Monday shows a sharp jump in attacks on Windows-based personal computers during the first six months of 2004, along " +1,IAEA Diplomats See Agreement on Iran Next Week,"The International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors has put off a resolution on Iran's nuclear program until Monday, to allow more time for European countries and Tehran to finalize a deal to freeze Iran's uranium enrichment program." +3,Woolworths beats rival to buy liquor company,SINGAPORE The takeover battle for Australian Leisure amp; Hospitality Group and its liquor stores appeared to come to an abrupt end on Tuesday as the retailer Coles Myer handed its rival Woolworths what analysts said might prove a Pyrrhic victory. +3,Star Alliance airlines may delay orders to hear more about Airbus ,"C-117 writes quot;The 15 Star Alliance member carriers decided to move ahead with a complete analysis and comparison of the Boeing 7E7 and Airbus A350, which could be seen as a setback for Boeing, as several airlines may delay potential orders while waiting " +3,Crude oil prices fall slightly on better crude supplies,"Crude oil prices fell slightly Friday, ending lower this week as worries about low winter fuel inventories dissipated amid rising oil stockpiles." +4,NASA scramjet smashes speed record,NASA's X-43A scramjet programme successfully smashed its own world speed record for aircraft by flying at nearly 10 times the speed of sound. +4,CA polishes up BrightStor products,Computer Associates on Monday announced it is upgrading and consolidating its storage management software line. The computer software giant is offering 13 new versions of its BrightStor storage management +2,Spain on top in Seville,Rafael Nadal has repaid the faith shown in him by defeating Andy Roddick in four sets to hand Spain a 2-0 lead after the first day of the Davis Cup final in Seville. +2,Spurrier named football coach at South Carolina,"One day after his good friend Lou Holtz announced his retirement, Spurrier on Tuesday was named the Gamecocks new football coach." +4,House Backs Crack Down on Video Voyeurs ,"AP - Calling video voyeurism the new frontier of stalking, the House on Tuesday approved legislation to make it a crime to secretly photograph or videotape people, often for lascivious purposes." +2,Babson seeks repeat,"Last year, Babson captured the New England Women and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament championship in dramatic fashion." +4,Cisco plans to open a RD center in Japan,Cisco is continuing their plans to establish a dominating position in the Japanese market. They recently signed a hardware deal with local player Fujitsu to manufacture high-end routers and switches for the local market. +2,Megson drafts in lawyers to settle contract,Gary Megson is preparing to take legal action against West Bromwich Albion to end his contractual dispute with the club and clear the way for a new job. +4,Apples iPod takes a bite of hip culture,"Short of an actual prize, one of the most coveted handouts at this years Grammy Awards, Academy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards was the iPod music player stashed in celebrity goody bags." +4,Honor System Used for Flu Shots at U.S. Chain Stores,"By GRETCHEN PARKER BALTIMORE -- At the Walgreens flu shot clinic, the honor system is in place. If you tell nurses there you have a chronic heart problem, you can get a shot..." +1,Senior Sunni cleric assassinated in Baghdad's Sadr City,"A senior Sunni cleric was kidnapped and killed in the Shiite slum of Sadr City in Baghdad, said a spokesman for the Committee of the Muslim Scholars on Monday." +1,Sudan Accuses US of Using Darfur to Appeal to Voters,Sudan is accusing the United States of using violence-torn Darfur to compete for voters heading to the polls in November. Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said Saturday that Washington's recent hard-line +3,U.S. Treasuries Drift Lower (Reuters),Reuters - U.S. Treasury prices drifted lower on\Wednesday but trade was subdued as the market pondered the\scale of interest rate hikes a day after the Federal Reserve\delivered its third straight rate increase. +4,BEA Rolls Out WebLogic Server 9.0 for SOA,"SAN FRANCISCOBEA Systems Inc. took advantage of the proximity of Oracle Corp.'s OpenWorld conference here this week to introduce BEA WebLogic Server 9.0, which is designed to allow developers to rapidly " +3,"CEOs See More Hiring, Capital Spending","A quarterly survey of U.S. chief\executives showed they plan to increase hiring and capital\spending, despite recent soft economic data, concerns about\sluggish job growth and high energy prices." +3,CalPERS goes after egregious exec pay,The California Public Employees Retirement System wants to rein in what it calls abusive compensation practices in corporate America and hold directors and compensation committees more accountable for their actions. +2,Potent arsenal,"Fred Robbins spent four years as Daunte Culpepper's teammate, and since quarterbacks always are off limits in practice, he never has had a chance to hit him." +3,American Express suing card companies over sale of cards by US ,American Express Co. said Monday it was suing rivals Visa and MasterCard for blocking the sale of its credit cards through US banks. +4,"Microsoft, Yahoo Extend Contract for Web Ads",Renegotiation may provide glimpse into Microsoft's search plans. +1,US-French resolution on Lebanese sovereignty to go to vote ,"UNITED NATIONS : The UN Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution presented by France and the United States calling for respect for Lebanon's sovereignty, the US ambassador here said." +3,Wal-Mart sued for racial bias against black drivers,"NEW YORK, September 23 (newratings.com) - A Mississippi resident has flied a lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores (WMT.NYS) alleging that the retail giant discriminates against African-Americans seeking jobs as truck drivers with the company." +3,OIL FUTURES:IPE Brent Likely To Head Higher In Thin Trade,"SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Oil futures traded on London's International Petroleum Exchange are largely expected to head higher Thursday, given the continued worries over a shortage in US heating oil inventories." +2,Split seasons a matter of making accommodation,"In a perfect racing world, Suffolk Downs management would like to see the return of a thoroughbred circuit between the East Boston oval and Rockingham Park in Salem, N.H., only on a smaller scale. However, current realities would appear to make that impossible." +4,Livewire: Web Sites Help Ease Grind of Daily Commute (Reuters),"Reuters - The Internet not only is\transforming the way we shop and search for information, but it\also is quietly smoothing the grind of the daily commute." +1,"U.S. to Meet Asian Allies, Chinese on N. Korea (Reuters)","Reuters - The chief U.S. negotiator on North\Korea will hold discussions in Japan and China in the next few\days aimed at organizing a fresh round of six-party talks on\dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear programs, a State Department\official said on Tuesday." +4,MS debuts 'forthcoming attractions' pre-alert alert,Alert Thursday joins patch Tuesday in BoFH calendars +3,"India, China have improved invt climate","The World Bank has called upon the governments of poor countries to work for improving their investment climates as done by India and China, saying it was central to economic growth and poverty reduction." +4,AT T Wireless Posts Lower Profit,"<p>\</p><p> NEW YORK (Reuters) - AT T Wireless Services Inc. <AWE.N>\said on Tuesday its third-quarter profit declined as customers\spent less per month, offsetting a rise in net new customers.</p>" +1,Ex-Macedonian minister arrested,A former Macedonian minister is arrested in Croatia accused of ordering the murder of seven Asians. +2,Mourinho is focused on CSKA clash,Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho is refusing to let the drug scandal surrounding Romanian striker Adrian Mutu overshadow his side's game with CSKA Moscow. +3,"EU ministers to mull budget rules, seek a Mr Euro (AFP)",AFP - EU finance ministers gather in the Netherlands Friday for informal talks likely dominated by efforts to agree on reforms to the long-strained budget rules underpinning the euro. +3,"Bharti, six Asian mobile operators form alliance to unify ","Business India: Singapore, Nov.4 : Seven Asia-Pacific mobile phone operators, including Bharti of India, with a combined total of over 56 million subscribers, on Wednesday formed an alliance aimed at creating a unified regional network." +1,Chances of New U.S.-EU Aircraft Pact Dwindling -EU," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and the European Union are unlikely to reach agreement on a new civil aircraft pact, a European Union official said on Thursday, increasing chances the two sides could fight out the issue at the World Trade Organization." +4,RCN Outlines Bankruptcy (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - RCN Inc., co-owner of Starpower Communications LLC, the Washington area television, telephone and Internet provider, filed a plan of reorganization yesterday that it said puts the company on track to emerge from bankruptcy by the end of the year." +2,All-American girl,ATHENS -- That was then and this is now. That was there and this is here. So which is a bigger moment? Mary Lou Retton's quot;No-Fault Vault quot; that produced America's first Olympic all-around gold medal in women's ... +1,Poland floats plan to pull out of Iraq by end-2005,"Poland's leaders floated the idea on Monday of withdrawing troops from Iraq by the end of next year, giving the first timetable for a planned pullout by the staunch Washington ally." +4,Hormone-Charged Birds Force Out Rivals in West (Reuters),Reuters - Hormone-fueled songbirds are\steadily forcing out a rival species in North America's +1,"Martha Stewart Reports to Prison, Ducking Cameras",Martha Stewart beat the news media trailing her every move at their own game today by announcing herself that she had checked into prison in West Virginia. +1,10 vying to lead the Palestinian Authority,"RAMALLAH, West Bank -- A former communist who runs a respected Palestinian human rights organization, a professor with ties to Islamic groups, and a lawmaker known for exposing government corruption are among the 10 candidates vying to lead the Palestinian Authority, in what analysts here say will be the first truly competitive presidential election in the Arab world." +1,Blair to Urge End to Trans-Atlantic Rift,British Prime Minister Tony Blair will stress the need for Europe and the United States to put differences over Iraq behind them and work together to tackle issues such as Middle East peace in a speech on Monday. +4,All That Secrecy Is Expensive,"Not only is the U.S. government keeping too many secrets, it's spending too much money to do it. That's the conclusion of a government watchdog group, which estimates more than $6.5 billion was spent last year keeping data under wraps. By Noah Shachtman." +2,Stephen Dunn/Getty Images,"com. Orlando Cabrera has already figured out how to part the Red Sea. With a three-run double in the top of the ninth, Cabrera sent waves of red-clad Angels fans to the exits." +3,Philips Warns on Chip Unit Sales," AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Europe's top consumer electronics group Philips cut the forecast for its closely-watched semiconductor unit on Friday, pointing to the predicted slowdown of the sector's recovery." +4,Samsung Electronics Develops 8Gb NAND Flash Memory With 60nm ,"Samsung Electronics has developed a 8Gb NAND flash memory adopting technologies of processing chips with circuit width of 60nm, the first of its kind in the industry." +2,Greek Sprinters Charged Over Missed Test, ATHENS (Reuters) - Disgraced Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were charged Thursday with missing drugs tests on the eve of August's Athens Olympics and faking a motorcycle accident. +3,"UPDATE 3-Allied Waste again cuts forecast, shares drop","Allied Waste Industries Inc. (AW.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday cut its 2004 earnings forecast for the second time in three months as investment costs rose, sending its stock down more than 9 percent." +4,Intel Clouded by Back-To-School Fears,"Intel Corp.'s upcoming mid-quarter report will be closely watched for signs of weak back-to-school computer sales, though recent market share gains in memory chips could help offset any softness in computer microprocessor demand." +2,US old-timers engineer own version of miracle,High up among the many empty seats at the Xcel Energy Center last night sat a small knot of Russian fans holding a large banner that read Miracle is over. +1,Iran may negotiate with US over nukes,"Iran is willing to talk with the United States about a nuclear program that Washington alleges is aimed at secretly acquiring the bomb, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Monday." +1,Colin Powell to travel to Middle East on Nov 21-22,"Washington, Nov 17 (PTI) US Secretary of State Colin Powell, facing his last weeks on the job, will travel to the Middle East as scheduled to accelerate prospects for peacemaking, the State Department has said." +3,Amazon Profit Misses Estimates,"Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday posted a higher quarterly profit but its stock fell more than 4 percent as the online retailer's results failed to top Wall Street expectations." +1,Film star politician dies in Philippines,The Philippine film legend who came close to defeating Gloria Arroyo in the presidential race in May died early today after suffering a stroke. +2,Bonds Tries to Clear His Name,"Barry Bonds -- the biggest name in baseball -- has now been smeared by the steroid scandal known as Balco, and the San Francisco Giants superstar tried to clear his image through his attorney Friday." +4,Spinal cord injury,"In 1995, actor Christopher Reeve fell off a horse and severely damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. From then until his death in October 2004, the silver screen Superman became the most famous face of spinal cord injury." +3,A break with tradition,"If you think of your business as a car and your IT infrastructure as the road it travels on, then your business processes are the tires that let the car move along the road. What we are seeing now, at an ever increasing rate, is CFOs asking CIOs to kick the tires and check the air pressure. Analogies aside, CFOs want CIOs to get more involved in process design across the company." +2,"Kovalev, Richards and Khabibulin join Russian club","Alexei Kovalev, Brad Richards and Nikolai Khabibulin became the latest NHL players to join a European team during the lockout, agreeing to play in Russia." +3,GOP Gains Boost Chances of Alaska Drilling," Republican gains in the Senate from last month's elections have pumped new life into the administration-backed move to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, prompting environmentalists to mount what one of them called ""the fight of our lives"" to defeat the proposal." +3,IBM Sale Reflects Unease in Personal Computer Sector," quot;Every PC maker has to deal with this, one way or another, quot; International Data Corp. analyst Roger Kay said. The problem is that it's difficult to make money on PCs today, given how cutthroat competition has driven down prices." +3,Before-the-Bell: Multimedia Games Drops," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of Multimedia Games Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MGAM.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MGAM.O</A> fell 19.5 percent before the bell Friday a day after the developer of games for casinos said it will post unexpectedly weak fourth-quarter and full-year results." +4,P2P for cell phones: Reach out and share something,"Next year, wireless operators will debut ways to share a favorite ring tone. But don't expect a Napster free-for-all." +3,Merck Rises 1.52 Percent Before Bell," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shares of drugmaker Merck Co. Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=MRK.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">MRK.N</A> traded 1.52 percent higher on volume of more than 61,000 shares in pre-market dealings on Friday, a day after the stock plunged to an eight-year low after the company withdrew its arthritis drug Vioxx." +4,Earthquake lets volcano blow off steam,"A minor 3.1 magnitude earthquake has split the lava dome in the crater of Mount St Helens, continuing a series of minor earthquakes that have rattled the site since October." +2,China on way to top Athens Paralympics gold table,Four gold medals and three world records in the swimming pool featured a weekend of China while three golds from track and field events brought the country to an insurmountable lead at the 12th Paralympic Games Saturday in Athens. +3,Wal-Mart unveils 2005 expansion plans,SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. late Monday unveiled fiscal 2005 expansion plans that include adding 40 to 45 discount stores in the United States and 155 to 165 in international markets. +2,Davenport Marches Into Second Round," NEW YORK (Reuters) - American favorite Lindsay Davenport chalked up her 18th successive victory Tuesday when she beat Lubomira Kurhajcova 6-4, 6-0 to cruise through to the second round of the U.S. Open." +1,Somalia to get new parliament,"Somalia's first parliament for 13 years is expected to be sworn in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on Sunday." +3,Nortel Numbers Face New Delay,"Nortel (NT:NYSE - news - research) suffered another setback on its march to accountability Thursday, warning that it will need an additional month to complete its audit and file restated financials." +4,"Group Cites Video Games for Violence, Sex","Video games that have players shoot rival gang members, watch bare-breasted women and recreate the assassination of President Kennedy were criticized Tuesday by advocacy groups that said, at the least, they should be kept away from children." +4,Apple to replace 'spotty' PowerBook screens,Company offers free replacement screens to owners of 15-inch models that display white spots. +2,Tennis: Ljubicic powers past Johansson in Madrid Masters,"MADRID : Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic battered Joachim Johansson with 27 aces, upsetting the big-hitting seventh seed 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (1/7), 7-6 (7/3) for a place in the semi-finals of the 2.425-million-euro Madrid Masters." +3,"337,000 jobs created in October","US employers added 337,000 workers in October - almost twice the median forecast -s hurricane cleanup added jobs in places such as storm-struck Southwest Florida." +4,Atlantic Hurricanes Should Slow in Oct-Forecaster (Reuters),Reuters - A noted storm forecaster offered\Floridians some good news on Friday as they mopped up from an\unprecedented four hurricanes in six weeks by forecasting that\the disastrous Atlantic hurricane season will go out with a\whimper rather than a bang. +1,WAR-LORD PRESIDENT WOULD NEVER RESOLVE THE ANARCHY IN SOUTHERN ,"Ever since the Republic of Somalia forcefully gained its independence from European colonialists in 1960, the country is plagued by a number of serious problems including clan based governments, bad governance, chronic corruption, nepotism, favouritism " +4,Genesis Samples Arrive at Space Center ,"AP - Thousands of samples from the Genesis space capsule have arrived at the Johnson Space Center, where the project's curator must assemble a giant jigsaw puzzle that could hold clues to the origins of the solar system." +2,Shaq helps Heat to best start in franchise history,"Shaquille O Neal promised to bring a championship to Miami. And although it's way too early to be thinking about titles, he can't wait to show off his new team to his old Western Conference rivals." +4,Fewer People Paying for Music Downloads - NPD (Reuters),"Reuters - Apple Computer Inc's \iTunes remains the leader in paid digital music downloads, but\the number of paying customers for this sector overall has\decreased since April, research firm NPD said Tuesday." +1,Arafat Flies to France for Treatment," AMMAN (Reuters) - A French jet left Amman on Friday taking ailing Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for treatment in Paris, witnesses said." +3,Boeing lands Singapore order,Boeing regained some ground in its battle with Airbus yesterday when it won a $7.35billion order from Singapore Airlines for 31 aircraft. +2,Ex-NBA Player Murphy Denies Molesting Daughters, HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former basketball star Calvin Murphy took the stand in a Texas court on Thursday to deny charges he sexually molested five of his daughters. +4,"2004 Virus Activity Collaborative and More Clever, Says Security ","The Netsky-P worm, which was first seen in March, accounted for almost a quarter of all virus incidents reported during 2004, says security firm Sophos, making it the hardest-hitting virus of the year." +1,BAGHDAD's US ZONE ROCKED BY MORTARS,"September 12, 2004 -- BAGHDAD - Strong explosions shook central Baghdad late last night and fighting erupted on a major street in the heart of the city near the US-guarded Green Zone." +4,"Wireless to Drive Internet Growth, Tech Leaders Say","Wireless services will lead the next growth phase of the Internet as venture capitalists who helped fund the early boom open their wallets again, industry leaders said Monday." +1,Pakistan Says Holding Yemeni 'Qaeda Leader' (Reuters),"Reuters - Pakistan has arrested a Yemeni\national who is an important figure in al Qaeda's new\leadership and another foreign national who is one of the\network's communications specialists, officials said on\Wednesday." +1,Rumsfeld: El Salvador Can Be Iraq Model ,"AP - Iraq can learn from the recent history of El Salvador, a country wrecked by civil war that has developed into stable democracy and close U.S. ally, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday." +1,Pakistan Publishes 'Most-Wanted Terrorists' List (Reuters),"Reuters - Pakistan published pictures of six\""most-wanted terrorists"" on Wednesday and offered rewards for\information leading to the arrest of two al Qaeda-linked\militants wanted over assassination attempts on the president." +2,"Barcelona's Edmilson has surgery, won't play for six months","Edmilson, Barcelona's World Cup- winning defender, won't play for at least six months after having knee surgery today, the soccer team said." +3,Retail Sales Drop 0.3 Percent in August,"Shoppers turned tightfisted in August, dropping sales at the nation's retailers by 0.3 percent, providing fresh evidence of an erratic pace of consumer spending in recent months." +1,ElBaradei: No Sign of Nuke Activity at New Iran Site," VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog has found no sign of nuclear-related activity at a site in Iran called Parchin that several U.S. officials said may be linked to secret atom bomb research, Mohamed ElBaradei said on Friday." +1,Israel Retracts Allegations about Transporting Rockets by UNRWA's ,"Following allegations that UNRWA help transporting Qassam rockets in its vehicles, the Israeli government retracted Tuesday its allegations, Israeli Haaretz Online Daily reported." +4,Worm turns on webcams,A VIRUS WRITER has decided that the wants to see the look on your face when you discover your computer is infected by his handiwork. +3,"Hilton Profit Almost Triples on UK Bettors, Hotels ","Hilton Group Plc, the operator of Hilton hotels outside the US, said first-half profit almost tripled, helped by gains at the Ladbrokes betting chain and a recovery in demand for hotel rooms." +3,Malaysian Company to Bid for Contract,"Malaysia Airports Holding Ltd. and an Indian partner will jointly bid to redevelop and operate New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, a newspaper reported Thursday." +3,"Thanks to Snowe, Maine a clear winner","With the help of Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, Maine emerged a clear winner in the corporate tax relief bill signed by President Bush yesterday." +4,"Yahoo, Google Stocks Up on Upbeat Analyst Forecast (Reuters)",Reuters - Shares of Internet search companies\Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc. rose on Monday\after Goldman Sachs raised its fourth-quarter estimates for\both companies. +1,Jazeera: Iraq Militants Kill Two Macedonia Hostages," DUBAI (Reuters) - A militant group in Iraq said it had killed two Macedonian hostages whom it accused of spying for the United States, Arabic television Al Jazeera said Monday." +3,Economy Grew at 3.3 Percent Rate in 2nd Quarter,"While the economic growth in the U.S. was significantly better than a previous estimate, it was still the weakest showing in more than a year." +1,Bush's National Guard File Missing Records,"WASHINGTON - Documents that should have been written to explain gaps in President Bush's Texas Air National Guard service are missing from the military records released about his service in 1972 and 1973, according to regulations and outside experts. For example, Air National Guard regulations at the time required commanders to write an investigative report for the Air Force when Bush missed his annual medical exam in 1972..." +4,Check for spyware before installing SP2 warns Microsoft,"Windows users who install Service Pack 2 should first scan their systems and remove any spyware, according to a Microsoft Executive." +1,"Musharraf could be a bridge to democracy, says Jugnu Mohsin","WASHINGTON: If General Pervez Pervez Musharraf succeeds in his declared intention of rolling back political Islam and normalising relations with India, he could prove to be a bridge to democracy " +2,"Woods, Mickelson Inspire U.S. Ryder Cup Comeback"," By Mark Lamport-Stokes BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (Reuters) - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson inspired a United States comeback in the Ryder Cup foursomes Friday, quickly moving three up on Europeans Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood." +4,"Sun Moves Up With NAS, Down With SAN","Besides unleashing Solaris 10, Sun Microsystems on Monday plans to turn the spotlight on new storage hardware and software offerings as part of its quarterly product launch." +4,Apple Macintosh 17in PowerBook,"There's no doubt that Apple's latest notebook computer is a joy to look at. The enormous 17in widescreen means you can watch films on it at a size approaching that of a television, and the brushed aluminium finish is undeniably stylish." +3,US Steel Returns to Homestead Works,"United States Steel Corp. will return to the former site of the historic Homestead Works steel plant, once the epicenter of labor-management relations that exploded more than a century ago when Pinkerton agents " +3,"ABC Learning to Buy Peppercorn, Child Care Centres ","ABC Learning Centres Ltd., Australia's biggest day-care operator, plans to spend A\$380 million ($264 million) buying rivals to cut costs and lift its share of the nation's market to a fifth." +1,Ailing US chief justice to miss work again: report ,"AFP - US Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, will again miss work when the Supreme Court reconvenes Monday, according to a report." +4,"The Guitarist Is Metal. No, Not Heavy Metal.","Tuesday's ""Robo Recital"" at the Juilliard School continues the age-old interaction between composition and technology." +1,Official Alleges 17 Mass Graves in Serbia ,"AP - Serbian territory has 17 mass graves containing bodies of ethnic Albanians slain during Kosovo's 1998-99 war, a former interior minister said Friday, accusing current authorities of a cover-up." +3,Dollar Near Recent Lows on Data Jitters, LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hovered around recent one-week lows against the euro and Swiss franc on Thursday as investors grew cautious Friday's U.S. jobs data might add to recent weak U.S. data and cloud the interest rate outlook. +4,Qwest adds to VOIP service (InfoWorld),"InfoWorld - Qwest Communications on Wednesday announced a continued expansion of its VoIP service portfolio with IP Centrex Prime, an IP-enabled interface that helps enterprise business customers with multiple locations and mobile workforces migrate from traditional PBX connections to VoIP." +4,New National Indian Museum Is Native by Design,"From the wetlands out front to the undulating exterior, the new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., is built on native ideas. <i>Includes photo gallery.</i>" +1,Prints lead to two Madrid arrests,"Algerian Abdelkrim Beghdali, 41, and Syrian Safwan Sabagh, 41, were arrested days after the 11 March attacks but released because of lack of evidence. " +3,Fed's Santomero sees low inflation,Philly Fed president sees no need for central bank to halt rate hikes; employment set to rise. PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The US economy is on course for sustainable expansion with little danger of inflationary +2,Ghostzapper captures Woodward,"NEW YORK -- Ghostzapper, by a neck. In a thrilling stretchlong duel down the middle of the track, a gallant Ghostzapper held off Saint Liam and won yesterday's $500,000 Woodward Stakes, one of three Grade I races at Belmont Park leading up to the Breeders' Cup Oct. 30." +1,Romania Vote Marred by Fraud Charges,"Exit polls in key Romanian elections are showing a likely win for the ruling Social Democrats. But as in Ukraine, the opposition has demanded an investigation into voting irregularities." +2,Israeli surfs in for historic gold,Gal Fridman closed his eyes and enjoyed a sweet sound never before heard at an Olympic Games -he strains of Israel's national anthem playing in honor of the winner of a gold medal. +3,Time Warner 3rd-Qtr Profit Falls 7.8 on Legal Costs ,"Time Warner Inc., the world's largest media company, said third-quarter profit fell 7.8 percent after it set aside $500 million to resolve government investigations into its accounting practices at America Online." +2,Yanks Rivera Intends to Be Back for ALCS,"PANAMA CITY, Panama -- A grieving Mariano Rivera returned to Panama after two family members were electrocuted in his pool, but the star reliever intends to be in New York when the Yankees open their playoff series with the Boston Red Sox." +3,IPod demand white-hot ,"Many holiday shoppers are struggling to find one of the most explosively popular gifts in years: Apple's iPod digital music player that stores 5,000 songs in a device no bigger than a deck of cards." +2,Stadler Leads SAS Championship by Four ,"AP - Craig Stadler already is atop the Champions Tour money list, and now he's poised to become the first tour player in more than six years to win three consecutive tournaments." +3,Google IPO faces Playboy slip-up,"The bidding gets underway for Google's public offering, despite last-minute worries over an interview with its bosses in Playboy magazine." +2,ATP Players to Get Approved Nutritional Supplements," HOUSTON (Reuters) - The ATP, organizers of the men's tour, will unveil a partnership deal with a pharmaceutical giant Tuesday to provide approved nutritional supplements to players next season." +1,EU steps up Burma sanctions,Foreign ministers extended an EU-wide travel ban on high-ranking Burmese officers after finding the military leadership had failed to improve its human rights record. +4,AOL abandons exclusivity in favor of ad-supported model,"In a move both risky and essential, AOL is abandoning its strategy of exclusivity and will free much of its music, sports and other programming to non-subscribers in hopes of boosting ad sales." +4,Study reveals decline in IT customer loyalty,"WalkerInformation, a 65-year-old company that focuses on surveying customer brand loyalty, released its 2004 study of IT vendors this week, entitled, Customer Loyalty Management for Information Technology." +3,"Ryanair Won't Use Aid, Pending Appeal",Ryanair Holdings PLC will repay 4 million euros ($5.1 million) in aid from a regional government in Belgium while it appeals a European Union finding that the funding was illegal. +4,Evidence Hints at Earlier Humans in Americas,"Archaeologists in South Carolina announced radiocarbon dates suggesting that people made tools near the Savannah River about 50,000 years ago." +3,Canada's C$ 3 Bln Petro-Canada Stake Is Filed for Sale ,"The Canadian government moved forward with plans to sell its C$ 3.04 billion ($2.36 billion) stake in Petro-Canada, as the oil company filed offering documents with US and Canadian regulators." +1,Guantanamo Hearings To Give Only Restricted View Of Bin Laden ,"GUANTANAMO BAY US NAVAL BASE, Cuba, Aug 23 - Only a sanitised glimpse of Australian David Hicks life as a Taliban fighter or what it was like for Salim Hamdan to be Osama bin Laden's personal driver and bodyguard will be given when their military " +1,EU leaders hold talks on Iraq,"European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels for two days of talks on issues including Iraq, asylum and economic reform. The summit, which will be attended by the 25 national leaders, also provides the first " +4,Q A: SAS International chief on global best practices,"Art Cooke, president of SAS International, offers some practical advice for U.S. companies with global operations." +4,Online intrusion risks large identity cache,"com October 20, 2004, 5:36 PM PT. Cyber threats, chiefly viruses like NetSky and Sasser, make security an ongoing concern as it holds steady over software infrastructure as the third top priority." +2,Rutgers ripped by Reyes,"Walter Reyes rushed for 237 yards and two touchdowns, including the decisive score with 2:24 left, and Syracuse beat visiting Rutgers, 41-31, yesterday in the Big East opener for both teams." +3,Coping with e-trash pileup ,"NEW YORK -- When Office Depot Inc. stores ran an electronics recycling drive last summer that accepted everything from cellphones to televisions, some stores were overwhelmed by the amount of e-trash they received." +2,SPECTOR: Proposals offer chance to compromise,"The chess game between the NHL and the NHLPA continued Tuesday, with the league rejecting the players offer from last Thursday and tabling a counteroffer, which was in turn rejected by the NHLPA." +2,Jose Reyes reckons Arsenal are more galactic than Real Madrid,"Spanish giants Real are brimming with galacticos that make their team the envy of Europe. But strike whizkid Reyes reckons Arsene Wengers Invincibles are more than a match for Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo and Co when it comes to fantasy football." +2,Van Nistelrooy set for scan,"BEIJING, Dec. 16 -- Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to have a scan in a bid to try to find the root cause of his calf problem." +4,Toshiba Readies 60GB Gigabeat,"Toshiba will launch three new versions of its Gigabeat hard drive-based portable music player starting in late November, the company says." +4,"Nintendo Sells 500,000 DS Handhelds in First Week","Nintendo Co. Ltd.(7974.OS: Quote, Profile, Research) sold 500,000 Nintendo DS video game devices during the first week of sales in US stores for the new handheld featuring two screens " +4,Star-Power Surge for Satellite Radio,"Shock jock Howard Stern's decision to jump ship from traditional radio gives a boost to the emerging technology of blasting tunes, news and other staples of AM and FM radio via satellite. \ <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +2,Bellevue dominates dream matchup against De La Salle,"At almost noon yesterday, the Bellevue High School linebacker was just waking up from a deep slumber, the kind a body dives into after extreme physical exertion." +4,Finder of 'Iceman' Found Dead in Austrian Alps (Reuters),"Reuters - The man who 13 years ago discovered the\frozen remains of a prehistoric iceman in an Alpine glacier was\found dead in the Austrian Alps on Saturday, eight days after\he went missing, rescue authorities said." +3,"AOL at 50,000 Feet",AOL is looking to take off with its online travel site but it may be in for a bumpy landing instead. +2,Felix overmatched in 200? Not for a second,"ATHENS -- Allyson Felix is 18 years old, is missing a week of college classes, and is traveling with parents who are concerned about her diet. Oh, and one other thing: She won the silver medal in the 200-meter dash last night at the Olympic Games." +2,UNITED LACKING MAGIC,Wayne Rooneys future may be unclear but Manchester United could certainly do with a little bit of magic after dropping two home points in a 0-0 draw with Everton. +3,Toys R us Posts Operating Loss,"Toys R Us Inc. (TOY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , which is considering getting out of the toy business, on Monday posted a second-quarter operating loss on poor sales of video games and markdowns on older merchandise." +4,Extinction Looms Over Larger Species ,"AP - Being the biggest dog may pay off at feeding time, but species that grow too large may be more vulnerable to extinction, new research suggests." +4,China: commercial flights in 20 years,"BEIJING: China can expect to see the first commercial space flights in 20 years, the head of the country's space program was quoted as saying by state media." +4,Easy Listening from New Download Service,Greek entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Iouannou said today he was expanding his Easy business empire with a new online music download service. +1,Militants kill 12 in JK ahead of PMs visit,"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive in Srinagar tomorrow on the first leg of his two-day maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir during which his approach would be of looking at the big picture rather than doling out packages, sources in the Prime Minister " +4,Fight New Labour's Poll Identity Tax,<strong>Cash'n'Carrion</strong> More campaigning apparel from NO2ID +1,Pregnant fan got too close,"1. Pregnant fan sneaks into security area to be closer to Shah Rukh Khan as he performs, while fireworks go off. 2. Grenade thrown towards stage but lands in security area, killing pregnant fan." +2,Ortiz Stifle Yankees,Ramon Ortiz pitched four-hit ball for eight stellar innings to lead the Anaheim Angels over the Yankees. +3,Schwarzenegger tells Japanese investors they'll be back to ,"TOKYO : California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to work his film celebrity on Japanese investors, using a trademark line from quot;Terminator quot; to pump up the benefits of his state." +2,Robinson Signs Deal to Manage Expos in DC (Reuters),"Reuters - On the day Major League\Baseball owners delayed the vote to finalize the move of the\Expos to Washington, DC, the club on Thursday signed manager\Frank Robinson to a one-year contract." +3,Humana Leads Insurance Sector Higher,"Shares of major Medicare providers moved higher Monday after Humana Inc. handed Wall Street strong third-quarter earnings results, echoing rather upbeat investor sentiment seen throughout the sector." +2,"Crosby, Bay Win Rookie of the Year Awards ","AP - Oakland Athletics shortstop Bobby Crosby was just a vote shy of being a unanimous pick for AL Rookie of the Year, and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay won the NL award Monday." +4,Two Back on Earth After Six Months on Space Station,Two astronauts who spent half a year aboard the International Space Station returned safely on Saturday to the steppes of Kazakhstan in the pre-dawn darkness. +3,Ad boss keeps his job and earns $30m compensation ,The boss of the American advertising group which was taken over last week by Sir Martin Sorrell's WPP will receive almost $30m (18m) quot;compensation quot; for keeping his job. +2,Jones sacked after dismal start,The club have made a dismal start to the season and are lying 19th in the Championship. A 1-0 defeat by relegation battlers Gillingham proved the final straw and chairman Rick Hayward met with Jones this morning. +2,Lady Bulldogs Host Sun Devils,When asked if he was concerned with losing to arch-rival Georgia Tech for the second time in three years last Friday night - that after the Lady Bulldogs won the first 24 meetings in the series by an average of more than 26 points per game -ndy +2,Quick look at Ryder Cup's key holes,"A capsule look at the first day of Ryder Cup matches Friday at Oakland Hills Country Club: Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie, Europe, def." +3,Wpp Cautious on Outlook,Advertising giant WPP today said quarterly revenues grew at the fastest rate since 2001 but warned that the jury remains out on its prospects for next year. +4,Intel Launches Next-Gen Chip,"After 10 years in the making and multiple delays, Intel released its state-of-the-art 64-bit Itanium microprocessor on Tuesday. The microprocessor, which is designed for servers and workstations, is based " +1,"Puerto Rico Stuns Dream Team, 92-73","ATHENS, Greece - In an upset as historic as it was inevitable, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson and the rest of the U.S. basketball team lost 92-73 to Puerto Rico on Sunday, only the third Olympic loss ever for America and its first since adding pros..." +1,UN Marks Anniversary of Bombing of Baghdad Mission,"The United Nations is marking the first anniversary of the bombing of UN headquarters in Baghdad that killed 22 people, including the world body's top envoy to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello. " +2,Rangers crash out of Europe,Rangers joined the European scrapheap after a Bonaventure Kalou double fired Auxerre to a 2-0 victory at Ibrox. The home side had only to avoid defeat to progress to the knockout stage but were out-classed by the visitors. +2,"White Sox 9, Royals 2","Mark Buehrle pitched a four-hitter for his fourth complete game of the season, leading the Chicago White Sox over the Kansas City Royals 9-2 Thursday night." +2,Shaq a big draw in home debut for Heat ,"AFP - Shaquille O'Neal making his home debut for Miami before a record crowd, scored 17 points and created plenty of chances for his teammates as the Heat defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-86 in a National Basketball Association Game." +2,Gatlin Wins 100 Meters; Greene Third,"Justin Gatlin ran the race of his life, barely holding off the field Sunday night to win the 100 meters in 9.85 seconds. Francis Obikwelu of Portugal got the silver " +4,PeopleSoft Sees Revenue Above Estimates (Reuters),"Reuters - PeopleSoft Inc. on Monday\forecast third-quarter revenue would exceed Wall Street\expectations, helped by an increase in customers making larger\orders for its business software." +3,UPDATE 2-Real estate carries Intrawest back to profit,"Ski resort developer Intrawest Corp. (ITW.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (IDR.N: Quote, Profile, Research) jumped back into profit in the fourth quarter on greater contributions " +3,Shell sets $45B investment program,But stock of major oil company falls on disappointment it did not extend stock buyback program. LONDON (Reuters) - Scandal-hit oil company Royal Dutch/Shell said Wednesday it will invest $15 billion a year +4,HP closes hospital printing deal,The contract is part of the computer giant's bid to wring more consulting dollars out of its printer business. +2,Sweden's Soderling clinches first ATP Tour title,Swede Robin Soderling clinched the first ATP Tour title of his career when he tamed Belgium's Xavier Malisse 6-2 3-6 6-4 in the final of the Lyon Grand Prix on Sunday. +3,Delta reaches pilot deal: report,"Pact with union may allow the No. 3 airline to avoid a bankruptcy filing, newspaper says. NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Delta Air Lines and its pilots union reached an agreement on concessions that could allow the " +2,KU to release information on Perkins contract,"Kansas University officials will release the contract of Athletic Director Lew Perkins during a press conference Friday evening. Todd Cohen, a KU spokesman, said Perkins and Chancellor Robert Hemenway will " +3,Price of oil eases off record highs,LONDON - World oil prices eased slightly yesterday but remained close to record high points near 55 dollars a barrel as traders fretted about low inventories of US heating fuel heading into the northern winter. +1,Report: N. Korea Dismisses Missile Reports ,"AP - A high North Korean official dismissed reports his government was preparing to test fire a long-range missile as ""conjecture, rumor and speculation,"" Japanese news media said Saturday." +3,Dollar Slides Versus Yen, LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar fell two thirds of a percent against the yen to within sight of seven-month lows and edged toward recent record lows against the euro on Friday as worries persisted about the U.S. current account deficit. +2,Mauresmo struggles past Schnyder at Filderstadt,New world number one Amelie Mauresmo struggled to a 7-5 6-4 victory over Patty Schnyder in the second round of the Filderstadt Grand Prix on Thursday. +3,Say bon voyage to Bon March name,"Two women on the seventh floor were already decorating Christmas trees, and another employee guessed that the holiday star would crown the building at Third Avenue and Pine Street, just like every year before." +2,Colts carry hot streak into Detroit,"The Indianapolis Colts have been on the fast track since October gave way to November. Thursday in Detroit's Ford Field, they'll share the traditional Thanksgiving Day " +1,Red Cross condemns Iraq abuses,"The International Red Cross has made an unprecedented appeal for an end to human rights abuses in Iraq, saying it is deeply concerned at the impact of the fighting in the country and at apparent failures by all sides in the conflict to respect " +1,American says US backed his jail,"KABUL, Afghanistan -- Jonathan Keith Idema, an American accused of running a freelance antiterror operation and private prison in Afghanistan, testified in court yesterday that he could prove US and Afghan authorities were fully aware of his actions, and he accused the FBI of confiscating evidence that would support his contention." +3,"Eye On Stocks For Wednesday, Sept. 1",A much-watched Alzheimer's medicine Forest Laboratories (nyse: FRX - news - people ) was developing with Germany's Merz failed to show a statistically significant benefit in a clinical trial. +2,Van Nistelrooy on FA charge as United cry foul over flying food,"Sir Alex Ferguson's shirt may have been laundered, and the dressing-room corridor swept clean of rotting sandwiches, but it will take more than a washing machine and a broom to dispel the bad odour which accompanied Manchester United's curtailing of " +2,Palmer Passes Test,"Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer enjoyed his breakthrough game at the expense of the Super Bowl champion Patriots, racking up 179 yards on 12-of-19 passing in a 31-3 triumph on Saturday night." +4,The Broad Reach of Satellite Radio,"Bob Edwards, formerly of National Public Radio, is set to start broadcasting over satellite radio, which came broadly available in the United States just three years ago." +4,Motorola turns mobile phone into wallet,"Motorola is to conduct a trial of mobile phones incorporating MasterCard's PayPass, a contactless payment technology. The handsets will allow customers to make payments by holding the device next to a reader " +3,Analysts See FDA Spurning New Merck Arthritis Drug,Industry analysts are predicting US regulators this month will refuse to approve Merck amp; Co.'s new arthritis drug until at least 2006 because of heart attacks linked to its recalled sister drug Vioxx. +1,Chemical Ali Will Be the First to Go on Trial,"The former Iraqi general known as Chemical Ali, who is accused of using chemical weapons attacks to kill thousands of Kurds, will be the first of Saddam Husseins cohorts to stand trial next week, a government official said today." +3,Sony bags MGM film biz for 4.8B,The Japanese electronics giant struck an agreement to buy the fabled movie studio yesterday after rival Time Warner dropped out of the race. +1,Fischer on Iran: Step by step forward on basis of realism,"Brussels, Dec 13, IRNA -- German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Monday that so long Iran's voluntary suspension of enrichment activities continues, the EU commitments also remain valid." +3,Toshiba seeks damage against Hynix,"TOKYO (CBS.MW) -- Japan's Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it has field suit against South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc. in Japan and the United States, alleging infringement of Toshiba's semiconductor flash memory patents." +2,Solberg wins first WRC event in Sardinia.,"Subaru team leader Petter Solberg has won the Rally Italia Sardinia today Sunday, dominating the event from the outset, and eventually taking the honours by 2 minutes 7.9 seconds." +1,Rebels kill three soldiers in Kashmir (Reuters),"Reuters - Separatist rebels ambushed an army patrol in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday, killing three soldiers and wounding another two, police said." +4,Fertilizer May Be Root of Big Colombia Coca Plants (Reuters),"Reuters - Giant coca plants said to\resist herbicides and yield eight times more cocaine may be due\to extra fertilizer, not a drug cartel's genetic modification\program, a scientist said on Tuesday." +2,WHAT THE PAPERS SAY,"THE SUN: Wayne Rooney has got Europe running scared for his Champions League debut on Tuesday night. That is the view of Dutch ace Pierre van Hooijdonk, who will face the pair with Fenerbahce." +4,HP Seeks Edge From Channel In Latest SMB Push,"Hewlett-Packard's new small- and midsize- business initiatives will rely almost completely on the channel for solutions and services, with partners acting as a differentiator against rivals like Dell and IBM, HP executives said at last week's TechXNY show " +2,Glazer Quest for United Falters,Malcolm Glazers bid for Manchester United is dead in the water after major shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus told the American there was no basis for a deal. +4,"Honda's Robot Advances, but to Where?","Despite the technological advances, Honda has not made much progress in determining just what the robot might be used for." +4,More Election Response,"\\More and more bloggers are waking to the news:\\Lessig : \\...\\""Bush has won the popular vote. And it would take a freak of nature to imagine\the 220,000 provisional ballots would fall strongly enough to shift Ohio. He\will win the College. He is our President - legitimately, and credibly.""\\""Our criticism of this administration must now focus narrowly and sharply: on\the policies, not on the credibility of the man.""\\Joi Ito :\\""As Larry says, ""It's over. Let it go."" Jon is saying, ""Don't complain -\organize!"" Although the previous post about the wacky voting system is\interesting, it's unlikely that any sort of recount or technicality will\change the fact that today, the people of the Uni ...\\" +3,EU prepares to battle Microsoft,BRUSSELSRegulators are set to argue that the European Union needs to take a tougher stand against Microsoft Corp. because its antitrust rules are different from those that allowed the company to avoid making +1,Tories take tough line on crime,"A Tory government would take tough action on crime and introduce random drug-testing in schools, shadow home secretary David Davis will say." +1,Tabloid tales and the downfall of a minister,14 AUGUST: The News of the World reveals he is having an affair with a married woman. 15 AUGUST: The Sun names the married woman as Kimberly Fortier - who has since changed her name to Quinn. +3,Future of National Irish and Northern Banks discussed by IBOA,The Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) has held a strategy meeting about the future of National Irish and Northern Banks. It follows the recent High Court Inspectors report into National Irish Bank and +2,Line of Scrimmage: Week 15 - Putting a Finger on Plummer's Woes,"Somewhere in the recesses of Jake Plummer's mind, the idea of the Broncos quarterback raising his right hand, middle digit extended, must have seemed brilliant." +4,Application Problems in Windows XP SP2,"Now that Windows XP Serviced Pack 2 (SP2) is available at Windows Update for online update of both the XP Home Edition and XP Professional Edition platforms, you need to be prepared for the changes youll see as a result of the security controls XP SP2 " +4,Kazaa worried about piracy ,"Kazaa, the internet's most popular file-swapping system, told a court in Sydney yesterday that it was worried about users exchanging unauthorised files and had held talks with record companies in the United States." +4,Cisco to acquire network monitoring provider NetSolve,Move will allow Cisco channel partners to monitor their enterprise customers' networks to provide better service and support. +3,Blair delays pensions move until after poll,Tony Blair promised yesterday to seek a national consensus on radical reform to tackle Britain's pensions crisis but shelved the crucial decisions until after the general election. +3,Oppenheimer Fund Cuts Its Volatility (Investor's Business Daily),Investor's Business Daily - Why does it matter who runs your mutual fund? Oppenheimer MidCap Fund is Exhibit A. +3,Spitzer alleges corruption in insurance trade,"ALBANY, NY -- The man who made Wall Street reform its ways is now charging widespread corruption in the insurance industry. He alleged that brokers have been taking payoffs from insurance companies to steer " +3,OPEC cuts oil production to hold prices,"The oil producing OPEC cartel Monday began reducing its oil output to maintain prices around current levels, the Wall Street Journal reported." +1,Freed Anwar Maneuvers to Re-Enter Politics ,AP - Former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim savored his first full day of freedom in six years Friday after his dramatic release from prison and he tested the waters for a comeback in Malaysian politics. +2,Bears' Secondary Forced to Play Hurt ,AP - Bears cornerback Todd McMillon just laughed when asked if he could guess what the Minnesota Vikings were thinking about the injuries that have devastated Chicago's secondary. +3,"ASML, Carl Zeiss Pay Nikon $145M","Nikon Corp. will soon see a $145 million influx, thanks to a memorandum of understanding with ASML Holding NV and Carl Zeiss SMT AG." +4,Connecting Paper and Online Worlds by Cellphone Camera,Printed symbols called SpotCodes can help cellphones with cameras find their way around cyberspace. +3,Philips to Nearly Double China R D Staff," SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Dutch electronics firm Philips said on Wednesday it plans to almost double its research and development staff in China to 1,300 over the next 2 years, underscoring the country's growing clout as a technology center." +3,"PeopleSoft, Oracle: Like Red Sox vs. Yankees?","PeopleSoft shareholders have rejected Oracle's quot;final quot; offer for the company, but could Oracle make a comeback? The board is hoping it can hold off its rival for just a few more innings." +3,Stewart gets W. Virginia prison camp,Martha Stewart lost a bid to serve her five-month prison term near her home in Connecticut and was ordered to report to a minimum-security prison camp in West Virginia next week. +2,Will he Magically reappear?,"We've been down this road so many times that it's easy to be skeptical, if not cynical. Except there are signs that this comeback by Grant Hill may not end up like the others." +2,Cards Use 'Small Ball' to Beat Dodgers ,"AP - Mike Matheny, Edgar Renteria and the St. Louis Cardinals can win with singles, doubles and triples, too." +1,"Jeanne Nears Hurricane Strength, 2 Dead ","AP - Tropical Storm Jeanne hovered near hurricane strength as it plowed through the northeastern Dominican Republic on Thursday, prompting thousands to flee their homes a day after pounding Puerto Rico and killing at least two people." +2,Irish Olympic Medal Horse Fails Second Test-Report," DUBLIN (Reuters) - A second blood sample taken from Waterford Crystal, the horse Cian O'Connor rode to win Ireland's only gold medal at the Athens Olympics, has also tested positive for banned substances, local media reported Tuesday." +4,Suse warns of hole in Linux kernel,"Linux distributor Suse has warned of one of the most serious security holes to date in Version 2.6 of the Linux kernel, which could allow attackers to shut down a system running 2.6-based software." +2,Williamson Gets Third Opinion on Elbow ,AP - Red Sox reliever Scott Williamson sought a third opinion on his ailing right elbow Tuesday before deciding whether to have major reconstructive surgery. +1,Rebels Turned Away From Haitian City,"GONAIVES, Haiti Sept. 30, 2004 - Rebel fighters tried to deliver food aid and organize their own security patrols in Gonaives, but were turned away by UN peacekeepers who said their weapons weren't welcome " +2,Athletics: Radcliffe is redeemed by triumph in epic struggle,Whether the 30-year-old marathon world record holder will achieve the global title she yearns for in the wake of her traumatic failure at the Athens Olympics remains to be seen. +3,Hollinger Inc. Chief Executive Conrad Black Resigns ,"Conrad Black quit as chairman and chief executive officer of Hollinger Inc., the company that controls the publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times, preempting a court decision that may have ousted him as early as today." +1,Nation pays silent tribute to war dead,"The Queen has led senior Royals and political leaders in laying poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph to mark Remembrance Sunday. Two minutes silence was held at 11 o clock to remember all Britain's war dead, including " +4,"On red planet of life, blue screens of death","The presence of a particular type of hematite, a mineral mostly associated with water, along with large, sandy areas, indicates that the red planet once had water, said Robert Denise, a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a member of the flight " +2,Prefontaine boots Argos past Lions,"CBC SPORTS ONLINE - The Toronto Argonauts may need to brush up on tackling for the playoffs, but their pass rush and kicker Noel Prefontaine are in top form." +1,3 Abu Ghraib Trials Moved to U.S.,"The U.S. military announced Thursday that the courts-martial of three Army reservists charged with abusing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison would be transferred from Baghdad to Fort Hood, Tex." +3,IBM to introduce chip for consumer products,"New York, November 29: International Business Machines Corp is set to introduce a new chip to be used in consumer products that it has developed with Sony Corp and Toshiba Corp, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday." +1,Negotiation offer on Iraq hostage,"THE Australian Government might help plead for the release of kidnapped CARE Australia worker Margaret Hassan, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today." +1,Bolivians Vote in Municipal Elections,Bolivians voted Sunday in municipal elections that polls predicted would see indigenous and peasant organizations gaining ground on the traditional political parties that have long dominated the nation. +1,Chirac calls for closer ties,"Visiting French President Jacques Chirac yesterday pushed for stronger economic and political ties with China, emphasizing mutual respect and equality in foreign relations in his speech at Tongji University in Shanghai." +4,Nintendo Prepares Weekend Launch of New Handheld," LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A generation of children grew up playing Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=7974.OS qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">7974.OS</A> Game Boy handheld video game system, and now that they've grown up, Nintendo has a new toy for them." +2,Rangers labor in holiday loss,"The Rangers lineup hit three home runs and racked up 11 hits, but perhaps the most offensive display Monday afternoon came via the usually steady Texas defense." +1,Warlord politics heats Afghan vote,President Karzai's rival gains ground by appealing to Afghanistan's former anti-Soviet resistance fighters. +4,Google preps desktop search application,Google Inc. made a much anticipated move toward what many consider the newest frontier in the digital information search sector by announcing Thursday it is offering a test version of an application designed to let users search for information stored on their desktop computers. +2,United back in for Rooney with 25m bid,Manchester United last night appeared to move a step closer to successfully completing the signing of Wayne Rooney when they lodged an increased 25 million bid for the England striker. +1,Thailand bird flu deaths increase,"A girl has died of bird flu in Thailand, the 11th confirmed victim of the disease this year. Kanda Srileung-On died in the north of the country, hours after testing positive for the virus, apparently caught from infected chickens." +1,"Kuwaiti, Italian officials urge release of hostages in Iraq","Kuwaiti and Italian officials on Monday urged the release of two Italian female hostages kidnapped earlier in Baghdad, the Kuwait News Agency reported." +3,Microsoft Appeals EU Ruling,The company will fight the order to reveal its software code to rivals. Also: Startup wants Google to feel outdated hellip;. Sony plasters Europe with Walkmans hellip;. and more. +3,XM Makes a RadioPod,The satellite radio company gears up to clean up in the portable player market. Also: United States lays a clear line against internet gambling hellip;. Outsourcing continues without a hitch hellip;. and more. +4,"Oh, Fine, You're Right. I'm Passive-Aggressive.","While ""passive-aggressive"" has become an all-purpose label for almost any difficult character, it is a controversial concept in psychiatry." +4,Context Within Search and Optimization,Context Within Search and Optimization\\A part of the problem in search engines relates to end users (you) expectations of what you will see in search results. I've run a few search query tests on the search engines recently. It's really an ongoing thing. I basically tested various wordings of the ... +4,AOL to Sell Cheap PCs to Minorities and Seniors (Reuters),Reuters - America Online on Thursday said it\plans to sell a low-priced PC targeting low-income and minority\households who agree to sign up for a year of dialup Internet\service. +4,Traffic management shifting lanes,"The application traffic management space is getting resurfaced as vendors such as F5, Radware, and Redline green-light new products with traffic compression, DoS attack protection, server-side caching, and other features aimed at simplifying and lowering the cost of network management." +2,Arsenal extends record unbeaten run,"Arsenal extended its record league unbeaten streak to 44 games with a 4-1 victory Saturday at Norwich, and 18-year-old American defender Jonathan Spector made his Premier " +1,Bin Laden Still At Large 3 Years After US Attacks,"The US-led anti-terrorism coalition is still hunting terror mastermind Osama bin Laden, the chief suspect in the September 11, 2001 deadly attacks on US cities." +2,PSU REPORT CARD,The quarterback drops back to pass on the first play of the game on enemy turf and floats a picturesque 49-yard bomb to the team's most dangerous player. +1,Five Malaysian sailors in Spratly bird flu scare,"KUALA LUMPUR : Five Malaysian navy sailors have been hospitalised for bird flu tests after possibly coming into contact with diseased birds while patrolling the disputed Spratly islands, officials said on Friday." +4,Dell excludes UK from price cuts,"Dell is slashing prices on corporate IT solutions by up to 22, but only for US customers. The cuts come on the back of impressive trading figures and lower component costs for Dell, and cover enterprise servers, desktops and laptops." +2,Cink cruises to wire-to-wire victory,"If anyone had questions about Stewart Cink being chosen for the Ryder Cup team, he answered them with authority Sunday at the NEC Invitational, never letting anyone within two shots and becoming the first wire-to-wire winner this year on the PGA Tour." +2,Ghostzapper an eye-opener,"Just how good is Ghostzapper? Considered an outstanding sprinter, Ghostzapper opened the eyes of racing fans when he won the Iselin Handicap at Monmouth by more than 10 lengths Aug. 21." +3,Intel lays deeper Indian foundations,Chipmaker Intel will spend $40m to expand in the southern Indian city of Bangalore over the next two years. Intel Chief Executive Craig Barrett on Friday laid the foundation of a new Intel building in Bangalore +1,U.S. Jets Hit Insurgent Areas in Fallujah ,"AP - U.S. jets pounded insurgent positions in Fallujah for a second straight day Wednesday, raising plumes of smoke but leaving no extensive damage or signs of weakening the Sunni militants who have steadily expanded their control of this city about 30 miles west of Baghdad." +1,Congo troops fighting near Rwanda border,"afrol News, 13 December - There are quot;very alarming reports quot; from Congo Kinshasa's North Kivu province of fights between different fractions of the Congolese armed forces, according to UN peacekeepers here." +3,UPDATE 2-Kmart names Yum marketing maven as CEO,"Kmart Holding Corp. (KMRT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Monday named a new president and chief executive in a move that could signal the start of a campaign to revamp the discount retailer's image." +4,FCC Considers Cell Phone Use On Airplanes,"Air travelers moved one step closer to being able to talk on cell phones and surf the Internet from laptops while in flight, thanks to votes by the Federal Communications Commission yesterday." +4,Samba servers vulnerable to denial-of-service attacks,Patches released for flaws in software package that lets Windows files and printers be shared by Unix and Linux systems. +1,Trial of Radical Cleric Bashir Starts in Indonesia," JAKARTA (Reuters) - Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir went on trial in Indonesia on Thursday on charges of leading Jemaah Islamiah, a militant network seen as the Southeast Asian arm of al Qaeda." +1,Kawaguchi out as foreign minister as Koizumi reshuffles cabinet,"TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi appointed Nobutaka Machimura to succeed Yoriko Kawaguchi as foreign minister in a cabinet reshuffle Monday, while retaining Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda and Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki." +4,Search Memories,"Veterans of AltaVista, Excite and Infoseek reminisce about the early days of web search, and opine about Google, then and now." +4,Verizon 3Q Profit Flat,"Verizon Communications Inc.'s third-quarter profit held steady at about $1.80 billion as declining revenues from traditional phone services at the nation's biggest telephone company were offset by another blockbuster quarter for Verizon Wireless, which added a record 1.7 million subscribers." +3,US Economy: Retail Sales Rise 3rd Month in November ,"US retail sales unexpectedly increased for a third month in November, easing concern that consumers will be tight-fisted this holiday shopping season." +2,Brown could pitch Sunday finale,"com. Kevin Brown may return to the mound sooner than expected, as Joe Torre said Friday that the right-hander is in the mix to start on Sunday afternoon against Curt Schilling and the Red Sox at Fenway Park." +1,Anti-spam plan overwhelms sites,A screensaver targeting spam-related websites appears to have been too successful. +3,Oil prices rise 7 for the week,"NEW YORK -- Oil prices neared $49 a barrel yesterday, capping a rise of 7 percent for the week, as Gulf of Mexico crude production rebounded at a slower-than-expected rate in the wake of Hurricane Ivan." +1,Nigeria's 'Taleban' attack police,"The government in Nigeria's north-eastern Borno state holds an emergency meeting after raids by the ""Taleban"" militia leave four dead." +4,EU takes aim at Intel--again,The European Commission has asked four more countries for information on how they buy computers. Rival AMD applauds the move. +3,GDP in Q3 grows 6.3,"DESPITE the budget deficit, continued increases in oil and consumer prices, the economy, as measured by gross domestic product, grew by 6.3 percent in the third " +2,Eagles show Cowboys night of humiliation,"IRVING, Texas -- Donovan McNabb spun away from one would-be tackler and sprinted to his right, only to find another defender waiting." +3,Textile groups call for limits,US textile-trade groups said yesterday that they would pursue safeguards that target the threat of Chinese imports flooding the US market once quotas expire Jan. 1. The groups - the American +4,Boeing Scrubs Planned Heavy-Lift Rocket Launch,Boeing Co. scrubbed a planned launch of a Delta IV heavy-lift rocket on Sunday as engineers sought to determine what caused a temperature control system to malfunction after an aborted launch on Saturday. +1,Reservist to plead guilty on Abu Ghraib charges,"MANNHEIM, Germany -- An Army reservist charged with abusing Iraqi detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison said yesterday he will plead guilty to some offenses, acknowledging he broke the law and saying he accepts responsibility for his actions." +2,An unqualified success,"FOXBOROUGH -- San Jose Earthquakes coach Dominic Kinnear had just finished watching as two of his players, Brian Ching and Landon Donovan, scored for the United States in a 2-0 win over El Salvador in a World Cup qualifying match yesterday." +1,Argentina teenage shooter slays 4 classmates,"A 15-year-old Argentine student opened fire at his classmates on Tuesday in a middle school in the south of the Buenos Aires province, leaving at least four dead and five others wounded, police said." +2,Tigers Reach Deal With First-Round Pick ,"AP - The Detroit Tigers reached a five-year deal with right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander, the second overall pick in the June draft." +3,Tokyo Shares Rise But Oil Worries Weigh, SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Japanese shares rebounded from three-month lows on Tuesday but stubbornly high oil prices and concern over their impact on corporate earnings capped gains. +4,"Microsoft, Time Warner DRM buy on EU review shelf",Regulators could still launch an investigation into the two titans' acquisition of ContentGuard this month. +4,"ID checks could have stopped cockler deaths, says Blunkett","Or more properly, could have lost them their jobs" +1,Suspect suicide bomb kills 2 Iraqi policemen,A police station on the outskirts of Baghdad's Green Zone has been attacked by a suspected suicide bomber driving a truckload of explosives. +3,Ericsson Returns to Profit but Lowers 2005 Outlook,"Ericsson, the world's largest maker of mobile phone networks, posted a quarterly profit on Friday, but reported disappointing new orders and offered a subdued outlook for 2005." +3,Sensitivity wins for News Corp,"The detail of the agreement News Corporation has struck with the Australian Council of Super Investors confirms the extent of the victory achieved by ACSI and its campaign partner, Corporate Governance International." +2,Reds extend Miley through 2006,"Manager Dave Miley got a long-awaited show of confidence yesterday when the Cincinnati Reds extended his contract through the 2006 season. Miley, 42, had little security when he took over for the fired Bob Boone in July 2003. He finished that season as interim manager, then got only a one-year extension with a club option for 2005. The Reds had ..." +4,Search Engines Fueling Online Music Retailers,"Search Engines Fueling Online Music Retailers\\Search engines are fueling the online hip-hop, rock, country and polka industries according to a new Hitwise study. 30.4 percent of U.S. visits to music retail Web sites in July 2004 resulted directly from search-engines and directories. According to a new report from Hitwise, an ..." +3,Shell to pay $1.5 bn as eco-claims in Nigeria,"LONDON, August 26 (New Ratings) - The beleaguered global oil giant, Shell (SHE1.ETR), has been reportedly asked by the Nigerian government to pay $1." +4,Open-source e-mail vendor Scalix joins OSDL,Linux e-mail and calendaring vendor Scalix has joined the nonprofit Open Source Development Labs to help push the implementation of desktop Linux. +4,Study: Big Predators Don't Last Long,"Apparently, the same things that makes large, toothy predators so good at hunting big game also make them more vulnerable to extinction - as is shown in a new study of a " +3,Are IRAs safe from creditors in bankruptcies?,The US Supreme Court wrestled yesterday with a question of interest to millions of Americans mired in debt -- whether tax-deferred Individual +1,Iran has no immediate uranium enrichment plans," quot;Resuming uranium enrichment is not in our agenda. We are still committed to the suspension, quot; Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza." +1,France marks the 'other D-Day',Two days of celebrations to honour the Allied veterans who liberated southern France near a climax. +1,"Iran, EU reach nuke agreement","Tehran - Iranian and European Union officials have reached a quot;preliminary agreement quot; on resolving concerns over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme following two days of negotiations in Paris, a top Iranian official said on Sunday." +4,Court strikes down Pennsylvania porn law,"update A federal court has struck down a Pennsylvania law that blocks access to Web sites labeled as child pornography, claiming that the rule violated the First Amendment." +2,"Red Sox offer arbitration to Martinez, Varitek, six others","The Red Sox are offering arbitration to pitcher Pedro Martinez and seven other free agents, General Manager Theo Epstein said Tuesday, meaning the club would receive draft choices if they sign with another team." +1,Soldiers kill Palestinian near Gaza-Israel fence,"Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian as he approached a security fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israeli military sources said today." +1,Public hostility to Iraq war at record levels: poll ,"AFP - Public distaste with the Iraq war in Britain has hit its worst-ever level, with fewer than a third of people thinking it is the right thing, an opinion poll said." +3,Trump Forms Casino Reorganization Plan,"ATLANTIC CITY, NJ-Donald Trump will retain the position of chairman and CEO at Trump Hotels amp; Casino Resorts as part of the complex restructuring of the company." +3,Is Sirius a Rule Breaker?,It's like nails on a chalkboard. It's like housing a headache before jumping on a jackhammer. Wondering if lowly Sirius Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: SIRI) is about to change the world hurts. +2,"Knowles, Nestor Win Open Men's Doubles ","AP - Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor won their first U.S. Open doubles title by beating Leander Paes and David Rikl 6-3, 6-3 Friday." +4,News: Webroot: Spyware is Windows-only,"Spyware, those annoying programs that snoop on a user's actions, remain a Windows-only phenomenon.\" +1,Lexus challenges Toyota's hybrid hegemony,The Toyota Prius petrol and electric hybrid car which has become such a hit in recent months with the green-thinking Hollywood set is about to be given a run for its money. +3,Pfizer to Pay $430 Million to Settle Asbestos Claims ,"Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drugmaker, agreed to pay $430 million to resolve personal-injury claims against a subsidiary that sold products containing asbestos in the 1970s." +3,A Marvelous 2005 and 2006,Marvel issues its 2005 guidance and offers an impressive list of projects for 2006. +4,Forming galaxy cluster captured,The Chandra telescope has seen huge gas clouds in space in the act of merging to form a massive galaxy cluster. +3,A Seismic Shift Under the House of Fannie Mae,"Unlike recent financial scandals, issues raised by Fannie Mae's regulators pertain to unwieldy accounting rules that are open to widely divergent interpretations." +1,Hostage's release explained,"A MILITANT group said today it had released a Canadian hostage, claiming her company pledged to withdraw from Iraq. The group, calling itself The Brigades of the Victorious Lion of God, said Fairuz Yamulky " +4,Sri Lanka Seeks Peace - This Time with Elephants (Reuters),"Reuters - Wild elephants and farmers\are killing each other at an alarming rate in Sri Lanka, so\hundreds of wildlife officers and villagers fanned out into\forests on Monday to find ways to broker peace." +1,"Raja Ramanna, Indian nuclear scientist, dies","Raja Ramanna, architect of India's nuclear weapons program, died early Friday. He was 79. As director of the government-run research center in Bombay, Ramanna headed the team that built " +1,Nigerian Strike Set to Drag Into Fourth Day (Reuters),Reuters - A general strike in Nigeria which has\raised fears over oil supplies was set to enter a fourth day\after a court rebuffed a government request to declare it\illegal on Wednesday. +2,Vogts not desperate to win,"Scotland manager Berti Vogts insists the World Cup qualifier against Norway on Saturday is not a quot;must-win quot; game. The German says it is more important for Norway, who have only one point from two games, to win." +4,Computer grid to help the world,"Through the World Community Grid, your computer could help address the world's health and social problems." +3,9:31 am: Senate reaches agreement to allow votes on corporate tax ,"The US Senate, after a weekend of behind-the-scenes negotiations, struck a deal to allow passage of a sweeping bill to provide $136 billion (?110 billion) in corporate " +2,Forest snatch late winner as fans pay tribute to Clough,"Substitute striker Marlon King scored in the final seconds to give second division Nottingham Forest a 2-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday, as fans and players paid tribute to late Forest manager Brian Clough." +4,News.com Extra: Rules set for $50 million space prize,Plus: Putting a face on technology could improve our interaction with hi-tech gadgets. +3,Barrage of credit card offerings grows into a crescendo,"com. Banks that issue Visa and MasterCard credit cards can now also offer customers American Express and Discover cards. OK, so the Earth didn't move." +4,MSN Unleashes Desktop Search,"Microsoft on Monday released its promised desktop search application, focusing on adding local e-mail and file search into MSN's browser toolbar, Outlook and the Windows operating system." +1,"Zawahri Urges Muslims to Hit U.S., Allies' Interests"," DUBAI (Reuters) - Senior al Qaeda official Ayman al-Zawahri, in a purported audio tape aired Friday, urged Muslims to set up an organized resistance to hit the interests of ""crusader America"" and its allies throughout the world." +1,Effort to Renew Weapons Ban Falters on Hill,"Despite popular support, the federal law banning the sale of 19 kinds of semiautomatic assault weapons is almost certain to expire on Monday." +4,Koala population becoming unbearable,"Sydney - Australia's koalas, once a threatened species, are now growing so fast in some areas that wildlife authorities are putting them on the pill." +1,Attacks kill 22 policemen in Iraq,At least 22 officers have been killed in attacks on police targets in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar. +2,Pakistan score 256 for eight on second day of Faisalabad Test:,"Sports India, Cricket: Faisalabad, Oct. 21 : Pakistan scored 256 for the loss of eight wickets on the second day of the Faisalabad test." +2,Rowing: Pinsent's emotions run free after gold medal No 4,and it beat anything the 20th could offer either. A fourth successive gold medal for Matthew Pinsent by only just 0.08s. Barney Williams +4,Oracle further extends PeopleSoft offer,"Oracle Corp. has again extended its $7.7 billion cash offer for PeopleSoft Inc. Shareholders now have until Oct. 8 to tender their shares, Oracle said Thursday." +1,Blair pledges over Bigley captors,"Tony Blair says the government would respond ""immediately"" if Ken Bigley's captors make contact." +2,Sharapova Beats Hantuchova to Extend Win Streak,"Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova stretched her winning streak to 10 matches with a 6-4, 7-5, victory over Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the second round of the Zurich Challenge Wednesday." +1,West Japan Quakes Unlikely to Be Precursors-Panel (Reuters),"Reuters - Two strong earthquakes that struck\western Japan are unlikely to be precursors to the type of\massive tremors that hit the region every century or so and the\chances of major aftershocks seem low, a government panel said\on Monday." +2,"NCAA, NABC Address College Hoops Issues ",AP - It wasn't hard for college basketball coaches to get to know NCAA president Myles Brand. He went and met them. +3,"ATT to Cut About 7,400 Jobs","ATT Corp. (TN: Quote, Profile, Research) will cut another 7,400 jobs and reduce the value of its assets by $11.4 billion, spurred by its retreat from traditional consumer " +1,Yeltsin warns against rolling back democracy in wake of Beslan ,AFP - Russia's first post-Soviet president Boris Yeltsin issued a veiled warning that President Vladimir Putin's decision to hand sweeping new powers to the Kremlin in the wake of the Beslan hostage crisis could roll back democratic freedoms. +4,Warming hastens Arctic changes,"EDMONTON -- Global warming is happening twice as fast in the Arctic as anywhere else and could cause everything from the extinction of polar bears to the flooding of large parts of Florida, says a report released yesterday." +1,Ex-Army Officer Elected Somalian President,"Somali presidential candidate Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed, left, stands next to an unidentified election official, just after he had taken an oath on the Quran to abide by the election results, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004 " +1,Rampant corruption could wreck postwar Iraq,"The postwar reconstruction of Iraq could be ruined by rampant corruption, an international survey said on Wednesday. The survey, an annual list of countries held to be the most corrupt in their business dealings " +3,"Manager at Edwards AFB harassed male employees, suit says","EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - A manager for a company that provides security for the space shuttle sexually harassed male employees over a period of two years, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a lawsuit filed Thursday." +3,Office Depot CEO Resigns,"Disappointments abound across business lines. Apparently, it is time for a change." +1,Arafat death: French minister says no reason to suspect poisoning ,"AFP - French Health Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said that there was no reason to suspect poisoning in the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in a Paris hospital last week, in response to a question during a French radio interview." +4,NBA on eBay,"In the wake of the NBA's big basketbrawl, the Internet served its predictable role, offering up..." +3,Netflix Raises Subscriber Forecast After Price Cut,"Online DVD rental company Netflix Inc. (NFLX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday raised its subscriber and revenue forecasts for the fourth quarter, saying a price cut had helped draw new customers." +2,Beard leads Mystics past Monarchs in overtime,Rookie Alana Beard has looked like a seasoned veteran ever since the Washington Mystics put teammate Chamique Holdsclaw on the injured list. +4,"TruSecure, Betrusted Merge To Create Cybertrust","In announcing the merger, the companies said Cybertrust would fold the specialties of each company -- risk management and compliance from TruSecure, identity management from Betrusted and intrusion detection and prevention from Ubizen." +4,Google Phishing Holes Found,Google has acknowledged two vulnerabilities in its Web site that could allow phishers to alter the appearance of its pages in order to dupe visitors -- and possibly lure them into giving away credit-card information. +3,Proxy battle taking shape in bid to wrest control of board,"LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) -- The bitter battle for control of PeopleSoft Inc. has taken a new turn, with Oracle Corp. declaring its intent to stage a proxy fight that would sweep away the board members standing in the way of its $9.2 billion hostile takeover." +2,Packers Going Through Some Trying Times ,"AP - A fight between teammates, incessant trade talk about Mike McKenzie, Brett Favre's bum shoulder, a desolated defense." +1,Three Japan Quake Victims Found After Four Days,"In a drama that gripped Japanese watching on live television, a two-year-old toddler was pulled alive from a car that had been buried under tons of rock and mud for nearly four days after a deadly earthquake." +3,Sony Agrees to Buy MGM for Nearly 5 Bln (Reuters),"Reuters - A bidding group headlined by Sony\Corp. (6758.T) agreed in principle to buy Hollywood film studio\Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for nearly 5 billion on Monday,\after rival bidder Time Warner Inc. withdrew from the\auction." +3,"Jobs, Economy Focus of 2 Big Protests","Demonstrations and protests bubbled up around New York again Wednesday, as thousands of people formed a symbolic unemployment line extending 3 1/2 miles from Wall Street to within yards of the Republican National Convention." +3,UPDATE 1-Brocade posts higher quarterly profit,"Brocade Communications Systems Inc. (BRCD.O: Quote, Profile, Research) , a maker of data networking equipment, said on Monday its quarterly profit rose, helped by new products " +1,Red Crescent aid convoy enters Fallujah,A Red Crescent convoy of emergency supplies entered Fallujah on Saturday amid fears of a growing humanitarian crisis in the Iraqi battle zone as a massive US led offensive against rebels entered its sixth day. +1,"Fallujah situation disastrous , charity says","Civilians trapped in Fallujah face a humanitarian disaster unless Iraqi and American authorities allow food, water and medicine into the besieged city, aid agencies warned last night." +4,City man charged with selling Microsoft source code,His online profile lists William P. Genovese's profession as quot;hacking bum quot; and quot;getting arrested quot; among his likes. +2,Typhoon Tokage Kills at Least 51 in Japan ,"AP - Japan's deadliest storm in more than a decade unleashed flash floods that washed away hillsides, killing up to 51 people before it veered east into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday. At least 30 people were missing." +2,"Hewitt, Paradorn reach Long Island second round","Lleyton Hewitt has defeated Olivier Mutis at the $US380,000 ATP Long Island event to move within one victory of reaching 50 match wins for the fourth time in five years." +4,HD-DVD Gains Three Backers,"November 29, 2004 - After months of momentum for Blu-ray, HD-DVD has shot back with a big gain - studio support. Toshiba Corp., which has been developing the HD-DVD format, announced it has lined up Warner Bros." +2,Artest Banned for Rest of Season After Ugly Brawl, NEW YORK (Reuters) - The National Basketball Association suspended All-Star Ron Artest for the rest of the season and Indiana Pacers team mates Stephen Jackson for 30 games and Jermaine O'Neal for 25 following Friday's ugly brawl. +3,Putting a Twist on Christmas,"This holiday season, a dozen major retailers are banking on the choppy, pulsating sound of remixed Christmas classics to help lure young shoppers and keep them spending." +2,UPDATE 1-Newcastle sack Robson as manager,"Newcastle United have sacked their manager Bobby Robson, the English Premier League club said on Monday. quot;After a disappointing start to the Premier League season, the directors " +1,Pentagon exaggerated risk posed by Iraq: US senator ,AFP - A senior Democratic senator released a report alleging that the US Pentagon exaggerated the military risks posed by Iraq before the US-led war there to support a decision already taken by the White House to invade the country. +4,"Costs Rise, Profit Falls at Cingular (Reuters)","Reuters - Mobile service provider Cingular\Wireless, which is buying AT T Wireless Services Inc. ,\said on Wednesday its third-quarter operating profit fell as\its costs rose." +3,Millions Must Work Longer to Pay for Pensions Blackhole,Millions must work longer or save harder to pay for the pensions blackhole detailed in an official study published tomorrow. At 57 billion the annual savings +1,Arafat Worsens as Tension Grows Between Wife and Political Heirs,"Yasir Arafat's wife, Suha, has used French privacy laws to keep the state of her husband's health a mystery to the world." +1,Mexico Police Suspended During Mob Probe ,"AP - Four federal police officers were suspended without pay as prosecutors investigate alleged police negligence in the vigilante killings of two federal agents this week, officials said Saturday." +2,Four goals. But can Chelsea really win all four trophies?,"Now that Chelsea have added Newcastle United to the list of clubs that they have given what for lately, what price Jose Mourinho covering the Russian-funded aristocrats of west London in glittering glory to the tune of four trophies?" +4,Now you can... Record all TV shows for a whole week,TV fans who are planning to go to Japan for their next holiday should put this nifty gadget on their shopping list. Japan's Sony Corporation will begin selling a computer and home-server system in Japan with +4,Armored Core: Clean Front,"November 29, 2004 - Being part of the PSP launch doesn't just mean being the first to play PlayStation Portable games. Sure, that part's cool -- as is lording over your friends and family as one of the only " +1,Goosestepping Germans Only in UK Media? (Reuters),"Reuters - No one in Germany knows the goosestep\any more, but German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said\Wednesday anyone wanting lessons in the military march used by\the Nazis could get them from Britain." +4,Dell talks home economics--and more,Look for more consumer electronics products and services from the PC behemoth. Also: SuSE Linux for Dell servers. +2,"Warne, McGrath hand Kiwis heavy defeat","Brisbane: New Zealand collapsed to an innings and 156-run defeat in the first cricket Test here, demoralised by a crushing Australian innings lead and routed by the world champions inspired bowling." +3,Conference committee accepts sales tax deductibility,"WASHINGTON -- A provision that would allow residents of seven states, including Washington, to deduct sales taxes on their federal tax returns made it out of conference committee Wednesday and moved to the House and Senate." +4,World's Oldest Field Test Reveals Soil Secrets (Reuters),"Reuters - The world's longest continually\running experiment has revealed traces of plutonium in British\soil from nuclear tests in the Nevada desert 50 years ago,\scientists said on Monday." +1,"Blood, knives, cage hint at atrocities (Chicago Tribune)","Chicago Tribune - Acting on information from a man who claimed to have escaped from militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's network, the U.S. military over the weekend inspected a house where intelligence officers believe hostages were detained, tortured and possibly killed." +4,Microsoft Releases MOM 2005 To Manufacturing,Channel partners say the release of enterprise and SMB versions of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 this week will boost Windows management but they're not sure whether it will boost sales. +4,'Spam King' Ordered to Disable Spyware,"A federal judge has ordered a man known as the ""Spam King"" to disable so-called spyware programs that infiltrate people's computers, track their Internet use and flood them with pop-up advertising." +3,Reshaping a Reshaper of Landscapes,"The Rouse Company, the mall developer that has reshaped the nation's landscape, agreed to be acquired by General Growth Properties for $7.2 billion in cash." +4,Google Phishing Holes Found (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - Two Google site vulnerabilities that could be used to mount phishing attacks have been reported, says the Internet search giant. It already has fixed one, and expects to patch the second shortly." +4,Scientists Follow Doomed Matter on a Ride Around a Black Hole,"Cambridge University -- Scientists have pieced together the journey of a bundle of doomed matter as it orbited a black hole four times, an observational first. Their technique provides a new method to measure the mass of a black hole; and this may enable the testing of Einstein's theory of gravity to a degree few thought possible..." +1,Martial law in Chinese city after riot,"BEIJING - Martial law was declared in a town in central China after at least four people died in rioting, residents said on Monday." +3,Reliance denies any family row,Share in India's Reliance Industries rally after the brothers at the head of the group deny any rift over leadership. +1,Report: Israeli Army Mistakenly Kills 3 ,"AP - The Israeli army mistakenly killed three Egyptian soldiers along the Gaza-Egypt border on Thursday, Israeli media reported." +4,Forgotten Remembers to Surprise,"The Forgotten plays by all the rules expected from paranormal thrillers to deliver a nice punch, hold the melodrama. By Jason Silverman." +3,Stocks stall at open,NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks stalled at the open Tuesday as investors shrugged off the impact of weaker crude prices and reports that Johnson amp; Johnson is seeking to buy Guidant in a $24 billion deal. +4,Search Engine for Programming Code,"Search Engine for Programming Code\\An article at Newsforge pointed me to Koders ( http://www.koders.com ) a search engine for finding programming code. Nifty.\\The front page allows you to specify keywords, sixteen languages (from ASP to VB.NET) and sixteen licenses (from AFL to ZPL -- fortunately there's an information page to ..." +3,Philippine Shares End Down; Profit-Taking In PLDT,MANILA (Dow Jones)--Philippine shares ended lower Thursday on last-minute profit-taking in select blue chips led by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. +3,Big 3 report $911M loss,Delta Air Lines will virtually eliminate its hub in Dallas that once was key to its long-term strategy. American Airlines will shutter its operations at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Bohemia. +2,Event of the Day -- Women's beach volleyball,"Why you should watch: The athletes are impossibly tanned and fit, the setting couldn't be more beautiful and the competition will be fierce." +1,Police confirm bomber,"HERI Golun, 30, was confirmed yesterday as the suicide bomber who attacked the Australian embassy in Jakarta. Indonesian police yesterday confirmed his identity, saying Golun died in the attack, which killed nine others." +4,Google to Digitize Some Library Collections,"Five prestigious university and public libraries have reached agreement with Google Inc. to digitize millions of volumes in their collections and make portions of the text available for free to computer users online, the search giant plans to announce today. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>" +4,Xerox wants to move away from Xeroxing,THE BOSS of Xerox says she wants to move the company away from just photocopying and become an information services outfit. Xerox chairman and CEO Anne Mulcahy says she is prepared to buy consultancies in a bid to make her cunning plans come true. +1,Poll: Bush Allies Face Doubts on Terrorism,"WASHINGTON - President Bush isn't the only world leader facing doubts about his handling of the war on terror. People in Australia, Italy and Britain also harbor reservations about how well their nation's leaders are holding terrorists at bay..." +2,"NHL overstated losses, report says","While the audit released last February found the league lost $274 million in the 2002-03 hockey season, Forbes pegged losses that year at just $123 million, a massive and contentious discrepancy in the two-month-old lockout of the 750-member NHL Players " +1,House Backs 32 Bln Homeland Security Bill (Reuters),Reuters - The House of Representatives on\Saturday passed a 32 billion bill funding homeland security\programs this year after days of political fighting over the\measure. +1,China's Shadow Banks,"Illegal lenders are siphoning money from state-owned banks, but they may do more good than harm\" +1,Cuba move triggers war of words,Cuba and the US trade bitter words after Cuba announced it was banning the use of dollars on the island. +1,Athletics Struggle Down the Stretch,"OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics are used to pressure-packed pennant races..." +2,Tar Heels Top Hoosiers,"Rashad McCants scores 19 points and Raymond Felton adds 18 as No. 9 North Carolina edges Indiana, 70-63, on Wednesday." +4,Intel Unveils Extreme Pentium 4 for Gamers,The 3.46GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition includes 2MB of Level 3 cache and hyper-threading technology. The Intel 925XE Express chipset is an extension of the 915/925X Express chipset launched +1,10 Deaths Blamed on Hurricane Frances,"TAMPA, Fla. - Frances completed its two-day assault on Florida, leaving storm-weary residents Tuesday with flooding, frayed nerves and shortages of everyday items such as gas, ice and water..." +1,"A burst of light, a powerful bang, then ringing mobiles",Behind the twisted wire mesh and shattered glass winks a sign: quot;Taba Lounge quot;. The lounge itself has been gutted. Couches are buried under rubble while contents from upper floors sag precariously above loose ceiling blocks. +1,"After Dark, the Stuffed Animals Turn Creepy",Overnight guards and scientists at the American Museum of Natural History often feel glassy eyes on them. +2,Marbury sees point in Iverson,"As if he didn't have the ball in his hands often enough in previous seasons, scoring machine Allen Iverson also is now the point guard for Philadelphia." +3,"Dollar Extends Recovery Against Euro, Yen", TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar rebounded for a second session on Thursday as traders and investors took profits on bets against the U.S. currency before the year draws to a close. +2,Toledo frustrates Huskies,DEKALB -- Toledo doesn't just beat Northern Illinois University. It torments the Huskies. Teases their defense. NIU gets the Rockets right where it wants them. +3,Women Employees Sue Costco,"Women employees of Costco Wholesale Corp. filed a sex discrimination class action suit today, alleging that the giant retailer imposes a glass ceiling that prevents women from reaching the top and keeps them in lower paid positions." +1,Israel's Sharon Agrees to Changes to W. Bank Barrier," JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon agreed to changes in the route of Israel's West Bank barrier on Monday but insisted on keeping key Jewish settlement blocks inside, political sources said." +3,World's Biggest Aerospace Company in Offing?,"Germany fueled mounting speculation over the future independence of French defense firm Thales on Monday, saying Thales and Airbus parent EADS would " +4,Jury rules for Kodak in Java patent dispute,Editor's Summary: A New York state jury has ruled that Sun Microsystems Java infringes on three patents now held by Eastman Kodak. +3,Oil Rises on Winter Weather Worries, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose sharply on Friday as worries a cold spell in the United States could erode already depleted winter fuel inventories spurred the market higher. +3,Kremlin targets another oligarch,"Alarm in Russian markets yesterday at the authorities $158m tax demand from Vimpelcom, the mobile operator, underlines nervousness after the assault on Yukos." +1,ElBaradei Says Unclear if Iran Nuke Plans Peaceful," VIENNA (Reuters) - It is unclear if Iran's nuclear ambitions are entirely peaceful, but there is still no firm evidence that Tehran is secretly developing atomic weapons as Washington asserts, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday." +1,World Squabbles Over UN Security Council Seats,THE United Nations quest to reform the Security Council has turned into a public brawl between aspiring powers seeking a permanent seat at the top table and a larger number of jealous neighbours seeking to keep them out. +3,"F.D.A. Failing in Drug Safety, Official Asserts","Federal drug regulators are ""virtually incapable of protecting America"" from unsafe drugs, a federal drug safety reviewer told a Congressional panel." +3,IBM PC Users Face Uncertain Future,"DECEMBER 13, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Now that IBM plans to sell its PC division to Beijing-based Lenovo Group Ltd., the big question is whether the companies can keep users from defecting to other vendors -- which would put IBM's once standard-setting PCs " +4,Nortel sees lower Q3 revenue,"Nortel Networks has been working for months to correct several years of faulty financial results that have sparked lawsuits, criminal investigations and regulatory probes." +3,Stern show ruling a long way off ,"TORONTO -- No decision has yet been made on what to do with American radio shock-jock Howard Stern if an application to bring the US subscription service Sirius to Canada is successful, says the CBC, which is involved in the application." +3,China ready to implement WTO promises,"China is ready to reduce tariffs and drop barriers for foreign products to enter its market next year, China Radio International reported Tuesday." +2,Record-breaker Singh stretches ahead of Els in rankings,"Vijay Singh, the first player in PGA Tour history to earn more than $10 million in a single season following his Chrysler Championship victory on Sunday, has strengthened his grip at the top of the world rankings." +3,Euro industrial production slows,"Industrial production in the eurozone \falls by 0.4 in June from May, with Germany registering the biggest fall." +2,AL Roundup: Red Sox clinch spot,"The Boston Red Sox clinched their second consecutive trip to the playoffs, rallying past the host Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7-3, last night behind Manny Ramirez's AL-leading 43rd home run." +3,Blue Chips End Lower After Oil Hits $49, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue-chip stocks declined to the lowest level in more than a month on Thursday as crude oil prices touched $49 a barrel and renewed concerns that high fuel costs will erode corporate profits. +1,"Typhoon strikes Kyushu, injuring 13; 3 missing","TOKYO - Typhoon Meari landed on Kyushu on Wednesday morning and was moving northeast in Miyazaki Prefecture at 4 pm, bringing heavy rains and strong wind to southern and western Japan and causing the evacuation of residents and some injuries." +2,Rusedski Drags Britain Back into Davis Cup Tie,Greg Rusedski produced one of his finest clay-court performances to haul Great Britain level in their Davis Cup clash with Austria in Portschach. +4,Emoticons Invade Mars,"The Mars Global Surveyor released the latest glyph image that appears to evoke the kinds of communication in rock formations that has become famous among Mars' watchers on the internet. But there is a serious side to interpreting remote sensing data, and shadow is not always one's ally..." +2,(Sports Network) - This year's American League Championship Series ,Red Sox. Boston is on the verge of being swept in four games by the New York. on Aaron Boone's home run in bottom of the 11th inning of Game 7. It's been a. pennant in the last seven years. +3,Oracle boosts hostile bid for PeopleSoft to $8.8bn,"Oracle raised its hostile bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft by 14 percent yesterday, aiming to bring a resolution to the long-running takeover battle between the foes." +2,NBA Wrap: Mavericks Come Back to Beat Golden State,DALLAS (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks overcame an early 17-point deficit for a 101-98 overtime victory against Golden State at American Airlines Center. +2,Robinson blessed to lead England,"Jason Robinson, who will lead world champions England for the first time against Canada on Saturday, says he feels blessed to have been appointed captain." +1,Martha Stewart Reports to Prison in W.Va.,"ALDERSON, W.Va. - Martha Stewart reported to prison early Friday to begin serving a five-month sentence for lying about a stock sale, the federal Bureau of Prisons said..." +4,Ten-Year-Old Grilled Cheese Sandwich Is Back On E-Bay,"E-Bay pulled the grilled cheese image of the Virgin Mary from its Web site, but reversed its decision Tuesday and put the 10-year-old sandwich back on the auction block." +3,United Online Gets Class,"United Online (Nasdaq: UNTD) may have reported a perfectly respectable increase in quarterly profit today, but it's the future that has investors worried." +3,EADS boosted by Airbus orders,"European aerospace group EADS reports higher-than-expected profits, boosted by sales in its Airbus plane-making subsidiary." +2,Roundup: Newcastle United fires its manager,Newcastle United fired Bobby Robson as manager Monday after the northeast English side suffered a turmoil-plagued start to its Premiership season. +1,"Manmohan, Musharraf hail new chapter in ties (Reuters)",Reuters - The leaders of India and Pakistan on Friday hailed a new era in often-fraught relations between the two nuclear rivals and agreed to study a joint pipeline project and pursue solutions to the Kashmir conflict. +3,Google-licious!,Last week I wondered about the logic behind a gutsy market call by American Technology Research advising investors to buy Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) and dump Google (Nasdaq: GOOG). +2,Mayfield jumps into chase with victory,The task was clear for Jeremy Mayfield: Win the race and don't worry about the race to make NASCAR's playoffs. +3,Yukos suffers further tax setback,Russian oil giant Yukos suffers another blow in its tax battle after a Moscow court rules it must pay $1.4bn (778m) in fines. +3,Job Growth Is Well Below Wall Street Forecasts,"The economy added 112,000 payroll jobs in November, the Labor Department reported today, far fewer than the month before and not enough to keep up with average increases in the adult population." +1,Sequels save blockbuster summer,"Sequels to Shrek, Spider-Man and Harry Potter help propel US box office takings to a new summer record." +1,"More than 900,000 volunteers begin war on bird flu in Thailand","BANGKOK : Thailand launched its month-long war on bird flu with more than 900,000 volunteers carrying out house-to-house checks for signs of the disease, a senior health official said." +1,Cambodia's Sihanouk Signals Abdication,The announcement Thursday that King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia would abdicate his throne because of poor health has raised new uncertainties for a country with +4,Novell to defend open source software with patents,"Novell Inc. is prepared to use its portfolio of U.S. software patents to protect against patent lawsuits the open source software it ships, the company said in statements posted to the Novell.com Web site and in an e-mail sent to customers Tuesday." +4,ATT Joins the Music Frenzy,"In the first foray by a US wireless carrier into the online music market, AT amp;T is launching a service that lets subscribers buy songs using their cell phones and later download them to a computer." +2,Pongolle keeps his cool to send Liverpool through,Florent Sinama Pongolle converted two penalties to send Liverpool into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup. The striker had ensured a shootout with his 117th-minute penalty and then decided +3,SEC Leaves Google Waiting on IPO Go Ahead," NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators on Tuesday did not give Google Inc. the green light it needs to price its initial public offering, extending the wait for its highly anticipated market debut." +2,"United, Revs play RFK thriller",WASHINGTON -- The black eye that goalkeeper Matt Reis was sporting as he stared down the next DC United penalty kick taker told the story. +1,"China, Pakistan call for closer army-to-army ties",China and Pakistan officials voiced their common aspiration of furthering ties between the two armies during a meeting here Wednesday. +4,Updated AOL focuses on security,The revamped software for AOL's proprietary online service tackles spam and other Internet security issues. +3,Disney in the dock over 140 million dollar payout to executive,"A law suit against the Walt Disney Co. over 140 million dollars paid to former president Michael Ovitz started, seven years after shareholders brought the action." +2,Heavy Rain Washes Out Mets-Braves Game,The remnants of Hurricane Jeanne rained out Monday's game between the Mets and the Atlanta Braves. It will be made up Tuesday as part of a doubleheader. +2,Richardson to Appeal Lawsuit Dismissal ,AP - Former Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson will appeal the dismissal of a discrimination lawsuit he filed against the university. +3,"CNNFN FINALLY PULLS PLUG, ENDING DIFFICULT 9-YR. RUN","Time Warner's CNNfn waved the white flag yesterday, saying it was shutting down after nine years of unsuccessfully competing with CNBC for the top business cable station." +2,China offended by Nike advertisement,China has voiced its anger over a Nike advertisement in which a US basketball star fights off a series of ancient Chinese characters. +2,Campbell starts for Gunners in Norway,Sol Campbell started his second game in the space of five days when he lined up in the Arsenal defence for tonights Champions League encounter with Rosenborg in Norway. +2,Cowboys Launching 24-Hour TV Network ,"AP - The Dallas Cowboys Channel, a 24-hour cable network devoted to America's Team, will launch Sept. 8 and be available to more than 1.3 Comcast subscribers in Texas and adjoining states." +1,Karzai attack underlines Afghan election fears,"Thousands of kilometers away in Afghanistan itself, security experts, independent analysts and candidates are equally amazed that the polls will go ahead on October 9, in spite of insecurity and few guarantees that the vote will be free and fair." +4,US signs $53M deal to control methane gas,"WASHINGTON - Seeking to bolster its credentials on global warming, the United States signed an agreement yesterday with 13 other nations that calls for investing up to $53 million in companies that could profitably control emissions of methane, a " +1,"Tokyo Stocks Edge Lower, Dollar Down ","AP - Tokyo stocks edged lower Wednesday for the second straight day, led by export-dependent technology and automobile issues following Wall Street's overnight retreat. The U.S. dollar slid against the Japanese yen." +2,Only 17 players fit for Russia's qualifier against Portugal,Russia have been hit by injury and illness as the departure of left winger Andrei Karyaka on Tuesday left the squad only 17 fit players for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier away to Portugal. +1,Churches 'snap up Passion DVDs',"Makers of The Passion of the Christ are tempting US churches with bulk orders, says The New York Times." +4,Virgin to offer space flights,"High-flying Brit entrepreneur Richard Branson today announced the imminent take-off of the quot;VSS Virgin quot; - a scaled-up version of Burt Rutan's SpacShipOne - which will offer well-to-do wannabe astronauts the chance of zero-grav flights for a mere 100,000 " +4,PeopleSoft Removes Craig Conway as CEO,"In a surprise move, the business software maker fired CEO Craig Conway Friday, saying it has has lost confidence in the feisty leader who engineered the company's dogged resistance to a takeover bid by rival Oracle Corp." +2,NFL Wrap: Dillon Helps Patriots Earn 21st Successive Win (Reuters),Reuters - Corey Dillon rushed for 115 yards as\the New England Patriots beat the New York Jets 13-7 at Foxboro\Sunday to take their record winning streak to 21 games. +4,Molecule may be key to nicotine addiction,"WASHINGTON - California researchers fiddled with a single gene to create mice hypersensitive to nicotine, pointing to a single molecule partly to blame for nicotines addictive allure." +4,"Intel, HP to Commercialize PlanetLab","SAN FRANCISCO -- A high-tech consortium led by Intel (Quote, Chart) and HP (Quote, Chart) is looking to capitalize on an additional layer of protocol services they claim will streamline Internet traffic." +1,US guard 'stomped' on Iraqis,"A colleague testifies against the woman pictured in photos from Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, Pte Lynndie England." +3,Tech Stocks Rise; Oil Prices Boost Sector," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Technology stocks rose on Monday as semiconductor companies returned to favor, led by Intel Corp.<A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=INTC.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">INTC.O</A> and Broadcom Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=BRCM.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">BRCM.O</A>, helping to lift major indexes." +4,Rx Depot Co-Founder Has New Online Venture ,AP - The co-founder of an Oklahoma prescription drug service shut down for violating federal drug importation laws has a new company providing discounted medicines over the Internet. +4,Open-Source Startup SourceLabs Gets Venture Funding (NewsFactor),NewsFactor - A newcomer on the open source scene has received funding to expand operations and develop new product lines. +3,US consumer confidence fell more than expected in October,"Worries about job prospects sent consumer confidence in the United States to a seven-month low in October, its third consecutive monthly decline." +1,"Philippines Mourns Poe, Film Star Who Ran for President",Filipinos mourned the death of movie legend Fernando Poe Jr on Tuesday after the actor who nearly unseated Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in May's presidential election suffered a stroke at the weekend. +4,Phantom of the Xbox,"After being dropped for release outside of Japan by Microsoft Game Studios, publisher Majesco has picked up Phantom Dust for a release in North America, expected to be early 2005." +3,"Delta, US Air Stocks Drop","Investors pulled back from shares of major air carriers Friday as concerns loomed that US Airways Group Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. might soon declare bankruptcy, in what would mark yet another major setback to the embattled industry." +3,"Kroger, Union Reach Tentative Cincinnati Pact","Grocery retailer Kroger Co. signed a tentative three-year agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1099, the union said." +1,Nepal ranks low in media freedom index,"According to the Third Annual Worldwide Index of Press Freedom released in Paris yesterday by the Reporters Sans Frontiers, Nepal is 160th out of 167 countries, with Denmark at top and North Korea at the bottom." +3,Amazon Launches A9 Web Search Service,"Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) unit A9.com on Wednesday unveiled the new version of its Web search service, the latest salvo in the cut-throat sector dominated by Amazon partner -- and rival -- Google Inc." +4,"Click, and the Deals Arrive at the Doorstep","Now that all the holiday presents have been opened, it is time to do some real shopping for the home, from the home." +1,Paes-Bhupathi overcome Federer-Allegro (Reuters),"Reuters - World number one Roger Federer's top target for the year -- an Olympic tennis gold medal -- was taken away from him in a ""terrible day"" on Tuesday." +1,Note on slain filmmaker's body makes threat on Dutch politician ,"THE HAGUE -- A letter left on the body of a Dutch filmmaker killed in Amsterdam contained death threats against a politician and was signed by a suspected terrorist group, the justice minister said yesterday, as police pressed an investigation into radical Islamic groups." +2,Packers lose Flanagan for season,"Green Bay, WI (Sports Network) - The Green Bay Packers will be without the services of Pro Bowl center Mike Flanagan for the remainder of the season, as he will undergo left knee surgery." +4,Software Disasters Often People Problems ,"AP - New software at Hewlett-Packard Co. was supposed to get orders in and out the door faster at the computer giant. Instead, a botched deployment cut into earnings in a big way in August and executives got fired." +4,Will your phone become your credit card?,"com October 12, 2004, 12:23 PM PT. Wired amp; Wireless continues its reign at the top spot among IT priorities due to widespread IP telephony and wireless deployment." +3,Advanced Neuromodulation takes stake in Cyberonics,"CHICAGO, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Advanced Neuromodulation Systems (ANSI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Friday said it took an equity stake in Cyberonics Inc. (CYBX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) and initiated discussions about combining the two companies. " +1,Attack On Israeli Army Backfires,Militants attacking an Israeli armored bulldozer inadvertently killed three other Palestinians Tuesday during an Israeli operation to destroy weapons-smuggling tunnels from Egypt. +4,Genesis Team Hopeful About Samples,"Jet Propulsion Lab -- Genesis team scientists and engineers continue their work on the mission's sample return canister in a specially constructed clean room at the U.S. Army Proving Ground in Dugway, Utah..." +1,Standoff Continues with Militant Cleric in Najaf,Fighting continues in Najaf even though Iraq's Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has made a final call to Shi ite militants to lay down their weapons and leave the holy Imam Ali shrine in Najaf. Militants threaten to kill a Turkish hostage and missing American ... +1,Afghan women offer to take place of UN hostages,A group of 20 Afghan women offered on Thursday to take the place of three foreign UN workers held hostage for the past two weeks by a Taliban splinter group. +3,"Clorox Swaps $2.1 Bln, Two Brands to Get Henkel Stake (Correct)","Clorox Co., the largest US household- bleach maker, agreed to swap $2.1 billion in cash, the Soft Scrub and Combat brands and a stake in a joint venture to buy back 61." +2,Jeffeson Leads Nets,"Richard Jefferson scores 19 in the second half, and Travis Best has a season-high 21 to lead the Nets to a 95-90 victory over the Hawks." +2,Davis dismisses report,"Lee Suggs has been cleared to practice beginning Wednesday after missing the last two games with a neck injury. Coach Butch Davis said a report on ESPN speculating Suggs has stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal column, is untrue." +3,Dollar Holds Gains After U.S. Factory Data," NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rebounded on Monday after a heavy selloff last week, but pared some gains after a U.S. factory report showed employment was down in December." +4,Tiny carbon cylinders set record,"Researchers at Oxford and Nottingham universities create the smallest ""test tubes"" known to science." +1,Milosevic calls leaders to trial,Ex-Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic asks judges to subpoena world leaders at his trial in The Hague. +3,Fossil fuels to remain dominant: IEA,The International Energy Agency has said fossil fuels will retain their overwhelming domination of the world's energy market until 2030 unless governments urgently switch to clean sources. +4,"Taiwan, Singapore Lead Gov't Online","By ELIZABETH ZUCKERMAN PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island -- A university study has found Taiwan and Singapore now lead the United States and Canada in providing government services online. The Brown University survey, in its fourth year, measures the online performance of government in 198 countries..." +3,Calif. to host greatest garage sale ever,The state is holding a rummage sale to get rid of a whole bunch of unwanted stuff. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is holding a rummage sale to dispose of unwanted state property from aircraft engines to jewelry. +2,Russia meets defending champ France for Fed Cup title,"Moscow, Russia (Sports Network) - Russia and France will meet for the Fed Cup title this weekend at Krylatskoe Ice Stadium in a rematch of last year's semifinals." +4,Vary: ETag Extensions,Sam posts an interesting proposal. This is better than the HTTP delta\suggestion but still has a few issues.\\The client needs to know the ETags before it can start performing differential\fetches. With date ranges you still preserve the initial archive query. For\example when you first subscribe to a feed you could fetch 30 days worth of\posts. If you like the feed you can even fetch *older* posts which could be\really cool. Also even if you still use faster checksum algorithm like CRC32 or\Adler32 you still have an O(N) performance hit for your document. If you have a\btree on your post dates you will gave O(log(N)) for search for a much smaller\string (64bit in most situations). F ...\\ +1,Low Turnout Likely to Kill Macedonian Referendum, SKOPJE (Reuters) - Macedonian opposition parties looked headed for a flop on Sunday in their referendum bid to block a Western-inspired law that gives the ethnic Albanian minority more local autonomy. +4,SPACESHIPONE FLIGHT GRABS X-PRIZE,"The world's first private spaceship has blasted into the final frontier for the second time in five days, snatching the nearly 14-million dollar prize and founding a new era of space tourism." +4,Personal Tech: HDTV,"Mark Cuban, co-founder and president of HDNet, discusses the world of digital television." +2,Korean Olympic Team Files Petition with CAS,"Koreas Olympic delegation filed a petition on Saturday, appealing for a correction of a scoring error committed during Yang Tae-youngs performance in mens gymnastics with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Shin Bak-je, the headperson of " +4,Microsoft Refreshes Mac Office (PC World),"PC World - Service Pack 1 fixes security flaws, updates individual applications." +2,Zee not to re-bid for cricket rights,"ZEE Telefilms Ltd (ZTL) has decided not to re-bid for the rights to broadcast cricket matches played in India. quot;The board of directors in its meeting on September firmly decided against re-bidding, quot; ZTL said in a press release issued here on Tuesday." +2,"Ravens 17, Redskins 10","Playing his last football until November, Jamal Lewis punished would-be tacklers and kept the Baltimore Ravens offense on the field for nearly the entire fourth quarter." +3,Bill Clinton Helps Launch Search Engine,"Former United States President Bill Clinton speaks at the conclusion of a forum titled New Thinking on Energy Policy: Meeting the Challenges of Security, Development, and Climate Change, at New York University in New York, Monday, Dec. 6, 2004." +1,Baghdad Suicide Car Bomb Kills at Least Four," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb exploded on Tuesday at a police post near an entrance to the fortified Green Zone complex in Baghdad, killing at least four people, a policeman at the scene said." +3,UPDATE 3-PacifiCare to buy American Medical for $502 mln,"PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. (PHS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it agreed to buy American Medical Security Group Inc." +1,US Presley festival under threat,Poor ticket sales are threatening the future of the annual Elvis Presley Festival in the late star's home town. +1,Peru Rebel Says Will Surrender Monday," LIMA, Peru (Reuters) - The leader of a 200-strong armed group that killed four policemen and seized a police station and part of a southern Peruvian town, to demand the resignation of President Alejandro Toledo, said it would hand over its weapons on Monday." +4,Web Data Transfer to Handsets Made Easier ,"AP - Have you ever gone online to get driving directions, only to leave the printout behind? Have you made movie plans, but forgot to jot down the show times? Or do you simply need an easy way to feed phone numbers to your cell phone?" +3,"In IMF talks, US shifts toward debt-forgiveness pact","WASHINGTON With public pledges and in private conversations, Britain managed over the weekend to move the United States closer to full forgiveness of the debts of the poorest countries during the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International " +1,"Jeanne Threatens Fla., Ivan Pounds Texas","Floridians braced for another possible pounding as Hurricane Jeanne appeared to be gearing up for a weekend landing, as Tropical Storm Ivan's second foray into the United States came with little wind but plenty of the rain. Jeanne has already been blamed for 1,070 flooding deaths in Haiti..." +2,Illinois to name Zook its new coach,"CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Former Florida coach Ron Zook will be named Illinois 22nd head coach today, sources said Monday. Zook, a former Miami University defensive back, will replace Ron Turner, who was fired Nov. 22 after the team went 3-8." +2,Australia beat India,"Bangalore, India - Australia launched its test series campaign in India with a thumping 217-run victory in the opening match on Sunday." +3,Wells Fargo Posts Higher 3Q Profit,"Wells Fargo Co., the fifth-largest bank in the United States, said Tuesday that third-quarter earnings increased 12 percent on strong consumer lending growth, but failed to meet Wall Street expectations on flat revenue." +3,"FDA officer warns on 5 drugs, offers harsh critique of agency",WASHINGTON -- A veteran Food and Drug Administration safety officer yesterday told a Senate hearing inquiring into the abrupt recall of the arthritis drug Vioxx that five other widely used drugs should be either withdrawn or sharply restricted because they have dangerous side effects. +3,Verizon wont oppose new spectrum for Nextel,Verizon Wireless said it wont oppose the Federal Communications Commissions decision to grant valuable wireless spectrum to Nextel Communications Inc. +3,Australian Dollar May Gain on Xstrata Bid for WMC Resources,"The Australian dollar may gain after Switzerland-based Xstrata Plc bid A\$7.4 billion ($5.8 billion) for WMC Resources Ltd., stoking speculation it will have to buy dollars to pay shareholders." +1,Judge reserves decision in Air India terrorism trial ,"AFP - Two men charged with murder and conspiracy in the Air India bombings, the world's most lethal terror strike prior to September 11, 2001, will wait until March to hear a verdict, a judge said." +3,Businessman takes fight over Pats tickets online,"A Connecticut businessman took his quixotic crusade against the New England Patriots to the Internet yesterday, launching a website to build support among season ticket holders for arbitration in ticket revocation disputes and the ability to transfer tickets to a friend or family member." +4,"Jeanne Costs Money, Time at Florida Spaceport (Reuters)",Reuters - Jeanne was the third\hurricane in six weeks to damage Florida's Kennedy Space Center\but NASA would not say on Monday whether the damage will set\back plans to resume space shuttle flights next March. +2,Free agents offered arbitration,Players offered arbitration have until Dec. 19 to either accept or reject. Players who reject arbitration may sign with former club until Jan. 8 (or after May 1). +1,Blunkett repays lover's rail fare,"David Blunkett repays Parliament for a train ticket he gave to his ex-lover and apologises for a ""genuine mistake""." +4,Red Hat Names CFO After Restatements,"Red Hat Inc. , a Linux software distributor that in July said it would restate three years of financial results, on Thursday named Charles Peters as chief financial officer." +2,Hines speeds toward NHRA title in Pro Stock Bike,"On genetics alone, Pro Stock Bike rider Andrew Hines was destined to win a championship. He just didn't expect one in his second full season and definitely not at 21 years old, adding " +1,CORRECTED: Cheney Is a Quiet Force Behind Bush Presidency (Reuters),"Reuters - Dick Cheney is one of the most\powerful vice presidents in U.S. history, regarded as a driving\force behind the Iraq war and the Bush administration's\industry-friendly energy policy." +2,"SuperSonics 108, Lakers 93","Rashard Lewis scored a season-high 37 points, and the Seattle SuperSonics improved to 18-4 with a 108-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night." +4,MechAssault 2 jacks gold,"Mech shooter off stomps off to production, and is on schedule for its uncommon December 28 release. Microsoft today announced that MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf has achieved gold status and will be ready to hit Xboxes and light up Xbox Live December 28." +1,Long hair Leung sizes up HK head,Hong Kong legislator-elect quot;Long Hair quot; Leung Kwok-hung ( ) said yesterday he would ask Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa ( ) to resign during an unprecedented meeting scheduled for today. +2,Boulware returns interception 60 yards for TD,"With the game tied 17-17, the Dolphins stopped the Seahawks on downs and got the ball at their own 47 with 1:51 remaining. On third down, AJ Feeley threw a 7-yard pass to Chris Chambers for a first down at the Seattle 41." +2,Friday's Golf Capsules,Fred Funk and tour rookie Zach Johnson had near perfect outings Friday to share a one-stroke lead in the Buick Championship after two rounds. +1,Death of a filmmaker,"IF YOU WANT to know where the outrage is when Islamist thugs butcher a civilian, look to the Netherlands. There may not be much of an outcry over the slaughter of humanitarian worker Margaret Hassan in Iraq, but the Dutch are up in arms about the Nov." +1,Latham the brawler should know better,HOW can you argue against attacking groups and individuals who want to plant bombs and kill innocent Australian civilians? Mark Latham believes he can mount and argue such a position (though he has given no coherent reason). +3,European Shares Hit New 2-1/2 Year Peak," LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks hit a new 2-1/2 year high on Tuesday as a slide in oil prices and a rise in the dollar fueled confidence in the global economy, but a glum Christmas report from Woolworths weighed on UK retailers." +2,Shoulder injury blow for Real's Zidane,Real Madrid says French play-maker Zinedine Zidane will be out for at least three weeks after dislocating his right shoulder in their 3-0 Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. +1,Indonesian Magazine Editor Found Guilty of Libel,A court on Thursday sentenced Tempo magazine editor Bambang Harymurti to one year in prison for defamation and quot;inciting unrest quot; in a case watched by press freedom advocates here and abroad. +4,Briefly: Microsoft IPTV to woo Swiss test group,"roundup Plus: Sony speeds up Memory Stick cards...Real touts one week, 1 million songs...Chipmaker Fujitsu prepares WiMax chip." +4,Researchers Develop 3-D Phone Technology ,"AP - It's an idea that was popularized by Princess Leia's plea for help in Star Wars: sending a 3-D hologram. Now, two Japanese scientists have developed technology they hope will one day turn the humble telephone booth into a high-tech chamber for beaming holographic images." +1,Turkish company announces it is withdrawing from Iraq to save ,"A Turkish company said Sunday it was withdrawing from Iraq a day after Iraqi militants threatened to behead its employee unless it ceased operations in the country, the Anatolia news agency reported." +4,"Intel Helping Indian, Chinese Customers to Use Linux ","Intel Corp., the world's biggest semiconductor maker, said it's helping Indian and Chinese customers build personal computers that use the Linux operating system, an alternative to Microsoft Corp." +2,Ljubicic beats Henman while Agassi advances,"Top-seeded Tim Henman was ousted by Croatian nemesis Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the third round of the Madrid Masters on Thursday." +3,High court weighs direct wine shipment,"WASHINGTON - State laws barring people from buying wine directly from out-of-state suppliers should be struck down as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court was told Tuesday, as it heard arguments in a case that could lead to sweeping changes on how " +1,Iraq: Tonnes of explosives missing,"Nearly 380 tonnes of deadly explosives, powerful enough to shatter air planes, demolish buildings, make missile warheads and detonate nuclear weapons, are missing from one of Iraq's most sensitive former military installations, the interim government has " +1,Putin Arrives in Turkey on Historic Visit,"President Vladimir Putins visit to Turkey on Sunday will highlight a thaw in relations between the one-time Cold War foes and focus on trade, investment and energy deals, the Reuters news agency reports." +4,Large Asteroid Safely Zooms By Earth,Jet Propulsion Lab -- A mountain-sized asteroid made its closest approach to Earth at 6:35 a.m. Pacific Time (9:35 a.m... +2,Pedestrian Ban Reversed,A Prince George's County appeals board has voted to overturn a ban on pedestrians on the streets and sidewalks around FedEx Field. +1,"At least 14 people killed, 200 injured in Bangladesh's bomb blasts","At least 14 people were killed and over 200 injured, as a series of bombs and grenades exploded through a rally here organized by the main opposition the Awami League Saturday " +3,Industry shies off rogue broker,Big sharebrokers moved quickly yesterday to distance themselves from the shock collapse of Access Brokerage. They backed the New Zealand Exchange's move to effectively shut down the firm. +2,Escobar is no pushover,"A wolf in Angels wings? Or a sacrificial lamb to be served up on the Fenway mound this afternoon? Kelvim Escobar went 11-12 this season and was beaten by the Red Sox stats, schedule, 4 " +4,Firefox Pre-Preview Release Available for Testing,"Asa Dotzler writes quot;We took one more important change into the builds last night, moving from a blacklist to a whitelist for external protocol handlers, so today's builds are the new candidate 1.0PR builds." +1,"I helped free hostages, says ex-BBC cameraman","A Kabul-based British hotelier and former BBC cameraman says that he acted as a go-between when a 830,000 ransom was offered to secure the release of three UN workers kidnapped in Afghanistan." +2,Olympics 2004: Canoeing: Veraas Larsen ready for K-1 500m finals,"Eirik Veraas Larsen had no problem winning his heat in the K-1 500m semifinals on Thursday morning, and is now favourite to win the Saturday final." +3,RadioShack Sees '05 Earnings Up (Reuters),"Reuters - RadioShack Corp. , the No. 3\U.S consumer electronics chain, said on Wednesday it expects\2005 earnings per share growth of as much as 21 percent as it\improves customer service and expands implements new growth\initiatives." +1,"Helicopter Crash, Bombing Add to US Death Toll","BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Two US Army helicopters crashed in Baghdad on Saturday, killing two soldiers, as the military reported that four other American troops had died in car bombings elsewhere in Iraq." +3,Taser Stun Guns OKed for Use on Flights,Taser International Inc. on Monday said its stun guns were approved by the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration for use onboard a major international commercial airline. +4,Top Researchers Ask Web Users to Join Science Grid,IBM and top scientific research organizations are joining forces in a humanitarian effort to tap the unused power of millions of computers and help solve complex social problems. +1,"Federal employees get special treatment on car usage, say documents (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - Nearly 460,000 Canadians on the federal payroll are eligible to be reimbursed tax-free for using their cars on government business, according to documents obtained by The Canadian Press." +3,American Express Profit Rises 14 Percent,"American Express Co. said on Monday its quarterly earnings rose 14 percent, matching analysts expectations, due to strength in the economy that spurred record card " +4,"Nintendo, Sony start pre-holiday push","TOKYO - Nintendo Co. Ltd. struck the first blow in what is set to be an all-out war with Sony Corp. for the lucrative handheld game console market, aggressively pricing its new dual-screen model at $149." +3,US Stocks Gain on Optimism About Election; Nextel Advances,"US stocks gained on optimism the US presidential election would produce a clear winner, acting as the catalyst to lift share prices the rest of the year." +3,"Circulation Fraud Contained, Audit Group Says","The chairman of the newspaper industry's circulation-auditing body said Thursday that the organization would work to repair its image, tarnished by circulation scandals over the past year at four large US newspapers." +1,Blair urged to act on Bigley,"Efforts to help save the life of Kenneth Bigley held captive in Iraq, intensified when Irish politicians made an appeal to Bigley's captors." +4,Microsoft's jumbo patch,"THEY labour long hours to write their software, testing and perfecting it. They toil in obscurity, fully aware that they will never get credit for their work." +1,UK's Blair to Put Africa at Heart of the G-8 Agenda in 2005,UK Prime Minister Tony Blair this week will put efforts to curb disease and poverty in Africa at the center of the agenda of the Group of Eight industrial nations next year. +4,Tories to sign up online recruits,The Tories are to recruit members online rather than making people join the party through local associations. +2,Second coming at Spa,"The Belgians must be proud. The reinstated and, looking at the new Bus Stop chicane, one might say reincarnated Spa proved its worth on Sunday with an enthralling, magnificently dramatic race - certainly the best of the year so far." +2,Sheppard makes semi-finals,Britain's Alison Sheppard coasts into the women's 50m freestyle semi-finals. +1,Pakistan Says It Has Foiled Terror Plots ,"AP - Pakistan has arrested at least five al-Qaida-linked terrorists who were plotting suicide attacks on government leaders and the U.S. Embassy, officials announced Saturday." +4,Theft charges filed against four former Microsoft workers,"NOVEMBER 15, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Four former Microsoft Corp. employees have been charged with theft, conspiracy, mail fraud and money laundering in connection with the alleged theft and resale of $32 million of Microsoft software." +3,Hong Kong Shares Close Higher,"Hong Kong stocks closed at a fresh eight-month high Friday, boosted by a cut in local interest rates and overnight gains on Wall Street." +2,A League by Itself,"With six teams nationally ranked in the top 20, including three in the top four, the ACC remains the preeminent conference of college basketball." +4,More Flaws With Microsoft,"Again, yesterday Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) warned about newly found security flaws in Windows that could allow an attacker to steal data on your PC." +4,Rumor Control: The GTA/PStwo bundle speculation frenzy,"Also this week: Xbox 2 backwards compatibility and Halo 2 four-way co-op (or lack thereof). RUMOR #1: Sony will release the PStwo, a scaled-down version of the PlayStation 2, on October 26th." +3,"Stocks Open Higher, Lower Oil Prices Help"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks opened higher on Wednesday, a day after a sharp sell-off, as oil tumbled further, easing concerns about the impact high crude prices have on corporate profits and consumer spending." +2,Ichiro a step closer,"Even when he gets only one hit and his only impact on the game is an out, Ichiro winds up the focus of a well-pitched game by Bobby Madritsch." +4,JBoss Deal Puts HP Back into Middleware Market,"With the JBoss deal, Hewlett-Packard gets middleware, a business it abandoned two years ago when it dumped its Bluestone Software after buying the company in 2000." +3,Oil Holds Near $55 on Winter Fuel Anxiety, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held strong on Friday not far below the $55-a-barrel mark as traders worried time is running out to top up low heating oil inventories before winter. +3,China Asks Yukos to Honor its Contracts,Chinese officials urged Russias biggest oil exporter Yukos Oil Company to stand by its earlier commitments to export crude oil to China. +3,Oracle again extends PeopleSoft offer,"Oracle has again extended its $7.7 billion cash offer for PeopleSoft by two weeks. Shareholders now have until Oct. 22 to tender their shares, Oracle said Thursday." +2,Kent and Bagwell power Houston to 6-4 victory over St. Louis,"The Houston Astros can put themselves in the playoffs. They no longer need help from anyone else. Roger Clemens, Jeff Kent and the Astros took over the NL wild-card lead Wednesday night, beating the St." +4,Source: EU Regulators Clear Oracle Bid ,"AP - European Union antitrust regulators on Tuesday cleared Oracle Corp.'s hostile 7.7 billion bid for rival business software maker PeopleSoft Inc., removing one of the last major hurdles to the contested takeover proposal, a person close to the case said." +3,"IMF heaps praise on Australia, sees growth at 3.75 percent",WASHINGTON : The International Monetary Fund commended Australia's economic management and said the country's 13-year expansion is likely to continue with 3.75 percent growth in 2004. +4,CA gives anti-spyware a consumer face,"Computer Associates launched its first set of anti-spyware products on Monday, retooling the applications it acquired from PestPatrol for both corporate customers and consumers." +2,"Astros, Cardinals Tied 4-4 After Five",St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols hits a two-run homer in the first inning to tie the game against the Houston Astros during Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium in St. +4,Henry Ford and AOL Announce Partnership,"DEARBORN, Mich. -- The Henry Ford - a venue that includes the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, an IMAX Theatre and the Ford Rouge Factory Tours - is teaming up with one of the country's largest Internet providers..." +1,Afghan Poll Crisis Subsides as Karzai Rivals Back Off, KABUL (Reuters) - The crisis surrounding Afghanistan's historic presidential election appeared to end on Monday as President Hamid Karzai's chief rival said he and other candidates were withdrawing their rejection of the weekend poll. +3,"In a world of scandals, core values still resonate","Inside a Torrance, Calif., collection agency, workers sit at cubicles and call people who are behind on their debts. On the wall is a 10-foot diagram of former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden's Pyramid of Success." +2,Yankees Could Be Without Rivera Early In ALCS,"New York, NY -- New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is reportedly dealing with a personal issue that could affect his availability early in the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, which begins Tuesday in the Bronx." +3,6 arrested in Boston protesting SF lockout,Boston -- About 85 members of Hotel Workers Local 26 demonstrated Wednesday in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Boston to show support for locked-out workers in San Francisco. +3,Investment firm Leucadia holds about 5 pct of MCI,"WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Investment company Leucadia National Corp. (LUK.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Tuesday it had bought a 4.96 percent stake in MCI Inc. (MCIP.O: Quote, Profile, Research) for about $245.9 million. " +3,"Probe hurts stock price, 3,000 job cuts announced","BOSTON (CBS.MW) -- The other shoe dropped Tuesday for about 3,000 workers at embattled Marsh amp; McLennan. Free! Sign up here to receive our Internet Daily e-Newsletter!" +4,Summary: Oracle Acquires PeopleSoft ,"AP - TAKEOVER TUG OF WAR: Oracle Corp. ends 18 months of acrimony, boosting its bid for software maker PeopleSoft Inc. by 10 percent to 10.3 billion." +1,Settlers or Sharon,"Sharon is not Charles de Gaulle. He is as far away as ever from the conviction that Israel must recognize the national rights of the Palestinian people and withdraw from territories occupied in 1967, let alone " +4,Private Spacecraft Makes Successful Trip to Space,"The private spacecraft SpaceShipOne briefly entered space above the California desert Wednesday, completing the first of two qualifying flights for the $10 million X Prize." +3,McFarlane rewarded for record ANZ profit,"ANZ reported a record rise in post tax operating profit today, announcing a 20 per cent jump to $2.8 billion for the year ending September 2004." +4,Picture of North Sea fish decline,A model of the North Sea's ecosystem suggests the total fish stock has dropped from 26 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes in just over a century. +4,Apple Ships Security Patch For iChat,"Apple Computer Inc. released this week a security patch for its Mac OS X iChat instant messaging client, which contains a flaw that could a hacker could use to takeover a person's computer." +1,Kevin Costner Weds at His Aspen Ranch,"ASPEN, Colo. - ""Dances with Wolves"" star Kevin Costner has wed his girlfriend of five years, Christine Baumgartner, at his Colorado mountain ranch..." +2,TV rights wrangle threatens India v Australia coverage,A major wrangle over TV rights for Indian cricket is threatening to mar the build-up to a mouth-watering home test series against Australia next month. +2,Youzhny upsets Paradorn to reach Beijing final,"Russian Mikhail Youzhny upset sixth seed Paradorn Srichaphan 6-4 6-4 on Saturday to reach the final of the China Open. Fifth seed Marat Safin, also from Russia, faces Jarkko Nieminen " +4,Hewlett-Packard to Launch Latest Push Into Consumer Markets,The company will unveil a range of products today including its version of the iPod digital music player that raises the stakes in a war between PC and electronics makers. +4,Oracle may feel PeopleSoft's pain (TheDeal.com),"TheDeal.com - After one of the most bitter takeovers in corporate history, the challenge is to stitch the two companies together." +4,"Sun, Kodak Look to Future Following Patent Suit Settlement","In lieu of facing a court judgment of possibly more than US$ 1 billion, Sun Microsystems has agreed to pay $92 million to settle a long-running patent infringement case with Eastman Kodak." +2,"Sosa, Baker blast each other on final day",CHICAGO - The end of the Cubs season has erupted into a war of words between Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa and manager Dusty Baker. +3,Pound falls on hints that interest rates have peaked,"The pound tumbled to a nine-month low against the euro yesterday after the publication of October's minutes of the monetary policy committee showed there had been no discussion of a possible rate increase, fuelling speculation that interest rates have " +1,"Gunmen hijack Athens bus, hold passengers","ATHENS : Armed men hijacked a bus in an Athens suburb early Wednesday, taking some 20 passengers aboard hostage, a police source said." +4,IBM Launches New RFID And Sensor Software,"The software, developed by IBM's new Sensors and Actuators business unit, is designed to help businesses collect and act on data from RFID and other sensor-based technology." +2,Smoltz nets bonus for each start,"ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Atlanta Braves have found a closer, paving the way for John Smoltz to return to the rotation. SportsTicker has learned that the Braves have traded prized pitching prospect Jose Capellan " +3,Judge rejects campaign-finance rules,"A federal judge has struck down rules governing campaign fund-raising, concluding that the regulations undermine a 2-year-old campaign finance reform law and allow political activists and candidates to dodge it." +4,Verisign plans authentication management,VeriSign Inc. officials are launching a managed security service that they believe can cut up to 40 percent of the cost of deploying strong authentication throughout an enterprise. +4,Sperm Stem Cells Are Grown Outside Body,Scientists have succeeded in growing outside the body the special stem cells that direct the remarkably prolific process of sperm production. +2,2 Davids Lead Georgia to Preseason Top 5 ,AP - David Greene was a star from the moment he first took the field for No. 3 Georgia. David Pollack needed a little more time. +1,Relatives Seek Bodies of Thai Muslim Demonstrators,"Weeping family members crowded outside a Thai military camp Wednesday, demanding information about 78 Muslim men who were crushed to death Monday after being arrested and forced onto army trucks." +4,Medtronic Recalls Software ,AP - Medtronic Inc. on Thursday recalled the software used to program some SynchroMed implantable pumps because it was susceptible to errors that have led to two deaths and seven serious injuries. +2,Injured Vikings Back to Miss Season Opener ,AP - Running back Michael Bennett will miss the Minnesota Vikings' regular season opener Sept. 12 against Dallas with a right knee sprain and could be out longer. +2,Lecce and Palermo Share Lead in Italy,Southerners Lecce and Sicilys Palermo are the surprise pacesetters in Serie A after playing their second matches of the season. +1,Japanese Emperor's Comments Cause Stir ,AP - Japanese officials rushed on Friday to dismiss suggestions that the emperor overstepped his authority and meddled in government affairs by voicing his opposition to Tokyo schools' policy of compulsory patriotism. +4,"Plasma, LCD TV sales seen doubling next year",Colour television (CTV) makers expect Indian consumers to switch over to top-end plasma projection and liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions at a rapid rate. +4,Virtual Server becomes reality,"After two years of fits and starts, Microsoft will finally deliver its Virtual Server 2005 product, which company officials contend will be an important contributor to its Dynamic Systems Initiative (DSI), the company's plan for managing distributed systems." +1,INTERVIEW - Pakistan says time ripe for Kashmir breakthrough (Reuters),"Reuters - Pakistan said on Sunday the time was ripe for progress in Kashmir, cause of two wars with neighbour India, and it hoped for quick agreement on starting a bus link between the two halves of the disputed territory." +2,Hewitt cruises past Llodra,Second seed Lleyton Hewitt beat Frenchman Michael Llodra 6-1 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the TD Waterhouse Cup on Thursday. +1,The state of the world,"Given the impact and growing inter-connectedness of the world media, it is not surprising that Trinidadians, more than ever, are aware of the state of our world." +4,Feds launches new offensive against Internet crime,More than 100 people have been arrested following the US law enforcement agencies latest offensive against Internet related crime. +3,Verizon to buy NextWave's licences for $3bn,NEW YORK: Verizon Wireless said on Thursday it had signed an agreement with NextWave Telecom to purchase all of its airwave licences for $3bn. +2,Roon at the top - hat-trick hero Wayne makes dazzling United debut,"WAYNE ROONEY launched himself into the footballing stratosphere with a debut hat-trick at Old Trafford last night. On this evidence, Sir Alex Ferguson would have made a wise investment if he had spent the " +1,Man who brought Americans the Yugo now plans on importing Chinese cars to U.S. (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - DETROIT - The man who brought the Yugo and Subaru to the United States and built a gull-wing sports car in Canada bearing his name now has a new project - selling Chinese-made cars in the United States. +2,NCAA Game Summary - Florida International at Connecticut,"The Huskies set a school record with 19 blocks in the game (Hilton Armstrong had five and Boone had four)...This was the first-ever meeting between these teams...FIU, which shot 28 percent from the field, had a two-game winning streak halted...UConn ended " +2,"Hype aside, Patriots hope to rebound","FOXBOROUGH -- The game has been hyped on national television for a week. It will be played in a stadium full of fans wearing T-shirts made for that night. One player has dubbed the contest, quot;Super Bowl No. 2, Round 2. quot;" +2,"MLB: Anaheim 6, Seattle 1",Anaheim got help from Seattle errors and scored four runs in the eighth inning Thursday in a 6-1 win over the Mariners. The Angels stayed two games behind first-place Oakland in the American League West. +2,Redskins Sign Kicker for Bears Game ,AP - The Washington Redskins signed Ola Kimrin on Saturday to replace injured kicker John Hall. +4,German teenager indicted over Sasser worm,"Prosecutors in Verden, Germany, indicted an 18-year-old student on Wednesday for allegedly creating the Sasser worm that crashed hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide " +2,Doubleheader in Florida filled with playoff implications,"com. There are two weeks left in Octoberquest, and most of the attention today will be on a doubleheader in Florida that was never on the original schedule." +2,"Williams Thumps Schnyder, Roddick Roars On",Serena Williams and Andy Roddick produced some explosive tennis at the US Open on Sunday as their respective title challenges gained strength. +3,Global server market continues to grow,"Factory revenue in the worldwide server market grew at 6.9 percent year over year to 11.5 billion US dollars in the second quarter of 2004, according to a report released Friday by IDC." +3,"JDS Uniphase loss widens, views below Street","SAN JOSE, Calif. (Dow Jones/AP) -- JDS Uniphase Corp., a leading maker of fiber-optic gear, posted a wider loss for its latest quarter despite an increase in revenue and provided a forecast below analysts expectations." +4,"New to science, island bird that never flies nest","A new species of flightless bird has been discovered on Calayan, a remote island in the Philippines, by an Anglo Filipino expedition. " +1, EU Head Office Challenges German Law,"The European Union's head office took Germany to court Wednesday to challenge a German law that effectively protects Volkswagen AG, one of the country's biggest employers, from hostile takeovers." +1,Will September Be Good for Stocks?,"NEW YORK - Wall Street professionals know to keep their expectations in check in September, historically the worst month of the year for stocks. As summertime draws to a close, money managers are getting back to business, cleaning house, and often sending the market lower in the process..." +4,Can Cell Phone Use Lead to Brain Tumors?,"Oct. 15, 2004 - Despite a new study's findings, there's still no clear-cut evidence linking cell phone use to brain tumors." +1,US troops on offensive in Iraq,"US troops went on the offensive overnight against insurgent strongholds west of Baghdad, pounding militant positions from the air and supporting Iraqi soldiers in raids on mosques suspected of harbouring extremists." +3,Crude Oil Rises After Nigerian Unions Call Strike to Cut Supply,"Crude oil rose in New York after reports said unions in Nigeria, the fifth-biggest supplier to the US, called a strike this month to disrupt the country's oil exports." +1,BBC Says Deceived by Dow Impersonator on Bhopal, LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC's international TV news channel apologized on Friday after being duped into airing an interview with a fake Dow Chemical spokesman who said the U.S. company accepted responsibility for India's Bhopal disaster. +4,"Apple Recalls 28,000 PowerBook Batteries Due to Overheating Concern (NewsFactor)","NewsFactor - Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has issued a warning related to potential problems with the\batteries in some 28,000 of its 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptop computers,\telling customers that the batteries may pose a fire hazard due to\overheating." +2,Australia sets world short course record in 400 medley relay,INDIANAPOLIS - Australia set a world record in winning the 400-meter medley relay at the Short Course World Championships on Saturday night. +3,EDS takes 3Q loss,"Electronic Data Systems Corp., which has delayed its quarterly earnings three times, reported larger third-quarter losses after taking a $375 million charge on its beleaguered Navy contract." +2,Soccer: Newcastle give Souness flying Premiership start,SOUTHAMPTON : Newcastle United gave new manager Graeme Souness a winning Premiership start with a 2-1 win at Southampton. It was Newcastle's third successive win but first in the league for Souness since taking over from Sir Bobby Robson. +4,Silicon Still Rocks the House (washingtonpost.com),"washingtonpost.com - The Internet may have forever changed the music business, but online downloads will keep playing second fiddle to compact discs for at least the next five years." +2,Davis Cleared to Play,"MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin senior running back Anthony Davis, who has missed the Badgers last three games due to an eye injury sustained during the teams season-opener on Sept." +3,Developing the economy in a sustainable way,"At a recent business summit, Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan predicted that China will sustain an annual economic growth rate of more than 7 per cent by 2020." +1,Car-train crash in England kills six,Police were trying to determine yesterday whether a suicide was the cause of a train-car collision that killed six people and seriously injured 11 Saturday evening after a car stopped on the tracks as the high-speed train approached. +3,Statewide medical records planned,"Blue Cross amp; Blue Shield of Massachusetts plans to spend about $50 million to electronically link doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers in three Massachusetts communities, allowing them to share and access patients' medical records." +1,"Talks include trade, security, and diseases control","Thirtynine leaders from Asia and Europe yesterday began informal talks on issues on trade, security threats and terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction " +2,Rose Bowl wants to avoid UM-Wisconsin matchup,"Yes, the Michigan and Wisconsin football teams could potentially decide Big Ten bragging rights in the Rose Bowl. That was the advice Thursday from Dave Davis, 2005 Tournament of Roses president." +2,A tape-measure shot for Bonds 700th would be just about right,"For the sake of argument, here's hoping Barry Bonds next home run ball travels 500 feet, minimum. In these days of inflated baseball, something monstrous for No." +1,Double Russian Air Disaster A Terrorist Act ,"Suspicions grew today that terrorists were to blame for the twin airline crashes, with a top official saying terrorism was the main theory and many Russians insisting the double disaster could not be explained by mere coincidence." +3,Job Picture Brightens with August Hiring," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. job market brightened in August as employers added 144,000 workers to their payrolls and hiring totals for the two prior months were revised up, the Labor Department reported on Friday." +1,US Charge Of genocide In Darfur Complicates Sudan Peace Talks,"ABUJA, Sept 13 - Slow-moving African Union-brokered peace talks for Sudan's Darfur region have been complicated by last week's declaration by the United States that Khartoum and allied militia are committing genocide there." +2,Auburn and Oklahoma tied for No. 2,"Auburn caught Oklahoma in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday, creating a tie for second place behind No. 1 Southern California." +2,Selig's continued reign is bad for baseball,"In a move that defies logic, a vision for the future and good taste, baseball owners voted unanimously to extend the contract of commissioner Bud Selig through 2009. As a baseball fan, this makes me want to lower the blinds, wear black and listen to my ..." +3,Pfizer Profit Up on Demand for Key Drugs,"Pfizer Inc. (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , the world's biggest drugmaker, on Wednesday said third-quarter earnings rose on higher sales of key medicines and favorable foreign exchange factors." +4,'Music Is Not a Loaf of Bread',"When Wilco released Yankee Hotel Foxtrot online for free in 2001, the album's popularity soared and Wilco became a commercial success. Front man Jeff Tweedy tells Wired News' Xeni Jardin why the music industry is dead wrong about file sharing." +2,Tigers re-sign lefty Walker,The Tigers just took several steps toward their anticipated bullpen makeover. How far it goes will be determined in the coming days. +2,Michigan Secondary Looks to Bully Purdue ,AP - Michigan's defensive backs have bullied and beaten Purdue's receivers in three straight wins over the Boilermakers. +2,Ravens - Redskins Photo Gallery #2,"Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, center, looks onto the field while officials review an apparent fumble by quarterback Mark Brunell during the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens." +4,Remove Spyware Before Installing Windows XP SP2 Update,"Microsoft is warning Windows XP users to check for and remove any spyware that may be installed on computer systems before installing the Windows XP service pack 2 (SP2), security update." +4,IE Flaw Affects Windows XP SP2 Systems,"The quot;highly criticial quot; vulnerability affects Internet Explorer 5.01, 5.5, and 6 on fully patched PCs running either Windows XP SP1 or the newer SP2." +4,IBM Expands Resources For ISVs,"As part of its ongoing effort to foster third-party application development for its hardware and software businesses, IBM on Monday unveiled resources in its Virtual Innovation Center aimed " +4,Ignorance Is Slavery,"We are at war with Iraq. We have always been at war with Iraq. This is the first time I've read 1984 all the way to the end, and I finally understand it, and why it's so important. Winston lost entirely, and it was the most complete loss that is possible. This was important, because it sticks in the mind. Ironically, Orwell understood how to manipulate people's emotions, but he used this knowledge for the good of us all. " +1,Report: Russia May Give Yukos Unit Warning ,"AP - Russia's natural resources minister said Friday that he thought his ministry would give the main production unit of the battered Yukos oil company a three-month warning before pulling its drilling licenses, the Interfax news agency reported." +4,Microsoft files suits against 'bulletproof' Web hosts,"BOSTON - Microsoft Corp. filed nine lawsuits against individuals and companies alleged to be involved in the distribution of spam, the company said Wednesday." +2,Young Given Lifetime Ban for Second Offense," COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Reuters) - World 400 meters champion Jerome Young has been given a lifetime ban from athletics for a second doping offense, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said Wednesday." +3,Stocks Tumble As Oil Prices Spike,Rising oil prices have stocks falling in early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 44 points. Losing issues on the New York Stock Exchange hold a 5-2 lead over gainers. +2,Hard Labor Pays Off for World Number One Singh," LONDON (Reuters) - If success is earned by those who work the hardest, then newly crowned world number one Vijay Singh is a shining example." +3,Consumer Spending Up Following June Decline,"Shoppers spent more freely in July as consumer spending rose slightly, though tepid growth in personal income raised concern about whether the trend will continue." +3,Spokane Diocese in bankruptcy court,"The Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane filed for bankruptcy protection yesterday, saying it did not have the money to cover lawsuits filed by alleged victims of clergy abuse." +1,"Schroeder's SPD Routed in Saarland, Far Right Gains",German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats slumped to their worst result in 44 years in the western state of Saarland on Sunday as voters punished the party for its painful economic reforms. +2,Royals Erupt for 26 Runs,Joe Randa ties a major-league record with six runs scored as the Kansas City Royals break a club record for runs in a 26-5 rout of the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday. +2,BLUSHES IN BLUE,"FLOWING football it was not. Neither did the expected goal glut at Stamford Bridge materialise. Instead, Chelsea came crashing down to earth on home ground, of all places, as Bolton caused one of the biggest surprises of the season so far." +3,Do Newspapers Make Good News Look Bad?,Two economists argue that economic reporters slant the news unequivocally in favor of the Democrats. +3, Mylan Comments on Icahn Clearance,"Mylan Laboratories Inc., the largest US maker of generic drugs, cautioned investors Friday that Thursday's jump in share price was likely driven by investor Carl Icahn's clearance to buy a large amount of company stock and fails to reflect quot;negative ..." +4,Napster's Fanning Back in the P2P Game,"The idea behind Snocap, Napster creator Shawn Fanning's new endeavor, is to give rights holders the level of comfort they need to make their content available on P2P networks." +1,Mideast peace process to top agenda of Blair's US trip,"Middle East would top the agenda of British Prime Minister Tony Blair's upcoming trip to the United States as Blair is trying to revive the peace process in the region, Downing Street said on Monday." +3,"Invesco, AIM Advisors in $450 Million Market Timing Settlement","In one of the biggest settlements to date in the mutual fund scandal, Invesco Funds and AIM Advisors agreed to $450 million in fines and fee reductions Tuesday to settle allegations they allowed favored customers to carry out illicit trading strategies in " +2,Owners are likely to vote no,"During a negotiating session today in Toronto, NHL owners are expected to turn thumbs-down on last week's proposal from the NHL Players Association." +1,Israel Presses on With Gaza Offensive,"JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip - More troops poured into the Gaza Strip on Saturday as Israel expanded its offensive to counter Palestinian rocket fire, one of the largest incursions in four years of fighting. Seven Palestinians were killed in new clashes, including four who cut through Gaza's border fence..." +2,Henry seeks friendlier feud,"An end to the Evil Empire? Call him a magnanimous winner, but John W. Henry , the principal owner of the Red Sox, wants to declare a ceasefire in the war of words between the Sox and Yankees." +4,Sony: PSP will ship by year's end,Sony has once again reiterated its plan to ship PlayStation Portable (PSP) in Japan by the end of the year and in Europe and the US during Q1 2005. +2,Some talk isn't cheap,"Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s swearword in a TV interview after his victory at Talladega costs him the NASCAR points lead and $10,000. A slip of the tongue on TV cost Dale Earnhardt Jr." +4,The Pods Just Keep on Coming,"Steve Jobs is feeling rather vindicated these days. quot;The iPod is three years old, quot; says the Apple CEO. quot;When we started this, nobody knew what it was, or they didn't believe it " +1,"Italian man may have been taken hostage, killed in Iraq (AFP)",AFP - Italian authorities responded cautiously to reports that an Italian national may have been taken hostage and killed in Iraq. +4,"Google, Yahoo Settle Patent and Share Disputes",Google and Yahoo announced today that they have resolved two contentious issues between the companies. +4,Industry Group Urges Bush To Address Cybersecurity,A group representing the cybersecurity industry has called for the White House to show quot;greater leadership quot; in guarding the nation's computer infrastructure from attacks by hackers and viruses +3,Dollar Falls to 6-Month Low Vs Yen, LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit a six-month low against the yen and drifted near recent eight-month lows versus the euro on Friday as investors considered the effect of China's interest rate hike on currencies and the U.S economic outlook. +4,"CSOs see viruses, worms as top security challenge for '05","Worms, viruses and Trojan horses will remain a top security concern in 2005, according to executives at this week's CSO Interchange forum in New York." +1,Powell Meets With Haitian Leaders,Secretary of State Colin Powell met on Wednesday with Haitian political leaders and other opponents of ousted President Jean Bertrand Aristide in what is likely his last visit to the destitute island nation as the United States' top diplomat. +1,"Bush, Clinton to Lead Tsunami Fund Raising ","AP - President Bush enlisted two former presidents for an ambitious private fund-raising drive for victims of the deadly tsunami on Monday, asking Americans to open their wallets to help the millions left homeless, hungry and injured." +2,NALBANDIAN JUMPS INTO LAST EIGHT,"After a death-defying bungee jump, David Nalbandian sprang into the quarter-finals of the BA-CA Tennis Trophy on Thursday with a straight-sets victory over Stefan Koubek of Austria, 6-2 7-6 (8/6)." +1,"Arafat's nephew says he died unnatural death, backing poisoning ","The late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat's nephew said Saturday his uncle may have died an quot;unnatural quot; death, a statement expected to renew speculation among Palestinians and in the rest of the Arab world where many already " +1,Six dead in Iraq blasts,"Six people were killed and eight others wounded Saturday when a car bomb and remote bomb exploded simultaneously next to an Iraqi police academy in Kirkuk, an Iraqi National Guard official told CNN." +4,India Expects Jump in High-Tech Imports,"S. SRINIVASAN BANGALORE, India -- India's space agency said Thursday its removal from a U.S..." +2,PANATHINAIKOS V ARSENAL MIN-BY-MIN,"90 mins Arsenal's woes on their travels in Europe continue as they fail to secure the win, settling for a draw against a well organised Panathinaikos." +3,FDA Sees Changes to Antidepressant Labels," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to update antidepressant labels to reflect studies that suggest a link between the drugs and suicide in youth, according to documents released on Friday." +4,Wi-Fi group backs brawnier security standard,"An alliance says that Wi-Fi Protected Access 2, or WPA2, is a big improvement on earlier wireless security standards." +2,Federer has to work for second win,"It did not look like No. 1 vs. No. 240 at Arthur Ashe Stadium last night. Roger Federer may have expected to cruise in his first night match of this year's US Open, but he got all " +3,"Eurostar turns 10, still sees red","Eurostar will hold celebrations in three countries marking a decade of service, in which it is still yet to make a profit." +2,Wenger: ManYoo deliberately targeted Reyes ,"Arsene Wenger has accused ManYoo of deliberately targeting Jose Reyes during Sundays controversial clash at Old Trafford. As well as fuming at the penalty awarded by Mike Riley, Wenger was incensed by the " +2,Confident Hewitt Eyes Second U.S. Grand Slam Title, NEW YORK (Reuters) - The secret is out. Lleyton Hewitt is back in form and hungry for another grand slam title. +4,Bells video gamble,"com November 22, 2004, 4:00 AM PT. Wired amp; Wireless continues its reign as the top IT priority among IT managers due to widespread IP telephony deployment and other network infrastructure upgrades." +1,Save lives,"The United States can and must fulfill its duty to stem the bloodbath in Darfur. It can do so without endangering US soldiers. Unlike so many other crises that the United States must consider entering, the " +1,"Iran says uranium ban illegal, dismisses sanctions","Iran yesterday denounced as quot;illegal quot; demands from the UN atomic-watchdog agency that it freeze all work on uranium enrichment, a technology that can be used for nuclear weapons." +3,Krispy Kreme Earnings Slide; Change in Strategy Is Planned,"Krispy Kreme, which wowed Wall Street with a hot old-economy growth story when it went public, has lost more than two-thirds of its value since it peaked a year ago." +3,"Vodafone doubles interim dividend, extends buy-back","Vodafone Group doubled its interim dividend to 1.91p, the top end of forecasts, and extended a full-year share buy-back programme after strong underlying results." +4,IBM Rolls Out New Linux Server Using Power5 Chip (Reuters),"Reuters - International Business Machines\Corp on Sunday announced a new computer server using\its Power5 microprocessor tuned for the popular Linux operating\system, as the No. 1 computer maker aims to broaden the\adoption of Linux in broader corporate computing markets." +3,Ex-FDA chief hit on tobacco crusade,A lawyer for the tobacco industry Thursday attempted to paint the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration as a man who seized upon a political environment that was hostile to the tobacco industry in order to advance his +3,AOL Launches Comparison Shopping Site,America Online has launched an online shopping site it says will provide an easy and fast way to compare products from thousands of online merchants. +1,Milosevic lawyers plead to quit,"Appeals court judges hear from Slobodan Milosevic's lawyers, who want the ex-Yugoslav president to defend himself." +1,Ceiling Collapse Evacuates Ill. Capitol ,AP - At least four people were injured Wednesday when netting across the open atrium of a six-story government building collapsed and tore down stones that crashed through the ceiling of a room below. +4,"Apple Recalls 28,000 Faulty Batteries Sold with 15-inch PowerBook","Apple has had to recall up to 28,000 notebook batteries that were sold for use with their 15-inch PowerBook. Apple reports that faulty batteries sold between January 2004 and August 2004 can overheat and pose a fire hazard." +3,Siebel Systems Swings to 3Q Profit,"Software maker Siebel Systems Inc. on Wednesday said its third-quarter results swung to a profit on improved licensing revenue, but missed analyst expectations." +1,Loans to Vietnam,"South Korea will provide $21 million in long-term low rate loans to Vietnam to help the Southeast Asian nation build an advanced environmental infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy." +2,AL Capsules,"Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui and Bernie Williams each homered and the New York Yankees held on for an 8-7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night." +3,SpaceDev Burns Rubber,"Commercial space flight doesn't offer too many opportunities for investors, but there is one tiny prospect." +2,"Yes, even if South Korea did not file a protest during the event",2) Do you believe the South Korean team's assertion that they were told to file a protest after the meet? 3) Should videotape be used to review possible scoring errors? +2,Worsley reclaims England starting place,"Joe Worsley, the Wasps forward, will return to the England team for Saturday's clash against Tri-Nations champions South Africa at Twickenham." +3,Best Buy's 2Q Sales Increase 13 Percent ,"AP - Best Buy Co. Inc.'s second-quarter results will show a 13 percent increase in revenue and 4.3 percent growth in same-store sales, the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer said Thursday." +2,West Bromwich Albion Football Club midfielder retires from ,"Andy Johnson has decided to end his Wales career and concentrate on his West Bromwich Albion Football Club position. Johnson has won 14 caps for Wales, the last of which came against Latvia in a friendly in August." +4,"Nike, a magic camera and Gran Turismo Shots and explanation ","So yesterday SPOnG began receiving shots of a suitcase from Japan. The suitcase contained some Nike Shox trainers, a t-shirt, and a copy of Gran Turismo 4. There was talk that the t-shirt unlocks a special " +1,Mo. Man Legally Changes His Name to 'They',"BRANSON, Mo. - A Branson man has put a face to the anonymous references people often make to ""they"" by changing his name to just that: ""They."" The former Andrew Wilson, a 43-year-old self-employed inventor, was granted legal permission last week by a circuit judge to change his name..." +3,Insurance probe bags two more,State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer told a subcommittee of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday that he expects more criminal pleas in connection with his investigation into price collusion and conflicts of interest in the insurance +1,Stocks Climb As Profit Worries Ease,"NEW YORK - Stocks moved modestly higher Monday as investors discounted another technology profit warning and focused instead on positive outlooks for third- and fourth-quarter earnings. While some investors were concerned that rising energy prices and the summer's economic slowdown would undermine third-quarter results for many companies, a new report by J.P..." +4,StorageTek throws lifeline to Storability,com Staff. Storage Technology Corp. (StorageTek) has scooped up storage resource management (SRM) company Storability Software Inc. +3,Oil prices above $42 pb on lower US supplies,"NEW YORK, December 15 (newratings.com) - Oil futures prices rose this morning after the US Energy Department reported a marginal decline in the countrys supplies of crude and heating oil." +4,Ears Work in Stereo Before Brain Does,"By Serena Gordon, HealthDay Reporter HealthDayNews -- Depending on the type of sound you hear -- such as speech or music -- one ear may be more adeptly processing that information and sending it to a part of the brain specialized to hear that type of sound. That's the conclusion of a study in the Sept..." +3,Bush Backs Strong Dollar,President Bush pledged Wednesday to work with Congress to reduce the United States' huge deficits to assure markets that his administration supports a strong dollar. +4,"Back-to-school, politics spur spam to new heights","BOSTON - Spurred by back-to-school sales and political pitches, spam e-mail accounted for 82 percent of all the inbound e-mail processed during August, and made up 90 percent of all mail sent during one spam-filled day last month, according to an e-mail security firm." +3,Microsoft 'warns of Linux claims',"Microsoft tells Asian leaders that they could face intellectual property rights claims if they use free Linux software, a report says." +4,UK ISPs ordered to reveal file-sharers identities,"The High Court yesterday ordered ISPs to reveal the identities of 28 file-swappers sued by the British Phonographic Industry last week, handing the music industry first blood in its crackdown against file-sharing." +3,Wal-Mart Still Sees Sales Up 1-3 Percent," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WMT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">WMT.N</A>, the world's largest retailer, said on Saturday it still expects a 1 percent to 3 percent increase in December sales at its U.S. stores open at least a year." +2,Glazer may dump Man Utd chairman Gardner,Manchester United chairman Sir Roy Gardner could be on his way out if Malcolm Glazer's takeover bid is successful. The Observer says Glazer he is likely to oust Gardner and install his son Joel as chairman at Old Trafford. +4,Computer Users Face New Scourge,"Millions of consumers have been struggling with a recent surge in what computer experts call spyware or adware -- electronic hitchhikers with hidden programs that hijack hard drives.<BR><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</b></font>" +3,Crude closes above $52,"Crude futures have surged above 52 dollars a barrel, reaching a new high in New York. Traders were reacting to a strike threat by Nigerian oil workers and to word that petroleum output in " +2,"Serena Wins Ugly, Agassi Passes on Masters Cup Benchwarming","It can't be easy for former No. 1 Serena Williams, struggling to get back into tennis shape, and seeing countrywoman Lindsay Davenport battering 0-and-1 an opponent that the younger Williams sister barely edges 7-6(3), 7-5." +2,Counsell returns to Diamondbacks,"Shortstop Craig Counsell returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks, agreeing Wednesday to a $2.7 million, two-year contract. Arizona traded Counsell to the Milwaukee Brewers after the 2003 season " +4,Vodafone names former rival as new head of Japanese unit ,"AFP - British mobile phone operator Vodafone said it has brought in an executive from Japanese rival NTT DoCoMo to head up its struggling Japanese unit, Vodafone K.K." +2,UPDATE 1-England v Zimbabwe to be completed on Saturday,"Opener Vikram Solanki struck a watchful 62 but Zimbabwe's young bowlers had restricted England to 198 for five before play was abandoned for the day in the ICC Champions Trophy clash at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Friday." +3,"Ford, GM October Sales Skid","Daimler's sales rose 4.7 to 188,492 vehicles from 185,535 a year ago. Year-to-date, sales were up 3 to 1.8 million, while US sales at its Mercedes-Benz unit slipped to 18,323 from 19,273." +2,Can't Hackett,"After one of the worst losses the Jets have had in a long time, a Same Old Jets loss, LaMont Jordan stood there at the podium and tried to take the fall for everybody." +2,Phils Wagner livid after getting tossed,"The cap, glove, water cooler and bag of paper cups Billy Wagner left in his wake on the Shea Stadium field Saturday explained how he felt about his premature exit." +2,Federer enters record books with US Open win,"Federer was close to perfection as he raced through the first set in 18 minutes, dropping only five points. Hewitt fought back winning a tie-break in the second, before Federer stormed through the third to " +4,Creditors Wrap Up Sale of Hynix Chip Unit to Citigroup," quot;All administrative work has been completed to sell Hynix's non-memory chip unit to Citigroup Venture Equity Partners LP, quot; Hynix's primary creditor bank said." +4,Locate your files,"WE all love Google. For six years now, Google has been helping us find information from the dark holes of the Internet with utmost devotion." +4,West Coast retailer hits software rollout bumps,Ross Stores has taken a hit to its bottom line because of ongoing problems surrounding the implementation of a merchandising system. +1,Kerry's Mention of Cheney's Gay Daughter Sparks Sharp Reaction,Republicans raised questions about John Kerry's motives; Democrats countered that the G.O.P. was throwing up a smokescreen. +4,China launches ZY-2 resource satellite,"China successfully put its earth resource satellite, the third of ZY-2, into the orbit with a Chinese Long-March 4-B rocket that blasted off at 11:10 am Saturday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province." +2,"The Angels maul Mark Mulder, and the punchless A's fall one game ","Bee Staff Writer. Or else, their run of four consecutive playoff appearances would end with a whimper and plenty of regrets. The A's face that reality because Mark Mulder's mysterious downfall " +1,"Jet crashes on takeoff in Halifax, killing seven","HALIFAXNot much is left after the early morning crash of a jumbo cargo jet but a broken, burned-out metal carcass and a Harry Potter novel." +3,The Call Is Cheap. The Wiretap Is Extra.,"At first glance, it might seem like the simple extension of a standard tool in the fight against the bad guys. But in fact, wiretapping Internet phones to monitor criminals and terrorists is " +4,Robotic Craft's Launch Delayed At Least 2 Days,"NASA postponed for at least two days the launch of its robotic satellite-chasing spacecraft because the target satellite temporarily lost reception of a key navigational signal, the agency said Tuesday." +3,Oracle puts up four for target's board,"Oracle has opened a new front in its 17-month battle to take over rival software company PeopleSoft, announcing a slate of nominees to challenge the existing board of directors at its annual meeting next year." +2,Deportivo upset by battling Osasuna,MADRID: Deportivo Coruna slumped to a surprise 3-1 home defeat by Osasuna last night after the visitors fought back from a goal down and a sending-off to claim their first Primera Liga win of the season. +2,Cardinals Isringhausen has surgery,"St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen underwent successful left hip surgery on Monday. Isringhausen is expected to be at full strength in six-to-eight weeks and ready for the start of spring training." +3,Blockbuster offers to buy Hollywood Entertainment,Blockbuster Inc. has decided that bigger is better in the battle to succeed against new technologies and a growing list of competitors. +3,UPDATE 2-US Treasury: Debt limit must be raised this week,"The US Treasury Department on Monday postponed announcing a four-week bill auction to avoid piercing the limit on federal borrowing, and said " +3,Drug-industry veteran to be Biovail's new CEO; Melnyk remains ,"TORONTO (CP) - Eugene Melnyk, who used his personal fortune to buy the Ottawa Senators last year, stepped aside Thursday as chief executive of Biovail Corp." +4,New Crop of Portable Players Nips at iPod ,"AP - Lauren, 11, saunters nonchalantly past a Discovery Channel store and a Gymboree clothing store at the mall. Then suddenly, the girl's eyes light up and she pulls her mother into an Apple Computer Inc. retail shop." +3,Jeanne could be year's costliest,Hurricane Jeanne has the potential to be the most expensive storm to hit the United States in a year of expensive storms. Risk Management Solutions +1,Els Sweats Out American Express Victory,"THOMASTOWN, Ireland - The majors over, Ernie Els got a consolation prize Sunday by capturing his first World Golf Championship. Els outlasted Thomas Bjorn in a brilliantly played duel at Mount Juliet, making a 6-foot birdie on the 17th hole for a cushion he desperately needed and closing with a 3-under 69 to win the American Express Championship by one shot..." +4,AMD's 2005 mobile push off to early start,"Gericom and Packard Bell NEC plan to use the Mobile Sempron 3000 chip in new notebooks before the end of the year, but AMD's new processor looks unlikely to overturn Intel's solid advantage in the notebook market." +1,Russian Cabinet Backs Pact on Climate Change,"After years of debate among political and economic leaders here, the Russian cabinet on Thursday endorsed the 1997 Kyoto accord on global climate change." +4,TiVo Users to Still See Many Ads (Reuters),"Reuters - TiVo Inc., maker of digital\television video recorders, will next year add ways for viewers\to see advertising and corporate logos even as they try to skip\commercials, the company said on Wednesday." +2,Pappas one behind leader Dufner,Little-known Jason Dufner birdied the difficult 17th hole en route to a one-stroke lead on Thursday in the first round of the Greater Greensboro Classic. +1,Afghan election notebook 5 - Out for the count,"I admit I was fast asleep when the moment came, although the moment wasn't really the moment. It was mid-afternoon on Sunday, 24 October." +4,Why Nerds Are Unpopular,"If you're too cool for school, you're probably not very smart. Some of us would rather build rockets than friendships. By Paul Graham from Wired magazine." +3,Investors consider economic news,The Dow Jones industrial average is down 34 points at ten-thousand-91. Gainers on the New York Stock Exchange hold a four-to-three lead over losers. +4,Moon to cast red glow; could it be an omen?,"Mother Nature will offer a special treat this evening: a blood-red moon, just in time for Halloween. A total lunar eclipse, the last visible in North America until 2007, will begin tonight at 8:06 and continue until about 2 am Thursday." +2,"Nobody's out of Chase, yet","You can bury them in the standings but you can't break their spirit. Tony Stewart and Jeremy Mayfield, both victimized by Robby Gordon's retaliatory strike directed at Greg Biffle " +3,Lawmakers OK new rules on special education,"Washington -- A House-Senate conference committee on Wednesday approved major changes in the law that governs special education for 6.5 million disabled students, charting new ways for schools to identify children for extra help more swiftly, reduce legal " +4, World Community Grid seeks to harness unused computers,"NOVEMBER 17, 2004 (COMPUTERWORLD) - IBM and officials from some of the world's leading science, education and philanthropic organizations yesterday launched a global grid computing project aimed at harnessing unused global computing power to help solve a " +4,Microsoft offers governments sharing tools,"As part of its ongoing efforts to woo public sector customers, Microsoft Corp. has begun giving governments tools for collaborating and sharing technology information with other organizations so that they can learn from each other's experiences and cut development costs." +3,Stocks Bounce Back as Oil Retreats, NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rebounded on Monday as worry about oil prices crunching corporate profits eased when crude retreated from record highs. +2,Greeks still carry a torch for the Olympics,"The regulars at the Thessalia Grill on Skiathou Street had waited all month for Panagiotis Tsimbidas to open his doors, which had been closed because of his annual August vacation and the unexpected heart problems of his elderly father-in-law." +4,History of Search Engine Optimization and Marketing Testing,"History of Search Engine Optimization and Marketing Testing\\Calum I. Mac Ceod was first up. He discussed how Google used to rank pages (title and pagerank). Now its a bit more complicated, with proximity and linkage data. He goes through the various on page factors and describes how most are not ..." +3,Analysts Expect Strong Google Quarter," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Analysts who follow Google Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GOOG.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GOOG.O</A> expect the Web search leader to report strong gains in third-quarter revenue and earnings on Thursday when the notoriously tight-lipped company announces results for the first time as a public company." +4,"Following trend, Oracle sets schedule for patches",Releases dates of quarterly bulletins for 2005 to allow companies to better plan system updates. +2,EAGLES TAKE OFF AT LAST,PALACE's leading goal-scorer Andy Johnson was jubilant last night after giving the Eagles Premiership lift-off. The Selhurst Park forward drew first blood eight minutes after half-time with his fifth league goal of the season. +2,"USC, Miami atop first BCS rankings","When the Bowl Championship Series committee set out in the summer to reorganize the formula by which the BCS standings are calculated, it decided to give more weight to the human polls than the computer rankings." +3,Honeywell makes $1.5bn Novar bid,Honeywell International stepped into the battle for control of industrial group Novar yesterday with a $1.5bn (790m) agreed cash offer that some believe represents a knock-out blow. +2,How to play it straight,"Like the quot;Curse of the Bambino, quot; baseball's unwritten rules are still a part of the game." +1,Gazpromneft Will Not Pull Out of Auction ,"AP - The oil wing of Russia's state-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom does not intend to pull out of this weekend's auction of the main production unit of the embattled Yukos oil company, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported Friday." +2,NL Wrap: Cubs Maintain Wild-Card Lead with Win,"Derrek Lee's 10th-inning single scored Mark Grudzielanek with the winning run, clinching the red-hot Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the host New York Mets in the National League Friday." +2,Ryder-Irrepressible Monty again flourishes in Cup arena,Britain's Colin Montgomerie has always played like a man possessed in Ryder Cup matches against the United States. A talismanic figure +4,3Com lowers revenue forecast,"One analyst complains that the gear maker is in a ""perpetual state of transition, constantly trying to identify where it can execute.""" +2,Leskanic winning arms race,"With Scott Williamson bracing for a potentially grim diagnosis of his latest elbow injury, the Red Sox last night appeared poised to move on without him as Curtis Leskanic inched closer to rejoining the club. The Sox initially indicated they would make an announcement last night on Williamson's injury but changed their position during the first inning of the game ..." +2,No. 13 LSU Crushes Mississipi State 51-0 ,AP - Alley Broussard ran for a career-high three touchdowns in the first 17 minutes and No. 13 LSU held Mississippi State to seven first downs and 130 yards in a 51-0 victory Saturday. +2,Troy trounces tigers,"DeWhitt Betterson lost his shoe, then the football and in a matter of seconds the 19th-ranked Missouri Tigers had lost control of tonights nationally televised game to Troy." +1,Scientists pinpoint Yushchenko poison,"Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with TCDD, the most harmful known dioxin and one contained in Agent Orange, a scientist who analyzed his blood said yesterday." +1,New cracks in nuclear containment,"As North Korea, South Korea, and Iran raise risks of an arms race, the global challenge to nonproliferation grows." +2,A Familiar Ring in Wisconsin,"In the offseason, Wisconsin Coach Barry Alvarez gathered his seniors together for a stark reminder of their status in Madison. Should they fail to win a Big Ten championship, Alvarez reminded " +4,Alaska Brown Bears Gather for Salmon Feast ,"AP - Each summer, the falls at McNeil River turn into a mosh pit of bears. Instead of thumping music, it's the sound of salmon slapping their way up the falls at the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary that sends the bears into a fishing frenzy." +3,PEPPER-SPRAY TOYS R US DESERTED ,"Customers of the Times Square Toys R Us yesterday said the flagship store lacked its normal Christmas bustle, one day after pepper spray forced the evacuation of some 3,000 customers." +1,Samarra Becomes Latest No-Go Zone in Iraq,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Over the past few months, insurgents in Samarra have deposed the U.S.-picked leaders and put to death people suspected of collaborating with them, making the northern Iraqi city the latest no-go zone for Iraqi and American troops. With preparations beginning for Iraq's nationwide general election, scheduled for January, the attacks in Samarra and other cities where officials cannot safely travel could present a major barrier to carrying out a credible poll..." +2,Ryding a little lower in London; Tiger loses touch,"This past Sunday night (or Sunday afternoon Eastern Standard Time), my roommates and I hung our heads in defeat as Colin Montgomerie put away the Americans in the Ryder Cup." +4,IBM sales exec John Swainson to become CA CEO,"Computer Associates is set to name IBM sales executive John Swainson as its new CEO, completing a long search to replace indicted former CEO Sanjay Kumar, industry sources said." +2,Matthew Zemek / CollegeFootballNews.com Posted: 4 minutes ago,"You could talk about Auburn's gritty defense, which managed to turn back LSU when the Bayou Bengals were up 9-3 and driving for a crucial field goal that would have made it a two-possession game midway through the third quarter." +1,Palestinians Head to Paris to Probe Arafat's Death (Reuters),"Reuters - Palestinian leaders plan to\send a delegation to Paris to seek details on what caused the\death of President Yasser Arafat last week at a French\hospital, officials said on Wednesday." +1,Rabbis anger Israeli military leaders,"Israel's chief of military staff has denounced leading rabbis for urging soldiers to defy orders to forcibly remove settlers from Gaza, The Telegraph reported." +1,Smoke slows Chinese mine rescue,"explosion, which could be the worst disaster to hit the world's most dangerous mining industry in four years. the mine, which it said was known for a high concentration of gas." +2,Gatlin Sprints from Unknown to Olympic Gold,"American Justin Gatlin roared from virtual unknown to win the blue ribband Olympic men's 100 meters race on Sunday, upstaging defending champion Maurice Greene and other more illustrious rivals." +2,Federer aims to put out New York's Bush fires,"For once, when the US Open kicks off in New York tomorrow it won't be the biggest show in town. The Republican convention, with its threatened attendant demonstrations " +1,Cheney Mixes Stinging Rhetoric With Retail Politics," In Vice President Cheney's final push before next Tuesday's election, talk of nuclear annihilation and escalating war rhetoric have blended with balloon drops, confetti cannons and the other trappings of modern campaigning with such ferocity that it is sometimes tough to tell just who the enemy is." +2,Ovechkin caps off Russian win,"Alex Kovalev and Sergei Samsonov scored in the second period to lead Russia to a 5-2 victory over Slovakia on Sunday night, clinching second place in the North American pool at the World Cup of Hockey." +1,The Eternal Agitator,He shook the world by demanding justice for the Palestinians. But Arafat's defiance ruined his chances to win them independence +3,Indonesia Govt Confirms Stanchart Wins Bk Permata Sale,JAKARTA (Dow Jones)--A consortium led by Standard Chartered PLC (STAN.LN) has won the bidding for a 51 stake in PT Bank Permata (BNLI. +4,ATT Uses Its Long Past to Promote Its Near Future,"TT may be your grandma's phone company, but it is also trying to be the company of the future with its Internet phones. Even as it is getting out of the business of providing traditional phone " +4,IBM Product to Challenge Data Storage Leader EMC (Reuters),Reuters - IBM on Friday will take\aim at the heart of data storage equipment leader EMC Corp.'s\ market with a product that will allow EMC buyers to\switch to IBM. +1,Southeast Asian Leaders Open ASEAN Summit in Laos,Southeast Asian leaders have opened a two-day summit in Laos aimed at creating an economic community in six years and expanding free trade agreements with Asia's largest economies. +3,"Stocks to Watch on Thursday, Dec. 9"," XILINX INC. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=XLNX.O target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">XLNX.O</A>:" +4,.Mac Increases Email iDisk Storage,".Mac, the popular suite of Internet software and services, now offers both new members and its more than half million existing members 250MB of combined online storage for .Mac mailboxes and iDisk folders, perfect for sharing photos, movies and documents with family, friends and coworkers. Sign up now for a free 60-day trial. Sep 29" +2,Drogba faces UEFA punishment,"Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has urged European football's governing body, UEFA, not to punish star striker Didier Drogba for taunting Paris Saint-Germain fans on Tuesday." +4,News: Number crunching boffins unearth crypto flaws,Cryptographic researchers have discovered weaknesses in the encryption algorithms that underpin the security and integrity of electronic signatures.\ +4,2004 U.S. Hurricane Season Among Worst on Record,"Insurance adjusters and meteorologists are still crunching numbers and analyzing data, but the 2004 U.S. hurricane season will likely go down as one of the most active on record." +3,ECB leaves interest rates unchanged,"European Central Bank holds rates at record low of 2, citing concerns about soaring oil prices. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged Thursday, taking more time " +4,Ubisoft Ships Prince of Persia: Warrior Within,"SAN FRANCISCO, CA - December 2, 2004 -bisoft, one of the worlds leading video game publishers, today announced that Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is now available on store shelves for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Xbox " +2,NBA Game Summary - LA Clippers at New Orleans,"Lafayette, LA (Sports Network) - Rookie JR Smith scored 22 points to lead four Hornets in double figures, as New Orleans topped the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-95, in preseason action." +4,NetSuite smartens up CRM,"InfoWorld reviewer says Version 10 a good fit for smaller businesses looking for a strong CRM app, and especially those in need of integrated financial and inventory management." +2,Former MVP Caminiti dead,"NEW YORK -- Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP who later admitted using steroids during his major league career, died yesterday. He was 41." +1,Iraqi wins court battle over death in British jail,THE family of an Iraqi civilian who was beaten to death allegedly by British soldiers while in their custody won a landmark case in the High Court yesterday that will have +3,Bidders line up for Abbey life funds,"Spain's Santander Central Hispano plans to raise an initial 1 billion pounds from the sale of closed-life books owned by Abbey National, the Sunday Times says." +3,Salvadoran Companies Export Promise to D.C. Trade Show,Small Salvadoran companies are sponsored by Expro at the D.C. Trade Show as part of a $6 million project by the U.S. Agency for International Development. +4,Let a Thousand Reactors Bloom,"Explosive growth has made the People's Republic of China the most power-hungry nation on Earth. Get ready for the mass-produced, meltdown-proof future of nuclear energy. By Spencer Reiss from Wired magazine." +1,Over 150 people arrested in child pornography crackdown,"MARK COLVIN: Teachers, doctors, police and childcare workers are the people we trust with our children. But members of those professions are among more than 150 people arrested in the biggest child pornography crackdown that Australia has ever seen." +1,Malaysian Ruling Party Rejects Anwar ,"AP - The leaders of Malaysia's ruling party unanimously refused Tuesday to allow one-time rising star Anwar Ibrahim to rejoin the organization, a day before a crucial court ruling that could clear his return to politics." +1,Iraq election date announced,"Iraq's Electoral Commission has announced that elections in the country will go ahead on January 30, not January 27 as previously suggested." +4,PPC Options,"Pay-Per-Click - Just the words send a chill up and down my spine. It used to be that this PPC feature was an end-all to cure any search engine listing woes, to get the ranking we felt we were denied, and to " +2,Giving up was never in this group's nature,"NEW YORK -- What manner of mettle separates these 2004 Red Sox from the 25 teams that preceded them in spotting adversaries a 3-0 series lead in the postseason, in refusing to go quietly into that good night?" +3,American to Test Onboard Food Sales," CHICAGO (Reuters) - American Airlines on Thursday said it will begin testing onboard food sales to coach passengers in September on a handful of flights, including several in the Dallas and New York markets." +2,"Mauresmo, Sugiyama Reach Quarterfinals ","AP - Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo reached the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies Open by beating Polish teenager Marta Domachovska 6-4, 6-0 Thursday." +1,"U.S.: Iran May Seek to Mate Missile, Nuclear Warhead"," MANAUS, Brazil (Reuters) - Washington has intelligence suggesting Iran is working on the technology to deliver a nuclear warhead on a missile, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday in a claim that could increase fears about Tehran's nuclear activities." +2,Today's schedule,"College hockey: Men -- Suffolk at Stonehill, 7:45 p.m.; Wentworth at WNEC, 8 p.m. Pro hockey: AHL -- Portland at Lowell, 2 p.m." +1,Germany slams Italy over UN plan,Germany has criticised Italy for opposing its campaign for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Europe would lose out if it was the only region not to have a new representative on an enlarged council. +3,Mortgage Applications Up - MBA," NEW YORK (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. home mortgages rose last week as lower interest rates spurred purchases, an industry group said on Wednesday." +3,Marsh McLennan Chairman Resigns Post,"Jeffrey W. Greenberg, chairman and chief executive of Marsh amp; McLennan Companies Inc., which is the target of a bid-rigging investigation by New York's attorney general, submitted his resignation on Monday, the company said." +4,Report: Enterprises Favor One-Time Software License,"Despite a growing software industry revolution in favor of subscription-style pricing arrangements, most enterprise software buyers prefer the traditional approach of buying a one-time license, a newly released report indicates." +1,Palestinian officials rush to bedside of ailing Arafat,"The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, was in a serious condition last night after a sharp deterioration in his health, Palestinian officials said." +1,Family mourn angel slain in London,The family of a French woman who police think might have been slain by a serial hammer killer have paid tribute to an quot;angel quot; who found happiness during her time in London. +1,Quake kills 11 in Indonesia,"AT least 11 people were killed and 65 injured when a strong earthquake shook Indonesia's Papua province today, collapsing buildings and starting fires, officials said." +4,Set mercury limits in concrete,"Four years ago, a federal court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to set limits on the release of mercury and other harmful emissions from cement factories." +2,Gallacher clinches dunhill title,Stephen Gallacher clinched his first win on the European Tour after eding out Graeme McDowell on the first play-off hole in the dunhill links Championship. +3,"Caterpillar, UAW reach tentative contract deal","EAST PEORIA, Ill. United Auto Workers officials say they plan to hold a news conference tomorrow after the union and heavy equipment giant Caterpillar Incorporated reached a tentative agreement tonight on a new six-year contract." +1,Indian state-run gas giant eyes 10 percent stake in China Gas ,"AFP - India's state-run Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) said it is considering buying a 10 percent stake in China Gas Holdings Ltd, which has sole rights to distribute gas in 42 Chinese cities." +2,Hargrove chosen to manage Mariners,"Hargrove, 54, previously managed at Cleveland and Baltimore. His record in 13 years as a manager is 996-963. quot;I am very pleased to name Mike Hargrove as our new manager, quot; Mariners " +4,CIO Tech Poll: IT spending projections down in December,"CIOs surveyed last month predicted that IT spending would grow by only 6.7 during the next 12 months, down from the 8.4 growth rate they predicted in November, according to the latest CIO Magazine Tech Poll released today." +1,Top Indian nuclear scientist passes away,Eminent physicist and doyen of India's nuclear program Raja Ramanna died Friday morning at the age of 79 in a hospital in Mumbai in west India following an intestinal problem. +1,Socialists in France give lift to EU charter,PARIS A resounding vote in favor of the European Union constitution by France's opposition Socialist Party was welcomed Thursday across a Continent that faces a string of national referendums on the treaty next year. +4,Microsoft Gets Comfy in the Living Room,One of the past snags in gaining acceptance of PC components in couch-potato HQ has been the difficulty of integrating them into a home entertainment network. +1,Nation shocked by hatred shown,France flew home its nine dead soldiers from the Ivory Coast yesterday. The nine died in violence at the weekend that presented a bleak contrast to the long-cultivated image of the +2,Crawford nails late three-pointer in overtime as Knicks top Hawks ,"When he took a pass from Stephon Marbury with about five seconds left in overtime, Jamal Crawford didn't hesitate. No matter that he was at least five feet behind the three-point arc." +4,Philips Resumes PC Manufacturing,"In a quiet announcement yesterday, Philips Electronics, a Netherlands-based consumer electronics company, stated it has begun manufacturing PCs once again - after an absence of nearly 10 years." +4,Bill Gates: U.S. Need Not Fear Overseas Tech," BERKELEY, Calif. (Reuters) - The United States has nothing to fear from rapidly growing technology markets in China and India, Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=MSFT.O qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">MSFT.O</A> said on Friday." +2,Davenport's default title,AMERICAN Lindsay Davenport won the Filderstadt Grand Prix in Germany yesterday after world No1 Amelie Mauresmo retired injured at the end of the first set. +4,Music industry opens new front against Kazaa in Australia,"The music industry has taken its battle with peer to peer networking down under. The Australian subsidiaries of the major record labels, including Universal, EMI, Sony BMG, Warner and 25 others are suing Sharman " +3,Investor Suit at Disney Puts Exits in a Spotlight,"Just when it appeared that Michael D. Eisner, the chief executive of the Walt Disney Company, could begin enjoying the company's turnaround and his final years in " +3,Two Investment Banks Settle with SEC,"Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Thomas Weisel Partners agreed to pay a combined $100 million to settle charges involving conflicts of interest between research and investment banking, US regulators said on Thursday." +2,Bayer look to leave Kiev out in the cold,Bayer Leverkusen surprised everyone by qualifying for the Champions League last season and they now have the chance to reach the knockout phase of the competition with Dynamo Kiev their final obstacle. +3,"Stocks Fall, Jolted by Oil and Greenspan"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks dropped on Friday as investors were jolted by a jump in oil prices and comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who gave a blunt reminder that interest rates were bound to go up and warned the appetite for U.S. assets would eventually dwindle." +4,Induce Act remains locked up in Committee,"Yesterday we reported that the Senate Judiciary Committee would be taking up the Induce Act once again. They did so this morning, and the bill failed to advance because of strong opposition from the technology " +4,Solar sail craft gets launch date,The world's first spacecraft to use a solar sail for propulsion is set to be launched from a submerged Russian submarine on 1 March next year. +2,Wisconsin running back Davis cleared to play,"Running back Anthony Davis, who missed No. 20 Wisconsin's last three games with an eye injury, has been cleared to play this weekend against Illinois." +3,"Coke, Pepsi to list nutritional facts on labels","NEW DELHI: Even Coca-Cola and Pepsi are turning calorie-conscious. With obesity concerns getting shriller by the day and the recent row over pesticide traces in soft drinks posing several challenges, the two " +3,Nun enjoys prison meals with Martha,"DENVER - The food at the Federal Corrections Camp in Alderson, W.Va., apparently is nothing to write home about - unless one is eating it with Martha Stewart." +3,"Money laundering on rise, poll finds","Two-thirds of banks around the world have reported an increase in the volume of suspicious activities they report to police, a report by KPMG suggests." +1,Najaf ultras surrender shrine,"NAJAF, Aug. 27. - Militants filed out of the revered Imam Ali Shrine and turned its keys over to representatives of Iraqs top Shiite cleric today following a peace agreement to end three weeks of fighting in this holy city." +3,Loonie hits 80 cents for first time in decade,TORONTO -- A roaring jobs market in Canada and disappointing jobs data from the United States helped the Canadian dollar crack 80 cents US in trading yesterday for the first time in more than a decade. +4,Google Plans Desktop Search Tool for Apple PCs,Google Inc. GOOG.O plans to release a version of its desktop search tool for computers running on the Mac operating system from Apple Computer Inc. +4,IT executives optimistic about ways to connect,"The tech industry is finally heading towards a recovery after the post-bubble decline, but we are not quite there yet, according to executives and industry watchers at the 15th annual Etre technology conference in Cannes." +1,"Senior Official Kidnapped in Gaza, Witnesses Say","Gunmen kidnapped a senior official of the security forces in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the latest sign of a surge in internal Palestinian unrest, witnesses said." +3,"Wal-Mart, fending off rivals, slashes prices on 24 items","Bruised by aggressive promotional pricing by competitors over the Thanksgiving weekend, Wal-Mart on Thursday announced a counterattack." +4,Payback Time For The Cock Of The Prairie,"Is the strutting sage grouse, iconic bird of the Western steppe, an endangered species? No doubt about it, say environmentalists, who petitioned for federal protection for the quot;cock of the prairie, quot; as Lewis and Clark fondly dubbed it." +1,"Stricken Canadian submarine arrives in Scotland, five days after ","FASLANE, Scotland (CP) - The stricken Canadian submarine HMCS Chicoutimi finally arrived safely to port Sunday, its weary crew heralded as heroes by a British commander five days after a devastating fire killed one of their crewmates and left their vessel " +1,African Union Expands Darfur Mission,"DARFUR, October 22 (IslamOnline.net amp; News Agencies) - The African Union announced has it was poised to boost the number of its peacekeepers in Sudans troubled Darfur region as the Sudanese government and the two rebel groups were set to launch a new " +3,"PepsiCo Profit Up, Cuts Jobs, Shares Rise"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - PepsiCo Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PEP.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PEP.N</A>, the world's No. 2 soft drink company, on Thursday said quarterly profit rose due to tax benefits and strong earnings at its key Frito-Lay snack and North American beverage units." +1,Jailed Palestinian Leader Drops Out of Race to Replace Arafat,"Marwan Barghouti, the leader of the Palestinian uprising now imprisoned in Israel, withdrew today from the Palestinian race for president." +3,In Pursuit of Happiness,One Fool experiences more than two hours of lost pre-party productivity in a Barnes Noble quest. +1,U.S. Sees Chances of Saddam Trial in 2004 'Remote'," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The chances of trying former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2004 are remote, a U.S. official said Friday, casting doubt on remarks by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi who said the trial could begin as early as October." +4,You broke it. Who fixes it?,Apple thinks do-it-yourself PC repair is the wave of the future. But another PC maker has other ideas. +3,Continental to Skip Pension Payment,"Continental Airlines Inc., the fifth-largest US carrier, said it will skip contributions to employee pension plans this year, taking advantage of a law enacted in April to conserve cash." +3,London Exchange rejects German bid,The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has rejected a proposed offer for the company from Deutsche Boerse valued at 530 pence per share in cash. +2,Crawford's 30 keeps Knicks hot at home,"Jamal Crawford scored 30 points, Stephon Marbury had 18 points and 15 assists and Tim Thomas scored 17 to lead the New York Knicks to a 108-102 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors on Saturday." +3,G-7 likely won't press China on yuan,"WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Finance ministers from the world's seven richest nations aren't likely to pressure China on foreign-exchange policy when they meet with Chinese finance officials for the first time as a group in Washington at the end of the week, a " +3,"Mirant to Cut Emissions, Pay Civil Fine","The owner of four power plants in the Washington region agreed to reduce air-polluting emissions substantially in the next six years and to pay a $500,000 fine, according to a settlement " +1,Iraq Won't Send New Delegation to Najaf,"BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's National Conference refused Wednesday to send a second delegation to the holy city of Najaf to negotiate an end to fighting between U.S. troops and loyalists of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a day after he rebuffed their demand for a meeting..." +4,Scientists retrieve some intact material from space capsule ,"Optimistic NASA scientists said today they have recovered some intact materials from the wreckage of the Genesis space capsule, offering hope that the mission to gather solar " +3,Saboteurs Bomb Iraqi Pipelines to Baghdad," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saboteurs have bombed two oil pipelines transporting crude from north and eastern Iraq to Baghdad's Dora refinery, oil security officials said on Saturday." +3,"UAL Cuts Salaries, Makes $112 Mln Savings","UAL Corp. (UALAQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) , parent of United Airlines, said on Monday it would cut employees salaries as it looks to make savings and emerge from bankruptcy protection." +2,Glazer signals intentions by opening talks with new bank,Malcolm Glazer's intention to make a hostile bid for Manchester United was underlined yesterday as he held talks with Deutsche Bank about financing a deal. +2,Greater Boston League capsules,"ARLINGTON Coach: Rob DiLoreto (third year, 9-11). Last year's record: 4-6. Returning starters (12): Jay McGrath, C, 6-0, 260, Sr.; Michael O'Loughlin, RB, 5-11, 185, Sr.; Moses Ortiz, TE, 6-1 215, Sr.; Jordan Cooper, SE, 6-3, 195, Sr.; Neil Rainford, RB, 5-10, 210, Sr.; Michael Talarico, RB, 6-0, 195, Jr.; Peter Samko, OG, 5-9, 255, Jr.; Josh Vest, DL, 6-0, ..." +1,DreamWorks flotation makes $812m,"DreamWorks, which created box office smash Shrek, raises $812m from its flotation on the New York Stock Exchange." +2,Reeling Kiwis try to get back on the wagon,"IF, as New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming suggested in the wake of yesterday's embarrassing capitulation, his team began the day with a quot;mental hangover quot; then he faces a devil's own job getting them back on the wagon in time for the next Test, starting " +1,World: Mixed Reviews For Bush,"European leaders urged President Bush to work closely with America's allies on issues like terrorism and the environment in his second term, while critics of the president worried re-election would embolden him to pursue conservative policies " +3,PeopleSoft sees quarterly revenue above estimates,"NEW YORK: PeopleSoft Inc, fresh from firing its chief executive amid a hostile takeover bid from Oracle Corp, said yesterday that quarterly revenue would exceed Wall Street's expectations helped by an increase in customers making larger orders for its " +3,"Labor Costs, Hurricane Hit Alcoa Profit (Reuters)","Reuters - Alcoa Inc. , the world's\biggest aluminum producer, said on Thursday that net income for\the quarter rose slightly, as labor problems and the effect of\Hurricane Ivan offset high aluminum prices." +3,Juniper Clipped,Juniper Networks (Nasdaq: JNPR) remains stunted this morning even after an earnings report that shows triple-digit growth rates for both revenues and earnings. +2,Rose Bowl At Stake In Michigan/OSU Game,"When the Wolverines play at Ohio State on Saturday, they will be playing for more than just a share off the Big Ten championship. Michigan could get a Rose Bowl bid with a victory over the Buckeyes." +1,"Despite fears of attacks at polls, 'resilient' Afghans ready to vote","KABUL, Afghanistan -- A day before Afghanistan's historic presidential election, Captain Jacob Larkowich's US infantry company took up positions on a hilltop next to the Intercontinental Hotel, looking out over the dusty capital for puffs of smoke and bracing to rush to the scene of any bombing." +4,Podcasts: New Twist on Net Audio,"A technology that delivers internet audio programs directly to iPods and other MP3 players, podcasting is gaining a following among people who can't listen to their favorite shows when they're live. By Daniel Terdiman." +3,Stocks Climb As Profit Worries Ease,Another increase in oil prices due to concerns over Hurricane Ivan's effect on oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico didn't have a large impact on trading. +2,"No. 15 West Virginia 35, Rutgers 30","Chris Henry caught a 39-yard scoring pass and set up another touchdown with a long catch before being kicked out of the game, leading No." +4,Microsoft probing reported flaws in Windows XP SP2,"Microsoft is downplaying claims that several new vulnerabilities in Windows XP SP2 were discovered by Finjan Software, but it is looking into the claims anyway." +4,Supreme Court Affirms Do-Not-Call Ruling,The national do-not-call list overcame its last legal hurdle Monday when the Supreme Court let stand a lower-court ruling affirming its constitutionality. +3,Crisis warning from Bank as lenders add to risky investments,"UK banks have built up a number of risky investment positions that could trigger a financial crisis if a shock caused a sudden rush to sell up, the Bank of England warned yesterday." +2,Keane On Target As Ireland Win,"The Republic of Ireland's leading scorer, Robbie Keane, extended his record to 24 goals as Brian Kerrs side beat Croatia 1-0 in a friendly at Lansdowne Road in Dublin on Tuesday." +2,"A loaf, then a laugh Cal dawdles in 1st half, still rips Huskies","Seattle -- With his team hanging onto a one-point lead at the half, Cal coach Jeff Tedford said he was fairly restrained. He'd already let the Bears have it before the game." +2,US softball team snares gold,The losing team made the news Monday in Olympic softball's gold medal game. It scored a run. With Crystl Bustos hitting two shots that would have dented the outfield fence had +2,Kookaburras condemned for withdrawal,Furious Pakistani hockey officials have called for Olympic champion Australia to be punished for withdrawing from December's Champions Trophy tournament in Lahore for security reasons. +4,Investors duke it out in PeopleSoft bid,One major shareholder says it won't touch Oracle's latest offer. Another says it likes the price. Who'll prevail? +1,"Arafat in Serious Condition, Foreign Medics Arrive"," RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Foreign doctors rushed to Yasser Arafat's side on Thursday to tend to the seriously ill Palestinian leader, who for decades has symbolized his people's struggle for statehood." +2,Firepower rests with Bucknell,"Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard had his eye on Kevin Bettencourt three years ago, but the former Peabody High star opted for Bucknell. Now Bettencourt figures as a prominent road block for the Crusaders to return to the pinnacle of the Patriot League." +2,Dyer facing weeks out with injury,"NEWCASTLE, England -- Graeme Souness suffered his first serious setback as Newcastle manager after Kieron Dyer was ruled out of action for several weeks with a recurrence of the hamstring problems that have dogged him throughout his career." +1,"70,000 have died in Darfur camps: WHO","GENEVA - At least 70,000 people have died since March as a result of poor conditions in refugee camps in Sudan's Darfur, the United Nations health agency said Friday." +4,Sun Trying Something New ... Like Giving Away An Operating System,Sun Microsystems is trying a new marketing strategy ... giving away its new Solaris 10 operating system for free! quot;Hewlett Packard sells a printer at a low price and makes a lot of money on printer cartridges. +3,"Treasuries Tick Higher, Curve Flattens (Reuters)","Reuters - U.S. Treasuries prices were a shade\firmer on Thursday, though gains were tentative at best as a\drought of major data left the market at the mercy of volatile\oil price changes." +2,Panis to Retire as Formula One Driver," MONZA, Italy (Reuters) - Formula One's oldest driver Olivier Panis announced Thursday he will quit racing at the end of the season to take up a test role with Toyota." +2,Bones will not break,"IN many respects Sean Bones is an unremarkable man. He's 44, unmarried, lives in the Gorse Hill area of Stretford and earns his living as a semi-skilled assembler in the factory of a company which manufactures gas metres." +1,Bhopal survivors still short on medical treatment and compo,The failure of the Indian Government and an American corporation to tackle the after-effects of one of the worst industrial accidents in history has left a legacy of continuing pollution +1,23-nation inoculation push in Africa aims to eradicate polio,JOHANNESBURG -- Health workers across west and central Africa began a 23-country polio immunization campaign yesterday to reach more than 80 million children in the next several days. The undertaking is part of an international effort to eradicate the disease by next year. +1,S. Lanka Peace Bid at Critical Low - Norway Envoy,"Sri Lanka's bid to forge lasting peace with Tamil Tiger rebels after two decades of civil war is at its most critical ebb since a 2002 truce, Norway's peace envoy to the country said on Wednesday." +3,Judge Dismisses Big Rights Suit on Apartheid,"A federal judge in New York dismissed a human rights suit yesterday against 35 major corporations that did business in South Africa under apartheid, dealing a blow to rights lawyers who have " +2,"Chelsea Ties Arsenal, 2-2","Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen celebrates after scoring during the Premiership game between Arsenal and Chelsea FC, London, Sunday Dec. 12, 2004." +3,Chasing hot funds is a strategy that courts failure,Resisting the temptations of the mutual-fund performance chase isn't as easy as it may look. +4,Japan Planning to Launch Spy Satellites,"TOKYO -- A Japanese government panel has approved plans to send two spy satellites into Earth's orbit beginning next year, a media report said Wednesday. If confirmed, the missions would be the first since late 2003 for Japan's ailing space program, which has suffered a slew of launch and mission failures..." +1,"Japan, U.S. Reach Deal on Beef Imports ",AP - U.S. and Japanese negotiators struck a deal Saturday to allow limited imports of American beef into Japan for the first time since Tokyo closed its billion-dollar market last year over a mad cow disease scare. +3,November Job Growth Unexpectedly Soft (Reuters),"Reuters - A surprisingly soft 112,000 new U.S.\jobs were created in November, the Labor Department said on\Friday, casting a shadow across an already downbeat holiday\sales season with consumers apparently worried by scarce work\and high oil prices." +2,Kapler leaves Red Sox for Yomiuri Giants,"Boston Red Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler has signed with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan, opting for the chance to play every day over a return to the World Series champions." +1,Ethiopia Accepts Eritrea Border Ruling in Principle,"Ethiopia said Thursday it accepted quot;in principle quot; an independent commission's ruling on its border with former foe Eritrea, possibly signaling an end to a dispute that has simmered since their 1998-2000 war." +4,"Consultants Deliver Politics To Voters' Inboxes, at a Price", Millions of Americans who are already trying to fight off unwanted electronic mail from direct marketers are about to get deluged by another source: politicians and lobbying groups. +3,"BBC set for major shake-up, claims newspaper","London - The British Broadcasting Corporation, the world's biggest public broadcaster, is to cut almost a quarter of its 28 000-strong workforce, in the biggest shake-up in its 82-year history, The Times newspaper in London said on Monday." +4,Google Buys Digital Mapping Firm Keyhole,"According to Google, current Keyhole users will benefit from the expanded resources and operational scale made possible by the company's integration into Google." +4,Geminid Meteor Showers Alarm Area Residents,Bright flashes in the sky had residents in the Washington region calling 911 Saturday night for what was actually the annual Geminid Meteor Shower. +2,Cole tells Eriksson he is England's solution to troublesome left ,FILLING the problematic left side of the England midfield is again occupying the mind of manager Sven Goran Eriksson this week as he prepares for the opening 2006 World Cup qualifying match in Austria. +4,Open Source Law and National Security,"How many paragraphs of rules and regulations can a society have before no one can predict how it will respond to critical situations? The answer, as demonstrated on 9/11/2001 is: ""Not very many."" Lawyers need to go open source and let the public bang on their code." +1,Cambodian king says he's abdicating throne,"BANGKOK -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, now 83, sick, and dismayed at political infighting in his impoverished country as it tries to recover from the Khmer Rouge era of mass killings, wants to give up his throne. Sihanouk had delayed his scheduled return from China, where he has been undergoing medical treatment for several months, and announced his desire to ..." +4,Software maker launches remote-access tools,Among new products from 3am Labs is a free tool for accessing a PC via any device with a browser. +3,Dollar slumps against the pound on soft inflation numbers,LONDON : The dollar slumped against the pound as softer-than-expected US producer price data diminished expectations of a quick interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve. +4,Internet lets teen bullies inflict suffering from afar,"The fight started at school, when some teenage girls stole a pencil case filled with makeup that belonged to a new classmate, Amanda Marcuson, and she reported them." +2,"Red Sox, Yankees Begin ALCS Battle ","AP - The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees opened the American League Championship Series Tuesday night, a rematch of New York's seven-game victory last year. Curt Schilling (21-6) started for Boston against Mike Mussina (12-9)." +1,"Deadly car bombs explode in Ramadi, Mosul",A second car bombing in the Iraqi city of Ramadi has left four people dead and possibly injured a US soldier. Hospital officials say the booby-trapped car exploded as a US military convoy passed by. +1,Russia sends scientist to jail for spying,"A Russian court has sentenced a physicist Valentin Danilov to 14 years in a Siberian prison for passing space secrets to China. Danilov, 53, a professor at Krasnoyarsk " +4,Intel Gives Centrino a Speed Boost,"the Pentium M 765 -- runs at a speed of 2.1 GHz and has 2 MB of cache. The Pentium M 765 also features Enhanced Intel Speedstep, designed to optimize application " +1,Clashes Near Iraq's Najaf Kill 40 People-Govt.," BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 40 Iraqis were killed on Saturday in fierce clashes near the southern city of Najaf, where Shi'ite militias are involved in a standoff with U.S.-led forces, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday." +1,France to reinforce security after explosion in Paris,"French Interior Minister Dominique deVillepin announced Friday that France is to reinforce security in sensible places, especially around embassies after the explosion near the Indonesian embassy in Paris." +4,Google Goes Public at $85 share,"adpowers writes quot;It is official. Google will have its IPO debut at $85 per share. To quote the article, At that price, the low end of its recently revised range, Google raised $1." +3,Wal-Mart Still Sees Nov. Sales Up 2-4 Pct," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=WMT.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">WMT.N</A>, the world's largest retailer, said on Saturday it still expects a 2 percent to 4 percent increase in November sales at its U.S. stores open at least a year." +1,Second Pitcairn man pleads guilty,A second man pleads guilty to sex offence charges against young girls on the Pacific island of Pitcairn. +3,Supreme Court Takes Broadband Regulation Case,Grotius writes quot;Reuters reported that the Supreme Court will hear a broadband regulation case that may determine whether FCC regulations apply to cable companies providing broadband services. +3,A City Built Upon Wits,India's Kerala state to build a technology-friendly city for global investors. Also: Intel continues its expansion in the Indian city Bangalore hellip;. Sirius Satellite scores a hard-charging CEO hellip;. and more. +3,"Cuba, US sign major food deals","HAVANA - Fidel Castro may have recently stopped circulation of US dollars in Cuba, but that isn't stopping a multi-million dollar agricultural deal between the two countries." +2,Contrast suits Broncos backs,"Reuben Droughns stepped to the podium Sunday evening, surveyed the television cameras and a sea of reporters, then playfully hid from view." +2,"Yanks, Rangers have second thoughts on Loaiza","MINNEAPOLIS - The Yankees have held discussions with the Texas Rangers about trading Esteban Loaiza for prospects, but both sides have reservations. " +1,Sunni Politicians Urge Iraq Election Delay ,"AP - Leading Sunni Muslim politicians Thursday urged postponement of the Jan. 30 national elections, and a senior official said the government had agreed to meet outside the country with Saddam Hussein supporters to try to convince them to abandon the insurgency." +1,Court Dismisses Takeover Bid Challenge ,AP - Gold Fields Ltd. lost another round Thursday in its battle to fight off a hostile takeover bid by Harmony Gold Mining Co. when a Johannesburg court dismissed a request to declare the bid unlawful. +2,Giants Pitcher Pleased by Honor From Peers ,AP - Jason Schmidt figures he probably lost his chance at the NL Cy Young Award when he strained his groin covering first base back in August. +4,Summit Addresses Greenhouses Gases' Impact ,AP - A new report on ecological damage from greenhouse gases dominated the sidelines of a U.N. conference on global warming Saturday as delegates from nearly 200 nations assembled to prepare for the launch next year of the Kyoto Protocol. +4,P2P Networks Score Legal Victory Against Studios,"Some advocates involved in the case were arguing that even though their legal argument may fail, the entertainment industry will actually win in the long run, as P2P networks will evolve, as " +1,Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Pleads for Aid,"US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, left, chats with Iraqi Minister of Planning Mahdi al-Hafidh, center, and Iraqi Minister of Electricity Ayham al-Samarrai, prior to the start of a 55-nation Iraqi reconstruction donors conference in Tokyo " +2,Rout ends the drought,"SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Another week, another Big Ten opponent. Another win for Notre Dame?" +4,Musicians Not Worried About P2P,"The music business has been aggressive in fighting peer-to-peer file sharing over the Internet, but most musicians do not think illegal file sharing hurts them, according to a recent survey." +3,Lampert rolls with the risks,"It's all about Eddie. Wall Street is betting Kmart chairman Eddie Lampert will be able to add a successful combination with Sears, the biggest retail merger in history, to his impressive resume." +3,"IBM earmarks $4B for stock buyback, names UPS CEO to board","The board of IBM Corp. has authorized up to $4 billion in additional funding for its stock buyback program. Armonk, NY-based IBM (NYSE: IBM) says it will repurchase shares on the open market or in private " +2,Colts Sign Gramatica for Kickoffs, INDIANAPOLIS (Sports Network) - The Indianapolis Colts have signed kicker Martin Gramatica to handle kickoffs. +2,Owen has a point to prove warns Eriksson,England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has warned Wales that Michael Owen will have a point to prove in Saturday's World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford. +4,Network Walkman NW-HD3 supports MP3s,"Sony is on a roll after the announcement that some of its digital audio players will now support MP3 files. Up to now, they only supported the company's proprietary ATRAC3plus format, a technology used in its Mini Disc players." +3,US holiday sales launch flops,"Sales of major store chains rose just 1.7 percent in November from a year ago, said a survey sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), after a year-earlier gain of 3.7 percent." +4,The New Silicon Valley: A Dog-Eat-Dog World,Oracle's attempted takeover of PeopleSoft can be seen as a harbinger of many more in a mature industry. +4,Big Kuiper Belt object got a face-lift,"The ammonia and crystalline ice would be destroyed in about 10 million years, quot; Jewitt says. quot;This implies Quaoar gets recoated on that time scale or faster." +1,"Hargrove calls on NDP to leave Quebec to Bloc, form leftist alliance (Canadian Press)","Canadian Press - MONTREAL (CP) - The New Democratic Party should leave Quebec to the Bloc Quebecois and work with the sovereigntist party in the House of Commons in a leftist alliance, the head of the Canadian Auto Workers said Friday." +1,Chirac vows 'true partnership' with Libya ,"AFP - French President Jacques Chirac, who vowed to forge a ""true partnership"" with Libya, wrapped up the latest top-level Western visit to Tripoli as it returns from years in the diplomatic wilderness." +3,Wall Street rides coattails of soaring oil production,"A sharp drop in oil prices led to a modest rally on Wall Street yesterday, with stocks edging higher on news that oil production had soared during the month of September." +2,Yorke accuses Blackburn fans of racist abuse,"An otherwise wonderful advert for English football was blemished by racism yesterday. As Dwight Yorke, a second-half substitute for Birmingham, warmed up on the touchline of his former club two or, possibly " +4,Server operators sued in bid to stymie online file-sharing,Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday sued scores of operators of computer servers that help relay digital movie files across online file-sharing networks. +4,Controversial File-Trading Bill Moves Forward,Proposed law would allow more people to be charged with criminal copyright violations. +2,Thousands watch Gerrard's comeback,"A record-breaking crowd of 6,280 football fans packed into AFC Telford's New Bucks Head to get the chance to see England's Steven Gerrard in action." +1,Somalia asks for peacekeepers,"Somalia's new president asks the African Union to send 20,000 peacekeepers to secure the country." +3,Bombardier chief to leave company,Shares in train and plane-making giant Bombardier have fallen to a 10-year low following the departure of its chief executive and two members of the board. +2,Trophy's minnows sink without trace,Goliath and his like have had a bad press over the years. But the Champions Trophy is doing all it can to leave us feeling sorry for the big fella and looking forward to the day when David slings his hook. +4,Security Bytes: Injection flaw in popular browsers,"com staff. Danish security firm Secunia has reported a quot;moderately critical quot; window injection vulnerability in Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Netscape, Safari and Konqueror." +1,Indonesia Releases Embassy Attack Footage,"JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesian police on Saturday released security camera images of a truck bombing outside the Australian Embassy, and investigators found traces of explosives in a room rented by two Malaysian militants wanted in the blast. Also Saturday, around 1,000 members of a hardline Muslim group rallied in downtown Jakarta against Thursday's attack, which killed nine people, two of them suspected suicide bombers..." +4,"Special X-rays unmask mummy's face, virtually","Washington - The face of a man who died and was mummified in Egypt 3 000 years ago has been modelled, using special CAT scans and without unwrapping his bandages, Italian researchers said on Wednesday." +2,Americans Rely on Team Spirit for Davis Cup Final," SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Facing a battalion of sturdy Spanish baseliners and a partisan, vocal crowd, the United States will rely on team spirit as it fights for the Davis Cup this weekend." +2,Rangers wins convincingly to hold on to second,"Glasgow, Scotland (Sports Network) - Rangers and Aberdeen finished up weekend play in the Scottish Premier League on Sunday at Ibrox." +3,Higher oil prices prompt downward revision to 05 outlook,"WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- The global economic outlook that looked strong in April is starting to fray around the edges, according to an International Monetary Fund report released on Wednesday." +2,Cardinals' Carpenter Leaves Game ,AP - St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter left Saturday's start against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fourth inning with a strained right biceps. +3,Euro Reaches New High against Dollar,"The US dollar fell yesterday against all the major currencies on international exchange markets except the Canada dollar. The Euro climbed to $1.3074 against US dollar, breaking a new record." +1,Japan OKs Visa for Ex-Taiwan President ,"AP - Japan plans to issue a visa for former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to visit this year, a government spokesman said Thursday, a decision that China urged Tokyo to reconsider to avoid damaging ties between the two countries." +1,Hurricane Ivan Damages Parts of Barbados,"ST. GEORGE S, Grenada Sept. 7, 2004 - Packing ferocious winds, Hurricane Ivan made a direct hit on Grenada Tuesday, blasting apart scores of homes and hurling hundreds of the island's landmark red zinc roofs through the air." +2,"Pak, Sri Lanka lock horns in Karachi Test today","KARACHI, October 28 (Online): Bruised and battered Pakistan Cricket team will take on Sri Lanka to avenge the defeat of first test in final and decisive test of two match series here at National Cricket Stadium today (Thursday)." +1,Report: Other Drugs May Raise Heart Risks,The safety of Celebrex and other pain relievers was questioned Wednesday as scientists in the United States and regulatory agencies in Europe said they feared such drugs might raise the same risk of heart problems as those blamed on the arthritis medicine Vioxx. One key researcher charged the U.S... +2,SC Assistants Asked to Stay on Staff,"South Carolina's new football coach Steve Spurrier gestures during a news conference Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)." +4,Microsoft to launch Windows Media Player and MSN Music Store on ,"Neowin was told that Microsoft is planning to release both Windows Media Player 10 and their MSN Music Store service on Thursday. The company's latest version of Media Player will feature a new design, online " +1,"Rocket, bomb kill two Pakistani soldiers (Reuters)","Reuters - A rocket attack and a remote control bomb killed two Pakistani paramilitary soldiers and wounded 11 in the western tribal regions where troops are hunting al Qaeda-linked militants, officials said on Sunday." +4,Rocket Launchers Allowed in Presidential Debate,"The next presidential debate will be held October 8th at Washington University in St. Louis. The notable difference between this debate and the last is that ""projectile launchers"" are explicitly allowed on the premises." +2,Angels Change Name,"The Angels are renaming themselves yet again, saying Monday it will be known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim." +3,GM Likely to Cut Jobs in Europe," DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=GM.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">GM.N</A>, in the midst of reassessing its unprofitable European operations, is not ruling out closing a plant there and is likely to cut some jobs, a GM spokesman said on Wednesday." +2,"Despite effort, Cavs get Sunburn",-- The Cavaliers re match against the Phoenix Suns was similar to the previous meeting last month. That's when the Cavs fell behind by 19 but rallied and won in overtime. +2,Marlins rally past Expos as home team _ in Chicago," quot;If you got to play in Comiskey or if we got to play in Alaska, it doesn't matter, quot; starting pitcher Josh Beckett said." +4,Gates: Microsoft Launches MSN Music In Eight New Nations,"Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) launched its MSN music download service in eight new European countries on Thursday. The software colossus made the move a mere week after iTunes, the category killer " +3,Saudi Violence Pushes Oil Prices Higher,"Oil prices were forced higher today by an outbreak of violence in Saudi Arabia and concerns that Opec may cut output. The cost of a barrel of light, sweet crude oil climbed " +4,Intel Unveils Extreme Edition for Power Users,"With a maximum data throughput improvement of up to 33 percent between the CPU and system memory (compared with an 800 MHz system bus), the Extreme Edition's 1066 MHz bus can enable faster frame rates for both gaming and video editing." +1,Karzai pledges to check warlords,"Hamid Karzai formally accepted his election as president of Afghanistan Thursday, a day after a joint UN-Afghan electoral board proclaimed him the victor in the October 9 vote, and said he would not condone the existence of quot;private militia forces " +4,Oft-Scorned Segway Finds Friends Among the Disabled,Gyroscopically balanced scooters have given disabled people a new grasp on mobility. +3,Contract Stirs New Talk on Disney Job,"By Reuters. Peter Chernin, president of the News Corporation, has signed a new contract that makes it easier for him to take the top job at another publicly traded company." +1,Egypt to Host Summit on Iraqi Elections ,"AP - Iraq's government is planning a conference in late November to promote political stability and seek support for upcoming elections, but U.N. officials say they're worried about the timing and lack of a clear agenda." +4,JT Juice for 11-6,"As you're reading this, the Cassini-Huygens space mission is settling into orbit around the planet Saturn. The capstone of the mission comes in January when the Huygens lander will seperate from the Cassini " +1,Putin Tightens Grip on Power in Russia,"President Vladimir Putin outlined plans Monday to ""radically"" change the Russian political system in a way that would increase his own power, portraying the moves as a means of combating terrorism." +1,US slams Colombia prisoner plan,The US voices concern at the Colombian government's plans to reach peace deals with illegal armed groups. +3,"Oil Heads Down, Holds Above $49", SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped on Monday but held above $49 a barrel as easing concerns about a winter supply crunch pulled the market further away from record highs set two weeks ago. +4,Future DVDs could hold 1TB of data,Future DVDs could hold about one hundred times the capacity that current discs can hold. That would mean about 472 hours of film on one disc the size of a current DVD disc. +3,Shoppers rush to pyramid Wal-Mart,Bargain-hungry Mexican shoppers flock to a controversial Wal-Mart supermarket that has been built half a mile away from ancient pyramids. +2,"Matured Busch a title favorite, not fan favorite","NASCAR's new playoff-style championship format has delivered nearly everything its proponents promised: more intense racing, higher television ratings and a tight title race heading into Sunday's season finale." +4,Researchers Find Fewer Bugs In Linux,"The newest version of Linux sports far fewer bugs than the average commercial code, a group of former Stanford University researchers said Tuesday." +3,UAL agrees to independent agents to oversee pension funds,WASHINGTON : Bankrupt United Airlines has agreed to appoint an independent party to manage its employee pension funds prior to September 15 in an agreement with the US Labor Department. +1,Brazil's Globo Media Empire Reaches Deal,Brazilian media giant Globo has reached a tentative agreement with creditors to restructure $1.3 billion of debt it racked up during the 1990s. +1,Former OAS Chief Under House Arrest in Bribe Probe," SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - A Costa Rican judge on Saturday put the former head of the Organization of American States under house arrest for six months while he is investigated for bribery claims, judicial officials said." +4,Solo Adventurer Circles Arctic in Two-Year Odyssey (Reuters),"Reuters - South African adventurer Mike Horn on\Thursday became the first man to circumnavigate the Arctic\Circle without motorized transport, completing a more than\two-year solo odyssey." +3,Asian Shares Higher on Oil Dip (Reuters),"Reuters - Asian investors took advantage of a\pause in climbing oil prices on Thursday to buy beaten-down\technology stocks, autos and other exporters, snapping a\nine-session losing streak by Japan's key stock index." +4, Intel Q3 revenue slightly higher than new expectations,"Third-quarter revenue was $8.47 billion, up 8 percent from last year's third-quarter revenue of $7.83 billion. Intel shipped a record number of processors in the quarter, but it had forecast even higher growth coming off of its second-quarter earnings conference call." +1,PLO chief to meet all Palestinian groups,"PLO leader Mahmud Abbas is due to hold separate meetings with representatives from the Palestinian security services and 13 main factions, officials said." +1,Falluja hit by fresh air strikes,US warplanes pound targets in the Iraqi city of Falluja in a continuing campaign against militants. +4,Her So-Called Digital Life,"Internet consultant Mary Hodder spends most of her life online. She has gone almost entirely digital. It may not be long before you do, too. Commentary by Adam L. Penenberg." +4,"After Blogs Got Hits, CBS Got a Black Eye","Scott Johnson, a lawyer in Mendota Heights, Minn., put up his first post at 7:51 a.m. on Sept. 9. By the time he got to his Minneapolis office, he had dozens of e-mail responses." +1,Volkswagen to Open Assembly Plant in UAE ,"AP - German carmaker Volkswagen AG will begin assembling heavy trucks in the United Arab Emirates beginning in 2006, a spokesman said Monday." +1,British death toll in tsunami disaster rises to 40 ,"AFP - At least 40 British nationals are now confirmed as having been killed in the Asian tsunami disaster, according to latest figures released by the Foreign Office." +4,Titanic merger of galaxy clusters revealed,"One of the hottest, most energetic mergers of two colossal galaxy clusters has been imaged in exquisite detail by an X-ray observatory in space, astronomers announced on Thursday." +4,Gaming Godzillas Prepare for Battle,"Let the games begin. Not the Olympics again, but the all-out battle between Japanese video game giants Sony and Nintendo over their new gaming consoles. <FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2""\ color=""#666666""><B>-washingtonpost.com</B></FONT>" +3,Caesars plans Wembley casino,"US casino giant Caesars plans to build a 335m gambling and leisure resort beside the new Wembley Stadium in London, its first foray into Europe." +3,Telekom Austria secures right to buy MobilTel,"Telekom Austria on Monday won the right to acquire MobilTel, the Bulgarian operator, for 1.6bn ($2.12bn), in a deal that would allow it to tap into an underdeveloped mobile market." +4,The Balance Factor: Can You Handle Zero G? (SPACE.com),"SPACE.com - Floating around an airplane unhampered by gravity may sound like a blast, but only as long as you take precautions to keep your lunch in your stomach." +4,Digital Angel Renews Distribution Deal,"Digital Angel Corp., which makes implantable microchips used to track animals, said Thursday that it renewed a contract with a unit of Schering-Plough Corp. for exclusive distribution of its US pet-identification products. " +2,Raiders' Wheatley Out with Hamstring Injury (Reuters),Reuters - Oakland Raiders running\back Tyrone Wheatley is expected to miss this week's game\against Kansas City with an injured left hamstring. +2,"China soars in springboard, takes 3-meter gold for 5th straight ",Athens -- They might as well paint the diving board red. The gold medal for women's 3-meter springboard diving went to the Chinese -- for the fifth Olympics in a row. +4,Amazon offers discount to A9 search users,"Online retailer Amazon.com Inc is offering a 1.57 per cent shopping discount to registered users of its new A9 Web search service as a way to increase A9 use and promote buying on Amazon, the company's Web site showed on Friday." +1,Good relations established with new Indian Govt: Zia :,"World News gt; Dhaka, Oct 10 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today said her country has established quot;good relations quot; with India after the change of power in New Delhi and hoped all bilateral problems would be resolved." +2,Australia Ties U.S.,"Joanne Peters' 12-yard header in the 82nd minute gives Australia a 1-1 tie with the United States, while the Americans already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals." +4,Saturn's moon Titan may offer huge clues to Earth's evolution,"With a whole universe to explore and dozens of potential targets in the solar system to examine in closer detail, spending $3.3 billion on an 11-year " +3,Lazarus Disappearing From Western Pa.,Federated Department Stores says its regional chains will begin operating under the Macy's name in January. Do you think changing the names of Federated stores to Macy's is a good idea? +1,Milosevic puts war court on trial,"Wednesday, judges adjourned the trial for one month to give Milosevic's lawyers more time to call reluctant witnesses. By Peter Ford Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor." +4,Oracle readies major app server upgrade,"Oracle on Wednesday will introduce Oracle Application Server 10g Release 2, which is being characterized as a significant upgrade to the product with improvements in Java, Web services, and identity management and the addition of RFID backing." +4,Washington Post Endorses Kerry,"\\I really like how the Washington Post cites their endorsement of Kerry :\\""EXPERTS TELL US that most voters have had no difficulty making up their minds\in this year's presidential election. Half the nation is passionately for\George W. Bush, the pollsters say, and half passionately for John F. Kerry --\or, at least, passionately against Mr. Bush. We have not been able to share in\this passion, nor in the certainty. As readers of this page know, we find much\to criticize in Mr. Bush's term but also more than a few things to admire. We\find much to admire in Mr. Kerry's life of service, knowledge of the world and\positions on a range of issues -- but also some things that give us pause. On\ba ...\\" +2,McGill breaks records in Kutztown,"Kutztown, PA (Sports Network) - Jill McGill fired an eight-under 64 on Friday to post a 14-under-par 130 and take a four-shot lead midway through the Wachovia LPGA Classic." +3,Existing Home Sales Surge in September," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of existing U.S. homes surged an unanticipated 3.1 percent in September on low mortgage rates, and sales would have been even brisker had hurricanes not hit the south, a trade association said on Monday." +1,Major Creditors Agree to Cancel 80 of Iraq Debt,"The world's leading industrial nations agreed Sunday to cancel 80 percent of the nearly $39 billion debt owed them by Iraq, a critical step in rebuilding the country's devastated " +1,AP: Iran Converts Uranium Into Gas,"TEHRAN, Iran Oct. 6, 2004 - Iran has converted a few tons of raw uranium into hexafluoride gas needed for enrichment, a necessary step toward producing nuclear fuel or nuclear weapons, a top nuclear official told The Associated Press on Wednesday." +4,DreamWorks Spinoff Sees Shares Rise 38 1st Day,"LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 -- Shares of DreamWorks Animation Inc. soared nearly 38 percent on the first day of trading Thursday as investors anticipated Shrek-sized profits from the computer animation film studio." +4,"Q A: John Swainson, CA's new CEO, lays out his priorities","John Swainson, named CEO-elect of Computer Associates last week, spoke with Computerworld about his new job, the future of CA World, his review of CA management products and ethics reforms." +2,Florida Coach Zook Admits Confrontation ,"AP - Florida coach Ron Zook acknowledged Wednesday that he confronted several fraternity members after a fight between them and three of his players last month, and athletic director Jeremy Foley called Zook's behavior ""unacceptable.""" +4, Googleizing libraries won't replace books,"This week Google Inc. down in Mountain View, wading in dough from its stock offering, announced it would use some of the money to put millions of volumes from the country's great libraries online where anybody can use them." +2,Mauresmo Wins First Match at No. 1 ,"AP - Amelie Mauresmo overcame a slow start to win her first match at No. 1 in the rankings, beating Patty Schnyder of Switzerland 7-5, 6-4 at the Porsche Grand Prix on Thursday." +3,SEC Chief: Vote Near on Market Crackdown," WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will vote soon on new governance and disclosure rules for the groups that oversee America's stock markets, SEC Chairman William Donaldson said on Thursday." +4,Apple unveils new mini stores,"OCTOBER 14, 2004 (MACCENTRAL) - At a private viewing at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, Calif., Apple Computer Inc. today unveiled a new 750-square-foot quot;mini quot; design for its retail store." +4,Limited Bush Web Access Drives Away US Voters Abroad,"Less than one week before the US presidential election, incumbent George W. Bush is denying access to potential voters who access his campaign website from foreign locations." +3,PM: France Will Conform to Deficit Rules,"France's public deficit will drop by about euro10 billion (US\$12 billion) in 2005 to conform with European Union rules, the French prime minister said in an interview." +2,"Tennis: Venus Williams, Henin-Hardenne, Davenport advance at US ","NEW YORK : Four-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams, the 2000 and 2001 champion, overcame four double faults and 25 unforced errors to defeat Shikha Uberoi 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the US Open." +2,Carter left on TE on key play,"If Andre Carter never makes it as a standout in pass coverage, he will excel as a diplomat. Carter, the 49ers best pure pass rusher, neatly sidestepped the " +1,Ukraine court annuls poll result,"Ukraine's top court annuls the result of the second round of the disputed presidential poll, paving the way for fresh elections." +3,Ivan raises gas prices far from landfall,"Carolyn Roberts was ready for heavy wind and rain as the remnants of Hurricane Ivan approached northwest Georgia, but she didn't anticipate storm-driven sticker shock at the gas pump." +3,Oil Slips Under $50 as US Supply Swell,Oil prices fell further below $50 on Wednesday as a fresh rise in US crude oil inventories outweighed the impact of President Bush's victory in the US election. +1,Sharon seeks to expand coalition,Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today he planned to replace his minority government with a broad coalition to push through his Gaza withdrawal plan and promised not to launch attacks on Palestinians unless provoked during +1,N.Korea Sets 3 Conditions for 6-Way Talks to Resume, SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea set three conditions on Friday to be met before it would consider returning to six-party talks on its nuclear programs. +2,Judge says Braves Furcal can play,"Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal may play in the playoffs despite a probation violation on a drunken-driving charge. For the rest of the season, Furcal must remain in home confinement." +3,Spitzer warns of further insurance industry woes,"Disclosures of bid-rigging within the insurance industry may lead Congress to a Pandora's box quot; of unethical conduct, a top investigator told Congress " +4,"Spammers using sender authentication too, study says","New technology for identifying the sender of e-mail messages has not been widely adopted despite backing from software giant Microsoft Corp. and may not be effective at stopping unsolicited commercial e-mail, otherwise known as spam, according to a survey by e-mail security company CipherTrust Inc." +1,Russia researching new missile systems,"Without getting into details of the missiles or their capabilities, Putin links their development to a response to the threat of international terrorism." +1,Passenger Leaves Hijacked Greek Bus (Reuters),"Reuters - A passenger was seen leaving a hijacked\Greek bus Wednesday five hours after two foreign gunmen seized\the vehicle carrying 26 passenger in an Athens suburb, a\Reuters correspondent at the scene said." +1,Cardinal hears farewell in John Paul's remarks,BRUSSELS One of 15 cardinals with Pope John Paul II during a weekend visit to a French shrine was quoted in Belgian news media on Monday as saying the ailing pontiff may have been making his farewells. +2,Phelps's chase of Spitz mark? It's history,This was the event Michael Phelps didn't really need to compete in if his goal was to win eight golds. He probably would have had a better chance somewhere else. +3,"Dollar Falls, Market Ponders China's Move", NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell in choppy trade on Thursday as traders tried to sort out what a surprise interest rate hike from China meant for currencies. +1,Russia announces work on unique nuclear missile system,"MOSCOW -- Russia is developing a new nuclear missile system unlike any weapon held by other countries, President Vladimir Putin announced yesterday, in a move that could serve as a message to the United States as Washington pushes forward with a missile defense system." +3,Google accused of pandering to Chinese censors,"Google, the internet business that made its mantra quot;do no evil quot;, is accused of pandering to attempts by the Chinese government to censor certain websites." +2,Soccer: D.C. United Take MLS Title Over Kansas City," CARSON, Calif. - (Sports Network) - D.C. United completed its return to glory Sunday, winning its fourth Major League Soccer championship in nine seasons with a wildly entertaining 3-2 victory against the Kansas City Wizards at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. United's triumph in MLS Cup 2004 before 25,797 at the Home Depot Center was its first since 1999, when it capped a run of appearances in the first four MLS title games with a then-third championship." +3,EMI reports net loss for first half but says sales on way back up,"EMI Group PLC, one of the world's biggest music companies, reported a small loss for the first half of its fiscal year Friday but said it expected an improvement in the second half which will reflect the release of several new albums that " +3,Pilots Union at United Makes Pension Deal,The union that represents pilots at United Airlines said yesterday that it had struck a deal that would allow the airline to terminate the pilots ailing pension plan and partly compensate them for the loss. +4,Telcos' convergence strategies diverge,"CANNES -- Kai-Uwe Ricke, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Deutsche Telekom AG, and Ben Verwaayen, his counterpart at BT Group PLC, have diverging views on convergence -- the idea that, some day, fixed and mobile telecommunications systems will come together into a seamless whole." +4,Wash. State Team's Private Rocket Explodes ,"AP - A team taking a low-budget stab at the 10 million Ansari X Prize for private manned spaceflight suffered a setback Sunday, when their rocket malfunctioned and exploded after shooting less than 1,000 feet in the air." +4,Personal Tech: HDTV,Fast Forward columnist Rob Pegoraro will be online to talk about The Washington Post's special report on digital television. +1,Latest China Mine Blast Kills 33,"A gas explosion at a coal mine in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi killed 28 miners and five rescuers, the government said on Friday, in the latest in a grim series of similar disasters." +1,Europe cautiously optimistic about 2nd Bush term,President Bush's biggest adversaries from quot;Old Europe quot; extended a hand of friendship as the world greeted his re-election with a mixture of hope and disappointment. +3,Titan Posts Slightly Higher Profit," CHICAGO (Reuters) - Titan Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=TTN.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">TTN.N</A>, which provides technology and translating services to the U.S. military, on Wednesday reported a slightly higher quarterly profit." +1,Iran Says It Won't Halt Nuclear Technology Drive (Reuters),Reuters - Iran Sunday rejected European demands it\abandon sensitive nuclear activities but reiterated its\readiness to provide assurances that its atomic ambitions are\entirely peaceful. +4,Amazon.com Web Site Resumes Operations ,AP - Amazon.com said that its Web site experienced slowdowns for much of the day Monday but was running normally by evening. +3, Tokyo's Stocks Lower on Profit Taking,Tokyo's key stock index fell Tuesday morning on profit taking following hefty gains the day before. The US dollar was higher against the Japanese yen. +1,Rebels withdraw blockade of Kathmandu,Nepalese rebels said today they were removing a blockade of the capital that had cut Kathmandu off from the rest of the country for a week. +1,"Indian Train Crash Kills 25, Over 250 Injured"," NEW DELHI (Reuters) - At least 25 people were killed and more than 250 injured Tuesday when two trains collided in the northern Indian state of Punjab, police said." +1,Parties Seek Advantage in Vietnam Debate ,"AP - The events may be 35 years old, but the heated discussion hasn't stopped because Republicans and Democrats alike sense a political advantage in keeping the debate over John Kerry's service in Vietnam on voters' minds." +4,Sardine Migration One of Nature's Great Wonders (Reuters),Reuters - Once a year the\normally-tranquil waters off South Africa's balmy east coast\bubble as billions of sardines migrate north with sharks and\dolphins in hot pursuit. +3,"Nextel's Profit Rises, Ups Outlook"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nextel Communications Inc., the sixth largest U.S. mobile company, on Friday said its third-quarter profit rose amid strong customer growth and it raised its earnings forecast for the full year." +1,Arafat hopes for US policy of peace ,"PARIS Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, who is having medical tests in a French military hospital, hopes that President George W. Bush will adopt a new quot;policy of peace quot; in the Middle East, an aide said Wednesday." +2, Turn other cheek doesn't work either,Minor league hockey player Dan Sullivan was suspended for 18 fewer games for mooning fans than Indiana Pacer Stephen Jackson was (30) for trying to punch their lights out. +4,CA to acquire Netegrity for $430m,Computer Associates International will acquire identity management software supplier Netegrity in an all-cash transaction valued at $430m (241m). +1, Why the Bombings? Ask Bangladesh Protesters,"Thousands of Bangladesh opposition activists holding banners reading quot;Why the bombings, why the bloodshed? quot; protested on Monday against a deadly grenade attack " +2,Top seed Spadea enters Delray Beach ATP quarter-finals,"Top seed Vincent Spadea beat fellow American James Blake 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the 380,000 US dollars Millennium International tennis tournament in Delray Beach, Florida on Thursday." +4,Microsoft Sets Licensing Policy for New Chips,"Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday agreed to require only a single license for server software that runs on computers powered by a new generation of chips " +2,Stolz wins Michelin Championship,"LAS VEGAS (Ticker) -- In Sin City, 21 was a lucky number for Andre Stolz, who notched his first PGA Tour victory. Stolz fired a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 that including a 10-foot birdie on the 16th hole that " +1,Planting for Nobel peace,"The question comes up every year: Does the Nobel Peace Prize matter? This year's winner, Wangari Maathai of Kenya, is living proof the 103-year-old prize is an honour some people richly deserve." +2,"Bears Defeat Vikings, 24-14 ",AP - Hanging with Chad was a winning experience for the Chicago Bears. +2,Megson rues missed chances,West Brom manager Gary Megson was left to rue his side's missed chances after the Baggies crashed out of the Carling Cup in extra time at Colchester. +1,Darfur Mediators Demand Respect of Cease-fire,"African Union mediators at peace talks for Sudan's Darfur region say there has been an escalation of cease-fire violations during the past three months, and that these must stop before a comprehensive peace accord can be reached." +3,Stocks Dip as Dollar Rises and Oil Drops (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. stocks inched lower on Friday but\fresh economic data drove the dollar and bonds higher, while\profit-taking pushed oil prices down after OPEC'S widely\expected decision to curb production." +2,Walker not interested in rival series,Motorsport.com. Australian Grand Prix chairman Ron Walker doubts that the Grand Prix World Championship (GPWC) will come to much and claimed he will stick with Formula One. +3,Ontario court OKs Air Canada restructuring,"Air Canada has been cleared for take-off. An Ontario court judge approved the battered airline's restructuring plan, and the company could emerge from bankruptcy protection as early as Sept." +4,New data strengthen Mars life evidence,US scientists have found new data showing patterns of water and methane on Mars could improve the chances life once existed there. +4,Covad tries an end run,"In a tough scrimmage against resurgent Baby Bells, the broadband pioneer flips open the VoIP playbook." +4,Oracle Acquires PeopleSoft in 10.3B Deal ,"AP - Oracle Corp. finally scooped up bitter rival PeopleSoft Inc. after 18 months of legal and verbal strife, ending a nasty feud with a 10.3 billion deal that promises to shake up the business software industry." +3,Judge Approves a WorldCom Settlement,"A federal judge in New York has approved a $2.6 billion settlement of a class-action lawsuit on behalf of more than 170,000 WorldCom investors who claimed they were defrauded by Citigroup." +1,Japan Court Ex-Chess Champ Fischer Can Be Deported (Reuters),"Reuters - A Tokyo court on Friday rejected a\request by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer to have\Japanese authorities halt procedures to deport him, Kyodo news\agency reported." +4,Body Asymmetry Tied to Aggression,"Lashing out more common if one ear or finger is larger HealthDayNews -- If one of your ears is bigger than the other, it may be a sign you're more likely to be aggressive when you get angry. So say Ohio State University researchers, who found that the greater the asymmetry between certain body parts -- for example, if one foot, index finger, or ear is bigger than the other -- the more likely a person will show signs of aggression when provoked..." +2,Japanese star joins Suns,"Yuta Tabuse has signed for Phoenix, boosting his hopes of becoming the first Japanese player to see action in the NBA. The 23-year-old guard, who took part in the Denver Nuggets pre-season training camp last " +1,Sadr rebels boost election hopes,Iraq's plans to hold elections in January have gained traction after a Shi ite militia agreed to disarm in Baghdad and delegates from rebel-held Falluja said the Sunni Muslim city wanted to vote in the polls. +1,"Far-right stoking civil war in Israel over Gaza, says Sharon",ISRAELI prime minister Ariel Sharon yesterday warned that far-right elements could push the country into a civil war if they continue with heated rhetoric in opposition to his plan for a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. +4,LotR: The Battle for Middle-Eart,EA's Lord of the Rings-themed RTS is marching into stores nationwide. Precious details inside... Electronic Arts has announced today that the company has shipped their latest title based on the popular Lord +3,Google's woes shouldn't bury IPO auction idea,"Google Inc.'s stumbles shouldn't be used to write off the idea of employing auctions to sell stock to the public. Certainly, the initial public offering of the Internet search " +3,Disney board nodded through agent's hiring ,"Walt Disney's board of directors did not even meet to discuss the hiring of Michael Ovitz, a leading Hollywood talent agent at the centre of a major trial, it was alleged yesterday." +4,E-Mail-Authentication Problems Spawn New Apps,"While America Online, Microsoft, and the open-source community agree to disagree about E-mail-authentication standards, some companies are stepping up to bridge the divide." +2,Mets Sign Cuban Defector Alay Soler ,"AP - The New York Mets signed Cuban defector Alay Soler on Friday, giving the pitcher a three-year deal worth 2.8 million." +4,"$28,000 for mother of all sandwiches","A grilled-cheese sandwich said to bear the image of the Virgin Mary has been sold for $28,000 in an eBay auction, according to the online casino that bought it from a woman in Hollywood, Fla." +1,Meeting with unions crucial to Alitalia's survival (Canadian Press),"Canadian Press - ROME - With the future of Italy's flagship carrier at stake, Alitalia began crucial talks with unions Monday to unveil a rescue plan - including expected layoffs - aimed at averting collapse." +3,Credit Suisse First Boston on Parmalat's lawsuit list,"LONDON, August 19 (New Ratings) Parmalat Finanziaria SpA (PAF.FSE) announced today that the company has filed a lawsuit against Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), seeking approximately 250 million in claims plus interest from the financial service ..." +1,Green campaigner wins peace prize,"A Kenyan environmentalist and human rights campaigner has been awarded the Nobel peace prize, becoming the first African woman to win the prestigious award since it was created in 1901." +3,IBM-Lenovo Deal Shows China's Growing Might,"For China, the country's biggest computer supplier buying out a unit of IBM is more than just a business deal. Lenovo Group's decision to purchase IBM's PC group for $1.75 billion could be " +1,"U.N. health body warns against ""kitchen killer"" (Reuters)","Reuters - Some 1.6 million people, mainly small children, die each year from a ""kitchen killer"" -- disease brought on by inhaling smoke from cooking stoves and indoor fires, the World Health Organisation said on Friday." +2,Adrian Beltre Files for Free Agency ,AP - Dodgers slugger Adrian Beltre filed for free agency Thursday #151; the same day he underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove two large bone spurs from his left ankle. +3,DaimlerChrysler posts $1.27 billion US profit after loss last year,"Automaking giant DaimlerChrysler AG said Thursday it earned nearly $1.2 billion US in the third quarter on good performances from its financial services division and its US Chrysler arm, rebounding from a big loss a year ago when it had a " +3,Sonic Health boosts profit 41 pc,"Australian pathology and radiology group Sonic Healthcare Ltd has reported a 41 percent jump in annual net profit, boosted by its UK expansion and higher government payouts for blood tests." +2,UPDATE 1-Liverpool manager against Everton ground-share,Manager Rafael Benitez is opposed to Liverpool sharing their proposed new stadium with city rivals Everton. Officials from the two Premier League clubs +4,Mobiles in aircraft edge closer,Soon you could be using your mobile phone on flights as easily as you do on the High Street. A two-year investigation has shown that mobiles can be used on planes without interfering with navigation systems. +2,Chargers on top,"Tucked away in the bottom left corner of the United States, the San Diego Chargers were easy to either forget or dismiss as the blueprint for NFL ineptitude." +2,Rison Can Leave Jail With 10K Payment ,"AP - Former Pro Bowl receiver Andre Rison was given the option of paying 10,000 to get out of jail after spending almost a month locked up for failing to pay child support for more than two years." +1,Hunt for George Michael intruder,Police look for a woman who broke into pop star George Michael's north London home earlier this month. +3,"What, price lettuce?",What has IT got to do with the price of lettuce in China? I'll give you a hint. +3,Treasuries Slide on Greenspan Oil View, NEW YORK (Reuters) - Treasury debt prices eased on Friday as a startling jump in U.S. retail sales sparked concerns the Federal Reserve would continue to raise interest rates steadily into next year. +3,US Sept consumer prices rise,"US consumer prices rose more in September than a month earlier, reflecting higher costs for services such as hotel stays and medical care, a government report showed." +3,Isonics Shares Soar on New Unit News,Isonics Corp. shares soared nearly 38 percent on Monday following news late Friday that the company formed a unit to focus on homeland security and defense products and named vice chairman Boris Rubizhevsky as president of the new group. +1,Quinn may leave hospital tomorrow,"The pregnant former lover of David Blunkett who has been receiving treatment for stress-related complications may be released from hospital tomorrow, according to her husband." +3,The boys from Bentonville feel the need to be loved,"Lee Scott Jr., the chief executive of Wal-Mart Stores, was speaking the other day about old times at the company's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas." +1,Gaza violence dents peace hopes,"depends on whether they can rein in militants, who killed five Israeli soldiers in Gaza in an attack on Sunday. drew missile strikes in a swift reprisal and dimmed hopes for an end to decades of conflict in the post-Arafat era." +1,Congressional probe sought over jailing of US vigilantes in Afghanistan ,AFP - A lawyer for one of three Americans jailed in Afghanistan for illegally running a private anti-terror campaign and secret jail has asked for a US Congressional probe to look into bringing the trio home. +3,Making Your Insurer Pay,"If Hurricane Charley blows your house down, how can you make your insurance company pay?" +1,US pledges $20m to Palestinians,The US pledges $20m to help Palestinians out of a financial crisis - a rare direct payment from Washington. +2,Pierce outshines Sharapova,"Nine Saturdays ago, the answer was Maria Sharapova, the 6-foot Siberian who made the opposition at Wimbledon seem like seven female dwarfs." +4,New Network Consortium Cites Power Of Shared Systems,"A group of 28 IT, defense and integration companies formed a new consortium to develop technology standards and guidelines that will aid collaboration among military, intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement agencies." +4,Briefly: Jail time for California swappers?,roundup Plus: Microsoft updates home PC package...LookSmart buys Furl.net...Microsoft tweaks volume-licensing program...Pentagon expands access to voting site. +4,The games kids play today are too violent,"No wonder people love computer and video games. They're realistic, fast-paced, interactive and challenging. Just about any age can play." +2,Stewart rips NASCAR's penalty,"KANSAS CITY, Kan. Tony Stewart, who knows a thing or two about being in trouble with NASCAR, blistered the organization Saturday in defense of fellow driver Dale Earnhardt Jr." +3,Boozy Lunches Off the Menu at Brewer's New HQ,It may be the world's biggest brewer -- and in beer-loving Belgium at that -- but InBev does not want its managers drinking at lunchtime. +4,"Ballmer on Linux, part II",Initial coverage of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's comments during an event in Singapore yesterday left the folks back at headquarters in Redmond trying to clarify things and put them in context. +4,Microsoft Aims Navision at SMBs (NewsFactor),"NewsFactor - Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has released Navision 4.0, a product that integrates financial, manufacturing, distribution, customer-management, supply chain, analytics and e-commerce data. The software is the first major release to come out of Microsoft's acquisition of Danish firm Navision in 2002." +3,Wal-Mart of the Gods,A controversial project near a Mexican archeological site yields another snootful of bad P.R. for Wal-Mart. +3,"Marsh McLennan to Cut 3,000 Jobs (Reuters)","Reuters - Marsh McLennan Cos. , the\insurance broker at the center of a bid-rigging scandal, on\Tuesday said it will lay off 3,000 employees, or 5 percent of\its work force." +2,"Doping case was flawed, report finds","MONTREAL A series of errors and misunderstandings led to the botched drug test that resulted in Tyler Hamilton, the American cyclist, retaining his gold medal from the Athens Olympics, the World Anti-Doping Agency has said in a report." +4,"IBM, AMD, Sony boost chip speeds by 24","Chip-making technique to fuel AMD64, PowerPC, 'Cell' production" +4,Study: Arctic Radiation Levels Declining ,"AP - Atomic radiation levels are beginning to decline in the Arctic, years after Soviet aboveground nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl nuclear accident spewed their fallout over the region, according to a study released Tuesday." +2,He'll let the words speak for themselves,So now we know the reasons why he left. And more. Pedro Martinez was hurt the Red Sox didn't act more quickly in their efforts to sign him. He didn't like the Sox sending more than one person to the Dominican Republic to negotiate. He doesn't like Curt Schilling. He doesn't need the money because he's been a millionaire since ... +4,Nintendo DS a Sleek Powerhouse,"The last time Nintendo Co. tried two screens, the result was a head-splitting virtual reality goggle called Virtual Boy that quickly flopped in the mid-1990s." +2,Real Madrid wins its first match 1-0 in Mallorca in the Spanish ,Ronaldo got Real Madrid off to a winning start Sunday thanks to an accurate assist from new signing Michael Owen securing a 1-0 win over Mallorca in the Spanish league. +4,Gates: Even Microsoft Master Is Plagued By Spam ,"Think you get spam? Imagine having an Internet profile like Bill Gates. The Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) chairman gets millions of e-mails every day, according to Chief Executive Steve Ballmer." +1,UK Police arrest four trying to buy radioactive material,LONDON: British police said they had arrested four men under anti-terrorism legislation as the suspects tried to buy explosives for a dirty bomb. +2,Mutu out in cold after admitting drug use,CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho yesterday refused to talk about shamed striker Adrian Mutu ahead of tonights Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow. +4,Conn. Man Charged with Selling Secret Windows Code,A Connecticut man was arrested on Tuesday on charges that he illegally sold a secret source code used for Microsoft Corp.'s MSFT. +1,Bike Bomb Kills at Least 11 in Pakistan,"Assailants set off a powerful time bomb next to an army truck parked in a teeming outdoor market in southwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 11 people and injuring " +1,Britain knew of E.Guinea plot before suspects arrest,"The British government learned about an alleged plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea in January this year, several weeks before suspects who " +4,Inoculation Teams Deploy in Nigeria ,"AP - Health workers met scattered refusals from parents Monday as medical teams deployed door-to-door in this largely Muslim Nigerian state, rushing to inoculate 3.8 children against polio after Muslim leaders lifted their boycott of the vaccine." +4,EBay To Acquire South Korean Auction Firm,"EBay Inc., which has been aggressively expanding in Asia, plans to increase its stake in South Korea's largest online auction company." +4,Robin makes rare Christmas visit,A rare species of robin settles in for its first winter in Scotland after being spotted on a reserve in Aberdeenshire. +1,Nephew faults Israel in Arafat's death,"PARIS -- Newly armed with Yasser Arafat's medical dossier, his nephew pinned blame on Israel for the late Palestinian leader's death and refused yesterday to squelch rumors of poisoning -- although he acknowledged that doctors found no known poisons." +2,Pirlo's strike gives Milan victory,Andrea Pirlo's superb 20th minute strike gave Italian champions AC Milan a 1-0 win at Cagliari to keep them within three points of Serie A leaders Juventus. +3,Crude oil exceeds $US50 a barrel,"Crude oil futures settled above $50 for the first time ever on Friday, fueled by concerns about supply in Nigeria and the continuing slow pace of production recovery in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf of Mexico, traders said." +1,EU panel urges talks with Turkey about membership,"BRUSSELS, Belgium -- In a move that could extend Europe's borders to the edge of the Middle East, the European Union on Wednesday recommended starting negotiations with Turkey on full membership." +3,Illinois Tool Won't Pursue Linx After Danaher Offers More Money,Illinois Tool Works Inc. said it won't proceed with its bid for UK-based Linx Printing Technologies Plc after Danaher Corp. said it may offer 15 percent more for the company. +4,"Nokia, Intel Join Forces on Symbian Phones (Reuters)","Reuters - Intel and Nokia will jointly\develop smart phones that run on the Symbian operating system,\the two tech giants said on Tuesday, unveiling their first\major cooperative effort in cell phones." +3,German Budget Deficit Widens in First Half ,"AP - Germany's budget deficit widened in the first half of this year, figures released Tuesday showed, but the government renewed its commitment to get the shortfall back within a European Union-imposed limit next year." +4,Nokia unveils three new camera phones,"The worlds largest mobile phone maker Nokia presented three new camera phones on Tuesday, including the 7710 media device, which it said would hit Asian stores in the last quarter of this year." +3,Barcelo Crestline to Acquire Missouri-Based Hotel Group,"Barcelo Crestline Corp., a privately held McLean hotel company, said yesterday it plans to acquire a Missouri-based firm that is one of the country's largest independent owners and operators of hotels." +2,Cricket: Harbhajan's dual strike halts Australia in second Test,"MADRAS, India : Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh grabbed two wickets in three balls to lead India's fightback in the second cricket Test against Australia here." +2,Questions Remain for the Jets,"ith half the preseason over and the annual ritual of facing the Giants looming, the Jets seem to possess a powerful offense, but their now-speedy defense is still having trouble halting the run." +1,Protesters Seek Resignations After Fire,"Thousands of Argentines angered over safety lapses at a nightclub where a fire killed 183 people, many of them teenagers, marched through capital streets Monday holding pictures of the victims and demanding the resignations of key city officials." +4,Leadtek WinFast PX6600TD GeForce 6600 card,"<strong>Review</strong> Mid-range features, performance for under 100?" +2,Chiefs Defeat Titans 49-38,"Tennessee Titans cornerback Michael Waddell (36) intercepts a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Eddie Kennison (87) in the second quarter Monday, Dec. 13, 2004 in Nashville, Tenn." +3,DirecTV Reorganizes Latin American Satellite Business ,"Rupert Murdoch's DirecTV Group Inc. will pay $579 million to consolidate its Latin American operations with other Murdoch-controlled satellite-television businesses in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Chile." +3,Calpers to Press Carmakers on Lawsuit," SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Members of the board of Calpers, the biggest U.S. pension fund, voted on Monday to demand that major car makers meet with them to defend their lawsuit against California's new air quality regulations to reduce exhaust emissions from cars and trucks." +1,Swiftboat Crewman: Kerry Boat Under Fire ,"AP - A swiftboat crewman decorated in the 1969 Vietnam incident where John Kerry won a Bronze Star says not only did they come under enemy fire but also that his own boat commander, who has challenged the official account, was too distracted to notice the gunfire." +3,Court approves Interstate Bakeries financing,"Bankrupt Interstate Bakeries Corp. (IBC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , maker of Hostess Twinkies and Wonder Bread, received court approval on Thursday to incur new debt " +4,'Invisible' technology for Olympics,Getting the technology in place for Athens 2004 is an Olympic task in itself. +4,Wireless technology aids post-hurricane claims processing,Property and casualty insurers such as State Farm and The Hartford have invested in wireless and other technologies to streamline claims processing for policyholders affected by recent hurricanes. +1,"Abuses in Afghan Campaign, But UN Sees Fair Vote (Reuters)","Reuters - The campaign for Afghanistan's landmark\presidential election has been marred by intimidation and\official partiality, the United Nations said on Sunday, but it\expects this week's vote to be relatively free and fair." +3,Pfizer Says It Will Do Study of Possible Benefits of Celebrex,"Pfizer said today that it would sponsor a major clinical trial of Celebrex, its prescription arthritis pain medication, to assess the cardiovascular benefits of the drug." +4,Google Desktop Search Tool For Mac- Now for sure,"After telling The Mac Observer 11 days ago it would seriously consider developing its desktop search tool for the Mac in the future, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said Friday his company would definitely release a version of Google Desktop for Macs, but gave no " +3,Gold Fields shareholders must reject bid,"South African gold analyst for Tlotlisa Securities Nick Goodwin on Friday recommended to his clients, that are Gold Fields (GFI) shareholders, that based on various metrics that compare Harmony's " +1,Australian Opposition Sticking by Latham,"Opposition Labor party leader Mark Latham gestures as he concedes defeat of general election Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004 in Sydney. John Howards conservative coalition party the Liberals, won a fourth consecutive term in power." +4,Sun Delivers Solaris Flavor of JDS 2,"Sun Microsystems has quietly delivered on its promise of a Solaris flavor of JDS (Java Desktop System), its alternative to Microsoft Windows." +4,Albatron debuts Nvidia AGP6600 and AGP6600GT cards for the AGP 8x ,"Albatron Technology today announced the Nvidia-based AGP6600 and AGP6600GT VGA cards, both of which are designed for the AGP 8x interface." +2,Expos set for DC switch ,"Major League Baseball is set to confirm that the Montreal Expos will move to Washington for the 2005 season, according to reports." +1,Several Hurt in Afghan Capital Blast-Witnesses," KABUL (Reuters) - Several people were wounded on Saturday when a bomb went off in a crowded part of the Afghan capital, witnesses said." +3,"In Japan, recovery is stalling","TOKYO Japan's once-robust recovery slowed to a near standstill in the third quarter as consumer spending weakened more than expected, according to revised growth figures released on Wednesday." +4,St. Helens is fast growing its new top,"While on most late fall days the clouds obscure new growth, the meters on the mountain don't lie: Mount St. Helens continues to build a new mountaintop at a rapid rate." +4,Can Angling Save World's Largest Salmon?,Conservationists say the survival of Mongolia's fabled taimen salmon may depend on an unusual ecotourism venture involving Western anglers. +1,Sharon defeated in crunch party vote,"BEIJING, Aug.19 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has failed to garner the support of the Likud Party Convention for his resolution to negotiate with the Labor Party over a coalition government, according to a CNN report. " +4,Powell plays up diverse broadband options,"WASHINGTONFCC Chairman Michael Powell said the diverse options for broadbandincluding both unlicensed and licensed choicesmake America strong even if others, including his fellow commissioners, believe the United States is lagging the rest of the " +1,Bush Signs Orders to Reform Intelligence,"WASHINGTON - President Bush on Friday signed executive orders designed to strengthen the CIA director's power over the nation's intelligence agencies and create a national counterterrorism center, responding to election-year pressures to enact changes called for by the Sept. 11 commission..." +4,Billy Joel Marries 23-Year-Old ,"AP - Singer-songwriter Billy Joel married his fiancee, 23-year-old Kate Lee, in a ceremony Saturday at his Long Island mansion, his record label said. Joel, 55, wed Lee in a sunset wedding at his waterfront home, Newsday reported in its online editions. Columbia Records, Joel's label, announced the marriage Saturday night. A spokeswoman for Joel could not immediately be reached for comment." +2,"Benitez, Giants Agree to Three-Year Deal ","AP - Free agent Armando Benitez and the San Francisco Giants agreed Tuesday to a three-year contract worth about 21 million, a move that stabilizes the club's closer role that's been in flux since Robb Nen got injured two years ago." +2,This isn't the finish line,"LOUDON, N.H. -- It wasn't the first time Kurt Busch and his friend Ricky Craven crossed the finish line at about the same time, and Craven hopes it wasn't the last. A year ago at Darlington, Craven beat Busch in .002 seconds, the closest finish in NASCAR since electronic scoring came into use in 1993. Yesterday, as Busch was completing ..." +2,Wild Card Upsets Loit at Forest Hills ,"AP - Kirsten Flipkens, a wild card from Belgium, upset No. 2 seed Emilie Loit of France 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, to move into the semifinals of the Forest Hills Women's Classic at the West Side Tennis Club on Thursday." +1,U.S. Battles Militants in Baghdad Slum ,"AP - U.S. and Iraqi forces clashed with militants loyal to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Iraq's capital on Saturday, officials and witnesses said." +1,Death toll from Sinai bombings reaches 33 as Egypt pursues suspects ,AFP - Three more bodies were pulled from the rubble of a Red Sea hotel as Egyptian investigators said they had identified a number of suspects in the bombings of packed Sinai resorts that have so far killed 33 people. +4,Video Games Go Hollywood at Live Awards Show (Reuters),"Reuters - The stars of the video\game industry came out in force on Tuesday night to honor their\peers for creative excellence -- taking a page from the\Hollywood playbook with red carpets, glittering gems and a live\nationwide broadcast." +2,"No. 25 Purdue Embarrasses Syracuse, 51-0","WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kyle Orton passed for 287 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as No. 25 Purdue used a slew of big plays Sunday to beat Syracuse 51-0, the Boilermakers first shutout in four years." +2,Bielsa steps down despite strong summer,"Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sports Network) - Marcelo Bielsa resigned as Argentina's coach on Tuesday, despite leading his country to the final of Copa America and to an Olympic triumph this summer." +3,Worries over rising carbon dioxide emissions,"Carbon dioxide emissions will be almost 40 higher by the end of the decade than they were in 1990 despite growing use of renewable energy, the International Energy Agency said yesterday." +3,Brokers' Gifts Investigated," Securities regulators are opening up yet another front in their long-running investigation of the mutual fund industry, examining brokerage firms that allegedly gave mutual fund employees lavish gifts in exchange for business, officials said yesterday." +1,Diplomats: U.N. Lacks Right to Inspect Sites in Iran (Reuters),"Reuters - Inspectors from the U.N. nuclear\watchdog would like to visit a military complex in Iran that an\exile group said housed a nuclear weapons site, but they lack\the legal authority to go there, U.N. diplomats said." +1,"Bomb Blasts in Northeast India Kill 10, Wound 35",A series of bomb blasts killed nine people and wounded 35 in northeastern India on Saturday in the deadliest attack since a cease-fire with the main separatist group in Nagaland began seven years ago. +3,Cognos Offers SK390.8 Mln for Frango; Stock Surges ,"Cognos Inc., the largest Canadian software maker, offered to buy Sweden's Frango AB for 390.8 million kronor ($51.7 million) to expand in corporate performance management software." +4,Firefox 1.0 Renews Interest in the Browser,"Firefox 1.0 Renews Interest in the Browser\\The Mozilla folks, with apologies to the Monty Python gang, aren't quite dead yet. They feel happy. They think they'll go for a walk.\\What they've done is take advantage of the frustration many people, particularly Windows users, are feeling with the condition of their ..." +2,McNally serving Stonehill well,"Women's volleyball player Lauren McNally of Ashland, a two-year letter-winner and starter at Stonehill College in Easton, has consistently ranked among the team's leaders, both in kills and blocks." +1,Iran delivers missile to its armed forces after successful test,"TEHRAN: Iran has added one more missile to its military arsenal after it was successfully test-fired during military exercises by the Revolutionary Guards, which began on September 12." +4,IBM Builds Worlds Fastest Computer,A partially assembled prototype of a new IBM supercomputer set a record of 70.72 trillion transactions per second earlier this week. +4,"AMD, IBM develop silicon transistor technology to improve ",Microprocessor maker AMD and IBM have developed a strained silicon transistor technology aimed at improving processor performance and power efficiency. +3,A highflier laid low,Here is the fundamental question investors ask about individual companies and their stocks every day: What's this business really worth? +2,Safin cuts short Henman's year,"Tim Henman acknowledged the dilemma of his life in tennis. quot;I've never hidden behind the fact that I'll be judged on whether I win Wimbledon or not, quot; he said." +3,Mass. tops life science ranking,"Massachusetts is better poised to capitalize on biotechnology and pharmaceuticals than any other state, according to a study to be released today by the Milken Institute, an independent economic think tank." +2,Dolphins FB Konrad has thigh surgery,"DAVIE, Fla. (Sept. 7, 2004) -- Miami Dolphins fullback Rob Konrad had surgery to remove damaged tissue from his infected right thigh." +3,INDUSTRY REPORT: Aviation -- US Airways to cut pay,"US Airways announced plans to cut $45 million a year in pay and benefits to roughly 3,700 management employees, a move the airline hopes will convince its union employees to collectively accept $950 million in annual cost cuts." +4,World of Warcraft debuts Nov. 23.,"Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that World of Warcraft, its highly anticipated online world title, will debut on Nov. 23." +1,"Typhoon Kills 66 in Japan, Deadliest in 22 Years"," TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's deadliest typhoon in more than two decades killed 66 people, news reports said on Thursday as rescuers searched frantically for 22 still missing in floods and landslides." +4,Microsoft to double ad revenue: CEO,Will double its advertising revenue in five years as it ramps up its search services to rival Web search leader Google Inc. BELLEVUE: Microsoft Corp. +2,Notebook: Return in Hughes skates?,"For the first time in more than a year, 2002 Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes will skate for an audience Saturday. BY Todd Plitt, USA TODAY." +2,Guerrero named American League MVP,Anaheim Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero was named Most Valuable Player in the American League Tuesday. Guerrero received 21 of 28 first-place votes and 354 points in balloting +4,Campaign probe names SF official,"The No. 2 official at the San Francisco Department of Public Works threatened workers under contract to clean city streets with loss of pay if they didn't campaign for Gavin Newsom for mayor, according to " +3,Hutchison mobile IPO aims to raise 2 billion,"HONG KONG Hutchison Whampoa has filed with US regulators to raise as much as $2 billion in an initial public offering of its phone business in Hong Kong, India and six other markets." +1,U.S. Air Strike Kills One Iraqi in Falluja (Reuters),"Reuters - U.S. warplanes launched air\strikes in Falluja for the fourth straight day on Friday,\attacking an area in the southeast of the rebel-held city and\killing at least one Iraqi, witnesses and doctors said." +3,Pulitzer's Possible Sale Sends Shares Up," PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Shares of newspaper publisher Pulitzer Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=PTZ.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">PTZ.N</A> jumped as much as 18 percent on Monday after it said it hired Goldman Sachs as a financial adviser to explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale." +2,Nets 99 Bobcats 86,"EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ Richard Jefferson scored 23 points and the New Jersey Nets ended a nine-game losing streak by downing the expansion Charlotte Bobcats 99-to-86." +4,Private rocketship begins quest for $10 million X Prize,The first private manned rocket to reach space soared toward the edge of the atmosphere on Wednesday in a bid to earn the $10 million Ansari X Prize. +3,OracleSoft At Last,"This morning, Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) announced double-digit gains in sales, net income, and per-share earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2005, plus a definitive agreement to acquire business " +1,Owning a chateau is no impossible dream in former East Germany ,AFP - Want to buy a castle? Head for the former East Germany. +1,Uruguay poised to elect leftwinger,Tabare Vazquez was poised to become Uruguay's first leftwing president yesterday after campaigning for the more equitable distribution of wealth and social justice in a country crippled by a recent economic crisis. +2,Three Barcelona players suffer by serious knee injuries,"Three FC Barcelona defensive players have suffered serious knee injuries in the opening rounds of the Spanish league season, leaving coach Frank Rijkaard with only four healthy fullbacks." +2,Jets able to contain Rudi,Rudi Johnson knew he was going to be a marked man before the season began. He found out how much so Sunday in the Bengals 31-24 loss to the New York Jets at the Meadowlands. +4,Microsoft's rivals eat away at its browser's dominance,Microsoft Corp.'s rock-solid dominance of the Web browser market may be cracking. A new study shows its ubiquitous Internet Explorer browser continues to lose ground to its competitors. +1,Arafat Stable Amid Puzzle Over Burial and Successor, PARIS (Reuters) - Yasser Arafat remained in a critical condition as uncertainty mounted over who might succeed him and where he might be buried should he die. +2,FBI nabs activist on extortion charges,"CHICAGO In July of 2002, community activist Derrick Mosley blasted State Sen. James Meeks, who had been named successor to the president of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, for offering spiritual counseling to prominent people accused of sexual offenses." +3,Coke quarterly profit falls 24,"Coca-Cola's worldwide sales volume barely budged in the third quarter, while profits tumbled 24 percent. With those results, new Chairman and Chief Executive E. Neville Isdell was left to reiterate what he's " +3,"Leggett Platt, Briggs in Supply Pact","LeggettPlatt Inc. said Monday that it will supply lawnmower-engine maker Briggs Stratton Corp. with aluminum die castings for an assembly plant in Auburn, Ala." +3,BIG HIKE IN ENERGY BILLS,"The company says the record price of wholesale gas, which also effects the cost of electricity, is to blame. A spokesman said the increases would add an extra 7p a day to electricity bills." +3,"Ace Joins AIG, Marsh in Ending Fee Plans Targeted by Spitzer","Ace Ltd. will stop paying brokers for steering business its way, becoming the third company to make concessions in the five days since New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer unveiled a probe of the insurance industry." +4,Microsoft launches validation program,Microsoft last week quietly launched a pilot program to tackle the increasing problem of software piracy. Windows Genuine Advantage is the first trial of a validation scheme operating on Microsofts Download Center. +3,PalmOne Hooks into Exchange,"Users of the Treo smartphone will get out-of-the-box compatibility with Microsoft's Exchange Server, thanks to a licensing deal between Milpitas, Calif." +4,Competitors Pounce on CA's Netegrity Buy,"Competitors are publicly happy about Computer Associate's (Quote, Chart) $430 million acquisition of Netegrity (Quote, Chart), but there might be a hint of trepidation over the combination of the two security software players." +3,Gates opens up,"Microsoft's Bill Gates barnstormed the Bay Area on Friday, making three public appearances to discuss the future of technology and his own philanthropic efforts." +4,Scientists Create Genetic Map of Cattle ,"AP - For the first time, scientists have created a genetic map of a cow, providing researchers a new tool to reduce animal disease and improve the nutrition of beef and dairy products, the Agriculture Department announced Wednesday." +4,Is that a Media Center PC--or an end table?,Design specialists dream up the unexpected to help Microsoft get a foothold in the living room. +3,Disney to sell mall-based stores to Children's Place,LOS ANGELES - Walt Disney Co. (DIS) on Wednesday agreed to sell its money-losing Disney store chain to Children's Place Retail Stores (PLCE) in a deal analysts described as positive for Children's Place. +4,Two agencies may clash over rare bird,Two US Interior Department agencies may clash over separate and apparently incompatible efforts to help the northern sage grouse. The Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to +2,Klitschko: I will prove that I am the best heavyweight in the ,"10.25.04 - WBC Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko will make his first title defense against the man who most recently knocked out Mike Tyson, Danny Williams, on Saturday, December 11, 2004, at the Mandalay Bay Resort amp; Casino in Las Vegas, Nev." +1,Victim swam in shark feeding frenzy,"A MAN killed by a shark on the Great Barrier Reef was spearfishing amid a shark feeding frenzy, a crew sent to rescue him said today." +3,"Dollar Slips on Greenspan, Japan Data", TOKYO (Reuters) - The dollar softened on Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sounded more cautious on the U.S. economic recovery than many investors had expected. +2,Trojans dodge upset,"STANFORD, Calif. -- Matt Leinart passed for 308 yards and LenDale White scored on a 2-yard run with 6:15 left, capping top-ranked Southern California's comeback from an 11-point deficit for a 31-28 victory over Stanford last night." +4,Sony Closer to Content/Gadget Vision with MGM Deal (Reuters),"Reuters - With its acquisition of Hollywood film\studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Corp is one step closer to its\vision of linking hardware and content, and to winning the key\battle for the next generation DVD." +2,Hudson Sent to Braves,"Tim Hudson is traded from the Oakland Athletics to Atlanta, a major deal that further bolsters the Braves' revamped rotation." +4,Mobile Gaming Ongoing Revenue Booster,"Mobile gaming users already play games an average 5.1 hours per week on various devices in the home, including PCs, game consoles and handhelds, versus 2.9 hours per week for all wireless users." +2,"Agassi, Davenport move into semifinals of separate tournaments","Agassi, Hewitt advance: Andre Agassi continued to make quick work of the field at the Legg Mason tournament in Washington, DC, winning 6-4, 6-4 yesterday over Paul-Henri Mathieu to reach the tournament's semifinals for the seventh consecutive year." +1,Will you be fuming?,Tough anti-smoking measures were introduced yesterday in the publication of the Government's Public Health White Paper. Jamie Diffley takes a look at who it affects. +3,Shire wins US approval for kidney disease drug,SHIRE Pharmaceuticals was yesterday celebrating approval from US regulators for the launch of its Fosrenol treatment for patients with kidney disease. +2,"Georgia, Tennessee take about-faces","No. 3 Bulldogs fall a week after rout of LSU; Volunteers bounce back from Auburn loss. By Paul Newberry, The Associated Press. ATHENS, Ga." +4,IBM Reported to Put Its PC Business Up for Sale," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - IBM <A HREF=""http://www.reuters.co.uk/financeQuoteLookup.jhtml?ticker=IBM.N qtype=sym infotype=info qcat=news"">IBM.N</A> is reportedly in talks to sell its personal computer business in a deal that could be worth up to $2 billion and would cap a gradual withdrawal from the business it helped to pioneer in 1981." +4,Titan clouds seen to come and go,"Scientists now have their first direct evidence of changing weather patterns on Titan, Saturn's largest moon." +2,Moya Lifts Spain to Deliver His Davis Cup Dream,"It was not quite what Carlos Moya missed the first time. The setting was not his country's tennis capital and his former home, Barcelona, but the capital of the Spanish region Andalusia." +1,EU Treaty Signing Overshadowed by Buttliglione Crisis,Tony Blair will tomorrow join other European Union leaders in Rome amid the growing crisis over the appointment of a new Brussels Commission. +1,"For His Royal Playfulness, Goats, Sheep, but Nary a Toy","King Oyo of Uganda celebrated the ninth anniversary of his coronation last month. But at 12, he just wants to be a kid." +1,Hu Jintao congratulates Indonesia's new president,"Chinese President Hu Jintao has sent a congratulatory message to Indonesia's newly elected president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono." +1,Belgium's Verhofstadt to Resume DHL Talks Following Car Crash,"Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt will resume discussions today on a plan to allow DHL Worldwide Express to add night flights from Brussels after suffering minor injuries in a car accident, his spokesman said." +2,KLINSMANN HAPPY WITH FIFA,Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann is quot;thrilled quot; by the news that his team will kick-off the 2006 World Cup at Munich's new Allianz Arena. +3,First Reserve to Buy Ingersoll-Rand Unit for $1.2 Bln ,"First Reserve Corp., the largest private buyout firm specializing in energy-industry investments, agreed to buy an oil and gas equipment business of Ingersoll-Rand Co." +3,Oil Vaults Over $54 on Winter Worries, LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices surged to record highs above $54 on Tuesday as supply hitches hindered efforts to build winter heating fuel inventories. +4,"Once Red, 'Mr. Green' Is a Hero Anywhere but at Home",Mikhail S. Gorbachev has decided to devote his post-presidential years to campaigning for the protection of the environment. +1,"Bush, Kerry Set for 'Town Hall' Debate",ST. LOUIS - Democratic candidate John Kerry will likely try to shed any appearance of aloofness and President Bush will probably avoid the grimacing that marked their previous face-to-face encounter when they answer questions from undecided voters Friday night... +2,Dirrell Boosts American Title Hopes in Boxing,Middleweight Andre Dirrell boosted the United States slim hopes of winning an Olympic boxing title by booking a place in the semi-finals with a narrow victory over Cuba's Yordani Despaigne Wednesday. +3,"US, EU Talk Aircraft Subsidies",Two of US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick's top aides are in Brussels today meeting with their European Union counterparts trying to put an end to what the US claims are unfair subsidies to Airbus Industries. +4,IBM sets up hands-on user test centre,IBM has established a new technology centre in the Washingon DC to help IT departments to better define their Tivoli-based infrastructure management strategies. +1,Powell: Worsening insurgency makes election difficult in Iraq,"US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that the escalating insurgency in Iraq could make the organizing of election in the country difficult, while atleast 16 people were killed in rebel attacks in Iraq." +4,Multiplayer Games Coming to Cell Phones ,"AP - As millions buy increasingly powerful cell phones, many companies are racing to develop video games to take advantage of the newfound portability." +4,Google Plans Desktop Search Tool for Apple PCs,"Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) plans to release a version of its desktop search tool for computers running on the Mac operating system from Apple Computer Inc." +1,"Iraqi Aviation Staffers, Aides to the President Killed on Way to Work"," BAGHDAD, Oct. 21 -- Two attacks on vehicles carrying Iraqi women to their jobs Thursday morning claimed the lives of six women and one man and severely wounded more than a dozen people, witnesses and government officials said." +2,Utah State Brings That Guy Back," LOGAN, Utah (Sports Network) - Brent Guy, a former Utah State assistant, has been named the 25th head coach of the Aggies." +2,"US beats Russia, advances to semis",Keith Tkachuk had four goals and an assist to lead the United States into the World Cup of Hockey semifinals with a 5-3 victory last night over Russia in St. +4,Arctic ice to melt in summer this century unless greenhouse gases ,"The Arctic ice cover will completely disappear in summer by the end of this century unless carbon dioxide emissions are significantly reduced, according to a scientific study to be released next week." +3,Microsoft Turns On IPTV,Microsoft has turned the channel on its slow-moving television software business by winning a key contract for its new Internet-based TV platform from SBC Communications. +4,McNealy: Microsoft integration work slow going,"The job of linking products from Sun Microsystems and Microsoft is ""more complicated"" than envisioned, Sun's CEO says." +2,Celtics trip on first step in loss to Kings,"SACRAMENTO -- Celtics coach Doc Rivers knows the first game of an extended West Coast swing can set the tone for the entire trip. Boston can only hope its 119-105 loss to the Kings last night does not set a pattern for the remaining four games on the itinerary. Otherwise, the trip might seem a lot longer than the scheduled ..." +2,No moves for Rockies,"Anaheim, Calif. - By standing still, the Rockies seem to be falling in the National League West. The Rockies finished fourth in their five-team division in 2004, behind the San Diego Padres and ahead of the abysmal Arizona Diamondbacks." +3,"Olympic Games were good investment, says Greek economy minister (AFP)","AFP - Greek Economy Minister Yiorgos Alogoskoufis said the Olympic Games had been a good investment for his country, despite earlier misgivings about spiralling costs." +3,Existing home sales decline,The National Association of Realtors reports sales of previously owned US homes fell 2.9 percent in July. The Realtors said resales in July fell to 6.72 million single-family +2,"A's, Angels Set for Winner-Take-All Series ",AP - The biggest home run in rookie Bobby Crosby's career gave the Oakland Athletics a dramatic victory and set up a winner-take-all AL West showdown with the Anaheim Angels. +3,Five convicted of fraud in barge case,A jury convicted five and acquitted one of six former Enron and Merrill Lynch employees yesterday in the first prosecution arising from the accounting fraud that led to the energy trader's collapse. +2,"With a Bang, Boston Takes the Pole Position","Mark Bellhorn struck the right-field foul pole with a two-run homer in the eighth inning, lifting the Boston Red Sox to an 11-9 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1." +1,Congo factions clash on Rwandan border,"RIVAL factions in Congos postwar army fought gun battles on the vast nations eastern border with Rwanda yesterday, killing several people, a top military official said." +3,Skilling Lawyers Seek Change of Venue,"Attorneys for former Enron chief executive cite a toxic atmosphere in which respondents to a recent poll they commissioned called Skilling a ""crook,"" a ""pig"" and an ""economic terrorist.""" +1,Navy officers on porn counts,Two Sydney-based Royal Australian Navy officers have been charged by police with possession of child pornography allegedly downloaded from the internet on to a computer on board their ship. +4,Cassini on Course for Titan Flyby,"The Cassini spacecraft successfully completed a 51-minute engine burn that will raise its next closest approach distance to Saturn by nearly 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles)." +4,Microsoft Patches the Patch,"Windows XP Service Pack 2 gets a 'hotfix' for VPNs, part the never-ending process of software development." +3,"As crude oil supply grows, gas prices drop","CAMARILLO, Calif. Gasoline prices are dropping, thanks to an increase in the supply of crude oil. The semimonthly Lundberg Survey finds the combined national average price for all grades of gasoline is now two dollars and four cents." +4,ICANN Stands To Reap Windfall from New Domain Fee,"In the short term, the tax could add US$ 4 million annually to ICANN's coffers, an amount that could skyrocket to more than $30 million if it is extended to additional domains." +1,UN seeks access to Italy migrants,The UN demands access to hundreds of illegal migrants on Lampedusa as Italy continues to expel them by air. +3,Google wins advertising case,Google won an important test case in the US yesterday when a federal court judge cleared its practice of selling ads around internet searches conducted for trademarked terms. +4,Pentagon Widens Access to Web Site for Overseas Voters (Reuters),"Reuters - A Pentagon-run Web site intended to\make it easier for Americans overseas to vote by absentee\ballot has been modified to broaden access to the site, the\Defense Department said on Wednesday." +1,House Arrest Extended for Burmese Pro-Democracy Leader Suu Kyi,"Burma's military junta extended the house arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi for one more year. According to CNN, the Bush Administration is calling on." +3,"High oil prices may slow US economy, won't cause recession: experts (AFP)","AFP - The surge in crude-oil prices to 50 dollars a barrel is likely to hold back the US economy but probably not cause a recession, analysts say." +1,Militants Threaten to Behead Turkish Man ,"AP - Iraqi militants threatened to behead a Turkish truck driver if his company and the Kuwaiti contractor it works for don't stop their operations in Iraq within 48 hours, according to a videotape aired on Arab television Saturday." +1,"Jet struck runway, broke in two, probe confirms",Investigators probing the deadly crash of a Boeing 747 cargo jet at Halifax International Airport are refusing to speculate on what may have caused the plane's tail to scrape the runway before breaking off. +4,Handset Makers Raising Virus Defenses (Reuters),"Reuters - Software security companies and\handset makers, including Finland's Nokia (NOK1V.HE), are\gearing up to launch products intended to secure cell phones\from variants of the Internet viruses that have become a\scourge for personal computer users." +4,Ford scraps Oracle-based procurement system,Auto giant Ford Motor confirmed Wednesday that it is abandoning its Oracle-powered online procurement system in favor of technologies it had used previously. +2,ICC Champions Trophy: England to take on Windies at Oval,"LONDON, September 25 (Online): Host England and surprise package West Indies would meet in the final of ICC Championship Trophy in Oval on Saturday (today)." +3,Swainson: IBM Exec Seen As Next Computer Assoc. CEO,"The wild one. Computer Associates International (nyse: CA - news - people ) has named John Swainson as its new chief executive, reports say." +2,Newcastle United Extends Unbeaten Run With 1-1 Draw at Charlton,Newcastle United drew 1-1 at Charlton to extend its unbeaten league run under manager Graeme Souness to four matches and climb one place to eighth in English soccer's 20- team Premiership. +1,"At least 166 miners trapped, feared dead in China mine blast","BEIJING - A gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in north China's Shaanxi province, trapping 166 miners in what threatens to be the worst disaster to hit the world's biggest coal producer in recent years." +1,Saskatchewan court rules traditional definition of marriage unconstitutional (Canadian Press),Canadian Press - SASKATOON (CP) - Saskatchewan became the seventh Canadian jurisdiction to allow same-sex marriages Friday after a judge ruled the current federal law on the subject unconstitutional. +3,Electronic Data Reaches Pact With Navy,"Information technology company Electronic Data Systems Corp. on Friday said it reached a modified agreement for a Navy Marine Corps intranet contract, effective immediately." +4,Maine Slated to Get Advanced Microscope ,"AP - The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor is awaiting delivery next year of what may be the world's most advanced microscope, a 1 million machine it will share with other members of a Maine scientific consortium." +1,China facing environment 'crisis',A senior Chinese official tells the BBC the country's environmental problems have reached crisis levels. +2,Redskins blue after loss to Browns,"Maybe it is time for the Redskins to hit the panic button. After all they just suffered their third straight loss and it came to the Cleveland Browns, a team that was supposed to battle for the No." +1,"UN, Iran said in talks on military sites","VIENNA -- UN nuclear inspectors are negotiating with Iran for access to as many as four military sites that have programs or equipment that could be diverted to development of nuclear weapons, diplomats at the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday." +4,Millions in Americas watch lunar eclipse,Millions of people in the Americas have stayed up to observe a total lunar eclipse that bathed the moon in a coppery red glow and gave scientists a chance to study the Earth's atmosphere. +4,"IBM, Unisys work to rejuvenate mainframes","IBM has taken several new steps to keep its mainframe server line a vital part of computing, including adding features and an expanding sales and training in China, while Unisys has upgraded its rival products." +1,Gaza Gunmen Shoot Palestinian Intelligence Chief," GAZA (Reuters) - Gunmen ambushed the commander of the Palestinian intelligence service in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, wounding him, killing two bodyguards and fueling fears of spreading chaos." +1,Rebel group wants Darfur region under international protection ,"AFP - A main rebel group in Darfur has called for the war-torn region of west Sudan to be placed under international protection, in a letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a copy of which was faxed to AFP." +4,Boldly going where no chips have gone before,"Paris - One of the last frontiers of semiconductor technology - environments where electronic devices have to run at high power, in fierce heat or at lethal doses of radiation - may be about to fall." +1,Dozens killed in bomb blasts at Sinai resorts,The surge of violence in the Middle East spilled across Israel's southern border into Egypt last night as more than 30 holidaymakers were killed and scores more injured in a devastating series of apparently coordinated car bomb attacks in Red Sea resorts. +4,Blue-ray mass market move,"Singulus Technologies will begin selling machines for mass producing read-only Blu-ray Discs next year. German firm, Singulus, will supply machines that make the discs, called BD-ROMs, by " +2,Glenn Touchdown Gives Dallas Victory Over Washington," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Terry Glenn scored the winning touchdown early in the fourth quarter as the Dallas Cowboys continued their domination of the Washington Redskins with a 21-18 win in Landover, Maryland on Monday." +1,Argentine Teen Kills Four in School Shooting," BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - A 15-year-old Argentine killed four fellow students and wounded six on Tuesday in a school shooting that shocked Argentines unaccustomed to such violence." +4,ICANN domain transfer policy takes effect,"The new transfer policy for inter-registrar domain names went into effect on Friday, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said." +1,"Palestinian militants infiltrate Gaza Strip outpost, kill three ","Palestinian gunmen infiltrated a fog-shrouded Israeli army post at dawn Thursday and killed three Israeli soldiers in a fierce gunbattle before two of the attackers were shot dead, the army said." +1,Sharon's party votes to save Gaza pullout ,"JERUSALEM -- Israel's plan to pull out of Gaza next year passed a crucial test yesterday when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, his government crippled by opposition to the withdrawal, easily won Likud Party approval to invite the dovish Labor Party into his coalition." +2,Wells Joins Other Side With Deal for 2 Years,"David Wells, the pitcher who once fancied himself as the ultimate Yankee, agreeed in principle to a two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox." +2,CELTIC CRASH AGAIN,It was another hard luck story for Martin ONeills demoralised Celtic in the Ukraine as an emphatic Francelino Matuzalem double and exquisite Brandao chip in the second half left their European dreams in tatters with Shakhtar Donetsk running out 3-0 +3,Kraft to Sell UK Desserts Business,"Kraft Foods Inc. said Thursday it agreed to sell its UK desserts business to Premier Foods PLC for $135 million. Kraft said the transaction, which is subject to required approvals, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2005." +4,Vodafone plans worldwide 3G expansion (FT.com),FT.com - Vodafone is to kick-start a global push into 3G with an array of mobile phones that is likely to outstrip the range of handsets being sold by many of its rivals. +1,Afghan troops storm Kabul jail; eight killed,"KABUL -- Afghan troops stormed a notorious prison in a hail of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades yesterday, ending a 10-hour standoff that began when four inmates once suspected of belonging to Al Qaeda tried to escape. Four inmates and four guards were killed in the day's violence." +3,"Ads, Not Just Athletes, Were in Olympics Spotlight","During the 1,210 hours of Olympics coverage across the NBC Universal networks, audiences were exposed to 13,000 to 14,000 commercials." +2,Blazers Suspend Qyntel Woods Without Pay,The Portland Trail Blazers suspended reserve forward Qyntel Woods without pay Tuesday pending a team investigation surrounding alleged dogfighting. +1,"N. Ireland peace deal left undone, Blair and Ahern admit",BELFAST : The British and Irish leaders conceded that their plan to restore power-sharing government to Northern Ireland was incomplete but stressed that a definitive peace deal hinged on the sole dispute over how to carry out IRA disarmament. +1,UNCTAD Urges Complete Africa Debt Write-Off (Reuters),"Reuters - Africa's debt must be completely written\off if the continent is to have a chance of meeting\international goals on reducing poverty, a United Nations body\argued on Thursday." +4,How Mars Fooled the World,"The famous Orson Welles' radio broadcast of ""The War of the Worlds"" is about to hit the big screen, as film moguls Spielberg and Cruise bring the H.G. Wells' classic back into the popular imagination. Are we so clever today not be duped?" +4,"Gateway Shows Cool, New Desktops","Gateway is expected to announce a new lineup of business desktops based on a new PC chassis design that removes heat from the system and can help extend the life of a PC, according to the company." +3,Manic Market? Be Like Buffett,The graphs look like a nasty saw blade. The headlines are no help. What would Buffett do? +2,Angry Halilhodzic hits out at PSG players,"PARIS, Sep 15 (SW) - Paris Saint-Germain manager Vahid Halilhodzic angrily hit out at his players, following his sides severe 0-3 defeat against Chelsea on Tuesday night in the opening game of their Champions League campaign." +1,Trapped toddler freed four days after Japanese quake,"TOKYO - After five days of disaster and death, Japan was given some reason to cheer yesterday when a toddler who had been trapped alive in a car for four days was miraculously pulled to safety." +1,"UK Will Listen, Not Negotiate, with Iraq Kidnappers (Reuters)","Reuters - Britain is ready to listen to kidnappers\holding a British hostage in Iraq but is not prepared to\negotiate with them or pay them a ransom, Foreign Secretary\Jack Straw said on Thursday." +3,A deal would officially end billing disputes,The Pentagon has all but abandoned hope that Halliburton Co. will be able to fully account for all expenses associated with supporting US troops in Iraq and is considering an accounting armistice. +2,Australia edge England in Cook Cup thriller,"LONDON: Australia retained the Cook Cup with a 21-19 win against England here yesterday, their first victory at Twickenham since 1998." +2,Seminoles may have finally solved leadership puzzle,"When Alonzo Jackson had his much-publicized finger-pointing episode after a loss to Notre Dame two years ago, it became the impetus for Bobby Bowden's decisions to close the locker-room doors " +1,Delhi and Dhaka in critical talks,Senior interior ministry officials are due to meet in Dhaka amidst a souring of ties between India and Bangladesh. +4,IBM recalls notebook power adapters,"IBM, maker of the popular Thinkpad notebook computers, released a statement announcing the recall of 553,000 notebook computer power adapters." +3,Could Be Days Before Terra Nova Restart - Petrocan,"CALGARY, Alberta - It could could be days before Canada's second-largest offshore oil project, Terra Nova, restarts after being shut down last weekend when crude spilled into the ocean, an official with operator Petro-Canada said Thursday." +3,Marsh McLennan to cease collecting disputed fees,"A day after the resignation of its chairman and chief executive officer, Marsh amp; McLennan Cos. announced on Tuesday it would stop accepting fees that had prompted a lawsuit by New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer." +4,BUZZ: Desktops New publishing system,"Adobe Systems Inc. released a new version this week of the popular Acrobat desktop publishing system, with features for both authors and recipients of electronic documents." +2,Citys revised bid goes to IOC today,"Over there, New York City's final 2012 Olympic bid book officially comes under consideration today at the International Olympic Committee's Lausanne, Switzerland, headquarters in an otherwise " +3,HK delays Link REIT by 3 days (TheDeal.com),"TheDeal.com - The offering, which would be the world's largest this year, is now scheduled to float Dec. 20." +1,Italian troops to stay in Iraq ,"Italy says it has no intention of withdrawing its 3,000 troops from Iraq in the face of demands from kidnappers who have seized an Italian journalist." +4,Space Probe Fails to Deploy Its Parachute and Crashes,"NASA's $264 million Genesis mission came to a sudden and violent end on Wednesday morning, when a capsule returning with samples of the Sun slammed into " +4,Here's the Nobel. Now Explain It to Your Grandmother.,"Life, and how it functions, is at the center of Dr. Gnter Blobel's research." +3,Oil hits high on Nigeria threat,"LONDON, England -- Oil prices have surged to historic levels as a threat of civil war in Nigeria adds to concerns over tight global supplies." +2,Eyes of Texas are upon them,"This may be Lone Star Park, but more than a few stars big and bright will be deep in the heart of Texas on Oct. 30 for the 21st Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championships." +3,Royal Dutch/Shell Unifies (Reuters),Reuters - Oil major Royal Dutch/Shell\Group said it was merging its Dutch and British holding\companies as it seeks to address failings that led to a shock\downgrade in proven oil reserves. +4,Brief: Oracle reshuffles executives at PeopleSoft,"Oracle Corp., now in the process of digesting its rival PeopleSoft Inc., did a top executive reshuffle in time for the new year, according to documents filed with the SEC." +1,Israel wants blood,ISRAEL will ramp up its campaign to assassinate Hamas leaders in response to twin suicide bombings by the militant group that killed 16 people. +4,Pros point to flaws in Windows security update,German security company says it found minor problems in SP2; researchers predict more critical issues will emerge. +3,U.S. Stocks Close Higher as Crude Falls,"<p></p><p> By Megan Davies</p><p> NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips closed at two-monthhighs on Tuesday as a fall in oil prices eased concerns thathigh energy costs would hurt corporate profits, but there wassome caution as investors awaited a speech by Federal ReserveChairman Alan Greenspan on Wednesday.</p>" +3,Technology Challenges Sprint-Nextel Merger,The proposed merger of Sprint Corp. and Nextel Communications Inc. could face a rocky start as the companies work to run and eventually merge two wireless technologies without breaking the bank or losing customers. +4,Hot Gadget Preview at CES 2005 Awards,Best in consumer electronics displayed at CES Innovation Awards. +4,BT inks E3.75m contract with Nortel,BT has signed a E3.75m deal with Canadian firm Nortel for the supply of IP telephony equipment for a major new virtual contact centre. +1,"About 1,000 Dead or Missing in Philippines Floods","Nearly a thousand people are dead or missing in flash floods and landslides that have devastated a large section of the northern Philippines, rescue officials said." +1,US Stops Short of Backing Brazil on UN Council Seat,"<p></p><p> By Saul Hudson</p><p> SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - The United States stoppedshort of endorsing Brazil's ambition for a permanent seat on anexpanded U.N. Security Council but did say the country would bea ""solid candidate.""</p>" +2,Vogts future still in the balance,The Scottish Football Association postponed a board meeting Tuesday that had been called to discuss the German's future. Scotland has picked up just two points from its first three qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup. +4,"Charley Shows Progress, Pitfalls in Forecasting (Reuters)","Reuters - A few decades ago, the earliest warning\Floridians would have had of a hurricane would have been black\clouds on the horizon. Now people are complaining after\Hurricane Charley hit shore at a point just 60 miles off from\the track projected by meteorologists." +3,Vietnam prepares for arrival of first US passenger jet since war,"Vietnam is preparing for the arrival of the first passenger jet from the United States since the end of the war in 1975. The United Airlines flight from San Francisco, via Hong Kong, is scheduled to land in " +2,"Canadian Allenby, NCAA champion Moore advance at US Amateur golf event","MAMARONECK, NY (CP) - NCAA champion Ryan Moore and Canadian James Allenby were among 32 golfers who advanced with match-play victories Wednesday at the US Amateur. " +4,Beat Hackers and Learn to Spy at Italy Tech Fair," MILAN (Reuters) - Fingerprint sensors, gadgets to pry open doors and transmitters to spy on unsuspecting targets were among the wizardry on show at the opening of Italy's biggest technology fair on Thursday." +1,Three Decapitated Corpses Found North of Baghdad," BAIJI, Iraq (Reuters) - The decapitated bodies of three men, their heads strapped to their backs, were found dumped in nylon bags by a roadside north of Baghdad on Wednesday, Iraqi police and U.S. officials said." +1,Nigerian talks may aid oil price,There are some signs of progress in resolving the Nigerian conflict that is riling global oil markets. The leader of militia fighters threatening to widen a battle for control of Nigeria's oil-rich south has +3,US Gasoline Prices Fall to $2.01/gallon,"The average US retail price of gasoline fell 2.67 cents in the past two weeks, its first decline since early September due to increased crude oil production, a leading industry analyst said on Sunday." +3,"Blue Chips Flat on GDP, Oil Remains Focus"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. blue chips were unchanged on Wednesday, as investors were little swayed by a positive government report on economic growth and worried that higher oil prices will dampen corporate profits." +2,Starters strike it rich,"As general managers stampeded toward the airport, and Pedro Martinez reflected on the beauties of Flushing Meadow, another edition of baseball's winter meetings ended Monday." +4,Calif. Launches 3 Billon Stem Cell Program (Reuters),"Reuters - California officially launched\its controversial 3 billion embryonic stem cell research\program on Friday, swearing in a policymaking committee and\elevating the campaign leader for the program to chairman." +3,"PeopleSoft down on testimony, forecast","com October 4, 2004, 5:39 PM PT. This fourth priority's main focus has been improving or obtaining CRM and ERP software for the past year and a half." +4,Microsoft Taking on Apple's Music Store,"Microsoft Corp., hoping to take a bite out of Apple Computer Inc.'s highly popular online music service, is gearing up to launch its own Web site for selling songs over the Internet." +1,Pit Stop on the Cocaine Highway,"Traffickers prefer Guatemala, where the radar is spotty and the government is largely unable to stop the flights carrying U.S. bound drugs." +2,Friday night brawl a disgrace,"Indeed, after Friday night's mayhem in Motown, Detroit Pistons fans can now clearly lay claim to be the biggest idiots in the sporting world, no easy achievment these days, and while many of them were apparently too dumb to realize they were being caught " +2,D-Rays Dim Boston's Bid for AL East Title ,"AP - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays damaged Boston's slim chances of winning the AL East, beating Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox 9-4 Wednesday night." +2,Brown taps Burke as assistant captain ,"Gerry Burke of Milton, a senior at Brown University, has been elected as an assistant captain on the varsity hockey team." +2,DC's Team Will Be the Nationals,"Major League Baseball's Washington, DC franchise finally got a name Monday, nearly two months after the team relocated from Montreal." +3,"Nucor Raises Forecast, Payout, Sets Split"," NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nucor Corp. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=NUE.N target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">NUE.N</A>, one of the top U.S. steelmakers, raised its quarterly profit forecast as much as 44 percent on Thursday due to surging steel prices, sending its shares to more than 20-year highs." +3,Briefs: Russia to pay IMF debt early,"President Vladimir Putin told the director general of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo Rato, on Thursday that Moscow was ready to pay off its debts early because the budget was benefiting from soaring prices for Russia's energy exports." +1,Iran could agree to six month uranium enrichment suspension,"TEHRAN, Nov 2 - Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment for a maximum of six months during negotiations with European countries, but will never agree to permanently halt the practice, one of its top nuclear negotiators said on Tuesday." +2,Spin doctors must deal with truth,So the 600-page Olympic and Paralympics candidate file for London 2012 is now with the International Olympic Committee and Sebastian Coe has told us we must Make Britain Proud and Back the Bid +3,"Sears Begins Selling Apparel, Home Fashions Online",NEW YORK (Dow Jones)-- Sears Roebuck amp; Co. (S) today unveiled its softer side on the Web for the first time as part of an effort to steer its faltering apparel business in the right direction. +1, Foreign Office Trumped Up False Claims - Dropped Ambassador,Britains former ambassador to Uzbekistan has accused the Foreign Office of trumping up false allegations in an attempt to force him from his post. +2,Making a case for Tippett,"Andre Tippett belongs. He may not end up in Canton, Ohio, at a Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, as he should, but he belongs there.The preliminary list of 89 nominees for the Hall of Fame was released last week, and it included three names of local interest: Tippett, ex-Patriot tackle Leon Gray, and Waltham High and Boston College ..." +1,House Defeats Gay Marriage Ban Amendment ,"AP - The House emphatically rejected a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage Thursday, the latest in a string of conservative pet causes advanced by Republican leaders in the run-up to Election Day." +3,"RPT-IPO VIEW-Three months later, still digesting Google","The seldom-used auction system that Web search giant Google Inc. (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research) used in its initial public offering was expected by some to change the way Wall Street does business." +2,NL Wrap: Padres Pass Giants Despite Bonds Homer," SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Jay Payton's three-run homer led the San Diego Padres to a 5-1 win over the San Francisco Giants in National League play on Saturday, despite a 701st career blast from Barry Bonds." +4,Briefly: Push-to-talk wiretaps on feds' speed list,"roundup Plus: Tellabs scales back AFC buy...Top McAfee exec to step down...IDC says external disk storage up...Lawmakers to vote on spyware, piracy bills." +3,Screen glut cuts net 15 at LG.Philips,SEOUL LG.Philips LCD said Monday that third-quarter net profit fell 15 percent as prices for flat screens for televisions and computers declined. +1,"U.S., Shiites Fight in Baghdad; 5 Killed","BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite militants and U.S. forces battled throughout the Baghdad slum of Sadr City, and a mortar barrage slammed into a busy neighborhood in the capital in a new wave of violence Saturday that killed at least five people and wounded dozens of others..." +4,Dell blades cut deeper to data centers (InfoWorld),"InfoWorld - Dell Computer re-energized its enterprise-class blade server strategy on Monday, rolling out a new architecture that supports up to 10 servers in a seven-unit chassis that can fit into a standard-size rack." +3,Tom Online Buys Stake in Indiagames,Wireless Internet company Tom Online Inc. on Friday said it signed a definitive agreement to buy a majority stake in Indiagames Ltd. +4,FDA to Study Adult Antidepressant Effects,"WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration will examine clinical trial data for thousands of depressed adults to see if they, like children, suffered increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors while taking antidepressants. Dr..." +2,Carter Placed on Injured List, TORONTO (Sports Network) - Toronto Raptors All-Star swingman Vince Carter was placed on the injured list Friday after tests revealed a mild strain of his left Achilles' tendon. +4,IBM revs supercomputer in rankings race,"Blue Gene/L performance likely to far outpace NEC's Earth Simulator in contest of high-powered machines, News.com has learned.\<br /> Photos: SGI's rival Columbia supercomputer " +2,USOC: No way Hamm drops gold,US Olympic Committee officials angrily denounced gymnastics international federation for sending a letter to Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm asking him +4,IBM open-sources speech-recognition development tools,"SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 (IDG NEWS SERVICE) - IBM announced today that it will release as open-source code some of its software for speech-enabling applications." +1,US extends an olive branch to Taliban's 'moderates',"KABUL, Afghanistan -- Since the US military expelled the Taliban three years ago, it has battled the regime's diehard fighters in the barren mountains and dusty wastes of southern Afghanistan. Now the United States is extending an olive branch to moderate elements of its shadowy foe." +3,Weak industrial output weighs on British growth ,AFP - Britain's industrial sector appears to have been a bigger drag on overall economic growth in the third quarter than was first assumed. +3,Russell's a Good Sport,"If it can keep integrating buys and grow profits, this looks like a company worth holding." +1,"Iraq war illegal, says Annan",The UN's Kofi Annan tells the BBC the US-led invasion of Iraq was illegal and contravened the UN charter. +3,Workers muse Uniteds future,United Airlines union leaders huddled Friday to decide how to respond after the company signaled its intent to impose an additional $725 million in labor cuts and eliminate traditional pension plans. +1,Democracy stirs in the Arab world,"Upcoming elections in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian Authority are initial steps on still rocky paths to democracy." +1,Egypt and Israel in landmark trade deal,The deal is a trade pact that will enable Egypt to export goods to the US duty free - as long as they have a minimum percentage made in Israel. +3,Kellogg's Cuban-born CEO to lead Commerce,"Carlos Gutierrez, whose family fled Castro, will head administration efforts to revive the manufacturing sector. By Associated Press." +2,FINE POINT Openers rain on Indian parade,"Toss won, spinners picked, minds set. And then it all went downhill on day one. In this season of hope gone awry, there was more to be disappointed with on day one of this test match." +2,Youhana plays the hero,"Tickets for this more than a cricket match sold out in three hours when placed on sale back in May. But while most appeared to have gone to India's supporters, it was Pakistan's " +1,Three foreign UN hostages released in Afghanistan: police ,"AFP - Three foreign United Nations workers kidnapped and held hostage in Afghanistan for three weeks were released, police and officials told AFP." +4,Big Anti-Induce Campaign Planned,A music-activism group is staging a massive call-in to congressional members Tuesday to protest the Induce Act and urge protection of consumers' rights to music and movies they own. By Katie Dean. +2,Giants win; LA's lead dwindling,"Noah Lowry takes a lesson out of every outing, and the baseball world is quickly learning that this kid is pitching nothing like a 23-year-old rookie." +2,Rolling Moss gathers win,The immortal words of Spinal Tap while they were lost in the maze of backstage hallways couldn't have suited the Edmonton Road Runners any better. +1,"Claiming victory, Palestinian security prisoners end 19-day hunger ",Palestinian security prisoners ended their hunger strike yesterday as they declared their 19-day protest succeeded in achieving most of their demands. +1,German Press Review: Assessing Germany's UN Aspirations,"Responding to the G4 nations bid for expanded membership and their inclusion in the UN Security Council, the Handelsblatt in Dsseldorf stressed that those who want to make progress must join forces." +3,"Australian Gasoline Prices May Ease, Treasurer Costello Says","Australia's inflation rate was contained and gasoline prices may ease in coming months, Treasuer Peter Costello told reporters in Melbourne." +4, Scramjet Hits Almost Mach 10,"A tiny unmanned NASA quot;scramjet quot; soared above the Pacific Ocean Tuesday at nearly 10 times the speed of sound, or almost 7,000 mph, in a record-breaking demonstration of a radical new engine technology." +3,UK Regulator Calls Shell Misconduct Unprecedented ,"UK regulators said Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Europe's second-largest oil company, was guilty of unprecedented misconduct in overstating reserves that led to fines of $151." +4,USTA nets server savings,"IBM, which manages computer operations for the United States Tennis Association, has consolidated Internet scoring, staging and Web publishing applications onto a single eServer i5 system to support the U.S. Open's processing requirements." +2,"AL Wrap: Indians, Twins Split Doubleheader to End Season", NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ben Broussard belted a two-run homer in the third inning to give the Cleveland Indians a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins to salvage a split of a unique doubleheader on the final day of the American League regular season. +1,Blair tried to bully BBC over Iraq coverage,London: Former BBC chief has accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of attempting to force the corporation to change its tone of coverage of the Iraq war and the issue of weapons of mass destruction. +1,Iran Promises UN It Will Suspend Uranium Enrichment ,"Iran told the United Nations nuclear watchdog that it agreed to a European Union deal to voluntarily stop uranium conversion from Nov. 22, to ward off US calls that the Islamic Republic " +4,London Apple Store Opens to Media,The store covers two floors on London's upscale Regent Street. Apple said the store has the largest single sales floor of any Apple retail store and a 14-meter long Genius Bar with 20 stools. +1,Iran Nears Deal on Renewed Nuclear Freeze," VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has agreed in principle to renew a freeze of some sensitive nuclear activities in a move apparently aimed at easing pressure ahead of a U.N. nuclear watchdog meeting next week, diplomats said Tuesday." +4,News: Computer crash linked to excessive heat deepens concerns about electronic voting,The Associated Press By Rachel Konrad +2,NEW SCHOOL Baylor's Wariner leads US sweep in 400,"Athens -- In winning the gold medal in the 400 meters and leading the United States to its first sweep in an Olympic track and field event since 1988, Jeremy Wariner did something else of great significance." +3,Singapore not ready to buy 7E7,"In what could prove to be a setback for The Boeing Co.'s expectations that it will win upwards of 200 orders this year for its 7E7, Singapore Airlines said yesterday that it is not ready to order the new super-efficient jet." +1,"Venezuelan Military Plane Crashes, 16 Killed"," CARACAS, Venezuela, Dec 10 (Reuters) - A Venezuelan military aircraft crashed into a mountainside west of Caracas on Friday, killing 16 passengers and crew-members aboard including several senior officers, authorities said." +4,New Kazaa version to offer free Internet-based phone calls,"Sharman Networks Limited has launched Kazaa v3.0. This latest version includes the integration of Skype, which allows users to make free online calls anywhere in the world, using peer-to-peer (P2P) technology." +2,ATP Plans 'Safe Supplements'," LONDON (Reuters) - Tennis chiefs will next year offer professional players on the men's tour a range of ""safe supplements,"" the BBC reported Wednesday." +1,Body found in Iraq,Iraqi officials said the decapitated body of what appears to be a young Asian male has been found in northwestern Baghdad. Civil defense officials said they retrieved the body Saturday in the fields of a Baghdad +1,Reuters cameraman killed in Ramadi,"An Iraqi cameraman working for Reuters has been killed during heavy fighting between US forces and insurgents in Iraq's western city of Ramadi on Monday, colleagues said." +3,"US Airways, Pilots Union to Resume Concession Talks ","US Airways Group Inc. and its pilots union plan to resume talks on $295 million in pay and benefit cuts the carrier needs to help avoid a second bankruptcy filing, after each side made a proposal over the weekend." +3,Contrasts mark economy under Bush,"The gross domestic product is up, but jobs are down. Economists say yes, that is possible. MIAMI - It seems, at first blush, to be a baffling contradiction." +2,Antonio Tarver's Transcendent Dreams,"By Patrick Kehoe: World light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver may be 35 and yet he's not about to indulge in limits, conditional options or relativism of any kind." +1,Two Palestinians Killed in Gaza Gunbattle ,"AP - A lengthy gunbattle erupted Saturday morning between Palestinians militants and Israeli troops just outside the Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, killing two Palestinians, according to medical officials." +1,Supreme Court Questions Juvenile Death Penalty (Reuters),Reuters - The U.S. Supreme Court questioned on\Wednesday whether world opinion against the death penalty for\juveniles should influence its decision on the\constitutionality of executing those who committed murder at\age 16 or 17. +2,NBC finishes Summer Games like a champ,"After a disastrous performance in Sydney, NBC proved its Olympic mettle with multi-network, vastly expanded coverage that both did better and was better." +3,Chief Gordon Brown Predicts Strong Growth,"Treasury chief Gordon Brown said Thursday that the British economy will continue to grow strongly in 2004 and that the government will meet key targets on public borrowing, bettering the expectations of many economic forecasters." +3,Calm for the Storm: Asset Allocation,The market is still down from its March 2000 peak. Here's how to protect your assets from further drops. +1,Americans Forces Strike Fallujah,"BAGHDAD, Iraq Sept. 28, 2004 - American forces bombed a suspected hide-out used by associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Fallujah on Tuesday, part of a campaign of airstrikes the US military said has taken " +2,"Celebrating human spirit, in all its impurity","What if the Olympic Games --started here 2,780 years ago, right in this fertile, ancient town in the western Peloponnesus some 200 miles from Athens -- really mean something? ..." +4,"Internet expands political exposure, study finds","In its third presidential election, the Internet has finally reached political adolescence. Candidates use it to raise millions and rally their followers." +2,Another Shot for Crawford,"Trying to end a four-game losing streak, Georgetown will start quarterback Andrew Crawford, who lost his starting job to Keith Allan earlier this season, in Saturday's homecoming game against VMI at Harbin Field." +2,Hewitt back in top form,Lleyton Hewitt finished as the No. 1-ranked player in the world in 2001 and 2002 by running down more balls and winning more matches than anybody. +3,IBM closes pension,Employees chances of retiring with a guaranteed pension suffered another setback this week with IBM announcing it was closing its cash-balance pension plan to new employees - fueling concerns that other companies would follow suit. +2,"Vick, Falcons thrown to the Lions","For all the highlights he's provided in a 33-game career, Michael Vick reminded the Atlanta Falcons that he can lay an occasional egg, too." +1,Hungarian tycoon picked as new PM,Hungary's ruling Socialists choose a multi-millionaire to succeed Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy. +2,Aussies Upset U.S. Women in Medley Relay ,"AP - Petria Thomas overtook Jenny Thompson on the third leg of the Olympic women's 400-meter medley relay Saturday night, helping Australia upset the United States in world-record time." +4,InPhonic Shares Gain During Debut,"Shares of InPhonic Inc., a Washington reseller of wireless service and telephones over the Internet, rose 26 percent Tuesday on their first day of trading..<br><FONT face=""verdana,MS Sans Serif,arial,helvetica"" size=""-2"" color=""#666666""><B>-The Washington Post</B></FONT>" +2,Shearer just the trick for Toon,Alan Shearer and Patrick Kluivert teamed up to fire Newcastle into the group stage of the UEFA Cup with a striking master-class in Tel Aviv. +4,New PC Is Created Just for Teenagers,"This isn't your typical, humdrum, slate-colored computer. Not only is the PC known as the hip-e almost all white, but its screen and keyboard are framed in fuzzy pink fur. Or a leopard skin design. Or a graffiti-themed pattern." +2,Australia Needs Five More Wickets to Claim Series Win in India,Australia's cricketers closed in on their first Test series triumph in India for 35 years after reducing the home side to 84-5 at tea on the fourth day of the third Test at Nagpur. +2,Sen. McCain calls on baseball to restore the integrity ,Sen. John McCain demands that Major League Baseball's players and owners tighten the sport's drug-testing policy to quot;restore the integrity quot; of the game. +1,Peacekeepers Battle Gangs in a Ravaged Haiti,"Description: NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports on gruesome violence in the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince. UN peacekeepers are attempting to restore calm in the city, where armed bands of gangsters are " +4,T-Mobile Flashes Flarion Trial,Wireless carrier T-Mobile International AG today confirmed it is carrying out trials of Flarion Technologies Flash OFDM equipment in European air space. +3,Moratorium On Web Tax Advances,"Congress yesterday cleared the way to keep access to the Internet largely free from taxes for the next three years, breaking a year-long deadlock." +1,Settlers or Sharon,"Sharon is not Charles de Gaulle. He is as far away as ever from the conviction that Israel must recognise the national rights of the Palestinian people and withdraw from territories occupied in 1967, let alone " +4,Bands Debut Dual-Sided CD/DVD Hybrid ,AP - A new hybrid CD format that offers standard CD audio on one side and the enhanced media capabilities of a DVD on the other made its nationwide debut this week. +3,"Black to Quit Hollinger Inc., Stock Soars"," TORONTO (Reuters) - Former press baron Conrad Black will quit as chairman and chief executive of his Canadian holding company, Hollinger Inc. <A HREF=""http://www.investor.reuters.com/FullQuote.aspx?ticker=HLGc.TO target=/stocks/quickinfo/fullquote"">HLGc.TO</A>, to facilitate his offer to take it private." +4,Google Sends Out an SMS,"Google this week launched a beta test version of Google SMS, a new service that lets users of wireless devices query Google for specific information, such as business or residential phone listings, product prices, and word definitions, the company says." +3,Antispam effort dealt setback,A row over intellectual property claims from Microsoft Corp. has dealt a fatal blow to an ambitious effort by Internet engineers to create a technical standard for curbing junk e-mail. +1,Aid worker feared killed in Iraq: family ,"AFP - British-Irish aid worker Margaret Hassan, kidnapped by militants in Iraq last month, has most probably been killed by her captors, her family said in a statement." +1,Muslims Could Prove Crucial in Election ,"AP - With more than 1,200 Muslims and Arab-Americans taken into custody after the Sept. 11 attacks, and a U.S.-led war raging in Iraq, many Muslims oppose George Bush in the November presidential election. But their voting for John Kerry is not a slam-dunk, either." +2,DC throws a curve,WASHINGTON--Cynics might say Major League Baseball used competition from Northern Virginia to pry the District of Columbia's pocketbook wide open for a new ballpark for the relocated Montreal Expos. +4,"Microsoft lures NetWare users with migration tools, support","US software maker Microsoft has announced the availability of a combination of tools, prescriptive guidance, training and technical support for customers that are considering migrating from Novell NetWare to Microsoft Windows Server 2003." +2,Sally still shoulders rowing blame,"It started with a late-race collapse, escalated in a physical threat and manifested in a highly public finger-pointing session. Now, after rower Catriona Oliver slapped Sally Robbins before stunned " +3,NY Atty General Spitzer to Run for Gov.," NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer will announce on Tuesday he will run for governor of the state in 2006, a spokeswoman said." +2,Wizards Start Slow,The Wizards are making up for slow starts in the first half with better play and increased scoring in the second half of games. +3,Asian Stocks Edge Up as Dollar Steadies (Reuters),"Reuters - The dollar strengthened above last\week's record low against the euro on Monday, allowing shares\in shippers and steelmakers to take Asian equity markets up,\but nerves about the dollar's direction capped stock gains." +1,World Trade Center Leaseholder Gets Boost From Federal Jury,"A jury has decided that the destruction of the World Trade Center was two events, meaning leaseholder Larry Silverstein can collect twice from insurance companies." +3,Social Security Gets 2.7 Percent Boost,"Social Security benefits for more than 47 million Americans will increase 2.7 percent next year, the government announced today. But higher Medicare premiums will take " +4,MPAA Targets Movie Downloaders,The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) plans to begin filing copyright theft lawsuits Nov. 16 against users of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks who illegally trade movies over the file-swapping networks. +1,Sharon Says Incitement to Oppose Disengagement Plan Must End,Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said opponents of his proposal to evacuate settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank must stop inciting the military and security forces to reject the withdrawal plan. +1,Israel army kills Jihad militant,"The Israeli army has shot dead a member of militant group Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip near a border crossing with Israel, security sources say." +3,Vodafone launches 3G services,"VODAFONE, the world's largest mobile phone network, launched its third-generation services in 13 countries today, including the UK." +2,#6/5 WAKE FOREST ESAPCES WITH 67-64 WIN OVER TEMPLE,"PHILADELPHIA - As sophomore Dustin Salisberys desperation three-point attempt with two seconds remaining sailed awry, so did the hopes of a Temple upset over #6/5 Wake Forest , who escaped with a 67-64 win on Monday night at the Liacouras Center ." +4,"SBC, Sprint Strike Roaming Accord","SBC Communications Inc. and Sprint Corp. today announced a roaming agreement that will provide Sprints customers access to approximately 2,300 wireless Internet hotspots at airports, hotels and other venues operated by SBC." +2,Hall upset over snub,"ATHENS Gary Hall Jr. resurfaced for the first time since being left off the medal race in the 4x100-meter sprint relay last weekend, and as expected, he had an opinion. " +4,Expedition 10 Crew Successfully Launches Into Space (SPACE.com),SPACE.com - A fresh space station crew and one visiting cosmonaut are on\their way to the International Space Station (ISS) after their Soyuz rocket\pierced the skies above Kazakhstan during a flawless launch today. +1,Milosevic Blasts His Trial as 'Pure Farce'," THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic condemned his war crimes trial as a ""pure farce"" on Wednesday in a defiant finish to his opening defense statement against charges of ethnic cleansing in the Balkans." +4,"Iomega NAS Line Boasts Improved Speed, Capacity","Iomega Corp. updated its network-attached storage line Friday with the NAS 400r, a rack-mounted NAS line featuring faster processors and improved capacity." +1,Nigeria rebel leader cites deal,A rebel leader who had threatened to attack multinational oil interests in Nigeria says he and President Olusegun Obasanjo have agreed that rebel and government troops will stop firing on each other immediately. +4,Ireland Cracks Down on Internet Fraud,Ireland has become the first country on earth to cut off direct-dialed calls to entire nations in a bid to crack down on Internet-based fraud. +4,Nokia handset sales recover slightly,NOKIA's SALES SLIDE has been halted according to figures released by the Gartner Group. The analysts predict Nokia's share of the global market crept back to almost 30 per cent. +3,Opec's new price shock,"Opec, the oil producers cartel, is poised to raise its target price range for a barrel of crude this week - delivering a harsh message to oil-guzzling economies to get used to a $30 floor under prices." +1,U.S. Sprinters Take Aim at 200M Semifinals,"ATHENS, Greece - Three Americans, including 100-meter gold medalist Justin Gatlin, will attempt to advance to the semifinals in the 200 meters Tuesday when action resumes on the Olympic Stadium track at 1 p.m. EDT..." +4,Stroke Steals One Woman's Dreams,"Along with the potentially devastating physical damage that a stroke can cause, a little known and rare consequence can be the loss of dreaming." +2,"With new caddie, Singh floundering in pursuit of 10th win","It appears that Vijay Singh will have to be content with nine wins this year. The world's No. 1 player had another nondescript day at East Lake, shooting an even-par 70 that left him 11 strokes behind co-leaders " +1,Murphy mounts new bid to restore devolved government,Northern Ireland's political leaders gather at Hillsborough Castle today in a bid to breathe fresh life into the peace process. +2,WASPS HIT BACK AT WOODWARD,Lawrence Dallaglio and Wasps rugby chief Warren Gatland tonight defended the double champions from criticism by Sir Clive Woodward. +3,Dollar Continues Slide Vs Euro, LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar slid back toward last week's record low against the euro on Monday after a weekend meeting of world finance chiefs ended with no agreement to stem the greenback's decline. +3,Slip a Geek Book Under the Tree,Tech gifts needn't be electronic. Geeks and non-geeks alike can enjoy the old-fashioned pleasure of curling up by the fire with a good read. Michelle Delio reviews a passel of new books just in time for the holiday season. +3,US House of Representatives passes new corporate tax bill,The US House of representatives on Thursday passed a new corporate tax bill designed to end the trade war with Europe but the bill gives more tax cuts for some business including farmers and big companies. +3,Oil Holds Firm After Big Fuel Stocks Draw," LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices held firm, close to $47 a barrel on Wednesday after U.S. data showed the disruption caused by Hurricane Ivan had eaten into fuel stocks." +1,Republicans Call for Annan's Resignation; UN Members Stand By Him,"Posted December 2, 2004 - President Bush said he is looking forward to a full accounting and disclosure of the facts about the allegations of corruption surrounding the United Nations oil-for-food program." +3,PUC fines Cingular $12 million,"California's Public Utilities Commission yesterday fined Cingular Wireless a record $12 million for violating state law by failing to tell customers that its network was overburdened, then " +3,Consumer Spending Up 0.8 Percent in July ,"AP - After taking a rest in June, the nation's consumers were full of energy last month, boosting their spending by a strong 0.8 percent, a hopeful sign the economy may be emerging from a summer funk." +1,Officials Attempt to Visit Comatose Arafat,"Yasser Arafat is in a coma and his condition worsened overnight, a hospital spokesman said Tuesday, as Palestinian officials sought to visit their critically ill leader over his wife's angry objections." +1,Damascus Bomb Misses Hamas Target,"A member of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas escaped unhurt on Monday when a bomb blew up his car in the Syrian capital Damascus, a Palestinian source said." +1,Assam flash floods toll mounts to 70,"GUWAHATI: Nine bodies were recovered in Assam's Goalpara district on Sunday morning taking the death toll in the current flash floods in the state to 70, official sources said." +1,GREAT LAKES: African Union may help disarm militias,"ADDIS ABABA, 8 December (IRIN) - With the threat of renewed regional conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the African Union's (AU s) Peace and Security Council announced on Tuesday that it would seek a greater role in helping to disarm " +4,Indian IT major Infosys net profit jumps 49 percent as outsourcing booms ,"AFP - India's second-largest software exporter, Infosys Technologies, quarterly net profit jumped 49 percent, well ahead of market expectations, thanks to a sustained outsourcing boom." +2,"Ken Caminiti, 1996 NL MVP, Dies At Age 41",New York -- Former Houston Astros slugger Ken Caminiti died today at age 41. The 1996 National League MVP admitted during his major league career that he had used steroids. +1,Russian Official: Hazing Report Inaccurate ,AP - Russia's military prosecutor said Thursday that Human Rights Watch was mistaken in its accusations of widespread hazing in the military and said Russia had already made serious efforts to combat the problem. +1,Russia Rejects U.S. Criticism of Planned Reforms," ASTANA (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday curtly rejected U.S. criticism of sweeping political changes proposed by President Vladimir Putin, telling Washington to stay out of its business." +4,Reheated Bagle smokes out antivirus defenses,"A new version of the fast-spreading Bagle mass-mailing worm was discovered Friday, with its threat level quickly rising to a moderate level, according to security experts." +2,Guti warns Owen of Raul,Spanish midfielder Guti has warned Real Madrid team-mate Michael Owen that he would need to produce an exceptional performance if he has any ambitions of taking Raul's place in the starting line-up. +1,Ted Lilly Throws One of Three AL Shutouts,"Ted Lilly's three-hit shutout against the surging Boston Red Sox was barely the best pitching performance in the American League. Detroit's Jeremy Bonderman struck out a career-high 14 Monday night in a 7-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox, and Scott Kazmir pitched five scoreless innings to win his major league debut for Tampa Bay..." +4,Viruses Aimed at Microsoft Rise Sharply-Symantec,"The number of new viruses and worms aimed at Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) ubiquitous Windows operating system rose 400 percent between January and June from the same year-earlier period, leading computer " +2,Manchester United Confirm Rooney Signing,Manchester United is delighted to announce that it has finalised an agreement with Everton Football Club for the transfer of Wayne Rooney. +1,Profit Drops at NTT DoCoMo on Service Fees ,"AP - NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's top mobile carrier, reported a 6 percent drop in first fiscal half earnings Friday as it introduced discounts to fight intensifying competition. But it raised its full-year forecast, citing anticipated gains on asset sales." +1,Ex-Rwandan Officer Pleads Innocent ,AP - A former senior Rwandan army officer pleaded innocent Monday before a U.N. tribunal to six counts of genocide and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. +4,Details emerge in Honeywell's suit against Apple,"Honeywell on Wednesday announced that it has filed suit in federal court against Apple Computer Inc. and more than thirty other companies, alleging infringement over a 1994 patent that describes technology " +1,UDA ceasefire begins today,"The British governments recognition of the Ulster Defence Associations ceasefire officially came into effect today. It came hours after the UDA, Northern Irelands largest loyalist paramilitary group " +3,UPDATE: Lenovo In Talks With Major IT Company -2-,"HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK), China's largest computer company, confirmed it is in acquisition talks with a major international information technology company." +2,Cowboys' High Hopes Dwindle After Big Loss ,AP - Keyshawn Johnson sat alone at his locker for a long time with a blank stare on his face. Then he found it hard to put his frustration into words. How could things have gone so wrong for the Dallas Cowboys? +3,Ex-Qwest exec will alter plea,Former Qwest Communications executive Thomas Hall agreed on Friday to plead guilty to an unspecified charge that will wrap up the first criminal case brought as part of the government's +4,Devising a Way to Sail to Mars,"In this artist's conception, a plasma station, lower left, applies a magnetized beam of ionized plasma to the sails of a spacecraft bound for Jupiter." +1,Congress delivers 146-billion-dollar tax cut ,AFP - Congress overwhelmingly approved a 146-billion-dollar tax cut endorsed by both President George W. Bush and his rival John Kerry but criticized by some economists. +2,WHAT THE PAPERS SAY,Furious Wayne Rooney has begged Everton not to wreck his dream move to Old Trafford after Manchester United increased their offer for the wonderkid.